AEW star Anthony Ogogo has made his return to the squared circle after more than a year away, but it was not in an AEW or ROH ring. The Olympic bronze medalist stepped into the ropeless ring of Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport for an event in London, England, where he defeated Brett Semtex. The match marked a successful in-ring return for Ogogo, whose last official bout was at a Ring of Honor Honor Club taping on August 31, 2024.
Ogogo, a former professional boxer who was forced to retire from that sport after being registered as blind, signed with AEW in 2019 as one of the company’s first developmental projects. He was trained by wrestling veterans Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall at the Nightmare Factory.
In March 2021, he made his AEW Dynamite debut as part of Marshall’s “The Factory” stable and was immediately placed in a high-profile feud with Cody Rhodes. The patriotic rivalry, which pitted the British Ogogo against the “American Nightmare,” culminated in a match at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view, which Rhodes won. Since that program ended, Ogogo’s television appearances have been sporadic.
Despite his limited television time, Ogogo re-signed with AEW in January 2024. In an interview at the time, Ogogo spoke about his desire to get more reps and prove his worth to the company, stating, “I genuinely feel like I can headline shows in AEW.”
Earlier this year, Anthony Ogogo made his return to AEW programming, aligning himself with Shane Taylor Promotions alongside Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty. The group has been featured on both AEW Collision and Ring of Honor, and Ogogo’s return to active competition could signal a renewed push for the faction as a whole.
The Guv’nor was made for Bloodsport @JBBloodsport_JP @JoshLBarnett pic.twitter.com/QBk87ckUrh
— Anthony Ogogo (@AnthonyOgogo) September 28, 2025
