Last month, CJ Perry sustained a serious MRSA infection after getting a small splinter in her finger while backstage at AEW. After the infection began spreading up Perry’s arm, Perry was then required to undergo emergency surgery Perry and real-life Miro later announced that the surgery was successful.
Unfortunately, Perry is now experiencing a setback in her recovery journey.
Infection ‘Relapse’
Over the weekend, CJ Perry provided an update on her post-surgery care (via X), revealing that she had a ‘relapse’ in her MRSA infection after her antibiotics stopped working. As a result, Perry was rushed to the hospital, where a surgeon cleaned out her wound in the search for blood.
When no blood emerged, the doctor inserted a long IV needle into Perry’s hand, which Perry described as a fire-like ‘stinging sensation,’ to numb the area around her finger. The doctor then continued to dig through Perry’s finger until they spotted blood.
Following this treatment, Perry was instructed to return to the surgeon to repeat the process every day this week. Perry has also been put back on antibiotics.
In a separate TikTok video, Perry revealed she may need a second surgery on her finger. Should doctors determine that a follow-up operation is necessary, Perry says they plan on taking skin from either a ring finger or her palm to act as a skin graft.
For now, though, Perry will continue forward with her daily doctor’s visits in the hope that her recovery continues on an upward trajectory.
From everyone here at SEScoops, we send our best wishes to CJ Perry.
WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff is relishing in not working for Tony Khan, and is grateful for every day he doesn’t have to answer to the AEW President.
While Bischoff has made a handful of appearances for AEW, it’s been some time since the WCW magnate was invited to a show. Bischoff has been critical of AEW in recent years, and while he’s made it clear he wants AEW to succeed, he has been unimpressed by the work of Tony Khan. Last October, Bischoff claimed that Khan is “beyond help” and dismissed the AEW President as a Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman wannabee.
Bischoff Responds to Dax Harwood
Bischoff’s issues with Tony Khan are well-documented and Easy-E only added to the tensions this week. On the latest episode of his 83 Weeks Podcast, Bischoff didn’t hold back. He first discussed Dax calling him out over his remarks on AEW:
“Either my skin has gotten so thick that I just don’t react to things the way I used to or maybe you just get wiser with age and having kind of been there when I was younger, kinda where Dax is right now, so I kind of get it. Where is Dax in his career? He’s got to say these things. He’s out there promoting his company. He’s defending his company. His boss made a complete Jackass of himself on social media during the week previous to this appearance he made.
So I get it, because what else is Dax going to do? If he doesn’t have a gig in AEW? And I don’t mean that as a shot because I like him. I like the tag team, like you do for the same reasons. But I don’t know if going back to the WWE is an option. Maybe it is. We’ve seen crazier things. I don’t know the situation where Dax left and how he left it and if he had heat or didn’t have heat or I don’t know any of that stuff. Maybe there’s chance he could go back but I think those odds are probably remote at this point. So what’s he’s got? He’s got the gig he’s got. And I don’t disagree.
Tony Khan has put a lot of money in a lot of talent’s pockets. I know people personally who are making more money who have been in the business for longer than I have and are making more money than they ever have. So you know that I’m not exaggerating anything here. You don’t hear anybody in AEW complaining about their paychecks, but the opposite. Sure, that’s great for talent. That’s great for those individuals, and I’m happy for them. Just like I’m happy for someone who wins a lottery. I don’t wanna see anybody not get what they can get out there in the marketplace. So let’s dispel that, I agree with that, it’s a wonderful thing for humanity.
But it doesn’t mean it’s good for the business. What Tony Khan has been doing and some of the presentations that we’ve seen out of AEW is not better for the business, because it’s turning off advertisers. It’s turning off his own viewers. The audience is deteriorating, it’s not growing and you can talk about ‘Yeah but less people are watching TV’ and go back to that trope all you want is. Is it a fact? Sure. Is it an excuse? Probably not. WWE is growing in the same environment. Why isn’t AEW? It’s because of lack of story, it’s because of lack of character development. It’s because of lack of vision, and it’s because a lot of the chaos that’s going on behind the scenes.”
Eric Bischoff Explains His Financial Troubles
Bischoff then went into length to explain the financial troubles that led to him filing for bankruptcy in 2017. He explained that he still had to pay off all his debts which he did earlier than expected:
“Let’s just get the elephant out of the room. I wrote a book called grateful. I talked a lot about having to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This isn’t a financial [podcast] but because that’s kind of there right? So I want to address it. I’m not gonna go into detail about the differences between Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 13 Because they’re all different. Chapter 11 is a business bankruptcy primarily. It doesn’t allow me to walk away from my debts. I ended up filing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in 2017.
I’ve talked on this show at length about the reasons that led up to it. Basically me transitioning out of the television business. I went from making close to seven figures a year and I took an about 80% cut in pay over the course of 24 months. And then I had the state of California come knocking on my door and say, ‘I know you thought you paid all your taxes, but we realised we can find a different way to tax you on business that took place out of state simply because you have a mailbox in California.’
That was kind of a big hit. None of that really matters. To protect my home. This home is my legacy. I built this home in 1998 because I really really wanted to provide a place of stability in any situation for my family, to have a beautiful home in a beautiful part of the country. People from all over the world come here to visit. It’s that beautiful. I wanted to be able to leave this legacy to my children to enjoy it for the very same reasons. When it got to the point where that legacy, this property, this home was at risk.
I made a business decision to reorganize my debt. Not walk away from it, not fulfil my obligations to it, simply to reorganize it. That’s what a chapter 11 is. Now when I filed that chapter 11, this is back in 2017. You go through that process. At the end of it, the court says ‘Okay, you’re going to pay back 100% of this debt. you have, in my case, five years to do it.’ I did it in three. I have a seven-figure net worth. I have a very healthy credit score. I’m in really good shape as a result of being able to do some smart things.”
