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AEW Dynamite will be emanating from Sunrise, Florida, at the FLA Live Arena as the promotion's build towards Double or Nothing continues.
What will the fallout be from the brutal attack on Britt Baker and Adam Cole by The Outcasts and The Jericho Appreciation Society? The company will also crown a new number-one contender for the AEW World Championship as Sammy Guevara faces off against Darby Allin. AEW President Tony Khan is also scheduled to make an appearance on Dynamite this week.
Will Khan have any surprises in store for the audience? Here are five unexpected announcements that he could make this Wednesday.
#5. CM Punk's return announcement
It seems inevitable that CM Punk will return to AEW at some point. Despite the controversy and fallout from the post-All Out media scrum back in September 2022, owner Tony Khan is still working hard to bring The Straight Edge Superstar back to the company.
While there has been no official announcement about his return, a new report claims that he will make his comeback in the summer. Fightful Select has reported that The Second City Saint may return to action in the upcoming AEW Dynamite in Chicago at Wintrust Arena on June 21st.
With other reports all but confirming Punk's return, perhaps Tony Khan will finally address the rumors on this week's Dynamite. It could make for an exciting time in the company heading into All In at Wembley Stadium later in the year.
#4. AEW confirms the rumored Collision show
According to a new report by Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live, there are a number of people on Tony Khan's roster who do not want to work alongside CM Punk when he returns.
To solve this problem, Tony could apparently create a brand new show so that talent can continue to exist in the same company without crossing paths with CM Punk. The rumored two-hour show will be called Collision and is scheduled to air on Saturdays. People who are neutral in the conflict will apparently be working on both sides as and when required.
While the company has not put out an official statement as of yet, the upcoming Dynamite could be the perfect time to shed some light on this new program.
#3. AEW roster split
With a new show comes speculation that All Elite Wrestling is set to undergo a soft brand split. However, some of the plans may be a lot more concrete than anticipated.
According to Dave Meltzer, in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, both The Elite and The Blackpool Combat Club will remain exclusive to AEW Dynamite. While CM Punk is rumored to be spearheading the upcoming Collision show.
The extra programming will provide a lot more television time for underutilized talents and give them a platform to shine. With the company having such a bloated roster, this might prove to be a wise decision in the long run.
#2. Tony Khan announces Goldberg's signing
The wrestling world is abuzz with news about Goldberg's free agency and his reported talks with AEW owner Tony Khan. Goldberg's last match in WWE took place in February 2022, but it looks like the company has no plans to bring him back for another match.
Goldberg went on to claim that Vince McMahon promised him a retirement match and was disappointed when that didn't happen. He has publicly stated that he would like to go on a retirement tour if possible.
Tony Khan will definitely have the resources and platform to facilitate Goldberg's wishes, especially with All In happening at Wembley Stadium later in the year.
#1. Tony Khan announces Mercedes Moné's AEW debut
During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, former IWGP Women's Champion Mercedes Moné spoke about why she chose to sign with New Japan Pro Wrestling and Stardom.
"The ultimate goal for a lot of professional wrestlers is to make it to WWE," said Moné, who set the industry aflame in WWE as Sasha Banks. "That’s what I thought was the big time. But I did that. I wanted to make new history, and the place to do it is here in Japan. Japan has the highest standards for women’s wrestling, and I want to set the standard in New Japan." [H/T Sports Illustrated]
Now that she has recently dropped her title to Mayu Iwatani, could she finally be making her way to All Elite Wrestling? Moné would instantly provide a boost to mainstream credibility to their women's division while also elevating the title picture.
Mercedes Moné is hellbent on creating a legacy for herself beyond WWE, and aligning herself with former rival Saraya in The Outcasts could be the perfect way to introduce her in the Jacksonville-based promotion.
