AEW original Penelope Ford has been missing from action for a while now, ever since her landmark match Street Fight. Ford teamed with the Bunny against Anna Jay and Tay Melo. The bout was extremely bloody and violent and saw Ford take a wild Piledriver off the apron through a table.

The dangerous maneuver incapacitated Ford for the rest of the match and allowed Jay to lock in the Queenslayer on the Bunny for the win. This would be Ford’s last appearance for months with no explanation as to why until about a month ago.

In her absence, fans had speculated that Tony Khan had put her on the back burner when in fact, she had been recovering from injury. She has been off TV for several months, predating the injury crisis that AEW is now getting out of. 

The company’s fortunes are about to continue improving as Penelope returned on a taping of AEW Dark: Elevation. The episode was taped before this week’s Quake by the Lake episode of Dynamite.

Fans who were not present for her singles bout against Heather Reckless will be able to see the match this Monday. Kip Sabien was also present at ringside, still wearing a box over his head. 

Ford’s husband has been out from injury for over a year now after being written off TV following an attack from Miro. As of this writing, it is still unclear when he will return. 

Considering the episode of Elevation will air Monday, this could mean that Penelope Ford will return on this week’s Rampage. Khan likes his big returns, and it’s doubtful her official one would be on the YouTube show.

The post Penelope Ford Makes Her In-Ring Return At Dark: Elevation Tapings appeared first on Wrestling Republic.

Injuries are always an inevitability in the wrestling industry, and AEW currently has a lot of sidelined stars. Top draws like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Jungle Boy, and Kenny Omega are currently benched.

AEW President Tony Khan has had a tall order of putting on weekly television without his top stars. There is no word on when Danielson or Omega will be back as they seem to be experiencing complications with recovery.

Punk, on the other hand, may be on his way back from a broken foot sooner than expected. Today on Twitter, Khan confirmed that another regularly featured competitor is also injured.

Penelope Ford hasn’t been seen on AEW programming for a while now as she has been dealing with an undisclosed injury. Tony Khan revealed this information when a fan asked if he had given up on her.

Khan responded that he had not and is simply waiting for her to be medically cleared for a return. He also praised her work, having been featured in memorable matches over the past year.

It’s also worth noting that Ford’s husband, Kip Sabin, is also on the injury list. He received shoulder surgery last year in May, but there is still no timetable for his return.

Ford made her wrestling debut in December 2014 in CZW and worked the indies before joining AEW in 2019. One of her most memorable matches to date was fought teaming with the Bunny against Anna Jay and Tay Conti.

It was a very physical and violent bout that saw Ford’s team suffer defeat

The post Tony Khan Explains Penelope Ford’s Television Absence appeared first on Wrestling Republic.

After WWE made their comments about AEW’s street fight on Rampage, it seems WarnerMedia was not pleased by their comments.

The New Years Street Fight on Rampage with Anna Jay and Tay Conti versus Penelope Ford and The Bunny, was praised by fans across the wrestling fandom. The match involving the ladies was bloody and intense with multiple table spots, usage of chairs and thumbtacks, ended with Jay making The Bunny tap out through her “Queenslayer” submission to gain the victory for her and Conti.

After the match aired, WWE would make a comment to the Toronto Star about this type of match AEW had chose to broadcast to their viewers:

“If you look at the gory self-mutilation that bloodied several women in the December 31 event on TNT, it quickly becomes clear that these are very different businesses. We had an edgier product in the ‘Attitude” era and in a 2022 world, we don’t believe that type of dangerous and brutal display is appealing to network partners, sponsors, venues, children, or the general public as a whole”

(H/T – Torontostar.com)

Now, it is being reported by Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), that WarnerMedia (Who broadcast AEW on their TV station’s TNT and TBS) are not pleased by the comments made by WWE. Meltzer stated that sources within WarnerMedia were “Upset” by the comments as well believe it was a “Personal Attack” on the company as a whole to effect their relationship with advertisers and their sales of advertisements.

WarnerMedia seems to be pleased with AEW’s progress as they sent out a public statement being pleased with AEW gathering over a million viewers with this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite. The deal for AEW to air on WarnerMedia ends next year and with how AEW is progressing, will we see continue to see AEW broadcasted on WarnerMedia?

The post WarnerMedia “Upset” by WWE’s Comments About AEW Rampage New Years Street Fight appeared first on Wrestling Republic.

The feud between Best Friends and The Elite will continue as Adam Cole will continue to take on Best Friends member Trent Beretta in singles action. Shawn Spears will face Andrew Everett, and there will be a six-woman tag team match that’ll see Red Velvet, Leyla Hirsch, and Kris Statlander take on Nyla Rose, Penelope Ford, and The Bunny.

Below is the lineup for AEW Rampage (1/14)

• AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) (c) vs. Dark Order’s John Silver & Alex Reynolds
• Adam Cole vs. Trent Beretta
• Red Velvet, Leyla Hirsch, & Kris Statlander vs. Nyla Rose, Penelope Ford, & The Bunny
• A Special Look At The Rivalry Between Thunder Rosa & Mercedes Martinez
• Shawn Spears vs. Andrew Everett

The post AEW World Tag Titles on the line and more for 1/14 AEW Rampage appeared first on Wrestling Republic.

It was announced that Darby Allin will have Sting in his corner for a one-on-one match against Anthony Bowens of The Acclaimed. A tag team street fight has been announced between Penelope Ford & The Bunny vs. Anna Jay & Tay Conti.

Apart from the matches scheduled, it was announced that there will be a “Technique with Taz” segment featuring hook.

