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Mercedes Mone Confronts Stephanie Vaquer Ahead of Forbidden Door Showdown

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AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone got up close and personal with NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer, ahead of their match this month. 

At CMLL’s Fantisticamania event in Arena Mexico, Mone arrived with her title and confronted Vaquer who was already in the ring. Mone gave credit to Vaquer, saying “You are not the same Stephanie I faced one year ago at New Japan Resurgence.” Vaquer had some choice words for Mone, which resulted in the TBS Champion slapping her opponent and the pair having a brief brawl that was broken up. 

Amid the chaos, Mone posed with both championship titles before retreating to the entranceway. Vaquer posed with her title in the ring and earned a loud ovation from the crowd. She was also seen clutching her jaw, a sign of the impact of Mone’s slap.

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What’s Next? 

Mone and Vaquer will collide at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door on June 30 from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. The match will see both the TBS Championship and the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship on the line in an exciting ‘Winner Takes All’ match. This will be the first Forbidden Door match for either woman. 

Many are predicting that Mone will leave the event with both titles. Not only is the consensus that it is too soon for her to lose the TBS Championship, but the NJPW Strong Women’s Title was reportedly made with her in mind. Mone was set to become the inaugural champion until an injury mid-match led to an audible being called and Willow Nightingale winning the gold instead. 

Related: AEW TBS Champ Mercedes Mone Shines As Boston Celtics Win NBA Playoffs Finals

AEW & WBD Reportedly React After Dynamite Receives All-Time Low Viewership Numbers

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AEW made company history this past week and not in the way they wanted to. The 6/19 episode of AEW Dynamite received the lowest viewership and key demographic in the show’s entire existence on Wednesdays. 

Despite being less than two weeks away from Forbidden Door, Dynamite only garnered an average audience of 502,000, which is a 26.3% drop from last week, and the key 18-49 demographic only roped in a 0.16, over a 30% decrease from the previous week.

Those numbers are dreadful for Dynamite, but a report from Fightful has both AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery giving their reasons.

Sean Ross Sapp heard from AEW sources that a reason for such a drop-off was due to the absence of The Big Bang Theory lead-in. Instead of riding off the successful syndicated sitcom per usual, TBS aired Black Panther instead, affecting the usual built-in lead-in numbers. Therefore, the “tune-in” number was actually greater than the lead-in. That, however, didn’t stop their AEW sources from being shocked by the number.

When it comes the Warner Bros. Discovery perspective, the Fightful source played down the drop.

“Just a very odd week in general, and a confluence of stuff Juneteenth holiday in the middle of the week (when does a mid-week holiday ever happen in late spring/summer months?!). Competition with Olympic trials and college baseball all World Series in prime time. Amazing weather in much of the country (especially up here in the northeast), so lots more people out and about. Wouldn’t really put much into one week’s number, although I know the wrestling community likes to go nuclear with these kinds of one-offs.”

A different source from WBD claimed that the drop wouldn’t affect a potential new deal between AEW and the network.

Related: Jim Ross Wishes CM Punk Was Still In AEW

Watch: What Happened With Braun Strowman After (6/21) SmackDown Went Off Air

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Multiple Raw stars were in action after this week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown from Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois went off air.

The first dark match of the night featured The OC taking on Street Profits. After this, Braun Strowman competed in a singles match against Ludwig Kaiser and defeated the Imperium star.

The third and final dark match of the show saw Awesome Truth defending the World Tag Team Championships against Judgement Day’s JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio.

The end of this bout saw The Miz saving R Truth from a double suplex by their opponents. The champs then busted out the moves taught to them by John Cena and they won the match with a double Attitude Adjustment:

What Happened On SmackDown

The build for the upcoming Money In The Bank PPV continued on SmackDown this week. Chelsea Green, Carmelo Hayes and Andrade all qualified for their respective ladder matches during the episode.

We also saw the surprise appearance of Drew McIntyre after he announced that he was quitting the company on Raw this past Monday. McIntyre took out Punk in a brutal fashion, presumably extending his time on the shelf.

The main event of the show saw the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes taking on Solo Sikoa in a singles match. This segment ended with an unexpected debut. You can check out more about it here.

Related: Pat McAfee Clears Up Idea That Wyatt Sicks Attacked Him During His 6/20 Show

MJF: ‘Re-Signing Was An Easy Decision, I Believe in AEW & Tony Khan Pays A Lot’

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MJF’s decision to re-sign with All Elite Wrestling was an easy one for the former World Champion, as he has great faith in the work Tony Khan has done. 

Following a six-month absence, MJF returned to AEW programming at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view in a confrontation with Adam Cole. MJF also made clear that he will remain with AEW with a ‘Bet On It’ tattoo. The ‘Scumbag’ had spent years teasing a ‘bidding war’ between AEW and WWE over his services, though it appears that MJF’s talk of negotiations was indeed all talk. 

MJF Sticking With AEW

While there’s no shortage of fans who would have loved to have seen MJF in WWE, it wasn’t meant to be. Speaking this week to FOX, MJF shared why exactly he made the decision to stick with All Elite Wrestling. 

“It was a very easy decision for me, mainly because Tony Khan is paying me an exorbitant amount of money. But outside of that, I believe in AEW and it’s where the best wrestle.”

What’s Next for MJF? 

