Could Cody Rhodes have finished his story back in AEW? ‘The American Nightmare’ cleared the air as to if there were any inkling of him going back to AEW before he signed a new contract with WWE.

Joining Ariel Helwani this week on the MMA Hour, Cody Rhodes was asked several questions about his old company AEW before getting into the WrestleMania talk. One of the follows had Helwani asking him if he gave any consideration of going back to AEW while in talks for a new contract with WWE.

“No and it’s not in any way a negative towards them. I know I didn’t win the title at WrestleMania 39, but I was in the spot I always dreamed of, and I know how lucky I am to be in this spot.”

Rhodes said when he sees poster along him amongst all the major stars, plus being on the WWE 2K24 cover was all very validating.

“They didn’t hand me the exact ball and said, ‘Hey, you’re the quarterback,’ but they certainly gave me a lot of responsibility, that being Nick, that being Hunter, I feel that would have been against my being because I was slotted there.”

Rhodes said he thinks he’d be doing a disservice to Khan and Triple H if he were to go against that trust they put on him. He reiterated that isn’t a slight against any other company, that was just his mindset. 

Please credit the MMA Hour and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

Cody Rhodes loved his time in AEW and views his old boss a little differently than CM Punk.

Ariel Helwani played host to CM Punk earlier in the week where Punk mentioned to him that he thinks Tony Khan is a nice guy, but not a boss. Rhodes happened to be Helwani’s guest on Wednesday’s edition of the MMA Hour and asked ‘The American Nightmare’ if he felt the same way.

“That’s his assessment. It is not my assessment. It is always important for me to remind people that I am so proud of what me Matt, Nick, Kenny, Tony, Bernie [Cahill], Brandi, and Dana, and Chris [Harrington], and I name all these people, because I was in those meetings. As much as the Internet will try to spin a narrative one way, if one of those people had not been at that start-up level, the company would not have happened. And I am so proud of what was created. I am so insanely proud of what it does for the industry overall.”

Rhodes says he has an unbelievable love for so many people there. Rhodes reiterated that it was a start-up company and he wishes AEW nothing but the best as it goes forward. 

Cody Rhodes Believes The Tension In AEW Was A Misunderstanding

Helwani then followed up by asking if Cody Rhodes can envision Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks getting abrasive with an outsider and established star like CM Punk.

“I just think what happened there was a ton of misunderstanding, a ton of miscommunication, you will see on indies and wrestlers that aren’t properly trained and I’m not talking about bullying etiquette or anything like that, but you do need to have a little ‘old school’ in you to know the collaborativeness of what this is, and I just think they were ships in the night. I know I was Switzerland the last time you asked me, I love Matt, Nick and Kenny and I love CM Punk. I don’t know how, but I do. I’m just happy for everyone involved.”

Several times since leaving AEW, Rhodes has tipped the cap to his former AEW EVPs and they’ve done the same in exchange.

The Rock is making waves all over the pro wrestling world. He’s even doing enough that it can drive someone like MJF, who’s been mostly silent during his hiatus, out of his social media dormancy. 

WrestleMania 40 will see The Rock and Roman Reigns team up to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. In the build to that big match, Dwayne Johnson made The American Nightmare bleed, and that moment inspired some art.

MJF’s ex is a very talented artist, and she drew the attention of The Rock. Now, MJF is speaking up about the situation, and he’s not ecstatic about the idea of The Great One hitting up his ex on social media, especially after The Rock jacked his idea to whip Cody Rhodes. 

The Rock and MJF cross paths

The Rock is back, and he’s the ultimate heel as well. It appears that he might also be after MJF’s ex-girlfriend. This led to an experience on Twitter/X that we didn’t see coming.

MJF’s ex-fiancée, Naomi Rosenblum, is a pretty impressive artist. Her paintings have gone viral a few times, and a recent photo caught The Rock’s attention. She did a new work of art in the likeness of The Rock holding Cody Rhodes’ bloody face to the camera.

Rhodes and MJF’s history is well-known, so fans certainly noticed this interesting connection between The Rock and the former AEW World Champion.

The Rock replied to Rosenblum, complimented her artistic abilities and offered to purchase it as a gift for a ‘special’ mom he knows.

Love this.
What an artistic convergence of emotions ????
I’d like to buy this from you, my team will be in touch. I know a special mom who I’m going to gift this to…. #MamaRhodes
– Final Boss https://t.co/eSA5tyamgl

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) April 3, 2024

MJF Tells The Rock to Back Off

MJF wasted no time in replying to this tweet from the People’s Champion. He accused The Rock of stealing his “glorious idea” to whip Cody Rhodes with a belt He respects final Boss, but asked for him to back off. 

First you steal my glorious idea to lash Cody.

Now you try to cop art from my ex.

I’m a fan.

But please Leave me be, Dewey. https://t.co/b8XHLmDe2w

— Maxwell Jacob Friedman™? (@The_MJF) April 3, 2024

Friedman is currently in a relationship with wrestling personality Alicia Atout. They recently celebrated one year together.

MJF is no longer listed as a member of the AEW roster on the company website, but he’s still under contract. Friedman was working through multiple injuries prior to losing the  AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End in December 2023.

Becky Lynch is happy to see Mercedes Mone doing her thing and having a good time in All Elite Wrestling. There’s no hard feelings over the former Sasha Banks jumping to AEW. In fact, Lynch says we could see them back in the ring together one day. She didn’t specify if that would take place in WWE or elsewhere.

Lynch is doing the media rounds this week to promote her championship match against Rhea Ripley this weekend at WrestleMania 40. During a chat with Shakiel Mahjouri for Shak Wrestling, she expressed excitement for her former rival.

“Good for her,” Lynch said of Mone in AEW. “Go on, do your thing and have a good time over there.”

She added, “Maybe one day, we’ll meet back in the ring.”

Becky Lynch on Mercedes Mone going to AEW pic.twitter.com/w6Z2ymvJyY

— aleena (@monebnks) April 2, 2024

Lynch and Mone have a fair share of history as they led the famous Women’s Revolution in WWE. They’ve faced each other in handful of matches, most prominently a Hell in A Cell match for the Raw Women’s title back in 2019. 

Sasha Banks left WWE in 2022. She reinvented herself as Mercedes Mone, achieved success wrestling in Japan before her recent arrival in AEW.

