Lucha Brothers’ Rey Fenix recently withdrew from an indie appearance amid rumors about his potential signing with WWE.
It recently came to light that his contract with AEW is running out later this year which led to speculation that he might be jumping ship to WWE. New Era Wrestling recently released a statement about Fenix’s withdrawal from their event on September 2nd. While it is not confirmed yet, this usually happens when a talent has signed with WWE.
AEW desires to retain the Lucha Brothers and contract negotiations have been ongoing. However, some indications have been that the luchadors might be WWE-bound.
Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo file trademarks
On August 1, Penta filed trademark for the names of “Cero Miedo,” “Zero Miedo,” and “AN1MO” for the meaning of entertainment purposes. Meanwhile, his younger brother Rey put in for “King Fuego,” “Rey Fuego,” and “Fuego” all on the same date for the same reason.
All of the trademarks were for goods and services in the realms of “Entertainment services, namely, exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer; live appearances by a wrestler; live appearances by an entertainer” and were filed under the company name The Mexa King Brand, which is based out of California.
The recent controversy surrounding Britt Baker and MJF was an isolated incident that doesn’t reflect AEW at large, Deonna Purrazzo has claimed. Speaking to Stephanie Chase, the Virtuosa reflected on the situation that resulted in Baker’s recent suspension from the company.
“I think this was an isolated incident because everything else that I’ve experienced in this locker room is supportive, encouraging, and full of camaraderie. We just recently celebrated people’s birthdays, had birthday cakes, and sang. I feel this locker room doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves for that type of camaraderie.”
On AEW programming, Baker’s absence has been explained as a kayfabe suspension by the Young Bucks at the request of Mercedes Mone. The AEW TBS Champion demanded Baker’s suspension following a (planned) altercation between the pair at San Diego Comic-Con. Baker appeared on this week’s Dynamite and shared that this storyline suspension had been lifted by Tony Khan. Mone and Baker will collide for the TBS Championship at AEW All In on August 25.
AEW’s Backstage Issues
This is unfortunately not the first time an incident behind the scenes in AEW has leaked to the outside world. Backstage altercations at AEW All Out 2022 and AEW All In 2023 would cast a dark shadow over both events and result in some of the company’s top names being suspended. Mere weeks after All Out 2022, Sammy Guevara and Andrade reportedly had a fight backstage which resulted in a Career Vs. Mask match between Andrade and Rush being canceled. Andrade would leave AEW in 2023 and has since returned to WWE.
Starks suffered a nasty DDT during that match and was pinned, though it was later reported that he and Bill were supposed to advance in the tournament. Since then, Bill has aligned with Chris Jericho and his tag team with Starks has been entirely dropped.
Interest from WWE
There is “certainly interest” in Starks, among other AEW stars from WWE, sources in the company told Mike Johnson of PW Insider this week. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer claimed that “a lot of people” in AEW believe Starks is heading to WWE, which is why the company is not “investing” in a storyline for the former FTW and AEW World Tag Team Champion.
Ricky Starks And WWE
Starks has a handful of WWE matches to his name already, as he has previously worked as an enhancement talent for the company. Ironically, his match on the January 5, 2018 edition of Monday Night Raw would see himself and Aaron Solow collide with future AEW alum FTR, then known as The Revival.
It’s no secret that Starks is a friend of Cody Rhodes, and was spotted at the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE ahead of Rhodes’ return from injury that same night. Starks later told Stephanie Chase that he didn’t care about “tribalism” and wanted to be there to support his friend. Rhodes’ return from a torn pectoral would see him win that year’s Men’s Royal Rumble match.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ugOZombTFg8
Starks was also spotted at WrestleMania 40 in April of this year, once again to support his friend. The two-night mega-show saw Rhodes ‘finish the story’ and win his first WWE World Championship from Roman Reigns.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF), former AEW World Champion, is known for his larger-than-life personality both inside and outside the ring. Recently, MJF’s relationship with Alicia Atout has garnered significant attention. Here’s everything you need to know about Alicia Atout and her relationship with MJF.
Who is Alicia Atout?
Background and Career
Alicia Atout is a prominent figure in the wrestling world, primarily known for her work as a backstage interviewer.
She has made significant contributions to various wrestling promotions, including IMPACT Wrestling, AEW, and MLW. Her charm, wit, and deep knowledge of wrestling have earned her a substantial following on social media.
Alicia initially gained fame through her YouTube channel, “A Music Blog, Yea?” where she interviewed numerous musicians and wrestlers.
Her engaging interview style and charisma quickly caught the attention of wrestling fans and promotions, leading to her prominent roles in the industry.
MJF had previously hinted at the relationship, but Alicia’s confirmation provided clarity for fans.
She shared, “There was a plethora, a cornucopia, an entire bag full of questions asking about my dating life… The answer… is yes.”
This confirmation came after MJF referred to her affectionately yet controversially during a media scrum, a nod to their unique dynamic.
A Unique Bond
Their relationship, while surprising to many, highlights a unique bond formed through shared experiences in the wrestling world.
Alicia humorously mentioned how MJF’s initial nickname for her, “Tits McGee,” evolved into a deeper connection.
“Life has a really interesting, weird way of working out,” she remarked, underscoring the unexpected nature of their relationship.
Challenges and Public Attention
Recent Incidents
Recently, their relationship was brought into the spotlight again due to a backstage incident involving Britt Baker in AEW. According to reports, Britt Baker was suspended following a confrontation that also involved Alicia Atout. The incident fueled public interest and added another layer of complexity to the dynamics backstage in AEW.
Kota Ibushi recently made it clear that he is not leaving AEW and assured the fans about his return with Kenny Omega.
DDT Pro-Wrestling announced that Kota Ibushi will be returning to the promotion and compete in a trios match teaming up with Danshoku Dieno & Akito to face Tetsuya Endo, Yuki Iino & Yuya Koroku. It will mark his first time competing for the promotion in 7 years. This led to the fans questioning whether he was done with AEW.
One fan on social media raised doubt about Ibushi’s status. The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion labeled AEW as his ‘home’ and dropped hints about making his comeback with Kenny Omega.
No, my home is AEW. We'll see a full comeback with Kenny.
Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega have been one of the most popular tag teams known as The Golden Lovers. They have been KO-D Tag Team Champions, the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions, and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
The former IWGP World Champion had been recuperating from an injury and missed almost a year of in-ring action. He made his return to the squared circle at GLEAT’s event at Tokyo Dome City Hall where he faced Daisuke Sekimoto.
Kota Ibushi’s last appearance for AEW took place November 15 edition of Dynamite last year. He had joined forces with Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, and Paul Wight to defeat Brian Cage and The Don Callis Family in an eight-person Street Fight.
Independent wrestling star Michael Oku shared a cryptic tweet teasing an appearance at the All Elite Wrestling All In event on August 25.
AEW’s upcoming pay-per-view is starting to take shape as they prepare for their second All In show at Wembley Stadium in London, England, later this month. Five matches have been announced, and the company is expected to reveal more in the coming weeks. The main event will feature AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland defending his title against Owen Hart Cup winner Bryan Danielson.
Although the matchups will be the main focus of the PPV, fans are also interested in what surprises AEW President Tony Khan has planned. The company had several newsworthy appearances last year, including Mercedes Moné, who was a free agent at the time.
Khan has yet to hint at a new talent or any surprise at All In. That said, Oku has fans talking with his tweet showing a compilation of wrestling interviewers asking if he will take part in the PPV.
The tease is intriguing as the talented independent wrestler is from London, England, and it would surprise fans at Wembley Stadium. He is one of Revolution Pro Wrestling’s biggest stars and the reigning British heavyweight champion.
It’s also worth noting that Oku has a history with Will Ospreay. In their last match, Oku defeated the AEW superstar to retain his title at Revpro’s High Stakes event on February 18. Ospreay is already set to challenge MJF for the AEW American Championship at All In, so a potential rematch is ruled out.
Regardless, Oku’s tweet has created anticipation on whether he’ll finally get his moment at Wembley Stadium.
AEW All In Current Match Card
(Match Card Is Subject To Change)
AEW TNT Championship: (C) Jack Perry vs. Darby Allin
AEW TBS Championship: (C) Mercedes Moné vs. Dr. Britt Baker DMD
AEW American Championship: (C) MJF vs. Will Ospreay
AEW Women’s World Championship: (C) Toni Storm vs. Mariah May
AEW World Championship: (C) Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson
AEW has added one of its marquee matchups to the All In pay-per-view.
Head play-by-play man Excalibur announced on the August 7th episode of AEW Dynamite that the Casino Gauntlet matchup will be taking place at the historic event, which happens on August 25th from legendary Wembley Stadium in London, England. The winner of the match will receive a future opportunity at the AEW World Championship.
Casino Gauntlet has been announced for All In: London… with the winner securing himself an AEW World Championship match!
