Dustin Rhodes will take on Kip Sabian tonight on Dynamite. The match will be in the 1st round of the TNT Championship tournament. Rhodes has also said that if he fails to defeat Sabian tonight, he’ll retire from wrestling. He spoke with TV Insider recently about his time in AEW so far. During the conversation, Dustin opened up about his relationship with his brother Cody.
“There is a huge age difference between my brother and myself,” Dustin said about his brother who is 17-years younger than him. “We don’t have a lot in common. He has grown up his way, and we were blessed to tag with each other in WWE. He went off on his own and left. I was stuck there, which is exactly what it was.”
Was this your @dustinrhodes moment? In Austin, TX, he gained a win against @sammyguevara. Let us know your favorite moment from the #AEW career of the Natural!
Dustin went on to praise Cody’s creative ability. He also noted that much of Cody’s hunger and desire he’s shown in the business can be attributed to their shared family lineage.
“He was hungry and had it in him because he is a Rhodes. Our legacy is strong,” Dustin continued. “He has that creative ability and insight not a lot of people know or see. What he does backstage, before the show, and what he puts together before the show – it’s incredible.”
Dustin would continue to say that he’s enjoyed being able to reconnect with Cody and Brandi in addition to all the others at AEW.
“He has my dad in him 150 percent. For me to come on the scene and reconnect, even though he lives in Georgia and I live in Texas, [and] for me to reconnect with him and Brandi and all these people, it’s great.”
AEW Dynamite Lineup
This week’s edition of Dyanmiate features 2 TNT title tournament matches. Dustin Rhodes vs Kip Sabian will take place in addition to Sammy Guevara vs Darby Allin. The winner of Rhodes vs Sabian will meet Jake Roberts’ client Lance Archer in the semi-finals. The winner of Guevara vs Allin tonight will face Cody in the 2nd-round. It’s possible the two Rhodes brothers could meet each other in the finals of this tournament, though there are 4 other wrestlers still alive in the tournament who will be looking to prevent that from happening.
Dustin covers many other subjects during the interview. The full discussion can be read here.
Was this your @dustinrhodes moment? Let us know your favorite moment from the #AEW career of the Natural!
It’s Wednesday. You know what that means. All Elite Wrestling is back with another new episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. This week’s show features the final two matches in the TNT Championship Quarterfinals, a special segment from the Hardy Compound and more.
The following items are scheduled for tonight’s AEW Dynamite Broadcast:
TNT Championship Tournament
Cody Rhodes and Lance Archer have advanced to the Semifinals of the TNT Championship Tournament. The final two matches of the Quarterfinals take place tonight. One of the bouts has major ramifications.
In a match that will probably headline an AEW pay-per-view one day, Darby Allin faces Sammy Guevara of the Inner Circle. The winner of this bout advances to face Cody Rhodes in the next round.
Dustin Rhodes will also face Kip Sabian, with the winner advancing to battle Lance Archer. Dustin Rhodes is so confident in his chances that he is putting his career on the line against Sabian.
Also On The Show
In addition to the tournament matches, AEW is advertising Jimmy Havoc vs. Orange Cassidy, as well as Kenny Omega, Wardlow and Brodie Lee all in singles action.
Finally, “Broken” Matt Hardy promises “exclusive footage” from the Hardy Compound in Cameron, North Carolina. The deranged Hardy has been embroiled in a feud with Chris Jericho. What does he have in store for Le Champion this week?
Join us here later tonight for our AEW Dynamite live discussion, results and Takeaways feature.
‘American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes is doing an “AMA” (Ask Me Anything) this week. The live Q&A session takes place exclusively on Bleacher Report’s B/R App Wednesday at 3pm (Eastern).
Dustin Rhodes puts his career on the line this week on AEW Dynamite. The Natural faces Kip Sabian in the Quarterfinals of the TNT Championship tournament. He vows to retire if he does not advance to the next round.
AEW is encouraging fans to use the hashtag #DustinRhodes to share your favorite moments from his career.
Speaking of Dustin Rhodes, he spoke with Scott Fishman for TVInsider ahead of Wednesday’s consequential match. The 51-year-old veteran credits AEW for reignited his love for professional wrestling.
Jake “the Snake” Roberts made a surprise debut in AEW last month. He confronted Cody on Dynamite and noted that he was bringing a client into AEW. That client turned out to be Lance Archer. The former member of the Killer Elite Squad was a guest recently on Busted Open Radio and spoke about working with the legendary Roberts.
During the conversation, Bully Ray asked Archer why Roberts was his manager in AEW and noted that Archer doesn’t need anyone to speak for him.
“He was one of the best speakers in this business today,” Archer said on the show. “I believe that I’ve grown in my ability to get out there and say what I need to say when I need to say it.”
Archer continued to talk about the benefits of having Jake by his side.
“I think it just helps me transition back into a full-time American fan base. I think that’s one of the biggest reasons why. And I think this is a good transition with someone they absolutely know and they adore that is Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts.”
Bully then suggested that Jake’s abilities could take the spotlight away from Archer. He asked Archer if he was worried about sharing that spotlight.
“Absolutely not,” Archer answered. “Once I step in the ring, I command the spotlight when I step in the ring. Jake commands the spotlight because he’s Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts and when he speaks people are listening.”
