Ring of Honor World Champion Mark Briscoe is celebrating the birth of his son who has been named in tribute to Mark’s late brother Jay.
Taking to Twitter, Mark shared some photos of Matthew Jamin Pugh and declared that ‘God is Good.’ The Jamin name comes from Jay Briscoe, whose real name was Jamin Pugh.
Jay Briscoe passed away in January 2023 after being involved in a car accident mere minutes from his home in Laurel, Delaware. Jay’s two daughters were seriously injured in the collision but have been making strides in their recovery. The driver of the other vehicle was also killed in the crash.
It is a tragedy that young Matthew Jamin Pugh will never meet the uncle who he is named after. Despite this, Jay Briscoe’s legacy continues to live on, both in the wrestling world and in the Pugh household.
More on Mark Briscoe:
Here are some articles about Mark Briscoe and what he has accomplished as of late in the world of professional wrestling:
Kenny Omega will be back in AEW and it’s going to happen in seven days time.
This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite hailed from All Elite Wrestling’s backyard of Jacksonville, FL. However, next week the show will take place in Kenny Omega’s backyard of Winnipeg, Manitoba. During the Swerve Strickland eliminator match against Kyle Fletcher, AEW revealed that Omega will be in attendance next week.
Fans haven’t seen Omega since late 2023 as the former AEW World Champion has been out of action due to diverticulitis, something that Omega has cited as that was life-threatening.
Lingering Storylines For Kenny Omega
Omega has a lot to address since he made his AEW exit. When we last saw Kenny he was tag partners with Chris Jericho who is now currently a heel and the FTW Champion. Additionally, Omega will always have a long-standing rivalry with Will Ospreay who is now right in the thick of being a full-time member of the AEW roster. Not only that, but Ospreay just became the number one contender for the International Championship. He’ll be facing Roderick Strong at Double or Nothing in Las Vegas.
However, the big matter of note will be Omega’s status with The Elite. After losing to Sting and Darby Allin at AEW Revolution, The Young Bucks suspended Hangman Page and effectively fired Kenny Omega from his position as EVP. Omega reacted in-time to the news by “meme”-ing himself, but now we’ll likely receive his reaction in person next week.
We may also get an actual update regarding Omega’s health and perhaps a timetable for when we could see him return to in-ring action.
Tony Khan’s status for the NFL Draft this weekend could be in doubt following the beatdown he took courtesy of Jack Perry and The Young Bucks and the National Football League took note.
Khan was the victim of an ambush on AEW Dynamite as the AEW President seemed to be all about reinstating Jack Perry back into the company, but the former Jungle Boy had other plans. He punched his boss in the gut and then The Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada came down to further put Khan down.
The Bucks delivered a Meltzer Driver to Khan and left him laying in the middle of the ring, causing not just the locker room to come out, but Shad Khan to make an appearance as well.
Grant Gordon of NFL.com caught wind of the angle and happened to write about the occurence on the NFL website, throwing Khan’s NFL Draft status into question.
Tony Khan’s status for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2024 NFL Draft obligations could be questionable.
Khan, the Jags’ chief football strategy officer and the founder, owner and booker of All Elite Wrestling, took a punch to the gut and a “Meltzerdriver” piledriver Wednesday night live on AEW Dynamite from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida.
Shad Khan, Tony’s father and the owner of the Jaguars, took to the ring to check on his son in the aftermath of the drama.
During the build for AEW Dynasty, Khan did make clear that he was going to be involved with the Jaguars’ draft process this week so it will be interesting to see if Khan sells the attack, albeit by not being present or wearing a neckbrace for the weekend.
Get ready for a whole new learning experience courtesy of Chris Jericho.
The pro wrestling legend defeated HOOK for the FTW Championship at AEW Dynasty on Sunday and had some words of wisdom for the live crowd in Jacksonville, FL on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
All with a somewhat patronizing tongue, Jericho took to the ring to thank the fans for the love and support following his victory and spoke about the controversial meaning behind the letters “FTW.” Instead of the title standing for “F*** The World” he wants FTW to mean “For The World” because the championship now for all the fans.
Jericho then brought up the name of the late legendary Terry Funk and recounted when Funk told him it was time for him to start teaching the next generation of how to carry on the legacy of the pro wrestling business. He then thanked Terry Funk and thanked everyone in attendance.
Suddenly, out came former AEW World Tag Team Champion in Big Bill. What first felt like it was going to be a tense confrontation, Bill actually said that he’d love to learn under the learning tree of Chris Jericho. Chris noted that he respected the talent of Big Bill and told him that he’d very much consider that, but would like to see Bill prove it. Bill assured Jericho that he would do just that.
It’s serendipitous that Jericho did conjure up the name of Terry Funk. Back in 2019, Jericho was asked about being the modern-day version of Funk, who was notorious for always re-inventing himself later on in his career which helped to put ECW on the map.
