AEW President and CEO Tony Khan has been signing talents to his promotion of late. The promoter has started off 2026 on a high with several major names from the industry bolstering the roster.
Over the last few months, the company has gone from strength to strength. AEW signed the likes of The Rascalz, The IInspiration, Andrade El Idolo, and Tommaso Ciampa to new deals. Other stars like Mascara Dorada and Persephone also signed dual contracts with CMLL, giving further depth to the roster.
While the current AEW roster looks stronger than ever, the fans may notice some popular names that haven’t been on the show for several months. Injuries, creative shifts, and contract situations have quietly kept a few familiar stars away from television. Let’s take a look at three huge stars that have not been a part of the company’s weekly programming for over a year.
#3. Keith Lee
The Limitless One showed up in AEW in early 2022 after a stint with WWE. He quickly became a popular figure in the company, teaming up with Swerve Strickland as the tag team Swerve In Our Glory. The partnership led them to winning the AEW Tag Team Championships. The two stars were scheduled to have a blowout match after Strickland turned heel. However, Lee was sidelined due to a lingering injury. His last match was on an episode of Collision in December 2023.
During a heartfelt message on social media last year, Lee detailed that he would certainly return to the ring. However, he did not assign a definite timeline for his comeback.
#2. Britt Baker
At one point, Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. was considered as one of the four pillars of AEW. She quickly rose to prominence and became a mainstay on the Women’s roster. In May 2021, she ended Hikaru Shida’s historic title reign and became the new Women’s Champion at Double or Nothing. She went on to hold the gold for 290 days. Due to her several health issues, the star was away from the ring. Soon speculations grew about her creative conflicts and her place in the company.
Her last match was on the November 13, 2024, edition of Dynamite, where she defeated Penelope Ford in a singles encounter.
During a recent interview on the SI Red Carpet, Baker confirmed that she was not retired and did not rule out a return to the ring. Company President Tony Khan has also confirmed that the star is still under contract and a return might be possible.
#1. Danhausen
Danhausen became a cult favorite in AEW after debuting in 2022. The star frequently showed up with the Best Friends and Orange Cassidy, and his unique character made him a prominent feature of the show.
However, the star last appeared on AEW TV in a Right to Challenge match on December 30, 2023. A torn pectoral injury initially sidelined him, and he has since been absent from television despite reportedly remaining under contract. Since then, the star has made several appearances for indie promotions.
With WWE currently teasing an appearance at Elimination Chamber with its mystery crate angle, many fans believe that Danhausen could be revealed to be inside the box.
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Edited by Prityush Haldar