Hold onto your steel chairs, folks, because the drama isn’t just in the ring. Behind the scenes at AEW, the creative juices are flowing faster than a superkick party. AEW President Tony Khan may be the head honcho of creativity, but he’s got a band of merry misfits making the magic happen. Among them, QT Marshall is back in action, not as a grappler, but as a backstage maestro. Meanwhile, former WWE writer Jennifer Pepperman is adding some sparkle to the women’s division, focusing on none other than AEW TBS and NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone.
According to the ever-reliable Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Marshall’s new role on the creative team is putting his wrestling career in AAA on the backburner. Fans dreaming of seeing Marshall tango in Mexico will have to settle for tacos instead, as AAA’s head booker Konnan can’t seem to pry him away from his backstage duties.
Pepperman’s story is a bit of a plot twist. When she joined AEW in February 2024, the rumor mill was buzzing louder than a vuvuzela. Some said she’d be the queen of the women’s division, others whispered she was Mone’s personal Shakespeare. Turns out, she’s a bit of both, and then some. While she’s Mone’s main squeeze for segments and storylines, she’s not the head booker of the women’s division. In fact, she’s been moonlighting with the male roster too. Pepperman’s been getting high-fives all around for her work, especially with the fiery feud between Mone and Britt Baker, and her promo wizardry with AEW International Champion Will Ospreay and ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe.