AEW Rampage premieres tonight on TNT at 10pm (Eastern). It’s the second weekly cable TV show from All Elite Wrestling.
The debut episode of AEW Rampage will take place from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Petersen Events Center.
In an effort to establish Rampage as a must-watch show right out the gate, we have three championship matches signed for the broadcast.
The first match on the first episode of AEW Rampage will see Kenny Omega defending the Impact World Championship against Christian Cage. This will be the first time in history that the Impact World title is defending on AEW programming.
TNT Champion Miro will put his title on the line against Fuego Del Sol. In addition to his title shot against Miro, FDS will be awarded an AEW contract if he’s victorious over The Redeemer.
Finally, Dr. Britt Baker will battle Red Velvet in the main event of the first AEW Rampage. Britt Baker typically portrays a villain in AEW. However, she received a hero’s welcome at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite from Pittsburgh.
It’s sure to be an eventful show for AEW fans. A new chapter begins tonight, just one week away from AEW Rampage: The First Dance from Chicago, IL.
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson recently responded to some comments from AEW’s Jake Hager on Twitter. Hager put out a Tweet saying he’d bet $20K that Steveson couldn’t take him down. Steveson eventually responded that he has never heard of Hager.
Jake Hager was recently angling for a fight with Fedor Emelianenko. Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett spoke out about this, saying Hager was not good enough to be lobbying for such a fight.
No, it's not.
Having more followers doesn't mean anything in terms of merit or skill in the ring.
You're a green boy who fights rookies. You don't even belong in the conversation.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Steveson spoke about his WWE ambitions.
“If I ever go to WWE, I’d be a ‘Paul Heyman Guy,’ ” said Steveson. “Heyman is a legend. We’d be two people doing great things, and that would be a tough team to beat.”
“And I’ve known Brock since I was in high school. He’s been there for me for a long time, making sure I do things the right way and put my best foot forward.”
“So many great organizations and teams have reached out. A scout from the Bills, there is a connection with the Ravens. The Olympic gold medal is helping me see the world, so my next step is going to be a big decision. I’m going to decompress now and think about it.”
Wrestling legend Ric Flair is considered to be “a lock” to be joining AEW, according to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
“While nothing has been announced, the word going around is that it seems to be a lock Ric Flair will be headed here when he is legally able,” wrote Meltzer.
On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, it was also mentioned that Flair and Tony Khan are long-time friends.
“Ric had a great contract with WWE, it was exceptional. Ric Flair is also friends with Tony Khan, I mean they’ve been friends for years.”
– Dave Meltzer
Khan was a guest when Ric Flair married Wendy Barlow in 2018 and the two have been photographed socializing several times over the past few years.
Ric Flair: I Will Never Retire!
Ric Flair was recently granted his release by WWE. He had previously expressed frustration with his creative direction (the Lacey Evans romance storyline) and also how his daughter Charlotte has been used in recent months.
The Nature Boy spoke with People earlier this month about the departure.
“We just didn’t see eye to eye on some business opportunities that I wanted to pursue, so I asked for my release,” Flair said. “There has been no animosity and everything has been on friendly terms.”
“It was a mutually agreed-upon decision and I will be moving forward to pursue other exciting endeavors such as my own line of wine, my own network, as well as comic books,” he continued. “I had to make this decision personally for my business and my brand.”
After an episode of AEW Dark had to be pulled and re-edited due to controversial lyrics of a rap by Max Caster, the member of the Acclaimed has reportedly been sent to sensitivity training. The Acclaimed were also removed from the AEW top-5 tag-team rankings this week after having sat in the #2 position the week prior.
“After what happened last week and the fallout, Max Caster has been sent to sensitivity training,” wrote Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The Acclaimed had a match taped on August 4th that was supposed to air on the August 10th Dark but didn’t.
Anthony Bowens worked a singles match at Wednesday’s AEW TV tapings from Pittsburgh, PA. It will likely air on Dark next week. It’s worth noting that Bowens did not use the Acclaimed’s entrance music for the match.
On Busted Open Radio recently, Tony Khan addressed what happened.
