SEScoops

Category: AEW

  • Watch What Happened With Jon Moxley After AEW Dynamite Went Off The Air

    Watch What Happened With Jon Moxley After AEW Dynamite Went Off The Air

    The July 6 episode of AEW Dynamite is in the books and fans in attendance were treated to something extra just before the Rampage tapings.

    There were two title matches on this edition of Dynamite, which was held inside the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY.

    This week’s edition of Dynamite opened with a TNT Championship match between Scorpio Sky and Wardlow. Sky’s reign came to an end as Wardlow pinned him after hitting the Powerbomb Symphony.

    In the main event, Jon Moxley put the interim AEW World Championship on the line against Brody King. Moxley kept his hold on the gold.

    The Aftermath

    Once the TBS broadcast ended, here is what transpired involving Jon Moxley, Brody King, Malakai Black, Sting, and Darby Allin (courtesy of SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay):

    “Jon Moxley posed with his title belt up the ramp to be met by a nodding William Regal. Meanwhile still in the ring, the crowd chants ‘Brody’ as a sign of respect to Brody King.

    “Malakai Black emerges, consoles Brody on his loss. Out comes Sting & Darby Allin, offering Brody a handshake as a show of respect for his performance. Brody refuses the handshake and leaves with Malakai.

    “Allin & Sting pose for the crowd to appease Rochester.”

    Ella Jay also recorded footage of the post-show activities:

  • Wardlow Crowned New AEW TNT Champion

    Wardlow Crowned New AEW TNT Champion

    A major championship changed hands on the July 6 episode of AEW Dynamite.

    This edition of AEW’s flagship show was held inside the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY. This is the home of the late Brodie Lee, so it was only fitting that this episode got started with a TNT Championship match.

    It was Scorpio Sky putting the TNT gold on the line against Wardlow.

    Wardlow Wins TNT Championship

    Sky tried pulling out all the tricks.

    He, along with Dan Lambert, brought members of American Top Team with them for this Street Fight. In the end, it didn’t matter as Wardlow took everyone out and finished Sky off with the Powerbomb Symphony.

    That’s right, Wardlow is the new TNT Champion.

    Check out our exclusive footage of Wardlow’s AEW TNT Championship win:

    Wardlow Wins the AEW TNT Championship
  • AEW Dark: Elevation Spoilers for July 11

    AEW Dark: Elevation Spoilers for July 11

    AEW Dark: Elevation has been taped for the July 11 edition.

    The show took place ahead of the July 6 episode of Dynamite, which was held inside the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY. The show featured an interim AEW World Title match as well as a TBS Title match.

    SEScoops provided you live coverage of the show throughout the night.

    During the upcoming episode of Elevation, the likes of Best Friends, Anna Jay, Ethan Page, Dante Martin, and more were in action.

    The following are spoilers from the July 11 episode of AEW Dark: Elevation (courtesy of SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay):

    • Emi Sakura defeats Paris Van Dale
    • Dante Martin defeats JD Drake
    • Julia Hart defeats JC Storm
    • Ethan Page defeats Colin Delaney
    • Anna Jay defeats Shawna Reed
    • Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) defeats Aaron Solo & QT Marshall
  • AEW Talent Blasts MJF’s “Unacceptable” Behavior

    AEW Talent Blasts MJF’s “Unacceptable” Behavior

    One of AEW’s biggest success stories has been the rise of Wardlow, who will challenge Scorpio Sky for the TNT championship on this evening’s edition of Dynamite.

    Mr. Mayhem’s journey towards being a babyface superstar went through the path of the company’s top heel, MJF. For years Wardlow acted as the Salt of the Earth’s muscle until he eventually turned and vanquished his former boss at Double or Nothing back in May.

    However, Wardlow’s momentum would play second fiddle to the controversy caused by MJF, who for months had been butting heads with AEW President Tony Khan, which culminated in MJF begging for his boss to fire him during AEW’s debut show in Los Angeles. He has not been seen since.

    Wardlow spoke about the MJF drama on the latest edition of the Wrestling Classic. The War Pig begins by saying he doesn’t even really want to discuss the issue, but feels like he has grounds to say something considering how much time he spent with the man.

    “Honestly, I shouldn’t even give this subject the time of day, and I really don’t care to, but I do understand — people gotta understand, we were together for three years. He was the first three years of my career, he was a big part of my career. So if anybody is allowed to touch on this subject, it probably is me.”

    Wardlow would then tear into MJF, calling him a horrible person and fitting of the character he portrays on-screen.