Archer’s comments can be heard in the Tweet below:
All Elite Wrestling announcer Jim Ross doesn’t believe that that the company should be hiring any released WWE Superstars. Not just yet, at least. Regarding WWE’s recent releases, Ross explained on The Roman Show podcast how sometimes “you have to let people go that you don’t think deserve to be let go.”
He shared how he gets people frequently asking him who he thinks AEW should hire. Ross then explained how he’s more concerned about “living to tomorrow” as he is high risk for the coronavirus. He stated how, if he were AEW, “I would hire nobody.”
Ross continued, explaining how there is no reason to hire anybody right now. Addressing the recently released Superstars, he shared how he hopes “none of them go on a massive pity party.”
JR stressed how they aren’t the only ones within wrestling to have been sat down, cast away or had their job taken away. Ross admitted how, ultimately, the situation is “unfortunate.” He then noted how some people have to wonder why they were let go, arguing there had to be a reason.
Jim Ross’ Advice to Released Talent
Now that the released Superstars are no longer with WWE, Jim Ross hoped that they would be able to motivate themselves:
“If I were these guys who were let go by the WWE, this situation wouldn’t be the end of the world. Trust me, I’ve been there. It won’t end your life.”
He stated how if WWE was all they wanted to do with their life, then they need to reset, reassess, and improve their personal brand to prepare for the future.
Elsewhere in the episode, JR spoke about the possibility of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson running for president. JR is confident of The Rock’s chances and feels The Rock would win the Presidency if he seriously pursued it.
All Elite Wrestling continues its TNT Championship Tournament this week. One of their quarter-final bouts sees Sammy Guevara clash with Darby Allin. Turns out, one wrestler, in particular, will be watching this match closely: Lance Archer.
Archer took to Twitter to share his interest, teasing how it “might be interesting” if he and Guevara were to face each other in the finals. He revealed how, despite both performing in Texas at the same time, he and Guevara have never wrestled each other.
Guevara would see Archer’s message, replying, “I welcome this fight.” Archer, however, was unconvinced.
According to him, Guevara is eager to grapple while he’s “safe at home.” When they’re inside the ropes from each other, “The Murderhawk Monster” believes Guevara may feel differently, stressing how: “your tune will change quickly as I Quicken you!”
Fun fact. @sammyguevara and I have never fought. Even in all our time in TX at the same time. Not once did we square off. Might be interesting if we faced off (well. His face in my chest anyways) in the finals of tha @AEWrestling #TNTChampionshipTournament Find out Wed @AEWonTNThttps://t.co/5sz0kLIfDE
— The Murderhawk Monster Lance Archer (@LanceHoyt) April 20, 2020
The Journey To Lance Archer & Sammy Guevara In The Finals
Lance Archer advanced in the quarter-finals after defeating Colt Cabana on the April 15 episode of AEW Dynamite. He will face the winner of Dustin Rhodes and Kip Sabian. Both quarter-final matchups take place on this week’s episode of Dynamite. The episode airs tomorrow night on TNT.
Although both men may be interested in facing off, the finals are still a way off. If successful against Allin, Guevara would then have to defeat Cody Rhodes to meet Lance Archer in the finals—assuming Archer defeats the winner of Rhodes/Sabian. The finals are scheduled to take place on May 23 at AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
AEW’s California-based roster has not been competing on Dynamite as of late. Many of them have been wrestling at the BTE compound, however. Last week on BTE, a rather bizarre Royal Rumble type match took place with Nick Jackson coming out the winner.
With the win, Nick got to pick whatever match he wanted for BTE 200. The match he wanted is the one he said could prove that he was back to 100% health following the backstage attack by the Inner Circle last month. Nick’s pick was to face his own brother Matt in the main event of BTE 200. The match aired today on YouTube.
Nick Jackson vs Matt Jackson – BTE 200
The match actually started off on the tennis court as Nick attacked Matt before the bell. A “falls count anywhere” stipulation was placed on the match as well.
Nick put Matt on a golf cart and wheeled him around until they ended up at the BTE gym seen in recent episodes. The brothers would exchange near-falls from pinning combinations until the match then spilled into Nick’s backyard. It was in Nick’s yard that Matt would hit a series of 5 continuing Northern Lights Suplexes before Nick hit a tornado DDT using his fence for leverage.
As the match moved out from Nick’s backyard, the younger Young Buck started to play dirty by throwing dirt in Matt’s face. This allowed Nick to set Matt up on a table and jump off his roof with a senton for a near-fall. Nick then held Matt’s head underwater briefly before his brother fought back. Matt then hit a Canadian Destroyer off the diving board and into the pool for a near-fall with the ref counting on the surface of the water.
Nick then used his “Merch Freak” magic to send Matt Jackson to an alternate universe. All of a sudden, Matt Jackson was dressed as Marty Jannetty and Nick as Shawn Michaels. The brothers then recreated the famous “Barber Shop” moment that broke up the Rockers. When Matt came back to reality, Nick hit him in the back with a shovel and the two exchanged clotheslines on the deck.
