Category: AEW

Backstage News On Andrade’s Sudden AEW Absence And WWE Non-Compete Confusion

Andrade’s AEW return started with a bang — and then silence. After a shocking attack on Kenny Omega, the star has vanished from AEW programming and canceled multiple appearances. Now, new backstage reports suggest WWE might be behind his sudden disappearance.

Andrade’s second run with AEW has hit a roadblock just weeks after his big return. The former WWE standout shocked fans when he attacked Kenny Omega on AEW television, seemingly setting the stage for a major storyline. But since that night, Andrade has been nowhere to be found — not on TV, not in the ring, and not even on his scheduled independent shows.

According to Wrestling Observer Radio, the reason may be tied to an unexpected issue with WWE. Bryan Alvarez reported that Andrade’s absence has nothing to do with injury or discipline, but rather a non-compete clause stemming from his recent WWE release.

“I was told he is not hurt, he didn’t get himself fired,” Alvarez said. “But apparently something is up involving his WWE non-compete… AEW might’ve thought they could get this worked out in time to get the Omega match on, but it didn’t happen.”

Dave Meltzer added that AEW and even some within WWE believed Andrade had no non-compete period. However, WWE reportedly later informed AEW that Andrade is still restricted from appearing on wrestling television for 90 days — a development that seemingly blindsided everyone involved.

“AEW obviously believed there was no non-compete,” Meltzer noted. “Even some people in WWE thought there wasn’t one. But apparently, WWE said he can’t do anything for 90 days.”

WWE Clarified Andrade’s Status After He Took Indie Bookings

PWInsider Elite later reported that both Andrade and WWE initially operated under the impression that his release allowed him to compete immediately since he wasn’t receiving the standard 90-day pay. However, once Andrade began accepting independent dates, WWE clarified that he was still bound by a non-compete restriction.

Whether this was a change in direction or just a case of miscommunication isn’t clear. One WWE insider told PWInsider the company wants to avoid creating a loophole where talent could leave under controversial circumstances and immediately jump to another promotion.

Impact On Andrade’s AEW and Independent Plans

If the 90-day non-compete is enforced, Andrade will be sidelined until early next year, delaying his AEW storyline indefinitely. He’s also expected to miss several upcoming shows, including an event in Puerto Rico this weekend and an appearance for The Crash in Tijuana — where he currently reigns as Heavyweight Champion.

That leaves the future of The Crash title uncertain, especially since Andrade only captured the belt from DMT Azul shortly after reappearing in AEW.

For now, fans can only wait to see when Andrade will finally be cleared to return to the ring. His comeback may have started strong, but this legal roadblock has left one of AEW’s most intriguing returns stuck in neutral.

AEW Dynamite & Collision Preview 10/15/2025

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite/Collision live 3-hour special airs live tonight on TBS and HBO Max from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri.

Tonight’s special, which is the go-home show for Saturday’s WrestleDream, which begins at 8:00 pm ET.

  • Kenny Omega & Jurassic Express vs. Mark Davis, Hechicero & Josh Alexander
  • Famous Last Words Before WrestleDream – AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander and “Timeless” Toni Storm 
  • Darby Allin and Jon Moxley – Special Face-To-Face
  • Orange Cassidy & Kyle O’Reilly vs. Death Riders (Wheeler Yuta & Daniel Garcia)
  • -AEW World Trios Championship: The Opps (c) vs. LFI
  • Claudio Castagnoli vs. Roderick Strong
  • Skye Blue vs. Jamie Hayter
  • The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin vs Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
  • Harley Cameron vs. Megan Bayne

AEW’s Konosuke Takeshita Stuns Zack Sabre Jr. To Capture IWGP World Heavyweight Title at NJPW King of Pro Wrestling – (Results)

New Japan Pro Wrestling crowned a new top champion this morning, as AEW standout Konosuke Takeshita shocked fans in Tokyo by dethroning Zack Sabre Jr. to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

The victory came after a grueling 31-minute battle at King of Pro Wrestling, where over 5,000 fans watched Takeshita outlast one of the most dominant champions in recent NJPW history. Sabre, who had held the title twice since first winning it nearly a year ago, came in with momentum from high-profile victories over Shota Umino, Shingo Takagi, Ricochet, and Nigel McGuinness.

