AEW aired its one-hour Late Night Dynamite special and pulled in impressive viewership numbers.
The show, which aired after midnight on the east coast Tuesday night on TNT after game three of the NBA Western Conference Finals, averaged 585,000 viewers.
It also cracked the top 10 of the top 150 shows on cable for the night as it ranked ninth and did a 0.26 rating in the 18-49 demo. On the flip side, the NBA game, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets, did 4.828 million viewers, topping all of cable and finishing third overall for the night.
The post-game show also did 1.743 million viewers on TNT as Dynamite started nearly an hour after the game ended. The men 18-49 was AEW’s strongest demo for the show as it did a 0.35 rating and was tied for seventh overall on cable.
These numbers for the AEW special do match the rating that WWE NXT did back on September 1st. That NXT episode didn’t go up against competition with AEW on a Tuesday night that was in prime time. The AEW special also beat the 0.22 rating that NXT did the following Tuesday.
Obviously, NXT didn’t have a lead-in from an NBA game that AEW had.
Miro did an interview with Sports Illustrated to discuss his WWE departure.
Earlier this year due to budget cuts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE decided to release the former Rusev.
According to Miro, he doesn’t see a reason to be bitter towards WWE because he met his wife and that is the person that he cares about the most.
“People ask me why I’m not bitter. WWE gave me a platform. I have the best fanbase in the world. And that is where I met my wife. I love her to death. If nothing else came of it, I met my wife. So I can’t be bitter. There is no point to that.”
Miro stated that he came to America for an opportunity that he didn’t have in his country and he feels the same way with AEW. He stated that he loves pro wrestling and it has so much left to offer him.
He stated that as soon as he got the call from WWE to inform him of his release, he knew right away about the two places he wanted to go. The first being AEW and “the second, you’ll find out when the time is right.”
Miro will make his AEW in-ring debut on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite by working a singles match against an unknown opponent.
All Elite Wrestling star Lance Archer has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Murderhawk Monster posted a message on social media Wednesday afternoon announcing the diagnosis.
Archer says that after he returned home from AEW’s most recent TV taping, he returned home and learned that a family member was ill. He found out later a friend who had been around that family member had contracted the virus.
“While at home, now I’ve also gotten sick tested positive,” Archer revealed. “I feel ok, expect to see me in 2 wks.”
It remains to be seen if he will be healthy enough to be back in the ring in just two weeks time. The status of Lance Archer’s AEW title match against Jon Moxley at the Dynamite Anniversary show on October 14th is now in question..
Lance Archer will be unable to wrestle on this week’s AEW Dynamite. He was scheduled to team up with Ricky Starks and Brian Cage against AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, Darby Allin and Will Hobbs.
We wish Lance Archer a full and speedy recovery.
Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston
Jon Moxley wasted no time in posting his own reaction on social media. Molxey tweeted that he’ll be defending the gold tonight on Dynamite.
Change of plans. I'm putting up the title tonight. Live TV babe. #AEWDynamite
Eddie Kingston took notice of Moxley’s declaration. Kingston has been angling for a title shot, claiming that he was never eliminated from the Casino Battle Royal match at All Out. Lance Archer won that bout to earn the shot at Moxley.
AEW President Tony Khan has since announced that Eddie Kingston will in fact get his shot at Jon Moxley tonight on Dynamite.
Tonight on #AEWDynamite Live on TNT at 8pm ET/7 CT, JonMoxley v. Eddie Kingston for the AEW Championship! There were questions about if Eddie’s Battle Royale elimination was valid (Lance + Eddie were the final 2, Lance threw him off the top but not over), now Eddie gets his shot! https://t.co/mySZDyzjmPpic.twitter.com/bXLdmccBuO
Former WCW President Eric Bischoff recently discussed one of the company’s most iconic match types. War Games began in National Wrestling Alliance and later World Championship Wrestling; the two ring cage match created some of the greatest matches and moments from WCW circa the late eighties/early nineties.
Eric Bicshoff on WarGames
Bischoff would admit that he actually wasn’t a fan of the concept…sort of. “I didn’t really like the concept…Well, let me be clear. Sometimes I talk faster than I should! It’s not that I didn’t like the concept, the conceit, the idea, the ideation, if you will of WarGames. It was kind of cool, it kind of makes sense.”
Eric Bischoff would then discuss the wider implications of the match, saying how whilst WarGames was ‘cool,’ it didn’t have the same importance as the likes of a Royal Rumble in the rival promotion. “You pointed out (co-host Conrad Thompson) for example the Royal Rumble, and how that became a tentpole event for WWE. I think one of the reasons for it is because of the outcome of Royal Rumble sets the stage of what’s going to happen for the next six or eight months. Theoretically it used to, more so than it does today.”
