Brian Cage hasn't wrestled for AEW since October 2021 when he lost to Ricky Starts in a street fight.
Cage's contract with the company reportedly was set to expire in February, but Fightful Select reported that his option year was picked up. He recently noted that there is a plan for him to return.
Speaking to GV Wire (story here), Cage reiterated that he's still with AEW and has been with the company the whole time.
"I'm still under contract with AEW. A lot of people think I'm gone. I'm still there. I've been under contract the whole time. As for further details on what's happening with AEW, I don't have much exactly. I did say that there is a plan and I've been told there is a plan this whole time. Outside of that, whether I had more details or not, I wouldn't be able to say," he said.
Cage has been active while off AEW television, taking various independent bookings.
"Luckily, for me, I fought for inexclusivity so I could do independents. I know a lot of guys in AEW do independents, not all of them. I mainly do it because I love wrestling. I love wrestling more than anything else. A lot of people are like, 'why would you do Independents?' I get paid plenty fine from AEW where financially, I don't have to do any Independent bookings, but I do it because I love it. Even when I was on TV every week, I don't feel like I was getting to have the Brian Cage matches I would want to have. I wasn't getting that fix, if you will. It was just a lot of squash matches to build me up. That's cool, but man. When I get these awesome opportunities for these great matches, I want to take them," he said, referencing his bout with Will Ospreay from Warrior Wrestling 18.
While most of the wrestling world will be in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for WrestleMania week, Cage is booked for an appearance at the CVC card show in Fresno this weekend.
Cage explained his absence from the week of events by saying, "'Oh dang (the card show), that's WrestleMania week,' but actually, because of the AEW contract, we're actually not...[Tony Khan] would rather us not doing anything WrestleMania weekend because he wants AEW not to be affiliated...everything happens WrestleMania weekend around WWE. He doesn't want anyone to look like AEW is beneath WWE. Technically, I had a bunch of stuff I could have done out there, but I can't do it."
Some AEW talent, such as Jon Moxley, are set for multiple matches during WrestleMania week and a handful of AEW stars will be appearing at WrestleCon signings.
Tony Khan has said that AEW would never run WrestleMania weekend, but he will be in Dallas representing Ring of Honor for ROH Supercard of Honor. You can find Khan's comments on ROH, not AEW, running as part of WrestleMania weekend by clicking here.
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