But on this night, Takeshita proved to be the better man. The match told a classic NJPW story of contrasting styles — Sabre methodically targeted Takeshita’s arm, looking to neutralize his power, while Takeshita relied on his explosive strikes and athleticism. In the end, the AEW star broke through, delivering a pair of brutal knee strikes — the final one with the kneepad down — to score the decisive pinfall and claim the gold.

Takeshita’s celebration didn’t last long, though. Hirooki Goto, the man who briefly interrupted Sabre’s championship dominance earlier this year, confronted the new champion immediately after the match and issued a challenge. Takeshita mocked Goto and took shots at New Japan’s younger generation for failing to step up, but he ultimately accepted the challenge. Whether that title match happens soon or is saved for Wrestle Kingdom in January remains to be seen.

The win marks Takeshita’s first reign as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and continues his rapid ascent across multiple promotions. Already under contract with AEW, NJPW, and DDT, Takeshita now joins Jon Moxley as the second AEW wrestler in the past year to hold New Japan’s top championship.

And the momentum might not stop there — Takeshita is scheduled to compete at AEW WrestleDream this weekend, where he’ll team with Kazuchika Okada, his sometimes ally and rival within the Don Callis Family, to challenge Brodido for the AEW World Tag Team Titles.

If Takeshita can pull off another win, the “Alpha of the Callis Family” could soon be holding gold in two major promotions at once — a feat that would firmly cement his status as one of wrestling’s most unstoppable rising stars.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) held the 2025 King of Pro-Wrestling event on October 13 from Ryogoku Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

You can check out the complete results from the show below:

  • IWGP Women’s Championship: Syuri def. Sareee (c) to win the title.
  • War Dogs (David Finlay, Taiji Ishimori & Clark Connors) def. Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi & Titan.
  • Riot in Ryogoku: Drilla Moloney def. SANADA.
  • YOH, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto def. TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa, Hartley Jackson & Kosei Fujita).
  • NJPW World TV Championship: El Phantasmo (c) def. Hiroshi Tanahashi.
  • NEVER Openweight Championship: EVIL def. Boltin Oleg (c) to win the title. House of Torture attacked Boltin after the match. Aaron Wolf made the save.
  • IWGP Tag Team Championships: Knockout Brothers (OSKAR & Yuto-Ice) (c) def. Yuya Uemura & Shota Umino.
  • IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji def. Gabe Kidd (c) to win the title. Unaffiliated and War Dogs shook hands after the match.
  • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Konosuke Takeshita def. Zack Sabre Jr (c) to win the title. Hirooki Goto challenged Takeshita after the match.

AEW Collision Homecoming Preview 10/11/2025

AEW Collision Homecoming tonight on TNT and HBO Max from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL.

  • Trios Match: AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander, “Timeless” Toni Storm & Harley Cameron vs. Triangle Of Madness
  • Kota Ibushi vs. Josh Alexander
  • Max Caster & Anthony Bowens vs. Big Bill & Bryan Keith
  • Mixed Trios Match: Megan Bayne & FTR vs. Willow Nightingale & Jetspeed
  • Eddie Kingston vs. The Beast Mortos
  • Anna Jay & Tay Melo in action

Tony Khan Says Collision Was Last AEW Event At Daily’s Place Until After Renovations

AEW is saying goodbye—for now—to one of its most meaningful homes. Company president Tony Khan has confirmed that this week’s AEW Collision taping at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, was the final event the promotion will hold there before the venue undergoes extensive renovations.

Daily’s Place holds a special place in AEW’s history. Connected to EverBank Stadium—the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars—the open-air amphitheater served as AEW’s primary base during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. With travel restrictions and crowd limitations affecting live events, the company essentially made Daily’s Place its home arena, producing a full year of Dynamite episodes there from 2020 through 2021.

Khan, whose family owns the Jaguars, is closely tied to the future of the facility. The amphitheater and adjacent stadium are both publicly owned, but Shahid Khan—the Jaguars’ owner and Tony’s father—played a key role in financing the complex. The current construction project, dubbed the “Stadium of the Future,” is set to reshape the area with sweeping renovations expected to continue through 2028, carrying an estimated price tag of $1.3 billion.

