SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Chris Jericho’s In-Ring AEW Career On The Line Against MJF At All Out

    Chris Jericho’s In-Ring AEW Career On The Line Against MJF At All Out

    Chris Jericho is set to end his feud with MJF but it may come at the expense of his in-ring career.

    Jericho addressed his future on the Aug. 25 edition of AEW Dynamite in Milwaukee. He admitted that MJF’s three victories over him are stuck in his mind. It’s gotten to the point where he laid down one final challenge to MJF for the All Out PPV. If Jericho loses, he will end his in-ring career with AEW.

    Here’s the challenge from Jericho.

    “I am proposing one final match. One final fight at All Out on September 5th. And I’ve been thinking about this long and hard, and I’m serious when I say this, if I can’t beat MJF maybe I don’t belong in AEW anymore. It’s inside my head. If I can’t beat MJF maybe I don’t deserve to be ‘Le Champion’ anymore.

    “So this is what I propose. If you beat me MJF, I will go to that commentary table full-time on Rampage, hell maybe someday I’ll commentate Dynamite as well because if you beat me I will never wrestle in AEW again.”

    It didn’t take long for MJF to respond to Jericho’s proposal. He gladly accepted but urged Jericho to consider the consequences if he loses to him a fourth and final time.

    “Being able to say that I ended Jericho, now that’s legendary. So you know what, Chris? You want the match? You got it.

    “I want you to really consider this, Chris. I want you to really mull this one over. Because you are putting your in-ring career on the line against the same man who has mopped the floor with you not once, not twice, but three times! You sure you want this match, bud? Because if I were you I wouldn’t because I’m better than you and you know it.”

    All Out will take place inside the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Sept. 5. The event will feature the in-ring return of CM Punk, who will face Darby Allin. Also set for the card will be an AEW World Title match between champion Kenny Omega and Christian Cage.

  • Tommy Dreamer Details Speaking With Passionate CM Punk Fan

    Tommy Dreamer Details Speaking With Passionate CM Punk Fan

    As CM Punk made his entrance in the United Center for The First Dance, numerous fans had an emotional reaction. Several people could be seen in the audience with tears coming down their face. The image of one fan in particular seemed to sum up just how emotional a moment it was, however.

    Tommy Dreamer spoke about wanting to find the fan to give back to him as a thank you for his passion. It took a few days but Dreamer was able to get in contact with the man, who appears to just be a nice and humble guy who loves wrestling. Below is what Dreamer said on Busted Open Radio about his conversation with the fan.

    “I offered to fly him to Bound For Glory, talked to Tony Khan, Tony Khan said he’ll take care of him for tickets. CM Punk, spoke to him, said he’d take care of him for a meet and greet,” Dreamer said of all the people who want to do something nice for the man.

    Dreamer noted that it took a few days to reach the fan. The person is not a “social media guy” so he was harder to track down.

    Tommy Dreamer Speaks With Passionate CM Punk Fan

    “What a wonderful fan,” Dreamer said of the man. “Does not want any fame, doesn’t really want anything, which is good cause I was going to fly him on my miles.”

    Dreamer continued to say that things are still being arranged for the fan, however.

    “I asked him to come on this show and he’s like ‘I have a job and a wife, 2 kids and I just really appreciate professional wrestling’ and he didn’t want anything. I still arranged for it to happen and good o’l Judge Jeff Jones made sure all the stuff with Tony Khan and CM Punk, it’s all going to happen for him.”

    “It was really cool to hear his response and just his fandom for professional wrestling,” Dreamer continued. Dreamer also said the fan was very happy to speak to him and excited to get to meet some other wrestlers.

    Unfortunately, Dreamer also mentioned that 3 different impersonators tried to hit him up for free stuff while pretending to be the fan.

  • Tony Khan Says CM Punk Deal Paid For Itself On The 1st Night

    Tony Khan Says CM Punk Deal Paid For Itself On The 1st Night

    Tony Khan was a guest on the Dan Le Batard & Friends podcast recently. During the discussion, he spoke about the deal he made to bring CM Punk to AEW. Khan said he feels the deal was one of the best he’s ever made.

    “I believe this was one of the best deals I’ve ever done in my life and I don’t think it was really all about money,” Khan said.

    Khan would continue to talk about how he and Punk got to know each other throughout the pandemic by speaking regularly on the phone. He feels the trust they built is what led to the deal being completed.

    “I spent a lot of time talking to him on the phone getting to know each other better and building trust with each other. So, this was a long time coming, we’ve been talking a lot for about a year and a half.”

    Le Batard then asked Khan if Punk paid for himself on his first night.

    “Yeah, I do think so. In terms of what this has done for our business, I really believe as soon as we saw the results from this, before we even got started I knew this was the best deal we could have possibly done.”

