SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Concerned Fans Called Police After MJF’s Gruesome Dynamite Promo

    Concerned Fans Called Police After MJF’s Gruesome Dynamite Promo

    AEW World Champion MJF’s promo went a little too far in the minds of some fans, who believed his comments were real.

    On this week’s Dynamite, the holder of the Big Burberry Belt defeated Konsuke Takeshita in the Champion’s first match in two months.

    In a backstage promo, MJF spoke about crashing a car years ago when he was being pleasured by a woman who “for legal purposes” he called Liv.

    MJF recalled being covered in the woman’s blood and switching their seats to make it look like she was the one behind the wheel at the time of the accident.

    Police Involvement

    MJF’s promo was certainly a shocking one, even by his standards, and it blurred the lines of reality and kayfabe for some fans.

    On Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez reported that local law enforcement received “a lot” of calls from fans who watched the promo.

    “100% they got a bunch of phone calls. That’s not a joke. A bunch of fans legitimately called the Nassau Police Department to report MJF.”

    Bryan Alvarez.

    ESPN’s Marc Raimondi also “heard from several people” who said there is truth to the reports of police being called.

    It is unclear if these calls were genuine, or tongue-in-cheek by fans enjoying the Salt of the Earth’s promo.

    To clarify, there is no factual evidence to back up the idea that MJF was responsible for a woman’s death.

    What’s Next?

    This week’s edition of AEW Dynamite also saw Bryan Danielson defeat RUSH in the latest victory for the American Dragon.

    With this win, Danielson has completed MJF’s task of remaining undefeated until February 8 and has therefore earned a shot at the AEW World Championship.

    Not only will the pair face off at AEW Revolution on March 5, but it will be a sixty-minute Iron Man match, the first in AEW’s history.

    After his win over RUSH, Danielson was attacked by MJF, who vowed that the former WWE Champion wasn’t going to make it to Revolution.

    MJF References Popular WWE Superstar on Latest AEW Dynamite
  • ESPN to Broadcast AEW Exclusively in Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands

    ESPN to Broadcast AEW Exclusively in Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands

    ESPN has secured the exclusive broadcast rights for AEW programming to ESPN subscribers in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

    AEW shows that will air on ESPN in those regions include Dynamite, Rampage and (on delay) the quarterly PPV lineup including Revolution, Double orNothing, All Out and Full Gear.

    Here’s the official announcement sent in to SEScoops:

    February 9, 2023 – ESPN announced that it has secured exclusive broadcast rights to top American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW), bringing its premium matches and entertainment to ESPN subscribers in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands starting February 16.

    This marks AEW’s first broadcast deal in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and ESPN’s first broadcast partnership with a professional wrestling organization in the region. AEW, the new professional wrestling league taking the world by storm, is continuing its meteoric rise with record-high ratings, world-class roster and highly entertaining product.

    Each week on ESPN, fans in the region can catch all the action on “AEW: DYNAMITE” on Thursday AEDT, and “AEW: RAMPAGE” on Saturday AEDT, with same-day replays and episodes made available on-demand. In addition, through ESPN, fans will have access to all of AEW’s quarterly pay-per-view events on delay: REVOLUTION, DOUBLE OR NOTHING, ALL OUT and FULL GEAR.

    AEW’s star-studded roster includes Chris Jericho, Bryan Danielson, MJF, Jon Moxley, Jamie Hayter, Saraya, Kenny Omega, Matt & Nick Jackson, Darby Allin, Sting, Orange Cassidy, Jade Cargill, Dr. Britt Baker, Claudio Castagnoli, Adam Cole, The Acclaimed, Jungle Boy, Samoa Joe, Athena, Toni Storm, Ricky Starks, Wardlow, Buddy Matthews, and Powerhouse Hobbs. Further bolstering its global pop culture infiltration, AEW has launched impressive collections of video games, action figures, trading cards, merchandise and more.

    AEW will be available on ESPN in the following locations:
    Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Niue, Nauru, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Northern Marianas, Tokelau, Tahiti, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, and Wallis and Futuna.

    About AEW

    Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a roster of world-class talent that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. In the U.S., “AEW: DYNAMITE” airs every Wednesday night on TBS and attracts the youngest wrestling audience on television, and the fight-forward show “AEW: RAMPAGE” airs every Friday night on TNT.

    For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW

    About ESPN

    ESPN is the world’s leading sports entertainment company and is renowned for delivering sports with personality and authority. In Australia and New Zealand ESPN operates the ESPN and ESPN2 sports television networks, distributed on the Foxtel, Fetch, Kayo Sports and Sky platforms. We deliver over 10,000 hours of live events and studio programming each year, with a broadcast rights portfolio that includes NBA, NFL, UFC, US Open, NBL, MLB and NHL, and much more. In addition, the ESPNews, ESPNU, ACC Network and SEC Networks are available to stream via the ESPN App. ESPN networks feature some of the most respected and recognizable sports anchors and reporters on the globe, with names like Scott Van Pelt, Stephen A Smith, Doris Burke, Adrian Wojnarowski, Jeff Van Gundy and Jalen Rose.

    ESPN and ESPN2 and available on Foxtel, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV and SKY NZ.

  • AEW: Fight Forever Rated ‘Teen’ for Partially Exposed Buttocks, Molotov Cocktails & More

    AEW: Fight Forever Rated ‘Teen’ for Partially Exposed Buttocks, Molotov Cocktails & More

    All Elite Wrestling’s first console video game has finally received a rating by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

    AEW: Fight Forever has received a “Teen” rating for some suggestive content, including the use of molotov cocktails, deep cleavage, partially exposed buttocks, crotch chops, depictions of alcohol consumption, smoking and more.

