Wrestling veteran Jim Ross talked about a number of things on the latest episode of his Grilling JR Podcast. He also revealed which current AEW star reminds him the most of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Steve Austin is widely regarded as one of the biggest if not the biggest wrestling superstars of all time. Ross has the first-hand experience of his rise to superstardom. He was the lead commentator for WWE throughout the Attitude Era.

During the episode, Jim Ross claimed that Jon Moxley is the closest thing he has seen to Stone Cold since the Texas Rattlesnake hung up his boots:

“[Jon] Moxley is the closest thing I’ve seen in pro wrestling like Stone Cold, since Stone Cold, attitude, body english, facial expressions, legitimate intensity, absolutely phenomenal.”

• Jim Ross Reveals What He Told Malakai Black After His AEW Debut

Alongside the other companies, AEW has also welcomed the fans back to the arenas this month. Speaking of the AEW crowds, Ross claimed that they remind him of the Attitude Era audience:

“Our audience because they’re younger, they come prepared. They have their signs, posters, it reminds me of the Attitude Era as far as audience participation. It’s a really good time to be a wrestling fan no matter which brand you support,

I’m a really big believer in if you’re a wrestling fan, be a wrestling fan of all of them., said Jim Ross, “Don’t go out of your way to piss on something that’s not on fire. It’s a great time to be a fan.”

Jim Ross also discussed how people like Jon Moxley know how to work TV matches in an arena full of fans but there are many young wrestlers in AEW who are having this experience for the first time in their careers.

Britt Baker picked up a big win on this week’s Fyter Fest edition of Dynamite. If her victory wasn’t impressive enough on its own, it’s now been revealed that she did it with a broken wrist.

The AEW women’s champion recently posted a picture of herself with MMA fighter Paige VanZant. In the photo she is seen wearing a cast on her right hand and in the caption she confirmed that she has a broken wrist:

“With @paigevanzant …And oh yeah, I retained the title on Wednesday night at #aewdynamite with a broken wrist. Not taking any time off either. #AndStill”

Britt Baker won her first women’s title in AEW during the Double Or Nothing PPV in May. She defeated Hikaru Shida in a one-on-one match for the championship.

The women’s champion had her first title defense on this Wednesday’s Fyter Fest edition of Dynamite. She successfully defended the title in a match against Nyla Rose.

• AEW Dynamite Fyter Fest Night 2 Results: Texas Death Match, Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose

She apparently suffered the injury during a death valley driver spot in the match. Though according to the champion herself, she is taking no time off.

There is no word yet on who will be Britt Baker’s next challenger after her victory on Dynamite this week. She will likely not be defending her title again until the All Out PPV on September 5.

AEW’s upcoming All Out PPV in Chicago on September 5th sold out quickly and long before any rumors of CM Punk signing with the promotion leaked. Despite this, rumors of Punk heading to AEW have caused a spike in the secondary ticket market for the event.

According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, secondary market ticket prices have increased 18% since news of Punk possibly signing with AEW was reported. The current “get-in” price for the event is $141.

“All Out on 9/5 in Chicago has a $141 get-in price, so the C.M. Punk rumors have upped ticket prices about 18 percent across the board,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

The event will be held in what is now known as the NOW Arena. Previously, it was named the Sears Center. It is the home of the famous “All In” PPV put on by Cody Rhodes and Ring of Honor in 2018.

If CM Punk is headed to AEW, an event in Chicago is the place to do it. Punk has very strong roots in the city and some of his biggest moments in wrestling occurred in Chicago as well. Possibly the biggest moment being the Money in the Bank PPV from 2011. Punk defeated Cena to win the WWE Championship that night. The event drew an attendance of 14,815 people to the Allstate Arena. The PPV did 195,000 buys.

A new challenger for Miro’s TNT Championship was named this week while AEW was taping episodes of Dark and Dark: Elevation. Lee Johnson defeated Luther of Chaos Project during the tapings and after the match, Miro came out and announced him as the next challenger for his title.

It’s not yet clear when this match will take place. What took place will likely air on either AEW Dark or AEW Dark: Elevation next week.

The 23-year-old Johnson is from Gary, Indiana. He has been trained by AR Fox and QT Marshall. Last week, Johnson wrestled on both Dark and Dark: Elevation in tag team action along with Brock Anderson. Both up-and-comers are aligned with the Nightmare Family in AEW.

As of this writing, Miro is at 72 days as TNT Champion. He’s defended the title 4x since winning it from Darby Allin. Miro’s successful defenses have come against Dante Martin, Lance Archer, Evil Uno, and Brian Pillman Jr.

Darby Allin and Cody are tied for the record of most successful title defences in a single TNT title reign with 8. Cody defended the title 8x in his first run and then twice more in his second before dropping the belt to Darby Allin.

