Latest news with #AllInTexas
Fox News
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
AEW stars Adam Copeland, Christian Cage dish on surprise appearances, next chapter in their story
All Elite Wrestling stars Adam Copeland and Christian Cage made their impacts felt across the pro wrestling world over the weekend. Copeland returned at All In: Texas on Saturday to save Cage, whose real name is Jay Reso, from a beatdown as his stablemates Nick Wayne, Nick's mother Shayna and Kip Sabian turned on him following a match against Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin. Copeland came out to the roar of the crowd. "That will never get old. It really won't," Copeland told Fox News Digital. "And I've learned over the years to just enjoy those moments and not get too bogged down in, 'Should I run straight or…' No, just enjoy it and let the audience enjoy it too, and that's what this whole business has always been about, or supposed to be, is to have fun — as an audience member and a performer too even though it hurts a lot." Copeland described the whirlwind feeling going from sitting at home and reading a book to the electric crowd noise that hit him in the face when he appeared at Globe Life Field. "It will never get old, and if you could bottle it, that feeling is just amazing." Cage was awaiting a chair shot to the face when Copeland came out. "Like he said, it's great," Cage said. "When we walk out there, in a sea of people, like Adam said, you have to take it in because you never know when it could be the last time. So, you always have to appreciate those moments. And as a performer too, when you've been gone for a while, you're always kind of in your own head like, 'How many people are actually going to care if I come back?' And when you hear a reaction like that, it's very validating. It was nice to hear." Before Cage performed at All In: Texas on Saturday, he made a surprising appearance at Ring of Honor's event, Supercard of Honor. It was Cage's first appearance at a Ring of Honor event in nearly 20 years. He congratulated Wayne in the ring as the young pro wrestler retained his Ring of Honor World Television Championship. "It was a last-minute thing," he explained. "I walked out there to completely surprise the family. I got a surprise the next night — that's another story. But it was cool. Hardcore wrestling fans like that, it's always cool to walk out in those moments, especially when it's not expected. I hid in the back and walked out there — it was pretty cool." Copeland and Cage will now embark on a new storyline that could bring them back as a tag team. After Copeland saved Cage from a beatdown, he told his longtime friend to "go find yourself." Copeland told Fox News Digital he hoped to get to tell a "layered story" over the next weeks and months. "That's the great thing about having 40 years of history with each other because we have so much history to be able to pull from, but also more than that," he said. "We're two entirely different performers than we were before. I'd like to think we're better all-around performers than we were before. That's exciting. And really, to be able to possibly revisit something, again it's fun, which is the whole idea of this. … I hope that this is what it will be for the audience is fun." Cage added that he didn't want to take this next chapter for granted. "There was a time this was taken away from both of us. For us to get back in the ring and to be able to, when Adam first came to AEW as opponents, and then potentially we'll see where this goes as far as tag team goes, but just to be able to appreciate every moment of it because at one point it looked like neither of us were going to get this opportunity again. To kind of even have this moment, just to kind of embrace it and take it all in." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Dustin Rhodes captures AEW TNT Championship at All In: Texas
The vacated All Elite Wrestling TNT Championship was put on the line on Saturday afternoon at All In: Texas as Kyle Fletcher, Daniel Garcia, Sammy Guevara and Dustin Rhodes were put into a four-way match for the title. Adam Cole was forced to give up the title hours before the pay-per-view started because of health issues and AEW founder Tony Khan booked the match. It forced Rhodes and Guevara to pull double duty. The Sons of Texas tag team was already involved in an eight-man tag-team match during the pre-show festivities. The Sons of Texas were also in a match at Ring of Honor (ROH)'s Supercard of Honor show the night before. Fatigue would seemingly set in for anyone who was performing in their third match in 24 hours. Rhodes pulled out all the stops in the match. The 56-year-old pro wrestling legend hit a destroyer on Fletcher. His tag-team partner, Guevara, also pulled off an incredible Spanish fly on Garcia early in the match. All four competitors were doing what they could to get their hands on the gold. With Rhodes and Garcia in the ring, Rhodes rolled up Garcia and got the pinfall. It was an emotional moment for "The Natural," who became a triple champion. He was one of the first to join All Elite Wrestling when it first took off in 2019. And nearly six years later, he earned the first championship of his career. Some of Rhodes' family members joined him in the ring to celebrate the title. Rhodes is now the AEW TNT champion, one half of the ROH world tag team champion and ROH world six-man tag champion. He has now held titles in AEW, ROH, WWE and World Championship Wrestling. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tony Khan better not screw up AEW's most important booking decision of the year
