Billy Gunn has recently made headlines after appearing on the “Fuel & Flex” podcast, where the WWE Hall of Famer and AEW star opened up about dealing with stress fractures in his back. Gunn’s comments sparked speculation online about whether his ongoing absence from All Elite Wrestling television was injury-related.
However, Gunn’s camp reached out to WrestlePurists this week to set the record straight, clarifying that the veteran’s health is not the reason he’s been away from AEW programming. Instead, his current hiatus comes down to creative decisions within the company.
In a statement to WrestlePurists, Gunn’s team emphasized that while the back issue he mentioned is legitimate, it’s a long-standing condition that doesn’t prevent him from wrestling or training.
“Billy is fine. This is a very old injury that he’s managed for years. It doesn’t interfere with wrestling or training—it just gets sore if he trains too heavy or hard,” the statement read.
To further assure fans, Gunn’s team also shared a recent video of the veteran working out and moving well, noting that he remains in excellent shape.
“Because of the internet, our phones have been blowing up asking if his back is hurt,” they added. “His absence from AEW is due to him not being booked by creative.”
Gunn’s last appearance on AEW television came during the summer.
While fans have wondered when the trio might reunite on screen, Gunn hasn’t exactly been idle during his AEW downtime. Outside the company, the veteran continues to stay active, recently stepping into the ring for 1 Fall Wrestling in Atlanta.
After Billy Gunn recently mentioned on ‘Fuel & Flex’ that he has stress fractures in his back, his team reached out to clarify that it’s a “very old injury”, and the reason he’s absent from TV is due to not being booked by AEW creative:
“Billy is fine, this is a very old injury… pic.twitter.com/hZhmaddIKe
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) October 25, 2025
