Double Or Nothing was AEW’s first PPV with no audience in attendance and the AEW Champion Jon Moxley successfully defended his title against Brodie Lee during the show.
The World Champion spoke to media after the event where he talked about things like how he felt about his match, working extra hard at PPVs and more.
Discussing the backstage reaction to the culmination of the show, Mox said that they all felt like they had just won the Super Bowl after the PPV ended:
“Backstage after the show ended, it feels like we just won the Super Bowl. We put on a hell of a PPV and everyone is jacked up and high-fiving. It feels like we won a game when we were an underdog.”
Moxley also talked about potential future challengers for his title saying that he doesn’t think that the chapter between him and Kenny Omega is closed just yet.
He then mentioned how Hangman Page has the momentum behind him right now and the current champion took the name of Cody Rhodes as a potential opponent as well.
It’s worth mentioning here that Brian Cage made his AEW debut during Double Or Nothing. He went on to win the Casino Ladder match and he now has a future world title opportunity against Jon Moxley.
A new championship match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Backlash PPV.
During Monday’s episode of NXT on the USA Network in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center, WWE held a match that would determine who is next in line for a title shot against Asuka.
A Triple Threat Match that saw WWE NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax and Natalya battle it out took place with the winner becoming the next challenger to the title.
Jax was victorious, earning the right to challenge Asuka for the RAW Women’s Title at Backlash.
WWE presents the Backlash pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 14, 2020 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center that will air on the WWE Network. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:
Updated WWE Backlash Card
Edge vs. Randy Orton – Singles Match
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Bobby Lashley
WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman vs. The Miz & John Morrison – Handicap Match
In an interesting twist, Drew Gulak is back at work for WWE as he was at Monday’s TV tapings in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center. Fightful first reported the news.
It was noted in the report that Gulak wrestled in a battle royal that will air on Friday’s episode on FOX. He appeared in the ring with over a dozen other wrestlers.
Per the report, his absence from WWE television for a week wasn’t mentioned over the house microphones at least. That could be addressed on the broadcast.
A possible indication that he’s back under contract is due to WWE moving him from the alumni section to the active roster as part of SmackDown on WWE.com.
As of this writing, there’s no word yet on whether or not Gulak has re-signed with WWE or not.
This comes after earlier this month it was reported that Gulak’s WWE contract expired earlier this month. At the time, it was said that the two sides had been discussing a new deal.
Gulak reportedly had asked for more money, which led to WWE officials deciding to pull the contract offer and allow his deal to expire.
Apollo Crews is the new WWE United States Champion. Crews dethroned Andrade as the champion by beating him in a match on Monday’s episode of RAW on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center.
After the match, Crews cut a promo in the ring about after all of the hard work and sacrifice he’s been through, he won his first title in WWE. He brought up how after the “injury” setback, he fought forward and is now the new champion.
Last December, during a house show at MSG, Andrade defeated Rey Mysterio to win the United States Championship for the first time.
Back in April, WWE did the injury storyline when Crews faced Andrade for the title on an episode of RAW. This was done as a way to set up the replacement star for Crews in the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
As a result of the injury, Crews was unable to finish the match and ultimately pulled from the ladder match. AJ Styles ended up replacing him.
A top WWE NXT star is slated to make his main roster debut soon and that’s Matt Riddle.
Dave Meltzer reported in the Daily Update on F4Wonline.com on Monday evening that “Riddle’s main roster debut right now is scheduled to be imminent.”
WWE has already confirmed that Riddle is slated to take on Timothy Thatcher in Cage Match on this Wednesday’s episode of NXT on the USA Network from Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University.
Meltzer speculated that this match could either be his blow-off feud to send him out of NXT due to him going to the main roster or lead to it. As of this writing, there’s no word yet on which brand he’ll be on – RAW or SmackDown.
Riddle has confirmed in the past through various interviews that he does have some backstage heat within WWE but downplayed WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon not liking him.
Previously announced for Wednesday’s NXT includes Charlotte Flair & mystery partner vs. Io Shirai & Rhea Ripley, Adam Cole to do a segment that is likely to set up the NXT Takeover: In Your House Title match, and Kushida vs. Drake Maverick vs. Jake Atlas in a three-way for the A block in the Interim Cruiserweight Classic Tournament.
The Undertaker has opened up while giving some interesting details on the battle inside of his mind with retirement from pro wrestling.
The former WWE Champion did so during an interview with The Toronto Sun to promote his documentary series on the WWE Network.
Taker started out by stating that you might try to attempt to do this business, but if it’s not in your heart and soul, you’re not going to be a success. Instead, Taker thinks that you might be a flash in the pan. He said that he’s wrestled for the majority of his adult life and done it at a high level.
“I do realize that Father Time is tapping me on the shoulder. And I don’t want to turn around and face him. I feel like I’ve got a match (left) that is befitting what I feel like that the legacy of The Undertaker deserves.
But the hard part is, if I grade myself, I grade myself on where I was physically in the early 2000s. I don’t grade myself on the curve of it being 2020 and being 55 years old.”
Taker continued by noting that the expectations of what he has for himself with the limitations that he has physically is a delicate balance.
“You’ve got to take a really good look (and ask yourself), OK, is this the match that you’re looking for, is it in the realm of possibility and do I risk long-term damage?… I have young kids still. Do you run the risk of jeopardizing your long-term health?”
Taker admitted that all of this is what’s going on in his head while doing the documentary. He said that this is what he’s looking for and trying to achieve.
Taker added that trying to come to grips with leaving that aspect of the business.
Ring of Honor has announced that Flip Gordon has re-signed with the promotion.
Gordon signed with in the spring of 2017, just 2 years into his pro-career. He won the promotion’s “Breakout Star of the Year” award in 2018, as well as the “Sea of Honor” tournament on the Chris Jericho cruise that year.
Flip Gordon was also featured regularly on ‘Being the Elite’ before the Young Bucks left ROH and NJPW to begin performing with AEW. His close relationship with the rest of The Elite led many to believe he was AEW bound once his ROH contract expired.
Gordon took to Twitter to announce his re-signing with ROH:
ROH was forced to cancel its live events when the global pandemic hit. According to comments made by Marty Scurll on the ROH Strong podcast, the pandemic hit just as he was about to take the promotion in a direction he had crafted himself.
“No one was more heartbroken then myself,” Scurll said about the decision for ROH to cancel its events. “Even though I’ve sort of been hands-on with the show since January, I felt like these were really my first shows that I had full control of.”
“I put so many hours of time and thought into these shows,” he continued.
