Steveson’s performance at the latest SmackDown received mixed reviews from those in attendance, with the consensus matching what we’ve heard from sources in the Performance Center. The general gist is that Steveson has a long way to go and is not picking things up as quickly as others with similar amateur credentials. He also has a notable lack of charisma.
Despite this, fans can expect to see Gable Steveson at upcoming episodes of SmackDown. The Olympic Gold Medalist is booked for the next few TV events, according to PW Insider. There is no word on him being used during the broadcast, and it is likely his role at these tapings will be in dark matches.
What’s Next for Gable Steveson?
Outside of these SmackDown appearances, Steveson is not factored into any upcoming creative plans. There’s always the possibility that he could be a part of the upcoming Men’s Royal Rumble match, where he would have the chance to be showcased while also protected. We should stress that this is not something we’ve specifically heard from WWE.
Dark Side Of The Ring is reportedly making its comeback for another season.
The show captures the dark chapters of professional wrestling and it has become quite a popular show for Vice TV since it was created in April 2019. Dark Side Of The Ring has documented stories of wrestlers such as Chris Benoit, Owen Hart, New Jack, and The Road Warriors, while also capturing topics such as Brawl For All, The Plane Ride From Hell, The Collision in Korea, and Bash at the Beach 2000.
Dark Side of The Ring is back
Vice TV has renewed the show for a fifth season. The current plan is to bring back the show in March 2024.
Season four of the show premiered last year and consisted of 10 episodes and debuted on May 30. AEW’s Chris Jericho narrated the season while Evan Husney and Jason Eisener returned as the executive directors.
Topics covered on the season included Chris Candido & Tammy Sytch, Magnum T.A, Adrian Adonis, Doink The Clown, Junkyard Dog, Marty Jannetty, Bam Bam Bigelow, Abdullah The Butcher, Bash at the Beach 2000, and The Graham Family.
Dark Side of the Ring got a good reception from wrestling fans, but several concerns had been raised regarding its future. Some wrestling veterans including former WWE commentator Jim Ross had said they will no longer be featured on the show due to alleged examples of selective editing.
The date of its return is yet to be revealed as pro wrestling fans eagerly wait for yet another jam-packed season.
Chris Jericho’s name captures attention whenever he makes a headline. In recent memory, some stories have come out about Chris Jericho that he may have wished stayed under the rug. This is likely one of those times he wishes an NDA was signed.
Chris Jericho Was Allegedly KO’ed On His Own Cruise Ship
Brian Last shared a tale during an episode of the Cornette’s Drive Thru podcast, recounting an incident where Jericho was knocked out on his own cruise. Sadly, he couldn’t go into a ton of details at the time, but Last promised listeners that he had a great story to tell.
“Man, there is a story I would love to tell, but i didn’t get permission, but him getting knocked out on his own cruise ship by someone he mouthed off to. It’s the most incredible f*cking story, but I can’t talk about that today.“
Now, we have a lot more information about what happened, including who allegedly knocked Chris Jericho out.
Chris Jericho leads a rock star lifestyle, and it’s not just a gimmick. It appears that, according to Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net, it was MVP who put Chris Jericho down for the count on his own cruise in 2020.
The incident took place during Chris Jericho’s Rock N’ Wrestling Rager At Sea – Part Deux: Second Wave, back in January 2020. During the cruise there was an altercation between Jericho and former WWE US and Tag Champion MVP, where heated words were exchanged that resulted in MVP knocking out Chris Jericho.
Another incident was reportedly confirmed by sources a year or two after the cruise. This time, the situation unfolded in a hotel lobby. During a heated exchange, Jericho quickly headed to the elevator, closing the door with a remark, “I don’t fight jobbers.”
The story that was told to me was that the two once again engaged in a heated exchange, which lead to Jericho “hurrying to the elevator, and as the door closed saying “I don’t fight jobbers.””
Nick Hausman stated on his Rumor and Innuendo podcast that Jericho, who spoke out against NDAs regarding the Brawl Out fiasco, may have skeletons in his own closet.
“There are issues with Chris behind the scenes, where I know a lot of people who were hurt by Chris and his actions. You know, it’s very uncomfortable to me to see him lauded like he is and only having the focus on that, because I do think there are a lot of questionable stories about Chris that will find their way out over time when people are ready to tell those stories, that will cast him in a very different light.”
“I mean, Harvey Weinstein won a lot of Oscars, Harvey Weinstein produced a lot of very popular films. Harvey Weinstein is now in jail … I’m not saying that is happening to Chris, but the narrative can quickly turn if you’re hiding a lot of skeletons in your closet.
Nick Hausman compared Chris Jericho to Harvey Weinstein
Later on, an online allegation surfaced about Jericho’s conduct with Kylie Rae. This behavior allegedly led to her requesting a release from AEW. Rae reacted to that accusatory post with a heart emoji.
Following the spread of the Nick Hausman clip, an X account revisited an overlooked tweet from an earlier time. The resurfaced tweet suggested a potential connection between Kylie Rae’s departure from AEW and Chris Jericho.
“So here’s the deal, you don’t quit the hottest fed going today (AEW) without reason. I have it from people in the know that Kylie was asked to go to Chris Jericho’s room. With the understanding that others would be there. When she got there it was just him. He made a pass at her (no other details are given) and she freaked out.”
Chris Jericho’s Future in AEW
Despite these allegations about Chris Jericho, he is still featured on AEW programming. He wrestled at Worlds End, although “NDA” and “Kylie Rae” chants were audible during the pay-per-view.
To remedy any chance of negative fan chants during the January 10th AEW Dynamite Homecoming episode in Daily’s Place, they let Fozzy’s “Judas” song play for the entire time Jericho was on camera.
Jericho and Sammy Guevara are set to battle Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Titles at AEW Battle of the Belts on January 13th.
UPDATE: MVP Responds
MVP has posted on X in response to this story about him knocking out Chris Jericho surfaced. He did not deny a single thing, as he only asked fans if they heard any good rumors lately.
Wednesday was a big night for AEW. They celebrated five years as a company at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. Daily’s Place was AEW’s home during the pandemic era of wrestling.
Dynamite was filled with AEW Originals. The show kicked off with a former member of The Elite, Hangman Adam Page. What’s a homecoming show without an actual homecoming?
In the main event, Sting and Darby Allin defeated Powerhouse Hobbs and Konosuke Takeshita. Following their win, Tony Schiavone asked Sting who his final match would be against. Before he could answer, the familiar sound of the Young Bucks music hit.
Sporting mustaches and long jackets, the Bucks made stood on the stage and stared down “The Icon” and Allin. Allin seemed to welcome the challenge, motioning them to come down to the ring.
Are the Young Bucks calling their shot against Sting and Darby Allin?
Since Full Gear, Brandon Cutler has been posting on social media on behalf of the Jacksons. Immediately following Dynamite, he posted that the return of the Young Bucks has increased backstage morale tremendously.
Sting’s Final Match
Nothing has been signed as of press time, but the events that transpired on Dynamite indicate that Sting’s final match will be a tag contest, teaming with Darby Allin against The Young Bucks.
Whoever is standing across the ring from him that evening, it’s going to be a memorial occasion. AEW Revolution will takes place from the historic Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina on Saturday, March 3, 2024.
Brodie Lee Honored
The AEW Dynamite Homecoming was also a celebration of the late, great Mr. Brodie Lee. Lee’s time in AEW was brief, but made a lasting impression. Many fans associate the venue with Lee. All of his AEW matches took place there, save for the tapings at the Nightmare Factory early on during the pandemic.
To honor Lee’s memory, his two handpicked wrestlers, Preston Vance (“10”) and Anna Jay (“99”) each competed in an 8-person match. They picked up the wins for their respective teams.
Vance wore the ring jacket that Lee gifted him along with an armband with his mentor’s name. Jay wore a Lee shirt. Adam Copeland was part of the team that faced Vance’s. He donned a Jon Huber Toronto Maple Leafs themed shirt and hat.
Steph De Lander is excited for what’s to come in the coming year and has big plans for herself and Matt Cardona.
The 26-year-old wrestler has become a force to be reckoned on the independent scene following her release from WWE NXT in 2021. Currently, she holds the Premier Women’s World Championship and has been dubbed the Women’s Internet Champion by Matt Cardona.
Steph De Lander on Working with Matt Cardona
De Lander and Cardona are often a double act on the independents and can often be found aiding the other in matches. Speaking on the Insight podcast, De Lander revealed how she and Cardona came to be working together.
“We were on a tour in Australia, I think in March of this year, for World Series Wrestling and he came up to me. We’d met each other once before but it was a hi and bye. But he came up to me and said ‘Hey, I have a question to ask you.’ And instantly, I’m going I’ve done something wrong. I’ve s***-talked someone, I’ve buried myself somehow. I’m about to get yelled at. Instantly it was like, this is negative.
“And he goes ‘Do you want to work with me on the indies? Do you want to be my heater?’ Are you serious? [Chelsea Green had recently re-signed with WWE] and he’s going what’s next? Actually, before he said that, he asks ‘Question, are you signed anywhere?’ I said no and he said ‘Perfect.'”
Cardona was willing to give De Lander time to think it over, but the Australian wrestler wasted no time in answering.
“[I tell him] Yes, 1000% yes. He goes ‘You can take some time to think it over.’ There’s nothing to think about. What are you talking about?”
What’s Next for Steph De Lander?
After a banner 2023, which saw De Lander become the first independent act to grace PWI’s cover in decades, the young wrestler is excited for what’s next. On the show, De Lander explained how she and Cardona aren’t planning on resting on their current success.
“Winding down the year and going into the next year, it’s common for everyone to get kind of reflective. We’ve both been sitting here going ‘Wow, we had such an amazing year. What are we doing next year?’ Because if you’re not going up you start going down. So we’re already brainstorming. Certain places we want to go that we haven’t wrestled at yet. Different countries we want to go to. What can we add to our act? What can we maximize for our social media? What can we be doing more of?
“Him and I are always thinking of what’s next and what we can be doing more of and we’re never getting complacent. I think that’s why this pairing has worked so well. It’s not one person steering the ship and dragging the other person along. It is a very equal [partnership]. We’re both super motivated.”
De Lander’s most recent match saw her work an MLW Reload taping, where she defeated Good Brother #3 (Mance Warner.)
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
AEW had a unique approach to their production when Chris Jericho made an appearance during the latest episode of AEW Dynamite.
The January 10, 2023, edition of Dynamite saw the first appearance of new AEW World Champion Samoa Joe following his victory at Worlds End. Joe was confronted by Swerve Strickland and ‘Hangman’ Adam Page before HOOK got in the face of the champ. A title match between Joe and Hook will take place next week.
Chris Jericho at AEW Dynamite
During the show, Sammy Guevara earned a victory over Ricky Starks, but was attacked by Starks and Big Bill after the match. Chris Jericho would come out to make the save, though his music would play throughout the entire segment.
While Jericho’s theme is popular, using Judas throughout an entire segment is a new move by AEW’s production team. On Twitter, many suspected that this done to drown out boos from the crowd for Jericho, or keep fans ready to chant at the former World Champion distracted with singing his theme.
You can check out some of the reactions by fans below.
Chris Jericho has his music playing so he can’t hear them BOOS lol
Clever idea to have Chris Jericho's music playing continuously during his segment on #AEWDynamite. Good way to prevent any boos from being heard on television. ?
I'm on a bit of a delay, but to just let Chris Jericho's music keep on playing was too obvious as to what they were doing. Just let the fans react the way they want to, and if he keeps getting booed, turn him heel. #AEWDynamite
Is Adam Cole actually the Devil, or is the ‘reveal’ fans saw at AEW Worlds End just the latest chapter in a story yet to be revealed?
At the final pay-per-view of 2023, MJF lost the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe. In the closing moments of the show, the Devil’s henchmen were revealed to be Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Roderick Strong, and Wardlow. The four men beat down MJF before Cole produced the Devil’s mask, seemingly confirming that he was the one behind the mask.
Is Adam Cole the Devil?
Since Worlds End, AEW has leaned in heavily to the idea that Cole is the Devil, and has even produced a new t-shirt featuring Cole and the iconic mask. On Busted Open Radio, however, Bully Ray shared his doubts that the former NXT Champion is the mastermind.
“Adam Cole has never worn the Devil’s mask. He’s held it up, but he’s never worn it. If he’s the Devil, why has he never worn the Devil’s mask? This kind of goes back to my theory folks, of I think there’s another layer to this. And they’re going to stretch it out.
“Who that person is? I can’t tell you definitively. If I had to bet a dollar, I’d say it could be MJF. and know you’ve heard me say that before. Or maybe it’s somebody else? But I don’t think we’ve seen the final chapter of the Devil story. Specifically, because I’ve never seen Adam Cole in the mask. Does anybody else feel the same way that I do about the Devil? Do you think there’s another layer to this? We’ve gotta see, we’ve gotta see.”
Bully Praises AEW Dynamite Match
Adam Cole didn’t compete on this week’s Dynamite due to his injury, but his friend Roderick Strong was in action. While Strong was victorious against Bryan Keith, Bully Ray was impressed by the efforts of Keith.
“The Roderick Strong segment, the Roderick Strong match. Do you know who I want to give some props to tonight? Bryan Keith. Now you might be saying to yourself ‘Uncle Bully, who the hell is Bryan Keith?’ Bryan Keith is the guy that Roderick Strong wrestled tonight and I thought that Bryan Keith did a pretty good job… I got some Bad News Brown vibes from Bryan Keith.”
What did Adam Cole and others in wrestling have to say after AEW Worlds End…
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Taking to Twitter this week, Nemeth shared that he has a part in the new comedy film Drugstore June. The former Superstar was pleased to be working with some very funny people and said that the film’s lead Esther Povitsky ‘kills it’ in her role.
According to IMDB, Ziggler portrays the role of a deliveryman. Other names attached include Bobby Lee (Pineapple Express), Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense), Beverly D’Angelo (National Lampoon), and James Remar (Miracle on 34th Street). The film is set to be released next month.
With Cole gone, Patrick is now in the lofty position of being the lead play-by-play announcer for one of the most-watched wrestling shows on the planet. There are individuals within WWE who are closely monitoring Kevin Patrick’s performance, PW Insider reports.
There is a general belief within WWE that Patrick needs to demonstrate his abilities and make a strong impression in his new role to solidify his position on Fridays.
Before coming to the U.S. Patrick studied journalism at Griffith College Dublin, and worked as part of the RTÉ Sport team covering the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. In 2009, Patrick left Ireland for the U.S. and has worked for CNN in the past. He has also worked for FOX Sports and was the commentator for Atlanta United home games on Apple TV+.
Kevin Patrick isn’t the only notable member of his family. His father Liam was an All-Ireland-winning Gaelic footballer. While Kevin played for Raheny GAA, an injury would cut his athletics career short.
The Hardy Boys are a part of the AEW roster, but they did not get booked for the company’s January 10th Dynamite Homecoming episode. That fact was not lost on Jeff Hardy.
Jeff Hardy’s Interesting Instagram Post
Jeff Hardy dropped a post on Instagram right before AEW Dynamite went live. While promoting the lineup for the company’s January 10th episode, Hardy also made it very clear that his team will not be on Dynamite.
The Charismatic Enigma then made a little quip about how fans can find him in the Rampage Dimension instead. Update: Jeff Hardy went to take down his post.
We,”TheHardys”will not be appearing on this live show called #AEWDynamite. We, “TheHardys”are stuck in the dimension of,”AEWRampage”
Possible Issues Brewing With The Hardy Boys In AEW
This is the first we’ve heard that would give us any indication that the Hardy Boys aren’t happy with their spot in AEW. All things considered, they are featured and get to wrestle on television.
Then again, Jeff and Matt have made no secret about how they want another Tag Team Title run before they retire, and matches on Rampage may not be the right path to get them there.
It is also worth noting that, according to reports we’ve seen so far from Daily’s Place, The Hardy Boys were also not booked for AEW Rampage this week. They did announce a few matches already, and you may find them below.
AEW Rampage Card for January 12, 2024
Eddie Kingston (C) vs Wheeler Yuta – Continental Crown Championship
Hikaru Shida vs Queen Aminata
Swerve Strickland vs Matt Sydal
Update: Jeff Hardy Is At It Again
Jeff Hardy shared the AEW Collision and Battle of the Belts card on January 12th, along with an intriguing caption. This seemed to be another tongue-in-cheek post.
In the caption, he clarified that the Hardy brothers exclusively work Dynamite shows, providing insight into their absence from tonight’s lineup.
Don’t miss #AEWCollision http://tonight.It’s gonna be another amazing Saturday night of pro wrestling like it always is. We,the Hardys only work 1 show a week…….because we’re the Hardys. We prefer #AEWDynamite. The dimension of #AEWCollision was designed for punks.
MJF lost the AEW World Title to Samoa Joe at Worlds End, and that put the end to his impressive run as champion. Since Our Scumbag is taking a much-deserved hiatus, and his name is actually gone from the official AEW roster, Samoa Joe is carrying on as his own type of World Champion.
Samoa Joe Debuts New AEW World Title
Samoa Joe debuted his new AEW World Title on Dynamite this week. The setting for this moment was special, as Daily’s Place was host for Tony Khan’s flagship show once again.
Daily’s Place played home for AEW during the pandemic, and the crowd was hot for the night’s event. Samoa Joe’s promo stuck with the crowd, and they were all behind Joe as World Champion.
Then Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland came out to join the promo party. This all culminated with Hook making his presence felt, as he reiterated a challenge he laid down during AEW Collision last week.
Through Swerve or not, “Hangman” Adam Page wants to make the #AEW World Championship his!
In case you were unaware, this big change for the AEW World Title was totally expected. Samoa Joe ripped on MJF’s Burberry Title Belt during the AEW Worlds End press conference.
Joe did not appreciate MJF’s Burberry flair for the AEW World Title, either, as he called it “Knock-off Gucci.”
“Oh, this is going in the garbage, don’t worry about that. This trash right here. This little knockoff Gucci stuff that he got going on, it’s going away. We got the good belt, the right belt, something that’s designed well. I spoke with Tony Khan intensely about it, and we’re very much looking forward to it.
Samoa Joe will defend that new AEW World Title against Hook for his first opponent. That match will take place on the January 17th episode of AEW Dynamite.
Tony Khan didn’t put the phone down on Tuesday. The AEW President addressed criticism once more on X and it has fans and wrestlers alike talking, including WWE Hall Of Famers.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray believed that Tony Khan reacting the way he did didn’t do him or AEW any favors when it comes to further arrows being slung his way.
“What good did it do? Nothing. Zero. You are allowing people to get to you. You are showing the world that social media is bothering you because he had to have read this HOOK outrage somewhere.”
Co-host Dave LaGreca mentioned that Tony Khan could have had a work-around response by just crediting HOOK for his resume in the ring rather than bring outside parties into the equation. Bully Ray agreed with that approach.
“If a million people tweeted at you and you felt the absolute necessity to pick up your phone and engage, that’s exactly what I would have said back.”
Instead, Khan decided to bring Jinder Mahal’s name into the mix and it opened up a floodgate of reactions, including igniting another X argument with former WCW President Eric Bischoff where Khan even shared a GIF stating that Bischoff was a “miserable has-been.” Bischoff in turn, joked about Khan’s wild hairstyle.
Khan has notoriously called out his critics on social media and some of his past targets included Shawn Michaels, Triple and Vince McMahon. He even took a jab at former WCW star Disco Inferno, which prompted his K100 co-host Konnan to implore Khan to be accepting of constructive criticism.