After Matt delivered a tombstone to his brother, things started to get weird again. Matt brought out a pair of sharply spiked cleats and put them on. He then superkicked his brother in the face with them. They recreated the Shawn Michaels/Ric Flair “I’m sorry I love you” WrestleMania moment. Then Matt gave his brother an elbow from the deck for the win.
After the Match
After the match, the two brothers sat atop the deck and cleared the air. Nick noted that he is not 100% but he’s feeling pretty good. After 4 years of doing BTE, Nick noted it’s been the best 4 years of his life. An emotional montage then played before Nick and Matt were seen in the car saying there was one more thing they had to do. They did not mention what that is, however.
All Elite Wrestling commentator Jim Ross has talked about the possibility of Rusev joining AEW’s roster. Rusev was recently released alongside several other WWE in-ring talent as well as a number of backstage personnel.
Ross addressed the concept of Rusev becoming a part of AEW during an episode of his podcast Grilling JR via AdFreeShows.com. He argued how there had to be some “semblance of a reason” that Rusev’s previous push was cut short. Ross then noted that he doesn’t know what that reason could be. He divulged how he had never heard any “scandalous tales” about Rusev.
Jim Ross Would Consider Rusev A Priority
His experiences with Rusev have led Ross to believe he is a soft-hearted, well-raised person who is polite and decent. Ross then stated how securing Rusev for AEW would be his top priority. “That’s who I’d want to go after first because I can see him having some major pay-per-view main event matches with a variety of top talents in our company AEW. Anyone would be smart to hire him.”
He shared how he would like to call a high-level Rusev matchup before explaining how a company would “know what you’re gonna get out of the guy.”
With his recent departure from WWE, Jim Ross noted how Rusev now has something to prove. As far as he’s concerned, Rusev is and always has been a legitimate talent that he’s been high on.
Cody Rhodes was recently interviewed by Bleacher Report Live. During the conversation, he spoke about his loose connection to the Netflix docu-series, “Tiger King.”
According to Cody, 5 years ago he was told the stories about Carole Baskin as if they were complete fact. “I have this very loose kind of connection to Tiger King,” Cody said during the interview. “Very loose. As far as, I went to a sanctuary that was in Melrose, Florida. A really great Tiger sanctuary called Single Vision. They took tigers that, situations like Joe Exotic – there’s a bit of an epidemic in this country with people who get these big cats and then don’t know what to do with them like you saw on the show. So they would go to places like Joe or Carole.”
Cody continued to say that when deciding which Tiger sanctuary to go to, he and Brandi were told the stories about Carole Baskin.
“I’m trying not to implicate anyone. I had heard the Carole Baskin story like 5 years ago. It was just a universally known thing amongst that world, that tiger world, like ‘hey don’t mess with her, this is what she did.” Now, I’m not saying I believe it but I was told as if it was absolute fact. So when it was brought up on the show, my mind was blown! Now I’ve heard this from multiple people in the animal world and now it’s for everyone to see again. I really enjoyed Tiger King, a very crazy outlook on a unique situation.”
Cody continued to talk about who told them the stories about Carole Baskin, though he did not implicate anyone personally.
“We were debating do we go to Big Cat Sanctuary or do we go to our other place. And the individual was like ‘you don’t want to go to the former because…’ and that’s where we heard it for the first time.”
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) has not wrestled since March 11th, 2020. He teamed with the Butcher and the Blade on Dynamite that night and defeated the Jurassic Express. MJF has wrestled just once since defeating Cody Rhodes at AEW Revolution. It appears that MJF’s infrequent schedule might be as a result of an injury.
MJF noted on Twitter today that he is dealing with something that may require surgery.
My Issue has gotten worse, Its looking like I Might need surgery.
Earlier this month, MJF noted that he was dealing with something that was preventing him from performing.
I wish I could put my body on the line more for you guys. I truly care so much about you being entertained during your hour of need. Unfortunately something awful has happened to me and it has gradually gotten worse. I can’t comment on what the issue is at this time. https://t.co/1WoXSzPh7r
When AEW revealed its top-5 rankings for April 1st, 2020, MJF was not ranked. He had been ranked #2 the week prior. We noted in our AEW rankings post that week that his dropping out of the rankings was likely due to inactivity as he had only wrestled once in all of March.
MJF is 5-0 in AEW single’s matches. He’s defeated Brandon Cutler, Hangman Page, Joey Janela, Jungle Boy, and Cody. He’s also been in 2 battle royals that he didn’t win and one fatal-4 way match that was won by Hangman Page and also involved Jimmy Havoc and Jungle Boy. MJF is 3-0 in tag-team matches.
Dr. Britt Baker DMD has quickly become one of the most talked-about heels in AEW. In recent months on Dynamite, Baker has been ruthless in her comments to Tony Schiavone and even more ruthless to her opponents in the ring. Her new persona is not what she thought she would be doing when she started with the promotion, however. In a recent interview with the Bleacher Report, Baker spoke about her current character and the confidence she gets from working alongside Schiavone.
“It’s really totally not where I expected I would be right now, as far as character-wise,” Baker said. “I love it. Every second of it, I’m enjoying it.”
Baker also spoke about working with her “friend” Tony Schiavone on Dynamite.
“There’s always a sense of comfort knowing I have Tony Schiavone standing there with you because if anything really goes off the rails he can save it. It’s comforting, because I know he’s right there with me.”
