Captain Shawn Dean works on the AEW Community Outreach team, helps book talent for AEW DARK and ELEVATION, is part of the Sammy Vlog crew, and is one of just three people who’ve beaten MJF at AEW! He tells the story of how he came to help CM Punk cost MJF a win, the role that QT Marshall and the Nightmare Factory played in his training and AEW career, the phone call during the pandemic that changed his life, and “puttin’ on bangers for each other” at Daily’s Place. Shawn talks about growing up on the South Side of Chicago, watching wrestling with his dad as a kid, his Navy career, playing arena football, starting wrestling training later in life in Atlanta, and the importance of believing in yourself. He also explains what he looks for when booking talent for AEW, the best way to approach him if you want to be seriously considered, and why he’s so excited to see Daniel Garcia and Skye Blue’s growth. Plus, Shawn answers fan questions about “hit him with the deal,” his 0-49 record on AEW DARK, and his Coach Cap bits on Sammy’s Vlog.
Shawn Dean on beating MJF:
“I was talking with CM Punk before it happened, and he was like, ‘I think I’m gonna cost MJF a match, but I just don’t know who it’s gonna be.’ The day of the show they’re like, ‘Yeah it’s gonna be you,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh sh*t’!”
Shawn Dean on booking AEW DARK and ELEVATION:
“From the start of what we did at DARK in the beginning during the pandemic to what we have now, I think just putting those pairings together and the talent that we bring in – it’s just been night and day for what we do now.”