SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Swerve Strickland Came Prepared For The Pressure Of Being AEW World Champion

    Swerve Strickland Came Prepared For The Pressure Of Being AEW World Champion

    Swerve Strickland won the AEW World Title at Dynasty last month to end Samoa Joe’s reign and usher in a new era for himself and the company. He admits it’s a lot of pressure to carry AEW on his back, but he was ready for the responsibilities. Speaking on AEW Close Up with Renee Paquette, he said representing change will bring some detractors. 

    Strickland compared wearing the coveted AEW World Championship to, “fitting into a perfect shoe that was made for you.” He knows you can’t please everybody and there will always be resistance when changes and history are made. He sees some of the online negativity, but it doesn’t get him down. Instead, he uses it as motivation to keep going and showing the world this is Swerve’s House.

    “For me to be at the top of that there’s a lot of pressure to be the first of anything, there’s a lot of pressure. I can already read in the comments and stuff, and I think they’re waiting to see how I respond to that. They wanna see me take that bait, but they don’t understand the professionalism and the mind state that I’m at, at this point. They wanna see the cracks form, they’re waiting for it. Coming off of Dynasty into Dynamite, it’s like, ‘Boom!’ right into the action., and I’m like, ‘Good, it’ll give you no room to speak..”

    Swerve Strickland shows off his dangerous offense

    All Just a Practice Run…

    Swerve kept busy in the days leading up to his win at AEW Dynasty and did the media rounds to spread the word about the company he wants to lead. The day before the PPV, he threw out the first pitch before the Saint Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. He had the AEW World Title with him for photo-ops, even though he had yet to win the gold. 

    Swerve Strickland has many irons in the fire outside pro wrestling. He recently rocked the Rolling Loud Los Angeles stage with his music, and he also keeps up his Swerve City Podcast. Swerve explained how these personal endeavors prepared him to carry the torch for AEW.

    “I feel like the last two or three years was preparation. It’s not like I was presented to do these things. It’s just something that I wanted to do. I’m inspired by Jericho and Fozzy, touring and still making it to TV, doing Talk is Jericho and doing all the shows, and all these guys who have these outlets. I was like, ‘man I wanna do that.’”

    “This was all just a practice run, like oil in a machine, and now [points at AEW World Title] I am the machine. The machine is here because I’ve been doing this for a while with my small team, my small crew and I have to lead that. I’ve been leading these small crews in music and everywhere and it’s like now we’re gonna add this responsibility on top of that.”

    The AEW World Title commands a great amount of time and attention. The schedule may be grueling, but Strickland has been putting himself to the test for years with his own hustle. Now he is the face of AEW, and more than prepared to take on the role of a lifetime.

  • Tony Khan: ‘It Was Nice My Dad Appeared On Dynamite, I Wish It Was For A Different Reason’

    Tony Khan: ‘It Was Nice My Dad Appeared On Dynamite, I Wish It Was For A Different Reason’

    Tony Khan was pleased that his father Shad recently appeared on AEW Dynamite, though he wishes his dad’s debut came under better circumstances. 

    Shad Khan appeared in the closing moments of the April 24, episode of AEW Dynamite, after Jack Perry & The Elite attacked his son. Tony Khan was laid out with a piledriver by the Young Bucks and has been in a neck brace ever since. Khan intends to put the neck brace to good use when he no longer needs it.

    Sitting down with SE Scoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Khan spoke about his father’s All-Elite debut and had plenty of praise for his dear old dad. 

    “It was nice of him to be on the show on one hand, but the reason for it is another. It meant a lot for him to come out to check on me. He is an incredible father and a loving parent and a great man.

    “I’ve learned so much from him. I know he cares a lot. Nobody wants to see their son out cold and recovering from a deadly piledriver move. You saw he was concerned. You saw it on his face. He was angry and concerned. Mostly very angry.”

    When asked if his father has a favorite wrestler on AEW’s roster, the younger Khan said that Shad has quite a few stars he’s keeping an eye on. 

    “A few weeks ago I got a text from him during Will Ospreay and Claudio [Castagnoli]. He knew them both. He hadn’t seen much of Will Ospreay. He said Ospreay was amazing. I introduced him to Will, and he is now a huge fan of him.

    “He is a huge fan of Kenny Omega, MJF, Jon Moxley, Orange Cassidy, Dr. Britt Baker, and recently “Timeless” Toni Storm And Mariah May. Also, he had some nice interactions with Swerve.”

    It’s unclear when, if ever, we’ll see Shad Khan on AEW programming again, though Tony Khan will be operating shows remotely as he recovers from the attack. With The Elite a force to be reckoned with and Kenny Omega’s imminent return to AEW TV, it’ll be interesting to see how the power struggle goes with Khan out of the picture. 

    More From Tony Khan

    Here are some recent articles regarding Tony Khan as the AEW President continues to recover from the attack by The Elite: 

  • Details On Swerve Strickland’s Hilarious Meeting With NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

    Details On Swerve Strickland’s Hilarious Meeting With NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

    Tony Khan happened to share quite a Swerve Strickland story with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

    Speaking with Scott Fishman of TV Insider, the AEW President talked about introducing his AEW World Heavyweight Champion to Goodell and talked about that gruesome moment he fought Hangman Page and took a staple to the face.

    “I was telling Goodell about Swerve versus Hangman Page. I mentioned to him how Swerve got stapled in the face. Roger looked at him and said, ‘Really? He got stapled in the face for real?’ Swerve was smiling and said, ‘Yeah it’s true.’”

    After Goodell left, Khan noted to Swerve that he happened to omit the fact that Strickland drank Page’s blood. According to Tony, Swerve got a kick out of that.

