AEW roster reportedly dealing with sizeable "injury bug" situation
According to a recent report by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, AEW is struggling with a rising number of injuries on its current roster.
The report stated that alongside the previously noted injuries to top talent, the company is experincing an "injury bug" of sorts. Apparently, several talents are sidelined with injuries that have zero to no timetable for a return.
According to sources within All Elite Wrestling, the Nightmare Family's Lee Johnson will most likely not return to action this summer. The star is reportedly dealing with a nagging "knee injury."
A similar situation seems to be occurring with Darius Martin, the second half of Top Flight. The star hasn't wrestled for the promotion since April. As previously reported, Martin suffered a torn ACL in February last year. During an interview in May, fellow AEW star Malakai Black revealed that the 22-year-old star was involved in a "nasty car accident" and sources say they are hoping he'll return at some point in 2022.
Can’t do it like me 🧈 https://t.co/Anbpqe2wCE
Former WWE Superstars Matt Hardy and Bryan Danielson have not been spared either. Both Hardy and Danielson are out of action with no time frame for a possible return. Hardy recently competed at AAA TripleMania alongside Johnny Hennigan, who went by Johnny Hardy for the night, and is reportedly dealing with "swelling" in his knee.
Danielson has been out of action since AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view in May, following a chaotic "Anarchy in The Arena" match against the Jericho Appreciation Society. It was recently reported that Danielson's injury situation could cause him to miss AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door event on the 26th of this month.
American Dragon @bryandanielson will appear Live this week on
Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite on @TBSNetwork to address this Sunday’s #ForbiddenDoor ppv + next week’s #BloodAndGuts Dynamite.
Thank you to everyone who supports @AEWonTV! See you Wednesday
@ 8pm ET/7pm CT for Dynamite https://t.co/cXrWxP47ga
On Monday, Tony Khan announced that the American Dragon would be live on Dynamite to discuss the pay-per-view. It is unknown what the former WWE Champion will say.
AEW World Champion CM Punk reportedly had surgery on his foot recently
According to reports earlier this month, CM Punk has undergone surgery for a foot-related injury. The report came from Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer. Punk made the announcement of his injury on the June 3rd edition of Rampage.
"I don't know why they don't say it was a broken foot, and he hasn't actually said it was a broken foot, but, he had foot surgery today and I guess it went well. (...) Punk asked me all about when I broke my foot, so, it's like I guess he had a broken foot, right? (...) He asked me, like today at surgery you know, questions about broken foot. So, I presume its a broken foot." (00:25 - 1:15) - Dave Meltzer (h/t Sportskeeda)
Despite his injury, CM Punk has not been stripped of his World Championship. Instead, it was announced that an Interim Champion would be crowned at the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door event in Chicago in a match between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Jon Moxley.