AEW: Harley Cameron vs. Julia Hart Set for 1/18 AEW Collision Maximum Carnage Show, Anthony Henry on His Recovery from Torn Biceps Injury & Surgery, More News

Harley Cameron vs. Julia Hart Announced for Jan. 18th AEW Collision Maximum Carnage Show

AEW announced one new match for the card of this week’s AEW Collision Maximum Carnage show on January 18th.

This upcoming show was taped on Thursday, January 16th at The Andrew J. Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

This new match announced was a singles match of Harley Cameron vs. Julia Hart.

Current card for January 18th AEW Collision Maximum Carnage show:

  • AEW Continental Championship match – Tomohiro Ishii vs. Kazuchika Okada (c)
  • Texas Death Match – Hangman Adam Page vs. Christopher Daniels
  • 12-Man Tag Team match – The Learning Tree (Bryan Keith, Big Bill, & Chris Jericho) & Death Riders (Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, & Jon Moxley) vs. Powerhouse Hobbs, The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum), & Rated FTR (Cope & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood))
  • Harley Cameron vs. Julia Hart

Anthony Henry Provides Update on His Recovery from Torn Biceps Injury & Surgery

As noted before, Anthony Henry has been out of action for AEW and Ring of Honor since this past October due to a torn biceps injury and surgery.

A recent episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast featured Henry as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Henry providing an update on his recovery from his torn biceps injury.

“So 2024 was not kind to me, obviously. Also hasn’t been kind to [JD] Drake, unfortunately. It’s weird because in the 22 years that I’ve done this, I’ve never really had a substantial injury,” Henry said. “The closest thing I had to a real injury was when I herniated my disc at the other place with my neck, but I had no time off. Like, I went through the process of getting things done but I wrestled the whole time through. So the first one, when I broke my jaw, [it was] one of those things where I didn’t think that my jaw was broken. It didn’t hurt. I didn’t even know what was going on and then they’re like, ‘Hey, you have this clean break in your jaw and you’re out.’ And I didn’t even know what to think.

Fast forward however many months and I come back and everything’s good, I’m happy to be back, I’m excited. And then this happened. Again, one of those things — and if you watch the match, which I have several times, you can’t really tell that it happens. But there’s a part of the match where I go and I dive out of the ring onto Gabe Kidd and his back was turned to me, so kind of like fly over his back. And my arm goes kind of like over his shoulder and I guess I catch myself on the ramp. And when I did that, I guess it kind of like did this number [hyperextended] and that popped the tendon right there. It was a clean pop, like it was off the bone. But I didn’t feel it, that’s the weird thing. It’s crazy. Neither one of my injuries — they didn’t hurt.”

Henry also stated that he recently did some light work in the ring for the first time since his injury.

“I got in the ring for the first time yesterday, just kind of playing around. I just wanted to see what would happen with that. And nothing crazy, we were just kind of like doing some, you know, rolling around and chain wrestling and things like that. And it was fine, so realistically if I wanted to be in the ring right now and I was actually cleared, I’d be fine I think.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com


WWE News & Notes

As noted before, former TNA President and current Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling owner Scott D’Amore was in attendance backstage at this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage show in Cincinnati, Ohio. Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that besides D’Amore, former TNA talent Gisele Shaw was also in attendance backstage at the show.

As noted before, Kamille has been absent from AEW programming since this past November following her splitting from her on-screen partnership with Mercedes Mone and being attacked by a mystery assailant. Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported in a recent Q&A article that his sources stated that Kamille currently remains under contract with AEW. Sapp reported that Kamille’s on-screen return and future in AEW is currently unknown. Sapp also reported that there were some within AEW who had wanted her on-screen partnership with Mone to end with a match but this was something AEW officials decided against as an idea.

AEW recently released two new videos on their Twitter account. The first new video was Toni Storm being in character and accepting the 2024 Woman of the Year award from Pro Wrestling Illustrated. The second new video was “The Glamour” Mariah May accepting the 2024 Most Improved Wrestler of the Year from PWI.

MVP recently reflected on Twitter about his official in-ring debut match for AEW at this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage show in Cincinnati, Ohio. MVP stated “Thank you! To all of you sending me positive messages regarding my match last night. I had a blast and felt really good. To those of you with the negative comments, have a mediocre day!

In a recent interview with Tokyo Sports, Kazuchika Okada gave his thoughts about his reasons why he was not involved in AEW and NJPW’s co-promoted Wrestle Dynasty event earlier this month in Japan. Okada stated “I can’t really say anything about it (laughs). Whether I get an offer or not is another matter, but I don’t think it’s the right time yet. I quit with the feeling that I would never compete again (in Japanese matches). If I were to go back while I was feeling like I wanted to fight well in the US, then something might have changed in my feelings. I don’t have any intention of competing in a single match, so that’s the feeling I had when I went to the US.

Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown with SI held a recent interview with Toni Storm that was in-character. One of the topics discussed included Storm’s thoughts about her recent Women’s Casino Gauntlet match victory and the positive reception she has received during her “rookie year” in AEW. Storm stated “I’m amazed with how fast everything’s happened. I’ve only been here just over a month and everyone’s been so welcoming. People just keep treating me so well, and the applause, I can’t get over it. It’s like they’ve known me my whole life. It just blows my mind. I can’t believe the support of AEW fans and the people backstage.” Storm also gave her thoughts about her upcoming match against Mariah May for the AEW Women’s World Championship at next month’s Grand Slam Australia event. Storm stated “Best in the business today. She’s the real deal. I’m not gonna lie, I’m super intimidated. I hope I get an opportunity to show some respect. I hope she doesn’t think I’m rude for not coming and saying hello. I’ve never really met a star so big before and I’m just such a huge fan of her work. I’ve seen stuff she’s done since Stardom. I mean, it’s just insane. I just wanna be like her. I wanna follow in her footsteps.

In a recent interview with the Battleground Podcast, Jeff Jarett gave his thoughts about AEW’s growing pains as a company and criticism of the promotion. Jarrett stated “Here’s the thing that I think a lot of times almost gets lost in the shuffle because it’s really never been done. Look at the diversity of our roster. We have obviously American stars and Canada, but we also have Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, all through Europe, India. The diversity of our roster, I believe we’re poised for, and I don’t want to just call it international growth, but I’m just saying growth in general. At the end of the day, content is king, and that’s the name of the game. Streaming, digital, social media. To create content, you gotta have talent. AEW is poised, with the depth of their roster, to do things in this industry that’s never been done, so that’s why the growing pains that a company has [inaudible]. But at the end of the day, we’re out there creating content, and entering into the streaming world on Max, those are really, really big deals. But the world we live in can be hyper focused on the least bit of a snafu, and it is what it is. But I learned from my grandmother, as long as they’re talking. As long as they’re criticizing, good or bad, it’s a positive.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)