    Tony Khan Happy With AEW & NFL Draft Buzz

    Albeit polarizing, Tony Khan was very pleased with the connection and promotion he got from wearing a neckbrace during the NFL Draft, following the Meltzer Driver he took from last week’s AEW Dynamite. Khan made a point to credit NFL personality Rich Eisen for all the publicity for AEW during the weekend.

    “Making lemonade out of lemons, I brought my recovery to the NFL Draft this year. I was blessed that Rich Eisen gave it so much coverage on the broadcast several times. He is doing great things with St. Jude through Run Rich Run. It’s such an awesome cause.”

    In an effort to get AEW over as the underdog, Khan made a controversial analogy with his company in comparison to WWE, noting that WWE was Harvey Weinstein while AEW was Pepsi.

  • Dax Harwood & Eric Bischoff Continue A War Of Words On Social Media

    Dax Harwood & Eric Bischoff Continue A War Of Words On Social Media

    Dax Harwood and Eric Bischoff has gone back and forth with one another on social media before, but Monday night the two took it to a whole new level.

    Bischoff has always been vocal when it comes his constructive criticism on AEW. Eric’s opinion was even more resounding following the recent buzz Tony Khan has been getting after the polarizing angle from last week’s Dynamite and the former WCW President had some more words regarding the current AEW President.

    Harwood, who in 2023 re-signed with AEW, decided to express his thoughts regarding Eric’s “obsession” with Khan on his “83 Weeks” podcast, calling him “stalkerish.”

    “I know it’s your gimmick and the other guys pay you well to bury AEW, but checking out your timeline & all the Tony tweets and RT’s, it looks very stalkerish. Netflix “Baby Reindeer” would do you a bit of good, my brother in Christ.”

    Bischoff wasn’t having any of that, stating that Dax is the pot calling the kettle black.

    “Says the chunky little monkey that studies my timeline. That’s weird.”

    Eric then decided to unload on Harwood following fan input who labeled Dax a hypocrite. Bischoff went on to call Harwood “mid as mid can get” and that his supposed “loyalty” to Khan is just a means as holding onto the bag as long as he can. He also threw another jab, calling Dax a future greeter at Walmart.

    Earlier this year, Harwood said Bischoff was a “miserable podcaster” as he and FTR Wheeler said Eric was just upset that Tony Khan had never hired him. On several occassions, Bischoff has made clear he really took issue with Khan after he took a dig at Ted Turner.

    Bischoff isn’t the only top WCW talent to dole out constructive criticism to Khan. Kevin Nash has expressed his thoughts on the current AEW product. Both he and Bischoff had made it quite clear that they want to see AEW succeed.

  • Darby Allin’s Broken Foot Won’t Heal Until June, May Not Stop Him Appearing for AEW

    Darby Allin’s Broken Foot Won’t Heal Until June, May Not Stop Him Appearing for AEW

    AEW’s Darby Allin isn’t ready to wrestle just yet but his severe foot injury may not keep the daredevil wrestler from appearing for the promotion. 

    Allin has been out of action since suffering the aforementioned injury during a match Jay White at AEW’s Big Business show in March 2024. As if that isn’t bad enough, Allin is also dealing with a broken nose and was hit by a bus in New York City mere days ago. 

    On The Daily Migs Show, Allin was asked about his recovery and whether he’ll be appearing on the May 15, episode of AEW Dynamite in Everett, Washington. 

    “My foot is not scheduled to heal until, I’d say June. So if I did roll up [to Dynamite in two weeks], it would just be with a broken face and a broken foot waving to the crowd, which may not be the worst thing. I’ll see.”

    Given Allin’s history with Everett, the former AEW TNT Champion wasn’t ready to rule out an appearance on the show.

    “I trained in Everett, Washington, so it would be like an ultimate homecoming of sorts. That’d be really cool. May 15, I gotta see. I think might be able to make it. As long as there’s no buses, I’m good.”

    Allin’s injury comes at an interesting time in his career. For years, Allin’s career has seen him by the side of Sting who retired from in-ring competition at Revolution 2024. With his mentor out of the picture, it’ll be up to Allin to re-establish himself in singles competition, once he’s healed up. 

    More from Darby Allin

    Here are some recent articles regarding Darby Allin as the former TNT Champion continues to recover from his multiple injuries. 

  • Tony Khan On His Power Struggle With The Elite, Who Will Be In Charge At Dynamite

    Tony Khan On His Power Struggle With The Elite, Who Will Be In Charge At Dynamite

    Tony Khan says The Elite has ignited a “power struggle” in AEW and the company plans to have a new “highest-ranking official” onsite for Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. The Elite shocked the pro wrestling world last Wednesday by attacking Tony Khan one night before his participation in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Jacksonville Jaguars owner generated a ton of media attention for the neck brace he wore at the Draft to sell the effects of the unconscionable attack he sustained.

    During an interview with SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Khan said how lucky he is to work with the NFL and appreciates all the concern about his condition. He said he won’t be present for Wednesday’s Dynamite from Winnipeg, but he’s worked remotely in the past throughout the pandemic. The big question is, who will be on top of the totem pole in his absense?

    “We all have experience working outside the office. During the lockdown, we got used to meetings on Teams and Zoom. I’ll still be overseeing AEW and managing the show remotely.

    As for who will be the highest-ranking official onsite, stay tuned Wednesday. It will certainly be addressed this week on TBS. This power struggle that is happening in AEW.”

    As Kevin Nash spoke about on his podcast this week, Tony Khan fired CM Punk when he felt physically threatened. The Elite have taken things much farther than Punk did. What repercussions will they face, if any?

    TK Welcomes Kenny Omega’s Return

    Kenny Omega is advertised to make his AEW television return when they go to Winnipeg. As another EVP of the company, this could throw a wrench in the Young Bucks’ plans. After all, they did fire him from The Elite a few weeks ago. This will be a big moment for AEW, and Tony Khan is also very excited about that, as he continued plugging the upcoming episode of Dynamite on TBS.

