Tag: AEW News

Mick Foley, Britt Baker visit AEW colleague Rebel amid ALS battle

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Amid her battle with ALS, Rebel (Tanea Brooks) got to spend time with a couple of visitors on Friday.

New AEW signee Mick Foley shared a photo to social media saying he was having the “best” time spending the day with Rebel and Britt Baker. All three were wearing the “Rebel Heart” bracelets that AEW recently released to raise money for ALS support organizations.

“REBEL HEART!,” Foley wrote. “Having the BEST day, visiting with @rebeltanea & @realbrittbaker – who are FORCING me to watch [Love Island]….which I’m kind of addicted to now!”

Rebel announced this week that she has joined the group I Am ALS as an ambassador. It’s a patient-led organization that is looking to accelerate a cure for the fatal disease by “mobilizing collective power to drive urgent policy and systems change.”

The profits raised from AEW’s “Rebel Heart” bracelet and T-shirt sales will be donated to I Am ALS and Team Gleason, another charity that helps support those suffering from the progressive neurodegenerative disease.

The 47-year-old Rebel announced her ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) diagnosis last month after going through a long period where she was having serious health problems but doctors could not fully figure out what was wrong. She is best known to AEW fans through the partnership she once had with Baker on screen.

Baker has been off AEW television since late 2024 with no official explanation. Tony Khan has left the door open for her to return when asked about her status in media interviews, but there have not been any developments despite his comments.

The legendary Foley debuted for AEW as a broadcaster at Double or Nothing 2026 and could end up getting into the ring eventually for one final match.

Daily Update: Big E, LA Knight, Beyond Wrestling

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • The most detailed look at the sale of New Japan, what happened, the glory days that Bushiroad built and why it came down and what led to the sale.
  • Business realities of Japanese wrestling today.
  • The reason for the surprising low sale price.
  • The shareholders lawsuit against Vince McMahon and the WWE Board of Directors is getting near. Judge Travis Laster orders sanctions against Nick Khan and Vince McMahon for destruction of evidence. Laster makes a ruling, and we look at it in detail, on how this changes the trial and the exact details of the destruction of evidence including when McMahon and company knew not to do it and ignored their own lawyers. Also we look at problems with the case.
  • AEW Double of Nothing coverage. Business notes, historical biggest gates in U.S. pro wrestling, three-time world champions by 30, how the PPV did, poll results, Mick Foley and more.
  • Did Ronda Rousey set a viewing audience record for MMA, plus coverage of Rousey vs. Carano, how everything goes forward, can things be sustained, can she fight, will she fight, her thoughts on AEW.
  • Scott Coker returns to MMA with a new promotion.
  • Marcel Barthel (Ludwig Kaiser) arrested.
  • A look at the career of Jerry Grey.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the TV shows over the past two weeks.
  • Mistico injury update.
  • How CMLL is doing this year compared to last year.
  • Natalia Jiminez and J Balvin appear and are part of CMLL shows.
  • Wrestlers vs. media soccer game.
  • Grande vs. Grande match looked at.
  • Major return to Stardom.
  • Champion Carnival finals.
  • NOAH tag team tournament.
  • New Japan Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
  • Hana Kimura tribute show.
  • Phil Hickerson passes away.
  • WCW announcer is the final anchor as CBS News Radio closes its doors after 99 years.
  • Death of the Laguna version of Piloto Suicida.
  • Junior Hodge Trophy winner.
  • Advance ticket sales for all major events in AEW, WWE, TNA and other indies.
  • Pro wrestler/fighter on the Rousey-Carano undercard.
  • WWE stars purchase promotion.
  • Tony Khan media appearances.
  • More thoughts on how Paramount/Skydance can affect AEW.
  • What can affect the time slot of Collision in 2027.
  • What’s next for AEW.
  • AEW star to return in the fall.
  • Latest Zuffa myths regarding Trump and UFC.
  • UFC fighter pay comes up again