Scurll also said in the same interview that an AEW-ROH relationship is likely to occur.
“Both parties are definitely willing to work with each other. It’s just a matter of timing, I guess,” he said. “I’m not saying anything will happen, I’m just saying I wouldn’t rule it out. There’s no reason why we wouldn’t. It’s just that the timing needs to be correct and it needs to be a fitting situation for us to work together. I personally would like to see it happen at some point.”
WWE Superstar Mandy Rose recently appeared on the Gorilla Position podcast. The SmackDown Superstar would discuss a number of topics from her recent career with the company. These would include the red-hot storyline involving her and Otis, Becky Lynch now leaving the company and what it is like pitching directly to Vince McMahon.
One of the points raised was the SmackDown Hacker, a character that has been a recurring part of the blue brand over the past few months.
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville
The first major plot point that the Hacker revealed was that Sonya Deville had betrayed Mandy Rose, thus leading to their eventual feud and the continuation of the Mandy/Otis storyline. With the Hacker being such an important part of said storyline many believed that it would be someone linked to the aforementioned Superstars…but it isn’t that clear.
The SmackDown Hacker appears to be targeting a number of Superstars on the Friday Night show. Interestingly, Mandy Rose and at least one other SmackDown Superstar have no idea who the person is behind the Hacker gimmick.
“My prediction? To be honest, I have no idea” Mandy Rose revealed on Gorilla Position, confirming that she has no clue who the mystery Hacker is. “But the voice sounds very…actually it’s funny.”
Maryse?
Mandy Rose would then talk about who she feels the actual cadence and tone of the Hacker sounds like. “The Miz was walking by the other day and he thinks the voice sounds like Maryse. I was like ‘wow I didn’t think of that!’ Like ‘oh my god is it Maryse!? I know you’re like joking but, um, it kind of does!’ I’m kind of happy I’m not gonna lie, because it exposed Sonia and Dolph [Ziggler]. But no I have no idea. I do not know who the hacker is.”
We’ve seen this sort of storyline play out in WWE in the few decades, and there’s always a chance that the company themselves are not sure who to use in that Hacker position right now. There has been speculation that CM Punk is behind the gimmick, but he continues to deny any involvement with WWE beyond his role on WWE Backstage.
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. Image Credit: WWE.com
Who do you think the SmackDown Hacker is? Let us know in the comments
On the May 11th edition of WWE RAW, Becky Lynch announced that she is pregnant. Lynch also relinquished the WWE RAW Women’s Championship to Asuka. Lynch recently took part in an interview with SI.com and revealed some of the reasons she is happy to have passed the title on to Asuka.
“Passing that championship onto Asuka meant a lot,” said Lynch. “She really, really deserves it. And another element that people missed, because it’s not really advertised, is that she’s a working mom.”
“She’s proven that you can do it all,” Lynch continued. “You can be a badass and go off and have a family, you can come in and still kick more ass, have a YouTube show and be entertaining as all hell. The fact that she was the person to take that title from me meant a lot to me.”
Asuka’s first title defense of the RAW Women’s title is set for Backlash on June 14th. She’ll face the winner of a #1 Contenders triple threat match between Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, and Natalya tonight.
Lynch also stated during the interview that while she will be away from WWE for a while, she’ll never be truly gone from the company.
“The WWE is my family, my actual family,” said Lynch. “I will always stay involved.”
JTG and Shad Gaspard first started teaming together in 2006 on Ohio Valley Wrestling shows. Between 2 runs on the main roster of WWE and wrestling on the independents beginning in 2014, Cryme Tyme never stopped being a team. Following Shad Gaspard’s tragic death, JTG posted a message to his longtime partner and friend.
“I want to say thank you to all the friends, fans and family who reached out to me and Shads family during this difficult time. The outpour of love and support has definitely helped me get through this. I have my moments where I’m in disbelief and feeling a tremendous amount of hurt but as soon as I start to reminisce about Shad and our relationship I begin to smile,” JTG says in the above post.
JTG also posted a link to a GoFundMe account to support Shad’s family.
“Shad, Thank you for always being there for me. You were more than my tag team partner, more than a friend you were the big brother I always wanted growing up. The world will remember you for what you are. A HERO.”
WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter offered up some congratulations to Jon Moxley on social media recently. Slaughter was responding to a thread on Twitter when he also made reference to legal troubles between him and WWE.
“Congrats” on ur life after leaving the Flagship @WWE VERY happy for U, especially since I was the 1st to go up against “The Emperor” & fight for MY FREEDOM. Luckily U got to by pass the lawsuits & courtroom appearances. Wishing U continued sucesss,” Slaughter Tweeted.
@JonMoxley “Congrats” on ur life after leaving the Flagship @WWE VERY happy for U, especially since I was the 1st to go up against “The Emperor” & fight for MY FREEDOM??Luckily U got to by pass the lawsuits & courtroom appearances?Wishing U continued sucesss
Slaughter and Vince McMahon had a falling out of sorts in the mid-80s. There are many reported reasons as to why Slaughter left the company in 1984. One that is detailed in the book “Chokehold: Pro Wrestling’s Real Mayhem Outside the Ring” states that Slaughter and WWF ended up in conflict when Slaughter disputed the amount he was being paid for royalties on merchandise.
Slaughter then trademarked the “Sgt. Slaughter” name, left WWF (or by some accounts was fired) and went back to the AWA. He filed suit against McMahon for merchandise royalties and the two parties settled out of court. There are also reports that Slaughter and WWF were at odds over a deal Slaughter would make with G.I Joe.
Slaughter would eventually return to WWF in 1990 and begin the “Iraqi Sympathizer” angle. He would win the title from the Ultimate Warrior at the 1991 Royal Rumble before dropping it at WrestleMania VII to Hulk Hogan.
Mike Tyson presented the TNT Championship to inaugural champion Cody Rhodes last night at AEW Double or Nothing. AEW has announced that Tyson will also appear this week – Wednesday night on AEW Dynamite on TNT.
Mike Tyson in AEW
Tyson would get involved in the action during last night’s TNT title tournament finals. He prevented Jake “the Snake” Roberts from bringing out his snake or causing any further interference. Now, Tyson is scheduled to be at Dynamite on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see if Roberts and Archer have anything to say to Tyson on the show.
Fresh off his appearance at AEW’s Double or Nothing Pay Per View, Iron @MikeTyson will make his #AEWDynamite debut LIVE THIS WED, May 27th at 8/7c on TNT!
Tyson has stated he plans to announce when he’ll make his return to boxing this week. The 53-year-old has said his team is in talks with multiple fighters about a comeback bout.
