AEW Dynamite Special to Benefit Tanea Brooks Battling ALS

Special AEW Event for Tanea Brooks

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) will host a special edition of “Dynamite” on Wednesday, dedicated to supporting Tanea Brooks, also known as Rebel, in her fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The event, named “Rebel Heart,” is scheduled at the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia.

Since Brooks announced her ALS diagnosis in May, AEW and other wrestling entities have rallied around her. Various wrestling stars have promoted “Rebel Heart” T-shirts and participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, raising both awareness and funds to combat the disease.

Support from the Wrestling Community

AEW and Ring of Honor (ROH) owner Tony Khan expressed gratitude for Brooks’ contributions to AEW during an interview in August. He acknowledged her longstanding role, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming show not only to raise funds but also in honor of Rebel.

“Rebel’s been a great friend to all of us and a great part of AEW from the very beginning… you can believe everyone’s got Rebel in their hearts,” Khan stated.

Brooks shared her diagnosis on May 1, describing how ALS affected her ability to walk and talk. While the timeline is uncertain, Brooks expressed readiness to face future challenges and gratitude for the support surrounding her.

Brooks’ Journey in Wrestling

Brooks joined AEW in 2019, initially working backstage and as a stylist. She later appeared alongside Britt Baker as her personal makeup artist. Prior to AEW, Brooks’ wrestling career included stints with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), Ohio Valley Wrestling, Stardom, and a brief period with WWE.

Action-Packed “Rebel Heart” Card

The “Rebel Heart” event promises exciting matchups. Will Ospreay is set to wrestle David Finlay in an AEW World Championship elimination match. Additionally, Darby Allin and Steven Borden will face Mark Davis and Josh Alexander in a tag team match.

• The AEW World Trios Championship will feature Swerve Strickland, Kofi, and Austin Creed against Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reily, and Roderick Strong.
• A women’s trios match includes Maya World, Hyan, Thunder Rosa, Persephone, Baker, and Hikaru Shida.
• A tables match will see the Young Bucks against Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight.

Brooks and Baker are expected to appear in a segment called “The Waiting Room,” with other talents like Persephone and Shida anticipated to join.