Daily’s Place originally opened in 2017, making it one of Jacksonville’s newer entertainment venues. Despite its short history, it’s become a major landmark for AEW fans—hosting everything from the Fight for the Fallen event in 2019 to numerous Dynamite and Rampage tapings.

This week’s Title Tuesday edition of AEW Dynamite and the following Collision episode marked AEW’s final stop at the venue before work begins. While the company’s home base is temporarily out of commission, Khan made it clear that AEW’s relationship with Jacksonville is far from over.

Once renovations are complete, it’s safe to assume AEW will return to Daily’s Place—bigger, louder, and ready to make new memories in a rebuilt home that helped the company thrive during some of its most challenging early years.

Taz Announces Temporary AEW Commentary Hiatus for Shoulder Surgery

AEW commentator and ECW legend Taz is stepping away from the broadcast table for a while to focus on his health. After calling Tuesday night’s Title Tuesday edition of AEW Dynamite, Taz revealed on X that he’ll be undergoing total shoulder replacement surgery in the near future and will be “off for some time.”

The former ECW World Champion assured fans that this isn’t a permanent goodbye, closing his message with a simple promise: “See you soon.”

This isn’t the first time Taz has had to take time off for surgery. Around this same time last year, he underwent knee replacement surgery. AEW used an on-screen angle to write him off television then — an attack that set the stage for his son, Hook, to feud with Christian Cage and The Patriarchy. Taz returned to the company later that year, receiving a hometown welcome at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.

This time, however, AEW has opted not to use a storyline to explain his absence, and there’s currently no word on how long Taz will be sidelined. The company’s schedule doesn’t include any New York events for the rest of the year, though Full Gear is set to take place just across the river in Newark, New Jersey, on November 22 — a show that could mark his eventual return if his recovery goes smoothly.

Taz joined AEW in its early days as a manager and transitioned to the commentary desk full-time in mid-2022, where his sharp analysis and signature sense of humor have made him a fan favorite. Most recently, this past August, AEW honored Taz with an induction into the Hall of Fame at Philadelphia’s iconic 2300 Arena — the historic home of ECW. In a classy move, Taz requested that the planned segment be kept off television so that airtime could instead go to AEW’s current roster.

For now, the Human Suplex Machine is focused on recovery, but fans can rest easy knowing Taz fully intends to return to the booth once his shoulder is healed and ready to go.

Kota Ibushi Reportedly Injured During AEW Collision Homecoming Tapings (Contains Spoiler)

AEW’s “Collision: Homecoming” taping at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, took an unfortunate turn this week when Kota Ibushi appeared to suffer a serious leg injury during his match.

The episode, filmed on October 8, was meant to celebrate AEW’s roots at Daily’s Place — but for Ibushi, it may have marked another setback in his long battle with injuries. According to live reports from JJ Williams of the Wrestling Observer, Ibushi was facing Josh Alexander of The Don Callis Family when disaster struck.

During the match, Ibushi reportedly slipped off the top rope after his leg seemed to give out, sending him crashing to the floor outside the ring. AEW’s ringside medical team immediately attended to him, and the match was stopped shortly after, with Alexander declared the winner via count-out.

After the bell, the situation escalated when The Don Callis Family attempted to attack the fallen Ibushi, prompting Kenny Omega — Ibushi’s longtime tag team partner and close friend — to rush to the ring for the save. The segment ended with the house lights dimming as Ibushi was stretchered out of the ringside area.

At this time, the severity of Ibushi’s injury has not been confirmed. However, early accounts suggest it could be significant, potentially sidelining him for an extended period once again.

Ibushi only recently made his return to AEW, reappearing on the June 21 episode of Collision after nearly two years away. That return set up a dream match with Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Continental Championship on the 300th episode of Dynamite. Although Ibushi came up short in that match, fans and critics alike praised his conditioning and performance, marking it as one of his strongest outings in recent memory.

Unfortunately, injuries have long haunted the Golden Star. Ibushi has dealt with recurring shoulder problems since his New Japan Pro Wrestling days and suffered double ankle fractures in early 2024 during a Pro Wrestling NOAH match against Naomichi Marufuji.

AEW has yet to issue an official statement regarding his condition, but fans are hoping this latest setback isn’t as serious as it initially appeared.