“Listen we’ve got so many guys that want to do this man. We’re in calls, we’re doing business with guys right now. You’re not going to believe the names when the names come out. Sometime this week we’ll have the contract done,” Tyson said on the Young Money Radio Show with Lil Wayne.
Tyson has also said that he doesn’t plan on keeping any money he makes from the fight either. He told L’il Wayne that he’s never felt this good in his life.
“I’m going to take this money and help these homeless and we’re going to help these addicted brothers. Because I’ve been homeless and I’ve been addicted so I know the struggle. Not many people have survived like I did.”
As revealed on Fusion, Alexander Hammerstone has re-signed with MLW. Hammerstone is the promotion’s current and inaugural National Openweight Champion and a member of the Dynasty faction along with Richard Holliday and Gino Medina.
Hammerstone took to social media to explain his decision to re-sign with MLW.
“The news just dropped on the latest episode of Fusion that I re-signed with MLW,” Hammerstone says in the video. “And I got some people asking me what made me make that decision? Why didn’t I go with this company or that company? And what you have to understand is how important pro-wrestling is to me. How important its become to me, how much it means to me to prove that I’m one of the best wrestlers in the world.”
Hammerstone then continued to say that what he wants in wrestling has changed over the years.
“When I first started, I was just trying to look good, have a couple matches, get scouted, have the big company come and offer me a contract. That’s what I thought I wanted but over the years that’s really changed. If you look at the matches in the last year alone with MLW, Marufuji, Go Shiozaki, Laredo Kid, Takashi Sugiura, T-Hawk, Davey Boy Smith Jr, Brian Pillman (Jr.), Rey Horus, like I’m wrestling the best wrestlers in the world. I’m getting to go out there, I’m not being told ‘hey, give us 5 minutes,’ I’m being told ‘hey, give us 25 minutes.'”
From there, Hammerstone began talking about the freedom he is allowed in MLW.
“I’m getting to go out there and give you my best. I’m not being told how to act in promos, I’m not being told how to dress.”
“I don’t want to just make money and retire, I want to create a legacy,” he continued. “I think MLW has given me that platform.”
“I’ve just made MLW my home for the next couple of years so I hope you give it a chance, I hope you check out Fusion,” he continued. “I’m not going to be neutered, I’m not going to be chained-up.”
Check out our recent exclusive interview with Alexander Hammerstone:
Fyter Fest will be returning in 2020 and the event already has a big title match booked for the event. At a post-event media scrum from Double or Nothing last night, AEW President Tony Khan confirmed that Brian Cage will challenge AEW World Champion Jon Moxley at the event.
Cage was the surprise entrant in the Casino Ladder Match and won the match by collecting the large gambling chip hanging above the ring.
AEW will announce the date for this year’s Fyter Fest on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Last year’s Fyter Fest was held on June 29th, 2019 from the Ocean Center in Dayton Beach, Florida. The event was held in conjunction with the CEO Fighting Game Championships.
Also revealed following Double or Nothing last night, is that Fyter Fest 2020 was originally supposed to be held in London for AEW’s UK debut. Those plans had to be scrapped due to the ongoing global pandemic, however.
The theme of the show last year was a spoof on the “Fyre Festival.” Multiple documentaries about the ill-fated music festival had been released just prior to the show.
AEW Upcoming Dates
While no date is currently known for this year’s Fyter Fest, AEW did reveal that All Out 2020 will happen on September 5th, 2020.
Main news out of the press conference is they will be having a second Fyter Fest show, Moxley vs. Cage main event, date will be announced Wednesday. Plan was for London, but obviously everything is in Jacksonville for the time being. But that was the original UK debut.
WWE Superstar Mandy Rose recently appeared on the Gorilla Position podcast. The SmackDown Superstar would discuss a number of topics from her recent career with the company. These would include the red-hot storyline involving her and Otis, Becky Lynch now leaving the company and what it is like pitching directly to Vince McMahon.
It was recently revealed that Mandy Rose pitched the idea of the Otis storyline directly to the WWE Chairman. Since the beginning of that feud Otis has gone on to have a featured WrestleMania match and win Money In The Bank; so it’s fair to say that the pitch worked out well.
Pitching to Vince
“You want to make sure that he likes it, hopefully!” Mandy Rose began talking about pitching storylines to the WWE Chairman. “And if he doesn’t? Whatever you know? At least you tried. It’s not that big of a deal.”
Rose would then say how difficult it can be getting the time to speak to McMahon, due to his busy schedule. “He’s [McMahon] a very important man, he’s so busy it’s hard sometimes trying to get a word in with him. Sometimes? If it’s a good time, and it was a good time, I just went with it. I just gave him quick bullet points of what I think it would be, how it would be cool involving Otis and he loved it.”
Mandy Rose and Otis Storyline Resonating
Mandy Rose finished by pinpointing the time that she felt the storyline was going to be a hit with the crowd. “The time where it resonated with me so well? That this would be a great story? Was the time before Thanksgiving when we did like the ham thing and I gave him a kiss backstage on the cheek and we heard the crowd erupt. I was like ‘wow this is going to be something good’ and I think everyone [backstage] felt that.”
With Mandy and Otis seemingly getting big pushes going forward on WWE television we may see both edge closer to the main event scene before the year is finished.
AEW Double or Nothing aired from Daily’s Place. Jon Moxley defended the AEW Championship against Brodie Lee. Nyla Rose put the AEW Women’s Championship on the line against Hikaru Shida in a No DQ match. Cody squared off against Lance Archer in the finals of the TNT Championship tournament and The Elite faced Inner Circle in a Stadium Stampede match.
Double or Nothing Results
Best Friends def. Private Party to become #1 contenders (Kickoff Show)
Brian Cage won the Casino Ladder match to earn a shot at the AEW Championship
MJF def. Jungle Boy
Cody def. Lance Archer to become the first TNT Champion
Kris Statlander def. Penelope Ford
Dustin Rhodes def. Shawn Spears
Hikaru Shida def. Nyla Rose to become the new AEW Women’s Champion
Jon Moxley def. Brodie Lee to retain the AEW Championship
The Elite def. Inner Circle in the Stadium Stampede match
Here are 6 takeaways from the PPV:
Brian Cage Made His Debut & Won The Casino Ladder Match
The Casino Ladder match kicked off Double or Nothing. The winner of the match will earn a future shot at the AEW Championship. Every two minutes another wrestler will enter the match.
