AEW has confirmed a new match for Full Gear, its upcoming pay-per-view event, featuring AJ Befumo—a former indie wrestling standout—returning to the ring to take on QT Marshall. Befumo, one of the breakout stars of 2024, will make his comeback during Full Gear’s pre-show. This follows his recent signing of a one-match deal with AEW, where he challenged Marshall to face him on the big stage.

In a newly released promo, Marshall responded to Befumo’s challenge with a clear message: “You wanted to do this for free on the Zero Hour, in front of all your friends and family. Well, AJ, just because you think that New Jersey is your hometown — I got another thing coming for you,” Marshall said. “New Jersey, I was born. New Jersey, I was raised. And in New Jersey, at Full Gear, I’m going to beat you. I’m going to embarrass you. I’m going to prove to you that 20 years ago when you walked away from professional wrestling and passed the torch to me, QT Marshall, you made the absolute right decision. And I’m going to send you back to TikTok land. I’m going to embarrass you in front of your friends, your family, in front of Big Justice. Because, AJ, you’re going to bring the boom—but QT Marshall is going to bring the doom.”

Background

Befumo, who previously wrestled under the name Eric Justice, is now billed as “Big Boom AJ” for this bout. Known as the “Costco Guys,” AJ and his son Big Justice (Eric Befumo Jr.) have built a following by sharing videos of their Costco visits, enthusiastically showcasing their favorite food items.

AEW Full Gear 2024 will take place on Saturday, November 23, from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

Although Ricky Starks isn’t currently appearing for AEW, that didn’t stop him from making a surprise appearance at Glory Pro Wrestling on October 27th. Starks took out Sean Login with a powerful spear during Sunday’s event.

Following the spot, he delivered a promo, declaring that he doesn’t pass up “the opportunity of a lifetime.” This appearance is setting up Starks for a match against Kody Lane on November 24th.

AEW Absence

Starks hasn’t appeared in AEW programming for several months, leading to speculation that he may be preparing to leave the promotion for WWE when his contract expires. Despite rumors circulating on social media suggesting Starks is already a free agent, these claims have been debunked.

Starks says he’s with AEW and under contract, but is not sure why he’s not being used.

CEO Tony Khan recently praised Starks during an All Out media call, describing him as a valued and respected talent who remains under contract with AEW.

After months out of the ring, Jay White is back and has engaged in a war with former World Champion ‘Hangman’ Adam Page. On the most recent episode of AEW Collision, Jay White took to the mic to taunt Page, saying that he has always been ahead of the cowboy at every stage of their careers. White is confident he’ll do the same next month as he challenged White to a match at AEW Full Gear on November 23.

Later in the show, Tony Schiavone announced that the match had been made official. The legendary commentator added that Page will appear on the October 30, episode of Dynamite to address White and his challenge.

White and Page faced off at AEW WrestleDream earlier this month in a match that saw White get the win. Back in July, Page would get the win over White on Collision in what would be the Kiwi wrestler’s final match before a three-month hiatus due to injury.

AEW Full Gear 2024

AEW Full Gear 2024 will take place on November 23, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The show will be AEW’s sixth Full Gear pay-per-view and the second event of its kind in the Prudential Center.

The card for the show is as follows:

• Jay White vs. ‘Hangman’ Adam Page
• MJF Vs. Adam Cole or Roderick Strong (Whoever wins three matches first will get to face MJF)

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from AEW Full Gear 2024 including breaking news and live results.

Earlier this year, Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley tied the knot in a fittingly gothic ceremony between WWE’s ‘Mami’ and the House of Black member. This week, Ripley and Matthews went one on one, but traded in their suplexes and headlock for a burger and fries.

The pro-wrestling power couple faced off in the Burger Challenge on Instagram, a viral game that requires participants to complete a cheeseburger, fries, and a drink in under a minute. Ripley opted to go for her burger first while Matthews started off by making quick work of his fries. The House of Black member, who recently made history with the group, was able to finish the challenge with seconds to spare, while Ripley still had her fries and drink left. In the comments, Ripley explained her defeat, noting that “Sh*t was hard!”

Away from fast food, Rhea Ripley has been continuing her war with Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio as ‘Mami’ is fixated on regaining the WWE Women’s World Championship. Ripley’s most recent opportunity came at WWE Bad Blood where she won via DQ when Raquel Rodriguez interfered, meaning that Morgan kept the gold.

