SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • AEW Dynamite Results & 5 Takeaways (3/25)

    AEW Dynamite Results & 5 Takeaways (3/25)

    AEW Dynamite aired live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. Matt Hardy confronted Chris Jericho during tonight’s show.

    AEW Dynamite Results (3/25)

    1. Cody def. Jimmy Havoc
    2. Darby Allin def. Kip Sabian
    3. Jake Hager def. a jobber
    4. Brodie Lee def. QT Marshall
    5. Kenny Omega def. Sammy Guevara to retain the AAA Mega Championship
    6. Matt Hardy refused to join Inner Circle

    In addition to the takeaways below, Jon Moxley attacked Jake Hager after his match and cut a brief backstage promo saying that he is not done with Hager.

    Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s show:

    Jake Roberts Sent A Message To Cody

    Cody and Kenny Omega joined Tony Schiavone on commentary for the beginning of the show. Cody then battled Jimmy Havoc in the first match of the night. There were not any wrestlers in the crowd this week. Instead, several wrestlers were shown backstage gambling on tonight’s action.

    Match Recap: Jimmy tripped Cody up and quickly went for a cover but Rhodes kicked out at one. Cody rolled up Jimmy for a near fall and Havoc retreated to the corner of the ring. Cody connected with a Cutter and followed it up with a Figure Four in the middle of the ring. Jimmy ripped on Cody’s ear to try to break the hold but Rhodes held on. Havoc broke the hold with a poke to the eye.

    Cody sent Havoc out of the ring and poured some water on his own eyes. Cody hit a Suicide Dive and then launched Jimmy into the barricade. Jericho joined the gamblers in the back and started up a “Havoc!” chant. Jimmy brought Cody to the announce table and grabbed a headset. Jimmy said hello to Tony before grabbing Cody by the tongue and hitting an uppercut.

    Back in the ring, Cody responded with an uppercut of his own and sent Jimmy to the corner. Cody Suplexed Jimmy onto the top rope and then ran backstage. Cody sprinted down the entrance ramp and Clotheslined Havoc into the ring. Cody hit another Suplex before taking off his belt.

    Rhodes threw the belt to Brandi as Jimmy got back to his feet. Havoc locked in an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring. Rhodes battled to the ropes to break up the hold. Jimmy followed it up with a Lariat for a near fall. Cody hit Havoc with a reverse Suplex off the top rope and followed it up with two Cross Rhodes for the pinfall victory.

    After the match, Jake Roberts appeared on the screen for a vignette about Lance Archer. Cody stood in the ring and watched Roberts as he claimed he was the best mind wrestling has ever had and never got a phone call from AEW. Jake added that AEW was afraid to bring Lance Archer to AEW because what he is capable. Jake told Cody to bring Arn and Brandi and give them something to sign so Archer can have a match with him. Cody joined commentary again and told Lance that he can debut next week on Dynamite if he wants to.

    https://twitter.com/AEWonTNT/status/1242971149845188609?s=20

    Darby Allin Picked Up A Win

    Darby Allin AEW

    Darby Allin squared off against Kip Sabian tonight on Dynamite. Penelope Ford was ringside for the match. Before the match, AEW aired a vignette of Darby Allin burning cut out faces of Inner Circle and claiming Sabian is just going to be a sacrifice for their sins.

    Match Recap: Kip and Darby locked up to start things off. Darby broke free and leveled Sabian with a shoulder tackle. Allin applied a Headlock and transitioned into a roll-up for a two count. Darby connected with an Arm Drag and Kip rolled to the outside to regroup. Allin charged at Kip but Penelope pulled him out of the way and Darby crashed into the barricade.

    Back from a break, Darby connected with a Dropkick and a Stunner for a near fall. Sabian battled back and wrapped Allin around the steel ring post. Allin sent Kip to the outside and hit him with a Suicide Dive. Penelope tripped up Darby and Sabian capitalized with a Enziguri for a near fall. Kip leveled with a massive right hand but Darby countered into the Last Supper (Leg Lock) into a cover for the victory.

    https://twitter.com/tde_wrestling/status/1242974929836007425?s=20

    Brodie Lee Made His In-Ring Debut

    Brodie Lee
    Brodie Lee, the Exalted One of AEW’s Dark Order

    Brodie Lee was shown in a video package eating steak with members of the Dark Order. He told them not to eat before he is done. One of them sneezed and he kicked them out of the room (another possible shot at Vince). Brodie then made his in-ring AEW debut against QT Marshall.

    Match Recap: Brodie launched QT out of the ring and followed him out there. He slammed him into the barricade before lighting up his chest with a chop. Back in the ring, Brodie connected with a Senton and followed it up with a Splash in the corner. Brodie connected with a Suplex before QT battled back with an Enziguri.

    Brodie slammed QT to the canvas and followed it up with the Discus Lariat for the pinfall victory. After the match, Brodie left a mask on QT Marshall’s chest as an offer for him to join them.

    https://twitter.com/tde_wrestling/status/1242980370766868480?s=20

    Kenny Omega Retained The AAA Mega Championship

    Kenny Omega defended his AAA Mega Championship against Sammy Guevara.

    Match Recap: Sammy controlled the match early and kept Omega on the mat. Guevara sent Omega to the outside and taunted him by posing in the ring. Sammy then took a seat in the crowd and lured Omega in. Guevara blasted Omega in the face and made out with a hand drawn poster of Brandi as Rhodes looked on in disgust.

    Guevara slammed Kenny into the barricade and started walking towards Brandi. Rhodes slapped him in the face and Kenny capitalized with a Suplex outside the ring. Omega launched Sammy into the steel steps and followed it up with a Crossbody in the ring for a near fall as Billy and Austin Gunn were shown brawling with Shawn Spears backstage.

    Sammy locked in an Arm Bar but Omega grabbed the ropes to break the hold. Guevara went for a Moonsault but Kenny got out of the way. Omega hit Sammy with a chop to the chest and followed it up with a headbutt. Kenny lifted Sammy up on his shoulders but Sammy broke free by biting Omega on his broken hand.

    Guevara hit an elbow to the face and went for the cover but Omega kicked out at two. Back from the break, Omega connected with a massive kick that sent Sammy flying to the corner of the ring. Kenny turned Sammy inside out with a Clothesline and went for a cover but Guevara powered out at the last moment.

    Omega hit Sammy with a Dropkick for another near fall. Kenny went for a Snap Suplex but Guevara countered into a Double Stomp for a two count. Guevara hit a Springboard Cutter but Omega rolled out of the ring before Sammy could go for a cover. Guevara stayed on the attack and connected with a flip outside the ring.

    Back in the ring, Omega connected with a Powerbomb and followed it up with a V-Trigger. Sammy battled back with a Hurricanrana and then a Spanish Fly for another near fall. Guevara climbed to the top rope and went for a Shooting Star Press but Omega got out of the way. Omega hit a massive V-Trigger but Sammy once again bit Kenny’s broken hand. Kenny hit another V-Trigger and went for a Snap Dragon but Sammy landed on his feet.

    https://twitter.com/tde_wrestling/status/1242989573686333440?s=20

    Omega hit a third V-Trigger and followed it up with a Piledriver for another two count. Sammy gave Kenny the finger and Omega hit another V-Trigger. Kenny followed that up with the One Winged Angel for the pinfall victory. Kenny is still the AAA Mega Champion.

    https://twitter.com/tde_wrestling/status/1242990330489774082?s=20

    Matt Hardy Declined To Join Inner Circle

    Chris Jericho grabbed the camera and filmed the camera man singing along to Judas. Jericho blasted Matt Hardy for joining The Elite and stated that he was going to give him the opportunity to join Inner Circle tonight.

    Vanguard 1 flew into the ring and Jericho cut a promo on the drone. Jericho said he has never liked Vanguard 1 and that he doesn’t appreciate his political views on social media. Chris called Vanguard a piece of shit but then claimed to respect the drone. Jericho asked Vanguard 1 to join Inner Circle and that his propellers will be spinning in all the money he will make.

    The drone flew away and Jericho shouted that Vanguard 1 was a son of a bitch. Matt’s theme hit and Hardy was shown above in the crowd. Hardy then teleported to several different spots in the crowd (cool video edit) before showing up ringside. Hardy said “maker of pain, you’d knew I’d come”.

    Jericho comically pointed out that of course he knew he’d come because this segment was booked last week. Chris told Matt that he was very impressive and is one of the hottest free agents in the world coming to AEW. Jericho claimed that AEW was built on his back and this his his show.

    Chris added that he join align himself with the Inner Circle and not The Elite. Matt said he owes the Bucks of Youth a debt for resurrecting Broken Matt Hardy. Matt stated that AEW represents his freedom and he will not let Inner Circle ruin it. Jericho ran down the people that he has brought to AEW (Moxley, Hager, etc) and that he can help resurrect Hardy’s career.

    Hardy stated that there is a different entity behind his vessel (Damascus) and he is over 3,000 years old. Chris referred to Matt as Damascus and claimed that he must be very wise if he that old. Matt said that Jericho is still an evil essence and a hole of the ass no matter how many times he changes.

    Jericho stated that Matt will always live in the shadow of his younger brother, bad booking, and in the shadow of Le Champion. Hardy said his Broken brilliance is shining brighter than ever and Jericho once again to join Inner Circle. Hardy shouted “delete!” over and over before Chris stopped him.

    Hardy claimed the real Judas betrayed him and asked the AEW audience should sing a new song. Matt sang Inner Circle will fade away and classify as obsolete. Hardy claimed that Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King’s essences were in the crowd. Matt vowed to delete Jericho and Inner Circle and Chris responded with a slap to the face. Hardy knocked Jericho down with a punch before Sammy leaped into the ring.

    Jericho and Sammy beat Matt down for a bit before Kenny and Cody rushed the ring with a chair. Sammy and Jericho escaped out of the ring as Matt posed with The Elite to close the show.

    Opinion: Omega and Guevara had a great match tonight that lasted several segments. Chris Jericho trying to recruit Vanguard 1 was also hilarious. I love seeing Broken Matt Hardy’s return and his creativity will definitely add to Dynamite every week. The lack of ambience from a crowd is a tough thing to get used to but that is the world we are living in today. Overall, Dynamite was a fun show despite the wrestlers not being in the crowd tonight. Hager is also a very viable opponent for Jon Moxley fir the AEW Championship going forward.

    https://twitter.com/tde_wrestling/status/1242995252874686465?s=20
  • AEW Rankings Released For 3/25/20

    AEW Rankings Released For 3/25/20

    AEW has released its weekly rankings for March 25th, 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 (7-0)

    1. Chris Jericho (0-1)
    2. MJF (3-0)
    3. Cody Rhodes (4-1) (+1)
    4. Jake Hager (3-0) (previously unranked)
    5. Kenny Omega (1-0) (-2)

    Cody Rhodes moved up one spot this week in the rankings. He was on the losing end of the 6-man tag on Dynamite along with Matt Jackson and Hangman Page. They lost to Jake Hager and Sanatana & Ortiz. Cody benefits from Kenny Omega dropping 2 spots in the rankings this week.

    PAC dropped out of the rankings this week after being ranked #5 last week. He was scheduled to team with the Death Triangle but wasn’t on the show and might not be for some time now. Omega is out with an injured hand and dropped 2 places in the rankings as well.

    Jake Hager also finds himself in the rankings this week. He made short work of Joe Alonzo on Dark.

