The Gunns have addressed the social-media conversation created by Road Dogg’s recent comments about Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn, making clear that they did not intend to position themselves above AEW’s tag team division or its championships.
Road Dogg stirred considerable debate last month when he stated that the AEW Tag Team Titles, along with every other tag team, were beneath The Gunns. He also argued that AEW President Tony Khan was overlooking the former AEW World Tag Team Champions. The remarks immediately became a talking point among fans, in part because they appeared to place Austin and Colten above the championship pursuit that has long been central to AEW’s doubles division.
Neither Gunn had initially made a major public statement on the matter. That changed when the brothers appeared on What Happened When with Conrad Thompson and were asked directly about the controversy. Their answer was notably more restrained than the original post that drove the discussion.
Colten Gunn declined to wade into the argument. Austin, meanwhile, stressed that he appreciated the confidence Road Dogg showed in their abilities while also acknowledging that the situation grew beyond anything The Gunns had sought.
For more background on this topic, read Colten Gunn Details Early Clearance After Torn Patella Kept Him Out Of AEW Action.
“I’ll say, I was happy to see that he believes in our work. I don’t know if it should’ve escalated into what it escalated into, but I don’t like that we were wrapped into it. ‘Hey, what’s everybody talking about?’ ‘YOU THINK YOU’RE ABOVE!’ ‘Whoa.’ I didn’t say nothing. We’re just over here trying to go to practice, get haircuts, and make sure our gear is really nice. Then we catch strays out of nowhere.”
Austin Gunn welcomes the support, not the assumed message
Austin’s comments draw an important distinction between accepting a veteran’s praise and endorsing every part of a public argument made in the team’s name. Road Dogg’s position was a strong one: he did not merely say that The Gunns were talented or deserving of a bigger opportunity. He suggested that AEW’s tag titles and the teams around them were below Austin and Colten.
That kind of assessment can generate instant reaction in professional wrestling, where championships remain a visible measure of standing and where tag divisions are built around competitive matchups between teams seeking the same prize. For The Gunns, who have already held the AEW World Tag Team Championship, it also placed their previous accomplishments and their present ambitions under a much harsher spotlight.
Austin did not reject Road Dogg’s support. His answer instead focused on the unexpected way the debate landed on the brothers themselves. The description of going about ordinary preparation—training, getting haircuts, and ensuring their ring gear is ready—presented The Gunns as performers focused on their work rather than on declaring themselves superior to the rest of the roster.
The line about “catch[ing] strays” also captures why they were uncomfortable with being attached to the wider online response. Once Road Dogg’s statement became a point of contention, critics and supporters alike were responding to an idea attributed to The Gunns, even though Austin emphasized that he had not made the declaration.
Colten Gunn opts against adding to the debate
Colten’s choice to stay out of the controversy gave the exchange an even clearer tone. Rather than turn the interview into a defense of Road Dogg’s exact wording or an argument against fans who took exception to it, The Gunns did not attempt to escalate the dispute.
That approach leaves Road Dogg’s comments as his own opinion. He expressed belief in Austin and Colten and voiced frustration over what he viewed as Tony Khan sleeping on their potential. The Gunns, however, have now indicated that they do not want an outside assessment of their standing to become a declaration they are expected to answer for every time it resurfaces.
There is a meaningful difference between believing a team should receive more attention and claiming that a championship is beneath that team. The former is a familiar wrestling argument rooted in opportunity and presentation. The latter can be read as a dismissal of the title itself, the teams competing for it, and the value attached to winning it. Austin’s response did not attempt to litigate that difference point by point, but it made clear that the brothers were uneasy with being placed at the center of it.
The championship history behind the reaction
The Gunns are not outsiders commenting on AEW’s tag scene. Austin and Colten are former champions, and that history is central to why Road Dogg’s remarks attracted attention. They have already experienced the responsibility and visibility that comes with holding the AEW World Tag Team Titles, which means any suggestion that those belts are now beneath them naturally invites questions about what they believe their next step should be.
Nothing in Austin’s comments indicated that The Gunns have rejected the importance of the championships. Just as importantly, nothing in Colten’s response suggested that he wanted to endorse the notion that other AEW tag teams are somehow below them. Their comments were not a manifesto about the division, a demand for a title opportunity, or a challenge directed at the current champions. They were a response to being drawn into a conversation that began elsewhere.
That restraint matters in a tag team landscape where momentum can change quickly. A successful entrance, a defining promo, a major victory, or a championship program can alter how a team is perceived. The Gunns have been part of that process before, and their public focus appears to be on maintaining their preparation and presentation rather than trying to win an argument on social media.
Road Dogg’s praise becomes a larger social-media flashpoint
The episode also reflects the speed with which a wrestler’s or veteran’s online opinion can become a broader debate. Road Dogg’s comments were intended as a forceful vote of confidence in The Gunns. Yet the conversation quickly moved beyond praise of Austin and Colten’s work and into a dispute over whether any team should be described as above a championship or an entire division.
For performers named in such a discussion, there is often no perfect response. A full-throated agreement risks reinforcing the perceived slight to colleagues and titles. A sharp rejection can create unnecessary friction with the person offering support. Silence may be interpreted as approval, disapproval, or avoidance depending on the audience. Austin and Colten’s response navigated that difficulty by recognizing the positive intent behind the praise while distancing themselves from the escalation around it.
Austin’s reaction was especially grounded in the practical side of being active wrestlers. His comments did not center on status, ranking, or entitlement. Instead, he described the routine work of preparing to perform. Whether that means practice, appearance, or gear, the emphasis was on the details The Gunns can control while others debate their position in AEW.
The Gunns also revisit their “Many Men” entrance
Elsewhere in the same interview, The Gunns discussed their “Many Men” entrance from their time as tag team champions. That portion of the conversation further reflects how Austin and Colten view the total presentation of the act, not simply the match results or championship designation.
Entrance presentation has long been an important part of establishing a team’s identity, and The Gunns’ reference to their “Many Men” entrance fits with Austin’s comments about wanting their gear to look right. The team’s public identity is shaped by those details as much as by any social-media argument involving their name.
For now, the clearest takeaway from the brothers’ response is not that they have joined Road Dogg’s campaign against AEW’s tag hierarchy. It is the opposite. Austin Gunn welcomed the belief in their work, Colten Gunn chose not to fuel the controversy, and both men appeared more interested in staying focused on their own preparation than in carrying a debate they did not start.
Road Dogg’s opinion remains a notable endorsement from a respected wrestling figure, and it ensured that The Gunns became a major topic of discussion. But Austin’s answer has put the matter in a more precise context: Road Dogg spoke highly of them, while The Gunns themselves did not ask to be framed as being above AEW’s tag team titles or the teams around them.
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.