Maven Huffman was a name on WWE programming for years but recently was spotted behind the scenes at All Elite Wrestling. Fans speculated that Maven’s appearance backstage at AEW Collision signaled a new role with the company—but the truth was far less official: he snuck in.
On his YouTube channel, Maven shared how he managed to get backstage at an AEW Collision taping despite not having an invite. The first obstacle—getting into the building—was surprisingly easy. His plan? “Act like you belong.” It worked on a parking lot guard, and just like that, Maven was in.
“I’m not booked for this show. Hell, I’m not even on AEW’s payroll, so I have no clue what’s going to happen. The one thing I do know is you’re coming along for the ride… I’m a firm believer that if you simply act like you belong, some people—it’ll win them over… I can’t believe that worked.”
Maven hoped to meet some of the talent, with his ultimate goal being a face-to-face with Tony Khan. Along the way, he spotted Billy Gunn cutting a pre-taped promo and reunited with his WrestleMania X8 adversary, Dustin Rhodes.
“The guy who carried me through my first WrestleMania! It’s good to see you, brother. Thank you again. I’m going to thank you for the rest of my days.”
After Gunn wrapped up his promo, “Daddy Ass” caught up with Maven. Like many others, Maven was amazed at how Gunn continues to defy age.
“How in the hell he looks better now than he did in 2002 when I first started working with him, I’ll never know. The man is ageless, and somehow he’s added more muscle. He looks great. He’s in high spirits. Obviously, you can tell he’s happy at the home he found here in AEW.”
Maven also took a nostalgic detour through catering, reminiscing about his go-to post-match treat: a pulled pork sandwich. He later connected with Thunder Rosa, calling her one of his favorite gimmicks in wrestling today. The two teased a possible collaboration on Maven’s YouTube channel.
His visit continued as he bumped into fellow Tough Enough alum Josh Mathews, noting, “Word had spread that I’m here.” After quick encounters with Scotty 2 Hotty and a “scissoring” moment with Anthony Bowens, Maven finally got to meet Tony Khan.
“Thanks for coming. You’re welcome anytime… I hope this is the first of many.”
Though Maven’s entrance into AEW Collision was unorthodox, he left with his head held high. Two decades after his WWE run, it’s clear the wrestling world still has plenty of love for the first Tough Enough winner.