As for Buddy Matthews, he, Brody King, and Malakai Black, the House of Black are continuing to forge their own path on AEW TV, and with Julia Hart declaring that she is fully healed, the group may be a complete unit again very soon. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from Ripley and Matthews, both in and out of the ring.

Kyle Fletcher isn’t fazed by change or showing off a bold new look on live television for the world to see. On Friday, the AEW star appeared on CBS 2 Iowa to promote Saturday’s AEW Collision in Grand Rapids, Iowa, where he revealed his freshly shaved head for the first time since Wednesday’s Dynamite.

During the segment, Fletcher answered a range of questions before having some fun with the weather forecast, informing viewers of rapidly changing weather patterns in the greater Iowa area.

Fletcher’s New Side

At WrestleDream, Fletcher shocked fans by turning on Will Ospreay, costing him the International Title in a triple-threat match with Ricochet and Konosuke Takeshita. Fletcher struck Ospreay with a screwdriver during the match, setting up the decisive moment. He followed up with a Tiger Driver to Ospreay after the match, cementing his betrayal.

In his appearance on this week’s show, Fletcher explained his actions by shaving his head, a gesture meant to show his clear break from Ospreay’s influence.

Throughout her career, Mercedes Moné has competed against countless wrestlers and has held her own against some of the biggest names in pro wrestling. During the latest edition of Hot Ones, the AEW TBS/NJPW Strong Women’s Champion was asked for her Mt. Rushmore of opponents and shared some interesting choices.

“That’s hard for me because I’ve wrestled some of the best in the world. Number one I think is easily Bayley. We’ve made so many historic moments and matches together.

Number two might have to be Charlotte Flair. She has given me my greatest matches, my worst matches, all in between.

Three, I might have to go with Willow Nightingale.

Last but not least, I might have to choose Bianca because of our history-making moment at WrestleMania 37, when we main-evented, something that I’m gonna remember for the rest of my life.”

Bayley

Arguably the name most associated with Moné, WWE’s resident role model would first feud with the then-Sasha Banks as part of WWE NXT in 2015. This feud would see Bayley capture the NXT Women’s Championship from Banks at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, and retain in their epic 30-minute Iron Woman match at NXT TakeOver: Respect. Years later, the pair would feud over the SmackDown Women’s Championship and would become two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

Charlotte Flair

Another name that feuded with Moné in WWE NXT, the pair were called up to the main roster as part of the ‘Women’s Revolution’ of 2015. It would be just over a year later that Moné would defeat Flair in the main event of the first post-brand-split edition of Monday Night Raw to capture the Women’s Championship. The pair would trade the title back and forth and would headline Hell in a Cell 2016 in the first Women’s match inside the structure.

Bianca Belair

After winning the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble, Bianca Belair chose to face Moné for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37. At WWE’s first event in over a year with live attendees, the pair made history, as their Night One headliner became the first (and to date, only) time that two African American women headlined the event. Belair would end Moné’s 167-day reign with the gold, and their historic encounter would win an ESPY award that same year.

Willow Nightingale

The only AEW name on Moné’s list, Willow Nightingale was on the CEO’s radar the moment she arrived in Tony Khan’s promotion. It was during Moné’s debut episode on Dynamite: Big Business that she would save Nightingale from an attack by Julia Hart and Skye Blue. Just 35 days later, Moné would capture the TBS Championship from Nightingale, a title she holds to this day.

AEW and ROH star Mike Bennett recently provided an update on his wife Maria Kanellis, who underwent surgery.

In July, Maria had revealed that she had a mass on her adrenal gland. She had revealed that the mass was borderline and doctors were concerned. Later that month, Maria said that she would be having a Retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy and the surgery was confirmed for October.

On October 24th, Maria’s husband Mike Bennett revealed that Maria underwent a successful procedure and thanked fans for their support.

“Maria’s surgery went well. She is staying overnight at the hospital for observation and should be released tomorrow. My wife is a badass. Thank you to everyone who’s reached out. We love y’all so very much.”

Maria is currently under a contract with AEW. In October 2022, Maria Kanellis had joined AEW alongside her husband Mike and Matt Taven. Her signing took place after she parted ways with TNA Wrestling.