Lynch’s Future

Becky Lynch’s star has steadily risen over the past several years. She’s cemented herself as one of the top sports entertainers in the world, which puts her in a great position for when her WWE contract expires in the next few months. She could test the waters of free agency.

WWE has been her home, but Tony Khan has shown he’s more than willing to shell out huge money to lure stars like Adam Copeland, Mercedes Mone and Kazuchika Okada to AEW. They’re all making millions working a schedule that requires far less time on the road than WWE requires. 

Becky Lynch has “done it all” in WWE, but she will soon have a chance to explore other options.

• Mercedes Mone teases inviting Becky to AEW

This AEW Releases & Departures tracker will be updated throughout the year as details are made public.

January 2024

Andrade El Idolo

At the Worlds End Media Scrum, Tony Khan disclosed that El Idolo’s contract ended on January 1st and his match against Miro marked his final appearance with the promotion. On New Year’s Day, El Idolo was taken off the promotion’s roster page, confirming his departure.

March 2024

Mike Santana

Santana’s last appearance on AEW programming was in October when he defeated his former tag partner Ortiz in a No DQ match on Rampage. His departure was confirmed when he was taken off the AEW roster page. Santana and Ortiz debuted for AEW at All Out in 2019 and were part of Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle faction until it disbanded in March 2022. Since then, Santana has been wrestling on the independent circuit.

Kevin Kelly

Kelly was fired by AEW after a public rant related to internal politics concerning his support of a popular film that Hollywood scorned and ignored. In response, Kelly attributed his absence from commentary to “libelous remarks” made by fellow AEW and ROH commentator Ian Riccaboni.

April 2024

The Boys

Primarily recognized as Dalton Castle’s valets, they also appeared on Dark, ROH, and Collision. The brothers, alongside Dalton Castle, held the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship twice. They were released on April 1, along with many other stars.

Dasha Gonzolaz

Dasha Gonzalez became All Elite in 2019, taking on various roles such as ring announcer, interviewer, commentator, and co-host. Additionally, she briefly participated in a tag team match during the AEW Women’s Tag Team Tournament in 2020. Formerly known as Dasha Fuentes in WWE, her release came as a surprise, especially since she was serving as the ring announcer for AEW Collision at the time of her termination.

Jose The Assistant

He joined the promotion in 2021, taking on the role of manager for Andrade El Ídolo and La Facción Ingobernable, which included Rush, Dralístico, and Preston Vance. He was also part of the April 1 releases.

Jora Johl

Joining AEW in 2021, he made multiple appearances on Dark and Dark: Elevation. His final match for the promotion was in ROH in July 2023 before he was released on April 1, 2024.

Anthony Henry

Henry was part of the mass release on April 1. He made his debut in September 2021 on AEW Dark, gaining recognition primarily for his collaboration with JD Drake as The WorkHorsemen. He was also part of the April 1 releases.

Gravity

Gravity made his debut in January 2023 on AEW Dark and later appeared on Dynamite and Collision, where he faced opponents such as PAC and Samoa Joe. Despite showing promise and gaining fan support, he was released on April 1.

Stu Grayson

Grayson initially departed from AEW in 2022 when his contract expired but returned the following year. During his comeback, he predominantly wrestled in ROH while maintaining a regular presence on the independent circuit. Grayson’s name was part of the mass releases on April 1.

Parker Boudreaux

Bordeaux joined AEW in July 2022 following a short tenure in WWE under the name Harland, and he also had a stint in MLW. His AEW debut took place on AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation, where he teamed up with Ari Daivari and Slim J as part of The Trustbusters stable. Later, he aligned himself with Swerve Strickland in the Mogul Affiliates stable. He has appeared for AAA in recent memory, even just before his AEW release on April 1.

Slim J

Slim J made his debut in July 2022 and joined The Trustbusters faction. He had regular appearances on AEW Dark and Dark: Elevation, in addition to performing in ROH. He was also part of the April 1 releases.

Matt Hardy

Fightful Select reported that Matt Hardy became a free agent. His contract with AEW was set to expire in March. However, his deal was not extended as some expected, and his deal ran out.

May

Ethan Page

Page, who was previously a regular on ROH TV, had not appeared on the show in recent months. He had increased his activities in independent wrestling and resumed promoting his Alpha-1 Wrestling events. His removal from the AEW roster page was officially noted on May 2, and his exit was confirmed after that. Page had expressed a desire to leave AEW as early as February. He was initially slated for a feud over the ROH TV Title with Kyle Fletcher, but it was postponed due to Fletcher’s visa issues. Update: Page made his WWE NXT debut on May 28, so he didn’t waste much time in his next career move.

Mark Henry

The WWE Hall of Famer confirmed his exit on Busted Open Radio. He decided to leave AEW in order to focus on his own brand and website, which he is trying to build on his own.

Arn Anderson

The Enforcer announced on The ARN Show that his AEW contract is expiring on May 31, and he will be leaving the company. He expressed gratitude for Tony Khan, acknowledging his significant impact on the wrestling industry by providing talent with new opportunities. Anderson stated that he plans to spend his remaining years in wrestling helping his son Brock Anderson, who is no longer with AEW, develop into a star.

Jake Hager

It was reported on May 28 that Hager decided not to sign a new contract with the company. He is now a free agent, but his exit was said to be a mutual decision. 

Paige VanZant

Paige VanZant is no longer with All Elite Wrestling. The former UFC fighter began appearing for AEW in September 2021, alongside Dan Lambert and American Top Team, and signed with the company in March 2022. She made her in-ring debut at AEW Double or Nothing 2022 but has not appeared since, due to three broken bones in her foot. Despite Tony Khan’s openness to her return, VanZant decided not to continue wrestling. It was reported in April that VanZant didn’t want to be a pro wrestler, as she opted to cash in on her OnlyFans instead. AEW officially removed her from their website in June 2024.

Will Ospreay was approached about performing stunt work for an Assassin’s Creed movie sequel, the All Elite Wrestling star recently revealed. 

Ospreay announced at Full Gear 2023 that he was joining the company, but was allowed to finish off his time with New Japan Pro Wrestling. His first official match as an AEW-contracted wrestler took place at AEW Revolution 2024 and saw the Essex-born wrestler defeat Konosuke Takeshita. 

