HOOK recently announced that he’s currently sidelined with a concussion and also shared the story behind his ring name.
The AEW star, who hasn’t appeared on television since his match at Double or Nothing 2025 in May, discussed his injury and more during a recent appearance on Wrestling Observer Live.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On his current absence from AEW TV: “Yeah, yeah (I’ll be back in AEW soon). I’m recovering from a concussion for those who don’t know but yeah, I’ve been out for a while and I should be back soon, for sure.”
On if his father came up with his ring name: “Nah, he didn’t come up with the name HOOK. Nah, so, it was me… MJF was involved in my inception of becoming a pro wrestler. MJF was right there. He was with me the first day I got in the ring. He helped me fine-tune ideas that I had and it was us all together kind of spitballing different ideas with a name and I loved every connection that comes with the name HOOK. It’s homage to my father, right? From Red Hook section of Brooklyn. Also, the old school term, the hook and stretch, f*ck somebody up… I wanted something that was one word, that was short, punch, quick, boom, I like that, and I liked the way the letters look next to each other. The H.O.O.K. because they’re almost symmetrical. With the ‘K,’ it’s kind of like a f*cked up ‘H’ and I just liked the way the letters look next to each other, the punchiness of it, as well as the different connections and it was just meant to be.”
Ian Riccaboni says he’s proud to be part of AEW and appreciative that the company continues to include him.
Posting to BlueSky on Thursday, Riccaboni shared that he had caught up on Dynamite and praised AEW’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity. He highlighted Hangman Page’s promo delivered in Spanish on the show, as well as the company’s support for queer talent, staff, and fans during Pride Month and beyond. He wrote,
“Catching up on Dynamite and between Hanger and Brody, unconditional support for our LGBTQIA+ wrestlers, staff, crew, and fans during Pride Month and every month, and celebrating Juneteenth, I’ve never been more confident I picked the right team to play for and I’m glad that they will have me.”
Riccaboni is a member of the AEW and ROH broadcast teams, having joined the company in 2022 after Tony Khan bought ROH.
Catching up on Dynamite and between Hanger and Brody, unconditional support for our LGBTQIA+ wrestlers, staff, crew, and fans during Pride Month and every month, and celebrating Juneteenth, I’ve never been more confident I picked the right team to play for and I’m glad that they will have me.
— Ian Riccaboni (@ianriccaboni.com) 19 June 2025 at 12:09