“Tony Schiavone is such a pro and he’s so amazing, his reaction, his body language, and his gestures truly make the promos, because he’s so, so good. It’s these little organic things and these gestures. I nudged him one week and said, ‘Stand up straight,’ and he does it. He just acted on command, and it’s so funny because he’s such a professional.”
Baker also spoke during the interview about how she doesn’t memorize her promos. Rather she goes off of bullet points and then feeds off the crowd.
“You learn really quickly what works and what doesn’t. There’s a lot of moving parts to making something successful. I think I’m a prime example of people just improving over time with more TV exposure and getting more comfortable, but that comfort also comes with help from the back.”
Baker goes into further detail on these subjects in more during the interview. A link to the full discussion can be found here.
Britt Baker in AEW
At the time of this writing, Baker is ranked #5 in the AEW women’s division. She recently dropped from the #4 spot after losing to the #1 ranked Hikaru Shida 2 weeks ago.
Baker holds a career record of 10-7 in AEW. Her 10 wins is 3rd most of any female in the company. Hikaru Shida has a 12-5 career record in the promotion and Riho is sitting at an 11-6 record. She defeated Cassandra Golden this week on Dynamite.
Dustin Rhodes will face Kip Sabian in the 1st round of the TNT Championship tournament this Wednesday on Dynamite. In a clip from AEW’s “Road to the TNT Championship” set to air on Monday, Dustin tells his brother Cody that if he doesn’t beat Kip Sabian then he’ll retire.
“As you know, I soul-search every single week,” Dustin says to Cody in a voicemail during the video. “I’m always asking the question can I still do this? So my soul-searching has led me to this: This TNT tournament is the most important thing I’ve done since wrestling (Cody) at Double or Nothing, hands down. To be the first TNT champion means every frickin thing you can possibly imagine to me. So one of the things that I really want to discuss with you – and I would really like to talk to you instead of texting you this or voicemailing you this – Look, this guy Kip Sabian is no joke. If I cannot beat that son of a b**ch, I will retire.”
If Dustin loses on Wednesday, it would be the end of a very long and accomplished career that dates all the way back to the 1980s. Dustin made his debut in Championship Wrestling from Florida in the fall of 1988.
Reactions To Dustin Rhodes Putting His Career On The Line
Several people from AEW have reacted to Dustin’s statement.
Tony Khan posted the following:
1 week ago we celebrated @dustinrhodes’ birthday + his amazing career spanning 5 decades. There is hyperbole in wrestling but it’s no stretch to say Dustin’s better than ever today; I hope he’ll reconsider. @TheKipSabian carries a 2020 record of 6-3, same as Dustin. This is crazy https://t.co/yTfAM1vNmN
I think you still have it in you @dustinrhodes. You’re in the best shape of your life. Yes @TheKipSabian is a top contender. Yes @thePenelopeFord is crafty. But I’m in your corner Chicken. I’m not letting you go down without the fight of your life. Let’s go!
Yes you can still do it @dustinrhodes. You are so unbelievably incredible in the ring, on the mic, and everything you do behind the scenes. It’s just not time. Not even close. https://t.co/qxYUYrkxtt
AEW commentator and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross recently discussed the firing of WWE talent this past Wednesday. The company released and furloughed a number of on-air and backstage personnel, due to the economic climate and ongoing uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
In a Patreon Exclusive episode of Grilling Jr, Jim Ross would specifically make some intriguing comments on one released WWE Superstar in particular, Kurt Angle. Interestingly, Ross would discuss the potential of bringing in Angle to wrestle for AEW, even after his retirement from in-ring action last year at WrestleMania.
Jim Ross on Kurt Angle
“I know he wasn’t being used a lot” Jim Ross began, discussing the Olympic gold medallist. “There’s always some trepidation about Kurt’s health. He has had a lot of injuries. And you don’t want to get a guy [that’s] pushing beyond the pale. Look, Kurt’s also got a young family, he’s got several kids, you know? He’s got to find work. There’s a million things Kurt can do, no doubt. But he may have to get out of the day to day pro wrestling business to accomplish that.”
“his age and his injury situation may be a little bit prohibitive”
Jim Ross
Comparisons To Tom Brady
Jim Ross would elaborate further, discussing the quality that Angle could bring to the table in a number of industries. “He’s a great talker. He’s a hell of a personality, you know? He’s got acting chops, he’s got talent. But his age and his injury situation may be a little bit prohibitive. Now, he’s one of the greatest talents I’ve ever seen. He was a great signing for us [then WWF] when we signed him, he adapted. He took Dory Funk Jr’s coaching and Tom Prichard’s coaching very very well.”
Ross continued, comparing Kurt Angle to legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady.
“He is a monster athlete,” JR said of Kurt Angle. “But again, he’s like Tom Brady, he was at one time considered the greatest in the game. But at 42 for Brady? How’s Brady gonna play this year at that age? We’ll wait and see if he plays this year, If anybody plays [football] this year.”
JR – Short Run in AEW?
JR would finish by fantasy booking Angle for a short run in-ring at AEW. “Just fantasy booking here. This will make the internet for clickbait, because that’s what goes through their head. No creativity, and they’re little wh*res.” (Author’s note: Love you too, Jim!)
