Category: AEW

Madison Rayne Announced In-Ring Retirement

Madison Rayne has officially closed the book on her in-ring wrestling career.

Following her match on the January 1st episode of ROH on HonorClub, Rayne announced that she is retiring from active competition. The longtime veteran teamed with Deonna Purrazzo to take on Billie Starkz and Diamante, and while the match itself was significant, it was what came afterward that truly marked the moment.

In a backstage segment, Rayne addressed the camera and confirmed that the bout represented the end of an era for her. She reflected on her journey in the business and made it clear that this wasn’t a sudden decision, but rather a meaningful conclusion to a career that has spanned two decades.

Rayne signed with AEW in 2022, taking on a dual role as both an on-screen performer and a coach backstage. Over the past few years, she’s spoken openly about how mentoring younger talent helped her “re-find” herself at this stage of her career. That perspective played a major role in how she chose to step away from the ring.

Ending her career alongside Deonna Purrazzo was also intentional. Rayne noted that teaming with Purrazzo felt like the perfect way to wrap up her 20-year run, sharing the ring with someone she deeply respects while spotlighting the future of women’s wrestling at the same time.

Best known to many fans for her time in TNA as a former Knockouts Champion, Rayne’s influence has extended far beyond titles. Her transition into a coaching role suggests that while she may be done wrestling matches, her presence in AEW and ROH isn’t going anywhere.

Madison Rayne may be stepping away from in-ring competition, but her impact on the next generation is just getting started.

Luchasaurus Reportedly Injured, Seemingly Written Off TV On AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash

An unfortunate situation appears to be developing for one of AEW’s most recognizable big men.

During AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash, Luchasaurus was seemingly written off television following a post-match angle tied to Ricochet’s successful National Championship defense. While the segment played out dramatically on screen, new information suggests the injury involved is very real.

According to Fightful Select, Luchasaurus is dealing with a legitimate shoulder injury and is expected to be sidelined for an undetermined amount of time. As of now, there’s no word on the exact nature of the injury or whether surgery will be required, but AEW officials are reportedly preparing for him to miss some action.

The warning signs appeared even before Wednesday’s Dynamite. Luchasaurus was only briefly involved during Jurassic Express’ match on the Zero Hour portion of Worlds End, where he was helped to the back by Bishop Kaun. He later returned with his shoulder heavily taped to finish the bout, raising early concerns about his condition.

On Dynamite, Luchasaurus accompanied Jack Perry to ringside for Perry’s National Championship challenge against Ricochet. After Perry came up short, Toa Liona targeted Luchasaurus at ringside, setting the stage for a more vicious attack moments later. Liona and Kaun ambushed him on the stage, with Liona placing part of the barricade onto Luchasaurus’ shoulder and smashing it with a steel chair. Even when security intervened, the damage continued, as Liona slammed one of the guards onto the barricade, crushing Luchasaurus’ arm underneath.

The angle served as a clear on-screen explanation for Luchasaurus’ absence moving forward, but behind the scenes, it appears AEW is dealing with a genuine injury concern. There’s no official timeline yet for his return, and updates will likely depend on further medical evaluation.

For now, fans may be seeing less of Jurassic Express as a unit, while AEW waits to see how serious Luchasaurus’ injury turns out to be.

AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash 12/31/2025

AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash live Wednesday Dec. 31 on TBS and HBO Max from the Liberty First Credit Union Arena in Omaha, Nebraska.

  • Fallout from Worlds End
  • We’ll hear from new AEW World Champion MJF
  • AEW National Championship: Ricochet (c) vs. Jungle Jack Perry
  • AEW TBS championship: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Willow Nightingale

Update On Chris Jericho’s AEW Status And Possible WWE Return

Chris Jericho’s future in AEW appears to be up in the air, and it’s once again sparked serious talk about a potential return to WWE.

According to multiple reports, Jericho’s current deal with All Elite Wrestling is set to expire on December 31, 2025, unless a new agreement has already been finalized behind the scenes. As of now, there’s been no confirmation that an extension is in place.

