According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, AEW President and CEO Tony Khan is reportedly staying quiet when it comes to both Toni Storm’s current status and past reports surrounding a potential attempt to purchase WWE.
The report notes that Storm’s absence from AEW television is not due to injury, but instead part of a long-term storyline that could keep her off screen until 2027. Details surrounding the situation have been kept tightly under wraps following an incident that took place on the March 18 episode of AEW Dynamite.
Originally, plans for that show called for Storm to defeat Marina Shafir, which would have led into a new program with Thekla. However, when it became clear that Storm would not be able to compete, AEW pivoted creatively and introduced an injury angle instead. The direction is said to mirror a “Who Shot JR?”-style mystery, adding intrigue around Storm’s disappearance.
Despite the on-screen storyline, Storm was recently spotted at a public autograph signing where she showed no visible signs of injury and did not appear to be portraying the angle in public.
Chris Jericho has looked back on one of the most unique crowd moments in AEW history, revealing how the idea to ban his iconic entrance theme “Judas” actually came together behind the scenes.
During a recent interview, Jericho reflected on his long running storyline with Maxwell Jacob Friedman, which spanned an entire year and included a series of creative stipulations designed to test both him and the audience. One of the boldest ideas was removing his entrance music entirely to see how fans would respond.
“It was a great moment. We were doing the storyline with MJF, and he had all these stipulations one of them was banning Judas from being played. The idea came up I think it was collaborative, the whole storyline lasted exactly 366 days, a year and a day that we should ban the song and see what the crowd does.”
Jericho explained that there were several different pitches discussed internally about how to make the moment work. Some within production wanted to guide the audience more directly, even suggesting visuals or printed lyrics to help fans sing along.
“There were a lot of theories in the production meeting about how to make it work. One producer was adamant we needed to put the lyrics on the screen with a bouncing ball. Someone else wanted to put lyrics under the chairs. Everyone had ideas. But Tony Khan and I talked about it, and he said, ‘When you go to a concert, people know the words or they don’t.’ That’s the organic nature of it. If you force it, it’s not going to be as cool.”
That philosophy ultimately shaped the execution. Rather than forcing participation, the moment was left entirely in the hands of the crowd. While the opening seconds were uncertain, Jericho recalled how quickly the audience found its rhythm, with some fans even pulling out their phones to follow along.
Looking back, Jericho considers the acapella rendition of “Judas” to be one of the most special experiences of his career. He noted that it stood out not just within AEW, but across wrestling as a whole, as a rare instance where live audience energy created something truly unforgettable.
“But that was one of the coolest moments I’ve ever been part of, and I think it’s actually a fairly underrated moment in AEW history and in wrestling history. That’s the only time I can ever remember that happening that way. It was the one time where Fozzy and wrestling collided perfectly.”
D-Von Dudley has shared a blunt take on the current state of wrestling, calling out what he sees as an overreliance on high-risk offense at the expense of storytelling.
Speaking on the Krazy Train podcast with Jasmin St. Claire, the WWE Hall of Famer reflected on how the fundamentals that once defined the business are being overlooked by many modern performers. Drawing from his own career alongside Bubba Ray Dudley, he emphasized that connecting with an audience has never been about doing the most spectacular moves, but about making every moment count.
D-Von explained that too many wrestlers today are focused on impressing crowds with athletic sequences rather than learning how to structure a match in a way that keeps fans emotionally invested from start to finish.
“And that’s the thing. This is why so many indie wrestlers don’t make it to NXT or the main roster is because they have no knowledge of how to how this business works. And if you have no knowledge and you’re not going to really go anywhere.”
He continued by stressing how preparation has become more important than ever, noting that success now depends on attention to detail and understanding every aspect of performance.
“Now you have to come prepared. Every box has to be checked off and you have to make sure that you check each and every one of those boxes off.”
Turning to in-ring style, D-Von made it clear that he believes the foundation of wrestling should always be storytelling. He pointed to the Dudley Boyz’ success as an example of how simple offense, when executed with purpose, can resonate far more than complex, high-flying spots.
“So again, a lot of these guys who don’t know this is and I tell my students this, Bubba and myself never did anything spectacular in that ring. To the point is we didn’t do flips and flies. We didn’t do any Huda Kuranas. We didn’t do any of that crap. We took basic wrestling moves and made it into a story, but made it mean something.”
He added that pacing plays a crucial role in keeping an audience engaged, warning that cramming too much into a short period can actually work against performers.
“You don’t have to flip and fly. You don’t have to do a thousand things in 30 seconds. Use the basics. Take your time. Tell that story. Work the body part. Get the people happy and ready to go home.”
D-Von also cautioned that overloading matches with constant high spots can lead to audience fatigue, making it harder for fans to stay invested throughout an entire show.
“The minute you start jumbling a match with all sorts of spots and all of that, they short circuit. They already don’t have a long attention span as it is. And now you’re burning them out so that they can’t even enjoy the show.”
He wrapped up by urging wrestlers to think beyond their own moment in the spotlight and consider how their match fits into the broader card, as well as what fans will actually take away from it.
“If you’re the first match, you don’t have done every high spot there is to do just so you can wow the people and get yourself over. Did you think about everybody else on the card? Have you told a good story? What’s the last thing they’re going to remember when they see your match other than the one, two, three?”
El Mesias is officially set to make his return to AAA after several weeks away from television.
The 50 year old veteran was announced for next week’s AAA on Fox episode during the March 28 broadcast of AAA Rey de Reyes. His comeback adds another notable name back into the mix as the promotion continues to build momentum heading into the coming weeks.
Despite being off TV, El Mesias has remained active behind the scenes, competing at non televised AAA events. Most recently, he appeared on March 21 at the AAA Ruta Norte show, teaming with Mecha Wolf in a losing effort against El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Laredo Kid.
His last televised outing came on the February 28 AAA on Fox tapings, where he picked up a win over Tokyo Bad Boys. Now, he returns to a landscape that has continued to evolve in his absence, with no clear direction yet revealed for what comes next.
Also confirmed for next week, Lady Flammer will face Sussy Love in singles action. Flammer continues her dominant run as the longest reigning Reina de Reinas Champion in AAA history and will look to extend her momentum once again.
Three more names are now official for the 33rd Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
NJPW confirmed on Saturday that House of Torture members SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru will be part of this year’s field, alongside DDT’s Daisuke Sasaki. The tournament is set to kick off on May 14 and will run through June 7.
SHO enters the competition looking to improve on recent outings, having gone 4 wins and 5 losses across his last three BOSJ appearances. Kanemaru returns for his ninth run in the tournament, still chasing his first victory in the prestigious junior heavyweight showcase.
For Sasaki, this marks a notable return to NJPW. It will be his first appearance with the promotion in 14 years, dating back to 2012 when he competed in both the inaugural NEVER Openweight Championship tournament and Best of the Super Juniors 19. Since then, he has built an impressive résumé in DDT, becoming a six-time KO-D Champion and a three-time DDT Universal Champion.
