Category: AEW News

Mercedes Mone announced for RevPro High Stakes

Posted on by Ian Carey

Mercedes Mone is returning to RevPro.

The former TBS Champion has been announced for RevPro High Stakes on Saturday, March 21 at The Hangar in Wolverhampton, England.

It will be Mone’s first time wrestling for the promotion since she dropped the RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Championship to Alex Windsor on the December 17 episode of AEW Collision from Manchester.

The last time Mone wrestled for RevPro was three nights prior, when she successfully defended the title against Rhio at Uprising 2025 in Cardiff, Wales.

Mone has several international bookings scheduled for March. On March 6, she is scheduled to defend the CMLL World Women’s Championship at Arena Mexico as part of CMLL’s International Women’s Day event. She will then defend the BestYa Women’s Championship in Italy on March 8. Mone is also set to appear for Banger Zone Wrestling in Dreux, France on March 14. Following her RevPro appearance on March 21, she is booked for Winnipeg Pro Wrestling on March 31, the night before AEW presents Dynamite in the city.

Mone has not wrestled for AEW since New Year’s Smash on December 31. She later revealed that she was taking a sabbatical from the promotion.

New match announced for AEW Collision

Posted on by Ian Carey

A new match has been added to the lineup for tonight’s AEW Collision.

Jon Moxley, PAC, and Wheeler Yuta of the Death Riders will face Konosuke Takeshita, Mark Davis, and El Clon of the Don Callis Family in trios action.

Tony Khan announced the news on the afternoon of the show, writing:

“With Moxley’s AEW Continental Title Match vs Takeshita at #AEWRevolution official, Mox leads The Death Riders into war vs The Family, TONIGHT!”

Tonight’s edition of AEW Collision will air live from the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California. The venue is home to the San Diego Clippers of the NBA G League and opened in September 2024. According to WrestleTix, as of Saturday afternoon, 2,927 tickets have been distributed for the event.

The updated lineup is below.

AEW Collision lineup | February 21, 2026

  • JetSet Rodeo (Kevin Knight, Mike Bailey, and Adam Page) vs. The Demand (Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun) for the AEW World Trios titles
  • CMLL World Heavyweight Champion Claudio Castagnoli defends against Josh Alexander
  • Thunder Rosa vs. Julia Hart
  • Jon Moxley, PAC, and Wheeler Yuta vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Mark Davis, and El Clon

Thunder Rosa calls recent injury ‘dark,’ feared she’d never wrestle again

Posted on by Ian Carey

Thunder Rosa says she wasn’t sure if she would ever wrestle again.

Rosa is set to wrestle for the first time in eight months on Saturday’s AEW Collision at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California, where she will face Julia Hart. It will be her first match since competing in the Casino Gauntlet at AEW All In Texas on July 12, 2025. She also wrestled Athena in the main event of Supercard of Honor the night before.

“This is going to be the second time that I’ve been gone for a long period of time. I’ve been out for eight months,” Rosa said during a recent appearance on Off the Ropes.

“Physical therapy was key for me to come back and the way that I came back. And it was rough. And just the fact that I had to take smaller steps to even do simple things. It took me a while and it was very scary.”

“Everything that I’m doing, I’m doing to prove it to myself that I still got it, that I deserve this spot. But I get an opportunity again. Life gives me an opportunity again to do something that I’ve worked so hard for the last 12 years.”

While the nature of the injury that has kept Rosa out of action since July has not been publicly disclosed, Rosa said there were moments where she feared she might never be able to return to the ring.

“It’s important not to give up, especially during dark times, because this injury, believe me, Robin, it was dark. There were some moments that I was like, I’m probably never going to wrestle again.”

A clip of Rosa’s appearance on Off the Ropes is available below:

Report: Update on Charli Evans’ AEW status

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

29-year-old Australian Indie wrestler Charli Evans recently wrestled on ROH, shortly after which a report on her AEW status was out.

Following her recent match against Mina Shirakawa on ROH, rumors emerged about Evans possibly signing a deal with AEW. While rumors emerged about her possibly signing a deal, Fightful Select reported an update on her status. According to Fightful Select’s AEW sources, Evans has not signed to Tony Khan’s promotion, despite her appearance on ROH.

On February 14th, 2026, Evans wrestled Shirakawa in Sydney, Australia, on her ROH debut. Following a defeat, she again wrestled The Brawling Birds (Alex Windsor & Jamie Hayter) while teaming up with Kyla Knight at AEW House Rules Australia.

Actively wrestling across the Australian indie circuit, she has been a part of a total of 467 matches, as per Cagematch.

Britt Baker says she isn’t retired, no longer a full-time dentist due to ‘fans wanting to come kill me’

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: AEW

Former AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker hasn’t wrestled since November 2024, but in a quick-hit red carpet interview Friday, she said she isn’t done yet.

Baker was at a Sports Illustrated hosted event when she was directly asked if she was retired.

“I would not say I’m retired, no,” Baker said, adding “Yeah, maybe” when asked if she felt good enough to get back into wrestling.

She also revealed in the one minute interview that she is no longer doing full-time dentistry due to wrestling fans being “a little passionate, sometimes for their own good and for my own safety.”

“It got a little carried away sometimes with some scary wrestling fans wanting to come kill me because I’m a bad guy,” she said.

AEW head Tony Khan has been repeatedly asked about Baker’s status with one of his latest answers being, “I would expect to see Britt back in AEW. I just don’t want to say when.”

Despite not wrestling, Baker is still enjoying all the chatter around her and her potential return.

“I just love that the fans are still talking about me. Keep the chatter up because I love it. Stay tuned,” she said.

Update on Kenny Omega’s AEW Revolution status

Posted on by Joseph Currier

An appearance by Kenny Omega is still possible for AEW Revolution, but an agreement would need to be worked out for it to happen.

Omega is scheduled to be in Japan during the week of Revolution for Capcom Cup 2026, an annual “Street Fighter” video game tournament. There is a contractual commitment for Omega to be at the tournament, but Dave Meltzer reports that Omega is trying to reach an agreement where he could return to the United States in time for Revolution on Sunday, March 15.

“Regarding Kenny Omega, as noted two weeks ago, he is under contract to be at the Capcom event at Sumo Hall in Tokyo from 3/11 to 3/15. He is trying to make a deal where he can leave on 3/14 and be on the PPV, but as of right now he still has the commitment,” Meltzer wrote in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. “He said there is a possibility he can make the date but at this point he didn’t want to be in a position where he had to be on the show or where he would be teased or advertised in case he cant make it.”

Revolution is being held in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena. A match between Omega and Swerve Strickland would have made sense for the pay-per-view if Omega were able to wrestle at the show. Instead, they faced off on Dynamite this week with Strickland getting the win, laying out Omega, and turning heel.

The Revolution card is being headlined by MJF vs. Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship. On AEW programming recently, we’ve seen Omega attempt to get back into the World title picture. Another World title reign is something that he’s open to, but Omega believes that AEW should prioritize its future.

Deonna Purrazzo calls ROH inactivity ‘really upsetting’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Deonna Purrazzo says she is disappointed to not have defended her ROH Women’s Pure Championship yet.

Purrazzo defeated Billie Starkz to become the inaugural champion at ROH Final Battle 2025 on December 5, but has yet to defend the title. Her only match so far in 2026 has been a six-person tag at the January 31 Ring of Honor tapings at the Esports Stadium in Arlington.

During an interview with BCP+, Purrazzo was asked about her title reign thus far and responded:

“I think I’m a little disappointed to not have defended my championship yet. I am constantly trying to rack my brain of like what else can I do and what more can I do and how much more of myself can I give? And for that not to be reciprocated in any environment, not just in Ring of Honor, is really defeating for me.

A lot of my self-worth comes from my work and my body of work and being able to participate actively and feel like I’m making a difference in women’s wrestling.”

“I don’t know what else I can do to change that. So for me it was saying, okay, if I’m not going to get these opportunities here, I need to stay ready. I need to stay crisp for when they do come.”

On the January 22nd edition of ROH on HonorClub, a backstage segment with Purrazzo issuing an open challenge for her title aired. However, the segment has not been followed up on.

On February 10, Purrazzo posted to social media that she is accepting independent bookings.

Purrazzo continued:

“It’s really defeating. It’s really upsetting. But at the end of the day, this is a business and I have to continue to run my own, at whatever stakes that costs. For me and Steve, it’s being able to give back and doing all this advocacy work through Tunnel to Towers and through the New Jersey education systems. And now I need to do that in my wrestling life, and that’s taking independent bookings and staying busy and staying active.”

Purrazzo’s full interview is available below. The video is cued to her comments about her title reign thus far.

AEW Dynamite episode was rewritten due to injuries & illnesses

Posted on by Josh Nason

Parts of Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite from Sacramento, California, had to be rewritten due to the medical fallout from last weekend’s trip to Australia and apparently the week before.

On the post-Dynamite edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said he was told that information in the afternoon while also noting Swerve Strickland vs. Kenny Omega and the four-way TBS title match were not affected.

“…There was a lot of illnesses, both people from Australia, and there were some injuries, too. There was a lot of illnesses from people, some in Australia, but a lot who didn’t go. So, the feeling was that it may have been somebody sick last Wednesday (at Dynamite) and a lot of people got it,” he said, adding it was a skeleton crew for last night’s show in a lot of ways.

He said The Beast Mortos specifically wasn’t originally scheduled to be there, but then took on Kevin Knight in a singles match. Meltzer didn’t have any of the specific names or angles affected.

AEW’s next live show is this Saturday for Collision in Oceanside, California. Other than an MJF/Hangman Page segment for next Wednesday’s Dynamite, nothing else was announced.

Mark Henry: AEW and Tony Khan do ‘a good job with culture’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Mark Henry believes AEW and Tony Khan do a good job acknowledging the wider wrestling culture.

On Dynamite last night, AEW took a moment to acknowledge former WWE director Kerwin Silfies, who passed away at 75 years old this week. Silfies played an important role in shaping the look of WWE programming dating back to the mid-1980s. He was never employed by AEW, but Tony Schiavone and Bryan Danielson shared their memories of working with Silfies in WWE during a brief tribute.

Bully Ray and Henry both commended AEW for the moment on Busted Open Radio this morning.

“Great job by AEW to acknowledge that, and I wanted to acknowledge that on the show today,” Bully Ray said.

“You know, AEW does a good job with culture,” Henry added. “With feelings, with things that matter to the family, that matter to the race, the sexuality, they do a good job with that. And acknowledgment of people that meant something to pro wrestling, Tony does a great job. You can’t argue with none of that.”

Henry, a WWE Hall of Famer, was signed to AEW from 2021-2024 as a coach and on-screen personality. He is now back under a Legends deal with WWE, and Henry’s son Jacob is part of WWE’s NIL program.

On social media yesterday, Paul “Triple H” Levesque shared a tribute to Silfies and expressed how much of an impact he made on WWE.

“Today, the @WWE family lost one of our beloved members. Kerwin Silfies was a huge part of the company’s programming since the mid-1980s,” Levesque wrote. “Over his 35+ year tenure with WWE production, he directed countless episodes of Raw and Smackdown, PLEs, and of course WrestleMania. With a dry wit and an unmatched passion for his work and his coworkers, Kerwin affected hundreds of employees and millions of fans. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.”

Josh Mathews has ‘fallen in love with wrestling again’ in AEW

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Since joining AEW last year, Josh Mathews has fallen in love with wrestling again.

Mathews, a former commentator for WWE and TNA Wrestling, now works for AEW as a line producer. Production is a role that Mathews first transitioned to during his final years with TNA, but he feels like he’s been learning the job through osmosis even dating back to his WWE career. It’s a side of the business that Mathews really enjoys.

On AEW Unrestricted, Mathews noted that he’s been trying to get into AEW ever since the promotion was founded. He ended up eventually departing TNA in 2025 following a change in management. After that, he reached out to AEW producer Sonjay Dutt and production head Michael Mansury, who he already had connections with through working together in TNA and WWE.

“I mean, honestly, since the inception of the company, I have been trying to work for AEW,” Mathews said. “I used to bug a certain EVP all the time about getting a job there and coming over. And when things were first kind of starting, I mean, if we’re just letting the cat out of the bag completely, you know, I was with another company, obviously, and then Sonjay Dutt went over. So I was bothering him about it all the time, like, ‘What is it going to be? Like, what is it about? What have you heard? What’s going on?’…

“With the change of management and ownership [at TNA], things didn’t work out. And I called Mike Mansury and called Sonjay again. And a year later, here we are. And I’m on this podcast with you guys. And it’s been great.”

Mathews is a long-time wrestling fan, and he’s happy to have reconnected with that part of himself now that he’s with AEW. He feels like everyone in AEW genuinely cares about each other. It doesn’t matter who comes up with an idea, all that matters is that the idea is good.

“Being here for the last year, and I’ve told this to Tony Khan, I have fallen in love with wrestling again,” Mathews said. “AEW has done that for me. And I loved wrestling as a kid. It was my favorite thing. It’s all I ever wanted to do. I think my story has been told pretty well over the years. But being here and seeing the passion, the dedication, the teamwork. You and I were talking before we started this about how in Australia you guys were over there and it all just comes together magically. And it isn’t for a lack of an incredible team being built by some amazing people.”

Mathews feels like he’s back in the major leagues for the first time since his WWE career ended, though he stressed that he does not mean that as an insult toward TNA. In AEW, his role has him on the headset in the production truck making sure that everything goes smoothly.

Madison Rayne, Mathews’ wife, also works for AEW as a coach for the women’s division.

WOR: Rousey/Carano, Swerve/Omega, Chris Jericho’s contract

Posted on by Garrett Gonzales

Dave Meltzer and I are back with the post-AEW Dynamite edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.

We reviewed AEW Dynamite with a fantastic Kenny Omega vs. Swerve Strickland main event. We also talked about the following:

  • Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano on Netflix
  • The passing of Kerwin Silfies and Brett Wolverton
  • Chris Jericho’s contract
  • WWE & AEW ratings
  • NXT

Click here to listen (sub needed) or watch on YouTube

Number one contender match set for Mercedes Mone’s CMLL Women’s title

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Currently reigning over 245-days as the CMLL Women’s Champion, Mercedes Mone is now all set to defend her title at CMLL Women’s Day Show.

In the Wednesday, February 18, 2026, edition of CMLL Informa, it was announced that Olympia & Persephone are scheduled to team up and face the duo Tessa Blanchard & Zeuxis on February 24. The members of the winning team will go on to face each other in a singles match on February 27, 2026.

The winner of that singles match will proceed to challenge Mone for the CMLL World Women’s Championship on March 6 during the CMLL Women’s Day show.

Next month’s show will be Mone’s first CMLL show since October 2025, where she had picked up a victory over Persephone. Mone defeated Zeuxis at AEW Grand Slam Mexico last year and has held the title since then.

Despite taking time away from AEW, Mone is scheduled for several other independent title defenses throughout the month of March.

CMLL Women’s Day Show lineup | March 6th, 2026 | Mexico City

  • Maika vs. Dark Silueta
  • Megabad (Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford) vs. TBA
  • Mercedes Mone vs. TBA (Persephone, Olympia, Tessa Blanchard, and Zeuxis) for the CMLL World Women’s Championship

Kenny Omega laid out by Swerve Strickland, new report on status for AEW Revolution

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: AEW

In their first-ever match, Swerve Strickland defeated Kenny Omega in the main event of Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, possibly turning heel in the process.

After the match, Strickland continued to go after Omega, hanging him with a chain and then delivering a vertebreaker through the announcers table to seemingly write Omega off.

That absence will apparently last through March 15’s Revolution pay-per-view in terms of an in-ring match. Shortly after Dynamite ended, Fightful Select definitively reported that Omega will not compete on the PPV, adding that an appearance isn’t out of the question. That was the impetus for doing the Strickland match Wednesday.

Two weeks ago, it was noted by our Dave Meltzer that Omega was set to be in Japan during the week of Revolution to be part of the Capcom Cup 12 event. However, it was unclear at that point if Omega would be freed up to wrestle on the Sunday PPV.

Current AEW Revolution card | Sunday, March 15 | Los Angeles

  • AEW World Champion MJF defends against Hangman Page with stipulations to come
  • AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) defend against The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
  • AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley defends against Konosuke Takeshita with no time limit

Thunder Rosa in-ring return, two title matches set for AEW Collision

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa returned to AEW on the February 18, 2026, episode of Dynamite and is already booked for her comeback match.

Rosa returned during a backstage segment on Dynamite alongside Kris Statlander. Rosa, 39, was last seen competing at All In Texas. Announcing herself cleared for in-ring action, she set her sights on the current Women’s World Champion, Thekla.

After a span of over six months, Rosa will now compete against Julia Hart on the February 21 episode of AEW Collision. This will be her first match since July 2025.

The rest of the card will include two other title matches. Claudio Castagnoli will defend his CMLL World Heavyweight title against Josh Alexander. While Jetset Rodeo (Kevin Knight, ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey, and Adam Page) will defend their AEW World Trios belts against The Demand (Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun).

AEW Collision lineup | February 21, 2026

The February 21 Collision is set to take place at Frontwave Arena near San Diego, California.

  • Jetset Rodeo (Kevin Knight, ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey, and Adam Page) vs. The Demand (Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun) for the AEW World Trios titles
  • Claudio Castagnoli vs. Josh Alexander for the CMLL World Heavyweight title
  • Thunder Rosa vs. Julia Hart

No time limit Continental title defense made for AEW Revolution

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: AEW

AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley will defend his title against Konosuke Takeshita at next month’s Revolution pay-per-view, but with no time limit.

During Wednesday’s Dynamite, Moxley called for a rematch with the twist which was later agreed to off-screen.

Moxley and Takeshita went to a time limit draw at this past Saturday’s Grand Slam Australia in their fifth-ever meeting and a rematch from last December’s Continental Classic tournament where Takeshita pinned Moxley for the first time.

It was Moxley’s first title defense since winning last year’s Classic. Takeshita is looking for his first AEW singles title since his 148-day International title run ended in March 2025.

Current AEW Revolution card | Sunday, March 15 | Los Angeles

  • AEW World Champion MJF defends against Hangman Page with stipulations to come
  • AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) defend against The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
  • AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley defends against Konosuke Takeshita with no time limit