After last week’s Fyter Fest, AEW will be hosting a new television special this week, dubbed Summer Blockbuster. The event is set to air from the Theater of the Clouds at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
The upcoming four-hour show will be staged following on the heels of WWE Money in the Bank 2025. While the premium live event has made headlines due to the shocking return of R-Truth, the sports entertainment juggernaut became a target of criticism after WWE CCO Triple H implied that the veteran’s comeback was pre-planned, despite numerous reports to the contrary.
AEW has been riding a wave of momentum lately that it will surely want to sustain. As such, let us consider three things Tony Khan could do to try and produce a superior show to MITB 2025 with Summer Blockbuster.
#1. Cedric Alexander debuts in AEW to “hurt” MJF
After weeks of persuasion, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, and Bobby Lashley finally unanimously agreed to admit MJF into their ranks last month. The Wolf of Wrestling demonstrated his loyalty to the group by helping The Standard of Excellence and The All-Mighty retain their World Tag Team Titles against The Sons of Texas at Double or Nothing 2025.
Now a full-fledged member of the stable, Friedman is looking to climb his way back to the AEW World Championship picture. This week at Summer Blockbuster, however, MJF will team up with Benjamin and Lashley for the very first time to take on Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight, and Komander.
The Hurt Syndicate could dominate the entirety of the aforementioned trios match, only to eventually lose to the “international killers” due to outside interference. Such an angle could play out with MJF eating a shocking pinfall after being distracted by the unexpected debut of Cedric Alexander.
The former Hurt Business member could then reunite with his old stable-mates, and join them in kicking Friedman out of the group. He could furthermore replace the former AEW World Champion in his prospective Grand Slam Mexico singles match against Mistico, and be positioned by The Syndicate as their actual World Title candidate and new fourth man.
#2. Will Ospreay beats Swerve Strickland; ambushed by Jon Moxley and The Death Riders
Will Ospreay believes that Adam Page has all the goods needed to unseat Jon Moxley for the All Elite Wrestling World Title at All In: Texas, and bring the belt back to the locker-room. To counter the interference of the Death Riders, the world-renowned high-flyer proposed the formation of an alliance between him, The Cowboy and Swerve Strickland. Unfortunately, the idea was promptly shut down by the latter, who mutually refused to work alongside his sworn enemy.
Ospreay continued to assert that Page is AEW’s best bet at stopping Moxley, and so in order to make sure that Strickland is unable to sabotage the Virginia-native, he called out The Realest to a rematch set for Summer Blockbuster. Their much-hyped bout this Wednesday could end with The Aerial Assassin finally defeating Swerve. Instead of making up with his friend, however, Strickland could lash out at Ospreay and walk out on him, leaving him vulnerable to the Death Riders.
The One True King and his crew could descend on the former International Champion and brutalize him for his efforts at taking them down. If The Hangman arrives to make the save, Mox and company could lay him out as well, and send a clear, violent message to the AEW World Championship contender ahead of their showdown next month.
#3. Tony Khan introduces the AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles
AEW came under fire recently for booking only two women’s matches on its four-hour-long TV special, Fyter Fest, last week. The promotion had previously been called out by viewers for under-utilizing its women’s roster, despite the star-power and depth it currently possesses. The division has two singles titles right now – the TBS Title held by Mercedes Mone and the Women’s World Title held by Toni Storm. Both these women, however, are set to lock horns for Storm’s belt at All In: Texas.
With The CEO in pursuit of the Women’s Championship, the promotion’s women’s division finds itself without a title to work towards or build stories around on TV. Tony Khan could make up for this by officially introducing Women’s Tag Team Championships in AEW – something he expressed interest in doing recently. This Wednesday at Summer Blockbuster, TK could announce a tournament to crown the inaugural champions, with the finals being set to play out at All In 2025.
All Elite Wrestling boasts a range of female talent, some of whom already have tag partners (such as Julia Hart/Skye Blue, Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford and Tay/Jay, etc). The promotion can start building angles and storylines for these performers enroute to All In: Texas and inject fresh competitive stakes on its programming with a brand new set of tag titles, which would hopefully translate into increased screen time and opportunities for the roster.
Edited by Harish Raj S
