Swerve Strickland became the eighth man and first African American man to hold the AEW World Championship at Sunday’s AEW Dynasty pay-per-view. Mark Henry discussed the significance of the win the following morning on Busted Open Radio. He says AEW believes in Swerve and even though ‘representation matters,’ his success was earned and he’s got the talent to be in this new position.
As a multi-time World Champion himself, Henry speaks from experience. He knows firsthand what the win says about the company’s faith in Strickland the responsibilities that come with being the new face of a major wrestling promotion.
“To be a World Champion in pro wrestling and have a company backing you and believe you enough that you’re going to get the job done is big. I mean, you are the guy that’s carrying the torch, and just like the light was on Moxley and the light was on Danielson and the light was on Joe, now the light is going to be shined on Swerve.”
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) April 22, 2024
Earned on Merit
The ‘World’s Strongest Man’ said AEW is confident Strickland he can carry the company like Kenny Omega, Hangman Page and MJF did before him. While it’s important for young fans to see people who share their culture achieving success in the ring, Swerve’s success has been earned through his talents and hard work.
“They didn’t pass up on an opportunity to do the right thing. It’s earned. It wasn’t because he was an African American. It was because he was talented and I feel like that’s a beautiful thing and representation matters and it means everything.”
Representation in Wrestling
Here are some more recent articles about wrestlers talking about the topics of representation and diversity in entertainment:
Dial-up be damned, Tony Khan messaged with the legendary Lou Thesz back in the American Online days.
AEW Dynasty took place in the historic wrestling city of St. Louis, MO over the weekend and during the post-event media scrum, Khan was asked about the connections he’s made with St. Louis and the world of pro wrestling. Khan, who has been a rampant pro wrestling fan since he was a kid, recalled a time of yesteryear that consisted of him logging onto message board and amazingly sharing correspondence with some bonafide trailblazers in the one true sport.
“St. Louis is an amazing wrestling city with an amazing, amazing history. When I was 12 years old, I used to talk to Lou Thesz on AOL and I picked up stuff from Lou Thesz. Lou Thesz taught me how great Buddy Rodgers was and he was totally right. You go back and watch Buddy Rodgers, one of the best wrestlers of all time, one of the most influential of all time, both of them, two of the most influential of all time.”
Khan went on to say how St. Louis has become one of their great cities to hit and later didn’t rule out the possibility of the promotion coming back for another PPV in 2025.
Khan was all over the wrestling map as a kid even in the Extreme Championship Wrestling realm. He notoriously had his father, Shad Khan, take him to the ECW Arena in Philadelphia where he got to see first-hand the classic stretcher match between Rob Van Dam and Sabu.
AEW Dynasty packed a punch for ardent wrestling fans on Sunday night and per usual Max Caster strived to do the same with his words. However, this one was a little more dicey than others.
Max Caster, Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn were set to go up against Jay White and The Gunns on the Dynasty Zero Hour and naturally Caster would have his pre-macth rap ready to fire off. Caster thought he had his own verbal bullets for Bullet Club Gold, but his content this time around was a little more controversial than even his usual rhymes.
“Switchblade’s what I switch. I’ll fufill your fantasy and I’ll make you my b****. Yo this dude’s just making me sick. I’ll violate you so bad you’ll have to tell the legal team about the taste of my d***.”
Some of Max Caster’s freestyles have been really clever, but this is another one that’s in such bad taste. Where’s the judgement? #AEWDynastypic.twitter.com/eQ7iJ6MTg8
The line sure got a shocked reaction from the live St. Louis crowd, but it also got it’s own share of opinions from fans and critics online. The Wrestling Observer‘s Dave Meltzer mentioned how Caster’s call has the potency to put him in hot water with AEW, simply saying, “I think Max Caster may get in trouble.”
That Time When Max Caster Called Out Dom Mysterio & Rhea Ripley
This is far from the first time Caster’s lyrics has raised eyebrows. Earlier this year, he cross-cut a line about Dom Mysterio and Rhea Ripley when he was about to have a match with Ripley’s real-life fiance, Buddy Matthews. Ripley ended up commenting on the matter, noting that she and Dom are over in two different promotions.
“But I mean, good for me. It’s good for Dom. At the end of the day, it got us trending on Twitter or X, whatever you want to call it these days. It got us trending. And if that’s what you want to do in your match, get two other people in the opposite promotion that you are battling with trending? Then I feel like you did the wrong job because you put us over instead of yourself, so that was a mistake on their part.”
Toni Storm did not hold back on non-PG wrestling references during her appearance on the post Dynasty media scrum.
The AEW Women’s World Champion defeated Thunder Rosa to retain her title at the company’s latest PPV event. At the press conference afterward, she decided that she didn’t wanna answer questions from the reporters. Storm read a pre written statement for everyone instead.
