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Category: AEW

  • AEW Fyter Fest Predictions

    AEW Fyter Fest Predictions

    All Elite Wrestling returns with its second live event, Fyter Fest, this Saturday night streaming live (and free) via the Bleacher Report (B/R) Live service. The show will be co-promoted with CEO Fighting Game Championships.

    AEW continues to ride the wave of momentum that started with the ALL IN independent pay-per-view in Chicago, Illinois last September, and went to another level at the inaugural AEW PPV, Double Or Nothing, in Las Vegas, Nevada last month, as they run the Ocean Center in Daytona Bleach, Florida this Saturday night for the Fyter Fest live streaming special on B/R Live.

    The show kicks off at 7pm Eastern Time with their one-hour long “Buy-In” pre-show, which streams live via the promotion’s official YouTube channel, as well as on Bleacher Report Live. From there, the main card kicks off on B/R Live at 8pm Eastern Time.

    A Look At The AEW Fyter Fest Lineup

    This Saturday’s AEW Fyter Fest features a stacked lineup, with the AEW in-ring debut of former WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose. Ambrose made his AEW debut at the aforementioned inaugural Double Or Nothing PPV in May, attacking Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega after their “Alpha vs. Omega II” main event match. This weekend, Ambrose, now performing as Jon Moxley, will step inside the squared circle with AEW for the first time, as he faces off against Joey Janela in one-on-one action.

    In other featured matches on the card, Cody takes on Darby Allin in singles competition, The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) will battle in six-man tag-team competition against the trio of the Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix) and Laredo Kid, Hangman Page vs. MJF vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Jungle Boy will take place in a Four-Way Match, Christopher Daniels vs. CIMA will go one-on-one and there will be a Women’s Triple-Threat Match with Nyla Rose vs. Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho.

    On the “Buy-In” pre-show there will be three matches, with Michael Nakazawa vs. Alex Jebailey, Kylie Rae vs. Leva Bates (with Peter Avalon) and a special three-way tag-team match with the winning team advancing to the ALL OUT PPV on 8/31 in Illinois for an opportunity at a first round bye in the AEW World Tag-Team Championship Tournament, with Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) vs. SoCal Uncensored (Scorpio Sky & Frankie Kazarian) vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) scheduled.

    SEScoops.com writers Ian Carey, Andrew Ravens and Jeff Moss have prepared their predictions for each of the matches scheduled for Saturday night’s big event. Without further adieu, here are the SEScoops.com staff predictions for AEW Fyter Fest.

    Kylie Rae vs. Leva Bates (Fyter Fest Pre-Show)

    Ian Carey: Put your money on Kylie Rae for this match. Kylie took the pin to Britt Baker in the 4-way match at Double or Nothing and could use a win to get back on the right trajectory. Meanwhile, one of the promotion’s two librarians, Leva Bates, appears to have a secret admirer in the other AEW librarian, Peter Avalon. Kylie seems like a safe pick here.
    (Prediction: Kylie Rae)

    Andrew Ravens: To be honest, I’m a big fan of Rae as I think that she has a ton of potential and could be a real player in the women’s division. Bates is a solid worker and you know what she brings. There’s more upside with Rae.
    (Prediction: Kylie Rae)

    Jeff Moss: Leva Bates. Leva bates wins this and then wins the women’s title. Then she single-handedly wins the tag team tournament. Then in the World Title Match at All Out, Chris Jericho takes off his face and it’s Leva Bates. I really like Leva Bates. (Prediction: Leva Bates)

    CONSENSUS: 2-1, Kylie Rae

    Best Friends vs. SCU vs. Private Party (Fyter Fest Pre-Show)

    Ian: So the winner of this match earns a shot at a wild card match in the upcoming tournament to declare AEW tag team champions. This will be Private Party’s first match for the promotion while the other two were victorious at Double or Nothing. I expect the Best Friends to pick up the win here and book their ticket to All Out. (Prediction: Best Friends)

    Andrew: One of the more important matches on the card due to the stipulation that it carries. I don’t think Private Party or SoCal need a win here but rather, Best Friends do as they need one to establish themselves in the American market.
    (Prediction: Best Friends)

    Jeff: This is a tough one to call. All three of these teams area great, and a bye in the upcoming tag tournament is a pretty significant prize given some of the talent that’s bound to show up there. Also, can I just note how awesome these team names are? I know they aren’t new, but “Best Friends” vs “Private Party” just looks fun on paper. SCU are a great team, but at the end of the night, the power of friendship will prevail and the Best Friends will pick up the victory. (Prediction: Best Friends)

    CONSENSUS: 3-0, Best Friends

    Michael Nakazawa vs. Alex Jebailey (Fyter Fest Pre-Show)

    Ian: Expect a lot of baby oil and weapons in this special hardcore match. Even though it is his company running the CEO Fighting Game championships in Daytona, I’m expecting Jebailey to lose this match to Nakazawa, likely after numerous comedic shenanigans.
    (Prediction: Michael Nakazawa)

    Andrew: I’m interested in seeing how far they go with Nakazawa in AEW as he’s talented but the bigger question is where does he fit in the promotion. Time will tell regarding that question. This is a nothing match, to be honest, so I have Nakazawa winning.
    (Prediction: Michael Nakazawa)

    Jeff: I’ll be honest, this match is a total coin flip for me. I don’t know either of these wrestlers, to be frank. Alexa Jebailey is actually the head of Community Effort Orlando, and Nakazawa I’ve heard of only in passing. That said, what AEW has started with Double or Nothing, and can continue through Fyter Fest, Fight For The Fallen, All Out and into their TV deal is what WCW couldn’t do: CREATE stars. Even matches I have no idea about like this one are exciting to me. If I had to pick a winner (and I guess I do) it’d be Nakazawa, purely because he is listed on the official AEW Roster and Jebailey isn’t. (Prediction: Micheal Nakazawa)

    CONSENSUS: 3-0, Michael Nakazawa

    Christopher Daniels vs. CIMA

    Ian: SCU defeated CIMA’s Strong Hearts team at Double or Nothing but I’m expecting the OWE representative to pick up the win here. SCU has wrestled OWE teams once in China and once for AEW in Las Vegas, winning each time. I think CIMA is going to pick up the first victory for his side in this rivalry at Fyter Fest.
    (Prediction: CIMA)

