All Elite Wrestling fans are dumbfounded by the inactivity of Ricky Starks. The company hasn’t featured Starks since his tag team loss with Big Bill against Top Flight (Dante Martin & Darius Martin) on the March 30 episode of AEW Collision. It was rumored that his absence was due to an injury. However, he has revealed that he is fine despite the speculations. 

In his last appearance, Starks seemed to have gotten hurt towards the end of the match. After he took the pin after a Tornado DDT from Darius, doctors checked on the former tag team champion. Starks would reveal later on Instagram that he wasn’t hurt and that the doctors were looking at him for precautions. However, AEW’s decision not to feature him for over a month has left fans wondering if he was injured. 

On X/Twitter, Starks shut down rumors of him being hurt. 

“To ease anyone’s mind, I’m not injured. Never was. Pick another narrative pleaseeeee,” wrote Starks.

Starks’s comments were in response to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson’s report that he was getting checked out by my AEW medical team last week. He shared that doctors saw him because it was his annual physical. He also noted that he squatted over 400 pounds during his visit. It’s unclear why the AEW superstar isn’t being featured on TV, but fans are wondering what the company’s plans are for him. 

AEW Seemingly Splitting Up Ricky Starks & Big Bill Tag Team

In recent weeks, Bill has started to look for guidance from ‘The Learning Tree’ Chris Jericho. He interrupted the current FTW Champion during an in-ring segment on the April 24 episode of AEW Dynamite. 

Although he didn’t address his status with Starks, Bill seemed ready to move on to be with Jericho. The company could build towards Starks eventually returning to confront Bill about switching allegiance. However, it does seem like their tag team may be over. The hope for fans is that AEW could bring back Starks to be more involved on TV soon. 

“A big pizza pie” is not “amore” between Ric Flair and a Gainsville, Florida pizza shop as ‘The Nature Boy’ was asked to leave the restaurant following an incident that happened on Cince De Mayo.

Flair took to social media to air his grievances after leaving Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza stating that he spent over $1,500 while at the place entertaining fans and customers. 

“I Was Asked To Leave Because Of An Issue I Had With The Kitchen Manager Taking Too Long In The Bathroom. I Would Highly Recommend That Anyone Who Wants To Enjoy A Relaxing Time In Gainesville At A Nice Restaurant To Never Visit This Place! WOOOOO!”

• Ric Flair Claims He Was Kicked Out Of Restaurant Over Issue With Kitchen Manager

The Gainesville Sun happened to reach out to ownership of Piesano’s to get a statement regarding the incident. Co-owner Jerry Roberts happened to respond to them via text and without giving details of exactly what went down, said that requesting Ric’s leave was warranted.

“We have reviewed video of the incident that took place recently at our restaurant. It is clear, our team worked in a professional manner to ensure the safety of guests and staff. We have thanked our team for their professionalism. We are proud of how they responded to this situation using and displaying our team values.”

Flair is currently under contract with AEW, but hasn’t been seen on the company’s programming since his involvement in Sting’s last match at AEW Revolution. Flair has been busy making appearances and was apart of the festivities during WrestleMania weekend. He also recently expressed his disappointment online about not being involved in the upcoming “Who Killed WCW” docu-series on VICE TV. 

AEW’s Rey Fenix is dealing with yet another setback after being pulled from an event shortly after returning from a lengthy hiatus from the ring. 

Fenix was scheduled to compete at House of Glory Wrestling’s Cinco de Mayo event on May 5 in Jamaica, New York. Fenix has been set to face Pentagon Jr. in a brother vs. brother showdown. 

Unfortunately for fans excited to see the pair face off, that match didn’t happen. During the show, Pentagon Jr. shared that Fenix was not medically cleared to wrestle. 

https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1787239956143820925

Instead of Fenix, Pentagon faced Laredo Kid. In the show’s main event, Penta defeated the TNA Wrestling Digital Media Champion in non-title action. No more information was given at the show as to why Fenix was not cleared to wrestle. 

Fenix not being medically cleared is the latest setback for the talented former AEW International Champion. Fenix made his return to the ring on the April 27, edition of AEW Collision with a victory over The Beast Mortos. Prior to this, Fenix had missed six months of action due to injuries in his back and/or hip which caused great discomfort to the AEW star. 

After his return on last month’s episode of AEW Collision, Fenix said he was better than ever, which has made his being pulled from HOG Wrestling’s event all the more unfortunate. He also missed months of action due to an injury in 2022 and also spent much of 2020 on the shelf.  We at SE Scoops would like to wish Fenix a very speedy recovery. 

More AEW Injuries

Fenix is sadly not the only All-Elite talent to have been bitten by the proverbial injury bug. Former AEW TBS Champion Julia Hart recently confirmed reports of an injury and is set to undergo surgery if she hasn’t already. Adam Cole continues to be out of action due to the leg injury suffered last year but has been able to appear on TV. Anthony Henry suffered a broken jaw before his recent release from AEW but Tony Khan has plans to bring Henry back once he is healed. 

Ethan Page’s three-year tenure with All Elite Wrestling has come to an end with his exit said to be a “formality” at this juncture in time. 

Page was removed from the AEW roster page on Thursday, May 2, fuelling speculation that his time with the company was up. Fightful Select reports that the word both in and out of AEW was that he was no longer there, or that his exit was a “formality.”

The All-Ego talent had been a regular on Ring of Honor programming but had vanished from the show in recent months. The report adds that he’d been looking to leave as early as February and had once been set for a feud with Kyle Fletcher over the ROH World Television Champion. These plans were delayed due to Fletcher’s recent Visa issues. 

Amid his absence from ROH, Page had taken on more independent bookings and has been promoting his Alpha-1 Wrestling company. He has not publicly commented on reports of his exit at this time. 

