Matt Hardy may be leaving WWE in the coming months. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Hardy is expected to leave the company when his contract comes up in March. WWE’s lack of interest in bringing back his “Broken” persona is reported to have played a role in his decision.
“Matt Hardy is expected to leave WWE in March,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
The report would continue to say that Hardy produced several “Free the Delete” videos in order to build anticipation for the character’s return but WWE evidently was not interested.
The report would continue to offer speculation that Hardy could portray the leader of the Dark Order in AEW.
“Hardy is the leading speculated name for the leader of the Dark Order since they just started teasing a leader and Hardy just started putting out the videos,” Meltzer continued.
Matt and his brother Jeff returned to WWE at WrestleMania 33. They won the RAW tag team titles that night in a ladder match. Jeff Hardy’s contract with the company is believed to have had additional time added to it due to injuries.
A new episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown is here, so let’s take a look at a preview for the show.
With just hours until bell time, parts of what to expect to see on the show have been revealed to get fans excited about it. The company has released the official preview article for the show on their website.
Several segments and matches have been announced thus far for this show including The Usos returning to in-ring competition this Friday on SmackDown against King Corbin & Dolph Ziggler.
We will also see John Morrison appear on “Miz TV” with The Miz where the two WWE stars will talk about their decision to form an alliance once again, more on The Miz turning on the fans and Morrison returning to the company.
WWE will also be announcing matches for existing feuds that will take place heading into the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event Sunday, January 26, 2020 Houston, Texas at the Minute Maid Park and airs on the WWE Network.
This includes competitors for both the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches to determine the two top matches at WrestleMania 36 in April.
WWE Friday Night SmackDown Preview
WWE holds this show from Evansville, IN at the Ford Center on FOX. WWE is advertising the following items for tonight’s broadcast as a way of a preview for SmackDown:
The Usos returning to in-ring competition against King Corbin & Dolph Ziggler
Lacey Evans and Sasha Banks to finally square off one-on-one
John Morrison to appear on “Miz TV”
More build for the Daniel Bryan-Bray Wyatt feud
Announcing more matches for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view
As usual, fans should expect more matches and segments to be revealed this afternoon for SmackDown.
Join us here later tonight for WWE SmackDown Results and our post-show SmackDown Takeaways feature.
Despite his rise through the ranks on WWE’s black-and-gold brand, Damien Priest has confessed that coming to WWE made him feel as though he had only “just started.” Prior to signing with WWE, the NXT Superstar had experience on the independent circuit and with other promotions such as Ring of Honor, where he wrestled as Punishment Martinez.
“I feel like because of the knowledge that I’ve gained here, it’s like I just started,” Priest told Sporting News. “It really does feel that way and I’m still constantly asking “was that OK, is this good, how can I make this better?” like if I just started.”
Damien Priest On Needing A Game Plan
Training at the WWE Performance Center and performing in NXT has been a different experience for Priest. He highlighted how Superstars have to “explain it to ourselves as to why we do the things we do and have them make sense” as opposed to having no game plan or understanding behind their actions and character motivations.
“Before, you just go into a match or promo or appearance but there has to be more to it,” he explained. “I used to fight before I was in pro wrestling and it’s the same thing for preparation. You can’t just go out there and start swinging wildly.”
He continued, “You actually have to have a game plan, you have to have a reason and know how to defend yourself and create a game plan. It’s kind of the same thing where I never put two-and-two together and never realized that’s the way I should have always attacked this business.”
Damien Priest was unable to secure a victory this past Wednesday night on NXT. He competed in a Fatal 4 Way match up to determine the new number one contender for Roderick Strong’s NXT North American Championship.
All Elite Wrestling’s Cody Rhodes has reiterated the company’s interest in performing in Canada. The AEW Executive Vice President and in-ring talent addressed their intentions during an interview with TSN. He claimed that “there are definitely plans for 2020 in Canada.”
“I have the best respect for the Canadian wrestling fans and they’ve always been incredibly good to me,” said Rhodes. “There’s no way you can start a global wrestling company without making plans to go to Canada and making Canada a part of your fabric.”
He continued, “For people watching on TSN, just stay tuned and that will come to fruition. There are definitely plans for 2020 in Canada because it’s a great audience and everyone likes to wrestle in Canada. I look forward to it.”
Cody Rhodes On The Fan Experience
Rhodes also opened up about how the most important thing to AEW is the fan experience. He stated how there is “no single way to do wrestling” and that the only real indicator is the live audience reaction. For him, “There’s nothing more important than getting over with the fans. […] Fan experience is the only indicator on if you’re doing it right.”
Cody Rhodes competed this week on AEW: Dynamite on TNT. He teamed up with his brother Dustin Rhodes in a matchup against the Lucha Bros, Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr. He is currently feuding with his former best friend, MJF, who has laid out several stipulations he must agree to earn a match.
Speaking on After83 Weeks, former President of WCW Eric Bischoff spoke openly about the current pro wrestling market. Bischoff was honest in his assessment, alluding to an oversaturated product that currently struggles to stand out from one another. He noted how the current climate creates a difficult balance in creating compelling content without overexposing talent.
“One of the big challenges now is that there’s so much content out there. WWE’s got three hours on Monday night, SmackDown, two hours of broadcast on Friday night,” Bischoff said. “AEW’s got two hours on Wednesday night. NXT’s got two hours on Wednesday nights. My God, there’s so much content available.”
“You know, there’s a finite number of wrestling fans,” he explained. “The pool of wrestling fans out there in the audience is only so big and they’re being drenched with content and great content, by the way, not bad content. Great content. And I think there’s a point where you’re giving it away. You’re producing so much content out there that it’s hard to create great content. And that’s the key is when you put on a show, whether it’s a pay-per-view, whether it’s Monday Night Raw, whether it’s SmackDown, whether it’s Dynamite, whatever it is, NXT, it’s got to be compelling content.
“And when you start just putting out more and more and more, that’s really hard to do. There’s a limit to how much really special great content that you can create [and] not overexpose your talent. And that’s another big issue.”