All Elite Wrestling returns to pay-per-view today (July 12) with All In Texas. The show comes our way from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The free Zero Hour pre-show kicks things off starting at 1 pm ET on All Elite's YouTube channel and right here at Cageside Seats. That leads right into the PPV at 3 pm ET, which you can buy from Amazon, and YouTube in the United States, as well as on traditional PPV. Internationally, it may be available via those providers, or you can try Triller TV. Advertisement Tony Khan better not screw up AEW's most important booking decision of the year The main event of All In Texas is AEW World Champion Jon Moxley vs. Hangman Page in a Texas Death match. Hangman earned this title match by defeating Will Ospreay to win the Owen Hart tournament at Double or Nothing. Moxley has been the world champ since last October, which is around the same time that his Death Riders took over AEW. He put the belt in a briefcase for Marina Shafir to carry around, and we haven't seen the gold since. Hangman has been portrayed as AEW's main character, so it's only fitting that he's the man who will try to free the world title from that briefcase and hold it up for the world to see at AEW's biggest show of the year. A big part of the story here revolves around Hangman's relationship with Swerve Strickland. They recently sat down to try to let go of their complicated past, which includes home invasion and arson. Both men expressed regrets about their actions in a compelling scene, which Moxley called out as weak 'crybaby crap.' Jon says he won't have any regrets or apologies for the terrible things he does to Hangman during this Texas Death match. Advertisement There are no disqualifications in this kind of match, and the stage has been set for all kinds of interference. That may come in the form of Darby Allin, Will Ospreay, the Death Riders, Sting, and even Bryan Danielson. However, the key figure in all of this will be Swerve. Hangman left behind his chain in Swerve's locker room after their talk was over, and Swerve wrapped that chain around his fist while lost in thought. Will Strickland show up to actually help his hated rival win the AEW world title, or will he be there to fuck him over at the most critical time? That's one of the big questions that needs to be answered at All In Texas. Moxley's world title reign was something of a disaster in its first few months, with underwhelming finishes to his PPV matches, too much attempted murder via plastic bags and toxic chemicals, and poor storytelling as AEW's inept babyfaces couldn't get their shit together to pose a formidable threat to the Death Riders. But the tide has changed over the last few months as the story has focused on Hangman, Ospreay, Swerve, and the Young Bucks. After sitting through months of Moxley's reign of terror, AEW fans are ready for something incredible to happen at the end of All In Texas. With that in mind, Tony Khan has to make AEW's most important booking decision of the year at All In Texas, and he needs to make sure it's the right one. AEW finally has some good momentum going its way after a rough 2024, but that can change fast if today's main event leaves fans with another bad taste in their mouths courtesy of the Death Riders. Tune into All In Texas to see what choice Swerve Strickland makes in the main event, and if it's finally time to free the AEW world title from Jon Moxley's briefcase. Advertisement The rest of the card These remaining 11 matches and segments are also currently advertised for today at All In Texas: 'Timeless' Toni Storm (c) vs. Mercedes Mone for the AEW women's world championship Storm vs. Mone is the biggest women's match in AEW history. Toni is arguably the number one star in the company, with a special gimmick that is unlike anything else in pro wrestling. Mercedes is the undefeated TBS champion who has been busy collecting belts from around the world ever since she joined AEW in early 2024. Toni's goal is to rip Mercedes' tits off and prove that she just can't win the big one. Which women's star is truly the best in AEW? We'll find out at All In Texas. Advertisement AEW International Champion Kenny Omega vs. AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada in a winner-takes-all match for the AEW Unified Championship Omega and Okada bring their storied rivalry to AEW pay-per-view in a match where the winner walks out with three belts, because consolidating belts isn't a thing Tony Khan likes to do. Can Omega and Okada rekindle their old magic one more time at AEW's biggest event of the