Bryan Danielson is officially on the road to Wembley after winning the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament this week.
During the July 10, edition of AEW Dynamite, Danielson defeated ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in the finals of the tournament. Danielson reached the finals by defeating Shingo Takagi in the first round and besting PAC in the semi-finals. Page’s road to the finals saw him defeat Jeff Jarrett in the first round and Jay White in the semis. At 25:45, this was the longest match in the tournament and the longest match in the history of the Owen Hart Cup.
IT’S OFFICIAL! The winner of the Men’s #OwenHartCup and going on to face #AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland at #AllIn at Wembley, “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
After the match, AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland appeared on the ramp for a stare-down with Danielson. By winning the tournament, Danielson has earned a World Championship opportunity against Swerve that will take place at AEW All In.
#AEW World Champ Swerve Strickland is here to face off against the winner of the Men’s #OwenHartCup AND his #AllIn opponent, Bryan Danielson!
Danielson missed last year’s All In pay-per-view due to a fractured forearm injury he suffered at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2023. In November of last year, it was confirmed that Danielson would be competing at All In 2024 and now fans know what exactly the American Dragon will do in Wembley Stadium.
AEW All In 2024
AEW All In 2024 will take place on August 25, from Wembley Stadium in London, England. The show will be the second AEW All In event, and the third All In event overall. Tickets for the show went on sale on December 1 and the event will be AEW’s second pay-per-view to take place outside the U.S. AEW All In 2024 was confirmed immediately following last year’s AEW All In event.
AEW Dynamite is set for an action-packed show live from the Calgary Stampede tonight at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TBS Network. The special Stampede-themed episode from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta will feature the finals of the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.
Matches
Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals
Men’s Final: Bryan Danielson vs Adam Page
Women’s Final: Willow Nightingale vs Mariah May
Stampede Street Fight featuring Chris Jericho
Global Glory 4-Way Match featuring Claudio Castagnoli, Kyle Fletcher, PAC, and Tomohiro Ishii
Segments
AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland returns
We’ll hear from AEW International Champion Will Ospreay
AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone will host a Double Championship Victory Toast
Plus, Samoa Joe is advertised to appear.
What Happened Last Week on AEW Dynamite?
The show featured several Owen Hart Foundation Tournament matches, including Bryan Danielson defeating PAC in a semifinal bout. Willow Nightingale advanced to the women’s finals by beating Kris Statlander. In a surprising twist, “Hangman” Adam Page returned as the Young Bucks’ Wild Card pick, defeating Jeff Jarrett to end Double J’s dream of honoring his former partner.
The main event saw AEW International Champion Will Ospreay successfully defend his title against Daniel Garcia in a highly competitive match. The closing segment ended in dramatic fashion with a ‘swerve’ that we probably should have seen coming. After Garcia’s loss, MJF revealed his true colors by attacking him brutally. MJF used his Dynamite Diamond Ring to assault Garcia, leaving him bloodied and injured. The show ended with Garcia being stretchered out while Will Ospreay looked on with concern.
Photo by Ricky Havlik for AEW
This shocking turn of events sets up potential storylines involving MJF, Garcia, and possibly Ospreay moving forward. Additionally, the episode featured appearances by other champions, including TBS and NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Mercedes Moné, who had a heated confrontation with the returning Britt Baker.
7/3/24 AEW Video Recap
The AEW YouTube channel posted this video of recap of the show:
WWE talent have hardly been surprised by the perceived high level of injuries that have occurred in AEW, it has been reported.
While injuries are a work hazard for any professional wrestler, many have pointed at Tony Khan’s promotion for having a higher rate of injuries than other companies of its size. Currently, top names including Adam Cole, Adam Copeland, and Jamie Hayter are all out of action with injuries. Bryan Danielson has seen much of his AEW run disrupted due to injuries and similar setbacks also caused issues throughout CM Punk’s All-Elite tenure.
Talent in WWE have not been surprised by the apparent high rate of injuries in AEW, Mike Johnson of PW Insider reports. The belief is that instead of lowering the risk of injuries, AEW’s more relaxed schedule which sees talent compete maybe once or twice a week is actually making their situation worse. The reasoning is that with long breaks between matches, AEW talent aren’t able to callus their bodies which has resulted in bumps and moves hurting more. In contrast, WWE hosts events almost every night of the week which keeps talent toughened up in the long term.
WWE Superstars were forced to wrestle much less during the COVID-19 pandemic when events happened behind closed doors, either at the Performance Center on inside the Thunderdome. The report adds that talent felt “off” by a few steps after touring resumed in July 2021 but were pleased that they would finally be able to compete more and therefore callus their bodies.
