AEW EVPs The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) made their surprise return to the promotion during NJPW Resurgence and Eddie Kingston is the latest victim of their brutal assault. 

Edde Kingston was unsuccessful in defending his NJPW Strong Openweight title against Gabe Kidd in a No-rope Last Man Standing Match. After the disappointing loss, Jack Perry made his way to the ring and had a staredown with ‘The Mad King.’ The distraction led to Nicholas and Matthew entering the ring and launching a blindsided attack on Kingston. After delivering a promo, they eventually went on to take him out with an EVP trigger.

.@youngbucks & @boy_myth_legend show up!

Sign up Now & Stay tuned to https://t.co/CeQLGjTmZ5#NJPW #njpwworld #njresurgence pic.twitter.com/rRCCrC8mFO

— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) May 12, 2024

This marks The Young Bucks’ first appearance in the promotion sinch Wrestle Kingdom 13 where they competed for the IWGP Tag Team titles. 

The Young Bucks continue their onslaught

The Young Bucks are abusing their power as EVP and even AEW President Tony Khan has fallen prey to them. After recruiting Kazuchika Okada to The Elite, they recently got Jack Perry on their side to bolster their force. A few weeks back on Dynamite, the Jackson brothers shockingly took out Khan. The Young Bucks have established their control over AEW and they seem to be unstoppable. The duo has also recently attacked a returning Kenny Omega, who was not even medically cleared. 

• The Elite Doesn’t Need Kenny Omega Anymore After Brutal Assault On Dynamite

On this week’s Dynamite, AEW EVP Kenny Omega announced that The Young Bucks will join forces with Jack Perry and Kazuchika Okada to take on the team of FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler), Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson in a ‘Anarchy In The Arena’ Match at the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday, May 26.

Reigning AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland retained his title on the latest episode of Collision and also made history in the process. 

In the main event of the show, Copeland retained the title against Kyle O’Reilly, who was competing in his hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. Not only did Copeland retain the title, but this marked the 100th title defense of the AEW Championship, a first for any championship in the All-Elite promotion.

It’s main event time! #TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends his title in a landmark 100th defense. A first for ANY championship in #AEW!

Watch #AEWCollision LIVE on TBS!@RatedRCope pic.twitter.com/nlI5Ei21Mt

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 12, 2024

Copleand was able to defend his gold against O’Reilly but the story of the match didn’t stop there. After the match, the two Canadian wrestlers embraced and the champion raised the hand of his challenger. Copeland then refused to let go of O’Reilly that led to a tense face-off between the two before the TNT Champion left first. 

It’s main event time! #TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends his title in a landmark 100th defense. A first for ANY championship in #AEW!

Watch #AEWCollision LIVE on TBS!@RatedRCope pic.twitter.com/nlI5Ei21Mt

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 12, 2024

Speaking after the match, Copeland said that the match showed exactly why he joined AEW last year. 

“Tonight was just an example of why I came to AEW. To get in there with a talent like Kyle O’Reilly in his hometown. 25 years after his dad brought him to see his first wrestling show which I was on. Fast-forward 25 years later and we’re in the main event for the TNT Championship and his dad is here tonight… What an absolute pleasure and a privilege to get into the ring with a talent like that.”

What’s To Come? 

Copeland retained in the 100th AEW TNT Championship title defense and the 101st may come at AEW Double or Nothing 2024. Backstage, Copeland challenged Malakai Black to a title match at the event to be contested in a Barbed Wire Steel Cage. Copeland has been feuding with the House of Black in recent weeks, and the macabre group’s influence may explain his post-match incident with O’Reilly. 

Kenny Omega appreciates the knowledge and work of two legends that have came before him and one of those names is Triple H.

Speaking on his Twitch stream, Kenny Omega was asked about Triple H the wrestler and Paul Levesque the booker. Omega said he couldn’t really comment on him as a booker because he doesn’t specifically know what Triple H inputs creatively, but does like him in particular for his physique. He then compares Levesque to another WWE Hall Of Famer.

“I really like Ravishing Rick Rude. He’s one of my favorites, actually, from the yesteryear era and I think he was a very underrated wrestler. He always had Bobby, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan so already his promos would be taken care of whether he said much or not, didn’t matter. He had Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.”

“For Triple H, I kind of look at him in the same light … I liked Triple H as a body guy.” 

• Bryan Danielson Names Kenny Omega The Greatest Canadian Wrestler Of All Time

Omega mentioned how Triple H was influential in his promos and some talent try to replicate that, but Omega knew that he wasn’t able to do that. He and Triple H have different voices.

“I can’t tell you one promo that really hit me off the top of my head, but I’m sure it was effect and his matches, he’s got some great ones.”

Omega notes of Triple H’s memorable matches including his Royal Rumble 2000 match and the triple threat match against Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit at WrestleMania XX.

Please h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

Bryan Danielson’s contract with AEW is due to expire within a matter of months, but the American Dragon is confident he’ll be competing for a long time to come. 

The popular wrestler is in the midst of what he intends to be his final year as a full-time wrestler. This has stemmed from a promise Danielson made to be ‘there’ more for his children. During an appearance on Casual Conversations with The Wrestling Classic, Danielson discussed his status with AEW.

“The big one is Wembley [host of AEW All In.] I wanna make it to Wembley. My contract actually expires before Wembley, but I wanna make it to Wembley. I’m not sure if I’ll make it, but one thing that would be a nice way to kind of close everything out for me is to do my last match as a full-time wrestler at WrestleDream at the Tacoma Dome because that’s the first wrestling show I ever saw.”

It’s hardly a surprise that Danielson hopes to compete at AEW All In 2024. Not only will the show be AEW’s largest event of the year but Bryan missed out on competing at last year’s event due to an injury. He returned to action days later at the following AEW All Out 2023 pay-per-view. 

AEW would be wise to keep Bryan on board with a new contract. Not only is he considered one of the best wrestlers in the world, but the Blackpool Combat Club member has proven to be useful behind the scenes. Danielson also oversees reprimands for any AEW talent who crosses lines on social media. 

Danielson’s next match will come on tonight’s episode of AEW Collision. He and Claudio Castagnoli will team to face off against Top Flight. 

The nation of Canada is home to countless talented pro-wrestlers, but Kenny Omega stands above the rest as far as Bryan Danielson is concerned. 

All Elite Wrestling has hosted its most recent events north of the border with Omega making a return during the May 1, show at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. When speaking to Hockey Night in Canada, Danielson was asked for his favorite Canadian wrestler. 

Gosh! I would have to say, this is going to be controversial. Kenny Omega. When you watch him, he’s hurt right now, he’s one of the most fantastic wrestlers you’ll ever see. 

When it was brought up that many will feel Bret Hart is more deserving of the accolade, Bryan was quick to share his respect for the Hit Man. 

“It’s going to be controversial. I mean I’m a huge Bret Hart fan. But when you watch Kenny Omega… Love Bret Hart, love the Hart Family… but when you look at Kenny Omega, his best stuff is just incredible.”

Danielson’s appreciation for Omega is hardly a secret. When the former WWE World Champion joined AEW, he wasted no time in selecting Omega as his first opponent. The duo faced off at AEW Grand Slam 2021 to a time-limit draw. The pair have traded wins in multi-man matches since then at AEW Dynamite’s second-anniversary show in 2021 and Double or Nothing 2023. 

It remains to be seen if fans will see Danielson face Omega one more time. The American Dragon is currently in his final year as a full-time talent but intends to continue resting after 2024. Omega is currently out of action with diverticulitis and there’s no word on when he’ll be back in the ring. 

AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland took the fans by surprise when he made an appearance at DEFY Wrestling without prior announcement. 

On Friday, May 10, Strickland showed up at DEFY Here And Now. In a video clip that surfaced on social media, ‘Swerve’ delivered a passionate promo. He said that the Seattle-based promotion played a pivotal role in becoming successful. The Washinton-born wrestler further thanked DEFY Wrestling for providing the platform and said that they are “setting the tone” in the wrestling industry. 

Strickland recalled his headlining match against Cody Rhodes at the inaugural DEFY show and gave a shoutout to ‘The American Nightmare.’ The former WWE wrestler then showered praise on the current members of DEFY roster and expressed his gratitude towards the promotion, where his career started to take off.  

Swerve Strickland then thanked the fans for their support and revealed his gift to the fans – a free meet-and-greet session following the show. The segment ended with Strickland asking “Whose House?” as the fans responded: “Swerve’s House.”

https://twitter.com/GIFSkullX/status/1789155920766697817

Strickland parted ways with DEFY wrestling in 2019 and went on to taste success in major promotions such as WWE and AEW. In the past, he has held the DEFY World Championship and has been one-half of the DEFY Tag Team Champions alongside Christopher Daniels.

Igniting a feud with Christian Cage

On this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Swerve Strickland was confronted by Christian Cage. They had a verbal exchange which ended in a massive betrayal for the champ. The Gates of Agony (Toa Linoa & Bishop Kaun) and Brian Cage turned on Strickland and launched a gruesome attack. This marks the dissolution of the Mogul Embassy.  

With Christian Cage setting his sights on the AEW World Championship, Swerve Strickland now has a huge challenge at his hands.

Kenny Omega will go under the knife to deal with his ongoing health concerns as the AEW EVP remains on the shelf for the time being. 

The former AEW World Champion hasn’t competed since late 2023 due to a battle with diverticulitis and there has been speculation as to whether he’d undergo surgery. While surgery would mean a lower chance of the issues with diverticulitis returning, it would also mean he’d have to spend longer out to recover from the operation. 

Now, Omega has made his decision. Taking to his Twitch channel, the Cleaner spoke about the surgery he is set to undergo. 

“I will actually be getting surgery very very very soon… this guy is top in his field and I feel even though it’s a major surgery, I feel most comfortable with this individual. So even though there’s always worries going into a major surgery, if there’s one person the most confident with, I think it’s this dude.”

Omega did share the bad news to his viewers that this surgery will likely mean he won’t be streaming for a while. With that said, the AEW EVP said he intends to keep fans informed within days after the operation. 

