Category: AEW

  • New Member of AEW Faction Teased

    New Member of AEW Faction Teased

    Could an AEW faction be on the verge of getting a new member?

    When it comes to several wrestling promotions, factions are tried and true. AEW is no exception as there are plenty of stables within the company. Members of factions come and go and one group could be adding a new member.

    With that said, this potential member likely won’t have an easy time getting into the faction.

    Fresh Name For The Baddies?

    During the Blood & Guts edition of AEW Dynamite, Jade Cargill successfully defended her TBS Championship against Leila Grey. After the match, Jade and her manager Stokely Hathaway, cut a promo before being interrupted by Kris Statlander and Athena.

    Hathaway convinced Grey to stop Athena from hitting her finishing move on Jade. Grey shoved Athena off the top rope and attacked her before Cargill shoved her away.

    Grey went to shake Stokely’s hand but Jade once again shoved her away.

    Stokley has been seeking a new addition for The Baddies. The faction is down one less member after Red Velvet suffered an injury.

    Fans will now wait to see whether Leila Grey got played or if she’ll have to work harder to gain the trust of The Baddies.

    https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1542310018640404480
  • Several AEW Stars Stricken With COVID-19

    Several AEW Stars Stricken With COVID-19

    The decision-makers over at AEW are certainly earning their money.

    The company’s movers and shakers have to be thinking to themselves, “if it’s not one thing, it’s another.” AEW has been hindered by a slew of injuries, forcing the promotion to have a change of plans.

    The likes of AEW World Champion CM Punk, Adam Cole, Jungle Boy, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, and others have recently been out of action due to injury. While injuries are bound to happen in the wrestling industry, several key injuries are happening all at once in AEW.

    To top it all off, the company had to deal with several of its stars being unavailable for the Blood & Guts episode of Dynamite due to COVID-19.

    COVID-19 Strikes AEW

    Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that several AEW talents weren’t available for the June 29 episode of Dynamite due to COVID-19.

    This explains why the company didn’t advertise much outside of the actual Blood & Guts match until mere hours before the show.

    At this time, there is no word on who exactly caught COVID-19 and who had been planned to perform on the show but couldn’t.

    Fortunately for AEW, none of the main eventers were impacted by the COVID-19 wave. There was still some bad news even in that match, however, as Santana appeared to suffer a leg injury and had to be helped to the back.

  • What Happened With Tony Khan After Blood & Guts Episode of AEW Dynamite Went Off The Air

    What Happened With Tony Khan After Blood & Guts Episode of AEW Dynamite Went Off The Air

    The special Blood & Guts edition of AEW Dynamite has reached its conclusion.

    In the main event, the Jericho Appreciation Society took on Blackpool Combat Club in the Blood & Guts match. The action was held inside Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI.

    Unfortunately, there was an injury during the main event. Santana appears to have hurt his leg after landing on it awkwardly while delivering a Uranage on Daniel Garcia. He was eventually helped up the ramp.

    The show got started with a singles match between Orange Cassidy and Ethan Page. TBS Champion Jade Cargill also put her gold on the line.

    We also got a shocking turn of events as Luchasaurus has turned heel and aligned with Christian Cage.

    After The Show

    When Dynamite went off the air, AEW President Tony Khan made his way out to greet fans in attendance. He then explained the rules of the Royal Rampage match, which is set to air this Friday (July 1) on AEW Rampage.

    The match will determine the number one contender for Jon Moxley’s interim AEW World Championship.

    Here is Khan breaking it all down:

    https://twitter.com/Yugo42_/status/1542332439003021314

    Of course, the AEW ring crew was moving quickly during Khan’s speech to get ready for the Rampage taping. There was a lot of work to do as the Blood & Guts match had its share of in-ring destruction.

  • AEW Star Injured During Blood & Guts Match on Dynamite

    AEW Star Injured During Blood & Guts Match on Dynamite

    The injuries continue to mount in AEW.

    The company held its special Blood & Guts edition of Dynamite inside Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. The match featured the Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Blackpool Combat Club, Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz.

    BCC, Kingston, Santana & Ortiz won the match but at least one man did not walk away unscathed.

    Santana Hurt

    When it was time for Santana to enter the match, he brought in a table and a bat wrapped in barbed wire. He didn’t get much offense in, however, as he quickly suffered an injury.

    It appeared to have occurred when he awkwardly landed on his leg while giving Daniel Garcia a Uranage.

    Santana tried to make it back to his feet and was able to land one last strike but he simply couldn’t put weight on the injured leg.