Excalibur said that the biggest names in AEW will be a part of this match. LET'S GOOOOOO. pic.twitter.com/onsS9BwPVB
The Casino Gauntlet match blends AEW’s Casino Battle Royale concept with Lucha Underground’s Aztec Warfare. Wrestlers will continue to enter the bout until someone gets pinned or submitted. The first two incarnations were both won by former AEW International Champion, Will Ospreay.
Who will the winner face? Well that will also be determined at AEW All In as Swerve Strickland defends the world title against Bryan Danielson, who is putting his career on the line.
The August 7th episode of AEW Dynamite featured a ton of great action, including Bryan Danielson vs. Jeff Jarrett and MJF vs. Kyle Fletcher. Several AEW wrestlers were unable to make tonight’s episode, which was in North Carolina, due to severe weather storms canceling flights all around the east coast.
Former AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker has landed a role in the popular Netflix series, ‘Cobra Kai‘.
PWInsider Elitereported that Baker is set to appear on the show for its sixth and final season. The series is an extension of the popular Karate Kid film franchise. The report suggested that D.M.D will portray the character of a European fighter on one of the teams competing in an international Karate tournament known as ‘Sekai Taikai,’ which the final season has been revolving around.
Britt Baker will be featured in fight sequences and those were filmed before her AEW return, which was pushed back due to her commitments in the series.
The first set of Cobra Kai episodes for season six are currently available on Netflix and it saw the participants arriving for the tournament. Baker will be seen in the later episodes of this season. The second set of episodes for season six will drop on the platform on November 15.
AEW recently suspended Britt Baker after a backstage incident last month. In the incident, she was involved with the AEW American Champion MJF, and his real-life partner Alicia Atout. Reports stated that the situation dates back to unresolved issues between the two talents, as they had a “falling out” last year.
Despite the suspension, Britt Baker is scheduled to face Mercedes Mone for the AEW TBS Championship on Sunday, August 25 at AEW All In: London.
Tony Khan has shared more about his surprising meeting with Shane McMahon which the AEW President found to be “really nice.” Speaking with the Sedano & Kap Show, Khan addressed the meeting that took place at an Arlington, Texas airport last month.
“As I understand, he’s not doing anything with WWE, and I had a really nice visit with him…
I have a lot of respect for him. I had never met him, but he seemed like a really nice guy. I sat down with him, he was fantastic. I really enjoyed talking with him. He is a very smart person about wrestling.”
This meeting has left many speculating on whether a McMahon family member could soon be All Elite. Earlier this year, Conrad Thompson claimed that McMahon had spoken to some in AEW about the possibility of joining Tony Khan’s first promotion. It was later clarified that Shane was not making a formal pitch to join AEW and was simply stating that it would be an interesting moment in wrestling. Bryan Danielson has said he’s open to working with McMahon, or anyone, in AEW.
McMahon hasn’t appeared for WWE since his WrestleMania 39 showdown with The Miz which resulted in Shane suffering a torn quad. While McMahon has reportedly made efforts to return to WWE since then, these have been rebuffed by higher-ups. Shane was fired in 2022 for reportedly causing backstage chaos at the Royal Rumble and it’s said there’s still a lot of negativity within WWE against the 54-year-old.
The August 2, edition of AEW Rampage will go down in history for all the wrong reasons as the least-viewed episode in the show’s three-year history. The show drew 209,000 viewers, data from Wrestlenomics shows, down considerably from the previous week’s 306,000. The coveted 18-49 demographic also took a hit as the show drew a 0.07 rating, down from the previous week’s 0.10 rating.
Rampage, like many shows, was decimated by coverage of the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, France. August 2, saw Team USA win silver in swimming courtesy of Regan Smith while Grant Fisher took the bronze in the Men’s 10,000m race. Team USA won silver in Equestrian Team Jumping and Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold took home the bronze for Team USA in the mixed Archery.
AEW Rampage – August 2
While Rampage was on, Olympics coverage averaged 13.1 million viewers and a 2.29 rating in the 18-49 demographic. The AEW show saw MxM face Private Party, Wheeler Yuta take on The Butcher, and Nyla Rose face Harley Cameron. Bryan Keith and Brian Cage were also in action on the show.
While it’s not a surprise that Rampage was crushed by the Olympics, AEW’s Friday show is part of a worrying trend across all AEW programming. As data from Wrestlenomics demonstrates, AEW Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision have all seen drops in viewership from this time last year. These drops are reflected in the 18-49 demographic ratings as well, while WWE content sees steady growth in this coveted demographic across Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.
