SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Rhodes to the Top Premiere Date Announced On AEW Dynamite

    Rhodes to the Top Premiere Date Announced On AEW Dynamite

    The wrestling future is still unclear for AEW EVP Cody Rhodes. He has yet to address what happened after his match with Malakai Black on AEW Dynamite last week. Cody was not seen on Dynamite this week; however, one question was answered. His new reality show Rhodes to the Top was given a premiere date.

    The show, which will consist of 30-minute episodes debuts on Wednesday 29th September at 10 pm on TNT. The debut episode of Rhodes to the Top will be one hour, before dropping to thirty minutes for the remaining episodes

    The write up for the show certainly makes it sound like an interesting show to watch.

     Rhodes to the Top goes inside the lives of Cody and Brandi as they navigate their growing family while helping to build AEW’s global wrestling empire. The additional four, 30-minute episodes will take viewers behind-the-scenes as the powerhouse couple manage their ever-busier lives inside and outside the ring, all the while surrounded by a colorful and often hilarious motley crew of wrestlers, family, and friends who both support and test them at every turn. Married in 2013, Cody and Brandi have been on an unprecedented path to wrestling greatness – but will now face their newest and possibly biggest challenge yet – becoming parents.

    Rhodes to the Top is Just One Project Keeping Cody Busy

    While Cody Rhodes wrestling future may be uncertain, he is certainly keeping himself busy. Besides Rhodes to the Top, he is currently away from AEW filming the next season of Go Big Show. The show will air on TBS.

    Brandi has also been absent from television for some time due to her pregnancy and the early days of motherhood.

    The Rhodes family are wrestling through and through. Even if Cody’s time in the ring is done, we have certainly not seen the last of him in the business. Even Rhodes to the Top is focused on the industry and will be packed with special guest appearances.

  • Britt Baker Throws Out First Pitch At Pittsburgh Pirates Game

    AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker threw out the first pitch at Thursday’s Pittsburgh Pirates MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Her guest catcher was none other than AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone.

    The first pitch was in association with KultureCity, a non-profit that provides sensory inclusive experiences for fans at AEW events.

    AEW released this video of Britt Baker’s ceremonial first pitch.

    Here’s another vantage point, courtesy of sports writer Wes Crosby:

    Baker provided these photos of herself at the Pirates game:

    Britt Baker on AEW Rampage

    AEW Rampage premieres this Friday night at 10pm (Eastern) on TNT. The event will air live from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

    Three huge title matches are announced for the show. Kenny Omega will defend the Impact Wrestling World title against Christian.

    AEW TNT Champion Miro will his title on the line against Fuego Del Sol.

    Finally, the main event will see Red Velvet challenging hometown hero Britt Baker for the AEW Women’s World Championship.

  • MJF Reveals Stipulation For Fifth Labour Of Jericho

    MJF Reveals Stipulation For Fifth Labour Of Jericho

    Chris Jericho has moved on to the fifth labour and he’s got a doozy of a stipulation to deal with against MJF.

    Jericho competed against Wardlow in the main event of this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite. During the match, MJF attempted to hand Wardlow the Dynamite Diamond Ring to use as a weapon. Referee Aubrey Edwards caught MJF in the act and threw him out of the ring.

    Jericho was one step ahead of both MJF and Wardlow. With Aubrey focused on MJF, Jericho struck Wardlow with a bat and nailed the Judas Effect for the three-count. After the match, Jericho was attacked by Shawn Spears. Sammy Guevara ran down but the numbers game caught up as MJF and Wardlow jumped in.

    Before substantial damage could be done, Jake Hager chased off members of The Pinnacle.

    Dynamite didn’t go off the air until MJF revealed his stipulation for the fifth labour. When the match goes down on the Aug. 18 edition of Dynamite, Jericho cannot walk down the ramp to his entrance music and is barred from using the Judas Effect against MJF.

    “Next week, I’m gonna take away something from you that you love, something you cherish, something that has helped you win each and every single one of these labours thus far. Chris next week, no Judas Effect, no Judas music. You are going to be coming out here to dead silence! These schmucks are not gonna be able to sing along to your crappy little song! And if you hit me with Judas Effect, Chris, I automatically win.”

    Who will win the fifth labour of Jericho? Will it be MJF or Chris Jericho?

  • Malakai Black Discusses CM Punk & Daniel Bryan Possibly Joining AEW

    Malakai Black Discusses CM Punk & Daniel Bryan Possibly Joining AEW

    Malakai Black has weighed in on the possibility of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan joining AEW.

    The wrestling world has been buzzing about reports and rumors of Punk and Bryan making their way to AEW television. Punk hasn’t been seen in a wrestling ring since 2014, while Bryan is fresh off his run on WWE TV.

    Black, who is a recent AEW signee, appeared on Pro Wrestling 4 Life and told Sean Waltman that he doesn’t know if Punk truly is on his way to the promotion.

    “Number one, I genuinely do not know if it’s true. I genuinely don’t. I haven’t heard anyone mention it. Obviously, there’s a buzz in the locker room. I think it’d be great. I think it really proves that the times have changed. I think it’d be a validation of how different everything is and how different the business is now. I don’t play the ‘us vs. them’ cards. I just don’t. I want everybody to be successful.”

    Black then turned his attention to Bryan and said he’d love to see the former WWE Champion make the transition.

    “I can see someone like Daniel pulling the trigger on that because he’s someone who has a great love for wrestling, and always wants to try different things and always has a different perspective on stuff. Sometimes, it’s just fun to think about the possibilities, and for me, obviously with my release, the possibilities became different. I can only imagine how his brain might work. I can only guess at it. I hope so. I can see him definitely showing up, but again, I don’t know.”

    Would you like to see Malakai Black booked to face CM Punk or Daniel Bryan?

  • Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage Announced For AEW All Out

    Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage Announced For AEW All Out

    All Elite Wrestling has announced the likely main event for their upcoming All Out pay-per-view event, which will see Kenny Omega defend the World Heavyweight Title against Christian Cage. 

    The promotion confirmed the match booking in the opening segment of Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite Omega as AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks made their way to the ring for a six-man tag team match. 

    Just a few weeks into Cage’s tenure in AEW, he had several run-ins with Omega including one of their segments that ended with Christian holding the AEW World Title. Up to this point, the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion has worked nine matches under the AEW banner including a win over The Blade at the Homecoming show.

    The AEW All Out pay-per-view event will take place on Sunday, September 5, 2021 from Chicago, Illinois at Now Arena.

    The event is expected to begin at 8 p.m. ET and stream live on the Bleacher Report platform in the United States and FITE in International markets. All Elite Wrestling will be announcing more matches in the coming weeks. 

    August 11th Men’s Rankings 

    AEW World Champion Kenny Omega (6-0 in 2021, 48-12 overall)

    AEW TNT Champion Miro (10-0 in 2021, 17-1 overall)

    1. Christian Cage (6-0 in 2021, 6-0 overall) 
    2. Darby Allin (15-2 in 2021, 38-15-1 overall) 
    3. Orange Cassidy (13-1-1 in 2021, 31-11-2 overall)
    4. Jungle Boy (13-2 in 2021, 53-28-1 overall)
    5. Powerhouse Hobbs (13-2 in 2021, 26-13 overall)
  • WWE Reportedly Passed on Wheeler Yuta after Tryout

    WWE Reportedly Passed on Wheeler Yuta after Tryout

    WWE had the opportunity to sign current All Elite Wrestling talent Wheeler Yuta but passed on him.

    Fightful Select reported on August 8th that there is a shift in WWE’s hiring process, which raised concern. The report noted that people in NXT were surprised WWE passed on talent after trying out.

    “There were also some names passed on at recent tryouts that people in NXT thought were going to be a slam dunk that a couple of wrestlers claim were red flags,” said Fightful Select. 

    A new report revealed today that Yuta was whom the sources were referencing.

    “Fightful had noted recently that there was a WWE tryout name that didn’t receive an offer that turned several heads within the Performance Center and WWE and raised some flags that the hiring process had changed. It actually ended up being Wheeler YUTA, who is now regularly featured on AEW programming after his May 2021 WWE tryout,” the report states.

    More Notes on WWE passing on Yuta

    The news of WWE not signing him came as a surprise because of his age, experience, and appearance.

    While the reports said WWE passed on Yuta, it acknowledged it’s unclear if WWE gave an offer. “The same WWE official we spoke with this past weekend noted that was a head-turner for them as well, but they weren’t sure if Yuta was actually made an offer or not — but that the idea that they didn’t finish a deal was surprising,” as stated in the report.

    The report also notes that AEW and Ring of Honor were trying to sign Yuta at that time. Ultimately, he joined AEW and debuted on AEW Dark Elevation at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, on June 28th. He would lose to Karl Anderson in his debut. Since then, he has been on AEW’s programming. His first match on AEW Dynamite was a loss against Sammy Guevara on July 14th at Daily’s Place.

  • CM Punk Answers Questions About AEW & “The First Dance”

    CM Punk Answers Questions About AEW & “The First Dance”

    CM Punk was recently interviewed by Jason Agnew for Sunday Night’s Main Event. Agnew asked Punk about the rumors surrounding him, AEW, and a big show from Chicago’s United Center on August 20th. Punk answered the questions, though he avoided saying much.

    When asked about his plans for next Friday night, CM Punk played coy.

    “When was that?” Punk said “Let me look at my calendar. When did you say it was? The 20th? I think I actually might be doing a screening – this isn’t confirmed yet, so I probably shouldn’t blast this out everywhere – but we’re talking about doing a screening of episode 3 of HEELS at an AMC in Chicago and that was one of the dates that has been proposed, so hope to see everyone there.”

    CM Punk also addressed Darby Allin using the line “Best in the World” on a recent episode of Dynamite.

    “Best in the world? That could be anybody.” He joked that he thinks ‘Bryan’ [Danielson] when he hears the phrase, Best in the World.

    Punk also spoke about his opinions of Darby Allin during the discussion.

    “I think Darby Allin is great. I think everyone in the wrestling world needs to never do a dive again because you can’t do it better than Darby.”

    CM Punk’s Negotiations with Tony Khan

    CM Punk was also asked about early conversations he may have had with Tony Khan before AEW started.

    “I talked to Tony (Khan),” he said. “My perspective on this and I said this to Tony’s face, I am a guy who has constantly heard ‘hey, I got a money guy. Hey, I got tv.’ I’ve heard that at least once or twice a year for 15-20 years in my wrestling career. I’ve gotten bounced cheques from those gentlemen.”

    If you use any of these transcriptions please credit Sunday Night’s Main Event with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.

  • Two “Great UFC Champions” To Appear On AEW Dynamite Next Week

    Two “Great UFC Champions” To Appear On AEW Dynamite Next Week

    AEW President Tony Khan made his weekly appearance on Busted Open Radio this morning. TK was on hand to promote tonight’s AEW Dynamite from Pittsburgh, PA and Friday’s AEW Rampage premiere.

    As per usual, “Tony Time” yielded some newsworthy items. Here are some highlights of what was discussed:

    Rampage is a great news for wrestling fans and AEW. It’s been a busy week (“Sleep is overrated”) but things are about to pick up over the next two weeks leading up to the First Dance on 8/20. Everybody in AEW has been looking forward to the launch of Rampage. It will create new opportunities and matchups for the entire AEW roster.

    TNT has been very happy about the early buzz for Rampage. There’s a lot of interest and TNT has rolled out the red carpet for AEW, in terms of promotion. Tonight on Dynamite, we’ll learn more about the card for Friday’s Rampage premiere.

    Dark and Dark: Elevation have helped them cultivate new talent, but Rampage is “still going to be a star-driven show.”

    Dan Lambert from American Top Team and his “backup” (two great UFC champions) – that is being pushed back to next week in Houston, Texas. Lambert previously brought Amanda Nunes and Jorge Masvidal to Dynamite.

    Khan called next week’s AEW Rampage: The First Dance, “The most anticipated wrestling television show in years.”

    He spoke about the benefits of working with other promotions and featuring non-AEW talent on AEW programming. Khan said he has no problem helping other companies if it helps AEW at all.

    AEW Rampage will not have a 4-man commentary team at all times. There are 4 hosts announced, but sometimes it will be 3 guys calling a match.

    AEW Rampage premieres this Friday night at 10pm (Eastern) on TNT.

  • Malakai Black Details Meeting With Vince McMahon Before WWE Release

    Malakai Black Details Meeting With Vince McMahon Before WWE Release

    The WWE release of Malakai Black was one of the most surprising occurrences in the company this year, especially because he had only returned to WWE programming after months of absence, a week before his firing.

    The former WWE star provided some more insights on the circumstances leading to his release while appearing on Talk Is Jericho. He detailed a meeting with Vince McMahon that took place before his WWE release.

    Black explained that he had a normal conversation with the boss two weeks before his final WWE appearance. They talked about the future plans for him:

    “Two weeks before I attacked Big E, on the night of the last vignette, I had a sit down with Vince. He was convinced of it and liked it. I wanted to get his thoughts as I hadn’t seen him in six months and a lot had happened.

    I wanted to see how he was doing. We had a normal conversation. We did the attack on Big E and something about it didn’t feel right. I told my wife [Zelina Vega] as well.”

    Malakai Black Knew Things Weren’t Right After Big E Attack

    However, according to Malakai Black, the Boss looked at him with a feeling of disconnect which makes him think that he had already made his mind about the future of the former NXT champion:

    “The way he looked, there was a disconnect. Not a disconnect as in, ‘I don’t get it,’ but I felt he made up his mind, even back then. It’s his company, it’s fine. When (the release) happened, Johnny Ace [John Laurinaitis] called me and even he was confused.

    My wife was crying because she knew. She was about to come back and one of the main reasons she wanted to come back was because I was there.”

    Malakai Black made his return to WWE programming during the May 21 episode of SmackDown. He ended up getting released after another week of absence on June 2. Black has since signed with AEW.

