AEW has announced a new addition to the lineup for tonight’s Spring BreakThru episode of Dynamite.
The fallout from AEW Dynasty takes place tonight on a special Dynamite episode from Everett, Washington. Coming off his loss to Ricochet at the pay-per-view, Chris Jericho will be interviewed by Renee Paquette.
“@ReneePaquette interviews @IAmJericho,” AEW announced. “Jericho’s #AEWDynasty return to the ring was an exciting battle vs @KingRicochet , before The Demand’s plan came together + Ricochet took the win! We’ll hear from Jericho [tonight]!”
Dynasty was Jericho’s first match for AEW following a year-long absence. Despite persistent rumors that he would be heading to WWE around the start of 2026, Jericho ultimately ended up returning to AEW on Dynamite two weeks ago and is back with the company for the long-term.
Angel of the Winds Arena is the venue for tonight’s show. In addition to this Jericho segment, three title matches have been booked, including a big World Championship bout between MJF and Washington native Darby Allin.
AEW Dynamite Spring BreakThru (Wednesday, April 15) —
AEW World Champion MJF defends against Darby Allin
TBS Champion Willow Nightingale defends against Kamille
TNT Champion Kevin Knight defends against Claudio Castagnoli
The Death Riders didn’t get their name out of a well-curated plan — it actually stemmed from a surprisingly random discovery linked to Jon Moxley’s hardcore persona.
Speaking with Renee Paquette on AEW’s Close Up, Moxley revealed the origins and influence of the group’s name. He linked it to his time in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2019 and recalled how an unexpected find of the phrase ultimately grew into something far bigger than anticipated.
“I don’t think there’s anything I’ve ever done that I’m more proud of in my career than what we’ve built with the Death Riders,” Moxley said.
“Death Riders means nothing. It’s just words put together. I like it because it’s kind of that wrestling Japanglish, because there was some kind of commercial with a jacket from Goodwill that said ‘Death Riders’ that I think was like the motorcycle guys who ride around inside the big steel ball at the carnival, which I’ve never done.
“So, I have no idea what it means or where it comes from, but in Japan they started calling me The Death Rider, and started calling – it’s a word that means nothing. But to me, it means something now.”
The former AEW World Champion also touched on how important the other members of the Death Riders have been to the group’s success.
“I don’t think I would be here if not for these people. I don’t know what I would be doing. I might be in jail by this point if not for this group of people,” Moxley said.
“You know, like a couple years ago, I’m looking around and I still look around to this day and I’m like, I’m surrounded by clowns everywhere. And I listen to people talk and I’m like, do you even know what you’re talking about? Are we even talking about wrestling? I don’t think you even know what you’re talking about.”
The Death Riders have been a dominant faction ever since their inception in AEW. Despite the name change from Blackpool Combat Club after a few members’ exits and additions, the group remains strong, now consisting of Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Marina Shafir, Pac, and Daniel Garcia.
It’s difficult for anything to live up to the feeling he gets competing in the ring, but Colt Cabana is enjoying the work he does backstage in AEW.
A new episode of AEW Close Up premiered this week with Renee Paquette interviewing Cabana. During their conversation, Cabana discussed his backstage job as a producer, which gives him the opportunity to use the wrestling knowledge he’s built up over the years in a different role.
“I like it. I do like it. The performer in me will always want to perform, so there is a little bit of heartbreakness going on,” Cabana said. “But as a producer, I’m in the trenches. And I like being in the trenches. And I also — I feel I know wrestling. I was and am so immersed in it for so many years now. I like that that knowledge can be used. I like to use that knowledge.
“Some people like different things about producing, I really like when I’m talking to the [production] truck and it’s like I’m almost in the middle of the match. You hear it takes three people, the wrestlers and the referee, but I feel like the fourth person. I really enjoy it. I enjoy it.”
Cabana still competes on the indies but admitted that his in-ring career has probably started to wind down. Wrestling provides him a unique kind of joy, but Cabana loves performing in any capacity, whether that’s comedy, podcasts, or even his producer job.
The 45-year-old Cabana has had a well-traveled career as a comedy wrestler and starred for ROH both in the ring and on commentary. He’s now been with AEW for more than five years.
AEW has revealed the four-person panel for this Sunday’s Revolution pre-show.
