SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Toni Storm On Competing In The Owen Hart Cup Tournament

    Toni Storm On Competing In The Owen Hart Cup Tournament

    One of the biggest reasons wrestlers prefer AEW over other companies is the creative control. The promotion allows its talent a lot of freedom in what they do and say. Many of the stars have said that this freedom has helped them reignite the creative spark and passion for the business. It appears Toni Storm is one such name.

    The former WWE star recently appeared on AEW Unrestricted podcast. Among other things, she discussed being part of the Owens Hart Cup tournament. Storm claimed that she was nervous competing in the first round of the tournament:

    “Yeah it’s incredible being part of.” said Toni Storm, “To be [in] first round me and Jamie Hayter. I was definitely feeling the pressure. Like setting the standard. [It was like] ‘We really gotta have a good match here because it sets the tone for the tournament going forward.’ But I had a great time winning. I feel like every match that I’m having here so far is just kind of reigniting that passion more and more. More than I thought possible.”

    Toni Storm made her AEW debut during the March 30 episode of Dynamite. She defeated The Bunny to qualify for the Owens Hart Cup tournament. She went on to defeat Jamie Hayter in the first round of the competition. Storm is now scheduled to face Dr. Brit Baker in the semi-finals of the tournament.

    More Originals From SEScoops:

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

  • John Morrison’s AEW Status Revealed

    John Morrison’s AEW Status Revealed

    John Morrison made his AEW debut as “Johnny Elite” but is he a member of the full-time roster?

    That question has been answered thanks to a report from PWInsider. The report notes that Morrison is currently not signed to a deal with AEW.

    With that said, the promotion is open to having some more appearances from “Johnny Elite.”

    Morrison was the “Joker” entrant in the men’s quarterfinals of the Owen Hart Cup. He went one-on-one with ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe. Morrison fell short in the match, getting pinned after taking a Muscle Buster.

    After the match, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh hit the ring and attacked both men.

    Members of CHAOS ran out to make the save.

    WWE cut ties with Morrison back in Nov. 2021. He ended up returning to AAA as “Johnny Superstar” before settling on “Johnny Caballero.”

    Fans have also witnessed Morrison return to the indies. He had a few matches under the GCW banner.

  • Update On Bryan Danielson Following AEW Rampage Taping

    Update On Bryan Danielson Following AEW Rampage Taping

    An update has surfaced on Bryan Danielson’s health following a recent AEW Rampage taping.

    Fans inside the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas got quite a scare when Danielson got his leg caught between the entrance ramp and the ring. This occurred at the conclusion of the Rampage taping set to air on May 20.

    Danielson was said to have had his leg stuck for a lengthy period of time. Some fans say it was as long as 10 minutes, while others claim it was much shorter.

    PWInsider is reporting that Bryan Danielson was “OK” backstage following the situation. The report also notes that there’s no word on the rumor spreading that this may have been a work.

    Danielson was able to walk to the back on his own power but he was limping. He remained in character, however, flipping the bird towards Eddie Kingston.

    Danielson and Kingston recently got into a shoving match despite being aligned for a program with the Chris Jericho Appreciation Society. Danielson attempted to hold Kingston back from going after Jericho on Dynamite, causing friction between the two.

    Those tuning into Rampage this Friday night will get to see how the tag team match between Danielson and Moxley vs. Dante Martin and Matt Sydal played out.

  • AEW Introducing Several New Championship Belts Soon (Spoilers)

    AEW Introducing Several New Championship Belts Soon (Spoilers)

    Championships don’t exactly come at a premium in wrestling and AEW is no exception.

    Voices of Wrestling is reporting that the male and female winners of the Owen Hart Cup will be presented with special titles likely in place of trophies. The report also notes that these titles will have a black and pink theme to honor Owen Hart.

    These championships are not expected to be defended.

    The following section contains spoilers for the May 20 episode of AEW Rampage.

    New Custom TNT Title?

    Scorpio Sky TNT Championship
    (via AEW)

    AEW has already taped the May 20 episode of Rampage. During the show, there was a segment involving TNT Champion Scorpio Sky, Ethan Page, Dan Lambert, Sammy Guevara, and Frankie Kazarian.

    At one point, Guevara and Kazarian destroyed Sky’s TNT Championship with a sledgehammer.

    This seems to indicate that Sky could be getting a new custom championship soon. Of course, it’s speculation at this point but Sky does love some LA Lakers colors. Could we be seeing a purple and gold spin on the TNT Title?

