I'm sure it has absolutely nothing to do with Tony's meltdown...

Fightful will probably publish more later. But saying it express sounds like it was a set date.

Shame. I like Lio and the Dante stuff was good. Pretty obvs once they linked him with Jay Lethal that Rush wasn’t in the picture anymore.

The Big Swole stuff is definitely related. But if it wasn’t this thing, it’d have been something else. I like Lio as a talent but I never expect him to stay around long because he’s a malcontent everywhere he’s been.

I wonder what is going to better race relations in America more: Cody’s baby or the rap album with all their black talent?

Brian Cage, Peter Avalon, Marko Stunt and Joey Janela are about to have their AEW deals come up.

I believe Avalon is already gone.

Sounds like a bunch of people who didn't tell Tony Khan what a great person and booker he is enough...

None of them are great losses nor should have been there in the first place.

Brian Cage what a bummer. Great finisher. Great look. No charisma whatsoever. It was over for him the minute he got the boot from team taz.

I see virtually all of them going to Impact. Except maybe Janela, who seems pretty involved in GCW and tied to the northeastern scene, which holds it back.

I am only slightly disappointed with Lio, not surprised though. I was reading about him a saw that he's had major mental health issues going back to childhood. He show a lot of promise in his last stint but it doesn't seem to be a position that he is able to handle.

Cage could've been something if he was something but he only really offers what you see what you get potential. He's terribly uncharismatic and has never had anything resembling a character. He was well used in Lucha Underground though if I remember correctly.

So glad to see AEW shred some of it's extra weight. Hopefully some of the standards that take up so much TV time get phased out in their due time as well.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So Lio Rush signed a five-month deal with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AEW</a> that expired weeks after he publicly called out Tony Khan on Twitter? What interesting timing. <br><br>Sounds like my racially charged takes on AEW are aging pretty, pretty well. <a href="https://t.co/t7AjyLYkX4">https://t.co/t7AjyLYkX4</a></p>&mdash; Alfred Konuwa (@ThisIsNasty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisIsNasty/status/1484942344386330625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yeah, it seems dubious that someone signed such a short-term deal. Unless they had some sort of out clause and Lio chose not to extend. Seems likely he was fired. Lol at how they just put another black guy in there with Dante.

I don’t really know if Lio is even to blame for this run ending. At least part of it has to go to Tony Khan for being a twat on Twitter. I’ll be happy to see Lio Rush end up back in New Japan of America or something.

Brian Cage has never done it for me. I didn’t see him in Lucha Underground though. He’s just a jacked guy that does movez to me. Maybe if Impact signed his hot wife they’d make a good pairing there?

And not just ANY black guy. Jay Lethal, a guy who should reasonably be at or near the top of the card. However, for some reason (best case: CM Punk being CM Punk), hasn't been featured until just now.

Also, how the fuck does Hook have as many Televised Singles match wins than Jay Lethal, Lee Moriarty, and Marq Quen Have had Televised Singles Matches?

I get why’d you hire a guy like Jay Lethal. I don’t get why you’d hire a guy like Jay Lethal and then do so little with him.

Starts with R, ends with IST. Tony Khan just swapping Black people in and out of roles because he thinks they are all interchangeable is just another example of that.

I wonder what the cause of the next meltdown will be? It could be fun to speculate. My prediction is that it’s TK going insane because someone questions his contract structure given that he’s got top stars appearing wherever they want or becoming free agents.

I think I'd like Brian Cage more if he stopped trying to be a luchador and started trying to wrestle like a beast who could fold you up and shove you in his pocket.

I've barely seen Lio Rush. My only exposure to him comes from WWE and AEW. He seems like he offers nothing, but expects to be treated like The Rock. I get having an ego and all that, its wrestling, but he comes off to me as a whiny, entitled try-hard who is not impressive at all.


Have him go join arms with Kaepernick and do something on that front. That's what I know him for, more so than anything in a ring.