“Wargames didn’t have that element” Bischoff continued. “It was a spectacle. It was different, it was very unique in its own way. But that alone I don’t think made WarGames really that viable. And since it wasn’t the pay per view (Fall Brawl) that kind of helped set the tone for what was going to come? It was really, I hate to say it, it was…it was just another pay per view.”
Eric Bischoff would finish by re-stating that point, saying how WarGames was ‘just another match’ in the grand scheme of things. “That was unique in the format, because it was WarGames. But regardless of what happened in WarGames? Other than ending some storylines and beginning others? It was just another pay per view, but it was another pay per view that was pretty cool, because it was unique.”
Do you agree with Eric Bischoff? What was your favourite WarGames match? Let us know in the comments
John Cena has signed on to star in a new animated comedy headed to HBO’s new streaming network, HBO Max.
Cena will star in The Peacemaker, a spinoff series based on the character he is portraying in the new Suicide Squad movie.
Cena wrote on Twitter, “Working alongside James Gunn on Suicide Squad was an absolute masterclass in how to best bring beloved character to life in a new and fun way. I cannot wait for the DC Universe to experience more of absurdity that is The Peacemaker in this new project on HBO Max!!!”
“The Peacemaker is Christopher Smith, a pacifist diplomat so committed to peace that he was willing to use force as a superhero to advance the cause … Smith later learns that his peace-through-violence efforts were the result of a serious mental illness brought on by the shame of having a Nazi death camp commandant for a father. He believes his father’s spirit haunts him continually and criticizes his every move, even as he tries to live down his past.
Becoming a particularly deadly vigilante who would kill at the slightest notice, he begins to believe that the ghosts of the people he killed, or who were killed in his vicinity, are collected inside his helmet and can offer him advice and commentary.”
In addition to the Suicide Squad movie and this new Peacemaker project for HBO, John Cena recently signed on to host the game show Wipeout on TBS.
Working alongside @JamesGunn on #SuicideSquad was an absolute masterclass in how to best bring beloved characters to life in a new and fun way. I cannot wait for the #DCUniverse to experience more of absurdity that is the Peacemaker in this new project on @hbomax!!! pic.twitter.com/PZ9dOa7Dzj
Former WWE Superstar Ryback recently discussed his ongoing stem cell treatment and potential return to the ring. The Big Guy addressed his timetable for a in-ring training return on the Shooting Blanks Wrestling Report this week.
Ryback on Treatment
“A lot of my shoulder stuff is still scar tissue related” Ryback began on the podcast. “I see a massage therapist now for three and a half hours [a session], it’s probably going to get moved to four for the next couple weeks. Just breaking up more and more scar tissue that had built up from all that cortisone that was that was pumped into me.”
“My back is great” Ryback continued. “I’m training now, like weight training and conditioning to get ready for wrestling. I’m not going to be taking any time off, like like I did when I got it [stem cells] before. [That was] where I took like two or three months off.”
Escalating Training
Ryback would then reveal that his latest set of stem cell treatment is actually just for good measure; confirming that he is indeed not too far away from a potential return to the ring. “These are just for good measure. Get these and then the training is going to escalate further. I’d say I’ll probably give myself three to four weeks and then hopefully from there be able to get back in a ring and start doing some training low key. Just get myself in there to see how I feel.”
“I don’t, I honestly don’t think I’ll miss a beat. I’ve been out before” Ryback stated. “When I had the ankle injury [in WWE] I didn’t wrestle for a year and a half. Then I got thrown on the road, and came right back after not wrestling for a year and a half. I did dark matches and live events there for like five months but like I went back to live events, working 8, 10, 12, 15 minute matches. [That was] after not practising, nothing. People were saying ‘oh my god you got so much better!’ And I hadn’t even even been practising in-ring.”
Ryback has in the past mentioned his want to join All Elite Wrestling. The Big Guy has stated that he likes the schedule in AEW, he also has close ties to Cody Rhodes, with both having worked in WWE and travelled together for a time.
Do you think that we’ll eventually see Ryback in AEW, IMPACT, NWA or New Japan? Let us know in the comments
Rich Swann and Eric Young were both guests on the Impact Press Pass yesterday. The media session was streamed over Facebook Live. Young recently returned to the promotion and quickly captured the Impact World Championship for a second time. Swann is returning after a career-threatening injury and will challenge Young in the main event of Bound For Glory.
I had the chance to ask Rich Swann about his last 2 years in Impact and what they have meant for his pro-wrestling career.