Will Ospreay’s Assasin’s Creed Offer

Ospreay has spent years making a name for himself in the ring and nearly had the chance to flex his muscles in the world of stunt work. Speaking with Dale Driver of IGN, Ospreay explained how he was at one time considered for a role in a planned Assassin’s Creed movie sequel. 

“I was in New Japan when the Assassin’s Creed film came out [in 2016.] They wanted to use some of my photos from New Japan to help advertise the movie coming over! 

“They said if there was going to be an Assassin’s Creed 2, I might be able to do some stunt work in it and I got excited. Nothing ever came of it but I’d love to be a part of Assassin’s Creed.”

An Assassin’s Creed Sequel? 

While Ospreay is still holding out some hope, the odds of an Assassin’s Creed movie sequel continue to look slim. Despite a star-studded cast including Michael Fassbender, Maron Cotillard, and Jeremy Irons, the film underperformed at the box office. A sequel was planned but was reportedly canceled by Disney following their 2019 acquisition of FOX. 

Will Ospreay and Assassin’s Creed

Ospreay’s love for the popular historical action video game franchise is hardly a secret. At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18, the Aerial Assasin dressed as Assassin Creed Syndicate’s The Ripper for his entrance. Ospreay had the franchise’s signature hidden wrist blade and entered to official Assassin’s Creed music. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C1rtJ4VhywT

In the interview, Ospreay said it’d be “sick” for him to get a themed skin in the next Assassin’s Creed game. He added that he’s “completely open” to any AC plans, whether it be for a game or movie, that he could be involved in. 

CM Punk’s new interview with Ariel Helwani is certainly chock full of newsworthy topics as ‘The Best In The World’ addressed quite a bit in the conversation, including Hangman Page.

Punk was discussing his non-relationship with his former close friend, Colt Cabana, and mentioned that they only very briefly had an interaction while in AEW before Punk told him to go through his lawyer if he ever wants to speak to him again. That prompted Punk to mention how he believes Cabana was the crux for all that unfolded in AEW, including Page “going into business” for himself on AEW Dynamite. 

Page and Punk were building to their match for AEW Double Or Nothing and Hangman made inside reference to Punk alienating himself from people backstage. Punk told Helwani he sympathized with Page’s thoughts, but not in front of a packed arena.

“I applaud and I said this to Hangman, I was like, ‘Man, I get taking up for your friends, I get it. That’s commendable .I do that all the time right or wrong, I’ll stand up for my f***ing friends, but to f***ing go on national television and jeopardize a million dollar house that you ain’t ever drawn before. Now you’re disrespecting me and you’re disrespecting the business. This is my house. I drew that, not you,’ you know? And that’s egos. It is what it is.”

Punk covered plenty of ground in this revealing interview on WrestleMania week including his brief interaction with Vince McMahon, his thoughts on Tony Khan and much more.

Please credit MMA Hour and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

AEW star Ortiz recently shared an unfortunate update after suffering an injury. He has revealed that he is set to undergo surgery which will keep him on the shelf for several months.

Ortiz has been away from the programming since last competing on January 20 edition of AEW Collision. On the show, he had joined forces with Eddie Kingston to face Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli in a losing effort. Now, it seems he will once again miss some action.

Making an appearance on Isiah Kassidy’s vlog, Ortiz shared his current status with the promotion. He disclosed that he sustained a torn pec and the injury took place from a clothesline. The 32-year-old star then revealed that he will have his surgery in a couple of weeks and he will be out of action for at least four months. 

“I’m injured. I’m about to get surgery in two weeks… It was just from a clothesline. I tore a pec. I tore my pec from a clothesline… Two weeks and four months recovery time, and then I’ll be back.”

Later in the vlog, Ortiz and Kassidy were seen working on commentary for AEW star Ethan Page’s Alpha-1 Wrestling promotion in Hamilton, ON, Canada. Ortiz also worked as a guest referee on that show. 

Ortiz and Mike Santana split

Ortiz had been in a tag-team with Mike Santana for more than a decade and they were part of several promotions including AEW where their most prominent run was during their association with Inner Circle. 

However, over the years Santana and Ortiz grew apart and they recently decided to split up due to their personal differences. Following the break-up, Ortiz started competing as a singles wrestler. It was only last month that Santana was released by AEW and he went on to shed light on why the duo decided to part ways. 

As Ortiz awaits his surgery, we at SEScoops wish him a swift recovery and hope he is back in the squared circle soon.

All Elite Wrestling has a loaded roster of talent. Sadly, there isn’t room for everyone on the company’s five hours of weekly television shows. Now, the company has made a decision to release five on-screen talents.

AEW doesn’t release many talents, but it appears that they are doing just that. SEScoops has learned that the following individuals have been released from AEW: The Boys, Dasha Gonzolaz, Jose The Assistant, Jora Johl, Anthony Henry, Gravity, Stu Grayson, Parker Boudreaux, and Slim J.

AEW Releases 

PW Insider reports that AEW has released the Tate Twins (Dalton Castle’s Boys), Anthony Henry, Dasha Fuentes, and Stu Grayson. The company is said to be reviewing its roster and making cuts for the overall benefit of both the company and its talent. 

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Twiter/X that AEW has released a few more stars in Jora Johl, Parker Boudreaux, and Slim J.

In all, we're told that the following releases have occurred in AEW:

The Boys
Dasha
Jose The Assistant
Jora Johl
Anthony Henry
Gravity
Stu Grayson
Parker Boudreaux
Slim J

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) April 2, 2024

Parker Boudreaux’s AEW Release

Parker Boudreaux recently made headlines when he showed up in AAA, but it was reported he was still under AEW contract. 

His last appearance in AEW was on March 3, 2023, in a tag team match alongside Swerve Strickland against Naturally Limitless on AEW Rampage. Since then, the 26-year-old hasn’t made any appearances on Tony Khan’s television shows.

Stu Grayson’s Time in AEW

Stu Grayson had two stints with AEW. He was with the company from 2019 to 2022. He had a second run in AEW that started in 2023, but now that is over.

Stu Grayson, along with Evil Uno, made a surprising debut as part of The Dark Order at AEW Double or Nothing on May 25, 2019. They kept going, and the Dark Order later evolved from that point.

Grayson’s contract expired on May 2, 2022, after both parties failed to reach a renewal agreement. He did some things on the indies, but that time away from AEW didn’t last long.