All Elite Wrestling’s popular tag team, The Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero Miedo), are reportedly expected to leave the company when their contracts expire. While it’s unclear what promotion they plan to sign with, some within AEW expect them to join WWE.
Wrestling free agency has been interesting this year, as several stars from different promotions are seeing their contracts expire. Both WWE and AEW have tried to re-sign some of their performers. However, wrestlers from both companies have either chosen to test free agency or weren’t able to reach a new agreement. One of the notable moves in the industry in recent months was “All Ego” Ethan Page, signing with WWE after spending three years in AEW.
A new report has revealed that the Lucha Bros. will also leave AEW when their deal expires later this year. Ibou, from WrestlePurists (AKA @BackupHangman on X), has shared during WrestlePurists Worldwide review for SummerSlam that his sources within AEW believe they plan to leave, and some expect WWE to sign them. He also noted that the tag team was initially considered to have a title match at All In on August 25, but that has changed.
“…The Lucha Brothers are expected to go to WWE,” said Ibou. He continued, “…So the Lucha Brothers were originally going to be wrestling at Wembley Stadium with PAC. At one point, they were pegged to wrestle the Patriarchy (Christian Cage, Killswitch & Nick Wayne) for the trios’ championships. This match is not happening.”
He added that he isn’t sure at this time if Death Triangle (Fenix, Penta & PAC) will be featured at the upcoming pay-per-view.
More On Lucha Bros. Potentially Testing Free Agency
While the former AEW World Tag Team Champions are expected to leave AEW, Ibou shared that it’s not completely set in stone that they will go to WWE.
“…Multiple sources within AEW towards me basically made it clear to me that the Lucha Brothers are expected to depart AEW at the end of their contract. Some of them speculated that WWE was the destination, others outright said that it was a formality,” said Ibou.
Time will tell what decision Fenix and Penta will make when their current deal expires later this year. However, the move to test free agency makes them a desirable tag team for other promotions to sign.
AEW American Champion MJF didn’t hold back when a fan opted to bring up Vince McMahon in a discussion about appropriate words in wrestling. To promote his upcoming match with Kyle Fletcher, MJF suggested that Fletcher cut his hair as he looks like “MGK [Machine Gun Kelly] and Ellen Degeneres’s dumpster baby.” That line crossed a line for one fan who said that Vince McMahon would never have allowed one of his Superstars to say something like that. MJF fired back, saying what he believes would be a more likely comment from McMahon given the allegations against the former WWE CEO. In a response of his own, FTR’s Dax Harwood shared his support for MJF’s comment.
McMahon has been accused of being sexually abusive and trafficking Janel Grant during a relationship that McMahon’s legal team has said was wholly consensual.
While the case has been postponed due to a federal investigation into McMahon, details around the matter continue to make headlines. Last month, it was reported that Grant had filed a complaint against Peak Wellness and is asking the company to provide receipts and other information for use in discovery in Grant’s case against McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE. In the original civil suit filed by Grant in January, a Peak Wellness employee was accused of participating in an assault against her.
The Future for MJF
As for MJF, he has a busy few weeks ahead of him, including the match with Kyle Fletcher looming. August 2024 will also see MJF compete at Rev Pro’s Summer Sizzler event in the UK, a third-world country in the eyes of the AEW American Champion. MJF will face Michael Oku at the show, who MJF has said he hates because Oku has the respect of Will Ospreay. MJF will face Ospreay with the AEW American title on the line later this month at All In: London 2024.
Penta El Zero M & Rey Fenix may be covering their bases as their current AEW deals are set to expire.
At the very least, The Lucha Brothers are protecting their creative properties as they move forward in their wrestling career as both Fenix and Penta have put in for three different trademarks apiece.
On August 1, Penta filed for the names of “Cero Miedo,” “Zero Miedo,” and “AN1MO” are for the meaning of entertainment purposes. Meanwhile, his younger brother Rey put in for “King Fuego,” “Rey Fuego,” and “Fuego” all on the same date for the same reason.
Penta confirmed that his AEW contract would run out this year and that WWE has expressed interest in his talents. The thought is that Fenix is in a similar situation contractually and that the brother tag team could test the free agent market.
Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer reported back in June that Penta El Zero M is open to leaving AEW if the price tag fits because at the age of 39, the luchador has a lot of people relying on him.
Both Fenix and Penta have been with All Elite Wrestling since the very beginning and it would be a very significant shift in the two companies if the brothers were to bounce from AEW to WWE. If they were to do that, Penta and Fenix would join a notable list of names to do the same including Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Ethan Page and Shawn Spears.
