More On AEW’s PPVs Coming To HBO Max
Mercedes Mone has high praise for former PROGRESS Women’s Champion Kanji and says she’d love to see her join AEW.
Speaking with TV Insider ahead of AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door, Mone was asked which “under the radar” stars fans should keep an eye on. She said,
“From RevPro, I’m obsessed with Kanji. She’s incredibly talented and brings something unique to the ring that I haven’t really seen from other women. She reminds me of a female Zack Sabre Jr. with how technical she is. Her drive and passion are unmatched. If I could pick someone to sign with AEW, she’d be my number one choice.”
Kanji has been a standout in the UK wrestling scene, competing regularly for RevPro, PROGRESS Wrestling, Pro Wrestling EVE, and several other promotions.
Mike Bailey has addressed the reports that he has backstage issues with MVP. Earlier this month, a report claimed MVP “well knowingly” disliked Bailey and didn’t want the Hurt Syndicate losing to JetSpeed at AEW All In: Texas.
Bailey and MVP previously poked fun at the rumor in a video on Bailey’s blog, where the two traded playful “F**k yous.” Speaking with 94 WIP, Bailey brushed off the speculation. He said,
“He said ‘f**k you’ to me, I said ‘f**k you’ to him. This is pro wrestling. I think it’s very silly to go online and read, ‘These two pro wrestlers don’t like each other. They hate each other.’ This is a wrestling show. Kevin and I spent months trying to take the Hurt Syndicate’s tag titles from them before All In. We ‘hate’ each other, sure — why not? [Laughs]. At the end of the day, whatever makes the best show for the audience is what matters. If that means hating each other, then let’s roll with it.”
On next week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, JetSpeed will team with Hangman Page and Kenny Omega to face the Young Bucks, Kyle Fletcher, and Josh Alexander.
Taz took to social media to share his thoughts after AEW and the 2300 Arena honored him following this week’s episode of Dynamite. As we previously reported here on WrestlingHeadlines.com, Tony Khan led a post-show tribute to the ECW legend in Philadelphia and announced that Taz will be inducted into the 2300 Arena Hardcore Hall of Fame on Saturday.
On Thursday, Taz posted to Twitter reflecting on the moment, writing,
“I was completely blindsided and extremely surprised by this acknowledgment in Philadelphia last night at the 2300 Arena. THANK YOU to @TonyKhan, @AEW production, and all the talent on the roster for taking the time to recognize my contributions to the industry. To the fans — and for making sure my wife and son were right there next to me during it — words cannot describe what this meant to me. Thank you. Very much appreciated!”
I was completely blindsided & extremely surprised after this acknowledgment for me in Philadelphia last night at 2300 Arena. THANK YOU @TonyKhan & @aew production, all the talent on the roster for taking the time to acknowledge my contributions to the industry, all the fans &…
— taz (@OfficialTAZ) August 29, 2025
And finally, a new report has provided additional details on the potential arrival of AEW PPVs on HBO Max.
On Thursday, Andrew Zarian of “The Mat Men Pro Wrestling” podcast reported that an official announcement regarding AEW PPVs coming to the platform is expected “in the coming weeks.”
Fightful Select is reporting that sources close to the situation indicated that other platforms are expected to continue airing AEW PPVs even after their integration with HBO Max. Currently, AEW distributes PPVs through Prime Video domestically and Triller internationally, though Triller no longer carries them in the U.S. Despite this, HBO Max is expected to be promoted as the preferred platform for PPV purchases during AEW broadcasts.
The report highlights several potential pricing options. One idea is to have the cost of HBO Max subscriptions partially applied toward each AEW PPV purchase, while another would offer a $10 discount directly through the Max interface. There has been no discussion of making the shows available on HBO Max at no extra cost, which would require a major adjustment to AEW’s rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, as PPV revenue remains a significant source of income for the company.
When AEW initially announced its media rights deal with WBD — including plans to eventually bring PPVs to the platform — HBO Max (then called Max) was not yet equipped to handle live PPV or other purchase-type broadcasts. Some insiders were reportedly surprised by the early announcement.