Eric Bischoff is Grateful
Later in the podcast, the former WCW President explained that his frustrations with AEW have nothing to do with him wanting a job with the promotion. He mentioned he had been very supportive of the promotion since the beginning and explained what changed his stance:
“I stayed supportive until I think it was around November two years ago, a little over two years ago. Tony came out and made that completely ignorant in a literal sense of [the word] comment about Ted Turner. Paraphrasing, if Ted Turner knew 1% of professional wrestling as I do maybe WCW would still be around. Completely ignorant. Tony doesn’t have a fucking clue what went on in WCW and why it’s not around. The only thing he knows is what Dave Meltzer told him. That’s it. He wasn’t there. He has no idea.
And it was disrespectful. It was ignorant and disrespectful simultaneously. As Tony Khan’s trying desperately to hang on to his television time on Turner Network Television and Turner Broadcasting System, disrespecting the man that made that opportunity even an option. Once someone disrespects publicly, someone who I respect or have a relationship with, they go on a different list. Doesn’t mean I don’t like them. I just don’t have any respect for them. They’re just like everybody else.
I don’t care if you’re a trust fund baby that’s a wrestling fan and has a wrestling company. I no longer have any respect for you. And I’m going to react to you just like I would anybody else. So that was it, Dax. It wasn’t because I asked for a job and didn’t get one. It wasn’t because I was hoping I would get an job offer and it never came. As I said before that clip. I wake up every day grateful that I don’t have to work for someone like Tony Khan. Or even if I wanted to work for Tony Khan, I’m grateful that I don’t have to jump on a plane every week and do it. As much as anything for sure. Or put up with what has obviously been….the amount of drama that’s taken place backstage in AEW far surpasses any of the fictional drama that’s taken place in the ring for the last five years. I don’t want to be a part of that.
Now Dax I understand you have to cause you don’t have opti
ons, but I do. As I said seven-figure net worth, I live in the most beautiful place in the world. I have almost no consumer debt. Nickels and dimes. I have a beautiful wife. I have great kids, i have a new grandson. Everybody’s healthy. Everybody’s successful. I can come and go as I pleae. I can work with who I want, on what projects I want. And I have absolutely no pressure. And I’m not saying that to brag even though it is, I don’t mean it to be – but it’s context. What I’m really grateful for Dax, is I have the freedom to say whatever I want to say about whoever I want to say it about. I don’t have to worry about it affecting my income or what I want to do. Can you say the same thing Dax?”
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
This move from the former Jurassic Express member was shocking, to say the least. They also kept the angle very close to the vest.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer brought up Perry’s big NJPW surprise appearance. Apparently, even security was in the dark about what was going to happen.
“The security didn’t know about this angle. They thought it was a fan hitting the ring. They were quickly told it wasn’t.”
Jack Perry’s AEW Status
Jack Perry’s absence from AEW is notable, and it is even more odd that Tony Khan would allow this huge angle about his company to go down during a NJPW event. Obviously, there is a lot to unpack here, but Perry needs to make some kind of impression on AEW television to really send the message home.
He has been absent from AEW television for a very long time, as CM Punk, who was fired for his part in Brawl In, is already back in WWE at this point.
While some fans thought The Devil was Perry, that role went to Adam Cole. Now, the pro wrestling world will have to wait and see how Tony Khan plays his next move in this situation.
AEW star Pac is seemingly closing-in on his return to the squared circle.
The Brit hasn’t competed inside the ring in over five months, but he was backstage at the Homecoming edition of AEW Dynamite on January 10. It has now come to light that he was also backstage at the latest edition of AEW Collision.
The Death Triangle member’s backstage presence at Daily’s Place has prompted some to assume that his return could be only around the corner. Pac was reportedly one of several names backstage during the performance who haven’t been seen in a while.
Pac was backstage at AEW Collision
PWInsider has now reported that AEW’s first Doube Champion also made his presence felt backstage on Saturday’s AEW Collision. The outlet noted that he was working out in the squared circle before the show. This indicates his return is closer than ever.
“PAC was backstage at last night’s AEW Collision taping and was working out in the ring before the taping, so he’s back Stateside and will be back soon.”
PAC has been a part of AEW since its inception. However, his run at the promotion has been hindered by extended time offs, and the former AEW All-Atlantic Champion, who’s based out of the UK, faced travel-related complications. In addition, he has been dealing with multiple injuries in recent years.
PAC’s final match before the hiatus saw him win against Gravity on the July 26, 2023, edition of Dynamite. A few days prior, at Death Before Dishonor on July 21, Pac suffered a defeat to Claudio Castagnoli.
We will now have to wait and see how AEW plans Pac’s return.
FTR has been a staple of AEW Collision since the beginning. The pair quickly became allies of CM Punk when Punk returned to AEW programming as part of the first Collision. Speaking to WTKR, Dax Harwood compared Collision to Dynamite.
“Dynamite could be more of your sports entertainment based show and I think Collision is more of your sports based show. On Collision, we like to feature that knockdown, drag out hard-hitting style.”
Cash Wheeler also had praise for AEW’s newest weekly TV show.
“They’re really fun shows, especially on a Saturday night. There’s plenty of time to come in, have a great time, and get out by 10:00 and still have your Saturday night.”
The Ultimate Goal
For FTR, being one of the top teams in professional wrestling is nothing short of a dream come true. In the interview, Harwood said as a kid, he dreamed of being a wrestler or a power ranger.
“I was allowed to be a professional wrestler. Living that dream on national television every single week, the greatest tag team of all time, ten time world tag team champions, those are the things that you dream about.”
Wheeler chimed in about the impact wrestling has had on them and what is the ultimate goal.