“My mission has always been to reinvent and evolve. It’s David Bowie. It’s been one of my inspirations since I was 25 years old, when you realize that you have this guy that’s a genius and who constantly changes what he’s doing, what he looks like to keep the fans guessing.”
Chris Jericho Will Have A Challenger Next Week
Jericho will have a tough contender to go up against next week in his hometown of Winnipeg. Later during Dynamite, Katsuyori Shibata ending up revealing that he’ll face Jericho next week for that “For The World” Championship gold.
Katsuyori Shibata has issued a challenge to the FTW Champion Chris Jericho.
Jack Perry is once again on AEW programming, and bringing back the ‘Scapegoat’ may be a decision AEW President Tony Khan lives to regret.
Perry made his return to the airwaves during AEW Dynasty. The former FTW Champion interfered in the AEW World Tag Team Championship ladder match and would cost FTR the match to the Young Bucks. This marked Perry’s first AEW on-screen appearance (in person) since AEW All In in August of 2023.
On the April 24, edition of Dynamite, Perry was spotted arriving at the show with the Elite, furthering the idea that there was some sort of alliance between the two sides. Later on, it was revealed that Perry and Khan would come face-to-face in the ring.
During this segment, Perry admitted that he and Khan hadn’t seen eye to eye, but they agreed that they wanted the best for AEW and the future. Having said that, Perry offered a truce to bury the hatchet with the AEW CEO and asked to reinstate him.
Khan agreed but the moment they shook hands, Perry attacked the AEW President. The Elite, consisting of the Bucks and Kazuchika Okada then came to the ring. While it appeared they wanted to stop Perry from inflicting further damage, they also joined in on the attack on Khan.
AEW Dynamite went off the air with the Elite and Perry standing tall while officials and Khan’s father Shahid checked on the injured AEW President. This segment was quite the change for Khan, who unlike Vince McMahon and other higher-ups in WWE, had for the most part avoided being involved with AEW’s on-screen angles.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming weeks, especially with Kenny Omega’s return to AEW TV set for next week’s Dynamite. No doubt the EVP will have plenty to say about the Bucks, Okada, and Perry after what transpired this week.
The release of Cameron Grimes came as a surprise to those in WWE despite his infrequent use on the main roster’s programming.
Grimes was released earlier this week as part of the first wave of roster cuts under the ‘new era.’ Grimes was visibly emotional in a video in which he shared news of his release and addressed always wanting to make it in WWE.
Grimes’ release was unexpected by many in WWE for a variety of reasons, Fightful Select reports. One such reason is that Grimes’ skill set far exceeded others who were released from the promotion. During his five years with WWE, the consensus within WWE was that Grimes was always improving in the ring, which was part of the reason why he was ‘over’ in WWE NXT.
Another reason his release came as a surprise is that Grimes was a regular at WWE events, despite not being used. The former NXT North American Champion was even around last week’s SmackDown, which is when the releases of Jinder Mahal, Veer Mahaan, Sanga, Xia Lia, and Xyon Quinn was revealed.
Despite his skills and his presence backstage, Grimes was still released from WWE. Now, he will have to wait 90 days before trying to make a name for himself elsewhere. A return to TNA could perhaps be the plan, as Grimes is a former TNA X-Division Champion. With that said, AEW could also be interested in hiring the immensely talented former WWE Superstar.
What’s Next for Those Released?
Here are some articles revealing what those cut from WWE can look forward to after being released by the promotion:
After Jimmy Uso lost to his brother at WrestleMania 40, he was booted from the Bloodline in dramatic fashion. According to Fightful Select, he’s dealing with an undisclosed injury. He joins a growing list of WWE Superstars who are out, including Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, CM Punk and Cruz Del Toro.
Uso was kicked out of the Bloodline stable during the SmackDown after WrestleMania 40. Tama Tonga jumped him, and now the faction is going in a brand-new direction. It is unclear how long Jimmy Uso will be out of action, but we are wishing him a speedy recovery.
Jimmy Uso sustained a knee injury during a ladder match at WrestleMania 36, which led to him being off television for nearly a year, just as the Bloodline storyline began. During his absence, his brother took on the role of “Main Event” Jey Uso, Roman Reigns’ right-hand man, and significantly advanced his career in the process.
Jey Uso recently stated that he felt as though his Mania match against Jey was a let-down. Perhaps Jimmy’s injury could take some of the blame for this.
Other WWE Injuries
Jimmy Uso is not the only notable injury in WWE right now. Rhea Ripley was taken out of action after WrestleMania 40. She suffered a sprained AC joint during that segment and had to vacate the Women’s World Title.
Seth Rollins is also taking time off from WWE after WrestleMania 40. He has a nagging knee injury, as he injured his MCL in January and had to take a few weeks off to recover on the road to the show of shows.
Sheamus is hungry for the King of The Ring crown, fella. ‘The Celtic Warrior’ made his memorable return to WWE over a week ago on WWE RAW and quite the chatter revolved around Sheamus’ new waist size.
While the former WWE Champ hasn’t missed a beat in the ring, Sheamus has clearly put on a couple pounds and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans or his colleagues. Fortunately for Sheamus, he’s self-aware of his own size.
Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger after Burger
This past week on RAW, Sheamus confronted an old friend in Drew McIntyre, noting that he took his eye off the ball at WrestleMania and blew his World Title reign to a one-armed CM Punk. Sheamus shot straight with McIntyre, but so did Drew, criticizing his long-time buddy’s noticable weight gain. Sheamus laughed off the criticism, noting to McIntyre that he’s been getting at better one-liners.
McIntyre sat at ringside to witness Sheamus defeat RAW, but his comments on Sheamus’ size lingered long after the tape stopped rolling.
Sheamus took to social media to share a picture of the longtime creepy Burger King mascot, indicating that he wants to be known has the “Burger King” after he wins the King Of The Ring in Saudi Arabia.
Sheamus Takes Another Shot At Drew McIntyre
Sheamus wasn’t finished with his quips against McIntyre, but neither was Drew. McIntyre shared the classic Scott Steiner interview clip calling Samoa Joe “fat.”
Sheamus shot back, stating once more that McIntyre fumbled his shot at a lengthy World Title reign.
“After you gave him a deranged lapdance at Mania… CM Punk Kicked Your Arse.”
The 2024 WWE Draft will take place Friday, April 26 for SmackDown and Monday, April 29 for RAW. To make things easier for everyone, they separate the rosters into Draft Pools. Now, we know the Superstars who are up for grabs.
WWE has revealed the list of Superstars for each night of this year’s WWE Draft Pool. The number of Superstars up for grabs is far greater on RAW, and because it is a three-hour show. There will also likely be a supplemental draft.
While it is unclear if WWE will split up any teams or factions this year, that is always a possibility. Each night also noted that NXT Superstars will be eligible for call-ups, so fans can likely expect a few new faces on the main roster.
While injured Superstars like Rhea Ripley are absent, it is notable that Braun Strowman appears in Monday’s Draft pool. He underwent neck fusion surgery on his C4 and C5 vertebrae in mid-2023 and has been out of action since.
2024 WWE Draft Pool
2024 WWE Draft Rules
The company also revealed the rules for this year’s Draft with a social media post.
For the 2024 WWE Draft, SmackDown will conduct four rounds, totaling 16 picks, while RAW will have six rounds with 24 picks. The red brand is a longer show, so they will need more picks.
Champions from each brand are protected from being drafted. Women’s Tag Team Champions are also eligible to be picked.
SmackDown is set to make the first selection on Friday, and RAW will have the first pick on the following Monday. The rosters will be officially locked on Monday, May 6th.
WWE just signed massive television deals for RAW and SmackDown, where SmackDown is moving to the USA Network and RAW is heading to Netflix. We will have to see what happens to RAW between October and January 2025 when that Netflix deal actually starts. Unless WWE surprises us with another roster shake-up, these rosters will usher in those upcoming media rights deals.
Fans attending an upcoming UFL game will get much more than football as they will also be able to attend a show from the Reality of Wrestling promotion.
On Instagram, the Reality of Wrestling account revealed that attendees for the upcoming game of the Houston Roughnecks will also be able to attend the wrestling show. The ROW show will start at 4:30pm CT on Saturday, April 27, from ‘The Rig.’ Not only will fans get both wrestling and football, but Reality of Wrestling founded Booker T will also host a meet and greet with those in attendance.
The UFL was announced in December 2023 with the merger of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s XFL and the USFL. Johnson purchased the XFL in 2020 after Vince McMahon’s attempt to relaunch the alternative to the NFL was snuffed out due to safeguarding measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As for Booker’s promotion, Reality of Wrestling has been around since 2005 (as Pro Wrestling Alliance) and often features the two-time Hall of Famer at shows. ROW alum includes ROH Women’s World Champion Athena and WWE NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez. The latter’s connection to Booker is often highlighted on weekly WWE NXT programming.
Jey Uso has moved on from WrestleMania, but does admit to having mixed emotions about the bout with his brother.
Uso took on Jimmy in a “brother vs. brother” match in Philadelphia, ‘The City Of Brotherly Love,’ but the match didn’t quite deliver from a fan perspective. That thought didn’t go past Jey who did admit that his brotherly battle wasn’t up to the “uce” standards.
“I do kind of feel like we did let the people down … I wanted to go out there and have a straight-up banger too. I wanted to do the wrestling part, let alone make sure the emotion part was there.”
Jey vs. Jimmy ended up going 11 minutes, but Jey did state that they had to tackle a time adjustment to the card.
“You’ve just got to play your position on the team. That’s what happened. But I am still happy that I got a singles match on WrestleMania with my brother, that’s the big picture. So I will always have me and him in the face-off at WrestleMania. I’m gonna frame a picture, it’s marked off our box.”
Jey said that someone did let him and Jimmy know that they lost a few minutes and they had do go out there and handle business.
The Future Of The Usos
Despite the let-down of the match, Jey Uso certainly finds himself in a great spot as he’s the number one contender to the WWE World Championship as he’ll face Damian Priest at Backlash.
Jimmy, on the other hand, finds himself in dire straits as he was attacked by his other brother Solo Sikoa and effectively kicked out of The Bloodline.
Welcome to the Daily Drop for Wednesday, April 24, 2024. WWE NXT brought Spring Breakin’ Week One last night, and there is a lot to unpack all over the pro wrestling world.
No More No-Competes: In a landmark decision handed down on Tuesday, all non-compete contracts in the United States are banned. The Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to ban non-compete agreements for all workers, with the new rules effective in the next 120 days. We will keep a very close eye on this story, because WWE Superstars are considered independent contractors and not full-fledged employees. Needless to say, this could dramatically change how WWE contracts are handled.
Cameron Grimes’ Release:The former NXT North American Champion’s name was added to the recent list of released Superstars. He hadn’t appeared on WWE television in a very long time, so this cut wasn’t a massive surprise. He let everyone know about this with an emotional video message on Twitter/X. Matt Hardy, who has known Grimes since he was literally born, has been incredibly supportive on social media.
Jey Uso Speaks On WrestleMania 40 Match: While speaking to the Gorilla Position, Jey Uso opened up a bit about his match against Jimmy Uso at WrestleMania 40. He knows that some people were disappointed by the match, and he felt like he let some fans down by how their contest turned out.
“I just said this to someone. I kinda felt like we did let the people down. [Really, you feel that?] Yeah, man, cuz I wanted to go out there and have a straight up banger too. I wanted to do the wrestling part but let alone make sure the emotion part is there. It was just a time issue. You know what I’m saying? You just gotta play your position on the team. That’s what happened. I’m still happy though, uce, I got a singles match at WrestleMania with my brother. That’s a big picture. So, I’mma always have me and him in a face-off at WrestleMania. I’mma frame a picture, that’s always, it’s marked off our box.”
NXT Spring Breakin’ Week 2: The NXT brand announced a packed card for next week’s Spring Breakin’ show on 4/30. That included an NXT Tag Team Title match.
WWE NXT 4/30 Card:
NXT North American Champion Oba Femi defends against Ivar
NXT Tag Team Champions Nathan Frazer & Axiom defend against Akam & Rezar
Raven Shoots Hard: Raven had a lot to say about how Hulk Hogan treated him. He also shared a story or two about drugs in the pro wrestling business. You may check out the entire interview from Ten Count Media below.
Bray Wyatt Tribute: At the Cage Warriors 171 event in Glasgow, Scotland, MMA fighter Chris Bungard honored the Eater of Worlds with a tribute. Bungard entered the arena dressed in Bray’s signature Wyatt Family look, complete with hat and shirt. He also sang “The Whole World in His Hands,” a children’s song that was long-associated with the late WWE legend.
In Homage to Bray Wyatt ???@CowaBungard's Walkout at @ArenaBraehead on Saturday night will never be forgotten…
AEW Women’s Division Speaks Out: Saraya uploaded a third video, which she claims will be the final edition, with the AEW Women’s Division letting fans know what it’s like to be a female wrestler. A lot of the information from this video pertains to creepy fan behavior.
AEW Collision Viewership: The April 20th edition of AEW Collision attracted an average overnight viewership of 461,000 viewers, maintaining a rating of 0.13 in the 18 to 49 demographic. This represents an increase from the previous show, which had 442,000 viewers and the same demographic rating of 0.13.
For years, one of the most controversial topics in wrestling has been talent having a non-compete clause in their contract. WWE is most known to have 30 to 90 days compete clauses in their talent contracts to avoid situations where the former stars can immediately find employment. However, a new ruling from the Federal Trade Commission may change that in the future.
When United States President Joe Biden got into office, one of his goals was to combat non-compete clauses. He signed an executive order on July 9, 2021, for the FTC to oppose these agreements and other provisions that negatively impact employers.
UPI’s Joe Fisher reported on January 5, 2023, that FTC Commissioner and Chair Lina Khan proposed a new rule banning employers from enforcing non-compete clauses.
Last year, Biden also spoke about his issues with non-compete clauses in his State of the Union.
He believes that employers should have to pay their workers their worth.
“…For too long, workers have been getting stiffed, but not anymore. We’re beginning to restore the dignity of work,” said President Biden.
He noted that in 2021, he discovered that 30 million workers must sign non-compete agreements to be employed. President Biden confirmed that he was continuing to challenge these issues and was committed to banning non-compete clauses.
President Biden continued, “…We are banning those agreements(non-compete clauses) so that companies have to compete for workers and pay them what they are worth.”
Today, the FTC has finally approved banning the non-compete clause that could affect the workforce, including the wrestling business.
