AEW News: Former WWE On-Air Talent Reportedly Fired After Social Media Meltdown
A former WWE commentator and backstage interviewer has reportedly found himself out of AEW.
It's not often that AEW releases talent. More times than not, the company will allow a talent's contract to expire and simply not renew if their services are no longer needed. In this case, it appears the reported firing of an on-air talent is due to disciplinary reasons.
Ultimately, things went south in a hurry.
PW Torch reports that Kevin Kelly has been released from his AEW contract. The report notes that Kelly's recent social media tirade where he claimed he was "libeled" by Ring of Honor play-by-play ace Ian Riccoboni is what did him in. In addition to that claim, Kelly had been expressing frustration with his role on AEW TV.
Kelly debuted for AEW in June 2023. He had served as a play-by-play commentator for AEW Collision. While Kevin Kelly was widely praised for his work in NJPW, things just didn't seem to click with AEW, and the frustration was obvious.
It'll be interesting to see what Kelly will do next, as NJPW found a replacement for him in Walker Stewart. Could a reunion with WWE be in the cards? Kelly hasn't been with the top wrestling company since 2003. Kelly was critical of WWE's structure following the release.
Tony Schiavone replaced Kevin Kelly during a recent taping for AEW Collision, which will air this Saturday night.
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