Eric Bischoff’s Take
Bischoff pointed to the low ratings RAW received near the end of 2019. He speculated about what could be behind them: the talent, the writing team or the overall presentation. “Or perhaps it’s the fact that there’s so much content out there that none of it feels special anymore.”
He acknowledged how “challenging” the current marketplace is. Bischoff explained how if a fan missed an event on Monday, they don’t need to worry as there’ll be great stuff on Wednesday. If they miss Wednesday, it’s only a few days until Friday. And, if a fan manages to miss it all, the majority of the key moments from the shows will be available in bite-sized YouTube clips.
Sami Callihan is sick of the term “intergender wrestling.” The Impact Wrestling World Champion shared his thoughts on the issue in a recent interview. He also addressed why he believes himself to be the hero of his feud with Tessa Blanchard.
Speaking with the WINCLY podcast, Callihan explained how he was the first to provide equality in pro wrestling by looking at a woman as an “actual competitor and an equal.”
When it comes to why he believes Blanchard is the heel in their feud, Callihan points to her being a “millennial brat.” He noted how people have more in common with him than her.
“I feel more people have stuff in common with me than they do Tessa Blanchard who is just another millennial brat who’s been able to do whatever she wants. She hasn’t had to bust her ass for anything. She’s been handed everything since day one for every company she’s walked into. Now she’s been wrestling for 5-6 years at most and she thinks she’s on the same level as me.
Sami Callihan Is Done With The Term “Intergender Wrestling”
With Callihan being so open to wrestling against female challengers, he feels the term “intergender wrestling” has become antiquated. For him, there are no gender boundaries anymore in matchups. It’s all just professional wrestling.
“I’m sick of the term intergender wrestling because at this point it should just be professional wrestling,” Callihan stated. “I’ve said this in every interview I’ve done in the last six months. The term intergender wrestling isn’t something we need in 2020 as everyone needs to be looked at as equals. Male or female – whatever you consider yourself, you need to be considered just a professional wrestler because professional wrestling is supposed to be for everyone, correct?”
Sami Callihan defends his Impact Wrestling World Championship against Tessa Blanchard this Sunday. Blanchard has previously shared how their match will see them “shattering ceilings.”
The two will clash at Impact Wrestling’s Hard To Kill event. The show takes place in The Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas.
NXT Superstar Damien Priest has been making waves since his debut on the black-and-gold brand. As well as being a top talent in the ring, Priest also has a captivating entrance. In an interview with Sporting News, Priest opened up abut refining his entrance to suit his character. He managed to achieve this with the help of a WWE Legend who knows all about attention-grabbing entrances: “The Game” Triple H.
Damien Priest On Creating Presence
Priest reflected on his love of pro wrestling growing up. For him, it was never about the flashiest moves. Instead, it was the spectacle that captured his imagination. This drive for spectacle is something Priest has attempted to showcase throughout his career, always making sure his “presence was felt a little differently than everybody else.”
“There’s no shortage of good pro wrestlers and good entertainers,” he said. “There’s so many of them nowadays. But I’ve always been adamant about the way I was presented. I wanted to make sure it was special every time. I didn’t want somebody to turn on the TV midway through an entrance and change the channel. I wanted them to be intrigued without me even performing yet in the ring. That’s how I feel in love with the business.”
Capturing The Spectacle
Priest then pointed to Legends like The Undertaker and The Ultimate Warrior and the way they could entertain the crowd before they even stepped in the ring. It was something Priest wanted to capture with his own character.
“It was mesmerizing and I wanted to make sure that was a part of what my presentation was. I had a writeup of ideas that I brought to Triple H. He was super cool, didn’t turn down any ideas, he just morphed them to make them better and was very adamant about — in agreement with me about — that my presentation had to be unique and special because there’s no shortage of guys that can go in the ring.”
He continued, “This company, especially our brand, it’s known for our go, go, go, in-ring style so that’s not an issue. The issue was creating something that stood out a little bit differently and created something a little more special which I’ve tried to do my entire career no matter where I worked. Here, with the production team we have, we’re able to do it in a way cooler way and I was excited.”
Full Entrance
Priest added how the presentation of his character with WWE’s guidance really excited him when he first signed with the promotion. He shared how, when he and other Superstars go over ideas, he will stress the importance of his full entrance.
“I’m like as long as I have a full entrance, whatever you guys need me to do and everybody starts laughing because that, to me, is so important, the presentation aspect. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to do and the way it’s perceived. People dig it and I’m glad because we worked hard at it.”
Damien Preist took part in a Fatal 4 Way on this week’s episode of NXT. The winner of the match would become the new number one contender to Roderick Strong’s NXT North American Championship. Keith Lee would emerge victorious.
John Cena was on Jimmy Kimmel Live this week where he made some interesting comments while he talked about his status with WWE.
Right out of the gate, Cena was asked about his status with WWE, which is where Cena noted, “I’m officially moved, I’m not a regular player.”
Cena talked about how WWE is still in his heart and he’s still a part of the family as he keeps in touch with a lot of folks but he wants to be a mentor and help others.
The former WWE Champion brought up being 42-years-old and being proud of the effort that he’s put forth.
“I just want to make sure that I’m never in a position where paying customers like yourself look at the effort and go, ‘Eh, he’s just sticking around because he’s greedy.’”
John Cena Talks WrestleMania 36
Cena was asked if he calls WWE to pitch ideas to him or if he calls them, which he noted that he always likes for WWE to give him ideas and he makes it his own. This is where Cena brought up WrestleMania 36 in April.
“I know that we have a small, large event called WrestleMania around the corner, just so happens to be in Tampa, that’s kind of where I live, so I’ll be in the neighborhood, so if Suicide Squad should be done, but it’s not like I call someone up and be like, ‘I want to be in WrestleMania.’ Those spots are very coveted.”
John Cena On WWE Boss
Cena continued by noting how there are performers that work all year to earn those spots. Make no mistake about it, he would love to earn one of those spots.
“The way you do that is by Vince McMahon, the head of creative, calling you up and going, ‘Hey pal, I’d like you to do this.’ And then I say, ‘Yes sir,’ and then I put my own spin on it.”
Cena ended by noting that McMahon is more than a boss to him but rather a friend, father figure, mentor, and trusted resource. He does still think of him as his boss.
He hasn’t wrestled at the biggest event of the year for the company since 2018 where he lost to The Undertaker in a quick match.
A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Worlds Collide event and it involves former NXT Champion Finn Balor.
On Thursday afternoon, WWE announced through the NXT Twitter account that Balor would battle Ilja Dragunov in a singles match at this show.
WWE also officially confirmed Toni Storm vs. WWE NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley for the show, which was made on Wednesday’s episode of NXT on the USA Network in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University.
Another Match For Finn Balor
As of late, Balor has been featured in a top feud on NXT television with fellow former NXT Champion Johnny Gargano.
The company has already confirmed that Balor will battle Gargano in a contest at the NXT TakeOver: Portland show that goes down on Sunday, February 16, 2020 in Portland, Oregon at the Moda Center. Thus, a match for each show involving Finn Balor has been set.
WWE presents the Worlds Collide event on Saturday, January 25, 2020 in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center that will air on the WWE Network. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:
Updated WWE Worlds Collide Card
The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) vs. Imperium (WALTER, Alexander Wolfe, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) – Eight-Man Tag Team Match
NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm
Ilja Dragunov vs. Finn Balor
Balor was supposed to be moved from RAW to SmackDown once he returned to television after taking time off a few months ago. He was moved to NXT with the idea that his star power could make more of a difference there.
Since making his return to NXT, Balor got the wrestling world talking with turning heel by attacking Johnny Gargano.
What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? Sound off in the comment section.
Viewership data is in for this week’s battle in the WWE NXT vs. AEW Dynamite Wednesday Night War.
This week, AEW won in total viewers. NXT didn’t crack the top 50 shows on cable so all of NXT’s demos weren’t available as of this publishing.
Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
WWE NXT Viewership
NXT on the USA Network averaged 721,000 viewers, which is up from 548,000 last week. In the 18-49 demo, they drew a 0.19, up from 0.15 the previous week.
The episode featured Keith Lee vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Donavan Dijakovic vs. Damian Priest in a Fatal 4-Way Match to determine a new #1 contender for the NXT North American Championship, Undisputed Era vs. Gallus and Imperium (Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner) vs. The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler) in first-round matches of the Dusty Rhodes Classic tag team tournament.
There was also the debuts of Chelsea Green & Robert Stone as well as a six-woman tag team match that opened the show.
AEW Dynamite on TNT was watched by 947,000 viewers, down from 967,000 the previous week. In the 18-49 demo, Dynamite pulled in a 0.36 rating, the same as last week.
Dynamite saw AEW Women’s Champion Riho vs. Kris Statlander, Sammy Guevara vs. Christopher Daniels, Cody and Dustin Rhodes vs. Lucha Bros, and The Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt) vs. Best Friends and Orange Cassidy.
In the main event segment, Jon Moxley gave his answer on if he planned on joining Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle.
This week’s episode of AEW and NXT marked the first head-to-head battle in viewership for the new year.
All Elite Wrestling took off Christmas night two weeks ago while WWE NXT aired some random matches.
Moving along to last week, NXT took the night off by airing best of content with big matches from TakeOver events and revealing the end of the year awards while Dynamite featured a stacked card that was live.
WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic Fold Medallist Kurt Angle recently appeared on the Chris Van Vliet YouTube channel for a long form interview. The former WWE Superstar discussed a variety of topics on the show, one notable being that UFC actually offered him deals on two separate occasions.
“I probably would’ve won the World Title!” – Kurt Angle
“I don’t think I could’ve done it, I think if I went before the broken neck I would’ve said ‘hell yeah’ Angle began. “I would’ve had a great run, I probably would’ve won the World Title (laughs) you never know! It was more appetising to me than pro wrestling.”
“I knew in the back of my mind that I couldn’t do it”
Kurt Angle then revealed that he never truly felt as though he could compete in Mixed Martial Arts, at least at the level of a UFC. “I knew in the back of my mind that I couldn’t do it. Dana White gave me a great offer, he’s been really good to me. I’ve reached out to him a couple of different times and he was willing to talk to me. He gave me two separate deals two separate times and I backed out. I just knew that I couldn’t do it, I knew that if I did do it I probably would’ve embarrassed myself. I decided just to wrestle. Dana wanted me to quit pro wrestling. I said that ‘I’ve just signed with TNA (in 2006) and he said ‘well you’ll have to quit that too.’ I said that I can’t quit because I’ve just signed with them.”
“I always paired well against bigger guys…”
Kurt Angle also revealed which weight class he would’ve competed in. “I would’ve been a light-heavyweight (205 pounds), but I would’ve fought in the heavyweight division too. I’ve always paired well against bigger guys. I knew that if I had done it after the Olympics then I probably wouldn’t have been in pro wrestling.”
WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic Fold Medallist Kurt Angle recently appeared on the Chris Van Vliet YouTube channel for a long form interview. The former WWE Superstar discussed a variety of topics on the show, one notably about his retirement following this year’s WrestleMania. Angle lost his last bout against Baron (now King) Corbin, opting to move to a backstage role following the event.
“…No I’m done”
CVV asked Angle about the retirement, mentioning how wrestling retirements are often not actually as final as they seem. “No I’m done,” Angle confirmed. “I knew I was done when I went to Vince and told him that I wanted to retire and just have my last match at this past WrestleMania.”
“I just didn’t want to do it anymore” – Kurt Angle
Angle then made an interesting point about his retirement from in-ring competition, “I believe that he [Vince McMahon] wanted me to go another year but I just didn’t want to do it anymore. I know what I’m capable of now and it’s not enough for me to be comfortable going out there and performing. If I can’t do it like the ‘old’ Kurt Angle then I don’t want to do it anymore.”
