SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • WWE And AEW Stars React To Claudio Castagnoli’s Forbidden Door Debut

    WWE And AEW Stars React To Claudio Castagnoli’s Forbidden Door Debut

    Claudio Castagnoli fka Cesaro is finally All Elite and the wrestling world is as excited to see the former WWE star join Tony Khan’s promotion as the fans.

    Speculations had been high ever since Bryan Danielson announced that a mystery opponent will be replacing him in the match against Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door.

    Many signs pointed toward the former WWE star making his AEW debut on the show. He got one of the loudest pops when he finally arrived.

    Castagnoli went on to prove that he hasn’t lost any step during his time away from wrestling. He ended up winning the match by pinning Zack with a a powerbomb.

    Wrestling World Is Excited For Claudio Castagnoli

    The wrestling world reacted to this headline-making debut of the former champion. This included stars from both WWE and AEW roster.

    Eddie Kingston, who previously claimed that Claudio Castagnoli did not have the balls to join AEW, reminded everyone of his old remarks:

    https://twitter.com/MadKing1981/status/1541252332163309568

    Castagnoli’s fellow DaParty member Xavier Woods seemed very excited to see his friend get the massive reaction from the crowd:

    Other names who reacted to this big Forbidden Door debut include people such as Renee Paquette, Bully Ray, Evil Uno and more. You can check out the reactions below:

  • Jon Moxley Wins Interim AEW World Title At Forbidden Door

    Jon Moxley Wins Interim AEW World Title At Forbidden Door

    Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jon Moxley was booked as the main event of the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view event to determine the Interim AEW World Heavyweight Champion. 

    Moxley with the early offense. Mox with the slingblade and Mox was cut open. Tanahashi with a frog splash off the top rope for 2. Moxley with a clothesline then several elbow shots and a rear-naked choke. Moxley with the death rider for the win. 

    Post-match, Chris Jericho and Daniel Garcia beat down Moxley and Tanahashi. Eddie Kingston ran out then Santana, Ortiz, Yuta then the rest of JAS came out before Claudio made the save. 

    https://twitter.com/njpwglobal/status/1541263085998166016
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541261289732947968

    Because CM Punk had to get surgery to fix a foot injury, he will be sidelined, but he won’t be vacating the AEW World Heavyweight Title as AEW President Tony Khan didn’t want to do that. There’s still no word yet on how long Punk will be out of action. Instead, there was an AEW Interim World Championship Eliminator Series booked. 

    The way it worked was there was a battle royal held at the top of the June 8th edition of Dynamite, that was won by Kyle O’Reilly. In the main event, O’Reilly took on Moxley with Mox coming out on top. 

    At Dominion, Hiroshi Tanahashi went over Hirooki Goto to advance to the finals. 

    What are your thoughts on Jon Moxley winning the Interim AEW World Heavyweight Title? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • Jay White Retains IWGP World Heavyweight Title At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

    Jay White Retains IWGP World Heavyweight Title At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

    Jay White had the deck stacked against him in storyline when he defended the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Kazuchika Okada, Hangman Adam Page, and Adam Cole in a fatal 4-way bout at the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view event. 

    The match saw White and Cole work together early. Page went for a moonsault, but Cole kicked him in the face. Okada with a crossbody over the barricade to Cole and White. Page missed the buckshot lariat then hit dead eye to White then hit the buckshot for 2 as Okada broke it up. Okada with an elbow drop to Cole off the top rope. Cole with superkicks to Okada and Page. White pinned Cole in a clunky finish as Cole avoided the rainmaker by Okada and fell down. Post-match, the medical staff checked on Cole. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541257735085658112
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541257185597988867
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541256617617915904
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541255657596354560

    White became the champion when he beat Okada at the NJPW Dominion event earlier this month. White originally won the IWGP Heavyweight Title in 2019 from Hiroshi Tanahashi and held it for 54 days before losing it to Okada.  

    On the June 22 episode of Dynamite, Page worked a match against Silas Young with Cole on commentary. White interrupted and said that he would not be defending the title against Cole or Page. Both Page and White attacked Page. Cole seemingly considered attacking White, then Okada ran in to make the surprise save for Page.

    What are your thoughts on Jay White retaining the World Heavyweight Title? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • Claudio Castagnoli (Cesaro) Revealed As Zack Sabre Jr’s Opponent At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

    Claudio Castagnoli (Cesaro) Revealed As Zack Sabre Jr’s Opponent At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

    Former WWE star Claudio Castagnoli, the former Cesaro, is the latest star to join AEW when he was revealed as the mystery opponent for Zack Sabre Jr at Sunday’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view event.

    Right out of the gate, Claudio hit an uppercut then the neutralizer for 2. They went back and forth with a strong style bout. Zack countered the giant swing with a guillotine. Claudio eventually did the giant swing. Claudio with a powerbomb for the win. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541245525344886784
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541247793095999490

    Originally, NJPW had Sabre Jr. call out Danielson after his match at the Dominion event, but the match was never officially announced. Danielson confirmed on Wednesday’s Dynamite that he couldn’t wrestle at the show, but is getting a suitable mystery replacement to take his place. When this was announced, many fans speculated it could be Johnny Gargano or Cesaro.

    Cesaro had been one of the top free agents in wrestling after he departed from WWE earlier this year as the two sides had been in talks about a new deal, but couldn’t come to an agreement on terms.

    AEW President Tony Khan has spoken highly of the former WWE star. Earlier this month, it was reported that Cesaro had taken time off for family reasons with a young child. 

    What are your thoughts on Cesaro joining AEW? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam At Arthur Ashe Stadium Announced For This September

    AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam At Arthur Ashe Stadium Announced For This September

    AEW officially announced their second-ever Grand Slam Dynamite & Rampage during the Forbidden Door pay-per-view event on Sunday night. 

    The promotion will return to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York on Wednesday, September 21st for a live Dynamite with Rampage taped afterward and airing that Friday night. 

    Tickets go on sale Friday, July 22nd. In 2021, AEW sold more than 15,000 tickets following the public on-sale with a capacity then set for 17,000. In the end, 20,177 tickets were sold for last year’s debut Grand Slam on September 22nd. 

    It was headlined by the first-ever meeting between then-AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson that went to a 30-minute draw. Many consider it to be one of the best matches in company history.

