Lexis King (fka Brian Pillman Jr.), now making waves in WWE’s NXT, has opened up about his departure from AEW in 2023, revealing it came as a surprise.
Speaking on the ‘No Contest Wrestling’ podcast, King candidly discussed his experience, highlighting the rapid-paced environment of All Elite Wrestling.
King described AEW as a “sink-or-swim environment,” suggesting that wrestlers were expected to adapt quickly. He felt that by the time he had found his footing, his contract had simply run its course. “It might have been a little too late, you know. AEW was very much a sink-or-swim environment, so by the time I found myself, it might have been a little too late,” he stated.
While King clarified that he wasn’t explicitly released before his contract’s end, the departure still caught him off guard. “I don’t think it was, my contract had come up. It wasn’t like I was released before it was done, but it was out of the blue,” he admitted.
He elaborated on his efforts towards the end of his AEW tenure, emphasizing his commitment to the company. King had been participating in house show loops, where he felt he was performing well. “I had been doing a lot, we had started doing house show loops, and I had been performing well. I had a match with Jeff Jarrett and Claudio, and some really great, fun house show matches,” he recounted.
King also highlighted his willingness to work, particularly in contrast to some of the more established stars. “So I was on the road with the team, and at the time, a lot of the bigger stars weren’t willing to do those shows. I thought I was showing a lot of willingness to work and to be there for the company,” he explained.
He underscored his genuine enthusiasm for AEW during his time there, saying, “I really did put the company first. I was very much a huge fan of AEW while I was there.”
