GCW Issues Statement On Arik Cannon’s Avery Styles Comments

GCW has issued a statement on Arik Cannon’s comments about Avery Styles not helping out at GCW Rude Awakening. As noted on Sunday, Cannon had taken issue with comments made by Nattie Neidhart where she said Avery — the son of AJ Styles — was “paying his dues” by working independent events.

Cannon claimed that Avery Styles was asked to help set up chairs and “skirt[ed] away” from helping at the show. AJ responded to the matter, leading to a back and forth. Cannon said that Avery “hid in the locker room until everything was done” after being asked to help out twice.

GCW issued a statement to F4W Online’s Dave Meltzer. Meltzer wrote:

“Regarding the AJ Styles and Avery Styles comments, GCW has contacted us to say that while they respect and like Arik Cannon, he does not speak for GCW, he speaks for himself.”

The matter has drawn comments from a number of wrestlers in the indie scene and otherwise, with opinions split on the situation. Some have argued that Avery should have helped out as a matter of courtesy, while others have said that as a talent who was brought in for the show, it’s not his responsibility.

Styles has not commented on the matter beyond his initial back and forth with Cannon.