CM Punk has earned the respect of two wrestling legends in Magnum TA and Greg Gagne.
The AWA veteran and NWA veteran have teamed up for a new podcast “Gagne & Magnum” as the two will look at the legends of yesteryear, the modern wrestling product and the details behind their PowerTown Wrestling figures line.
On the debut episode of the show, Magnum and Gagne were asked about the current state of WWE and it was Gagne who first mentioned his initial interaction with CM Punk back when both were working in Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Gagne mentioned that Punk expressed his frustration at not getting a call-up from WWE and Gagne noted that before Punk went out to do an interview, Gagne told him to go out and speak his mind.
“I said, go on your interview and tell them how you really feel about the WWE and Vince McMahon.”
Not long after, Punk entered the WWE fold as a member of ECW.
“CM Punk is a great guy. Great guy. He really is. You know, he learned to believe in himself, believe in what he had to say, believe in his talent, and he’s just being himself. And that’s what the people really want. They want to see somebody who’s really that character they see in the ring is really him and he’s done a fantastic job portraying that to the people. You don’t have to be the big muscle man, the great big guy in the ring…”
Magnum TA On The Respect CM Punk Has For The Legends
Magnum TA also had some brief interaction with CM Punk back when he was in AEW and Punk basically rolled out the red carpet for Magnum.
“He came up to me and treated me like like I was Babe Ruth. I mean, he was so kind, respectful, you know, truly made me feel like he was grateful for some of the bricks I laid in the road that he got to go down. And he even gave me a shout out on his Instagram.”
Episode One of “Gagne & Magnum,” which is hosted by SEScoops correspondent, Dominic DeAngelo and is now available everywhere. The show puts the spotlight on the late great Kerry Von Erich.
When Bray Wyatt faced health problems last year, WWE removed him and his brother Bo Dallas from television. Initially, there was hope for their return together after Wyatt’s recovery. Sadly, this expectation was shattered when Wyatt passed away at 36 due to a heart attack during sleep.
PW Insider Elite has now confirmed that, despite being inactive, Dallas remains an employee of the company. He is still on their payroll, even though he is not booked in a current television storyline.
Bo Dallas had a 13-year run with WWE, ending in an April 2021 release due to budgetary cuts. His last in-ring appearance was in November 2019. Initially, WWE cited a lack of creative plans for his absence.
However, Dallas later revealed a broken neck, leading to his hiatus for recovery. His unexpected return in 2022 as Uncle Howdy surprised many fans.
While unconfirmed, it is reported that internal speculation suggests Wyatt, who had recently returned to WWE at the time, might have influenced Dallas’s re-hiring. Sadly, Howdy and Wyatt never had much time together in the ring.
Who is Bo Dallas?
Bo Dallas’ real name is Taylor Michael Rotunda. He is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda, who wrestled as IRS, and the brother of Windham Rotunda, who we all knew as Bray Wyatt. That family connection continued until the end, as their Uncle Howdy storyline never had a chance to really play out as they envisioned it.
Dallas is still under WWE contract, but it’s unknown whether WWE will ever use the Uncle Howdy character again. I asked a couple of months ago when this rumor first surfaced, and I was told by multiple members of the creative team that, at the time, there is and was no talk of bringing Uncle Howdy back.
WWE Is Taking Care of Bray Wyatt’s Family
WWE has taken great care of Bray Wyatt’s family since his passing. JoJo Offerman is receiving 100% of the proceeds from all of his merchandise that they sell. The company made this declaration shortly after news of his passing broke.
Wyatt was also put under a Legends Contract to ensure that the company will continue providing for his family for a very long time to come.
Our thoughts are still with JoJo Offerman, Bray’s children, and his family. He is gone, but his name will live on forever.
Orange Cassidy leads by example and he believes Jon Moxley does too.
In a new interview with Adrian Hernandez, Cassidy commented on how Jon Moxley, a recent rival of his, has earned the respect of his pro wrestling peers and is undoubtedly a leader behind the scenes in AEW.
“Jon Moxley is a leader for AEW. I think a lot of people look to Jon Moxley for leadership. I am too, like Jon Moxley, a person that leads by example and I saw the example that he was setting and I was like, ‘You know what? I want to do that.’ I tried, but no one can be Jon Moxley because there’s no Jon Moxley.”
Orange Cassidy Thanks Jon Moxley
Cassidy continues giving Moxley his flowers, noting that it was the aggressive nature of Mox in the squared circle that unleashed a new Freshly Squeezed identity in the current AEW International Champion.
“I am forever in his debt for him changing and bringing up this version of me that is clearly a better version because I still have this thing (the AEW International Championship belt).”
Orange Cassidy has certainly established himself as a name star for All Elite Wrestling, getting his polarizing “peeled back” persona over with the fans. Cassidy has even earned the admiration from the likes of Kevin Nash, who once noted on his podcast that he loves his character.
On this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Cassidy will team up with Dustin Rhodes, Adam Copeland and Preston Vance to face The Gates Of Agony, Lance Archer and Brian Cage in an eight-man tag.
