AEW President Tony Khan has defended wrestling dirt sheets, expressing that their overall benefits far outweigh the negatives. In a recent appearance on MVP’s Marking Out podcast, Khan admitted that misinformation and biased reporting sometimes occur. Yet, he believes the wrestling media landscape still delivers value to the industry. He specifically credited these outlets with introducing him, as a fan, to international styles like Japanese wrestling and lucha libre.
“I think overall there is more help than hurt. I think there can be, at times, misinformation or even disinformation where people put incorrect things out into the world in wrestling for their own benefit. I find that sometimes there’s a lot of truth in these stories, and sometimes there’s not. When you know things firsthand, it can definitely be interesting.
I do think there is a net benefit and a lot of good that comes from it. There’s so much wrestling in the world, and for me, this is where I learned a lot about international wrestling. We’re talking about Japanese wrestling. I first read about and learned about a lot of what was happening in Japan and in Mexico. I’m a big fan of lucha libre, and I learned a lot about it from wrestling newsletters. So yeah, I absolutely think there are benefits …There are always going to be some writers who set a higher standard for their work and for their ethics.” – Tony Khan
The history of wrestling dirt sheets dates back to the 1980s, when eager fans began seeking backstage secrets through underground newsletters. Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter emerged as the trailblazer, moving coverage away from scripted kayfabe toward genuine news, results, and insider rumors. These “rag sheets” exploded in popularity during the 1990s, particularly during the Monday Night Wars, for revealing contracts, injuries, and creative plans. Though once criticized by wrestlers for breaking kayfabe, dirt sheets eventually became must-read material even inside locker rooms, forever changing how the wrestling world consumes information.
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