Tony Khan and Chris Jericho make large donations to WWE legend amid health crisis
Chris Jericho is still riding high with AEW, but he's always willing to help out his friends and former colleagues. The Ocho and his boss, AEW President Tony Khan, have donated to the medical fund for wrestling legend Dutch Mantell.
Jericho is often a major contributor in funding campaigns for wrestling legends, which are unfortunately common these days. The 53-year-old made a big donation to Abdullah the Butcher's fundraiser earlier this year, and when he heard that Dutch Mantell needed help, he and Tony Khan didn't hesitate.
Dutch and his wife Cathy have suffered a string of major health issues over the last year, with the legendary star having battled sepsis twice. According to the GoFundMe page set up on their behalf, the two are in the care of their daughter, Amanda, who has been working hard to nurse them back to health.
Unfortunately, the two have racked up a large stack of medical bills, and they're struggling to cover the costs. Several friends and colleagues have donated to the campaign, which currently sits at almost $50,000 raised. AEW's Tony Khan and Chris Jericho are currently the top donors with $5,000 and $1,500 contributions, respectively. Check it out:
Matt Hardy defends Chris Jericho's position on AEW television
Chris Jericho is an important figure in AEW's history and has always defended the young promotion. However, many of the company's fans have recently turned on him.
The 53-year-old has been a constant presence on television for years, but some have claimed that he should take a break. However, Matt Hardy thinks Jericho still adds a lot to AEW's programming. The tag team legend defended Jericho on a recent episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy:
"I think the people that say Chris Jericho should not be on TV at this stage of the game, I just think they’re absolutely wrong. I think he has a benefit, I think he adds a lot to pro wrestling."
Hardy went on to claim that Jericho was like AEW's Hulk Hogan in that he helped put the young promotion on the map, which could explain Tony Khan's loyalty to him. Whether The Ocho re-signs with the company once his current contract is up remains to be seen.