NXT will present a taped show from Full Sail University tonight. The brand is building towards the upcoming Takeover event in 10 days from Chicago’s All-State Arena.
4 matches have been confirmed already for Takeover but more could be announced on tonight’s show.
NXT 6/6/18 Preview
Tommaso Ciampa Addresses His Street Fight with Johnny Gargano
At Takeover Chicago the epic rivalry between Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano will continue. They will meet in a street fight in Chicago in a match which might finally bring this long-running blood feud to an end. Tonight, Ciampa plans to address his match at Takeover: Chicago with the fans at Full Sail University.
Nikki Cross Segment
Last week, Nikki Cross saved Dakota Kai from a post-match beatdown by Shayna Baszler. Cross then challenged the champion to an impromptu match and won after Kai counted the 3-count. The match was unofficial, of course, and Cross did not actually win the championship.
The NXT Women’s Championship still doesn’t have an official match at Takeover: Chicago, perhaps Cross’ segment tonight could lead to such a match being confirmed.
Roderick Strong vs Danny Burch
Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch will challenge the Undisputed Era at Takeover: Chicago for the NXT tag-team championships. This week, Danny Burch will face Roderick Strong in one-on-one action. Burch scored the win for his team (with Lorcan and Pete Dunne) over the 3 healthy members of Undisputed Era (O’Reilly, Strong, and Cole) recently on NXT.
Kairi Sane vs Lacey Evans
Evans pulled off a huge upset the last time these two met in single’s action back in May. Sane had defeated Evans back in April, however. As the two are 1-and-1 with each other, this match here will be the rubber match. The winner likely moves into the title picture following Takeover: Chicago and the loser does not.
Matches Already Confirmed for Takeover: Chicago:
NXT Tag Team Championships
Undisputed Era (c) vs Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch
NXT Championship
Aleister Black (c) vs Lars Sullivan
New Japan Pro Wrestling presents one of the biggest shows of the year this Saturday from Osaka Jo Hall in Osaka, Japan.
The main event will feature a 4th one-on-one match between Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada. In their 3 previous matches, each has won once and their match from Dominion last year went to a time-limit draw.
Chris Jericho returns to NJPW this weekend to face Tetsuya Naito. Jericho filmed an expletive-laced promo directed at Naito which aired on the final night of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament this week.
Will Ospreay will defend his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against the winner of this year’s Best of the Super Juniors, Hiromu Takahashi.
Also on the card this Saturday, the Young Bucks will attempt to win heavyweight tag-team gold in the promotion for the first time. The Bucks will challenge Evil and Sanada of Los InGobernables for the IWGP Heavyweight tag-team championships.
Rey Mysterio Jr’s match in NJPW was also put together on the last night of the BOSJ tournament. Marty Scurll kept up the attack on Tanahashi after their tag match on the card, causing Liger to run in and make the save. Liger then said he would team with Tanahashi and Mysterio to take on Scurll and his Bullet Club teammates.
WWE announced during the latest episode of 205 Live that NXT Star Lio Rush will be making his main roster debut soon and joining the Cruiserweight Exclusive Show.
A vignette was aired announcing his impending arrival on 205 Live. In the video Rush talked about how he is planning the perfect attack on the brand and went on to claim that he is the best Cruiserweight in the World:
Lio Rush was signed by WWE back in July last year. He made his on screen debut for the company during the October 4rth episode of NXT and had been competing for the brand ever since.
Miz Wrestles Again After SmackDown
Unlike past several weeks, this week’s episode of SmackDown Live had only one dark main event, which took place after the show went off air.
The dark match saw Daniel Bryan teaming up with the current United States Champion Jeff Hardy to take on the team of the former Intercontinental Champion The Miz and Big Cass.
The match was won by the faces to send the crowd home happy. It’s worth mentioning here that this was the second match of the night for the Miz as he had competed in a 6 Men Tag match against the New Day earlier in the night.
It was reported recently that the company has signed Progress Women’s Champion Jinny to a UK contract and now another latest WWE signee has been revealed.
Newshub.co.nz reports that the company has signed New Zealand rugby star Daniel Vidot and he’ll be reporting to the performance center in a few weeks.
Commenting on his signing Daniel said that his short-term goals include learning things about Professional Wrestling and in long term, he wants to become the WWE Champion:
“Short-term goals are to get to know everything I need to know about professional wrestling, learn the basics and take baby steps. Just keep developing. Long term I want to be WWE Champion.”
The story also features comments from Triple H who talks about how WWE is opening the pathway for the best athletes from around the world to join the company.
Born on 8 February 1990, Vidot made his first grade NRL debut for the Canberra Raiders back in 2009. Since then he has taken part in 9 NRL seasons.
Daniel apparently applied for the WWE tryouts through their new Performance Center website launched recently and he and two other athletes were chosen for a contract among 40 participants. Though the name of the other two signees is yet to be revealed.
Austin Aries defeated Pentagon Jr. during the Under Pressure special of Impact and won the Impact World Championship back from the Mexican star last week.
The big question after Aries’ victory was whether he’ll continue his rivalry with the Lucha Underground star or move on to a feud with an Impact star instead and it appears we now have the answer to this.
During the press conference for the upcoming Slammiversary event, it was announced that Austin will be defending his title against Moose at the upcoming show, meaning he’ll be wrapping up his feud with Pentagon.
Though, this wasn’t the only match announced for the event as the company also revealed that Su Yung will defend the Impact Knockouts Championship against Madison Rayne.
It’s worth mentioning here that Yung also became the champion during the same Impact episode where she defeated Allie to win the title.
Apart from this, the company has also announced that both Johnny Impact and Taiji Ishimori will be competing at the upcoming PPV but their opponents for the show are yet to be revealed. After the announcement, below is the updated Slammiversary match card:
Impact World Championship
Austin Aries (c) vs. Moose
Impact Knockouts Championship
Su Yung (c) vs. Madison Rayne
Johnny Impact vs. TBD
Taiji Ishimori vs. TBD
Slammiversary will take place on July 22 at The Rebel Complex in Toronto, Ontario.
This week’s episode of SmackDown kicked off with SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella moonwalking across the stage. The champ skipped her way down to the ring while proudly raising the title. Carmella demanded that the crowd get on their feet and shower her with the praise that she deserves.
Needless to say, the crowd didn’t play along and Carmella admitted that they were right. She stated that tonight wasn’t about her, it was about her opponent at Money in the Bank, Asuka. Carmella claimed that Asuka isn’t who the crowd thinks she is and then rolled footage of Asuka’s WWE career.
After the video package concluded, Carmella said that she had chills and that Asuka was incredible. Carmella then said that this was the real Asuka and rolled footage of Charlotte tapping her out at WrestleMania 34 and her loss on SmackDown. Carmella claimed that Asuka’s devastating loss at WrestleMania shattered her and she has never been the same since.
Carmella added that she no longer fears Asuka because “Mella is money” and that the age of Asuka is over. Carmella said that it use to be nobody is ready for Asuka, but now everybody is ready for Asuka.
