Category: Articles

How do AEW and WWE programs rank over time?

As different sources like Showbuzz Daily and SpoilerTV have stopped consistently reporting rankings data and now Programming Insider picking back up, with slightly narrower reporting criteria, it’s made tracking this metric harder to follow. I’ve tried to consolidate all that historical data going back to 2019 here.

Because Programming Insider reports narrower criteria of cable programs (including only originals in primetime, as opposed to cable originals throughout the day as Showbuzz and SpoilerTV formerly reported), I’ve narrowed all the historical rankings data we’ve collected based on the Programming Insider criteria. I determined whether a given program was in fact in primetime based on whether the majority of its duration occurred between 8:00 pm and 11:00 pm ET.

Rankings — where the program ranks among all other telecasts on its given day — are probably the most telling measure of a program’s media value.

I chose to aggregate the rankings by median to avoid allowing one-off low rankings to strongly affect a quarterly result. Year-quarters are used here to allow for seasonal comparisons, for example, Raw’s ranking is lower in Q4 because of NFL competition.

Programs that consistently rank highly tend to be highly valuable to their networks; those that rank less highly, are less so.

AEW, WWE live events market-to-market comparison for August 2024

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All data represent tickets distributed estimates by WrestleTix.

AEW: same-market, same-event type comparisons for August 2024

  • -39% on 8/1/2024 in Arlington, TX for Collision: 811 (from 1,333 on 7/27/2024)

  • +53% on 8/10/2024 in Arlington, TX for Collision: 1,240 (from 811 on 8/1/2024)

  • -6% on 8/14/2024 in Norfolk, VA for Dynamite: 3,232 (from 3,431 on 10/26/2022)

  • +4% on 8/17/2024 in Arlington, TX for Collision: 1,293 (from 1,240 on 8/10/2024)

  • -35% on 8/25/2024 in London, England for PPV: 53,922 (from 83,131 on 8/27/2023)

WWE: same-market, same-event type comparisons for August 2024

  • -0% on 8/2/2024 in Cleveland, OH for Smackdown: 10,242 (from 10,255 on 7/23/2021)

    +8% on 8/5/2024 in Baltimore, MD for Raw: 11,168 (from 10,343 on 7/3/2023)

    -1% on 8/9/2024 in Tulsa, OK for Smackdown: 10,686 (from 10,786 on 10/13/2023)

    +15% on 8/16/2024 in Orlando, FL for Smackdown: 14,136 (from 12,287 on 7/21/2023)

    +0% on 8/18/2024 in Estero, FL for House show: 4,972 (from 4,948 on 7/29/2023)

    +2% on 8/23/2024 in Washington, DC for Smackdown: 13,707 (from 13,475 on 3/3/2023)

    +18% on 8/26/2024 in Providence, RI for Raw: 9,111 (from 7,720 on 3/13/2023)

    +9% on 8/28/2024 in Stuttgart, Germany for House show: 4,065 (from 3,725 on 10/31/2022)

Methodology

“Same-market, same-event type comparison” here means we’re looking at the estimated tickets distributed and comparing that number against the last time the same event type was in that market.

This is the most meaningful way I’ve found to assess live event business. It allows us to avoid problems with comparing different markets to one another (e.g., New York, NY tends to have bigger crowds than Huntsville, AL) and different event types (e.g., PPVs draw better than Raw or Smackdown, which draw better than house shows).

Note that a small number of events did not have ticket maps available and therefore WrestleTix did not provide an estimate for those events.

brandon@wrestlenomics.com

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Top YouTube videos for WWE, AEW, and other companies: August 1, 2024 – August 31, 2024

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WWE top YouTube Videos: August 1, 2024 – August 31, 2024