Please credit Adrian Hernandez and h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
Will Ospreay was revealed as AEW’s big signing at Full Gear. That did not mean he could jump straight into AEW’s storylines, because The Aerial Assassin needed to wrap things up with New Japan Pro-Wrestling first. Although he picked AEW, WWE was very much a contender for his services.
Will Ospreay Confirms WWE Offer Was Real
Will Ospreay is set to compete in his final NJPW match on February 11th before making the move to AEW. Despite receiving an offer from WWE, Ospreay has clarified his decision to join AEW.
In an interview with Gamespot, Ospreay acknowledged the offer from WWE but emphasized the trust he has in Tony Khan, a significant factor influencing his decision to sign with AEW.
“I want to know what I’m doing within the ring, and the rest, for me, is easy. What more could you want from a boss?”
Will Ospreay Speaks on Future AEW Matchups
With many available options and potential opponents in AEW, Will Ospreay shared his thoughts on what lies ahead for him as he prepares to engage with a new roster.
While Ospreay has thrived in Japan, the pro wrestling landscape is always changing; this is something he is all too familiar with as the 30-year-old former World Champion helped blaze a trail others area already walking on.
Ospreay already got this hands dirty in AEW with a match against Chris Jericho, and now he can’t wait to see what awaits him. Obviously, he is looking for a top spot, and he isn’t afraid to share his championship intentions.
“There’s something for me to climb, there’s something for me to build upon. That first match with Chris Jericho, who is one of the biggest wrestling stars in the world, was probably the biggest star in the company at that time. I want to progress from that.”
“I want to see what other bucket [list items] I can tick. I want to go for championships. I want to go for world titles. I want to see what I can actually do because I’ve never been put in these situations. New Japan is a sports-based wrestling product, it isn’t really known for its on-screen personalities. So this is all new for me and I just want to test myself. I want to try my very best to swim in waters I’m not very sure of, so for me, this is all a challenge.”
Will Ospreay Almost Ended Up In America Years Ago
Will Ospreay’s latest deal in the wrestling world represents a significant move, as he finally signed with a North American pro wrestling company. That was not for lack of trying.
Paul Heyman offered Ospreay an EVOLVE contract 7 years ago during a Q&A where he just so happened to be in the front row. That contract was offered on behalf of Gabe Sapolsky, whom Heyman was simply delivering a message for in his own way.
Although Ospreay didn’t end up becoming a regular in EVOLVE, we can only imagine how much different the pro wrestling world would be today if he accepted it. Now, he can apply his trade in North America as an All Elite star.
Scott D’Amore declared during the final moments of Impact Wrestling’s Bound for Glory event that TNA Wrestling is coming back. This was more than just a promise, because D’Amore and crew are delivering with a total re-branding effort.
TNA Wrestling is coming back with Hard to Kill on Saturday, January 13th. Champions at that event will have new title belts as they make their way to the ring.
Chris Sabin is the X-Division Champion, but he has always loved TNA Wrestling. He was more than thrilled to receive a revamped TNA Wrestling X-Division Title from Scott D’Amore.
Ace Austin and Chris Bey make up ABC, and they are also on top of TNA Wrestling’s tag team division going into Hard to Kill. Austin and Bey were also presented with new TNA Wrestling Tag Team Titles in the lead-up to the big pay-per-view.
Tommy Dreamer also got a new title belt. His Digital Media Championship got a TNA Wrestling facelift, and Scott D’Amore was more than happy to put that title around Dreamer’s waist, albeit a bit too tightly.
Update: Crazzy Steve won that title from Tommy Dreamer during the TNA Hard to Kill kickoff show.
The TNA Knockouts Title was revealed, and presented to Trinity Fatu. She was very happy, and honored to receive this new title, as the first to hold it. She will also defend her title against Jordynne Grace at Hard to Kill.
The outcome of Jordynne Grace’s battle with Trinity will be interesting. There are reports that Trinity is expected to make a WWE return, and her Impact Wrestling contract is expiring soon.
Scott D’Amore presented MK Ultra with the brand new TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championships. This was quite a moment for them, but they would lose those belts later on at Hard to Kill to Decay.
AEW has an official Vice President Global Programming & Partnerships. Shane Emerson, who has been with All Elite Wrestling since 2021, announced on his LinkedIn that he was given a new job title.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Vice President Global Programming & Partnerships at All Elite Wrestling!”
Previously, Emerson was simply listed as the Head of Global Programming & Partnerships, a position he held since September 2021. Before that, Emerson worked for TNA’s parent company, Anthem Sports, in the same type of role for over a decade.
Another name to receive a promotion is Eric Murphy, who also announced via LinkedIn that he is a senior producer with AEW.
Other Internal Changes In AEW
While Emerson sees a new horizon under AEW, a few other long-time employees decided to ride off in the sunset.
