SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • CM Punk On How The AEW Locker Room Feels About Him After Double Or Nothing

    CM Punk On How The AEW Locker Room Feels About Him After Double Or Nothing

    CM Punk thinks that the majority of the AEW locker room likes him. The ones who don’t are the same ones who aren’t providing any value themselves.

    The wrestling veteran took part in the post-media scrum after Double or Nothing PPV. He was asked about his previous comments about not fitting in the AEW locker room and how he feels now. Punk gave his best diplomatic answer to it:

    “I have grown so wise in my old age that I will do my best to be as diplomatic as I possibly can with this answer. If there are people backstage that don’t like me, it’s a minority. If anybody says nobody wants me here and nobody likes me, I would like to say that nobodies don’t like me and nobodies don’t want me here.”

    ‘There Are No Limitations Here’: CM Punk

    CM Punk main evented the Double or Nothing PPV alongside Hangman Adam Page. He defeated the Cowboy to become the new AEW World Heavyweight Champion at the show. Opening up about his recent comment of wasting his time in WWE, Punk said that he feels he never reached his full potential in Vince McMahon’s promotion:

    “I said something that I think a lot of people obviously on its face will think is ridiculous. I said I feel like the seven years I was out of the ring I didn’t feel was wasted. I feel almost that the 10 years that I spent in WWE was wasted.

    Because I feel it is Management, Owner, Booker, whoever’s job, is to get the most out of all the talent. I feel that I never [reached my full potential]. I reached the potential that I could have given the limitations they constantly put on me. I feel here [in AEW] there’s no limitations put on myself or anybody and sky’s the limit. So I finally feel like I could reach my potential.”

    According to CM Punk, he doesn’t have to engage in silly battles in AEW. Tony Khan’s company is a place where everyone can reach their full potential:

    “So that’s what I mean. When I say that. God damn, I look back on that time, and I’m like, ‘What are we doing?’ To me, you’re always trying to make the most money and put on the best possible show you can. It felt like 10 years of fighting silly battles and standing on my own d*ck and I’m not in the business of trying to stand on my own d*ck. I’ll say one more time. I don’t do that here. I think everybody here can reach their fullest potential.”

    You can watch the post Double Or Nothing media scrum below:

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

  • What Happened After AEW Double or Nothing Went Off The Air

    What Happened After AEW Double or Nothing Went Off The Air

    AEW Double or Nothing is in the books and we have a new world champion.

    The event emanated from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday night (May 29). In the main event, CM Punk challenged Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship.

    After a referee bump, Hangman teased nailing Punk with the gold. He had second thoughts and instead went for the Buckshot Lariat.

    Hangman’s hesitation cost him as Punk countered with the GTS to pick up the win. He is now the new AEW World Champion.

    After The Show

    When AEW Double or Nothing went off the air, CM Punk addressed the fans. He thanked his wife, April Mendez (AJ Lee). He also said he couldn’t have been a world champion in pro wrestling again without the fans.

    Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler of FTR made their way to the ring to celebrate with Punk.

    SEScoops was on the scene and you can check out footage of what transpired with the cameras stopped rolling below:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CeK2g35ujMn/

    SEScoops had you covered throughout the event. We provided results throughout the evening, which you can check out here.

  • CM Punk Wins AEW World Heavyweight Title At Double Or Nothing

    CM Punk Wins AEW World Heavyweight Title At Double Or Nothing

    The highly anticipated match between CM Punk and Adam Page for the AEW World Heavyweight Title took place in the main event of this year’s Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

    The match saw Punk gain the advantage early before they went back and forth. Page with a moonsault off the top rope to the floor. Page with the deadeye and the referee stopped the count before Punk kicked out. Page caught him with the GTS for 2. Punk went for the GTS and there was a referee bump. Page thought about hitting Punk with the belt, but didn’t and Punk connects with the GTS for the win. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531130006872764417
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    All Elite Wrestling announced the bout on the April 27th edition of Dynamite after Punk served as guest commentator for a Dax Harwood vs. Cash Wheeler match.

    Punk said that he will not guarantee a win against Page, but that every match since he joined AEW has been warming up to this. He promised to “fight until the wheels come off.” Two weeks prior, they had a brief face-to-face staredown. 

    The match marked Punk’s first World Title bout since July 2013 when he challenged for the WWE World Heavyweight Title match against Alberto Del Rio at a house show in Atlanta, a match that Punk won by disqualification. 