Asuka’s music hit and she made her way down to the ring. Asuka got in Carmella’s face, but Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville interrupted. Rose said that Asuka is a shadow of her former self and that she was a second away from beating Asuka last week. Mandy claimed that she knows she can beat Asuka tonight. Deville interrupted and said that tonight was her turn.
Carmella said that the undefeated Asuka would take them both on, but Asuka is just defeated now. SmackDown GM Paige came out to the entrance ramp and reminded everyone that she makes the matches around here. Paige asked Asuka who she wants to face tonight. Asuka ripped the microphone out of Carmella’s hand and demanded to fight them both. Paige announced that there will be a Handicap Match next.
Asuka Overcame The Odds, But Carmella Got The Last Laugh
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
Asuka and Sonya Deville started off the Handicap Match in the ring as Carmella joined commentary. Asuka drove Sonya to the corner and Rose tagged in. Asuka threw Rose to the corner and then Sonya tagged back in.
The two Superstars locked up and Asuka quickly went to work on Deville’s arm. Deville connected with a jab to the face, but Asuka quickly applied a Knee Bar. Sonya grabbed the ropes right away and the hold was broken.
Sonya connected with a Hip Toss, but Asuka immediately responded with a Dropkick. Deville battled back with a punch to the face and then taunted her. The crowd got behind Asuka as Rose tagged back in. Mandy stomped on Asuka in the corner as Carmella said that this was so embarrassing for Asuka.
Deville tagged in and continued the beatdown in the corner. Mandy got back into the match and brought Asuka to the canvas. Rose applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring as Carmella boasted about defeating Charlotte twice and completely ignored Byron Saxton’s questions.
Asuka broke out of the Headlock and connected with a Hip Attack. Asuka hit another Hip Attack in the corner and then made her way up to the top rope. Asuka dropped Rose with a Dropkick and Carmella distracted Asuka by moonwalking on the announce table. Deville elbowed Asuka from behind as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Asuka was back in control of the match and planted Rose with a Belly to Back Suplex. Asuka delivered a boot to the face and Sonya tagged back in. Asuka connected with a Hip Attack to Sonya and went for the cover, but Mandy Rose broke it up at the last second.
Asuka threw Rose out of the ring and Rose went for a roll-up from behind. Asuka kicked out and then both Superstars connected with a kick to the head at the same time. Asuka was the first up and hit Sonya with a knee to the head. Sonya battled back with a Spear for a two count.
Sonya missed with a Clothesline and Asuka applied the Asuka in the middle of the ring. Deville then tapped out in the middle of the ring as Carmella had a disappointed look on her face at the commentary table. Carmella got in the ring and raised the title in Asuka’s face. Rose tried to attack Asuka from behind, but Asuka fought her off. Carmella took advantage of the distraction and hit Asuka with the title in the back of the head. Carmella then hit a Superkick to Asuka and posed with the title.
Luke Harper faced Karl Anderson tonight on SmackDown. Harper started off the match by launching Anderson across the ring. Harper hit Anderson with a chop to the chest in the corner and slammed him to the canvas.
Anderson battled back with a boot to the knee and then rolled Harper up for the quick victory. Anderson and Gallows celebrated on the entrance ramp as The Bludgeon Brothers angrily stared at them from the ring.
The Bludgeon Brothers will put their SmackDown Tag Team Championships on the line at WWE Money in the Bank against Gallows & Anderson.
Jimmy Uso & Naomi battled Aiden English & Lana tonight in a mixed tag match. English and Jimmy Uso started off the match. English applied a Headlock while singing “it’s Rusev Day!”. Jimmy quickly broke free and connected with a jab to the throat.
Aiden said that he needed to protect his money maker and Lana joined him in the ring. English and Lana tried to sneak attack Jimmy and Naomi but it completely backfired. SmackDown went to a commercial break after Naomi took out Aiden and Lana with a Suicide Dive outside the ring.
When SmackDown returned, Lana and Naomi were back in the ring. Lana connected with a boot to the side of Naomi’s head for a two count. Lana hit Double Knees to the back of Naomi’s head for another two count. Lana beatdown Naomi in the corner as Jimmy tried to get the crowd behind her.
Jimmy pleaded for a tag as Lana still had Naomi trapped in the corner. Lana booted Naomi face-first into the bottom turnbuckle and then posed in the ring to a smattering of boos. Naomi sprung to her feet and planted Lana with a Dropkick. Naomi crawled across the ring, but Lana dragged her back to the corner and prevented the tag.
Lana delivered a series of elbows for a two count. Naomi battled back and hit a Jawbreaker. Lana tried to drag Naomi back to the corner once again, but Naomi countered into a roll-up for two. Both Superstars connected with a Clothesline and fell to the canvas.
Jimmy and Aiden tagged in and Uso connected with an Enziguri. Jimmy hit a Bronco Buster and went for the cover, but Lana got into the ring and broke it up. Lana slapped Jimmy in the face and then was blasted out of the ring by Naomi. English took advantage of the distraction and knocked Jimmy to the corner.
Aiden charged at Jimmy, but Naomi came out of nowhere with a Crossbody off the top rope. Aiden got back up but turned right around into an awesome Superkick from Jimmy for the pinfall victory.
Paige presided over the backstage contract signing between Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles. AJ stated that Nakamura has played his dirty little games and drove him to the edge. Styles claimed that he now understands why and that is because Nakamura cannot beat him. Styles vowed to walk out of Money in the Bank the same way he walked in, the WWE Champion. AJ then signed the contract and slid it across the table to Nakamura.
Shinsuke took a look at the pen and claimed that it was out of ink. Nakamura threw the pen over his shoulder and asked if he could borrow AJ’s. Nakamura examined the pen and claimed that Styles’ pen was broken. AJ flipped out and told Nakura to stand up and be a man.
Nakamura went to stand up but got a slap in the face from AJ for his troubles. Styles was then escorted away as Nakamura grimaced in pain. The frown turned to a smile as Shinsuke took a pen out of his jacket pocket. Nakamura signed the contract and said “last man standing” before walking away.
Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch battled tonight on SmackDown. Both Superstars had already qualified for the women’s MITB Ladder Match but had an argument last week. SmackDown GM Paige intervened and said that they would face each other in a match next week. Paige claimed that she missed that competitive spirit and that is what SmackDown is all about.
Becky and Charlotte locked up to start off the match. Becky sent Flair flying across the ring and Charlotte nodded her head. Becky went for the Dis-Arm-Her, but Charlotte was ready and threw Lynch out of the ring. Charlotte went for the Figure Four, but Becky countered into a Headlock in the center of the ring.
Charlotte escaped and threw Becky across the ring. The two had a brief stare down before circling each other in the ring. They did the tea time pose and then both went for a kick. They each caught their legs and yelled at each other to put it down. They slowly did and went for a Crossbody at the same time. Becky and Charlotte both crashed to the canvas as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Charlotte was back in control and connected with a series of chops. Becky ducked under one and hit Charlotte with an uppercut. Charlotte went for a backslide pin but Becky kicked out at two. Charlotte followed it up with a Belly to Back Suplex, but Becky battled back with a boot to the face.