Page had been with AEW since 2021 after debuting at that year’s Revolution pay-per-view. He quickly aligned with Scorpio Sky and the pair faced Darby Allin & Sting at that year’s Double or Nothing. The match would be Sting’s second match for AEW and his first in-ring match since 2015. Page was later involved in The Firm and feuded with Matt Hardy. His ROH debut came in September 2023 and he would defeat Tony Nese at that year’s Final Battle. 

It’s unclear what’s next for Ethan Page, though WWE may be an option for the Canadian. WWE had been impressed with Page when they saw him in 2022 and perhaps now is the time an offer is made. 

More on Ethan Page

Here are some recent articles regarding Ethan Page as the All-Ego star looks to make his name outside of AEW/ROH: 

Former AEW TBS Champion has confirmed reports of an injury that is expected to keep the House of Black member out of action for some time. 

Taking to Instagram, Hart shared a selfie of herself in a hospital gown with a protective brace on her left arm. The 22-year-old wrestler also shared a three-word message for her comeback, stating she would ‘Recover. Rebuild. Reclaim.’

Hart’s photo comes after reports over the weekend that she’d suffered an injury that was expected to require surgery. As a result, the former TBS Champion is not scheduled for any upcoming AEW TV tapings. She was also not present for this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite which saw the House of Black continue its program with Adam Copeland. 

This is the latest setback for Hart who only recently returned from another injury. An undisclosed injury led to Hart missing close to two months of in-ring time earlier this year before she made her return to competition at AEW Revolution 2024. 

More AEW Injuries

Hart is hardly the only name on AEW’s roster which has been sidelined due to an injury. Adam Cole has been appearing on AEW TV with the Undisputed Kingdom but has been dealing with a broken ankle since September 2023. Jamie Hayter’s push was derailed due to a shoulder injury suffered in May 2023 and she has yet to compete since then. Kenny Omega was on this week’s Dynamite but it’s expected that it’ll be many months before he can wrestle as he’s yet to undergo surgery for his diverticulitis. 

More from Julia Hart

Here are some recent articles regarding Julia Hart as the youngest champion in AEW history recovers from her latest setback: 

Jack Perry has made it clear that The Elite no longer needs the services of Kenny Omega. A new era is upon us led by The Elite. They have made it clear that nobody is going to control AEW except for them. Yes, that includes Tony Khan, especially after what went down last week. On last night’s Dynamite, Kenny Omega finally made his return in his hometown, Winnipeg, Canada. However, things didn’t go well for ‘The Cleaner’ as he was brutally assaulted by The Elite members (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson, Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry). The assault continued backstage, as Omega was being stretchered away on the AEW Rampage that aired immediately following Dynamite.

In a Digital Exclusive, Jack Perry sent a stern message to the former AEW World Champion. 

‘The Scapegoat’ mocked the Canadian wrestler by saying that it might be the last time he did his old moves in his hometown. Perry said that ‘The Best Bout Machine’ was not the hero they needed and he’s only a “coward”. He concluded his message by saying that The Elite doesn’t need him anymore as they would change the world without him. He said:

“Kenny Omega, is this the best that you got? You know, you’re not as bad as you think you are. But I hope that you had fun, hitting all your old moves in your hometown for what’s probably the last time in your entire life. The thing that hurts me the most, Kenny, is that you were not the hero that we needed you to be. When it came down to it, you were a coward, like everybody else.

The truth is, The Elite doesn’t need you anymore. Neither does AEW. Because we are going to change the world without you. We all have to sacrifice, and you just made yours.”

EXCLUSIVE: Jack Perry shares his comments on the attack towards Kenny Omega on #AEWDynamite!@boy_myth_legend pic.twitter.com/7efuBg08ry

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 2, 2024

Omega Not Medically Cleared

Fans might be thrilled to witness Kenny Omega back on television, but he’s unlikely to wrestle anytime soon. He has been on the sidelines for several months while recuperating from diverticulitis. While uncertainty looms over surgery, Omega is fighting to make a comeback to the ring. During his promo on Dynamite, ‘The Cleaner’ divulged that his bout with Diverticulitis took a serious turn and the doctor informed him that fortunately, he was hospitalized in time or else he was potentially 24 hours from death. 

Upon his return, Omega also had a face-off with his NJPW arch-nemesis Kazuchika Omega and told him to give him a few months before he could return. Well, AEW All In: London takes place on August 25 and these two could once again lock horns at the show – if he’s medically cleared by then.

pic.twitter.com/TRZGehMbwo

— Big Stoke (@StokelyHathaway) May 2, 2024

The card for AEW Double or Nothing is taking shape with several matches being confirmed during the May 1, episode of AEW Dynamite.

The show will be the sixth-annual Double of Nothing event and take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The will be a homecoming for the Double or Nothing event, as the first show (which also served as AEW’s first pay-per-view) also took place at the MGM Grand

Added Matches

During the May 1, episode of AEW Dynamite, World Champion Swerve Strickland spoke about his title reign and touched on the previous week’s attack on Tony Khan. This incurred the wrath of the Young Bucks who in addition to fining Strickland revealed his Double or Nothing challenger: Christian Cage. 

The two-time former TNT Champion was flanked by the Patriarchy. Despite a valiant effort by Strickland, the AEW World Champion was victim to a three-on-one attack by Cage, Killswitch, and Nick Wayne. The group’s leader held up the AEW World Championship in what could be a precursor to AEW Double or Nothing. 

The AEW Women’s World Title will also be on the line at Double or Nothing. On Dynamite, Serena Deeb defeated Mariah May after Toni Storm threw in the towel for her understudy. After the match, it was announced that Deeb will challenge Storm for the gold at the pay-per-view. 