    Page became the AEW World Title when he defeated Kenny Omega at Full Gear in November 2021.

  • Jurassic Express Retain Tag Team Titles At AEW Double Or Nothing

    Jurassic Express Retain Tag Team Titles At AEW Double Or Nothing

    Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) had the deck stacked against them when they defended the AEW Tag Team Titles against Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland vs. Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs in a triple threat match at this year’s Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

    The match was wild. There was a scary spot where Starks fell off the apron and landed on his neck. Strickland hit an outside dive then Lee. Lee and Strickland hit a powerbomb/foot stomp combo on Jungle Boy. Jurassic Express hit their finisher for the win. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531122221422465025
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531123493491904512

    That bout was set up on the May 18th edition of Dynamite when Lee and Strickland defeated The WorkHorsemen, which earned them a spot in the top five tag team rankings. 

    Post-match, Starks, and Hobbs confronted Strickland and Lee before Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Jungle Boy appeared where Cage issued the pay-per-view challenge to both teams. 

    Jurassic Express won the Tag Team Titles on the January 5th edition of Dynamite by beating The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix). Heading into this show, they held the titles for over 140 days. 

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

  • RUSH Signs With AEW

    RUSH Signs With AEW

    RUSH is now All Elite. 

    During Saturday’s AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event, Andrade El Idolo did a segment with his lawyer where he cut a promo about how he hates the name AFO and he’s not here to lose. He called the group losers. He has a new business partner and that is RUSH. 

    The segment was taped in advance as Andrade is on his honeymoon after getting married to Charlotte Flair this past Friday. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531118803467259905
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531118803467259905

    RUSH is best known for his time in MLW, NJPW, CMLL and Ring of Honor. He made his in-ring debut in 2007 before changing his name in 2009 while working for CMLL. He is a former CMLL World Light Heavyweight Champion, CMLL World Tag Team Champion, CMLL World Trios Champion and Mexican National Trios Champion. He’s also a former two-time ROH World Heavyweight Champion. 

    He had been working for AAA as of late where he joined Killer Kross, L.A. Park and Konnan in a new group called La Facción Ingobernable. RUSH’s time in ROH wrapped up in January as he was among the names to be let go by ROH before the promotion was sold to AEW President Tony Khan.

  • Thunder Rosa Retains Women’s Title At AEW Double Or Nothing

    Thunder Rosa Retains Women’s Title At AEW Double Or Nothing

    Thunder Rosa made her latest title defense as the AEW Women’s Champion against Serena Deeb at the Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. 

    They went back and forth early. They traded submissions. The crowd was dead for this match. Rosa with her finisher for the win. 

    The challenge was issued on the May 4th edition of Dynamite following a confrontation between the champion and the new challenger. Rosa called out the number one contender, which was Deeb, on this show. Deeb stated that in order for the AEW women’s division to be the best in the world, the best wrestler in the world needed to be champion, and she considered herself on another level. Deeb stated that she would be taking the title from Rosa at Double or Nothing, she would be taking the title.

    Deeb became the top ranked AEW women’s wrestler after defeating Hikaru Shida in a street fight. 

    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.

  • Britt Baker Wins AEW Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament

    Britt Baker Wins AEW Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament

    Ruby Soho vs.  Britt Baker battled it out in the finals of the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament at the AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    The match saw Baker dominate the majority of it. Baker with the stomp for 2. Ruby eventually fought her way back. Ruby with a head kick then went for the sharpshooter, but Baker got to the bottom rope. The finish saw Baker reverse a roll up with one of her own. Post-match, Martha Hart came out for a speech.

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531092067992092674

    There were several qualifying matches to earn your way into the bracket including Toni Storm defeat The Bunny, Jamie Hayter beat Skye Blue, Hikaru Shida over Julia Hart, Red Velvet beat Willow Nightingale, Ruby Soho defeat Robyn Renegade, Dr. Britt Baker DMD defeated Danielle Kamela, and Riho over Yuka Sakzaki.

    The opening round matches featured Toni Storm defeating Jamie Hayter on May 11, Ruby Soho defeating Riho on May 13, Dr. Britt Baker DMD beating Maki Itoh on May 18, and Kris Statlander defeating Red Velvet on May 20.