“Last night on Dark, Max Caster’s rap was terrible. I was not out there in the moment when he did it, it was not during Dynamite,” Khan said. “I had not heard it until last night, truthfully. In the editing process, it should have been caught. We deleted the episode and re-posted it with that edited out but it shouldn’t have aired.”
“This would never have happened (on Dynamite) because Max’s raps, I have always gone over them with him,” he continued. “I don’t script or write wrestler’s promos, but the bullet points I give. In this case, it shouldn’t have happened and what will happen going forward is I will take over the editing of Dark and Elevation myself.”
A transcript of Caster’s rap is below:
“The Acclaimed kicking ass for miles, make you claim mental health like Simone Biles. The Sydals gonna pay the cost, I’m gonna treat those bitches like Duke lacrosse. The Blondes say they the best but those dudes are faker than a PCR test. And what’s that smell here in North Carolina, oh wait that’s Julia’s …”
??? NEW MUSIC ALERT ???
"Critically Acclaimed, Vol 1" is out on ALL streaming platforms! Hosted by @Bowens_Official. ALL your fave Acclaimed disses & new songs!
There are not many wrestlers like Darby Allin. He has it all, from his persona, his in-ring skills, his ability to sell moves and build an underdog connection with the fans. This is a viewpoint shared by wrestling legend Diamond Dallas Page, who has developed a friendship with Allin.
Talking on a recent episode of the It’s My House podcast, Diamond Dallas Page had plenty of say about Darby and his future in wrestling.
DDP holds a very special place in the wrestling community. He has worked with many different promotions and has literally saved the lives of fellow wrestlers with his DDP Yoga lifestyle. He leads a very strict and healthy lifestyle, and that is something he and Darby Allin share. Albeit if via different methodologies.
“I love Darby. He’s a great kid, he’ll call me up if he’s coming into town.”
Page wasted no words in showing his appreciation for Darby as a technician and a hard-working athlete. “Darby is someone who puts the work in and does everything he can to reverse the risk-taking that he does,” said DDP. “But, he doesn’t even need to do that s*it anymore. He could do a coffin drop here and there, he could do like one or two high spots a match. Because Darby really knows how to wrestle, Darby knows how to sell. And the people love him!”
DDP Understands the Jeff Hardy Comparisons
Any fan of professional wrestling will always make comparisons between wrestlers. Especially wrestlers that have that special something about their character. There has been no shortage of comparisons between Darby Allin and the charismatic enigma Jeff Hardy. Comparisons that DDP understands. However, he also spots one core difference between them.
“He’s a bigger risk taker than Jeff Hardy, and that says something. The difference between [the] two is one is straight edge and one’s not.”
DDP went on to discuss the career of Jeff Hardy and how remarkable it had been. “I think Jeff Hardy is just an unbelievable athlete. I don’t know how he’s still being able to do the s*it he’s able to do. But, he’s still in his 40s. And you really don’t feel this s*it until you start getting in your 50s, and when you get in your 60s. That’s when you feel your shoulders, your knees, your back, your neck.”
Darby Allin is an exciting prospect and has the entire wrestling world ahead of him. With the likes of Diamond Dallas Page and Sting in his corner, there is no end to what he can achieve in this business.
Former NXT star Bronson Reed (Jonah Rock) has called out AEW TNT Champion Miro.
Reed was a part of a slew of NXT roster cuts. The list included Reed, Bobby Fish, Mercedes Martinez, Leon Ruff, Tyler Rust, Jake Atlas, and others. For many, Reed was the most shocking name on that list. After all, he was called upon to work some dark matches before an episode of SmackDown and the belief was that he’d make his main roster debut soon.
Now that he is no longer a part of the WWE, Reed is turning his attention to other promotions. It’s quite clear that he has at least one man in mind to pick a fight with. Here’s the message Reed sent out on Twitter.
Miro has held the TNT Championship since May 12. He ended the 186-day reign of Darby Allin. On the debut episode of AEW Rampage, Miro will put the gold on the line against Fuego Del Sol.
Recently-released NXT stars have 30-day non-compete clauses, so Bronson Reed could show up in AEW within a matter of weeks.