What’s to Come? 

While Omega won’t be competing for some time, it’s no secret what the future holds for him in the ring. During his recent appearance on Dynamite, Omega made clear he would face AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada in the future. The two have faced off in a series of highly-acclaimed matches in the past which resulted in Omega ‘breaking’ Dave Meltzer and his star ratings system. 

Kenny Omega: ‘Dave Meltzer Can’t Tell What A Good Match Is After I Broke His Ratings System’

AEW Surgery

Omega isn’t the only notable name missing from AEW programming. MJF hasn’t competed since losing the World Championship at Worlds End in December 2023. MJF underwent shoulder surgery in April 2024 and there’s no word on when fans can expect him back. 

AEW EVP Kenny Omega believes that Dave Meltzer was never quite the same after the Cleaner ‘broke’ the wrestling reporter’s much-discussed match ratings system. 

For years, Meltzer used a standard five-star ranking, with one representing a terrible encounter and five representing the absolute best a match could be. For Omega’s Wrestle Kingdom 2017 showdown with Kazuchika Okada, Meltzer broke his ratings system and awarded the bout six stars. That same year, Meltzer would go against his own system again, awarding Omega Vs. Okada at Dominion 6.25 stars. 

Ever since then, Meltzer has gone beyond his standard five-star rating, which has spawned a debate as to whether his previous five-star matches are now seen as less than perfect. Speaking on his Twitch stream, Omega took the blame (or credit) for breaking the ratings system. 

“He’s jumped the f*cking shark so it doesn’t count for much anymore. He has jumped the motherf*cking shark, and guess who is to blame for that? Me. I’m the guy. 

“I broke the scale, it f*cked up something in his brain where he doesn’t even know what good match is anymore… I think he just doesn’t understand it anymore, he cant comprehend what’s going on.”

https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1789101353794461922

Omega went on to describe his situation as akin to Pandora’s Box; which once opened, cannot be re-sealed. Meltzer’s highest-rated match stands at seven stars and saw Omega defeat Okada in a ‘No time limit two out of three falls’ match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Dominion 6.9 in 2018. 

As for when Omega’s next five-star (or more) match will be, that remains to be seen. The Cleaner has been out of action since late 2023 due to a battle with diverticulitis. Despite recently appearing on AEW programming, there’s no timeframe for when fans can expect the former AEW World Champion back in the ring. 

Big Bill’s new pairing with former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho signifies the end of his previous partnership with Ricky Starks. We’ve seen wrestlers teaming with multiple tag partners and being part of multiple ongoing storylines, but that won’t be the case here. Fightful Select reports Bill and Starks have officially parted ways and there are no plans for the former AEW tag champs to work together on television. After reaching the top of the mountain together, they’ve decided to go their separate ways.

While Big Bill is sitting under the Learning Tree, Starks is out of action recovering from a leg injury. That process is never fun, but he let his social media followers know he’s doing just fine while off the road.

Laid up with a fine lady, eating grapes. Pick a day https://t.co/K3FQNod6T9

— Ricky Saints (@starkmanjones) May 8, 2024

Big Bill in AEW

Big Bill has gone through a lot since his WWE release, and it was well-documented. He has also spoken candidly about overcoming those struggles.

After a run in the NWA and Impact Wrestling, AEW opened their doors to the former Realest Guy in the Room.

Big Bill made his AEW debut on May 4, 2022, as MJF’s pick to face Wardlow in a storyline for their Double or Nothing match. Although Bill lost that debut match to the Warddog, he wasn’t finished in Tony Khan’s company. By August, the 37-year-old signed with AEW, initially as part of Stokely Hathaway’s stable, The Firm.

In August 2023, Big Bill teamed up with Ricky Starks, who managed him after obtaining a manager’s license. They won the AEW World Tag Team Championship from FTR on October 7 and held it for 123 days before losing it to Sting and Darby Allin.

On April 24, 2024, Big Bill told FTW Champion Chris Jericho he wanted to join his Learning Tree. After assisting Jericho in a match, Jericho welcomed him into the group a week later. All signs point to the fact that Bill’s stories in AEW are far from over.

We may indeed never see Chuck Taylor wrestle again, according to a new report.

Dave Meltzer has written in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that when AEW stated Chuck Taylor will never compete in the ring again, this is reportedly true.

Taylor was taken out by Trent Berreta several weeks ago who hadnotoriously turned heel against The Best Friends as he has had an axe to grind against Orange Cassidy. This eventually boiled over into Beretta’s relationship against Taylor as he made Chuck pick between him and Orange Cassidy.

Taylor sided with Cassidy and this eventually turned into a parking lot fight between Beretta and him. Beretta got the win, but still decided to inflict more pain on “The Kentucky Gentleman” by taking a wrench to his leg. This set up the on-air angle that Taylor’s career was done.

• Trent Beretta Gets Admonished By Mama Sue Following Recent Actions Against The Best Friends

Before his perhaps final match, Taylor has been out on the shelf with injury but did have a previous major injury in a pectoral muscle tear. This put him in an angle with Miro as Taylor served as his “servant” for the time being. He then later suffered another injury with his foot after his ALL IN Stadium Stampede match.

