Darby Allin’s plans to climb Mount Everest may be fraught with risks, but that’s nothing compared to what the AEW star does in the ring. Speaking to Levack and Goz, AEW President Tony Khan gushed about what has made Allin so appealing to fans ever since his arrival in AEW in 2019.
“He wants to try new things. It’s that risk-taking, that energy, these things make him so unique and appealing to the wrestling fans. I like to tap into that.”
Khan later went on to say the risks Allin takes in the ring are bigger than what he’ll face when he climbs the famed mountain in the Himalayas.
“He takes big risks, but it’s the risks he takes in the ring as a wrestler that are even more dangerous than when he climbs Mount Everest or does some of the craziest motorcycle stunts you’ll ever see. The guy is an absolute wizard in the ring.”
Allin planned to climb Everest in March of this year, in spite of an “insane” glass-pane spot at AEW Revolution that same month. Mere days later, Allin suffered a broken foot in a match with Jay White which has forced him to postpone his climb. Nevertheless, Allin remains determined to climb the mountain and plant an AEW flag at its summit and intends to document his perilous journey.
Khan may find that Allin’s AEW work supersedes Everest, but the 29,000-foot mountain is nothing to take lightly. According to Himalayan databases, over 320 people have died attempting to scale the mountain since records began in 1922. Climbers who perish on the mountain are often left there, due to the risks related to removing the body, a sign of their dedication to climbing, and as a somber reminder to others of the dangers of nature.
One landmark on Everest is ‘Green Boots,’ which is the body of an unidentified climber on the Northeast Ridge route who is noticeable for his brightly colored boots. While never officially identified, it is believed to be the body of Tsewang Paljor, an Indian member of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition who died as part of a 1996 climbing disaster.