“The last 2 years for me in Impact Wrestling has definitely been like a re-charge. It’s been something that, you know, it brought me up. As everybody knows, before Impact Wrestling, I was on downtime and I was retired but then some people brought me back and brought me into Impact Wrestling. And I’ve done nothing but take opportunity after opportunity that’s been given to me and I am nothing but grateful for Impact Wrestling for giving me these opportunities.”
“Now that I’ve gotten the opportunity to wrestle Eric Young at Bound For Glory, I’m going to seize it baby,” he continued.
As for Eric Young, he said during the call that his current incarnation is his truest form. He also spoke about how he believes Impact Wrestling is the #1 professional wrestling show in the world.
“Impact is the #1 professional wrestling show in the world. I am a professional wrestler, you are a professional wrestler, and when it comes to BFG, we are going to make history.”
The full show can be viewed in the Facebook post below:
All Elite Wrestling returns tonight with an all new episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. The following matches are confirmed for tonight’s live broadcast from Jacksonville, FL at Daily’s Place Amphitheater:
AEW World Champion Jon Moxley teams with Darby Allin and newcomer Will Hobbs against Lance Archer and Team Taz members Brian Cage and Ricky Starks.
AEW TNT Champion and Dark Order leader Brodie Lee puts the gold on the line against Orange Cassidy.
“The Best Man” Miro makes his AEW in-ring debut.
AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida and NWA Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa team up against Women’s Tag Team Cup tournament winners Ivelisse and Diamente.
The next special edition of AEW Dynamite will take place Wednesday, October 14th. This ‘first anniversary’ show will see Jon Moxley defend the AEW World title against Lance Archer.
AEW’s next pay-per-view, Full Gear, takes place Saturday, November 4th.
AEW has released new top-5 rankings and the big news this week is that former AEW Tag Team Champions Kenny Omega and Hangman Page are no longer ranked.
AEW Men’s Singles Division
AEW World Champion: Jon Moxley (17-0) TNT Champion: Brodie Lee (7-1)
Lance Archer (13-1)
Brian Cage (8-1)
MJF (9-1)
Cody (18-2)
Scorpio Sky (8-2)
There was no movement in the men’s singles rankings this week. A big match in the division takes place tonight on Dynamite, however.
#1 Lance Archer will team with #2 Brian Cage and Ricky Starks in trios action against AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, Darby Allin, and the recently signed Will Hobbs.
Also tonight, Brodie Lee will defend the TNT title against Orange Cassidy.
AEW Women’s Division
AEW Women’s Champion: Hikaru Shida (17-1)
Nyla Rose (9-2)
Big Swole (8-3)
Abadon (5-1)
Penelope Ford (8-5)
Dr. Britt Baker (4-6)
There was no movement in the women’s division this week either. A big match will take place on tonight’s card, however. AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida will team with NWA Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa to take on the winners of the AEW Tag Team Cup, Diamante and Ivelisse.
AEW Tag Team Division
AEW Tag Team Champions: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (9-0)
Best Friends (16-6) (+1)
Young Bucks (7-3) (+1)
The Natural Nightmares (7-2) (+1)
Butcher and the Blade (9-5) (previously unranked)
Santana & Ortiz (8-4)
The big news this week is that former champions Kenny Omega and Hangman Page have been removed from the tag-team rankings. It should be interesting to see what both have to say about this. Omega noted last week while on commentary that he is looking to go back to the singles division but Page has expressed he would like their team to continue.
#1 The Best Friends move into the top contender position after defeating Santana and Ortiz in an epic Parking Lot match last week.
Impact Wrestling continued its build to Bound for Glory on October 24th last night. Would you believe it if we said that Flava Flav, Nancy Kerrigan, and Chuck Norris all appeared on the show? Results and key takeaways from the show are below:
Impact Wrestling 9/22 Quick Results:
Trey Miguel defeated Chris Bey vs TJP
Rohit Raju defeated Trey Miguel (X-Division Championship)
Susie defeated Kimber Lee
Rob Van Dam defeated Sami Callihan
Tenille Dashwood defeated Jordynne Grace
Eric Young vs Eddie Edwards Rematch Scheduled For Victory Road
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovJOiz-ypyQ
Eric Young went on another rampage this week. He attacked Cousin Jake and Cody Deaner for no apparent reason other than to send a message to Scott D’Amore, Rich Swann and everyone else that he is an out of control maniac. He hit piledrivers on both Deaners but was eventually confronted by Scott D’Amore. When Young went to attack D’Amore as well, Eddie Edwards came out and fought him off.
