AEW’s plans for its tag team division have been significantly altered following a confirmed knee injury to Colten Gunn. The setback has forced The Gunns to withdraw from the newly announced AEW World Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament, a development that was made official on this week’s episode of Dynamite.
The injury occurred during the July 19 episode of Collision in a four-way tag team match. Commentator Excalibur confirmed the news on Dynamite, noting that the injury prevents the team from participating in the upcoming competition.
According to a report from Fightful Select, AEW had significant plans for The Gunns within the tournament structure. The event was intended to be a major spotlight for the duo, who had just returned to television on Collision after a several-month absence. The company reportedly delayed finalizing the tournament bracket with the hope that Colten might be cleared in time, but those plans have now been officially scrapped.
The tournament carries high stakes, with the winning team earning a championship match at the Forbidden Door event on August 24. With The Gunns now out, AEW must revise the tournament field, a move that will impact the path to the championship for other teams in the division.
This injury comes at a difficult time for the former champions. Their return was poised to re-establish their momentum, which had stalled after a loss in February to The Hurt Syndicate, the very team that currently holds the AEW World Tag Team Titles.