Major AEW stars to align for the first time and take down The Hurt Syndicate soon? Looking at the chances
The Hurt Syndicate are officially reunited in AEW. MVP, Shelton Benjamin, and Bobby Lashley have made it clear that they want to elevate and dominate their competition in the promotion and expand their crew. However, the group's recent activities could force two top All Elite stars to team up for the first time in the Tony Khan-led company.
Since making their debuts in All Elite Wrestling, members of the former Hurt Business tried to recruit Swerve Strickland into their ranks. The latter turned down the stable's offer, which led to The Franchise Playa pitting the former AEW World Champion against Benjamin to make an example out of him. Swerve defeated The Gold Standard on Fright Night Dynamite but would be beaten down afterward by Benjamin, MVP, and a debuting Bobby Lashley.
The Hurt Syndicate has been extending membership offers to other All Elite talents as well, including to former WWE rival Ricochet. The Future of Flight, however, responded by voicing his unwillingness to join the faction. This week on AEW Dynamite, Ricochet was once again accosted by MVP, with Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley in tow. The One and Only reminded The Ballin' Superstar of having spoken to him already, and the group wished him the best for his match in a tense exchange.
Notably, earlier in the same episode, Lashley would be called out by a vengeful Swerve Strickland for a match at Full Gear 2024, a challenge that MVP promptly accepted on behalf of The All Mighty. Given that The Hurt Syndicate seems to not take kindly to being rejected, there is a decent possibility that the stable may take out Ricochet for saying no to them.
Such an angle, in turn, could lead to Strickland forming a blockbuster pairing with The Highlight of the Night for the first time in All Elite Wrestling to take down The Hurt Syndicate. Swerve and Ricochet teaming up against Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley would undoubtedly be a barnburner matchup, raise the stocks of all the talent involved, and generate more interest in the program.
Ricochet is on the hunt for championship gold in AEW
Ricochet blames current International Champion Konosuke Takeshita for costing him the belt on two different occasions - for interfering in his title match against Will Ospreay on the five-year anniversary episode of Dynamite, and then for using the help of Kyle Fletcher to pin and dethrone The Aerial Assassin in their three-way for the title at WrestleDream last month.
Since then, Ricochet has been on the hunt for the International Championship. This week on AEW Dynamite, The Human Highlight Reel teamed with former Don Callis Family member Powerhouse Hobbs to defeat Fletcher and Takeshita, pinning The Alpha himself. It remains to be seen whether a singles bout for the title will be announced between the two men soon.