This Week’s Back Issue

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Thursday Update

Big E WWE

WWE

  • Big E will be delivering a TEDx Talk in Davenport, Iowa on August 12:
    • Excited to announce that I’ll be delivering a @tedx_official talk in Davenport, IA, on August 12 at @thelastpichouse!
    • ‘How I Got Over’
    • Sharing my struggles with major depressive disorder and psychosis, and my eventual healing through medication, hospitalization, ECTs, talk therapy, and mindfulness/meditation.
  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, LA Knight shared that – during his brief time as Max Dupri – Vince McMahon would always tell him that he needed to speak softer:
    • Vince told me before, ‘You gotta talk soft, I don’t want you to say or do any of the things that you used to do, none of that, whatever.’ If I’m honest though, he wasn’t familiar with any of it. He didn’t know LA Knight. I think he was told a little bit…
    • That first day of introducing the Models and we’re doing the little rehearsal thing talk-through. And he comes down and he’s like, ‘I need you to talk softer.’ And I’m like, okay, well, I’m thinking like, you had me talking soft in the backstage, but like now I’m doing a presentation. I need to be a little bigger, right? To present to the people. But it’s his show. Sure. And he goes, ‘Just read me a line from there as softly as you can.’ He’s like, ‘I don’t think you can be effeminate, but try and be effeminate without being effeminate.’ What?
  • Knight said the initial impression he was given for the Dupri character was that he would take a similar trajectory to Roddy Piper in WWE, starting out as a manager before wrestling full time:
    • The bill of goods that was sold to me there was that I was going to be kind of a Roddy Piper. In the sense of when Roddy first came in, he was like a manager, a mouthpiece that then sometimes wrestled, and then eventually just became a full-time wrestler. That was kind of how it was painted to me.
    • There were some other details in there that made me think like, ‘Okay, this could be okay.’ Then it started going in directions where I was like, this is going to be awful. This is going to be pigeon-holed. We’re stuck. We’re never going to get above a certain trajectory.
  • Becky Lynch discussed her friendship with Je’Von Evans:
    • We’ve got Je’Von Evans who’s 21. He’s younger than my wrestling career. He calls me ‘mom,’ because I’m old enough to be his mom. But then I’m so proud of him. I’m like, ‘Oh son, look at you, look at you out there main eventing Elimination Chamber.’ And I just think he’s the coolest. I think he’s so awesome. Like the confidence that he has and the ability that he has and his promo, everything. I’m like, this kid’s a star.
  • Nattie praised Undertaker and Jeremy Borash for the work they’re doing behind the scenes in Lucha Libre AAA:
    • I will say that Taker and Jeremy Borash – Jeremy Borash, he works alongside Taker at AAA. A lot of people know JB as being somebody that puts together the most amazing video packages in WWE. He puts together, if you see some of the best video packages in the company, usually JB is behind a lot of them.
    • And so to see what Taker, who by the way – Taker is not known for being a luchador. When you see what Undertaker has built in just the last six months of booking at AAA alongside Jeremy Borash and, of course, the people that had been in place in Triple A that work with them. Taker is very, very collaborative.
    • I’m just blown away. Like, I think that Taker has really stepped into this new role and he is proving why his influence past the ring may be one of his greatest accomplishments.
  • WWE Hall of Famer Typhoon (Fred Ottman), who is still working through the rehab process after spending approximately a month in the hospital earlier this year when his gallbladder “exploded,” is getting ready to head back on the road for signings. His first booking is in North Carolina on July 25.
  • Sol Ruca was the guest on No-Contest Wrestling this week.
  • WWE Vault uploaded an Ultimate Warrior & Strikeforce vs. Demolition & Mr. Fuji match from the Boston Garden in 1988.

Other Wrestling

  • Rebel thanked The Young Bucks – and Matt Jackson’s wife Dana Massie – for donating their YouTube live stream proceeds from last night to her ALS fundraiser:
    • BIG thank you to you guys and Dana. My heart is filled and I am truly grateful for your prayers
  • On the stream, Matt Jackson responded to someone who said they’d like to see The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) back in AEW:
    • I would love to do that, trust me. I may have tried to do that recently. They’re killing it right now. They’re so busy on the indies
  • Though MJF is unable to appear due to injury, Wheeler Yuta and Lio Rush have been added to Beyond Wrestling’s show in Cranston, Rhode Island this Friday night.
  • Indie promotion F1RST Wrestling will hold its annual Mall of America event on July 31 in Bloomington, Minnesota.
  • Uncrowned FIlms put together a 13-minute video on Brodie Lee Jr.’s debut at Spring Break.
  • Jonathan Gresham shared his thoughts ahead of competing in GCW’s Tournament of Survival this weekend:
    • If you had told me years ago that I’d willingly enter a deathmatch tournament, I probably would have laughed. But after returning to the ring, something changed. I felt blessed simply to be here again. Blessed to compete. Blessed to learn. Blessed to experience this life through professional wrestling.
    • That feeling opened a door in my mind.
    • I no longer want to see only one side of this art form—I want to experience all of it. Every style. Every challenge. Every lesson hidden behind a different set of ropes. Professional wrestling is a vast world, and I want to walk every path it offers.
    • So this is my next step.
    • Deathmatch wrestling.
    • I look forward to testing myself, embracing the unknown, and carrying the spirit of pure wrestling and MAG with me into an environment where it rarely exists. Different roads. Different philosophies. Same pursuit of growth.
    • As always, I am a student of the game.
    • And this weekend, the classroom just happens to be a tournament of survival.
    • With the fire and spirit of the originals, I am the foundation.

