SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Kenny Omega Reveals Details About His All Elite Wrestling Contract

    Kenny Omega Reveals Details About His All Elite Wrestling Contract

    Kenny Omega officially joined All Elite Wrestling earlier this week after signing a four-year deal following the briefest of free agency periods after his previous contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling came to an end.

    Omega was regarded as the biggest free agent in the business but he wasted no time making his decision as soon as he was available to sign a new deal.

    Now Omega will join fellow wrestlers such as Cody, the Young Bucks and Chris Jericho in the fledgling promotion that hopes to send shockwaves through the professional wrestling industry, particularly in the United States.

    While Omega admitted he received a ‘fantastic’ offer from WWE as well as overtures from New Japan in an attempt to keep him, the prospect of working with All Elite and the options that came along with that deal was exactly what he wanted.

    “Now with AEW, I’m signing four years. Yeah so it’s like I’m signing four years and it felt natural,” Omega explained on the Wrestling Observer podcast. “It’s a large contract for me, largest one I’ve signed but I didn’t feel like I was making the wrong choice. It was cool to feel that way.

    “With the contract, it leaves me very open for a ton of crossover potential, which is always the most important thing for me because I don’t necessarily want to be remembered for what I do in the ring. I want to be able to crossover into all sorts of media so I’m going to be able to do my thing with E-sports and be able to do all sorts of stuff with ESPN and the documentary even. These opportunities now, there’s no red tape. It’s in my contract where I can freely do those and pursue them and that’s great.”

    “What we are is a celebration of professional wrestling” ~ Kenny Omega on All Elite Wrestling

    Omega signing with AEW may seem like he’s leaving New Japan behind for good but that’s not actually the case.

    According to the 35-year old Canadian, part of the benefit of his contract with AEW is the ability to return to New Japan whenever he desires.

    “I have it specifically written in my contract and this is something I couldn’t have done on the WWE end of things, I have it specifically written in my contract that I can go any time I want and appear for New Japan Pro Wrestling,” Omega stated.

    Omega says he nearly re-signed with New Japan with an option to appear in AEW whenever he wanted but this ended up being the better deal for his career.

    The chance to crossover between AEW and New Japan or with any other professional wrestling promotion out there is something Omega says the new organization will embrace.

    Beyond anything else offered to him, Omega sounds like that could have been the determining factor in joining AEW for at least the next four years.

    “What we are is a celebration of professional wrestling,” Omega said. “What that means is guess what, the CML guys that AAA hates or the AAA guys that New Japan hates, well some of their guys are better than your guys and that’s just the way it is.

    “We’re going to use the best that is available to us and we’re going to have a very peaceful, celebratory ring where everyone can show their craft, show their art and we’re going to have a number of dream matches or I don’t know if you could call them dream matches but call them matches that you never thought you would see in a wrestling ring and I think it’s going to go make for a more interesting landscape for professional wrestling in 2019 and beyond.”

  • Kenny Omega Explains Why He Chose to Sign with AEW Over WWE or New Japan

    Kenny Omega Explains Why He Chose to Sign with AEW Over WWE or New Japan

    Kenny Omega is no longer the biggest free agent in professional wrestling.

    The former New Japan Pro Wrestling stalwart inked a four year deal to join All Elite Wrestling earlier this week after receiving numerous offers from his former employers as well as WWE.

    Omega confirmed that WWE made him a very generous offer to join the promotion and the executives he dealt with were nothing but professional during the negotiations in an attempt to get him to sign with the company.

    Ultimately, Omega says what he’s getting with AEW was just too good to pass up at this stage in his career.

    “WWE’s offer was of course fantastic as you reported and a lot of people know just common knowledge and they went about it in a very professional, courteous way and those guys are nothing but consummate professionals in how they dealt with me but at the end of the day, AEW presented something that just couldn’t be beat,” Omega said on the Wrestling Observer podcast.

    “I’m with my best friends in the business and I have a little bit of control over my own creative, which is always important and I really feel that it’s the true platform for me to let my voice be heard. I always like challenges. I like the prospect of this being a blundering failure.”

    “I felt I needed to go to a place where I could do more” ~ Kenny Omega on signing with AEW

    Obviously, Omega hopes that AEW is a rousing success but it’s all going to depend on performers like him to help build the company into a place where fans will want to tune in week to week as well as investing to watch the biggest shows.

    He says that there was a part of him that wanted to join WWE just based on having creative control taken out of his hands because Omega has spent many sleepless nights obsessing over the direction of his character and upcoming matches while performing in New Japan.

    “[WWE] is absolutely not a risk,” Omega explained. “Part of me was like do I want to shut my brain off and have people write for me and tell me what to do? It sounds kind of cool actually.”

    Omega also stated that while there were ‘dream’ matches that he definitely could have worked by signing with WWE, the prospect of this particular project was everything he wanted for his career right now.

    “I felt I needed to go to a place where I could do more,” Omega explained. “Japan will always be a home to me and I’m always going to be back. AEW for me, or WWE, kind of seemed like the next step, potential dream matches and all that and using the new platform, not necessarily a better one or a bigger one or whatever. I just wanted a new platform to reach new people.”

