Category: AEW

AEW Tag Team FTR Taking Time Away From Wrestling

AEW fans may have noticed that FTR has been absent from the ring for the past month, and it appears that break is going to continue for the foreseeable future.

Dax Harwood recently revealed on Instagram that he and Cash Wheeler have decided to step away from wrestling for a period of time after years of maintaining a demanding schedule. According to Harwood, the decision comes after both men reached a point of physical and mental exhaustion following more than a decade of consistently being on the road.

Harwood also opened up about the injuries he has been dealing with while continuing to perform. He disclosed that he worked through a torn bicep, a hip labral tear, a significant shoulder injury, and multiple hematomas in his lower back while remaining active in the ring.

In his statement, Harwood explained that this marks the first time in 12 years that the longtime tag team has chosen to take a meaningful break to focus on themselves and their families. While he did not provide a timetable for a full-time return, he acknowledged that neither he nor Wheeler are certain what the future holds for the team or how much longer they intend to compete.

Despite announcing a hiatus, FTR is not disappearing entirely. The duo is still advertised for a pair of upcoming independent wrestling appearances later this summer. They are scheduled to face The Good Brothers for Appalachian Mountain Wrestling on August 22 in Corbin, Kentucky, before heading to Wembley Arena on August 29 to challenge The Young Guns for the Undisputed British Tag Team Championship at a Revolution Pro Wrestling event.

Wheeler recently shared similar thoughts regarding where he and Harwood currently stand in their careers. While he believes his mental approach to wrestling remains as strong as ever, he admitted that the physical toll of the profession has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

The veteran tag team wrestler also hinted that FTR may be entering the final chapter of its run. Wheeler suggested that the team’s most recent reign as AEW World Tag Team Champions could end up being their last, though he emphasized that both members remain passionate about helping elevate younger talent and contributing to the wrestling industry.

For now, FTR appears focused on recovery and spending time away from the grind of weekly competition. Given the lengthy list of injuries Harwood revealed and the comments from both men about their future, the break may prove to be an important one as they evaluate what comes next in their careers.

AEW Collision Preview 6/20/2026

AEW Collision tonight at 8/7c on TNT and HBO Max.

  • Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Semifinals: Athena vs. Maya World
  • Survival Of The Fittest Qualifying Match: Kris Statlander vs. Mina Shirakawa
  • Adam Priest vs. Zack Sabre Jr
  • The Elite vs. The Lethal Twist
  • Mistico vs. Dante Martin
  • The Hurt Syndicate vs. TBA
  • PAC vs. TBA
  • Tommaso Ciampa & Chris Jericho meet face-to-face

AEW Dynamite Preview 6/17/2026

AEW Dynamite live tonight at 8/7c on TBS and HBO Max from the Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, Texas.

  • MJF and Mark Briscoe announce their teams for Forbidden Door Steel Cage
  • Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament Semifinal: Mercedes Mone’ vs. Hazuki
  • 12-Man Tag Team Match: Team MJF vs. Team Briscoe
  • Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland face-to-face

AEW Collision Summer Blockbuster Preview 6/13/2026

AEW Collision: Summer Blockbuster 2.5 Hour Special tonight at 8/7c on TNT & HBO Max from the Andrew J. Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

  • Cincinnati Street Fight: Death Riders vs. Shane Taylor Promotions
  • TNT Championship: Kevin Knight (c) vs. Myron Reed
  • AEW TBS Championship Survival Of The Fittest Match Qualifier: Julia Hart vs. Persephone
  • AEW TBS Championship Survival Of The Fittest Match Qualifier: Hikaru Shida vs. Zayda Steel
  • Kenny Omega vs. Bad Dude Tito
  • Young Bucks vs. The Dogs
  • Speedball Mike Bailey vs. Jake Doyle
  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena in action
  • The Rascalz in action

AEW Dynamite Summer Blockbuster Preview 6/10/2026

The AEW Dynamite Summer Blockbuster special airs live tonight at 8pm ET on TBS and HBO Max from from the Andrew J Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

  • AEW Continental Championship Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Shane Taylor
  • Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Semifinal: Swerve Strickland vs. Brody King
  • Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Match: Skye Blue vs. Sareee
  • Orange Cassidy vs. Andrade El Idolo
  • PAC vs. Mark Briscoe

Backstage Update Emerges On Extended Absence Of AEW Star Keith Lee

A new backstage report has shed some light on AEW’s internal discussions regarding the status of Keith Lee, who has been absent from television for well over a year.

According to Fightful Select, AEW officials reportedly discussed bringing Lee back into the fold several months ago. However, the report indicates that it is unclear how far those conversations progressed or whether the plans ever reached Lee directly.

Sources cited in the report suggested that whatever ideas may have been discussed internally are likely no longer active, or have at least undergone significant changes. One person close to the situation reportedly noted that if AEW had moved forward with the original plans, Lee likely would have already returned by now.

Questions also remain about Lee’s medical status. There is currently no confirmation that the former AEW World Tag Team Champion has been cleared for in-ring competition. The report noted that Lee has not been a regular presence backstage at AEW events, which is notable because any clearance process would reportedly require evaluations from company doctors over a period of several weeks.

Lee has not wrestled for AEW since late 2023. He was originally scheduled to face former tag team partner Swerve Strickland at the AEW Worlds End pay-per-view, a match that had been building for months following the breakup of Swerve In Our Glory. However, Lee was removed from the event on the day of the show due to injury concerns, and Dustin Rhodes ultimately took his place against Strickland.

