House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews & Brody King) are not leaving AEW anytime soon despite speculation of their departure.
There have been rumors regarding Malakai Black’s future. It was speculated that he would be jumping ship to WWE. However, that is not the case. PWInsiderhas reported an update about the House of Black members’ contracts.
While the duration is not known, it has been noted that Matthews has inked a new deal with AEW this past February. On the other hand, Malakai Black’s current deal will keep him with the promotion till 2025. The outlet further refuted the rumors about their departure from AEW.
Buddy Matthews has been away from the AEW programming for quite some time. The Patriarchy attacked Matthews in a backstage segment to pull him from the programming. During his hiatus, Matthews got married to WWE wrestler Rhea Ripley.
The Patriarchy are the newly crowned AEW Trios Champions. The House of Black are set to get a shot as they previously defeated the Bang Bang Gang, who were the champions at the time.
It seems that once Matthews is back, they will go after The Patriarchy. Amid Matthews’ absence, Malakai Black and Brody King are teaming up as a tag team. Earlier this month, they defeated The Premier Athletes (Ariya Daivari & Tony Nese) on AEW Rampage.
Earlier this year, Rodriguez was removed from WWE’s internal roster due to health concerns. Now, reports state that the former NXT Women’s Champion, who has been absent for months could return soon. PWInsider has reported that there have been some talks of Raquel Rodriguez returning to the ring in the near future.
The Texas native has been away from in-ring action since the February 26 edition of Raw where she defeated Chelsea Green. Raquel Rodriguez is a former 3-time Women’s Tag Team Champion. She has won the titles twice with Liv Morgan and once with former WWE wrestler Aliyah. Rodriguez had also won the NXT Women’s title during her run on the developmental brand.
Raquel Rodriguez having health issues
Rodriguez had revealed that he was diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. In January, the 33-year-old star opened up on the Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), having allergic reactions like hives, swelling, and respiratory difficulties. This led to her taking time off.
The journey is far from over. I finally got some answers as to what caused this but it’s going to be a while til I can get it fully under control.
I know one thing. I’m blessed to have an amazing support system. Family, friends, I love you all??
All Elite Wrestling’s Scorpio Sky recently sat down with Chris Van Vliet to reflect on his journey in wrestling and his time with the company. Sky has been a part of AEW since 2019 and is a two-time TNT Champion and one-half of the inaugural AEW World Tag Team Champions.
On His AEW Hiatus
Despite being an AEW original, Sky hasn’t appeared regularly in some time and his most recent AEW match was in September of 2023. On the podcast, Sky acknowledged that he’s “been in and out over the last couple of years.” While Sky said that some it has been down to injuries, he rejected the idea that he is ‘injury-prone.’
“I did get hurt about two years ago but I was okay within like a couple of weeks. But the problem is when you fall out of the rotation, we have so much talent, that it’s hard to get back in the rotation.”
During his absence, Sky has been working out and shared plans to get back on the independent scene. He said it’d be a “really fun thing” to go back to his roots and “have some banger matches.”
On Making an AEW Return
While Sky has the independents in his sight, his main goal right now is an AEW return. On the podcast, Sky said he feels ready to get back on TV.
“I’m ready. I think we’re just waiting for the right opportunity, for the right situation. Again, there are a lot of guys in the company and people coming in all the time… it’s just a little tough sometimes to work your way back.”
On Working With Sting
One of the biggest matches for Sky came at AEW Double or Nothing 2021 when he and Ethan Page faced Darby Allin and Sting. This would be the Icon’s first live match in AEW and his first match in front of a crowd since WWE Night of Champions 2015.
“That’s one of my favorite matches ever. I have two matches that are my favorite matches I’ve ever had and that’s one of them.”
The match was even more special as Sting had originally joined AEW under the proviso of only having cinematic matches. Sky added that Sting told himself and Page that he trusted them both to make sure he was okay in front of a live crowd.
“We just did the best we could to obviously protect him. But he’s a maniac and wants to do crazy things as well… He was in great shape. We had to talk him into not wearing a shirt.”
On Being Chris Jericho’s First AEW Loss
During the seventh episode of AEW Dynamite in 2019, Sky and Frankie Kazarian retained their World Tag Team Titles against Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara. This match marked Jericho’s first defeat in AEW, an accolade that isn’t lost on Sky.
“He’s world champion and then I pinned him and then we did the whole face-to-face interview thing and then I wrestled him for the title. He ended up going off with Moxley after that, which was a good little transition.”
Jericho, in Sky’s view, legitimized AEW and helped television networks take an interest in the upstart promotion. On the podcast, Sky even went as far as to compare Jericho legitimizing AEW to a certain WWE Hall of Famer.
“I always think it’s similar to when Hulk Hogan went to WCW in the mid-90s. It’s just like, it puts that stamp, okay, we’re we’ve arrived.”
On WWE’s Anger Management
Long before he was All-Elite, Sky appeared as ‘Harold’ in WWE’s anger management segments featuring Kane and Daniel Bryan (now AEW’s Bryan Danielson.) Despite being an official WWE production, A lot of ‘Harold’s’ work was on the fly.
