Tony Khan Has Ruined One of AEW’s Best Factions

AEW is on a creative upswing of late. As WWE struggles, All Elite Wrestling has seen a rise in TV ratings and fan interest. This comes from a combination of stellar wrestling matches and more cohesive storylines, especially in the main event scene. AEW is also doing great things with their tag team division on the men’s and women’s side. For the former, Adam Copeland and Christian Cage are the AEW World Tag Team Champions. They’re not the only great team. The Young Bucks are there, as are FTR and more. The Motor City Machine Guns recently debuted and fans are excited about the likelihood of the New Day arriving on scene. There’s another group out there who isn’t getting the love from Tony Khan. Despite being healthy, the Hurt Syndicate has been ignored and ruined.

The Hurt Syndicate Began With an Exciting AEW Run

• The Hurt Business were underused by Triple H in WWE.
• The Hurt Syndicate, minus Cedric Alexander, debuted in AEW in 2024.
• They had a fun storyline with MJF and were the AEW World Tag Team Champions.

As with so many AEW wrestlers, the Hurt Syndicate came from WWE, an undervalued group of talent looking for a fresh start. As the Hurt Business, Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, MVP, and Cedric Alexander were an exciting faction, until they were quickly forgotten and pushed aside. Frustrated, the group, minus Alexander, landed in AEW in late 2024 with a new name and a new start.

Immediately, the Hurt Syndicate was an important part of AEW TV. By January 2025, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin were the AEW World Tag Team Champions, and the group entered into a fascinating storyline with MJF. Wrestling’s greatest heel wanted to join the group, which created friction for those who didn’t trust someone so historically evil. The storyline ended with MJF eventually being kicked out and the Hurt Syndicate losing their tag tiles to the Brodido after a nearly eight-month reign.

The Hurt Syndicate Disappeared From AEW TV

• Bobby Lashley was injured at the end of 2025.
• They came back and teamed with Chris Jericho at Double or Nothing’s Stadium Stampede match.
• The Hurt Syndicate were not used on Dynamite or Collision for months.

Following several losses, the Hurt Syndicate was dealt an awful blow at the end of 2025 with the report that Lashley had been injured. Four months later, they briefly returned, helping out Chris Jericho in the Stadium Stampede match at Double or Nothing, only to disappear again. So where have they been?

With AEW’s creative direction finding a groove, and so many older tag teams becoming a focus on TV, how could the Hurt Syndicate, who worked so well as both babyfaces and heels, not be around? Surely, someone must be injured, right? Rumors were out there that Lashley had been fine for some time, and the group was just waiting for a creative direction to get them back on television. There was no reason to wait. As soon as Lashley was cleared, the group should have been in front of fans. They didn’t even need to wait for Bobby to be healed. MVP and Shelton Benjamin had a lot to offer as well. To keep everyone out if one was down said that the others weren’t trusted to be good enough on their own.

After a Long Absence, the Hurt Syndicate Returned on Collision

• The Hurt Syndicate teamed up with Shane Taylor Promotions on Collison.
• Their return was underwhelming, when the group should be at the top of the tag team scene.
• If one member of the faction is out of action, the rest should not be kept off TV.

Fortunately, the Hurt Syndicate has returned. However, their comeback didn’t come in a huge angle with one of AEW’s top teams on Dynamite. Instead, it happened on the B-show, Collision, when on the August 15 episode, they returned when Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin teamed up with Shane Taylor Promotions in a tag team match. It was a fun match, but with no stakes, no drama, and minimal response from the fans. In just one match, the Hurt Syndicate went from being elite to feeling like an old nostalgia act.

The Hurt Syndicate is getting up there in age, even if they still look like they’re in their prime. They can’t keep going on for too many more years. Age can’t be what is holding them down. After all, just look at how old the rest of the upper tag teams are. Tony Khan must see what he has and use the group to their full potential. Meaningless tag team matches on Collision aren’t it. And they can’t just show up here and there, which doesn’t allow them to gain any momentum. Put them in the spotlight where they belong. Give MVP the mic and let him do what he does best, before unleashing Lashley and Benjamin. And if one should get injured, don’t forget about the other two.

With so many mediocre and uninspired acts in today’s wrestling, the Hurt Syndicate stands out for their immense talent. There is no need to coast on past glory or nostalgia. They’ve still got it now. With the right storyline, they can be better than ever. Please, Tony, don’t let them end up in AEW like they did in WWE.