AEW turned down wrestling legend's request for a return to the company
Since early on in its history, AEW has made it a point to bring in talent from outside the company for one-off appearances, matches, and even special programs. At Rampage: Grand Slam in 2021, indie wrestling legend Homicide made his debut for the company.
The 46-year-old got involved in the Lights Out match pitting Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley against Lance Archer and Minoru Suzuki. It was a triumphant night for New Yorkers Kingston and Homicide. However, the latter hasn't made another appearance for AEW since then.
Speaking to Steve Fall of WrestlingNews.co, the legendary star revealed that he'd offered to wrestle on AEW Dark, but the company respectfully turned him down, indicating that he was too big a star to compete on the now-defunct YouTube show:
"I never asked them [if I’m coming back]. It never was like that. Basically, I came to a couple shows. I was waiting. Nobody spoke to me about anything. I did tell them, ‘Could I be in Dark?’ They’re like, ‘We’re not gonna disrespect you like that.’ I don’t know what that means. I was like, ‘Look, man, I don’t mind.’ They’re like, ‘Nope, we’re not doing that to you.’ Like I said, I don’t like nobody calling me the King of New York or a legend because I feel like I’m not. But that’s that they was telling me, like, ‘You’re a legend. We cannot give you All Elite Wrestling Dark on YouTube. You deserve better.’"
Homicide claimed that it didn't bother him, but he does appreciate the AEW talents who wonder why he's not signed with the company. Ultimately, though, he's happy with his current position in the wrestling business:
But the cool part, my favorite part, is the boys in the company saying, ‘Why you not here?’ To me, that is amazing. I don’t care what anybody says. People in that company are saying, ‘You should be here. Why the hell are you not here?’ I don’t know, talk to your boss. I don’t know, but I’m not looking for nobody right now. I’m very happy where I’m at right now," Homicide said. [h/t Fightful]
Eddie Kingston talked Homicide into working at AEW Grand Slam 2021
Homicide's appearance at AEW Rampage: Grand Slam in 2021 was a major surprise for the New York fans in attendance, but it seems like the 46-year-old never intended to get involved in the first place.
In the same interview, Homicide revealed that he was only at the event to visit his friends in the locker room. That is, until his protege, Eddie Kingston, talked him into making an appearance:
"I was surprised. I just came to see the boys. I went to visit. I ain’t came to work or nothing, and Eddie Kingston surrounded me, like he was about to attack me, and said, ‘You’re gonna do something today’, I’m like, no, no, I’m not. I’m here to visit the boys. 'You’re doing something.’ Like there was an argument. It was crazy. Then Tony Khan told me a couple things, he showed me some numbers. I’m like, okay, I’ll do it."
Homicide claimed that the enormity of the event didn't hit him until later, but he was happy to take part because of his friendship with The Mad King, and because Minoru Suzuki is one of his heroes:
"I’m happy where I’m at. I’m happy that people hook me up. I do the same thing back to them. In Queens, New York, at their big show, it was a blast. Especially [because] I’m doing a run-in on Suzuki, who’s one of my heroes, and Lance Archer, who’s also the biggest man in professional wrestling, and finally Jon Moxley, and one of my best friends, Eddie Kingston. So it was a really cool experience," Homicide said. [h/t Fightful]
After almost 30 years in the wrestling business Homicide is a certified veteran and continues to be a major force in the American independent circuit. Whether he makes another appearance for AEW down the line remains to be seen.
Does the prospect of Homicide being a part of the AEW roster excite you? Sound off below!