Category: AEW

Jeff Hardy Says That He’s “Going To AEW”

Since his WWE release in December, Jeff Hardy has been heavily rumored to be joining his brother Matt in AEW. Jeff is currently under a non-compete with WWE until March 9th.

With Jeff’s non-compete coming to an end soon, the Charismatic Enigma announced that he and his brother Matt would be bringing back the Hardy Boyz to wrestle a reunion tour starting March 12 at Big Time Wrestling in Webster, MA. With the news of him teaming with his brother again hitting the wrestling world, a deal with a major promotion seems inevitable.

While speaking with Jared Myers backstage at his own concert, Hardy flat out revealed that he is “going to AEW” and shared excitement about becoming All Elite.

“I’m going to AEW,” Jeff said. “I’m so excited, until this morning I didn’t really know. I’m so nervous and excited.”

It’s unclear when Jeff Hardy will make his AEW debut. Matt Hardy recently confirmed that his brother turned down an offer to go back to WWE following his release, with the company offering him a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

https://twitter.com/Machobeard4life/status/1496665014698221571

Source: Wrestling Inc. with credit to Jared Myers

Buddy Matthews Debuts On AEW Dynamite, Joins House Of Black

Former WWE Superstar Buddy Matthews (Buddy Murphy) has signed with AEW and debuted last night on Dynamite.

Buddy Matthews is officially ALL ELITE!

After months of speculation, the former WWE Superstar finally made his All Elite Wrestling debut on this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite on TBS. It all went do wn at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Wednesday, February 23. The Kings Of The Black Throne (Brody King & Malakai Black) had just suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Death Triangle (PAC & Penta Oscuro) when all hell broke loose. After the bell, the irate losers delivered a beat down to PAC and Penta … until the lights went out. When the lights came back on, one of Malakai Black’s former foes was standing in the ring. It was Buddy Matthews.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496666168295309312

At first, it seemed like Matthews would assist Death Triangle due to his history with Black, but after staring daggers at Black for a few moments, he sided with The Kings Of The Black Throne and attacked PAC and Penta. At one point, Malakai Black embraced the Aussie in what looked like an indoctrination tactic. It would appear that Buddy is now a resident of the House Of Black.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1496666796245630980

Shortly after the segment ended, AEW boss Tony Khan took to social media to confirm Buddy’s signing.

Shortly after being released by WWE last year, Malakai Black released a vignette in anticipation of his imminent return to professional wrestling. The video depicted Black as an inmate at an institution. At one point, Black tells a doctor that his eye was injured when he was pushed into some stairs by “Matthew” — Buddy’s real name. As you might recall, Matthews slammed Black’s eye into the steel steps on an episode of Raw back in July 2020.

Matthews is a former NXT Tag Team Champion, a former WWE Raw Tag Team Champion, and a former NXT Cruiserweight Champion. He was released by WWE on June 2 following an eight-year stint with the company.

Source: TheSportster

AEW Dynamite Preview 2/23/22

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite on TBS will air live from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut as the road to Revolution continues.

* Chris Jericho and Eddie Kingston meet face-to-face

* Malakai Black and Brody King vs. PAC and Penta El Zero Miedo

* AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill defends against The Bunny

* Tag Team Battle Royal to determine one of two open spots in the Revolution Triple Threat against AEW World Tag Team Champions Jurassic Express (featuring John Silver and Alex Reynolds, 2point0, Santana and Ortiz, The Young Bucks, AAA World Tag Team Champions FTR, Private Party, reDRagon, The Gunn Club, The Butcher and The Blade, The Best Friends)

Kenny Omega Talks AEW’s Upcoming Console Game, Won’t Be On The Same Level As WWE 2K22, Cross-Platform

Kenny Omega is excited to see what WWE 2K22 has to offer.

This time of year is always pretty busy for the wrestling business. Elimination Chamber has been and gone, AEW Revolution is still to come, and then the month after that we’ve got WrestleMania. This year will actually be a little busier than usual as wrestling fans’ more than two year wait for a new WWE game will come to an end.

WWE 2K22 launches on March 11, with those of you who pay extra for the Deluxe Edition getting the opportunity to play three days earlier. As 2K reveals more and more about its upcoming game, wrestling video game fans are wondering when exactly AEW’s first console game will be here. There was a time when it almost seemed as if the two games might launch at roughly the same time.

Kenny Omega spoke about the project during an appearance on Wrestling Observer Radio. Suffice to say, AEW’s first game will not be launching at the same time as WWE 2K22. The Cleaner didn’t want to commit to anything but did say the team behind the game is hoping to reveal new information and perhaps even some new footage during the week of Revolution.

“We were hoping to possibly show a little more of where we’re at and progression and reveal possibly a new character,” Omega said. The Cleaner was also very candid about 2K22, admitting that AEW’s first offering simply won’t be able to compete with WWE’s next game. “We’ll never be able to compete with the production values of WWE’s game. 2K22 is absolutely gorgeous, I’m excited to see all their bells and whistles.”

Omega also revealed that the AEW console game will support cross-platform play. “We have a lot of match types, game modes, there is going to be cross-platform and an online component where you can create your own lobby,” Omega explained.

Even if you own it on one console, you’ll still be able to play with and against those who own it on something else.

Cross-platform is a long-awaited but relatively new feature in the video game world. The ability to play games online even if you own a title on PlayStation and your friend has it on Xbox. Such a new concept that some studios still aren’t interested. There has been no confirmation whether WWE 2K22 will do the same, although it seems likely as Community Creations will be able to be shared across multiple platforms.

As for which platforms AEW’s unnamed game will be available on, Omega did not divulge that information. Probably PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as PC and maybe even Nintendo Switch. That’s all speculation at this point, and it’s also worth noting that there has currently been no mention of WWE 2K22 launching on Switch. It might happen eventually but won’t arrive on March 11 as is the plan for other platforms.

It’s certainly an exciting time for the wrestling video game landscape right now. The first impressions of 2K22 are already in and while there have been good things relayed to those who are interested, those impressions appear to be mixed overall. Even though there’s still a long way to go for AEW, and Omega is being somewhat coy about it, there will still be a lot of excitement for the promotion’s first game. As Eric Bischoff always says, it doesn’t need to be better, it just needs to be different.

Source: TheSportster

CM Punk To Be Inducted Into ROH Hall Of Fame

The final inductee of Ring of Honor’s inaugural Hall of Fame class will be none other than CM Punk. The current AEW star was announced as the last inductee on Monday morning in a press release available on ROH’s website. He joins fellow AEW star Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe and Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions The Briscoes (Jay and Mark Briscoe) in ROH’s inaugural class.

“Ring of Honor is proud to welcome CM Punk, one of the most charismatic and compelling performers in ROH history, into the ROH Hall of Fame,” the statement read. “Punk is the final member of the inaugural class, joining the Briscoes, Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe. Punk made his ROH debut in 2002 and experienced a meteoric rise thanks to his in-ring ability, mic skills and brash attitude. He incited fans by proclaiming that his straight edge lifestyle ‘means I’m better than you.’ Punk had many memorable moments in ROH, including the iconic ‘Summer of Punk’, which began when he won the ROH World Championship in June 2005 right after accepting a deal with WWE. Throughout the summer, Punk taunted ROH fans by repeatedly threatening to take the ROH World Title with him to WWE. He lost the title that August.

“In 2004, Punk engaged in an epic trilogy of matches with then-ROH World Champion Samoa Joe that have become legendary. They wrestled to two 60-minute draws before Joe prevailed in their final meeting. Punk also had a heated rivalry with Raven that is regarded as one of the greatest feuds in ROH history. They waged war against each other in unforgettable dog collar and steel cage matches. In addition to his ROH World Title reign, Punk also won the ROH World Tag Team Championship on two occasions as a member of The Second City Saints. After leaving ROH, Punk became one of the biggest stars in the industry in WWE. He wrestled in main events against the likes of The Rock and John Cena, and his 434-day reign as WWE Champion is the sixth-longest in company history. After stepping away from pro wrestling for more than seven years, Punk made his return last year in AEW, where he continues to be one of the promotion’s top stars.”

As with the Briscoes, Danielson and Samoa Joe, Ring of Honor also announced that a career retrospective on CM Punk would air on the next episode of Ring of Honor television, with a YouTube special focusing on Punk airing on ROH’s YouTube next Monday. As of this writing, CM Punk has yet to comment on his induction. There is no word on who will induct him.

The Ring of Honor Hall of Fame special, which will feature CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson and The Briscoe Brothers, will air on TV on March 5th, one day prior to AEW Revolution in Orlando. Punk is currently scheduled to wrestle MJF at AEW Revolution in a Dog Collar match.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Rampage Preview 2/18/22

Tonight’s AEW Rampage episode on TNT will be a special Slam Dunk edition, with an early start time of 7pm ET instead of 10pm ET. The show is airing early due to NBA All-Star Weekend coverage on TNT.

Rampage was taped earlier this week from the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, after Dynamite went off the air.

* Adam Cole vs. 10 of The Dark Order

* Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Dante Martin in a Face of The Revolution Ladder Match qualifier

* Serena Deeb hosts another edition of The Professor’s 5 Minute Rookie Challenge

* Jay White vs. Trent Beretta in the main event

Cody Rhodes Hasn’t Signed With WWE & An AEW Return Is Reportedly Possible

Apparently, AEW’s door hasn’t shut on Cody Rhodes just yet.

Cody Rhodes is thought to be an imminent WWE signing following his AEW departure this week but, as reports would have it, the former All Elite EVP isn’t completely out the door just yet.

The American Nightmare was reported to have fashioned a move away from the promotion due to a number of issues, including a loss of booking power, financial disagreements, and other personal problems with Tony Khan. His wife, Brandi, left along with him. And while Cody is rumored to be WWE bound, sources claim she won’t be joining him there should he sign.

Vince McMahon is reportedly very excited over the possibility of having Rhodes back on the roster and plans to give him a major push if it comes to that. There’s already talk of the former AEW superstar being involved in tapings this coming weekend while there’s been speculation pointing to a match at WrestleMania 38.

As things stand, though, Rhodes is still a free agent, and reaching a deal with AEW isn’t yet out of the question.

According to Fightful (H/T WrestlingNews.co), the show Rhodes To The Top has not been canceled, and the direction is still being discussed. The show is centered on Cody and Brandi’s AEW life but was produced by Shed media US and Warner Horizon Unscripted Television so, theoretically, it could go on without involvement from AEW.

Said publication also reports that Rhodes has not put pen to paper on a deal with WWE and, until such a time, there’s a chance of him returning to AEW.

Khan was said to be in a poor mood after talks ended with Rhodes earlier this week, which could be because he wanted him to stay. The former TNT Champion had mentioned his unhappiness to the other company EVPs around two weeks ago, but they all expected him to agree to a deal.

Source: TheSportster

Photos: AEW Stars Meet Melissa Joan Hart After AEW Dynamite

Actress Melissa Joan Hart was in attendance at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, TN, for last night’s AEW Dynamite.

The cameras cut to the former Sabrina the Teenage Witch star sitting in the front row, shortly before the Bryan Danielson vs. Lee Moriarity match.

After Dynamite went off the air, The Young Bucks, Leva Bates and Vickie Guerrero shared pictures of themselves backstage with Hart.

Meanwhile, Hart took to Instagram to thank the Bucks for having her at the event. Hart shared another picture of herself and a friend reacting to a spot during the Mercedes Martinez vs. Thunder Rosa No DQ Match.

Hart, a lifelong pro wrestling fan, was involved in a brief Twitter beef with Kevin Owens in 2015. She would later blame WWE’s creative for Owens’ “lazy” character on WWE TV.

Hart wasn’t the only celebrity in attendance for last night’s Dynamite. Also appearing was actor Martin Kove, who was involved in a backstage segment with AEW Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker. Kove is best known for portraying the character of “John Kreese” in The Karate Kid, and the film’s popular spin-off series, Cobra Kai.

https://twitter.com/VickieGuerrero/status/1494163811925962753

Source: Wrestling Inc.

New Details On Why Cody Rhodes Left AEW, Cody To WWE Update, Brandi

Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso reports that multiple sources have said Brandi is not expected to join Cody in WWE.

It was also said that Cody could begin working for WWE as soon as this weekend, potentially visiting the WWE Performance Center in Orlando to film segments for his return.

Rhodes left WWE back in 2016 after being frustrated with a lack of direction, and dissatisfaction with certain members of the WWE creative team, mainly over his Stardust character. It was noted that this will be a non-factor in his upcoming return to WWE as he is expected to have a far different relationship with Vince and the writing team.

Regarding Cody’s AEW departure, Barrasso reports that another key factor in the decision was losing all responsibilities related to booking. Rhodes was originally a part of the process, but Khan, as AEW’s Head of Creative, has taken full control.

There is no timeframe for Rhodes’ return to WWE, but Barrasso reports that sources have confirmed he is headed back. There is also no word on if a deal has been reached. It’s believed that Rhodes could end up being a WrestleMania 38 surprise, or WWE could hold him off until the RAW After WrestleMania, which is the biggest RAW episode of the year.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite Preview 2/16/22

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite on TBS will air live from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, TN with more build for the upcoming Revolution pay-per-view.

* CM Punk will reveal the time, place and rules for rematch against MJF

* Bryan Danielson vs. Lee Moriarty

* Face of The Revolution Ladder Match Qualifier: Wardlow vs. Max Caster

* Chris Jericho and Jake Hager vs. Santana and Ortiz

* No DQ Match: Thunder Rosa vs. Mercedes Martinez

* AEW TNT Champion Sammy Guevara defends against Darby Allin