He’s pretty good. I like him but he’s a fucking moron. Well maybe not a moron but mentally unstable.

Love how people are turning on Lio Rush now he isn’t with AEW and sticking it to the man with them.

To be cliche... "I just can't with him". He has quit everything I've seen him take part in from WWE to The Challenge to AEW and more. He's clearly a little bit insane, romanticize the importance of mental health yes that's well and nice but this guy is clearly no fit for any type of contract.

It sucks because he was really shining in his last AEW run. There is something about his attitude that pisses me off though. He was getting a good push in AEW, it was only going up. I think that it was a mistake to get involved in the Big Swole/Too Cool Tony drama.

who are the "people" turning on him? He's always sucked.

IIRC Rush also said in most of his post-WWE interviews that he doesn't want to be tied down to long-term contracts anymore. So his contract elapsing not all that long after signing isn't really a surprise - he might not've agreed to a deal for longer than a few months. Then with the Swole stuff etc he felt it was time to move on.

I liked what he was doing in AEW but I won't exactly miss him.

What if he goes back to WWE to support HIS MAN BOBBY LASHLEY

Tony Khan wants to sign Keith Lee, but he doesn't want to go over his set quota of a certain kind of wrestler, so Rush had to go.

People have been lambasting him ever since he spoke out against paying dues and respecting veterans when he was in nxt.

Fans have continually given him chances because his work is creative and he has a lot of natural ability, but mocking him for his antics is not a new thing.

Based on what I’ve seen he’s good on the mic in a sidekick roll and I’ve enjoyed some of his in ring stuff. He’s just a bit of a loose cannon and that hampers his ability to stay in one place. That was the case in WWE and that’s the case in AEW.

But literally everything in wrestling nowadays has to revolve around AEW vs “AEW bad” so… MARK!!!!

FICKLE.

There are so many people that are not in AEW that I would prefer over people who are. Losing Rush isn't a major loss but he was making the most out of the run with Dante, that team had promise. What a shame they didn't get to go against The Bucks.

I hate how every WWE show has 3 references to how bad AEW is. Why can't WWE just do them and stop bringing up this AEW Big Bad Monster?

See

Not Tony Khan, but guess who had another "Fed Bad" take...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wrestler court was the most insecure small dick energy average white man embarrassment to the wrestling business shit of all time.</p>&mdash; player/coach (@CMPunk) <a href="https://twitter.com/CMPunk/status/1485709040059518976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Does this idiot not realize he himself is a white man?

Yeah, sarcasm, see. Let's just pretend EVERYBODY always makes it "AEW BAD", when in truth it is the exact opposite. All they do is reference WWE CONSTANTLY. If there was no " Fed Bad", Dynamite would be a 30 minute show :rofl:

He said AVERAGE white man.

Clearly insinuating he is "Above Average". Stealing gimmicks left and right!!

I would argue he is below average :rofl:

In what way?

^^^^^^^^

I bet it's an accusations of drunk Tony inappropriate behaviour from a woman

"That is a lie, I would never, half of my family are women!".

I like what I have seen of Lio (not much) his ring work looks pretty spectacular. But him being anywhere or not won’t dictate if I watch.

As much as I enjoyed his ring work I must admit I was fascinated by those crazy fast direction changes he does in ring. Amazing to watch but I also worried about his knees and ankles on every single one.

Hope he comes back to AEW for the odd match and has some bangers with the flippy guys. Lio and (insert flippy guy here) vs. Bucks or Lucha bros would be sick.

kinda fucked they couldn't make Brian Cage work. the dude is jacked but has no mic skills. i think he was working good in team taz but whatever

he coulda tagged with Kaz or something

Just found out Konami of Stardom let her contract expire and is a free agent. If AEW is committed to having japanese female talent, Konami is a much MUCH better wrestler than Riho or Shida. Give her a manager to speak for her and let her loose in the ring.

Right Left Down Up A B Start

Super C

lol I hated him with Lashley

The average person never achieves their dreams. They dream about getting there, but don't have the drive or commitment to make it

The fact that punk was even able to step into the octagon for the biggest mma company in the world is proof he's above average regardless of how it ended.

Don't work yourself into a shoot, brother

-HH

This guy comes off like a dude in his 40’s trying to be in his 20’s. I’d say Punk’s recent promos and tweets have come off as having “small dick energy.” Also him saying that casual fans don’t exist because he can’t draw them.

Those are no doubt coming.

For Rush, I think Impact Wrestling and New Japan of America are pretty safe bets.

Phil is the one working himself into a shoot, and that is a shoot brother. :rofl:

https://i.imgflip.com/62nsga.jpg

Back before UFC when Phil could still pretend he was tough in person and not just on Twitter. Also what a really good ally of the LGBTQ community...

Punk is a much better heel!

Wheeler Yuta vs. Penta on dark was a great little match. Very fun.

Also Mark Henry commentary is not good but some of his one liners are gold.

Lol at CM Punk’s self-ownage. Why does he even have social media? If he’s feeling irrelevant now, imagine how he’s going to feel in 2 years time?

The most interesting thing going on with this company are its contract situations. Cody working without a written agreement, Mox’s probably expiring, etc. TK has given people the promise of a lot of money and freedom, talked about working with New Japan and made a lot of implied promises that he’s had to walk back from.

When you look at AEW’s ratings, selling the boat to get Bryan and Punk has been negligible when it comes to AEW’s popularity. How much are they getting paid versus a guy like Cody? How much creative pull do they have versus what he has when it comes to his creative vision?

Does a guy like Moxley’s heart belong in AEW, or is it in the garbage feds being made to look second-rate there while your home company is still trying to bill you like a star? With Anthem being the ones to secure the New Japan deal, is an AEW/New Japan deal even possible right now? How does that affect where these guys like Moxley sign? Is a guy like Bryan Danielson going to be cool waiting 2+ years to get out of his AEW deal to go and have the matches he wants to have now at 44?

If Cody and Moxley leave, do they take any friends with them? Do those that they’ve advocated for in the company stick it out with AEW, or do they see a friend and backer moving on and figure it’s time to do the same?

I doubt the AXS deal makes the Impact/NJPW relationship exclusive. 99% sure the main reason why AEW guys haven't worked NJPW shows yet is because of strict COVID/travel restrictions in Japan

Wasn’t part of the reason that New Japan left the channel in the first place was because there was pressure from Anthem to work more heavily with Impact? New Japan of America is still running shows, but we haven’t seen any cross-pollination there.

Make no mistake about it, New Japan wasn’t happy about AEW even existing, and they got boned over good by The Elite. If Anthem had the leverage to make a fairly good offer to generate Bushiroad some revenue with the implication of greater exposure thanks to the working relationship between WWE and Impact (whatever that turns out to be), it isn’t a ridiculous idea to restrict who you accept for bookings to try and diversify wrestling outside the big two.

It’ll be interesting to see where guys like Samoa Joe, William Regal, Keith Lee and Jeff Hardy end up. AEW seems like the foregone conclusion, but there’s a bloat problem there. Impact is not going to be able to compete with money, but they can by offering deals that allows these people to still appear for New Japan and even WWE, casually.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Mickie James Rumble appearance leads to anything bigger for Impact. There will be more people in that building watching her live than watch her on television in the same city. And then WWE is probably going to send Impact something in return.

ha! they know what they're doing with him.

AEW Fans STILL going after Big Swole for daring to say something about Tiny Khan...

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/20...l-rumble-joke/

just fired up dark from last night and lol archer opening the show chucking a jobber down the ramp is still the best shit

https://i.imgur.com/RmAVGMX.jpg

I JUST ORDERED THIS AND I AM VERY EXCITED, VERY EVIL.

do i need another danhausen shirt? yes, i think i do.

As someone who abhors cheesy comedy in my wrestling…

I cannot help but fucking love Danhausen. He’s so likeable and a genuinely funny guy. Love that Danhausen.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In his <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AEW</a> debut, <a href="https://twitter.com/mrbriankendrick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mrbriankendrick</a> will face the toughest of tests tomorrow night on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEWDynamite?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AEWDynamite</a><br>LIVE @ 8pm ET/7pm CT on <a href="https://twitter.com/TBSNetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TBSNetwork</a> when he goes one-on-one with former AEW World Champion <a href="https://twitter.com/JonMoxley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JonMoxley</a>!<br><br>Jon Moxley vs Brian Kendrick tomorrow night LIVE on Wednesday Night Dynamite! <a href="https://t.co/0qZsAj2lPA">pic.twitter.com/0qZsAj2lPA</a></p>&mdash; All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) <a href="https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1488690010865999878?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That’s fun!!!

nice

Wrestlers usually want to wrestle and not just be agents as long as they are still capable, so that is a solid move for Kendrick.

Fixed it, much more pure and wholesome this way

https://i.imgflip.com/63lrwd.jpg

Fuck, that’s awesome. Happy for Kendrick.

Kendrick could have a lot of really cool matches in AEW. Thinking of Darby.

I like Kendrick, but I already don’t care about him in AEW. Damn this fucking company.

You don't care about some dude who hasn't even DEBUTED yet, all because of three letters.




For Shamehausen.

I would at least advise Noidhausen to check this out

when i saw dan lambert on the last impact show i think impact and aew still work together an impact is getting the extra wrestlers.

Don't know about Noid, but you got me with that ya JERK!!! :rofl:

Because of their history. Not one person that has moved from WWE to AEW has become more interesting.

Bix just posted a series of resurfaced videos from 2011 and 2013 in which Brian Kendrick:

-is blatantly antisemitic
-denies 9/11
-denies Sandy Hook

Well. Was nice to be excited about his AEW debut for all of 20 hours. Dude seems like a cretin.

Being Danielson’s friend is not going to get you past that. Kendrick was a grown-ass man then, and there isn’t much to say for blatant antisemitic stuff. I “hope” (for his sake) that it was mainly conspiracy theory stuff because he’s a kook, and not based on racial hatred or anything like that. Know what I mean?

Yikes!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That 2011 Brian Kendrick clip is even WORSE in context: It’s part of a section w/ the title card “Who or what are the repitlians?” and makes it very clear that he thinks that, as explained to him by David Icke, “Zionists,” “Jewish medics,” &amp; “the Rothschilds” are The Reptilians. <a href="https://t.co/xoxzh2NrS0">pic.twitter.com/xoxzh2NrS0</a></p>&mdash; David Bixenspan (@davidbix) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidbix/status/1488956369822785536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Weirdo. But that isn’t news right? Was always a freak.

yikes

I see a lot of people defending it as "well it was 10 years ago! He might've changed."

Which I understand. But if his views had fundamentally changed between now and then, he'd have at least said something about once holding those horrible views. The big trick everyone tries to pull with "it's a long time ago" is to get you to ignore the many intervening years where the person could have apologized, atoned, or demonstrated personal growth.

Not necessarily true. Especially when it wasn’t a story. Publicly.

He very well could of done those things to friends/family. Who knows? Something tells me no because he’s always been a very weird dude.

I don’t know… I just hate this type of stuff. I just want to watch wrestling. Whatever.

It does seem that Kendrick is being very evil in his thinking and that is a very good thing!

I get what you're saying. But I live in a community directly impacted by Sandy Hook and have friends that knew some of the victims personally. I can't tolerate nor respect someone trying to push crackpot conspiracy theories about that.

Totally understand. Absolutely. Easy for me to say.

Why would they need to collect eyeballs? Freaking weirdo

Collect Teeth, instead. That is Very Nice, Very Evil.