The former TNT Champion says the backstage atmosphere in All Elite Wrestling has improved dramatically.
Since joining AEW in April 2019, Darby Allin has witnessed countless stars come and go, with the ever-changing roster naturally transforming the atmosphere backstage over the years.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Darby Allin offered a glimpse into the current locker-room atmosphere, revealing that the vibe is “amazing” at the moment, thanks, he says, to the “cancer” being cut out.
“It’s amazing. I’m not just saying that. A few years ago, you definitely felt like this tension, but now, everybody’s on the same page. Let’s make this place as good as possible. And I feel like a lot of people truly have to understand how good they have it, because Tony doesn’t just—he wants everybody in the ring and in their personal life to be happy. That’s a really good energy where it’s like, ‘Hey, everybody, be the best versions of yourself.” And I feel like right now, more than ever, everybody’s on the same wavelength. Everybody has the same goals. The cancer got cut out. Just egotistical wrestlers that don’t want to lose… That’s the thing I was saying earlier—with wrestling, with climbing Mount Everest—it kept me so grounded and level-headed. And at the end of the day, this is all staged. It’s the greatest thing in the world, but it’s staged. So if you’re going to have an ego about that, get out of the f*cking sport. Go be in the UFC. Go try—you know what I mean? Don’t be bringing that sh*t here. This is about having fun. This is about just putting on a good energy, and it’s like, come on, man, just stop. And that’s the biggest thing with me—once all that got cleared up, I really felt, ‘Okay, cool, let’s rock.’ But I just don’t like egos. I can’t stand them.”
-Darby Allin
Although Allin refrained from naming anyone during the interview, many fans are likely to recall the infamous ‘Brawl Out’ incident of 2022, a backstage altercation that ultimately resulted in CM Punk’s AEW contract being terminated in September 2023. Allin, however, clarified during the interview that the comments were not in relation to CM Punk.
Darby Allin is currently embroiled in a heated rivalry with former AEW World Champion Jon Moxley. The two are set to come face-to-face on the 15 October edition of Dynamite, just days before their highly anticipated “I Quit” match at AEW: WrestleDream on 18 October.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on the atmosphere backstage at All Elite Wrestling as soon as we hear more.
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