Charlotte caught Lynch on the turnbuckle and planted her with a Backbreaker for a two count. Becky blocked the Figure Four and took out Charlotte with a flying elbow. Lynch climbed back up to the top and connected with a Leg Drop for another two count.
Lynch went for the Dis-Arm-Her again but Charlotte countered into a roll-up for two. Flair then hit a Spear that sent Becky tumbling out of the ring. Charlotte hit a springboard Crossbody on Lynch and then brought Becky back into the ring. Charlotte scaled the turnbuckle and went for a Moonsault. Becky got her knees up and then rolled up Charlotte for a two count.
Charlotte went for the Figure Four but Lynch countered into the Dis-Arm-Her in the middle of the ring. Charlotte screamed in pain and reached for the ropes. She was unable to get there and had no choice but to tap out. After the match, Becky helped Flair up and the two shared a hug in the ring. They both looked up at the MITB briefcase above the ring and then Charlotte exited. Becky then celebrated in the ring while looking up at the briefcase.
Big Cass Vowed To Embarrass Daniel Bryan At Money In The Bank
Photo Credit: @WWEUniverse on Twitter
Renee Young asked the crowd to welcome Big Cass to the entrance ramp. Cass came out with a goofy smile on his face for an interview with Renee. Cass pointed out how high Renee Young had to hold up the microphone in order for him to speak into it.
Cass poked fun at how little Daniel Bryan was and then told a story about being backstage at WrestleMania 30. After it ended, he was walking behind Daniel Bryan, who had just won the WWE Championship in the main event at WrestleMania. All Cass could think about was how pathetic it was for this little man to be the WWE Champion.
Big Cass called Bryan a fluke and stated that his victory over him at Backlash was also a fluke. Cass added that a good big man will always defeat a good little man. Cass rolled footage of Samoa Joe defeating Daniel Bryan last week via the Coquina Clutch. The footage was also shown of Cass attacking Bryan after the match.
Cass ripped the microphone away from Renee and said that Bryan brought that attack upon himself. Big Cass stated that Bryan now has a 7-foot shadow following him wherever he goes. Cass claimed that Bryan has never been in the ring with a star of his magnitude and with someone that holds a grudge like he does. Cass vowed to dismantle Bryan at Money in the Bank and embarrass him. Big Cass claimed that he was going to rip Bryan’s little arms and beat him over the head with them.
Cass added that he is going to snap Daniel’s little legs so that he could never apply the Heel Hook again. He called Bryan a garden gnome and claimed that Bryan is going to have to look himself in the mirror after Money in the Bank. Cass said that only then will Bryan realize that a pathetic little man like him will never survive in this big man’s worse. Cass then smirked and raised his hand in triumph as his theme played.
New Day approached The Miz backstage and asked him to pick a name out of a hat. The name The Miz picked would be the member of New Day that would compete in the men’s MITB Ladder Match. The Miz was then blindfolded and the hat was switched with one containing pancake batter. The Miz reached in as Kofi, Xavier and Big E laughed. The Miz proceeded to throw a tantrum and threatened each member of New Day.
Later on the show, Samoa Joe was interviewed backstage. Joe boasted about taking out Daniel Bryan last week and once again vowed to win the MITB Ladder Match and then capture the WWE Championship.
New Day battled The Miz, Rusev & Samoa Joe in the main event of this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown. The Miz and Xavier Woods started off the match. Miz stomped on Woods in the corner and taunted Big E and Kofi while doing so.
Woods battled back with a forearm to the face for a one count. Xavier knocked Miz to the canvas and tagged Kingston in. Kofi hit Miz with a Splash and tagged Woods back in. Woods hit a Splash off the second rope and tagged in Big E.
Big E hit a Splash of his own for a two count. Samoa Joe tagged in and started trash talking with Big E. Joe connected with a couple of jabs but Big E responded with a Belly to Belly Suplex. Woods tagged back in and delivered a chop to Joe’s chest. Joe connected with an Enziguri to Woods in the corner as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, The Miz and Woods were in the ring. The Miz had Woods trapped in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Woods escaped and hit Miz with a Dropkick. Joe tagged in as Rusev threw Big E into the steel steps outside the ring.
The Miz tagged back in and Kofi entered the match at the same time. Kingston hit Miz with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Crossbody off the top rope for a two count. Kofi hit Miz with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Boom Drop.
Kofi knocked Joe off the apron but turned around into a DDT from The Miz for a two count. Kingston escaped the Skull Crushing Finale and Rusev tagged himself in. Big E tagged in as Rusev ran into a boot from Kingston.
Big E planted Rusev with an overhead Belly to Belly Suplex. Rusev caught Big E with a knee to the face and tagged in Joe. Joe slammed Big E to the mat and went for the cover but Woods broke it up. Woods knocked Rusev out of the ring and then flipped onto him.
The Miz tagged back in as Joe was thrown out of the ring. Miz went for the Skull Crushing Finale but Big E blocked it. Kofi launched himself onto Joe outside the ring as Big E speared The Miz off the apron.
Back in the ring, Kofi tagged in and Joe locked Coquina Clutch on Kofi outside the ring. The Miz threw Big E into the ring post and then got the tray of pancakes outside the ring. Miz accidentally threw the pancakes at Joe and Rusev. Rusev hit Miz with the Machka Kick and Joe followed it up with a Senton.
Samoa Joe and Rusev then exited the ring and left The Miz all alone. New Day then hit Midnight Hour on The Miz for the pinfall victory. SmackDown went off the air as New Day danced in the middle of the ring.
Opinion: Overall, tonight’s episode of SmackDown was entertaining. The match of the night was Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch. It looks like we will not find out which member of New Day will be in the Ladder Match until Money in the Bank on June 17th.
What did you think of this week’s SmackDown? Let us know in the comments below.
WWE has announced a match and segment for next week’s episode of SmackDown Live on the USA Network.
The sports entertainment company has officially announced that a Women’s Money In The Bank Summit is set for the show. According to the announcers, this segment will feature Money In The Bank participants Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Lana, and Naomi. SmackDown General Manager Paige will host the segment.
Sin Cara vs. Andrade Almas in a singles match has also been announced for the episode.
WWE holds next week’s show in Memphis, TN at the FedEx Forum. As of this writing, no other matches for SmackDown has been announced.
After a few weeks of teasers on his social media accounts, Chris Jericho has made a big announcement.
That announcement made by the former WWE Champion was that members of the Impact Wrestling roster would be on his upcoming cruise. He wrote the following on his official Instagram account: “BIG ANNOUNCEMENT- @impactwrestling will now be on the @jericho_cruise! Things are getting INTERESTING! Book your cabin NOW at chrisJerichoCruise.com and be a part of history!!”
