In Brooklyn, New York last night, AEW stars Eddie Kingston & Ortiz won gold for indie promotion Outlaw Wrestling.
Kingston & Ortiz became the new Outlaw Tag Team Champions by defeating The Audacity (Micah Cortez & Seth Cortez) on Friday. It’s already been announced that the two teams will meet again for Outlaw Wrestling on February 20, with Kingston & Ortiz facing off against The Audacity and Silk City Kings (Kenny Bengal & Ray Pittman) in a triple threat match.
Along with their AEW work, Kingston & Ortiz are taking indie dates and teaching seminars as they get ready to open their own wrestling school. Their goal with the seminars is to learn what works and what doesn’t work so they’re fully prepared when the school opens.
“That is the method behind why we’re doing seminars,” Ortiz said on AEW Unrestricted this month. “We need to start doing them so we can learn when we do something wrong or something right and be like, ‘Okay, we’ll keep this. Hey, this kind of dragged out at this part. That’s not that important.’ And just how to really utilize the time given to us, the three, four hours or however long it’s going to be. And what we can give the people attending the best bang for their buck…
“Our whole goal is to help change wrestling culture internally by producing and trying to have solid workers just go out there and they become who they become based on their experience. But just giving them a solid foundation and just passing on all the knowledge that we still have and then just bringing in a Jerry Lynn, bringing in a Homicide, bringing in a Billy Gunn to come and do weekend seminars so you learn from all different types of people.”
A look at Saturday Night’s Main Event, the interest level, the Royal Rumble and Rumble odds Big Bad Bobby Duncum, a look at the career of a worldwide headliner who worked on top with almost every major babyface of the 70s, including big WWF and AWA runs and Japanese major tournaments
CMLL has a big business week with Bandido, Ricochet, Komander, Gates of Agony and Lee Moriarty.
A look at some of the best matches so far this year and the craziness that ruined what could have been the best of all of them.
A look at prior plans for 2025 PPV shows that changed
A look at Netflix numbers over the past six months, as well as how every PPV in 2025 did and some surprises in that direction, as well as how SmackDown did internationally as well as NXT, and how shows that went head-to-head with AEW PPVs drew.
Notes on the TNA ratings for the first show on AMC and what they tell us.
TNA Genesis coverage
2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards ballot
More AEW stars to CMLL next week
AAA TV taping notes
Thoughts on the current AAA product and how it relates to Lucha Libre and WWE
Stardom makes claim against Marigold
Saya Kamitani returns early
Notes about a mainstream model who became one of the first big stars in Stardom and women’s MVP
Best tag team match of the year
New Japan next major show lineup
Eight promotions combine for a singles tournament
The potential best actual wrestler in the world signs with RAF
Feast or Fired thoughts
More on AEW’s future with the WBD sale to Netflix
Trey Miguel situation
Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week
UFC returns to action with first big show of 2026
Top exec since the inception of PFL leaves
More notes regarding a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE
Paul Heyman and Jey Uso made appearances on ESPN today to promote the Royal Rumble.
The Street Profits are among the talent advertised for NXT’s house show tour in Tennessee and Alabama this Thursday-Saturday, which means they will not be in the Rumble. AAA star El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. is also advertised for the NXT live events.
Trish Stratus recently visited the new WWE headquarters for the first time. She filmed an interview that will air on the next episode of Stephanie McMahon’s “What’s Your Story?” podcast.
I think that’s logical. I don’t know for sure where else. What are his other options? I mean, they’re there. He could get a deal in Japan. He could work their style well. But if I know AEW as I do, he’s somebody you wouldn’t pass on. You know, he’s a good worker and he’s got a lot of name recognition, name identity in the business.
I like his work. It seems to me, and like I said, I got nothing to base this on other than my gut instincts, that he will be on the AEW roster sooner than later. Because he can have great matches with anybody. I like his work. He’s solid. He doesn’t worry about breaking an egg. He’s a tough kid. So I hope that we get him. I really do.
