In this WrestleTalk News, the real reason Triple H re-signed numerous WWE stars, why
the AEW video game has been delayed, a big AEW botch and more.
First there was AEW Dynamite.
Then there was AEW Dark.
Then there was AEW Dark: Elevation.
Then there was AEW Rampage.
Then there was AEW Battle of the Belts.
Then there was Ring of Honor’s streaming service.
Now Tony Khan seems set to spread his attention even thinner by debuting his next increasingly
low performing TV programme: AEW Collision.
PWInsider is reporting that AEW filed a trademark on the 15th February for what looks like a
potential new series called AEW Collision - as the paperwork describes it as “a continuing
program about wrestling.”
This isn’t only striking because AEW arguably has too many weekly formats anyway, with its
B show Rampage suffering significant ratings decline year on year, but also because they’ve
spelt Collision wrong.
Going by PWInsider’s report and the actual trademark filing on the US patents office
website - Tony Khan is now the proud owner of AEW Collison.
Collison, just in case you were unaware, isn’t a word.
As a wrestling service announcement, we should always take stories like this with a pinch
of salt.
We’re in a wrestling war right now, and who knows what’s really just been made up
by Ariel Helwani.
Well, as this is an official document, we can confirm this as legit - as the trademark
party listed is All Elite Wrestling, LLC.
What makes this odder is how AEW’s business partners New Japan ran an event last May in
the United States called ‘Capital Collision’ (spelt correctly).
The event included AEW stars like Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston.
You would hope the new Collison is a joint venture between New Japan and AEW, so you
don’t annoy NJPW at a time when WWE is lurking in their DMs, more ready to pounce than your
best friend Tommy when you and Megan were on a break.
My family took you in as a kid, Tommy.
We fed you at our dinner table.
Why do you want everything that’s mine?!
It caps off what’s been a rather embarrassing weekend for the AEW President, following Ariel
Helwani, the famously unbiased journalist who just happens to be very good real life
friends with the CEO of WWE, mocking Tony Khan online, which WWE followed up on by not
once, but twice having subtle jabs at him on their Elimination Chamber premium live
event - which you can learn more about watching our News video in the description below.
If I was to file for a trademark for what’s happening on Triple H’s behalf, I would
file for WWE Gaslighting.
Thankfully Tony Khan seems set for a big win soon with their much delayed video game seemingly
nearing release - AEW Phight Foever!
Fight Forever got its first teaser trailer at the start of August 2022, and Kenny Omega,
who has been heavily involved in the development of the game, stated it was due for release
later that year.
But then Brawl Out happened, leading to the suspension of the game’s cover star CM Punk.
It was speculated this pushed the release back indefinitely, with still no concrete
date being announced.
According to Omega speaking on Swerve Strickland’s Swerve City podcast, he claims the game has
been delayed in an effort to get a T for Teen rating.
Apparently the original version was so bloody, players would’ve been able to make the ring
look like a “murder scene” aka, normal Wednesday night for Jon Moxley.
Omega loved that, but it wasn’t age-appropriate.
Unfortunately, Kenny notes, because of that delay some elements of the game will be “a
little dated” - not able to include more recent talent signings, but probably, and
more positively, avoiding most spelling mistakes.
A user on Reddit has posted an alleged photo of the game’s display case that their friend
was assembling at work.
The blurb includes the T rating, along with promoting match types: “Casino Battle Royale,
Falls Count Anywhere, Unsanctioned Lights Out and Exploding Barbed Wire Death.”
The first thing I’m going to do is avenge Eddie Kingston and give the Exploding match
the finish it deserved.
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Of course, another reason the game might’ve been a bit delayed is the legal backstage
situation with CM Punk, he did nothing wrong.
But in recent weeks, a Punk AEW return has seemed more and more likely - first with Dave
Meltzer reporting he’ll be recovered from injury in a few months, and Punk himself posting
about forgiveness on his Instagram.
As Luke already covered, Punk has now been spotted at Saturday’s New Japan show Battle
in the Valley, in a cameo filled crowd that also included Bayley, Naomi, Tamina and TNA
booker Scott D’Amore.
One of the people wrestling on the show has now called out Punk directly.
The man who originally came up with Punk’s finisher, KENTA.
“I heard that my biggest fan in the world came to arena last night.
I hope he enjoyed REAL Go2Sleep.”
