Even with the critically acclaimed Full Gear pay-per-view in the rear view, All Elite Wrestling hasn't wasted any time setting the stage for an exciting final stretch of 2021 in the form of two huge feuds...
It was a hotly contested week for B/R Belts between WWE and All Elite Wrestling, what with the former's Survivor Series pay-per-view Nov. 21 and strong episodes of Dynamite and Rampage from the competition...
For an entire generation, pro wrestling and Thanksgiving have gone hand-in-hand, and All Elite Wrestling celebrated that relationship with a special episode of Dynamite on Wednesday night...
15 Reasons to Be Thankful for WWE and AEW in 2021
Nov 24, 2021
Thursday is Thanksgiving and before we settle around the table for turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and the delightfully extraterrestrial cranberry sauce from a can, it's important to think about all we are thankful for.
For wrestling fans, it turns out there is far more to be happy and grateful for than the internet may lead you to believe.
From outstanding performers to captivating storylines, fiendish factions to triumphant heroes, both WWE and All Elite Wrestling have provided a considerable amount of quality for fans to immerse themselves in.
Here are 15 things to be thankful for from the two most prominent promotions.
1. The Tribal Chief
Once upon a time, Roman Reigns was denounced as the face of WWE, rejected by fans who refused to allow WWE to shove another babyface hero down their throats. As it turned out, all he needed was a heel turn. The self-absorbed Head of the Table, overly confident about his place at the top of WWE and the latest (greatest?) member of the Samoan Dynasty, has been tearing it up on Friday nights. A great in-ring worker who has finally found himself as a talker and character, he is undeniably the highlight of Vince McMahon's company at this point.
2. Hangman's Trials and Triumph
Every once in a while, a storyline comes around that makes you remember why you love wrestling. That was the case with "Hangman" Adam Page's AEW Championship quest. From the guarantee that he would win the title on Day 1 of the company, the ups and downs that followed, and his monumental victory over Kenny Omega at Full Gear for the title, Page and AEW crafted an epic story that captivated audiences and made the young Virginian an even bigger star than he already was.
3. NXT 2.0
Is the show always high-quality entertainment? Absolutely not, but what the revamped brand has done is institute a youth movement that fans have long desired from WWE. Bron Breakker, Joe Gacy, Toxic Attraction, Cora Jade, Carmelo Hayes and Indi Hartwell are just some of the fresh faces making big splashes on WWE's Tuesday night show. That will only help with eventually freshening up the main roster when they are ready to make the jump.
4. Rebel (not Reba)
Lost in Britt Baker's meteoric rise to the AEW women's title has been just how great a heel sidekick Rebel has been. She can be over-the-top comedic or menacing but is always there to take a shot to the mouth by the babyface challenger and help her charge to victory. She's a quality sidekick who does the little things that capture your attention, without fully taking it away from the star of the segment.
5. RK-Bro
WWE has a long history of throwing mismatched teams together. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Riddle and Randy Orton is a pairing that has worked, thanks to the dichotomy that exists between them. The former's childlike personality meshes well with the latter's grizzled veteran seriousness. Beyond that, the fact that it is making The Original Bro a bigger star in the process only benefits everyone involved, including fans watching the entertaining interactions between the two.
6. Dante Martin
No one has taken the opportunity presented to them like Dante Martin and run with it as he has. Formerly one-half of Top Flight with brother Darius, he seized the opening created by his sibling's unfortunate injury and has become one of the breakout stars in AEW. A high-flyer who does things in the ring that were previously unthinkable, he is poised for a huge run alongside Lio Rush in the future. Breakout matches against Kenny Omega and Malakai Black only helped his cause.
7. Queen of the Ring and Tag Team champion Zelina Vega
When Zelina Vega left WWE late last year, it felt like the company had totally whiffed with her. Not only could she talk, but she was also a talented wrestler whose talents were never fully utilized by the promotion. When she re-signed months later, it appeared she would be wasted again. But a Queen of the Ring win and victory over Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. for the tag team titles has her in the midst of the hottest run of her career. She is a complete performer who we're only now beginning to see for all of her talents, and it's about time.
