Andrade is making headlines today, as it is reported that his AEW days are done. He could have a big surprise return to WWE coming for him, but some in AEW will miss him.
Thunder Rosa’s Message For Andrade El Idolo
Thunder Rosa hasn’t been on AEW television over the past year, as she was out of action with an injury. She was still a voice on the company’s Spanish language commentary team. After just making her return to in-ring action, Thunder Rosa is now losing someone she will truly miss in AEW.
In her caption, translated from Spanish, Thunder Rosa included a touching message for Andrade El Idolo. She will miss having him around AEW, as he is one of the most real people she’s ever met.
You are one of the most real people I have ever met. I am proud of you my friend and for always doing what is best for you. You are a role model! I hope to see you soon and much, much success buddy and I’m going to miss you
Eres una de las personas más reales que he conocido. Estoy orgullosa de ti mi amigo y por siempre haber hecho lo que es mejor para ti. Eres un ejemplo a seguir! Espero verte pronto y mucho, mucho éxito compa’ y te voy a extrañar ? @AndradeElIdolopic.twitter.com/Ba60vsnaWs
As we previously reported, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there’s an expectation within WWE that Andrade might make a return to the company. With a champion’s return hyped for the January 1st Day 1 RAW, anything is possible.
People close to Andrade El Idolo indicate that a return to WWE is a possibility, but he remains open to staying if Tony Khan puts forward a more enticing offer than WWE. Some have voiced concerns about AEW not fully utilizing Andrade, who hasn’t secured any championships in the promotion.
Andrade is also interested in collaborating with New Japan Pro Wrestling if the opportunity arises. While he would have liked to participate in the FantasticaMania show in February, scheduling conflicts prevent him from doing so.
It was later reported by Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select that Andrade El Idolo wrapped up his time with AEW at Worlds End, as he lost to Miro. His exit was reportedly not a pleasant one. Tony Khan also confirmed Andrade’s exit during the press conference following the pay-per-view, but he provided an open door for his eventual return.
Everybody has an opinion on the internet and Julia Hart cares about none of them.
The 22-year-old has been one of the break-out stars of AEW in 2023. She picked up a number of impressive victories in the last few months. The female star is ending the year as a champion after defeating Kris Statlander and Skye Blue for the TBS title in a triple-threat match at Full Gear and becoming the youngest champion in AEW history.
She picked up another victory while successfully defending her title against Abadon at the Worlds End PPV. In the post-show press conference, Hart was asked about handling criticism online. The young star claimed that the only opinions that matter are hers and her boss Tony Khan’s:
“When it comes to the internet, it’s different because at the end of the day, the only person’s opinion that matters is Tony and myself. So whatever, the internet’s always going to have an opinion on you. It’s going to be negative, it’s going to be positive.” said Julia Hart,
She continued: “They can think whatever they want because I also remember being a fan and I thought I knew everything as well. A fan doesn’t know everything. What I do know, Tony is my boss and if he says I do good job, I believe him. If I tell myself I do a good job, that’s all that matters. The fans, they can say whatever they want.”
Worlds End was only the third title defence for Julia Hart in her title reign and 2024 will bring even more challenges for her. You can check out the full media scrum featuring the AEW star below:
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Swerve Strickland is not waiting for anybody going into 2024 and if Keith Lee wants to have a match with him, then he’s gonna have to work hard for it.
The two former tag team partners were supposed to finally face each other in a singles match at the Worlds End PPV. Hours before the show, however, it was revealed that Lee was not cleared by doctors. This resulted in a last-minute change in the match card, and Dustin Rhodes stepped up to face Strickland in a match instead.
The Limitless One’s injury was addressed at the Worlds End press conference. In response to a question, company president Tony Khan confirmed that Lee wanted to wrestle at the show and detailed why he wasn’t allowed to do so:
“Keith absolutely did want to wrestle. There is a process there and it involves a doctor examining the wrestler every time before they go out and wrestle but also keeping in touch with him during the week. Keith mentioned he got injured in his match at Final Battle. He had a great match with Shane Taylor hard hitting match in Dallas at Final Battle. Then after that, Keith had gotten back in the ring and had a great match with Brian Cage. Did a great number on Collision.
Keith, today when he went in to see the doctor, his injury had gotten worse during the week and really it was worse than it was after the Shane Taylor match and it was worse than it was after the Brian cage match. The swelling had gone up and with the swelling being what it was the doctor didn’t feel comfortable clearing Keith. So it’s a tough call. But the doctor did what he thought was right and I respect the medical team’s decision.”
On the question of this long-anticipated match taking place sometimes later, Swerve Strickland said that he is done waiting. He explained that if Keith really wants to get a shot at him now, he’ll have to do something to earn it:
“It’s quite unfortunate. I’m done waiting though. I don’t wait on anybody. For me. I’ve been waiting for a while now. Now I have my sights set on something else, and that’s championship gold. So either Keith’s gonna have to work harder than ever in 2024 to reach me at that point or reach to the championship or do something, but I’m not waiting on anybody. If the match happens, he’s gonna have to work hard to get to me at this point.”
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Adam Copeland’s days as a WWE Superstar may be a thing of the past, but the Rated R Superstar paid tribute to one of his iconic WrestleMania matches last night.