    Tony Khan Talks Deal To Bring CM Punk To AEW

    Khan also spoke about how Punk was very generous with his time backstage with wrestlers on Friday night.

    “He was also really cool about going backstage and offering really, really kind advice, being very good with his time with the wrestlers.”

    Khan also spoke about how the idea with The First Dance was that fans would be confident Punk would be there, but not 100% sure.

    “The idea by the time the show started is that all the fans would be 99% sure CM Punk is going to be there, but that 1% doubt is what made it that much better than just advertising it,” Khan said.

    The full conversation with Tony Khan can be heard in the player below:

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/02CqhLPjaQzAFPd6zNOY79
  • Justin Roberts On The Creative Freedom He Gets In AEW

    Justin Roberts On The Creative Freedom He Gets In AEW

    Many wrestlers have talked about how they get creative freedom in AEW. As it turns out, this feeling is not limited to only the wrestling talent and even the ring announcers such as Justin Roberts feel the same.

    The former WWE ring announcer recently appeared on AEW Unrestricted podcast. He talked about things such as working the All In PPV, how it transitioned into an AEW job, his ring announcing heroes and more.

    Talking about the extent of creative freedom he gets, Roberts said that on a scale of 1 to 10, he would rate his experience at the company at 100:

    “If there’s a scale of creative freedom, and there’s a one and a 10, I guess I’m at 100, since day one, it’s just one of those things where I’ve never been handed a script, or I’ve never been told what to say on anything starting from the first show when,

    I believe, we had a guest singer for the national anthem.” recalled Justin Roberts, “Even with that, I’m like, I don’t have anything on who they are or whatever.”

    The AEW announcer went on to explain that if he has any questions then he goes to the appropriate person but he doesn’t have anyone speaking his language for him.

    Justin Roberts worked as a ring announcer for WWE for over a decade from 2002 to 2014. He was officially hired by AEW as a ring announcer in April 2019.

    Justin Roberts Explains The Differences Between AEW And WWE
  • Paul Wight On How He Got The Big Show Name From Vince McMahon

    Paul Wight On How He Got The Big Show Name From Vince McMahon

    Paul Wight was known as The Big Show for over two decades during his WWE career. However unusual the name is, it still gets him universal recognization among wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike.

    The now former WWE star recently appeared on Insight With Chris Van Vliet. He talked about things such as WWE making him turn down an offer for a role in Gladiator, why he left the promotion and more.

    Revealing how he got his WWE name, Wight recalled the time he first got into WWE. He revealed that it was Vince McMahon himself who named him The Big Show:

    “That was Vince, when I first came into WWE I was Paul Wight. I just don’t think Vince liked the spelling of my name or just my name. But what would Vince know about marketing?  But he walked by me one day and he goes ‘so how’s The Big Show today?’

    I go ‘I’m good but who the hell is The Big show?’ He goes ‘you! You can walk, you can talk, you’re an athlete. You’re The Big Show.’ He walked off” recalled Paul Wight, “And I thought ‘oh dear God I hope that is not my wrestling name.’ But it was.”

    The former world champion also talked about his decision to leave WWE and claimed that he was not sure he would get a job in wrestling again after he left the company.

    He told the story of how Chris Jericho got him into touch with Tony Khan. They then had a long conversation leading to Wight’s AEW signing. You can check out his full interview below:

  • Video: Behind-The-Scenes Look At CM Punk’s AEW Debut

    Video: Behind-The-Scenes Look At CM Punk’s AEW Debut

    AEW has rolled out a special look at the AEW debut of CM Punk.

    Punk got the wrestling world buzzing with his return to professional wrestling. He appeared on the second episode of AEW Rampage. The show emanated from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Punk received one of the loudest ovations you will ever hear at a wrestling show.

    Take a look at AEW’s behind-the-scenes glimpse at Punk’s arrival.

    Punk grabbed the mic and discussed making his way back to professional wrestling. He then targeted Darby Allin, who has made a name for himself in AEW. Punk said that Darby is a daredevil but there’s nothing more dangerous than facing CM Punk in Chicago. Punk will have his first match since January 2014 against Darby at All Out on Sept. 5.

    Punk is set to appear on AEW Dynamite on Aug. 25 in Milwaukee. He is expected to address his decision to call out Darby Allin for his first match in over seven years.

    AEW Rampage viewership totals were significantly increased from the show’s debut thanks to Punk’s appearance. The second episode of Rampage garnered 1.1 million viewers, while Punk’s segment drew 1.3 million viewers. This episode was up 53 percent in viewership from Rampage’s premiere.

  • CM Punk Fires Back At Those Mocking Crying Fan

    CM Punk Fires Back At Those Mocking Crying Fan

    CM Punk has responded to people who have mocked a fan who cried during his AEW debut.

