Marko Stunt opens up about his relationship with Tony Khan and his contract not being renewed by AEW in a brand new interview.
Tony Khan? Quiet? Apparently So
Well, Wrestling Inc is reporting that’s what Marco Stunt said when his contract wasn’t renewed, anyway.
He said;
‘I sent out an email and didn’t get a response, I texted him and didn’t get a response.’
This was on the NBC Sports Boston YouTube channel. There is a general feeling that Tony Khan is acquisitive when it comes to talent – he has money and if a wrestler is on offer, he often wants that person in AEW. That’s an issue though when the locker room is only so big and the local council has blocked planning permission for an extension.
As JTR Wrestling said in February this year;
‘This has led some to wonder whether AEW’s roster has become too big and has led to wrestlers getting lost in the shuffle.’
and we have previously reported on Big Swole being let go amidst reporting on diversity and a loose structure – she said to Wrestling Observer;
‘There are more people coming in, but you don’t have enough product for all of these people.’
and whether they go speaking about it or being nice like Alan Angels or Jack Evans, it leaves people wondering why such talents weren’t a good fit and it doesn’t make the company look great either.
Should We Expect A Silver Salver Or Basket Of Fruit?
Nope. No employer has to go that far. Your colleagues may band together to mark the day, but the company doesn’t have to. They pay you, that’s all – except AEW provided medical too, didn’t they? That was what was reported when they started.
Tony Khan has a lot to do – for example, just take a look at this Jay White press conference;
He’s a busy man (and I just love a chance to show that video) and he can’t always attend to every detail – still, a text or call to say ‘listen buddy…’ might look a little better.
Future Endeavors…
The WWE ‘wishes him/her all the best in his/her future endeavors’ is now the touchstone for ‘don’t let the door hit you on the way out’, but that may be because it’s been used so often. In its first incarnation, it might have been an attempt to show some understanding. Maybe…
Perhaps Tony Khan didn’t want the confrontation; he likes wrestling, he likes wrestlers and he also likes to hang around with them. That muddies the waters.
Because Tony Khan is your boss. Even if you get drunk with your boss every Friday, even if you play badminton with your boss every other week, even if you’ve waited in your boss’ house for a parcel, your boss owns you, you are a wage slave and if push comes to shove, you’ll feel both.
So Is This Just Confusion?
Yes. And also not. Marco was reported as saying;
‘AEW’s President Tony Khan has often been praised for his relationship with talents, and Stunt did tell “NBC Sports Boston” that they had been close, but “there was a time where [they] weren’t either’
He’s your boss, Marko, but it isn’t surprising that it may cause confusion. And he must have had an inkling that things might not be ideal when he wasn’t being used much (imagine Marko not being used when Christian is on AEW programs constantly having his last chance – come on, let’s admit it) but he said in the same article/interview;
‘I never really had any communication at the end, so I didn’t know if I was getting let go or renewed or anything,” he revealed. “I sent out an email and didn’t get a response, I texted him and didn’t get a response.’
and this matters. Why? Because Marko can’t plan. Yes, he can take some dates, but he can’t plot his next months out. What wrestlers need is upfront and long lead in detail, clear, concise, and timely.
But hang on, he also said, reported in Fight Fans;
‘But about a month before it happened, I did get a call. And I got told, not by him, but I did get the phone call that I wasn’t gonna be renewed.’
so there was clear and concise confirmation, just not with Tony Khan, which is maybe the issue. He’s your boss, but he may not always act like it.
Marko has done some dates in EPW out of Mississippi and it’s difficult to see him not getting good offers.
As EM Forster said, ‘only connect’. But there are lots of ways to connect, aren’t there, Tony?..
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