Grayson remained connected to The Dark Order, making a cameo appearance on the October 14 episode of Rampage. In a backstage segment, he highlighted the group’s inability to visit his native Canada without his presence. Eventually, Grayson was re-signed and returned to action on the March 15, 2023, episode of Dynamite, marking his comeback to AEW.

We will have to see if Stu Grayson makes another return to AEW later on. Right now, it appears that he is off on his own once again.

Other Released Talent

It was later reported that Dalton Castle’s Boys, The Tate Twins, were released. They were featured on ROH content, and alongside Castle. Anthony Henry, who was a standout performer with a lot of potential, was also released.

Dasha Gonzalez, who appeared as backstage interviewers in WWE as Dasha Fuentes, was also released. Her usage on television was diminished when Renee Paquette came in, but it was still a surprise to see her let go. She was used as ring announcer, but she was sadly part of the cut list. 

SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more, as we get additional updates. Please keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!

AEW and CM Punk’s working relationship wasn’t on the greatest of terms for a while, up to his eventual release. It seems that showing up to see some friends at WWE RAW wasn’t something they liked at all.

CM Punk recently told Areil Helwani anything he wanted to know about the past few years of his career. That included retelling the story about how he ended up backstage at WWE RAW in April 2023, and how AEW felt a certain way about things afterward.

AEW Felt Betrayed By CM Punk

CM Punk showed up backstage at WWE RAW while he was still under contract. RAW happened to be in Chicago, but his stay backstage didn’t last long before he was thrown out. AEW was not happy with the situation at all.

While speaking to Ariel Helwani, CM Punk said that it was Bayley who extended the invitation for him to attend RAW while they were in Chicago. Then, he said, it didn’t take long before Vince McMahon called in and had him ejected from the backstage area.

“I went to visit people, I’m the old-timer in the business and there’s a show in town. I wasn’t trying to get a job or anything, I literally just to say hi to Bayley and a few other people.”

Punk was then asked if anyone from AEW had issues with him visiting RAW while he was still under contract. He confirmed that was the case, and they felt “betrayed” on top of it.

“Oh yeah [people in AEW were mad] … I think the word ‘betrayed’ was used, I was like, ‘alright man.’ As a company you’re allowing people to go on other company’s television shows to do things — I went backstage to say hi to friends. Two completely different things. So, if you’re gonna be mad about it, okay.”

CM Punk’s Road Back To WWE

CM Punk did make his return to AEW, but it was short-lived. He was released after that Brawl In situation went down with Jack Perry, an experience he also spoke about in detail with Helwani.

WWE fans were shocked to see Punk return during the 2023 Survivor Series event in Chicago. Both WWE fans and fellow Superstars welcomed Punk home after that. Vince McMahon had nothing to do with that return, and Punk said that less than 10 people knew he was returning to the company. He signed his new contract and went straight out to the live crowd.

Punk is currently injured, and his arm was in its brace for the interview. He is working out without the assistance of that device, so hopefully his in-ring return will come sooner than later.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so many more from the pro wrestling world. You never know what will break next, but we will be here with the headlines you need.

CM Punk may have “nothing to hide” regarding what transpired backstage at AEW All Out 2022 but regrets appearing on the media scrum after the pay-per-view. 

At the September 2022 event, CM Punk captured his second AEW World Championship, besting Jon Moxley in the show’s main event. After the show, Punk would shoot on several members of the AEW roster. Backstage, Punk, Ace Steel, The Elite, and others would participate in a backstage fight that resulted in all parties being suspended.

CM Punk on Brawl Out

On the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Punk was asked for information about the infamous backstage fight. While Punk felt like he couldn’t discuss the matter in detail, he made clear that he has nothing to hide. 

“I don’t think I can [talk about it] but I didn’t have to sign an NDA for anything I did wrong… I have nothing to hide and I don’t give a s***.”

When asked if he regrets how things went down, Punk said he wishes things had gone differently. The two-time former AEW World Champion added that the idea of these press conferences in wrestling is not his style.

“I think you can go back and be like ‘Well I wish I never did the scrum.’ Scrums are stupid anyway. Yeah, those things were really cringe.”

CM Punk on Tony Khan

One year on from being brought into AEW by Tony Khan, Brawl Out would forever change Punk’s relationship with Khan. In the interview, Punk didn’t hold back in his evaluation of the AEW President. 

“He’s not a boss. He’s a nice guy. And I think ultimately that is a detriment to the company. But it’s not my company. I’m an outsider.”

Punk added that the last time he spoke to Khan was at AEW All In following his backstage fight with Jack Perry. After the fight, Punk faced Samoa Joe in the opening match of the main show. Punk said that he walked into the match knowing it’d be his last AEW match and made clear he quit the company.

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

AEW star Kenny Omega might be away from in-ring action but he has now teased a potential Boxing bout against WWE Superstar Xavier Woods.

Omega and Woods have a fair share of history together and their friendship goes beyond the boundaries of pro wrestling companies. They have shared rivalry in video games and wrestling in general but they have remained good friends in real life. 

On a Twitch livestream, Omega was questioned about the possibility of stepping into a boxing ring for a celebrity match. 

“Who knows though? Maybe in a Triller card, somewhere in the future, I’ll be celebrity boxing someone. I don’t know. We’ll find out, who knows? So if I was to take a real boxing match, who would you like to see me fight? Any wrestlers you think I might be able to fight in a real boxing match?

Kenny Omega vs Xavier Woods in a boxing match?

Soon, the fans pointed to Xavier Woods, and ‘The Cleaner’ was in favor of the idea. He showed great interest for a potential match against Woods and reckoned that an actual shoot fight would be an entertaining affair. He said:

“Creed (Xavier Woods). Actually, you know what? Creed, I honestly — it would be a good match. I actually think that’d be a really good match… But in an actual shoot boxing match. I think it’d be a good fight. I think it really would be. That’d be actually really good.”

Despite their on-screen rivalry, Omega stressed that he wouldn’t want to physically hurt the New Day member. He said:

“I wouldn’t wanna hit him though. I hate him, I don’t wanna hit him. I hate his guts but I don’t wanna hit the guy (Omega jokingly said). I don’t think he wants to hit me either. I don’t think it’s like that. I don’t think it’s like that.”

Kenny Omega is currently sidelined

Omega is recuperating from diverticulitis. As he has been absent from AEW programming, he was fired from The Elite, and his arch-nemesis Kazuchika Okada was revealed as his replacement. As of now, surgery is likely on the cards for Kenny Omega as uncertainty looms over his pro wrestling future.

