According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Major League Wrestling has denied Brian Pillman Jr’s request for release. Pillman has had his eyes on joining AEW since 2019 when he participated in the original Casino Battle Royale. He appeared on AEW Dark earlier this week, losing to Shawn Spears in a very close match.
Judging from statements released by MLW and Pillman himself, his contract does not forbid him to work for AEW while under contract. Pillman spoke a bit about this in an interview with Louis Dangoor of WrestleTalk –
“I think what happened with the COVID-19 pandemic was [MLW] got very apprehensive with running shows. Meanwhile, you have IMPACT and AEW and WWE that are running shows with no fans. It was just hard for me to sit still and wait for them to bring me an opportunity. I just went out and chased the opportunities that were available to me. Per my contract, I was allowed to work for AEW. So it was a no-brainer to chase an opportunity at AEW.”
Brian Pillman Jr Denied MLW Release
MLW’s Jared St Laurent issued a statement to Wrestlezone regarding Brian Pillman Jr’s status –
“Brian is not released and is fully aware of our schedule, which includes events October 3rd and December 5th. We put the health of our talent/staff and their family and our fans before bookings, which is why we are not running at the moment. We’ve been in contact with Brian to relay this. If he elects to perform elsewhere under the terms of his deal, he certainly has our full blessing to do so.”
According to a report by ProWrestling.net, Pillman can work with AEW because his MLW contract was drafted prior to AEW’s formation. MLW has priority if the booking dates come into conflict. However, MLW usually holds their tapings on Fridays or Saturdays, leaving Pillman free for Wednesday night Dynamite tapings.