Due to injury, Hechicero is unable to compete at a show for Bandido’s Entertainment in Mexico this Friday. The Beast Mortos is replacing him at the event.
With the realities of television formatting, sometimes people are placed into positions with a very low ceiling to succeed. If you’re trapped in that position long enough … the casual fan may think certain performers don’t have anything more to give. That’s very soul-crushing. So I have to remind them that there’s still that guy in there. To be where I’m at right now, to have the freedom to perform the way they didn’t even know I could, is really important.
AEW tag team Ortiz and Eddie Kingston are planning to open up their own wrestling school.
Ortiz revealed the news during an interview on AEW Unrestricted, noting that he was able to do some coaching for AEW while he was sidelined with a torn pectoral muscle. Ortiz loves that side of the business and wants to help pass on the knowledge that he’s learned from his mentors.
“Me and Eddie are in the process of opening up our own school,” he said. “Coaching and teaching is very, very — an immense passion of mine. Because I’ve had so many great mentors in wrestling and I just want to pass on that knowledge. I don’t want it to be wasted. And I want to help cultivate a change in wrestling culture. And I’m just thirsty to learn more, and then I’m learning through teaching.”
As they prepare to open this school, Kingston and Ortiz are holding seminars on the indies so they can learn more about the process of teaching. They have a seminar coming up on March 1 for Pro Wrestling Junkie in New Jersey.
“That is the method behind why we’re doing seminars. We need to start doing them so we can learn when we do something wrong or something right and be like, ‘Okay, we’ll keep this. Hey, this kind of dragged out at this part. That’s not that important.’ And just how to really utilize the time given to us, the three, four hours or however long it’s going to be. And what we can give the people attending the best bang for their buck,” Ortiz said.
“In wrestling, as you know, there’s a bunch of carny places where they’re just there to take your money and collect it and good luck. You may or may not make it. Who knows? It all depends who you meet along the way. But, you know, there’s people that have made it out of those circumstances.
“But our whole goal is to help change wrestling culture internally by producing and trying to have solid workers just go out there and they become who they become based on their experience. But just giving them a solid foundation and just passing on all the knowledge that we still have and then just bringing in a Jerry Lynn, bringing in a Homicide, bringing in a Billy Gunn to come and do weekend seminars so you learn from all different types of people.”
Ortiz did not give a timeframe for when the school would open or say where it would be located.
Ortiz believes his torn pectoral muscle is actually one of the best things that ever happened to him.
The injury occurred during a tag match on AEW Collision in January 2024 and sidelined Ortiz for more than a year. He was off AEW programming even longer than that, only recently returning at Worlds End. Ortiz detailed the injury on a new episode of AEW Unrestricted and explained how it led to him adopting a better mindset.
“It was just from a clothesline. It’s just one of those freak accidents,” he said. “It’s a move I’ve done thousands and thousands of times, but it was just [the] wrong angle. And my muscles were probably tight at the time. And, you know, it was an unfortunate thing that happened, but honestly, one of the best things that’s ever happened to me, because mentally, I’m in a better place now.
“I had to switch perspectives. When I initially got injured, I was very sad. I was down and out. Just got broken up with Santana at the time. I was trying to find myself. Was finally getting to do it with Eddie [Kingston] again. And it just came very abruptly. It was like, ‘I finally got my shot. Yes, let’s do this.’
“And then bam, injury happened. So it was just a very low moment. My confidence, everything, I just — all self doubt kind of kicks in. And then I felt that for a while. And then you could do one or two things. You could either continue down that path or you could do something about it. And I just had to change my perspective and my goals. Just going through that low moment, I was able to come out of it a different person. And I like who I am now.”
Ortiz said the injury made him realize that he needs something to look forward to. When he has a goal that he’s striving for, he is able to do his best work. When he doesn’t have those goals, that’s when he feels lost.
