All Elite Wrestling held its go-home episode of Dynamite this week heading into Saturday's Double or Nothing pay-per-view. This will be the second event held under this name since AEW launched last year...
AEW Double or Nothing: Full Breakdown of Every Feud on the Match Card
May 20, 2020
All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, its first pay-per-view event since Revolution in February, airs live on Saturday and features a host of intriguing matches.
Expectations are high for the world championship match between Jon Moxley and Mr. Brodie Lee, the inaugural TNT Championship bout between Cody and Lance Archer, and a Stadium Stampede match featuring The Inner Circle and The Elite.
Here's the breakdown of every announced match at Double or Nothing.
The main card starts at 8 p.m. ET, preceded by a pre-show called The Buy In at 7:30 p.m.
Announced matches (subject to change)
• Jon Moxley (c) vs. Mr. Brodie Lee (world championship)
•Cody vs. Lance Archer (inaugural TNT Championship)
•Nyla Rose (c) vs. Hikaru Shida (women's world championship)
•The Inner Circle vs. The Elite and Matt Hardy (Stadium Stampede match)
•Darby Allin vs. Colt Cabana vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Rey Fenix vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Luchasaurus vs. Kip Sabian vs. Scorpio Sky vs. TBA (9-man Casino Ladder match for a future world championship match)
•MJF vs. Jungle Boy
• Dr. Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander
• Best Friends vs. Private Party
Jon Moxley vs. Mr. Brodie Lee (world championship)
Jon Moxley defends his world championship for the second time since winning it at Revolution when he takes on The Exalted One, Mr. Brodie Lee.
Lee made his surprise AEW debut in March and has since led The Dark Order, showcasing his power in and out of the ring by expanding the group and attacking Moxley earlier this month. The Exalted One made his intentions clear by stealing Moxley's title and proclaiming himself the new world champion.
Moxley has since vowed to get revenge. "When the dust settles at Double or Nothing, you may very well find that your AEW career is over before it started," the champion said.
These two have wrestled each other for years now, so the chemistry during this match should be strong.
Cody vs. Lance Archer (inaugural TNT Championship)
The Murderhawk and the American Nightmare have been at each other's throats while keeping their rivalry at the forefront of AEW programming.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts made his surprise debut on the Dynamite after Revolution to confront Cody and discuss a mystery client who was eager to meet him. A week later, Lance Archer made his AEW debut while watching one of Cody's matches.
As competitors in the TNT Championship tournament, Cody defeated Shawn Spears and Darby Allin while Archer beat Colt Cabana and Dustin to get to the final at Double or Nothing. Since then, the two finalists came to blows on Dynamite after Roberts threw a giant snake on Brandi Rhodes.
Whoever comes out on top as the inaugural TNT Champion will likely propel the title immediately as its holder. It helps that boxing legend Mike Tyson will be there to present the winner with the belt and give them further exposure.
Nyla Rose vs. Hikaru Shida (women's world championship)
Before Revolution - @NylaRoseBeast made it clear that no one could stack up to her. Can @shidahikaru be the one to dethrone the beast?
Hikaru Shida won a four-way match against Britt Baker, Kris Statlander and Penelope Ford last week to become the No. 1 contender to Nyla Rose's title. Although Shida did get a title shot last January in another four-way match, this will be her first in a singles bout.
Meanwhile, Rose is on a nine-match winning streak and successfully defended her championship once against Statlander at Revolution in February.
Although this match has flown under the radar considering the lack of buildup between Rose and Shida, they're two of the better workers in the company and should put on a good performance.
The Inner Circle vs. The Elite and Matt Hardy (Stadium Stampede match)
The issues between these two stables go back to the very start of Dynamite last October. It escalated after the addition of Matt Hardy to the AEW roster last March when he helped The Elite fend off The Inner Circle.
Since then, Hardy competed against Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara in a street fight that featured the latter getting hit by a golf cart. One can only imagine what they'll do in an entire stadium.
The two groups were originally supposed to face each other at Blood and Guts, a Dynamite episode originally slated for March but that has since been postponed. Now, they'll finally get their hands on each other.