The female star made references to the Cody Rhodes – Bloodline story in her speech and also explained why Nikki Garcia decided not to join the company:
“How long do I have to do this? Week after week, night after night, before you realise that I am the one who is transcending this business? Just because I don’t go out there and say it, doesn’t mean it’s not true. Do I really have to tell you every single night. Are you that thick?
Too busy chasing people blithering about goosebumps and levels and storytelling and cinema, go see a fucking movie. Nicole Garcia thought about joining AEW when she saw Mercedes did. You know why she didn’t? Because then she saw me and realised, she can’t hold a pussy scented candle to what I do.”
It’s The Greatest Thing That Could Ever Happen To You: Toni Storm
Toni Storm then claimed that she is taking AEW to new heights by just being herself and that her success is her own:
“I am the one taking this company to new heights. And I don’t even try to. I’m just being me and it’s the greatest thing I could ever be. It’s the greatest thing that could happen to all of you too. For every one of you who saw me all those years ago and thought she has potential. You had absolutely no idea it was going to get this good, did you? Tomorrow morning your headlines should read ‘Holy fuck was I wrong?’
And Anthony, I promise you no matter how many matches I win, no matter how many stories I finish. I will never call you into the ring to celebrate with me. Being timeless means I’m not on your watch. My success is my own and [you’re] damn lucky to be a part of it. If any of you have a single question after that you are as stupid as you look.”
Storm was referring to the remarks the former WWE star made while talking about Mercedes Mone’s AEW debut. Nikki had said that she almost called Tony Khan after listening to Mone’s debut promo.
Swerve Strickland arrived to AEW Dynasty in style with an epic entrance that paid tribute to one of the most important names associated with Ring of Honor.
At Dynasty, Strickland dethroned Samoa Joe to win the AEW World Championship in an emotional main event. The win cemented Strickland as the eighth man to win the gold and the first black wrestler to capture the richest prize in AEW.
Strickland was dressed to impress in St. Louis and wore a black and gold attire for his entrance. Fans quickly recognized the look as inspired by Kilmonger, the antagonist of 2018’s Black Panther film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Swerve Strickland and Kilmonger.
Swerve Strickland’s ROH Tribute
Kilmonger wasn’t the only notable name referenced during Swerve Strickland’s entrance at AEW Dynasty. Prince Nana was on hand to cover Strickland in a robe, which Excalibur noted belonged to Jimmy Rave.
What an entrance by the challenger Swerve Strickland
Rave was part of Ring of Honor during the company’s early days and was part of The Embassy, a stable led by Nana. Rave’s heel work was so strong, that instead of throwing streamers for his entrance as was customary, fans threw toilet paper as he made his way to the ring. The ultimately led to toilet paper being banned from ROH show after Rave tried to attack a fan who threw a roll at him after his match.
Rave would make returns to ROH in 2009, 2011, and 2013. In November 2020, he announced his retirement after an infection in his left arm required amputation. An MRSA infection would cost Rave both of his legs less than a year later and he would die on December 12, 2021, at the age of 39.
Will Ospreay doesn’t plan on taking shots at WWE again on AEW programming after recently taking aim at Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque.
On an episode of AEW Dynamite, Ospreay spoke about the ‘grind’ and said that Triple H only reached the top of WWE due to ‘grinding’ on Stephanie McMahon. The dig was in response to comments made by the Game over WrestleMania week in which he said some wrestlers opt not to sign with WWE due to the ‘grind’ and choose a promotion with a lighter schedule.
Ospreay’s dig sparked a discussion as to whether he crossed a line given that Triple H hadn’t mentioned him and that his comment took place in front of Renee Paquette, a friend of both Triple H and Stephanie. Speaking on the AEW Dynasty media scrum, Ospreay shared his belief that Triple H’s comment was about him.
“If you throw a jab, I throw one back. And although I wasn’t mentioned by name, it was clearly about me.”
Ospreay added that he’s finished with taking aim at WWE as he doesn’t feel such ‘tribalism’ is good for anyone involved.
“I don’t wanna do that anymore because I feel like I lowered myself to that standard. I don’t need to do that anymore… that’s the first time I’ve ever experienced true tribalism between the two. It’s not nice. It’s unnecessary.”
Though Will is done taking aim at WWE, he does not regret what he said as Triple H’s comment did “piss me off.” Ospreay couldn’t help but take one last swipe, however, as he finished speaking on the matter, saying he doesn’t need to “f***ing f*** with guys below me.”
AEW Dynasty saw Ospreay defeat Bryan Danielson in an instant classic that went over 30 minutes. Ospreay got the win after hitting the Tiger Driver 91 which led to a worrying scene after the match.
The wrestling world has shared their support for Swerve Strickland following his AEW World Championship victory at AEW Dynasty.
Strickland dethroned Samoa Joe in the main event of the show to become the eighth man to have won the gold. The win also made Strickland the first black man to hold the AEW World Championship.
