Category: AEW

Backstage Report Says Miro Has Asked For Release From AEW

AEW’s existence has objectively done a lot of good for the wrestling business, providing another viable option for wrestlers to ply their trade while earning major money in North America, but within any organization there will always be those who end up unhappy. For a long time, reporting has suggested that Miro, formerly WWE’s Rusev, has been displeased with his tenure in the promotion, and now it appears he wants out.

According to a report from “Fightful Select,” Miro has officially requested his release from AEW. At the time of writing, neither AEW nor Miro himself has confirmed the report, but “The Redeemer” has notably not competed in AEW at all this year, with his last match taking place during the company’s last pay-per-view in 2023, Worlds End. According to Fightful’s sources, Miro ended up being sidelined for longer than anticipated after his match at Worlds End, but that he recovered a long time ago, which the star previously confirmed, explaining that his injuries were seen to back in January.

Fightful also reports that AEW originally considered using Miro in the All In Casino Gauntlet, and an angle for him was pitched involving Jon Moxley, but added that he couldn’t reach creative agreement with management, largely the reason for his absence from programming for the past two years. The report further pointed out that there’s no confirmation if Miro’s been granted his release yet, or if WWE has any interest in picking him up. Fightful’s sources also noted that “The Redeemer” is currently signed to a seven-figure contract that doesn’t expire until Spring 2026, which might complicate the dealings around his release.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Rampage Preview 9/20/2024

AEW Rampage Friday night on TNT.

  • Mark Briscoe vs. Bryan Keith
  • Wheeler Yuta vs. The Butcher
  • Hikaru Shida vs. Harley Cameron
  • Roderick Strong & The Beast Mortos in action
  • Nick Wayne vs. Kip Sabian vs. Lio Rush vs. Rocky Romero

Backstage News On AEW Contract Status Of ROH Double Champ Dustin Rhodes

Dustin Rhodes may be a double champion in Ring of Honor, but there are no guarantees that he will be sticking around AEW after September. According to Fightful Select, Rhodes’ deal with the company is still up and the end of the month, as Fightful initially reported last year.

Rhodes is currently a ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion alongside the Von Erich brothers, as well as ROH World Tag Team Champion alongside Sammy Guevara. Fightful reports that “many” assumed Rhodes’ title victories meant he’d signed a new deal, but that is apparently not the case as of this writing. The report contains no indication of whether Rhodes is considering jumping back to WWE, the company where he spent the majority of his career for two decades, and where his brother Cody Rhodes is the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. According to Fightful, in addition to his spots on the AEW and ROH rosters, Rhodes helps out and contributes to the women’s division behind-the-scenes.

Rhodes debuted in ROH at Death Before Dishonor in July 2024 and teamed with Marshall and Ross Von Erich, defeating The Dark Order to win a shot at the ROH Six-Man titles. They defeated the Undisputed Kingdom later that month at battle of the Belts to win the championships. Rhodes defeated the Undisputed Kingdom once again, alongside Guevara, to win the ROH tag belts on an episode of “AEW Collision.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite Preview 9/18/2024

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite live on TBS from the Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

  • Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho
  • The Elite (The Young Bucks & Kazuchika Okada) vs. Will Ospreay, Kyle Fletcher & Konosuke Takeshita
  • Yuka Sakazaki & Queen Aminata vs. Mariah May & Serena Deeb
  • Ricochet vs. The Beast Mortos

Kota Ibushi Reveals Training Session With Kenny Omega, Teases AEW Return

Both Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi have been absent from AEW for some time, with fans anxiously waiting as the two stars recover from significant injuries. However, those fans may not have to wait much longer. Based on a post made by Ibushi on Instagram, he and Omega are training together once again.

“World domination is just days away,” Ibushi wrote. “Had a golden practice after a long time. We are still far from done. Next AEW!!!”

The first photo shows Ibushi and Omega striking an iconic pose just outside of a ring, while the next picture features the two men making funny faces while holding onto a pair of large beverages. While it’s not clear from the photo whether Ibushi and Omega are training in Japan, the Tokyo Game Show is set to begin next week and Omega is a noted video game fan, offering a potential reason for Omega to visit.

While Omega has been an EVP in AEW since the promotion’s inception, it took his Golden Lovers partner a while longer to make it over. Ibushi signed a contract with AEW in 2023 but has wrestled just four matches so far. The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion has dealt with a string of serious injuries over the last several years, resulting in Ibushi performing only 11 times since the end of 2021.

As for Omega, the AEW star discovered last year that he was dealing with a case of diverticulitis that could have potentially ended his life if he hadn’t sought out treatment at the right time. After months away from television, Omega returned on “AEW Dynamite” this past May, updating the audience on his health status before being attacked by his former friends in The Elite. As of now, that was the last time Omega has been seen onscreen.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Backstage Report Offers Further Details On AEW-WBD Deal That’s Reportedly Close

A new TV deal between All Elite Wrestling and Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to be announced next week.

Entertainment news outlet Puck has confirmed that WBD’s deal with AEW is close to being finalized, and an announcement is likely coming “as soon as next week, barring any last-minute challenges.” It’s worth noting that AEW will be in New York City next week for their Grand Slam TV tapings. It is expected that reps from WBD will be in attendance at these TV tapings.

