Impact Wrestling is finishing off 2021 by airing two “Best of 2021” episodes. Last night’s broadcast included some of the best matches of the year as well as the announcement of multiple award winners. More year-end award winners will be announced on next week’s episode.
The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) were named the promotion’s tag-team of the year.
Last year, Deonna Purrazzo won both the Knockout of the Year and Wrestler of the Year awards. She’s won the Knockouts of the Year award 2 years straight now. The Wrestler of the Year award will be announced next week.
In addition to the awards given out last night, a new match for the Hard to Kill PPV was also revealed. Trey Miguel will defend his X-Division Championship against Steve Maclin on the show.
Impact Hard to Kill 2022 will take place January 8th, 2022 from the Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas. The matches below have been officially confirmed for the show:
Impact World Championship Moose (c) vs Matt Cardona vs W. Morrissey
Knockouts Championship Texas Death Match Mickie James (c) vs Deonna Purrazzo
Ultimate X Match For The #1 Contendership to the Knockouts Championship Lady Frost vs Rachael Ellering vs Tasha Steelz vs Jordynne Grace vs Chelsea Green vs Rosemary
Josh Alexander vs JONAH
X-Division Championship Trey Miguel (c) vs Steve Maclin
Knockouts Tag Team Championships The IInspiration (Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay) (c) vs. The Influence (Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood) (with Kaleb with a K)
ROH Championship Jonathan Gresham (c) vs. Chris Sabin
10-Man Hardcore War Eddie Edwards, Rich Swann, Willie Mack, Heath and Rhino vs. The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) and Violent By Design (Eric Young, Deaner, and Joe Doering)
Pro wrestling legend Bret Hart was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame last week.
The Hitman was inducted by Chris Jericho. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also recorded a special video message and thanked Bret Hart for mentoring him early in his wrestling career.
Bret Hart has posted video of his induction to social media, which you can check out in the player below:
Bret Hart recently spoke to TSN about his induction. Hart talked about his in-ring style and what it was like growing up in the business.
“I gave 100 per cent in my matches all the time. There was something different about [my] matches. They were so real, and believable,” Hart told TSN. “My matches were an amazing blend of athletics and acting. You have to know from real pain in your life, what really hurts and how to sell something and make people feel your pain. I think I did that as good or better than any wrestler.
“I grew up in the business from the time I was a little kid, I was watching wrestling matches since I was five years old,” Hart continued. “When I became a wrestler I had a really good idea of how to entertain a wrestling fan like myself. I could bring the fan out of the wrestler, and when we’d go out there and perform it, the fans and the wrestler you worked with are so happy that you delivered this beautiful story.”
Bret Hart’s Hall of Fame Resume
Bret Hart
In addition to Canada’s Walk of Fame, Hart was also inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Oklahoma in 2006. The Hall of Fame and museum honors achievements in amateur wrestling. Hart won the city of Calgary wrestling championship in 1974.
For professional wrestling, Hart is in the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame, Prairie Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame, Quebec Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame, and he’s been inducted twice into the WWE Hall of Fame.
CM Punk took a 7-year hiatus from wrestling after quitting WWE before he made his triumphant return earlier this year. Though during his time away, he never took his hand off the pulse of the industry. He kept an eye on the up-and-coming talents. While many have criticized some of the storylines he has been a part of since his return, it appears that giving young talents the spotlight was always part of his plan.
The straight edge star recently appeared on ESPN SportsNation. He was asked why it was important for him to make his return in this capacity where he is working with a lot of younger talent. Answering it Punk explained that it’s about using his name to help the relatively unknown talents:
“Because very selfishly, it’s what I wanted to do. When you take seven years off of something that you’re pretty decent at and you’re priding yourself at having your finger on the pulse of everything. I think there’s an undercurrent and there’s a lot of young professional wrestlers out there that are probably better than a lot of people give them credit for. They just don’t have the spotlight. They don’t have anybody that’s saying, ‘Hey, look at this guy.’ Or they do but just not on a national level.
Punk continued, “I think I could use my name, whatever value that has, and kind of highlight some of the guys while knocking off some ring rust and moving myself up the ladder. So for storyline purposes, it makes sense to me. And I always remember guys helping me and they were few and far between. I think more people should help more people and I’m just trying to do my best to do that.”
Will We Get To See CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. Adam Cole & Britt Baker?
CM Punk and AJ Lee
AEW is not very big on mixed tag matches but there is one match that many people want to see. The match of CM Punk & AJ Lee vs Adam Cole & Britt Baker is something that even Cole and Baker have shown interest in. Though when asked if we will get to see the bout, the former world champion said that he can’t promise that:
“That one I can’t promise you. She is doing her own thing. To be completely honest, I know her and if I said, ‘Hey, you want to do this wrestling match?’, and if she was all gung-ho to do it, I know she would want to get into stupid shape to do it, and I like her thick. So I don’t want to take that away from myself.”
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Gresham won the world title at the ROH Final Battle PPV earlier this month. Final Battle was ROH’s last show before their announced hiatus until April next year.
In the meantime, Jonathan has started defending the title in various promotions. His first successful defense was against AJ Gray at last Friday’s GCW Blood on The Hills.
Impact Hard To Kill Updated Match Card
This is the 8th announced match for the first Impact PPV of 2022. After the latest announcement, here is the updated match card for the show:
Impact World Championship Triple Threat Match: Matt Cardona vs. W. Morrissey vs. Moose
ROH World Championship Match: Chris Sabin vs. Jonathan Gresham
Knockouts Championship Texas Death Match: Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mickie James
X Division Championship Match: Steve Maclin vs. Trey Miguel
Knockouts Tag Team Championship Match: Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood vs. The IInspiration
#1 Contender Ultimate X Match For Knockouts Championship: Chelsea Green vs. Lady Frost vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Rosemary vs. Rachael Ellering vs. Impact Digital Media Champion Jordynne Grace
Hardcore War: Heath, Rhino, Eddie Edwards, Rich Swann & Willie Mack vs. Violence By Design & Impact Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers
Singles Match: Jonah vs. Josh Alexander
Impact Hard To Kill will take place from The Factory in Deep Ellum, Dallas, Texas on Saturday, January 8, 2022.
With stars such as CM Punk, Sting and Adam Cole in action and the big debut of Kyle O’Reilly, this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite managed to break through the barrier of 1 million viewers again.
The Holiday Bash edition of the show featuring the main event match of Punk, Sting, and Darby Allin taking on The Pinnacle drew 1.020 million viewers according to Showbuzz Daily.