What’s adding fuel to the speculation is chatter coming out of WWE circles. PWInsider reports that several WWE licensing partners are operating under the assumption that Jericho may soon be available for use on their products. WrestleVotes has also noted that some within WWE have been anticipating a Jericho comeback dating back to August of last year.

On the AEW side, Jericho hasn’t been seen on television since April 2025, when he suffered a loss to Bandido. Since that match, there’s reportedly been no creative direction for him, and his absence was especially noticeable at AEW’s Worlds End 2025 pay-per-view. With no on-screen role and no storyline movement, questions about his status have only intensified.

Outside the ring, Jericho has kept busy. He was recently spotted in Vancouver while working on an undisclosed Disney-related project. While details are scarce, it’s clear the former world champion is exploring opportunities beyond wrestling as his AEW contract winds down.

Jericho himself hasn’t exactly shut the door on WWE. During a December 27 YouTube livestream, he responded to questions about a return by saying, “You never know,” leaving plenty of room for interpretation. He has also previously mentioned that he expects to wrestle again “somewhere” in 2026.

Despite rumors circulating online, PWInsider has pushed back on claims that Jericho was set to appear on RAW this week, stating there was no credible sourcing behind those reports. Still, once his AEW deal expires at midnight on December 31, Jericho would officially be a free agent heading into the new year.

With WWE’s January 5, 2026 episode of RAW scheduled for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, some fans believe that show could be the stage for Jericho’s return. If it happens, it would mark his first appearance with WWE since 2018 — and one of the more significant comeback moments in recent memory.

AEW Worlds End 12/27/2025 (Results)

AEW WORLDS END QUICK RESULTS:

  • Zero Hour Tag Match – Sisters of Sin def. Hyan & Maya World
  • Zero Hour Singles Match – Eddie Kingston def. Zack Gibson
  • Zero Hour Tag Match – Bandido & Mascara Dorada def. Don Callis Family
  • Zero Hour Tag Match – JetSpeed & Jurassic Express def. Josh Alexander & the Demand
  • Continental Classic semi-final – Kazuchika Okada def. Konosuke Takeshita
  • Continental Classic semi-final – Jon Moxley def. Kyle Fletcher
  • AEW Men’s World Tag Team Championship match – FTR (c) def. Bang Bang Gang
  • AEW Women’s Tag Team championship match – Babes of Wrath (c) def. Mercedes Moné & Athena
  • Darby Allin def. Gabe Kidd
  • Mixed Nuts Mayhem Match – Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, & Toni Storm def. Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta, & Marina Shafir
  • AEW Women’s World championship match – Kris Statlander (c) def. Jamie Hayter
  • Continental Classic final for the Continental title – Jon Moxley def. Kazuchika Okada
  • AEW World championship match – MJF def. Samoa Joe (c), Hangman Page, and Swerve Strickland

Zero Hour Highlights

Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue) def. Hyan & Maya World
Hart and Blue dominated early and weathered a brief comeback before finishing Hyan with an assisted swinging Rock Bottom to score the win.

Eddie Kingston def. Zack Gibson
Kingston outlasted Gibson in a gritty brawl, putting him away with a DDT. Post-match chaos followed until Angel Ortiz made a surprise return, chasing off the Grizzled Young Vets with his trademark Madball.

Bandido & Mascara Dorada def. Don Callis Family (Mark Davis & Rocky Romero)
A high-octane lucha showcase ended when Bandido drilled Romero with the 21-Plex to seal the victory.

JetSpeed & Jurassic Express def. Josh Alexander & The Demand
Despite early domination from the heels and an injured Luchasaurus being taken out, the dinosaur returned bandaged and furious, helping Jack Perry pin Ricochet after a running knee.

Worlds End Main Card

Continental Classic Semifinals

Kazuchika Okada def. Konosuke Takeshita
A brutal, technical masterpiece saw Okada survive Takeshita’s onslaught before using a hidden screwdriver shot—missed by the referee—to steal the win.

Jon Moxley def. Kyle Fletcher (Referee Stoppage)
Fletcher targeted Moxley’s leg relentlessly, but Mox survived everything thrown at him. A prolonged sleeper hold forced referee Bryce Remsburg to stop the match, advancing Moxley to the finals. Fletcher snapped afterward, attacking Moxley in frustration.

AEW World Tag Team Championship – Chicago Street Fight

FTR (c) def. Bang Bang Gang
An all-out war filled with tables, trash cans, and interference ended with FTR crushing Austin Gunn with a stump piledriver onto the tag belts to retain.

AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship

Babes of Wrath (Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale) (c) def. Athena & Mercedes Moné
Despite constant friction between Athena and Moné, the challengers nearly had it won—until Willow caught Mercedes with a sudden side cradle to retain. Post-match tension clearly lingered between Athena and Moné.

Darby Allin def. Gabe Kidd

A violent, blood-soaked brawl saw both men busted open. Darby survived Kidd’s punishment and stole the win with a jackknife pin after an exhausting war.

Mixed Nuts Mayhem Match

Roderick Strong, The Conglomeration & Toni Storm def. Death Riders
Utter chaos ruled until Mark Briscoe planted Wheeler YUTA with a Jay Driller. Post-match celebrations grew with appearances from the Babes of Wrath, Mina Shirakawa, and Luther.

AEW Women’s World Championship

Kris Statlander (c) def. Jamie Hayter
A hard-hitting, evenly matched battle lived up to expectations. After surviving Hayter’s best shots, Statlander retained in a dramatic finish, proving once again why she remains champion.

Continental Classic Finals – AEW Continental Championship

Jon Moxley def. Kazuchika Okada (c)
Moxley finally conquered Okada. Surviving Rainmakers, low blows, and near-falls, Mox landed the Death Rider to win the Continental Classic and capture the Continental Championship. In a passionate post-match promo, Mox dedicated the victory to the entire AEW roster and the fans.

AEW Men’s World Championship – Fatal Four-Way

Maxwell Jacob Friedman def. Samoa Joe (c), “Hangman” Adam Page & Swerve Strickland

Absolute chaos closed the night. Interference from The Opps tilted the match multiple times, but in the end, MJF struck when it mattered most—delivering a low blow and Heatseeker to Samoa Joe to score the pin and reclaim the AEW World Championship.

AEW’s Partnership With Warner Bros. Discovery Expected to Continue Despite Potential Network Sales

Despite ongoing speculation surrounding Warner Bros. Discovery’s future and the possible sale of its cable properties, AEW’s television situation appears to be on solid ground for the foreseeable future.

During a recent Fightful Select Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp addressed concerns from fans about what a potential WBD sale could mean for AEW programming on networks like TBS and TNT. According to Sapp, there’s currently little reason for alarm. Any sale of WBD’s cable assets is not expected to be finalized until late 2026 at the earliest, and AEW’s existing television deal already provides built-in protection through that period.

As it stands, AEW is guaranteed at least one more full year on its current agreement, with an additional option year that can be exercised. That structure is important, as it gives any potential new ownership flexibility. If a buyer sees value in AEW’s programming, they can simply trigger the option year and continue business as usual. If not, they can opt out without major financial risk.

One of the key factors working in AEW’s favor is its cost efficiency. Sapp noted that AEW covers its own production expenses, making the product relatively inexpensive for a network compared to scripted programming. In an era where cable networks are tightening budgets, wrestling remains attractive due to its steady ratings and loyal audience without the massive overhead costs of traditional television shows.

That balance of dependable viewership and low operational burden makes AEW an easy property to keep, even amid corporate restructuring or ownership changes. While Warner Bros. Discovery has not publicly commented on how a sale might impact its wrestling content, all signs point to continuity rather than disruption.

AEW President Tony Khan has also expressed optimism about the relationship, recently stating his hope that the partnership with WBD continues for at least the next two years. Given the contractual safeguards already in place and AEW’s value as a consistent cable draw, that confidence appears well-founded.

For now, AEW fans can breathe easy. Even with uncertainty surrounding the broader media landscape, Dynamite and Collision don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

AEW Worlds End 12/27/2025 (Card)

AEW Worlds End – Saturday December 27, 2025 – Now Arena – Chicago, IL

Main Card

  • AEW World Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page vs. MJF
  • AEW Women’s Championship Match: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Jamie Hayter
  • AEW World Tag Team Championship Chicago Street Fight: FTR (c) vs. Bang Bang Gang
  • AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: The Babes of Wrath (c) vs. Mercedes Mone & Athena
  • AEW Continental Classic Finals: TBA vs. TBA
  • AEW Continental Classic Semifinal Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita
  • AEW Continental Classic Semifinal Match: Kyle Fletcher vs. Jon Moxley
  • Mixed Nuts Mayhem: Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, PAC, & Marina Shafir vs. The Conglomeration & Toni Storm
  • Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd

Zero Hour:

  • Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue) vs. Hyan & Mya World

AEW Christmas Collision Preview 12/25/2025

Tonight’s taped AEW Christmas Collision takes place from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, airing on TBS and HBO Max with a special 9:00 pm ET start time. Tonight’s Collision will have a 2-Hour run time.

  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: Pac vs. Kevin Knight
  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: Speedball Baily vs. Kazuchika Okado
  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: Jungle Jack Perry vs. Kyle Fletcher
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mascara Dorada
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Roderick Strong
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Orange Cassidy vs. Jon Moxley
  • AEW Women’s tag Team Champions Babes Of Wrath (Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron) vs. Hyan & Maya World

AEW Dynamite On 34th Street Preview 12/24/2025

Tonight’s taped AEW Dynamite On 34th Street takes place from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, airing on TBS and HBO Max with a special 6:00 pm ET start time.

  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Orange Cassidy
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Roderick Strong vs. Mascara Dorada
  • MJF in action
  • Dynamite Diamond Ring Final: Ricochet vs. ROH World Champion Bandido
  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: PAC vs. Jungle Jack Perry
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander & Jamie Hayter – Face-to-Face Interview
  • Mina Shirakawa vs. Marina Shafir

Update On Andrade El Idolo’s WWE Non-Compete

Andrade El Idolo’s path back to the ring just became a lot clearer, and it opens the door for some major possibilities across the wrestling landscape.

According to recent reports, Andrade’s contractual ties to WWE officially ended on December 12, meaning he is now free to sign with any promotion he chooses. While his WWE departure dates back to September, the biggest hurdle was a reported year-long non-compete clause that could have kept him sidelined well into 2025. That obstacle, however, has now been removed.

Fightful Select reports that Rush played a key role behind the scenes by connecting Andrade with an attorney and representative who has an extensive working history with WWE. That assistance helped lead to an agreement that waived the non-compete entirely. Since Andrade had not been paid by WWE since his September release, both sides were able to reach terms allowing him to immediately explore opportunities elsewhere.

As a result, Andrade could soon appear in AEW once again. Andrade is now free to negotiate with any promotion, including AEW, CMLL, AAA, TNA, or others around the world. There were also visa-related complications after WWE’s sponsorship ended, but those issues are reportedly being addressed, and Andrade is said to be back in the United States.

On the AEW side, Tony Khan has remained openly optimistic. During the Worlds End media call earlier this week, Khan spoke highly of Andrade, noting mutual respect and interest between both parties. While Khan stopped short of confirming any immediate appearances, his comments only fueled speculation that Andrade’s AEW return could be closer than ever.

AEW has reportedly been cautious throughout the situation, especially following Andrade’s surprise appearance on AEW programming earlier this year, when he aligned with Don Callis and attacked Kenny Omega. Once WWE’s legal stance became clearer, AEW aimed to ensure the transition wouldn’t create further complications.

Adding even more intrigue, Andrade recently announced his return to NJPW, where he is scheduled to appear at Wrestle Kingdom 20 as part of the United Empire. That confirmation further supports the idea that his contractual limitations are now fully behind him.

With his non-compete waived, international bookings lined up, and AEW interest still very much alive, Andrade finds himself in one of the strongest positions of his career. Wherever he lands next, it’s clear that his name is once again a major player in the global wrestling conversation.