8. Malakai Black
How often do fans express their desire for something fresh and new? Malakai Black is just that. He's unlike any other character in WWE or AEW. The manner in which he commands attention, with his dark and foreboding entrance and commitment to character is extraordinary. Two high-profile wins over Cody Rhodes and a sparkling win-loss record have only helped. He is a future world champion in AEW.
9. Budge
If you haven't been watching Being The Elite on YouTube and are unfamiliar with the interaction between Adam Cole and The Dark Order's John Silver and Alex Reynolds, drop whatever you're doing and go watch. Now. The rest of the list will wait.
10. Sonya Deville
No longer an in-ring competitor (for the time being), Sonya Deville has become the most effective and unlikable authority figure in years. Completely crooked, with a clear bias against babyfaces in the women's division, she has shined in her role. Eventually, one of her many ongoing vendettas will result in her return to the ring and when it does, the result will be a red-hot match in which fans long to see the babyface dish Deville her comeuppance.
11. The Return of CM Punk
For seven years, fans debated if we would ever see CM Punk in the ring again. The Second City Saint and AEW answered that question in August, and the former world champion's return has been really strong so far. While he has yet to engage in a definitive rivalry to this point, he has worked with several young stars and had a show-stealing fight with Eddie Kingston at Full Gear. As long as he can avoid injury, the future is bright for Punk and his fans as a multitude of dream matches await.
12. Seth Rollins
People criminally underrate how excellent Seth Rollins has been over the last year. His willingness to make himself look like an ass in whatever over-the-top outfit he can find is eclipsed only by the extraordinary work he has produced between the ropes. Whether it was sparring with Cesaro or delivering three Match of the Year candidates with Edge, this is the best Rollins we've seen by far. And he's only getting better.
13. Serena Deeb
After years away from the spotlight, Serena Deeb exploded back onto the national scene with her work in NWA and AEW, just casually having some of the best matches in women's wrestling and establishing herself as one of the best technicians in the business. Her recent feud with Hikaru Shida has resulted in some great matches and as long as she is given the opportunity to shine, we should expect continued excellence from The Professor of Professional Wrestling.
14. Kayla Braxton and Paul Heyman
The weekly interactions on SmackDown between Kayla Braxton and Paul Heyman are nothing short of fantastic. Their timing is great, the on-screen chemistry undeniable and Heyman's reaction to being asked hard-hitting questions by his interrogator is always good for a chuckle. He has always had a knack for recognizing what underused performers do well and working with them toward success. Braxton has long since proved she is really good at her job, and we're now seeing more of her personality on display, thanks to her interactions with Heyman.
15. Miro
The Redeemer has embraced a new life in AEW, leaving behind the Rusev character and completely reinventing himself. A god-fearing man, he obliterates his opponents and has already held the TNT Championship once. He came within an eyelash of defeating Bryan Danielson at Full Gear but proved he is worthy of mixing it up with the top stars in the promotion. His character is interesting and compelling, and his devotion to that character is apparent. Let him do his thing and reap the rewards, AEW.
What are you thankful for in WWE and AEW this year? Join the discussion and let your voice be heard.
AEW's Kenny Omega Reportedly 'Most Likely' to Undergo Surgery for Multiple Injuries
Kenny Omega is reportedly set to undergo multiple surgeries after dropping the AEW World Championship to "Hangman" Adam Page on Saturday.
On Thursday's edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer ran down some of the ailments Omega has been dealing with recently (beginning at the 30-second mark):
Meltzer said Omega has been working through knee, shoulder and abdominal injuries, as well as a hernia. Omega also recently said he has dealt with a case of vertigo since 2018.
Meltzer noted that Omega will "most likely" undergo multiple surgeries, although it isn't clear precisely what surgeries he will get or when he will get them.