year? Okada joined up with Don Callis for this one and put Omega in the hospital by targeting his diverticulitis. That brought Kenny's golden lover Kota Ibushi back to AEW to fight on his behalf. Omega is out of the hospital now and ready to finally end Okada's reign as Continental champion, which is approaching 500 days in length. Is this a match where each star will kick out of the other's finishing move multiple times, or will one Rainmaker or One-Winged Angel be enough to score a three count? Will Ospreay & Swerve Strickland vs. Young Bucks This could very well be the match of the night just looking at how skilled all four men are, and you know this bout will get all the time it needs. The stakes are high, as Matthew and Nicholas Jackson will lose their status as EVPs of AEW if they don't win, while Ospreay and Swerve can't challenge for the world title for one full year if they don't win. Ospreay has already gone more than one year without challenging for the world title, but I'm not sure if he realizes that. It's worth noting that Jack Perry has been seen backstage at recent AEW tapings, so perhaps he's ready to return and help The Elite win. Advertisement The Bucks, Ospreay, and Swerve may all show up again later in the night to interfere in the main event. Does the outcome of this match affect the decision Swerve might have to make about helping his hated rival Hangman Page? Men's Casino Gauntlet match This might just be AEW's most entertaining gimmick match. Two wrestlers start the gauntlet, with new entrants joining the fray at irregular intervals. The match ends as soon as the first fall is scored, so there is no guarantee that some wrestlers will even make it into the ring if their number is too far down the list. Mark Briscoe and MJF are the first two entrants, and Mark is looking to whoop Max's ass after he recently tried to get heat by bringing up his dead brother Jay. CMLL's top star Mistico is also in the mix, and he has a score to settle with MJF as well. Some other wrestlers who will be ready to join this match include Ricochet, Bandido, and Brody King. Keep your eye out for surprise entrants like Darby Allin, Keith Lee, or Eddie Kingston. The winner of this match earns a world title match whenever he wants it. Advertisement Women's Casino Gauntlet match This is the only women's match at All In Texas besides Toni vs. Mercedes, so pretty much everyone else on the AEW women's roster might show up here if the match goes long enough. Kris Statlander and Megan Bayne kick off the action as the first two entrants. Some of the other wrestlers who have been featured in the build up include Thekla, Queen Aminata, Willow Nightingale, Athena, Thunder Rosa, Tay Melo, Anna Jay, Julia Hart, and Mina Shirakawa. Is there any chance that missing stars like Britt Baker or Hikaru Shida make their surprise return in this one? Just like with the men, the winner earns a world title match at any time of her choosing. Hurt Syndicate (c) vs. JetSpeed vs. The Patriarchy for the AEW world tag team championship Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin steamroll through most of their challengers without much trouble, but they walk into this title defense banged up after Christian Cage repeatedly smashed Bob's knee in with a chair on Dynamite. The idea is to create some doubt about the outcome of this match, but I'd say MVP's group is still the overwhelming favorite to retain the gold. Advertisement The Opps vs. Death Riders & Gabe Kidd for the AEW world trios championship PAC is out of action with an injury, so Gabe Kidd is joining up Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta as they try to win back the trios titles from Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Katsuyori Shibata. Is HOOK ready to return to AEW and play a role in the finish of this title match? Adam Cole (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher for the TNT championship I don't blame anyone who has a hard time remembering that Adam Cole is the current TNT champion. Meanwhile, the Don Callis Family is still trying to recruit former champ Daniel Garcia to turn his back on Paragon and join up with them. Kyle Fletcher might not need any help to win this match given he already has a PPV win over Will Ospreay. Advertisement The Outrunners vs. FTR (pre-show) FTR and The Outrunners used to work out and train together, but that was before Big Stoke entered the picture. Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler have since turned on Adam Copeland and now try to spike piledrive anybody who has a bad thing to say about them. They already picked up a win over Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum earlier this month on Collision. However, the rematch was made official after Dax took the fall in one of AEW's never-ending series of All-Star 8-man tag team matches. Big Boom AJ & The Conglomeration vs. Don Callis Family (pre-show) AEW is Where The Best Wrestle, so the Costco Guy is back for another match. This time he's teaming up with Hologram, Kyle O'Reilly, and Tomohiro Ishii to take on Lance Archer, Trent Beretta, Rocky Romero, and Hechicero. Hologram remains undefeated nearly one year after his AEW debut, so you already know which team is going over. Advertisement The Sons of Texas vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (pre-show) You can't run the biggest show of the year in Texas without including the Von Erichs and Dustin Rhodes, right? Shane Taylor Promotions lose nearly every match they have on AEW programming, and it sure looks like they are here to do the job as well. Summary The top four matches at All In Texas carry most of the intrigue and could deliver some of the best wrestling matches of the year. The booking decisions on Hangman vs. Moxley, Mercedes vs. Toni Storm, and the Young Bucks vs. Ospreay & Swerve will go a long way towards shaping AEW's creative direction for the rest of 2025. Can Tony Khan keep AEW's positive momentum going by nailing the booking on his biggest show of the year? Advertisement What will you be looking for at All In Texas? More from
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
AEW All In 2025 predictions roundtable: 5 biggest questions for the loaded wrestling weekend
Kenny Omega once again takes center stage this weekend with his AEW All In 2025 match against Kazuchika Okada. (Photo via AEW, Lee South) As we head into one of the most stacked wrestling weekends of the year, it's full steam ahead into the second half of 2025. In the world of sports entertainment, the dog days of summer are nonexistent. Thanks, Paul Levesque and Tony Khan. After offering up their takes on what has already transpired in the wrestling world this year, the Uncrowned Horsemen — Robert Jackman, Raj Prashad, Drake Riggs and Anthony Sulla-Heffinger — are gathering once again to examine what is yet to come, particularly AEW's All-In Texas event and WWE's Atlanta doubleheader with Saturday Night's Main Event and Evolution. Advertisement Let's ride! 1. After Double or Nothing, AEW has undeniable momentum. Is it an overstatement or understatement to say Tony Khan's company can win 2025 with another excellent PPV this weekend? Jackman: That's certainly my assessment. Obviously we should preface this with the obligatory reminder of what an uneven year that AEW had in 2024 and also the inescapable fact that WWE is by far the bigger and more important product as a cultural phenomenon. But if you're looking at who has the momentum in terms of their overall product right now, then AEW has the edge. Obviously there's still half of the year to go, and there's the very real possibility that WWE puts the whole John Cena heel turn to bed and delivers the kind of retirement run that has us giving them a misty-eyed standing ovation come December. If they can get that right then AEW is going to need a spectacular run to maintain their edge in the second half of 2025. Advertisement Sulla-Heffinger: I am going to go with understatement here, with the caveat that it all depends on how you define 'win' for 2025. Look, WWE is an absolute juggernaut, a force of nature across sports, entertainment and any medium that intersects with it, so just because AEW might 'win' 2025, doesn't mean WWE necessarily 'lost.' Tony Khan and AEW are coming off of perhaps the best show in the company's history with Double or Nothing and you have a card for All In Texas that could surpass even that. All of that has contributed to a palpable excitement around the promotion, and its shows that was missing for a little while before eventually finding its footing again midway through last year. As much as we love to compare the promotions — we're all guilty of it — what this boils down to for me goes beyond pure financials. I'm looking at this from a perspective of asking what will fans and wrestling/combat sports media be talking about not just on Monday, but five months or a year from now when we look back. If All In Texas delivers like it should, it's going to be AEW. Prashad: Overstatement. AEW has had an outstanding first half of 2025. WWE had a fast start, retaining an element of shocking moments throughout the first few months of the year. But what followed has been a mixed bag for sure, especially when it comes to both of the men's major championships. Advertisement AEW feels like it found its footing throughout 2024 and launched into 2025 with a blend of the right stories, top talent hitting their stride, and leaning on its exceptional in-ring product. AEW has all the momentum heading into its biggest show of the year, but that's half the battle. To me, it's more about whether Tony Khan's promotion can continue to build off the success of its largest North American show to date rather than what WWE can do to recover ground. Riggs: Understatement. AEW won the first half of 2025 and has a solid lead regarding overall quality. Additionally, WWE has put more pressure on itself by scheduling multiple events this weekend against "AEW's WrestleMania." There's a very real possibility that both WWE PLEs combined fall short against AEW All In. That would be a tough look, depending on how much better one is over the other, considering, again, AEW All-In is the company's biggest show of the year. However, because this is midway point of the year, with the way both companies' calendars are aligned, the fallout that can come down from AEW All In may only give fans even more to look forward to. Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega go back to the NJPW days. (Etsuo Hara via Getty Images) 2. Which match on the All-In Texas card are you most excited for? Riggs: The obvious answer here for most will — and probably should be — Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega. Why? Advertisement The feels, man. The moments. These are the types of settings fans live for, and what you hope to see out of a show this big. It's one of those matches where even if it doesn't feel quite the same at this moment in time, or like it's possible to live up to the history Okada and Omega share, none of that will matter once they're in the ring together, soaking in the atmosphere. It's going to be electric. Prashad: From a purely wrestling standpoint, Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada is going to be surreal to see under the AEW umbrella. But I'm a sucker for exceptional stories, and watching 'Hangman' Adam Page navigate the ups and downs of the past few years and find himself in the main event feels poetic. Jon Moxley, whether fans have agreed with his current championship run alongside the Death Riders or not, has been a glue guy since essentially All In last year. Advertisement Their showdown in Texas has all the feels, drama, a great story, and should be a vicious Texas Deathmatch. It's going to be bloody, brutal — and potentially another defining moment on AEW's biggest stage. Jackman: Omega vs. Okada for sure. That's both for the obvious reasons — the fact that the competitors are generational talents and just happen to be the closest thing we've seen to wrestling soulmates — but also some of the more sentimental vibes surrounding this match. Kenny Omega's return after his horrendous health battle has been one of those genuinely uplifting moments in pro-wrestling, and this feels like the perfect way to cap off that particular story. I also think it's significant that Omega vs. Okada 5 will be their first outing under the AEW umbrella. Tony Khan's fanboy tendencies can be pretty transparent at times (hey, that's no bad thing) and it's visible from outer space how highly he thinks of these two. By giving them both big roles in AEW, he's helped introduce their work to a whole new strata of more casual wrestling fans, so it's fitting that their biggest match yet will take place under his patronage. Sulla-Heffinger: All due respect to Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada, but the answer here for me is "Timeless" Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Moné. Advertisement These two women are at the peak of their respective careers, with the top women's prize in AEW on the line in one of the biggest matches — men's or women's — in the company's history. The stakes here are immense. The character and storytelling that Storm brings into this build and match are perhaps the only thing that overshadows her in-ring ability and reigns as AEW Women's Champion. On the other side, there's an argument that Moné is the best women's wrestler on the planet right now and she hasn't missed on a major AEW show since her in-ring debut at Double or Nothing 2024. I genuinely believe these two will deliver a Match of the Year performance on Saturday. Will Jon Moxley's reign of terror finally end? (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) 3. We've been collectively wrong about this before, but why is it time for Jon Moxley's AEW World Championship reign to end? Prashad: Ok, seriously this is the time. I felt it with Swerve Strickland and almost every time Moxley has defended the belt this year. But there's no better story than Hangman Page's redemption arc leading to this moment. Each time Moxley was faced with a challenge, the timing to swap the title never quite felt as justified as this one. Advertisement Like Bryan Danielson last year at Wembley, the moment has been built almost to a level where anything other than Page riding off with the title over his shoulder feels like blatantly ignoring what the collective audience is yearning for. Riggs: Let me start with maybe a low-key reason it's time: For the sake of Moxley. There have been moments throughout this Deathriders era of Mox that have been good, of course. But his work as a fearless, solo madman before the alliance is what has made him special, and where he's his very best. He also no longer needs the title (which has been hidden away), and this version of himself has suffered for it. Simultaneously, he's become AEW's ultra-villain, almost Roman Reigns-like, who will elevate his successor. He's hit the ceiling of that villainhood and did so a while ago. It's overdue in every sense. Jackman: Yes, absolutely. There's a lot of performative anger towards Moxley out there (which is odd — do you really think a guy who willingly takes metal spikes into his spine is going to be thin-skinned?) but that doesn't change the fact that this big title run just