Match Recap: Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky were the first two contestants in the match. Frankie and Scorpio locked up in the middle of the ring. Kazarian connected with a shoulder tackle before they locked up once again. Kip Sabian was the third wrestler in the match and was accompanied to the ring by Penelope Ford and Jimmy Havoc.
Jimmy hit Frankie and Scorpio with a ladder. Frankie battled back and Suplexed Havoc on top of the ladder. Sabian set up Scorpio on top of the steel steps and climbed to the top of a ladder. Kazarian set up a ladder in the ring but Sabian noticed and went after him. Darby Allin was the next wrestler in the match and went for a Double Stomp but wound up crashing through a ladder.
Orange Cassidy was next in the match and took his time getting to the ring. Cassidy asked Excalibur for the rules of the match before finally taking off his denim jacket. Orange finally entered the ring and slowly grabbed a ladder. Cassidy didn’t set up the ladder, instead just stood on top of it and hopelessly reached for the chip suspended above the ring.
Cassidy threw Sabian out of the ring and struggled with trying to figure out how to set up a ladder. Colt Cabana entered the match next and entered the ring with Orange Cassidy. Cabana knocked Orange out of the ring and quickly set up the ladder. Cabana started climbing but SCU tipped it over. SCU then launched Kip Sabian onto the ladder as Orange Cassidy got back in the ring.
Cassidy hit his sloth kicks and followed it up with a Dropkick that knocked SCU out of the ring. Orange Cassidy hit a Suicide Dive with his hands in his pockets before slamming Scorpio’s face into the ring post. Joey Janela entered the match next and took out SCU and Cassidy by diving off the stage. Janela hit Havoc with a Crossbody as Cabana once again set up a ladder in the ring.
Janela launched off the top rope and knocked Cabana out of the ring with a Dropkick. Janela hit Frankie with a steel chair but Scorpio then ripped it away. Scorpio hit Joey with a chair but got knocked out of the ring by Sabian. Kip then planted Frankie with a DDT. Luchasaurus entered the match next and cleaned house by Powerbombing Sabian onto everyone.
Luchasaurus Chokeslammed Frankie onto a ladder. Tazz then accompanied Brian Cage (making his AEW debut) to the ring. Cage launched Allin into the ring post before delivering a Powerbomb to Kip Sabian. Cage planted Scorpio with a Suplex before delivering a massive Suplex to Janela. Orange Cassidy tried for a Sleeper Hold but Cage started climbing with Orange on his back.
.@MrGMSI_BCage has arrived as the mystery participant in the Casino Ladder Match! Order Double or Nothing NOW on all major cable & satellite providers / @BRLive / @FITETV (Intl Fans Only) #AEWDoNpic.twitter.com/pj1EitB2EB
Everyone then teamed up on Cage and hit him with a ladder to the face. They then buried Cage under some ladders and a giant poker chip. Cassidy hit Frankie with a Superman Punch and then climbed to the top of the ladder with Sabian. Cassidy knocked Sabian on top of the ladder below. Penelope then got into the ring and climbed the ladder. Orange dropped Penelope on top of Sabian below.
Jimmy Havoc got into the ring and attacked Orange Cassidy. Best Friends rushed the ring and beat down Jimmy Havoc. Luchasaurus got into the ring and shoved the ladder over. Orange Cassidy went for a Chokeslam but Luchasaurus didn’t budge. Marko Stunt brought in a tiny ladder and Chokeslammed Orange Cassidy with Luchasaurus.
Frankie Kazarian botched a Hurricanrana attempt on Luchasaurus and both men awkwardly fell out of the ring. Joey Janela planted Orange Cassidy on top of the poker chip on Brian Cage with a Death Valley Driver. Scorpio hit Janela with the TKO and started climbing. Kazarian leaped onto the ladder and both members of SCU started trading punches. Luchasaurus shoved the ladder over and set up the ladder in the middle of the ring.
Cabana tried to get in the ring but Luchasaurus hit him with a big boot. Brian Cage emerged and got into the ring. Luchasaurus hit a big kick but Cage shrugged it off. Luchasaurus went for a Chokeslam but Cage countered and hit a massive Powerbomb on top of a ladder.
Darby Allin crawled back in the ring and slapped Cage in the face. Cage responded with a big Clothesline and followed it up with the Drill Claw. Cage then hurled Allin on top of several ladders outside the ring and grabbed the chip for the victory. Brian Cage earned a shot at the AEW Championship.
Opinion: I thought this match was a bit of a mess if I’m being honest. It wound up being just an exciting spot once in a while. Having said that, pairing Brian Cage with Taz is a great idea. I love AEW’s use of legends as managers/coaches. Brian Cage has already made a hell of an impact as he is already in line for a shot at the AEW Championship.
SOCIAL EXCLUSIVE @MrGMSI_BCage is the winner of the Casino Ladder Match and gets a shot at the #AEW World Championship!
Match Recap: Lance Archer and Cody refused to shake hands before the match. As soon as the bell rang, Archer planted Cody with the Blackout right away but Cody instinctevly rolled out of the ring. Tony announced that the TNT Championship is not finished due to Covid-19 and there will be some gold plating added to the belt.
Cody got back into the ring and went for the Cutter but Archer countered with a shoulder tackle. Lance then launched Cody to the floor outside the ring. Archer continued to beat down Cody in the ring as Mike Tyson sat ringside with a smile on his face. Cody lifted Archer up for a Suplex but opted to drop Lance on his face instead. Archer launched Cody over the ring post and to the floor outside the ring. Cody got back into the ring and walked into a Uranage from Archer for a near fall.
I think I love the ringpost camera almost as much as @LanceHoyt is enjoying how this match has gone. #AEWDoN
Cody battled back and locked in a Crossface as Mike Tyson cheered him on. Jake Roberts hopped on the ramp for a distraction but it didn’t work and Cody planted Archer with a DDT. Jake Roberts got pissed off that Cody used his finisher and tried to get in the ring but the referee stopped him. Lance Archer then used Arn Anderson’s Spinebuster on Cody.
Archer took some time to taunt Anderson and climbed to the middle rope. Cody booted Lance in the face and followed it up with a springboard Cutter for a one count. Cody connected with the Cross Rhodes but Archer kicked out at two. Cody hit Archer with the Stinger Splash but Archer shrugged it off and planted Cody for a near fall.
Lance Archer locked in the EBD Claw and bounced Cody’s head off the canvas several times. Archer walked across the top rope but Arn Anderson tripped him up and crotched him on the top turnbuckle. Cody planted Archer with a reverse Suplex before another referee (Paul Turner) came down to the ring and kicked Arn Anderson out. Jake Roberts was kicked out as well.