President Tony Khan took on his Twitter to react to the ratings. He thanked the fans and noted how it was their highest number since October when Dynamite was temporarily moved to Saturday night for a few weeks:
Thank you everyone who watched #AEWDynamite Holiday Bash last night! It was our highest viewership since the October time-shift & a BIG win for our whole company + the @AEW fans! Dynamite (+21% 18-49, +8% overall) & #AEWRampage (+29% 18-49, +14% overall) both way up thanks to YOU
This is a 7.59% increase from last week’s Winter Is Coming special of Dynamite. The show featuring the Bryan Danielson vs Hangman Page world title match had drawn 948,000 viewers.
Dynamite also saw a big increase in the key demo. This week’s episode drew 0.37 ratings in the 18-49 demographic representing 480,000 viewers of the age group.
This is a significant 19.35% improvement over last week’s episode of the show. It had done a 0.31 rating, representing 398,000 viewers of the demographic.
This was a 31.61% improvement in the year-over-year ratings for Dynamite. The 2020 Holiday Bash special of the show had not gone up against NXT either.
Hall of Fame commentator Jim Ross has shared his take on how Michael Cole was able to get noticed as a play-by-play guy.
JR was the voice of WWE for many years but Vince McMahon knew he’d need another PBP ace. Cole was groomed to not only keep things fresh but to also fill in whenever Ross would get sick.
Today, Cole is WWE’s top play-by-play commentator and Vince has relied on him for several years. More recently, he has been praised for his chemistry with color commentator Pat McAfee on SmackDown.
Jim Ross Talks Michael Cole’s Early Days
Taking to his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross discussed how Michael Cole was able to get ahead early on in his career.
“He was always prepared and he writes notes that are minuscule. I couldn’t copy his homework if my life depended on it, so to speak.
“But he was always well-prepared, always had some notes, always had some information there that he could utilize, pull it out, use it pretty much anytime. The preparedness I thought was great.
“I’m not saying anything — his voice needed to continue to be cultivated but I thought he was a great student, great student of trying to learn how to become a good storyteller as a broadcaster in pro wrestling.”
While Cole has seemingly become a WWE mainstay, Jim Ross eventually made his way to AEW. He has been out of the booth due to skin cancer treatment but he will be making his return on the Dec. 29 episode of Dynamite.
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Ruby Soho thinks AEW fans can sense inauthenticity from miles away.
In pro wrestling, some of the best moments, storylines, characters, and matches come when the fans feel it to be genuine. It’s the reason why scripted promos and over-the-top gimmicks often get criticized.
Ruby has been received well by the fans of AEW and she has an idea as to why that’s the case.
Ruby Soho Praises AEW Fans
Ruby Soho is of the belief that AEW fans have allowed her to be authentic because otherwise, they wouldn’t accept her. She explained when being interviewed by Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald.
“Feeling like I am accepted for exactly the way that I am, and be able to be me and be the most authentic version of me. I think that’s one of the things that also makes AEW so special.
“That’s one of the reasons [why] our fans are as incredible as they are. They see all of the performers being the most authentic version of themselves. And I think that they relate to that. They connect with that.
“Because everybody knows when you’re trying to be something that you’re not people can tell. Especially our fans, they can tell. When you’re the most authentic version of yourself I think people connect with that even more and that’s why our fans are as incredible as they are.
“So being able to be that version of myself, unapologetically is really, really a great gift.”
In the same interview with Jim, Ruby said she feels there’s something truly special about AEW as a whole. She described the energy of the locker room as “intoxicating.”
Ruby also said that she feels motivated thanks to the energy of her peers. She also called Tony Khan the best “hype man.”
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O’Reilly made his surprise AEW debut on the Dec. 22 Holiday Bash episode of Dynamite. The former Undisputed Era member attacked Orange Cassidy during his match with Adam Cole. This allowed Cole to connect with The Boom for the three-count.
It appears O’Reilly did a heck of a job evading people in the backstage area before making his debut.
Mark Henry Unaware Of Kyle O’Reilly’s Presence
During an episode of Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry praised Tony Khan for being able to snag Kyle O’Reilly after his WWE contract was up.
“Tony Khan continues to give the crowd what they want. And when I say crowd, not just the people in Greensboro but all of the fans of AEW.
“You get these little — it’s not even Christmas presents. It’s like a birthday, it’s a Wednesday gift. Every month it seems like there’s a surprise at AEW.
“Whether it’s a return from injury or a new wrestler that’s All Elite, something to that effect that gets everybody stirred up. Man, I feel like that’s the M.O. of AEW is never letting things get stale by mixing things up and last night was no different.”
Henry insisted that he never knew that O’Reilly was going to appear on Dynamite and never saw him before he made his way out.
“No, I know who he is. I never saw him all day. I’m a tell you, man they some super Secret Squirrel — they some kingsmen. They the Mission Impossible people. I don’t know what the hell is going on but they do a good job of keeping a secret.”
Some drama is already brewing between The Young Bucks and Cole over Bobby Fish and O’Reilly. Cole promised The Bucks a surprise but Matt and Nick Jackson weren’t exactly thrilled with what they saw.
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The AEW roster is stacked and growing by the month. While some may feel it’s time for the company to focus on the talent currently under contract, Eddie Kingston says you really can’t have too many big names in your company.
Kingston spoke to TalkSport this week and spoke about the pros and cons of having a locker room loaded with star power.
When asked if you have too many top talents, Kingston said, “No, because it makes everybody else step up. And if you don’t step up, you get left behind and that’s your fault. That’s not Punk’s fault. That’s not Bryan’s fault. That not whoever comes in fault.”
AEW signed a ton of people this year. CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, Ruby Soho, Malakai Black and Andrade el Idolo are just some of the performers who became ‘All Elite’ in 2021.
Kingston continued, “When Bryan signed, when Punk signed and when Adam Cole signed I said ‘Alright, let’s go. Let’s see what you got.’ Because I know what I got. I know what I have to improve on. Let’s see what you got. I like it. I have a big chip on my shoulder.”
Visit TalkSport to check out the full interview with Eddie Kingston.
AEW Roster: A Team Effort
Adam Cole recently addressed this topic during an appearance on Barstool’s Rasslin’ podcast. Cole says he was very impressed how well everyone gets along behind the scenes.
“It very much feels like the ‘you’re one of us’ thing,” said Cole. “It very much feels like a team in every sense of the word. That was one of the more attractive things to me as well about AEW.”
Cole added that the veterans in AEW are excited to work with the young talent, and vice-versa.
“You look at the young crew of guys like Jungle Boy, Sammy, MJF, Darby, and you’re like, ‘Man, I could do some really, really cool stuff with these guys.’”
In an update to yesterday’s report concerning a COVID-19 outbreak at WWE, PWInsider has followed up their reporting by noting that even more talent and personnel tested positive throughout the day on Wednesday.
