Below are some top AEW news stories of the day, involving Anthony Henry and Kazuchika Okada.
• AEW wrestler Anthony Henry broke his jaw this past weekend during an indy event. He will undergo surgery.
Here’s what he wrote on X:
“Update: Absolutely gutted. In last night’s match against Bryan Keith, I took a knee strike that broke my jaw. The Workhorsemen had some exciting things coming up. One of which was the AEW tag team tournament, which we can now not be involved in. I will have surgery soon.”
He shared the following photo as well:
• According to Fightful Select, AEW is internally pleased with the decision to turn Kazuchika Okada into a heel, a move that was planned well in advance of his signing with the company. AEW President Tony Khan reportedly conceived the idea around the holiday season.
It’s been a long-held belief by Khan that Okada has the potential to become a significant heel star in the US, even predating Okada’s involvement with AEW. Recent performances by Okada have only reinforced this belief, with the company viewing it as a successful move.
Okada’s facial expressions have been positively received within the company, and there’s optimism that in AEW, he can bring a fresh approach to his wrestling style compared to his past endeavors. AEW officials are also confident in the chemistry between Okada and The Young Bucks, which they anticipated based on previous interactions.
The response to Okada’s segments on Collision has been favorable, with AEW strategically timing his debut immediately after Sting’s retirement to introduce another major star into a prominent role within the promotion.
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