    Last year’s show is AEW’s largest attendance to date and was the most for a non-WWE show in the U.S. since 1999. It also marked AEW’s first stadium show and also their debut in New York City.

  • Will Ospreay Retains IWGP US Heavyweight Title, Katsuyori Shibata Appears At Forbidden Door

    Will Ospreay Retains IWGP US Heavyweight Title, Katsuyori Shibata Appears At Forbidden Door

    At Sunday’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view event from Chicago, Illinois at the United Center, Will Ospreay defended the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against Orange Cassidy.

    The match opened with Ospreay beating Cassidy down. Orange had some offense after fighting out a stretch hold. Orange with a superkick then several head kicks. Orange with a stunner then a driver for 2. Orange rammed Ospreay’s face into the corner camera.  There was a botch when Orange hit powerslam and the referee counted the three. Orange kicked out of Hidden Blade. Will won the StormBreaker.

    Post-match, Ospreay beat down Cassidy. Best Friends tried to make the save, but were taken out. Katsuyori Shibata made the save. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541240556252274688
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541243706480918528

    AEW confirmed this bout during the Road Rager special edition of Dynamite when Ospreay defeated Dax Harwood in his AEW debut. Post-match, the United Empire group attacked Harwood. Roppongi Vice and Cash Wheeler made the save with Orange Cassidy making a surprise appearance to face down Ospreay. 

    Andrade El Idolo revealed while speaking to Hugo Savinovich of Lucha Libre Online that he was going to be Ospreay’s opponent before politics got in the way. He was not able to work the event due to the rivalry between CMLL and AAA as NJPW has a working relationship with AAA. 

    Ospreay beat SANADA in the co-main event of NJPW Dominion to win the IWGP United States Championship.

    What are your thoughts on Will Ospreay retaining the IWGP US Heavyweight Title? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • Thunder Rosa Retains Women’s Title At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

    Thunder Rosa Retains Women’s Title At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

    Thunder Rosa made her latest title defense as the AEW Women’s Champion against Toni Storm at Sunday’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view event from Chicago, Illinois at the United Center.

    The match saw Storm get the early advantage early. They brawl around the ring and Storm hit a DDT. It ended when Rosa hit a Final Reckoning for the pinfall 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541235678943510529
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541237328408084485

    Storm defeated former champ Britt Baker on the June 14th edition of Dynamite. She had a staredown with Rosa for the second consecutive week and the match was officially announced later in the show. 

    Rosa made her previous title defense on pay-per-view as the AEW Women’s Champion against Serena Deeb at the Double Or Nothing. 

    The former WWE star made her promotional debut on the March 31 edition of Dynamite as AEW President Tony Khan’s latest mystery signing where she beat The Bunny in the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament qualifying match with her finisher.

    Time will tell whether AEW continues this feud or goes into a different direction heading into Wednesday’s Dynamite. 

    What are your thoughts on Thunder Rosa retaining the AEW Women’s Title? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • PAC Becomes Inaugural All-Atlantic Champion At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

    PAC Becomes Inaugural All-Atlantic Champion At AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

    PAC, Miro, Clark Connors, and Malakai Black battled it out in a fatal 4-way bout at Sunday’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view event from Chicago, Illinois to determine who would become the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion.

    The match saw Miro dominate most of it. Black with a springboard dive to Miro. PAC with a spinning kick to Miro. PAC took out Black with an outside dive. Clark speared Miro through a table. The finish saw PAC hit the 450 splash to Black then locked in a submission on Clark for the win. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541227882382561281
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1541226822918078465

    All of these stars earned their way into the match as Miro defeated Ethan Page at AEW Dynamite Road Rager to advance while PAC defeated Buddy Matthews on the June 8th edition of Dynamite. 

    Malakai Black and Penta Oscuro battled it out on the June 22nd episode of Dynamite to determine the third entrant. 

    The fourth entrant in the bout was decided in Japan earlier this week as Tomohiro Ishii faced Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Clark Connors took on Tomoaki Honma. The winners of those two matches face off the next day at New Japan Road with the winner getting the final spot. 

    AEW President Tony Khan explained earlier this month that the reason for the title is to include international talent and not just those based in the United States. 

    Tony Khan Addresses Reason For Creating AEW All-Atlantic Championship
  • AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door Live Stream (Buy-In)

    AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door Live Stream (Buy-In)

    It’s time for Forbidden Door (see predictions here) and the live stream for the Buy-In is coming at you.

    Tonight (June 26), Forbidden Door will take place inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. In the main event, Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi will compete to determine the interim AEW World Champion.

    There will also be a four-way match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. It’ll be Jay White putting his gold on the line against Kazuchika Okada, Hangman Page, and Adam Cole.

    There will be plenty of more action and title matches on the PPV but first, we’ve got the Buy-In.

    Featured on the preshow will be the following matches:

    • Gunn Club (Billy, Austin, and Colten Gunn) and Max Caster (with Anthony Bowens) vs. Yuya Uemura and New Japan LA Dojo (Alex Coughlin, The DKC, and Kevin Knight)
    • The Factory (QT Marshall and Aaron Solo) vs. Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi)
    • Swerve In Our Glory (Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee) vs. Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

    The live stream for the Buy-In will begin at 7 p.m. ET. You can peep the stream below.

    Be sure to check back on the SEScoops homepage for live results and video highlights throughout the Forbidden Door event.

  • AEW Reportedly Dealing With More Injuries, Talent Contracts Expiring

    AEW Reportedly Dealing With More Injuries, Talent Contracts Expiring

    For weeks AEW has been feeling the repercussions of the injury bug, as top stars like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, Jungle Boy, Red Velvet, Leyla Hirsch, and more have been sidelined to some extent. The timing could not have been worse as the promotion was forced to make several big changes for tonight’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view in Chicago.

    Now a new report from Fightful Select reveals that there is even more talent banged up. While no names were given the publication states that there are injuries that have yet to be disclosed to the public. We will have to see how it affects AEW’s booking plans going forward.

    In the same report it is mentioned that AEW did not bring in a lot of talent to Chicago for Forbidden Door as only a portion of the roster was needed since the event is a joint collaboration with New Japan Pro Wrestling, who are also dealing with a string of bad luck as several stars were pulled from tonight’s show due to injury or illness, including Tomohiro Ishii and Hiromu Takahashi.

