SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • AEW Has New Cody Rhodes Action Figures in the Works

    AEW Has New Cody Rhodes Action Figures in the Works

    Cody Rhodes is no longer with AEW, but the company is showing off a couple new action figures bearing the likeness of the American Nightmare.

    As part of AEW Revolution weekend in Orlando, FL, AEW is holding a Fan Fest. Part of the fan fest includes a section showing off AEW’s upcoming action figures.

    There are several really cool figures in the works, including this two-pack featuring the late Brodie Lee and his son, -1.

    Cody Rhodes New AEW Figures

    It’s interesting to see AEW and Jazwares have multiple new Cody Rhodes figures in development. However, it may be premature for AEW fans to begin celebrating Cody’s return.

    WWE regularly introduces action figures featuring talent talent that is no loner with the company. The WWE 2K22 roster features dozens of characters who are gone from WWE, some of them currently employed by AEW.

    Here’s a first look at the new AEW Cody Rhodes action figures, courtesy of Twitter user @P1AllElite and Ringside Collectibles:

  • Jay White Pleasantly Surprised by the Reaction to His AEW Debut

    Jay White Pleasantly Surprised by the Reaction to His AEW Debut

    Jay White admits he was a bit surprised by the reaction he received from the AEW audience when he crossed through the ‘forbidden door.’

    White has found much success during his time in NJPW. Early in his career, he had strong showings in Ring of Honor. More recently, Jay White has become a mainstay in IMPACT Wrestling. Since the presence of The Bullet Club has increased in IMPACT, White has aided in the presentation of the current version of the faction.

    Jay White Talks About His AEW Debut

    Jay made his first appearance in AEW on the February 9 episode of AEW Dynamite. White helped out The Elite by attacking Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero in the production lot.

    He wrestled his first AEW match the following week on the February 18 episode of AEW Rampage. He would go on to defeat Trent Beretta. 

    White appeared on Busted Open Radio, and talked about the reaction to his unexpected, unannounced AEW appearance. The Bullet Club leader said, “It did a little bit. It doesn’t surprise me in the sense that, I know my own worth, but it did in the sense that I had no idea what the reaction would be to a bigger, more mainstream audience. Whether they love me from the start or not, that doesn’t bother me because I know over time people are going to realize my ability, that’s how it’s been from the start.”

    He continued, “When I back to New Japan, people thought I was put in a position I shouldn’t have been, people can argue about that all day, but what you can’t argue is that where I’m at now, I was right about that. In terms of that reaction, it was a little surprise, but in a good way. I had nothing to go off in terms of gauging what an audience that size whether they would know me or how they would feel about it.”

    We have not seen Jay White appear in AEW since he defeated Trent. 

    IMPACT Sacrifice

    White is scheduled to take on Alex Shelley at IMPACT Sacrifice. 

    IMPACT Sacrifice Matches

    • Countdown to Sacrifice: Rich Swann & Willie Mack vs. The OGK (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven)
    • Countdown to Sacrifice: Lady Frost vs. Gisele Shaw
    • Jay White vs. Alex Shelley
    • IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Championship: The IInspiration (Cassie Lee & Jessica McKay) (c) vs. The Influence (Tenille Dashwood & Madison Rayne)
    • IMPACT X-Division Championship: Trey Miguel (c) vs. Jake Something
    • Rhino vs. Eddie Edwards
    • IMPACT World Championship: Moose (c) vs. Heath
    • JONAH vs. PCO
    • IMPACT Tag Team Championship: The Good Brothers (c) vs. Violent By Design
    • IMPACT Knockouts Championship: Mickie James (c) vs. Tasha Steelz
    • Open Challenge for either the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship or the ROH Women’s World Championship: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. TBA

    H/T to Jeremy Lambert of Fightful for the transcription

  • Keith Lee Criticizes WWE’s ‘Confusing’ Booking of His Character

    Keith Lee Criticizes WWE’s ‘Confusing’ Booking of His Character

    When Keith Lee was signed to WWE, he came in with about as much fanfare as any new signee has had in recent years. One of the top stars on the independent scene, incredibly agile for his size, Lee seemed destined for success.

    After a memorable run with WWE NXT where he became NXT North American and NXT Champion, simultaneously, as well as a memorable Survivor Series faceoff with Roman Reigns and Royal Rumble moment with Brock Lesnar, Lee was officially brought up to the main roster.

    And that main roster run never amounted to much of anything. With WWE’s writing and storyline directions (or lack there of) receiving a great deal of criticism in recent years, the complete mishandling of Keith Lee is a great piece of evidence to support said criticism.

    Lee was officially brought up to the main roster in the fall of 2020 until his release in the fall of 2021. Late in his run, he received a “reboot” where they began calling him Keith “Bearcat” Lee.

    In an interview with The New York Post, Lee wouldn’t say that the character strayed from what he wanted to present, but he did acknowledge it was confusing for the fans.

    “I just think that the difference was so stark that it confused people,” Lee said.

    He continued by talking about how he felt the way his character shift was handled cold, without explanation, was the main culprit of its failure.

    “In my personal opinion, and we all have different opinions, there are different theologies in this thing. When it comes to such a drastic thing, I think you either… with my time being out, I could have come out with that and just been different altogether, or if you were going to present me as I was and then have this sudden shift, I think it’s better done if there is a story, a reason for said shift. I think it’s a fairly simple story to tell. It’s a very subjective situation.”

    Lee Remains Grateful For His Time In WWE

    That being said, Lee was thankful for his time in WWE and didn’t go about burning any bridges or being too critical.

    “Gratitude,” Lee said. “There’s not a lot of people that make it there, man, and a lot of people that want to. I am one of the few that did. It has afforded me abilities to do things that many cannot. There are a lot of things that maybe wouldn’t have happened had I never ventured there. There’s a lot to be thankful for.”

    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.

  • Watch: Former WWE Star Returns To AEW During Rampage

    Watch: Former WWE Star Returns To AEW During Rampage

    Erick Redbeard, better known to WWE fans as former Wyatt Family member Eric Rowan made his return to AEW programming during this week’s episode of Rampage.