Time will tell when Reed will be able to showcase his talents in another promotion.
There has been a lot of movement in the wrestling world this year. Every week seems to bring a new debut in one show or another. One of the quieter ones was recorded this week and will air on the next episode of AEW Dark Elevation.
Kiera Hogan, the former two-time IMPACT Knockouts tag team champion took on former AEW Women’s champion Hikaru Shida.
Kiera Hogan’s AEW debut (Pittsburgh, PA, 8/11/21)
Kiera Hogan was wrestling on Impact as recently as last week where she was attacked and left behind by her Fire ‘N Flava partner Tasha Steelz. The AEW women’s division is well-populated right now, and get most of their coverage on the Dark shows. However, with Kenny Omega having recently spoken about his desire to push women’s wrestling even more on Rampage, the addition of a wrestler like Kiera Hogan makes sense.
Hogan is a tag team wrestler, and with talk of a women’s tag team title being introduced at some point down the road, you have to think that if Kiera Hogan earns a contract, she would have her eyes on that gold.
Kiera Hogan Looking to Bounce Right Back into the Ring
Nobody was expecting Kiera Hogan to announce her departure from IMPACT wrestling. While her appearance should not be a surprise given her talent, it adds to the mystery of her departure. IMPACT has an open relationship with AEW. While there has been recent criticism of how the Forbidden Door seems less open to female wrestlers, it still doesn’t really explain why Hogan left the promotion.
In any case, she has wasted no time in getting back into the ring and keeping herself in match shape.
Kiera Hogan is a difficult fighter to face in the ring. She is talented and athletic, standing just 4’11’’ which makes her an interesting fighter to have to deal with.
AEW President Tony Khan recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio in his now permanent slot. The owner of All Elite discussed several topics during his latest appearance, including AEW Rampage which debuts on Friday night.
“TNT is so happy with how Rampage is tracking already” Tony Khan began. “I think they think it’s going to be a huge hit. There’s definitely a lot of interest and we owe the people at TNT.”
“They could not have rolled out the red carpet anymore for us” Khan continued, praising AEW’s network. “They have so much in terms of promoting the show. There’s been ads all over the place.”
“I watched Seinfeld on TBS last night when I checked into the hotel in Pittsburgh. Every time it went to break, there were Rampage commercials, which is great” Khan added.
Tony Khan on TNT Network
“So it’s on all kinds of shows, including other wrestling shows. And I really, really am happy that they’re promoting it… Really, I think with two shows it’s going to provide more opportunities, more upward mobility” Khan noted, alluding to the huge roster that All Elite now has.
“But it’s still going to be a star-driven show, Rampage, just like Dynamite is a star-driven show. And I think what Elevation and Dark have given us the ability to do is develop stars and get them TV ready. Now there’s more TV real estate for everyone to work towards getting in there and fighting for” the AEW President concluded.
AEW confirmed several matches for Rampage this Friday on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Here’s the full confirmed card for the debut show on Friday 13th:
IMPACT World Championship – Kenny Omega (c) vs Christian Cage
AEW Women’s Championship – Dr Britt Baker D.M.D (c) vs Red Velvet
The wrestling future is still unclear for AEW EVP Cody Rhodes. He has yet to address what happened after his match with Malakai Black on AEW Dynamite last week. Cody was not seen on Dynamite this week; however, one question was answered. His new reality showRhodes to the Top was given a premiere date.
The show, which will consist of 30-minute episodes debuts on Wednesday 29th September at 10 pm on TNT. The debut episode of Rhodes to the Top will be one hour, before dropping to thirty minutes for the remaining episodes
The write up for the show certainly makes it sound like an interesting show to watch.
Rhodes to the Top goes inside the lives of Cody and Brandi as they navigate their growing family while helping to build AEW’s global wrestling empire. The additional four, 30-minute episodes will take viewers behind-the-scenes as the powerhouse couple manage their ever-busier lives inside and outside the ring, all the while surrounded by a colorful and often hilarious motley crew of wrestlers, family, and friends who both support and test them at every turn. Married in 2013, Cody and Brandi have been on an unprecedented path to wrestling greatness – but will now face their newest and possibly biggest challenge yet – becoming parents.
