Dave Meltzer says top AEW star is not The Rock, should not be allowed to wrestle injured

A top injured star made a surprise return to AEW this week on Dynamite. The star being discussed here is Darby Allin. Team AEW and Team Elite are set to lock horns in an Anarchy in The Arena Match at Double or Nothing on May 26.

But Eddie Kingston, who was set to join forces with Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler, and Bryan Danielson in Team AEW, got injured at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Resurgence event last week. Luckily, the face-painted star came for the save and joined the babyface group in their battle against The Elite following the main event of this week's Dynamite.

The former TNT Champion has been officially announced as Kingston's replacement. However, it must be noted that Allin has yet to fully recover from the leg injury he suffered during his last in-ring performance in March 2024. The star was also hit by a bus in New York during his time away from the company.

Writing for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter stated that Tony Khan shouldn't have allowed Darby to return as the AEW is yet to recover from his injury. The veteran added that the 31-year-old wrestler wasn't a Dwayne Johnson-caliber star, and his absence wouldn't have been a big deal for the promotion.

''If he’s [Darby Allin] not ready, he sure as hell shouldn’t be in the Anarchy in the Arena match. There’s so many people there, and it’s not like Darby Allin is The Rock. If he’s limping still and he’s not healed, he should not be doing this match," wrote Meltzer. [H/T: WrestleTalk]

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Darby Allin wishes to defend AEW's honor

Following his surprise return on Dynamite this week, the former TNT and Tag Team Champion addressed his fans. The talented wrestler provided an update on his health besides declaring that he wanted to defend the company's honor by squaring off against The Elite at Double or Nothing.

"What a crazy few months! I thought the worst had happened when I broke my foot. Then I was in New York, and I got hit by a bus. As you can see, I am not a hundred percent; I still got a little bit of a limp; I have got a nose brace on; but I am going to Anarchy in the Arena because I want to defend AEW's honor," said Darby Allin.

It will be interesting to see how Darby Allin fares in his first in-ring appearance at Double or Nothing later this month.