    The Friday night show featured matches such as a triple threat for the TNT championship and a qualifier for the face of the Revolution ladder match.

    The final segment of the night saw Pac and Penta Oscuro confronting the House of Black in the ring. This is when Redbeard made his return to the company.

    The former WWE star aligned himself with the members of the Death Triangle. The segment broke out into a fight with his arrival and Erick took out several security guards.

    https://twitter.com/AEWonTV/status/1499949234644127746

    AEW later confirmed that Eric Redbeard will team up with Pac and Penta to face The House of Black in a trios match at the AEW Revolution Buy In Show this Sunday.

    Redbeard previously made an appearance for AEW during the ‘Brodie Lee Celebration Of Life’ tribute show back in December 2020. He protected members of the Dark Order from an attack by Wardlow.

    It’s unknown whether Erick has signed a contract with All Elite Wrestling. It looks more likely that this will be a one-off appearance for the former champion.

  • AEW Reaches $1 Million Gate For Double Or Nothing Off First Day Ticket Sales

    AEW Reaches $1 Million Gate For Double Or Nothing Off First Day Ticket Sales

    AEW is off to a good start for its Double or Nothing pay-per-view event thanks to first-day ticket sales. 

    The promotion will hold the show on Sunday, May 29th in Las Vegas, Nevada at the T-Mobile Arena. Tickets for it went on sale today and the promotion reached its first-ever $1 million gate. AEW President Tony Khan announced on Twitter Friday by writing. 

    “It’s Friday, you know what that means: #AEWRampage Live TONIGHT on @TNTdrama on the Road to Revolution this Sunday, and tonight we’re celebrating a milestone because today #DoubleOrNothing 1st day sales just gave us our 1st EVER $1 Million gate! Let’s celebrate tonight @ Rampage!”

    WrestleTix noted that AEW has set up the venue for 14,000 seats. The entire lower bowl is sold out, which helped the promotion get to the $1 million gate as those are the most expensive seats. 

    The Dynamite and Rampage shows leading up to the pay-per-view will take place in the city at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, formerly known as the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

    AEW presents its next pay-per-view event this Sunday with Revolution, which sold out the the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida. 

  • Conflicting Reports Surface On Potential Thunder Rosa Injury

    Conflicting Reports Surface On Potential Thunder Rosa Injury

    Depending on who you believe, Thunder Rosa is either hurt going into AEW Revolution or is perfectly fine.

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Thunder suffered an injury of some sort during her tag team match on the go-home episode of Dynamite. There weren’t much more details given in the report.

    During the match, Thunder teamed with Mercedes Martinez to take on Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter. Thunder ended up pinning Britt for the victory.

    Thunder Rosa Injured? Not So Fast

    Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select followed up on Meltzer’s report. He says that sources have told him that they “vehemently” deny the claim that Thunder Rosa was injured during the tag team match.

    It’ll be interesting to see what the real story is but for now, Thunder is set to challenge Britt Baker for the AEW Women’s Championship this Sunday night (March 6).

    Going into Sunday’s PPV, many had been assuming that this was Thunder’s time to win the championship. After her pinfall victory over Britt in the tag match on Dynamite, many are singing a different tune.

    For our AEW Revolution predictions, click here.

  • Report: WWE Working On Creative Plans For Cody Rhodes

    Report: WWE Working On Creative Plans For Cody Rhodes

    There have been conflicting reports on the status of Cody Rhodes but the latest word indicates that “The American Nightmare” is WWE-bound.

    Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE has been working on creative plans for Cody. The plans are expected to be in motion soon barring a last-minute fallout between the two sides.

    Conflicting Reports On Cody Rhodes

    This goes against a recent report from Bodyslam.net, which claims that talks between Cody Rhodes and WWE “fizzled out.” The report also indicated that there was a possibility that Cody could make his way back to AEW.

    Cody and Brandi Rhodes announced their departure from AEW back in February. Cody, Brandi, and Tony Khan all issued statements expressing gratitude for their time working together.

    Reports claimed that Cody had grown unhappy with the loss in booking power. It was also said that he wanted a big enough contract that Khan wasn’t willing to pay.

    Cody had been working without a contract since the end of 2021. Despite this, he won the TNT Championship but eventually dropped it to Sammy Guevara on the Beach Break edition of AEW Dynamite.

    SEScoops will keep you posted with the latest updates regarding the status of Cody Rhodes.

  • ROH Statement On Acquisition By Tony Khan

    ROH Statement On Acquisition By Tony Khan

    ROH has sent out a statement in response to being acquired by AEW President Tony Khan.

    On the March 2 episode of AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan announced that he purchased Ring of Honor from Sinclair Broadcast Group. In a statement released by AEW, they gushed over the promotion’s video library.

    ROH Speaks On Acquisition

    Here is ROH’s statement in full:

    “An agreement has been reached for All Elite Wrestling CEO Tony Khan to acquire the assets of Ring of Honor Wrestling Entertainment, LLC from Sinclair Broadcast Group.

    “Khan made the announcement during Wednesday night’s episode of AEW: Dynamite on TBS.

    “’Ring of Honor’s influence on modern professional wrestling is etched permanently in the history books, and this acquisition ensures that its legacy will be kept alive and treated with the utmost respect,’ Khan said.

    “ROH COO Joe Koff said: ‘Ring of Honor has produced some of the best professional wrestlers over the past 20 years, but more importantly, it created a family. I will be forever grateful to everyone in the ROH family who has worked tirelessly for the past two decades to take ROH to levels previously unimagined. Tony has the utmost appreciation and respect for Ring of Honor, and I’m truly excited to see how he continues the legacy.’

    “ROH was founded in 2002 by a Philadelphia-based pro wrestling video production company and has gone on to become one of the most influential promotions in the industry.

    “Emphasizing unparallelled in­-ring action and athleticism, ROH initially catered to a niche audience of disenfranchised hardcore wrestling fans, recording live events in Philadelphia and a few other cities in the Northeast and selling them on DVD and VHS. 

