Wardlow Confirmed To Be Out Of Action With Knee Injury

AEW has a few people on their roster who haven’t been seen in a while, and Wardlow is on that list. As his current situation was shrouded in mystery, and he was recently spotted with some WWE talent outside the pro wrestling world, now we have a better understanding what’s keeping him out of action.

The Undisputed Kingdom hasn’t been whole in AEW for a while. Matt Taven recently discussed Wardlow and Adam Cole during an appearance on the Stick to Wrestling podcast. The group just celebrated their one-year anniversary, but they didn’t have much time as a full faction, as Adam Cole and Wardlow disappeared from television.

Adam Cole is recovering from a broken ankle that required two surgeries, while Wardlow has been absent from AEW since his last match at Big Business six months ago. During the interview, Taven confirmed that Wardlow is sidelined with a knee injury.

“Wardlow’s out with a knee injury, and as a guy with plenty of knee injuries in the past, they can be tricky. You start to think they’re one thing, then they’re another. You think, ‘Oh, I can get away with doing this or that,’ and it seems to be more serious. I think he’s just trying to figure out the best treatment plan to get him back on track.”

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When asked about Adam Cole, Matt Taven explained that he doesn’t have any updates on the former NXT Champion’s recovery, but he emphasized the importance of Cole getting back to full health before returning to the ring.

“It’s like, Cole won’t even be online for weeks at a time, and then you’ll see him trending on Twitter. You’re like, ‘What is happening? Did something happen that I don’t know of?’” Taven said. “He had a pretty serious ankle injury, and I think everyone’s just making sure their long-term health is the priority. I’ve had four surgeries, and it sucks to come back too early and then need something else fixed. I think I came back too early after my original knee surgery, and it led to me having part of my meniscus removed. You can’t rush it. You have to give it time to heal.”

Taven added that it’s not productive to speculate about Adam Cole’s recovery timeline, stating that it’s more important for him to heal properly. He made a point to say that Cole’s long-term health takes priority in this situation.

“People on the internet think they know Adam Cole’s medical information, but he’ll be back when he’s ready. At this point in our careers, long-term health is way more important. I don’t even ask people when they’re coming back anymore; I just ask how they’re doing. The last thing you need is to rush back and get hurt again.”

Matt Taven and Mike Bennett were on hand at Arthur Ashe Stadium as they accompanied Roderick Strong to the ring for his FTW Championship match against HOOK at Dynamite Grand Slam. While Strong didn’t win the match, he shook HOOK’s hand afterward, and then Hook retired the belt that was his father’s creation in a very fitting gesture.

Taz wrote a very sentimental passage after the FTW Title was retired in AEW. This was quite a story that Tony Khan was gracious enough to let Taz help write in pro wrestling, and that tale ended at Grand Slam. We will have to see if it ever reappears, but the FTW Title certainly saw a lot of action in All Elite Wrestling.

We will keep our eye on Wardlow and Adam Cole’s status, hoping for a return to the ring. AEW could certainly use their services. It’s anyone’s guess how AEW may book them upon their returns, but we know that the FTW Title won’t be a part of the story.

What’s your take on Wardlow’s current hiatus? Do you miss seeing him around AEW? Do you think that the FTW Title got a fitting send-off? Let us know what you think in the comments section!