IT'S OFFICIAL!

Serena Deeb will challenge "Timeless" Toni Storm for the #AEW Women's World Championship!

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@SerenaDeeb | #TimelessToniStorm pic.twitter.com/vybtntRCk7

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 2, 2024

AEW Double or Nothing 2024 card

Here is the card for AEW Double or Nothing 2024 as it currently stands:

• Willow Nightingale (c) (with Stokely Hathaway) vs. Mercedes Moné (AEW TBS Championship)
• Roderick Strong (c) vs. Will Ospreay (AEW International Championship)
• “Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Luther and Mariah May) vs. Serena Deeb (AEW Women’s World Championship)
• Swerve Strickland (c) (with Prince Nana) vs. Christian Cage (with Killswitch, “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne, and Mother Wayne) (AEW World Championship

SE Scoops will have full coverage of AEW Double or Nothing 2024. Stay tuned for more updates for what’ll be one of AEW’s biggest events of the year. 

Tony Khan rode a wave of attention when he wore a neck brace during the NFL Draft. He had plenty of chances to plug Dynamite this week, as he promised that fans will find out what is next in the obvious power struggle going on within the company.

Tony Khan opened this week’s AEW Dynamite via satellite from Jacksonville, Florida. As he was explaining that he couldn’t be in Winnipeg due to The Elite’s actions last week, his feed got choppy and cut out. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson appeared in a production truck and made it clear they were in charge of the broadcast. They explained Khan can’t fire them due to a ‘founder’s clause’ in their AEW contracts. Since they’re the highest ranking officials at the show, they’re in charge and rolled a customized Dynamite opening video package featuring only The Elite.

What we thought was an update from @TonyKhan turns quickly into the @YoungBucks taking control of #AEWDynamite

We're LIVE on TBS pic.twitter.com/O9nh1XBigo

— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) May 2, 2024

Later in the show, Jack Perry explained his actions against Tony Khan last week. He said he did what was best for AEW in this “new era” as the Winnipeg arena filled with “CM Punk” chants.

"We are entering a new era under The Elite"
– Jack Perry

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@youngbucks | @boy_myth_legend pic.twitter.com/aE87pMV288

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 2, 2024

The Cleaner Returns

Kenny Omega took the ring during the final segment of AEW Dynamite. After explaining his ordeal with diverticulitis, The Cleaner admitted that he couldn’t watch AEW television for the longest time. The former AEW World Champion stated that he’s not done wrestling, and he will do whatever it takes to return.

Then he brought up The Jackson Brothers, saying that they don’t call the shots by themselves in AEW, because the Best Bout Machine is still an EVP of the company. Kazuchika Okada made his way to the ring after that, as fans chanted “holy sh*t” before either of them said a word. 

Okada said, “I’m sorry Kenny, I’m the best bout machine now” right before Jack Perry jumped Omega from behind.

Although Omega mounted a bit of a comeback, Perry whacked him in the gut with a steel chair, sending him down to the mat. The Young Bucks soon came down to nail him with an EVP Trigger. FTR ran down for the save, chasing The Elite off, but the damage was done. AEW signed off Dynamite this week with Omega laying in the middle of the ring. When Rampage started immediately afterward, they led Omega off on a stretcher. After the initial assault, The Elite stopped EMTs from loading Omega onto an ambulance. They then tipped over the stretcher while Kenny was strapped in, adding insult to injury. 

This is completely uncalled for!

Watch #AEWRampage LIVE on TBS!@youngbucks | @boy_myth_legend | @rainmakerXokada pic.twitter.com/krJ99oVqIE

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 2, 2024

Kenny Omega will be at AEW Dynamite tonight as the show will hail from his backyard of Winnipeg, Manitoba after an extended absence. While fans will be excited for the return of ‘The Cleaner,’ they will have to wait a bit longer before he’s back in action. According to Fightful Select, Omega has a ways to go before he’s medically cleared after a major health scare with diverticulitis diagnosis. Omega revealed that he was pretty close to death after initially believing his ailment was a hernia. The report adds that Omega is strictly being brought back to help boost ticket sales for AEW Dynamite and add some additional star power to the show as they combat  the NBA and NHL playoffs.

AEW can take several routes with Omega’s role on the show as he was recently “fired” from his EVP position by his Elite brethern in The Young Bucks. Omega could have some added aggression as The Bucks are a week removed from rocking AEW President Tony Khan with a Meltzer Driver. 

Tony Khan hinted in build to the show that with him on the shelf, there should be a “power struggle” within All Elite Wrestling. Will that involve Omega? From how it seems AEW could get a new authority figure in play while Khan “recuperates” from his injury. Omega being in that new role would make sense from a storyline standpoint, but him also being on television consistently as he literally tries to get healthy may slow his progress down.

The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission has issued a warning to AEW regarding Nyla Rose, a transgender woman, competing against cisgender women in the state. She has now responded by putting out her own merchandise to help people like her in that state.

Rose posted a new t-shirt showing an image of herself crouching in front of the word, “HER” in giant letters. To hammer home the message, the Native Beast included a caption to hype her new merch.

Ok well the cats outta the bag ya big noseys!!!! I was waiting for the official graphic but Yes this is a real shirt you can buy with your money to wear on your body AND ALL proceeds will go to @FreedomOkla and hopefully we can do some good for the people that live there

Ok well the cats outta the bag ya big noseys!!!! I was waiting for the official graphic but Yes this is a real shirt you can buy with your money to wear on your body AND ALL proceeds will go to @FreedomOkla and hopefully we can do some good for the people that live there pic.twitter.com/YVasbEhrOF

— Rizzie McGuire? (@NylaRoseBeast) May 1, 2024

The former AEW Women’s World Champion picked a charity that hit close to home for her. Freedom Oklahoma works across the state and within the 39 sovereign tribal nations to create a future where all Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and other individuals whose sexuality, gender, or romantic identities fall outside the traditional heteronormative, binary framework (2SLGBTQ+), can live safely.