“I wanted John last Mania but we already had a storyline going on with Baron Corbin” – Kurt Angle
Angle then revealed that if Vince had his wish then Angle would’ve likely retired at WrestleMania 37, against John Cena. “I chose not to, because I wanted John last Mania but we already had a storyline going on with Baron Corbin. Vince said ‘if you’re going to retire you’re going to finish with Baron Corbin, if you don’t mind, because we’ve got a great storyline here.’ And Vince was right. So I said ‘ok I’ll wrestle Baron and it’ll be my last match.'”
“We didn’t talk to each other beforehand!”
Van Vliet then mentioned how ‘poetic’ it would’ve been for Kurt for finish up his career with John Cena. When Cena debuted on SmackDown he faced Kurt Angle in his debut match, saying that he was there to show his ‘ruthless aggression.’ “I think it was thought of,” Kurt stated. “I think it was thought of for the following year. What was ironic is I did my hoodie with the throwback to Team Angle and Cena did the throwback as well. We didn’t talk to each other beforehand!”
“he’s really good at his job”
Kurt Angle also had praise for the man who he faced in the final match of his career. “Baron’s a great wrestler, he’s a great talent. A lot of people don’t like him but he’s really good at his job. He’s the top heel in the business right now. People might naturally hate him but that’s a good thing. People think ‘he’s got real heat not WWE or wrestling heat, well that’s the point he wants to have ‘real’ heat. I got to wrestle the top heel in the business at WrestleMania, that’s the way I look at it.”
All Elite Wrestling has officially signed Austin Gunn. Last week, his father, Billy Gunn, teamed with Austin following AEW: Dynamite in Jacksonville, FL. Although it was initially believed their matchup against Shawn Spears and Preston Vance would be a part of the most recent AEW: Dark, the bout was not present in the uploaded episode. According to ProWrestlingSheet’s Ryan Satin, however, that was always the plan.
For those wondering, sources say Billy Gunn’s match w/ son Austin Gunn taped at Dynamite last week was never intended to be on Dark & was more of a tryout.
I’m told the tryout went well & Austin will team w/ Billy again tonight for a match that will likely air on Dark next week.
Sources claimed that The Gunn Club’s matchup was never intended to air on Dark. Instead, it acted as more of a tryout for Austin. This tryout evidently went well, as not only did Austin and Billy go on to face the team of Shawn Spears and Peter Avalon after last night’s Dynamite, AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes would come out after their match to announce they have signed Austin to AEW.
This taped matchup will most likely air on next week’s episode of Dark, which is available to watch on the promotion’s YouTube channel.
Austin Gunn has previously appeared on AEW. He made his debut for the company during the All Out Battle Royal in 2018. That match was eventually won by a masked Flip Gordon. He also competed in last year’s Ring of Honor Top Prospect Tournament, losing in the finals to Dak Draper.
WWE Superstar Kevin Owens is currently affiliated with the promotion’s red brand, RAW. Despite this brand association, Owens made a recent return to NXT. He joined Team Ciampa in their efforts against The Undisputed Era. The two teams clashed in a WarGames match this past November during WWE’s NXT TakeOver: WarGames event. Now, on the latest edition of WWE show The Bump, the former Universal Champion addressed the possibility of returning to the black-and-gold brand.
Kevin Owens’ Conditions
Owens compared the NXT Championship to the WWE Championship and Universal Championship. He noted how the way that NXT now presents itself as a third brand as opposed to developmental has helped to elevate the prestige of the belt.
He explained how, if WWE officials approached him and informed him he was to return to NXT, he would be immediately okay with that. If, however, they added that he would be returning to NXT for a championship opportunity, that would be an offer he would immediately jump on.
Returning To NXT
Several Superstars have since returned to NXT after time on WWE’s RAW and SmackDown rosters. Most notably Finn Balor, who quickly reinserted himself into the NXT Championship picture upon his return. Both Fandango and Tyler Breeze have also found themselves back in Orlando for NXT duties.
Kevin Owens recently teamed with Samoa Joe and a returning Big Show on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW. They defeated Seth Rollins and the Authors of Pain via disqualification.
Prior to his debut during the 2016 Royal Rumble, Superstar AJ Styles had made a name for himself worldwide, tearing up the competition in TNA, Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Despite his international acclaim, however, Styles still came into WWE with a need to prove himself.
A Chip On AJ Styles’ Shoulder
Speaking recently with Busted Open Radio, Styles looked back on his accomplishments from the past decade. He noted how, given his journey, if he had ended his career in WWE, “that is pretty darn good.” Regardless, he couldn’t deny there was a drive to prove he belonged in WWE.
“It always feels good but even though we’re talking about 2013-2014 going in there with a chip on your shoulder trying to put on great matches, it never really stops,” Styles confessed. “I had to do the same thing once I got into WWE. I had to show people that I belonged here and went in there with a chip on my shoulder and get after it. You then still have matches where you say, ‘Okay, they put me in a position where you don’t know if they think it’s going to be a good match but we’re going to show them’, stuff like that.
He continued, “There is always moments of showing people that you either still have it or you can still do it, or it doesn’t matter who you are in the ring with you can still go after it.”
AJ Styles recently announced that he will be one of the participants in WWE’s upcoming 30-Man Royal Rumble match. He is currently feuding with “The Viper” Randy Orton.
NXT Superstar Damien Preist has reflected on being rejected by WWE—not once but twice over the past five years. Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Priest noted how he was able to turn trials like being “overlooked” into motivation to fuel him on his journey.
“WWE turned me down twice in the last five years. I thought I’d never have the chance to work here,” Priest said. “Then, a year later, my contract was up with Ring of Honor, and I got a phone call from WWE. Since starting in late 2018, the Performance Center has me in the best shape of my life, I feel like a rookie all over again, and I’m excited for everything to come.”
Becoming Damien Priest
With Priest’s growth as an in-ring talent and rise up the ranks in the black-and-gold brand, he is quick to give credit to those who helped train him. One person, in particular, has helped him really hone his character and presence: WWE Performance Center Head Coach, Matt Bloom.