    We already know that AEW is planning to unleash Trios Titles in the future. AEW President Tony Khan confirmed the report from Dave Meltzer during an interview with TSN.

    In fact, Khan said that those titles have been created for a while.

  • Jim Ross Clarifies Comments About Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts’ Health

    Jim Ross Clarifies Comments About Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts’ Health

    AEW Commentator Jim Ross has said that he didn’t mean to cause an issue for Jake Roberts after reporting that the former wrestler is in poor health.

    Earlier this month, JR reported that Roberts’ health is “not good” but Jake later refuted the claim via tweet.

    Speaking on this week’s ‘Grillin’ JR’ podcast, Ross said that Roberts will know his own health better but that he still believes he is dealing with multiple issues.

    “I said some stuff about Jake’s health and his breathing issues and he denies as sickly as I portrayed him to be,” Ross said.

    “Maybe he’s right, he’d know better than me. But I know that his health has been challenging, he’s got a breathing machine, oxygen he carries with him and to me, that’s not normal but he’s dealing with it. He’s under great doctor’s care and I didn’t want to start some bullsh*t about Jake because it might affect his bookings.”

    “Maybe he’s right, he’d know better than me. But I know that his health has been challenging.”

    Jim Ross

    Roberts’ most recent AEW appearance came on the April 27, Dynamite, where he accompanied Lance Archer for his match with Wardlow.

    Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

  • Toni Storm Says Charlotte Flair Pie Angle is Better Than Originally Pitched Idea

    Toni Storm Says Charlotte Flair Pie Angle is Better Than Originally Pitched Idea

    AEW’s Toni Storm may not have enjoyed being doused with pastries in WWE, but it was far better than the company’s original idea.

    The former NXT UK Women’s Champion was called up to SmackDown in July 2021 but was granted her requested release in December that same year.

    Prior to her departure, Storm feuded with then-SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and was covered in pie on the November 26, SmackDown.

    Appearing on this latest ‘AEW Unrestricted,’ Storm was asked about the angle and said it was originally pitched for her to have her clothes ripped off.

    “The original idea was I was asked if I was comfortable with having my shirt ripped off or something. They wanted to do this whole angle where it was like they were going to rip my shirt and I would be embarrassed in my underwear, I guess. I don’t know. When you’re asked if you feel comfortable doing that, and it’s like literally people are being fired every single week, it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah.’

    “So to be honest, the pie was actually a sweet treat in comparison to what it could have been. In hindsight, I didn’t really mind. You know what? People think I’m so mad about that. I think it’s hilarious.”

    “When you’re asked if you feel comfortable doing that [Having your clothes ripped off,] and it’s like literally people are being fired every single week, it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah.’”

    Toni Storm

    Storm added that after her WWE release, she considered herself done with wrestling, believing she would have to “leave forever.”

    The New Zealand-Australian is currently competing in the Owen Hart Women’s Foundation Tournament and will face Britt Baker in the semi-finals.

    Thanks to Wrestling News for the transcription.

  • AEW’s Miro Features in Trailer for CBS’ ‘East New York’

    AEW’s Miro Features in Trailer for CBS’ ‘East New York’

    Former AEW TNT Champion Miro is featured in the trailer for ‘East New York‘ an upcoming series from CBS.

    Miro hasn’t been seen on AEW programming since Full Gear 2021 where he lost to Bryan Danielson.

    The new show will star Amanda Warren (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) with Miro’s character being named Nikolai Dushkin.

    The official description for the show is as follows:

    “Regina Haywood (Warren) is the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, a working-class neighborhood at the edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting in the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification.”

    You can check out the trailer below.

    Miro’s previous roles

    Miro (then Rusev) points a gun at narcotics officer Ray Thompson (Dolph Ziggler) in 2016’s ‘Countdown.’

    This may be Miro’s biggest role to date but isn’t his only foray into acting.

    In 2016, the then-Rusev played himself in ‘Countdown‘ a WWE Studios production that sees narcotics cop Ray Thompson (Dolph Ziggler) attempt to rescue a hostage from a madman.

    That same year, the Bulgarian wrestler provided his voice for ‘Scooby-Doo and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon.‘

    Thanks to Deadline for the transcription

  • Anthony Bowens Says Opportunity To Be At Dynamite “Was Taken Away” From Him

    Anthony Bowens Says Opportunity To Be At Dynamite “Was Taken Away” From Him

    AEW star Anthony Bowens made a cryptic tweet before this week’s episode of Dynamite that has got people talking about his absence from the show.