“Theoretically, if he’s cleared physically, and I don’t know that he would be. But if he was cleared physically? He may be a guy that you can bring in for a program against a guy like [AEW Champion Jon] Moxley. The matches between Moxley and Angle if Kurt is healthy and able to go? They could be phenomenal. But it’s not a long term thing, right? It might be a big program you get that takes you to a pay per view. But that’s it.”
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Former WWE SmackDown Executive Director Eric Bischoff recently discussed what is now being billed as ‘Black Wednesday.’ WWE released a significant number of on-air and backstage talent earlier this week and Bischoff would weigh in on the situation for the After 83 Weeks w/ Christy Olson podcast. As part of the discussion, Bischoff would also talk about AEW and whether they would be likely to hire a number of talents from the released list.
Eric Bischoff on Released Talents
“I mean let’s take a snapshot of reality as it exists today” Eric Bischoff began. “Where can they [the released talents] go? They could, theoretically at least, go to AEW. But how bloated can that roster get? They don’t do house shows, they don’t tour. They do a pay per view once a month or whatever it is.”
Comparing AEW and WCW
Eric Bischoff would then shift the conversation into a comparison between WCW, saying “nobody’s really talking about it. As opposed to WCW when guys like Dave Meltzer and everybody couldn’t wait to disclose internal information about WCW that was leaked to them by talent. You don’t hear any of that coming out AEW. I have a pretty good idea what some of the talent are making. And, it’s astronomical sums of money compared to what even some of them have ever made at the peak of their careers in WWE or WCW.”
AEW’s Talent Budget
Eric Bischoff then clarified that statement, saying that AEW clearly has a ‘substantial’ talent budget to work with. “There’s a substantial talent budget there. It’s a talent budget for a roster that isn’t generating a lot of revenue, other than television. And, of course, pay per view. So how many top talents, how many of those names from WWE can AEW afford to hire? If they bring in three, four, or five or maybe they only bring in one?”
Bischoff finished by discussing a talent he worked with in WWE that he would consider bringing in. “That makes sense, one or two of the bigger names, I’m sure, Erick Rowan is a guy that I’d be surprised if they’re not looking at that got released. Super guy by the way I loved working with him in WWE. But there’s a handful of stars that I’m sure WWE or AEW are thinking about right now. But to think that they’re gonna absorb eight or nine or 10 people? It’s not realistic.”
Eric Bischoff
Do you think that AEW will bring in some of the recently released WWE Superstars? Let us know in the comments
All Elite Wrestling’s Dustin Rhodes was a guest on this week’s episode of AEW’s official podcast, Unrestricted. During the interview with hosts Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards, Dustin opened up about the origins of his WWE character Goldust and Vince McMahon’s decision to have his father, Dusty Rhodes, dressed in polka dots.
Dustin Rhodes Becomes Goldust
Dustin recalled Vince McMahon pitching him the Goldust gimmick. He remembered how Vince would refer to Goldust as “androgynous.”
He listened to the idea and agreed to meet up to discuss the gimmick further. After the call ended, Dustin would seek out a dictionary to look up what androgynous meant. He admitted he had no idea what he had just agreed to.
Understanding the term, Dustin compared the gimmick to an Adrian Street or Adrian Adonis character. He added how he was into the idea of the face paint as he was “a big fan of Sting’s face paint and face paint in general.”
It wasn’t until a matchup with Savio Vega that Dustin would really connect with Goldust. He shared how Vega would work hard to have him experiment with situations that were “way over the line” for him.
He explained how he was a country boy from Texas, and trying these things scared him to death. “But that’s when I realized when I finally did it that to make something successful, you have to step out of yourself, outside of the box, and you got to create some magic of your own. You can’t just be scared all the time. You got to take a chance.”
Dusty’s Polka Dot Gear
After his father, Dusty Rhodes, signed with WWE in 1989, he began wearing polka dot gear. Tony Schiavone asked Dustin if he thinks this decision was made to embarrass the Rhodes family in some way. Schiavone pointed to Goldust and Stardust as potential further examples of his argument.
Dustin confessed that he believes that could have been the case, and it was something he thought of at first. He then stressed how he wasn’t entirely sure: “At the beginning, I was thinking that, but Vince kept going with me, and I don’t know if he really didn’t give a s—t.”
“[…] I was young, so I didn’t really think about those things or look too much in depth. I mean Vince and I, he would come to me and he would say, ‘Dustin, you’re going to get a lot of flack on this,’ and he would be very personable with me and say, ‘you know, if you have any problems you call me.’ And I did on more than a few occasions not huge problems but just minor things that I was trying to work out because I was unsure at the time because I was so young.”
Looking back on his experiences, Dustin confessed that, at 50, he doesn’t believe it was a rib on him. Although he can’t be sure regarding Dusty’s polka dots, Dustin believes that Vince “meant it and every bit of it” when it came to Goldust and his offer to help.
Speaking with Wrestling Observer Live ahead of Wednesday’s Dynamite, Moxley stated how his heart goes out to everyone affected. He explained how he heard the news through the grapevine, admitting that it’s a weird time for everybody. He added how he feels very fortunate at this point in time. Moxley explained how he won’t spend even a single second feeling sorry for himself as he is aware that “I’ve got it pretty good, all things considered.”