However, Maria previously revealed that the deal is due to expire on October 31st. She had reached out to get clarity on her future with the company but she hasn’t “heard anything yet”. Maria had said that she’s trying not to focus too much on her health concerns or her future with AEW. She would get into the ‘spooky season’ by setting up some Halloween decorations.

Earlier this month, Kanellis revealed that she would be accepting interviews about her time and treatment in AEW after October 31st. She revealed that she would be able to start taking bookings six weeks after her surgery, which is second week in December.

AEW star Orange Cassidy has made it clear that he is not interested in becoming the face of the promotion.

On the latest edition of AEW Dynamite, Jon Moxley and the Blackpool Combat Club yet again wreaked havoc and this time around assaulted Chuck Taylor. Claudio Castagnoli even stomped him with a steel chair wrapped around his neck before Orange Cassidy rushed down to attend to his best friend.

Orange Cassidy told Good Karma Wrestling that doesn’t believe he is the face of AEW nor he wants that. He said:

“No, and I don’t think that I am, nor should I be. I don’t want that. I never wanted that. I wanted to do what I had to do and go home. After what happened last night, it’s been made very clear to me that I think I have no choice in the situation. Before, early in AEW, there was always this thing of ‘Oh, he’s going to try. He’ll care this time.’ I don’t feel that I have any choice in this matter. I have to fight now. I have to fight. I don’t want to, but if the people around me that I care about the most are going to be hurt, then I really have no choice in the matter.”

He then reflected on what went down on Wednesday night and said that he never imagined that Taylor would get assaulted by BCC. Orange Cassidy said:

“At that very moment, it was, I was literally one second late. I slid into the ring right as Claudio was stomping the chair on his neck. I’m not very calculated, obviously, I just react. All day, I was just reacting. Earlier in the night, Chuck said stuff to me that I needed to hear, it’s what a good friend would do. I’m just reacting. I never thought I’d see him laid out again. He was injured before by Trent, and to see that again, it’s something I never thought I would have to see, but I did. At that moment, I don’t want to take the cop out answer and say I blacked out. Just everything that was going on, it wasn’t something I expected. All of my thoughts will be made clear on Dynamite. The Fright Night thing.”

Orange Cassidy has said that his thoughts will be made clear on next week’s AEW Fright Night Dynamite. The show is set to air live on TBS and will emanate from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

For latest updates on AEW, keep an eye on SEScoops.

When Samantha Irvin announced her exit from WWE earlier this week, fans quickly speculated on a move to AEW, where her fiancé Ricochet is currently competing. Given that part of Irvin’s decision to leave stemmed from her family life, it makes sense for her to at least consider an AEW role, but Tony Schiavone doesn’t see it happening.

On his What Happened When podcast, Schiavone gave his thoughts on Irvin possibly being All Elite and argued that the popular announcer isn’t needed in the company.

“We already got the best ring announcer in the world with Justin Roberts. And Arkady Aura is a great ring announcer, who’s a great person and is doing a great job. [Samantha Irvin] ain’t coming here. I wouldn’t think. And of course, I’ve been wrong so many times, but why would we?”

Later on, though, Schiavone did acknowledge that wrestling is unpredictable and seemingly didn’t count out Irvin making a surprise debut for the promotion.

“I could show up tonight in Salt Lake City and there she could be.”

For what it’s worth, Ricochet has said that his fiancée doesn’t intend to join, and it’s been reported that Samantha wants to explore her opportunities outside of pro wrestling. While AEW could make a move to sign Irvin, it appears that an All-Elite arrival isn’t on the cards, though we know to never say never in the world of pro wrestling. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Samantha Irvin, and her moves both in and outside of wrestling.

Adam Cole has had to deal with two very tough injuries in the last couple of years. While the concussion injury in 2023 was a scary one because of all the symptoms, the ankle injury that kept him out for most of 2024 was even more challenging for completely different reasons.

The former NXT Champion recently appeared on The Takedown. He discussed things such as his break up with Britt Baker, his injury turning out much worse than first thought and more.

During the talk, Cole was asked about his injury affecting plans for not only him but his Undisputed Kingdom teammates as well. The 35-year-old explained that even though it was a freak accident, it crushed him to know that his injury affected his friends:

“Oh dude, it crushed me, yeah because exactly what you said. I can handle dealing with my own challenges that I have to deal with. But if it involves affecting other people, that’s a real big problem for me. So that was certainly tough and certainly challenging.

