Dustin Rhodes apologizes to Mustafa Ali amid social media backlash

Dustin Rhodes of AEW issued an apology to TNA's Mustafa Ali on August 18, 2026, following backlash on X (formerly Twitter) for a comment perceived as transphobic and Islamophobic. The controversy began when Rhodes reacted to a post featuring a woman in a provocative pose, commenting with emojis. After Ali responded with disappointment, Rhodes deleted his comment and extended an apology, stating he did not agree with the caption of the post. Ali accepted the apology and cautioned Rhodes about potential harmful rhetoric on social media. Following the incident, Rhodes made his X account private, emphasizing he opposes the sentiments expressed in the earlier post.

• 10:02 PMWrestling Inc — AEW's Dustin Rhodes Apologizes To TNA's Mustafa Ali Following Social Media Backlash