Young Bucks donate live stream proceeds to Rebel’s ALS fundraiser

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The Young Bucks showed support for their AEW colleague Rebel on Wednesday by donating $3,000 to her ALS fundraiser.

Amid her battle with ALS, Rebel (Tanea Brooks) announced this week that she has joined the organization I Am ALS as an ambassador. AEW has also launched a “Rebel Heart” fundraiser, releasing T-shirts and bracelets where all of the proceeds will be donated to I Am ALS and the Team Gleason ALS charity.

Matt & Nick Jackson did a YouTube live stream last night and decided to redirect the donations they received to a good cause. Fans in the chat suggested they support Rebel’s I Am ALS efforts, which The Young Bucks thought was a great idea. Near the end of the 47-minute broadcast, they said they had just reached the $3,000 mark.

“This is really cool. This turned into a really positive thing, a good cause. If you have donated, thank you so much. Thank you so much. We just hit $3k with that,” Matt Jackson said.

“Thank you for everything, y’all. We love you all. And, again, 100 percent of this is going to you, Rebel. We love you, we’re thinking about you, and we’re praying for you.”

Rebel has gone through a terrible health ordeal where, after a long period where doctors could not figure out exactly what was wrong, she’s been diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). It’s a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is fatal and currently has no cure.

At the post-show press conference for Double or Nothing 2026, Tony Khan mentioned the possibility of having AEW’s next Fight for the Fallen be a charity show to help support ALS research and those affected by the disease.

AEW World Champion MJF pulled from indie show due to injury

Posted on by Joseph Currier

AEW World Champion MJF will no longer be making his scheduled appearance for Beyond Wrestling this Friday night.

It was supposed to be MJF vs. Bobby Orlando at the indie promotion’s event in Cranston, Rhode Island on June 5. However, Beyond sent out an announcement this morning saying MJF suffered a hyperextended knee on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite and won’t be able to travel or compete in time for the show.

“Unfortunately @The_MJF hyperextended his knee during his match last night & is not medically cleared to travel or compete,” Beyond wrote. “He will not be in Cranston tomorrow night but assured me he will wrestle for Beyond Wrestling as soon as his schedule allows. We wish him a speedy recovery.”

To prove himself as a traveling champion, MJF started to take more indie bookings during his second reign with the AEW World title. He is now on his third reign after regaining the belt from Darby Allin — and this Beyond show was likely going to be MJF’s last indie booking in the United States for an “extraordinarily long time.” He still plans on making up the date despite that.

MJF retained over Rush on AEW Dynamite —

There is no word on the severity of MJF’s knee hyperextension or if he’ll be missing any shows past this one. On Dynamite last night, he defeated Rush to retain the AEW World Championship. The show also furthered the build to an upcoming title bout between MJF and Mark Briscoe.

