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7 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (7/17)

Robert Lentini
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The July 17th, 2018 episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, PA. In addition to the takeaways below, Aiden English asked Lana to talk to Rusev for him. Lana questioned if Aiden was best for Rusev after what happened during the WWE Championship match at Extreme Rules.

English felt bad about costing Rusev the match at Extreme Rules and said that everyone deserves a second chance. Lana said that she will take that into consideration and English stated that is all he can ask for. SmackDown GM Paige will also announce who AJ Styles will defend the WWE Championship against at SummerSlam on next week’s episode of SmackDown.

Here are 7 takeaways from this week’s show:

Jeff Hardy Has Been Feeling Broken Since Losing The US Title

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Jeff Hardy came down to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Hardy stated that he may look like Jeff Hardy but he does not feel like Jeff Hardy. He said that he feels incomplete and that his heart is broken. Jeff said that Shinsuke proved to the world that he lacks ethics and is a jackass at Extreme Rules.

Hardy claims that a low blow is the only way Nakamura can beat him and vowed to recapture the United States Championship. Hardy added that he wanted to make Shinsuke feel as much pain as possible tonight and make him fade away and classify himself as obsolete.

Nakamura was then interviewed backstage by Renee Young. Shinsuke called Hardy a sad clown that wears face paint to hide the tears he cries. Shinsuke stated that the US Title is now his and that is a reason to smile. Nakamura vowed to make everyone smile tonight by making a clown cry again. Shinsuke ending the interview by saying “God bless America”.

AJ Styles Defeated Andrade “Cien” Almas

AJ Styles
AJ Styles. Photo Credit: WWE.com

WWE Champion AJ Styles battled Andrade “Cien” Almas tonight on SmackDown.

The two Superstars locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the match. Almas sent AJ to the canvas with an Arm Drag and then posed over him.

Styles got back up with a smirk on his face but Almas connected with another Arm Drag that sent AJ back down to the mat. Styles and Almas locked up again and Andrade once again got the upper-hand after hitting an elbow to AJ’s face.

The crowd chanted “AJ Styles!” as Almas applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. AJ broke free and went for a Dropkick but Almas caught himself in between the ropes and struck a pose as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, AJ was back in control and hit Almas with a forearm to the face. Andrade responded with a Dropkick and both Superstars crashed to the canvas. Almas caught AJ up in between the ropes and slammed him to the mat for a two count.

Andrade perched AJ up on the top turnbuckle and sent him back to the mat with a Dropkick to the face. AJ battled back and planted Almas with a Neckbreaker for a near fall. AJ set up for the Styles Clash but Andrade blocked it and sent AJ to the apron. AJ then went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Almas elbowed Styles in the knee and AJ crumbled to the mat.

Almas climbed to the top rope and went for a Moonsault but AJ rolled out of the way. Almas incredibly landed on his feet and transitioned right into a standing Moonsault for a two count. Styles connected with an Enziguri that knocked Almas to the corner of the ring.

Andrade booted AJ in the face and climbed back up to the top rope. AJ hit Almas with the Pele Kick and then joined Andrade on the top rope. Almas tripped up AJ and hit him with a Double Stomp to the chest off the top turnbuckle. Almas followed it up with Double Knees in the corner for a two count.

Zelina Vega flipped out at ringside after Styles kicked out at the last second. AJ blocked the Hammerlock DDT and countered into the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring. Andrade reached for the ropes but was too far away and had quickly tapped out.

Opinion: Sign me up for a feud between these two Superstars any time. This match was very good and was just a small preview of what they could do together in the ring.

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Becky Lynch Warned Carmella

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Becky Lynch faced Mandy Rose tonight on SmackDown. Rose sent Lynch to the corner to start off the match. Deville hopped on the ring apron for a distraction and Mandy slammed Lynch to the canvas for a two count.

Mandy connected with a Dropkick and then a boot to the face for another near fall. Rose unloaded a few punches to Becky’s face and locked in a submission hold. Becky broke free and rolled up Rose for a two count.

Lynch hit a Crossbody and then an Exploder Suplex. Lynch then locked in the Dis-Arm-Her in the middle of the ring and Mandy Rose quickly tapped out. After the match, Becky grabbed the microphone and said that winning feels “freaking great!”.

Lynch said that she has been patiently waiting and never stopped working as hard as she can. Becky added that she is just getting started and warned Carmella that she is coming for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Carmella was then shown backstage with SmackDown GM Paige. Carmella said she deserves another “Mellabration” next week. Paige announced that Becky Lynch will face Carmella next week in a non-title match. If Lynch wins, Carmella has to defend the SmackDown Women’s Championship against her at WWE SummerSlam.

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Samoa Joe Easily Defeated Tye Dillinger

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Tye Dillinger faced Samoa Joe tonight on SmackDown. Joe attacked Tye Dillinger last week before SmackDown started.

Dillinger went right after Joe to start off the match. Joe shrugged it off and slammed Dillinger into the ring post.

Joe brought Dillinger back into the ring and booted him in the face. Joe taunted Dillinger as he brought him back to his feet.

Joe kneed Tye in the ribs a couple of times and locked in the Coquina Clutch. Tye tried to escape but had no choice but to tap out.

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The Miz Held A Funeral For Team Hell No

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The Miz held a funeral for Team Hell No tonight on SmackDown.

Miz thanked the crowd for coming tonight and plugged his new TV show. The Miz then boasted about getting MVP in the Celebrity All-Star Game. The Miz said it was now time to say “bye bye bye” to Team Hell No following their loss to the Bludgeon Brothers at Extreme Rules.

The Miz asked the crowd to stand up and join him in honoring Team Hell No in a moment of silence. The crowd made noise and The Miz demanded that they show some respect. The Miz waited for the crowd to be quiet but they wound up chanting “yes!” instead.

Miz said he had one final thing to say and that was “I told you so”. Miz stated that Kane was nothing more than a broken down demon and he was proven right. The Miz added that Daniel Bryan is nothing more than a glory hound obsessed with setting impossible goals to tug at your heartstrings.

The Miz called Bryan sad and that called Daniel’s return from injury a bust. Miz said that nobody has the courage to tell Bryan that his days of headlining WrestleMania are over and his career is dead.

Bryan’s music hit and Daniel attacked The Miz from behind. Bryan took out the pallbearers as well as The Miz retreated up the entrance ramp. Bryan geared up in the corner and hit the running knee to one of the pallbearers. Daniel then pointed at The Miz who mockingly applauded him.

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Eric Young Stole A Win Over Kofi Kingston

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Kofi Kingston faced Eric Young tonight on SmackDown. The rest of SAnitY and New Day were ringside for the match. SAnitY defeated New Day in a Tables Match on the Extreme Rules Kickoff Show this past Sunday.

Kofi connected with a Dropkick for a two count to start off the match. Young quickly battled back and sent Kingston to the corner of the ring. Young hit Kofi with a couple of jabs to the face but Kofi connected with a Clothesline that knocked Young out of the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Young was back in control as SAnitY and New Day had a stare down outside the ring. Young connected with a Neckbreaker for a two count and then applied a Chin Lock.

Young climbed up to the second rope and leaped towards Kofi. Kingston was ready for it though and connected with a Dropkick while Young was in midair. Kingston hit another Dropkick and followed it up with a Clothesline.

Kofi hit the Boom Drop and geared up in the corner of the ring. Young ducked under Trouble in Paradise and rolled up Kingston for a two count. Young rolled out of the ring and Kofi took the opportunity to take out SAnitY with a Crossbody. Back in the ring, Kofi connected with the SOS for a near fall.

Kingston made his way to the top rope but Wolfe hopped up on the ring apron for a distraction. Big E took him out but Dain then hopped on the apron. Woods took out Young for a moment but Dain got back up and threw Woods into Kingston. Young then planted Kofi with a Neckbreaker for the pinfall victory.

Randy Orton Attacked Jeff Hardy Again

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Jeff Hardy invoked his rematch clause for the United States Championship in the main event of SmackDown. Nakamura defeated Hardy in 6-seconds after hitting him with a low blow as the referee called for the bell. Randy Orton returned following the match and hit Hardy with another low blow.

Hardy went right after Nakamura to start off the match. Shinsuke missed with a low blow and Hardy sent him tumbling out of the ring. Jeff leaped off the steel steps and connected with a Clothesline that caused Nakamura to fall into the barricade surrounding the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Nakamura was in control of the match and had Hardy in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Hardy broke free but Nakamura remained on the attack and bounced Jeff’s face off the top turnbuckle.

Shinsuke hit Bad Vibrations in the corner and then booted Jeff in the face for good measure. Nakamura went back to the Headlock in the middle of the ring and Jeff began to fade. Jeff battled back and slammed Nakamura’s face into the top turnbuckle in every corner of the ring as the crowd chanted “delete!”.

Hardy connected with a Jawbreaker and followed it up with a Splash for a two count. Jeff connected with a Russian Leg Sweep for another near fall. Shinsuke escaped Hardy’s Twist of Fate attempt and booted Jeff in the back of the head. Nakamura followed it up with a knee to the midsection as SmackDown went to another commercial break.

SmackDown returned as Nakamura sent Hardy into the corner. Jeff battled back with a right hand to the face and followed it up with a Dropkick. Jeff climbed to the top and hit Whisper in the Wind for a two count.

Jeff dropped Shinsuke with a Clothesline and then followed it up with an inverted Atomic Drop. Hardy then quickly got back up and connected with a Leg Drop for a near fall. Shinsuke draped Jeff across the top rope and delivered a knee to the midsection for a two count.

