AEW Rampage tonight with a special start time of 6:30 PM ET. on TNT.
All Elite Wrestling announced that the new weekly Collision show will debut on June 17 and air on TNT.
Pwinsider has provided an update on how AEW will run its TV tapings moving forward.
AEW will continue running Dynamite live on Wednesdays and then tape Rampage for Friday nights on TNT. The current plan is to hold Collision live on Saturday nights, followed by TV tapings for Ring of Honor, which will then stream on HonorClub on Thursdays.
With the recent elimination of Dark and Dark: Elevation, many within AEW have found the shows and TV tapings easier to work with.
The absence of additional Dark tapings has also made the live audience hotter and producing the shows less of a weekly chore, allowing more focus for Dynamite and Rampage.
Talents and officials had tremendous fun working the recent House Rules live events in Kentucky and Virginia. The fun can be attributed to the fact that House Rules have a different vibe than televised shows and a “lack of the same type of pressure” that talents normally have for TV tapings.
Source: eWrestlingNews
CM Punk is at odds with AEW, leading to the two sides having another fallout.
On Wednesday, the official announcement was made that AEW Collision will be coming to the TNT Network on Saturday nights beginning on June 17th. In the official press release, CM Punk was not mentioned. But in the original email sent out by Warner Media, Punk’s name was mentioned but it was later redacted.
Some of you may recall that Ace Steel, who is very good friends with CM Punk, was involved in the All Out 2022 brawl. He was later fired from the company.
According to a report from Fightful Select, Chris Jericho brought up Ace Steel’s name during his recent meeting with CM Punk, with the belief being that everyone working together could relieve some of the tensions between the two sides involved in the fight. While it was talked about, nothing was set in stone.
There was another meeting held between AEW and CM Punk this week, where Punk was directly told that Steel would be able to return and work directly with him. With that being said, it was made very clear that Steel would not be allowed to attend any of the TV tapings.
This reportedly didn’t go over well with Punk, and he disagreed with the decision. It should be noted that there’s no word on how specifically Punk reacted other than the notion that he wasn’t flattered with the idea that his friend wouldn’t be able to attend the TV tapings with him.
As of this writing, there is no word on whether this is the reason CM Punk wasn’t included in the AEW Collision announcement. Additionally, it’s unknown why Warner Bros. Discovery issued a statement noting that Punk is not “affiliated with TNT’s AEW Collision.” CM Punk reportedly didn’t want his return to AEW to be announced ahead of time.
Additionally, it was said that there were plans for an AEW crew to film content at Punk’s home on Wednesday. As of this writing, there is no word on whether that took place or not.
And finally, sources in Impact Wrestling stated that they had some interest in bringing Steel in for a tryout, but they passed on that several weeks ago as they were under the impression that he was headed to AEW or WWE.
The bottom line here is that there are still some issues that need to be resolved and it’s far from confirmed that CM Punk will be featured on the debut episode of AEW Collision.
Punk was slated to make his return to AEW on the June 17 premiere episode of AEW Collision after not being seen since All Out. Punk was originally listed in the press release and promotional materials for the announcement of AEW Collision before he was removed.
Dave Meltzer confirmed on the most recent Wrestling Observer Radio that Warner Bros Discover was hopeful that the two sides would be able to reconcile and there would be an attempt to work it out. It’s said that it’s not a dead deal yet.
Source: eWrestlingNews
It was confirmed today at Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront that All Elite Wrestling will be launching “AEW Collision” on June 17. The new two-hour show is set to air every Saturday night at 8 pm EST. Furthermore, it has now been revealed that “AEW All Access” will be switching to streaming platform Max from June 9 — HBO Max is set to be rebranded as Max later this month. The reality series premiered on March 29 and airs on TBS. The show takes a look at what goes on behind at the curtain at AEW.
The revamped Max streaming service will see a wide range of programs be featured, including HBO Originals, Warner Bros. films, and the DC Universe. Max will launch on May 23 and will be continuously updated with fresh content. Along with “All Access,” HGTV’s “Battle on the Beach” and TLC’s “90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days” will also be switching to the streaming platform. It’s said that many current HBO subscribers will have their apps automatically updated, while others will be instructed to install the new app.
Six episodes of “All Access” have aired since the show was launched in March. When the program was first announced, it was revealed that it would “showcase AEW’s stars as they navigate the week-to-week challenges to remain at the top and will track the rivalries between talent as they vie for fans’ attention.” The inaugural series has highlighted various aspects behind the scenes, including the personal lives of real-life couple Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Adam Cole.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS and emanate from the Moody Center ATX in Austin, Texas.
AEW issued the following regarding the launch of AEW Collision:
TNT LAUNCHES A SECOND NIGHT OF WRESTLING WITH “AEW: COLLISION” FEATURING HEADLINERS THUNDER ROSA, MIRO, SAMOA JOE, POWERHOUSE HOBBS AND ANDRADE EL IDOLO ON SATURDAY, JUNE 17
NEW YORK (May 17, 2023) – TNT launches a second night of professional wrestling with a new tentpole series, “AEW: Collision” on Saturday, June 17, it was announced today by Kathleen Finch, Chairman and Chief Content Officer, US Networks Group, Warner Bros. Discovery, during the company’s 2023 Upfront presentation at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This live, two-hour, in-ring show will air every Saturday night from 8-10 p.m. ET and feature more wrestlers, more stories and more action to super-serve fans. “AEW: Collision” will feature headliners including Miro, Samoa Joe, Thunder Rosa, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Andrade El Idolo.
In only four years following the launch of “AEW: Dynamite,” AEW’s footprint has more than doubled across TNT and TBS. Along with “AEW: Dynamite,” Friday night’s “AEW: Rampage,” the recent follow-doc “AEW: All Access,” and now “AEW: Collision,” TNT and TBS deliver the best matches and most entertaining moments in professional wrestling today. AEW has reached 23M total viewers so far this year across all of its shows on TBS and TNT.*
“We’re doubling-down on wrestling with ‘AEW: Collision,’ which gives fans two more hours every week,” said Jason Sarlanis, President, Turner Networks, ID and HLN, linear & streaming. “AEW’s roster of talent has expanded so quickly that we felt it needed another night to bring our audience the epic rivalries, unforgettable matches and stars they love to watch. Adding ‘Collision’ to our programming mix on TNT will allow us to satisfy the massive demand we’ve felt from our hardcore fanbase and be the ultimate complement to ‘AEW: Dynamite’ on TBS.”
“With the addition of ‘AEW: Collision’ on TNT, I’m extremely proud that a Turner network will be the home of Saturday night wrestling for the first time in more than two decades,” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “The debut of ‘Collision’ is significant across numerous sectors including television, wrestling, entertainment and sports, and reinforces AEW as the bold property we envisioned when we launched in 2019. ‘Collision’ will deliver live every Saturday night more of what fans and viewers tell us they want – athleticism, big personalities, exciting storylines and hard-hitting wrestling action, all of which have become synonymous with AEW.”
About TNT
TNT, a Warner Bros. Discovery brand, is Cable’s #1 entertainment network, known for big, lean-forward television that takes viewers on a thrill ride of electrifying stories, dynamic characters and premium events. TNT is home to some of television’s most popular sports franchises and unscripted and scripted originals including “AEW: Rampage,” “AEW: Collision,” “Rich & Shameless,” and “The Lazarus Project”. TNT also presents primetime specials and sports coverage, including the NHL, NBA and NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships. Website: www.tntdrama.com
About AEW
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a roster of world-class talent that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TBS and attracts the youngest wrestling audience on television. The fight-forward “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 p.m. ET on TNT, and the new “AEW: Collision” airs every Saturday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “Being the Elite,” a weekly behind-the-scenes YouTube series, and “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW
New Report Casts Doubt On AEW Instituting Hard WWE-Style Brand Split With Collision
Despite an earlier report stating that some talent in AEW were under the belief that the company would be instituting a “firm” brand split in the near future, Mike Johnson of PWInsider Elite is reporting that’s not the case. Instead, some talent are said to be exclusive to the newly-announced “AEW Collision” on Saturday nights while others stay on “AEW Dynamite,” and many will float between both shows based on storyline needs. A hard brand split between “Dynamite” and “Collision” was reportedly never even under consideration.
Sources: eWrestlingNews and Wrestling Inc.
CM Punk is reportedly close to returning to All Elite Wrestling. Rumors have been swirling that the former AEW World Champion is penciled in for the debut of the promotion’s new speculated weekly “AEW Collision” show, which is supposedly going to start airing next month. However, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Punk still has outstanding issues with certain individuals behind the curtain, which are not close to being resolved. It’s said that several legal issues are still ongoing and that nobody is allowed to discuss the matter or contact either party about the situation. The report does not specify which AEW talents are involved.
Punk was allegedly involved in a backstage skirmish with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks following the All Out post-show media scrum last year, which was his most recent AEW appearance. Following that alleged fracas at the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, which occurred after Punk had sounded off about Omega and The Bucks during the All Out post-event press conference, Punk and The Elite disappeared from television, with AEW CEO Tony Khan announcing that the four wrestlers had been stripped of their respective titles on the following episode of “AEW Dynamite.” Punk had just captured the AEW World Championship for the second time from Jon Moxley at All Out, while The Elite had become the inaugural AEW World Trios Champions after defeating “Hangman” Adam Page and The Dark Order’s Alex Reynolds and Jon Silver.
Omega and The Young Bucks returned to AEW at Full Gear two months later. Punk, on the other hand, remained absent, as it was reported that he had suffered a torn triceps at All Out and had to undergo surgery. During his absence, Punk shared an Instagram story that targeted AEW’s Chris Jericho, Moxley, and wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
The new television deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and AEW, in addition to the rumored Saturday night show, AEW Collision, will be announced during WBD’s presentation at The Theater at Madison Square Garden next Wednesday.
How much money AEW will be getting from the new deal is still unclear.
Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the new deal consists of all of AEW’s programming with two exceptions – ROH and Being The Elite as BTE is owned by The Young Bucks.
“What is known is that the deal will encompass all television and streaming programming that has the AEW banner, but not ROH, which is considered a separate company. That would be five hours of wrestling programming per week, the two hours on Wednesday on TBS, one hour on Friday on TNT and the two hours on Saturday on TNT, as well as any and all spinoff programming other than Being the Elite, which is expected to be kept as something separate since it’s a property owned by the Young Bucks,” Meltzer wrote.
Source: eWrestlingNews
AEW will make its UK debut in London, England at Wembley Stadium, where they will hold the All In 2023 pay-per-view event on August 27. The venue can hold up to 90,000 fans.
The pre-sale tickets went on sale last week and sold 50,000 tickets before the general sale tickets went on sale, where they sold over 60,000 tickets.
Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that 65,000 tickets have already been sold for the event.
The current setup allows for a capacity of 74,000 fans, but if AEW manages to reach that target, the promotion will open up more seats.
Source: eWrestlingNews
Let us know if you’ve heard this one before – AEW President Tony Khan will be making a “huge announcement” on next week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
For those unaware, next Wednesday is the same day of Warner Brothers Discovery’s upfront presentation. At the presentation, it is expected that AEW’s new show, “Collison” will be announced and it’s expected to be built around the returning CM Punk.
You can check out a video of Tony Khan’s announcement below:
Source: eWrestlingNews
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