    Eventually, he was helped to the back and did not appear during the post-match celebration.

    We’ll keep you posted with updates on Santana’s injury when they become available.

  • Kenny Omega Says He’s “Done” If He Suffers Another Major Injury

    Kenny Omega Says He’s “Done” If He Suffers Another Major Injury

    Kenny Omega pushed through the pain for several months last year while AEW World Heavyweight Champion as he helped the company as its top star and delivered great matches. 

    However, it took a toll on him physically and he decided to take time off to get those injuries fixed. 

    During a recent Twitch stream, Omega stated that if he suffers another major setback in his career due to an injury then he will be done as an in-ring wrestler because he doesn’t want to go through the painful rehab he has been experiencing.

    “No, look. If I get another major setback, that’s it I’m done. I can’t do this ever again. It’s like two or three times a day of really painful rehab. And without even knowing what it’s going to be like when I get back in the ring. I have no clue. It’s scary actually.”

    Kenny Omega Update: Injury, Surgery & Return

    Kenny Omega’s In-Ring Future

    Omega’s last match came at Full Gear on November 13, 2021, when he dropped the AEW World Championship to “Hangman” Adam Page. Omega had several injuries he needed to be fixed including having arthroscopic knee surgery. He also got surgery to repair a sports hernia at the end of March. 

    At the time, it was reported the recovery from knee surgery was ten weeks while recovering from the hernia surgery was about two months.

    Omega did go back on the road with AEW to be at TV events, but Omega found it was too early in the healing process to travel with his injuries. 

  • Title Match Added to Tonight’s ‘Blood & Guts’ AEW Dynamite

    Title Match Added to Tonight’s ‘Blood & Guts’ AEW Dynamite

    An AEW championship match has been added to tonight’s (June 29) Dynamite card.

    Dynamite will emanate from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The main attraction of this show will be the big Blood & Guts match involving members of the Blackpool Combat Club and the Jericho Appreciation society.

    Eddie Kingston and Santana & Ortiz will also be involved in the match.

    That isn’t all for tonight’s episode, however. We’ve also got a title match to look forward to.

    TBS Championship at Stake

    TBS Champion Jade Cargill demanded an open challenge for her gold and that’s exactly what she will get. Leila Grey has stepped up to the plate to challenge Cargill.

    Going into this title match, Jade has an unbeaten record in AEW of 33-0.

    Also featured on the show will be a one-on-one match between Orange Cassidy and Ethan Page of Men of the Year. OC is fresh off a thrilling match with Will Ospreay at Forbidden Door and even though he lost, Cassidy is riding a wave of momentum following his efforts.

    We will also hear from Christian Cage just one week after cutting a promo where he mentioned the death of Jungle Boy’s father and seemingly manipulated Luchasaurus.

    Stick with us on the SEScoops homepage as we’ll be bringing you live coverage of AEW Dynamite.

  • Former AEW Champion Thinks TNT Title Has Gone to “Sh*ts”

    Former AEW Champion Thinks TNT Title Has Gone to “Sh*ts”

    One AEW star is not impressed by the TNT Championship reigns these days.

    The current titleholder is Scorpio Sky. Sky defeated Sammy Guevara to capture the gold but he’s dealing with a knee injury that he hopes isn’t too serious.

    Many have criticized AEW’s booking of the TNT Championship ever since Miro’s reign ended. While Miro seemingly helped elevate the title, the championship really hasn’t been treated with prestige since.

    Miro Goes Off on TNT Title

    During an interview with WhatCulture, Miro slammed the direction the TNT Title has gone in since he lost it last year.

    “When I hang onto something, it’s mine and unfortunately, the Sammy Guevara thing came in, he landed on my balls, let’s not forget about that. The finish [of our TNT Title match], he did the four-70,000-do-whatever-the-thing is. I was preparing to protect myself, he landed right on my balls and you can’t kick out of that, nobody can.

    “So I don’t even take fault of that but I take fault — I take a fault of maybe being too good of a champion because ever since I lost that title, that title has gone to s**ts and that’s nothing but to blame Sammy Guevara for that, so he’s got to bear the cross for that.”

    The former TNT Champion recently competed in a four-way match for the All-Atlantic Championship at Forbidden Door. PAC ended up winning that match to become the inaugural titleholder.

    What’s next for Miro remains to be seen but it’s possible he could have a bone to pick with Malakai Black. Miro had PAC in the Game Over submission at Forbidden Door before Malakai entered the ring and sprayed him with mist.

