Tony Khan Comments on Winter Weather Issues Affecting Talent Traveling for 1/11 AEW Collision Show
Tonight’s AEW Collision show in Athens, Georgia is currently facing winter weather-related issues potentially affecting the travel of AEW talent booked for the show.
WSB TV Atlanta reported that a snowstorm hit the area on Friday had caused “more than 1,100 flights canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Another 529 have been delayed, according to flight tracker Flight Aware.”
AEW CEO Tony Khan provided an update earlier today on Twitter confirming that weather-related issues have affected the travel of AEW’s talent and crew for tonight’s show but promised there is a great crew en route for the show.
Travel update for Saturday Night #AEWCollision tonight:
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) January 11, 2025
Lots of flights delayed or canceled, but there’s a great crew en route to Athens, GA for tonight’s show!
Many of them are driving in right now + World Champion @MariahMayx is riding in a limo.
See you on TNT + Max TONIGHT!
Ricky Starks & Danhausen AEW Contracts Status Update
As noted before, Ricky Starks has been out of action for AEW since this past March due to a head-injury scare incident and AEW officials not currently having any plans for his return. Besides Starks, Danhausen had been absent from AEW and Ring of Honor since February of 2023 with the exception of a surprise appearance made at ROH’s Final Battle 2024 event this past December.
Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that both Starks and Danhausen’s contracts with AEW are currently set to expire at some point in 2025.
It was also reported that Jim Ross’ contract with AEW is also currently set to expire this year.
Julia Hart Comments on Her Recent Return from Shoulder Injury
As noted before, Julia Hart made her official in-person return from injury at this past December’s AEW Collision Winter Is Coming 2024 show. Prior to her return, Hart had been out of action since this past April due to a shoulder injury.
Instinct Culture’s Denise Salcedo held a recent interview with Hart. One of the topics discussed included Hart’s thoughts about her recovery and recent return from her shoulder injury.
“I tore my labrum in my right shoulder. That was the injury. Had surgery, and then recovery was about three-ish months, and then I was pretty good for about three months. At the end of September, I could have technically came back if I wanted to, but it was just better that I wait and I make sure that I’m 1,000% ready to come back in the ring, especially because I’ve never been out with injury before, and I was like, oh gosh, I’ve never…that’s never happened to me, so I wonder what it’s like coming back. Then I get to work with Jamie Hayter as the first person coming back, who’s an amazing opponent and super hard-hitting, and I was like, this is gonna be really intense, especially for my first match back. So just really preparing, getting in the ring as much as I could, working out as much as I could, doing cardio leading into the match and getting ready.”
Hart also gave her thoughts about what was her mindset while dealing with her injury.
“Yeah, [it was my] first injury in wrestling, so I guess I kind of just took it as, ‘This is the universe telling me to slow down for a second and appreciate everything that’s happened in the past couple years, with my character changing, crazy, with me climbing up the ladder and getting the TBS Championship, so it was just kind of like, take a moment, breathe, and then also letting the next person have their moment as well when Willow took the belt from me, letting her have her moment too. She’s such a great performer and a great wrestler, so she needs that too. So it’s just more like, just slow down. I think that’s all it really was, and just appreciating everything.”
Transcript h/t: Fightful.com