    AEW Women’s Division

    Champion: Nyla Rose (4-1)

    1. Hikaru Shida (5-1)
    2. Kris Statlander (2-3)
    3. Yuka Sakazaki (1-1)
    4. Britt Baker (2-2)
    5. Riho (3-3)

    There was no movement in the women’s rankings this week but Hikaru Shida certainly solidified herself as the top contender in the division. She defeated Penelope Ford, Kris Statlander, and Riho in a fatal 4-way match this week. Former champion Riho has been sliding down the rankings in recent weeks, and her loss to Penelope Ford last week on Dark is a key contributor to her drop.

    AEW Tag Team Division

    Champions: Kenny Omega & Hangman Page (6-0)

    1. The Dark Order (5-0)
    2. The Young Bucks (2-2)
    3. SCU (2-3)
    4. Lucha Bros (1-2) (previously unranked)
    5. Best Friends (3-3) (-1)

    The only movement in the tag division this week saw the Lucha Bros re-enter the rankings at #4. They defeated the Best Friends on Dynamite, who subsequently dropped one spot in the rankings this week and are now at #5. Private Party didn’t wrestle this week and they fell out of the top-5 rankings as a result.

  • Cody Rhodes On Stardust Gimmick: “In The End, Blame Is On Me”

    Cody Rhodes On Stardust Gimmick: “In The End, Blame Is On Me”

    All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has reflected on his time in WWE portraying the Stardust character. Responding to a tweet from talkSPORT’s Alex McCarthy, Cody explained how the Stardust gimmick had broken him and that he was a “subpar performer” during that time because of it.

    “Not pushing Stardust wasn’t the crime, the character had broke me and I was a subpar performer under the paint during that period. The crime was not capitalizing on 2010-12 where I was cooking with gas and my live event work was top level consistent. In the end, blame is on me.”

    Cody would be repackaged with the Stardust gimmick in mid-2014. It would see him don face paint, a bodysuit, and adopt mannerisms that initially aped those of his brother, Goldust.

    In 2016, Cody revealed he had officially requested his release from WWE. He later revealed he had “pleaded” with WWE writers to end the Stardust gimmick for over 6 months. Despite pitching several storylines, all of them were ignored.

    Cody Rhodes’ Dynamite Double Duty

    Cody Rhodes is set for double duty this week on AEW Dynamite. Not only will he be facing off against Jimmy Havoc, he will also be providing commentary duties alongside Tony Schiavone.

    For fans tuning in tonight, AEW has also introduced a Cody Commentary Drinking Game. The rules are simple:

    • Every time Cody says “Wait a minute…” during commentary, take a drink
    • If Cody says “Wait a minute” more than once in a row, chug for 5 seconds

    Cody Rhodes previously shared how he had a bad habit on commentary—one he promised to purposefully lean into during the show.

    Dynamite takes place from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida in front of zero fans due to the current coronavirus pandemic.

  • Jim Ross Discusses WCW Using Chris Benoit & Kevin Sullivan’s Real-Life Issues For An Angle

    Jim Ross Discusses WCW Using Chris Benoit & Kevin Sullivan’s Real-Life Issues For An Angle

    Jim Ross has reflected on his discomfort at WCW’s decision to turn the real-life issues between Chris Benoit and Kevin Sullivan into an angle. Nancy Benoit had been married to Sullivan from 1992 to 1997. In 1997, WCW started an on-screen romance between Benoit and Nancy. They would eventually have a real-life affair.

    “I thought their private life got way too public,” Ross said on his podcast, Grillin’ JR. “It became an angle, it became a storyline. As if we’re obligated to share our personal life and that should be voluntary, it should not be made a storyline out of.”

    Ross continued, “I felt like making that, the marriage, the adultery, all this other stuff was simply unnecessary, we have to be more creative. Did we have to go there? I wasn’t really sure what was true in that whole deal and what wasn’t. In any event it made me uncomfortable.”

    Dark Side of the Ring Season 2 premiered last night on VICE TV. It began with a two-hour special covering Benoit’s tragic story. Chris Jericho narrated the documentary. Alongside Chavo Guerrero, he was heavily involved with the process of helping the production put the episode together.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST2G_OxLch8
  • Chris Jericho & Matt Hardy Recall Pitching Ideas To Vince McMahon

    Chris Jericho & Matt Hardy Recall Pitching Ideas To Vince McMahon

    During a recent episode of his podcast Talk is Jericho, Chris Jericho shared a story of pitching an idea to Vince McMahon. Regaling his guest Matt Hardy, he explained how it didn’t take long for Vince to change the initial idea.

    Chris Jericho’s Original Highlight Reel Idea

    “[…] the original Highlight Reel, I pitched it as ‘Jericho’s Junction’ because I was watching a bunch of Mean Gene Okerlund interviews and myself included,” Jericho said. “When I first started doing interviews, he was the Jedi. If you didn’t know what you were doing, Gene would lead you through the interview and make you look like a star, and I said, why don’t we do Jericho’s Junction where every week like a Piper’s Pit, we bring out underutilized stars whoever they were at the time. I’ll lead the interview. We’ll get the people over. We’ll get them to do interviews and connect with the crowd.”

    According to Chris Jericho, Vince apparently loved the idea. He was then told that his first guest would be Goldberg.

    “I’m like, well Goldberg is not really the guy. I’m thinking more like Bull Buchanan. Nope Goldberg. Next week Scott Steiner. The next week, it’s Rock,” Jericho recalled. “I’m like the whole concept of what I had is gone, and now it’s just another talk show which is fine. That’s great. But the original plan was much like you just like let’s give some of these underutilized guys guys a spotlight where somebody like me or you knows how to bring them along.”