“Wrestling has legitimately saved our lives. To leave wrestling better than we found is the ultimate goal.”
Has FTR figured out the ‘real’ reason for Eric Bischoff’s criticism of AEW?
It appears that the Undisputed Kingdom has found their match in Adam Copeland and his friends.
AEW presented the ninth Battle of The Belts special from Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia after this week’s episode of Collision.
The show was headlined by the AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defending his title against Preston Vance. The Undisputed Kingdom all came out for this match and sat on the ramp during the bout.
Towards the ending of the fight, Cassidy took out the faction and Vance also flipped them off. Orange Cassidy then successfully retained his title using the Orange Punch and Stundog Millionaire.
The Undisputed Kingdom finally came down the ring after the bout ended. While they didn’t attack the International Champion, the broadcast ended with Roderick Strong telling Cassidy that his time was over.
This wasn’t the end of the show however. The feed continued even after this and the team of Danial Garcia and FTR, led by Adam Copeland came out and attacked the Kingdom. This newly formed alliance took out the faction with Orange Cassidy getting the final shot at Roderick Strong before he retreated from the ring.
After BOTB IX went off the air, the feed kept going as Adam Copeland, Daniel Garcia & FTR ran down to make the save for Orange Cassidy!
Elsewhere in the show, Julia Hart successfully defended her TBS title against Anna Jay and the duo of Ricky Starks & Big Bill managed to outlast Sammy Guevara & Chris Jericho in a crazy street fight to retain their tag titles.
Though Battle of The Belts wasn’t the only place AEW stars were making headlines. An interesting name that hadn’t been seen on any wrestling programming since last year made his return during NJPW’s Battle In The Valley. You can check that out here.
It wasn’t lost on Konosuke Takeshita that he recently competed in the ring against Sting and The Icon gave quite the hat tip to the young star.
With Sting’s retirement match impending at AEW Revolution, Takeshita took to social media to make note of his recent battles against Sting. Takeshita and Stinger competed in a multi-man tag match at the latest PPV and on the January 10 episode of Dynamite, the two fought once more in tag action. Konosuke noted how he admired Sting’s early work against a name star against someone like Great Muta.
“To be honest, it was very special to be able to fight against Sting. Sting vs Great Muta VHS had a huge impact on me as a kid. Thanks.”
Sting reciprocated Takeshita’s comments with even higher praise, saying that Konosuke has all the abilites to be the next Great Muta.
“Another Great Muta in the making. He has all the tools, for sure.”
Sting’s team came out victorious at AEW World’s End and also won his tornado tag this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite against Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs.
Sting’s road to Revolution should have its fair share of drama as it was indicated his final opponents appear to be Nick Jackson and Matt Jackson as The Young Bucks returned to the company. The brothers had heelish new looks and it’s likely Sting will team up with his “pillar” protege in Darby Allin.
However, Allin reportedly was messed up real bad in the match up after his neck bumped harshly off the ring ropes following a big toss by Hobbs and Takeshita.
Dax Harwood hasn’t been afraid to express his feelings against his critics and he just set his sights on Eric Bischoff.
Bischoff has been blunt in his constructive criticism of Tony Khan’s AEW and it hasn’t sat well with Khan and now apparently with one of Tony’s top tag teams.
In a new interview with Jeff Snyder, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler didn’t hold back in what he felt about Bischoff and other wrestling personalities who have given their opinions on AEW.
“You got all these old-time, miserable podcasters like Eric Bischoff and some of the others who make a living just by going on their podcasts and burying Tony and AEW when they know that AEW is a place where business is thriving.”
Wheeler then goes on to accuse Bischoff that he holds sour grapes because Khan didn’t offer him a job with the company.
“I think he’s really mad that Tony wouldn’t give him a job the few times he was there to collect the paycheck.”
Harwood doubled down on Cash’s assessment before stating that Bischoff only criticizes AEW for clicks and publicity.
“I know there’s quite a few that glowingly talked about AEW initially, and when Tony didn’t give them a job, now all of a sudden, they’re talking crap about it? Eh, that don’t make sense to me.”
Harwood said that he takes Bischoff’s opinions personally because AEW is how he puts food on the table.
However, on previous episodes of “83 Weeks” and “Strictly Business,” Bischoff has mentioned multiple times that he hopes that AEW succeeds.
Rob Van Dam believes HOOK has a very “high” ceiling in pro wrestling.
On the upcoming episode of “1 Of A Kind With RVD” Van Dam got word that Samoa Joe was going to put his AEW World Title on the line against HOOK. Taz’s son will actually be Joe’s first title defense and it’s set to go down next week on AEW Dynamite.
RVD was asked what he thought about the Joe vs. HOOK match-up and if he thinks the current FTW Champion has what it takes to be a top guy.
“From what I know about him, absolutely. What I don’t know about him is very important here because this sounds like a good matchup. It’s probably a really exciting matchup.”
Van Dam said that he wasn’t completely aware of HOOK’s AEW journey and the path that he has taken to get to Samoa Joe, but believes their styles and size difference will compliment one another.
When asked about the bout itself, Van Dam believes HOOK being with Joe will elevate him even further and could see the finish of the fight involving the two earning one another’s respect. He adds that when that happens along with the two stars earning the crowd’s respect, that creates a special moment in wrestling.
“I could totally see that happening with these two guys. You know, I could see Samoa liking [HOOK] and maybe who knows, maybe take him under his wing or something?”
RVD also happened to share a special moment with Joe. On the previous episode of “1 Of A Kind” Van Dam talked about how while the two were in TNA Samoa Joe saved his life from choking to death on a hot dog.
AEW fans are well aware that their injured list is growing more by the week. It appears that Darby Allin is a big banged up after this week’s Homecoming Dynamite in Daily’s Place.
