Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Set For AEW In-Ring Debut

The American Top Team vs. Inner Circle feud evolves, with a former UFC Champion to debut for AEW.

Junior Dos Santos
AEW

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos will make his in-ring debut for AEW on next week's episode of Dynamite.

This is a product of an angle that took place on last night's show, in which American Top Team's Dan Lambert challenged The Inner Circle's Sammy Guevara, Chris Jericho, and Jake Hager to a six-man tag. JdS will now team with The Men of the Year, Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page, on 15 October's event in Miami, Florida.

Lambert had led Sky, Page, and his horde of MMA fighters out to assault Guevara prior to this, doing so after Sammy's successful TNT Title defence over the debuting Bobby Fish. Jericho and Hager then ran out for the save, leading to the two parties cutting promos on each other from opposite ends of the ramp.

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Next week's Dynamite has been switched to Saturday night due to NHL coverage on Wednesday.

While this will be the first time dos Santos has ever worked a pro wrestling match, he has gotten physical several times throughout the ATT vs. Inner Circle rivalry. He brings immense MMA credibility to the table, having knocked Cain Velasquez out to become UFC Heavyweight Champion in November 2011, then mounting a successful defence over Frank Mir before dropping the belt back to Velasquez the following December.

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Dos Santos' teammate, Jorge Masvidal, will be in ATT's corner for the 15 October match. Masvidal previously laid Jericho out with a running knee on 22 September's Grand Slam show.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.