AEW: Update on Cedric Alexander Potentially Joining AEW, Kenny Omega on Being Way More Cautious for His In-Ring Career Since Diverticulitis Health Issues, More News

Update on Cedric Alexander Potentially Joining AEW

As noted before, Cedric Alexander was released by WWE this past February as part of a larger batch of talent releases. Alexander had expressed his interest in potentially reuniting with the Hurt Syndicate and joining AEW in an interview with Chris Van Vliet this past March.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported in a recent Q&A article that his sources stated Alexander is still open to the idea of joining AEW once his no-compete clause expires.

In regards to potential past issues involving Alexander’s wife Big Swole and AEW CEO Tony Khan, Sapp reported that those spoken to stated that this is not expected to be a stumbling block for any negotations between Alexander and AEW for a potential deal. Those same sources reportedly also stated that it would take a lot more than that to truly burn that bridge for Alexander. Swole had departed from AEW in November of 2021 and was involved in a public online feud with Khan over her departure and other issues Swole had with AEW during her time in the company.


Kenny Omega Comments on Being Way More Cautious for His In-Ring Career Since Diverticulitis Health Issues

Adi Shankar held a recent interview with Kenny Omega. One of the topics discussed included Omega’s thoughts about how he has taken a way more cautious approach for his in-ring career and job since his diverticulitis health issues and how his agent Barry Bloom has cared more about Omega being healthy than earning money from him.

“He’s really like a family member to me, absolutely. It wasn’t like an obligation because he wanted my money, it was not that at all. It wasn’t, ‘Show me the money.’ It was like, ‘Show me your doctor’s report and tell me you’re healthy or if not, no one’s getting their hands on you.’ That kind of thing. I’d be like, ‘No, I think I can do it.’ He’s like, ‘No, no, you have to know you can do it. I don’t care about the money. You need to be healthy.’ And this is coming from someone now who like is understanding of his own mortality now. I’m being way more cautious, and as cautious as I am Barry is still more cautious than I am. Whether it costs me or him money or not, that’s not the primary concern. At all.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com


AEW News & Notes

As noted before, AEW and wrestling announcer legend Jim Ross announced that he was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and will be undergoing surgery soon. AEW recently issued a statement in support of Ross and his battle with colon cancer. AEW statedAll Elite Wrestling joins fans around the world in sending love and support to Jim Ross as he battles colon cancer. J.R. is a valued member of the AEW family, and we stand beside him during his journey toward recovery.

In a recent interview with Undisputed, Jamie Hayter gave her thoughts about her upcoming match against Mercedes Mone for the Finals of this year’s Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Cup tournament at AEW’s Double or Nothing 2025 event. Hayter stated “The stakes are even higher for me because I’d been gone for so long,” said Hayter. “And look what I can do–I can be the one to give Mercedes her first loss in AEW. If I do that, I wrestle Toni Storm for the title at All In. Wrestling Mercedes is a very big opportunity. She is fantastic in the ring–you can’t say otherwise. And I love to wrestle. Every time I go in the ring, I’m there to prove myself. And that’s what I’m going to do against Mercedes. When I’m done with Mercedes Moné, she’s going to remember me. For Mercedes, it’s just another belt she’s chasing. For me, it’s everything.

In a recent interview with the AEW Unrestricted podcast, Julia Hart gave her thoughts about her taking inspiration from Darby Allin’s vignettes for her own vignettes for her return from a shoulder injury at this past December’s AEW Collision Winter Is Coming 2024 show. Hart stated “I think the most I’ve given advice on is just character stuff with vignettes. A lot of people ask me, like, ‘How did you go do that?’ Or, ‘How did you go about that?’ And I got my advice from Darby (Allin) with that. He told me, he was like, ‘If you have a vision, you need to go do it yourself and show them’ and I was like, ‘Yeah.’ I’m a visual person and sometimes when I see these ideas, like, ‘Hey, I wanna shoot this video of me shooting myself with a bow and arrow and then I come out of a dream’ and then people are like, ‘What are you talking about?’ Only you see your vision and so, I took his advice and I went and filmed it myself and my videographer Dani, she edited it exactly how I wanted it and then I presented it to Tony (Khan). So, I always tell people, ‘If you have a vision, you can’t explain it, you might just have to go do it yourself and then people will be like, oh wow, that’s amazing.’ That’s about as much advice as I’ve given so far, just because I know I’m still learning.” (Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com)

In a recent interview with the Rulebreakers with Saraya podcast, RJ City gave his thoughts about how he feels it would be disingenuous to take credit for the huge popularity of the “Timeless” Toni Storm storyline in AEW and wrestling. City stated “First of all, I will say it’s so wrong. So many things happen by accident, and so many people are involved in making this happen, sure, including yourself, including, obviously, Mariah May, including Luther the butler, millions and millions of people behind the scenes, and Harley [Cameron] and Ruby [Soho] and like all that stuff laid the groundwork for all, and so many things happen by accident. So many things did not turn out the way they were initially intended, and it’s unfair to take credit for anything.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with the Good Karma Wrestling podcast, Kyle Fletcher gave his thoughts about his current focus and goals for his career in AEW. Fletcher stated “I need the accolades to back that up, so I think championship gold is definitely the way I’m looking. There are a couple of nice shiny belts that I like the look of, namely, maybe the International Championship held by one of the greatest of all time, Kenny Omega. I think he is well past his prime, I think I am the new generation’s Kenny Omega, that best bout machine. So, I would love to do that in a big big stadium.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with the Battleground Podcast, Josh Alexander gave his thoughts about when he found out that he would be Hangman Adam Page’s opponent as the Wild Card entrant for this year’s Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Cup tournament. Alexander stated “I knew I was traveling to Boston, I did not know I was facing Hangman Adam Page. I did not know I was the wild card. There was a possibility that it could have been a swerve, you’re making assumptions, but radio silence from everybody. Here’s your travel, here’s your hotel. When I found out I was a wild card, when I arrived at the building, they snuck me in and hid me in a room and stuff like that. I was like, I’ve already gone through these feelings of these possibilities of what I’m going to be doing.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with Unlikely’s Adrian Hernandez, Skye Blue gave her thoughts about how she found it difficult to watch wrestling while she was out of action for a lenghy time during her broken ankle injury. Blue stated “There would be some days that I would turn it on and try to watch wrestling and I would just instantly start crying or I would get really frustrated and I would try to get up and walk and I would fall. It was frustrating, but then at the same time, I knew that I still wanted to be a part of it, even if it was just sitting in the couch and watching or even if it was texting Kyle right after his match. There were just some days that I couldn’t watch it and I would just watch it later when I felt better. Watching it was super important, I just wanted to still feel included and still be a part of it. I got to go to his big matches, I got to go to his first pay-per-view and steel cage. Watching Wembley on the couch though, that was really hard because I knew how excited he was for Wembley, he was doing his big diet and his workout. I had Robbie Eagles with me, so that was a plus, we watched it together but I was just sitting there and I was like, ‘I really wish I was there for that one.’” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)