Darby Allin’s Recent Botched Spot
Darby Allin is known for embracing risks, both inside and outside the wrestling ring. His daring moves and extracurricular ventures extend to dangerous spots during matches and extreme sports activities like stunts and skateboarding.
The January 10th episode of AEW Dynamite featured a Texas Tornado Match in the main event, pitting Sting & Darby Allin against Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs. The babyface duo pulled down the victory in the end, but it wasn’t without some big bumps.
One spot during that match saw Takeshita and Cage hurl Allin across the ring by his hands and feet. The former TNT Champion smashed against the other side of the ring, catching his head under the bottom rope in the process.
Bryan Alvarez reported on the F4Wonline Board that Allin suffered an injury during the match, particularly from a neck bump into the ropes. The extent of the injury and potential impact on Allin’s availability for upcoming events remains uncertain, and we hope for his swift recovery.
“Actually, I was told the neck bump into the ropes really messed Darby up in that match.”
Sting also took a pretty bad bump to end that match. He tried to do a Scorpion Death Drop on Will Hobbs through two tables, but they only hit one of them.
Since they didn’t have proper placement on the hardware, they missed the first table completely, sending Hobbs and the WWE Hall of Famer through only one table. Sting also hit his head on the floor in the process, but he seems to be okay.
After that match, Sting and Darby Allin took to the ring, where Tony Schiavone asked The Icon about his opponent for that final match at AEW Revolution. That is when The Young Bucks returned, sporting mustaches, to make their presence known.
While it hasn’t been 100% confirmed by AEW yet, it appears that the Young Bucks will battle Sting and Darby Allin at Revolution.
AEW veteran commentator Jim Ross recently expressed his desire to call ‘The Icon’ Sting’s final match at AEW Revolution in March.
Good Ol’ JR has been a familiar voice in the world of pro wrestling and has lent his voice to several iconic matches over the years. He wants to be a part of the history when Sting graces the squared circle one final time.
During the main event of AEW Dynamite ‘Homecoming’, Jim Ross made his return to the commentary booth and joined the regular team of Tony Schiavone and Excalibur. They called the match which featured the team of Sting and Darby Allin taking on Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs.
Jim Ross wants to be part of the history
Speaking on Grilling J.R podcast, the veteran commentator shared his thoughts on the match which he called on Dynamite. Ross went on to state that he’d like to be a part of the commentary team call with Tony Schiavone for Sting’s final match at AEW Revolution. He revealed that he mentioned it to AEW President Tony Khan to which Khan agreed that it makes sense for that to happen. Here is what he said:
“Me too, me too (I’m hoping to be on the call with Tony Schiavone for Sting’s final match). I mentioned that to Tony Khan last night. He agreed. It’s only right, it makes sense. I said, you know, ‘God dang, mother nature’s gonna tag in somewhere along the way with two old timers like Schiavone and I.’ We’re both feeling good. I’m feeling better today than I’ve felt in a long time. I still got the wound on my ankle. I’m seeing my doctor on Friday to go over an M.R.I., just to double check I didn’t have any bone disease on my tibia. So, I have a doctor’s appointment on Friday morning to go over all that deal and so, I just had a great night. It was one of those really feel good nights.”
Sting in AEW
Sting decided to join AEW back in 2020 and ‘The Icon’ has since participated at several high-profile events. The final run of his career has been nothing short of a fairytale for him.
Sting has had a “major say” in his final match, Fightful Select reports. Sting has said in the past that he didn’t want to wrestle a singles match and would prefer to work a tag-team match. As of a few weeks ago, the plan was for Sting and Allin to face the Bucks and the Icon was “on board” with the idea.
Tony Khan & Sting
Tony Khan sees Sting’s retirement as very important and wants to make sure it’s done correctly and is a fitting send-off for the legendary wrestler. Whatever Sting wants for his last match and the build to it, AEW has been willing to do.
Whatever Sting wants to do, it likely won’t involve Ric Flair stepping back in the ring. While Flair got physical on this week’s Dynamite, he hasn’t been considered for any actual matches. Flair has been pushing to do more physical things, including the chops and poke to the eye we saw on Dynamite.
CM Punk and Jack Perry’s backstage altercation at All In London garnered attention in the pro wrestling world. It inspired a slew of memes and commentary due to how AEW handled the aftermath as well. Now, one man who was there is talking about how it all went down.
What DJ Woo Kid Saw At AEW All In London
DJ Whoo Kid, who was present at the All In London event because he was part of Swerve Strickland’s entrance, shared backstage insights during the Jim and Sam show on SiriusXM. He saw a lot, but we already know what happened. Punk and Jungle Boy had it out backstage, and chaos broke loose.
“You already know what happened in the back,” he started before saying it was “straight brawl city.” He then made a quip about how he’s not talking about all the “blood and killing and death” before laughing.
The famous rapper said that he was, “right there. We were next. They put us to be ready to go.” It seems that the situation made everyone alert on site and ready for anything to pop off.
“It was like the moment for AEW and I guess he [Punk] tried to sabotage that moment. He wasn’t trying to go out there. I’m in the middle. You know me, I’m the fly on the wall… It was very intense. I always thought it was fake and sh*t. It’s more real…the sh*t that’s crazy is there was a yelling moment where he was like “yo, f*ck this sh*t this is our moment, everybody get the f*ck out there and do your sh*t. It was very intense. I always respect wrestling after I saw that.”
“There was a yelling moment where he [Joe] was like ‘f*ck this sh*t, this is our moment, everybody get the f*ck out there and do your sh*t.’ I was like, I don’t wrestle, but I was about to go out there. It was very intense. I will always respect wrestling after I saw that.”
He continued and said that Samoa Joe, who he called a big guy “Hawaiian looking dude,” had to talk some sense into CM Punk. After all, Joe and Punk were set to open the Wembley Stadium event with their “Real” World Title match, a contest that CM Punk won.
CM Punk famously declared that he was quitting AEW after his fight with Jungle Boy, but Joe was able to talk him down. In the end, it was a bloody affair backstage.
“The big guy. The Hawaiian-looking [dude]. It was the guy going ham and I was like, ‘Oh sh*t.’ Then blood was everywhere from the fight before that. They came in and they were bleeding. I was like, ‘what is going on around here?’ This was intense.”
What Happened After AEW Brawl In
CM Punk was fired for that altercation with Jack Perry at All In. It did not take very long for Punk to defy all reports, odds, and expectations by returning to WWE at Survivor Series just a few months later.
Samoa Joe became the AEW World Champion after beating MJF at AEW Worlds End. He also debuted a snazzy new title belt during the January 10th AEW Dynamite Homecoming episode.
Jack Perry was suspended for his part in Brawl In. Although there were rumors that he may have been The Devil, Perry has not been seen on AEW television since All In London. He was also not revealed to be The Devil, as that role went to an injured Adam Cole.
Chris Jericho’s name captures attention whenever he makes a headline. In recent memory, some stories have come out about Chris Jericho that he may have wished stayed under the rug. This is likely one of those times he wishes an NDA was signed.
Chris Jericho Was Allegedly KO’ed On His Own Cruise Ship
Brian Last shared a tale during an episode of the Cornette’s Drive Thru podcast, recounting an incident where Jericho was knocked out on his own cruise. Sadly, he couldn’t go into a ton of details at the time, but Last promised listeners that he had a great story to tell.
“Man, there is a story I would love to tell, but i didn’t get permission, but him getting knocked out on his own cruise ship by someone he mouthed off to. It’s the most incredible f*cking story, but I can’t talk about that today.“
Now, we have a lot more information about what happened, including who allegedly knocked Chris Jericho out.
Chris Jericho leads a rock star lifestyle, and it’s not just a gimmick. It appears that, according to Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net, it was MVP who put Chris Jericho down for the count on his own cruise in 2020.
The incident took place during Chris Jericho’s Rock N’ Wrestling Rager At Sea – Part Deux: Second Wave, back in January 2020. During the cruise there was an altercation between Jericho and former WWE US and Tag Champion MVP, where heated words were exchanged that resulted in MVP knocking out Chris Jericho.
Another incident was reportedly confirmed by sources a year or two after the cruise. This time, the situation unfolded in a hotel lobby. During a heated exchange, Jericho quickly headed to the elevator, closing the door with a remark, “I don’t fight jobbers.”
The story that was told to me was that the two once again engaged in a heated exchange, which lead to Jericho “hurrying to the elevator, and as the door closed saying “I don’t fight jobbers.””
Nick Hausman stated on his Rumor and Innuendo podcast that Jericho, who spoke out against NDAs regarding the Brawl Out fiasco, may have skeletons in his own closet.
“There are issues with Chris behind the scenes, where I know a lot of people who were hurt by Chris and his actions. You know, it’s very uncomfortable to me to see him lauded like he is and only having the focus on that, because I do think there are a lot of questionable stories about Chris that will find their way out over time when people are ready to tell those stories, that will cast him in a very different light.”
“I mean, Harvey Weinstein won a lot of Oscars, Harvey Weinstein produced a lot of very popular films. Harvey Weinstein is now in jail … I’m not saying that is happening to Chris, but the narrative can quickly turn if you’re hiding a lot of skeletons in your closet.
Nick Hausman compared Chris Jericho to Harvey Weinstein
Later on, an online allegation surfaced about Jericho’s conduct with Kylie Rae. This behavior allegedly led to her requesting a release from AEW. Rae reacted to that accusatory post with a heart emoji.
Following the spread of the Nick Hausman clip, an X account revisited an overlooked tweet from an earlier time. The resurfaced tweet suggested a potential connection between Kylie Rae’s departure from AEW and Chris Jericho.
“So here’s the deal, you don’t quit the hottest fed going today (AEW) without reason. I have it from people in the know that Kylie was asked to go to Chris Jericho’s room. With the understanding that others would be there. When she got there it was just him. He made a pass at her (no other details are given) and she freaked out.”
Chris Jericho’s Future in AEW
Despite these allegations about Chris Jericho, he is still featured on AEW programming. He wrestled at Worlds End, although “NDA” and “Kylie Rae” chants were audible during the pay-per-view.
To remedy any chance of negative fan chants during the January 10th AEW Dynamite Homecoming episode in Daily’s Place, they let Fozzy’s “Judas” song play for the entire time Jericho was on camera.
Jericho and Sammy Guevara are set to battle Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Titles at AEW Battle of the Belts on January 13th.
UPDATE: MVP Responds
MVP has posted on X in response to this story about him knocking out Chris Jericho surfaced. He did not deny a single thing, as he only asked fans if they heard any good rumors lately.
Wednesday was a big night for AEW. They celebrated five years as a company at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. Daily’s Place was AEW’s home during the pandemic era of wrestling.
Dynamite was filled with AEW Originals. The show kicked off with a former member of The Elite, Hangman Adam Page. What’s a homecoming show without an actual homecoming?
In the main event, Sting and Darby Allin defeated Powerhouse Hobbs and Konosuke Takeshita. Following their win, Tony Schiavone asked Sting who his final match would be against. Before he could answer, the familiar sound of the Young Bucks music hit.
Sporting mustaches and long jackets, the Bucks made stood on the stage and stared down “The Icon” and Allin. Allin seemed to welcome the challenge, motioning them to come down to the ring.
Are the Young Bucks calling their shot against Sting and Darby Allin?
Since Full Gear, Brandon Cutler has been posting on social media on behalf of the Jacksons. Immediately following Dynamite, he posted that the return of the Young Bucks has increased backstage morale tremendously.
Sting’s Final Match
Nothing has been signed as of press time, but the events that transpired on Dynamite indicate that Sting’s final match will be a tag contest, teaming with Darby Allin against The Young Bucks.
Whoever is standing across the ring from him that evening, it’s going to be a memorial occasion. AEW Revolution will takes place from the historic Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina on Saturday, March 3, 2024.
Brodie Lee Honored
The AEW Dynamite Homecoming was also a celebration of the late, great Mr. Brodie Lee. Lee’s time in AEW was brief, but made a lasting impression. Many fans associate the venue with Lee. All of his AEW matches took place there, save for the tapings at the Nightmare Factory early on during the pandemic.
To honor Lee’s memory, his two handpicked wrestlers, Preston Vance (“10”) and Anna Jay (“99”) each competed in an 8-person match. They picked up the wins for their respective teams.
Vance wore the ring jacket that Lee gifted him along with an armband with his mentor’s name. Jay wore a Lee shirt. Adam Copeland was part of the team that faced Vance’s. He donned a Jon Huber Toronto Maple Leafs themed shirt and hat.
AEW had a unique approach to their production when Chris Jericho made an appearance during the latest episode of AEW Dynamite.
The January 10, 2023, edition of Dynamite saw the first appearance of new AEW World Champion Samoa Joe following his victory at Worlds End. Joe was confronted by Swerve Strickland and ‘Hangman’ Adam Page before HOOK got in the face of the champ. A title match between Joe and Hook will take place next week.
Chris Jericho at AEW Dynamite
During the show, Sammy Guevara earned a victory over Ricky Starks, but was attacked by Starks and Big Bill after the match. Chris Jericho would come out to make the save, though his music would play throughout the entire segment.
While Jericho’s theme is popular, using Judas throughout an entire segment is a new move by AEW’s production team. On Twitter, many suspected that this done to drown out boos from the crowd for Jericho, or keep fans ready to chant at the former World Champion distracted with singing his theme.
You can check out some of the reactions by fans below.
Chris Jericho has his music playing so he can’t hear them BOOS lol
Clever idea to have Chris Jericho's music playing continuously during his segment on #AEWDynamite. Good way to prevent any boos from being heard on television. ?
I'm on a bit of a delay, but to just let Chris Jericho's music keep on playing was too obvious as to what they were doing. Just let the fans react the way they want to, and if he keeps getting booed, turn him heel. #AEWDynamite
Is Adam Cole actually the Devil, or is the ‘reveal’ fans saw at AEW Worlds End just the latest chapter in a story yet to be revealed?
At the final pay-per-view of 2023, MJF lost the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe. In the closing moments of the show, the Devil’s henchmen were revealed to be Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Roderick Strong, and Wardlow. The four men beat down MJF before Cole produced the Devil’s mask, seemingly confirming that he was the one behind the mask.
Is Adam Cole the Devil?
Since Worlds End, AEW has leaned in heavily to the idea that Cole is the Devil, and has even produced a new t-shirt featuring Cole and the iconic mask. On Busted Open Radio, however, Bully Ray shared his doubts that the former NXT Champion is the mastermind.
“Adam Cole has never worn the Devil’s mask. He’s held it up, but he’s never worn it. If he’s the Devil, why has he never worn the Devil’s mask? This kind of goes back to my theory folks, of I think there’s another layer to this. And they’re going to stretch it out.
“Who that person is? I can’t tell you definitively. If I had to bet a dollar, I’d say it could be MJF. and know you’ve heard me say that before. Or maybe it’s somebody else? But I don’t think we’ve seen the final chapter of the Devil story. Specifically, because I’ve never seen Adam Cole in the mask. Does anybody else feel the same way that I do about the Devil? Do you think there’s another layer to this? We’ve gotta see, we’ve gotta see.”
Bully Praises AEW Dynamite Match
Adam Cole didn’t compete on this week’s Dynamite due to his injury, but his friend Roderick Strong was in action. While Strong was victorious against Bryan Keith, Bully Ray was impressed by the efforts of Keith.
“The Roderick Strong segment, the Roderick Strong match. Do you know who I want to give some props to tonight? Bryan Keith. Now you might be saying to yourself ‘Uncle Bully, who the hell is Bryan Keith?’ Bryan Keith is the guy that Roderick Strong wrestled tonight and I thought that Bryan Keith did a pretty good job… I got some Bad News Brown vibes from Bryan Keith.”
What did Adam Cole and others in wrestling have to say after AEW Worlds End…
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
The Hardy Boys are a part of the AEW roster, but they did not get booked for the company’s January 10th Dynamite Homecoming episode. That fact was not lost on Jeff Hardy.
Jeff Hardy’s Interesting Instagram Post
Jeff Hardy dropped a post on Instagram right before AEW Dynamite went live. While promoting the lineup for the company’s January 10th episode, Hardy also made it very clear that his team will not be on Dynamite.
The Charismatic Enigma then made a little quip about how fans can find him in the Rampage Dimension instead. Update: Jeff Hardy went to take down his post.
We,”TheHardys”will not be appearing on this live show called #AEWDynamite. We, “TheHardys”are stuck in the dimension of,”AEWRampage”
Possible Issues Brewing With The Hardy Boys In AEW
This is the first we’ve heard that would give us any indication that the Hardy Boys aren’t happy with their spot in AEW. All things considered, they are featured and get to wrestle on television.
Then again, Jeff and Matt have made no secret about how they want another Tag Team Title run before they retire, and matches on Rampage may not be the right path to get them there.
It is also worth noting that, according to reports we’ve seen so far from Daily’s Place, The Hardy Boys were also not booked for AEW Rampage this week. They did announce a few matches already, and you may find them below.
AEW Rampage Card for January 12, 2024
Eddie Kingston (C) vs Wheeler Yuta – Continental Crown Championship
Hikaru Shida vs Queen Aminata
Swerve Strickland vs Matt Sydal
Update: Jeff Hardy Is At It Again
Jeff Hardy shared the AEW Collision and Battle of the Belts card on January 12th, along with an intriguing caption. This seemed to be another tongue-in-cheek post.
In the caption, he clarified that the Hardy brothers exclusively work Dynamite shows, providing insight into their absence from tonight’s lineup.
Don’t miss #AEWCollision http://tonight.It’s gonna be another amazing Saturday night of pro wrestling like it always is. We,the Hardys only work 1 show a week…….because we’re the Hardys. We prefer #AEWDynamite. The dimension of #AEWCollision was designed for punks.
MJF lost the AEW World Title to Samoa Joe at Worlds End, and that put the end to his impressive run as champion. Since Our Scumbag is taking a much-deserved hiatus, and his name is actually gone from the official AEW roster, Samoa Joe is carrying on as his own type of World Champion.
Samoa Joe Debuts New AEW World Title
Samoa Joe debuted his new AEW World Title on Dynamite this week. The setting for this moment was special, as Daily’s Place was host for Tony Khan’s flagship show once again.
Daily’s Place played home for AEW during the pandemic, and the crowd was hot for the night’s event. Samoa Joe’s promo stuck with the crowd, and they were all behind Joe as World Champion.
Then Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland came out to join the promo party. This all culminated with Hook making his presence felt, as he reiterated a challenge he laid down during AEW Collision last week.
Through Swerve or not, “Hangman” Adam Page wants to make the #AEW World Championship his!
In case you were unaware, this big change for the AEW World Title was totally expected. Samoa Joe ripped on MJF’s Burberry Title Belt during the AEW Worlds End press conference.
Joe did not appreciate MJF’s Burberry flair for the AEW World Title, either, as he called it “Knock-off Gucci.”
“Oh, this is going in the garbage, don’t worry about that. This trash right here. This little knockoff Gucci stuff that he got going on, it’s going away. We got the good belt, the right belt, something that’s designed well. I spoke with Tony Khan intensely about it, and we’re very much looking forward to it.
Samoa Joe will defend that new AEW World Title against Hook for his first opponent. That match will take place on the January 17th episode of AEW Dynamite.
Tony Khan didn’t put the phone down on Tuesday. The AEW President addressed criticism once more on X and it has fans and wrestlers alike talking, including WWE Hall Of Famers.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray believed that Tony Khan reacting the way he did didn’t do him or AEW any favors when it comes to further arrows being slung his way.
“What good did it do? Nothing. Zero. You are allowing people to get to you. You are showing the world that social media is bothering you because he had to have read this HOOK outrage somewhere.”
Co-host Dave LaGreca mentioned that Tony Khan could have had a work-around response by just crediting HOOK for his resume in the ring rather than bring outside parties into the equation. Bully Ray agreed with that approach.
“If a million people tweeted at you and you felt the absolute necessity to pick up your phone and engage, that’s exactly what I would have said back.”
Instead, Khan decided to bring Jinder Mahal’s name into the mix and it opened up a floodgate of reactions, including igniting another X argument with former WCW President Eric Bischoff where Khan even shared a GIF stating that Bischoff was a “miserable has-been.” Bischoff in turn, joked about Khan’s wild hairstyle.
Khan has notoriously called out his critics on social media and some of his past targets included Shawn Michaels, Triple and Vince McMahon. He even took a jab at former WCW star Disco Inferno, which prompted his K100 co-host Konnan to implore Khan to be accepting of constructive criticism.
Orange Cassidy leads by example and he believes Jon Moxley does too.
In a new interview with Adrian Hernandez, Cassidy commented on how Jon Moxley, a recent rival of his, has earned the respect of his pro wrestling peers and is undoubtedly a leader behind the scenes in AEW.
“Jon Moxley is a leader for AEW. I think a lot of people look to Jon Moxley for leadership. I am too, like Jon Moxley, a person that leads by example and I saw the example that he was setting and I was like, ‘You know what? I want to do that.’ I tried, but no one can be Jon Moxley because there’s no Jon Moxley.”
Orange Cassidy Thanks Jon Moxley
Cassidy continues giving Moxley his flowers, noting that it was the aggressive nature of Mox in the squared circle that unleashed a new Freshly Squeezed identity in the current AEW International Champion.
“I am forever in his debt for him changing and bringing up this version of me that is clearly a better version because I still have this thing (the AEW International Championship belt).”
Orange Cassidy has certainly established himself as a name star for All Elite Wrestling, getting his polarizing “peeled back” persona over with the fans. Cassidy has even earned the admiration from the likes of Kevin Nash, who once noted on his podcast that he loves his character.
On this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Cassidy will team up with Dustin Rhodes, Adam Copeland and Preston Vance to face The Gates Of Agony, Lance Archer and Brian Cage in an eight-man tag.
Please credit Adrian Hernandez and h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
Will Ospreay was revealed as AEW’s big signing at Full Gear. That did not mean he could jump straight into AEW’s storylines, because The Aerial Assassin needed to wrap things up with New Japan Pro-Wrestling first. Although he picked AEW, WWE was very much a contender for his services.
Will Ospreay Confirms WWE Offer Was Real
Will Ospreay is set to compete in his final NJPW match on February 11th before making the move to AEW. Despite receiving an offer from WWE, Ospreay has clarified his decision to join AEW.
In an interview with Gamespot, Ospreay acknowledged the offer from WWE but emphasized the trust he has in Tony Khan, a significant factor influencing his decision to sign with AEW.
“I want to know what I’m doing within the ring, and the rest, for me, is easy. What more could you want from a boss?”
Will Ospreay Speaks on Future AEW Matchups
With many available options and potential opponents in AEW, Will Ospreay shared his thoughts on what lies ahead for him as he prepares to engage with a new roster.
While Ospreay has thrived in Japan, the pro wrestling landscape is always changing; this is something he is all too familiar with as the 30-year-old former World Champion helped blaze a trail others area already walking on.
Ospreay already got this hands dirty in AEW with a match against Chris Jericho, and now he can’t wait to see what awaits him. Obviously, he is looking for a top spot, and he isn’t afraid to share his championship intentions.
“There’s something for me to climb, there’s something for me to build upon. That first match with Chris Jericho, who is one of the biggest wrestling stars in the world, was probably the biggest star in the company at that time. I want to progress from that.”
“I want to see what other bucket [list items] I can tick. I want to go for championships. I want to go for world titles. I want to see what I can actually do because I’ve never been put in these situations. New Japan is a sports-based wrestling product, it isn’t really known for its on-screen personalities. So this is all new for me and I just want to test myself. I want to try my very best to swim in waters I’m not very sure of, so for me, this is all a challenge.”
Will Ospreay Almost Ended Up In America Years Ago
Will Ospreay’s latest deal in the wrestling world represents a significant move, as he finally signed with a North American pro wrestling company. That was not for lack of trying.
Paul Heyman offered Ospreay an EVOLVE contract 7 years ago during a Q&A where he just so happened to be in the front row. That contract was offered on behalf of Gabe Sapolsky, whom Heyman was simply delivering a message for in his own way.
Although Ospreay didn’t end up becoming a regular in EVOLVE, we can only imagine how much different the pro wrestling world would be today if he accepted it. Now, he can apply his trade in North America as an All Elite star.
AEW has an official Vice President Global Programming & Partnerships. Shane Emerson, who has been with All Elite Wrestling since 2021, announced on his LinkedIn that he was given a new job title.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Vice President Global Programming & Partnerships at All Elite Wrestling!”
Previously, Emerson was simply listed as the Head of Global Programming & Partnerships, a position he held since September 2021. Before that, Emerson worked for TNA’s parent company, Anthem Sports, in the same type of role for over a decade.
Another name to receive a promotion is Eric Murphy, who also announced via LinkedIn that he is a senior producer with AEW.
Other Internal Changes In AEW
While Emerson sees a new horizon under AEW, a few other long-time employees decided to ride off in the sunset.
Before 2023 closed its doors, QT Marshall asked for his release from the company. Marshall was an imperative part to the growth of AEW and was held in high regard backstage, partly due to his versatility. Marshall wore a lot of hats in AEW including coach, talent relations manager and on-air competitor.
Another name to leave is Dana Massie, who was in charge of AEW merchandise since the company launched. Massie is Matt Jackson’s wife and voluntarily made the decision not to continue with the company as Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer.
The final notorioius name of note to exit AEW is Rafael Morffi. Morffi served as Vice President of Live Events/Touring but has decided to take a new job at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Morffi is a New York City native.
With his non-compete clause a thing of the past, Matt Riddle has been announced for several shows and events. One place fans have yet to see Riddle however is AEW, which is home to many former Superstars. Speaking during a virtual autograph signing, the former U.S. Champion was asked about potentially being All-Elite.
“Yeah, honestly, I feel like a lot of the talent when I got released, were going to try to do that. I wanted to think outside the box and maybe not rush right back into doing TV matches. TV is a lot different than wrestling on ppl or the Indies. There are commercials, they cut times, they change things.”
With Riddle not currently interested in AEW, the King of Bros shared what are his priorities at this time.
“For me, right now, New Japan, MLW, the Indies, I can display my art and I’m not under such a crunch of time or requirement. I have a lot more freedom. TNA isn’t out of the picture either. There are certain things I wanted to do. I really wanted to work in Japan and I made that a priority.”
Matt Riddle plans on wrestling in Japan, and his wish is about to come true…
Tony Khan’s initiative to shake up All Elite Wrestling’s front office has led to the hiring of a new Chief Operating Officer. Khan has tapped Kosha Irby for the role, according to reporting from Sean Ross Sapp and Dave Meltzer.
Irby previously worked for WWE as the Regional Director of Live Events from 2011 through 2018. He later moved on to work for Clemson University, and previously worked at Professional Bull Riding and the AAF’s Memphis Express.
As reported by Fightful Select yesterday, AEW has hired Kosha Irby as COO. He worked with WWE from 2011 to 2018 as Regional Director, Live Events pic.twitter.com/vgcdEaJUmP
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) January 10, 2024
Kosha Irby joining AEW comes amid a big shakeup within AEW
There has been several changes internally at AEW. QT Marshall and Dana Massie, both long-established employees who were a jack and jill of trades backstage, made their exit from the company while Rafael Morrfi has decided to leave his production position to work in his backyard of Brooklyn, NY for the Barclays Center. Morffi had previous experience in pro wrestling before entering AEW being involve with promotions like TNA Wrestling and MLW
Two current AEW employees happened to find themselves in new positions with the company. Announced via LinkedIn, Shane Emerson was revealed to be the company’s new Vice President of Global Programming and Partnership as he’s been with the company since 2021.
Additionally, another name to get the nod was Eric Muprhy who announced his new role as a senior producer.
Talent also leaving
Not only has AEW lost backstage talent, but on-screen talent too. Andrade El Idolo just left the company. Before that, AEW saw other names leave in 2023. Jade Cargill, Brian Pillman Jr., Sonny Kiss and Brock Anderson are no longer with the promotion after all spent several years important years with the promotion.