    Finally…Fightful reports that a select number of wrestlers on the AEW roster are currently under a per-appearance agreement, and that some of those deals, which also haven’t been disclosed to the public, are set to expire this year.

    Stay tuned for more AEW updates.

  • Cody Rhodes Remains in AEW Video Game

    Cody Rhodes Remains in AEW Video Game

    Cody Rhodes has not been removed from the upcoming AEW video game.

    Rhodes sent shockwaves throughout the wrestling industry when he made his return to WWE earlier this year. He appeared at WrestleMania 38 to serve as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent.

    Cody ended up winning the match, making his promotional return a triumphant one.

    At the time, many were surprised that Cody, the man who helped build AEW, felt it was time to come back to WWE. While he’s no longer with AEW, there is no bad blood and that is quite evident with this latest bit of news.

    Cody Rhodes Staying in AEW Video Game

    AEW EVPs
    (via Ricky Havlik /AEW)

    Kenny Omega has had a big hand in helping with the upcoming AEW video game. During an interview with Sports Illustrated, he revealed that despite leaving the company, Cody Rhodes will still be in the game.

    “This may come as a surprise to people, but Cody is still in the game. I was very passionate about making sure his legacy and position within the company were preserved.”

    – Kenny Omega

    Omega continued, “We’ve built this game from the ground up, starting everything from scratch. That’s why I thought this game could coincide with the birth of this company. You get to experience AEW from the beginning, from day one. The game is going to reflect a lot of that, even though our locker room is ever-changing.”

    The AEW video game doesn’t have a solid release date. It was reported that the company was shooting for a September release but many agree that is a big ask.

    Kenny told SI that he’s trying his best to get the game out before the end of 2022.

  • AEW Star Set For A Major Change

    AEW Star Set For A Major Change

    Change is coming for one AEW star.

    In the wrestling business, characters often switch things up. Whether it’s a babyface or heel turn, or an entirely new gimmick, change happens all the time in this industry.

    AEW has certainly made some adjustments to its performers but Tony Khan’s favorite change seems to be licensed music. That is apparent with this latest transition set for an AEW star.

    Orange Cassidy Getting New Theme Song

    Orange Cassidy
    (AEW)

    Fightful is reporting that AEW has secured the rights to use “Jane,” which is a 1979 track by Jefferson Starship. OC used this song while he was on the indies and he will be using it once again.

    Orange Cassidy teased “something new” in a Tweet just before the June 26 Forbidden Door event.

    “This is tomorrow. Will said he has a special costume. I guess I’ll get something new too. Oh, and the IWGP US Championship.”

    Cassidy will be challenging Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship at Forbidden Door. There will be no physical title, however, as in storyline Juice Robinson hasn’t let go of the championship despite being stripped of it officially.

    SEScoops will have you covered throughout the Forbidden Door PPV event. We’ll be providing live results and video highlights throughout the night.

    For our predictions, click here.

  • Miro Responds To Undertaker’s Comments About The Locker Room

    Miro Responds To Undertaker’s Comments About The Locker Room

    Miro is a flagbearer of the new generation of stars who make formidable opponents in the ring but also join each other in playing video games once the show is over.

    Though it’s no secret that stars from the older generations are not a fan of this changed environment in the locker room. People like The Undertaker have claimed that ‘grit’ is missing from today’s wrestling.

    The AEW star responded to this sentiment during an interview with Fightful. He mentioned how he doesn’t understand the people who look at video games negatively:

    “People are trying to talk bad about video games, which I never understood. We all have our downtime. Some people want to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes and do heroin and others want to play video games.”

    ‘Sorry, Undertaker’

    Miro discussed how some of the old-timers have called it a bad thing. He went on to call out The Undertaker for his remarks:

    “Some of these old timers are calling this a bad thing. I don’t think it’s a bad thing just because we have more brains now than people before doesn’t mean video games are bad.” said the former TNT champion, “Sorry Undertaker, we don’t have guns and drugs, and don’t fight each other backstage.”

    Miro also revealed how he started streaming his gaming sessions after his WWE release. The former US champion said that it all happened accidentally when he was sitting at home, waiting for his non-compete clause to expire.

  • NJPW Star Out Of Forbidden Door Due To Fever, Updated Card

    NJPW Star Out Of Forbidden Door Due To Fever, Updated Card

    The curse continues.

    AEW announced this afternoon that top NJPW star and former multi-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion Hiromu Takahashi is dealing with a fever, and will be unable to travel to the United States for tomorrow’s AEW/NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view event.

    This news comes days after fellow NJPW star Tomohiro Ishii had to be pulled due to injury, one of many changes that have occurred since the show was announced, which includes AEW world champion CM Punk missing the show due to a broken foot. Takahashi was set to team with Shingo Takagi, Sting, and Darby Allin an eight-man tag team bout against The Bullet Club (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) and The Young Bucks.

    With the Timebomb out the match will now be a six-man tag. Hikuleo will still accompany his team, but will no longer wrestle.

    Check out an updated look at the Forbidden Door card below.

    • Interim AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
    • IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Adam Cole vs. “Hangman” Adam Page
    • AEW Women’s World Championship: Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Toni Storm
    • AEW All-Atlantic Championship: PAC vs. Miro vs. Clark Connors vs. Malakai Black
    • IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Orange Cassidy
    • ROH & IWGP Tag Team Championship: FTR vs. United Empire vs. Roppongi Vice
    • Zack Sabre Jr. vs Replacement for Bryan Danielson
    • Bullet Club (Young Bucks, El Phantasmo) vs. Sting, Darby Allin, & Shingo Takagi
    • Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Minoru Suzuki v. Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta, Shota Umino
    • Gunn Club & Max Caster vs. NJPW Dojo (Buy-In Show)
    • Aaron Solo & QT Marshall vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (Buy-In-Show)
    • Keith Lee & “Swerve” Strickland vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado (Buy-In-Show)
  • Kris Statlander On Mixed Tags, Intergender Matches, Being More Than A Woman (Exclusive)

    Kris Statlander On Mixed Tags, Intergender Matches, Being More Than A Woman (Exclusive)

    AEW star Kris Statlander spoke with SEScoops correspondent Jaychele Nicole this week.