    One half of The Acclaimed took on his Twitter before this week’s episode of the Wednesday night show. He mentioned how he wanted to be at the TV tapings from Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas but that opportunity was taken away from him:

    Anthony Bowens wrote: “I wish I was at #AEWDynamite tonight in Houston but that opportunity was taken away from me”:

    The Acclaimed last wrestled for AEW during the May 11 episode of AEW Dark: Elevation. They teamed up with The Gunn Club to defeat Bryce Donovan, GKM, Lucas Chase & Zack Clayton.

    Though it’s been a while since their last Televised match. Prior to the Dark appearance, Anthony Bowens and Max Caster challenged Jurassic Express for the AEW tag team titles during the March 9 episode of Dynamite.

    The AEW star did not provide any more details on his absence. So it’s hard to say if it’s some kind of injury that has been affecting him or if the lack of creative direction is the reason for his absence from this week’s show.

  • Bryan Danielson Suffers Freak Accident At AEW Rampage Taping (Video)

    Bryan Danielson Suffers Freak Accident At AEW Rampage Taping (Video)

    Bryan Danielson found himself in a precarious situation at Wednesday’s AEW Rampage taping.

    Danielson and Jon Moxley took on Dante Martin and Matt Sydal in the main event, which is set to air on May 20. After the match, Danielson and Moxley had a brawl with the Chris Jericho Appreciation Society.

    Danielson had a scary moment when his leg got caught between the ring and the entrance ramp. It was said that Danielson’s leg had been stuck for over 10 minutes. He was limping once he got free.

    Here’s video of the incident courtesy of Nick Swanson.

    Twitter user @mutalockz provided another angle:

    Danielson was featured on the May 18 episode of Dynamite but he hadn’t wrestled until the Rampage taping. During Dynamite, he had a segment that ended in him and Eddie Kingston shoving each other over a disagreement.

    We’ll keep you posted once more information is available.

  • Spoiler: Former WWE Star Makes Appearance On AEW Rampage

    Spoiler: Former WWE Star Makes Appearance On AEW Rampage

    A former WWE talent wrestled during the AEW Rampage taping set to air on May 20.

    After Dynamite went off the air, Rampage was filmed inside the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas. Shawn Spears was in action but his opponent hadn’t been revealed ahead of time.

    That’s because the opponent was a bit of a surprise.

    Big Damo, formerly known as Killian Dain in WWE, wrestled against Spears. Damo ended up falling short in the match.

    Spears’ victory is to continue his reputation of being a giant killer before he faces Wardlow. Something tells us Spears’ luck is about to run out.

    Check out a couple of images of Big Damo’s AEW debut (via Wrestleism).

    https://twitter.com/wrestleism/status/1527116489052102656

    Damo was released by WWE back in June 2021. The company sighted budget reasons as the cause of his exit.

    Damo struggled to get back to work in the wrestling business due to visa issues. It has become clear that those issues are now a thing of the past as he has been booked for several shows and of course, appeared on AEW Rampage.

  • Maki Itoh Returns To AEW For Owen Hart Cup

    Maki Itoh Returns To AEW For Owen Hart Cup

    Maki Itoh has made her return to an AEW ring.

    Britt Baker was set for action in a quarterfinal match in the Owen Hart Cup. Going into the May 18 episode of AEW Dynamite, Baker’s opponent was a mystery. She was to go one-on-one with the “Joker” entry.

    That mystery opponent was Maki Itoh.

    Itoh fell short in her efforts against Baker, tapping out to Lockjaw. After the match, Toni Storm made her way out. Storm will meet Baker in the semifinals.

    Peep Itoh’s surprise return below:

  • Johnny Elite Makes AEW Debut As The “Joker” Entrant In Owen Hart Cup

    Johnny Elite Makes AEW Debut As The “Joker” Entrant In Owen Hart Cup

    The quarterfinals of the Owen Hart Cup kicked off AEW Dynamite on May 18 and the “Joker” entrant was Johnny Elite.

    Yes, the former John Morrison has made his way to AEW. He shared the ring with ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe.

    Johnny Elite ended up losing the match via pinfall. After the match, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh attacked both men. Members of CHAOS ran out to make the save.

    Check out his promotional debut:

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1527077285089759232

    Johnny was released from WWE back in Nov. 2021. The promotion used budget cuts as the reason for giving him his walking papers.

    He made his return to AAA as Johnny Superstar. He quickly underwent another name change, referring to himself as “Johnny Caballero.”

    Johnny also dabbled into the indies again, making appearances for GCW.

