AEW Confirms Adam Cole's Debut Match, Cody Rhodes' Return

09/09/2021 09:06 am EDT

Just before the main event of this week's AEW Dynamite, All Elite Wrestling's commentary team confirmed the lineups for this week's AEW Rampage, next week's AEW Dynamite and the first two matches for AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City on Sept. 22. This week's Rampage will finally see the bout between Pac and Andrade El Idolo (originally canceled from the All Out pay-per-view due to travel issues), Dr. Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter and Riho vs. Ruby Soho, Riho and Kris Statlander and Max Caster taking on Brian Pillman Jr.

As for the Sept. 15 Dynamite, Adam Cole will make his in-ring debut for the company when he faces "The Elite Hunter" Frankie Kazarian. The show will also see Darby Allin vs. Shawn Spears and Leyla Hirsch vs. Jade Cargill. The former NXT Grand Slam Champion reunited with The Elite in the final moments of All Out, then explained in the post-show media scrum why he decided to leave WWE. 

"I've been here countless times to support for it, and hang out with the crew, and it's just the best crew," Cole said. "The shows are amazing, the fans are amazing. But at the same time, I had really built a reputation for myself there as well. But I knew in my heart pretty early on that I wanted to come here and it's no knock whatsoever on them. I had a very excellent four-year experience, but I wanted to come back and work with a crew who I love being around 24/7, a crew that is just as passionate about pro wrestling as I am. And fans that feel the exact same way that we do. So making the decision was a fairly easy one."

Finally, the first two matches for Grand Slam were announced during the show — Pillman Jr. vs. MJF and Malakai Black taking on a returning Cody Rhodes. The two first clashed on the Aug. 4 episode of Dynamite, which saw Black utterly decimate Rhodes in under five mintues. "The American Nightmare" attempted a retirement ceremony after the match, only to get attacked by Black again. Since then, Black has knocked out Arn Anderson with his Black Mass kick and beaten the Nightmare Family's Brock Anderson, Lee Johnson and Dustin Rhodes in singles competition.

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