Anthony Bowens has provided a sobering update on the physical wear accumulated during his professional wrestling career, revealing that he is currently dealing with a slightly torn meniscus in his right knee.
The former AEW World Tag Team Champion discussed injuries in a recent interview and listed several significant health issues he has experienced over the years. Bowens did not offer a timetable for treatment, surgery, or a possible in-ring return, and there is no indication from his comments alone that the current knee issue will require him to step away from wrestling. Still, his remarks provide a clear picture of the punishment he has absorbed throughout his career.
“I’ve had a few diagnosed concussions. I’m sure there’s been undiagnosed,” Bowens said. “I’ve had a seizure in the ring. My MCL’s torn; it had to be repaired. I currently have a slightly torn meniscus in my right knee.”
Bowens also noted that his other knee has previously required medical attention. “My left meniscus got torn and I had to have that repaired,” he said, before adding that he once bruised nerves in his lower back. He laughed while running through the list and admitted there were likely additional injuries that did not immediately come to mind.
For more background on this topic, read Anthony Bowens Keeps Future Close to the Vest After Free Agency Report.
The comments underscore a reality that is often easy to overlook amid weekly television, major events, and the athletic expectations placed on modern performers. Knee injuries in particular can be especially challenging for wrestlers, whose work regularly demands explosive movement, abrupt changes of direction, impact landings, squatting, running, and lifting. A meniscus issue can affect all of those elements, even when a performer is still able to remain active.
A Lengthy List of Physical Setbacks
Bowens’ injury history extends beyond his current right-knee concern. He specifically recalled diagnosed concussions, while acknowledging that there may have been others that were never formally identified. Concussions remain among the most serious concerns in combat sports and professional wrestling, where a wrestler can suffer head impacts through falls, collisions, strikes, and maneuver execution.
He also revealed that he had experienced a seizure in the ring. Bowens did not expand on when that occurred, what caused it, or whether it has had any continuing effect on his career. Those details remain unknown, and it would be inappropriate to draw medical conclusions beyond what he personally disclosed.
His account also included a torn MCL that had to be repaired. The medial collateral ligament sits on the inner side of the knee and is important for stability, making it a particularly meaningful injury for an athlete whose profession depends on mobility and balance. With a repaired MCL, a previously torn left meniscus, and a current tear in the right meniscus, Bowens has dealt with repeated knee-related setbacks on both sides of his body.
Lower-back nerve bruising was another issue mentioned by Bowens. Back injuries can be difficult to navigate in wrestling because even routine in-ring actions can place stress on the spine and surrounding muscles. Bowens’ ability to continue building a prominent career despite that collection of injuries speaks to the demands performers routinely work through, though it also highlights why physical maintenance and medical care are so important.
Bowens’ AEW Run and Tag Team Success
Bowens signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2020 and became a central member of The Acclaimed alongside Max Caster. With Billy Gunn later aligned with the team, The Acclaimed developed into one of AEW’s most popular acts, combining Caster’s entrance raps with Bowens’ energy, crowd interaction, and in-ring work.
The group’s connection with audiences became impossible to ignore as fans embraced the “scissor me” gesture and the phrase “Everybody loves The Acclaimed.” What began as a catchy audience response grew into one of the defining crowd-participation moments in AEW programming. Bowens played a major role in making that presentation work, offering both charisma and a strong babyface presence after the act’s evolution.
That momentum led The Acclaimed to the AEW World Tag Team Championship. The title victory cemented Bowens and Caster as one of the company’s most successful homegrown tag teams, while Bowens’ performances helped establish him as a reliable featured talent. Their rise was particularly notable because it developed over time rather than appearing overnight; the act found its voice, adapted to audience reaction, and became a major part of AEW’s tag team division.
While tag team wrestling naturally divides certain physical responsibilities between two wrestlers, it is not less demanding. Teams still take high-impact bumps, execute fast-paced sequences, work around opponents in crowded ring environments, and frequently build matches around momentum swings that require repeated bursts of athleticism. Bowens’ disclosed injury history offers additional context to the durability required to operate at that level over several years.
Free Agency Adds Another Layer of Uncertainty
Earlier reporting in October indicated that Bowens had become a free agent after his time with AEW, where he had been since 2020. The status of his next move has not been publicly clarified in the information available, and Bowens’ comments regarding his knee do not establish whether the injury will factor into his immediate wrestling plans.
Free agency can be a pivotal period for any established performer, especially someone with Bowens’ visibility, championship background, and connection with a widely recognized act. It can present opportunities for a new chapter, but a wrestler’s health is inevitably part of the equation. Whether Bowens seeks further evaluation, manages the injury while remaining active, or eventually undergoes a procedure is not known.
There is also no confirmation that the slightly torn meniscus is new, that it occurred during a specific match, or that it has been responsible for any recent absence. Bowens simply identified it as a current condition while reflecting on the injuries he has sustained. Until he offers further information, the extent to which it affects his schedule should remain a matter of caution rather than speculation.
The Human Cost Behind the Performance
Wrestlers are often celebrated for resilience, and Bowens’ comments certainly reflect a career built on perseverance. However, his list is also a reminder that toughness and long-term health are not opposing ideas. A performer can be proud of overcoming physical setbacks while still needing time, treatment, and protection from additional damage.
The culture around wrestling has increasingly emphasized the importance of taking head injuries seriously and giving performers the proper time to recover from significant medical issues. Bowens’ openness about concussions, knee repairs, a seizure, and nerve damage contributes to a more candid understanding of what wrestlers endure beyond the visible performances fans see.
For now, the clearest update is that Bowens is managing a slightly torn meniscus in his right knee. His broader injury history includes diagnosed concussions, a seizure in the ring, a repaired MCL tear, surgery for a torn left meniscus, and bruised nerves in his lower back. Those are substantial obstacles for any athlete, let alone a wrestler who has performed at a national level and held championship gold.
Bowens has not announced a specific course of action for the right knee, nor has he confirmed a return date or next promotional destination. As his free-agent situation develops, his health will understandably remain an important part of the conversation. Whatever comes next, his candid assessment makes clear that the road to his accomplishments has involved far more physical adversity than fans may have realized.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.