Jon Moxley & Renee Young In Self-Isolation
Right now he is stuck in the house with his wife, WWE’s Renee Young. He doesn’t mind, however, as she is his “favorite person to hang out with anyway.”
Breaking down how the couple are spending their time in self-isolation during this time, Moxley shared they are hanging out a lot as well as “getting it on all over the house all day.” They’ve also been watching a lot of movies. Young has also been getting involved with some cooking projects to pass the time.
“So, I’m basically hanging out and having a beautiful woman feed me meals every day. No matter how the World Title match turns out tonight, I feel like a World Champion and I am very blessed at this time.”
Jon Moxley successfully retained his AEW Championship against Jake Hager during this Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite. The two clashed in an Empty Arena No Holds Barred matchup.
Viewership data is in for this week’s battle in the WWE NXT vs. AEW Dynamite Wednesday Night War. For the second straight week, NXT won in total viewers, but AEW had the edge in the coveted 18-49 demographic.
Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
WWE NXT Viewership
NXT on the USA Network averaged 692,000 viewers, essentially even with last week’s 693,000 In the 18-49 demo, they drew a 0.17 rating, down from 0.19 last week.
The episode featured Finn Balor vs. Fabian Aichner, Akira Tozawa vs. Isaiah Scott, Tegan Nox vs. Raquel Gonzalez, and NXT Tag Team Champions Matt Riddle & Timothy Thatcher vs. The Undisputed ERA (Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong).
AEW Dynamite on TNT was watched by 683,000 viewers, down from the 692,000 viewers last week. In the 18-49 demo, Dynamite pulled in a 0.25 rating, down slightly from the 0.26 rating that the show did last week.
AEW Dynamite featured such as AEW World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley vs. Jake Hager in a No Holds Barred Empty Arena Match, Chuckie T vs. Kip Sabian, Sammy Guevara vs. Pineapple Pete, Lance Archer vs. Colt Cabana in an AEW TNT Title Tournament First Round Match. Britt Baker vs. Cassandra Golden, and Shawn Spears in singles action.
All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has shared his thoughts on WWE’s Cesaro, calling the SmackDown Superstar the “most underrated guy on the planet.”
Cody shared his thoughts on Twitter after seeing a fan share a photo of Cody mid-moonsault. He then responded to another fan who complimented his December 26, 2013 Steel Cage matchup with his brother, Goldust. The duo teamed up against The Real Americans, Jack Swagger and Cesaro. During that Madison Square Garden Live Event, Cody Rhodes would moonsault off the top of the cage onto Cesaro.
“The American Nightmare” stated how that was a good match before praising Cesaro. He wrote how “Claudio is the most underrated guy on the planet(and he’s still highly rated!). Dude can do anything. Like a PWG Nikita Koloff.”
Good match. Claudio is the most underrated guy on the planet(and he’s still highly rated!). Dude can do anything. Like a PWG Nikita Koloff. https://t.co/tuQtcWtoRF
Cody Rhodes recently advanced in the TNT Championship Tournament being held on AEW Dynamite. He defeated rival Shawn Spears. He will now meet the winner of Inner Circle member Sammy Guevara and Darby Allin in the semi-finals of the tournament. During last night’s episode of Dynamite, Lance Archer defeated Colt Cabana on the other side of the bracket to advance.
Cesaro, meanwhile, recently enjoyed a successful WrestleMania victory. He opened up the two-day event during Night One’s Pre-Show, defeating Drew Gulak.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts has explained how his personal insecurities led him to make appearances on AEW Dynamite admits the coronavirus pandemic. He opened up about his decision during a recent video uploaded to DDP Yoga’s YouTube channel.
Reflecting on his choice to travel to Dynamite, Roberts admitted he feared that by missing one show, he wouldn’t be needed anymore. According to him, “I was so insecure. I had to go.”
DDP explained how he told Jake Roberts that he wouldn’t kick him out despite potentially exposing himself to the coronavirus. That being said, DDP stressed how he had a baby in the house and that his decision was putting other people at risk. If that continued, DDP would have no choice but to refuse Roberts entry.
“Whenever I went to Jacksonville, I took everything I had with me because I knew there was no coming back. No questions, I never asked Dallas to come back. I was staying out by the airport at a fine hotel, I had room service and I could go down to the restaurant and eat. I had a gym to work out in, a swimming pool—what the hell, I’ve got everything I need.”
Jake Roberts On Self-Isolating, Depression
Roberts admitted how the lack of people caused him to fall into a depression. The hotel shut the gym down and that his time in self-isolation affected him deeply:
“It hit me hard, I didn’t like what I was thinking. I wasn’t thinking about drinking or doing drugs, but I don’t think I was far from thinking about that. I just didn’t like the way I was feeling.”
Jake Roberts has since returned to DDP’s home and has been quarantining himself. He has been appearing on Dynamite in pre-recorded promo segments in support of Lance Archer.
Update: On Friday, April 17th, Jake Roberts provided an update on his condition. Roberts remains focused on staying positive and getting back into physical shape. He thanked All Elite Wrestling for supporting him 100%.