Taylor and Beretta have been with All Elite Wrestling since the very beginning as they were surprise signings at the AEW Double Or Nothing Ticket Announcement Party in 2019. They actually defeated Jack Evans and Angelico at the promotion’s inaugural PPV that following Memorial Day weekend. Beretta just lost to Cassidy in a match on this week’s AEW Dynamite.

Soft Ground Wrestling (SGW) Uganda is making a mark on the pro wrestling world and one of its wrestlers Sanjuki The Bull is looking for a match against AEW’s Will Ospreay.

SGW, the promotion based in Uganda has gained some massive popularity on social media in recent months and several prominent wrestlers have supported the promotion. They have gone the extra mile as Sanjuki has already inked a contract of honor and has challenged ‘The Aerial Assassin’ for a Forbidden Door Centurion Match. 

In a video clip posted on SGW’s X account, Sanjuki delivered a passionate promo and said that Ospreay has no idea what’s coming for him. He made it clear that he’s not afraid of the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and it’s “bad news” for the latter.

Sanjuki Signs a contract of honor for a match against will ospreay of AEW. Forbidden door. Centurion match. pic.twitter.com/ApVs1Q6rWi

— SGW @soft ground wrestling Uganda (@SGWug) May 8, 2024

SGW features a soil ring instead of a traditional pro wrestling ring. They also use string ropes similar to pro wrestling ropes. The steel posts are replaced by bamboo posts at the four corners. This is a unique setup that garnered attraction on social media. SGW Uganda is not only a wrestling promotion but they also train over 180 aspiring wrestlers. 

Fans on social media were impressed with the effort of the promotion and set up a GoFundMe campaign to extend support. It soon came to light that the ground where they perform is rented and faced financial issues. Will Ospreay was among the first wrestlers who came across SGW. ‘The Aerial Assassin’ had contributed $2,000 to the promotion. 

Will Ospreay is heading to SGW 

Last month, during the AEW Dynasty Media Scrum, Ospreay said that he was eager to wrestle in Uganda. Recently, speaking on Swerve City Podcast, the 31-year-old confirmed that he would make an appearance in the Ugandan promotion. He said:

“You have no idea what’s coming lads. Listen I will come. Don’t you worry”

It was recently revealed that wrestlers have been able to raise a whopping amount for SGW which will help them keep the momentum going for the better things to come.

Fans haven’t seen Wheeler Yuta on AEW television for months and unfortunately, it’s unknown when the young star could be returning.

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Yuta is reportedly dealing with concussion symptoms and there is no update as to when he could return.

Yuta hasn’t wrestled since January when he lost to Eddie Kingston for the Triple Crown Championship.

Even despite him being a heel, Yuta has been a fan favorite ever since arriving to AEW. He originally was a babyface as he found himself alongside The Best Friends, but now the group is greatly fractured.

Yuta found a new version of himself once he joined The Blackpool Combat Club. Working alongside the likes of Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley and even William Regal, Yuta had his game elevated and in turn, his personality as a wrestler. Danielson noted that he’s really appreciated seeing the growth of Yuta since they joined Blackpool Combat Club forces.

• Wheeler Yuta Pulled From CMLL Event Amid Lengthy Absence

Wheeler was the ROH Pure Champion before getting hurt and was making a memorable run with the title. His last post on X was on January 13 and actually involved his hatred for the aformentioned Kingston as well as some respective New York sports teams.

“I hate Eddie Kingston, the Yankees, and the New York Football Giants.”

I hate Eddie Kingston, the Yankees, and the New York Football Giants

— YUTA (@WheelerYuta) January 13, 2024

However, Yuta did like a Tweet at the end of April, indicating that he’d like to square off against fellow AEW star Ortiz in singles action, a name who also hasn’t been seen on AEW television in awhile.

Warner Bros. Discovery will be undergoing some financial shifting in 2024 and it’s from the order of their CEO David Zazlov.

Bloomsberg is reporting that Zazlov has told the WBD brass to look for viable cost-cutting opportunities so the company can hit its financial targets over the course of the next couple of years.

This includes the possibilty of layoffs, something in which WBD had done over the last year. The company laid off 2,000 employees through 2023. By the end of the year, WBD was $44.2 billion with $4.3 billion cash-on-hand.

According to sources from Bloomsberg, Warner Bros. Discovery streaming department alone contains a great deal of the budget, adding up to over hundred of millions of dollars. A huge portion of that is focused in the marketing and technology work that’s involved.

• AEW Exiting Exclusive Television Negotiation Window With WBD

Warner Bros. Discovery could be seeing some major changes forthcoming as they were unable to negotiate a new deal with the National Basketball Association within their exclusive window. Being a live sports entity, NBA will be a hot ticket to acquire from competitors with several names mentioned to be in the mix including NBCUniversal and Amazon.

The fact that the NBA could be gone from WBD’s catalogue initially seemed promising for AEW, but if the company lieutenants feel AEW isn’t delivering as a return on investment, “cost-cutting” may be applied. to their weekly pro wrestling product.