Wrestling World Reacts to Swerve Strickland’s Win
Strickland’s victory has understandably had the wrestling world abuzz. On Twitter, Matt Hardy gave his congrats to Strickland and others who made an impression at AEW Dynasty.
AEW’s Administration Co-Ordinator shared a photo with Strickland, Prince Nana, AEW COO Kosha Irby, and new AEW TBS Champion Willow Nightingale to celebrate the historic show.
— The Realest Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) April 22, 2024
Strickland’s win clearly means a lot to a lot of people and for good reason. After the setback of his 2021 release from WWE, Strickland has pulled himself up to become one of the hottest acts in professional wrestling. As for how his reign goes remains to be seen but AEW is indeed Swerve’s house after the Dynasty pay-per-view.
Tony Khan says airing the All In footage helped explain Jack Perry’s absence from AEW TV ahead of his return to the company at tonight’s AEW Dynasty PPV.
Perry had been suspended from AEW following his altercation with CM Punk at the All In event in August 2023. He stayed away from wrestling for over 5 months before resurfacing at NJPW’s Battle in the Valley show this past January.
On the post-Dynasty media scrum, Khan was asked if the footage helped Jack Perry feel like a bigger star during his return at the PPV. Tony first mentioned how ‘The Scapegoat’ had a great run in NJPW before his comeback tonight which helped generate some buzz for him:
“Well I’m really excited about a lot of things happening in AEW. I think Jack Perry’s return got a lot of excitement and got a huge reaction. Again, I mentioned we were in Chicago. It was a great night for the company when Jon Moxley became the IWGP World Champion. I got to watch Jack Perry’s return to American wrestling in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
He got a massive star reaction at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Windy City show and I think he’s been doing great work in New Japan Pro Wrestling. When you go over do an excursion and have a great run like he had in the New Japan Cup and a great performance like he had against Shota in Chicago. I think that had a lot to do with it.
We Made The Bold Call: Tony Khan
Speaking about the All In footage, Tony Khan admitted that it did heighten the circumstances around Jack Perry’s return to his promotion:
“I do think we made a bold call in the run up to this match. Really it heightened the circumstances and I do think it added to the presentation of the moment of Jack Perry’s return tonight at AEW Dynasty. The pay per view was a home run. I think a lot of people felt like it was a great return.
Also I felt like it was important to explain partially where Jack’s been because the last time we saw him on AEW television was at Wembley Stadium. He went through the curtain. We never saw him again since, so I did feel like some responsibility to the viewer given I knew Jack was going to return to AEW that we explain where he’s been.”
AEW Dynasty featured the finals of the Tag Team Title tournament between FTR and The Young Bucks. A Man in Sting mask interfered in the bout at the very end and helped The Bucks secure the victory over their opponents. The security quickly grabbed the mystery man and Jack Perry was revealed when they removed the mask.
There’s an update regarding Bryan Danielson’s condition following an injury scare after his all-out war against Will Ospreay at Sunday’s at AEW Dynasty pay-per-view. Danielson lost to Will Ospreay in an ‘instant classic’ that saw Ospreay put him away with the devastating Tiger Driver 91. Danielson appeared to take the move on his neck and was tended to after the match by AEW’s medical team.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) April 22, 2024
Danielson appeared to be in very rough shape after the match, but the ‘American Dragon’ did not sustain any serious injuries. According to Fightful, everything ‘went as planned’ as much things can, and Danielson was just selling the effects of the match and the Tiger Driver.
Danielson was somehow fine after this bump
Will Ospreay was concerned for Danielson after the match which will likely play into the ongoing storyline between himself and the rest of the Don Callis Family. For some time, there have been tensions in the faction with Ospreay showing too much respect for his opponents to be aligned with the group. On commentary during the match, Callis insinuated that Ospreay was a liar and stupid in another sign of growing tensions.
It’s certainly good news that Danielson wasn’t legitimately injured in the match, especially given his history of neck issues. It was in 2014 that Bryan was stripped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship due to a neck injury and his Intercontinental Championship reign the following year was also cut short due to neck issues. In 2016, Bryan would retire from the ring due to these setbacks and wouldn’t wrestle again until two years later.
What’s to Come?
It’s unclear when we’ll next see Bryan Danielson back in the ring but the American Dragon is currently in the midst of his final year as a full-time wrestler. This decision stems from a promise Danielson made to step away from the ring as a full-time talent in time for his daughter Birdie’s seventh birthday. While Danielson won’t be wrestling full-time, fans should expect to see him in the ring. He’s stated in interviews that he doesn’t plan to ever retire and will wrestle in front of small audiences if he has to until he physically can’t do it anymore.
Danielson has certainly earned a more relaxed schedule in the ring but plans to stay active even as a part-time competitor. Thankfully, Danielson won’t have to miss time due to what transpired at Dynasty, despite what the events after his match may have made fans believe.
