Eric Bischoff has experience dealing with TV deals, both in wrestling and outside of it, and based on what he’s hearing, he feels WWE is on the verge of cinching a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery for the rights to Raw.
Speaking on “Strictly Business” with co-host Jon Alba, Bischoff addressed the reported meeting that went down between WWE and WBD and he feels that a deal between the two parties is basically done, especially due to the fact that Triple H was one of those names to be apart of the conversation. That report indicated to him that the process is pretty far along and could mean some big news to come to pro wrestling.
“The difference me and everybody else is I’ve been there and I’ve done it and I see a picture a little differently than others, but I don’t know either. I just have feelings that are different from most people based on what I’ve experienced.”
Bischoff has remained unabashed in his thoughts when it comes to Tony Khan’s handling of AEW and although the former WCW President has been critical of Khan’s practices, he does hope for a good outcome in regards to All Elite Wrestling.
“In many respects I hope I’m wrong. I don’t want to see AEW end up in a drain. I really don’t. Again, there’s people there that I really respect and like and some of them I’m friends with, some of them I just admire. Do I want to see MJF continue to grow? Absolutely. Are there people there that I’m friends with and friendly with? Absolutely, but if it happens, I don’t think anybody should be surprised, not anybody listening to this show.”
Please credit “Strictly Business” and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
AEW promised a new era of professional wrestling when they opened their doors. Their rebellious branding may have also filtered into their backstage environment as well, because the company has a reputation of having younger talent who aren’t interested in taking veteran advice.
CM Punk and Jack Perry’s backstage scuffle at All In London was caused by Perry’s defiant nature. Punk advised against Perry using real glass several weeks prior, but he didn’t have a say in his match at Wembley Stadium. After Perry dropped Hook on the windshield of a car, he made a point to tell the camera that it was real glass so, “cry me a river.”
During an interview with Party with Marty, RVD stated that he’s head the same thing from Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. AEW has those veteran minds around, but nobody is sitting under their learning tree.
“I heard Tully Blanchard say it, and I’m told Arn Anderson said it too, although that is hearsay, that the young guys don’t want their input ever. [They] never ask them ever for any help or anything on their matches and stuff … I mean, that’s important to me. It makes me think, do they think they know it all? Do they not respect them enough? But also, it’s awkward for them because they’re not taught like us to go around and shake everyone’s hand and stuff.“
AEW May Have A Problem
CM Punk had a great time at the WWE Performance Center. He reported while he was there as well. It appears that he found himself in a setting where younger talent were more than happy to listen. Life Goes On For CM Punk
CM Punk had a great time at the WWE Performance Center. He reported “held court” while he was there as well. It appears that he found himself in a setting where younger talent were more than happy to listen.
CM Punk and Jack Perry’s backstage altercation wasn’t the only one in AEW history. Other skirmishes and backstage drama have also dotted the company’s history, such as Sammy Guevara and Andrade El Idolo’s public tiff, one that involved a backstage altercation.
AEW has a lot of veteran talent around, and we haven’t heard from all of them on this subject. Jake “The Snake” Roberts is backstage, and he has also spoken in the past that he is willing to do anything Tony Khan asks of him. We have to wonder if Tony Khan is supporting the practice of listening to the veterans he has on his payroll.
It seems that the rumor and innuendo would say that AEW talent aren’t too interested in hearing what the former generation has to say about what they’re doing for Tony Khan’s company.
Cody Rhodes transitioning from AEW to WWE in 2022 sparked speculation among fans that anyone, including a company co-founder, could depart AEW for WWE. It seems that nobody is off the table, either.
Jade Cargill also made a similar move in 2023, and fans are still waiting for her official in-ring debut. Considering MJF’s willingness to discuss WWE, and the great Bidding War of 2024, fans have pondered whether he might eventually follow his friend and mentor Cody Rhodes to WWE as well.
“I think one day you will see MJF in WWE. I’m really proud of him. For those that don’t know, MJF was one of my recruits and probably the one I’m most excited about because of potential and personality and overall professionalism. One thing I’m proud of him for doing is, if you notice, he’s put on a lot of muscle and he’s put it on safely over the last year and a half. When he does make that jump, I don’t know when that is, if he makes the jump. If he comes to WWE, you have to stand across from guys like Drew McIntyre, like Omos, Brock Lesnar. I’m not shaming anyone who is not hitting the gym and clanging and banging with the weights, like The Rock would say, but it is part of what we do now. You have to be able to swing a bat with the big boys. Watching him grow physically, it seems like maybe he knows where his future lies. Really, your guess is as good as mine. I never bother him about it because I want to remain the friends we’ve become today.”
Recent speculation has stated that MJF may have already inked a new deal with AEW. He hasn’t brought up the Bidding War of 2024 in a while, and that caused some to wonder what his next move is.
Exclusive Insight on WWE and MJF’s Current Standing
I have asked around on several occasions about WWE’s interest in MJF, and whether there is any talk about bringing him in. There have never been any talks within the creative team about MJF, because a deal hasn’t been signed.