AEW’s newest member of the announcement team, Mark Henry has spoken up about working for AEW and in particular, Jade Cargill.

Mark Henry believes that Cargill has everything it takes to be a major star for the promotion despite only being involved in wrestling for a very short time.

“Jade is going to be a superstar. I’ve told her recently, I said, ‘You’re me. You are a star, you are a celebrity. Without a doubt, she will do all of it. She’s going to have to get to the point where she can wake up at 4 in the morning and if somebody grabs her in a headlock, she’ll know exactly what to do. In this industry, there is a lot to learn, and if you want to learn it at a good clip, but you don’t want to learn so fast that you get injured and that’s kind of the thing. She has tried to do things she probably shouldn’t be doing yet, and she has gotten injured. So, we’re going to slow down, work on the fundamentals, and let her evolve.”

“It took me three years, and she’s been in it less than one. So, the Jade Cargill that we’re going to get in three years is going to be one of the main event players on the show. She is already ‘must-see TV’. We’ll be talking about her like we talked about Kenny Omega in three years.” Mark Henry explained. Talking during an appearance on the Battleground podcast.

Mark Henry Was Been Jade Cargills Mentor Before Either Signed for AEW

It is no secret that Mark Henry knew Jade Cargill before both signed for AEW. It was thanks to Henry that Cargill started training at Heath Slaters wrestling school. Jade has also made sure that people know she views Mark Henry as her mentor in the wrestling world.

Jade Cargill is a woman just starting her wrestling career and had her first-ever match live on AEW Dynamite. It’s oddly poetic that Mark Henry intends to have his last ever match on the same show. Possible Elevation, but that lacks the poetry this piece needed.

Hearing the enthusiasm in Mark Henry’s voice when he talks about Cargill’s potential in a wrestling ring certainly makes you take notice. She has already accomplished a lot in a short time and certainly seems to have the tools necessary to succeed.

The going is good right now for All Elite Wrestling. The return of fans has boosted their viewing figures, and Fyter Fest proved to be a very exciting occasion with plenty of surprises. It seems as if there is a new announcement every single week. Not to mention recent rumours of both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan signing for the company. It has also just been discovered that All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has applied for a new trademark. This time for the term The First Dance.

The First Dance trademark is for Entertainment Services which is described as:

“THE FIRST DANCE trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of educational and entertainment services, namely, a continuing program about wrestling accessible by radio, television, satellite, audio, video and computer networks; Entertainment services in the nature of development, creation, production, distribution, and post-production of wrestling programs and events; Entertainment services in the nature of live wrestling performances; Entertainment services in the nature of production of television shows and multimedia entertainment content featuring wrestling programs and events; Entertainment services, namely, production and distribution of ongoing television programs in the field of wrestling; Entertainment services, namely, providing ongoing webisodes featuring wrestling via a global computer network; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing multimedia program featuring wrestling distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing series featuring wrestling provided through a global computer network; Providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network.

The First Dance is the Latest AEW Trademark to be Filed

This is not the first time news has broken for AEW trademarks. Earlier reports included their application for Battle for the Belts. While we are yet to hear that name associated with AEW, it shows their intentions and echoes their penchant for forward planning. The First Dance certainly has an interesting air to it and would make a great PPV name.

As of the time of writing, nothing more is known about how AEW plan to use The First Dance should they be given the trademark for it. However, with their plans for regular TNT specials and ongoing PPVs already known, it makes sense to assume this will fall into one of those open slots.

AEW has proven itself to be a well-run company, making decisions that are thought out and well planned. Don’t expect them to throw The First Dance around before they knew exactly how and when the music will start to play.

AEW announced earlier today that former NWA women’s champion Thunder Rosa has finally signed an official contract with the promotion. While she has been a regular for AEW in recent months, the news of her signing still surprised many because she was under contract with NWA until the end of this year.

In an update to this development, Fightful Select is reporting that Rosa was able to sign with AEW after a buyout of her NWA contract was orchestrated. The site noted that AEW officials including the boss Tony Khan are careful about not tampering with contracts. The company wanted to play by the book in the situation with NWA.

Thunder Rosa had previously asked for a release in 2020 but her request was declined at the time. Previous reports have revealed that Tony Khan and NWA president Billy Corgan have worked with each other in the past, though whether they were directly involved in the negotiation over Rosa is unknown.

• Cris Cyborg Wants Thunder Rosa in an AEW MMA Fight

The former Lucha Underground star made her AEW debut back in August 2020. She has been making regular appearances for the promotion ever since. Thunder Rosa is already used as one of the top stars of AEW’s women’s division. Now after her signing with the promotion, the officials are free to build long-term storylines around the female star.