    Since AEW Double Or Nothing, we have seen Statlander pair up with Athena and sometimes other women in the division to take on Jade Cargull and The Baddies. Kris Statlander has long been a crowd favorite. Particularly in her Owen Hart Tournament match with Ruby Soho, Statlander was able to turn the crowd around and gain overwhelming support during the match. 

    Kris Statlander On Mixed Tag Team & Intergender Matches

    On the January 19 edition of AEW Dynamite, we saw Kris Statlander pair up with Orange Cassidy to take on Adam Cole and Dr. Britt Baker DMD in a mixed tag team match. This was one of the few mixed tag team matches that we have seen in AEW. 

    Kris Statlander spoke with Jaychele Nicole about the possibility of there being more mixed tag team matches in AEW and her desire to participate in them. 

    Statlander said, “Yeah, absolutely. I would love to. If anyone has been following my career since before AEW, they knew that at one point, the majority of my matches were intergender matches. So, I know that I can hang with the guys and be better than them. And I’m bigger than some not going to be humble about it. I’m bigger than some of the guys. Not necessarily on the roster. But you know, just in general. And, like, it’s a lot of what made me so different. And it’s like, if I didn’t have all those intergender matches, it wouldn’t have got me to the level that I’m at today.

    So, as much as some people like don’t like it because of the ‘domestic violence’ it kind of ‘insinuates’. It’s like we’re wrestlers. If I take a suplex from Nyla versus I take a suplex from Orange Cassidy, it’s still a suplex, like it’s still wrestling. That’s kind of like people have to remember, like, we’re trained professional wrestlers. Most of the time when we’re in training we’re training with more guys than we are girls, unless you find an all girls wrestling school, which you most likely won’t. This just got very intergender preachy and I apologize, but yes, I would love to participate and do more mixed tag and intergender maybe, but that’s probably not gonna happen. Yeah, intergender probably not.”

    Kris Statlander had participated in many intergender matches prior to joining AEW. She has had matches with the likes of John Silver, Orange Cassidy, Nick Gage, MJF and many others. 

    Kris Statlander’s ‘More Than A Woman Branding’

    Statlander has recently transitioned to brand herself as ‘More Than A Woman.’ During her feud with Leyla Hirsch, Kris debuted new music, new hair, and a new titantron. Her merchandise now describes her as ‘More Than A Woman.’ At the beginning of her matches, Kris signs ‘More Than A Woman’ in American Sign Language. 

    When asked about where the ‘More Than A Woman’ branding came from, Stalander had this to say, “It came from the song. Not the Aliyah one, the Bee Gees one. Yeah, I had the Bee Gees version of the more than a woman song as my entrance on the Indies for a while because it was just so different. And it was just so fun. And it was one of those like, everyone knew it. Just got a crowd in a good mood before a match and stuff. Like it’s like just one of those, like, feel good songs.

    And then, when I was doing the alien thing, still, I would be like, ‘Oh, she’s more than a woman because she’s an alien.’ And now it’s more than a woman leaves what I am up to interpretation by the audience now. So, it’s kind of like I can be whatever you want to be. Or whatever, however you want to perceive me is whatever you want, because being more than a woman as being more than what meets the eye and stuff like that. So I took it from the song, but then I made it more deep than it is.”

    Kris Statlander’s Use of ASL

    Statlander also commented about the reasoning behind her using ASL to communicate her ‘More Than A Woman’ message before her matches. 

    “I think it was something that I wanted to do something different, I don’t actually know anyone that’s deaf. I don’t have a reason to know ASL. Once I started doing it, some people were raising questions about do I have a reason to use it in my life? And I don’t, I just thought it was something useful to learn. It’s kind of an underappreciated language. So, I figured, why not try something different? And it seems to be getting a really good reaction. I’m not fluent in sign language. But I could do a basic sentence like, ‘Do you want water? Are you hungry? My name is Kris.’ Like, I can do all that stuff.

    But, I originally got the idea to do some side language because on the Indies, sometimes if I was a bad guy, I would do like an F and a U. So, I’d say FU to my opponent and like no one knew what it meant, butI did and it was funny to me. So, sometimes I would do that. And that’s kind of where I got the idea to find a way to incorporate sign language a little bit more just because it’s so different. And especially like if there is a deaf person watching TV, and they actually see something like that instead of just having to read the subtitles all the time. So, you can actually like focus on the action for a moment. I think it’s a cool little way to reach out to that underserved community,” she said.

    If you use the quotes above, please credit the original course with a h/t and link back to SEScoops for the transcription. 

  • Kris Statlander On Jade Cargill & The Baddies, Slapping Stokely, Working With Willow (Exclusive)

    Kris Statlander On Jade Cargill & The Baddies, Slapping Stokely, Working With Willow (Exclusive)

    AEW star Kris Statlander spoke with SEScoops correspondent Jaychele Nicole this week.

    Since AEW Double Or Nothing, we have seen Statlander pair up with Athena and sometimes other women in the division to take on Jade Cargill and The Baddies. Kris Statlander has long been a crowd favorite. Particularly in her Owen Hart Tournament match with Ruby Soho, Statlander was able to turn the crowd around and gain overwhelming support during the match. 

    Kris Statlander’s Feud With Red Velvet

    Kris has been in a feud with Red Velvet who she has a long history with. Prior to Kris’ recent character change, she teamed with Red Velvet and Leyla Hirsch a few times. Leyla would eventually turn on Kris and Velvet, which led to Statlander’s character change. When Hikaru Shida needed to be replaced in the Women’s Owen Hart tournament, Statlander took her place and defeated Red Velvet to advance. They also faced off on the June 10 edition of AEW Rampage where Statlander once again defeated Velvet.

    Kris Statlander commented on the possibility of her feud with Red Velvet continuing despite the history of their friendship.

    Stalander said, “Uh, it might. If it is, I am not complaining because she’s small and she’s very easy to throw. And you know, when we were friends I loved her to death and you know, everyone goes their separate ways sometimes friends don’t last forever, unfortunately. But I don’t mind if she’s someone that I have to see all the time.”

    Statlander On Slapping The Back Of Stokely Hathaway’s Head

    Statlander recently slapped Jade Cargill’s publicist Stokely Hathaway on the June 17 edition of Rampage. Following Willow Nightingale’s match with Jade Cargill for the TBS Championship, Kris Statlander came out to help rescue Willow and Athena from the beatdown that they were receiving from Jade and The Baddies (Kiera Hogan and Red Velvet). While running down to the ring, Statlander slapped Stokely on the back of the head before getting into the ring. 

