WWE Updates on Kofi Kingston and Tyson Kidd Injuries; Tony Khan Talks All Out 2023 | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Mia Morrison Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.
Kofi Kingston Says He's 'Ahead of Schedule' in Ankle Surgery Recovery
Kofi Kingston has been out of action since March due to an ankle injury, but the New Day member is making progress toward an eventual return.
Speaking on the Battleground Podcast (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), Kingston said he had surgery to remove bone chips and repair a ligament in his ankle, and added that he is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab:
"It would be, what, 12 weeks on Friday, 12 weeks post-op. I'm doing really well. I actually had this same surgery on the same ankle about six years ago to have bone chips removed. So I feel like this time around, like I kind of know what to expect. And I've been kind of ahead of schedule for the most part, and I'm really able to do a lot of like normal people things and live a normal life. So now it's just a matter of trying to, like go to the next level and do WWE Superstar things, you know what I mean in ring, things like that. So I've been in Orlando for the past week, just kind of seeing where I'm at and things are looking pretty good. So hopefully sooner than later you'll see me in the ring."
Kingston noted that the injury occurred when Drew McIntyre landed on him during a melee that had been leading to a Fatal 5-Way match to determine Gunther's opponent in an Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 39.
Since Kingston was injured, New Day stablemate Xavier Woods replaced him in the match on the March 10 episode of SmackDown. McIntyre and Sheamus scored a pinfall at the same time, leading to them facing Gunther in a Triple Threat.
With Kingston out and Big E being out for over a year with a broken neck, Woods is the only healthy New Day member. He hasn't been used much without Kofi in the fold, which could be a sign that WWE is plotting something significant for New Day when Kingston returns.
New Day has been one of the premier tag teams in the world for several years, and it should add considerable intrigue to the WWE tag division when it is able to reenter the fray.
Tyson Kidd Confirms He's Retired from In-Ring Wrestling for Good
Many wrestlers have returned from what were thought to be career-ending injuries over the years, but Tyson Kidd made it clear this week that he won't be one of them.
During an appearance on the McGuire on Wrestling podcast (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News), Kidd shot down the idea that he could make an in-ring return at some point:
"Yeah. It's so funny, I answer this all the time and then people don't believe it, and I understand why. We've seen so many other people say that they're retired or whatever and they come back, and that's great, that's cool. It's not in the cards for me. I have a different injury than most people."
Kidd's last match was part of a WWE Superstars taping in 2015, as he suffered a spinal cord injury when Samoa Joe hit him with the Muscle Buster.
Shortly after undergoing surgery, Kidd tweeted that only 5 percent of people who suffer the injury survive it. He also noted that he required 16 staples, four screws and a rod in his neck.
At the time of his injury, Kidd had been wrestling for 20 years, and he had been under a WWE contract since 2006.
Kidd enjoyed his greatest WWE success as a tag team wrestler, holding tag team titles twice with David Hart Smith as the Hart Dynasty and once with Cesaro.
By 2017, Kidd transitioned into a backstage producer role, and he is now one of the longest-tenured people in WWE in that position.
While it would have been a happy ending for Kidd to go out on his own terms, he seems to be at peace and happy to help WWE's Superstars of today grow and develop as performers.
Khan Suggests AEW All Out Will Happen Despite All In Debut
AEW president Tony Khan seemed to indicate Tuesday that there are still plans in place for All Out to be held this year despite the announcement of All In.
Appearing on Barstool Wrasslin' (h/t WrestlingInc's Ella Jay), Khan said the following about All Out, which has traditionally taken place during Labor Day weekend:
"We'd be approaching the fifth annual All Out, so I think it's safe to say I am not going to miss that kind of an opportunity. I'm waiting to confirm what people can expect, but certainly, we built a great tradition with All Out and this is going to be the fifth year of it. And [we are] coming up on the four-year anniversary of the original All Out, and now, of course, we're doing All In for the first time in AEW, AEW All In, London. And it would be very fitting for there to be All Out, so stay tuned for more information on that."
In April, AEW announced that it would be making its United Kingdom debut on Aug. 27 with All In, which will take place at Wembley Stadium in London.
Despite no matches being announced yet, AEW has reported strong ticket sales, making All In one of the most highly anticipated events in the company's brief history.
Labor Day is on Sept, 4, meaning All Out would take place on Sept. 3 under normal circumstances, which is just one week after All In.
Building toward two pay-per-views that are just one week apart can be a massive challenge, which begs the question of whether AEW might move All Out to a different date if it still plans on holding it.
Since AEW may be heading toward something of a roster split between Dynamite and Collision, which debuts Saturday night, making All In and All Out each exclusive to one of Dynamite or Collision could be an option.
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