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Nakamura hit a Backbreaker and followed it up with a sliding knee to Jeff’s head for another near fall. Shinsuke geared up in the corner of the ring and went for the Kinshasa but Hardy countered with a Slingblade. Jeff climbed to the top rope but Nakamura hopped up and crotched Jeff on the turnbuckle.

Shinsuke then delivered a kick to the face that dropped Jeff to the canvas. Hardy countered the Kinshasa once again and connected with the Twist of Fate. Jeff made his way to the top rope and hit the Swanton Bomb. Jeff went for the cover but Randy Orton pulled him out of the ring.

The referee called for the bell as Orton slammed Jeff’s face into the steel steps several times. Orton beat the hell out of Hardy against the barricade as Nakamura looked on from the entrance ramp. Jeff started to battle back but Orton poked Jeff in the eye to end his momentum. Orton pressed Jeff’s head against the steps and stomped on it. Orton then told Hardy that he is going to have to wait to find out why he is doing this.

Randy put his finger in Hardy’s earing and started tugging on his ear. Orton then threw Jeff over the announce table and then started clearing it off WWE officials sprinted to the ring. Orton planted Jeff with a DDT off of the table as SmackDown went off the air.

Opinion: Randy Orton is so much better as a heel and this feud has already got me interested. This was a pretty brutal attack and I’m looking forward to seeing where this storyline goes. Overall, I enjoyed this week’s episode of SmackDown.

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What did you think of this week’s show? Let us know in the comments below.

AJ Styles’ SummerSlam Opponent To Be Revealed Next Week

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has officially announced a match and segment for next week’s episode of SmackDown Live.

The segment will see SmackDown General Manager Paige reveal who AJ Styles will defend the WWE Title against at the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view event that is slated to go down on Sunday, August 19, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center and will air on the WWE Network.

As seen on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live from Wilkes Barre, PA, Styles defeated Andrade Almas in a non-title match. Also on this show, Samoa Joe beat Tye Dillinger in a singles match and after the match, Joe posted a cryptic message on his official Twitter account that has fans talking about this tweet potentially leading to Joe challenging Styles for the WWE Title at SummerSlam.

As of this writing, that match has yet to be confirmed but Joe vs. Styles is being advertised for upcoming live events.

The match that has been announced for this show is WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella vs. Becky Lynch in a non-title match with the stipulation that if Lynch wins then she gets a title shot at SummerSlam.

Who do you think Styles will defend the WWE Title against at SummerSlam? 

Jonathan Coachman Says He Knows Reason Brock Lesnar Decided To Shove Daniel Cormier At UFC 226

Andrew Ravens
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WWE Monday Night RAW color commentator Jonathan Coachman claims to have some inside information on the famous shove that Brock Lesnar gave to Daniel Cormier.

As seen in the main event of the UFC 226 pay-per-view event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Cormier was able to score a KO win over Stipe Miocic to win the UFC heavyweight title. Then, things got out of hand. Cormier invited Lesnar inside the Octagon with Lesnar accepting the invitation and shoving Cormier in the process. Lesnar then cut a promo on the heavyweight division and Cormier.

According to Coachman, once Lesnar got into the Octagon, the WWE Universal Champion was upset because Cormier made it so WWE and that it wasn’t talked about between Lesnar and Cormier before the fight. The only thing that Cormier and Miocic knew before the fight was that the winner was supposed to call out Lesnar for a future fight. The shove was real as Lesnar didn’t want it to go down like that.

“He was like, ‘[Lesnar] was so pissed because Cormier made it so WWE.’ Brock was so mad that he did it that way. That shove was real, it wasn’t planned, it wasn’t talked about. Him [Lesnar] coming in [the cage] was, but the shove that everyone says was so WWE — Brock didn’t want it that way. Brock wanted it just on that fine line.’

Typically, after a UFC main event fight, both the winner and loser are interviewed. However, at this event, Miocic was not interviewed about the fight or the chance to reply to Lesnar’s insults after his loss. Coachman made it clear that it was planned out that way that whoever won would call Lesnar into the Octagon.

“It was planned out that way that whoever won would call Brock in. Normally on a normal fight of that magnitude, you interview the winner and then the loser will stay and get interviewed. So I was hoping that Joe Rogan would say, ‘oh Brock you just said that about Stipe.’ It wasn’t planned that way, so Stipe was long gone.”

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes.

WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (7/17)

Eric Lynch
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The July 17th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown took place at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

– Jeff Hardy’s music hits to kick off this week’s show and the former U.S. Champion makes his way down to the ring. Jeff gets on the mic an says he may look and seem like Jeff Hardy, but he doesn’t feel like Jeff Hardy. Hardy says he’s missing something and feels broken because of how he lost the U.S. Title on Sunday. Jeff says Nakamura is a jackass who could only beat him by cheating. Jeff says he’s going to punish Nakamura and make him obsolete, and take back his U.S. Title. Hardy heads to the back and high-fives fans on the way.

– Shinsuke Nakamura is backstage for an interview. He calls Hardy a sad clown and makes fun of his face paint. Nakamura says the U.S. Title is his now so he’s all smiles. He says he’ll make the clown cry again tonight.

– Still to come: The Miz’s eulogy for Team Hell No

– AJ Styles vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas: Zelina Vega is at ringside for this one. AJ’s Title is not on the line. The opening bell sounds and AJ and Andrade trade holds on the mat in the opening moments. They run the ropes and AJ looks for a dropkick, but Andrade holds onto the ropes and AJ falls flat on his face. They fight out to ringside where AJ whips Cien into the fan barricade. Back in the ring, Almas fires back with an elbow to the face and then a running knee. AJ fights back and they trade strikes back and forth in the ring. Almas hits a backbreaker for a two count. Almas continues the offense until AJ pulls off a fireman’s carry neckbreaker out of nowhere for a two count of his own. AJ looks for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Almas knocks him off the rope. Almas follows up with a moonsault for a two count. Almas looks for a suplex, but AJ escapes and hits an enziguri. They fight in the corner and AJ hits the Pele kick. They fight up to the top rope where Almas trips AJ up in the ropes and hits a double foot stomp. Almas charges and hits AJ in the corner for a two count. Almas goes for the hammerlock DDT, but AJ escapes and locks in the Calf Crusher. Almas taps out and AJ gets the win.

Winner: AJ Styles

– We go to replays as AJ grabs his WWE Title belt and recovers in the ring. AJ and Almas get to their feet, and Almas walks away looking upset about the loss.

– Aiden English is backstage telling Lana he has to apologize for Extreme Rules. English talks about his mistake costing Rusev the WWE Title, and he asks Lana to talk to him for him. Lana says Rusev needs his space, and she questions if Aiden is good enough for Rusev. English asks for a second chance and Lana says it’ll be taken into consideration.

– Mandy Rose vs. Becky Lynch: Sonya Deville is at ringside for this one. Becky starts off strong, but Mandy is able to drop her off the middle rope and take control. Mandy stomps a mud hole in Becky in the corner and slows down the pace with a shoulder hold on Becky. Mandy misses wildly with a clothesline and Becky capitlizes with a kick and a roll-up for a two count. Becky follows up with some kicks and then a t-bone suplex. Becky applies the Disarm-her and wins via submission.

Winner: Becky Lynch

– After the match, Becky gets on the mic and says winning feels great. She says she’s been working as hard as possible and she’s just getting started. She says she’s coming for Carmella and her Women’s Championship.

– Carmella runs into Paige backstage and mocks her accent. Carmella says she’s due for another celebration after all her success lately. Paige says before she celebrates, Carmella has to win her match against Becky Lynch next week in a non-title match. If Becky wins, Carmella has to defend the Title at SummerSlam.

– Tye Dillinger and R-Truth are backstage warming up. They have an interaction, but as Tye walks away it’s revealed R-Truth was on his Bluetooth the whole time. Tye vs. Samoa Joe is coming up.

– Samoa Joe vs. Tye Dillinger: Before the match, we see footage of Samoa Joe attacking Tye off-air last week. The opening bell sounds and the fight spills out to ringside early on. Tye throws Joe into the announce table and lays into him. Joe turns it around and throws Tye into the ring post. Back in the ring, Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch for the win after a very short match.

Winner: Samoa Joe

– After the match, Joe stands over Tye and stares into the camera. Still to come: Nakamura defends his U.S. Title in a rematch against Jeff Hardy.

– The Miz comes out for a eulogy for Team Hell No. Some people behind Miz wheel down what appears to be a casket with a Kane mask on top of it. The Miz picks up the dummy head with the Kane mask on it and takes it in the ring with him and sets it on a table. Miz first talks about his new USA Network reality show, and then moves on to “two of the worst friends ever,” Daniel Bryan and Kane. Miz asks for a moment of silence for Team Hell No, and tells the crowd that it’s time for their mouths to go shut. The Miz says he has one last thing to say: I told you so. The Miz says he was right about Kane being broken down, and Bryan being nothing more than a glory hound. The Miz continues to trash Bryan until Bryan’s music hits. Bryan hits the ring from behind to attack Miz. Bryan fights off the guys who wheeled out the casket as they hit the ring, and the Miz retreats up the ramp.

– The New Day is backstage in their locker room getting pumped up to come out to the ring.

