Brandi Rhodes filling in for Awesome Kong in AEW Dynamite tag match

AEW announced late-Wednesday afternoon that Awesome Kong is out of tonight’s AEW Dynamite tag team match due to an undisclosed illness. 

In her place and making her Dynamite in-ring debut: Brandi Rhodes. She will team with fellow Nightmare Collective member Mel (also making her Dynamite in-ring debut) to face Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida.

Rhodes has wrestled sparingly for AEW, pinning Allie at Fight For The Fallen and competing in the women’s Casino Battle Royale at All Out.

The Collective made their presence felt on last week’s Dynamite during the AEW women’s title match between Riho and Statlander, leading to Statlander losing the match. That angle also featured the official debut of Luther, a new member of the group who will accompany Rhodes and Mel.

Tonight’s Dynamite is the Bash At The Beach themed edition of the show in Miami, FL, as the group prepares to head out on the Chris Jericho cruise where next week’s Dynamite will emanate from.

The show will feature Kenny Omega/Hangman Page vs. the Young Bucks vs. Best Friends vs. Santana and Ortiz for a tag title shot, Darby Allin vs. PAC, Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara, and Cody responding to MJF’s demands for a match.