For now, all eyes are on Ibushi’s recovery and what this might mean for his AEW future — especially with Kenny Omega once again standing by his side.

UPDATE

According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Ibushi broke his leg. Meltzer noted that the injury looked to just be a freak accident and that anyone who took the fall and landing that Ibushi did would have also suffered a serious injury, or potentially something worse. Ibushi has had a lot of injuries over the past few years, which naturally meant a lot of people thought this was another case of Ibushi’s body not being able to do what he could do in the past, but Meltzer said that isn’t what happened and Ibushi took an out of control spill that couldn’t have been avoided.

Former WWE Star (Kayden Carter) Lacey Lane Made Debut in AEW, Answered Mercedes Moné’s Open Challenge

A familiar face made her AEW debut this week, as Lacey Lane—formerly known to WWE fans as Kayden Carter—stepped into the spotlight on AEW Dynamite to challenge reigning TBS Champion Mercedes Moné.

The match came about after Moné threw down an open challenge to any standout from Florida’s wrestling scene. Lane, who built her reputation in NXT as part of a successful tag team alongside Katana Chance, was quick to answer the call, earning a warm reaction from the crowd.

Despite being the underdog, Lane delivered an impressive showing against one of AEW’s most dominant champions. Her athleticism and striking offense kept Moné on her toes, but in the end, the “CEO” capitalized on an opening and sealed the win with the Moné Maker, extending her reign to a remarkable 500 days.

With the victory, Moné continues her reign of dominance—now boasting 22 successful title defenses since defeating Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing 2024.

For Lane, though, her AEW debut made a lasting impression. Even in defeat, she proved she can hang with one of the company’s biggest stars—potentially setting the stage for more opportunities inside an AEW ring.

AEW Dynamite Homecoming Title Tuesday 10/7/2025

AEW Dynamite Homecoming Title Tuesday live at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TBS and HBO Max from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL. It will be a 2.5 hour special!

  • TNT Championship Match: Kyle vs. Kyle 2– Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly
  • AEW World Tag Team Double Jeopardy Eliminator Match: Brodido (Brody King and Bandido) (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada & Konosuke Takeshita. If either Okada or Takeshita win, they earn a future AEW Tag Team Title Match. However, if Bandido or Brody King win, whoever gets the pinfall challenges Okada for the AEW Unified Championship.
  • TBS Championship Open Challenge Match: Mercedes Mone’ (c) vs. someone from Florida
  • Street Fight: The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona) vs. Hurt Syndicate (MVP, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin)
  • Orange Cassidy vs. PAC (No Death Riders, No Conglomeration – 1 on 1
  • Jon Moxley vs. Tomohiro Ishii
  • Jurassic Express in action
  • AEW World Champion Hangman Adam Page and Samoa to go face-to-face

WWE Star Zoey Stark Gets Baptized Amid Injury Recovery, AEW’s Brian Cage Was There For Support

WWE Superstar Zoey Stark recently shared a major personal milestone with fans, revealing on social media that she’s been baptized in the Christian faith. In a video posted online, Stark can be seen taking part in the ceremony while wearing a shirt that read, “I have decided.”

Interestingly, the event also featured AEW’s Brian Cage, who attended alongside his family to show support. Cage shared his own post about the day, expressing how meaningful it was to witness Stark’s baptism and celebrate her commitment.

While Stark’s faith journey is just beginning, she joins a long list of wrestlers who have openly spoken about their Christian beliefs over the years. Names like Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Sting, Kurt Angle, Chad Gable, and The Undertaker have all shared how faith has played a role in their lives both inside and outside the ring.

Stark has been out of action since May 2025, sidelined by a serious knee injury suffered during a Women’s Money in the Bank qualifying match against Kairi Sane. During the bout, Stark’s knee appeared to buckle after a mistimed missile dropkick, and reports later indicated she’d likely miss the rest of the year.

Despite her time away from the spotlight, Stark has stayed active online, debunking an AI-generated video falsely claiming she had retired. The former NXT standout has made it clear that she fully intends to return to WWE once she’s cleared to compete.

Until then, Zoey Stark seems to be focusing on healing — both physically and spiritually — as she prepares for what’s sure to be a powerful comeback story.