Chris Jericho’s Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea is slated to go down from October 27-31, 2018. If you recall, Jericho had been posting teasers on Twitter that led to some fans even speculating that he could be headed to Impact Wrestling. That is not the case.
Outside of WWE, Jericho made several surprise appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling including his match against Kenny Omega at the Wrestle Kingdom event at the Tokyo Dome.
Jericho is slated to take on Tetsuya Naito at the upcoming NJPW Dominion event.
What are your thoughts on Impact Wrestling being added to his cruise? Sound off in the comment section below.
The Miz has some big plans for when WWE moves SmackDown Live to Fox.
The former WWE Champion recently appeared on Bust Open Radio on Sirius XM to speak with Dave LaGreca and WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry about various topics.
During the interview, The Miz gave his take on WWE moving SmackDown Live to Fox in October of 2019.
“Let’s put it this way, I get traded from RAW to SmackDown and as soon as I get traded to SmackDown all of a sudden, FOX puts up a billion dollars,” Miz said (transcript courtesy of Wrestling Inc). “So I want to motivate and dedicate myself to where when we are ready to move from USA to FOX in 2019, I want to be the face of that show, of this show. And so that is my goal. I want to be in the middle of every poster. I want to have merch that literally everybody wants to buy, that everybody wants to see. Sometimes I look at my merch, well I haven’t had merch in literally a year and when I get merch I’m literally looking at it going, ‘I wouldn’t wear this.’ So I want merch that people look at and go, ‘I want to buy that, I want to wear that. That is something that is amazing and incredible.’ Miz continued by stating, “Like I want to basically be the superstar I believe I can be and I want my talents to be utilized in a way that I can succeed and I really am going to motivate myself and dedicate myself to be the face of the franchise when the FOX merger happens because moving to FOX, a network show, this show will be bigger. It’ll no longer the quote unquote the B show like everyone always says it is. It will be the A show and more people will watch it. So I’ll be interested to see what happens from a creative standpoint, from a marketing standpoint, [and] from a WWE superstar standpoint.”
What are your thoughts on The Miz’s comments? Sound off in the comment section below.
The Background
The biggest match of The Miz’s career was when defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship back at WrestleMania 27 in 2011 in the main event. This marked the only time that WWE had booked The Miz in the main event of the biggest event of the year for the sports entertainment company.
Since then, Miz has been booked as an upper mid card talent and primarily in the hunt for the Intercontinental Title.
It’s been well documented that WWE has agreed to make Fox the new home of the blue brand next year. NBC Universal declined to agree to the deal that WWE proposed to keep SmackDown Live on the USA Network.
It’s been reported that the TV network wants to keep WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night RAW, and are willing to pay them big money in order for that to happen.
A new match has been announced for ROH Best in the World PPV. On Tuesday evening, Ring of Honor announced through their social media platforms that Adam Page would take on Punishment Martinez in a singles match at the upcoming pay-per-view event. This marks the third match thus far revealed for this show.
The Best in the World PPV takes place on Friday, June 29, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland at the UMBC Event Center. The event will air on traditional PPV outlets and the FITE TV app. The promotion will be announcing more matches in the coming weeks.
The last time Austin Aries saw the inside of a WWE ring, he suffered an extremely disappointing loss to Neville in a Submission match for the Cruiserweight Title at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV) in June of last year.
Less than a month later, WWE handed Aries his walking papers and was on a 90-day non-compete clause that ended this past October. Since then, Aries has done work for several promotions such as IMPACT Wrestling, Ring Of Honor (ROH) and many more.
A fan took to Twitter and posted a GIF of Aries after his Extreme Rules loss to Neville, noting it was one year since his last WWE match. Aries responded with this:
“And life was never the same… Dejected, almost amused at my repeated failure, who’d have known this moment here would be the catalyst for so much future success. And to my victorious opponent…I’d love to do it again, shackles off, whenever you’re done serving your time…”
The big news on Tuesday was about the lawsuit that pitted CM Punk and Colt Cabana against WWE doctor Chris Amann.
The case had been heard by a jury since last Wednesday in Illinois, just outside of Chicago.
The WWE doctor brought the lawsuit forward due to the comments Punk made during an appearance on Cabana’s “Art of Wrestling” podcast from November of 2014 about Amann and Punk not receiving proper treatment of a “lump” on his backside while in the WWE.
The jury ruled that they are in favor of Punk and Cabana on all counts filed by Amann. Thus, neither Punk or Cabana will have to pay anything. The WWE doctor had been seeking about $4 million for defamation among other things.
Nick Hausman of WrestleZone, who has provided some great coverage of this case, caught up with Punk and Cabana after they were let out of the courtroom to get a brief interview about winning the case.
EXCLUSIVE: @CMPunk’s 1st post-trial comments following he and @ColtCabana’s victory over Dr. Chris Amann.
Punk lost in his MMA debut against Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in September of 2016 by first round submission. He is set to fight Mike Jackson in a welterweight bout at the upcoming UFC 225 pay-per-view event on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
What are your thoughts on the decision made by the jury? Sound off in the comment section below.
The June 5th, 2018 edition of SmackDown Live took place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
– This week’s show kicks off with SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella making her way down to the ring. Carmella gets in the ring and gets on the mic. She tells the fans to get on their feet and give her the ovation she deserves, and then she starts cutting a promo about Asuka. She says we don’t know the real Asuka like she does, and then Carmella introduces a video package about Asuka. The video package looks at Asuka’s early days in NXT and WWE, and then Carmella says Asuka used to be incredible, but not anymore. Carmella introduces a second video package, which looks at Asuka’s loss at WrestleMania and then other failures since then. Carmella continues to trash Asuka until Asuka’s music hits and she comes out to interrupt. Asuka steps in the ring, but before she says anything, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville interrupt next. They also trash Asuka and it sounds like Sonya wants a match with Asuka tonight. Paige comes out and says none of them speak for her, and she’s the one who makes the matches around here. Paige says Asuka can take her pick between Mandy and Sonya tonight. Asuka takes the mic from Carmella and says she wants both of them. Paige books the handicap match, and that’s next.
– Asuka vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville: The opening bell sounds and Sonya starts off against Asuka. Carmella is on commentary for this one. Asuka starts off throwing kicks at Sonya, and Mandy tags in early. Asuka throws Mandy back into the corner and Sonya tags back in. Sonya and Asuka wrestle down to the mat and Asuka looks for a knee bar, but Sonya escapes. They fight back and forth until Sonya connects with an elbow to the face, and then tags in Mandy for the double team. Sonya tags back in and continues beating on Asuka. Mandy tags in again and works on keeping Asuka grounded with a headlock. Asuka and Mandy run the ropes and collide in the middle, and then Asuka hits the hipp attack in the corner. Asuka follows up with a missile dropkick off the top, but then she gets distracted by Carmella at ringside. The distraction allows Sonya to attack Asuka from behind and choke her on the bottom rope. Sonya and Mandy take turns beating on Asuka now until Asuka finally comes back with a dropkick and a spinning heel kick. Mandy tags in and Asuka knees her in the face. Sonya and Asuka trade kicks until they both go down. Asuka connects with an awkward looking kick, and then Sonya comes back with a spear for a two count. Sonya follows up with knees to the face, but Asuka comes back with a takedown and they wrestle on the mat. Sonya struggles, but Asuka successfully puts on the Asuka Lock for the win via submission.