As I have previously stated, WWE creative team members are usually only approached once someone is actually signed. On a very rare occasion, they will be asked if they have any ideas for someone that the company is considering, but it doesn’t seem that there are any discussions with MJF.
I was also told that the general thought within WWE is that MJF already inked a new deal with Tony Khan. AEW just hasn’t publicly announced that yet for some reason.
MJF may stay with AEW for another contract cycle, and that could work out just fine for him. At 27-years-old, MJF still has plenty of time with WWE if he waited another three or four years.
It’s anyone’s guess how different the pro wrestling world would be today if WWE scooped up MJF after his Tough Enough audition tape. On that note, you may check out that amazing piece of pro wrestling history below.
Santa Claus can travel across the planet in a single night, and Jolly Ol’ St. Nick recently touched down for the AEW Rampage tapings. In a clip that has gone viral, Santa can be seen in the crowd for the show, and when approached by an elf, greeted his employee with a big hug.
During the rampage taping, a guy in a Santa suit was getting into it with the talent in the ring and a random guy in an elf suit went sprinting to him from the other side of the arena??? #aewpic.twitter.com/iA5cWb33Yr
A lot has been said about how Artificial Intelligence could affect the world of entertainment, whether it be in artistic design, editing, or creative writing. Taking to Twitter, the American Dragon gave a unique reason as to why a computer will never be able to replace him.
After many delays, AEW Fight Forever was released earlier this year, and fans now get to enjoy some downloadable content for the game. The new Beat The Elite DLC sees a chosen wrestler face 10 random AEW wrestlers, wth the final opponent being a member of the Elite. Winners are rewarded with in-game cosmetic items.
In the new, highly competitive Beat the Elite gameplay mode, Fight Forever players will face 10 random #AEW talents. The last match will always be against a wrestler from The Elite. Win all 10 matches & you'll be rewarded with… pic.twitter.com/5ivYj8Kw5Y
With the holidays coming up, AEW is doing what it can to help young people who are in unfortunate situations. On Twitter, Tony Khan announced that over $1 million worth of toys will be going to kids this season. The final AEW Continental Classic league bouts will be known as AEW’s Tournament for Tots.
Next week partnering with @Jazwares + @ToysForTots_USA, the last week of #AEWContinentalClassic league bouts will be known as @AEW's Tournament For Tots, with over $1 million of toys going to kids this holiday season! See you very soon for #AEWDynamite, coming up on TBS TONIGHT!
AEW star Adam Copeland (formerly Edge in WWE) has credited pro wrestling in shaping up his role as Ares in Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
After he was forced to hang up his boots in 2011, Adam Copeland explored different avenues in life and tried his luck pursuing an acting career. The current AEW star has bagged roles in a handful of television shows and films over the years. He played a major part in the popular series Haven. In the new Percy Jackson series, Adam Copeland will portray Ares, the God of War.
Just slightly excited to finally be able to talk about @PercySeries debuting on @DisneyPlus Dec.20. Honored to be given the challenge of bringing Ares, The God of War to life. Sleep with one eye open Percy. https://t.co/XW6DSb21J8
The show is based on the the first story, ‘The Lightning Thief’, in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series by Rick Riordan.
The story revolves around the titular demigod, who is trying to recover Zeus’s stolen master bolt. The quest puts Percy Jackson amid the powerful beings, including a couple of Greek gods, Hades and Ares, who have a strong dislike towards him.
Adam Copeland reflects on his role
Ahead of the show’s release, Adam Copeland was at the red carpet. Speaking with The Koalition Entertainment, Adam Copeland outlined how wrestling helped him in portraying the role of Ares in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He drew similarities between the character of Ares and pro wrestling. Here is what the veteran star said:
“Aries is a little bit of wrestling and that helped, you know, because you’re playing with God. So you have to be larger than life. You have to be big. And that’s exactly what wrestling is. You have to amplify things to possibly 80,000 people away. So it has to be big. Everything has to be big. And Aries is big. So it came in handy to kind of dip into my wrestling playbook for it.”
At the red carpet, The Rated R Superstar looked stunning as he donned a red suit as well as a red fedora with a feather.
What would it mean for AEW if their relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery was to end next year?
Since launching, AEW has been allied with Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT and TBS. Tony Khan has shown immense loyalty to WBD and when looking for a TV deal for Ring of Honor, only approached WBD-owned broadcasters.
AEW & Warner Bros. Discovery
WWE is currently on the hunt for a new broadcast partner for Monday Night Raw, with the red brand’s deal with the USA Network set to expire next year. With the USA Network set to become the home of SmackDown, it is believed that the network will not renew its deal with Raw. Speaking on his Rumor & Innuendo podcast, Nick Hausman addressed what could be next for AEW’s relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery if talks with WWE prove fruitful.
“From what I gathered, Tony was getting quite a big part of the ad revenue for Dynamite early on, which when the new people came in [after WBD merger], they were like, ‘Whoa, how did you get this deal? We don’t really want to continue on with this, If this is going to be the ad rev share that we’re going to be doing’ So you’ve got that. You’ve got the NBA stuff.