“A lot of it was improv. I think there was a line where I put my hand on Kane’s thigh. And that one, I just did it, it wasn’t planned. I think the line was something like, Thank you for sharing Kane, it was just one of those things I had fun with and I didn’t expect anything of it.”
Despite being a wrestler at the time, there were never any plans for Harold to compete in WWE. Sky shared that he’s never watched the anger management segments in question, and finds it funny that fans still remember him for those angles, 12 years later.
This week’s AEW Dynamite: Blood & Guts event was a successful night for Tony Khan’s promotion, even if things reportedly didn’t go as first planned. The July 24, edition of Dynamite marked the fourth-annual Blood & Guts match which saw Team AEW defeat The Elite in the violent double-cage structure.
This year’s Blood & Guts Dynamite took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN, a city AEW has hosted several events in since launching in 2019. This week’s show outsold AEW’s last trip to Dynamite, Fightful Select reports.
AEW Dynamite: Blood & Guts saw Britt Baker win her first match since returning to AEW TV by defeating fellow ex-Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida. Baker’s victory was short-lived however, as she was confronted by Mercedes Mone and blindsided by the debuting Kamille.
Kamille’s debut had been kept very quiet, the report adds, but she has been under contract and being paid since February of this year. Kamille was reportedly backstage at an AEW Dynamite back in January and graphics and materials for her debut have reportedly been ready for some time.
AEW’s Brian Cage is set to don the iconic loincloth once more to reprise his role as He-Man in the upcoming fan film ‘Fall Of Grayskull: Rise Of The Horde.’ Cage’s participation in the film was announced by Red Serial Films on Instagram this week.
The film serves as a sequel to the popular 2015 short film ‘Fall Of Grayskull’ in which Cage also played He-Man. A synopsis for the new movie via Kickstarter reads as follows:
“In the end credits of part one, we tease of Hordak preparing to invade Eternia..where this movie will pick up. Prince Adam/He-Man has to deal with taking over as king after the death of his father, the inner struggle of being forced to kill Skeletor in the previous film, and trying to protect Eternia from this new invading army. Like He-Man, Teela is also struggling with the loss of a parent and attempting to take on her new role as guardian of Grayskull. We also meet Adora who is contemplating the morality of her life in the Horde and discovering her destiny of becoming She-Ra.”
You can check out Cage in the first He-Man: Fall of Grayskull film down below.
Cage certainly has the build to once-again portray the iconic character of the 1980s that has seen a revival in recent years thanks to a Netflix adaptation and several comic projects. Although the former FTW Champion set to return to the world of Eternia, fans can expect to see plenty of Cage in AEW after signing a new contract last year.
MVP has appreciated the “ride” he’s been on since returning to WWE, even though many believe it could come to an end very soon. On Instagram, MVP shared a photo of the night he returned to WWE as part of the 2020 Men’s Royal Rumble match.
In the caption, the Hurt Business alum spoke of being brought back as a producer, which didn’t work out as the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of live events left WWE not needing him in the role. MVP also addressed his time as a commentator, an in-ring talent, and working with ‘Roberto’ Bobby Lashley in WWE.
MVP’s WWE Status
MVP’s reflections on his time in WWE since his 2020 return come amid reports that he and Bobby Lashley could soon be out of the company. It’s been reported that both men (alongside Tamina Snuka) have been removed from the promotion’s internal roster, signifying that there are no plans for them on TV. Lashley hasn’t competed on WWE TV since April of this year and MVP, the manager of Omos, has similarly vanished from shows.
Following reports that he had been removed from WWE’s internal roster, MVP shared a salute emoji online. Another report has claimed that MVP and Lashley are both considered to be ‘gone’ by those in WWE as both men’s contracts are said to expire soon. While an offer was reportedly made to Lashley, it’s said that this deal was one the All Mighty would be in no hurry to sign.
MVP has certainly done plenty since returning to WWE though a title reign has continued to allude the manager/commentator/Superstar/producer. Keep tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on this ongoing situation.
The son of a true legend in the world of professional boxing will be part of the upcoming WWE tryouts that will take place over SummerSlam weekend. Elijah Holyfield, the son of Evander Holyfield, will be a part of the tryouts, PW Insider reports. The tryouts will take place on Friday, August 2, and for the first time ever, fans will be able to watch the tryouts and perhaps get their first glimpse at a future WWE Champion.
Despite being the son of one of the biggest names in boxing, Elijah Holyfield has focused is athletic career on football. The 26-year-old played college football in Georgia and has been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals as a running back. Holyfield stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs 215lb.
On Twitter this week, the younger Holyfield gave a taste of his athletic prowess.
Should Elijah make it through the tryouts and sign a WWE contract, he wouldn’t be the first member of his family to compete in a wrestling ring. During an August 2007 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, Evander Holyfield, subbing for the ‘injured’ MVP, boxed Matt Hardy. After Holyfield refused to do more damage to Hardy who was seemingly unable to fight back, MVP got in the face of the boxer and earned a right hand for his troubles.
WWE has held tryouts around several events in recent years with names like Nikkita Lyons, Tatum Paxley, Edris Enofe, Javier Bernal, and Monday Night Raw’s Maxxine Dupri all joining after a SummerSlam tryout. These tryouts have demonstrated that there is no one way to make it into WWE and an athletic background outside of the ring can often be as valuable as someone spending years on the independents.