    “I’ll just say this, he’s not a good person. He really is a piece of shit. It was not enjoyable working with him. He put me through more stress than anything and his behavior inside of the business and outside of the business is unacceptable. But that’s all I’m gonna say about that.”

    There have been multiple sources speculating that perhaps the entire fiasco is an elaborate work, though it would be hard to see who it would benefit.

    (Quotes via Fightful)

  • Don’t Expect AEW Star to Return Anytime Soon

    Don’t Expect AEW Star to Return Anytime Soon

    AEW has been plagued with injuries over the past month, with several stars being taken out of action.

    AEW World Champion CM Punk announced his injury just days after he captured the title from ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, and Bryan Danielson is also said to have suffered an injury and hasn’t wrestled in over a month.

    Former World Champion Kenny Omega continues to be away recovering from surgery after dealing with multiple injuries, and now another star is out of commission.

    Santana injured

    During the recent Blood and Guts match, Santana competed and had a spot that didn’t go according to plan.

    Santana had an awkward uranage spot with Daniel Garcia mere minutes after he entered the double cage, which led many to believe Santana is injured.

    While speaking on Busted Open Radio, AEW President Tony Khan confirmed the news that Santana is injured, saying it “could be a relatively long injury.” 

    Khan added that he spoke to Santana after Blood & Guts, ensuring the wrestler that the company will stand by him throughout his recovery.

    Khan gave no specific time window as to when Santana will be back in the ring.

    His previous injury

    This is a bad time for Santana, but not the first time he’s had to deal with an injury.

    In May 2019, while working for Impact Wrestling, Santana suffered a stage two tear in his MCL.

    Santana was cleared to wrestle that same month, but would finish up with Impact in early August, and debuted for AEW at All Out on August 31.

  • Marko Stunt Talks AEW Hiring Former WWE Talent Becoming a “Waterfall Effect”

    Marko Stunt Talks AEW Hiring Former WWE Talent Becoming a “Waterfall Effect”

    Former AEW wrestler Marko Stunt recently spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston about original AEW talent being pushed out for WWE free agents.

    “I think that there was a point where they got a taste of what that star power could do…. you know and you know it’s kind of like a drug I guess in a way you you get a little bit and you’re like ooh that felt good that was nice let’s let’s let’s get a little more in here so it just starts waterfalling and waterfalling ….. you’re like oh this guy’s not there anymore let’s bring him in and so that’s kind of where it got you and like it wasn’t that bad when I was like being weaned out, but uh it definitely uh got that way it’s definitely more that way now it feels like.”

  • Marko Stunt Reacts to Christian Mentioning His Name on AEW

    Marko Stunt Reacts to Christian Mentioning His Name on AEW

    Former AEW wrestler Marko Stunt recently spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston about hearing his name on AEW Dynamite in a negative context during a heel Christian Cage promo.

    “Let me put it this way: I was not aware. I was not aware that it was going to be said or anything or that when my name was going to be thrown out in any context because it hasn’t been since October and for them (AEW) to do it in that context I thought it’s kind of lame.”

    He continued, ”I mean, it makes sense though in a way you know like I was and I was a part of that group before him and what he’s basically saying is he came in and got me fired. So in story sense, love it. In real life sense you know….it is what it is.”

    Did Christian take Marko’s Spot in Jurassic Express?

    A brotherhood shattered

    Later, Marko Stunt was asked if he feels like Christian intentionally “took his spot” in Jurassic Express.

    “I don’t think that he necessarily took my spot because we are two completely different roles for sure,” said Stunt. “I was more of a hype guy and he was more and he’s more of a more of a like leader role.”

    Stunt says he didn’t think Christian added anything to Jurassic Express.

    “I did not think that he fit with the group at all. I didn’t think he added any sort of dynamic. I think it would have been better to have him mentor, or really, what it was, was him mentoring Jack and that’s ultimately the the whole goal with that.”

    I and you know they’re setting up Jack to do great things you know they’re setting him up to have this great push right now … and I’ve known that he was going to do that from the start. He’s one of my best friends that I made there and like we still talked to the day and he even texted me when it happened”.

    Catch Steve Fall’s full interview with former AEW star Marko Stunt:

  • Awesome Kong Details Her Short Stint With AEW: “I Felt Unheard”

    Awesome Kong Details Her Short Stint With AEW: “I Felt Unheard”

    AEW held it’s first ever event back in the spring of 2019, a show that saw a surprise appearance from the legendary Kia Stevens, better known as Awesome Kong.

