Brian Cage Reveals He Was Slated for AEW TV Return at Full Gear Before Learning He Needed Another Knee Surgery

During a recent East Coast Autograph Auctions video, AEW wrestler Brian Cage discussed his career and more. During the Q&A, he revealed that he was ready to make his AEW return at Full Gear, but as noted, complications with his knee injury forced him to undergo surgery again. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Brian Cage on His Knee Injury Recovery and Nearly Returning at Full Gear

“It’s going fantastic. Crowbar’s been stretching the hell out of — he’s like Stu Hart down here. It’s been terribly painful, but it’s been an amazing recovery and results so far, and just been under a week. You know what? I’d say (I’m feeling) like a million bucks, but I wouldn’t want the pay cut. That’s an old Triple H line. No, I’m feeling good, I’m feeling good. All things considered, this has been, I mean, far and away the longest I’ve ever been out. I got some real sh*tty news that instead of coming back, which would have been at Full Gear, that I had to get another surgery, and yeah, to be out this long, three different surgeries. I tore my bicep, and within 20 years of wrestling, that was the only surgery I ever had, which is a pretty substantial record, and then to go to this year, and have three surgeries in one year is pretty sh*tty. But, I say all that, and that I’ve actually been in a really good mood, very optimistic. There’s been a couple of down moments, like when I found out the bad news, but overall, I’ve been really good. There’s been a couple of surprise benefits from being out and being hurt, and I’m hoping a good silver lining would be an epic return, so we’ll see what happens.”

Cage on Nearly Signing With WWE and Likely Ending His Career in AEW

“It was a close call a couple times. I was there developmentally, and we did negotiate back and forth a little bit before I decided to sign back to AEW. Never know what the future holds, but I’m content with how it’s — everyone back there, and I’m not saying that in a negative or anti-WWE way. My goal my whole time in my life, I kept telling everybody, ‘I’d be signed to WWE by the time I was 24.’ When I was 24, I got signed to WWE. So at least I can say I was there and I did that. There’s pros and cons to everything, but I’m okay if I finish my career with AEW.”

Brian Cage last wrestled on AEW TV in March on Collision. He teamed with Konosuke Takeshita and Lance Archer to beat Powerhouse Hobbs, Mark Briscoe, and Rocky Romero.