    “From those humble beginnings, ROH steadily grew into a global brand that launched the careers of a number of top stars, including CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, the Briscoes, Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens.

    “In 2011, SBG acquired ROH from Cary Silkin, who had been ROH’s sole owner since 2004. Under SBG’s ownership, ROH became the only wrestling company in the U.S. with a major, multi­-market presence on broadcast TV. 

    “The next chapter in ROH’s storied history will now be written by Khan, who described himself as ‘a huge fan of Ring of Honor’ when he made the announcement on Dynamite.

    “’This deal adds thousands of hours of content to our rapidly growing library and creates new opportunities to expand our footprint on national and global scale, while having the potential to produce new content under the ROH banner,’ Khan said.”

    There has been plenty of speculation regarding AEW’s plans for the Ring of Honor brand. We’ve already seen a report from Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net that ROH will be used as a “developmental territory of sort.”

  • Jade Cargill Reveals What She’s Learned From Bryan Danielson

    Jade Cargill Reveals What She’s Learned From Bryan Danielson

    Jade Cargill has taken some pointers from Bryan Danielson.

    Danielson isn’t just one of AEW’s top stars, he’s also become a bit of a mentor backstage. One rising star who Danielson has kept his eyes on is Cargill, who is the inaugural TBS Champion.

    In fact, Danielson even admitted on The Masked Man Show that he’s “jealous” of Jade’s ability to come across as a big star so quickly.

    Learning From A Legend

    While Cargill’s wrestling journey is in its beginning stages, Danielson has been around the block for many years. Speaking to Muscle and Fitness, Jade Cargill shared some of the things she has learned from Bryan Danielson.

    “I’m learning a whole different style of wrestling. Grappling and that sort of thing. I’m used to the ‘big man’ style of just throwing people. He is such an intelligent man, he has so much knowledge.

    “Right now, I’m actually getting more in-tune with British wrestling and prior to this I didn’t have much knowledge of it, and how different the style is but also how technical it is, so I’m learning all of that right now and trying to fit it into my form of wrestling. It’s a blessing, I’m very thankful.”

    Cargill is scheduled to put her TBS Title on the line at the AEW Revolution PPV on March 6. She’ll go one-on-one with Tay Conti inside the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.

    For our 2022 AEW Revolution staff predictions, click here.

  • WWE Was In Talks To Buy ROH, But Tony Khan Closed The Deal

    WWE Was In Talks To Buy ROH, But Tony Khan Closed The Deal

    WWE and AEW were both offered the chance to purchase Ring of Honor, but it was AEW President Tony Khan who did what was necessary to secure the deal.

    Khan has been hyping an industry-changing announcement and delivered the news at the start of this week’s AEW Dynamite. The purchase includes the complete ROH video library, as well as the brand’s assets and intellectual property.

    Tony Khan now has the ability to shop around both the AEW and ROH libraries to a streaming service, which could land him (and AEW) a huge influx of revenue in the years ahead. It also gives AEW a secondary brand where they can send young and underutilized talent (think NXT to WWE).

    Dave Meltzer addressed Tony Khan’s purchase of ROH on Wrestling Observer Radio. According to Meltzer, both WWE and AEW were contacted about buying the company.

    “Both WWE and AEW were contacted when the idea was to sell the company and AEW was the one that, obviously, made the better offer of the two and got the company,” said Meltzer.

    Valuable Tape Library

    Khan now owns 20 years of footage from ROH, including tapes featuring CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and many more.

    “The tape library is very valuable to AEW because they want to do some sort of a streaming service,” Meltzer continued. “Whether they sell something to HBO Max or they do their own streaming service in some form. That amount of library with a lot of wrestlers, including, one of the keys to that library is Ring of Honor owned the All In show which is an important part of the history of AEW.”

    WWE’s Interest in Buying ROH

    This is not the first time that WWE considered purchasing Ring of Honor. A few years ago, around 2018, Triple H (Paul Levesque) wanted to buy Ring of Honor for the same reasons that Tony Khan ultimately did. There were talks and WWE made a pitch, but the deal fell apart.

    “From what I gather, Vince wanted to buy somebody bigger, not realizing that the ‘bigger’ which was New Japan Pro Wrestling, he couldn’t buy,” Meltzer added. “WWE tried to buy New Japan. They tried to buy Stardom. They tried to buy NOAH. They tried to buy AAA. Nobody would sell to them from foreign countries for the price that they were willing to pay, so none of these deals ever got going, but this is one, obviously, that was in play, and you know, whatever.”

    Ring of Honor’s most recent show was December’s ROH Final Battle 2022 pay-per-view. The company ‘went dark’ after that to restructure and evaluate the company’s future operations. In recent weeks, ROH has announced the inductees for the company’s inaugural Hall of Fame Class, including The Briscoe Brothers, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe.

    The next ROH show, Supercard of Honor XV, is scheduled to take place during WrestleMania 38 weekend in the Dallas, TX metro area. More information on that show below:

  • Adam Cole Reflects on Triple H & Shawn Michaels’ Impact on his Career

    Adam Cole Reflects on Triple H & Shawn Michaels’ Impact on his Career

    Adam Cole says Triple H and Shawn Michaels have given him the confidence to be the main-event-caliber performer he is today.

    This Sunday, Cole challenges “Hangman” Adam Page for the AEW World Championship in the main event of AEW Revolution 2022.

    Cole spoke with Sports Illustrated this week to promote the show. During the discussion, Cole spoke about working under Triple H and Shawn Michaels during their time together in NXT and how much he learned from the two all-time greats.

    Adam Cole made a rare WWE main roster appearance on the November 1, 2019 edition of WWE SmackDown. This was the show that took place when a large portion of the WWE crew was stuck in Saudi Arabia. Cole was called in to defend his NXT Championship against Bryan Danielson. This was a big stage for Cole at the time.

    Triple H and Shawn Michaels believed in him that night and made him feel like he truly deserves all the success he’s earned throughout his career.

