The 4-year anniversary episode of AEW Dynamite became even more special with one of the most popular homegrown talents returning to the scene after a long wait. It was Wardlow who made his present felt on the show after being shelved for months. It seemed that frustrations got into him while getting off television for so long.
On the October 4 episode of AEW Dynamite, Wardlow made his long-awaited return and defeated Griff Garrison in a dominant way. After beating the hell out of Griff, he stomped on him in the corner and executed five powerbombs in a Powerbomb Symphony before the referee rang the bell and stopped the match.
AEW Dynamite marked the first time that Wardlow has competed in the ring since dropping the TNT Championship to Luchasaurus on the inaugural episode of AEW Collision on June 17. This ended his third reign with the title. Previously, his first run as the titleholder came between July and November of 2022, while his second reign came in March of 2023.
AEW Full Gear 2023: MJF Accepts Championship Match Against Bullet Club Member
Wardlow debuted on AEW Dynamite three years ago
On the November 13, 2019, episode of AEW Dynamite, Wardlow made his debut by helping out the-then AEW World Champion Chris Jericho and MJF take out Cody Rhodes. The mammoth star choked out Rhodes on the stage after months of advertisement that Wardlow was coming to AEW. It was an indication that the gigantic star could be a force to be reckoned with on the AEW roster.
Adam Copeland Reflects Whether 2023 AEW Run To Be His Last In Wrestling
Wardlow then made his in-ring debut in February 2020 in a Steel Cage match against Cody Rhodes on an episode of AEW Dynamite. Apart from being a three-time TNT Champion, Wardlow has also been a former member of The Pinnacle. Plus, before moving into a hiatus, he wrapped up his WarJoe tag team with the current ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe.
On AEW Dynamite, Wardlow has been established as a super babyface force that reportedly has raised interest from even the WWE to sign him to a contract. It’s not known if that’s true or not but they indeed signed the talented Jade Cargill. At this point, there’s no confirmed update on AEW’s plans with Wardlow following this return.
“WWE And I Have Just Outgrown Each Other,” Adam Copeland On Joining AEW