Later in the show, D’Amore booked a rematch between Eddie Edwards and Eric Young for Victory Road on October 3rd. As Edwards was leaving the arena in the closing moments of the show, the lights went out and when they came back on Edwards was on the floor.
Tenille Dashwood Picks Up Main Event Win Thanks To Personal Photographer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB5isRc_Xyo
Caleb Konley (Caleb now spelled Kaleb) is now Tenille Dashwood’s personal photographer and his distraction allowed Dashwood to hit her finish on Jordynne Grace and come out of this week’s main event victorious.
Dashwood’s new heel persona in Impact plays up her status as an “influencer” on social media. They touted her 1.5 million followers on Instagram frequently on commentary. After her victory over Grace, Dashwood remained in the ring for a photoshoot with “Kaleb”. It should be interesting to see where this new version of Tenille Dashwood goes.
Dashwood took a mean looking Grace Driver during the match as well:
Someone from Impact Wrestling had a lot of fun with Cameo this last week. In a segment I’m certain many fans found hilarious, Heath made another appeal for fans to use the #Heath4Impact hashtag this week as he continues to lobby for a spot on the roster.
In addition to noting that having Heath in Impact would help “Rhino Conservation,” Heath enlisted the help of many celebrities to deliver messages via Cameo in support of him being hired. Flava Flav, Nancy Kerrigan, Chuck Norris and others all voiced their support for Heath4Impact. Tremendous.
Sami Callihan’s Feud With Rob Van Dam & Katie Forbes Comes To An End
The stipulation in this match was that if Rob Van Dam could defeated Sami Callihan then Katie Forbes would be given 5-minutes in the ring with him. RVD was able to secure the victory after Forbes sprayed Callihan in the face with hairspray.
After the match, Forbes began kicking a downed Callihan but the man from Ohio eventually fought back, took RVD out of the picture, and gave Katie Forbes a huge piledriver to end the segment.
On commentary, Josh Mathews noted that this was the end of their rivalry.
EC3 Gave Out Moose’s Phone Number
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFtJZrM4YtA
EC3 “stole” Moose’s TNA World Heavyweight Championship and is threatening to destroy it. Moose has been on a worldwide search but discovered that EC3’s influence stretches far and wide. This week on Impact, EC3 gave out Moose’s personal phone number and encouraged fans to send him any information that could lead him to recover the title belt. It’s not quite clear what EC3 has planned for this but will likely learn more in the weeks to come.
Brian Myers was interviewed in the back this week about his loss to Willie Mack last week. Myers pointed out that he had defeated Mack twice beforehand but it was noted to him that he had cheated to do so. This set Myers off and he began throwing things around the room. Tommy Dreamer then entered the picture and told Myers this was no way to act in a new company. Dreamer ordered Myers to clean it up and while the Most Professional Wrestler eventually agreed, some animosity appears to be building between the two.
Dreamer co-hosted the Twitch stream last night and noted that he hired Myers into WWE and wants him to get off to a good start in Impact.
Rohit Raju Retains X-Division Championship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOJPi02tDTg
The opening match on Impact this week was a triple threat between Chris Bey, TJP and Trey Miguel. The winner would receive an immediate shot at Rohit Raju’s X-Division Championship. Trey picked up the win in the match by hitting a double-knee on TJP. Raju would then retain his title quickly via a roll-up pinning combination while he had a handful of trunks. Raju was able to escape with his title this time but challengers are lining up for his title.
Susie Continues To Channel Su Yung
Susie appears to be reverting back to Su Yung in recent matches on Impact Wrestling. She broke out several moves from the undead bride’s repertoire in her match against Kimber Lee this week on Impact.
Kimber Lee’s association with Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo may be on rocky ground. Purrazzo attempted to interfere in this match but hit her ally instead. This allowed Susie to hit Su Yung’s Panic Switch for the win.
Kylie Rae Challenges Deonna Purrazzo At Bound For Glory
#1 contender for the Knockouts title, Kylie Rae, was in Susie’s corner for her match against Kimber Lee this week. After Susie’s victory, Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo attacked her from behind. Susie attempted to help but got locked in an arm-bar for her trouble. Kylie then tossed Purrazzo out of the ring.
With the champion on the outside, Kylie Rae picked up a microphone and challenged Purrazzo for a title match at Bound For Glory.
Next Week On Impact Wrestling
The following matches have been booked for next week’s show:
The Good Brothers vs The Rascalz
Johnny Swinger vs Fallah Bah (Winner is John E Bravo’s Best Man)
Joseph Laurinaitis, better known to wrestling fans as Road Warrior Animal, has passed away at the age of 60. He was a father of 3 children, including former NFL player James Laurinaitis.
