Before Brody King’s surprising victory over MJF in just over a minute on last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, the Las Vegas audience started chanting “F*** ICE,” which quickly gained national attention. King has been outspoken against ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), actively supporting immigrant communities through fundraising efforts. However, he was absent from the most recent Dynamite show. According to Wrestling Observer Radio, AEW has decided to keep King off television to prevent the chant from resurfacing during live events.
An insider explained that AEW’s leadership was concerned about the risk of the chant repeating if King appeared again. This decision reportedly did not come from Tony Khan but higher authorities aiming to manage the situation carefully. The source emphasized that while the chant is just fans expressing themselves, the company prefers to avoid controversy linked to it, especially given King and MJF’s significant roles on the show.
Despite this, King secured a win over MJF in an AEW World Title Eliminator match, earning the chance to challenge for the title at AEW Grand Slam Australia on February 14 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Wrestling Inc.’s “Wrestling Observer Radio” for the transcription.
Fan Take: This development highlights AEW’s delicate balancing act between allowing wrestler expression and managing public controversy. For fans, it raises questions about how political and social issues intersect with wrestling, possibly shaping AEW’s creative direction and its commitment to free speech in the sport.