Daily Update: Nick Khan, AEW-Australia, Mick Foley

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • The most detailed look at the sale of New Japan, what happened, the glory days that Bushiroad built and why it came down and what led to the sale.
  • Business realities of Japanese wrestling today.
  • The reason for the surprising low sale price.
  • The shareholders lawsuit against Vince McMahon and the WWE Board of Directors is getting near. Judge Travis Laster orders sanctions against Nick Khan and Vince McMahon for destruction of evidence. Laster makes a ruling, and we look at it in detail, on how this changes the trial and the exact details of the destruction of evidence including when McMahon and company knew not to do it and ignored their own lawyers. Also we look at problems with the case.
  • AEW Double of Nothing coverage. Business notes, historical biggest gates in U.S. pro wrestling, three-time world champions by 30, how the PPV did, poll results, Mick Foley and more.
  • Did Ronda Rousey set a viewing audience record for MMA, plus coverage of Rousey vs. Carano, how everything goes forward, can things be sustained, can she fight, will she fight, her thoughts on AEW.
  • Scott Coker returns to MMA with a new promotion.
  • Marcel Barthel (Ludwig Kaiser) arrested.
  • A look at the career of Jerry Grey.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the TV shows over the past two weeks.
  • Mistico injury update.
  • How CMLL is doing this year compared to last year.
  • Natalia Jiminez and J Balvin appear and are part of CMLL shows.
  • Wrestlers vs. media soccer game.
  • Grande vs. Grande match looked at.
  • Major return to Stardom.
  • Champion Carnival finals.
  • NOAH tag team tournament.
  • New Japan Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
  • Hana Kimura tribute show.
  • Phil Hickerson passes away.
  • WCW announcer is the final anchor as CBS News Radio closes its doors after 99 years.
  • Death of the Laguna version of Piloto Suicida.
  • Junior Hodge Trophy winner.
  • Advance ticket sales for all major events in AEW, WWE, TNA and other indies.
  • Pro wrestler/fighter on the Rousey-Carano undercard.
  • WWE stars purchase promotion.
  • Tony Khan media appearances.
  • More thoughts on how Paramount/Skydance can affect AEW.
  • What can affect the time slot of Collision in 2027.
  • What’s next for AEW.
  • AEW star to return in the fall.
  • Latest Zuffa myths regarding Trump and UFC.
  • UFC fighter pay comes up again

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE Logo
Official World Wrestling Entertainment logo. (Image credit: WWE)

WWE

  • During his appearance at SBJ On Stage (filmed in April but made available this week), Nick Khan was asked how WWE preserves the fan experience while ticket prices are higher than ever:
    • So here’s the challenge, and I’ll tell you a mistake we made with Canelo-Crawford [boxing match]… we wanted to make sure the upper bowl was priced family friendly. As soon as we put them on sale, the upper bowl was sold out in three minutes. It wasn’t sold out to families. It was sold out to third-party ticket brokers. So we priced it, I think, the cheapest seats at $35. A day later on the third-party broker websites, they were $75 selling. So the marketplace dictates the ticket price.
  • WWE uploaded the full Tony D’Angelo vs. Kam Hendrix NXT Championship match from last night.
  • Cody Rhodes had Brian Koppelman, co-creator of the Showtime series “Billions,” as the guest on his “What Do You Wanna Talk About?” podcast this week.
  • Asuka shared a vlog introducing fans to her new dog named Big Body Boss.
  • AJ Lee made an appearance on The Match-Up from iHeart Women’s Sports.

Other Wrestling

  • Tony Khan told Wide World of Sports that Australia remains an important market for AEW:
    • I absolutely want to come back to Australia. We’ve had incredible events with the fans in both Sydney and Brisbane. I think we’ve built a great audience, our wrestlers are so popular and some of the top stars in AEW are actually from Australia.
    • Given what a great wrestling country it is and how many awesome stars we have in AEW from there, I think we’ve got something really special.
  • While appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Mick Foley was asked if he’s thought about telling Darby Allin that he does not need to take all of the risks he’s taking in the ring:
    • Yes, I will have that conversation. I didn’t think the time to have the conversation was hours before his biggest match [at Double or Nothing]. I’ve been told that people have had that conversation with him. And he says, ‘Everybody does the best stuff on the pay-per-views. I owe it to my fans to do it on every televised event. So, I’ll try to talk with Darby. I didn’t know until about six weeks ago that I was an inspiration in his career…
    • But I will have that talk with him and try to find out, like, it’s got to be another gear where you can allude to the things, give people 80 percent of what you usually do, knowing that the vast majority of his fans will be thankful for what he gives them and they will understand that they might have to wait until a special event to get the 100 percent Derby. I understand many a man has tried and failed, but I’ll give him the best advice I possibly can.
  • Kevin Knight tweeted ahead of his TNT title defense against “Speedball” Mike Bailey on Dynamite:
    • This was never about you Speedball. You and the rest of the sickos don’t understand…So forgive me for what I’m about to do to you tonight. #AewDynamite
  • To promote tonight’s show, Tony Schiavone was interviewed on Virginia This Morning.
  • 101.9 Kiss FM also had Schiavone on as a guest.
  • FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) has been announced for Appalachian Mountain Wrestling’s Super Bowl of Wrestling show in Corbin, Kentucky on August 22.
  • WWE’s Adam Pearce showed his support for Rebel (Tanea Brooks) by sharing the link for her I Am ALS fundraiser.
  • Kerry Morton challenging Thrillbilly Silas Mason for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is official for NWA Hard Times 6 in Atlanta this Saturday. The show is being filmed for future episodes of NWA Power.
  • Stardom wrestlers Saya Kamitani and RINA will be doing meet and greets at MLW’s events in New York City and Philadelphia on June 11-13
  • Eddie Edwards spoke with Scottish Wrestling Network.

