Kip Sabian is an AEW original, having wrestled a singles match at the promotion’s first show in 2019. He hasn’t always been a featured player since then, however, and Sabian revealed during a recent interview with The Wrestling Classic that he went through a tough time while recovering from a shoulder injury in 2021 and 2022.
The injury took place while Sabian was partnered onscreen with his wife, Penelope Ford, as well as Miro. After working through that storyline, Sabian stepped away to get surgery, and he missed far more time than he would’ve liked.
“I was out for a year because it tore all the way around,” Sabian said regarding his shoulder. “I sat home the first week and I put the show on, and it was the worst decision I made at that point, knowing how long I had out. … I was like, ‘I’m gonna be forgotten now.’ … I was in a pretty dark place.”
Before he was cleared for a return, Sabian debuted a new version of his AEW character by appearing in the crowd with a paper bag over his head. The wrestler admitted in the interview that the decision was inspired by controversial actor Shia LeBeouf, who pulled a similar stunt during the promotion for the “Nymphomaniac” films in the 2010s.
Sabian didn’t have a complete plan for the character, instead letting it develop naturally. By August of 2022, he was ready for his return, finally attacking Pac from the crowd and setting up a match between the two U.K. natives.
These days, Sabian is back on TV as a member of The Patriachy, which recently kicked out Christian Cage. Following an injury to Nick Wayne, Sabian teamed with Killshot (AKA Luchasaurus) in a losing effort against Cage and Adam Copeland at AEW Forbidden Door.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit The Wrestling Classic with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
