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Impact Results (6/23): Return Of Aces & Eights Teased

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling continued the build to Slammiversary on Twitch and AXS TV this week. This week’s show featured Eddie Edwards vs Madman Fulton, Taya Valkyrie vs Susie, and the in-ring debut of Deonna Purrazzo.

Impact Wrestling 6/23 Quick Results:

  1. Tasha Steelz w/Kiera Hogan defeated Neveah w/Havok
  2. Deonna Purrazzo defeated Alisha Edwards
  3. Taya Valkyrie defeated Susie
  4. Chris Bey, Johnny Swinger & Rohit Raju defeat Willie Mack, Cody Deaner & Cousin Jake
  5. Madman Fulton defeated Eddie Edwards

Here are 8 takeaways from Impact Wrestling 6/23:

D’Lo Brown “Putting The Band Back Together”

At the end of this week’s show, D’Lo Brown was shown speaking to someone on his laptop. He said he didn’t like being seen as a corporate stooge, something the members of Reno Scum had accused him of earlier in the show.

As D’Lo got up to leave, an Aces and Eights jacket was shown on his chair. The little guitar twang from the old Aces and Eights theme music also played.

Earlier in the show, an Aces and Eights moment featuring Luke “Doc” Gallows was also shown during the Flashback Moment of the Week.

Madman Fulton Picks Up Victory Over Eddie Edwards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQqmncVXoQI

In this week’s main event, Madman Fulton pinned a former world champion and wrestler scheduled to take part in the 5-way world title match at Slammiversary. He defeated Eddie Edwards while Ace Austin watched on from his corner.

The end of the match came shortly after Fulton kicked out from a tiger-driver. Edwards then charged at him for a Boston Knee Party but Fulton countered into a slam for the win. It was a clean victory for the former OVE member and a statement made to the rest of the roster.

Chris Bey Pins Willie Mack In Tag Action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c7if7PzpfU

Chris Bey’s case for a shot at Willie Mack’s X-division title improved this week. Johnny Swinger spent much of this week’s episode looking for a 3rd partner for him and Bey and landed on Rohit Raju. Bey didn’t seem pleased with this. They then took on the team of Willie Mack and the Deaners in 6-man action.

The end of the match came shortly after Mack gave Raju a stunner. Bey then came off the ropes with a springboard fame-asset on the X-Division champion and pinned him to earn his team the victory. No official match between Mack and Bey has been scheduled but one would have to assume it could potentially take place at Slammiversary.

Deonna Purrazzo Makes Alisha Edwards Tapout

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW5WwTfmKFg

Deonna Purrazzo made quick work of Alisha Edwards in her in-ring return to Impact this week. This was a contest pitting someone who utilizes strategy and technique (Purrazzo) versus someone who is driven by emotion (Edwards). Any time Edwards tried to fight back with a fury of offence, Purrazzo had the perfect counter for her. She picked up the victory with an armbar.

After the match, Jordynne Grace hit the ring in an attempt to get a little revenge for the two times Purrazzo has attacked her in recent weeks. Purrazzo fled the ring area pretty quickly to avoid the Knockouts champion, however.

It was later announced that Purrazzo will challenge Grace for the Knockouts title at Slammiversary.

The North Attack Ken Shamrock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x5TU-mJ5iw

Ethan Page was frustrated on a recent episode of Impact when he found people backstage watching old Ken Shamrock matches. This week, Shamrock caught Page making fun of him in the back. This was to set up a match between Shamrock and Josh Alexander but the bout never happened. Instead, both members of the North assaulted Shamrock before the match could even start.

Kylie Rae Saves Susie From Taya Valkyrie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DAzbrye0N4

After dropping her title rematch to Jordynne Grace, Taya Valkyrie got back in the win column this week in a single’s match against Su Yung’s alter ego, Susie. During the match, it seemed as though Susie was channeling her Su Yung personality at points. She gave Valkyrie a run for her money and even countered the Road To Valhalla into a pinning combination for a near fall.

In the end, Valkyrie would finally land her finish and pick up the win. After the match, she continued to taunt Susie. This brought out Susie’s friend Kylie Rae who delivered a super kick to Valkyrie to take her out of the ring. Perhaps a collision between Kylie Rae and Taya Valkyrie is in the works.

Tasha Steelz Steals A Victory Against Nevaeh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb5mq4SPyH8

Tasha Steelz and Kiera Hogan have been aligned recently in Impact Wrestling as have Nevaeh and Havok. These two teams seem to be on a collision course to facing each other in tag-team action but this week it was Neveah taking on Tasha Steelz in single’s competition. These two recent signees kicked off this week’s show.

Neveah got the early advantage but after Hogan distracted her at ringside, Steelz was able to gain control. After Neveah began fighting back, Hogan again provided a distraction. Havok tried to confront Hogan but as this was happening, Steelz rolled up Neveah with a handful of trunks and got the 3-count.

Next Week On Impact Wrestling

The following has been booked for next week’s show:

  • TJP & Fallah Bah vs Reno Scum
  • Havok w/Nevaeh vs Kiera Hogan w/Tasha Steelz
  • TNA World Championship (Unofficial)
    Moose (c) vs Crazzy Steve

Sammy Guevara Releases A Video Apology

Chris Stephens
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Sammy Guevara was suspended without pay for an undetermined amount of time by AEW recently. Guevara came under fire for comments he made about Sasha Banks on a podcast in 2016. Additionally, Guevara will undergo sensitivity training.

Guevara released a new video on YouTube recently. In the video, he went into further detail regarding his regret concerning the situation. He talked about growing as a person over the last four years and taking a break from social media.

“There is going to be no vlog today and there’s going to be no vlog for a while. I’m going to take a hiatus from social media, in general. I just want to apologize to anybody I let down, to Sasha, to anybody I hurt with my words.”

“It just sucks cause 2016 me is not me today. 2020 me would never say those kind of hurtful things that I did in 2016. I used to think it was funny to do some kind of shock humor to pop the room I’m in.”

“I thought it would be funny to do that kind of humour, shock humour and it’s not.”

“A lot has happened in four years of my life. I know a lot of people think four years is not that much time but if you look at how much has happened to me in my life from wrestling in the middle of nowhere in Texas, to wrestling all around the world, to wrestling in different countries, to wrestling on TV for AEW. So much has happened to me in four years and one of the thing’s that’s happened is me growing as a person.”

Guevara continued to say that he now understands the words he says can have an impact on people. He also said he’ll never say stuff like that again.

“Whenever I do come back, I will be better. I’m going to do sensitivity training and I’m going to be a better version of myself.”

Guevara’s video can be seen in the player below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDopYWwfH0&feature=youtu.be

BTE Episodes Featuring Joey Ryan To Be Taken Down

Chris Stephens
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A new Being the Elite episode was released a day late this week. When the episode was posted yesterday, it included notes in its description that state they are in the process of taking down episodes that feature “an accused serial sexual abuser.”

Joey Ryan was, at one point, a person regularly featured on Being the Elite. Ryan has been accused of sexual misconduct by numerous parties online as part of the #SpeakingOut movement.

“Hi guys and girls. We hope this video provides an escape, or even maybe makes you laugh during these tough times,” the video’s description reads.

The statement continues to refer to an accused serial sexual abuser.

“We love you all. Out of respect to the victims, we have began the process of taking down BTE videos which featured an accused serial sexual abuser. Our biggest regret is providing a platform unknowingly to such a despicable person. Our hearts go out to the victims and anyone else affected.”

Reports are that friends of Ryan’s have been in shock about the recent allegations. Ryan was a key figure in the Being the Elite series leading up to All In. He was involved in a storyline with Hangman Page where Page was believed to have killed Ryan at one point. This led to Ryan making a return at the All In PPV.

The 109th episode of Being the Elite which is said to have featured a funeral for Ryan has already been taken down.

The latest episode of Being the Elite can be seen in the player below:

Marty Scurll Releases Statement On Recent Allegations

Chris Stephens
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ROH’s Marty Scurll has released a statement regarding recent allegations made about him online.

“I am aware that a young woman has bravely come forward with her account of sexual abuse by some members of the wrestling community in the UK 5 years ago, a community I was part of.”

“Although I truly believe that our encounter that evening was consensual, and the fact that the encounter was legal; is almost not the point. I understand that she now views our encounter as part of a bigger problem within the wrestling community.”

https://twitter.com/mystickttn/status/1275128410759725058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1275128410759725058&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F411mania.com%2Fwrestling%2Fmarty-scurll-responds-sexual-assault-accusation%2F

Scurll also asked people to stop attacking his accuser on social media.

“What concerns me at this moment is that from what I have been reading, she is a fan of wrestling was made to feel unsafe within that community. This is not acceptable. I also understand that people have been attacking her on social media, and I implore you to please stop. She has a right to her voice and it is our responsibility to listen.”

Scurll’s full statement can be read in the Tweet below:

https://twitter.com/MartyScurll/status/1275526538688180224

Scurll signed a new contract with ROH in January. Part of his new deal puts him in a booking position with the company.

Keith Lee Shares His Own #SpeakingOut Story

Chris Stephens
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NXT North American Champion Keith Lee released a statement on social media yesterday. Lee tells the story of having been at a bar one night and possibly having been drugged. He said that even people close to him are not aware of the story but he felt compelled to share in the hopes that it helps others.

“I’m going to share a story with you that very, VERY few know. I am watching friends and associates #SpeakOut. I am noticing how much strength it is taking for them to bring forth their stories. I shall share one of my own.”

Lee continues to tell the story about being in Dallas for a show in either 2016 or 2017. He met a young lady while doing karaoke at a bar. Lee details the woman letting him know she was interested in him but he declined her advances due to not being single at the time.

“Unfortunately… it’s right around here things become extremely fuzzy for me. No matter how much I rack my brain, all I find myself able to recall is struggling to make it to the stage…and stumbling toward a car. After that… I recall waking up naked in a hotel room (I don’t even recall if it was my own room), confused and in a panic. I was fortunate enough to have my essentials such as wallet and phone. But…who knows what all I lost.”

The full statement can be read in the Tweet below:

Results: NJPW New Japan Cup 2020 Day 5

Evan S
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0

Today, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will hold the fifth day of the 2020 New Japan Cup. The New Japan Cup is NJPW’s annual 32-man single elimination tournament, usually scheduled for the Spring. The winner will challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships at NJPW Dominion on July 12. Today’s card will hold four of the eight matches in the second round.

Watch exclusively on NJPW World with Japanese commentary.
English commentary will be recorded and uploaded to NJPW World this week.
Note: This event was held in an empty arena.

New Japan Cup 2020 Day 5 Results

Second Round Match: Taiji Ishimori def. Yoshinobu Kanemaru (9:18)
These two men have a lot of history. They’ve wrestled one dozen singles matches, both in NJPW and NOAH, and Taiji Ishimori has yet to win even one. No sooner did Ishimori walk through the entrance curtain than did Kanemaru follow him and set about laying waste to Ishimori’s left knee, to nullify Ishimori’s agility advantage. Five minutes in, Ishimori was still able to pull off a handspring kick but the pain stopped him from following up. Kanemaru tricked Ishimori into hitting the ref and used the free moment to put whiskey in his mouth, but Ishimori clamped a hand on his face and forced him to swallow it. COVID-19 best practice. From there, he hit a double-knee gutbuster and the Bloody Cross to advance to the quarterfinals and break his losing streak.

Second Round Match: Togi Makabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii (13:28)
Ishii and Makabe have fought many times over the years, and you know what you’re getting with them. Immediately they began bashing into each other with reckless abandon, trading forearms and shoulder tackles. Ishii delivered a nasty German suplex to Makabe directly into the turnbuckle pad, causing him to crumple, and from there he handily took control of the match. Down but not out, Makabe finally rose to his feet and got back on offense with a lariat and a powerbomb. Makabe lifted Ishii to the top rope to set up his finishing combo, but Ishii blocked it and delivered a superplex for his troubles. Makabe immediately fired up and tried to hit the King Kong Knee Drop, but Ishii got out of the way. With one last lariat and the vertical drop brainbuster, Ishii took the pinfall victory and cemented his place in the quarterfinals.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi & Ryusuke Taguchi def. Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI) (13:55)
Suzuki-gun entered first today, and Kota Ibushi sprinted out to attack them all immediately, perturbed by the double-team beatdown he received yesterday at the hands of Sabre and Taichi. This didn’t last long though, as Suzuki-gun’s greater commitment to teamwork, regardless of the legality thereof, resulted in all three of them stretching Tanahashi’s legs out, despite him already having been eliminated from the tournament. When Ibushi and Taichi shared the ring, they exchanged brutal leg kicks and Taichi dropped Ibushi right on his neck with a backdrop driver. In the end, following a Sling Blade assist from Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi delivered the Dodon on DOUKI for the pinfall victory. Despite losing, Suzuki-gun attacked Golden Ace once again after the match, but this time they were unable to leave the IWGP Tag Team Champions in a crumpled heap.

Second Round Match: Hiromu Takahashi def. Toru Yano (9:17)
Hiromu Takahashi entered wearing an NJPW-branded hard hat, which he must have thought would thwart Yano’s attempts to cut his hair. Fearless, Yano brandished his hair trimmer as soon as the bell rang. Hiromu hid under the ring, leading Yano to chase him while leaving his trimmer in the ring. Hiromu came out the other side of the ring and claimed the trimmer, but it turned out to be a decoy with no batteries, while Yano held another trimmer. The referee wrested it away, but Yano also carried scissors in his trunks, but Hiromu was able to grab those too and throw them away. Hiromu threw Yano out of the ring, but Yano snatched some duct-tape and tied Hiromu’s leg to Yota Tsuji’s leg, and was able to cut off some of Hiromu’s hair with yet another pair of scissors. Incensed, Hiromu and Tsuji took Yano to the lobby of Korakuen Hall, with their legs still taped together, and pushed him into an open elevator. The elevator was sent down to the ground level of the building, and Hiromu and Tsuji scrambled into the ring before the twenty-count. Hiromu Takahashi defeated Toru Yano by countout and will face Tomohiro Ishii in the quarterfinals.

Second Round Match: Kazuchika Okada def. Yuji Nagata (20:14)
Nagata came out with a point to prove: that, even at 52 years old, he was still The Anti-Aging Hero. As Okada pushed him into the ropes, Nagata kicked him into the face. Okada might have been a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, but Nagata still considered himself Okada’s senior. Okada’s pace, initially slow, increased over time as he realized that he had to take Nagata more seriously than he thought. As Okada climbed to the rope to try for a top rope elbow drop, Nagata had it scouted, and caught him with an avalanche exploder suplex. As Nagata went to follow up, Okada managed to hit him with a standing dropkick and a tombstone piledriver, but did not go for the pin. Instead, he tried to go for the cobra clutch, but Nagata reversed it into the Nagata Lock II, but Okada made it to the ropes to break the hold. Nagata went for a wrist-clutch exploder suplex only for Okada to apply the cobra clutch, which he held for a long time before Nagata broke the hold with a suplex. Okada tried a rolling lariat, but Nagata blocked it and hit a backdrop driver for a two count. Nagata kept trying for the backdrop hold, but Okada was able to catch him with another cobra clutch, this time with bodyscissors, for the submission victory. He will face Taiji Ishimori in the quarterfinals.

WWE RAW Viewership Sees Dip For ‘Championship Monday’ (6/22)

Andrew Ravens
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Viewership data is in for Monday’s WWE RAW and Friday’s SmackDown. Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

RAW Viewership

Monday’s edition of WWE RAW averaged 1.922 million viewers, which is down from the 1.940 million viewers last week. 

Here is the hourly viewership breakdown:

  • Hour 1: 2.035 million, 0.58 in the 18-49 Demo
  • Hour 2: 1.950 million, 0.53 in the 18-49 Demo
  • Hour 3: 1.782 million, 0.49 in the 18-49 Demo

WWE RAW Results (6/22): Championship Monday & Title Matches Set For Extreme Rules

SmackDown Viewership

SmackDown averaged 2.072 million viewers on FOX in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center. This is up from the 2.065 million viewers that the show did for the previous week’s episode of SmackDown.

The show averaged 2.089million viewers in the fast nationals, which was up from the 2.016 million viewers a week ago. This number measured the top metered markets. 

The first hour drew 2.147 million viewers while the second hour did 2.031 million viewers. For comparison, the first show of last week’s show did 2.036 million viewers while the second hour did 1.996 million viewers. 

SmackDown pulled in a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demos, the same from the 0.50 rating as last week’s show.

WWE SmackDown Results (6/19): Matt Riddle Debuts, Bray Wyatt Returns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-uQ5BdBEJ

Dave Lagana Issues Statement On Recent Allegations

Chris Stephens
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Dave Lagana resigned from his position with the National Wrestling Alliance earlier this week in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct against him. The NWA also announced a temporary halt to producing new content as they look to restructure their management team.

Lagana recently released a statement to John Pollock at Post Wrestling denying the allegations.

“I take Liz’s allegations seriously. The first time I became aware of her allegations was last week when she made them public. I take them so seriously that I voluntarily stepped down from my position as Vice President of Lightning One Inc. and its company, the National Wrestling Alliance, after learning of her allegations. I did so because they pre-date this position and I didn’t want to involve the men and women of the National Wrestling Alliance during this time,” Lagana’s statement reads.

His statement continued to deny the assault Liz Savage alleges took place.

“I valued my friendship with Liz. I’m sorry that she feels that I somehow wronged her. However, the incident she described did not happen.”

“As Liz correctly said, I never made a nonconsensual move on her during waking hours. However, her claim that I made a nonconsensual move on her while we shared a bed is false. I did not touch her in the way she claimed. I never touched her like that, and I never would have.”

Lagana’s lengthy statement denies any assault ever took place. The full statement can be read here.

Allegations Against Dave Lagana & The NWA’s Response

Liz Savage’s Tweet about Lagana can be viewed below:

In the wake of the allegations, the NWA sent out the following as it concerns the matter:

“Pursuant to allegations made by pro wrestler Liz Savage on her Twitter account, 6/18/2020, NWA VP David Lagana has resigned his position, effective immediately. As well all production of NWA content is temporarily halted, pending a restructuring of executive management positions.”

Kofi Kingston Reveals His Favorite Pro Wrestling Match Ever

Jake Skudder
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WWE Superstar and SmackDown Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston recently discussed his favorite ever pro wrestling match on The New Day: Feel The Power podcast. The trio were discussing the recent match between Randy Orton and Edge, which was billed beforehand as ‘The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever.’

“This was really, so this is hard, because so many matches are great for so many reasons” Kofi Kingston began on the podcast. !Man, and then you talk about like having a match that’s like perfect from A to Z? In terms of nothing went wrong, but did the crowd like it, you know?”

Kofi Kingston on Eddie vs Rey

Kingston would then reveal that his favorite match was a WCW Cruiserweight classic from the mid 90’s. “I gotta go with the, this is probably not a popular one, but, Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero at Halloween Havoc 1997. This is the one where Rey wore the The Phantom [costume]? I love that match, and especially after reading Eddie Guerrero’s book.”

Kofi Kingston would then talk about his own experiences being put lower on the card. “So there’s a lot of times where we’re, put on a certain spot in the card, right? You feel like you should be somewhere else, you should feel like you should be higher up on the card. You feel like you should be in the main event, and you think you should be at the top because you’re at the top of your game.”

