AEW: Jim Ross Underwent Cancer Surgery on Right Hip, Deonna Purrazzo on Her AEW Debut, More News

Jim Ross Underwent Successful Cancer Surgery on His Right Hip

AEW commentator Jim Ross announced on Twitter that he had underwent successful surgery on Thursday morning to remove cancer cells from his right hip. Ross also stated that he is currently feeling well following his surgery.

Had cancer surgery this morning on my right hip.
All went well.

Thanks for all your love & support! 🤠💕

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) February 2, 2024

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Deonna Purrazzo Comments on When She Found Out About Her Debut in AEW

A recent episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast featured Deonna Purrazzo. One of the topics discussed included Purrazzo’s thoughts about the process that led to her official signing with AEW this past January.

“I spoke to Tony at the beginning of December [2023] and we were able to connect on a Zoom call and talk. We had only talked once, and we kind of went through the whole legal process and the contract signing, and then I hadn’t seen him until I got there on Wednesday and was about to go out.”

Purrazzo also gave her thoughts about when she first learned of the plans for her official debut in AEW in her home state of New Jersey.

“I think that aided to the fact of like, okay, the audience was really excited for this. But then also to go online after the fact and just see all of my friends that I didn’t get to tell and all of the fans who were genuinely surprised, it was very overwhelming with the amount of love that I got from it. Just because Tony and I hadn’t spoken since that initial conversation, I didn’t think it was going to happen. I didn’t hear anything until Tuesday night, so as Monday happened, Tuesday happened, nobody’s said anything like it’s probably not gonna happen. The rumor mill is going around. Don’t be upset, the contract is signed so I will debut at some point, but don’t be upset if you don’t get to do this in Newark, it’s okay.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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AEW News & Notes

As noted before, this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite show featured a storyline angle of several CMLL talents attacking Jon Moxley during the show. AEW recently released a digital exclusive backstage video featuring Moxley teasing that himself and the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club might pay a visit to a CMLL show in the future to get some revenge.

Fightful recently announced that Athena took their Women’s In-Ring Wrestler Of The Year award, Prince Nana took their Manager of the Year award, RJ City took their Best Talent Media award, Toni Storm took their Women’s Best on Promos award, and Swerve Strickland took their Best Individual Promo award for their 2023 Fightful Awards.

AEW announced that their official YouTube channel recently reached the milestone of four million subscribers.

WrestleCon recently announced that Jeff Hardy will be making an appearance for the company at their WrestleCon 2024 on April 4th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was also announced that Hardy will be performing a live concert following this year’s Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow event that day.

In a recent interview with Lethbridge Herald, Adam Copeland gave his thoughts about some fans wanting him and Christian recreate their TLC matches with The Hardys in AEW. Copeland stated “People say (they want to see it), but no, actually stop and think about it for a second. We were in our early 20s when we did those matches. We’re in our 50s now. Leave it in a very good place in memory, and let us do what we do now, which is tell better stories.“

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Samoa Joe gave his thoughts about his mindset when it comes to him performing his iconic “Nope” walk-away move as a counter to high flying moves by his opponents in matches. Joe stated “As a small youth in my younger days, if I saw something large or very destructive coming toward me, it was only natural to step aside. It’s not rocket science. The cavemen understood this, too. If you see a rock coming toward you from the top of the hill, move a little to the left.“

In a recent interview with FOX 8, Eddie Kingston gave his thoughts about the importance of the AEW World Championship and his current career goal of wanting to become the AEW World Champion. Kingston stated “When I become the world champion – and I say ‘the.’ I hate when people call it the AEW World Champion, cuz it means it’s just a world champion for that company. No. To me, for not just our company, but for wrestling in general, when you’re AEW World Champion, it’s the championship. So when I get that, and I’m putting it out in the universe so hopefully the universe gives back, then I’ll sit there and go ‘I’m that guy. I’m standing on my business now.’“

In a recent interview with KSLA News 12, Roderick Strong gave his thoughts about his current career in AEW. Strong stated “AEW, for me, and this is my personal opinion on it, is a passion project. Not just from our boss, Tony Khan, who is one of the most passionate wrestling coaches fans, bosses that I’ve ever met in my career, but the whole locker room, it’s a whole group effort, and we’re all coming together from something that, you know, that a company that was created just five years ago, and to where the stage we are now, like it’s just a, it’s a team effort and it’s amazing.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with Forbes, Ricky Starks gave his thoughts about AEW’s challenges of trying to grow their roster with only a finite number of television shows hours each week. Starks stated “It’s always gonna be challenging because you only have so much TV time allotted and you have a growing number of people on the roster, so there’s gonna be challenges there. It’s really about who stands out and who steps up to the plate when given the chance.” Starks also gave his thoughts about his current strategy for his career in AEW over this issue. Starks stated “There are things that are out of my control that I don’t have an answer for…and that’s just how it is. You just have to deal with it. I can only control as much as I can control.” Starks also gave his thoughts about AEW being a team effort with a roster that is collectively working towards the same goal. Starks stated “It’s a team effort. We’re all working for the same goal, and if you don’t follow the same goal, maybe this isn’t the place for you.“

AEW recently announced two new matches for the card of their AEW Collision show on February 3rd in Edinburg, Texas:

• Eddie Kingston vs. “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith
• Bryan Danielson vs. Hechicero