MJF has named John Cena as a childhood hero.

The AEW American Champion was recently interviewed by Jack the Jobber of Cultaholic during his UK trip to compete against Michael Oku of RevPro. They talked about things such as the reported Britt Baker incident and more.

During the talk, Jake mentioned how MJF has named Roddy Piper and CM Punk as people he was a fan of during his childhood. When asked who else he looked up to before becoming a wrestler himself, the Salt of The Earth named The Cenation leader. Though only during his Doctor of Thuganomics days:

“John Cena was a fat head on my wall when he was rapping. Then he stopped the rapping and he started being very nice and I didn’t care for it.”

• MJF References Vince McMahon Scandal In Response to Fan’s Comment

John Cena and MJF: Generational Talents

When Jake talked about Cena burying his fellow countryman Wade Barrett under a pile of steel chairs during their 2010 TLC match, MJF actually defended the 16-time world champion. He mentioned how the former Nexus leader was always attacking him:

“Well okay I’m not one to defend my, first of all my good friend John. I don’t know if you’ve seen it but he puts me over all the time in interviews, as he should. I’m a generational Talent. Generational talents you know, know generational talents when they see one.

I think we can all agree that your people are rude and abrasive and loud and obnoxious and very arrogant. Wade was constantly attacking him with multiple people which again is something your guys do. You never try to have a fight one-on-one. Your friends always drunkenly jump in right. So I feel John was just defending himself and his country in that moment.”

MJF is currently scheduled to defend his AEW American Championship against Will Ospreay at the 2024 All In Event from Wembley stadium on August 25.

AEW American Champion MJF thinks it’s fine that he doesn’t like all of his coworkers after an altercation between himself and Britt Baker. Speaking to Cultaholic, MJF addressed the matter which resulted in Britt Baker briefly being suspended.

“Everybody has co-workers at work they may not get along with… I don’t have to like all my coworkers and that’s fine. But yeah, dude, that sh*t was wild to read.”

The incident in question reportedly took place on Wednesday, July 17, and included MJF’s girlfriend and AEW broadcaster Alicia Atout. It’s claimed that after Baker ‘buried’ MJF’s hour-long match with Will Ospreay, she called Atout a “stupid f***ing b**ch” and claimed she’d have the interviewer kicked out of the locker room.

MJF, it is alleged, confronted Baker in a common area and reportedly punched a wall at some point. In the interview, MJF questioned the accuracy of this claim.

“Tell me if this passes the smell test. I barge into a woman’s locker room. I scream in the face of an 110-pound woman, and then I physically threaten her by punching a wall in her vicinity…and I don’t get suspended?”

On-screen, Baker’s suspension was explained with a kayfabe suspension delivered by the Young Bucks at the request of Mercedes Mone. Baker and Mone had a (planned) altercation at San Diego Comic-Con. The actual situation has sparked talk among fans as to whether AEW can ever move on from backstage issues dominating the headlines. Deonna Purrazzo has called the Baker-MJF issue an isolated incident that does not reflect her experience since joining the promotion earlier this year.

What’s to Come?

Despite these issues, both MJF and Baker will compete at AEW All In: London later this week. MJF will defend the AEW American Championship against Ospreay. Baker will challenge TBS Champion Mercedes Mone in a match that, despite their differences, MJF is excited to see.

“Wrestling is a very competitive sport. It breeds a level of insecurity like no other. However, I can easily put over any talent, regardless of whether or not I like them as a human being. I can sit here and I can tell you that Britt Baker vs. Mercedes Moné at Wembley on August 25th is going to be an epic match and we should all be excited to watch it.”

AEW All In: London 2024 will take place from Wembley Stadium in London, England on August 25, and will be the second All-Elite event hosted in the venue. AEW will host its first international Dynamite taping from Cardiff, Wales that same week.

AEW wrestler Daniel Garcia has drawn interest from WWE as his contract with AEW will expire within the next few months. We have an update on his status with the promotion.

Daniel Garcia became one of the biggest babyface wrestlers in AEW before he was written off. He has been away from the AEW programming since July. It has come to light that as Garcia’s contract with the company is set to expire in October, he was written off the storylines until he decides to re-sign.

Fightful Select reported that a top figure in the company noted that he was staying with the company and even speculated that he had re-signed. However, that is not the case as of last week. With Daniel Garcia being on WWE’s radar, AEW understandably wants to retain him.

