In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, AEW star Darby Allin offered a candid look into the current backstage atmosphere in All Elite Wrestling, describing the vibe as “amazing” and crediting the improvement to the removal of what he bluntly called “cancer.”
“It’s amazing. I’m not just saying that,” Allin said. “Say, a few years ago, you definitely felt this tension, but now it’s like, everybody’s on the same page. Let’s make this place as good as possible… I feel like right now, more than ever, everybody’s on the same wavelength. Everybody has the same goals.”
When asked what changed within the company, Allin didn’t hold back. “The cancer got cut out, which is just egotistical wrestlers that don’t want to lose,” he stated.
Allin went on to criticize ego-driven behavior in professional wrestling, emphasizing that the industry thrives on collaboration rather than competition. “At the end of the day, this is all staged. It’s the greatest thing in the world, but it’s staged. So if you’re going to have an ego about that, get out of the fing sport,” Allin said. “Go be in the UFC. Go try. Don’t be bringing that s here. This is about having fun… I don’t like egos. I can’t stand them.”
Allin’s comments about “tension” and “cancer” being removed are widely interpreted as a reference to the backstage turmoil that led to CM Punk’s departure from AEW in September 2023.
Now one of AEW’s top stars, Allin is set to challenge “Hangman” Adam Page for the AEW World Championship at Full Gear on November 22, 2025.
