Chris Hero signed with All Elite Wrestling back in June of this year, and he recently appeared on the “AEW Unrestricted” podcast to discuss his backstage role as a producer and how his signing came about.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On how he signed with AEW: “I have known Sonjay Dutt for a very long time, and Sonjay was kind of the go between for a couple of offers that were made for me in the ring in the past year or two. I’ve stayed in touch with Sonjay, I think I first met Sonjay in 02’ or 03’ and we’ve just been buddies off and on for years. I had expressed to him, I had just kind of been telling him what I’d been doing and where I came in and helped out with ROH in the last six months of the Sinclair era. Then I hopped over to IWC in Pittsburgh to help produce and format those shows. Then, this whole thing that I’ve done this year with West Coast Pro. I was giving him tidbits here and there on what I was doing, Collision comes up, they’re gonna need some more people. We have a ton of coaches, but it’s still just a lot. For instance, at the last pay-per-view, I had two segments and then there were two of us that were working to get the segments down, get the times down. It’s just very helpful to have as many people as possible.
“So Sonjay had asked if I was interested in that. I was like, ‘Yes, but, this, that and the other.’ So what we worked out was, I would come in for five dates. He’s like, ‘Let me know what your schedule is.’ That was Chicago, there were two in Toronto, and two in Hamilton. Then, once that was done, we kind of reconvened and thought about it long-term. I had a couple of conditions, I didn’t want to give up any of the stuff I was doing with West Coast, I wanted to make my return elsewhere before even thinking about doing anything with AEW because if I end up doing something in the ring with AEW, I want it to be as special as possible and not something that’s done for the spontaneous moment of it and then it’s over and it’s done. That’s where the whole TK tweeting, I’m chipping away at him thing [came from], because I sit next to him at the desk every week.”
On a potential match for AEW: “The thing is, it’s never that I didn’t want to wrestle for AEW, it’s just I realized how complex and vast the company is. I wouldn’t be satisfied with just doing a one off thing, whoop, I’m here, I’m there. I would prefer to do something with some thought put into it and that builds for the future. Also, I’ve been out of the ring for three and a half years, I gotta get my head right, I gotta get my body right. Those were my conditions, and [they said], yeah, no problem, we need the help and we’d like your help specifically, so let’s work on a deal and we’ll get you on every Collision except for when you have West Coast, and then maybe you make it up on a Dynamite or an extra pay-per-view or something. So far, so good. It’s been a lot, I haven’t been on the road this much since maybe even before I went back to NXT. It’s been a challenge to hit the road hard again, but it’s been great, everybody’s been wonderful and appreciative but also understanding. I got to Full Gear late because of travel. That sucked, I didn’t like that, but it still worked.”
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Chris Hero, also known as Kassius Ohno, recently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and has taken on a backstage role as a producer. In a recent appearance on the “AEW Unrestricted” podcast, Hero discussed how his signing came about and his potential future in the ring.
Hero revealed that he has known Sonjay Dutt for a long time, and Dutt played a crucial role in connecting Hero with AEW. Dutt had been aware of the offers Hero had received in the past year or two and had been keeping in touch with him. Hero had been involved in various wrestling projects, including working with Ring of Honor (ROH), International Wrestling Cartel (IWC), and West Coast Pro. When Collision, an AEW event, came up and they needed additional personnel, Dutt approached Hero about joining AEW as a producer.
Initially, Hero agreed to come in for five dates, which included shows in Chicago, Toronto, and Hamilton. After these dates, Hero and AEW discussed the possibility of a long-term arrangement. Hero had a few conditions for his involvement, including not giving up his work with West Coast Pro and wanting to make his return to the ring elsewhere before considering any matches with AEW. He wanted any potential match with AEW to be special and well-thought-out, rather than a one-off appearance. Hero mentioned that he has been out of the ring for three and a half years and needs time to prepare mentally and physically.
Hero also expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to work with AEW and the understanding and support he has received from the company. He mentioned that it has been challenging to be on the road again but overall, it has been a positive experience.
While Hero’s role in AEW is primarily as a producer, there is potential for him to have matches in the future. He emphasized that he wants any matches to be meaningful and contribute to the long-term storytelling of AEW. Hero acknowledged the complexity and vastness of the company and expressed his desire to make a significant impact if he were to step back into the ring.
In conclusion, Chris Hero’s signing with AEW as a producer has provided him with an opportunity to contribute behind the scenes. While he has not had any matches with AEW yet, there is potential for him to have meaningful matches in the future. Hero’s return to the ring after a three and a half year hiatus will require preparation, both mentally and physically. Fans of Hero and AEW can look forward to seeing how his role develops within the company and the potential for exciting matches in the future.