More has come to light about the impending departure of Rafael Morffi, who is stepping down as AEW’s VP of Live Events/Touring. 

Earlier this week, it was reported that Morffi will be leaving AEW after next week’s Worlds End pay-per-view. Morffi isn’t the only notable name set to leave, as AEW’s Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer Dana Massie is set to finish up with the company very soon. 

The Exit of Rafael Morffi

Morffi held the position of Vice President of Live Events/Touring since the formation of AEW and had many duties to his name. He was responsible for setting up the live event tours, booking buildings, local marketing and other logistical responsibilities and other roles. 

Morffi informed AEW during their recent Montreal events that he would be finishing up with the company, PW Insider reports. Morffi has already accepted a senior executive position with the Barclays Center in New York City (where Morfi resides with his family) and will be splitting his duties between booking sports and entertainment events at the arena as well as working for the Brooklyn Nets’ owners. Being closer to his family and not being on the road constantly was one of the big reasons for Morffi’s decision to leave. The gist of things is that the Barclays Center gave him such a great offer he simply couldn’t say no. 

Morffi is said to be well-liked within AEW and will be missed by those in the company. Morffi was the individual who brought the idea of hosting ‘Grand Slam’ events in Arthur Ashe Stadium to AEW. 

Rafael Morffi in Wrestling

Before joining AEW, Morffi worked with TNA Wrestling and House of Hardcore via his own ‘Signature Move Productions’ company. He also spent years working for WWE in regards to the promotion’s live events. 

Eddie Kingston will be facing Bryan Danielson in the finals of the Blue League of the AEW Continental Classic, and the build-up for the match is already off to an intense start.

The main event of Collision this week featured The Mad King taking on Andrade El Idolo in the final league stage match of the tournament. Kingston won this match after hitting Andrade with Northern Lights Drive.

After the match, Bryan Danielson came out to confront the winner and the show ended with both the AEW stars staring at each other.

This wasn’t the end of the night, however, and AEW later posted an extended video of the confrontation between the two. In the video as seen below, Eddie Kingston cuts a passionate promo, declaring himself as the King of The Underground.

AEW’s First Continental Classic Champion

Bryan Danielson faced Claudio Castagnoli in his last league match in the opening of tonight’s show. Bryan ended the league stage on the top with ten points after this bout ended in a draw.

The American Dragon will now face Kingston in the finals of the Blue League at the December 27 episode of AEW Dynamite. That show will also feature the finals of the Gold League between Swerve Strickland, Jay White and Jon Moxley.

The survivors of both these matches will face each other at the upcoming World’s End PPV on December 30. The winner will then be declared the first-ever AEW Continental Classic champion.

• Also Read: Katsuyori Shibata is All-Elite: Japanese Star Signs with “Wonderful” AEW

Fans can expect to see plenty more of Katsuyori Shibata in All Elite Wrestling now that the Japanese wrestler is officially All-Elite. 

On Twitter, AEW President Tony Khan broke the news of Shibata’s signing and described Shibata as one of the greatest fighters and champions ever in wrestling. Khan also shared a letter from Shibata himself in which the new signing spoke about joining the “wonderful” AEW. 

Dear Tony Khan,

Today, I have signed the contract with AEW under a permission from New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

In the past year, I worked for AEW/ROH and I learned how wonderful the AEW is.

This is the best environment where wrestlers can focus only on fighting in the ring.

And the love for professional wrestling is overflowing from Tony and all the people who work for him.

I want to make AEW’s ring the last end point of The Wrestler’s career. I dedicate my wrestler life to Tony Khan, and AEW. 

Thank you, 

Katsuyori Shibata. 

It's official: @K_Shibata2022 is ALL ELITE!

Welcome to @AEW for one of the greatest fighters + champions ever in wrestling, legend Katsuyori Shibata! Thank you @njpwglobal for making it possible!

See you all moments from now for #AEWCollision NEXT on TNT after this huge news! pic.twitter.com/91RDUmBQHd

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) December 24, 2023

Katsuyori Shibata in AEW

Shibata first appeared for AEW at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door in June 2022, saving Orange Cassidy from a beatdown by the United Empire. Shibata would save Cassidy again later that year. In November, Shibata challenged Cassidy for the AEW All-Atlantic Championship but was unsuccessful. 

In March of this year, Shibata made his ROH debut and defeated Wheeler Yuta at Supercard of Honor to win the ROH Pure Championship. Shibata retained the title on the June 2, 2023, edition of Rampage against Lee Moriarty. He dropped the title back to Yuta last month on AEW Rampage. 

Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega were all set to challenge Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Titles at Worlds End on December 30th, then Kenny Omega’s health took a turn for the worse. Despite losing his Golden Jets partner, Chris Jericho will continue without The Cleaner. 

AEW Tag Team Title Match At Worlds End

Chris Jericho is determined to win the AEW Tag Team Titles at AEW Worlds End, even in the absence of Kenny Omega due to diverticulitis. He made that very clear on AEW Collision this week.

During the December 23rd episode of AEW Collision, Ricky Starks and Big Bill announced their intention to take the night off and celebrate. They suggested that the scheduled tag team match at Worlds End was canceled since Kenny Omega is not able to compete.

However, Chris Jericho stepped in, and he revealed something very important. He still possesses a contract entitling him to an AEW Tag Team Title match. Le Champion is not fazed by Kenny Omega’s absence, because the show must go on. 

Chris Jericho then declared his intention to find a partner and challenge Ricky Starks and Big Bill for the titles at AEW Worlds End. He didn’t reveal who his partner will be at the pay-per-view. 

Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega secured their opportunity for the AEW Tag Team Titles by defeating The Young Bucks at AEW Full Gear. The Young Bucks used that loss to turn heel as well.

Ricky Starks and Big Bill address the status of the #AEW World Tag Team Championship match at #AEWWorldsEnd.

Watch #AEWCollision #HolidayBash LIVE on TNT!@StarkmanJones | @TheCazXL | @IAmJericho | @LexyNair pic.twitter.com/OtYsyZxzqz

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 24, 2023

AEW Worlds End 2023 Card:

MJF vs Samoa Joe – AEW World Title

Big Bill & Ricky Starks vs TBD & Chris Jericho – AEW World Tag Team Titles

Christian Cage vs. Adam Copeland – AEW TNT Title

Continental Classic Final

Julia Hart vs Abadon – TBS Title

Hook vs Wheeler Yuta – FTW Title

AEW is gearing up for 2024, along with the rest of us. Everything changes, but it seems that Tony Khan’s company is seeing a few big departures to close out the year.

AEW’s Recent Departures

Rafael Morffi, AEW’s Vice President of Live Events/Touring, is believed to be wrapping things up with the company. Reports broke today that he will be leaving after Worlds End for a job with the Barclays Center. Now, we have another departure to report. 

Sean Ross Sapp took to X, where he broke some more AEW news. Matt Jackson’s wife, Dana Massie, who has been with the company since they opened their doors, will be leaving her position over the company’s advertising division. 

Fightful Select and @TheRajGiri have learned that as things stand, Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer Dana Massie is set to finish up with AEW.

She’s been there since the start of AEW. She’s the wife of Matt Jackson of the Young Bucks.

Fightful Select and @TheRajGiri have learned that as things stand, Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer Dana Massie is set to finish up with AEW.

She's been there since the start of AEW. She's the wife of Matt Jackson of the Young Bucks. pic.twitter.com/E7QA4FztJT

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) December 23, 2023

Breaking Down These AEW Departures

This is a bit of a surprise, because Dana Massie had a big hand in many AEW promotional and merchandise efforts. She was given that spot in AEW after spearheading The Young Bucks’ merchandise empire, one that saw them arrive in Hot Topic as indie stars. 

QT Marshall also left the company, which will be official in 2024, but he is no longer attending AEW events. Marshall, on top of being an in-ring competitor, was AEW President Tony Khan’s right-hand man for a time.

AEW is making some changes internally, with Kevin Sullivan’s sudden release, and now QT Marshall, Dana Massie and Rafael Morffi leaving the company. There may be a lot more to unpack when the dust settles on this story.

AEW is gearing up for a loaded episode of Collision this week. Their Holiday Bash in San Antonio also brought a familiar face to the show, who is under contract with another company.

Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net noted that Chase Owens is backstage at AEW Collision in San Antonio. He is not expected to appear on the show for AEW or ROH, but he is backstage.

Chase Owens currently lives in San Antonio, and is said to be visiting friends who work for AEW. Owens is not expected to participate on screen in any capacity on tonight’s Collision, or the ROH tapings. 

Chase Owens is home for the holidays right now, but he won’t stay in Texas for long. The Crown Jewel of the Bullet Club is set to appear at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 18 and New Year’s Dash.

It’s good to know Chase Owens was able to get backstage and visit. Tonight’s episode of AEW Collision will be special in San Antonio, because it will see the return of Thunder Rosa to in-ring action, and her home city is bound to give her a rousing ovation. 

You can check out the card for the December 23rd episode of AEW Collision below. Even if Chase Owens doesn’t show up during the broadcast, it will still be a packed two-hour broadcast.

• AEW Trios Champions The Acclaimed vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti
• Thunder Rosa & Abadon vs. Julia Hart & Skye Blue
• We’ll hear from Christian Cage
• Keith Lee vs. Brian Cage
• AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Bryan Danielson
• AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Brody King vs. Daniel Garcia
• AEW Continental Classic Blue League: Andrade El Idolo vs. Eddie Kingston

During her WWE tryout in 2019 at a WWE Performance Center in Enfield, England, AEW wrestler Mariah May received valuable advice from a former WWE trainer.

Appearing on the Talk Is Jericho podcast (via Wrestling Inc.), May revealed that she had three matches and was called for a tryout, initially assuming it was for WWE but realizing it was for NXT UK. “Whereas WWE, I would have signed to that early on because there’s a PC and you’re going to train and stuff,” May said.

During the tryout, Sarah Stock advised her to travel more for experience. Despite WWE’s prior knowledge of her, NXT UK didn’t have a full-time training center, prompting them to recommend gaining more experience through travel due to less frequent training sessions.

“They wanted me to get more experience because with NXT UK, they didn’t have a full-time PC,” she explained. “It was like once every two months or something.”

Following the tryout, Mariah May went on a journey through the independent circuit in both the United States and the United Kingdom. She made appearances in promotions like Revolution Pro Wrestling, Ultimate Pro Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling, and several others.

However, her big breakthrough came when she debuted in Japan at World Wonder Ring Stardom in 2022. In this stint, she appeared alongside renowned figures like Mina Shirakawa and Unagi Sayaka. She also played a pivotal role in establishing the Club Venus stable, joining forces with Shirakawa and Xia Brookside. During her tenure, she won the Goddess of Stardom titles alongside Shirakawa. Her association with Stardom ended in September 2023.

Following her Stardom stint, May transitioned to the United States and joined AEW. Her signing was officially revealed on the November 8, 2023 edition of AEW Dynamite. In a segment backstage with RJ City, she was introduced as a passionate fan of Toni Storm, expressing her eagerness to meet her idol. She cited this as her primary motivation for joining AEW.

