Keith Lee Dealing with Injury Issues & Pulled from AEW Worlds End, New Match Announced for Worlds End

Saturday’s AEW Worlds End event featured one change made to the card.

Prior to the start of tonight’s AEW Worlds End event, AEW CEO Tony Khan announced on Twitter that Keith Lee was not being medically cleared to compete and he has been pulled from tonight’s Worlds End event as a result. Khan also announced that Dustin Rhodes would be replacing Lee for his scheduled match against Swerve Strickland at the event.

TONIGHT, 12/30/23#AEWWorldsEnd PPV
Long Island, NY @NassauColiseum@swerveconfident vs @dustinrhodes

Due to injury, AEW doctors can’t clear Keith Lee for his match tonight at Worlds End. His Naturally Limitless partner Dustin Rhodes has asked to step in to face Swerve TONIGHT pic.twitter.com/jGJOaEQJqZ

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) December 30, 2023

Earlier today, Lee stated on Twitter that he has been working through an injury he suffered at last year’s Grand Slam event. Lee also stated that his injury had been mostly taken care of until it got worse following ROH’s Final Battle 2023 event earlier this month. Lee also stated that he would try to be able to work at tonight’s event but could not promise that it would happen.

Today… I keep it very real with you guys.

I have been working through an injury since Arthur Ashe Stadium 2022. It has been mostly well taken care of.

Things have been worse since Final Battle. I am trying to get through today for you guys, but I cannot promise anything.

— Excellent Lee (@RealKeithLee) December 30, 2023

Updated card for AEW Worlds End:

• AEW World Championship – Samoa Joe vs. MJF (c)
• AEW Women’s World Championship – Riho vs. Toni Storm (c)
• TNT Championship – Adam Copeland vs. Christian Cage (c)
• TBS Championship – Abadon vs. Julia Hart (c)
• AEW Continental Classic Finals – Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston
• All Star Eight Man Tag Team match – Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Bryan Danielson), Mark Briscoe, & Daniel Garcia vs. Brody King, Jay White, Jay Lethal, & RUSH
• Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin, & Sting vs. Big Bill, Ricky Starks, & Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs)
• Andrade El Idolo vs. Miro
• Swerve Strickland vs. Dustin Rhodes
• Zero Hour Pre-show: Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander
• Zero Hour Pre-show: FTW Championship FTW Rules match – Wheeler Yuta vs. HOOK (c)
• Zero Hour Pre-show: 20 Man Battle Royal