    “Both Hunter and Shawn gave me this unspoken confidence,” Cole tells SI. “They put me into this next gear and gave me this championship mentality. That night, neither Hunter nor Shawn talked about the stakes, the stress or how everyone there was counting on me. They trusted my ability, that I could get on a plane that afternoon and wrestle later that night on SmackDown against one of the top stars in the industry.”

    Cole remembers that Triple H and Shawn Michaels “didn’t bat an eye” or question him for a moment. They knew he and Bryan Danielson would tear the house down – and they did. “I learned so much from them that I will carry with me for the rest of my career,” said Cole. “Being in that environment taught me certain aspects of my game that I didn’t know before I was there. That’s benefited me in a lot of ways.”

    That confidence he gained in NXT sticks with him to this day. It’s given him an edge in AEW, as well. He feels at home wrestling in a PPV main event and that’s partially thanks to Triple H and Shawn Michaels’ support.

    “Two of the greatest to ever do it had full faith and belief in me. I’ll never forget that. So I know I deserve to be in this spot and deserve to be in this role.”

    “I’ve only scratched the surface of showing what I’m capable of & now I get to do that in a main event PPV slot against an excellent world champion in Adam Page. This is big for me. It’s put-up-or-shut-up time, & it’s time for me to make a statement.”

    – Adam Cole to Sports Illustrated
  • AEW Revolution 2022 Predictions

    AEW Revolution 2022 Predictions

    We’ve got our AEW Revolution 2022 predictions ahead of the big pay-per-view this Sunday from Orlando, Florida.

    SEScoops team members Fernando Quiles, Jr., Tyriese Simon and Andrew Ravens are here to provide their expert picks for each match on the card.

    Check out their predictions below and hit up the comments section with your own.

    AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill vs. Tay Conti

    Andrew Ravens: There’s no chance Tay wins the title here and the oddsmakers are backing Jade by a lot. Tay is another opponent for Jade to work with and make her look good, but Jade walks away with the strap. (Prediction: Jade Cargill)

    Fernando: This is a step up for Jade in terms of competition for her TBS Championship. I expect Tay to get a lot more offense in this one than past challengers but she will ultimately fall short. Jade’s title reign is too fresh to end now. (Prediction: Jade Cargill)

    Tyriece: AEW is booking Jade Cargill as a dominant force in the women’s division, and I think she continues the momentum at Revolution. Tay Conti will get some offense and have her moments, but Cargill will win to continue her winning streak. (Prediction: Jade Cargill)

    Consensus: Jade Cargill to retain the TBS Championship

    Matt Hardy, Andrade El Idolo and Isiah Kassidy vs. Sting, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara

    Fernando: It seems like Jeff Hardy will eventually make his way to AEW and if that’s the case, Matt is definitely turning face and realigning with his brother. I think the seeds have been planted for the Hardy Family Office eventually crumbling or being taken over by Andrade. Things could very well break down in this match as I see Darby, Sting, and Sammy getting the win. (Prediction: Sting, Darby Allin & Sammy Guevara)

    Andrew Ravens: This is a pretty easy pick here as the babyfaces should go over. If you need a weak link then Kassidy is the guy to take the loss. Let everyone goes their separate ways aside from Allin and Sting after this one. (Prediction: Sting, Darby Allin, and Sammy Guevara)

    Tyriece: This match could begin the split between Andrade and Matt Hardy. Hardy has shown to be frustrated with the private party, and AEW teased tension between him and Andrade. (Prediction: Darby Allin, Sting, and Sammy Guevara)

    Consensus: Sting, Darby Allin & Sammy Guevara

    AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa

    Andrew Ravens: Oddsmakers are really behind Rosa to win here and while she is just one of two stars who could realistically beat Baker, the question comes down to why take the title off Baker when she’s far and above anyone else. The fans will still be behind Rosa despite the loss. Baker walks away with the gold. (Prediction: Britt Baker)

    Tyriece: AEW has itself in an interesting situation with Baker vs. Rosa. The champion has reigned as AEW Women’s Champion since May. 30, 2021. She also defeated several of the top talents in the division, like Ruby Soho, Tay Conti, and Riho. Now is the time for Baker to lose the title, and Rosa can lead the division. I can also see Mercedes Martinez help Rosa in the match by taking out Jamie Hayter and Rebel. If AEW has Baker defeat Rosa, she Will have beaten all worthy babyface based on AEW’s win/loss record. I think Rosa pulls the upset. (Prediction: Thunder Rosa)

    Fernando: Before the go-home show on Dynamite, my money was on Thunder Rosa becoming the new AEW Women’s Champion. With her pinfall victory over Britt in a tag team match, that thought has sailed. I think Britt wins this one through nefarious means and we get a rematch at Double or Nothing. (Prediction: Britt Baker)

    Consensus: Britt Baker retains the AEW Women’s World Championship

    Face of the Revolution Ladder Match

    Andrew Ravens: Some interesting names in this one, but to me, it comes down to only two guys – Wardlow and Keith Lee. With Lee recently making his debut, I can see a case being made as to why he should win to keep his winning ways going forward. However, I side with Wardlow, who has been teasing for months splitting away from MJF. What better way for Wardlow to win gold without the help of MJF to make MJF even more upset with his security. (Prediction: Wardlow)

    Tyriece: “Limitless” Keith Lee should be the favorite going into this match and for the right reasons. Lee is a new talent in AEW, and this match is a great way to show his ability. He’s also the only competitor without a faction. I think some inadvertent double-crossing may happen, particularly between Shawn Spears and Wardlow. I believe Lee throw someone off the ladder to win the match. (Prediction: Keith Lee)

    Fernando: It’s interesting that they went with more muscle for a ladder match over the high flyers. Regardless, this is gonna be a fun one. I think Shawn Spears will cost Wardlow by “accidentally” hitting him with a chair. My pick for this one is “Limitless” Keith Lee, which means trouble for Sammy Guevara’s second TNT Title reign. (Winner: Keith Lee)