Since then, Lee has kept a relatively low profile regarding his condition and future plans. While he has occasionally addressed fan questions about his absence, he has largely remained private about the specifics of his situation. One notable exception came last year when he stated on social media that he intends to wrestle again, offering reassurance to fans wondering whether his in-ring career had come to an end.

For now, Lee’s status remains uncertain. While it appears AEW has at least explored the possibility of bringing him back, there is no indication of when—or if—the former NXT Champion will return to television. Given his popularity and the unfinished business surrounding his rivalry with Strickland, a comeback would likely be welcomed by many AEW fans whenever the time is right.

AEW Collision Preview 6/6/2026

AEW Collision live tonight coast-to-coast at 8pm ET/5pm PT on TNT and HBO max from the Von Braun Center in Youngstown, Ohio.

  • AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship: The Divine Dominion (c) vs. TayJay (Tay Melo & Anna Jay)
  • Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Persephone vs. Hazuki

The Butcher & The Blade Officially Depart AEW Following Contract Expirations

A longtime AEW tag team has officially reached the end of its run with the company.

According to a report from Fightful Select, The Butcher and The Blade are no longer under contract with All Elite Wrestling after their deals recently expired. The report states that AEW chose not to renew either performer, making both men unrestricted free agents.

Because their contracts were allowed to expire rather than being terminated early, The Butcher and The Blade are free to accept bookings and negotiate with other wrestling promotions immediately.

The duo has been part of AEW since the company’s early days. They made their memorable debut on the November 27, 2019 edition of AEW Dynamite, emerging from beneath the ring to ambush Cody Rhodes. Alongside their manager The Bunny—who is also Blade’s real-life wife—they quickly became regular fixtures in AEW’s growing tag team division.

During their time with the promotion, The Butcher and The Blade earned opportunities to compete for the AEW World Tag Team Championships on two separate occasions. Despite remaining a consistent presence on television, they were never able to capture AEW tag team gold.

Their final televised appearance as a team in AEW took place on the January 5, 2024 episode of AEW Rampage. The pair then wrestled what would ultimately be their last match together under the AEW/ROH banner on the January 18, 2024 edition of ROH on HonorClub, where they faced Top Flight.

Shortly after that period, Blade suffered a significant back injury that required spinal fusion surgery. The injury sidelined him for nearly two years, forcing Butcher to continue competing as a singles wrestler across AEW and Ring of Honor programming. Butcher’s final AEW match came on the February 22, 2025 episode of AEW Collision, where he faced Gabe Kidd.

Following Blade’s recovery and return to action, the team reunited on the independent wrestling circuit. The pair even hinted at a possible AEW comeback earlier this year, leading some fans to speculate that another run with the promotion could be in the cards.

Instead, their AEW chapter has now officially come to a close.

With years of experience, established name value, and immediate free-agent status, The Butcher and The Blade are likely to attract interest from a variety of promotions as they determine the next step in their wrestling careers. Their departure also marks the exit of another act that helped shape AEW during its formative years, ending a run that began nearly seven years ago.

Report: AEW Optimistic About MJF Injury Following Dynamite Title Defense

AEW World Champion MJF may have retained his title on Dynamite, but questions are now swirling about his health after reports surfaced that he suffered a legitimate knee injury during his match against Rush.

MJF successfully defended the AEW World Championship on the June 3 episode of AEW Dynamite, but the victory appears to have come at a cost. According to reports, the champion hyperextended his knee during the bout, leading to concerns about his immediate in-ring future.

The injury has already impacted MJF’s schedule. Beyond Wrestling announced that he would no longer be able to compete against Bobby Orlando at an upcoming event due to not being medically cleared to wrestle or travel. The match had been promoted as what MJF described as his final independent wrestling appearance for the foreseeable future.

While the situation has understandably sparked concern among fans, there is some reason for optimism. Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez shared an update on social media, noting that the injury is legitimate but that those involved are hopeful it will not prove to be serious.

Beyond Wrestling also indicated that MJF intends to make up the postponed appearance at a later date once he is healthy and his schedule permits.

At the moment, there is no official word on whether the injury will affect MJF’s AEW television appearances or championship plans. However, the timing is significant, as the road to AEW All In London is beginning to take shape.

Several potential challengers have already emerged. During this week’s Dynamite, both Mark Briscoe and Andrade El Idolo expressed interest in pursuing the AEW World Championship, although MJF quickly dismissed Briscoe’s challenge.

Meanwhile, the men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament continues to narrow the field. Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, and Brody King remain alive in the competition, with the eventual winner earning a world title opportunity at All In this August.

There is also the unresolved issue involving Kenny Omega, who was left frustrated after the controversial finish to his AEW World Title match at Dynasty. Should MJF be sidelined for any length of time, Omega would likely be among the first names mentioned as a major player in the championship picture.

For now, AEW appears to be waiting for a clearer assessment of MJF’s condition. With one of the company’s biggest events of the year approaching, the health of the reigning world champion will be a storyline worth monitoring closely in the weeks ahead.

ROH TV Preview 6/4/2026

Watch ROH TV on #HonorClub at http://WatchROH.com 8/7c.

  •  ROH Women’s World Championship Proving Ground Match: Athena (c) vs. Hyan
  • ROH Pure Championship Proving Ground Match: Lee Moriarty (c) vs. Mance Warner
  • ROH Women’s Pure Championship Proving Ground Match: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Isla Dawn
  •  Lacey Lane vs. Queen Animata
  • The Kingdom vs. Alec Price & Jordan Oliver