    AEW: Fight Forever Rated ‘Teen’

    Here’s the official Rating Summary, courtesy of the ESRB:

    This is a wrestling game in which players compete in matches with wrestlers from the AEW roster. Players use punches, kicks, and grappling maneuvers to drain their opponents’ health. In some match types (e.g., Barbed Wire, Stadium Stampede, Unsanctioned) players can use barbed wired, baseball bats, metal chairs, and Molotov cocktails against opponents, eventually resulting in submission and/or knock outs. Blood-splatter effects can occur during matches, staining the mats; video footage of real matches also depicts blood on wrestlers’ faces and bodies. The game contains some mildly suggestive material: female wrestlers in revealing outfits (e.g., deep cleavage, bunny outfits, partially exposed buttocks); wrestlers performing taunting gestures (e.g., crotch chop, slapping buttocks). Real footage sometimes depicts wrestlers drinking alcohol and smoking. The word “sh*t” is heard in the game.

    Fight Forever is ‘coming soon’ and has been coming soon since 2021. In recent weeks, there has been speculation that the ESRB rating was one of the issues holding up the game’s release, so this is one more hurdle cleared.

    The game will be available, at some point, for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X.

  • Wheeler Yuta Shares What He’d be Doing if He Wasn’t a Wrestler

    Wheeler Yuta Shares What He’d be Doing if He Wasn’t a Wrestler

    Wheeler Yuta has made a name for himself as part of AEW, but he would likely be spending his time under the sea had he not entered the squared circle.

    Yuta debuted for All Elite Wrestling in June 2021, and would be welcomed as part of the Blackpool Combat Club the following April.

    In addition to AEW, Yuta is also part of the Ring of Honor roster and is currently in his second reign as ROH Pure Champion.

    Not a Wrestler

    It’s hard to imagine Wheeler Yuta as anything other than a professional wrestler, but it was something the grappler considered in his youth.

    Speaking on The Sessions, Yuta said that military service would have likely been his path if not for wrestling.

    “When I was young, I always thought that I was probably going to go into the navy at some point. I think my dad’s biggest dream would have been if I had gone into the naval academy and then go on to be an officer. Of course, he loves that I do the wrestling stuff but I think, if he had his way when I was younger that’s what he would have pushed me to.

    “I was probably going to go into the navy at some point.”

    Wheeler Yuta on what he would have done if not become a wrestler.

    “Yeah I always considered going into the navy. My dad’s in the navy. My uncle’s in the navy. So that was kind of something I always had in the back of my head, but I just knew I wanted to wrestle so that was always first.”

    Growing Up

    Wheeler’s father is a huge supporter of his chosen career path, but the elder Yuta wasn’t afraid to use his naval discipline as a parent.

    When asked how it was growing up with a naval master chief for a father, Yuta said it was good, and recalled one time when his father’s military resolve took precedence.

    “There was definitely some things that you could tell were very specific to his military stuff. Like if he told us ‘hey we’re going to leave at nine AM’ [it meant nine AM.] If I was there at 9:05, his favorite thing would be to go ‘hey bud, when I say 9 am, that means when the big hand is on the 12, and the little hand is on the nine. He’d explain to me how a clock works and I’m like ‘alright dad I’m sorry.’”

    Yuta’s most recent match saw him, ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli, and Jon Moxley defeat The Butcher, the Blade and Kip Sabian on last night’s Rampage tapings.

    For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

  • Bryan Danielson Secures World Championship Match at AEW Revolution

    Bryan Danielson Secures World Championship Match at AEW Revolution

    Bryan Danielson is heading to the main event of AEW Revolution 2023, and he will face MJF on his own terms.

    For over a month, Danielson has been forced to remain undefeated in competition in order to earn a title match against the AEW World Champion at the upcoming Pay-Per-View.

    This challenge has seen the American Dragon pick up wins over Konosuke Takeshita, Bandido, Brian Cage, and Timothy Thatcher.

    During this week’s AEW Dynamite, Danielson got his final victory, defeating RUSH to complete MJF’s challenge and earn a title match.

    Post-match, MJF locked Danielson in the ‘Salt of the Earth’ submission hold. 

    As previously laid out, Danielson’s match against MJF at AEW Revolution will be a sixty-minute Iron Man match, the first time this stipulation has been use in AEW.

    MJF’s Reign So Far

    Danielson and the Iron Man match will prove to be the greatest challenge so far to MJF’s reign on top as AEW World Champion.

    The Salt of the Earth captured the title from Jon Moxley at AEW Full Gear last November, defeating the Blackpool Combat Club member thanks to an assist by William Regal.

    While many believed this would start a Regal-MJF alliance on TV, the Brit was attacked by MJF shortly after, writing him off TV.

    At AEW Dynamite: Winter is Coming, MJF had his first successful title defense, retaining his championship against Ricky Starks.

    MJF References Popular WWE Superstar on Latest AEW Dynamite

  • MJF References Popular WWE Superstar on Latest AEW Dynamite

    AEW World Champion MJF had an interesting story to tell on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite and made reference to one of WWE’s most popular current-day Superstars.

    During Dynamite, MJF defeated Konosuke Takeshita in the former’s first match in two months, and was interviewed after the match by Lexy Nair.