    Consensus: Keith Lee earns the TNT Title Shot

    AEW World Tag Team Championship

    Andrew Ravens: I could see the possibility of reDRagon winning the titles here since they’ve been pushed strongly. To me, it just doesn’t make sense for there to be a title change as Jurassic Express is so over with the fans. It will be one of the best matches on the card though (Prediction: Jurassic Express)

    Tyriece: In this match, it is difficult to say who wins. Jurassic Express won the Tag Team Championship on Jan. 5. Would AEW take the titles off of them with a two months reign? I think they will retain the championships. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if the ReDragons stole the win to add to the tension between them and the Young Bucks. (Prediction: Jurassic Express)

    Fernando: My hope is that Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus don’t get overshadowed by the animosity between reDRagon and The Young Bucks. There will definitely be moments in this match where reDRagon and The Bucks fail to get on the same page and start brawling. It’ll ultimately lead to a successful title defense for Jurassic Express. (Prediction: Jurassic Express)

    Consensus: Jurassic Express retains the AEW World Tag Team Championships

    Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston

    Tyriece: It’s interesting to note that Eddie Kingston has never won at an AEW Pay per view. Unfortunately, I don’t think he will be at Revolution. Jericho seems to be transitioning to a heel as the “influencer,” and I don’t believe he takes the loss. AEW could decide to have Kingston win to push Jericho to a full-fledged heel after the match. However, I think Jericho cheats to defeat Kingston. (Prediction: Chris Jericho)

    Fernando: There is an opportunity to extend this feud with a Chris Jericho win. Eddie is obviously long overdue for a big victory but I don’t think he gets it this weekend. I think Eddie gets screwed and continues to search for that elusive signature win, which he’ll get at Double or Nothing in a rematch with Jericho. (Prediction: Chris Jericho)

    Andrew Ravens: Kingston is a big favorite here and I agree. Jericho doesn’t need the win, but Kingston does. Depending on the finish, we could get a second match out of this feud as Jericho has been acting very heelish as of late and if Kingston gets a cheap win then Jericho can point that out to make the case for a rematch. (Prediction: Eddie Kingston)

    Consensus: Chris Jericho wins

    Dog collar match: CM Punk vs. MJF

    Andrew Ravens: This should be the blowoff match although if Punk wins here, which I expect to happen, a case could be made for a third match with an even greater stipulation taking place to decide a clear cut winner although I think this storyline has been drawn out enough to close it out here. (Prediction: CM Punk)

    Fernando: There’s no way Punk is walking out of Revolution without a victory. MJF bloodied Punk on the go-home episode of Dynamite and it’s time for some payback. Max will finally get his comeuppance and one has to wonder if this is where Wardlow will turn face (Prediction: CM Punk)

    Tyriece: Punk should win this match. MJF won the first encounter on Feb. 2, and I think Punk gets his revenge. Shawn Spears may come out to interfere, but Wardlow may do something to stop Spears and Punk gets the win. (Prediction: CM Punk)

    Consensus: CM Punk wins

    Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley

    Andrew Ravens: Honestly, this should be a coin flip as either guy could win here. I can see why Danielson wins and he earns the respect of Moxley to be his tag team partner, but I can also see how a Moxley win would upset Danielson, a heel, who takes it to the next level with attacks and it leading to a rematch. I’ll side with Moxley. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Tyriece: I expect this match to be very physical and hard-hitting. Moxley hadn’t lost a match since his AEW return, and I don’t think he loses at Revolution. Danielson wouldn’t be hurt by a loss to Moxley either. The question will be if Danielson and Moxley will team up afterward? (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Fernando: Throughout the buildup to this match, Jon Moxley has been saying that if Danielson expects to fight with him, then he has to bleed with him. That means both men are definitely doing blade jobs in this match. I see Moxley standing tall with a crimson mask when this one is over. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Consensus: Jon Moxley wins

    AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Adam Cole

    Fernando: I think most can agree that Hangman is retaining the title but how they get there could be interesting. Will The Young Bucks thwart interference from reDRagon given their beef and the connection to Hangman? There are a few directions they go can in but all will lead to a win for Hangman Page. (Prediction: Hangman Page)

    Andrew Ravens: Page has only been champion for just over 100 days so it seems a little early if you’re looking back at long-term AEW World Championship reigns to take the title off him despite Cole being an excellent choice to carry the top prize in the company. I don’t see a rematch coming out of this and Cole will certainly make his way back to the title in the distant future. Page keeps the gold. (Prediction: Adam Page)

    Tyriece: Does Adam Page lose the AEW world title as champion after less than four months? I believe he does. It seems that AEW has featured Cole as more of a star than Page in the last few weeks. Cole has been given more screen time and has the storyline of being the new leader for the Elite. I think Cole wins, and Page will go back to chasing the title. (Prediction: Adam Cole)

    Consensus: “Hangman” Adam Page retains the AEW World Championship

  • Tony Khan Buys Ring of Honor

    Tony Khan Buys Ring of Honor

    AEW President Tony Khan has purchased Ring of Honor.

    Khan has been promoting a “major announcement” and announced the news on at the start of this week’s AEW Dynamite.

    https://twitter.com/BRWrestling/status/1499189906194649089

    Khan issued a statement on social media addressing the acquisition, which includes the video library, brand assets and intellectual property.

    “Ring of Honor’s influence on modern professional wrestling is etched permanently in the history books, and this acquisition ensures that its legacy will be kept alive and treated with the utmost respect,” said Tony Khan, CEO of AEW, Chief Football Strategy Officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars and GM/Sporting Director of Fulham F.C. “This deal adds thousands of hours of content to our rapidly growing library and creates new opportunities for us to expand our footprint on a national and global scale, while having the potential to produce new content under the ROH banner. I will immediately begin exploring opportunities to make ROH’s video library available to fans, who’ll have the opportunity to witness the beginnings of the careers of AEW’s biggest stars.”

    The press release mentions that more than 40 members of the AEW roster first wrestled for ROH, including CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Hangman Page, Dr. Britt Baker and Adam Cole.

