Tony Schiavone’s AEW Dynamite Absence Sparks Speculation Over Deleted Tweet

Tony Schiavone’s noticeable absence from this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite had fans speculating about the reason behind it.

The longtime AEW announcer’s no-show came after he tweeted and quickly deleted a controversial jab at NJPW announcer Chris Charlton. Charlton, who was recently suspended by NJPW for two months following anti-AEW comments during Wrestle Dynasty, had referred to Tony Khan as a “money mark” and criticized AEW’s handling of former NJPW stars.

In his now-deleted tweet, Schiavone wrote, “Speaking for all of us in AEW, GFY [go f*** yourself.] And speaking for all of us who have been around you, take a shower once in a while.” During Dynamite, ROH lead announcer Ian Riccaboni stepped in to join Excalibur and Nigel McGuinness at the commentary desk, which led fans to wonder if Schiavone’s absence was tied to his fiery tweet.

However, Dave Meltzer clarified the situation during Wrestling Observer Radio. Addressing the speculation, Meltzer stated, “He wasn’t on the show tonight, and it’s nothing big or anything like that. When he wasn’t there, I started getting all these people going like, ‘Oh my god, did he get suspended for that text?’ but it was just a family situation. He’s fine, he’ll be back, I presume, on Saturday [for Collision]. It’s not anything to be alarmed over. It was just a family situation. He missed one show.”

Tony Schiavone’s absence from AEW Dynamite may have stirred up some drama online, but it seems the real story is far less controversial. With assurances from Dave Meltzer that it was simply a family situation, fans can expect Schiavone back soon, possibly as early as Collision. Whether his deleted tweet will have any lingering impact remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure—AEW fans always have plenty to talk about.