Tag: AEW

AEW announces Double or Nothing ‘hydration partner’ sponsorship

Posted on by Joseph Currier

AEW has announced a new partnership ahead of this weekend’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view in New York City.

The promotion sent out a press release today announcing that Vita Coco, a popular brand of coconut water, has been named the “official hydration partner” of Double or Nothing 2026. The PPV is taking place at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens on Sunday (May 24). During the Buy In pre-show, there will be a match sponsored by Vita Coco.

“As part of the partnership, Vita Coco will celebrate the passion of AEW fans by sponsoring a specific match during the AEW Double Or Nothing: Buy In preshow that streams live on YouTube and HBO Max,” the press release said. “In addition, Vita Coco samples will be available for attendees to try, with products also available for purchase at the Louis Armstrong Stadium concessions throughout the evening. AEW stars will also make a special appearance at the Vita Coco booth on the concourse.

“With 3.5x the electrolytes vs. the leading sports drink, Vita Coco is bringing hydration to match the energy, intensity and endurance that define AEW.”

AEW Double or Nothing Buy In —

The Buy In portion of Sunday’s broadcast begins at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Mick Foley, making his AEW debut, and Renee Paquette are the co-hosts of the pre-show, which will include the following matches:

  • Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong, Big Boom AJ & QT Marshall vs. Anthony Ogogo, Lee Moriarty, Carlie Bravo, Shawn Dean & Shane Taylor
  • AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champions Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne & Lena Kross) vs. Viva Van & Zayda Steel in a five-minute title eliminator match
  • Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia & Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Opps (Hook, Katsuyori Shibata & Anthony Bowens)

The 10-man tag match is the bout Vita Coco is sponsoring.

Darby Allin not willing to ever change in-ring style

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Darby Allin would rather walk away from pro wrestling than ever have to change his in-ring style.

Ahead of Double or Nothing, the AEW World Champion was interviewed by Busted Open Radio on Friday. While addressing the risks he takes and how hard he competes, Allin vowed that he will never change the way that he wrestles. He is going to go as hard as he can until the wheels fall off.

“I’m out. If I can’t do it the way I want to do it, I’m out. I’m out,” Allin said. “And that’s okay. And the thing is, it’s like the biggest thing I’ve taken away from Sting and being with Sting is, hey, you have to be at peace with yourself life after wrestling. You have to.

“And then the thing is, it’s just talking to Sting about it. It’s like, I’m ready. If this all ended tomorrow, I’m ready. But until then, I’m going to ride it until the wheels fall off. I don’t want to be that guy who’s not doing the version of Darby that you currently see.”

Darby Allin’s approach to AEW World Championship reign —

Not playing it safe is how Allin has approached his reign as AEW World Champion. He’s defended the belt weekly on Dynamite and sometimes on Collision as well. Allin told Busted Open that his goal is to make this reign unlike anything people have ever seen before.

“That’s why I wanted to do every single week, twice a week,” Allin said. “People are like, ‘Oh, whoa, whoa, what’s the point of this?’ Because it’s the exact opposite of what people expect a champion to do. They expect, like, hey, we’re going to, you know, work to the pay-per-view. But, no, I want to go crazy every week. But that’s why I like to live the way [I do], because it could end at any moment. But I love to live in that state. It just keeps you so on edge.”

If he dies tomorrow, Allin will be at peace with the life he lived. He’s willing to give everything to AEW and is grateful for everything the company has afforded him.

Sunday’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view in New York City will see Allin defend the AEW World Championship against MJF, the person he defeated last month to win the belt. MJF’s hair is on the line as a stipulation of this rematch.

Adam Copeland addresses AEW contract status, wants sendoff on his own terms  

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

Adam Copeland feels he already had his retirement sendoff in 2011 after his neck injury. He addressed his wrestling future and the wear and tear on his body. 

In an exclusive interview with Clutch Points, Copeland talked about injuries and time away being added to his AEW contract. And signalling the uncertainty of its potential expiration. 