  • Several Matches Set For AEW Double Or Nothing

    Several Matches Set For AEW Double Or Nothing

    Several matches were either confirmed or set up for the first official event under the AEW (All Elite Wrestling) banner on Thursday night in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden poolside at the Double Or Nothing ticket announcement party.

    New talents made their first appearances for the newly launched promotion such as Sonny Kiss, Sammy Guevara, Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Baretta), Kenny Omega, Yuka Sakazaki, Aja Kong, Kylie Rae, and Nyla Rose.

    The AEW Double or Nothing event is scheduled to go down on May 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and will mark the first official event under the AEW banner. Here are the matches for the show:

    • Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho
    • The Young Bucks vs. Lucha Bros
    • Hangman Page vs. PAC
    • SCU (Christopher Daniels, Scorpio Sky & Frankie Kazarian) vs. Cima & two OWE talents

    Although not confirmed, Kylie Rae vs. Nyla Rose was also hinted at but not confirmed by Conrad Thompson, Alex Marvez and Excalibur, who were serving as the hosts/commentators.

    The promotion is expected to announce more matches for this upcoming event in the coming months. The general public tickets go on sale on Wednesday at noon ET while there is a pre-sale sign-up available at AllEliteWrestling.com and runs through Sunday at 10 p.m. ET.

  • Updated AEW Roster & List Of Partnerships

    Updated AEW Roster & List Of Partnerships

    All Elite Wrestling announced several new roster members last night at the Double or Nothing ticket rally in Las Vegas. Kenny Omega, the Best Friends, Kylie Rae, and Sammy Guevara were announced in addition to several others.

    With yesterday’s additions the AEW updated roster looks as follows:

    AEW Confirmed Roster:

    1. Kenny Omega (announced at Double or Nothing Rally)
    2. Cody
    3. The Young Bucks
    4. Chris Jericho
    5. PAC
    6. Hangman Page
    7. Pentagon Jr (agreed to terms this week)
    8. Fenix  (agreed to terms this week)
    9. Christoper Daniels
    10. Kazarian
    11. Scorpio Sky
    12. Trent Beretta (announced at Double or Nothing Rally)
    13. Chuck Taylor (announced at Double or Nothing Rally)
    14. Joey Janela
    15. CIMA (announced at Double or Nothing Rally)
      • Spent 21 years wrestling for Dragon Gate. Began wrestling with OWE in early 2018
    16. Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
    17. Jimmy Havoc (announced earlier this week)
    18. Jungle Boy (announced recently)
    19. Sonny Kiss (announced at Double or Nothing Rally)
      • XO Lishus from Lucha Underground
    20. Sammy Guevara  (announced at Double or Nothing Rally)
    21. Penelope Ford
    22. Britt Baker
    23. Brandi Rhodes
    24. Nyla Rose
      • Warriors of Wrestling Women’s Champion
      • Also wrestles with Sendai Girls in Japan quite a bit.
    25. Yuka Sakazaki
      • Wrestles with Tokyo Joshi Pro
    26. Kylie Rae
      • AAW in Chicago, Stardom, lots of places…
    27. Aja Kong
      • Sendai Girls, OZ Academy, Zero-1

    AEW Confirmed Partnerships

    AEW confirmed they will partner with Mexican Lucha Libre promotion AAA. The promotion was founded in 1992 when Antonio Pena and Konnan split away from CMLL. At the rally in Jacksonville on January 8th, the Young Bucks also announced a partnership with Oriental Wrestling Entertainment (OWE)

    AEW Double Or Nothing Matches

    • PAC vs Hangman Page
    • Kylie Rae vs Nyla Rose
    • Lucha Bros vs the Young Bucks
  • Kenny Omega Officially Signs With AEW

    Kenny Omega Officially Signs With AEW

    All Elite Wrestling (AEW) continues to take the professional wrestling world by storm. Earlier today (Thurs. February 7, 2019) AEW held its “Double Or Nothing” Ticket Announcement Party from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. To close out the event, AEW announced its biggest signing yet.

    Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega has officially joined the promotion. Following months of speculation regarding where he may end up, Omega has joined his fellow former Bullet Club members, Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks. Along with serving as a talent, Omega has also been named an Executive Vice President of AEW.

    Omega told the Las Vegas crowd that he only put pen to paper this morning. He is now a full-time member of the AEW roster. Omega said he looks forward to finally being able to change the world alongside the cast and crew of AEW. “The Cleaner” was then interrupted by Chris Jericho, who came face-to-face with Omega before attacking him.

    Now, the pair will wrestle one another in their first match under the AEW banner at Double Or Nothing. The pay-per-view (PPV) goes down from the MGM Grand on May 25, 2019. AEW’s official Twitter account hyped the match-up with the following:

    What do you think about Omega signing with AEW?

  • Cody Talks Recent AEW Signings, Social Media’s Importance

    Cody Talks Recent AEW Signings, Social Media’s Importance

    With AEW in full talent acquisition mode, Cody appeared on this week’s Jim Ross Report to discuss recent AEW signings.

    While the star power of Cody, The Young Bucks, and Chris Jericho is certain to draw eyes to AEW, Cody says the company’s approach to finding talent is different than you might think.

    “We’re looking for fresh, more than perhaps the equity garnered individual who’s popped around on various television shows already,” said Cody.

    “We’re looking for someone who hasn’t been seen,” he continued. “That’s kind of the directive.”

    Cody acknowledges the name value AEW already has on the roster but says he’s looking to mix in fresh faces with the already established pillars of the company.

    “Of course there are folks like Chris Jericho, an absolute star, wrestling’s frigging rock star who’s done it all and seen it all, but I want to have the juxtaposition,” Cody says.

    “Somebody on that level, with somebody who maybe our audience is seeing for the very first time ever.”

    “I don’t want to say the next generation, it’s more this generation,” says Cody. “The disruptive, independent brands that you’re seeing pop up all around.”

    Social Media’s Importance To AEW

    Cody and The Young Bucks have built a loyal following on social media, which has allowed them to become that type of independent brand that Cody references.

    Cody acknowledges the importance of social media to AEW, and also to the talent that they are looking to add.

    “In this era of the disruptor, the independent brand, social media is massive,” Cody said.
    “That’s the big thing I’m looking at. If you’re looking at somebody that you potentially want to sign, how do they do their social media? Do they mobilize their fans regularly? Do they reward their fans regularly?”

    Social media can be a double-edged sword, of course, and Cody says that he has that in mind as well when scouting talent’s online presence.

    “Are they not, like, a nutcase on Twitter, on Instagram, on YouTube? Because you don’t want that either,” says Cody.

    Check out Cody’s complete discussion with JR below.

    When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity. 

    What do you think of the recent AEW signings? 

  • Mark Henry & Bully Ray Make The Case For Randy Orton Joining AEW

    Mark Henry & Bully Ray Make The Case For Randy Orton Joining AEW

    Earlier this week, there was a report from Fightful stating that Randy Orton has been ‘openly discussing’ his willingness to negotiate with All Elite Wrestling. AEW has already landed former WWE Superstars Chris Jericho and PAC (Neville), but Orton would be the biggest name by a long shot.

    On Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry and Bully Ray spoke about the prospect of Orton jumping to AEW when his WWE contract is up. Both of them think it’s something he should seriously consider.

    “He’s always been a good businessman,” said Mark Henry. “He’s always, you know took the backseat when he should have said, ‘Hey guys, I’m not doing that.’ He’s always been a good businessman. So why wouldn’t he be a good businessman and say, ‘You know what? I need to entertain this conversation.”

    Henry added, “It’s not about the money, it’s about creative control. I think that it would be more creative control and time off with Randy.”

    All Elite Wrestling is a well-financed venture. They’ve already proven their willingness to offer big money to secure world class talent. Chris Jericho has stated that his contract with AEW is the most financially lucrative deal he’s ever signed.

    The WWE locker room is reportedly taking notice on their newfound negotiating leverage. In addition to big money, AEW is offering something that WWE might not be able to: creative freedom and a lighter schedule. Bully Ray thinks this might be what lures in top talent from WWE, such as Randy Orton.

    “They have money,” Bully said of AEW. “They will offer more creative freedom. They will have a much more wrestler friendly schedule. [Orton’s] done it all where he is now, why wouldn’t he be open to it?”

    Listen to Busted Open Radio on weekday mornings on SiriusXM Fight Nation Channel 93.

  • Cody Discusses AEW Double Or Nothing Attendance Goal

    Cody Discusses AEW Double Or Nothing Attendance Goal

    As All Elite Wrestling announces ticket information for its first official show, Cody has revealed his goal for Double or Nothing attendance.

    Speaking with Jim Ross on this week’s Jim Ross Report, Cody says that the MGM Grand will be scaled for a larger potential crowd than last year’s All In event in Chicago.

    “Right now, I have the building, me, Matt and Nick, we have it scaled for 11,600,” Cody said.

    Once the arena is set up for the television shoot, Cody says that the capacity could increase.

    “Some folks might know, some seats might become available. If we had a camera there, then we kill that camera, that might open up a few hundred seats.”

    “We’re aiming to hit that 11,600.”

    Double or Nothing Tickets

    In discussing AEW’s aims for the event, Cody also says that transparency and honesty about attendance numbers is key.

    “We want to be honest about our tickets from day one,” said Cody. “It’s real easy in this day and age for people just to look it up, or just to talk to the fire marshal. You can’t really say we had 100,000 people in the building anymore unless you have.”

    That assertion stands in stark contrast to WWE’s stance of announcing inflated attendance numbers on television. Those TV numbers become canon, and those curious about the real number are left to comb through earnings reports months later to make a determination.

    Cody also laments that Double or Nothing, for all of its buzz, will not double All In’s attendance.

    “It’s funny, we were kicking ourselves over calling it Double or Nothing, we couldn’t find a building that had 20,000 to compete with the 10,000 [of All In],” said Cody.

    Still, Cody says that he’s excited to run the MGM Grand.

    “This building, it’s got wrestling history,” Cody said. “I went to WCW pay-per-views here, Matt and Nick did as well.”

    “I’m real excited about bringing our fans, for some our fans to see Vegas for the first time.”

    You can hear Cody’s complete interview with JR below.

    When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity. 

    Do you think Double or Nothing will sell out? 

  • Cody Reveals What AEW Product Will Look Like

    Cody Reveals What AEW Product Will Look Like

    Cody appeared on The Jim Ross Report this week, and one of the many interesting things he talked about is what the AEW product will look like.

    From himself, to The Young Bucks, to President Tony Kahn, there are a number of different forces that will ultimately shape the AEW product.

    First and foremost, Cody says, expect the company to present an athletic exhibition.
    “I tend to skew towards the sporting aspect of the industry,” Cody says. “I don’t like to say old school wrestling, I love traditional wrestling.”

    “Whether it’s Mid-Atlantic, or Mid South, or Dusty’s stuff with Jim Crockett Promotions, it’s not just old wrestling to me,” says Cody.

    “I think there’s magic in there. The things that people are doing, the competitors are doing, promo men are doing, that’s keeping the suspension of disbelief alive.”

    “It’s easy for someone of my generation to go ‘that’s just old wrestling’. There’s so much you can learn from it. It’s unreal,” Cody says.

    Tony Kahn’s Influence On AEW Product

    “Tony Kahn comes from the world of sports,” Cody says. “He wants to put out a sports broadcast.”

    “I think pro wrestling is entertaining enough. I don’t think the soap opera element of it has to be turned up to eleven in any way.”

    Cody also believes that Kahn’s sports analytics background will be invaluable to AEW.

    “Tony’s an analytics savant. He’s a genius when it comes to stuff like that,” says Cody.

    “I love hearing about the idea of wins and losses, and time limits, things that sound like the wrestling that I grew up on.”

    That is not to say that All Elite Wrestling will feature a totally old school mentality.

    “On the flip side of that, I’m really excited about what Matt and Nick [Jackson] bring to the table,” says Cody.

    “They bring a different side. They bring a very non-traditional wrestling.”

    Ultimately, AEW wants to provide something for every kind of wrestling fan.

    “It’s the buffet,” Cody says. “That’s what I want to create again. That was something Eric Bischoff told me before All In… He said make it a buffet.”

    Cody’s full interview can be heard blow.

    When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity. 

    What do you want to see from the AEW product?

  • AEW Teasing Cody’s Double Or Nothing Opponent, Finn Balor Trolling

    AEW Teasing Cody’s Double Or Nothing Opponent, Finn Balor Trolling

    This Thursday, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is hosting the Double or Nothing ticket announcement party from the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas, NV. As part of the hype for Double or Nothing, Cody Rhodes’ Nightmare Family Youtube channel has been running a new web series, Road to Double or Nothing. 

    Episode 2 dropped this week. The episode included The Elite scouting UK star Jimmy Havoc, a profile on “Hangman” Page and the first tease of Cody’s Double or Nothing opponent. Towards the end of video, AEW Coordinator Michael Cuellari tells Cody that somebody called again, but the person’s name is bleeped out. Cody acknowledged that the call was ‘personal’ and said he’s no rush to get back to the person.

    “No, no, I don’t want to handle that one,” Cody said. “I’ll call him back when I feel like it.” Cody then squirmed when Cuellari mentioned that Cody still does not have an opponent for Double or Nothing.

    Perhaps we’ll find out more details at Thursday’s event. AEW is teasing “new signings, exciting new partnerships and a surprise special guest.”

    Check back here Thursday night. SEScoops will be streaming the AEW Double or Nothing Ticket Announcement party starting at 9pm EST / 6pm PST.

    Finn Balor Trolls With AEW Friends

    For whatever reason, WWE Superstar Finn Balor has been posting photos on social media alongside AEW stars Chris Jericho and PAC.

  • Shane Helms Believes AEW Will Be Good Competition For WWE

    Shane Helms Believes AEW Will Be Good Competition For WWE

    “Hurricane” Shane Helms has only just begun his new journey with WWE. Helms recently started working as a backstage producer for the company. This is alongside both Sonjay Dutt and Abyss, who were also hired by WWE.

    Helms recently caught up with Booker T on Booker’s podcast, Heated Conversations. During their discussion, he brought up All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and how he believes they will impact the wrestling business. He also spoke about AEW providing competition to WWE, potentially even heralding a modern version of the Monday Night Wars.

    “We Need That Again”

    “[AEW] is gonna be good for the business,” he said. “Competition is good, there’s an excitement in the air. Those guys are some of my good friends, with Chris Jericho being a very close friend of mine. I’m excited to see what they do. We need that again, when the business was on fire with that Monday Night Wars. There’s a lot of people that thought that would never be duplicated, and it still might not this time, it’s still too early to say. But, if we can generate that excitement again — there’s a lot of crazy vibes in the air right now it seems to me.”

    The only other company he compared AEW to was WCW —  in his mind the last true company to offer true competition prior to WWE’s relative monopoly. Helms states that AEW are in a great position to learn from WCW’s mistakes, especially with how that company treated money and new acquisitions. 

    “[…] with WCW, they would just hire anybody back in the day, it didn’t matter if your a** was good or not. They were just giving money handouts as a fist. This company right here [AEW], they’re gonna be a little bit more smarter with their money and I think they’ll keep an eye on that. And those young guys, they know that. And two, that’s where Chris [Jericho] is gonna come in to play a little bit more than people realize, too. Because he was in WCW, he saw some of those mistakes so he’s gonna bring not just name value, and not just what he brings in the ring, but he’s gonna bring some business experience that they definitely need.”

  • Jimmy Havoc Joins AEW, Update On His Status With MLW

    Jimmy Havoc Joins AEW, Update On His Status With MLW

    Jimmy Havoc is the latest wrestler confirmed to be joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Havoc was featured in the latest episode of AEW’s Road to Double Or Nothing web series, which you can watch below. AEW and Havoc later confirmed the news on social media.

    https://twitter.com/JimmyHavoc/status/1092989324436688896

    The former PROGRESS World Champion has been making rounds in the American indie scene with his recent involvement with Major League Wrestling (MLW) and Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW). This past weekend at MLW Superfight, it was announced that Jimmy Havoc is set to return soon to MLW. MLW CEO Court Bauer was asked how Havoc’s involvement with AEW affects his role in MLW.

    https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1093154562842783745

    The Road To Double Or Nothing: Episode 2

    The second installment of AEW’s Road To Double Or Nothing web series has been released and can be seen below.

    At the beginning of the episode, Cody Rhodes, Head of Talent Relations Christopher Daniels and AEW Coordinator Michael Cuellari were seen watching a Havoc promo. After watching the promo, Christopher Daniels mentions how Havoc is technically sound in the ring and is a good talker. Cody agrees, and says that he loves him and that “he’s great, he’s amazing. Absolutely, let’s make that call.”

  • Goldust Explains Why AEW Is Good For WWE

    Goldust Explains Why AEW Is Good For WWE

    Dustin Rhodes, better known as Goldust in WWE, recently did an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated to talk about a wide range of topics including All Elite Wrestling, Cody’s involvement, and more.

    AEW President Tony Khan will be head of the creative team while Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks will serve as Executive Vice Presidents. It’s been reported that Cody will focus on the men’s singles division, while Matt and Nick will take care of the tag teams.

    During this interview, Goldust talked about how he thinks the competition from AEW will ultimately benefit WWE.

    “They’re doing it really professionally, from the heads of the company to their big talent to the newer stars. I’m very curious to see what Cody and the Young Bucks can do with All Elite Wrestling. I hope this really takes storm and becomes something formidable. You need places to go and work, competition is great and it is the best thing that can happen for WWE.”

    Goldust would continue by stating that he is very proud and happy for Cody. He would praise him for having a great mind for the business and doing so much already.

    “He’s paid attention and learned from mistakes. He’s fought for what he has, and his work in AEW will show that.”

  • Update On Pentagon Jr & Fenix Contract Status With AEW

    Update On Pentagon Jr & Fenix Contract Status With AEW

    In Atlanta, this weekend, Pentagon Jr. and Fenix accepted the Young Bucks offer to come work for them in AEW. According to a recent report from Wrestling Observer Radio, however, the Lucha Bros are not free to commit to AEW on more than a per-match basis.

    “They are on a per match deal with AEW because they cannot sign them because they are under contract with Lucha Underground,” Dave Meltzer said.

    “They will have plenty of offers and make a lot of money,” Meltzer continued. “But it’s not happening until they get out of that Lucha Underground contract.”

    The report continued to state that Pentagon and Fenix will still end up working with Impact Wrestling, however.

    Lucha Underground Contract Situations

    The only wrestling promotion with more people trying to leave it than WWE at the moment is Lucha Underground. Numerous talents have expressed frustrations recently with the terms of the contracts they signed with the company. Joey Ryan and Ivelisse have both stated the company told wrestlers they would be granted their releases if requested.

    “I back Ivelisse 100% on this. Prior to S4, we were told anybody who requested a release would be granted one,” Joey Ryan Tweeted in response to Ivelisse saying she felt held hostage by the promotion. “Some did and left after the tapings. Others showed faith in the product and now seems are being punished for it. With no S5 in sight, it’s petty to keep anyone locked up.”

  • AEW Reportedly Deciding Between Two Television Deals

    AEW Reportedly Deciding Between Two Television Deals

    Last week AEW officials met with several television networks to discuss potential deals. There are reportedly several deals on the table, but AEW are deciding between “two legitimate deals.”

    Wrestling Observer Radio reported the news that AEW were looking at two deals in particular. Dave Meltzer noted that the consensus backstage among those involved is that the final decision will be between the two aforementioned networks. We do not have the names of said networks at the time of writing.

    Meltzer also claimed that not only were these great deals but that they were the best television deals any non-WWE wrestling programme will have secured since the days of WCW.

    All Elite appears to be becoming more fleshed out in public by the day, and WWE has taken notice. As we reported last week WWE are scrambling to sign talent to new deals.

    According to PWInsider, meetings were held backstage at recent at a SmackDown Live TV taping to address the situation. More specifically, wrestlers whose contracts are coming up in the next year or two had private meetings with management. This was to discuss signing long-term deals. The names of said talents are again not available at present but one of the biggest is AJ Styles, whose deal ends in April according to the Wrestling Observer.

  • Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix Agree To Wrestle For AEW

    Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix Agree To Wrestle For AEW

    All Elite Wrestling has been going all out and pulling no stops to acquire as much talent as possible from the independent scene and without much surprise Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Hangman Page and SoCal Uncensored were present at McAloon Productions’ Come Hell or High Water event in Atlanta, GA last night.

    In the main event of the pay-per-view show, the current Impact Tag Champions The Lucha Brothers (Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix) defeated SCU (Frankie Kazarian & Christopher Daniels), after which they were met with a thankful speech from The Young Bucks who said that they are grateful to the Lucha Brothers for keeping tag team wrestling alive.

    The Jackson Brothers then proceeded to offer an All Elite Wrestling contract to the Lucha Brothers. Although the offer did not involve any official paperwork, the Young Bucks said that a handshake agreement would do just fine for now.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1091556452232282112

    Before the Lucha Brothers could respond, they were met with an attack from local wrestlers who were part of the event. SCU came to the rescue of the Lucha Brothers and they along with the Young Bucks fended off the attacks.

    Pentagon Jr. and Fenix then agreed to join AEW, by shaking the Young Bucks’ hands.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1091557240417513473

    Pentagon and Fenix are still wrestling for MLW and Impact Wrestling, where they are the current World Tag Team Champions.

    Chris Jericho has announced Pentagon & Fenix signed exclusive deals with AEW. The tweet was later deleted.

    https://twitter.com/IAmJericho/status/1091606185696997378

  • AEW Hyping “Special Surprise Guest” For Double Or Nothing Ticket Announcement Party

    AEW Hyping “Special Surprise Guest” For Double Or Nothing Ticket Announcement Party

    Double or Nothing, the first live event under the AEW banner, takes place on Saturday, May 25th from Las Vegas, NV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. A “ticket announcement party” is scheduled for next Thursday, February 7th at the MGM Grand’s Splash Pool.

    AEW sent in some new details about the ticket announcement pool party:

    – We will find out when Double or Nothing tickets go on sale.

    – The Elite crew will be on hand, including Cody and Brandi Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Hangman Page and SCU.

    – AEW is teasing spectacular new signings, exciting new partnerships and a surprise special guest.

    – The AEW Double or Nothing Ticket Announcement party will stream live online starting at 6pm PST / 9pm EST on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #AEW on February 7th.

    AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes commented on the ticket announcement party:

    “We promised to change the wrestling landscape in 2019, and it’s already starting to shift. Our roster is growing every day with awesome acquisitions, we’re gathering incredible momentum among our fanbase, and we’re poised to sell out the DOUBLE OR NOTHING event in record speed. Whether you can join us in person next week or plan to follow the news socially, get ready to party with us on February 7, and let’s start the countdown to DOUBLE OR NOTHING on May 25.”

    Cody’s Nightmare Family Youtube channel is doing a new series titled, The Road To Double or Nothing. If you haven’t seen Episode 1 yet, check it out here:

  • WWE & AEW Competing To Sign Top Female Wrestler

    WWE & AEW Competing To Sign Top Female Wrestler

    WWE and AEW are both interested in the same up-and-coming female wrestler. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, Bea Priestley is on both promotion’s radar. It sounds as though AEW is closer to landing the English star.

    “The only name that I’ve heard among women is STARDOM’s Bea Priestley, who WWE was pushing hard for, but AEW looks closer with her,” wrote Dave Meltzer. “She’s not signed as of yet.”

    The report would continue to say AEW might be the better destination for female wrestlers right now.

    “All Elite seems like a great choice for newer women to go right now,” Meltzer continued. “WWE has a lot of great wrestlers, but there is so many people, that it’s easy to get lost in the talent pool, or take forever to make it up the ranks. AEW, if a success, they’re going to feature women at a top level, so there is more opportunity to be featured and make an impact quicker.

    Bea Priestley, AEW and WWE

    Priestley has recently traded the WOS women’s championship back and forth with Viper. She’s also held the WhatCulture Pro and Defiant women’s championships. She is a 3-year pro, having begun her career in early 2016.

    Priestley is currently in a relationship with NEVER Openweight Champion, Will Ospreay.

    https://twitter.com/WillOspreay/status/1090604114327859201

    AEW Women’s Division & Intergender Wrestling

    Brandi Rhodes will be heading up AEW’s women’s division. She has promised new signings to the division could be introduced at the Double or Nothing rally in Las Vegas.

    Also concerning female talent and AEW, Brandi told Diva Dirt earlier this month that inter-gender wrestling won’t be apart of AEW initially.

    “There are some of us on-board who have worked intergender (matches). I’ve always been a fan of it. I learned a lot working in those scenarios,” said Brandi Rhodes. “There are reasons for and against it, always. We’re going to handle everything with care. I don’t think it’s something you’re going to see out of the gate with AEW.”

  • Cody Scheduled To Have Knee Surgery, Timetable For Return

    Cody Scheduled To Have Knee Surgery, Timetable For Return

    Cody is scheduled to have surgery on his knee shortly. The AEW executive was pulled from the ROH Global Wars tour back in November after hearing his knee pop. Cody was to defend the IWGP United States championship against Beretta in Toronto but was unable to make the match.

    “Sadly folks I will not be able to wrestle tomorrow in Toronto,” Cody Tweeted. “I will still be at the pre-show meet/greet to say hello to everybody.”

    An MRI later confirmed Cody would need surgery to repair the damage done to his meniscus. He would delay the surgery until after Final Battle and Wrestle Kingdom, however. In an update to this story, the Wrestling Observer is reporting Cody’s surgery is scheduled for February 12th.

    “Cody will be undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on February 12 in Atlanta,” wrote Dave Meltzer. “The surgery will keep him out of action for two to three months but he’s not scheduled to wrestle until Double Or Nothing on 5/25.”

    Cody On His Knee Injury

    Back in November, Cody provided a somewhat encouraging update on his knee. He was able to compete at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom back on January 4th, but his damaged meniscus will require him to undergo a minimally invasive procedure.

  • Update On Brock Lesnar’s UFC And WWE Future

    Update On Brock Lesnar’s UFC And WWE Future

    Brock Lesnar’s UFC and WWE future has been in question for the better part of the last four years, and that remains the case as we enter another WrestleMania season.

    The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Lesnar’s current WWE contract definitely runs through WrestleMania 35, and most likely the planned May event in Saudi Arabia.

    That deal does allow Lesnar to fight in the UFC, and Lesnar has remained in the USADA drug testing pool. Lesnar has reportedly been tested recently, leaving the door open for him to return to fighting while under his current WWE contract.

    Dave Meltzer believes that Lesnar is unlikely to fight again, and is simply using the threat of going to UFC as leverage in contract negotiations with WWE.

    Further complicating Brock’s potential UFC and WWE future is the emergence of All Elite Wrestling.

    Meltzer reported on an audio show this week that Chris Jericho wants a match with Lesnar, and Jericho appeared to be working towards that by taking a shot at Lesnar on social media on Sunday.

    Jericho’s Tweet read:

    “Intimidation and fear goes a LONG way in our business guys. But let’s be honest, @BrockLesnar needs to pull up his pants and lose the gut… the dream is over dude. I don’t play by the script… @wwe @AEWrestling

    — Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) January 28, 2019″

    Jericho has since deleted the Tweet.

    Reportedly, when Lesnar’s WWE contract expires, there could be three companies negotiating for his services: UFC, WWE, and AEW.

    What do you see in Brock Lesnar’s UFC and WWE future? 

  • WWE Locker Room Reacts To Chris Jericho’s AEW Contract

    WWE Locker Room Reacts To Chris Jericho’s AEW Contract

    Not since 2001 has the wrestling industry had such a wide array of genuine options available for the talented men and women looking for an opportunity. With All Elite Wrestling (AEW) willing to invest in their product and talent at an unprecedented degree since WCW, WWE may no longer be the only major player in town.

    One big money contract they offered helped them to secure a major talent: Chris Jericho.

    Details regarding Jericho’s AEW contract reportedly leaked backstage amongst the WWE locker room last week. The amount apparently “stunned” and “freaked” WWE personnel, depending on their position.

    Speaking on the Wrestling Observer Forum, Dave Meltzer stated that “Last week it went around WWE locker room the Jericho $ amount, it was a huge shock.”

    He would extrapolate this point further via Wrestling Observer Radio: “One of the things that happened, I was actually told this a couple of days ago, Jericho’s contract number went around the WWE locker room and a lot of people were stunned, freaked, depending on your viewpoint.”

    Meltzer clarified that it “[…] wouldn’t be a John Cena number and it’s not a Brock number and I don’t think it’s a Ronda Rousey number — maybe it is, I don’t know, but it’s a pretty high number. It’s one of the higher numbers. It would be near the top in WWE. [Wrestlers are] all of a sudden like ‘Woah.’ Something out there is real.”

    This knowledge comes in the wake of numerous talent asking for and receiving, their release. In recent weeks, rumors have circulated Mike and Maria Kanellis and The Revival. Just this week, news broke that Dean Ambrose would not be resigning with WWE after his contract expires post-WrestleMania. Hideo Itami will also be leaving, most probably returning to Japan to wrestle.

    H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.

  • Sammy Guevara & Kylie Rae Expected To Sign With AEW

    Sammy Guevara & Kylie Rae Expected To Sign With AEW

    AEW is expected to announce more signings at their February 7th rally in Las Vegas. While it is not clear who those names will be, a report from the Wrestling Observer is stating both Sammy Guevara and Kylie Rae are expected to sign with the new promotion.

    Guevara had been wrestling with MLW but he is reported to have canceled dates and was becoming difficult to book.

    “(MLW) were under the impression (Guevara) is going to AEW and I am under the impression that he is very likely going to AEW as well,” Dave Meltzer said. “Another name to mention for AEW is, whether it is a done deal or close, is Kylie Rae.”

    Sammy Guevara & Kylie Rae

    Sammy Guevara currently works for AAA in Mexico where he is the World Cruiserweight champion. The 25-year-old recently returned home from a tour with DDT in Japan which went from November 30th to January 14th. The last time he wrestled for MLW was at their Chicago tapings in November. He was defeated by Rush, who also recently left the promotion.

    Kylie Rae is a 26-year-old pro who has gotten noticed for her performances with RISE and Chicago’s AAW promotion. She has also toured Japan with Stardom this July.

  • The Elite Tease Appearance At Independent Show This Weekend

    The Elite Tease Appearance At Independent Show This Weekend

    Members of the Elite have been showing up at independent wrestling events recently. Cody and Hangman Page appeared at an event in Waterbury, MA recently. The Young Bucks, Page, and Cody have also appeared at Bar Wrestling in LA and DEFY Wrestling in Seattle recently.

    It appears the Young Bucks could be headed to Atlanta this weekend. Nick Jackson appeared in the replies section for an event featuring SCU versus the Lucha Bros.

    Kazarian made a point to capitalize the letters A, E, and W in the following post:

    Colt Cabana didn’t need any more hints:

    Later, Nick Jackson confirmed that he bought tickets. “Just bought flights,” Nick Jackson Tweeted. “This weekend is gonna be nuts!”

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/1090437446691483648

    Cody and Brandi Rhodes live in Atlanta and could likely appear as well. Brandi doubts Cody knows how to get to the venue, however.

    Hangman Page looks as though he’ll be staying nearby this weekend as well:

    https://twitter.com/theAdamPage/status/1090433678059147264

    The Young Bucks On Independent Wrestling Event Appearances

    On the most recent episode of Being the Elite, the Young Bucks revealed they are making these appearances to give back to independent wrestling. They are paying their own ways to the shows and not accepting payment from the promotions.

    Matt Jackson On OWE Partnership

    Matt Jackson recently took the time to speak on AEW’s partnership with Oriental Wrestling Entertainment (OWE).

    “Immediately when I saw a couple of GIFs of the OWE guys on Twitter, I was attracted,” he said. “So, I looked up more clips and did research on them. I quickly learned my old friend CIMA, who I’d made friends with years ago in Japan, was affiliated with them. That made sense right away, because the clips I watched had a real Dragon Gate feel to it.”

    He continued, “Yet still, it looked and felt so original. Like a fight scene from an old Kung fu movie.  I knew I’d one day work with these guys right away. I’m attracted to anything out of the ordinary.”

  • Matt Jackson Addresses AEW’s Relationship With OWE

    Matt Jackson Addresses AEW’s Relationship With OWE

    Matt Jackson recently spoke to NuclearConvoy.com about a wide range of topics including AEW’s relationship with OWE in China. This is where he brought up how this partnership with be vital to All Elite Wrestling.

    The announcement of their partnership was made public during the Double or Nothing rally earlier this month at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. This partnership with OWE is to use their talent for their shows.

    Jackson brought up how his old friend CIMA was affiliated with them and working with OWE made sense right away as after watching clips on Twitter it as looked and felt so original.

    “I’m attracted to anything out of the ordinary.” I think it’s vital to have something completely fresh and unseen by most eyes be one of the major highlights of our shows. We need to be different aesthetically, and OWE is just that.”

    Jackson brought up how OWE will grab the audience’s attention and deliver something most fans have never seen as he plans to have OWE talent be one of the first things on their shows as they’ve only got one first time impression.

    The first official event under the AEW will be The Double or Nothing event that is set to take place May 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Dragon Ball Z Voice Actor Interested In Working For AEW

    Dragon Ball Z Voice Actor Interested In Working For AEW

    As professional wrestling is preparing for a new major promotion on its horizon, talent from other fields are expressing interest in joining the industry. The latest is Kyle Hebert, the famed voice actor from Dragon Ball Z, Street Fighter, and other video games. In response to a fan suggesting to Cody Rhodes that Herbert would make a nice addition to AEW’s production team, Hebert said he would “soooo be all over this.”

    Hebert is also the voice of Ryu in Street Fighter. He does several background voices for Red Dead Redemption II too. The Southern California native also posted the following photo of himself dressed in AEW merchandise yesterday:

    AEW Signings

    While on last week’s episode of Being the Elite Peter Avalon was hired and fired from the promotion, comments made by Sean Waltman (a friend of Avalon’s) indicate he will actually be performing some role for the company. His million-dollar contract, however, is likely not real.

    Bellator heavyweight and former WWE World Champion, Jack Swagger, also expressed interest in AEW recently on Jim Ross’ podcast.

    “I could not be more excited about it,” Swagger said in regards to AEW. “I feel like it’s changing the landscape of professional wrestling. It’s providing competition. I know, Jim, you’re like me. I believe competition makes everyone better. So this is great for pro wrestlers. This is great for the boys in the back – it gives them someplace to go, it gives them leverage.”