Why AEW's Darby Allin Says The TNT Championship Has 'Lost All Its Value'

Last month, on the July 22 edition of "AEW Rampage," Darby Allin won the company's Royal Rampage battle royale, featuring 20 men competing across two rings. By winning the match, Allin got himself a title shot at the TNT Championship on September 3 at All Out. Appearing on today's "AEW Control Center," Allin gave his thoughts on the current state of the championship, which Allin has held twice before.

"I'm gonna be honest when I say this: to me, the TNT Championship used to mean something," Allin said. "Within the last year, I felt like it lost all its value. I remember the people that used to hold it — guys like Cody, guys like Brodie Lee, myself. Back then, it meant something. Now, it's like a hot potato."

Allin's criticism is not unfounded. The title has changed hands six times in 2023, with Allin winning the championship against Samoa Joe in January only to drop it back to Joe about a month later. Wardlow and Powerhouse Hobbs traded the title back and forth before Wardlow was defeated by Luchasaurus, with the help of Christian Cage, during the debut of "AEW Collision" on June 17. Though Luchasaurus won the title, Christian Cage seems to have proclaimed himself the real champion. In addition to speaking about the title, Allin shared some words about both Luchasaurus and Cage, who Allin will face Saturday on "Collision."

"You got a guy like Christian Cage, for example, walking around like he's the champion," Allin continued. "We're not stupid. You're wasting people's time. That championship means more than that. And then you got a dinosaur as the champion that never defends it? What are we doing here?"