Darby Allin Addresses Absence From AEW World Championship Picture

Published: Apr 11, 2026 by Sanchez Taylor | Last Updated: Apr 11, 2026 by Sanchez Taylor

Sanchez has over six years of pro-wrestling news writing experience, covering the biggest news stories in WWE, NXT, AEW, TNA Wrestling and more. He has personally interviewed a number of top stars, producing exclusive content with the likes of AEW's Swerve Strickland and WWE's Nick Aldis.

Darby Allin has addressed his absence from the AEW World Championship picture in recent years, ahead of his opportunity to earn a world title match.

Allin will face Andrade El Idolo at Dynasty on April 12, in a match where if he wins, he will receive a future shot at the AEW World Championship.

If victorious, Allin will challenge for the AEW World Championship for the first time since Double or Nothing 2023, something the former TNT Champion has now addressed.

Speaking with TMZ Inside The Ring, Darby Allin noted that his aim is to win AEW’s top title without having to change who he is.

Comparing himself with current AEW World Champion MJF, Allin said:

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“It’s strange because my whole thing with AEW since day one has always been to make it to the top of the mountain while not having to change anything. I feel like I haven’t had to change a single thing since I’ve been here. The way I live my life in the ring and outside the ring, nobody’s ever told me to change.

“And then I see a guy like Max where I feel like it’s all an act. It’s not really MJF, it never was. He’s putting up these walls because he’s afraid that maybe if the real Max was shown, that it wouldn’t be good enough and the people wouldn’t like him.

“So, he’s putting on this act of being this over-the-top bastard of a heel. There’s just a lot that goes into it and I would love to be at the very top of AEW as myself, knowing that I didn’t have to change a single thing.

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“Last year I summited Mount Everest, and now it’s time to summit AEW, and to really be the king of this place. To actually be at the top, you need to have that world championship.”

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When asked about his absence from the AEW World Title picture, Allin explained:

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“Well, there’s a lot that was going into it. Last year I decided to climb Everest and the year before, I wanted to have Sting finish his chapter as good as possible.

“I had to take myself out of the equation for Sting’s final run, not chasing the world title because I wanted to be with Sting and have that amazing retirement that he deserved. 

“Last year I needed to go on a vision quest myself and not be concerned with the championship. I wanted to do something personal that maybe I would never have the chance to do again in Everest. If I had to risk not challenging for the title last year, so be it, man.

“Titles come and go, but what I felt on Everest is going to live forever. The fact that I was able to do that in the middle of my career is priceless, so yeah, I don’t regret s**t. 

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Allin’s last shot at the AEW World Championship saw him, Sammy Guevara and Jack Perry challenge for MJF’s gold at the May 2023 Double or Nothing event.

If Allin really is back with no other distractions, we could soon see him become the second of the Four Pillars of AEW to win the company’s top prize.

The latest AEW updates and news stories ahead of Dynasty can be found right here.

If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link back to this page. 

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