1. Roman Reigns rocks the WWE Universe with SummerSlam return: SummerSlam 2024 highlights: ย 4,997,972 ย [Link]
2. Full SummerSlam 2024 highlights: ย 4,571,428 ย [Link]
3. FULL SEGMENT: Roman Reigns lays waste to The Bloodline: SmackDown, Aug. 9, 2024: ย 3,721,380 ย [Link]
4. Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley โ€“ Womenโ€™s World Championship Match: SummerSlam 2024 highlights: ย 3,226,231 ย [Link]
5. Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa โ€“ Undisputed WWE Championship Match: SummerSlam 2024 highlights: ย 2,976,323 ย [Link]
6. FULL SEGMENT: The Bloodline assault Roman Reigns: SmackDown highlights, Aug. 16, 2024: ย 2,319,669 ย [Link]
7. The Judgment Day appears to implode at SummerSlam: SummerSlam highlights: ย 1,992,624 ย [Link]
8. Finn Bรกlor and Liv Morgan reveal the new Judgment Day: Raw highlights, Aug. 5, 2024: ย 1,733,006 ย [Link]
9. 12 brutal Roman Reigns attacks: WWE Playlist: ย 1,701,594 ย [Link]
10. โ€œDirtyโ€ Dom kisses Liv Morgan and betrays Rhea Ripley: SummerSlam 2024 highlights: ย 1,661,689 ย [Link]
11. Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest are coming for the “new” Judgment Day: Raw exclusive, Aug. 5, 2024: ย 1,603,097 ย [Link]
12. Every Roman Reigns return: WWE Playlist: ย 1,472,519 ย [Link]
13. Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest dispel the new Judgment Day: Raw highlights, Aug. 5, 2024: ย 1,464,294 ย [Link]
14. Full WWE Bash in Berlin 2024 highlights: ย 1,396,941 ย [Link]
15. Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest repel a Judgment Day onslaught: Raw highlights, Aug. 12, 2024: ย 1,344,085 ย [Link]
16. Jacob Fatu annihilates Roman Reigns: SmackDown highlights, Aug. 16, 2024: ย 1,335,791 ย [Link]
17. Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest vs. Liv Morgan & Dominik Mysterio: WWE Bash in Berlin 2024 highlights: ย 1,331,067 ย [Link]
18. The Judgment Day destroy Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley: Raw highlights, Aug. 19, 2024: ย 1,321,549 ย [Link]
19. CM Punk, Drew McIntyre and Seth โ€œFreakinโ€ Rollinsโ€™ intense confrontation: Raw, Aug. 5, 2024: ย 1,055,863 ย [Link]
20. FULL MATCH: The Wyatt Sicks vs. Chad Gable & The Creed Brothers: Raw, Aug. 5, 2024: ย 1,041,717 ย [Link]
21. Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley โ€“ Road to SummerSlam 2024: WWE Playlist: ย 1,000,197 ย [Link]
22. UNSEEN: Roman Reigns’ aftermath of Bloodline decimation: SmackDown exclusive, Aug. 9, 2024: ย 978,973 ย [Link]
23. Damian Priest vs. Gunther โ€“ World Heavyweight Championship Match: SummerSlam 2024 highlights: ย 974,684 ย [Link]
24. Behind the scenes of Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan’s intense SummerSlam Match: ย 973,813 ย [Link]
25. Logan Paul vs. LA Knight โ€“ United States Championship Match: SummerSlam 2024 highlights: ย 968,840 ย [Link]
Note: Excluded from this listing are any videos with titles that a) contain “Top 10” or b) starts with “Raw” and contains “moments” or c) starts with “SmackDown” and contains “moments” or d) starts with “FULL MATCH”, or e) contains “highlights: “.

AEW top YouTube Videos: August 1, 2024 – August 31, 2024


1. Whatโ€™s on the mind of the returning Jon Moxley?! | 8/28/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 500,358 ย [Link]
2. MJF denounces his American citizenship and has a message for Daniel Garcia! | 8/28/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 425,286 ย [Link]
3. MJF and Will Ospreay come FACE to FACE! | 8/21/24 AEW Dynamite: ย 399,311 ย [Link]
4. Bryan Danielson HELD NOTHING BACK and Confronts Swerve Strickland! | 8/21/24 AEW Dynamite: ย 341,770 ย [Link]
5. What’s next for the NEW AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson? | 8/28/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 340,452 ย [Link]
6. Ricochet makes his AEW Dynamite DEBUT vs Callis Familyโ€™s Kyle Fletcher! | 8/28/24 AEW Dynamite: ย 330,093 ย [Link]
7. ANYTHING GOES! Bryan Danielson proves to Jeff Jarrett that heโ€™s โ€œALL INโ€! | 8/7/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 298,948 ย [Link]
8. MJF, AEW American Champion, faces off with the “Protostar” Kyle Fletcher! | 8/7/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 280,001 ย [Link]
9. Hangman Page comes face-to-face with his mortal enemy: Swerve Strickland! | 8/28/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 253,088 ย [Link]
10. The Patriarchy, AEW World Trios Champs, confronted by Bang Bang Gang & HOB! | 8/3/24, AEW Collision: ย 246,191 ย [Link]
11. CEO vs DMD | Mercedes Monรฉ and Britt Baker Sign the Contract for All In London| 8/21/24 AEW Dynamite: ย 231,069 ย [Link]
12. NEW AEW Women’s World Champion, Mariah May, brings The Glamour to Champaign! | 8/28/24 AEW Dynamite: ย 222,661 ย [Link]
13. HOOK faces a BIG challenge before fighting Chris Jericho at All In London! | 8/24/24 AEW Collision: ย 217,464 ย [Link]
14. AEW Champ Swerve Strickland looks to make an example of Wheeler Yuta!| 8/14/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 217,326 ย [Link]
15. Will Ospreayโ€™s INCREDIBLE Assassin’s Creed inspired entrance at All In | 8/25/2024 AEW All In London: ย 208,970 ย [Link]
16. Who heads to London? Mercedes Monรฉ (c) vs Hikaru Shida for the TBS Title! | 8/14/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 186,080 ย [Link]
17. Bang Bang Gang vs House of Black! Who will face Patriarchy at AEW All In? | 8/10/24, AEW Collision: ย 184,499 ย [Link]
18. Who will go to Wembley? Toni Storm (c) vs Saraya for the Championship! | 8/21/24 AEW Dynamite: ย 176,185 ย [Link]
19. AEW Womenโ€™s Champ, Toni Storm, gives Saraya a birthday gift! | 8/16/24, AEW Rampage: ย 164,511 ย [Link]
20. Sammy Guevara REUNITES with Dustin Rhodes vs Undisputed Kingdom for the ROH Tag Team Championship!: ย 154,521 ย [Link]
21. All In London! Relive one of the BIGGEST NIGHTS in AEW History ON DEMAND NOW! | 8/25/24: ย 153,617 ย [Link]
22. The Outcastsโ€™ Saraya clashes with the โ€œNative Beastโ€ Nyla Rose! | 8/9/24, AEW Rampage: ย 152,902 ย [Link]
23. Mariah May receives a gift from AEW Womenโ€™s World Champion, Toni Storm?! | 8/7/24, AEW Dynamite: ย 150,025 ย [Link]
24. The Acclaimed finally get their shot at AEW Tag Team Champs, the Young Bucks! | 8/14/24 AEW Dynamite: ย 145,967 ย [Link]
25. AEW Womenโ€™s Champion, Toni Storm, is a woman POSSESSED! | 8/3/24, AEW Collision: ย 144,253 ย [Link]