Casino Ladder Match
Your ninth & final entrant in the Casino Ladder Match was revealed as a mystery participant at Double or Nothing!
There are many interesting names fighting for a shot at the AEW world championship during the Casino Ladder match. Along with Darby Allin, Colt Cabana, Orange Cassidy, Rey Fenix, Frankie Kazarian, Luchasaurus, Kip Sabian and Scorpio Sky, there will also be a mystery participant announced at Double or Nothing.
The match begins with two competitors. Then every 90 seconds, a new entrant will step into the ring. It's not yet known what the entrant order will be.
There are so many intriguing participants that it's tough to pick a favorite, especially with the added wild card of a mystery participant. Regardless of who it is, though, this looks to be a wild, fast-paced match that could steal the show.
MJF vs. Jungle Boy
After a two-month hiatus, The Salt of the Earth made his in-ring return from multiple "injuries" after suffering a hangnail and cut on his neck while shaving.
MJF defeated Lee Johnson last week and is slated to face Jungle Boy's Jurassic Express teammate, Marko Stunt, on the last Dynamite before Double or Nothing. The 24-year-old is on a 12-match winning streak and is undefeated in singles matches since joining AEW. This includes two wins against Jungle Boy.
Meanwhile, this will only be Jungle Boy's fourth singles match. Along with the two defeats against MJF, he also drew against Chris Jericho last December. At 22, Jungle Boy is another young talent who's primed to be one of AEW's future stars. Giving him this spotlight in his first singles match on PPV against a worker like MJF will be valuable experience.
Dr. Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander
.@RealBrittBaker had some harsh post-match words for @callmekrisstat lastnight on Dynamite. These two will go head to head on Sat, May 23rd at Double or Nothing. Order Double or Nothing on all major cable & satellite providers / @BRLive / @FITETV (International Fans Only) #AEWDoNpic.twitter.com/VD4Z4tM3Ti
With her "Role Model" persona, Britt Baker has become one of the most annoying, albeit entertaining, members of the AEW roster. She took her dentistry role and started bragging about it ad nauseam to anyone who would listen. The condescending promos she's cut recently give new insight into her personality which we hadn't seen before.
Last week, Baker and Kris Statlander both competed in a four-way match for a meeting with Nyla Rose for the women's world championship at Double or Nothing. Shida won, and Baker attacked Statlander afterwards when she felt that the Galaxy's Greatest Alien cost her the match. Thus, AEW booked a bout between the two at DoN.
Best Friends vs. Private Party
Judging by the amount of people that slept on us, you might as well call us a king size mattress.
On May 23rd we’ll wake y’all up as we get one step closer to the AEW Tag Team Championships 🥂 pic.twitter.com/gneSwHGNQz
The Buy-In match will be a fun way to kick off the show as two energetic tag teams compete to become the No. 1 contenders to Kenny Omega and Adam Page's tag team championships. Best Friends and Private Party rank second and fifth, respectively, in the official AEW tag team rankings.
The march to Double or Nothing continued Wednesday night on TNT as All Elite Wrestling produced an episode of Dynamite headlined by Matt Hardy and Kenny Omega vs...
Chris Jericho Discusses AEW's Shows Without Fans amid COVID-19 Pandemic
May 12, 2020
FILE - In this June 24, 2015, file photo, Chris Jericho arrives at the NBCUniversal New York Summer Press Day event at The Four Seasons Hotel in New York. Backed by billionaire Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan and his son Tony, new promotion All Elite Wrestling is set to make its debut on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, on TNT. The company wants to give WWE a run for its money and has already signed big stars Chris Jericho and Cody Rhodes to make an instant splash. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
Chris Jericho says putting on a wrestling show without fans is "strange" but credits AEW's creativity for Dynamite thriving despite the pandemic.
"We're providing entertainment throughout this lockdown, and it's different because we're in the middle of an empty arena," Jericho said Tuesday on the Rich Eisen Show. "It's very strange because much like a standup comedian or a rock-and-roll show, if you don't have a crowd that's responding to what you do, it's very, very strange.