Kenta has been trying to build a match with Punk in a battle of the sleepy people for
years.
Many were there in support of Mercedes Mone, the former Sasha Banks, who wrestled her first
match since leaving WWE nine months ago - where she captured the IWGP Women’s Championship
from Kairi.
But that wasn’t all the support she’s been getting.
In a documentary covering her New Japan debut back at WrestleKingdom, Mercedes revealed
through tears: “I got a very nice text from Triple H. And still it's crazy that I got
an amazing text from William Regal this morning.”
Which is likely because both of them want to steal you back as soon as possible.
Since Triple H replaced Vince McMahon as head of WWE Creative in July 2022, he has brought
back Johnny Gargano, Bronson Reed, Emma, Karrion Kross, Scarlett Bordeaux, Luke Gallows and
Karl Anderson, Dakota Kai, Bray Wyatt, Dexter Lumis, Emma, Mia Yim, Top Dolla, Ashante Adonis,
Tegan Nox, Sarah Logan, Emma, Braun Strowman and B-Fab.
It’s like a reverse of one of WWE’s biannual mass firings - so many, you might not even
have realised I just said Emma’s name three times.
Apart from Wyatt, and even he’s gone off the boil over the last month, none of these
have made a difference in the ratings, and most have been positioned as midcard jetsam
with no WrestleMania direction.
So it was no surprise when WrestleVotes tweeted back in December that these wrestlers were
seen to have “underperformed” behind-the-scenes and “severely underwhelmed Triple H & others
since returning to the company.”
Fightful Select is now reporting this isn’t the case.
They claim the real reason these wrestlers were rehired was never boost the ratings and
get pushed to the main event.
Rather, it was to fix what Triple H referred to as the “depth issue”, which he saw
as one of the most pressing problems for Raw and SmackDown when he took over.
The wave of rehirings was to bolster the under and midcard.
And anyway, Fightful’s source said even if Triple H did believe his rehires had been
disappointing, they wouldn’t expect him to say that out loud.
Which is refreshingly lovely, as Vince McMahon would be pretty explicit about giving up on
you #3weekpush.
Triple H isn’t done there, though.
Fightful adds that WWE is still interested in bring the Authors of Pain back, one of
Triple H’s favourite tag teams from his NXT run.
They note Adam and Rezar are very loyal to their previous manager Paul Ellering, and
he is "heading up negotiating their deal with WWE" - heavily implying they’re all return
as an act together.
Ellering would be a fantastic mind and agent to have behind the scenes, as well as in front.
Bodyslam.net are also reporting WWE have already signed Colby Corino, the son of NXT trainer
Steve Corino, following a tryout in January.
He could be reporting to NXT as soon as March.
Colby’s NWA contract expires at the end of 2022, and he has now finished all his remaining
independent dates.
But the weekend’s biggest free agent development is with Jay White, who lost his loser leaves
all of New Japan match against Eddie Kingston on Saturday’s Battle in the Valley show.
While Tony Khan said in a recent interview he’d “love to have him here working with
us” following Jay leaving Japan, but according to Dave Meltzer WWE is “certainly the favourite”
to sign him.
While Meltzer’s sources haven’t confirmed that to him, he points out that White wouldn’t
have to do a loser leaves New Japan for good stipulation if he was going to AEW - because
the two promotions already have a working relationship.
Because in those two promotions, stipulations actually matter.
Talking of defections, boxing legend Mike Tyson has told the Undertaker on his Hotboxin
YouTube show that he much prefers WWE over AEW.
A WWE Hall of Famer, Tyson has appeared for WWE plenty of times over the last few decades
- arguably triggering the Attitude Era into overdrive with his WrestleMania angle with
Stone Cold Steve Austin.
But ever since the launch of AEW, he’s been All Elite, appearing five times for the promotion
since 2020, most recently doing a whole episode of guest commentary on the November 4th episode
of Rampage.
But now he’s said: "Tony Khan and those guys.
These guys wanted to put me on the show and stuff before.
But I don't care if they got more money.
If Vince puts me on the show, I'd rather go there even though [AEW] pay more money"
He’s not even talking about everyone liking Triple H now.
He just said Vince.
He probably still thinks Vince is in charge.
Watch on now to find out how WWE are trying to gaslight Tony Khan… and it’s working.