“I broke my leg, so there’s injury time added, and I had to go film Beekeeper (2) and Percy Jackson, so (that’s) added. Anytime I have to take a break, that gets added on the back end. I’m not even sure when it’s up.”

Considering a potential retirement tour like John Cena’s last year, Copeland stated his sendoff was already done in 2011. He was forced to retire due to a cervical spinal stenosis. However, nearly a decade later he returned at the 2020 Royal Rumble. 

“I already had my sendoff. This time, it’ll be my choice, and that makes it a different experience entirely. I don’t care if I get this big, tearful sendoff.” 

“I have no preconceived idea of what it needs to be.”

He also discussed the reduced wrestling schedule and the physical toll it has on his body at the age of 52. 

“That’s the interesting part. We’ve always talked about within the industry the best you feel is when you can wrestle the most, because it’s almost like you stay in this purgatory of pain and never really come out of it. You’re always kind of in that zone, and gosh, (if) you take two weeks off and take a bump, the first time it’s like, ‘Oh, man.’ And if you’re doing that live on national television or on pay-per-view, that can be a disconcerting thing.”

Copeland and Christian Cage will team up against FTR for the AEW Tag Team Titles at Double or Nothing this weekend. The stipulation is an ‘I Quit’ match but if Cope and Cage lose, they will retire as a tag team. 

“My very first pay-per-view appearance ever was in New York (at Madison Square Garden). It was at SummerSlam ’98 – that was the beginning of my pay-per-view career anyway. So New York holds a special place (in my heart).” 

The PPV will emanate from Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York on May 24. 

MyAEW adds first indie promotion to streaming service

Posted on by Josh Nason

MyAEW has added its first indie promotion to their streaming service in a possible indication of an avenue the service will embrace in the future.

Atlanta, Georgia, based 1FW announced the news Friday that every episode of their weekly show (34 to date) is now on the service for subscribers. The promotion is owned by longtime AEW wrestler and front office member QT Marshall while ROH wrestler Jacked Jameson is one of the group’s trainers and promoters.

The news comes ahead of an 1FW mid-July event that will feature AEW & ROH roster members like Paul Wight, Billy Gunn, Harley Cameron, The Frat House, The Infantry and Jay Lethal. Former AEW World Champion MJF has also made appearances in the past.

With the current financial issues surrounding Triller that resulted in AEW leaving the platform, starting MyAEW with a technical partner, and then suing Triller for money owed, the move could be the first of more to come given the amount of current indie promotions airing on Triller+ that might need a new streaming home in the future.

MyAEW offers a FAST channel domestically while international viewers (and those with a VPN) can get access to AEW PPVs, weekly TV and ROH programming for a monthly or annual subscription fee.

AJ Styles scraps Kenny Omega ‘dream match’ idea

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles has ruled out the possibility of facing AEW’s Kenny Omega in a dream match.

Despite their time together in NJPW, Omega and Styles never faced each other in singles action on a mainstream platform. Recently speaking on The Phenomenally Retro Podcast, Styles addressed the possibility of him facing Omega and completely scrapped the chances.

“The same dream match that everybody wants me to have with Kenny Omega. The match that’s never gonna happen unless something crazy happens, and I can’t imagine that.

“Kenny’s my buddy, so to be in the ring with him would be fun, and we’d tear the house down, I have no doubt about that. But again, that’s not gonna happen,” Styles said.

The last time the two shared the ring together was on the January 5, 2016, edition of NJPW New Year Dash 2016, where he and Omega teamed up to defeat the duo of Shinsuke Nakamura and YOSHI-HASHI. Shortly after the win, Omega and the rest of the Bullet Club turned against Styles and kicked him out of the stable. Following this, Styles departed NJPW and made his WWE debut, where he stayed for a decade and retired earlier this year.

While Omega and Styles never wrestled at a mainstream platform, the two once wrestled each other almost twenty years ago at PCW Back To School Bash, where Omega defeated Styles.