RELATED: Mariah May, Toni Storm Storyline Inspired By ‘All About Eve’?

It was reported earlier that Dean Malenko underwent brain surgery for an issue related to Parkinson’s disease.

During his podcast, Grilling JR, Jim Ross revealed this past week that Malenko underwent the surgery and was present at AEW TV tapings.

“I saw Dean Malenko. Malenko’s had some health issues. I saw him there. And he had brain surgery and it stops his shakes form the Parkinson’s and it has, he’s had the surgery. He’s such a sweetheart of a guy,” Ross said.

There was uncertainty regarding the timeline of Malenko’s return after the surgery, leading to various assumptions. However, Mike Johnson of PWInsider clarified that Malenko had undergone surgery towards the end of September.

Given that the surgery took place several months ago, it is reasonable to assume that Malenko has likely recovered by now. He resumed working for AEW at the start of November and wasn’t in the process of recuperating from the surgery since it had taken place months earlier.

Dean Malenko, a wrestling veteran with an extensive career, was highlighted by Ross for his contributions to AEW. Malenko holds a significant behind-the-scenes role wherein he coaches and mentors young performers on the AEW roster, ensuring they deliver strong performances inside the ring.

Ross said that Malenko is an unsung hero, describing him as a valuable asset due to his guidance and coaching within the company. According to Ross, Malenko encourages talents to share their ideas and then assists and coaches them. He praised Malenko’s adeptness in teaching and coaching wrestlers within AEW.

We extend our best wishes to Dean Malenko, hoping for his continued recovery in his battle with Parkinson’s disease.

RELATED:  Dean Malenko On Why He Ended His 18 Year Long Stint With WWE

CM Punk and The Elite had it out backstage at AEW All Out last year, but nobody’s allowed to talk about it. The lengths of that non-disclosure agreement stretch pretty far, ensuring that nobody involved in that altercation can divulge anything.

What Happened During Brawl Out

CM Punk went off during the press conference after All Out 2022. He was bloody, hungry, cursing, injured, AEW World Champion and irritated. All of those things culminated in a rant against Colt Cabana and the Young Bucks. When Punk was finished at the media scrum, Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks went to visit Punk’s locker room with AEW’s legal rep to discuss this situation.

CM Punk allegedly threw the first punch, but details are sketchy from that point on. We know that Matt Jackson had a chair thrown at him, and CM Punk’s dog, Larry, may have lost a tooth. In the end, it was incredibly violent, messy, and blew up in no time.

Ace Steel was also involved in the Brawl Out ordeal, and he was fired from AEW due to his involvement. He was accused of biting Kenny Omega during the brawl. Despite being rehired and working remotely after CM Punk’s return, he was let go again shortly after Punk’s firing from AEW.

CM Punk & Ace Steel Lawyer Up

The legal representation for both CM Punk and Ace Steel during that situation was provided by Stephen P. New, who has notable pro wrestling connections via Jim Cornette. It appears that they had a good working relationship, despite the tricky situation.

During an appearance on Wrestling With Rip Rogers, Stephen P. New discussed Brawl Out and the associated NDAs. In response to a question about the lifetime nature of NDAs, the attorney straightforwardly affirmed that they indeed last for life.

Stephen P New simply stated, “yes” when asked if there are lifetime NDAs in place, meaning that nobody can ever speak about that night.

CM Punk did make a crack about how it’s 2023, so you can’t just go around hitting people backstage. That was likely a reference to how he punched Jungle Boy, and not The Elite. That was Brawl In, not Brawl Out. 

Legally, The Second City Savior must stay away from any talk about his brawl with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega in Chicago. Hopefully, they can keep it that way to avoid another legal situation.  

The information superhighway took a sharp detour into Web3 for many people. Web3 investments made millionaires out of some, but broke degens out of others. Now, Ric Flair is throwing his hat into the game with a new altcoin.

Ric Flair’s New Cryptocurrency

Ric Flair is now plugging a new altcoin called WoooooCoin. He made sure to specify that there are 5 Os in the Wooooo. The Nature Boy did so while dropping a highly energetic video to plug this coin’s drop.

While rocking a sun tan and a bandage on his nose for some reason, Ric Flair cut a promo about his new altcoin. He made is clear that the whitelist is now open for what he is calling “the hottest” cryptocurrency of 2023.

Wooooo! Coin… There Is Only One True Wooooo! Get In On The Hottest Crypto Project Of The Year! Whitelist Is Now Open!

It’s important to remember which altcoin this is, if you decide to throw any money at this coin, because there is already a WoooooCoin on the market with Ric Flair’s likeness. This new coin is apparently a different coin, as altcoins are known to rip off popular memes without any endorsement or affiliation.

Wooooo! Coin… There Is Only One True Wooooo! Get In On The Hottest Crypto Project Of The Year! Whitelist Is Now Open!https://t.co/rLtcpeLY23https://t.co/dqUY4gPazJ

Join The Community On Telegram And Get On The Whitelist! pic.twitter.com/byhsrJr4vn

— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) December 22, 2023

What Are Web3 Altcoins?

Web3 altcoins, sometimes called “sh*tcoins,” are digital assets built on a decentralized blockchain technology. In the realm of Web3, altcoins serve as a tradable commodity outside traditional cryptocurrencies like BitCoin and Ethereum.

Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, altcoins are specifically designed to align with the principles of a decentralized web, removing intermediaries, and creating transparency within communities. As the Web3 space evolves, these altcoins have obviously attracted a plethora of celebrity and influencer endorsements along the way, all with varying degrees of failure attached.