  • Eric Bischoff Says WWE Gave AEW “A Great Assist” With Releases

    Eric Bischoff Says WWE Gave AEW “A Great Assist” With Releases

    Eric Bischoff is not afraid to speak his mind. On the latest edition of his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff spoke about WWE’s recent talent cuts. Bischoff believes WWE is playing directly into AEW hands by presenting them with a golden opportunity to sign coveted performers as the wrestling war is heating up.

    Bischoff noted that many former WWE Superstars will be free to work for AEW just as their new show Rampge is launching (this Friday night).

    Much has been said about the releases and probably the signing of both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. Both men could make surprise debuts on Rampage. Not to mention the monster among men, Braun Strowman. Then, of course, you have the wrestling world’s biggest free agent right now, the fiend, Bray Wyatt. Wyatt has been active on social media recently, teasing the return of his demonic character.

    It seems as if Eric Bischoff believes at least one of these names could be used to kick off Rampage.

    Eric Bischoff explained how he felt Tony Khan and the AEW branding team have done well to build interest around many of these stars. They have everybody waiting with bated breath for the next big debut.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEeWehknSSg

    AEW Benefitting from WWE’s Mistakes

    Eric Bischoff talked about how he feels WWE have given AEW a “huge assist” by allowing so many high-profile stars to become available just as Rampage hits the air.

    “I don’t want to say what AEW is doing is flawless, but it’s about as close to it as you can get.”

    – Eric Bischoff

    AEW has already made great strides as a company since their launch.  Many talents deemed unsuitable for WWE have set their career onto a new trajectory since joining Tony Khan’s promotion. Eric Bischoff feels that the draw to AEW is made stronger by their success, and this, combined with the stature of some free agents right now, will give AEW what they need to not only compete with but beat WWE.

    It is clear from his words that Eric Bischoff feels AEW have something big up their sleeves, for their third hour of television and they have Vince McMahon to thank for it.

  • Mark Henry On CM Punk And Daniel Bryan Joining AEW, Four Man Commentary Booth For Rampage

    Mark Henry On CM Punk And Daniel Bryan Joining AEW, Four Man Commentary Booth For Rampage

    The story of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan potentially joining the AEW roster has been the buzzing topic among fans in recent times. Former WWE and current AEW star Mark Henry recently commented on the same.

    The world’s strongest man recently had an interview with New York Post where he talked about a wide variety of topics including the upcoming Rampage premiere, different in philosophies of AEW and WWE, and more.

    Discussing the potential of the two former world champions joining the roster of AEW, Henry claimed that such an addition would be great for any company:

    “I think it would be great for [any company] because you have unbelievable talent and two of the more master psychologists that I’ve worked with, guys that you sit down and you think, what’s not being done in pro wrestling?

    When you have a mindset of, ‘I want to do something everybody else don’t do,’ then automatically you are ahead of the game. You already have everybody.”

    Mark Henry On Four Men Commentary Booth For Rampage

    AEW recently announced that Rampage will feature a four men commentary booth. This news concerned fans as many believed that it will lead to conflict between the announcers and restrict them from showing their full potential.

    When asked what challenges it will bring for him, Mark Henry claimed that the four men booth is kind of a safety mechanism that has been put in place by Tony Khan because he is new to the role:

    “I’m the new guy. They already have a great relationship and they can put on a great show. I think it’s a safety mechanism. I think just in case that I get on there and I’m not good, (AEW president) Tony (Khan) had to put the safety mechanism in place and throw Chris (Jericho) out there just in case we have to save this thing.

    I don’t think he has that to worry about. I think we’ll start off a four-man booth and I think once they realize that I can handle it we’ll go to a traditional three-man booth.”

    AEW Rampage will premiere on TNT on Friday, August 13. It will feature Excalibur, Taz, Chris Jericho, and Mark Henry as the commentators of the show.

  • Details On CM Punk’s Recent Pro Wrestling Training

    Details On CM Punk’s Recent Pro Wrestling Training

    CM Punk is reportedly showing promise in his in-ring training. On July 21st, Fightful Select reported that Punk was in talks for an in-ring return and that his destination is likely All Elite Wrestling.

    Since January, Punk has been training in-ring for his role in the upcoming Starz TV series “Heels.” A new report suggests that Punk is looking good in training and has sources impressed.

    According to wrestlers and Heels cast members who have worked with Punk over the past six months, the overall impression on Punk’s in-ring training has been very promising.

    CM Punk and Stephen Amell in Heels (Photo: Starz)

    CM Punk’s Training

    The latest update from Fightful cited multiple sources who have seen Punk in the ring this year. One person said Punk looked “completely healthy,” especially as compared to the tail end of his WWE run.

    Punk has not wrestled in seven years after leaving WWE. His last match was the 2014 Royal Rumble Match on January 26, 2014, at the Console Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

    Another source said Punk looked so good in the ring that they wondered if he’d been training in private leading up to being in the ring with them. Punk showed virtually no ring rust, which is amazing considering the 7-year layoff.