News of Animal’s passing was confirmed on his official social media channels. A cause of death is not currently available. A formal statement is expected later today.
SEScoops sends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Joseph “Road Warrior Animal” Laurinaitis. RIP
The Road Warriors, Hawk and Animal, are widely regarded as one of the greatest tag teams in pro wrestling history. The childhood friends from Chicago, Illinois became household names during the 1980’s. They were known for their smash mouth physical in-ring style.
They steamrolled opponents in virtually every major promotion worldwide and won tag team gold wherever they went. Fans will forever remember their jacked-up physiques, iconic war paint, spiked shoulder pads and war paint. The Road Warriors epitomized the notion of two guys you wouldn’t not want to encounter in a dark alley.
The team are 4x PWI Tag Team of the Year award winners. They were voted #1 on the 100 Best Tag Teams of the “PWI Years” in 2003. They were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.
Animal is a 3x tag-team champion in the promotion. He twice won the belts with his longtime partner, Hawk, and once with Heidenreich. Hawk passed away in October 2013 at age 46.
Animal was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2012 and the NWA Legends Hall of Heroes in 2016. He also received the Frank Gotch Award in 2012 from the George Tragos/Lou These Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Earlier this year, he was presented with the Tag Team Award by the Cauliflower Alley Club. Animal is also in the Minnesota Wreslting Hall of Fame.
Reactions to Animal’s Passing
Animal and the Road Warriors were beloved figures in the wrestling industry. The following are some reactions to the news of his passing:
Today we lost the engine of the train LOD. Animal was a partner, warrior, and friend. He will be welcomed home by a waiting Hawk. pic.twitter.com/pJ3BSYRSnQ
I Am More Than Saddened To Hear Of The Loss Of My Good Friend And GREAT Opponent Joe Laurinaitis Of The Legendary Road Warriors. They Were Iconic! The Road Warriors And The Four Horsemen Drew More Money And Had More Fun And Entertained Fans Worldwide At The Highest Level. RIP ?? pic.twitter.com/eiZ2udqGNm
RIP Animal,love you my brother, I know you and Hawk have a lot of unfinished business to take care of! God speed and blessings to your beautiful family,one love4Life. HH
We're saddened to learn of the passing of Road Warrior Animal, a true legend of professional wrestling. Our thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to his loved ones at the time. pic.twitter.com/QqwxGimSHR
So stunned to hear about the passing of Animal. He was always so active on the indies, making appearances, and always watched the matches and gave feedback. He shared some great stories about pops as well. He will be sorely missed!!! RIP Animal ??
AEW and the wrestling world mourn the passing of the legendary Road Warrior Animal, our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans. pic.twitter.com/xAzwv8gngw
A Block: Taichi def. Minoru Suzuki (12:11, Pinfall, Black Mephisto)
A Block: Will Ospreay def. Tomohiro Ishii (18:20, Pinfall, Stormbreaker)
A Block: Jay White def. Kota Ibushi (20:28, Pinfall, Blade Runner)
Standings
A Block 4 points – Will Ospreay, Taichi, Jay White 2 points – Jeff Cobb, Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi 0 points – Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi, Yujiro Takahashi
Ken Shamrock has shared his thoughts on Raw Underground while appearing on an episode of The Dropkick podcast.
Shamrock confessed he is now a fan of the concept of Raw Underground. He juxtaposed the segments intentions with MMA promotion Pancrase:
“[…] what we wanted to find out is what wrestling would look like if it was real, and that’s what you have in the Pancrase organization where I fought over there. That’s what it looks like when you take wrestling and you turn it into a real fight, and it’s sharp.”
The former WWE Superstar promised that Raw Underground will engage fans on a different level by providing a harder-hitting alternative to its typical in-ring offerings. According to Shamrock, WWE will soon discover the same lessons Pancrase learned in how to present its product.
“When you think about what WWE is doing with [RAW] Underground, they’re going, ‘Hey, let’s find out what it’s like if we can start doing these predetermined outcomes, but yet let’s make it more physical and let’s make it more real.’ They’re gonna find out the same thing we did over in Japan: that it’s much more exciting when you’re watching a movie that you can’t tell whether it’s real or it’s not real.”
Ken Shamrock has previously shared negative comments on Raw Underground. When the segment first began airing, he invited WWE to bring him on board to help its worked shoots actually “look good.”
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre has opened up about WWE’s ThunderDome, believing the state-of-the-art production setup to be a “difference maker” for the company.