    Matt Hardy’s Broken Block Concept

    Chris Jericho’s story came off the back of Matt Hardy’s ignored pitch for the Broken Block. Hardy detailed the idea, explaining that it would have been an opportunity to highlight underutilized Superstars. All he wanted was 10-15 minutes to do so.

    “What I pitched [was] give me 10 to 15 minutes of the show, and I want to call it ‘The Broken Block’. My idea was give me underutilized guys like Chad Gable and Ali and Apollo, guys that aren’t being utilized at all. Let me put them on that show. Let them do badass things. Let me put some vignettes from the Hardy compound and House Hardy and just give me like 10 to 15 minutes, and I’ll call it ‘The Broken Block’ every show and just see how it does.”

    Hardy continued, “These guys have matches in the arena. I’m almost like the commissioner or like I’m heading up this broken block, and we try to give Ali and Chad Gable a best-of-seven. Cut them loose. Let them have great matches. They’ll become stars on their own just because of the quality of their matches, and then will interject a little Vanguard 1 and we’ll have some of the you know House Hardy on it. ‘The Broken Block’. 10 to 15 minutes that’s all I was asking for. Never heard anything about it.”

    Matt Hardy debuted for AEW last week on Dynamite, aligning himself with The Elite. This week, Chris Jericho and Matt Hardy are scheduled for a face-to-face meeting in the ring. 

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • AEW Dynamite Preview: Omega-Guevara, Cody-Havoc, Hardy-Jericho Confrontation

    AEW Dynamite Preview: Omega-Guevara, Cody-Havoc, Hardy-Jericho Confrontation

    AEW has loaded up its lineup for the latest edition of their weekly television show, Dynamite. 

    With bell time just hours away, it’s time to look ahead to tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. The show is expected to start with Cody vs. Jimmy Havoc. Luchasaurus vs. Wardlow in a Lumberjack Match is also set.

    Like last week, tonight’s Dynamite will take place from Jacksonville, Florida at the Daily’s Place amphitheater.

    AEW Dynamite Preview: 3/25

    AEW is advertising the following items for tonight’s broadcast:

    • AAA Mega Champion Kenny Omega vs. Sammy Guevara
    • Cody vs. Jimmy Havoc
    • Luchasaurus vs. Wardlow (Lumberjack Match
    • Best Friends vs. Lucha Bros. (Parking Lot Street Fight)
    • Matt Hardy and Chris Jericho will have a face-to-face confrontation

    In addition to his match against Jimmy Havoc, Cody will serve as special guest commentator.

    AEW will also be creating new programs and building on the hype for existing feuds. For the time being, AEW still plans to hold weekly live episodes of Dynamite. 

    As a reminder, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, there will be no fans in attendance. Instead, only essential staff will be allowed. 

  • Cody Set For Commentary Role This Week On AEW Dynamite

    Cody Set For Commentary Role This Week On AEW Dynamite

    All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes will be pulling double duty at this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Not only will Cody be facing off against Jimmy Havoc, he will also be providing guest commentary duties throughout the night alongside Tony Schiavone. 

    Cody revealed the news on his Twitter account, writing: 

    “This Wednesday I’ll be joining @tonyschiavone24 on commentary LIVE for #AEWDynamite (I have a bad habit on commentary that I’ll be totally leaning into, and hopefully it turns into something fun for the fans watching at home) More info to come…”

    His opponent, Havoc, responded to Cody’s tweet, promising that he won’t be able to deliver any commentary if he takes his tongue during their matchup. 

    At the time of writing, it is unknown whether Jim Ross and Excalibur will also be delivering commentary with Cody and Schiavone. Like last week’s episode of Dynamite, this week’s will be performed with zero fans in attendance due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

    AEW Dynamite Card 3/25

    • AAA Mega Title Matchup: Kenny Omega vs. Sammy Guevara
    • Wardlow vs. Luchasaurus in a Lumberjack Match
    • Lucha Bros vs. Best Friends in a Parking Lot Street Fight
    • Cody Rhodes vs. Jimmy Havoc
    • Matt Hardy and Chris Jericho confrontation

    This week’s episode of Dynamite takes place at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. It will air this Wednesday on TNT.  

  • Watch MJF Perform In His High School Acapella Group (Video)

    Watch MJF Perform In His High School Acapella Group (Video)

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman evidently had quite the high school experience. The #2 ranked wrestler in AEW’s male single’s rankings recently boasted on Twitter that he sang in both an acapella group and choir while attending high school. Footage of him singing an acapella version of Sugar Ray’s “Someday” has recently surfaced online.

    The name of MJF’s group was the “Acafellas.” He is featured prominently in the group’s rendition of the Sugar Ray song. MJF comes in around the 4:08 mark of the below video:

    MJF noted on Twitter in response to the video that he is the only graduate of his high school to be All-State in football.

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman in AEW

    All-round nice guy and salt-of-the-Earth Maxwell Jacob Friedman holds a 5-0 record in single’s matches.

    • 2/10/19: defeated Brandon Cutler on AEW Dynamite #1
    • 11/27/19: defeated Adam Page to win the Dynamite Diamond Ring on AEW Dynamite #9
    • 1/21/20 defeated Joey Janela on AEW Dynamite #16
    • 2/12/20 defeated Jungle Boy on AEW Dynamite #19
    • 2/29/20 defeated Cody Rhodes at AEW Revolution

    He is 3-0 in tag matches:

    • 7/13/19: Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Sammy Guevara & Shawn Spears defeated Darby Allin, Jimmy Havoc & Joey Janela at Fight for the Fallen
    • 1/15/20: The Butcher And The Blade (The Blade & The Butcher) & MJF defeated Diamond Dallas Page, Dustin Rhodes & QT Marshall at AEW Bash at the Beach
    • 3/11/20: MJF & The Butcher And The Blade (The Blade & The Butcher) defeated The Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus & Marko Stunt) on AEW Dynamite #23

    He is 1 win and 2 losses in multi-person matches.