Chappell Roan paid a little homage to lucha libre during her set at Lollapalooza, but the pop singer may have put herself in quite the predicament with Nyla Rose.
Roan, who has been catching the musical world on fire, came out dressed as a luchadora for her performance, complete with a drumset surrounded by a wrestling ring. She was also flanked by two female bodybuilders. The moment took place over the weekend and it caught the eyes of two AEW stars in Willow Nightingale and Nyla Rose.
Nyla Rose was a little more proactive about the wrestling aspect loosely indicating that she’d like to grapple with Roam in the ring and on a bigger scale at Wembley.
WWE was not without their musical acts this weekend as Jelly Roll played a huge role at SummerSlam. He kicked off the show with a rendition of “God Bless America” but then also chokeslammed Austin Theory later in the evening during a confrontation featuring him, Awesome Truth and Grayson Waller.
Chappell Roan has been a pop artist who has been out for several years, but her music has been greatly catching on as of recent including hit songs like “Good Luck, Babe,” “HOT TO GO,” & “Red Wine Supernova”.
Sammy Guevara has made his return to AEW TV after 6 months and proclaimed that he is not stuck in a vortex anymore.
The former AEW TNT Champion originally made his wrestling return during the August 1 episode of ROH. He saved Dustin Rhodes from The Dark Order.
The 31-year-old made his AEW return during the August 3 episode of Collision. He spoke with Rhodes and The Von Erichs (Marshall and Ross Von Erich) in a backstage segment.
Sammy noted that Dustin may not trust him due to his past record but he is looking to earn that trust. Guevara then stated that he had been stuck in a vortex for a long time and for the first time in 5 years, he was ready to be his own man:
The Spanish God reiterated his words about earning the trust of the wrestling veteran before saying that he wants to team with Dustin and Von Erichs.
Sammy Guevara Wants To Be His Own Man
Sammy Guevara had wrestled Jeff Hardy in a No Disqualification match during the February 14 episode of Rampage this year. His knee hit Hardy’s head during a spot in the bout and Guevara was suspended from AEW for not following the concussion protocol and stopping the match after this spot.
The young star has been associated with Chris Jericho in AEW since the early days of the company. He was one of the members introduced as part of Jericho’s Inner Circle faction during the premiere episode of Dynamite.
This partnership has continued on and off for the last 5 years but the latest promo from Guevara suggests that he has finally ended that association and he is ready to do things on his own.
AEW has been working hard to regain momentum after facing backstage issues in 2022 and 2023. Unfortunately, another backstage incident involving two of the company’s top stars has been brought to public light, posing a challenge for company president Tony Khan.
According to reports from the Wrestling Observer and Fightful Select, former AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker has been suspended by AEW due to a backstage incident last month involving her, current AEW American Champion MJF, and his real-life partner and AEW broadcast talent Alicia Atout. The situation reportedly stems back to previously unresolved issues between the two talents, as the two are said to have had a “falling out” sometime in 2023.
Allegedly, Baker made comments about MJF inside the women’s locker room, which Atout, who was present at the time, overheard. This led to confrontations between Baker and MJF, Atout, and even AEW star Will Ospreay. Per Fightful, Human Resources was brought to investigate the situation, leading to Baker’s eventual suspension.
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. returns to action RIGHT NOW against “The Shining Samurai” Hikaru Shida!
As of this writing, neither the parties involved nor the company itself have made any public comments on the situation. The suspension is said to have no effect on Britt Baker’s availability for AEW’s biggest pay-per-view of the year in ALL IN, where she is set to take on Mercedes Moné for the self-proclaimed CEO’s TBS Championship.
Britt Baker surprised All Elite Wrestling fans by making her return at the company’s cross-promotional pay-per-view Forbidden Door after a nine-month hiatus. On July 24th, Baker competed in her first match of 2024, taking on Hikaru Shida on AEW Dynamite. She stepped into the ring for the first time since September 2023.
AEW star Trent Beretta underwent neck surgery on Thursday to replace two broken screws from his previous neck fusion surgery (June 2021). He was reportedly injured at AEW Double or Nothing during his grudge match against Orange Cassidy.
quick little american neck surgery. turns out I wrestled so hard that two of the screws from my neck fusion broke. very cool. very tough. screws have been replaced. next I will be doing revenge. pic.twitter.com/43gcXvprvy
Beretta has unfortunately dealt with neck injuries dating back to his time doing motion capture work on the WWE 2K16 video game. During an appearance on Chris Jericho’s Talk is Jericho podcast last summer, he explained that while practicing some of his moves on a crash pad, another wrestler attempted and botched dragon suplex, causing Beretta to land on his head.
