Jon Moxley

When Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks and everyone else involved helped to make 10,000-plus sellout All In the most successful U.S. indie wrestling event in years, if not ever, the dream of a new U.S. promotion became a reality.

Setting up one show like All In was difficult, so forming an entire company would be even harder. It would take money, a TV deal, a great roster and a team of employees. This is where Tony Khan comes into the story.

As the co-owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C., Khan has experience in business and sports. As a lifelong wrestling fan, he also had the passion to make All Elite Wrestling into a show he would have wanted to watch as a child.

Khan recently spoke with Bleacher Report to talk about the one-year anniversary of Dynamite.

When WCW closed its doors in 2001, TNT was officially out of the wrestling business. Other networks have aired promotions like TNA Impact and Ring of Honor, but they were usually on obscure channels many fans did not have access to.

AEW brought pro wrestling back to TNT with the debut of Dynamite on October 2, 2019. The fledgling promotion was looking to showcase new talent and veterans of the business the same way WCW did during the early years of Nitro.

Khan grew up watching pro wrestling, but unlike most kids who wanted to be Sting or Shawn Michaels, he dreamed of being the person making the show. "I've been writing shows in notebooks, Microsoft Word files and even Word Perfect going back to 1995. As a kid, I dreamed of having a wrestling show on TNT, and it felt like one of my most unrealistic dreams because there was no vacancy on TNT. After WCW folded and the assets were sold off, I still thought it was really unrealistic until I got to know the company."

While the opportunity to work with Cody and The Young Bucks on a new promotion was a great way to enter the wrestling business, it still took a lot of work to get everything to where it is today. 

"It was a long process. It was probably about a year from when I started pitching the show to when it got picked up. There were other networks interested in it, but I think we ended up at the best possible place for us. TNT is where I always wanted to go. From a marketing standpoint, there was such a great promotional push around the debut and they [TNT] were so happy with the results that we got a four-year contract extension all within the first four months. It was a very successful debut, but it was a long road to get there."

The first half of Dynamite's inaugural year was going smoothly. The company was doing well with TV ratings, and the newer stars were starting to become popular with wrestling fans who didn't know them from the independent scene. 

What nobody could have predicted was a viral pandemic that would shut down borders and make both touring and performing in front of fans impossible. This meant certain international stars became unavailable and storylines had to be adjusted. 

AEW has set up shop inside Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida, a venue physically connected to TIAA Bank Field, which is the Jaguars' home stadium. Even though the state has lifted restrictions on the size of live crowds, that doesn't mean Khan is rushing to sell the arena out any time soon.

"Live events have changed in the past year, more so probably than in all the previous years combined. TV rights now more than ever are the most important revenue stream. Now all of a sudden, things are possible to do legally. That doesn't mean you should try to pack the place."

"We were in this amazing place with our stories right after Revolution, and then the pandemic hit. Resetting everything since then and what we did with this year's Double or Nothing was great. I had access to a small percentage of my roster and had to book shows in a matter of minutes. When we returned and put our COVID testing procedures in place, we had a great foundation for Double or Nothing. It was hard to get anybody to look forward to anything back in May. I was widely quoted after a media call saying I thought Double or Nothing was better than WrestleMania, and I truly feel that way. I thought it was a tribute to how hard we worked during the pandemic to keep the fans' interest."

Throughout the last year, Dynamite has introduced several stars to the mainstream wrestling audience, many of whom have been working for years in other countries and on the American indie scene. 

One of the people who has made the biggest impression has been Orange Cassidy. While he is primarily known for his slacker persona, he also formerly wrestled under a mask as a member of a group called The Colony as "Fire Ant" and displayed a much different set of skills than what we have seen from him on TNT. 

He began in AEW as a comedy character who was known for never putting any effort into anything. As his popularity grew, he began to show what he was capable of, which earned him some big opportunities along the way. 

"I can talk all day about Orange Cassidy. There was stuff about his independent act that I hated and would never do on our show. Matt [Jackson] said this guy's really got something and he suggested putting him with Best Friends. I went to a PWG show and really got to know him and learn what makes him tick. I had no idea that Orange Cassidy was Fire Ant until he told me that night and I was like, 'Oh my god, you're a great wrestler.' So I said what if we hold it all back and build it up little by little to make people want to see him wrestle. After seeing his work, Jericho wanted to work with him. Chris and I put together a lot of ideas, but Chris was so generous and did so much for him because he believes in him."

Jericho and Cassidy's feud culminated in the first-ever Mimosa Mayhem match at All Out, and Cassidy picked up the biggest victory of his career when he knocked Le Champion into a vat of champagne and orange juice.

Another wrestler who had a great showing at the pay-per-view was Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Jon Moxley defended the AEW world title against MJF in a main event that was widely praised for showcasing the 24-year-old star's in-ring ability.

"MJF is somebody who was close to fully formed when he came in. He doesn't get enough credit for how good he is because he was so far along when he got here that you forget how young he is. People take him for granted as a main eventer because he is so polished at such a young age."

Even with so many established names like Cody, Jericho, the Bucks and Kenny Omega, Dynamite has still managed to feature a lot of fresh faces. In addition to Cassidy and MJF, the likes of Britt Baker, Darby Allin and everyone besides Brodie Lee in The Dark Order are getting their first tastes of fame on a national stage. 

"I can't name a person I have less in common with than Darby Allin, but I talk to him every single day, and he's a genius. He is a genius storyteller and a great filmmaker. Cody brought him to my attention, and now I work with him as closely as I work with anybody."

"I was watching Being The Elite, and I went to John Silver [of The Dark Order] and was ribbing him. He is one of the only people I rib. I called him into my office and said, 'I'm really upset with you. You've got this great personality and apparently, you choose to only show it in BTE. I want you to do that stuff on Dynamite.' So he is doing more stuff and developing his own personality, which is great. Another person who I am so proud of for the way they developed their character is Britt Baker. Her run as a heel has been outstanding, and she has gotten so much better as the year has gone on."

The pandemic has changed things for a lot of industries. Many promotions are shutting down or cutting back on talent, but AEW has continued to make hires. Notable additions in recent months include Miro, Eddie Kingston, Will Hobbs, Ivelisse and Ricky Starks.

"We bring in new people every month. We bring in people from the independent scene and a lot of times you will see those people on AEW Dark, too. Sometimes these are one-off things, but if somebody impresses us, we'll bring them back. Will Hobbs is a good example of somebody that I really took a liking to and is doing a really great job for us. We're always looking for different partnerships. We've had the AAA tag titles on the show. Kenny Omega is the AAA champion, and he's defended the title on Dynamite and Dark. Thunder Rosa defended the NWA women's title. We're always looking for ways to work with people, but I am also keeping my eye on the independent scene."

When asked about the future, Khan said, "Stay tuned because there are going to be some big announcements ahead. I think Full Gear is going to be a great pay-per-view. I think there are going to be some fun twists and turns through the rest of the year."

All Elite Wrestling world champion Jon Moxley seemingly has plenty of good years left in him as a professional wrestler, but when the time comes for him to hang up the boots, he wants to do it with AEW.

In an interview with Jim Alexander of ReelTalker.com, Mox discussed his desire to remain with AEW until his days as an active wrestler are over:

"Yeah, it's definitely [AEW]. I've become great friends with [AEW owner] Tony Khan, who is a great dude and the most successful promoter outside of [WWE Chairman] Vince [McMahon] in [however] many years. We've been able to create something as a team and to get through the challenge of this pandemic, and well, stay alive [as a promotion]. I'm incredibly proud of everybody [in AEW]."

Moxley was under contract with WWE for eight years and wrestled under the name Dean Ambrose before departing in 2019, and while he experienced a great deal of success in WWE, his longest sustained run on top in a major wrestling promotion has occurred in AEW.

During his time in WWE, Moxley was best known for being part of The Shield along with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. All of them went on to become world champions, although Moxley was only a one-time WWE champion.

He was often placed in the midcard, which allowed him to become a three-time Intercontinental champion, and he was also pigeonholed as a comedic character at times, which is something he has discussed often since leaving WWE last year.

Mox undoubtedly seems to be more in his element as part of the AEW roster, as his character work and promos come across naturally, while his in-ring work has been strong as well.

With everything going well for Moxley in his career currently, he revealed in the interview that he intends to continue wrestling into his 50s, which means the 34-year-old veteran isn't leaving the business any time soon.

Moxley is in the midst of a nearly eight-month reign as AEW World champion, having now held the title for over 220 days, but that reign could be in danger.

On Wednesday night, Moxley is putting the title on the line on the one-year anniversary edition of AEW Dynamite against Lance Archer.

Moxley faced Archer once in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, beating Archer for the IWGP United States Championship in a Texas Death Match.

Regardless of whether Moxley wins or loses Wednesday night, he is one of the faces of AEW, and that will likely continue to be the case for as long as Moxley decides he wants to continue wrestling.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe. 

Moxley Wins at Bloodsport

Jon Moxley made his anticipated Bloodsport debut Sunday, submitting Chris Dickinson in what most are calling the event's match of the night. It was a brutal match that neared shoot fighting at times—falling in line with the whole Bloodsport vibe—and left both competitors with massive red marks on their chest from chops.

Moxley was always going to go over Dickinson, a veteran of the independent circuit who isn't well known to the mainstream audience. That said, the 33-year-old was impressive enough that promotions should be looking to book him for appearances once the independent circuit picks back up.

It's possible Dickinson could even get an AEW look if Mox was impressed enough by their match. Regardless, it was a match that shows how much Moxley can elevate an opponent in any style and a showcase for Dickinson. A true win-win.

Jericho Lists Favorite Matches

"The List of Jericho" was one of Chris Jericho's most memorable gimmicks from his WWE run. Turns out Jericho actually does keep a physical list that may have served as the inspiration.

The Demo God revealed that he keeps a handwritten list of every match he's ever competed in dating back to 1990, which includes ratings, results and other notes. 

Jericho is currently working on promoting a book that's set for presale later this month in which he lists his top 10 matches of all time. Speaking on his Saturday Night Special (h/t WrestlingInc) show, Jericho gave a little preview of what to expect: 

"It's really hard to say your favorite. What's your absolute, gun-to-the-head favorite? And before, I used to say what's your favorite match – the match I had with Shawn Michaels for the WWE World Title Ladder Match in Portland, Oregon, I believe in 2008 of October. That's one of them because it's the match that not only was it a great match, a perfect match, it was the culmination of a seven-month-long story that was originally just supposed to be a one and done," revealed Jericho. "It was supposed to a one-month story, and Shawn and I were like, 'Why are we rushing this? Neither one of us are doing anything', and we created this whole amazing, probably textbook of how-to-put-together an amazing angle. And if I still worked in WWE, I would have suggested they do a special on it for the Network because it really was a textbook how do you put together a great storyline."

"Kenny Omega, The Tokyo Dome, January 4, 2018 – that was the match. A) That was my first match away from WWE in almost 20 years. B) It showed what a draw Chris Jericho was because that match did an extra 15,000 tickets, and sales, and bought an extra 30 percent in New Japan World's subscriptions and C) It showed Tony Khan that there was a segment of the fanbase who were looking for something different from WWE, and it was basically where the spark of AEW began. So, that was a big one," stated Jericho.

"And I'll do another one with Jon Moxley, where I dropped the title to him, February 29th of this year. A mere 10 days before the lockdown. I thought that was a great story with a great payoff and a great finish. But there are so many other ones that I can mention. But if you want to go—Ultimo Dragon from 1995 at the Sumo Arena. That's the match that got me hired in ECW and WCW. I have to mention that, as well. So, there are quite a few side posts along this Chris Jericho highway for sure."

It'd be nearly impossible to come up with a top-10 list from Jericho's long career that would adequately satisfy anyone, but it speaks to his longevity that some of his own all-time favorites are recent matches. 