    • 5/25/19: 21-Man Casino Battle Royal won by Adam Page
    • 6/29/10: Adam Page defeated Jimmy Havoc, Jungle Boy, and MJF at Fyter Fest
    • 11/20/19: Adam Page & MJF were the final two left in the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal and advanced to their single’s match for the ring the next week.
  • Omega vs. Guevara Title Match Signed For Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite

    Omega vs. Guevara Title Match Signed For Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite

    All Elite Wrestling has announced another intriguing bout for Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. Kenny Omega of The Elite will battle “Spanish God” Sammy Guevara. This will be a championship match, but not for AEW gold.

    In addition to being one half of the AEW Tag Team Champions with “Handwash” Adam Page, Kenny Omega also holds the AAA Mega Championship. He won that title from fellow AEW star Rey Fenix at AAA Heroes Inmortales XIII back in October. You can watch that match in full below:

    AEW Dynamite Preview

    This week’s AEW Dynamite was originally scheduled to be the Blood and Guts episode from Newark, NJ. As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, AEW postponed Blood and Guts until further notice. A fan on Twitter complained about AEW’s decision, but Le Champion Chris Jericho set him straight:

    AEW has yet to confirm the location of this week’s Dynamite, but it’s expected that Daily’s Place Amphitheater in Jacksonville, FL will remain the home of Dynamite until things get back to normal.

    The following is an updated preview for this week’s AEW Dynamite on TNT:

    • AAA Mega Campeón Kenny Omega vs. Sammy Guevara
    • Cody vs. Jimmy Havoc
    • Confrontation between “Broken” Matt Hardy and Chris Jericho

    Catch up on last week’s Dynamite below with our popular Takeaways feature:

  • Brodie Lee Comments On Joining All Elite Wrestling

    Brodie Lee Comments On Joining All Elite Wrestling

    Brodie Lee was revealed to be the Dark Order’s Exalted One during last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. The long mystery of the Exalted One heavily teased several wrestlers could be the Dark Order leader, including former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy, but it was the former-Luke Harper that would unveil himself.

    After AEW uploaded a post to Twitter welcoming Lee to the promotion, Brodie Lee responded to their greeting, writing:

    “Odd that you would welcome the wolf to a land full of lambs.”

    Brodie Lee Appears

    During a promo featuring Dark Order’s Evil Uno and Stu Grayson alongside SCU members Christoper Daniels and Kazarian, a video package played. This video package revealed Lee as the Exalted One.

    Dynamite then cut back to the ring. Inside it, behind the SCU members who had been watching the screen, was Brodie Lee. Leading the charge, Lee and the Dark Order then assaulted Daniels and Kazarian.

    Last Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite was set to take place in Rochester, New York, which is Brodie Lee’s hometown. AEW reportedly had plans for Lee to debut on this specific show. It was expected that Lee would debut to a huge response thanks to the hometown crowd.

    However, the coronavirus pandemic currently affecting the world scuppered those plans. It ultimately forced AEW to relocate the episode to Jacksonville, Florida.

  • Colt Cabana Opens Up About Joining All Elite Wrestling

    Colt Cabana Opens Up About Joining All Elite Wrestling

    Colt Cabana has opened up about signing with All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He broached the subject during a recent episode of his podcast, The Art of Wrestling. He reflected on his debut as well as his matchup against Peter Avalon on AEW Dark, which he called a “basic fun introductory match” for him. 

    “Let’s talk about AEW, I made my debut on Dynamite. I wrestled on AEW Dark against Peter Avalon, and I’m recording this before Dark airs. But you will be listening to this after Dark airs. And my match against Avalon was a very simple, basic fun introductory match for me to the AEW world.”

    Colt Cabana On Connecting With Fans

    Cabana touched on how, although there are plenty of people plugged into pro wrestling and know who he is, there is also a large part of the AEW audience who might not know who he is. He confessed how he is a “blip on the radar of the world of professional wrestling” before adding “[…] some of these fans they don’t dive into it unless it’s the big time, quote unquote, and I have loved that I have championed the little time quote unquote for years.”

    Colt Cabana reflected on how some people backstage were surprised to find out “‘holy sh*t Colt knows what he’s doing.’” He is well aware that his friends knew about his abilities, but he surprised some with his skills and professionalism. “[…] sometimes I guess it takes 21 years to prove to people, but I’m here, and I’m doing it, I’ve proved it so this is just the start.”

    You can watch Colt Cabana’s matchup against Peter Avalon below:

    H/T to WrestlingNews for the transcription. 

  • Chris Jericho Responds To Fan Complaining About Blood And Guts, R Truth Wins Back 24/7 Title

    Chris Jericho Responds To Fan Complaining About Blood And Guts, R Truth Wins Back 24/7 Title

    While WWE is moving forward with WrestleMania, AEW is taking a different direction and the company recently announced that they are postponing the Blood And Guts match which was announced for next week.

    A fan recently took on his Twitter and complained about the decision to cancel the special edition of the show, mentioning how the company spent last week’s entire Dynamite episode building towards the bout.

    The former AEW Champion Chris Jericho then responded to the fan via a tweet of his own and he explained that the company was not allowed to gather more than ten people together at a time:

    R Truth Wins Back 24/7 Title From Riddick Moss

    Riddick Moss had held the 24/7 Championship for a while and he had even defended the title in several traditional matches, but he has now lost the title back to R Truth.

    WWE recently published a video of Moss jogging outside when a car stops by him and we see that a WWE referee is driving the vehicle. Riddick freaks out seeing the ref and starts looking around for a potential opponent.

