Former FTW Champion HOOK had been absent since Chris Jericho threw a fireball in his face on the July 3 episode of AEW Dynamite. Alongside Katsuyori Shibata and Samoa Joe, he had been feuding with Jericho and The Learning Tree.
On the August 7 episode of AEW Dynamite, Shibata beat Bryan Keith of The Learning Tree. After the match, Jericho and Big Bill attacked Shibata. The Learning Tree ganged up on Shibata, but HOOK ran in and made the save. He brawled with The Learning Tree and sent them running.
