Due to injury, AEW doctors can’t clear Keith Lee for his match tonight at Worlds End. His Naturally Limitless partner Dustin Rhodes has asked to step in to face Swerve TONIGHT pic.twitter.com/jGJOaEQJqZ

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) December 30, 2023

Khan’s announcement follows an earlier X post from Lee revealing that he has been working through an undisclosed injury since “AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam” in September 2022. Lee said the injury had been recovering well, but had worsened over the last month and he couldn’t promise he would get through today. 

“I keep it very real with you guys,” Lee wrote. “I have been working through an injury since Arthur Ashe Stadium 2022. It has been mostly well taken care of. Things have been worse since Final Battle. I am trying to get through today for you guys, but I cannot promise anything.”

Today… I keep it very real with you guys.

I have been working through an injury since Arthur Ashe Stadium 2022. It has been mostly well taken care of.

Things have been worse since Final Battle. I am trying to get through today for you guys, but I cannot promise anything.

— Excellent Lee (@RealKeithLee) December 30, 2023

Lee and Strickland had been set to finally blow off the rivalry that began more than a year ago when Strickland turned heel on his partner, ending the championship tag team known as Swerve In Our Glory. Lee defeated Swerve in multiple tag team matches in the aftermath, and the two even briefly teamed up again during AEW’s Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament over the summer, but the expected one-on-one-match between them never occurred, and now it’s been delayed once again.