AEW: Britt Baker on Hope of Mercedes Mone Appearing in AEW, Jeff Hardy Update, Brian Danielson

Mar 3, 2023

Britt Baker Comments on Her Hope of Mercedes Mone Appearing in AEW

The New York Post held a recent interview with Britt Baker. One of the topics discussed included Baker’s thoughts on her currently being hopeful that Mercedes Mone will make an appearance in AEW in the future.

“It’s weird to see now that she’s out in the wild. She’s not completely inaccessible in a way. These are very realistic matchups that could happen and I think the world is ready to see Mercedes Mone’ let out of the cage. What is she gonna do now? I hope and pray that someday we see her in some capacity in AEW. And if by chance I could be in the connection too I would be very, very for that.”

Matt Hardy Comments on AEW Not Holding Talks for Jeff Hardy’s Return

As noted before, Jeff Hardy was arrested this past June in Volusia County, Florida following a drunk driving incident. Hardy has been out of action for AEW since that time due to his current suspension over his DUI arrest. Hardy’s legal case was closed earlier this month resulting in Hardy being sentenced to a 10 year suspended driver’s license, two years probation, a monetary fine, and court mandated community service and DUI or drug rehab program.

A recent episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast featured co-host Matt Hardy providing an update on the current status of his brother Jeff.

“The first thing Jeff did whenever he got the opportunity, he traveled to Florida and stayed 90 days and did an extensive rehabilitation stint. Really intense work on himself. Even after those 90 days, he was doing outpatient, where he was going every week. He probably did 170 days altogether when it was said and done, on treatment on himself, being there and trying to rehabilitate himself and get to the bottom of this, ‘why do you have issues? What causes this? How can we correct and change this?’ It’s one of those things, my brother, obviously, he’s had so many addiction problems through the years, but he’s never been this specific and in detail to try and work through it so much, really commit himself to this.
The reason I say it’ll be different this time is because he went into it with a different mentality and he’s never been this scared before. There was a lot of talk where they wanted him to go to prison for months and do this. They ended up working this deal where it was 30 days. One of the biggest things you’re going to see with Jeff Hardy going forward is how he wants to share his story and help other people out. That’s something he’s been very adamant about already. He’s been so motivated …
This last time, alcohol was harder than anything else for him to kick. There was a time when he first came to AEW where he would go weeks without doing anything, but once he would get that little…get a little started, it would quickly turn to an avalanche, and that’s just how he is and how his personality is. I think he understands that now more. The fact that he had so much on the line, and legitimately, this could have cost him a large chunk of his life. He was trying to do the work in treatment, he had legal people trying to help him out as much as they could. At the end of the day, he’s not someone who has done violent, bad things that come from a terrible place. He’s someone who had an addiction problem. I hate it. There is no way to justify someone being intoxicated, getting behind the wheel, and driving. It can’t be justified. In this day and age, it should never happen. The help that he went and got during this time, I’ve seen a different version of him, and it’s not one trying to play the game. Don’t take my word for it here. Follow him going forward and we’ll see what happens. Could I be wrong? Of course I could, but this is the most drastically different I’ve seen my brother.”

Hardy also stated that AEW officials have not held any talks recently regarding potential return plans for Jeff.

“That hasn’t been talked about. Will it happen? Maybe. Maybe not. That isn’t something that hasn’t been talked about at all at this point and it certainly wasn’t going to be like, his court case is done, he shows back up on AEW Dynamite.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

Bryan Danielson on Still Having the Goal of Competing in a NJPW G1 Tournament

UPROXX held a recent interview with Bryan Danielson. One of the topics discussed included Danielson’s thoughts on him still having the goal of competing in a G1 Climax for New Japan Pro Wrestling in the future.

“I don’t know because that requires Tony (Khan) to allow me to be off of TV for four weeks or whatever. You have to look at it from a Tony investment point of view, right? Does he really want somebody like me who is older to go through that many hard matches, be off of TV for four weeks, and potentially get injured? Probably not.
Although, I do have a dream that me, Mox and Claudio [Castagnoli] and maybe Eddie Kingston, just so we have somebody to pick on, would all be able to go do one G1 together, because that would be just so much fun.
To go do those incredible matches, but do it with your friends so that you all have this experience together. I think that would be incredible.
Now, if you’re asking me if Tony is going to let me go do a G1 and is it a smart move for him? Probably not, but the odds of him letting me do it, I would say a 33 percent chance. The odds of him letting me, Mox, and Claudio all be gone for a month off of TV, an astronomically small percentage, but I haven’t even talked to him about it.”