AEW’s next media rights deal with Warner Bros Discovery seems to be approaching the finish line, with a report yesterday suggesting AEW was poised to sign a 3-4 year contract worth $170 million annually. Now, a new report from Fightful Select has some additional details on the situation behind the scenes.

In addition to backing up the news regarding the deal, today’s report states that the new media rights package will be enough to make AEW a profitable company. Leading up to the agreement, AEW reportedly saw $200 million per year, for a five-year deal, as a “large benchmark” that they hoped to achieve. While the impending deal is slightly less than that, and for a shorter amount of time, there is now potential for the promotion to surpass that goal.

It remains a possibility that AEW’s pay-per-views are part of a separate deal that is currently being worked on between the promotion and WBD, which could see the events wind up streaming on MAX. On top of that, the report indicates that AEW is currently shopping around another television package for broadcast networks, and that it’s something Tony Khan has wanted to make happen for a while. It appears AEW’s exclusivity with WBD is ending with the new contract, allowing Khan to bring AEW offers to other companies, explaining the recent AEW-Fox rumors.

There reportedly hasn’t been any word about Ring of Honor being included in any of these deals, but it remains a possibility. So far, AEW has kept most information about the contract locked down, with talent unaware of many details. While no firm date has yet to emerge, it seems the new deal could be announced as soon as next week, according to the original report.

Sources: Wrestling Inc. and eWn

Update On Matt Riddle’s Likelihood In AEW

A year out from his WWE exit, Matt Riddle recently teased the possibility of joining All Elite Wrestling, specifically with the intention of making more money and working a decent television schedule. According to a new report, though, that idea may be a little far-fetched right now.

Fightful Select reports that AEW President Tony Khan has had zero interest in bringing Riddle aboard to the company, “especially over the last number of years.” In recent months, Riddle has worked with some talents signed to AEW — including Brian Cage, Dralistico, Komander, Penta El Zero Miedo, and The Beast Mortos — on the wrestling circuit. As Fightful points out, though, all those matches emanated from promotions based in Mexico, and not the United States.

In addition to the idea of signing with AEW, Riddle also recently discussed a backstage encounter he had with Khan following his loss to Zack Sabre Jr. at the April 2024 NJPW Windy City Riot show in Chicago. According to Riddle, the conversation between him and Khan was relatively awkward. While Khan initially seemed happy, Riddle stated that he later seemed “confused” when Riddle asked him if he liked the match with Sabre Jr. in a “different” kind of tone.

Since leaving WWE last year, Riddle has worked for several independent promotions across Mexico, Canada, and the United States. “The Original Bro” has additionally appeared for New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Major League Wrestling. Riddle’s latest MLW appearance came at the Summer Of The Beasts event on August 29, which saw him defeat former MLW World Tag Team Champion Matthew Justice.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW’s Thunder Rosa Offers Injury Update To Explain Absence

Following a 16-month back-injury-related hiatus, Thunder Rosa officially returned to in-ring action in December 2023. Unfortunately, the former AEW Women’s Champion has now revealed that she recently sustained another injury, though the duration of her subsequent recovery is expected to be much shorter.

While speaking on “Busted Open Radio,” Rosa noted that she is currently battling a head injury, namely a concussion. As such, she will be out of action for “a couple of weeks” as she recuperates. There is no word on exactly how or when Rosa sustained the concussion. With Concussion Awareness Day now just days away, though, Rosa encouraged listeners to follow Chris Nowinski, the founding CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and former WWE star, as she sees his page as a helpful place for information and research related to concussions.

Rosa’s latest in-ring performance came on the August 31 episode of “AEW Collision.” There, she, Hikaru Shida, Serena Deeb, and Queen Aminata competed in a four-way match, in which the winner earned a shot at the TBS Championship, presently held by Mercedes Mone. This opportunity was ultimately captured by Shida after she nailed Aminata with an enzuiguri and a round-house kick.

Prior to this, Rosa was notably entangled in a feud with “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo. Initially starting out as budding tag team partners, Purrazzo and Rosa eventually turned to enemies when a dazed Rosa shoved Purrazzo on the April 10 episode of “AEW Dynamite,” causing Purrazzo to aim a profanity at her. Since then, the two battled back and forth in a series of matches, with their final one taking form in a Texas Bullrope Match on “Collision” last month.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Collision Preview 9/14/2024

Tonight’s AEW Collision taped earlier this week from the Nutter Center in Dayton, OH.

  • TNT Championship: Jack Perry (c) vs. Christopher Daniels
  • The Conglomeration (Mark Briscoe & Kyle O’Reilly) & Hologram vs. The Beast Mortos & Premier Athletes (Tony Nese & Ari Daivari)
  • Wheeler Yuta vs. Anthony Henry
  • Robyn Renegade vs. Queen Aminata
  • Komander & Private Party vs. TBA
  • Yuka Sakazaki vs. Serena Deeb
  • Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) vs. Cage of Agony (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
  • FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)

AEW Rampage Preview 9/13/2024

Tonight’s AEW Rampage on TNT.

  • The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, & Kyle O’Reilly) vs. The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, John Silver, & Evil Uno)
  • Konosuke Takeshita vs. Action Andretti
  • Saraya & Harley Cameron vs. Marti Belle & Allysin Kay
  • Roderick Strong vs. BEEF
  • Kamille vs. Robyn Renegade