    Quotes via POST Wrestling.

  • Booker T Doesn’t Understand Claudio Castagnoli Never Receiving WWE Push

    Booker T Doesn’t Understand Claudio Castagnoli Never Receiving WWE Push

    WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T doesn’t understand how Claudio Castagnoli never received a push in WWE.

    The two-time WWE Hall Of Famer recently took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his thoughts on Castagnoli joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW), making his debut at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view (PPV).

    Castagnoli had been with WWE since 2011 prior to signing with AEW, and never really received the big push many fans believed he deserved. As for Booker T, he can’t explain why WWE never decided to pull the trigger on the Swiss star.

    “Cesaro was always my guy. I always felt like him and I had a whole lot in common. Being around for a long time, working your ass off, and waiting on someone to pull your name, and say, ‘This is the guy.’ That happened for me.

    “There were many times we thought that was that moment for Claudio in the WWE, and it really never happened. I mean, me personally, I really don’t know why. But that’s one of the guys that I really feel that could have been made by just giving him a huge push and then after that, it really wouldn’t have mattered how we used him as long as we kept him at a certain tier.

    “He was the guy that we could have made. Once you make a guy like that who can hold it, he’s made forever. I don’t think you’ve ever had to really worry about Claudio from an in-ring perspective, as well as if you put him in the right situation with the microphone, he delivers there as well. He’s one that I wouldn’t have wanted to lose.”

    Of course, Castagnoli’s run with WWE as Cesaro certainly wasn’t uneventful. He racked up seven tag team title runs, a reign as WWE United States Champion, and an Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal victory.

    However, he lacked a real big run as a singles star despite many seeing World Champion potential in the now 41-year-old. Now, he’ll join a stacked roster in AEW; which includes names such as Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Hangman Page, The Hardys, and more.

    It will be interesting to see if Cesaro receives his long-awaited run as World Champion now that he’s with AEW.

    Quotes via 411Mania.com

  • AEW Star’s Contract Has Expired

    AEW Star’s Contract Has Expired

    One AEW star has seen his contract expire.

    Several AEW deals are set to expire this year and it’s been company policy to let the contracts of underutilized performers run out (instead of releasing people mid-contract).

    In the case of Alan Angels, he might not be gone from AEW entirely.

    Alan Angels’ AEW Contract is Up

    Wrestling fans were quick to notice that Dark Order’s Alan “5” Angels scrubbed all mention of AEW from his Twitter bio.

    He also sent out a following tweet letting people know he’s looking forward to the next chapter of his career.

    “Excited for what’s next.”

    Alan Angels on his future

    Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline confirms that Alan Angels’ AEW contract has expired. With that said, the belief is that Angels might continue working on a per-appearance deal.

    Dark Order is Fine

    Alan Angels’ contract expiring is another blow to the Dark Order faction.

    The group lost Stu Grayson earlier this year after he couldn’t come to terms on a new deal with AEW.

    Evil Uno took to social media and reassured Dark Order fans about the group’s future.

  • Don’t Ask Wardlow Where MJF Is

    Don’t Ask Wardlow Where MJF Is

    Wardlow has no interest in discussing MJF.

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman was the talk of the wrestling world when he no-showed a meet and greet just one day before the Double or Nothing PPV. Conflicting reports later surfaced regarding a flight out of Las Vegas before the show.

    Ultimately, MJF showed up at the PPV event and did the job for Wardlow.

    Just days later on AEW Dynamite, MJF cut a shoot-style promo where he called AEW President Tony Khan a “f*cking mark.” AEW is running with the storyline but many are wondering where it will go as MJF hasn’t been seen on TV since cutting that promo.

    Wardlow Doesn’t Care About MJF Situation

    During a K&S WrestleFest signing, Wardlow answered fan questions and naturally, the topic of MJF was brought up.

    “Next question,” Wardlow replied when first asked about MJF.

    He then said he has no clue about what’s going on with the MJF angle and he isn’t concerned about it.

    “I know nothing about nothing. Nobody knows. I don’t care. I personally don’t care. Nobody knows.”

    Wardlow on MJF situation

    Finally, Wardlow said that pretty much all AEW stars cut promos to their liking as long as the end goal is met.

    “For the most part, we write our own (material). They just hand us microphones and we go out there and say what we want. There’s really no monitoring what we say when we go out there,” he said.

    Wardlow had served as MJF’s bodyguard on AEW TV. After being mistreated for months, Wardlow finally had enough and turned on Maxwell.