Jake Roberts grabbed the snake but Mike Tyson got in his face. Roberts retreated as Tyson trash talked with Archer. Lance set up for the Blackout but Cody countered into two Cross Rhodes for the pinfall victory. Cody is the first TNT Champion.
Opinion: Like most of Cody’s matches, this felt very old school and I enjoyed the hell out of it. Archer wasn’t hurt at all by losing this match and will likely find himself in the AEW Championship picture moving forward. Cody is the perfect TNT Champion and I’m looking forward to watching him elevate wrestlers on the roster in the weeks to come.
Shawn Spears came down to the ring in a suit for his match against Dustin Rhodes. Spears stated that all mediocre careers must come to an end and suggested that Rhodes was at home washing his tights. Dustin’s music played but nobody came down the entrance ramp. Spears then smirked into the camera and said he couldn’t help it.
Brandi Rhodes then came down to the entrance ramp and distracted Spears as Dustin entered the ring. Dustin hit Spears with a couple of right hands before Shawn battled back. Spears took off his belt and wrapped it around his hand. Shawn flipped off Brandi and Dustin capitalized with a Powerslam.
Dustin ripped off Spears’ pantsand pulled down his underwear. Dustin whipped Spears’ ass and it was revealed that Shawn was wearing boxers with Tully’s face on his groin. Dustin planted Spears with the Final Reckoning for the victory.
Opinion: Shawn Spears is capable of much more and embarrassing him to benefit Dustin Rhodes doesn’t make sense to me. It felt like a stupid WWE comedy segment and I have no interest in stuff like this making it’s way into the AEW product. This sucked and was just a way to kill ten minutes.
Nyla Rose defended her AEW Championship against Hikaru Shida in a No DQ match.
Match Recap: Rose brought a kendo stick down to the ring and beat the hell out of Shida to start it off. Shida battled back and connected with a knee to the face that knocked Rose to the floor outside the ring. Shida followed her out there and Nyla sent Hikaru flying through a poker table next to the entrance ramp.
Back in the ring, Rose connected with a Backbreaker and followed it up with a Splash for a near fall. Nyla hit a Clothesline that sent Shida out of the ring. Shida hit Nyala with a Crossbody and then a running knee to the back of Rose’s head. Hikaru dumbed Nyla over the barricade and right in front of Vickie Guerrero. Shida bounced Nyla’s head off a giant poker chip and followed it up with a Hip Toss onto the poker chips.
Hikaru Shida connected with a massive running knee that sent Nyla onto the poker chip once again. Shida sent Nyla over the barricade to the ringside area and grabbed a kendo stick. Hikaru hit Nyla with it and rolled her back into the ring to deliver a few more strikes with the kendo stick.
Shida planted Nyla with a Brainbuster on top of the kendo stick for a near fall. Nyla battled back with a Powerslam and then hung Shida on the top rope. Rose climbed to the top rope and connected with a Knee Drop for another two count. Nyla brought a table into the ring and set it up in the corner.
Hikaru tried to fight back but Nyla caught her with a Clothesline. Rose then planted Shida with a Powerbomb though the table and went for the cover but somehow Hikaru was able to kick out at two. Rose planted Shida with a Death Valley Driver and then beat the hell out Shida with the kendo stick. Nyla climbed to the top rope but Shida got up and hurled the kendo stick at the champ.
Shida joined Nyla on the top turnbuckle and hit a Falcon Arrow for another two count. Shida went for the running knee but Rose hit her leg with the kendo stick. Shida then connected with the running knee and went for the cover but Nyla kicked out at two. Hikaru hit Nyla with the kendo stick over the head and hit the running knee for the pinfall victory. Hikaru Shida is the new AEW Women’s Champion.
Opinion: I was looking forward to this match and I thought it completely delivered. Hikaru Shida is one of the better women’s wrestlers on AEW’s roster and hopefully she has a solid title reign as AEW continues to build up that division.
Jon Moxley Retained The AEW Title In A Great Match With Brodie Lee
Jon Moxley defended the AEW Championship against “The Exalted One” Brodie Lee tonight at Double or Nothing. Brodie came down to the ring with the stolen title and a security team.
Match Recap: Brodie started off the match in control and beat Moxley down in the corner. Moxley knocked Lee to the outside and hit him with a Suicide Dive. Brodie quickly battled back with a Suplex on the floor outside the ring. Back in the ring, Brodie connected with a Senton and followed it up with a couple Suplexes.
Lee knocked Moxley to the outside and hit him with a Suicide Dive of his own. Brodie set up the barricade against a wall and slammed Moxley on top of it. Back in the ring, Moxley and Lee traded punches in the middle of the ring. Lee hit a Suplex but Moxley battled back and hit a Clothesline. Jon planted Brodie with a Piledriver and went for a cover but Brodie kicked out at the last moment.
The action spilled out of the ring and Lee leveled Moxley with a Dropkick. Moxley went for a Powerbomb off the steel steps but Jon countered into a Back Body Drop through the bell table. Moxley brought Brodie back into the ring and made his way to the top rope. Brodie hit a couple of right hands and connected with a Superplex. Lee followed it up with a release Suplex into a card deck set piece that was ringside.
Back in the ring, Brodie hit a big boot and followed it up with a Powerbomb for a near fall. Moxley crawled up the entrance ramp and grabbed a poker chip. Jon launched it into Brodie’s face but Lee got right up. Moxley then planted Brodie with a Paradigm Shift through the entrance ramp as the wrestlers in the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”.
Jon emerged from the ramp first and rolled into the ring. Brodie then emerged with blood pouring down his face and made his way to the ring. Jon hit another Paradigm Shift but Brodie kicked out at one. Moxley savagely went to work on the wound on Brodie’s face and hit another Paradigm Shift but Lee kicked out again. Moxley then choked out Brodie Lee to retain the AEW Championship.
Opinion: Just like Archer’s loss earlier in the night won’t hurt him, this loss for Brodie Lee won’t diminish his character in any way. This was a physical, excellent title match and it took everything for Moxley to prevail. He couldn’t keep him down and had to resort to choking him out to escape with a win. Absolutely perfect ending to keep Moxley as the champ and protect Brodie Lee in the process. Jon Moxley will likely now have to deal with Brian Cage next.
The Elite Defeated Inner Circle In A Wild Stadium Stampede Match
The Elite battled Inner Circle in a Stadium Stampede match in the main event. The Jaguars cheerleaders as Inner Circle came to the field wearing football jerseys.