Garcia had competed against Will Ospreay for the AEW International title at ‘Beach Break.’ However, he suffered a defeat against ‘The Aerial Assassin’ after MJF interfered. He had offered his Dyanmite Diamond Ring to Garcia, who refused to use it. This led to Ospreay pinning him for the win. Following the match, MJF hit a low blow on Garcia to turn heel in the process. ‘The Salt of The Earth’ assaulted Garcia and left him bloodied and battered. Ever since, Daniel Garcia is away from AEW TV.

We will have to wait and see what the future holds for Daniel Garcia.

• Daniel Garcia: AEW’s Roster Are Very Happy To See WWE Succeed

Anticipation is growing towards AEW All Out 2024 as the All-Elite roster prepares to return to the state of Illinois for its annual pay-per-view. All Out is one of AEW’s biggest annual events and is part of the core four pay-per-view from the promotion, alongside Revolution, Double or Nothing, and Full Gear.

Date & Location

AEW All Out 2024 will take place on September 7, from the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The show will be the sixth-annual All In and the fourth event of its kind from the Now Arena (which was called the Sears Center Arena at the time of All Out 2019.)

When All Out 2024 was announced this past April, it was revealed that the show would be taking place on September 1. In May, it was shared that the show would take place six days later, becoming the first All Out not to take place over Labor Day weekend. AEW President Tony Khan stated that the reason for the change was to give more time between All In: London and All Out to give more time for storylines to develop.

Matches

Currently, no matches have been publicly confirmed for AEW All Out 2024, but its likely that the card will be shaped by the events of AEW All In: London 2024. A Casino Gauntlet Match has been announced for All In with the winner earning a future World Championship opportunity.

How to Watch

In the United States, All Out will be available to stream on Bleacher Report. The event can be purchased and streamed directly through the Bleacher Report Live platform. All Out can also be ordered through local cable or satellite providers. Check with your provider on how to purchase the pay-per-view. For international viewers, the event will be accessible on FITE TV. A pre-show will begin at 7pm ET with the main card beginning at 8pm ET.

Swerve Strickland believes MJF has nothing left to prove to anyone but the fact that he continues to work hard on his craft is a testament to his passion.

The AEW World Heavyweight Champion recently spoke to Sports Illustrated and he was specifically asked about the Salt of The Earth.

Revealing his first impression of the current American Champion, Strickland claimed that he instantly noticed the hunger the 28 year old had for getting better:

“All I remember about him was his hunger, he wasn’t afraid. That’s what set him apart–he didn’t have that fear of going wherever he needed to be to get better.”

• MJF Girlfriend: Everything You Need to Know about Alicia Atout

He’ll Always Keep Working: Swerve Strickland

According to Swerve Strickland, MJF always wanted to be around great competition. He put himself around top talent since a very young age to test himself and that’s how he got good:

“I don’t think Max has anything left to prove, that’s how good he is. But he’ll never tell himself that or allow himself to believe that. He’ll always keep working.”

Swerve Strickland has a big challenge lined up for him at the upcoming All In PPV where he defends his championship against the 2024 Owen Hart Cup winner Bryan Danielson in a title vs career match.

MJF on the other hand will be challenged by Will Ospreay at the show on August 25. The current champion originally beat Ospreay for the title then known as the International Championship on the July 17 episode of Dynamite.

He then replaced the belt with a new one, calling it the American Championship. He has since defended the championship in Mexico and UK.

More has come to light about AEW hosting a stadium-sized event in the United States, mere days ahead of their second All In pay-per-view. Fightful Select reports that GlobeLife Field Stadium is the likely contender for a stadium show in the United States. The Arlington, Texas-based venue has a capacity of over 40,000 with a retractable roof and is the home of MLB’s Texas Rangers. Building of the venue began in September 2017 and hosted its first events in May 2020.

AEW Stadium Events

Fans have been eager for a stadium-sized event in the United States for some time. So far, AEW’s only stadium show was All In: London 2023 which saw a massive, albeit contested, number of people attend London, England’s Wembley Stadium last year. AEW will return to London for All In 2024 on August 25. The first-ever international AEW Dynamite taping will take place in Cardiff, Wales that same week.

Hosting a stadium event in the U.S. presents both significant opportunities and challenges for AEW. While such an event would generate substantial revenue from ticket sales, merchandise, and pay-per-view buys, there would be questions about whether AEW would be able to fill a stadium in the U.S. Although the company has had no issue doing that in the UK, that is helped by the fact that events of such size are exceptionally rare across the pond. AEW attendance and viewership have both seen a dip in recent years, and it remains to be seen whether a stadium show will be a runaway success or an unfortunate hiccup in the United States.