You may find more information about Freedom Oklahoma here.

The Nyla Rose Warning

During a January meeting, the OSAC decided to warn AEW that continuing such matchups with Nyla Rose against other cis gendered women could lead to punitive measures.

This issue arose after AEW’s event on December 20, the first one they hosted in Oklahoma, during which Rose defeated Alejandra Lion in a match broadcast on ROH television. Someone in the crowd didn’t see the entertainment value, and they lodged a complaint.

Jim Miller, OSAC Administrator, learned that Rose had participated in the match. He subsequently contacted AEW to inform them that this was against OSAC regulations.

Mike Bower, OSAC chairman, then pointed out that unlike applications for boxing, kickboxing, and MMA, wrestling applications in Oklahoma currently do not inquire about gender reassignment surgery. He suggested that the wrestling application forms should be updated to include this question.

Nyla Rose has already responded to the controversy, with a tongue-in-cheek post, she chastised whoever traveled to Oklahoma to entertain those pro wrestling fans.

WHO THE FUCK WAS IT?!!
Don’t worry Oklahoma I’ll find the dastardly Transgender that *checks notes* entertained fans!!! HOW DARE THEY MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY?!!! https://t.co/O4ftfW48UI

— Rizzie McGuire? (@NylaRoseBeast) April 17, 2024

Right now, the whole situation seems up in the air. AEW does not have any announced dates in Oklahoma. We will have to see how they cross that bridge when they come to it. 

AEW has inked deals with several prominent names over the last few months, including “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith.  After making several appearances for Tony Khan’s company, Keith has confirmed he’s officially ‘All Elite’ and will be for years to come. In a recent interview with WhatCulture, Keith expressed his enthusiasm and readiness for his role with the major league promotion.

“I’m on top of the world dawg. I feel like everything I’ve done in my life has prepared me for being in AEW. I’m capitalizing on every opportunity I got and just having fun, you know, being myself and mixing with everything else that’s going on in AEW and meshing with that so well. I’m excited. I signed a deal with them for the next couple years so I’m excited to see what’s gonna happen.”

Keith finalized a deal with AEW in February 2024, following a match against Eddie Kingston on an episode of AEW Collision. Since then, he’s wrestled against wrestlers such as Kyle O’Reilly, Malakai Black, Top Flight, and Private Party on AEW television.

Bryan Keith Before AEW

Before joining AEW, The Bounty Hunter had a successful career with several accolades in professional wrestling. At Deadlock Pro-Wrestling, he won the DPW National Championship and currently holds it.

He made a tour around the indies, picking up top titles in F1RST Wrestling, Freelance Wrestling, and Loko Wrestling. In New Texas Pro Wrestling, he earned the New Texas Pro Championship.

Furthermore, Keith held titles in Pacific Coast Wrestling, where he is the current PCW ULTRA Light Heavyweight Champion. We will have to see how AEW handles the fact that he’s still carrying gold on the indies.

Keith also dominated Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling company for a bit. His accomplishments there include winning both the ROW Heavyweight and ROW Television Championship.

Many regarded The Bounty Hunter as one of the best indie wrestlers who was not on any mainstream platform. Now that he is with AEW, the sky is the limit. 

Swerve Strickland won the AEW World Title at Dynasty last month to end Samoa Joe’s reign and usher in a new era for himself and the company. He admits it’s a lot of pressure to carry AEW on his back, but he was ready for the responsibilities. Speaking on AEW Close Up with Renee Paquette, he said representing change will bring some detractors. 

Strickland compared wearing the coveted AEW World Championship to, “fitting into a perfect shoe that was made for you.” He knows you can’t please everybody and there will always be resistance when changes and history are made. He sees some of the online negativity, but it doesn’t get him down. Instead, he uses it as motivation to keep going and showing the world this is Swerve’s House.

“For me to be at the top of that there’s a lot of pressure to be the first of anything, there’s a lot of pressure. I can already read in the comments and stuff, and I think they’re waiting to see how I respond to that. They wanna see me take that bait, but they don’t understand the professionalism and the mind state that I’m at, at this point. They wanna see the cracks form, they’re waiting for it. Coming off of Dynasty into Dynamite, it’s like, ‘Boom!’ right into the action., and I’m like, ‘Good, it’ll give you no room to speak..”

All Just a Practice Run…

Swerve kept busy in the days leading up to his win at AEW Dynasty and did the media rounds to spread the word about the company he wants to lead. The day before the PPV, he threw out the first pitch before the Saint Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. He had the AEW World Title with him for photo-ops, even though he had yet to win the gold. 

Swerve Strickland has many irons in the fire outside pro wrestling. He recently rocked the Rolling Loud Los Angeles stage with his music, and he also keeps up his Swerve City Podcast. Swerve explained how these personal endeavors prepared him to carry the torch for AEW.

“I feel like the last two or three years was preparation. It’s not like I was presented to do these things. It’s just something that I wanted to do. I’m inspired by Jericho and Fozzy, touring and still making it to TV, doing Talk is Jericho and doing all the shows, and all these guys who have these outlets. I was like, ‘man I wanna do that.'”

“This was all just a practice run, like oil in a machine, and now [points at AEW World Title] I am the machine. The machine is here because I’ve been doing this for a while with my small team, my small crew and I have to lead that. I’ve been leading these small crews in music and everywhere and it’s like now we’re gonna add this responsibility on top of that.”

The AEW World Title commands a great amount of time and attention. The schedule may be grueling, but Strickland has been putting himself to the test for years with his own hustle. Now he is the face of AEW, and more than prepared to take on the role of a lifetime.