Swerve Strickland’s historic AEW World Championship at AEW Dynasty may never have come about had KofiMania not taken wrestling by storm in 2019.
At AEW’s most recent pay-per-view, Strickland won the AEW World Championship from Samoa Joe and became the first black AEW World Champion in the process. On the post-show media scrum, Strickland spoke about how Kofi Kingston’s journey to the WWE Championship inspired him to think big.
“Friends of mine, seeing friends like Kofi [Kingston]. The last five years was probably one of the biggest inspirational things you’ve ever seen. Not just in black history but in wrestling history period. And that’s motivating. That’s inspiring. And that makes me like ‘I want to do that for the next generation.'”
Strickland added that he has big plans now that he is the champion and was pleased that it didn’t take long for another black champion to emerge following Kofi’s victory in MetLife Stadium.
“I don’t want to just do it once. I want to do it multiple times. And the fact that I was able to somewhat recreate a feeling like that in just a small amount of time, not like 20 years later, 15, 30, years later. That’s progress in my mind. And it’s not just me, it’s a team. Nana’s a part of that. My people, my family. All of them right here. None of this happens without any of these guys together.
Strickland’s win is understandably huge for him and could mark the ushering of a new era, one that sees AEW leave the issues of the past behind. Whatever comes next, Swerve has done the work to elevate himself into the main event, and the future bodes well with him as AEW World Champion.
Will Ospreay has confirmed that he will be retiring the Tiger Driver 91 after the scary spot with Bryan Danielson in their match at tonight’s AEW Dynasty PPV.
The high-flying star had talked about the dangers of the move at the post-Revolution media scrum last month after he used it to pin Konosuke Takeshita at the PPV event.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) April 22, 2024
During the Dynasty Media scrum, the AEW star spoke about the incident with Bryan on the PPV and revealed that he didn’t see the referee call for the medics:
I’m super glad that everybody enjoyed the match. A little bit of a dampener on how it’s all kind of [turned out] the dust has settled now. I’ve reviewed the footage myself. It seems Bryan got hurt on the storm driver and I didn’t see the doctor call, the referee called for the doctor and I just didn’t see it.
So I want to apologize on that. Obviously like within the confines of wrestling I do go like I said in the ring it is more or less it’s your life vs mine until you kind of see it staring at your face sort of the way it did.”
Will Ospreay Says He Feels Awful
Will Ospreay said that he feels awful about the spot. He apologized to Danielson for continuing the match after that and confirmed that he will be retiring the Tiger Driver 91, also known as Storm Driver 93:
“Honestly I feel awful about this. So even though 90% of the time that move has been absolutely fine. Seeing the damage that it has kind of done, I am gonna retire using the Storm Driver 91. I don’t think it’s right for me to continue using it after seeing what it did to Bryan. Someone that I’ve got huge amounts of respect for.
This was kind of my dream match. This is something I’ve wanted since I was a kid. So to see the outcome although I’m happy everyone enjoyed the match, I’m kind of disappointed in myself. So I apologize to Bryan. I apologize to AEW medics, I apologize to Tony.”
Ospreay defeated Bryan in what many are already calling the match of the year during the latest AEW PPV. The ending of this match, however, left a lot of people concerned.
The finish of the bout saw Ospreay hitting the Tiger Driver 91 and the referee called for the medics as Danielson appeared to be hurt from the spot. Ospreay however, missed the referee’s call and he hit the former WWE star with an elbow to the back for the pin.
The quotes in the article have been edited for clarity
AEW Dynasty was a historic event for the company. Not only did they debut a new pay-per-view in Saint Louis, but the company ended the night with a new AEW World Champion.
Swerve Strickland’s road to the top of AEW reached its peak at AEW Dynasty. The Mogul Embassy leader proved that the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis is Swerve’s House, as he defeated Samoa Joe for the AEW Title.
After the main event match was over, Joe swiftly headed backstage while streamers fell on Strickland, who celebrated his win with Prince Nana and ringside fans while pyrotechnics went off while the new champion celebrated.
HE DID IT! Swerve Strickland is the NEW #AEW World Champion!
At the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view event at the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis, MO, AEW World Heavyweight Champion Samoa Joe faced Swerve Strickland with the title on the line.
Strickland aggressively started the match, attempting an outside dive that Joe countered with a powerslam onto the announce table. After Strickland ripped up the protective padding, he executed an outside dive, but Joe responded with a powerslam on the exposed concrete.
As the match continued, Joe attempted to leave with his title, but Strickland stopped him. Then Swerve delivered a 450 splash and a double foot stomp for a two count.
Joe then applied a rear-naked choke, which Strickland escaped. Strickland nearly won again with a House Call and another two-count, followed by a powerbomb from the middle rope and a double foot stomp that finally clinched his victory.