Winner: Asuka
– After the match, Carmella gets in the ring and gets in Asuka’s face. Mandy goes to attack Asuka from behind, but Asuka fights her off. Carmella then attacks Asuka from behind and drops her.
– The Miz is backstage warming up, when he gets interrupted by The New Day and another guy holding a plate of pancakes. The New Day says they want The Miz to help them reveal which of them will compete at Money In The Bank. They have pieces of paper in a hat, and they tell Miz to draw a name. They blindfold The Miz so he can’t peek, and then they switch the hat with the papers in it with a hat with wet pancake mix in it. Miz sticks his hand into the pancake batter as The New Day laughs. The Miz says they won’t be laughing for long, and as he points at them the batter goes flying off his hand onto their faces. The Miz wipes the rest of the batter off his hand onto The New Day’s pancake assistant, and then he walks off. The New Day tells their pancake assistant not to listen to Miz and keep making pancakes.
– Still to come: The contract signing for AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura at Money In The Bank.
– Karl Anderson vs. Luke Harper: Luke Gallows and Eric Rowan are both at ringside. Harper starts off strong with a flying kick, then he beats down Anderson in the corner. It’s all Harper in the opening moments as he punishes Harper on the mat. Harper hits a big spinning side suplex on Anderson, and Anderson is hurt. Anderson finally fights back with some kicks to Harper’s knee. Harper charges at him in the corner, but Anderson dodges and rolls up Harper in a pin. Anderson scores the three count and steals the upset win.
Winner: Karl Anderson
– Anderson immediately rolls out of the ring and celebrates with Gallows at ringside, as Harper and Rowan are still fired up in the ring.
– We see a replay of the Lana and Naomi dance-off segment from last week.
– We go to a pre-taped promo from Naomi and Jimmy Uso trashing Lana and Rusev. Rusev isn’t wrestling them tonight though, so as far as tonight is concerned, they welcome Lana and Aiden English to the Uso Penitentiary.
– Lana & Aiden English vs. Jimmy Uso & Naomi: English and Uso start this one off, and English takes control early. Uso fires back with a shot to the throat, which leads to Uso and Naomi taking out both English and Lana. Back in the ring, Lana and Naomi go at it now. Naomi gets distracted by English, and Lana drops her. Lana works over Naomi now and mocks Uso. Naomi tries to mount a comeback and hits a jawbreaker, but Lana prevents her from making the tag. Lana and Naomi run the ropes and collide, and both women are down. Uso and English tag in at the same time and brawl through the ring. Uso hits the Umaga Splash for a two count as Lana breaks it up. Lana slaps Uso, then Naomi comes in and drops Lana. English attacks Uso now and looks for a splash, but Naomi intercepts it and drops English. Uso follows up with a superkick for the three count on English.
Winners: Naomi & Jimmy Uso
– After the match, Uso and Naomi celebrate in the ring as we go to replays.
– Paige is backstage with Shinsuke Nakamura and WWE Champ AJ Styles. They’re seated for a contract signing, and Paige guarantees there will be a clear winner at Money In The Bank. AJ asks Nakamura what his problem is and why he keeos playing games. AJ thinks it’s because Nakamura knows he can’t beat him clean, and he yells at Nakamura to get up and face him like a man. Paige tries to calm AJ down, but AJ says he’s sick of these games and slaps Nakamura across the face. AJ is escorted out of the room as Nakamura finally signs the contract. Nakamura looks at Paige and says “Last Man Standing” before walking off.
– Still to come: Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch
– Charlotte makes her way out to the ring, and her match is up next.
– Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch: The opening bell sound and they lock up. Becky takes Charlotte down, and they grapple back and forth on the mat. Charlotte looks for the Figure Four early on, but Becky evades it. They continue to go back and forth until they break and have a stare-down. They both block kicks, and then they collide in the middle of the ring with crossbody attempts, and both women are down. They get up and trade chops until Charlotte takes control with a suplex. Becky gets back in the game with a boot to the face and some more strikes. Becky goes up top, but Charlotte stops her and takes her down with a backbreaker for a 2 count. Charlotte looks for the Figure Four again but Becky escapes. Becky drops Charlotte, then hits a top rope leg drop for a near-fall. Becky looks for the Dis-arm-her, but Flair escapes. They trade offense now until Becky rolls outside for a breather and Charlotte goes after her with a suicide dive. Charlotte brings Becky back in the ring and goes for a moonsault off the top, but Becky blocks it with her knees. Becky covers for a two count, and then Charlotte looks for the Figure Four but Becky blocks it. Becky then catches Charlotte in the Dis-arm-her for the win.
Winner: Becky Lynch
– Becky goes to help Charlotte up to her feet after the match. They hug and the crowd cheers them on. Charlotte leaves as Becky continues to celebrate in the ring.
– Samoa Joe is backstage for an interview where he compares himself to a rabid dog, and says he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Joe says he has a reputation for keeping promises, and says whoever ends up as the WWE Champion is a marked man. Joe says with him, what you see is what you get, and everyone will get it very soon.
– Big Cass comes out to the stage for an interview with Renee Young. Cass immediately starts talking about his height and trashing Daniel Bryan. Cass shows us a replay of Joe beating up Bryan last week, and says Bryan also has Cass’ 7-foot shadow following him everywhere he goes now. Cass says Bryan has never been in the ring with someone as big as him or as educated as him, and he will dismantle Bryan at Money In The Bank. Cass says he will rips Bryan’s arms off his body and beat him with them, and he will realize that a small man like him will never survive in the big man’s world that is WWE.
– Sin Cara is backstage for an interview with Dasha Fuentes. Cara talks about Andrade “Cien” Almas, and says they were friends since they were teenagers, but something happened. Zelina Vega interrupts and gets in Cara’s face. She starts trashing Sin cara, and then Almas attacks him from behind and beats him down. Almas and Vega walk off as officials check on Cara.
