Brody King Misses AEW Dynamite; Bandido Steps In
- Brody King was absent from the April 8, 2026, episode of AEW Dynamite to attend the funeral of a close friend.
- AEW President Tony Khan had previously confirmed on April 7, 2026, that King would miss the broadcast due to personal reasons.
- King later used social media to clarify the circumstances of his absence, explaining that he was attending the funeral of Bo Lueders.
Brody King was absent from the April 8, 2026, episode of AEW Dynamite to attend the funeral of a close friend.
AEW President Tony Khan had previously confirmed on April 7, 2026, that King would miss the broadcast due to personal reasons.
King later used social media to clarify the circumstances of his absence, explaining that he was attending the funeral of Bo Lueders. Lueders was a co-host of the HardLore Podcast and the guitarist for the hardcore band Harm’s Way.
The death of Lueders had been announced by the HardLore Podcast account on April 2, 2026.
Match Adjustments and Replacements
King was originally scheduled to compete in a trios match on the April 8 broadcast. He was set to team with Darby Allin and Jack Perry to face a trio from the Don Callis Family consisting of Andrade El Idolo, Konosuke Takeshita, and Mark Davis.
Following King’s absence, his tag team partner Bandido stepped in to take his place in the match.
King expressed his appreciation for his partner and the AEW leadership on X, formerly known as Twitter. He wrote that he would much rather be at Dynamite than having to attend my friends funeral
and thanked Tony Khan for allowing him to spend time with his friends and family.
King also thanked Bandido for stepping up
in his absence.
Tributes to Bo Lueders
The HardLore Podcast shared a tribute to Lueders following the announcement of his passing on April 2, 2026.
Lueders would be remembered for his
HardLore Podcastunwavering empathy and compassionfor his friends and family, as well as hismagnetic, inimitable presence on and off the stage.
King has shared memories of his relationship with Lueders, including a photo from 2023 in which Lueders referred to King as my favorite wrestler
.
AEW Dynamite Event Context
The April 8, 2026, episode of Dynamite featured several other high-profile segments and matches alongside the trios bout involving Bandido, Darby Allin, and Jack Perry.
- Chris Jericho appeared on the program to address his return.
- Willow Nightingale defended the AEW TBS Championship in a match against Queen Aminata.
- Kenny Omega was scheduled to speak during the broadcast.
As of April 8, 2026, Brody King has not been booked for a match at the upcoming Dynasty event scheduled for Sunday, April 12, 2026.