Tony Khan was pleased that his father Shad recently appeared on AEW Dynamite, though he wishes his dad’s debut came under better circumstances. 

Shad Khan appeared in the closing moments of the April 24, episode of AEW Dynamite, after Jack Perry & The Elite attacked his son. Tony Khan was laid out with a piledriver by the Young Bucks and has been in a neck brace ever since. Khan intends to put the neck brace to good use when he no longer needs it.

Sitting down with SE Scoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Khan spoke about his father’s All-Elite debut and had plenty of praise for his dear old dad. 

“It was nice of him to be on the show on one hand, but the reason for it is another. It meant a lot for him to come out to check on me. He is an incredible father and a loving parent and a great man.

“I’ve learned so much from him. I know he cares a lot. Nobody wants to see their son out cold and recovering from a deadly piledriver move. You saw he was concerned. You saw it on his face. He was angry and concerned. Mostly very angry.”

When asked if his father has a favorite wrestler on AEW’s roster, the younger Khan said that Shad has quite a few stars he’s keeping an eye on. 

“A few weeks ago I got a text from him during Will Ospreay and Claudio [Castagnoli]. He knew them both. He hadn’t seen much of Will Ospreay. He said Ospreay was amazing. I introduced him to Will, and he is now a huge fan of him.

“He is a huge fan of Kenny Omega, MJF, Jon Moxley, Orange Cassidy, Dr. Britt Baker, and recently “Timeless” Toni Storm And Mariah May. Also, he had some nice interactions with Swerve.”

It’s unclear when, if ever, we’ll see Shad Khan on AEW programming again, though Tony Khan will be operating shows remotely as he recovers from the attack. With The Elite a force to be reckoned with and Kenny Omega’s imminent return to AEW TV, it’ll be interesting to see how the power struggle goes with Khan out of the picture. 

More From Tony Khan

Here are some recent articles regarding Tony Khan as the AEW President continues to recover from the attack by The Elite: 

Tony Khan happened to share quite a Swerve Strickland story with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Speaking with Scott Fishman of TV Insider, the AEW President talked about introducing his AEW World Heavyweight Champion to Goodell and talked about that gruesome moment he fought Hangman Page and took a staple to the face.

“I was telling Goodell about Swerve versus Hangman Page. I mentioned to him how Swerve got stapled in the face. Roger looked at him and said, ‘Really? He got stapled in the face for real?’ Swerve was smiling and said, ‘Yeah it’s true.'”

After Goodell left, Khan noted to Swerve that he happened to omit the fact that Strickland drank Page’s blood. According to Tony, Swerve got a kick out of that.

Tony Khan Happy With AEW & NFL Draft Buzz

Albeit polarizing, Tony Khan was very pleased with the connection and promotion he got from wearing a neckbrace during the NFL Draft, following the Meltzer Driver he took from last week’s AEW Dynamite. Khan made a point to credit NFL personality Rich Eisen for all the publicity for AEW during the weekend.

“Making lemonade out of lemons, I brought my recovery to the NFL Draft this year. I was blessed that Rich Eisen gave it so much coverage on the broadcast several times. He is doing great things with St. Jude through Run Rich Run. It’s such an awesome cause.”

In an effort to get AEW over as the underdog, Khan made a controversial analogy with his company in comparison to WWE, noting that WWE was Harvey Weinstein while AEW was Pepsi.

Dax Harwood and Eric Bischoff has gone back and forth with one another on social media before, but Monday night the two took it to a whole new level.

Bischoff has always been vocal when it comes his constructive criticism on AEW. Eric’s opinion was even more resounding following the recent buzz Tony Khan has been getting after the polarizing angle from last week’s Dynamite and the former WCW President had some more words regarding the current AEW President.

Harwood, who in 2023 re-signed with AEW, decided to express his thoughts regarding Eric’s “obsession” with Khan on his “83 Weeks” podcast, calling him “stalkerish.”

“I know it’s your gimmick and the other guys pay you well to bury AEW, but checking out your timeline & all the Tony tweets and RT’s, it looks very stalkerish. Netflix “Baby Reindeer” would do you a bit of good, my brother in Christ.”

Bischoff wasn’t having any of that, stating that Dax is the pot calling the kettle black.

“Says the chunky little monkey that studies my timeline. That’s weird.”

Says the chunky little monkey that studies my timeline. That's weird. https://t.co/COe3TUEZAG

— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) April 29, 2024

Eric then decided to unload on Harwood following fan input who labeled Dax a hypocrite. Bischoff went on to call Harwood “mid as mid can get” and that his supposed “loyalty” to Khan is just a means as holding onto the bag as long as he can. He also threw another jab, calling Dax a future greeter at Walmart.

Don't be so hard on him. He's as mid as mid can get. He knows it. He's flailing away trying to prove his “loyalty” so he can hold on to that bag as long as possible. He knows that being a Walmart greeter is his next stop. https://t.co/UE2KnmaU1h

— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) April 29, 2024

Earlier this year, Harwood said Bischoff was a “miserable podcaster” as he and FTR Wheeler said Eric was just upset that Tony Khan had never hired him. On several occassions, Bischoff has made clear he really took issue with Khan after he took a dig at Ted Turner.

Bischoff isn’t the only top WCW talent to dole out constructive criticism to Khan. Kevin Nash has expressed his thoughts on the current AEW product. Both he and Bischoff had made it quite clear that they want to see AEW succeed.

AEW’s Darby Allin isn’t ready to wrestle just yet but his severe foot injury may not keep the daredevil wrestler from appearing for the promotion. 