    However, as seen in the video below, he is not able to see Truth who was hiding in the car’s dickey and the former US Champion manages to win the title back:

  • WWE Legend Criticises Brock Lesnar’s Booking

    WWE Legend Criticises Brock Lesnar’s Booking

    Brock Lesnar has been presented as a monster since his return to WWE in 2012 and he has been booked to decimate any opponent that dares to step in the ring with him.

    He will once again be entering WrestleMania as the WWE Champion this year and it appears that the WWE Legend, Jake “The Snake” Roberts is not a big fan of his booking.

    The WWE Hall Of Famer recently had an interview with FlipDaScript podcast and talking about Brock Lesnar, the former WWE star said that the company is treating their other talents like s–t by bringing him in:

    “The thing about Brock is man, he’s not an everyday wrestler,” Roberts said. “He’s a once a year guy, or three times a year guy.

    And to me, you are really treating your talent like s–t to, every year come WrestleMania time after these guys have busted their asses for 365 days, when it comes time for the big one, they bring (Lesnar) in and they have to sit down.”

    Jake Roberts also talked about how Vince McMahon spent a lot of money to send him to rehab a number of times and gave praise to DDP for turning his life around.

    The former WCW star recently made headlines when he joined All Elite Wrestling as a manager and after a tease, revealed Lance Archer as his new client.

    Quotes via WrestlingInc

  • Jim Ross On What Was His Greatest Contribution To WWE

    Jim Ross On What Was His Greatest Contribution To WWE

    While Jim Ross is widely known as the voice of WWE during the Attitude Era, he also handled various backstage responsibilities in the company during his time there, including being in charge of talent relations for a long time.

    During a recent episode of AEW Unrestricted podcast, the former WWE broadcaster talked about his early career and also revealed what he considers to be his greatest contribution to the company.

    Ross said that at the end of the day, his best work would be the talents he signed to the company who have gone on to become big names and he thinks that’s his greatest contribution to the promotion:

    I think my best work, at the end of the day, someday will be the talent that I signed that went to WWE and have become millionaires [and] movie stars, I was there 26 years, and the majority of that I was in charge of talent relations and negotiated all the contracts.

    [I was] a good listener to those guys and gals.“ recalled Ross. ”I think that is my greatest contribution quite frankly is the guys that I helped facilitate to get in the game in that level and see how they ran with the ball.”

    Ross then recalled how they had one class where they signed guys like Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Randy Orton, and Shelton Benjamin and predicted that all these guys will be in Hall Of Fame someday.

    Apart from this Jim Ross discussed the success of Attitude Era and also criticized the media coverage of coronavirus. You can check out his comments on media at this link.

    Quotes via WrestlingInc

  • Matt Hardy Wants To Work Wrestle Kingdom, Cody Match Set For Dynamite

    Matt Hardy Wants To Work Wrestle Kingdom, Cody Match Set For Dynamite

    Matt Hardy thinks the prospect of competing at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom event is WONDERFUL. Over the weekend, a fan asked Hardy on Twitter if there’s a chance we could see him compete ‘just once’ in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

    Broken Matt revealed that his AEW contract does in fact allow him to work for NJPW, similar to that of AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and Le Champion Chris Jericho.

    AEW Dynamite: Cody in Action

    AEW has announced a new match for this coming week’s episode of Dynamite. The American Nightmare Cody will face Jimmy Havoc in singles action.

    This show was originally supposed to feature the highly anticipated Blood and Guts double steel cage match between The Elite and the Inner Circle. However, AEW President Tony Khan announced that the match has been rescheduled. You can read Tony Khan’s full statement on the matter here.

    In addition to Cody vs. Jimmy Havoc, Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite will feature a face-to-face confrontation between “Broken” Matt Hardy and Inner Circle leader Chris Jericho. These two have crossed paths before in WWE. They will soon clash at Blood and Guts, now that Hardy has been named as the final member of Team Elite.

  • Jim Ross Criticises Media Coverage Of Coronavirus

    Jim Ross Criticises Media Coverage Of Coronavirus

    The coronavirus outbreak has created a lot of fear around the world and it appears that wrestling legend Jim Ross is not a fan of the way it’s being covered by media.

    The former WWE star talked about a number of things on the recent episode of his Grilling JR podcast, including the effects of the epidemic on the world and more.

    Discussing the media coverage of the disease, Jim Ross said that he doesn’t know if the media is doing us any favours by screaming about it:

    “I don’t know if the media is doing us any favors screaming about it, it’s important to be aware, you have to be smart, and I understand washing your hands and not touching your face, but man there’s a lot of unanswered questions, we’re in uncharted waters.

    “To me, it’s kind of stupid. For a lot of people to project what’s going to happen when they don’t know all the information,” said Jim Ross. “We’re talking about an unknown entity and an untraveled road and we’re supposed to be able to navigate that through the media and I think that’s wrong.”

    The AEW commentator also talked about last week’s episode of SmackDown which was the first WWE show to be broadcasted without an audience in attendance and said that it’s an interesting thing.

    Ross recalled working on wrestling shows back in the day which were taped in TV studios with 20 people in the attendance. He mentioned how one time they taped the show in a barn in Tulsa and there were two rows of people in the audience.

    Quotes via WrestlingInc

  • Tony Khan Confirms That ‘Blood And Guts’ Edition Of Dynamite Is Being Delayed

    Tony Khan Confirms That ‘Blood And Guts’ Edition Of Dynamite Is Being Delayed

    AEW has announced that they are postponing the special “Blood & Guts” edition of Dynamite to a later date because the timing and circumstances for it are not right.

    The company president Tony Khan released a statement on the matter on Twitter saying that their goal with Dynamite is to produce great shows for their fans.

    He continued by announcing that the Blood and Guts match which was originally planned for next week’s episode of the show will happen when the time is right:

    “We plan to continue answering that calling with live weekly shows every Wednesday night on TNT, but the time and circumstances aren’t right for the card we had planned next week for Blood and Guts.