With his issues with Adam Cole seemingly over, MJF has moved into a program with RUSH. On the latest AEW Dynamite, MJF beat Rush and was confronted by Brian Cage after the match. Cage revealed CMLL’s Hechicero and a match against MJF is set AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door. The show will take place next Sunday, June 30, from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. 

Related: Swerve Strickland Says MJF Will Have To Earn The Right To Challenge For AEW Title

Back From The Dead: Adam Pearce Announces Match For Chad Gable On 6/24 RAW

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Despite the scary visual left by The Wyatt Sicks this past Monday, Chad Gable is alive and will actually compete this Monday on WWE RAW.

Despite his X account being hacked by the newly formed faction, WWE RAW General Manager Adam Pearce took to WWE’s account to share the news that a lifeless Chad Gable may have given everyone a fright, but the Alpha Academy leader is good to go this week on RAW. Not only that, but he’ll be in a high-profile fight. Despite Pearce making this announcement free from his own account, Wyatt Sicks still was able to mess with Adam’s good news announcement.

“Several of our social accounts were hacked and now that they’re firmly back under our control we can get back to business. To that end, Chad Gable, everyone saw the heinous attack last week. Despite that attack, and despite being severely shaken up, Chad Gable is medically cleared and will compete this Monday in a triple threat qualifying match for The Money In The Bank ladder match against Braun Strowman and Big Bronson Reed.”

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Pearce actually went on to commend Gable for showing guts and competing this Monday, but if the clip was any indication, Uncle Howdy has more in store for the red brand.

Before being “murdered,” Gable had a very busy Monday as he lost to Braun Strowman and seemingly lost all his underlings of Alpha Academy as the power-hungry wrestler pushed Otis, Tozawa and Maxxine Dupri to their limits. However, with Gable being a primary victim of The Wyatt Sicks, it’ll be intriguing to see if he can manipulate his way back into Otis’ good graces.

Back From The Dead: Adam Pearce Announces Match For Chad Gable On 6/24 RAW

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Despite the scary visual left by The Wyatt Sicks this past Monday, Chad Gable is alive and will actually compete this Monday on WWE RAW.

Despite his X account being hacked by the newly formed faction, WWE RAW General Manager Adam Pearce took to WWE’s account to share the news that a lifeless Chad Gable may have given everyone a fright, but the Alpha Academy leader is good to go this week on RAW. Not only that, but he’ll be in a high-profile fight. Despite Pearce making this announcement free from his own account, Wyatt Sicks still was able to mess with Adam’s good news announcement.

“Several of our social accounts were hacked and now that they’re firmly back under our control we can get back to business. To that end, Chad Gable, everyone saw the heinous attack last week. Despite that attack, and despite being severely shaken up, Chad Gable is medically cleared and will compete this Monday in a triple threat qualifying match for The Money In The Bank ladder match against Braun Strowman and Big Bronson Reed.”

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Pearce actually went on to commend Gable for showing guts and competing this Monday, but if the clip was any indication, Uncle Howdy has more in store for the red brand.

Before being “murdered,” Gable had a very busy Monday as he lost to Braun Strowman and seemingly lost all his underlings of Alpha Academy as the power-hungry wrestler pushed Otis, Tozawa and Maxxine Dupri to their limits. However, with Gable being a primary victim of The Wyatt Sicks, it’ll be intriguing to see if he can manipulate his way back into Otis’ good graces.

Jacob Fatu Debuts In WWE, Destroys Cody Rhodes & Joins The Bloodline

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Jacob Fatu shocked all of WWE to close out SmackDown. The Samoan Werewolf showed up to save Solo Sikoa and left his mark as a new member of The Bloodline.

Solo was in a tight spot as his main event match with Cody Rhodes was all a ploy for him, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa to attack ‘The American Nightmare.’ 

The numbers game came into play against Rhodes, before yet again Randy Orton and Kevin Owens ran in to save the WWE Undisputed Champion. The trio had Solo Sikoa attempted to beg all three men off but his feigned fear dissapated into a smile as Fatu came in to unleash. Fatu took Orton and Owens out before targeting Rhodes. Rhodes was briefly able to fend Fatu off, clotheslining him out of the ring, but Fatu bested Cody enough to lay him out on the commentary table. Fatu went to the top rope and leapt off with an amazing splash, taking Cody out.

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Fatu, known as ‘The Samoan Werewolf’ outside of WWE, was referred to as a “werewolf” on commentary to Corey Graves and it’s been reported that he signed with the company over WrestleMania 40 weekend.

Jacob Fatu has been a force outside of WWE, making most of his pro wrestling hay under the Major League Wrestling banner. Fatu was a dominate monster heel World Champion for the promotion,  but became a big-time babyface before making his exit after being taken out by his old faction, CONTRA.

There has been some changes afoot amongst The Bloodline as WWE has trademarked certain names and even before going out to fight Rhodes, Solo said to Paul Heyman that Roman Reigns isn’t coming back.

Related: New WWE Trademark Hints At Another Massive Change to The Bloodline

Jim Ross Wishes CM Punk Was Still In AEW

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Jim Ross knows CM Punk adds value to pro wrestling and misses his presence in AEW. CM Punk left on unsavory terms with All Elite Wrestling as he was fired following his scuffle with Jack Perry backstage at AEW All Out, but Punk’s absence has been felt by his former company, especially colleagues who appreciate his insight.

