Darby Allin Set For Lengthy AEW Absence (AEW News)

Darby Allin is expected to be off AEW TV until the spring.

Luchasaurus Darby Allin
AEW

For those fans thinking Darby Allin will be the one to dethrone Jon Moxley as the AEW World Champion, it looks like we'll have to wait a good little while for that to come to fruition, should it indeed prove to be the case.

As per Fightful Select, Darby Allin is set for a lengthy absence from AEW television due to his wish to climb Mount Everest and the subsequent training required for that. Fightful notes how Allin isn't expected back on TV for several months, with his return likely to happen in the spring.

This report does add how Darby is slated for a significant push as and when he does return to AEW action, but obviously we're looking at a good few months down the line for that return. Should Darby indeed be the one to take the AEW World Title from Mox, that would presumably mean the Death Riders man keeping hold of his gold until that return happens. Of course, it's merely fan speculation that Darby Allin will be the one to end Jon Moxley's reign, but it would certainly make sense when looking at the last few months of AEW programming.

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In terms of Dary Allin's most recent match, that was on the Christmas Day edition of AEW Dynamite, going to a time-limit draw against Ricochet in the Continental Classic. That week's AEW Rampage then saw Darby attacked by the Death Riders and thrown down some stairs - seemingly writing the two-time AEW TNT Champion off TV for the foreseeable future.

Darby Allin AEW
AEW

Darby Allin's Mount Everest Climb

Of course, 2025 isn't the first time that Darby Allin has intended to climb Mount Everest, with the 32-year-old originally planning to ascend the planet's highest mountain last year. Unfortunately for Darby, those plans had to be scrapped after he broke his foot in a match against Jay White at Big Business back in March.

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It should go without saying, climbing Mount Everest is huge task. The climb and return usually take between six to ten weeks, and that's obviously without taking into account the time spent training for this intense feat. Across those six to ten weeks, climbers will have to battle the weather conditions, be wary of altitude sickness, and also be aware of potential landslides. In fact, so dangerous is Everest, a quick online search notes how approximately 350 people have died attempting to climb the mountain, with over 200 dead bodies remaining there due to the conditions making it impossible to remove them.

Darby Allin is clearly no stranger to danger and high risk, with his daredevil ways regularly spotlighted on AEW programming, but attempting to climb Mount Everest is a different beast entirely. And added to that, Darby has previously stated his intention to plant an AEW flag at the peak of Everest should he make it to the top.

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Senior Writer
Senior Writer

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, Jamie Hayer, 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.