But fortunately all the guys that I work with are the most understanding wonderful dudes in the entire world. So I’m glad I’m close with guys like Roderick Strong and Mike Bennett and Matt Taven. So they understand that freak situations and freak circumstances do happen.”

• Adam Cole Opens Up on Overcoming Body Shaming in Wrestling

It Was Really Tough: Adam Cole

Adam Cole was involved in a long-running storyline with MJF prior to his injury. He revealed himself as the mysterious Devil at the Worlds End PPV in December 2023. A reformed version of the Undisputed Kingdom as the Devil’s Masked Men was also revealed under Cole’s leadership.

The group now consisted of Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Mike Bennett, and Matt Taven. The faction has continued being featured on AEW programming in Cole’s absence, but they have been moved out of a prominent spot.

The former ROH Champion explained that the ankle injury was more challenging mentally in many ways compared to his concussion recovery. Though he is very thankful for the support system of his family and friends that helped him stay positive in this time:

“To say this was a challenging time mentally would be an understatement. In a weird way again the concussion injury that I had that was probably the scariest in the sense of like ‘Am I going to be able to come back from this injury?’

But to deal with the ankle injury which took even more time and knowing that it affected other people. Yeah, it was really tough. But again I’m so thankful that I have a great support system around me that includes not just my family but the wrestlers who were involved.”

Adam Cole has opened up about being body-shamed online.

Being a celebrity makes you very vulnerable to unwarranted criticism and personal attacks from people. In an industry like pro wrestling where maintaining appearances is a big part of the gig, not being able to look your best for any reason can easily lead to crude reactions.

Cole, who has spent the better part of the last two years on the shelf due to injuries is no stranger to such remarks. He has previously replied to such comments while working hard to get back into ring shape for his return.

The former NXT Champion opened up about dealing with such things during a recent interview with TVInsider. He mentioned that part of being a public figure is expecting to hear judgment from people and recognizing that individuals are allowed to say what they want to say:

“People are allowed to say what they want to say. Does it feel good? Not at all. It definitely doesn’t. At the same time, if I’m someone who wants to be in the entertainment business and in the public eye, I know it’s something I have to expect to deal with in a lot of ways.”

• Adam Cole Confirms Breakup With Britt Baker

Focused On Making The Best Version Of Me: Adam Cole

The Undisputed Kingdom Leader is not the only AEW star who has had to face such situations. Former Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo also recently discussed standing up to trolls and finding her confidence after previously being phased by such discourse.

Adam Cole explained that everyone in a similar position deals with such comments differently. For him, the best course of action is to ignore all the chatter and focus on his progress:

“I know everyone handles it differently. For me, I’ve gotten to the point where I kind of ignore it or block it out as best I can. I’m focused on making me the best version of me. I try not to get too discouraged with what social media can say.”

The 35-year-old made his AEW return at the WrestleDream PPV on October 12. The company has since announced that he will be making his in-ring return against Buddy Matthews at the Fright Night Dynamite special on October 30.

AEW star Hologram has confirmed that he suffered a minor injury during his most recent PPV match at WrestleDream on October 12.

The high-flying star was set to wrestle at the upcoming Galli Lucha show on October 27. The promotion, however, posted a video on Facebook recently to confirm he will be missing the show.

The AEW star who holds the Galli Indiscutible Title was going to defend the championship against Beast Mortos. He confirmed in the video that the match will have to be postponed due to his injury:

“I was looking forward to the show and defend this title (the GALLI Indiscutible Title), but I got injured and I will be out for some weeks.

I would be with you all if it were up to me, but that is not the case per advice from the medics so I will have to postpone that match against Beast Mortos.”

The good news for Hologram fans is that he won’t be out of action for long. The masked star claimed that he is only expected to be out for about two weeks:

“The slightly good news is I won’t be out for that long, just about two weeks. I will try to heal up as soon as I can so I can bring a great spectacle for all of you and be a worthy champion. A hug from the Musketeer of The Air,”

Hologram competed in a 2 out of 3 falls match against The Beast Mortos at the WrestleDream PPV. He picked up the victory over the La Faccion Ingobernable member in the bout. This week’s episode of AEW Collision then saw the Mexican star being attacked by Mortos with Rush and Dralistico.