Match Recap: The two teams sprinted to the ring set up at the 50 yard line and a massive brawl broke out. Inner Circle dominated the action early and Suplexed Nick Jackson on the football field. Hangman Page showed up with a horse and charged at Sammy but he escaped into the concourse area.
Nick Jackson stomped on Jericho in the ring as Hager beat the hell out of Matt Hardy outside the ring. Jericho went for the Judas Effect but Nick ducked and hit a Dropkick. Santana planted Matt Jackson with a Powerbomb as Kenny Omega rolled in the ring.
Omega planted Santana and Ortiz with a couple of Snap Suplexes but turned around into an Atomic Drop from Hager. Sammy jogged back onto the field and and hit Nick Jackson with a knee to the face. Guevara went for a Shooting Star Press but Hardy got out of the way. Matt hit Sammy with a Buckle Bomb and then a Twist of Fate.
Jericho dragged Omega out of the ring as Nick Jackson flipped onto Santana and Ortiz. Sammy climbed to the top rope and hit a massive Shooting Star Press onto everyone. Jericho launched Nick Jackson into the field goal post and Sammy did the same to Matt Jackson.
Young Bucks set up a giant ladder and Matt climbed onto the field goal post. Matt hit a Moonsault onto Jericho and Sammy for a near fall. The battle then spilled into the stands with Santana and Ortiz beating down Kenny Omega and Matt Hardy. Hager joined the party as Hangman Page was shown still looking for Sammy.
Hangman got off the horse and entered the East Club Lobby bar. Omega launched Ortiz into a couple of trash cans as Santana sent Matt into a barricade. Ortiz threw salt in Omega’s eyes and slammed through a barricade with a Powerbomb.
Santana and Ortiz then sent Matt Hardy into the pool. Ortiz shouted that he cannot swim but finally got into the pool. They then started drowning Broken Matt Hardy but Matt emerged as version 1 of Hardy (Pool of Reincarnation). They tried drowning him again and eventually left him in the pool. Broken Matt Hardy emerged from the pool and set up Ortiz on the table. Santana charged at Matt but wound up landing Ortiz and both fell through the table.
Hardy strapped Ortiz onto the chair of wheels but Santana attacked Matt. Hardy slammed Santana into the ice machine and then locked him inside. Jake Hager stumbled upon Hangman’s horse and a “horse!” chant broke out. Hager found Page at the bar and took a seat next to him. Hager took a drink before the two started brawling.
Page grabbed a pool cue and broke it across Jake’s back. Hager planted Page with a Uranage on top of the pool table. Jake dragged Page across the top of the bar and Hangman fell to the floor. Hager then Powerbombed Page through a table for a near fall.
Omega showed up and broke a bottle over Hager’s head and followed it up with the V-Trigger. Hangman Page hit Jake witha Buckshot Lariat and poured Kenny a glass of milk. Matt hit Sammy with endless Northern Lights Suplexes on the football field. Jericho grabbed a megaphone and shouted that Nick Jackson should have stayed at home. Nick started launching footballs at Jericho’s balls but Chris sent Nick into the mouth of the inflatable jaguar. Jericho then leveled the Jaguars mascot with the Judas Effect.
Jericho put a cone on his head and started laughing until Nick hit a Superkick out of nowhere. Matt then hit Sammy with the final Northern Lights Suplex in the endzone and spiked Guevara’s head onto the turf. Matt started dancing around and referee Rick Knox assessed him a penalty. Matt hit Knox with a Superkick and then set up Jericho on a table. Nick ran up the stadium steps and sprinted down for a massive Splash. Hangman then showed up the with the yard/line marker and rolled over Jericho’s crotch and face.
The sprinklers came on and blasted Sammy right in the face. Guevara was confused and thought he won the match but Matt and Kenny showed up in the golf cart again. Sammy hopped into the stands and Matt & Kenny chased him. Sammy threw a couple chairs and continued to run up the stands.
Neo-1 (Matt’s new drone) showed up and distracted Sammy. Omega hit Guevara with the V-Trigger and then a One Winged Angel from the seats and through several tables below for the pinfall victory. After the match, The Elite gave Kenny Omega a Gatorade bath.
Opinion: This entire match was fun as hell and it capped off one of the best PPVs of the year so far. I was slightly disappointed with the Casino Ladder match and hated the Spears & Dustin Rhodes segment. The rest of the show was awesome. Stadium Stampede, MJF vs. Jungle Boy, Shida vs. Nyla Rose, Cody vs. Archer, Moxley vs. Brodie Lee were all great matches. The Stadium Stampede was obviously the most entertaining because of how ridiculous it was.
What a match, what a show. Thank you to everyone that made it possible. #AEWDoN#StadiumStampede
The highly anticipated Stadium Stampede Match is in the books and what a sight it was at AEW Double or Nothing.
The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana, and Ortiz) vs. The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Adam Page) was the main event.
As seen on the show, The Elite went over. The Inner Circle was wearing football jerseys with the Inner Circle logo on them. Each group had football entrances. The contest featured a series of wild spots. They started outside of the ring in the stadium.
Matt Jackson got on a goal post to hit a moonsault onto the Inner Circle. Page entered the stadium on a horse and chased Guevara into the tunnel. Santana and Ortiz tried to drown Hardy in the pool but Matt transformed into various characters.
Hardy put Santana into the icebox and put a stick through the doors to keep him there. Matt told him that it would help his inflammation. Hardy rang a giant bell with Ortiz underneath then put him in a wheelchair and duct-taped him to it while Ortiz was convulsing.
Page and Hager had a brawl fight that ended with Page and Omega drinking whiskey and milk. Matt Jackson hit a series of suplexes to Sammy across the field. Nick hit Jericho a series of times with footballs then super kicked Jericho through a kicking net. Jericho attacked the Jaguars mascot. Page got the line marker and walked over Jericho with it.
Omega hit the one-winged angel off the seating area through a platform to Sammy for the win. There were so many different funny spots in this contest.
Jon Moxley took on Brodie Lee for the top title in the promotion in what many considered to be a top match featured on the card.
Moxley made his latest title defense as the AEW World Heavyweight Champion against Brodie Lee at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event.
The match had some brawling elements as the referee allowed them to use objects around the ring as weapons. Moxley backdropped Lee off the steel steps through the table. Lee sent him through cardboard signs. Moxley threw a small poker chip at Lee.
The end of the match saw Moxley hit Lee a few times with his finisher before locking in a rear-naked choke for the win.
We knew that this was gonna be a fight! Both men are out to prove a point! Order the Double or Nothing reply NOW on all major cable & satellite providers / @BRLive / @FITETV (Intl Fans Only) #AEWDoNpic.twitter.com/alMWWHIg0S
Lee made his promotional debut back on the March 18th episode of Dynamite on TNT when he made an appearance. He was revealed as The Exalted One, the leader of The Dark Order.
The former Luke Harper requested his release from WWE back in April 2019. He remained under contract until December when WWE finally granted the request.
What are your thoughts on retaining Jon Moxley retaining the AEW World Heavyweight Title? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.
Hikaru Shida has become the new AEW Women’s Champion as she dethroned Nyla Rose.
Shida did so when she beat Rose to win the title in a No DQ match at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place. They used some kendo sticks and Shida was even sent through a table at ringside. The finish saw Shida hit an Avalanche Falcon Arrow for the win.
Rose won the title back on February 12th episode of AEW Dynamite when she beat Riho on TNT.
All Elite Wrestling set up this contest on the May 13th episode of Dynamite when the promotion held a #1 Contender’s Match that saw Shida vs. Penelope Ford vs. Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander battle it out in a Fatal 4-Way contest.
As seen on the show, Shida ended up winning it. As a result, Shidaearned the right to challenge Rose for the AEW Women’s Title at the Double or Nothing PPV event.
The inaugural AEW TNT Champion has been crowned and it’s Cody Rhodes.
At the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place, All Elite Wrestling booked this championship match between Rhodes and Lance Archer that served as the tournament finals.
Archer controlled the first half of the contest. At one point due to outside interference, Arn Anderson, the coach of Rhodes, was tossed from ringside. Mike Tyson, who was there to present the title to the winner, scared off Jake Roberts, the manager of Archer, after Roberts teased bringing a snake into the ring.
The finish saw Cody hit Cross Rhodes twice for the win.
The eight-man tournament was announced on March 30, 2020 and kicked off on the April 8th episode of Dynamite to crown its inaugural TNT Champion.
Kip Sabian vs. Dustin Rhodes and Lance Archer vs. Colt Cabana was booked for the right side of the bracket while on the left side feared Cody vs. Shawn Spears and Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara.
The semi-finals of the tournament took place on the April 29th episode of Dynamite. The pair of matches saw Rhodes vs. Allin and Rhodes against Archer.
As seen on the show, Cody went over Allin in the opening match while Archer beat Rhodes in the main event.
As expected, the Casino Ladder Match was wild and featured the promotional debut of Brian Cage.
Cage ended up winning the contest at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday night.
All Elite Wrestling booked this contest that featured Darby Allin vs. Colt Cabana vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Fenix vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Kip Sabian vs. Kazarian vs. Luchasaurus vs. mystery man.
It turns out that the mystery competitor was Cage. Taz came out with him and the announcers questioned whether he was the manager or coach for the former Impact wrestling star.
A new wrestler entered the match every 2 minutes. Early on, Allin went to the top of the ladder and tried to stomp his skateboard onto Kaz but rather went through a ladder. He later briefly disappeared from the match after this spot.
A group of wrestlers grabbed a giant poker chip to put it on top of Cage as a way to keep him down. Cage managed to get back up and did some nice spots.
As a result of winning the contest, Cage has become the new #1 contender to the AEW World Heavyweight Title, which is currently held by Jon Moxley.
As of this writing, there’s no word yet as to when he’ll get the chance to challenge Moxley for the top title in the promotion.
.@MrGMSI_BCage has arrived as the mystery participant in the Casino Ladder Match! Order Double or Nothing NOW on all major cable & satellite providers / @BRLive / @FITETV (Intl Fans Only) #AEWDoNpic.twitter.com/pj1EitB2EB
WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle is slated to make his return to WWE programming when he appears on Wednesday’s episode of WWE NXT.
WWE confirmed on Saturday that the legendary pro wrestler will be the special guest referee for the Cage Fight between Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher that takes place on the show.
This will make his first appearance on WWE television since his departure from the company as he was part of the mass talent and staff releases by WWE due to coronavirus-related budget cuts. He had previously worked as an agent for the company.
It was also announced by NXT General Manager William Regal that a new match has been added to the lineup. Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley will team up against NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte and a partner of her choosing.
This is being done as a way to further build on the program in the women’s division heading into NXT TakeOver: In Your House on June 7.
Updated NXT Card
NXT Champion Adam Cole and William Regal to have negotiating session
Matt Riddle vs. Timothy Thatcher – Cage Fight (Kurt Angle as special guest referee)
Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley vs. NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte and a partner of her choosing
Drake Maverick vs. Kushida vs. Jake Atlas – Triple Threat to determine the Group A winner of the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Title tournament
Brodie Lee spoke with SEScoops.com last week ahead of his title match with Jon Moxley at Double or Nothing. Amongst other topics, Brodie spoke about going from being unfertilized in WWE to headlining a PPV with a new company.
“It’s very gratifying, it’s awesome, it’s exactly what I wanted, it’s exactly what I craved, it’s exactly what I desired,” Brodie said. “It’s everything I ever wanted it to be.”
Brodie would continue to say, however, that now the pressure on him is to deliver in his new role.
“So, now the pressure becomes on me because this is what I asked for, this is what I told people I could do,” he continued. “So now the pressure is on me to either put up or shut up. There’s an added pressure but also I believe that pressure will help make me better and I’m not afraid of the pressure.”
The “Empty Arena Era”
Brodie Lee made his AEW debut on the March 18th episode of Dynamite. That episode was originally supposed to take place from Rochester, NY, his hometown.
Lee revealed that AEW President Tony Khan gave him the option of delaying his debut until things got back to normal, since his big homecoming was not meant to be. He decided to debut on March 18th as planned and make the best of it.
“That’s kind of one of the things I was most looking forward to,” he said about AEW’s live crowds. “I was supposed to make my debut in Rochester, New York on March 18th. They had a really good presale crowd there and then the next week would be in New Jersey, which I think they had 12,000 tickets sold there. So, I was looking to jump right in into the huge aspect of AEW and the fans and the passion. Unfortunately, of course, that turned out to be too good to be true because everything happened on March 11th right before my debut.”
He then mentioned that AEW told him his debut could be pushed back.
“I was told ‘you don’t have to debut, you can wait, we can push it back.’ but at the same time, nobody knew how long that would be and I had been caged up and a stray cat for so long and just kind of left out that I was ready to be a professional wrestler again, I was ready to be a performer again, I was ready to work on my craft and there was no hesitation in me at all to jump right into it.”
“Tony, like I said, Tony gave me the option to hold it off but I think me and Matt Hardy we’re on the same page, we’re ready to hit the ground running.”