– The New Day vs. The Miz, Rusev & Samoa Joe: The Miz and Woods start this one off. Woods fires up early on and drops Miz for a 2 count, then tags in Big E. Big E hits the big splash on Miz for another 2 count. Joe and Woods get the tag and Joe drops him with a big kick. The Miz tags in and works over Woods until Woods fires up and hits a missile dropkick on Miz. Joe tags in and chases Big E off the apron, and then Rusev drops Big E on the floor. Woods gets up and lays into Joe, then Kofi and Miz tag in. Kofi cleans house and hits a dropkick and a crossbody off the top on Miz for a two count. Kofi hits the SOS and the Boom Drop, and then he looks for the Trouble In Paradise, but Joe distracts him. The Miz takes advantage of the distraction and hits a DDT on Kofi for a two count. He looks for the SKull Crushing Finale, but Kofi blocks it. Rusev and Big E tag in, and Big E rocks him with a big suplex. Rusev knees him and tags in Joe, and Joe drops Big E down to the mat. Joe covers but Woods breaks it up. Woods dumps Rusev outside next, then he hits a suicide dive on him to the outside. Miz tags in and looks for a Skull Crushing Finale on Big E, but he stops as Kofi spingboards and takes Joe out on the floor. Big E spears Miz from the ring down to the floor. Woods gets on the apron, but Joe takes him down to the floor into the Coquina Clutch. Kofi comes flying down to try to save Woods, but Rusev knocks Kofi down wit hthe Machka Kick. Miz throws Big E into the ring post, and then Rusev and Joe hold Big E back. The Miz grabs The New Day’s pancake batter and wants to dump it on Big E, but Kofi gets involved and The Miz accidentally dumps it on Rusev and Joe. The Miz pleads with his partners, but Rusev drops him with a boot and Joe hits a Senton on Miz while he’s down. Rusev and Joe walk out, leaving Miz alone in the ring with The New Day. Big E and Kofi hit the Midnight Hour on Miz and Big E covers for the three count.
Winners: The New Day
– After the match, Big E, Kofi and Xavier celebrate in the ring as Miz recovers on the floor. SmackDown goes off the air as The New Day celebrates their win.
CM Punk is off the hook in a civil lawsuit that was filed against him by a WWE doctor for defamation following his exit from the company in 2014.
A jury in Chicago ruled in Punk’s favor after Dr. Chris Amann filed the lawsuit after the former WWE superstar spoke about the treatment he received while under contract and the misdiagnosis that could have resulted in a serious medical condition.
Dr. Amann filed a lawsuit in excess of $1 million against Punk and fellow wrestler Colt Cabana, who hosted the podcast back in 2014.
After testimony that started last week, the jury deliberated for only a couple of hours before handing down a judgment siding with Punk and Cabana in the defamation lawsuit.
Punk was reportedly very emotional after the verdict was read while hugging his wife and fellow former WWE superstar A.J. Lee, who was also in attendance for the trial.
CM Punk has just won his civil lawsuit against WWE Dr. Chris Amann. He was in court all morning here in Chicago. Hugging his wife and crying in the courthouse. All this, four days before UFC 225.
With the trial behind him, Punk will now turn his attention to his fight on Saturday night against Mike Jackson on the UFC 225 main card.
Punk will be making his second appearance in the UFC after suffering a first round submission loss in his debut back in 2016.
While the trial undoubtedly took at least some of his focus away from the fight, Punk can now rest easy knowing that he won’t be on the hook for any kind of financial penalty as a result of the civil lawsuit filed against him.
Heading into this weekend’s highly-anticipated UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero II pay-per-view at the AllState Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, UFC continues to unload promotional material around several of the more high-profile fights on the stacked fight card.
One of which is the bout that pro wrestling fans are looking forward to more so than any other on the card — CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson.
Although both fighters are 0-1 inside the Octagon, and in their professional MMA careers in general, there is a high level of anticipation for their showdown this Saturday night from the pro wrestling community.
In a new video released this week, CM Punk and Mike Jackson both speak about their previous loss, which was against Mickey Gall for both guys, as well as their thoughts on fighting each other in their second Octagon appearance this weekend in the Chicago area.
According to CM Punk, he “can’t lose” fighting in his hometown this Saturday night.
“I feel like I can’t lose with that hometown advantage,” said Punk in the video. “I want to get this win for the entire city of Chicago. I’ve grown leaps and bounds and I have gained a ton of experience and knowledge, and I will bring that into the cage, and I will defeat Mike Jackson.”
Check out the complete video, which features more comments from Punk about his decision to return to the UFC, his preparations for the Mike Jackson fight and more by checking out the following article on our MMA affiliate website (MMANews.com):
Make sure to visit MMANews.com this Saturday night for live round-by-round results coverage of UFC 225, including the CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson fight. Sound off on this Saturday’s big showdown in the Comments section below.
CM Punk Says He “Can’t Lose” In Chicago At UFC 225 With Hometown Advantage – https://t.co/TziBeXN5yx
Move over Papa Shango, here comes Rosemary. The former Knockouts Champion recently sat down for an interview with Alicia Atout and revealed she’s been working on a controversial new in-ring strategy.
“There are so many forms of the black arts in this world, child,” Rosemary explained. “Admittedly, we are not up on all of them as we’d like to be.”
Rosemary, who references herself in the plural, recently was in New Orleans and admitted to studying voodoo while she was there.
Rosemary Learning Voodoo
“Yes, we definitely wanted to learn more about voodoo, and tarot,” she expressed. “Would it not be helpful to see the future? So much better to plan. ”
When asked if she plans to use her newly gained knowledge of the black arts while wrestling, Rosemary didn’t hesitate in her answer.
“Yes, of course,” Rosemary said. “How better to control them all with dear?”
New Impact Wrestling backstage correspondent, Alicia Atout, hosted Rosemary on her YouTube and Blog site, Amby. You can watch the interview in its entirety below:
Demons, Bunnies, and Undead Brides
The Impact Wrestling Knockouts division is reminiscent of a Rob Zombie film at times. Most recently, Allie lost the Knockout Championship to undead bride Su Yung in a Last Rites (coffin) match. Previously, Yung had locked Rosemary in a coffin as well.
Rosemary suffered a torn ACL last month and could be out of action for the rest of the year. Her injury actual worked out conveniently for storyline purposes, however, as she had just recently been locked in a coffin by Su Yung and her army of undead brides.
When Allie faced Su Yung at “Under Pressure” last Thursday, she painted her face in a way reminiscent of Rosemary and came out to her music as well. Yung will defend the Knockouts Championship at Slammiversary on July 22nd, with her challenger being revealed in the coming weeks on television.
Kenny Omega will face Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Dominion on June 9th, 2018. It will be the fourth one-on-one match between the two.
Okada defeated Omega at WrestleKingdom 11. They met at last year’s Dominion event as well. That match went to a time limit draw. The last time they met was in last summer’s G1 tournament. Okada suffered a back injury in his previous match against Evil, which allowed Omega a slight advantage and the victory.
Kenny Omega recently sat down with New Japan World to discuss his upcoming title challenge on June 9th.
Kenny Omega Pre-Dominion Interview
“He’s done so much and beaten everyone so many times that he calls the shots! He makes the challenges; he makes the rules.,” Omega said on his opponent’s record-breaking title reign. “That’s the situation we’re in right now.”
In order to further break the deadlock between the two, their match will be a best out of two of three falls. Omega addressed the stipulation during the interview.
“Don’t give me a handicap, Okada. That makes it too easy for me. Let’s make this fair, 50-50, right down the line. That is why I wanted the best two out of three falls,” Omega said. “I know the secret to this match, Okada. The secret is in that first fall; I won’t let you take it. You’re not getting the first fall. I’m going to take the first fall and control the pace.”