“I also have been told by a couple people for months, that there is the belief that Warner has some kind of investment in AEW. Tony has 100% control of the company, but at a certain point, Warner made some kind of investment I’m speculating, guessing maybe to recoup a little bit of what they were losing with the ad share.
“So while I don’t, well again….it was told to me that this meeting that appears to be what Dave is referencing [between WWE and WBD], and got everybody all worked up about did not happen. There are other indicators to me that things are not going maybe as Tony is projecting publicly, and I would not be surprised to see AEW and Warner may be part ways next year.”
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
The attack on Page ended with the former AEW World Champion being slammed onto a car windshield, which led some to believe the Devil is Jack Perry. Perry has long been suspected of being behind the mask with his suspension from AEW reportedly ending over a month ago. It was Perry’s use of real glass at All In that would ultimately end CM Punk’s tenure with the company as well.
While certain signs point to Perry, it appears that the former FTW Champion isn’t behind these attacks. A high-level source who spoke to Fightful Select after the attack on Page clarified that they don’t believe Jack Perry is involved in the angle. Of course, plans could change but it has previously been reported that the Devil’s henchmen are being played on screen by the talent who will ultimately be unmasked.
Update on ‘Hangman’ Page
It was added that ‘Hangman’ Page will be off TV for the time being to sell the impact of this attack. There is currently no time window as to when fans can expect the Cowboy back on TV.
AEW star Andrade El Idolo is making his comeback to CMLL for the first time in many years but he’s not coming alone as his manager CJ Perry is also set to make her debut.
The former Lana made her debut for AEW at September’s All Out pay-per-view. She came out to a thunderous reception from the fans following her husband Miro’s match against Powerhouse Hobbs. This marked her first appearance at a pro wrestling event since she was let go by WWE in late 2021.
On a recent CMLL show at Arena Mexico, a vignette saw Andrade El Idolo in which he announced that he would return home to CMLL. It was only a couple of weeks back that CMLL teased a star would be returning soon and this led to tons of speculation that Idolo might be making a return. Well, he’s not only coming back home but also bringing CJ Perry alongside him.
CJ Perry to make CMLL debut
On CMLL Twitter account, Andrade El Idolo announced that CJ Perry will be making her debut at Arena Mexico on Friday, December 15. Check out the video clip below:
Back in the day, Andrade performed under the name La Sombra and this will mark the Mexican superstar’s first appearance for the promotion in eight years.
Before joining WWE, he lost in a Mask vs. Mask match against Atlantis at CMLL’s 82nd Anniversary show. Notably, he is a former IWGP Intercontinental Champion which he captured during his run with the company as part of an agreement between CMLL and NJPW.
Andrade is also participating in the Continental Classic tournament, where he has acquired 9 points. ‘El Idolo’ is set to face Claudio Castagnoli on AEW Collision this Saturday.
Meanwhile, CJ Perry, who previously performed as Lana in WWE, will be gearing up for her debut in Mexico. You can read why CJ Perry decided to take a break after leaving WWE below:
Adam ‘Hangman’ Page has become the latest victim of The Devil and his henchman in an explosive cliffhanger to end this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
During the September 27, episode of AEW Dynamite, a group of masked individuals attacked Jay White. The gang was led by someone wearing MJF’s ‘devil’ mask, immediately pointing the finger of suspicion at the AEW World Champion. MJF has denied that he is the one behind these attacks and his allies in The Acclaimed have also been attacked. Last week, MJF was seen on the ground, seemingly after being attacked, though suspiciously, the attack was never shown.
‘Hangman’ Page Attacked
Moments before being ‘attacked’ last week, MJF accused ‘Hangman’ Page of being the one under the Devil mask. On this week’s show, Samoa Joe also pointed the finger of suspicion at the Cowboy before Roderick Stong argued that MJF was the Devil.
At the end of the show, the Devil’s henchmen attacked Page in the parking lot while the Devil was sat in a car. The masked person then nodded to his assistants, who proceeded to slam Page onto the glass windshield of the car.
The Devil's Men are attacking #HangmanAdamPage in the parking lot!
The use of the windshield may be a nod to the Devil being revealed as Jack Perry. The former Jungle Boy caused a stir at AEW All In during his match with Hook in which he made clear the windshield of his vehicle was real glass. Perry was suspended following his backstage altercation with CM Punk though his suspension reportedly ended over a month ago.
The Devil may be an anarchistic force, but he has his own AEW merch which has caught the attention of a WWE NXT Superstar. Click here to find out more.
AEW star Chris Jericho hasn’t watched ‘The Iron Claw’ yet but that doesn’t keep him away from shedding praise on the movie.
‘The Iron Claw’ captures the lives and tragedies of the famous Von Erich wrestling family. The wrestling lineage began with Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson,) and his sons would taste success in the squared circle. The Von Erichs are still active in wrestling at present with Marshall & Ross Von Erich competing to this day.