    In his promo, MJF recalled meeting a beautiful girl, whose name, for “legal reasons” was Liv.

    MJF said that ‘Liv’ went down on him while driving his blue Camaro and that they were involved in a vehicular accident that killed the woman.

    The AEW World Champion remembered being covered in her blood and switching seats to trick the cops into thinking ‘Liv’ was driving, before telling Bryan Danielson “I am a scumbag and I am proud of it.”

    Given the choice of the name for the women in MJF’s promo, countless fans saw this as a reference to former WWE SmackDown Champion Liv Morgan.

    The 28-year-old Superstar was even trending on Twitter after MJF’s promo, and you can see some of the reactions from fans below.

    MJF & Liv Morgan

    Despite working in different promotions, MJF and Liv Morgan have been seen together in the past, and were photographed together in late 2022.

    Speaking to the Metro at the time, Morgan was asked how her meeting with MJF came together.

    “I went to my friend Skylar’s birthday party and he was just there!…We had great, great, great, great banter. We have a lot in common actually.”

    Liv Morgan

    Morgan added that she hopes MJF does “what is best” when his contract with AEW expires in January 2024.

    h/t – Fightful

  • Tony Khan is Very Optimistic About AEW’s Next TV Rights Deal

    Tony Khan is Very Optimistic About AEW’s Next TV Rights Deal

    All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan feels optimistic about the company’s future media rights deal.

    This year will be interesting for AEW. The company’s TV rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to be finished by the end of the year. Their rival, WWE, is also entering TV rights negotiations but may decide to sell the company.

    Wrestling fans are curious if Warner Bros. Discovery will renew the AEW TV deal and for how much. However, Khan has expressed optimism about the future of AEW and that their TV distributor is happy with them. In an interview with Uproxx, Khan spoke about the company’s future but pointed out he’s excited about AEW’s media rights deal.

    Uproxx’s Raj Prashad transcribed the following quotes.

    “I expect big increases in the rights for the AEW programs, and we’re on a good pace to make a very lucrative deal for the AEW media rights going forward.

    – Tony Khan

    Is AEW Looking To Create Their Own Streaming Service?

    Khan is very interested in AEW having their own streaming service. The company airs its pay-per-views on Bleacher Report in the United States but doesn’t have all its archive content on the app. They’ve also reached a multi-year broadcast deal with DAZN to air AEW Dynamite and Rampage, Dark, and Dark: Elevation, four Battle of the Belt events a year, and four Pay-Per-Views a year internationally.

    Khan spoke about AEW’s tremendous content library.

    “We’ve done 174 episodes of Dynamite, 80 episodes of AEW Rampage, our 17th pay-per-view event will be March 5 in Revolution, so we’ve done hundreds and hundreds of hours of AEW content in our library,” Khan says. He continued, “I also purchased Ring of Honor last year, which is a great promotion with over 20 years of history and thousands of hours of video in their library.”

    Khan added, “So overall, AEW has access to so many great wrestling events, including some widely considered to be some of the best wrestling events of all time. There’s a lot of interest in this library as well as the new weekly content we continue to produce each week, and I do think there’s a lot of demand for the library and it makes a lot of sense for us to try to make that AEW library available to fans all over the world on demand.”

    It’s possible to increase the value of their TV rights deal; they may look to add their content to Warner Bros. Discovery streaming service HBO Max. However, Warner Bros. Discovery is also intriguing as they are still trying to figure out their content and are expected to revamp their HBO Max service. Regardless, Khan’s optimism for the future of AEW is something that may erase concern from fans.

  • MJF Impressed by The Outrunners: “Now These Are Wrestlers!”

    MJF Impressed by The Outrunners: “Now These Are Wrestlers!”

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman, All Elite Wrestling’s reigning World Heavyweight Champion, has given his stamp of approval to The Outrunners. The duo, comprised of Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum, have been catching fans’ attention on AEW Dark and Dark Elevation.

    Floyd and Magnum are a throwback act straight out of the 1980’s. The retro team made their AEW debuts on the Sep. 13, 2021, episode of AEW Dark Elevation in a losing effort to The Butcher And The Blade. They lost a couple more matches since then, before picking up their first win on this week’s (Feb. 7, 2023) episode of Dark against Logan Cruz and Tyshaun Price.

    After the win, the Outrunners cut an over-the-top promo that’s getting them a lot of buzz on social media. They’re rule-breaking villains, so naturally, they’ve earned the approval of the biggest heel in all of AEW, MJF.

    He quoted tweeted a clip from their trash talking and said, “Now these are wrestlers!”

    Turbo replied with a “Thanks, Champ” – which MJF ate right up.

    What’s Next For The Outrunners in AEW?

    Although they have wrestled a couple of times on AEW, The Outrunners aren’t signed to the company. The team is working in Ohio Valley Wrestling and is on the roster page on the promotion’s website. However, with MJF’s endorsement and growing fanbase, AEW fans may see The Outrunners more often.

    Their record in AEW is 1-3. They started 2023 with the first win, so the company may invest more into them and get some wins. It’s unclear if they contractually can’t sign with AEW, but getting noticed by the AEW World Champion will put more eyes on The Outrunners moving forward.

    For MJF, he will have to focus on his upcoming match against Konosuke Takeshita on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite. You’ll be able to check the results of the match for tonight later on here.

  • AEW Talent Contract Expiring in May (Spoiler)

    AEW Talent Contract Expiring in May (Spoiler)

    One second generation star could be a free agent soon, as his contract with All Elite Wrestling is set to expire in May.