Tony Khan says AEW revenue is ‘highest it’s ever been’ with their ‘strongest financial outlook ever’

Posted on by Josh Nason

While Tony Khan didn’t say whether AEW is profitable in 2026, he did reveal that the promotion’s revenue “is the highest it’s ever been” and “the strongest financial outlook for the company ever.”

Khan was asked the profitability question during Thursday’s pre-Double or Nothing media call and in his answer, he discussed how he is reinvesting back into the company with a number of project at what he perceives as the right time.

“I’ll continue to reinvest in the business, developing new platforms and trying to open up new territories to grow the company in the future. We’re launching some new projects and some international developments that will require investment that I think are very smart moves,” he said.

“Probably the biggest takeaway is the growth of the company and looking at how much we have been able to expand our revenue and how much we are strongly positioned for the future of AEW. I think now is the perfect time in growing our revenue to reinvest in the business and, perfect timing with us going into Double or Nothing, to double down on AEW for the future because AEW will be around for a very, very long time.”

He did not disclose what the actual revenue number was. AEW is a private company with a minority stake (under 10%) owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. He has said in the past that their biggest revenue source is their domestic TV rights deal with WBD. That deal runs through the end of 2027 with a one-year extension option held by WBD, although that could be owned by Paramount Skydance if the WBD merger goes through.

Daily Update: NJPW G1 fan fest, MJF, Road Warriors A&E doc

Posted on by Joseph Currier

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Thursday Update

Road Warrior Animal WWE
Road Warrior Animal battles D’Lo Brown. (Image credit: WWE)

WWE

  • The Rich Eisen Show interviewed John Cena.
  • AJ Styles streamed a live Q&A edition of his Phenomenally Retro podcast.
  • Nattie shared a photo from the Paramount Pictures lot in Los Angeles last night: “Working on my LOW-KEY LEGENDARY dreams today…”
  • Kim Laurinaitis, the widow of Road Warrior Animal, made an appearance on Busted Open Radio to discuss her criticism of A&E’s Biography: WWE Legends episode on The Road Warriors. She wishes the documentary was more positive instead of focusing on Hawk’s addiction struggles so much. And along with some inner-family squabbles affecting her view of the show, Kim did not like that Bruce Prichard was interviewed:
    • I’ll be quite honest, Bruce Prichard, I battled with him online lately. He rips my husband on his podcast a lot of times or little clips. And I’m thinking, why are you even on here talking about him? We know you don’t really care for him. So I would have rather had people that had positive things to say and really meant them.
  • On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T called Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano’s MMA fight the “biggest heist” he’s ever seen:
    • This fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, I’ve seen a lot of fights in my life. I’ve seen a lot of fights in my life. And I’ve been in the wrestling business for 35 years now. It’s three things I look for when it comes to combat, you know, when I’m in certain places, especially when I’m watching something like this. And it’s a work, it’s a worked shoot, and it’s a shoot, okay?
    • This was a worked shoot. That was not real, that thing wasn’t real. I mean, it was real as far as the takedown goes. But everything after that, it was, ‘I’m ready. I’m ready. Let’s go home.’ It was one of those type of deals. And if you go back and watch it and study it, you’re going to come to the same consensus that I’m saying right now. That fight, that was not fair. That fight was not fair for the people for Ronda Rousey to come back. And literally, that was like the biggest heist I’ve ever seen.
  • LA Taco published a story on Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins’ new coffee brand AMO.
  • Saturday Night Live cast member Michael Che was the guest on this week’s episode of Stephanie McMahon’s “What’s Your Story?” podcast.
  • WWE Vault uploaded the full “Superfan” documentary on Vladimir Abouzeide, who is battling Parkinson’s disease and was hospitalized this week due to a fall.