Rob Van Dam Likes Rollins

Rob Van Dam hasn't been in WWE since 2014, but he's the rare former employee who never goes out of his way to rib the current product. Van Dam seems wholly at peace with his time in WWE and departure, and he maintains an overall positive disposition about the company in public.

Case in point: Van Dam went out of his way to praise Vince McMahon while also issuing a compliment to Seth Rollins.

The Monday Night Messiah has credited Van Dam as one of his favorite wrestlers growing up, and the pair did get to have some head-to-head clashes before RVD's departure. The matches were nothing either party will put on their Mount Rushmore, but it was likely enough for Rollins to battle one of his idols. 

When Jon Moxley chose not to re-sign with WWE in 2019, he instantly became the hottest free agent in professional wrestling. In addition to working with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Moxley has called All Elite Wrestling his home since he debuted at Double or Nothing 2019.

He quickly rose through the ranks to become one of AEW's most popular stars before winning the World Heavyweight Championship at AEW Revolution on February 29. Moxley spoke with Bleacher Report about his career, goals and what it's like working with All Elite Wrestling. 

As a young boy growing up in Cincinnati, Moxley always had his eye set on a career in the ring. Like many fans, his first taste of pro wrestling was from the then-WWF, but if you have seen him wrestle, it's clear he was also heavily influenced by the Superstars of Extreme Championship Wrestling. 

"When I was young, the kids in the apartment below me had action figures and wrestling pay-per-views. I can't remember a time when wrestling wasn't the thing I liked. It was simple superhero-come-to-life stuff on TV. Bret Hart was my guy when I was a kid. In the '90s, he was the guy on top. I fell in love with ECW when I was a teenager. It was always kind of the thing that dominated my interest. I took a test one time in junior high where you find out what your career aptitude is, and it said I should be a forest firefighter. By the time I was 16 or 17, I was already selling popcorn, sweeping floors and setting up the ring. I had my first match when I was 18."

Back before the internet was as much a part of our lives as it is today, learning how to be a pro wrestler was something of a mystery to young fans. We now know there are wrestling schools all over the country, but Moxley found out completely by happenstance. 

"I didn't know how to go about it. It was like a mystery back then of 'How do I become a pro wrestler?' It's kind of like how do you become a sword swallower? I found out about a wrestling school by dumb luck. It happened over in Cincinnati. I saw a flyer for a show at a flea market and on the back was an ad for Les Thatcher's pro wrestling school, and I was like, 'Ding ding ding! That's how you become a pro wrestler, you go to wrestling school.' There was no turning back for me once I saw a pathway."

While pro wrestling has always been his main focus, Moxley also has a few movie credits to his name. His first acting gig outside the ring in the WWE Studios film, 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown. More recently, Moxley filmed a movie called Cagefighter: Worlds Collide, but don't expect to see him pursuing roles on a regular basis.

"We only get one life, and if you get the chance to experience something, you should do it. Just recently I did a movie called Cagefighter that had a limited release and is coming out in the U.S. in October. I like wrestling the most. I don't have any aspirations to take over Hollywood or be the next Rock or John Cena. That being said, if Marvel called and said 'Do you want to be in the next Avengers or be Batman' I would be like 'Hell yeah, sign me up.' It's fun, it's a challenge and it's a different craft. Unless it was some huge once–in–a–lifetime opportunity, if you offer me a role that requires me to take nine months off where I can't wrestle, I am not going to do it."

A veteran of over 16 years, Moxley still sees himself competing for quite some time before he decides to hang up his boots."I'd like to wrestle until I am in my 50s, but it can end at any time. I don't want to spend nine months filming a movie when I could have been having matches. I want to do as much wrestling as I can while I have that window of time. Acting could be a thing for later."

Mox will turn 35 in December, so he is hoping to have at least another 15-20 years in this business. We have seen some wrestlers continue into their 60s, so if he keeps himself healthy, it's likely he will be a big part of the business for a long time. 

