'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Welcome to another edition of the AEW News Roundup, in which we bring you all the top news stories coming from the world of All Elite Wrestling.
We'll begin today's column with a former WWE Superstar who has vowed to retire Sting. In another exciting development, Matt Hardy asserted that his biggest adversary would be a perfect fit for the third member of The Hardy Boyz.
And speaking of The Hardys, Jeff Hardy recently detailed the night before his much-awaited debut. With all these lead stories, let's dive straight into the top AEW news of the day.
#5. Lance Archer wants to retire fellow AEW star Sting
Lance Archer has often expressed his desire to get in the ring with fellow AEW star Sting.
Speaking with Dennis Farrell and Lars Frederiksen on the Wrestling Perspective podcast, Archer recalled the missed opportunity to wrestle The Icon when the two men shared a locker room in TNA, now known as IMPACT Wrestling.
Now that Sting is in AEW and still going strong, The Murderhawk Monster wants to be the one to retire The Vigilante:
"He's been absolutely cool, from the TNA days, now getting to work with him in AEW. I hope for, and I asked for a match back in TNA with him, but it didn't happen. I'm hoping that, at some point before he retires, maybe I'll be his retirement match. Everybody dies, Murderhawk Monster takes out Sting."
Sting hasn't competed in a singles match since his infamous WWE Championship loss against Seth Rollins at Night of Champions 2015. Should he decide to compete in a singles bout down the road, Archer would be an ideal opponent for him.
#4. Matt Hardy believes Christian Cage would have been an excellent addition to The Hardy Boyz
Matt Hardy and Christian Cage have been each other's biggest rivals ever since the legendary feud between The Hardy Boyz and Edge & Christian during the heyday of the Attitude Era.
On USA Today's Under the Ring podcast, Matt was asked which wrestler he would pick if there were to be a third Hardy. Matt asserted that Captain Charisma would be a great fit in the Hardy Boyz:
"Christian Cage," Matt answered. "We would have put him in as Christian Hardy, he would totally just fit with us." (H/T-Fightful)
Last year, Matt and Christian reignited their rivalry at the Fyter Fest edition of AEW Dynamite, which saw the latter emerge victorious. Now that The Hardys have reformed again, it will be interesting to see whether the two men cross paths with Christian again.
#3. Powerhouse Hobbs reveals what CM Punk told him before their match last year
CM Punk and Powerhouse Hobbs collided for the first time during the Grand Slam episode of AEW Rampage last year.
Speaking with Superstar Crossover, Hobbs opened up about Punk's heartfelt homage to his mother, who unfortunately passed away a month before their clash.
The Team Taz member revealed that The Second City Saint reached out to him on the day their match was announced and told him that "This is gonna be for her":
"That whole night had a special meaning to me and Punk knew that because it was about a month since my mom passed away. So, my emotions and everything were everywhere. Right before the match got announced, or the day the match got announced, you know, he pulled me aside and said, 'This is gonna be for her. Don't worry about anything else. Nobody else. It's just you, me, and her.' That I will forever be grateful for," Hobbs said.
The Straight Edge Superstar defeated Hobbs that night but made the rising star look like a million bucks throughout the match.
#2. Jeff Hardy almost thought his AEW debut would be pushed back
Jeff Hardy made his surprise debut on the March 9 episode of AEW Dynamite, where he helped Matt Hardy, Sting, and Darby Allin fight off Andrade and the AFO (formerly the AHFO)
Speaking on Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, the 44-year-old star revealed that he felt nervous the night before his arrival. Jeff added that he thought his debut would be pushed back to next week because he accidentally spilled the beans for his next destination at his music concert:
"I was crazy nervous that whole day because it was so bizarre, the night before, I had no idea what time my flight was, if I was going. I kept telling myself they’re probably gonna wait until next week because that interview I did at one of my music shows got leaked and I pretty much plainly said when I enhanced the video that I am going to AEW"
Jeff Hardy further stated that he and his brother had a sleepless night due to a high adrenaline rush:
"Beth went to check my phone and said ‘Oh, it’s happening, you just got your flight info,' and so it was on from that point on, and I didn’t sleep and I know Matt didn’t either that night." (52:46)
The Hardys will team up with Sting and Darby Allin this Wednesday night as they collide with Private Party, The Butcher, and The Blade in a Tornado match.
#1. Brian Cage teases return to AEW programming
Brian Cage has been sitting on the sidelines of AEW programming since his last match on the October 8 episode of Rampage in 2021.
That night, The Machine unsuccessfully challenged Ricky Starks for the FTW Championship in a Philadelphia street fight.
Speaking on the Going Broadway podcast, Cage implied that "there is a plan" for his AEW return down the line:
"There is a plan. I guess that’s about as much as I can throw around out there. We’ll wait and see," Cage said. (H/T - Fightful)
The 38-year-old further added that he is constantly pitching ideas for his potential return to management:
"I’ve pitched different ideas. There was ideas that changed up towards the end. I came up with a couple of ideas. There are different creative ideas, some are more detailed than others. It’s all supposed to formulate into this plan that is underway,” Cage continued.
Tony Khan recently picked up a one-year extension to Cage's current contract, which was originally set to expire in February.
What do you make of these news stories? Sound off in the comments section below.
Bayley gives us a HUGE update on a top Superstar's upcoming return RIGHT HERE.