    AEW is getting into an interesting position where they must decide if they will re-sign talent. The company has had many wrestlers compete for them in their four years of operation. As we enter the fourth year of AEW, some multi-year talent contracts are up for renewal.

    Spoiler Warning Ahead!

    The company has several wrestler contracts set to expire soon. FTR’s Dax Harwood said on his podcast that his and his partner Cash Wheeler’s contracts are set to expire in April. They have yet to decide if they will try to re-sign with AEW. Fightful Select reported on Jan. 24 that Brian Cage’s contract would expire in a few weeks. AEW may look to re-sign him, but the report also shared that WWE could be interested in signing Cage.

    However, they will have to decide if they will keep Brock Anderson, son of Arn Anderson, whose contract expires in May. Arn broke the news in an interview with Wrestlingnews.co Steve Falls on their Patreon. He also shared that his contract expires next year and is unsure if AEW will keep either him or his son after their deal ends.

    “Well, Brock’s got about, I think in May his is up, and then I have another year passed that. I’m having a great time. I’m enjoying working for the company and I’m going to certainly get that last year now. What they have for Brock and I together going forward, I don’t know. I look at things and always have going all the way back to WCW when contracts came out. When you get a guaranteed contract, your wife has the luxury of planning your life because they do it anyway. To know much time and it’s not something that’s not going to change and all that, you can map your life out. That gives me another year and a half almost to help Brock every which way I can,” said Arn(h/t Angel Aramboles).

    Arn and Brock Anderson
    Arn and Brock Anderson

    Will AEW Re-sign Brock Anderson?

    It’s unclear what the future holds for Brock. He is featured only sometimes on AEW Dynamite or Rampage. AEW mostly has him compete on AEW Dark. In his AEW career, Brock’s win/loss record stands at 16-13.

    Although Brock is featured a little in AEW, he is still young in his career. At age 25, AEW could look to do more with him if he re-signs. However, the company may have to review its roster and decide whether it can renew Brock’s contract. Another possibility is WWE could look to sign the young talent if he becomes a free agent.

  • WWE 2K23 Director: AEW Fight Forever Will Drive Us to be Better

    WWE 2K23 Director: AEW Fight Forever Will Drive Us to be Better

    AEW’s much-anticipated debut into the world of console gaming will strive those working at WWE 2K to be better, it has been claimed.

    Next month will see the launch of WWE 2K23, the latest installment in the franchise and sequel to last year’s successful 2K22.

    Prior to 2K22, WWE’s previous game WWE 2K20, had received universal panning, with reports that WWE’s relationship with 2K on the rocks.

    The Gaming Wars

    While WWE’s relationship with 2K is seemingly back on track, AEW is yet to release its Fight Forever video game.

    First announced in late 2020, a playable teaser has been used at gaming events, but fans are still far from getting their hands on a completed copy.

    While speaking with WCCF Tech, WWE 2K23 Creative Director Lynell Jinks addressed the competition AEW Fight Forever brings.

    “I love competition. I started on NBA 2K, I spent 10 years on it, and at that time, we were going against NBA Inside Drive. Then we were going against [NBA] ShootOut and NBA Live, and every year, we would look at what they did and be, like, “that’s interesting” or “they did this better than us.” That only makes our games better.”

    “I’m looking forward to seeing what they’re gonna do that’s going to drive us to be even stronger.”

    Lynell Jinks.

    “Same thing you can say about wrestling in general — having competition, to me, it’s no coincidence that the storylines [in WWE] have been the best they’ve been in a long time. I think it’s because of that competition. It’s the same with video games. I’m looking forward to seeing what they’re gonna do that’s going to drive us to be even stronger.”

      AEW Fight Forever

      With an eight-digit investment into their gaming department (at least $10 million) a lot is riding on the success of Fight Forever.

      The game will feature wrestling game staples, including singles matches, tag matches, ladder matches and battle royales, as well as more unique match types including the Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch and Intergender wrestling.

      The game will feature a full creation suite, including wrestlers, movesets, entrances, and arenas and a career mode will allow players to take their own created wrestler

      Despite initially being scheduled for a 2022 release date, no release date is now known for AEW Fight Forever.

      New Gameplay Footage & Details for AEW: Fight Forever

      h/t – 411 Mania

    • Matt Hardy: ‘Tony Khan Is The Best Boss I’ve Ever Worked For’

      Matt Hardy: ‘Tony Khan Is The Best Boss I’ve Ever Worked For’

      Matt Hardy has been in the wrestling business for over 3 decades. He has worked for many different promotions and under many different bosses in this time. According to him, Tony Khan is the best boss he has ever worked for, because the AEW president cares for their wrestlers.

      The wrestling veteran answered fan questions on the latest episode of his podcast. A fan asked what is the best thing about working for All Elite Wrestling. Hardy mentioned how the AEW schedule allows for much greater work life balance:

      “The schedule is much more friendly to someone who has a family like I have. because my kids, they grow so fast. It’s crazy. It seems like yesterday Maxwell was just born, and he’s seven and a half now. So time flies, and I get a lot more time at home with my kids and my wife and my family, which is really important to me in this day and age. I have a very healthy balance of like professional life and personal life.”