    Omega has been out of action due to a diverticulitis attack, one that reportedly required surgery. Although The Cleaner is far from his in-ring clearance, he won’t miss Dynamite in his home city. Khan says, “I can’t wait to have Kenny Omega back in AEW. It’s the perfect time for Kenny to return. I know Kenny Omega has been recovering at home since he was fired from The Elite by The Young Bucks last month. It’s the perfect time for Kenny Omega to return on May 1.”

    AEW Dynamite Preview (5/1)

    You can find the current lineup for the May 1 episode of AEW Dynamite below.

    • Chris Jericho vs. Shibata
    • Adam Copeland vs. TBA
    • Mariah May vs. Serena Deeb
    • Kenny Omega’s TV return

    Due to a scheduling conflict with the NHL Playoffs, AEW Rampage will air at a different time this week. A three-hour event will air this week on Wednesday, May 1, with a live Rampage following Dynamite. Also, AEW Collision will not broadcast on May 4, due to this conflict with the NHL. AEW’s Saturday night show is set to return to its regular time slot on Saturday, May 11.

  • Adam Copeland Attempting A New Wrestling Move Every AEW Match

    Adam Copeland Attempting A New Wrestling Move Every AEW Match

    AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland is welcoming new challenges by trying to add new maneuvers to his arsenal in the latter stage of his career.

    ‘The Rated R Superstar’ undoubtedly has an impressive array of moves up his sleeve, but even veterans of the ring haven’t executed every conceivable maneuver. Copeland has showcased some spectacular moves in his recent matches and he says this is no accident.

    While speaking with Swerve Strickland and Monteasy on AEW Champion Swerve Strickland’s Swerve City Podcast, Cope has made it clear he will try a new move in every match from now on. He feels extremely fortunate to still be wrestling, is excited to work with so many new opponents in AEW and relishes the challenge of pushing himself and executing unfamiliar strikes, holds and dives.

    “What I’ve done with this AEW run, I told myself, ‘I’m going to try a move that I’ve never tried before. One move, every match. That I’ve never done before.’ [AEW Collision before AEW Dynasty], I did the Davey Boy powerslam. Never done one before. I’ve done the rotation powerslam, but never the Davey. Last week against Brody King, I’ve never done a blockbuster, ‘I’ll try a blockbuster.’ Just for myself, really. Just to have fun and the challenge of it. I get off on challenges. The challenges are very big for me in life. I work best when I have a challenge that I have to try and conquer.”

    On March 20 edition of Dynamite, Adam Copeland captured the AEW TNT Championship for the second time when he defeated his former best friend Christian Cage in front of his hometown crowd. Ever since, Copeland has been defending his title in Cope Open challenge and has already retained against the likes of Penta El Zero Miedo and Matt Cardona.

    Adam Copeland set to defend his title on Dynamite

    On this week’s Dynamite, Copeland will put his title on the line against one of the members of The House of Black. 

    The Canadian wrestler has been vocal about challenging himself post-WWE career, which is one of the reasons he joined AEW. Signing with the promotion has certainly opened the door for him to explore new trails and he is just enjoying his time before the sun sets on his career. 

  • Tony Khan on WWE-Weinstein Comment: ‘It’s Important To Say AEW Is The Best’

    Tony Khan on WWE-Weinstein Comment: ‘It’s Important To Say AEW Is The Best’

    Tony Khan sought to remind fans that AEW is where the best wrestle with his controversial remarks during the recent NFL Draft. 

    While representing the Jacksonville Jaguars, Khan spoke about AEW being an alternative to WWE and said his promotion is the Pepsi of professional wrestling. Rather than compare WWE to Coca-Cola as many expected, Khan said that WWE was evil and equivalent to Harvey Weinstein. 

    This comment has divided fans. Some believe it was fair given the allegations of misconduct leveled at former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon who resigned back in January. Others felt the comment was unnecessary and offensive to victims of Weinstein and that Khan was using their experiences to further his grudge with WWE. 

    Speaking to Dean ‘Mojo’ Muhtadi of TMZ Sports, Khan was asked about the response to his comments: 

    “I think it is important to say that I think AEW is the best wrestling company in the world in many ways. I think that we have the best wrestlers, the best matches, we’ve been putting on the best shows.”

    WWE & AEW Reacts

    Those in WWE have, rather unsurprisingly, not taken kindly to Khan’s comparison to Harvey Weinstein, Bryan Alvarez reports. Those in AEW feel the same way and have taken exception to Khan’s suggestion that WWE is an ‘evil’ company. Many names on AEW’s roster have previously worked in WWE and have friends and/or partners who currently work for the competition. 

    While Khan is fiercely passionate about WWE, his comments in the past have often not been well-received. Khan infamous alleged that an army of WWE-endorsed bots were attacking AEW on social media and had his issue with Jinder Mahal earlier this year. With the response to his Weinstein comments, the AEW President may want to take a pause the next time he has something big to say. 

    More from Tony Khan

    Here are some recent articles regarding Tony Khan as the AEW President continues to heal from the attack by The Elite on AEW Dynamite: 

  • Former Wrestling Champion Kamille Signed With AEW (Report)

    Former Wrestling Champion Kamille Signed With AEW (Report)

    Kamille has signed with All Elite Wrestling, adding another notable name to their women’s division. The former NWA Women’s World Champion has inked a deal with Tony Khan’s league and is expected to debut shortly, according to a report by Fightful Select. She  became a free agent on January 1 when her NWA deal expired. 

    Her name has been churning in the rumor mill since then regarding her next destination. Most recently, Kamille piqued interest amongst fans after saying she signed somewhere in February, though she did not specify where. She deleted her tweet and clarified that she was talking about autograph signings.