Other Wrestling

  • NJPW announced that, the day before night one of G1 Climax 36, the promotion will be holding a fan fest in Chicago on July 10. It will include a talk show segment as well as meet and greets with some of the G1 competitors:
    • NJPW fans! Make your plans to be in Chicago early for a special G1 Climax Fan Event ahead of opening night G1 Climax 36 action!
    • The July 10 event will feature a special talk show segment, along with two meet & greet sessions with select G1 Climax 36 participants!
    • More details are coming soon but get ready to be in Chicago for this great fan experience!
  • While speaking with The Takedown on SI, MJF said Vince McMahon is to blame for some fans being preconditioned to believe that hair match stipulations are a joke:
    • You can thank Vince McMahon for that. It wasn’t comedy in Memphis, it wasn’t comedy in World Class, it wasn’t comedy in Mexico. Listen, I can’t speak for anybody else, all I know is – I make money off of this hair. I’m in movies. I’m a top guy in this industry. And if I want to be a top guy in this industry, I can’t be bald. Bald doesn’t sell. It just doesn’t.
  • Shelton Benjamin told The Wrestling Classic that, aside from getting Cedric Alexander back in the group, Kevin Knight would be his first choice for a new Hurt Syndicate member. Benjamin sees Knight as someone who will be a star for the next 10-20 years:
    • If it were my choice today, if I said I wanted a new member in the Hurt Syndicate, the Hurt Syndicate wants a fourth member, without a doubt, my first pick would be Cedric Alexander. My second pick would be Kevin ‘Jet’ Knight.
  • Bobby Steveson (formerly known as Damon Kemp in NXT) teased an in-ring return while confirming that he was backstage at Monday’s ROH TV taping in Jacksonville: “Felt good to be back around the squared circle.. Soon?…”
  • Trevor Lee vs. Austin Aries (taped in January) will be part of the lineup for MLW Fusion’s return episode on May 30.
  • Evil Uno’s Mystery Wrestling promotion announced three new events:
    • July 25 at Bain Mathieu in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
    • August 29 at Big Penny Social in London, England
    • September 13 at The Rec Room in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Chris Jericho interviewed Frankie Kazarian on Talk is Jericho.
  • Comedians/wrestling fans Dan Soder & Will Sasso were guests on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.

Tony Khan says if Mick Foley ever wants to wrestle again, he wants it to be in AEW

Posted on by Josh Nason

With Mick Foley joining the pre-show broadcast team for this Sunday’s AEW Double or Nothing comes questions as to what other tasks AEW head Tony Khan has in store for the former Cactus Jack in the future.

Foley will be partnered up with Renee Paquette this Sunday during the Buy In which Khan said Foley thought was a great idea.

Khan was asked during Thursday’s traditional pre-PPV media call (available below) about if Foley will wrestle in AEW, something that will cause concern with some given Foley’s medical history and past comments about his attempts to perhaps do one more match.

“I can’t speak for Mick Foley as to whether he’d want to wrestle or if he’s going to wrestle anytime soon but if he ever does, I would love for him to do it in AEW. But I also don’t want to put him in a situation in which he’ll be uncomfortable. I want him to feel good about this and I know he’s taken so many big hits and had such an amazing career with so many spectacular moments. Physically, I would ever only ask him to wrestle if he felt up to it and that he could live up to the physical demand,” Khan said.

Khan was later asked if Foley is strictly under a deal for broadcasting. Khan didn’t give an specific answer, but said Foley “is a brilliant wrestling mind” and will be at all the pay-per-views and some TVs as well. He said Foley also could be a brand ambassador and that he could be influential to the AEW roster in a variety of ways. He said Foley will work with the wrestlers and will have ideas on the show, contributing in a lot of ways.

Foley parted ways with WWE last December due to TKO’s relationship with U.S. president Donald Trump. The WWE Hall of Famer has been on a health journey, losing over 100 pounds which has given him a “new lease on life.”

Click here to listen to the entire call.