Meanwhile, Omega also fired back at his critics. Check out his comments below:

Matt Cardona made waves on Saturday night when he was the one to answer the “Cope Open,: and ‘The Deathmatch King’ couldn’t have been happier.

AEW Collision kicked off with Adam Copeland opening the canvas to whomever wanted to step up against him and challenge for the TNT Championship. That man was Matt Cardona. Ever since being released by WWE, Cardona has made his hay without any long-term pro wrestling contract and has fully embraced the identity of ‘The Indy God.’ He’s competed everywhere and anywhere not named WWE and that included AEW back in 2020.

Cardona, who first got his big break in WWE as an ‘Edgehead,’ may have came up short in his singles match against Copeland but was extremely grateful for the opportunity to lock up with his former menter. He expressed his gratitude on X, thanking both Copeland and Tony Khan for the opportunity.

Adam Copeland vs. Matt Cardona…my dream match…finally happened last night at #AEWCollision.

When I was in high school, Edge was one of my favorite wrestlers. I’d have matches with him (an invisible version) in my bedroom or trampoline. 

Him reinventing himself into the Rated R Superstar made me an even bigger fan of his.

A couple of years later, Brian Myers and I made it to WWE but were drowning as The Major Brothers. We were about be fired. We had an idea to be Adam’s entourage…his Edgeheads. He didn’t need us but we certainly needed him. He took a chance on us, saved our careers, and changed our lives.

We went from sitting in catering about to be fired to wrestling guys like Undertaker, Batista, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, etc. We learned so much from working so close to Adam. Our first time at WrestleMania was being involved in the main event! I thought the next year at WrestleMania it’d be Edge vs. Hawkins vs. Ryder. That didn’t happen. LOL. 

16 years (holy shit!) flew by so fast. Adam had to retire due to a neck injury in 2011. My dream match would never happen. Adam returns to WWE in 2020. I get fired from WWE in 2020. My dream match would never happen.

I’ve been busting my ass these past 4 years to reinvent myself. Adam is the Rated R Superstar and I’m the Self Made Superstar. I’ve been everywhere. I’ve wrestled everyone. When Adam joined AEW in 2023, I knew my dream match was back on the table. 

Last night in Canada, Adam had the Cope Open…an open challenge for his TNT Championship. I accepted. The fans didn’t forget the history. There was a HOLY SHIT chant on my god damn entrance. I may have lost but I learned even more from Adam from that match. It was a night that I’ll never forget. I finally wrestled my dream match.

Thank you Adam. Thank you Tony Khan for the opportunity.

.@RatedRCope vs. Matt Cardona…my dream match…finally happened last night at #AEWCollision.

When I was in high school, Edge was one of my favorite wrestlers. I’d have matches with him (an invisible version) in my bedroom or trampoline.

Him reinventing himself into the Rated R… pic.twitter.com/6Apy59XWzM

— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) March 31, 2024

What’s Next For Matt Cardona?

The ‘Self-Made Superstar’ Matt Cardona has reportedly not signed a deal with AEW and remains a free agent. From Cardona’s post on X, that looks even more evident. Cardona had to readjust his schedule when this match was booked as he was actually scheduled to wrestle at the Squared Circle Expo on Saturday night, but was replaced by Nic Nemeth who wrestled Ultimo Dragon.

AEW has a lot of wrestlers on their roster, and there’s only so much time on Dynamite, Collision and Rampage for everyone. That being said, just because someone is absent doesn’t mean they are gone entirely.

Parker Boudreaux hasn’t been seen in AEW for a long time, and he recently debuted in AAA. He is still under contract with AEW, but there are no current creative plans for his return.

Boudreaux is still All Elite

Parker Boudreaux’s presence in All Elite Wrestling has dwindled significantly, with no recent appearances in the promotion.

Boudreaux made his most recent appearance in AEW on March 3, 2023, where he and Swerve Strickland lost to Naturally Limitless on AEW Rampage. The 26-year-old hasn’t been seen on Tony Khan’s television shows since.

Fightful Select reports that sources indicate that AEW approved his appearance in AAA, suggesting that he remains under contract with the company. However, Boudreaux’s time with AEW has extended for over a year without any on-screen appearances.

Although he has recovered from the injury that took him out of action last year, Boudreaux has yet to return to AEW television, and there are no reported creative plans for him. Despite his absence from AEW programming, Boudreaux was spotted backstage at a recent event.

Parker is still with AEW, but there are currently no creative plans to bring him back to television. We will have to see what he is able to do in AAA.

Who is Parker Boudreaux

Parker burst onto the scene through his college football background, where he was labeled a Brock Lesnar look-alike. He was rated in impressive fashion by ESPN and Rivals.com as a four-star recruit. He then received offers from over 75 schools before committing to play football for Notre Dame. Parker transferred to the University of Central Florida, where he played football from 2017 to 2020 after redshirting his freshman year.

He eventually signed with WWE, where he made appearances on the NXT brand as Harland until he was surprisingly released in April 2022.

It didn’t take long for Tony Khan to sign him to AEW, where he was allowed to use his real name.

Previously aligned with the Mogul Embassy faction, Boudreaux suffered an injury alongside fellow member Trench, resulting in their sideline from action. While Trench’s contract lapsed, Boudreaux’s association with the group was internally dissolved as Swerve Strickland founded a new stable.

IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Nic Nemeth (formerly known as Dolph Ziggler in WWE) has made it clear that he is not looking for any long-term commitments. 

Nemeth ended a 19-year run with WWE in September last year. Several promotions contacted him after his release and wanted to bring him on board. 

Nemeth’s first post WWE appearance was for NJPW where he debuted his ‘Wanted Man gimmick.’ He also started making appearances for TNA Wrestling shortly after. 

In recent times AEW has been the preferred destination for the free agents. Former World Champions like Adam Copeland and Mercedes Mone have decided to join AEW after departing WWE. Nic Nemeth however, chose a different path because he has other plans.

Nic Nemeth doesn’t want to be ‘locked in’

Speaking on Keepin It 100, Nemeth revealed that he had some discussions with AEW but he had some other plans chalked out in mind for his career outside WWE. He claimed that Scott D’Amore insisted him to sign with TNA Wrestling. 