FTC Voting In Favor Of Banning Non-Compete Clauses
Huffpost’s Dave Jamieson reported that the FTC voted 3-2 to ban non-compete agreements in employer contracts. It’s noted that three FTC Democrats voted for it, while two Republicans were against it. This expectation is that prohibiting the non-compete clause will lead to more leverage for workers in the job field.
The Hill’s Taylor Giorno also reported on the historic vote and shared that it can go into effect in 120 days. However, business groups are expected to oppose the ruling to prevent it from going into effect.
“Business groups say noncompete agreements are critical for protecting proprietary information and intellectual property, although the rule would not ban other methods for protecting that information, including nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements. They also question the agency’s authority to issue the blanket, retroactive ban,” the report said.
While it’s unclear if the ruling will change, this presents significant ramifications for wrestling contracts if passed.
How This Can Affect The Wrestling Industry
If the ruling is passed and non-compete clauses are prohibited, it could change the wrestling business. Most companies like WWE or TNA Wrestling argue that their superstars are independent contractors. However, the FTC’s ruling would also prevent them from enforcing non-compete clauses.
The ruling going through allows signed talent more negotiating leverage in reaching deals with companies, continuing to pursue career after being fired, and possibly preventing releases before contracts expire.
WWE recently released several talents, including Jinder Mahal and Cameron Grimes. They cannot sign or compete for another promotion for 90 days. If the ruling goes through in 120 days, this will help other future potentially released talent from dealing with the same issues that have plagued the wrestling business.
It also could prevent companies from firing talent from their contract early to avoid competition. This could be both negative and positive, as talent may be able to stay under contract and have more opportunities to avoid being let go. However, a company may hesitate to oblige talent looking to explore options until their term is finished.
The next few months will be interesting, as the FTC ruling may change the wrestling business forever.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H believes Trick Williams’ future looks bright after the latter captured the prized NXT Championship.
Williams defeated Ilja Dragunov to claim the coveted title during this week’s NXT Spring Breakin’ Week One. The stipulation stated that Williams would be banished from the brand had he lost the bout. However, he came out on top and was crowned the new champion.
WWE has ushered in a new era with Triple H at the helm and it’s the dawn of a new era for WWE’s developmental brand as well with Trick Williams claiming the top prize of the brand. Hunter is quite impressed with the “well-deserved victory” after a “hard-fought” match and feels the era of Trick Williams is “looking bright”. Check out this Tweet below:
The match featured some thrilling moments which ultimately culminated into Trick Williams securing the coveted title. In the final moments of the match, Williams hit the finisher to get the pinfall and bagged the title. Following the match, Dragunov showed sportsmanship and hugged his opponent as the fans chanted ‘Whoop that, Trick.’ The brand-new champ also explained what this title win means to him.
With this triumph, Williams put an end to Dragunov’s 206-day reign and became the 30th man to capture the title. Williams and Dragunov previously fought for the title at Vengeance Day in February. That night, the Mad Dragon was able to successfully defend his title.
What’s next?
Trick Williams had all the momentum by his side heading into the title match. He scored a couple of massive wins in matches against his former buddy, Carmelo Hayes. They had squared off at NXT: Stand & Deliver and then in a cage match on NXT. It will be worth witnessing how his championship reign pans out.
On the other hand, Ilja Dragunov is heading to the main roster as he declared himself for the 2024 WWE Draft which commences on Friday, April 26 on SmackDown and will conclude on Monday, April 29 on Raw. It will be interesting to see which brand lands the signing of Mad Dragon.
Trick Williams’ emotional victory at NXT Spring Breakin’ Night One was the culmination of years of fighting, the new NXT Champion has said.
Williams captured the gold at NXT Spring Breakin (Night One) with a main event victory over Ilja Dragunov. This match was a rematch from their previous showdown at NXT Vengeance Day. The stakes were high for the match, as Trick had vowed to leave NXT if he came up short against the Mad Dragon.
When WWE’s camera crew caught up to Trick, the new NXT Champion was understandably excited about the win.
“It means the world to me man, I have been fighting a long time for this, this is a testament of hardwork. I have been fighting for this and I come from fighters. I have been fighting my whole life.
Williams also gave a shout-out to his mother who’s currently fighting her own battle in hospital and mentioned his brother who’s been fighting for a long time as well.
“My mamma’s fighting right now, she is in the hospital, my brother has been fighting for a long time it’s all good, so I just did this, it’s not just for me, it’s for everybody, people who love me, the people for having my back for a long time, they taught me how to fight and I am gonna keep fighting, I am never gonna stop fighting, believe that.”
Williams’ win is a feel-good moment, especially as he’s the most popular star in WWE NXT and one of the most popular stars in the entire company. The question now though is what will his reign on top look like. With Dragunov expected to be moved to the main roster in the upcoming draft, Trick will now have to cement his reign as NXT Champion without one of the best in the world by his side.