Out of quarantine working out and dieting. I will lose 30lbs. AEW have been totally awesome. They support me 100%. Gotta lot of love to give.@WNSource@WWE@DDPYoga
All Elite Wrestling announcer Jim Ross has offered some kind words of encouragement to the staff and Superstars who were recently released from WWE. Yesterday saw several in-ring talents and backstage personnel released from the company.
Taking to his Twitter account, Jim Ross wrote how it had been a “daunting day” for the pro wrestling industry. He then pleaded with them to understand that their release from WWE is not “the end.” Instead, Ross argued that they should embrace it as a new beginning.
He asked them to count the blessings they have in their lives and to persevere through this tough time. Ross then stressed how they should never give up.
Daunting day for our business. @WWE folks released please realize this is not the end but can be your new beginning.
WWE’s announced releases were allegedly made due to business changes forced by the current coronavirus impacting the world. A number of backstage personnel have also been furloughed during this time until the pandemic finally settles.
Several businesses and industries have been affected by COVID-19. Numerous other wrestling promotions have also been affected, with promotions worldwide being forced to cancel or reschedule shows from Ring of Honor to New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Jim Ross has been self-isolating from unnecessary exposure as he is considered high-risk. This decision came after a lengthy discussion with AEW President Tony Khan. Despite this quarantining, Ross was able to provide pre-recorded vocal duties for this week’s Dynamite main event clash between Jon Moxley and Jake Hager.
Cody Rhodes uploaded a photo of Ryder’s WrestleMania 32 Ladder Match victory, where he won the Intercontinental Championship. He accompanied it with a heartfelt caption, highlighting Ryder’s extensive WWE career, his accomplishments, and his tenacity and perseverance.
Cody wrote how “In a world of weekend warriors and “play wrestlers”, this dude exudes passion and drive for pro-wrestling like no other.”
He reflected on how Ryder would continually try to better himself whether it was his in-ring work or in molding “his body into such a specimen DRUG FREE with hard work and will.”
Cody then shared how he has a rule in wrestling. To him, if you have gotten over with the fans before, you can do it again. Cody stressed how this rule fully applies to Ryder. He noted how at only 34-years-old, Ryder’s best days are ahead of him. He reflected on how “future endeavors are limitless when you actually endeavor.”
Cody Rhodes On His Picture Choice
“The American Nightmare” then explained why he chose Ryder’s WrestleMania victory for the picture. Cody shared how that day was one of his with WWE. He wrote how it was a special moment to witness people erupt when Ryder claimed the title. Even more so when Ryder’s father jumped into the ring to embrace his son.
“Hearing Dolph coordinate for his father to come over the rails(meanwhile I was ass deep into a broken ladder and stuck but had the best seat in the house) and seeing father/son embrace, I thought I’d be jealous or bitter, but I was truly happy and proud for one of my peers. Congratulations my friend, and good luck!”
Moxley made his latest title defense as the AEW World Heavyweight Champion against Hager in an Empty Arena No Holds Barred Match on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite on TNT.
Moxley went over in the contest to successfully retain the championship. It was a hard-hitting affair as both wrestlers used weapons and battled around the arena. The finish saw Moxley hit his DDT finisher to Hager on a chair.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross called the match on his own. It served as the headliner of the show.
Moxley’s reign as the AEW World Heavyweight Champion began when he dethroned Chris Jericho in the main event of the AEW Revolution pay-per-view event in Chicago, IL from the Sears Center back in February.
Hager signed with the promotion when he made his on the October 2, 2019 episode of AEW Dynamite from Washington, D.C., at the famed Capital One Arena on TNT.
Hager beat Dustin Rhodes in a singles match that marked his in-ring debut with All Elite Wrestling at the AEW Revolution pay-per-view event.
Match Recap: Archer leveled a wrestler in the crowd before making his way to the ring. Colt hit Archer with a chop and Lance responded with a massive shoulder tackle. Cabana knocked Archer out of the ring and then rolled to the outside when Lance got back in. Archer went for a Splash but Colt got out of the way. Lance connected with a slam and went for the cover but Cabana kicked out at two.
Cabana battled back with a few chops to Archer’s chest but Lance shrugged them off and hit a Clothesline as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Archer was still in control and had Cabana trapped in the corner of the ring. Archer hopped to the middle turnbuckle and went for a Splash but Colt got out of the way.
Cabana hit a Splash of his own and went for the cover but Archer kicked out at two. Lance leveled Cabana with a shoulder tackle and followed it up with a Chokeslam. Archer then hit the Blackout for the pinfall victory. Lance Archer advanced to the Semifinals of the TNT Championship Tournament.
Match Recap: Sammy controlled the action early and applied a Headlock. Suge D escaped and connected with an Arm Drag. Jericho continued to call Suge D “Pineapple Pete” as Sammy hit a knee to the face.
Sammy hung up Suge D in the ropes and hit a kick to the back. Guevara followed it up with a Suplex for a two count. Suge D tried to battle back but Sammy caught him in the Torture Rack into a GTS for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Guevara grabbed a microphone and vowed to kick the shit out of Darby Allin in the first round of the TNT Championship Tournament. Guevara then beat Suge D down some more before Darby Allin rushed the ring. Sammy retreated to the outside as Darby stood tall in the ring.