Kingston elaborated further, saying Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero were at the top of their games. I mean God, they’ve always been so so great, but they had such great chemistry in WCW.”

Is Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero from Halloween Havoc 1997 your favorite bout between the two? Let us know in the comments

Also Check Out:

Charlotte Flair Needs Surgery, Timeline For Return Unclear

Chris Stephens
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Charlotte Flair was attacked on RAW last night by Nia Jax. The attack will provide the storyline reason for Flair being out of action due to a legitimate need for surgery. According to reports from both the Wrestling Observer and Talk Sport, Flair needs surgery. It is unknown what type of surgery Flair needs, however.

According to the report from the Wrestling Observer, WWE is hopeful Flair will be fit to return in time for SummerSlam. According to the Talk Sport report, however, she is not expected to be able to return by then.

“There is hope she will be ready for SummerSlam in August. However, that’s not 100%,” reads a report from the Wrestling Observer.

“The idea is that she will return around Royal Rumble season next year, but if a good story pops up before then – around Survivor Series – she would be open to return later this year,” reads the report from Talk Sport.

“There’s a 0 percent chance Charlotte returns for SummerSlam,” TalkSport says its sources told them.

In addition to requiring surgery, Flair is said to be run-down from the rigours of WWE’s schedule over the last few years.

In addition to being attacked by Nia Jax, Flair dropped a RAW Women’s title match to Asuka on RAW. Flair also dropped the NXT Women’s Championship to Io Shirai recently in a match that also involved Rhea Ripley.

Candice LeRae Releases Statement Regarding Joey Ryan

Chris Stephens
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Candice LeRae formed a tag-team along with Joey Ryan from 2013 to 2016. The two were named “The World’s Cutest Tag Team.” They held titles together in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Dreamwave Wrestling, and Fighting Spirit Pro Wrestling.

In the wake of numerous allegations against Joey Ryan for sexual misconduct, LeRae released the following statement:

“I am mortified. I absolutely DO NOT and never have condoned such horrible actions. I have zero tolerance for it.

To the women he did this to- my heart breaks for you. I trusted this person. Reading the stories and learning how he acted sickens me. Especially because you all trusted him too. I can’t imagine how YOU felt.

For every woman and man who has been brave enough to speak out, I have nothing but love and respect for you.”

Championship Wrestling from Hollywood’s Dave Marquez also released the following statement regarding Ryan:

In the wake of the allegations against Ryan, he has been fired by Impact Wrestling. His scheduled match on Impact’s weekly television this week has reportedly been edited off of the show. Ryan and Cancel Culture were scheduled to face Crazzy Steve and two mystery partners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xsWWHr9c7U

Impact Releases Joey Ryan & Dave Crist, Suspends Michael Elgin

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling has released a statement regarding 3 members of its roster. In the wake of numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, the promotion has fired Joey Ryan. Impact has also announced that it has released Dave Crist. The former member of OVE was also accused recently as part of the #SpeakingOut movement but was already on his way out of the promotion.

Impact has also announced they have suspended Michael Elgin pending a further investigation into claims made against him.

Furthermore, Joey Ryan’s match has reportedly been edited out of tonight’s Impact show on AXS TV and Twitch. Ryan and Cancel Culture were scheduled to take on Crazzy Steve and two mystery partners. Elgin had been scheduled to participate in the 5-way world title match at Slammiversary. It is unclear if he will still be in the match, however.

Impact released the following statement regarding Ryan, Crist and Elgin:

“IMPACT Wrestling confirms that it has terminated its contracts with Dave Crist and Joey Ryan, effective immediately. In addition, it has suspended Michael Elgin pending further review of allegations of misconduct,” reads the promotion’s statement.

Impact Wrestling Lineup

The promotion continues its build to Slammiversary tonight. In the wake Joey Ryan’s match being edited off of tonight’s show, only the following two matches are scheduled:

  • Susie (Su Yung) vs Taya Valkyrie
  • Willie Mack, Cody Deaner & Cousin Jake vs Chris Bey, Johnny Swinger & TBD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkzkpbOeQPo

Results: NJPW New Japan Cup 2020 Day 4

Evan S
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0

Today, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will hold the fourth day of the 2020 New Japan Cup. The New Japan Cup is NJPW’s annual 32-man single elimination tournament, usually scheduled for the Spring. The winner will challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships at NJPW Dominion on July 12. Today’s card will hold four of the sixteen matches in the first round.

Watch exclusively on NJPW World with Japanese commentary.
English commentary will be recorded and uploaded to NJPW World this week.
Note: This event was held in an empty arena.

New Japan Cup 2020 Day 4 Results

New Japan Cup First Round Match: BUSHI def. YOH (15:42)
YOH entered to new music that I’ve never heard before. In singles matches in the past, he always entered to the Roppongi 3K music. YOH and BUSHI have a lot of experience against each other, but in the past it has been almost exclusively tag team affairs for the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. BUSHI took control at the start softening up YOH’s neck for the M-X, but YOH fought back soon enough with flying forearms and a figure four leglock that BUSHI got out of with a rope break. BUSHI tried to scramble to the ropes for the M-X, but YOH got out of the way and laid in consecutive German suplexes. YOH kept going for a dragon suplex, but BUSHI stuffed his attempts. BUSHI rocked YOH with a codebreaker and then hit the M-X for the victory. Both sets of Tag Team Champions had one member lose and one advance in the first round.

New Japan Cup First Round Match: YOSHI-HASHI def. Hiroyoshi Tenzan (17:35)
YOSHI-HASHI brought an uncharacteristic aggression as he took the fight to Tenzan, reddening the Raging’s Bull’s chest with a flurry of chops. He delivered a headbutt only to recoil in pain while Tenzan seemed unharmed. YOSHI-HASHI seemed determined to put the 49-year-old out of his misery, but Tenzan showed the spirit was still within him, running up to the top rope to attempt a super Mountain bomb. YOSHI-HASHI blocked it and sunset flipped over Tenzan to land a sitout powerbomb. Tenzan wrenched YOSHI-HASHI into an STF and broke the hold to go for the top rope moonsault, and he did pull it off but YOSHI-HASHI moved out of the way. YOSHI-HASHI capitalized and put on the Butterfly Lock but Tenzan made it to the ropes. Tenzan applied his patented Anaconda Vice, but YOSHI-HASHI rolled over him and got his shoulders down for a near fall, then tapped out Tenzan with the Butterfly Lock. He will advance to to face BUSHI in the second round.