Rhodes to the Top is Just One Project Keeping Cody Busy
While Cody Rhodes wrestling future may be uncertain, he is certainly keeping himself busy. Besides Rhodes to the Top, he is currently away from AEW filming the next season of Go Big Show. The show will air on TBS.
Brandi has also been absent from television for some time due to her pregnancy and the early days of motherhood.
The Rhodes family are wrestling through and through. Even if Cody’s time in the ring is done, we have certainly not seen the last of him in the business. Even Rhodes to the Top is focused on the industry and will be packed with special guest appearances.
AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker threw out the first pitch at Thursday’s Pittsburgh Pirates MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Her guest catcher was none other than AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone.
The first pitch was in association with KultureCity, a non-profit that provides sensory inclusive experiences for fans at AEW events.
AEW released this video of Britt Baker’s ceremonial first pitch.
Chris Jericho has moved on to the fifth labour and he’s got a doozy of a stipulation to deal with against MJF.
Jericho competed against Wardlow in the main event of this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite. During the match, MJF attempted to hand Wardlow the Dynamite Diamond Ring to use as a weapon. Referee Aubrey Edwards caught MJF in the act and threw him out of the ring.
Jericho was one step ahead of both MJF and Wardlow. With Aubrey focused on MJF, Jericho struck Wardlow with a bat and nailed the Judas Effect for the three-count. After the match, Jericho was attacked by Shawn Spears. Sammy Guevara ran down but the numbers game caught up as MJF and Wardlow jumped in.
Before substantial damage could be done, Jake Hager chased off members of The Pinnacle.
Dynamite didn’t go off the air until MJF revealed his stipulation for the fifth labour. When the match goes down on the Aug. 18 edition of Dynamite, Jericho cannot walk down the ramp to his entrance music and is barred from using the Judas Effect against MJF.
“Next week, I’m gonna take away something from you that you love, something you cherish, something that has helped you win each and every single one of these labours thus far. Chris next week, no Judas Effect, no Judas music. You are going to be coming out here to dead silence! These schmucks are not gonna be able to sing along to your crappy little song! And if you hit me with Judas Effect, Chris, I automatically win.”
Who will win the fifth labour of Jericho? Will it be MJF or Chris Jericho?
Malakai Black has weighed in on the possibility of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan joining AEW.
The wrestling world has been buzzing about reports and rumors of Punk and Bryan making their way to AEW television. Punk hasn’t been seen in a wrestling ring since 2014, while Bryan is fresh off his run on WWE TV.
Black, who is a recent AEW signee, appeared on Pro Wrestling 4 Life and told Sean Waltman that he doesn’t know if Punk truly is on his way to the promotion.
“Number one, I genuinely do not know if it’s true. I genuinely don’t. I haven’t heard anyone mention it. Obviously, there’s a buzz in the locker room. I think it’d be great. I think it really proves that the times have changed. I think it’d be a validation of how different everything is and how different the business is now. I don’t play the ‘us vs. them’ cards. I just don’t. I want everybody to be successful.”
Black then turned his attention to Bryan and said he’d love to see the former WWE Champion make the transition.
“I can see someone like Daniel pulling the trigger on that because he’s someone who has a great love for wrestling, and always wants to try different things and always has a different perspective on stuff. Sometimes, it’s just fun to think about the possibilities, and for me, obviously with my release, the possibilities became different. I can only imagine how his brain might work. I can only guess at it. I hope so. I can see him definitely showing up, but again, I don’t know.”
Would you like to see Malakai Black booked to face CM Punk or Daniel Bryan?
All Elite Wrestling has announced the likely main event for their upcoming All Out pay-per-view event, which will see Kenny Omega defend the World Heavyweight Title against Christian Cage.
The promotion confirmed the match booking in the opening segment of Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite Omega as AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks made their way to the ring for a six-man tag team match.
Just a few weeks into Cage’s tenure in AEW, he had several run-ins with Omega including one of their segments that ended with Christian holding the AEW World Title. Up to this point, the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion has worked nine matches under the AEW banner including a win over The Blade at the Homecoming show.
