In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer provided an update on Rush re-signing with AEW.
Meltzer reports that Rush’s new AEW contract is believed to be a multi-year deal. Rush announced the new deal via a video posted on Twitter earlier this week.
Meltzer adds that, while WWE was interested in Rush, WWE never made an official offer because they knew Rush wouldn’t be going to WWE once they found out how much AEW was offering. One person in WWE called the AEW offer “insane money.”
The belief is the new deal is multiple years. Regarding the WWE situation with him, the explanation from multiple people there is that they were interested in him for NXT and understood that they’d have to make him an offer much bigger than just about anyone in NXT (obviously not Gable Steveson but bigger than anyone else) because he’d get a big offer from AEW. However, WWE never made an official offer because when they found out what AEW offered, they knew there was no way he was going to WWE. Someone in WWE called the offer ‘insane money.’
Rush first debuted for AEW in May 2022. He was initially on a per-appearance deal before signing a one-year contract with AEW. That contract was announced in September 2022.
Rush’s most recent AEW match took place this May.
After Rush’s new contract with AEW was announced, CM Punk made a post on his Instagram stories calling Rush a “Collider,” teasing that Rush will be part of AEW Collision.
After making his AEW debut in a taped segment at Double or Nothing 2022, Rush had his first match for AEW that June. He was on a per-appearance deal until signing full-time in September 2022.
Rush’s most recent AEW match was a six-man tag on Rampage this May. The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn defeated La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush, Dralistico & Preston Vance).
Dave Meltzer reported in last week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that, with Rush’s AEW contract either expiring or about to expire, both AEW and WWE were interested in him. Meltzer wrote that AEW’s offer was “far far bigger” than anyone in NXT was getting, so WWE would have had to offer main roster money to be in the ballpark.
After originally announcing last month that he was leaving Lucha Libre AAA, Rush ended up competing at Triplemania Tijuana. It set up that Rush, LA Park, Psycho Clown, and Sam Adonis will face off in a four-way match at Triplemania Mexico City on Saturday, August 12. Someone will lose their mask or hair in the match.
Poll results from all the major shows plus Match of the week and Performer of the week
Looking back on a week with some of the best matches of the year, story behind the matches and complications involved
Week one G-1 Climax coverage, what stories have been told, where is business, what is and isn’t working and match-by-match coverage
Coverage of TripleMania, including what really happened with Don Callis, the story behind Vikingo vs. Omega, as well as looking at the 8/12 show in Mexico City
Tony Khan press conference coverage, update on All In with new ticket sales info and how close to records is the show, more PPVs question, longer Dynamite, Death Before Dishonor and more
Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show and what is next for the participants
Eric Young returns and Impact Slammiversary, as well as the return of Josh Alexander
How many homes are the networks that carry wrestling in
The most detailed look at the ratings for all the wrestling and MMA television shows, with a lot of shockers in the weekly and daily standings. Including what show placed No. 7 for the week in network television, where the wrestling and MMA shows finished on cable, segment-by-segment, competition and more
What promotion is killing it every week in ticket sales at the same arena
Major talent jump to join his brother
Documentary on the life of one of the biggest stars in history hits movie theaters internationally in the fall
Major TV documentary on the Ali vs. Inoki fight, what was revealed and some new news being reported
75th anniversary of the birth of the NWA and the real story of its birth and growth
How the public’s viewing has changed
The Rick Steiner situation and how it was handled
More on the Teddy Hart arrest and what he was in Florida for
Notes on upcoming Impact TV shows
Upcoming ticket sales for WWE & AEw shows
Lots of new major UFC fights
Iconic company set for a return in September
Updated Money in the Bank and Forbidden Door PPV numbers
WWE injury updates
Dwayne Johnson reportedly sets an all-time money record
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Monday Update
Bryan and I are back tonight with Wrestling Observer radio covering all the latest news plus Raw coverage for tonight.
Rush, whose AEW deal had either just expired or was about to expire, has signed a new contract with the promotion. We’ve been covering that in the Observer the past few weeks. Those in WWE confirmed interest and those close to Rush confirmed interest in WWE, but those in WWE also believed AEW had made the better money offer and would likely get him a far better offer and would likely get him. Rush just confirmed the signing today.
Raw tonight is in Tampa. We’re looking for reports on the Main Event and anything off TV from the show to [email protected] The key stuff includes Cody Rhodes doing a promo regarding his match with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam, face-to-face confrontations with Gunther and Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul and Ricochet and the Seth Rollins-Finn Balor contract signing for SummerSlam. Plus Becky Lynch has to beat Zoey Stark to get a match at SummerSlam. If she loses she has to get the name Trish Stratus tattooed on her chest, which isn’t happening. There were 10,800 tickets out for the show this morning so it’s be another big crowd, perhaps a sellout. Cody Rhodes said that this would be the biggest Raw crowd in Tampa history.
Ronda Rousey is likely on the show tonight, since she worked the weekend house shows in Mexico against Shayna Baszler, and will also be on Stars on Mars on FOX tonight.
TBS sent out a press release regarding the Blood & Guts show. They listed more than 2.5 million viewers for the show. That figure is every person who tuned into one minute of the show or watched though Saturday night via DVR. In 25-54, the L+3 number was the best number in that demo for a prime time show on the station is more than two months. They noted an 0.83 18-49 number in L+3. It was the top show on cable in both categories. The 0.83 is the percentage of viewers in that age group that get TBS. That’s probably an 0.38 or so based on the numbers you would be used to seeing as far as the 18-49 demo after three days, which started at 0.34 on the same day.
Judgment Day, as in Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley, will open NXT tomorrow.
Dwayne Johnson has given a seven-figure donation to SAG-AFTRA. SAG-AFTRA called it the biggest donation that they have ever received from one individual at one time.
We’re looking for your thoughts on Friday’s ROH Death Before Dishonor show, a thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to [email protected]
G-1 continues at Korakuen Hall tomorrow at 5:30 a.m. with Will Ospreay vs. Great O’Khan, Shota Umino vs Gabe Kidd, Taichi vs. KENTA, Yota Tsuji vs. Chase Owens, Tanga Loa vs. El Phantasmo, Ren Narita vs. Hikuleo, Kazuchika Okada vs. Yoshi-Hashi and Sanada vs. Kaito Kiyomiya.
The Barbie movie, which came out over the weekend and features John Cena, did $162 million at the U.S. box office which these days is a gigantic number. It did $356 million worldwide.
The Lio Rush injury we wrote about yesterday and talked about on the show is legit. He was to work a match last night and they only said he was not cleared to wrestle. The MCW main event last night was to be Lio Rush vs. Brian Cage and the co-main was Action Andretti vs. Flip Gordon. It ended up Cage & Gordon vs. Andretti & Miami Mike where Mike pinned Gordon to win. (thanks to Ideen Barimani)
WWE stars will be on Celebrity Family Feud on Sunday. It will be men vs. women.
STARZ starts its second season on Friday night. As noted before, both CM Punk and AJ Mendez are part of the cast which is based around a small independent wrestling promotion in Georgia built around two feuding brothers whose father started the company.
Other Notes
GCW announced shows on 9/22 and 9/23 in Germany.
Prestige Wrestling from last night in Asbury Park,NJ, before 200 fans: Colin Delaney & Bobby Orlando b Ace of Space, Alan Angels b Manders, Xia Brookside b Janai Kai, Jake Crist b Robert Martyr (Martyr had to leave Prestige Wrestling based on the stipulation), Malakai Black & Kevin Blackwood b Alan Angels & Jake Crist in what was billed as Prestige vs. Revolver wrestling, Trish Adora b Maki Itoh, Alex Shelley b Jonathan Gresham to keep the Prestige title. (thanks to Joseph Kurliak)
On Wednesday night, Rush posted a video confirming that he would be part of this weekend’s Triplemania event in Tijuana, where he is set to team with LA Park against Sam Adonis and Psycho Clown in the finals of a Guerrera de Rivalidades tournament.
Back on June 10, Rush announced on Facebook that he and his father, Bestia del Ring, quit AAA and were now “totally independent” moving forward. Neither AAA or Rush confirmed whether or not the match was still on until Rush posted the video on Wednesday.
The team that loses the match this Saturday will then face one another in a mask vs. hair match at the third and final Triplemania event, which will take place in Mexico City on August 12.
Here is the updated lineup for Saturday’s Triplemania event:
AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo defends against Kenny Omega
LA Park & Rush vs. Sam Adonis & Psycho Clown in the Guerra de Rivalidades tournament. The losing team will wrestle in a mask vs. hair match at Triplemania: Mexico City on 8/12
Pentagon Jr & Laredo Kid vs. QT Marshall & Taurus in a Lucha de Ambulancia match
Team Chilango (Dana, Argenis, Chessman, & Negro Casas) w/Aczino vs. Team Baja (Nicho el Millionario, Damian 666, Rey Horus, & Xtreme Tiger) w/UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno
Aramis, Jack Evans & Vampiro vs. Pagano, Bestia 666 & Mega Wolf
Sexy Star, Lady Shani, & Dalys vs. Kamille, Viva Van, & Natalia Markova
Copa Triplemania entrants: Willie Mack, Mr. Iguana, Jack Cartwheel, La Hiedra, Flammer, Myzteziz, Luchador Sorpresa, Puma King, Nino Hamburguesa, Dinamico, & Gringo Loco
Rush took to Facebook Saturday to announce he and his father, Bestia del Ring, have quit Mexico’s AAA promotion for a second time and are now “totally independent.”
He and LA Park were scheduled to take on Sam Adonis and Psycho Clown at July’s Triplemania in Tijuana where the losing team would wrestle against each other in a mask vs. hair match at August’s Triplemania in Mexico City.
Mexican wrestling expert and writer Luchablog noted on Twitter that while the main event of AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Kenny Omega is big for those outside of Mexico, “that tag match (and the possibility of Park/Rush) was the big ticket seller.”
He also noted this doesn’t mean Rush would be allowed to wrestle at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2. Due to an arrangement NJPW has with CMLL, AAA talent are not allowed to appear on those kinds of shows.
Rush, a longtime fixture in CMLL, first appeared with AAA in December 2019 through March 2020. He returned in December 2022 and wrestled five matches with the last coming in April. Bestia wrestled for AAA during the same timeframe, taking part in ten multi-man matches.
A Trios match featuring The Acclaimed is set for this week’s Rampage.
Rush, Dralistico, and Preston Vance will team together to take on The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn. Acclaimed and Gunn have been teaming together as a trios team in recent weeks, scoring wins on Rampage.
Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida will team together to take on Nyla Rose and Marina Shafir. Baker and Shida have joined forces against The Outcasts, who have targeted the two in recent months.
Ethan Page and The Gunns will also be in action. Following The Firm Deletion, Page has joined forces with The Gunns to take on The Hardys and Isiah Kassidy. On last week’s Rampage, Kassidy’s neck was injured after Page and The Gunns wrapped a chair around it and stomped on the chair.
Two former members of The Firm will also be in action, as Lee Moriarty and Big Bill will team to take on Trent Beretta and Chuck Taylor of Best Friends.
Here is the full lineup for Rampage, which does not have a set time due to NHL coverage:
Rush, Dralistico, and Preston Vance vs. The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn
Britt Baker & Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose & Marina Shafir
Ethan Page & The Gunns in action
Lee Moriarty & Big Bill vs. Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor
After the shocking events of this past Wednesday, Don Callis will appear on AEW Dynamite to give his rationale for why he turned on Kenny Omega.
At the conclusion of Omega’s cage match with Jon Moxley, Callis entered the ring and delivered a shot to Omega’s head with a screwdriver, leading to Moxley getting the win.
As the four-way for the AEW World title at Double or Nothing draws near, two of the challengers will be in competition.
In one match, “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry will take on Rush for the first time ever. Perry has won eight of his last nine while this is Rush’s first singles match in AEW since a February loss to Bryan Danielson.
Sammy Guevara has also been announced for the show as being in action, but his opponent was not announced. Guevara and AEW World Champion MJF were unsuccessful in defeating Perry and Darby Allin this past Wednesday which made the four-way official.
Here’s the current lineup for Wednesday’s show in Austin, Texas:
Chris Jericho vs. Roderick Strong in a falls count anywhere match with JAS & Adam Cole banned from the building
The Outcasts (Saraya, Toni Storm & Ruby Soho) vs. Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter & Hikaru Shida
A new tag team match featuring the promotional return of Dralistico will take place at Saturday’s ROH Final Battle.
Rush and Dralistico will take on new AEW signee AR Fox and Blake Christian. On Wednesday, Rush teased his brother arriving in AEW via a phone call between himself, Dralistico, and Jose The Assistant.
Wrestling under the Mistico name for CMLL, Dralistico previously wrestled for ROH back in August of 2017.
In addition, four new matches have been added to the Zero Hour pre-show.
Willow Nightingale will face Trish Adora, The Kingdom will take on Top Flight, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard and “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker will take on Shinobi Shadow Squad (Cheeseburger and Eli Isom), and Mascara Dorada will face Jeff Cobb.
Here is the updated lineup for Final Battle this Saturday:
Main card:
ROH Champion Chris Jericho defends against Claudio Castagnoli
ROH Tag Team Champions FTR defend against The Briscoes in a double dog collar match
ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe defends against Juice Robinson
ROH Women’s Champion Mercedes Martinez defends against Athena
ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia defends against Wheeler Yuta
ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Dalton Castle & The Boys defend against The Embassy
Swerve in our Glory vs. Shane Taylor & JD Griffey
Rush & Dralistico vs. AR Fox & Blake Christian
Zero Hour pre-show:
Willow Nightingale vs. Trish Adora
The Kingdom vs. Top Flight
Matt Menard & Angelo Parker vs. Shinobi Shadow Squad
The Bryan & Vinny & Craig Show is back with tons to talk about in our look at a very weird AEW Rampage this week, a totally not-marquee show that was still a lot of fun if you actually watched it. Then, our live Youtube viewers and Bryan’s SUPER FOLLOWERS jump into our weekly live Q&A! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Hangman Page vs. Rush has been added to the Wednesday, October 5 AEW Dynamite lineup.
In a match announced in the closing segment of this week’s Rampage, Hangman will take on Rush on the third anniversary episode of Dynamite in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.
Rush defeated Dark Order’s John Silver in the main event of Rampage, then Rush and Andrade El Idolo commenced with a beatdown on Silver and Alex Reynolds after the match. Hangman ran in for the save, hitting Rush and Andrade’s assistant Jose with a Buckshot Lariat.
A trios bout in the women’s division has also been added to the Dynamite lineup.
As announced on Rampage, Toni Storm, Athena, and Willow Nightingale will take on Jamie Hayter, Serena Deeb, and Penelope Ford on Wednesday’s show.
Here is the updated lineup for the October 5 Dynamite:
Bryan Danielson & Daniel Garcia vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara
MJF vs. Wheeler Yuta
Hangman Page vs. Rush
Toni Storm, Athena & Willow Nightingale vs. Jamie Hayter, Serena Deeb & Penelope Ford
Darby Allin vs. Jay Lethal
Luchasaurus in action
National Scissoring Day” with The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn
In a tweet on Friday, Tony Khan officially announced that Rush has signed a full-time AEW contract. Rush had been on a per-appearance deal since making his AEW debut at Double or Nothing this May.
Khan wrote: “It’s official: @rushtoroblanco is All Elite! What a week for Rush! Yesterday was his birthday, today he’s All Elite, and it’s Rush vs [John Silver] TONIGHT on Friday Night #AEWRampage! Don’t miss Friday Night #AEWRampage on @TNTdrama @ 10pm ET/9pm CT TONIGHT!”
Andrade El Idolo had posted a tweet on Thursday wishing Rush a happy birthday and congratulating Rush on his new contract.
Rush debuted for AEW in a taped segment at Double or Nothing. His first match for AEW then took place in June.
La Faccion Ingobernable (Rush, his brother Dragon Lee & Andrade El Idolo) took part in AEW’s Trios title tournament this summer. They lost to The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) in the first round.
Rush has previously been a star for ROH and CMLL, including holding the ROH World Championship two times.
AEW has revealed seven of the eight participants in the Casino Ladder Match at All Out.
Tony Khan announced on Twitter that Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Penta Oscuro, Rey Fenix, Rush, Andrade El Idolo, and Dante Martin are entered into the match. There will also be a “joker” entrant to be revealed on the show.
“This Sunday at ALL OUT, the Casino Ladder Match winner will earn a future shot at the @AEW World Championship!,” Tony Khan wrote on Twitter.
AEW All Out takes place Sunday, September 4 from Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The announced lineup for the show is as follows:
Bryan Danielson vs. Chris Jericho
AEW World Trios Championship finals
AEW Interim Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm vs. Britt Baker vs. Jamie Hayter vs. Hikaru Shida
TBS Champion Jade Cargill defends against Athena
AEW Tag Team Champions Swerve In Our Glory defend against The Acclaimed
Jungle Boy vs. Christian Cage
FTR & Wardlow vs. Jay Lethal & Motor City Machine Guns
Casino Ladder Match
Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Wheeler Yuta vs. Penta Oscuro vs. Rey Fenix vs. Rush vs. Andrade El Idolo vs. Dante Martin vs. TBA in a Casino Ladder Match
Notable matches scheduled to air include Rush vs. Blake Christian and Dante Martin vs. AR Fox.
The Varsity Blonds, Julia Hart, Kiera Hogan, Angelo Parker, and Brock Anderson are all scheduled for the show as well.
Matches for this week’s episode were filmed on August 21 from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. AEW Dark airs Tuesday at 7 p.m Eastern time on YouTube. The announced lineup is as follows:
Rush vs. Blake Christian
The Varsity Blonds (Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman Jr.) vs. Rosario Grillo & Dean Alexander
The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)
Leila Grey vs. Renee Michelle
Kiera Hogan vs. Mylo
Kayla Rossi vs. Vipress
Julia Hart vs. Vicky Dreamboat
The Trustbusters (Ari Daivari, Slim J, & Parker Boudreaux) vs. Logan Cruz, Tyshaun Perez & Hermano
Jon Moxley will meet Rush for the interim AEW World Championship at Fight for the Fallen this coming Wednesday.
The match was announced during Saturday’s ROH Death Before Dishonor event. Also added is a handicap match, with Tony Nese & Mark Sterling facing off against Swerve Strickland. Strickland’s tag team partner Keith Lee is barred from ringside.
At Death Before Dishonor, Rush defeated his brother Dragon Lee in a fast-paced, hard hitting match. Moxley last defended the interim championship at the July 6 edition of Dynamite, defeating Brody King.
In recent weeks, Nese’s lawyer Sterling has been looking for people to sign his petition to remove Swerve Strickland from the AEW roster, and only needs one more signature. Sterling and Nese at Fyter Fest this past week confronted rapper Kevin Gates, who was at ringside during the Swerve/Lee Tag Team title celebration and wanted him to sign the petition. He refused. The segment ended with Nese getting punched out by Gates and Swerve throwing a cake in Sterling’s face.
Here is the lineup so far for Fight for the Fallen:
Interim AEW World Champion Jon Moxley defends against Rush
AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa defends against Miyu Yamashita
FTW Champion Ricky Starks defends against Danhausen
Bryan Danielson vs. Daniel Garcia
Swerve Strickland vs. Mark Sterling & Tony Nese (Keith Lee is banned from ringside)
After making his on-screen debut several weeks ago, former two-time Ring of Honor World Champion Rush made his AEW in-ring debut on Friday’s Rampage.
Rush was one of the twenty men in the Royal Rampage battle royal where the winner earned a shot at interim World Champion Jon Moxley on this Wednesday’s Dynamite.
As expected, he got involved with Penta Oscuro as he and Andrade El Idolo have been at odds with Oscuro and Rey Fenix as of late.
He and Oscuro were eliminated while battling on the ring apron. Afterward, Andrade (who was not in the match) threw a chair at Oscuro’s head so the feud will continue.
Rush has been working in trios matches this year and hasn’t been in a singles match since July 2021.
He made his on-screen debut at Double or Nothing, introduced during a taped segment in a boardroom with Andrade. He helped lay out the aforementioned Fenix during Andrade’s match with him on last Friday’s Rampage.