Before 2023 closed its doors, QT Marshall asked for his release from the company. Marshall was an imperative part to the growth of AEW and was held in high regard backstage, partly due to his versatility. Marshall wore a lot of hats in AEW including coach, talent relations manager and on-air competitor.
Another name to leave is Dana Massie, who was in charge of AEW merchandise since the company launched. Massie is Matt Jackson’s wife and voluntarily made the decision not to continue with the company as Chief Marketing & Merchandising Officer.
The final notorioius name of note to exit AEW is Rafael Morffi. Morffi served as Vice President of Live Events/Touring but has decided to take a new job at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Morffi is a New York City native.
With his non-compete clause a thing of the past, Matt Riddle has been announced for several shows and events. One place fans have yet to see Riddle however is AEW, which is home to many former Superstars. Speaking during a virtual autograph signing, the former U.S. Champion was asked about potentially being All-Elite.
“Yeah, honestly, I feel like a lot of the talent when I got released, were going to try to do that. I wanted to think outside the box and maybe not rush right back into doing TV matches. TV is a lot different than wrestling on ppl or the Indies. There are commercials, they cut times, they change things.”
With Riddle not currently interested in AEW, the King of Bros shared what are his priorities at this time.
“For me, right now, New Japan, MLW, the Indies, I can display my art and I’m not under such a crunch of time or requirement. I have a lot more freedom. TNA isn’t out of the picture either. There are certain things I wanted to do. I really wanted to work in Japan and I made that a priority.”
Matt Riddle plans on wrestling in Japan, and his wish is about to come true…
WWE is making sure it’s media and production team is getting new leadership in 2024. The company announced on January 9 that Lee Fitting will now be the new Head Of Media & Production. The company made the announcement via a press release, praising Fitting as a “media industry veteran.”
STAMFORD, Conn., January 9, 2024 – WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), today announced that media industry veteran Lee Fitting has joined the company this week as Head of Media & Production.
“Lee is a phenomenal leader and executive known for work that generates both critical acclaim and mass appeal,” said WWE President Nick Khan. “Lee will be a tremendous addition to our stellar media and production team and play a key role in helping catapult WWE’s growth.”
Fitting brings more than two decades of production experience to WWE from ESPN, where he oversaw production for tentpole properties including Monday Night Football, College GameDay, the College Football Playoff, and many other properties within the Disney portfolio.
Distributed in 25 languages across 165 countries, WWE delivers new and live programming to fans 52 weeks a year. Its flagship shows, including Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown and NXT; Premium Live Events including WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble; and award-winning slate of original programs reach more than one billion homes globally.
Fitting steps into a new role as long-time production executive Kevin Dunn leaves his old one. Dunn served as the head of WWE Production for years, but made his voluntary leave as 2023 came to a close.
Impact Wrestling is rebranding themselves into TNA Wrestling once again, and that is coming with new title belt designs. Fans have seen a few new title belts already, and now we have the new TNA World Title.
TNA Wrestling Unveils New World Title
Impact Wrestling will be fully TNA Wrestling by this Saturday at the Hard To Kill pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada. Leading up to the event, the company has been unveiling redesigned championship belts.
On Wednesday, TNA Wrestling revealed the new design for the World Heavyweight Title. Alex Shelley secured the World Title by defeating Steve Maclin at the Against All Odds special last June. Now, Shelley has a new title belt to carry around.
Key matches at Hard to Kill will feature World Heavyweight Champion Alex Shelley against Moose. That should be a good match, as Shelley has successfully defended the title against opponents including Brian Myers, Maclin, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Josh Alexander, Jonathan Gresham, among others.
Also, at TNA Wrestling Hard to Kill, X-Division Champion Chris Sabin will face El Hijo del Vikingo and Kushida. Knockouts World Champion Trinity will also be defending her title against Jordyn Grace. That should be an interesting Knockouts match, because rumor is that Trinity is returning to WWE very soon.
The company has also hinted at a significant announcement during the event and is actively pursuing the signing of a high-profile star. They have a lot of eyes on them as TNA Wrestling returns, and a few options on the table.
With Dunn gone, WWE has brought in Lee Fitting as the new Head of Media and Production. This has earned some backlash from those within WWE, PW Insider reports. Some have expressed discontent with an “outsider” assuming a leadership role. Executive Vice President of Television Chris Kaiser and Lighting/Set Director Jason Robinson are being touted as worthy internal candidates who could have replaced Dunn. There are also concerns that Fitting could bring in external personnel of his own, potentially affecting WWE staff.
Not everyone is so against WWE’s new Head of Media and Production. Some have adopted a wait-and-see approach to see how Fitting takes to his new role.
Who is Lee Fitting?
Fitting joins WWE from ESPN where he spent 25 years overseeing production on shows such as Monday Night Football, College GameDay, and the College Football Playoff. In a statement issued this week, WWE President Nick Khan described Lee as a “tremendous addition to our stellar media and production team and play a key role in helping catapult WWE’s growth.”