– Kofi Kingston vs. Eric Young: The rest of The New Day and Sanity are at ringside for this one. Young starts off strong and elbows Kofi down to the mat. Kofi comes back with a flying clothesline, then he dumps Young down to the ringside floor. Back in the ring, Young turns it around and drops Kofi with a knee to the body. EY lays into Kofi with strikes in the corner, then chokes him from the second rope with a dragon sleeper until the ref calls for the break. Young goes leaping off the turnbuckle, but Kofi kicks him out of mid-air. Kofi follows up with more kicks and then the boom drop. Kofi misses the Trouble In Paradise and Young rolls him up for a two count. Kofi hits a suplex off the top turnbuckle for a two count, then Young rolls outside for a breather. Kofi goes flying and hits a suicide dive over top of the referee and down onto Sanity at ringside. Back in the ring, Kofi hits he SOS for a two count. Kofi kicks Young down again and then climbs up top. Wolfe causes a distraction until Big E drops him, and Dain causes a distraction until Woods drops him. Kofi goes flying at Young but Young ducks. Dain causes Woods and Kofi to knock heads on the apron, and Young capitalizes and hits a big neckbreaker for the three count.

Winner: Eric Young

– The New Day recovers in the ring as Sanity celebrates on the ramp.

– We see Shinsuke Nakamura backstage admiring his U.S. Title belt. Elsewhere, Jeff Hardy stares into the camera as he gets ready for his match.

– Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Jeff Hardy: The U.S. Title is on the line in this one. Jeff starts off fired up right out of the gate and he beats down Nakamura at ringside. Back in the ring, Jeff goes up top, but Nakamura rolls back outside for a breather. Back in the ring, Nakamura turns things around and repeatedly pins Hardy for one counts and two counts. Nakamura continues to beat down Hardy until he misses a knee drop, and Hardy starts slamming Nakamura’s head against the turnbuckles. Jeff hits a jawbreaker and a splash, then he escapes a suplex attempt by Nakamura. Hardy drops Nakamura and pins for a two count. Nakamura comes back with a kick to the back of the head, then he drags Hardy off the apron outside and knees him in the face. Back in the ring, Jeff comes back and hits the Whisper In The Wind for a two count. Hardy lays into Nakamura with strikes, then hits the inverted atomic drop, leg drop and dropkick. Hardy looks for the Twist of Fate, but Nakamura escapes. Jeff kicks him down, but Nakamura comes back with a kick of his own. Nakamura hits the running knee in the corner for a two count. Nakamura looks for the Kinshasa, but Jeff dodges it and drops him. Jeff goes up top but Nakamura kicks him down. Nakamura goes for the Kinshasa again, but Jeff side-steps it and hits the Twist of Fate. Jeff goes up top and connects with the Swanton Bomb. Jeff pins, but Orton yanks Jeff out of the ring to break it up. The ref calls for the bell.

Winner via DQ: Jeff Hardy

– After the bell, Orton beats down Hardy at ringside. Orton pummels on Hardy on the floor, and then he pulls the ring steps apart. Jeff gets up and fights back, but Orton whips Jeff into the ring steps. Orton puts Jeff’s head on the ring steps and stomps on it as Nakamura looks on. Orton grabs Jeff by the hair and talks trash to him. Orton sticks his finger inside the piercing in Jeffs ear and yanks on it, which makes for a shocking visual. WWE staffers come out to try and break it up, but Orton throws Jeff onto the announce table and continues the beat down. Orton finally walks off, as Jeff sells his ear and SmackDown goes off the air.

NXT UK Talent Confirmed For Upcoming Tapings

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WWE’s new NXT UK brand will hold its first round of television tapings next week from England’s Cambridge Corn Exchange venue.

Two nights of shows are scheduled for July 28th & 29th. Talent confirmed for the tapings include:

  • WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne
  • Mark Andrews
  • Trent Seven
  • Tyler Bate
  • Zack Gibson
  • Toni Storm
  • Joe Coffey
  • Jinny
  • Charlie Morgan

In addition to these names, PWInsider reports that Noam Dar, Rhea Ripley, Nixon Newell and Dakota Kai will also be on hand .

After the first round of tapings, NXT UK has tapings scheduled for the following dates:

  • August 25th and 26th: Birmingham, England
  • October 13th and 14th: Plymouth, England
  • November 24th and 25th: Liverpool, England

Drew McIntyre Explains Why He Choose To Go To NXT Instead Of WWE Main Roster

Andrew Ravens
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Drew McIntyre has given some insight into his time with the WWE and resurgence in the company.

The former NXT Champion recently appeared on Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia to talk about various topics including his reaction to his release by the WWE in 2014 where he noted that he was shocked at first as he was doing the 3MB gimmick with Jinder Mahal and Heath Slater where they were on literally every show so it was very unexpected.

He would continue by stating that although he saw the news on social media, it never crossed his mind that a missed call from WWE might have been to tell him the news but rather assumed to tell him to be on the road a week earlier.

“When I got it I was like, “Oh, okay. I’ll be seeing you very soon.” And I sat and I thought about it. My girlfriend at the time who is now my wife and I had just moved into the apartment that I got the call 3 days prior. It was our first place together, so I was thinking, “How am I going to tell her? How am I going to tell my Dad?” He’s always been my number one fan.”

He continued by stating that he worried about the next step and then eventually told himself that this is the opportunity he’s been waiting for and that it had been years since he was in a serious role.

He noted that it was the right time to be away from the company for a while and to have learned so much. He believed in himself and that he could really do something and the wrestling scene outside of WWE was really picking up. This is when he got excited.

McIntyre also touched on his decision to go back to NXT when he returned to the company instead of going back to the main roster right away.

“That was what I wanted. I told my wife in the beginning when NXT really started catching fire,”You know what babe, ideal when I go back there first, if I do my thing here and I get a reputation in the independent scene, then I believe I can get an angle to NXT because it’s such a passionate fan base. I think that would be the place for me to go to really show what I can do. And then when the time is right, because the transition is so much smoother from NXT to RAW and Smackdown, because it moves so fast. RAW and Smackdown, there’s so many hours of unique TV every single week all year round.”

McIntyre added that is the way he saw it and even told Chris Jericho about it during a podcast appearance as he gave credit to Jericho for helping him early in his career and Jericho telling him when he was released that he’d be back in WWE.

McIntyre also talked about how he discovered his love for wrestling and more. You can listen to the full interview here.

What are your thoughts on McIntyre’s comments? Sound off in the comment section.

Johnny Impact On Why Fans Should Be Watching Impact Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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Johnny Impact will face Fenix, Rich Swann, and Taiji Ishimori on Sunday at Slammiversary.

“I can’t think of a better way to return to Impact than with this 4-way match between some of the most talented guys in the world, myself included,” Johnny said on a media call. “I plan on stealing the show for sure.”

“The guys in this match are really on the upper echelon of athletism and charisma,” Johnny continued. “I’m stoked, bro.” 

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Johnny Impact On Why Fans Should Be Watching Impact Wrestling

We had a chance to ask Johnny Impact why fans should be watching Impact Wrestling right now.

“The current roster of Impact Wrestling is possibly the best roster in the world,” Johnny said. “You’ve got your traditional American psychology type wrestling but now we’ve got with Ishimori, with Pentagon, with Fenix, with Sami Callihan and Cage and Kevin Kross now, Aries, and of course, Johnny Impact. You’ve got this crazy blend of wrestlers from different styles from all over the world that make the matches on Impact infinitely interesting.”

“You’re seeing this collision of styles every time you’re out there,” Johnny continued.

“Social media, the youtube channel, all the views are spiraling upward because there is a new interest in this product,” Johnny said. “That new interest is just a symptom of the fact that what we are doing is something that wrestling fans like to see.”

Johnny Impact would also compare Impact Wrestling’s current product to right before a wave breaks when you’re surfing.

“When you’re surfing right before a wave breaks, that’s where you want to jump on and surf because you don’t want to miss the boat,” Johnny explained. “That’s what Impact is now.”

Slammiversary takes place July 22nd, 2018 from the Rebel Nightclub Complex in Toronto. It will be available to purchase live on the FITE app. 

Charlotte Flair Reveals Both Of Her Implants Ruptured

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Charlotte Flair has revealed she’s currently out of action due to rupturing both her breast implants. The 5-time WWE Women’s Champion appeared on the Conversations With Maria Menounos SiriusXM radio show on Monday and provided intimate details about the injury.

Charlotte says when she began wrestling, her saline implants ruptured during during a match. When she woke up the following morning, they were gone. She later had them ‘redone.’ A few months ago, she began experiencing pain behind her shoulder blade.

She spoke to her trainer about the injury and tried to relieve the pain through exercises, but the discomfort persisted. Upon visiting a doctor and undergoing a mammogram and ultrasound, Charlotte’s doctor found that she had free floating silicone in her chest due to the ruptured implants.

At the time, Charlotte had several big things on her schedule, including WrestleMania 34 and her photo shoot for ESPN’s Body issue She kept the situation hidden until recently, when she went under the knife once again to get the situation resolved around 4 weeks ago.

Charlotte said she is medically cleared to get back in the ring on July 31st. She joked that she does not consider this to be a “legitimate” injury and can’t believe she’s missing ring time due to her enhancements.

You can listen to a clip from Charlotte’s conversation with Maria Menounos here:

Austin Aries On Why He Returned To Impact Wrestling

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Impact Wrestling World Champion, Austin Aries, will defend his title against Moose on Sunday in Toronto. He took part in a sit-down interview to promote his Slammiversary title defense and also mentioned why he decided to return to Impact earlier this year.

“Not every platform is created equal. Not every platform allows the same freedoms, not every platform gives guys the opportunity to truly grab the brass ring.” – Austin Aries on Impact Wrestling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_GdieEUHtM&frags=pl%2Cwn

Austin Aries on Impact Wrestling

“Why did Austin Aries choose to come back to Impact Wrestling?” Aries asked himself. “Cause Impact Wrestling needed me and I like to feel needed. I like to feel wanted. But in some ways maybe Austin Aries needed the platform of Impact Wrestling.

