Jim Cornette accuses 3-time WWE champion of "stealing money" from Tony Khan

Former wrestling booker Jim Cornette recently found himself engaged in a war of words with a former WWE superstar currently signed with AEW. He claimed that the talent in question, Ricochet, was stealing money from All Elite Wrestling head honcho Tony Khan.

The Future of Flight was in action this past Saturday at AEW Full Gear 2025, where he participated in a Casino Gauntlet Match which was set to crown the inaugural AEW National Champion, a new belt that had been unveiled some time earlier. Entering the bout as the third participant, Ricochet outlasted Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley and numerous other stars in the gradually expanding field to pick up the win and secure his first singles title in All Elite Wrestling.

Shortly after the pay-per-view, Ricochet came to the defense of his AEW colleague and rival Will Ospreay in response to Jim Cornette's shot at The Aerial Assassin on social media. The former International Champion had expressed his support for a clip featuring some young individuals wrestling in their home space, which had prompted Cornette to remark on Ospreay's recent neck surgery to criticize his in-ring style. Ricochet fired off at the former wrestling booker on X/Twitter, pointing out that even relatively old-school wrestlers had sustained injuries and gone through surgeries despite working relatively safer styles.

"Didn't a bunch of the old school guys have knee, back, hip, neck and all other types of surgeries/injuries? Weren't they working smart? You sound f*****g dumb as s**t."

Cornette responded to the former WWE US and IC Champion by arguing for some kind of difference between modern spots and the kinds of bumps wrestlers would take back in the day, before stating that the world-renowned high-flyer and his colleagues were "stealing money" from Tony Khan by way of criticizing AEW's style and booking.

"Many did, simpleton. Came from taking bumps as pros & getting paid for them, not getting flung off roofs into parking lots for free as children--like you & your trampoline friends who claim to be pros but are stealing money from a rich kid to put on your own Jacka** shows."

It remains to be seen what TK has planned for Ricochet's reign as AEW National Champion.

Another former WWE superstar became World Champion at AEW Full Gear

The main event of Full Gear 2025 presented a Steel Cage match between former WWE superstar and champion Samoa Joe and Hangman Adam Page for the latter's AEW Men's World Title. In a shocking upset, and courtesy of a huge assist from Hook - who revealed his secret loyalty to The Opps by turning on The Cowboy - The Samoan Submission Machine dethroned the "Main Character" of AEW to become World Champion for a second time.

Joe's post-match celebration with The Opps and the students of their dojo was cut short, however, by the return of another ex-WWE star and one of AEW's current franchise players, Swerve Strickland.

Edited by Anurag Mukherjee