    Punk finally made his return to the wrestling industry on Aug. 20. The jam-packed United Center in Chicago, Illinois gave Punk a thunderous ovation. Emotion filled the arena as Punk appeared to be on the verge of tears and one fan in the crowd was seen on camera crying.

    During an appearance on Kap & J. Hood on ESPN Chicago, Punk criticized those who are poking fun at the crying fan.

    “I’m a Chicago guy. I’m a Chicago sports guy. I cried when the Cubs won the World Series. I cried when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, the time that I was alive when they won the Cup, not back in the sixties. You know, it means a lot. And I think it means a lot because I’m so attached to Chicago and sports especially. I understand. So anybody who’s making fun of that dude, you’re making fun of me too. There’s nothing wrong with being emotional at a sporting event or anything you like. I’ll cry at a Marvel movie.”

    Punk will be in Milwaukee for AEW Dynamite on Aug. 25. He is expected to address his decision to call out Darby Allin for his first return match. Punk and Darby are scheduled to collide on Sept. 5 at the All Out PPV.

    When Punk enters the ring at All Out, it’ll be his first wrestling match since the 2014 Royal Rumble. Punk’s last singles match took place on the Jan. 20, 2014 edition of Monday Night Raw. He defeated Billy Gunn, who also now works for AEW.

  • Ruby Soho Releases New “The Runaway” Vignette

    Ruby Soho Releases New “The Runaway” Vignette

    Ruby Soho (FKA Ruby Riott) has released a new video on social media. It’s the second video she’s released, the first having been posted last Tuesday.

    In her latest video, Ruby steals a car from a gas station and drives away. She then narrowly avoids an accident. The video ends with the words “The Runaway” and “To Be Continued.”

    The video can be viewed in the Tweet below:

    https://twitter.com/realrubysoho/status/1430214602743238659

    In her previous video, Ruby is shown just missing a train. She had a train ticket that read she was traveling from Orlando to New York’s Penn Station.

    The video she posted last Tuesday is below:

    https://twitter.com/realrubysoho/status/1427677496263204869

    Where Is Ruby Soho Expected To Go Next?

    According to a report from Fightful, Ruby is expected to sign with AEW at some point. She was released from her WWE contract on June 2nd, 2021. If she was under a 90-day no-compete clause, she will be free to sign with another promotion at the beginning of September.

    Vickie Guerrero specifically mentioned Ruby Soho as someone she would like to see in AEW.

    “I think the one that comes to mind is Ruby. You know she was formerly with WWE; I would love to have Ruby on the roster for AEW,” said Guerrero on the Thoughts Count Anywhere podcast. 

    “She was really underutilized, and I love her. She was on my podcast and just a great talent and a good wholesome human being.”

  • Paul Wight On If He Thinks A Match With Shaq Will Happen in AEW

    Paul Wight On If He Thinks A Match With Shaq Will Happen in AEW

    Paul Wight and Shaquille O’Neal had a stare down during the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32. It was assumed by many after this that a match between the two would happen at some point in WWE. It never did, however, and now both are in AEW.

    During a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Wight spoke about if he thinks a match against Shaq will happen now that both are in AEW.

    “I think that will happen now because there is not as much red tape,” Wight said. “He’s already competed with Cody Rhodes. It was him and Jade Cargill vs. Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet. That was an incredible showing for Shaq, so hopefully we’ll be able to cut some more red tape and make it happen.”

    Wight also noted that he’s aware Shaq has been training and putting on size as well.

    “He’s been hitting the gym lately, Shaq is pretty big right now. He’s huge Shaq, that’s the best way of looking at it. I think he is nervous about me so he is putting on a bit of size. Whereas I am “Tall Paul” the car salesman [laughs].”

    Shaq teamed with Jade Cargill and defeated Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet on the March 3rd Dynamite earlier this year. Rhodes ended up putting Shaq through some tables but Cargill pinned Velvet to secure the victory for her team.

    The full interview with Paul Wight can be viewed in the player below:

  • Dr Britt Baker Discusses The Possibility of AJ Lee Signing with AEW

    Dr Britt Baker Discusses The Possibility of AJ Lee Signing with AEW

    Dr Britt Baker is currently leading the AEW women’s division. While she is cutting a steady path through everybody on the women’s roster as well as calling other her Forbidden Door opponents, there is one other name she would love to get in the ring with.

    Speaking during a recent live panel appearance at Planet Comicon this weekend, Dr Britt Baker discussed the return of CM Punk.

    She also addressed the possibility of his wife, AJ Lee ever coming out of retirement to wrestle in AEW. With the good doctor admitting she was a big fan of AJ Lee during her time with WWE.

