Steven Borden’s frightening injury at AEW All Out had fans and wrestlers fearing the worst, but according to Tony Schiavone, Borden’s biggest concern afterwards wasn’t his health—it was whether he’d ruined the pay-per-view.
Speaking on What Happened When, Schiavone shared a personal update after speaking directly with Borden following the scary incident that brought his match to an abrupt end. Schiavone said he spoke with Borden the day before the podcast and was encouraged by how he sounded.
“I talked to Stephen just yesterday on the phone, and he was fine, and he had no headaches. He had no dizziness.”
While Schiavone avoided commenting on any official medical diagnosis, saying that was up to AEW’s doctors, he did share what Borden told him.
“But I can tell you, by talking to him, he said, ‘I’m fine.’”
Borden also told Schiavone the injury was unlike anything he’d experienced before, even after spending years playing football at the University of Kentucky. What surprised Schiavone most, though, was what Borden was thinking about after the match.
“He did tell me, he said, ‘Of all the years that I played football for the University of Kentucky, I never had a concussion. I never experienced anything like that.’ And he was more upset that he thought that he ruined the pay-per-view by what happened.”
Schiavone immediately tried to put those fears to rest, explaining that once AEW updated everyone on Borden’s condition, the mood inside the arena completely changed.
“And I said, ‘No, you didn’t.’ Because we announced it and then we announced it again to the crowd. So everybody was very happy that you were okay, and so that really lifted everybody’s spirits.”
Schiavone admitted the entire situation was frightening in the moment and said he still doesn’t know when Borden will be medically cleared to return to the ring.
“So how long he’s going to be out, I don’t know. I’m sure there have to be some, they have to check on him before he can get back in there. So it was very scary.”
Still, Tony Schiavone made it clear he believes Borden has a bright future once he’s healthy enough to return, even though it was really scary at first.
“So he’s going to be fine. And you’re right, it was really scary at first. But there you go. He’s going to be fine. And he and his brother Garrett have a great career ahead of them. Guaranteed.”
Borden’s injury brought AEW All Out to a standstill, but Schiavone’s update is an encouraging one. While there’s still no timetable for his in-ring return, the early signs are positive, and it sounds like Borden is already focused on getting back to doing what he loves.
When do you think Steven Borden should return to the ring? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