“Not every platform is created equal,” Aries continued. “Not every platform allows the same freedoms, not every platform gives guys the opportunity to truly grab the brass ring.”

They offered me an opportunity, they said ‘hey, we love what you do, we respect the artist you are, please come to Impact Wrestling, we’re going to give you a blank canvass to paint as you see fit.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjQEBA5nvFz/?utm_source=ig_embed

Austin Aries in Live Kindly

Austin Aries is a vegan and promotes the diet and lifestyle whenever he can. He recently sat down with Live Kindly last week and spoke about what it’s like to be a vegan professional wrestler.

“I’ve really had a positive impact on a lot of my fans just by being who I am,” he said before recalling a moment with a fan at a Veg Fest. “After a panel signing books, and a longtime fan of mine came up to me and said I was the reason he chose to become plant-based himself and in the time since, he lost 200 pounds. His sister-in-law lost 100 pounds but went back to her previous lifestyle, but the point is, I affected this young man’s life in such a huge way and turned his life in a completely different direction.”

Keith Lee, Io Shirai, Deonna Purrazzo & More Training At Performance Center

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A new class of recruits began training at the WWE Performance Center today and you’ll probably recognize a few of the names. According to the Instagram story of WWE’s NXT brand, the following wrestlers comprise the latest group of NXT signees:

  • Keith Lee (Former PWG & WWN Champion)
  • Io Shirai (Stardom)
  • Deonna Purrazzo (ROH, Stardom)
  • MJ Jenkins (Impact Wrestling, Shimmer)
  • Denzel Dejournette (Former collegiate Heavyweight wrestler)
  • Taishan Dong (former pro boxer from China)
  • Lacey Lane (Trained at Team 3D Academy)
  • Luke Menzies (Former pro rugby player)
  • Stacey Ervin Jr. (Former Gymnast)

WWE posted this photo of the new NXT class:

WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page was also on hand at the Performance Center on Tuesday and conducted a DDP Yoga session for the trainees.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlVvo60hLHL/?taken-by=wwenxt

Jeff Jarrett Believes Intergender Matches Should Be Special, Talks Ronda Rousey

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WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett has given his take on intergender matches in pro wrestling.

In an interview with SportsKeeda to promote his upcoming ‘Ain’t He Great’ UK tour which kicks off in London on July 23rd, the former WWE Intercontinental Champion spoke about intergender matches, which he thinks should be special and booked on a case-by-case basis as he pointed out the example of his program with Chyna in the WWE in 1999.

“I think this is a very very specific case to case basis because I don’t think it’s fair if it was the world’s best female basketball player against Lebron James, that’s really not competitive. At the time of me and Chyna, Chyna was built so strong that the timing was right. [If you had] Intergender matches on a consistent basis I believe the specialty of that would diminish, but on occasion, I think it’s a good opportunity.”

Jarrett also talked about former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey making the transition from being a pro-MMA fighter to the land of pro wrestling.

He gave her high praise for being a unique and once in a lifetime talent as she is the first female in the UFC Hall of Fame, which he believes should make people stop right there and realize what a special talent she is and they just don’t come around that often.

What are your thoughts on Jarrett’s comments? Sound off in the comment section.

MJ Jenkins Signs With WWE

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Former Impact Wrestling Knockout MJ Jenkins has signed with WWE. She participated in a tryout at the Performance Center back in February.

Jenkins (real name Monique Jacqueline Williams-Jenkins) hails from Brooklyn, NY and has already reported to the Performance Center. She, along with recent signees Keith Lee, Io Shirai and Deanna Parazzo, were featured on NXT’s Instagram story on Tuesday morning.

mjj

In addition to working for Impact Wrestling last year, Jenkins has worked for various independent promotions including Shine Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling.

Her Twitter bio states that she is a “Sports Entertainer” and has her based out of Orlando, Florida. Follow MJ Jenkins on Twitter and Instagram at @RealMJJenkins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwrVI98xMKU

Roman Reigns Update After Collision On WWE RAW, Ember Moon Reacts To Loss

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Roman Reigns Update

Roman Reigns had a scare on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in Buffalo, NY at the KeyBank Center on the USA Network after having a collision with Drew McIntyre during their Triple Threat with Finn Balor. Some fans were concerned about the former WWE Champion after he was busted open as a result of the incident. Fear not because Pwinsider.com notes that Reigns was said to be OK.

Now, Reigns is slated to square off with Bobby Lashley in a #1 contender’s match on next Monday’s show with the winner challenging Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title at the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view event on Sunday, August 19, 2018

Ember Moon Tweets

Former NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon suffered her first loss on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW as a member of the main roster on the red brand after taking a pinfall from Sarah Logan. After the match, Moon wrote the following about the loss on Twitter:

“.@WWE A wise man once said “streaks were made to be broken” Tonight the #RiottSquad numbers game won but the #ProphecyOfFire will be reignited and a phoenix will rise from the ashes! #MythRises  #SHEnom #SHEwolf #SilenceTheRiott #EclipseTheCompetition.”

What are your thoughts on this upcoming match between Reigns and Lashley? Sound off in the comment section.

Rey Mysterio Discusses ROH- NJPW MSG Show, Potentially Wrestling Daniel Bryan

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Rey Mysterio recently discussed various topics while at the annual Florida Supercon in Fort Lauderdale, FL with The Roman Show.

The former WWE star is expected to make his return to the company later this year once the two sides can agree upon a deal. Until then, he is working for other promotions including NJPW on different occasions.

In this interview, Mysterio gave his take on ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling holding an event at Madison Square Garden next year during WrestleMania 35 weekend where he stated that you have to think of the great talent that those two companies have as it’s unbelieve and a great roster. He added that he wishes him the best of luck with this upcoming show.

Mysterio also briefly commented on possibly working with Daniel Bryan in the WWE when he returns to the company.

“Anything can happen. I did two Royal Rumbles for WWE this year. If you happen to see me on a Raw or Smackdown and you want to see a certain match, then you already know. But if not, I am still going to be doing what I am doing out here in the wrestling independent scene.”

Mysterio noted that just next month, he is working another show for NJPW then working the ‘All In event come September, Chris Jericho’s cruise in October. Thus, there’s a lot of good things coming his way.

What are your thoughts on Mysterio’s comments? 

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes.

Ronda Rousey Issues Warning To Alexa Bliss, Bobby Lashley On RAW Win

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Ronda Rousey’s Message

Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey has her next big match under the WWE banner set as she is slated to challenge RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss for the title at the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view event.

As seen on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in Buffalo, NY at the KeyBank Center on the USA Network, Rousey attacked Bliss and Mickie James despite the fact that she’s supposed to be suspended from WWE events.

With this feud going on for over a month now, Rousey has her sights set on winning WWE gold once she steps foot inside of the ring next month. She wrote the following on her official Instagram account about the fact that Bliss needs to be aware of the countdown to SummerSlam is on:

“#August19th your day of reckoning has been set, see you at #SummerSlam @alexa_bliss_wwe_ #rawwomenschampionship.”

https://instagram.com/p/BlVfNy_hNkt/?utm_source=ig_embed

Bobby Lashley’s Reaction

Bobby Lashley continues to rack up big wins in the WWE as he beat Roman Reigns at Sunday’s (July 15, 2018) WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view event then scored a win his triple threat match against Seth Rollins and Elias on this week’s episode of RAW that earned him the right to take on Roman Reigns next Monday night on RAW to determine who will face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.

After the match, Lashley took to his Twitter account to react to the big win by writing the following:

What are your thoughts on WWE booking Rousey against Bliss at SummerSlam? Sound off in the comment section.

3x MLB All-Star Curtis Granderson Headed to Slammiversary

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Curtis Granderson will be appearing at Sunday’s Impact Wrestling Slammiversary pay-per-view. Granderson, a 3-time MLB All-Star, will serve as the special “title holder” for the main event.

Slammiversary will be headlined by Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries defending against Moose. Slammiversary takes place from Toronto’s Rebel Entertainment Complex and will broadcast live around the world on pay-per-view.

As part of Impact’s cross-promotion with the Toronto Blue Jays to promote Slammiveresary, Johnny Impact will throw the Ceremonial First Pitch at Sunday’s home game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Curtis Granderson is a lifelong pro wrestling fan and has attended numerous IMPACT Wrestling shows over the years.

“I’m thrilled to join IMPACT Wrestling as ‘Title Holder.’ As a long-time fan, it’s an honor to be included as part of the World Championship match,” Granderson told ImpactWrestling.com. “Inclusion in this event will undoubtedly be the highlight of my year, off the baseball field, and I’m looking forward to seeing who comes out on top.”

Sunday night kicks off three nights of action for Impact at the Rebel Entertainment Complex. Following Slammiversary, the venue will host Impact Wrestling television tapings on Monday and Tuesday.

Impact World Champion Austin Aries commented on Granderson’s involvement in his upcoming title defense and sounds unimpressed.

Smackdown and 205 Live Preview 7/17: Shinsuke Nakamura vs Jeff Hardy

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Smackdown and 205 Live tonight will emanate from the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The featured match will be a rematch from Extreme Rules between Shinsuke Nakamura and Jeff Hardy with the United States Championship on the line.

Only one match is confirmed for Smackdown, whereas two are confirmed for 205 Live.

Smackdown Live! 7/17

United States Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs Jeff Hardy

At Extreme Rules on Sunday, Nakamura defeated Jeff Hardy after a low blow and a quick Kinshasa. After the match, Randy Orton inexplicably came out and targetting Hardy. Was he trying to send a message to the champion? Or does he have some grudge against Hardy?