    That show will happen when the time is right, but what you can count on instead this coming Wednesday night is a great live episode of AEW Dynamite.”

    While this match has been postponed, the company has announced a confrontation segment between Chris Jericho and the newest AEW star Matt Hardy for the next episode of their TV Show.

    Matt is expected to join the Elite and face off against the Inner Circle when the Blood And Guts match finally happens. No word yet on if the other announced matches for the show will take place as planned or if they have been postponed as well.

    You can check out the company’s full statement below:

  • Matt Hardy Shares Original Plan For AEW Debut, Talks Atmosphere Of The Promotion

    Matt Hardy Shares Original Plan For AEW Debut, Talks Atmosphere Of The Promotion

    Matt Hardy made an appearance on Talk is Jericho for a new interview after making his promotional debut on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. 

    His debut took place after the main event that saw The Inner Circle beat The Elite in a six-man tag team match. This is where we saw Vanguard 1 fly into the crowd and Hardy standing in the bleachers. 

    Hardy talked about the original plans for Vanguard 1. Dynamite was supposed to be in Rochester, NY but had to be moved to Jacksonville, Florida due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. 

    Vanguard wouldn’t have been able to be used inside of the arena due to FCC regulations if the event had been held in Rochester. 

    “It’s definitely different. Once again, if you have a Vanguard 1 drone flying in, it’s an inanimate object,” Hardy said. “Originally, the drone was going to fly back to me, and we were gonna get a really cool beauty shot, but that didn’t happen. I went ahead because we’re doing live TV. It was kind of like an audible.”

    Matt Hardy Shares AEW Backstage Vibe

    Hardy also talked about how AEW is such a laid-back atmosphere. He brought up knowing some talent in AEW from previous promotions. He noted how it was different from WWE as he didn’t have to ask Vince then go through all those different levels of authority. 

    Hardy said that it was easy to get things done in AEW and even did some promos and vignettes at the end of the night.

    “It was very easy, and it was very not to have any kind of restraints on you and just go and be creative and do your thing and do you because nobody does themselves better than them.”

    Hardy stated that when the talent knows their strengths and weaknesses and you gravitate towards your strengths then that’s where the magic is. 

    “I think basically, the whole framework of AEW, from what I’ve seen so far, is there’s like an outline, this is where we want to go, this is what we want you to do to get there, how do you suggest we get there, and the talent fills in the blanks. That’s magic. That’s the beauty of this business.”

    Hardy will join The Elite to take on The Inner Circle next week in the Blood & Guts Match.

    Bully Ray Thinks AEW Will Allow Matt Hardy To “Push Himself To The Moon”

    H/T to Wrestling Inc

  • Marty Scurll Discusses His Decision To Stay With ROH Instead Of Joining AEW

    Marty Scurll Discusses His Decision To Stay With ROH Instead Of Joining AEW

    Marty Scurll has opened up staying with ROH (Ring of Honor) and his new responsibilities in the promotion. 

    He did so when he recently did an interview with WrestleTalk’s Louis Dangoor to discuss a wide range of topics. 

    Many fans expected Scurll to wind up in AEW after a short run with the NWA but that wasn’t the case. This is something that Scurll talked about. 

    He noted that AEW was the expected destination for him because of his friendship with The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson). He stated that they are his best friends and he loves them as well as what they’re doing.

    “When it came to my decision though, I, like them, had my own vision, my own dreams, and the opportunity to create a promotion in my own vision was something I always wanted and couldn’t turn down. I’ve been wrestling for a long time and it was time to do something new and set a new challenge for myself. ROH have always been amazing to me, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be more involved.”

    Scurll talked about how ROH has trust in him and it really gives him the chance to be creative. This is something that he has enjoyed the most.

    He stated that he has great relationships with AEW President Tony Khan, Cody Rhodes, and Kenny Omega. 

    Scurll added that it’s cool that they’re all doing their own thing by making a splash in the wrestling world.

  • Bully Ray Thinks AEW Will Allow Matt Hardy To “Push Himself To The Moon”

    Bully Ray Thinks AEW Will Allow Matt Hardy To “Push Himself To The Moon”

    WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has shared his thoughts on Matt Hardy’s recent AEW debut. Hardy appeared during the closing moments of this Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite, aligning himself with The Elite. Bully Ray noted how debuting in an empty arena actually suited Matt Hardy’s broken character.

    “I think Matt Hardy debuting last night in front of no people was just as impactful of debuting in front of a full house,” Bully Ray said. “It kind of fit Matt Hardy. Just seeing Vanguard fly in, and then just hearing the piano… the Broken character—it works with no people there.”

    Bully Ray stated how it worked with no crowd noise and just the soft piano playing in the background.

    “It actually fit his debut really, really well. And think about a pop that character will get the first time it’s in front of an audience… So I had no problem with Matt Hardy last night, it definitely worked.”

    Bully Ray On AEW’s Trust In Its Performers

    Bully Ray then complimented AEW’s ability to allow their wrestlers to connect with audiences. He stressed how their wrestlers get themselves over organically thanks to this trust. He added how “AEW is going to allow Matt Hardy to push himself to the moon.”

    Matt Hardy joins Elite members Kenny Omega, Cody, Hangman Page and Matt Jackson for their Blood & Guts matchup against The Inner Circle. This matchup will take place on the next episode of Dynamite.

    If you use any quotes from this article, please provide a H/T to SEScoops.

  • Jake Roberts Shares Harsh Words Regarding Shawn Michaels & Bret Hart

    Jake Roberts Shares Harsh Words Regarding Shawn Michaels & Bret Hart

    Jake “The Snake” Roberts has shared some harsh words regarding Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. During an interview with FlipDaScript, Roberts revealed how he felt that Michaels and Hart were “chumps” who needed the title to be relevant. He claimed the two were the worst champions WWE could have had and that neither man drew any money.

