SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Eric Bischoff: I’ll Never Be Invited to AEW Again

    Eric Bischoff: I’ll Never Be Invited to AEW Again

    Eric Bischoff is not expecting to be invited back to an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) show anytime soon.

    The former WCW president has been honest in his assessment of AEW in recent weeks, irking AEW president Tony Khan and causing a riff in the pair’s relationship. Bischoff has argued that the product has “flatlined” ratings-wise and doesn’t think the promotion is focusing enough on storytelling.

    Also, Bischoff added that their lack of growth has resulted in an an equal lack of licensing deals. Speaking on the MackMania podcast, Bischoff dove deeper in to his comments and the repercussions they may have had in regards to his relationship with AEW.

    Bischoff noted he’s sure he wont’ be invited to an AEW show again, and he’s actually a little sad about that.

    “I have been beating this drum, and this is one of the reasons why Tony probably thinks I am a pain in his ass at this point. I’ll never get invited to another AEW event, which is okay.

    “I am a little sad about that, but I get it, I don’t take it personally,” Eric Bischoff said. “But I’ve been saying for over a year now when it comes to AEW. And this is why I am concerned about their dirt sheet booking approach, booking for the internet if you will. Is that if you’re not growing, you’re dying.”

    In regards to Khan and AEW, they have certainly been keeping busy as of late. With massive signings such as CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Adam Cole, and more, AEW has assembled, arguably, the best roster in professional wrestling.

    It was also recently announced that AEW will team up with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) for the AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view (PPV). Both promotions will bring their respective rosters together for a massive event that will see a promotion vs. promotion-like showcase take center stage.

    AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door goes down live on PPV from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on Jun 26, 2022.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • More On Bret Hart’s Contractual Status

    More On Bret Hart’s Contractual Status

    When AEW first announced the Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments, it seemed inevitable that Bret Hart would be involved one way or another.

    Last week, news broke that the Hitman recently signed a new WWE legends contract that bars him from appearing for Tony Khan’s promotion anytime soon.

    On the latest episode Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer provided some additional information about Bret Hart’s situation.

    Meltzer confirmed that Hart has a legends deal and a merchandise deal with WWE.He spoke with Hart a couple of weeks ago and asked about the possibility of making an appearance for AEW as part of the Owen tournaments. Hart says AEW officials have not reached out to him.

    The Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments were originally announced back in September 2021. The men’s and women’s tournaments are winding up the qualifying matches.

    The finals of both competitions will take place at the AEW Double Or Nothing PPV on May 29th.

  • Eddie Kingston On His Future With AEW

    Eddie Kingston On His Future With AEW

    Eddie Kingston has been one of the great successes of the first few years of AEW.

    A longtime favorite on the independent scene, Kingston has raised his game (and profile) with AEW. He was first brought in to face Cody Rhodes in July 2020, and Kingston’s tag team with Jon Moxley is among the highlights of his run — Moxley and Kingston faced the Young Bucks in an outstanding match for the AEW Tag Team Championships at last year’s Double or Nothing PPV event.

    Earlier this year, Kingston missed a little time to injury. He has spent most of the last couple of months feuding with Chris Jericho.

    During an interview with The Straight Shooters, Kingston discussed his time with AEW and what his future looks like. In short, he won’t be leaving the promotion by choice, ever. The fact that the promotion took a chance on him and has showed him loyalty plays into that.

    “Yeah, I can just answer that now,” Kingston exclaimed before a question about his future was even finished. “Where am I gonna go, dog? I’m good. I worked for this. I don’t care, I don’t. I worked for this.

    Eddie Kingston
    Eddie Kingston

    “AEW gave me my shot first, right? You know what I mean? I’m a loyal guy. I’m not knocking anybody, just chill … but when people say, ‘Yeah, I’m here forever,’ that’s cool. That’s them. I’m telling you from me and my word is my bond. I ain’t got nowhere else to go and don’t wanna be anywhere else. I’m having a blast trying to beat up people in the ring, trying to be world champ. Wherever I’m at, trying to be better than I was yesterday.”

    Kingston will be working against Tomohiri Ishii at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Capital Collision event on May 14th.

    Eddie Kingston Is Fiercely Loyal To AEW

    “I’m like a dog, man, when it comes to loyalty. That’s it. My word is my bond and [AEW] fits me because they took the shot,” Kingston said.