New match added to AEW Double or Nothing Buy In

Posted on by Ian Carey

A new match has been added to the AEW Double or Nothing Buy In pre-show.

On Thursday, AEW announced that there will be a 10-man tag team match on the show, with Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong, Big Boom AJ, and QT Marshall facing Shane Taylor Promotions’ Anthony Agogo, Lee Moriarty, Carlie Bravo, Shawn Dean, and Shane Taylor.

Also announced for the Buy In is a five-minute AEW Women’s World Tag Team title eliminator match, with champions Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne and Lena Kross) wrestling Viva Van and Zayda Steel. If Van and Steel can last five minutes, they will earn a future title shot.

AEW Double or Nothing is scheduled for this Sunday, May 24, at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.

Current AEW Double or Nothing lineup | This Sunday

  • AEW World Champion Darby Allin defends against MJF in a title vs. hair match
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla defends against Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter in a four-way
  • AEW International Champion Kazuchika Okada defends against Konosuke Takeshita
  • AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) defend against Adam Copeland & Christian Cage in an I Quit street fight where Copeland and Cage must win in order to stay a team
  • AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley defends against Kyle O’Reilly
  • Chris Jericho, Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, Kenny Omega, Jack Perry, and The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs. The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona), Mark Davis, Andrade El Idolo, Clark Connors & David Finlay in a Stadium Stampede match
  • Will Ospreay vs. Samoa Joe in an Owen Hart men’s tournament quarterfinal
  • Swerve Strickland vs. Bandido in an Owen Hart men’s tournament quarterfinal
  • Athena vs. Mina Shirakawa in an Owen Hart women’s tournament quarterfinal
  • Buy In: Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong, Big Boom AJ & QT Marshall vs. Anthony Agogo, Lee Moriarty, Carlie Bravo, Shawn Dean & Shane Taylor
  • Buy In: AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champions Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne & Lena Kross) vs. Viva Van & Zayda Steel in a five-minute title eliminator match
  • Buy In: Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia & Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Opps (Hook, Katsuyori Shibata & Anthony Bowens)

‘AEW Advance’ TikTok pre-show launching next week

Posted on by Joseph Currier

AEW, Warner Bros. Discovery, and TikTok are partnering together for a new pre-show that is set to launch next week.

A couple hours before the Double or Nothing fallout edition of Dynamite on May 27, a new “AEW Advance” pre-show will air on the AEW, AEW on TV, and TBS TikTok accounts. The 60-minute live stream begins at 6 p.m. Eastern and will be hosted by AEW broadcast team members Arkady Aura and Lexy Nair. It aims to give fans a behind-the-scenes look before Dynamite with segments like AEW wrestlers sharing their pre-match routines.

“AEW Advance is a 60-minute TikTok LIVE event bringing fans behind-the-scenes of AEW Dynamite,” a press release said.

“Featured segments include exclusive access to AEW stars ‘get ready with me’ content, pre-show routines, appearances from AEW personalities and executives, previews of scheduled storylines and matches from the night, and behind-the-scenes looks at the arena atmosphere as fans fill the venue ahead of airtime. Viewers may also get a glimpse of announcer preparations and other select pre-show moments featuring rising AEW stars.”

It wasn’t noted how often AEW Advance will be airing past the first edition or if there are any plans for it to become a weekly pre-show.

The May 27 episode of Dynamite is being held in Philadelphia at The Liacouras Center.

Jim Ross provides new health update

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Jim Ross is feeling great physically despite currently going through the process of being evaluated for dementia/Alzheimer’s.

On his Grilling JR podcast this week, the 74-year-old announcing legend shared that he just had a “very positive” appointment with his neurologist. They’re concerned about dementia/Alzheimer’s so are putting Ross through some tests. Ross is approaching the situation with a positive mindset and is willing to do whatever doctors suggest, but, given that there’s no cure, he doesn’t really know what the treatment plan would be if he does have the condition.