NBC will be sitting pretty with a big live sports entity as not only will SmackDown be heading to USA Network in 2025, but RAW will also be sticking around until they make the leap to Netflix.

After signing with them late last year, Adam Copeland is having a career resurgence in All Elite Wrestling. He is currently the AEW TNT Champion and is competing against great wrestlers he’s never faced before in the company. Although AEW fans are enjoying his run, they could have seen him on the roster a lot sooner than 2023. 

In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Copeland shared that he was in talks with AEW in late 2019 and almost joined then. At the time, he was trying to get medically cleared to wrestle after retiring from wrestling in 2011. While he was having talks with WWE about returning, he admitted that he had great conversations with AEW and was “really close” to signing with them. 

“…So when I first started talking with AEW, I wasn’t yet cleared,” said Copeland. He continued, “…I still wasn’t cleared by company doctors, right? So once all of those clearances started to come, I was like, Oh, this is real now. Okay. So before I did anything, I had to go kind of get the final clearance needed for either company, and I had negotiated with everybody.” 

Ultimately, Copeland had a sit down with former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, and he was able to convince him to make his return at the WWE Royal Rumble on January 26, 2020. He acknowledged that he had no regrets about signing with WWE because of the moment he had made his entrance in the match. 

Copeland would stick around with WWE for over three years before jumping to AEW on October 1, 2023. 

Adam Copeland On What’s Next After AEW Contract Expires

Copeland’s contract with AEW is a multi-year, full-time deal with the expectation that it will expire in 2026. Although he looks in great shape at 50, he is still uncertain if he will wrestle after his deal ends. 

In the interview, he shared that he is balancing his career and family life well. That said, it will depend on how he feels when it’s time to renew. 

“…If I can keep performing at a level, but more importantly on a level I can feel proud of. I just don’t want to get to a point where I’m really struggling, and it’s just pulling teeth to get it done. I don’t want to do that, and thankfully, I’m at a point in my career where I don’t have to do that,” said Copeland. 

The AEW TNT Champion also mentioned how he hopes his work ethic can be a life lesson for his daughters and that he can inspire them. That said, he also wants to make sure he is there for them, and thankfully, his schedule hasn’t impacted his family time.  

Copeland is having fun and is motivated to compete with the best in AEW. For fans wondering about his future, he seems open to re-sign if he can still compete at a high level and manage his life outside wrestling.  

Adam Copeland wanted to get Gangrel back in the mix with WWE, even if it was brief.

The former Edge spoke with Chris Van Vliet on Insight and gave a little “insight” as to him bringing back the notorious Brood entrance for WWE Day 1 2022. Copeland made the play to get Gangrel to rise back up alongside him much akin to the Attitude Era, but revealed that idea was shot down by WWE.

“So this isn’t a knock on WWE, but I’d always get the, ‘Well nobody remembers.’ People remember, wrestling fans remember and I think wrestling fans want to be rewarded for remembering. And that’s a way to reward them. That’s what I’ve always felt.”

• Adam Copeland: ‘I Started Talks With AEW The Day After My WWE Contract Expired’

Copeland cited the recent return of Matt Cardona to AEW who challenged Adam for his TNT Championship on an episode of AEW Collision. Copeland knows that fans remember Cardona’s time as an ‘Edge Head’ and it was a way to bring something special back for the audience. However, he just couldn’t get WWE behind bringing back Gangrel, the original leader of The Brood.

“That was one I just kept getting shut down. I realised, okay, that was not a hill to die on because it didn’t get to happen. It’s not my sandbox, I got to do with what I’ve been given.”

Gangrel did happen to show up for The Young Bucks’ entrance back when they were feuding with The Hardys so the possibility of The Brood boiling up certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Copeland could use some extra help as he continues to feud with House of Black in build to Double or Nothing in Las Vegas.

Please h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.

Tony Khan continues to embrace the “challenger brand” identity of AEW and think that’s conveyed in his roster interviews.

The AEW President spoke with Rich Ucchino on Cincy 360, and Khan continued to praise his company for exciting matches, but also the ability for his stars to speak behind the microphone. Khan also made reference that unlike WWE, their promos can lead towards organic cadence.

“In AEW, I think people really feel a connection with the wrestlers. We don’t script the interviews here. People go out, they’re talking about, maybe they got bullet points and key pieces of information they’re trying to get out, but it feels like you’re hearing a real person talk, which isn’t always the way it feels with some of the competition’s interviews. I think that’s one major difference.

• Tony Khan: ‘AEW Is Where The Best Wrestle. That’s Not Me’

Khan goes on to state that while the AEW athleticism is top-tier, he puts over the personalities of the roster too, something that he believes is conveyed through their unscripted promos.

“I think our biggest strength is the quality of athletes and the charisma of our biggest stars. Some of the biggest names in wrestling are in AEW, and there’s a reason why these big free agents want to come here to AEW. It’s because this is where the best wrestle.”

Khan is hoping that charisma comes out at AEW Double Or Nothing when Team AEW aims to battle The Elite in an Anarchy In Arena match in Las Vegas. On Wednesday’s Dynamite, Eddie Kingston, FTR and Bryan Danielson stepped up to challenge The Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry.