Some altcoins go beyond the initial pump and dump, because they are backed by strong communities, like $Doge, $Pepe, $Dork, and others, but the jury is still out regarding how much of a liquidity pool WoooooCoin will be able to pull in.

Ric Flair is also plugging his Wooooo Energy drink, which is a big part of his AEW contract. He will also likely continue appearing for Tony Khan, when ever they can find a way to use him. 

AEW already has a diverse roster, featuring talented wrestlers from around the globe, including Japan. As much as Tony Khan might like to add even more depth to his roster, it appears that they are staying away from Giulia.

Notable names like Hikaru Shida and Riho contribute to the international flair on the AEW roster. Despite this fact, AEW has not actively pursued Giulia, as rumors of WWE’s interest intensifies.

AEW Not Going After Giulia

Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that AEW has not engaged in serious discussions or attempts to sign Giulia. At this point, she has two options between staying in Japan or joining WWE.

”Nothing new on Giulia past that AEW has never made a serious play for her, and she’s had no conversations with AEW and is not considering them. It’s WWE or staying in Japan”

Giulia was rumored to have visited the WWE Performance Center recently, but there is some doubt about whether that actually happened. WWE is interested in Giulia, as she would be a good addition to their roster of impressive international talent.

The latest on Giulia’s situation: AEW has never made a serious play for her & she’s had no conversations with them, is not considering AEW. It’s either she’s headed to WWE or staying in Japan.

— WON pic.twitter.com/6ZeyIfrFzi

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) December 22, 2023

Who Is Giulia & Why Is WWE Interested?

Giulia was born in London, England, to an Italian father and a Japanese mother, who was studying in the city. A year after Giulia’s birth, the family returned to Japan, and she grew up in Chiba Prefecture. Prior to pursuing her career as a professional wrestler with Ice Ribbon in 2017, she actually worked as a manager in an Italian restaurant. Pro wrestling has fit her much better in life. 

Giulia started gaining attention in 2017 when she entered the Ice Ribbon promotion, and she later joined STARDOM in 2019, where she still is. Her contract with STARDOM is a big question right now, and WWE could have a very attractive offer for her.

Giulia has achieved numerous accolades and championships in her career. In Ice Ribbon, she secured the International Ribbon Tag Team Championship once, teaming up with Tequila Saya. Giulia’s exceptional performance earned her the Rookie Award in 2018, which she shared with Tequila Saya, as recognized by the Ice Ribbon Year-End Awards.

Transitioning to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Giulia clinched the Strong Women’s Championship, adding another accomplishment to her list. Her journey with World Wonder Ring Stardom has been equally impressive, where she has triumphed in various championships. Giulia has held the Artist of Stardom Championship twice, partnering with Maika and Syuri in one reign and Mai Sakurai and Thekla in the other. She also secured the Goddess of Stardom Championship alongside Syuri and claimed solo titles, including the Wonder of Stardom Championship and the esteemed World of Stardom Championship.

We will keep a close eye on Giulia, because she has an amazing upside for her. At 29-years-old, Giulia is set to make one of the most important decisions of her career.

Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho were all set to challenge Ricky Starks and Big Bill for the AEW World Tag Team Titles at Worlds End on December 30th, but then the unexpected happened. Omega went down with a case of diverticulitis, and that changed everything.

Kenny Omega’s Current Condition

The most recent word we’ve heard is that Kenny Omega is doing better, but he is far from making a return to the ring. At this point, his comeback date is undetermined, because he must get healthy first.

Don Callis and Kenny Omega have a lot of history with each other, some good and some bad. Their most recent run-in on AEW television did not end in a pretty way, so there is storyline friction between the two.

Callis dropped all the kayfabe as he broke character for a sentimental post. He dropped a heartwarming video dedicated to his experiences with Kenny Omega, a reminder of everything the two have been through.

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C1I4BObuEqW

Although Don Callis did not provide any caption for his post, except to tag Kenny Omega, it is evident that he is wishing his old friend a speedy recovery. Kenny Omega’s illness was a shock for many, because it was kept very close to the vest, even up to his match against Ethan Page.

Don Callis probably wouldn’t break character like this on television to wish Kenny Omega well, but it’s good to see that he did on social media. This is another reminder of the real people behind those pro wrestling personas; no matter how good they are at making us hate them, like Don Callis.

AEW signed an impressive list of pro wrestling minds and legends when Tony Khan started the company. Dean Malenko was one man that helped in a big way during the company’s early days, but a health problem stood in the way. Now, he is recovering after brain surgery. 

Dean Malenko’s Brain Surgery

During the recent Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross mentioned encountering Dean Malenko during the Dynamite and Rampage tapings in Oklahoma City. Ross shared that Malenko underwent surgery to address symptoms related to his Parkinson’s disease.

I saw Dean Malenko. Malenko’s had some health issues. I saw him there. And he had brain surgery and it stops his shakes form the Parkinson’s and it has, he’s had the surgery. He’s such a sweetheart of a guy.

Jim Ross elaborated on Dean Malenko’s significant contribution to AEW. He also shed light on Malenko’s role in guiding talent through the process of constructing their matches on AEW programming.

He one of those unsung guys that’s such an MVP at AEW because of his guidance, his coaching. He encourages the talents to bring with them to him what they want to do… and then he helps them, he contributes. It’s teaching. All that is is coaching. And he’s really, really good at it. 

Dean Malenko’s History in Pro Wrestling

Dean Malenko is a veteran in the world of professional wrestling, with a storied career that spans multiple decades. Malenko gained popularity over the years, while working for various wrestling companies, including WCW, where most fans remember his work. 