Several WWE talent confirmed that they were contacted and asked to take a COVID-19 test to confirm whether they were positive or negative in order to get ahead of the situation. That led to even more confirmed positive cases, with one source noting to PWInsider that there has been a “lot of running around” within the office.
WWE still plans to continue on with their holiday tour next week, though obviously none of the confirmed positive cases will be allowed to travel.
The belief internally is that WWE could not have done anything more to prevent this outbreak. Sources indicated that they are operating with the mentality that the company is going through the same thing that many sports leagues and Broadway are right now in regards to COVID-19 outbreaks. WWE talents are regularly tested before being allowed into venues.
There will likely be some shuffling of the cards planned for this upcoming tour. A source noted to PWInsider that under a worst case scenario, they could even bring some NXT talent on the road to fill-in the undercard of some of their live events.
A Busy WWE Schedule Over The Next Week
WWE’s Day 1 PPV in Atlanta is exactly 10 days from yesterday’s reporting on this outbreak. CDC guidance indicates that people generally shed the virus for 10 days after becoming symptomatic. The hope within WWE is that all talent will be cleared and still be able to perform at the PPV given the time frame they are working with.
It will be a busy week for WWE starting on Sunday, December 26, with WWE holding live events that day in Tampa (SmackDown brand at Amalie Arena) and New York City (Raw brand at Madison Square Garden). Raw on Monday night will emanate from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, while the SmackDown crew will be running the Amway Center in Orlando on Monday. Tuesday will see shows in Washington, D.C. (SmackDown) and Pittsburgh (Raw), and Wednesday the tours move on to Toronto (Raw) and Baltimore (SmackDown). The SmackDown crew wraps up Thursday in Buffalo (SmackDown). Next Friday night’s New Years Eve edition of SmackDown has already been taped, and the Day 1 PPV will be Saturday night in Atlanta.
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The second half of 2021 is a fascinating time to look at domestic pro wrestling attendance and live events outside of the WWE and AEW.
As promotions emerged with regular shows and tapings in what was thought to be the tail end of COVID-19 but in some parts of the country, it continues to be a major challenge and the Omicron variant was just around the corner
With a re-emergence of live events, this half year should serve as a baseline for future comparison as opposed to a comparison to a past that was very different.
Game Changer Wrestling emerged as the hottest live event draw for a promotion of its size
In tracking 22 events (one that was co-promoted with Black Label Pro), 11 shows were sellouts. The company promoted coast to coast and its 4 shows in the Los Angeles market were pre-sellouts as well as 2 shows in Detroit. The Detroit shows sold out early enough that the company booked a more ambitious venue in 2022, Harpos.
Two shows had reported attendances above 1,000: 7/24 in Atlantic City at the Showboat Hotel 1,200. 9/4 Hoffman Estates at the Grand Sports Arena 1,450.
The company also established regular touring swings in Texas (Houston, Dallas).
Outside of the confines of the period of this report, GCW has an advance sellout of 2,025 in the Hammerstein Ballroom on 1/23/22 to look forward to.
The NWA builds back
The 4 shot run of the NWA at the site of the historic Chase Hotel has to be considered a big win. The 73rd anniversary show on 8/29 was sold out at 856 tickets and the EMPOWER show on the 28th was nearly sold out at 843 tickets (98%). The two television tapings had a modest setup with 340 and 323 tickets distributed on the subsequent days.
The company co-promoted a show with Tried & True in Valor Hall in Oak Grove, KY on October 24th that drew 382 (88% capacity).
A multi-day swing in Atlanta included Hard Times 2 and a taping for the new Youtube program, NWA USA. The company was restricted in capacity of 90, with the ppv necessitating refunds to ticket holders beyond the 90 restriction. The NWA USA taping was reported as 70 in attendance.
New Japan’s drawing ability in the U.S. still a question mark
NJPW Strong Shwodown had a wild main event
New Japan ran 9 domestic shows in the U.S. during the second half of 2021.
The Torch at the LA Coliseum show on 8/14 distributed 99% of the tickets representing 2,240. This may have been the most tickets sold for a non WWE-AEW domestic event in 2021. The television taping in Long Beach, CA sold out with 114 tickets distributed plus General Admission.
The two shows in Garland, TX, a mid-market stronghold for AEW, did not yield good results for New Japan. The 9/25 distributed 903 tickets. It appears more than half the tickets were distributed the day of the show on 9/25, so one might consider if tickets were given away or there was a particularly effective late advertising campaign or significant walk up purchases. 9/26 distributed 841 tickets as of 5pm on the day of the show, significantly up from 443 tickets just a few days prior.
A swing through the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on 10/16 and 10/17 yielded 561 and 531, respectively, according to WrestleTix. The Observer and Cagematch listed around 700 for these shows.
A swing in California in November on 11/13 and 11/15, yielded 1,548 in San Jose and 858 in the Riverside Municipal Auditorium.
A small taping was done in the Vermont Hollywood in Los Angeles on 12/9. A total attendance was not available for the venue that can hold up to 1,200 but the 1st row and ‘lobby standing’ were sold out with a ‘waiting list’ appearing on the ticket sales page.
NEW continued to draw for big shows in warmer weather, celebrates anniversary
In the second half of 2021 (one a partnership with ICW), NEW drew over 1,000 for at least 2 shows, possibly 4.
On 7/9 in Rostaver, PA (co-promoted with ICW), the Post Gazette reported an attendance of 700, whereas the Observer listed 1,700.
A show in Eastwood Field in Niles, OH drew 1,978 and the Anniversary show in the Mid-Hudson Civic Center on 8/14 drew 1,518 (84% capacity). Due only to the promotion’s track record, the anniversary show may have been a modest disappointment in not selling out.
Two additional shows, one in Waterbury on 7/17 and one in Bethany on 9/11, had 260 and 205 tickets distributed.
The 4th quarter (October-December) is traditionally a less ambitious time for NEW. There were several shows in Bethany, CT, most notably 205 at the NEW Arena (representing 73% of the tickets put on sale).
On 10/2 in Danbury, I hand counted the ticket sales page to represent 610 tickets. However the Observer reported 1,210 fans and 1,174 paid- a number not achievable based on what I saw on the ticket map.
Ring of Honor struggles at the gate, cautiously runs some shows with fans and announces a reimaging
On 7/11, ROH ran in the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Area. The building was set up for social distancing and WrestleTix estimated a capacity of 700, with 419 in attendance. The Observer listed 1,200 in attendance.
ROH ran a double shot at the 2300 Arena on 8/20, 8/21 drawing 390, 482 according to WrestleTix. The Observer reported the same number for paid on 8/21 but that 550 were in attendance.
