Tag: Swerve Strickland

AEW Dynamite Grand Slam: Best photos of The Acclaimed vs. Swerve In Our Glory for the AEW World Tag Team Championship

See the best photos from The Acclaimed vs. Swerve In Our Glory for the AEW World Tag Team Championship at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam.

When Swerve In Our Glory (Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee) met The Acclaimed at All Out, they barely retained their AEW World Tag Team Championship. But something was in the air, something that pushed The Acclaimed to a whole new level.

At AEW Dynamite Grand Slam on Sept. 21, 2022, The Acclaimed got another shot and didn’t miss. Relive all the action, and yes, scissoring, from a historic night at Arthur Ashe Stadium with the best photos from their rematch. (Photos courtesy of All Elite Wrestling)

Swerve Strickland on All Out match with The Acclaimed: ‘Nobody saw it coming’

Hear Swerve Strickland discuss the rivalry with The Acclaimed, how he’s achieved podcast success, and much more on Under the Ring.

Labor Day weekend was a crazy one for the pro wrestling industry, with a pair of big time events and a number of highly regarded matches. Swerve Strickland knows that all too well, because he was in one of them that stole the show.

Strickland and partner Keith Lee, known collectively as Swerve In Our Glory, entered and left All Out as the AEW World Tag Team Champions. But before they were finished, they helped elevate their opponents, The Acclaimed, to a level if popularity, and yes, acclaim, that they had yet to reach in their AEW careers.

As Strickland told host Phil Strum on this week’s episode of the Under the Ring podcast (ahead of Swerve In Our Glory’s rematch with The Acclaimed at AEW Grand Slam), it’s something he takes great pride in, largely because it was unexpected.

“Nobody saw it coming,” Strickland said. “It kind of blindsided a lot of people and woke everybody up. And if you’re looking at the ratings, we peaked. … So that goes to show you that people are paying attention, and people are anticipating next week at Arthur Ashe at Grand Slam, and there’s more surprises going to come next week in New York, I promise you that.”

You can hear Swerve’s full appearance above to get his perspective on:

  • The cultural impact of the rematch
  • Why Swerve In Our Glory works as a team
  • What has made the AEW tag team division special, and something that stands out in a crowded wrestling landscape
  • How important “continuity” is between his music, ring gear and in-ring performances
  • What makes a good podcast, specifically his SwerveCity Podcast

Under the Ring drops new episodes on audio each Monday and on YouTube each Wednesday, featuring a new, always fascinating guest from the pro wrestling industry. Other recent guests have included Lori Gassie of No Gimmick Gear, WWE star Austin Theory, and AEW’s Eddie Kingston.

To make sure you don’t miss an episode, subscribe to Under the Ring on Apple Podcasts or your podcast provider of choice, or check out the Under the Ring YouTube channel to see all of the interviews in video form.

Bryan Danielson, The Acclaimed favored to win titles at AEW Grand Slam

The betting odds for AEW Grand Slam suggest two popular championship results are expected in New York.

Everybody loves The Acclaimed … and that includes the people who set betting odds for AEW Grand Slam.

While placing bets on pro wrestling matches isn’t something we necessarily endorse and isn’t allowed in many places, it’s fun to check the lines in places where it is, because it’s a good indicator of the expectations around a big event. So with the caveat that these are for discussion purposes only, here are some interesting AEW Grand Slam tidbits from BetOnline.

For starters, The Acclaimed are heavy favorites to win the AEW World Tag Team Championship from current titleholders Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee. It does feel like the timing is right, considering Max Caster and Anthony Bowens are as over as they’ve ever been and both are from the general NYC area (Caster from Long Island, Bowens from Nutley, NJ). But their -700 odds to win means it would be considered a pretty big upset if they didn’t.

A new AEW World Champion will also be crowned at Grand Slam in a showdown between two Blackpool Combat Club teammates. It’s easy to make an argument for either Jon Moxley or Bryan Danielson to come away with the victory, but the oddsmakers believe it will be the American Dragon winning his first AEW gold, as he sits at -400 to win.

Two other current champions are overwhelming favorites to retain their titles Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Both Claudio Castagnoli, who will defend his ROH World Championship against Chris Jericho, and Toni Storm, whose Interim AEW Women’s World Championship is up for grabs in a four-way bout that includes Serena Deeb, Athena and Britt Baker, are at -900 to keep their gold.

With Tony Khan promising a show unlike anything AEW has put on to date, the AEW Grand Slam betting odds hint at a couple of feel-good moments in New York. We’ll find out soon enough if those are indeed part of what’s in store.

AEW All Out 2022 preview: Everything you need to know

Get set for Sunday with our AEW All Out 2022 preview, including predictions for what should and will probably happen in every match.