• Fuego Del Sol On Being Mistaken for Hologram: ‘Not All Masked Guys Look Alike’

Chris Jericho and Mark Briscoe went to war at WrestleDream 2024 in a match that saw Briscoe retain the ROH World Championship. This week, the pair once again did battle for the richest prize in Ring of Honor, but it was Jericho who’d leave the October 23, edition of AEW Dynamite with the gold.

In a ladder match, Briscoe and Jericho held nothing back and used the titular item to full effect as a weapon. The closing moments of the match saw Mark hit a Jay Driller on the Learning Tree and climb the ladder, seemingly poised to retain the title. That was until Big Bill interfered and chokeslammed him through a table. Bill then propped Jericho on his shoulders, allowing the veteran to capture the gold.

After the match, Jericho and Bill’s celebration was cut short by Tomohiro Ishii. The Japanese legend had previously been taken out by Jericho and now has his sights set on the new Ring of Honor World Champion.

In a backstage segment, Mark Briscoe was at a loss for words after his brutal defeat at the hands of Jericho (and Big Bill.)

This win marks Jericho’s second time holding the Ring of Honor World Championship and his ninth World title overall in his career. He previously held the gold from September to December 2022, both winning from and losing the gold to Claudio Castagnoli.

Tonight’s edition of AEW Dynamite will air live on TBS at 8/7c from the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The show promises an exciting lineup, headlined by a WrestleDream rematch, as ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe once again puts his title on the line against Chris Jericho. This time, the two will face off in a Ladder War match following Briscoe’s victory over Jericho earlier this month at WrestleDream.

Sammy Guevara also returns to action after missing several weeks due to a concussion. He’s set to square off against Shelton Benjamin, who made an impressive in-ring debut for AEW last week with a win over Lio Rush. Additionally, The Elite (Young Bucks and Jack Perry) will take on Daniel Garcia & Private Party (Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy) in a highly anticipated trios match.

Matches and Segments:

• ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe defends against Chris Jericho in a Ladder War match
• The Elite (Young Bucks and Jack Perry) vs. Daniel Garcia & Private Party (Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy)
• Sammy Guevara vs. Shelton Benjamin
• Kamille vs. Queen Aminata
• House of Black in action
• Hook confronts Taz’s attacker(s)
• We’ll hear from Kyle Fletcher

Don’t miss out on this stacked edition of AEW Dynamite!

Adam Cole has confirmed his break up with Britt Baker.

The two AEW stars had been together for 8 years. They started dating back in 2017 before the inception of the company. Their relationship status had been subject of much speculation in recent months.

During a recent interview with The Takedown, Cole confirmed that he and Baker are no longer romantically involved but they remain good friends:

“We are no longer a couple, but when I say that we both still love each other and are still friends and still so supportive of each other, that could not be more true.”

Adam Cole also addressed the online discourse around their relationship. He encouraged people not to pick sides and know that they still care for each other:

“I don’t want anyone to ever think that me and Britt dislike each other. I think it is possible, in situations, for people who are in relationships to kind of go their separate ways, but still care about one another. The last thing I would want is fans to pick sides or anything like that.”

The former NXT Champion stressed that he wants Britt Baker to be as happy and successful as humanly possible. He noted that Baker will remain an important part of his life and there is absolutely no ill will between them.

The Undisputed Kingdom leader returned to AEW during the WrestleDream PPV on October 12. In a promo at the following Dynamite episode, Adam Cole turned face and confirmed that his rivalry with MJF was not over.

Deonna Purrazzo has opened up about being body-shamed online and various wrestling personalities and fans coming to her support.

The Virtuosa has been carving a unique spot for herself in the women’s wrestling space over the last few years. After being rejected by WWE early in her career, Purrazzo showed that she can lead a division with her TNA run. She is now finding her place in the AEW locker room after officially joining the company in January this year.

Getting the spotlight on stages like these, however, comes with some consequences as well. Deonna has had to deal with negativity and body shaming online in recent times.

The 3-time Impact Knockouts Champion opened up about defending herself from such troll comments during an interview with Chris Van Vliet. She explained that she needed to speak up because she is much more than just her looks or a number on a scale:

“Oh my gosh, yes they did. That’s the unfortunate beauty of the internet is when people come for you for such silly things like your body or whatever it is. I wanted to defend myself.

I felt like I needed to say something, and what I said, I mean, I feel in my heart and soul like I’m so much more than what my body looks like. I’m so much more than a number on the scale.”

• Deonna Purrazzo: ‘Britt Baker-MJF Incident Doesn’t Reflect My AEW Experience’

That’s All That Matters: Deonna Purrazzo

Deonna Purrazzo sent out a tweet earlier this year after some trolls targeted her following her AEW debut. She mentioned how her worth is not determined by her body or other’s perception. A number of wrestling veterans including the likes of Mickie James and Brian Myers came to her support after this.

The former TNA star seems to be taking things more positively since then. She mentioned how her husband Steve Maclin supports her no matter what and it’s all that matters:

“First of all, I’ve never been a size small, but my husband loves me whether I would be a small or I’d be an extra extra large, like he thinks I’m beautiful no matter what. And honestly, that’s all that matters. I have a college degree. I’m working on getting a master’s degree.

I have worked in every company in the world. There’s a reason people want to work with me, because of my body of work, not my body, and for people to agree with that and then say such nice things, I cried because the internet hurt my feelings, but then I cried because the love I felt for my friends and my family.”

Purrazzo has competed against names such as Toni Storm, Thunder Rosa and Mariah May since joining AEW full-time. She is still in the hunt for her first championship in the company.

Check out our exclusive interview with Deonna Purrazzo from earlier this year:

The last time fans saw Toni Storm in an AEW ring, the Timeless one lost the AEW Women’s World Championship to Mariah May at AEW All In: London back in August. More recently, Storm has found herself in Mexico with CMLL and is teasing starting a new life in the country.

Appearing for AEW’s new All Elite Show on Fox Sports Mexico, Storm was asked about the current situation regarding a return to AEW. Instead, the former champion said she’s thinking about settling down in Mexico to fulfill a culinary dream.

“There is no situation. Life just is what it is right now. I’m thinking of moving here permanently. I’m thinking of setting up my own taco stand and living a happy, peaceful life here in Mexico. I think it will be best.”

Storm even shared a name for her new venture, which if successful could mark the end of her days in the ring.

“Everybody will come to Toni’s Tacos! That’s my business, that’s my next venture. Maybe I’ll never go back to AEW. I think Toni’s Tacos is it!”

Storm signed off with a variation of her beloved catchphrase, telling viewers “Chin up, tits out, and watch for the taco!” While fans can expect Storm back in an AEW ring eventually, possibly at AEW Grand Slam 2025 in Australia, don’t be surprised if you find the Timeless star selling dishes like ‘Taco-rita Hayworth‘ and ‘Charlton Ques-ton‘ the next time you’re in Mexico.

Deonna Purrazzo’s efforts to make it in WWE saw the Virtuosa end up in debt, just to be informed that she didn’t stand out enough. Purrazzo first appeared for WWE in 2014 as one of Adam Rose’s ‘Rosebuds’ in 2014 before making her in-ring debut the following year. On a recent edition of the Insight podcast, Purrazzo spoke about trying to make it in WWE, which proved to be a costly endeavor at the time.

“Late 2015, early 2016, I was in NXT at the tapings every other week. I was there 24/7 flying myself, actively going into debt so I could be in Orlando, Florida, to wrestle for NXT.”

Despite Purrazzo’s best efforts, she wouldn’t be signed at the time and would have to wait until 2018 before finally securing a contract. When asked why WWE didn’t pick her up three years earlier, the Virtuosa was somewhat flummoxed.

“That’s a really great question. I don’t know. Kind of always the answer was that I was a five-foot-two brunette, and there was a ton of us on the Indies.

“February 2016 they were just like ‘we have too many of you right now and go out there and keep making a name for yourself, and maybe it’ll come full circle.'”

Purrazzo would sign with WWE in April 2018 while backstage at a Shimmer Women Athletes event. Her signing resulted in her pulling out of that year’s All In, a precursor to AEW. Unfortunately, Purrazzo’s time under contract would see her wrestle just 16 times on TV before her release in April 2020.

Undeterred, Purrazzo reinvented herself after her release and would become a premier star in Impact Wrestling before joining AEW earlier this year. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Purrazzo as she looks to capture the AEW Women’s World Championship.

Chris Jericho’s next Hollywood project, Dark Match, is slated for release on Friday, January 31, 2025. This wrestling-themed action-horror film was one of several exciting titles announced by Shudder during the New York Comic Con.

