Published: Jul 17, 2026 by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: Jul 17, 2026 by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
AEW
An AEW star has addressed the reveal of a new championship design that very much fits their darker persona.
“Blackheart” Lio Rush has made a name for himself since debuting the character in AEW back in March of this year, bringing his independent wrestling persona to television.
ROH Global Wars in June of this year would see Rush claim the World Television Championship from AR Fox in a three-way match that also featured Action Andretti.
With the ROH World Television Championship in his hands, Rush would address the new title design that was revealed this week, tweeting:
“It’s Here 🖤”
The comment would be in response to ROH posting the official reveal, shedding a bit more light on what to expect from the new champion, posting:
“A darker era begins as @IamLioRush unveils the blackened #ROH World TV Title!”
With a demonic Rush initially wary of the title, he would go on to cut at the championship with his hands, before pulling black ooze from it, all while creepily talking about the shadow and the rain.
The Right Move For Rush
There’s little argument that Lio Rush was always going to be one to watch when he moved from the independent wrestling scene to television.
Signed to WWE in 2017, the star was already no stranger to Ring of Honor, but NXT offered him exposure to a different audience, with his main roster call-up enhancing his presence even further. Released from his contract in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 budget cuts, Rush’s run would see him associated with Bobby Lashley before he returned to NXT, holding his only title on that brand Rush has previously reflected on his run in WWE, suggesting that he was, perhaps, “too young for everything that got thrown at me”.
Returning to the independent scene, it wouldn’t be long before AEW came knocking, with 2021 marking his first time with the company, remaining for less than a year before his contract expired in January 2022. Speaking of that time, Rush opened up about his mindset that led to the run being a “disaster“.
Since then, Rush has spent time in NJPW, Impact Wrestling, and on the independent scene, before returning to AEW in May 2024, forming CRU with Action Andretti, with the team disbanding after Blackheart had been unveiled.
It may be early in his second tenure, but Rush is clearly being given a sense of creative freedom with his character, with ROH and AEW television both seeing the unsettling persona realized on screen.
The current ROH World Television Champion, there’s plenty of opportunity for Rush to shine during his reign, wherever he may appear on screen.
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