Women’s wrestling star Thunder Rosa has officially signed with All Elite Wrestling. AEW sent out the customary “Thunder Rosa is #AllElite” tweet on Thursday afternoon.

Thunder Rosa has wrestled for AEW since August 2020, but was not formally signed to a longterm contract.

The former MMA fighter turned pro wrestler made her Impact Wrestling debut this past weekend at Slammiversary.

Thunder Rosa issued a statement following the news of her signing. She wrote, “Never in my life doubt that I would be where I want to be! Today one of the biggest accomplishments in my career has been announced!”

Prior to signing with AEW, Thunder Rosa was under contract with the National Wrestling Alliance. The NWA posted a congratulatory message wishing her well in the next chapter of her journey.

Thunder Rosa joins a flourishing AEW women’s roster that also includes (Champion) Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Penelope Ford, Nyla Rose, Jade Cargill, Tay Conti, Riho, Anna Jay and more.

All Elite star Andrade El Idolo revealed on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite that his new ‘consultant’ was former WWE Superstar Chavo Guerrero.

Before this week’s show, Andrade El Idolo had been accompanied to the ring by Vickie Guerrero, who was acting as his manager on-screen. According to a report from the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, several ‘complaints led to the storyline direction being changed for Andrade.

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez did not confirm if the ‘complaining’ had come from those within AEW or the fans, but it was enough for Tony Khan himself to change the former WWE Superstars’ push.

Meltzer stated, “I guess sometimes when you complain a lot, things happen. [Chavo] was not the surprise, this was a change. Tony Khan made a change from Vickie Guerrero to a new manager, and the new manager is Chavo Guerrero. So, that was not the original plan. The original plan was for Vickie Guerrero.”

Andrade El Idolo and Chavo Guerrero

There’s no news either on whether Andrade himself requested the change of manager to now have Chavo as his consultant.

El Idolo and Chavo interacted with Death Triangle on this week’s episode of Dynamite, with PAC, Penta El Zero M and Rey Fenix interrupting the newly signed AEW star during his segment.

It’s not confirmed what the direction now is for Andrade going forward. Still, it will likely be similar to what was originally planned, but with Chavo Guerrero managing him rather than Vickie.

Vickie Guerrero appears only to be managing Nyla Rose on AEW programming at this point. Dr Britt Baker D.M.D defeated Rose on this week’s episode of Dynamite in a contest for the AEW Women’s Championship.

With AEW now back out on the road, Cody Rhodes has announced a new community outreach initiative. Rhodes stated that the goal of the new department is to make a positive contribution to every city AEW visits.

“Very privileged to announce w/the blessing of Tony Khan our new Community Outreach team & department! We have a mission to do something positive in EVERY community we visit,” Rhodes Tweeted.

AEW Charitable Initiatives

AEW has run several charitable initiatives since its inception in 2019. Proceeds from first “Fight for the Fallen” event benefitted victims of gun violence in the Jacksonville, Florida area. Last year’s “Fight for the Fallen” benefited COVID-19 relief efforts.

AEW also has a partnership with Kulture City to make their events sensory inclusive.

“Priding itself on being for everyone, AEW partnered with KultureCity to make all their events Sensory Inclusive™ Certified so that all fans might be able to attend and be included,” Kulture City’s website reads regarding the partnership.

Fight for the Fallen 2021

Several matches have been booked for next week’s Fight for the Fallen event from Charlotte, North Carolina:

• IWGP United States Championship
  Lance Archer (c) vs HIKULEO
• No Rules – 5 Labors of Jericho
  “The Painmaker” Chris Jericho vs Nick Gage
• Santana and Ortiz (with Konnan) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) (with Tully Blanchard)
• Christian Cage and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) (with Marko Stunt) vs. Hardy Family Office (Angelico and Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen)) (with Matt Hardy)
• 10 Man Elimination Tag Team Match
  The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Good Brothers and The Young Bucks) (with Don Callis) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page and The Dark Order (Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds)

Recent reports have surfaced suggesting that both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan are likely to sign with AEW. This was addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“I don’t know if either of those two are signed right now. I would not be surprised if Bryan Danielson signed but I do not know that to be a fact,” said Dave Meltzer. “As far as CM Punk, I know they’ve been talking to him for awhile. I know they’ve been talking to Bryan Danielson for awhile as well.”

NJPW The Biggest Factor For Daniel Bryan

Meltzer would continue to say that Bryan has loyalty to WWE and Vince McMahon but in the end, AEW’s relationship with NJPW was the biggest factor.

“In the end, the company with the relationship with New Japan was going to be the favorite to get (Daniel Bryan),” Meltzer continued.