Allin has been out of action since suffering the aforementioned injury during a match Jay White at AEW’s Big Business show in March 2024. As if that isn’t bad enough, Allin is also dealing with a broken nose and was hit by a bus in New York City mere days ago. 

On The Daily Migs Show, Allin was asked about his recovery and whether he’ll be appearing on the May 15, episode of AEW Dynamite in Everett, Washington. 

“My foot is not scheduled to heal until, I’d say June. So if I did roll up [to Dynamite in two weeks], it would just be with a broken face and a broken foot waving to the crowd, which may not be the worst thing. I’ll see.”

Given Allin’s history with Everett, the former AEW TNT Champion wasn’t ready to rule out an appearance on the show.

“I trained in Everett, Washington, so it would be like an ultimate homecoming of sorts. That’d be really cool. May 15, I gotta see. I think might be able to make it. As long as there’s no buses, I’m good.”

Allin’s injury comes at an interesting time in his career. For years, Allin’s career has seen him by the side of Sting who retired from in-ring competition at Revolution 2024. With his mentor out of the picture, it’ll be up to Allin to re-establish himself in singles competition, once he’s healed up. 

More from Darby Allin

Here are some recent articles regarding Darby Allin as the former TNT Champion continues to recover from his multiple injuries. 

Tony Khan says The Elite has ignited a “power struggle” in AEW and the company plans to have a new “highest-ranking official” onsite for Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. The Elite shocked the pro wrestling world last Wednesday by attacking Tony Khan one night before his participation in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Jacksonville Jaguars owner generated a ton of media attention for the neck brace he wore at the Draft to sell the effects of the unconscionable attack he sustained.

During an interview with SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Khan said how lucky he is to work with the NFL and appreciates all the concern about his condition. He said he won’t be present for Wednesday’s Dynamite from Winnipeg, but he’s worked remotely in the past throughout the pandemic. The big question is, who will be on top of the totem pole in his absense?

“We all have experience working outside the office. During the lockdown, we got used to meetings on Teams and Zoom. I’ll still be overseeing AEW and managing the show remotely.

As for who will be the highest-ranking official onsite, stay tuned Wednesday. It will certainly be addressed this week on TBS. This power struggle that is happening in AEW.”

As Kevin Nash spoke about on his podcast this week, Tony Khan fired CM Punk when he felt physically threatened. The Elite have taken things much farther than Punk did. What repercussions will they face, if any?

TK Welcomes Kenny Omega’s Return

Kenny Omega is advertised to make his AEW television return when they go to Winnipeg. As another EVP of the company, this could throw a wrench in the Young Bucks’ plans. After all, they did fire him from The Elite a few weeks ago. This will be a big moment for AEW, and Tony Khan is also very excited about that, as he continued plugging the upcoming episode of Dynamite on TBS.

Omega has been out of action due to a diverticulitis attack, one that reportedly required surgery. Although The Cleaner is far from his in-ring clearance, he won’t miss Dynamite in his home city. Khan says, “I can’t wait to have Kenny Omega back in AEW. It’s the perfect time for Kenny to return. I know Kenny Omega has been recovering at home since he was fired from The Elite by The Young Bucks last month. It’s the perfect time for Kenny Omega to return on May 1.”

AEW Dynamite Preview (5/1)

You can find the current lineup for the May 1 episode of AEW Dynamite below.

• Chris Jericho vs. Shibata
• Adam Copeland vs. TBA
• Mariah May vs. Serena Deeb
• Kenny Omega’s TV return

Due to a scheduling conflict with the NHL Playoffs, AEW Rampage will air at a different time this week. A three-hour event will air this week on Wednesday, May 1, with a live Rampage following Dynamite. Also, AEW Collision will not broadcast on May 4, due to this conflict with the NHL. AEW’s Saturday night show is set to return to its regular time slot on Saturday, May 11.

AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland is welcoming new challenges by trying to add new maneuvers to his arsenal in the latter stage of his career.

‘The Rated R Superstar’ undoubtedly has an impressive array of moves up his sleeve, but even veterans of the ring haven’t executed every conceivable maneuver. Copeland has showcased some spectacular moves in his recent matches and he says this is no accident.

While speaking with Swerve Strickland and Monteasy on AEW Champion Swerve Strickland’s Swerve City Podcast, Cope has made it clear he will try a new move in every match from now on. He feels extremely fortunate to still be wrestling, is excited to work with so many new opponents in AEW and relishes the challenge of pushing himself and executing unfamiliar strikes, holds and dives.

“What I’ve done with this AEW run, I told myself, ‘I’m going to try a move that I’ve never tried before. One move, every match. That I’ve never done before.’ [AEW Collision before AEW Dynasty], I did the Davey Boy powerslam. Never done one before. I’ve done the rotation powerslam, but never the Davey. Last week against Brody King, I’ve never done a blockbuster, ‘I’ll try a blockbuster.’ Just for myself, really. Just to have fun and the challenge of it. I get off on challenges. The challenges are very big for me in life. I work best when I have a challenge that I have to try and conquer.”

On March 20 edition of Dynamite, Adam Copeland captured the AEW TNT Championship for the second time when he defeated his former best friend Christian Cage in front of his hometown crowd. Ever since, Copeland has been defending his title in Cope Open challenge and has already retained against the likes of Penta El Zero Miedo and Matt Cardona.

Adam Copeland set to defend his title on Dynamite

On this week’s Dynamite, Copeland will put his title on the line against one of the members of The House of Black. 

The Canadian wrestler has been vocal about challenging himself post-WWE career, which is one of the reasons he joined AEW. Signing with the promotion has certainly opened the door for him to explore new trails and he is just enjoying his time before the sun sets on his career. 

Tony Khan sought to remind fans that AEW is where the best wrestle with his controversial remarks during the recent NFL Draft. 

While representing the Jacksonville Jaguars, Khan spoke about AEW being an alternative to WWE and said his promotion is the Pepsi of professional wrestling. Rather than compare WWE to Coca-Cola as many expected, Khan said that WWE was evil and equivalent to Harvey Weinstein. 

This comment has divided fans. Some believe it was fair given the allegations of misconduct leveled at former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon who resigned back in January. Others felt the comment was unnecessary and offensive to victims of Weinstein and that Khan was using their experiences to further his grudge with WWE. 

Speaking to Dean ‘Mojo’ Muhtadi of TMZ Sports, Khan was asked about the response to his comments: 

“I think it is important to say that I think AEW is the best wrestling company in the world in many ways. I think that we have the best wrestlers, the best matches, we’ve been putting on the best shows.”

WWE & AEW Reacts

Those in WWE have, rather unsurprisingly, not taken kindly to Khan’s comparison to Harvey Weinstein, Bryan Alvarez reports. Those in AEW feel the same way and have taken exception to Khan’s suggestion that WWE is an ‘evil’ company. Many names on AEW’s roster have previously worked in WWE and have friends and/or partners who currently work for the competition. 

While Khan is fiercely passionate about WWE, his comments in the past have often not been well-received. Khan infamous alleged that an army of WWE-endorsed bots were attacking AEW on social media and had his issue with Jinder Mahal earlier this year. With the response to his Weinstein comments, the AEW President may want to take a pause the next time he has something big to say. 

More from Tony Khan

Here are some recent articles regarding Tony Khan as the AEW President continues to heal from the attack by The Elite on AEW Dynamite: 

Kamille has signed with All Elite Wrestling, adding another notable name to their women’s division. The former NWA Women’s World Champion has inked a deal with Tony Khan’s league and is expected to debut shortly, according to a report by Fightful Select. She  became a free agent on January 1 when her NWA deal expired. 

Her name has been churning in the rumor mill since then regarding her next destination. Most recently, Kamille piqued interest amongst fans after saying she signed somewhere in February, though she did not specify where. She deleted her tweet and clarified that she was talking about autograph signings.

Kamille’s AEW Debut

It is unclear when Kamille will make her AEW debut, but she is on the way. Adding her name to Tony Khan’s women’s division provides them with a real boost. The company recently added Mercedes Mone, and the former Sasha Banks already has a TBS Title shot against Willow Nightingale at AEW Double or Nothing in Las Vegas on May 26.

Kamille held the NWA World Women’s Championship for 812 days. She played a significant role in the promotion during Billy Corgan’s ownership. Kamille has a good chance of replicating that success in AEW if given the proper environment.

Prior to signing with AEW, Kamille told SEScoops in February 2023 that she was hoping to join WWE so she could work with Charlotte Flair. During our interview, she told Scott Fishman, “[Charlotte Flair] is the best in the world. I think we would have a good backstory and story that could lead into it. Getting in there with someone who is so talented could help me learn and grow and and it’s something people would want to see.”

Check out the full interview from the SEScoops YouTube channel:

Trent Beretta’s mom Sue will not be carpooling The Best Friends to any AEW events in the near future, and she’s clearly not happy about it.

Beretta took on his longtime partner and (indeed) former best friend Chuck Taylor in a Parking Lot Fight this past weekend on AEW Rampage. It was a brutal battle with Berretta ultimately defeating Taylor, but also not coming out of the fight unscathed.

On social media, Beretta had a bloody picture of himself sitting on the hood of what appears to be his mom’s van. Just like his friendship with Taylor and Orange Cassidy, the windshield was splintered as Berreta basically marked the end of his bond with Taylor.

“Best Friends, 2013-2024, see ya.”

best friends

2013-2024

see ya pic.twitter.com/HZzfEeu9tL

— TRENT? (@trentylocks) April 28, 2024

Sue expressed her disappointment in her son’s actions noting that she didn’t raise him to act like that.

I didn’t raise you to act like this….

— susan marasciulo (@sueshulo) April 29, 2024

Sue was a light-hearted component in the mix of The Best Friends’ friendship, but clearly Beretta has thrown all that aside. Last week’s Dynamite kicked off with Trent beating Orange Cassidy up in the middle of Daily’s Place before prompting Chuck Taylor to come out. Trent forced Taylor to choose between him and Cassidy, citing that it was Orange who stole the spotlight from both of them, stating that he was only meant to be their mascot in AEW. Taylor didn’t agree and took the side of Cassidy, putting the Parking Lot Fight into motion.

Trent defeated Taylor by choking him out, but he wasn’t finished. Beretta set sights on Taylor’s ankle with a wrench, telling Orange Cassidy that this was all his fault.

All Elite Wrestling has hired Jeremy Flynn as the company’s new Director Of Live Events, a position formerly held by Rafael Morffi. Flynn previously worked for the Professional Bull Riders organization as its Senior Director of Marketing and Live Events.

The last two years with the @PBR was amazing and I am so grateful for the opportunity.

I am excited to start a new chapter as the Senior Marketing Director of Live Events for @AEW! There are so many amazing things happening here and I’m excited to be a part of the journey. pic.twitter.com/sKYZdOuSTf

— Jeremy Flynn (@JeremyAFlynn) April 29, 2024

Morffi, who left AEW last year to coordinate live events for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, endorsed Flynn’s work in a post on his LinkedIn page.

Flynn will have a challenge ahead of him as live attendance for AEW hasn’t necessarily lived up to venue hosting them. Back during Super Bowl week, Tony Khan mentioned how that he still has decided to go with larger venues due to the media contacts and marketing possibilities.

“A lot of times, those arenas have a lot of big advantages like email lists and marketing and they are a destination venue for shows. It depends on the market and the timing. Certainly, bigger arenas do have a lot of advantages.”