    He continued, “If people wanna know any deeper, it’s basically they let me be me. There’s no character. There’s no, ‘You can’t say that.’ I got freedom. It’s just a really good environment when you shut out the negativity and understand this is the pro wrestling business. Not everyone is going to like each other. That’s it. Take care of your own stuff.”

    Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcript.

  • Matt Hardy Defends Tony Khan Over Satnam Singh’s Debut

    Matt Hardy Defends Tony Khan Over Satnam Singh’s Debut

    Matt Hardy admits that Tony Khan made a mistake with Satnam Singh’s debut but the wrestling veteran believes that the AEW president is trying to do his best.

    The AEW star talked about Singh on the latest episode of his podcast. He said that he understands why the former Basketball player debuted the way he did.

    Hardy mentioned that they have a big TV deal coming in India. He said that he gets the ramifications for wanting to use the Indian star in the spot. He also admitted that turning the lights off should be saved for a known face:

    “The use of turning the lights out and then turning them back on, if you do that, it builds anticipation with the fans and I feel like it has to be a known star.”

    Matt Hardy gave examples of people they could have saved the spot for such as Samoa Joe. He later defended Tony Khan, saying that we all make mistakes:

    “But it is what it is, we live and we learn. We all make mistakes and Tony Khan, once again, three years in, it is what it is. He is trying his hardest and his best, and I love the fact that he was very accountable for it and he owned it.”

    Apart from this, Matt talked about people considering him to be Marty Jannetty of the Hardys. He claimed that he has actually made more money than Jeff because he has been more consistent.

    Quotes via WrestlingInc

  • Booker T On The Hardys’ Being Featured On Dark: “Hell Yeah, It’s A Demotion”

    Booker T On The Hardys’ Being Featured On Dark: “Hell Yeah, It’s A Demotion”

    The Hardy Boyz being featured on the latest episode of AEW Dark: Elevation has started a debate. While Matt Hardy has defended their spot, a lot of people think that this is still a demotion for the wrestling veterans. It appears that Booker T shares the sentiment.

    T was asked for his opinion on the matter on the latest episode of his podcast. The former WCW champion claimed that it indeed is a demotion:

    “Hell yeah, it’s a demotion. I know that’s going to get picked up, but hell yeah, it’s a demotion. Damnit, I’m not working on Dark. For me, working on Dark, which is a show that is only on the internet should be for the young guys coming up.

    Booker T called WWE ‘the big show’ and explained that he wouldn’t go from WWE to AEW to work on Dark. Matt has said that Tony Khan actually asked for their consent before putting them on the show. The WWE Hall Of Famer said that if Vince McMahon ever asked him to work on Velocity, he wouldn’t say no to it. However, Mr Mahon respected him enough not to do it:

    “He respected me enough as far as to keep my star power at a certain position. He kept me working around the main event guys. If I wasn’t with the main event guys, I was doing something.”

    What do you think about Booker T’s opinion on the matter? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

    Quotes via WrestlingInc

  • Fans Think Daniel Garcia Paid Homage To Triple H During AEW Rampage

    Fans Think Daniel Garcia Paid Homage To Triple H During AEW Rampage

    Daniel Garcia was rocking some new entrance attire in the form of a hat and it’s enough for fans to share comparisons.

    Garcia was in action during the April 22 episode of AEW Rampage. He took on Eddie Kingston. Despite his efforts, Kingston emerged victorious.

    Kingston teased attacking Garcia after the match but he looked into the camera and said he was saving the beatdown for Chris Jericho.

    Daniel Garcia Plays The Game?

    When Daniel Garcia made his way out for the match, he was rocking a new hat that looked quite familiar to some wrestling fans.

    https://twitter.com/theepayrollguy/status/1517734885737172993

    While Garcia didn’t comment on the comparisons, he did relish in the look.

    https://twitter.com/GarciaWrestling/status/1517975956299915266

    Garcia is one of the members of the Chris Jericho Appreciation Society. Jericho reportedly fought to have Garcia in his faction as the initial plan was to have him align with the Blackpool Combat Club. That report comes from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio.

  • Britt Baker Applies For “D.M.D.” Trademark

    Britt Baker Applies For “D.M.D.” Trademark

    AEW star Dr. Britt Baker has filed a trademark application on the phrase “D.M.D.” to be used in pro wrestling.

    D.M.D. stands for Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry. If you hadn’t heard, Baker is a dentist. Her office is located at Woodland Lakes Dental in Orlando, Florida.

    According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office database, Michael E. Dockins applied for the trademark on April 19th.

    The ‘usage description’ of the trademark is for, “Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer.”