In terms of Bryan debuting on the September 22nd show in New York, Meltzer said he wouldn’t be surprised if that’s true but could not confirm it.

On May 28th, reports surfaced that WWE was looking to get an exclusive talent-sharing deal with NJPW. Daniel Bryan wanting to wrestle in NJPW is speculated as to being a reason WWE was looking to do this at first.

“While Bryan Danielson was absolutely part of the early talks, that hasn’t been the case of late as far as the major aspect, and one source said he hasn’t been a part of any recent talks,” Meltzer said in June.

Update On CM Punk

“In May, I had been told there 4 signings. 2 somewhat big and 2 huge but none of them were signed but there was confidence that they would be signed,” Meltzer continued. “I knew 2 of them were Aleister Black and Danielson.”

“The other two I presumed were Punk and Andrade.”

Meltzer would continue to say that he does not know if there is a deal between Punk and AEW but he does know they’ve been talking for awhile.

Eddie Kingston has been on a tear as of late in AEW, proving all of his critics wrong. While many were surprised by his appearances, he has grown to be one of the company’s top guys.

Talking in a recent interview with Bleacher Report, Kingston addressed the commonly raised issue of ‘the future of wrestling.’

Every generation has given rise to a few names who stand taller than the rest. A few youngsters whose skills can be seen right from the very start of their career. Eddie Kingston had a few names spring to his mind when answering the question.

“Everybody knows Jungle Boy is the future of the business,” was Kingston’s initial response. However, he later went on to add more and more names to the list. Emphasizing that the future of AEW does not lie in the hands of just one name.

“(Wheeler) Yuta just came in. I’ve known him for a minute. Brian Pillman Jr. of course, and his partner, Griff (Garrison). A lot of guys in the Dark Order are the future, especially of AEW. I don’t like the kid. What’s his name? MJF? He’s an assh–e. He hasn’t messed with me yet. I have known him for a very long time and he knows how I am. I’ll give the devil his due. He is definitely the future of AEW.”

Eddie Kingston Sees The Future Everywhere He Looks

Going on to further expand on his point, Eddie Kingston continued to look further afield than his own current setting. Explaining how he saw the future of wrestling in every different organization.

“You have a bunch of young, hungry guys there and in all of wrestling,” Eddie Kingston said. “Every promotion has a bunch of guys who are ready to go. I think the pandemic made these guys hungrier because they saw that everything can be taken away in a heartbeat. Wrestling is in good hands. My man Curt Stallion, who just got let go. When he gets his shot, he will knock it out of the park. There are so many good dudes. Joshua Bishop in AIW up in Cleveland. He’s an animal. I don’t want to keep naming people because I know I’m going to leave somebody out and I am going to feel bad. Charli Evans out in Australia, Marti Belle, Allysin Kay, they’re great.”

The point Eddie Kingston makes is that we are often too concerned with an individual than with the entirety of a generation. The future of wrestling is not Jungle Boy or MFJ. The future of wrestling is everybody in their generation who is hungry enough to fight for their place on any given roster.

Another surprise appearance at AEW Fyter Fest came during a segment involving Andrade el Idolo who introduced a new associate in the form of Chavo Guerrero. The nephew of the late great Eddie Guerrero is a wrestling veteran. His emergence from the tunnel as the new executive consultant for el Idolo certainly shocked the raucous AEW crowd.

Since his AEW debt, Andrade el Idolo has been working alongside Vickie Guerrero, who is Chavo’s aunt through marriage. The wrestling world has a special affinity with the Guerrero family. AEW is certainly a great place for Chavo Guerrero to be.

Addressing the crowd, Chavo Guerrero made a quick impact with the fans, praising the talent that he had seen backstage. However, he quickly moved into character, positioning his client at the top of that list.

Chavo Guerrero Stirs the Pot for Death Triangle

Only a few moments after making his debut, Chavo Guerrero started to stir the pot for Death Triangle. Andrade has wasted no time in picking on the talented faction since his arrival. Chavo went one step further by suggesting Penta and Rey Fenix should switch allegiances and side with his client.

The deal was swiftly rejected, and a classic referee pull-apart ensued, furthering the feud between Andrade and the Death Triangle. As of writing, little has been confirmed about Chavo Guerrero’s involvement with AEW. We have yet to see the classic Chavo is All Elite image. However, it seems unlikely he would be introduced in such a role for a single or short run.

At 50 years old, it’s unlikely we will see him lacing up his boots in AEW. However, a move into management could be exactly what the veteran needs at this stage of his career.

Chavo Guerrero has accomplished a lot in his career, fighting for major promotions around the world, including a decade long run in WWE which ended in 2011.

