5 times AEW stars went too far
AEW is often perceived as the amalgamation of all major wrestling companies of the past that stood up against the monopoly of WWE. The in-ring product put out by the Jacksonville-based promotion encompasses several elements from WCW, TNA, and even ECW to a great extent.
ECW was fairly popular for its uncontrolled nature, where an individual could cross all limits to hurt his opponent. The stars were not bound by the limitations of the ring ropes, as many personal rivalries often went beyond the squared circle.
AEW has also had many controversial moments during its five-year-long run that left the wrestling audience shaken. Many AEW stars have gone fully unhinged in the past in their pursuit of destroying their rivals. In this article, let's look at five AEW stars who went too far.
#5. Hangman Adam Page lights up Swerve Strickland's childhood home on fire
The rivalry between Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland is among the best feuds in wrestling history. What started as a clash of egos between two top stars has now become a personal affair.
Strickland has been psychologically torturing the Anxious Millennial Cowboy for months, which has caused the latter to lose his sanity. Hangman Page has been waiting to hunt down Strickland for a long time, and he will get that opportunity when the two stars collide at AEW All Out 2024.
Strickland and Page were scheduled to sign the official contract for their upcoming match at All Out on this week's edition of Dynamite. The Killshot waited for The Cowboy to confront him in the ring, but Page was nowhere to be seen. A few moments later, Hangman Page appeared at the titantron, where he could be seen standing inside Swerve Strickland's childhood home, which the latter recently bought.
After cutting an intense promo against The Realest One, Page set the entire place on fire. The former AEW World Champion celebrated the destruction he caused, as a helpless Swerve Strickland broke down in the ring. After losing the place that was so close to his heart, Swerve Strickland may refuse to pull his punches the next time he gets into the ring with Hangman Page.
#4. Ricky Steamboat whips Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat on AEW Collision
Ricky Starks entered a rivalry with CM Punk in the summer of 2023. The Absolute One had his sights on Punk's 'Real AEW World Championship', which led to issues between Starks and The Best in the World.
The two former friends finally had a one-on-one match for the AEW World Championship on Collision in August 2023. Interestingly, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat served as the special guest referee in this match, and his duty was to ensure no shenanigans influenced the outcome of the contest.
The Dragon did his role to perfection, as he did not allow Starks to get away with cheating. The Stroke Daddy found himself distracted by Steamboat's intervention, which allowed CM Punk to escape with a roll-up victory.
After the match, a frustrated Starks attacked The Best in the World from behind and sent him out of the ring. The Absolute One then directed his attention towards Ricky Steamboat, who was the main reason behind his crushing loss.
The former FTW Champion then removed Steamboat's belt and started lashing the legendary veteran. The audience was disgusted at the sight of Ricky Starks whipping a 70-year-old Dragon with his own leather.
Thankfully, The Stroke Daddy was made to pay for his actions by Bryan Danielson, who decimated Starks in a Strap Match at All Out 2023.
#3. Bryan Danielson stabs Hangman Adam Page in the eye with a screwdriver
The 2023 summer of All Elite Wrestling was headlined by the faction war between The Elite and Blackpool Combat Club. The feud was kicked off by Hangman Page and Jon Moxley before other stars like Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson also joined the equation.
In April 2023, The American Dragon embraced his ruthless side to commit a heinous act against Hangman Adam Page. On the first Dynamite episode of April 2023, Hangman Page tried to fight the BCC by himself, only to be beaten down by the members of the heel group.
Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta held The Anxious Millennial Cowboy in the corner of the ring, which prompted Bryan Danielson to pull out a screwdriver.
The American Dragon then proceeded to stab Page's eye with the screwdriver, without showing any remorse for the former AEW World Champion. It was a petrifying visual for the fans in attendance, who were disgusted at seeing The Hanger in agonizing pain.
It was arguably the biggest villain moment of Bryan Danielson's AEW career, who usually plays a beloved babyface onscreen.
#2. Swerve Strickland invades Hangman Page's house
As strange as it sounds, Hangman Adam Page's shocking act of burning down Swerve Strickland's childhood home seems somewhat justified. The Killshot committed several unspeakable actions against The Cowboy in the past, which has made the latter a heartless individual.
In October 2023, Swerve Strickland decided to invade Hangman Page's house. The Realest One showed up at The Cowboy's residence when Page was not around. While taking a tour of the place, Swerve found Hangman's newborn child, who was resting peacefully in the cradle.
The Killshot proceeded to cut a promo on The Cowboy while standing beside his little son. Swerve reminded his arch-nemesis of their past issues, before directing his attention towards the baby.
The former AEW World Champion told the little boy that he was forever indebted to The Killshot due to his father's mistakes. Swerve then left his custom shirt in the baby's cradle to send a message to Hangman Adam Page.
The incident ended up being a turning point for The Cowboy, who is now hell-bent on ending Swerve Strickland's career forever.
#1. Mariah May leaves Toni Storm in a pool of blood
Mariah May and Toni Storm were once very close allies. The Timeless Superstar acted as a mentor for The Glamour, who felt honored to fight alongside the former AEW World Women's Champion. Toni Storm also enjoyed May's company, as she found her similar to herself in many ways. While Storm had incredible adulation for her protege, Mariah May had some other plans all along.
In July 2024, Mariah May defeated Willow Nightingale in the finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament to secure herself a match against Toni Storm at All In 2024. After the match, The Timeless Superstar came out to celebrate with her mentee, who had just earned herself a shot for the AEW Women's World Championship.
As the duo walked onto the ramp to celebrate, The Glamour shockingly took out her mentor with the commemorative Owen Hart Foundation Championship. The next few minutes saw The Fighting Princess brutalize Toni Storm relentlessly.
Mariah May kept assaulting The Timeless Superstar, while the latter cried in pain. The reigning AEW Women's World Champion then busted open Toni Storm's head with her own heel, ending a nine-month-long alliance in a brutal way.
The moment changed the course of Mariah May's career, helping her go from a coward babyface to a wicked heel.