  • Update On Kenny Omega

    Update On Kenny Omega

    Former AEW World Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega has been out of action for months but he isn’t totally out of the picture.

    Omega was last seen on AEW TV during the post-Full Gear episode of Dynamite. He had just lost the world title to Hangman Page and he told fellow members of The Elite, Young Bucks & Adam Cole, that he needed some time off.

    He left The Young Bucks in charge of the group, not Cole.

    Kenny Omega
    Kenny Omega (Photo: Scott Lesh)

    Latest On Kenny Omega

    PWInsider is reporting that Kenny Omega has actually been present backstage at AEW TV tapings over the past few weeks. He’s also reportedly been producing some of the women’s matches.

    At this time, there is still no word on when Omega will be able to return to action.

    Omega had been battling a slew of injuries, which explains the time off. The most severe injury was a hernia issue, which Omega had been on a waitlist for surgery. He also underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.

    Neck problems have also plagued the “Best Bout Machine.”

  • Jim Ross Says He Has Signed An Extension With AEW

    Jim Ross Says He Has Signed An Extension With AEW

    Jim Ross is remaining with AEW.

    The WWE Hall of Famer revealed during the the latest episode of his Grillin JR podcast that he has signed an extension with the company, and will continue to call matches for the foreseeable future.

    After his announcement Ross expresses his gratitude to AEW President Tony Khan for keeping him around (the extension is for a year-and-a-half) and allowing him to continue doing what he loves.

    “I don’t think we’ve made this announcement, but I signed an extension with AEW not too long ago. I appreciate Tony Khan’s confidence and his willingness to keep me on the team and contribute. We’re not going a long time, but I think I signed for about a year and a half or something like that to stay in the position I’m in. I’m just really pleased that at 70, I still have a future, and at 70, I’m still loving what I do.”

    Ross originally signed with AEW back in April of 2019, and has been at the desk, along with Excalibur, since the promotion’s first-ever event, Double or Nothing. He adds that if he makes it to 2024 it will mark 50 years in the pro-wrestling industry.

    “I want to get to 2024. I really do. That’s 50 years in the wrestling business. Not a lot of guys can say that they’re in the same job in a fickle, crazy-ass, unpredictable business like pro wrestling for 50 years. The good lord is looking down and cutting me a break, and if I can get to 50 [years in wrestling], I’ll be the happiest guy in Norman, Oklahoma.”

    Aside from commentary Ross occasionally conducts backstage interviews, with key focus being placed on superstars and feuds ahead of AEW’s big pay-per-views. Expect Ross to continue this over the next year as AEW approaches this year’s Double or Nothing on May 29th.

    (Quotes 411 Mania)

  • Jeff Hardy Talks Potentially Renewing CM Punk Rivalry In AEW

    Jeff Hardy Talks Potentially Renewing CM Punk Rivalry In AEW

    Jeff Hardy thinks there’s a story to be told between himself and CM Punk in All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    Hardy and Punk feuded with one another over the WWE World Heavyweight Championship back in 2009. This was Hardy’s final feud before his contract expired, and he’d eventually sign with TNA.

    Now, over a decade later, both Hardy and Punk find themselves competing on the same brand again. This time, with AEW. Hardy and Punk’s rivalry was an extremely entertaining one, and fans would surely love to see it continue over on AEW TV.

    Speaking on a recent appearance on the “Wrestling With Freddie” podcast, Hardy talked about a “moment” between himself and Punk on AEW TV that is likely inevitable.

    “[Winning the World Championship] was like a little boy’s dream come true, man. God, and then to do it over and over again. One of my favorite things, as far as being the World Champion, was working with CM Punk.

    “It’s so crazy that we’re in the same company now and there’s a huge moment between me and Punk. It’s going to come, I’m sure.

    “I think there’s a huge moment, just in the hallway, like me and Matt beat The Young Bucks or whatever at whatever pay-per-view is coming up, or whatever happens, but then we run into him, and me and punk just have a face-off.”

    For now, Hardy and Punk are on different paths in their respective AEW journeys. Punk is actually gearing up to face Hangman Page for the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Championship.

    They’ll go head-to-head at the Double Or Nothing pay-per-view (PPV) on May 29. Perhaps once Punk’s feud with Page comes to a close an opportunity to work against Hardy will present itself.

