Ex-WWE NXT Wrestler Debuts On AEW Dark
Returning wrestler re-debuts in losing effort.
Former WWE NXT wrestler Tino Sabbatelli made his pro-wrestling return on last night's AEW Dark.
Wrestling as Sabby, he teamed with Brady Pierce to face Best Friends in a tag match atypical of Dark's format, with the losers granted longer spells of offense than one would normally expect from the web show. Best Friends ended up scoring their inevitable victory by pinning Pierce following their Strong Zero finisher.
Sabby's appearances comes just six days after his fellow former NXT wrestler MJ Jenkins was squashed on last week's Dynamite. There is currently no word if either of them have or will sign for AEW, though the layout of Sabby's Dark debut felt like a tryout.
Released by WWE shortly after the promotion's Black Wednesday cuts on 15 April, this was Sabbatelli's first recorded wrestling match in over two years. The 36-year-old had been on the sidelines since suffering a torn pectoral muscle in April 2018. No recovery updates were offered during his inactive period, casting clouds over his wrestling future.
Best known for his prominent role in the WWE Network's Breaking Ground series, Sabbatelli is a legit former NFL player, having played six seasons in the league prior to joining WWE.