The AEW All Out pay-per-view event will take place on Sunday, September 5, 2021 from Chicago, Illinois at Now Arena.
The event is expected to begin at 8 p.m. ET and stream live on the Bleacher Report platform in the United States and FITE in International markets. All Elite Wrestling will be announcing more matches in the coming weeks.
August 11th Men’s Rankings
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega (6-0 in 2021, 48-12 overall)
AEW TNT Champion Miro (10-0 in 2021, 17-1 overall)
WWE had the opportunity to sign current All Elite Wrestling talent Wheeler Yuta but passed on him.
Fightful Select reported on August 8th that there is a shift in WWE’s hiring process, which raised concern. The report noted that people in NXT were surprised WWE passed on talent after trying out.
“There were also some names passed on at recent tryouts that people in NXT thought were going to be a slam dunk that a couple of wrestlers claim were red flags,” said Fightful Select.
A new report revealed today that Yuta was whom the sources were referencing.
“Fightful had noted recently that there was a WWE tryout name that didn’t receive an offer that turned several heads within the Performance Center and WWE and raised some flags that the hiring process had changed. It actually ended up being Wheeler YUTA, who is now regularly featured on AEW programming after his May 2021 WWE tryout,” the report states.
More Notes on WWE passing on Yuta
The news of WWE not signing him came as a surprise because of his age, experience, and appearance.
While the reports said WWE passed on Yuta, it acknowledged it’s unclear if WWE gave an offer. “The same WWE official we spoke with this past weekend noted that was a head-turner for them as well, but they weren’t sure if Yuta was actually made an offer or not — but that the idea that they didn’t finish a deal was surprising,” as stated in the report.
The report also notes that AEW and Ring of Honor were trying to sign Yuta at that time. Ultimately, he joined AEW and debuted on AEW Dark Elevation at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, on June 28th. He would lose to Karl Anderson in his debut. Since then, he has been on AEW’s programming. His first match on AEW Dynamite was a loss against Sammy Guevara on July 14th at Daily’s Place.
CM Punk was recently interviewed by Jason Agnew for Sunday Night’s Main Event. Agnew asked Punk about the rumors surrounding him, AEW, and a big show from Chicago’s United Center on August 20th. Punk answered the questions, though he avoided saying much.
When asked about his plans for next Friday night, CM Punk played coy.
“When was that?” Punk said “Let me look at my calendar. When did you say it was? The 20th? I think I actually might be doing a screening – this isn’t confirmed yet, so I probably shouldn’t blast this out everywhere – but we’re talking about doing a screening of episode 3 of HEELS at an AMC in Chicago and that was one of the dates that has been proposed, so hope to see everyone there.”
CM Punk also addressed Darby Allin using the line “Best in the World” on a recent episode of Dynamite.
“Best in the world? That could be anybody.” He joked that he thinks ‘Bryan’ [Danielson] when he hears the phrase, Best in the World.
Punk also spoke about his opinions of Darby Allin during the discussion.
“I think Darby Allin is great. I think everyone in the wrestling world needs to never do a dive again because you can’t do it better than Darby.”
CM Punk’s Negotiations with Tony Khan
CM Punk was also asked about early conversations he may have had with Tony Khan before AEW started.
“I talked to Tony (Khan),” he said. “My perspective on this and I said this to Tony’s face, I am a guy who has constantly heard ‘hey, I got a money guy. Hey, I got tv.’ I’ve heard that at least once or twice a year for 15-20 years in my wrestling career. I’ve gotten bounced cheques from those gentlemen.”
If you use any of these transcriptions please credit Sunday Night’s Main Event with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.
AEW President Tony Khan made his weekly appearance on Busted Open Radio this morning. TK was on hand to promote tonight’s AEW Dynamite from Pittsburgh, PA and Friday’s AEW Rampage premiere.