Chris Jericho, who has yet to watch the movie had nothing but praise for the movie as well as the wrestling family.
Chris Jericho comments
While speaking to Dallas News, he said that from what he’s heard, the movie has done a good job and reckoned that it will interesting to watch the Von Erich movie. Here is what he said:
“I haven’t seen the movie yet. I think it’s going to be really interesting. I think a lot of times Hollywood does a terrible job of making wrestling movies. They one exception, of course, is The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke. I think this one, from what I’ve heard, it’s done a good job of that as well.
He further spoke about never meeting a member of Von Erich and he’s quite excited that the family will be attending AEW Dynamite. He added:
“I’ve never met a Von Erich. I know the story as much as anybody else does, just from reading about it. So, I’m excited to kind of see that interpretation. … And I’m actually excited because the Von Erichs are going to be at Dynamite, and that’ll be the first time I’ve ever met a Von Erich ever, in any way, shape or form. So, you know, that’s pro wrestling royalty and such an uplifting story in a lot of ways, such a tragedy in other ways. So it’ll be cool to kind of get a chance to say hi to Kevin and pay respect.”
Meanwhile, Chris Jericho’s former rival and current AEW World Champion MJF had a role in The Iron Claw but his role was originally much bigger than what made the final cut. ‘The Salt of The Earth’ also made his presence felt at ‘The Iron Claw’ Premiere in Los Angeles.
Prior to joining All Elite Wrestling in 2022, Ring of Honor Women’s World champion Athena spent six years with WWE. As Ember Moon, she held the NXT Women title as well as the brand’s tag titles, alongside Shotzi Blackheart.
Despite her WWE run coming to an end in late-2021, Athena maintains an overall positive outlook on her experience there, particularly with the atmosphere in NXT.
Athena spoke with Phil Strum for Under The Ring and explained how working for WWE helped her develop as a performer.
Athena Says NXT was like going to Pro Wrestling University
Athena individually thanked several of the coaches she worked with in NXT, including Sara Amato, Robbie Brookside, Norman Smiiley, Matt Bloom, Fitt Finaly, Shawn Michaels, as well as Triple H.
“I learned a lot about myself,” she began. “I learned a lot about what I wanted, and where I wanted to be in my career. I think the most awesome part about being an NXT was working with [Triple H] or with working with all the amazing coaches like Sara Amato, Robbie Brookside, who I love to death. I cannot say enough great things about Robbie Brookside. [He] brought out that aggression within the Ember Moon character. Norman Smiley, Matt Bloom, Fit Finlay — there were just so much knowledge in one place in. Shawn Michaels too, Scotty 2 Hotty was there.
“There was just so much knowledge wrapped up in one place, that it was like a college for wrestling. I don’t know if that’s an accurate term, it was like Pro Wrestling University. It was really cool to jus be able to go there and just learn so much.”
Athena says she still speaks to many of her NXT coaches to this day. She asks them if they watch her matches in ROH and tries to pick up any pointers that she can.
“It’s just really cool to have that support still, even though I’m not there. I just learned a lot about myself and what I wanted out of my career there. I learned how to work for television, how to work for myself. It made me more motivated ever than before, just to be good at what I do. And I think that’s the beauty of that place.”
Listen to Athena’s appearance on Under the Ring at Apple Podcasts.
AEW veteran star Chris Jericho will be reprising his role in the upcoming Terrifier 3. He had a cameo in Terrifier 2, and it has been confirmed that he is set to return in the sequel of the movie.
AEW star Chris Jericho was briefly featured in Terrifier 2 credits scene, which set up the next installment in the series and it revolves around the main character, Art the Clown. On October 25, 2024, Terrifier 3 will drop in the theaters, and fans are already excited about it.
Andreas Wiseman of Deadline recently had a conversation with director Damien Leone and star Lauren LaVera while they promoted the film. When asked about stars who are returning for the third movie, Leon noted that Chris Jericho will be featured in it. Here are the comments:
“There are a few new major chaaracters introduced in three, one in particular that it’s too soon for me to announce…What I think I can say at this stage is that Chris Jericho [who has a cameo role as a psychiatric hospital attendant in a credits scene] is going to be returning. He’s super excited. This one is going to pick up where Part 2 left off, in the insane asylum, so, you’re going to see what transpires there, what mayhem unfolds, because seeing how Art and Victoria ended up, is so insane, and seeing how they get out of that situation and what happens next is going to be really wild. So, we have to get Chris back in there and see how he becomes a part of that situation.”
Chris Jericho confirms
The former AEW World Champion took to his Twitter account and confirmed his role in the upcoming movie. Here is the Tweet:
Tonight’s AEW Dynamite will see the show continue to build towards Worlds End, which is set to take place on December 30. Fans will get slightly more AEW action tonight than they previously expected. On Twitter, Tony Khan announced that TBS has granted an overrun of five minutes for tonight’s show.
Thanks to our great partners at TBS, we have an overrun of 5 minutes planned for Tomorrow night live on Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite!