Bayley was an unfortunate victim of this situation as mere weeks before touring resumed, she suffered an injury during training. The Role Model, who had been considered a highlight of the Pandemic Era, would miss a year of in-ring action before returning to TV at SummerSlam 2022.
While it may seem antithetical, it appears wrestling more is decreasing the chances of injuries, at least when it comes to WWE talent. While AEW has flirted with untelevised shows in the past, it remains to be seen if the promotion will ever have a schedule close to WWE.
Will Ospreay has an ecletic taste in music, but his wrestling fandom runs as deep as his affection for his favorite songs.
Speaking with Kerrang, ‘The Billy Goat’ listed 10 different songs that have changed his life and you better believe that one of them was a classic pro wrestling entrance song.
In addition to ABBA, Oasis, Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers, Will Ospreay listed Jim Johnston’s “I Won’t Do What You Tell Me” as the song that reminded him of his “first love” and that love so happened to be the one true sport. If you’re not familiar with the song titles “I Won’t Do What You Tell Me” is Stone Cold Steve Austin’s theme. Ospreay gives his reasoning as to why he chose Austin’s infamous song that begins with breaking glass.
“From the first time I heard that glass breaking as a kid, and saw the audience go crazy as this guy just ran to the ring and beat everybody up, I was like, ‘Oh, wow, wrestling is cool!’ I don’t actually remember when the first time was that I heard that track specifically, but it was during the Austin vs. McMahon era. I’ll always remember the time in 2001 when [the old] WWF bought WCW [with the ensuing Invasion storyline] and Austin being a big part of that.”
Austin’s theme was previously noted to be inspired by Rage Against The Machine’s “Bulls On Parade” and it’s arguably one of the greatest wrestling entrance songs of all time. In credit to Ospreay, he has himself a pretty catchy tune in AEW that cultivates that soccer chant mentality.
In the interview, Ospreay said that Oasis’ “Live Forever” is a tune that gets him pumped up for the wrestling ring. Funny enough, he got inspired by watching Oasis perform at Wembley, something he did in 2023 and something he’s planning to do in 2024.
After a recent report suggested that Stephanie Vaquer is set to leave CMLL with interest from WWE and AEW, a new report claims the female wrestler actually has significant time left on her current CMLL deal.
According to Luchablog, the length of the current CMLL World Women’s Champion’s contract is “not expected to matter much,” as the promotion has granted permission to other wrestlers in the past if they receive a big offer from an American promotion.
The blog also noted that Vaquer has a “lot of loyalty” towards CMLL, but the promotion won’t be able to match what AEW and WWE could offer.
The interest from WWE and AEW stems from Vaquer’s performance at the AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event. While she lost the NJPW Strong Women’s title to Mercedes Mone, her performance has sparked significant interest from these companies.
Vaquer has been part of CMLL since 2019, has held the CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Championship, and is currently in her first reign as CMLL World Women’s Champion.
Record reported that WWE and AEW executives approached Stephanie Vaquer after her performance at Forbidden Door. Vaquer is expected to decide which company to join in the coming days. The deal is anticipated to be a multi-year agreement.
As of now, Vaquer is set to defend her CMLL World Women’s Championship against Lluvia at FantasticaMania USA 2024 on Saturday, July 31.
Former AEW Women’s Champion Riho has confirmed her injury.
The female star took on Instagram to announce the news. She posted a photo with a sling, and noted that she has fractured her arm.
A number of AEW stars have since replied to the post and people such as the TBS Champion Mercedes Mone, Willow Nightingale and Madison Ryan have wished a speedy recovery to their co-worker:
Riho had only returned to the ring during the July 6 episode of AEW Collision where she defeated Lady Frost. Here’s the spot where she’s believed to have sustained the injury:
The 27-year-old had been out of action for four months before that. Her last match before the Collision debut had taken place at the March 13 episode of Dynamite where she suffered a defeat at the hands of Willow Nightingale.
Riho In AEW
Riho has been a part of the AEW roster since their first show in Double or Nothing 2019. She competed in a six-women tag team match at the event.
Things have not gone Riho’s way since the COVID-19 pandemic. She has had to take multiple long breaks due to travel restrictions as well as injuries and has not held any titles in AEW since then.
Marko Stunt made a surprise return to All Elite Wrestling this week as the unlikely challenger to AEW TNT Champion Jack Perry.
On the July 6, edition of AEW Collision, Perry put his title on the line in an open challenge. The Elite member certainly didn’t expect his challenge to be answered by Stunt, who previously teamed with Perry (who competed as Jungle Boy) and Killswitch (then known as Luchasaurus) in Jurassic Express.