During Dean Malenko’s time in WCW, he achieved considerable success, earning the nickname “The Man of 1,000 Holds” for his extensive list of wrestling moves. That is a nickname he certainly earned by demonstrating his technical expertise every time he stepped in the ring.

In recent years, Dean Malenko continued to contribute to the wrestling industry, making a notable appearance in All Elite Wrestling. As part of AEW, Malenko played a crucial behind-the-scenes role, utilizing his experience to contribute to the development of younger performers on the AEW roster, and to ensure that they put out the best product possible. 

Our thoughts are with Dean Malenko as he gets over this rough patch. Hopefully, there are much brighter days ahead for him.

We have a positive health update on AEW star Kenny Omega.

‘The Cleaner’ is currently out of action for an indefinite period after he was diagnosed with diverticulitis following his recent match with Ethan Page. The former AEW World Champion was hospitalized immediately after the match.

It’s worth noting that Omega and Chris Jericho, together known as Golden Jets were scheduled to compete in a tag team match at the AEW’s final pay-per-view of the year, AEW Worlds End. However, that match has been nixed due to Omega’s absence.

Update on Kenny Omega

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer shared an update on Omega’s health condition and revealed that he’s doing a lot better. However, he has long road ahead of him.

“It’s been six days since Omega was hospitalized. And by the way, he is doing better, but he’s got a long road ahead of him.”

In addition to his, Meltzer said that he’s working on the idea that Omega will be out for a long time.

“I’m going to go with the idea that Omega is out for a long, long time, so I’m not going to figure him into this [building up challengers for AEW World Heavyweight Champion MJF] right now until later.”

Chris Jericho spoke about Kenny Omega on AEW Dynamite

This week on AEW Dynamite, Omega’s tag team partner Chris Jericho spoke about him. Jericho stated that ‘The Cleaner’ would be out of action indefinitely and he also has no timetable to return as of now. 

Moreover, he also mentioned that Omega’s absence has impacted The Golden Jets’ shot at the AEW World Tag Team Championship at World’s End. However, ‘The Demo God’ believes Omega’s health was of utmost importance and wished him a speedy recovery. He concluded his promo by assuring that their tag team run would resume once Omega returns.

 Zak Knight has finally competed in front of an All Elite Wrestling and Ring Of Honor audience. His sister, Saraya, has been advocating for her brother to wrestle in AEW for a few months. Ahead of the December 20 episode of AEW Dynamite, AEW President Tony Khan gave Knight his opportunity.

Knight shared on Twitter on December 19 that he had been in the United States for the month and was traveling with AEW. In the tweet, he spoke highly of the company and the backstage environment and thanked Khan for giving him the opportunity. This caught fans’ attention, but it was unclear when he would wrestle for the company. 

 The following day, he posted a photo of himself and Saraya standing at the entrance ramp for AEW Dynamite hours before the show. On Twitter, The Franchise Sports’s Sean Thurmond shared that Knight faced Peter Avalon in a taped match before the episode. The photo Thurmond shared of Knight and Avalon in action showed them wrestling for a ROH. It was also noted that the debuting talent won the match. 

It’s unclear if it will be shown on a future episode of ROH on Honor Club. That said, Saraya got her wish, and Knight was able to showcase his skills in front of an AEW and ROH audience. 

After making his debut and getting a win, it’s possible Knight could be making more appearances for either AEW or ROH. 

What’s Next For Zak Knight?

Knight revealed that he will travel from December 28 until January 21, 2024. He has a Visa to work in the U.S. and Canada and posted on Twitter on December 10 that he is accepting bookings for January. 

While he is the Shropshire Wrestling Alliance Champion, Knight is looking to explore his options next year. It’s possible that Khan could book Knight for more appearances, as his availability seems open for now. 

For Saraya, she’ll likely want to see the AEW President give her brother more chances and potentially make him “All Elite” in 2024. 

AEW has plans to take their brand of professional wrestling across the world to India, according to Satnam Singh. 

Since launching in 2019, AEW has mostly kept itself within the United States. In October 2022, AEW hosted its first events in Canada which also saw the debut of Renee Paquette. Earlier this year, AEW traveled outside of North America for AEW All In. The UK-based show was a huge success with a second event scheduled for next year. 

AEW’s Coming to India

AEW is making its name across the globe and it appears India is in the sights of Tony Khan. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Satnam Singh was asked about his AEW career and revealed plans for the promotion to travel to India. 

“I have signed with AEW now, and I stay with them always. Every week we travel and we have matches also. We are planning to bring AEW to India and expose it here so that the people in this country know what it is. This is important.

“The youth should know that something can be done with wrestling too. Children need to find something, analyse your health and power, and see what you can do. It is not important that you need to do sports, study, become a businessman, very important.”

Satnam Singh on a Potential Basketball Return

Before wrestling, Singh competed in basketball but was handed a two-year ban handed by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after a positive test. While his ban is a thing of the past, a return to the court isn’t in Singh’s future. 

“No comeback plans. I don’t have any plan to come back there after whatever happened to me, I am done. I am focussed in wrestling right now.”

Singh’s most recent match saw himself, Jeff Jarrett, and Jay Lethal lose to The Acclaimed at AEW All Out 2023. 

The AEW tenure of QT Marshall has already come to an end, despite some time remaining on his contract with the All-Elite promotion. 

