Why was AEW star Stu Grayson released?

Stu Grayson had a stellar run in professional wrestling across several renowned promotions like Chikara, Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerilla before signing with AEW. He also formed a popular tag team with Player Uno (now Evil Uno) called the Super Smash Brothers on the independent circuit.

A few years later, the duo made their debut in AEW on May 25, 2019, Double or Nothing, being repackaged as The Dark Order. They were later joined by the Beaver Boys (Alex Reynolds and John Silver) in November and Brodie Lee as the 'Exalted One' on the March 18, 2020, edition of Dynamite.

Grayson's last match was on April 27, Dark: Elevation, in a twelve-man tag team match. Since then, he hasn't appeared in the company's programming along with The Dark Order.

Reports surfaced earlier that Grayson's profile on the AEW website was removed. While neither side has confirmed it yet, the profile removal usually signifies that the wrestler has possibly been released from All Elite Wrestling. With that being said, why was Stu Grayson let go by the Jacksonville-based promotion?

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Grayson's contract with Tony Khan's promotion has expired since neither side could agree on a new deal. The veteran journalist added that while the Dark Order member wasn't a top player, he was a great in-ring performer.

Before that, Jack Evans, Joey Janela, and Marko Stunt all left the company for different reasons. Evans and Janela's contracts had expired and weren't renewed, while budget cuts and a vast roster were the potential reasons for Stunt's exit.

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A look back on Stu Grayson's tenure in AEW

Stu Grayson performed in AEW's tag division throughout most of his stint with the company. However, he had his moments in The Dark Order, especially with his long-time partner, Evil Uno.

The duo's career highlight in the company came when they challenged for the IMPACT World Tag Team Championship on the August 11, 2021 edition of Dynamite. However, they were unsuccessful against champions The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows).

In singles action, Grayson proved his mettle by defeating the likes of JD Drake, Serpentico and Lee Johnson, all on AEW Dark.

As of right now, the profiles of Grayson's Dark Order teammates are still on the company's website. With the recent releases, it will be interesting to see if the group's other members will be retained.

What are your thoughts on Grayson's sudden release? Sound off in the comments section below.