Bobby Lashley remains on the sidelines in AEW due to an undisclosed injury, but the former WWE Champion has made it clear he has zero second thoughts about the risks he’s taken inside the ring.
Lashley suffered the injury during the Casino Gauntlet match at AEW Full Gear back in November. The stipulation has drawn increased attention in recent months, with multiple performers across AEW being sidelined following similar Casino Gauntlet bouts.
While appearing on The Mega Powers Podcast (see video below), Lashley opened up about his current status and took the opportunity to praise AEW’s locker room culture, noting that it stands apart from anything he’s experienced in his long career.
“One thing, AEW is amazing. You see the crowd right now … no one else is doing that,” Lashley said. “I’ve been in every organization. That speaks volumes.”
Despite the growing injury list, Lashley pushed back on the idea that recklessness is to blame. Instead, he framed it as a byproduct of how deeply invested AEW wrestlers are in their craft.
“You don’t get injured by doing something you don’t care about,” Lashley explained. “You get injured because you’re pouring your whole life into this.”
Lashley also acknowledged that adjusting to AEW’s in-ring approach has been a learning experience, pointing to names like Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Darby Allin, and Jon Moxley as prime examples of performers who consistently put their bodies on the line to connect with the audience.
“These guys are superstars,” Lashley said. “They put themselves on the line to draw people in.”
He wrapped up by highlighting a philosophical difference between AEW and other promotions he’s worked for, including WWE and TNA, suggesting the focus in AEW is less about individual status and more about the overall product.
“In other places, sometimes it’s about who you are,” Lashley said. “Here it’s, ‘Don’t think about who I am — think about what I’m doing.’ They’re not thinking about money. They’re thinking about making this place amazing.”
- MORE AEW NEWS: Backstage News On AEW Quietly Signing High-Profile Wrestler, Announcement Expected Soon