Other wrestling companies’ top YouTube Videos: August 1, 2024 – August 31, 2024


1.tnawrestling : JOHN LAYFIELD Crosses the Line in TNA! | TNA Emergence 2024 Highlights: ย 518,642 ย [Link]
2.tnawrestling : ANYTHING GOES! Grace vs. Ash for the Knockouts World Title! | TNA iMPACT! August 29, 2024: ย 249,091 ย [Link]
3.tnawrestling : Hardys, Hendry & Santana Bring the FIGHT to The System | TNA iMPACT! August 22, 2024: ย 196,463 ย [Link]
4.tnawrestling : Who Left iMPACT! as TNA World Champion? | TNA iMPACT! August 15, 2024: ย 191,725 ย [Link]
5.luchalibreaaatv : LO MEJOR DE TRIPLEMANรA XXXII CDMX | LUCHA LIBRE AAA WORLDWIDE: ย 176,916 ย [Link]
6.tnawrestling : Matt Cardona RUINS the Wedding of PCO & Steph De Lander | TNA iMPACT! August 1, 2024: ย 165,018 ย [Link]
7.luchalibreaaatv : PATROฬN vs NEMETH y EL OJO | Triplemania XXXII | Lucha Libre AAA: ย 149,798 ย [Link]
8.luchalibreaaatv : TRIPLEMANIA XXXII CDMX | Lucha Libre AAA: ย 141,364 ย [Link]
9.luchalibreaaatv : ยกLUCHA EN JAULA DE ALTO CALIBRE! | Verano de Escรกndalo | Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.: ย 141,171 ย [Link]
10.luchalibreaaatv : VERANO DE ESCAฬNDALO 2024 | ORรGENES | Lucha Libre AAA: ย 137,224 ย [Link]
11.luchalibreaaatv : DOMO DE LA MUERTE en Triplemania XXXII CDMX | Lucha Libre AAA: ย 131,641 ย [Link]
12.tnawrestling : Joe Hendry BATTLES NXT’s Wolfgang | TNA iMPACT! August 8, 2024: ย 114,896 ย [Link]
13.New Japan Pro Wrestling (Japanese) : ใ€ๆ–ฐๆ—ฅๆœฌใƒ—ใƒญใƒฌใ‚นใ€‘2024ๅนดไธŠๅŠๆœŸใƒใ‚คใƒฉใ‚คใƒˆใ€1.4ๆฑไบฌใƒ‰ใƒผใƒ ใ€œ8.18ไธกๅ›ฝๅ›ฝๆŠ€้คจใ€‘: ย 113,753 ย [Link]
14.nwa : WORLD TITLE 4 WAY – Nick Aldis vs Sam Shaw vs Trevor Murdoch vs Thom Latimer: ย 92,894 ย [Link]