    The former multi-time Knockouts champion was immediately paired with Brandi Rhodes, but her momentum never quite took off after that initial debut. The faction that featured the duo was eventually disbanded in February of 2020, and Kong took even more time off that year to film the latest season of GLOW.

    Kong remained with AEW until 2021. She recently appeared on Insight With Chris Van Vilet to discuss her time with the promotion, one that she says was not all bells and whistles.

    “I don’t want to sound like I’m bashing the crew over there at AEW, especially since we were just up and running.. I felt unheard. I wasn’t in control.”

    The now retired legend explains that it wasn’t due to her lack of trying.

    “All I could do was say, ‘I have this idea of XYZ.’ I couldn’t get in the room where final decisions were made. I tried to get into that last meeting where decisions were made. Never had a chance to.”

    In the end Kong realized that it was out of her control, otherwise she would have stolen the show every single time.

    “It’s out of my control. If I had control, give me 15 minutes of Kia. Kia’s 15 Minutes of Fame. ‘Go out there and steal the show from them boys. You, you, you. Nyla (Rose), go steal the show from the boys.’”

    Kong retired from the sport of wrestling back in the summer of 2021 after wrestling her last match at NWA Empowerrr.

    (Thanks to Fightful for quotes)

  • AEW Star Shares Update Amid Contract Rumors

    AEW Star Shares Update Amid Contract Rumors

    Chuck Taylor has been with AEW since the early days of the company, signing with the promotion in February 2019.

    Taylor has spent much of his time in the All-Elite promotion teaming with Trent Beretta, though the pairing are yet to hold AEW World Tag Team Championship gold.

    In 2022, Taylor has spent much of his time on AEW’s developmental shows Dark and Dark: Elevation, but recently, some believed that they had seen the last of him in AEW.

    Taylor’s Contract

    Last week, Taylor got a lot of fans talking when he blacked out his social media account.

    Many saw this as Chuck signifying that his career with AEW has ended, as several three-year deals signed in 2019 are set to expire this year.

    In an update on Twitter though, Taylor confirmed that he is still with AEW, at least for the time being.

    In the tweet, which features a GIF from AEW Dark: Elevation, Chuck said that he hasn’t been fired yet.

    https://twitter.com/SexyChuckieT/status/1544105532016959489

    Taylor didn’t explain why he blacked out his social media profile, which has since been returned to normal.

    Departures from AEW

    Chuck Taylor may still be with AEW for the time being, but the company has experienced something of an exodus in talent this year.

    Joey Janela, Alan Angels, Marko Stunt and Stu Grayson have all left AEW in recent weeks, and it has been reported that several ‘under the radar’ stars have also parted the company.

    AEW’s biggest departure this year was Cody Rhodes, who returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38.

    Chuck Taylor Labels Rivalry Between AEW And NXT ‘Fake Bulls**t’
  • Kyle O’Reilly Provides An Injury Update

    Kyle O’Reilly Provides An Injury Update

    Kyle O’Reilly recently joined the list of AEW’s injury reserve. Kyle has now provided an update on his injury.

    O’Reilly has not wrestled since the June 8 AEW Dynamite where he won a battle royal to face Jon Moxley in the main event of the same episode. He would lose to Moxley who would go on to compete in and win the Interim AEW World Title match at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.

    On the June 17 episode of AEW Rampage, Kyle was hit in the balls with a bat by Sting. As a result, O’Reilly claimed that his “testicles were swollen.”

    O’Reilly On His Career

    The Undisputed Elite member provided an update on his injury when speaking on This is VANCOLOUR.

    Kyle said, “This October, I’ll be wrestling for 17 years now. It’s a lot of bumps, a lot of wear and tear on your body. Fortunately, nothing serious has really happened to me. I’ve been hurt a lot, I’ve been injured, but I’ve always grinded through, made the date, showed up and performed as well as I can in the ring despite whatever I was nursing. Sometimes, the medical staff needs to save us from ourselves.

    “As wrestlers, we’ll go until the wheels fall off. ‘My shoulder is hurt? Okay, I won’t do any moves where I land on my shoulder.’ We’re crazy like that. 

    “This is something I’ve been dealing with, it’s a nagging thing that I’ve been dealing with, specifically, pretty bad for the last five years. In the last few weeks of wrestling on AEW, I’ve been really banged up and didn’t know the extent of it until now. 

    Kyle Doesn’t Know Recovery Time Yet

    “I still don’t know all the information, so I don’t want to disclose exactly what is happening with me. I need more information and I should know probably this week what the recovery time is going to be and what the recovery will entail. 

