Karl Anderson Reveals 500 Days of Sobriety After Public Meltdown Exposed by Wife

The Machine Gun is like 500-something days stone-cold sober, Anderson said on the podcast. I feel great. Next level, not drinking beer. I feel great. My health is through the roof.

Anderson went on to say the difference has been felt both mentally and physically. I was one of the best wrestlers around anyway, I just never got credit for it, he added. I was one of the best wrestlers ever and I was hungover half the time. Now that Im not ever hungover, I feel like Im 22 again. Thats a fucking shoot, hoot.

But his sobriety journey didnt start quietly. Back in 2021, Andersons drinking problem made headlines after his wife called him out publicly on social media. She accused him of excessive drinking, cheating, and disappearing for days. In one post, she revealed that Andersons phone accidentally called me at 3 AM and that she heard a lot of commotion in the background and girls laughing. The incident happened while Anderson was in Jacksonville, Florida, ahead of AEW Double or Nothing.

His wife followed up with a powerful plea: Of course I know what he really did! The real matter is that he has a drinking problem that he wont admit and refuses to get real help. Maybe you all can help! Alcoholism really tears families apart and sometimes you gotta go extreme like this to save someone.

That moment publicly exposed a serious personal struggle, and now, it seems Anderson has done the work. With over a year and a half of sobriety under his belt, the change is more than just a health updateits a full-blown redemption arc.

Anderson is currently recovering from surgery for a torn rotator cuff and partially torn labrum, with a return window set between six to nine months. He and Luke Gallows were released by WWE in February 2025 and will be opening up about their exit on Talk N Shop on May 8.