WWE SummerSlam 2024
SummerSlam 2024 will take place on August 3, one day after the Priority Pass tryouts, from the Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The show will be the second SummerSlam from Cleveland and currently has seven matches announced. In addition to in-ring action, SummerSlam weekend will see Damian Priest: Live, which will include the premiere of his WWE: 24 episode and a live panel from El Campeon.
Keep tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest from these upcoming talent tryouts as well as the Biggest Party of the Summer.
A new fan getting into All Elite Wrestling should check out five matches in particular, according to company President Tony Khan. Since launching in 2019, AEW has hosted some of the most unique, violent matches but there are some that stand out. Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Khan had the following matches to recommend as must-see viewing.
MJF Vs. Bryan Danielson (Revolution 2023)
Described by Khan as “among the very, very top,” AEW’s first-ever Iron Man match saw MJF retained the AEW World Championship against the American Dragon. The bout also raised questions as to whether MJF goes too far with his character after throwing a drink at a young fan.
The Young Bucks Vs. Omega/Page (Revolution 2020)
From the inaugural Revolution pay-per-view, this tag-team title match saw Omega and Page retain the gold against the AEW EVPs. On a night that also saw the second-ever AEW World Champion be crowned in Jon Moxley, it was this half-an-hour tag-team match that stole the show in Chicago.
Dr. Britt Baker Vs. Thunder Rosa (Dynamite 3/17/2021)
A “fantastic” Lights Out match, Thunder Rosa defeated Britt Baker in the main event of St. Patrick’s Day Slam in a bloody Lights Out match between the two. The match also marked the first time an AEW event was headlined by female wrestlers.
The Young Bucks Vs. Allin/Sting (Revolution 2024)
The final match in the legendary career of Sting, Khan called the Revolution 2024 main event “my greatest moment,” and the pay-per-view AEW’s “greatest show I think we’ve had here.” The match proved to be a fitting send off for The Icon as he and Allin bested the Bucks and ensured Sting finished his AEW career undefeated.
MJF Vs. Will Ospreay (Dynamite 250: 7/17/2024)
From the 250th episode of AEW Dynamite, MJF and Will Ospreay had a 59:58 war over the AEW International Championship. Despite a valiant effort by Ospreay, and a ‘terrorist’ attack in his favor, MJF won the gold with the use of the Dynamite Diamond Ring.
AEW has hosted some exceptional matches in the five-and-a-half years since its launch and that’s expected to continue in the months and years to come. While this list may be contained to just five examples, AEW has countless matches worth checking out in its ever-growing library of All-Elite content.
The ‘Blood and Guts’ special of AEW Dynamite from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on July 24 delivered everything fans were expecting from it.
The main event of the show was the classic cage match brought back to life where Team AEW took on The Elite. The bout was every bit as brutal as expected with memorable spots such as Darby Allin’s coffin drop from the ceiling of the cage and The Elite teaming up to attack Swerve Strickland with staple guns.
The Babyfaces won the match at the end after Darby almost set Jack Perry on fire, and it was the perfect cue for a…marriage proposal.
A video has surfaced online which shows ringside announcer Justin Roberts helping a fan in the front row propose to his girlfriend after Dynamite went off air:
After the bloodied war in the main event of #AEWDynamite#BLOODandGUTS, some fan decided it was the perfect time for a marriage proposal and Justin Roberts helped him do it.https://t.co/QKsa8wfY9m
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) July 25, 2024
What Happened on Dynamite
The special episode of the Wednesday night show featured many notable story developments before the main event. The opening segment saw the new AEW International Champion MJF cutting a promo.
The Salt of The Earth did something unthinkable and threw the International title belt in the garbage. He said that he deserves a better title, before unveiling a new belt dubbed the AEW American Championship.
The show also included matches such as Chris Jericho vs. Minoru Suzuki and Hikaru Shida vs. Dr Britt Baker. If all this wasn’t enough, the long-anticipated debut of a female star also took place during the night. You can check out more about it here.
Team AEW was victorious over The Elite on this week’s edition of Dynamite in a brutal Blood and Guts match that left the heels with no choice but to forfeit.
Jack Perry and Darby Allin started the match for their respective teams and the TNT Champion maintained the advantage over Allin with a trash can and extension cord.
Jack Perry sends Darby Allin flying like a lawn dart!
Nick Jackson was the next arrival, giving the Elite a distinct advantage, and ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe was the first wrestler to bleed significantly after having his face scraped across the cage.
The #ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe has arrived to even the odds for #TeamAEW!
Matt Jackson was out next to join his brother but Anthony Bowens would change the complexion of the match. Bowens used scissors and stabbed Perry in the head, earning “You Sick F***” chants from the crowd.
The Scissor King, Anthony Bowens is here to reinforce #TeamAEW!
Kazuchika Okada, wielding a ‘Rainmaker’ street sign was next to enter the cage and Max Caster followed with a microphone and he retrieved a barbed-wire board from under the ring. This came back to haunt The Acclaimed as the Young Bucks sent Bowens into it, prompting “Holy S***” chants from the crowd.
In case things weren’t already violent enough, thumbtacks were introduced next and poured into Caster’s mouth. ‘Hangman’ Adam Page was supposed to arrive next but didn’t. Instead, the Cowboy waited for Swerve Strickland’s entrance so he could ambush the reigning AEW World Champion.