Kenny Omega’s Motivation To Beat Okada
Omega also addressed his motivation for defeating Okada aside from winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
“You may be the best wrestler on the planet. I’ll admit it, you are,” Omega said “It’s not even an opinion thing anymore, this is something that you’ve proven. But you can’t say you are the best performer. That goes to me. If we’re going to move this thing forward, if we’re going to cause this revolution of professional wrestling and make it worldwide and something cool, we can’t just have the best natural wrestler steering the ship. We need someone who captures the imagination, who captures the heart. We need a professional wrestler and a showman. Which is why I’m doing everything in my power, to overtake your natural wrestling ability.”
NJPW Dominion takes place June 9th and airs live on New Japan World.
Shawn Michaels is no longer ruling out a potential return to the ring for one more match.
The WWE Hall of Famer recently spoke with Sky Sports to promote the upcoming WWE UK Tournament. During the interview, he was asked about possibly wrestling one more match.
He retired from pro wrestling following his match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 in 2010.
Despite being against the possibility in previous years, Michael is now open to the idea but has some certain expectations in order for it to happen.
“It would have to be done the right way and just for one match rather than something that ran for longer. It could be possible but people would have to accept they wouldn’t be getting the Showstopper, Mr WrestleMania, and that I’m 52 years old now.
I’ve been retired for eight years now and when it got to the five-year mark I thought people would start asking me but they just kind of stopped. I think it’s one of those that you would never say never about and if it was just for a one-off then it’s something that I would take a look at.”
Michaels was then asked about who he would like to wrestle if he did decide to work one more match. Although there are many talents of today he’d like to work with, his top two candidates would be Daniel Bryan or AJ Styles.
Michaels did note that it would be a one-off match and most likely a tag team match with Triple H if he decided to wrestle again.
“If it was the Shawn Michaels of 10 years ago I would love to have gotten in the ring with so many of the guys that are competing today,” he said. “AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan would be good, and then there’s the guys in NXT too. Someone like a Johnny Gargano would be fantastic. “But for a one-off match now, I’d need it to be a tag-team match where Hunter (Triple H) and I can just do a few crotch chops and have some fun.”
The WWE Hall of Famer has had a storied career in the professional industry and will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
He has held every big championship that WWE has to offer and had some classic matches as well as a feud with the biggest names in pro wrestling. Those names would include The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Triple H, and Ric Flair.
What are your thoughts on Michaels potentially wrestling one more match?
The WWE has officially announced the air dates for the upcoming United Kingdom Championship Tournament on their streaming service, WWE Network.
The sports entertainment company is slated to hold two events at Royal Albert Hall in London. The 6/18 event will feature the tournament finals to determine who will challenge face UK Champion Pete Dunne for the strap on 6/19.
The events will air on the WWE Network on Monday, June 25, and Tuesday, June 26, at 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. GMT.
Several non-tournament matches have been announced including a Six-Man Tag Team Match that will see Dunne, Tyler Bate & Trent Seven against Undisputed ERA’s Adam Cole, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly on night one.
The following night, a tag team match of NXT Champion Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream & EC3, as well as matches for the NXT North American Championship, the NXT Women’s Championship and the NXT Tag Team Championship, are slated to take place.
The Brackets
First Round Matches (Left Side)
– Zack Gibson vs. Amir Jordan
– Drew Gulak vs. Jack Gallagher
– Flash Morgan Webster vs. James Drake
– Tyson T-Bone vs. Jordan Devlin
First Round Matches (Right Side)
– Tucker vs. Joe Coffey
– Dave Mastiff vs. Kenny Williams
– Ligero vs. Travis Banks
– Ashton Smith vs. Joseph Conners
What are your thoughts on this event airing on the WWE Network? Sound off in the comment section below.
It’s been well documented that there has been a long-standing relationship between Madison Square Garden and the WWE that goes back decades.
There have been rumors of AAA running an event at the world-famous arena held in New York City later this year. For those who may not know, the sports entertainment company has had a lock on the building for many decades in terms of wrestling events.
However, things might be changing as it was reported by Mike Johnson of PWinsider that the historic arena is not happy with the WWE right now due to the fact that the WWE has been holding TV and pay-per-view events at the nearby Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was noted in the report that the tipping point appears to have been once WWE announced that all of the Wrestlemania 35 week events in 2019 would be held at the Barclays Center. Those events include the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, NXT Takeover, RAW, and SmackDown Live.
According to the report, MSG has sent feelers out to different groups and they are more open than ever to booking non-WWE events in the arena. Thus, the reason that AAA was able to get a hold on the arena.
For years now, WWE has only held live events twice per year at MSG and it’s been reported in the past that the reason WWE runs the Barclays Center instead of MSG for bigger events is due to the cost of holding an event at MSG as it’s cheaper to hold it at Barclays Center.
What are your thoughts on this story? Should WWE run more events at MSG? Sound off in the comment section below.
Another young exciting wrestler has signed with the WWE.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the current reigning Progress Women’s Champion Jinny has signed a UK contract with the sports entertainment company.
It was noted that her contract is similar to that of Toni Storm, who has also reportedly signed a deal with WWE. It’s been rumored in the past that WWE had their sights set on Jinny as well as other top UK wrestlers for their brand.
Jinny does have a past with the WWE that dates back to March of last year. She actually worked a match against Storm during a WrestleMania Axxess event in Orlando, Florida.
It should be noted that the WWE is advertising Jinny for the upcoming WWE United Kingdom tournament show where she will compete in a Fatal 4-way match against Storm, WXW star Killer Kelly and Scotland’s Isla Dawn this month.
The winner of this match will have the opportunity to take on NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler on Tuesday, June 19th.
What are your thoughts on the sports entertainment company signing this star? Sound off in the comment section below.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins has once again received a new name for his finishing move. It first went by the Curb Stomp then to Peace of Mind and Blackout. Now, WWE has decided to call it The Stomp.
Rollins is slated to make his next Intercontinental Title defense against Elias at the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois at the Allstate Arena and will air on the WWE Network.
The B-Team Making Moves
Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel won a tag team battle royal on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in Houston, TX at the Toyota Center on the USA Network to earn the right to be the new #1 contenders for the RAW Tag Team Titles.
Now, they will challenge Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt for the titles at the Money in the Bank PPV event. Following the match, WWE released this interview with the team celebrating. In the video, Axel and Dallas noted that they’re undefeated.
What are your thoughts on Rollins’ new finishing move name? Sound off in the comment section below.
With the XFL set to kickoff play in 2020, the league has finally made a major decision in the league’s future. It was announced that former NFL and NCAA executive Oliver Luck is the new commissioner of the XFL. You can check out the official announcement, featuring comments from owner Vince McMahon, here below:
Stamford, Conn., June 5, 2018 – The XFL today announced that former NFL and NCAA executive and quarterback Oliver Luck has been named the league’s Commissioner & CEO. The new XFL kicks off in early 2020 and will deliver a fan-centric, innovative experience, including fast-paced games and a family-friendly environment, complemented by cross-platform viewing options and real-time fan engagement.