Please h/t to WrestleZone for the transcription.

Ric Flair’s blowup at Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza caused a chain reaction that resulted in video of the incident surfacing. Now, the Nature Boy is making no excuses for his behavior.

The 16x World Champion expressed regret about his recent outburst at a Gainesville pizza restaurant. He mentioned on “The MJ Morning Show on Q105” that he should have left the restaurant the moment things turned sour.

Flair admitted, “It just escalated, and I was wrong for getting mad, but I kind of felt like I was defending my position.” He also reconsidered his initial negative review of the restaurant, acknowledging that he had enjoyed his time and meal there before the conflict arose.

Despite his enjoyment, the incident escalated after Flair, who had taken pictures with customers and spent $1,500, was asked to leave following a disagreement with the kitchen manager about bathroom use. This disagreement led to a heated exchange, captured in a video that portrayed Flair negatively.

The incident, captured on video, showed Flair yelling at a Piesanos staffer following an alleged bathroom incident with the kitchen manager. A patron even suggested taking the argument outside.

The restaurant’s co-owner defended the decision to ask Flair to leave, supporting the staff’s actions. During the incident, Flair used strong language towards the manager and even challenged him to a physical altercation outside. He concluded the incident by offering a $1000 tip to a staff member.

AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland wasted no time in making moves towards joining the promotion after his WWE deal expired in September 2023. 

After over 25 years as Edge, Copeland debuted for AEW at the inaugural WrestleDream event and immediately entered a program with former friend Christian Cage. The pair’s lengthy feud culminated with Copeland dethroning Cage for the TNT gold in March 2024. 

On the Insight podcast, Copeland discussed the end of his WWE career and made clear he left on great terms. The Hall of Famer explained how quickly the turnaround was for him to go from WWE to its main rival. 

“It happened so quick. My contract with WWE was up on, I want to say September 21st. That’s when I started talking to Tony [Khan.] It was September 22nd. And WrestleDream was October 1st. So it all happened within a week.”

Copeland’s All-Elite arrival wasn’t the first time his name had been tied to AEW. In 2019, the Canadian came close to joining AEW, then a young upstart, before ultimately opting to stick with WWE. In the interview, Copeland was asked why he went for the younger promotion four years later. 

“It felt like I’d done everything that I was going to do with WWE. I’d worked [with] the people I wanted to work, 95 percent anyway. And it really just felt that they were on a direction and I was on a direction and they were kind of going separate ways.”

Ultimately, Copeland made his choice and opted for the road less traveled in 2023 and has clearly been having a blast in the company so far. Currently, the TNT Champion is feuding with the House of Black and has retained against Buddy Matthews and Brody King. 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops. 

One of All Elite Wrestling’s most chaotic matches is returning later this month at AEW Double or Nothing: Anarchy in the Arena.

Former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega appeared on this week’s AEW Dynamite to address the violent attack he sustained last week at the hands (and feet) of The Elite. Omega, who is out indefinitely recovering from diverticulitis, checked in from a hospital bed to deliver an important announcement. The Elite will face justice for attacking him last week on Dynamite. At Double or Nothing, The Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry will face FTR and two additional partners in the Anarchy match. Later in the show, they were revealed to be Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston. 

Anarchy in the Arena involves two teams battling in a no-rules falls-count-anywhere match. Often involving two warring factions, the unique stipulation combines elements of hardcore and cinematic matches and is dubbed ‘Stadium Stampede’ when held in larger stadium venues. We got a preview of Anarchy in the Arena when the two teams brawled at the conclusion of this week’s Dynamite:

Double or Nothing Coming Together

Anarchy in the Arena joins the growing card for the upcoming AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday, May 26 from Las Vegas.

Swerve Strickland puts the AEW World Championship on the line against Christian Cage, Mercedes Moné Makes her AEW in-ring debut and challenges Willow Nightingale for the TBS championship, Will Ospreay goes for gold against International Champion Roderick Strong and more.

Current match lineup for AEW Double or Nothing:

• Swerve Strickland (c), with Prince Nana, vs. Christian Cage with The Patriarchy for the AEW World Championship
• Mercedes Moné  vs. Willow Nightingale (c), for the TBS Championship
• Will Ospreay  Vs. Roderick Strong (c) for the International Championship
• ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm (c) vs. Serena Deeb
• Anarchy in the Arena match: The Elite vs. Team AEW.

Watch Kenny Omega’s address from AEW Dynamite 5/8/24:

All Elite Wrestling Fight Forever is still going strong after its official release last year. The game was released on June 29, 2023, on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and Steam. Although AEW Fight Forever was met with mixed reviews universally, the company is still adding more content to appease fans. 

On X/Twitter, AEW revealed that they have updated the game for free with new character skins and five music tracks. The company also announced that Stadium Stampede mode has been updated. 

“As a thank you to the fans for making #AEW the fastest growing wrestling promotion of all-time, the new Elite Beats and Stampede Expansion is available to #AEWFightForever players starting today,” wrote AEW.