Despite the unfilled arenas, Khan said in the pre-AEW Dynasty media call that revenue in Q1 for 2024 is up significantly overall as they have been running more live events, stating that live attendance is actually up in some cities when doing the year-over-year comparison.

The big hope for AEW is that the company secures a new lucrative media deal as the exclusive negotiation period between them and Warner Bros. Discovery has expired. Khan has still spoke to the positive relationship that AEW and WBD shares and has seemed optimistic that a deal will get done between the two parties.

Last week’s 4/25 AEW Dynamite from Daily’s Place finished with a a controversial angle that fans are still talking about. Jack Perry made a surprise return and attacked AEW President Tony Khan. The Elite joined in, Perry is now part of the heel faction and there are immediate parallels with the early days of the nWo. After Shad Khan’s son took a microphone shot to the gut followed by a Tony Khan Driver, The Elite stood over their boss in victory. The Young Bucks’ new alliance with Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry has nWo vibes and the memes have been plentiful on social media.

On this week’s Kliq This podcast, Nash and co-host Sean Oliver reviewed AEW Dynasty and AEW Dynamite, including the controversial angle that led Tony Khan to wear a neck brace for the 2024 NFL Draft. While giving Khan grief for selling a padded microphone shot, Nash compared the segment to WCW’s infamous Finger Poke of Doom (Wikipedia) angle. During a match against Hollywood Hogan on WCW Nitro (January 4, 1999), Nash laid down for Hogan, handing over the WCW title in what’s seen as a low-point for the declining company. 

Dynamite viewership was under 700,000, down from the previous week and the lowest since October 2023. Nash fired, back, “Thank God, because they missed the finger poke of doom at the end of this motherf****r.

Neck Brace

Tony Khan went on to sell that attack during both nights of the NFL Draft by wearing a neck brace. He appeared on the NFL Network, where he compared WWE to Harvey Weinstein. Nash didn’t love everything he saw on AEW television this week, but he credited Khan for selling the injury and keeping kayfabe alive with the neck brace.

“The neck brace. The neck brace the following day at the Jaguars. I got to give a little respect to this because I don’t think the NFL or anyone that watches the NFL and not wrestling is going to give a sh*t, but the attempt to do some crossover, respecting the product where he wore the neck brace the next day, it’s a commitment.”

Tony Khan discusses taking the TK Driver from the Bucks and compares WWE to Harvey Weinstein pic.twitter.com/borodQ1GiF

— CJ Fogler ? (@cjzero) April 26, 2024

You Fired CM Punk…

Nash took issue with the fact that CM Punk got fired for roughing up his boss, so how is he going to handle The Elite?

“I just don’t see what it does unless Tony comes back and fires the Executive Vice Presidents for attacking him. He fired.. he got rid of Punk. You can’t have a storyline that shows, a couple weeks earlier, they showed the Punk/Perry altercation, which was nothing.”

Tony Khan and AEW are influenced by pro wrestling history. This new incarnation of The Elite (just one week in) is already drawing comparisons to the nWo, so it was an attention-grabbing segment. Hopefully The Elite sparks a similar level of excitement as Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall and podcast host Kevin Nash did in 1996. 

Sports streaming service DAZN has nixed its contract with All Elite Wrestling after just one year over what they deemed to be underperforming numbers. 

The two sides agreed on a multi-year deal in early 2023 that would see AEW be broadcast in 42 markets across Europe and Asia. The initial deal included AEW Dynamite, Rampage, Dark, Dark: Elevation, Battle of the Belt events, and four pay-per-views a year. 

Now, this deal is a thing of the past. Speculation grew about AEW’s future on DAZN early into 2024 after fans noticed that All-Elite content had been quietly removed from the platform. At the time, no confirmation was given publicly as to the reason behind the removal.

Steven Muelhausen, who ran the wrestling social media side of things for DAZN has now confirmed that the deal is over just one year after being announced. The decision to drop AEW content was made on December 31, 2023, and was made after a string of broadcasts falling below expectations. Only a handful of events reached the numbers DAZN wanted. These events include All In 2023, the first month or so of AEW Collision, and select episodes of AEW content. 

AEW did all it could for DAZN when the platform requested interviews from talent, Muelhausen adds, despite DAZN never really showing much interest in promoting AEW on its platform. DAZN didn’t give 5% of the budget they spend for boxing and MMA. Muelhausen, found this to be a shame as wrestling had “a real shot” at DAZN but “never got the opportunity it deserved. 

Two of AEW featured stars in Powerhouse Hobbs and Julia Hart are reportedly injured and the initial thought is not promising for the former champions.

According to Fightful Select, Julia Hart has suffered an injury that may require surgery. This is after Hart has ran into a string of recent injuries as of late and the timeframe for her return is currently unknown. She reportedly was injured on the lead-up to AEW Dynasty where she dropped the TBS Championship to Willow Nightingale. Hart is still very early her pro wrestling career and has hit a note with fans since aligning with the House Of Black.

Powerhouse Hobbs Is Also Injured

In the very same update, Fightful Select confirmed that Powerhouse Hobbs is also now out with injury as first reported by Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer. The injury is said to be significant and the former TNT Champion is not expected back anytime soon.

Hobbs was just featured in the main event match this past Wednesday on AEW Dynamite as he became the first challenger to Jon Moxley as the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Hobbs lost to Moxley via technical submission when the Blackpool Combat Club member got Hobbs in a rear-naked choke.

Hart and Hobbs now join a significant list of name talent on the AEW roster out with injury. MJF, Kenny Omega, Adam Cole, Darby Allin, Kota Ibushi, Bandido, Jamie Hayter, Miro, Britt Baker and Jeff Hardy are only a handful of talent on the shelf.