Tag: AEW

MJF Makes AEW Return, Alters Worlds End Title Picture

Maxwell Jacob Friedman is officially back, and his return has instantly changed the landscape of the AEW World Championship scene.

During this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, MJF re-emerged to cash in his Casino Gauntlet contract, inserting himself into the already high-stakes World Title match scheduled for Worlds End. The bout was originally set to feature reigning champion Samoa Joe defending against both Swerve Strickland and “Hangman” Adam Page, but MJF has now made it a four-way showdown.

Samoa Joe captured the AEW World Championship at Full Gear in November by defeating Page, aided by Hook’s involvement and Joe’s renewed alliance with The Opps. Strickland later returned to the picture, joining forces with Page as the two former rivals united against Joe and his allies. Their partnership was on full display at Dynamite: Winter Is Coming, where Page and Strickland fended off Joe’s Trios Championship partners, Katsuyori Shibata and Powerhouse Hobbs, before officially declaring their shared pursuit of the world title.

On Dynamite, Joe, Page, and Strickland met in the ring to sign the contract for their upcoming clash. While tensions were high, Page and Strickland stood shoulder to shoulder, warning Joe that he had underestimated them. Moments later, the arena went dark — and MJF’s music hit.

The former champion made his first AEW appearance in three months, having last been seen losing to Mark Briscoe in a brutal Tables n’ Tacks match at All Out in Toronto. MJF wasted no time reminding everyone why he was there, signing the Casino Gauntlet contract he earned by winning the match at All In back in July, officially adding his name to the Worlds End title bout.

MJF then addressed each of his future opponents, taking shots at Strickland with a controversial comparison and referencing his WWE past, while also making it clear that his goal was to humiliate Page and the two men he considers his biggest rivals.

There’s plenty of history between all four competitors. Page defeated MJF to retain the AEW World Championship at Forbidden Door in August, while Joe ended MJF’s first title reign at Worlds End 2023. Joe would later lose the championship to Strickland at Dynasty 2024, setting the stage for a deeply intertwined and volatile main event heading into this year’s Worlds End.

AEW Dynamite & Collision – ‘Holiday Bash’ Preview 12/17/2025

AEW will present its 3-hour ‘Holiday Bash’ special episode of AEW Dynamite & Collision tonight on TBS and HBO Max from the Co-Op Live in Manchester, England.

  • AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: FTR (c) vs. Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson & Austin Gunn)
  • Mercedes Mone’, Athena, Megan Bayne & Marina Shafir vs. Harley Cameron, Willow Nightingale, Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa
  • $1 Million Match: The Elite vs. The Don Callis Family (Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita & Hechicero)
  • AEW World Championship Three-Way Match Contract Signing For Worlds End: Samoa Joe, Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Mascara Dorada vs. Orange Cassidy
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Jon Moxley vs. Roderick Strong
  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: Kyle Fletcher vs. PAC
  • Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royale

AEW/ROH Star Leila Grey Reveals She Has Torn ACL

AEW/ROH talent Leila Grey has confirmed that her recent match on AEW Collision came with a serious setback behind the scenes.

Grey revealed on X that she suffered a torn ACL during her TBS Championship match against Mercedes Moné on the December 6 episode of the show. The injury reportedly happened when Grey delivered a knee strike in the corner. Immediately after the move, she could be seen grabbing her knee, and moments later Moné locked in the Statement Maker to secure the title retention.

While the finish now makes more sense in hindsight, what’s impressive is what Grey managed to accomplish after the injury. Despite dealing with the torn ACL, she went on to compete in the WBFF Pro Fitness event, where she finished first place — all while wearing a knee brace.

Grey also shared that surgery will be required, and she expects to be sidelined for a significant amount of time as she recovers. It’s an unfortunate development for the rising AEW star, especially after getting a high-profile championship opportunity, but her toughness and determination have clearly not gone unnoticed.

There’s no timetable yet for Grey’s return, but AEW fans will undoubtedly be wishing her a smooth surgery and a strong comeback when she’s cleared to get back in the ring.

AEW Collision ‘Winter Is Coming’ Preview 12/13/2025

AEW Collision ‘Winter is Coming’ today from the Utilita Arena in Cardiff, Whales airing coast-to-coast at 4:30pm ET on TNT and HBO Max.

