Welcome along to the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling’s AEW News & Rumor Roundup. Today, we are looking at major stories involving top pro-wrestling stars, including Brock Lesnar and the New Day.
A popular veteran believes Brock Lesnar will never return to WWE. Meanwhile, the Stamford-based promotion allegedly forced a Hall of Famer to retire, and a top AEW star is set to miss this week’s Dynamite. We’ve got some exciting All Elite Wrestling news to share with you all today, so without further delay, let’s get this roundup underway.
#5. Jeff Jarrett says Brock Lesnar is never returning to WWE
Brock Lesnar officially ended his in-ring career at WrestleMania 42 after suffering a shocking defeat to Oba Femi. Following the high-stakes match, the Beast Incarnate left his boots and gloves in the ring, hugged Paul Heyman, and thanked the fans in attendance to signal his retirement. Recently, AEW personality Jeff Jarrett shared his insights on Lesnar’s departure during an episode of his podcast, My World with Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett suggested that WWE and TKO attempted to renegotiate Lesnar’s contract, but the lack of a lucrative deal prompted The Beast to walk away from the company, even skipping the SummerSlam event held in his home state of Minnesota.
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“If they want him (Brock Lesnar) gone, there is no leverage. He’s gone. He said, ‘Hey, I’m out of here. No need to even talk about SummerSlam, you’re not gonna pay me. It’s fixed revenue. No need.’ So, what do you mean?”
It must be noted that WWE has officially moved Lesnar’s profile to the alumni section of their roster page.
#4. Jeff Jarrett says AJ Styles’ retirement was rushed by WWE
WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles officially retired from professional wrestling after passing out to Gunther’s Sleeper Hold in a career-threatening match at the 2026 Royal Rumble. However, AEW veteran Jeff Jarrett recently revealed that this departure was largely forced by corporate decisions. Speaking on his podcast, Jarrett called Styles’ exit a rushed retirement, explaining that WWE and TKO were undergoing budget cuts and chose not to renew his contract. Jarrett noted that the company wanted to restructure the deal immediately, leaving Styles with limited options and ultimately leading to his decision to end his in-ring career at the Saudi Arabia event.
“The AJ, I call it the rushed retirement. That was, it certainly appears, no it’s not Unreal. It was, ‘No we’re not renewing your deal. As a matter of fact, we want to restructure right now.’ And he said, ‘Okay, let’s call it a career in Saudi,'” said Jarrett
Despite stepping away from active competition, the 48-year-old veteran is still involved with the sports entertainment juggernaut in a backstage capacity.
#3. Kazuchika Okada reportedly left USA and will miss AEW Dynamite; replaced by Konosuke Takeshita for major match
The landscape of All Elite Wrestling shifted dramatically when Darby Allin dethroned Maxwell Jacob Friedman to capture his first AEW World Championship. After defending the title against TNT Champion Kevin Knight, Allin was confronted and challenged by reigning AEW International Champion Kazuchika Okada. The massive champion-versus-champion bout was officially booked for this week’s episode of Dynamite, but fans were surprised when Okada was suddenly replaced by his Don Callis Family stablemate, Konosuke Takeshita.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, this sudden card change is not part of a storyline angle. The report clarified that Kazuchika Okada has left the United States and returned to Japan to handle personal family matters. Consequently, Tony Khan had to pivot and slot Takeshita into the marquee matchup against the new world champion.
#2. Young Bucks title the latest Being The Elite episode: “It’s A New Day”
The professional wrestling community was stunned when legendary tag team competitors Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston mutually parted ways with WWE. Following their departure, speculation has run rampant that the multi-time champions could be heading to Tony Khan’s promotion to bolster the tag team division. Adding fuel to these rumors, AEW Executive Vice Presidents The Young Bucks recently dropped a massive tease on X. Nick and Matt Jackson announced they would host a watch-along for episode 107 of Being the Elite, titled “It’s A New Day” and featuring cameo appearances from Woods, Kingston, and Big E.
As fans eagerly anticipate a potential dream match between the two iconic tag teams, it will be interesting to see whether The New Day will make their way to All Elite Wrestling in the near future.
#1. Brian Cage Drops Return Tease; Looks Insanely Different
Brian Cage has been absent from AEW programming for over 400 days after a severe injury sustained at an independent show. However, the former FTW Champion has completed his recovery and recently returned to in-ring action on the independent circuit, suggesting a television comeback could be imminent. The Machine, who is also a member of the Don Callis family, recently took to social media to share a video of his intense gym session, looking noticeably different and more muscular than before.
In the caption of his post on X, Cage boasted about having the best physique in the biz and directly teased his impending AEW return.
“Best physique in the biz. When I’m back on TV it’ll be the best version you’ve seen of me,” he wrote.
Check out his X post here.
It will be interesting to see what Tony Khan will have planned for Cage once he makes his long-overdue return to All Elite Wrestling.
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Edited by Karan Raj