"He got hurt in the gym"- WWE veteran makes shocking claim about Wardlow's injury

In a shocking turn of events, a WWE veteran has claimed that Wardlow's recent injury did not occur at Forbidden Door, but rather at his gym during a routine workout.

Popular AEW star Wardlow had finally made his return to the Jacksonville-based promotion at Forbidden Door 2025 for the first time since March 2024. At the event, Wardlow returned to attack Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana after the Realest lost to Kazuchika Okada. The 266 pounder then aligned himself with Don Callis. However, it was reported after his appearance that Mr. Mayhem had suffered a heartbreaking injury on the show, which will put him on the shelf again for several months. Now, WWE veteran Dutch Mantell has weighed in on the matter and claimed that Wardlow did not get injured at the pay-per-view but told Khan that he did.

Speaking on a recent edition of Story Time With Dutch Mantell, the veteran stated:

"I don't think he got hurt during that match. I think he got hurt in the gym and maybe told Tony that he got hurt in the match," said Mantell

Mantell then continued to share what he thinks caused Wardlow's injury and why the former allegedly chose to hide it from Khan.

"I think Wardlow got hurt in the gym. I think he was embarrassed so he told him (Tony) he got hurt in that match. He's going to be paid anyway but I think he got hurt doing those deep bench presses. He did nothing in that match that could tear a pec muscle at all, not that I saw."

Nic Nemeth (fka Dolph Ziggler in WWE) wasn't happy with Wardlow's return at Forbidden Door

Wardlow's return to AEW excited many, but one person who wasn't too happy about how his comeback was shown was former WWE Intercontinental champion Nic Nemeth (fka Dolph Ziggler). In a recent edition of Busted Open Radio, Nemeth stated that Mr. Mayhem's return should have been a bigger deal.

"He came back at the pay-per-view, and he was there [at 'Dynamite'], kinda, like cardboard cutout-wise, and it broke my heart. We didn't hear from him? Maybe you don't have to hear from him. He's standing next to Don Callis. That's kind of a big deal," said Nemeth

Considering his latest injury setback, it remains to be seen when Wardlow will reappear in AEW.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Karan Raj