hasn't really worked for AEW. I was rewatching his title victory against Bryan Danielson at WrestleDream the other day and you just felt all of the air go out of the room the minute that Moxley won. I still think there's a big role for the man in AEW but this latest run just hasn't been it. We all know there's a fine balance between having a heel champion and someone that the audiences actively dislike (what they used to call 'go home heat'). At times, Moxley's title run has felt like a scientific experiment to see how far Tony Khan can push that line. Advertisement Sulla-Heffinger: Is it too easy to just say we need to see the championship belt on television again? All kidding aside, Moxley's reign has been polarizing and a completely different direction from anything we've seen in recent memory in pro wrestling. Has it been the best? No. Has it been as awful as some people think? Also no, but it's time for Mox and the Death Riders to shake things up. Everyone involved becomes far more compelling with a major loss, as we've seen cracks begin to sprout in the foundation of the group's dominance recently. For Page to be the one to dethrone Moxley would be incredibly fitting, because he's shown a tendency for violence that matches Mox's and he'll always have a bit of that anti-hero charm, even as the babyface and an AEW OG entering the match. Goldberg and Gunther face off at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event. (WWE via Getty Images) 4. WWE is leaning into its legends for two high-profile matches this weekend. Which — if any — should dethrone the champion they are facing? Jackman: Neither. Having Trish Stratus win would totally pull the rug from underneath the upcoming Women's Championship match at WWE SummerSlam (Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill), which currently looks like one of the most exciting title matches on the horizon. Advertisement In all honesty, I just can't see any plausible reason why Stratus should even be considered as a top-level champion right now. Yes, her feud with Becky Lynch in 2023 was great, but she had zero chemistry with Stratton when they appeared together at Elimination Chamber. I cannot for the life of me see how anyone looked at that match and thought they needed to go one-on-one. As for Goldberg, I just don't see it happening. The match has had minimal buildup (despite all those excited reports a few weeks ago about how Goldberg would be appearing on 'WWE Raw' every week) and all signs point to this being a predictable passing of the torch rather than a serious contest. Prashad: Oof, this one is difficult. In theory, the answer is neither. Saturday's match against Gunther has been billed as Goldberg's final match. There's no positive momentum I can draw from Goldberg taking the belt off Gunther, who was at one time an absolute monster but has since been relegated to getting choked out at WrestleMania and putting on a competitive match against WWE commentator Pat McAfee. As a character, having Gunther drop the title to Goldberg feels almost inexcusable. The Tiffany Stratton vs. Trish Stratus dilemma is interesting. SummerSlam is right around the corner and what happens with the WWE Women's Championship could be fascinating. Jade Cargill is in line for a shot at the title, and Naomi holds the Money in the Bank briefcase, almost certainly lining up for a title change (or two) at the two-night show. If one legend was going to take a title, my pick would be Stratus as a way to feed Cargill as her star continues to rise. Advertisement Riggs: Nope. Nope, nope, no and nope again. I understand the Trish Stratus utilization purely to the extent of the event it's a part of. And Goldberg going against Gunther is totally fine, considering they laid that foundation earlier this year, regardless of how loosely. But the title being on the line is completely ridiculous, especially when you consider that freaking pre-release R-Truth had a match against the WWE Champion John Cena, also on a Saturday Night's Main Event. Sulla-Heffinger: Trish Stratus should beat Tiffany Stratton at Evolution on Sunday. I don't want to overlook the PLE, but it's hard not to with SummerSlam less than a month away and the big-money match of Naomi vs. Jade Cargill kind of staring us in the face for MetLife Stadium. After her No Holds Barred match against Cargill earlier in the night, Naomi should threaten a cash-in, distracting Stratton and allowing Stratus to pick up the win and an abbreviated celebration as the only woman to hold the old WWE Women's Championship and the current iteration. As Stratus celebrates, then Naomi cashes in and walks out as champion with nuclear heat. A loss to Stratus, especially with outside interference, won't hurt Stratton's character as much as it seems and it puts us on a collision course for the trilogy Naomi vs. Cargill match with the title at stake at SummerSlam. On the men's side, a Goldberg win doesn't really advance anything in terms of the World Heavyweight Championship, but a loss adds a major — if unnecessary — notch on the belt of Gunther, who should insufferably bring up 'I retired Goldberg' any time he needs instant heat. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are back at it again for Sunday's WWE Evolution main event. (WWE via Getty Images) 5. It's been almost seven years since WWE held an all-women's PLE. Do you expect the second edition of Evolution to be better, worse or about the same as the first one? Should this PLE happen annually? Riggs: First of all, it's insane that the first Evolution PLE was in 2018. Somewhat spring-boarding off of that, the only memorable match from that event was Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair. I'm not sure whether that's a personal issue or an event-quality issue. Still, with that in mind, and considering the upcoming lineup and current landscape, Evolution 2025 will be better. Advertisement As for an annual affair, I'm not sure how I feel about that. Maybe biannually, but it shouldn't feel like something forced, right? Think akin to the Hell In a Cell PLE, or any that is titled after a match stipulation. My philosophy has always been that if it's named after that, every match should be under that stipulation. Otherwise, don't force it for the sake of doing it. Put on those match types when it makes sense for the story. I'm looking at you, Hell In a Cell 2019. Sulla-Heffinger: I'm going to say Evolution 2025 will be a better show than the inaugural one from 2018. Echoing Riggs, Lynch and Flair's match was an instant classic, but the rest of the show was somewhat run-of-the-mill. This year we'll have a Women's World Championship match between Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley, a Women's Intercontinental Championship match between Lynch, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and don't sleep on the NXT title match between Jacy Jayne and Jordynne Grace. All of that said, I do think there are a few factors working against this year's installment. First, it's tucked into an absolutely loaded weekend on not just the WWE front, but it's running quasi-against AEW All In as well. Second, the injury to Liv Morgan appears to have definitely altered some plans for the event, leading to some scrambling and stalled hype. Finally, there has to be a little PLE fatigue at this point. Once Evolution airs Sunday, it will be the ninth PLE WWE has held since WrestleMania 41 in April. Advertisement As far as Evolution becoming an annual occurrence, I would like to see it happen, maybe later in the year around where Survivor Series/War Games is the only true WWE tentpole. Jackman: I don't want to sound too kumbaya here, but I think the ultimate proof of the success of women's wrestling is the fact that it has become completely integrated into the product. The likes of Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley, Toni Storm, Becky Lynch, Naomi, etc., aren't 'women wrestlers'; they're top-tier wrestlers who have consistently proven their ability to steal the show on your typical card. Ring-fencing their big matches on a separate PLE arguably undermines them, rather than helps them. To state the obvious, 2018 was a very different time to now. While the Divas era was practically dead by that point, Evolution served as the most visible milestone in the transition away from Vince McMahon's titillation stuff to a much more professional product. In that way, Evolution was very much a product of its time. Then there's the more cynical reason why WWE might have held an all-women's event. Let's not forget that, back in 2018, they'd just held their first major Saudi Arabia event in which (back then) women were not allowed to appear on the show. I suspect that having a U.S.-based show in which the female talents were front and center was a way of trying to blunt the edge of that particular PR nightmare. Advertisement Prashad: The card certainly looks significantly better this time around than the first Evolution. As much as this event feels thrown together, there's plenty of stories to be invested in. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are certified stars, with huge performances almost a given. The Tiffany Stratton vs. Trish Stratus match provides the WWE Women's Champion another chance for the future to test an all-time great. Jade Cargill and Naomi could be a show-stealer, and the triple-threat match between Bayley, Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria has the chance to set the tone for the entire women's division. I'm not against Evolution being an annual show, but I feel like WWE should lean further into partnerships for this event in a way AEW currently thrives. It's not that WWE's women's roster is lacking, it's just the matches feel relatively recycled and not special in a way the Evolution card could be built. Trish Stratus, Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill speak during "WWE SmackDown." (WWE via Getty Images) Bonus: We'll get into the picks later on, but what is your one slam-dunk prediction for this weekend? Sulla-Heffinger: I alluded to this earlier, but I am doubling down on Trish Stratus beating Tiffany Stratton and winning the WWE Women's Championship. Stratus is such an important