Hangman Adam Page only has his eyes on #AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland and now #AEWBLOODandGUTS begins!
Swerve was left locked out of the cage and Page, under the threat of being fired, got in the cage as demanded by Nick Jackson. Jeff Jarrett would help free Strickland’s trapped hand, allowing him to enter the cage.
Swerve and Hangman finally get their hands on each other!
Staple Guns were introduced via a briefcase that the Bucks had brought to the match. Despite this, Team AEW fought on with Darby Allin delivering a Coffin Drop to Jack Perry.
The finish of the match also involved Allin and Perry as the TNT Champion was handcuffed to the wall and took some kendo shots but refused to quit. Mark Briscoe followed with a chair shot to the head of Perry, but that still wasn’t enough. Allin then retrieved a gasoline can and threatened to see Perry ablaze. Fearing the loss of life of his ally, Matt Jackson gave in, awarding Allin a TNT title match at All In, and forfeiting Blood & Guts.
Darby Allin wants his TNT Championship Match at #AEWAllIn and will set Jack Perry ON FIRE to get it!
This year’s Blood & Guts certainly delivered the violence that fans have come to expect with the brutal stipulation. After months of having control, the Elite’s loss is a huge setback for the group, and could be a sign of things to come next month in Wembley Stadium.
Leo Burke, a Stampede Wrestling staple, has passed away. Burke, real name Léonce Cormie, who also wrestled under the name Tommy Martin was 76. Details behind his passing are currently unknown.
Burke was born in New Brunswick, Canada and competed under the NWA affiliate up north known as Central States Wrestling, teaming with his brother Romeo before later joining up with Stu Hart’s Stampede promotion in Calgary. While there, he won the promotion’s Tag Team Titles and also became a notable singles wrestler, winning Stampede’s North American Championship on several occassions. While there, he caught the eye of a young Bret Hart who in his Hitman autobiography, said he resembled late actor Burt Reynolds.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer was the first to report the news, also adding further context to Burke’s legacy left in the squared circle.
“Very sad to report the death of Leo Burke/Tommy Martin of the famous Cormier family of New Brunswick at the age of 76. He was a major star in Eastern Canada and an eight-time North American champion with Stampede Wrestling. Very well respected in the ring. Bret Hart considered him one of the best.”
Very sad to report the death of Leo Burke/Tommy Martin of the famous Cormier family of New Brunswick at the age of 76. He was a major star in Eastern Canada and an eight-time North American champion with Stampede Wrestling. Very well respected in the ring. Bret Hart considered…
Wrestling trainer and veteran Rip Rogers also took time to pay tribute to Burke, noting of his star power in Canada.
“Just heard my friend Leo Burke passed away.. he was a legend in the Maritimes .. I wrestled him in Calgary for Stu Hart and all over the Maritimes in summers of 88, 90, 97 ., Pr in 89,.. his brothers Rudy Kay , Bobby Kay , and the Beast proceeded him in death ..”
WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry also credits learning a lot from Leo Burke as he began honing his skills as a wrestler.
We at SEScoops would like to extend our prayers, thoughts and condolences to Leo Burke, his friends and family at this time.
MJF will put the AEW International Championship on the line in a rematch against Will Ospreay at All In.
All Elite Wrestling’s upcoming pay-per-view event, All In, is starting to take shape. The show will occur at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on August 25. While the match card is still being finalized, AEW has revealed that AEW International Champion MJF will defend his title in a rematch against Will Ospreay at the PPV.
On the July 17 episode of Dynamite, MJF defeated Ospreay for the title in a nearly sixty-minute match. The finish came when “The Devil” used an object to hit Ospreay in the face to win.
In celebration of his championship win, MJF opened the July 24 episode of Dynamite to boast to the Nashville, Tennesse crowd in attendance. He talked down to the fans for being unpatriotic and that they only liked his championship because it was held by international talent.
In an interesting turn of events, “The Devil” threw the AEW International Championship in the trash. Afterward, he unveiled his new AEW American Championship, which he plans to use moving forward.
Ospreay had enough of MJF and came to the ring to confront him before the “Heel” escaped with his new title. “The Aerial Assassin” would share he spoke with AEW President Tony Khan and interim AEW Executive Vice President Christopher Daniels to get a rematch with the championship on the line at All In.
What Is Next For PAC?
AEW’s decision to have the rematch occur at the upcoming PPV is interesting, as PAC earned the opportunity to challenge for the title. The high-flying superstar defeated Claudio Castagnoli, Kyle Fletcher, and Tomohiro Ishii in a Fatal Four Way match to become the number one contender on the July 10 episode of Dynamite.
After the match, PAC declared that he would win the AEW International Championship and have his moment at All In. It’s worth noting that Khan shared on X before the Fatal Four Way match that the winner would get a future opportunity for the title. The rematch announcement currently puts his involvement in the PPV in uncertainty.