    “All I can do is, if there is time off, use it to remotivate myself, get in better shape, and come back stronger than ever before.”

    It is still unknown when O’Reilly will return to AEW TV. His reDRagon partner, Bobby Fish, is also sidelined with an injury. 

    H/T to Jeremy Lambert of Fightful for the transcription

  • Watch: Chris Jericho 7/7 Impractical Jokers Episode Trailer

    Watch: Chris Jericho 7/7 Impractical Jokers Episode Trailer

    Chris Jericho will be appearing in the July 7 episode of Impractical Jokers on truTV. The trailer has now been released.

    Since the creation of All Elite Wrestling, the company has explored different crossover opportunities with other Warner Media properties. AEW’s Chris Jericho is next to further the partnership.

    The special appearance was even promoted during this past week’s episodes of AEW Dynamite and Rampage. 

    Impractical Jokers & Chris Jericho/AEW

    On this Thursday’s episode of Impractical Jokers, the former AEW World Champion and current leader of the Jericho Appreciation Society will be a guest star.

    Chris Jericho will be appearing alongside the regular crew of Sal, James, and Brian. Earlier this weekend, the trailer of the episode was released.

    Jericho is not the first wrestler to appear on the show as Tommy Dreamer has been a guest star in the past.

    The Impractical Jokers crew are no strangers to the AEW company. At the Double Or Nothing fan fest earlier this year, Q and Sal appeared for a stage show with The Acclaimed. 

  • PAC to Defend the AEW All-Atlantic Title in OTT Wrestling

    PAC to Defend the AEW All-Atlantic Title in OTT Wrestling

    PAC is coming back to OTT Wrestling and will be defending the AEW All-Atlantic Championship.

    PAC In OTT Wrestling

    On July 4, Over The Top Wrestling announced that PAC will defend his AEW All-Atlantic Championship against LJ Cleary at OTT Poetry Slam on July 22. OTT Wrestling is an Irish professional wrestling promotion based in Dublin, Ireland. The promotion was founded in 2014. Over The Top Wrestling mixes elements of traditional pro wrestling, comedy, and sports entertainment. 

    The AEW All-Atlantic Champion’s last match in OTT Wrestling was in August of 2019. In that match, he defeated “Speedball” Mike Bailey at OTT Live In Cork.

    This title match will only happen if PAC retains his title against Shota Umino on July 10 at RevPro.

    The Bastard won the AEW All-Atlantic Championship at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. To become the inaugural champion, he defeated Clark Connors, Malakai Black, and Miro in a fatal four-way match.

  • AEW’s PPV Schedule Could Be Changing

    AEW’s PPV Schedule Could Be Changing

    AEW has proven to be popular with fans ever since the company began back in January 2019.

    In May of that year, the promotion held its first Pay Per View, Double or Nothing, and the company now hosts a handful of Pay Per Views a year.

    In addition to Double or Nothing, AEW also hosts annual Revolution, All Out and Full Gear events.

    This year, AEW added the Forbidden Door show to its schedule, but now a major change is coming.

    Changing up the Schedule

    AEW All Out
    AEW All Out logo

    During an episode of Wrestling Observer Live, it was reported that more Pay Per Views may be coming to AEW.

    More specifically, WarnerMedia has been interested in adding more Pay Per Views, and AEW are in agreement with that plan.

    Andrew Zarian explained that AEW had made it clear that when it comes to Pay Per Views “they would love to do them more.”

    Zarian also noted that the Ring of Honor Death Before Dishonor Pay Per View announcement came days after he was told that Warner Media wanted more shows from All Elite Wrestling.

    Its speculated that Death Before Dishonor could be a test between AEW and B/R Live to see if there is enough demand from the audience to have more shows in this format.

    Zarian also speculated that a new deal may already be in place between Tony Khan and WarnerMedia for the latter to air ROH content.

    AEW has not confirmed any new Pay Per Views, though it is believed that one of their Dynamite special events could be turned into a fully-fledged weekend event.

    Forbidden Door Early PPV Estimate Revealed
  • PAC To Defend The AEW All Atlantic Title For The First Time In Revolution Pro

    PAC To Defend The AEW All Atlantic Title For The First Time In Revolution Pro

    Revolution Pro has announced on Twitter that The BASTARD PAC will be defending the AEW All Atlantic championship against Shota Umino at the promotion’s July 10th event from Sheffield.