WWE is reporting that Jeff Hardy demanded his contractually obligated rematch tonight.

#AndStill WWE Champion AJ Styles

At Extreme Rules, AJ Styles defeated Rusev. It was his 9th televised WWE Championship defense of this reign and 15th all-time.

What is next for the champion? WWE.com is teasing Styles’ next challenger could make themselves known tonight.

How Will Asuka React To Her Second Straight Loss To Carmella?

Carmella retained her title on Sunday by slamming Asuka’s head into James Ellsworth’s shark cage. Despite her second straight loss to Carmella in a Championship match, WWE is indicating Asuka might not be out of the title picture yet as we get closer to SummerSlam.

Will Team Hell No Bounce Back From Their Loss To The Bludgeon Brothers?

Before their match on Sunday, the Bludgeon Brothers attacked Team Hell No. Kane’s leg was in a brace and Daniel Bryan had to start the match alone.

Kane is still not medically cleared compete tonight.

205 Live 7/12

TJP vs Noam Dar

When Noam Dar returned to 205 Live two weeks ago, he defeated TJP in under 30 seconds. Previously, TJP had been complaining he wasn’t being given tough enough competition.

TJP demanded this rematch tonight.

Lio Rush vs Akira Tozawa

Lio Rush has been chastizing Tozawa as of late. He showed up on commentary during a recent match of Tozawa’s and then after the match told him he wasn’t doing enough to be successful.

Tozawa returned the favor to Rush last week during Rush’s match. Drake Maverick then made this match official for tonight.

WWE Returns to China September 1st

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WWE will return to China for the third straight year on Saturday, September 1st for a live event at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai. Tickets for the show go on sale this Thursday morning at Damai.cn.

Superstars advertised for the #WWEShanghai event include Ronda Rousey, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Bruan Strowman, Alexa Bliss, Finn Balor and more.

The event will be presented by in partnership with AEG.

“We are thrilled that WWE LIVE Shanghai will be presented in partnership with AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company,” said Robb Spitzer, Senior Vice President, Asia – AEG Presents. “AEG Presents is proud to be partnering with WWE for the first time in China and entertain people of all ages.”

“We are excited to return to Shanghai, demonstrating WWE’s commitment to our passionate and growing fanbase in China,” said Jay Li, Vice President & General Manager, WWE Greater China. “Fans can look forward to seeing an action-packed night of family-friendly entertainment that will create lifelong memories.”

Live WWE programming (including Raw and SmackDown) air on China’s PP Sports each week, with the WWE Network also available on the PP Sports platform.

Kevin Owens Injury Update Following Extreme Rules Cage Spot

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WWE has released an update on the medical condition of Raw’s Kevin Owens.

At Extreme Rules on Sunday, Braun Strowman chokeslammed Owens off the top of the cage through an announcer’s table below. Owens was taken away via stretcher after technically winning the match.

Kevin Owens Injury Update

“After a 20-foot descent through an announce table during his Steel Cage Match against Braun Strowman at WWE Extreme Rules,” A WWE statement reads. “Kevin Owens sustained multiple injuries, including bruising of the shoulder and back, bruised ribs and a neck strain. He will be re-evaluated later in the week.”

“The injuries occurred during the final moments of the match,” the statement continues. “When Strowman hurled Owens from atop the cage, sending him through an announce table at ringside, technically winning the match by leaving the structure first. Owens was then rushed to a local medical facility for evaluation.”

How Long Will Kevin Owens Be Out of Action?

While Kevin Owens did not appear on Raw, he is still expected to appear at Raw’s house shows. He is still advertised as a featured performer for Saturday’s house show in Lexington, KY.

Kevin Owens Social Media Accounts Back To Dark

Following the Shania Twain concert, Kevin Owens returned all of his social media pages back to dark. Owens had previously stated the only reason he returned to Twitter was to encourage Shania Twain to play his favorite song at a Montreal concert.

John Hennigan Talks Differences Between Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground

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John Hennigan is a featured performer for both Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground. In the 4th season of Lucha Underground, Johnny Mundo’s World Wide Underground is in a feud with Kobra Moon’s Reptile Tribe. Meanwhile, in Impact Wrestling, Johnny Impact is booked for the upcoming Slammiversary pay-per-view in Toronto.

Hennigan spoke with TV Insider recently and commented on the differences between the two companies.

Johnny Impact and Johnny Mundo on Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground

Hennigan started by describing what he believes to be Lucha Underground’s style. “Lucha is hard-hitting, acrobatic, fast-paced. It has this cool world that is uniquely Lucha Underground.”

He then compared Lucha Underground to Impact Wrestling. “Impact is similar, but it’s a different world. The stuff going on there is the evolution of traditional wrestling product into a cutting-edge, modern, present-day program.”

“I think the best way to make an example of that is I’m returning there at Slammiversary on July 22,” Hennigan continued. “The match I’m going to have is Rich Swann vs. Taji Ishimori vs. Fenix vs. Johnny Impact. Rich Swann and I both worked for WWE. Taiji works for New Japan and Noah. Fenix is one of the best Luchadores in the world. He has worked for pretty much every company in Mexico.”

John Hennigan on Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground

“The office for Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling are both forward-thinking people that are trying to build something, instead of competing against one another, which traditionally happened in the past,” Hennigan stated.

“Lucha, Impact and hopefully more companies going forward are working together now, which is awesome to me. As a wrestler, we get to work for both companies. As a wrestling fan, I get to see a bunch of dream matches five years ago you would never get to see.”

The final Impact Wrestling television show before Slammiversary airs this Thursday. Lucha Underground’s 4th season continues on the El Rey Network this Wednesday night.

Corey Graves Shirt Pulled From WWE Shop

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Unfortunately for fans of Corey Graves, his T-shirt is no longer available at WWEShop.com. The shirt had featured a picture of Graves with the words “Shut Up Saxton” on it.

“Sorry guys, no #ShutUpSaxton shirt,” Graves tweeted. “Out of my hands. We tried.”

Saxton had been campaigning for the shirt leading up to its release earlier this month. Graves added that he needs something else – “something different.”

Corey Graves Comments on CM Punk

Last month, Corey Graves made several Tweets after CM Punk’s second straight loss in the UFC.

“Maybe abandoning everybody who stood by your side, even when we weren’t supposed to, only to have you turn your back on us wasn’t the right move after all?” Graves Tweeted short after the end of the fight. “No anger. Only sadness.”

“The first rule of ‘punk rock’ is loyalty, and this guy betrayed it all,” Graves continued. “I still love you, “friend” and I’m sorry you got lost.”

Graves continued to comment on the matter.

“Awww. Seems the “fans” are disappointed. Maybe you guys should know that “That Dude” held my first son before I did because I was on tour and I trusted him,” Graves continued. “I had dinner with him the week after he quit.”

The next day he spoke with Fightful.com

“What really set me off was this week when he essentially disowned the business that made him,”Graves said. “My only issue with him was that he turned off people that actually loved and supported him. Beyond “the business” and he never wanted anything to do with us…yet continued to present himself as this ‘Punk’ hero.”

He clarified his comments had nothing to do with Punk’s recent trial.

“Dude, this has ZERO to do with court, or testimony or any of the above. Nothing that I tweeted was corporate,” said Graves. “I’m simply hurt/pissed off that a guy that I looked like as a big brother-type has turned his back on me and everyone that loved and supported him only because of the name on my paycheck. I’m definitely not the only one. I won’t name names, but there is a large group of us to this day that inexplicably lost a solid friend because of where we work.”

WWE Denies Hulk Hogan Apology Was Filmed

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Yesterday, it was reported that Hulk Hogan’s apology to the WWE roster was filmed for an upcoming WWE Network special. The news was first reported by Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

A WWE representative has denied that the segment was taped for a special to eventually air on the WWE Network.

Hulk Hogan Reinstated

Earlier this year, Mark Henry stated he didn’t feel Hogan was ready for a return to WWE. Henry said he felt Hogan needed to complete more community work but did not rule out giving the legendary wrestler a second chance.

“There is going to have to be more community service and outside work, support for programs and even create a program that deals with diversity in the workplace,” Henry said on Busted Open radio. “There is going to have to be more community service and outside work, support for programs and even create a program that deals with diversity in the workplace”.

Henry also spoke on how he sits on a delegation of African American wrestlers. “The delegation is pretty much all of the established African American wrestlers in the country and in the world, for that matter. Every promotion,” Henry said. “There is not a wrestling promotion that does not house someone from the delegation”.

Henry appeared on TMZ Sports earlier this week and said he’s been meeting with Hogan and believes he is genuine.

“He [Hogan] made an announcement, he apologized, he’s done a lot of stuff with the Boys and Girls Club. But I didn’t want to lose track of the fact that there’s more work to be done,” Henry stated.

Hulk Hogan was officially reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame over the weekend.

G1 Climax 28 Recommended Matches, Upcoming Schedule, more…

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The G1 Climax 28 tournament is 3 shows into their 19 show tour. To keep everyone up-to-date with the tournament thus far we’ve put together a list of the most recommended matches thus far in the tournament. Below that we have the upcoming scheduled with key matches highlighted and the updated standings.

All matches and events air with english commentary on NJPWWorld.com 

Recommended Matches G1 Climax 28 (Nights 1 – 3) (Non-Spoiler)

1. Zack Sabre Jr. vs Kota Ibushi (night 2) (B Block)

2018 has been a breakthrough year for Zack Sabre Jr in NJPW. Winning the New Japan Cup solidified him as someone who will have IWGP-endorsed titles around his waist at some point.

