SEScoops

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Renee Paquette Confirms She Had Talks With WWE Before Signing With AEW

    AEW announced last month that Renee Paquette had signed with the promotion, and she made her promotional debut that night on Dynamite by welcoming the Toronto crowd to the show.

    She is working as an interviewer for the company. This was her first wrestling project since departing from WWE at SummerSlam 2020. 

    While speaking to Vickie Guerrero on Excuse Me, Paquette confirmed reports that she had been talking to WWE before signing with the rival promotion. 

    Renee Paquette on her Talks With WWE

    \"\"

    \”I had been talking to WWE, that had gotten leaked out before I debuted with AEW, I had been having conversations with WWE about all the things they have going on over there. The more I was thinking about it and figuring out what that looks like and what the future looks like, I was like, \’No, I want to be in AEW.\’ I want to be part of this company that is growing and developing. 

    I want to help. I want to help lend whatever knowledge I have in this space to make things good, I want to do a good job, I want to be on the road with my husband, that makes life easier. It was more so that and it was more conversations Jon and I were having. That was one of those first big moments, \’We have to make a decision as a family.\’ Not that I can\’t do what I want, if that\’s what I decided to do, it would have been fine, but you have family conversations about what makes the most sense for everyone,\” she said.

    Days before she joined the company, it was reported that WWE expected her to join AEW. Renee noted that she loves working for AEW and how things are handled backstage at AEW events. 

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription

  • Cain Velasquez Requests Special Permission to Wrestle at AAA Show While Out on Bail

    Despite his ongoing legal issues, Cain Velasquez has requested permission to be part of AAA\’s return to the United States on Saturday, December 3rd. 

    The former UFC Heavyweight Champion/former WWE star is currently out on $1 million bail on attempted murder charges stemming from a February incident where he allegedly chased down a man and fired a weapon into a truck that contained several people. In the vehicle was a man who allegedly sexually assaulted both his child and one of his relatives.

    The Request

    \"Cain
    Cain Velasquez

    Velasquez and his legal team asked judge Daniel Nishigaya in Santa Clara County (California) court during an arraignment for permission to wrestle at the show on Monday. 

    The event will be held on the campus of Velasquez\’s alma mater of Arizona State University. A Santa Clara prosecutor was unable to attend Monday\’s hearing with a representative objecting to the request and requesting the decision be rescheduled for another month, but that’s an issue as pointed out by Velasquez\’s lawyers due to that being past the date of the event. 

    Nishigaya rerouted the request to a different judge more familiar with the case and a ruling from the new judge is expected on Tuesday. As part of his bail arrangement, Velasquez currently has travel restrictions.

    ESPN\’s Marc Raimondi mentioned on Twitter that his team has been discussing his involvement with the show since last week after he was released on bail on November 8th.

    Velasquez has wrestled for AAA three times, most recently in December 2021 at Triplemania Regia. 

    Cain Velasquez Granted $1 Million Bail After Eight Months in Jail

  • Young Bucks: ‘These Have Been Two of the Hardest Months of Our Lives’

    The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega returned to AEW television at AEW Full Gear last Saturday, where they challenged Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo, & Rey Fenix) for the AEW Trios Championships, but came up short. 

    The Elite had been suspended due to their involvement in the backstage brawl with CM Punk and Ace Steel at All Out in September. They were also stripped for the AEW Trios Championships, which they won at AEW All Out. 

    During today’s Being The Elite, the Young Bucks discussed their return to the company. They confirmed reports that they’ve been backstage at recent Dynamite events but haven’t wrestled until now. Nick said until they wrestled again, it felt like something was missing. 

    The Pressure

    \"\"

    Nick Jackson admitted that he had anxiety thinking about it and didn’t know if he could still perform at a high level. Matt Jackson stated he was weakening up in cold sweats ahead of their return. 

    “People don\’t understand because we haven\’t been able to talk about it. This has been…two of the hardest months of my life. I know for you [Nick] too. Here we are, we got through it, you just never know what\’s going to happen until you do it. To hear the support and hear and see how happy a lot of people were to see us, that meant the world to us and Kenny. It felt good. We\’re going through the healing process right now. Last night [Full Gear] was a big step to get there. I feel good. We got to come out to a song we grew up listening to with our Dad. A song we almost didn\’t get. We didn\’t get it until the 11th hour. That was stressful. Getting that, it was the night before, we finally knew. Collectively, it was a crazy time. Now that it\’s the end, I can almost sight relief at this point.\”

    The Elite made their entrance to \”Carry On Wayward Son\” by Kansas. The Elite and Death Triangle will take part in a Best of Seven series, with match two taking place on Wednesday\’s AEW Dynamite.

    H/T to Fightful for the transcription

  • WWE Star Viewed \”Almost Like a Reclamation Project” by Triple H

    Since taking over main roster creative, Triple H has brought back several former WWE stars and also repackaged wrestlers already on the roster, including Finn Balor. He has been pushed strongly as part of The Judgment Day alongside Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, and Dominik mysterio Mysterio. 

    Balor is just the third man to win the NXT Championship twice, winning it first in 2015 and again in 2020 when he moved back down from the main roster in between runs. Balor was in the main event of many a Takeover events. 

    Although Vince McMahon pushed Balor at points, including when he was first called up to the main roster and became the inaugural Universal Champion, Balor’s push by McMahon came to an end earlier this year. 

    Triple H on Finn Balor

    \"\"

    WrestleVotes told GiveMeSport that Triple H views Balor as a ‘reclamation story’ after how he was booked by McMahon. 

    “They’ve always, always really liked each other. Seeing what Finn has been over the last few years, Hunter sees almost like a reclamation project, but one that he can get behind because of their personal relationship.

    Hunter’s first real big name was Fergal, so they’ve always had a relationship and worked well together. Hunter has always believed in him. When Finn got injured, after he won the title at SummerSlam 2016, he was checked on him daily, like keeping the relationship tight, even though he left NXT.”

    Balor vs. AJ Styles in a singles match has been booked for this Saturday’s Survivor Series premium live event. 

  • Alternative Finish Was Pitched for MJF vs. Jon Moxley at AEW Full Gear

    MJF defeated Jon Moxley for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship as he became the top champ in the main event of Saturday’s Full Gear pay-per-view event.

    The finish saw there be two referee bumps. William Regal talked MJF out of using the diamond ring. Moxley had MJF tapping out to a sleeper but the first referee didn’t see it so MJF managed to get out and was handed brass knuckles by Regal to secure the win. 

    The Idea

    \"MJF

    Dave Melter explained on F4Wonline that there was actually another idea for the main event finish:

    “There was another finish brought up by several of the most influential wrestlers. We don’t know what it was although I presume MJF winning was not the question, and it was just a different way to get there. It was an alternative way of getting there. Khan was strong on his finish that the direction this goes.”

    AEW Full Gear will be an event that the company won’t soon forget as it was a positive show they needed after some much drama coming out of the All Out event just a few months ago with CM Punk’s rant at the media scrum and backstage brawl with The Elite. 

    MJF Wins World Heavyweight Title at AEW Full Gear

  • Former WWE Star to Wrestle for \’Possibly Last Time\’ at House Show

    Former WWE star Jamie Noble has announced what could be the final match of his career.  

    In a post on Instagram, he announced he would perform on the December 11 WWE house show from his home state of West Virginia. The live event takes place in Charleston, WV, which is less than a two-hour drive from Noble\’s hometown of Hanover, WV. 

    Noble officially announced his active in-ring retirement in 2009 due to neck, shoulder, and back injuries, although he returned for a few house shows in 2012 and 2013 before becoming an on-screen role as a member of J&J Security in late 2014 and 2015. 

    His previous match took place on the June 8, 2015, edition of WWE Raw, where Noble and Mercury defeated Seth Rollins in a handicap match that night.  Noble wrote the following on Instagram: 

    The Announcement

    \"Jamie

    \”It\’s Official!! On December 11 at the Charleston Civic Center, Charleston, WV. I will compete for possibly my last time in wrestling under the greatest company of all time WWE. It\’s been roughly 11 years since I was forced out of the ring. Now I’m going to have one more opportunity in front of my people my state my family! I promise you I will walk out a winner or I will go out on my shield giving the best performance I can give. all the support I can get will be so greatly appreciated to show that I can still go! Thank you all!! God bless you and God bless WV!!\” 

    Noble is a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion and former ROH Champion, having defeated CM Punk for the title in a four-way on August 12, 2005. 

  • KAIRI (Kairi Sane) Becomes The First IWGP Women’s Champion

    KAIRI, formerly known as Kairi Sane, is the first-ever IWGP Women’s Champion.

    In the main event of Sunday morning’s NJPW x Stardom Historic X-Over event, she defeated Mayu Iwantani to become the champ. The back and forth match ended when KAIRI defeated Iwatani after hitting the Insane Elbow off the top rope.

    Post-match, Iwatani, and KAIRI were emotional while waiting for NJPW president Noaki Sugabayashi to get into the ring to give KAIRI the title as she posed with Bushiroad president Takaai Kiwani.

    Tam Nakano came out and challenged KAIRI to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 17, which she accepted. Sane commented on the big win by writing the following on Twitter: 

    \”Four days before the match, during ring practice, I sprained myself in a flashy fall.
    I was told that it would take three weeks for a full recovery, and I almost gave up because it hurt to walk. However, with the support of many people, I was able to fight through the two battles with my willpower. Really really thank you very much.\”

    How We Got Here

    \"Kairi
    Kairi Sane

    Iwatanai had defeated Momo Watanabe and Utami Hayashishita to advance to the finals while Kairi defeated Jazzy Gabert on October 23 to advance to the finals.

    The championship was introduced by NJPW back in August and is slated to be defended both in Japan for New Japan Pro Wrestling as well as worldwide on shows such as NJPW Strong.

    https://twitter.com/puroresuflow/status/1594301527862439936

  • AEW Star Was Wearing WWE T-Shirt at Full Gear

    The self-proclaimed TBS Champion Nyla Rose challenged the real AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill at Saturday’s AEW Full Gear pay-per-view event. 

    Rose came out with her manager, Vickie Guerrero, in a low rider as a tribute to the late great Eddie Guerrero. Vickie was also wearing WWE’s Rhea Ripley’s new t-shirt, “I’m Mama,’ which is a spinoff of Eddie’s old t-shirt that stated, ‘I’m Papi.’ 

    The t-shirt was designed in 2005 during the feud between Eddie and Rey Mysterio over the custody of Dominik, who is now in The Judgment Day faction with Ripley, Finn Balor, and Damian Priest. 

    The Shirt

    Cargill came out with Thundercats-inspired gear. Before the match got started, Kiera Hogan took a cheap shot at Rose. 

    The match did have some clunky spots, but down the stretch, things heated up and both women kicked out after hitting each other\’s moves. Nyla hit a senton off the top, but Jade hit the pump kick and her Jaded finisher to retain her title.

    Bianca Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Mia Yim & TBA vs. Bayley, IYO SKY, Dakota Kai, Nikki Cross & Rhea Ripley has been booked in the first-ever Women\’s WarGames match on the main roster for next Saturday\’s WWE Survivor Series event. 

  • MJF Wins World Heavyweight Title at AEW Full Gear

    MJF was the man to dethrone Jon Moxley as the AEW World Heavyweight Champion as he became the top champ in the main event of this year’s AEW Full Gear pay-per-view event.

    The match had a slow build for it. MJF with a tombstone to Moxley on the ring apron and MJF sold his left knee. Moxley hit a piledriver off the apron through the table. MJF knocked Moxley off the top rope and hit the paradigm shift off the top rope for a near fall. 

    There were two referee bumps. William Regal talked MJF out of using the diamond ring. Moxley had MJF tapping out to a sleeper but the first referee didn’t see it. MJF got brass knuckles from Regal and hit Moxley to win the match.

    At the conclusion of the October 18th edition Dynamite following Moxley\’s win over Hangman Page to retain the title, MJF teased cashing in his Casino ladder match chip that gives him a shot at the title at any time but chose not to. He won the clip at All Out thanks to hiring The Firm. MJF cut a promo about how he wanted Moxley at 110% with no excuses and didn\’t want any doubt that he was better than him when he beat him for the title. 

    MJF and Moxley have competed against each other once before in AEW as they met at 2020\’s All Out where the stakes were the same with Moxley successfully defending the World Title. Moxley gave MJF his first singles loss in the company.

  • The Acclaimed Retain AEW Tag Team Titles at Full Gear

    Swerve In Our Glory (Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland) attempted to regain the AEW Tag Team Titles from The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) at the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view event.

    The match was a typical tag team format before everyone started doing moves in the ring with some legal and some not. Caster with a hurricanrana then a leg drop off the top rope to Lee. Caster with a crossbody off the top rope to Lee off the apron through part of the barricade. Swerve wanted Lee to smash Bowens’ finger, but he refused. Swerve slapped him and Lee walked out on him.  The Acclaimed won with their finisher.

    This was the third match between them. The first bout at All Out, which saw Swerve In Our Glory retain the titles, a surprising finish as many fans expected to see a title change. 

    The rematch took place when The Acclaimed beat Swerve In Our Glory for the titles at the Dynamite: Grand Slam event in September from New York City.

    Lee and Strickland became the champions on the July 13th edition of Dynamite when they beat then-champions The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) and Team Taz (Powerhouse Hobbs and Ricky Starks) in a triple threat match. 

  • Jamie Hayter Wins Women\’s Interim World Title at AEW Full Gear

    Jamie Hayter was the person to dethrone AEW Interim Women\’s World Champion Toni Storm as she won the title at the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view event.

    The match Hayter dominated the majority of the match with Storm fighting back from underneath. A typical heel vs. babyface match. Rebel ran out mid-match. Storm had a bloody nose. Rebel hit Storm with the title when the referee wasn’t looking.

    Hayer with a sliding lariat for 2. Rebel was tossed from ringside by the referee. Britt Baker ran out and hit a stomp to Storm on the title then Hayter hit a piledriver for 2, which got booed as the fans were behind Hayter. Hayter sent Storm into an exposed turnbuckle and hit her finisher for the win.

    AEW made the match official on the November 2nd edition of Dynamite. This marked the second singles meeting this year between Storm and Hayter as they last squared off in May in the first round of the Owen Hart Foundation Women\’s Tournament where Storm defeated Hayter in a first round match on the May 11 Dynamite. 

    Storm won the Interim Women’s Title at All Out by beating Hayter, Britt Baker, and Hikaru Shida in a fatal 4-way bout at All Out, which was originally slated to feature Storm challenging Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa. However, Rosa is currently on the sidelines with a back injury. 

  • Samoa Joe Wins AEW TNT Title at Full Gear

    Samoa Joe has dethroned Wardlow as the AEW TNT Champion as he won the title at the Full Gear pay-per-view event in a triple threat match that also featured Powerhouse Will Hobbs. 

    They all started brawling to start off the bout. There was some impressive athleticism shown by Wardlow, who hit a wild dive to take them both out then a front senton off the top rope to Hobbs The finish saw Hobbs get powerbombed three times, Joe cracked Wardlow with the belt and slapped the clutch on an already out Hobbs. 

    On the July 6 episode of Dynamite, Wardlow defeatedScorpio Sky in a street fight match to win the TNT Championship. Wardlow\’s first defense of the TNT Championship was against Orange Cassidy. He held the title for 137 days, which was the fifth longest reign in the history of the title that was introduced in 2020 and won by the inaugural champion Cody Rhodes. 

    Wardlow’s reign is now behind Sammy Guevara with 138 days, Miro with 140 days, Cody Rhodes at 148 days, and Darby Allin at 186 combined days. Joe is the 13th different AEW TNT Champion. 

    What are your thoughts on Samoa Joe winning the AEW TNT Title? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

  • Saraya Wins Her First Match Back Since 2017 at AEW Full Gear

    Saraya, formerly known as Paige, stepped foot inside of the squared circle for a pro wrestling match for the first time since December 2017 at AEW Full Gear when she battled Britt Baker. 

    The singles match happened at the pay-per-view event from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It featured Baker targeting Saraya’s neck throughout the match while Saraya was trying to fight from underneath. Baker with a neck breaker then a stomp for 2. Saraya went over with her finisher. 

    Saraya made her promotional debut at the Dynamite: Grand Slam from Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, NY. Due to spinal stenosis, Saraya hasn’t wrestled since 2017. WWE didn’t sign her to a new deal a few months ago, and she went on the free agent market in early July. AEW made contact with her shortly after she was a free agent.Saraya has reportedly agreed to a three-year contract with AEW.

    On the November 9th edition of Dynamite, Saraya confirmed he has been 100% cleared, saying that AEW was her house. This led to a promo battle between Saraya and Baker with Baker saying that she didn’t recall Saraya laying one single brick in AEW. Saraya noted that she fought tough battles publicly and has been wrestling for far longer than Baker. 

    Saraya accused Baker of getting every opportunity handed to her by AEW President Tony Khan. Saraya ended the segment by announcing the match for Full Gear.

  • Chris Jericho Retains ROH World Title at AEW Full Gear

    ROH World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho had the deck stacked and the odds against him in storyline when he put his title in a fatal 4-way bout against Bryan Danielson, Sammy Guevara, and Claudio Castagnoli.

    The match at the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view event featured Sammy hitting a double cutter to Claudio and Bryan off the top rope. Jericho and Sammy did some double team moves to Claudio.

    Sammy with the spanish fly to Bryan and Jericho hit the double lionsault to both of them. Sammy hit the GTH and a shooting star press off the top rope to Jericho for two.  Jericho with the Judas Effect to Claudio for the win. 

    On the November 4th edition of Rampage, Jericho set up the match as Danielson indicated he wanted another match against Jericho to take back the Title. Jericho noted that he would face both Danielson and Castagnoli, who he defeated back in September to win the championship, and even added Guevara to the match for good measure because he knew if it came down  to himself and Guevara, Guevara would know what to do.

    Although Guevara seemed surprised by Jericho’s comments, he went through with the bout. Guevara and Danielson worked a 2 out of 3 falls match on the November 9th edition of Dynamite.

  • The Elite Fall Short in Return Match Against Death Triangle at AEW Full Gear

    The Elite (Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks) made their return to AEW television when they challenged Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero M and Rey Fénix) for the Trios Titles at the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view event.

    The Elite made their entrance to \”Carry On My Wayward Son.” The fans chanted “Fu*k CM Punk” at the beginning of the bout.  The match saw Omega work the majority of it and he had some good exchanges with PAC. Omega and Nick Jackson hit outside dives throughout the bout. Matt with a springboard DDT onto the apron to Rey. 

    Nick with a springboard hurricanrana to Penta off the top rope to the floor.  Rey got a hammer when the referee was knocked down, but he tossed it away. Omega hit the V-Trigger to Rey then Tiger Driver 98 for 2. Moments later, Omega with the V-Trigger to Rey then went for the Tiger Driver, but Rey hit him in the head with the hammer after PAC gave it to him for the win. 

    This past Wednesday on Dynamite, Death Triangle successfully defended the AEW Trios Titles against Top Flight and AR Fox. 

    After Death Triangle successfully defended the AEW Trios Titles against Top Flight and AR Fox, In a promo, PAC made reference to The Elite\’s recent videos teasing a comeback and claimed to know what the videos were all about. PAC advised them to attend Full Gear if they wished to make a return. After PAC ended his promo, a Full Gear graphic with The Elite and Death Triangle fully displayed next to one another came on the video screen to set up the match. 

    Following CM Punk\’s remarks from a media scrum held after All Out in September, The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega were suspended from AEW after they, CM Punk, and Ace Steel got into a brawl. The Elite have since been reinstated as a result of an investigation, and in recent weeks, videos have surfaced hinting at their return.

  • Steve Austin Addresses Recent Training Videos Amid WrestleMania 39 Rumors

    It’s been a big year for Steve Austin as he returned for his first wrestling match in almost twenty years, facing Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38, and has the chance to agree to another one if he’s up for it. 

    Austin went Owens in a No DQ Match from AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. In recent weeks, there has been more smoke to the fire as WWE has reached out to Stone Cold about potentially competing in another match and made him an offer, likely for WrestleMania 39. 

    At the same time, Austin has been posting videos of himself working out on social media. In an Instagram video, Austin noted that he isn\’t doing this for any other reason than self-improvement because he got tired of how he looked, so he took action. 

    Steve Austin’s Explanation

    \"Stone

    \”People have been speculating, \’Hey Steve, what are you doing? What are you training for? Are you training for an event?\’ I just simply looked in the mirror and realized I look like shit so I called my diet coach up and my macros are currently, give or take, roughly around 2650 calories 300-320 grams of protein, 150 grams of carbs on a regular day, will spike at 420 on a load up. I still drink beer on Friday nights. Get 3 Broken Skull IPAs and that\’s pretty much it. I\’m probably, as far as body weight goes, sub-232, the leanest I\’ve been in forever. Anyway, I\’m out. I just got tired of looking In the mirror, I got tired of looking like shit, so I\’m taking action to do something about it. I gotta go. Catch you down the road.\”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/ClJ2e3cgSRW/

    H/T to Fightful for the transcript

  • \”Jungle Boy\” Jack Perry Addresses Why He Changed His Ring Name

    Jungle Boy has reached a turning point in his career as he is no longer a tag team player and has shifted towards being a singles star after his former partner Luchasaurus and past manager Christian Cage turned on him. 

    Now with a new direction, Jungle Boy has pivoted to a nickname, with him now using his real name of Jack Perry going forward.

    While speaking with ComicBook.com\’s Liam Crowley, Perry revealed that he originally wanted to stay away from using his real name in order to separate his personal and professional lives.

    Reality

    \"jungleboy\"

    \”I initially went with the whole Jungle Boy thing as a way to not be myself or more what I guess people thought I was,\” Perry said. \”It was my way of really getting people to just watch my wrestling, which was really important to me. I wanted people to just watch me do what I did in the ring. I didn\’t want to have to talk or have a character that other people were trying to push on me. It was like, I\’m Jungle Boy. I don\’t talk, I don\’t do anything. You just got to watch what\’s in the ring. A lot of that was to avoid my personal life in a way.\”

    The reason for the change is due to the nature of his current feud with Cage and Luchasaurus as Cage has frequently brought up Perry\’s family on AEW programming.

    \”Christian goes and just blows all that out of the water and is going nuts every week, saying all this stuff,\” Perry continued. \”At that point it\’s kind of like, what am I waiting for now? This seems like the time to go for it.\”

    Perry will wrestle Luchasaurus inside a steel cage this Saturday at the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view.

  • Detroit is the Front Runner to Host WWE SummerSlam 2023

    It appears WWE will be heading back to a familiar city for next year\’s SummerSlam. A front runner city for the 2023 summer premium live event is Detroit, Michigan, according to Fightful Select. WWE sources have indicated that Detroit was being looked at by the company in recent months.

    WWE hasn’t been to the area for this summer event in years, as the last time was in 1993 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, where the Detroit Pistons formerly played. 

    WWE has also looked at other venues for the show, such as Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers and Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Pistons, and Ford Field, which hosted WrestleMania 23. 

    The last two years, WWE has held stadium shows for the event – Nashville, Tennessee, this year and Las Vegas, Nevada in 2021. 

    Updated WWE Premium Live Event Schedule

    \"WWE
    (via WWE)
    • Saturday, November 26: Survivor Series at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
    • Saturday, January 28: WWE Royal Rumble – San Antonio, Texas at the Alamodome
    • Saturday, February 18: WWE Elimination Chamber – Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the Bell Centre
    • Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2nd: WrestleMania 39 at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles CA

  • Things Between AEW and CM Punk Were Made Worse By Colt Cabana’s TV Return

    CM Punk and Colt Cabana’s relationship is rocky, to say the least, which has impacted the talks between AEW and the former World Heavyweight Champion. 

    Cabana was among the list of people that Punk ripped in his infamous rant following AEW All Out where he criticized Hangman Page and The Elite. Punk was suspended as a result while also away rehabbing an injury. 

    When Punk came into AEW, Cabana’s television time decreased and there were rumors that Punk was potentially the reason behind Cabana not being featured as much on the show, which Punk himself denies, because of their broken friendship. 

    Cabana’s AEW deal wasn’t going to be renewed until the locker room came to bat for him and he was moved to the ROH brand. 

    Cabana was back on Dynamite on November 2 as ROH World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho’s mystery opponent. This seemed to support the idea that Punk being suspended opened the door for Cabana to come back. 

    CM Punk’s Denial

    \"CM
    (AEW)

    Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Punk is still ‘adamant’ that he had nothing to do with Cabana’s absence from AEW TV.

    “Colt Cabana wrestling Chris Jericho only made things worse as far as issues with the two sides. Punk remains adamant he had nothing to do with Cabana being gone. A lot of talent in AEW believes and insists differently and it’s openly talked about.”

    Meltzer added that there had been no change in CM Punk\’s contract situation as he’s still under contract and AEW was selling his merchandise this past week at Dynamite.

  • Backstage Update on Steve Austin’s Talks With WWE for WrestleMania 39 Match

    The details of the talks between WWE and Steve Austin are staying under wraps for now after word leaked earlier this week that the WWE Hall Of Famer received an offer from WWE to do another match. 

    This comes after Austin came out of retirement earlier this year for a match against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38. 

    Where Things Currently Stand

    \"Kevin
    via WWE.com

    According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there is smoke to the fire, and something is in the discussion phase between Austin and WWE with ideas “discussed internally that are being kept secret.”

    Austin could face two types of opponents should he accept this offer – one being a younger star who can help carry the match as Owens did at WrestleMania 38. The second type of opponent could be a big name, such as Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, or John Cena. 

    Because Punk is in talks with AEW for the promotion to buy out his contract following the All Out incident, there’s been speculation about him potentially returning to WWE and perhaps a match with Austin. 

    Punk can’t return to WWE until he gets his release from AEW should both sides be interested in working together again. Meltzer’s report added that the idea of Punk potentially returning to the company is not a positive for many in WWE. Still, they also recognize this will be a decision made by Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and Nick Khan.

  • AEW Bringing Back Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments Next Year

    The Owen Hart Foundation tournaments will return to AEW in 2023. 

    AEW President Tony Khan revealed the news on Thursday\’s Full Gear media call. He didn’t say when exactly it will happen. Chris Jericho was the bridge between Martha Hart and AEW through his friendship with the widow of Owen Hart. 

    \”I do plan to do the Owen Hart tournaments in 2023. I\’d like to continue my great relationship with Dr. Martha Hart and her family. Oje Hart recently attended the Jaguars-Broncos game at Wembley Stadium. I really like Oje, he\’s a tremendous guy, and Martha and the whole family, they\’re great. We loved having them in AEW and the Owen Hart tournament tradition will continue,\” Khan said.

    History

    \"Owen

    The finals of last year’s tournament took place at AEW Double or Nothing in May. 

    Britt Baker won the inaugural women\’s tournament when she defeated Danielle Kamela in a qualifying match, Maki Itoh in the first round, Toni Storm in the semifinals, and Ruby Soho in the finals. 

    On the flip side, Adam Cole won the inaugural men\’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament when he defeated Dax Harwood in the first round, Jeff Hardy in the semifinals, and Samoa Joe in the finals. 

    H/T to F4Wonline.com for the transcription

  • Toni Storm Makes an Argument for Stripping Thunder Rosa of AEW Women’s Title

    Toni Storm is looking for AEW President Tony Khan to make a decision regarding the World Women’s Title. 

    Current champion Thunder Rosa is out of action due to a back injury for the last few months. Originally, Rosa was slated to defend the title against Storm at All Out in September, but pulled out of the match due to the injury. 

    Storm won the interim AEW World Women\’s Champion in a 4-way bout. Since that time, she’s been successfully retaining the title against the likes of Hikaru Shida and Serena Deeb.

    Storm on Rosa

    \"Thunder

    In an interview with The Ringer, Storm called for Rosa to come to work to defend the title. However, Storm believes that Rosa should be stripped of her title if her injury lingers on for too long.

    “Personally, I think she should just come to work and defend her championship like she’s supposed to, like a champion should. But if the injury lingers too long, I believe she should probably be stripped. And then I should be the AEW undisputed Women’s World Champion like I was supposed to be at All Out. That’s verbatim. I think she should defend her title. I think all champions should defend that championship. That doesn’t just go for Thunder Rosa. That goes for everybody.”

    Storm is set to defend the interim title against Jamie Hayter this Saturday at the Full Gear pay-per-view.

  • Vice\’s Vince McMahon Documentary Premieres December 13

    There\’s a new Vince McMahon documentary in the works from Vice, the network that brought us three seasons of Dark Side of the Ring and Tales from the Territories.

    Wrestling fans won\’t have to wait long to see what\’s in store, because the doc is scheduled to premiere Tuesday, December 13 at 9 PM ET.

    Several wrestling pundits were interview for the project, including Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer.

    We\’ve already seen from Dark Side that Vice doesn\’t shy away from controversy. The McMahon doc will span his entire illustrious career, including his resignation from WWE this past summer related to his \’romantic improprieties\’ and mishandling of WWE expense reporting.

    McMahon resigned from his duties as Chairman and CEO of WWE amid the WWE Board investigating him for alleged sexual misconduct and hush money. WWE confirmed that from 2006 through 2022 (including amounts paid and payable in the future totaling $14.6 million) funds were not appropriately recorded as expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. 

    WWE identified two additional payments totaling $5.0 million, unrelated to the alleged misconduct by McMahon that led to the investigation. McMahon made in 2007 and 2009 that were not appropriately recorded as expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

    Vice is currently airing the first season of Tales from the Territories, a docu-series that reunites wrestlings legends to relive their most jaw-dropping stories from in and out of the ring.

    Episodes from the first season have focused on Memphis, the AWA, the CWF, Stu Hart\’s Stampede Wrestling, the Samoan wrestling dynasty and more.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQqWMYuwQ2s

  • Logan Paul\’s Recovery from Injuries Going \”Better Than Expected\”

    Jake Paul has provided an injury update on his brother Logan Paul following WWE Crown Jewel where Logan came up short when challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. 

    After the match on November 5, Logan posted to social media that he had a \”torn meniscus, MCL & potentially ACL.\” He also noted that the injuries occurred midway through the match. 

    During an interview with DAZN Boxing, Jake revealed the injuries that Logan is dealing with following Crown Jewel are not as bad as first thought. 

    The Good News

    \"Logan

    \”He\’s doing better than expected. They thought it was supposed to be ACL but it just turned out to be MCL and meniscus, which is better.\” He\’s rehabbing it in LA and hoping for the best.”

    Logan also noted on his Impaulsive YouTube show that he is interested in a potential match with John Cena at WrestleMania 39. He thinks he can break the internet again by doing this match and has already texted Triple H about it. 

    Cena hasn\’t wrestled at a premium live event since losing to Reigns at SummerSlam 2021 while focusing on his Hollywood career. 

    H/T to F4Wonline.com for the transcription

  • Young Bucks Abandon \’Wayward Sons\’ Trademark Application

    The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) have abandoned their trademark application for the name, The Wayward Sons.

    The Bucks applied for the name on November 3. The \’Goods and Services\’ usage description at the United States Patent and Trademark Office included \”entertainment services in the nature of wrestling contests\” along with a slew of merchandise offerings, such as shirts, hats, bandanas and more.

    Less than two weeks later, their application was rescinded on November 14. No specific reason has been for the abandonment, but it\’s likely they received word the application would not be approved due to conflicts with existing trademarks.

    The Young Bucks Returning

    \"\"

    The top tag team has been away from All Elite Wrestling since the events that transpired after September\’s AEW All Out pay-per-view.

    The Elite have been backstage at recent AEW Dynamite events, with the belief that they will be returning to television shortly. 

    In recent weeks, vignettes promoting the \”deletion\” of the Bucks and Omega have begun airing on AEW television. The Bucks and Omega have been added back to television commercials for Dynamite and Rampage, another indication that they are returning soon.