"... If you're treating it more like a Hollywood stunt fight, like a Hollywood brawl that you'd see in a movie, it's much more entertaining than if you're treating it just as a wrestling match because there's nobody there. And we can see there's nobody there, so why bother pretending?"
Jericho added it helps that AEW is able to put members of its staff around the ring to add some level of ambiance and reaction for the show. The company typically puts wrestlers and other staff members ringside, with Jericho noting that the 30 or so spectators are more than he wrestled in front of at the beginning of his career.
Jericho himself has been pulling double duty on most weeks, sitting in on commentary while also competing in the ring. He's also helped produce the "Bubbly Bunch" skit series that has aired to praise.
AEW has not missed a week of programming despite the pandemic, filming several episodes in advance in March before returning to Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida last week. The May 6 episode was AEW's first live event in more than a month.
One Year at AEW: Ranking the Top 5 PPV Matches
May 12, 2020
Double or Nothing takes place May 23, the fifth pay-per-view in All Elite Wrestling's first year. Dozens of matches happened on those previous cards, but there were some that stood out more than others. They're the kinds of matches you want to watch more than once.
Here's our list of the top five matches from AEW PPVs so far. We took into consideration the quality of wrestling, the strength of the storylines and the likelihood of a re-watch.
Disagree with our list? Let us know who you would've included in the comments. Also, you can still order the four previous AEW pay-per-views (Double or Nothing, All Out, Full Gear, Revolution) on B/R Live.
5. Chris Jericho vs. Cody (Full Gear)
Chris Jericho defended his AEW World Championship against Cody at Full Gear, but there was over a month of intense buildup to their match last November.
In the first match of Dynamite's history, the American Nightmare defeated Sammy Guevara. After the bout, Jericho jumped Rhodes and later announced that Guevara, along with Jake Hager, Santana and Ortiz, were members of his Inner Circle. Thus, we saw the formation of a stable that would heavily feature on the company's programming for months to come.
Cody sought the help of half-brother Dustin, best friend MJF and longtime family friend Diamond Dallas Page to get his revenge on the Inner Circle. The result was a massive brawl in the concourse of an arena in which Cody punched a hole through a glass window to get his hands on Jericho for one of the most memorable AEW moments so far.
Eventually, the two fought in the ring at Full Gear. Their match was a storytelling clinic, an expected trait from two top workers. Jericho dominated much of the match as Cody struggled to find any momentum. Eventually, Jericho used his patented Walls submission in an attempt to finish the match. MJF, who was Cody's cornerman, shocked the Baltimore crowd when he threw in the towel to signal his mentor's forfeit.
An initially bewildered Cody eventually accepted the apology of MJF, who was emotional explaining to Cody what he did and why he did it. Then, the Salt of the Earth kicked Cody in the groin and turned on his so-called "best friend." Fans were so angry that one threw a drink at MJF on his way up the ramp. MJF said on the following episode of Dynamite that he felt Cody was holding him back because he was afraid of how well the 24-year-old would do by himself.
The buildup to the match, the bout itself and the aftermath are far too compelling to leave off the list. Jericho established the Inner Circle, Cody came out of it as the most sympathetic face at AEW, and MJF became a red-hot heel.
4. Lucha Brothers vs. Young Bucks (Ladder Match at All Out)
The rivalry between two of the top tag teams in the world reached new heights in what was referred to as an "Escalera de la Muerte," the Lucha Brothers' version of a ladder match. These tag teams are destined to put on great match after great match, but adding ladders to their feud kept things fresh.
What followed was absolute chaos as both teams competed for the AAA Tag Team Championship. Filled with wild and creative spots, it was like watching a beautiful train wreck. At no point in the match could fans really tell who was going to come out on top, adding to the drama. In the end, the Lucha Brothers retained their titles, but not after sending their opponent headfirst through a table from the top of a ladder.
This match last August was further proof that AEW is serious about being an industry leader with their tag team division, rather than treating it just as an afterthought. The Young Bucks are leading that charge and continued to back up their words with a terrific display.
3. Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega (Lights Out Match at Full Gear)
This is probably the most controversial inclusion on the list. Fans either loved this match or hated it, with little room in between.
