Real Reason Why QT Marshall Stepped Away From Wrestling In AEW

QT Marshall finally broke down the truth behind his decision to stop wrestling regularly in AEW, and according to him, it all came down to one thing—his own happiness.

During an interview with Denise Salcedo , QT explained that the constant pressure of showing up every week with his gear and wondering if he’d be thrown into a match was taking a real toll on him. After years of balancing office duties, backstage production, and in‑ring performances, he reached a point where he had to make a major choice for his own sanity.

QT said he walked away from AEW completely in 2023 before returning later in a different capacity, one that didn’t require him to wrestle unless he absolutely wanted to. He admitted that the shift immediately changed the way he felt about his job, and he opened up about the exact turning point that made him rethink everything.

“You know, in 2023, I left AEW, right? And there was a lot of reasons that people thought. And mainly the main reason was I just wasn’t happy. I had to figure out what was going to make me happy. And honestly, what made me happy was not having to—for me, it was not having to come to work every week with my gear bag wondering what could happen.”

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Once he returned and finalized a new agreement with Tony Khan, QT said the relief was instant. No more pressure to be “on call” as a wrestler. No more waiting to find out if he’d be thrown into a match. Just a focused backstage role without the constant mental tug‑of‑war.

“So when I spoke to Tony afterwards, you know, we decided like, ‘Hey, I’m just not going to wrestle.’ And I was like, ‘Great. I can come there with a backpack. I don’t have to worry. I just worry about the office work.’ I don’t have to stress about, you know, if you need someone for match number three or whatever. And I know I’m a great guy to do it—now I don’t have to say, ‘Oh, that could be me.’”

QT admitted that the emotional toll of always being ready but not knowing if he’d be used was draining him more than fans realized. Letting that part go was the biggest weight off his shoulders.

“And then if he says no, then I get, you know, in my feelings and so on and so forth. It’s not worth it. So it’s much easier for me to just go to work with a backpack and, you know, help him put on the best show possible. And for me, like I said, that made me very happy. And it was a very easy decision for me.”

QT’s decision reflects a bigger reality in the wrestling world—sometimes stepping back is the only way to rediscover what you love about the business.

This move didn’t just change QT’s workload—it transformed his entire AEW experience, letting him stay connected to the company while removing the stress that was dragging him down. And judging by his own words, he’s not looking back.

What do you think about QT stepping away from the ring to focus on his backstage work? Was it the right move for his AEW future? Drop your thoughts below and let us know how you feel about his decision.

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