AEW

AEW Star Wardlow Suffers Devastating Injury Setback

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Rick Ucchino | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 4:21 PM ET

Wardlow just returned to AEW programming after missing over a year of action, but it sounds as though he's about miss even more time away from the ring.

The former TNT Champion shocked fans back at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door when he jumped Swerve Strickland and aligned himself with the Don Callis Family. The angle was done to write Swerve off of television as he needed to undergo knee surgery to repair a nagging injury of his own.

In an absolutely gut-wrenching update, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select has learned that Wardlow has suffered yet another injury. The fear is that he has a torn pectoral muscle, which would sideline him for several weeks or several months, depending on the severity of the tear.

"It was suggested that the injury actually took place upon his return angle, but that isn't confirmed," Ross Sapp said in his report. "There is the possibility he could remain on TV in an enforcer role."

Wardlow was medically cleared to return a few months back, but the decision was made to hold him off AEW TV until he had finished up his commitments to an outside project. He was cast on the reboot of the American Gladiators series for Prime Video and filmed episodes for the first two seasons over the summer.

The injury bug strikes AEW yet again

Ricky Havlik - All Elite Wrestling

This latest setback for Wardlow comes at the absolute worst time for himself personally, but also at a time when AEW is dealing with a number of key absences due to injury.

As previously mentioned, Swerve Strickland recently underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus and there is no timetable for his return. Will Ospreay will be undergoing neck surgery within the next couple of weeks and it's unknown when he'll be able to lace up his boots again.

Switchblade Jay White is not expected to be back in the ring until early 2026, best case scenario. His Bang Bang Gang stablemate Colten Gunn is also out right now, leaving Juice Robinson and his brother Austin to figure out their next moves as a duo.

In a positive update, Orange Cassidy, who has been out for most of 2025 with a torn pec, is reportedly set to return in the very near future.

The Takedown on SI wishes everyone a speedy recovery.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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