Backstage News On Wardlow's AEW Absence

Wardlow has quietly been left of AEW television since losing his TNT Championship to Samoa Joe last month and a new report suggests he won't be gone long.

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter on Friday, professional wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer reported that the former TNT Champion has been dealing with an injury and that his loss to Joe on "Dynamite" in late December – which was angled around Wardlow's knee injury – was a way for AEW to write the star off the show while he recovers.

Wardlow had held the TNT Championship for 136 days – the second-longest run in the young title's history. It was the first AEW championship Wardlow has been able to capture in his career thus far and looked to finally be the beginning of bigger things for the AEW giant. 

Wardlow has been relatively silent since losing the match, as well. The AEW star has not tweeted since December 28, the day he lost his title to Joe, and with AEW's approach to cycling its wrestlers in and out of action, many fans were left guessing as to what Wardlow's actual status has been.

"The stuff with Joe was done to set up his taking time off," Meltzer reported in his latest newsletter Friday. "The injury is not believed to be one that will keep him out of action for a long time."

Wardlow has been promoted as one of AEW's most dominant and feared stars since debuting on AEW television in late 2019, despite his singular title reign. Wardlow's "Powerbomb Symphony" has been hailed as one of the best finishers in pro wrestling and, in kayfabe, the move has secured him an overall 67-10 record in AEW – one of the best singles records in the promotion.