In November, Marshall announced that he was going to resign from AEW and that his time with the company would run through the end of this year.  Marshall had worked both on-screen as part of the QTV faction in addition to working behind the scenes. Marshall had reportedly felt frustrated within AEW, and felt like he wasn’t being used on screen effectively nor was he being positioned to be a wrestling store. Those in AEW told SEScoops that people understand his decision to move on and appreciate his contributions. 

QT Marshall is Already Finished

Sources within AEW have confirmed to Fightful Select that Marshall has effectively finished his time with the company already. Marshall has not been at AEW shows in weeks after giving his notice months ago. Marshall had signed a short-term extension through the end of the year. 

What’s Next for QT Marshall? 

Marshall is gone from AEW, but it may not be long before we see him back in the ring. MLW has had its eye on Marshall, who they feel would be greatly beneficial to the company’s future. Marshall would likely factor into plans for a complete overhaul of the promotion’s ‘front office.’ 

Marshall, alongside Cody Rhodes, recently filed a trademark for Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, the promotion founded by Dusty Rhodes. While it is unclear if the duo plans to resurrect the promotion, Marshall has been adamant that he wants to perform in-ring while he was in his prime. 

This Saturday, AEW will be in San Antonio, Texas for Collision. They are coming off of shows in Dallas, Arlington, and Garland (the latter also hosted ROH Final Battle on December 15). 

Texas has seen some big moments in AEW’s young history. San Antonio was the site for the first ever women’s steel cage match between Thunder Rosa (who’s adopted the city as her own) and Britt Baker. Rosa won to become the AEW Women’s Champion. 

At Fyter Fest 2021, Lance Archer defeated Jon Moxley in a Texas Deathmatch to become the IWGP United States Champion. “Winter is Coming” 2022 saw MJF defeat Ricky Starks to retain the Dynamite Diamond Ring. 

Texas loves wrestling

On February 3, 2024, AEW will make its debut in Edinburg, Texas. Collision will be live from the Bert Ogden Arena. Daniel Garcia spoke with Valley Central about wrestling in front of strong Latino fanbases.

“I feel like every time we’re in a place like in South Texas, somebody that has that strong Latino fan base, it’s so dope to wrestle in front of them. They’re always loud. They’re always rowdy. In my opinion, Texas is the best crowds that we perform in front of.”

Garcia will wrestle this Saturday against Brody King in the Continental Classic. He has been mathematically eliminated, but could still pick up his first tournament win. 

There are some early-on talks being made about the possibility of Warner Bros. Discovery merging with Paramount Global.

Axios learned from multiple sources that CEO David Zaslav met with Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakis on December 19 about the idea of merging the two television powerhouses.

WBD plays host to TNT, TBS and HBO while Paramount controls CBS, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central so together the duo could really pack a punch for continuing and prospective customers. However, where does it all leave AEW and WWE?

Whenever a wrestling fan hears the term “merger” it could cause cold sweats because of the infamous AOL-Time Warner fusion that ultimately ended WCW. That changed the landscape of the business solely WWE. However, in this case, the move may bode well for perhaps both promotions.

It was believed that WWE would soon sign its Raw television rights over to WBD, but nothing has happened as of yet. It appears by past actions Zaslav has an appreciation for pro wrestling and if WBD were to mergr with Paramount, they’re the primary bread winner between the brands. WBD earnings are valued around $29 billion while Paramount is around $10 million. That’s likely an indicator that Zaslav would at least want to sign one promotion. 

However, in the same turn,  the fact that there may still be interest in AEW could allow Paramount to host AEW programming while Raw airs every Monday could be on TNT. In that regard, AEW’s brand identity doesn’t get diminished or discarded.

MJF was recently honored with an induction into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. SEScoops correspondent Jason Solomon was on hand and spoke with the reigning AEW World Champion. 

During their interview, MJF addressed his transition to a babyface persona, admitting he initially hesitated to embrace the transformation due to concerns about rejection from the audience. The Solomonster brought up Tony Khan’s labeling AEW as a “challenger brand” (to WWE) which opened up the idea of so many wrestling fans rooting against AEW online.

MJF has seen a lot of the negativity levied at AEW on social media. AEW has been required to chart a unique path in the wrestling landscape, and MJF sees some similarities to his Jewish faith.

Why do some fans hate AEW?

“Yeah, well, here’s why. I’m actually going to relate this to Judaism, because I’m very good at my job. When you think about why people hate us and why we constantly get attacked, it’s because we’re different and being different makes people uncomfortable.

I genuinely feel the reason that a lot of the time you’ll find a lot of.. and don’t get me wrong, there was most certainly constructive criticism online, genuinely.. but you’ll find a lot of non-constructive criticism online. Just wild irredeemably messed up sh*t that people are saying that is either untrue Or just mean, you know? And I think the reason that’s happening is Monday Night Raw is the longest reigning episodic television show of all time. We have only been around for what, four and a half years? That’s new, that’s different, and what’s different.. different scares people.

So I actually do agree for once with Tony Khan’s assessment [AEW being the ‘challenger brand’ to WWE] and I think that’s the issue. I think the issue is that we’re fresh. We’re new. We feel dangerous to people – and I kind of get off on that, because I get to be the World Champion of that danger and that change, just like I get to be a champion of the Jewish people.”

AEW has a legion of die-hard fans who will defend the company’s decisions, but a vocal portion of the fan base does not make it easy for Tony Khan’s company to thrive in this setting. No matter how the fans feel, MJF appears to be in AEW’s corner 100% as their longest-reigning champion with the most title defenses under his belt as well.

MJF on Meeting John Cena

The Solomonster also asked MJF about his recent meeting with John Cena earlier this month at the movie premiere for The Iron Claw. 