    Quotes via Fightful

  • Matt Hardy Reveals Who He’d Want Inducting Him Into WWE HOF

    Matt Hardy Reveals Who He’d Want Inducting Him Into WWE HOF

    When the inevitable day comes, Matt Hardy knows who he wants inducting him into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

    While Hardy might not compete in WWE today, there’s no denying the plethora of accomplishments he’s had under the promotion’s banner during his several runs with them. He and his brother, Jeff, are one-half of what some argue to be the greatest tag team of all time.

    Between the pair, they have nine Tag Team Titles, while Matt Hardy has 11 in total with two additional partners. As a singles competitor in WWE, Hardy is a former ECW Champion, Hardcore Champion, European Champion, United States Champion, and Cruiserweight Champion.

    All that being said, Hardy is a sure-fire Hall Of Famer when the time comes. Speaking on his podcast, “The Extreme Life Of Matt Hardy,” Hardy, a current All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star, said he believes he and Jeff will eventually be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

    “I think so, yeah, I feel very confident about that,” Hardy said. “I think that would be fitting, obviously, we’re a deserving team and Jeff would be deserving on his own.

    “I think there’s a lot of cases that could be made that I am very deserving on my own as well, 100%, considering some of the people that are in there. So, who am I kidding? I’m being very humble here. I could definitely go in on my own.

    Hardy then discussed who he’d like to induct them when the time comes. When it comes to he and Jeff as a tag team, Hardy picked the man that helped he and Jeff out upon their early days in WWE – current WWE producer Michael “P.S.” Hayes.

    “I feel like the most fitting person to induct us would be the guy who we learned the most from, who really helped us when we first started becoming a success in pro wrestling, and that would be Michael Hayes.”

    However, as a singles competitor, Hardy mentioned he could see his brother, Jeff; MVP, or even Bray Wyatt as possibilities as well.

    “I could see it being MVP,” Hardy said. “Bray Wyatt would also be interesting, too. Put the Fiend out there.”

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Tay Conti On Paige VanZant: “She’s Never Here, I’m Doing My Job”

    Tay Conti On Paige VanZant: “She’s Never Here, I’m Doing My Job”

    Tay Conti believes that “OnlyFans Chick” Paige VanZant isn’t cut out for the wrestling business.

    Of course, Tay and PVZ have been involved in a feud recently. With that said, VanZant hasn’t been on AEW TV in several weeks. This is likely due to her preparing for a BKFC fight on July 9.

    Tay and Sammy Guevara continue to feud with PVZ’s faction, however. Sammy has been at odds with Dan Lambert, Ethan Page, and current TNT Champion Scorpio Sky.

    Tay Conti On PVZ’s Wrestling Future

    Speaking to Brandon Walker of Barstool Rasslin’, Tay Conti explained why she hasn’t been able to continue her feud with PVZ (h/t Wrestling Inc).

    “What’s her name again, the chick from the OnlyFans? Paige VanZant, waiting on her. She signed, never here, waiting on her. I do both, I am here, I’m on Instagram, she can’t handle it, that’s not on me. So, you guys need to complain with her. You guys need to hate her, not me, because I am here doing my job.”

    When PVZ does eventually return, she’ll likely be taking aim at Tay for her trash talk. Ever since VanZant went to prepare for her next fight, Tay has been playing more of a heel role with Sammy Guevara despite AEW’s confusing direction with the two.

    With VanZant, there is the question of how much she is invested in the wrestling industry. WWE Attitude Era star Gangrel, who trains VanZant, recently admitted that the former UFC star hasn’t been as passionate about the business and someone else he’s high on in the gym.

    Still, Gangrel sees “tremendous” potential in Paige VanZant.

  • MJF “Hardly the Only Talent” Not Happy in AEW

    MJF “Hardly the Only Talent” Not Happy in AEW

    MJF is not the only wrestler reportedly unhappy in AEW, according to Voices Of Wrestling.

    Friedmann has reportedly been at odds with AEW President Tony Khan for some time and has teased leaving for WWE in 2024.

    According to a source within AEW, much of the roster is frustrated with the company for a variety of reasons.

    “A source from the AEW locker room tells us that MJF is hardly the only talent feeling some level of discontent, describing the backstage atmosphere as ‘chaotic’ with a lack of structure, with common complaints ranging from not knowing angles or finishes until close to showtime, and things like redundant finishes and angles to set up matches being very frustrating.

    “Every single one of us is pulling out hair out, according to one source. While not on the same level of WWE issues like Monday Night RAW often being rewritten the day of or even on the fly as the show is airing, we are told that AEW is not all sunshine and rainbows.”

    MJF’s contract with AEW will expire in January 2024 and WWE, in addition to their network partners has shown interest in him.