If one's not into extreme matches, this wasn't for them. The sight of Jon Moxley throwing Kenny Omega on mouse traps and barbed wire can make even the most avid extreme wrestling fans queasy. The match did however prove that AEW will go to levels that other major promotions just won't.
It's rare to see this grotesque of a match happen even on pay-per-view events, but it was justified considering the deep animosity that Moxley and Omega had for each other. Their feud was one of the most personal in AEW's existence. Starting at Double or Nothing last May when Moxley assaulted Omega, things escalated when the former pulled out of their match at All Out because of a staph infection. The Best Bout Machine, incensed by Moxley's carelessness, cut his best AEW promo yet.
When these two finally met in the ring, glass, mouse traps, barbed wire and even an ice pick were used to try to mutilate each other. It may not have been the most technical of matches, but it sent a message that AEW was in fact an alternative product. Not only that, but it was a damn entertaining match.
2. Kenny Omega & Adam Page vs. Young Bucks (Revolution)
It's not an exaggeration to call this clash between The Elite members one of the greatest tag team matches in recent memory. It's certainly the greatest tag team match in AEW's short history.
It was hard to catch one's breath during their bout in February. Thirty minutes of relentless, hard-hitting action, compounded by the growing animosity between Adam Page and the Young Bucks, kept the Chicago crowd on its feet.
A couple months prior, Cowboy stepped away from The Elite as he tried to rebound from a string of losses. Page became more concerned about his personal accomplishments, much to the chagrin of Matt and Nick Jackson. The duo confronted Page on multiple occasions about his behavior and the increased alcohol consumption that has become a staple of his persona now. They even went as far as to call their former associate a "jobber" before the Young Bucks brought Page into New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Bullet Club.
This culminated in a scintillating performance at Revolution filled with big spot after big spot, adding to AEW's argument that they have the best tag division in the world.
1. Cody vs. Dustin (Double or Nothing)
One will struggle to find a finer wrestling match over the past year than Cody vs. Dustin at AEW's first event. The company had one chance to make a good first impression, and it did with this meeting between two top workers who know each other better than most.
Because Double or Nothing was AEW's first show, it didn't have much storyline buildup for most of its matches. Instead, it relied on the already well-established history between Cody and Dustin.
The match showcased the best of professional wrestling.
Chants of "Dusty" rang through the crowd at the start of the match as fans honored Cody and Dustin's late father. The match itself saw Cody control his 50-year-old opponent for the majority of it, but the 11,000 in attendance popped at every comeback attempt that Dustin, who was bleeding profusely, tried to make. It was all for naught, though, as Dustin sold his older age at the end of the match by giving into Cody's offense. The American Nightmare hit the Cross Rhodes to defeat his half-brother as the MGM Grand Arena crowd gave both competitors a standing ovation.
That wasn't the end of it. An emotional Cody grabbed a microphone and cut a touching promo as a battered Dustin sat in the corner of the ring. What followed was the most important moment in AEW's history so far—a shining example of the raw connection AEW hopes to make with its fans.
This match established Double or Nothing as a landmark pay-per-view and AEW as a promotion that can compete with the very best.
One Year of AEW: Ranking the Top 5 Heels
May 7, 2020
The first edition of Double or Nothing was almost a year ago, and we've since seen new stars and established talent showcase their talent in All Elite Wrestling. Many have left a particularly big impression on the fans, but not necessarily in a way that makes them happy.
In fact, chances are you've heavily rooted against everyone on this list of the top five heels in AEW over the past year. We took into consideration fan reaction, entertainment value, general heel work and success at AEW so far to determine our five.
Here are the wrestlers who did the best job of being the absolute worst. Disagree? Let us know who you would've included in the comments.
5. Dr. Britt Baker
Best heel moments: Insulting the Texas crowd, roasting Tony Schiavone, "How to Be a Role Model" promos
It took Britt Baker all of 2019 to find her footing at AEW, but she finally did so when the new year came around.
Originally pushed as a face, there was little reason for fans to get behind her other than the fact she's a real-life dentist. Baker, needing to jumpstart her gimmick, took her dentistry role and started bragging about it ad nauseam to anyone who would listen. She also insulted crowds, fellow talent and even Tony Schiavone.