      ‘The Best Boss I’ve Ever Worked For’: Matt Hardy

      Matt Hardy
      Matt Hardy

      Matt Hardy explained that generally, he is only on the road for three days a week. There are exceptions such as PPV weeks but even then, Tony Khan lets them go home if they are not appearing on the PPV:

      “I know this for a fact Tony Khan is the best boss I’ve ever worked for, because Tony looks at his wrestlers as human beings. They’re not just cogs in the machine where he’s focused on what they’re going to do for him in wrestling. He realizes they have a personal life at home, especially people who have families and kids.

      If I’m away and he knows I’m not going to be on the pay per view on Sunday and I finish at the Fan Fest on Saturday, he lets me go home on Saturday. He doesn’t want to just keep you around just in case. He’s usually pretty set. So he’s very lenient, and I’m very grateful for that. If I’m not needed, he’ll let me go home and be with my kids. He wants me to be with my kids. So I really appreciate and I’m very grateful for the care and love he has for people having personal lives.”

      More Originals From SEScoops:

      If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

    • CM Punk Was Not “Correct” With All Out 2022 Actions Claims AEW Star

      CM Punk Was Not “Correct” With All Out 2022 Actions Claims AEW Star

      Was CM Punk right with what he said and did following AEW All Out 2022?

      Since the infamous September Pay-Per-View, Punk has not been seen on AEW programming, due to his comments on the post-show media scrum.

      After lashing out at several roster members, including The Elite, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, and Colt Cabana, Punk was involved in a fight backstage that led to several suspensions.

      Jake Hager Weighs In

      Punk is now the only person suspended at the time to still be suspended from AEW, and many believe his days with the company are through.

      While Tony Khan refuses to speak about Punk when asked in interviews, Jake Hager weighed in when speaking on Story Time with Dutch Mantell.

      “Who knows how animosity builds and how lack of communication leads to certain things. I think it all stems from how you view things, and obviously one person in that party was viewing things so negatively. And I don’t think he was correct.”

      Jake Hager on CM Punk.

      AEW has not revealed the results of the investigation into the backstage fight that was conducted by a third party.

      Given that the Elite are back on TV and AEW Trios Champions again, while Punk is still suspended and his ally Ace Steel fired, the results have seemingly damned the former AEW World Champion.

      What’s next?

      Today is day 155 since the All Out altercation, and Punk’s future in AEW, and wrestling as a whole, remains uncertain.

      It has been reported that Punk is seeking a buyout of his AEW deal, something that Tony Khan is in no hurry to grant.

      Some speculate that Punk wants out of AEW in order to return to WWE, the promotion he walked out of in 2014.

      It has also been reported that people from both companies believe Punk returning to AEW or WWE is a bad idea and that he will only cause more trouble.

      Matt Hardy Was ‘Laughing Out Loud’ Over Recent CM Punk Jab

      h/t – eWrestlingNews

    • Tony Khan Says He’s “Certainly” Interested in Buying WWE

      Tony Khan Says He’s “Certainly” Interested in Buying WWE

      AEW President Tony Khan wouldn’t mind adding another wrestling promotion to his portfolio.

      Last month, Vince McMahon made his grand return to WWE’s board of directors, where he currently sits as Executive Chairman. The move came less than six months after he ‘retired’ after nearly four decades running the company.

      McMahon has returned to facilitate a sale of the promotion. One of the most interesting names on the list is Tony Khan, the AEW founder, and head of Ring of Honor who has opposed WWE since 2019.

      It is believed that if Khan and his father Shahid were to make an attempt to purchase WWE, they would seek the backing of at least one other financial partner.

      Khan appeared on the Marke Hoke Show and was asked about his level of interest in the WWE’s ongoing attempts to find a buyer.

      I don’t know exactly what will happen there. I’ve been told, and I think they’ve said publicly, that there may be a sale process. If there is a sale process, certainly I’m interested in it and potentially being involved in it. We’ll have to see what that process is, and who exactly they’ll let get involved in it. Certainly, I’m interested in it very much.

      – Tony Khan

      WWE CEO Nick Khan has said that Vince McMahon will do whatever is best for the company, even if that means retiring again.

      However, there are many who believe McMahon would refuse to hand the keys to Titan Towers to the Khans, seeing it as a defeat and concession to AEW.

      Nick Khan on WWE Sale Timeline: “Maybe Three Months”

      h/t – Fightful

    • AEW/ROH Stars Pulled From Beyond Wrestling Event

      AEW/ROH Stars Pulled From Beyond Wrestling Event

      Several AEW/ROH stars were slated to work an upcoming Beyond Wrestling event but have been pulled due to a conflict with the reported ROH TV tapings. 

      On Monday, Beyond Wrestling announced that Wheeler Yuta, Willow Nightingale, Tracy Williams, and Trish Adora would no longer be appearing at their Perfection or Vanity show in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Sunday, February 26.

      As previously noted, the belief is that ROH is scheduled to hold TV tapings that weekend, most likely at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. 

      The Statement

      “Wheeler YUTA, Willow Nightingale, Tracy Williams, and Trish Adora will no longer be appearing or competing at ‘Perfection Or Vanity’ on Sunday, 2/26 at White Eagle in Worcester,” Beyond Wrestling’s statement read”Email beyondwrestling@gmail.com if you’d like a refund.”

      Yuta and Nightingale are under contract with AEW, while Williams and Adora, who were both part of the ROH roster before Tony Khan bought the promotion, have also made appearances for AEW.

      Yuta currently holds the ROH Pure Championship after he won back the title by defeating Daniel Garcia at Final Battle. Adora was also in action at this same show, losing to Nightingale on the pre-show.