Former best friend & Jurassic Express team mate MARKO STUNT has answered the challenge!
Despite the loud reaction, Stunt was unable to dethrone Perry, who captured the TNT Championship at the recent AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event. In a backstage interview later in the show, Stunt’s segment was interrupted by former ally Killswitch.
This match was Stunt’s first bout for AEW since September 2021. He would later be released from the company in June 2022. It remains to be seen if he’ll appear again in AEW but the interactions between himself, Perry, and Killswitch make clear that the past has not been forgotten.
Marko Stunt in All Elite Wrestling
Stunt made his AEW debut as part of a battle royal during the promotion’s inaugural pay-per-view, AEW Double or Nothing, back in May 2019. It wouldn’t be until December of that year that Stunt first tasted victory in an AEW ring when he and Luchasaurus defeated The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds and John Silver) on AEW Dark. Throughout his AEW run, Stunt competed in 49 matches and boasts a somewhat unfortunate 17-32 win/loss record
All Elite Wrestling will need to find a new talent to be the promotion’s goodwill ambassador in the place of Cody Rhodes, according to All-Elite alum Kevin Kelly.
Rhodes, alongside wife Brandi, parted ways with AEW in February 2022 and the American Nightmare would return to WWE shortly after. Since then, Rhodes has become one of WWE’s top stars and is currently in his first run as Undisputed WWE Champion.
While Rhodes has achieved plenty in WWE, AEW without him has seen its share of issues. Injuries and backstage drama has taken a considerable amount of shine off Tony Khan’s promotion in the eyes of many fans. Taking to Twitter, Kelly suggested that AEW has yet to find someone who’ll represent AEW on all levels in the way Rhodes did for years.
The one spot @AEW has yet to fill is the one @CodyRhodes held down. He wasn’t just the top guy but he was the face of the company. THE Goodwill Ambassador. Ticket issue? Special request? Cody took care of it. Talent comes and goes but replacing Cody means so much more.
Kelly knows a thing or two about impactful exits from AEW, though his departure was nowhere close to as amicable as the Rhodes family. Kelly made a series of disparaging remarks on social media earlier this year including accusing fellow AEW broadcaster Ian Riccaboni of libel. After not appearing at an AEW taping, Kelly was let go by the company in
When it comes to selecting a representative of your wrestling promotion, one would struggle to find a better candidate than Cody Rhodes. Articles highlighting Rhodes’ connection with fans are a regular occurrence online, demonstrating his commitment to his role as a leading name in WWE. Earlier this year, Rhodes got up close and personal with a visually impaired fan at a WWE event who held a sign saying they were trying to see him. This heartwarming interaction came about mere weeks after Rhodes agreed to be the Best Man at a fan’s wedding.
Daniel Garcia is catching his stride as an AEW star, but will he be around for long?
Garcia is arguably one of the names to really flourish under the All Elite Wrestling banner as he’s been put in high-profile matches and embraced a unique side of his personality. He’s made a strong connection with the fanbase as an underdog babyface and that’s all been embraced as of recent.
Garcia has been the big fulcrum in a budding feud between Will Ospreay and MJF. This very much culminated at AEW Beach Break 3 as Garcia competed against Ospreay for the AEW International Championship. Garcia went toe-to-toe with ‘The Billy Goat’, but came up short after MJF got involved in the match, offering Garcia his Dynamite diamond ring. Garcia declined the ring and Ospreay in turn got the pinfall victory.
Post-fight, Ospreay consoled a sobbing Garcia and then MJF at first did the same, until he kicked him below the belt and had a massive heel turn. MJF brutally beat down Garcia and bloodied him to a pulp to close out the show, but certainly the story of Daniel Garcia will carry on.
What Is The Status Of Daniel Garcia’s AEW Contract?
According to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer, the current AEW deal with Daniel Garcia is set to expire in October, but those who know him don’t expect the Buffalo boy to be leaving.
AEW’s Jeff Jarrett will always appreciate the efforts of pop sensation Taylor Swift who helped his family out during a very dark time in their lives.
Before becoming one of the most successful names in music history, Swift would babysit the Jarrett children. Speaking to Live At 9:00, Jarrett spoke about how the Shake It Off star did plenty to support the family after Jeff’s first wife passed away.
“She is a friend of the family. [She was] very good to my family during a very, very dark period when my wife got sick and passed away. But Taylor was like a big sister and came over and took the girls, baking cookies and just out at the house. I can’t say enough good things about Taylor… Just a sweetheart.”