AEW Behind The Scenes
AEW stars such as Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley have said that AEW is less scripted and more open to input from performers than previous companies they have worked for. Brodie also commented on this aspect of his new company.
“That’s exactly it. There’s a lot of collaboration but it’s a lot of, I guess friendly collaboration. It’s not like ‘hey do this’ it’s ‘hey, what do you think of this idea?’ and then if I don’t like it, I tell them and it’s a conversation and we go from there.”
“Same thing with promos, it’s like there’s no written script. It’s like here’s the kind of point we need to get across. You say it how you want to say it. It’s your character, you’re fleshing out the character the way you want to which is incredibly refreshing because I was never able to flesh out a character for the past…I was a very one-dimensional character. I said my promo I think it was 2 weeks ago was the first time I’d spoken on a live mic at a professional wrestling show in the past 8 years, almost combined. Again, there’s a certain pressure to it because it’s on you now, there’s nobody left to blame.”
“Again, it’s a different element but it’s a very cool, creative element that helps you sleep at night.”
AEW Changing Course Due To Pandemic
Brodie Lee came to AEW at a time when some on the roster was unable to attend tapings due to travel restrictions. We asked what he knows about AEW changing course creatively as a result of the current climate.
“I think certain things with people not being able to be there maybe got put on hold,” he said. “I’m not privy to that information. I know that Jon Moxley presented us a situation for me to jump at and that’s what I did. So, I can’t worry about hurt feelings about people that didn’t show up to the show and didn’t get the opportunity, I can’t worry about that, I can only worry about myself. But, that said, hopefully, the way I handled things and the way that I performed changed some people’s minds as well if I wasn’t supposed to be in this position.”
Talent He Wants to Work With in AEW
Finally, we wanted to know about which young talent Brodie Lee wants to work with in AEW.
“Every person on the roster is a fresh match-up for me. At the top of that list would be Kenny and the Young Bucks. Watched them work, been friends with the Young Bucks for a long time. I’ve always told them that they had these unbelievable matches in Japan.”
“It’d be a thrill to get in there and test myself against guys like that.
“Darby Allin, a guy like that, a guy like Jungle Boy. Even people like the Proud and Powerful, they are fun for me to watch, I think they are wonderful workers. Jericho, Cody, so these people even who I have history with, Shawn Spears even, these guys that I have history with to now do it in a different environment is very appealing to me.”
Brodie then went back on a previous comment. He joked, “I take that back, anybody but Shawn Spears, if you could put that quote in.”
Order AEW Double or Nothing at BR Live (US) and FITE.TV (Internationally).
Earlier this week, we had a chance to chat with Brodie Lee, the Exalted One of AEW’s Dark Order. During the discussion, we asked how he got involved with the Dark Order, the group’s ultimate goal in AEW and why he does not consider them a cult.
“I’ve known Evil Uno and Stu Grayson for the better part of 15 years,” Brodie said during the interview. “We’ve worked together in promotions like C4, Chikara, and upstate New York too. So, I’ve known them, I’ve been in contact with them the entire time they’ve been in AEW. Been watching what they do.
“It was just a good almost piece for me to jump in and try to take something to the next level. Unfortunately, since I’ve been here I’ve seen Uno and Grayson once in the past 2 months just because they’re from Canada and they haven’t been able to get across the border yet. But I think once we’re back together, people will understand and see what a formidable unit we are together.”
The Dark Order’s End Game
We asked Brodie about what the plans are for his Dark Order.
“I don’t want to be a violent organization, that’s not my M.O,” Brodie said. “It kind of becomes a necessity when you are in the professional wrestling world. And to me, you enter the professional wrestling world is to have power and what power equals in professional wrestling is world titles, and tag team championships, and TNT championships now.”
“So, I think our goal is to collect gold and to be a force to be reckoned with. I know the Elite claims to be the elite, they named a frigging promotion after themselves. So, to me, it’s almost like now you’re at the top, just like Jon Moxley, you put a mark on your head and us as a group we think we’re better than that and we think that we’re powerful, we want power, we want the glory. World championships, TNT championships, and tag-team championships are always in our future.”
Dark Order: Cult or Corporation?
Finally, we asked Brodie Lee why he does not consider the Dark Order to be a cult. He flipped the question on our interviewer and asked if SEScoops.com is a cult.
(Editor’s note: For the record, SEScoops is not a cult)
“Who do you work for?” Brodie asked. “Do you have a boss? Would you consider what you do as part of a cult? So then, what is the difference between what you’re doing in your line of work and what we’re going in our line of work?”
We attempted to explain that it seems as though the Dark Order preys upon the down-and-out people.
“Well that’s a strong possibility but the thing is, we’re making those people better in the long run. I mean, I’m undefeated. Uno and Stu are undefeated. Preston was undefeated until last night so I don’t understand, I think results speak for themselves. I don’t understand what difference a successful organization with a wonderful leader like myself, would make it a cult.”
“Tony Schiavone was given clear instructions and I understand you were probably not given the same instructions so I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on this one. But Schiavone was given clear instructions not to ask that question and they actually cut out two other times that he brought it up and left the third one in there.
“The way they cut it of course, they left my little tantrum in there which I wasn’t thrilled about but hey, I thought I got my message across. And again, I asked Tony this too, he works for many corporations and they’re not considered cults, so I don’t understand what the difference is.”
Brodie Lee challenges Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing. Order the PPV now at BR Live (US) and FITE.TV (Internationally).
Otis has found great success since his main roster debut in January last year. The former NXT star has constantly been featured on WWE programming since then and he also recently won the Money In The Bank match.
Due to his physique and charismatic in-ring presence, some people have started comparing the SmackDown star to the late great Dusty Rhodes.
Otis commented on these comparisons during a recent interview with SportsKeeda. He said that there is only one Dusty Rhodes and being compared to him is an honor:
“There’s only one Dusty Rhodes. I haven’t heard too much of that comparison but I guess you could say that because we’re both big, beefy guys. Good looking, thick men.
It’s an honor. He’s one of the best of all time, Dusty Rhodes.” said Otis. “And watching his stuff back too, just to see how he was working his swagger on the camera, how he translated to the fans was awesome, man,”
The 2020 Money In The Bank winner continued by saying that he hasn’t studied Dusty too much but you have to appreciate his work every time you watch his old matches.
There is no news on when Otis might cash in his Money In The Bank but there are speculations that he can use the contract for a title shot at the Tag Team Championships with his partner Tucker instead of a world title opportunity.