    Despite the turn, he couldn’t get his hands on MJF until Double or Nothing where he decimated him with a series of Powerbombs before scoring the pinfall.

    Quotes via Fightful

  • Britt Baker Sticks up for WWE Talent

    Britt Baker Sticks up for WWE Talent

    Britt Baker recently praised WWE’s Carmella on social media for being able to overcome adversity and booking decisions.

    On Tuesday, Carmella took to Twitter where she listed all the WWE booking decisions that she has overcome ahead of her scheduled match at Money In The Bank this Saturday where she is slated to challenge Raw Women’s Champion against Bianca Belair.

    The former SmackDown Women’s Champion wrote, “You can make me a manager, give me a guy without a chin, a dance break mid-match, change my character, have me wear a mask, be a last-minute replacement and I’m ALWAYS going to show up and show out. I rise to every occasion and you can’t take that away from me.”

    Baker responded to that post by sharing a clapping hands emoji to support what Carmella had written. 

    On Monday’s episode of Raw, there was some crossover between WWE and AEW as Bryan Danielson, Paul Wight, and Chris Jericho appeared on the broadcast to show their support for John Cena, who was celebrating the 20th anniversary of his main roster in-ring debut in 2002. 

    The three AEW stars congratulated Cena on the 20-year anniversary of his WWE debut.

  • Domestic Violence Case Against AEW Star Jake Atlas Dropped

    Domestic Violence Case Against AEW Star Jake Atlas Dropped

    Good news for Jake Atlas.

    One month ago the AEW star was arrested in Orlando Florida for domestic assault on his partner. Atlas was out drinking and asked his partner to come pick him up. At some point in the evening an argument took place between the two and Atlas lashed out, scratching his partner’s face and ripping his tank-top. The story went viral once it broke.

    However according to TMZ, the case has been officially dropped and Atlas is free and clear. A statement from the court documents reads, “From the investigation which has been made, it is the opinion of the writer that this case is not suitable for prosecution. The court records show that there was a hearing scheduled for 6/28.”

    Atlas has been out of action since signing with AEW back in January due to suffering a torn ACL in his very first match with the company, which was against Adam Cole. He had successful surgery to repair the damage in February.

    Prior to signing with AEW Atlas had a run in WWE’s NXT brand, and was a prominent figure on the independent scene before going there. He regularly appeared at the popular indie federation PWG in Los Angeles, as well as numerous other promotions throughout the U.S.

    We’ll keep you updated on Atlas’ return status.

  • AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door Drew Over $5 Million on Pay-Per-View

    AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door Drew Over $5 Million on Pay-Per-View

    More numbers continue to come out for AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door. 

    AEW President Tony Khan took to Twitter to thank fans for supporting AEW and NJPW by investing their money into Sunday’s pay-per-view event. He noted they did over $5 million on pay-per-view and put over the show doing over $1 million in ticket sales. 

    Khan previously stated the show did a 1.1 million gate. Either way, it’s behind the second biggest gate in AEW history behind Double or Nothing 2022. He wrote the following: 

    “Thank you to everyone, especially wrestling fans around the world, who made last Sunday’s #ForbiddenDoor event a hit, with >$1 million in ticket sales+ >$5 million on ppv! We’re back for Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite on @TBSNetwork @ 8pm ET/7pm CT/8pm PT #BloodAndGuts TOMORROW!”

    Khan said in the post-show press conference that early estimates have Forbidden Door at over 100,000 buys on digital pay-per-view. There’s still no word yet on what they did on traditional PPV providers. 

    Jon Moxley became the interim AEW World Heavyweight Champion when he beat Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event.

    To make it more impressive, the show had a card that was filled with talent that many fans in the United States might not be as familiar with.

  • Booker T Would ‘Love’ to See Paige in AEW

    Booker T Would ‘Love’ to See Paige in AEW

    WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T would “love” to see Paige in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) if she doesn’t return for WWE.

    The two-time WWE Hall Of Famer recently took to his podcast, “The Hall Of Fame,” to offer his thoughts on Paige’s pending WWE departure and where he’d like to see her end up.

    If she doesn’t ultimately return to WWE, Booker would love to see her in AEW.

    “Yeah, I would. I would love to see Paige on a big stage if she’s going to do it here. If she’s not going to be in WWE, definitely, I could see Paige doing some really, really good stuff there [AEW], I really can. … I don’t look at Sasha the way I look at Paige, I look at those two totally different.”