Jack Perry has not been seen on AEW television since All In, where he faced Hook in a Zero Hour match for the FTW Title. Not two weeks after AEW finally aired Perry’s fight footage with CM Punk backstage from All In, he made a shocking return during Dynasty.
Perry made his return during the Saint Louis pay-per-view to help the Young Bucks beat FTW for the AEW Tag Team Titles. The former Jungle Boy’s presence was felt near the end of their ladder match.
During the closing moments of the match, Jack Perry attempted to interfere by pushing Dax off the ladder but was halted by security. Thanks to this distraction, Nick managed to climb the ladder, grab the championship titles, and secure a win for The Young Bucks.
At the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view in the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis, The Young Bucks competed against FTR in a ladder match for the vacant AEW Tag Team Championships. Those titles haven’t had owners since Sting and Darby Allin relinquished them following The Icon’s retirement.
As the match continued, Matt Jackson pushed Cash Wheeler from the top of a ladder using Dax Harwood as support. Nick then hit a 450 splash from the top rope to the floor, sending Cash through a table. Dax applied a piledriver to Matt on a ladder, and Nick followed with a springboard into a sunset flip powerbomb.
Unexpectedly, Jack Perry, disguised in a Sting mask, tried to interfere by pushing Dax off the ladder but was stopped by security. Despite this, Nick was able to climb the ladder and retrieve the championship titles, securing victory for The Young Bucks in this challenging ladder match.
The Young Bucks spoke highly of Perry, referring to him as a Scapegoat, before they aired the CM Punk fight footage. Now, Perry is back in the AEW fold, and all signs point to a continued alliance with the heel EVP team, who are now the first three-time AEW Tag Team Champions in company history.
Jeff Hardy’s days with AEW could be numbered as the Charismatic Enigma’s deal with the All-Elite promotion is set to expire sooner than initially expected.
Hardy joined AEW in 2022 and wasted no time in aligning with his brother Matt. Originally, it was believed that AEW had extended Jeff Hardy’s deal into 2025, Fightful Select reports. This was believed to be the case to make up for time lost due to injuries and Jeff’s sabbatical following his 2022 DUI arrest. That isn’t the case as Jeff has been telling other talent at conventions that his contract is set to expire sometime in the spring of this year.
It remains to be seen whether Jeff Hardy re-signs with AEW but the former World Champion has shown frustrations with the company in the past. In December 2023, Jeff appeared on his brother’s podcast and spoke about his AEW run.
“The last time I was in this extreme dimension of your podcast, I said in WWE I felt like I was a ghost just walking around backstage. Honestly, I kind of still feel like that at AEW just because I’m not being involved in something cool.”
With his brother no longer in AEW, Jeff may seek to try his hand outside the promotion in which he feels he hasn’t been used to his fullest potential. Matt Hardy recently returned to TNA Wrestling and was immediately entered into a program with TNA World Champion Moose. With that said, Matt has not signed with TNA and remains a free agent at this time.
Ultimately, Jeff will have to make some difficult decisions about his future and the veteran wrestler will have to consider how long left he has in the ring. With his situation in AEW not ideal and his controversial release from WWE in late 2021, we’ll have to wait and see what Jeff Hardy does next.
Chris Jericho used to be a massive babyface in AEW, with fans singing Fozzy’s “Judas” at the top of their lungs as he made his way to the ring every week. Things certainly changed at Dynasty, because Lionheart got some go away heat.
Hook put the FTW Title on the line against Chris Jericho at AEW Dynasty. The Saint Louis crowd was very passionate, and against Jericho as he won the championship from Taz’s son.
During the AEW pay-per-view, fans directed chants at Chris Jericho, including “Fozzy Sucks,” “Go home, Jericho. Go Home,” and “Please retire.” This was very loud and also quite noticeable on camera.
Chris Jericho was called out for having people sign NDAs himself, which led to these allegations coming out. A tweet was posted talking about women who are waiting until it’s safe to speak about Chris Jericho. Kylie Rae reacted to it, as she posted a heart emoji.
AEW fans were gearing up for Dynasty on Sunday night, but Wardlow had an announcement to make. He just escaped a near-catastrophic car wreck situation, and he is thankful to be okay.
Wardlow mentioned that he has faced numerous challenges recently but remains undeterred, stating that nothing can stop him. Despite being injured, he expressed gratitude for being alive and thanked everyone who reached out to show their support, appreciating their concern.
The former TNT Champion also included a photo of his banged-up car with his post. The photo displays a highway sign for Exit 240 – W 150th St, located on Interstate 71 in Cleveland, Ohio. This was a scary situation, and we’re glad he was able to walk away.
The devils been doing everything to stop me lately… still hasn’t learned he can’t. Banged up but I’m alive ?? thank you to those that have reached out. Appreciate you all pic.twitter.com/LptI7VFPX3
Wardlow’s momentum in AEW may have stalled a bit thanks to Adam Cole’s situation. Although being placed as part of the Undisputed Kingdom was a good spot for Ward-Dog, the faction’s leader has been taken off the road.
Cole’s ongoing ankle rehab caused him to leave the road, because it was getting in the way of his recovery progress. Due to this, Cole’s Devil angle hit the brakes and the faction hasn’t been featured on AEW television in the significant fashion most assumed they would receive after paying off such a long-running mystery angle like unveiling The Devil’s identity.
Wardlow was not booked for a match at AEW Dynasty, but he made an appearance at the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view on Sunday during the match between Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly.
Wardlow got into a wreck in Cleveland today presumably on the way to the airport and apparently he made it to St. Louis for Dynasty.
AEW Dynasty was a historic night in Saint Louis, as the company brought their inaugural pay-per-view. The event also saw Willow Nightingale walk away with the TBS Title.
Julia Hart has carried the TBS Title with pride while representing the House of Black. She battled Willow Nightingale at Dynasty, and in the end, a new champion was crowned after delivering a devastating powerbomb.
As Willow celebrated her big victory, Mercedes Mone made her way to the ring, where she stood face-to-face with her. While congratulating Willow on her title win, Mone made her presence very clear.
Mercedes Mone already called her shot to face whoever is TBS Champion next. This win for Willow will set that match up for the future.
Willow and Mercedes already have unfinished business. The two were battling for the NJPW Strong Women’s Title when Mone suffered an ankle injury that took her out of action for months. Mercedes has made reference to her previous run-ins with Willow already.
With Mercedes Mone stepping up to Willow at Dynasty, the two will likely battle with the TBS Title on the line in the near future.
Mercedes Moné stands face-to-face with the NEW TBS Champion Willow Nightingale!
All Elite Wrestling returns on pay-per-view for their first Dynasty event tonight. The event will occur at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri. AEW has been building towards the card for weeks, and the PPV is set to have 12 matches.
In the main event, AEW World Champion Samoa Joe will defend his title against Swerve Strickland. The challenger earned an opportunity after defeating Konosuke Takeshita to become the number one contender on the March 27 episode of AEW Dynamite. Strickland enters the matchup motivated to dethrone Joe and become the first black AEW World Champion. However, he won’t have an easy task, as Joe has yet to lose in over six months.
Elsewhere on the card, Will Ospreay will face Bryan Danielson in a highly anticipated match. Since officially joining the roster at AEW Revolution last month, Ospreay has quickly become a threat in the men’s division. He has won five matchups in the company to join the conversation of being a potential AEW world title contender. That said, Danielson stands in his way and will try to humble the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
Start Time & How To Watch
AEW Dynasty will kick off their event with a pre-show at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT. The pre-show will have three matches and be streamed live on AEW’s YouTube channel for free.
After the pre-show, the event will move toward pay-per-view at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. AEW fans must pay $49.99 to watch on Bleacher Report, AEW’s YouTube channel, or Triller TV. The PPV portion will consist of nine matches, including the AEW World Championship main event.
AEW Dynasty
AEW Dynasty Full Match Card
(Match Card Is Subject To Change)
Pre-Show Card:
Matt Sydal vs. Trent Beretta
Katsuyori Shibata & Orange Cassidy vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty & Shane Taylor)
(C) Billy Gunn & The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) vs. (C) Bullet Club Gold (Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn & Jay White)-AEW World Trios / ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship Match
PPV Card:
(C) Hook vs. Chris Jericho-FTW Championship Match
(C) Roderick Strong vs. Kyle O’Reilly-AEW International Championship Match
(C) Kazuchika Okada vs. PAC-AEW Continental Championship Match
(C) Toni Storm with Luther & Mariah May vs. Thunder Rosa-AEW Women’s World Championship Match
Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston & Mark Briscoe vs. House Of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black)-Six Man Tag Team Match
The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)-Vacant AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Final Ladder Match
(C) Julia Hart vs. Willow Nightingale with Stokely Hathaway-AEW TBS Championship House Rules Match
Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay
(C) Samoa Joe vs. Swerve Strickland with Prince Nana-AEW World Championship Match
Jim Ross suggests that airing the infamous All In: London 2023 backstage footage helped with nothing but the storyline between FTR and The Young Bucks.
During theGrilling JR podcast, the veteran commentator shared his take on the backstage footage. He believes that airing the backstage clip benefits the ongoing feud between FTR and The Young Bucks as both teams are set to collide in a ladder match for the AEW World Tag Team titles at AEW Dynasty on April 21.
“The value of showing that footage to me was the fact that you got on with your storytelling [with] FTR and the Bucks. So to me, when that was the direction that was chosen, I was much more comfortable showing that footage. Other than that, I’m not sure what it meant. I’m not sure why we did it, other than the fact that it helped tie together a very crucial and important pay-per-view match. So that’s my thoughts on that deal.”