    The semi-final matches saw Britt Baker defeated Toni Storm on May 25 and Ruby Soho vs Kris Statlander on May 27

    What are your thoughts on Baker winning the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • Adam Cole Wins AEW Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament

    Adam Cole Wins AEW Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament

    Adam Cole vs. Samoa Joe battled it out in the finals of the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament at the AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    The match was back and fourth. Bobby Fish interfered late in the match and that allowed Cole to hit several kicks and the boom knee to the back of the head for the win. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531087427057635330
    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531085909751382016

    There were several qualifying matches to earn your way into the bracket including Joe over Max Caster, Kyle O’Reilly defeated Jungle Boy, Adam Cole beat Tomohiro Ishii, Dax Harwood defeated Cash Wheeler, Darby Allin over Swerve Strickland, Jeff Hardy beat Bobby Fish, and Rey Fenix defeated Dante Martin. 

    The opening round matches featured Jeff Hardy defeating Darby Allin on May 11, Adam Cole defeating Dax Harwood on May 11, Kyle O’Reilly over Rey Fenix on May 18, and Samoa Joe defeating Johnny Elite on May 18.

    Joe defeated Kyle O’Reilly in the second semifinal match to advance, submitting O’Reilly with a rear naked choke while Cole beat Hardy in his semi-final match to reach the finals. 

    What are your thoughts on Cole winning the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • Athena & Stokely Hathaway Debut At AEW Double Or Nothing

    Athena & Stokely Hathaway Debut At AEW Double Or Nothing

    Athena, formerly known as Ember Moon, and Stokely Hathaway, formerly known as Malcolm Bivens, are now All Elite. 

    The former WWE stars made their debut when AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill beat Anna Jay at the AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event. Stokely came out towards the end of the match and aligned with Jade. Following the match, Kris Statlander hit the ring to confront Jade.  Athena was in as well to confront Jade. 

    AEW President Tony Khan made them signing official as he posted that they’re All Elite, a confirmation they’ve signed full-time deals with the promotion. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531077840120299521

    Athena was among the names to be let go by WWE on November 4th. Her last match under the WWE banner was a loss to WWE NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose on the October 5th edition of NXT.

    While with WWE, she was a one-time Women’s and one-time Tag Team Champion in NXT.

    Hathaway came from EVOLVE before going to WWE where he was used as a manager, most notably for the Diamond Mine Faction. He was released one month ago.

  • Wardlow Beats MJF At AEW Double Or Nothing

    Wardlow Beats MJF At AEW Double Or Nothing

    The highly anticipated match between MJF and Wardlow did take place as scheduled at the AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event despite the speculation regarding MJF’s status for the show. 

    The match had the stipulation that if Wardlow won then he’ll be free from the contract that he signed with MJF, but if MJF won then Wardlow can never sign with AEW. MJF was heavily booed by the fans, who chanted “he showed up.” MJF did a hurricanrana and MJF sold his leg like an injury. MJF tried to use the diamond ring, but was caught. Wardlow hit over 5 powerbombs in a row for the win. MJF was stretched from ringside. 

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1531066624459083776
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    Over the last 24 hours, MJF’s status has been the main point of conversation after he no-showed Saturday’s Fan Fest meet and greet. AEW has yet to comment publicly on the situation. Then he booked a flight out of Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night to Newark, NJ, but didn’t get on the plane and stayed in Las Vegas. 

    Earlier this month, it was reported by Fightful that MJF is leaning towards leaving AEW when his contract expires in 2024. MJF signed a five-year deal with AEW in 2019.

    AEW President Tony Khan spoke about MJF’s contract situation being mentioned on screen during a media call ahead of Double or Nothing and stated that he thinks it’s great that MJF has been able to address some real-life grievances and air his actual status. 

  • Opening Match For AEW Double or Nothing 2022 Revealed

    Opening Match For AEW Double or Nothing 2022 Revealed

    It looks like the first match on the AEW Double or Nothing 2022 card has been revealed.

    AEW DoN will be taking place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight (May 29). An AEW World Title match is set between Hangman Adam Page and CM Punk.

    There are plenty of other matches such as a three-team tag title match, an AEW Women’s Title match, and much more.

    Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated is reporting that opening the PPV portion of the card will be MJF vs. Wardlow.

    “Double or Nothing pay per view is currently scheduled to be MJF vs. Wardlow.

    “Young Bucks-Hardys is second, then Jade Cargill-Anna Jay. Anarchy in the Arena is two before the main event, which is Hangman-Punk.”