After spending some time on the indie scene, Moxley spent eight years working for WWE and its developmental territories, so he spent a long time doing things the WWE way. Now that he is with AEW, the world champion finds himself with more creative freedom to tell stories the way he wants to tell them.

"I'll talk on the phone with Tony Khan and we'll throw some ideas out. I'll talk to whoever I'm working with and we'll throw some ideas out. We'll get on a three-way call and just loosely talk out the next six weeks of a story, and when I show up, we do it. It doesn't get changed on the day of and nobody messes with it, not that I am above taking creative direction. Even the misses are fun when you're in control because it's part of a journey. When you try again, it's even more satisfying when you get it right. I want to keep pushing myself to be the best I can be every single time."

Like all wrestlers in AEW, Mox had to get used to fighting in front of zero fans for several months. AEW has since begun allowing in a limited number of fans in the upper area of the arena. For Mox, this is what he was trained for. 

"I was trained in the Thatcher way. It was old school. You over exaggerate and play to the last fan in the cheap seats. Now, everybody is in the cheap seats, so that training paid off. I am more worried about the people in the cheap seats than I am about the camera because they bought tickets and came with their family. It's important to me that they have a good show."

He has had a chance to wrestle a lot of new and familiar faces in AEW. He spent time in WWE with guys like Chris Jericho and Miro, but he is also getting the opportunity to work with young stars who are just starting to be successful in this business.

"I love getting to work with the young dudes who are in their 20s who are getting their first chance to be on national television. They're unencumbered and not being repackaged or told who they are, so they are just going to keep getting better. Some of these guys are nuts and they have these crazy ideas and they push me to think of things in new ways. I don't go in there and go 'Let me tell you what we are going to do because I am more experienced.' I go 'What do you want to do? I'm old and slow so tell me your cool idea.' I am all about learning from the young guys because they have a different perspective than me."

"And then we have this incredible group of veterans like SCU. We have a legend in Chris Jericho, who I always learn from. And then, we have this group of guys who are in the prime of their career. We have people at every level, and it's a smorgasbord of guys to work with. It's endless opportunities of stories to tell. There is an endless sea of narrative possibilities, which is good because we have a lot of time to fill."

A lot of wrestlers are asked about their favorite match, but that is not such an easy decision for Mox after several years of having great performances. 

"Trying to pick your favorite matches is like trying to pick your favorite kid. You can't love one more than the other, and you love them for different reasons. The bit I got to do with Darby Allin was great because I had this picture painted in my head. I had that story in my head for months and it basically came off exactly how I had pictured it in my mind. To be able to create that moment exactly how I had envisioned it was the most satisfying feeling in the world."

While he doesn't have one match that stands out above the rest, Moxley did mention a few specific people he has enjoyed working with in AEW.

"The match with MJF also went exactly how I had pictured it. I have loved working with Brian Cage. I loved the whole thing with Jericho. I don't look at that as a match. I look at it as a whole eight-week story."

"I looked at myself as a bad guy in AEW. For those first few months, I acted like a bad guy. I didn't expect to be a good guy again. I was being ambiguous and just taking out everybody until I went after Chris. Then I was firmly planted on the good guy side. And then it turned into maybe I was going to join the Inner Circle, then I stole his car, he stabbed my eye out, so I had to stab his friend's eye out. And then we get to the PPV and I get my match with him. I look at all of that as one piece of work, the Jericho story. That was awesome. Each story is kind of like a painting I am hanging on my wall. I don't know how much longer I get to paint before the wheels fall off of this thing. The more paintings I can paint, the better."

Being a pro wrestler means different things to different people. Some view it as a stepping stone toward Hollywood or as a way to make money, but Moxley is all about the rush of adrenaline that comes with performing in front of thousands of fans and the satisfaction of telling a unique story.

