REVEALED: Why QT Marshall Resigned From AEW

After four years with All Elite Wrestling, QT Marshall will exit the company at the end of 2023 after his obligations are fulfilled.

Marshall announced his resignation on Twitter, writing:

“Thank you AEW. Thank you Tony Khan. I’ve had the privilege of being here since day 1 and I’ve written over 750 formats for All Elite Wrestling and always with pride. As much as I’ve enjoyed being a VP, Manager of Talent Relations and wearing a myriad of hats, the company has changed a lot since 2019 and is heading in a different direction and I feel that it’s best I do the same as we only get one chance to go All In! I have officially resigned from AEW and will have fulfilled all obligations by the end of 2023.

“Thank you to everyone from the front office to the production truck to some of the hardest working talent in this sport! Most importantly, thank you to those who booed, cheered, and took part in this season of my life.”

Marshall's impending departure did not come as a surprise within AEW and there are multiple reasons for his upcoming exit, including that Marshall "wants to be a wrestling star", according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, and Marshall has made his frustrations clear within the company. WrestlePurists and Haus of Wrestling also confirmed that Marshall wished to wrestle more and be viewed as an in-ring talent as opposed to a backstage coach, something that just wasn't going to happen in AEW. 

Marshall has been a part of AEW since 2019 and he was at one point Tony Khan's right hand man, working on weekly creative with the AEW President. Haus of Wrestling has claimed that QT's influence began to deteriorate quickly following Cody Rhodes' exit in February 2022 and other backstage officials have become closer to Khan over the past 21 months. 

Another reason for Marshall's resignation, though, according to Haus of Wrestling was QT believes AEW is transitioning to more of a NJPW-related product. WrestlePurists has stated there are differing opinions within AEW in regards to how wrestling is presented and Marshall is seen as a champion for a more entertainment-based product. 

Marshall was reportedly not a fan of some changes to AEW creative and believed the company "wasn't telling great stories the way they used to." WrestlePurists noted Marshall viewed "putting on a bunch of high-end, high workrate matches with no story or build" as being like New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Despite Marshall's view, there are no plans for AEW to become "like NJPW". If anything, criticism on social media of AEW TV in recent months has been aimed at the perception that AEW has become more like WWE and presented more of a sports entertainment-based product.