Tag: the young bucks

The Elite vs. The Acclaimed & Hiroshi Tanahashi added to AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Two new matches have been added to Forbidden Door.

Hiroshi Tanahashi will team with The Acclaimed to take on The Elite (The Young Bucks & Kazuchika Okada). After The Elite challenged The Acclaimed to a trios match, Billy Gunn said while he’d like to team up with The Acclaimed, he happened to know a president. That is when Tanahashi appeared on the video screen and announced he’d team with Max Caster & Anthony Bowens this Sunday.

This would be the first time Okada and Tanahashi have faced off since Okada’s departure from NJPW earlier this year.

Willow Nightingale and Tam Nakano will team up on Sunday, taking on Kris Statlander and Momo Watanabe. In a video, Statlander challenged Nightingale to a warm up match ahead of their Owen Hart Foundation tournament bout on next Wednesday’s Dynamite. The match was later confirmed for Forbidden Door’s Zero Hour pre-show.

It was also announced on Dynamite that Bryan Keith will not be wrestling at Forbidden Door after suffering an injury. Jericho attempted to recruit Minoru Suzuki into being part of his trios team, but Suzuki rejected the offer and instead challenged Jericho to an FTW title match. It was explained on social media that the trios match between The Learning Tree and Hook, Katsuyori Shibata, and Samoa Joe at Forbidden Door is still on, but Jericho needs to find a new partner.

Here is the updated lineup for Forbidden Door:

  • AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland defends against Will Ospreay
  • Ladder match for the vacant TNT Championship: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mark Briscoe vs. Jack Perry vs. Lio Rush vs. Dante Martin vs. TBA
  • Title for title: TBS Champion Mercedes Mone vs. NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer
  • AEW Women’s Championship: Toni Storm defends against Mina Shirakawa
  • IWGP World Heavyweight title: Jon Moxley defends against Tetsuya Naito
  • Owen Hart Foundation men’s quarterfinal match: Bryan Danielson vs. Shingo Takagi
  • MJF vs. Hechicero
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Orange Cassidy
  • The Elite (Kazuchika Okada & The Young Bucks) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & The Acclaimed
  • The Learning Tree (Chris Jericho, Big Bill, and TBA) vs. Samoa Joe, Hook, and Katsuyori Shibata
  • Zero Hour: Kris Statlander & Momo Watanabe vs. Willow Nightingale & Tam Nakano

The Young Bucks to address future of TNT title on AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Ian Carey

The TNT title situation will be addressed on AEW Dynamite tonight.

With current champion Adam Copeland having suffered a broken tibia at Double or Nothing on Sunday, AEW is advertising that EVPs Matthew and Nicholas Jackson will “Address the future of the TNT Championship” on Wednesday’s show.

AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, is scheduled for the KIA Forum in Los Angeles. Four matches are confirmed for the show including a Casino Gauntlet match to earn a world title match at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door next month.

Here is the updated lineup for the show:

  • Swerve Strickland vs. Killswitch
  • IWGP World Heavyweight title eliminator: Jon Moxley vs. Rocky Romero
  • The debut of TV Time with Chris Jericho
  • Casino Gauntlet match to determine who challenges for the AEW World title at Forbidden Door
  • We will get answers from Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway
  • Saraya vs. Mariah May
  • Don Callis to offer Orange Cassidy a contract
  • Mercedes Mone TBS title celebration
  • The Young Bucks to address the TNT title situation

The Young Bucks gift AEW title belts to Inside the NBA hosts

Posted on by Ian Carey

AEW was promoted on Inside the NBA last night.

During Tuesday night’s broadcast on TNT, hosts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and Draymond Green received AEW World Championship replica belts on-air following an ad for Wednesday’s Dynamite. The NBA on TNT social media accounts would later credit The Young Bucks with having gifted the belts to the crew.

The hosts also received “exclusive championship sneaker belts” which the Bucks have been marketing along with their new signature Reebok pumps.

Footage of the segment is available below.

O’Neal, who said more than once he would wear the title belt to a Hookah bar later that night, wrestled once for AEW in 2021. He teamed with Jade Cargill and defeated the team of Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet on the March 3 Dynamite that year. O’Neal participated in WWE’s Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in 2016 as well.

Young Bucks on following Ospreay vs. Danielson: ‘It’s those types of challenges that excite us’

Posted on by Ian Carey

The Young Bucks knew they were in a tough spot at AEW Dynasty.

Matt and Nick Jackson’s match against FTR on the pay-per-view followed, arguably, one of the greatest matches in history. Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson was rated six-and-a-half stars by our own Dave Meltzer, the second-highest rating he’s ever given a match.

During a recent interview with SI.com, Matt Jackson said going on after a match that good is just the type of challenge that gets them excited.

“The building was shaking,” said Matt Jackson of Danielson vs. Ospreay. “The louder it got, the more nervous we all got. Always happy for guys when they’re killing it, but I was certainly thinking, ‘How are we going to follow that?’ At this point in our career, it’s those types of challenges that excite us the most.”

Jack Perry returned to AEW in the closing moments of FTR vs. The Young Bucks at Dynasty. The Bucks say they’ve developed a tight-knit bond with the 26-year-old. They also told SI.com they helped Perry with his recent work in NJPW and consider him something of a younger brother.

“Jack unfairly ate crap for a very long time,” said Matt Jackson. “So we had a lot of empathy for him, and we were very excited to help launch his comeback.”

“We kept an eye on him the entire time he was gone and helped him navigate the situation–a familiar one that we had also gone through,” Matt continued. “We also talked him down a few times. We gave him advice on how to succeed in Japan. It felt like he was our little brother. We saw him for the first time since All In, a couple days prior to the pay-per-view. We met him in our private jet, and talked endlessly the entire flight. We let him get it all out of his system, but assured him that this would be a fresh start. I was so thrilled to hear and see the groundswell for him when he appeared for the first time. It was like a rebirth for him.”

“We were super proud and happy for Jack. He deserved a big moment and a big reaction, and he got both of those things in one moment” Nick Jackson added.

The Young Bucks will team with Perry and Kazuchika Okada on Sunday at AEW Double or Nothing. They’ll face FTR, Darby Allin, and Bryan Danielson in an Anarchy in the Arena match.

The full interview with Sports Illustrated is available here.

The Young Bucks attack Eddie Kingston at NJPW Resurgence

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The Young Bucks have returned to New Japan.

After Eddie Kingston lost a brutal no ropes Last Man Standing match at NJPW Resurgence, Jack Perry walked out and the two had a staredown. The distraction allowed Nicholas and Matthew Jackson to enter the ring and attack Eddie Kingston from behind, eventually giving him the EVP trigger.

The Young Bucks posted on X not long after the attack:

Nicholas and Matthew Jackson haven’t been seen in NJPW since they left the company shortly after the formation of All Elite Wrestling. In recent weeks, they have been feuding with Kingston, who lost the Continental title to Kazuchika Okada, who did not appear at Resurgence.

Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite event ended with Kingston and Bryan Danielson revealing themselves as FTR’s tag team partners for Double or Nothing, where they will face The Elite in an Anarchy in the Arena match. The show ended with the two teams having to be separated by security.

The Elite attack Kenny Omega on AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The Elite have taken out a fellow EVP.

Kenny Omega was laid out by The Elite after promising he would make a return to the ring from diverticulitis. He addressed The Young Bucks and their recent actions, saying he was an EVP and couldn’t be fired from that position. Kazuchika Okada then came to the ring. Omega challenged Okada to a match but asked Okada to give him a few months. Okada said he was the Best Bout Machine now. Omega was then attacked by Jack Perry. Omega made a comeback and was about to lay out Perry when Okada grabbed him on the outside, allowing Perry to attack Omega with a steel chair.

The Young Bucks then came out and acted concerned, much like last week when they attacked Tony Khan. They then attacked Omega with the EVP trigger. It was there that FTR came out for the save, closing out Dynamite.

When Rampage began, Omega was being stretchered to the back when The Elite attacked FTR from behind. They then hovered around Omega as Matthew apologized, saying what they were doing was just business. They then dumped Omega to the cement floor to end the segment.

Omega, who has been out of action since December, said that he was battling diverticulitis. After spending 10 days in the hospital, it was said that he was 24 hours away from dying when he first came in and any damage to his midsection was a ‘ticking time bomb’. He said for the first time in his career, he was scared and considered retirement. But then he watched Dynasty and made a promise to himself that this wasn’t over and would exhaust all options to make a return.

Young Bucks say Jack Perry ‘needed something controversial’ to open people’s eyes

Posted on by Ian Carey

The Young Bucks believe Jack Perry is wrestling’s next breakout star. 

Perry, who appears destined to return to AEW shortly, received a mixed but passionate reaction in Chicago for Windy City Riot on Friday. His match with Shota Umino took place two days after security footage of his altercation with CM Punk backstage at AEW All In aired on Dynamite. 

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson said Perry has an “edge and swagger” to him now coming off his run in NJPW with House of Torture. They believe all the controversy involving what happened at All In has given him a chip on his shoulder. 

“He’s been the next breakout star for a while now and he just needed something controversial to happen to him to open people’s eyes,” said Nick Jackson. “It happened with us early on in our careers, too.”

“Jack Perry was one of my original AEW hires,” said Matt Jackson. “I saw a video clip of him on the indies, and then I went and watched everything I could find. Years prior, I’d heard stories about a nine-year-old boy being brought to wrestling training in Southern California by his celebrity dad Luke Perry. I wondered, whatever happened to that kid? Apparently, he’d been working hard and turning into a heck of a talent. I watched the videos and thought, ‘Whoa. Young, handsome SoCal kid with a great head of hair. Seems misunderstood. Has tons of confidence. He reminds me a lot of me and Nicholas at his age.’

“Coming back from Japan, Jack Perry now has that edge and swagger. And coming off all of this BS he’s been dealing with, he has a chip on his shoulder. He’s a dangerous cat right now and is about to blow up.”

Regarding AEW’s decision to air the security footage from AEW All In, the Bucks say they have no regrets regarding their part in the segment. Matthew Jackson reiterated previous storyline comments made about the segment, saying it was important for them to tell the fans why they lost to FTR in Wembley that night. 

“Since we are wrestling FTR at Dynasty, and with it being the first time doing that since All In London, so many feelings and thoughts came rushing back,” said Matt Jackson. “Old wounds were reopened. We decided it was only fair to be transparent and honest with our fans. We needed to give them context about why we feel we came up short at All In London. Our bodies were there in the ring wrestling FTR at Wembley, but our minds were in the back with the scapegoat in the entire situation, Jack Perry. The three of us specifically were wronged that night, and I haven’t gotten over that.”

“As EVPs, we were given a task for that week by the boss and we did it to the best of our abilities. Zero regret.”

Tony Schiavone says AEW Dynamite reaction was to ‘put more heat’ on Young Bucks

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Tony Schiavone has responded to his viral moment.

Before The Young Bucks showed footage of the All In altercation between Jack Perry and CM Punk on last week’s Dynamite, Schiavone appeared flustered at what was about to go down. On his podcast What Happened When, Schiavone said the reaction wasn’t about the footage being shown, but about putting heat on The Young Bucks.

“My facial reaction to what happened was…trying to put more heat on The Bucks for being a*******. I did not have any reaction to the footage we’d seen because I don’t give a damn,” he said. “So what? So f***** what. So I was not upset at the promotion, I was not upset at Tony Khan, I was not pissed off about what we had shown, I was trying to be fully in the moment of the angle, which is The Bucks b******* about FTR, not wanting to shake their hands and getting f****** around…I’m sincere when I say I don’t care. It has no impact on my life.”

Schiavone also rejected the idea of AEW airing the footage being similar to tactics WCW pulled toward the end of their run.

“Some people are saying oh, the footage you were showing is like the finger poke of doom moment for AEW. Well you know what, that’s what you want it to be because you want to see us fail,” he said. “And there is no way because I was in both companies, there is absolutely no way that you can compare us to WCW, you can’t. You may want to, you may think you’re right, you’re wrong. You cannot compare us to WCW, I was there for both, you were not.”

In storyline, The Young Bucks used the footage to play into their match against FTR at AEW Dynasty on April 21, using it as the reason they lost their last match against FTR on that night. They went as far as to accuse FTR of being the masterminds behind the altercation, but immediately recanted as their accusation was “unprofessional.”

Tony Khan: Young Bucks have a ‘good reason’ to air AEW All In backstage footage

Posted on by Ian Carey

Tony Khan says The Young Bucks have a good reason to air the backstage footage from AEW All In. 

On Saturday’s episode of Collision, it was revealed that Matthew & Nicholas Jackson will “present backstage footage from AEW All In & will discuss for the first time” on Dynamite this week. Khan recently told Sports Illustrated that the decision to air the footage is “based on putting on the best show for AEW, as well as driving interest for Dynamite and our Dynasty pay-per-view on April 21.”

Khan said:

AEW has a great track record on delivering what we advertise, and it is real footage.

The Young Bucks will show backstage footage from All In, the most important event in AEW history–the world record-holder for the most tickets ever sold for any wrestling record, over 81,035 total–and it was an important night backstage, as well.

He continued:

The decision (to air the footage) is based on putting on the best show for AEW, as well as driving interest for Dynamite and our Dynasty pay-per-view on April 21. This is real-life footage that affected many people, and it will air for the first time on TBS during Dynamite.

Justin Barrasso wrote that Khan was “guarded” regarding specific content that will air on Wednesday. However, Khan teased that the footage could play a role in the Young Bucks’ ongoing rivalry with FTR. 

Khan continued:

The Young Bucks are wrestling for the world tag team championship at AEW Dynasty against longtime rivals FTR. Their rivalry is one of the most significant ever in AEW, and there is a good reason why the Young Bucks are showing this video.

It’s important that the Young Bucks explain the reason why this is relevant going into Dynasty. It should be another must-see part of a great show on Dynamite.

AEW’s decision to air the footage was also discussed by our own Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez on Tuesday’s episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, available now for subscribers. 

They said:

Meltzer: The idea is to embarrass Punk, right? To show that Punk’s a liar and embarrass Punk. However, if they actually do this the guys doing it are heels that don’t want to be babyfaces.

Alvarez: But they will be total babyfaces.

Meltzer: And Jack Perry is absolutely not supposed to be coming in – if this leads to Jack Perry coming in -but when Jack Perry comes in, it’s not supposed to be as a babyface so I am confused but I guess maybe after this airs, I’ll be less confused.   

Tag Team title tournament finals set for AEW Dynasty

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The finals are now set in the AEW Tag Team title tournament.

FTR defeated Top Flight on Collision to advance to the finals of the tournament, with Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler picking up the win after hitting the Shatter Machine on Dante Martin. They will now face FTR for the vacant titles at AEW Dynasty on April 21 in St. Louis, Missouri. Whoever wins the titles will become the first-ever three-time AEW Tag Team Champions.

The Young Bucks failed to win the titles from Sting & Darby Allin at February’s Revolution event in what was Sting’s final match. Following the show, the titles were vacated and a tournament began to crown new champions. Nicholas & Matthew defeated Private Party and Best Friends to reach the finals, while FTR defeated The Infantry to advance to the semifinals.

The updated lineup for Dynasty:

  • AEW World Champion Samoa Joe defends against Swerve Strickland
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defends against Thunder Rosa
  • TBS Champion Julia Hart defends against Willow Nightingale
  • AEW Tag Team title tournament finals: The Young Bucks vs. FTR
  • Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay
  • Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston & Mark Briscoe vs. House of Black (Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews & Brody King)

Footage of CM Punk/Jack Perry altercation to air on AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Bryan Rose

AEW will air the CM Punk/Jack Perry footage from All In on Wednesday’s Dynamite.

On Collision, it was announced that The Young Bucks will “present backstage footage from All In and will discuss for the first time” on Wednesday. According to both Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez, this is not a bait-and-switch tactic, and Tony Khan will air the footage of the altercation from last August’s event in Wembley Stadium.

Right before the main card of AEW All In, Punk and Perry got into an altercation after Perry used real glass during a spot on the pre-show, saying “It’s real glass, cry me a river”, which was in regards to a confrontation Punk had with Perry earlier in the summer over a spot that was to be taped on Collision. After an investigation, Punk was fired from AEW with cause. He later returned to WWE at last year’s Survivor Series. Jack Perry was suspended and has since been working dates with NJPW while still under suspension.

Last Monday, CM Punk spoke about the altercation for the first time on The MMA Hour. He said he thought he was “doing a responsible thing” and said, “I didn’t punch anybody, I just choked somebody a little bit.” He also denied that he did anything to make Tony Khan fear for his life, as Khan said following Punk’s firing from the company. Dave Meltzer wrote on X that the situation involving Tony Khan won’t be shown, as that was at a different time.

Also added to Dynamite is a match between Samoa Joe and Dustin Rhodes in an AEW World title eliminator match, Chris Jericho, Hook, and Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Anthony Ogogo, and Lee Moriarty) and Anna Jay vs. Mariah May.

The announced lineup for AEW Dynamite in Charleston, West Virginia:

  • The Young Bucks to present backstage footage from AEW All In & will discuss it for the first time
  • TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends against Penta El Zero Miedo
  • AEW World Championship title eliminator match: Samoa Joe vs. Dustin Rhodes
  • Chris Jericho, Hook, and Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Anthony Ogogo, and Lee Moriarty)
  • Mariah May vs. Anna Jay
  • Women’s World Champion Toni Storm toasts Thunder Rosa

The Young Bucks advance to AEW Tag Team title tournament finals

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The Young Bucks have advanced to the AEW Tag Team title tournament finals.

Matthew & Nicholas Jackson defeated Best Friends (Trent Beretta & Orange Cassidy) on AEW Dynamite to become the first team to advance to the finals of the tournament. The finish had Matthew Jackson slingshot Beretta into an exposed turnbuckle then rolled him up for the win.

The second semifinal will take place at AEW Collision late Saturday night when FTR takes on Top Flight. The finals of the tournament will take place at AEW Dynasty on April 21.

After the match, Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, and Beretta all went to do their signature hug as Beretta’s mother Sue applauded at ringside. But instead of hugging, Beretta laid out Cassidy and walked out on Taylor and his mother.

FTR and Top Flight both advanced to the semifinals on last week’s Collision. FTR defeated The Infantry, while Top Flight pulled off an upset by defeating former champions Big Bill and Ricky Starks.

Working with The Elite the main reason Kazuchika Okada signed with AEW

Posted on by Josh Nason

The rationale for Kazuchika Okada signing with AEW vs. WWE has begun to emerge with the leading reason being his desire to work with The Elite.

The NJPW superstar is officially under AEW contract and made his first appearance as a main roster member on this past Wednesday’s Dynamite, aligning with The Young Bucks in a new version of The Elite after Matt & Nick Jackson fired Kenny Omega and Hangman Page from the faction.

In a detailed report Friday, SI’s Justin Barrasso stated that working with The Elite was the “deciding factor” in Okada signing with AEW even though he loved the idea of being part of a WrestleMania and that WWE was under real consideration.

Citing sources in both AEW and NJPW, Barrasso reported that Okada feels his best opportunity to succeed is in his new promotional home — one that will not force he or his family to move from Japan if they choose not to.

And then, there’s his long-standing relationship with the Jackson brothers. There was also an Easter egg built into the robes they wore before their challenge of Sting & Darby Allin at last Sunday’s Revolution in that they were both custom-made after Okada hit free agency and inspired by him.

Barrasso also reported on the trust Okada has in AEW head Tony Khan who signed him to a reportedly multi-million dollar deal for multiple years. According to the report, it was Khan’s idea, along with the agreement of the Jacksons, Omega and Okada, who decided Okada should debut as a heel with the natural rivalry with Omega resuming at some point in the future.

The new version of The Elite will make their in-ring debut this Saturday on AEW Collision from Duluth, Georgia. Okada is expected to first feud with Eddie Kingston after he turned on Kingston as part of his Wednesday appearance.

Okada & The Elite trios debut announced for AEW Collision

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Kazuchika Okada’s first match as a full-time member of the AEW roster will air on this week’s Collision. 

After Okada debuted on Dynamite and aligned with The Young Bucks as part of The Elite, their first match as a trio has been announced for the Saturday, March 9 Collision. Their opponents have yet to be revealed. 

An Atlanta Street Fight has also been booked for Collision, with Mark Briscoe, Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal teaming against House of Black’s Malakai Black, Buddy Matthews & Brody King. 

CMLL’s Titan will be in action on the Collision card as well, taking on Chris Jericho. 

Blackpool Combat Club’s Bryan Danielson will go one-on-one with Shane Taylor on Collision. Danielson closed this week’s Dynamite by confronting Will Ospreay. 

Women’s World Champion Toni Storm will present the first-ever Toni Award in another new segment announced for Collision. 

Storm’s protege Mariah May will also be in action on Saturday’s Collision card. 

This week’s Collision will air in its normal Saturday, 8 p.m. Eastern time slot on TNT, but is being taped Thursday March 7 in Duluth, Georgia at the Gas South Arena, the same building that hosted Wednesday’s Dynamite. 

The announced Collision lineup: 

  • Kazuchika Okada & The Young Bucks in trios action
  • Atlanta Street Fight: Mark Briscoe, Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal vs. House of Black’s Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews
  • Chris Jericho vs. CMLL’s Titan
  • Bryan Danielson vs. Shane Taylor
  • Toni Storm presents the first-ever Toni Award
  • Mariah May in action

The Young Bucks to make ‘huge announcement’ on AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Ian Carey

A new segment has been announced for AEW Dynamite. 

After Matthew and Nicholas Jackson were defeated by Darby Allin and Sting in the main event of Revolution, The Young Bucks are now advertised to make a “huge announcement” on tonight’s show. 

Revolution is being called one of the best events in history. Now, don’t miss the aftermath. EVPs Nicholas and Matthew Jackson speak live and after the epic three-way victory, what’s next for AEW World Champion Samoa Joe?

Tonight’s show takes place at the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia. 2927 tickets have been distributed to it as of a couple of days ago, according to a post by WrestleTix. 

Only two matches have been announced for this week’s episode, although Tony Khan did tease “something exciting” for the show on last week’s media call. 

AEW Dynamite announced lineup for March 6, 2024 —

  • Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher
  • Kris Statlander vs. Riho
  • The Young Bucks to make a huge announcement