WWE & AEW Rumours - Sep. 9, 2025: AJ Styles' Feelers, Wardlow Injured, MJF Wedding Photos

The pro wrestling rumour mill is still moving, and it has emerged that AJ Styles put out feelers for outside opportunities prior to signing his contract extension with WWE. Wardlow is also seemingly set for another long stint on the sidelines as he has suffered an injury immediately after his return at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.

WWE and AEW rumours for Tuesday, September 9, 2025:

AJ Styles Issued Feelers For Outside Opportunities Prior To Re-Signing With WWE

AJ Styles' long-term future with WWE is currently up in the air as the former WWE Champion's contract is reportedly due to expire sometime between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 42, possibly in February 2026.

The Takedown on SI has reported that prior to AJ signing a one-year contract extension, the 48-year-old issued feelers about potential options outside of WWE. It is unknown if Styles expressed interest in wrestling outside of the company, but he was generating major interest on the convention circuit and that interest was said to be mutual.

Criticism has been aimed at AJ Styles' WWE booking in recent weeks, including from his own son. The criticism seemingly played into Styles' current creative on TV as he mentioned no longer being around The Good Brothers, Michin, and Omos on last night's episode of Monday Night Raw.

Wardlow Suffers Injury Immediately After AEW Return

Wardlow could be set for another stint away from All Elite Wrestling programming as the three-time TNT Champion has reportedly suffered another injury.

Fightful Select has reported that Wardlow suffered what is feared to be a torn pectoral muscle almost immediately after returning to AEW TV. The injury may have even taken place during his return angle at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, which saw Wardlow lay out Swerve Strickland and align with the Don Callis Family, but Fightful noted that isn't confirmed. Wardlow could possibly remain on TV in an enforcer role.

Wardlow had been off AEW TV since March 2024 with a labrum injury that was exacerbated by a car accident. He was cleared for in-ring action a number of months before Forbidden Door, but Wardlow was kept off TV due to filming the first two seasons of American Gladiators in France.

A number of talent were "bummed out" about Wardlow's injury as he had waited so long to return to TV and battled injuries.

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that the severity of the injury is unknown, but Wardlow will require surgery regardless.

Update On WWE Wrestlepalooza Airing On ESPN

Wrestlepalooza will be the first WWE pay-per-view on ESPN's direct-to-consumer service as part of a new multi-year deal between the two companies.

Select WWE pay-per-views will also air on ESPN's linear platforms, but Wrestlepalooza seemingly won't be one of them. PWInsider has reported that, as it stands, the plan is for Wrestlepalooza to only stream on ESPN's DTC service. The show will be archived for VOD viewing after the live stream ends.

Headline matches at WWE Wrestlepalooza include AJ Lee & CM Punk vs. Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins, The Usos vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed, and Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena. The pay-per-view will take place on the same day as AEW All Out.

MJF Unhappy About Wedding Photo Leaks

MJF and Alicia Atout were married on Friday, September 5 and photos from the wedding have been posted on social media. While some of the photos were posted by those in attendance - with Taz posting a photo of himself, MJF, and HOOK - some of the images were reportedly gathered by fans from family members' Facebook pages. Regardless, MJF is unhappy about the photos leaking online.

"So apparently they didn't put any of those photos on social media. What happened was it was fans that went through like the family Facebook albums and they got pictures and posted them. This was not something that like MJF or Hangman or anybody in the company went out and did. This was all fans finding pictures from family albums and putting them out there on the internet," Bryan Alvarez said on Wrestling Observer Radio.

"I know that they're not particularly happy it happened. It's not the end of the world. I mean everyone knows and this and that. It’s still, especially for people who have kind of the mentality that he [MJF] would have, and that I would presume Page would have, but I know he would have in the sense of he wouldn’t want that," Dave Meltzer added.