    Kamille’s AEW Debut

    It is unclear when Kamille will make her AEW debut, but she is on the way. Adding her name to Tony Khan’s women’s division provides them with a real boost. The company recently added Mercedes Mone, and the former Sasha Banks already has a TBS Title shot against Willow Nightingale at AEW Double or Nothing in Las Vegas on May 26.

    Kamille held the NWA World Women’s Championship for 812 days. She played a significant role in the promotion during Billy Corgan’s ownership. Kamille has a good chance of replicating that success in AEW if given the proper environment.

    Prior to signing with AEW, Kamille told SEScoops in February 2023 that she was hoping to join WWE so she could work with Charlotte Flair. During our interview, she told Scott Fishman, “[Charlotte Flair] is the best in the world. I think we would have a good backstory and story that could lead into it. Getting in there with someone who is so talented could help me learn and grow and and it’s something people would want to see.”

    Check out the full interview from the SEScoops YouTube channel:

  • Trent Beretta Gets Admonished By Mama Sue Following Recent Actions Against The Best Friends

    Trent Beretta Gets Admonished By Mama Sue Following Recent Actions Against The Best Friends

    Trent Beretta’s mom Sue will not be carpooling The Best Friends to any AEW events in the near future, and she’s clearly not happy about it.

    Beretta took on his longtime partner and (indeed) former best friend Chuck Taylor in a Parking Lot Fight this past weekend on AEW Rampage. It was a brutal battle with Berretta ultimately defeating Taylor, but also not coming out of the fight unscathed.

    On social media, Beretta had a bloody picture of himself sitting on the hood of what appears to be his mom’s van. Just like his friendship with Taylor and Orange Cassidy, the windshield was splintered as Berreta basically marked the end of his bond with Taylor.

    “Best Friends, 2013-2024, see ya.”

    Sue expressed her disappointment in her son’s actions noting that she didn’t raise him to act like that.

    Sue was a light-hearted component in the mix of The Best Friends’ friendship, but clearly Beretta has thrown all that aside. Last week’s Dynamite kicked off with Trent beating Orange Cassidy up in the middle of Daily’s Place before prompting Chuck Taylor to come out. Trent forced Taylor to choose between him and Cassidy, citing that it was Orange who stole the spotlight from both of them, stating that he was only meant to be their mascot in AEW. Taylor didn’t agree and took the side of Cassidy, putting the Parking Lot Fight into motion.

    Trent defeated Taylor by choking him out, but he wasn’t finished. Beretta set sights on Taylor’s ankle with a wrench, telling Orange Cassidy that this was all his fault.

  • AEW Hires Jeremy Flynn As Director Of Live Events

    AEW Hires Jeremy Flynn As Director Of Live Events

    All Elite Wrestling has hired Jeremy Flynn as the company’s new Director Of Live Events, a position formerly held by Rafael Morffi. Flynn previously worked for the Professional Bull Riders organization as its Senior Director of Marketing and Live Events.

    Morffi, who left AEW last year to coordinate live events for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, endorsed Flynn’s work in a post on his LinkedIn page.

    Flynn will have a challenge ahead of him as live attendance for AEW hasn’t necessarily lived up to venue hosting them. Back during Super Bowl week, Tony Khan mentioned how that he still has decided to go with larger venues due to the media contacts and marketing possibilities.

    “A lot of times, those arenas have a lot of big advantages like email lists and marketing and they are a destination venue for shows. It depends on the market and the timing. Certainly, bigger arenas do have a lot of advantages.”

    Despite the unfilled arenas, Khan said in the pre-AEW Dynasty media call that revenue in Q1 for 2024 is up significantly overall as they have been running more live events, stating that live attendance is actually up in some cities when doing the year-over-year comparison.

    The big hope for AEW is that the company secures a new lucrative media deal as the exclusive negotiation period between them and Warner Bros. Discovery has expired. Khan has still spoke to the positive relationship that AEW and WBD shares and has seemed optimistic that a deal will get done between the two parties.

  • Kevin Nash Says The Elite Attacking Tony Khan Was AEW’s Finger Poke of Doom

    Kevin Nash Says The Elite Attacking Tony Khan Was AEW’s Finger Poke of Doom

    Last week’s 4/25 AEW Dynamite from Daily’s Place finished with a a controversial angle that fans are still talking about. Jack Perry made a surprise return and attacked AEW President Tony Khan. The Elite joined in, Perry is now part of the heel faction and there are immediate parallels with the early days of the nWo. After Shad Khan’s son took a microphone shot to the gut followed by a Tony Khan Driver, The Elite stood over their boss in victory. The Young Bucks’ new alliance with Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry has nWo vibes and the memes have been plentiful on social media.

    On this week’s Kliq This podcast, Nash and co-host Sean Oliver reviewed AEW Dynasty and AEW Dynamite, including the controversial angle that led Tony Khan to wear a neck brace for the 2024 NFL Draft. While giving Khan grief for selling a padded microphone shot, Nash compared the segment to WCW’s infamous Finger Poke of Doom (Wikipedia) angle. During a match against Hollywood Hogan on WCW Nitro (January 4, 1999), Nash laid down for Hogan, handing over the WCW title in what’s seen as a low-point for the declining company. 

    Dynamite viewership was under 700,000, down from the previous week and the lowest since October 2023. Nash fired, back, “Thank God, because they missed the finger poke of doom at the end of this motherf****r.

    Neck Brace

    Tony Khan went on to sell that attack during both nights of the NFL Draft by wearing a neck brace. He appeared on the NFL Network, where he compared WWE to Harvey Weinstein. Nash didn’t love everything he saw on AEW television this week, but he credited Khan for selling the injury and keeping kayfabe alive with the neck brace.