At a recent NJPW Strong Style Evolved UK show, ZSJ pinned Kazuchika Okada. ZSJ has defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJ Cup Finals), Tetsuya Naito (NJ Cup opening round), and Okada this year. He’ll get a chance to wrestle Omega later in the tournament, which is pretty much the only big name he has left to beat.

This match from night 2 in the B block is also a rematch from the quarter-finals of the New Japan Cup when the referee stopped the match after Ibushi passed out in a submission. Ibushi is the only of ZSJ’s 4 opponents in the tournament not to actually submit.

2. Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito (night 2) (B Block)

If you’re an NJPW fan this match doesn’t require any selling. They are the two most popular stars in the company, including Kazuchika Okada.

Here are just a few other statistics as to why this match was important:

  • It’s a rematch of the finals last year when Naito defeated Omega.
  • In 2016, Omega defeated Naito in the round-robin en route to winning the tournament.
  • It’s just the 3rd time they’ve faced each other in a single’s match.
  • Omega’s recent comments about how the Japanese wrestlers don’t go to the gym as much as the international wrestlers do seems to have hit a nerve with Naito. Omega frequently makes statements about not liking LIJ. At some point, an LIJ vs Bullet Club rivalry is coming.
  • Since Omega is the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a win here would put him in line for a future shot against Omega.
  • They are also the last two men to win the G1.
  • This match is currently the highest-rated by users of the statistics-based website, Cagematch, with a 9.53 rating as of this writing.

3. Hangman Page vs Bad Luck Fale (night 1) (A Block)

This is the first match of the Bullet Club OG vs The Elite angle. It’s not recommended viewing so much for its athleticism as it is for its spectacle and storyline development.

Also, Bad Luck Fale keeps shouting “F*** em” and that’s pretty funny.

4. Hangman Page vs Michael Elgin (night 3)  (A Block)

Kevin Kelly pointed out on commentary that these two met three times in Ring of Honor. This would have been when Page was just developing. He really shows just how much he’s developed in this match. His style meshes with Elgin’s strongman style well. Elgin is all slimmed down and looks to be in great shape too.

5. EVIL vs Michael Elgin (night 2) (B Block)

Speaking of Michael Elgin being in good shape, he demonstrated this in a different way during this match. Elgin and EVIL do some reversals and sequences in this match which are pretty impressive to see.

6. Jay White vs Kazuchika Okada (night 1) (A Block)

The story behind this match is White has said ever since he joined CHAOS that one day he’d face Okada. White is sort of the black sheep of the stable and Rocky Romero has frequently mentioned this on commentary.

Romero would grow further frustrated with White as this match wore on. White and CHAOS is a storyline which could take time to develop or it could combust quickly, we’ll just have to see.

Other recommended matches
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Minoru Suzuki (night 1)
  • Jay White Hiroshi Tanahashi (night 3)
  • Bad Luck Fale vs Kazuchika Okada (for storyline purposes…) (night 3)

Upcoming Schedule

Single’s champions are highlighted

“Night 4 (B Block)
July 19th, 2018

  • Juice Robinson vs Kota Ibushi
  • Hirooki Goto vs Kenny Omega
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs Tetsuya Naito
  • Toru Yano vs Zack Sabre Jr
  • SANADA vs Tama Tonga

Night 5 (A Block)
July 20th, 2018

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Bad Luck Fale
  • Togi Makabe vs EVIL
  • Michael Elgin vs Jay White
  • Kazuchika Okada vs Hangman Page
  • YOSHI-HASHI vs Minoru Suzuki

Night 6 (B Block)
July 21st, 2018

  • Juice Robinson vs Tetsuya Naito
  • Hirooki Goto vs Tomohiro Ishii
  • Toru Yano vs Kota Ibushi
  • Kenny Omega vs Tama Tonga
    • Every Kenny Omega match is important because it can lead to a future title match. This match, however, is also important for storyline purposes. If Tonga wins this match it could set up a Tama Tonga vs Kenny Omega IWGP Heavyweight title match at the September 30th show in Long Beach. That is just speculation, however.
    • This is a big match in the career of Tama Tonga.
  • SANADA vs Zack Sabre Jr

Night 7 (A Block)
July 22nd, 2018

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Hangman Page
  • Togi Makabe vs Kazuchika Okada
  • Michael Elgin vs YOSHI-HASHI
  • Jay White vs Minoru Suzuki
  • EVIL vs Bad Luck Fale

Night 8 (B Block)
July 26th, 2018

  • Juice Robinson vs Kenny Omega
  • Hirooki Goto vs Tou Yano
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs Zack Sabre Jr
  • Tetsuya Naito vs Tama Tonga
  • SANADA vs Kota Ibushi

Night 9 (A Block)
July 27th, 2018

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Togi Makabe
  • Michael Elgin vs Minoru Suzuki
  • Kazuchika Okada vs YOSHI-HASHI
  • Jay White vs Bad Luck Fale
  • EVIL vs Hangman Page

Night 10 (B Block)
July 28th, 2018

  • Juice Robinson vs Toru Yano
  • Hirooki Goto vs Tetsuya Naito
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs Kota Ibushi
  • Kenny Omega vs SANADA
  • Tama Tonga vs Zack Sabre Jr.

Night 11 (A Block)
July 30th, 2018

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs YOSHI-HASHI
  • Togi Makabe vs Bad Luck Fale
  • Michael Elgin vs Kazuchika Okada
  • Jay White vs Hangman Page
  • EVIL vs Minoru Suzuki

Night 12 (B Block)
August 1st, 2018

  • Juice Robinson vs SANADA
  • Hirooki Goto vs Kota Ibushi
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs Tama Tonga
  • Toru Yano vs Tetsuya Naito
  • Kenny Omega vs Zack Sabre Jr

Night 13 (A Block)
August 2nd, 2018

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs EVIL
  • Togi Makabe vs Hangman Page
  • Michael Elgin vs Bad Luck Fale
  • Kazuchika Okada vs Minoru Suzuki
    • The first time these two met was in 2013. Suzuki defeated Okada that night. Okada has won the last 4 NJPW matches between them, however. His victories include 2 IWGP Heavyweight title defenses and 2 matches in G1 round-robin matches.
    • The last time they faced each other was actually outside NJPW, however. They met in the main event of Minoru Suzuki’s 30th Anniversary “Great Pirates Festival”. In the pouring rain, the two went to a time limit draw.
  • Jay White vs YOSHI-HASHI

Night 14 (B Block)
August 4th, 2018

  • Juice Robinson vs Zack Sabre Jr
    • A Zack Sabre Junior victory here would put him in line for a shot at the IWGP United States Championship. ZSJ is one of the big names NJPW has to showcase to their European audience and Juice is becoming that for their American audience.
    • This seems like it could be an important match for NJPW’s international markets but it could also just be a good wrestling match.
  • Hirooki Goto vs Tama Tonga
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs Kenny Omega
  • Toru Yano vs SANADA
  • Tetsuya Naito vs Kota Ibushi

Night 15 (A Block)
August 5th, 2018

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Michael Elgin
  • Togi Makabe vs Jay White
  • Kazuchika Okada vs EVIL
  • YOSHI-HASHI vs Bad Luck Fale
  • Hangman Page vs Minoru Suzuki

Night 16 (B Block)
August 8th, 2018

  • Juice Robinson vs Tomohiro Ishii
  • Hirooki Goto vs Zack Sabre Jr
  • Toru Yano vs Kenny Omega
    • Yano’s inclusion in the G1 seems to really upset some people. His comedy is also seen as a way of breaking up the monotony of serious single’s matches but some feel the G1 should be a straight-up serious tournament.
    • Omega and Yano matches in this tournament before have been both hilarious and controversial. This one will likely be as well. Yano is saying he is trying not to cheat this tournament but somehow I don’t see that holding up…
  • Kota Ibushi vs Tama Tonga
  • Tetsuya Naito vs SANADA

Night 17 (A Block)
August 10th, 2018

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada
    • This will be the main event of the night and is arguably the biggest rivalry in NJPW history.
    • We won’t know exactly what is on the line until match time, however.
  • Togi Makabe vs Michael Elgin
  • Jay White vs EVIL
  • YOSHI-HASHI vs Hangman Page
  • Bad Luck Fale vs Minoru Suzuki

Night 18 (B Block)
August 11th, 2018

  • Juice Robinson vs Hirooki Goto
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs SANADA
  • Toru Yano vs Tama Tonga
  • Kenny Omega vs Kota Ibushi
    • The Golden Lovers collide!
    • They’ve met each other twice before, each time in DDT in 2008. Ibushi won both matches.
    • By the time this match comes about, we’ll no more about how it could impact the standings.
  • Tetsuya Naito vs Zack Sabre Jr

Night 19 (Finals)
August 12th, 2018

  • A Block Winner vs B Block Winner”

G1 Climax 28 Results (Nights 1-3)

Night 1 (A Block)
July 14th, 2018

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Minoru Suzuki
  • Togi Makabe defeated YOSHI-HASHI
  • Michael Elgin defeated EVIL
  • Jay White defeated Kazuchika Okada
  • Hangman Page defeated Bad Luck Fale via DQ

Night 2 (B-Block)
July 15th, 2018

  • Tama Tonga defeated Juice Robinson
  • Hirooki Goto defeated SANADA
  • Tomohiro Ishii defeated Toru Yano
  • Kenny Omega defeated Tetsuya Naito
  • Kota Ibushi defeated Zack Sabre Jr

Night 3 (A Block)
July 16th, 2018

  • Jay White defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • Togi Makabe defeated Minoru Suzuki
  • Michael Elgin defeated Hangman Page
  • Bad Luck Fale defeated Kazuchika Okada
  • EVIL defeated YOSHI-HASHI

Standings:

Block A

  • Michael Elgin – 4pts
  • Togi Makabe – 4pts
  • Jay White – 4pts
  • EVIL – 2pts
  • Bad Luck Fale – 2pts
  • Hangman Page – 2pts
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi – 2pts
  • Minoru Suzuki – 2pts
  • Kazuchika Okada – 0pts
  • YOSHI-HASHI – 0pts

Block B

  • Hirooki Goto 2pts
  • Kota Ibushi 2pts
  • Tomohiro Ishii 2pts
  • Kenny Omega 2pts
  • Tama Tonga 2pts
  • Tetsuya Naito 0pts
  • Juice Robinson 0pts
  • Zack Sabre Jr 0pts
  • SANADA 0pts
  • Toru Yano 0pts

8 Takeaways From WWE RAW (7/16)

Robert Lentini
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9

The July 16th, 2018 episode of WWE RAW aired live from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. It was announced during tonight’s show that The B-Team will defend their RAW Tag Team Championships against Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy next week on RAW. The Authors of Pain also defeated Titus Worldwide (Apollo Crews & Titus O’Neil) in a very quick match.

