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Welcome to another rendition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's AEW News and Rumor Roundup. Today, we are looking at news involving top stars like The Young Bucks, Cope, and more.
Surprise absences, talent rejections, and a speculated “sneak-in” by a former WWE star. We've got a whole lot to cover, so let's get straight into it.
#5 Major update on missing star ahead of AEW Dynamite: Beach Break - Reports
One of the more noticeable absentees on All Elite Wrestling programming in recent months has been Jack Perry. The star who dropped his TNT Championship to Daniel Garcia at Full Gear 2024, has quietly disappeared from programming. Ever since, there's been speculation about possible injuries or backstage issues, especially since Perry had gained major momentum after aligning with The Elite and turning heel.
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However, Sean Ross Sapp, during a recent Fightful Select Q&A session, suggested that he was not dealing with injuries. Instead, creative plans around him involving a certain Kenny Omega didn't pan out.
#4 "Not now"- Current champion was told by The Young Bucks not to join AEW
Josh Alexander, one of Canada's top wrestling exports, recently opened up about how close he came to joining AEW in 2019. Speaking on Casual Conversations with The Classic, Alexander revealed that when he heard about the Jacksonville-based promotion's launch, he immediately reached out to The Young Bucks to express his interest, but the Founding Fathers politely but firmly said, “Not right now."
"They said, 'Not right now.' That's when TNA came along and I went there. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to go to TNA. Being older and little wiser, I've come to understand that everything does happen for a reason and you have to follow the path that you're on. It might get rocky at times, but everything works out in the end," said Alexander. [H/T: Fightful]
Looking back, Alexander calls himself lucky for how things turned out. During his run with TNA, he became a decorated star and a two-time TNA World Champion.
#3 Britt Baker's former partner shares disappointing update amid AEW absence
A consistent presence alongside Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter at one point in time, AEW fans haven’t seen Rebel on television since her last match back in 2022. Rebel’s absence had raised questions among fans, and this past week, she took to X, sharing a candid and emotional update. The AEW star stated that it’s been a year since she was hospitalized and admitted that she’s now “losing hope.”
Despite the somber tone, it must be stressed that Rebel is still in the fight to recover and make a return, with many fans responding to her post with support and encouragement. Rebel was a standout personality in the company’s women’s division, and the wrestling world will await her comeback to the squared circle with bated breath.
#2 Cope (fka Edge) and Christian Cage rejected a pitch regarding WWE legend
Longtime fans of Cope (fka Edge) and Christian Cage will remember their legendary tag team run during WWE’s Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras. But a bizarre creative pitch from WWE nearly and awkwardly altered that legacy.
According to wrestling veteran Rhino, WWE once proposed turning him into Cope and Christian’s “little” brother with a complete makeover. This was planned during the time their rival tag teams were adding to their groups, like The Dudley Boyz adding Spike and the Hardys teaming with Lita. Speaking to False Finish, The War Machine said:
"They [the creative team] wanted to dye my hair and have me as their little brother. Adam and Jey [Christian] both went to them [WWE management] and said, ‘Listen, the fans are are going to sh*t all over this.'" [H/T: TJR Wrestling]
As it turned out, both Cope and Christian immediately shut the idea down, highlighting to the WWE management that the gimmick would land badly with the fans.
#1 Shocking details behind Maven's visit to AEW revealed
Former WWE star Maven recently made headlines with a YouTube video that appeared to show him sneaking backstage at AEW Collision. In his video, Maven described pulling into the show without clearance, expecting security to remove him at any moment. The tone of the video suggested it was a surprise visit. Maven even met multiple AEW talents, including the President himself, Tony Khan.
However, new reports have now come out saying that the video didn’t reveal the full picture. According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Maven was not only expected but was formally invited by AEW PR.
He was accompanied by a representative throughout the visit, someone who is even visible at several points in the video.