Over the next five to six years, that injury combined with the bumps he took in the ring led to severe symptoms that led him to undergo the fusion surgery in June 2021.
AEW star Mercedes Moné is speaking about her divorce for the first time.
Moné actively communicates with her fans on social media and via her official newsletter. In a has new video on her YouTube channel, the AEW TBS Champion shares the details about why she and Sarath Tan are separating.
“Tomorrow finally, after a long, long time, I’ll be finally signing my divorce papers.”
“I’m excited, happy and for me.. I’m just ready to be free. I’m ready to be free of not being afraid. For long, i’ve kept this secret because of how fast life has been going… I just didn’t want the outside world to judge or say anything, especially during a time while all of this is happeninG”
She credits Sarath with saving her life and being an incredible guy that she’s so thankful for.
“Sarath, my ex-husband now, we had such a great relationship, and he’s such an amazing, incredible guy, that I’m so thankful for, he’s another person that changed and saved my life.”
She’s excited to be free and to say that she’s finally getting a divorce. She recalls being asked about her marriage regularly during interviews and not knowing how to handle the subject. They had been separated for a long time, around December 2020. He moved out the following month while she was shooting The Mandalorian while trying to get into the main event of WrestleMania that year, so she was extra-concerned about her privacy at that time. Now, it’s time for her to begin the next chapter of her life.
AEW star Mercedes Moné and her husband Sarath Ton have filed for divorce (dissolution of marriage). They were married on August 4, 2016.
Varnado and Ton, a WWE costume designer best known as Mikaze, met in 2010. He’s credited with designing some of the most iconic outfits worn by her former persona, Sasha Banks.
According to records available at the Clark of the Circuit Cort and Comptroller of Seminole County, Florida, the divorce proceedings were filed Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
Nic Nemeth’s ‘Wanted Man’ moniker fits him like a glove these days as the reigning TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Nemeth has vowed to be a fighting champion, and he’s not just waiting for top competitors to call him out. The company is asking fans on social media who they want to see step up and put themselves to the test. Nemeth wasted no time chiming in with his own pick for a future challenger: AEW star Kenny Omega.
If his World Title win was any indication, Nemeth has made the most of his opportunities outside of WWE, fully embracing his free agency by wrestling on the independents, but also in New Japan Pro-Wrestling before finding more of a residence in TNA. Nemeth has also flexed his commetary and comedic muscles by staying busy in stand-up comedy and as a host on Busted Open Radio.
Omega vs. Nemeth would certainly draw some eyes as Kenny happened to have a memorable heel run as TNA World Champion during the global pandemic. Omega took on several challengers while champion after he defeated Rich Swann for the title. Omega’s timetable for an in-ring return is quite blurry as he’s been aiming to recover from a bout with diverticulitis.
TNA is currently working relationship with WWE, which is the biggest factor prohibiting this TNA vs. AEW dream match. We’ll follow up if Kenny Omega replies to Nemeth’s call-out.
Wrestling fans had a lot to enjoy at last weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con 2024 event. The top stars from WWE and AEW participated in discussion panels. We got a first-look at dozens of upcoming action figures. Even the blockbuster reveal that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to portray the iconic villain Doctor Doom featured elements of a wrestling angle
“New mask, same task.”
Robert Downey Jr. surprises Hall H to announce his return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. pic.twitter.com/j1SEjzse3p
Here are the pro wrestling highlights from San Diego Comic Con 2024:
WWE Panel
WWE stars CM Punk and Zoey Stark participated in the Mattel panel, which included a Q&A session with fans in the audience.
CM Punk talks Vince McMahon and Darby Allin
In an interview with Denise Salcedo, Punk discussed how much it meant to work with a rising star like Darby and considered him a great friend.
“Being a straight-edge kid, being the one that kind of lured CM Punk back to the ring and getting my first match back after six or seven years or whatever it was. That’ll always be my number one with a bullet because I think Darby is a talented kid and I was happy to share the ring with him. I think we told a nice little story.”
“Vince being out of the picture probably illuminated the way,” he said. “That might have been one of the biggest things. That’s both ways, for everybody who is going to sensationalize a headline. It wasn’t me, it wasn’t him, there’s just a lot of history there. All of a sudden, one of us is removed from the equation, and I think it changed a lot of things.”
Punk also shared this photo of a backstage meetup with AEW’s Darby Allin and Brody King:
All the while this was going on Drew McIntyre was trolling his SummerSlam rival while in Nashville, making sure he got a photo-op with Jack Perry who was still cooling down from his AEW Blood & Guts battle.