    Andrew: This is a classic pick em match as either star can win and it doesn’t really matter who goes over. What does matter is laying out and presenting a quality style match.
    (Prediction: Christopher Daniels)

    Jeff: With AEW being a wrestler-run company, they have to be very conscious of executives and higher ups booking themselves to win. Now, I don’t think we’re in Hogan/Nitro territory by any stretch of the imagination, and as long as the story makes sense they will be fine. But it’s something they have to keep in the back of their minds. Daniels is head of Talent Relations (The HHH Role) and CIMA is president of OWE, with whom they’d like to have good Talent Relations, I’m sure. I’m saying that CIMA wins here to build up not only himself, but OWE. (Prediction: CIMA)

    CONSENSUS: 2-1, CIMA

    Hangman Page vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. MJF vs. Jungle Boy

    Ian: Hangman Page will main event the next AEW PPV so it’s likely the promotion wants him to look as strong as possible in the build-up. I’m expecting him to be the main focus of this match, get some revenge on MJF for DoN, and then move on to All Out on a hot streak.
    (Prediction: Hangman Page)

    Andrew: This is a fun match that could go anywhere regarding the winner. Ideally, with Page being built up as a credible star and potential World Champion then there’s no reason for him to lose here. However, someone else could lose the fall and keep Page looking strong if that’s the route they want to go.
    (Prediction: Hangman Page)

    Jeff: I think that logic dictates that Jungle Boy or Jimmy Havoc would be the ones taking a pin here, but wrestling has never been logical and neither have I. Let’s make a star here. All four of these guys can go and they will shoot the lights out, but I think MJF will try and sneak in a win, only to find Jungle Boy with an unlikely victory. (Prediction: Jungle Boy)

    CONSENSUS: 3-0, Hangman Page

    Nyla Rose vs. Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho

    Ian: Nyla Rose and Awesome Kong took each other out of the 4-way match at Double or Nothing and it seems likely things aren’t finished between the two monsters of the women’s division. I’m expecting Rose to roll through both Sakazaki and Riho here, though not before both are able to showcase their Joshi style a little. Rose should end this match looking real strong as the promotion builds towards her versus Kong. (Prediction: Nyla Rose)

    Andrew: This is just a filler match in my opinion although I think that Sakazaki is a fun wrestler to watch. I see Rose being a big player in the women’s division in AEW and thus, gets the win here.
    (Prediction: Nyla Rose)

    Jeff: Since Nyla Rose wasn’t involved in the finish of the killer 4-way at Double or Nothing, I think she’s the easy choice for a win here. She’s going to be a big player in the Women’s Division heading into TV and this is a great way to build her up. Admittedly, I’m not as familiar with her opponents in this match, but in the context of AEW this makes the most sense. (Prediction: Nyla Rose)

    CONSENSUS: 3-0, Nyla Rose

    Jon Moxley vs. Joey Janela

    Ian: I don’t think there will be any surprises here as Moxley will pick up his first victory in AEW here. Expect Joey Janela to give this match everything he has, similar to what he did at All In against Hangman Page. Janela and Moxley strike me as two guys who aren’t going to hold back when they don’t have. They won’t have to here so expect something good to occur.
    (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Andrew: While Janaela is extremely talented, there’s no reason for Moxley to lose here unless Kenny Omega gets involved to further their storyline and match at All Out. Moxley needs a win here and shouldn’t lose until he gets to All Out.
    (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    Jeff: Show me someone who says that they aren’t excited for this match and I’ll show you someone who’s probably dead inside. This match is going to RIP. Mox has been tearing it up in Japan, and Joey Janela is no slouch either. As to who wins here at Fyter Fest, I have to go with Moxley. He’s on a hot run and is clearly going to be a centrepiece of AEW going forward, so let’s keep his chaotic, bloody momentum going. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

    CONSENSUS: 3-0, Jon Moxley

    Cody vs. Darby Allin

    Ian: There is a reason Darby Allin is in AEW and there is a reason he is facing Cody here. Allin is someone who the AEW crowd will really respond to. Expect Allin to give Cody a run for his money but ultimately come up short. It will establish Allin without costing Cody anything. Two weeks after this match, Cody will team with his brother to go up against the Young Bucks. At some point at Fyter Fest, something will happen between the team of Cody and Dustin and The Young Bucks to build to that match. It could possibly happen here.
    (Prediction: Cody)

    Andrew: This is going to be an interesting match due to the dynamic of the talent involved in this contest. I find it hard to believe that Allin wins here considering the stature of Cody in the promotion. Cody wins but Allin gets a rub off of losing to him.
    (Prediction: Cody)

    Jeff: This will be a really intriguing matchup. Cody singles matches are always full of drama and fun, but Allin is somewhat of a wild card to me as an opponent. In my mind, it’d be cool for Allin to win this match too give him a bit of a mainstream rub and also to give Cody a bit of a chip on his shoulder heading into his tag match with Dustin at All Out. Then they’d both have something to prove against those Bucks of Youth. (Prediction: Darby Allin)

    CONSENSUS: 2-1, Cody

    The Elite vs. Lucha Bros & Laredo Kid

    Ian: Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks will pick up the victory here to send the crowd home happy. Omega needs a win after losing to Jericho and the Bucks just lost the AAA titles at Verano De Escandalo to the Lucha Bros. From here the Young Bucks will take on the Cody and Dustin at Fight for the Fallen. This match here at AEW Fyter Fest could build to that match in some way.
    (Prediction: The Elite)

    Andrew: While the Bucks and Bros have gone back and forth with trading wins as of late, I think that this is an easy pick with an easy excuse for a loss to Bros. Omega and Bucks should go over here as I think this will be a great match and with them winning, it would feel like a good feel win for the live crowd. There is much more storytelling involving these teams. (Prediction: The Elite)

    Jeff: I’ll be honest, normally 6-man tags don’t do much for me unless there’s a ladder involved. This is not to say there haven’t been great ones, but for me, it’s not a match I’m usually that into. That said, with the talent assembled here? It might be the greatest multi-man tag match assembled since Steve Austin led a team into Calgary against the Harts. This is going to be crazy, and I think the team of Omega/Young Bucks is going to win to end the show at AEW Fyter Fest. Matt and Nick can get their win back against the Luchas and Omega can look good before heading into All Out. (Prediction: The Elite)

    CONSENSUS: 3-0, The Elite

    What do you think of the above AEW Fyter Fest predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section below, and make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com on Saturday evening for live AEW Fyter Fest results coverage.

