The 300th episode of “AEW Dynamite” aired last night, featuring backstage involvement from former WWE star Fred Rosser, also known as Darren Young. According to Fightful Select, Rosser was present behind the scenes at the show in Southern California. Currently a member of the NJPW roster, Rosser has previously shown interest in collaborating with AEW, though no concrete developments have been reported. He once proposed forming a tag team with Sonny Kiss, who has since left AEW.
Rosser is a familiar face on NJPW’s American shows and also occasionally takes independent bookings. He held the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship for much of the previous year before losing it to Kenta in February 2023. During his WWE career from 2009 to 2017, Rosser was the first openly gay wrestler in the promotion. He teamed with Tyson O’Neill as the Primetime Players, capturing the WWE Tag Team Championship in 2015, and towards the end of his WWE tenure, was managed on-screen by WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund.
The taping included both “Dynamite” and “AEW Collision,” closing the first show with a main event featuring former adversaries Kazuchika Okada and Kota Ibushi. “AEW Collision” is set to air its usual Saturday slot with appearances by FTR, CMLL wrestlers, Willow Nightingale, and others.
Fan Take: Fred Rosser’s presence backstage hints at potential cross-promotional opportunities between NJPW and AEW, which could energize fans and introduce fresh storylines. This development signifies a growing connectivity in pro wrestling that bodes well for competition and collaboration, ultimately benefiting the sport’s evolution.