Jarrett added that since Swift was never on the “Jeff Jarrett payroll” she was never technically a babysitter. Double-J also joked that people may not be aware that she has done rather well for herself as Swift continues to be a leading name in music.
During the post-Fastlane press conference, WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY was asked about Swift in a question that divided fans. While many saw it as a harmless bit of fun, some took issue with this question and SKY was visibly confused as to why she was being asked about a non-wrestler.
While fans may never see Swift in a wrestling ring, we know to never say never in this industry. Until then, Swift will continue to be a global-recognized megastar in entertainment, with the recent Eras tour further cementing her success.
What does the future hold for Jeff Jarrett? ‘The Last Outlaw’ felt at a loss after his loss to Hangman Page in the quarterfinals of The Owen Hart Cup, but fans still paid ‘Double J’ respect.
Chicago exploded for the in-ring return of Hangman Page, but it was quickly discovered that his ‘Cowboy S***’ mantra came with cruel intentions. Page was ruthless in his assault against Jarrett, who happened to eventually get the Chicago crowd on his side. Jarrett even got a huge reaction when he locked Page in Owen Hart’s sharpshooter. Jarrett escaped Page’s grasp several times, but was caught with a Buckshot Lariat and it was good enough to keep Jarrett down. However, Page wasn’t done. For good measure he hit his Dead Eye finisher for the 1-2-3.
Page made his return after being away for months and from a storyline perspective was suspended by The Young Bucks. However, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson were the ones to reinstate Hangman and implement him into the tournament. While he was a heel against Jarrett, Page also shared his disdain for The Bucks, making it clear to him he wasn’t their puppet.
Despite the loss, The Windy City did tip their cap to ‘The Last Outlaw’ as they cheered Jeff making his exit to the back.
Later on, camera crews caught up with a frustrated and despondent Jarrett as he tried to gather himself after the loss. Both Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt gave him words of encouragement, letting him know that he didn’t let the legacy of Owen Hart down, with Dutt adding opportunity will present itself stemming from the outcame. Jarrett wasn’t too convinced by that.
Ethan Page says working for WWE has already been a mind blowing experience a stark contrast to AEW, which he called, “chaotic and unorganized.”
Page recently arrived in NXT after an uneventful stint with All Elite Wrestling. He attacked NXT Champion Trick Williams in his debut appearance. By going straight after the brand’s top champion, he’s effectively invited himself into the main event scene. He lost their showdown at NXT Battleground 2024 on June 9, but All Ego is here to stay.
Comparing AEW & WWE
During an appearance on the Talk’n Shop podcast recorded ‘on location’ at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Page tells hosts Gallows and Anderson that he still cannot believe how professional the WWE ‘machine’ is compared to the last national wrestling promotion he worked at.
“I went from somewhere that was so chaotic and unorganized to a place that, I mean I’m still learning because I’m still so new here, but this is a machine and it’s incredible.”
Page learned firsthand that disorganization negatively affects talent morale. He admits he felt a bit neglected by ‘AEW creative’ and didn’t receive the support he was expecting.
“It feels good to not feel like I have to do everything myself. To have people that want to see me succeed is kind of mind blowing.”
Listen to Page’s appearance on Talk’n Shop here and make sure to check out our new Wrestling Podcasts section for more great shows to listen to.
What Others Have Said
Ethan Page is the latest wrestler to leave AEW and join WWE, but he’s not the first. Cody Rhodes has been nothing but complimentary about the company he helped co-found.
Jade Cargill has provided some unique insights as well, having started her wrestling career under the AEW banner. Cargill said working there prepared her for WWE, but moved on when she’d achieved all of her goals in AEW.
Chris Jericho believes wrestling should be included as a Olympic sport.
Pro Wrestling has always found itself battling for legitimacy in the broader climate of sports. Those who are not familiar still think of it as a fake performance instead of a scripted art form similar to many performing arts. The AEW star has a great idea to help it attain the respect it deserves.
The former AEW Champion recently appeared on the Blocks Podcast to discuss things such as what it means to be an entertainer, how long he will continue performing and more.
During the interview, Jericho floated a very interesting idea, suggesting that pro wrestling could be included in Olympics similar to any other sport that is judged on points:
“I’ve started to really think about how pro wrestling could easily be an Olympic sport, because it’s a athletic display between two people, much like figure skating or synchronized swimming or anything else that’s judged on points.”
Chris Jericho Explains How Wrestling In Olympics Would Work
Chris Jericho explained that wrestlers from different countries can put together matches to the best of their abilities. They can then be judged on their performances instead of the outcome of the match:
“Think about that. So let’s say I’m from Canada. Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, best wrestlers from Canada. We put together our routine, and then you got you know, Will Ospreay and Michael Oku from England. They put together their routine.
