Wrestling fans got their Halloween wish early as Bobby Lashley made his long-anticipated AEW debut on “AEW Dynamite Fright Night.” He joined MVP and Shelton Benjamin in the newly reformed Hurt Syndicate (think: Hurt Business with a twist) for a surprise attack on Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana. And while Lashley’s AEW appearance has been hotly anticipated since he left WWE, the real drama? Turns out he’s been signed since September!
According to Fightful Select, Lashley’s first AEW match was planned for WrestleDream. So why didn’t we see him in the ring sooner? Well, AEW shifted plans thanks to Bryan Danielson’s farewell clash with the Blackpool Combat Club, which ended up being such a spotlight-grabber that Lashley’s debut was held back. Instead, fans got hints of what was brewing when MVP made his AEW debut at “Grand Slam,” followed by Benjamin’s own arrival. The plot thickened at WrestleDream, where MVP invited Strickland to join the Hurt Syndicate, only for Swerve to pass, setting up the rivalry and, ultimately, last night’s wild main event showdown.
And what a debut it was! After Strickland’s big win over Benjamin, the cameras cut to MVP on the phone… and on cue, Lashley entered for a coordinated beatdown of Strickland, putting AEW on notice. This marks Lashley’s first wrestling match since a three-way showdown in April on WWE, where he faced LA Knight and Santos Escobar. Lashley’s landing in AEW adds a fresh edge, and if Fright Night is any clue, the Hurt Syndicate’s out for dominance.