WWE was hoping to keep Dunn around for longer than he planned…
Tony Khan’s initiative to shake up All Elite Wrestling’s front office has led to the hiring of a new Chief Operating Officer. Khan has tapped Kosha Irby for the role, according to reporting from Sean Ross Sapp and Dave Meltzer.
Irby previously worked for WWE as the Regional Director of Live Events from 2011 through 2018. He later moved on to work for Clemson University, and previously worked at Professional Bull Riding and the AAF’s Memphis Express.
As reported by Fightful Select yesterday, AEW has hired Kosha Irby as COO. He worked with WWE from 2011 to 2018 as Regional Director, Live Events pic.twitter.com/vgcdEaJUmP
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) January 10, 2024
Kosha Irby joining AEW comes amid a big shakeup within AEW
There has been several changes internally at AEW. QT Marshall and Dana Massie, both long-established employees who were a jack and jill of trades backstage, made their exit from the company while Rafael Morrfi has decided to leave his production position to work in his backyard of Brooklyn, NY for the Barclays Center. Morffi had previous experience in pro wrestling before entering AEW being involve with promotions like TNA Wrestling and MLW
Two current AEW employees happened to find themselves in new positions with the company. Announced via LinkedIn, Shane Emerson was revealed to be the company’s new Vice President of Global Programming and Partnership as he’s been with the company since 2021.
Additionally, another name to get the nod was Eric Muprhy who announced his new role as a senior producer.
Talent also leaving
Not only has AEW lost backstage talent, but on-screen talent too. Andrade El Idolo just left the company. Before that, AEW saw other names leave in 2023. Jade Cargill, Brian Pillman Jr., Sonny Kiss and Brock Anderson are no longer with the promotion after all spent several years important years with the promotion.
Former WWE superstar AJ Francis(FKA Top Dolla) has made his presence felt since the company let him go. WWE released him on September 21, 2023, a year after he returned for his second stint. Since he bid farewell to WWE for the second time, he has been exploring his options on the independent scene.
To fans’ surprise, Francis returned to Game Changer Wrestling on December 21, 2023, and attacked Joey Janela. This helped set up a featured match between the two for GCW Look At Me on January 26. However, Francis isn’t done exploring his options in wrestling.
While attending the 2024 Chees-It Citrus Bowl on January 1, he announced on Twitter that he would be at TNA Hard To Kill on January 13. Francis, alongside DJ Whoo Kid, shared that they will premiere a new music video of their song “WE OUT$IDE” live on the pay view. Although he isn’t involved in a match, Francis doesn’t rule out competing in a TNA ring.
When asked by a fan if he would compete for the company, Francis replied, “If the bag is right.”
TNA hopes to start their year with a bang, heading toward their upcoming PPV. The company decided last year to rebrand from Impact Wrestling to TNA, which has fans excited for their creative direction. As well as new title designs for their current champions, TNA President Scott D’Amore also teased a big signing will be made by Hard To Kill.
Francis’s announcement has increased fans’ interest in whether he’ll stick around with TNA.
What’s Next For AJ Francis?
Francis is set to appear for GCW and TNA but is still looking to see what deal comes his way. The former WWE superstar is accepting bookings, which he shared on his Twitter account on September 22, 2023. From his standpoint, his impact is being felt online, and he is confident about what he brings to the table for any promotion.
The following day after announcing his TNA debut, Francis wrote on Twitter:
“I say I’m going to GCW, it does astronomical numbers online for them. I say I’m going to TNA, it does astronomical numbers online for them. Are you guys paying attention?”
Francis seems to be looking to take advantage of his free-agent status and show that he is still a superstar outside of WWE. If he continues his success, he should be in for a great year as an independent wrestler.
WWE Superstar Omos recently talked about the changes to his workout regime which he has implemented over the years.
Standing 7 feet and 3 inches tall, and weighing 416 pounds, Omos remains to be one of the giants in the company. For those who are unaware, he played college basketball, before signing with WWE in January 2019. He is a former RAW Tag Team Champion with AJ Styles and has competed in three WrestleMania events. Well, he has improved over the years and continues to maintain a good shape.
Omos outlines how his pro wrestling workout regime is different from Basketball days
‘The Nigerian Giant’ recently joined in for a conversation with Men’s Health magazine and said that he kept his weight at around 315 pounds for college basketball. However, he reached over 400 pounds while continuing his pro wrestling career. In addition to this, he revealed trains his whole body with dedicated weekly workouts.
The 29-year-old said that there are particular training difficulties “as a giant,” entailing more concentrated mobility work and the replacement of barbell exercises with machine workouts. To appear his best in the ring, the Nigerian Giant is also committed to expanding the size of his thighs.
Omos claimed that he started working out at the age of 14, concentrating on developing his quickness and agility for basketball. Omos has added more power-building exercises to his wrestling routines, but he still incorporates some of those ideas. He disclosed that his main workout objective was to look nice in the ring.
“In basketball, I always had to cut weight, and for what I do know, I also have to look jacked and look good for what I need to do in the ring,” he said.
Omos last competed at SummerSlam 2023, where he participated in the Slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal, which was won by LA Knight.
