Anthony Bowens Says The Acclaimed Reunion Was Meant To Look Like A Flop: ‘It Was Made To Be That Way’

October 13, 2026

Anthony Bowens says the brief Acclaimed reunion that fans saw as a flop was designed that way, as the setup for a heel turn that never happened.

Bowens spoke with Michael Fairman in a live interview on his YouTube channel on Monday. Asked whether he would rather be a babyface or a heel, he said:

“Well, what I was working towards last year was being a heel. Creative switched and we ended up going into a brief kind of like Acclaimed reunion. But that’s I think what people don’t understand. They think that the return was a flop, which it wasn’t. It was made to be that way so that I can go off the deep end. Blame Billy for my not being able to win the big matches. Blame the fans for choosing Caster over me, adding to his delusion of being the best wrestler alive.”

Bowens said the turn would have led into his “Pride of Pro Wrestling” character.

“Yes, it’s a very fun play on words, but honestly, it has really nothing to do with me being gay. It’s basically, the Pride of Pro Wrestling is an ambassador to the company that feels like he’s being overlooked and he will do anything to get his flowers.”

“Unfortunately, because it didn’t progress, right? We’re kind of left with people going, ‘Oh, he came back and his character flopped.'”

Anthony Bowens’ Injuries

Bowens also said he currently has a slightly torn meniscus in his right knee while listing the injuries from his career.

“I’ve had a few diagnosed concussions. I’m sure there’s been undiagnosed. I’ve had a seizure in the ring. My MCL’s torn and had to be repaired. I currently have a slightly torn meniscus in my right knee. My left knee, the meniscus got torn and had to have that repaired. Let’s see. I bruised nerves in my lower back once. That’s what I can think of off the top of my head.”

The seizure came in his only WWE match, an NXT tag match against The Authors of Pain that aired in December 2016. He has had two knee surgeries during his AEW run, in 2021 and 2022.

He said he has no plans to stop.

“I want to wrestle until my body can’t do it anymore. Obviously I’d love to, if I can, get into TV and film a little bit earlier and I don’t have to worry about that. I’d love just to save a couple years of pain, but I love this business too much. I’m going to do it until the wheels fall off.”

Bowens added that he typically flies “anywhere from like 175 to 200 times a year.”

Anthony Bowens on His Future

Bowens and his former Acclaimed partner Max Caster became free agents when their AEW contracts expired on October 1. Bowens is still listed on AEW’s roster page. TNA cut ties with Caster this week over a line in his Bound for Glory entrance rap.

Bowens did not say where he will go next.

“I have a general idea, but I just don’t know where things are going to go. I don’t want to speculate. I’m taking everything one day at a time. I appreciate everybody’s support throughout all of this… I know deep down what I want to do, and we will see if it works out.”

Bowens appears in season 10 of the digital drama series The Bay. He said he has not watched his scenes.

“I’m petrified of watching myself on screen.”

Anthony Bowens on PAC

Bowens also remembered PAC, who died on September 27. PAC was Bowens’ first singles opponent in AEW.

“Everyone just says that, but with Ben, just an incredibly sweet, humble, kind man. So it feels unfair that that happened to him, and I learned a lot wrestling him, just in that one match.”

Anthony Bowens’ AEW Run

Bowens and Caster won the AEW World Tag Team Championship from Swerve In Our Glory in September 2022, making Bowens the first openly gay champion in AEW history. The two later held the AEW World Trios Championship with Billy Gunn for a record 238 days.

We wish Anthony Bowens a full recovery.

You can watch the full interview below.