AEW Makes MAJOR Backstage Hire, Former Top WWE Executive Signs
AEW just upgraded its production team in major fashion, scooping up an ex-WWE executive.
AEW yesterday added Michael Mansury, WWE's former Vice President of Global Television Production to its ranks, with the executive set to start at Wednesday's Dynamite taping in Garland, Texas.
PWInsider's Mike Johnson reports that Mansury has been brought in as AEW's Senior Vice President & Co-Executive Producer. Having been backstage at last month's Full Gear pay-per-view, he has now been hired full-time.
Mansury's WWE tenure stretched from 2009 to 2020. Initially working as a Production Assistant, he rose through the company's ranks to eventually hit Vice President's status in 2016. He directed many WWE television shows and premium live events over the years and was once considered a huge part of Paul 'Triple H' Levesque's regime, with some picking him to eventually take Kevin Dunn's position in the big production seat. Instead, he opted to leave WWE in 2020.
Fightful Select reports similar on the Dunn situation, noting that although his identity was kept a mystery at the time, Mansury was once considered Dunn's heir, with sources dubious of WWE's ability to get him back following his departure. Without Dunn stepping aside, Mansury's chances of progression would have been limited anyway.
AEW and WWE sources have praised the hiring. The belief is that Mansury will help bring AEW's content along, with one source on the WWE side, who regularly criticises AEW, saying they view this as the company's biggest hire of 2022.