Since joining AEW at WrestleDream, Copeland has been feuding with his former friend and ex-tag team partner Christian Cage. The two faced off for the TNT title in Montreal earlier this month on an episode of Dynamite in a match that Cage would win.
Copeland’s WrestleMania 22 Tribute
At AEW Worlds End, Copeland once again challenged for the AEW TNT Championship, this time in a No Disqualifications match. Throughout the match, Copeland paid tribute to his epic Hardcore match at WrestleMania 22 in 2006, which saw the then-Edge defeat Mick Foley. Copeland wore the same attire at Worlds End that he wore for the match with Foley, right down to his vest.
Later in the match, Copeland used a flaming table, just as he had at WrestleMania 22 nearly two decades earlier. Rather than spearing someone through the table though like he did in Chicago, Copeland powerbombed Nick Wayne onto the table at Worlds End.
Tony Khan has confirmed that Andrade El Idolo’s AEW contract is expiring at the end of the year and he will not be renewing his deal with the company.
The AEW President took part in the media scrum after the World’s End PPV. Among other things, he talked about this being the 5 year anniversary of AEW and how it means that some contracts are bound to expire. Khan gave a shout-out to QT Marshall who is one of the day one talents leaving the promotion at the end of the year. He then confirmed that Andrade’s AEW deal is coming to an end as well:
“Somebody who has not been with us the entire five years, but they’ve been with us about half the time. They’ve been outstanding and somebody I really respect and I don’t expect to see necessarily, as it stands right now renewing the contract but somebody that I have a great amount of respect for and would be parting on good terms and was tremendous, was here and did wrestle tonight is Andrade El Idolo.
Andrade El Idolo’s contract is up at the end of the year. We’ve had great talks. I have a tonne of respect for Andrade El Idolo. He’s been a huge performer in the Continental Classic week after week I talked about this great run Collision’s been on, Andrade El Idolo has been a huge part of it. Also has wrestled on the other shows and the Blue League of the Continental Classic.
Tony Khan claimed that they would have given a prominent position to Andrade if he had decided to stay with the company. He then praised him for the World’s End match with Miro, saying that he will be leaving on a high note:
“He’s outstanding. I wanted to keep him involved at the top. If we had been able to reach an agreement, certainly he would be somebody we would slot in, in a prominent position. I think we did everything we could to show Andrade El Idolo we really do value him.
I think this last run he’s had in recent months has been tremendous. If this is going to be the way he’s gonna leave AEW, talk about leaving on a high note because he had a great match with Miro tonight.”
Andrade has long been rumored to be on his way back to WWE. A contract expiration means he will be free to make an appearance for any company he likes at the start of the year. With Triple H’s latest tease, many believe that we may see him back in the Endeavor owned promotion sooner rather than later.
You can check out the full Worlds End media scrum below:
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
After months of build, the reveal of the Devil has had the wrestling world talking. Taking to Twitter, Cole shared a snippet from the song ‘pride.is.the.devil. by J. Cole and Lil Baby.
Anthony Bowens has been aligned with MJF and was attacked by The Devil’s henchmen alongside the rest of the Acclaimed recently. The AEW Trios Champion had just two words for Cole and his allies.
Alex Hammerstone recently wrapped up his time with MLW and has teased joining AEW. The former MLW World Champion shared a photo of himself alongside MJF, and others during their time as The Dynasty and asked if MJF needs some help.
There have been some negative reactions to the closing moments of AEW Worlds End, but that hasn’t phased Samoa Joe. The new AEW World Champion made it clear he’s enjoying the ‘salty tears’ of fans.
Damn, ankles gonna swell all these salty tears I’m drinking.
AEW is the safest place for professional wrestlers, according to AEW President Tony Khan, as the allegations against Chris Jericho continue to make headlines.
Jericho faced NDA and Kylie Rae chants during AEW Worlds End, and a hashtag movement calling for him to be fired trended on Twitter. Speaking on the post-Worlds End Media Scrum, Tony Khan was asked about the allegations and the protocol to keep wrestlers safe from unwanted advances.
“We’re very serious about [that] and we’ve had a policy in place. Certainly I think any time there’s anything like that, we would make sure we do everything we can to prevent it. AEW has the best safety record I believe of any pro wrestling company in the world. I believe we have the most safe environment. I believe we have the best safety record of any pro wrestling company and I would hold the record of AEW on safety against any wrestling company in the world. I think we, AEW is the safest place for pro wrestling and if any of our wrestlers ever have a concern they always have an open line to talk to me and I you know I believe anybody would sit here and tell you they always can talk to me anytime they are concerned about anything.”
When asked for details about the steps wrestlers can take if they feel they are being harassed, Khan outlined what happens to a wrestler if they are found to have violated company policy.
“If there was anything that came to light to me, I would take it to the disciplinary committee. That’s how we’ve been doing it and I think our disciplinary committee has been doing a great job. Everybody knows they have an open line to me or anybody on that committee.”
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
The new AEW World Heavyweight Champion Samoa Joe has confirmed that we will be getting a new belt for the top prize of the company in his new era.
The Samoan Submission Machine took part in the World’s End press conference after his big win at the PPV. He was asked about the current title design and Joe confirmed that the current belt is ‘going into garbage’:
“Oh this is going into garbage, Don’t worry about that. I mean this trash right here, this little knockoff, BS Lucha stuff that he got going on, this is going away.