Moreover, one of the locker room members had also reached out to him and he eventually decided to sign a short-term deal with the promotion. However, he has the freedom to compete in other promotions as well. Nemeth said:

“In the past, some [talks] but I had a plan that I’ve been working on for probably the last year and a half. I didn’t want to go anywhere. I appreciate that several companies reached out immediately.

I [said] I have this one plan, I want to do this on my own and even so, Scott D’Amore was so insistent because the locker room was so strong and somebody in the locker room of TNA reached out and I go ‘man you guys are really making this hard.'” 

The former WWE star made it clear that he wouldn’t sign a long-term deal because he didn’t want to be held down by any promotion. He added:

“[I said] let’s do some dates. I’m not gonna sign for 3 years but I said I just wanna bounce around and be a hired gun. I’ll go with anybody and do anything. [I said] I just got out of a long-term relationship, 19 years. I don’t want to sign a paper that says you can’t do this.

I can still represent companies, I am a great brand ambassador. I just don’t want to be locked in. I did it for too long. I stayed a couple extra years to get the good money.”

Nic Nemeth feels that he is in the best shape of his career and reiterated that he wants to ‘bounce around’ for some more time and eventually settle down at a promotion.

In April, huge opportunities are lined up for Nemeth. He will challenge Moose for the TNA World Championship at TNA Rebellion on April 20. 

A week later, on April 27,  Nemeth will battle Alberto El Patron for the AAA Mega Championship at AAA TripleMania XXXII. Nemeth has also issued a challenge to a veteran NJPW star. Find out more below:

AEW star Kenny Omega has responded to the critics who believe he’s ‘bad’ at delivering promos and storytelling.  

Without question, Kenny Omega is one of the most talented wrestlers. He has showcased impressive in-ring prowess and delivered many instant classics over the years. While the fans have commended his performances inside the squared circle, some critics believe he lacks storytelling abilities and doesn’t have the ‘promo game’ 

Kenny Omega responds

During a recent Twitch Live Stream, Omega took a shot back at the naysayers, saying: 

“Everyone’s wondering, Kenny, ‘Why is Kenny so bad at promos? He doesn’t have promo game. He needs to cut a promo. That’s all I care about.’ Shut the f**k up!… Jesus Christ.”

In addition to this, ‘The Cleaner’ addressed the critics who compare him with The Rock. ‘The Great One’ has the ability to have arenas sold out but the former AEW World Champion believes he has his own way of storytelling and tries his best. He said:

“You’re trying to talk about a guy who sold 45,000-seaters with my storytelling? You’re trying to tell me I don’t know how to tell stories? Because I don’t have a yelling promo voice? Yeah?

You tell me and then you’re gonna say, oh well, The Rock sold more. Of course he f**king did. He’s The Goddamn Rock and you know what? I’m not f**king bad myself. I try my best.”

Kenny Omega further stressed the fact that he has a particular way of narrating a story and if the critics don’t approve of that, he doesn’t care. He said:

“Honestly though, guys, when I wanna tell a story and I have a way to tell it, I’ll tell it in my ways. That’s all there is to it and maybe if something that I’ve done isn’t exciting or my American-style promos just aren’t doing it for you, well, I got news for ya, because I don’t care.

I don’t care. It sucks. Hey, I got out there feeling like, man, what am I even doing out here? Why am I even wasting my Goddamn time?”

This really Kenny Omega? Jesus Christ. pic.twitter.com/OXJVo6yNPR

— ??Jason G from the S.A.T.?? (@lifer_wwe) March 30, 2024

Kenny Omega’s health issues

Omega is currently sidelined for an indefinite period after he was diagnosed with diverticulitis. Amid his absence, he has been fired from The Elite and replaced by his arch-rival Kazuchika Okada. 

AEW President Tony Khan has been optimistic about Omega’s progress but the 40-year-old wrestler will likely have to undergo surgery before he can prepare for his comeback. 

As his pro wrestling future remains up in the air, we at SEScoops wish him a speedy recovery and hope that he is back in action soon.

AEW fans were surprised to see Ian Riccaboni on Collision this week. It was a nice change of pace, but there was a deeper reason for this behind the scenes.

Tony Schiavone, who is usually on the AEW Collision commentary table every week, had a big loss in his personal list. His dog passed away, so AEW arranged for Riccaboni to be there as a fill-in for the veteran play-by-play specialist.

Why Riccaboni was on AEW Collision

Ian Riccaboni was on AEW Collision this week, but it doesn’t appear that is a long-time change for the show. Tony Schiavone dealt with a big personal loss as his dog died, so that called for a change of plans for AEW.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained what happened. It turns out that Tony Schiavone was at Collision anyway, but Riccaboni was brought in just in case.

“So, Ian Riccaboni was there. It’s not a permanent move for him to be there. What happened was, Tony Schiavone’s dog died, and best wishes to Tony Schiavone, really, really hard day for him, but he came, he was there. They didn’t know, but he was there. Tony could have certainly taken the day off and, you know, there would have been no heat. Because of that, they brought Ian up there.”

Meltzer went on to say that, “if Tony didn’t want to work, then Ian would be there, and lead the show.”

https://twitter.com/AEW_Blog/status/1774251113677570510

Kevin Kelly’s AEW Release

Kevin Kelly was released from AEW, but Ian Riccaboni will not be his full-time replacement. He only worked Collision this week because of Tony Schiavone, who is dealing with a terrible personal loss.

Kelly Kelly’s posts on social media several weeks ago cost him his job with AEW. In those posts, he also shaded Ian Riccaboni as he claimed his career was being sabotaged.

Our thoughts are with Tony Schiavone as he deals with the terrible person loss of losing a pet. They call dogs man’s best friend for a reason, and we hope that he can find peace through this difficult time.

Ricky Starks appeared to have legitimately gotten hurt on AEW Collision and it led to a change in the outcome of the AEW Tag Team Title tournament match.

According to Fightful Select, Ricky Starks and Big Bill were the planned team to advance in the tournament as they faced Top Flight in the opening round. 

Towards the end of the match, Starks was supposed to kick out of a pinfall attempt but he missed. The referee stopped the count despite Starks’ shoulder being on the mat which led to booing from the crowd. 

Ricky Starks then got up and took a DDT from Darius Martin before finally being pinned. Trainers were seen checking on the AEW star after the bell rang.

