AEW Star Nearing Return After 18 Months Out
One of AEW's most-missed stars could be nearing a return after a LONG time out.
Kyle O'Reilly could be set to return to AEW programming after an 18-month injury absence - and a particularly worrying period of career uncertainty this summer.
Fightful Select reports that for the first time in a long time, O'Reilly has been backstage in AEW lately. This means he may be in line for a return before long, having not wrestled since June 2022, when he faced Jon Moxley for AEW Interim World Championship contendership.
O'Reilly underwent neck fusion surgery in September 2022, then faced a significant post-surgery issue. Fightful states that during the summer, sources indicated that Kyle hadn't been factored into AEW creative, with the outlet hearing updates that "weren't good." At one point, O'Reilly returning to television looked "quite unlikely."
The outlet notes that recently, O'Reilly has been working on his strength and conditioning.
O'Reilly, 36, signed what was believed to be a five-year contract with AEW in December 2021, aligning with long-term ally Adam Cole. Cole's involvement with fellow KOR associate Roderick Strong in the ongoing 'Devil' saga in AEW could provide Kyle with a creative pathway to returning, though this is purely speculation at this stage.