Bishop Dyer Shuts Down Report He Replaced Indie Wrestler in AEW Debut Match

AEW shuffled talent fast during weather chaos before Dynamite, and Bishop Dyer wants fans to know—his surprise debut wasn’t at anyone’s expense.

After Dyer teamed with Martin Stone, Hadar Horvitz, and Ori Gold in a pre-show loss to the Gunns, Elijah Drago, and Brady Booker, Fightful claimed indie standout Robert Martyr was originally scheduled for the bout but was “pulled” so Dyer could take his spot. The report also alleged that Dyer hadn’t even planned to wrestle—he was just giving Paul Wight a ride and got thrown into the match when someone didn’t show up.

Responding directly to the report, he took to Twitter to make it clear that his appearance wasn’t about pushing anyone out. According to Dyer, there was a change to the original lineup, but it didn’t involve Robert Martyr. Instead, another unnamed wrestler was supposed to be in the match, but didn’t show—and someone else, not Martyr, filled that role before Dyer got involved.

“Unfortunately this is BS bc we also had a different person as the forth but for some reason they where not there and we had someone else step up in that spot. So I didn’t replace anyone.”

The comment gives fans a peek at how fluid AEW bookings can get when travel issues hit—especially during unpredictable winter storms. Despite his denial, Dyer’s AEW appearance led to speculation about whether the company is testing the waters with him after his WWE departure. Regardless, Dyer just seems content letting fans know he didn’t leapfrog anyone for a spot.

What’s your take on Bishop Dyer’s AEW debut and his response to the replacement rumor? Was this just a one-time match—or is there more to come? Drop your thoughts below!