    Statlander had the following to say about slapping Stokely, “I mean, I saw him as I was getting ready to run out. I saw him walking down there. And I was like, ‘Oh, he deserves it because he’s annoying that he had it coming.’ So, I guess you can say, sort of planned it as in like, we all want to. But, just when the opportunity arrives. Oh, it was gonna happen for sure.”

    Statlander On Working With Willow Nightingale

    Statlander and Athena said on the June 22 that they had Willow Nightingale in their corner when taking on Jade and The Baddies. Willow has been a big crowd favorite and has received great reactions during her AEW appearances. Willow took on Mercedes Martinez at ROH Supercard of Honor for the Interim ROH Women’s Championship back in April. Since they, Willow has been fighting off Jade and The Baddies. 

    Statlander spoke about the possibility of Willow joining her and Athena and Willow being on TV more.

    “I hope so considering that we said that we had her on our side. So, it’d be great if she were able to join us. So yeah, I really hope that you know if there ever comes a time to do maybe we gotta take down Jade and The Baddies all together as a group. I do hope that she’s one that’s on our side. She’s someone that I’ve known for a very long time, way before AEW, so I love working with her,” Statlander commented.

    The Possibility Of Kris Statlander Vs Jade Cargill

    Kris Statlander vs Jade Cargill for the TBS Championship is a match that has been long hyped up. Many believe that Kris Statlander may be the first person to defeat Jade Cargill, and that she will be the one to take the belt away from Jade. Especially during her recent feud with Jade and The Baddies, many believes that the booking around the TBS Championship may be working towards having Kris finally challenge Jade. These two have never faced each other one on one.

    When asked about the possibility of facing Jade and what fans could expect from the match, Kris said, “I’m gonna say you’re gonna see Jade’s toughest challenge ever. Yet. Ever, maybe, we’ll see. But um, I appreciate everyone that’s supporting the idea of me being the first one to beat her. That would be really cool, but we gotta get the match booked first. So don’t don’t get your hopes up until we see that graphic. Okay. That’s all I’m gonna say is, if it happens, it happens if it doesn’t. Don’t get your panties in a twist over it. Life goes on. I’ll get something one day, maybe one day will be my time to shine, but if not.”

    If you use the quotes above, please credit the original course with a h/t and link back to SEScoops for the transcription. 

  • AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door Predictions

    AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door Predictions

    This Sunday, All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling join forces to present the historic AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view.

    Many of the top stars from AEW and NJPW are currently out of action due to injuries, but that hasn’t stopped the companies for putting together a card featuring surreal match-ups that fans never thought they’d see.

    SEScoops correspondents Andrew Ravens, Joey G and I got together and run down the card for AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door.

    Here are our official Forbidden Door predictions:

    The Buy-In: Max Caster & Gunn Club vs. LA Dojo (Yuya Uemura, Alex Coughlin, Kevin Knight & The DKC)

    Joey G: Max Caster will cut an epic rap, then get the absolute piss kicked out of him by the LA Dojo boys. (Prediction: LA Dojo)

    Andrew Ravens: The match is fine and will be a fun match. I don’t see why the NJPW guys would go over and AEW needs to do a better job protecting The Acclaimed as they’re clearly over with the fans. (Prediction: Max Caster & Gunn Club)

    Michael Reichlin: I’m a big fan of Max Caster whole act and the Gunn Club is good in the ring, but I see LA Dojo getting a win for ‘Team NJPW’ – although there has been no mention of formally keeping score of wins for AEW or New Japan. (Prediction: LA Dojo)

    Consensus: LA Dojo

    Zack Sabre Jr. vs. TBA

    Joey G: This will be hard to pick. I presume Danielson would have defeated ZSJ, but since that match hasn’t happened yet it feels like the Brit has to win to eventually build to that. Although, why would a mystery man be brought in just to lose? Too many questions, so instead of a winner I’ll pick who I think the surprise is. Many will guess Claudio (Cesaro), ROH champion Jonathan Gresham, or Johnny Gargano. But me? I think it’s time for a hero. (Prediction: Chris Hero)

    Michael Reichlin: It’s unfortunate that Bryan Danielson is out of this one due to injury, but he’s promised a replacement that fans will be excited about. The replacement will be the newest member of the Blackpool Combat Club and will also take Bryan’s spot in Blood and Guts on Wednesday. Who else could it be, but Cesaro? These two will put on a technical classic that will showcase what sets AEW and NJPW apart from the rest. Cesaro (well, Claudio Castignoli) returns and begins the best run of his career. (Prediction: Cesaro)

    Andrew Ravens: The mystery opponent has to be Cesaro. He goes back with Bryan Danielson and would fit well in the group. He’s also someone that the fans will be behind in this role and would be a welcome addition to the AEW roster. It would be odd for AEW to beat this mystery person on their first night with the promotion so I’ll side with the mystery opponent who I think is Cesaro. (Prediction: Cesaro)

    Consensus: Cesaro

    Fatal Four-Way to Crown the First AEW All-Atlantic Champion: Pac vs. Miro vs. Malakai Black vs. Clark Conners

    Andrew Ravens: It comes down to one man and one man only for me and that’s Miro. He’s been away for a while and has been booked strongly since coming back. Sure, you can make the case for the other guys, but it’s pretty obvious who should win the title here. (Prediction: Miro)

    Joey G: All options are good options in what is sure to be an underrated gem. Ishii going out means the young Clark Conners gets a chance to prove himself on a big stage, and PAC, Miro, and Malakai have all gotten very over to the AEW faithful. Miro feels like he’s ready for to enter the world title scene, and while PAC would be great holding gold, Malakai could kickstart a dominant run for the House of Black by capturing gold here. I’m going Malakai. (Prediction: Malakai Black)

    Michael Reichlin: I won’t get into the debate surrounding AEW adding another mid-card championship belt, or the specifics of what makes an “All-Atlantic” champion. I do like the idea of stars like Pac, Miro and Black having a reason to face each other and this match is over-stuffed with talent. I’m a huge Miro guy and he had a memorable run as TNT Champion. Between these four, I see Miro as the best choice to be champion. (Prediction: Miro)

