What started as a fun moment during AEW’s Collision tapings in Manchester spiraled into a full-blown controversy—and AEW made sure to quietly erase it from the official broadcast.

During the show, Jack Perry tossed a plush toy into the crowd. Two fans caught it at the same time, but things turned aggressive when a third man rushed in and put one of the fans in a chokehold from behind. Bystanders quickly stepped in to break it up, and thankfully, no serious injuries were reported. But the aftermath ignited a firestorm.

One fan didn’t let it slide and aired everything out online—naming names and blasting AEW for not acting fast enough.

“The assholes in this video are @SimonHOfficial & @TheLeahRaven btw, both people who work in the industry and should KNOW BETTER. Hold these fckers accountable and don’t let them get away with this,”* the fan posted.

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According to eyewitnesses, the man who initiated the chokehold stuck around to argue with others before eventually leaving with a woman who had also been part of the initial scuffle.

AEW hasn’t commented publicly on the incident but when the December 20 episode of AEW Collision finally aired, the company had already made a clear choice—the entire toy-tossing moment was cut. Instead, the segment ended with Mike Bailey grabbing one of the gifts and heading to commercial break. No chaos, no fight, no hint of what really went down in the crowd.

Whether AEW is trying to clean up a mess or simply avoid giving attention to real-world fights, this isn’t going unnoticed.

What do you think—did AEW handle this situation the right way by editing it out, or should they have addressed the crowd incident directly? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Steve Carrier is the founder of Ringside News and has been reporting on pro wrestling since 1997. His stories have been featured on TMZ, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and more.

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