“Oliver and I share the same vision and passion for reimagining the game of football,” said Vince McMahon, XFL Founder and Chairman. “His experience as both an athlete and executive will ensure the long-term success of the XFL.”
“Football has always been a constant in my life and I’m excited about the unique opportunity to present America’s favorite sport to fans in a new way,” said Oliver Luck. “The XFL will create first-class organizations that local cities across the country will be proud of.”
Earlier in his career, Luck served as President of NFL Europe and General Manager of the league’s Frankfurt Galaxy and Rhein Fire. Most recently Luck was the NCAA’s Executive Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Strategic Partnerships where he oversaw all NCAA regulatory functions including enforcement, academic and membership affairs, and the Eligibility Center.
Prior to the NCAA, Luck spent four years as the Director of Athletics at his alma mater, West Virginia University, where he presided over the school’s transition into the Big 12 Conference. He was also the first President and General Manager of Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo, and led the organization to two MLS Cup titles.
A Rhodes Scholarship finalist, Luck graduated from West Virginia University where he was a three-year starting quarterback, two-time Academic All-American, two-time team MVP and currently ranks sixth on the school’s all-time list for both passing yards and touchdowns. Luck was selected in the second round of the 1982 NFL draft by the Houston Oilers where he played until 1986.
Luck earned his J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, graduating cum laude in 1987. He’s a member of the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame and CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame.
Plans for the XFL at launch include eight teams, 40-man active rosters and a 10-week regular season schedule, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal playoff games and a championship game.
Click here to see a video message from XFL Commissioner & CEO Oliver Luck.
ABOUT THE XFL
The new XFL will reimagine football for the 21st century when it kicks off in early 2020.
Football is America’s favorite sport boasting over 85 million fans but the traditional season is just too short. Seeing a tremendous opportunity to fill the void, Vince McMahon, XFL Founder and Chairman announced on January 25, 2018, the launch of a new league, which he is personally funding. McMahon is building the XFL with the same commitment and resolve that he has demonstrated building WWE into a global media and sports entertainment powerhouse.
Delivering authentic, high energy football for the whole family at an affordable price, the XFL will offer fast-paced games with fewer play stoppages and simpler rules. The league will launch with eight teams, 40-man active rosters, and a 10-week regular season schedule, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal playoff games and a championship game. Each contest will be a high profile event with tens of thousands of fans, featuring innovative elements that bring them closer to the players and the game they love. The XFL will also establish a health, wellness and safety program that meets the needs of today’s athletes.
The XFL will embrace the latest on and off-field technology, providing live game coverage, content and real-time engagement across multiple platforms, giving fans greater access than ever before. We will build strong grassroots relationships with local organizations in our Host Cities through social responsibility partnerships, and the XFL will enjoy the support of WWE’s many extraordinary resources and promotional capabilities.
Media Contact: Lou D’Ermilio – LOUD Communications [email protected] or 917-601-6898
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently took to his podcast, The Ross Report, to talk about the current goings on in the world, as well as a few professional wrestling topics as well. Ross first discussed his thoughts on the current situation between Roseanne Barr and the ABC Network:
“She got cancelled by ABC, as many of you know.” Ross said, “her show was getting great ratings. It premiered with 18 million viewers. It looked like [ABC] found a goldmine. I heard the estimate of how much money it was going to lose in the cancellation for advertising was around $35 and $50 million dollars that ABC cut loose from and it also cost a lot of talented people their jobs.
“That’s what’s really irking to me. But she made a late night racist Twitter post that will not be repeated here. I liked the show, as a matter of fact. It kind of reminded me of the old days. And Roseanne’s like a dozen women that I’ve met in my lifetime, very outspoken, very strong. But you can’t let this pass.
“It cost a lot of people their jobs, as I mentioned. It’s just total lack of judgment. Maybe we should have sensed that when she married Tom Arnold, for God’s sake. How smart was that? In any event, nobody’s bulletproof, ladies and gentlemen, not even Roseanne.
“I can tell you this: I was a 10-year Ambien user. I was a 10-year, decade-long Ambien abuser.” Ross continued, “and since my wife saw me through these troubling waters, it was no more Ambien and no more Xanax, so therefore I’m not mixing it with alcohol.
“But Ambien can make you do some funny, funny things. If you look up Ambien in the medical dictionary, it is a temporary medicine for insomnia. ‘Temporary’ is the key word here, not 10 years, J.R. ‘Oh, it can’t hurt me. I’m tough. It can’t hurt me.’ Well, it made Roseanne do some funny things. It could make you too, so be leery of that. There are meds out there that are not opioids, that are not habit-forming, that’ll help you sleep. Trust me. This I know.”
Ross then revealed that he was the one who came up with King Kong Bundy’s famous “Five Count” gimmick:
“I gave Bundy that five-count deal, his gimmick.” Ross recalled, “[Bill] Watts was going to bring him in and wants to do something different. I said, ‘why don’t you have him where he’s so powerful, he’s so strong, he’s so confident, he’s so huge, that he’ll beat people with a five-count, not a three-count?
“He’s really going to put them away.’ So the five, he’d do the five. Watts liked that idea and I think it worked. I think King Kong Bundy still uses that to this day when you see him in the ring from time-to-time.
Finally, Ross listed off who he thinks are the best heels of all time:
“I think the best villain of ‘The Attitude Era’ was Vince McMahon. Mr. McMahon was an ass-kicker. He was absolutely amazing. Ric Flair. How do you leave Ric Flair off of any list of any villains? My God! Triple H, hell of a villain. JBL did a hell of a job. John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield made it easy for the fans to dislike him.
“He could conjure up that personality, that big, loudmouth, Dick Murdoch-like Texan, and draw money. Johnny did a good job with that for us. Eric Bischoff, a hell of a heel. No doubt about that. I think Chris Jericho doing great as a heel.” Ross added, “and I worked firsthand with some great heels myself. Jerry Lawler, Paul Heyman, Terry Funk, Bobby ‘The Brain’ [Heenan]. So those are some of the guys that I look at that have to be on that list.”
You can listen to The Ross Report by clicking this link here.
Both Stephanie McMahon and Triple H weren’t present for last night’s episode of Monday Night RAW from Houston, Texas. While it’s not unusual for them to be missing on-screen, they’re both typically backstage working behind-the-scenes.
As for why the pair missed last night, PWInsider reports that Stephanie and The Game are in Los Angeles as WWE will be hosting a “For Your Consideration” panel discussion on Wednesday. This is apparently in attempt to get the WWE nominated for an Emmy Award.
The event is a private one and won’t be open to the public. Television Academy National Active members are the only personnel allowed to attend the event. It’ll all take place from the Wolf Theatre at Saban Media Center in North Hollywood. Other notable names scheduled to appear include Shawn Michaels, Ronda Rousey, Roman Reigns and the Bella Twins.