    Consensus: Miro

    Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara & Minoru Suzuki vs. Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta & Shota Umino

    Joey G: This will most definitely be a lot of fun, but the heels seem destined to take this one. Kingston seeing blood will distract him from going for the win, and while Yuta and Umino are great, Suzuki is evil and Jericho and Guevara are as thick as thieves. Jericho and company get the W here. (Prediction: Jericho, Guevara & Suzuki)

    Andrew Ravens: This could be a toss-up as it’s just a match on the card with some history. Jericho has been getting the upper hand a lot on Kingston so I will side with the babyfaces here and Suzuki taking the pinfall loss. (Prediction: Jericho, Guevara & Suzuki)

    Michael Reichlin: This could easily be one of the most enjoyable matches of the night. I expect a bunch of crazy spots, including Sammy or Yuta jumping off something high. Kingston always delivers, Jericho adds star power and Suzuki will get violent. (Prediction: Jericho, Guevara and Suzuki)

    Consensus: Jericho, Guevara & Suzuki

    IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay vs. Orange Cassidy

    Michael Reichlin: Cassidy can go, so don’t write this off as just a comedy match. Ospreay is one of my favorites and I still can’t believe he’s been gracing an AEW ring. I hope we get to see more from him over the next few months, if they could negotiate him doing a tour in the US. The crowd will each this one up and Ospreay will have another showcase performance. (Prediction: Will Ospreay)

    Andrew Ravens: It doesn’t make much sense for Cassidy, a comedy guy, to win an NJPW title and then defend it in Japan where they book strong-style wrestling. This could be one of the better matches on the card as Ospreay will be able to tell a great story around Cassidy’s gimmick. (Prediction: Will Ospreay)

    Joey G: A match that will exceed all expectations both due to Ospreay’s incredible in-ring agility and Cassidy’s even better character work and sloth-style. However, as much as OC is loved he’s gonna get destroyed by the Aerial Assassin’s Hidden Blade. (Prediction: Will Ospreay)

    Consensus: Will Ospreay

    AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa vs. Toni Storm

    Joey G: Rosa and Storm on paper are perfect opponents for one another, so the real hope is that the match is as great as the talent in the ring. Only bad thing about this is that Rosa is still early on in her reign so the outcome is all but determined. (Prediction: Thunder Rosa)

    Andrew Ravens: AEW has built up Storm very well in this role and it’s been a fun feud to follow along with. Thunder is still way too early in her title reign to lose the title here and I think that may hurt the crowd reactions to the match. (Prediction: Thunder Rosa)

    Michael Reichlin: If you remember what I wrote about Thunder Rosa before Double or Nothing, my opinion hasn’t changed much for this latest match. Her title reign is underwhelming and she hasn’t risen to the occasion as someone who can carry the division, but they haven’t built up her challenger enough to warrant a title change yet. (Prediction: Thunder Rosa)

    Consensus: Thunder Rosa

    Winner Takes All: ROH World Tag Team Champions FTR vs. IWGP World Tag Team Champions United Empire (Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan) vs. Roppongi Vice

    Joey G: This feud has seemed weird from the start, but that won’t stop me from enjoying three very different tag teams tying it up in what should be another fun contest. The most exciting path is that of FTR, because if they grab all the gold that sets up a potential rubber match with the Young Bucks as the main event of ALL OUT 2022 for everything, including the AEW belts. That’s too good of a story to pass up on. (Prediction: FTR)

    Michael Reichlin: FTR are the top tag team in the world, but I don’t see them putting another pair of belts on them. That gets complicated, as we saw with Belt Collector Kenny Omega. Cobb and O-Khan retain by pinning one of the members of Roppongi Vice. (Prediction: United Empire)

    Andrew Ravens: I believe AEW is heading towards a Young Bucks vs. FTR feud eventually whether that be as early as All Out or at a later date so I do expect them to lose the titles here. It’s a toss-up as to who will win the match, but I’ll side with Jeff Cobb and Great-O’Khan going over as they can always lose the ROH titles whenever needed. (Prediction: United Empire)

    Consensus: United Empire

    IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hangman Page vs. Adam Cole

    Michael Reichlin: Okada is finally wrestling in an AEW ring and that’s just crazy to me. The dream matches that are now possible should make for some special events in the year ahead. As for the match at hand, I don’t see an AEW wrestler winning the IWGP championship and then going to Japan to defend it regularly. Between White and Okada, I think White retains and these two continue their feud. (Prediction: Jay White)

    Joey G: Tony Khan said on the Forbidden Door media call that Okada wasn’t available for AEW television until this past week, so the build of this match was very scattered. That aside, all four competitors are very unique and VERY OVER, so this contest is sure to be red-hot. However, we know whose era this is. (Prediction: Jay White)

    Andrew Ravens: White just won the title and it doesn’t make much sense to have AEW talent go over to defend a title in Japan. I see White retaining here and beating either Page or Cole so that still sets up a future White vs. Okada match. (Prediction: Jay White)

    Consensus: Jay White

    Bullet Club (Young Bucks, El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) vs. Dudes with Attitudes (Sting, Darby Allin, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi)

    Joey G: This might be the match I’m most excited for even though it was only announced last week. If you’ve never seen Hiromu Takahashi in action you are in for a treat. My main prediction? Sting will jump off of the top of the United Center. (Prediction: Dudes With Attitudes)

    Andrew Ravens: I see this as being a pick-em type of match as either team could go over. I side with Dudes with Attitudes just because some NJPW need to go over on this show and with Allin and Sting being on the team, it makes even more sense. (Prediction: Dudes with Attitudes)

    Michael Reichlin: This is another match that seems thrown together but will probably rule. With the grab-bag of competitors involved, how could it not? The Bucks are the AEW World tag team champions, but Sting and Darby are a special act that knows how to get the job done. (Prediction: Dudes with Attitudes)

    Interim AEW World Championship Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jon Moxley

    Andrew Ravens: Moxley wins it here. I would be shocked to see Tanashi pick up the win. AEW doesn’t have short-term champions so it wouldn’t make sense for an interim champion to have a short reign as the purpose is to fill the role until the actual champion comes back and then the two champions fight. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Michael Reichlin: This might be a surprising pick, but I’m giving this one to Tanahashi. This is a dream match with two of the top pro wrestlers in the world, no question. At the end of the day, I think this comes down to politics. More specifically, I could see Tony Khan putting the Interim AEW World title on Tanahashi, as a gesture of good faith towards New Japan, setting up the eventual Tanahashi vs. CM Punk unification match. Maybe we do see Moxley vs. Punk in a few months, but I don’t see AEW pulling the trigger on that match just yet. (Prediction: Hiroshi Tanahashi)

    Joey G: While not the original main event for this first ever dream card, no star has carried the spirit of AEW like Moxley has, and him getting the opportunity to go up against one of the greatest of all-time in Tanahashi has made this substitute feel like a big deal. Moxley gets the win and gets to actually defend the company’s top belt in front of fans, something he was denied during his first reign. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Consensus: Jon Moxley

    There you have it, our AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door predictions. Check back after the event for our Results and news coming out of the show.