    This will be PAC’s first defense of the AA title since winning it at the AEW & NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view last weekend. On that night PAC defeated fellow AEW superstars Miro and Malakai Black, as well as rising NJPW star Clark Connors, in a fatal-four way matchup. He picked up the win by trapping Connors in the Brutalizer submission.

    Umino also wrestled at Forbidden Door, and had a great showing despite being on the losing side of a six-man tag team bout. He teamed with Eddie Kingston and ROH Pure champion Wheeler Yuta against Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, and NJPW legend, Minoru Suzuki. “Shooter” became popular with hardcores after his pairing with Jon Moxley during the Purveyor of Violence’s NJPW run in 2019.

    Stay tuned for more updates.

  • Adam Cole Names Two Major Superstars As His Dream Opponents

    Adam Cole Names Two Major Superstars As His Dream Opponents

    Adam Cole is calling his shot.

    The AEW star recently spoke with Kurt Angle on the WWE Hall of Famer’s podcast, where the former triple-crown NXT champion named two major pro-wrestling superstars as his dream opponents.

    The first pick was the now retired WWE legend Shawn Michaels, who worked with Cole, as well as the rest of the Undisputed Era, during his days in NXT. Cole makes note of this when mentioning the Heartbreak Kid as his top choice.

    “Shawn Michaels would be my number one pick. To be able to have the chance to get to wrestle him would be so cool and so surreal, because, again, I’ve studied him so much. I’ve watched him so much and I know him personally, and he’s a wonderful, wonderful person.”

    Angle would later ask Cole to make a pick of an active wrestler. The 2022 Owen Hart Memorial tournament winner quickly named the top champion of the promotion he current represents, CM Punk, a man who was very inspirational for his career.

    “I know he’s out injured right now, but CM Punk would be the guy that I’d want to step in there with because, again, CM Punk was the guy who got me into Ring of Honor as a fan. I remember seeing his matches and thinking they were they were really good.”

    Cole adds that Punk’s ability to cut a promo made him put a heavy emphasis on that phase of his own game.

    Then, watching his promos and being like, ‘Whoa,’ this is a like — His promos made me, from a young age, go, ‘I have to make sure that I get good at talking.’ Because he was so so great at it.”

    Punk was absent from the business for seven years after his publicly known messy exit with WWE. Cole says he never thought he would get the chance to wrestle the Chicago Savior, and is still stunned that it can now potentially happen.

    “I thought it was never going to happen. I’m like, ‘Okay, yep, he’s done, he retired. I’m never gonna get the chance to wrestle him,’ and now, it’s a very real possibility. So getting to go in there with CM Punk in AEW would be really cool.”

    Unfortunately for Cole, both he and Punk are both dealing with injuries, with no timetable of when either is set to return.

    (Thanks to Fightful for the quotes)

  • Original Forbidden Door Plans For The Young Bucks

    Original Forbidden Door Plans For The Young Bucks

    The Young Bucks were originally set to win a big match at the Forbidden Door PPV and become champions at the big crossover event.

    Dave Meltzer talked about the Forbidden Door PPV in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He revealed the original plans for the brothers at the show.

    Per Meltzer, Gedo wanted to put the IWGP tag team championship on Bucks. The idea was to book a match between AEW and IWGP tag champions for the show.

    The plan was changed to FTR competing from AEW’s side instead. They agreed that the duo holding the IWGP, ROH, and AAA titles at the same time was a cool story and the AEW EVPs were on board with this change.

    Now that the FTR holds the IWGP tag team titles, there is a natural push for them to face The Young Bucks, with four different sets of belts potentially being on the line.

    This is going to be a unique match in the history of wrestling. The promotions can build it as the biggest tag team championship match of all time.

    FTR competed in a triple threat winner takes all match at Forbidden Door. They defeated United Empire and Roppongi Vice to become the new IWGP tag team champions.

  • AEW and Diamond Select Toys Partnering Up For New Line Of AEW Figures

    AEW and Diamond Select Toys Partnering Up For New Line Of AEW Figures

    AEW and Diamond Select Toys have announced a working relationship together.

    The promotion and the toy-line issued a press release early this morning revealing that a new line of action figures will be made of some of AEW’s biggest superstars. This includes Chris Jericho, Sting, Britt Baker, AEW interim world champion Jon Moxley, and AEW champion CM Punk to name a few.

    The figures will be launched at Comic-Con International later this month (July 21-July 24th), with several stars set to appear at a panel to discuss all things AEW. This will include Punk, TBS champion Jade Cargill, Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin, and will be moderated by head play-by-play man Excalibur.

    Full details, including quotes from the Diamond Select Toys President and AEW’s Head of Consumer Products can be found below.

