Brian Pillman Jr. wrote the following on Instagram:
“13 months ago I moved to Jacksonville, FL to chase my dream of becoming All Elite. Without knowing when the pandemic would end, I wanted to reduce my commute to our temporary venue from 2 flights to a 10 minute drive. I ultimately, along with Griff, earned the right to officially call ourselves ALL ELITE! I would be lying however if I said that this city didn’t chew me up and spit me out, in a good way. I did everything you could ever do. Made every mistake and experienced every emotion possible. I signed a lease on a home. I purchased the baddest car I could find. I fell in love with the baddest chick I had ever met. I rescued one dog from a shelter and then adopted another puppy. I trained my ass off at various gyms and martial arts schools, including the secret Hart dungeon! I partied hard and through all these experiences I met so many great people. Before I knew it though, I had gotten in over my head. I struggled to raise two dogs. I got my heart broken. I got robbed. I got into bar fights. I canceled bookings. I hurt some people who I care deeply about. I had isolated myself from my friends, family and support system back home. So my decision was pretty clear, and today I started my journey to move back to Cincinnati. This was the hardest decision of my life, to leave behind my little Jax family. But I take solace in the fact that I will be able to be there for my Cinci family. Aunt Linda, my sister Brittany and her newborn baby. I leave here with the utmost gratitude for this extremely fulfilling experience, all my loot, and a best friend for LIFE. I want to thank my aunt and uncle for getting me settled in. I want to thank Tony for treating me like a hometown hero in both Jacksonville and Cincinnati. I want to thank Megha and Margaret for watching over me and picking me up when I fell. I want to thank Brad and Doc Samson for keeping me healthy. I want to thank all the boys who supported me and lent me an ear. I want to thank Hannah for being by my side for 8 long months. But most importantly I want to thank all the fans who take the time to read this and are invested in my journey. It is great therapy for me to share my story with you all. THANK YOU ❤️”
With fans speculating that he was leaving AEW, Pillman Jr. clarified what he wrote…
“For those who misinterpreted my Instagram post. I am not leaving wrestling or AEW. I am simply moving back home from Jacksonville to Cincinnati to get my shit together. That’s all, thank you guys and you can read the full story on IG ❤️”