  • Another Day, Another AEW Star Suffers Injury

    Another Day, Another AEW Star Suffers Injury

    AEW just can’t catch a break.

    The company has been pelted with talent injuries left and right. The promotion’s current world champion, CM Punk, has been sidelined after undergoing surgery.

    Bryan Danielson was expected to compete at Forbidden Door and Blood & Guts but that’s now off the table due to an undisclosed injury.

    Kenny Omega has been out for months due to multiple injuries. There are plenty of other AEW stars out of commission to the point where a mega list has been created.

    You can add another one to the already brutal list.

    Jungle Boy Injured

    Jungle Boy scaled
    (via AEW)

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer reports that Jungle Boy has now sustained an injury. Details are scarce at the moment.

    Jungle Boy is in the midst of a personal feud with Christian Cage. Cage had served as a mentor to the Jurassic Express member before turning heel. Christian hit Jungle Boy with the Killswitch after a tag team title loss and then nailed him with the Conchairto.

    Jungle Boy is considered to be a top star of the future for AEW. Depending on the length of his injury, it could be yet another devastating blow to the company. If he’s out for a long period of time, it would force AEW to once again change plans.

    We’ll keep you updated on the status of Jungle Boy once more details surface.

  • Dax Harwood Says He Didn’t See ‘Eye To Eye’ With MJF On The Pinnacle

    Dax Harwood Says He Didn’t See ‘Eye To Eye’ With MJF On The Pinnacle

    Pinnacle was a popular but relatively short-lived group in the history of AEW. Dax Harwood of FTR believes it may have been the most mishandled thing in all of modern wrestling. The FTR recently had an interview with Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post. Among other things, they talked about the rise and fall of The Pinnacle.

    Cash Wheeler first talked about the recent controversy involving the former leader of the group, MJF. He said that he hopes the young star gets what he wants:

    “With Max right now, I don’t really know. I try to stay out of all the office business because I’m not very good at it and I’m not very good at hiding my emotions as it is. It’s just, I hope he gets what he wants. I know what it’s like to be in a spot where you don’t feel like where you want to be. So I hope he finds that.”

    Most Mishandled Thing In Modern Wrestling

    MJF Faction
    MJF with Pinnacle

    Discussing the end of the group, Wheeler said that he feels like they could have done things differently. Dax Harwood then shared his belief that it could have been one of the biggest angles in the modern wrestling history before claiming that he didn’t always see eye to eye with MJF on the plans for the faction:

    “You called us to talk to FTR. I’m not here to talk about Max. I don’t care what Max does. I will say this, I think the Pinnacle may be the most mishandled thing in modern wrestling history because that could have been one of the biggest angles in the world, one of the biggest groups in the world. Max and I always didn’t see eye to eye and I’ll leave it at that.”

    Apart from this, the duo talked about things such as the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV and what it would mean for them to win the IWGP tag team championships. The ROH tag team champions are set to compete in a triple threat match against the IWGP tag champs United Empire and Roppongi Vice in a winner takes all match at the show.

  • Kenny Omega Gives An Update on the AEW Video Game Release Date

    Kenny Omega Gives An Update on the AEW Video Game Release Date

    Fans have been waiting patiently for the AEW Fight Forever Video Game. While a timeline for its release is still not set, Kenny Omega is hoping that it will be ready before the end of this year. The former AEW champion recently had an interview with Fightful. He discussed things such as his recovery from the various injuries and more.

    Providing an update on the development of the game, Omega mentioned how he didn’t know what ideas they would be able to implement in their budget when he first took on the project. Now they’re at the stage where the creative process is almost complete. They are now fine-tuning things:

    “Now it’s almost time for me to find something else within this project to do because the creative process is almost complete where we know how the matches will flow. We know some of the systems. We know how the action-reaction type stuff [will work]. It’s now in a process of being tuned and then finely tuned from there.”

    Kenny Omega Undergoing Plasma Treatment on Shoulder & Knee (Video)

    When AEW: Fight Forever May Come Out

    Kenny Omega then mentioned how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the game. It got to a point where it seemed like they would never be able to release it. Though now with the help of some old contacts that have now joined the project they are hoping to get it out before the end of this year:

    “It got to a point where it seemed bleak like maybe we would never release this thing, but we kind of got past that. We hopefully can be on schedule to make sure that we get this game out by this year. Hopefully, fingers crossed.”

    Apart from this, Kenny Omega also talked about the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV. He mentioned how his NJPW run was arguably the most important phase of his career. He said that he is very happy and satisfied that they have been able to create a forum with AEW where different companies can work together.

    You can check out Omega’s full interview below:

  • Tony Khan Addresses Jeff Hardy’s DUI Arrest

    Tony Khan Addresses Jeff Hardy’s DUI Arrest

    Jeff Hardy forced Tony Khan and AEW to make major changes to their plans when he got arrested for driving without a license while being intoxicated earlier this month. The AEW owner recently took part in a media call to promote the Forbidden Door PPV. Among other things he also addressed the actions of the Charismatic Enigma.

    Khan first mentioned how Jon Moxley also battled with alcohol addiction but he did the right thing by seeking help. What Hardy did was completely different and per Tony, this is why they handled the situations differently:

    “With Jeff [Hardy], it’s totally different. The way it went down is totally different and that’s why the statements and the way we handled the two things are different. In this case, I don’t think there is any comparison. Jeff is doing much better. As I understand, Jeff is in treatment. I don’t want to say too much about what is going on because it’s his business, but I’m here for him for whatever he needs. I’m really glad nobody got hurt.”