The recovery process was difficult with Ortiz needing to undergo a second surgery a couple of weeks after his initial one. He developed a baseball-sized hematoma on his biceps that had to be taken care of. That prolonged Ortiz’s recovery time, but he made it through by focusing on the small things and then setting new goals as he was able to do more. Ortiz took indie dates once he was cleared and also did some coaching for AEW before making his TV return at Worlds End, where he reunited with Eddie Kingston.
Being back in AEW is the best feeling in the world for Ortiz, who noted that wrestling is the thing he loves most aside from his family.
“Oh, man — really good,” he responded when asked how it feels to be back. “It was a long journey, almost two years since I was on television. Yeah, I felt every minute of that. It feels really good because I’ve been working really hard during that time off. And I’m just excited to be able to show everyone and show the payoff and [it’s] just the best feeling in the world, man. I love wrestling more than anything. Other than my son and my family, wrestling is my number one.”
A tag team match has been added to next week’s Collision.
During this week’s show, the two teams confronted one another in a backstage interview. Zack Gibson said he didn’t like how Eddie Kingston breaks every single rule yet keeps getting opportunities. Drake said they would make an example out of both of them next week. Kingston responded by saying they’ll reap what they sow, and he and Ortiz won’t be the ones who will sow.
At Worlds End last month, Eddie Kingston defeated Zack Gibson during the Zero Hour pre-show. After his victory, however, he was jumped by both members of the Grizzled Young Veterans. Ortiz, who hadn’t been on AEW television in over a year, then made the save for Kingston, officially reuniting as a tag team. The match next Saturday will be their first match back as a team.
Here is the lineup so for for Maximum Carnage, which will be taped the same day as AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage in Phoenix, Arizona:
AEW Collision Maximum Carnage (January 17)
Eddie Kingston & Ortiz vs. Grizzled Young Veterans
After Eddie Kingston defeated Zack Gibson during AEW Worlds End Zero Hour, James Drake jumped Kingston as both members of GYV went in for the attack. However, it was then that Ortiz made the save for Kingston, clearing out the ring.
Ortiz made his non-televised return to AEW for the first time in nearly two years earlier this month when he took on Hook in a losing effort. Prior to this, Ortiz had only wrestled twice since losing a No Disqualification match to former tag team partner Mike Santana back in October or 2023. Ortiz spent his 2025 wrestling in various independent promotions around the United States and Canada.
In an interview back in October, Ortiz said he had ‘about a year’ left on his AEW contract. At the time, he said he hoped to remain with the company and had done backstage work during his time off television.
“I love working at AEW. I’ve actually been coaching, doing producing basically, which is learning a different skill in wrestling and will give you longevity in wrestling,” he said. “And it’s also selfishly making me be a better wrestler because now I’m helping people call matches and I’m analyzing it from a different lens and I’m really enjoying that.”
Kingston recently made his return back from injury, initially teaming with Hook before he reunited with The Opps.
Ortiz hopes to stay with AEW for the foreseeable future.
In an interview with Wombreezy, he said that he has roughly a year left on his AEW contract but hopes to remain with the company, noting that he has also been doing backstage work.
“As of right now, I have about a year left with the company, give or take…I would love to stay there,” he said. “I love working at AEW. I’ve actually been coaching, doing producing basically, which is learning a different skill in wrestling and will give you longevity in wrestling. And it’s also selfishly making me be a better wrestler because now I’m helping people call matches and I’m analyzing it from a different lens and I’m really enjoying that.”
“It’s something I wanted to do anyways, and now I’m getting the opportunity to do it there,” he added. “So even if I stay on purely just to do coaching and producing, and I can still wrestle, for me, I’m happy, that’s the best of both worlds, I’m still getting to perform. If they keep me, I would stay, for sure.”
Ortiz hasn’t wrestled on AEW television since January of 2024, teaming with Eddie Kingston in a losing effort against Bryan Danielson and Claudio Casatagnoli on Collision. After spending most of that year away from wrestling, he resurfaced on the independent scene in March, wrestling for Beyond Wrestling and C4.