Much has been written about Daniel Bryan in recent months. The quiet nature of his WWE departure had everybody scratching their heads. Now, according to reports on Bodyslam.net, Bryan is locked into a deal with AEW.

This news comes just days after PWInsider reported that WWE was not factoring Daniel Bryan into the merchandise and licensing plans for 2021-2022.

Bodyslam has since updated that current plans call for Daniel Bryan to debut for AEW at the September 22^nd Grand Slam event from New York City’s Arthur Ashe stadium. AEW put great care into planning their events, often running quite far in advance. Having a star like Bryan debut at a big event such as that would make great sense. It would also allow for existing plans to reach their head at All Out on September 5^th.

Daniel Bryan’s AEW deal is said to be for similar money as he was making in WWE, but he’ll be required to work far fewer dates. Moreover, his deal reportedly allows him the opportunity to work in Japan. This is another country close to his wrestling heart, and something he could never have done while working at WWE.

Daniel Bryan is Not the Only Potential AEW Surprise

The news of Daniel Bryan agreeing a deal with AEW is something many saw coming the minute he disappeared from WWE. However, with recent news of CM Punk being cleared for a wrestling return, and AEW having a sold-out show coming up in Chicago, AEW fans could have a lot to cheer about very soon.

A lot has been made of WWE wrestlers signing for AEW. However, wrestling is a relatively small world. Yes, there are lots of indie promotions, but as you look at larger promotions, you would be hard pushed to find many stars who have not competed for a combination of IMPACT, ROH, WWE, or AEW. Daniel Bryan has had a long wrestling career. He’s wrestled for promotions all over the world. When it comes down to it, AEW is the destination that makes the most sense.

While nothing has been reported, it is believed that Daniel Bryan will revert to fighting under his real name of Brian Danielson.

On a night of crazy happenings at Fyter Fest, the biggest shock of them all was undoubtedly the debut of GCW champion Nick Gage. Moreover, the manner in which is made his debut.

Much has been publicized about Gage’s feud with Jon Moxley. However, it was best MJF that the hardcore hero made his entrance. Nick Gage will be the second step in the Labors of Jericho.

The debut came just after Chris Jericho had defeated Shawn Spears. The stipulation of that match being Spears could use a chair, while Jericho could not.

The match between Jericho and Nick Gage has already been set for AEW’s Fight for the Fallen. Jericho has already responded to the news that it will be a no disqualification match but promising to resurrect his Painmaker persona.

Jericho is the G.O.A.T, and he is no stranger to hellacious matches. However, he would not have been the first name on the list of potential Nick Gage opponents in AEW.

Nick Gage Versus Chris Jericho Will Be Bowling Shoe Ugly

It seems only fitting to quote Jim Ross by saying the upcoming match between Gage and Jericho will be bowling shoe ugly. Nick Gage is a fighter. He’s the master of the hardcore, deathmatch style. Jericho is a warrior, there is no doubt about it. Just don’t expect to see a fight built around technical finesse and headlocks.

If Jericho wants to get his hands on MJF, then Nick Gage is certainly going to make him work for it.

The appearance on AEW made its mark on Nick Gage, who has not had an easy life both in and out of the ring. His episode of Dark Side of the Ring did a lot to educate people on the well-known indie wrestler. Love him or hate him, Gage is tough as a two-dollar steak. There’s a good chance, AEW will never be the same again by the time he is done.

Gage is the current GCW champion. Besides a feud with Moxley, is also preparing to take on former AEW wrestler Matt Cardona. That fight is set for the GCQ world title this coming Saturday at the GCW Homecoming Part 1 event.

At the time of writing, it’s not known if Nick Gage’s appearance for AEW is a once-off affair. With Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega both recently being linked to Gage, there is scope for a longer run.

CM Punk hasn’t officially wrestled a match since taking part in the 2014 Royal Rumble but it’s possible he could be making a return to the ring. According to a report from Fightful, the 42-year-old has been involved in ongoing talks regarding a return.

While the report would suggest that there are multiple parties interested, it notes that AEW is the most likely spot for Punk to land.

This is not the first time that Punk has been linked to AEW. Last summer, both Cody Rhodes and Konnan spoke about previous negotiations between AEW and Punk.

Cody Rhodes Comments On Previous Negotiations With CM Punk

During a conversation with Talk Sport last summer, Cody Rhodes commented on previous negotiations AEW has had with Punk.

“As far as the CM Punk negotiations go, everyone heard the famous ‘he got a text from us’. Yeah, of course, there were negotiations and he did ask for a great amount of money and Punk is worth a great deal of money,” Cody said during the interview. 