    “I was a big AJ Lee fan. One of the first moves I asked my trainer to teach me when I was training was her finished the Black Widow. So, that would be really cool.”

    Dr Britt Baker went on to say that while she would love to get in the ring with AJ, it would be an even more special moment for the fans and giving them another special moment that would resonate with them.

    “I would love to see her back in the ring. I would love to see her in the ring with me.”

    – Dr Britt Baker D.M.D.

    Britt Baker Agrees AJ Lee Was a Trailblazer for Women’s Wrestling

    There can be no denying that AJ Lee is a formative figure in the world of women’s wrestling. She spent her entire career with WWE and build a name and a brand for herself and helped push women’s wrestling to the next level. Even Dr Britt Baker couldn’t deny that AJ Lee was an influential superstar.,

    However, at this point in time, there has been no talk of AJ Lee getting back into the ring. Her memoir attributed her retirement being driven by injuries to her spine.  However, if she does want to get back into the ring, it would seem there is a spot for her in AEW. Dr Britt Baker even has a match in mind that she would love to work should the chance arise.

    “I could think of a mixed tag that I would like to see. One involving her, him (CM Punk), me and … somebody else.”

    Of course, that was another in a recent run of not-so-subtle hints involving Dr Britt Baker’s real-life partner Adam Cole, whose WWE future is currently unclear.

  • AEW Rampage Did 1.1 Million Viewers, 0.52 Rating For CM Punk Debut

    AEW Rampage Did 1.1 Million Viewers, 0.52 Rating For CM Punk Debut

    CM Punk’s highly anticipated return to pro wrestling helped AEW draw massive viewership for Friday’s AEW Rampage: The First Dance special.

    AEW Rampage: The First Dance averaged 1,129,000 viewers and drew a 0.52 rating in the A18-49 demographic. The data comes courtesy of Brandon Thurston Wrestlenomics.

    Some additional key metrics:

    • Viewership for The First Dance was up 53% from the previous week’s premiere. The demo rating was up a staggering 75%.
    • The 0.52 demo rating is the most-watched AEW broadcast in history aside from the AEW Dynamite premiere in October 2019.
    • The opening quarter hour of Rampage featuring CM Punk’s debut was watched by 1,341,000 viewers and did a 0.65 rating (A18-49).

    CM Punk makes his first AEW Dynamite appearance this Wednesday night on TNT.

  • Dr Britt Baker Reveals which AEW star she nudged Tony Khan to sign

    Dr Britt Baker Reveals which AEW star she nudged Tony Khan to sign

    AEW Women’s Champion Dr Britt Baker recently spoke to Vince Morales of Milwaukee Record. Baker discussed several topics during the interview, including one of the recently re-signed AEW talents, Jamie Hayter.

    “Yeah, so when I wrestled her in England, right away we just clicked and I thought she was a fantastic wrestler” Dr Britt Baker began, discussing the former Rev Pro Women’s Champion Hayter. “She has a really cool, edgy personality. We’re kind of similar too in our dry, sarcastic humor and we just really clicked.”

    Dr Britt Baker on Jamie Hayter

    “We really got along” Baker continued. “They were using her pretty frequently for a while for AEW, but then with the pandemic, the travel ban, of course, everything kind of was at a standstill. But then when stuff is opening up again, you know, I was kinda nudging Kenny and Tony like ‘Hey, remember Jamie Hayter? Remember Jamie Hayter?’”

    “Because she’s such a fantastic talent and everybody here—literally every single person in AEW—agrees that she’s fantastic and we need her here,” the AEW Women’s Champion concluded.

    Jamie Hayter is scheduled to face Red Velvet on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, with Dr Britt Baker D.M.D and Rebel not Reba in her corner.

    Baker has not yet been confirmed for a match at the AEW All Out PPV event on September 5th, although there is a very good chance she will be defending her title at the show.

    The Casino Battle Royale has been confirmed, with the #1 contendership to Baker’s title on the line. Ruby Soho is being rumored for an appearance during the match, likely in the wildcard slot.

  • CM Punk Had Initials Printed On His Shoes & Fan Theories Are Running Wild

    CM Punk Had Initials Printed On His Shoes & Fan Theories Are Running Wild

    CM Punk’s appearance on AEW The First Dance on Friday night was quite possibly the biggest moment in the young promotion’s history. According to comments Punk made to ESPN today, it was the greatest moment of his career. Emily Pratt of FanByte recently noted that Punk had two sets of initials printed on his shoes during the show. Fan theories as to what the initials could stand for are running wild.

    One set of initials Punk had printed on his shoes are “A.C.” With rumors of Adam Cole signing with AEW rampant after his loss to Kyle O’Reilly at Takeover 36, some believe he is the “A.C” referenced on Punk’s shoes.