    Will MJF jump?

    10 Times WWE REJECTED Million Dollar Ideas – Page 10
    After trying out for WWE Tough Enough in 2015, could MJF be finally joining the promotion in 2024?

    With his incredibly rude heel persona and colorful language, it’s hard to see MJF making a splash in the PG waters of WWE.

    Despite this, MJF has insisted he will go to whoever makes the best deal, which could easily be Vince McMahon.

    McMahon has already shown he’s willing to pay a lot for AEW talent, as seen with Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 38 return.

    Thanks to NoDQ.com for the transcription.

  • William Regal Vows To Never Have Another Wrestling Match

    William Regal Vows To Never Have Another Wrestling Match

    William Regal insists he will never have another wrestling match.

    Regal brings tremendous value to any wrestling promotion he enters. While he hasn’t had a match since 2013, the living legend was vital backstage for WWE when Triple H ran NXT. He continues to be a huge asset, working as an onscreen character for AEW and behind the scenes.

    While many believe Regal has one more match in him, the king of Blackpool thinks otherwise.

    William Regal Remains Retired

    During an interview with Metro, William Regal said he has no plans of ever stepping back inside the squared circle for anything other than some banter or some minor physicality.

    A match, however, is out of the question.

    “No, never. No. My last official match was against Cesaro. My last few years, I didn’t realize – it’s come out recently, I had a serious neck problem for 20-odd years. It finally caught up with me.

    “All I ever wanted was a 20-year wrestling career when I started – I ended up with a 30-year wrestling career. I couldn’t have asked for any more. If you’re not me and you’re just looking from the outside, “Oh he should have been this, he should have been that” – no.

    “I was very happy with what I achieved. If I’d have never come to America, I had an incredible career. By the time I was 24, I’d been to 19 countries. In 20 to 24, I’d been to all the best places you could go to, wrestling all the best wrestling.

    “If it’d stopped then, I’d have had an incredible career. Everything after that – everything after leaving Blackpool Pleasure Beach was a bonus for me!”

    Currently, Regal is the leader of the Blackpool Combat Club. He also serves as the manager. The group features Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, and Wheeler Yuta.

    Regal’s group has gotten involved in a feud with the Chris Jericho Appreciation Society. The feud began as Moxley’s close friend, Eddie Kingston, was viciously attacked by Jericho backstage. Kingston had a fireball thrown in his face by Jericho, prompting the BCC to retaliate.

  • Tony Khan Takes Aim at Vince McMahon’s Habit of Ripping Up WWE Scripts

    Tony Khan Takes Aim at Vince McMahon’s Habit of Ripping Up WWE Scripts

    AEW President Tony Khan has said he doesn’t understand why a wrestling promoter would rip up a script before a show, in a dig at WWE and Vince McMahon.

    The WWE Chairman is known for making edits to scripts, or even tearing them up completely mere hours before his programming goes on air.

    Speaking with Forbes, Khan said that while he accepts that changes need to be made on the fly, ripping up a script implies that those in charge haven’t done enough preparation.

    “To be honest, when I hear about somebody going in, and they have a TV show on Monday that they rip up. My first thought is, ‘what were you doing all weekend?’ Because I work my ass off on the weekends,” he claimed. “I have to come in with a plan for Wednesday, and Friday night, I want to make sure Dynamite’s great, and Rampage.

    “I don’t do everything myself, but I do make the final decision on everything. I put the format together, I put an outline of what the show is going to be for Dynamite and Rampage, and I write it by hand. I don’t understand why you’re going to come in and rip up a show that you have a pretty good idea of what it is. And you should have approved it, where Monday, we know what we’re doing.”

    “When I hear about somebody going in, and they have a TV show on Monday that they rip up. My first thought is, ‘what were you doing all weekend?’”

    Tony Khan

    McMahon’s War on Scripts

    WWE Information: Vince McMahon's preliminary ideas on Riddle after principal roster call-up - The Times Of Truth
    McMahon has a history of tearing up scripts for WWE programming, often very shortly before the show is meant to go live.

    Vince McMahon employs a large team of writers to produce WWE content each week but the Chairman is seemingly very difficult to impress.

    In March 2020, McMahon tore up the script for Monday Night Raw and was reported to have “changed everything.”

    That same year, it was reported that McMahon had ripped up the script for Raw an hour before the show went live.

    An October 2020 script for WWE SmackDown was finished very late in the day as the company could not decide what should make it on the show.

    Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

  • Powerhouse Hobbs: “A Personal Goal Of Mine Is To Be The First African American AEW World Champion”

    Powerhouse Hobbs: “A Personal Goal Of Mine Is To Be The First African American AEW World Champion”

    Powerhouse Hobbs has many goals in AEW, but the ultimate is to become the company’s first ever black world champion.

    The Team Taz member spoke about his dream on the latest episode of the Wrestling Perspective podcast, which included Hobbs opening up about how he expects to have to go on a singles-run at some point.

    “There’s gonna be a point where I’m gonna have to step away on my own. I just think that next step for me is, I think what’s gonna come up for me is I’m just gonna have to show a whole new, kick-ass, different style.”

    He continued, “You can tell I’m having fun in the ring and when I got someone in a hold and I’m kicking the shit out of them, so I’m having fun. I don’t know what that next step is gonna be. It’s just gonna happen.”

    Powerhouse Hobbs
    Powerhouse Hobbs

    Big Goals in AEW

    The big man has been teaming with Ricky Starks, and is currently locked into a feud with Keith Lee and Shane “Swerve” Strickland, but a future tag team title matchup seems to be on the horizon. While that will serve as a landmark achievement for Hobbs, he still hopes to keep his eye on the prize.

    “A personal goal of mine is to be the first African American AEW World Champion. Any title I get, I’m gonna — I know how to fight and I know what it’s like to starve and struggle. Any title I get, it’s gonna be hell for anybody to take that away from me. But I plan on being a big name and being around for a long time. That’s always been my goal, ever since I became a professional wrestler. “

    Hobbs got to showcase some of his singles-skills at the last AEW pay-per-view, which was Revolution in Florida. On that night he competed in the Face of the Revolution ladder match, a dangerous bout that was eventually won by Wardlow.

    Quotes via Fightful

  • Eric Bischoff Blasts CM Punk as, “The Biggest Financial Flop in Wrestling”

    Eric Bischoff Blasts CM Punk as, “The Biggest Financial Flop in Wrestling”

    WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff has continued his war of words with CM Punk, calling him “the biggest financial flop in wrestling history.”

    Last week, the two went to war over comments Bischoff has made about AEW, believing that the show caters to too small a market and cannot grow.

    Punk responded by saying fans shouldn’t listen to “bad-take carnies” and to “let them die in the dark with their ego podcasts.”

    Bischoff would fire back, using a quote in which Punk said what he, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole have done is bigger than Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall, and asked “How’s that working out?”

    On the latest episode of his 83 Weeks Podcast, Bischoff continued their feud, saying that Punk’s claim of being bigger than the Outsiders joining WCW has “fallen flat on his face.”

    “I took his quote and posted it and said how’s that working out? Which it isn’t, obviously. In terms of a return on investment, this guy has to be the biggest financial flop in the history of wrestling.”

    Eric Bischoff

    Bischoff said that he would be happy to be proven wrong if someone can show him that Punk is worth the investment in terms of revenue.

    Without this data, Bischoff said all he can judge Punk on is the viewership which hasn’t sustained from the former WWE Champion’s debut last year.

    “He came out to 1.17 million people who came out to see his debut Friday night on Rampage, it’s down to around 400-500 thousand on average. Punk’s primer on Dynamite did like 1.29 million people and they came, they saw and they left and now they’re hovering around that 900,000. Which they’ve been doing for, I don’t know, a year, year and a half. When Punk comes out and says he’s a bigger deal than Scott Hall and Kevin Nash coming to WCW, that created a paradigm shift with people watching wrestling, where Punk has created absolutely nothing.”

    CM Punk will challenge ‘Hangman’ Adam Page for the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing 2022.

    Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

  • Sammy Guevara & Tay Conti Dismiss Haters: “The Fake People Expose Themselves”

    Sammy Guevara & Tay Conti Dismiss Haters: “The Fake People Expose Themselves”

    Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti love their loyal fans but brush off the “fake people.”

    Sammy and Tay were beloved by AEW fans but ever since being together, the two have basically become heels. They aren’t afraid to lean into it either as they’ve been rather braggadocious in the past few weeks.

    A Message To Haters

    During an interview with Brandon Walker of Rasslin‘, Sammy Guevara said those who boo him and Tay Conti are exposing themselves.

    “I think the fake people expose themselves for being fake. The real people are still there. Our core audience, the people who’ve always supported us still support us.”

    Tay also expressed her belief that the haters are lashing out for no good reason.

    “I mean, we did nothing wrong for people to hate us. That’s what I’m saying, like why would they hate us?”

    Of course, throughout the interview, Sammy and Tay continued to play things up with their relationship.

    Sammy was then asked about his memorable ladder match with Cody Rhodes at Beach Break back in January. Guevara had the highlight reel spot when he landed a cutter off the top of a ladder.

    Sammy admitted that he was feeling the effects of the landing.

    “No [he wasn’t intimidated by the spot], I just hoped that it was going to work out, and then when I jumped off the ladder, I thought in midair, ‘holy sh*t I jumped way higher than I thought I was gonna get.’ Then we got here and I was like, ‘oh, it’s working out.’ When we landed though, I was like, ‘I regret this now.’”

    Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article

  • Maki Itoh Returning to the US Ahead of AEW’s Wild Card Wednesday

    Maki Itoh Returning to the US Ahead of AEW’s Wild Card Wednesday

    Maki Itoh is teasing that her next match will take place in the United States.

    The self-proclaimed Cutest Wrestler in the World is the reigning International Princess Champion for Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling. She tweeted on Sunday that she’s returning to the US soon.

    Itoh wrestled a handful of matches for All Elite Wrestling in 2021. At AEW Revolution 2021, Maki Itoh teamed with Dr. Britt Baker against the team Thunder Rosa and Riho.

    This Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, Britt Baker will battle a mystery opponent in the quarterfinals of the Owen Hart Foundation women’s tournament.

    The timing of Maki Itoh’s announcement about returning to the US has some fans speculating that she will be revealed as Baker’s opponent at ‘Wild Card Wednesday.’

    Britt Baker Owen Hart Tournament Mystery Opponent

    Back in January, Maki Itoh vowed to return to AEW. After winning the International Princess Championship, she said, “With this belt, Ito will definitely go to AEW! And I’ll fight Thunder Rosa one more time. And Ito will definitely win!”

    She added, “There are many, many more attractive people in the world. So Ito wants to beat them one by one with this belt.”

    Thunder Rosa, who currently holds the AEW Women’s World Championship, welcomed another opportunity to share the ring with Maki Itoh.

  • Swerve Strickland Details The Downfall Of Lucha Underground: “They Didn’t Want To Spend The Money To Grow It”

    Swerve Strickland Details The Downfall Of Lucha Underground: “They Didn’t Want To Spend The Money To Grow It”

    Shane “Swerve” Strickland recently joined the Talk Is Jericho podcast to discuss the short-lived Lucha Underground promotion.

    The AEW star worked under a mask during his LU days as Killshot, a troubled war-veteran whose haunted past confronts him inside the squared circle. The former NXT North American champion recalls coming up with the character, and how he it differed from the tone of the other lucha characters on the show.

    “I came up with Killshot, a military character and all the stuff. I’m a Metal Gear Solid fan, so I put some espionage in there. I was writing my character to be able to interact with other characters, and they liked that, so they took all of it and formed something. People really gravitated towards that character because it was a person. A lot of the characters were Mayan, Aztecan [monsters] – it was very fantasy. It was cool, but I was like, ‘I have to do something to be different over here.’ The same with my wrestling style.”

    Much like AEW Lucha Underground gave talent a good amount of creative control, something Swerve very much appreciated, even when it proved to become difficult for a taped product.

    “That was another place where the creativity just flowed. They were so open to ideas. It was a little tricky because they can’t modify or change too much direction because it was written seasonally. So, if like, ‘We want this but this person is getting over, we already shot the scenes for this and that.’ You shot like a three-month block from March to June, and say this character is getting over in December, oh well. Gotta catch you in the next season. That was the only tricky part about that.”

    Despite growing in popularity Lucha Underground eventually folded in 2018 after being on El Rey Network for four years. A big reason Swerve believes the run was short-lived was because the studio didn’t want to spend the money to grow it.

    “It was growing in popularity, but I don’t feel like the studio wanted to grow along with it. They didn’t want to spend the money to grow it. We should have been touring with that roster. You can’t see those characters anywhere else. I feel like merchandising, they didn’t want to spend the money on that.”

    While Lucha Underground is no longer active Major League Wrestling did revive the company’s spirit by introducing their Azteca Underground brand, which is run by Cesar Duran, also known as the former host of the LU temple, Dario Cueto. Many stars from the promotion continue to make waves in the wrestling industry throughout WWE, AEW, IMPACT, and NJPW.

    Swerve’s Killshot was a big hit with LU fans, with his Weapons of Mass Destruction showdown against company rival AR Fox being a marquee bout that many still talk about until this day.

    (Quotes via 411 Mania)