Fans attending the May 1, episode of AEW Dynamite are in for a treat as they’ll get to see the return of none other than Kenny Omega.
On Twitter, the Canada Life Centre confirmed the news that Omega will be at the upcoming show in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It’s fitting that Omega will be at AEW’s upcoming event in the Great White North given that he is from Winnipeg.
The big question for Omega is whether he’ll undergo surgery to deal with his diverticulitis. Doing so will extend how long he is out of action and he has already been out for months. On the plus side, going under the knife will decrease the risk of this issue happening again. Ultimately, Omega will have to weigh up what he thinks is in his best interest both in terms of his health and on a professional level.
This isn’t the first time that Omega has been advertised for an event in his native Canada during his absence from AEW. While Omega was advertised for an event in March 2024, Tony Khan made clear that fans shouldn’t have expected him at the show. Sure enough, AEW’s recent tapings in Canada came and went without the AEW EVP.
More on Kenny Omega
Here are some recent articles about Kenny Omega and what the former AEW World Champion has had to say during his break from the ring:
The days of wrestlers having to wait at home after being released from WWE may be over following a landmark ban on non-compete agreements.
The Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to implement a ban on noncompete agreements for all workers, with these new rules set to come into place within the next 120 days. This could be a milestone change for WWE, who use non-compete clauses that range between 30 to 90 days when a talent is released.
These clauses essentially mean that the ‘buzz’ around a wrestler cools down after they are released. Rather than a WWE release generating excitement by showing up in AEW or TNA mere days after being cut, they’re forced to wait for months doing nothing in wrestling as the business moves forward.
BREAKING: The FTC just banned non-compete agreements.
The Federal Trade Commission has issued a final rule making it illegal for bosses to make workers sign noncompetes in any scenario, and voiding nearly all existing noncompetes.
While this ban is a huge victory for workers, it remains unclear how it’ll impact those in the wrestling business. Several promotions classify their talent as “independent contractors” rather than typical employees. If this ban does affect professional wrestling, then it’ll mark a massive victory for the wrestlers and quite a blow to how WWE conducts business.
The FTC and WWE are no strangers. Last year, the FTC approved the merger of WWE and UFC into TKO Group Holdings. This massive deal has led to a promotional crossover between the two sides with WWE talent being spotted at UFC events and vice versa. The two companies will grow even closer later this year when an upcoming NXT event is hosted at a UFC venue.
Kevin Nash has never been one to pull punches and the two-time WWE Hall Of Famer hasn’t pumped the breaks on expressing his thoughts regarding the modern squared circle.
Speaking on the latest episode of “Kliq This,” Nash assessed the 4/15 episode of WWE RAW and the 4/17 episode of AEW Dynamite. Nash was critical of both shows and gave his forthright thoughts on Tony Khan deciding to air the CM Punk footage almost three weeks ago, noting that it’s Khan’s choice to do what he pleases, but he does say the AEW product can be difficult to watch.
“You know, it’s his ball. He can kick it. He wants to go kick it over onto the f***ing freeway, then kick it on the freeway. I’ve got no skin in that game, but it’s just a very hard show to watch. It’s very hard to get involved. It just feels so fragmented.”
Kevin Nash Wants AEW To Flourish In Pro Wrestling
Nash went on to review both shows, adding that he made an observation on social media about AEW, and then went on to give reasons why he wants the company to become a bigger and bettter product.
“In all honesty, man, I absolutely want AEW to succeed.”
“Number one, I’ve got friends that work there, you know, in production and in all different aspects, not just guys that are there in front of the camera. And I think they’re being a viable option is huge for the longevity of the business.”
Please credit Kliq This and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
Trick Williams’ rise to the top of NXT was an amazing story to watch, and it reached a peak during Spring Breakin’ Week One on 4/23. Williams defeated Ilja Dragunov to become the new NXT Champion.
This match had a special stipulation for Trick, because he would be banished from NXT if he lost. In the end, he walked out of the NXT Arena as the brand’s top champion.
Before he went out, Williams was on the phone with his mother, who is in the hospital. She was certainly a source of inspiration for him during this match.
Williams entered this match 0-3 against his opponent. He and Dragunov last battled for the NXT Title at Vengeance Day in February. That match ended with the Mad Dragon retaining his championship.
After ending Dragunov’s 204-day reigns as champion, Trick Williams is the 30th man to hold the NXT Title. He was elated to speak about his win after Spring Breakin’ was over.
This match had a big-fight feel to it as it main evented the Spring Breakin’ special. The Creed Brothers and Ivy Nile were also sitting in the front row, cheering Trick on.
This match saw many high-intensity spots, including Williams putting Dragunov through the announce table with a Rock Bottom. They continued in the ring, where Trick kicked out of two H-Bomb finishers from the Russian.
Finally, Williams nailed a Trick Shot to secure the clean win and become the new NXT Champion. After the match, Dragunov hugged Trick before he left the ring while the NXT Arena chanted, “Whoop that, Trick!”