Dark Match was first announced in December 2022 and is directed by Lowell Dean. The film boasts a star-studded cast, including Ayisha Issa (Transplant), Steven Ogg (The Walking Dead, Westworld), Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries), Michael Eklund (The Call), and Jonathan Cherry (Goon).

Produced by John K. MacDonald, Don Depoe, Michael Feehan, Rhonda Baker, and Michael Peterson, with executive producers Eleanor Wiebe and Chris Jericho, Dark Match promises to thrill action and horror fans alike.

The official synopsis reads: “A small-time wrestling company accepts a lucrative gig in a remote, backwoods town, only to discover that the community is controlled by a mysterious cult leader with sinister plans for their match.”

Jericho, already well-known for his role in the Terrifier movies, is seeing continued success with Terrifier 3, which has grossed nearly $30 million since its debut on October 11, 2024.

Pro wrestling icon Sting recently revealed that he inked a multi-year deal with AEW. Sting hung up his boots at AEW Revolution earlier this year. He teamed up with Darby Allin and defeated The Young Bucks at the show. While he won’t compete inside the ring, he will continue to stay associated with the promotion.

Sting addressed his future with AEW in an interview on Kayfabe Friends at the 58th Annual Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion. ‘The Icon’ opened up on signing a new contract with AEW. He further added that he signed a deal similar to WWE’s Legends Deal. He highlighted that under the contract, he will make appearances from time to time.

“I signed a multi-year deal with AEW, obviously not to wrestle anymore, but it’s like a licensing deal, a legends deal if you want to call it that. So I’ll do appearances with them on and off, depending on what they want and all.”

– Sting

What Sting is doing after Wrestling

In addition to this, he expressed his love for real estate. He said that he was into real estate investments before becoming a pro wrestling. He said:

“I’ve done real estate, I did real estate before I ever was a pro wrestler, so I’ve always loved real estate. A lot of people say, ‘Oh, are you a real estate agent?’ No, I’m not an agent. I’m an investor. I was flipping houses before flipping houses was a term. So I made money in real estate before wrestling, so I’m doing that again, and I love it.”

– Sting

Sting’s latest appearance for AEW took place at the AEW All In: London 2024 pay-per-view back in August. He came to the aid of his former tag-team partner Darby Allin, who was getting set on fire by The Elite.

Daniel Garcia is not joining NXT anytime soon but he has addressed the jokes surrounding his rumored NXT move.

Fans had been speculating that Garcia could jump ship to WWE and join NXT following his defeat to MJF at AEW All Out 2024. However, he recently made it clear that he is not parting ways with AEW and even signed a new contract with the promotion.

As Daniel Garcia’s contract with AEW was running out, fans joked that he should join NXT due to the attractive women at WWE’s Performance Center. Speaking on the South Kongress podcast, Garcia stated that he understood why people found it funny. However, he feels that it undermined how talented NXT is. He showered praise on WWE’s developmental brand whose roster is stacked with a plethora of talents. Daniel Garcia said:

“I get why people think it was funny and it kept blowing up and people kept sending me things. To me, it completely undermines how great NXT is. I feel like NXT right now is hot, it’s on fire, they have such great talent, men and women, international talent from all over the world. People of all different experience levels.

When people kept saying I’m just going to sign there because there are a bunch of attractive women, I think it undermines the work rate, the talent of the entire roster. They have a great roster on their hands. They’re doing a bunch of great things over there. It undermines and takes away from what they’re doing over there.”

Daniel Garcia is set to join forces with Private Party (Zay & Quen) and face Jack Perry & The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) on this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite.

Keith Lee joined AEW in 2022 to much fanfare, but his tenure with the promotion has seen a series of unfortunate breaks due to health issues. In 2024, Keith Lee has yet to compete for AEW, Ring of Honor, or any other promotion, but the Limitless One is far from finished in the squared circle.

On X, Lee shared a statement of gratitude toward fans, saying he hasn’t seen all of the positive messages aimed in his direction but has seen many. Lee added that “we are not done” and encouraged his fans to “hang in there just like I am.” The former AEW World Tag Team Champion promised that “the time will come” before ending with a reminder to vote in next month’s U.S. election.

Lee didn’t share the reason for his absence from the ring in his statement. Earlier this month, Fightful Select reported that he had yet to be cleared after experiencing an undisclosed medical issue. Lee’s most recent match took place on the December 28, 2023, Collision and saw him defeat Brian Cage. He had been set to face Swerve Strickland at Worlds End two days later but their long-awaited blow-off match following their tag team split had to be nixed.