    Baker is a former AEW Women’s World Champion. She lost the title to Thunder Rosa last month in a steel cage match on Dynamite.

    On this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Baker qualified for the women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament by defeating Danielle Kamela. Later in the show, she stated her intention to win the tournament. The finals take place at Double or Nothing over Memorial Day weekend (late May).

    In related news, Britt Baker turns 31 years old today, April 23rd.

  • Darius Martin Denies Injury Report, Kenny Omega Update

    Darius Martin Denies Injury Report, Kenny Omega Update

    Darius Martin of Top Flight has reacted to the Fightful report that he recently suffered a leg injury and will miss significant ring time.

    On Friday, he posted a tweet and gave a different perspective:

    https://twitter.com/DariusMartin612/status/1517677102211940359

    The 22-year-old from Minneapolis, Minnesota just got back to AEW after over a year on the sidelines due to an ACL tear. He returned on March 2nd. Top Flight is 6-1 since then. The team wrestled in the main event of the latest episode of AEW Dark. They teamed with The Hardys in an 8-man tag match against Private Party, The Blade & Angelico.

    Kenny Omega Injury Update

    Kenny Omega continues to rehabilitate his various injuries, but he probably won’t be back in time for AEW’s next pay-per-view event.

    The former AEW World Heavyweight Champion has been out of action since late 2021. Last month, it’s believed that Omega had arthroscopic knee surgery and also went under the knife to correct a sports hernia. Both procedures have a recovery time of approximately 8-10 weeks.

    In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer said he doesn’t expect Omega to be healthy in time for AEW Double or Nothing in late May.

    “I don’t know where Omega is as far as recovery on everything. But I don’t think he’s gonna make the May PPV. I don’t know that, the last I heard, it didn’t sound promising for May.”

    – Dave Meltzer on Kenny Omega’s stauts

    Kenny Omega is not your average athlete, but he should not rush his return. At this stage of his career, staying healthy is a top priority.

    The June 23rd AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view would be incomplete without Kenny Omega, so it’s probably best that he plays it safe and gives himself that extra month of recovery time.

  • FTR Had To Convince Tony Khan to Book Owen Hart Qualifier

    FTR Had To Convince Tony Khan to Book Owen Hart Qualifier

    FTR members Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood will square off in an Owen Hart Memorial Tournament qualifying match next week on AEW Dynamite.

    Shortly after the match announcement, Dax Harwood tweeted about the significance of this match. He revealed this will be the, “First time. Only time.” that the partners wrestle each other.

    The reigning ROH & AAA World tag team champions appeared on the Wrestling Perspective Podcast to discuss the unique matchup.

    According to Harwood, they’ve always wanted to have a match. Interestingly, they had to “fight” in order to get the match booked in an AEW ring.

    “That was our idea, totally,” said Harwood. “We had to fight for it, but that was completely our idea.”

    Harwood said they’ve always wanted to have a match, but it had to be under the right circumstances.

    “There had to be a reason and this is the perfect reason to do it,” he continued. “The Hart family means a lot to both of us personally and professionally. So being able to show respect to Owen Hart and his whole family, what better way to do it than allowing the two biggest Hart family fans in the world compete?”

    Convincing Tony Khan

    Dax Harwood says FTR will never break up so there hasn’t been a chance for them to wrestle each other.

    “I’ll retire before we ever even entertain that idea,” said Harwood, about FTR breaking up. “I’ll say that right here right now. Print it. Tattoo it. I don’t care. We’re never going to do a breakup angle.”

    When AEW announced the Owen Hart tournament, FTR went straight to Tony Khan and pitched the match idea. Khan liked the idea, but wasn’t immediately sold.

    “[Tony Khan] did like it, but he was like, ‘Okay, I gotta see if I can make it make sense.’ We just stayed on him about it, ‘Hey, can we? Can we? Can we?’ Finally, he was like, ‘Alright, I got a way where we can make it all work. You’ll do it in Philly. It’s going down.’ So yeah, he liked the idea, and he finally gave us the nod, and here we are.”

    Elsewhere in the interview, FTR spoke about their rising popularity. They acknowledged that fans are starting to “take to them” because they’re not “playing wrestler” or working a gimmick. They eat, sleep and breathe pro wrestling and fans are smart enough to know you can’t fake that.

    Listen to FTR on the 300th episode of the Wrestling Perspective Podcast:

    The finals of the Men’s and Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments will take place in May at AEW Double or Nothing 2022.

