Former AEW wrestler Big Swole left the company in late November after she and Tony Khan mutually agreed not to renew her contract with the company. It was initially rumored that a lack of action in using her character was part of her decision to leave. However, recently, she released a statement on New Year’s Eve claiming that a lack of diversity in AEW was part of her reasoning. Tony Khan, who has become more outspoken over the past year, commented that Swole did not re-sign with the company because he did not see her as being a good wrestler. He also attacked her statement on diversity by pointing out several athletes of color in the TBS Championship Tournament, such as Nyla Rose and Jade Cargill.
Lio Rush quickly took to Twitter in a series of tweets, calling out Khan for his response and demanding he apologize to Swole. However, the next day on January 1, Rush released a statement regarding a conversation he had with Tony Khan about the matter. You can view his statement below:
Rush has always been known for being outspoken about his belief. He was said to have butted heads with multiple producers while in WWE, thus contributing to his departure as part of the talent releases WWE has made over the past two years. He currently serves in both a performing and managerial role on AEW television.