As per usual, “Tony Time” yielded some newsworthy items. Here are some highlights of what was discussed:
Rampage is a great news for wrestling fans and AEW. It’s been a busy week (“Sleep is overrated”) but things are about to pick up over the next two weeks leading up to the First Dance on 8/20. Everybody in AEW has been looking forward to the launch of Rampage. It will create new opportunities and matchups for the entire AEW roster.
TNT has been very happy about the early buzz for Rampage. There’s a lot of interest and TNT has rolled out the red carpet for AEW, in terms of promotion. Tonight on Dynamite, we’ll learn more about the card for Friday’s Rampage premiere.
Dark and Dark: Elevation have helped them cultivate new talent, but Rampage is “still going to be a star-driven show.”
Dan Lambert from American Top Team and his “backup” (two great UFC champions) – that is being pushed back to next week in Houston, Texas. Lambert previously brought Amanda Nunes and Jorge Masvidal to Dynamite.
Khan called next week’s AEW Rampage: The First Dance, “The most anticipated wrestling television show in years.”
He spoke about the benefits of working with other promotions and featuring non-AEW talent on AEW programming. Khan said he has no problem helping other companies if it helps AEW at all.
AEW Rampage will not have a 4-man commentary team at all times. There are 4 hosts announced, but sometimes it will be 3 guys calling a match.
AEW Rampage premieres this Friday night at 10pm (Eastern) on TNT.
The WWE release of Malakai Black was one of the most surprising occurrences in the company this year, especially because he had only returned to WWE programming after months of absence, a week before his firing.
The former WWE star provided some more insights on the circumstances leading to his release while appearing on Talk Is Jericho. He detailed a meeting with Vince McMahon that took place before his WWE release.
Black explained that he had a normal conversation with the boss two weeks before his final WWE appearance. They talked about the future plans for him:
“Two weeks before I attacked Big E, on the night of the last vignette, I had a sit down with Vince. He was convinced of it and liked it. I wanted to get his thoughts as I hadn’t seen him in six months and a lot had happened.
I wanted to see how he was doing. We had a normal conversation. We did the attack on Big E and something about it didn’t feel right. I told my wife [Zelina Vega] as well.”
However, according to Malakai Black, the Boss looked at him with a feeling of disconnect which makes him think that he had already made his mind about the future of the former NXT champion:
“The way he looked, there was a disconnect. Not a disconnect as in, ‘I don’t get it,’ but I felt he made up his mind, even back then. It’s his company, it’s fine. When (the release) happened, Johnny Ace [John Laurinaitis] called me and even he was confused.
My wife was crying because she knew. She was about to come back and one of the main reasons she wanted to come back was because I was there.”
Malakai Black made his return to WWE programming during the May 21 episode of SmackDown. He ended up getting released after another week of absence on June 2. Black has since signed with AEW.
Eric Bischoff is not afraid to speak his mind. On the latest edition of his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff spoke about WWE’s recent talent cuts. Bischoff believes WWE is playing directly into AEW hands by presenting them with a golden opportunity to sign coveted performers as the wrestling war is heating up.
Bischoff noted that many former WWE Superstars will be free to work for AEW just as their new show Rampge is launching (this Friday night).
Much has been said about the releases and probably the signing of both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. Both men could make surprise debuts on Rampage. Not to mention the monster among men, Braun Strowman. Then, of course, you have the wrestling world’s biggest free agent right now, the fiend, Bray Wyatt. Wyatt has been active on social media recently, teasing the return of his demonic character.
It seems as if Eric Bischoff believes at least one of these names could be used to kick off Rampage.
Eric Bischoff explained how he felt Tony Khan and the AEW branding team have done well to build interest around many of these stars. They have everybody waiting with bated breath for the next big debut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEeWehknSSg
AEW Benefitting from WWE’s Mistakes
Eric Bischoff talked about how he feels WWE have given AEW a “huge assist” by allowing so many high-profile stars to become available just as Rampage hits the air.
“I don’t want to say what AEW is doing is flawless, but it’s about as close to it as you can get.”
– Eric Bischoff
AEW has already made great strides as a company since their launch. Many talents deemed unsuitable for WWE have set their career onto a new trajectory since joining Tony Khan’s promotion. Eric Bischoff feels that the draw to AEW is made stronger by their success, and this, combined with the stature of some free agents right now, will give AEW what they need to not only compete with but beat WWE.