If bigger is better when it comes to pro wrestling pay-per-views, AEW All Out should be about as good as it gets.

AEW is throwing absolutely everything it has into the upcoming show at the Now Arena in Chicago (or more precisely, in the greater Chicago area), loading up the card in terms of both quantity and, hopefully, quality. Including the Zero Hour pre-show, a total of seven titles are on the line, as well as a future world championship shot in the Casino Ladder match.

Even when fate has thrown a late curveball or two, AEW has pivoted with regard to this show. Case in point: Thunder Rosa was slated to defend her AEW Women’s World Championship against Toni Storm, but got injured during the run-up to this weekend. No worries; now there’s a four-way battle for the interim championship that may be even more intriguing, featuring Storm, Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter.

Topping the card is a world championship rematch between Jon Moxley and CM Punk. The two men met less than two weeks ago and surprised the wrestling world when Moxley squashed Punk, leading some to wonder if he had returned from injury too quickly. But this week’s Dynamite proved that it was simply wrestling being wrestling, with Punk needing a pep talk from a friend to prove he was still on top of his game enough to compete at the highest level.

Tony Khan admitted that it wasn’t the normal way he’d build up a world title match but thought it worked for these circumstances (and was good for Dynamite’s ratings, to boot). That could be said for All Out writ large to a certain extent, but there’s no question there is more pressure on this pay-per-view than normal with AEW’s larger competitor suddenly resurgent and holding its own big show on the same September weekend.

In the end, even if the consensus ends up being that All Out isn’t outstanding, it won’t be for a lack of trying on AEW’s part.

AEW All Out 2022

  • When: Sunday, Sept. 4
  • Where: Now Arena, Hoffman Estates, Ill.
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (Zero Hour pre-show starts one hour earlier)
  • How to watch: Via Bleacher Report or traditional PPV providers in the U.S.,  along with select movie theaters; through FITE TV internationally
  • Matches announced: 14 (including three on the Zero Hour pre-show)

Scroll down for previews and predictions for all main card matches; we’ll add one for the trios tournament final and any additional matches that get made after Rampage on Friday night.

AEW Rampage quick results: Best Friends bust the Trustbusters

See everything that went down in Charleston with AEW Rampage results for the August 19, 2022 episode.

One good show deserves another, right Charleston?

AEW Rampage was taped on Wednesday night, as it often is, but is certainly worth watching with a pair of championship matches on the card. Not only that, but the AEW World Trios Championship tournament continues as well, with Orange Cassidy and Best Friends in action.

Let’s not waste any time and dive right into the details.

AEW Rampage results in 30 seconds:

  • Claudio Castagnoli throws out an open challenge for his ROH World Championship, and it’s answered by Dustin Rhodes, who talks about the history the two men have together before the champ accepts
  • Ruby Soho says she and Ortiz have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on , and it a
  • Swerve In Our Glory def. Private Party by pinfall to retain their AEW World Tag Team Championship, then take part in a show of mutual respect afterward
  • QT Marshall says he isn’t worried about what Powerhouse Hobbs has planned for The Factory, but promises the man in person that his group will take our Ricky Starks
  • Zack Clayton cuts a promo ahead of his FTW Championship shot, calling himself the biggest star on the show in a “disgusting state” like West Virginia
  • Hook def. Zack Clayton by submission in a matter of seconds to retain his FTW Championship
  • Matt Menard and Angelo Parker ponder what it would be like if the FTW Championship was held by a sports entertainer
  • Billy Gunn says the Ass Boys opened the door for him to spank their asses, and he’s bringing friends to help him … in the form of The Acclaimed
  • Buddy Matthews def. Serpentico by pinfall, then battles Miro after The Redeemer drops off Malakai Black’s mask on the ramp
  • Dr. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter can’t think of a more toxic tag team in pro wrestling than ThunderStorm, and say they’ll be watching and waiting for whoever emerges from their rematch
  • Athena def. Penelope Ford by pinfall, but gets attacked by The Baddies afterward, and Jade Cargill attacks her with a sledgehammer
  • Ricky Starks says he has a whole lot to say and will do it next Wednesday on Dynamite
  • Best Friends and Orange Cassidy def. The Trustbusters by pinfall in an AEW World Trios Championship tournament match, with a special guest assist from Danhausen

AEW Rampage quick results: Orange Cassidy, Best Friends have hands full with Trustbusters

Get quick AEW Rampage results for the Aug. 12, 2022 episode from the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The lake is still quaking, apparently, for the second night of AEW programming from the Target Center in Minneapolis. Tonight’s show will see a mixed tag team title match (yep, for real), the in-ring debut of Beardhausen, and Orange Cassidy against the leader of the Trustbusters.