Updated AEW All In Match Card
AEW World Championship: (C) Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson
AEW Women’s Championship: (C) Toni Storm vs. Mariah May
AEW International Championship: (C) MJF vs. Will Ospreay
MJF couldn’t care less about winning the AEW International Championship against Will Ospreay and made that perfectly clear to kick off this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
The new champ did come out with the title around his waist, but it didn’t take him long to take that gold out and literally throw it in the trash. MJF channeled a mid 1990s Madusa when she threw her WWF Women’s Championship in the garbage on WCW Nitro, but then Max had some new hardware to debut.
Underneath a cloth was a new “AEW American Championship” which had a star-spangled strap that would make any belt enthusiast drool. Friedman then disparaged the city of Nashville before Will Ospreay ran down to attack his latest rival. However, ‘Billy Goat’ really got MJF’s gruff when he told him that Tony Khan booked him vs. MJF for the Internatiional gold at AEW ALL IN in Wembley.
While MJF did hearken back to Madusa, he also pulled a page out of the book of a heel Ospreay. While in New Japan, Ospreay became the holder of the IWGP United States Championship in 2023 and redubbed it the IWGP United Kingdom Championship.
Will Ospreay in 2023: changes the IWGP United States Heavyweight title into IWGP United Kingdom Heavyweight title
MJF did cheat to win the “American” Championship last week on Dynamite when he and Ospreay nearly went the full hour time limit, but it was when MJF popped Will with the Dynamite diamond ring to secure the pinfall victory and the gold.
Ospreay vs. MJF joins an already growing card for ALL IN as Swerve Strickland is set to take on Bryan Danielson, Mariah May challenges Toni Storm and just announced on tonight’s Dynamite was Darby Allin vs. Jack Perry for the TNT Championship.
Kamille has finally showed up in AEW and she has first set her sights on Britt Baker. The former NWA Women’s Worlds Champion has been patiently waiting to make her pro wrestling return at some point, with heavy speculation that she did sign with AEW and she confirmed that on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
Britt Baker had a back and forth battle with an old AEW rival in Hikaru Shida and she got the former AEW Women’s Champion to tap via the Lockjaw. As Baker was celebrating, Mercedes Mone sauntered down the ramp. As Baker focused on Mone, she was caught off guard by the big boot of Kamille, who leveled the D.M.D. It was all part of the plan for Mone as it appears that Kamille will be the enforcer for “The C.E.O.”
Kamille certainly passes the classic ‘airport test’ of pro wrestling as she certainly turns heads with her physique and size. The vibe of Kamille very much reflects that of Jade Cargill, one of AEW’s original stars who now calls WWE home.
While Cargill has a great deal of TV time, Kamille has a historic NWA Women’s Worlds Championship run as she had the gold for an impressive 813 days before dropping it to Kenzie Paige.
Kamille has been a free agent in the world of pro wrestling since January so she hasn’t been a television presence for over six months. Kamille adds to a growing AEW Women’s division as she joins rising stars such as Willow Nightingale and Mariah May, but also a good deal of veteran talent on the roster as well.
In a significant shift in sports broadcasting, the NBA has chosen Amazon Prime Video over Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) for its long-term media rights deal. Despite WBD’s attempt to match Amazon’s impressive $1.8 billion per year offer, the NBA selected Amazon to help maximize the reach and accessibility of its games.
An official statement from the NBA reads, “Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon.”
The NBA’s new arrangement with Amazon is designed to enhance the fan experience by complementing the existing broadcast, cable, and streaming packages under Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements. The league emphasized that all three partners have committed substantial resources to promote the NBA and improve fan engagement.
Expressing gratitude towards their previous partner, the NBA stated, “We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT.”
What This Means For AEW
This move has broader implications beyond the NBA. Warner Bros. Discovery, which is also the media rights partner for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), is in the late stages of negotiating a new deal with the wrestling promotion. With the NBA deal off the table, WBD frees up substantial resources, which could be advantageous for AEW and the terms of their next media rights deal. Stay tuned to SEScoops for further updates on AEW’s next TV deal.
MJF says he’s exasperated at the amount of attention “terrorists” receive in society, and referenced the 7-year old girl who slapped him last week on AEW Dynamite to make his point. During his 60-minute match against Will Ospreay, the action spilled into the crowd, the young fan slapped MJF’s chest. The former AEW World champion and new International Champion appeared on the Casual Conversations podcast and everal days after the incident, he clearly hasn’t moved on.
“She’s a terrorist. Let’s talk about it. I think we need to talk about this immediately. So here’s the deal. I’m wrestling a match, and I think we’re like three minutes in at this point. I’m just about to beat Will in a matter of seconds, and this guy, because he’s scared of me, he hops over the guard rail. He tries to leave the arena. Wild stuff, right?
I couldn’t believe it. So now, to protect the integrity of our sport, I’m chasing after this guy. What a wuss. But I care about our company, right? So now, let me catch up to this guy so we can continue on with this matchup. When I got a hold of him, I’m beating him up, I mean with ease in this crowd, but it was a pretty hostile environment.
Then, out of nowhere, a girl pulls a gun out. I don’t know if you can see the gun when you watch the match back, but she had me at gunpoint and then proceeded to strike me in the chest repeatedly.”
AEW was celebrating the milestone of 250 episodes for Dynamite during the July 17, 2024 episode of their weekly episodic series. As such, the company had loaded the card with many PPV-quality matches.