Her character took another step recently by cutting condescending promos on "How to Be a Role Model." It will be interesting to see where Baker takes this. It's been fun heel work to watch come together for someone who seems to be enjoying it.
4. Sammy Guevara
Best heel moments: Helping the Inner Circle in various feuds, crushing Darby Allin's throat with a skateboard, 630 flip at Revolution
Chris Jericho's Inner Circle has been a great breeding ground for some of AEW's heels, and no one has benefitted more from learning under his wing than Sammy Guevara.
Guevara had little character development before Inner Circle's formation.Fans quickly noticed the athleticism he possessed, but it wasn't until Dynamite began that we saw him go from a good wrestler with heel-ish tendencies to one of the best things about the Inner Circle.
The Spanish God manages to walk the line between being entertaining and annoying. He was also on the forefront of helping Jericho stage attacks against The Elite and Jon Moxley while carrying out a quality feud of his own against Darby Allin.
The next step for Guevara in Year Two is showcasing even more of his personality. His wrestling is already good. Now he just needs the presence to back it up.
Best heel moments: All three matches against Kenny Omega, match against Orange Cassidy
Speaking of presence, there's something about PAC that just captures a fan's interest.
Those familiar with his work before AEW knew what he was capable of once he joined the promotion. He's delivered so far. His clash against Kenny Omega at All Out was one of the best technical matches of 2019. Their feud reached its peak last February when the two competed in a 30-minute Iron Man match after PAC attacked Michael Nakazawa, Omega's close friend. The Bastard lost in sudden-death overtime, but that match is considered one of the best to take place on Dynamite so far.
Other highlights from his time at AEW include coming out of a rivalry with Adam Page on top, defeating fan-favorite Orange Cassidy in his in-ring debut at Revolution and forming the Death Triangle stable with the Lucha Brothers.
PAC's stern, no-nonsense approach demands attention whenever he's in the ring. It appears that tag team action with the Death Triangle is in his near future, but don't be surprised to see him make a run at the AEW Championship by the end of the year, too.
2. MJF
Best heel moments: Fyter Fest promo (watch below), turning on Cody and eventual feud
Anyone who watched a moment of MJF over the past year probably felt a sense of disdain for him that only wrestling can conjure. Every time he picked up a microphone, there was an overwhelming urge to wish the worst on him. That's exactly why The Salt of the Earth is one of the best heels in the world.
Top wrestlers provoke emotional reactions from fans, good or bad. MJF does that better than almost everyone on the AEW roster through his harsh words, backstabbing and cowardice. He quickly established himself as one of the company's best talkers at Fyter Fest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2s2lJypzR4
The 24-year-old aligned himself with Cody, referring to the American Nightmare as his mentor and helping him fend off attacks from the Inner Circle. Cody, who announced before facing Jericho for the AEW Championship at Full Gear that he would never challenge for the title again if he lost, was defeated by Le Champion after MJF threw in the towel and signaled a forfeit. Initially apologetic, MJF then turned on Cody and cited a lack of opportunities from his former ally as the reason for doing so.
This would turn into AEW's feud of the year. Layered with intricate storytelling already, MJF told Cody that the only way he would get a match against him at Revolution is if he defeated his personal bodyguard Wardlow in a steel cage match and took 10 lashes on national television. Both the cage match and lashes were tough to watch at times as Cody's body showed the effects.
Although Cody did accomplish both tasks, MJF still came out victorious in their match at Revolution. He was sensational throughout their feud and had fans hanging on every word he said and every action he took. At 24, we haven't even seen the best of what MJF has to offer yet.
1. Chris Jericho
Best heel moments: Becoming the inaugural AEW Champion, forming the Inner Circle, "Le Champion," "Little bit of the bubbly"
There wasn't a better person to crown the inaugural AEW world champion than Chris Jericho. The well-established heel main-evented the company's first show at Double or Nothing and won the title at All Out. Now known as Le Champion, Jericho formed the Inner Circle on the first Dynamite episode and made it clear that they were the most dominant stable at AEW early on.
