Update on former AEW champion's absence amid WWE rumors

AEW is seemingly gaining momentum ahead of its massive All In: Texas event this summer, but the company is still missing several popular stars. A new report has shed light on Wardlow's long hiatus.

Wardlow became a popular star after breaking away from MJF in 2022. However, despite going on to win the TNT Championship three times, the big man's appearances have been sporadic over the past few years, with his short-term storylines often frustrating fans.

The 37-year-old has been off television for more than a year now, igniting speculation of a potential jump to WWE. Now, Fightful Select has learned that he was initially put on the shelf with what was believed to be a labrum injury. To make matters worse, Wardlow was involved in a car accident during his recovery, which reportedly exacerbated the issue.

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Fightful reports that he's now cleared to return, but after landing a new TV role, Tony Khan has decided to keep him off AEW programming for the time being, with the expectation that he'll return after completing his obligations outside the company.

It was also noted that he still has plenty of time remaining on his contract with All Elite Wrestling, putting speculation about a WWE move to rest.

About the author

Jacob is an AEW contributor and editor at Sportskeeda Wrestling. He has edited and published over 8,000 articles for Sportskeeda Wrestling in just over two years, and subsequently donned the hat of a contributor, demonstrating his commitment to continuous learning. His experience goes beyond wrestling, with five years as an editor for several independent publishing houses and three years as a captioning specialist.

Jacob's first memory of pro wrestling dates back to Sting vs. Ric Flair for the World Heavyweight Championship at Great American Bash 1990. He later began writing for a newsletter and blog at the University of North Texas, and his love of wrestling naturally led him to seek opportunities in the media.

His favorite wrestler is The Icon, as he feels Sting has evolved throughout his career on a parallel path with his own growth as a person. He was Jacob's childhood hero and teenage idol, and now he makes him less afraid of getting older.

Jacob ensures relevance and accuracy in his articles by working hard to maintain his ideals and objectivity without sacrificing his unique voice, inspiring other writers in the section to follow suit.

Jacob’s non-wrestling interests include Anime, video games, and fantasy novels.

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Edited by Jacob Terrell

Update on former AEW champion's absence amid WWE rumors - Reports