    As of this time, there is no official word about CM Punk signing a deal with AEW. The two sides have negotiated in the past, but never came to terms. Although now it seems that Punk is ready to make a comeback in professional wrestling.

    Subscribe: Fightful Select

    First Look At CM Punk In “Heels” Series On Starz (Photo)
  • Serena Deeb Shares An Update on Her Knee Injury

    Serena Deeb Shares An Update on Her Knee Injury

    All Elite Wrestling’s Serena Deeb has given an update on her knee injury.

    Deeb has posted a video on her Twitter that she is making significant progress on rehabbing her knee injury. On July 31st, Deeb shared that she’s been having issues with her knee and taking time to recover. While not given a timetable, Deeb said, “…I will be back to AEW, and I will be back to once again be champion, and I will remind each and everyone one of you that not only am I the best women’s wrestler in the world, I’m the best wrestler in the world.” Today Deeb has revealed that she can walk, and she no longer needs a knee brace.

    “…I’m already able to walk. In fact, I don’t even need my knee brace anymore, which means that I’m one step closer to being cleared,” said Deeb.

    https://twitter.com/SerenaDeeb/status/1425108531632615431

    Serena Deeb Injury Timeline

    Deeb has been dealing with a knee injury since March. She posted on her Twitter account on March 5th that said, “I had a scope done, and it went really well. I’ll be back before you know it.”

    She returned to AEW Dynamite on May 19th at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, to successfully defended the NWA Women’s Championship against Red Velvet. Deeb would compete several more times. However, Deeb reinjured her knee once again and has not wrestled since July.

    Deeb is still not cleared to compete, as she said in her Twitter post today. Although she has already alluded to several feuds that she can have when she returns. While not saying names, she used the moniker of AEW talents in the women’s division. “…So when I return, it doesn’t matter who they throw at me. Whether it’s a bunny, a beast, an alien, or a doctor, they will all see that there is only one professor of professional wrestling. I am Serena Deeb, the woman of a thousand holds, said Deeb.”

    For now, Deeb will still need to rehab her knee injury so that she doesn’t have the same issues once again.

  • Joey Janela Turns On Sonny Kiss, Blames “Mainstream Wrestling Fans”

    Joey Janela Turns On Sonny Kiss, Blames “Mainstream Wrestling Fans”

    Last night on AEW Dark: Elevation, Joey Janela turned on Sonny Kiss. It had seemed as though the team had patched up their differences but this was all a rouse by Janela. Before their scheduled match on Dark: Elevation, Janela delivered a superkick to Sonny and later gave him a piledriver on the outside. He then took to Twitter to explain his actions.

    “I did what I did not because Sonny, it’s because most mainstream wrestling “fans” are absolute losers, mutant scum!” Janela Tweeted. “Always arguing about ratings, what’s wrestling & what’s not, who’s dating who, body shaming, & what’s going on backstage.. now you have a reason to really hate me!”

    “This comes from the heart, if you stood by me through the years Thank you! If not & you’ve partook in any of these activities you belong in a hole!”

    Janela had previously blamed the bad influence of Alex Marvez for causing problems within the team.

    Joey Janela and Sonny Kiss

    In 2021, Janela and Sonny Kiss racked up a 3-4 record in 2-on-2 tag-team matches. Their victories were over enhancement talent but they dropped matches to teams such as The Acclaimed, Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky, Santana & Ortiz, and Brian Cage and Ricky Starks.

    Sonny Kiss is 3-6 in AEW singles matches in 2021. Joey Janela is 5-3 in AEW singles matches in 2021

  • Cody Rhodes On If Deathmatches Have A Place On Cable TV

    Cody Rhodes On If Deathmatches Have A Place On Cable TV

    AEW EVP Cody Rhodes recently took part in a media conference call where he discussed a number of things including the recent controversy over the match between Chris Jericho and Nick Gage.

    Domino’s Pizza threatened to pull their advertisement from AEW programming over a spot in the bout. This started the debate on whether or not death matches should be a part of mainstream wrestling.

    When asked this question, Cody Rhodes mentioned that the advertisement for the bout was very clear about being an extreme match. He then claimed that such bouts do have a place in cable TV programming:

    “And I think the answer to your question about does it have a place in television, well, we were the number one show on cable. And that is a huge honor, three weeks in a row. That’s a huge honor and responsibility to our fanbase,

    During the Olympics we were the number one show on cable!” said Cody Rhodes, “So yes, I think it does have a place. I don’t think it is something you will see often. That’s just my opinion, as asked for.”

    The former TNT champion later reiterated his comments about how we are not gonna see this type of matches very often but they do have a place.

    Apart from this, Cody Rhodes also discussed things such as keeping the momentum of AEW going from week to week and show to show and more.