Then you got you know Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, from the United States putting together their routine. Then the judges would say, ‘Okay, this was the best,’ It doesn’t matter who wins or loses. Like figure skating.”
The 2024 Summer Olympics, branded as Paris Olympics 2024 is set to begin later this month in France. The opening ceremony will be taking place on July 26 with some competitions starting as early as July 24. The 2024 edition will notably feature the debut of breakdancing as an Olympic event.
Apart from this, The Learning Tree also talked about things such as his start in wrestling, the backstage politics he had to deal with in 90s, and how things have changed since then.
Here are some news and notes coming out of this week’s AEW Dynamite Beach Break special from Chicago, IL:
Backstage at Dynamite: Former WWE Superstar Mustafa Ali was backstage at visiting at Dynamite, according to PWInsider. Ali currently wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling and TNA, where he’s the reigning Division Champion. As previously reported, his former Retribution factionmate Dijak was backstage at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.
Man in the Black Hat: Hangman Adam Page’s new theme music is “Black Hat” by Vincent Pedulla for AEW Music.
Page made a surprise return on this week’s AEW Dynamite: Beach Break special. The former AEW World Champion was revealed as Jeff Jarrett’s mystery opponent in the Owen Hart Cup men’s quarterfinals. He was victorious and Jay White in the semi-finals this Saturday on AEW Collision.
Hangman Adam Page finishes off Jeff Jarrettat AEW Dynamite, July 3, 2024 (by Ricky Havlik/AEW)
World on Fire: In addition to a new entrance tune, ShopAEW is selling a new Hangman t-shirt featuring the tagline, “World on Fire.”
Hayabusa: AEW has released a letter they received from Takanori Ezaki, brother of Japanese wrestling legend Hayabusa, prior to Sunday’s Forbidden Door PPV.
Hello, This is Takanori Ezaki, a younger brother of Hayabusa.
I heard that Will Osprey would like to use Hayabusa’s costume and entrance theme for Forbidden Door. We, the family of Hayabusa, felt very proud.
It’s been more than 20 years since he was injured in 2001. Many people still sent him their respects over seas. We greatly appreciate it.
I wish the AEW wrestlers safety. Please keep showing us good fights, and be careful not to get injured. I also wish that both Forbidden Door and AEW will be successful.
Takanori Ezaki
Before the #ForbiddenDoor , we received a letter from Hayabusa's brother, which we would like to share with you. —– Hello,
This is Takanori Ezaki, a younger brother of Hayabusa. I heard that Will Osprey would like to use Hayabusa's costume and entrance theme for Forbidden… https://t.co/NOPxX1aCv1
Mercedes Mone confirms that she bumped into Shane McMahon over the weekend at New York City’s LaGuardia Airpot.
Mone defeated Stephanie Vaquer at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door on Sunday to capture the Strong Women’s Championship. She’s now a double-champion and has held the TBS title since her win over Willow Nightingale at Doubule or Nothing back in May.
Mone she couldn’t believe her eyes when she came face-to-face with an old friend. The CEO sent the following message to subscribers of her weekly newsletter:
“My first day being a double title holder and the first wrestler and former WWE Superstar I see is [Shane] McMahon….come on, if that isn’t the universe working in divine timing, I don’t know what else it could be,
I’ve always loved Shane. When we locked eyes, we both kind of looked at each other like IS THAT YOU? Our faces lit up as we got to talking a bit and before he boarded his flight, he gave me his number… the rest as they say [is] history or maybe a mystery!”
Shane McMahon & AEW
The idea of Shane McMahon appearing for All Elite Wrestling is far-fetched, but this is pro wrestling and stranger things have happened.
During a recent edition of the Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross and Conrad Thompson discussed the possibility of Shane McMahon in AEW. JR said the idea is so crazy it might just work, but it would all hinge on the creative storytelling. The hypothetical scenario became a hot topic of conversation online and is not out of the realm of possibility.
“There was a friend of ours, I shouldn’t say their name, but he went out of his way to text me and say, ‘Hey, that’s not as crazy as you think. I know for sure that Shane McMahon has reached out to wrestlers on the AEW roster to at least hypothetically discuss the idea.’ Are we saying that’s going to happen? No. We are saying it’s not that crazy of an idea,” said Conrad.
Tony Khan has spoken about Shane McMahon publicly a few times over the years, most recently during an interview with Justin Barrasso for SI. Khan said he’s heard the rumors about Shane asking around about AEW and he’d welcome the opportunity to meet.
“I have a lot of respect for him as an executive and a professional wrestler. Shane is always welcome in AEW.”
Hangman Adam Page returned on this week’s AEW Dynamite as Jeff Jarrett’s mystery opponent in the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.
Marking his first AEW appearance since Revolution in March, the former AEW World Champion battled the veteran Jarrett, a former tag partner of the late Canadian legend.
Page was a surprise entrant, chosen by The Elite as their wild card. He showed no signs of ‘ring rust’ as he executed his signature moves, the Buckshot Lariat and the Deadeye, en route to a dominant victory.
With this win, the cowboy advanced to the semifinals, where he’ll face Jay White this Saturday, July 6 on AEW Collision.
Is Hangman Elite?
After the match, Page was in a backstage segment with the Young Bucks. Page looked pretty aggressive, and the Bucks said they lifted his suspension and got him a spot in the tournament. They hinted at a partnership moving forward for their upcoming Blood & Guts match as the Elite.
Page declined their proposal and let them know things are different these days. He warned the EVP’s that he is not their child, puppet, nor is he associated with the Elite. He’s focused on winning the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament and won’t be distracted by them.
Former #AEW World & Tag Team Champion 'Hangman' Adam Page is BACK!
Baker, who hadn’t been seen in AEW for months, addressed her absence on Beach Break on July 3. She revealed on Dynamite that her condition towards the end of 2023 was not good. She suffered from burnout, two herniated disks, and an injured hip labrum.
The Dentist explained that she started feeling sick and experienced symptoms such as blurry vision and a numb and tingly right arm. She was diagnosed with a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), which worsened, causing her entire right side to stop working, leading to a week-long hospital stay.
Fortunately, Baker’s health has improved, allowing her to return to AEW. The 33-year-old stated that she is now in good health and ready for in-ring action. Her first target upon return is Mercedes Mone, who she challenged for a match at AEW All In: London in August. However, Mone wasn’t keen on giving Baker a chance at her title and the match is not official just yet.
CEO vs. DMD
Mercedes Mone and Britt Baker have spoken about wanting to work together before, but their on-screen dynamic is far more tense now that this match is likely happening this summer.
At Sunday’s AEW Forbidden Door post-show media scrum, Mone spoke about the significance of winning the Strong Women’s Championship. She took the opportunity to address Baker’s surprise return after her match, which she felt was a poor choice.
“Well, I know a certain bitch wanted to come out and decided to steal my spotlight, right? But that’s not gonna happen, because I’m gonna party all night long and show her that I am Mercedes Mone for a reason. And there’s a price to pay when you interrupt me, ok.”
AEW All In 2024 takes place Saturday, August 25 from London’s historic Wembley Stadium.
Will Ospreay proudly identifies as autistic, describing it as a ‘superpower’ that has elevated his wrestling abilities to a ‘superhero’ and ‘super genius’ level.
The reigning AEW International Champion recently spoke with Alistair McGeorge of Metro and explained why he doesn’t view the condition as a hinderance. Instead, he embraces being neurodivergent and feels it’s enabled him to become one of the top wrestlers today.
“I feel like it’s excelled my abilities to the point where I do think I’m at a superhero level, super genius level of pro wrestling now.”
Ospreay opened up about the way his mind works, and said his autism has helped him dive into something he genuinely loves and (wrestling) and become so great at it that he can share his passion with others. He enjoys being a role model and showing fans th hopes some of his fans they should fight through things holding them back.
“I do understand when people see someone and go, “I’ve got the same thing as you do and you’re on this stage. If anyone is struggling with that and is struggling to find their joy and their happiness, because they feel like this is holding you back – don’t let it hold you back. Look straight ahead at where you want to get to and then you’ll find a way of getting there.”
Earlier this year, Ospreay appeared on the Hey! EW digital series and discussed his the challenges he faced growing up with learning difficulties. Even as an adult, he needed to have someone his AEW contract to him.
“I just want to show people that, yeah, I’ve got autism,” Ospreay said. “I have ADHD as well. I’m super dyslexic. I can’t read. I had to have someone read my contract out for me.”
Ospreay is proud to show people that you can still achieve your dreams, no matter what obstacles you may face.
The former IWGP Champion became emotional after his bout with Swerve Strickland at AEW Forbidden Door 2024. You can check out what happened after the show went off the air here.
This week’s AEW Dynamite from Chicago, IL went out with a bang, as MJF revealed his true colors, proving that his recent positive streak was a carefully crafted illusion. The night’s main event saw Will Ospreay successfully retain his International Championship against Daniel Garcia in a hard-fought match.
Post-match, MJF entered the ring, initially appearing supportive of Garcia. He raised Garcia’s hand and embraced him, seemingly showing respect for his effort. However, this facade quickly crumbled as MJF suddenly delivered a vicious low blow to Garcia. What followed was a brutal assault that left Garcia bloodied and battered.
MJF’s attack escalated, targeting anyone who tried to intervene, including security personnel. The violence peaked when MJF executed a devastating piledriver on Garcia, necessitating medical attention and a stretcher job.
Ospreay attempted to come to Garcia’s aid, but MJF had already made his exit through the crowd, even engaging in heated exchanges with fans along the way.
This unexpected betrayal cements MJF’s position as one of AEW’s top heels, shattering any notions of a genuine face turn. The dramatic attack sets the stage for intense storylines in the months ahead as AEW marches towards Blood and Guts on July 24 and All in: London on August 25.
MJF will kick off AEW Collision this Saturday, July 6 on TNT from Southaven, MS. We can be sure he’ll have plenty to say about his ‘new’ attitude.
AEW: Blood & Guts 2024 comes to Nashville, TN on Wednesday, July 24 at the Bridgestone Arena. The event will air live on TBS as part of a special edition of AEW Dynamite. This year, the dreaded 5-on-5 double cage match will pit Team Elite against Team AEW.
Team Elite will be The Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry and one more partner TBA.
ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe is the first member to declare his participation on Team AEW. The four remaining spots will be announced in the week ahead.
#ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe the first member of Team AEW for #BloodAndGuts!
Blood & Guts is an annual TV special produced by All Elite Wrestling since 2021.
The Blood and Guts match is AEW’s version of the classic WarGames match. This involves two teams fighting inside a roofed cell structure surrounding two rings.
The event was originally scheduled for March 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually debuting in May 2021. It has since become an annual mid-year event, with subsequent shows held in June 2022 and July 2023.
It’s Wednesday and you know what that means – AEW Dynamite will be live tonight on TNT from Chicago, Illinois at the Wintrust Arena. This will be as special Beach Break edition of Dynamite, presented by Shark Week, which is hosted by none other than John Cena.
AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door is in the history books. Swerve Strickland remains the AEW World Champion, while TNT Champion Mercedes Mone now also holds NJPW’s Strong Women’s Championship. Dr. Britt Baker is back and has sights on getting her title back.
Dynamite Preview (July 3, 2024)
Tonight on AEW Dynamite: Beach Break 2024, the Owen Hart Foundation tournaments continue, we’ll hear Britt Baker and more:
Matches
Daniel Garcia challenges Will Ospreay for the AEW International Championship
Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Semifinals
Bryan Danielson vs. PAC
Jeff Jarrett vs. Wild Card (chosen by The Young Bucks)
Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Semifinals
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale
Segments
We’ll hear from Dr. Britt Baker
Mercedes Mone will host a Double Championship celebration. She now holds the AEW TBS Championship and the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship.
Mercedes Mone loves the WWE, but she says they were difficult to deal with when she was offered a role in The Mandalorian.
Speaking on HOT 97 in promotion for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, the former Sasha Banks talked about her time under the Star Wars banner as Koska Reeves, and how WWE wasn’t as enthused with her being in a galaxy far, far away.
“I love WWE but they tried so hard to not make me do the Mandalorian and put me on house shows when I was supposed to film.”
Mercedes noted that WWE would put her on house shows to further complicate her Mandalorian aspirations.
“It was pulling teeth just to get on that show.”
So happy they didn’t succeed in stopping her and she’s in a good place now, absolutely crazy. pic.twitter.com/4yoHl0giHz
Someone who is familiar with pulling teeth is Mone’s next big rival in AEW, Britt Baker, DMD. Mone secured a solid victory against Stephanie Vacquer on Sunday before Baker walked out to make clear she has her eyes on Mercedes multiple gold.
In the past, WWE garnered a reputation for not being supportive of talent outside the “WWE Universe.” Even back when Batista first got casted as Drax The Destroyer in Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy franchise, WWE didn’t do any promotion for the film despite the fact that “The Animal” made his return for WrestleMania XXX.
Another talent familiar with WWE stonewalling their silver screen aspirations was The Rock. Aside from his WWE film projects, WWE didn’t exactly herald The Rock’s initial rise stardom until he came back into the company fold. On the flip side of that, The Rock had to distance himself a little from his pro wrestling past when he tried his hand at Hollywood.
Circumstances may be greatly different in WWE without Vince McMahon at the helm. With The Rock now on the TKO Board Of Directors and Triple H being more open-minded, Mone and other modern talent could be getting the WWE support from outside ventures.
Zack Sabre Jr. wants his re-match with Bryan Danielson to happen in England.
The NJPW star picked up a big victory at the Forbidden Door 2024 PPV. He managed to make Orange Cassidy tap out with a submission.
He took part in the post show media scrum after his big win where the former NJPW TV Champion was asked about another star who picked up a win on the same show – Bryan Danielson.
The two have shared the ring a number of times and ZSJ was asked what would be his preferred place if a rematch between the two were to take place. The English star mentioned how their first match was in England and expressed his interest in repeating that:
“Our first match was in England. We had a rematch in Germany that’s somewhat forgotten, and then we had the match at WrestleDream in Japan. I know that Bryan says he’s winding it down, but he’s a pervert so I can’t imagine. In a wrestling sense, that’s not against his character. We at least have to have one more match in England.”
Zack Sabre Jr. mentioned how his early match with Bryan Danielson helped put him on the map and he can never repay the debt of it. This is why he wants to have another match with the wrestling veteran:
“I’ve said this countless times but when I wrestled with Bryan for the first time in England, in front of a pub in front of 50 people when he had no idea who I was and he gave me so much. It kickstarted my entire career, and I can never repay the debt to him, outside of trying to break all his limbs. I’m yet to tap out Bryan Danielson so we have to have at least one more match where he lets me try.”
The 36-year-old is not the only star who is gunning for a rematch against the former world champion. During the same media scrum, AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland mentioned how his previous loss against Bryan irks him to the day and declared that Danielson is at the top of the list of talents he wants to face.
You can check out the full AEW Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:
Tony Khan has confirmed that the third Forbidden Door PPV from the UBS Arena in New York was a huge success for the company.
The AEW president took part in the post Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum where he talked about things such as the upcoming Wrestle Dynasty PPV from Tokyo Dome which will be a joint show hosted by AEW, NJPW, and CMLL.
During the press conference, Khan also touted the success of the latest AEW PPV. He confirmed that the show drew a million-dollar gate for the third consecutive time:
“What a huge success this PPV has been. This is our third Forbidden Door, what a great partnership. Tonight was not only a great PPV, also a great live event here. Like we said over 11,000 fans here at UBS arena paid and over a million dollars live gate, really really, special. Third straight year with over 11,000 fans and over a million-dollar live gate, which is pretty cool too.”
One interesting question Tony Khan was asked during the scrum was the potential of adding a ‘meaty super heavyweight championship’ after the match between Samoa Joe and Jeff Cobb at the PPV.
The AEW official mentioned how we’ve seen a lot of ‘meat moments’ in AEW and fans can chant ‘meat’ whenever they want to. On the potential of a title exclusive for the big men, Khan said that such matches are always exciting:
“There are a lot of championships in wrestling, but certainly any time we can get the big men fighting, I love it. Even if we’re not ready for a championship, those matches are exciting and we’ve seen people get engaged when those big guys start fighting and they love chanting ‘meat,'”
Apart from this, Tony Khan also discussed the upcoming Brodie Lee tribute shoes and more. You can check out the full Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:
Bryan Danielson is at the top of Swerve Strickland’s list of opponents he wants to face.
Swerve once again defended his AEW World title successfully against Will Ospreay in the main event of Forbidden Door 2024 from UBS arena in New York.
The AEW star took part in the post-show media scrum after his victory. He was asked about Bryan Danielson competing in the Owens Hart Foundation Cup Tournament and if he was still gunning for a re-match against the American Dragon.
The winner of the Owen tournament is set to receive a world title shot at the upcoming All In PPV from Wembley Stadium. Swerve Strickland referenced this fact, saying that Bryan is in the position to gun for him now:
“I think he’s at the position to gun for me now, especially after tonight. But I still want that win back so bad. That’s something that still irks me to this day, that loss from Bryan. Because he’s someone I idolize and look up to, especially coming from the Pacific Northwest. We both share the Seattle-Tacoma native background.”
Swerve Strickland Wants His Win Back
Swerve Strickland then mentioned that he has been following Bryan’s career for a long time and he is determined to get his win back from the former world champion:
“And from his career for the last 10, 15 years I’ve been watching and studying that man. And getting in the ring with him, feeling how special he is? That’s a win that I need to mark off of my list. And I don’t have a long list really, it’s very small. But definitely, Bryan Danielson’s at the top of it.”
Strickland has shared the ring with Bryan only once. The two had a singles match at the October 10, 2023 episode of Dynamite where Danielson picked up the victory.
The former WWE star picked up another victory at the Forbidden Door PPV tonight. Bryan defeated Shingo Takagi in a quarterfinal match of The Owen Cup, getting him one step closer to a shot at Strickland’s world title.
You can check out the full Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:
