FREE POST: Tony Khan, AEW-WBD, WWE News, More

This post is free to all paid and free tier subscribers. Upgrade to the $5.99/month tier for access to exclusive news, discord, Q&A and additional podcasts

This week on Fightful:

• Updates on our paid tier included injury updates on Orange Cassidy, Switchblade Jay White, Giulia, as well as news on Mercedes vs. Athena, names backstage at AEW Dynamite, extras at WWE Raw, details on the WWE tryouts, numerous contract updates, info behind Kevin Knight's deal.

• In addition to our Q&A podcast, Fightful has had daily "Select Answers" articles on the paid tier.

• SRS will be in the Select Discord this weekend talking AEW Dynasty, making his BetOnline lock picks, and more.

• We have a PPV preview show coming to Select from Rob Wilkins, and Alex & SP3's post show.

• We're expecting to have Raw/Smackdown scoops threads back this week as well.

• Fightful will also have staff on the scene at AEW Dynasty.
  

  WWE/AEW Notes

• FIghtful has confirmed PWInsider's report that Miro was at WWE HQ this week. We've not confirmed that he's put pen to paper on a contract as of yet, but that is the expectation.

• We've not heard that Lana has signed with WWE.

• It is believed that Switchblade Jay White's injury is a hand injury.

AEW Tony Khan Media call notes

• Tony Khan tells Jon Alba that the AEW/Max numbers are kept close to the vest, but that everything he's heard in the BJ Bethel report regarding Max viewership is consistent with what he's heard.

• Tony Khan is asked by Alex Hunt about Sting inducting Lex Luger into the WWE HOF. Tony said he isn't sure how he'd react to being approached about it. He spoke to Sting shortly before AEW Revolution, but it didn't come up. He'd have a conversation with Sting about it.

• Tony Khan told Dom D'Angelo that the Moxley spike spot was a risk that paid off, and he was able to be in the ring last night.

• Tony Khan tells @AndrewBaydala that AEW has had the best hardcore wrestling in the world over the last few years and they'll continue to do so.

• Tony Khan tells @bpritchard152 that there is still time before AEW Dynasty for Bandido to answer Chris Jericho's mask vs. title match. He said he's never confirmed the match for "good reasons." He says Bandido will answer the challenge when the time is right. Says that he "looks out for the well being of the wrestlers if the time is right."

• Tony Khan is asked by @itsellajay if Athena will be on AEW TV more, and Tony says a lot of it depends on the tournament.

• Tony Khan is asked by Jason Powell if AEW would consider moving Collision to Thursdays. Tony says that he likes what they have on Saturdays, and the opportunities they've been presented with lead ins. They're open to doing anything WBD needs them to.

• Fightful asked Tony Khan about how he reacts and weighs when there is negative reaction, and how he decides when to pivot or stay the course, using Death Riders as an example. Tony says the info he gets from WBD, Neilsen, and direct reactions are all important to him, and staying in touch with the fans desires is also important. There are a lot of fan opinions that are valid and some that are poor. Tony says they track popularity and engagement around wrestlers, and they're not always correlated. He says AEW takes great pride in fan feedback. He feels the sentiment around AEW is the best it's been in a while.

Additional News

• Cole Radrick tore his ACL and was subsequently fired from his day job. You can support his GoFundMe at this link.

• Grapsody will be live on Monday talking AEW Dynasty instead of Saturday this week. You can see their Speedball Mike Bailey interview at this link.

• We spoke to Ed of Squared Circle Expo at this link

• Fightful has a new Jimmy Van/SRS video coming up this week looking at Japanese POPY figures.

• Their last episode covering LJN Black Cards is at this link.

• SRS spoke to Luke Kurtis, who has done work with NJPW, WWE, TNA, and AEW at this link.

• A reminder, if you happen to speak Spanish, we have Fightful Espanol and SELECT ESPANOL!

• Fightful Podcasts are on Apple, Amazon, Spotify, Podbean, Player FM and all other audio