We’re getting the good belt, the right belt. Something that’s designed well. I’ve spoken with Tony intensively about it and we’re we’re very much looking forward to it. I mean, we got a whole new era starting up here.”
The current AEW title design was introduced by MJF last year after he defeated Jon Moxley at the Full Gear PPV to win the title.
The Scumbag held the championship for 406 days before Samoa Joe defeated him for the title. Though Joe had a lot of help in doing so.
The new AEW champion had been helped by the mysterious devil who was revealed at the show tonight. You can check out the identity of the masked man here, and read what the future holds for MJF after the show tonight here.
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
MJF has made no secret about the number of injuries that he has raked up during his career, especially in recent memory. Now, the Salt of the Earth is expected to take some time off.
MJF Taking Time Off
MJF lost the AEW World Title to Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End. That was a hard-fought main event match in Long Island, MJF’s homestead, but he still lost to the Samoa Submission Machine via a chokehold.
After the match, Adam Cole revealed himself to be The Devil. The Kingdom, Roderick Strong, and Wardlow were also unveiled as his associates. That storyline will apparently carry on without MJF as a target, because Our Scumbag is taking time off.
Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that many within AEW that he spoke to “immediately following AEW Worlds End said that they expect MJF to be off TV for a while immediately, if not almost immediately.”
MJF had sustained a plethora of injuries during his AEW Title reign, but was adamant that he wanted to see it through. As MJF is often influential in his own creative, there’s always a chance he could insist on an absence not happening, but it’s expected internally.
MJF has not brought up the Bidding War of 2024 in a while, and most believe that it is due to a contract resigning that was not publicly announced. There are also currently no talks between MJF and WWE at this time.
MJF also wants a dual career in Hollywood and pro wrestling. With The Iron Claw’s release, that possibility is certainly out there for the former AEW World Champion.
Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett and Wardlow were revealed as the Devils during AEW Worlds End. Despite MJF’s ongoing angle with that masked faction, it appears that he will be taking some time off.
AEW Worlds End will go down as one of the worst nights in the career of MJF, who lost his AEW World Championship and his best friend in one fell swoop.
For months, MJF has been targeted by somebody in his ‘Devil’ mask, who has been attacking anyone close to the scarf-wearing wrestler. Suspicion had been running rampant within AEW, with several wrestlers and even MJF himself being accused of being behind the attacks.
A New AEW World Champion
With his tag-team partner Adam Cole injured, MJF was until recently in an unlikely team with Samoa Joe. On this week’s Dynamite though, Joe betrayed MJF, who would lose the ROH World Tag Team Championships to two of the Devil’s henchmen. It was revealed on Dynamite that MJF had done ‘business’ with the Devil.
At Worlds End, MJF defended his AEW World Championship against Joe and a title change took place. The finish saw Samoa Joe lock MJF in the Coquina Clutch, and his arm fell three times, resulting in the submission victory and a title change.
Following the match, the Devil’s goons attacked MJF and Cole, who was at ringside for the match to ‘support’ his ‘friend.’ When one of the masked men was about to hit Cole with a chair, the lights went out. When they came back on, CVole was revealed as the Devil.
The masked men were also revealed as Roderick Strong, Wardlow, Mike Bennett, and Matt Taven. The four men beat down MJF and left him out cold to close the show.
All Elite Wrestling’s final pay-per-view of 2023 is in the books, but the show wasn’t short of headlines.
News, rumors, and more flew around the wrestling world just hours leading up to the event and once the main event closed, we were left with more questions than answers.
So, without further ado, here’s what you need to know coming out as AEW closed out their 2023:
Samoa Joe Heads Into 2024 as AEW World Champion
A legitimate injury, nearly everybody in the AEW locker room going after him, and the impending arrival of The Devil, it was very much a MJF vs. the world scenario in the now-former World Champion’s hometown of Long Island, New York. While everyone thought it would be the doing of The Devil that would be the ultimate undoing of MJF’s World Title reign, it was a Coquina Clutch from Samoa Joe that would put MJF out cold and leave referee, Bryce Remsburg with no choice but to call for the bell. Samoa Joe now sits at the top of the mountain in All Elite Wrestling.
Is MJF YOUR scumbag? MJF puts the #AEW World Title on the line against Samoa Joe in the main event of #AEWWorldsEnd.
‘The Devil’ Adam Cole Was Pulling The Strings All Along Against The Puppet Master Himself, MJF
Rewind all the way to the June 14, 2023 edition of AEW Dynamite…MJF and Adam Cole fought to a 30-minute time limit draw with MJF’s AEW World Championship up-for-grabs. Just weeks later, the pair were ‘randomly’ drawn together as teammates in the inaugural ‘Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament,’ a tournament the pair ending up winning, but ended up falling short in their bid for the AEW Tag Team Titles against then-champions, FTR. However, MJF and Adam Cole would gain something more valuable than gold (to some)…friendship. MJF and Cole put their differences to the side and respected one another after such a grueling rivalry. The pair would kick-off AEW’s biggest show in the company’s history ‘All In’ by defeating Aussie Open to become Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions in front of 70,000-plus fans inside of London, England’s historic Wembley Stadium. MJF and Cole would also close out the show with their long-awaited AEW World Title rematch, but this time, MJF would get the better of Cole, and retained his title.