Speaking on the latest “Grilling JR,” Ross mentioned how he still texts with Punk, who is proactive in seeing how ‘The Boomer Sooner’ has been doing. Ross said how thankful he was to have Punk in AEW, but a clash of identities came to be a factor. 

“I miss CM Punk. I thought he contributed greatly to the AEW roster when he was with us. To be perfectly candid, I wish he was still with us. It, personality wise, just did not work out and that’s unfortunate.”

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Ross and Punk have both been off television with their own respective ailments as Punk has been recovering from a torn triceps and Ross has been recovering from an unexpected visit to the emergency room. Ross was experiencing shortness of breath but did mention how he’s been feeling better. 

As for Punk, he’s set to make his Windy City return tonight in Chicago on SmackDown after he screwed Drew McIntyre over at Clash At The Castle in Scotland last weekend. Drew and CM Punk have been battling verbally ever since Punk suffered his triceps injury in the final moments of the men’s Royal Rumble match.

H/t to Cultaholic for the transcritpion.

Related: ICP’s Violent J Buries CM Punk In Brutal Fashion Over Colt Cabana Beef

Drew McIntyre Strikes Back on SmackDown To Leave CM Punk A Bloody Mess

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CM Punk started WWE SmackDown in Chicago, taking shots at Drew McIntyre. He commented on how easy it was to make McIntyre quit on RAW this week. However, his good time in Chicago was cut short.

Drew McIntyre returned to WWE television just days after saying, “screw this company, I quit,” and walking out. He was unhappy with Punk’s interference in his World Heavyweight Championship match at Clash at the Castle. 

Things were going well for CM Punk to start the show. The Chicago crowd showered him with love as they strongly denied that he ever embarrassed them. 

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Later in the show, Drew McIntyre attacked CM Punk backstage to interrupt a segment with Team #DIY. Punk was left bloody and injured. McIntyre carried Punk out into the audience, where fans who love Punk watched in shock.

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WWE officials, including Adam Pearce, came out to reprimand McIntyre for the attack. The Chicago fans booed McIntyre intensely. McIntyre seemed pleased with himself, having ruined Punk’s big night in his home city, just as Punk had done to McIntyre in Scotland.

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CM Punk & Drew McIntyre Feud

The feud between Punk and McIntyre is heating up. Punk’s injuries suggest a showdown with McIntyre in the ring is imminent.

Drew McIntyre has been throwing shots at CM Punk ever since he was injured. Even before that, he wanted a piece of the former AEW World Heavyweight Champion. Punk was stretchered off after the attack from McIntyre, but he’s made recoveries in the past.

Related: Drew McIntyre Trolls CM Punk During WWE Headquarters Visit

Drew McIntyre Strikes Back on SmackDown To Leave CM Punk A Bloody Mess

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CM Punk started WWE SmackDown in Chicago, taking shots at Drew McIntyre. He commented on how easy it was to make McIntyre quit on RAW this week. However, his good time in Chicago was cut short.

Drew McIntyre returned to WWE television just days after saying, “screw this company, I quit,” and walking out. He was unhappy with Punk’s interference in his World Heavyweight Championship match at Clash at the Castle. 

Things were going well for CM Punk to start the show. The Chicago crowd showered him with love as they strongly denied that he ever embarrassed them. 

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Later in the show, Drew McIntyre attacked CM Punk backstage to interrupt a segment with Team #DIY. Punk was left bloody and injured. McIntyre carried Punk out into the audience, where fans who love Punk watched in shock.

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WWE officials, including Adam Pearce, came out to reprimand McIntyre for the attack. The Chicago fans booed McIntyre intensely. McIntyre seemed pleased with himself, having ruined Punk’s big night in his home city, just as Punk had done to McIntyre in Scotland.

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CM Punk & Drew McIntyre Feud

The feud between Punk and McIntyre is heating up. Punk’s injuries suggest a showdown with McIntyre in the ring is imminent.

Drew McIntyre has been throwing shots at CM Punk ever since he was injured. Even before that, he wanted a piece of the former AEW World Heavyweight Champion. Punk was stretchered off after the attack from McIntyre, but he’s made recoveries in the past.

Related: Drew McIntyre Trolls CM Punk During WWE Headquarters Visit

Drew McIntyre Strikes Back on SmackDown To Leave CM Punk A Bloody Mess

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CM Punk started WWE SmackDown in Chicago, taking shots at Drew McIntyre. He commented on how easy it was to make McIntyre quit on RAW this week. However, his good time in Chicago was cut short.

Drew McIntyre returned to WWE television just days after saying, “screw this company, I quit,” and walking out. He was unhappy with Punk’s interference in his World Heavyweight Championship match at Clash at the Castle. 

Things were going well for CM Punk to start the show. The Chicago crowd showered him with love as they strongly denied that he ever embarrassed them. 

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Later in the show, Drew McIntyre attacked CM Punk backstage to interrupt a segment with Team #DIY. Punk was left bloody and injured. McIntyre carried Punk out into the audience, where fans who love Punk watched in shock.

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WWE officials, including Adam Pearce, came out to reprimand McIntyre for the attack. The Chicago fans booed McIntyre intensely. McIntyre seemed pleased with himself, having ruined Punk’s big night in his home city, just as Punk had done to McIntyre in Scotland.

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CM Punk & Drew McIntyre Feud

The feud between Punk and McIntyre is heating up. Punk’s injuries suggest a showdown with McIntyre in the ring is imminent.

Drew McIntyre has been throwing shots at CM Punk ever since he was injured. Even before that, he wanted a piece of the former AEW World Heavyweight Champion. Punk was stretchered off after the attack from McIntyre, but he’s made recoveries in the past.

Related: Drew McIntyre Trolls CM Punk During WWE Headquarters Visit

Pat McAfee Clears Up Idea That Wyatt Sicks Attacked Him During His 6/20 Show

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The Wyatt Sicks faction made a dramatic debut during WWE RAW this week, creating a viral moment. The chaos didn’t stop there, as Pat McAfee was seemingly targeted on his own show. After a lot of buzz, McAfee’s ordeal during the closing moments of Thursday’s show had nothing to do with WWE.

During Friday’s episode of the Pat McAfee show, a drone was seen in studio, saying that they sent out an EMP to take out McAfee’s electronics. The drone explained that he was sent by someone. It was quickly ruled out that they didn’t come from WWE, but the WNBA may have sent them.

When asked who sent him, the flying bot threatened to send out another EMP. Just then, Jack Carr, a #1 New York Times bestselling author and former Navy SEAL Sniper who happened to be on the show, sprung into action. After firing off some expert shots, the drone departed.

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In the end, Jack Carr was the one who saved McAfee and his crew from this situation. His new book, Red Sky Mourning, is out now.

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What Happened on Thursday

Yesterday, The Pat McAfee Show was proceeding smoothly until about 20 seconds before the broadcast ended. McAfee suddenly stopped mid-sentence and looked off-camera, asking, “What the f*ck is that?” Moments later, someone suggested getting security, and the lights went down.

The lights going off were accompanied by the familiar sound effect played before Uncle Howdy’s entrance, suggesting that McAfee was targeted. This incident implies that nobody is safe, regardless of their location. Fortunately, the former NFL punter was okay.

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Wyatt Sicks Massacre

The Wyatt Sicks faction also hijacked WWE’s official Twitch stream, website, social media, and live broadcasts in preparation for their massacre, warning everyone along the way. Their reach seemed limitless, and WWE Superstars need to be vigilant wherever they are.

During WWE RAW, the Wyatt Sicks faction, Uncle Howdy, Nikki Corss, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, and Dexter Lumis, executed a shocking backstage assault, wreaking havoc on several top WWE superstars. In the closing moments of the show, names like Carmelo Hayes, Gunther, Dominic Mysterio, Triple H, Chad Gable, and Cody Rhodes were targeted and symbolically left for dead. These attacks were either confirmed on camera or are highly assumed based on the chaos left behind.

We will have to see who the Wyatt Sicks target next, but it seems that this whole Pat McAfee situation was a giant tease, but in the end, he’s alright. 

The Wyatt Sicks Has Potential For Success If The Focus Is Cult & Character

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Can horror work in wrestling? The late great Windham Rotunda found his own innovative success with his iterations of Bray Wyatt and eventually The Fiend, but some of that intrigue fell victim to booking and creative choices. You can’t pin ghosts (Goldberg did), but the lasting effect on the product and The Fiend persona itself was put into question.

There’s no denying that Wyatt had an innate connection with the wrestling fanbase and it would have been tremendous to see what he and WWE had planned for him if it wasn’t for his tragic passing, but what fans got to witness on Monday, the game plan looks promising. It’s all the more fitting that Bo Dallas is front and center.

The Wyatt Sicks had their fair share of spooky tricks in their debut. Nikki Cross as “Sister Abigail” channeled the girl from The Ring to begin the terror tour that viewers were about to be led on. The implied violence with only WWE showing the results of the bloodshed added to the horror. ECW Original Blue Meanie mentioned on X that WWE beautifully set the table for how Gorilla typically looks for us to eventually see the “massacre” that took place.

“Brilliantly marketed, build up debut,” Meanie said on “Rumor & Innuendo”. “I believe in the creative. They got great guys there like Rob Fee who’s doing an amazing job backstage developing characters and I think we’re about to see something very cool and to carry on the legacy of Bray Wyatt.”

“They got people talking. When you get people saying ‘How are they going to do this?’ That means they’re invested to watch next week as well and see the follow-up.”

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Bo Dallas Redemption Story

While Bo Dallas has previously portrayed “Uncle Howdy” on television, we have yet to see the younger Rotunda brother’s actual face in years. With how this new faction is set up, there’s potential for all the masks to come off. Arguably, that may be the most beneficial to Wyatt Sicks in the long-term. These “personas” could merely just be an homage to Wyatt’s legacy, but the people behind the masks are what fans can truly sink their teeth into. Erick Rowan won’t totally be “Rambling Rabbit”, nor should Dexter Lumis be “Mercy The Buzzard” but you associate those established names with characters that Wyatt created and you continue to keep those fireflies “aflame.” 

That brings us to Bo Dallas. He played a patronizing champion heel in NXT before being called up the main roster where he was greatly used as a comedy act. The B Team found cult-like success as a tag team, but what will really establish Dallas as a viable star is the cult he’s currently cultivating. Is there a sixth member or his Wyatt the omnipresent addition? 

