The Acclaimed Seemingly Pulled From This Week’s AEW Dark Following Rap Controvery

Last week saw AEW’s The Acclaimed find themselves at the center of controversy, and it looks like […]

August 10, 2021, 2:26pm

Last week saw AEW’s The Acclaimed find themselves at the center of controversy, and it looks like the consequences have carried over to this week. When the Aug. 3 episode of AEW Dark initially aired on YouTube, Max Caster delivered his usual rap entrance but opted to make jokes about Simone Biles stepping away from the Tokyo Olympics, the infamous 2006 Duke Lacrosse rape case and the validity of rapid COVID-19 tests. This prompted AEW to take down the episode and re-release it with the entrance cut out, though by that point fans were already furious at both Caster and the company as a whole.

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Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio the following day to address the situation, saying, “Last night on Dark, Max Caster’s rap was terrible. I was not out there when he did it, it was not during Dynamite. I was out back when Max had said this rap. I had not heard it until last night, truthfully. In the editing process it should have been caught. We deleted the episode and reposted it with that edited out, but it shouldn’t have aired. I put such tight controls on Dynamite and this never would’ve happened there. Max, his raps, I’ve always gone over them with him and frankly every segment on Dynamite I don’t script or write wrestlers’ promos, but the bullet points I give. In this case, it shouldn’t have happened and going forward I will be taking over the editing of Dark and Dark: Elevation myself…. it’s unfortunate that it came to that.”

This week’s AEW Dark initially had a lineup of 18 matches, which included Caster and Anthony Bowens taking on Hunter Knott and Rosario Grillo. However, that initial lineup announcement was deleted and a new card was posted with The Acclaimed’s match removed. Neither man has addressed the change on social media, and Caster has been quiet on Twitter ever since the backlash started.

#AEWDark airs TONIGHT at 7e/6c – https://t.co/lBSV4sbfpB
17 Matches including @DarbyAllin, #BestFriends, @thunderrosa22, #DarkOrder, @RealWardlow, @ShawnSpears, #theFactory, #HardyFamilyOffice, @NylaRoseBeast, #BulletClub Member @Hiku_Leo and More! pic.twitter.com/KFlqUHpPAA
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 10, 2021

As for this week’s Dynamite, here’s what’s been announced for the show so far:

Chris Jericho vs. Wardlow (Labours of Jericho)
Impact World Tag Team Championships: The Good Brothers vs. Evil Uno & Stu Grayson
Nyla Rose vs. Kris Statlander