    Paige signed with WWE in 2011 and had a big impact on the women’s evolution within the company. She’s a two-time Divas Champion and a former NXT Women’s Champion. However, unfortunately, the 29-year-old’s career has bee plagued by injuries.

    She has been out-of-action for the past several years due to not being medically cleared to compete, but still under contract with WWE.

    Paige was used for a few non-physical roles on WWE TV, such as a manager and General Manager, but those soon fizzled out.

    Now, Paige has already booked her first non-WWE appearance following her contract expiring in July. It’s not certain where she’ll ultimately end up, but wherever it is, Booker T is a firm believer that Paige is a star, and has all the makings to be huge for whoever signs her.

    “She’s a star, bonafide. Just that smile alone, I am serious, dog, that little dimple in between her chin … She’s money, so she could definitely make impact.”

    Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

  • Jon Moxley Health Update Following Forbidden Door

    Jon Moxley Health Update Following Forbidden Door

    There’s an update on Jon Moxley’s status following Forbidden Door.

    Moxley went one-on-one with NJPW’s “Ace” Hiroshi Tanahashi on June 26. The match was contested for the interim AEW World Championship. In the end, it was Moxley who scored the win to capture the interim gold.

    When the PPV went off the air, Moxley told fans inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois that he may have had a concussion.

    This left many fans concerned as Adam Cole suffered a legit concussion earlier in the show and AEW has been hit hard with injuries.

    Jon Moxley is Fine

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer is reporting that Jon Moxley does not have a concussion.

    The report notes that Moxley saying he has a concussion was becoming a bit of a shtick with him after a bloody match but he’s likely going to stop doing it so people don’t get worried.

    Injuries have derailed a ton of plans for AEW, so this latest bit of news surely comes as a sigh of relief to fans and those within the company.

    Moxley is scheduled to compete at Blood & Guts on the June 29 episode of AEW Dynamite.

    Blackpool Combat Club
    (AEW)
  • ‘I Knew That Wasn’t Me’: Former WWE Star Discusses Disappointing AEW Debut

    ‘I Knew That Wasn’t Me’: Former WWE Star Discusses Disappointing AEW Debut

    Many expected Miro to be presented as a monster from day 1 on the AEW roster. However, it wasn’t the case and the former WWE star debuted as The Best Man for Kip Sabian. This idea didn’t sit well with many fans.

    The former TNT champion recently had an interview with Fightful. He talked about things such as Undertaker’s comments about the locker room and more.

    Speaking about his disappointing AEW debut, Miro admitted that he knew that his initial gimmick wasn’t who he really was. He claimed that he gave Tony Khan a discount because the AEW president was signing him based on his Twitch persona:

    “I gave Tony Khan a discount. I gave him a discount and said, ‘Tony, I will sign for this money because it’s the pandemic, but after that year and a half, we’re coming strong.’

    I knew that he was signing the wrong guy. He was signing the Twitch guy.” said Miro, “He’s basing his opinions on my Twitch and that’s where the whole thing with Kip started. I knew that wasn’t me. That’s just not who I am.”

    Though the former US champion has since broken out of that image. He has proven himself to be a worthy main eventer and signed a new deal with AEW for more money.

    Speaking about his decision to re-sign, Miro said that AEW is a place where you can be creatively free. He explained that the freedom Khan allows him played a big part in his call to continue with the company.

  • What Happened After AEW-NJPW Forbidden Door Went Off The Air

    What Happened After AEW-NJPW Forbidden Door Went Off The Air

    Sunday’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view featured a loaded card that delivered with high-quality in-ring action that was praised by many fans despite a lackluster build due to injury bug hitting the AEW roster hard leading up to the event. 

    In the main event, Jon Moxley defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to win the interim AEW World Championship. Post-match, there was a brawl between with Blackpool Combat Club (Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz) and the Jericho Appreciation Society (Chris Jericho, Daniel Garcia, Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, Jake Hager & Sammy Guevara) ahead of their Blood & Guts match on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite. 

    Moxley grabbed the microphone once the cameras stopped rolling and did a promo about how pro-wrestling is the ‘best f**king thing in the world.’ 

    AEW President Tony Khan also addressed the fans in attendance before Negative One, son of the late Brodie Lee, was given the live mic.

    The Jericho Appreciation Society earned the advantage in the Blood & Guts match during Forbidden Door when Minoru Suzuki, Jericho & Guevara defeated Kingston, Shota Umino & Yuta.

    No other matches have yet to be confirmed for this upcoming episode of Dynamite. 

