There are currently a lot of big changes taking place in AEW, no great surprise now Tony Khan is no longer battling Vince McMahon. When he was still in charge of WWE creative, ratings were on the decline and reviews for shows were almost always negative.
Now, though, Triple H and Shawn Michaels are calling the shots on RAW, SmackDown, and NXT, leading to a resurgence in interest in the red-hot product. As for AEW, they've stagnated somewhat and are no longer growing quite as quickly as they once were; in fact, they're heading in the opposite direction.
Over the past month or so, we've seen QT Marshall and other behind-the-scenes executives such as Kevin Sullivan, Rafael Morffi, and Dana Massie all announce their respective departures as Khan seemingly looks to shake things up.
Today, it's been revealed that they'll be joined by AEW wrestler Shawn Spears. He's leaving the company when his contract expires on January 1 and put out a statement on X reading, "What a wonderful time it has been. Thank you AEW for allowing me to be there from the ground level. It's been a fantastic 5 years of growth and personal development."
"This is a personal choice and one that is best for me and my family at this time. Thank you to all, staff and talent alike for the memories," he continued. "Most importantly, to the incredible fans of ALL professional wrestling: I love you guys. I really do."
Spears is something of an AEW original, signing with the company and making his debut at their inaugural pay-per-view event Double or Nothing when he competed in the Casino Battle Royale.
He later became known as the "Chairman" following a brutal botched chair shot which legitimately busted open Cody Rhodes and feuded with him before joining the stable The Pinnacle. After that group, which also included MJF, FTR, Tully Blanchard, and Wardlow, disbanded in 2021, he's largely found himself something of a spare part in the company and has been used sporadically by Khan ever since.
Could he head back to WWE where he was once known as Tye Dillinger under Triple H's watch when he ran NXT? It's certainly possible, though Spears may also be looking to take a step back from pro wrestling after recently announcing that he and his wife Cassie Lee/Peyton Royce are expecting their second child together.
A #10 entry into the Royal Rumble would definitely make sense...