      It was announced last December that weekly ROH TV was coming to the HonorClub streaming service, although no start date was given.

    • Jericho Cruise ‘Five Alive’ Announced for January 2024

      Jericho Cruise ‘Five Alive’ Announced for January 2024

      Chris Jericho’s ‘Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Rager at Sea’ cruise is returning in 2024. The fourth installment, dubbed Four Leaf Clover, just wrapped up. On Monday, organizers announced the first details about Five Alive.

      The Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Rager returns to the high seas January 26-30, 2024 from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico. Once again, Jericho and company will be commandeering the Norwegian Pearl.

      According to the official announcement sent in to SEScoops, “It’ll be the incredible Jericho Cruise experience that you know and love, full of insane AEW wrestling, Fozzy performances, up-close-and-personal meet and greets and more. This year, we’re adding a Top Rope Belly Flop competition and The Gimmick Gala.”

      Here’s all the information regarding the pre-sale and general on-sale events:

      • First Round Pre-Sale Deadline: 2/13 @ 11:59 PM ET
      • Final Pre-Sale Deadline: 2/15 @ 11:59 PM ET                      ?
      • Public On-Sale: 2/17 @ 2 PM ET

      For booking information, visit JerichoCruise.com.

    • FTR Was Speaking to Tony Khan The Day WWE Released Them

      FTR Was Speaking to Tony Khan The Day WWE Released Them

      Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood wasted no time in seeking employment with AEW from the moment their time with WWE came to an end.

      FTR, known as The Revival in WWE, was the first triple-crown tag champions, holding the Raw, SmackDown, and NXT Tag Team gold.

      After a series of embarrassing segments, and an even worse plan for the two to receive Flava-Flav style gimmicks, the pair were granted requested releases on April 10, 2020.

      Tony Khan

      After their WWE exits, which saw the pair sign over downside guarentees to WWE in exchange for no non-compete clause, the pair debuted for AEW in May 2020.

      During Dax Harwood’s FTR Podcast, he revealed that the duo wasted no time after receiving the call from the WWE Talent Relations head at the time Mark Carrano.

      “The day that Mark Carrano called us, so two days before the announcement [of the Revival’s release from WWE] was made online, he called us and said ‘you don’t have to give us an answer right now, talk about it, give me a call back.’ I called Cash. We said, should we talk to Cody, or the Bucks, or Tony? He said yeah, let’s do that.

      Harwood added that a text message sent to the Bucks confirmed AEW’s interest in them, and it wasn’t long before they were speaking to Khan.

      “We called Mark Carrano, yes, we agree to your terms. Please give us our release, and thank you.” So he gave us our release. The following day, whenever the contracts were cut and we got the paperwork from Mark Carrano that said we were officially released, is when we started talking contracts with Tony Khan.”

      FTR would go on to become AEW World Tag Team Champions, and have also held the ROH World Tag Team Champion after Khan bought the company last March.

      The Future of FTR

      FTR has been a highlight of AEW’s Tag division for close to three years, but their time with the promotion may be coming to an end.

      The duo is currently on a hiatus from AEW, and their contracts are set to expire in April of this year.

      In a previous edition of his podcast, Harwood stressed that whatever FTR does next will likely be the final chapter of the careers of both men.

      FTR Is Evaluating Their Options For After AEW Deals Expire

      h/t – 411 Mania

    • Backstage Reaction To AEW House Show Announcement

      Backstage Reaction To AEW House Show Announcement

      AEW has finally announced its version of non-televised live events after a lot of chatter over the past few months and the reaction to it within the company has been positive.

      Fightful Select provided reactions from some of the talents. They noted that many people within the company knew something like this was coming. There were multiple people who actually pushed for it.

      One talent said that they would rather get their in-ring reps under the company banner instead of working for outside promotions.

      Some talent have spoken highly of the experience they can get wrestling on Dark. Being able to work longer matches on the road will help them grow further. They expect to see more creative matches on these shows

      As far as the contractual status of the stars go, the site noted that most talents do not reach even close to the number of yearly dates in their contracts. AEW seems prepared for more shows in that aspect and it shouldn’t be a problem.

      AEW Announced their ‘House Rules’ live event series that will take place in different cities across United States earlier this month.

      The first ‘House Rules’ event will be taking place on Saturday, March 18 from Troy, Ohio at the Hobart Arena. The show will feature Ohio’s own Jon Moxley among others.

    • Jon Moxley Knows How AEW Can Set Itself Apart from Failed WWE Competitors

      Jon Moxley Knows How AEW Can Set Itself Apart from Failed WWE Competitors

      AEW has carved their own place in the wrestling world in a relatively short period. They have shown that there is demand for an alternate wrestling product that doesn’t follow the set formula of WWE. Jon Moxley thinks it’s exactly what they should continue doing.

      The former AEW world champion recently spoke to Kev Nash on The Justin Kinner Show. He spoke about things such as his love for professional wrestling and leaving WWE. Speaking about what makes AEW the success it is, Mox explained that they have deviated from the set formula of WWE. Per Mox, it’s something they have to keep up:

      “I think what we always have to remember is that it’s an alternative. I think the other promotions in the past that have tried to be the standard kind of WWE formula that’s kind of the known, typical [thing]. What people in North America think of as major league wrestling,” said Jon Moxley, “It comes off as WWE light and it comes off like some kind of Triple-A baseball or something. I don’t think we should ever be that.

