Britt Baker Absent at Pittsburgh AEW Dynamite, Sparking Future Debate

Britt Baker, the former AEW Women’s World Champion, was not backstage at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite taping in her hometown of Pittsburgh, a development that has intensified questions about her future with the promotion after a nearly yearlong absence from television. Backstage reports said Baker has not appeared on AEW programming since Nov. 13, 2024, and fans and industry figures were expecting a possible hometown return on the Sept. 24 show.

Promotional officials have offered a different explanation for Baker’s absence than some rumors circulating online. AEW President Tony Khan told reporters that Baker never raised plans to leave the company and that her absence is part of AEW’s rotating talent policy. Khan added that she will return when the time is right, according to his comments. Those remarks stand in contrast to persistent speculation that Baker has been seeking an exit from AEW or exploring opportunities with rival promotions.

The uncertainty deepened after a veteran wrestling journalist on a recent broadcast suggested that missing the Pittsburgh taping could be a sign she will not return. “If she’s not on this show, I’d think she’d never be back,” the commentator said,...