The Zero Hour broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time and will be hosted by Renee Paquette, RJ City, Jeff Jarrett, and actor/wrestler Paul Walter Hauser. The pre-show is airing live for free on AEW’s social media channels immediately leading into the Revolution pay-per-view.
Your official lineup for AEW Revolution Zero Hour.
I love how the guy with the Golden Globe has the least professional headshot. pic.twitter.com/gm8up5xbWY
Hauser — a wrestling fan who now regularly competes in the ring — also served as a panelist for AEW’s Full Gear pre-show in November 2024. As an actor, he’s best known for starring in the movie “Richard Jewell. He won an Emmy award for his role in the 2022 Apple TV+ mini-series “Black Bird.” In April, Hauser will be an entrant in MLW’s 40-wrestler Battle Riot match where Matt Riddle is defending the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.
Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is hosting Revolution on Sunday (March 9). The pre-show broadcast will feature TikTok star Big Boom AJ returning to the ring for a six-man tag match. He’s teaming with Mark Briscoe & Orange Cassidy against Johnny TV, Mason Madden & Mansoor.
Here is everything that’s been announced for Revolution as of now:
AEW World Champion Jon Moxley defends against Cope
AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Kenny Omega
The Hollywood Ending: AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defends against Mariah May
AEW Tag Team Champions The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) defend against The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum)
TBS Champion Mercedes Mone defends against Momo Watanabe
AEW World title number one contender’s match: Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet
MJF vs. Hangman Page
Steel cage match: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher
Zero Hour: Big Boom AJ, Mark Briscoe & Orange Cassidy vs. Johnny TV, Mansoor & Mason Madden
Slamovich said: “Thank you for having me. I said that I was going to bring this title around the world and find the best people to defend it [against], and so far I like what I see.”
Michaels responded: “Just know we’re only a phone call away, alright? Congratulations and good luck.”
Bayley Humphrey, a former acrobat/tumbler for Baylor University who joined WWE after being part of the NIL program, debuted last night in a match taped for the upcoming A&E series WWE LFG (Legends & Future Greats).
In response to Bad Bunny saying he wants to wrestle one more WWE match, Logan Paul commented: “Then get in the ring with me”
WWE filed a new trademark for the term “Cenation” for merchandising purposes on January 14.
During an interview with Cincy 360, Renee Paquette was asked if she’s interested in doing commentary again at some point:
You know, sometimes I think about it. There’s aspects of it that I miss. And obviously this is a far different circumstance with AEW versus what I had done previously. So I think about it sometimes. I mean, I love getting to do the interviews. I love getting to do some more of the longform interviews or some of those really exclusive sit-down things. I love getting to do those. But, yeah, every now and then when I’m listening I’m like – I kind of get a little bit of the itch. A little bit. So we’ll see.
MVP cut a promo ahead of his AEW debut match on Dynamite tonight. MVP, Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin are facing Private Party & Mark Briscoe in a six-man tag.
MVP tweeted today: “The story going around that a knee injury kept me out of the ring was never true. I injured my knee back during the pandemic. I exacerbated that injury by continuing to wrestle on it, injured, for NINE MONTHS. But I healed and transitioned to a new role. One I enjoy.”
Rina Yamashita has been added to the DLC (Doors, Ladders & Chairs) match for the vacant Ultraviolent Championship at GCW’s Hammerstein Ballroom event this Sunday. It will now be a seven-way bout with Yamashita, Matt Tremont, Brandon Kirk, Matthew Justice, Drew Parker, John Wayne Murdoch, and Dr. Redacted.
Indie veteran Nate Webb will make a major announcement regarding his career and future at GCW’s show in Indianapolis on Friday, January 31.
Deadlock Pro announced that, due to a medical issue, Trish Adora will not be competing at their show in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey this Friday. Queen Aminata is replacing Adora against Kylie Rae.
After appearing on last night’s NXT from the former ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Rob Van Dam teased that he’ll be back in the future. RVD responded to a fan who said they wished he had a match on NXT: “Me too. But I’ll be back.”
WWE uploaded the full 10-woman tag match from NXT where Zaria, Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer, Kelani Jordan & Jordynne Grace defeated Roxanne Perez, Cora Jade, Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne & Jazmyn Nyx.
Lance Anoa’i looks to be the latest Bloodline family member to sign with WWE. He was spotted among the NXT talent at a recent charity event. The 32-year-old Anoa’i is the son of Samu and grandson of Afa.
Pro Wrestling NOAH wrestler Yoshiki Inamura commented on his arrival to the WWE Performance Center: “Finally made it here!!! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I will keep moving forward!!! Arigatou gozaimasu [thank you]”
At 11 p.m. Eastern time this Saturday, the Vault YouTube channel will be streaming an old episode of Shotgun Saturday Night from Penn Station in New York City featuring The Undertaker vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley and The Godwinns vs. Farooq & Crush.
Going Ringside spoke with Goldberg while at his induction into the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame.
Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) vs. Cutler James, Dion Lennox & Shiloh Hill
Kali Armstrong vs. Dani Palmer
AEW/Other Wrestling
AEW Meal & a Match made its return today with Darby Allin appearing as Renee Paquette & RJ City’s guest.
In an interview with Q1057 & 1035 radio in Albany, Allin praised Bryan Danielson following Danielson’s retirement from being a full-time active performer:
Bryan Danielson is the guy you could call upon last second and have an amazing match. He was such a team player. There wasn’t anything he wasn’t willing to do for the company. He had no ego. He was a lot like Sting. He was a really good energy to have.
I am super proud to watch from afar. She came in as a super fan, just loving wrestling, loved it so much that she moved from England to Japan, trained out in Stardom just to hone her craft, and now she’s here.
She is our women’s world champion, beating Toni Storm in one of the best storylines in women’s history. So to see her rise this fast and to see how good she is in the ring, it’s so incredible. Like I said, we have the best women’s division in the game right now. And I’m definitely looking at the title that she has around her waist.
After only airing one episode in May, AEW Meal and a Match is set to make its return.
The digital series — hosted by Renee Paquette and RJ City — launched on the TBS YouTube channel in May with Eddie Kingston appearing as the first guest. There had not been any news about the show since then, but it was revealed today that new episodes are being produced to air this fall:
New episodes… that's right with an S!
So hold on to your forks and get ready to dive into Meal and a Match this Fall! pic.twitter.com/xC76Iwaymk
New episodes… that’s right with an S! So hold on to your forks and get ready to dive into Meal and a Match this Fall!
Meal and a Match takes inspiration from the classic TBS series Dinner and a Movie with a guest joining Paquette and City on each episode as they share a meal and watch AEW wrestling.
“RJ City and Renee Paquette look to prove we’ve been watching wrestling wrong as they look to break bread and break tables with some of the biggest names in AEW!,” the description for the show says.
The debut episode with Kingston was 23 minutes long and can be watched below:
Chuck Taylor has opened up regarding his injury status.
On Close Up with Renee Paquette, Taylor expressed hope that he could return to in-ring action following surgery.
“I can get surgery. And once I heal from that, I can hopefully reassess…maybe it’s me hoping. But a lot of guys and gals have come back from ‘career-ending’ injuries,” Taylor said.
At the end of the interview, Taylor admitted he hasn’t scheduled the surgery yet, wanting to take this summer to learn the production side of AEW television.
“It’s not really an emergency, they said. I can’t do anything athletic. Eventually, they said, I’ll get terrible arthritism, and then all they can do is fuse it. But that’s years down the line, so I’m hoping maybe take the summer to really feel comfortable in the job, I don’t want to learn half of it and then piss off for a while, so hopefully after the summer is my hope.”
Originally, Taylor injured his knee back in October, believing it to be a bruised talus and ligament damage that could be rehabbed. After rehab, it didn’t get better, and that is where doctors advised Taylor to undergo surgery.
Taylor was written off AEW television in April, losing to Trent Beretta in a parking lot brawl. After the match, Trent took a wrench and attacked Taylor’s foot, blaming Cassidy for what he had done. It was later said on AEW television that Taylor would never be able to wrestle again.
American Joshi promotion Sukeban is bringing in Renee Paquette.
Paquette was announced as part of the commentary team for tonight’s show along with former WWE writer Kazeem Famuyide, and wrestling/baseball reporter Saya.
Tonight’s show takes place at The Trinity in Los Angeles and will stream live on TikTok.
Tonight’s event will be the third in the promotion’s history. They also ran shows in New York and Miami last year.
Here’s how the promotion describes itself:
Sukeban blends fashion, anime, and music, and breaks down the walls between the worlds of art and wrestling. Named for the girl gangs which emerged in the 1960s and 70s and helped bring feminism to the cultural forefront in Japan, Sukeban’s roster features some of the most talented wrestlers in the world.
Sareee (FKA as Sarray in NXT) will be featured on tonight’s show. She performs as Sareee Bomb in the promotion and is scheduled to wrestle Maya Mamushi.
Sukeban’s announced lineup for May 30, 2024 —
Sukeban World Champion Commander Nakajima defends against Crush Yuu
Rina Yamashita vs. Lady Antoinette vs. Atomic Banshee
Saki Bimi & Babyface vs. Konami & Queen of Hearts
Sareee Bomb (former NXT wrestler Sarray) vs. Maya Mamushi
Supersonic & Stray Cat vs. Midnight Player & Otaku-chan
A new AEW digital series is premiering on YouTube this week.
Hosted by Renee Paquette & RJ City, “AEW Meal & a Match” will make its debut on TBS’ YouTube channel at 2 p.m. Eastern time this Friday (May 17). On the series, Paquette & City will be joined by guests from AEW as they share a meal and watch wrestling. Eddie Kingston is the guest for the premiere. “Crying, BBQ, and punchable faces” will be among the topics covered on the episode.
Here is the description for the show:
RJ City and Renee Paquette look to prove we’ve been watching wrestling wrong as they look to break bread and break tables with some of the biggest names in AEW!
Eddie Kingston joins them for a dive into great action and great Dallas food in the premiere of Meal and a Match.
Paquette and City are friends and have worked together on the broadcast team for AEW pre-shows. Last month, Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast reported that Paquette and City had been working on this new project.
The former Renee Young is an interviewer on the AEW broadcast team. City hosts the “Hey! (EW)” interview series on AEW’s YouTube channel.
Paquette sent out the following tweet after the “Meal & a Match” series was announced today:
An interview with Mariah May is set for Wednesday’s Dynamite.
The final Dynamite of the year will have Renee Paquette interview Mariah May ahead of AEW Worlds End, where Toni Storm will defend the AEW Women’s Championship against Riho. May attacked Riho with the AEW Women’s Championship on last week’s Dynamite, saving Storm from an attack.
In recent weeks, May has been at the side of Storm, saying she’s her biggest fan, despite Storm acting as if she’s never met her. On Collision, May said that her American wrestling license has been approved, teasing her first in-ring AEW match would be happening soon. When May asked if Storm would be in her corner, Storm acted as if she didn’t hear her.
Here’s the current lineup for the New Year’s Smash edition of Dynamite from Orlando, Florida:
Continental Classic Gold League finals: Jon Moxley vs. Jay White vs. Swerve Strickland
Continental Classic Blue League finals: Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston
ROH Tag Team Champions MJF & Samoa Joe defend against The Devil’s Henchmen
Just over eight years ago, a man known to plenty of Canadian pro wrestling fans (and U.S. ones as well) began his career in WWE after a run that began on frozen tundras in his native country and eventually took him to both Canadian sports TV and radio on SportsNet 360.
While you may not immediately remember the name Kyle Edwards, you likely remember the man or know the name behind that manufactured name: Arda Ocal — someone I have wanted to have on Josh Nason’s Punch-Out for quite some time.
Arda, now an on-screen regular for ESPN on both SportsCenter and their NHL coverage, talked to me for an hour about a ton of stuff: his days in WWE and why they ended, how Vince McMahon had a say in his name, his days on both Aftermath and Right After Raw with Renee Paquette and Jimmy Korderas, what’s he doing now with ESPN, and everything in-between.
That in-between includes a Canada-only WWE DVD focusing on the country’s wrestling talent that I found on YouTube.
I really enjoyed this conversation and I think you will as well.
Join me on this week’s Punch-Out with the former Kyle Edwards in WWE, longtime wrestling fan, and Star Wars aficionado Arda Ocal of ESPN.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including AEW vs. NXT next Tuesday and what it means and does not mean, some notes from the Dynamite show and more. Then, we are joined by THE REMARKABLE RENEE PAQUETTE for a remarkable interview talking AEW, WWE, the Revolver Women’s Grand Prix, and more. A great show, so check it out~!
During a podcast appearance released Tuesday, AEW on-screen personality Renee Paquette discussed the length of her contract and that she actually has two different deals with the company.
Talking on Richard Deitsch’s Sports Media Podcast, Paquette confirmed that she has a three-year deal with AEW as both a talent and as a producer — both of which have their own unique contract.
She said that while she loves doing the backstage interviews, she is hoping to expand her role in the year ahead, including hosting kickoff shows and being able to flex more in the producer role.
“There’s so many people that I’m dying to do proper sit-down interviews with. I want to spend some real time with somebody and really unpeel some of those layers and figure out who some of these characters are to try and push some of those stories forward — to give some context to fans who some of these wrestlers are,” she explained. “Even though some of these wrestlers are these world-renowned stars, if you’re a casual fan, you might not know who everybody is and I would love to provide a little bit more context into who they are and really get into that stuff.”
As a producer, she would like to be able to work with other backstage interviewers so they can be doing them “to the fullest capacity.”
As she had done in past interviews, she talked about why she came to AEW as while her podcast was helping scratch the itch of being involved in wrestling, she missed being on TV which is how she got her start.
She confirmed she was having talks with WWE before she signed with AEW, but that it made more sense for her family to sign with AEW and that her husband, Jon Moxley, was essentially acting as the go-between/agent.
She joked about wanting to pull her hair out during the times in WWE when she would have to comment on matches or things happening while Moxley was wrestled which put that in the focus. She said she has not had that conversation with Moxley or Tony Khan about how that should be handled in AEW.
Shawn Spears says he still has a few things left in wrestling he’d like to accomplish, including winning a championship for a major company.
The 41-year-old was a guest on an episode of The Sessions with Renee Paquette released on Thursday. During the discussion, Paquette asked Spears what keeps him motivated and what is his “love story” with wrestling.
“The reality is it’s been a love/hate relationship,” Spears said. “It has been up and down. It has been a lot of down. There have been times where I’ve hated this industry and the reason being is its entertainment and without pulling the curtain back too much, there are just things you’re not in control of. So, it can have a tendency to make you feel like you are not good enough despite how hard you’re working, despite how much time or effort you are giving to the industry, and despite what the audience may be doing. It may just not be your number and this business doesn’t owe anybody anything. It moves on with or without us.”
Spears and Cassie Lee (FKA Peyton Royce) are expecting their first child in January.
“What keeps me motivated and what keeps me going is knowing that my legacy, the legacy I leave behind, will have nothing to do with pro-wrestling, in my opinion. No one is going to probably remember me in great detail after I’m gone, but my son will. My son will know what I’ve done, my future children will know what I’ve done, my family knows what I’ve done. My nieces and nephews will know what I’ve done and if that is enough to guide them down a path, a good path that can be beneficial to their life and the lives they create with someone going forward, I’ve done my job on this Earth.”
Spears also mentioned that he feels his time left in wrestling is limited.
“I am winding down, I don’t have a lot of time left. That’s probably the main reason I put pressure on myself now,” Spears continued.
Paquette asked him if he doesn’t have a long time left contractually or physically.
“Both,” he responded. “Bodywise I’m in really good shape. I’m in great shape, the best shape of my life. I mean in the sense where I’ve never been at the main event, top of the card schedule.”
“I never had to do the champion’s schedule so my body after almost 21 years is in really good condition based on what I have done but there’s very few things that I would like to do left in wrestling. I’m pushing to try and check off a few of those boxes before my time is done. It’s been difficult and it’s been a challenge but not more challenging than anything else I’ve been through in 20-plus years.”
Spears continued to say that winning a championship is something left he would like to accomplish. He mentioned being inspired by a photo of Brodie Lee holding the TNT title with both of his sons.
“My goal is to be decorated, is to win a championship in a major company, AEW or elsewhere. That is my goal, just so I can have that time and that prize to show my son in the future.”
He continued to say WWE’s Intercontinental Championship is a belt he would like to win.
“Being completely honest, I have always seen myself as an Intercontinental Champion,” Spears said.
“I grew up on the Mr. Perfects, and the Rick Rudes, and the Ultimate Warrior, and then as I got into wrestling, it was always seen as the workhorse championship. So, I had always seen myself in that zone. So, in a perfect world, it would be the Intercontinental Championship.”