The second-ever AEW WrestleDream pay-per-view will take place at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington on October 12. Fans who are official AEW Insiders will get first access to purchase VIP experiences and presale tickets will go on sale on August 12.

The first AEW WrestleDream event took place in October 2023 after first being announced following the inaugural AEW All In: London event. Taking place one year to the day after the passing of Antonio Inoki, WrestleDream 2023 served to honor the Japanese wrestling legend and featured talent from AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. The event also saw the AEW debut of Adam Copeland, mere weeks after his tenure as Edge in WWE came to an end.

AEW Pay-Per-Views in 2024

AEW WrestleDream will be one of five pay-per-view events set to take place in the remainder of 2024. AEW’s next pay-per-view will be All In: London and see the All-Elite roster once again take over Wembley Stadium in London on August 25. AEW All Out will take place on September 7 from the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

After WrestleDream, AEW will host its sixth annual Full Gear on November 23, from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. AEW’s final major show of the year will be the second-ever Worlds End show and will take place on December 28 from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.

A rising talent, ‘Dynamite Kid’ Tommy Billington has reportedly inked a deal with All Elite Wrestling. Tommy’s uncle, Tom Billington was one-half of the iconic British Bulldogs and teamed up with Davey Boy Smith.

Billington, the nephew of legendary ‘Dynamite Kid’ Tom Billington has had a couple of impressive performances against Konosuke Takeshita and Dax Harwood in recent months. Since then, his status has been a matter of question within the company. Fightful has reported that “according to talent close to Tommy, they say that he’s been signed by AEW.”

The report further stated that WWE and NXT had also expressed their interest but that didn’t work out.

“The talent we spoke to also claimed there was NXT interest in the 23-year-old Billington. We asked about the whereabouts of Mark Billington, and were told that he was injured in December, during a match for Dungeon Wrestling.All Elite Wrestling has not confirmed this signing, and we’ve not heard if the deal is full-time or a tiered, per appearance deal.”

Tommy Billington is just 23 years old and he is a promising talent. He started his career in 2018 and has been competing in indie promotions including RCW, WPW, DEFY, and more. His match against Dax Harwood caught the attention of the fans as he put on a great fight but ultimately lost to the veteran.

Last month, he squared off against Konosuke Takeshita. They were involved in a great back-and-forth battle before the youngster endured another loss. Despite the defeats, he has been able to impress the fans and his future is looking bright.

AEW Rampage has reached a milestone in its programming by eclipsing WCW Thunder for the most number of episodes. The August 9, edition of Rampage marked the show’s 157th episode, exceeding the 156 episodes of Thunder that aired before WCW closed its doors for good in March 2001.

H/T to @DrainBamager for uncovering this stat. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more interesting wrestling facts and statistics.

Rampage launched in the summer of 2021 as the AEW’s second Television show, following on from AEW Dynamite which launched in October 2019. At the second episode of Rampage, ironically titled ‘The First Dance’ CM Punk made his debut for AEW in his return to the world of wrestling after a seven-year absence. The show also served as the first, and only time, that Rampage would surpass 1 million viewers.

WCW Thunder debuted in January 1998, mere weeks after the promotion’s highest-rated pay-per-view, Starrcade 1997. The show originally aired on Thursday evenings, but as the Monday Night Wars turned, moved to Wednesdays in January 2000 to avoid competing with WWF SmackDown which had premiered on UPN in August 1999.

AEW Dynamite Vs. WCW Monday Nitro

With Thunder being surpassed, AEW’s next goal would be to surpass the number of episodes of WCW Monday Nitro. After launching in September 1995, Nitro lasted 288 episodes before the final episode, a simulcast with Monday Night RAW on March 26, 2001.

As of the August 7, episode, AEW Dynamite has reached 253 episodes. For Dynamite to surpass Nitro, the show will need to remain on the air for another 36 episodes, equivalent to just over eight months. Dynamite will reach that feat with the April 15, 2025, episode of Tony Khan’s flagship show.

All Elite Wrestling will see some of the promotion’s most important announcements in the near future, according to AEW President Tony Khan. In a statement, Khan made his bold claim while discussing the upcoming AEW All In: London pay-per-view from Wembley Stadium. AEW’s return to the United Kingdom will take place on August 25 from Wembley and will be preceded by an AEW Dynamite taping in Cardiff, Wales.

