When commentator Jim Ross put it out into the ether that he would like to see Shane McMahon sign with AEW, calling the deal just crazy enough to work, it sent the professional wrestling universe into an absolute tailspin and earned major attention for Tony Khan's company.

Would AEW actually sign the son of Vince McMahon in an attempt to, what, stick it to WWE? Earn massive headlines? Simply add another dimension to the storylines? Sure, McMahon doesn't exactly need the money, and he does have a certain aura about him that is interesting to watch – even when he's tearing both of his quads doing a Leap Frog at WrestleMania 39 – but would he really sign with his family company's biggest rival, even if he's been out of the loop for over a year now?

Asked about one of the more surprising questions of 2024 in a pre-Forbidden Door interview with Sports Illustrated, Khan announced that he would be happy to bring a McMahon into AEW, as he has nothing but respect for the 54-year-old industry veteran.

“I heard the rumor he might be interested. I’ve never met Shane, but we have a lot of mutual friends,” Tony Khan told Sports Illustrated. “I have a lot of respect for him as an executive and a professional wrestler. Shane is always welcome in AEW.”

Interesting stuff, right? Well wait, it gets even better, as McMahon isn't the only “celebrity” wrestler Khan would welcome into AEW, as there's another big star with deep pockets who he would welcome back into the picture if the opportunity presented itself.

“I would love to have Shaq back in AEW any time he’s available. He’s one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, and he’s extremely talented on-air in a number of roles. Shaq is also the greatest celebrity wrestler in wrestling history. But what people didn’t see is what happened backstage. When he wrestled in AEW, he went around backstage and showed respect to all the wrestlers. He told the wrestlers, ‘I want to make you look good.' It was unbelievable. That’s the most recognizable athlete on the planet doing that,” Khan added.

“We had Shaq and Sting in AEW at the same time, and both are still undefeated. Shaq is first-class all the way. We’re very lucky to be under the same corporate umbrella on TNT, and we would love to welcome him back.”

Frankly, while Shaq was an interesting addition to the AEW Galaxy in 2024, if it came down to one or the other, it's safe to say most fans would endorse bringing in McMahon, as his addition to the promotion would make for some truly interesting storyline opportunities the likes of which AEW simply can't pursue with any other personality. Did you like the addition of heel managers like Dan Lambert or Don Callis? Well, McMahon could overshadow that to an incredible degree and maybe even get AEW some more national attention as they approach a crucial media rights negotiation.

Tony Khan believes AEW is heading for a huge new media rights deal.

Elsewhere on his Forbidden Door media tour, Tony Khan commented on AEW's media rights negotiations deal and let it be known that he believes AEW will cash in big, be that with Warner Brothers Discovery or another network.

“Live sports is the best way to draw a consistent audience for the top networks, cable channels, and streaming services. It's really at a point where every major player in content is making moves in sports. That includes pro wrestling. Media rights for wrestling companies have been tremendous, and AEW is at the forefront. We have a big opportunity with AEW, going into our media rights renewal,” Tony Khan told Stillman And Company via Fightful.

“The NBA is going to get a huge deal, draw huge revenues, get a big contract. That's been happening in the industry. Top sports leagues like the NFL, the NBA, and now AEW are looking to draw big dollars for the content and rights fees. There is more ways to watch the content, but one thing that consistently brings big audiences, no matter how much viewership has changed and the platform has changed, is live sports. The one league that continues to grow and is at the very top and continues to find new ways to innovate at the forefront of media is the NFL. It's the biggest sporting league in the world and continues to grow the pie, the revenues, and the audience. I think the NFL has it figured out better than anybody. Definitely, all the big sports leagues, including the NBA, and AEW are poised for big media rights renewals in the coming year.”

After spending literally years answering the same question over and over again, one day, Khan will actually be able to announce formally that a deal has been reached and that AEW will have a new windfall of cash from which they can continue to build the promotion accordingly. What that deal looks like, however, will continue to be debated until it gets done, as it truly is one of the most fascinating negotiations in professional wrestling history.