AEW Panel
All Elite Wrestling ”maximized their minutes’ at the convention, with a Jazware panel that featured a big wrestling angle and a massive rollout of upcoming wrestling figures.
A skirmish occurred during the panel with all stars such as Swerve Strickland and Ospreay tried to break it up. The only man to remain neutral was Darby Allin who thought the two recent rivals should duke it out.
The CEO was in full villain mode as she was in a Poison Ivy from Batman cosplay and appropriately alongside her was her new enforcer, Kamille, who donned the mask and jacket of other Batman baddie Bane.
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) July 26, 2024
Wrestling Figures Galore
The reason wrestling had such a presence at SDCC was for the aforementioned line of figures both companies have in store and it’s quite a bit.
Mattel and WWE have several CM Punk figures set to release including a modern day version, but also the notorious Money In The Bank 2011 Punk blowing a kiss to Cena. Additionally, there is a variation of Punk wearing Randy Savage gear and the masked Straight Edge Society CM Punk.
There were tons of new & upcoming @Mattel@WWE Ultimates on display at San Diego Comic Con 2024! Which was your favorite? ?
Legends included in Mattel’s upcoming Monday Night Wars include Syxx, Curt Hennig, DDP, Ultimate Warrior, Big Bossman and Dusty Rhodes.
A lot of newer faces on the roster are getting the WWE figure treatment, including Zoey Stark, Jade Cargill, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci, Chase U and others.
???
Repost from @ZoeyStarkWWE • The little girl inside of me is still freaking out…I grew up playing with action figures and to FINALLY get one of my own is surreal! This also shows that I reached a stepping stone….BLESSED
AEW was far from resting on their laurels as plenty of special edition figures were revealed. A big release was a special pre-order of Mark and Jay Briscoe. There’s also a silver screen Toni Storm, House of Black three-pack and three eras of the recently retired Sting.
Will Ospreay has vowed to reclaim the AEW International Championship and restore honor to the title after MJF disrespected it.
Last week, MJF threw the title in the trash and introduced the AEW American Championship. ‘The Aerial Assassin’ now wants to bring back the AEW International Championship. During the latest edition of AEW Dynamite, ‘The Salt of The Earth’ hyped up America and proclaimed to be the American hero. Ospreay received a negative reaction from the crowd when he said that he would bring the AEW International Championship back.
In an AEW Digital Exclusive, ‘The Aerial Assassin’ reflected on the crowd’s response and said that he understood why the fans booed him. However, he is fighting for the legacy and history of the AEW International title. He said:
“I know I’m doing the right thing. I know that I am fighting for the legacy and the history and the lineage of the International Champion. It’s bigger than just than the flag that is on the belt, it’s bigger than the country. It represents not only my country, but Japan, America, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, everywhere. It represents all of it, and yet I’m in this weird mind games battle right now where no one wants to boo the guy with a flag around his waist. But I understand, and I get it. I understand that there’s gonna be boos coming my way, but you need to understand that this bigger than just one country. It’s about all of us.”
He further stated that he will continue fighting for the belt for the ones who made the title significant and vowed to earn everyone’s respect. Will Ospreay made it clear that it’s his duty to ensure that he captures the AEW International title and restores honor. He said:
“I understand the American dream is something that is talked about, it’s unachievable, yet somehow I am doing. Somehow, they’re still cheering for me. Somehow, I am fighting a losing battle but day by day, I will gain everybody’s respect because they will understand that this is a battle worth fighting for. For everyone that has made that championship and for everyone that has made AEW the place to be, it is my duty, it is my due diligence to ensure that at Wembley Stadium, I restore honor to the International Championship. Trust me, America, I will not throw that championship in the trash like he did the International Championship. I will hand it back to Tony Khan, and I will say, ‘Keep it in a safe place.’ But the International Championship needs to be restored, and I’m the guy to do it.”
EXCLUSIVE! Former Champion Will Ospreay is determined to restore HONOUR back into the INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP at Wembley Stadium when he faces ‘American Champion’ MJF!@WillOspreaypic.twitter.com/Xkb48oSAZy
During the 250th edition of AEW Dynamite, MJF dethroned Will Ospreay and captured the AEW International Championship. They fought in a gruesome match that lasted an hour. In the final moments of the match, MJF laid out Ospreay with his Dynamite Diamond Ring before pinning him for the win.
AEW International Champion MJF will now defend his title in a rematch against Will Ospreay at AEW All In: London 2024 on August 25 at the iconic Wembley Stadium.