“I don’t think they ever got too serious,” Cody said. “Doesn’t mean they won’t one day, but they never got entirely too serious. I think there is a good relationship there. I think I have a good relationship with Phil, I believe Tony does too and I’m not sure really when it comes to him, it’s not so much about the money. It’s about are you interested in doing this?”

Konnan Says CM Punk Was Asking For Too Much Money

Also last summer, Konnan revealed on his podcast that he heard CM Punk was asking for too much money from AEW.

“I do remember when I was negotiating with AEW and they were telling me about him, they were telling me that he was asking for like (an) astronomical amount of money,” Konnan said on the show. “They really wanted to work with him but…”

“I’m sure if they wanted to do something with him and Jericho or him and Cody, I’m sure they could,” Konnan continued. “Like I said, from what they told me, he was just asking for way too much. And this is a company that is willing to spend, so who knows what he was asking for?”

Not every wrestler in a company needs to be a champion. There are all kinds of wrestlers, from jobbers and comedic relief to midcarders and main event stars. All have a role to play and are important to a company brand and dynamic. Ryan Nemeth and the Wingmen are one such group. They serve a purpose in AEW. They can put on a good match and are entertaining characters, but rarely will they be main event players.

Talking on a recent episode of Talk is Jericho, Ryan Nemeth spoke about how the Wingmen came to be. Admitting that it wasn’t even his idea, but rather, Christian’s.

Ryan Nemeth had no idea a plan was being made for him and his friends until he was ordered to visit Tony Khan’s Office.

“I remember walking around Dynamite one day and three people said, ‘Hey, did you talk to Tony yet? Go talk to him.’ I was like, ‘Alright’, so I go and knock on the door, and he goes, ‘You’re going to be the Wingmen, okay? Christian thought of this. He thinks you guys look kind of funny together and it can be funny. You can be funny, ya know? You’ll figure it out, right?’” Ryan Nemeth explained.

Ryan Nemeth Has Christian to Thank for The Wingmen

The next task for Ryan Nemeth explaining the gimmick to the others in his group. “And I was like, ‘Alright,’ so I went back and gathered everyone around and I said, ‘Alright, so we’re The Wingmen now,’ and they said, ‘What does that mean?’ ‘You know, like when you go to a bar and you help a guy meet a girl. We’re just that.. just, all the time. And it’s not really ever about women.”

The Wingmen are a talented group of individuals. JD Drake is a wrestler very easy to underestimate and yes, Peter Avolon is also. You need skills to play such a fool in such a dangerous profession. Under his Hollywood Hunk moniker, Ryan Nemeth is leading the group as they irritate their way through the AEW ranks.

Ryan Nemeth, AEW star and brother of WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler, recently appeared on Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast. The former FCW star discussed several topics on the podcast, including how his brother may have run into issues after ‘anti promoting’ AEW a few months ago.

“I think he got in trouble for tweeting so much”, Ryan Nemeth revealed on the show, discussing how his brother would tweet some ‘encouragement’ for his AEW debut matches.

“He would always anti-advertise for Dynamite by posting ‘do not watch this show, this guy sucks’ and it’s (a picture) of me”, Nemeth continued. “‘Don’t tune in to TNT at 8 pm tonight.’ I think, after a few months, maybe he got a talking to.”

Ryan Nemeth on Dolph Ziggler

Jericho himself then revealed that he actually wanted Dolph Ziggler to be part of his cruise. ‘Le Champion’ didn’t want Ziggler to appear to wrestle; he wanted him on tour as a comedy act.

“I was going to book him on my cruise at one point, and it was like, ‘You can’t book him on your cruise.’ ‘Why? He’s coming as a comedian,'” Jericho stated on the podcast.

With Chris Jericho having an affiliation with AEW for the first cruise and then having signed with the company for the second, it’s easy to see why WWE would chose not to let Ziggler make an appearance.

Eddie Kingston recently took part in an interview with Bleacher Report. During the discussions, the 39-year-old spoke about some of his favorite opponents and partners he’s had throughout his career.

“Jon Moxley. Teaming up with him and fighting him has been fun,” Kingston said. “Fighting The Young Bucks is great because you get to see that little bit of fear in their eyes as you’re hitting them. That’s a lot of fun. Honestly, everyone I have been in the ring with at AEW has been fun because I’m on national television, baby. I’m having fun.”

Kingston would continue to talk about some of his favorite opponents and partners from outside of AEW as well.

“On the independents, it was guys like Josh Alexander and Samoa Joe, teaming with Homicide, who is my mentor. Overseas, you have guys like Trent Seven and Cara Noir, who I think the world of in the ring. I was in the ring with WALTER. There are so many guys and I know I am missing a lot from this list and I apologize to all of them,” he continued.

