A new chapter in the ongoing saga between AEW and GCW has unfolded.
Earlier this week, rumors emerged about AEW deciding to pull professional wrestler Willie Mack from his GCW engagements for the weekend.
The rumor led GCW and its owner, Brett Lauderdale, to suspect that Mack’s removal was in response to recent comments made by Effy. However, Fightful Select reports that GCW received information that AR Fox was advised to avoid any camera appearance during his visit to GCW this weekend. Despite this, several sources within AEW vehemently denied pulling Mack from the events. A nameless source, on the other hand, alleged that Mack was persuaded by AEW’s talent relations to drop the GCW events.
The issue was also taken up by Dave Meltzer in the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio. According to his account, Mack originally contacted GCW, revealing that his removal from the show was linked to Effy’s statements. Subsequently, Lauderdale made an effort to verify this by reaching out to Sonjay Dutt of AEW’s talent relations. Dutt purportedly contradicted the claim.
Lauderdale then sought clarification from Mack, who clarified that he wasn’t actually removed. However, Mack pointed out that Christopher Daniels from AEW advised him against attending the GCW events happening this weekend.
Consequently, this led to AEW’s insistence that they didn’t withdraw Mack from the shows. Meltzer also revealed that on querying AEW if attendance would be an issue, Mack received their approval to attend the events. However, whether Mack opted to not participate in the shows due to external pressures, or of his own volition, remains ambiguous.
Willie Mack was originally scheduled for a competition against Sidney Akeem at this weekend’s GCW’s “Highest in the Room 3” event set for Saturday, December 14.