After a string of injuries and health woes, Cole would be in-and-out of competition, leaving MJF to fend for himself and defend the titles by himself, which led to numbers being too much for the Long Island-native to handle, when he dropped the ROH Tag Titles to his newest rival ‘The Devil’s’ masked friends on the December 27 edition of Dynamite. With Samoa Joe lurking in the shadows for a rematch of his own, MJF accepted Joe’s challenge, for a helping hand leading up to tonight’s showdown…something Joe honored until the aforementioned 12/27 Dynamite, where Joe took out MJF following the latter’s title loss.
And on one fateful night in MJF’s hometown of Long Island, New York…his past finally caught up to him as he lost the AEW World Championship…and his best friend, Adam Cole. Following Joe’s victory over MJF, the vaunted masked men surrounded the ring before rushing inside and attacking both men…but the attack stopped and the masked assailants held MJF and Cole face-to-face before the lights would go out…and when they came up, Cole was standing side-by-side with the masked men, all facing MJF. By the time the now-former champion figured out what just happened, it was too late as Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett all removed their masks to reveal Cole’s newest creation…which closed out ‘Worlds End’ by taking out Cole’s now-former tag team partner…and The Devil was no longer MJF…but the man playing the strings all along, Adam Cole, Bay Bay.
‘The Mad King’ cemented his place in AEW history. During AEW’s inaugural Continental Classic tournament, Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley did exactly what they do best, brutalize their opponents and a collision course to the finals was exactly what many wanted and predicted. The Heart and Soul of AEW against the Ace of AEW was exactly what the doctor ordered for what was otherwise a somewhat lackluster pay-per-view event. Both Kingston and Moxley came with their best and after violent attack after violent attack, it was the pride and joy of Yonkers, New York who came out on top in front of his home state fans as the first-ever AEW Continental Classic Champion.
Take a look at All Elite Wrestling’s newest title belt, as well as some of the highlights of this brutal encounter, below:
The only person who may be able to handle these blows from Eddie Kingston is Jon Moxley.
In-ring wise, the best match on the card was Christian Cage’s (technically) unsuccessful TNT Championship defense against longtime friend and rival, Adam Copeland. After a beautifully violent 20-plus minute encounter, Copeland planted Cage’s protege, Nick Wayne through a table engulfed in flames before delivering a Killswitch of his own to Cage to secure the 1-2-3. Just moments after his victory, Copeland was celebrating with his first title in AEW, however, Cage’s sidekick and former TNT Champion, Killswitch (FKA Luchasaurus) attacked Copeland before getting ready to cash-in his TNT Title opportunity that he earned by outlasting 19 other competitors during the show’s ‘Zero Hour’ battle royale affair.
However, Cage would return to the ring and somehow convince Killswitch to hand him over the contract, which the then-former champion would sign and hand over to senior referee, Paul Turner. The bell would ring before Cage did what Copeland did to him…finish him off with his own signature move, the spear. The devastating spear would garner the three-count for Cage, and in doing so, make him a two-time TNT Champion, and now becoming the TRUE Ultimate Opportunist.
Miro Sends Andrade el Idolo Packing While Redeeming His Ultimate Prize
With rumors swirling that Andrade el Idolo would be departing AEW following tonight’s pay-per-view, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Miro would have his hand raised following the pair’s match. While that was exactly the case, it was far more competitive than many previously thought after the news of Andrade’s impending departure came about, and while securing the 1-2-3 was the goal of the match, Miro gained something far, far more valuable…his wife CJ Perry, who assisted ‘The Redeemer’ and was reunited with her husband at long…long last.
As previously mentioned, many rumors and news surrounded tonight’s show. Throughout the first handful of matches, the damper of the earlier day’s news sure casted a dark cloud over AEW’s final pay-per-view offering of 2023, however the classic TNT Championship match between Christian Cage and Adam Copeland began a hot streak for the night as Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley’s Continental Classic Final before the ultimate reveal of Adam Cole as The Devil lea
ding to Samoa Joe’s World Championship victory over MJF closed out the night on a high note.
Who will Samoa Joe set his sights on for his first title defense? Will Adam Cole have answers for MJF after months and months of manipulation? Will MJF even be with AEW in 2024? We have a TON of loose ends to tie up as All Elite Wrestling opens up to a new chapter, starting this Wednesday night on Dynamite.
AEW begins their 2024 when the company returns to your screens this coming Wednesday, January, 3, when Dynamite takes place from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
All Elite Wrestling will be back on pay-per-view on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The show will feature the legendary Sting’s final match against a yet to be announced opponent.
Adam Copeland captured the AEW TNT Championship at Worlds End, in his first title win in over a decade, but the Canadian’s run with the gold was very short-lived.
Since joining AEW at WrestleDream, Copeland has been feuding with his former friend and ex-tag team partner Christian Cage. The two faced off for the TNT title in Montreal earlier this month on an episode of Dynamite in a match that Cage would win.
Adam Copeland Wins (and Loses)
In a No-Disqualification match at AEW Worlds End, Cage and Copeland held nothing back in their efforts to leave Long Island with the TNT Championship. As the winners of the first two TLC matches, it was fitting that the bout featured Tables, Ladders, and Chairs. In the end, Copeland hit Cage with Christian’s own Killswitch finisher to get the win and become the new TNT Champion.
This was an emotional win for Copeland, as it was his first time winning a championship since he captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Dolph Ziggler in early 2011. Unfortunately for the Hall of Famer, his time on top was short-lived. After the match, Killswitch (formerly Luchasaurus) hit the ring with a guaranteed TNT Championship match contract Killswitch had won the opportunity during the Zero-Hour pre-show battle royal.
Look who’s here to cash in their TNT Title Shot!!! KILLSWITCH!
Rather than challenge Copeland, Killswitch surrendered that contract to Christian who had the match restarted. Cage then used Copeland’s finisher, a spear, to win the title back.
This makes Copeland a history maker in AEW, but not in a good way. The Canadian legend now holds the record for the shortest title reign in the history of the company.
AEW Worlds End 2023 proved to be a tough night at the office for Chris Jericho who was on the receiving end of some choice chants from the Long Island crowd.
In the fifth match of the show (and eighth match if you include the pre-show) Jericho was victorious in an eight-man tag-team match. The bout saw Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Sting and Darby Allin defeat AEW World Tag Team Champions Big Bill and Ricky Starks, and Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs.
Chris Jericho Faces Chants
Jericho’s appearance at the show was something of a surprise, as some fans expected him to be pulled from AEW Worlds End. In the hours before the show, Jericho faced allegations of misconduct with wrestler Kylie Rae. Nick Hausman made mention of Jericho having skeletons in his closet, and Rae herself reacted with a heart to a post saying that Jericho is not a safe person to be around for young women in wrestling.
At this time, AEW President Tony Khan has yet to address the allegations against Jericho, who was the first-ever AEW World Champion. It is likely he will be asked about the matter during the post-Worlds End media scrum.
AEW saw a few random injuries throughout 2023 that greatly changed their booking plans. They couldn’t get through the final pay-per-view of the year without being forced to change things up.
Keith Lee was scheduled to take on Swerve Strickland in a singles match at AEW Worlds End, a long-awaited showdown that some fans doubted would ever materialize. Sadly, that match wasn’t meant to be in 2023.
Unexpected Change Of Plans For Keith Lee
In an update on X, Keith Lee shared that he was going to enter the Worlds End match with an injury. Although he did not divulge the specifics of the setback, he assured fans that he is committed to giving his best effort in the upcoming match.
Today… I keep it very real with you guys. I have been working through an injury since Arthur Ashe Stadium 2022.
It has been mostly well taken care of. Things have been worse since Final Battle.
I am trying to get through today for you guys, but I cannot promise anything.
Today… I keep it very real with you guys.
I have been working through an injury since Arthur Ashe Stadium 2022. It has been mostly well taken care of.
Things have been worse since Final Battle. I am trying to get through today for you guys, but I cannot promise anything.
Keith Lee was taken out of AEW Worlds End and Dustin Rhodes was placed in his spot. Swerve Strickland picked up the win against The Natural in the end, which continued his winning streak in AEW.
This is not good news for Keith Lee, and we can only hope that whatever kept him off the AEW Worlds End card isn’t something that will persist far into 2024.
AEW Worlds End is set to take place on December 30th, and the roster is ready for anything. One star is reportedly wrapping up his time with AEW in Long Island, and Andrade is WWE-bound after that.
Possible Spoiler On WWE Return
Wrestle Purists reports that they have been told by sources around AEW that Andrade El Idolo is expected to wrap things up with Tony Khan’s company at AEW Worlds End. It was then noted that Andrade is expected to arrive in WWE on the January 1st episode of RAW.
According to WrestlePurists sources, Andrade El Idolo is expected by many in AEW to finish up with the company tonight at World’s End.
He is also believed by many within AEW to be heading back to WWE. Some think it could happen as soon as the Day 1 RAW.
A WWE source we spoken to is aware of the talk surrounding Andrade and is expecting him to join the company imminently.
A WWE return makes sense for Andrade, because his wife, Charlotte Flair, works for the company. She is currently out of action for 9 months due to a knee injury, but The Queen would definitely cheer on Andrade’s WWE return from home.
According to WrestlePurists sources, Andrade El Idolo is expected by many in AEW to finish up with the company tonight at World’s End.
He is also believed by many within AEW to be heading back to WWE. Some think it could happen as soon as the Day 1 RAW.
Sean Ross Sapp later reported on Fightful Select to note that Andrade’s exit from AEW wasn’t pleasant. He made it known to a lot of people Wednesday at AEW Dynamite that he intends on leaving the company.
Fightful Select learned this week that Andrade and AEW were set to no longer work together, with most expecting it to culminate at the AEW Worlds End show. Numerous sources indicated that Andrade made it clear this past Wednesday at AEW Dynamite he no longer wanted to be with the company and was planning on leaving. We’re told that the situation surrounding Andrade’s exit was less than pleasant, with some even saying a major disagreement had unfolded.
WWE Day 1 Surprise Planned
Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that said WWE is looking to add some star power to their Day 1 show. A former champion is expected to return, but no specific name has been reported yet.
Andrade’s inclusion in the Day 1 episode would bring a surprise reaction, but the real question then lies on Triple H’s plan for the former NXT Champion.
Triple H Comments On WWE RAW 1 Surprise
Triple H heard the report that someone is coming back at WWE RAW’s Day 1 event on January 1st. He commented to stoke the flames a bit on that rumor.
Not going to confirm or deny the rumors of a former @WWE Champion appearing at #WWERaw Day One… but I will say to stay tuned.
Not going to confirm or deny the rumors of a former @WWE Champion appearing at #WWERaw Day One… but I will say to stay tuned.
Chris Jericho is a legendary pro wrestler, and he was responsible for much of AEW’s early rise in popularity. On the day of AEW Worlds End, a troubling allegation dropped about him that could paint him in an entirely different light.
Chris Jericho and Non-Disclosure Agreements
Chris Jericho and CM Punk and Ace Steel’s attorney, Stephen P New, recently had it out on social media. The whole ordeal surrounded the non-disclosure agreements that everyone involved in Brawl Out signed.
Chris Jericho claimed that he never signed any NDA about this. Then Stephen P New fired back to say that a confidentiality clause is in the AEW Employee Handbook.
Hey @StephenPNew– I don’t adhere to an employee handbook and have NEVER had one in 4 years of working for @aew. Ive also never signed an NDA in my life ….ever. So stop trying to be a bully and making egotistical fantasy brags for your clients, and start doing some research… https://t.co/P8Fjda7d9K
Haus of Wrestling’s Nick Hausman later called Chris Jericho out for having people sign NDAs himself. That got Hausman a subsequent block from the former AEW World Champion.
Nick Hausman later had Stephen P New on his Rumor and Innuendo podcast for an interview about everything that was going on with that situation.
Then, a clip of Nick Hausman from that Rumor and Innuendo podcast went viral. In that clip, Hausman made mention of skeletons in Chris Jericho’s closet. He also brought Harvey Weinstein’s name into the situation as a comparison to Jericho’s situation.
“There are issues with Chris behind the scenes, where I know a lot of people who were hurt by Chris and his actions. You know, it’s very uncomfortable to me to see him lauded like he is and only having the focus on that, because I do think there are a lot of questionable stories about Chris that will find their way out over time when people are ready to tell those stories, that will cast him in a very different light.”
“I mean, Harvey Weinstein won a lot of Oscars, Harvey Weinstein produced a lot of very popular films. Harvey Weinstein is now in jail … I’m not saying that is happening to Chris, but the narrative can quickly turn if you’re hiding a lot of skeletons in your closet.
A short time later, after that clip went viral, an X account re-posted an older tweet that didn’t get much traction at the time. This tweet implied that Kylie Rae may have left AEW due to Chris Jericho.
“So here’s the deal, you don’t quit the hottest fed going today (AEW) without reason. I have it from people in the know that Kylie was asked to go to Chris Jericho’s room. With the understanding that others would be there. When she got there it was just him. He made a pass at her (no other details are given) and she freaked out.”
Another 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.
During the All Out 2019 media scrum, Sean Ross Sapp asked Tony Khan about Kylie Rae’s status with the company. Reports had previously broke saying that she had requested her release from the company, but no other information was known at the time.
Tony Khan confirmed in 2019 that Kylie Rae is no longer with AEW. He said that she asked for her release, and it was granted. That split was also said to be a “super amicable” one.
“She is no longer with us. We had so many announcements going into the battle royal, she asked for her release, and we granted it. She called me and asked if she could be released from her contract. It’s pretty simple, I said, ‘yeah,’ I asked her if everything was okay, she said, ‘Yeah,’ she just didn’t want to be with the company anymore. We talked about it. It was very simple. So yeah.”
MJF has a big weekend ahead of him and he knows it. The AEW World Champion will be defending his “Triple B” against Samoa Joe in the main event at World’s End, which so happens to be in MJF’s backyard of Uniondale, NY at the Nassau Colliseum.
In a new self-written article on the Player’s Tribune, MJF had a lot to reflect on and noted that he’s been with AEW since the company started in 2019.
January marks the five-year anniversary of AEW’s launch and in the feature, MJF credits Cody Rhodes for bringing him in and Tony Khan for signing him to a contract.
MJF leans into the notion that he’s becoming a free agent on January 1, but an educated guess would lead many to believe that he’s already signed a new deal with AEW. Either way, MJF closed out the piece by noting how big World’s End means to him, especially one aspect of the bout.
“Right now, though, as I’m writing this? It’s Wednesday morning. It’s three days before Worlds End. It’s five days from five years of MJF in AEW. I don’t know what comes next. Here’s what I do know. Wrestling in the main event of a card at Nassau Coliseum as AEW world champ? That sh*t means everything to me. Really. EVERYTHING.”
Another solid indication that MJF is not leaving AEW is the simple fact that he’s the World Champ and involved in the major over-arching storyline that involves him and the mysterious identity of “The Devil.” AEW colleague Ric Flair believes MJF should stay with AEW, stating he could be the next Randy Orton.
Posted December 29th, 2023 in AEW, News. Tagged: MJF.
According to Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Shawn Spears was one of the masked men working for The Devil in recent weeks. This was his last role on AEW television prior to his departure.
“Spears hadn’t been used much but on a recent TV was one of the Devil’s guys.”
The Devil has appeared for several weeks, with masked men doing his bidding. It was not noted which segment Shawn Spears appeared in, but many believe The Kingdom played the roles of the two masked men who won the ROH World Tag Team Titles during the December 27th episode of AEW Dynamite.
Shawn Spears’ AEW Departure
Shawn Spears was among the initial group of talents signed by Tony Khan for the formation of AEW. He made his AEW debut during the Casino Battle Royale at the inaugural Double or Nothing event.
Sean Ross Sapp first broke the news of Shawn Spears’ AEW departure on Fightful Select. A short time later, Shawn Spears confirmed that he is leaving Tony Khan’s company.
Shawn Spears is scheduled to depart from AEW on January 1st. The separation is reported to be mutually agreeable as well.
Andrade El Idolo will be returning to WWE once his current contract with AEW expires, at least according to those within the Stamford promotion.
El Idolo joined AEW in June of 2021 and would make his in-ring debut for the promotion the following month. His debut for AEW came months after his release from WWE in March of that year. While WWE had initially declined Andrade’s request for a release, it was later granted.
Andrade Returning to WWE?
Some in WWE expect Andrade to return when the time is right, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported this week. Those close to Andrade have also said that he may very well go back to WWE, but is also open to staying if Tony Khan makes a better offer than WWE. Some have criticized AEW for underutilizing Andrade, who is yet to hold gold in the promotion.
Andrade would also like to work with New Japan Pro Wrestling if the possibility comes up. He would have wanted to do the FantasticaMania show in February but it conflicts with his schedule.
Andrade in WWE
Andrade joined AEW in November 2015 and made his in-ring debut the following January at a Tampa, Florida live event. In November 2017, Andrade defeated Drew McIntyre to capture the NXT Championship. After being called up to the main roster, Andrade captured the United States Championship in late 2019 from Rey Mysterio.
If Andrade does return to WWE, he will be able to spend more time with his wife Charlotte Flair. Andrade’s father-in-law Ric Flair recently said that he will be staying with AEW for years to come after Sting retires next year.
Andrade El Idolo may not have much time left in AEW. Click here to find out more.
Kiss’ profile was quietly removed from AEW’s roster page in September. Tony Khan confirmed at the post-All Out media scrum that Kiss had not been re-signed.
Fuego Del Sol
The masked wrestler announced his departure from AEW in June. He made his debut for the company in May 2020.
AQA
AQA was the first wrestler to be cut from AEW this year when her deal expired. She competed seven times.
Trench
Trench had been part of Swerve Strickland’s Mogul Affiliates faction but did not compete in any matches before his exit on July 3.
Zack Clayton
Zack Clayton’s departure from AEW was announced in October 2023. He is also known for his time on Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.
Brock Anderson
Anderson is the son of AEW producer and wrestling legend Arn Anderson and started with the promotion in 2021. His exit was confirmed in October.
The Bunny
The Bunny made her AEW debut at the Fyter Fest pay-per-view in June 2019, defeating Leva Bates in a dark match.
Vickie Guerrero
Guerrero announced that she was exiting AEW earlier this year. She had managed Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir.
Dana Massie
Massie was AEW’s Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer and is the wife of AEW EVP and Young Buck Matt Jackson.
Rafael Morffi
Morffi was the Vice President of Live Events/Touring since the establishment of AEW. He previously worked for TNA Wrestling.
Former WWE Superstar Scotty 2 Hotty is pleased to have reached a “personal career highlight” after competing this week for AEW.
Scotty, real name Scott Garland, competed in a dark match this past Wednesday at AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash. The match saw the former WWE Tag Team Champion team with The Acclaimed & ‘Daddy Ass’ Billy Gunn to defeat Matt Menard, Jake Hager, and The Gunns. Taking to Twitter, Scotty reflected on being able to compete at the show.
Last night I was able to do this in an arena with my kids in the audience for the first time that they are old enough to remember it. Thank you to @RealBillyGunn & @TonyKhan for making this happen. A personal career highlight for me. pic.twitter.com/9q8NndtWbD
After being released from WWE as a talent in 2007, Garland returned to the promotion in 2016 as a trainer in the Performance Center. Garland remained in the role until November 2021 when he was granted his requested release from the promotion. While he enjoyed his time with WWE, Garland was reportedly at odds with the direction of talent development following the launch of WWE NXT 2.0. He has been working backstage for AEW as a producer since having a tryout in July.
A Return to the Ring?
While this match was Garland’s AEW debut, Garland has remained semi-active in the ring outside of the All-Elite promotion. Garland’s most recent match before this week’s Dynamite was in June and saw him defeat ‘Florida Man’ at a DREAMWAVE Wrestling event. Garland has been open to the possibility of competing more for AEW and has been discussed for matches in the past. Garland was able to use his WWE ‘Too Cool’ theme as AEW acquired the license for it when obtaining the rights to use the Hardy Boyz theme.
With the round-robin format, there have been plenty of matches from the AEW Continental Classic, which fans will have no trouble finding. On YouTube, the AEW account has created a playlist of every match from the tournament in the order they took place. The playlist starts with the kick-off match between Swerve Strickland and Jay Lethal.
The final two videos are from this week’s Dynamite and see Jon Moxley Vs. Swerve Strickland Vs. Jay White in the Gold League finals and Eddie Kingston Vs. Bryan Danielson in the Blue League finals. The playlist also features weekly updates of the rankings as well as promos and segments connected to the Continental Classic.
Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics reported the initial meeting between the two companies in October.
Tony Khan met with WBD a day later, he described the the conversations as “really good” during the press conference following the Ring of Honor Final Battle on Friday.
WWE’s initial meeting with WBD didn’t go well. Nick Khan and Levesque worked to get a second meeting in place, and put together a better presentation. TKO is stock closed below $76 on Friday. With the Smackdown deal coming in lower than expected, WWE management is under the gun to secure a better deal or Raw – that means having more bidders in the marketplace.
The TV market is more chaotic than 2018, when WWE last negotiated new rights fees. TV viewership was declining, but not like it has over the last several years. This was visible in the Smackdown deal with USA, and how the network seems willing to part ways with Raw, a 30-year anchor on prime time Mondays since the early 1990s, outside three years it aired on TNN/Spike TV.
Rights fees have accelerated the ability of studios to pay them. This problem is largely due to market forces, and mistakes made by cable companies, studios and media conglomerates over the last decade as they dealt with mobile phones and the growing impact of internet. Regardless, the rights fees WWE commanded six years ago will be hard for it to get today.
To get close, they need bidders and having WBD as another interested party gets more networks into the competition.
Whether WWE lands on WBD, it’s highly unlikely. The market is much tighter, but WBD is putting a lot of its consideration into retaining the NBA. Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics told SEScoops in October the NBA’s TV deal would be ending after the current deals for WWE and AEW.
WBD’s plans with the NBA would likely affect a potential deal with WWE more than AEW, because of the different money the two companies demand. While AEW should have a much larger deal this time around, it will still be well short of the deals commanded by Smackdown and Raw. That’s not considering the pressure on WWE to make bank with TKO stock well below its $100 target price.
AEW also has other options. Before the company was officially formed, Tony Khan and Chris Harrington had met with Turner executives and pitched the company. Showtime was also another big player for AEW. This was before the company had a track record of profitability and good ratings over a four-year period.
AEW would likely compete with some of the other companies that have interest for WWE. Tony Khan has all but confirmed that WBD owns a portion of AEW – that would change if AEW left the network – but given the company’s performance on PPV, it’s growing cash at gates and the success of All In Wembley, the company will land somewhere strong.
Thurston reported on his Wrestlenomics Patreon site this week that he believes AEW lost around $34 million this year – which considering the $1 billion valuation Forbes gave the company a few months ago- is remarkable given the pandemic and that this is a company only four years old – have of that time dealing with COVID-19.
Sources with AEW have said for months, while Tony Khan keeps the company’s financials quiet, they believe the company could easily make profitability with some cuts and would likely hit the mark with its next TV deal.
Tony Khan is excited for what’s to come for the AEW women’s division and indicates that there may be some new names in the mix.
Ahead of AEW World’s End, Khan spoke with the media about how big a of transitional period this time is for the company. Khan spoke about the company overall both from a creative and presentation standpoint with a particular focus on the women’s division.
Khan mentioned several names on the roster as to what women have helped contribute to the growth of the company this year, including Julia Hart, Riho, Toni Storm, Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale and of course, Timeless Toni Storm.
There’s been a deliberate effort to refocus attention on the women’s division and AEW fans should get ready for some more new faces showing up in the months ahead.
“So, so many great names, so many great fights happening in the women’s division, which is in, I think, the strongest place it’s been – and imagine how much better it’s going to get because I plan to be very active in free agency.”
Aside from the former Sasha Banks, other potential additions to the AEW Women’s division could include Giulia, Deonna Purrazzo, Mandy Rose, Lacey Evans and Kamille, just to name a few.
Khan added that several of AEW’s top female competitors have been out of action and have recently returned or will be returning soon. Thunder Rosa, Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker are all former Women’s World Champions who were out of action for extended time. As the year winds down and we look ahead to 2024, there is a sense of optimism surrounding the division’s future.
Tony Khan believes that the Continental Classic has been a successful experiment and wants to implement that feel for AEW moving forward.
During the AEW World’s End media call, Khan said some of that success has translated over to AEW Collision with their ratings increase. Khan said he feels very strongly about how well the Continental Classic has done for the company and it’s had an influence on his creative philosophy.
“Will this affect the presentation and will I book the show’s more sports-based presentation and accept the fan feedback which is very tangible and real? Yes, absolutely and that is why this has been such a great experiment and the results are there, they are tangible.
“As I’ve said, an experimental group and a control group, the experiment increasing the allocation of real quality pro wrestling.”
In the early days of AEW, part of the initial strategy was to incorporate a sports-based presentation, including a rankings system, but the company has veered away from it. However, Khan had really utilized tournaments in 2023 and although that is certainly sports-oriented, he says that the storytelling process has been rich with MJF, The Devil and the women’s division.
“I’ve been really trying to put an emphasis on more stories and as because everybody’s been stepping up and it’s time and we have a great group that I’ve been trying to build and, and a lot of injuries, you know, it’s really challenging for wrestling promotion.”
Please credit AEW and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