Ross will be in New York City this Sunday to provide commentary at AEW Double or Nothing. He reacted to the news that Mick Foley will make his AEW debut at the event and discussed how often we could see Foley appear. Ross said he does not know whether Foley has signed a full-time AEW contract.

“I don’t know how much he wants to work,” Ross said. “And if you look at other guys, myself included, we’re used on a limited basis. And that keeps me, in this case, fresher and it gives me a chance to continue to get my ailments addressed.

“I had a very positive doctor’s appointment with my neurologist. Everybody’s getting in on the act, man. So the neurologist and I had an appointment and they took a bunch of blood and ran some tests. You know, I think they’re worried about dementia or Alzheimer’s. And I said, ‘What the hell are you going to do about it?’ It’s not a cure. You know, if there’s meds I could be taking preventively, tell me what they are and I’ll do it.

“We’ll see how it works out. I’m going through a lot of tests now. I don’t feel bad at all. I feel great, actually. But you know, Conrad, let me tell you something buddy. Getting old is a bitch.”

Ross and his old broadcast partner Jerry “The King” Lawler appeared together at Motor City Comic Con in Detroit last weekend, with Ross saying it was a fun experience and the largest turnout he and Lawler have had at a convention. Weekends like this help Ross feel like everything is worthwhile. He’s had a rough few years health-wise, including a bout with colon cancer in 2025.

Dementia/Alzheimer’s —

Dementia is defined as the loss of cognitive functioning to such an extent that it interferes with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, with early symptoms commonly including “forgetting recent events or conversations.” Those who suffer from more advanced forms of Alzheimer’s experience significant memory loss and can have trouble performing routine tasks.

AEW’s Kota Ibushi says comeback seems unlikely for now, reveals new venture amid recovery 

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

Kota Ibushi shared the newest pro wrestling venture during his recovery period. He admitted a comeback any time soon is highly unlikely. 

Ibush posted a video on Instagram amid his current medical recovery from a broken femur in 2025. He stated that since an in-ring return is next to impossible at the moment he hopes to contribute to the wrestling community by revamping Shinjuku FACE, a notable venue in Tokyo, Japan where many wrestling events were held. 

“Thank you all so much for everything up until now. I’m Kota Ibushi, a professional wrestler who has been active for 22 years. I was able to fulfill many dreams in the world of professional wrestling and I truly had a wonderful life as a wrestler.”

“I am currently sidelined due to a right leg injury sustained last November. To be honest, a comeback seems unlikely for now. I turned 44 today. So I decided, Kota Ibushi, I want to give back to the professional wrestling world.”

“The professional wrestling world is currently facing a serious crisis: Shinjuku FACE is closing down. This venue, where I’ve had many matches, is a place that professional wrestling organizations have been grateful to. In particular, it was the perfect venue for independent wrestling promotions to hold regular shows.”

“I believe that the disappearance of such venues is equivalent to a crisis for the culture of professional wrestling. Therefore, Kota Ibushi will put his body on the line. I’m putting my body on the line to earn money. I am going to build a pro wrestling venue. So, please cooperate with me. Please give me work, no matter how small the project may be.”

“My leg isn’t fully recovered, so I can’t play the match, but I’ll manage to get through everything else with sheer willpower. And, with the money they earn, I’ll build a professional wrestling venue. I don’t care how long it takes! I want to give back to the professional wrestling world in the end.”

“To achieve this, I need your cooperation. I look forward to your DMs. Thank you!”

AEW files new trademark for partnership event with Major League Baseball

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

AEW filed a trademark for their newest upcoming wrestling event in association with Major League Baseball.

AEW filed to trademark ‘Brawl in the Ballpark’. This comes shortly after their press release announcement on a Major League Baseball game and AEW partnership. The trademark, under the serial number – 99834579 is for ‘entertainment services in the nature of live professional wrestling performances’.  

  • Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Entertainment services in the nature of live professional wrestling performances; Entertainment services in the nature of production of professional wrestling programs and events.

The post-game event will take place on July 10 at Target Field. Ticket sales for exclusive packages have commenced inclusive of a CT Twins and AEW Lucha mask and VIP ringside access. 

AEW hosted a one-hour special of Collision on May 9 at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. It was presented as wrestling on a golf course, a unique theme that blends with AEW’s perspective of cross collaboration over the years. 

There were two matches featured with Darby Allin defending the AEW World Championship against PAC in the main event, and Mark Davis defeating Jack Perry for the AEW National Championship. 

MJF believes AEW is the ‘better alternative’ to WWE

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Former World Champion MJF cannot think of a better alternative to WWE than AEW.

Following a dominance in the pro-wrestling world for decades, WWE was met with solid competition in 2019, when Tony Khan started AEW. With help from Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, and Adam Page, AEW emerged as one of the biggest alternatives to WWE in mainstream wrestling.

Recently, speaking to TV Insider, MJF was asked if AEW was recently receiving a particularly high interest from WWE fans because of the ‘high ticket prices and the treatment of talent.’

“I think it’s a combination of things. With love and respect, I’ve got no issue with WWE or TKO. I’m sure people are going to say, ‘Oh, an AEW wrestler talking about WWE.’ It’s an interview, you schmucks. I’m asked about it, so I’m going to answer the question. Yeah, a lot of people who work there aren’t particularly happy. People are taking pay cuts. The show right now, to each their own, but to a lot of people right now, pretty disenchanted with the product,” he said.

“I think they have an insane amount of talent there. They have a proven track record of doing incredible business, but I think people are so ready for an alternative. I can’t think of a better alternative than All Elite Wrestling, probably in the history of any sport. Dude, the thing is this, we had a black eye on us because there was so much bulls**t that went down. I don’t need to get into it, but the year 2026, every Dynamite has been incredible, Collision has been incredible, pay-per-view,” MJF added.

“You have the hottest professional wrestler on top…me. I’ll give Darby Allin his credit, even though I hate his stupid face. He is putting on easily the best matches, but also doing it twice a week on all our major flagship shows. He is putting on better matches than any other place you watch professional wrestling. So do other guys on the roster. Now, am I a match guy personally? Not necessarily. I’m a win guy. I’m a money guy. I’m a sell-tickets guy. I’m going to get people to buy a pay-per-view guy, but I’m not going to sit here and pretend that we don’t have superior wrestling. Whether that’s weekly shows or pay-per-views, which nobody can touch. Nobody has touched or will ever touch on these,” he finished.

MJF comments on what could take AEW to the next level

In the same interview with TV Insider, MJF was further asked about his thoughts on what could take All Elite Wrestling to the ‘next level.’

“I think it’s literally happening right now. Year over year in most markets we’ve sold more tickets. This year we’ve done more pay-per-view buys. We’re hot right now, when I hear people ask how we can get bigger, the answer is time baby,” he shared.

The former World Champion further claimed that while WWE and TNA have been around for several years now, AEW is relatively young and wants fans to give them time to grow.

Kyle O’Reilly earns Championship match on AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Kyle O’Reilly has earned himself a shot at the AEW Continental Championship.

On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, during the three-hour special episode of AEW Dynamite and Collision, fans saw Kyle O’Reilly face Jon Moxley in a 20-minute AEW Continental Championship Eliminator match.

Similar to their previous outings, O’Reilly mostly dominated the match and almost won the match. However, instead of giving up to O’Reilly’s submission like their previous matches, Moxley held on through the pain.

Despite failing to defeat Moxley, O’Reilly survived the bout, which ended after the time limit expired. Immediately after the match ended in a draw, it was announced that O’Reilly earned a title match just by surviving Moxley. However, the AEW Trios Champion noted that he did not want a time limit attached during his upcoming title shot at Moxley’s Continental title.

Moxley will now officially defend his AEW Continental Championship against O’Reilly at the Double or Nothing PPV in a no-time limit match.