Kyle O’Reilly is back on AEW television, but he isn’t cleared for action.
Making his first appearance since Full Gear during the Christmas Collision special, O’Reilly revealed in a backstage segment that he is suffering from a bulging disc in his neck and an arm fracture. These injuries explain his absence from the Continental Classic tournament.
Despite his condition, O’Reilly provided a fiery pep talk to his friend Roderick Strong ahead of Strong’s match against Claudio Castagnoli.
“If you knew how close I was to giving up in those matches with Jon [Moxley], you’d be looking at me the same way I’m looking at you right now,” O’Reilly told him.
The motivation worked, as Strong went on to upset Castagnoli later in the night. O’Reilly’s return adds an emotional layer to The Conglomeration’s ongoing war with The Death Riders, even if he can’t physically contribute in the ring just yet.