  • Kenny Omega Will Be In Action On Friday’s AEW Rampage Debut

    Kenny Omega Will Be In Action On Friday’s AEW Rampage Debut

    AEW Rampage premieres this Friday on TNT at 10pm (Eastern). The event will air live from the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

    All Elite Wrestling is pulling out all the stops to ensure Rampage gets off to a strong start. As previously announced, Dr. Britt Baker will defend the AEW Women’s World Championship in her hometown against Red Velvet.

    We now know that AEW World Champion Kenny Omega will also be in action on the 1-hour broadcast. His opponent has yet to be announced, but his opponent could be be #1 contender Christian Cage.

    The FITE streaming platform announced on Monday that Rampage will be part of the AEW Plus subscription service.

    AEW has begun posting videos of wrestlers reading mean tweets about themselves, a bit originated on the Jimmy Kimmel Live late night show.

  • FTR Want To Challenge For The NWA Tag Titles, NWA Responds

    FTR Want To Challenge For The NWA Tag Titles, NWA Responds

    Dax Harwood of FTR has stated multiple times on social media now that he would like to challenge for the NWA World Tag Team Championships. The NWA seems on-board with this idea as well.

    Harwood posted a video of The Midnight Express vs The Fantastics and a follower of his asked about FTR possibly competing in the Crockett Cup.

    “That is incredibly important to us; especially now. The lineage of the NWA is deep & historic. We’d love the opportunity to fight for the belts too.”

    The NWA Twitter account responded to Harwood’s comments.

    This is the second time an interaction like this between FTR and the NWA has taken place. Last month, the NWA replied to a comment by Harwood about the history of the NWA tag belts. They noted that perhaps Tony Khan and Billy Corgan could have a discussion about this.

    It was also noted on Twitter, that the NWA could bring back the Crockett Cup. The tournament was cancelled last year due to the global pandemic.

    Harwood responded to the NWA’s comments as well.

    Another noted tag-team wrestler, Xavier Woods, would like to attend any NWA tapings with FTR involved.

    “Is this happening in atl? I’m right down the street from the studio,” he Tweeted.

  • AEW’s Nightmare Family Officially Adds New Members

    AEW’s Nightmare Family Officially Adds New Members

    All Elite Wrestling faction The Nightmare Family have added several new members to the group. During a recent episode of Sammy Guevara’s vlog, Cody Rhodes confirmed that four All Elite stars have been officially added to ever-growing group.

    “If you are somebody who is part of The Nightmare Family, then I consider you more than a one day a week wrestler,” Cody Rhodes said on the vlog.

    “And can take that Nightmare Family logo, jacket, familial connection. Do whatever the hell you want with it, take it to any company in the world — go anywhere with it, it means you are family” the former TNT Champion added.

    Fuego del Sol, Red Velvet, KiLynn King, and Baron Black have all now officially been added to the stable, with Cody Rhodes also mentioning how fans incorrectly believed that Red Velvet was already a member.

    The Nightmare Family now consists of:

    • Cody Rhodes
    • Brandi Rhodes
    • Dustin Rhodes
    • Arn Anderson
    • Gunn Club (Austin, Billy, and Colten Gunn)
    • Lee Johnson
    • Brock Anderson
    • Red Velvet
    • Fuego del Sol
    • KiLynn King
    • Baron Black
    • Diamond Dallas Page (association)
    • Glacier (association)
    • Tommy Dreame (association)
    • Stephen Amell (association)

    With CM Punk’s links to Stephen Amell, there’s potentially a chance that he aligns himself with the group, should he make his much anticipated debut for AEW. That chance is slim however, as All Elite will likely keep Punk and the other rumored signee Daniel Bryan as main event singles talents.

  • Malakai Black Knew Things Weren’t Right After Big E Attack

    Malakai Black Knew Things Weren’t Right After Big E Attack

    Malakai Black was a recent guest on Talk is Jericho. During the interview questions obviously arose about his recent departure from WWE. Talking candidly, Black explained how he knew the writing was on the wall moments after he attacked Big E in his comeback moment.

    Talking to new AEW roster mate Chris Jericho, Malakai Black explained how he had spoken to Vince McMahon ahead of his comeback, and the boss seemed interested in the storyline. However, it never felt right, and once it happened, he knew things were not going to work out.

    “Two weeks before I attacked Big E. on the night of the last vignette, I had a sit down with Vince. And he was very convinced of it, he liked it. I just wanted to get his thoughts, I hadn’t seen him in six months, a lot happened at that point. So I wanted to sit down with him a little bit and kind of see how he was doing.”

    “We had a little bit of, just a normal conversation. Like I said, I wanted to gauge, ‘How do you feel about it?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, no, I like it. I like it a lot,’ And then when we did the attack on Big E, I came back. Something about it just didn’t feel right, and I told my wife … I don’t know what it was. The way he looked, something about it, there was a disconnect.”