  • Forbidden Door Early PPV Estimate Revealed

    Forbidden Door Early PPV Estimate Revealed

    An early estimate for the AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door buyrate has been revealed.

    Forbidden Door went down inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois this past Sunday night (June 26). The event featured top AEW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling talent.

    Jon Moxley defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to become the interim AEW World Champion. Jay White successfully retained the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Kazuchika Okada, Hangman Page, and Adam Cole.

    The show was heavily praised for the quality of the matches but how about the PPV buys?

    Forbidden Door Exceeds Expectations

    AEW President Tony Khan spoke to media members during the Forbidden Door post-event scrum. He revealed that early numbers indicate that the PPV garnered over 100,000 buys.

    “The show was a big success. We had ticket sales of over $1.1 million. I think it will be within literally thousands, just behind Double or Nothing, but right there, both over $1.1 million live ticket sales. The pay-per-view, I said if we hit 100,000 worldwide buys, I would feel it’s a big success and I feel very comfortable now, based on the early digital numbers, saying we did 100,000 buys and more. I feel great about that,” Khan said.

    It’s quite the victory for AEW and NJPW if the final PPV numbers are indeed over 100,000. There were some on social media skeptical about the success of the PPV going in but early signs indicate the event did quite well.

    Khan has said he hopes there are more Forbidden Door shows in the future. Given the success this event had, it’s hard to imagine AEW and NJPW passing up on another opportunity.

    Quotes via Fightful.

  • Okada Teases We Haven’t Seen The Last of Him in AEW

    Okada Teases We Haven’t Seen The Last of Him in AEW

    Kazuchika Okada walked through the Forbidden Door at Sunday’s historic AEWxNPJPW pay-per-view from Chicago, IL.

    Okada competed in the fatal 4-way match with Jay White’s IWGP World Heavyweight championship on the line.

    Switchblade emerged victorious in a match that saw an abrupt finish due to an injury sustained by Adam Cole.

    AEW President Tony Khan addressed Adam Cole’s condition during the post-PPV media scrum:

    “He’s gonna be okay long term, but probably if he couldn’t continue wrestling it made sense [to end the match]. I think if you can’t keep fighting there’s discretion is a better part of valor. I think long term he’ll be okay.”

    Okada’s Future in AEW

    Okada Forbidden Door
    Kazuchika Okada at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door

    On Monday, Kazuchika Okada addressed his future with All Elite Wrestling.

    The Rainmaker thanked AEW, as well as the city of Chicago. The rowdy crowd nearly lost it at the sight of Okada in an AEW ring and showered him with praise and appreciation.

    Okada wrote, “The door is closed. But I’ll open the door again. See you next time.”

    It remains to be seen when we’ll see the likes of Okada, Tanahashi and White back in AEW. However, all indications are that Forbidden Door was a huge success We already know the event grossed over $1 million in ticket sales and sold over 100,000 PPV buys.

    With so many of AEW’s top stars unable to compete at Forbidden Door, it’s just a matter of time before we Okada and more cross paths with the likes of Kenny Omega, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.

  • Kurt Angle Says AEW Offered Him a 10-Match Contract

    Kurt Angle Says AEW Offered Him a 10-Match Contract

    Wrestling legend Kurt Angle says he had a chance to join All Elite Wrestling, but didn’t feel he was physically up for what they wanted out of him.

    Angle is now retired, but he has been in the wrestling business for around 25 years.  He is an Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling and former collegiate wrestler. Angle has won 21 total championships and is a 13-time world champion.

    All Elite Material

    During a recent discussion with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston, Angle opened up about an offer he received from AEW.

    Angle had the following to say when he was asked about AEW reaching out to him:

    “Well, you know what. They actually wanted me to wrestle in particular. Tony Khan gave me a call, wanted me to wrestle. They offered me a pretty good deal, but I just can’t do it anymore. I wish I could, but it’s just not possible. 

    They did offer me two different times, and they did want me to do an on-camera personality as well, or a non-wrestling role. I actually turned that down as well. I just wanted to start up my supplement company, so I wanted to put more time into that. So, I didn’t want to leave the company at this particular time, so I decided not to do it,” he said.

    “I decided not to do it because of my supplement company, and the fact that I’m just not the same as I used to be.”

    – Kurt Angle on AEW’s offer

    “They wanted me to have big special matches. They gave me a contract for ten matches, but they didn’t say how long it would be, so it might not have just been for a year. It might’ve been for three years, and I would’ve wrestled three matches a year. 

