AEW: Backstage Update on Will Ospreay’s Neck Injury & Return Plans, Reason for Excalibur’s Abscense From 3/11 AEW Dynamite Show, Jamie Hayter on “Women Are Under The Microscope A Lot More Than Men Are” for Wrestling Matches

Backstage Update on Will Ospreay’s Neck Injury & Return Plans

As noted before, Will Ospreay has been out of action for AEW since this past August’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2025 event due to a neck injury and surgery.

Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that Ospreay has been recently working out in the ring ahead of AEW shows. Those spoken to reportedly stated that things have been looking very promising for him to return to form in regards to the level he was competing at before his injury.

In regards to a potential return timetable, it was reported that those spoken to stated Ospreay could be making a potential in-ring return as early as this spring and the current hope within AEW is that he will be part of this August’s All In 2026 event at Wembley Stadium.

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Reason for Excalibur’s Abscense From March 11th AEW Dynamite Show

Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite show in San Jose, California was notable for Excalibur’s abscense from the commentary team. That show featured Tony Schiavone calling the action with Ian Riccaboni and Bryan Danielson for the commentary team.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that the reason why Excalibur was absent from the show was due to him currently dealing with an illness. Johnson reported that this illness prevented Excalibur from being able to work that night’s Dynamite show.

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Jamie Hayter Comments on “Women Are Under The Microscope A Lot More Than Men Are” for Wrestling Matches

Soundsphere Magazine held a recent interview with Jamie Hayter. One of the topics discussed included Hayter’s thoughts about her belief that female wrestlers are “under the microscope” a lot more than male wrestlers in regards to wrestling matches and criticisms from fans.

“There’s been a lot of changes for the better, but I can’t sit here and be like, ‘It’s so great now!’ because there’s just so much more work that can be done. But I can’t say that there haven’t been changes, because there have – and all the women have worked so hard for them. But there’s still stuff to be done.

I feel like as a woman, we are probably under the microscope a lot more than men are. If you have a bad match, then it’s like ‘Oh my god, you’re the worst wrestler ever’. Whereas a guy could have a bad match and it’s like, ‘Oh well’, or if you don’t look a certain way, then they don’t like that either.”