“Every single coach has played a part, and Matt Bloom has helped with my demeanor and presence,” Priest shared. “He wants me to give off a feeling just by the way I look at him. He’s adamant about my cadence and delivery and mannerisms. All of the coaches have taken everything I am and morphed it into the best wrestler possible, and a lot of my presence is thanks to Bloom. He gets me thinking.”
He noted how he has now “become” Damien Priest, rather than just portraying a character on television. Whereas before he felt he was acting as Priest, now it is “a real feeling.”
Priest took part in a Fatal 4 Way to determine a new number one contender to Roderick Strong’s NXT North American Championship. Keith Lee would ultimately secure the victory and will go on to face Strong.
Impact Wrestling star Tessa Blanchard recently opened up about intergender wrestling “shattering ceilings.” She also discussed her upcoming matchup against Sami Callihan at this Sunday’s Hard to Kill event. The two clash for Callihan’s Impact World Championship. She made her championship interests clear following Callihan’s victory over then-champion Brian Cage back in October.
Using Platforms To Make An Impact
Speaking with Busted Open Radio, Blanchard explained how she feels women are now being given a platform in multiple promotions.
“[…] you’re seeing the first this and the first that, and the first this and the first that, and I think it’s so great, it’s so great for the evolution of women’s wrestling and women’s athletes all together,” she said. “And one thing that stood out to me about all that was, at first I let it bother me a little bit, it would kind of give me an itch that, oh man, I want to be part of the first this and the first that and this to happen, but I want to be different.”
She continued, “I want to make an impact on the business in a way that is different than anybody else has, and I feel like Impact is giving us the platform to do that through intergender wrestling which is really cool to me.”
Tessa Blanchard On “Shattering Ceilings”
Turning her thoughts to her match with Callihan, Tessa Blanchard reflected on the amount of attention their main event bout has received. She speculated that the match could generate even more buzz after Sunday as “what we’re doing is really special.”
“[…] we’re really breaking the mold, we’re shattering ceilings, it’s making people, it’s either disrupting them or people are supporting it,” Blanchard stated. “It’s cool that we’re getting a reaction either way because it’s drawing awareness to intergender wrestling which we view as just pro-wrestling because we’re in the time in 2020 where women are looked at as athletes. Women can go out there and kill it better than men, if not, the same as men. It’s a cool thing where we are in 2020. And for Sami and I to be looked at as kind of a bullet point in the evolution of it all is a really cool thing.”
Impact Wrestling’s Hard to Kill takes place this Sunday, January 12th from The Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas.
When asked if McIntyre could be the first-ever Scottish and British WWE Champion, and whether he might achieve this accomplishment in 2020, Triple H replied:
“I think it’s a possibility,” Triple H said. “Drew has had an incredible run, started off at such a young age, and he’s still so young now and he’s kind of just coming into his own now as a performer, really. I told him that the sky is the limit for him. He left for a while, he had to go clear himself out and realise what he wanted, and step away and come back even better.”
Triple H continued, “He’s an incredibly hard worker and he’s as serious as serious can be. He wants to be the best in the world and, when you have that type of attitude and that strong work ethic, absolutely, it’s a possibility.”
Drew McIntyre’s Royal Rumble Ambitions
McIntyre has made his championship intentions clear in the past. He recently announced he will be participating in this month’s 30-Man Royal Rumble match. Other Superstars competing for a championship opportunity include Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio and AJ Styles.
This past Monday night on RAW, Paul Heyman revealed that his client, and current WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar, would also be participating in the match. Lesnar will start the match as the very first entrant.
AEW star Kenny Omega took part in a Twitter Q&A session on Thursday morning. The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion addressed a number of topics, including the latest on an AEW video game, how long he intends to continue wrestling and more.
Kenny Omega on…
Here are some highlights of what Kenny Omega said about:
Why he’s taken a reduced role in AEW so far:
“I lived out mostly all of my dreams during the last run I had and now a big part of my current dream is seeing a new generation thrive.”
“Was fun to have two incredibly large scale shows to look forward to back to back.”
If he prefers working dome shows, big arenas or more intimate venues:
“I’ve grown to love the 10-15k size. Ryogoku or Osaka jo are incredible.”
Which wrestlers he wants to see in AEW:
“Anyone with enthusiasm that’s can step up and hang with the top guys.”
Fans on Twitter being critical of AEW’s Women’s Division:
“Lately, most ‘criticisms’ I read are incredibly ignorant. Depressing the amount of fans that have absolutely no class. That being said, I do try to sift through those to get to the actual constructive criticism.”
How long he plans to continue wrestling:
“I always say 5, but I’ve been saying that for close to 10 years already.”
If he would be interested wrestling Tessa Blanchard, who challenges for the Impact Wrestling world title this weekend at Hard to Kill:
“She’s great, I think the match would rock.”
Who he considers to be the face of AEW’s women’s division:
“Still developing the face of the division, but Riho’s proven to be an inspiration to many, Shida is the complete package, and Kris has shown that she has the tools to take the div to another level.”
The latest on an AEW video game:
“Coming (hopefully) soon!”
When fans can expect another Kenny Omega vs. Xavier Woods video game battle:
“He tends to need months of practice before attempting to challenge my natural ability, so I’m just hanging out on stand by.”
I’ve given you every opportunity to play me in something but you wanna relive the glory days talking about old wins. Resting on your laurels sir pic.twitter.com/8xoqyeeYnv
AEW has not officially confirmed an AEW video game is in the works, but Kenny Omega has been outspoken about the topic. During a live panel at Starrcast III back in August, Omega said that an AEW game is one of his top priorities.
“I can’t share anything right now,” Omega said at the time, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was something to announce by the end of the year. Be ready. Be ready for that, guys.”
We’re still (eagerly) awaiting an announcement.
Kenny Omega states an AEW video game is top of his priority list, and we may have an announcement by the end of the year.