figure in the history of WWE women's wrestling that she deserves this moment, as fleeting as it may be, assuming Naomi cashes in. Advertisement Jackman: Becky Lynch walks out of Atlanta still holding that Intercontinental Championship. I'd bet the house on it. Why the confidence? Well, I actually rewatched the original Evolution this weekend, and Michael Cole makes an explicit reference to Lynch making her WWE debut on July 13, 2015 — meaning that WWE Evolution 2025 will come 10 years after that very day. Given those circumstances, do we really think they're going to have her drop the belt? That's before we get to the fact that Lynch vs. Valkyria 3 (tagline: Triumph of the Babyface) has to be one of the most anticipated likely matches for this year's SummerSlam. Why make the switch now when it will have a way bigger impact in a trilogy closing match in New Jersey? Prashad: Kenny Omega against Kazuchika Okada will be head and shoulders above every match of the weekend. As two guys who have unbelievable chemistry, Omega and Okada are going to pull out all the stops in Arlington on arguably the promotion's most stacked card. After a year on the shelf, Omega's return to AEW All In certainly has all the makings of a match that should be great — and with the right environment, could be an all-timer. The expectations for this one are sky high. Advertisement Riggs: Hangman one million percent has to dethrone Moxley. He has to. The AEW World Championship cannot go unseen at that event. If you want to single-handedly ruin the entire event, the one way to do it would be to end without that high note. Everyone would remember that more than anything that comes before it. For an honorable mention, I do believe the late "no world title match for a year" stipulation added to Swerve and Ospreay vs. The Young Bucks gives away the outcome of that one. It would be promotional malpractice to keep either of Strickland or Ospreay out of the world title picture for any period of time. Predictions All-In Texas AEW World Championship match: Jon Moxley vs. Hangman Adam Page (Jackman, Prashad, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) AEW Women's Championship match: Timeless Toni Storm (Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Mercedes Moné (Prashad) AEW Unified Championship match: Kazuchika Okada (Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Kenny Omega (Jackman, Prashad) TNT Championship match: Adam Cole (Prashad) vs. Kyle Fletcher (Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) AEW World Tag Team Championship match: The Hurt Syndicate (Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Jet Speed, The Patriarchy (Prashad) The Young Bucks (Jackman) vs. Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay (Prashad, Riggs) Advertisement WWE Saturday Night's Main Event World Heavyweight Championship match: Gunther (Jackman, Prashad, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) def. Goldberg U.S. Championship match: Solo Sikoa (Jackman, Prashad, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Jimmy Uso Seth Rollins (Jackman, Prashad) vs. LA Knight (Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) Randy Orton (Riggs) vs. Drew McIntyre (Jackman, Prashad, Sulla-Heffinger) WWE Evolution
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04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Major Update on Absent AEW Star Ahead of 'All In Texas'
Major Update on Absent AEW Star Ahead of 'All In Texas' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. A top AEW name who has been absent for several months might surface by "All In Texas." AEW's biggest pay-per-view event of the year is scheduled for July 12. The company has been building up several storylines leading up to the show, and there are expected to be some surprises. Could one of those surprises be the return of one of AEW's "Four Pillars?" Advertisement Fightful reports that Darby Allin is believed to be returning "imminently." Some backstage went as far as to say they'd be "shocked" if Allin isn't involved in the "All In Texas" show in some form. The report noted that AEW initially hoped Allin would be ready by the Owen Hart Cup, but that didn't happen. Allin spent several months on the shelf recovering from a foot injury before he climbed Mount Everest. The report mentioned that Allin walked away from the climb "relatively unscathed," and he's in good enough shape to return to the ring at any time. While fans have speculated that Allin will be involved in a run-in during the "All In Texas" main event between Jon Moxley and "Hangman" Adam Page, no creative plans have been revealed. Allin does have history with the Death Riders. During the "AEW Full Gear" event, Allin drove his car into the faction's getaway vehicle. The Death Riders are expected to assist Moxley in some way during his title defense against Page. Perhaps Allin will even the odds along with other members of the AEW locker room who have been targeted by the group. Related: WWE Veteran Teases Crossover Title Match With TNA Wrestling Champion This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
