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Lio Rush Announces He Is Leaving AEW

Lio Rush walking down ramp

Lio Rush has announced that he is leaving AEW and will soon be a free agent. A report has said that he is one of many stars whose contracts are coming up soon.

Lio Rush announced the news that he would be a free agent as of February 14th on Twitter and provided a contact email for booking enquiries.

‘The Man of the Hour’ debuted with AEW at Double or Nothing in May 2021, where he was revealed as the ‘Joker’ entrant in the Casino Battle Royale. However, he soon announced his retirement from the ring after sustaining an arm injury. However, after several months on the shelf, Rush officially signed with AEW in late September and made regular appearances on Dynamite and Rampage.

https://twitter.com/IamLioRush/status/1484908157428113408

Following Rush breaking the news, Fightful Select shed more light on the situation. In their report, they say that many staff and performers only found out about Rush’s departure at the most recent edition of Rampage on January 21st.

The report also noted that Rush’s contract is “one of many” that is coming up in the near future. In addition, Rush has apparently not been seen in AEW since December, with one source believing that he had been scheduled for an appearance since, but in the end, it didn’t happen.

Lio Rush was one of the most high-profile voices who criticised AEW President Tony Khan after his public spat with former AEW star Big Swole.

Rush demanded an apology from Khan on Twitter before later issuing a statement where he explained that he has since spoken to Tony Khan and Megah Parekh and discussed their “endeavours to further understand the struggles of the black community”. He also said that he is proud to work for Khan and AEW.

Lio Rush will next be seen in the ring at The WRLD on GCW which takes place at the Hammerstein Ballroom on January 23rd. He will be part of the Grab The Brass Ring Ladder Match. The event also features AEW star Jon Moxley in the main event defending his GCW Championship against Homicide.