    “AC” written on CM Punk’s sneaker for his AEW debut (Photo: All Elite Wrestling)

    The other set of initials Punk had printed on his shoes was “C.F”. Some have suggested the initials could stand for Charlotte Flair, but other suggestions have been presented as well:


    Of course, the initials could have nothing at all to do with wrestling as well.

    CM Punk’s long-awaited return to pro-wrestling continues this Wednesday night. On Rampage, it was confirmed that Punk will be on this week’s AEW Dynamite. The show will emanate from UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Punk did his MMA training in the city with Duke Roufus. Milwaukee is about a 90-minute drive from Chicago.

    CM Punk Ice Cream Bars In The Works For 2 Years
  • CM Punk Talks AEW’s Young Roster, Preparing For Darby Allin

    CM Punk Talks AEW’s Young Roster, Preparing For Darby Allin

    It has been an eventful week. SummerSlam saw the surprise returns of Becky Lynch and Brock Lesnar. NXT delivered another stellar Takeover event ahead of the brand’s upcoming major overhaul. However, the debut of CM Punk at Friday’s AEW Rampage remains the most buzz-worthy topic by a long shot.

    Punk appeared on Chicago’s ESPN 1000 radio on Monday morning to discuss his arrival in All Elite Wrestling.

    After a few days to process what transpired, CM Punk says The First Dance may have been the greatest night of his career. He took a gamble by coming out of retirement and signing up with AEW. After that memorable night, he feels great about his decision.

    “That might have been the greatest moment, the greatest night of my career… The way we set it up as the worst kept secret, selling out the United Center on a rumor that I was going to be there, never announced, never advertised, shows the connection to the fanbase that AEW has.”

    – CM Punk

    Punk says AEW fans “get it” and are looking for the brand of professional wrestling he loves. Punk and AEW dropped hints that he was coming without explicitly advertising his name. That approach came with some risk, but he thinks it paid off.

    AEW has a young roster that includes talent such as MJF, Sammy Guevara, Jungle Boy, Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricky Starks, Dante Martin and many more. CM Punk has been vocal about wanting to work with some of these performers.

    During the ESPN 1000 call, Punk said AEW’s youthful roster has a “punk rock” vibe to it. He said it’s a young and hungry roster. Whatever they lack in experience, they make up for with effort.

    CM Punk returns to action against Darby Allin at AEW All Out. The upcoming pay-per-view event takes place Sunday, September 5th from Chicago’s NOW Arena. When asked about how he’s preparing for his first match in 7 years, CM Punk said he’s watching a lot of Darby Allin footage. His goal is to tell a story and remind fans one more time why he is still the Best in the World.

    CM Punk Ice Cream Bars In The Works For 2 Years
  • CM Punk Ice Cream Bars In The Works For 2 Years

    CM Punk Ice Cream Bars In The Works For 2 Years

    Back in 2011 and the Summer of Punk was in full swing. All that was missing were some good, old-fashioned ice cream. Fast forward a decade and CM Punk is back in a wrestling ring and finally got his hands on an ice cream bar.

    When CM Punk’s music hit and he walked out into an AEW ring fans around the world felt as if things were finally getting back to where they should always have been. It didn’t take Punk long to broach the subject of ice creams.

    “One more thing. Seven years is an awful long time to wait for somebody. I appreciate everybody here who has waited. So on your way out of the United Center tonight, grab yourself a free ice cream bar on me.”

    The crowd went wild. However, there was one thing nobody really understood at the time. The entire affair was not just some publicity stunt thought up by AEW executives. It was not just some extra way to get a little barb shot out at WWE.

    He Came To Us 2 Years Ago

    The entire idea was CM Punk’s brainchild. Furthermore, it was not something he thought up on the spot. It was an act of generosity two years in the making. This was confirmed in a statement released by Pretty Cool Ice Cream, the company that produced the frozen treats.

    “He came to us on his own and asked us to help him do this 2 years ago, and finally the moment was right. Our small team worked tirelessly to hand-make every bar.”

    “CM Punk wrote the check for the entire bill himself”

    Pretty Cool Ice Cream

    That’s a pretty awesome thing to do, and one heck of a way to fulfil a promise made a decade earlier.

    CM Punk Ice Cream Bar

    The return of CM Punk to professional wrestling has further heightened the electricity that is buzzing around the industry right now. Grabbing the attention of old-school wrestling fans, and potentially bringing fresh, experienced eyes to AEW.

    Despite the rumours surrounding other more recently released WWE stars possibly signing with the company, the acquisition of CM Punk will be the story that dominates AEW headlines for some time to come.

