Wardlow’s AEW return may finally be on the horizon, according to a new backstage update on the former TNT Champion’s recovery.
Wardlow has been out of in-ring action since April 2024. He made a brief comeback at last year’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view, but that return was cut short after he suffered a pec injury that sent him right back to the sidelines.
What The Report Says
During the latest Fightful Select Answers Q&A, a fan asked for an update on where Wardlow currently stands. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp said he has not heard that Wardlow has been officially cleared to compete, but added that there are signs his return is getting closer.
According to the report, Wardlow is described as “getting closer” to being ready for the ring. He has also reportedly been spotted backstage at AEW Dynamite tapings on multiple occasions in recent months, which is often seen as a sign a wrestler is nearing a comeback.
This isn’t the first time Wardlow has been linked to a backstage presence during his time away. He was previously reported to have been at both AEW Revolution and Double or Nothing earlier this year, suggesting AEW has kept him close to the company despite his extended absence from competition.
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What Wardlow Has Been Doing Outside The Ring
While recovering, Wardlow took on a major project away from wrestling. He filmed two seasons of Prime Video’s reboot of American Gladiators, with the first season premiering last May. The role gave fans a chance to see the powerhouse competitor in a different kind of spotlight while his in-ring career was paused.
Wardlow made his name in AEW as the intimidating bodyguard of MJF before breaking out on his own and capturing the TNT Championship. His power-based style and momentum before his injuries had made him one of the promotion’s most over acts, and fans have continued to ask about his status ever since he went off television.
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When Could Wardlow Return?
There’s no confirmed timeline yet, and AEW has not made an official announcement about medical clearance. For now, the update remains unofficial, based on Fightful’s reporting rather than a statement from AEW or Wardlow himself.
Our Take: Why This Return Matters
The frustrating part about Wardlow’s situation isn’t just the injuries. It’s the timeline. His break from MJF happened at AEW Double or Nothing 2022. He speared his way out of that bodyguard role in front of a red-hot Las Vegas crowd. That felt like the start of a real singles push. He backed it up too, winning the TNT Championship from Scorpio Sky that July. He held it for over four months before dropping it to Samoa Joe. Then, in April 2024, the injuries started piling up. Last year’s Forbidden Door comeback lasted all of one match before a pec injury sent him right back out.
So when a report says he’s been backstage at Double or Nothing, Revolution, and multiple Dynamite tapings this year, that’s a different kind of detail. It’s not the usual “he’s doing well in rehab” update. AEW doesn’t fly an unbooked, injured wrestler to three separate pay-per-view weekends without a reason.
The part worth watching is what AEW does with him once he’s back. The TNT Championship has changed hands several times since Wardlow last held it. And MJF, the man who once owned Wardlow’s contract, is now the reigning AEW World Champion. He beat Darby Allin in a Title vs. Hair match at this year’s Double or Nothing.
That’s about as far from where things stood in 2022 as this rivalry could get. Wardlow doesn’t have an obvious spot waiting for him the way he did back then. So this is what makes it interesting: will AEW build him back up as a top babyface again, or use him as a fresh threat to whoever holds the TNT title by the time he’s cleared?
We’ll continue to update this story as further details on Wardlow’s status become available.
About Gaurav Sharma
I am the founder, lead writer, and editor behind Wrestling Nightmare. I have been analyzing and following professional wrestling for years, with a deep focus on WWE, AEW, and TNA—spanning the Attitude Era, the Ruthless Aggression transition, and modern long-term booking eras like The Bloodline. My work centers on breaking down in-ring storytelling, creative booking decisions, and the business landscape of combat sports entertainment. When I am not breaking down pay-per-view match structures, I am tracking roster movements, injury reports, and backstage creative pivots to deliver grounded, hype-free pro wrestling analysis.
contact@wrestlingnightmare.com