With the help of his new allies, Jericho terrorized The Elite as well as anyone who he defended his belt against. This included successful defenses against Darby Allin, Cody and Scorpio Sky. His reign as Le Champion lasted over six months until Jon Moxley dethroned him at Revolution last February.
Jericho's time as the inaugural champion was an entertaining one as he delivered inside the ring while also coining phrases like "a little bit of the bubbly" outside of it. Despite his heel work, fans also can't help but sing along to his theme whenever he makes his entrance.
There's still a level of respect from fans toward Jericho, an icon of the wrestling industry whose wisdom for the business made a lasting impact on AEW in its first year. Time will tell what the 49-year-old has to offer inside the ring for the remainder of his contract, but AEW would do well to keep him around in some role for as long as they can.
Kenny Omega Proves He Still Is the Best Bout Machine in Star-Studded Main Event
May 6, 2020
Wins and losses matter in All Elite Wrestling, so I don't want to bury the lede here. Kenny Omega took a pinfall loss to close one of the darnedest nights in AEW's short history, victim of both the Inner Circle's superior numbers and a Chris Jericho Judas Effect.
When you look back at this event years from now, that's what the Wikipedia entry will say. Jericho won. Omega lost.
Simple.
Pure.
But the truth is, Omega, once again, stole the show. And that was no easy task—to a person, from Brandi Rhodes to the dastardly Jake Roberts, AEW wrestlers delivered big time up and down the card.
In the street fight itself we saw Sammy Guevara continue to establish himself as a rising force, Jericho turning back the clock to hold his own in a grueling bout, and Matt Hardy changing his wardrobe multiple times in the middle of the match.
With that kind of star wattage surrounding him, it would have been easy for Omega to slip into the shadows. Instead, he took a step forward, all but demanding all eyes turn toward him, making clear to anyone paying attention that he's still in the conversation as the best wrestler in the entire world.
That's a premise that has come under increasing scrutiny as Omega works mostly outside the AEW main event scene. He's become a supporting player in some ways, making room for Jericho, Cody and Jon Moxley to dominate the top-of-the-card action while he focuses on the tag division and work-rate matches in the middle of the pack.
To some who watched Omega light the wrestling world on fire in his title matches against Kazuchika Okada in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, his positioning has been a disappointment. They expected Omega to be the face of AEW, leading from the front with the kind of singles matches that had become his calling card. It hasn't quite worked out that way, which has led to whispers in parts of the fandom that Omega no longer has it.
It's an idea that clearly bothered Omega a bit when I talked to him earlier this year for Bleacher Report and most definitely got under announcer Jim Ross' skin, causing him to go on an extended rant in the midst of the match defending Omega's status in the business.
"Kenny's tired of also hearing 'Where's the old Kenny? Where's the old Kenny? Where's the Kenny that wrestled Okada? Where's Kenny?'" Ross said during the broadcast, voice rising an octave. "Kenny's right here. Kenny's in AEW. And he's done damn well."
The facts support JR's position.
Over and over again this year, Omega has risen to the occasion. There was the incredible Iron Man match against Pac in February on Dynamite and a tag team bout for the ages just three days later at Revolution, Omega teaming with Hangman Page against the Young Bucks. Most recently there was a AAA Mega title defense against Guevara in an empty arena, an athletic display that firmly positioned him as the master of the audience-less match.
The street fight Wednesday night might have topped them all.
It was an excellent match when still confined to the ring area, all four men having incredible chemistry and timing, none scared to go wherever it takes physically to make a bout memorable. But things really escalated quickly when they took it outside, trash cans and garage doors turning into a golf-cart chase that led to Guevara taking an insane bump from a fast-moving vehicle.
Not content to be outdone, Omega took a scissors lift to its upper limits, ironically climbed up on the safety railing, and launched himself into the sky before plummeting like a golden star. He crashed down on a motley cast of characters, eliciting a loud scream in my living room at the sheer audacity of it all.
Eventually, the numbers working against him proved too much. Five Inner Circle members, on this night, were too much for a mere tag team to handle.
For once, however, the outcome isn't the real story here. The Inner Circle won the match. Omega won the night. Like it or not, he's still the best bout machine—whether he has the platinum title to prove it or not.