We'll see you all tomorrow, we're excited for a 5 minute overrun on @TBSNetwork on Wednesday Night Dynamite, starting 8pm ET/7pm CT tomorrow!
Not only will tonight’s show go longer than expected, but it will also have more fans in attendance than originally planned. Wrestle Tix reports that AEW has opened up two more sections of seats for tonight’s Winter is Coming show.
AEW Dynamite: Winter Is Coming WED DEC 13, 2023 College Park Center, Arlington, TX
Available Tickets => 657 Current Setup => 3,821 Tickets Distributed => 3,164
MJF and Adam Cole captured the ROH World Tag Team Championships at All In but have only defended the titles one time together. That’s because of an injury suffered by Cole that he is still dealing with. Speaking on a media call to promote Friday night’s ROH Final Battle 2023 pay-per-view event, Tony Khan said he’s considered vacating the gold.
“That’s definitely something to look at at some point [vacating the titles]. It’s something MJF said was important to him and Cole, was to try and maintain the belts to when Cole gets back. Obviously, it’s been a long road to recovery from a bad injury, but we’re all excited about having Adam Cole back.”
Matt Hardy’s Frustrations
Matt Hardy recently stirred up some controversy when speaking about his AEW direction. On his Extreme Life podcast, Hardy spoke about being frustrated in the promotion while Jeff said he sometimes feels like a ghost. On the latest edition of his show, Hardy gave further context and stated that his comments are “1000%” true to how he is feeling.
Former WWE Superstar Nic Nemeth may be All-Elite soon enough if those working within AEW have their way.
Nemeth was released from WWE in September of this year, ending his nearly two-decade career with the Sports Entertainment juggernaut. Nemeth is best known for his time as Dolph Ziggler and is a two-time former World Heavyweight Champion and one-time WWE NXT Champion. The Show-Off was arguably the biggest name cut from WWE during the September releases.
Nic Nemeth is All-Elite?
Next week, Nemeth’s 90-day non-compete clause will expire and he will be free to work and sign with any promotion that wants him. Sources in AEW who spoke to WrestlePurists have stated that there is a push within the promotion for Nemeth to be signed when the time is right. There have already been multiple creative pitches being drawn up for Nemeth. One idea would see the Show-Off paired with fellow WWE alum CJ Perry. Perry and Nemeth had an on-screen romance in 2015 during which Nemeth would feud with Perry’s real-life husband Rusev (now AEW’s Miro.)
The stars were out for the premiere of The Iron Claw, with AEW World Champion MJF being joined by names from WWE.
The Iron Claw delves into the lives and numerous tragedies of the Von Erich wrestling family. The wrestling lineage began with Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson,) and his sons would also find success in the squared circle. The Von Erichs are still a force in wrestling today with Marshall & Ross Von Erich competing to this day.
WWE & AEW Collide on the Red Carpet
MJF plays Lance Von Erich in the new film, a kayfabe relation of the family who doesn’t mesh well with the actual Von Erich wrestlers. MJF also serves as an executive producer for the film so it was hardly a surprise to see him walk the red carpet for the premiere. What may have surprised fans though is that MJF was joined by some of WWE’s top names, including 16-time WWE World Champion John Cena.
Cena wasn’t the only notable name to meet up with MJF at the premiere. The reigning AEW World Champion could also be seen with NXT Superstar Baron Corbin.
Liv Morgan was also at last night’s premiere of The Iron Claw. Morgan is currently out of action with an injury and attended a party with MJF last October.
John Cena may have made ‘You Can’t See Me’ his catcphrase, but wrestling fans may struggle to see MJF in The Iron Claw. The reigning AEW World Champion appears for a few seconds in one scene and has no lines in the film. MJF originally had a much bigger role in the film before edits were made.
Athena has established herself as a dominant force within the Ring of Honor women’s division, recently surpassing one year as ROH Women’s Champion. As she looks to continue her reign, though, Athena has some other goals she’d like to accomplish outside of the ROH brand.
During an interview with Under The Ring, “The Fallen Goddess” discussed her potential next moves, which includes a possible return to AEW programming.
While Athena’s initial AEW run did not go entirely as she had hoped, she is confident that this go-around would produce a more successful outcome.
Athena Puts AEW’s Champions on Notice
Athena ready to take on AEW’s Champions
With an AEW return in her vision, Athena issued a warning to two of the company’s current champions — Julia Hart and Toni Storm.
“I think the next step for me would definitely be to take a crack at AEW TV again,” she began. “My first time around was not great, and I lost to the all-powerful Jade Cargill. I think now with me being the forever ROH Women’s Champion, I want to be a Triple Crown Champion by the end of 2024. I’m going after all of the belts, the TBS Champion Julia Hart, The AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm,”
She continued, “I’m not content with just beating up these fragile broads left and right. This is your warning, I am coming for you guys in 2024. It doesn’t matter what anyone says. You got an X on your back, and it’s only a matter of time before we get there.”
Since the dissolution of AEW Dark and AEW Dark Elevation earlier this year, Athena has been primarily focused on boosting the ROH brand, where she now resides as a regular fixture. Later this week, Athena will defend her ROH Women’s Championship against her former Minion, Billie Starkz, in the main event of ROH Final Battle.
