Tag: AEW

Tony Schiavone Confirms New AEW Signing – 18-Year-Old Billie Starkz

18-year-old wrestling prodigy Billie Starkz has been signed by All Elite Wrestling, says veteran announcer Tony Schiavone.

Schiavone, who works as a broadcaster, producer, and special advisor in AEW, claimed that the promotion had signed Starkz during a recent episode of his What Happened When podcast with Conrad Thompson. This came as the duo were talking about Nick Wayne, whom AEW signed when he was 16 years old – and is now set to debut on Dynamite after turning 18 in July.

Starkz has wrestled in Tony Khan’s network of promotions several times since December 2022, when she served as an AEW Dark opponent for Dr. Britt Baker DMD. Most recently, Billie fell in a TBS Championship challenge against Jade Cargill, with the bout airing on the 7 April Battle Of The Belts VI special.

Billie is also 1-1 on ROH on HonorClub, facing Trish Adora and Miranda Alize at the brand’s February tapings.

A wrestler since 2018 despite her youth, Starks already has 365 documented matches on her CAGEMATCH profile. Billie has been a staple on the American independent scene for several years now, competing for such promotions as GCW, BLP, and ACTION while going through high school.

Source: WhatCulture

FTR Suggested They Will Retire Upon Expiration Of Latest AEW Contract

On the latest episode of the “FTR with Dax” podcast, Dax Harwood disclosed that he and Cash Wheeler had signed new deals with All Elite Wrestling. According to Wrestling Observer, the reigning AEW World Tag Team Champions revealed that they had inked new four-year contracts with Tony Khan’s promotion during an in-ring interview with Tony Schiavone that was taped last night following “AEW Dynamite” for this Friday’s episode of “AEW Rampage.” Additionally, FTR suggested that they would retire in four years once their new deals had expired.

With their initial contracts with AEW expiring this month, there had been a lot of speculation surrounding the futures of Harwood and Wheeler, with the former recently indicating that FTR had decided on their next move without disclosing any specific details. While it had been suggested that FTR could be heading back to WWE, Harwood pointed out on the “FTR with Dax” podcast that it was “the best course of action” that he and Wheeler stayed with AEW. 

Harwood and Wheeler made their debuts for AEW in May 2020 after being granted their releases from WWE the previous month; they would officially sign with the promotion two months later after initially working without contracts. FTR captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship from “Hangman” Adam Page and Kenny Omega at the All Out pay-per-view four months after debuting for the organization. They would also go on to win tag team gold in Ring of Honor, Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. After being absent from AEW programming earlier this year, FTR returned at March’s Revolution event and later captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship for a second time in a Titles vs. Careers match against Austin and Colten Gunn on the April 5 episode of “Dynamite.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Jeff Hardy Returns On AEW Dynamite

Jeff Hardy is back!

During Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite, the Charismatic Enigma made his return to make the save for his brother Matt.

Prior to Wednesday night, Jeff Hardy hadn’t been seen on AEW television since July 2022 due to being suspended following a DUI arrest in Florida.

In a segment where Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy, and HOOK were being attacked by The Firm on this week’s broadcast, Jeff Hardy’s music hit and he came out with a chair and took everyone out. He then hit a swanton bomb on Lee Moriarity.

AEW President Tony Khan said at the time of Jeff’s arrest that he could “only return to AEW upon successfully completing treatment and maintaining his sobriety.”

Jeff Hardy’s case has since been closed after he entered a no contest plea.

AEW Dynamite Preview 4/12/2023

AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS and emanate from the UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, WI.

  • MJF’s “presence is mandatory” in Milwaukee
  • TNT Championship: Powerhouse Hobbs (c) vs. Silas Young
  • AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Buddy Matthews
  • Riho & Skye Blue vs. Ruby Soho & Toni Storm
  • Chris Jericho vs. Keith Lee
  • Darby Allin vs. Swerve Strickland
  • Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brandon Cutler & Michael Nakazawa

AEW/ROH Star Brian Cage Reportedly Signs New Contract

Brian Cage has signed a new deal with AEW, according to a report by Fightful.

Based on confirmation from PWInsider, sources have indicated the new deal has the current ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion staying on with the company for about five years.

Cage and fellow champions The Embassy retained the championship against AR Fox, Blake Christian, and Metalik at ROH Supercard of Honor on March 31 in Los Angeles.

Source: WrestleView

Matt Hardy Provides Update On Jeff Hardy’s Return To AEW

Jeff Hardy has been absent from All Elite Wrestling since June of last year due to his DUI arrest. In February, Jeff pleaded no contest in his DUI case. He has since been out of action recuperating after undergoing eye surgery.

Matt Hardy, his brother, expressed his desire to see Jeff return to the ring once he has recovered from his surgery.

Sharing details regarding his brother’s eye surgery, Matt Hardy said,

“Jeff just had some eye surgery. His eyes were just a little off set, it’s just probably from wear and tear and beating his body up. They had to work on some ligaments and tendons in one of his eyes. So, they corrected that [with] surgery and they said probably in five, six weeks, he should be okay.”

Matt then expressed hope that Jeff will soon return to AEW after putting his legal troubles behind him and proceeded to provide a timeline as to when Jeff might return to AEW. He said,

“So, I’m hoping after that, now that he’s kind of putting this whole situation behind him, that we’ll see him back around soon. I’m hoping so, man. You guys keep your fingers crossed. Maybe six, eight weeks from now, hopefully we can see some Jeff Hardy on AEW.”

Jeff Hardy was suspended indefinitely without pay following his DUI arrest last summer, and Tony Khan emphasized that Jeff can only return to AEW upon successfully completing treatment and maintaining his sobriety.

Source: eWrestlingNews

FTR Save AEW Careers, Win Tag Team Titles On Dynamite

It appears all those teases, hinting at FTR’s return to WWE, were just to swerve fans. Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler are staying with AEW for the foreseeable future. 

On last night’s “AEW Dynamite,” FTR defeated The Gunns in a Career vs. Titles bout to capture the AEW World Tag Team Championship in Long Island, New York. After the match, FTR celebrated in the ring with Marc Briscoe and AEW President Tony Khan, essentially confirming that they had signed new contracts with the promotion.

During the closing stages of the bout, Austin Gunn clocked Harwood with a title belt, as the Gunns appeared in prime position to retain their championships. However, Harwood miraculously kicked out, following which FTR took out Colten Gunn with a stereo sunset flip. The sequence allowed Harwood to roll-up Austin for the pinfall victory. 

FTR will now start their second reign as AEW World Tag Team Champions. Their previous reign, of 63 days, ended when they lost the titles to The Young Bucks at the Full Gear pay-per-view in November 2020.

The topic of FTR’s contracts had been a talking point in pro wrestling over the past few months. Last month, Harwood urged wrestling fans to “respect our decision,” assuring them that their decision would be made in the best interest of their families. The FTR vs. The Gunns feud dates back to last year and intensified when Austin & Colten secured an upset victory on the December 21 episode of “Dynamite.” Subsequently, FTR lost their IWGP and AAA Tag Team Championships and took a sabbatical until last month’s Revolution pay-per-view, where they returned and laid out The Gunns to set their sights on the AEW’s tag titles. The Gunns initially rejected FTR’s challenge but agreed after FTR offered to put their AEW careers on the line in a high-stakes match.

A clip of FTR celebrating with Tony Khan after last night’s show can be seen below.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Tony Khan’s Major AEW Announcement – AEW All In PPV In London At Wembley Stadium

Tony Khan made his “major announcement” on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

For the first time in the history of All Elite Wrestling, the company will be coming to the UK on August 27. And it’s not just any AEW show – it’ll be the All In 2023 pay-per-view event. The event will take place at Wembley Stadium, which can hold over 80,000 fans for wrestling. Tickets for the event will be going on sale in May.

You can check out the official announcement below:

AEW Plants Flag at Iconic Wembley Stadium with Massive UK Special Event on Sunday, August 27
— AEW’s London Debut Marks First Professional Wrestling Event at Wembley Stadium in More Than 30 Years —
— Tickets for “AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium” On Sale May 5; Pre-Registration Available for Priority Access —
During tonight’s live episode of “AEW: Dynamite” from Long Island, NY, AEW CEO Tony Khan, star Adam Cole and host Nigel McGuinness announced that AEW’s highly anticipated UK debut will take place in London at the iconic Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 27. “AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium” marks AEW’s first show outside of North America, and the first time that professional wrestling has taken center stage at Wembley Stadium in more than 30 years.

Tickets for “AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium” go on sale to the general public Monday, May 5 at 9 a.m. BST. Effective immediately, fans in the UK can pre-register for early access to event tickets at ticketmaster.co.uk/AEWWembley. Pre-registered access and priority presales will take place prior to the general on-sale date. Beginning May 5, tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.co.uk/AEWWembley.

“The UK is one of the most important markets in professional wrestling, and AEW is coming in hot as the number one wrestling company in the UK on television,” said Tony Khan. “We want our debut in London to be epic in scale, and there’s no better venue than Wembley Stadium to deliver what I know will be one of the greatest events in AEW’s history. This April also marks 100 years of Warner Bros. and 100 years of Wembley Stadium – it’s a fitting time to come together for ‘AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium.’”

This announcement comes on the heels of AEW’s tremendous growth in TV viewership in the UK, with AEW programming serving as the highest ratings driver for men ages 16-34 on ITV4 since the start of 2022. AEW reached 2.8 million men on ITV platforms in 2022 and began 2023 by increasing that reach by another 45 percent among men ages 16-34. “AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium” is far from the Khan Family’s first foray into London or the legendary venue. Shahid Khan is Chairman of Fulham Football Club, which earned promotion to the English Premier League with playoff wins at Wembley Stadium in both 2018 and 2020.

The elder Khan is also owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have regularly hosted a home game at the stadium since 2013 and will return once again during the 2023 National Football League season for a ninth game at Wembley.

“AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium,” which will be a homecoming for several top stars including AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter, Saraya, Nigel McGuinness, Pac, Anthony Ogogo and more, will be produced in conjunction with Live Nation Entertainment.

Jay White Is All Elite – Appears On AEW Dynamite

Jay White is All Elite.

This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite opened with a bout that was set to feature Juice Robinson facing off against Ricky Starks in a Grudge Match. As a brawl broke out between the two men, Jay White hit the ring and helped out his fellow Bullet Club member. The two men then beat down Starks as the crowd in Long Island, New York cheered wildly.

Following the segment, AEW President Tony Khan took to Twitter to confirm that White is officially under contract with All Elite Wrestling.

Back in January, White entered free agency after deciding not to re-sign with NJPW.

AEW Dynamite Preview 4/5/2023

AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS and emanate from the UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Long Island, New York.

  • AEW Trios Championship: The House of Black (c) vs. Best Friends & Orange Cassidy
  • Tony Khan’s important announcement
  • AEW Women’s Championship: Jamie Hayter (c) vs. Riho
  • AEW Tag Team Championship: The Gunns (c) vs. FTR – FTR’s AEW career is on the line
  • MJF Day celebration
  • Blackpool Combat Club promo
  • The Acclaimed decide whether they are joining the Jericho Appreciation Society
  • Sammy Guevara vs. Komander
  • Juice Robinson vs. Ricky Starks
  • FTW Champion Hook vs. Ethan Page