Even on the television broadcast, one could tell that Tony Schiavone was preparing to call for a kickout by Starks but sadly that didn’t happen. Big Bill and Starks were penciled in to face FTR in the next round of the tournament, but now it is Top Flight advancing. 

Starks and Big Bill had a credible run as AEW World Tag Team Champions before they dropped the titles to Sting and Darby Allin not long before Sting retired at AEW Revolution. 

So far the teams who have advanced in the tournament apart from Top Flight are The Young Bucks who defeated Private Party, The Best Friends who beat Undisputed Kingdom, and FTR who defeated The Infantry earlier in the evening.

Ricky Starks has since provided an update on his status and noted that he is doing fine. It’s possible that he may be kept away from ring for a while just to be sure. 

The show also featured a surprise appearance from a former IC Champion who answered Adam Copeland’s open challenge. You can check out full details of the segment here. 

AEW’s Ricky Starks has given an update on his condition after a spot on the March 30 episode of Collision had fans fearing something was wrong. 

During the show, Starks and Big Bill teamed up to face Top Flight in the ongoing AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament. The match was the first match for Starks and Bill since losing the titles to Sting and Darby Allin in early February. 

Towards the end of the match, Starks appeared to suffer a legitimate injury. He stayed down on the mat after Top Flight hit a tandem DDT. There had been no indication that this DDT was part of a finishing sequence but Starks did not kick out after taking the move. The AEW commentary team was also noticeably surprised by the finish. 

Ricky Starks Gives Health Update

Fans were left understandably concerned by what transpired on AEW Collision, but Starks has given a positive update. Via his Instagram Stories, the AEW star gave the following report: 

“I’m all good, everything checked out fine. Was being precautious.”

What’s Next? 

AEW Collision also saw FTR face The Infantry, who was in the midst of a Cinderella story after getting the upset win over the House of Black early in the tournament. Unfortunately, their luck ran out on Collision as FTR advanced to the next round. 

FTR and Top Flight will face off in the semi-finals of the tournament. The winning team will advance to the finals of the AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament, which will take place at AEW Dynasty in April. 

Matt Cardona sure is “Alwayz Ready” as ‘The Indy God’ just showed up on AEW Collision to face a man he’ll forever have a connection with.

Cardona was the competitor to answer the call of “The Cope Open” in order to challenge for Adam Copeland’s TNT Championship on Saturday night. The former ‘Edgehead’ was ready to take it to his once-mentor many years ago in the WWE

This is Cardona’s first appearance in AEW since he last competed in the company for a short run in 2020. He was an ally to Cody Rhodes.

Copeland and Cardona battled it out, but it was Adam who came out on top retaining his title. Still the fans certainly got an unexpected treat from the former NWA World Champion who has redefined what it means to be an independent wrestler.

What Is Matt Cardona’s Status With AEW?

With Cardona unexpectedly showing up on AEW Collision, it’s logical to speculate if he may have something more in relation with the company.

Fightful Select is reporting that despite the appearance, Cardona is still very much a free agent and hasn’t signed anything with AEW. Plans for Matt making his way to Collision actually unfolded earlier this week. 

Cardona was originally scheduled to defend his Squared Circle Expo Championship on Friday against Ultimo Dragon. To make the Collision appearance happen, he dropped his SCE Title to Nic Nemeth on Friday instead. 

Cardona recently told Fightful that there had been very little communication between him and AEW since that last 2020 run.

You can check out Matt Cardona’s match with Adam Copeland below:

AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm expressed her appreciation of Mariah May in quite some fashion during the March 30 episode of Collision. 

During a backstage segment, it was noted that the #1 and #2 wrestlers in the women’s division rankings will face each other next week. The winner of this match will earn an AEW Women’s World Championship match with the ‘Timeless’ one. 

Next week’s match will see Thunder Rosa and Storm’s protege Mariah May face off. Storm questioned for how long has May been “plotting” this and seemed angry that May could be in line for a title opportunity. Instead though, Storm kissed May and declared her a “magnificent b***ard”. 

Storm is evidently of the opinion that a victory for May next week will ensure her an easy title defense. May was clearly pleased to have been kissed by Storm, though Luther was far from happy at May and the AEW Women’s World Champion being so closely aligned. 

#AEW Women's World Champion "Timeless" Toni Storm reacts to the news that the women with the top 2 records in the Women's Division will clash for a future opportunity for the title!

Watch #AEWCollision LIVE on TNT!#TimelessToniStorm | @MariahMayX pic.twitter.com/eGr3yfazeV

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 31, 2024

‘Timeless’ Toni Storm

Toni Storm is in her third reign as AEW Women’s World Champion, a record number that she shares with Hikaru Shida. Her most recent reign began at AEW Full Gear 2023 when she dethroned Shida. She defended the gold at AEW Worlds End against Riho and at AEW Revolution 2024 against Deonna Purrazzo. 

Storm’s ‘Timeless’ character has proven to be a hit with fans and sees the AEW Women’s World Champion often filmed in black and white segments. May is described by Storm as her “understudy,” a term that leans into the notion that Storm is a Golden Age of Hollywood starlet. 

Could we see a new alliance made between Dustin Rhodes and The Butcher?

Dustin Rhodes took on The Butcher in singles action during AEW Rampage after the latter stepped up to the former during an interview segment on AEW Dynamite. Dustin accepted The Butcher’s challenge and ‘The Natural’ came out on top in the battle. Following the fight, The Butcher took to X to tip his cap to Rhodes and offered him a lending hand in the future.

“I thought i had that match last night. I had him in my grips. I was doubting his legendary status. Everyone should know that Dustin Rhodes is every bit of a legend and he humbled me. From this day forward, I’ve got your back, Natural. If you ever need me, I’m here for you.”

Rhodes took note of The Butcher’s offer (which also offered three heart emojis) and replied, “Love you dude.”

Love you dude https://t.co/FCo4MSqW6P

— Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) March 30, 2024

The Past “Unlikely Alliances” For Dustin Rhodes

Rhodes is certainly no stranger to “strange bedfellows” as there’s been several occassions where he’s teamed up with someone of a different ilk. Probably the most memorable unlikely alliance took place back in WWE when he as Goldust joined up with Booker T. However, you can even go back further when Dustin was originally ‘The Natural’ in WCW when he teamed with Arn Anderson until ‘The Enforcer’ stabbed him in the back.

However, there has also been names whom Rhodes has had history with and has gotten to tag together. Obviously, him and his brother Cody had found success as a tag team, notoriously beating The Shield at WWE Battleground 2013. He also just recently teamed up with Marshall and Ross Von Erich on a previous episode of AEW Rampage.

Bryan Danielson will continue to check items off his bucket list WrestleMania weekend, but it won’t be anywhere near Philadelphia.

CMLL announced that Danielson will indeed take on the legendary Blue Panther on April 5, 2024 in Arena México for their Wrestling Spectacular. It was just this last Friday where Danielson stood across the ring from Blue Panther as he teamed with Jon Moxley, Claudio Castignoli and Matt Sydal to battle the legend, Volador Jr., Ultimo Guerrero, and MLW World Middleweight Champion Mistico. After the battle, Danielson challenged Blue Dragon to a singles match.

Danielson shared in his excitement for the four-man tag on 3/28 and taking a moment to note that Blue Panther holds a special place in his pro wrestling hiearchy.

“The BCC will be standing across the ring from 4 incredible wrestlers, one of whom, Blue Panther, is my FAVORITE LUCHADOR OF ALL TIME!!! What a life!”

https://twitter.com/bryandanielson/status/1773429497074978941

Who Is Blue Panther?

Blue Panther actually started his wrestling career in the late 1970s and is an absolute legend in Mexico. He has won a bevvy of championships under the CMLL banner and really established himself with in a memorable feud with Art Barr in the early 1990s. 

Pro Wrestling Illustrated listed him as #58 in the 1998 edition of the PWI 500 and Panther was just inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall Of Fame in 2023.

Maybe #AEW 's Bryan Danielson was able to connect his "Front knee" to Blue Panther but he wasn't expecting the speed from the master at #CMLL #2LeyendasCMLLhttps://t.co/Nu6FCNcrcU

— ERD Wrestling (@ERD_Wrestling) March 30, 2024

Putting Blue Panther on Danielson’s list of opponents is giving ‘The American Dragon’ a heck of a resume for 2024. He’s faced Shibata weeks ago on AEW Collision and then will tie up with Will Ospreay on April 21 for AEW Dynasty.

Newly signed All Elite Wrestling superstar Will Ospreay has been getting plenty of action on TV lately. He made his in-ring debut as a talent in a win against Don Callis Family ally Konosuke Takeshita at AEW Revolution on March 3. Since then, he has racked up wins over Kyle Fletcher and Katsuyori Shibata on AEW Dynamite.

On Twitter, AEW President Tony Khan has shared that Ospreay will again be featured in a match on the April 3 episode of the company’s flagship show. The ‘Commonwealth Kingpin’ will take on Powerhouse Hobbs on the upcoming AEW Dynamite. Khan also revealed that Callis will be on commentary as he watches two people from his faction face off. 

The decision to have Ospreay challenge another Don Callis Family member is interesting, as it could cause a split within the group. AEW currently positions Ospreay as a ‘Babyface,’ while the faction remains ‘Heel.’ It may not happen in the next week, but the company may be laying the groundwork to eventually separate their newly signed superstar from the faction. 

Ospreay is also expected to defeat Hobbs next week, as he is set to face Bryan Danielson at AEW Dynasty on April 21. The matchup was announced on the March 7 episode of AEW Collision. Both superstars have been gaining wins on TV to build anticipation for their pay-per-view bout. 

A win for either Ospreay or Danielson would immediately put them in the running for the AEW World Championship. That said, the former IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion must first get through Hobbs on April 3. 

What Else Has Been Announced For April 3 Episode Of AEW Dynamite?

Ospreay vs. Hobbs wasn’t the only featured match announced for the upcoming AEW Dynamite episode. The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) will take on Best Friends (Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta) in the semifinals of the AEW tag team tournament. The winners will move to the finals, where they will compete for the vacant AEW World Tag Team Championships. 

The April 3 episode will also have the contract signing segment between Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland for their match at AEW Dynasty. It’s expected that they will get enough time to hype up their bout for next month.

Khan may announce more matches as the show approaches next week. The upcoming AEW Dynamite looks to be important as it continues to set the stage for the company’s next PPV. 

Mark Briscoe has reminisced about the iconic rivalry between FTR and The Briscoes which he has labeled ‘special.’

The intense feud between The Briscoes (Mark & Jay Briscoe) and FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) is one of the greatest chapters in pro wrestling history. The two critically acclaimed tag-team went on to collide in what is labeled as the best tag-team trilogy of recent memory and with the matches, the two highly regarded tag teams cemented their legacy in tag-team wrestling. 

Speaking with PW Insider, Mark Briscoe recalled the matches against the Top Guys. One-half of the Dem Boyz also spoke about how Tony Khan buying ROH and booking the matches benefitted them. Reflecting on the unfortunate passing of his brother shortly after, Mark mentioned how those matches have become even more special: 

“Those matches, now especially in hindsight, not that they weren’t amazing and special when they happened, but then a month after the dog collar match when the accident happened, it’s like, it’s almost like how, I don’t know how appropriate that’s how Jerry Briscoe went out.”

Mark mentioned that they were already feuding with FTR over twitter when Tony bought ROH and put them together. After the first two matches, things came full circle with the classic encounter at Final Battle 2022:

“We come full circle to Final Battle and they’ve beaten us twice and now it comes down to this dog collar match and we get the final win and Jay Briscoe puts on a career…like one of the best performances in professional wrestling history and he’s sitting there with the crimson mask, bloodied and just…what a fitting way for him to go out. 2022 as a whole was a really amazing year, but those FTR matches, and then that last, the dog collar match specifically, yeah, they’re always, they’ll always be special.”

The trilogy between The Briscoes and FTR

The two teams competed in three matches in 2022. The first match which was a standard tag-team match saw FTR prevailing at ROH Supercard of Honor in April. Then they battled in a two-out-of-three-falls match at Death Before Dishonor in July which FTR again won. The trilogy culminated in December at Final Battle when the Briscoes finally emerged victorious in a Dog Collar match to capture the ROH Tag Team Championships.

The rivalry that ended in 2022 has raised the bar for tag team wrestling and the fans continue to cherish the hard-hitting battles that they have put on in the past.

Now, Mark Briscoe has a huge task at hand as he challenges for the top prize in ROH. Read more in detail below: