29-year-old star confesses his first AEW run was a "disaster" - "It wasn't fair!"
Former WWE star Lio Rush recently opened up about his first run in AEW. The high-flyer recently inked a new deal with the Tony Khan-led promotion. Rush initially signed with AEW in September 2021. However, his run ended in February 2022.
The former WWE Superstar returned to Tony Khan's promotion in May 2024. At WrestleDream 2024, Rush confirmed he had signed a new deal with the company. The Blackheart has joined the Top Flight faction and also seems to have an involvement in The Hurt Syndicate storyline.
In the latest episode of AEW Unrestricted, Aubrey Edwards asked Lio Rush about the setbacks he faced during his first run and how his current stint was different.
"I think last time, I had a lot of fear. I think I was going into it scared. It almost felt like I was getting another opportunity at being Lio Rush on television, but it almost didn’t feel fair that I had to do it in this way. I was still so young. I was going through so much during that time; that was during the pandemic, so everything outside of what AEW was obviously going on, and it was kind of just a disaster off the jump. It was nobody’s fault; I think it just was not the right time," he said.
The former NXT Cruiserweight Champion continued:
"I don’t think it was the right time for me; I don’t think it was the right time for AEW to have me right there in the mental state that I was in. It wasn’t fair for both parties. I’m in a space where I feel confident; I feel a lot wiser; I feel a lot more prepared than I was before, and I know what I can bring to the table, and I want to offer that." [H/T:Fightful]
Lio Rush could join AEW's Hurt Syndicate in the future
MVP and Shelton Benjamin formed The Hurt Syndicate faction upon their arrival in All Elite Wrestling. The recent reports have revealed that Bobby Lashley is set to be introduced in the faction soon. The former WWE Champion has an interesting relationship with Lio Rush, and the 29-year-old could join the faction in the near future.
On the October 16, 2024, edition of Dynamite, Shelton Benjamin made his in-ring debut in Tony Khan's promotion against Lio Rush. After the match, The Blackheart shared a photo of MVP's business card on social media. The talented star used to manage Bobby Lashley in WWE and could possibly reunite with his former client after joining The Hurt Syndicate.
We will have to wait and see what's in store for Lio Rush's future in The Hurt Syndicate storyline.