The backstage video clip was aired on the April 10 edition of AEW Dynamite and it was only a few days after CM Punk shared his side of the story of what went down that night. Another AEW commentator wasn’t against the idea of revealing the footage. Tony Khan had explained his decision to air the footage as well.
Tony Khan claims he received praise from TBS
Many critics believe Khan’s idea to air the debatable footage was an attempt to take a shot back at CM Punk, who parted ways with the promotion under controversial circumstances. It is widely believed that Khan’s attempt misfired and further hurt the reputation of AEW.
However, the AEW head has revealed that he received a green signal from those at TBS to air the video clip and the network officials were “happy” with the April 10 edition of Dynamite which saw a boost in the viewership.
Kyle O’Reilly’s time away from the ring was tough on the AEW star but helped teach an important lesson about himself as a father.
O’Reilly returned to AEW programming at the Revolution 2024 event in March. This return came close to two years after he underwent neck fusion surgery for an injury that’d kept him out of action since June 2022.
Spending over a year away from the ring was understandably difficult for the veteran wrestler, but there has been a silver lining to his hiatus. As he explained to Fightful, his injury led to O’Reilly spending more time at home, which led to him learning more about himself.
“My daughter, who was six months old when I got hurt, and now I’m going back and she’s over two. I got to spend all that quality time at home with her and playing that stay-at-home dad role. I found that I’m a better dad than I ever was a wrestler.”
In the interview, O’Reilly added that patience was key in his lengthy recovery process, as was staying positive in spite of what had happened to him. The Undisputed Era alum admitted that recovering took longer than first expected as complications prolonged his comeback period.
It’s great that O’Reilly was able to spend quality time with his daughter as the wrestling business unfortunately often leads to parents being on the road for a long time without seeing their kids. Fatherly instincts aside, O’Reilly will be all business at AEW Dynasty when he challenges for the AEW International Championship.
Jack Perry is gearing up for a return to AEW following the company’s controversial decision to air footage from his backstage altercation with CM Punk from last year’s All In London PPV from Wembley Stadium.
During the NJPW Windy City Riot pay-per-view event at the Wintrust Arena on April 12, 2024, Shota Umino defeated Perry in a match that lasted just over 15 minutes. This marks the Scapegoat’s final NJPW match for the foreseeable future.
Jack Perry’s next appearance will be for AEW and it’s expected “imminently,” according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
All Elite Wrestling returns to pay-per-view this Sunday for AEW Dynasty.
Perry’s AEW Hiatus
Jack Perry and CM Punk were both suspended following their All In Brawl last year. Punk was later fired, and he has returned to WWE since then. Perry, whose suspension lapsed some time ago, never returned to AEW television.
Tony Khan was reportedly still irritated with Perry, as he saw him as the reason AEW lost CM Punk. With Perry’s return to AEW on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how Khan works this into the story.
Some notable moments for AEW took place during the 4/12 NJPW Windy City Riot show in Chicago, including Jon Moxely winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Title. That event also marked Jack Perry’s last NJPW match for a while.
The match between Jack Perry and Shota Umino received the strongest crowd reaction. Fans brought signs to the event, both supportive and critical of Perry, and there were many chants directed at him during the contest. Perry embraced the heel role, as the crowd was filled with chants of “scapegoat” and singing “Oh, cry me a river” toward Perry.
He also entered the ring surrounded by security in riot gear, displayed a flag with the Chicago symbol to further provoke the crowd. And he wore a jacket saying “Cry me a River,” for good measure.
The backstage issues that have cast a dark shadow over AEW in recent years have caused the company to lose goodwill with fans, Matt Hardy believes.
For its initial years, AEW was virtually untouchable in the eyes of countless fans who appreciated there finally being a major competitor to WWE’s headlock on the wrestling industry. The company’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw wrestlers be a part of the socially-distanced crowd, was praised by fans in contrast to the silent pre-Thunderdome WWE events at the time.
AEW fans share their support for Tony Khan, AEW Grand Slam: Rampage 2021.
AEW’s honeymoon period, however, is a thing of the past, with the 2022 ‘Brawl Out’ and AEW All In: London backstage confrontations being seen by many as huge factors in this. Speaking on his Extreme Life podcast, AEW alum Matt Hardy addressed how fan opinion on Tony Khan’s first promotion has changed.
“I think through some of the stuff with Punk and The Bucks and the fights and the backstage stuff and Jungle Boy all this stuff, this hurt some of that goodwill. I feel like that probably deterred some people from their support of the company at the end of the day.”
When asked about how to fix this situation, Hardy said that AEW has to appeal to more ‘casual fans’ which he admitted went against the mentality the promotion was built upon to cater to the hardcore fanbase many felt WWE was ignoring. While Matt believes putting on great matches is still massively important, his mentality is that AEW needs to have stars that a casual viewer can quickly become invested in.