  • AJ Lee (AJ Mendez) Reacts To CM Punk’s AEW Debut

    AJ Lee (AJ Mendez) Reacts To CM Punk’s AEW Debut

    CM Punk was officially fired from WWE on June 13, 2014, the same day that he married AJ Mendez (FKA AJ Lee). He made his return to pro-wrestling on August 20th, 2021 in Chicago’s United Center.

    Now Punk’s spouse of 7+ years, AJ Lee commented on his AEW debut.

    Will AJ Lee Return To Wrestling?

    With CM Punk returning to pro-wrestling at the First Dance, many fans are wondering if a return could be in the cards for AJ as well. She hasn’t wrestled since the night after WrestleMania 31 in 2015. She teamed with Paige at Mania that year and defeated the Bella Twins. AJ then teamed with Paige and Naomi the next night and defeated the Bellas and Natalya.

    Last year, Paige mentioned she would like to wrestle AJ again someday.

    https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/1315738586130468864

    Big E Says AJ Lee Could Work WWE’s “Brock Lesnar” Schedule

    During a recent interview with Sportskeeda, Big E spoke about AJ Lee. He said that she’s a legend who could come back and work a “Brock Lesnar schedule” in WWE.

    “If she wants it, of course, there very easily is a massive place for her,” said Big E. “And it’s weird, I feel like she’s in this legend territory where she comes back and she gets a massive pop. She can have a Brock Lesnar-type schedule if she wanted to and work a few times a year. So, if it’s something she wants, of course, there’s a place for her.”

  • Bray Wyatt Expected To Sign With AEW (Report)

    Bray Wyatt Expected To Sign With AEW (Report)

    Bryan Danielson and CM Punk are not the only ex-WWE stars expected in AEW in the near future as Bray Wyatt is headed to the promotion. 

    During the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported Bray Wyatt is expected to sign with the company. The former WWE Champion is still bound by a non-compete, so he can’t legally sign anything with AEW just yet.

    Meltzer noted that pen hasn’t been put to paper, but the expectation is strong. Wyatt was released by WWE on July 31 due to budget cuts after being out of action since WrestleMania 37 where he lost to Randy Orton thanks to Alexa Bliss. 

    The former Universal Champion had been expected to make his return to in-ring action in WWE and WWE even had plans for him to return this month to the point where he was being advertised for shows. However, a decision was made to let him go. 

    It’s been reported that Wyatt is healthy and cleared to wrestle. The issues that kept him out of the ring for months had nothing to do with mental health.

    Although there’s no word on creative plans for Wyatt, there’s a lot of speculation that he could be the one to take over The Dark Order as he was very good friends with the late great Brodie Lee. 

    Bray Wyatt Teases a Return to Wrestling With New Cryptic Tweet
  • Tony Khan Addressed Live Crowd Before AEW The First Dance (Video)

    Tony Khan Addressed Live Crowd Before AEW The First Dance (Video)

    Last night’s AEW The First Dance show from a sold-out United Center in Chicago was the biggest moment in the young promotion’s history. Tony Khan spoke to the live crowd before the event began. His excitement for what was to come that night was clear.

    “Thank you so much. I’ve always dreamed of doing a wrestling show here,” Khan began. “I’ve always dreamed of bringing wrestling here but I always wanted it to be the biggest, greatest night imaginable. And tonight, I promise you, we’re bringing you something very special tonight at the First Dance!”

    The crowd then erupted into a CM Punk chant. Khan gets a little emotional as he continues his speech.

    “It’s almost time for Rampage, everyone. We’re going to have a great night tonight. I appreciate every single one of you for being here, I appreciate you putting your faith in AEW, I appreciate you trusting us. Thank you for believing in AEW! You fans will be rewarded tonight. Thank you, Chicago! I love you!”

    CM Punk returning to pro-wrestling after more than 7.5 years away would take place shortly after Khan’s speech. Punk confirmed that he signed with the promotion and will be facing Darby Allin at All Out on September 5th.

    Khan’s speech can be heard in the player below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7ov1wkZxiE
  • CM Punk Compares AEW Debut To MITB Title Win: “This One Did Not Feel Like A Job”

    CM Punk Compares AEW Debut To MITB Title Win: “This One Did Not Feel Like A Job”

    The storyline leading up to his WWE title win at the Money In The Bank event in 2011 was a highlight of CM Punk’s career with the wrestling promotion.

    The former WWE champion was asked to compare his Money In The Bank moment to his pro wrestling return last night on Rampage during the post-show media scrum.

    Replying to the question, Punk claimed that the AEW moment felt more organic. According to him, everything he did prior to it felt like a fight while his appearance on Rampage ‘did not feel like a job’:

    “This felt more organic. Everything I ever did prior to being here felt like a fight, and it kinda squeezed the life out of some stuff. This was a joyful moment that was just—it didn’t need to get overproduced,

    It didn’t need everybody’s input, it needed a few select people’s input and just an understanding that it’s pro wrestling, you know? You don’t need to slick it up and lacquer it, shine it up too much, it needed to be real.” said CM Punk, “So, to compare the two moments, this one did not feel like a job.”

    During the talk, the former WWE star also revealed that he had been talking to AEW officials and Tony Khan for almost 18 months prior to joining the promotion.

    Punk explained why he didn’t sign with the company immediately and why it took him so long to make the decision. You can check out his comments on the matter here.

  • Warner Media Considering Ideas For CM Punk Beyond AEW (Report)

    Warner Media Considering Ideas For CM Punk Beyond AEW (Report)

    CM Punk debuted with All Elite Wrestling last night at The First Dance in Chicago’s United Center. At a post-event media scrum, only a few details were given regarding Punk’s contract with the promotion. Tony Khan and Punk stated that the deal is not “short term” nor is it “part-time.”

    According to a report from PW Insider, however, Punk’s deal with AEW will still allow him to take acting roles and work commentary for MMA promotions. Executives with Warner are also said to be considering other ideas for Punk beyond AEW.

    “Punk’s deal will allow him to still pursue acting and commentary for MMA and other opportunities, wrote Mike Johnson.

    The report continued to say that executives at TNT are very happy about Punk joining AEW. There is talk that Punk could be involved in projects with Warner Media that extend beyond AEW. Punk is a particularly big NHL fan and Warner Media signed a rights deal with the league earlier this spring.

    “We are told that it’s being seen within TNT that Punk has joined ‘their team’ and they are considering potential ideas for him beyond AEW.”

    During last night’s broadcast, it was revealed that Punk will be on Dynamite next week from Milwaukee. His first match back will be against Darby Allin at All Out. Punk will be regularly appearing on AEW programming as part of his contract with the promotion.

    “We are told he’ll be regularly appearing on AEW programming as needed to build to big matches,” Johnson continued.

  • CM Punk Credits Renee Paquette For Wrestling Return, Paquette Responds

    CM Punk Credits Renee Paquette For Wrestling Return, Paquette Responds

    CM Punk revealed during the post-Rampage media scrum that he had been talking to AEW president Tony Khan for over 18 months before finally agreeing to make his pro wrestling return for the promotion. This raised the question as to what made the former WWE champion change his mind.

    Punk was asked if he was waiting for AEW to prove themselves before making the decision later in the session. Replying to the question, the former WWE star claimed that it wasn’t about AEW proving themself and more about the two parties getting familiar with each other:

    “I mean who am I? Nobody has to prove anything to me. It wasn’t about them having to prove anything to me. It was about me being open to the idea. And then it wasn’t gonna be ‘well I am gonna jump into the pool right away’, I had to dip my toe in and see how things are gonna be.”

    Punk went on to credit Renee Paquette for bringing him back into the wrestling fold with the WWE backstage gig, saying that it opened his eyes:

    “Actually, this is all Renee Paquette’s fault honestly.  She is the one who got me to come back to do the backstage thing and it opened my eyes to like ‘okay, this is fun, she is a good person. I like working with good people’. That’s really all it was, nobody had to prove anything to me. But I did take a wait-and-see approach. And I waited and I liked what I saw.”

    Paquette later replied to these comments from him on Twitter. She posted a GIF in reply to Punk’s comments, saying ‘you are welcome’:

    CM Punk made his triumphant return to pro wrestling last night on Rampage. He has already set up his first match in over 7 years and has been announced for this Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

    AEW And WWE Stars React To CM Punk’s Return
  • CM Punk: “My Legacy Is To Help Young Guys The Way Harley Race Helped Me”

    CM Punk: “My Legacy Is To Help Young Guys The Way Harley Race Helped Me”

    CM Punk returned to a pro-wrestling for the first time in over 7.5 years last night at The First Dance. During the post-event media scrum, Punk talked about what his goals are in AEW. Punk said he’s going to help the young stars in AEW the way guys like Harley Race, Terry Funk, Eddie Guerrero, and Tracy Smothers helped him.

    “Going forward, I think my legacy is to help out the young guys the way Harley Race helped me, the way Terry Funk helped me, the way Eddie Guerrero helped me. Tracy Smothers,” Punk said (transcriptions via ESPN’s Marc Raimondi).

    Punk also mentioned some of the young or newer talent he’s hoping to work with. He also mentioned names like Jon Moxley, who he hasn’t had the chance to work with yet.

    “I get excited about the prosect of me working with Pillman, Hobbs, Ricky Starks, Jungle Boy, Darby Allin. Jon Moxley – never worked with a Jon Moxley before,” Punk said.