The timing of the update is interesting as the company will celebrate the anniversary of its first pay-per-view, AEW Double or Nothing, on May 25. This year, the annual AEW event will occur on May 26 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s unclear if the AEW Fight Forever will add more free content in connection to other milestone events for the company. However, AEW Fight Forever fans will appreciate the free additions to the game. 

AEW Fight Forever Season Pass 4 DLC

Along with adding a free update, AEW has also announced that their fourth Season Pass is available for download today for $19.99 on social media. The game has added Samoa Joe, Jay White, and Adam Copeland to be playable for fans who purchased it. AEW Fight Forever Season Pass 4 also adds two arenas, 30 move sets, and a new tournament mode. 

The new DLC is notable for wrestling fans as it will be the first game that Copeland will be involved in which isn’t WWE. The last game he was involved in was WWE 2K23 from the previous year. 

There are still wrestlers that have yet to appear in the game. It’s possible AEW Fight Forever could add more DLC or a free update later this year. However, their latest update could be enough for now to enjoy. 

Will Ospreay may think he old in wrestling, but one ECW legend in Sabu believes the top AEW star is quite far from that. 

Ospreay only turned 31 on May 7, and youth is wasted on the young as Will thinks he’s well beyond his years going past 30. The top AEW star made note of his assumed state in the world of wrestling on social media.

“I’m 31 now. I’m officially grizzled,” Ospreay mentioned in a post on X. The Tweet got a kick out of pro wrestling legend Sabu, who reassured Will that he’s got a ways to go before he truly hits grizzled status.

“Officially grizzled? Lol. I wish I wasn’t officially grizzled. Lol you have many more years until you are grizzled.”

Officially grizzled ? Lol . I wish I wasn't officially grizzled. Lol u have many more years until you are grizzled.. https://t.co/UpZZ6bGFfX

— Sabu (@TheRealSabuECW) May 8, 2024

• Will Ospreay Says He’s Nowhere Near The Level Kurt Angle Is

Will has basically just started his in-ring career with All Elite Wrestling, but Sabu has had already had some involvement with the promotion. He played a primary role in a program with Chris Jericho almost a year ago at AEW Double Or Nothing. Jericho took on Adam Cole in an unsanctioned match and Sabu played the enforcer of the fight. While he was dressed to the nines, he wasn’t afraid to get physical and did just that to take out Jericho.

A suit won't stop Sabu… ?? #AEWDoN #AEW pic.twitter.com/izEjwt6QjK

— 1 Of A Kind With RVD – RVDTV.com (@RVDPod) May 29, 2023

Quite the dream birthday present for Will Ospreay would have to be a dream fight against Sabu. The legend actually has been getting himself back into ring shape to have one last match, stating that he’d love to involve AEW regular and best friend, RVD.

Pro wrestling legend Rob Van Dam has shed some light on his future at AEW after making only a handful of appearances. 

Since making his debut in August 2023, he has competed in only six matches. This sparked concern for his future with the promotion but RVD is not ruling out a longer run with AEW. Speaking on 1 of A Kind Podcast, he said that he would consider an offer but he is yet to have discussions for a possible extended run. He said:

“I would like to think that I’m open to any conversation. So anything’s worth considering. Let’s hear what you got in mind, whatever. But no, I don’t have any of those talks. What you see is what you get, and that’s all anybody is talking about. All anyone is talking about doing, let me put it that way.”

He further said that taking time off and not wrestling full-time has a disadvantage – it impacts the conditioning. RVD has explained that if he wrestled more often then fans could see a more ‘fluid’ version of himself. He said:

“One thing the fans don’t take into consideration that I do, it’s cool having time off and I don’t want to be full-time, anything like that. But it is a big disadvantage, being in the ring, because no matter how much conditioning that I do, there’s no wrestling conditioning like wrestling. So if I was wrestling like every week, instead of sometimes every six weeks, maybe eight weeks, whatever, then you would have a little bit even more fluid RVD.”

Rob Van Dam’s AEW career

The 53-year-old has been making sporadic appearances in AEW. He immediately made a mark after his debut when he went up against then-FTW Champion Jack Perry. Though he was unsuccessful in dethroning the champ, he received massive praise for the match. RVD then went on to team up with Hook for a couple of matches over two months.

• Jack Perry Praises RVD: Still A World Class, One Of A Kind Freak Athlete

Earlier this year in January, the veteran wrestler faced Sean Strickland in a Hardcore match but endured a defeat. RVD competed in a six-man tag team match joining forces with Adam Page and Hook in February. His last match for the promotion took place a few weeks back when he picked up his maiden win after defeating Isiah Kassidy, Komander, and Lee Johnson.

While fans might wonder why RVD is not heading to WWE, the veteran star blames the lack of connection with WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H. Read more below:

Tony Khan may have taken steps towards being an on-screen presence for AEW but don’t expect the 40-year-old billionaire to lace up a pair of wrestling boots. 

With Khan becoming more of a presence on programming in recent years, it’s not hard to see why some have speculated on a potential match for the AEW President. When asked about this possibility on Cincy 360 however, Khan explained why headlock and suplexes aren’t in his future.