    “Starting this summer, DST will offer a variety of products based on the stars of AEW, including CM Punk, Sting, Chris Jericho, Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D., Jon Moxley and many more. Categories will include two-inch Minimates poseable figures, four-inch Vinimates vinyl figures, 10-inch Gallery Diorama PVC sculptures and 11-inch Premier Collection statues.

    The all-new line will launch with an exclusive Vinimates two-pack at Comic-Con International in San Diego. CM Punk and Sting will be featured, wearing their mutual-tribute face paint as seen at AEW’s Holiday Bash in December 2021. It will be available at Booth 2607 at the convention and on diamondselecttoys.com.

    “I’ve been a fan of wrestling for as long as I can remember,” said DST president Chuck Terceira. “AEW is the home of some of the most thrilling talent in the business, so we look forward to spotlighting these stars in our already fan-favorite product lines for fans everywhere.”

    “Having worked with Chuck and the team at Diamond Select in the past, I have no doubt they will deliver an amazing assortment of premier collector items based on AEW,” said Mark Caplan, Head of Consumer Products at AEW. “Our fans are passionate and have an ongoing appetite for merchandise at our weekly live events, retail and online stores.”

    In addition, some of the biggest stars of AEW will take the San Diego Comic-Con stage for the first time to give a ringside view of the wildly-popular wrestling promotion. The highly anticipated panel discussion on Saturday, July 23, will feature CM Punk, Jade Cargill, Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy and Bryan Danielson, and will be moderated by AEW commentator Excalibur.

    Since its debut in 2019, AEW has defied expectations with its meteoric rise, world-class roster, record-high ratings, unprecedented collaboration with other leagues and highly entertaining product.

  • Adam Cole Reveals Which Match Made Him Cry ‘Like a Baby’

    Adam Cole Reveals Which Match Made Him Cry ‘Like a Baby’

    There was one match that made Adam Cole cry “like a baby” during his time with WWE NXT.

    Recently, the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star was a guest on WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle’s podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.”

    During the show, Cole revealed that he got very emotional both before and after his final NXT match with Kyle O’Reilly.

    “I’m an emotional guy, and I don’t think I’ve ever said this, but I cried like a baby after that match. I’m sitting there, I’m watching this video package before the match, and its pictures of me and Kyle from 2009, and all this Ring of Honor stuff, and us wrestling each other in New Japan, and I know this is my last night at NXT … I was crying before I went out there.

    “Getting to do that with him, there’s no one I would’ve rather wrestled or been in there with than Kyle. Just because I got to close my Ring of Honor chapter with him in a lot of ways, I got to close my PWG chapter and then my ‘NXT’ chapter with Kyle. So it was a very special night and a very emotional night for me.”

    Cole said the video package before the match, showcasing he and O’Reilly together throughout their initial years in the business, as well as knowing it was his last night in NXT, made for an emotional journey.

    Now, Cole has signed with AEW, where he has seen some great success right off the bat. He won the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament after a string of impressive matches.

    Unfortunately for Adam Cole, however, he’s currently dealing with an injury that could keep him out-of-action for some time.

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • WWE Stars “Shocked” at AEW’s Offer to Sign Claudio Castagnoli

    WWE Stars “Shocked” at AEW’s Offer to Sign Claudio Castagnoli

    Several WWE stars were reportedly “shocked” at All Elite Wrestling (AEW) signing Claudio Castagnoli (formerly known as Cesaro).

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that the reason they were shocked was based off of the large offer WWE had made to Castagnoli before he signed with AEW. While this wasn’t a big deal with fans, it certainly was for the talent.

    The feeling going around is that AEW must’ve matched or topped WWE’s offer, which came as a surprise considering the belief was that AEW was no longer doing that.

    Castagnoli could’ve made a substantial amount of money in WWE, however, the likelihood of a push was very small.

    Also, at 41-years-old, Meltzer speculated Castagnoli is likely looking to prove once and for all he can be a top guy before he begins to physically decline with age.

    AEW president Tony Khan has noted before that he was a big fan of Castagnoli’s in-ring work and IQ.

    Talent Benefitting from Competition between WWE & AEW

    WWE AEW

    With both AEW and WWE willing to pay out the big bucks for more talent, wrestlers have more leverage now than ever before. At one point, WWE was offering talents big money just to keep them locked away, only to have them be released mid-contract.

    The landscape of professional wrestling has certainly changed quite a bit in recent months, with the likes of Cody Rhodes leaving AEW for WWE in a big money deal; and the likes of Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and now, Claudio Castagnoli, leaving WWE for AEW, it’s a clear indication that it’s a seller’s market at the moment in regards to talent.