Should Athena retain her title at Final Battle, it appears that Athena will then begin her mission of capturing the TBS Championship and AEW Women’s Championship.
Posted December 11th, 2023 in AEW, News. Tagged: Athena.
Stephen P New, the attorney for Ace Steel, has agreed with the ex-AEW producer’s stance that the line a colleague can often become part of a ‘family’.
Steel was on CM Punk’s side during the infamous All Out 2022 backstage fight, and was fired from AEW following an investigation. Steel was rehired by AEW to work with Punk for AEW Collision but on the proviso that Steel worked remotely and away from AEW events. After Punk’s contract was terminated following the backstage fight at AEW All In 2023, Steel was let go by the promotion.
Stephen P. New on Ace Steel
In a recent interview, Ace Steel said that Punk is like family to him, and mentioned Stephen P. New as his attorney following the incident in September 2022. Taking to Twitter/X, New confirmed that he did indeed represent Steel following the All Out brawl and vouched for Steel as someone he could believe in.
I am proud of my clients and would not represent them if I didn’t truly believe in them as people. And @acesofsteel is correct. Sometimes clients and friends are family https://t.co/TIaAfovf7U
In addition to Ace Steel, New is arguably best known for being the legal counsel to wrestling personality Jim Cornette throughout the years. He has also represented the Rock ‘N’ Roll Express and the Midnight Express over trademark issues in the past.
ROH has been through quite a lot of changes in recent memory. The company survived the pandemic, and they tried their best to get things going once again, but in the end, Tony Khan bought another pro wrestling company.
AEW President Tony Khan acquired Ring of Honor last year, prompting speculation about the brand’s future. Over the past year, Khan has organized several pay-per-views under the ROH banner and initiated a weekly television series earlier this year.
Declining ticket sales and the absence of significant buzz about ROH raised natural concerns among dedicated fans. The fact that AEW can’t get fans to stick around for the ROH tapings after their lives shows is also impossible to avoid.
During his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff discussed ROH’s current product, pointing out that NXT’s success stems from WWE gradually establishing it as an independent brand before introducing main roster stars to compete in NXT.
You have to build the brand, it has to stands on its own, it has to perform on its own without diluting the core product. Right now, ROH is a giant freaking parasite on the AEW brand and the more focus they put on the parasite, the more the parasite is going to diminish or harm the core brand. I just think that they f*ck it up so badly that we won’t really see a successful ROH anytime in our lifetime.
The ROH Final Battle pay-per-view is scheduled for December 15th, and ticket sales for the event have been underwhelming. Although Tony Khan’s company has a good card, complete with Athena defending her ROH Women’s Title through an injury, the future of the company is still uncertain as far as Eric Bischoff sees things.
ROH has certainly come a long way, but they also have a lot to improve on. There will probably be many stories to come as Tony Khan continues his efforts to keep the brand relevant. Keep checking back with SE Scoops for more.
Bryan Danielson has a lot of responsibilities in AEW, and they are not limited to the pro wrestling ring. He is also on the company’s disciplinary committee, and it was recently unveiled that he is in charge of issuing fines to talent over social media behavior he deems to put the company in a bad light.
The Backstory of AEW Fining Talent
Mike Santana was recently fined for complaining about not being on AEW television in 6 weeks. The amount of the fine wasn’t disclosed, but Bryan Danielson is behind it.
Saraya consistently finds the need to express herself, be it within or outside the wrestling ring. Sometimes those words result in a less-than-savory tweet. Regardless of her actions, fans consistently offer significant support. However, she has engaged in numerous disputes with fans on social media in recent months as well. That may not fall in line with AEW’s social media policy.
On Twitter, Saraya addressed a fan who suggested that her reduced Twitter activity was due to Bryan Danielson imposing fines on AEW talent for their tweets. This fan posted a photo of Danielson, along with some funeral music, and a caption reading: “Wondered why I haven’t seen any tweets from Saraya lately.”
Saraya clarified that she merely took an extended break from social media and asserted her autonomy over her Twitter account, emphasizing that no one can dictate her actions.
I took a long social media break. Not because anyone told me not to haha. Ain’t no one telling sh*t about my twitter I can do what I want.
Saraya also used a hand-heart emoji to cap off her post. Apparently, she’s staying quiet on social media to protect herself from fines. After all, she is known for being very free-spoken.
I took a long social media break. Not because anyone told me not to haha. Ain’t no one telling shit about my twitter I can do what I want ?? https://t.co/20ocFP8VWd
What’s your take on Bryan Danielson imposing fines on AEW talent when he doesn’t like their social media presence? Let us know what you think by engaging with us on social media!
Maria Kanellis and her husband Mike Bennett were released from WWE a couple of years ago as part of cost-cutting measures. They later found employment in AEW and ROH. Recently, Kanellis became entangled in another online dispute involving Mark Briscoe, and in the aftermath of the controversy, she decided to delete her Twitter account due to the backlash over her expressed views.
