AEW: Ric Flair on His AEW Future, Orange Cassidy on Having Something to Prove as International Champ, More News

Oct 27, 2023

Ric Flair Comments on His Recent AEW Debut & His Future with AEW

As noted before, this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite show in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania featured WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair making his surprise debut for AEW.

Flair recently reflected on Twitter about his recent debut for AEW and his future with the company.

I’m Ready For This Journey In @AEW With My Dear Friend The Icon @Sting! WOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/eViiuE6Fee
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) October 26, 2023

Orange Cassidy Comments on Feeling He Has Something to Prove with His Current Second AEW International Title Reign

A recent episode of Q102 Philly’s Bex & Buster radio show featured Orange Cassidy as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Cassidy’s thoughts on recently regaining his AEW International Championship and feeling that he has something to prove with his current reign as champion.

“I don’t ever plan to. I didn’t plan on losing in the first place. I get that question a lot. ‘What’s next for you?’ I never like to think too far ahead. This is the most important thing, and it was the most important thing. When I lost it, I was kind of like, I didn’t really feel like I had a purpose, which is bizarre for a human being to say, and it’s something I never thought I would experience. When your identity, for almost a year, is that you’re the International Champion that is so used to wrestling and defending the belt every single week, and when you don’t, you’re kind of lost. When the opportunity came up of me trying to get it back, I obviously took it. Rey Fenix is one of the best wrestlers in the world, but he was banged up, if not as bad or worse than I was when I lost it. I have it now, I’m very grateful, there’s unfinished business I have with this, and it has to do with the person that took it from me in the first place. I feel like I have something to prove now. The first time around, I was just defending it to win. I don’t think I have to prove anything to anybody, ever, but for some reason I think I do. Maybe it’s in my head.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

AEW News & Notes

This year’s MLB World Series is currently scheduled to take place from October 27th to November 4th. In regards to WWE, Game 1 will be going directly against the October 27th Rampage show and Game 2 will be going against the October 28th Collision show. If the series reaches a Game 5, then it will go directly against the November 1st Dynamite show, a potential Game 6 would go directly against the November 3rd Rampage show, and a potential Game 7 would go directly against the November 4th Collision show.

As noted before, Brock Anderson’s contract with AEW expired last week and has departed from the company. Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that Anderson’s departure from AEW was amicable and AEW officials have left the door open for him for a potential return in the future. It was also reported that there was no bad blood issues between the two sides over Anderson not being given a new contract.

Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that despite Jake “The Snake” Roberts” being noticeably absent from AEW, he is still under contract with the company. It was also reported that AEW officials currently have plans in place for Roberts to do some upcoming work for the company including potential off-screen work.

Netflix’s recently released animated television series Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix features an animated Kenny Omega character. Omega recently reflected on Twitter about his involvement in the series. Omega stated “If the overwhelmingly positive reviews aren’t enough, take it from me that #CaptainLaserhawk on #Netflix is a heck of a fun ride! (Not an attempt at self promotion whatsoever) You may see one of my old friends make an appearance too 😉“

In a recent interview with the Battleground Podcast, Paul Wight gave his thoughts about the future of his wrestling career. Wight stated “I got a year and a half, two years left, before I hang it all up. Really, it’s about trying to help this younger talent and then moving on to that commentary role. Then, it’s about the younger talent. Right now, I’m still froggy and want to have fun and play a little bit. I’ve had plenty of matches, have done plenty of tours, had plenty of rivalries. Right now, it’s about doing what I can in helping the product out. There’s a time, all things come to an end, unfortunately.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

As noted before, Scott Garland, former Scotty 2 Hotty in WWE, was given a producer tryout in AEW this past July. In a recent interview with Wrestling With Johners podcast, Garland confirmed that he has been working as a backstage producer and coach in AEW and is currently expected to start working full-time for the company at the start of 2024. Garland stated “I don’t think it’s a huge secret that I’ve been working for AEW as a producer behind the scenes, as a coach and producer there. I have an opportunity to do more with them, on a regular basis. It looks like at the beginning of the year, I’ll be going pretty hard with them if everything works out the way I hope it does.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with MuscleManMalcom’s Muscle Memory, Nyla Rose stated that she has been pushing for AEW to introduce an AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship since her early days in the company. Rose stated “I have been pushing for this since day 37. I’m not going to say day one, I wanted the world title from day one, but after things settled a little bit, I’ve been pushing for Women’s Tag Titles. I would love to not only win them, but also introduce them, bring them in. I would love to get Women’s Tag Titles. Would love to hold them with Marina Shafir. Do that and then I can be the actual grand slam champion.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with the Insight with Chris Van Vliet podcast, CJ Perry gave her thoughts on if she will wrestle again in the future. Perry stated “Such an interesting question. So I want to be the best of all time. I want to be the best wrestling manager of all time. I want to be when people think of like, people often want to be managed by Paul Heyman because he is the best manager of all time right now. I want that spot and so I want people to be like, ‘I want CJ Perry to manage me.’ I would rather do that than try to become champion or fight for whatever championships and be the best hustler for those people to be champions and create a legacy and a name that way. I just feel that’s my calling. So if at some point I gotta fight some bitches in the ring, of course, I’ll fight some bitches in the ring.” (Transcript h/t: WrestlingNews.co)

In a recent virtual fan signing event for K&S WrestleFest, Athena gave her thoughts about her current goals for her wrestling career. Athena stated “Right now, I’m focused on Ring of Honor and helping build that brand up. I do have more aspirations outside of Ring of Honor. I want to work for AEW more often, I want to be a main staple on AEW television, as I’m doing for Ring of Honor right now. I would love to do both at the same time. As far as my career goes, in the long term, I kind of go where the wind blows. Never say never as far as what comes in the future. What I’m focused on now is just building myself up because it’s taken me quite a long time to get where I am currently. Hopefully, you can call me three belts Athena in AEW when the TBS Championship, AEW Women’s Championship, and Ring of Honor Championship are all around my waist. That would be the highest aspiration right now, to hopefully main event an AEW pay-per-view. I’m going with the flow.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with the Extreme Life with Matt Hardy podcast, Daniel Garcia gave his thoughts on AEW’s original plans for him prior to him joining the now defunct Jericho Appreciation Society group. Garcia stated “Yeah, but I’m not big on regrets. I don’t like to look backwards or think about what could have been or what was. In the moment, I was very sad about the situation. Jericho has told the story many times. I was originally supposed to be put with Bryan in the original Blackpool Combat Club, when it first initiated. Jericho needed me for his group, I got taken out of that, put with Jericho, and Jericho told me, when he told me he needed me and I was going to be in JAS, I was just like [sad]. In my mind, I knew I was supposed to be with Bryan in a couple of weeks. This is sad. Once I started…Okay, this Bryan thing could be happening in a bigger way where I already got over a little bit, and now it could be a big payoff or storyline that I’ll be put with Bryan. ‘This is really cool.’ I don’t know if I was ready at that point to be put with Bryan, to be a babyface, sometimes I think God, it’s like a slingshot, he pulls you back so he can release you to a further position, so you can go far. I feel like that’s what the situation was. Not that I was in a bad spot, being with Chris, but wanting to be with Bryan, I felt like it was God saying, ‘Not yet, I have something bigger planned for you.’ Then, got released, and started flying. Hopefully, I keep flying, at least for a little bit.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)