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Welcome to today's installment of the AEW News Roundup. Like every other day, the AEW universe has provided us with plenty of interesting talking points and we look to bring them to you in one place.
Malakai Black revealed he was involved in, and assisted, a WWE Hall of Famer put together his last match for WWE. Meanwhile, fellow WWE release Buddy Murphy will be making his return to the ring against a current AEW champion.
The Young Bucks updated their bios yet again, this time threatening to shut down a popular segment. AEW officially signed a popular tag team to their roster.
And lastly, Ricky Starks took to Twitter to lambast AEW following a tweet he felt was mocking him. Without further ado, let's dive straight into it.
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#5. AEW's Malakai Black helped WWE legend with his final match
Less than a week after signing with AEW, Malakai Black revealed on his Twitch stream that he helped Mr. Wrestlemania Shawn Michaels back in 2018 to put together his match alongside long-time friend and partner Triple H against the Brothers of Destruction, Kane and The Undertaker.
The match, at WWE Crown Jewel, was the Heartbreak Kid's return to in-ring action after retiring back in 2010.
The fact that he chose to work with Malakai Black (Aleister Black in WWE) is a major testament to the respect Black commands in the wrestling business.
Black said on his Twitch
"Sitting down and helping Shawn Michaels put together parts of his match in Saudi Arabia and watching it on TV and they are using parts of things that I opted to do. Those are things where you feel like you're on par with them," Black said on his stream. (H/T: Fightful)
Apparently Vince McMahon was a huge fan of Black's creativity but for some reason never allowed him to express it fully in WWE. Now at AEW, we should get to see the best of Malakai Black.
#4. Buddy Murphy to face AEW Champion in September
Buddy Murphy will wrestle his first match after being released by WWE earlier this year as part of the budget cuts alongside many other big names like Braun Strowman and Aleister Black. He'll be facing a current AEW Champion.
Fans have been speculating about the expiry of his non-compete clause and their questions seemed to be answered as Murphy's first match since losing the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was revealed.
The Machine Brian Cage posted on Twitter and Instagram, advertising and hyping up an upcoming match against The Best Kept Secret on September 18, 2021 for an independent promotion.
The announcement has everyone excited as both Cage and Murphy are excellent workers in the ring and their styles should mesh quite well. The match will also signal the expiry of his non-compete clause, upon completion of which he will be free to negotiate with any promotion in the world.
Buddy Murphy teased a reunion with Malakai Black following his AEW debut. Despite only being speculative, Murphy becoming All Elite would be a fantastic move for both him and the company. Black vs Murphy is a matchup that will blow people away.
#3. AEW Tag Team Champions threaten to take down vlog
The Young Bucks have been on an absolute roll since becoming the AEW Tag Team Champions. Their heel turn has been excellent as the Jackson brothers have become obnoxious characters, both on and off the screen.
Whether it's cheating in the AEW ring or banning fan favorite factions from their YouTube vlog, the Young Bucks have ensured they are the most despicable team on the AEW roster.
Speaking of YouTube vlogs, the Young Bucks have threatened to put an end to their weekly Being The Elite vlogs. BTE has been a staple for the Bucks for the better part of 5 years now, with many wrestlers making appearances on it, furthering storylines or just having fun.
The weekly shows have allowed a lot of little-known wrestlers to express their character's story and make them more connected with the AEW audience, helping BTE become a roaring success.
Continuing with their tradition of updating bios, the tag team champions threatened to shut down the vlog forever.
#2. Number 2 tag team on AEW sign officially
The Varsity Blonds, Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr. were officially signed by AEW as announced by the company's Twitter handle.
The underrated duo of Garrison and Pillman have been one of the MVPs of the pandemic era for AEW. They have been a constant presence on AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation, putting on solid matches on a weekly basis.
Their performance led to them receiving a shot at the AEW Tag Team Championships against the Young Bucks, which they lost. Brian Pillman Jr. got a title opportunity as well, taking on Miro for the TNT Championship but the Bulgarian was too huge an obstacle to overcome.
The Blonds were absolutely elated upon being signed, expressing their delight on Twitter. Garrison called it a dream come true.
Pillman Jr. expressed his ultimate desire to challenge for the tag titles again.
"Blonds might have more fun, but it’s no more fun and games for the Blonds! We’ve got ONE THING on our minds and that is maintaining a spot as the top ranked tag team in the company and ultimately challenging, yet again, for the AEW TAG TEAM TITLES!!!" said Pillman Jr.
AEW needs to feature the team more on AEW Dynamite, as their win-loss record is quite formidable. With a few big victories, the Varsity Blonds could be right back in the title picture.
#1. Ricky Starks blasts AEW over 'mocking' tweet
Absolute Ricky Starks has been absent from in-ring action in AEW for nearly three months. The Team Taz member injured his neck in a match against Hangman Adam Page and has been recovering ever since. He will be making his in-ring return to face The Machine Brian Cage for the FTW Championship.
The feud between the two started off as a matter of pride, as to who's the best member of Team Taz. But it has slowly evolved into a personal grudge match after Starks brought Cage's wife in the mix with some derogatory remarks.
Starks wasn't too pleased when AEW tweeted a picture of him running away from Cage at AEW Road Rager.
"I broke my neck and y’all over there mocking me. So much bias; who’s running this account!" tweeted Starks.
This isn't the first time a Team Taz member has been less than satisfied with AEW's Twitter handle, as Brian Cage tweeted his displeasure a week back over the AEW Fyter Fest poster not featuring him despite his match against Starks being the first to be confirmed.
Major rumor about recently released stars HERE
