WWE NXT Star Shawn Spears Reflects On Time In AEW

Shawn Spears stirred up controversy shortly after his AEW debut in 2019, hitting Cody Rhodes in the head with a chair at AEW's Fyter Fest event that busted Rhodes open, giving Spears the nickname "The Chairman of AEW."

Now part of the WWE roster again after a five-year absence, Spears spoke on "Insight with Chris Van Vliet" and reflected on his time in AEW starting with his departure.

"I think it just came down to a personal want in terms of wanting to contribute a little bit more both in front of the camera and behind the camera," Spears recalled. "I had a wonderful time in AEW. I have and have had a great relationship with Tony Khan, you're never gonna hear me say anything bad about that guy. Same thing with a lot of the EVPs, talent, everything. I had a wonderful time."

He added that he learned a lot about himself as a businessman while in AEW, discovering that it was okay to put his foot down and have faith in his worth and abilities.

"It was a really good learning process in terms of being an individual man, in a different company, but, man, my time there was special. Getting to work with all the top guys based on a lot of storylines that I was in with Max (MJF), and FTR, and things like that, so a lot of things that I would've never gotten to do I think in my career, I was very fortunate enough to do there," Spears recounted.

Spears also reflected on his departures from WWE in 2019 and AEW in 2023, and stated that leaving both promotions was a "personal-based decision."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Insight with Chris Van Vliet" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.