    All the fun is only likely to continue, with big names like Sasha Banks, Naomi, and Io Shirai also set to hit free agency soon. With both WWE and AEW seemingly financially stable, the madness doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon.

  • Another Top AEW Star Expected to Miss Significant Time

    Another Top AEW Star Expected to Miss Significant Time

    One AEW star isn’t expected to be back inside the ring for a while.

    There has perhaps been no time more trying for AEW President Tony Khan as a wrestling promoter than right now. His company has had to endure a slew of injuries all at once.

    Kenny Omega has been out of action since Nov. 2021 but things appeared to be steady enough during his absence. Unfortunately for the promotion, a wave of injuries to the likes of AEW World Champion CM Punk has derailed some plans.

    Some performers will be missing more time than others and in the case of this top main eventer, he will be out for a lengthy period of time.

    Adam Cole Out For A While

    Adam Cole Concussion Forbidden Door
    (Photo: Big Gold Belt Media)

    Adam Cole competed at the AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door PPV event on June 26. He challenged Jay White, Kazuchika Okada, and Hangman Page for the interim IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

    Jay scored the pinfall over Cole but the ending was awkward. Jay simply got the pin after Cole ducked a Rainmaker, so fans instantly suspected something was off.

    As it turns out, he suffered a concussion. Dave Meltzer reported on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the concussion was “very serious.”

    On top of that, Cole had been trying to work through a torn labrum. The belief is that Adam Cole would be best served to get surgery for the tear rather than try to tough it out once he’s clear from the concussion.

    It’s another blow to AEW because at this point, there is a growing mega-list of injuries within the company.

  • Jeff Hardy Pleads Not Guilty To DUI Arrest Charge

    Jeff Hardy Pleads Not Guilty To DUI Arrest Charge

    Last month, Jeff Hardy was arrested and leveled with several charges, including driving under the influence and driving with an invalid license.

    This marks Hardy’s third arrest within a decade due to driving under the influence, and many have questioned what can be done with the popular but problematic wrestler.

    The evening before his arrest, Hardy had spent it at the SlamDown VII convention in Orlando, FL and there has now been a major update in the case.

    Not Guilty Plea

    According to PWInsider, Hardy filed a written plea on June 28, insisting that he is not guilty.

    If convicted of the DUI charge, a felony in the state of Florida, he could face up to five years in prison for his actions.

    Hardy’s blood-alcohol level was over three times the legal limit and at one point, officers had to pull their firearms on the AEW star to get him to comply.

    The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion’s next big day will be on July 5 when he is scheduled to be arraigned.

    Hardy’s last chance

    This is Hardy’s first run-in with the law as an AEW wrestler, and if Tony Khan has his way, it will also be the last.

    Khan has made it clear that this is Jeff’s last chance and is likely to release him should he have another arrest while under contract.

    It was reported last month that Jeff has entered a rehab facility which he began on June 21.

    Matt Hardy Breaks Silence On Jeff Hardy’s DUI Arrest
  • Former ROH Star Pulled From Segment on AEW TV

    Former ROH Star Pulled From Segment on AEW TV

    The May 4 episode of AEW Dynamite almost had a former ROH star appear as a security guard.

    In an interview with Ringsiders Wrestling, Tony Deppen shared that he was supposed to be a member of the security team that Wardlow had attacked. The AEW star faced former Impact Wrestling talent W. Morrissey at the May 4 episode of AEW Dynamite in Baltimore, Maryland.

    After the match, Deppen was supposed to be one of the security guards that Wardlow beat down. He had already had a taped match with John Silver for AEW Dark that day.

    However, according to the former ROH star, AEW pulled him because they didn’t want to hurt his value as a wrestler.

    “…When I did AEW in Baltimore, I was supposed to do the run-in with Wardlow as well, and you know that Baltimore’s prime Ring of Honor territory. Everyone knows me there, and I did my match, got in the back, and the extra coordinator pulled me to the side.

    “He’s like, ‘You’re not going out there for that,’” said Deppen. He continued, “I was like, ‘oh, why?’ He just like, ‘we don’t want to hurt you like everyone knows who you are out there.’ They didn’t want me to get hurt as like my value, I guess, which I understand that but also in the same sense I’m like, ‘yo I would’ve got an extra payday.’”

    Tony deppen

    What is Former ROH Star Tony Deppen Doing Now?

