Brody King was notably missing from Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite, and according to comments made by Dave Meltzer, the decision was not initiated by Tony Khan.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer claimed that AEW’s broadcast partner Warner Bros. Discovery stepped in over concerns about potential crowd reactions. Specifically, there were fears that Brody King’s appearance could spark another round of “F*ck ICE” chants from fans in attendance.

The situation is said to be tied to larger corporate considerations. With Warner Bros. Discovery currently navigating a proposed acquisition involving Netflix, regulatory approval remains a key hurdle. Meltzer suggested there was internal concern about drawing unwanted attention or controversy, particularly in relation to United States President Donald Trump.

“The deal is that they didn’t want the fans in the arena to be chanting that. If Brody came out, there was that risk…when he comes back, it will happen again….I don’t know how they’re going to handle it. This is again not a Tony call. This is from above. You know what it is, nobody wants to get on Trump’s bad side. If it wasn’t for that, nobody would care, it’s just a chant, but unfortunately they’ve [WBD] got a company they’re trying to sell and get regulatory approval from a guy who is gonna take that stuff personal. That’s just how it is. No Brody King on the show when he absolutely, of course – of course Brody King and MJF should have had a segment on the show,” Meltzer said.

Despite the speculation, both King and MJF were absent from Dynamite, with their AEW World Title bout at AEW Grand Slam Australia instead being promoted via video package. King secured the championship opportunity after defeating MJF in dominant fashion on the previous week’s show, a match that saw fans loudly chant “F*ck ICE.” King has previously drawn attention for wearing an “Abolish ICE” shirt at wrestling events.

However, Warner Bros. Discovery has firmly denied any involvement in altering King’s television schedule. In an official statement, the company pushed back on the claims.

“Warner Bros. Discovery did not have any involvement in Brody King’s upcoming AEW schedule. Any speculation to the contrary is categorically false. Brody is scheduled to appear during the next AEW event, which will air this Saturday on TNT and HBO Max.”

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