It is clear from his words that Eric Bischoff feels AEW have something big up their sleeves, for their third hour of television and they have Vince McMahon to thank for it.
The story of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan potentially joining the AEW roster has been the buzzing topic among fans in recent times. Former WWE and current AEW star Mark Henry recently commented on the same.
The world’s strongest man recently had an interview with New York Post where he talked about a wide variety of topics including the upcoming Rampage premiere, different in philosophies of AEW and WWE, and more.
Discussing the potential of the two former world champions joining the roster of AEW, Henry claimed that such an addition would be great for any company:
“I think it would be great for [any company] because you have unbelievable talent and two of the more master psychologists that I’ve worked with, guys that you sit down and you think, what’s not being done in pro wrestling?
When you have a mindset of, ‘I want to do something everybody else don’t do,’ then automatically you are ahead of the game. You already have everybody.”
Mark Henry On Four Men Commentary Booth For Rampage
AEW recently announced that Rampage will feature a four men commentary booth. This news concerned fans as many believed that it will lead to conflict between the announcers and restrict them from showing their full potential.
When asked what challenges it will bring for him, Mark Henry claimed that the four men booth is kind of a safety mechanism that has been put in place by Tony Khan because he is new to the role:
“I’m the new guy. They already have a great relationship and they can put on a great show. I think it’s a safety mechanism. I think just in case that I get on there and I’m not good, (AEW president) Tony (Khan) had to put the safety mechanism in place and throw Chris (Jericho) out there just in case we have to save this thing.
I don’t think he has that to worry about. I think we’ll start off a four-man booth and I think once they realize that I can handle it we’ll go to a traditional three-man booth.”
AEW Rampage will premiere on TNT on Friday, August 13. It will feature Excalibur, Taz, Chris Jericho, and Mark Henry as the commentators of the show.
CM Punk is reportedly showing promise in his in-ring training. On July 21st, Fightful Select reported that Punk was in talks for an in-ring return and that his destination is likely All Elite Wrestling.
Since January, Punk has been training in-ring for his role in the upcoming Starz TV series “Heels.” A new report suggests that Punk is looking good in training and has sources impressed.
According to wrestlers and Heels cast members who have worked with Punk over the past six months, the overall impression on Punk’s in-ring training has been very promising.
CM Punk and Stephen Amell in Heels (Photo: Starz)
CM Punk’s Training
The latest update from Fightful cited multiple sources who have seen Punk in the ring this year. One person said Punk looked “completely healthy,” especially as compared to the tail end of his WWE run.
Punk has not wrestled in seven years after leaving WWE. His last match was the 2014 Royal Rumble Match on January 26, 2014, at the Console Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Another source said Punk looked so good in the ring that they wondered if he’d been training in private leading up to being in the ring with them. Punk showed virtually no ring rust, which is amazing considering the 7-year layoff.
As of this time, there is no official word about CM Punk signing a deal with AEW. The two sides have negotiated in the past, but never came to terms. Although now it seems that Punk is ready to make a comeback in professional wrestling.
All Elite Wrestling’s Serena Deeb has given an update on her knee injury.
Deeb has posted a video on her Twitter that she is making significant progress on rehabbing her knee injury. On July 31st, Deeb shared that she’s been having issues with her knee and taking time to recover. While not given a timetable, Deeb said, “…I will be back to AEW, and I will be back to once again be champion, and I will remind each and everyone one of you that not only am I the best women’s wrestler in the world, I’m the best wrestler in the world.” Today Deeb has revealed that she can walk, and she no longer needs a knee brace.
“…I’m already able to walk. In fact, I don’t even need my knee brace anymore, which means that I’m one step closer to being cleared,” said Deeb.
Deeb has been dealing with a knee injury since March. She posted on her Twitter account on March 5th that said, “I had a scope done, and it went really well. I’ll be back before you know it.”
She returned to AEW Dynamite on May 19th at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, to successfully defended the NWA Women’s Championship against Red Velvet. Deeb would compete several more times. However, Deeb reinjured her knee once again and has not wrestled since July.