    Since he departed from ROH, Deppen has competed for different independent wrestling promotions. He has also become one of the frequent talents competing in Game Changer Wrestling.

    He faced Jon Moxley for the GCW World Championship at GCW: You Wouldn’t Understand on June 18. While Deppen pushed the champion to his limit, Moxley defeated him to retain the title.

    Deppen also recently competed in a scramble match at GCW: Dead or Alive on June 30, which he won by pinning Dark Sheik.

    If AEW President Tony Khan wants to revive the ROH brand, he could consider signing Deppen. Although, it seems like Deppen is keeping himself active and having success.

  • AEW Faction Possibly Splitting Up

    AEW Faction Possibly Splitting Up

    It may soon be curtains for one AEW faction.

    AEW certainly isn’t the only promotion that leans on stables. The likes of NJPW and Stardom are quite group-heavy as well. Even WWE has its share of factions such as The New Day and The Judgment Day.

    One AEW faction, however, could very well be in the midst of a breakup.

    Gunn Club Splitting From The Acclaimed?

    (via Tony’s Music)

    There could be some trouble brewing between the Gunn Club and The Acclaimed.

    During the special Blood & Guts edition of AEW Dynamite, Danhausen and FTR took on Max Caster & The Gunn Club. Anthony Bowens accidentally hit Austin Gunn with one of his crutches, costing Gunn Club the match.

    Afterward, Austin & Colten Gunn were not happy with Bowens. Things got heated, which led to Billy Gunn shoving Austin down and appearing to side with The Acclaimed.

    For weeks, The Gunn Club has hinted at not being aligned with The Acclaimed, who have been pandering to the crowd in babyface-like fashion.

    In particular, Austin and Colten are not amused when being referred to as the “Ass Boys.” Bowens had been leading the crowd to sing “Ass Boys” while The Acclaimed’s theme would play.

    He did not do so on Wednesday night.

  • Rumor Killer On AEW Talent Debut

    Rumor Killer On AEW Talent Debut

    A big upcoming talent debut for AEW/ROH was not, in fact, spoiled by AEW music producer Mikey Rukus.

    Rukus held a live stream on YouTube where he was just showing off the process of making entrance theme songs for AEW. He also broke down the drum tracks for the theme song for the Butcher and the Blade. 

    An oversight was spotted by fans when a list of files for recent AEW theme songs he had created was shown on screen. There were tracks listed for stars such as Claudio Castagnoli and Luchasaurus’ new theme song

    An interesting name was also listed – current Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace, which you can see in the image below:

    Fightful Select has an update – Jordynne Grace actually commented on the music file weeks ago. She clarified at the time that Mikey Rukus has produced songs for her for quite a while, even dating back before AEW existed. She is under contract with Impact through at least Spring 2023.

    Rukus also responded to the potential leak, claiming it has nothing to do with AEW.

    Grace signed with Impact Wrestling in August 2018. She’s held the Impact Digital Media Championship, Knockouts World Championship, and Knockouts Tag Team Championship.

  • Reason Why Jim Ross Changed Roles on AEW TV This Week

    Reason Why Jim Ross Changed Roles on AEW TV This Week

    Fans who watched Forbidden Door and AEW Dynamite may have noticed something different about Jim Ross’ appearances.

    The legendary play-by-play ace has been in the AEW booth since the company was founded back in 2019. He took some time off to battle and defeat skin cancer but he was back in the saddle quickly.

    What had some fans puzzled, however, was the fact that JR didn’t do commentary for Forbidden Door until later on in the show, and he only appeared on Dynamite for the main event.

    Ross remained on commentary for the Rampage tapings as well, which is something he isn’t used to doing.

    Latest on Jim Ross’ AEW Role

    Jim Ross
    (via AEW)

    In an update, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that AEW is simply experimenting with the commentary team. For now, it appears Jim Ross will be doing the second hour of Dynamite, followed by the entire hour of Rampage.

    There’s no word on exactly what AEW is looking for with this experiment. It’s been apparent that Rampage has struggled in viewership due to the 10 p.m. ET Friday night time slot.

    Many of the Rampage shows haven’t been stacked either and have felt like glorified B-level shows. The July 1 episode will be an exception, however, as that show actually has some significance.

    A Royal Rampage match will take place to determine the number one contender for Jon Moxley’s interim AEW World Championship. There will also be a non-title match between AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks and NJPW’s Hiroki Goto & Yosh-Hashi.

    Toni Storm will also be in action as she’ll share the ring with Nyla Rose.

    Jim Ross Brought to Tears During AEW Show