CHAOS (SHO, Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi & SANADA) ended in a Double Countout
Hiromu Takahashi made his entrance first and looked positively traumatized by the sight of Toru Yano. As a young lion, Hiromu’s head was involuntarily shaved by Yano and they just so happen to be facing each other in the second round. Hiromu demanded that the referee check Yano for foreign objects, and Yano was indeed smuggling a spray bottle of water and a hair trimmer in his tights. As SHO engaged Shingo in battles of heavy strikes and power moves, and tried to overwhelm SANADA’s finesse with brute force, Yano continued to stalk Hiromu with his clippers. When Yano and Hiromu were both legal, Yano chased Hiromu into the lobby and duct-taped his legs together. Okada followed Yano to remind him to get back in the ring on time, but it was too late, and both legal men were counted out.

New Japan Cup First Round Match: Hirooki Goto def. Yujiro Takahashi (16:40)
With Pieter unavailable, Yujiro’s only valet was Jado. Yujiro knew that he would be outmatched in a straightforward fight so he stalled outside the ring until Goto lost his patience and was lured into a trap on the outside, in which Yujiro evaded Goto’s attack while Jado irish whipped Goto into the barricade. Yujiro continued to control the match, not being rocked by Goto’s lariats and getting him to the top rope for a super fisherman’s suplex. Goto used a moment of opportunity to land the Ushigoroshi, and when Yujiro tried to fight back, Goto leveled him with a cracking forearm to the face. Goto then landed a gnarly rope-hung reverse GTR, but couldn’t follow up when Jado hit him with a kendo stick as he ran the ropes. Opportunistically, Yujiro used this moment to land the Miami Shine, but Goto blocked his attempt at the Pimp Juice DDT. Jado distracted the referee leading to Yujiro attempting to hit Goto with his pimp cane. However, Goto saw it coming and avoided the attack, and then irish-whipped Yujiro into Jado to take Jado out. Finally, Goto hit the GTW only for Yujiro to kick out at two, and then hit the GTR to advance to the second round.

New Japan Cup First Round Match: EVIL def. Satoshi Kojima (20:08)
EVIL had a game plan from the moment the bell rang: take out Kojima’s right arm, the arm that his delivered so many match-ending lariats. Between arm-wringers and bashing Kojima’s arm with a steel chair, EVIL dominated the early going of the match. A DDT from Kojima brought the match on even footing, and Kojima’s continued use of chops and elbows showed that EVIL hadn’t done enough to take out his dominant arm. Kojima hit the Koji Cutter, then lifted EVIL to the top rope for a super Koji Cutter, but EVIL was not down yet. EVIL buffeted Kojima with repeated lariats, bringing Kojima to his knee, and EVIL finally took him down with yet another running lariat. EVIL hit the Darkness Falls for a near fall. EVIL went to follow up, but Kojima responded with a left arm lariat to get EVIL down for a count of two, exposing the flaw of EVIL’s strategy. As EVIL hit the ropes, Kojima hit the lariat with his right arm, but was in too much pain to go for the pin immediately, and EVIL kicked out at two. Kojima kept going to the well with the lariat, but EVIL kept blocking them and caught Kojima with the EVIL STO for the pinfall victory. EVIL will face Hirooki Goto in the second round.

All eight second round matches have been determined. They are as follows:

  • Togi Makabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii (June 24)
  • Toru Yano vs. Hiromu Takahashi (June 24)
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Taiji Ishimori (June 24)
  • Yuji Nagata vs. Kazuchika Okada (June 24)
  • SHO vs. SANADA (July 1)
  • Kota Ibushi vs. Taichi (July 1)
  • YOSHI-HASHI vs. BUSHI (July 1)
  • Hirooki Goto vs. EVIL (July 1)

WWE RAW Results (6/22): Championship Monday & Title Matches Set For Extreme Rules

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. Sasha Banks & Bayley defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships against The IIconics. Asuka put the RAW Women’s Championship on the line against Charlotte Flair. Street Profits defended the RAW Tag Team Championships against Viking Raiders as well.

RAW Results (6/22)

  1. Street Profits def. Viking Raiders to retain the RAW Tag Team Championships
  2. Asuka def. Charlotte Flair to retain the RAW Women’s Championship
  3. Akira Tozawa def. R-Truth to become 24/7 Champion
  4. Bayley & Sasha Banks def. The IIconics to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships
  5. Apollo Crews def. Shelton Benjamin

Here are 6 takeaways from this week’s show:

Dolph Ziggler Will Challenge Drew McIntyre For The WWE Title At Extreme Rules

mcintyre ziggler

WWE Champion Drew McIntyre came down to the ring to begin this week’s show but was quickly interrupted by Dolph Ziggler. Dolph pointed out that AJ Styles was traded to SmackDown and Ziggler and Roode are coming to RAW. Ziggler told McIntyre that nobody is happier that he is champion and claimed that McIntyre owed him something.

Dolph took credit for bringing McIntyre back after he got fired and added that McIntyre is WWE Champion because of him as well. Ziggler noted that McIntyre needs a challenger for Extreme Rules and said he wants a title match. McIntyre told Ziggler that he has been losing a lot since they split up as a team.

Drew told Ziggler that he has become an entitled jackass that thinks the world owes him something. McIntyre accepted Ziggler’s challenge for a title match at Extreme Rules.

Asuka Tapped Out Charlotte Flair

Asuka RAW 6 22

Nia Jax set up a chair in the middle of the ring and said it must be Monday because Charlotte is getting another title shot. Nia complained about being cheated out of her title shot due to a fast count from referee John Cone last week.

24/7 Champion R-Truth interrupted and joined Jax in the ring. R-Truth told Nia that he was supposed to have a match against Akira Tozawa for the 24/7 title. R-Truth wondered if Nia was the real Akira Tozawa because ninjas are masters of deception.

Akira Tozawa showed up behind the announce table and then several ninjas chased R-Truth backstage. Jax said she is not leaving this chair but was interrupted by Charlotte Flair. Charlotte claimed that Nia was throwing a fit because she dropped the ball.

Jax claimed Charlotte only gets what she wants because she is Ric Flair’s daughter. Nia added that Charlotte has never defeated her and boasted about dominating her in the one match they have had in the past. Flair attacked Nia before officials rushed the ring to break it up. Jax got in a shot and Charlotte was shown favoring her arm to end the segment.

Asuka defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair later on the show.

