Max Caster Blames Billy Gunn’s Influence for The Acclaimed Split in Unseen Footage After AEW Collision

AEW fans saw the final chapter of The Acclaimed unfold at AEW Collision Maximum Carnage, with Anthony Bowens officially walking away from the faction. After weeks of friction, Bowens turned his back on Max Caster, choosing to align with Billy Gunn instead. But while Bowens made his stance clear in the ring, Caster had plenty to say once the cameras caught up with him after the show.

Reflecting on the end of The Acclaimed, Caster suggested that he was simply trying to grow as a person—but Bowens and Gunn weren’t on the same page. “Anthony Bowens is my best friend for life,” Caster said. “I know he’s hardheaded, and ever since he started listening to Billy Gunn, he’s been a real stubborn guy. Billy is a bad influence—has been since the ‘90s.”

Caster continued by claiming he tried to push the group in a new direction, but Bowens and Gunn refused to evolve. “I said let’s stop scissoring, they said no, that’s it,” he explained. “I said OK, let’s keep doing it. But I wanna grow, and they never let me grow.”

Frustrated, Caster admitted that he had to “find that life raft off the sinking ship” of The Acclaimed. “That life raft was me. I found self-worth, self-confidence. I love myself, and I think that’s a good thing,” he said, adding that Bowens and Gunn simply weren’t ready to take that step yet.

With The Acclaimed now officially done, Caster made one final declaration: “Best wrestler alive. Read the jacket.”

Max Caster isn’t backing down from his belief that he’s outgrown The Acclaimed, and he’s making it clear that he’s moving forward—whether Bowens and Gunn like it or not. His post-show comments paint a picture of a man who feels held back by his own faction, blaming their refusal to evolve for the split.