    MJF vs. Wardlow is an interesting opener given the circumstances.

    Maxwell no-showed AEW Fan Fest on Saturday. It was reported that AEW officials initially couldn’t contact him.

    It’s been said that things got ugly between the two sides and there was a possibility that MJF could’ve taken a flight out of Las Vegas but ultimately stayed.

    The AEW Double or Nothing PPV will begin at 8 p.m. ET.

  • WWE Advertising Money in The Bank Outside of AEW Double or Nothing Venue

    WWE Advertising Money in The Bank Outside of AEW Double or Nothing Venue

    WWE is hyping up its Money in the Bank PPV at the sight of AEW Double or Nothing.

    AEW is in Las Vegas tonight (May 29) but WWE will make its way to “Sin City” on July 2. Double or Nothing takes place inside T-Mobile Arena, while Money in the Bank has been moved from Allegiant Stadium to the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

    Observant fan Sean Slate took notice of a WWE truck advertising MITB with Cody Rhodes front and center outside of the DoN venue.

    In recent days, we’ve seen AEW President Tony Khan take a shot at WWE over moving MITB from a stadium to an arena. WWE has said they have moved to the “intimate confines” of the MGM Grand.

    There’s a lot of buzz surrounding Double or Nothing tonight. Many are wondering about the status of MJF, who no-showed a meet and greet on Saturday amid issues with AEW.

    Hours before the show, he hadn’t arrived at the building but AEW has put back the hype video for his match with Wardlow on YouTube. As of now, the match is still scheduled to go on.

  • Very Latest on MJF, Is He In The Building For AEW Double Or Nothing?

    Very Latest on MJF, Is He In The Building For AEW Double Or Nothing?

    Tension is building just hours away from AEW Double or Nothing and MJF is at the center of it all.

    This weekend has been a wild one for AEW officials to say the least. MJF and Samoa Joe weren’t present at AEW Fan Fest but their situations were quite different.

    In Joe’s case, Sean Ross Sapp reports that this may have been the result of an accidental double booking. Joe already had commitments for voiceover work, so this was an error on AEW’s part.

    With MJF, he flat out no-showed.

    PWInsider reported that AEW officials initially couldn’t contact him despite attempts. Fightful followed that story up, reporting a flight out of Las Vegas was booked for MJF just one night before Double or Nothing.

    PWInsider then reported that MJF remained in Las Vegas as he didn’t board the plane to Newark, New Jersey.

    Is MJF Inside T-Mobile Arena?

    MJF
    (AEW)

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer is reporting that as of about three hours before the AEW Double or Nothing Buy-In show, MJF has not been seen inside the building.

    Furthermore, AEW has removed its hype video on YouTube promoting the MJF vs. Wardlow match scheduled for tonight. Earlier today, the company removed a tweet hyping up the match.

    Reports have insisted that this is a very real situation between MJF and AEW. It’ll be interesting to see if something was worked out and AEW is milking it or if MJF’s status will truly come down to the wire.

    Update: The video hyping up MJF vs. Wardlow has been put back on the YouTube channel.

  • AEW Removes Tweet Advertising MJF vs. Wardlow For Double or Nothing

    AEW Removes Tweet Advertising MJF vs. Wardlow For Double or Nothing

    AEW has pulled a Twitter post hyping up MJF vs. Wardlow.

    Tonight (May 29), Double or Nothing will take place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. AEW has been building a long-term storyline with MJF and Wardlow that is expected to be paid off tonight.

    The problem is, Maxwell Jacob Friedman and AEW have been having major issues as of late.

    Here is the tweet from AEW that has since been removed advertising the match:

    For those who have been out of the loop the past 24 hours, MJF no-showed a meet and greet scheduled for the AEW Fan Fest on Saturday. PWInsider reported that initially, AEW officials couldn’t contact him.

    Fightful later reported that MJF had a flight booked out of Las Vegas for late Saturday night. The report noted that it wasn’t known whether or not he’d actually board the flight.

    PWInsider followed this up, reporting that MJF remained in Las Vegas and did not board the flight to Newark, New Jersey.

    For what it’s worth, AEW has posted a hype video on its official YouTube channel for MJF vs. Wardlow within the past hour and as of this writing, that hasn’t been taken down.

  • ‘The Citadel’ Was Pitched As A Name For Jericho Appreciation Society

    ‘The Citadel’ Was Pitched As A Name For Jericho Appreciation Society

    On March 9, the Jericho Appreciation Society came together to solidify Jericho’s split from Santana & Ortiz. This also was the official end of the Inner Circle.

    Jericho noted that he wanted to “cordially split up” the Inner Circle after the Stadium Stampede with The Pinnacle. He also said that he had an interest in forming a group with Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley.

    During his feud with Kingston, Jericho unveiled his Jericho Appreciation Society. The group features Daddy Magic Matt Mennard, Cool Hand Angelo Parker, and Daniel Garcia.

    Many times during the feud, Kingston brought up the possibility of Jericho being the one to hold Santana & Ortiz back.

    The Formation Of The Jericho Appreciation Society

    On Talk Is Jericho, he talked about how the group and the idea for it came together. 

    Jericho said, “I thought, ‘this [Kingston bringing up Santana & Ortiz] is interesting, we can have some dissension here.’ Then, the fateful moment where Daniel Bryan is going to align with Moxley and he goes, ‘We can bring in Moriarty, we can bring in Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia.’ I was like, ‘is this a thing? If it is, we’ve built up these three guys who have beat up Eddie Kingston and Chris Jericho and now they’re going to break it apart? These guys have to stay together. They have to stay together with me! It’s perfect.’

    It hit me like, ‘Holy shit.’ Eddie Kingston, Santana, Ortiz have history, they do their thing, I start a new faction with you three and Jake because Jake and I have always been together since day one and I need a killer. ‘This could really work.’ That’s the original idea I pitched to Tony and said, ‘What do you think about this? I know it’s weird.”

    The Origin Of The Jericho Appreciation Society

    Chris went on to talk about the formation of the name as well.

    “The original idea for this whole plan, the name of it was going to be The Citadel. I thought The Citadel was great. I said it to Tony and there was no pop for it whatsoever. I was like, ‘The Citadel sucks. I need something better.’ 

    I was looking at the Art Appreciation Society or something like that, some weird email of ‘if you like this, maybe you should check out the Art Appreciation Society in downtown Detroit.’ Then, The Jericho Appreciation Society was just cheesy enough. It’s pretentious,” Chris said.

    The former AEW World Champion also added how The Inner Circle were five guys with different identities and opinions but the JAS group was just four guys meant to be together to appreciate Jericho.

    Jericho Appreciation Society At AEW Double Or Nothing

    At Double Or Nothing, the JAS will take on Danielson, Kingston, Moxley, Santana & Ortiz in an Anarchy in the Arena match.

    To view the current lineup for AEW Double or Nothing and how to watch, click here. 

    H/T to Jeremy Lambert Fightful for the transcription

  • Tony Khan On Why Blood & Guts Isn’t Scheduled At AEW Double Or Nothing

    Tony Khan On Why Blood & Guts Isn’t Scheduled At AEW Double Or Nothing

    For the past two years at AEW Double or Nothing, there has been a Stadium Stampede match.

    Now that fans are back in the arena, it seems that Anarchy In The Arena has replaced Stadium Stampede. Eddie Kingston, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Santana & Ortiz will take on the Jericho Appreciation Society (Chris Jericho, Daniel Garcia, Jake Hager, 2point0).

    When the match was first announced, many thought that it would be a Blood & Guts match.

    Tony Khan: Blood & Guts Means Less Ringside Seats

    Tony Khan appeared on In The Kliq and was asked about the reason that the Blood & Guts match was not scheduled for Double or Nothing.

    The AEW owner said, “I don’t think it would necessarily make sense with what we had set up on the pay-per-view in terms of getting the cage up and down for Blood & Guts and also the seating because it means less ringside seats. 

    “We have such great fans coming to the show and such a big attendance, actually a record gate for AEW. It’s the first time we’ve ever sold over a million dollars, just in tickets, we’re over $1.1 million in tickets for Double or Nothing before we even hit pay-per-view. It’s going to be a huge pay-per-view audience. Fans all over America and all over the world are talking about Double or Nothing.”

    Possible Blood & Guts Return

    The host went on to ask if Blood & Guts would eventually return, specifically because he wanted William Regal to say, “BLOOD & GUTS” similar to how he would say “WARGAMES!” during his time in NXT.

    Tony Khan responded, “It’s an interesting thought and an interesting thing you bring up. I would not rule that out in the future at all. I would love for Blood & Guts to return to AEW. We still have the cage. It would make a lot of sense for Blood & Guts to come back to AEW.”

    The first, last, and only Blood & Guts match took place on May 5, 2021 on AEW Dynamite. The match featured The Inner Circle taking on The Pinnacle

    To view the current lineup for AEW Double or Nothing and how to watch, click here. 

    H/T to Jeremy Lambert Fightful for the transcription

  • Bryan Danielson Reveals Big Reason He Signed With AEW

    Bryan Danielson Reveals Big Reason He Signed With AEW

    Bryan Danielson was one of the most shocking names to leave WWE to join AEW. Per Bryan, one big reason for it was being able to spend more time with his family.

    The former world champion recently had an interview with Sports Illustrated. He talked about his upcoming Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing and more.

    Speaking about his reason to join AEW, Bryan mentioned the recent Texas shooting. He explained that it made him want to spend more time with his family. The former WWE star then dived into some philosophy from a book called Four Thousand Weeks:

    “The book says it’s about time management, but it’s actually a book about philosophy. The average lifespan is only 4,000 weeks. If you look at where I’m at now, I’m 2,000 weeks in, and I’ve got 2,000 weeks left. With all the craziness in the world, do I want to spend the rest of those weeks entertaining people? Or do I want to spend more time with my family?”

    Bryan Danielson explained that the ability to have freedom in his wrestling career while also having more time for his family is one of the key reasons why he signed with Tony Khan’s promotion:

    “That’s actually one of the reasons why I chose AEW. It allows me the ability to have a little more freedom with my wrestling and wrestle different people with different styles, but it’s also to spend more time with my family.”

    Apart from this, Danielson discussed things such as the longevity of Chris Jericho, if he would consider joining the Chris Jericho appreciation society, and more.

  • Update on Samoa Joe Missing AEW DoN Fan Fest

    Update on Samoa Joe Missing AEW DoN Fan Fest

    MJF wasn’t the only one who didn’t attend the AEW Double or Nothing Fan Fest.

    Fans grew concerned upon the news that MJF and Samoa Joe weren’t in attendance for the pre-PPV festivities. In MJF’s case, he no-showed seemingly due to some lingering issues with AEW.

    In fact, Fightful reports that MJF has a flight booked out of Las Vegas before the PPV event. He has a big match scheduled with Wardlow that may not even happen. At this time, it’s unknown whether or not he’ll actually get on the plane.

    As for Joe, things are a bit different.

    Bryan Alvarez of F4W has reported that the reason Samoa Joe didn’t attend his planned meet and greet was due to a communication issue.

    Sean Ross Sapp followed up Bryan’s report, saying sources indicated to him that Joe may have been accidentally double-booked.

    Joe is scheduled to meet Adam Cole in the finals of the Men’s Owen Hart Cup at the Double or Nothing PPV tomorrow night (May 29).

    Win or lose at DoN, Joe figures to be a major player in Tony Khan’s vision for Ring of Honor. Samoa Joe is the current ROH World Television Champion and he’s involved in a feud with Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh.

  • MJF Remains In Las Vegas Ahead Of AEW Double Or Nothing

    MJF Remains In Las Vegas Ahead Of AEW Double Or Nothing

    UPDATE: PWInsider is reporting that MJF remains in Las Vegas despite being booked for a flight out of “Sin City” one night before AEW Double or Nothing. He did not board the plane to Newark, New Jersey.

    ORIGINAL:

    It looks like the MJF-AEW situation has reached a boiling point.

    Earlier today (May 28), MJF failed to show up to a meet and greet during a Fan Fest. PWInsider reported that this wasn’t a work and AEW officials couldn’t contact him despite several attempts.

    In an update, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful has reported that MJF is physically fine and that he has a flight booked out of Las Vegas tonight.

    The report notes that it isn’t known whether or not MJF will get on the flight tonight, just that it has been booked.

    There is currently no word on why this flight was booked for tonight. It’s been said in the report that some within the company are “very unhappy” with how this situation has unfolded.

    MJF has made it clear that he’ll be weighing his options once his AEW contract expires in 2024. He’s dropped several hints of testing the waters with WWE.

    It was reported that MJF has been frustrated with his pay. AEW has reportedly been willing to negotiate a new deal but MJF hasn’t been receptive to those overtures.

    While MJF has blurred the lines between performance and reality, this report seems to be as real as it gets.

  • MJF No-Shows DoN Meet & Greet, AEW Officials Unable To Contact Him

    MJF No-Shows DoN Meet & Greet, AEW Officials Unable To Contact Him

    There is yet another layer to the MJF-AEW madness.

    Ahead of this Sunday’s (May 29) big Double or Nothing PPV event, AEW held a Fan Fest. MJF was scheduled to attend a meet and greet but he failed to do so.

    PWInsider is reporting that MJF’s failure to appear was not a work. The report notes that Maxwell Jacob Friedman didn’t respond to AEW’s attempts to contact him.

    One fan on social media claims he was spotted at a casino instead.

    Fans who paid for autographs and photos for the MJF showing were offered refunds and exchanges.

    Those who may be worried about MJF’s physical well-being can rest easy, at the very least. Sean Ross Sapp confirmed he is okay.

    MJF is currently scheduled to take on Wardlow at the Double or Nothing PPV. The stipulation is that if Wardlow wins, he’s free from MJF’s contract. If he loses, he can never sign a deal with AEW.

    Maxwell’s contract with AEW is legitimately coming due in 2024. The PWInsider report notes that some within the company feel MJF has been disrespectful to AEW President Tony Khan as of late.

    There’s no word on if Khan, himself, feels this way.

    MJF has dropped several teases that he’ll ditch AEW in favor of WWE when his contract is due. He’s even made those references on AEW TV.

    Fightful’s Will Washington reported earlier this month that not too many people within AEW are on MJF’s side with how he’s been handling things behind the scenes.

    It’ll be interesting to see if this situation impacts the Double or Nothing card.

  • New AEW Action Figures Announced During Double Or Nothing Fan Fest

    New AEW Action Figures Announced During Double Or Nothing Fan Fest

    On May 28, AEW revealed new Series’ in their ‘Unmatched’ and ‘Unrivaled’ action figure lines during the Double or Nothing Fan Fest. A Ringside Collectibles Owen Hart exclusive figure was also promoted.

    Below is a detailed list of the figures and collections that AEW announced. On their ShopAEW.com Twitter page, AEW posted photos of the figures.

    Unrivaled Supreme Series 3

    • Lucha Bros – Commemorating All Out 2021 Attire

    Unrivaled 13

    • The Butcher and The Blade
    • The Bunny
    • Matt Hardy
    • Jeff Hardy
    • Danhausen

    Unrivaled 14

    • Orange Cassidy
    • Trent Beretta
    • Chuck Taylor
    • Kris Statlander
    • Keith Lee
    • Swerve Strickland

    Unmatched 6

    • Owen Hart – Ringside Collectibles Exclusive
    • Mr. Brodie Lee
    • Malakai Black
    • Ruby Soho
    • Santana and Ortiz

    Unmatched Series 7

    • CM Punk
    • Thunder Rosa
    • Penta El Zero Miedo
    • Rey Fenix
    • Pac
    • HOOK

    Unmatched Series 8

    • Arn Anderson
    • Alex Reynolds
    • Abadon
    • Brody King
    • Buddy Matthews
    • Malakai Black
  • Jim Ross Thinks One AEW Star Should Be Used More

    Jim Ross Thinks One AEW Star Should Be Used More

    Jim Ross believes that one AEW talent is rather underutilized.

    AEW has a stacked roster. One criticism of the company has been that so many names are brought in that there’s no room for them on TV.

    A good chunk of wrestlers are seen on AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation as a result.

    Lance Archer Underutilized?

    Lance Archer
    (via AEW)

    During an edition of his Grilling JR podcast, AEW play-by-play ace Jim Ross expressed his belief that Lance Archer could be used more on TV.

    “Smart move by Tony Khan to bring Jake [Roberts] in. We have such a young roster that you can’t get too many mentors, coaches, or whatever you want to say. Tony did a good job with that. I liked the pairing of Lance Archer and Jake.

    “I think Lance is one of the more underutilized guys in the wrestling business.

    “Big, rugged son of a gun. Nice man, reliable. You can’t get too many Lance Archer’s on your roster, I can promise you that. I thought that was a smart hire, and it came out of the blue to me.

    “I’m not involved in the hiring or firing of talent in AEW, nor do I want to be. I’ve done that and been there. I’m happy that Tony made that hire, and it was good for all of us.”

    Quotes via 411Mania.com.

  • Tay Conti To Take Legal Action Against Person Sending Threatening Messages

    Tay Conti To Take Legal Action Against Person Sending Threatening Messages

    AEW star Tay Conti has shared screenshots of threats that she’s received by a person on Instagram direct messages and Twitter.

    The man continues to threaten Conti and her boyfriend Sammy Guevara.

    Conti stated that the man has been sending her messages every day since January. According to the messages, the man plans on “doing something” to the couple next month.

    Conti said that she will take legal precautions against the person. She even informed fans that if something happens to her and Guevara, they know who to look for.

    She wrote the following on Twitter:

    “This is absurd. His name is DUSTIN DOLEZAL and he’s been threatening Sammy and I since January. He writes us EVERY SINGLE DAY and apparently planning to do something with us in June. I’m taking legally precautions but if something happens to us y’all know who to look for [sic].”

    The situation is certainly scary and after receiving threats every single day for almost five months, anyone would get worried. Unfortunately, Conti had to reveal publicly on social media that she is facing such harassment and receiving threatening messages.

    Toxicity and negativity on social media have become prevalent. Recently, Britt Baker got flak online from fans for simply naming Sasha Banks her dream opponent in an interview. Ironically, in that same interview, Baker talked about the toxic environment on social media and how it can have serious real-life consequences.

    Tay Conti will be teaming up with Guevara and Frankie Kazarian in a mixed-gender, trios match where they will face TNT Champion Scorpio Sky, Paige VanZant, and Ethan Page on AEW Double Or Nothing event on Sunday.

    You can check out the tweet below:

  • Update on Paul Wight’s In-Ring Status With AEW

    Update on Paul Wight’s In-Ring Status With AEW

    There is an update on the in-ring status of AEW’s Paul Wight.

    Back in Feb. 2021, Wight signed with AEW after once being considered a WWE lifer. Many expected Wight to mostly have a backstage presence and a run on commentary but he’s had even fewer matches than some anticipated.

    As it turns out, Paul Wight isn’t done with in-ring work for AEW but he says the days of being in action often are over.

    He told Submission Radio that years of wear and tear, his desire to be a full-time commentator, and not wanting to take time away from talent has led to him appearing in the ring less frequently.

    “I had another hip transplant in December. So, now I have two fake hips now, I have two titanium hips so I’m like Wolverine.

    “So the focus for me has just been on rehab, physical therapy, and just getting stronger. And my thing coming over [to AEW], honestly, to be sincere, is I came over here to work on my commentary skills because that’s where my future lies in wrestling, that’s where I want to contribute to the business.

    “But I came over to compete periodically, in small doses, like I don’t see myself running for championships, that’s not my gig.

    “Maybe if it works out and there’s a younger talent that I can help bring along, like a tag team championship, maybe. I’ve done my five nights a week for decades, I’ve put in my time.

    “Now, for me, it’s about not taking anything away from the amazing AEW talent here that deserves that TV time, that deserves that opportunity to make those connections with the audience, that deserves that ability to go out and earn those pay-per-view paydays.

    “This is their time.”

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Brian Cage Was Present Backstage At AEW Dynamite

    Brian Cage Was Present Backstage At AEW Dynamite

    Brian Cage hasn’t been seen in some time on AEW TV. His last appearance was back in the October 6 edition of Rampage where he lost an FTW Title Philadelphia Street Fight against Ricky Starks.

    Fightful Select reported that Cage was present backstage at AEW Dynamite this past Wednesday. He hadn’t been seen backstage recently. There is no information regarding his return to the company or if there are any plans for him.

    While Cage was not used by AEW, he continued wrestling on the independent scene. The company picked up his contract option despite not using him for months.

    Cage also made an appearance at the ROH Supercard of Honor event on April 1. He defeated Ninja Mack with Tully Blanchard on his side.

    Cage’s wife Melissa Santas made public statements in September about Cage not being utilized properly by AEW. In November, she alleged that those comments ended up getting Cage heat backstage in AEW.

    Cage did tease a “shocking re-debut” recently when the official AEW Twitter account made a throwback “on this day” post, highlighting Cage’s debut at Double or Nothing 2020.

    “About time to make a shocking return/ re-debut and do it again,” Cage wrote.

    Considering AEW mentioned Brian Cage’s debut and he was also present backstage, it wouldn’t be surprising if we see him return to AEW programming soon.