Match Recap: Asuka went after Charlotte’s injured arm to start things off. Flair battled back with a right hand and bought herself some time. Asuka knocked Flair out of the ring and went for a Dropkick off the apron. Flair got out of the way and hit a big boot to Asuka’s face. Back in the ring, Flair went for a Moonsault but Asuka got out of the way. Charlotte landed on her feet and bounced Asuka’s face off the turnbuckle as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Flair was still in control and hit Asuka with another big boot for a near fall. Asuka sent Charlotte into the turnbuckle and went for the Asuka Lock but Flair quickly got to the ropes. Charlotte hit Asuka with the Spear and went for the cover but Asuka was able to reach the bottom rope to break it up. Asuka locked in an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring but Flair countered with a Powerbomb. Asuka then applied the Asuka Lock in the middle of the ring and Charlotte tapped out.

Charlotte was interviewed backstage later on the show and claimed that Asuka only defeated her because of her injured arm. Nia Jax showed up and attacked Charlotte once again.

Street Profits Retained The RAW Tag Titles

pjimage 2020 03 02T194243.746

Street Profits defended the RAW Tag Team Championships against Viking Raiders tonight.

Match Recap: Ivar knocked Angelo Dawkins to the corner and tagged in Erik. Dawkins battled back and tagged in Montez. Ford connected with a Dropkick that sent Erik out of the ring. Ford tried to flip onto Erik but he caught him and Powerbombed Montez onto Dawkins as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Street Profits were back in control and Dawkins planted Erik with a Bulldog. Street Profits then delivered the Viking Experience to Erik and went for the cover but Ivar broke it up. Ivar tagged in and leveled Ford with an elbow to the face. Angelo tagged in and both teams started doing cartwheels before brawling once again.

Ivar made his way to the top rope and went for a Splash but Angelo got out of the way. Dawkins connected with a Spinebuster before tagging in Ford. Montez then hit Ivar with a Frog Splash for the pinfall victory. Street Profits are still the RAW Tag Team Champions.

After the match, Angel Garza and Andrade attacked the Street Profits from behind. Viking Raiders ran back down to the ring but Andrade and Garza retreated.

Big Show Confronted Randy Orton

Big Show Orton RAW 6 22

Edge cut an unbelievable promo tonight and said that Randy Orton has woken up the “Rated R Superstar”. Edge stated that when he comes back he is going to break Orton and “make him wish that Cowboy Bob was firing blanks on the night he was conceived”. Edge closed the promo by telling Orton to get some sleep while he can. You can check out the entire promo below.

Ric Flair came down to the ring and stated that Charlotte will get her revenge on Nia Jax. Flair introduced Randy Orton and claimed he was the best performer in the history of WWE. Orton said that the fire in his gut has been reignited because he once again wants to be called the Legend Killer.

Big Show interrupted and marched to the ring. Big Show said Edge & Christian are his friends and Randy is going to pay for his actions. Big Show vowed to break every bone in Orton’s body. Randy stopped Big Show and said that he is a future WWE Hall of Famer, and some would even call him a legend. Orton threatened Big Show and said it would be a shame to suffer the same fate as Edge & Christian. Big Show challenged Orton to a fight but he exited the ring with Flair. Randy said that whatever happens next to Big Show is on him.

Sasha Banks Will Face Asuka At Extreme Rules For The RAW Women’s Championship

Sasha Banks Bayley

Bayley and Sasha Banks defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships against The IIConics tonight on RAW.

Match Recap: Bayley and Sasha dominated early and isolated Billie Kay in the ring. Peyton tagged in and hit a knee to Bayley’s faced as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Bayley knocked Peyton off the apron and hit Billie with an elbow to the face.

Royce tagged in and connected with a Fisherman’s Suplex for a two count. Banks tagged in and kneed Royce in the face for a near fall. Sasha then locked in the Bank Statement on Peyton Royce for the submission victory. Bayley and Sasha Banks are still the Women’s Tag Team Champions.

After the match, Sasha Banks told Bayley that she gets a little jealous every time she brings up having two titles. Sasha told Bayley that she wanted a title match and then officially challenged Asuka to a match at Extreme Rules. RAW Women’s Champion Asuka came down to the ring and told Sasha that she is not the boss of her. Asuka then accepted the challenge and Bayley attacked her from behind. Sasha hit Asuka with the Backstabber and then locked in the Bank Statement.

Carrillo & Black Saved Rey & Dominik

rey dominik raw 6 22

Rey Mysterio and Dominik came to the ring in the final segment of this week’s RAW. Mysterio said that Dominik scared the hell out of him last week when he came to the Performance Center and attacked Seth Rollins.

Mysterio added that he was proud of Dominik but also angry at him for putting himself at risk. Rey stated that he has learned to accept what Rollins did to him and that Dominik will always be his child no matter how big he gets.

Rey claimed that he needs to get revenge on Seth Rollins and needs to do it himself. Dominik told Rey that he is not going anywhere and looked into the camera. Dominik said that this is what a family looks like and this family wants a fight.

The Monday Night Messiah stepped to the entrance ramp and wondered if he should go to the ring to slaughter a father before his son or go to the ring and make Rey watch as he sacrifices Dominik. Rollins said “two eyes are better than one” and slowly made his way down the ramp.

Murphy and Austin Theory showed up but were attacked from behind by Aleister Black and Humberto Carrillo. Dominik got in some punches on Murphy and knocked him out of the ring. Carrillo flipped onto Murphy and Theory outside the ring. Mysterio hit Seth with a 619 and then brought him over to the steel steps. They were about to shove Rollins’ eye into the steps but Murphy and Theory broke it up. Rey tried to shove Dominik’s eye into the steel steps but Carrillo and Black made the save to end the show.

Opinion: I’ve really enjoyed this storyline and interested to see where it goes leading up until Extreme Rules. The match between Asuka & Charlotte, Edge’s promo, and the final segment were the highlights of the show. I’m going to have a hard time getting invested in a Randy Orton versus Big Show feud and don’t understand the appeal of that match at all. While Ziggler & McIntyre can have a great match at Extreme Rules, there really anything exciting about that feud either. Sasha Banks is a SmackDown superstar but is challenging for the RAW Women’s Championship at Extreme Rules. There was a ton wrong with this show but at least there were a few very entertaining segments as well.

Edge Continues His Storyline With Randy Orton Despite Injury Setback

Andrew Ravens
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As promised, Edge made an appearance on Monday’s episode of Raw to provide an update on his future. 

Of course, the WWE Hall of Famer is on the sidelines after he suffered a torn triceps injury in his latest match under the WWE banner. 

During Raw, Edge appeared by sitting in a ring. He stated that Orton won their match and injured him, but he kicked out and kept fighting. He stated that Orton is full of BS and brought up Orton hitting him with a low blow. He said that he was disappointed that he didn’t see it coming and he didn’t do it first. Edge said it wouldn’t happen again. Because of the injury and not being able to pick up his daughters on Father’s Day, it showed him that he needed to wake up a side of him that he’s been gone for way too long. 