    But I decided not to do it because of my supplement company, and the fact that I’m just not the same as I used to be. If I’m gonna go in there and wrestle, I want to be the old Kurt Angle, and I know I can’t be that anymore,” Kurt added. 

    Not The Same Kurt Angle

    Kurt was asked if he felt like he received a contract offer for the person he used to be. 

    “Well yea, I did think that. You know what, I don’t want to perform if I can’t perform at my best. I don’t want to put together a match that is less than average. That’s what I felt like I was doing at that particular time, especially my retirement match. I didn’t think it was very good. I could tell that I was slower. I gained a lot of weight. I was more methodical. It just felt like it wasn’t the retirement I was expecting,” the 13-time World Champion explained. 

    Sting & His Longevity

    AEW currently have a few legends on their roster at the moment. One of them being Sting. At 63 years old, Sting is still an incredibly physical wrestler and defies the bounds of age. 

    Kurt, like many, is in awe of Sting’s longevity within the business. 

    The WWE Triple Crown winner said, “He’s timeless. The guy, it doesn’t matter how old he gets, he still can go. It’s amazing how Sting has been able to go this long. I mean, he’s had to be in the wrestling business for 40 years.”

    Check out Steve Fall’s interview with the great Kurt Angle:

    If you use the quotes above, please credit the original course with a h/t and link back to SEScoops for the transcription. 

  • Original Forbidden Door Plans For Jon Moxley

    Original Forbidden Door Plans For Jon Moxley

    The recent string of AEW and NJPW injuries forced Tony Khan and company to make many major changes to the Forbidden Door PPV. This included the main event of the show which featured Jon Moxley instead of CM Punk.

    Dave Meltzer talked about the PPV event on Wrestling Observer Radio. He revealed that the Hardcore star was originally expected to be on the opposite end of the card.

    The original idea for Jon Moxley was for him to be part of the six-man tag team match that opened the show. The bout saw Shota Umino, Wheeler Yuta, and Eddie Kingston going up against Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, and Minoru Suzuki.

    The interim AEW world champion would have joined Shota Umino who has been his protege. Though it’s unknown whether he would have replaced anyone from Yuta and Kingston, or they planned on adding a fourth contestant to Jericho’s team instead.

    CM Punk won the AEW World Heavyweight Championship from Hangman Page at Double or Nothing in May. However, he had to step away from the company only days later after suffering a broken foot.

    Jon Moxley ended up replacing him in the match against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Forbidden Door. Mox won this bout to become the interim AEW World Champion.

  • Claudio Castagnoli (Cesaro) Reveals Inspiration For Joining AEW

    Claudio Castagnoli (Cesaro) Reveals Inspiration For Joining AEW

    Cesaro kept his WWE departure very quiet and it was only after he became a free agent that fans got to know about it. Nobody knew what he was planning for his future in the following months. Some even believed that he could ultimately return to WWE before he made his AEW debut as Claudio Castagnoli at Forbidden Door.

    In the post-show media scrum, the former WWE star was asked about his inspiration behind joining the promotion. He first mentioned how the perfect opportunity for him arose due to Bryan Danielson’s injury. The newest AEW star explained that he is always looking for a challenge. AEW is the place where he felt like he could challenge himself:

    A Kid In Candy Store

    “Sometimes the stars align for a perfect moment. That’s what happened tonight. I hope Bryan is alright and I hope Bryan will be back. But it’s just perfect fit. I just talked to Mox. We’ve been going back for 10-12 years. I have known him [for] so long time.” said Claudio Castagnoli, “We used to ride together. We used to work out together. We still do. It just fits you know. At the end of the day, I’m always looking for new challenges. Here in AEW, it’s like I am a kid in a candy store.

    “So here’s the other thing, you always look for a challenge. I mean, Zack Sabre Jr. on Sunday, and then Blood and Guts on Wednesday? That’s a challenge. That’s awesome. To me Blood and Guts, that’s like a staple, right? To be thrown right in there with my friends, with Mox, Yuta, it’s just amazing. That’s what gets you up in the morning, right? That’s what makes you work out every day. That’s what makes me tick. So I can’t wait. It’s awesome and what I love is that show is [on] free TV. Where do you get that on free TV? It’s awesome. So it’s like, to me that’s again, kid in a candy store.”

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

  • Latest On Adam Cole After Awkward Finish To Forbidden Door Match

    Latest On Adam Cole After Awkward Finish To Forbidden Door Match

    Adam Cole already went into his Forbidden Door match banged up and the physical bout he wrestled only appears to have made things worse.