    Ring of Honor presents Supercard of Honor on Friday, April 1st from Dallas-Fort Worth, TX at the Curtis Culwell Center. This will be the first ROH live event since the company took a hiatus after December’s Final Battle pay-per-view.

  • Keith Lee Address Reports of Him Having “Attitude Issues”

    Keith Lee Address Reports of Him Having “Attitude Issues”

    Keith Lee is one of the newest members of the AEW roster. He debuted on the February 9 edition of AEW Dynamite, just a few days after his WWE non-compete clause ran out. He was able to defeat Isiah Kassidy, in a meme-worthy match, to earn a spot in the Face of the Revolution ladder match.

    Prior to his debut, Keith was released from WWE as a part of the November 4, 2021 releases. After his release, a report by Wade Keller of PWTorch stated that the former Bearcat “had, in general, attitude issues or, as one wrestler told me tonight, perceived attitude issues.”

    Keith Lee Responds To Reports

    In the lead up to AEW Revolution, Lee was asked by Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post about the “perceived attitude issues” report from his time in WWE.

    Keith said, “At the end of the day, man, I’m very much like these old school guys like I really don’t pay attention to the internet like that, and half the time I don’t really pay attention to the apps. Like I may post a thing and someone who helps me with my account may post a thing that’s trying to be positive for other people or promote what I do here in AEW, especially now. I feel like this. If there’s no truth to it then why should I give it any credence? This is going to sound arrogant and I don’t really care. At the end of the day it is beneath me and I treat it as such.”

    Face of the Revolution

    Keith is going to be taking on Orange Cassidy, Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, Wardlow, and one more opponent in the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match at AEW Revolution this Sunday. The winner receives a match with the TNT Champion, and the brass ring.

    AEW Revolution Matches

    • AEW World Championship: Hangman Page (c) vs. Adam Cole
    • AEW Women’s Championship: Britt Baker (c) vs. Thunder Rosa
    • Face of the Revolution Ladder Match: Keith Lee vs. Wardlow vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks vs. Orange Cassidy vs. TBD
    • Tornado Trios Match: AHFO (Matt Hardy, Andrade El Idolo, Isiah Kassidy) vs. Sting, Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin
    • Dog Collar Match: CM Punk vs. MJF
    • AEW Tag Team Championship Match: Jurassic Express (c) vs. reDRagon vs. TBD
    • Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley
  • Samoa Joe on AEW & WWE: “I’m Open to Whatever Opportunity”

    Samoa Joe on AEW & WWE: “I’m Open to Whatever Opportunity”

    Samoa Joe enjoys his options as he remains a free agent.

    “The Samoan Submission Machine” wants to return to professional wrestling after WWE released him on Jan. 6. During his last tenure with the company, Joe competed in NXT before rebranding into NXT 2.0. He relinquished the NXT Championship, after testing positive for Covid-19.

    Since Joe couldn’t compete and was taken off NXT TV, he worked as a trainer at the Performance Center. It’s unclear why the WWE released Joe, but he shared that he was grateful for his time with the company.

    Wrestling fans wonder which promotion will be lucky enough to add Samoa Joe to its roster. In an interview with Busted Open on Sirus XM, Samoa Joe commented on the potential of signing with All Elite Wrestling or returning to WWE.

    “…I’m open to whatever opportunity. Obviously, at this point, I’m blessed enough that I get to make decisions, and I get to work on some things outside of wrestling. Which is a rarity when you are this far in and committed to the business, said Joe.

    He continued, “…I got my team working on stuff, and when they eventually connect, we’ll see if something works out.”

    Samoa Joe
    (via WWE)

    What’s Next for Samoa Joe?

    Joe will be under the WWE 90 non-compete clause until Apr. 6. However, he keeps himself busy with projects outside of wrestling and being with his family.

    “We’re training. We’re ready. Honestly, I’m not on paper with anybody anywhere. We haven’t signed anything. We’re just kind of exploring our options, and I’m taking little time personally just to be with the family and shore up some things home side, and we’ll see what the coming months hold,” said Joe.

    He did share during the interview that he’d like to wrestle against Powerhouse Hobbs and Jon Moxley if Joe were to sign with AEW.

    Samoa Joe is also working as a voice actor for the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League video game. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was scheduled to be released this year, but the developers have pushed it back to next year. It’s unclear if he has to do additional voice acting for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

    AEW or WWE hasn’t publically expressed interest in signing the free agent. Although it doesn’t seem like Joe is rushing to sign with anyone.

  • AEW Revolution Betting Odds

    AEW Revolution Betting Odds

    The latest betting odds have been released for the AEW Revolution event. The card for the show that takes place this Sunday is nearly finalized as 9 matches have been announced. 

    So far, four AEW titles are on the line with only one expected to change hands. Some of the more notable odds include Thunder Rosa favored to beat Britt Baker for the Women’s Title. 

    Wardlow is the current favorite to win the Face of the Revolution ladder match for a TNT Title shot and Jurassic Express is expected to retain their Tag Team Titles in a triple threat match.

    AEW Revolution Odds

    As a reminder, we will be providing coverage of the show this Sunday. The favorites to win are listed as – while the underdogs are listed with +. Here are the final betting odds, courtesy of BetOnline:

    AEW World Heavyweight Champion “Hangman” Adam Page -345 (champion) vs Adam Cole +225

    AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker +190 vs. Thunder Rosa -278

    CM Punk -250 vs MJF +175 – Dog collar match

    Chris Jericho +175 vs. Eddie Kingston -250

    Jon Moxley -162 vs Bryan Danielson +115

    AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill -500 vs Leyla Hirsch +300

    Matt Hardy, Andrade El Idolo and Isiah Kassidy +175 vs. Sting, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara -250 – Six-man tag team match

  • Chris Jericho On How He Plans To Retire

    Chris Jericho On How He Plans To Retire

    Many wrestling stars want to make their retirement as big as possible. From going on retirement tours to picking up the biggest opponent, a lot of stars do everything they can to make their final outing as memorable for fans as possible. Though this won’t be the case with Chris Jericho, according to Y2J himself.