Jonathan Snowden covers combat sports for Bleacher Report.
For the first time in over a month, All Elite Wrestling Dynamite hit the TNT airwaves live, with a show dedicated to building the May 23 Double or Nothing pay-per-view extravaganza...
The Revival Explain WWE Release, Meetings with Vince McMahon to Chris Jericho
May 6, 2020
TOKYO,JAPAN - JUNE 28: The Revival,Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson enter the ring during the WWE Live Tokyo at Ryogoku Kokugikan on June 28, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Former WWE Superstars Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder of The Revival appeared on Wednesday's episode of Talk Is Jericho to discuss their WWE departure and what led to their departure from the organization.
Dawson (now going by Dax Harwood) and Wilder (Cash Wheeler) were officially released by WWE on April 10 after months of speculation that they wanted to move on.
During the interview with AEW star Chris Jericho, Harwood explained the rationale behind wanting to go elsewhere:
"That was our biggest factor as far as leaving was that tag team wrestling was featured everywhere else except for WWE. And we wanted to be a part of that because we could sit back and ... we could have no legacy aside from our NXT stuff. We could have no legacy in the history of wrestling, or we could go out and make history, and I think that was our biggest factor in leaving is that we could go out and prove to everyone that we are the absolute best tag team on this planet. And I say that with as much humility as I can muster from my guts. There is not a tag team on this planet that is as good as we are, that is as fluid as we are, and has the one goal, the one common goal in mind that is to be the best."
Wheeler also noted that the lack of focus on tag team wrestling in WWE was what compelled them to ask for their release:
"Like the tag team titles, they don't really mean anything. The tag team division had been, this has nothing to do with, nothing against Braun [Strowman], I think Braun's a great guy, I get along with him really well. But, like he had steamrolled the entire tag team division and then a 10-year-old or whatever won the tag titles at WrestleMania [34]. And then no tag teams were featured on SummerSlam until the last minute they added the women's tag titles, which I'm all for, it's just it was so last minute people didn't even know. So we wanted to make a point like, 'Look, the tag team division doesn't get respect, it doesn't get the time a lot of these teams deserve, and we want to take chances on ourselves.'"
Harwood and Wheeler also talked about having a meeting with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon prior to their release and discussed how that played a role in them leaving as well.
Specifically, Harwood noted that they were presented with a new character idea that they had no interest in pursuing:
"They gave us the last big spiel about how they wanted to use us. It was all Vince's idea. We had a meeting with Vince, and he presented us with these characters that were less than flattering to us. It wasn't what I felt that we could represent or should represent, and I don't know too many guys who if they have any kind of self worth or if they believed in themselves as characters, as people, if they would have taken that opportunity. And we just said no, it's time for us to go."
Harwood was referencing concept photos that leaked showing The Revival in bizarre costumes complete with bright colors, tassels, glow sticks and even lipstick:
This was Vince McMahon’s plan to repackage The Revival as a comedy team. New music. New gear. Smfh pic.twitter.com/BHPeg2IewZ
— Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net (@Casshooole) April 18, 2020
Wheeler and Harwood confirmed the leaked photos are legitimately what they were shown by McMahon, and the duo aren't sure whether Vince thought the idea was great or presented it as a way of punishing them.
Wheeler said he laughed out loud when shown the photos, but both he and Harwood noted that they told McMahon they were willing to try the characters until the end of their contracts in the summer, although they would not be re-signing at that point.
Also, Wheeler said the rumored contract offer WWE made of $750,000 per year was inaccurate, as it was actually an even higher number. He expressed his belief that their unwillingness to sign the big-money contract essentially told WWE they were serious about leaving, which led to WWE pulling them off the road and then releasing them.
Now, Harwood and Wheeler are known as The Revolt rather than The Revival, and they are perhaps the hottest free-agent tag team in all of wrestling. Given the fact that they are former NXT, Raw and SmackDown Tag Team champions, they shouldn't have much trouble catching on elsewhere.
Harwood and Wheeler mentioned AEW, Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling as potential destinations, and they specifically noted that an eventual match against AEW's The Young Bucks is on their agenda.
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