AEW Wrestler Re-Signs, Samoa Joe Injured, Dustin Rhodes Surgery Update

All Elite Wrestling is holding on to another longtime talent.

According to a report from Fightful Select, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard has signed a new five-year deal to stay with AEW through the summer of 2030. His previous contract was set to expire around AEW All In: Texas, but he opted to extend and was reportedly thrilled to do so.

While Menard has wrestled only sparingly in 2025, he occasionally reunites with his longtime partner Angelo Parker. Over the past couple of years, he has also taken on a regular role in commentary and continues to be a respected and well-liked figure in the AEW locker room.

Season two of the Peacock series Twisted Metal debuted on the streaming service July 31st, and the cast is currently making the rounds on a media tour to promote it.

Samoa Joe, who portrays the fan-favorite character “Sweet Tooth,” spoke with Mike Johnson of Pwinsider about his experience filming the new season. Joe revealed that he sustained a fractured ankle during production and spent the remainder of the shoot with his ankle wrapped, pushing through the pain while limping on set. He said,

“Normally, I would say the ring is always a much more precarious place to be in, but halfway through the season, I fractured my ankle. Nothing crazy — we had done a series of pretty crazy driving stunts and some dangerous things here and there. Then it was just parking, and I had to hop out the back on some really rocky, busted-up asphalt. I turned my ankle and spent the rest of the season taping it up and limping through it. Twisted Metal is incredibly physical — fighting scenes, driving scenes. Anytime that car is driving, you see me in it, it’s me. It’s a demanding role, but spending enough time in the ring as I have, it’s no new territory.”

Once medical protocols are cleared, Joe will be returning to AEW television. He said,

“Definitely sooner than later. We’re clearing our various medical protocols, and as soon as we’re done with that, we’ll be back to business.”

With surgery scheduled for next week, Dustin Rhodes provided fans with an update today, noting that pre-op treatment has left his knees feeling pain-free for now.

Rhodes is set to undergo double knee replacement surgery on August 21. In storyline, the injury was attributed to Kyle Fletcher, who attacked Rhodes by driving a screwdriver into his knee during their July street fight — a bout in which Fletcher captured the AEW TNT Championship.

Rhodes wrote, “Pre Op work being done on my knees today. Iovera shots in the nerves hurts like a bitch. But now my knees feel no pain at the moment. Can’t wait for August 21st to get here. Tired of this pain. Plus the hole in my leg is almost healed thank God.”

Pre Op work being done on my knees today. Iovera shots in the nerves hurts like a bitch. But now my knees feel no pain at the moment. Can’t wait for August 21st to get here. Tired of this pain. 🙏🏼

Plus the hole in my leg is almost healed thank God. pic.twitter.com/P80Oy9p4LX

— Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) August 12, 2025