    The former AEW champion discussed his career and retirement during a recent talk with Fite in Focus. He claimed that when he’s done, he’ll just be done:

    “When I’m done, there’s not going to be a retirement tour, there’s not going to be big pomp and circumstance. I’ll be done. I’ll go somewhere else and do what I want to do.”

    Although this doesn’t mean that the moment is close. Chris Jericho noted how wrestling has become fun for him again in recent years. According to him, there is no reason for a change when he is enjoying himself:

    “Right now, I’m in the best shape of my life, we have a really good story going on with Eddie Kingston that has a lot of layers to come. To me, that’s enough to sit back and enjoy myself. When I’m enjoying myself, there’s no reason to change anything.”

    Jericho also discussed how he had started thinking about winding down around 2016. Though going to Japan made wrestling fun for him again.

    Chris Jericho Reveals His Dream Matches That Never Happened

    Thanks to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

  • AEW Announces California Debut, More West Coast Shows to Come

    AEW Announces California Debut, More West Coast Shows to Come

    Wrestling fans on the west coast have pleaded for their first live AEW event, and those wishes are about to come true.

    Following AEW Double or Nothing at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 29th, the company will travel to The Forum in Inglewood, CA for AEW Dynamite on June 1st, the company’s first show in California. They will follow that up with a live edition of AEW Rampage in Ontario, California on Friday, June 3rd at the Toyota Arena (the capacity will be around 8,000 fans). Inglewood is suburban L.A., and Ontario is just east of Los Angeles and six miles from the town that the Young Bucks grew up in, Rancho Cucamonga.

    AEW previously had plans to run the Toyota Arena in Ontario back in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and shut down touring.

    The news of the Ontario, California show was first revealed on Wednesday morning by The Young Bucks during Being The Elite (you can watch the video above). Tickets go on sale for AEW Rampage in Ontario on Friday, March 11th.

    AEW followed that up by officially announcing the show as well via social media.

    Later on Monday, the Los Angeles area (Inglewood) Dynamite event was revealed via AEW’s social media channels. Tickets for that show at The Forum also go on sale March 11th.

    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.

  • Cody Rhodes Gives “BIG Props” to Brandi for AEW Detroit Debut

    Cody Rhodes Gives “BIG Props” to Brandi for AEW Detroit Debut

    All Elite Wrestling is heading to Detroit, Michigan for the first time this summer.

    AEW Dynamite and Rampage will take place from Detroits Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, June 29th.

    The venue is the home arena of the Pistons (NBA) and Red Wings (NHL). It has a max capacity of over 18,000 fans, but maxes out around 14,000 for wrestling events.

    According to WrestleTix, WWE Raw on March 12, 2018 sold 13,791 tickets. WWE’s most recent show there, a Super Show featuring John Cena last summer (August 1, 2021), sold 10,790 tickets.

    Tickets for AEW’s Detroit debut go on sale Friday, March 11th at AEWTix.com and Ticketmaster.

    Cody Rhodes Reacts to AEW Detroit

    Former AEW star Cody Rhodes commented on AEW heading to Detroit. He said it’s “very cool to see!” and congratulated his wife Brandi and AEW live event coordinator Rafael Morffi for “making Detroit finally happen.”

  • Eric Bischoff: “AEW Has To Grow Their Business. They Haven’t Thus Far.”

    Eric Bischoff: “AEW Has To Grow Their Business. They Haven’t Thus Far.”

    Eric Bischoff continues to be outspoken about All Elite Wrestling’s level of success.

    The former WCW President has been critical about various aspects of AEW. He acknowledges they have amassed a “super loaded” roster, but doesn’t feel the company has realized its full potential.

    On the latest episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff explained what he believes are AEW’s shortcomings.

    “AEW has to grow their business,” he began. “They haven’t thus far. Now they’re inching up since NXT is no longer head-to-head. Dynamite, they’re probably 10% or 12% some are estimating ahead of where they were this time last year. But they’re still having a hard time consistently breaking a million viewers. It’s up and down with a super-loaded roster.”

    AEW Dynamite viewership has increased year-over-year. The viewership trend is positive since moving to TBS at the start of this year. That said, there is still significant room for improvement.

    Appealing to a Wider Audience

    Eric Bischoff Tony Khan
    Former WCW President Eric Bischoff & AEW President Tony Khan

    Bischoff’s critique is sensible. AEW has all the star power they need at this point. So, what will it take for AEW Dynamite viewership to 1.5 million viewers each week?

    “At some point, they’re going to need a world champion, or two, a men’s champion and a women’s champion.. They’re going to need somebody that’s a legitimate larger than life star, not just physically, but larger than life to a broader audience.”

    Bischoff says AEW and Turner might be satisfied with one million viewers each week. If they intend to draw viewership that rivals WWE Raw and SmackDown, they need to appeal to a wider audience.

    “They’re going to need to focus on some larger than life type characters that are going to attract more than just the hardcore fanbase that they currently have.”

    Eric Bischoff is a free agent who has appeared on WWE and AEW television in recent years. His most recent national TV appearance took place last month on SmackDown.

    Eric Bischoff Critiques AEW

    Here are some related articles covering Eric Bischoff’s comments about AEW:

  • Britt Baker on Her WWE Tryout & Dental School Leading Her to AEW

    Britt Baker on Her WWE Tryout & Dental School Leading Her to AEW

    Britt Baker is one of the most successful women’s wrestlers in the world, but it was a long journey to the AEW Women’s World Championship.

    If you haven’t heard, she’s also a dentist. Baker somehow maintains two successful careers. This is a testament to her work ethic and determination. As it turns out, her dental school education kept her from fulfilling her dream of joining WWE.

    On the latest episode of the Talk is Jericho podcast, Baker spoke to Chris Jericho about her hopes of signing with WWE several years ago

    Baker had a tryout with the company and was in the same class as Lacey Evans. She felt confident WWE would offer her a contract, but her dental school education knocked those plans off course.