Charles Manson violently symbolized the end of the 60s with Helter Skelter and there’s nothing scarier than a little bit of realism in your horror. Obviously, Chad Gable didn’t get killed backstage, but how will this affect his character moving forward? How will RAW protocol be affected in the weeks to come? Will we see a skeleton crew of production and “Superstars” next week as RAW recovers? Those can be wrestling’s variant of “murders committed.” 

If The Sicks take someone out, make it mean something. They’re gone for a while and that character is changed for better or worse. Do the cult stuff right, something that WWE teased and struck out on when Bryan Danielson joined The Wyatts many moons ago. If you’re going to make a sixth in The Sixth, have them initiate a new member or channel X-Men’s Apocalypse’s “Four Horsmen” and rotate a new member in from time to time.

If you humanize the horror, you make each member relatable and the actions they take more impactful. WWE can make this whole faction work. They just need to avoid the potential pitfalls and lean into the strength of it all by letting the fan’s imagination run wild. More like JAWS and less like Terrifier 2. WWE could have something very cool going, but it’s certainly going to be a team effort. 

For starters, Bray Wyatt has got to be smiling.

Related: Sami Zayn Reveals How He Dodged Wyatt Sicks’ Attack

Tony Khan On Shane McMahon’s AEW Interest: ‘I’ve Never Met Or Spoke With Him’

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Shane McMahon may be eyeing up a role with All Elite Wrestling, but there’s been no direct communication with AEW President Tony Khan. 

It was recently claimed that Shane had contacted AEW regarding a potential role with the company. This alleged communication comes over a year after McMahon’s most recent appearance for WWE in an impromptu match at WrestleMania 39. That show saw Shane suffer a torn quadriceps injury in his bout with The Miz. 

Tony Khan on Shane McMahon

The idea of a McMahon working for Tony Khan may seem impossible, but this ‘new era’ of wrestling has been one of massive changes. When asked for comment from the Wrestling Observer, Khan made clear that he has not spoken with Shane. 

“I’ve never met him or talked to him in my life.”

To be clear, the initial claim about Shane reaching out to AEW made clear that he had reached out to wrestlers and did not specifically mention Khan. McMahon himself has yet to comment on the reports that he has reached out to AEW.

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Shane and Khan have yet to speak to one another. 
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Shane McMahon’s Business Acumen

If Shane does land a role in AEW, it would not have to be as an on-screen talent. During his days with WWE, McMahon held many backstage roles, including as a producer and as part of the promotion’s creative team. McMahon also played a pivotal role in the launch of WWE.com in 1997 and reached the heights of Executive Vice President of Global Media behind the scenes

Related: Kurt Angle is Willing to Wrestle Shane McMahon Again… For the Right Price

Top Wrestler Ruled Out As Roxanne Perez’s Next Challenger

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Roxanne Perez is the current NXT Women’s Champion, ready to take on all challengers. While it’s unclear who she will face next, one big name is ruled out. Although Giulia is on her way to WWE, she won’t make Heatwave after all.

NXT Heatwave will take place on Sunday, July 7, 2024, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, as part of Money in the Bank weekend. Dave Meltzer noted in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, “Regarding Giulia, she is definitely not wrestling Roxanne Perez on the NXT show on 7/7 in Toronto.” 

Sources in Japan, and one in NXT, had denied the story about Giulia at Heatwave from the beginning. The fact is that she is injured and had surgery on her wrist and won’t be ready by that date. 

Giulia’s NXT Arrival and Injury

Perez recently defeated Jordynne Grace to retain her title at Battleground in the UFC Apex. This win has boosted her status and confidence as a heel for the brand. The absence of Giulia at Heatwave is disappointing for some fans, as it was widely expected that the breakout STARDOM wrestler would participate. Giulia, who left to help Rossy Ogawa start his Marigold promotion, was confirmed as an official WWE NXT Superstar at WWE NXT’s Stand & Deliver event. 

Marigold provided an official statement about the situation: “Giulia’s right wrist was injured in yesterday’s inaugural match. Today, her doctor examined her and diagnosed her with a fracture. Unfortunately, she will miss the Hana Kimura show on the 23rd, and upcoming shows for the time being. We apologize and thank you for understanding.” 

There is currently no timescale for her return, but it’s expected to be three to nine weeks at a minimum, potentially longer depending on the severity.

Related: WWE Signing Top Prospect: Giulia Set to Join NXT Brand

Report: Current Plans For Cody Rhodes At WWE SummerSlam 2024

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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will put his title on the line at SummerSlam 2024 against an opponent he is very familiar with, it has been reported. 

Since finishing the story at WrestleMania 40, Rhodes has proven to be a fighting champion, having already retained against AJ Styles twice at Premium Live Events. Rhodes also retained against Logan Paul at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring in a match that didn’t see Paul’s U.S. title on the line. 

Rhodes’ SummerSlam Adversary

WWE’s current plan for SummerSlam 2024 is for Rhodes to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Solo Sikoa, Dave Meltzer reports. It is believed that this will be the main event of the event. 

Rhodes and Sikoa are hardly strangers as it was the American Nightmare who handed Sikoa his televised first loss on WWE’s main roster. Mere days later, Sikoa got his revenge by costing Rhodes in his WrestleMania 39 main event against then-Universal Champion Roman Reigns. 