If all of that made perfect sense to you, congrats, you’re a pretty loyal AEW fan. If it sounded like 50% gibberish, then may we suggest you dive in deeper to tonight’s results below until it all becomes clear?

We’re between Star Wars movies for an hour on TNT, so let’s get to it.

AEW Rampage results in 30 seconds:

  • “I will never willfully stop wrestling.” Bryan Danielson says he’s always going to fight, but Daniel Garcia vows to end his career next week before Danielson tells him to stop it with the sports entertainer crap
  • Tay Melo and Sammy Guevara def. Skye Blue and Dante Martin by pinfall to retain the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship
  • Penta says … Pac will be back next week, and Death Triangle will reunite to compete for the Trios Championship
  • Parker Boudreaux def. Sonny Kiss by pinfall
  • Andrade El Idolo says he, Dragon Lee and Rush will win the trios titles, and he expects Private Party to win the tag team titles as well
  • Gunn Club def. Beardhausen (Erick Redbeard and Danhausen) by pinfall
  • Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee are just fine with putting their titles on the line against Private Party
  • Hook confirms there’s an open challenge for his FTW Championship, and it’s accepted by Zack Clayton
  • Orange Cassidy def. Ari Daivari by pinfall, with Kiss appearing to help Best Friends fight off the Trustbusters afterward before turning on them

AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen results: Danielson’s return hits a snag, Hook takes his shot

Get complete AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen results from Worcester, Mass. on July 27, 2022.

Light the fuse, because it’s time for AEW Dynamite from Worcester, Mass. It’s another themed episode as well, as Fight for the Fallen looks to win fans over with what appears to be a loaded card.

For starters, Jon Moxley will put his AEW Interim World Championship on the line against Rush, who has looked very good in his limited time in the promotion. And in the main event, Bryan Danielson returns from injury, facing Daniel Garcia.

In-between, there’s a matchup between young aerial artists when Sammy Guevara takes on Dante Martin, and an FTW Championship Match that will see Ricky Starks defending against Danhausen.

Not too shabby, we’d say. Let’s get it!

AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen results in 60 seconds:

  • Jon Moxley def. Rush by submission to retain the AEW Interim World Championship, but …
  • … the Jericho Appreciation Society comes out and Chris Jericho makes a challenge to Mox, who accepts but only if he gets the Lionheart
  • Dante Martin thinks Sammy Guevara has gotten soft, but will have someone in his corner in case Tay Conti
  • Ricky Starks def. Danhausen by pinfall in a quick title defense of the FTW Championship, and calls for another challenger … and gets Hook
  • Hook def. Ricky Starks by submission to become the new FTW Champion
  • An emotional Starks says he deserves more than 40 seconds to talk for taking the FTW Championship to prominence, but he then gets ambushed by (now former?) tag team partner Powerhouse Hobbs
  • The Acclaimed are going to make the Gunn Club watch their music video to learn more about the match they’ll have on Friday
  • Sammy Guevara def. Dante Martin by pinfall, and Anna Jay helps Tay Conti take out Skye Blue until Ruby Soho, Eddie Kingston and Ortiz run to the rescue
  • Daniel Garcia wonders if Bryan Danielson has been getting sharper and better like he has
  • Sonjay Dutt gets talked into a trios match against Best Friends on Rampage, much to his chagrin
  • Jungle Boy speaks for the first time in weeks, exchanging personal insults with Christian Cage
  • The Young Bucks seem like they have something they want to say to Hangman Adam Page, but the Dark Order arrives to celebrate Page’s birthday, and the Bucks awkwardly depart
  • Swerve Strickland def. Tony Nese and Smart Mark Sterling by pinfall, but he and Keith Lee may have a problem with Nese and Josh Woods, who has laid out Lee backstage
  • The House of Black cuts a promo on Miro and Darby Allin, with Brody King challenging Allin to a Coffin Match
  • Thunder Rosa def. Miyu Yamashita by pinfall to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship
  • Daniel Garcia def. Bryan Danielson by submission as Danielson passes out in a Sharpshooter

Scroll down for more detailed AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen results, including every match and major in-ring segment.

Opening Bell: John Cena returns on Raw, Blood and Guts on Dynamite

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage for the week of June 27.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week ahead.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, June 27, Sames Auto Arena, Laredo, Texas

Hit the trumpets! After being gone for some time thanks to a busy schedule of Hollywood roles, John Cena returns to Raw to celebrate 20 years in WWE. It seems like only yesterday when he was the Doctor of Thuganomics, but it was, in fact, more than a decade ago. Along with celebrating his many contributions to the company, expect a party crasher by the name of Theory to set up a match for SummerSlam.