MJF has had bad things to say about virtually everybody,  but not John Cena. MJF told Cena to his face that he’s an inspiration and raved about Cena’s work ethic to people everywhere:

What’s Next For MJF In AEW

MJF asserts that he hasn’t committed to a renewed contract with AEW, leaving the potential for the Bidding War of 2024 to become a reality. While this is the narrative he presents, there’s a prevailing belief within WWE that MJF inked a new deal over a year ago, preceding his return at All Out in 2022.

Currently, as AEW World Champion title, MJF has transitioned into a babyface character, a shift not without its concerns. He is a complex character, but he is also not one to give up when he hits an obstacle in his way.

MJF is currently scheduled to defend the AEW World Title against Samoa Joe at Worlds End on December 30th. This is a tricky situation, because MJF will enter the match with a nagging injury. Either way, he is going to fulfill is obligations with Tony Khan’s company.

On tonight’s All Elite Wrestling Dynamite episode, WWE Hall of Famer and AEW Commentator Jim Ross will return. The news of his comeback was announced by AEW Commentator Tony Schiavone on the AEW Control Center, previewing tonight’s episode. Ross has been away dealing with health issues, notably healing a wound following radiation treatment for skin cancer. 

The December 20 episode of AEW Dynamite will occur at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This is notable as fans will know that Ross is a proud Oklahoma native and could be part of why he is returning to the show. It’s unclear if he will be a part of the commentary team for the entire show, but it seems likely to be possible.

Regarding health issues, Ross shared on the December 7 episode of his podcast Grilling JR that he made positive changes during his break. He noted that he has stopped drinking, and he has seen weight loss due to the adjustment. 

When speaking about the decision to quit drinking, he admitted that it was a needed change to get healthier. 

SEScoops’ Dominic DeAngelo transcribed the following quotes.

“My goal is to get healthy, and drinking was not working well with my meds, my diabetes medication … it was a conflict of interest, so to speak, because I want to get healthier and these meds gotta work and I was diluting their strength by drinking so I hung it up.”

The news of Ross’s life changes and return on tonight’s AEW Dynamite is excellent news for fans who have wanted to see his presence on TV. The hope is that the positive lifestyle changes will help him stay healthy and more involved with AEW. 

Although it is unclear where his future lies with the company. 

Is Jim Ross Staying with AEW?

Ross shared in November that his contract with AEW is set to expire. As of now, it is unclear exactly when his deal will be done. However, he wants to re-sign with the company and AEW President Tony Khan wants to keep him. 

Ross is represented by wrestling agent Barry Bloom, who has helped current AEW superstars reach lucrative deals with the company. While Khan and Ross are both interested in “JR” staying in AEW, it’s unknown what the negotiation process and terms of the deal could look like. 

For now, Ross and the AEW fanbase will welcome his comeback and hope to see more of him heading into 2024. 

This year, All Elite Wrestling superstar Swerve Strickland has become one of the breakout talents on the roster. He’s been featured on AEW TV and involved in big matches, notably against his rival “Hangman” Adam Page. That said, Strickland is looking to have a better year in 2024. 

Strickland spoke with Jacksonville, Florida’s News Reporter Scott Johnson on Going Ringside about his plans for the new year. He shared that he’s looking to become an AEW World Champion and believes he could have been the champion if given the opportunity. 

“…I said middle of this year, if I would’ve gotten the opportunities that Hangman Page would’ve gotten my first year, I would have been the first African American AEW world champion. And I do believe that. I can still do that. That is the only thing on my mind right now,” said Strickland.

While some fans may take Strickland’s confidence lightly, he has quickly become a superstar that AEW could decide to put the world title on. He’s coming off of the biggest rivalry of his career and won a highly praised Texas Deathmatch over Page at AEW Full Gear on November 18. 

Strickland’s recent success and presence could give the company a reason to make him a title challenger in 2024. Currently, he is participating in the round-robin Continental Classic tournament. The winner of the tourney will become the inaugural AEW Triple Crown Champion. He has nine points in the Gold League division of the tournament and is in an excellent position to make it to the semi-finals. However, he needs to win his next match. 

Preview Of Swerve Strickland vs. RUSH On AEW Dynamite 

In tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Strickland will take on RUSH in a Gold League matchup. RUSH has been eliminated from the tournament but likely wants to end the round with a big win. 

For Strickland, a win over RUSH advances him to the Continental Classic Semi-Finals on the December 27 episode of AEW Dynamite. If he was to lose, he would have to hope that White, who is tied with him, is defeated by Jon Moxley. The former AEW World Champion is the current leader in the Gold League with 12 points and already has a spot in the next round. 

Both matchups will occur on tonight, so fans will want to tune in to see who will advance. 

Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) received a huge honor on Monday as he was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. SEScoops correspondent Jason ‘The Solomonster’ Solomon was on hand for the ceremony and conducted an exclusive interview with the AEW World Champion.

MJF’s 2023 was full of big wins and captivating storylines. Ahead of his big title defense against Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End later this month (12/30), we wanted to know about his recent meeting with childhood hero John Cena at the “The Iron Claw” premiere.

MJF spoke about what it was like to meet Cena, what sets the 16-time world champion apart from everybody else and Cena’s advice for him.

“He is a tremendous role model. Not just for me as a professional wrestler, but for everybody around the world, because he teaches you how important hard work is.”
– MJF on John Cena

“You’re an Inspiration”

The ‘Salt of the Earth’ said it meant the world to him that John Cena approached him at the event and paid him a compliment he’ll never forget.