After entering WWE as Carmelo Hayes’ right-hand man, Trick quickly gained a following of his own. He eventually broke the news to Hayes that he wanted to maintain their alliance, but he needed to do things on his own.
Trick Williams is coming off of two big matches against Carmelo Hayes. He defeated HIM at NXT: Stand & Deliver on April 6 during WrestleMania 40 weekend. He then met, and defeated, Melo once again last week in a cage match on NXT. Those matches paved the way to this big match for Trick.
Trick Williams has been on WWE’s radar for quite a long time, and in line for a push. Shawn Michaels also gave special care to his program with Carmelo Hayes, ensuring that they snagged the main event spot at Stand & Deliver.
It was previously reported that WWE has paid attention to Trick Williams, and officials took notice of the reaction he got in his surprise SmackDown appearance back in January. There have also been pitches for Trick and Melo to continue their rivalry on the main roster.
The 29-year-old Williams actually entered WWE by way of an XFL tryout. He had aspirations on the gridiron in his eyes prior to accepting an offer to test his abilities at the Performance Center.
2024 WWE Draft
Ilja Dragunov already declared that he will be in the 2024 WWE Draft. Those important dates are coming up sooner than mater, as it will kick off with Friday, April 26 for SmackDown and Monday, April 29 for RAW.
Swerve Strickland is not only an AEW first, but he also joins an “elite” club that includes Chris Jericho.
During AEW Dynasty on Sunday, Strickland defeated Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, making him the first African-American World Champion in the company’s history and it certainly marked for a celebatory occassion.
Footage was taken of Swerve having dinner with his AEW co-horts following his historic win and Chris Jericho took some time to honor Strickland, noting that he saw Swerve’s star power right off the bat of entering AEW. Not only that, but Jericho made note of the creative efforts that Swerve makes in and out of the wrestling ring. He then made clear that Strickland is the right man to currently hold the gold, something that only eight people have done since the inception of All Elite Wrestling.
“We don’t change the titles to the World Title very often unless it’s the absolue right guy. He is the right guy for the job, he’s got the cool X-factor and if I was the big wig in AEW (like I am), I would put you on every other fucking talk show, I’d promote you in every single way because you have what we need which is the ability to cross over in the mainstream and I’m super proud of you, man. I knew you had it since day one.”
Jericho happened to be the first-ever AEW World Champion and is in the thick of a feud with HOOK after defeating Taz’s son for the FTW Championship at Dynasty.
Swerve Strickland isn’t getting much of a breather after winning the AEW World Championship as the new champ will be in action this Wednesday.
Tuesday evening AEW President Tony Khan announced that Strickland will be going up against Kyle Fletcher in an AEW World Title Eliminator match on this week’s Dynamite.
“Will AEW’s home venue be Swerve’s House when ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher challenges the NEW AEW World Champion in an Eliminator TOMORROW?”
Will AEW's home venue be Swerve's House when ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher challenges the NEW AEW World Champion in an Eliminator TOMORROW? pic.twitter.com/icaS6awFUs
Fletcher is the current ROH TV Champion and the big youngster will have a shot to showcase his skills in yet another high-profile match. Previously, Fletcher faced fellow Don Callis Family member Will Ospreay all the way back at the beginning of March. Ospreay came out on top in that bout, but Fletcher has been building quite a match resume as a member of the AEW roster.
AEW is fresh off its Dynasty PPV this past Sunday where it was Swerve Strickland taking on Samoa Joe for that very World Title Fletcher hopes to challenge for. The fight between Joe and Strickland was intense as it had to take Swerve two top rope double stomps to secure the 1-2-3 against Joe.
What Else Is On Tap For 4/24 AEW Dynamite
Tony Khan is looking to get an audience with the fallout from Dynasty as the headline match will have Jon Moxley putting his freshly won IWGP World Title on the line against Don Callis Family member Powerhouse Hobbs.
Also on tap is an advertised segment between The Best Friends and Anna Jay will face Mina Shirakawa.
‘The Man’ competed in the battle royal to crown the new Women’s World Champion in the main event of this week’s edition of Raw. She outlasted superstars like Natalya, Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, and many more to capture the World title.
Following the match, she told Jackie Redmond in a Raw Exclusive that she is delighted after the championship victory. Becky talked about “burning the candle out” and went on to mention that her book, Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl became the New York Times best seller.
Lynch had been away from her daughter Roux but she has made it clear that it was worth it. She says it feels great to hear her introduced as WWE Women’s world champion, a title she’s never held before.
“Look at it, it’s beautiful, it’s beautiful. Look, for the last few months, Rhea even said it, I’ve been burning the candle all out. I’ve been away from my daughter for weeks on end. Got myself a New York Times bestseller for a damn near month. But man, it’s worth it. It’s worth it because the words of my book are written on my gear. It reminds me why I do this, where I started, where I’ve gotten to. We’re just going up, baby.”