ROH has attempted to run Death Before Dishonor in Lakeland, FL but it was canceled for COVID reasons. A hand count showed that only about 150 tickets had been sold prior to the cancellation. ROH instead returned to the 2300 Arena and drew 372 on 9/12.
In the 4th quarter, the company returned to empty arena tapings outside of Final Battle. Prior to Final Battle, the company announced time off in 2022 to reimagine itself, released contracted wrestlers and announced a potential show over WrestleMania weekend in the Dallas market.
Final Battle in Baltimore, MD drew 1,620, a significant increase over July 11th’s 419 attendees. WrestleTix reported that Sinclair employees were offered up to 4 free tickets.
IMPACT & its modest wins
Impact World Champion Christian Cage
IMPACT remained in Nashville in the third quarter but allowed fans into Skyway Studios. Slammiversary was a quick sellout on 7/17 with 180 in attendance. A nice ‘win’ for the company.
The Observer reported that tapings on 7/18, 7/19 also had 180 in attendance but there was no distinction between the two tapings per day. My own check just prior showed that one could buy multiple tickets each day.
In the 4th quarter, IMPACT spent most of its time in Las Vegas. It ran a triple shot from October 23-25th with Bound for Glory reported as a sell out of 900 fans. Unconfirmed, I received a tweet that there was an advertisement for seat fillers/extras that night.
As of this writing, it appears that the 12/18 show at the Davis Arena in Louisville, KY will sell out its 137 seats (132 had been sold) and has General Admission seats also available.
MLW: Philly X3, shifts Dallas
In a show long rescheduled due to the pandemic, MLW was completely sold out at the 2300 Arena on 7/10/21. The Observer listed it as “the usual sellout number” – but the actual number was not available. Generally, the building’s maximum capacity is listed as 1,300 with a Battleground sellout in the venue listed as 900.
The show planned for Dallas on 9/11 was canceled for COVID reasons. It had distributed 508 of 512 reserved tickets plus GA prior to cancellation. The promotion will return to the city at least twice in 2022, this time at Gilleys.
The promotion ran the 2300 Arena two more times in the 4th quarter, with 550 on October 2nd and 675 on November 6th reported.
The co-promotion with THE CRASH took place outside the U.S. and is left out of this report.
Other shows drawing 1,000+
Outside of an unknown true attendance for HECHO En MEXICO (7/31 in Hidalgo, TX on 7/31), the following shows were reported as drawing 1,000+ for shows not already mentioned above:
Great Lakes Championship Wrestling in Waukesha, WI drew 2,100 at the Waukesha County Expo Center on 12/4
Mucha Lucha in Norcross, GA drew 1,500 at Espacio Discoteque on 10/10
WRESTLECADE in Winston-Salem, NC drew 1,200 in the Benton Convention Center on 11/26
PCW ULTRA in Wilmington, CA drew 1,000 at ILWU Memorial Hall on 10/23
Overall non-WWE/AEW Domestic Attendance Average
In tracking 188 shows, 84 (44%) were reported as sold out (or nearly).
There was an attendance available for 140 of the 188 shows, for an average of 395 in attendance per show.
Given that there were probably 10-15x shows domestically (depending on how quickly independent wrestling is emerging from the pandemic and running with fans), this is just a snapshot and shouldn’t be applied to any trend overall or meant in any way as a representative sample.
Additionally, Georgia Wrestling History provides several local results per week so there is a skewing based on the volume of small Georgia shows.
However, using the same methodology in future years may yield some interesting results.
Sourcing/Credit:
In addition to confidence in my own abilities to hand count ticket maps, credit is due to WrestleTix, The Wrestling Observer, Cagematch, PWInsider, The Wrestling Estate, Georgia Wrestling History and local media coverage in which attendance figures were provided.
Note: All information provided was to the best of my knowledge. Any factual errors are unintentional and will be corrected in future editions. Please reach out at any time with a concern or correction.
AEW taped Rampage Holiday Bash following Dynamite last night from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The show was headlined by a TNT title match between champion Sammy Guevara and Cody Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes defeated Sammy Guevara to win the TNT Championship for a 3rd time. Reports are that Rhodes used multiple Cross Rhodes and a pedigree to win the match.
The other 3 matches all had submission finishes.
Kris Statlander defeated “Legit” Leyla Hirsch via submission. In his second ever match, HOOK defeated Bear Bronson. Jungle Boy also defeated Isiah Kassidy from Private Party.
The TNT Championship has now changed hands 7x, with Rhodes being the only champion to hold the title more than once. His first run with the belt lasted 82 days and included 8 title defenses. Rhodes then dropped the title to Brodie Lee who defended it twice before dropping it back to Rhodes again. He would then drop the title to Darby Allin, who eventually lost it to Miro. Guevara then defeated Miro before dropping it back to Rhodes.
Next up for AEW will be a show in Jacksonville on December 29th. Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish will reunited to take on the Best Friends and Orange Cassidy. Jade Cargill will face Thunder Rosa in the second TBS Title Tournament semi-final. Eddie Kingston will also team with Santana and Ortiz to take on 2.0 and Daniel Garcia.
Ruby Soho has wrestled for many different companies in her career so far. The list includes promotions such as WWE, Stardom, Shimmer, and more. Though while she has been part of many different locker rooms, none can match the energy and vibe that is found in the AEW locker room, according to the female star herself.
Soho recently spoke to Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald. She compared the energy within the AEW locker room to other organizations and claimed that it has a very indie feeling to it:
“I have said before that AEW kind of has a very independent wrestling like underground vibe to it. It’s different than anything that I’ve ever been a part of. The energy within it is definitely kind of an indie wrestling vibe just because we’re all working together as a team to put together this amazing product. And we’re all just a bunch of misfits putting together this incredible show that are brought together by the love of wrestling,”
Ruby Soho and Tony Khan. Photo: Instinct Culture by Denise Salcedo
Ruby Soho made her AEW debut during the All Out PPV in September. In the short time since then, she has won a Casino Battle Royal and challenged for the AEW women’s world title. She is now competing in the TBS title tournament and reached the finals of it. When asked what her experience at the promotion has been like, Soho said that there is something very special about the place:
“There’s something very special about the place, about the energy that’s in the locker room. Like I said, we’re all just trying to prove that there’s something different out there in the world of professional wrestling and that’s what we’re delivering. So, it is an energy that is intoxicating and motivating. Then on top of that our boss, Tony Khan is probably the best hype man anybody could ask for. He’s just so excited about wrestling and so excited about his product and passionate about it. That energy is infectious throughout the rest of the locker room.”
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This week’s special Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite saw Sting team up with Darby Allin and CM Punk in the main event. They defeated the team of Maxwell Jacob Friedman and FTR of the Pinnacle.
