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Welcome to the August 3, 2021 edition of the AEW News Roundup featuring Vince McMahon, John Cena and CM Punk. If you're a wrestling fan then these are exciting times, and if you're an AEW fan, even better. There are more things happening that can be accounted for. Nevertheless, we will bring you the biggest stories surrounding All Elite Wrestling.
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We start off today's roundup with a WWE Hall of Famer slamming Vince McMahon for letting too many talents jump ship from WWE to AEW. An AEW analyst opened up on a segment he did with John Cena back in 2014.
There's been an update regarding CM Punk's reportedly imminent debut for AEW. The company have also secured a massive deal to broadcast Rampage and Dynamite in India starting August 15, 2021. Lastly, a former champion revealed why he chose to join Tony Khan's promotion over staying with WWE.
Without delay, let's jump right into it.
#5. Eric Bischoff slams Vince McMahon for "feeding talent to AEW"
WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021 inductee Eric Bischoff was critical of Vince McMahon for releasing wrestling's rising stars and letting them go to AEW.
Bischoff said that Vince McMahon is "feeding people to AEW" at a time when Tony Khan and co. are making great progress and have momentum on their side.
“I find it ironic that six or eight months ago people were thinking ‘Oh man, Vince McMahon is afraid to let anybody go because he’s afraid of AEW,’” Bischoff said. “For god sake, he’s like feeding people to AEW. I have no instinct on this, I have no gut feel on this but I’m fascinated with the fact that WWE is willing to not just let talent go, let marquee talent go with a high level of equity amongst wrestling fans at the point where AEW is making such solid progress. They got momentum in their corner now. I sent Tony [Khan] a text the other day and said ‘Hey man, I love watching your growth.’" added Bischoff. (H/T - WrestlingInc)
Bischoff continued, stating that he had no "instinct" about the releases, and that he was just fascinated by Vince McMahon's decisions.
#4. CM Punk can reportedly use the 'Cult of Personality' theme in AEW
It has been reported that CM Punk will be able to use his legendary 'Cult of Personality' theme song in AEW.
The report, from Pro Wrestling Insider cited that WWE only licensed the song for CM Punk's time in WWE and therefore had no exclusivity and lost the rights to usage of the song once Punk departed the company after WWE Royal Rumble 2014.
CM Punk used Killswitch Engage's 'This Fire Burns' in the initial years of his run in WWE before switching to 'Cult of Personality' in 2011. The song is now firmly associated with the Chicago native and news of him being able to use it will come as a delight to everyone looking forward to his AEW debut.
Fans have been fantasy booking CM Punk in various scenarios for his AEW debut despite his debut not being officially confirmed by AEW. While his first appearance's whereabouts are unknown, any scenario will be enhanced by the use of his iconic theme song.
#3. AEW analyst Mark Henry reminisces about John Cena segment
WWE Hall of Famer and AEW commentator Mark Henry made John Cena cry during his famous fake retirement speech in 2014.
Mark Henry, on an episode of WWE Raw, pulled off one of the biggest swerves in WWE history when he stood across John Cena and announced that he would be retiring, only to turn on Cena and lay him out.
The Worlds's Strongest man claimed the moment was so real because the promo was unscripted and he "emotionally got to" John Cena and the Cenation leader couldn't hold back his tears.
“It was easy to draw the emotion of the moment because it was real. I just knew that, at some point, I’m gonna have to shut the waterworks off and focus on doing business with John Cena, and John Cena was standing at ringside. And it was really impromptu,” Henry noted. “It wasn’t something that was planned. John tried to give me the title, and I just told him, ‘No, I don’t deserve to hold that. I never won that. I’m not gonna do it,’ and he just started crying because I had emotionally got to him." added Henry. (H/T- WrestlingInc)
Mark Henry will get another opportunity to flex his mic skills on AEW when AEW Rampage premieres on August 13, 2021.
#2. Eurosport will broadcast AEW in India
AEW is coming to India! In exciting news for all fans on the subcontinent, Eurosport will be broadcasting Rampage and Dynamite along with all the pay-per-views including All Out in September.
The deal kicks in on August 15, 2021, the day India celebrates its Independence Day. Eurosport already broadcasts IMPACT Wrestling and NJPW in India, making All Elite Wrestling their third major pro-wrestling deal.
Tony Khan was elated with the move as he said in a press release:
“In less then two years since launching AEW Dynamite, we’ve started a professional wrestling revolution,” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “Through our partnership with Eurosport India, we’re looking forward to showcasing the best professional wrestling that fans in India demand and deserve. We were an instant success in the U.S., and now fans across the world are discovering AEW, feeling refreshed and excited about professional wrestling again. We can’t wait for fans in India to experience our dynamic storytelling, high-flying action and incredible roster of global stars and homegrown talent on a weekly basis.”
#1. Jon Moxley reveals why he chose AEW over WWE
AEW Double or Nothing 2019 provided fans with one of the best debuts seen in the company's history. Jon Moxley came through the crowd after the main event between Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega and laid out both men as the crowd went berserk.
Mox recently revealed what his motivations were behind going to AEW over staying in WWE. The former AEW champion stated that the opportunity to build something new that would benefit the wrestling industry as a whole was too alluring for him to pass up on.
"[The company's bright future] was the hope, otherwise I wouldn’t have come here,” Moxley said. “Coming here was like ‘well this an opportunity to help and really do something and create something and be part of a thing that’s helping wrestling.’ Creating something new, being on a team from the ground floor. I could’ve just waited around and been like ‘let’s see if this thing works out and then maybe see what they’re doing.’ (H/T: WrestlingInc)
Jon Moxley went on to say that the energy was palpable from the first show itself and now AEW has all the momentum on its side.
"I was like 'no. If I’m going to be in, I’m in. If I’m going to commit, I’m going to come in at the ground floor and if we fail, we fail. But we’re going to try to succeed.' I could feel the momentum, I could just feel the energy from the very first night in at the very first Double or Nothing. It was like, you could feel it man."