Here are 8 takeaways from this week’s show:

Brock Lesnar Will Defend The Universal Championship at WWE SummerSlam

Heyman Angle RAW 7 16

RAW GM Kurt Angle kicked off the show in the middle of the ring. Angle thanked every RAW Superstar that competed last night at Extreme Rules. Angle stated that Universal Champion Brock Lesnar has shown very little effort as of late. Kurt said that he has not heard a word from Brock Lesnar in 24 hours and said that he was going to strip him of the Universal Championship.

Paul Heyman interrupted and told him to not waste his time. Heyman said his client, Brock Lesnar, is not here tonight and chuckled to himself. Heyman then came down to the ring and joined Angle. He claimed that Angle and the entire WWE Universe has it all wrong. Heyman insisted that Brock Lesnar loves being in WWE and that he loves being the Universal Champion.

Heyman stated that Lesnar wanted to represent the entire WWE Universe by challenging for the UFC Champion with the Universal Championship around his waist. Heyman compared it to Angle challenging for WWE titles with Olympic gold wrapped around his neck. Angle told Heyman that Lesnar will defend the Universal Championship at SummerSlam or he will be stripped of the title.

The crowd chanted “strip the title” as Angle demanded an answer from Heyman. Paul said that Angle is a hell of a negotiator and announced that Lesnar will defend the Universal Championship at SummerSlam. Heyman then congratulated the WWE Universe for getting their voices heard that they want more Brock Lesnar. The crowd booed as Heyman insisted that the crowd wanted the WWE Network to be solely about Brock Lesnar.

Bobby Lashley joined the party and came down to the ring with a microphone. Lashley said that he had two goals in mind when he came back to WWE. He said he accomplished his first goal by defeating Roman Reigns last night at Extreme Rules. Bobby stated that it was time to accomplish his second goal and beat Brock Lesnar to become the Universal Champion.

Drew McIntyre interrupted and stated that he came back to WWE for change and to win the Universal Championship. Seth Rollins angrily marched his way down to the ring and got in McIntyre’s face as the crowd chanted “burn it down!”. Rollins said that he wanted to face Brock Lesnar and McIntyre shook his head.

Elias strummed his guitar and made his way to the entrance ramp. Elias asked the crowd “who wants to walk with Elias?” and joined the other Superstars in the ring. He said nothing sounds better than Elias as Universal Championship and then promoted his debut album dropping next week on July 23rd. Elias added that he wanted to face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam and then played his guitar once again.

Finn Balor came out from backstage and brought up becoming the first Universal Champion. Balor stated that it only makes sense that it would be Finn Balor versus Brock Lesnar. Roman Reigns’ music hit and the crowd immediately booed. Reigns made his way down to the ring and stated that all he wants is to fight somebody tonight.

Angle stated that every Superstar out here deserves a title shot. Angle announced two Triple Threat Matches for tonight’s episode of RAW. The winner of those two Triple Threat Matches will face each other next week to determine who will face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. Seth Rollins vs. Elias vs. Bobby Lashley will go down later on tonight’s show. Roman Reigns vs. Balor vs. Drew McIntyre is up next.

Roman Reigns Is One Step Closer To Facing Brock Lesnar At SummerSlam

Roman Reigns RAW 7 16

Angle was shown walking around backstage when he was approached by Constable Corbin. Corbin complained about Angle announcing two Triple Threat Matches tonight and not getting authorization from Stephanie McMahon. Corbin was also pissed about being Balor in one of the matches and not him. Angle pointed out that Balor defeated Corbin last night and walked away.

McIntyre started off the Triple Threat Match in control and beatdown both Balor and Reigns in the corner. Finn battled back with a Dropkick and then Reigns knocked Drew out of the ring. Balor connected with a Clothesline that sent Reigns to the outside and then flipped onto both McIntyre and Reigns.

Back in the ring, McIntyre launched Balor into the turnbuckle and then planted Reigns with a Powerslam for a two count. McIntyre elbowed Balor in the face and then delivered a big boot to Roman’s face. McIntyre followed it up with a Suplex to Reigns for another two count.

Drew connected with a chop to Balor in the corner that echoed throughout the arena. McIntyre unloaded with a big right hand on Roman’s head for a near fall. McIntyre connected with a few more punches to Reign’s face and then knocked Balor off the ring apron and into the barricade surrounding the ring. McIntyre turned his attention back to Reigns and planted him with a Neckbreaker for a two count as RAW went to a commercial break.

McIntyre was still in control when RAW returned. Reigns exploded with a couple of Clothesline that knocked Drew out of the ring. Balor connected with a forearm to Reigns’ face but Roman shrugged it off and decked Finn with a Clothesline. Balor dodged Reigns’ Drive-By attempt and connected with a Double Stomp to Roman on the ring apron. Drew McIntyre then flipped over the top rope and took Roman Reigns out. Balor shoved McIntyre from behind into the steel steps and hopped up on the ring apron. Balor connected with a Double Stomp to McIntyre and brought him back into the ring.

Roman got back into the ring and walked right into a boot to the face from Balor. Finn climbed up to the top rope but McIntyre hit him with a chair (No DQ in Triple Threat Matches). Balor fell out of the ring and McIntyre turned around into a right hand from Reigns. McIntyre responded by throwing Reigns into the ring post for a near fall as RAW went to another break.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1019017574212952065

When RAW returned, Balor got some payback and smashed McIntyre across the back with the chair. The crowd chanted “yes!” as Finn struck Reigns with the chair several times. Balor connected with a Dropkick outside the ring that sent McIntyre flying into the barricade. Reigns came out of nowhere and hit McIntyre with a Spear.

Finn planted Roman with a Slingblade and brought him back to the ring. Roman hit Balor with a Superman Punch out of nowhere for a two count. Finn battled back and Dropkicked Reigns into the turnbuckle and hit the Coup de Grace. Balor went for the cover but McIntyre dragged Finn out of the ring and threw him into the steel steps.

Reigns hit McIntyre with a Superman Punch and then delivered one to Balor. McIntyre decked Reigns with a headbutt and then hit Balor with the Claymore. Reigns hit McIntyre with the Superman Punch and Drew fell out of the ring. Roman then hit Balor with the Spear for the pinfall victory. Reigns will now face the winner of the second Triple Threat Match next week on RAW to determine the #1 contender for the Universal Championship.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1019019722946416640

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1019020647773556736

Ziggler Defeated Bobby Roode

Ziggler Roode RAW 7 16

Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler came down to the ring and stated that he did everything he said he was going to do last night. Dolph shouted that he is Iron Man and raised the Intercontinental Championship in the air.

Ziggler boasted about being the reason the IC Title was the main event at a PPV last night for the first time in 17 years. Dolph stated that respects what Rollins did for the IC Title but he is no Dolph Ziggler. Dolph bragged about pinning Rollins five times last night at Extreme Rules but wound up being interrupted by Bobby Roode.

Roode claimed that Ziggler wouldn’t be bragging right now if it wasn’t for Drew McIntyre interfering in the match last night. Dolph asked Roode if he enjoyed watching him from the sidelines last night. Roode admitted that the sidelines suck and challenged Dolph to an IC Title match.

Ziggler shook his head and Roode asked Dolph if he was afraid that he cannot do it on his own. Ziggler agreed to the match and demanded that a referee get down to the ring. JoJo was about to announce that the match was for the IC Title but Ziggler cut her off and announced that this was a non-title match.

Dolph started off the match with a shoulder tackle and then charged at Roode again. Roode caught him with an Arm Drag and then applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Dolph broke free but Bobby leveled him with a shoulder tackle. Roode then launched Ziggler out of the ring and followed him out there.

Roode bounced Dolph’s face into the barricade and brought him back inside the ring. Zigger connected with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Roode kicked out at two. Ziggler hit Roode with another Dropkick and followed it up with a Chin Lock. Roode battled out of the hold with shots to the midsection but Dolph sent him back down with a Neckbreaker for a two count.

Bobby hit Dolph with a chop to the chest and then exploded out of the corner with a Clothesline that turned Ziggler inside out. Ziggler tripped up Roode and Bobby fell face-first into the turnbuckle as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Ziggler had Roode in another Chin Lock in the middle of the ring.

Roode broke the hold and elbowed Dolph in the face. Roode connected with a couple of Clothesline and then slammed Ziggler to the canvas. Bobby hit a Blockbuster off the second rope and geared up for the Glorious DDT. Ziggler blocked it and rolled up Roode for a near fall. Roode went for the Glorious DDT again but Dolph escaped and connected with the Zig Zag for a two count.

