Kevin Nealon Challenges Danny Devito to Wrestling Match
Kevin Nealon challenged danny devito to a wrestling match in the WWE or AEW, then kept the pressure on when the actor did not answer right away. Tony Khan later jumped into the exchange, putting AEW’s top executive into a celebrity crossover that already has a track record inside the company.
Nealon’s X challenge
“I challenge Danny DeVito to a match in the WWE or AEW,” Nealon wrote on X. A few hours later, he followed with, “I’m here. You’re quiet.” That gave the challenge a clear public clock and turned what could have stayed as a throwaway joke into an open invitation aimed at two major wrestling brands.
DeVito is already tied to wrestling language through Frank Reynolds on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, where the character entered the squared circle as the Trash Man. DeVito described the gimmick as coming to the ring with a trashcan, throwing trash in the ring, eating garbage, and then bashing an opponent in the head with the can. That history makes the challenge more than a random celebrity mention; it is aimed at someone who has already played with the wrestling frame on screen.
Tony Khan’s response
Khan wrote on X, “Do you guys own these outfits,” alongside a photo of Nealon and DeVito in the Hans and Franz skit on Saturday Night Live. Nealon answered that he did have the outfits, which kept the exchange moving in public and made the AEW chief’s reply feel less like a brush-off than a door left open.
AEW has used celebrities before, including comedian Wayne Brady at Revolution and social media influencer Big Boom A.J. with his family in several matches. That makes Khan’s reaction more than social chatter; it fits a booking pattern the company has already used when it wanted a wider entertainment lift.
AEW’s celebrity lane
Nealon’s challenge lands in a useful spot for AEW because it comes with a recognizable name, a built-in comic hook, and a performer in DeVito who has already attached himself to wrestling parody. If AEW wants celebrity-driven programming that feels legible to a general audience, this is the kind of exchange that can travel beyond core wrestling fans without needing a long setup.
The practical next step is simple: if this gets booked, the match would have to clear the line between a joke and an actual event slot. Khan has already signaled interest in public, and that is enough to keep the idea alive until AEW decides whether Nealon’s challenge becomes a one-off bit or a real appearance.
