In a plot twist that would make any soap opera blush, Tony Khan has delivered some heart-wrenching news. Our beloved AEW and ROH star, Dalton Castle, will be taking an extended vacation from the wrestling ring for the rest of 2024. After an intense showdown with Roderick Strong on “AEW Collision” last weekend, Castle’s dreams of championship glory have been dashed by an undisclosed injury.
Picture this: Castle, with a flair for the dramatic, was vying for a shot at Mark Briscoe’s ROH World Championship. Strong, channeling his inner Bruce Lee, secured his victory with a knee strike that could knock out a rhinoceros. But just as fans were gearing up for an epic clash, Khan dropped the bombshell on X (formerly known as Twitter, but we all know it’s just trying to be trendy).
“Some injury news that’s forced changes to the plans for this Friday’s ROH Death Before Dishonor. Dalton Castle was injured in his Saturday Night ‘AEW Collision’ bout last week vs Roderick Strong. Sadly Dalton will be out of action for the remainder of 2024. Get well soon DC,” wrote Khan, undoubtedly while shedding a single, dramatic tear.
Now, what does this mean for Death Before Dishonor? At this point, it’s more of a mystery than the ending of “Inception.” Three matches are confirmed, including the now Strong-Briscoe main event. But where does that leave our other warriors of the ring?
Here’s the lowdown:
- Athena will be defending her ROH Women’s World Championship against Queen Aminata. Expect crowns and chaos.
- Billie Starkz faces off against Red Velvet for the TV Championship. It’s a showdown between two names that sound like they belong in a pop band.
- Matt Taven and Mike Bennett’s World Tag Team Championship status remains up in the air. Perhaps they’re too busy binge-watching Netflix.
- CMLL’s Atlantis Jr. holds the ROH World TV Championship. Will he defend it? Only his crystal ball knows.
- Wheeler Yuta, fresh off a 238-day title reign and a stint in the Lazarus pit, will likely face Lee Moriarty in a rematch. Their last encounter was a time-limit draw, proving that even wrestlers need a timeout.
In short, the landscape of Death Before Dishonor is as stable as a house of cards in a wind tunnel. But one thing is for sure: The drama, the action, and the over-the-top antics will be turned up to eleven. Get well soon, Dalton Castle. We await your return, capes and all.