15.STARDOMofficial : ใ€ใ‚นใ‚ฟใƒผใƒ€ใƒ ใ€‘๏ผ˜ใƒป๏ผ“๏ผ‘ใ€Ž5โ˜…STAR GP 2024๏ฝžๅ„ชๅ‹ๆฑบๅฎšๆˆฆ๏ฝžใ€ๆฑไบฌใƒปๆญฆ่”ต้‡Žใฎๆฃฎ็ทๅˆใ‚นใƒใƒผใƒ„ใƒ—ใƒฉใ‚ถ ใƒกใ‚คใƒณใ‚ขใƒชใƒผใƒŠใ€€ใƒใƒƒใ‚ฏใ‚นใƒ†ใƒผใ‚ธใ‚ณใƒกใƒณใƒˆใ€STARDOMใ€‘: ย 86,319 ย [Link]
16.majorleaguewrestling : MLW Never Say Never 2024: ย 78,478 ย [Link]
17.luchalibreaaatv : UฬLTIMA LUCHA de VAMPIRO en CDMX | Triplemania XXXII | Lucha Libre AAA: ย 73,867 ย [Link]
18.tnawrestling : Ash and Her Most ELEGANT Matches in TNA!: ย 70,913 ย [Link]
19.STARDOMofficial : ใ€ใ‚นใ‚ฟใƒผใƒ€ใƒ ใ€‘ๅˆ€็พ…ใƒŠใƒ„ใ‚ณใŒไธญ้‡ŽใŸใ‚€ใฎ้ซชใฎๆฏ›ใ‚’ๅˆ‡ใ‚‹ๅคงๆšดๆŒ™๏ผ่ฉฆๅˆใƒใ‚คใƒฉใ‚คใƒˆ ใ‚ขใƒผใƒ†ใ‚ฃใ‚นใƒˆ็Ž‹ๅบงๆˆฆ ่ˆž่ฏ๏ผ†็™ฝๅทๆœชๅฅˆ๏ผ†ใ‚ธใƒผใƒŠ vs ใชใคใฝใ„๏ผ†ๅฎ‰็ดใ‚ตใ‚ชใƒช๏ผ†ไธญ้‡ŽใŸใ‚€๏ผ-8.4้™ๅฒกใƒปๆตœๆพๅคงไผš-ใ€STARDO…: ย 70,865 ย [Link]
20.STARDOMofficial : ใ€ใ‚นใ‚ฟใƒผใƒ€ใƒ ใ€‘๏ผ˜ใƒป๏ผ”ใ€ŽSTARDOM in HAMAMATSU 2024 Aug.ใ€้™ๅฒกใƒปใ‚ขใ‚ฏใƒˆใ‚ทใƒ†ใ‚ฃๆตœๆพ ๅฑ•็คบใ‚คใƒ™ใƒณใƒˆใƒ›ใƒผใƒซใ€€ใƒใƒƒใ‚ฏใ‚นใƒ†ใƒผใ‚ธใ‚ณใƒกใƒณใƒˆใ€STARDOMใ€‘: ย 67,778 ย [Link]
21.STARDOMofficial : ใ€ใ‚นใ‚ฟใƒผใƒ€ใƒ ใ€‘๏ผ˜ใƒป๏ผ‘๏ผใ€Ž5โ˜…STAR GP 2024ใ€œ้–‹ๅน•ๆˆฆใ€œใ€็ฅžๅฅˆๅทใƒปๆจชๆตœๆญฆ้“้คจใ€€ใƒใƒƒใ‚ฏใ‚นใƒ†ใƒผใ‚ธใ‚ณใƒกใƒณใƒˆใ€STARDOMใ€‘: ย 65,256 ย [Link]
22.NEWJAPANPROWRESTLINGGLOBAL : FREE FULL PPV EVENT: NJPW Resurgence 2024: ย 64,643 ย [Link]
23.STARDOMofficial : ใ€5โ˜…STAR GP 2024ใ€‘๏ผ˜ใƒป๏ผ’๏ผ˜ใ€Ž5โ˜…STAR GP 2024 in SHINJUKUใ€ๆฑไบฌใƒปๆ–ฐๅฎฟ๏ผฆ๏ผก๏ผฃ๏ผฅใ€€ๅคงไผšใƒใ‚คใƒฉใ‚คใƒˆใ€ใ‚นใ‚ฟใƒผใƒ€ใƒ ใ€‘: ย 63,511 ย [Link]
24.luchalibreaaatv : ESPECIAL RUMBO A VERANO DE ESCAฬNDALO 2024 | Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide: ย 62,053 ย [Link]
25.STARDOMofficial : ใ€ใ‚นใ‚ฟใƒผใƒ€ใƒ ใ€‘ๅฐๆณขใŒๆœฑ้‡Œใ‚’่ฃๅˆ‡ใ‚Š๏ผๅธซๅผŸๆ„›ใฎ็ต†ใ‚’่ธใฟใซใ˜ใ‚‹๏ผ่ฉฆๅˆใƒใ‚คใƒฉใ‚คใƒˆ ใ‚ดใƒƒใƒ‡ใ‚น็Ž‹ๅบงๆˆฆ ๆœฑ้‡Œ๏ผ†ๅฐๆณข vs ๆธก่พบๆกƒ๏ผ†ใƒ†ใ‚ฏใƒฉ๏ผ-7.23ๅพŒๆฅฝๅœ’ใƒ›ใƒผใƒซๅคงไผš-ใ€STARDOMใ€‘: ย 61,030 ย [Link]

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Most matches, most promotions count for August 2024

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Most matches and most promotions counts are based on extensive but incomplete match records from cagematch.net.

Report generated automatically by Wrestlenomics.

Monthly counts for Aug 2024

Aug 2024: Worldwide, most matches
1. Mistico: 22
1. Martin Kirby: 22
3. Fuminori Abe: 21
4. Syuou Fujiwara: 20
4. Yuya Aoki: 20
6. Shota Nakagawa: 19
6. Hideyoshi Kamitani: 19
6. Yasufumi Nakanoue: 19
9. Tom Fulton: 18
9. Brahman Shu: 18
9. Takuya Nomura: 18
9. Brahman Kei: 18
9. Kota Sekifuda: 18
9. Toshiki Iwaki: 18
9. Masahiro Takanashi: 18

Aug 2024: U.S./Canada, most matches
1. Alec Price: 14
2. Great Tiger: 13
3. Derek Dillinger: 12
3. Mike Bailey: 12
5. Masha Slamovich: 11
5. Shaun Martens: 11
5. Katie Arquette: 11
5. Joe Hendry: 11
5. David Lawless: 11
10. Keven Gray: 10
10. Arez: 10
10. Rich Swann: 10
10. Jake Something: 10
10. Jimmy Lloyd: 10
10. TJ Crawford: 10
10. Matt Vandagriff: 10
10. Jason Hendrix: 10
10. Kevin Cannon: 10
10. Danny Duggan: 10
10. Megan Bayne: 10
10. Bryce Donovan: 10
10. Cowpoke Paul: 10

Aug 2024: United Kingdom/Ireland, most matches
1. Martin Kirby: 22
2. Tom Fulton: 18
3. Ricky Regan: 15
4. Joseph Conners: 13
5. NIWA: 12
6. TK Cooper: 10
6. Alan Lee Travis: 10
6. James Ellis: 10
6. Alex Connors: 10
10. Jack Knudsen: 9
10. Sheikh El Sham: 9
10. Zozaya: 9
10. Tucker: 9
10. Nina Samuels: 9
10. Luke Kyro: 9

Aug 2024: Mexico, most matches
1. Mistico: 19
2. Mascara Dorada: 15
2. Templario: 15
4. Esfinge: 14
4. Volador Jr.: 14
6. Flip Gordon: 13
6. Titan: 13
6. Ultimo Guerrero: 13
9. Soberano Jr.: 12
9. Atlantis Jr.: 12

Aug 2024: Japan, most matches
1. Fuminori Abe: 21
2. Syuou Fujiwara: 20
2. Yuya Aoki: 20
4. Hideyoshi Kamitani: 19
4. Yasufumi Nakanoue: 19
4. Shota Nakagawa: 19
7. Masahiro Takanashi: 18
7. Kota Sekifuda: 18
7. Brahman Kei: 18
7. Takuya Nomura: 18
7. Brahman Shu: 18
7. Toshiki Iwaki: 18

Aug 2024: Rest of the world, most matches
1. Liam Erikson: 12
2. Sir Mr. Burns: 9
2. Nia Jax: 9
2. Mike D Vecchio: 9
2. Tyler Ernst: 9
6. Feyyaz Aguila: 8
6. Alex Duke: 8
6. Ray Gunn: 8
6. Cody Kidman: 8
6. Bayley: 8

Aug 2024: Worldwide, most promotionsย appeared for
1. Shigehiro Irie: 10
1. Cowpoke Paul: 10
3. David Lawless: 9
3. Mistico: 9
5. Keven Gray: 8
5. Nina Samuels: 8
5. James Ellis: 8
5. Shazza McKenzie: 8
9. Alec Price: 7
9. Jack Knudsen: 7
9. Shuji Ishikawa: 7
9. Riara: 7
9. Vito Fratelli: 7
9. Lou Nixon: 7
9. Juni Underwood: 7
9. Alex Connors: 7
9. Dustin Waller: 7
9. TK Cooper: 7
9. Psycho Clown: 7
9. Jason Joshua: 7
9. Mike Bailey: 7
9. Jimmy Lloyd: 7
9. Gorgeous Gregory: 7
9. Arisa Nakajima: 7
9. Mike D Vecchio: 7
9. Dreya Mitchell: 7
9. Fuminori Abe: 7
9. Rina Yamashita: 7
9. Brayden Toon: 7
9. Miyuki Takase: 7
9. Jason Hendrix: 7
9. TJ Crawford: 7

Year-to-date counts through Aug 2024

2024 year-to-date: Worldwide, most matches
1. Fuminori Abe: 170
2. Mistico: 157
3. Fukigen Death/Kaori Yoneyama: 151
4. Shaun Martens: 136
5. Mascara Dorada : 129
6. Martin Kirby: 126
7. Yuya Aoki: 123
7. Takuya Nomura: 123
9. Masahiro Takanashi: 121
9. Hideyoshi Kamitani: 121

2024 year-to-date: U.S./Canada, most matches
1. Shaun Martens: 136
2. Danny Duggan: 112
3. Alec Price: 95
3. Bobby Sharp: 95
5. Mike Bailey: 93
6. Camikaze: 90
7. Kat Von Heez: 84
8. Dustin Waller: 80
9. Marcus Mathers: 78
10. Ichiban : 77

2024 year-to-date: United Kingdom/Ireland, most matches
1. Martin Kirby: 126
2. NIWA: 103
3. Sheikh El Sham: 80
4. BT Gunn: 64
5. Joey Hayes: 63
6. Harley Hudson: 59
7. Jason Joshua: 58
8. Alex Connors: 55
9. James Ellis: 54
10. Connor Mills: 52

2024 year-to-date: Mexico, most matches
1. Mistico: 132
2. Mascara Dorada : 117
3. Volador Jr.: 99
4. Templario : 95
5. Flip Gordon: 94
6. Euforia: 86
7. Soberano Jr.: 82
8. Esfinge : 81
9. Ultimo Guerrero: 80
9. Angel de Oro: 80

2024 year-to-date: Japan, most matches
1. Fuminori Abe: 164
2. Fukigen Death/Kaori Yoneyama: 150
3. Dragon Dia: 120
3. Yuya Aoki: 120
5. Masahiro Takanashi: 118
5. Takuya Nomura: 118
7. Hideyoshi Kamitani: 116
7. Kazumasa Yoshida: 116
9. Kota Sekifuda: 115
10. ISHIN: 114
10. Daisuke Sekimoto: 114

2024 year-to-date: Rest of the world, most matches
1. Feyyaz Aguila: 48
2. Nick Schreier: 47
3. Peter Tihanyi: 45
4. Mike D Vecchio: 43
5. Alex Duke: 42
6. Laurance Roman: 40
6. Tuckman: 40
8. Tristan Archer: 39
9. Liam Erikson: 38
11. Tie (4) wrestlers: 37

2024 year-to-date: Worldwide, most promotionsย appeared for
1. Shigehiro Irie: 77
2. Joji Otani: 69
3. Makoto: 66
4. Mike Bailey: 64
5. Fuminori Abe: 63
5. Fukigen Death/Kaori Yoneyama: 63
7. Marcus Mathers: 62
8. Konaka: 61
9. Alec Price: 60
10. Minoru Fujita: 59
10. Momoka Hanazono: 59

[/ppp_patron_only]

Kevin Kelly, Brent and Brandon Tate file lawsuit against AEW for breach of contract, defamation

By Jack Wannan

This report has been co-published with POST Wrestling

** UPDATED ARTICLE ** 

Sports Illustratedโ€™s Steven Muehlhausen received the following comment from AEW P.R.: 

AEW does not comment on pending litigation.

** ORIGINAL ARTICLE **

Commentator Kevin Kelly along with wrestling duo Brent and Brandon Tate have filed a lawsuit against AEW, making a wide range of accusations following their respective departures from the promotion earlier this year.

Allegations of breach of contract, misclassification of an employee as a contract worker, and defamation were made by the trio of plaintiffs this week in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Trial Division.

The formal complaint, which was notably redacted in some parts to protect details of the plaintiffsโ€™ talent contracts, has been obtained by POST Wrestling.

Kelly claims wrongful termination, says he was defamed by co-worker

Kevin Foote (also known as Kevin Kelly), a long-time NJPW commentator who was hired by AEW in 2023 to join the promotionโ€™s new Saturday show Collision, claims he was wrongfully terminated from his deal earlier this year and defamed by broadcast partner Ian Riccaboni in the process.

Footeโ€™s departure from AEW came around the time that he allegedly had a dispute with comments made online by Riccaboni, the lawsuit outlined.

Riccaboni, a named co-defendant in the complaint, is mentioned in the suit due to comments he made online following Footeโ€™s endorsement of the U.S. film โ€œSound of Freedom.โ€ The movie has been criticized by anti-trafficking advocates as an unfair representation of child trafficking, with some drawing similarities to conspiracy theories shared by far-right group QAnon.

