AEW: The focus must be on how leaders handle backstage matters

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire” is a phrase professional wrestling fans should expect to hear often in the coming days. Last night’s AEW Dynamite was a highly anticipated show, not only for what was to occur in the ring but for rampant rumors and reports heading into the show. Hours later, as more reports and talking points come out, there should be concern about what’s reported backstage, but also, not much surprise at the same time.

Heading into AEW Dynamite Fightful Select reported an AEW talent meeting in which Tony Khan was “fired up” covering many of the topics that have popped up in news headlines lately. In many ways, the details read as a course-correcting meeting in which team leaders come together to get everyone back on the same page.

And those pages seemingly needed to be organized. Fightful Select would later report that Eddie Kingston had served a suspension for taking a swing a Sammy Guevara after the latter made a comment about Kingston’s physique. Their planned match for AEW All Out is now off the card. Kingston commented on the situation to PWInsider who reported on that conversation on Thursday.

“You know the truth. I wouldn’t lie. I was wrong for being unprofessional. That is the blind fact,” Kingston said. “He [Guevara] did what he did and the public can judge that but I know for a fact I was wrong.”

The situations do not end there, as Thunder Rosa is also not appearing on All Out. Rosa appeared during Dynamite to say she’s injured and out of the title match, creating a Fatal Four-way between Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, Hikaru Shida, and Toni Storm.

Rumors immediately picked up about this situation is a result of heat between Rosa, especially after she injured Hayter’s nose in their recent match on AEW Rampage. Rosa’s in-ring actions have been a talking point. Reports around this situation are that Rosa supposedly hid from Hayter who wanted to confront the champion about her behavior.

These are the two newest situations that fans will argue about for days to come. Some will overblow while others will underplay the matter. What’s important to recognize is that these situations are frequent occurrences when organizations bring together talented performers. For better or for worse, there are several examples in professional sports where championship teams have been split up due to superstars not being able to get along. Even the great dynasty in Chicago had issues between top stars like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

The real focus should be on how Khan and leaders respond to this matter. Issues within AEW aren’t new. Big Swole highlighted some problems with caring criticism to start 2022 and that blew up into a serious matter due to Khan’s response. Even Shida has raised concerns about issues within the company. The real test will come in how the company brings everyone back together and focused on the goal of putting on the best professional wrestling content in the industry. If they can rally and do that, hopefully, this becomes a flash in the pan rather than a growing arc that leads to more problems down the line.

Backstage drama is the name of the game in professional wrestling, and AEW is getting its taste in the matter. The true focus needs to be on how the company reacts to and manages the issues as they can have massive implications down the line.