Speaking with PWInsider, McIntyre explained how the ThunderDome provides the kind of “big feel” fans and Superstars expect of WWE:
“When I first came out, on the first Raw in the ThunderDome and I raised the Title and freaking fire started going off around me and pyro going off around me, you know I’m still a wrestling fan at heart, I’m just standing there trying to keep a straight face, but in my head I am marking the hell out, man this is really freaking cool.”
McIntyre then pointed to how the atmosphere for matches has improved as he’s been able to “see faces react” to what’s happening.
“When Randy and I were in that match it was such a difference maker for the emotion and that’s kind of what Randy and I are about, is telling the story, and you really need that feedback from the crowd to kinda dictate where you’re going and feel that emotion.”
He highlighted how the virtual crowd’s input had a significant impact on their bout. McIntyre also acknowledged how his time performing to fans at home has been a learning experience.
“[…] it’s a figuring out process every step we go, you know we progress and our team are so unbelievable and they’re making us look like stars, it feels closer to what you would expect with WWE with the pyro and the lights and those drones flying overhead, so we feel good.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says he’d be honored to wrestle Roman Reigns at a future WrestleMania.
The Rock recently sat down with his brother-in-law Hiram Garcia for a project called, ‘The Rock: Through the Lens,’ a photographic record of a brotherhood over twenty years in the making. Garcia serves as President of Production at Seven Bucks Productions. Through the Lens can be seen at The Rock’s YouTube channel.
During the latest clip from Through the Lens, The Rock spoke about his experiences hosting Saturday Night Live five times, working with Hollywood legend Danny DeVito and his cousin, Roman Reigns.
The Rock said Reigns is a hero to millions of people around the world. He amassed a legion of fans wrestling for WWE, but showed people his true warrior spirit when he went public with his heroic battle against Leukemia.
When asked if he’d ever return to WWE for one more WrestleMania event, The Rock named Roman Reigns as the one opponent that would make sense. He officially announced his retirement from wrestling last year, but a match against Reigns would be a box office blockbuster.
Garcia asked The Rock the big question. If he did return to WWE for a WrestleMania dream match against Roman Reigns, who goes over?
The Rock joked, “I’ll tell you this right now. I’m not going down that road, because I know how that conversation goes.”
Imitating WWE boss Vince McMahon, they continued, “Here’s what we’re thinking. Roman beats you now at this WrestleMania. But, listen, before you guys say anything … then on the next one… that’s when …”
In actuality, The Rock said it would be an honor to put Reigns over on that stage.
“You know what,” he began, “the truth is, I would be honored not only to share the ring with Roman and to go back to the WWE, but of course, I would be honored to have him raise his hand on that one.”
You can see The Rock’s full comments about working with Roman Reigns below:
Monday’s edition of WWE RAW averaged 1.667 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This was down from last week, which did 1.689 million viewers, but up from the 0.50 demo rating.
Despite loading up the show last week that included a Steel Cage Match, RAW got hit pretty hard by the premiere of Monday Night Football for the league on ESPN.
This week, WWE only had to deal with one NFL game that aired on both ABC and ESPN. This was the Clash of Champions go-home show of RAW.
To compare, just one year ago, RAW averaged 2.210 million viewers. Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown for Raw, courtesy of Showbuzzdaily.com:
Hour 1: 1.746 million, 0.51 in the 18-49 Demo
Hour 2: 1.692 million, 0.50 in the 18-49 Demo
Hour 3: 1.565 million, 0.48 in the 18-49 Demo
SmackDown Viewership
Friday’s SmackDown averaged 2.037 million viewers on FOX. This is down from the 2.329 million viewers that the show did for the previous week.
SmackDown averaged 1.954 million viewers in the fast nationals, which was down from the 2.261 million viewers a week ago. This number measured the top metered markets.
The first hour drew 1.922 million viewers while the second hour did 1.986 million viewers. For comparison, the first show of last week’s show did 2.236 million viewers while the second hour did 2.286 million viewers.
SmackDown pulled in a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demos, down from the 0.60 rating as last week’s show.
AEW star Colt Cabana recently released a new episode of the Art of Wrestling podcast. AOW is considered the ‘first’ wrestling podcast that really made an impact on the medium, leading to the litany of different shows that are now available to listen to almost daily.
Art of Wrestling was put on hiatus after Cabana spent years releasing episodes; however special ‘seasons’ are now being released sporadically. Colt Cabana revealed on this first new episode that he is concerned about the effects of concussions on professional wrestlers.
Colt Cabana on Concussions
This episode of AOW featured Matt Hardy, who of course recently suffered a horrific head injury at AEW’s All Out PPV. Cabana stated that the podcast episode was recorded before the incident, however it brought up the issue of concussions in pro wrestling once again to the forefront.