Whatever the future holds for Keith Lee, the former NXT Champion is confident that his return to the ring will come. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on Keith Lee and hid role as part of All Elite Wrestling.

In the main event of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s Forged in Excellence event, Konosuke Takeshita retained the AEW International Championship against TNA Wrestling’s Josh Alexander. After the match, Takeshita continued his attack but this assault was cut off by another AEW star.

Ricochet made the save and took the fight to Takeshita, sending the International Champion on the defensive. Ricochet would end the show by standing tall with the AEW International Championship and shaking hands with Alexander.

Ricochet clearly has his eyes on capturing the AEW International Championship, a title he has challenged for twice already. Ricochet previously challenged then-champion Will Ospreay for the gold on the October 2, episode of AEW Dynamite, which served as the show’s fifth anniversary. Takeshita interfered and attacked both men before winning the gold in a three-way match at AEW WrestleDream. On the October 19 episode of AEW Collision, Ricochet beat AR Fox and targeted Takeshita in a post-match promo.

Since arriving in AEW at All In: London 2024, Ricochet has been one of the company’s most regularly featured stars, and has now arrived in Maple Leaf Pro. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from Ricochet and whether he becomes the next AEW International Champion.

Shelton Benjamin’s next AEW opponent is Sammy Guevara. The match is scheduled for Wednesday’s Dynamite and was announced during a video package that aired on Collision. Guevara emphasized his pride as an AEW original and his goal to create memorable moments in the ring. He said he personally requested the match with Shelton Benjamin from Tony Khan. He praised the WWE alum, saying he has admired him since childhood, and promised fans another standout moment on Dynamite.

Also announced on Sunday, Queen Aminata will take on Kamille.

Matches & Segments Announced for October 23 AEW Dynamite

Here’s the updated card for Wednesday’s Dynamite on TBS:

• ROH World Title Ladder War Match: Mark Briscoe (c) vs. Chris Jericho
• Six-Man Tag Team Match: Daniel Garcia & Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy) vs. The Elite (Jack Perry, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
• Sammy Guevara vs. Shelton Benjamin
• Queen Aminata vs. Kamille
• House of Black scheduled for in-ring action

Plus, Kyle Fletcher will address Will Ospreay.

WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff has made it clear that he would not be interested in signing with AEW if he is offered a job in the promotion.

Bischoff has been a critic of AEW and never misses a chance to lambaste the promotion. During a recent episode of the 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff was questioned whether he would consider being the General Manager of AEW if he had the chance.

The pro wrestling legend said that he would not be accepting the role. He was hopeful that AEW would find a direction amid the backstage drama. Eric Bischoff explained that if he was younger, there would have been a chance that he would have grabbed the opportunity. However, he feels that at his current stage in life, he wouldn’t want to be involved.

“No. I hope AEW pulls a nose up, figures out a way, and has vision, but we all know it’s pretty public, the kind of drama going on backstage. If I was in my 20s and 30s, hell yeah. Why not, especially with the kind of bags that are being thrown around backstage there. Hell yeah, I’d do it. Even in my 40s, I would have done it, but at this stage of my life, I wouldn’t go near it.”

Eric Bischoff highlighted that if he would step into AEW, he would be held responsible for its issues. He said that he wouldn’t want to show up on camera anymore. The former WWE star noted that if AEW were in a “better environment” and had “more momentum”, he might have considered appearing. However, he believes that is not the case. Eric Bischoff added:

“First of all, the first time I step foot in AEW, everything that’s wrong with that place would be wrong because of me. I ain’t going near it. I wouldn’t even want to show up on camera anymore. If everything was fine, and you know, Tony and I weren’t going back and forth, and I didn’t call his last All In show hot garbage this morning, even if none of that was happening and we were buddies, I wouldn’t even really want to be on the show. At this stage of my life, why? It’s not as much fun for me anymore as it would have been when I was in my 40s. If it was a better environment, if the show was great, if it had some momentum and it was fun, sure I would, if it was fun, but it’s not fun.”

Eric Bischoff has made a handful of appearances in AEW in the past. However, he is currently focused on his new career. Bischoff has found a new career in the mortgage industry. The pro wrestling veteran has launched his career as a mortgage loan officer. He has remained dedicated to make an impact in the field.