“I don’t think it’s unprofessional for me to discuss what we talked about. He didn’t have to do this, and it meant the world to me. [John Cena] walked over to me, and he said he’s a fan of my work, and he respected my professionalism.

MJF had another chance to talk with John Cena when they were spotted together on the red carpet. MJF reveals he told John Cena that he’s an inspiration and says Cena’s work ethic puts him lightyears ahead so many people in wrestling who ‘phone it in’ and don’t go the extra 10 miles that Cena goes. 

“Once we were on the red carpet, we talked some more and I told him straight up, I said, ‘You’re an inspiration’ because he is, you know?

There are a lot of people in my industry who phone it in. I cannot recall one time in the over a decade of John Cena’s career where he phoned it in even once. He’s incapable, just like I’m incapable.

He is a tremendous role model. Not just for me as a professional wrestler, but for everybody around the world, because he teaches you how important hard work is.”

Cena was one of MJF’s wrestling heroes growing up, along with CM Punk. “… and for crying out loud, my two guys, I make no bones about it, everybody knows that one of my guys was CM Punk, but my other guy was John Cena. As I got older, it became Punk, you know, because I was trying to rebel a little bit, you know, I had a John Cena Fathead on my bedroom wall. You know, it’s John Cena! 

We also discussed transitioning from pro wrestling to acting. He’s just an incredible person and I don’t have one negative thing to say about him.”

What’s Next For MJF?

MJF recently confirmed that he has not signed a new deal with AEW. He also believes that WWE wouldn’t put him in a corner, or prohibit his creativity. The Bidding War of 2024 could still be on, and someone like John Cena may be able to help grease the wheels in a big way.

Although original plans for MJF in “The Iron Claw” were initially cut, that film still gave him a great platform. He is also listed as an Executive Producer on the film, thanks to the contributions he made.

Without “The Iron Claw” film, fans wouldn’t have seen that meeting between MJF and John Cena. It’s anyone’s guess if that meeting will just be the first of many down the line. 

Samoa Joe is gearing up for AEW Worlds End pay-per-view where he will challenge MJF for the AEW World Championship. Ahead of AEW’s final pay-per-view, he has shed light on his inspiration which has helped him polish his mic skills for almost two decades.

‘The Samoan Submission Machine’ remains to be one of the most feared opponents in the pro wrestling industry. For a man of his size, the in-ring athleticism is remarkable and it has kept him the standout wrestler for years. 18 years have passed since Joe made a breakthrough as a pro wrestler and he has top promotions in his resume including TNA/Impact, NXT, WWE, ROH, and AEW. 

Not only his in-ring ability, but his promo skills are unparalleled. He has revealed that the inspiration for scathing promos comes from movies. 

Samoe Joe talks about his inspiration

In an interview with Orlando Sentinel, the two-time AEW TNT Champion revealed that he’s been enjoying the matches from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) from Mexico: 

“It’s great action, and they obviously have a lot of guys who are tremendously skilled,” he said. 

However, he has drawn inspiration for big talk from action movies.

“Most of my inspiration comes from outside the (wrestling) industry,” Joe said. “I watch a lot of drama, a lot of big action films, with great speakers plying their trade. I’ll see something that inspires me, recycle it, change it and make it my own.”

Samoa Joe believes he can defeat MJF at AEW Worlds End

Joe is gearing up for his shot at MJF’s World title and wants the champ to be at his best. Thereby, the veteran star is trying to protect him and even teamed up with him in the past. During the same interview, Joe said that MJF presents challenges for him and he’ll be merciless at Worlds End. He said:

“MJF presents some unique challenges for me. He’s got an abrasive tongue and wit. He’s duplicitous when he needs to be. But I plan to take a healthy MJF and beat him in due course. I’ll pummel him unmercifully when the time comes at Worlds End.”

We will have to wait and see if Samoe Joe manages to live up to his words at AEW Worlds End which takes place on Saturday, December 30 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in New York.

Rey Fenix was scheduled to have a match at Prestige Wrestling next month. However, he will be missing the event due to injury.

Prestige Wrestling recently announced that Rey Fenix will be unable to compete on January 5 at Roseland due to an injury. Fenix was scheduled to face Samuray Del Sol at the event. It was further revealed that Lio Rush will be replacing him.

? BREAKING NEWS ?

Due to an injury REY FENIX cannot compete…

SAMURAY DEL SOL will now face LIO RUSH at #PrestigeRoseland 7!

January 5th, 2024
Portland, Oregon
Roseland Theater
All Ages

Limited floor & balcony tickets still available!

? https://t.co/923RtPRI1t pic.twitter.com/zL7k9Ed4z2

— Prestige Wrestling (@WrestlePrestige) December 20, 2023

Fenix has been dealing with a nagging injury for quite some time. He has been out of action for several months. He previously was part of the four-way tag team match at AEW WrestleDream in Seattle where the winning team earned a championship match against FTR.

The four teams in the match were The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), Lucha Brothers (Penta & Rey Fenix), The Gunns (Austin & Colten Gunn), and Orange Cassidy & Hook. 

In the initial stage of the match. Fenix was thrown into the barricades a few times. The ringside doctors soon attended him and he was taken to the back. It was reported that it was this match in which he sustained the injury.

Fenix competed on the October 10 episode of AEW Dynamite when he lost the AEW International Championship to Orange Cassidy. In the final moments of the match, Cassidy hit an Orange Punch to score the pinfall and captured the title to become a two-time AEW International Champion. This ended Fenix’s reign as champion which lasted only 20 days and it marked his last match before getting sidelined.

It is to be seen when Rey Fenix manages to make his return to action.

We at SEScoops wish him a speedy recovery.