  • Don’t Expect To See Bret Hart In AEW Anytime Soon

    Don’t Expect To See Bret Hart In AEW Anytime Soon

    Bret Hart won’t be returning to AEW any time soon.

    Hart is a beloved figure throughout the industry. Many of today’s top stars idolized the Hitman growing up. In recent months, names such as Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, CM Punk and of course FTR have praised the man and his legacy.

    AEW stars FTR and CM Punk have paid tribute to Hart in recent weeks, including references to the “The Best There Is,” wearing pink and black and executing some of Hart’s signature moves.

    A recent photo of Bret Hart also got people excited that he was gearing up for a television return.

    Bret Hart will be in FTR’s corner at an upcoming event for Big Time Wrestling (6/10 in Webster, MA). However, there’s a reason this pairing is taking place at an independent show instead of in All Elite Wrestling.

    People in AEW believe Hart recently signed a lucrative WWE legends contract, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. This agreement would prevent him from being FTR’s new manager in AEW. It would also keep him from having any involvement in AEW’s Owen Hart Memorial Tournaments.

    Bret Hart AEW Championship
    (AEW)

    Bret Hart recently stated that he plans to slow down his appearance schedule, likely by the end of this year. He still hopes to make select appearances, including the lucrative ‘Comic Con’ events, but will scale back his traveling.

    The 64-year-old legend is also considering writing a second book about his childhood. Of course, it would detail his childhood as the son of famed wrestler and promoter Stu Hart, and aspirations to conquer the wrestling world.

    Hart’s first book, 2010’s Hitman, was an international best seller. You can read the synopsis of his first book below:

    “A story of death, sex, betrayal and revenge; sweat, steroids and duplicity – wrestler Bret Hart lifts the lid on the wacky, mythic, secretive word of pro wrestling in this epic tell-all.”

  • Hangman Page Offers Advice For Aspiring Wrestlers

    Hangman Page Offers Advice For Aspiring Wrestlers

    “Hangman” Adam Page has had an incredible journey to becoming a successful wrestler. He made his wrestling debut at the young age of 17 and went on to wrestle for some of the most well-known wrestling companies across the globe.

    Page did it while also being a full-time high school teacher before he quit the job in 2016. His advice to aspiring wrestlers is based on his own personal experience.

    The AEW world champion recently appeared on INSIGHT With Chris Van Vliet. During the talk, he was asked what advice he gives to people who want to pursue professional wrestling as a career. Replying to it, Page said that he tells everyone to have a Plan B:

    “I tell them ‘Have a Plan B, because statistically you will not make a living at this.’ A lot of people would say if you have a Plan B, that means you can’t give all to Plan A. So you’re gonna fail at Plan A anyway, that’s not true.” said Hangman Page,

    “I was a high school teacher. I did this and I’m the f***ing World Champion. At one time, I was a high school teacher. To make it through this, I had a plan B, and I don’t need it anymore.

    Have a Plan B, because life is much more important than what career you want to follow or what you want people to say about your accomplishments. Life is much more important than that. You will need to make money to survive.

    So, always have a plan B. I feel like people don’t press that upon people enough in telling you to chase your dreams. You absolutely should. But you have to reckon with the fact that you probably, statistically will not make much money at this, if any. You have to know that and you have to be okay with that.”

    Watch Adam Page’s conversation with Chris Van Vliet:

    More Originals From SEScoops:

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

  • CM Punk Paid Tribute to Bret Hart During AEW Dynamite Match (Video)

    CM Punk Paid Tribute to Bret Hart During AEW Dynamite Match (Video)

    CM Punk paid homage to the legend Bret Hart on this week’s 4/20/22 episode of AEW Dynamite.

    Punk and Dustin Rhodes opened up the program with a great match. Punk ultimately came out on top before having an intense stare-down with AEW World Champion Adam Page at the top of the ramp after the match.

    Punk wore pink and black ring gear and used of Hart’s moves throughout the match. Most of Punk’s Hitman moves were actually from Hart’s match with Rhodes (Goldust) on an episode of Monday Night RAW in 1997.

    As captured below by Twitter user @PromoJoe, the videos below showcase Punk’s tribute to Bret Hart’s 1997 match against Goldust:

    Punk is currently chasing an AEW World Championship opportunity, and might just get it after continuing to impress inside the AEW ring. If his staredown with Page is any indication, he might just get his wish sooner than he thinks. However, Punk might have another big match to look forward to, as it was also announced on Dynamite yesterday that AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) will be teaming up for a joint pay-per-view (PPV).

    AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door is set to go down on PPV from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26. Both promotions will surely be putting their top stars on the card, so we can expect Punk to have a strong presence at the event. Perhaps he might even have AEW gold around his waist by the summer show.

  • KENTA Challenges CM Punk to Match at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door

    KENTA Challenges CM Punk to Match at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door

    New Japan Pro Wrestling star KENTA has thrown out the challenge to All Elite Wrestling’s CM Punk for a match at the upcoming AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door PPV.

    On this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, president Tony Khan and NJPW president Takami Ohbari announced the joint promotional PPV for the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26. Shortly after the announcement, KENTA took to Twitter to challenge CM Punk to a match at the event, selling it as “G2SvsGTS.”

    Punk and KENTA pair have been linked to each other for several years for using the same finisher inside the ring. Punk has admitted to taking the move from KENTA after switching his finisher from the Anaconda Vise submission hold. Punk has yet to respond to KENTA’s challenge as of this writing.

    As for The Forbidden Door, no matches have been announced for the PPV yet. Fans shouldn’t expect any match announcements until after AEW’s Double or Nothing event in May. However, fans should expect an unforgettable show at The Forbidden Door, as the biggest stars from both AEW and NJPW will finally collide.

    There has already been speculation about the involvement of stars such as Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada and their involvement in the show. For now, fans will have to be patient until the card begins to take shape for the blockbuster event this summer in Chicago.

    Let us know some of the matches you’d like to see go down at The Forbidden Door PPV event this June in the comments below! Is Punk vs. KENTA one of them?

  • Samoa Joe Opens Up on WWE Release

    Samoa Joe Opens Up on WWE Release

    Samoa Joe is All Elite. But just earlier this year he was still signed to WWE before being released from his contract.

    Joe signed with WWE back in 2015, quickly becoming one of the biggest stars on the NXT brand. After two runs as NXT Champion, Joe was called up to the main roster where he would feud with the likes of Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, and more. His run on the main roster resulted in three reigns as the United States Champion.

    Injuries plagued Joe’s run on the main roster, however, and he was briefly released in April of 2021, but was quickly resigned two months later after it was reported that Triple H was unhappy with his release. He eventually returned to NXT to win the brand’s World Title for the third time, before being forced to relinquish the title after contracting COVID-19. Upon his return, Joe was assigned to NXT as a trainer before being released earlier this year in January.

    Samoa Joe on Leaving WWE

    Speaking to the New York Post, Joe discussed his WWE release, stating that he doesn’t dwell on it, and is more so focused on what’s ahead of him with AEW.

    “I wasn’t overly frustrated with everything. I mean, things like that happen. It worked out at times and sometimes it didn’t and that’s how it goes. I don’t really sit here and dwell on things and punish myself over things that I cannot change or never will be changed. I’m squarely focused on what’s ahead of me and not behind.”

    Samoa Joe eventually signed with AEW earlier this month; joining an already stacked roster that includes the likes of Kenny Omega, CM Punk, Adam Cole, The Hardy Boyz, and so many more.

  • Kazuchika Okada Might Not Appear at AEW/NJPW Forbidden Door

    One of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s (NJPW) biggest stars, Kazuchika Okada, might not be available for the promotion’s upcoming joint pay-per-view (PPV) with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), The Forbidden Door, this summer.

    It was announced on yesterday’s AEW Dynamite that NJPW and AEW would be hosting the join PPV event from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26. Shortly after the announcement there was a huge buzz on Twitter about Okada appearing on the show, and who he could potentially compete against. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio recently reported on this.

    Meltzer noted that the show was just now brought up to Okada as it was announced in Japan. However, his wife’s birthday is on the 28th of June, and that is June 27th in the United States. With that being said, it would be difficult for Okada to make the show and be back in time for his wife’s birthday.

    While Meltzer did note that Okada “kind of” said he wasn’t doing the show, he could have been kidding. He then speculated that if Okada was a part of the show, it would be a perfect opportunity to re-introduce Kenny Omega and build up to a potential match – likely in September.

    Omega and Okada have extraordinary chemistry with each other inside the ring, having competed three times in singles action against one another under the NJPW banner. Currently, Omega has a 2-1 lead in the rivalry, a number Kazuchika Okada is hoping to make even in a potential rematch.

  • Eric Bischoff: AEW Is Kind of ‘Flatlining’ Right Now

    Eric Bischoff: AEW Is Kind of ‘Flatlining’ Right Now

    Former WCW president Eric Bischoff was recently a guest on “Strictly Business” to talk about several professional wrestling topics.

    Bischoff discussed the state of the professional wrestling industry, offering his thoughts on promotions such as IMPACT Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He first started off by offering his thoughts on IMPACT – and Bischoff didn’t hold back. The former WCW head said he can get more people to watch him cooking a burger on a Saturday afternoon than to watch IMPACT.

    He also claimed that IMPACT Wrestling shouldn’t be in the conversation when it comes to discussing licensing and merchandising because they’re “not in the wrestling business.” Bischoff added it had nothing to do with the talent, as he believes IMPACT has great talent, but including IMPACT in the conversation for televised wrestling is “silly.”

    When discussing AEW, Eric Bischoff stated that the promotion is currently in a position where their long-term potential is more intriguing than anything else going on currently. He also touched on AEW’s lack of licensing deals and how he doesn’t see that changing anytime soon since the promotion is kind of “flatlining” right now ratings-wise.

    “But that doesn’t happen overnight, it didn’t happen overnight in WCW,” Bischoff said. “Providing AEW continues to grow, which arguably they’re not, they’re kind of flatlining at a million viewers a week, but if they can grow that industry in such a way that it gives confidence to manufacturers and distributors to go ahead and invest money in that licensing in hopes to increase sales off their products, that’s when you’ll start to see real growth in AEW.

    “It’s not a knock against them, you can’t do that overnight. No one is going to take that risk until you’ve established yourself in the marketplace.”

    AEW has certainly been doing as much as possible to stand out to professional wrestling fans. In the past year they’ve made a ton of huge signings; such as CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Adam Cole, and more. Also, on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, president Tony Khan announced a joint pay-per-view (PPV) with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) titled “The Forbidden Door.”

  • AEW: Fight Forever Will be the Company’s Console Video Game

    AEW: Fight Forever Will be the Company’s Console Video Game

    AEW: Fight Forever will be the name of All Elite Wrestling’s upcoming console video game.

    Game production has been underway for some time. Recent reports have the game slated for release in September 2022.

    After this week’s AEW Dynamite from Pittsburgh went off the air, AEW President Tony Khan came out to address the live crowd.

    Khan explained that they would be recording audio for the Fight Forever video game, and asked the crowd to chant phrases including:

    • Adam Page, Bay Bay and Boom
    • Sting
    • FTR, Cash, Dax

    Last month, we covered the AEW: Fight Forever trademark application, which will be used for:

    “Downloadable game software; Downloadable computer game software; Downloadable electronic game software; Downloadable interactive game software; Video game discs; Downloadable video game programs; Downloadable video game software; Recorded video game programs; Recorded video game software.”

    Here are some more recent articles chronicling the game’s development:

  • AEW Announces Joint PPV Event With NJPW

    AEW Announces Joint PPV Event With NJPW

    The reports of a joint show involving AEW and NJPW have been confirmed.

    During the April 20 episode of Dynamite, Tony Khan, along with NJPW President Takami Ohbari, announced “Forbidden Door.” This will be a PPV event that’ll be held inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26.

    Adam Cole interrupted Khan and Ohbari to announce he’ll take on Tomohiro Ishii on the April 22 episode of Rampage. This will be an Owen Hart Cup qualifier match. Jay White later made his way out and promised that the Bullet Club will have a presence at the show.

    In a press release, Tony Khan expressed his excitement about doing business with NJPW.

    “As the world continues to reopen, I’m making sure the Forbidden Door follows suit and we can finally give fans the dream events they’ve always imagined,” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “The United Center was home to one of AEW’s biggest events of all time, The First Dance, where CM Punk made his return to wrestling after a seven-year hiatus. This summer, fans of AEW and NJPW can expect the unexpected during this extraordinary, first-of-its-kind pay-per-view between our two incredible companies.”

    Takami Ohbari also chimed in, promising that NJPW talent will showcase Strong-Style to the highest degree.

    “As we have done for more than 50 years, the power of pro-wrestling can energize people by fulfilling their dreams,” said Takami Ohbari, President of NJPW. “Now, it’s quite an important mission for us, the pro-wrestling industry as a whole. We are not only opening this door. We will show you NJPW’s genuine Strong-Style beyond the Forbidden door.”

  • Tony Khan Hypes His Latest Huge Announcement

    Tony Khan Hypes His Latest Huge Announcement

    Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Tony Khan will make a huge announcement tonight on AEW Dynamite!

    In all seriousness, the company has a pretty good track record when it comes to announcements and free agent signings. Just hours ahead of the big reveal, TV Insider just dropped an exclusive interview with the AEW President.

    Khan spoke with Scott Fishman to provide some ’11th hour’ hype for what’s sure to be a newsworthy event. According to TK, this announcement will be “unique” and unlike anything they’ve done before.

    “I think this surprise is different than anything we’ve promoted before. We’ve had a lot of great surprise moments in AEW. A lot of special nights on Dynamite. Without giving too much away, I think this is a unique announcement. I’m excited about this as anything we’ve worked on.”

    He continued, “I think there will be a lot of interest in this announcement. Given the amount of intrigue I think it will create, I thought it would be good to promote a big surprise coming to Dynamite. This is the kind of announcement that deserves a lot of fanfare.”

    Elsewhere in the interview, Khan speaks about the dynamics of owning two wrestling promotions, CM Punk stating his intention to go after the AEW World Championship, Cody Rhodes’ departure and much more.

    Head over to TV Insider to read their interview with Tony Khan.

  • Interesting Note on Bray Wyatt’s Hiatus from Wrestling

    Interesting Note on Bray Wyatt’s Hiatus from Wrestling

    Its been quite a while since professional wrestling fans have seen Bray Wyatt compete inside the ring.

    Wyatt hasn’t done much professional wrestling-related ventures since his WWE release last July. Since, he’s only done a Wrestlecon appearance during WrestleMania weekend in Dallas, Texas earlier this month. Many have wondered if Wyatt would consider a return to WWE, or even joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

    However, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer, there is a good reason why Wyatt hasn’t signed with anyone yet. Meltzer reports that Wyatt’s asking price to return to the ring is simply too high right now.

    Bray Wyatt is one of the hottest free agents out there, but his services don’t come cheap. AEW has been on a hiring spree, but they still have to be mindful about their pay structure. The company brought in some huge names last year, including CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole. Cody Rhodes’ recent departure should serve as an example of Tony Khan having limits on how much he’s willing to offer people.

    Wyatt hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since the night after last year’s WrestleMania. However, he did recently hint on social media that he couldn’t imagine never stepping into a professional wrestling ring again. As for his health, with all this time he’s spent away from the squared circle, he’s likely in great shape for an in-ring return.

    It will be interesting to see where Wyatt ultimately ends up if he does decide to sign with a major promotion again.

  • Details on Scrapped Plans for Orange Cassidy & Danhausen

    Details on Scrapped Plans for Orange Cassidy & Danhausen

    AEW had plans for an extended storyline involving Orange Cassidy and Danhausen, but those plans have been put on hold due to Cassidy’s shoulder injury.

    Cassidy competed in the Face of the Revolution ladder match at AEW Revolution back on March 6th. He suffered a “significant injury” after Keith Lee tossed him outside the ring, as seen below.

    Thankfully, Cassidy was able to avoid shoulder surgery. However, he remains on the sidelines 6 weeks later with no updates on when he’s expected back.

    https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1500852566523064325

    AEW President Tony Khan is this week’s guest on Robbie Fox’s My Mom’s Basement podcast. During their discussion, Khan revealed that Cassidy’s injury derailed plans for him and Danhausen to continue working together at Revolution.

    It’s unclear exactly what AEW had planned for the two polarizing comedy figures, but wrestling fans can expect them to reunite when Cassidy is healthy enough to return.

    Danhausen made his AEW debut earlier this year during an Orange Cassidy match. The duo is aligned with the Best Friends faction and interacted a bit before Revolution.

    With Cassidy on the sidelines, Khan said Danhausen won’t be forgotten. Khan said he sees Danhausen as a crossover star for AEW who can represent the company in various forums outside of wrestling.

    During Cassidy’s absence, Danhausen has been working with Hook. Khan says he’s very excited for Danhausen and Hook’s “journey together,” which should lead to some interesting interactions.

    Watch Tony Khan’s appearance on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox:

  • Listen to Owen Hart’s AEW Theme Song, “Legacy”

    Listen to Owen Hart’s AEW Theme Song, “Legacy”

    Owen Hart’s AEW theme music has been released.

    The track is titled, “Legacy” and is composed by Mikey Rukus. We know the song has been in production for at least 6 months, since we got a sneak peek back in October.

    AEW has partnered with the Owen Hart Foundation for a series of projects, including men’s and women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments. Qualifying matches for the inaugural tournaments are currently underway.

    The finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments will take place at the annual AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view in May.