Also, Kevin Owens‘ quest to prove Ezekiel and Elias are the same person hit a major bump in the road last week, when Elias performed his first concert in month, then broke a guitar over K.O.’s back. Enraged, Owens challenged Ezekiel or Elias or “their even younger brother” Elrod to a match for Laredo, so the fun will be seeing which one of them walks down the ramp.

AEW Dynamite Blood and Guts preview – Wednesday, June 29, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

It’s time for Blood and Guts, the match that threw Chris Jericho off a steel cage last year. Times have changed, however, with Jericho now leading the Jericho Appreciation Society, definitely not the fan favorite faction (alliteration is great) this time around. They’ll go up against the Blackpool Combat Club, newly bolstered by the arrival of Claudio Castagnoli during Forbidden Door.

But there is tension on the BCC side as well, with the combustible Eddie Kingston not always getting along with the Club members proper. That could be an issue in a match this intense.

Also, expect to see fallout from Forbidden Door, because it was a great show bound to reverberate through AEW programming in various ways.

WWE SmackDown – Friday, July 1, Footprint Center, Phoenix

Pat McAfee isn’t just a podcaster and announcer with the strongest leg in the universe. He’s acquitted himself well in a WWE ring so far, even if his 1-3 record doesn’t quite show it. Now he’s engaged in a war of words with Happy Corbin, and feeling good enough about himself to call Corbin out for a match at SummerSlam. Happy is expected to give his answer to the ex-NFL punter on Friday, and we’d be surprised if he doesn’t accept.

AEW Rampage – Friday, July 1, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit (taped on June 29)

AEW hasn’t released any info yet for this show, mostly thanks to it having two big events in less than a week. One thing to watch for is Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee, who were victorious on the Buy-In at Forbidden Door but then immediately under verbal assault from Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs. Another showdown between the two teams would make a lot of sense as the featured match on Rampage this week, but we’ll have to wait until Wednesday, most likely, to see.

AEW Rampage quick results: Last stop before Forbidden Door

Get quick AEW Rampage results for the June 24 episode from Milwaukee, the last stop before Forbidden Door.

Milwaukee isn’t quite Chicago, but it’s sort of close. That’s relevant because it’s gotten very close to Forbidden Door, set to blow into the Windy City this Sunday. Tonight’s episode of AEW Rampage, taped last Wednesday, should put the final finishing touches on the card, maybe even adding a few last matches.

We’ll add the latest results as they happen, making this as close to a live report as possible for a pre-recorded show.

AEW Rampage results in 30 seconds:

  • Andrade El Idolo def. Rey Fenix by pinfall with some help from Rush, and the duo unveils La Facción Ingobernable shirts
  • Eddie Kingston cuts a promo touching briefly on Forbidden Door, but he’s even more psyched for Blood & Guts and can’t wait to taste the blood of Chris Jericho
  • Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee say they’ll get another ‘W’ on Sunday against Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado, but Lee isn’t quite ready to say they’re back on the same page yet
  • Serena Deeb and Mercedes Martinez def. Sierra and Laynie Luck by submission
  • Tully Blanchard Enterprises is a thing, and includes … Brian Cage? Tully also interrupts Jonathan Gresham, and ends up booking a tag team match, it seems
  • Hook def. The DKC by submission to remain undefeated
  • Billy Gunn informs Max Caster and the Gunn Club that they have a match on the Buy-In against four members of NJPW’s LA Dojo, and the Ass Boys think they’re going to Japan
  • Also added to the Buy-In on Sunday: QT Marshall and Aaron Solo vs. Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi

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AEW Double or Nothing: Everything you need to know

Prepare for AEW Double or Nothing 2022 with the full card, previews and predictions for every match.

Get ready to hear your favorite (or least favorite) gambling analogies or puns plenty of times on Sunday, because AEW Double or Nothing is back in Las Vegas. After a two-year detour to Jacksonville due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AEW’s Memorial Day weekend pay-per-view returns to its spiritual home, this time at the T-Mobile Arena — which also hosts Dynamite and Rampage this week.

Heading up the card is an AEW World Championship match between titleholder Hangman Adam Page and challenger CM Punk. But there are plenty of other championships at stake, as Thunder Rosa, Jade Cargill, and Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus will all put their titles on the line as well. There are even rumors that more titles will make their debuts, because the winners of the Owen Hart Foundation tournaments will also be crowned, and could receive some gold of their own.

We’ll update this article with those two finals once they’re decided as well as the Wardlow vs. MJF match that is all but assured to be finalized. Until then, read on for everything you need to know to prepare yourself for AEW Double or Nothing.

AEW Double or Nothing 2022

  • When: Sunday, May 29
  • Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (the Buy-In pre-show begins one hour earlier at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)
  • Matches announced: 10