Welcome to the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling’s AEW News & Rumor Roundup. Today, we are looking at stories involving top pro-wrestling stars, including Bully Ray, Jon Moxley, and Toni Storm, among others.
A new report has revealed the real reason WWE veteran Bully Ray recently targeted Jon Moxley. Details about Toni Storm’s canceled plans for the AEW All In 2026 pay-per-view have surfaced, and a popular international star has finally returned to Tony Khan’s promotion. We’ve got some exciting news to cover today, so let’s dive into the roundup.
#5. Bully Ray targeting Jon Moxley to get a reaction out of AEW, says veteran analyst
Bully Ray has recently been highly critical of Jon Moxley, throwing out serious threats and insults toward the company’s top star. On a recent episode of his podcast, Bully Ray went on a tear, calling the Purveyor of Violence a fake tough guy and a fraud, even claiming that he could easily beat up the Purveyor of Violence if he wanted to. The WWE veteran has also been heavily critical of the booking of Mox’s Death Riders faction.
Fans have been wondering exactly what the wrestling legend was trying to accomplish by publicly bashing a major star like Moxley, who is a record 4-time AEW World Champion. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer recently offered some insight into the situation, responding to a fan on X/Twitter to explain the backstage reason behind the threats. Meltzer claimed that Bully Ray is simply working an angle, strongly hinting that the veteran is deliberately trying to provoke a reaction from AEW stars to spin off a storyline and shift the spotlight entirely onto himself.
#4. Bully Ray responds to Josh Barnett’s defense of Jon Moxley
Bully Ray’s inflammatory comments about Jon Moxley and the Death Riders have generated massive buzz and online backlash. Jon Moxley’s longtime friend and fellow professional wrestler, Josh Barnett, stepped up to the plate and offered to fight Bully Ray on Moxley’s behalf. Refusing to back down, Bully Ray directly responded to Barnett’s post on X, claiming that he can handle himself perfectly fine and fight his own battles.
Bully Ray confidently told Barnett that he would be willing to fight him anytime, offering to put him over in a way that would make him legendary.
“Josh I too can handle myself fine, fight my battles. If ya ever had the itch to feel what it’s like to be over so thoroughly that you can draw money, I can help you with that. Not only can I put you over but get you over in a way that would make ya a** legendary, For you anytime,” he wrote.
The conversation on X can be viewed here.
#3. Dave Meltzer gives insight into Toni Storm’s canceled plans for All In 2026
All Elite Wrestling has been missing one of its biggest draws since March 2026, as Toni Storm has been absent from television programming. The former AEW Women’s World Champion last competed at the AEW Revolution 2026 pay-per-view, where she defeated Marina Shafir before engaging in a surprise confrontation with Ronda Rousey. Despite this major buildup, she was written off television the very next week, and the exact reason for her hiatus remains unknown.
During her absence, Dave Meltzer addressed rumors that Storm was originally booked to face Thekla at the upcoming All In event at Wembley Stadium. Meltzer clarified that a match between the two was not the original plan, though he confirmed that both women were scheduled for major, separate matches on that massive show.
“Just a note regarding last night’s show, at Wembley Stadium Thekla vs. Toni Storm was not the original plan although both were scheduled for major matches on that show,” he said. [H/T – WrestlePurist’s X]
#2. Hanko officially returns to Ring of Honor after 537 days
After an absence spanning nearly a year and a half, STARDOM’s Hanako has officially returned to Ring of Honor. The 25-year-old initially debuted for ROH in 2024 by defeating Harley Cameron, but she vanished from the company after unsuccessfully challenging Red Velvet for the ROH Women’s World Television Championship. Following a 537-day hiatus, Hanako returned this month to compete at the ROH Global Wars event, where she squared off against Queen Aminata. Although Aminata ultimately secured the victory after an excellent contest, the live fans heavily praised Hanako’s impressive in-ring performance.
This matchup was also incredibly significant for Queen Aminata, as it marked a major milestone in her recovery. The 33-year-old AEW star had been on the shelf for more than six months after sustaining a severe neck injury in October 2025.
#1. Deonna Purrazzo carried to the back after sustaining serious injury in ROH
A recent Ring of Honor television taping came to a scary halt when popular star Deonna Purrazzo suffered an apparent severe injury. Purrazzo, who serves as the reigning ROH Women’s Pure Champion and was one of the promotion’s biggest signings in 2024, put her title on the line against Steph De Lander. According to reports from fans in attendance, The Virtuosa sustained an injury following a spot on the ringside floor.
The situation was serious enough that the referee was forced to immediately stop the bout midway, officially declaring the match a no-contest while Purrazzo had to be physically helped to the backstage area.
We at Sportskeeda wish Deonna Purrazzo a speedy recovery and hope the star can return to action in AEW soon.
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Edited by Karan Raj
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