8 Things We Learned From Tony Khan On The Steve Austin Show

4. How Bret Hart Got Involved In Double Or Nothing

Tony Khan Steve Austin
AEW, Ricky Havlik

Just when it seemed as though meek Brit funnyman Jack Whitehall was inexplicably going to be the man to unveil AEW's spangly new championship belt, the comedian did the honours by passing duties over to one of the most heralded figures in the history of the business: Bret Hart.

The appearance of the Excellence of Execution, who just a month back had been inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame for a second time, came as a huge surprise. It was hugely heartening to see The Hitman back enjoying himself in a ring once again, even sharing a wry smile at the antics of 'Hangman' Page.

Exactly how did this unexpected interpolation come about? Khan said it all started with a phone call between himself and Cody, as he mentioned that it'd be cool to have someone like Ricky Steamboat or Ric Flair reveal the strap. Then he tentatively suggested Bret Hart - and was put in touch with his agent.

The weekend of Double or Nothing was the first time Khan had met Bret face-to-face. He enjoyed dinner with the legend, describing him as totally charming. Khan concluded that Hart "just felt right" for the role.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.