Former TNT Champion Wardlow’s current AEW absence explained.
Last seen losing a World title match against Samoa Joe on the 13th March episode of Dynamite last year, Wardlow has been absent from television since then. It’s now been over a year since the former champion has been in action, and a recent report shed some light on it.
According to a recent report from Fightful Select, it was noted that Wardlow suffered a labrum injury around that time and was then involved in a tragic car accident amidst his absence. However, the report further indicated that while the accident did not cause the injury, it instead made it worse.
The former Champion was spotted backstage during the Revolution PPV on March 9th, 2025, and has been medically cleared to compete as well. However, a different commitment has kept him away from televised appearances. The report further noted that ‘Mr. Mayhem’ secured a very “appropriate and special” television role in early 2025. Upon a mutual meeting with Tony Khan, it was agreed that bringing back Wardlow and then again taking him off television for that role would not serve a purpose, and thus his return was delayed.
He has a significant amount of time left on his AEW contract and will not be leaving anytime soon.
Wardlow Believes His 2022 Double Or Nothing Victory Against MJF Was “Tainted”
During the opening match of the 2022 Double or Nothing PPV, Wardlow defeated MJF, in what he later called a “tainted victory”. Speaking in an August 2022 interview with Stephanie Chase of Digital Spy, the former TNT Champion explained,
“That should be considered one of the best nights of my life and it really wasn’t. Everything that was going on with Max at the time and then in my life personally. Just nothing was going right and it’s kind of sad that everything built up to this big night and there was so much that ruined it. All the crap with Max and everything he was pulling.”
“I mean, I showed up that day not knowing if I was wrestling. There’s a lot more I could say about it but I don’t want to get angry but yeah, that should have been one of the best nights of my life and obviously, the outcome was amazing but I really didn’t ever have the opportunity to enjoy it.”
“I feel like ever since that night things have kind of been just off and I feel like I’m still trying to get back on track ever since that night and we’ll get there. But it is what it is, in this in life and in this business, not everything goes perfectly.”
In other news: A top AEW star has revealed herself to be suffering from ‘scoliosis’.