      He continued: “I think we should always do the opposite thing. The more subversive thing. The cooler thing. We should always be one step ahead and we should be on the precipice of like, what the next big thing in wrestling is. We should always be looking ahead you know. I think it’s important for us to always be an alternative. To see things and people and wrestlers and styles that you wouldn’t see anywhere else. [Things] that aren’t put into a blender and made to be part of a fancy polished product. “

      You can check out Jon Moxley’s full interview below:

      More Originals From SEScoops:

      If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

    • Jon Moxley Will “Ride or Die” With AEW

      Jon Moxley Will “Ride or Die” With AEW

      Jon Moxley has been loyal to AEW since May of 2019. He extended his contract with the promotion for five more years back in October of 2022.

      There is no secret that Jon Moxley has a tremendous passion for the pro wrestling industry. In a recent interview with Justin Kinner of ESPN Radio out of Dayton, Ohio, Moxley stated that he will ‘ride or die’ with AEW.

      When asked by Justin Kinner, “What is about wrestling that pushes you so hard, that when you choose to have an off night and yet you choose not to?”

      Moxley had this to say,

      “I enjoy it, it’s recreation for me. As much as it is, anything else. What else are you going to do with your time? It’s the coolest job in the World. Some people like to go golfing, I like to step in a cage and attack people with weapons. There’s really no other levels of adrenaline you can reach.”

      “At a certain point, once you’ve been doing this as long as I have, I need it for my soul. I go out there, get loose and get a little sweat on. I’ll have blood coming from my eyebrow and everything, it’s relaxing to me. I enjoy pro wrestling.”

      Jon Moxley wants to leave a lasting impact.

      Jon Moxley
      (AEW)

      Later in the interview, Kinner said that “it looks there are no regrets leaving the WWE back in 2019 to sign with AEW.”

      Moxley said, “It was a wreck for guys like myself and Chris Jericho. We joked that we tied ourselves, we were getting in a raft and heading down the river. We had no idea what was going to come. It was not guaranteed that AEW was going to be a success. We didn’t know if the show was going to be any good”

      We didn’t know if this was going to last. It was all a shot in the dark, but we all had faith. It was really important to the business for AEW to be successful. For the sport, the art of pro wrestling and for the fans.

      Moxley would follow that up with this quote.

      “If I have a lasting impact on the business, it would probably be that I helped AEW get off the ground, and I absolutely refuse to let this place ever go to hell. I will ride or die with this place. I won’t ever let it go downhill or suck or anything like that.”

    • Tony Khan Is “Certainly Open To” Possible WWE/AEW Crossover

      Tony Khan Is “Certainly Open To” Possible WWE/AEW Crossover

      Could WWE and All Elite Wrestling one day put their differences aside and work together for a crossover supershow? Tony Khan hopes so.

      WWE’s mantra has infamously been to not play with others, and has for decades refused to work with other promotions.

      That attitude has softened somewhat over the last year, with Impact’s Mickie James competing in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble.

      Last month also saw WWE’s Karl Anderson be allowed to compete at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.

      WWE-AEW Crossover

      In the four years since being founded, fans have speculated on what a dream card between AEW and WWE talent would look like.

      Tony Khan was a recent guest of the WTF with Marc Maron podcast and when asked, expressed his interest in a crossover show between the two sides.

      “It’s something I would certainly be open to, and I think it’s an interesting thing for the future. It’s not something that’s ever really been done. They’ve kind of existed in their own space. We are working with a lot of wrestling promotions.”

      Tony Khan.

      Khan compared the situation to Marvel and DC Comics, saying it’d be a crossover that fans would have not seen before.

      The AEW President did admit that things “would get very political” with talent from both sides wanting to come out on top.

      Crossing Over

      While WWE and AEW haven’t held a show (yet) the relationship between the two sides isn’t as frosty as one may expect.

      In 2019, Billy Gunn, who had signed with AEW, was allowed to attend the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony for DX’s induction, joking on-camera that Vince McMahon couldn’t fire him.

      For last year’s celebration of 20 years of John Cena, multiple AEW stars including Bryan Danielson and Chris Jericho praised Cena in videos aired on Raw.

      AEW and WWE talent being backstage at each other’s companies is not uncommon either, with Ricky Starks being backstage to support his mentor Cody Rhodes at last weekend’s Royal Rumble.

      Tony Khan Believes it is Impossible to Please Everyone in AEW

      h/t – 411 Mania

    • Two AEW Stars Had Backstage Scuffle at Double or Nothing

      Two AEW Stars Had Backstage Scuffle at Double or Nothing

      AEW had ups and downs in 2022 including backstage altercations. Most notably, CM Punk and Ace Steel got into it with The Elite (Young Bucks and Kenny Omega) at the All Out event last September. 

      Two AEW stars have admitted that they got into a skirmish in 2022. Those wrestlers are Swerve Strickland and Ricky Starks, who were part of a Tag Team Championship match at AEW Double or Nothing. 

      Fightful Select reports it led to a scuffle, according to the two wrestlers. There had been a report last year regarding there being some issues between them after the match over a miscommunication. However, this was the first word of them having a scuffle. 

      The issues came down to a “miscommunication late in the match, where there was an unplanned spot that saw Swerve attack Ricky Starks after an attempted pin on Jungle Boy.” 

      Starks was originally slated to hit his finish on one of his opponents, but Swerve ended up doing nothing because he thought it would be better to get hit and dumped out of the ring, otherwise he’d be standing there watching it. 

      Fightful had heard that they had a follow-up segment on Dynamite after that. However, they made peace after that, and are fine to this day. At Fyter Fest a few months after the show, they worked together. 