The two recently crossed paths at WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland, where Rhodes retained against AJ Styles in an I-Quit match. A post-match attack by Sikoa and the Bloodline was cut short by Kevin Owens and Randy Orton, the latter of whom clearly had an interest in Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship. 

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Rhodes is expected to headline WWE SummerSlam 2024
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WWE SummerSlam 2024

SummerSlam 2024 will take place at the Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. News of the event’s location was shared on Logan Paul‘s ImPaulsive podcast and as pointed out at the time, the show will mark the first time that SummerSlam has taken place in Cleveland since 1996. Other WWE events hosted in Cleveland include No Mercy 1999, Survivor Series 2004, Unforgiven 2008, and WWE TLC 2014.

Related: Logan Paul Calls Out LeBron James For Cleveland SummerSlam Showdown

Drew McIntyre’s Reason For ‘Quitting’ WWE Wasn’t Personal

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Drew McIntyre came very close to winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Clash at the Castle, but CM Punk ruined that big moment in Scotland. On the following episode of RAW, McIntyre quit the company, and this was the plan for a while.

After CM Punk caused Drew McIntyre to lose his match against Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship at Clash of the Castle in Scotland, McIntyre had enough. During this week’s episode of WWE Raw, McIntyre declared that he was quitting the company and deactivated his account on X. McIntyre’s loss to Priest was demoralizing, as Punk appeared in a referee shirt during the closing moments, delivering a low blow that halted McIntyre’s momentum and allowed Priest to capitalize.

Dave Meltzer noted in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that The McIntyre angle where he quit the promotion was always planned and not done because he had to go home due to his wife’s health issue. But it worked out that it was very good for him to be home right now.

Drew McIntyre’s Wife

During the kick-off show of the Clash at the Castle event, McIntyre revealed a deeply personal distress. The 39-year-old disclosed to WWE commentator Michael Cole that he couldn’t stop thinking about his wife, Kaitlyn Frohnapfel, who was undergoing emergency surgery at that moment. 

He did not reveal what kind of operation his wife was having, but we are still sending out our best for her speedy recovery.

Reflecting on this, McIntyre was seen drawing a ‘K’ on his wristband before heading to the ring to face off with the Judgment Day leader. WWE also shared a video of him wrapping up his wrist, complete with the ‘K’ on camera. 

We will have to see what is next for Drew McIntyre’s story in WWE. Him quitting certainly seemed to take him out of the danger zone for the Wyatt Sicks massacre that closed out the show. Stay tuned, because this was all a part of the plan. 

Titus O’Neil New Book Available For Pre-Order

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WWE wrestler Titus O’Neil recently announced that his second book Wrestling With Fatherhood – My Championship Journey To My Greatest Title: Dad will be released soon and it is now available for pre-order. 

O’Neil took to his X account and announced that fans can pre-order his second book on Amazon.

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This marks his second book after releasing his first book, There Is No Such Thing as a Bad Kid in 2019. Titus O’Neil has had an illustrious career in college football and later transitioned into a pro wrestler. While he is a former WWE Tag Team Champion and WWE 24/7 Champion, he feels that being a father is his greatest achievement.

In 2015, he was also named the Celebrity Father of the Year. In his new book, O’Neil has shared his successes and failures in parenting his three children and remains hopeful that others can learn from his experiences.

Titus O’Neil became a father for the first time 20 years ago with the birth of his first son, and his second followed a couple of years later. The former WWE Tag Team Champion grew up without his father but he learned how to raise two babies on his own and later adopted a teenage daughter. 

His new book captures his several trials and helps guide the parents in similar situations. Each chapter of his book discusses an important parenting topic along with anecdotes, advice, and commentary from his celebrity friends.

Titus O’Neil hasn’t competed inside the squared circle in almost four years. His last match took place in November 2020 on Monday Night Raw as he challenged then-U.S. Champion Bobby Lashley. Many fans feel he has wrestled his last match for the company. However, O’Neil has snubbed the notion. Read more below: 

Related: “I Don’t Think So” – Titus O’Neil Refutes Idea He is Retired

Titus O’Neil New Book Available For Pre-Order

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0

WWE wrestler Titus O’Neil recently announced that his second book Wrestling With Fatherhood – My Championship Journey To My Greatest Title: Dad will be released soon and it is now available for pre-order. 

O’Neil took to his X account and announced that fans can pre-order his second book on Amazon.

nnn

This marks his second book after releasing his first book, There Is No Such Thing as a Bad Kid in 2019. Titus O’Neil has had an illustrious career in college football and later transitioned into a pro wrestler. While he is a former WWE Tag Team Champion and WWE 24/7 Champion, he feels that being a father is his greatest achievement.

In 2015, he was also named the Celebrity Father of the Year. In his new book, O’Neil has shared his successes and failures in parenting his three children and remains hopeful that others can learn from his experiences.

Titus O’Neil became a father for the first time 20 years ago with the birth of his first son, and his second followed a couple of years later. The former WWE Tag Team Champion grew up without his father but he learned how to raise two babies on his own and later adopted a teenage daughter. 

His new book captures his several trials and helps guide the parents in similar situations. Each chapter of his book discusses an important parenting topic along with anecdotes, advice, and commentary from his celebrity friends.

