Hey Friends,
It’s Marie Shadows here, and I just dropped a new episode of the Square Circle Podcast where I go all in on AEW’s ongoing safety issues. Six years into their existence, AEW still can’t shake the reputation of being an unsafe working environment — and after Dustin Rhodes vs. Kyle Fletcher at Collision, I have more reason than ever to say it loud: AEW is not safe.
Here’s the breakdown:
Dustin Rhodes vs. Kyle Fletcher turned into an unnecessary hardcore match full of chairs, glass, tables, and even a screwdriver. The result? Dustin now says he has a hole in his leg, is in terrible pain, and needs major surgery. He even name-dropped Kyle Fletcher directly in his post-match medical update. That doesn’t sound like a “work” to me — that sounds like recklessness.
This isn’t the first time. Adam Cole, Matt Hardy, Darby Allin — too many names connected to unsafe moments in AEW. At what point do we stop excusing this as “accidents” and admit the environment itself is broken?
I dive into why AEW leans too heavily on indie-style shock value instead of elite-level storytelling, how Tony Khan puts wrestlers like Will Ospreay — who should be recovering on his time off (he did request it and let the whole world know about it) — in dangerous spots just to sell tickets, and why older vets like Dustin are paying the price.
I also talk about the larger problem: wrestling fans and media playing politics for access instead of asking real questions. Meanwhile, AEW doubles down on unsafe chaos and hides behind “it’s what the fans want.”
At the end of the day, AEW calls itself All Elite Wrestling — but where is the “elite” in unsafe hardcore matches, constant injuries, and reckless storytelling?
👉 Go listen to the full episode now.
Please visit my Rumble: Dustin Rhodes calls out Kyle Fletcher - Marie Shadows on Rumble
👉 And tell me in the comments — do you think AEW will ever take wrestler safety seriously?
Until next time,
Marie Shadows
Host of The Square Circle Podcast
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