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A few familiar faces were reportedly backstage for Saturday's AEW TV tapings, including a former WWE Champion.
AEW presented a live Collision episode and Battle of the Belts IX from the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia on Saturday night. A new report from PWInsider notes that PAC was backstage for the taping and was working out in the ring before the show began. This is confirmation that the former WWE NXT Champion is back in the United States.
PAC is expected to return to AEW television soon. He suffered a serious injury during his win over Gravity on the July 26, 2023 edition of Dynamite and has been on the shelf since then.
Former WWE star Elijah Burke, legendary wrestling referee Earl Hebner, and Jim Crockett Promotions videographer George Pantas were also backstage for Saturday's AEW TV tapings in Virginia.
Earl Hebner knocks modern-day WWE and AEW referees
Veteran pro wrestling referee Earl Hebner is one of the most controversial officials to ever wear stripes, but he's also one of the more respected and tenured.
Hebner recently spoke with WrestlingNews.co's Steve Fall and knocked modern referees for their desire to steal the spotlight.
The 74-year-old referee, who infamously took part in WWE's Montreal Screwjob, expressed frustration with how the referees of today want to be a part of the show.
"The referees today, I think they want to be part of the show but it ain't working. You know they want to do all the bumps, they want to sell while the guy is body slamming, 'oh my god' and I just don't go for that, you know it is true. All the things that I've ever done with the talent back in my day was because I was told to do it, I was asked to do it. I didn't do it on my own ever, ever and I just think it's kind of bad when a referee is selling the bumps of the match and then not taking any," he said. [From 3:29 - 4:13]
WWE released Hebner in 2005 after 17 years with the company. He spent 11 years with TNA, then worked for various promotions until doing some work with AEW from 2019 - 2022, when he returned to TNA.
How would you book PAC's return to TV? Where does Earl Hebner rank on your list of all-time greatest referees? Sound off in the comments below!