Lynch further added that she hopes her daughter is proud of her and is excited to bring the gold back to their household once again. She said:
“Everything that I do, I want to make her proud. I hope she’s proud. She did [stay up late to watch the match]. I got a text from my husband [Seth Rollins], who’s recovering from surgery. At all stages, we need at least one champ in the house, so I’m bringing it home, baby.”
Cameron Grimes has been released from WWE. He announced the news in a video he released on Tuesday shortly after learning the news.
After introducing himself as Trevor Lee, he delivers the news that he’s been released from WWE and thanked everybody he worked with. It’s been difficult being off television for a year, but he’s spent that time honing his skills and learning everything he can from whoever he can. He plans to get back out there soon and show the fans what he can do.
The former Million Dollar Champion also told a heartfelt story involving his father, who is no longer alive. Lee says the last thing he told his father before he passed away is that he signed with WWE, which meant a lot to him then and still does today.
Support from a lifelong friend
Wrestling legend Matt Hardy replied to Trevor Lee’s video with a supportive message for his longtime family friend. Hardy was very close with Lee’s father Tracy Caddell, the wrestling promoter and OMEGA Wrestling co-founder who passed away in July 2018.
The Hardy Boyz and Trevor Lee (2013)
Hardy has known Lee his entire life and visited him in the hospital the day he was born 30 years ago. The ‘Broken’ one wrote on X:
“Trevor, I love your passion & your raw emotion. I’ve been in your life & known you since you were literally born. I am IMMENSELY proud of you. So is your father. The first release from your dream hits hard, but it ushers in a period of personal growth & mandatory change. It’s also a great time to show the world exactly who you are.”
Hardy commented Lee as, “one of the most gifted pro wrestlers I’ve ever seen.” He’s got a bright future in the business because, “It’s in your blood, in your soul.”
WWE’s Recent Releases
Cameron Grimes’ WWE release joins a recent list of roster cuts over this past week, including Jinder Mahal, Sanga, Veer Mahaan, Von Wagner, Xyon Quinn and Xia Li.
Additional office/other departures include Dan Ventrelle, Trent Wilfinger, Sue Aitchison, Sid Scala and Rob Schamberger, who already has something in the works with AEW.
Tommaso Ciampa is having a hard time processing that he and Johnny Gargano blew their opportunity to claim the World Tag Team championship on this week’s WWE Raw. DIY were unsuccessful in dethroning Awesome Truth.
Despite the disheartening loss, sportsmanship was on display in some capacity, as Gargano shook hands with the champs after the battle. However, fans were surprised to Ciampa did not express the same level of sportsmanship. He turned his back on the winners and left the ring frustrated and leaving his tag-team partner behind.
Backstage after their match DIY spoke to Jackie Redmond, who sought information about where they go from here. Ciampa said that the plan was to win the World tag team titles.
“What’s the next step? This was the next step. Becoming the World Tag Team Champions was the next step. There’s no next step.”
Ciampa was also asked to explain why he didn’t shake hands with The Miz and R-Truth following the match. He said that it would be a waste of time and walked out on Gargano. Johnny Wrestling defended his partner saying that he was emotional and had a tough night.
Ciampa and Gargano have had multiple tag-team runs in the company whether it’s in NXT or on the main roster. However, they have held the NXT tag team titles only once and the tag team titles on the main roster have eluded them.
What’s next?
Sometimes heartbreaks lead to gimmick changes for WWE superstars. Is a similar transformation waiting for DIY as well?
In the past, both Ciampa and Gargano have tasted success during their heel runs and there is a huge possibility that they could embrace their darker side once again, dropping DX-inspired gimmick in the process.
The AEW career of Paige VanZant is well and truly over despite her profile still being listed on the promotion’s website.
VanZant was a high-profile arrival in AEW when she debuted for the promotion in 2021, but it has been a long time since fans last saw the MMA fighter. As Dave Meltzer disclosed on Wrestling Observer Radio, her time with AEW has ended despite her presence on the active roster website.
“No [she’s not with AEW.] Even though she’s still on the roster she’s not with AEW anymore.”
When asked why VanZant left, Meltzer explained that the fighter decided that wrestling was not for her.
“She decided she didn’t want to be a wrestler. If she wanted to be a wrestler she’d still be there.”
VanZant’s one and only match for All Elite Wrestling came at Double or Nothing 2022. At the event, she, Ethan Page, and Scorpio Sky defeated Tay Melo (Tay Conti at the time), Sammy Guevara, and Frankie Kazarian.
Wrestling & MMA Crossover
While wrestling wasn’t in the cards for Paige VanZant, several names from the world of MMA and UFC have had successful, lengthy careers in the squared circle.
Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey would both headline WWE WrestleMania after establishing their dominance in the Octagon first (though in Brock’s case, he’d headline WrestleMania before and after UFC.)
While her AEW run may have been brief, VanZant left an impact during her run and fans will be eager to see where she appears next, whether it be in or out of professional wrestling.