    “The neck brace. The neck brace the following day at the Jaguars. I got to give a little respect to this because I don’t think the NFL or anyone that watches the NFL and not wrestling is going to give a sh*t, but the attempt to do some crossover, respecting the product where he wore the neck brace the next day, it’s a commitment.”

    You Fired CM Punk…

    Nash took issue with the fact that CM Punk got fired for roughing up his boss, so how is he going to handle The Elite?

    “I just don’t see what it does unless Tony comes back and fires the Executive Vice Presidents for attacking him. He fired.. he got rid of Punk. You can’t have a storyline that shows, a couple weeks earlier, they showed the Punk/Perry altercation, which was nothing.”

    Tony Khan and AEW are influenced by pro wrestling history. This new incarnation of The Elite (just one week in) is already drawing comparisons to the nWo, so it was an attention-grabbing segment. Hopefully The Elite sparks a similar level of excitement as Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall and podcast host Kevin Nash did in 1996. 

  • DAZN Drops AEW Content One Year Into Multi-Year Deal Due To Underperforming Shows

    DAZN Drops AEW Content One Year Into Multi-Year Deal Due To Underperforming Shows

    Sports streaming service DAZN has nixed its contract with All Elite Wrestling after just one year over what they deemed to be underperforming numbers. 

    The two sides agreed on a multi-year deal in early 2023 that would see AEW be broadcast in 42 markets across Europe and Asia. The initial deal included AEW Dynamite, Rampage, Dark, Dark: Elevation, Battle of the Belt events, and four pay-per-views a year. 

    Now, this deal is a thing of the past. Speculation grew about AEW’s future on DAZN early into 2024 after fans noticed that All-Elite content had been quietly removed from the platform. At the time, no confirmation was given publicly as to the reason behind the removal.

    Steven Muelhausen, who ran the wrestling social media side of things for DAZN has now confirmed that the deal is over just one year after being announced. The decision to drop AEW content was made on December 31, 2023, and was made after a string of broadcasts falling below expectations. Only a handful of events reached the numbers DAZN wanted. These events include All In 2023, the first month or so of AEW Collision, and select episodes of AEW content. 

    AEW did all it could for DAZN when the platform requested interviews from talent, Muelhausen adds, despite DAZN never really showing much interest in promoting AEW on its platform. DAZN didn’t give 5% of the budget they spend for boxing and MMA. Muelhausen, found this to be a shame as wrestling had “a real shot” at DAZN but “never got the opportunity it deserved. 

  • Powerhouse Hobbs & Julia Hart Reportedly Injured

    Two of AEW featured stars in Powerhouse Hobbs and Julia Hart are reportedly injured and the initial thought is not promising for the former champions.

    According to Fightful Select, Julia Hart has suffered an injury that may require surgery. This is after Hart has ran into a string of recent injuries as of late and the timeframe for her return is currently unknown. She reportedly was injured on the lead-up to AEW Dynasty where she dropped the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale. Hart is still very early her pro wrestling career and has hit a note with fans since aligning with the House Of Black.

    Powerhouse Hobbs Is Also Injured

    In the very same update, Fightful Select confirmed that Powerhouse Hobbs is also now out with injury as first reported by Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer. The injury is said to be significant and the former TNT Champion is not expected back anytime soon.

    Hobbs was just featured in the main event match this past Wednesday on AEW Dynamite as he became the first challenger to Jon Moxley as the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Hobbs lost to Moxley via technical submission when the Blackpool Combat Club member got Hobbs in a rear-naked choke.

    Hart and Hobbs now join a significant list of name talent on the AEW roster out with injury. MJF, Kenny Omega, Adam Cole, Darby Allin, Kota Ibushi, Bandido, Jamie Hayter, Miro, Britt Baker and Jeff Hardy are only a handful of talent on the shelf.

  • Hit the Pavement: AEW Stars Endorse Viral Asphalt Playground Video

    Hit the Pavement: AEW Stars Endorse Viral Asphalt Playground Video

    Pro wrestling fans are no strangers to witnessing wild videos appear on their timeline. We’ve seen backyard wrestling before, as it was the genesis for some people’s fandom, but playground wrestling is on another level.

    A video went viral showing playground wrestling in New York City. This video was incredibly hard, and it is also stirred some fond memories with a lot of people. That being said, it was new to many as they saw it pop up on their feeds.

    https://twitter.com/BvDpro/status/1784264029327794219

    AEW Stars React

    The AEW locker room keeps their pulse on the heart of what’s trending on social media. When Ortiz saw the crazy playground wrestling display, he shared a bit about his own history on Twitter/X. Seeing a video like this brought back fond memories for him.,

    “We did this every Saturday rain or shine for years.Kept me out the streets../ Developed friendships I still have to this day.where I developed my love for pro wrestling. Now a decade later it’s catching traction all over social media.we would of killed for this attention back then!”

    Will Ospreay is now lighting up the AEW roster after making his way from Japan. He has seen what the pro wrestling world has to offer, and he responded to say the playground wrestling video is fire.

    Playground wrestling legend King Tek also chimed in. He had nothing but great memories to share, and one of them included the art of taking a powerbomb in a very unconventional setting.

    Unconventional Pro Wrestling Viral Videos

    Pro wrestling is very much engrained in popular culture, so you never know when it will pop up in a viral video. We’re getting a lot more gender reveals based around pro wrestling matches. Logan Paul and Nina Agdal just revealed the gender of the upcoming addition to their family with a match.

    You also never know when a pro wrestling fan will throw a match into their wedding reception. We’ve also seen fans use pro wrestling themes, like The Bloodline, in their actual ceremony as they make their way to the altar.

    Fans have seen wrestling matches break out in public while they were in town for big events. These may be organized in a manner of speaking, but it certainly has a violent avant-garde vibe.

    Professional wrestling is a physically demanding sport, performed by trained professionals in controlled environments. Wrestling on asphalt playgrounds increases the risk of injuries in massive fashion. That being said, always prioritize safety and don’t try this at home, or at your local school/park.

  • Tony Khan To Autograph & Sell Neck Brace With Proceeds Going to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital

    Tony Khan To Autograph & Sell Neck Brace With Proceeds Going to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital

    AEW President Tony Khan is still reeling from the attack by Jack Perry & The Elite but will put his situation to good use by raising money for charity. 

    Khan was attacked by Perry on the April 24, edition of AEW Dynamite, the first show of its kind for Perry since August of 2023. After ambushing Khan, Perry was approached by The Elite who also attacked their boss. After the attack, Khan was tended to by medical officials while AEW talent and his father Shad Khan showed their concern. 

    Khan Auctioning Neck Brace

    During the NFL Draft, Khan, who works as part of the team behind the Jacksonville Jaguars, appeared in a neck brace, selling the impact of the attack on Dynamite. During an appearance on the NFL Network, Rich Eisen revealed that Khan is planning on auctioning the neck brace for a good cause. 

    “Tony Khan has texted. He heard me [say] ‘Hey, when you’re done with the brace, would you like to sign it and donate the proceeds to St. Jude’s Research Hospital?’ He said ‘When I’ve recovered from that spike piledriver when on AEW Dynamite’ is that a good ready for you Tony? ‘I will absolutely sign this neck brace and sell it and donate it to St. Jude’s to support Run Rich Run.’”

    Run Rich Run is a charitable campaign hosted by Eisen to support St. Jude’s Research Hospital in the fight against childhood diseases. Over its 20 years, the campaign has raised over $7 million. Khan’s offer is an incredibly generous one and we’re sure wrestling fans will be willing to pay big for this one-of-a-kind piece of AEW memorabilia.

    More on Tony Khan

    Here are some recent articles featuring Tony Khan as the AEW President heals up from his attack on Dynamite: 

  • WBD “Really Happy” With 4/24 AEW Dynamite Despite Significant Viewership Drop

    WBD “Really Happy” With 4/24 AEW Dynamite Despite Significant Viewership Drop

    The ratings slump for the April 24, episode of Dynamite was not a concern for AEW’s broadcast partners at Warner Bros. Discovery who were happy with the show. 

    The show saw 683,000 homes tune in for the post-Dynasty edition of Dynamite, a 10% decrease from the previous week. This is the lowest average audience an episode of AEW Dynamite has earned since the January 6, 2021 episode of the show, excluding episodes that were pre-empted. 

    Despite this concerning drop, WBD sources were “really happy” with the show’s performance, PW Insider reports. A source in WBD noted that AEW had significant competition on the night due to the NBA and NHL Playoffs. Despite this competition, AEW was still sixth for the evening on basic cable. 

    Three of the shows that hit AEW hard on April 24 were made up of NBA coverage on TNT which is considered in the “family” by WBD. When excluding those shows, only ESPN’s coverage of the NHL scored higher in the 18-49 demo for the evening. The source also acknowledged audio issues from TBS’ end of things that impacted the show. 

    AEW Dynamite may have seen a serious drop, but there were plenty of factors outside of the promotion’s control for this. The test now will be whether AEW can recover those fans in the coming weeks. Tony Khan’s inaugural promotion has seen a drop in viewers compared to previous years, and the AEW President, who’ll be working remotely following Jack Perry’s attack, will need to explore his options to win back fans.

  • Former WWE NXT Wrestlers Debut On 4/27 Episode of AEW Collision

    Former WWE NXT Wrestlers Debut On 4/27 Episode of AEW Collision

    The April 27, edition of AEW Collision saw not one but three names from WWE NXT make their debuts for the All-Elite promotion. 

    The first episode following the inaugural AEW Dynasty event, Collision saw the Grizzled Young Veterans in action. Their arrival on the show wasn’t a surprise given that it’d been announced had been announced days earlier. The team of Zack Gibson and James Drake put up quite the effort against The Acclaimed but ultimately lost to the former AEW World Tag Team Champions. 

    In a post-match interview, the Grizzled Young Veterans were frustrated about their defeat and blamed ‘Daddy Ass’ Billy Gunn for their setback. 

    Gibson and Drake joined WWE in 2018 and would become the inaugural NXT UK Tag Team Champions. They were later moved to WWE NXT and joined Joe Gacy’s Schism but chose to leave WWE when their contracts expired in September 2023. 

    The Grizzled Young Veterans weren’t the only NXT alum on the show. Martin Stone also made his AEW debut on Collision in a losing effort to RUSH. In addition to being Stone’s debut, this was RUSH’s first match back after not competing since AEW Worlds End in December 2023. 

    In WWE NXT, Stone competed as Danny Butch and held the NXT Tag Team Championships with Oney Lorcan. He was released from the gold brand in January 2022 as part of cuts that saw many names close to Triple H be let go. 

  • Darby Allin Hit By A Bus in New York City, Still Makes It To Broadway Show

    Darby Allin Hit By A Bus in New York City, Still Makes It To Broadway Show

    Darby Allin was able to enjoy a Broadway show with artist Raymond Pettibon, but only after the AEW pillar was hit by a bus in New York City first.

    On Instagram, Allin shared news of his unfortunate vehicular collision and said he was trying to cross the street in the Big Apple when he was struck. Allin also showed some photos of himself at the play with Pattibon as well as a bloodied selfie from after the bus hit him. 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6SnFF6OAnu

    This is hardly the only health issue that Allin is dealing with at the moment. During a match with Jay White on the ‘Big Business’ edition of AEW Dynamite, Darby Allin suffered a broken foot that has kept the former TNT & World Tag Team Champion on the shelf ever since. This injury has led to Allin postponing his attempt to climb Mount Everest. 

    In case a broken foot wasn’t bad enough, Allin is also dealing with a broken nose. The AEW star recently shared a photo on his Instagram Stories of his nose heavily bandaged up. 

    Darby Allin didn’t let a little traffic mishap ruin his night

    With these injuries, there’s no word on when Darby Allin will be able to wrestle for AEW again. Hopefully, the risk-taking wrestler will spend this time wisely and give himself ample opportunity to heal before taking on his next death-defying stunt either in or out of the ring. 

    More on Darby Allin:

    Here are some recent articles featuring Darby Allin and what the pillar of All Elite Wrestling has been up to amid his ongoing hiatus from the Squared Circle:

  • Rey Fenix Is Better Than Ever After Return on 4/27 Episode of AEW Collision

    Rey Fenix Is Better Than Ever After Return on 4/27 Episode of AEW Collision

    Rey Fenix has made his long-awaited return to in-ring competition, after spending more than six months of his wrestling career on the shelf. 

    Fenix made his return on the April 27, episode of AEW Collision with a victory over The Beast Mortos (previously known as Black Taurus.) Commentators observed that Fenix’s win was more about survival than outright domination.

    This match was Fenix’s first match since the October 10, 2023, episode of AEW Dynamite where he lost the AEW International Championship to Orange Cassidy. Fenix’s injury happened at the inaugural AEW WrestleDream event days earlier and he was pulled from that match early into the contest. 

    Rey Fenix Speaks

    Fenix’s return is huge for fans of the masked wrestler who plans to prove that he’s not just back is better than he’s ever been. In a post-match promo backstage, Fenix reflected on his victory over The Beast Mortos

    “I am so happy to feel so excited for any opponent. Tonight, I faced a real opponent. Stronger, but no better than me. No better than the Mexican. I come back better than ever because I am the man of 1,000 lives! Rey Fenix.”

    Fenix has been with AEW since the start and in addition to being a former International Champion is a former World Tag Team and Trios Champion. Hopefully, Fenx will have a long, prosperous run free from injuries now that he’s back in the ring. 

    More on Rey Fenix

    Here are some recent articles about Rey Fenix now that the former AEW International Champion is back on TV. 

  • MJF Underwent Shoulder Surgery, Delaying AEW In-Ring Return (Update)

    MJF Underwent Shoulder Surgery, Delaying AEW In-Ring Return (Update)

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman will not be returning to the ring for AEW any time soon. Longtime SEScoops correspondent Jason Solomon of the Solomonster Sounds Off broke the news that MJF’s physical rehabilitation was not getting him back to 100% and as a result, he underwent surgery to repair his left shoulder. 

    On Sunday, Friedman appeared at the C2E2 comic expo in Chicago sporting a brace on his elbow and looking nowhere close to lacing up his boots again. 

    MJF Speaks about his injuries

    MJF was wrestling through a lot of physical problems toward the end of his World Title run. He was very banged up and needed time off television. In his absence, AEW removed him from their roster page, but he remains under contract.

    Back in December MJF spoke with The Solomonster at the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame on Long Island, New York. This was right before his AEW World Title defense against Samoa Joe at AEW World’s End. He detailed the various injuries he was powering through, but this shoulder injury is going to keep him out of the ring longer than originally hoped for.

    MJF & Adam Cole

    Injuries greatly affected MJF and Adam Cole’s main event 2023 storyline. Friedman lost the On December 30, 2023, MJF defended his AEW World Title against Samoa Joe at the AEW World’s End pay-per-view event at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. MJF dropped his title during that match, and he hasn’t wrestled since. He suffered multiple injuries, including a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

    MJF and Adam Cole at AEW All In: London, August 27, 2023

    Adam Cole, who was revealed as The Devil, had to stop touring with the company. His ankle injury from AEW Grand Slam was not healing as he wanted it to, because the travel was getting in the way of his recovery. The Devil storyline, and the Undisputed Kingdom faction, had to pump the brakes big time after that.

  • Kenny Omega Admits He’s ‘Pretty Jealous’ Of Roman Reigns

    Kenny Omega Admits He’s ‘Pretty Jealous’ Of Roman Reigns

    Kenny Omega isn’t afraid to acknowledge Roman Reigns. 

    ‘The Cleaner’ is a man who happily gives his thoughts on pro wrestling during his livestreams on Twitch and this week one fan in the chat was hating on what Roman Reigns does in WWE. Omega pushed back at that notion, appreciating what ‘The Head Of The Table’ brings to the one true sport.

    “I really think he’s incredible. I don’t think he’s boring either. I actually would say I’m pretty jealous because Roman Reigns is presented the exact same way that I would love to be presented. He’s presented as the man who’s the champion to have big matches on PPV where you’re really cheering for him or you’re cheering for someone else. That’s professional wrestling. He’s getting to do what I did in New Japan so I can’t be a hater on that. I’m a fan.”

    WWE fans haven’t seen Roman Reigns since he dropped the WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes night two at WrestleMania 40 and Omega has been on his own extended hiatus due to a diverticulitis diagnosis. 

    However, wrestling fans will at least get to see Kenny Omega return to television next Wednesday on AEW Dynamite as the show will hail from his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    It will be interesting to see how Omega is utilized as he was “fired” from his EVP position by The Young Bucks and a ripple was added into the storyline with them also attacked AEW President Tony Khan.

  • Nikki Garcia Responds To Toni Storm’s Non-PG Candle Comment After AEW Dynasty

    Toni Storm keeps her Timeless character going, even during press conferences. This led to her bringing up Nikki Garcia in a very unflattering manner, but now the WWE Hall of Famer is answering back.

    During the AEW Dynasty press conference, Toni Storm fired off a line about the former Nikki Bella as she said, “Nicole Garcia thought about joining AEW when she saw Mercedes did. You know why she didn’t? Because then she saw me and realized, she can’t hold a p*ssy scented candle to what I do.”

    “P*ssy scented candle, what does that even means?” Nikki Garcia asked during the Nikki and Brie Show. Brie then said that she received phone calls asking if it was a pro wrestling term — it is not. Niki went on to explain her confusion about Storm’s comment.

    “Listen, I love Toni Storm, and she’s doing this character now and i’ts great. I loved her in NXT. No I wasn’t bothered by it. I laughed. I was like, ‘p*ssy scented candle?!’ Then I’m trying to figure it out. Like, was it a diss? Maybe we should bring her on the podcast and ask her.”

    Tony Khan Almost Got A Call From Nikki Bella

    Nikki Garcia previously stated that she thought about calling Tony Khan after seeing Mercedes Mone debut with the company. She explained that her son, Matteo, needs her at home more than she wants to be on the road with AEW.

    “When I saw Mercedes [Mone] debut and cut her promo, that line stuck with me, ‘Here, we’re going to make the evolution worldwide.’ I was like, ‘They do.’ It goes into many leagues, is what she means, it doesn’t have to be at one place. It can be at all these places where all these women are wrestling at. I go, ‘Brie, I think I can do it for a year. I can do it here to here and go every week.’”

    “Then, I thought of Matteo. I had a good week of like, ‘This is it. I’m going to call Tony Khan. I’m your girl. I will commit.’ Then, I was like, ‘I can’t do that to my son right now. He needs me,’”

    Nikki Bella retired from the ring in 2018 due to neck and spine issues, but she returned to compete in the Royal Rumble in 2022. The Bella Twins officially exited WWE in 2023 when their contracts ended. 

    Choosing to explore independent ventures, they still have a weekly podcast and Nikki is co-host of the USA Network’s Barmageddon.

  • Tony Khan Says “WWE Is The Harvey Weinstein Of Pro Wrestling” — “AEW Is The Pepsi”

    Tony Khan Says “WWE Is The Harvey Weinstein Of Pro Wrestling” — “AEW Is The Pepsi”

    AEW has not been shy about taking shots at WWE whenever they can. During a recent appearance to promote the NFL Draft, Tony Khan took another chance to shade the competition.

    Tony Khan appeared on the NFL Network to discuss the Jacksonville Jaguars’ next move in the NFL Draft. While on the show, the fact that he was wearing a neck brace took center stage.

    While explaining how the Young Bucks assaulted him, Khan was sure to plug AEW’s shows on TBS and TNT as much as he could. Then the conversation steered toward his company’s biggest competition as Khan made a controversial comparison.

    “There has not been a challenger brand that has gained market share like this in many, many, many years. We’re like the Pepsi of pro wrestling, and we’re against a really evil Juggernaut. WWE is our competitor, that’s who we’re facing. AEW is like the Pepsi of pro wrestling and WWE is like the Harvey Weinstein of pro wrestling, and I’m very proud of what we do down here.”

    When Khan dropped his Weinstein line, the hosts of the show laughed and stopped him from going further. He said that fans will have to tune into AEW’s television shows if they want an update on his neck injury.

    The fact that he called AEW the “Pepsi of professional wrestling” was an obvious dig at CM Punk. His Pepsi tattoo is a huge part of his image, which even brought Danhausen to refer to him as “Pepsi Man.”

    Tony Khan’s Previous Controversies 

    Tony Khan has taken many shots at WWE over the years, from the company’s production to their booking. Digs at Vince McMahon’s company eventually became a trademark for All Elite Wrestling.

    The allegations against Vince McMahon have also not been ruled out of play when it comes to Tony Khan. He has used McMahon’s current lawsuit situation as fodder to fire at WWE in the past.

    Being The Elite was full of jokes about WWE as well, and Tony Khan has taken many opportunities to defend his company from critics like Eric Bischoff. Khan also rubbed it in when Bischoff cancelled his “Strictly Business” podcast to add more fuel to the fire.

  • Jacksonville Jaguars’ Top Draft Pick Wishes Tony Khan A ‘Speedy Recovery’ Following AEW Attack

    Jacksonville Jaguars’ Top Draft Pick Wishes Tony Khan A ‘Speedy Recovery’ Following AEW Attack

    It appears the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted themselves a babyface in the NFL Draft as he hopes his new boss Tony Khan can power through his “neck injury.”

    Khan was the recepient of a Meltzer Driver courtesy of The Young Bucks on Wednesday night’s Dynamite as the AEW President became apart of the storyline regarding the company return of Jack Perry.

    Wrestling fans were wondering if Tony Khan was planning to sell the injury during the NFL Draft, something he’s annually involved with and TK pulled a page out of Bobby Heenan’s book by wearing a neck brace in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ war room.

    With the 23rd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected wide receiver Brian Thomas from Louisiana State University and when he did get picked, the focus was on the Jags’ war room, one that had Tony Khan, Shad Khan and Jaguars’ head coach Doug Pederson.

    Pundits from Rich Eisen and Pat McAfee happened to comment on Khan being “injured” as they playfully joked about the angle that took place on Wednesday night and sure enough, the new draft pick was not free from getting involved in the storyline.

    CBS Sports filled Thomas in on what happened to Khan on Wednesday and the freshly drafted football player made sure to send his new boss some well wishes.

    “Hope you’re good. Hope you shake back from your injury. Speedy recovery.”

    The angle involving Khan has gotten its fair share of criticism and positive reaction. One panelist parodying Mel Kiper Jr. on The Pat McAfee Show noted that Khan need to stick to his guns with the injury as TK was still moving his neck back and forth in the war room.