Tony Khan will run AEW in the way he deems best, though some of his decisions have faced backlash from fans. Even the decision to air the All In fight has been criticized as petty and unnecessary and motivated by Khan wanting to ‘get back’ at CM Punk. Whether AEW adjusts its strategy remains to be seen, but given the massive success of WWE and their historic WrestleMania 40 event, there’s something to be said for trying to appeal to more than just the die-hard fanbase.
Artist Rob Schamberger seems to have a project in the works with All Elite Wrestling. After over a decade of making art for WWE and hosting their YouTube show Canvas 2 Canvas, he announced his exit on April 15. Three days later, AEW has teased working with Schamberger.
The AEW Shop Twitter account shared a graphic revealing that they have something planned with the famous artist. The graphic also shared the date of April 22, with the expectation that’s when AEW will share what they are working on with Schamberger.
Despite not having more information, fans have reacted positively to Schamberger’s working with AEW. He has done work outside of WWE but gained a following for his art on the Canvas 2 Canvas show. On February 12, his last episode was a portrait of former WWE Women’s Champion Iyo Sky.
It’s unclear if Schamberger will make portraits of some of AEW’s biggest superstars or if the company has other plans for him. AEW has artist Mel Coleman creating items, including posters and shirts. However, the company may decide to have Schamberger create a unique supply of merchandise for them.
As of now, it seems fans will have to wait and see what AEW has planned. However, it does create excitement for the possibilities of what Schamberger is doing with them.
Recent AEW Hires
Several of AEW’s recent hires have been former WWE employees. One notable example is former WWE Senior Writer and Producer Jennifer Pepperman, who left her position on February 15. AEW hired Pepperman on February 21 to become the Vice President of Content Development. SEScoops correspondent Aaron Varble reported that her exit from WWE was unexpected and that the day she left, it was believed she had another job set.
The decision to air the infamous All In: London 2023 backstage fight may have been a controversial one but those at TBS seemingly had no problem with the call.
The footage was broadcast on the April 10, episode of Dynamite, mere days after CM Punk had given what turned out to be a relatively accurate recollection of the events of the day. Though Tony Khan has said airing the footage was solely to create the best show for fans, many believe it was an effort to ‘get back’ at Punk for critical comments made about AEW.
“TBS called me and told me ‘good job.’ You have to remember, I’m responsible for everybody’s job in the company. It is really important for us to please the network and TBS was really happy with that show.”
Khan’s eagerness to please those at TBS demonstrates that he is ultimately in the media business just as much as he is in the wrestling business. Whether fans agree with the decision or not, airing the All In fight did result in the April 10, Dynamite seeing an increase in viewers.
With that in mind, AEW won’t be able to rely on airing the backstage footage again to see another boost in the ratings. It’s also unlikely that 2022’s ‘Brawl Out’ will ever see the light of day with reports of lifetime NDAs to those involved (though Punk has claimed he doesn’t have an NDA.) Nevertheless, Khan will have to tread carefully going forward as while TBS may have liked the decision to air the footage, the same can’t be said for many fans AEW relies upon.
Long-tenured WWE Spanish commentator Carlos Cabrera is now All Elite.
During this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan took to his Twitter/X account and announced that Cabrera has signed with All Elite Wrestling and welcomed him to the AEW commentary team.
Welcome to the @AEW commentary team tonight on Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite!
The veteran served as the Spanish-language commentator in WWE for almost three decades and he will now lend his voice to the action in AEW. He will be on the commentary team on Wednesday nights for AEW Dynamite.
The current AEW Dynamite commentary team features Taz, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur. Schiavone is also a part of AEW Collision alongside, Nigel McGuinness and Jim Ross, who is looking to call it a day.
Carlos Cabrera’s commentary career
The veteran’s voice is familiar in the world of pro wrestling. Before signing with WWE, he worked as a newsman and radio personality. He also bagged the coveted ACE Awards both for radio and TV. Whether it’s Spanish radio or TV in the US, Cabrera has lent his voice in several commercial ads as well.
Cabrera had been the longest-tenured Spanish language commentator in WWE since he joined the company in 1994. During his run, he called the action with the likes of Ed Trucco, Hugo Savinovich, and eventually Marcelo Rodriguez. He called the action in Spanish for the weekly WWE shows as well as the pay-per-views.
Hailing from Bogota, Colombia, Cabrera has also served as the host of WWE’s Spanish-language program called, ‘WWE en Espanol.’ The show mainly recapped WWE shows, Raw and SmackDown.
However, his run with the company ended in February 2022 after the 64-year-old was released. Reports had emerged that he was let go due to his age and WWE was seeking services of younger talent. Soon after his departure, he called matches in AAA’s Rey de Reyes event and reunited with Savinovich.