Deeb is still not cleared to compete, as she said in her Twitter post today. Although she has already alluded to several feuds that she can have when she returns. While not saying names, she used the moniker of AEW talents in the women’s division. “…So when I return, it doesn’t matter who they throw at me. Whether it’s a bunny, a beast, an alien, or a doctor, they will all see that there is only one professor of professional wrestling. I am Serena Deeb, the woman of a thousand holds, said Deeb.”
For now, Deeb will still need to rehab her knee injury so that she doesn’t have the same issues once again.
Last night on AEW Dark: Elevation, Joey Janela turned on Sonny Kiss. It had seemed as though the team had patched up their differences but this was all a rouse by Janela. Before their scheduled match on Dark: Elevation, Janela delivered a superkick to Sonny and later gave him a piledriver on the outside. He then took to Twitter to explain his actions.
“I did what I did not because Sonny, it’s because most mainstream wrestling “fans” are absolute losers, mutant scum!” Janela Tweeted. “Always arguing about ratings, what’s wrestling & what’s not, who’s dating who, body shaming, & what’s going on backstage.. now you have a reason to really hate me!”
“This comes from the heart, if you stood by me through the years Thank you! If not & you’ve partook in any of these activities you belong in a hole!”
I did what I did not because Sonny, it’s because most mainstream wrestling “fans” are absolute losers, mutant scum! Always arguing about ratings, what’s wrestling & what’s not, who’s dating who, body shaming, & what’s going on backstage.. now you have a reason to really hate me! https://t.co/Kd6aVBYSUi
In 2021, Janela and Sonny Kiss racked up a 3-4 record in 2-on-2 tag-team matches. Their victories were over enhancement talent but they dropped matches to teams such as The Acclaimed, Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky, Santana & Ortiz, and Brian Cage and Ricky Starks.
Sonny Kiss is 3-6 in AEW singles matches in 2021. Joey Janela is 5-3 in AEW singles matches in 2021
AEW EVP Cody Rhodes recently took part in a media conference call where he discussed a number of things including the recent controversy over the match between Chris Jericho and Nick Gage.
Domino’s Pizza threatened to pull their advertisement from AEW programming over a spot in the bout. This started the debate on whether or not death matches should be a part of mainstream wrestling.
When asked this question, Cody Rhodes mentioned that the advertisement for the bout was very clear about being an extreme match. He then claimed that such bouts do have a place in cable TV programming:
“And I think the answer to your question about does it have a place in television, well, we were the number one show on cable. And that is a huge honor, three weeks in a row. That’s a huge honor and responsibility to our fanbase,
During the Olympics we were the number one show on cable!” said Cody Rhodes, “So yes, I think it does have a place. I don’t think it is something you will see often. That’s just my opinion, as asked for.”
AEW Rampage premieres this Friday on TNT at 10pm (Eastern). The event will air live from the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA.
All Elite Wrestling is pulling out all the stops to ensure Rampage gets off to a strong start. As previously announced, Dr. Britt Baker will defend the AEW Women’s World Championship in her hometown against Red Velvet.
We now know that AEW World Champion Kenny Omega will also be in action on the 1-hour broadcast. His opponent has yet to be announced, but his opponent could be be #1 contender Christian Cage.
Dax Harwood of FTR has stated multiple times on social media now that he would like to challenge for the NWA World Tag Team Championships. The NWA seems on-board with this idea as well.
Harwood posted a video of The Midnight Express vs The Fantastics and a follower of his asked about FTR possibly competing in the Crockett Cup.
“That is incredibly important to us; especially now. The lineage of the NWA is deep & historic. We’d love the opportunity to fight for the belts too.”
That is incredibly important to us; especially now. The lineage of the @nwa is deep & historic. We’d love the opportunity to fight for the belts too. https://t.co/8m8i10bR3M
This is the second time an interaction like this between FTR and the NWA has taken place. Last month, the NWA replied to a comment by Harwood about the history of the NWA tag belts. They noted that perhaps Tony Khan and Billy Corgan could have a discussion about this.
