On Wednesday night, AEW President Tony Khan took to Twitter to announce that Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher have officially signed with the company. “TK” wrote,
“They’re one of the top tag teams in the world, and now it’s official: Aussie Open @kylefletcherpro + @DUNKZILLADavis are ALL ELITE!
Incredible match tonight Kyle Fletcher on @TBSNetwork on Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite, and get well soon, Mark Davis!
Congratulations #AussieOpen!”
Davis is currently out of action due to an injury. According to a report from Fightful Select, AEW President Tony Khan paid for Davis’ surgery himself.
Former WWE Diva’s Champion Alicia Fox, 36, (real name Victoria Crawford) recently indicated she is no longer working for WWE. Fox had a 17-year run in WWE and last appeared at the 2022 Royal Rumble premium live event.
MuscleManMalcolm was recently interviewing Melina. Alicia Fox popped in to say hello. As Melina and Fox were talking, Fox said that she is not done in the ring and that she has been in contact with Booker T who runs Reality of Wrestling. She also noted that she is going to knock off some ring, rust. She then went on to say that she never said that she is done and that “the machine” said she was done.
“This is what I’m gonna do, I’m ready to go knock some ring dust off with Booker (T). Yeah, and then go work a program — the machine said that (I was done). I never said that. Girl, this appearance has been eye-opening but the whole time I’m like, I never said that, I didn’t put my face on that alumni, I didn’t do that. I never said that, I never said that. My bags are still packed, I’m still pissed about it. So this is what I’m thinking, so I talked to Booker and Sharmell (Huffman) and I was like, okay, and then we’ll go knock at Trin’s house and then we’ll go knock at Sasha’s house and then, everyone’s like yeah, right? If that’s the forbidden door. Is it?… Okay then, well that’s the plan.“
MuscleManMalcolm chatted with Melina at the Baltimore Celebfest with a special first time appearance from Alicia Fox since leaving WWE. Melina was emotional talking about Zelina Vega’s entrance at Backlash, her return to the ring and more.
As the merger between WWE and UFC finalizes, and WWE signs new television deals for “WWE Raw” and “WWE SmackDown” in the coming months, some major changes could possibly be in store for the company. According to WWE CEO Nick Khan, speaking at the JP Morgan Global Technology, Media & Communications Conference, those changes could include an extra hour of “SmackDown,” or “Raw” ending up on a night other than Monday.
“We’re still open to a third [hour] of ‘SmackDown,'” Khan said, responding to a question about WWE’s ability to offer flexibility for its broadcast partners. The CEO stated that the deal they made with Fox several years ago was for a two-hour primetime show, but now companies like Amazon are looking to program entire nights of the week. Khan also mentioned the possibility of moving nights, adding another way WWE can accommodate possible broadcast or streaming partners.
Later on in the discussion, Khan went as far as bringing up the possibility of WWE adding another show. Responding to a question about appealing to different demographics, Khan discussed the possibility of the third hour of “Raw” becoming more adult-oriented, and brought up the possibility of WWE introducing content on a new night that might be catered to a different audience.
Once the impending merger is finalized, the combined WWE-UFC company will be referred to as TKO, standing for “technical knockout.” By that time, WWE will have signed new TV deals, and it’s very possible that the landscape of “Raw” and “SmackDown” look very different.
We have some new updates pertaining to the ongoing situation between CM Punk and All Elite Wrestling.
In recent months, both AEW and CM Punk have been in talks about continuing to work together. While a verbal agreement had reportedly been reached, there was an issue that arose last week over the fact that while Ace Steel would be able to work for AEW again, he would not be allowed to attend the live TV tapings for Collision. This didn’t sit well with CM Punk.
According to a report from Fightful Select, AEW and CM Punk have continued their talks over the past week. The conversations were said to have been “productive” and the feeling is that he’ll be appearing on AEW Collision on June 17.
While there were rumors that CM Punk was recently served with legal papers, it has been confirmed that several documents were sent to Punk to be signed over the last week. The legal papers reportedly involve certain subjects, disparagement clauses, and to make sure that Punk makes all of his scheduled TV dates. While not confirmed, it doesn’t appear the papers were legal “threats.” They simply protect AEW in the event that any issues come up moving forward.
As far as the location for the debut episode of AEW Collision is concerned, the United Center in Chicago, IL was still being discussed as of last week. It was noted that while Daily’s Place has been discussed as a backup location, there are other places besides the United Center and Daily’s Place being talked about.
As of this writing, the talent who will be working the debut episode of AEW Collision have not been given their travel itineraries.
Cassie Lee – former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Peyton Royce – will be returning to the ring later this year. Australia’s World Series Wrestling promotion has confirmed that Lee will be a part of their Full Throttle shows in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney in October. The Australian-born wrestler seemingly revealed on social media that she would be wrestling on the tour. She wrote, “Let’s grapple! @WSWWrestlingAUS.” Lee posted those words along with a GIF saying “I’m back in the game.”
Lee’s most recent match came in April 2022 on Impact Wrestling’s Countdown to Rebellion show, where she and former IIconics teammate Jessie McKay — formerly Billie Kay in WWE — unsuccessfully challenged The Influence’s Tenille Dashwood and Madison Rayne for the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship. A few days after that title clash, Lee and Kay announced that they would be stepping away from the ring. Later that summer, Lee and AEW’s Shawn Spears – real name Ronnie William Arneill — revealed that they were expecting their first child. The married couple welcomed their son Austin Jay Arneill to the world earlier this year.
Lee began her pro wrestling career in February 2009. She signed for WWE in April 2015 following a tryout in Australia. Lee debuted as Royce on “WWE NXT” later that year before moving to the main roster with IIconics partner Kay in April 2018. The duo went on to capture the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 35 in a Fatal Four-Way match. Lee and Kay joined Impact Wrestling a few months after being released from their WWE contracts in April 2021. The pair departed Impact the following year after announcing their decision to step away from the ring indefinitely.
It is being reported that Dakota Kai‘s injury is to her ACL and she will be on the shelf for an extended period of time.
According to the Wrestling Observer, it is being reported that Kai suffered the injury on the Women’s Tag Team Championship match on May 12. This is the same match that Liv Morgan has suffered a shoulder injury. Kai is scheduled to have surgery today.
As for Morgan, she may require surgery, but it has not been confirmed at this time. Kai’s injury is said to have occurred when she was trying to protect an already injured Morgan. Most ACL injuries take at least nine months to require if not longer.
Kai is one-third of Damage CTRL, and it appeared as if the group may have been leading to a breakup with IYO SKY being the one to leave the trio. However, with this injury it is not known what is next in the long run. With that being said, Bayley and SKY will be in the Fatal Four Way tag team bout on May 29 that will determine new tag team champions since Morgan’s injury.
Andrade El Idolo is on his way back, just in time for the launch of AEW Collision on June 17.
Andrade has been out of action since September due to torn pec that he had surgery for in November. Also around this time, he was involved in a backstage fight with Sammy Guevara, leading to them sending him sent home.
Andrade is slated to make his in-ring return soon. According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Andrade is returning to the ring two days before Collision premieres for a show in Mexico.
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