One such match on the card featured The Salt of The Earth challenging Will Ospreay for the International Championship in a hard hitting affair. The bout went on for almost an hour, with both the stars working hard to give fans many unforgettable moments during their encounter.
The most memorable spot of the night however was something that neither of them could have planned in advance. The action was taken outside the ring at one point in the match and both the stars continued to fight in the middle of the crowd. During this time, Ospreay prompted a little girl who was in attendance to take part in the bout and she went on to hit MJF in the chest.
The moment went viral on the internet after MJF flipped the girl. After the show, Ospreay gifted the young fan a shirt and she was also featured on a local news channel in Arkansas. Despite the brutal attack, the 28-year-old still came out victorious and he defeated Ospreay in the match to win the AEW International title.
“Why would you give such a violent person a platform like that? It’s horrible. Little girls like that is a reminder of why abortion is necessary. I don’t care what your political affiliations are. I think people should be able to abort for at least the first 1000 months of a pregnancy term.”
MJF claimed that he didn’t feel any of the strikes from the girl. Giving an explanation for flipping off the young fan, the Salt of The Earth said that you have to stand up to bullies:
“Now I didn’t feel any of the strikes because I’m jacked. I mean, I have a chest the size of a Dodge Ram truck. So she stops, she puts the gun away. Even though I knew she had the gun on her, I wasn’t fearing for my life at this point because you know, you gotta stand up to bullies no matter what the situation is.
So I flip her off, rightfully so in my opinion, as I think anybody else would. Then Osprey sneak attacks me from behind when all I’m trying to do is react to this vicious terrorist. And proceeded to sneak attack me while we were inside the crowd. Luckily, I stopped him, I threw him in the ring, I gave him a great right-hand punch, and that was all she rode.”
CM Punk is enjoying his current WWE run so much that’s already thinking beyond the length of his current 3-year deal. According to respected wrestling journalist and podcaster Ibou of WrestlePurists, Punk is looking to restructure and extend his deal.
“I can tell you right now that he is in the process of trying to get his deal restructured from a money and years standpoint. Punk’s legitimate stance right now is if all goes well I will never leave. That’s his legitimate standpoint. He wants to be here ‘forever,’ is the actual word he used.”
Ibou, WrestlePurists, 7/22 WWE Raw Youtube Review
What does CM Punk Want?
Punk is gearing up to return from injury and wrestle his first match since Jauary next weekend at WWE SummerSlam. According to sources close to Punk, he’s interested in spending the latter years of his pro wrestling career giving back to the next generations.
” Basically, he wants this to work out, he wants to get paid, and then he wants, when it’s time to slow it down, to slow it down and just run NXT.”
Ibou, WrestlePurists, 7/22 WWE Raw Youtube Review
Despite his injury at WWE Royal Rumble, Punk has been a bonafide team player while healing from a torn triceps. He’s still managed to appear on WWE television, but has also found some solace in helping out down in NXT. Additionally he’s found some pre-show chemistry with Big E during big WWE kick-off shows.
However, Punk’s absence from the ring is soon to come to an end as just this past Monday on WWE Raw, Punk revealed that he’s medically cleared to wrestle and will face Drew McInytre at SummerSlam with Seth Rollins as the special guest referee.
Punk is not on the best of terms with Rollins after he cost Seth his WWE World Title chances against Damian Priest at Money In The Bank. That story will continue on as Rollins will lay out the ground rules next week to both Punk and McIntyre, who aren’t allowed to lay a hand on one another until SummerSlam.
MJF has some choice words to describe his mentor CM Punk.
The current AEW International Champion’s rivalry with the Straight Edge Star remains one of the most memorable feuds in the history of Tony Khan’s promotion to date.
Due to the abrupt end of Punk’s AEW run, the Salt of The Earth never got a proper closure on their feud. He still seems to have learned a lot from the wrestling veteran, to the point where he considers Punk a mentor of his.
The former world champion recently had an interview with Casual Conversations podcast. During a segment on the show, he was asked to describe certain superstars.
The name of Cody Rhodes came up first, who MJF described as a mentor. When asked about CM Punk, the scumbag explained that he was also a mentor, but in a completely opposite way:
“I think I would use the word mentor through hate. So I was mentored by probably two of the most intelligent guys in the business. One was through love and one was through hate.”
MJF started a feud with CM Punk in late 2021, only a few months after Punk’s debut for the company in August. They first encountered each other as opponents in a six-man tag team match at the December 22, 2021 episode of Dynamite.
The two would continue this rivalry for the next few months, leading to some of the most entertaining and memorable promo battles in the history of pro wrestling.
They had two singles matches during this rivalry. MJF won the first one at the February 2, 2022 episode of Dynamite with help from Wardlow. CM Punk would then get his win back at the 2022 Revolution PPV on March 6, when Wardlow turned on Maxwell.
Punk would move on a world title feud with the then-champion Adam Page after this, leading to him winning the AEW title at Double or Nothing in May. He was forced to take a hiatus from the company only 5 days after due to a foot injury.
The rest of Punk’s AEW run was bogged down by injuries and backstage drama. As a result, MJF would never get the chance to renew this rivalry before the former AEW star’s departure in September 2023.