AEW wrestler Ortiz is on the road to recovery after undergoing surgery for a torn pec.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Ortiz revealed that he’s undergone successful pec surgery. He wrote: “Pec surgery was a success!! Queue up Rocky training montage!”
“it was just from a clothesline,” Ortiz said. “I tore my pec from a clothesline.”
When asked how long he would be out of action, Ortiz said the expected recovery time is four months.
Ortiz hasn’t wrestled since teaming with Eddie Kingston in a loss to Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli on AEW Collision this January. He was supposed to be in action for Ethan Page’s Alpha-1 Wrestling in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in March. But due to his injury, Ortiz appeared as a commentator and special guest referee instead.
That January match on Collision was Ortiz’s first time wrestling for AEW since October 2023, when he lost to his former tag team partner Mike Santana in a no DQ match.
The 32-year-old hasn’t wrestled since January 20 when he teamed with Eddie Kingston in a loss to Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli on AEW Collision.
He revealed on Isiah Kassidy’s vlog over the weekend that he’s about to get surgery.
“I’m injured, man,” Ortiz said. “I’m about to get surgery in two weeks.”
“It was just from a clothesline. I tore my pec from a clothesline,” he continued.
“Two weeks, four months recovery time, and then I’ll be back more jacked with a mullet and a mustache.”
Ortiz and Kassidy were later shown working on commentary for Ethan Page’s Alpha-1 Wrestling promotion in Hamilton, ON, Canada. Ortiz would also work as a guest referee later in the show.
Ortiz’s longtime partner, Mike Santana, recently revealed that he departed AEW after having been with the company since 2019. Fightful Select is reporting that he could be headed back to TNA Wrestling, where he and Ortiz are four-time tag champions as LAX.
Ortiz says his tag team with Mike Santana split up because his partner was “very adamant” about not working with him anymore.
Ortiz appeared on today’s episode of The Shining Wizards podcast and spoke about what led to the team’s break up and the program they worked together on Rampage feeling “kind of rushed.”
He said:
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the company’s call to split us. Me and Santana just couldn’t get it together personally and he just was very adamant about not working with me anymore, for whatever reason. So, the company kind of had no choice but to split us up.
So they’re like, ‘Okay, you’re not going to just not tag, it doesn’t make any sense. Let’s at least make this make sense why you split.’ But even when we did it on TV, it just ended up, I feel like, being kind of rushed and you know what I mean? Due to stuff that was going on backstage and it was making it hard to really put forward a program.
Earlier in the conversation, Ortiz mentioned that there had been plans on more than one occasion for Proud N Powerful to win the AEW Tag Team Championships but it never panned out.
Ortiz said:
We could have forced a hand a little bit more where we did have the opportunities that we had. I can’t completely blame the company because there was talks about (us winning the tag titles) but it was almost like it was never the right time. It just wasn’t our time and it was just because we were always intertwined with a huge storyline with the Inner Circle and it would have been hard to like sway off and do our own tag thing and go after the tag titles.
It was actually supposed to happen more than once but just due to stuff out of our control, or out of my control, it just never seemed to pan out.
It’s not like those people on the internet that were clamoring for us to be tag team champions, it was noticed by the people in AEW and above. It almost happened two times, it just never panned out. I won’t get into the weeds of things only because I think I’ll get in trouble if I do.
Neither Santana nor Ortiz has wrestled in AEW since they faced each other at the October 25 Rampage taping. Santana won the no-disqualification match in just over 10 minutes. Our own Dave Meltzer gave the match a four-star rating.
A clash of former tag team partners headlines this week’s AEW Rampage.
Mike Santana will face Ortiz as the former Proud & Powerful duo settle their differences in the ring.
In a battle of a current Don Callis disciple and a potential future addition to the Callis Family, Konosuke Takeshita will take on Aussie Open’s Kyle Fletcher.
A four-way to determine who will challenge Hikaru Shida for the AEW Women’s World Champion on Saturday’s Collision episode will be held, as Skye Blue, Willow Nightingale, Anna Jay, and Abadon will compete. The match is the first match on AEW programming for Abadon since an episode of Dark that aired last December.
Before they square off for the title on this Saturday’s Collision, AEW World Champion MJF and his challenger Kenny Omega will speak on their upcoming confrontation on tonight’s show.
Rampage airs beginning at 10 p.m. Eastern time on TNT.
**********
Taped in Philadelphia, PA.
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Ian Riccaboni were on commentary.
Mike Santana defeated Ortiz in a No Disqualification Match (10:34)
It didn’t take long for the fight to go to the floor, and Ortiz worked over Santana’s surgically repaired knee with a kendo stick. Ortiz pulled all kinds of plunder out from underneath the ring. Santana suplexed Ortiz back into the ring. Ortiz rolled out of the ring, and Santana followed him with a perfect Asai Moonsault. Ortiz countered a powerbomb attempt with a backdrop, then powerbombed Santana through a table. Back in the ring, Ortiz got a near fall. Santana countered a suplex on the apron with a suplex of his own, sending both guys crashing to a stack of chairs on the floor with a sick thud.
After a split-screen break, both men exchange German suplexes and clotheslines. Both men are down while the crowd chants “This is awesome!” And it is pretty awesome. Both guys exchange enziguris before Santana hit a rolling cutter for another near fall. Santana went for a discus lariat, but Ortiz caught him with a spinning powerslam for a near fall. Ortiz hit a brainbuster for another near fall.
Santana and Ortiz exchanged open-handed strikes. Ortiz tried for a cutter off the ropes (like a Tower of London), but Sanata escaped. After exchanging cradles, Santana hit the discus lariat, then a cannonball in the corner. Santana finished off Ortiz with a sit-out powerbomb out of a torture rack. This was an excellent match. They told the perfect story of two tag partners who knew each other well, and Ortiz put over Santana like a million bucks.
After the match, Santana tried to offer a fistbump to Ortiz, but he refused. Santana left. Sonjay Dutt came out to try and recruit Ortiz to his group.
– An absolutely tremendous video package put over the Kenny Omega v. MJF match. Footage from New Japan and the various independent promotions MJF competed for before AEW complemented the commentary from the usual talking heads (as well as the competitors).
At the end of the package, Jay White interrupted Omega to wish him luck, and challenge Omega for Full Gear should Omega win. Don Callis then interrupted MJF to offer him a spot in the Don Callis Family. MJF declined, and advised Callis to get his forehead checked out.
– Renee Paquette interviewed Skye Blue, Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander, at Kris’s request. Statlander wants to know what is up with the other two after they got misted by Julia Hart. Blue doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with her, but Willow and Kris think otherwise.
– Kip Sabian was in the ring with Penelope Ford to make fun of Philadelphia sports. “There’s no better time to be a Phillies fan!” Penelope reminded Ford that the Phillies lost. But that’s okay, they’ll win the Super Bowl next time! All the Philly trash talk brought out Mark Briscoe, “a man with as many teeth as the Eagles have Super Bowl rings!” Briscoe dumped Sabian from the ring to the delight of the crowd.
– Renee interviewed the former JAS in the back. Don Callis hit up Matt Menard and Angelo Parker to team up against Jericho and Omega, but tonight it’s all about Anna Jay and her match up next. Then, the weird angle between Parker and Ruby Soho continued with Soho returning Parker’s comb.
Abandon defeated Anna Jay, Willow Nightingale & Skye Blue in a #1 Contender’s Match (7:17 aired)
How can you tell it’s Halloween? Abandon is getting a title match on Collision.
Abandon is wearing some kind of hockey mask now and has neon green hair. The match was going nowhere when Toni Storm came out to watch the match from the entrance stage.
Every women’s match on Rampage follows the same pattern: two minutes of the match, then two minutes during the split screen break. Then a full commercial break.
When we return, Skye Blue and Abadon have a stare down in the middle of the ring. Nightingale hit them both with a middle rope dropkick. Nightingale hit a series of corner clotheslines on Blue and Abadon, then took out Anna Jay with the pounce. Willow hit a spinebuster on Jay for a pin attempt, broken up by Skye Blue. Blue sent Nightingale into the rinbost and to the floor.
Blue and Jay double teamed Abadon. Jay locked in a sleeper, but Blue hit Jay with a superkick. Nightingale pulled Blue out of the ring, and Abandon finished off Jay with an inverted DDT for the pinfall.
– The Acclaimed will be celebrating the 69th day of their World Trios Title reign in eight days on Collision, and MJF is invited.
– Jay White v. AR Fox and a match with the House of Black were announced for Collision during the main event.
“The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita (w/ Don Callis & Powerhouse Hobbs) defeated Kyle Fletcher (11:17).
Callis and Hobbs hung out at the commentary table.
Takeshita caught Fletcher with a blue thunder bomb for a near fall just before the break.
Fletcher ran into an elbow in the corner. Takeshita followed up with a knee to the back. Fletcher caught Takeshita with a gamingiri to send Takeshita to the floor, and Fletcher followed up with a tope. Back in the ring, Fletcher hit a top rope crossbody for a near fall. Fletcher and Takeshita exchanged strikes. Fletcher hit a half-and-half suplex, but Takeshita came back with a poisoned rana and a lariat. Fletcher countered a suplex attempt with a sheer drop brainbuster for a great near fall. That sequence was tremendous.
Fletcher took Takeshita to the top rope, but Takeshita fought out of it. Takeshita then hit a middle rope tombstone for a near fall and why in god’s name wasn’t that the finish?? Takeshita missed a knee strike, but rolled up Fletcher into a wheelbarrow suplex. In a last gasp of offense, Fletcher hit a thrust kick, but Takeshita hit a knee strike, then hit a running knee strike for the pinfall.
Tremendous match.
After the match, Takeshita dumped Fletcher to the floor to celebrate with the rest of the Family in the ring. Fletcher came back with a chair and hit both Takeshita and Hobbs. Hobbs no-sold the chair and tried to murder Fletcher, but Callis pulled him off and called Fletcher his “apprentice.” “That’s what we wanted, the hate!” Boos reigned down from the crowd as Fletcher left with the Don Callis family.
It looks like Kyle Fletcher is the newest memeber of the Don Callis Family.
Final Thoughts:
Oh man, Mark Davis might be screwed if they’re going all the way with Fletcher as a single in the Callis family. Callis was looking for a tag team earlier (when he was recruiting Parker & Menard) so maybe Fletcher and Davis will join as a team once Davis is healed up.
Between two very good matches book-ending the show and a great package on tomorrow night’s main event, this was an excellent episode of Rampage.
Former tag team partners Mike Santana & Ortiz will square off in a singles match on next week’s AEW Rampage.
The bout was announced during this week’s episode after weeks of vignettes explaining the dissolution of the Santana & Ortiz tag team and Santana’s decision to strike out on his own as a singles competitor.
Santana was on the shelf with a torn ACL from June 2022 until his return to AEW in August of this year. Santana & Ortiz briefly reunited and teamed as part of the Stadium Stampede match at All Out on August 27, but Santana declared his intentions to become a singles star in a video promo on the September 8 Rampage show.
In the weeks that followed, video promos with Santana & Ortiz aired, playing off a real-life falling out that the two had.
As a duo, Santana & Ortiz held Tag Team titles in 10 different promotions from 2015 to 2019, most notably holding the Impact World Tag Team Championship on four occasions. They joined AEW in 2019.
Santana vs. Ortiz is the only bout announced for next week’s Rampage to this point.
Santana & Ortiz returned to AEW, reuniting as a duo and aligning with the Blackpool Combat Club ahead of Sunday’s All In Stadium Stampede match.
Santana made his return for the first time since suffering a devastating knee injury in last year’s Blood & Guts match on the June 29, 2022 Dynamite. Ortiz has intermittently appeared for AEW since last year’s Blood & Guts, occasionally working as a single or in mixed tags, but Dynamite marked his first appearance for company since an ROH match taped on April 5.
In their return, Santana & Ortiz aligned with Blackpool Combat Club, turning on Eddie Kingston in the process in an angle that involved Jon Moxley & the BCC attacking Rey Fenix as Kingston & Penta El Zero Miedo ran in for the save. Santana, Ortiz, Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli took out Kingston & Penta, then Orange Cassidy & Best Friends entered to even the odds.
Fenix was taken out of the arena on a stretcher after the angle, creating a scenario where the originally announced six-on-six Stadium Stampede match for All In was changed to a five-on-five, with Moxley, Castagnoli, Yuta, Santana & Ortiz facing Kingston, Penta, Trent Beretta, Chuck Taylor & Cassidy.
The updated All In lineup:
AEW All In, Sunday, August 27, 1 p.m. Eastern time on pay-per-view —
AEW World Championship: MJF defends against Adam Cole
AEW Women’s World Championship: Hikaru Shida defends against Toni Storm, Britt Baker & Saraya
AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) defend against The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
Real World Championship: CM Punk defends against Samoa Joe
AEW World Trios Championship: The House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews & Brody King) vs. The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) & Billy Gunn
Stadium Stampede match: Eddie Kingston, Penta El Zero Miedo, Orange Cassidy & Best Friends (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor) vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta), Santana & Ortiz
Coffin match: Sting & Darby Allin vs. Swerve Strickland & Christian Cage
Chris Jericho vs. Will Ospreay
The Golden Elite (Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi & Hangman Page) vs. Bullet Club Gold (Jay White & Juice Robinson) & Konosuke Takeshita
Zero Hour pre-show, 12 p.m. Eastern time on AEW’s YouTube & social media channels —
ROH World Tag Team Championship: Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) defend against Better Than You Bay Bay (MJF & Adam Cole)
AEW has announced two matches for this week’s edition of Dark: Elevation.
Ortiz will face Serpentico in singles competition on the show. The other announced match features Kip Sabian & Penelope Ford teaming up to take on the team of Shawn Dean and Skye Blue.
Both matches were filmed on Wednesday from Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York ahead of AEW Grand Slam.
For Ortiz, this will be his seventh singles match in AEW (his record is 3-3) and his first since dropping a hair vs. hair match to Chris Jericho in June. This will be the second time Ortiz and Serpentico have met in singles action. Ortiz won their first encounter on a Dark taping held on June 3.
AEW Dark: Elevation airs on Monday beginning at 7 p.m Eastern time on YouTube. The advertised card is as follows:
Ortiz vs. Serpentico
Kip Sabian & Penelope Ford vs. Shawn Dean & Skye Blue
Ortiz lost his hair on tonight’s episode of Dynamite after interference from Sammy Guevara.
Chris Jericho defeated Ortiz after Guevara, who was dressed as Fuego del Sol, used Jericho’s bat to attack Ortiz. After the match, Jericho took off Fugeo’s mask, revealing it to be Guevara. Ortiz then took the shaver and shaved off his own hair, with Eddie Kingston, who was at ringside, saying Ortiz was a man of his word. Ortiz repeatedly said Blood and Guts as the segment ended.
The hair match was set up on Dynamite two weeks ago after Eddie Kingston and William Regal issued the challenge to the Jericho Appreciation Society for a Blood and Guts match. Jericho at first didn’t agree to the stipulation. But after Ortiz came out and managed to snip a piece of Jericho’s hair, Jericho agreed to the match as long as he was able to get a hair match against Ortiz on this week’s Dynamite.
The Blood and Guts match will take place on the June 29 episode of AEW Dynamite, which will take place in Detroit, Michigan.