    ‘It’s His Last Chance’

    Though Tony Khan later said that he’d be remiss if he didn’t give Jeff the credit for finally doing the right thing. The AEW president claimed that this is Hardy’s last chance:

    “I’d be remiss if I didn’t give Jeff a lot of credit for now doing the right thing. This is why we said Jeff has to the right thing if he wants to stay with AEW. It’s [his] last chance.”

    Khan mentioned how Moxley didn’t put anyone at risk with his actions and so the two things cannot be compared. He also revealed his recent talk with Matt Hardy where he told the AEW star that they will support his brother through his treatment.

  • AEW Star Wants To Help The Company Gain More Female Viewers

    AEW Star Wants To Help The Company Gain More Female Viewers

    One of the main goals of Wardlow is to help grow AEW in all directions. This includes helping the company boost their female viewership as well.

    The heavyweight recently had an interview with Forbs. He talked about things such as his early days in wrestling, getting paid $5 for shows and more.

    Speaking about his goals in the company, Wardlow said that he is very in tune with numbers. He explained that his main goal is to help expand the viewership numbers in all categories, including the female viewership:

    “I’m very in tune with numbers, and my main goal for AEW is, I want to be the reason we have more viewers. I want to be the reason the female viewership goes up.

    I want to be the reason that 18-49 demographic goes up.” said Wardlow, “I want to be the reason our ratings are higher,”

    The former IWC star also discussed the recent influx of talent in AEW. Some fans are not happy with outside stars taking the spotlight from talents such as him but the AEW star explained that it’s good for them.

    He mentioned how someone like CM Punk brings a lot more eyes to the product. The former Pinnacle member said that it’ll only help the company grow and put more eyes on talents who have taken a backseat when they start getting pushed again.

  • Updated Mega-List of AEW Injuries

    Updated Mega-List of AEW Injuries

    Both AEW and WWE have several wrestlers out of action right now due to injury.

    While WWE has the likes of Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton on the sidelines, Orton with a back injury that needs surgery and Rhodes out with a torn pec, the number of injuries in AEW is concerning. 

    All of the injuries in AEW have caused various storylines to be changed. Here’s a list of all the wrestlers out with injuries: 

    • Kenny Omega
    • Bryan Danielson
    • CM Punk 
    • Kyle O’Reilly
    • Red Velvet
    • The Bunny 
    • Penelope Ford
    • Buddy Matthews 
    • Jake Roberts
    • Skye Blue

    As previously reported, Adam Cole was on this list as he was banged up, but he’s cleared and will work a fatal 4-way bout at Forbidden Door for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title against champion Jay White, Hangman Adam Page, and Kazuchika Okada.

    O’Reilly is out with an injury as President Tony Khan said on the AEW podcast that he’ll be out of action for a while. He didn’t say what the exact injury was. 

    Matthews noted on Instagram that he has a shoulder injury but he’s still lifting weights and can wrestle.

    Roberts is out of action with bladder surgery which is the reason why he wasn’t with Lance Archer in the main event of Dynamite.

  • Update on AEW’s Plans for Blood & Guts Match on 6/29

    Update on AEW’s Plans for Blood & Guts Match on 6/29

    All Elite Wrestling is bringing back the Blood & Guts match on the June 29th episode of Dynamite in Detroit. 

    AEW has yet to specifically name who will be in the match aside from just the announcement of the match after Chris Jericho accepted a Blood & Guts challenge on behalf of the Jericho Appreciation Society (JAS) from William Regal and Eddie Kingston earlier this month. 

    Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that it will be a six-on-six match with Chris Jericho & Daniel Garcia & Matt Menard & Angelo Parker & Jake Hager & Sammy Guevara vs. Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston & Santana & Ortiz & Wheeler Yuta & Bryan Danielson’s hand-picked mystery wrestler. Guevara joined JAS to make both teams even. 

    This is AEW’s version of War Games where two teams with bad blood battle it out in a cage with two rings. 

    The first-ever Blood & Guts match took place in May 2021 on Dynamite that saw The Pinnacle (MJF, FTR, Wardlow, and Shawn Spears) defeat The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana, and Ortiz).

    The match lasted the majority of the second hour with the heels going over after MJF threatened to throw Jericho off the top of the structure which led to Guevara giving in and surrendering to his demand only for MJF to toss Jericho off the top of the cage anyways.

  • Jon Moxley Is Over The Forbidden Door Term

    Jon Moxley Is Over The Forbidden Door Term

    AEW and NJPW are set to present one of the biggest cross-promotional events in the history of American Wrestling in Forbidden Door this Sunday. Though the two promotions were not on such good terms just a couple of years back. NJPW officials were not happy with The Elite for leaving the promotion to found their own company. At a time when the two organizations didn’t even have a line of communication, Jon Moxley became the bridge that helped close the gap.

    The former AEW world champion was one of the first major stars to be working for both the companies simultaneously. He was a major catalyst in opening up the line of communication between the two wrestling promotions. Mox talked about being one of the most important figures that helped build this relationship during his recent appearance on The Sessions podcast.

    Moxley was one of the first names to popularize the Forbidden Door term. However, he claimed that he is over it now because a Forbidden Door does not exist between AEW and New Japan anymore:

    “I really am over that term myself.” said Jon Moxley, “Everybody is using that. Tanahashi actually coined it but now it’s not forbidden anymore because now there’s a nice little working relationship. So the door is not forbidden anymore. There are [other] forbidden doors but there does not exist one between AEW and New Japan.”

    ‘People Told Me To Stop Working For New Japan’: Jon Moxley

    Jon then recalled the time when AEW and NJPW did not want to talk to each other. Per the former WWE star, there were plenty of people who told him to stop working for the Japanese promotion. Though he knew that it would be the end of all possibility of a crossover if he did so:

    “There were plenty of people that told me to stop working for New Japan. They did not understand it, they were like ‘you should stop going there.’ I knew that I was like the last linchpin, the last domino. If I fell then there would be no communication ever. There were so many people on both sides that were agreeing with me. It just didn’t open the communication. I think like when that Harold guy got fired from New Japan I think that kind of opened it up a little bit.”

    You can watch his full interview below:

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    If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription