SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • AEW Star Hopes For Less Tribalism Amid Tony Khan-Jinder Mahal Conflict

    AEW Star Hopes For Less Tribalism Amid Tony Khan-Jinder Mahal Conflict

    One All Elite Wrestling star is hoping to see less tribalism among wrestling fans, following the recent furor over the booking of Jinder Mahal. 

    On this week’s WWE Monday Night Raw, Mahal confronted World Heavyweight Champion Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins. After a verbal back-and-forth, the pair brawled. It was later confirmed that a title match would take place between the pair on next week’s episode of the Red brand. 

    AEW star Wants Less Tribalism

    The booking of Mahal hasn’t gone unnoticed by AEW President Tony Khan, who has had some choice words for the use of the Modern-Day Maharajah. Khan took aim at Mahal, the USA Network, and Eric Bischoff in his latest Twitter outburst. In response, Mahal questioned as to who FTW Champion Hook is in a post that has since been deleted. 

    Now, AEW star Dustin Rhodes has weighed into the matter. While not addressing Khan’s comments of the various responses, Rhodes asked for fans to just enjoy wrestling, and to “lighten up on the tribalism.”

    WWE commentator Corey Graves would have his own response to the controversy.

    Tony Khan’s Twitter

    This is hardly the first time that Tony Khan has run his mouth on social media. When AEW Dynamite and WWE NXT went head-to-head last October, Khan took aim at WWE and dubbed Triple H and Shawn Michaels “bald a**holes.” Khan did a lot of talking in the run-up to the head-to-head, so it was pretty embarrassing when NXT comfortably beat Dynamite. While NXT scored one of its highest ratings of all time, AEW Dynamite scored its worst score in close to two years. 

  • Jinder Mahal Speaks Out After Tony Khan Name Drops Him In Latest Social Media Outburst

    Jinder Mahal Speaks Out After Tony Khan Name Drops Him In Latest Social Media Outburst

    Tony Khan saw that the USA Network’s official X account took a jab at him and his love of Cagematch ratings. The situation escalated quickly, and Jinder Mahal became more than aware that his name was brought into the conversation.

    Tony Khan’s Unexpected Reply

    Tony Khan’s most recent slew of posts on X was documented on SE Scoops. As you are probably aware, the AEW President threw shade at WWE’s booking for Jinder Mahal, as a Superstar who hadn’t won in nearly a year, but he is still getting a WWE World Heavyweight Title shot. 

    Tony Khan made an argument in that post that Hook, who has a 28-1 record, is also deserving of a World Title shot.

    A double standard: @730hook 28-1 career record, on winning streak calls out the Champ, a logical challenge sparks online outrage Jinder has literally lost every single match he’s in for the past year, immediately gets title shot, where is the rage #AEWDynamite TOMORROW on TBS

    Jinder Mahal Replies To Tony Khan

    Jinder Mahal has a huge match against Seth Rollins on January 15th’s episode of WWE RAW. The Modern Day Maharaja saw what Tony Khan posted, but he is not going to let that distract him.

    Mahal, instead of getting petty or firing off a vengeful reply, simply acted like he didn’t know who Hook is. He also took the opportunity to plug the upcoming episode of RAW in a now-deleted post. 

    Who tf is Hook? WATCH MONDAY NIGHT RAW ON USA NETWORK MONDAY 8PM EST!

    It was not lost on anyone that Jinder also tagged the USA Network account that was responsible for this entire chain of events. As of this writing, the USA Network has not followed-up, but we have to wonder if they will post the Cagematch rating for Seth Rollins and Jinder Mahal’s WWE World Heavyweight Title match when the numbers are released. 

  • Tony Khan Targets WWE’s Jinder Mahal In Latest Twitter Tirade

    Tony Khan Targets WWE’s Jinder Mahal In Latest Twitter Tirade

    Tony Khan’s X account has 399.7K followers, and every single one of them are well aware that his account could explode at any moment with an unexpected post. The AEW President did not disappoint today.

    How it started

    This week during WWE Raw, the official USA Network X account replied to former Wrestling Inc owner Raj Giri, who was acknowledging the history between Seth Rollins and Jinder Mahal. 

    The two former WWE Champions participated in a promo battle on the show and are set to compete for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship next week on the January 15th episode of RAW. 

    The response included a question about the Cagematch rating, seemingly taking a dig at AEW President Tony Khan, who often highlights the high Cagematch.net scores that AEW pay-per-views, shows, and matches receive.

    The USA Network responded to Giri’s post to simply ask: What was the Cagematch rating?” This response blew up within the internet wrestling community, as fans both commended and criticized the account’s zero chill remark.

    Tony Khan takes a shot at Jinder Mahal and WWE Booking

    On January 9th, Tony Khan logged onto X, where he laid down a post about double standards. AEW has often been lauded as a “challenger brand,” and Khan was not shy about comparing Jinder Mahal’s WWE World Heavyweight Title shot to Hook being a logical challenger for Samoa Joe’s AEW World Title. 

    A double standard: @730hook 28-1 career record, on winning streak calls out the Champ, a logical challenge sparks online outrage Jinder has literally lost every single match he’s in for the past year, immediately gets title shot, where is the rage #AEWDynamite TOMORROW on TBS

    … and keeps tweeting

    Tony Khan was not finished there. He then directed a reply directly at the USA Network’s post asking about a Cagematch rating. The AEW President pointed out that Jinder Mahal has gone a full year without winning a match, yet he’s getting a big match opportunity.

    A moral victory for USA is one win more than their World Title challenger Jinder Mahal has in the past 364 days… because it’s been literally a full year since he won a match. You really put AEW in our place getting Jinder Mahal in a big match on your tv show. Do it more often.

    Jinder Mahal Reacts

    Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal replied to Tony Khan’s tweets about him and shut down in the situation in true ‘Modern Day Maharaja’ fashion.

    Khan is familiar with expressing his thoughts and sparking discussions on social media. Last year, the AEW President shared a retweet, discussing how Shawn Michaels and Triple H aimed to convey a message to him through a loaded-up WWE NXT episode when their shows were in direct competition. He then proceeded to throw down a post where he called the WWE higher-ups “bald *ssholes.” 

    Eric Bischoff Jumps In the Fray and things get even uglier

    Tony Khan and Eric Bischoff directed some fiery tweets at each other in the aftermath of this situation. Bischoff called Khan a clown via emoji, and Tony replied by channeling the great Joan Collins to tell Bischoff he’s a ‘miserable has-been.’

    A fan posted on X to say, “Tony forgets that he literally gave Abadon a title shot after being off AEW TV for over a year…. the same exact situation as Jinder.” Eric Bischoff noticed that post on X, and he replied to ask Tony Khan, “Hey Tony Khan is this true or is it a bot?”

    Tony Khan then replied to Eric Bischoff, as he backed up his booking of Abadon.

    No @EBischoff, not true at all. Abadon returned to AEW + then they won a 4 way match on TNT against other great wrestlers to earn a title shot, which is completely different than someone going a full year losing every match they’re in + getting a title shot without a single win.”

    Tony Khan then followed that post up with another which said: “Reading would be your friend, Eric.”

    Eric Bischoff promptly responded to Tony Khan, addressing AEW’s leader while referencing a Dave Meltzer quote.

    “Oh kid, my reading comprehension skills are wizard like. By the way, that was one of @davemeltzerWON wicked comebacks whenever he’d get called out on his bs. Coincidence or are you really that deep?”

    More reactions

    Here are some more reactions from the wrestling world at Tony Khan’s latest Twitter activity:

  • AEW Star Rey Fenix Is Working Hard Toward His In-Ring Return

    AEW Star Rey Fenix Is Working Hard Toward His In-Ring Return

    AEW stars are not immune to injury, and this is all too apparent every time someone goes out of action for an extended period of time. Although Rey Fenix has been out of action since October, he is making strides for his return to the ring.

    Fenix’s Injury Status

    On October 2nd, Fenix dropped a post on Instagram, explaining how he became aware of his current injury. He wanted to be International Champion for AEW, but it just was not in the cards for him. He promised to keep battling in the ring, where he will leave it all, but that injury needed to be addressed.

    The international championship has been a big challenge.The night I became champion, I left the arena with the championship in my hands and with an old injury bothering me again. My first defense was painful, it did not allow the pain to stop me and continue until the fight was over, this coming Wednesday will be my second defense and I am doing my best to enter that ring and retain the champion.I will defend this beautiful championship in any situation, a Luchador does not give up, a Luchador will always leave everything in every battle. I am a real Luchador and the man of a thousand lives, nothing and no one is going to stop me. 

    Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Fenix’s injury concerns his back, his hip, or possibly both, which poses challenges for the AEW star. He has been through a lot in his career, so the damage he put his body through understandably mounted up on him.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/p:Cx6BheogAbG

    Fenix Nearing In-Ring Return For AEW

    In a recent interview with Denise Salcedo, Rey Fenix provided an update on his recovery efforts, acknowledging this injury as one of his most severe. Despite the setback, Fenix remains optimistic about making a return to the squared circle in the near future.

    “We are working on the injury. It’s one of the worst, but I’m taking my time. I’m doing a good job with my recovery. I clear everything with the doctors. I’m following the doctor’s line. I’m doing my best and I think I think that soon I will be in the ring doing lucha libre, the thing that makes me so happy.”

    Future Possibilities For The Death Triangle in AEW

    AEW currently has several wrestlers sidelined due to injuries, and they are all in varying stages of rehabilitation. Despite being out of action, Fenix is putting in the effort to recover and return to the ring.

    The Death Triangle, Fenix, Penta, and PAC, haven’t been full in AEW for some time. PAC has also been out of action with an injury, but 2024 may see the former AEW Trios Champions’ full-fledged return.

  • Katsuyori Shibata Plans to End His Wrestling Career in AEW

    Katsuyori Shibata doesn’t know when his wrestling career will come to an end but intends to spend the rest of his career in AEW. 

    Shibata officially became All-Elite last month but has been competing for the promotion since 2022. Merely getting to this point is a huge feat for Shibata, who suffered a subdural hematoma in 2017 after a bout with Kazuchika Okada. At the time, it was thought that Shibata’s career had ended, but he would make a return to the ring at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 in early 2022. 

    Katsuyori Shibata Wants to End His Career in AEW

    Speaking to Tokyo Sports, Shibata commented on his health and his tenure with AEW thus far, compared to his run with New Japan. 

    “I can’t work as an affiliated fighter. I guess that (New Japan’s decision) is not wrong. But if there is no place for me, then there is no reason for me to be here. I’ve regained a lot of my senses after competing in AEW, and I feel like I want to finish my career here.”

    Shibata was also asked about his health. 

    “I’ve been checked by a doctor, and I’ve given him a medical certificate. If I don’t clear it, I can’t compete.”

    Shibata’s most recent match took place on the November 25, episode of AEW Rampage, where he lost the ROH Pure Championship to Wheeler Yuta. He has also challenged for the AEW International Championship and the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship. 

  • AEW’s Swerve Strickland Lands Role In Upcoming Slasher Movie

    AEW’s Swerve Strickland Lands Role In Upcoming Slasher Movie

    The star power of Swerve Strickland is only continuing to grow with the AEW wrestler landing a role in an upcoming slasher movie. 

    Strickland will star in ‘Stiletto‘, a new film from Samuel Gonzalez Jr. which will see Gigi Gustin (Night of the Missing) star and produce. Other names attached to the film include Charlotte McKinney (Fantasy Island), Colleen Camp (Amsterdam, American Hustle), Pancho Moler (3 from Hell), Tyler Abron (Fear), and Stephen Blackehart (Guardians of the Galaxy)

    A plot summary for the film reads as follows: 

    “A year after the grisly murder of a local exotic dancer, the victim’s sister, Lyric [Gustin], searches for the serial killer responsible as he stalks and kills his favorite dancers on the night of the anniversary.”

    It is unclear what role Strickland will have in the film. He is being represented by Fourth Wall Management and this will be his feature film debut. 

    What’s Next for Swerve Strickland? 

    While Strickland has yet to hold singles gold in AEW, many feel his time will come, possibly this year. Last month, Strickland declared that he will be AEW’s first African American World Champion, a goal he plans on achieving in 2024. Whatever Strickland’s future holds, it seemingly won’t include Keith Lee. The former allies were set to face off at Worlds End before Lee was pulled from the show due to a persistent injury. Speaking after the event, Strickland said he was done waiting for the Limitless One. 

  • ‘In An Ideal World’ Eric Bischoff Would Love Sting to Retire Against Ric Flair

    ‘In An Ideal World’ Eric Bischoff Would Love Sting to Retire Against Ric Flair

    Eric Bischoff knows Sting deserves a million dollar type send-off and in a universe where the stars aligned, he thinks The Icon would have the ultimate final match dance partner in Ric Flair.

    Speaking on the latest episode of 83 Weeks, the former WCW President was joined by special guest co-host Matt Mitchell for an “Ask Eric Anything” episode and was asked about how would he handle Sting’s retirement match. Would he have him do a singles bout or team up in tag action to lighten the load? Bischoff gives a sound reason as to why he wouldn’t have him to a tag match.

    “It’s faster paced, usually less emotion as a result of the pace and the fact that your attention is spread out.”

    Bischoff then makes the case as to why he’d love to see Flair do his ‘Nature Boy strut’ across the ring from his longtime rival.

    “In an ideal world (and it’s not an ideal world, trust me, I know that), but in an ideal world I would love for it to be Ric Flair. And I know I’m gonna get blistered, ‘Ah, Ric, he’s too old, blah, blah, blah.’ Bull****. Now Ric may not be interested in going out there and physically being in that position because again, he was almost dead a couple years ago so and 74 freaking years old so it’s kind of understandable that he’s not going to want to go out there and bounce around, but if he could, if he could go out there it would be the coolest thing in the world to see Ric Flair and Sting.”

    Bischoff understands that Flair vs. Sting in 2024 isn’t really possible, but hopes Sting gets a proper sendoff and delivers one more classic match.

    “Whoever it is, I would want it to be meaningful from a storyline point of view, and I would want that person to want nothing more in his life than to make Sting look like a million bucks because he deserves that.”

    Sting’s final battle will take place at the very PPV he made his AEW debut at three years ago, AEW Revolution.

  • Mercedes Mone’s AEW Arrival Is Expected Soon

    Mercedes Mone’s AEW Arrival Is Expected Soon

    Mercedes Mone is anticipated to make her debut on AEW television in the near future, according to sources within the company. The big question is when that debut will take place.

    Mercedes Mone May Become All Elite

    Dave Meltzer emphasized that the certainty of her appearance is contingent on the formalization of a signed contract. AEW has been known to have stars sign contracts just before their debut, so there is no word on whether anything official has been signed. 

    During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that there were no indications or teases during the last night’s show regarding Mercedes Mone’s potential appearance in Jacksonville. Despite this, AEW is reportedly expecting her to start her television journey soon. 

    On last night’s show there were no teases for Mercedes Mone or for her appearing Wednesday in Jacksonville. What I know is that AEW does expect her to start on TV soon, but as noted, until it happens and the contract itself is signed, I wouldn’t consider anything 100 percent.

    One would think there would be some sort of a tease of a surprise if she was to appear, since that’s been the case with most major signings. But Sting’s original debut in Jacksonville came out of nowhere.

    Mercedes Mone’s Expected AEW Arrival

    Dave Meltzer previously noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that, “WWE and AEW have clearly both been talking with her. Obviously this has gone on with AEW for months, if not a year, and she’s never signed yet. There was a lot of talk within wrestling of her on this week’s Dynamite, which she wasn’t on.”

    He continued to say, “We do know that the expectation is she will be in AEW fairly soon, but until a contract signing is confirmed, anything can happen.”

    AEW Dynamite will air their Homecoming episode from Daily’s Place on Wednesday, January 10th. That very well may be the first time we see Mercedes Mone grace an AEW ring, but AEW hasn’t dropped any blatant teases to confirm those theories yet.

    There were talks between Mercedes Mone and WWE, but they reportedly hit a financial roadblock. Bayley still begs Mercedes to make a return at every chance she can, but it appears that the former Sasha Banks may sign with AEW after all. 

  • Ethan Page Believes Cody Rhodes Paid Him Out Of His Own Pocket For All In Match

    Ethan Page Believes Cody Rhodes Paid Him Out Of His Own Pocket For All In Match

    Cody Rhodes left his position as a top star and EVP for AEW, and he helped build that company in many ways. He also had a big hand in All In, the event which many agree spawned AEW’s creation. It turns out that he also paid for some of that out of his own pocket.

    How Ethan Page Ended up on All In Card

    Ethan Page played a role in the inaugural All In event back in 2018. The goal of All In was to demonstrate that an independent show could successfully sell 10,000 tickets, and the event’s triumph marked the birth of AEW. After being started by a $10 bet by Dave Meltzer, The Elite took on that challenge in a big way.

    According to Ethan Page, he believes that Cody Rhodes personally invested to ensure his participation in this groundbreaking event.

    The Bragman Breakdown podcast recently spoke to Ethan Page where he opened up about how he believes he was paid, because it came from Cody Rhodes’ own PayPal account. 

    “Ultimately, my payment came from his name to my PayPal, so I’m pretty sure I was hand-selected by my friend to get this opportunity. The Bragman Breakdown” podcast. “He also put me in the media scrum… he was definitely looking out. I’ll always deliver on my end to make sure whoever puts their neck out for me is not doing it in a way that is going to get them in trouble. He definitely put his foot forward for me.”

    How Ethan Page Ended up in AEW

    Despite his involvement in All In, Cody Rhodes didn’t promptly secure a deal for Page with AEW. The former Impact Wrestling star only joined the promotion in 2021, a couple of years after its establishment. Nevertheless, Page doesn’t harbor any resentment towards Rhodes for the delayed signing, as he understands the reasons behind the decision.

    Before joining AEW, Ethan Page had discussions with WWE. While acknowledging that Cody Rhodes reached out to him during this period, Page chose not to exploit their friendship to secure a deal with the company. Instead, he opted to sign a contract with AEW after parting ways with Impact Wrestling.

    “Ironically, when I was signing with AEW, he told me that he wouldn’t [sign me] because he didn’t want me to be a friend hire, and that’s how I started my career. So I actually respected that. He’s always had my back, and I appreciate him putting me in that because it was such a huge spotlight.”

    AEW did not own the rights to the All In show, because ROH helped produce the event. Later on, Tony Khan stated that attaining the rights to the All In event was a big selling point for him buying ROH.

    Cody Rhodes may be raking up records and merchandise sales in WWE, as he tries to finish his story. Ethan Page is still in AEW, but he will never forget about everything the American Nightmare did for him.

  • Brian Cage Shows Off Insane Bruising After Rough Spot On AEW Dynamite

    Brian Cage Shows Off Insane Bruising After Rough Spot On AEW Dynamite

    Brian Cage was a stand-out performer wherever he went before arriving in AEW. He has made fans stand in awe as they watched the big man pull off moves nobody his size could do. Despite his incredible abilities, The Machine is still a man.

    Brian Cage’s Latest Bad Bump

    Brian Cage is not immune to injuries. Recently, Cage shared evidence of substantial bruises he took during an intense moment in his AEW Dynamite match last week. 

    During the latest episode of AEW Dynamite, Brian Cage participated in a fatal four-way match, facing off against Trent Beretta, Bryan Keith, and El Hijo de Vikingo. The was set to determine the next contender for the AEW International Championship. 

    In the end, Trent Beretta emerged victorious, cementing his match against Orange Cassidy for his title. 

    While taking to Instagram, Brian Cage posted a video showcasing the severe bruises he obtained during the match. These bruises were the result of a particularly intense spot where he was thrown onto his arm from the top rope. 

    ”Welllllll, I may or may not have gotten a “boo boo” last Wednesday night on Dynamite…..but I’m not a man, I’m a machine! And the show must go on. #takencareofbusiness #machine #cantstopwontstop #cantbereasonedwith #itsnotballet”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C11DeELL7cj

    Brian Cage’s Future in AEW

    Brian Cage committed to long-term contracts with both AEW and ROH before any speculation arose about his potential departure from AEW. Since then, he has seen a notable increase in his booking within the company.

    Tony Khan knows what kind of talent he has on his roster, but The Machine may need a bit of rest to heal up from this latest batch of bruises.

  • “Please Be Careful!” Kota Ibushi Warns Fans of “Scam” Clinic Operating in Tokyo

    “Please Be Careful!” Kota Ibushi Warns Fans of “Scam” Clinic Operating in Tokyo

    AEW’s Kota Ibushi has hit out at a clinic in the Asakusabashi district of Tokyo, Japan, which he claims is little more than a scam. 

    In a tweet that has since been deleted, Ibushi speaks about being presented with a strange powder during a procedure. Ibushi added that the ‘scam’ is charging people 200,000 yen per visit, equivalent to $1384 USD. 

    “As for the details of the C5 clinic scam that I mentioned before, it starts with an IV drip, but when it doesn’t work midway through, they bring a strange powder (marijuana) without permission, so isn’t this a problem for the police? This is a fraudulent clinic that operates in Asakusabashi and all over the country. Please be careful as it will take about 200,000 yen per time.”

    You can see Ibushi’s deleted post below. 

    Kota Ibushi’s Injury

    Fans won’t be seeing Kota Ibushi in the ring for some time after suffering an injury during a recent match for Pro Wrestling NOAH.  Ibushi was seen clutching his foot after a moonsault, and reportedly walked into the match with an injury. Ibushi was rushed to hospital after the match. NOAH would later give an update on Ibushi, who suffered a right tibiofibular ligament tear and a right ankle lateral ligament complex injury. The Japanese wrestler has confirmed that he will have surgery to deal with this situation. There is no word on when he can be expected back in the ring. 

    SEScoops wishes Kota Ibushi a speedy recovery.

  • Matt Hardy Blasts “Pathetic” Fans Creating Narrative That Jeff Isn’t A Good Wrestler

    Matt Hardy Blasts “Pathetic” Fans Creating Narrative That Jeff Isn’t A Good Wrestler

    AEW’s Matt Hardy has hit back at ‘haters’ who have taken aim at his brother Jeff following a mistake on the most recent episode of Rampage. 

    The January 5, edition of AEW Rampage saw the Hardyz team with Mark Briscoe for the first time in their careers. The trio of tag-team specialists proved to be quite the group as they defeated Kip Sabian, The Butcher, and The Blade. 

    Jeff’s Mistake & Matt Reacts

    During the match, Jeff attempted to jump off his brother’s back but slipped in an awkward moment. Many fans leapt onto this mistake on social media and have attempted to make it into a big deal. Not every fan has acted this way, however, and one sarcastically commented that the world was going to end because Jeff made a mistake. Replying to this tweet, Matt pointed out that mistakes are bound to happen. The veteran also had some choice words about those trying to create a ‘narrative.’

    Speaking about a Whisper in the Wind spot from Jeff’s return to AEW that was ‘botched’, Matt claimed that this was supposed to be messed up to show some ring-rust on his brother’s behalf. Matt also made it clear he’s extremely proud of what his brother has been doing. 

    Jeff joined AEW in 2022 following his controversial release from WWE the previous year. In June of 2022, Hardy was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. The case against Hardy was later dropped due to unreliable breath test results and he returned to programming in April 2023.

  • PAC Expected Back Soon In AEW After Missing Months Of Action

    AEW star PAC is set to make his return soon after close to half a year out of action with an injury. 

    During a virtual signing for Highspots, Penta El Zero Miedo recently stated that PAC will be back in AEW soon. During a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed that the British wrestler is indeed expected to return in the not-too-distant future. 

    “He’s back soon, I know that.”

    PAC’s most recent match took place on the July 26, episode of AEW Dynamite, where he faced Gravity. In August, it was announced that PAC had suffered an injury, though it was unclear what sort of injury he was facing. This has been the latest setback for PAC, who was out of action from March to July of last year. That hiatus was because he needed to get a nose injury fixed. 

    PAC in AEW

    After his tenure with WWE as Neville ended in 2018, PAC joined AEW on January 8, 2019, one week after the promotion was announced. At AEW’s inaugural rally, PAC confronted ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, setting up a match for Double or Nothing. That match wouldn’t take place however as it was scrapped due to “creative differences.” 

    In June 2022, PAC became the first AEW All-Atlantic Champion, which is today known as the AEW International Championship. He is also part of Death Triangle with Rey Fenix and Penta. He is a former AEW World Trios Champion and the first AEW star to be a double champion. 

  • Mariah May Affected by Fire, Interesting Name at Collision, Kurt Angle Cameo & More

    Mariah May Affected by Fire, Interesting Name at Collision, Kurt Angle Cameo & More

    New AEW Trademark Filing

    The fans of AEW will have a chance to ‘Get the Feeling’ thanks to a new trademark filing by the promotion. This week, AEW filed a trademark for the phrase for its use on merchandise, as well as at professional wrestling events. At this time, there’s no word on what ‘Get the Feeling’ will mean for the on-screen product. 

    Interesting Name at AEW Collision

    The January 6, 2024, edition of AEW Collision featured some top names, including Adam Copeland, Ric Flair, and Sting, but a different WWE Hall of Famer remained backstage. PW Insider reports that former NWA United States Heavyweight Champion Magnum TA was backstage at the Collision taping in Charlotte, NC. 

    Kurt Angle’s AEW Cameo

    Kurt Angle has made it clear he’s a WWE guy, but that didn’t stop the Olympian from making a cameo for AEW this week. On Twitter, Stokely Hathaway shared a Cameo featuring Angle, in which he claims that Hathaway is a changed man to Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander. It seems Kurt didn’t stop recording when he should have, as the video ends with Angle asking Stokely where’s his money. 

    Mariah May Home Affected By Fire

    Mariah May looked to set the wrestling world on fire during her AEW in-ring debut this week before the debuting Deonna Purrazzo interrupted. On Twitter, May shared that the place she lives suffered a fire. Fortunately, everyone is okay and the hunky firefighters proved to be a silver lining for the British wrestler. 

  • Watch: Hook is Coming for Samoa Joe & the AEW World Championship

    Watch: Hook is Coming for Samoa Joe & the AEW World Championship

    Hook may already be the reigning FTW Champion, but the second-generation wrestler feels it is now time to add the AEW World Title to his collection. 

    This week’s AEW Collision was the first of the new year and the first episode following last weekend’s AEW Worlds End pay-per-view. At that event, Samoa Joe won the AEW World Championship from MJF, ending the latter’s record-breaking reign. After the match, Adam Cole would be revealed as the Devil with Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Roderick Strong, and Wardlow as his minions. 

    Hook is Coming for Samoa Joe

    During this week’s AEW Collision, FTW Champion Hook appeared and pointed out that his win/loss record in the promotion is second to none. Hook added that it’s time for him to go after another championship. Hook went on to say that thanks to ‘personal connections’ he’s had a close eye on the person he has his crosshairs on. Hook ended his promo by making it clear he’s coming for Samoa Joe and his AEW World Championship. 

    Hook in AEW

    Hook debuted for AEW in 2020 and wasted no time in aligning himself with his father Taz as part of Team Taz. It wouldn’t be until December of 2021 that Hook made his in-ring debut, besting Fuego Del Sol on an episode of Rampage. 

    Hook is a two-time FTW Champion, a title introduced by his father in the original ECW. Hook’s current reign began with his victory over Jack Perry during the AEW All In Zero Hour pre-show. 

  • Tony Khan Speaks On MJF’s AEW Roster Removal & WWE’s Reported Talks With WBD

    Tony Khan Speaks On MJF’s AEW Roster Removal & WWE’s Reported Talks With WBD

    Tony Khan is proud of what AEW has been able to do since the company opened their doors. He also knows that there are some big subjects that need to be addressed.

    MJF’s Removal From The AEW Roster Page

    MJF lost the AEW World Title at Worlds End, and Adam Cole later stated during AEW Dynamite that MJF is never coming back. So far, the Salt of the Earth has not been seen again, but recent developments are quite interesting for his AEW status.

    MJF disappeared from the AEW roster as 2024 started. Many fans took notice, and Tony Khan has now addressed a question about what is going on.

    While speaking on the Going Ringside podcast, Tony Khan was asked about MJF’s absence from the AEW roster page. TK didn’t provide a definite explanation, but he did suggest that MJF was great for the company.

    “I can say that MJF certainly has been a great part of AEW for the first five years. And through those five years, certainly, he’s been one of our great homegrown stars…and he’s somebody we really value and I would love to have MJF in AEW in the future, should the contractual situation allow.”

    “Certainly MJF is somebody we would love to have an AEW going forward. And he’s been a great wrestler and a great champion for us.”

    Tony Khan Addresses WWE’s Talks With WBD

    WWE and Warner Bros Discovery could shake up the pro wrestling world in a huge way if they lock in a deal for RAW. Although NXT is going to The CW and The USA Network is getting SmackDown in October 2024, RAW’s new destination has yet to be revealed.

    WBD and WWE are said to be talking about the red brand. Tony Khan addressed the talk of WBD acquiring WWE’s flagship show, as he reiterated how strong AEW’s relationship is with Warner Brothers Discovery.

    “It’s part of sports. I think everybody discusses contracts and free agency and things of that nature. I think everybody is aware that everybody is going to be talking to everybody in media this coming year. There will be certainly a lot of opportunities. We’ve had a great history with Warner Brothers Discovery and continue to produce great ratings. We’ll be in a very good position next year.”

    CM Punk’s WWE return reportedly brought Warner Brothers Discovery’s interest to a new level. 2024 will definitely see WWE RAW declare a new home, but the big question remains regarding where the longest running weekly episodic television show in history will call their next home.

  • How Did AEW Subtly Reference Adam Copeland’s Pre-WWE Days on Rampage?

    How Did AEW Subtly Reference Adam Copeland’s Pre-WWE Days on Rampage?

    Adam Copeland wasn’t at this week’s episode of AEW Rampage, but the company did give a nod to the Rated R Superstar’s days before joining WWE. 

    Copeland joined AEW at WrestleDream in October 2023 and has been feuding with Christian Cage ever since. The two competed over the TNT Championship during a December episode of Dynamite which saw Cage retain the title. At AEW Worlds End, Copeland won the title, marking his first championship win in nearly 13 years. Unfortunately, his reign would be short-lived as thanks to Killswitch, Cage was able to reclaim the title moments later. 

    AEW’s Tribute to Sexton Hardcastle

    Before he was known as Edge in WWE, Adam Copeland worked under the infamous name of Sexton Hardcastle on the independent scene in his native Canada. While fans didn’t see Sexton Hardcastle on Rampage, they did see Kennedi Hardcastle compete in a tag-team match. 

    While some may have seen this as a mere coincidence, further investigation shows that this was a deliberate reference by AEW. Kennedi Hardcastle’s real name is Kennedi Copeland, and though she shares the same last name as the former World Champion, the two aren’t related. On Twitter, Kennedi confirmed this wasn’t a coincidence and admitted to being a huge fangirl of the WWE Hall of Famer. 

    AEW Rampage Results: January 5, 2024

    Here are the results for the January 5, 2024, edition of AEW Rampage: 

    • The Hardys and Mark Briscoe defeated The Butcher, Blade, and Kip Sabian.
    • Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale defeated Kennedi Hardcastle and Notorious Mimi
    • Hikaru Shida defeated Anna Jay
    • Wheeler Yuta (c) defeated Komander (Ring of Honor PURE Championship)
  • “I Think It’s About Time” – Kota Ibushi Teases Retirement After Latest Injury Setback

    “I Think It’s About Time” – Kota Ibushi Teases Retirement After Latest Injury Setback

    The career of Kota Ibushi may be coming to an end sooner than later judging by a tweet from the Japanese wrestler. 

    At the Pro Wrestling NOAH event on January 1, Ibushi was transported to a hospital after injuring his ankles. The Japanese star, who signed with AEW last year, reportedly walked into the match with a broken ankle but still wrestled the 30-minute main event against Naomichi Marufuji. This match understandably made his injury situation worse and itsbeen confirmed that Ibushi will undergo surgery. 

    Kota Ibushi Teases Retirement

    In a tweet translated from Japanese, Ibushi teased that his days in the ring may be numbered. 

    I came here with the goal of being able to do it for 20 years, and I think it’s about time. There are still a lot of things left on my contract, but I want to complete them!

    “I try not to talk too darkly or think about the future, but I have to take care of my mother and other things, so I’ll talk about it when the time comes! Don’t miss a match. 

    Is Kota Ibushi’s Career Ending? 

    This isn’t the first time that Ibushi has addressed leaving the wrestling ring behind. Last month, Ibushi said that he’d considered retirement after suffering a shoulder injury during the NJPW G1 Climax in 2021. In the interview, Ibushi said that he doesn’t know when he’ll be finished, saying it could be tomorrow, next year, or ten years from now. 

    As of this writing, there is no word on when Ibushi will return to the ring. We at SE Scoops are continuing to wish him the best in his recovery. 

  • AEW Star Mariah May Escapes Safely After Her Building Catches Fire

    AEW Star Mariah May Escapes Safely After Her Building Catches Fire

    Mariah May just made her way to America thanks to AEW inking her to a contract. She had an eventful past couple of months, and today was no different, as she had to escape from a fire.

    Mariah May’s Fiery Incident

    Mariah May used her X account on January 5th to update her fans and followers following a fire incident in her building. Luckily, she is safe from harm, and nobody else was hurt in the fire.

    Mariah said that despite the fire, everyone emerged safely. Adding a touch of humor, May also noted that the responding firefighters were noteworthy nice to look at, so that was a perk.

    sad news… the building I live in had a fire good news…

    everyone is ok and the firefighters are sexy

    Mariah May replied to her own post, where she added a bit more information. She is safe and sound, and it seems she also has more four-legged friends after helping some animals escape the blaze. So, she considers that a win.

    and I made friends with some animals I carried out

    a win is a win

    Mariah May in AEW

    Mariah May made her way to AEW by way of STARDOM. She was placed alongside Toni Storm as her biggest fan, vying for the Timeless One’s attention in any way. As Mariah May continues her road in All Elite Wrestling, odds are she will gain Toni Storm’s attention eventually.

  • Rush Vows To ‘Return Ready and Hungrier Than Ever’ After Suffering Hamstring Injury

    AEW star Rush recently revealed that he competed through the majority of the AEW Continental Classic tournament while dealing with an injury.

    ‘El Toro Blanco’ competed in the Gold League of the AEW Continental Classic where he acquired six points by defeating Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal while losing to Jay White, Jon Moxley, and Swerve Strickland.

    The tournament certainly took a toll on the wrestlers and it turns out Rush pushed himself to the limits by battling through the injury.

    Rush will be on the sidelines 

    In a social media post on Thursday, Rush revealed that he suffered a torn hamstring during his second Continental Classic match. He didn’t reveal the degree of his hamstring tear but he vowed to recuperate and make a comeback when he’s ready . He added the he will return hungrier than ever.

    “In the #AEWContinentalClassic I tore my hamstring in the second match I had,” Rush wrote. “I will recover and return ready and hungrier than ever for a fight.”

    The bout Rush is talking about was his victory over Mark Briscoe on AEW Dynamite on November 29. Since then, Rush has competed in four matches (three more on Dynamite as a Continental Classic match, and an eight-man showcase tag match at the Worlds End PPV on December 30). It is currently unclear how long Rush will be out of action.

    Rush inked a new deal with AEW in July and he’s leading  Los Faccion Ingobernables, having Preston Vance, the former member of the Dark Order, and Rush’s brother Dralistico in the faction.

    Meanwhile, at AEW Worlds End pay-per-view in December 2023, Rush teamed with Lethal, White & Brody King to face Briscoe, Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Daniel Garcia in a losing effort.

    We at SEScoops wish Rush a swift recovery.

  • Jon Moxley Teases Bringing In Female BCC Member to Represent in Japan

    Jon Moxley Teases Bringing In Female BCC Member to Represent in Japan

    The Blackpool Combat Club is yet to formally announce a female member, but Marina Shafir may soon be representing the faction overseas.

    The BCC came together in March of 2022, with Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson and William Regal as the founding members. Later that year, the group would welcome Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta into the fold.
    While Regal has since left AEW for WWE, the British veteran remains in touch with his BCC allies.

    Marina Shafir in the Blackpool Combat Club?

    At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18, Jon Moxley represented the BCC when he competed to be the first NJPW Global Champion. Unfortunately for Moxley, both he and Will Ospreay lost to David Finlay, who brawled with Nic Nemeth after the match. Speaking at his post-match press conference, Moxley spoke about his plans for 2024.

    “The Blackpool Combat Club has plans in Japan for 2024 and beyond. I want to comeback with Bryan Danielson, with Claudio Castagnoli, I want to get Wheeler Yuta, our young rookie out here and have him test himself.”

    Moxley then addressed the women’s division in New Japan and teased bringing in Shafir as a BCC member.

    “Marina Shafir, she wants a shot in Japan. Bring the best women you’ve got because that’s one of the baddest b*tches walking the planet and she’ll come over here representing the Blackpool Combat Club.”

    Shafir has proven her toughness in the ring countless times, and teamed with Ronda Rousey during the latter’s appearances outside of WWE last year. Moxley’s BCC ally Bryan Danielson fared no better at Wrestle Kingdom 18. The American Dragon lost to Kazuchika Okada in a rematch from AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door II.

    H/T – Fightful

  • Britt Baker Candidly Speaks On Her Lengthy AEW Television Absence

    Britt Baker Candidly Speaks On Her Lengthy AEW Television Absence

    Britt Baker, apart from Brandi Rhodes, was among the first female talents signed by Tony Khan. Transitioning from the indies with limited television presence, Baker rose to prominence as a key figure in AEW’s women’s division. However, her visibility on television has significantly decreased lately.

    Britt Baker’s AEW Absence

    On November 29th, Britt Baker dropped a post on X which insinuated that she isn’t thrilled about how much she’s been used in 2023 by AEW. 

    It’s no secret that Britt Baker received zero promos in 2023, which is a total surprise. She held the microphone down on a weekly basis for promos during the pandemic era. Now, things are much different in AEW.

    Britt Baker Speaks On Lack Of Television Time In AEW

    Britt Baker spoke with DS Shin on Ring The Belle, where she opened up about her lack of exposure on AEW television in recent memory. She also gave credit to the AEW fan base for their passion.

    “I think with our very passionate fans, they’re very vocal with what they want, what they don’t want, what they like, what they don’t like. We listen, I listen. If they are telling me they want [more] or less of something, okay, I hear you loud and clear. A lot of them said, ‘We want less Britt Baker.’ So, if that’s what they want, that’s what they’ll get. Let me take a step back. Here are the rest of the women. Someone else take the ball and run with it, make the women’s division about you, and you be the face of the women’s division. When no one else can do that, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces and do it all over again.”

    Britt Baker On Being A Real-Life Wrestling Dentist

    Britt Baker is a real-life dentist, which she still keeps a practice. She also went into detail about how weird it was at times as AEW’s resident dentist when she was out in the real world. 

    “It’s a weird territory with fans coming into the dental office, something you can’t prepare [for]. They don’t teach me that in dental school how to deal with fans coming into my office. So we’ve had some weird situations. My staff, they’re great with handling it. They really are. But you have to pick and choose those battles. So, I actually don’t take any new patients. It’s all my old patients that I know are tried and true dental patients and not crazy fans in disguise.”

    Britt Baker has been backstage in recent memory for AEW’s television tapings. That did not see her get any screen time. Perhaps, Tony Khan is waiting for that right moment. With Deonna Purrazzo’s recent debut for AEW, it seems that there is no shortage of fresh names for Britt Baker to wrestle.

  • Deonna Purrazzo is All-Elite: Ex-Knockouts Champ Makes AEW Debut on Dynamite

    Deonna Purrazzo has become the newest member of the AEW roster and has wasted no time in making her championship aspirations very clear. 

    On this week’s Dynamite, Mariah May made her in-ring debut for AEW with a victory over Queen Aminata. After her win, May was disappointed that her debut match had to take place in New Jersey. This jibe brought out the debuting Purrazzo, a New Jersey native who took issue with this insult. 

    Purrazzo confronted May and made it clear she is coming for her and May’s idol, AEW Women’s World Champion ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm. 

    In a tweet, AEW President Toni Khan confirmed the arrival of Purrazzo to the roster. 

    Support from the Crowd

    Purrazzo had a ton of support from her fellow New Jersey residents in the crowd, and one person of note was there as well. IMPACT Wrestling’s Steve Maclin was spotted at the show watching Purrazzo’s debut. Maclin and Purrazzo began dating in 2020 and married in November 2022. 

    WWE Talks

    Purrazzo is a huge get for AEW as there had been speculation that the Virtuosa would end up returning to WWE. Fightful Select reports that Purrazzo and WWE had had talks but obviously did not come to terms. WWE sources indicated that not, if not all of their free-agent discussions had been tabled until the new year started. While Purrazzo won’t be a WWE Superstar, her best friend Chelsea Green was very happy to see her AEW debut. 

    Deonna Purrazzo reached a huge personal milestone in August of last year. Click here to find out more. 

  • Adam Copeland wore his WrestleMania 22 ring gear at AEW Worlds End

    Adam Copeland wore his WrestleMania 22 ring gear at AEW Worlds End

    Adam Copeland wore one of his iconic pieces of ring gear last weekend at AEW Worlds End for his match against Christian Cage.

    Copeland has had many memorable feuds throughout his decades-long career. His 2006 rivalry against fellow Hall of Famer Mick Foley stands out as one of his best. It culminated at WrestleMania 22, when the Rated R Superstar survived a Hardcore match against the hardcore legend to extend his WrestleMania record to 5-0. 

    Edge kept his WrestleMania 22 gear. All these years later, he decided his match against Christian at Worlds End was the perfect opportunity to wear it one more time.

    Edge’s WrestleMania 22 Gear

    Copeland recently spoke with Sam Roberts on the Not Sam wrestling podcast and explained that he wanted to wear the WrestleMania 22 gear to signify the level of violence (and fire) he was going to bring to that match.0

    He still had the Rated R Superstar camouflage pants, whoever somebody stole the Dickie’s work shirt that went with it when he was at a show in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  He then told a funny story about taking his family to a Walmart in North Carolina looking for a shirt to recreate the one he lost. 

    He wound up teaching himself how to hammer double sided rivets into shirts, so he could punch all the holes necessary to have the leather ‘star’ on the shirt that the original had. “It was a process!”

    Here’s Adam Copeland’s 2-hour interview with Sam Roberts for NotSam Wrestling:

  • ‘It’s Addictive’ – Adam Copeland on when it’s time to retire from wrestling

    ‘It’s Addictive’ – Adam Copeland on when it’s time to retire from wrestling

    Adam Copeland entered AEW after allowing his WWE deal to expire. That was quite a shocking moment for fans all over, but he’s embracing this late chapter of his career and intends to make the most of it.

    During a recent discussion with Sam Roberts for the Not Sam Wrestling podcast, the Copeland shared candid feelings about wrestling at 50 years old. He still senses the addictive nature of the business and feels capable competing at a high level, but doesn’t want to overstay his welcome.

    “Well, it is it is and it is addictive, yeah, there’s no way around it. I’ve tried to explain to people, ‘You got theme music and as soon as a note hits, a crowd erupts. And you get pyro, and do like, you are a puppet master in a way because you’re telling a story live, and you’re getting instant gratification to know whether that story is hitting on all cylinders. If it’s falling flat, whatever it is, that’s super fun, and there’s a lot of little stuff in there in that bottle. Yeah, and that.. that’s… that’s tough to walk away from, when I was forced to.”

    After departing WWE, he looked at the AEW roster and saw new challenges and lots of talent he wants to work with. It’s important for veterans to pass along their knowledge to the next generation, but Copeland says some ‘legends’ just don’t know when to walk away. He doesn’t want to be that 60 year old guy who is clinging on to the past.

    “I don’t mean that in a disrespectful way at all,  but I just don’t want to be that guy… maybe this is how I know I’m getting older. I’m at the point now where when I saw Dennis Stamp on ‘Beyond The Mat’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s the guy you don’t want to be.’ But now I’m like, there is a certain romance to being that guy who’s just like, ‘Nope, this is my life and this is what I’m doing and I’m fully just I’m accepting it.”

    Dennis Stamp was featured in Beyond The Mat, and his part in the documentary was both sad and enlightening for many. Copeland does not want to repeat any of those mistakes that he has seen veterans make as they cling onto the spotlight, even chasing it to disastrous ends.

    When will Adam Copeland retire?

    Adam Copeland has been given the gift to retire on his terms, so when will that be? He’s trying to stay realistic and sees himself competing for two or three years tops.

    “Even though it’s been four or five years back now, it’s not like I got another four or five in front of me. I know I don’t. We’re looking at like a two year window here to be able to get as much done as I can get done, tell as many stories as I can”

    Copeland and Christian are still engaged in a feud on television. This is something that Copeland wanted out of his time in AEW, but he also wants to work with other stars that he has not had a chance to share the ring with yet. 

    Through it all, Adam Copeland may be approaching an actual in-ring retirement eventually, but he will not lose focus or perspective.