SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Swerve Strickland Wins AEW World Title From Samoa Joe At Dynasty

    Swerve Strickland Wins AEW World Title From Samoa Joe At Dynasty

    AEW Dynasty was a historic event for the company. Not only did they debut a new pay-per-view in Saint Louis, but the company ended the night with a new AEW World Champion.

    Swerve Strickland’s road to the top of AEW reached its peak at AEW Dynasty. The Mogul Embassy leader proved that the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis is Swerve’s House, as he defeated Samoa Joe for the AEW Title.

    After the main event match was over, Joe swiftly headed backstage while streamers fell on Strickland, who celebrated his win with Prince Nana and ringside fans while pyrotechnics went off while the new champion celebrated.

    The AEW Dynasty Main Event Match

    At the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view event at the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis, MO, AEW World Heavyweight Champion Samoa Joe faced Swerve Strickland with the title on the line.

    Strickland aggressively started the match, attempting an outside dive that Joe countered with a powerslam onto the announce table. After Strickland ripped up the protective padding, he executed an outside dive, but Joe responded with a powerslam on the exposed concrete.

    As the match continued, Joe attempted to leave with his title, but Strickland stopped him. Then Swerve delivered a 450 splash and a double foot stomp for a two count.

    Joe then applied a rear-naked choke, which Strickland escaped. Strickland nearly won again with a House Call and another two-count, followed by a powerbomb from the middle rope and a double foot stomp that finally clinched his victory.

  • Jack Perry Returns At AEW Dynasty To Help Young Bucks Win Tag Titles

    Jack Perry Returns At AEW Dynasty To Help Young Bucks Win Tag Titles

    Jack Perry has not been seen on AEW television since All In, where he faced Hook in a Zero Hour match for the FTW Title. Not two weeks after AEW finally aired Perry’s fight footage with CM Punk backstage from All In, he made a shocking return during Dynasty.

    Perry made his return during the Saint Louis pay-per-view to help the Young Bucks beat FTW for the AEW Tag Team Titles. The former Jungle Boy’s presence was felt near the end of their ladder match.

    During the closing moments of the match, Jack Perry attempted to interfere by pushing Dax off the ladder but was halted by security. Thanks to this distraction, Nick managed to climb the ladder, grab the championship titles, and secure a win for The Young Bucks.

    Jack Perry’s Return

    At the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view in the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis, The Young Bucks competed against FTR in a ladder match for the vacant AEW Tag Team Championships. Those titles haven’t had owners since Sting and Darby Allin relinquished them following The Icon’s retirement.

    As the match continued, Matt Jackson pushed Cash Wheeler from the top of a ladder using Dax Harwood as support. Nick then hit a 450 splash from the top rope to the floor, sending Cash through a table. Dax applied a piledriver to Matt on a ladder, and Nick followed with a springboard into a sunset flip powerbomb.

    Unexpectedly, Jack Perry, disguised in a Sting mask, tried to interfere by pushing Dax off the ladder but was stopped by security. Despite this, Nick was able to climb the ladder and retrieve the championship titles, securing victory for The Young Bucks in this challenging ladder match.

    The Young Bucks spoke highly of Perry, referring to him as a Scapegoat, before they aired the CM Punk fight footage. Now, Perry is back in the AEW fold, and all signs point to a continued alliance with the heel EVP team, who are now the first three-time AEW Tag Team Champions in company history.

  • Jeff Hardy’s AEW Contract Is Up Far Sooner Than First Thought

    Jeff Hardy’s AEW Contract Is Up Far Sooner Than First Thought

    Jeff Hardy’s days with AEW could be numbered as the Charismatic Enigma’s deal with the All-Elite promotion is set to expire sooner than initially expected. 

    Hardy joined AEW in 2022 and wasted no time in aligning with his brother Matt. Originally, it was believed that AEW had extended Jeff Hardy’s deal into 2025, Fightful Select reports. This was believed to be the case to make up for time lost due to injuries and Jeff’s sabbatical following his 2022 DUI arrest. That isn’t the case as Jeff has been telling other talent at conventions that his contract is set to expire sometime in the spring of this year.

    It remains to be seen whether Jeff Hardy re-signs with AEW but the former World Champion has shown frustrations with the company in the past. In December 2023, Jeff appeared on his brother’s podcast and spoke about his AEW run. 

    “The last time I was in this extreme dimension of your podcast, I said in WWE I felt like I was a ghost just walking around backstage. Honestly, I kind of still feel like that at AEW just because I’m not being involved in something cool.”

    With his brother no longer in AEW, Jeff may seek to try his hand outside the promotion in which he feels he hasn’t been used to his fullest potential. Matt Hardy recently returned to TNA Wrestling and was immediately entered into a program with TNA World Champion Moose. With that said, Matt has not signed with TNA and remains a free agent at this time. 

    Ultimately, Jeff will have to make some difficult decisions about his future and the veteran wrestler will have to consider how long left he has in the ring. With his situation in AEW not ideal and his controversial release from WWE in late 2021, we’ll have to wait and see what Jeff Hardy does next. 

  • Chris Jericho Got ‘Go-Away Heat’ In His FTW Title Win At AEW Dynasty

    Chris Jericho Got ‘Go-Away Heat’ In His FTW Title Win At AEW Dynasty

    Chris Jericho used to be a massive babyface in AEW, with fans singing Fozzy’s “Judas” at the top of their lungs as he made his way to the ring every week. Things certainly changed at Dynasty, because Lionheart got some go away heat.

    Hook put the FTW Title on the line against Chris Jericho at AEW Dynasty. The Saint Louis crowd was very passionate, and against Jericho as he won the championship from Taz’s son.

    During the AEW pay-per-view, fans directed chants at Chris Jericho, including “Fozzy Sucks,” “Go home, Jericho. Go Home,” and “Please retire.” This was very loud and also quite noticeable on camera.

    Jericho’s Recent Controversy

    In late December, allegations surfaced involving Chris Jericho and Kylie Rae. It was alleged that an incident with Jericho led to Rae requesting her release from AEW.

    Chris Jericho was called out for having people sign NDAs himself, which led to these allegations coming out. A tweet was posted talking about women who are waiting until it’s safe to speak about Chris Jericho. Kylie Rae reacted to it, as she posted a heart emoji.

    Chris Jericho was hit with “NDA” and “Kylie Rae” chants at the Worlds End pay-per-view, so he should be used to the negative attention from fans at this point. 

  • Wardlow Involved In Automobile Accident Before AEW Dynasty– Is Thankful To Be Okay

    Wardlow Involved In Automobile Accident Before AEW Dynasty– Is Thankful To Be Okay

    AEW fans were gearing up for Dynasty on Sunday night, but Wardlow had an announcement to make. He just escaped a near-catastrophic car wreck situation, and he is thankful to be okay.

    Wardlow mentioned that he has faced numerous challenges recently but remains undeterred, stating that nothing can stop him. Despite being injured, he expressed gratitude for being alive and thanked everyone who reached out to show their support, appreciating their concern.

    The former TNT Champion also included a photo of his banged-up car with his post. The photo displays a highway sign for Exit 240 – W 150th St, located on Interstate 71 in Cleveland, Ohio. This was a scary situation, and we’re glad he was able to walk away.

    Wardlow’s Current AEW Booking

    Wardlow’s momentum in AEW may have stalled a bit thanks to Adam Cole’s situation. Although being placed as part of the Undisputed Kingdom was a good spot for Ward-Dog, the faction’s leader has been taken off the road.

    Cole’s ongoing ankle rehab caused him to leave the road, because it was getting in the way of his recovery progress. Due to this, Cole’s Devil angle hit the brakes and the faction hasn’t been featured on AEW television in the significant fashion most assumed they would receive after paying off such a long-running mystery angle like unveiling The Devil’s identity.

    Wardlow was not booked for a match at AEW Dynasty, but he made an appearance at the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view on Sunday during the match between Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly.

  • Willow Nightingale Wins TBS Title At AEW Dynasty, Faces Off With Mercedes Mone

    Willow Nightingale Wins TBS Title At AEW Dynasty, Faces Off With Mercedes Mone

    AEW Dynasty was a historic night in Saint Louis, as the company brought their inaugural pay-per-view. The event also saw Willow Nightingale walk away with the TBS Title.

    Julia Hart has carried the TBS Title with pride while representing the House of Black. She battled Willow Nightingale at Dynasty, and in the end, a new champion was crowned after delivering a devastating powerbomb.

    As Willow celebrated her big victory, Mercedes Mone made her way to the ring, where she stood face-to-face with her. While congratulating Willow on her title win, Mone made her presence very clear.

    What’s Next For the TBS Title

    Mercedes Mone already called her shot to face whoever is TBS Champion next. This win for Willow will set that match up for the future.

    Willow and Mercedes already have unfinished business. The two were battling for the NJPW Strong Women’s Title when Mone suffered an ankle injury that took her out of action for months. Mercedes has made reference to her previous run-ins with Willow already.

    With Mercedes Mone stepping up to Willow at Dynasty, the two will likely battle with the TBS Title on the line in the near future.

  • AEW Dynasty: Final Match Card, How To Watch, Start Time

    AEW Dynasty: Final Match Card, How To Watch, Start Time

    All Elite Wrestling returns on pay-per-view for their first Dynasty event tonight. The event will occur at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri. AEW has been building towards the card for weeks, and the PPV is set to have 12 matches.

    In the main event, AEW World Champion Samoa Joe will defend his title against Swerve Strickland. The challenger earned an opportunity after defeating  Konosuke Takeshita to become the number one contender on the March 27 episode of AEW Dynamite. Strickland enters the matchup motivated to dethrone Joe and become the first black AEW World Champion. However, he won’t have an easy task, as Joe has yet to lose in over six months. 

    Elsewhere on the card, Will Ospreay will face Bryan Danielson in a highly anticipated match. Since officially joining the roster at AEW Revolution last month, Ospreay has quickly become a threat in the men’s division. He has won five matchups in the company to join the conversation of being a potential AEW world title contender. That said, Danielson stands in his way and will try to humble the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. 

    Start Time & How To Watch

    AEW Dynasty will kick off their event with a pre-show at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT. The pre-show will have three matches and be streamed live on AEW’s YouTube channel for free. 

    After the pre-show, the event will move toward pay-per-view at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. AEW fans must pay $49.99 to watch on Bleacher Report, AEW’s YouTube channel, or Triller TV. The PPV portion will consist of nine matches, including the AEW World Championship main event. 

    AEW Dynasty

    AEW Dynasty Full Match Card

    (Match Card Is Subject To Change)

    Pre-Show Card:

    • Matt Sydal vs. Trent Beretta
    • Katsuyori Shibata & Orange Cassidy vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty & Shane Taylor)
    • (C) Billy Gunn & The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) vs. (C) Bullet Club Gold (Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn & Jay White)-AEW World Trios / ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship Match

    PPV Card:

    • (C) Hook vs. Chris Jericho-FTW Championship Match
    • (C) Roderick Strong vs. Kyle O’Reilly-AEW International Championship Match
    • (C) Kazuchika Okada vs. PAC-AEW Continental Championship Match
    • (C) Toni Storm with Luther & Mariah May vs. Thunder Rosa-AEW Women’s World Championship Match
    • Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston & Mark Briscoe vs. House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black)-Six Man Tag Team Match
    • The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)-Vacant AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Final Ladder Match
    • (C) Julia Hart vs. Willow Nightingale with Stokely Hathaway-AEW TBS Championship House Rules Match
    • Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay
    • (C) Samoa Joe vs. Swerve Strickland with Prince Nana-AEW World Championship Match
  • Jim Ross Sees A Benefit To AEW Airing CM Punk All In Footage

    Jim Ross Sees A Benefit To AEW Airing CM Punk All In Footage

    Jim Ross suggests that airing the infamous All In: London 2023 backstage footage helped with nothing but the storyline between FTR and The Young Bucks.

    During the Grilling JR podcast, the veteran commentator shared his take on the backstage footage. He believes that airing the backstage clip benefits the ongoing feud between FTR and The Young Bucks as both teams are set to collide in a ladder match for the AEW World Tag Team titles at AEW Dynasty on April 21. 

    AEW President Tony Khan faced criticism for airing the footage. However, Good Ol’ JR doesn’t have any other interpretation of airing the clip apart from helping “tie together” an important pay-per-view match. Here is what he said:

    “The value of showing that footage to me was the fact that you got on with your storytelling [with] FTR and the Bucks. So to me, when that was the direction that was chosen, I was much more comfortable showing that footage. Other than that, I’m not sure what it meant. I’m not sure why we did it, other than the fact that it helped tie together a very crucial and important pay-per-view match. So that’s my thoughts on that deal.” 

    The backstage video clip was aired on the April 10 edition of AEW Dynamite and it was only a few days after CM Punk shared his side of the story of what went down that night. Another AEW commentator wasn’t against the idea of revealing the footage.  Tony Khan had explained his decision to air the footage as well.

    Tony Khan claims he received praise from TBS

    Many critics believe Khan’s idea to air the debatable footage was an attempt to take a shot back at CM Punk, who parted ways with the promotion under controversial circumstances. It is widely believed that Khan’s attempt misfired and further hurt the reputation of AEW. 

    However, the AEW head has revealed that he received a green signal from those at TBS to air the video clip and the network officials were “happy” with the April 10 edition of Dynamite which saw a boost in the viewership. 

  • Kyle O’Reilly’s Injury Taught Him He’s Better At Being A Father Than A Pro-Wrestler

    Kyle O’Reilly’s time away from the ring was tough on the AEW star but helped teach an important lesson about himself as a father. 

    O’Reilly returned to AEW programming at the Revolution 2024 event in March. This return came close to two years after he underwent neck fusion surgery for an injury that’d kept him out of action since June 2022. 

    Spending over a year away from the ring was understandably difficult for the veteran wrestler, but there has been a silver lining to his hiatus. As he explained to Fightful, his injury led to O’Reilly spending more time at home, which led to him learning more about himself. 

    “My daughter, who was six months old when I got hurt, and now I’m going back and she’s over two. I got to spend all that quality time at home with her and playing that stay-at-home dad role. I found that I’m a better dad than I ever was a wrestler.”

    In the interview, O’Reilly added that patience was key in his lengthy recovery process, as was staying positive in spite of what had happened to him. The Undisputed Era alum admitted that recovering took longer than first expected as complications prolonged his comeback period. 

    It’s great that O’Reilly was able to spend quality time with his daughter as the wrestling business unfortunately often leads to parents being on the road for a long time without seeing their kids. Fatherly instincts aside, O’Reilly will be all business at AEW Dynasty when he challenges for the AEW International Championship. 

  • Jack Perry’s AEW Return ‘Imminent’ After 8 Months

    Jack Perry’s AEW Return ‘Imminent’ After 8 Months

    Jack Perry is gearing up for a return to AEW following the company’s controversial decision to air footage from his backstage altercation with CM Punk from last year’s All In London PPV from Wembley Stadium.

    During the NJPW Windy City Riot pay-per-view event at the Wintrust Arena on April 12, 2024, Shota Umino defeated Perry in a match that lasted just over 15 minutes. This marks the Scapegoat’s final NJPW match for the foreseeable future. 

    Jack Perry’s next appearance will be for AEW and it’s expected “imminently,” according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

    All Elite Wrestling returns to pay-per-view this Sunday for AEW Dynasty.

    Perry’s AEW Hiatus

    Jack Perry and CM Punk were both suspended following their All In Brawl last year. Punk was later fired, and he has returned to WWE since then. Perry, whose suspension lapsed some time ago, never returned to AEW television.

    Tony Khan was reportedly still irritated with Perry, as he saw him as the reason AEW lost CM Punk. With Perry’s return to AEW on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how Khan works this into the story.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeJ6Z-qrWNQ

    Jack Perry’s Last NJPW Match

    Some notable moments for AEW took place during the 4/12 NJPW Windy City Riot show in Chicago, including Jon Moxely winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Title. That event also marked Jack Perry’s last NJPW match for a while.

    The match between Jack Perry and Shota Umino received the strongest crowd reaction. Fans brought signs to the event, both supportive and critical of Perry, and there were many chants directed at him during the contest. Perry embraced the heel role, as the crowd was filled with chants of “scapegoat” and singing “Oh, cry me a river” toward Perry.

    He also entered the ring surrounded by security in riot gear, displayed a flag with the Chicago symbol to further provoke the crowd. And he wore a jacket saying “Cry me a River,” for good measure.

  • Matt Hardy Says AEW’s Backstage Issues Have Cost Company “Goodwill” With Fans

    Matt Hardy Says AEW’s Backstage Issues Have Cost Company “Goodwill” With Fans

    The backstage issues that have cast a dark shadow over AEW in recent years have caused the company to lose goodwill with fans, Matt Hardy believes. 

    For its initial years, AEW was virtually untouchable in the eyes of countless fans who appreciated there finally being a major competitor to WWE’s headlock on the wrestling industry. The company’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw wrestlers be a part of the socially-distanced crowd, was praised by fans in contrast to the silent pre-Thunderdome WWE events at the time. 

    AEW fans share their support for Tony Khan, AEW Grand Slam: Rampage 2021. 

    AEW’s honeymoon period, however, is a thing of the past, with the 2022 ‘Brawl Out’ and AEW All In: London backstage confrontations being seen by many as huge factors in this. Speaking on his Extreme Life podcast, AEW alum Matt Hardy addressed how fan opinion on Tony Khan’s first promotion has changed. 

    “I think through some of the stuff with Punk and The Bucks and the fights and the backstage stuff and Jungle Boy all this stuff, this hurt some of that goodwill. I feel like that probably deterred some people from their support of the company at the end of the day.”

    When asked about how to fix this situation, Hardy said that AEW has to appeal to more ‘casual fans’ which he admitted went against the mentality the promotion was built upon to cater to the hardcore fanbase many felt WWE was ignoring. While Matt believes putting on great matches is still massively important, his mentality is that AEW needs to have stars that a casual viewer can quickly become invested in. 

    Tony Khan will run AEW in the way he deems best, though some of his decisions have faced backlash from fans. Even the decision to air the All In fight has been criticized as petty and unnecessary and motivated by Khan wanting to ‘get back’ at CM Punk. Whether AEW adjusts its strategy remains to be seen, but given the massive success of WWE and their historic WrestleMania 40 event, there’s something to be said for trying to appeal to more than just the die-hard fanbase. 

  • AEW Teases Collaboration With Rob Schamberger

    Artist Rob Schamberger seems to have a project in the works with All Elite Wrestling. After over a decade of making art for WWE and hosting their YouTube show Canvas 2 Canvas, he announced his exit on April 15. Three days later, AEW has teased working with Schamberger. 

    The AEW Shop Twitter account shared a graphic revealing that they have something planned with the famous artist. The graphic also shared the date of April 22, with the expectation that’s when AEW will share what they are working on with Schamberger.

    Despite not having more information, fans have reacted positively to Schamberger’s working with AEW. He has done work outside of WWE but gained a following for his art on the Canvas 2 Canvas show. On February 12, his last episode was a portrait of former WWE Women’s Champion Iyo Sky. 

    It’s unclear if Schamberger will make portraits of some of AEW’s biggest superstars or if the company has other plans for him. AEW has artist Mel Coleman creating items, including posters and shirts. However, the company may decide to have Schamberger create a unique supply of merchandise for them. 

    As of now, it seems fans will have to wait and see what AEW has planned. However, it does create excitement for the possibilities of what Schamberger is doing with them. 

    Recent AEW Hires

    Several of AEW’s recent hires have been former WWE employees. One notable example is former WWE Senior Writer and Producer Jennifer Pepperman, who left her position on February 15. AEW hired Pepperman on February 21 to become the Vice President of Content Development. SEScoops correspondent Aaron Varble reported that her exit from WWE was unexpected and that the day she left, it was believed she had another job set. 

    Another key hire this year from AEW was former WWE Regional Director of Live Events, Kosha Irby. He became ‘All Elite’ on March 26, in the role of Chief Operating Officer. 

    Schamberger would be another strong pickup as AEW continues to make strategic moves behind the scenes.

  • Tony Khan: ‘TBS Told Me “Good Job” After AEW Dynamite With All In Fight Footage’

    The decision to air the infamous All In: London 2023 backstage fight may have been a controversial one but those at TBS seemingly had no problem with the call. 

    The footage was broadcast on the April 10, episode of Dynamite, mere days after CM Punk had given what turned out to be a relatively accurate recollection of the events of the day. Though Tony Khan has said airing the footage was solely to create the best show for fans, many believe it was an effort to ‘get back’ at Punk for critical comments made about AEW. 

    To many, airing the footage appears to have backfired on Khan and damaged AEW’s reputation more than it did any harm to Punk. Speaking on the AEW Dynasty media call, however, Khan said the show was given a seal of approval from those at TBS. 

    “TBS called me and told me ‘good job.’ You have to remember, I’m responsible for everybody’s job in the company. It is really important for us to please the network and TBS was really happy with that show.”

    Khan’s eagerness to please those at TBS demonstrates that he is ultimately in the media business just as much as he is in the wrestling business. Whether fans agree with the decision or not, airing the All In fight did result in the April 10, Dynamite seeing an increase in viewers.

    With that in mind, AEW won’t be able to rely on airing the backstage footage again to see another boost in the ratings. It’s also unlikely that 2022’s ‘Brawl Out’ will ever see the light of day with reports of lifetime NDAs to those involved (though Punk has claimed he doesn’t have an NDA.) Nevertheless, Khan will have to tread carefully going forward as while TBS may have liked the decision to air the footage, the same can’t be said for many fans AEW relies upon. 

  • Carlos Cabrera Is All Elite After 27 Years With WWE

    Carlos Cabrera Is All Elite After 27 Years With WWE

    Long-tenured WWE Spanish commentator Carlos Cabrera is now All Elite. 

    During this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan took to his Twitter/X account and announced that Cabrera has signed with All Elite Wrestling and welcomed him to the AEW commentary team.

    The veteran served as the Spanish-language commentator in WWE for almost three decades and he will now lend his voice to the action in AEW. He will be on the commentary team on Wednesday nights for AEW Dynamite.

    The current AEW Dynamite commentary team features Taz, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur. Schiavone is also a part of AEW Collision alongside, Nigel McGuinness and Jim Ross, who is looking to call it a day.

    Carlos Cabrera’s commentary career

    The veteran’s voice is familiar in the world of pro wrestling. Before signing with WWE, he worked as a newsman and radio personality. He also bagged the coveted ACE Awards both for radio and TV. Whether it’s Spanish radio or TV in the US, Cabrera has lent his voice in several commercial ads as well.  

    Cabrera had been the longest-tenured Spanish language commentator in WWE since he joined the company in 1994. During his run, he called the action with the likes of Ed Trucco, Hugo Savinovich, and eventually Marcelo Rodriguez. He called the action in Spanish for the weekly WWE shows as well as the pay-per-views. 

    Hailing from Bogota, Colombia, Cabrera has also served as the host of WWE’s Spanish-language program called, ‘WWE en Espanol.’ The show mainly recapped WWE shows, Raw and SmackDown.

    However, his run with the company ended in February 2022 after the 64-year-old was released. Reports had emerged that he was let go due to his age and WWE was seeking services of younger talent. Soon after his departure, he called matches in AAA’s Rey de Reyes event and reunited with Savinovich.

  • Ruby Soho Announces She’s Pregnant After 4/17 AEW Dynamite (Video)

    AEW’s own Ruby Soho revealed the joyous news that she is pregnant following the April 17, 2024, episode of AEW Dynamite. 

    After the go-home Dynamite ahead of AEW Dynasty went off the air, Soho appeared in the ring alongside her real-life partner Angelo Parker. Soho discussed her wrestling career before telling Parker that she is pregnant. The revelation rightly earned a huge ovation from the crowd in attendance. An emotional Soho told Parker that she didn’t know how to tell Parker but was cut off mid-speech with a passionate kiss from the 2point0 member. 

    You can check out Ruby’s huge announcement down below. 

    This news of course means that Soho will not be competing in the near future as she prepares for the role of being a mother. It’s great to see that, in contrast to years gone by when a pregnancy threatened to derail a wrestler’s career, Ruby and Parker’s news can be celebrated by the wrestlers and fans. 

    Wrestling Moms

    Ruby Soho will soon join an elite club of wrestlers who prove themselves in the ring while also being incredible moms. In December 2020, Becky Lynch gave birth to her and Seth Rollins’ first child Roux, and returned to TV at SummerSlam 2021. The same year that Lynch returned, her former rival Ronda Rousey had a daughter with Travis Browne. Wanting to be a mom was part of Rousey’s decision to step away from WWE in 2019. 

    After previously suffering a miscarriage, Carmella gave birth to her and Corey Graves’ son in November 2023 after a 60-hour labor. Alexa Bliss would welcome her and Ryan Cabrera’s daughter Hendrix into the world that same month. 

    We here at SE Scoops would like to send our congratulations to Ruby and Angelo on this incredible news. 

  • Adam Cole Off The Road, Not Returning From Injury Anytime Soon

    Adam Cole is eager to get back into the ring, but AEW fans shouldn’t expect that to happen any time soon.

    According to Fightful Select, the former ROH and NXT Champion has not attended recent AEW events and is reducing his travel schedule so he can recover as quickly as possible.

    Cole hasn’t been able to wrestle since September 2023, when he broke his ankle in 3 places at AEW Grand Slam while jumping off the entrance ramp. The injury was undoubtedly painful and disappointing for Adam Cole. It also derailed the company’s top longterm main-event storyline based around his rocky friendship with MJF.

    Britt Baker released several photos of Cole’s ankle, including an x-ray showing the breaks. She credited his determination and said his love of wrestling will ensure he gets back to doing what he loves.

    A month after the injury and approximately seven months ago, Cole checked in on social media. He thanked everyone who shown him support while he works through the most ‘emotionally challenging’ injury of his career. 

    During his time away from wrestling, Cole is keeping busy with another one of his passions: gaming. He and fellow AEW wrestler Evil Uno recently launched the All Elite Arcade Podcast. New episodes are released each week on  YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

  • Former WWE Star Wants To Enter Adam Copeland’s ‘Cope Open’

    Former WWE Star Wants To Enter Adam Copeland’s ‘Cope Open’

    Adam Copeland is taking his TNT Championship run to the “edge” and he has another veteran with his eyes on Cope’s prize.

    Since Copeland secured that TNT Title against Christian Cage at AEW Revolution, ‘The Rated R Superstar’ has fired up the “Cope Open” and have gotten an array of challengers, one being an AEW outsider in Matt Cardona. Copeland came out on top in that battle, but now there’s another veteran looking for such an opportunity.

    ‘Da Black Pope’ Elijah Burke is very busy this week promoting the Shad Gaspard Memorial Cup, honoring the late star with his Love Alive Charity. Burke is based out of Jacksonville and obviously, that is the home base for AEW. Pope has made his pitch on X to enter the “Cope Open.”

    “The TNT open challenge has been a hit, here’s my challenge to Adam Copeland: First time ever matchup Adam Copeland vs. Jacksonville’s Favorite Son “The Pope” at Daily’s Place for AEW Dynamite/Collision. An Experience like no other. Tony Khan make it happen!”

    The Shad Gaspard Memorial Cup

    Pope has been all around the wrestling industry working for WWE, TNA and NWA, but has been a proactive and positive presence for his Love Alive Charity. The Shad Gaspard Memorial Cup will take place this weekend on April 20 and will feature several stars competing in the tournament including JTG, KC Navarro, Kenny King and Thom Latimer. Also set to appear is Danny Davis and current AEW star, Mark Henry. Information to get tickets are below:

  • Popular Joshi Wrestler Expected To Work This Year’s AEW Forbidden Door PPV

    Popular Joshi Wrestler Expected To Work This Year’s AEW Forbidden Door PPV

    AEW and NJPW are gearing up for another Forbidden Door pay-per-view this summer. According to Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net, popular Japanese women’s wrestler AZM will return to the US this summer and is scheduled to compete at this year’s crossover event.

    Several top NJPW stars have joined All Elite Wrestling in recent months, including Kazuchika Okada and Jay White. AEW star Jon Moxley just won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, a strong indication that the two promotions have a very healthy working relationship.

    The inaugural Forbidden Door pay-per-view was held in June 2022 in Chicago. The main event saw Jon Moxley defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi by pin-fall to win the interim AEW World Title.

    Last year, Bryan Danielson defeating Kazuchika Okada by submission in a dream match that fans are still talking about until this day. 

  • Tony Khan Says Airing All In Fight Made A Lot Of Sense, Makes No Reference to CM Punk

    Tony Khan Says Airing All In Fight Made A Lot Of Sense, Makes No Reference to CM Punk

    Airing the infamous backstage altercation between CM Punk and Jack Perry made a lot of sense, AEW President Tony Khan has claimed. 

    The footage was broadcast on the April 10, edition of AEW Dynamite and was presented as The Young Bucks explaining why they lost to FTR at All In 2023. Many believe that the footage was actually aired in response to Punk’s comments made on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour podcast. Punk was hardly complimentary of AEW during his appearance on the show. 

    Whatever the reason for the footage being aired, it seems to have backfired on Tony Khan. Many believe that the decision to air the footage has done more damage to AEW’s reputation than anything shown in the clip regarding Punk’s behavior. 

    On the Chris Russell Show, Khan was asked whether he regrets airing the footage in hindsight and believes that bringing the altercation to light was the right call. 

    “I think it made a lot of sense… We’ve seen the Young Bucks change a lot. We saw them get really dark during the retirement run of Sting. They’ve only gotten darker and more twisted. That’s why they felt like they should play the tape.”

    Khan also brought up Jack Perry who hasn’t appeared for AEW since All In but has used his suspension to reinvigorate his career as the ‘Scapegoat.’

    “It was fascinating to see after the tape played, the reaction Jack Perry got at New Japan. He got the reaction of a superstar. That is not altogether unexpected and it’s something very interesting, perhaps a side effect of this.”

    One name Khan didn’t bring up when discussing the footage is CM Punk himself. The backstage fight would see Punk be suspended from AEW for the second time in under a year and was ultimately released. 

    Punk has since returned to WWE where his conduct is said to be exemplary as he’s been eager to get involved and help at the WWE Performance Center. And while Khan doesn’t want to bring Punk up by name, it’s clear that the memory of the Best in the World remains with AEW.

  • Man Suing WWE & AEW For Plagiarism Lands Behind Bars, Asks Judge To Pause Lawsuit

    Man Suing WWE & AEW For Plagiarism Lands Behind Bars, Asks Judge To Pause Lawsuit

    A man who waged a lawsuit against WWE and AEW for plagiarism is now behind bars and has he asked the judge to pause his suit. Anthony Duane Wilson filed a request with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on April 10th to pause his lawsuit because he is currently incarcerated. This request for a stay could delay the proceedings against WWE and AEW until Wilson’s circumstances change, or he is able to participate in the legal process.

    Wilson penned a letter to the judge, as obtained by PWInsider. In the writing, he asked for his lawsuit against WWE and AEW to be paused, since he cannot properly handle things at this time. He has also already sunk a lot of money into the proceedings.

    “Due to my current state of being incarcerated at Trumbull County Jail, located at [deleted], I am unable to properly handle and follow the status of this case in a timely manner at this time.”

    “I ask the court to grant my request to stay the case because I have put forth alot of my time and money to file the lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment and All Elite Wrestling, and being that I am of self representation and cannot do it properly at this time, see it necessary to file this motion.”

    “I seek this stay not for the purpose of delay but that justice may be done.”

    The Lawsuit Against WWE & AEW

    Anthony Duane Wilson initially filed a lawsuit against WWE and AEW in August 2023, seeking $250 million in damages and the return of his intellectual property.

    WWE and AEW were accused of using his wrestling concepts—like gimmicks, names, slogans, and likenesses—without permission. He claimed this infringement hindered his plans to start his own wrestling company, which also allegedly affected negotiations with Bullet Club members.

    Wilson argued that the unauthorized use of his work caused him a variety of damages, which includes lost market opportunities. He also alleged that a conspiracy was at play, where the greater pro wrestling companies were out to derail his plans.

    The lawsuit was dismissed by Judge Benita Y. Pearson on November 3rd, 2023, because neither defendant was served within the required 90 days after the lawsuit was filed in August. The dismissal was without prejudice, which allowed Wilson to re-file the lawsuit.

  • MJF Injury Update, Recent Meeting With AEW, When He Could Return

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) has been out of the public eye since December 2023. He went into his high-stakes battle against Samoa Joe at AEW World’s End facing multiple injuries, including a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He lost his prized ‘BBB’ AEW World title and is still not ready to get back in the ring over four months later.

    MJF Update: The 28-year-old wrestling prodigy recently met with AEW officials to discuss his return. PWInsider reports that MJF traveled to Boston last month for a gathering that took place after Big Business on March 13. He’s not been seen backstage at any AEW shows this year.

    We recently got confirmation on the AEW PPV Schedule for 2024, including the dates, cities and venues. It’s interesting to note that after next month’s Double or Nothing PPV from Las Vegas, AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door heads to MJF’s backyard of Long Island, NY on June 30.

    Uncertain Future

    Amid his absence, fans have speculated about his future in AEW. MJF has been vocal about his contract expiry in 2024. The eagle-eyed fans have been wondering if he became a free agent during his time off.

    Additionally. AEW fueled the speculation as they removed the former AEW World Champion from their official roster page. Furthermore, his merchandise was also taken off. While his future remains up in the air, it is believed that he is still under a contract with the promotion. 

    Check out our December 2023 interview with MJF hosted by The Solomonster:

    WWE

    WWE has kept MJF on their radar for quite some time and recently several AEW stars such as Andrade, Jade Cargill, and Shawn Spears have also jumped ship to WWE. This keeps the possibility intact of WWE splurging a huge deal to bag MJF’s signing.

    As of now, there is no timetable for MJF’s return as he recuperates the injuries that have plagued him over the past few months.

  • Tony Schiavone Wasn’t Upset At All In Backstage Footage, Says Idiots Compare AEW to WCW

    Tony Schiavone Wasn’t Upset At All In Backstage Footage, Says Idiots Compare AEW to WCW

    Tony Schiavone was not upset that the backstage fight at AEW All In: London 2023 was aired, despite what some insist to be the case. 

    The infamous footage was broadcast during the April 10, edition of AEW Dynamite, seemingly in response to CM Punk’s comments about the incident during Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour podcast. After the footage was shown by the Young Bucks, Schiavone looked dejected at the commentary table with fans believing this reaction was genuine. 

    On his What Happened When podcast, Schiavone acknowledged his reaction but made clear that he wasn’t genuinely mad at the decision to air the footage. 

    “My facial reaction is trying to put more heat on the Bucks being assholes… I was not upset at the promotion, I was not upset at Tony Khan. I was not p***ed off with what we had shown. I was trying to be fully in the moment of the angle.”

    In kayfabe, the footage was aired by the Young Bucks to justify their loss at AEW All In: London. The pair’s reasoning was that because of the backstage issues, they were unable to sufficiently prepare for their match with FTR at the event. 

    Though Schiavone does not have an issue with the footage airing, many have said it backfired on AEW and did more damage to the company’s reputation than it did to Punk. Some have even gone as far as to deem it a cheap ratings ploy akin to the dying days of WCW, a claim that Schiavone also rejects. 

    “Social media is about idiots coming together and making up their own ideas… There’s absolutely no way you can compare us to WCW… I was there at both, you were not”

    Ultimately, the decision was made to air the footage and AEW can’t un-open that can of worms. After giving up a portion of their show to showcasing of WWE’s most popular Superstars though, it remains to be seen how this development plays into FTR Vs. The Young Bucks for the vacant AEW World Tag Team Championships at AEW Dynasty. 

  • Will Ospreay Says He’s Nowhere Near The Level Kurt Angle Is

    Will Ospreay Says He’s Nowhere Near The Level Kurt Angle Is

    Will Ospreay downplayed Dave Meltzer’s five-star match philosophy while with the Dick Cavett of our time, RJ City.

    Ospreay was the latest guest on RJ’s “Hey! EW” and City, the longtime adversary of David Arquette, noted that Dave Meltzer must really like Ospreay. He asks Will if he thinks he’s as good as Meltzer really thinks Ospreay is. Instead of putting himself over, Ospreay decided to make sure Kurt Angle was given the praise worthy of an Olympic Gold Medalist.

    “No, cause when you talk about guys like Kurt Angle and he hasn’t got like one five-star match, I’m nowhere near the level Kurt Angle is.

    “Stuff that Kurt Angle could never do, I could do, but stuff that I could never do, Kurt Angle could do.

    “I think it’s just his opinion, you know what I mean? Opinions are like a**holes, everyone’s got one.”

    Ospreay very much shares the same sentiment as his rival Kenny Omega, who on several occassions noted how much he appreciates the in-ring work of Kurt Angle. Kurt has also reciprocated Omega’s praise, putting “The Cleaner” over for the work he does in the ring as well.

    Much ado has been made about Meltzer’s star-ratings system and it’s validity, but Meltzer himself did reiterate Ospreay’s thoughts in that those ratings are just his opinion. 

    Perhaps the more controversail discussion point was that Meltzer decided to break his own ratings system by adding more stars to his judging criteria, giving Omega a whopping seven-star match.

  • Nikki Garcia Seriously Considered Joining AEW

    Nikki Garcia Seriously Considered Joining AEW

    AEW has signed some big named over the past several months, including Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, and Mercedes Mone. After seeing Mercedes debut in AEW, Nikki Garcia almost joined that list. On the latest episode of the Nikki & Brie Show, the multi-time WWE Women’s Champion disclosed that she almost picked up her phone and called Tony Khan about doing business. After giving it serious consideration, she decided against it because she wants to devote her time to being a mother to her son, Matteo.

    “Since we’ve been lifting so much, we always say, we always start to get that wrestling mindset, ‘We’re going to go back and do this story and cut this promo.’ You get it, but how serious I got where I was like, ‘Okay, I think I can do maybe a year at AEW and I can do it every week.’”

    “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,’”

    You can listen to the full episode embedded here, including Nikki’s comments about nearly calling AEW President Tony Khan:

    Nikki Bella’s WWE Career and Exit

    Nikki Garcia made a name for herself for years in WWE as Nikki Bella. Her contributions to the company helped spearhead the Women’s Revolution in the company, where she was placed on top of the card for years.

    During that time in WWE, she achieved several notable accomplishments in the company. Nikki is a two-time WWE Divas Champion, and she was named Diva of the Year for three consecutive years in 2013, 2014, and 2015, with the 2013 award being shared with her sister, Brie Bella.

    Additionally, Nikki was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020, alongside Brie as members of The Bella Twins.

    Nikki Bella retired in 2018 because of neck and spine issues but made a comeback at the Royal Rumble in 2022. The Bella Twins left WWE in 2023 after their contracts ended to pursue independent ventures.

    Since her WWE exit, Nikki has hosted Barmageddon, a show that aired after WWE RAW for a while. It was not lost on fans when Michael Cole internationally omitted her name while promoting the show during RAW.

    Nikki Bella later commented on that snub from WWE to say, “I think more than anything, it’s disappointing. I worked there for 16 years and I helped paved the way for them. Not only that, they’ve always been family to me.”

  • Matt Hardy Is Talking With “Everyone” After Entering Free Agent Status

    Matt Hardy Is Talking With “Everyone” After Entering Free Agent Status

    AEW signed a few notable names over the past few months, but they did not re-sign Matt Hardy. The veteran tag team specialist is now a free agent after his deal with Tony Khan’s company expired.

    Speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, the veteran pro wrestler opened up about his contract situation. He is a free agent right now, but he is still talking to AEW. Hardy also made it clear that he is speaking with “everyone” at this time.

    “Yes, I am a free agent now. Just negotiating, talking. I have interacted with everyone, still interacting with AEW, and that’s where we’re at right now. Whenever my deal ended up running out, that gave me the opportunity to negotiate and speak to everyone available, really weigh in my options, and that’s what I’m doing right now.”

    Matt Hardy’s AEW Run

    Matt Hardy entered AEW on the March 18, 2020, episode of Dynamite. He brought his Broken gimmick to the company, but it was abandoned during those Daily Place episodes. Later on, he transitioned his character into more of his Big Money Matt persona before starting the Hardy Family Office stable.

    In 2022, Jeff Hardy finally joined Matt in AEW, and he turned babyface in the process. Although Jeff and Matt’s contracts were initially set to expire at the same time, AEW froze Jeff’s deal due to the time off he took to deal with personal issues. 

    While the 49-year-old Hardy’s AEW contract was set to expire, there were discussions within the company regarding an extension. The idea was that this extension might last a few weeks past WrestleMania, but no such agreement was arranged.

    AEW’s Recent Cuts

    Although AEW has signed a few big names recently, including Kazuchika Okada, Mercedes Mone, and Will Ospreay, they also released several names as of late. 

    The list of released talent includes Anthony Henry, The Tate Twins who are also known as “The Boys,” Stu Grayson, Gravity, Dasha Fuentes, Slim J, Parker Bordeaux, Jose The Assistant, and Jora Johl. Not signing Matt Hardy to a new deal could also be considered a cut as well.