Titus O’Neil hasn’t competed inside the squared circle in almost four years. His last match took place in November 2020 on Monday Night Raw as he challenged then-U.S. Champion Bobby Lashley. Many fans feel he has wrestled his last match for the company. However, O’Neil has snubbed the notion. Read more below: 

Related: “I Don’t Think So” – Titus O’Neil Refutes Idea He is Retired

Titus O’Neil New Book Available For Pre-Order

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0

WWE wrestler Titus O’Neil recently announced that his second book Wrestling With Fatherhood – My Championship Journey To My Greatest Title: Dad will be released soon and it is now available for pre-order. 

O’Neil took to his X account and announced that fans can pre-order his second book on Amazon.

nnn

This marks his second book after releasing his first book, There Is No Such Thing as a Bad Kid in 2019. Titus O’Neil has had an illustrious career in college football and later transitioned into a pro wrestler. While he is a former WWE Tag Team Champion and WWE 24/7 Champion, he feels that being a father is his greatest achievement.

In 2015, he was also named the Celebrity Father of the Year. In his new book, O’Neil has shared his successes and failures in parenting his three children and remains hopeful that others can learn from his experiences.

Titus O’Neil became a father for the first time 20 years ago with the birth of his first son, and his second followed a couple of years later. The former WWE Tag Team Champion grew up without his father but he learned how to raise two babies on his own and later adopted a teenage daughter. 

His new book captures his several trials and helps guide the parents in similar situations. Each chapter of his book discusses an important parenting topic along with anecdotes, advice, and commentary from his celebrity friends.

Titus O’Neil hasn’t competed inside the squared circle in almost four years. His last match took place in November 2020 on Monday Night Raw as he challenged then-U.S. Champion Bobby Lashley. Many fans feel he has wrestled his last match for the company. However, O’Neil has snubbed the notion. Read more below: 

Related: “I Don’t Think So” – Titus O’Neil Refutes Idea He is Retired

Trevor Lee (f.k.a Cameron Grimes) Makes Drastic Change To His Look

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Former WWE star Cameron Grimes (now known as Trevor Lee) has unveiled his new look and he is looking unrecognizable. 

As he embarks on a new journey following his release from WWE, Trevor Lee decided to get rid of his signature facial hair. Taking to his Instagram Story section, Lee dropped a red alarm light and informed his fans that there was a face reveal coming soon. In the succeeding story, he unveiled his new look. The former NXT North American Champion posted a picture of himself in which he was seen completely shaven. Check out the picture below:

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Trevor Lee was let go from WWE in April and he dropped an emotional clip to announce his departure from the company. He is currently under the 90-day non-compete clause. 

Grimes signed with WWE back in 2019 and had an impressive run in the company’s developmental brand, NXT. He went on to capture the NXT North American title and the Million Dollar title. He received a main roster call-up in May last year. However, he had a disappointing run. In his last match for the company, he faced Bron Breakker in a losing effort. 

Trevor Lee’s upcoming appearances

Lee is set to appear in Black Label Pro promotion for the first time in his career. He will be making his debut for the Indiana-based promotion at BLP Old Habits Die Screaming after Jordan Oliver called him out. The show will take place at the Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago, Illinois on July 26. This will mark his first appearance for any promotion after being released from WWE. The very next night, Trevor Lee will be making an appearance for Elevation Pro Wrestling.

Related: Cameron Grimes Says ‘To The Moon’ Gimmick Made Him Realize His WWE Future Was Bleak

TNA Involvement Sees 6/18 WWE NXT Hit Highest Ratings of 2024

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The involvement of TNA Wrestling proved to be a winner on the June 18, edition of WWE NXT which saw its best ratings of 2024 so far.

The show opened with a battle royal to determine the next challenger for WWE NXT Champion Trick Williams. The match itself had been announced the previous week by WWE Champion Cody Rhodes who had teased that members of other rosters would be part of the line-up. 

The Ratings Are In

With Rhodes’ tease, many fans tuned in expecting to see non-WWE talent and were not disappointed. The match saw TNA Wrestling’s Frankie Kazarian and Joe Hendry compete with Hendry getting one of the loudest pops of the night and a promo. Despite this fanfare, Hendry was the first man eliminated, much to the delight of Kazarian, and the Scottish star shared a tense face-off with Shawn Michaels.

The June 18, edition of WWE NXT earned 724,000 viewers, in a highly-impressive number for the show. The show saw a slight increase from the previous episode with Rhodes which garnered 718,000 viewers. The show did a 0.26 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic, another increase on the previous week and the highest rating of 2024.

It’ll be interesting to see how this compares to the June 19, edition of AEW Dynamite as the two shows were at odds for years. The June 12, edition of Dynamite earned 681,000 viewers, lower than this week and last week’s WWE NXT. Dynamite has also done less than a 0.26 rating for seven of the previous eight episodes.

What’s to Come?

WWE’s collaboration with TNA Wrestling is expected to continue forward, in another sign that this is a much different company than before. The promotion is also set to work with Marigold Wrestling as IYO SKY will compete for the new promotion next month. July will also see AJ Styles compete for Pro Wrestling NOAH  against Naomichi Marufuji. The match will be Styles’ first for NOAH and only further demonstrates that WWE’s new era is willing to ‘play’ with others. 

Related: Tony Khan On WWE-TNA Collab: ‘Wrestling’s Spirit of Cooperation Has Never Been Stronger’

Brie Garcia: ‘I Get Teary-Eyed Watching Women Today, We’ve Come So Far’

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Brie Garcia has been overwhelmed by the treatment of women in wrestling today compared to how women like her were treated relatively not too long ago. 

While treatment of women (especially in WWE) has improved dramatically over the past decade, this only came about after years of mishandling. For a very long time, women’s wrestling in the west was seen as titillation at best and not to be compared to action from their male counterparts. 

Brie Garcia On Women’s Wrestling Today

These days, women’s wrestling can be found headlining events and storylines are far deeper than being centered around stealing another wrestler’s ‘man.’ Sitting down with GamerTag Radio, Garcia, who wrestled for years as Brie Bella, spoke about the changes she’s witnessed. 

“It’s absolutely incredible. It’s what we’ve all fought for for so many eras and generations. When I watch now, especially just like WrestleMania, it gives me goosebumps. It actually makes my eyes water because it’s incredible to see what the women are doing now and the storytelling and the opportunities. It’s what, any woman you would ask in the past, they would want. I love seeing it now. It’s been a long time in the making. I love it. As a fan, sitting back and watching, I get chills thinking about it.”

Part of the success of the revival in women’s wrestling can be attributed to the fact that content is more available than ever before. These days, women have more opportunities than ever before, a fact that Garcia doesn’t take for granted.

“It’s just so fun to watch women’s wrestling. What I like more, there is not just one place we can watch it. There is so much women’s wrestling out there, and that’s what I love. I love that I can watch AEW, I can watch WWE, I can watch Ring of Honor. The list goes on of all the different platforms we have access to watch wrestling.”

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Garcia is a former WWE Divas Champion. 
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Garcia’s final match for WWE saw her compete in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble, a match type that would’ve seen impossible just one decade earlier. While its unclear whether we’ll see one more match from the former WWE Divas Champion, Garcia could not be happier to see women today thrive in the ring. 

Related: Bryan Danielson On Brie Garcia Joining AEW: “If She Wants To Come Do It, It’ll Get Done”

Charlotte Flair Shares Emotional Message to Fans Amid Recovery From Knee Injury

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WWE’s Charlotte Flair is hungry to get back in the ring over six months after a setback in the ring left the Queen on the sidelines. 

The former WWE Women’s Champion has been out of action since December of last after suffering an injury during a match against Asuka. This setback forced Flair to miss several events, including missing this year’s WrestleMania, an event in which Flair typically competes for a championship. 

Charlotte Flair Gives An Update

On Instagram, Flair shared a photo of her intense recovery with a machine strapped to her injured leg. In the caption, the Queen of All Eras spoke about her recovery and her desire to wrestle in front of the WWE Universe again. 

“Today, was my first biodex (isokinetic training) test! I needed to be in the 40 percent or less deficit for strength compared to my non surgical leg…..I had 20 percent or less quad strength and in some of the measurements I was stronger in my surgical leg…I MISS YOU GUYS & can’t wait to lace my boots again!”

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Flair also shared her appreciation to Tara Halaby of LadyTSportsTherapy. Halaby is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Athletic trainer who specializes in sports physical therapy. In addition to Flair, she has been working with WWE NXT’s Nikkita Lyons who is also recovering from an injury. 

What’s Next? 

At the time of her injury, it was said that Flair would need around nine months to recover once she had surgery, which happened in January 2024. This would put Flair’s return window around October 2024. With that said, Charlotte’s father Ric has said she is recovery faster than expected, meaning fans could see her sooner rather than later. 

Related: Charlotte Flair To Star In Indie Horror/Thriller Film ‘You Lose You Die’

NXT Premiere Date On The CW Network Revealed

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NXT is set to arrive on The CW Network in October.

The CW recently announced its fall premiere schedule and revealed that NXT will be making its debut on the network on October 1. It was previously confirmed that the show will continue airing on Tuesday nights in its 8-10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific time slot.

Last year, it was announced that NXT and The CW Network reached a five-year deal. The show has been airing on USA Network since 2019 and it will be shifting to the new channel within a matter of next few months. 

The CW Network President Dennis Miller was thrilled after acquiring the rights to the show. He said that inking such a huge deal implies the value of WWE’s developmental brand and also praised the show’s outstanding ratings. He said:

“We feel really good about having grabbed that before the big folks stepped up and wrote monster checks. It was some validation of the value of the franchise there. The ratings on NXT have continued to grow as we watch them before they come to the network. So, I think on that level, great.”

Friday Night Smackdown and Monday Night Raw are also switching networks in their next deals. The blue brand will start airing on the USA Network starting September 13. NBC secured the US broadcasting rights for the show and agreed to pay $287 million yearly. It will total over $1.4 billion for a five-year deal.

On the other hand, Raw will be shifting from USA Network to Netflix in January 2025. However, it will continue airing on the USA Network until the end of this year. Their current deal will run out in October and for the additional months, USA Network will pay $25 million to WWE ahead of their whopping $500 million, 10-year deal with Netflix. 

Related: Reality Shows & Documentaries Planned For WWE On Netflix Deal

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