Dolph went for the Superkick but Roode blocked it and catapulted Ziggler into the top turnbuckle. Roode then hit a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Ziggler was able to power out at the last moment. Roode tweaked his knee while leaping off the second rope and Ziggler attacked it. Ziggler went for a DDT but Roode was able to block it. Dolph quickly hit Roode with a Superkick for the pinfall victory.

Mojo Rawley Destroyed Tyler Breeze

Mojo Rawley RAW 7 16
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Roode was shown walking backstage after the match. Mojo Rawley showed up and mocked Roode for losing. Mojo then made his way down to the ring to face Tyler Breeze. Mojo beat the hell out Breeze right when the bell rang in the corner of the ring.

Breeze connected with a Dropkick and then Clotheslined Mojo out of the ring. Mojo responded with a shoulder tackle and then a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Breeze broke free but Mojo hit him with another shoulder tackle.

Rawley then shouted “lights out!” and connected with a running forearm in the corner. Mojo then slammed Breeze to the canvas for the victory.

Angle Teamed Up Banks & Bayley Again

Banks Bayley RAW 7 16

RAW GM Kurt Angle had a conversation with Bayley backstage. Angle said that if Banks and Bayley don’t get along, one of them will be traded to SmackDown. Angle then announced that Bayley and Banks will team up to face Alicia Fox and Dana Brooke tonight on RAW.

Bayley and Alicia Fox started off the match. Alicia Fox booted Bayley in the face for a two count. Dana Brooke tagged in and connected with a springboard elbow in the corner of the ring. Dana knocked Banks off the ring apron and turned around into a Clothesline from Bayley.

Bayley knocked Fox off the apron and sent Dana to the corner. Dana exploded out fo the corner and knocked Bayley to the canvas. Dana then threw Bayley out of the ring and Fox started unloading punches on her. Sasha helped out Bayley and took out Dana and Fox with a Crossbody off the ring apron.

The referee then called for the bell and Sasha angrily walked backstage as Bayley looked on from ringside.

Banks and Bayley then had a conversation backstage. Banks said that she cared about Bayley and that loved that Bayley wants to be friends with everyone. Banks told Bayley that she loved her and then walked away.

Alexa Bliss Will Defend The RAW Women’s Championship Against Ronda Rousey At SummerSlam

Ronda Rousey
Photo Credit: WWE.com

RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss came down to the ring with Mickie James. Bliss boasted about defeating Nia Jax last night at Extreme Rules to retain her title. Alexa stated that she has dominated the entire women’s division because she outsmarts every single one of her opponents. Bliss and James shared a laugh after Bliss said that outsmarting Nia Jax last night wasn’t that hard.

Alexa boasted about being able to say she has officially beaten every woman in that locker room. Bliss noted that Ronda Rousey doesn’t count because she is suspended. Alexa suggested that Rousey should be suspended indefinitely due to her actions last night at Extreme Rules.

Ronda Rousey came down through the crowd and hopped up on the entrance ramp. Rousey chased Mickie James and Bliss down to the ring. Rousey caught Mickie and slammed her to the canvas. Ronda tried to get Mickie in the Arm Bar but Alexa was able to drag her away.

Rousey then leaped onto Bliss and James on the entrance ramp and grabbed Alexa by the hair. Rousey brought Alexa back into the ring and locked in the Arm Bar. RAW GM Kurt Angle broke things up and came down to the ring. Angle told Rousey that she needs to calm down, especially after what she did last night.

Angle told Rousey to go home and serve the remaining two days of her suspension. Constable Corbin interrupted and said that Rousey needs to be reprimanded for her actions. Angle tacked on a week to Ronda’s suspension and Corbin claimed that Stephanie McMahon will not be happy with this. Corbin said that he was going to call Stephanie right now but couldn’t find his phone.

Baron went back to his office to find his phone and then Angle pulled Corbin’s phone out of his pocket and said: “I think he is looking for this”. Angle told Rousey that she has a match against Alexa Bliss for the RAW Women’s Championship at WWE SummerSlam. Angle added that if Ronda attacks Bliss again she can kiss that match goodbye.

Sarah Logan Picked Up Her First Singles Victory On RAW

Sarah Logan RAW 7 16

Sarah Logan battled Ember Moon tonight on RAW and Liv Morgan was ringside for the match. Logan started off the match in control and applied a Headlock to Ember Moon. Ember quickly broke free and rolled up Logan for a one count.

Ember hopped up on the top rope but Logan clubbed her in the midsection and Moon crashed to the floor. Sarah brought Ember back into the ring and went for a cover but Moon was able to kick out.

Logan bounced Moon’s head off the canvas a couple of times and then stomped on her while she was leaning against the ropes. The referee told Logan to stop and Liv Morgan used the distraction to punch Moon in the face. Logan then connected with a Suplex for another near fall.

Sarah Logan applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring but Moon broke free with a kick to the face. Ember blasted Logan in the face with a right hand and both Superstars fell to the mat. Moon was the first up and kneed Logan in the ribs. Ember bounced off the ropes and slammed Logan face-first into the canvas. Liv Morgan hopped up on the ring apron but Moon quickly knocked her to the floor outside the ring.

Ember connected with a Dropkick that sent Logan flying out of the ring. Moon followed it up with a Suicide Dive and then rolled Logan back into the ring. Ember made her way to the top rope but Liv Morgan once again hopped up on the ring apron for the distraction. Sarah Logan shoved the ropes and Moon crashed to the canvas. Logan then covered Moon for the victory and celebrated with Morgan on the entrance ramp. This was also Ember Moon’s first loss on the main roster.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1019047783309987840

Lashley Will Battle Roman Reigns Next Week

Lashley RAW 7 16

Elias, Seth Rollins & Bobby Lashley battled in a Triple Threat Match in the main event of this week’s episode of RAW. The winner of the match will go on to battle Roman Reigns next week on RAW. The winner of next week’s match will face Brock Lesnar at WWE SummerSlam for the Universal Championship.

Elias attacked Seth Rollins from behind during Lashley’s entrance. Lashley then grabbed Elias by the head and slammed him into the turnbuckle. Elias rolled out of the ring and turned around into a Clothesline from Seth Rollins.

Rollins applied a Headlock to Lashley and brought him down to the canvas as Elias regrouped outside the ring. Lashley broke free and decked Rollins with a shoulder tackle. Bobby then knocked Elias off the ring apron and applied a Headlock to Rollins. Elias got back in the ring and threw Lashley out of the ring.

Elias then delivered a knee to Seth’s face for a two count. Constable Corbin, Paul Heyman, and RAW GM Kurt Angle were shown backstage watching the match as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Elias connected with an Elbow Drop on Lashley for a two count. Rollins came out of nowhere and hit a Frog Splash onto Lashley from the top rope. Elias quickly threw Rollins out of the ring and went for the cover but Lashley was able to kick out at the last second.

Rollins got back into the ring and delivered a Blockbuster to Elias off of the second rope for a two count. Seth and Elias then battled on the top rope for a moment. Elias got the upper-hand and shoved Rollins to the canvas. Lashley hopped up on the turnbuckle with Elias but Rollins got up and delivered a Buckle Bomb to Lashley. Rollins then connected with a Superplex and a Falcon Arrow to Elias for a two count.

Seth connected with a Slingblade to Elias and then geared up in the corner as the crowd chanted “burn it down!”. Rollins hit the Curb Stomp on Elias and went for the cover but Lashley broke it up at the last second.

Lashley and Rollins traded punches in the middle of the ring. Rollins connected with a series of elbows but Lashley battled back with a massive Clothesline. Lashley lifted Rollins in the air and dropped him with a Vertical Suplex. Lashley went for the Spear but Rollins avoided and Lashley crashed into the turnbuckle.

Rollins went for the Curb Stomp but Elias dragged him out of the ring. Lashley hit Elias with the Spear right when he got into the ring for the pinfall victory. Roman Reigns will face Bobby Lashley next week to determine who will face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1019055389969649665

Opinion: I thought the first Triple Threat Match tonight was excellent, even though Reigns winning was predictable. Lashley winning was even more predictable and I’m not looking forward to another Lashley and Reigns match next week. Their match at Extreme Rules was decent but I have no want to see it again. Another match between Lesnar and Reigns at SummerSlam sounds horrendous, but Lesnar vs. Lashley doesn’t sound any better.

What did you think of this week’s episode of RAW? Let us know in the comments below.

#1 Contender’s Match Set For Next Week’s WWE RAW, Brock Lesnar To Wrestle At SummerSlam

Andrew Ravens
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8

WWE has confirmed that Brock Lesnar will make his next title defense at SummerSlam.

As seen on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in Buffalo, NY at the KeyBank Center on the USA Network, RAW General Manager Kurt Angle announced in the opening segment that there would be two triple threat matches taking place on the show with the winners facing off in a match on next week’s show.

The first match saw Roman Reigns beat Finn Balor and Drew McIntyre while the second match saw Bobby Lashley beat Seth Rollins and Elias.

As a result, Lashley and Reigns will square off in a #1 contender’s match on next Monday’s show with the winner challenging Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title at the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view event on Sunday, August 19, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center that will air on the WWE Network.

WWE holds next week’s show in Cincinnati, OH at the US Bank Arena. As of this writing, only one other match has been announced for next week’s show, which is Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel defending the Raw Tag Team Titles against Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy.

What are your thoughts on WWE’s handling of who will challenge Lesnar for the Universal Title at their next pay-per-view event? Also, who do you see winning next week’s #1 contender’s match? Sound off in the comment section.

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