Earlier this summer, rumors began circulating about Shane McMahon potentially joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW). These rumors were initially sparked by comments on Jim Ross’ Grilling JR podcast, where the possibility of McMahon joining AEW was discussed.
AEW CEO Tony Khan later stated that McMahon would be “welcome” in the promotion, fueling speculation about this potential collaboration.
Shane McMahon and Tony Khan: The Arlington Meeting
According to a report from Fightful Select and WrestleTalk, Shane McMahon and Tony Khan recently met for the first time in Arlington, Texas.
The meeting took place in an airport, where they discussed the possibility of McMahon joining AEW. This meeting occurred on Monday, July 29, marking a significant step in the ongoing rumors.
Details of the Meeting
The meeting was described as a preliminary discussion, with both parties exploring potential opportunities. A surreal photo surfaced online to legitimize this story, showing McMahon and Khan in a conference room together, with Khan seated and McMahon standing.
Khan appeared amused in the photo, while McMahon had a more serious expression. As of now, the talks are in the early stages, and sources within AEW had not been briefed on the details of the meeting as of Tuesday.
Shane McMahon: “We Had a Great Meeting”
McMahon would issue a statement following the ‘leak’ of the meeting to Bully Ray of Busted Open After Dark, which was read on air:
“Tony and I were connected through a mutual friend and we had a great meeting. We talked about many things, but mostly about our shared love for the business and the rewards and challenges of working with family. I congratulated him on the five-year anniversary of AEW and look forward to see how he evolves the business moving forward.”
So, who was the mutual friend that linked up Shane McMahon and Tony Khan?
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) July 31, 2024
The Latest
As of writing, there is no confirmation that McMahon has signed any sort of the deal with All Elite Wrestling, although there is clearly interest from both sides.
We will update this page as and when more information becomes publicly available.
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has quickly managed to become one of the leading promotions in professional wrestling, second only to WWE.
The promotion, founded of course in 2019 by Tony Khan, AEW offers an exciting lineup of weekly television programs and occasional special events.
Here’s a detailed look at the current AEW TV schedule, including what days of the week Dynamite, Rampage and Collision air on.
AEW Dynamite
AEW Dynamite is the cornerstone of AEW’s programming. It airs live every Wednesday at 8 PM ET on TBS.
Since its debut on October 2, 2019 (originally on TNT), Dynamite has become the biggest programme in AEW’s roster.
Key Info
Air Time: Wednesdays, 8 PM ET
Network: TBS
Debut: October 2, 2019
AEW Rampage
AEW Rampage premiered on August 13, 2021, and serves as a supplemental show to Dynamite.
Usually airing every Friday at 10 PM ET on TNT, Rampage provides an additional hour of action-packed wrestling, often focusing more on performers who are not as regularly featured on Dynamite.
Key Info
Air Time: Fridays, 10 PM ET
Network: TNT
Debut: August 13, 2021
AEW Collision
AEW Collision is the latest addition to AEW’s television lineup, debuting on June 17, 2023.
Battle of the Belts is a quarterly special that airs on TNT. As you’d expect by the name, these events focus on championship matches.
Online Shows
AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation were YouTube-exclusive shows that aired weekly, featuring matches that complemented the main TV programs. These shows were discontinued following the debut of Collision.
CM Punk wasn’t a fan of the ‘ugly’ AEW All In footage being aired, but believes it showed that he remains a top draw in that promotion. The footage in question was broadcast on the April 10, edition of AEW Dynamite and sparked debate among fans and wrestling insiders as to whether it was the right call.
“It felt really ugly, but then I was like, showing that footage isn’t going to help them or hurt me, so whatever. Being a top draw in two different companies is pretty wild. Thanks, guys.”
Matthew & Nicholas Jackson breakdown their history with FTR.
At the time, Tony Khan said that airing the footage was all part of an effort to give a great show for the fans. Many found the claim dubious, believing that Khan’s real motivation was payback after Punk’s comments on AEW during the MMA Hour, in which he claimed Khan was not a “real boss.” The kayfabe reason behind the footage being shared was that the Young Bucks wanted to justify why they lost to FTR at All In, and shared that they’d been distracted by dealing with the backstage altercation.
The footage did prove to be a boon for AEW in terms of ratings, as the April 10, Dynamite 819,000 viewers, a 9% increase over the previous week and the highest Dynamite rating of 2024 since February. However, airing the footage could not see AEW cross the 1 million viewer threshold, leaving fans to still question whether sharing the footage had been worth it after all.