Mick Foley feels WWE has lost a ‘little bit of magic’ with corporate ownership

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Since being acquired by Endeavor and put under the TKO umbrella, Mick Foley feels WWE has lost some of the magic it once had.

Foley appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show yesterday to discuss the news that he has signed with AEW. Though Foley loves WWE and is not going to disparage them, Foley said one thing that stands out between the two companies is the feeling of love that goes into the AEW product due to it not having corporate ownership. Foley said he once took a break from watching wrestling for a couple of years and, when he came back, gravitated more toward the AEW product than what was happening in WWE.

As a huge theme park fan, Foley said he’s seen some establishments go from being family run to corporately owned. The parks might get more money put into them and some nicer rides when that happens, but the feeling of magic that once existed is reduced. Foley believes the same is true for WWE.

“What I feel from watching the two shows is that AEW has that little bit of magic, and WWE has kind of lost it,” he said. “I think when you’re part of a corporation, and the bottom line is everything, you take away from your midcard by making it clear that what you’re selling is more important than the product in the ring.”

Foley said younger fans will often come up to him and want to talk about his matches, even though they weren’t even born when the bouts happened. He wonders if older WWE matches resonate more with fans because the broadcast was more focused on what was going on in the ring instead of treating matches as a means to an end.

“Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler were locked in on the matches. There weren’t so many things they had to go to that would take people out of that suspension of disbelief,” Foley said. “That’s just a theory on my part, but I think 10-20 years down the line, the matches that JR called, whether it was with The King or whether it was with Jim Cornette in WCW, they’ll stand the test of time, I think, better than the current matches in WWE because it seems like the matches are a means to an end instead of something to be enjoyed for themselves.

“So I just feel like at this point, AEW has — the personal ownership shows, and a love and a feeling of magic, that I don’t think the corporate ownership of WWE displays nearly as well.”

Mick Foley’s AEW role —

The 60-year-old Foley made the decision not to renew his WWE Legends contract due to the “close relationship” he feels the company has with President Donald Trump. In AEW, Foley is open to a variety of roles including broadcasting and helping to promote the product through media appearances. He could see himself becoming a manager and isn’t even ruling out the idea of getting back into the ring for one more match.

The midcard scene is one area where Foley believes AEW really thrives, and he thinks he could help out some of those wrestlers if he served as their manager.

AEW launches ‘Rebel Heart’ fundraiser to help those affected by ALS

Posted on by Joseph Currier

AEW is showing its support for Rebel (Tanea Brooks) by launching a fundraiser to help those affected by ALS.

Amid a long health battle where doctors spent a long time unable to fully figure out what was wrong, Rebel announced this April that she has been diagnosed with ALS — a fatal neurodegenerative disease that has no cure. Organizations are working to hopefully change that in the future, and Rebel announced today that she’s joined the patient-led group I Am ALS as an ambassador. AEW has also started a “Rebel Heart” fundraiser to benefit I Am ALS and the Team Gleason ALS charity.

“Rebel Heart” T-shirts and bracelets are now available to purchase on Shop AEW, priced at $32 and $10. All of the profits will be donated to the two organizations AEW has partnered with.

Along with this fundraiser, Tony Khan has brought up the possibility of making AEW’s next Fight for the Fallen an event to benefit ALS research and help those suffering from the disease.

The 47-year-old Rebel has been with AEW since the promotion’s inaugural year and is best known to fans through the on-screen pairing she had with Britt Baker.

Today (June 2) is Lou Gehrig Day, which Major League Baseball celebrates every year to honor the New York Yankees legend and push toward a cure for ALS. The disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) became commonly known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease” after Gehrig died in 1941 at 37 years old.

Mick Foley open to possibility of having AEW match

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Mick Foley isn’t closing the door on the idea of having one last match, but it would have to be the perfect scenario where all of the stars align.

The 60-year-old Foley appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show today to discuss the news that he has signed with AEW. He debuted as a broadcaster at Double or Nothing and views himself as a “Swiss army knife” who can help in a variety of ways. Foley could see himself as a manager — and he has even thought about the possibility of wrestling one more time.

“It’s definitely crossed my mind. You know, the cinematic matches have opened up the door for guys whose cardio may be suspect,” he joked. “But I’ll tell you what, this loss of 100 pounds has made my life so much easier. Like, I used to have to stop a couple times just walking up a moderate hill. And now I don’t even realize I’m walking up hills when I do them because I’m not really getting winded, not like I used to.

“I don’t know. I think that clearly if I had a match, it would have to be a match that would avoid trauma to the head. Luckily, there’s a whole lot of me to traumatize below the neck. So I think I have one last good match in me. I just believe — all the stars would have to align. All the stars would have to align. It would have to make sense.”

Along with losing 100 pounds, Foley has undergone hip and knee replacements that have greatly improved his quality of life. He does not want to do anything that would risk that. If he does wrestle again, he would need to come up with enough moves to have a good match without putting his health in too much jeopardy.

“If I can come up with enough of those type of moves that allow me to risk a little bit less while still giving fans a good match, and if I feel like I’m up to it, then maybe a couple of years down the road we will look into that,” Foley said. “Stranger things have happened.”

Mick Foley’s previous comeback attempt —

Back in 2024, Foley started the process of coming out of retirement for one last match in celebration of his 60th birthday in 2025. But he suffered a concussion while doing light training and quickly called off those plans.

AEW World Champion MJF was in strong consideration to be Foley’s opponent when he was planning that comeback. At Double or Nothing, while hosting the pre-show, there was an angle where Foley took a low blow from MJF. That would make sense as the matchup if Foley does wrestle for AEW, though his comments on The Ariel Helwani Show made it seem like an in-ring return is more of a possibility down the line rather than something that is particularly imminent.

Tony Khan has said that, if Foley does feel physically up to wrestling, he would love for Foley’s last match to be in AEW.

AEW reveals date for Grand Slam Mexico 2026

Posted on by Joseph Currier

AEW is officially heading back to Mexico City this summer for a special episode of Dynamite.

It was confirmed today that AEW Grand Slam Mexico 2026 will take place live from Arena Mexico on Wednesday, August 5. The announcement was made by Fox Sports MX, which is airing the event in Mexico. The show will be broadcast in the United States on TBS and HBO Max.

Tickets are going on sale this Saturday (June 6) at 10 a.m. Central time. AEW World Champion MJF, Andrade El Idolo, Thunder Rosa, and Bandido are featured on AEW’s advertising graphic for the show, along with dual-contracted AEW/CMLL stars Mistico and Mascara Dorada.

AEW and CMLL have become close partners, and this will be the second year Arena Mexico — CMLL’s home venue in Mexico City — has played host to AEW action. The inaugural Grand Slam Mexico was held in June 2025 and performed very well in the television ratings.

Upcoming AEW calendar —

On the AEW calendar, Grand Slam Mexico is happening not long after the company’s July 26 Redemption pay-per-view that’s being held in Montreal. AEW will then be in Detroit for Dynamite and Collision on July 29-30 before heading to Mexico the following Wednesday.

A trip to the United Kingdom is scheduled for late August with Wembley Stadium hosting All In on August 30.

Before all of this, AEW has Forbidden Door set for San Jose, California on June 28. That PPV is being presented in partnership with NJPW, CMLL, and Stardom.

Mistico returning from injury, AEW names set for CMLL Arena Mexico card

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Mistico is officially set to make his in-ring return this Friday night.

After spending a couple of weeks on the sidelines due to a knee injury, Mistico said he hoped to make his CMLL return on the June 5 Arena Mexico card. That has now been confirmed with CMLL announcing that Mistico, Mascara Dorada & Neon vs. Zandokan Jr., Difunto & Furia Roja will headline Friday’s show.

The injury Mistico suffered happened during a May 17 trios match, and he appeared on CMLL’s Informa talk show last week with his knee in a brace. Mistico said he’s been doing physical therapy twice a day so he can return on June 5. It was noted during the appearance that Mistico has pending dates for both AEW and NJPW coming up. He is under a dual contract with CMLL/AEW and competes for NJPW through the partnership these promotions have. In NJPW, Mistico currently holds the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles with El Desperado.

CMLL’s June 5 Arena Mexico card —

Friday’s CMLL show also has matches with AEW wrestlers Komander, Sammy Guevara, and Beast Mortos scheduled. Komander will be in singles action against Soberano Jr., while ROH Tag Team Champions Guevara & Mortis will team with Black Tiger (the former Magnus) against Barbaro Cavernaro, Villano III Jr., & El Hijo del Villano III.

Here is the full lineup:

  • Mistico, Mascara Dorada & Neon vs. Zandokan Jr., Difunto & Furia Roja
  • Soberano Jr. vs. Komander
  • Barbaro Cavernaro, Villano III Jr. & El Hijo del Villano III vs. Sammy Guevara, The Beast Mortos & Magnus
  • Lluvia, Garra Negra & Kira vs. Lady Frost, Dark Silueta & Keyra
  • Brillante Jr., Diamond & Oro Jr. vs. Polvora, El Coyote & Vaquero Jr.
  • Rey Cometa & Espiritu Negro vs. Infarto & Cerebro Negro Jr.

Mick Foley praises AEW boss Tony Khan, bids farewell to WWE

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Mick Foley is excited to join an environment in AEW where everyone is encouraged to take risks and swing for the fences.

In a video posted to his social media accounts on Monday, Foley reflected on now being more than a week removed from his AEW debut at Double or Nothing. Foley thanked everyone who made it a special night, including the fans who gave him more than just a nostalgia pop. To Foley, the reception felt like fans truly believe he can make a difference in AEW.

The 60-year-old hardcore wrestling icon, who chose not to renew his WWE Legends contract due to political differences, expressed how grateful he is for every opportunity WWE has given him. He then looked toward the future by sharing why he thinks Tony Khan is such a unique boss.

“In no way am I here to throw stones at WWE. I love the company, I always will. I will always be deeply appreciative for every opportunity they afforded me,” Foley said. “But there’s something unique about seeing the owner of the company just so obviously happy and excited. Mr. McMahon had a different way of doing things, but it wasn’t with that type of joy [laughs].”

Foley said AEW feels like WWE felt in the Attitude Era — everyone is pulling for each other and knows that failure is inevitably going to happen sometimes when you’re trying to hit a home run.

“It just seems like, to me, the AEW wrestlers are out there and they are playing to win because it is understood that failure is part of the process,” he said. “I’ve seen so many people over the years almost petrified to walk through that curtain because they didn’t know whether they would get the thumbs up or the thumbs down, figuratively speaking. Tony’s excited. Tony loves what he’s doing. He’s happy to be there, and I think that type of enthusiasm makes me feel enthusiastic.”

Mick Foley on his AEW role —

At Double or Nothing, Foley co-hosted the preshow alongside Renee Paquette. He has officially signed an AEW deal for that broadcasting role but considers himself a “Swiss army knife” who can help in a variety of ways.

“I consider myself a Swiss army knife, and I can be used in a lot of different ways,” he said. “I’m excited about the future. And I’m excited about wrestling in a way that I haven’t been in a few years. And I want to thank AEW fans and the AEW product for helping me fall in love with wrestling all over again.”

It remains to be seen how physically involved Foley will get in AEW. He did take part in an angle at Double or Nothing where MJF gave him a low blow.

Mistico appears in Mexico World Cup squad announcement video

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Mistico, the top star in CMLL, helped play a part in announcing Mexico’s team for the 2026 World Cup.

The official 26-man squad for Mexico has now been unveiled ahead of the World Cup kicking off on June 11. In one of the two announcement videos released, a variety of athletes and celebrities made appearances and listed off the names of the players included in the squad. Mistico and boxer Canelo Alvarez were among those to appear. Fullback Mateo Chavez was the name unveiled by Mistico.

Mexico’s Group A match against South Africa is the opening game of the World Cup. South Korea and Czech Republic are the other teams in the group.

Mistico’s participation in this video comes just a few weeks after CMLL and its wrestlers Mascara Dorada & Soberano Jr. collaborated with the NFL to announce a San Francisco 49ers vs. Minnesota Vikings game that’s taking place in Mexico City this November.

CMLL is currently on a hot streak that saw it voted Promotion of the Year and Mistico named Wrestler of the Year in the 2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards. With Arena Mexico becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination, we’ve seen celebrities show up to events and CMLL even put on a Pokemon-themed show last year.

Mistico’s injury status —

A knee injury has kept Mistico out of action since the middle of May, but he’s hoping to make his CMLL return later this week. He is under a dual contract with CMLL/AEW and also competes for NJPW in Japan, where he currently holds the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles with El Desperado.