The story behind Maria Kanellis deleting her X account
Mark Briscoe gained attention when he publicly called out the “WWE on FOX” social media account for appropriating The Briscoes’ well-known “DEM BOYZ” term in reference to Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits. Briscoe even tagged Triple H, urging him to address the situation.
Maria Kanellis joined the discussion by sharing her perspective on the matter. She highlighted the significance of ‘DEM BOYZ’ to Mark Briscoe, emphasizing that the “WWE on FOX” account made the comment on the first anniversary of his brother’s final match. However, Kanellis faced unexpected backlash for her remarks, ultimately prompting her to announce her departure from Twitter and subsequently delete her account.
‘‘I think I’m about done on this particular platform. It’s too crazy. Disagreeing is one thing. Threatening my family, name calling, agism, racism, family planning shaming, religious prejudice, and sexism is all too much. I will keep my Instagram. But it’s about time to move on from the negativity.”
Oh yea, thatsss why I quit posting on Twitter lol. Just logged back on…woww. Some of y’all are wild lol. I just miss my brother, that’s all, and I got a little in my feelings when I seen the Fox post. Triple H, you ain’t gotta fire nobody, times is tough. Love y’all..take it light people
Oh yea, thatsss why I quit posting on Twitter lol. Just logged back on…woww. Some of y’all are wild lol. I just miss my brother, that’s all, and I got a little in my feelings when I seen the Fox post. @tripleh, you ain’t gotta fire nobody, times is tough. Love y’all..take it…
Nevertheless, Maria Kanellis decided that leaving Twitter was the optimal choice for her mental well-being, and fans acknowledge and respect her decision. We will have to see if there are new updates on this story from this point on.
Maria Kanellis’ post on 12/10 prior to deleting her X account
We will have to see if Maria Kanellis reactivates her X account. She should have around 30 days to do so, if she wants to come back to the platform. What’s your take on this? Let us know how you feel by engaging with us on social media!
Bryan Danielson has been tasked with ensuring rules are followed within AEW, but this new responsibility doesn’t come with a bigger paycheck. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Danielson addressed her new role.
“It’s not something I get paid for. I’m just like the other wrestlers in the sense of I don’t have a contract outside of being a wrestler contract. But I was honored to take on more when they asked me to take on more roles backstage.”
Latest on Rebel’s status in AEW
The last time Rebel competed for AEW was in August of last year, and after Britt Baker turned face earlier this year, fans have seen nothing from the Dentist’s former ally. Fightful Select reports that Rebel remains under contract, and there has been talks of her being brought back to TV. With that said, there aren’t any working plans for her to wrestle.
Kyle O’Reilly Gives An Update
It’s been over a year since Kyle O’Reilly last competed for AEW as he continues to recover from neck fusion surgery. After previously losing all feeling in his arm, O’Reilly took to social media this week to share his progress.
Samoa Joe will return as franchise mascot Sweet Tooth in the second season of Peacock’s Heavy Metal series. The show is based on the hit vehicular combat series. In a trailer announcing the second season, Joe was featured and the AEW star reacted to the news with a single emoji.
WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry has announced that the A&E Network will air a brand new documentary on his life. He revealed that the fans will be able to watch it when it drops in January 2024.
For the past few years, WWE has been putting out Superstar-based Biography episodes on A&E and one of those features WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle as well. The ‘World Strongest Man’ has also appeared in WWE-related A&E content prior to joining AEW.
As an athlete, Mark Henry has had a decorated career. He was known for being the strongest man in the world and was considered to be one of the most formidable opponents to face back in the day. Mark Henry is a former World Champion in WWE and was inducted into WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.
Apart from his accomplishments in WWE, he is a two-time Olympian and Henry also had a very successful Strongman career. He was WDFPF World Champion (1995) and a two-time U.S. National Champion (1995 and 1997) and once held an American record in the deadlift.’
New documentary on A&E
Speaking on the Kurt Angle Show podcast, Henry revealed that there will be a documentary on his life that will be released in January 2024. The former WWE star added that the documentary will be almost 3-hour long. He said:
“There’s a documentary on my life being released in January. There’s a documentary on A&E about my life. People are going to find out a lot more about me than they’d ever heard. I don’t want to give nothing away, so just keep your ears open. It’s going to be big. It’s going to be one of the bigger ones they’ve ever done. There’s a lot of ground to cover, almost 3 hours.”
Notably, Kurt Angle will be a part of the documentary as well as he was interviewed for it. Fans will certainly be eager to watch the new documentary on Mark Henry.
AEW star Mark Briscoe recently apologized for calling out WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H following WWE’s attention-grabbing Tweet which dropped a reference to his late brother.
Mark Briscoe recently tweeted about how Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits were referred to as “DEM BOYZ!” by the official WWE account on FOX. Mark and his late brother Jay Briscoe were regarded as “Dem Boys” for years and Mark made his displeasure known.
The tag-team legend became enraged and tagged Triple H, telling him that the person who created the post should be fired for lacking knowledge and fired for lack of reverence. He wrote:
“For real?? This s*** is hilarious. @TripleH , whoever runs this twitter should probably be fired for lack of knowledge. Or they need the taste slapped out of their mouth for lack of reverence.”
For real?? This shit is hilarious. @TripleH, whoever runs this twitter should probably be fired for lack of knowledge. Or they need the taste slapped out of their mouth for lack of reverence https://t.co/lQupDA91Ds
The Tweet started to get a lot of attention from the fans and wrestlers on social media. Eventually, Mark Briscoe tagged Triple H yet again. In the follow-up tweet, Briscoe apologized for his earlier Tweet and said he misses his brother and got carried away in feelings. He wrote:
“Oh yea, thatsss why I quit posting on Twitter lol. Just logged back on…woww. Some of y’all are wild lol. I just miss my brother, that’s all, and I got a little in my feelings when I seen the Fox post. @tripleh, you ain’t gotta fire nobody, times is tough. Love y’all..take it light people #DemBoysForever.”
Oh yea, thatsss why I quit posting on Twitter lol. Just logged back on…woww. Some of y’all are wild lol. I just miss my brother, that’s all, and I got a little in my feelings when I seen the Fox post. @tripleh, you ain’t gotta fire nobody, times is tough. Love y’all..take it…
Mark Briscoe’s brother Jay Briscoe passed away in a tragic car accident earlier this year. Jay was only 38 years old at the time of his death and the whole pro wrestling community paid tribute to the star. The Briscoe Brothers will go down as one of the most successful tag teams in pro wrestling. In their last match, Dem Boyz defeated FTR at Final Battle last year and secured the ROH Tag Team Championship.
Meanwhile, Mark Briscoe is currently competing as a singles wrestler and participating in the inaugural AEW Continental Classic tournament where he has yet to score points.
WWE has a lot of things going on, and Logan Paul needs a new challenger for the US Title. A single-elimination tournament was started to decide just that, and now we know which Superstar from NXT will fight for that honor, as Carmelo Hayes is set to get that spotlight. He also has his eye on some AEW merchandise.
AEW has a Devil gimmick going on right now. They also have some merchandise ready for whoever is under that mask.
All Elite Wrestling dropped some new merchandise for The Devil. Carmelo Hayes certainly noticed. He chimed in on social media how much he wants one of those new pieces of merchandise. Of course, that new Devil merchandise also stole his, “I am Him” slogan, which he was calling attention to as well.
WWE has outlined their plans for the upcoming December 15th SmackDown episode. In the recent show’s conclusion, several details for the next episode on FOX were confirmed. Roman Reigns is set to make a return to the blue brand, which is anticipated to attract significant attention. Whether he responds to CM Punk’s call-out from the previous week remains uncertain.
Additionally, fans can expect a match between Grayson Waller and an unspecified NXT Superstar in the first round of the United States Championship tournament. The chosen Superstar for this shot was to be selected by Shawn Michaels. Another first-round match will feature Kevin Owens facing off against Austin Theory during the December 15th episode of WWE SmackDown.
Which NXT Superstar will wrestle for the US Title
Shawn Michaels logged onto social media in order to make that big announcement. He appeared in a very short online video where he said that, after a line of Superstars gathered at his door for that spot, he was finally able to narrow it down to one Superstar.
We will have to see how Carmelo Hayes does in this tournament. This may be the big break he needs to get that WWE main roster call-up.
Carmelo Hayes is ready for the WWE main roster
There aren’t many things that Carmelo Hayes hasn’t done in NXT at this point. After winning titles, and carving out a mark for himself, he very well could be main roster ready at this point.
Shawn Michaels is certainly hopeful in Carmelo Hayes’ abilities. Only time will tell how he does on the main roster at this point, but he will get a big shot during the December 15th episode of WWE SmackDown.
Carmelo Hayes went on to comment on this decision, proclaiming that they can’t “lil bro us anymore.”
MJF had a much bigger role in the upcoming A24 biopic ‘The Iron Claw‘ before his scenes were almost entirely cut from the final edit.
The Iron Claw delves into the lives and numerous tragedies of the Von Erich wrestling family. The wrestling lineage began with Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson,) and his sons would also find success in the squared circle. The Von Erichs are still a force in wrestling today with Marshall & Ross Von Erich competing to this day.
MJF’s role in The Iron Claw may not be the leading role some had hoped for, but he originally had a much bigger role. Mike Johnson of PW Insider reports that in an earlier draft, MJF had three scenes as Lance Von Erich. The first sees Lance being introduced by Fritz as the newest family member, with Kevin Von Erich being unhappy with the idea of a fake family member. Kevin ultimately does what his father wants.
The second scene sees Lance training with his ‘brothers’ in the ring, and it is clear that the fake Von Erich is not in sync with the others. The third scene sees Lance demand more money from Fritz, who tells him no and fires him.
The Iron Claw isn’t MJF’s on ly film role. Click here to find out about the AEW star’s dive into the world of DC Comics.