Absent AEW Star Reportedly Seen Backstage At AEW Collision

The AEW women's division could be getting a ring technician back in the locker room. Fightful Select is reporting that former NWA Women's Champion Serena Deeb attended Saturday's taping of "AEW Collision" at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio.

Until Saturday, Deeb reportedly had not been backstage with AEW at all in 2023. She last wrestled for the company on October 18, 2022, where she defeated Haley J on a taping of "AEW Dark: Elevation" — in fact, Deeb hasn't wrestled at all since the Haley J match, meaning that as of this writing, she's been out of action for exactly one year. Deeb reportedly had a disagreement with AEW management last year, but her absence from the company is said to not be totally related to that disagreement, as Deeb has also been recovering from an undisclosed injury.

Last month, it was reported that Deeb's disagreement with AEW grew out of Deeb being vocal about how AEW was presenting her, and also accusing AEW President Tony Khan of cutting time from her matches without informing her. Deeb has been vocal about being sidelined in the past, not only in AEW but in WWE. Deeb recently said that WWE making her retire from in-ring competition to be a coach was disheartening, saying that she loved helping talent grow but missed competing in front of crowds. Deeb was released from WWE in 2020 amidst the numerous releases that took place during the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic, since then wrestling for AEW, the NWA and on the independent scene.