International title match announced for AEW Collision

Posted on by Joseph Currier

On AEW Collision this Saturday night, Konosuke Takeshita will make the first defense of his International Championship reign.

Takeshita became a two-time International Champion when he defeated Kazuchika Okada for the belt at Double or Nothing. Less than a week into his reign, Takeshita is set to defend against Daniel Garcia on Collision. The match was announced by Tony Khan on social media today.

“After The Alpha regained the International belt at #AEWDoN, Takeshita will collide vs former TNT Champion Daniel Garcia in a big title fight TOMORROW!,” Khan wrote.

Though Garcia is his first challenger, Takeshita is locked into a feud with Kyle Fletcher after the returning Fletcher targeted him at Double or Nothing. Takeshita, now a babyface, has linked up with The Conglomeration against his former faction mates in the Don Callis Family.

A Trios Championship match with The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly) defending against Don Callis Family’s Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta & Lance Archer is among the other matches set for Saturday’s Collision. The show is being held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

AEW Collision (Saturday, May 30) —

  • AEW Trios Champions The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly) defend against Don Callis Family (Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta & Lance Archer)
  • AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne & Lena Kross) vs. TayJay (Tay Melo & Anna Jay) in an AEW Women’s Tag Team title five-minute eliminator match
  • Hazuki vs. Maya World (with Persephone on commentary)
  • Future of the vacant TBS Championship will be addressed

AEW gaming podcast ‘on hold’ until further notice

Posted on by Joseph Currier

All Elite Arcade, AEW’s gaming podcast from Evil Uno & Adam Cole, is on hold “until further notice.”

The podcast has not released a new episode since the end of April, and Evil Uno sent out an update today for fans wondering where the show has been. Evil Uno said they have been told to put all AEW Games content on hold for the moment. A date for when the show will return was not provided.

“Since it’s been a month of silence, we were told to put all AEWGames content on hold for the time being,” Evil Uno posted on social media.

“I miss doing the All Elite Arcade podcast as much as you miss listening to it, but it is in a holding pattern until further notice. I hope you all understand.”

All Elite Arcade features “weekly gaming adventures, news, reviews, and lively discussions with special guests from the gaming and wrestling worlds.” The show is presented in partnership with TNT/TBS and sponsored by the trading card company Upper Deck.

Future of AEW podcasts —

The AEW Unrestricted podcast, which was hosted by Aubrey Edwards & Will Washington and centered on interviews with AEW talent, wrapped up in March after producing more than 300 episodes. On the last show, Edwards & Washington promised that there would be more podcast content coming from AEW. The MyAEW website has a banner saying that an AEW podcast network is coming soon, but there aren’t any details aside from that.

Ronda Rousey explains why pro wrestling ‘just not doable’ for her anymore

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Though open to the idea of another one-off appearance, Ronda Rousey is pretty much done with professional wrestling.

Rousey told Up & Adams this week that, despite having an open invite from Tony Khan, she does not have any plans for a pro wrestling return. She expanded on those comments during a new interview with Fox News Digital, saying that even a part-time pro wrestling schedule is “just not doable” for her anymore. Being on the road is not something Rousey is willing to do while she and husband Travis Browne raise multiple children.

“I think, just, we’re trying to have another kid now and all this stuff. That lifestyle, being on the road and wrestling, it’s just not conducive at all to having multiple kids,” she said.

“We were able to make it work for a little while. It’s just not doable anymore. I could be open to doing some things if it works out and it’s local. We’re looking to move to Hawaii, and it would be kinda cool to open a little school.”

Ronda Rousey’s AEW Revolution appearance —

Rousey had fun while making a surprise appearance at AEW Revolution in Los Angeles back in March, where she took part in an angle with her friend Marina Shafir and Toni Storm. Showing up at the pay-per-view gave Rousey the chance to promote her MMA return, but there were never any plans for her to have a match for AEW.

 “I didn’t get to do anything at all because I was in training camp and all these people were like, ‘Oh, is Ronda gonna do a match?’ I’m like, I’m in training camp. You guys are crazy,” she told Fox News Digital. “I’m not going to be doing any matches while in training camp… I love Toni Storm, I love Marina, and it was fun to be there for Marina’s first pay-per-view match as well. I didn’t want to take away from their moment but maybe put a little bit of a spotlight on it and a little bit of a nudge to my upcoming fight.”

Her May 16 fight against Gina Carano was a successful one, but Rousey says she is once again retired from MMA and won’t be coming back for another bout.