All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynamite: Blood and Guts tonight live on TBS from the Bridgestone Arena. (Get Tickets). This is historically one of AEW’s best shows of the year, and Blood and Guts is a big-time stipulation match. Here’s a preview of the matches and segments confirmed for tonight:
Blood and Guts: Team Elite vs. Team AEW
Team Elite: Adam Page, Kazuchika Okada, Matthew & Nicholas Jackson and Jack Perry
Team AEW: Swerve Strickland, Darby Allin, Mark Brisco and The Acclaimed
The Young Bucks come into the match with the most experience after winning a Blood & Guts match last year. They’ll try to use their knowledge to help give their team the victory and remain the dominant faction in AEW.
Blood & Guts Rules
Blood and Guts is AEW’s take on the classic ‘WarGames’ match created by Dusty Rhodes in the 1980’s. This ‘match beyond’ involves two teams of 5 wrestlers fighting inside a roofed cell structure surrounding two rings. Two men begin, there are staggered entrances and a winner cannot be decided until all participants have entered. The match can only end by pinfall or submission – there’s no disqualifications, no count-outs and no escape.
Official AEW Blood and Guts 2024 Poster
AEW’s graphic design team delivers once again for this incredible AEW Blood & Guts 2024 poster
FTW Championship Match: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki
Chris Jericho puts his title on the line for the third time against New Japan Pro Wrestling legend Minoru Suzuki. The match was made official last week with the added stipulation that other members of the Learning Tree(Big Bill & Bryan Keith) would be banned from ringside.
Dr. Britt Baker, DMD vs. Hikaru Shida
Dr. Britt Baker, DMD, makes her return to in-ring competition against former rival Hikaru Shida. It will mark the former AEW Women’s World Champion’s first match in over ten months.
The Debut of “The Glamour” Mariah May
Mariah May will reintroduce herself in AEW under the moniker “The Glamour.” The episode is being advertised as her debut, so she’ll be in action against an opponent who will be revealed during the show.
Keep it locked to SEScoops for more coverage of AEW Blood and Guts and head over to our AEW News section for more.
AEW Blood and Guts 2024 is here!
What Happened Last Week?
Last week’s Dynamite saw MJF and Will Opsreay deliver a 60-minute match-of-the-year contender for the AEW International Championship, Mercedes Moné in action against Nyla Rose, an appearance by ‘Timeless’ Mariah May and more here:
Wrestling fans can expect to see plenty more of Buddy Matthews in AEW, even though he’s not currently appearing on programming. Matthews has reached a new contract with AEW, WrestlePurists reports. The Australian debuted in AEW in February 2022, eight months after his release from WWE in May 2021. Since arriving, Matthews has been part of the House of Black since his arrival and alongside Malakai Black and Brody King, is a former AEW World Trios Champion.
Matthews sticking with AEW will keep him separate from his wife Rhea Ripley who recently returned to WWE RAW programming and will compete at SummerSlam next month. The couple got engaged in August 2023 and tied the knot in April of this year. Despite being in different companies, the couple’s relationship is as strong as ever, and Ripley was spotted backstage at Double or Nothing 2024.
Malakai Black’s Contract Status
Matthews’ ally Malakai Black is another talent fans should expect to see in AEW for a long time to come. In July 2022, AEW President Tony Khan told Busted Open Radio that Black had “almost five years” left on his contract, which would put his expiration date at mid-2027.
Securing contracts is one of the most vital roles for those working behind the scenes in a wrestling company as promotions seek to lock down the best wrestlers working today. Although Black isn’t currently appearing for AEW after being written off TV in June, expect the Australian to bring the fight when he returns to programming.
Anthem Entertainment, the parent company of TNA, has expanded its partnership with Eurosport India, a premium sports channel owned by Warner Bros Discovery. Under the new agreement, Eurosport India viewers will gain access to over 200 hours of original TNA programming every year. This wealth of programming includes TNA iMPACT and pay-per-views.
Earlier this year, Eurosport agreed to carry eight new TNA+ Presents specials as well as new episodes of the Hindi-language series Pehlwani Patakha. Viewers will also be able to access the extensive library from TNA’s over two decades of content.
Ruchir Jain, Head of Distribution and Sports, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery, was delighted at the partnership extension:
“Pro-Wrestling has been an integral part of childhood in India, creating a nostalgic connection for many. Cultivating this connection has been key to the growth of Eurosport’s passionate fan base. This collaboration underscores our commitment to delivering top-tier sports entertainment.”
Warner Bros Discovery has been broadcasting TNA programming in the region since 2020 and is the #2 data-supported genre brand in India with over 2.5 million Facebook followers in the country.
TNA has made serious strides in 2024 with the recent Slammiversary event reportedly being the company’s highest gate for an event for a decade. India is a massive market that wrestling companies, including WWE, has tried to get a foothold to mixed levels of success. With this extension in an era where media rights deals are a primary revenue source, TNA continues to prove that the impact it is making isn’t just contained to viewers in North America.
TNA Wrestling star Joe Hendry is set to have a live concert at next week’s NXT: Great American Bash and WWE is firing on all cylinders to promote it.
Hendry has gained massive popularity over the years and he has brought the same energy to the gold brand. It has been announced that he will be back in NXT on the first night of the Great American Bash next week. Last night, a video package aired that highlighted Hendry’s popularity and his decorated career. Hendry then announced that he will be performing a live concert on the show.
NXT fans are quite excited with the announcement and they were surprised by what transpired after the show. It has come to light that several fans received flyers on their cars that promoted his upcoming performance. NXT Universe also found that the posters had Hendry’s autograph on them.
Joe Hendry left an autographed flyer on everyone's car outside of NXT
Hendry made his surprise debut in NXT last month as part of the working relationship between TNA and NXT. Earlier this month, he was revealed as the tag team partner of Trick Williams and they defeated Ethan Page and Shawn Spears. Last week on commentary, Hendry revealed that he will be making regular appearances on the brand. Hendry’s music videos are also popular among the fans and his entrance music even topped the iTunes charts earlier this year.
AEW star Sammy Guevara recently revealed that he and his wife, Tay Melo are training to make their comeback.
Taking to his X account, Sammy Guevara praised his wife. He also informed fans that he and Tay Melo are training for their impending returns. It was last year in November that the couple was blessed with a baby girl and Guevara has revealed that Tay has been working hard while also being a great mom and wife. Here is what he wrote:
“Just wanna say this mama right here is doing such a great job.
We are both training for our comebacks and I wish yall could see how much work she puts in. Some days are harder than others but she has been killing it, all while being a great mom and wife!
She doesn’t give herself the credit so just wanna say you are doing great mama & we all can’t wait for your return”
Just wanna say this mama right here is doing such a great job.
We are both training for our comebacks and I wish yall could see how much work she puts in. Some days are harder than others but she has been killing it, all while being a great mom and wife!
The former TNT Champion has been away from the promotion for quite some time after being suspended. During the February 16 edition of AEW Rampage, Jeff Hardy suffered a broken nose during a No DQ match with Sammy Guevara. It was also noted that during the match, Hardy also suffered a concussion. However, Guevara didn’t follow the concussion protocol, and ‘The Spanish God’ performed his finisher.
His last match took place the following week when he endured a loss against Powerhouse Hobbs on AEW Collision before getting suspended by AEW. Meanwhile, Tay has not competed in the ring since March earlier this year.
WWE will continue its search for new talent with tryouts over SummerSlam weekend, and for the first time ever, fans will be able to watch the potential stars of tomorrow. On Twitter, Shawn Michaels, WWE SVP of Talent Development, shared that fans will be able to watch the tryouts via the WWE Priority Pass. Holders of the past will also be able to participate in a meet and greet with Tiffany Stratton and Jey Uso, and will participate in a Q&A with Michaels himself.
For the very first time, we're opening the doors for fans to witness the best athletes on the planet compete for a shot at becoming a @WWE Superstar
If you're #OnLocation in Cleveland, secure a WWE Priority Pass for the #SummerSlam WWE Tryout Experience!
WWE has hosted several tryouts over the years in its effort to fill the company’s roster with the best athletes in the world. In 2021, WWE held tryouts over SummerSlam weekend in Las Vegas. Several notable names were recruited following these tryouts including Nikkita Lyons, Tatum Paxley, Edris Enofe, Javier Bernal, and Monday Night Raw’s Maxxine Dupri.
WWE SummerSlam 2024
SummerSlam 2024 will take place on August 3, one day after the Priority Pass tryouts, from the Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The show will be the second SummerSlam from Cleveland and currently has seven matches announced. In addition to in-ring action, SummerSlam weekend will see Damian Priest: Live, which will include the premiere of his WWE: 24 episode and a live panel from El Campeon.
Keep tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest from these upcoming talent tryouts as well as the Biggest Party of the Summer.
Tony Khan is hoping that Bryan Danielson will stay with AEW long after he has retired from active competition so that the company can continue benefitting from his knowledge.
The American Dragon has confirmed that his current AEW deal will be his last full-time contract and he will be moving to a part time schedule after it expires.
During a recent interview with The Rich Eisen Show, the AEW President was asked if he takes advice from some of the wrestling veterans that are part of the company’s locker room when he is not sure about a story.
Khan replied positively to the question and he specifically mentioned Bryan Danielson as someone who he loves to talk to:
“I can’t say how much time Bryan has left in the ring but he has said this will be his final year and this is going to be the year Bryan hangs it up from full-time wrestling.
At that point it’s going to be a sad day for pro wrestling and for me personally but it’s great to be able to have Bryan that I can call and talk to or have in the locker room with us every week.”
As Long As Humanly Possible: Tony Khan
Tony Khan was then asked about Bryan’s commitment to move to a part time schedule and whether he would like Danielson to continue his association with AEW. Replying to it, TK said that he hopes the wrestling legend will be part of AEW in some capacity for the rest of his life:
“Absolutely. 100% I hope Bryan will stay here for the rest of his life and I know he’s planning to stay with us for a long time going forward as part of the company hopefully. I would want Bryan to stay with us as long as humanly possible.”
Bryan Danielson has been featured prominently on AEW TV in his final year as a full-time performer. He recently won the Men’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament. The former champion is now set to challenge Swerve Strickland for the AEW title at All In 2024 event from Wembley stadium in London on August 25.
Apart from this, Tony Khan also talked about the origin of AEW and claimed that he had set plans in motion to launch the company before the 2018 All In event. You can check out his comments here.