Triple H recently spoke to Metro.co.uk to promote the upcoming Takeover: Blackpool II event and the Game spoke about a number of interesting topics during the interview.
CM Punk has been in news in the recent months due to his new role at WWE Backstage and a lot of people have been wondering if this new relationship will turn out to be the foundation for Punk’s return to WWE ring.
Stephanie McMahon has previously said that she wants both Punk and his wife AJ Lee back in WWE and when asked about his wife’s comments, the former World Champion also replied positively:
‘If it was right for them, for the company, for everyone
involved, then absolutely. I don’t think that’s ever been a factor, of
somebody, saying “this person should be here, or that person should be here”.
Triple H continued by saying that incredible talent are always incredible talent and mentioned how The Boss Mr. McMahon has echoed the sentiment never say never, over and over again.
Triple H On Possible Retirement From In-Ring Action
The King Of Kings has seen an increase in his backstage responsibilities lately but at the same time, his participation in active competition has declined.
The last time he laced up his boots for a match was at WrestleMania last year where H competed in a No Holds Barred match against Batista and since then people have been wondering if we have seen the last of the Game’s in-ring career.
While he did not address the issue directly, Triple H did tease a possible retirement during the interview, while explaining how he has to remind himself that he is not young anymore:
“Sometimes I look at the talent and I think, oh man, if I was 25 and could step in the ring with them – but then the reality quickly comes back to me. ‘You’re not 25 and you can’t do that!’
The business evolves, and in some way – I look at it, from a story telling standpoint, that’s what we’re sort of teaching them and that comes from experience. But the physicality of it and the things that a lot of talent are able to do – I couldn’t do that anyway!’
The Vice President went on to admit that there are a lot of current talents he would have loved to work with if he was in his prime but he remembers that he is not young anymore.
Triple H has not given any timetable for retirement so it’s likely that he will be available for possible storylines in the foreseeable future and step back in the ring a few more times before finally calling it a career.
However, at 50 years old, it’s pretty sure that the former World Champion won’t be returning to the ring for a extended run and any match could be the last match of his career.
So far we have heard talks of stars being unhappy on the main roster but now a latest report reveals that an NXT star is also not satisfied with her position in the company.
According to reports from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Radio, NXT star Io Shirai is “not necessarily happy” with how she has been used in the Black and Yellow brand.
Meltzer did not go into the details on the reason behind her unhappiness, but it was noted that Io Shirai’s NXT pay is ‘nothing special.’ She used to make more money in Japan while working fewer dates.
Another possible reason for this could be Shirai’s relationship with NJPW star Evil. Io is engaged to the Japanese star but there is no word yet on when the two wrestling stars are planning to tie the knot.
On a related note, it’s been said previously that Stardom promotion in Japan is interested in bringing both Io Shirai and Kairi Sane back to the company.
The women’s promotion was bought up by NJPW’s parent company
Bushiroad last year and it’s expected that they will be putting a lot of
resources into the promotion.
So they can make a significant offer to try and bring the female stars back to Japan when their contract expires and WWE is very likely to counteract this by calling Io up to the main roster which will greatly increase her pay.
Kairi Sane signed a 3 years long deal with WWE in March 2017 which means that her current contract should be expiring soon. On the other hand, Io signed with the promotion around the summer of 2018 but there are no more details available on her deal.
The crowd loudly chanted “cowboy sh*t!” as Quen and Hangman locked up to start the match off. Page leveled Quen with a shoulder tackle and went for a big boot but Marq was able to avoid it.
Kassidy tagged in and booted Omega off the ring apron. Hangman battled back and Suplexed Quen on top of Kassidy. Kenny Omega tagged in and hit Kassidy with a series of chops.
Quen tagged in and flipped onto Omega outside the ring. Quen flipped onto Hangman Page outside the ring and then posed for the crowd. Marq hit Hangman with a 450 Splash in the ring and went for the cover but Page kicked out at two.
Omega tagged back in and hit a Splash onto Private Party in the corner. Hangman Powerbombed Kassidy as Isiah’s shriek echoed throughout the arena. Omega planted Quen with a Snap Dragon Suplex but turned around into a Dropkick from Kassidy.
Kassidy planted Omega with a Tornado DDT for a near fall as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”. Quen tagged in and went for a Shooting Star Press but Omega got out of the way. Hangman went for the Buckshot Lariat but Quen ducked. Hangman was able to stop himself before he struck Omega.
Omega climbed to the second rope but Private Party Dropkicked Hangman onto him. Private Party planted Omega with Gin & Juice but Hangman Page broke up the cover. Kenny accidentally threw Quen into Hangman and Page rolled out of the ring. Hangman got back into the ring and hit a Buckshot Lariat and a V-Trigger combo with Kenny on Quen. Kenny followed it up with the One Winged Angel for the pinfall victory.
After the match, PAC was shown backstage with the Brutalizer locked in on Michael Nakazawa. PAC demanded that Omega give him his rematch or this will continue. Kenny rushed backstage as Hangman Page drank some beer on the entrance ramp.
Riho defened the AEW Women’s Championship against Kris Statlander tonight on Dynamite. Brandi Rhodes joined commentary for the match. Statlander started off the match in control as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Riho connected with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall.
Statlander planted with Riho with a Superplex off the middle rope. Awesome Kong and Melanie Cruise of the Nightmare Collective made their way down the entrance ramp. Mel attacked Riho and threw her into the barricade. Kris took out Melanie with a Suicide Dive as Brandi left commentary.
Kris leveled Awesome Kong with a Suicide Dive as Brandi marched down the entrance ramp. Luther emerged from under the ring and distracted Statlander. Kong rolled Kris back into the ring and asked Riho to hit Statlander with a Crossbody. Riho hit Luther with a Crossbody instead.
Riho rolled up Statlander for a two count as Awesome Kong paced around the ring. Statlander slammed Riho to the canvas for a near fall. Kong tripped up Statlander and Riho landed on top of her for the pinfall victory. After the match, the Nightmare Collective beat Riho and Statlander down. Shida and Big Swole got into the ring for the save as Britt Baker remained seated in the crowd.
I thought that this was absolutely terrible and I don’t really understand how anyone thought it was going to work with the crowd. It made no sense how the referee kept missing the constant interference from the Nightmare Collective. The match should have ended in a DQ several times. I simply wanted to see a title match and not this garbage.
I got some serious final days of WCW vibes from the Nightmare Collective and this match. It was embarrassing to watch. Nightmare Collective is already on their way to making every website’s “Top 10 Worst Stables” post in a few years. I hope they can turn it around going forward, but this was bad television and sucked the energy out of the crowd. These are the types of segments that would drive people away if this was the first time they tuned into Dynamite.
Just a little more information on the Protector. Luther is a Legend of Japanese Death Matches for both the FMW & IWA Promotions. While a great addition to the #NightmareCollective, it may not be so great for the Stars of #AEW. pic.twitter.com/ohlEo45qhj
Cody and Dustin squared off against Lucha Brothers (Pentagon & Ray Fenix) tonight on the show. Cody connected with a Superkick on Pentagon and tagged Dustin into the match. Fenix hit Dustin with a Suicide Dive and rolled him back into the ring.
Pentagon connected with a Double Stomp for a near fall as Dynamite went to a break. Back from the break, Lucha Brothers had Dustin isolated in the ring. Fenix grabbed a steel chair but Arn Anderson took it away.
Dustin planted Fenix with a Spinebuster as Cody fired up the crowd. Cody tagged in and hit Fenix with a Powerslam. Cody followed it up with a Suicide Dive onto Pentagon outside the ring.
Cody took off his weight belt and launched it into the crowd. Cody went for Cross Rhodes but Fenix escaped and hit a Cutter. Dustin tagged in and connected with a Destroyer. Dustin followed it up with the Final Reckoning on Fenix for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Tony Schiavone interviewed Cody about MJF’s demands. Arn interrupted and claimed that MJF doesn’t have the stroke to lay down all these demands. Anderson stated that they will get back everyone with the answer and left the ring.
MJF and Wardlow then made his way to the ring and called Cody a coward. DDP interrupted and introduced him as the founder of DDP Yoga. The crowd broke out in a “yoga!” chant and DDP cracked up. MJF pulled out his phone and tweeted while DDP was talking. DDP referred to MJF as “Motormouth Jackoff Friedman” and “Wardblow”.
Butcher, Blade, and Bunny joined the party and MJF told DDP that he had to kiss his ring or they will send him to hospice. MJF stated that he was going to bang one of DDP’s daughters and DDP flipped out. They beat DDP down until QT Marshall and Dustin Rhodes broke it up.
MJF was the best part of the show up until this point. It was announced that DDP, QT Marshall, and Dustin will face MJF, Butcher, and Blade at next week’s Bash at the Beach episode of AEW.
Best Friends & Orange Cassidy faced Jurassic Express tonight on Dynamite. The crowd got behind Marko Stunt as he hit Trent with a Hurricanrana. Jungle Boy tagged in and connected with an Atomic Drop.
Best Friends dominated during a commercial break but Jungle Boy was able to tag in Lunchasaurus when Dynamite returned. Luchasaurus booted Trent in the face and leveled Chuck with another kick.
Orange Cassidy tagged in as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”. Cassidy hit a Stunner and then greeted Jungle Boy with a Dropkick. Orange Cassidy hit Luchasaurus with a Crossbody and then hugged Trent & Chuck in the ring.
Trent hit Jungle Boy with a Spear as Cassidy climbed to the top rope. Orange Cassidy hit a lazy Splash and went for the cover but Marko broke it up. Stunt spiked Trent with a Destroyer that sent him out of the ring. Jungle Boy then rolled up Chuck for the pinfall victory.
AEW Champion Chris Jericho came down to the ring with Sammy Guevara and Jake Hager at the end of this week’s show. Jon Moxley made his way through the crowd as Jericho introduced him as his protege.
Moxley joined Jericho, Sammy, and Jake in the ring. Jericho stated that tonight is the night when Jon is going to give his answer on if he is joining Inner Circle. Moxley said that he has had a lot to think about this week and there was a lot that went into this decision.
Jon brought up Jericho offering a car and money but he doesn’t want any of that. Moxley said that he cannot be bought and that he came to AEW to dominate. Moxley accepted the offer and revealed that he was wearing an Inner Circle shirt under his jacket.
Moxley pointed out that there is no more dominant group in AEW and he wants to stand with Inner Circle. Jon said that Chris Jericho is the greatest of all time and claimed that Inner Circle will dominate for years to come. Moxley suggested that they pop open A Little Bit of the Bubbly.
Jericho scolded the crowd for not cheering and asked for Moxley’s music to be played. Jon asked for the car keys and Jericho presented him with them as the crowd chanted “you sold out!”. Jericho boasted about winning their matches at Wrestle Kingdom and grabbed some more champagne. Jon told Jericho that he was just kidding and that he will never join the Inner Circle.
Moxley smashed a bottle over Jericho’s head and hit him with a Paradigm Shift. Jon then escaped through the crowd as Jake Hager rushed the ring. Moxley waved the car keys around with a big smile on his face while standing in the crowd as Dynamite went off the air.
This was a well done segment to close the show. There remains a ton to like about AEW but Nightmare Collective ruining the AEW Women’s Championship match was tough for this show to recover from. Tonight’s episode of Dynamite had some entertaining moments but it certainly wasn’t a good show. Hopefully, things get back on track with the Bash at the Beach episode next week.
The January 8, 2020 episode of WWE NXT aired live from Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University. Here are 6 takeaways from this week’s show:
Worlds Collide
WWE opened the show with several stars coming out to the ring looking for a fight. It started with NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley cutting a promo before being challenged to a title match by Toni Storm at Worlds Collide. Eventually, a six-woman tag team match was booked.
It was Ripley, Candice LeRae, and Toni Storm battling Bianca Belair, Io Shiri, and NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray. The babyfaces went over.
