Latest Update on Lio Rush's Status With AEW, New Japan

06/01/2021 11:44 am EDT

AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view on Sunday night saw Lio Rush make a surprise appearance as the 21st entrant into the Casino Battle Royale. The former WWE NXT Champion didn't last long in the match (getting eliminated by Matt Hardy and Private Party) but it looks like his time in the Jacksonville promotion is far from over. Tony Khan talked about his status in the event's post-show media scrum, saying (via Cageside Seats), "I haven't got pen to paper but Lio and I have a handshake where he can work here and New Japan. He wanted to keep working here and I think we've worked something good out on a handshake. I think he has a handshake with New Japan too and that's what we've been doing and it's been pretty good. I think it's a good way to work. So far, so good."

PWInsider then reported on Tuesday that Rush had signed a deal with New Japan Pro-Wrestling that would allow him to continue working on NJPW Strong, AEW and MLW.

Sunday's event also saw WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry sign with the company as a commentator for the upcoming AEW Rampage series. Henry and Rush had a heavily publicized feud in 2019-2020, and Rush confirmed the pair spoke backstage at Daily's Place.

Rush wrote, "For those of you wondering....Yes me and Mark Henry had a long in depth conversation last night. Looking forward to the future."

Now that Rush has the freedom to work in AEW, who do you want to see him wrestle? Let us know down in the comments!

Here are the full results from Sunday's Double or Nothing event:

• (Buy-In) NWA World Women's Championship: Serena Deeb def. Riho
• Hangman Page def. Brian Cage
• AEW World Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks def. Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston
• Casino Battle Royale: Jungle Boy def. Christian Cage vs. Matt Sydal vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Matt Hardy vs. Marq Quen vs. Isiah Kassidy vs. The Blade vs. Evil Uno vs. Colt Cabana vs. 10 vs. Griff Garrison vs. Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Max Caster vs. Anthony Bowens vs. QT Marshall vs. Nick Comoroto vs. Dustin Rhodes vs. Lee Johnson vs. Lio Rush
• Cody Rhodes def. Anthony Ogogo
• AEW TNT Championship: Miro def. Lance Archer
• AEW Women's World Championship: Britt Baker def. Hikaru Shida
• Sting & Darby Allin def. Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page
• AEW World Championship: Kenny Omega def. Orange Cassidy vs. PAC
• The Inner Circle def. The Pinnacle (Stadium Stampede)

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