Meltzer also reported that while February has been mentioned as a possible return date for Omega, nothing is "set in stone."
Omega set the stage for an extended period of leave on Wednesday's episode of Dynamite. In a backstage segment with fellow Elite members The Young Bucks and Adam Cole, Omega said he needed to go away and asked The Bucks to hold down the fort.
AEW teased some tension between Omega and Cole during the segment, as Cole thought Omega was addressing him only for Omega to say he was referring to The Young Bucks instead.
The 38-year-old Omega won the AEW World Championship by beating Jon Moxley in December 2020 and held it for 346 days before dropping it to Page, giving him the record for the longest AEW World title reign.
Omega also held the Impact Wrestling World Championship and is the reigning AAA Mega champion, all of which contributed to Pro Wrestling Illustrated naming him the top wrestler of the year for 2021.
While Omega is widely regarded as one of the best in-ring workers in the world and is one of AEW's top stars, the company has enough to get by without him for the time being thanks to the emergence of Page and the recent arrival of Cole, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Eddie Kingston Injured His Shoulder in Loss to CM Punk at 2021 AEW Full Gear
Nov 14, 2021
AEW star Eddie Kingston suffered a shoulder injury during Sunday's loss to CM Punk at Full Gear, per Joshua Gagnon of Wrestling Inc.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported Kingston missed the Big Event convention in New York City on Sunday morning. Northeast Wrestling also noted the competitor suffered a shoulder injury and was undergoing "a series of medical tests."
Kingston and CM Punk were involved in a brutal bout Sunday at the Target Center in Minneapolis that left both fighters bloody.
Though Punk earned the win by pinfall, the drama didn't end there as Kingston refused to shake his opponent's hand:
All Elite Wrestling presented its Full Gear pay-per-view Saturday night, live from Minneapolis on B/R, a show that altered its course for the foreseeable future...
CM Punk Defeats Eddie Kingston at AEW Full Gear 2021
Nov 14, 2021
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 17: CM Punk speaks on stage at Living Colour's set during Riot Fest 2021 at Douglass Park on September 17, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images)
CM Punk remained undefeated in All Elite Wrestling with a victory over Eddie Kingston at AEW Full Gear on Saturday night.
Punk has been active from an in-ring perspective since making his AEW debut in August, and Saturday marked his second pay-per-view bout for the company after beating Darby Allin in his debut match at All Out in September.
While Punk has had several matches, there hasn't been much storyline development. That changed a couple of weeks ago when he and Kingston got into a heated exchange backstage.
After losing to Bryan Danielson in the semifinals of the AEW World Championship eliminator tournament on an episode of Rampage, a furious Kingston interrupted Punk's backstage interview, and Punk didn't take kindly to it.
That led to Punk cutting a fiery promo on Kingston during the ensuing edition of Dynamite, calling out Kingston for a face-to-face conflict on the Nov. 5 Rampage in St. Louis.
Punk vs. Kingston was made official for Full Gear following their confrontation on Rampage, adding another big match to the undercard of an already strong event.
While Punk has been in no shortage of massive matches during his career, it can be argued that Saturday's contest was the biggest of Kingston's journeyman career.
Kingston did challenge Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship at last year's Full Gear, but it was viewed by some as a holdover match and feud for Mox, whereas Kingston became one of the first wrestlers to face Punk following his seven-year wrestling hiatus at this year's Full Gear.
It can be argued that Punk is among the greatest wrestlers of all time, and Full Gear marked Kingston's opportunity to prove he is on the same level.
While Punk came away with the win, Kingston was highly impressive and showed he can hang with the best AEW has to offer.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
After months of buildup and storyline developments, All Elite Wrestling brought us its annual Full Gear pay-per-view Saturday. Other than the TNT Championship, every major title was on the line...
Hot Take: AEW Full Gear PPV on Track to Destroy WWE Survivor Series
Nov 13, 2021
Remember when the road to WWE's Survivor Series was must-see material?
There was a time when the massive pay-per-view event carried big stipulations, making it one of the biggest events of the year on an annual basis. Builds were handled with care, and the importance of the entire card dwarfed most of the year's other events.
It sure feels like that treatment has gone into a November pay-per-view this year—but it's All Elite Wrestling's Full Gear, not Survivor Series.
If we're being honest, WWE's build for Survivor Series and the event itself has rarely been exciting or important-feeling in recent years. It has felt more like a silly "we have to do this" event like TLC, not a big thing like SummerSlam. This was a problem last year, and on and on.
But if there were a year WWE reversed course and really made the annual staple feel important again, this figured to be it, right? The company has been bleeding talent, struggling to keep fan interest and watching as AEW takes on a meteoric rise—it also lost the head-to-head with AEW so bad that NXT underwent a rebranding.
Yet it's totally easy to forget WWE's event takes place just one week after Full Gear.
WWE has handwaved the ho-hum build for Survivor Series so far, using the only viable excuse out there—it wanted more time. According toWrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), WWE wanted to "get over new feuds with the new rosters and let the new rosters settle in on television."
🔴 ROLLINS 🔴 BALOR 🔴 KO 🔴 REY MYSTERIO 🔴 DOM MYSTERIO
🔵 MCINTYRE 🔵 JEFF HARDY 🔵 KING WOODS 🔵 ZAYN 🔵 CORBIN
That sounds great, and there's probably a shred of truth to it, but WWE then awkwardly announced the men and women's teams randomly on a Saturday afternoon because of...reasons? Not during a broadcast or with special treatment, just a social media release.
While WWE has been off shooting itself in the proverbial foot like this, AEW has been building up something truly special for Full Gear. That in itself shouldn't be a shocker—the company has found a niche and exploded in popularity in part because it actually builds up new stars alongside recognizable ones and handles long-term storytelling with care.
Case in point, the long, must-see story of Adam Page getting a title shot against Kenny Omega. Or Bryan Danielson and Miro fighting for the right to a future title shot. Or the battle of future company-leading stars between Darby Allin and MJF. Or the stunning tag showdown between Lucha Brothers and FTR.
Even encounters that haven't had the longest of builds are just jaw-dropping in nature. Look at the build between CM Punk and Eddie Kingston:
Yeah, there's some long-term history between the two weaved in—but that's exactly why AEW didn't need a long build for it. The booking is like a perfectly-called defense in the NFL or something similar because it puts its talent in the best position to succeed. And in doing so, it generates classics and things fans just can't miss.
Contrast that to the Survivor Series build. The 5-on-5 men and women's matches are a random allotment of names that don't appear to have major implications. The Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair champion vs. champion match is awkwardly trying to turn a disaster of a promo into a storyline, but the reality is the actual result won't matter and the match has been done plenty of times in the past.
And on the men's side of the champion vs. champion showdown, Big E against Roman Reigns isn't exactly fresh, and everybody already knows it won't end in a clean finish because the company can't afford to have either guy looking "weak." WWE loves its dirty finishes for this reason, so there's a pretty good chance the show ends with an unsatisfying finish.
The format of Survivor Series itself doesn't help matters, clearly. They have to check all the boxes—consider how a TLC card throws random Superstars into tables matches these days or a hastily-thrown together feud adds a Hell in a Cell stipulation at the event of the same name.
But again, if there was a year WWE figured to mix it up, innovate, not do the same old thing on a previously prestigious event that now feels like filler, this was it. Instead, none of the feuds in place seem to matter, and even the announcements feel like an afterthought.
At this rate, Full Gear is going to let AEW spank WWE this month simply because it leans on a bedrock foundation of what used to make WWE great. That WWE has let things get to this point is pretty surprising; that it's only going to look even worse this month is downright stunning.
Kudos goes to AEW, though. WWE is the big boy on the block simply because it has been around longer. But AEW's care for booking, storytelling and its Superstars—and fans—will have it feeling like the much better option coming out of its showdown with one of WWE's most recognizable, in name only these days, annual events.