Kip Sabian squared off against Chuck Taylor tonight on Dynamite. Penelope Ford and Orange Cassidy were ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Chuck controlled the action early and beat Kip down in the corner of the ring. Sabian battled back with a knee to the face that sent Chuck to the outside. Kip followed him out there and paid for it with a Suplex on the apron. Chuck gave the thumbs up to the camera before rolling Kip back in the ring.
Kip connected with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Chuck kicked out at two. Sabian hit an Enziguri and followed that up with another boot to the face for a two count. Penelope hit Chuck with a couple cheap shots as the referee was distraction. Chuck planted Kip with a Powerbomb and followed it up with another one for a near fall.
Penelope Ford hopped up on the apron for a distraction but Chuck ignored her. Jimmy Havoc hopped over the barricade and planted Orange Cassidy with a Cradle DDT. Penelope hit Chuck with a Hurricanrana and Sabian capitalized with a roll-up for the victory.
Jon Moxley defended his AEW Championship against Jake Hager in a No Holds Barred Empty Arena match tonight. Jim Ross was on commentary for the match.
Match Recap: Moxley drove Hager to the corner of the ring to start the match off. Jon applied an Arm Bar but Hager broke free with a right hand to the face. Hager drove Moxley to the corner and bounced Jon’s face off the top turnbuckle. Moxley battled back with some chops to the face and went back to the Arm Bar in the middle of the ring.
Hager escaped and hit a knee to the midsection. Jon launched Hager to the outside and hit him with a Crossbody. Moxley once again locked in an Arm Bar on the floor outside the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When AEW returned, Moxley threw Hager over the barricade and the action spilled into the empty seats.
Moxley locked in the Figure Four around the steel railing but Hager refused to quit. Hager took control and launched Moxley back over the barricade and to the ringside area. When Dynamite returned from commercial, Moxley and Hager were back in the ring. Hager hit a Splash in the corner but Moxley battled back and hit a Clothesline.
Jon rolled up Hager for a two count. Hager beat the hell out of Moxley in the corner and the champion rolled out of the ring. Hager grabbed a steel chair and set it up in between the ropes. Moxley ran towards Hager but Jake got out of the way and Jon slammed into a steel chair.
Jake bashed Moxley in the ankle with a steel chair and followed it up with the Ankle Lock. Moxley shouted at Hager to “break my f*cking ankle!” before escaping the hold. Moxley hit Hager in the head with the chair and followed it up with the Paradigm Shift for the pinfall victory. Jon Moxley is still the AEW Champion.
Opinion: I really enjoyed this match and it was great to hear Jim Ross on commentary again. Moxley cursing several times during the match was hilarious and I’m for a title match in a Waffle House parking lot at this point.
For the foreseeable future, the lack of a crowd is going to significantly hamper every wrestling show and that is something I’m still having trouble with. Even simple things like a crowd reaction to a dominant move by Lance Archer or a pop when Darby Allin rushed the ring would have helped this show. Overall, Dynamite was still decent this week. The main event and “The Bubbly Bunch” were the highlights.
AEW has released its weekly rankings for April 15th, 2020. The promotion releases new top-5 rankings every Wednesday for its men’s, women’s and tag team divisions.
AEW Men’s Division
World Champion: Jon Moxley (8-0)
Jake Hager (4-0)
Cody Rhodes (6-1) (+1)
Chris Jericho (0-1) (-1)
Kenny Omega (3-0)
Darby Allin (4-2)
The only movement in the men’s single’s rankings this week was Cody moving ahead of Chris Jericho. Cody defeated Shawn Spears in the 1st round of the TNT Championship tournament this week while Chris Jericho worked the commentary booth with Tony Schiavone.
Jake Hager and Jon Moxley were each featured in videos building up their title match on this week’s Dynamite. Darby Allin didn’t wrestle and Kenny Omega teamed with Michael Nakazawa in a loss to the Best Friends.
AEW Women’s Division
Champion: Nyla Rose (4-1)
Hikaru Shida (7-1)
Kris Statlander (2-3)
Yuka Sakazaki (1-1)
Riho (3-3) (+1)
Britt Baker (2-3) (-1)
There was just one match in the women’s division this week but it was an important one. #1 ranked Hikaru Shida once again retained her top-ranking in the division. She defeated Britt Baker who went into the match ranked #4 but with the loss drops below former champion Riho. Shida is really on fire as of late. In addition to beating Baker this week and Anna Jay last week, she won a fatal 4-way match against Kris Statlander, Penelope Ford, and Riho on March 18th. She also won a fatal 4-way against Big Swole, Shanna, and Yuka Sakazaki on February 26th.
AEW Tag Team Division
Champions: Kenny Omega & Hangman Page (6-0)
The Dark Order (5-0)
The Young Bucks (2-2)
Best Friends (4-3) (+2)
SCU (2-3)
Lucha Bros (1-2)
The Best Friends move up two spots in the rankings this week after defeating Kenny Omega and Michael Nakazawa. There was a lot on the line in the match, as the winning team would carry the “Best Friends” name moving forward. There was no other movement in the tag division this week.