    At the time of her WWE tryout, Canyon Ceman was a top executive in the talent development division. Baker described him as “the gatekeeper” who brought independent wrestlers on board to the company’s developmental system.

    “He pulled me aside at the end of the tryout,” Baker recalls. “And he was like, ‘You know, you’ve just started dental school. As a father, I have a hard time pulling you from a professional degree.’ My heart dropped.”

    Baker says she would have left dental school in a heartbeat if it meant she could join WWE. Looking back, she owes Ceman “the world” for not offering her a contract at the time.

    “I would have left dental school in a heartbeat to go to WWE,” she said. “Because I was young, dumb, and I was like, ‘I’m going to be NXT Women’s Champion,’ like that would have got me far, right? He stayed in touch with me every few months after that. Like, ‘Let me know when you finish dental school, send me your matches.’ He always kept up with me.”

    Ceman was released by WWE last year after nearly a decade with the company.

    Britt Baker went on to join All Elite Wrestling in 2019. She captured the AEW Women’s World Championship at last year at Double or Nothing and is considered one of the most popular stars in the indsutry.

    Baker defends the AEW Women’s champion against Thunder Rosa next weekend at AEW Revolution.

  • Keith Lee On His Immediate Reaction To WWE Release

    Keith Lee On His Immediate Reaction To WWE Release

    A lot of people would panic upon receiving the news of getting fired from their jobs. Though according to Keith Lee, it wasn’t the case when he heard about his WWE release.

    The AEW star recently had an interview with Busted Open Radio. He discussed things such as his debut for Tony Khan’s promotion and more.

    Discussing his reaction to the news of his release, Lee claimed that he was very calm. He said that he had confidence that he will figure out what he needed to do:

    “I think that when it happened, I was extremely calm, don’t think that it was because I had any sort of plan. It was more so that I had a lot of confidence,

    And even with sudden changes occurring and things of that sort,” said Keith Lee, “I was confident that one way or another, I would figure out what I needed to do to move forward and continue doing what I love to do.”

    The former NXT champion also discussed how he didn’t have a plan for his future because his interaction with people backstage in WWE were all very positive.

    Keith Lee was released from his WWE contract in November last year. He made his debut for AEW during the February 9 episode of Dynamite.

    Tony Khan Was “Stunned” When Keith Lee Hit Free Agency

    Thanks to WrestlingInc for the quotes

  • Announced Revolution Match Was Reportedly Altered Last Minute

    Announced Revolution Match Was Reportedly Altered Last Minute

    AEW announced a couple of new matches for the Revolution PPV during the latest episode of Rampage. One of them was a tornado trios match.

    The company revealed that Matt Hardy, Andrade El Idolo, and Isaiah Kassidy will be teaming up to go up against the team of Sting, Darby Allin, and TNT Champion Sammy Guevara.

    However, Fightful is reporting that this wasn’t the original idea for the bout and the plans for this announced Revolution match were changed last minute.

    According to the site, the match was originally going to be a regular tag team match. It would have seen Matt Hardy teaming with Andrade to face Sting & Darby Allin

    There is no clear reason why Guevara and Kassidy were added to the bout. It’s possible that they didn’t want a current champion to miss the show.

    AEW has announced a total of 9 matches for the upcoming Revolution PPV so far. This includes Adam Page defending the world title against Adam Cole.

    Other matches for the show include the Face Of The Revolution ladder match and a dog collar match between CM Punk and MJF.

    You can check out the match card and broadcasting details for the PPV here.

  • Eric Bischoff Says AEW Needs A ‘Legitimate’ Larger Than Life Star

    Eric Bischoff Says AEW Needs A ‘Legitimate’ Larger Than Life Star

    While AEW has done a great job building up their day 1 talents into recognizable wrestling names, many believe they have yet to create a megastar. Eric Bischoff believes that they need a legitimate larger-than-life character if they want to take their programming to the next level.

    The former WCW president talked about this during the latest episode of his 83 Weeks podcast. He mentioned that AEW has seen a 10-12% increase in audience since NXT moved to Tuesday nights.

    However, Eric Bischoff discussed how the company is still struggling to get over the million viewers mark consistently. He claimed that AEW will need a star who can appeal to broader audience if they want to grow further:

    “They’re going to need somebody that’s a legitimate larger than life star, not just physically, but larger than life to a broader audience. Or they’re going to have to accept the fact that AEW is basically a million viewers a week tops.”

    Eric Bischoff later said that this won’t really matter if TBS is happy with the rating and if AEW officials are happy with their spot as well.

    Although if they want to push similar ratings to Monday Night Raw, then they have to focus on some larger-than-life characters and attract more than just the hardcore fans.

    Eric Bishcoff Says He Is Getting Surgery

    Thanks to WrestlingNews.co for the quotes

  • Bryan Danielson Reveals The Reason He’s Jealous Of Jade Cargill

    Bryan Danielson Reveals The Reason He’s Jealous Of Jade Cargill

    Bryan Danielson admits Jade Cargill has a certain quality that makes him a bit jealous.

    Cargill made her AEW debut back in Nov. 2020. Since that time, she has been on a tear and is the inaugural TBS Champion. Cargill has also been a ratings draw for AEW as her match with Ruby Soho on Dynamite’s TBS debut outdrew Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson in most demos.

    Danielson Speaks On Cargill’s Star Power

    Bryan Danielson was a guest on the Masked Man Show and revealed why he’s a bit jealous of Jade Cargill (via Fightful).

    “Pro wrestling is very unique in the sense that anybody if they work hard enough, can get pretty good at this. Whether you make a living from it, that’s a different thing, but can get pretty good at the technical aspects of professional wrestling.

    “Again, I think that comes down to a certain discipline. In my short time working with her, she works very hard. She…can I say that I’m jealous? [Laughs]. In the sense that, she’s been wrestling a little over ten months, maybe now 11 months, and she comes out with more presence and looks like more of a star than I have ever looked in my entire career.”

    Cargill has defeated the likes of Thunder Rosa, Ruby Soho, Red Velvet, Anna Jay, and others. She is approaching the two-month mark of her TBS Championship reign.