Obviously, this match and segment was done to promote the NXT UK Blackpool II event this Sunday afternoon where Ray will defend the title against Storm.
It was also a preview of what to expect at the Worlds Collide show that goes down on Saturday, January 25, 2020 in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center over Royal Rumble weekend.
A fun match but a perfect yet simple opening segment with microphone work.
Imperium (Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner) beat The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler) in a first-round match of the Dusty Rhodes Classic tag team tournament as one of the hyped bouts featured on the show.
They were the expected winners in this contest and rightfully so. For months now, WWE has been booking The Forgotten Sons on television and for the majority of their matches, they go over.
I still don’t understand why because they don’t have over the top charisma and do not put on classic matches.
When this match was first announced, the impression by many fans was that Imperium was going to go over in this contest.
With that said, it was a fine match but not one that you must go out of your way of seeing unless you are a fan of Imperium.
Austin Theory continues to impress fans who are watching at home and in attendance.
Theory took on Joaquin Wilde in a singles match and it was a fun match that saw both stars put together a nice match. Make no mistake about it though, this was a showcase for the former EVOLVE Champion.
Theory went over in the contest and rightfully so. Wilde is a talented wrestler and he had his gimmick down in TNA Wrestling as DJ Z. That isn’t the case in NXT as he seems to be still seeking what his character is supposed to be. That is evident by his ring attire.
Theory is someone to keep an eye on as he is a great wrestler but also a look of a WWE star and a ton of upside. He was the top star in EVOLVE and time will tell whether he becomes a player in NXT.
Undisputed Era vs. Gallus in a first-round match of the Dusty Rhodes Classic tag team tournament took place and the obvious team went over in the way of Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly.
This match felt more like a preview of what’s to come at the Worlds Collide show that goes down on Saturday, January 25, 2020 in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center over Royal Rumble weekend.
Out of the two matches in this tournament that took place on this show, it was the better of the two.
I expect to see this type of match at the Worlds Collide show considering the main event, which will be The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) vs. Imperium (WALTER, Alexander Wolfe, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner).
Undisputed Era had to win this match whether or not they win the whole tournament considering they’re the NXT Tag Team Champions.
Chelsea Green and Robert Stone have made their NXT TV debut.
Mia Yim defeated Kayden Carter in a singles match. Post-match, Green attacked them. Stone walked out and said that he had signed the hottest free agent in Green to his brand that will take off in 2020.
This was a nice introduction for Green and to have Stone as her mouthpiece is a nice pair especially for fans of Impact Wrestling.
Before she signed with WWE in October 2018, Green established her name while competing under the Impact Wrestling banner as Laurel Van Ness where she was a Knockouts Champion.
Stone departed Impact Wrestling in the summer of 2017. He had a tryout with WWE in June 2018 later was a contestant on The Rock’s Titan Games show this year.
Stone, who portrayed Robbie E, signed with Impact back in 2010 where he would later find success. During his tenure with the promotion, he held the TV Title, X-Division Title, and Tag Team Title twice.
Keith Lee Is New #1 Contender
Keith Lee beat Cameron Grimes, Donavan Dijakovic, and Damian Priest in a Fatal 4-Way Match to determine a new #1 contender for the NXT North American Championship.
As expected, this was the highlight of the show as it had all of the components to be great with such different styles from all starts involved.
Lee was someone that many fans thought should be the top star in NXT as NXT Champion. WWE officials, which are high on Lee, had different plans as he wasn’t chosen as the NXT Champion.
In pro wrestling, when a talent has momentum behind them with a connection to vocal fans, the promoter must push that talent at the right time and it appears that NXT is doing just that.
Time will tell whether Lee gets the strap by beating Roderick Strong for the NXT North American Championship when the time comes.
The next challenger to WWE NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong will be Keith Lee.
During Wednesday’s episode of NXT on the USA Network, WWE held a match that would determine who is next line for a title shot.
A Fatal 4-Way Match that saw Cameron Grimes vs. Donavan Dijakovic vs. Damian Priesttook place with the winner becoming the next challenger to the title. Lee was victorious, earning the right to challenge Roderick Strong for the NXT North American Title.
WWE has announced exactly when this contest will take place as it will go down in two weeks on NXT on the USA Network to help boost television ratings while they continue the war against AEW Dynamite, All Elite Wrestling’s weekly television show on TNT.
There was some speculation that the company could save it for the next TakeOver special.
WWE presents the NXT TakeOver: Portland event on Sunday, February 16, 2020 in Portland, Oregon at the Moda Center and will air on the WWE Network.
What was clear was the fact it wouldn’t take place during Royal Rumble weekend.
WWE holds the Worlds Collide event on Saturday, January 25, 2020 in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center and will air on the WWE Network. This show is replacing the traditional TakeOver special on this special weekend.
The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) vs. Imperium (WALTER, Alexander Wolfe, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) in an eight-man tag team match has already been confirmed for the show.
A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Worlds Collide event, which is Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm.
During Wednesday’s episode of NXT in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University, NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley was cutting a promo before being interrupted by Toni Storm.
Toni Storm vs. Rhea Ripley
This led to Storm challenging Ripley to a title match at the Worlds Collide, which Ripley accepted. This also set up a six-woman tag team match with Ripley, Candice LeRae, and Toni Storm battling Bianca Belair, Io Shiri, and NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray. The babyfaces went over.
This will be an NXT star vs. NXT UK star match. It will also come a few weeks after Storm’s first title match as she will challenge NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray.
This championship bout will take place at the NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II event this Sunday in Blackpool, Lancashire, England at the Empress Ballroom that will be broadcasted on WWE’s streaming service, WWE Network.
WWE presents the Worlds Collide event on Saturday, January 25, 2020 in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center that will air on the WWE Network. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:
Updated WWE Worlds Collide Card
The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) vs. Imperium (WALTER, Alexander Wolfe, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) – Eight-Man Tag Team Match
NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm
What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? Sound off in the comment section.
