Tony Khan personally addressed the AEW audience at Daily’s Place during the October 8 AEW Collision taping, following a frightening moment that saw Kota Ibushi stretchered out after an apparent injury. The AEW President stepped into the ring to pause the show and thank fans for their patience and respect as medical staff attended to Ibushi.

Ibushi’s match with Josh Alexander was abruptly stopped after he fell hard to the outside, prompting EMTs to rush to ringside. The atmosphere inside the venue turned tense as Ibushi was carefully placed on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.

Khan then took the microphone and spoke openly about the risks of professional wrestling and the appreciation he had for the audience’s understanding.

“Most challenging sport of all. When it comes to injuries, the hardest hitting sport of all is professional wrestling. Thank you for being so respectful. And let’s give it up for Kota Ibushi. Thank you.”

Once the situation had settled, the show resumed with Kenny Omega storming the ring to attack Josh Alexander, even hurling a trash can at the returning Mark Davis. Still, the crowd’s thoughts remained with Ibushi, whose injury cast a shadow over the remainder of the night.

As of now, AEW has not provided an official update on Ibushi’s condition, though reports that he was taken directly to the hospital rather than assessed backstage have sparked concern about the seriousness of his injury.

Tony Khan addressing the Kota Ibushi incident to fans at #AEWCollision pic.twitter.com/F8gpYB1FCl

, Steve Carrier (@stevecarrier_) October 9, 2025