    Punk also noted that he’s never wrestled the Young Bucks or been in a ring with Kenny Omega before. The Straight Edge Superstar also pointed out that there could be other wrestlers on their way to AEW that he’d like to work with as well.

    “I’ve never done anything with the Young Bucks. I’ve never stepped in the ring with Kenny Omega. … And who knows who else is coming,” Punk continued.

    The media scrum is available in the player below:

  • CM Punk Confirmed For First Dynamite Appearance This Wednesday

    CM Punk Confirmed For First Dynamite Appearance This Wednesday

    CM Punk confirmed in the post-media scrum after his big return on AEW Rampage last night that he has signed a full-time contract with the company.

    As a testament to his commitment to the promotion, the former WWE star has already been announced for his first Dynamite appearance.

    AEW confirmed on Twitter that Punk will be appearing on this Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite from UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee:

    CM Punk retired from active competition after walking out of WWE in 2014. Rumors about his return had been heard from time to time since then but none of them led anywhere.

    It was then reported last month that the Straight Edge star has finally agreed to make his return for All Elite Wrestling and he will be making his comeback very soon.

    The wrestling world had been buzzing with anticipation since then and things exploded when Punk finally made his first wrestling appearance in 7 years at last night’s Rampage from Chicago.

    The former WWE star has been a trending topic on all social platforms since his appearance. His return to pro wrestling seems to be the only topic of discussion among wrestling fans.

    Punk has already confirmed his debut match for Dynamite by challenging Darby Allin during his promo on the show. Now it would be interesting to see if we get a confrontation between the two this Wednesday night.

  • AEW And WWE Stars React To CM Punk’s Return

    AEW And WWE Stars React To CM Punk’s Return

    CM Punk made his triumphant return to pro wrestling at last night’s The First Dance edition of Rampage. Fans welcomed him back with open hands.

    The former WWE champion’s comeback seemed to be the only topic of discussion among fans on social sites. Though fans weren’t the only ones who were reacting to the massive development.

    Many wrestling personalities also took their social media to react to Punk’s comeback. Several AEW stars posted photos with the Straight Edge star while WWE stars just reacted by expressing how the moment made them feel:

    https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1429105348963717130
    https://twitter.com/VickieGuerrero/status/1428917051574431749
    https://twitter.com/CliffCompton/status/1428913034119073795
    https://twitter.com/tonyschiavone24/status/1428943353123590154

    The former WWE star not only talked about his absence and return during his promo on Rampage, but he also laid out the challenge for his debut match for AEW.

    Punk challenged Darby Allin for a match at the upcoming All Out PPV. The former TNT champion accepted it after the show went off air and he claimed that wrestling Punk will be an honor.

    While the returning star did not reveal the length of his contract with AEW, he did confirm that he has signed a full time deal with Tony Khan’s promotion.

    This means we are going to be seeing a lot more of CM Punk in coming times, starting with the upcoming episode of Dynamite which Punk has already been announced for.

  • CM Punk Reveals How Long He’s Talked To AEW

    CM Punk Reveals How Long He’s Talked To AEW

    CM Punk has unveiled how long he has been speaking to AEW.

    Punk made his AEW debut in front of a jam-packed United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Punk opened up the second episode of Rampage. Following an emotional entrance, Punk addressed the fans. He said he didn’t blame those who were disappointed by his absence.

    Punk also said he felt he hasn’t truly been a part of the wrestling industry since he left ROH in 2005. With his AEW signing, Punk said he now feels he’s truly back. He then turned his attention to Darby Allin. The two will collide on Sept. 5 at All Out.

    Punk took answers from the media following Rampage. He revealed how long he had been speaking to AEW.

    “I’ll go ahead and spoil that I’ve been talking to Tony for probably a year and a half about this. Some girls are easy to get into bed. I am not. I need to do wined and dined. That’s not, ‘oh I need more money and less dates’ and ‘oh I need this and I need that.’ It was literally just talking to Tony and getting to know him, and the more people that he employed that I knew, I’d ask them questions and they’d tell me things.

    “I’ve been in the game for a few minutes, you know, so I’ve seen that. I think I traced it back to, especially since the downfall of ECW, every six months to a year, somebody pops up, ‘I have money, we’re gonna have TV and we’re going to use all the ECW guys.’ This is not a slight on Tony at all. It’s more of, it’s more of a slight at me being a paranoid, neurotic, anxiety-ridden, very careful person, and I wasn’t in a hurry. The pandemic kind of help that out, you know, and I knew I couldn’t debut if there’s no people in the building. So, I always say, timing is everything, and there were a lot of happy accidents along the way that made this possible.”

    CM Punk had been away from the wrestling business since 2014. He left WWE following the Royal Rumble PPV. Punk expressed his dismay with the lack of time off and how the WWE medical team handled his staph infection. He also took issue with some creative decisions.