Backstage Update On Max Caster's AEW Status

Since signing with AEW during the pandemic in 2020, Max Caster has rapped, gotten suspended, and won AEW World Tag Team and World Trios Championship gold with his Acclaimed tag team partner Anthony Bowens and their manager Billy Gunn. And barring a change, that may wind up being his AEW legacy. Fightful Select reports that Caster's AEW contract is set to expire this October, making him an unrestricted free agent.

While there's no confirmation, the report presents Caster's return to AEW as unlikely. Not only is there no word regarding the two sides discussing a contract extension, but Caster has not been seen backstage at AEW events in quite some time. Caster has also not wrestled for AEW in 2026, but has not been injured, and has instead been competing on the independent circuit. In May, Caster declared that New England indie promotion Beyond Wrestling was his "new home," another sign that Caster and AEW could be parting ways.

After four years of teaming, Caster and Bowens broke up The Acclaimed in early 2025, with both wrestlers embarking on a singles career after briefly feuding with one another. After both failed to take off without the other, AEW teased the team getting back together in mid-2025, and Bowens and Caster would reluctantly team together on a few occasions before Caster disappeared off television. In early May, Bowens and Caster wrestled each other in a singles match for indie promotion WrestlePro X; Bowens would win the match and then make peace with Caster afterwards, indicating that the two working together again was "doubtful."