"I love that feeling after a match of being totally drained and exhausted and being fulfilled creatively. That's why I do this at this point. I'm blessed to be able to make a living, but I don't do this for money. My goal is not to get more famous. I've had a taste of fame and I could take it or leave it. I do this for that feeling at the end of the night when I am all bloody and sweaty thinking, 'That was awesome.' That adrenaline rush of being on live TV, telling a story and feeling the fans going on a ride with you is why I do it."

A lot of athletes spend their downtime resting. Many pro athletes have started their own Twitch and YouTube channels based around video games. Moxley prefers to spend his time training and doing things that take him outside of the house.

"My biggest problem is that I don't like video games. That's what I should do, but my problem is all of my hobbies are physical things. I like mountain biking, hiking, jiu-jitsu. I like all of these things that beat your body up. That's how I relax. I like getting outdoors."

A lot of pro wrestlers have used social media with great results. Stars like Matt Cardona and Matt Hardy are especially proficient at using things like Twitter and YouTube for their benefit, but the AEW champ is not the biggest fan of social media.

"I don't have Twitter downloaded on my phone. I was coming out of a hotel the other day and I had my phone in my back pocket and I sent out a tweet. I butt-dialed a tweet. It was something innocuous like an MMA article but it could have been anything. I could have ended my career with a butt dial. So I uninstalled it. People get addicted to their phones and the virtual world. I highly recommend people go for a walk in a park or the woods. It clears your head and it's a good way to spend an afternoon. You would be surprised how quickly problems resolve themselves in your head when you're out in nature."

If you ask a lot of young wrestlers what their ultimate goal is, they will tell you it is to win a world title. Moxley has been there and done that, so for him, belts are storytelling devices that allow him to create the best possible journey for the fans. 

"This isn't like a regular sport where I would say, 'OK, my goal is to win the Olympic gold medal.' Whereas with us, [titles] are storytelling devices. You can't have goals like winning The Royal Rumble because you don't decide that. Somebody with a pencil decides that. For me, it's about telling the best stories that I can because it's the most satisfying feeling in the world when you nail a promo. AEW is the perfect place for me because I get to do what I want to do."

Other Superstars like Matt Hardy have also lauded AEW for giving them the opportunity to be the character they envisioned for themselves. When a wrestler gets to have fun and be who they want to be, it leads to the crowd being able to connect with them on a deeper level than if they were playing a gimmick like The Undertaker or Doink the Clown, not that those characters weren't great. 

While he has an eye on the future, Moxley is still living in the now. He has considered options for what he can do after his career in the ring is over, but for the time being, he is going to continue doing what he does best for as long as his body will allow.

"I want to ride this for as long as I can even if it comes down to having to take longer periods of time off. If it gets down to where I can only wrestle one match a year like The Undertaker, then so be it. I could totally see myself being in a producer or coach role. I could see myself being a trainer or booker. I probably won't know until that day comes, but there is also a good chance that one day I am just going to be gone and you will never see me again. But wherever I'm at, I'll be all good, so don't worry about it."

"I'm the luckiest guy in the world because I get to do the thing that I like as a living and got to turn it into a career. It's really cool."

Former UFC and New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Josh Barnett announced Friday that AEW World champion Jon Moxley will face Chris Dickinson at Josh Barnett's Bloodsport 3 on Oct. 11:

The event, which will take place at the Marion County Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, was originally scheduled for April but had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moxley was supposed to participate in Josh Barnett's Bloodsport 2, which occurred in September 2019, but an elbow infection forced him to pull out of that show, as well as AEW's All Out.

Bloodsport was first held by Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) in 2018 under the name Matt Riddle's Bloodsport. The event taking place in October will be the third to be called Josh Barnett's Bloodsport.

It is a unique event in that every match must end in either submission or knockout, which is meant to make it seem more like a shoot fight than a worked wrestling match.

Bloodsport also tends to involve multiple performers with MMA or shoot fighting backgrounds. Among those who have taken part over the years are Riddle, Barnett, Dan Severn, Tom Lawlor, Minoru Suzuki and Frank Mir.

Moxley will be the star of the show this year because of his status as the reigning AEW World champion and a former WWE champion, but he will be facing a Bloodsport veteran in Dickinson.