Sting and Punk paid homage to one another with their face-paint and ring gear.
Ahead of this memorable bout, Sting spoke to Sports Illustrated and had glowing things to say about Punk.
“CM Punk, he’s truly amazing to me,” he began. “Hearing the crowd respond to him, it’s made me turn back the clock and think of all the different memorable reactions over the years to different wrestlers. I’ve especially been thinking about The Road Warriors. Animal was really big on that. He would say, ‘This guy got a huge pop, but it wasn’t a Road Warrior pop.’ That’s what Punk gets.”
Sting and CM Punk
Sting has wrestled alongside some of the biggest names in pro wrestling history. He’s worked with them all, yet still credits Punk for being a “remarkable” and “electrifying” performer.
“I had an idea of CM Punk’s greatness, but now I have experienced it,” Sting continued. “His appearances are so electrifying. He is remarkable, and I am grateful to have this opportunity to be in the ring with him and Darby as their tag team partner.”
Sting Retiring on His Terms
Sting also spoke about how fortunate he is to write this final chapter of his career on his terms.
“Not many people get to rewrite their final chapter, not at this level. I had great matches at the Greensboro Coliseum with Lex Luger, and now I get to do it with Darby and CM Punk against MJF and FTR. It’s a great way to end my career. The crowd, their appreciation makes me want to tear up. It’s almost as if they don’t want to say goodbye.”
Sting has a lot of great memories wrestling at the Greensboro Coliseum. Back in 1988, he wrestled NWA Champion Ric Flair to a 45-minute time-limit draw at the first-ever Clash of the Champions. That show went head-to-head with WWE’s WrestleMania IV.
Matt Cardona has made independent wrestling his new home after being released by WWE. He’s having the time of his life traveling around and working for multiple promotions at the same time.
After being a WWE star for 15 years, it doesn’t look like he is interested in signing another exclusive contract anytime soon. During a recent interview with Barstool Wrestling, the Long Island Broski was asked if he’d ever signing an exclusive contract in wrestling again.
“I mean never say never but I’m having the time of my life right now, the time of my career,” he began. “Before this, 2011, when I did the YouTube show back in the day, that was my favorite year of my career. But fuck this year is number one. By far I’m having the time of my life. Making some money and being my own boss. I love it.”
Cardona continued, “Not only the creative freedom, but the freedom to just make my own schedule, do whatever I want to do. and it’s working. This wasn’t some master plan.”
Matt Cardona claimed that always ready is not just a catchphrase for him. It’s the way he lives his life. He is not one of those people who gets a lot of opportunities, but he is ready to seize the ones that come his way. Later in the interview, he explained how this mindset led to him making his Impact Wrestling debut at last year’s Hard To Kill PPV:
“The always ready. It’s not just a hashtag or gimmick. It’s the way I live my life and career. Some people not just in wrestling but in life, get handed opportunity after opportunity. I’m not one of them. I’m not complaining about that. They come few and far between. But when I get one, I better capitalize. I better make the most of it and that’s what the always ready is all about.
“It was last year at Hard To kill. I made my debut. [I] wasn’t scheduled to be on the show. The day before, someone from their talent relations texted me and said ‘hey, can you be at the Pay Per View tomorrow?’ I said ‘always ready.’ I literally had just shaved my entire body the night before and got a little confidence tan. But I was like, fuck, I say I’m always ready, [and] I better be. I better be fucking ready to go and I was. And I’ve been with impact, doing their shows ever since. I love impact. I love the opportunities that they give me. Now a year later on the anniversary of my debut going for the world title, it’s very special to me.”
It doesn’t appear Matt Cardona will slow down in 2022 either. He already has a few big shows coming his way in the first month of the year. Cardona is scheduled to challenge Moose for the Impact world title at Hard To Kill on January 8. The match will be a triple threat also involving W. Morrissey. He is booked for the GCW event in Hammerstein Ballroom on January 23 as well.
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Kyle O’Reilly made a shocking debut on Wednesday’s Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT.
O’Reilly did a run-in during Adam Cole’s match against Orange Cassidy. In doing so, he reunited with former Undisputed Era partners Cole and Bobby Fish.
After Cole picked up the victory, O’Reilly, Cole and Fish stood together in the ring. Out came the Young Bucks, who questioned Adam Cole’s loyalties.
Cole has partnered with the Bucks, as well as Fish & O’Reilly. He left with Fish & O’Reilly, which sets up an interesting scenario about where this leaves the Super Elite.
Kyle O’Reilly debuts on AEW Dynamite
Kyle O’Reilly comments on his AEW debut
O’Reilly addressed his arrival in AEW on social media.
“Life is crazy and I’m very grateful that my professional wrestling abilities have taken me to a new frontier in which to explore my ass-kicking ways,” he wrote. “Proud to be apart of AEW and thanks to Tony Khan for the opportunity.”
“If you’re a fan of mine from elsewhere I hope you continue to support me. If you’re new to KOR prepare to see a man that pours his f’n soul into that ring every night and has an unquenchable thirst for cans of whoop ass.”
“Also, reDRagon is back!!!”
Tony Khan Reacts
Tony Khan also commented on signing O’Reilly and reuniting him with Adam Cole and Bobby Fish.
“I’m still amazed that we were able to reunite Adam Cole & Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly tonight on AEW Dynamite; it doesn’t seem like it should’ve been possible, still doesn’t feel real. The only reason it was possible was because of you great fans supporting AEW on TNT! Thank you.”
Michael Penzel, better known to wrestling fans as Corporal Kirchner has passed away. He was 64. The cause of death is listed as a heart attack.
As a teenager, Kirchner enlisted in the United States Army and eventually became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He left the Army in his early twenties and began working as a mechanic and a bouncer in Minnesota.
He met Hulk Hogan in a gym who introduced him to Verne Gagne. Penzel then went to Gagne’s wrestling school.
In 1984, Kirchner worked as enhancement talent in WWF until Vince McMahon found out he had been in the 82nd Airborne Division. McMahon then gave him the name Corporal Kirchner and incorporated his military background into his character.
He left WWE in 1987 and had a brief run in Calgary for Stampede Wrestling. In 1989, he ended up with New Japan Pro Wrestling and adopted the Leatherface gimmick. He would work for various Japanese promotions until landing with FMW in 1995.
After FMW closed, he worked a few years for various Japanese promotions before retiring from full-time in-ring work in 2004. He’d later make some appearances for the Insane Clown Posse’s promotion in the years after.
SEScoops extends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Michael Penzel.
Corporal Kirchner Remembered
We are saddened to learn that Michael Penzel, better known as Corporal Kirchner and beloved by fans all over the world, passed away yesterday at the age of 64. Our sincerest thoughts are with his family, friends and those affected by his passing.https://t.co/HXO0rz8j1f
CAC sends it's sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Michael Penzel, known in the wrestling world as Corporal Kirchner. Michael passed away at the age of 64. Rest in Peace Sir. pic.twitter.com/CTvr9SpdEy
Corporal Kirchner (Michael Penzel) has passed away at the age of 64.
Best known for his WWF run in the 80s, highlighted by match at Wrestlemania 2 against Nikolai Volkoff. Kirchner even had his own LJN wrestling figure. After WWF, Penzel wrestled in Japan as Leatherface. #RIPpic.twitter.com/cIbQ4wDSNb
Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson have a date for their second match.
Page and Danielson went to war on the Dec. 15 episode of AEW Dynamite. Hangman’s AEW World Heavyweight Championship was on the line. The two fought to a one-hour time limit draw.
Danielson suggested that there be judges on tap for the rematch in case he and Page go to another 60-minute draw. Hangman Page was in agreement but he vowed that the match won’t make it to the one-hour mark again.
AEW has announced the date for Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson 2. The action will take place inside the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on Jan. 5. This will mark AEW Dynamite’s debut on TBS.
AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash aired live from the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina. CM Punk, Darby Allin, and Sting faced MJF & FTR in this week’s main event. Kyle O’Reilly made his AEW debut tonight during the match between Adam Cole and Orange Cassidy.
Dynamite Results
Adam Cole def. Orange Cassidy
Wardlow def. Shawn Dean
Ruby Soho def. Nyla Rose to advance to the finals of the TBS Championship Tournament
Malakai Black def. Griff Garrison via submission
CM Punk, Darby Allin & Sting def. MJF & FTR
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Kyle O’Reilly Debut, Undisputed Era Reunites
Adam Cole faced Orange Cassidy in the first match of the night. The two traded poses to start off the match. Cassidy took Cole down and applied a Headlock. Cole broke free and connected with an Arm Drag before applying a Headlock of his own. Cassidy rolled up Cole for a two count and got him in another Headlock.
Cole broke free and booted Orange in the midsection. Orange applied a Wrist Lock and then hit another Arm Drag. Cassidy rolled Cole up for a two count before Adam got Cassidy another Headlock. Orange broke free but Cole caught him with a Backstabber.
Adam launched Cassidy into the turnbuckle and then perched him up on the top rope. Cole set up for a Superplex but Cassidy blocked it and shoved him to the canvas. Orange hit a Crossbody and followed it up with a Tornado DDT for a near fall. Orange climbed to the top turnbuckle but Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler came to the entrance ramp for a distraction.
Cassidy hit Cutler with a Splash as Matt & Nick battled with Best Friends. Cassidy hit everyone with a Suicide Dive before Best Friends & Young Bucks battled to the back. Cole launched Orange Cassidy into the steel steps and went for a running knee but Orange got out of the way. Adam bashed his knee into the steps and fell to the floor as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Cassidy and Cole traded shots. Cassidy hit the lazy kicks before following it up with an actual Superkick. Cole shrugged it off but Orange caught him with another one. Cole battled back with a Brainbuster and went for the cover but Orange kicked out at the last moment.
Adam hit a boot to the face but Cassidy responded with the Stundog Millionaire. Cassidy climbed to the top rope and hit the diving DDT for a two count. Cole connected with a Back Body Drop and boot to the face. Cole set up for Panama Sunrise but Cassidy backed away. Cassidy hit a Michinoku Driver for a two count.
Cassidy put on his shaded and put his hands in his pockets. Orange leaped right into a Superkick and Cole followed it up with Panama Sunrise. Cole put his hands in his trunks and went for the cover but Cassidy kicked out at two. Cole went for the Last Shot but Cassidy ducked and hit an Air Raid Crash for a near fall.
Cole rolled out of the ring as Cassidy set up for the Orange Punch. Bobby Fish then trotted to the ring and hopped on the apron for a distraction. Kyle O’Reilly showed up and attacked Orange Cassidy from behind. Cole then hit the Last Shot on Cassidy for the pinfall victory. Cole and O’Reilly then battled Best Friends.
Fish joined in on the beatdown in an Undisputed Era reunion. O’Reilly and Fish hit the High/Low on Trent. Young Bucks made their way down to the ring and wondered what was going on. Cole left with Fish & O’Reilly as Matt & Nick watched on.
Hangman Page & Danielson Will Battle Again On The TBS Premiere Of Dynamite
Tony Schiavone interviewed AEW Champion Hangman Page tonight in the ring. Tony noted that Hangman probably would have defeated Bryan Danielson if he had a minute more. Page said that after the match he had never felt less of a champion after the time limit draw.
Bryan Danielson interrupted and called Hangman an “entitled millennial cowboy”. Danielson laughed at Hangman for being disappointed about still having the title. Bryan claimed that the AEW fans should be disappointed because he is not champion after kicking Page’s ass for an hour.
Danielson noted that the rematch is on January 5th (TBS debut) and vowed to kick his ass again. Bryan claimed that he hurt his leg in the match against John Silver and would have destroyed Page if he was completely healthy. Danielson said he won’t make that mistake again and won’t wrestle until January 5th. Bryan suggested that they have judges on January 5th in case Hangman tries to stall for an hour ago. Hangman said that Danielson dragged him out into deep waters but in the seconds that mattered the most, and would have drowned Bryan if he had just a couple more seconds.
Hangman told Danielson to get some judges if he wants to get old timers a payday. Page added that he didn’t come this far to have some prick tell him he’s a B+ player. Hangman closed the promo by saying if the question is “can Hangman Page beat Bryan Danielson in under an hour, on January 5th the answer is yes”.
Wardlow faced Shawn Dean tonight on Dynamite. Wardlow absolutely dominated and planted Dean with four Powerbombs for the pinfall victory. After the match, Shawn Spears hit Dean with the chair a couple times. Wardlow was angry that Spears tried to steal his spotlight and walked away.
Dan Lambert and Men of the Year cut a promo in the crowd. Lambert boasted about the most successful MMA gym on the planet and put over Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page. Lambert joked Tony Khan gave him the impossible assignment of trying to get Cody cheered. Lambert said that he’d never get anyone to cheer for Cody Rhodes he’s a bigger dick than him. Lambert shouted that he just cares about Sky or Page being next in line to get a title shot to end the promo.
Ruby Soho Advanced To The Finals Of The TBS Championship Tournament
Nyla Rose faced Ruby Soho in the TBS Championship Tournament. Vickie Guerrero accompanied Nyla to the ring for the match. Nyla attacked Soho and beat her down. Ruby’s hand was actually stuck in her jacket sleeve and they embarrassingly tried to get her hand out for the first minute of the match. Nyla took control and sent Soho into the steel steps as Dynamite went to a break
When Dynamite returned, Ruby hit a Clothesline but Rose didn’t go down. Ruby climbed to the top rope but Vickie shoved her down. Nyla hit the Knee Drop across the top rope for a near fall. Nyla followed it up with the Beast Bomb for another near fall. Ruby connected with the Pele Kick after Nyla climbed to the top rope. Ruby covered Rose for the victory and advanced to the finals of the TBS Championship Tournament. Jade Cargill will face Thunder Rosa next week in the semifinals. The winner of the match will battle Ruby Soho on the January 5th episode of Dynamite to crown the first TBS Champion.
Malakai Black faced Griff Garrison tonight on Dynamite. Brian Pillman Jr. was in Garrison’s corner for the match. Black caught Griff with a kick to the face to the begin the action. Malakai got distracted with Pillman and Griff capitalized. Malakai quickly battled back and applied a Figure Four butGarrison got to the ropes to break the hold. Black unloaded some more kicks and locked in a Half Crab for the submission victory. After the match, Pillman broke it up but Malakai leveled him with Black Mass.
CM Punk, Darby Allin, Sting Picked Up A Win In A Wild Main Event
MJF & FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) battled CM Punk, Darby Allin, & Sting in a Trios Match in this week’s main event. Sting was wearing a CM Punk shirt and has his face painted with his logo. Taz joked about Hook outselling Punk’s t-shirt and Punk had Sting facepainted like surfer Sting as well.
MJF tagged out instead of fighting Punk and posed outside the ring. Harwood and CM Punk started off the action as the crowd chanted “CM Punk!”. Harwood brought Punk to the canvas with a takeover and went for a Headlock but Punk broke free. Dax leveled Punk with a shoulder tackle but CM responded with an Arm Drag.
Cash Wheeler tagged in and Punk hit him with a Body Slam. Darby Allin tagged in and got Cash in a Headlock. Wheeler escaped and leveled Darby with a shoulder tackle. Allin hit a Dropkick and followed it up with an Arm Drag of his own. Cash scamped to the corner and tagged in MJF.
Darby tagged Punk and he chased MJF around the ring. MJF tagged out again and posed for the booing crowd. Cash tagged back in and then Punk tagged Sting to a massive pop from the crowd. Sting went to work on Cash’s arm and sent him to the corner. Sting went for the Scorpion Death Lock but Cash retreated out of the ring.
MJF tagged in and went for a chop but Sting no sold it. Sting dragged MJF to the corner and tried to tag in Punk but MJF held him back. Sting hit a Clothesline and tagged in Punk but MJF once again retreated out of the ring. Punk chased MJF through the crowd and up the stairs into the concourse area. MJF ran back to the ringside area and Punk was right behind him. MJF tagged Harwood again and hid behind FTR. Darby Allin leveled FTR with a ridiculous dive as Dynamite went to a break.
Allin and Dax were battling in the ring when Dynamite returned. Wheeler dumped Darby out of the ring and Dax sent him into the barricade. Dax tagged in and continued to beat Darby Allin down. MJF spat water at CM Punk and retreated back to the corner. MJF got Allin in a Headlock as the crowd got behind Darby.
MJF hit a Body Slam and tagged in Harwood. Dax hit a Body Slam as well and tagged in Wheeler. Cash hit another Body Slam before tagging in MJF. Maxwell hit a Body Slam before tagging out. Dax delivered another Body Slam and tagged in Wheeler. Cash went for a Body Slam but Darby countered into a roll-up. Cash kicked out and Darby finally hit a Body Slam of his own.
The Icon Sting tagged in and bounced Dax’s head off the turnbuckle several times. Sting delivered a Back Body Drop to Cash and then a Spinebuster to MJF. Sting hit FTR with a couple Splashes and then Punk followed it up with a knee strike. Sting hit another Stinger Splash on Dax and went for the Scorpion Death Lock. MJF broke it up as Cash distracted the referee. Dynamite went to a final commercial break with MJF and FTR in control.
Sting battled back when Dynamite returned and hit a Clothesline. Dax tagged in and kept Sting in the corner. Harwood sent Sting into the turnbuckle and went for a Splash but Sting countered into a slam. MJF tagged in but Sting slammed him down. Sting fell down and delivered a headbutt to MJF’s “yam bag” as Taz called it.
CM Punk tagged in and beat FTR down. Punk hit Wheeler with a knee to the face and did the same to Harwood. Punk hit a Bulldog/Clothesline combo and then a Suicide Dive to Harwood. Punk climbed to the top rope and hit Wheeler with a Crossbody for a near fall. CM signaled for the GTS but Dax broke it up.
Harwood tagged in and walked into a Neckbreaker from Punk for a near fall. Cash tagged in and hit Punk with a Splash off the top rope for a close two count. Dax knocked Sting off the apron as Tony Schiavone wondered where MJF was. Punk rolled up Harwood for a two count as something off camera happened at the timekeeper’s table (would have been nice to see it). MJF was apparently hiding behind the table and Darby caught him with a dive.
Dax and Punk traded punches in the middle of the ring. Punk went for the GTS but Harwood blocked it. FTR hit the Big Rig and went for the cover but Sting broke it up. MJF crawled into the ring and hit Sting with a DDT. Sting got right up and MJF tried to run away. Sting sent MJF out of the ring and FTR couldn’t catch him. MJF landed on his head but thankfully was alright.
Sting hit a Splash on everyone off the top rope outside the ring. CM Punk hit Dax with the GTS, Sting hit the Splash, Darby followed it up with the Coffin Drop. Punk then covered Harwood for the pinfall victory. MJF joined commentary and shouted that Punk was afraid of him the entire match. MJF added that Punk was running like a bitch as Punk posed with Sting & Darby to close the show.
Kyle O’Reilly has joined the AEW roster and drama has already reared its ugly head.
On the Holiday Bash episode of AEW Dynamite, Adam Cole went one-on-one with Orange Cassidy. Cole got a major assist from the debuting Kyle O’Reilly, which allowed Cole to hit The Boom for the three-count.
After the match, The Young Bucks made their way down the ramp and they did not look too pleased. Cole promised a surprise for his fellow Elite members but this isn’t what The Bucks were hoping for.
Bobby Fish was also at ringside and he posed with O’Reilly. Cole looked conflicted as he noticed that The Young Bucks were not happy with what had transpired.
Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish were all members of the Undisputed Era on NXT. The group eventually added Roderick Strong to the group.
O’Reilly had been with WWE under the NXT brand since 2017. Once his contract came to an end, O’Reilly decided to leave the company. Many expected the move given that NXT has changed direction.
Tony Khan always admired the athletic ability of Orange Cassidy but he was iffy on his gimmick at first.
Cassidy garnered a lot of attention on the indie scene. Many fans loved his gimmick of being the chill wrestler who puts his hands in his pockets. Others felt that OC had no shot of getting over on television.
Cassidy has been well received since coming to AEW and his gimmick hasn’t been as over the top as it was on the indies. Still, OC is allowed to be himself and has garnered success.
Tony Khan Didn’t Get Orange Cassidy At First
Tony Khan appeared as a guest on Busted Open Radio and said that he wasn’t sure what to make of the Orange Cassidy gimmick initially.
“The gimmick is very entertaining and people love it but the thing I really love about Orange Cassidy is how great of a wrestler he is when he really wants to try [laughs]. It’s what really made me fall in love with Orange Cassidy.
“I didn’t understand it at first either and I’ll be the first to admit that.
“The first time I ever really talked to him was after a PWG show I think and I had really not gotten to know him very well, and I spent a lot of time with him and talking to him about how I saw the character and how I would want to see Orange Cassidy in AEW.
“One thing I’m really proud of is if you’re an independent wrestling fan then you probably would know this or maybe looking back this would make sense to you, the Orange Cassidy in AEW is very different from the independent Orange Cassidy from pre-AEW.”
On the Dec. 22 Holiday Bash episode of AEW Dynamite, OC will be going one-on-one with Adam Cole. OC and Best Friends, who recently joined the NJPW faction CHAOS, have been in a feud with The Elite.
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Jim Ross believes WWE struck gold with The Hardy Boyz.
No one can deny the impact that Matt and Jeff Hardy have made in the wrestling business. They were known as daredevils and risk-takers during the Attitude Era. While the two split several times as a team, they always find a way to reunite.
WWE can take pride in the fact that The Hardy Boyz were homegrown talents. In fact, Ross believes WWE couldn’t have scripted it any better.
Jim Ross Puts Over The Hardy Boyz
Taking to his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross expressed his belief that when it comes to a homegrown team for WWE, it doesn’t get any better than The Hardy Boyz.
“The Hardys are the greatest team ever developed in WWE. Think about it. I’m not talking about Arn and Tully or the Dudleys, some of those other great teams that came through there, but they were teams when they got there, a lot of them.
“Matt and Jeff came in wearing their own homemade wrestling tights that they sewed with their own sewing machine. I just love the story and I love their enthusiasm and their youthful passion. I don’t think there’s ever been a better tag team that’s developed in WWE than The Hardys.
“I hope that someday they go into the Hall of Fame. I don’t know how that’s going to happen or work out because Jeff leaving, unfortunately, but they deserve accolades because WWE has never developed a better tag team, homegrown, than the Hardy Boyz, in my opinion.”
It’s possible that Matt and Jeff could see tag team action again. Matt competes under the AEW brand and Jeff was recently released from his WWE contract.
While there was concern over Jeff’s health at the time of his WWE release, it appears he and Matt insist that everything is in the clear.
Britt Baker has unveiled her favorite match of 2021 and it isn’t one that she competed in.
Many agree that 2021 was a great year in terms of quality wrestling matches. We’ve seen plenty of “Match of the Year” candidates from promotions such as AEW, NJPW, WWE, and Stardom.
This year, fans got to witness instant classics such as Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi from NJPW’s Wrestling Dontaku event. Or how about that steel cage match for the AEW World Tag Team Championships at All Out between The Lucha Bros and The Young Bucks?
Of course, the hard-hitting NXT TakeOver 36 match between Ilja Dragunov and WALTER didn’t disappoint. As for the women, Utami Hayashishita and Syuri tore the house down, going past the time limit in their World of Stardom Championship match.
Britt Baker’s Personal Choice
Christian Cage & Kenny Omega
Appearing on an episode of Busted Open Radio, Britt Baker revealed that her favorite match of 2021 has a bit of personal meaning behind it.
“This is gonna be weird for you guys but I have a match that was special to me for many reasons.
“And it’s not mine so just hold up before you say I’m like too arrogant but when we were in Pittsburgh everybody there was saying, ‘Oh my gosh, this city is so brutal, we hate coming to Pittsburgh, the fans suck.’
“And I took that as a personal attack. I’m like, ‘What? No, Pittsburgh shows up.’ The Kenny Omega-Christian match that happened, it was a great match but the fans were absolutely rabid.
“They were insane for this match and it made me so excited to just tell everybody, ‘See, the fans will come when you give them what they want.’ That match proved that because it wasn’t me.
“It wasn’t the hometown chick getting the great reaction. The place came unglued when Christian won the Impact Title. So, for me, that was a really cool moment cause that’s my city.”
The match Britt is referring to took place on the debut episode of AEW Rampage. It was held inside the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA on Aug. 13. The bout was contested for the Impact Wrestling World Title, which was held by Kenny Omega.
Britt herself had a highly-praised match in 2021. On the March 11 episode of AEW Dynamite, Britt had a Lights Out match against Thunder Rosa. The bloody matchup ended with Thunder Rosa getting the win.
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Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston are long time friends, a fact that AEW has tied into on-screen storylines nicely. The two have been both enemies (wrestling in an I Quit match at AEW Full Gear 2020) and friends (tag team partners) over the last year with the company.
In an interview with TalkSPORT, Kingston revealed how Moxley (then Dean Ambrose) tried to get WWE to sign him several years ago.
“Jon has been one of the biggest advocates for me in my whole career, since we met,” Kingston revealed. “A lot of people don’t know that he was trying to get me into WWE years ago. Trying his best to do what he could. ‘Hey, I told this guy to check you out.’ And this is me and Jon not talking for years and out of nowhere he’ll text me ‘Hey, I told so and so to watch your match from blah blah blah’ and I’ll be like ‘Who is this?’ And he’ll be like ‘Jon’ and I’ll be like ‘Oh hey, what’s up Mox?’ [laughs]. That’s the kind of friends we are.”
Moxley is currently off of AEW television after checking himself into treatment for alcohol abuse just over one week before AEW Full Gear earlier this year.
“That was real man stuff. He understood that his family is number one, that’s grown man stuff,” Kingston said regarding Moxley’s decision to get help.
He continued, “And you got to think about it like this, what’s wrong with being honest with the people? There’s so much stuff on social media now you can’t hide anything anyway. Be honest with the people, if they accept it, they accept it. If they don’t, they don’t.
“But you’ve got to do what’s right for you and I’m proud of him. I’m very proud of him.”
Kingston is currently in the midst of the most successful period of his wrestling career, starring on national television on a weekly basis. It took years for him to get there (with many trials and tribulations recently revealed in a column for The Players Tribune), but Kingston ended up making it in the business without ever signing a WWE contract.
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