  • AEW TNT Championship: Mark Briscoe (c) vs. Daniel Garcia
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Claudio Castagnoli
  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: Kevin Knight vs. Mike Bailey
  • Josh Alexander vs. Swerve Strickland
  • Jamie Hayter & Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue & Julia Hart

Andrade El Idolo Cleared To Wrestle — But Only In Puerto Rico

Andrade El Idolo’s strange post-WWE situation appears to finally be moving forward, though it comes with a very specific restriction.

After weeks of uncertainty surrounding his WWE non-compete clause, Andrade is officially set to return to the ring tonight in Puerto Rico, where he will compete for the World Wrestling Council (WWC). The former WWE star is scheduled to challenge Xavant for the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship, marking his first sanctioned match in some time.

According to reports, WWE initially enforced a non-compete clause following Andrade’s brief and controversial return to AEW. That clause put his in-ring career on pause, even after he resurfaced on AEW Dynamite to attack Kenny Omega — an appearance that ultimately led to WWE issuing a cease-and-desist notice to AEW and Andrade being pulled from television entirely.

However, new details suggest Andrade’s legal team has been hard at work behind the scenes. Sources indicate that negotiations with WWE resulted in a compromise that allows Andrade to wrestle — but only in Puerto Rico. The agreement reportedly went into effect today, December 13, and bars Andrade from competing for any promotion outside of the island for now.

Andrade himself confirmed the breakthrough during a recent interview, expressing relief that the long-standing issue had finally been resolved. He explained that his lawyer received official, signed documentation from WWE granting him clearance to wrestle for WWC, ending what he described as months of uncertainty tied to a 12-month non-compete dispute.

“I’m so happy to be in Puerto Rico. I want to say thank you to my lawyer because he now has a letter from the WWE, because we had problems with the no-compete for 12 months. Today, my lawyer texted me and told me, ‘Andrade, I have a letter, signed, that you can participate tonight in Puerto Rico in WWC. I can get back to the ring tonight. I’m so happy because after all these problems — not problems, but just what happens in life — I don’t know what to say. I want to be ready for tonight.”

The timing couldn’t be better. Andrade hasn’t competed since winning The Crash Heavyweight Championship on October 3, and fans have been waiting to see when — and where — he would be allowed back between the ropes. Tonight’s WWC appearance represents his first step back into active competition following his WWE release earlier this year, which stemmed from alleged wellness policy violations.

While Andrade’s future beyond Puerto Rico remains unclear, this development at least puts an end to his in-ring limbo. For now, Puerto Rico is the only place fans can see Andrade El Idolo compete — but it’s a meaningful return that could open the door to bigger things once his contractual situation fully clears.

ROH TV Preview 12/11/2025

ROH TV tonight on #HonorClub at http://WatchROH.com

  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena 3-Year Championship Celebration
  • Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Skyflight & Komander
  • Dalton Castle, the Outrunners, Tommy Billington & Adam Priest vs. MxM Tv & Premiere Athletes
  • Hechicero vs. Josh Woods
  • ROH Women’s Pure Champion Deonna Purazzo in action
  • Jey Lethal in action
  • Zayda Steel vs. Rachael Ellering
  • The Frat House vs. Dark Order
  • Spanish Announce Project in action

AEW Dynamite ‘Winter Is Coming’ Preview 12/10/2025

AEW Dynamite: Winter Is Coming airs live tonight on TBS and HBO Max from the Gateway Center in Arena in College Park, Georgia – 10 miles south of Atlanta.

  • AEW World Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Eddie Kingston
  • AEW Women’s World Championship Tournament Final: Babes of Wrath (Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron) vs. Timeless Love Bombs (Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa)
  • Tornado Tag Match: ‘Hangman’ Adam Page & Swerve Strickland vs. Katsuyori Shibata & Powerhouse Hobbs
  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Jack Perry
  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: Kyle Fletcher vs. ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey

AEW’s Dralistico Set To Undergo Surgery, Shares Update From Hospital Bed

AEW’s Dralistico revealed today that he’s preparing to undergo surgery, posting a short video message from a hospital bed to update fans on his condition.

In the clip, the masked star thanked supporters for the outpouring of messages he’s received and made it clear he’s approaching the procedure with optimism and faith. He also gave a shoutout to All Elite Wrestling for standing by him during the process, saying he’s placing the situation “in God’s hands” as he heads into the operating room.

While Dralistico didn’t specify what injury he’s dealing with or how long he may be sidelined, the tone of the update suggested he’s in good spirits and appreciative of the support system around him.

AEW has yet to release official details regarding the surgery or any recovery timetable, but we’ll keep an eye out for further information as it becomes available. For now, the former La Facción Ingobernable member appears focused on getting healthy and back to the ring when the time is right.

Backstage Update On MJF’s AEW Status

MJF has been off AEW TV since a rough September that saw him drop the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Title to Mistico and fall to Mark Briscoe in the Tables N’ Tacts match at All Out. His absence has largely been tied to filming Violent Night 2, but production on the movie is now complete — which had many expecting “The Devil” to reappear sometime in December.

So far, though, the former AEW World Champion hasn’t surfaced on Dynamite or Collision during the first week of the month. Despite that, Wrestlevotes Live on Fightful Select reports that AEW has had MJF penciled into plans for Worlds End since Thanksgiving week. Details on what those plans involve are still under wraps.

However, last week’s Dynamite may have offered a huge hint. AEW officially announced the return of the Dynamite Diamond Ring, kicking off with a Battle Royal during next week’s Holiday Bash. The final two competitors will then square off on the Christmas Eve edition of Dynamite — titled Dynamite on 34th Street. Considering MJF has won the ring every single year since its debut in 2019, he immediately becomes the obvious favorite the moment he walks back through the curtain.

And this time, the stakes are even higher. The winner of the Diamond Ring will earn an AEW World Championship match on January 14 at Dynamite: Maximum Carnage in Phoenix. With MJF spending 2025 chasing the world title — including a failed attempt against “Hangman” Adam Page at Forbidden Door — plus still holding the All In Casino Gauntlet contract, he’s got more avenues to a title shot than anyone on the roster.

If AEW is looking for a big return to shake up Worlds End season, MJF reclaiming the ring he’s owned since day one might be the perfect spark.

Paramount’s Surprise Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery Could Complicate Netflix’s Plans – And AEW’s Future Home

The media war around Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) just got a lot more chaotic — and the ripple effects could eventually reach AEW.

Over the past week, Netflix had been moving toward a massive $82.7 billion deal that would carve up WBD, taking control of Warner Bros. Studios, HBO, and HBO Max while spinning off the cable networks into a separate company. That deal, while far from finalized, had the potential to shake up WBD’s structure but wasn’t expected to immediately disrupt AEW’s presence on TNT, TBS, or Max.

But now Paramount has stormed into the picture with what several outlets are calling a hostile takeover attempt. The newly formed Paramount Skydance has reportedly put a $108.4 billion offer on the table — translating to $30 per WBD share, surpassing Netflix’s bid of roughly $27.75 per share.

According to Variety and other industry reports, WBD has acknowledged receiving Paramount’s unsolicited proposal and has 10 business days to make a formal decision.

If Netflix’s bid ultimately collapses, the streamer would owe WBD a hefty $5.8 billion breakup fee.

Paramount issued a statement to Deadline, touting its offer as a more stable, less complicated option for WBD shareholders — and taking a not-so-subtle swipe at Netflix’s deal by framing it as riskier and tied to a lengthy regulatory process.

What Does This Mean for AEW?

In the short term, nothing changes. AEW’s existing media rights agreement with WBD runs through 2027, with an option year into 2028, covering TNT, TBS, and Max for Dynamite, Collision, and pay-per-view distribution.

However, the long-term landscape could get messier depending on which company wins out:

  • If Netflix somehow prevails:
    AEW’s content might end up shifting on the streaming side, especially if HBO Max gets restructured or folded into Netflix. But again, this wouldn’t immediately alter their TV homes on TNT/TBS.
  • If Paramount takes over WBD:
    Things get more interesting. Paramount already has a huge deal in place with UFC — a 7-year, $7.7 billion agreement beginning in 2026 — making Paramount+ the exclusive streaming home for UFC. Could Paramount want both UFC and AEW under its umbrella? Would they see AEW as redundant? Or would they look to bolster their sports/entertainment portfolio even more?

There’s no clear answer yet, but it’s a scenario worth watching.

AEW’s Stability vs. a Turbulent Media Market

With Hollywood and the streaming world in full consolidation mode, AEW finds itself tied to a partner that major companies are fighting over. That could either strengthen their position or leave them navigating a new corporate owner with new priorities.

For now, AEW is safe and locked in. But as the Paramount vs. Netflix drama unfolds, Tony Khan’s promotion may once again find its fate linked to boardroom battles far outside the wrestling ring.