Edge said that when Orton punted Christian in the head last week, Orton put the Rated PG Superstar to rest and woke up the side of him that will sink to any level to get what he wants. Edge vowed to make Orton pay for that and Orton has no idea what he has done because he woke up the evil inside of him, the Rated R Superstar. 

The injury happened while doing re-takes for a singles match against Randy Orton at the WWE Backlash pay-per-view event.

WWE used the “greatest match ever” tagline to further hype it. At the time of his injury, it was reported that he would be on the shelf for several months due to recovery time. 

WWE Title Match Set For Extreme Rules, Stars Change Brands

Andrew Ravens
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The first match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Extreme Rules PPV.

During the opening segment of Monday’s episode of RAW, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre came out for an in-ring promo only to be interrupted by Dolph Ziggler. 

This is where Ziggler revealed that due to the trade involving AJ Styles being moved to Friday Night SmackDown, RAW was able to select two SmackDown stars. It ended up being Ziggler and Robert Roode being moved to the flagship show of WWE. 

Later in the promo, Ziggler brought up how he’s owed a title match, and McIntyre redeeming himself after being fired from the company a few years ago. Now, the former friends turned foes will face off in a match. 

In this same segment, Ziggler challenged McIntyre for the WWE Championship, which McIntyre accepted on the spot.

As a result, they’ll wrestle at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view event on Sunday, July 19, 2020 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center.

Since moving to the SmackDown brand, Styles not only won the United States Title by beating Daniel Bryan in the tournament finals but also got into a new program. 

He just lost to the debuting Matt Riddle on last week’s show and the expectation is that they’ll be feuding going forward. 

The Undertaker Discusses His 15 Year Contract With WWE

Andrew Ravens
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The Undertaker signed a 15-year contract extension with WWE last year.

The Undertaker recently spoke with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated about the deal. While it’s a long deal, he made it known that it won’t keep him in the ring for 15 more years.

“That extended contract is obviously not a contract that keeps me in the ring for 15 years,” Taker said. “It keeps the brand at home, and there are a lot of ways that Vince thinks I can contribute to the company after my days in the ring are done.”

Sunday’s Chapter 5 of The Last Ride on the WWE Network ended with Taker stating that he had no desire to wrestle again, which many took as a hint at the possibility of retirement.

The Undertaker will be 70-years-old the next time that his contract with WWE expires.

Going back to 2018, it was reported that Taker was charging $25,000 per hour for non-WWE signing appearances. This new deal came after the non-WWE dates Taker was booking, which upset WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon. 

It’s been reported McMahon made an offer to Taker that couldn’t refuse financially in August that led to him signing the deal. 

AJ Styles Thinks Having Undertaker Rematch At WrestleMania 37 Would Be Ideal

Andrew Ravens
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AJ Styles is open to having a rematch with The Undertaker at WrestleMania despite the recent comments made by the legendary pro wrestler. 

The former WWE Champion revealed during the fifth and final episode of his WWE Network docuseries that he has no desire to return to the ring again. This has caused many fans to think that he is retired. 

Styles, who lost to Taker in a Boneyard Match at WrestleMania 36, did an interview with Sports Illustrated where he was asked whether a singles match against Taker is still in his mind. 

He stated once they were told they were doing a Boneyard match, all the ideas that they had were thrown out the window because they weren’t going to work the same as the Boneyard Match was a fight. 

“There is still hope The Undertaker is going to have one more match. You can’t blame him if he decides that this is it. I don’t know how he feels about it. I still have ideas of what we’d do in the ring. I’m going to keep them, I’m going to save them if he ever wants us to have that opportunity together in the ring. It’s all up to Taker, but I’m holding onto those spots.”

Styles was then asked whether the end goal of the story would be to have a rematch at WrestleMania 37. He responded with, “it would be ideal.”

Styles noted that they need to figure out if Taker wants to do one more because he doesn’t know. However, if Taker does then Styles would be willing to take that ride with him.

Mark Henry Appearing On ‘Steve Austin: The Broken Skull Sessions’

Andrew Ravens
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The guest for the seventh episode of WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s WWE Network show is set and it’s Mark Henry who will be appearing. 

The guest for the show, “Steve Austin: The Broken Skull Sessions,” was recently announced.

On Monday, WWE confirmed via a post on Twitter that Austin’s next guest will be none other than the future WWE Hall of Famer. The episode premieres on WWE’s streaming service on Sunday, June 28 at 10 a.m. ET.

In February, Austin had the chance to interview former WWE Champion The Big Show, which marked the third episode. Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Big Show, Bill Goldberg, and The Undertaker have also appeared on the show. Now, the seventh installment will see Mark Henryappearing.

Henry has been with the company since 1996 and during his career, he has held three championships. The WWE World Heavyweight Title, ECW Title, and European Title. He was also a three-time Slammy Award winner.

Henry’s last match came when he worked a Royal Rumble match at the Greatest Royal Rumble pay-per-view event back in April 2018. This was after 10 months of him confirming that his 21-year in-ring career was coming to an end.

WWE Backstage Shuts Down Production, Might Be Done For Good

Andrew Ravens
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WWE Backstage as fans knows it didn’t even last a year in its current format. 

John Ourand of Sports Business Journal was the first to report that there are changes coming at FS1 as WWE Backstage will reportedly no longer be produced weekly.

The network is scaling back production on their boxing and WWE programming. As a result, FS1 will have double-digit job losses. 

Pwinsider.com reports that FOX held a meeting on Monday to inform everyone working on the show that the series was done in its current format for now. There will not be a new episode airing on Tuesday, but instead, a rerun of an older episode will likely air.

The belief is the show is done entirely – with an outside chance that it could be used for special programming down the line. Per the report, there is no plan for such a thing currently. 

CM Punk’s Future

Regarding CM Punk, who worked as an analyst on the show, he remains under contract with FOX. Because of this, Punk won’t be migrating over to other WWE programming unless he signs a deal with WWE, which doesn’t seem likely at the moment. 

WWE Backstage premiered on November 5, 2019, and has averaged in the 100,000-200,000 viewers range. Last week’s show had 175,000 viewers for the best viewership of the year, and the second-best in show history.

Renee Young On When She Found Out About CM Punk’s WWE Backstage Return

Sammy Guevara Suspended From AEW Without Pay, Will Undergo Sensitivity Training

Michael Reichlin
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All Elite Wrestling has announced disciplinary action for Sammy Guevara to address comments he made about WWE Superstar Sasha Banks several years ago.