    The former NXT champion wrestled a fatal four-way match for the IWGP heavyweight championship. The other contestants of the bout were Jay White, Kazuchika Okada, and Hangman Page.

    The ending of the match saw Okada trying to deliver a rainmaker to Cole but White interrupted before he could execute the move. Jay White hit the Bladerunner on Okada and then pinned Adam Cole who just collapsed to the side.

    This awkward finish to the bout got people talking and many wondered if Cole had suffered another injury. Bryan Alvarez said on Twitter that the former champion is believed to have suffered a concussion:

    Tony Khan Says Adam Cole Will Be Fine

    Tony Khan was later asked about the AEW star in the post show media scrum. He explained that it made more sense to end the bout than to risk further damage. The AEW President also ensured the fans that Cole will be fine long term:

    “Yeah, I think Adam Cole will be okay. He was in the match. It was a very physical wrestling match and he was pinned in the match. The timing of it wasn’t [right].

    It may not have looked when people expected it to happen but that’s when it happened. He’s gonna be okay long term, but probably if he couldn’t continue wrestling it made sense [to end the match]. I think if you can’t keep fighting there’s discretion is a better part of valor. I think long term he’ll be okay.”

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

  • Original Plans For Claudio Castagnoli’s AEW Debut

    Original Plans For Claudio Castagnoli’s AEW Debut

    Claudio Castagnoli fka Cesaro in WWE made his surprise debut at Forbidden Door and joined the BBC. His free agency was a blessing in disguise for AEW and Tony Khan as a number of big names had to be removed from the PPV due to various injuries.

    In the post-Forbidden Door media scrum, the AEW president told the story of how Castagnoli’s AEW debut came together. He revealed that he had contacted the former WWE star before he knew that Bryan Danielson will not be competing at the PPV. The original idea was for him to debut at ROH’s Death Before Dishonor PPV on July 23:

    ‘I Have Claudio Under Contract, Bryan’

    Claudio Castagnoli

    “I asked him about coming in actually before I knew for sure that Bryan was out, but I had pretty good idea that Punk would be out. I could tell there were going to be a lot of changes. We already had a lot of injured people. I had no idea we’d have even more on the run up to the show.

    “So I figured there was a chance that if Bryan made it back, that there was a good chance that probably he would have started at Death Before Dishonor. It would have been great moment there but I think for the crowd here this is something very special. As long as Bryan’s Okay, that’s the most important thing. I think he will be fine. It was great to have a great moment here at Forbidden Door. So things worked out perfectly.

    “I was very fortunate. I talked to Bryan on the phone last weekend. He just wasn’t feeling 100%. As soon as he said that I said ‘We’re eight days from the pay-per-view. but if you’re not feeling 100% today, don’t even think about wrestling on the pay-per-view. Don’t even think about wrestling at Blood and Guts.’ I didn’t even want to take another chance as soon as he said that. So he mentioned Claudio, and, I said ‘it’s funny cause I have Claudio under contract, Bryan.’ I hadn’t told anybody. You’re the first person I mentioned it to.”

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

  • FTR Reacts To Winning The IWGP Tag Team Championships

    FTR Reacts To Winning The IWGP Tag Team Championships

    FTR is having an incredible year and things only got better for them at Forbidden Door. The AEW stars won a three-way match to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions. The duo were interviewed backstage after their big win. They first claimed that they will make the Japanese people fall in love with them, the same way as America.

    FTR then went on to explain that this win makes them one of the greatest tag teams in the history of the business. Now their names should be written beside teams such as The Hart Foundation and The British Bulldogs:

    We’re Gonna Make New Japan Our House

    “We’re coming New Japan. We’re gonna make New Japan our house. We’re gonna make it our house because we are the absolute best tag team on this planet. As we have been here in America, we’re gonna make you Japanese people fall in love with us. You know why? Because we love you. We’re bringing our fighting spirit, FTR’s fighting spirit to Japan.”

    “I think now here in America they could put our names beside the Midnight Express. Now they could put our names beside the Hart Foundation, The Bulldogs, Demolition. The list goes on and on. But now we’re coming to Japan. Now we’re coming to New Japan and we’re bringing these [titles] with us.

    “You can write our names on the same notepad as Muta and Hase. You can write our names on the same Notepad as Bam Bam Bigelow and Vader. You can write our name on the same notepad as the Steiner Brothers. Because right now I’m telling you, none of those three teams can measure up to the greatest tag team of all time – FTR.”

    You can check out their reaction in the video below: