Browsing: AEWs

Blake Monroe says Mariah May and her current character in WWE aren’t all that different.

Monroe’s final match in AEW as May was in March at Revolution 2025. She lost the “Hollywood Ending” match to Toni Storm and then debuted on NXT programming on June 3. During a recent interview with TV Insider, Monroe said her character is evolving rather than starting over.

Monroe said:

“We talk about Mariah May, but Blake Monroe is continuing to evolve from the things Iâ€ve already done. Itâ€s not different. Itâ€s not wiping something clean and starting again. Itâ€s taking these parts of me and growing them and nurturing them.”

“As you saw my introduction was ‘The Glamour’ and was very big on that whole pop star vibe with my entrance and the vanity and all these incredible things. Weâ€ve been able to evolve the character. Then you saw me at No Mercy in the steel cage match. You saw a different side of me. Someone who was a bit merciless and a bit unhinged. I think it has been so exciting to evolve something. Iâ€m really proud of my journey, and this is the next chapter. Iâ€m loving just getting so detailed with it. The creative team is so passionate about every part of what you do. Iâ€m having a ball because I love those details and that presentation. I wouldnâ€t say there is too much difference. I would say itâ€s more of an evolution.”

Also during the interview, Monroe said that the idea when she got to WWE is to take what she’s been doing but “make it bigger.”

Monroe continued:

“For me, I loved my character in ‘The Glamour’ when I spoke to WWE. They loved ‘The Glamour’ too and recognized my work and what was important to me. They wanted to take that and make it bigger. My first vignette if you remember was me in a bath. Thatâ€s something I wanted to do for about a year. I always wanted to do that vignette. The very next week thatâ€s what we did.”

“Iâ€m just trying to be a sponge and take everything in at the PC and being around all these Hall of Famers and amazing writing and production team. I try to make the most of it all because I donâ€t take anything for granted. Just to be here is amazing.”

Monroe is 3-3 in singles matches on NXT programming since debuting, dropping two matches to Kelani Jordan and a Weaponized Steel Cage match against Jordynne Grace. Her wins have come against Grace at Heatwave, vs. Wren Sinclair in July, and she defeated Zaria in her last match on the October 7 taping of NXT, which aired on October 14. She appeared in the crowd on SmackDown in San Jose on Friday during Zaria and Sol Ruca’s match against Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair.

Monroe’s full interview with Scott Fishman of TV Insider is available here.

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AEW/Lee South

Retirements have been the talk of the town when it comes to professional wrestling over the last few years, especially in companies like WWE and AEW where the likes of Sting and Bryan Danielson have already hung up their boots, and both John Cena and AJ Styles aren’t too far behind them. Another man who believes he is in the twilight of his career is Samoa Joe, who is still competing at the highest level as he will challenge Hangman Page for the AEW Men’s World Championship at AEW WrestleDream on October 18. Joe has already admitted publicly that once his current contract with AEW expires, he will likely call time on his career, and during a recent interview with “SHAK Wrestling,” Joe was asked if that was still the plan.

“I’d say most likely, and honestly I think it’s for a lot of reasons and I think most of them are responsible,” Joe said. “Obviously, you know you never want to outstay your welcome in this industry and I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been able to be involved with it for over 25 years now….The other thing too is you know, I think many of us want to preserve what we can of our health for our latter years. So it is something that is probably the most likely scenario, but hey, it is an unusual world and unusual opportunities come up, so we’ll see.”

When asked if he was willing to share a specific date on when that retirement might be, Joe stated that he would rather do things in a more casual way. “It might be a surprise. It might just be one day I’m gone and leave it at that. I’m not as ceremonial as everybody else you know? I like disappearing into the sunset.” Joe went on to explain that he has always had his sights set solely on the future of the business, and wouldn’t want to stand in the way of a younger talent who wants to grow and improve just so he can have one last dance in the spotlight.

Will Samoa Joe Stick Around In Wrestling?

AEW/Lee South

When wrestlers retire, they don’t stray too far away from the business as there are a number of opportunities for performers to stay with major companies in both backstage and on-screen roles where they don’t have to get physical. Joe has already tried his hand at commentary during his time recovering from injury while working for WWE, and when he was asked about potentially donning a headset once again, the former AEW World Champion admitted that he is open to any and all opportunities.

“Honestly, whatever role will have me. Like once again, I’m not worried about what it is I’ll do, that’s not an issue for me. I mean you plug me in wherever, I’ll do whatever it takes to help us as much as we need to be helped in that area. But yeah I mean I think I definitely would live to have some involvement with the industry. I’d love to work with younger athletes and help them develop and become better, obviously if they choose to want to work with me, but yeah I mean that’s really it.”

Joe rounded off by saying that he wants to help younger talent become stronger and stronger so that the fans can benefit in the long run, and that the legacy he wants to leave behind is that if he manages to help around ten wrestlers become better because they worked with him, then he will be very happy with himself.

Please credit “SHAK Wrestling” when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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It didn’t take long for Andrade to land on his feet after being fired from WWE, as he made a surprise return on the “AEW Dynamite: 6th Anniversary” show, attacking Kenny Omega and joining the Don Callis Family. Just days later, he added some gold around his waist, journeying to Tijuana, Baja California to defeat DMT Azul for The Crash Heavyweight Championship. But since then, Andrade has been nowhere to be seen on AEW TV, and a potential match between him and Omega at WrestleDream will not happen, as Andrade is set to compete in Puerto Rico the same day.

It’s not the only potential match of Andrade’s that has been removed from the calendar. Taking to X on Monday afternoon, user foos revealed that a scheduled match between Andrade and LA Park, set to take place on October 26 for promotion Mucha Luchas Atlanta, would no longer be taken place. According to foos, no reason was given for why the match wouldn’t be happening. It will be replaced by Mascarita Sagrada vs. Demus.

Andrade will no longer be appearing on this show. No reason given, will be replaced by Mascarita Sagrada vs Demus

— foos (@elClubLucha) October 13, 2025

Andrade vs. Park, who many fans may remember as the original La Parka that wrestled in WCW back in the 1990s or for getting fired from MLW in 2022, would’ve been the first time these two lucha libre stars had ever faced off one on one. However, Park, who has been a long-time rival of Andrade’s AEW co-worker, long-time friend, and former LFI stablemate Rush for the last decade, is known for being on bad terms with CMLL, AEW’s promotional partner, ever since he last wrestled there in 2019. It remains unclear if that is related to why the Andrade-Park match was called off.

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Bobby Lashley is a rare specimen in the pro wrestling and combat sports industry, who has worked for top promotions like WWE and TNA. He also had a successful run in MMA and is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling.

During his second run in WWE, Bobby Lashley worked a WrestleMania program with The Nigerian Giant, Omos, which got extended way past The Show of Shows. Omos even scored a pinfall victory over The All Mighty. Their feud also featured MVP, Lashley’s former manager. Omos is currently working in AAA Lucha Libre Worldwide, WWE’s sister promotion.

Omos Credits AEW Star Bobby Lashley For Having A “Tremendous Effect” In His Wrestling Career

In an interview with the YouTube channel NarcolepsyBoy94,the 7-foot-3-inch Nigerian Giant reflected on the opportunity he got in WWE to work with Bobby Lashley. Omos had made his WrestleMania debut in 2021, teaming up with AJ Styles to successfully challenge The New Day for tag team gold. One year later, he was on his own, wrestling the now AEW star.

I remember doing that WrestleMania [in Dallas, 2022] because that was the first time [WWE] was like, ‘Okay, so, you’re on your own now. You don’t have AJ Styles. It’s time to figure it out.’ And it was just me in the ring with Bobby.

I have tremendous respect for Bobby Lashley. Everything he has done for me in my career, because he really helped me a lot! You know this. We worked for like two years. Bobby and I were in a feud. Even after we dominated, me and Bobby were just going after each other almost like, a year and a half, two years – that time I spent with him, I cannot thank him enough. He had a tremendous effect in my career as a performer. I’m glad I was able to have that feud with him. Hopefully, if he comes back, we can run it back. You never know. But, I love Bobby, man. He’s good peoples,” Omos said.

Meanwhile, Bobby Lashley and MVP have reunited in AEW, forming a new rendition of The Hurt Business, dubbed The Hurt Syndicate. The group’s original member, Shelton Benjamin, is also part of it today. Recently, MVP revealed that they were open to recruiting a new member, but they have a specific requirement.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

I didnâ€t think that Collision had any matches this week that should make the list. I know this is supposed to be a top three list, but Iâ€m not going to force anything on the list if I donâ€t think it deserves it.

Collision had some real meh matches this week, which was a disappointment.

There were two matches that I thought really stood out on Dynamite this week, and a post-match speech in one of them that really had a sad reality smack me in the face (they call that a teaser). So here we go, the top matches of the week for AEW this week.

The Young Bucks & Josh Alexander vs. Kenny Omega & Brodido ( AEW TAG Team Champions) – Dynamite 10/1/25

Before I talk about the match which I thought was great I just want to talk about Kenny Omega for a second. I donâ€t care how many times I see it, but his entrance always brings any match up a level. Heâ€s still got that “aura,†as the kids would say. I think what really struck me was the post-match speech he gave. For me it was the first time where I was like, “Oh we are really getting towards the end here.†I know Kenny is dealing with health issues right now, but his face just looked so tired. Not tired like he just wrestled a match, but tired from years of the abuse to his body. Iâ€m not sure when itâ€s going to end, but Iâ€m appreciative of these last six years weâ€ve had with Kenny Omega in AEW.

I thought this was a fun match to kick off the six year anniversary of AEW, and having three of the original founders in the ring to kick it off was a nice touch. The “Broke Bucks†being in the ring with no entrance really gave me a chuckle. The double superkicks from the Bucks to Omegaâ€s attempted dive to the outside of the ring, followed up by the body block to Kenny’s back on the ring apron was tough looking. Kennyâ€s neck kind of snapped back, and I jumped up in my seat.

I also liked Brody King giving a “goodbye†mid-flight on his body block, just like the Bucks do. I also like that they keep showcasing Brodidoâ€s strength in his matches. The body slam spot with Brody King was good, and was another great way to show how strong Bandido is. The triple piledriver spot was also cool. Overall, just a fun match, and I really enjoyed it.

Now… onto the post-match happenings. I thought all the stuff with Jurassic Express was clunky, and I didnâ€t think it was a great way for Jurassic Express to be reintroduced. I appreciate them having Omega confront Jack Perry for taking him out last year, and not pretending like that didnâ€t happen, but overall, I thought Jurassic Express should have had a little bit of a bigger moment on the show.

So, am I the only one who said to themselves “Is that Jericho?†when the lights went out and came back on? I think it was the blond hair that threw me off, and I was not expecting Andrade at all. I was not expecting Andrade for good reason. To quote Robert DeNiro from one of my all-time favorite movies, “Heat”: “The juice is not worth the squeeze” on Andrade.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Darby Allen & Kris Statlander ( AEW Womenâ€s World Champion) vs. Wheeler Yuta & Marina Shafir – Dynamite 10/1/25

I wasnâ€t expecting to have this match on the list when it was first advertised, but I thought everyone involved did a great job in this main event. Kris Statlander throwing Wheeler Yuta into the balcony like a lawn dart was a great spot and I always love when one team attacks another team during their entrances in matches like this. I thought the crowd was really behind Statlander in this match, and Iâ€m curious to see who the crowd at WrestleDream gets behind in her title match with Toni Storm.

I think Darby got the worst of the suplex onto the chairs in this one, and his dive onto the chair on the outside of the ring was a real gnarly spot. My man only knows one speed on those dives, and he is literally just a crash test dummy in these types of matches.

When Yuta took out the tacks, I said to myself, “We just watched a match with thousands of tacks between MJF and Briscoe.†I rolled my eyes because I didnâ€t understand why they would re-do a tack spot after we just had that match. It made the spot look lesser at that moment…. And then Marina Shafir went into the tackâ€s bare feet first, and I  yelled on my couch, “Oh my god!†when they showed the tacks in the soles of her feet. Even Taz on commentary threw out a “that sucks†when they showed her feet, which made me laugh.

I liked the post-match angle too with Moxley telling Darby, “I donâ€t know how Iâ€m going to do it, but for the first time in your life you are going to say I quit.†I like the thought of Moxley just being like you are such a sicko that I still havenâ€t thought of something to make you quit a match, but I will because Iâ€m just as much of a sicko as you.

Emptying out the Notebook:

•I was really shocked to see C.M. Punk and Britt Baker in the six year montage that played on Dynamite. I did find it funny that it was Punk in Sting makeup, though. Like, we are going to show you, but we arenâ€t going to show his actual face.

•I really like Kyle Fletcher putting Orange Cassidyâ€s hands in his own pockets, and then just stomping the hell out of him.

•The Don Callis Family is so absurdly huge right now with all these members – and I kind of love it.

•I feel like Kyle Fletcher is too important right now to be involved with this fake Hologram story. This isnâ€t a great follow up to his match with Hangman.

•Mercedes Mone could have 100 belts at this point, but she lost when the most important belt was on the line. It’s time to stop the belt collector gimmick and put the TBS Title on someone else who can benefit from it. Moneâ€s only goal should be trying to get another match for the World Title, and she hasnâ€t even acknowledged it.

•Bobby Lashleyâ€s suit this week was beautiful.

•Eddie Kingstonâ€s line about Sammy Guevara – “All of a sudden being able to speak Spanish now†– was so damn funny. Eddie is the best.

About the Author

My name is Taylor Halley, and I am from Boston, Mass. I am the proud father of two young boys aged 4.5 and 1 years old. I have been a wrestling fan for as long as I can remember, honestly. Saturday morning WWF superstars was just as important to me as Saturday morning cartoons. In the sixth grade, my class had to do a biography on a famous character from history. Most kids choose ex-presidents or famous Boston athletes at the time. I picked Shawn Michaels, my favorite wrestler of all time. My first wrestling show was at the Boston Garden, and it was a house show where Shawn Michaels was the main event. I can still remember the feeling of walking into the arena and seeing the ring live for the first time. I still have the ticket stub too. So yes, if you have not guessed yet, I am a proud Attitude Era kid. Other than wrestling, I enjoy spending time with my family and my friends, cheering on my Boston sports teams and Notre Dame college football (Go Irish!) I am also obsessed with fantasy football. If you ever need lineup advice, I am your guy. I am excited for this opportunity to write for PWTorch, and Iâ€m happy to be on the team.

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Image: AEW

Despite sustaining a shoulder injury during a Friday match for CMLL, Ring of Honor World Champion and AEW World Tag Team Champion Bandido is going to attempt to push through it.

During Saturday’s AEW Collision, he and partner Brody King were announced for Tuesday’s special edition of Dynamite, taking on Konosuke Takeshita & Kazuchika Okada in a Double Jeopardy match where a shot at both the Tag Team titles and Okada’s Unified title will be on the line.

On Saturday, AEW head Tony Khan replied to a King X post (“Mr Bandido, you better tape your shoulder back together we got work to do.”), saying, “I talked to him this morning! He said that he wants to power through it + wrestle on Tuesday!”

Bandido said his shoulder “popped out” during the Friday match against Hechicero.

**********

Nick Wayne may be out up to two more months as he continues to recover from a broken foot.

The reigning ROH men’s TV Champion appeared on Saturday’s Collision in a backstage segment when AEW medical told him his ankle was still swollen and he was out six-to-eight more weeks. Wayne was less than thrilled with the news.

Wayne was injured in August which forced him off the Forbidden door pay-per-view. His last match was in mid-July, but it’s unclear how or where the 20-year-old sustained the injury.

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Throughout the past few years, many current and retired stars are often asked for their Mount Rushmore of professional wrestlers during interviews or on podcasts, but ranking the best talkers in the business is another topic that has been popular as of late. During his career, AEW star Samoa Joe has always been good at making his skills on the mic shine as bright as his talent in the ring, and in a recent appearance on the “The F Y’all Podcast,” he listed his top three most gifted talkers in professional wrestling history.

“I think Dusty [Rhodes] paints probably the most vivid, wild picture you can do for promos. I think Dusty’s on there. I think Steve Austin isn’t talked about enough. When you talk about realism and why he was magnetic, it was because Steve was talking about whipping your ass like how people would whip your ass would talk … it resonated and I think that was good too. It’s hard to go down to three, but like I said, you brought up Jake [Roberts] and I think Jake when it comes to the mastery of tone and grabbing attention, it’s really difficult to beat Jake.”

In addition to Rhodes, Austin and Roberts, wrestlers such as Ric Flair, The Rock and John Cena are often referred to when speaking about the greatest promo workers of all time. Today, stars like Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Drew McIntyre, CM Punk and Toni Storm are regarded as some of the most talented talkers in the industry.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “The F Y’all Podcast” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Former WWE star Ricochet debuted in AEW last year at All In. His move came as a surprise to many, as he started to gain some momentum in early 2024 and his real-life relationship with then ring announcer, Samantha Irvin, was publicly acknowledged on WWE programming.Â

However, it appears that Ricochet was never interested in re-signing with WWE. Ricochet was a guest on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” where he talked about his mentality toward the end of his run in WWE.Â

“When I first met Sam, I had about two years left on my contract. I was in a place where it was like, I’m just gonna do whatever they want me to do, they want to give me a promo that’s in highlighter, like this is what you have to say, then okay I’m gonna say it. I’m gonna go out there, make this guy look good, boom boom boom, and then at the end of the contract, I’m gonna be done.”

The high flyer then gave an example of how he was feeling during his time in WWE.Â

“One night, I went into John Laurinatis’ office and I said, I would rather go to the independent scene and get however much money I would make doing that than to come back here next week,” Ricochet said. “I was telling them all my downers and felt things weren’t going to change and I’m not even gonna be able to develop a character because I’m not given time to develop. And he was like, ‘oh, okay, well we were thinking about making you the Intercontinental Champion. Is that something you’re interested in?’ I was like, no, you can still tell them that I want to leave. Thank you though, I appreciate it.”

Ricochet also spoke about why his now wife, Samantha Irvin, left the WWE as well.Â

 If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the “Ariel Helwani Show” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.

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A WWE Hall of Famer’s son has made his pro wrestling debut against AEW’s Darby Allin and Karrion Kross.

Darby Allin is one of the most charismatic stars in the wrestling industry at this time. The star has created some scintillating milestones for himself, including climbing Mount Everest and setting himself on fire while inside a body bag. On the other side, Karrion Kross is one of the most over stars in the industry, with his immense fame going beyond his WWE days. Kross has now transitioned into the independent scene full-time and has been lighting it on fire with his performances.

Now, both Kross and Allin teamed up to take on the son of WWE Hall of Famer Sting. The Icon’s son, Steve Borden, made his pro wrestling debut.

WWE Hall Of Famer Sting’s Son Officially Kicked Off His Pro Wrestling Career

At 52W Hardway, Steve Borden finally kick-started his pro wrestling journey by taking on AEW star Darby Allin and former WWE star Karrion Kross. 52W is a cool art exhibit where Allin puts on matches as one of the organizers. He also performs in them at times. In the match, Borden teamed up with JD Drake.

The gallery also showcases the art from Raymond Pettibon. Allin happens to be Pettibon’s friend.

Steven Borden, the son of Sting, officially kicked off his professional wrestling career last night at 52W HARDWAY—a cool art exhibit where Darby Allin put on some matches.

Borden joined forces with JD Drake to take on Darby and Killer Kross.

(🎥: artnews &… pic.twitter.com/npl2tWQj3Y

— Covalent TV (@TheCovalentTV) October 4, 2025

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Borden inside the squared circle.

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As a pro wrestling fan before a wrestling promoter, Tony Khan knows the significance of the arenas he books shows in, and often themes the show around the history of the building. Not too long ago, AEW held shows out of the fabled ECW Arena, where he gave tribute to ECW legend Taz as well as one other notable name. In an episode of his “My World with Jeff Jarrett” podcast, Jeff Jarrett explained how the tributes came to be as well as why they were significant.

“Tony did the, I would call it, the induction of Taz into the…Hardcore Hall of Fame, and so, you know, it’s my understanding that Tony was looking for ‘how do we pay tribute to the history of that arena?'” Jarrett said, adding that Blue Meanie and Jeff Jones explained to him how important the arena was to ECW. “[Tony] came up to me at the wedding and we had a quick conversation, and so I kinda got the heads up and started connecting the dots, and it all came together.”

Jarrett then praised Khan for his knowledge about wrestling and for his efforts to get names like Doug Gilbert, the younger brother of Eddie Gilbert, who booked ECW before Paul Heyman, and for giving a tribute to Eddie as well.Â

“There were so many different stories, and I got a chance to share just one of them in the tribute,” Jarrett noted, explaining how he and Eddie had a lot of history. “He was really good to me, I mean, when he came in and worked the Tennessee territory a couple times. I mean, we go so far back.”

Jeff Jarrett also recalled Sting’s touching tribute to Eddie Gilbert

AEW

Another notable name who made an appearance at the 2300 Arena was none other than “The Icon,” Sting, who also shared history with Eddie Gilbert. Looking back at Sting’s contribution to the tribute, Jeff Jarrett also praised his friend for sharing a story about Gilbert. “I knew, just as a real casual, Jim Hellwig – Ultimate Warrior – Steve Borden – Sting – came to Tennessee and they were the Blade Runners,” he noted, recalling how both men were hired by Bill Watts back in the day. “Immediately, those two guys got paired up with Eddie Gilbert. Behind the scenes, Eddie was booking, loved the business, and he tried to teach them.”

Jarrett noted that Sting’s tribute ended up bringing so much heart to the night and also praised Tony Khan for his vision for the event. “Sting said that it was the two years that he spent with Eddie Gilbert, and the next thing he knows he’s working main events,” Jarret added, recalling how Sting claimed this led to his legendary feud with Ric Flair. “And Sting, honestly and candidly said: ‘When I look on my career and look back on it, and Tony’s mindset to pay tribute’ and Sting admitted, which I thought was just incredibly vulnerable but so real, he’s like: ‘It gave me a real hard look to really think without Eddie’s tutelage and care and passion for the industry, and willing to help me, I don’t know if Sting has the career that he had…'”

‘Without Eddie Gilbert’s vision, is there an ECW?’

Eddie Gilbert’s time as the booker of ECW occurred when the promotion was still known as “Eastern Championship Wrestling,” before breaking away from the NWA and eventually being headed up by Paul Heyman. But, because of this, Jeff Jarrett believes that the legacy of ECW can’t be spoken of without Gilbert. “Eastern Championship Wrestling, the precursor to ECW, Eddie was the driver, Eddie was the visionary, Eddie was the booker,” Jarrett noted. “And so, when you think about Eddie’s position…without Eddie Gilbert’s vision, is there an ECW?”

Jarrett then pivoted back to Tony Khan, pointing out how anybody can be a fan of professional wrestling without knowing stats, but expressed how blown away he is that the AEW President understood the respect and position Gilbert had in the industry. “My hat’s off to Tony, because I’ll say: knowing the straw that stirred the drink, I just got so much respect for that. And Tony? That’s what his tribute was about, let’s pay proper respect to the guy that gave you the straw that really stirred the drink in Philadelphia,” he said. “There would not be an AEW Dynamite, Collision, for three consecutive weeks – a Ring of Honor pay-per-view – in that building had it not been for Eddie Gilbert’s vision.”

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “My World with Jeff Jarrett” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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