Kingston would continue to mention Kevin Owens as one of his favorite opponents that are currently “with the competition now.”

Kingston and Penta El Zero Miedo dropped an AEW tag team title shot to the Young Bucks at Road Rager earlier this month. This week on AEW Dark: Elevation, they defeated Cezar Bononi and JD Drake.

AEW’s Max Caster has landed himself a regular gig on TMZ, and it’s all thanks to Mark Henry. Talking recently during an appearance on the Battleground Podcast, Henry took the credit for brokering the deal.

“I just recently fostered a deal with TMZ and Max Caster. Now every week, he’s going to be on TMZ ripping Hollywood, ripping sports, ripping wrestling. Tune in to see what Max Caster is going to do every week.” Mark Henry explained.

There is no denying that a job on TMZ would suit a character like Caster. He has a sharp tongue and isn’t afraid to lace his barbs with venom when necessary. He knows how to get under the skin and say things in a way that get a reaction. Just look at his Oral Sessions intro ahead of his tag-team fight against Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston.

While there are no details right now, from what Mark Henry has said it sounds like a role Caster was born to fill.

Mark Henry Sees the Power of Cross Media Promotions

Speaking further, Mark Henry explained how he sees a value in AEW branching out into other media streams. Not just mainstream, wrestling-centric avenues, but allowing wrestlers to test the waters in related niches, in order to draw in more fans.

“The number one thing I would want to put out there is, we have to do more of this, er, marketing and creating relationships with media and not just big media but the grassroots media, the podcasts, the companies that are interested in pro-wrestling, not only to the market but for fans.” Mark Henry said.

Since signing with AEW, Mark Henry has been a quiet figure, however, he is gearing up for the premiere of AEW Rampage which premiers on August 13th. Henry will serve as a lead analyst for the show, as well as being an influential figure backstage.

The debut of Malakai Black on AEW Dynamite was a shock that nobody saw coming. At least, not so soon. The reasons for his sudden appearance have been well documented. However, talking in a recent interview with Metal Injection, Black talked about his release, including his unusual reaction to the news.

“It’s funny, but as soon as I got released, my wife started crying. I actually started laughing because they built me up for 5-6 weeks, they made me come back [to SmackDown], and now they’re pulling me off TV again? I just couldn’t take the whole situation seriously anymore.” Malakai Black (talking as Tommy End) explained.

The now Malakai Black went on to talk about how he felt WWE booking was something somewhat farcical. Creative minds seemingly changing with the wind.

“There’s nothing really consistent. Everything changes week to week or is done to the point of beating it to death.”

Malakai Black Always Knew AEW Was Where He Needed to Be

When talking about the relief of his release, Malakai Black just knew that he wanted to head to AEW. It was an immediate reaction.

“That was the immediate thought process. I was sick of it, even before everything went down. I loved my time in NXT, but I felt I did nothing of importance on the main roster. It was too much bipolar 50-50 booking, they would push me and pull me off TV.”

One thing has been consistent with Malakai Black’s comments since his release and that is the depth of frustration he felt being trapped in WWE. He went so far as to create a ‘release video’ proclaiming his entire WWE experience to be nothing more than a psychotic episode.

Malakai Black made a big splash, attacking Arn Anderson and Cody Rhodes. With all of that pent up frustration ready to be released, his first feud promises to be a good one.

Love them or hate them, Heels serve a very important purpose in professional wrestling. AEW star Ethan Page is a heel at the top of his game right now. Alongside Scorpio Sky, they are the Men of the Year, and they are getting under the skin of every AEW out there. Exactly as a great heel should.

Talking on a recent episode of Oral Sessions (guest hosted by Danhausen), Ethan Page spoke at length about his motivation in AEW. For the most part, he remained firmly in character, which made for entertaining listening.

“See I would love to beat up Orange Cassidy,” Ethan Page said. “It pisses me off that he’s cornered the market on denim, especially since he’s not Canadian and he wears a Canadian tuxedo on a regular basis. And I want to wear more denim, but I feel like if I do all the little nerds online are going to be like ‘oh you can’t wear that. That’s Orange Cassidy’s outfit.’ And it pisses me off because I am a man of fashion.”

Ethan Page Got Serious to Talk About His Appreciation For AEW

Towards the end of the interview, however, Ethan Page dropped his persona and spoke from the heart. Talking about his experience with AEW so far, and how it differs from everything else in his career.

“I do want to give a big shoutout to AEW,” Ethan Page said. “I’ve only been here since about March but it’s been a life-changing experience. The way the company treats talent is something unlike I’ve ever experienced before. I hope one day, not to cause any kerfuffle on the internet, I hope you get to experience it one-day Danhausen. It’s insane to me to find a company that puts the company first. I think more people should be talking about it. And I would love for people to check out my vlog because I think I give a little bit of a glimpse to that side of it.”