During a 2016 podcast appearance, Guevara made some highly inappropriate remarks about WWE Superstar Sasha Banks. You can hear what Sammy said in the media player embedded below:

Guevara received a wave of backlash on social media for the comments. He issued the following statement apologizing profusely for what he said. “I’ve made stupid, inappropriate and extremely offensive comments in my past,” he began. “In my idiotic mind, I thought I was being funny in using words and terms that represent nothing but horror and pain. I am truly sorry for my hurtful words and actions, and I will never forgive myself. I’ve made stupid, inappropriate and extremely offensive comments in my past. In my idiotic mind, I thought I was being funny in using words and terms that represent nothing but horror and pain. I am truly sorry for my hurtful words and actions, and I will never forgive myself.”

AEW acted promptly and suspended Sammy Guevara without pay. During his time away, Guevara will undergo extensive sensitivity training. His status with the company will be reevaluated upon completion of the program. AEW will be donating his salary during that time to a women’s shelter in Jacksonville, FL.

“AEW insists on doing our part to create a world of understanding and respect for humankind. We therefore strongly condemn the extremely offensive and hurtful words of Sammy Guevara. As such, effective immediately, Sammy is suspended without pay until further notice. Sammy has agreed to undergo extensive sensitivity training and, upon completion, his future status within the company will be re-evaluated. During his suspension, his salary will be donated to the Women’s Center of Jacksonville.”

Update On Tom Lawlor Wrestling For NJPW, More MLWxNJPW Crossover

Michael Reichlin
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Former MLW World Heavyweight Champion “Filthy” Tom Lawlor is gearing up to make his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling.

NJPW has announced the launch of Lion’s Break: COLLISION, a new weekly series that will air on the NJPW World streaming service. The show, which premieres Friday, July 3rd, will spotlight talent new to NJPW’s US-based presence.

Tom Lawlor will be representing Major League Wrestling in NJPW in the months ahead. This is more than a one-off appearance for “Filthy” Tom, who is confirmed for at least one more match under the NJPW banner.

SEScoops has learned that there is more to the NJPWxMLW relationship than these two confirmed matches. We will provide more details on this developing situation when they are available.

The premiere episode of NJPW Lion’s Break Collision will feature the following matches:

  • Clark Connors vs. Alex Coughlin
  • Jeff Cobb and Rocky Romero vs. TJP and Karl Fredericks

Shawn Spears – “Cody Rhodes Is Never Going To Half Ass Anything”

Jake Skudder
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AEW star Shawn Spears recently appeared on the AEW Unrestricted podcast. The former Tye Dillinger discussed a number of topics from his career; including his recent feud with Cody Rhodes and comparing his television time between AEW and his former home of WWE.

“It’s funny, you get nicknamed ‘The Chairman’ and then you hit a guy once with a chair and then you never touch anybody else with a chair since then!” Shawn Spears laughed. “The moniker is funny but, you know, to that point? That moment created a lot of traction, a lot of buzz both positively and negatively.”

Shawn Spears on ‘The Chair Shot’

The now infamous chair shot took place at Fyter Fest 2019. Shawn Spears appeared and lamped Cody Rhodes over the head; the chair shot was unprotected and it caused a lot of negative press for the upstart AEW promotion at the time.

“Here’s the thing with Cody, you know the history between us is pretty well documented. Qe go back a very very long way” Shawn Spears continued on the show.

“That guy is never going to half ass anything. No, if you put them on top of the cage? He’s going to Moonsault off. If you hit him in the head with a chair? I say ‘man look, get a hand up’ he’s going to go ‘No!’ He’s going to say ‘swing for the fences.'”

Cody Rhodes

Spears would elaborate further, saying “as performers? We have the same mentality, you’ll see him state a lot publicly, when he says that he’s going to outwork you. When he says he’s going to out dog you. When he says he’s going to outperform you? He means it. Whatever he may not understand is, I’m that guy too.”

Do you want to see the feud continue between Shawn Spears and Cody Rhodes? Let us know in the comments

Also Check Out:

Sasha Banks Releases Statement On Sammy Guevara’s Comments

Chris Stephens
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Sasha Banks has released a statement on the recent controversy surrounding comments made by Sammy Guevara on a podcast from 2016. Guevara made a comment/joke making light of sexual assault on the show. Guevara took to social media to apologize for the comment earlier today.

Based on comments made by both Guevara and Banks, it appears the two have spoken.

Banks released the following statement:

“Earlier I spoke with Sammy, he apologized and we had an open discussion. Words like the comments he made, jokingly or not, have absolutely no place in our society! I don’t condone or tolerate this kind of behaviour. What one thinks is just a side comment can have a massive impact on someone else’s life, and can send the wrong message.

We have to hold ourselves accountable for our actions and the words we say, and I hope this situation shows him that. I hope from this point on, ignorer for growth and change within our community to take place, we all can continue to have these conversations. No person, man, woman, or child should ever be subjected to a feeling of fear, or any unsafe environment. We all have to do better not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.

Sincerely,
Mercedes Varnado”

Guevara’s comments can be heard in the below Tweet:

Sammy issued two separate apologies online:

https://twitter.com/sammyguevara/status/1275130818353135617
https://twitter.com/sammyguevara/status/1275140689068687375

Another Impact Wrestler Believed To Be Gone From The Promotion

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling is believed to have parted ways with another wrestler recently. In the wake of the #SpeakingOut movement, it has already been reported that Joey Ryan is likely done with the promotion. Another wrestler who has been accused online of misconduct is also believed to be done with Impact. Dave Crist is said to have been on his way out before accusations were levelled against him as part of the #SpeakingOut movement, however.

According to a report from PW Insider, heat against Dave Crist had reached a boiling point in the Impact locker room at the last set of tapings. The situation is said to have gotten bad enough that he was not allowed to dress in the locker room with the rest of the roster.

On a recent episode of Impact, Jake Crist turned on his brother and joined Joey Ryan’s Cancel Culture faction. This may have been Impact’s way of writing Dave out of future angles. It is also being said that Impact may not have wanted to publicly fire anyone during the pandemic and that is why an announcement regarding his status has yet to be made.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBrooSpJ87H/?utm_source=ig_embed

Dave Crist In Impact Wrestling

The Crist brothers held the Impact tag-team championships for 81 days in 2017. They won the titles at Victory Road that year from LAX. The brothers then dropped the titles back to LAX a few months later.

They are also 5x tag-team champions in the Insane Clown Posse’s JCW promotion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuF48oTb_SM
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