“While I was with the NWA? Chris Nowinski came in to talk to us” Colt Cabana began on the podcast. Chris Nowinski is a former WWE Superstar who retired due to concussion related issues. Since his retirement in 2003, Nowinski has been part of research into concussions and their effects on sports stars, even beyond professional wrestling.
“He basically said ‘we’ll never know what’s going on with any of your brains, until you die and we dissect it'” Cabana continued. “I was like ‘wait, you can’t do studies!? How do I know that my brain isn’t the most hurt right now!? I mean, I’m not in the safest job and he’s just like ‘don’t get two concussions in a row. If your head hurts don’t wrestle.'”
“I feel I need more concrete information, and we don’t have that. It’s not like AEW [just] doesn’t have that, or WWE, or IMPACT. Nobody does, and I thought listening to Chris Nowinski’s speech would make me feel safer and happier? It like did the complete opposite and made me so worried in general, for everyone. So of course when this stuff happens with Matt Hardy? That’s all I could think of.”
Gerald Brisco could be the next wrestling legend taking his wealth of knowledge to All Elite Wrestling.
Brisco was recently released from WWE after being furloughed back in April. He had been with the company since 1984, before the first WrestleMania took place.
The 74-year-old WWE Hall of Famer from Oklahoma City has teased that we haven’t seen the last of him. He released a video on social media this week teasing that he’s got a “big announcement” to make this Wednesday night.
Brisco says he “khan’t wait” to share his big news with everybody. The typo appears to be a reference to AEW President Tony Khan. There is no doubt that Brisco would be an asset behind the scenes in AEW, along with other producers/coaches such as Arn Anderson, Dean Malenko, Jerry Lynn and B.J. Whitmer.
Over the past two weeks, the company has announced the signings of Miro, Will Hobbs, Tay Conti and Serena Deeb.
Oh gosh! We had some technical difficulties! I truly Khan't wait to tell you my big news! Stay tuned WEDNESDAY NIGHT for my BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! What do you think it's gonna be? ?????#BriscosBigAnnouncementhttps://t.co/UZcmJeG5Wu
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin has his own Broken Skull IPA beer. Chris Jericho’s A Little Bit of The Bubbly champagne was a viral sensation. Now, Wrestling fans of legal age will soon be able to enjoy WWE-branded wine.
The company has partnered with Wines That Rock to produce the first WWE Wines collection bearing the likeness of The Undertaker and the Ultimate Warrior.
“We knew these bottles would look amazing and be perfect for collectors and fans alike but wanted the quality of the wine to ultimately be the real winner here,” said Wines That Rock winemaker Andrew Nelson.
“For The Undertaker’s Limited-Edition 30 Barrel Series, we used 100% premium Cabernet Sauvignon from Lodi, California aged in oak. For The Ultimate Warrior, we looked to Mendocino County for a high quality, full bodied and flavorful Zinfandel.”
Pre-orders are now live at WWEWines.com with the first shipments going out Thursday, October 22nd.
Roman Reigns will debut new ring gear and entrance music this Sunday at Clash of Champions. Reigns noted during a recent Facebook Live video that he’ll no longer be wearing the chest-protector that he has for the bulk of his in-ring career.
“I’ve been wearing a SWAT outfit my entire career so I’m just going to stick to those pants,” Reigns said in response to a question about his ring gear. “If you watch this Sunday, you’ll probably see me with my shirt off. So that’s going to be the change.”
Reigns’ former SHIELD teammates, Seth Rollins and Jon Moxley, ditched the SWAT look shortly after the trio broke up in 2014. Fans have been calling on Reigns to make a similar change in gear for years.
Reigns then noted he will also be debuting new entrance music soon as well. He said he personally selected the new music, which will be rolled out as “more drastic things happen” in his storyline with Paul Heyman.
“I decided to save the new music and hopefully down the line, once more drastic things happen, and the story unfolds…”
Reigns continued to talk about how he wants to delay certain parts of his character change so that it is more drawn out. He used his new entrance music as an example of something that will be part of longterm storytelling.
“You’re not going to get it quite yet, we’re going to let the steak stay on the grill,” Reigns continued.
Reigns is scheduled to face his cousin Jey Uso for the Universal title on Sunday. Reigns won the title from the Fiend at Payback.
3 members of Retribution have received new names. In storyline, members of the group were recently given WWE contracts and are now officially WWE Superstars. This was revealed at the beginning of last night’s episode of RAW.
New names for 3 members of the faction were revealed on commentary last night and also through WWE’s social media channels.
The former Dominic Dijakovic is now known as T-Bar:
The other two members of the faction, Mia Yim and Mercedes Martinez have not been given new names as of yet.
For Dijakovic, the last time he was seen on WWE programming, he lost to Killer Kross on NXT. Dio Madden was recently on the RAW commentary team before he was attacked by Brock Lesnar and returned to training at the Performance Center. Shane Thorne’s last official match took place on NXT this July. He lost to Bronson Reed.
Mia Yim last wrestled in NXT back in August. She lost to Shotzi Blackheart on an episode taped August 26th. Mercedes Martinez had been aligned with the Robert Stone brand in NXT. She dropped a cage match to Rhea Ripley earlier this month.
Rocky Romero spoke about the project on a recent episode of Talk is Jericho.
“We’re working on an animated series, it’s gonna debut on Instagram. It’s called The Gimmicks,. If it’s the first time you’ve ever heard about it, it’s actually phenomenal. We’re working with an amazing team, they’re called Toonstar, it’s an amazing studio out in LA, and basically we’re doing South Park meets wrestling. It’s insanity, all the insanity from Talk’n Shop A Mania, we’re bringing it to you in an animation, as a cartoon. It’s unfiltered, it’s raw, it’s real, and it’s pretty crazy.”
WWE RAW aired from the ThunderDome in the Amway Center. It was the final episode of RAW before Clash of Champions this Sunday night. Braun Strowman defeated Dabba-Kato during RAW Underground tonight.
.@BraunStrowman might have a future in the boxing ring. @PBConFOX
Andrade & Garza def. Dominik & Humberto Carrillo, Rollins & Murphy to earn RAW Tag Team Championship match at Clash of Champions
McIntyre def. Keith Lee via DQ (Randy Orton interference)
Zelina Vega def. Mickie James to shot at RAW Women’s Championship at Clash of Champions
Apollo Crews def. Cedric Alexander
Asuka def Peyton Royce via DQ (Zelina Vega interference)
Hurt Business def. RETRIBUTION via DQ
RETRIBUTION Signed WWE Contracts
RETRIBUTION kicked off the show and the announce team said that the group is now officially part of WWE because they have contracts. Mia Yim said that WWE superstars are motivated by money but they are not. Yim added that they are done getting stepped on and hearing about the imaginary brass ring. Dominik Dijakovic had a gas/ Bane mask on and said that WWE superstars just want a paycheck like whores.
The Hurt Business interrupted and made their way to the ring. RETRIBUTION hopped out of the ring and MVP challenged them to a fight tonight. More members of RETRIBUTION showed up and surrounded the ring. RETRIBUTION beat Hurt Business down as RAW went to a commercial break.
Opinion: It is a good thing Adam Pearce has spent weeks trying to keep RETRIBUTION out of the building, only for the company to give them contracts. Why would the WWE give RETRIBUTION contracts in this storyline? They are invading the building every week. Dijakovic in the gas mask is a tragic thing to see. Am I supposed to be rooting for the Hurt Business?
Andrade & Garza Earned A Shot At The RAW Tag Titles
Rollins & Murphy faced Dominik & Humberto, and Angel Garza & Andrade in a Triple Threat Tag Team match. The winners will face Street Profits at Clash of Champions for the RAW Tag Team Championships. Street Profits joined commentary for the match.
Match Recap: Humberto knocked Murphy and Andrade out of the ring to start off the action. Humberto tagged in Dominik and they both connected with Suicide Dives onto Murphy and Andrade outside the ring. Back in the ring, Dominik tried to cover Andrade but he kicked out at two. Rollins left Murphy alone in the ring and walked away. Angel Garza hit Murphy with his finisher for the pinfall victory. Garza and Andrade will once again face Street Profits at Clash of Champions.
Opinion: Andrade and Angel Garza haven’t been getting along for weeks. There is nothing fresh about another match between these two teams. I find it impossible to care about this match on Sunday.
Kevin Owens came down to the ring for an episode of the Kevin Owens Show. Kevin referred to Aliester Black as Captain Hot Topic and claimed to have taken care of him last week.
Owens introduced Shane McMahon as his guest tonight on the show. Shane promoted Dabba- Kato versus Braun Strowman tonight on RAW Underground. Dabba-Kato made his way to the ring and Owens brought up Dabba beating him down two weeks ago on RAW Underground. Owens told Dabba-Kato that they are going to fight at some point and slapped him in the face.
Braun Strowman was the 2nd guest on the Kevin Owens Show. Strowman and Dabba-Kato got in each other’s face as Shane shouted that they cannot fight until RAW Underground. Aleister Black then attacked Kevin Owens from behind and slammed him the ring post a couple times.