Ethan Page is a huge talent for AEW, with Jim Ross recently singling him out for praise, picking him to be a top star for the company. While not the youngest member of the roster, Page has a lot of years left in the ring and has only just begun to define himself.

Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts has re-signed with All Elite Wrestling.

The WWE Hall of Famer shared the news when he spoke with Diamond Dallas Page in a video that was posted on the former WCW stars’ YouTube channel. The extension will see him under contract for the next two years. 

“When I originally signed with [AEW], it was for a ten week deal. At eight weeks, [a guy] comes along with some papers, ‘You need to sign these.’ I’m like, ‘What for?’ ‘Well it’s your contract.’ ‘Dude, I’ve only got two weeks left.’ ‘No, you got another year.’ ‘What?’ And then just a few weeks ago, I buzzed Tony, I said, ‘Hey, I’ve got four weeks left. What do you want me to do? I need a notice so I can start setting up my stuff’ and he says, ‘We need to sign another piece of paper’ and I signed again and then after I signed it, I found out that it wasn’t for a year, it was for more than a year. It was for two years.”

Roberts noted that Khan is a wonderful man and he gave him his love back for wrestling as it’s great to be part of AEW. He said that he’s taken this opportunity to keep his eyes open and try to help people that are struggling. 

The legendary pro wrestler made his promotional debut last year when he confronted Cody Rhodes as a way to give him a message about how he had a client coming to AEW. 

This client turned out to be Lance Archer. The two have yet to part ways. Archer is slated to challenge Jon Moxley for the IWGP United States Title in a Texas Death Match on Dynamite this Wednesday. This will be the second night of Fyter Fest in Garland, Texas.

Dr Britt Baker D.M.D has a big test ahead of her if she wants to keep hold of her AEW Women’s Championship. She is facing Nyla Rose on Night 2 of Fyter Fest this week. However, if her recent social media interaction is anything to go by, the doctor will show no mercy this Wednesday night.

However, Dr Britt Baker will need to do more than just sweep the leg if she wants to beat Nyla Rose and walk out with the championship still around her waist.

This past weekend fans found Dr Britt Baker hanging out with Martin Kove at a Comicpalooza event. Hopefully, Britt was able to pick up a few pointers from the ultimate karate badass which could help her take down the beast.

AEW invested a long time in Dr Britt Baker, and her organic growth in popularity especially following her Light’s Out match with Thunder Rosa make her a huge draw. Having her drop the title so soon would be a shock. However, shocks happen in wrestling all the time.

Dr Britt Baker Knows There Are No Losers in AEW’s Dojo

A fight with Nyla Rose is always going to be a hard-hitting affair, however, the best has been felled before. Dr Britt Baker D.M.D knows what she has to do, and will undoubtedly dig deep in order to get the job done.

All she needs to do is remember that Mercy is for the weak. Here, in the AEW Ring, in competition. A beast confronts you; they are the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy.

Night 2 of AEW Fyter Fest has the makings of a great night of action, including a Texas Death Match for the IWGP US Championship. However, all eyes will be on Dr Britt Baker as she aims to continue building her legacy as the face of AEW.

Out of the entire AEW roster, few stars have caught fire as quickly or as heavily as Darby Allin. The relentless one has won the hearts of the audience with his death-defying antics. His coffin drop through the lid of the coffin on night one of Fyter Fest will be one every highlight reel for a long time to come. Darby also caught the attention of Jim Ross, who spoke highly of the young man during a recent episode of his Grillin’ JR podcast.

Talking about Darby, Jim Ross said how he had been able to sit down and have a great number of conversations with him already.

“Darby Allin has a great mind. I’m very privileged to have the opportunity to have private conversations with Darby. We have a very good relationship, and he runs ideas by me all the time. Some of them I agree with, and some of them I don’t. The good thing he knows is he’s going to get an honest opinion from me. He’s a good kid and he’s learning early. The more input you can have in your creativity, you increase your odds for success.”

Jim Ross is a Valuable Source of Knowledge for All AEW Stars

Aside from Chris Jericho, very few of the AEW locker room have anywhere near as much experience as Jim Ross. He is a valuable asset to the promotion that reaches far beyond his skills on the microphone.

Not only is AEW a young company, but it is a young and largely inexperienced roster. Having someone around to act as a sounding board for ideas and the creative process is only going to help them all grow.

Jim Ross spoke about the fact that AEW gives a lot of their wrestlers’ creative room. A level of freedom that might not be afforded elsewhere. Like him or loathe him, Jim Ross is an experienced head who has been there, done that and got BBQ sauce on the t-shirt.