      The report noted they spoke with each other about the scuffle while on the Jericho Cruise for an upcoming episode of Swerve’s podcast.

    • Adam Cole Says Kyle O’Reilly Was ‘Discouraged’ By His Health Issues, Is Doing Better

      Adam Cole Says Kyle O’Reilly Was ‘Discouraged’ By His Health Issues, Is Doing Better

      Kyle O’Reilly has been out of action since last June due to various health issues. According to his good friend Adam Cole, he is in good spirits despite the struggles and is getting better.

      The former NXT champion recently appeared on Wrestling Observer Radio. He opened up about his own injuries and recovery before providing an update on his friend.

      Cole said that he talks to O’Reilly every day and he is doing good. Per the AEW star, his teammate is working hard but not rushing anything:

      “Kyle was really banged up and it got to a point where he kind of couldn’t take it anymore. I’m so glad that he got fixed and got healthy and is recovering day by day, every day.”

      – Adam Cole

      Kyle O’Reilly Is Doing Better

      Kyle O’Reilly underwent neck fusion surgery in September. In January, he revealed that he was dealing with a post-surgical issue. Adam Cole mentioned that the early parts of recovery were discouraging for Kyle because he wasn’t able to do a lot. His mood however has improved with time:

      “He’s starting to be able to do more and more in therapy and rehab, you see the excitement and wheels turning of him already thinking about how he can’t wait to get back. He’s in good spirits and he has a lot of people around him that love him a lot.”

      Adam Cole has been dealing with his own health issues since last year. He spent the second half of 2022 on the shelf due to concussion issues. He is expected to return to the ring soon though with Cole’s first match back expected at AEW Revolution.

      Kyle O’Reilly Gives Details On His AEW Contract: “I Signed A Five-Year Deal”

      H/t Fightful

    • Matt Hardy Was ‘Laughing Out Loud’ Over Recent CM Punk Jab

      Matt Hardy Was ‘Laughing Out Loud’ Over Recent CM Punk Jab

      Seth Rollins made his stand on a potential CM Punk WWE return very clear recently and it appears Matt Hardy was amused by The Architect’s clear vision.

      On the latest episode of his podcast, Hardy talked about a number of things. During the AMA episode, the hardcore legend discussed things such as his tag team with Bray Wyatt and more.

      Matt was also asked about Seth Rollins recently calling CM Punk a cancer and telling him to stay away from WWE. The Broken One claimed that the WWE star won him over with his statement:

      “He especially won me over just because of his comments on Punk the other day, I popped huge when I saw that. I was laughing out loud. Very funny stuff.”

      – Matt Hardy

      Seth Rollins appears to be building a feud with Logan Paul for WrestleMania 39. The YouTube star eliminated him from Royal Rumble. Rollins has since called him out, and said that he doesn’t need Logan Paul in his locker room.

      The former Shield member is also set to enter the Elimination Chamber match for Austin Theory’s US championship in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on February 18.

      Matt Hardy on the other hand has been involved with The Firm in AEW. The trio of Hardy, Ethan Page and Isiah Kassidy unsuccessfully challenged for the AEW Trios Title during this week’s Rampage.

    • MJF’s AEW Deal Reportedly Expires In 2024

      MJF’s AEW Deal Reportedly Expires In 2024

      MJF is known to blur the line between reality and kayfabe. He has kept everyone guessing about his AEW contract and future, but a latest report suggests that he has actually been telling the truth.

      It all started when the current AEW champion no-showed an event before Double or Nothing in May last year. He was unhappy with his pay in the company compared to some newer signings.

      He went on a hiatus from AEW programming after the PPV. He was given a more prominent role once he returned at All Out. The 26-year-old went on to win the AEW world championship at Full Gear in November.

      The Future Of MJF

      Many fans believe that this push is a sign that MJF has signed a contract extension with the company. The AEW star himself however has maintained that it’s not the case.

      According to Whatculture, the Wrestling Devil is actually telling the truth. He has not signed a contract extension and his current deal is set to expire in January 2024.

      The young star is still undecided about his plans past his current deal. It’s possible that he explores other possibilities instead of re-signing with the company.

      Would you like to see MJF possibly jumping ships to WWE when his current deal expires? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

    • AEW Hits and Misses, How to Rebook 1998 WCW (Top Rope Nation)

      AEW Hits and Misses, How to Rebook 1998 WCW (Top Rope Nation)

      This week on Top Rope Nation, Kyle Ross is joined by Wrestling Observer Newsletter award-winning author Liam O’Rourke (Crazy Like A Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later) to discuss this week’s AEW Dynamite and look at some classic wrestling.

      Each week, the video version of Top Rope Nation streams live to the SEScoops YouTube channel. You can join the live streams by subscribing to the channel and turning on notifications so you never miss a live broadcast. This will include a regular weekly edition of Top Rope Nation (typically Thursday nights), as well as reviews of all major WWE and AEW PLE/PPV shows.

      On episode 283 this week, a great discussion is had about some of the positives (and negatives) that are plaguing AEW in early 2023. Plus, Kyle and Liam begin a series looking back at 1998 WCW and how things could have played out differently. Hulk Hogan. Sting. The nWo. Kevin Nash. Bill Goldberg. Bret Hart. They’re all discussed.

      You can watch the show via the embedded YouTube video at the top of this page. Additionally, you can listen to the audio-only podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are found. You will also find an embedded audio player below.