    As you can hear below, Legacy pays homage to the classic Owen Hart theme song that blared through WWF arenas during the mid-1990’s.

    Listen to Owen Hart’s AEW theme:

  • Thunder Rosa Discusses Tony Khan’s Role as a Leader in AEW

    Thunder Rosa Discusses Tony Khan’s Role as a Leader in AEW

    Thunder Rosa appeared on the Mack Mania podcast this week and spoke about her experience working with AEW President Tony Khan.

    As AEW Women’s World Champion, Thunder Rosa is the face of the company’s women’s division. She recently ended Britt Baker’s lengthy title reign and understands the responsibility that now rests on her shoulders. She’s the top dog in AEW and now has a target on her back.

    As someone who has wrestled around the world, Rosa knows what makes a good boss. She believes one of Tony Khan’s major strengths is that he listens to ideas from talent and allows them to have a hand in their storylines.

    ‘He listens,” she said about Tony Khan. “When you make sense, he will listen to what you have to say.”

    She sees wrestling fans debating AEW storylines online. Some of them can be harsh about the AEW product and Tony Khan in particular. She’s seen her boss’ creativity in action and believes he knows what he’s doing.

    “You have to believe in his vision,” said Rosa. “It is what it is, and that’s one of the things that I have learned about him. Everything that he has done from when I first started to now, I left it up to him, like the buildup to the Lights Out match and now into having the match in San Antonio was great.”

    Rosa continued, “I never went and said, ‘No, I want to do this.’ I told Tony, ‘I’m going to see your vision and make sure that what you see is what you’re going to get.’ That’s what I said, and I made sure that I did everything that was in my power to do that, and I will continue to do that as a champion.”

    Thunder Rosa retained the AEW Women’s World title against Nyla Rose this past weekend at Battle of the Belts II. Following that match, the top contenders in the Women’s division include Serena Deeb, Anna Jay and Jamie Hayter.

    Listen to Thunder Rosa on the latest Mack Mania podcast:

  • Vickie Guerrero Admits She Misses GM Role

    Vickie Guerrero Admits She Misses GM Role

    Vickie Guerrero might be with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) now, but she still has fond memories of her time with WWE.

    Guerrero recently spoke to WhatCulture, and discussed her time in WWE, before now signing with AEW. Guerrero explained that she misses the General Manager role she had in WWE, and doubts something like that is possible in AEW. However, she’d really love to manage more talent with her new company.

    “I’m a little sad that I don’t play the General Manager,” Guerrero said (via Fightful). “I do miss those times a lot because it was so much fun to make out with guys, hire and fire people, and slap women and get away with it. Those were really fun times. It’s a different situation with AEW and I wish I could do that, but hopefully, I can manage more people,”

    Guerrero is the widow of WWE Hall Of Famer Eddie Guerrero, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away back in 2005. Shortly after, Vickie Guerrero started with WWE as an on-screen personality, and carved out quite the legacy for herself in WWE. She eventually became the General Manager of SmackDown, becoming one of the most hated heels in the business in the process.

    She eventually found herself in a controversial, yet memorable romantic story line with WWE Hall Of Famer Edge. Guerrero stopped making regular appearances on WWE TV around 2014, but still made sporadic appearances over the next few years.

    Things took a turn for Guerrero when she made an appearance for AEW in 2019, subsequently provoking WWE to “cut her off,” as she claims. Guerrero then officially signed with AEW in 2020.

  • Jack Evans Announces He’s Done With AEW

    Jack Evans Announces He’s Done With AEW

    Jack Evans announced on Twitter that he will be finishing up with AEW at the end of this month. 

    “My time with #AEW has been a fun and enjoyable but it has come to an end as I will not be re-signed when my contract ends at the end of April.  I’d like to thank everyone at AEW and the AEW fans for the opportunity.”

    A fan replied to him in the comments on the post by saying it was “Heartless” for AEW to let him go. However, Evans took the high road as noted he understands the situation.

    “Nah it is part of the business.  Not to diss myself but I wasn’t giving any added value to the company truthfully and with a big roster you do gotta make cuts.”

    Evans signed with AEW in 2019 and has primarily been featured on the Dark shows. He last appeared on AEW programming in February on AEW Dark, which resulted in him losing to Wheeler Yuta. His tag team partner Angelico wrestled on the last Dark tapings. As of this writing, there’s no word yet on his contract status.

    This past December, Evans was in the news when he alleged that he was being extorted by Mexican police. He later shared a video on social media and claimed that police tried again to extort him.