  • AEW Fyter Fest Opening Video Package Released

    AEW Fyter Fest Opening Video Package Released

    All Elite Wrestling has released the opening video package for Saturday’s AEW Fyter Fest live event from Daytona Beach, Florida.

    Fyter Fest airs live (and free) on the Bleacher Report Live streaming service and is co-presented by the Community Effort Orlando (CEO) video game convention.

    The ‘Buy In’ pre-show kicks off at 7:30pm (EST). The main card starting a half hour later. As seen below, the opening video package declares a “new wrestling empire” is on the rise:

    “Tonight, it’s time to show the world why All Elite Wrestling is here to stay. AEW is ready to embrace the bright lights ready to prove themselves yet again. Because they realize in order to survive the struggle and succeed, they need to fight for this dream every day. Their passion will create an energy that will infuse your soul. An energy that declares, ‘Let’s live forever.’ Welcome to All Elite Wrestling. This is Fyter Fest. Welcome to the show.”

    AEW Fyter Fest Card

    The following is the final card for Saturday night’s AEW Fyter Fest pay-per-view, streaming free on BR LIVE:

    • Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks vs. Pentagon Jr., Fenix, and Laredo Kid
    • Jon Moxley vs. Joey Janela – Non-Sanctioned Match
    • Cody vs. Darby Allin
    • Adam Page vs. MJF vs. Jungle Boy vs. Jimmy Havoc
    • Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho vs. Nyla Rose
    • Christopher Daniels vs. CIMA
    • Jebailey vs. Michael Nakazawa – Hardcore Match
    • Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho vs. Nyla Rose – Triple Threat Match

    Join us here Saturday night for our Live Coverage of AEW Fyter Fest and check back after the event for our AEW Fyter Fest Takeaways feature.

  • AEW Trademarks “Wednesday Night Dynamite” As Weekly TV Draws Closer

    AEW Trademarks “Wednesday Night Dynamite” As Weekly TV Draws Closer

    AEW filed to trademark the term “Wednesday Night Dynamite” on June 18th. It is the latest indication that Wednesday is, in fact, the planned night for AEW’s weekly cable show.

    Early indications had been it was between Tuesday night and Wednesday night that AEW weekly TV would air. The Tuesday night timeslot had been rumored since before the promtinon was officially announced. AEW filed for the trademark “Tuesday Night Dynamite” back in November.

    Now it appears Wednesday October 2nd, 2019 is the likely first night the show will air.

    “It now looks like the start date for TV will be 10/2 since the company has filed for a trademark on the name Wednesday Night Dynamite,” wrote Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. “There are still meetings going on regarding television, battle strategies, and a variety of ideas from the TNT side but Wednesday is pretty much the day unless something changes (and has been the favorite to be the day for months) with 8-10 p.m. being currently the most likely time slot.”

    AEW Weekly Television

    Several international broadcast deals are awaiting the finalizing of the night of the week the show will air on. ITV and broadcast deals in Canada specifically, are reportedly unable to be finalized until the weekday night is determined.

    AEW weekly TV is scheduled to begin the same week Smackdown moves to Fox. The first episode of Smackdown on Fox is scheduled for Friday, October 4th, 2019.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BzLW1kilHqQ/
  • Joey Janela Squashes Cody Hall In Twitter Beef

    Joey Janela Squashes Cody Hall In Twitter Beef

    All Elite Wrestling’s Joey Janela got into an online beef with Cody Hall yesterday on Twitter, where he told Hall to get his act together.

    Janela tweeted out that he wasn’t having a great morning owing to a very late flight. He also had to catch a train that would take two hours to get him home. He implied that he was in a bad mood, and asked everyone to leave him alone.

    This is exactly when Cody decided to respond, and Hall wasn’t having any of the trolling. Hall wrote, “Post for attention, says leave me alone.”

    Janela reponded in a brutal fashion and stated that Hall is 28, 6’9 and the son of Scott Hall, yet he isn’t signed anywhere, nor is he getting any notable independent dates. The Bad Boy urged Hall to get his act together.

    https://twitter.com/JANELABABY/status/1143688432499200001

    This prompted Hall to write a response of his own, where he specifically mentioned how handsome he is.

    https://twitter.com/Cody_Hall1/status/1144003150652645376

    It isn’t clear if the both of them are building up heat for a match down the road, or if they simply just don’t like each other. Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that it’s best to leave the Bad Boy to himself when he asks you to.

  • Britt Baker On Balancing Her Jobs As Wrestler & Dentist

    Britt Baker On Balancing Her Jobs As Wrestler & Dentist

    Current AEW wrestler Dr. Britt Baker who is a doctor by day and wrestler by night, talked about juggling both of her careers and how she manages to do it while speaking to Diva Dirt.

    Baker has studied behavioral medicine with a minor in human development and family studies at Pennsylvania State University, and is currently employed at a private practice in Winter Park, Florida. Baker talked about being a doctor-cum-wrestler and how she ended up taking this unusual path.

    “It was when I was graduating from undergrad at Penn State University and I was moving to Pittsburgh to start my dental school education at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. That was right at the same time I enrolled in the IWC Wrestling Academy, also in Pittsburgh, and I literally started my training for both dentistry and wrestling at the same exact time, like within months of each other.”

    Baker reveals that it takes mental toughness to juggle both drastically different careers. She has to sometimes manage both on the same day, which includes work at the dental office, working out in the gym and wrestling, etc.

    “Sometimes that seems a bit daunting as far as, is there enough hours in a day to get everything done, but it’s just a matter of putting one step in front of the other and just trying to relax and get everything done; and that’s the part that has been… my secret to success is never panicking and just power forward and get everything done that needs to be done.”

    Baker was asked which wrestlers inspired her and she named legends like Lita, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Edge as well as current female wrestlers such as Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Natalya and Sasha Banks. She also said that her current boyfriend, WWE’s Adam Cole is also a huge inspiration to her.

    “…I’m hugely inspired by Adam Cole, he’s obviously one of the most important people in my life. It may be biased, but I think he’s one of the best wrestlers in the world, and I love watching him wrestle and I love learning from him.”

    Also See:
    Adam Cole Talks About Britt Baker’s AEW Performance


  • Kenny Omega Slams WWE For “Trying To Undermine” AEW Charity Show

    Kenny Omega Slams WWE For “Trying To Undermine” AEW Charity Show

    WWE announced recently they plan to live stream the upcoming EVOLVE 10th Anniversary show on the WWE Network the same night AEW presents Fight for the Fallen. Both events will stream live on July 13th, 2019. News that WWE will be live streaming an event the same night as his promotion’s charity show upset AEW’s Kenny Omega.

    “If lining your pockets with blood money is okay, then what’s wrong with trying to undermine a charity show for victims of gun violence?” Omega posted in a since-deleted Tweet. “I hear that healthy competition is supposed to be a good thing and yet I can’t help but feel like I’m gonna be sick.”

    After deleting the Tweet, Omega then posted the following:

    EVOLVE Anniversary Show + AEW Fight For The Fallen

    EVOLVE 131 will take place on July 13th, 2019 inside the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. Here are the matches announced thus far for the show:

    • NXT Championship Match: Adam Cole (c) vs. Akira Tozawa
    • Catch Point Reunion Match: Matt Riddle vs. WWE Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak
    • Josh Briggs vs. Anthony Greene

    As for Fight for the Fallen, the following matches have been confirmed thus far:

    • Brandi Rhodes vs Allie
    • Kenny Omega vs CIMA
    • Cody & Dustin Rhodes vs the Young Bucks

    Which show(s) will you be watching this weekend?

  • WWE Network To Air EVOLVE Show On Same Night As AEW Event

    WWE Network To Air EVOLVE Show On Same Night As AEW Event

    WWE is back at it again with holding another show on the same day as an AEW event. 

    On Wednesday, The Wrap reported that EVOLVE Wrestling will celebrate their 10th Anniversary by holding a show on July 13th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA. WWE’s streaming service, WWE Network, will air the event at 8 PM ET that night. 

    EVOLVE 131 will feature a host of WWE and NXT talent on the card. This includes Adam Cole defending the NXT Championship against Akira Tozawa and Matt Riddle taking on WWE Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak in a non-title match.

    EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory, EVOLVE Tag Champs Joe Gacy and Eddie Kingston are advertised to appear at the show. WWE has a working relationship with EVOLVE. 

    This is interesting as AEW holds their Fight for the Fallen event on the same night (July 13) from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. This is a charity event as the event’s proceeds will be donated to victims of gun violence.

    This isn’t the first time that WWE will be airing a show on the same day as an AEW event. NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff will take place on Saturday, August 31 and air live on the WWE Network at 3pm ET from Cardiff, Wales. 

    The second AEW (All Elite Wrestling) pay-per-view event, All Out, will take place at the Sears Centre in Chicago, IL that night. This NXT UK pay-per-view event will air just a few hours before All Out. WWE’s show should be over by the time that AEW starts to broadcast.

  • Possible Match For AEW Fyter Fest Revealed

    Possible Match For AEW Fyter Fest Revealed

    Another match for the upcoming AEW Fyter Fest event could be announced this week.

    Fans picked up on the fact that AEW’s UK partner ITV sent out a promotional tweet this week that included a graphic of all of the matches that featured Kylie Rae vs. “The Librarian” Leva Batestaking place on The Buy-In pre-show.

    As of this writing, SCU vs. Private Party vs. Best Friends and Michael Nakazawa vs. Jebailey are the only matches booked for the pre-show. The match has yet to be officially announced by AEW.

    https://twitter.com/ITVWrestling/status/1142462750729396224

    AEW Fyter Fest is scheduled to take place on June 29, 2019, at Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida and will air live and free on Bleacher Report Live at 8pm ET. This show will be held alongside the Community Effort Orlando (CEO) fighting game event.

    All Elite Wrestling will be announcing more matches in the coming days. Here is the updated card for AEW Fyter Fest:

    • Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks vs. Pentagon Jr., Fenix, and Laredo Kid
    • Jon Moxley vs. Joey Janela
    • Cody vs. Darby Allin
    • Adam Page vs. MJF vs. Jungle Boy vs. Jimmy Havoc
    • Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho vs. Nyla Rose
    • Christopher Daniels vs. CIMA
    • Jebailey vs. Michael Nakazawa – Hardcore Match
    • Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho vs. Nyla Rose – Triple Threat Match
  • Brandi Rhodes Talks About AEW Women’s Championship

    Brandi Rhodes Talks About AEW Women’s Championship

    During the most recent episode of ‘The Road To Fyter,’ All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced they would be unveiling their Women’s Championship at their next pay-per-view, All Out.

    Speaking with Busted Open Radio, AEW Chief Branding Officer, Brandi Rhodes teased more on the championship and its design.

    “[…] I have had a hand in the design of the championship that has never been done before, that’s all I can say about it. What’s surprising to me is, I said, ‘What if we did this?’ The designer said that has never been done before, which is a really good thing. I’m looking forward to showing that off to everyone, and hope everyone is as excited about it as we are.”

    Double Or Nothing

    Looking back at her involvement in AEW’s recent show, Double Or Nothing, Brandi talks about teasing her participation in the women’s match featuring Kylie Rae, Britt Baker, and Nyla Rose. Instead of inserting herself, Awesome Kong would instead make her debut for the company.

    “I knew from the beginning that is what I wanted to do,” Rhodes explained. “There had been early discussions about me being a part of that match. I thought no, that would make it a fatal four-way and we did that at All In, and that creates a pattern. People would think that is all we do for women, that’s a problem for me. I’m going to sit it out, then a lot of people say I sat out of the match at All In.”

    The match would still be a Fatal Four Way, just with Awesome Kong’s involvement instead of Brandi’s.

    All Out takes place on August 31st from Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

    Before that, however, is Fyter Fest, which will occur on June 29th from the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Luchasauras Reveals Which WWE Legend Inspired Him To Become A Wrestler

    Luchasauras Reveals Which WWE Legend Inspired Him To Become A Wrestler

    All Elite Wrestling superstar Luchasauras was recently profiled by the newspaper of California State University at Northridge and he gave an interview to them for the piece.

    During the conversation, Luchasauras, real name Austin Matelson, revealed which WWE legend inspired him to become a wrestler and made him fall in love with Pro Wrestling, among other things.

    Matelson, who also holds a master’s degree in medieval history after attending CSUN, stated that he fell in love with Pro Wrestling at the age of 7.

    According to the former NXT superstar, The Ultimate Warrior personified his mythological heroes and after watching the Hall of Famer compete on TV, a 7-year-old Luchasauras knew that he wanted to be a Pro Wrestler.

    Continuing on the topic, Matelson further said that The Ultimate Warrior was like Conan the Barbarian of Wrestling for him.

    During the interview the AEW Star also talked about his WWE run and claimed that he fell into depression after his two year-run with NXT came to an end in 2014 due to a severe spinal injury.

    However, the former Judas Devlin managed to resume his Pro Wrestling career after pursuing physical therapy and personal training to get his health back.

    Matelson started working for Lucha Underground later on, under the name of Vibora. Though the LU fans started chanting “Luchasauras” at him and he eventually ran with the gimmick after Johnny Impact encouraged him to.

  • AEW To Unveil Women’s Championship At ALL OUT

    AEW To Unveil Women’s Championship At ALL OUT


    AEW unveiled their World Championship at the recent Double Or Nothing event and the company is now gearing up to introduce another title to their fans.

    The latest episode of their YouTube series ‘Road To Fyter Fest’ was released recently and it opened with an announcement from the company’s Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes.

    Brandi first talked about their upcoming All Out event selling out in less than 15 minutes and the AEW official thanked fans for their continuous support.

    The former ROH Star then claimed that she can’t talk about many of the things planned for their upcoming PPV but what she can tell is that the company will be debuting its Women’s Championship at their upcoming show in Chicago.

    Though Rhodes didn’t provide any further details on the segment so it would be interesting to see how the championship is revealed and how they plan to crown the Inaugural Champion.

    It’s worth mentioning here that this is not the only championship that is in the works. Tony Khan had revealed during a recent interview that they are also planning to hold a tag team tournament to crown the first tag team champions of the promotion.

    Though fans will have to wait some more for that as the tournament is expected to begin after the company debuts its weekly TV Show this fall.

    AEW’s Female Roster

    • Allie
    • Awesome Kong
    • Bea Priestley
    • Brandi Rhodes
    • Britt Baker
    • Hikaru Shida
    • Kylie Rae
    • Leva Bates
    • Nyla Rose
    • Penelope Ford
    • Riho
    • Sadie Gibbs

    Check out AEW’s Road To Fyter Fest (Episode 3)

  • Excalibur Explains Why He Didn’t Like The Young Bucks At First

    Excalibur Explains Why He Didn’t Like The Young Bucks At First

    All Elite Wrestling commentator Excalibur was not impressed with Matt & Nick Jackson when he first met the brothers. Excalibur was running a training camp at the time and found the Bucks to be over-confident. He explained the meeting during a recent interview with the AEW website staff.

    “I actually met the Bucks for the first time in late 2003; I was assisting Super Dragon at a class at the Rudos Dojo when “Mr. Instant Replay” and “Slick Nick” came sauntering in to class. Instead of doing the drills like everybody else, they were showing off, doing cartwheels instead of rolls, backflips instead of elbow drops, etc. I turned to Dragon and said, “Who do these assholes think they are?” Excalibur said

    “Luckily our relationship has improved since then.”

    At the time both brothers would have only been teenagers. They would make their debuts in PWG a few years later in 2007.

    Excalibur on the Young Bucks

    Excalibur would continue to say, however, that he doesn’t know if the Young Bucks would be the same team today had it not been for their initial over-confidence.

    “The funny thing is, I don’t think the Bucks would have become who they are today without that early period of overconfidence. Some guys are like that from the outset and never realize they’re not as good as they think they are.”

    The Young Bucks are scheduled to take on Cody & Dustin Rhodes at Fyter Fest on June 29th.

    “Fortunately, in 2007 after the Bucks began competing in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla they had a huge realization. They found out firsthand that just maybe they weren’t the best tag team in the world, and used that as motivation. Without that, I feel like the Bucks would have remained at the level they were at in 2007, good but not great. They’ve continued to improve ever since.”

    The full interview can be read here.

  • MJF On The Significance Of Cody Breaking The Throne At Double Or Nothing

    MJF On The Significance Of Cody Breaking The Throne At Double Or Nothing

    Cody Rhodes made a big statement during his entrance at AEW’s first event Double Or Nothing. He broke a throne using a sledge hammer, firing some very significant shots at Triple H and WWE as a whole.

    During a recent interview with WrestlingInc, Cody’s on-screen protege and one of the fastest rising stars in the world of pro-wrestling, MJF discussed this move from his mentor.

    MJF was signed by AEW in January and he made his debut for the company at the pre-show battle royale at Double or Nothing. He was also part of a segment involving Bret Hart and Adam Page during the main show.

    In his interview with WrestlingInc’s WINCLY podcast, the AEW Star discussed Cody’s entrance and said that the statement Rhodes was making was for himself:

    “I think the statement Cody was making was for himself, and if you listen to the post-fight interview, he wasn’t digging anyone. He wasn’t trying to stir the pot. That was for himself and was a cathartic thing for him.”

    Continuing on the topic, MJF claimed that Cody barred his soul at the Double or Nothing event, and that is the reason why fans were standing at the end bawling their eyes out.

    Apart from this, he also talked about not being drawn to ‘flippy dudes’ and more. You can check out his full interview at this link.

  • Nyla Rose Talks About Being AEW’s First Transgender Wrestler

    Nyla Rose Talks About Being AEW’s First Transgender Wrestler

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) intend to live up to their core value that AEW is for everyone.

    The promotion signed Nyla Rose to a full-time contract earlier this year. This signing saw her make history, becoming the first out transgender competitor to be signed by a major U.S. wrestling company.

    Speaking with SI.com, Rose discussed her journey to AEW, and what it means to her to represent the trans community on such a large platform, claiming to be willing to shoulder the backlash that may come.

    “As much negativity that I do see, I do see much more love and acceptance,” Rose said. “It’s just that sadly negative things seem to get highlighted more than positive things.”

    She continued, “”If I can bear the weight, if I can hold up all the hatred and everything and carry that on my back, I know that I’m strong enough to do it,” she said. “If the people out there need to beat me up and I need to absorb that so that the next generation, the youth, can have an easier time, I gladly welcome that.”

    “AEW Has Felt That I Am Worthy Of A Chance”

    Looking to the future, Rose hopes to be able to set the tone, inspiring future wrestlers to pursue their dreams no matter their gender or sexuality.

    “I’m really hoping to set the tone and set the pace and create that environment that’s going to fuel the next generation,” she said. “Not just trans people, but inspire anybody to say, ‘Hey, these women lit that on fire. I want to be that. I want to do that.’”

    “AEW has felt that I am worthy of a chance. All I can ask is that some of the people out there, the fans who might be a little bit tight-minded, just give me a chance to show you what I can do in the ring. That’s all.”

    Despite signing and booking a transgender wrestler, All Elite Wrestling never made a point of it. None of their advertising or marketing revolved around Rose being transgender, focusing instead on the matchup at Double Or Nothing itself.

  • MJF Discusses Cody’s Symbolic Throne Destruction At Double Or Nothing

    MJF Discusses Cody’s Symbolic Throne Destruction At Double Or Nothing

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman, better known as MJF, has shared his thoughts on Cody’s symbolic decision to smash a throne at All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) recent event, Double Or Nothing.

    In an interview with the WINCLY podcast, MJF addressed his friendship with Cody being a contributing factor in his being hired by AEW, in addition to his thoughts on Cody’s sledgehammer antics. He also spoke highly about Cody’s matchup with Dustin Rhodes and their storytelling ability.

    “I think the statement Cody was making was for himself, and if you listen to the post-fight interview, he wasn’t digging anyone. He wasn’t trying to stir the pot. That was for himself and was a cathartic thing for him. …Cody Rhodes bared his soul at that PPV, and that’s why everyone in that audience was standing at the end and bawling their eyes out.”

    He continued, “There is nothing in pro wrestling more important than drawing in an audience emotionally. Sure, you might get an ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ every couple of minutes. But if you can have somebody hook, line and sinker from the first bell to the second bell, that is the art of what we do. That is pro wrestling.”

    Friendship aside, MJF made his intentions clear, stating emphatically that he intends to, and will become, the face of AEW.

    H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

  • Kenny Omega On AEW All Out Match Serving As Real Test For Jon Moxley

    Kenny Omega On AEW All Out Match Serving As Real Test For Jon Moxley

    Kenny Omega recently spoke with Gamespot.com to talk about topics relating to All Elite Wrestling.

    During the interview, he talked about wrestling Jon Moxley in one of the top matches taking place at the AEW All Out pay-per-view event that takes place on Saturday, August 31st at the Sears Centre in Chicago, IL, which has already sold out.

    Omega started out by stating that Moxley can talk the best game in the world and brawl with the best of them but he has made his name on having great wrestling matches that are long.

    Omega touted the fact that he can do all styles of professional wrestling. Omega believes that this match will serve as a real test for Moxley under the AEW banner.

    “Now, finally, he has the platform to show if he can be that multifaceted tool. So this is going to be the grandest stage for him, and this is going to be the biggest test for him as well. Yes, he can brawl. Yes, he can talk. But now, can he wrestle?

    Now, can he win? Now, can he fight? Now, can he have the type of performances that AEW is going to command from him? This is the real test.”

  • Tag Team Triple Threat Added To AEW Fyter Fest With Interesting Situlation

    Tag Team Triple Threat Added To AEW Fyter Fest With Interesting Situlation

    A triple threat tag-team match has been announced for the upcoming Fyter Fest in Daytona Beach, Florida on June 29th. 3 teams will compete with the winner advancing to a tag title tournament match at All Out. The winning team at All out will receive a bye in the next round of the tournament to declare inaugural AEW tag-team champions.

    SCU’s Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky will go up against the Best Friends and Private Party on the show. SCU and the Best Friends were both victorious in their matches at Double or Nothing and this will be the first match in AEW for Private Party.

    https://twitter.com/FiteTV/status/1140969101952802820

    Updated Fyter Fest Lineup

    1. Hardcore Match: Michael Nakazawa vs Alex Jebailey
    2. Cody vs Darby Allin
    3. Kenny Omega & the Young Bucks vs the Lucha Bros & Laredo Kid
    4. Jon Moxley vs Joey Janela
    5. Adam “Hangman” Page vs Jimmy Havoc vs Jungle Boy vs MJF
    6. Christopher Daniels vs CIMA
    7. Yuka Sakazaki vs Riho vs Nyla Rose
    8. SCU vs the Best Friends vs Private Party

    AEW Tag Team Win/Loss Records

    • The Young Bucks (1W-0L)
    • The Best Friends (1W-0L)
    • SCU (1W-0L) *
    • The Lucha Bros (0W-1L)
    • Angelico & Jack Evans (0W-1L)
    • Strong Hearts (0W-1L)*
    • Private Party (0W-0L)
    • The Dark Order (0W-0L)

    *This was a 3-on-3 tag match.

  • AEW To Hold Tournament To Crown First Tag Team Champions

    AEW To Hold Tournament To Crown First Tag Team Champions

    AEW will hold a tournament to crown the promotion’s first-ever tag-team champions. With tag-team wrestling set to become a major part of the company, Tony Khan appeared on Steve Austin’s podcast recently to discuss the division. Khan mentioned a tournament will be used to crown AEW’s first tag-team champions.

    “We’re going to establish a great tag team division. When we launch our weekly television show in the fall, we’re going to be doing a tag team tournament that’s going to have some of the greatest tag team matches ever on TV.”

    Khan continued to talk about a possible format for the tournament.

    “It’s going to be a main focus of our TV. There will be teams competing to get a first-round bye in that tournament, which is a big deal. We’ll have some of the best tag teams in wrestling competing for our Tag Team Championships coming up in the fall.”

    AEW’s Tag Teams

    The teams for the tournament have yet to be announced but the tag-team division for All Elite Wrestling consists of the following teams:

    • Matt & Nick Jackson (the Young Bucks)
    • Pentagon Jr. & Fenix (the Lucha Bros)
    • Cody & Dustin Rhodes
    • Chuck Taylor & Trent Barreta (The Best Friends)
    • Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, Scorpio Sky (SCU)
    • CIMA, El Lindaman, T-Hawk (Strong Hearts)
    • Angelico & Jack Evans (Los Güeros del Cielo)
    • The Dark Order (formerly Super Smash Bros)
  • Kenny Omega Discusses EVP Duties, Says AEW Are Currently “Understaffed”

    Kenny Omega Discusses EVP Duties, Says AEW Are Currently “Understaffed”

    Kenny Omega isn’t just one of All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) top wrestlers. He also happens to be one of the promotion’s Executive Vice Presidents.

    In an interview with Gamespot.com, “The Best Bout Machine” discussed the new duties he has shouldered in his EVP role, admitting that a lot of the day-to-day is new to him. These responsibilities extend from dealing with creative ideas and behind-the-scenes decisions to sorting out visas for foreign talent.

    “It’s the stuff that you don’t really see. I mean the tech stuff. Some of the set design. Those are things that are new to me, and even agenting matches or working on foreign visas, things like that, these are all things that are very new in my world, and these are the things that keep me awake at night.”

    “So, I mean, when we’re thinking about how to plan the show, what order things should go in, how to produce a show, timing-wise and all that, working on sponsorships, selecting the arenas, working on the advertising aspect of it,” he said.

    “And then, you know for me, kind of being the sole Japanese liaison right now, not only am I having to do that during the day, during normal North American hours, I have to be awake for the Japanese time zone. And I have to work with our ladies and men up there to get their visas sorted out, to make sure that they’re feeling comfortable, make sure their flights and their travel’s squared up, hotels, et cetera, et cetera.”

    “Right Now, We Are Understaffed”

    Omega admits that the entire process has been incredibly mentally draining, divulging that he has been under-rested before confessing that AEW is currently understaffed.

    “[…] right now, we are understaffed. But every week that goes by, we’re finding new talented people. We’re configuring this team and building a team that really wants to join this project and be successful with us.”

    Despite this, Omega believes that by the time AEW debuts on television, their core crew will be assembled, “ready to just hit it home.”

  • Chris Jericho Discusses WWE’s Independent Contractor Culture

    Chris Jericho Discusses WWE’s Independent Contractor Culture

    With WWE locking down talent, people are still questioning the promotion’s use of ‘independent contractors’ to describe their contracted Superstars.

    Former WWE Superstar, and current All Elite Wrestling (AEW) wrestler, Chris Jericho, discussed the ‘independent contractor’ culture that WWE has cultivated. The topic arose as he spoke with Jesse “The Body” Ventura on RT America.

    “I think the way that the union will happen is when television stations go through the Screen Actors Guild type of thing and force the union to happen,” Jericho said.

    “I think right now is the best time for wrestlers. There’s a lot of options, there’s a lot of ways to put that money away and put that money aside to be able to take care of yourself in the future. There’s a lot of guys from the ’80s, your generation, that weren’t able to do that and are having a lot of issues with healthcare and that sort of thing. It’s something I believe in—helping a lot of those guys.”

    Jericho called the current system “flawed” before claiming that AEW is “[…] more about wrestlers and not just in that respect, but also as far as being in control of who you are as a performer. There is a lot of micromanaging going on in the WWE right now as far as writers, and scriptwriters, and script doctors, and all this sort of thing. That’s something that isn’t good for the business either. AEW has a fresh perspective on all of those things. I think it is something that will change the business.”

    He went on to confirm that, despite his appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling, he is an employee of AEW and that he enjoys the “big-time sports mentality” that they have adopted versus WWE’s old school model.

    https://youtu.be/PWsdsWqMzgs
  • The Lucha Bros’ Mystery Partner Announced For AEW Fyter Fest Match

    The Lucha Bros’ Mystery Partner Announced For AEW Fyter Fest Match

    The question about who will be the mystery partner for Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr. at AEW Fyter Fest has been answered.

    On Monday, the latest episode of Road to Fyter Fest was uploaded and featured the announcement that Laredo Kid would team up with the Lucha Bros to take on The Elite in a six-man tag team match at this show.

    AEW Fyter Fest is scheduled to take place on June 29, 2019, at Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida and will air live and free on Bleacher Report Live at 8pm ET. This show will be held alongside the Community Effort Orlando (CEO) fighting game event.

    All Elite Wrestling will be announcing more matches in the coming days. Here is the updated card for AEW Fyter Fest:

    • The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega vs. Lucha Bros and Laredo Kid
    • “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Jungle Boy vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. MJF – Four Way Match
    • Cody Rhodes vs. Darby Allin
    • Jon Moxley vs. Joey Janela
    • Jebailey vs. Michael Nakazawa – Hardcore Match
    • Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho vs. Nyla Rose – Triple Threat Match
    • Christopher Daniels vs. Cima

    Tickets for AEW FyterFest are now on sale at FyterFest.com. The least expensive ticket will be $30 while the most expensive ticket will be $190. You can watch the episode here:

  • Arn Anderson Clarifies Current Contract Status

    Arn Anderson Clarifies Current Contract Status

    Arn Anderson has clarified his current status in the pro wrestling industry. The former-WWE employee spoke with The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast and addressed his current career choices.

    Naturally, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) was brought up as a key focus in during their conversation.

    “We Haven’t Had That Discussion As Of Yet”

    Anderson emphatically told the show that he does not work for AEW, explaining that they have not yet had that particular conversation.

    “I wasn’t at the show,” Arn confessed. “I was there doing some signings and I did a stage show that I did with Tony Schiavone and I didn’t go to the show because I didn’t want anybody coming up because make no mistake about it, I do not work for AEW, we haven’t had that discussion as of yet—and not to say I wouldn’t be honored somewhere down the road to be offered a position with those guys.”

    He explained that part of the reason they haven’t spoken about Arn becoming a part of AEW is due to WWE’s non-disclosure agreement.

    “[…] we just haven’t had that conversation because, quite frankly, I am legally bound to a non-disclosure agreement and for a few more months I am going to be still on a severance package. I can’t talk to anybody about anything as far as going forward, but with that being said I was so excited for them that I might as well have been working for them because I was pulling for them every step of the way and they paid it off.”

    Arn had high praise for Cody’s vision and the entire AEW operation, comparing it to Jim Crockett Promotions because of how everyone is so excited to perform for their audience. He claimed that if a fan doesn’t “feel good about what is going on with AEW and the impact it has had on the business, you are a fool, and that’s it.”

    H/T to The Two Man Power Trip Podcast for the transcription.

  • Lucha Brothers Reclaim AAA World Tag Team Championships

    Lucha Brothers Reclaim AAA World Tag Team Championships

    Mexican promotion AAA held their Verano de Escandalo event last night.

    During the show, the Lucha Brothers, Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr., would defeat The Young Bucks in tag team action, reclaiming the AAA World Tag Team Championships in the process.

    The Young Bucks won the titles from the Lucha Brothers earlier this year. They would successfully defend the belts against Fenix and Pentagon Jr. during All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) recent show, Double Or Nothing.

    Working Relationship

    AEW, who have a working relationship with AAA (as well as several other promotions worldwide), posted the following to their Twitter account following the victory:

    “#AndNEW @luchalibreaaa World Tag Team Champions @PENTAELZEROM and @ReyFenixMx #LuchaBros”

    This relationship between the promotions will probably see the two teams continue to feud as AEW continues to grow. They are scheduled to face off in 6-man tag team action at AEW’s next event, Fyter Fest.


    Fyter Fest

    At the time of writing, the current Fyter Fest card is as follows:

    Pre-Show Hardcore Match

    • Michael Nakazawa vs Alex Jebailey

    Main Card

    • Cody vs Darby Allin
    • The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson) vs Lucha Brothers (Pentagon Jr., Rey Fenix), and TBA
    • Jon Moxley vs Joey Janela
    • Adam Page vs Jimmy Havoc vs Jungle Boy vs MJF
    • Christopher Daniels vs Cima
    • Yuka Sakazaki vs Riho vs Nyla Rose

    Fyter Fest takes place on June 29th from the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is taking place alongside the Community Effort Orlando (CEO) fighting game event.

  • Chris Jericho Says He’s An AEW Employee, Not A Contractor

    Chris Jericho Says He’s An AEW Employee, Not A Contractor

    Chris Jericho recently clarified his employment status with AEW. He did so on an episode of Jesse Ventura’s “The World According to Jesse” on RT America. Jericho stated he is an AEW employee and receives health benefits from the organization, not an independent contractor.

    Ventura and Jericho discussed various aspects of how wrestlers’ employment is handled by promotions.

    “I know you for one always stood up for a union in wrestling,” Jericho said to Ventura. “I think the way a union will happen is when television stations go through the Screen Actors Guild type of thing and force the union to happen.”

    The interview can be viewed in its entirety below:

    https://youtu.be/PWsdsWqMzgs?t=858

    Chris Jericho On Independent Contractor Status

    “You could steal half the talent if you simply made the wrestlers employees,” Ventura said.

    Ventura then stated several reasons why wrestlers should not be classified as independent contractors. Jericho then clarified his status with AEW.

    “I don’t know everybody’s specific deals but for myself, I am an employee of AEW,” Jericho clarified. “So there are inroads for that, atleast for me, I’m a registered employee of the company.”

    Jericho will face Adam “Hangman” Page at AEW All Out on August 31st, 2019.

    “I was paying $5,000 a year and this was way back in the 80s, just for health care,” Ventura said.

    Jericho continued to say that the benefits and employee status he was given played a role in him deciding to sign with AEW.

  • Rey Mysterio Discusses How AEW Has Changed State Of Pro Wrestling

    Rey Mysterio Discusses How AEW Has Changed State Of Pro Wrestling

    Former WWE United States Champion Rey Mysterio is a supporter of competition within the pro wrestling business.

    This was a topic he talked about while making a recent appearance on the WINCLY podcast this week. AEW has already found success and looks to continue that trend when they start their weekly television show on TNT later this year.

    Mysterio believes that the launch of AEW has affected the industry by bringing strong competition and competition has always known to be good.

    “That is something we’re all gonna have to face and step up our game for talent, behind the scenes, everybody,” said Mysterio. “But at the end of the day, this is great for business in general. We’re all gonna wanna do our best to become the best. I don’t think there is better options than wanting to be the best at your brand.”

    With AEW airing on TNT, there have been some comparisons to AEW and WCW as they both broadcasted their product on the television network. With such a good TV deal and big money backing them, many fans think we are upon another Monday Night War even though AEW will air on a different night than RAW or SmackDown Live.

    Mysterio gave his take on whether it feels like WWE vs. AEW just yet like it was back in the day with WWE vs. WCW.

    “It still hasn’t because it’s not out there fully yet. But I’m sure there’s gonna be some flashbacks to all of us that were in that Monday Night Wars era,” admitted Mysterio. “But the buzz is going around already and a lot of people are either gonna crank up their energy level or be confused and be like, ‘What’s going on?’ But I think it’s gonna be the other way around and everyone wants to work hard at their craft.”