    Malakai Black Doesn’t Hold a Grudge and is Happy to Be Wrestling Again

    Talking more, Malakai Black said that ultimately, Vince is the boss at WWE, and so has the right to call the shots. He knew the moment he walked backstage after attacking Big E. One of those moments where you just look around, and you know.

    “I kind of felt that he had made up his mind even back then. Which is, hey, it’s his company. It’s fine, no harm, no foul.”

    Not long after his release Malakai Black realized his contract only included a 30-day no-compete clause. Something he couldn’t believe at first, but soon took advantage of, signing for AEW as soon as he could.

    “I contacted someone within the company. I said, ‘Look, am I reading this correct?’ And this person said, ‘No, that’s correct. Even now, I’m looking at it, you have 30 days,’ and I’m like, ‘Alright, perfect.’”

    Malakai Black’s debut in AEW will go down as one of the most shocking moments in their short history given the expected downtime people believed he would have following his release.

  • Malakai Black On What Paul Heyman Told Him About Being In Charge Of Raw

    Malakai Black On What Paul Heyman Told Him About Being In Charge Of Raw

    Malakai Black was one of the talents Paul Heyman tried to push during his time as the Executive Director of Monday Night Raw. Though he got lost in the shuffle not long after Heyman was removed from the position.

    The former NXT champion discussed his relationship with Heyman during a recent appearance on Talk Is Jericho and claimed that they ‘meshed’ from day one.

    Talking about Heyman’s run as the Executive Director of Raw, Black claimed that the former ECW owner told him that he only had ‘one night of control’ over things:

    “He once told me that he had one night of control. That was the first night he was on, and after that, everything became a fight. Well, maybe ‘a fight’ is not the right word but a debate, which I can understand, but sometimes it makes you wonder.”

    Malakai Black also revealed the plans Paul Heyman had for him and Buddy Murphy, another former WWE talent who Heyman saw as a big future star:

    “He’s like, ‘I want to set something up between you and Buddy, that we can come back on WrestleMania in three – four years, maybe five years down the line. We lay a foundation now, and then five years from now, we circle back around,

    But we make it bigger. We put it on a bigger stage, and we can draw from what you guys did there.’ It writes itself because that’s how wrestling’s done.”

    Paul Heyman was made the Executive Director of Raw back in June 2019. He tried to push young talents as opposed to WWE’s approach of relying on older stars before being relieved of his position in June 2020.

  • Paul Wight On Why He Transitioned To AEW: “I Could See The Writing On The Wall”

    Paul Wight On Why He Transitioned To AEW: “I Could See The Writing On The Wall”

    Paul Wight, fka Big Show recently had an interview with The Ring Report where he talked about a number of things such as the recent WWE releases and more.

    The former world champion was asked about the recent WWE releases potentially ending up in his new promotion. Replying to it, he claimed that the momentum is with AEW and explained why he made the transition himself:

    “Anyone now who has been in this business long enough is smart enough to see where momentum is going and you’ve got to agree that it’s with AEW. It’s got a great groundswell of support from fans who are really into the product.

    The storylines are unique. They have a different flavour and excitement about them. I made the transition myself because after four decades, I left as I could see the writing on the wall of where professional wrestling was headed.”

    He was then asked specifically about Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman and Ric Flair potentially joining the promotion. Paul Wight claimed that there is always an opportunity for them to contribute:

    “For those other talents like Bray Wyatt, Braun, Ric Flair, and all those guys, there’s always an opportunity for people of that caliber to be a part of AEW and contribute, that’s the thing with wrestling. You never say never.

    Wight continued to explain that the young prospects can learn from these veterans and the former WWE stars can prepare young AEW names for the future.

  • Andrade El Idolo Wants ‘The Whole Family’ With Him in AEW

    Andrade El Idolo Wants ‘The Whole Family’ With Him in AEW

    AEW star Andrade El Idolo reportedly wants to have ‘the whole family’ with him in All Elite Wrestling.

    According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, that means that the former WWE Superstar wants to see stars from ROH and beyond make their way over to All Elite.

    Dave Meltzer confirmed that the new AEW signee wants to bring more than Chavo Guerrero with him over to All Elite, with his partner Charlotte Flair someone who he is really eager to see make the jump over from WWE.

    “Andrade has told people that he wants the whole family there. And by the family, it’s, you know, RUSH, Bestia, Dragon Lee, him, Ashley [Charlotte], Ric, that’s what he wants. Ashley, you know, I don’t know her. I’m certainly not going to speak for her, I sense that she wants to be in WWE, that it’s the big leagues to her.”

    WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER

    Andrade Wants Charlotte Flair in AEW

    It’s doubtful that Flair will be making a move over to AEW, but there’s a chance that this news was leaked to try and help secure the WWE Superstar a better contract.