According to the lawsuit, Riccaboni posted that he had โ€œno idea [Foote] was going to promote QAnon movies โ€ฆ I suppose that his name was always in the mix but that QAnon stuff breaks my heart a little bit.โ€

Foote strongly disputed any ties to QAnon, and argued being linked to the group caused significant damage to his reputation.

The lawsuit claims Riccaboni โ€œintentionally and unjustifiably interfered with the relationship between AEW and Plaintiff Foote.โ€ It was also alleged that Foote suffered mental health and marital relationship issues due to the comment.

Foote claims he filed a complaint within AEW following the comment and was told that Riccaboni was punished for the action, but was never given further details on how he was affected.

The lawsuit also claims that AEW had โ€œtortious interference with contract or business relationshipโ€ allegedly preventing Foote from commentating NJPWโ€™s 2024 โ€œAll Togetherโ€ card in May.

Tate Brothers claim Khan defamed them with โ€œno-showโ€ comments

The Tate brothers allege that AEW President Khan falsely said the wrestlers were let go from the promotion after not showing up to events, despite being told that they were being cut โ€œpurportedly due to budget cuts.โ€

In early April, the Tate brothers were among a wave of cuts AEW made. The duo were most known for their work as โ€œThe Boysโ€ alongside ROH talent Dalton Castle. When asked about the reason why he let the team go, Khan mentioned during a media call that they โ€œdidnโ€™t show upโ€ for events.

โ€œ[The Tate brothers] didnโ€™t show up for work on more than one occasion,โ€ Khan said on the call in April. โ€œAnd itโ€™s not acceptable and I think the whole locker room knew about it and you canโ€™t do that and thatโ€™s it and thatโ€™s why I had to make a tough call.โ€

โ€œThis statement is demonstrably unproven and false,โ€ the complaint states.

The termination of their contracts resulted in not being paid the remaining amounts of their deals, not being paid royalty amounts or travel expenses, the complaint says.

Lawsuit looks to invalidate arbitration clause, classify AEW talent as employees

The lawsuit also features complaints about an arbitration provision that both Foote and the Tate brothers are subject to through their AEW agreements, which would require them to resolve any legal disputes with the promotion through private mediation instead of in public court. The plaintiffs argue that the clause is โ€œunconscionable and unenforceable.โ€

Claims that the plaintiffs were not provided with a comprehensive list of rules and procedures around arbitration, were not advised regarding the limitations of the discovery process, and had no ability to proceed in forma pauperis, were among the reasons why they deemed the agreement โ€œunreasonably fair to AEW.โ€

The complaint also mentions that AEW talent and wrestlers are misclassified as contract workers when they should be considered employees.

A long list of requirements from the promotion was included in the complaint, arguing that the degree of control involved with being an AEW talent or wrestler entails that they are employees and not contractors.

โ€œAEW has extensive policies and procedures implemented at their sole discretion that are applicable to the Talent and Wrestlers inside the ring; on AEW premises; and outside of the ring, such as the policies regarding social media,โ€ the plaintiffsโ€™ attorneys wrote, concluding that โ€œTalent and Wrestlers are misclassified as independent contractors when they are, in fact, employees.โ€

The parties involved in this case filed in Philadelphia County court are from a variety of states. Foote and Riccaboni are residents of Pennsylvania. The Tate twins are residents of Tennessee, and Khan is a resident of Florida. AEW is headquartered in Florida and registered as a Delaware company.

โ€œThere is no diversity jurisdiction,โ€ the plaintiffsโ€™ lead attorney Stephen P. New told us by email on Wednesday, explaining why the lawsuit is filed in Pennsylvania and not in federal court. โ€œRiccaboni is a resident of Pennsylvania and so is Foote. Tony Khanโ€™s defamatory remarks were made in Philly thus venue is appropriate there as well.โ€

We contacted AEW representatives for comment on this report. If we receive a response, weโ€™ll update this article.

Brandon Thurston contributed to this report.