Dickinson has been part of each of the three Bloodsport events. He lost to Severn at the first, beat The Butcher at the second and lost to Barnett in the main event of the third.

The 33-year-old Dickinson has competed for many notable wrestling promotions, including Ring of Honor, Evolve, CZW and Chikara.

Going up against someone with the star power and experience of Moxley could be precisely what Dickinson needs to advance his career. 

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Big Retribution Match Planned for Survivor Series

Retribution has been part of one of the biggest storylines in WWE over the past several weeks, and that is reportedly slated to continue heading into Survivor Series in November.

According to PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), the current plan is for Retribution to compete in a Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match.

On Monday's episode of Raw, five Superstars revealed themselves as the core members of Retribution. Dominik Dijakovic, Dio Maddin and someone believed to be Shane Thorne worked in the six-man tag team main event against The Hurt Business.

They are now wrestling under the names T-Bar, Mace and Slapjack, respectively. Mia Yim and Mercedes Martinez are also part of the group, although it is unclear what names they will go by.

If all five members of Retribution compete in a Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match, it would make for a unique situation with both men and women competing in the same bout.

Retribution has wreaked havoc on Raw and SmackDown for the past several weeks, but it now appears as though Retribution has become exclusive to the Raw brand, so it stands to reason that they will face a team comprised of Raw Superstars at Survivor Series.

It remains to be seen who will step up to represent Raw, but The Hurt Business has had issues with Retribution in recent weeks, and WWE champion Drew McIntyre led the charge to fend the group off Monday night.

Jeff Hardy's WWE Contract Details

Jeff Hardy is reportedly set to remain with WWE for at least the next two or three years.

According to PWInsider (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Hardy recently signed a new contract that is two to three years in length. That contract length reportedly includes any time WWE added onto his previous deal because of an injury that kept him out for much of 2019 and into 2020.

Hardy has been a huge part of SmackDown since WrestleMania, as WWE has presented him as one of the blue brand's top babyfaces. Since winning his rivalry with Sheamus, Hardy has entered into a feud with AJ Styles and Sami Zayn.

Hardy beat Styles for the Intercontinental Championship several weeks ago, but Styles accused him of cheating since the knee brace Hardy wore after Styles attacked him aided in his ability to escape the Styles Clash and win the title.

Zayn has claimed that he is the true IC champion since returning because he never lost the title before taking a leave of absence. As a result, an entertaining three-way angle has played out.

At Clash of Champions on Sunday, Hardy will defend the IC title against both Styles and Zayn in a ladder match with show-stealing potential.

Hardy is an experienced veteran and former WWE champion who excels in any role he is given, and the fact that WWE was able to lock him down for two or three more years is a major coup for the company. 

Moxley Praises Reigns-Heyman Pairing

Jon Moxley is currently the top guy in AEW, as he holds the promotion's world title, but he still has an eye on his former workplace.

In an interview with Joe Brophy of The Sun, Moxley gave his take on the new pairing of universal champion Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman on SmackDown: "The concept of him and Paul Heyman—that was very cool to me. I think that's gonna work out really good. All my friends there [WWE], I wanna turn the TV on and I wanna see them kicking ass and doing great."

Moxley previously worked as Dean Ambrose in WWE, where he was one-third of The Shield with Reigns and Seth Rollins. Mox also became close personal friends with both Reigns and Rollins in real life as a result of the amount of time they spent together.

Reigns hasn't evolved much as a character throughout his career, but that is changing now he has Heyman in his corner.

The Big Dog has a new attitude and is no longer interested in pandering to the fans. It also seems clear that WWE is preparing to have Reigns decimate his cousin, Jey Uso, in order to make his transition to heel status official.

Heyman has worked wonders for Brock Lesnar's career, but with Lesnar not currently in the fold, it made sense to utilize Heyman and give him the responsibility of freshening up one of the company's biggest stars.

The Reigns-Heyman pairing has been arguably the most compelling thing in wrestling since it started, and even Moxley sees the value in it despite working for a rival company.

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