Backstage Update On AEW Stars Not Wanting To Lose Match (AEW News)

The Hurt Syndicate not prepared to lose matches?

by Andrew Pollard
AEW Dynamite The Hurt Syndicate Bobby Lashley MVP Shelton Benjamin
AEW

Amidst plentiful rumblings over recent months, Dave Meltzer has added further fuel to the flames when it comes to the Hurt Syndicate seemingly not wanting to lose matches in AEW.

Speaking on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer took Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin's non-involvement in this year's Continental Classic as an indication that they aren't prepared to lose matches. By its tournament nature, the Continental Classic usually means that even the winner of the tournament will notch up a loss or two along the way. With Lashley and Benjamin being absent from the Classic, the Observer founder said, "You can tell the guys who don't want to lose," and added, "You can see it. They all deny it, but you can watch the booking."

On the flip side, Meltzer brought up Mercedes Moné as somebody who doesn't have a problem taking a loss when called for, that he hasn't heard of any problems with the CEO in that regard, but also noted that Mercedes is a talent who you shouldn't be beaten often.

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Since the Hurt Syndicate landed in AEW back in September 2024, Bobby Lashley hasn't lost a singles match, while Shelton Benjamin has just two one-on-one losses (to Swerve Strickland and Ricochet) to his name if you discount Shelton's involvement in last year's Continental Classic. Some fans have also criticised how, when it was time for Lashley and Benjamin's run as AEW Tag Team Champions to come to an end at Forbidden Door this past August, they weren't involved in the finish, with the Hurts having brawled to the back with the Demand in a triple threat match that saw Bandido pin Dax Harwood to bring home the gold for Brodido. Likewise, there were reports weeks prior to Forbidden Door of the Hurt Syndicate refusing to lose to certain teams.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks/Saints, Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.