Tony Khan subtly confirms 5-time WWE champion will get a backstage role in AEW

Tony Khan has seemingly confirmed that a former WWE champion will have a backstage position in AEW waiting for him after he retires. The star in question, Samoa Joe, is set for a major title bout later this month.

In a recent interview, The Samoan Submission Machine disclosed that, like many of his legendary peers - John Cena and AJ Styles, for instance - he, too, is nearing the end of his pro-wrestling career. The reigning All Elite Wrestling World Trios Champion indicated that he would likely hang up his boots at the end of his current contract with the Jacksonville-based promotion.

All Elite Wrestling CEO Tony Khan was recently featured in an interview with Z100 New York, where he was asked about Joe's remarks regarding his retirement and about how valuable the veteran might be in a backstage capacity afterwards. Khan replied by affirming that The Samoan Submission Specialist was already serving as a highly revered mentor in the company, pointing to his current relationship with his trios partner, Powerhouse Hobbs.

"Hugely valuable [in a backstage role]. Samoa Joe is already one of the top mentors in AEW, and anybody who steps in the ring with Samoa Joe learns a lot, and anybody who gets the tutelage of Samoa Joe in [All Elite Wrestling] learns a lot. I think Powerhouse Hobbs is a great example of somebody who is currently learning a lot from Samoa Joe that will benefit him throughout the rest of his career. I know he's learning, to quote Samoa Joe, life lessons, life lessons that will be with him for the rest of his life," Khan said.

TK furthermore voiced his hope that Joe will remain with All Elite Wrestling even after finishing up his in-ring tenure, alluding to Bryan Danielson's non-wrestling involvements since his full-time career ended at last year's WrestleDream.

"I'm very optimistic that eventually, whenever Samoa Joe does decide to retire from the ring, I'm very hopeful and optimistic that Samoa Joe will stay with us in [All Elite Wrestling] and be a mentor to the wrestlers. Not unlike Bryan Danielson, who is still a huge part of [All Elite Wrestling], even though he's not actively competing in the ring. He's been now for one year away from wrestling since Wrestle Dream last year, but he's still a huge part of [All Elite Wrestling] and continues to be. And my hope is that Samoa Joe will stay with us in AEW forever." [H/T - Wrestling Inc]

Samoa Joe is a five-time champion in WWE, winning the NXT championship three times and the WWE US Title twice.

He has earned another shot at the All Elite Men's World Title after winning a four-way contender's bout on Fright Night Dynamite last week.

Samoa Joe was attacked on AEW Dynamite by a top star

Despite securing the win in the four-way World Championship #1 Contender's Match on the October 29 edition of AEW Dynamite, the night did not end well for Samoa Joe. The Destroyer and his trios partners were ambushed by Adam Page, who blindsided The Opps by sneaking up on them disguised as Tony Schiavone. The Cowboy dropped Katsuyori Shibata and Powerhouse Hobbs with low-blows, and hit Joe with a beer bottle before laying him out with a Buckshot Lariat.

Hangman Page (disguised as Tony Schiavone) getting the drop on Samoa Joe on Fright Night Dynamite [Image via @AEW on X]

Hangman Page will defend his AEW World Championship against Samoa Joe later this month at Full Gear.