    With Charlotte Flair one of the bigger names on the main roster, WWE will no doubt want to ensure that she does not go anywhere, and news like her partner wanting her to move to the competition (despite what Vince McMahon may say) is a good bargaining tactic for negotiation.

    Ric Flair however is a different prospect, with the former WCW and NWA star almost a shoe-in to appear on the AEW product, with the history between himself, the TNT network and stars such as Tully Blanchard? There’s at least a one-off appearance waiting to happen for the Nature Boy.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ4mxP2ncuq/
  • Chris Jericho Reveals If He Will Do Any More Deathmatches in AEW

    Chris Jericho Reveals If He Will Do Any More Deathmatches in AEW

    AEW Star Chris Jericho recently spoke to the Inside the Ropes website. The former WWE Superstar discussed several topics during the interview, including his no holds barred/deathmatch against Nick Gage on AEW Dynamite.

    ‘Le Champion’ Jericho revealed in the interview that he has no plans to do any other deathmatches for the rest of his career; although, he would be prepared to get gory once again if the storyline dictated as such.

    “Well, I’m not being egotistical when I say, ‘Of course it was my idea, and of course I was fine with it’ because I thought of it. I booked the whole match as well” Jericho began.

    “You never thought you’d see Chris Jericho in that type of match, maybe not on TNT, but why wouldn’t you see Chris Jericho in that type of match? Because I’ve done every other match!” the former AEW Champion continued

    Chris Jericho vs Nick Gage

    It was then that Jericho stated that he would do another similar match if the storyline called for it. The ongoing blood feud between Jericho and MJF may well necessitate a match of this type, or close to it.

    “If the story fits, I’ll do it – because it is all about storytelling. Obviously, it’s not something I would want to do every night or probably will ever do again but when you’re talking about the story that we’re telling, it was perfect for it. And I think that match was a classic in its genre.”

    CHRIS JERICHO

    “I think it might even be the most-watched death match of all time in the fact that we had 1.2 million people watching it. Show me another deathmatch that had that type of viewership” Jericho would conclude.

  • Jim Ross Comments On CM Punk/AEW Rumors

    Jim Ross Comments On CM Punk/AEW Rumors

    With CM Punk widely believed to be headed to AEW in just two weeks, Conrad Thompson asked Jim Ross about Punk on the latest edition of “Grillin Jr“.

    “I hope we sign him, I hope he’s one of our guys,” JR said about Punk on the show. “CM Punk is a treasure. And he can contribute a lot to a lot of guys and he’s willing to share his knowledge and his expertise to other talents. He pays it forward and has no problem doing so, that’s my take on him.”

    “If we can sign CM Punk to our team and our roster, it’s a great get,” JR continued.

    Punk’s debut in AEW is heavily rumored to take place at AEW First Dance. The event will be held in Chicago’s United Center on August 20th. Ross also commented on if Punk’s 8 years away from the ring will impact his work.

    “He’s a huge player in the big picture and am I worried his layoff is going to affect his work? We know it’s going to affect his work to some degree because he’s 8 years older. And he’s in his 40s. But that doesn’t seem to matter in today’s wrestling business especially when you have a schedule like ours.”

    JR also spoke about how valuable he feels Punk will be for developing talent on the roster. Having someone like Punk around gives up-and-comers a valuable veteran to get advice from.

    “There’s no doubt in my mind he’s going to be effective as hell,” JR continued.

    “If CM Punk signs with us he will be used and valued in multiple areas and I don’t think that anybody that’s concerned about his in-ring game have anything to worry about.”

  • AEW Releases Darby Allin’s New Entrance Video Animated By Rooster Teeth

    AEW Releases Darby Allin’s New Entrance Video Animated By Rooster Teeth

    AEW has released the new entrance video used by Darby Allin to its official AEW Music YouTube channel. The video was animated by video production company, Rooster Teeth.

    The full video can be viewed in the player below:

    Darby Allin On Filmmaking and Art

    A former film student, Darby Allin spoke to the Independent about filmmaking, art, and more earlier this year.

    “There’s so much in this world that I want to do that I don’t want to pigeonhole myself into one thing. I love art, whether it be film-making, fashion, anything. I don’t want to be this 55-year-old guy wrestling in a high school gym, not because he wants to but because he has to,” Allin said during the interview.

    “The wheels are spinning in my head on what’s after all of this, so it’s fun.”

    During an appearance on the Wrestling Perspectives podcast earlier this year, Allin spoke about how he feels he’s more productive when he’s alone.

     “So I really just feel super more productive when I’m by myself. But when it’s time to go out there and put a match together or put a storyline together, I’ll be totally in your face like super collabing and just talking, but otherwise man I really like to be left alone.”