“AEW is where the best wrestle, and we mean that…in this case, I’m not the best person to pay those people back.”

Khan also pointed out that things hardly went his way the last time he was in an AEW ring as he was the victim of an attack by The Elite. 

“After what happened to me last time, I don’t think I’d be making a smart move trying that [having a match].”

The AEW President hasn’t been seen on TV since the attack by the Elite in April 2024. This marked Khan’s first time getting physical as part of an AEW storyline and he took a piledriver from the Young Bucks. The faction attacked Kenny Omega the following week. 

Wrestling Bosses

While Khan doesn’t plan on having a match, there are some names from wrestling’s corporate side who would step into the ring. Perhaps the most obvious example is Vince McMahon who competed a total 63 times between August 1998 and April 2022. Shane and Stephanie McMahon would also establish themselves as business people in WWE before they stepped into the ring. 

Chris Jericho is focused on storylines and characters which he believes are the major aspects of pro wrestling. 

The former AEW World Champion has portrayed several interesting gimmicks during his illustrious career, the latest being ‘The Learning Tree.’ Chris Jericho recently joined the Kevin Karius Show to outline the significance of evolving gimmicks over time. The 53-year-old veteran said that the matches are important but the stories and characters draw the attention of the fans which remains  “the most important aspect” to him. He said:

“I just started doing this Learning Tree gimmick a few weeks ago. That’s the best thing about wrestling, when people start to get mad at you, you turn into a bad guy and when people like you, you turn into a good guy. This is the start of this whole new persona as we continue the story. That’s the most important thing about wrestling, the story. The matches are important, but the characters and the storylines are what really draws people into watching you and draws people into following what you’re doing. To me, that’s always been the most important thing.”

‘The Learning Tree’

Chris Jericho further explained that ‘The Learning Tree’ gimmick is based on the role of a teacher. Being a seasoned veteran of the game and with extensive pro wrestling knowledge, Jericho’s persona is a reflection of his real life. He aims to teach and guide the up-and-coming AEW stars. However, he possesses heel traits as he gets people “mad,” given the fact that he is a treasure of knowledge. He explained:

“The teacher. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I thought, what’s a cool way to personify that and make people mad? I’ve been doing this at a high level, I thought, I’ll adopt this persona of being the seasoned vet that teaches the rookies the ways of the game. That’s how it started, and the way we’ve portrayed it, people get really mad at me for it. That’s what you want. By being the seasoned vet who knows everything, that makes people mad at me. That’s wrestling for you.”

The Canadian legend had wanted to take Hook under his wing which the latter rejected. ‘The Learning Tree’ dethroned Hook and captured the FTW Championship. However, the veteran got ‘Go-away heat’ after the title win. On last week’s Dynamite, Jericho retained his title against Katsuyori Shibata.

AEW star Big Bill has been trying to learn from the veteran star, who agreed on last week’s Rampage. It has been announced that Chris Jericho will join forces with Big Bill on tonight’s AEW Dynamite.

Jericho is not only enjoying his title run but he is also gearing up for an acting role in an upcoming action horror movie. Read more below:

Kenny Omega will share something very important with the fans during the upcoming May 8, episode of AEW Dynamite. 

On Twitter, news of Omega’s importance announcement was shared by the official AEW account. Whatever the EVP has to say will happen inside the Rogers Place Arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 

#AEWDynamite
TOMORROW NIGHT, May 8!
Edmonton, AB
LIVE 8pm ET/7pm CT | @TBSNetwork

After the beating he sustained last week in his hometown of Winnipeg at the hands of #theElite, what will EVP @KennyOmegamanX's Important Announcement be on #AEW Dynamite TOMORROW NIGHT? pic.twitter.com/pdweO9Rbf8

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 7, 2024

It’s unknown what Omega will have to say on Dynamite, though it will likely refer to the actions of The Elite. The group (which now includes Jack Perry), attacked Tony Khan recently and ambushed Omega during last week’s episode of Dynamite. 

AEW Announcements

AEW is no stranger to announcements but these have often been met with mixed reviews from fans. Some announcements have certainly been massive, such as the reveal of AEW All In in April 2023, or the announcement of AEW Collision the following month. 

Some announcements, however, have fallen flat with fans who expected much bigger revelations from the company. In November 2023, a much-hyped announcement revealed that tickets for All In 2024 would be going on sale the following week. Many fans found this news to be a dud and hardly needed teasing as an announcement first. 

AEW Dynamite – 5/8/2024

Dynamite will see much more than an announcement from Kenny Omega. Orange Cassidy will face off against Trent Beretta in the latest chapter of their deeply personal rivalry. 

Mariah May will look to continue proving herself to AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm when she takes on Harley Cameron. The Australian will likely have Saraya in her corner. 

Mere days after defending his TNT title against Buddy Matthews, Adam Copeland will put his gold on the line again. This time it’ll be the House of Black’s Brody King who gets a shot at the gold. 

Keep checking in to SE Scoops for all the latest from AEW Dynamite as the company builds towards their Double or Nothing pay-per-view.