One announcement AEW fans are awaiting is news about a new media deal for the All-Elite promotion, which is expected to come this year. Last month, it was reported that Khan and Warner Bros. Discovery had reached an agreement “in principle” regarding the future of AEW content on the media giant’s platforms. This agreement was said to be on “the middle to high side” of what the two groups were negotiating. AEW’s exclusive negotiation window with WBD ended on July 21.

Tony Khan’s Announcements

Khan has never shied away from teasing blockbuster announcements, often to mixed responses by wrestling fans. Some announcements such as the 2022 acquisition of Ring of Honor or the announcement of the first AEW All In: London event were unsurprisingly huge and delivered on the hype that’d been built in the days and weeks prior.

Other teased announcements have failed to reach expectations. In the run-up to the November 1, 2023, edition of Dynamite, a massive announcement was teased that had fans expecting a return or debuting talent. Instead, the announcement was the date that AEW All In: London 2024 tickets would go on sale, which many felt was underwhelming considering the buzz. Khan’s announcements have become something of a meme with fans, especially after AEW announced that Khan would make an announcement in June 2023.

Bryan Danielson will require neck surgery before the end of the year, the American Dragon confirmed on the latest episode of AEW Collision. In a sit-down interview with Jim Ross, Danielson spoke about his career and the toll his style has had on his health.

“Odds are I’m going to have to get neck surgery before the end of this year. That’s the reality of it. And that’s kind of something that I’ve accepted is coming down the pipe relatively soon.”

Danielson’s history of neck injuries is well-documented at this stage of his career. It was these issues that resulted in Bryan being stripped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in 2014 and vacating the Intercontinental Title the next year. In early 2016, Danielson was forced to retire from wrestling due to such issues though he was cleared to wrestle again two years later.

Before Danielson goes under the knife, he will compete at AEW All In in two weeks time, where he will challenge for the AEW World Championship. This match with Swerve Strickland will also see Bryan put his career on the line. Whether he wins or loses, Danielson has said this year will be his last as a full-time talent in wrestling to fulfill a promise to his family to be there for them more.

Bryan Danielson is one of the top talents in AEW, but a reign as World Champion may unfortunately be cut short if this surgery goes ahead. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on the American Dragon and his road to All In on August 25.

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) returns to Arlington, Texas, on August 10, 2024 for tonight’s episode of AEW Collision.

The show promises some decent matchups with ALL IN just a few weeks away, including a highly anticipated Texas Bull Rope Match.

AEW Collision Matches Tonight

AEW Collision Main Event: Texas Bull Rope Match

One of the highlights of the evening will be the Texas Bull Rope Match featuring Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo.

House of Black vs. Bang Bang Gang

In another high-stakes bout, House of Black will face off against Bang Bang Gang in a #1 Contenders Match for the AEW World Trios Championships at the upcoming ALL IN PPV from Wembley Stadium.

Swerve Strickland Open Challenge

Swerve Strickland will also be in action, issuing an open challenge in an Eliminator match.

Additional Matches

The night will also feature several other exciting matches:

• Darby Allin & Hologram vs. Premier Athletes
• FTR vs. The Outrunners
• Rush vs. Preston Vance
• Hikaru Shida in action

Lucha Brothers’ Rey Fenix recently withdrew from an indie appearance amid rumors about his potential signing with WWE.

It recently came to light that his contract with AEW is running out later this year which led to speculation that he might be jumping ship to WWE. New Era Wrestling recently released a statement about Fenix’s withdrawal from their event on September 2nd. While it is not confirmed yet, this usually happens when a talent has signed with WWE.

Reports also emerged that his brother Penta El Zero Miedo’s AEW contract will expire this year and that he has drawn interest from WWE. Penta’s contract with AEW will run out between August and September.

AEW desires to retain the Lucha Brothers and contract negotiations have been ongoing. However, some indications have been that the luchadors might be WWE-bound.

Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo file trademarks

On August 1, Penta filed trademark for the names of “Cero Miedo,” “Zero Miedo,” and “AN1MO” for the meaning of entertainment purposes. Meanwhile, his younger brother Rey put in for “King Fuego,” “Rey Fuego,” and “Fuego” all on the same date for the same reason.

All of the trademarks were for goods and services in the realms of “Entertainment services, namely, exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer; live appearances by a wrestler; live appearances by an entertainer” and were filed under the company name The Mexa King Brand, which is based out of California.

• Latest On Penta El Zero Miedo As Contract With AEW Ticks Away

The recent controversy surrounding Britt Baker and MJF was an isolated incident that doesn’t reflect AEW at large, Deonna Purrazzo has claimed. Speaking to Stephanie Chase, the Virtuosa reflected on the situation that resulted in Baker’s recent suspension from the company.

“I think this was an isolated incident because everything else that I’ve experienced in this locker room is supportive, encouraging, and full of camaraderie. We just recently celebrated people’s birthdays, had birthday cakes, and sang. I feel this locker room doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves for that type of camaraderie.”

The incident in question involved Baker, MJF, and the latter’s girlfriend Alicia Atout. It’s alleged that Baker made comments about MJF in the women’s locker-room that Atout overheard. MJF was not suspended by AEW as the company’s investigation reportedly led to the belief that he was defending his partner.

On AEW programming, Baker’s absence has been explained as a kayfabe suspension by the Young Bucks at the request of Mercedes Mone. The AEW TBS Champion demanded Baker’s suspension following a (planned) altercation between the pair at San Diego Comic-Con. Baker appeared on this week’s Dynamite and shared that this storyline suspension had been lifted by Tony Khan. Mone and Baker will collide for the TBS Championship at AEW All In on August 25.

AEW’s Backstage Issues

This is unfortunately not the first time an incident behind the scenes in AEW has leaked to the outside world. Backstage altercations at AEW All Out 2022 and AEW All In 2023 would cast a dark shadow over both events and result in some of the company’s top names being suspended. Mere weeks after All Out 2022, Sammy Guevara and Andrade reportedly had a fight backstage which resulted in a Career Vs. Mask match between Andrade and Rush being canceled. Andrade would leave AEW in 2023 and has since returned to WWE.

More has come to light about Ricky Starks who continues to be absent from AEW programming. Starks hasn’t been seen on TV since the March 30, edition of Collision, where he and Big Bill faced Top Flight in an AEW World Tag Title Tournament match.

Starks suffered a nasty DDT during that match and was pinned, though it was later reported that he and Bill were supposed to advance in the tournament. Since then, Bill has aligned with Chris Jericho and his tag team with Starks has been entirely dropped.

Interest from WWE

There is “certainly interest” in Starks, among other AEW stars from WWE, sources in the company told Mike Johnson of PW Insider this week. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer claimed that “a lot of people” in AEW believe Starks is heading to WWE, which is why the company is not “investing” in a storyline for the former FTW and AEW World Tag Team Champion.

Ricky Starks And WWE

Starks has a handful of WWE matches to his name already, as he has previously worked as an enhancement talent for the company. Ironically, his match on the January 5, 2018 edition of Monday Night Raw would see himself and Aaron Solow collide with future AEW alum FTR, then known as The Revival.

It’s no secret that Starks is a friend of Cody Rhodes, and was spotted at the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE ahead of Rhodes’ return from injury that same night. Starks later told Stephanie Chase that he didn’t care about “tribalism” and wanted to be there to support his friend. Rhodes’ return from a torn pectoral would see him win that year’s Men’s Royal Rumble match.

Starks was also spotted at WrestleMania 40 in April of this year, once again to support his friend. The two-night mega-show saw Rhodes ‘finish the story’ and win his first WWE World Championship from Roman Reigns.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF), former AEW World Champion, is known for his larger-than-life personality both inside and outside the ring. Recently, MJF’s relationship with Alicia Atout has garnered significant attention. Here’s everything you need to know about Alicia Atout and her relationship with MJF.

Who is Alicia Atout?

Background and Career

Alicia Atout is a prominent figure in the wrestling world, primarily known for her work as a backstage interviewer.

She has made significant contributions to various wrestling promotions, including IMPACT Wrestling, AEW, and MLW. Her charm, wit, and deep knowledge of wrestling have earned her a substantial following on social media.

Rise to Fame

Alicia initially gained fame through her YouTube channel, “A Music Blog, Yea?” where she interviewed numerous musicians and wrestlers.

Her engaging interview style and charisma quickly caught the attention of wrestling fans and promotions, leading to her prominent roles in the industry.

The Relationship with MJF

Confirmation of the Relationship

In November 2023, Alicia Atout confirmed her relationship with MJF during a Q&A session on her YouTube channel.

MJF had previously hinted at the relationship, but Alicia’s confirmation provided clarity for fans.

She shared, “There was a plethora, a cornucopia, an entire bag full of questions asking about my dating life… The answer… is yes.”

This confirmation came after MJF referred to her affectionately yet controversially during a media scrum, a nod to their unique dynamic.

A Unique Bond

Their relationship, while surprising to many, highlights a unique bond formed through shared experiences in the wrestling world.

Alicia humorously mentioned how MJF’s initial nickname for her, “Tits McGee,” evolved into a deeper connection.

“Life has a really interesting, weird way of working out,” she remarked, underscoring the unexpected nature of their relationship.

Challenges and Public Attention

Recent Incidents

Recently, their relationship was brought into the spotlight again due to a backstage incident involving Britt Baker in AEW. According to reports, Britt Baker was suspended following a confrontation that also involved Alicia Atout. The incident fueled public interest and added another layer of complexity to the dynamics backstage in AEW.

mRead More – AEW Suspends Britt Baker Over Backstage

Kota Ibushi recently made it clear that he is not leaving AEW and assured the fans about his return with Kenny Omega.

DDT Pro-Wrestling announced that Kota Ibushi will be returning to the promotion and compete in a trios match teaming up with Danshoku Dieno & Akito to face Tetsuya Endo, Yuki Iino & Yuya Koroku. It will mark his first time competing for the promotion in 7 years. This led to the fans questioning whether he was done with AEW.

One fan on social media raised doubt about Ibushi’s status. The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion labeled AEW as his ‘home’ and dropped hints about making his comeback with Kenny Omega.

Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega have been one of the most popular tag teams known as The Golden Lovers. They have been KO-D Tag Team Champions, the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions, and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.

The former IWGP World Champion had been recuperating from an injury and missed almost a year of in-ring action. He made his return to the squared circle at GLEAT’s event at Tokyo Dome City Hall where he faced Daisuke Sekimoto.

Kota Ibushi’s last appearance for AEW took place November 15 edition of Dynamite last year. He had joined forces with Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, and Paul Wight to defeat Brian Cage and The Don Callis Family in an eight-person Street Fight.

Meanwhile, Kenny Omega has been away from AEW since December last year with diverticulitis. Earlier this year, ‘The Cleaner’ returned to Dynamite but he was brutally attacked by Jack Perry and The Young Bucks.

• Report: Kenny Omega Underwent Surgery for Diverticulitis

Independent wrestling star Michael Oku shared a cryptic tweet teasing an appearance at the All Elite Wrestling All In event on August 25.

AEW’s upcoming pay-per-view is starting to take shape as they prepare for their second All In show at Wembley Stadium in London, England, later this month. Five matches have been announced, and the company is expected to reveal more in the coming weeks. The main event will feature AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland defending his title against Owen Hart Cup winner Bryan Danielson.

Although the matchups will be the main focus of the PPV, fans are also interested in what surprises AEW President Tony Khan has planned. The company had several newsworthy appearances last year, including Mercedes Moné, who was a free agent at the time.

Khan has yet to hint at a new talent or any surprise at All In. That said, Oku has fans talking with his tweet showing a compilation of wrestling interviewers asking if he will take part in the PPV. 

How Does Michael Oku Fit Into All In?

The tease is intriguing as the talented independent wrestler is from London, England, and it would surprise fans at Wembley Stadium. He is one of Revolution Pro Wrestling’s biggest stars and the reigning British heavyweight champion.

It’s also worth noting that Oku has a history with Will Ospreay. In their last match, Oku defeated the AEW superstar to retain his title at Revpro’s High Stakes event on February 18. Ospreay is already set to challenge MJF for the AEW American Championship at All In, so a potential rematch is ruled out.

Regardless, Oku’s tweet has created anticipation on whether he’ll finally get his moment at Wembley Stadium.

AEW All In Current Match Card

(Match Card Is Subject To Change)

• AEW TNT Championship: (C) Jack Perry vs. Darby Allin
• AEW TBS Championship: (C) Mercedes Moné vs. Dr. Britt Baker DMD
• AEW American Championship: (C) MJF vs. Will Ospreay
• AEW Women’s World Championship: (C) Toni Storm vs. Mariah May
• AEW World Championship: (C) Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson

AEW has added one of its marquee matchups to the All In pay-per-view.

Head play-by-play man Excalibur announced on the August 7th episode of AEW Dynamite that the Casino Gauntlet matchup will be taking place at the historic event, which happens on August 25th from legendary Wembley Stadium in London, England. The winner of the match will receive a future opportunity at the AEW World Championship.

The Casino Gauntlet match blends AEW’s Casino Battle Royale concept with Lucha Underground’s Aztec Warfare. Wrestlers will continue to enter the bout until someone gets pinned or submitted. The first two incarnations were both won by former AEW International Champion, Will Ospreay.

Who will the winner face? Well that will also be determined at AEW All In as Swerve Strickland defends the world title against Bryan Danielson, who is putting his career on the line.

The August 7th episode of AEW Dynamite featured a ton of great action, including Bryan Danielson vs. Jeff Jarrett and MJF vs. Kyle Fletcher. Several AEW wrestlers were unable to make tonight’s episode, which was in North Carolina, due to severe weather storms canceling flights all around the east coast.

Former AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker has landed a role in the popular Netflix series, ‘Cobra Kai‘.

PWInsider Elite reported that Baker is set to appear on the show for its sixth and final season. The series is an extension of the popular Karate Kid film franchise. The report suggested that D.M.D will portray the character of a European fighter on one of the teams competing in an international Karate tournament known as ‘Sekai Taikai,’ which the final season has been revolving around.

Britt Baker will be featured in fight sequences and those were filmed before her AEW return, which was pushed back due to her commitments in the series.

The first set of Cobra Kai episodes for season six are currently available on Netflix and it saw the participants arriving for the tournament. Baker will be seen in the later episodes of this season. The second set of episodes for season six will drop on the platform on November 15.

Britt Baker recently returned to All Elite Wrestling at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view. She has been involved in a heated rivalry with TBS Champion and NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone.

AEW recently suspended Britt Baker after a backstage incident last month. In the incident, she was involved with the AEW American Champion MJF, and his real-life partner Alicia Atout. Reports stated that the situation dates back to unresolved issues between the two talents, as they had a “falling out” last year.

Despite the suspension, Britt Baker is scheduled to face Mercedes Mone for the AEW TBS Championship on Sunday, August 25 at AEW All In: London.

• Mercedes Mone Unhappy With Britt Baker Stealing Her Spotlight At Forbidden Door 2024

Tony Khan has shared more about his surprising meeting with Shane McMahon which the AEW President found to be “really nice.” Speaking with the Sedano & Kap Show, Khan addressed the meeting that took place at an Arlington, Texas airport last month.

“As I understand, he’s not doing anything with WWE, and I had a really nice visit with him…

I have a lot of respect for him. I had never met him, but he seemed like a really nice guy. I sat down with him, he was fantastic. I really enjoyed talking with him. He is a very smart person about wrestling.”

WWE’s Prodigal Son met with Tony Khan last month and it’s been reported that the pair discussed “possibilities moving forward.” In a statement shared with Busted Open Radio, McMahon said he and Khan discussed a shared love of the business and the rewards and challenges of working with family.

This meeting has left many speculating on whether a McMahon family member could soon be All Elite. Earlier this year, Conrad Thompson claimed that McMahon had spoken to some in AEW about the possibility of joining Tony Khan’s first promotion. It was later clarified that Shane was not making a formal pitch to join AEW and was simply stating that it would be an interesting moment in wrestling. Bryan Danielson has said he’s open to working with McMahon, or anyone, in AEW.

McMahon hasn’t appeared for WWE since his WrestleMania 39 showdown with The Miz which resulted in Shane suffering a torn quad. While McMahon has reportedly made efforts to return to WWE since then, these have been rebuffed by higher-ups. Shane was fired in 2022 for reportedly causing backstage chaos at the Royal Rumble and it’s said there’s still a lot of negativity within WWE against the 54-year-old.

The August 2, edition of AEW Rampage will go down in history for all the wrong reasons as the least-viewed episode in the show’s three-year history. The show drew 209,000 viewers, data from Wrestlenomics shows, down considerably from the previous week’s 306,000. The coveted 18-49 demographic also took a hit as the show drew a 0.07 rating, down from the previous week’s 0.10 rating.

Rampage, like many shows, was decimated by coverage of the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, France. August 2, saw Team USA win silver in swimming courtesy of Regan Smith while Grant Fisher took the bronze in the Men’s 10,000m race. Team USA won silver in Equestrian Team Jumping and Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold took home the bronze for Team USA in the mixed Archery.

AEW Rampage – August 2

While Rampage was on, Olympics coverage averaged 13.1 million viewers and a 2.29 rating in the 18-49 demographic. The AEW show saw MxM face Private Party, Wheeler Yuta take on The Butcher, and Nyla Rose face Harley Cameron. Bryan Keith and Brian Cage were also in action on the show.

While it’s not a surprise that Rampage was crushed by the Olympics, AEW’s Friday show is part of a worrying trend across all AEW programming. As data from Wrestlenomics demonstrates, AEW Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision have all seen drops in viewership from this time last year. These drops are reflected in the 18-49 demographic ratings as well, while WWE content sees steady growth in this coveted demographic across Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.

All Elite Wrestling’s popular tag team, The Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero Miedo), are reportedly expected to leave the company when their contracts expire. While it’s unclear what promotion they plan to sign with, some within AEW expect them to join WWE.

Wrestling free agency has been interesting this year, as several stars from different promotions are seeing their contracts expire. Both WWE and AEW have tried to re-sign some of their performers. However, wrestlers from both companies have either chosen to test free agency or weren’t able to reach a new agreement. One of the notable moves in the industry in recent months was “All Ego” Ethan Page, signing with WWE after spending three years in AEW.

A new report has revealed that the Lucha Bros. will also leave AEW when their deal expires later this year. Ibou, from WrestlePurists (AKA @BackupHangman on X), has shared during WrestlePurists Worldwide review for SummerSlam that his sources within AEW believe they plan to leave, and some expect WWE to sign them. He also noted that the tag team was initially considered to have a title match at All In on August 25, but that has changed. 

He added that he isn’t sure at this time if Death Triangle (Fenix, Penta & PAC) will be featured at the upcoming pay-per-view.

More On Lucha Bros. Potentially Testing Free Agency

While the former AEW World Tag Team Champions are expected to leave AEW, Ibou shared that it’s not completely set in stone that they will go to WWE.

Time will tell what decision Fenix and Penta will make when their current deal expires later this year. However, the move to test free agency makes them a desirable tag team for other promotions to sign. 

AEW American Champion MJF didn’t hold back when a fan opted to bring up Vince McMahon in a discussion about appropriate words in wrestling. To promote his upcoming match with Kyle Fletcher, MJF suggested that Fletcher cut his hair as he looks like “MGK [Machine Gun Kelly] and Ellen Degeneres’s dumpster baby.” That line crossed a line for one fan who said that Vince McMahon would never have allowed one of his Superstars to say something like that. MJF fired back, saying what he believes would be a more likely comment from McMahon given the allegations against the former WWE CEO. In a response of his own, FTR’s Dax Harwood shared his support for MJF’s comment.

McMahon has been accused of being sexually abusive and trafficking Janel Grant during a relationship that McMahon’s legal team has said was wholly consensual.

While the case has been postponed due to a federal investigation into McMahon, details around the matter continue to make headlines. Last month, it was reported that Grant had filed a complaint against Peak Wellness and is asking the company to provide receipts and other information for use in discovery in Grant’s case against McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE. In the original civil suit filed by Grant in January, a Peak Wellness employee was accused of participating in an assault against her.

The Future for MJF

As for MJF, he has a busy few weeks ahead of him, including the match with Kyle Fletcher looming. August 2024 will also see MJF compete at Rev Pro’s Summer Sizzler event in the UK, a third-world country in the eyes of the AEW American Champion. MJF will face Michael Oku at the show, who MJF has said he hates because Oku has the respect of Will Ospreay. MJF will face Ospreay with the AEW American title on the line later this month at All In: London 2024.

Penta El Zero M & Rey Fenix may be covering their bases as their current AEW deals are set to expire.

At the very least, The Lucha Brothers are protecting their creative properties as they move forward in their wrestling career as both Fenix and Penta have put in for three different trademarks apiece.

On August 1, Penta filed for the names of “Cero Miedo,” “Zero Miedo,” and “AN1MO” are for the meaning of entertainment purposes. Meanwhile, his younger brother Rey put in for “King Fuego,” “Rey Fuego,” and “Fuego” all on the same date for the same reason.

Penta confirmed that his AEW contract would run out this year and that WWE has expressed interest in his talents. The thought is that Fenix is in a similar situation contractually and that the brother tag team could test the free agent market.

RELATED: AEW’s Rey Fenix Could Be A Free Agent This Year

Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer reported back in June that Penta El Zero M is open to leaving AEW if the price tag fits because at the age of 39, the luchador has a lot of people relying on him.

Both Fenix and Penta have been with All Elite Wrestling since the very beginning and it would be a very significant shift in the two companies if the brothers were to bounce from AEW to WWE. If they were to do that, Penta and Fenix would join a notable list of names to do the same including Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Ethan Page and Shawn Spears.

RELATED: Latest On Penta El Zero Miedo As Contract With AEW Ticks Away