Parker Boudreaux, Slim J, Dasha Gonzalez, Stu Grayson, Jora Johl, Jose The Assistant, Gravity, and Dalton Castle’s ‘The Boys’ were let go by AEW earlier this week in a rare case of talent cuts by the promotion.
While speaking during today’s Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor 2024 media call, AEW President Tony Khan addressed the cuts. He said,
“I am very, very proud of the AEW roster. We have a great group of women and men and a lot of great talent working in ROH. Any time we have to let someone go, it’s a tough call. We’ve expanded the company greatly this year, and I can tell you that I definitely plan to continue the expansion. I think we’ve built the best roster in wrestling, and I have no intention of stopping. I am gonna keep the foot on the gas pedal. We’re gonna keep going after top talent, and to do so, we need a war chest, and it’s important to keep an eye on the budget. I definitely value the people who work here, and any time you have to make a cut, it’s a very tough call, and these are fluid situations. They’re all different from each other. I think these are all fluid situations. In some ways, it was me trying to make changes to the budget. I’m actually expanding our budget, growing it, but to do, I did have to make some cuts because we’re growing the company, and I am gonna’ be very aggressive when it comes to the big-name free agents for the rest of the year, as we already have been in the first quarter of the year, adding big names like Kazuchika Okada, Mercedes Mone, and Will Ospreay. I think that these are all different situations. It’s possible, I think everybody there has great things to offer, and it’s possible you may see some of them back here. In the case of Anthony Henry, when he’s healed up, you will see him back here.”
Khan claimed ‘The Boys’ being let go were a different story. He said,
“These are all very different situations. I think Dalton and Johnny have been very creative. I’ve really enjoyed Dalton and Johnny working together, and this came at a time after Dalton had just custody of The Boys on ROH TV. The rivalry between Dalton and Johnny has been tremendous, and I’m really looking forward to the Fight Without Honor. To be honest, they didn’t show up for work on more than one occasion, and it’s not acceptable. I think the whole locker room knew about it, and you can’t do that, and that’s it, and that’s why I had to make a tough call.”
In a surprising turn of events, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) recently made the decision to release several talented individuals from their roster. Among those let go were Parker Boudreaux, Slim J, Dasha Gonzalez, Stu Grayson, Jora Johl, Jose The Assistant, Gravity, and Dalton Castle’s ‘The Boys’. This move marks a rare case of talent cuts by the promotion, and has left fans and industry insiders speculating about the reasons behind these decisions.
During a media call for Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor 2024, AEW President Tony Khan addressed the cuts and shed some light on the situation. Khan expressed his pride in the AEW roster, stating that they have a great group of men and women working for the company. He emphasized his commitment to expanding the company and building the best roster in wrestling. Khan also mentioned his intention to continue pursuing top talent and acknowledged the need to keep an eye on the budget.
Khan acknowledged that letting someone go is always a tough call, but explained that it was necessary to make changes to the budget in order to accommodate the company’s growth. He assured fans that he values the people who work for AEW and that these decisions were made in the best interest of the company’s future. Khan also hinted at the possibility of some of the released talent returning to AEW in the future.
However, Khan made it clear that ‘The Boys’ being let go was a different story. He revealed that Dalton Castle and Johnny had failed to show up for work on multiple occasions, which is unacceptable behavior. Khan stressed that the entire locker room was aware of this issue and that he had no choice but to make a tough call in this case.
The release of these talented individuals has sparked discussions among fans and industry insiders about the direction AEW is taking and what this means for the future of the promotion. Some speculate that these cuts were made to make room for big-name free agents, as AEW has already made significant signings in the first quarter of the year, including Kazuchika Okada, Mercedes Mone, and Will Ospreay.
Overall, the recent talent cuts by AEW have raised eyebrows and generated buzz within the wrestling community. While Tony Khan’s explanations shed some light on the decision-making process, fans will undoubtedly continue to speculate and closely watch how these changes impact the promotion moving forward.