Below is the full card for this week’s New Year’s Eve edition of AEW Rampage below:

TNT Championship
Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Ethan Page

Tag Team Street Fight
Penelope Ford & The Bunny vs. Anna Jay & Tay Conti

Technique With Taz featuring HOOK’S REDRUM

Darby Allin (w/ Sting) vs. Anthony Bowens (w/ Max Caster)

The post Multiple matches and a Technique with Taz set for 12/31 AEW Rampage appeared first on Wrestling Republic.

The Super Kliq will be joined by Bobby Fish for an eight-man tag team match on AEW Rampage as they take on the Best Friends CHAOS members of Chuck Taylor, Trent, Orange Cassidy, and Rocky Romero.

Eddie Kingston will be teaming up with Santana, Ortiz, Rey Fenix, & Penta El Zero M against 2point0, Daniel Garcia, and The Acclaimed.

Tay Conti and Penelope Ford will continue their feud as they have agreed to a submission match on AEW Rampage.

Dan Lambert will make his return to AEW. The last time Lambert has been seen was when American Top Team’s lost at AEW Full Gear to The Inner Circle.

Below is the card for this Friday’s AEW Rampage 12/17:

Submission Match-Tay Conti vs. Penelope Ford

Adam Cole, The Young Bucks, & Bobby Fish vs. Best Friends (Orange Cassidy, Trent, Chuck Taylor, & Rocky Romero)

Eddie Kingston, Penta El Zero M, Rey Fenix, Santana, & Ortiz vs. Daniel Garcia, Team 2.0, & The Acclaimed

The post First Women’s Submission Match, Big 8 man Tag and More Set For 12/17 AEW Rampage appeared first on Wrestling Republic.

This match was originally set for last Friday’s Rampage show but was changed to PAC and Penta El Zero Miedo vs. FTR as Fenix had visa issues and couldn’t travel to Georgia for the show. 

Originally scheduled to be a two-out-of-three falls, the title match will now be a traditional tag team bout instead. The two teams wrestled at TripleMania Regia last Saturday for FTR’s AAA Tag Team titles with FTR retaining the titles.

Adam Cole will against Wheeler Yuta with their respective groups along with them ringside.

Team Taz member, Hook, will make his in-ring debut on the 12/10 episode of Rampage. Hook has been featured on television with Team Taz throughout 2021, his first match in AEW will be against Fuego Del Sol.

Ahead of their clash in the TBS title Tournament Semi-Finals, Ruby Soho will be teaming up with Tay Conti and Anna Jay to meet her competition in the next round, Nyla Rose, along with her teammate Penelope Ford and Allie. It will be interesting to see who gets the upper hand as we get closer and closer to the finals of the TBS title tournament.

Here is the current lineup for Friday’s AEW Rampage taped after Wednesday’s Dynamite at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York: 

– AEW Tag Team Championships: Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero M & Rey Fenix) (c) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)
– Ruby Soho, Tay Conti & Anna Jay vs. Nyla Rosa, The Bunny, & Penelope Ford
– Adam Cole vs. Wheeler YUTA
– Hook vs. Fuego Del Sol

The post AEW Tag Team Title Match, Hook’s Debut, And More Set For AEW Rampage appeared first on Wrestling Republic.

10. The Best In The World Is Back.

All Out marked CM Punk’s first single match in 2785 days. That’s a long time between non-alcoholic drinks. CM Punk returning was a great decision. The merchandise is flying out the window. The wrestling world is buzzing with his return. The decision to choose AEW might not have been. Had CM Punk returned to WWE (it arguably was the juicier storyline) he could have easily slotted into Brock Lesnar spot at the end of WWE SummerSlam and built up a long term feud with Roman Reigns who is now managed by CM Punk’s old associate Paul Heyman. Had he done that, then CM Punk would indeed become Brock Lesnar. The Yankees, the establishment. What he fought against all those years ago. So while you hate that the great ‘what if’ is to never be answered, you have to respect the man’s decision. That decision has consequences. In AEW, the best in the world has to answer whether or not he can still wrestle. In WWE he is taking Brock Lesnar or Goldberg’s spot. It’s a promo, a finishing move and maybe a slow paced street fight every couple of months. In AEW he is taking the spot of Kenny Omega, Daniel Bryan or Hangman Page. The question of if Punk still has it has to be answered if he goes to AEW and guess what, at least in the first challenge, CM Punk proved he can still go. That fucking leg lariat was smooth. That moment stood out to me. I have seen that leg lariat a thousand times. In his last run, CM Punk really seemed to struggle to hit it. That leg lariat on Sunday was sweeter than any in the last few months of his WWE run. In an unforeseeable turn of events that no one was prepared for CM Punk might not just be back but he might actually be better than he was when he left.

9. The Roster Is Stacked.

AEW and Tony Khan was able to pull off All Out an event described by the Wrestling Republic as their best event ever without having to literally pull it all out. Hangman Page the most sympathetic face in the company was absent. His story arc to the title is the longest most anticipated storyline in the company. Best event in AEW history didn’t even need it. PAC vs. Andrade El Idolo had their scheduled match pulled last minute due to travel difficulties. A potential match of the night. Malakia Black war against the Rhodes family continues onwards without being a part of All Out. The inner circle members of Sammy Guevara, Santana & Ortiz only featuring to celebrate with Chris Jericho’s victory. I could continue. The implication here is that All Out was not a simple once off. There is real momentum here. Daniel Bryan vs Kenny Omega scheduled for this week on AEW dynamite might be more anticipated than any match on All Out’s card. The fact is that with a roster this strong, All Out is simply the beginning.

The post Top Ten Talking Points Of AEW’s All Out. appeared first on Wrestling Republic.