AEW: Colten Gunn Knee Injury Confirmed & Backstage Update on The Gunns Being Pulled from AEW Tag Titles Eliminator Tournament, Mike Santana on Being Grateful for His AEW Experience, More News

Jul 24, 2025

Colten Gunn Knee Injury Update – AEW Confirmed Injury & Pulled The Gunns from AEW Tag Titles Eliminator Tournament

As noted before, Colten Gunn was believed to have suffered a potential knee injury during last week’s Collision tapings in Chicago, Illinois.

During Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite show in Chicago, Excalibur confirmed that Gunn had suffered an injury. It was announced that The Gunns had been scheduled to participate in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator tournament but they have been pulled due to Colten being unable to compete.

Fightful Select reported that their sources confirmed that Gunn had suffered a legitimate injury and had been originally scheduled to compete in the AEW Tag titles Eliminator tournament. It was reported that AEW officials had initially hoped that Gunn could recover in time but once that was not possible, they revised their planned bracket for the tournament on a short notice.

Mike Santana Comments on Being Grateful for His AEW Experience & Learned So Much for His Wrestling Career

Fightful held a recent interview with former AEW and current TNA talent Mike Santana. One of the topics discussed included Santana’s thoughts about him being grateful for his time in AEW and how he learned so much for his wrestling career during his time there.

“I was super thankful for it, because I was asked before, ‘Do you feel like you wasted your time?’ Not at all, man, because I looked at that as a learning experience. A waste of time would be if I didn’t take anything from it. I took so much from it. I got to learn from so many people. I got to work with so many people. I don’t really look down much on my time there. Of course, there was good days, there was bad days. But overall, I learned, and that knowledge is what I’ve been able to use also to get me to where I’m at. Everything paid off in the long run. At the end of the day, when it comes to the very first show and the very first main event, my name will always be there. I’m happy.”

Santana stated that one of the things he learned came from Cody Rhodes about how to maximize his minutes on camera.

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

AEW News & Notes

AEW recently released a new video featuring MJF at the red carpet premiere of the Happy Gilmore 2 film.

AEW also recently released a new AEW Timelines video titled “The Redemption of Hangman Adam Page.”

Prior to the start of Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite show, AEW released a new video featuring former TNA talent Shark Boy promoting that night’s Shark Week themed Dynamite show.

As noted before, Private Party’s Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy’s contracts with AEW are currently expected to be expiring “very soon.” Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported in a recent Q&A article that his sources stated that Private Party is still under contract with AEW but they have not been factored into any creative discussions since their AEW World Tag Team Championship loss. Sapp reported that Private Party’s name hasn’t been brought up backstage when it comes to plans and there is currently no indication that return plans for them are being worked on.

Fightful Select reported that several of Dustin Rhodes’ students from his wrestling school had worked as extras at AEW’s All In Texas event earlier this month.

In a recent response to a fan on Instagram, Mercedes Mone responded to a comment telling her to return to WWE. This fan stated “needa bring yo fine ass back to WWE” and Mone responded stating “imma need your ugly ass to watch AEW.“

In a recent interview with The Ariel Helwani Show, Eric Bischoff gave his thoughts about AEW’s Dynamite recently surpassing WCW Nitro as the longest running wrestling show in Turner Network history. Bischoff stated “I just chuckled. It’s like a participation trophy. I guess it matters to somebody. If you took all of the viewing audience that we had over whatever run Nitro had, I think it would take AEW another 15 years to deliver that audience at the rate they are going.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with Fightful’s The Spotlight podcast, Preston Vance gave his thoughts about how the late Brodie Lee, real name Jon Huber, would try to make the Dark Order laugh during the filming of their skits for the Being The Elite show. Vance stated “If Brodie wasn’t on camera, he would be in the back trying to make us laugh. It would take a good amount. Me and Silver would get together and feed off each other. There were a few where it would take a lot of takes. I was wearing a mask, so I could laugh, and it didn’t matter. Me and Uno would be laughing and it would make the other guys laugh. We spent a lot of time in that little bar room at Daily’s Place, and we would film stuff all day. It was so fun. It was a Saturday Night Live-type vibe. I loved filming it. There were a few that took a lot of takes. I think my favorite one was Cowbody Day with Hangman. That’s still my favorite skit we’ve done. He was another great guy to work with.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with the Busted Open Radio podcast, MJF gave his thoughts about the idea of WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg coming to AEW for one more match and his interest in a potential match with Goldberg. MJF stated “Have you seen me on Rosie O’Donnell as a child? Do you remember the two names of my favorite pro wrestlers when I was a kid that I stated when I was a very young, small, five-year-old child? It was (The Rock & Goldberg). If Goldberg wants some, I’m right here. But I will embarrass him, I will demolish him, I will snap, crack and pop every single tendon, ligament and bone in his stupid, old, musty body. You know who’s next? Nobody. I’d be last, capisce? So if he wants a proper sendoff, he should be facing a generational talent. I’m right here if he’s interested. But, A, I’m gonna (need to be paid) a lot of money, if you wanna see that match, and B, I would imagine he doesn’t come cheap either. So, a lot of stars have to align for that to happen.” MJF also gave his thoughts about if AEW fans would like to see that match happen in the future. MJF stated “I think AEW fans would like to see me do anything. AEW fans would like if I pulled my trunks down and took a big, fat dump in the middle of the ring. I’m the greatest who’s ever lived. As far as MJF versus Goldberg specifically, I mean, that’s a huge marquee match in any era. I think there are a lot of wrestling fans that feel that I would have fit in in that era a great deal. Especially when you think of the people and mic workers of the time. Goldberg, a bumbling idiot, not a great talker. But an incredible, intense megastar. That I cannot take away from him, and yeah, I mean, I think that that’s a huge box office match.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

Willow Nightingale recently showed her support of Deonna Purrazzo following recent online body-shamming towards Purrazzo. Nightingale stated on Twitter “You know who was the main character of my feed yesterday? Deonna. So I sought out her match vs. Gresham and it was a fun watch! When they were moving, they were moving and it was silky smooth. It told a good story, technically sound, and made me smile many more times than once. All of this is to say I know just as well as anyone in this business (probably better tbh) that people are gonna say what they want about your body and sure, I guess they’re entitled to that?? BUT why in the blue hell is that the prevailing conversation when a professional is still going out there and successfully doing their job? I’m not naive. Some people’s lack of humanity doesn’t surprise me. I guess I’m just still hopeful we could collectively try to be better to one another?” Purrzzo responded thanking Nightingale for her support. Purrazzo stated “This app has its flaws (A LOT of them)… but the people in this community who show up with love and support when it matters most? That’s why I stay. Love will always outweigh hate.“