AEW's Thunder Rosa Addresses Reported Backstage Heat, Injury, and Missing All Out
Thunder Rosa shared some unfortunate news on this week's AEW Dynamite, revealing that she was injured and therefore wouldn't be able to defend her AEW Women's Championship at All Out. Her opponent Toni Storm will now be part of a four-way match with Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, and Hikaru Shida, and Rosa addressed her injury in an interview with Busted Open Radio, though she also addressed reports of heat backstage with other AEW talent. She isn't sure how long she will be out of action, but she does know that as far as the reported heat backstage, if there are problems with people, they can contact her and sort them out.
"I'm not the best, physically right now. I was in a lot of pain yesterday. A lot has been happening in the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I'm going to be out of commission. I don't know for how long. For a couple months, probably. I have a problem with my back and yesterday, I was trying to be strong. Back problems are not easy. Some days are good, some days are not. Yesterday was not a good day, I was in a lot of pain," Rosa said.
"That's one of the reasons why I'm taking time off. I want to clear the air, this is not fake. This is not a work. I'm not comparing injuries to injuries. If I could fucking walk, I can f****** work. Doctor Sampson, he didn't clear me to wrestle. I'm not cleared to wrestle. It's not that I don't want to do a match on Sunday [AEW All Out], I can't walk. It's a shame that this is being put on social media, not only to discredit me as an athlete, but also discredit me as a wrestler. I want to walk when I'm 40. I have the right to say 'No, I can't walk, I can't do it.' I don't want to have surgery. If we keep doing this and going through the pain, then I'm going to be out for longer. I don't want to do that," Rosa said.
As for the reports of heat, Rosa said not to believe everything that is being said. "Not everything that is being said is true. If anybody has a problem with me, anyone, call Busted Open, call my number, tell me to my face. I don't hide from my problems," Rosa said. "I don't run from my problems. You can talk to me, my door is open. That goes for anybody. I have taken accountability when things have happened. I'm a straightforward person. Some people don't like that and are afraid of that. I'm not. I'm a trained fighter, I don't run away from s***. Stop reading stupid s*** online."
"My conscience is clear, I know what I'm all about. If there are any problems of any kind, they can contact me. They can contact AEW and clear the air with them. There is a protocol that needs to be followed. People need to respect the company, in general. I respect and represent AEW. I'm still the AEW Women's Champion. When I come back, whoever is the champion, if you thought you're going to get rid of me [laughs], you're not. I'm going to get better and stronger," Rosa said.
Rosa is incredibly disappointed she won't be able to defend her Title on one of AEW's biggest events of the year, and she just found out about the injury on Tuesday.
"The news got to me on Tuesday from another doctor. When I got there on Wednesday, I told Josh, my [Physical Therapist], 'it just hit me that, as a champion, I'm not going to be on one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year. As a champion, that I can't defend my championship, that I can't physically have the match I want to have. That I've been working my whole life to have moments like this.' It hurts," Rosa said.
Whoever wins at All Out will be crowned the new Interim AEW Women's Champion, and then whoever wins will eventually face Rosa when she returns to unify the Championships.
"I have respect for all the ladies in AEW. I never disrespected any of them. I'm very proud of everything everyone is doing and how everyone is managing themselves. I said what I said. If anyone has a problem, you probably have my number," Rosa said.
Who do you think will become the Interim AEW Women's Champion? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
H/T Fightful