    When asked which Superstars needed a championship to be relevant, Jake Roberts was quick to name Michaels and Hart. “Those chumps needed the title. Nobody paid attention to them. [Michaels] was in a tag team and they were pretty good and they made the girls say, ‘Oooh!’ But that’s about it. [Michaels] worked his ass off. I’ll give him that. He performs his ass off. But was he a good champion? Hell no. Did he put asses to seats? Not that many. Check the books.”

    He continued, “Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels were the worst champions of all. They did not put money in the bank. Shawn Michaels had the ‘It’ factor but he was 215 pounds and in my day, you’re getting in the ring with 275, 300, 350 pound guys. Then you go Andre who’s 550. Can you imagine Shawn going up against Andre? My case is closed.”

    Jake Roberts is currently a part of All Elite Wrestling. After teasing a new association with a key talent, Roberts soon revealed former New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Lance Archer was his new client. 

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription. 

  • Matt Hardy Reflects On AEW Dynamite Debut

    Matt Hardy Reflects On AEW Dynamite Debut

    Former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy is now All Elite. Hardy debuted for the company during this Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite during the close of the show. Reflecting on his debut in front of zero fans in an empty arena due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hardy shared how he is proud to be a part of AEW.

    “Considering the uncertainty of the current world we’re all living in, last night’s @AEWonTNT was the best audience-free pro wrestling TV broadcast yet.. And I’m ready to fight over it. Proud to be a part of @AEWrestling.”

    Matt Hardy & The Elite

    Matt Hardy was revealed to have sided with Elite members Kenny Omega, Cody, Hangman Page and Matt Jackson. Hardy will be the fifth man in their upcoming Blood and Guts matchup against the Inner Circle, comprised of the former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho, Santana and Ortiz, Jake Hager and Sammy Guevara.

    This week on Dynamite, the Inner Circle were able to pick up a victory of members of The Elite. This win gives them an edge going into their Blood and Guts match. Blood and Guts is set to take place during the next episode of AEW Dynamite.

    With the current climate, however, it is unclear at the time of writing whether that will take place next Wednesday on TNT when Dynamite usually airs.

  • Backstage News On If Brodie Lee Was Always Planned To Be Revealed As The Exalted One

    Backstage News On If Brodie Lee Was Always Planned To Be Revealed As The Exalted One

    AEW had been teasing the reveal of the Exalted One on their programming for a while and many believed that Matt Hardy will be revealed as the leader of the cult.

    However, it didn’t turn out to be the case and former WWE star Brodie Lee was revealed as the leader of the group on the latest episode of Dynamite instead

    PWinsider provides some update on the situation. They confirm that Lee was always planned to be revealed as the Exalted One, once the company confirmed that he was free of his contract and will be signing with them.

    The officials leaned into the speculations of Hardy being revealed as the leader of the Dark Order to help mask the former Luke Harper’s debut on AEW TV.

    The site also notes that everyone who worked this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite did so voluntarily. Tony Khan had already addressed the roster last week and told talents that they can sit out the upcoming shows if they want, without any repercussions.

    Everyone who was present at the show including the production staff made the decision to work on the episode themselves and anyone who might have sat out would still be paid as if they worked the tapings.

    The current hope within the company is to continue airing shows live every week but it’s not guaranteed in the current situations. The officials also acknowledge the situation and they have worked precautions into this week’s episode of the show.

  • Bray Wyatt Reacts To Brodie Lee’s AEW Debut

    Bray Wyatt Reacts To Brodie Lee’s AEW Debut

    This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite saw two big debuts and one of them was the debut of former WWE Intercontinental Champion Luke Harper, now known as Brodie Lee.

    The former WWE star made his debut during a segment on the show and to the surprise of many, he was revealed as the Exalted One of the Dark Order, a role many expected Matt Hardy to assume.

    Bray Wyatt reacted to Brodie Lee’s debut on their rival promotion on Twitter recently. He posted a gif of a child mentioning how he and Rowan are the only ones left now:

    Luke Harper originally debuted on WWE TV as part of the Wyatt Family led by the former Universal Champion and he remained closely associated with Bray Wyatt throughout his WWE career.

    He had been unhappy with his position in WWE from the last few years and Lee had even asked for his release from the company, only for his request to be denied by the officials.

    The company finally released Brodie Lee from his contract in December last year and he made his AEW debut shortly after his non compete clause expired.

    You can check out the debut of the newest AEW star in the video below:

  • AEW Dynamite & NXT TV Viewership (3/18)

    AEW Dynamite & NXT TV Viewership (3/18)

    Viewership data is in for this week’s battle in the WWE NXT vs. AEW Dynamite Wednesday Night War. AEW won in total viewers. NXT didn’t crack the top 50 shows for the night.

    Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

    WWE NXT Viewership

    NXT on the USA Network averaged 542,000 viewers, which is down from 697,000 last week. In the 18-49 demo, they drew a 0.16 rating, down from the 0.21 rating that the show did last week. 

    The episode featured three video packages that covered the Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano feud, NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair, and former NXT Champion Finn Balor. Triple H and Tom Phillips hosted the show. 

    AEW Dynamite Viewership

    AEW Dynamite on TNT was watched by 932,000 viewers, up from the 766,000 viewers last week. In the 18-49 demo, Dynamite pulled in a 0.35 rating, up from the 0.26 rating that the show did last week. 

    AEW Dynamite featured such as The Inner Circle vs. The Elite the main event, Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy vs. The Butcher and The Blade, Lucha Bros vs. Best Friends, the debut of Matt Hardy, Brodie Lee’s reveal as the Exalted One, and Hikaru Shida vs.  Kris Statlander vs. Penelope Ford vs. Riho.