Former AEW star and Dark Order member Alan Angels has a new squad in Impact Wrestling.
Alan is now a part of Eric Young’s Violent By Design faction in Impact Wrestling. Angels helped Eric and Deaner beatdown Sami Callihan on tonight’s episode of Impact.
Angels took to Twitter after the segment and said that he loved violence after joining the faction.
Alan Angels contract with All Elite Wrestling expired at the end of June earlier this year and he exited the promotion. Speaking with Fightful, Angels reveals that he was told be AEW that they were not going to offer him a full-time deal and wanted to pay the 24-year-old per appearance.
“My contract, I was told about a month and a half ago, that they are not going to re-sign me. They did offer me a per-appearance, which I decided not to take, just solely based off what I thought was best for me. I feel there is more room to grow outside of AEW, right now, at this point in my career. It’s nothing against AEW or Tony Khan or any of the higher-ups in the business. It’s a personal thing.
“I feel, me going on the Indies and showing people what I can really do and showing people that I am a good fucking wrestler, I feel that will raise my stock — not saying it’s impossible to do that in AEW, but I guess the perception, how fans perceive Alan Angels, is, I’m the bottom guy in Dark Order and I feel I can change that outside of AEW. It’s possible in AEW, but I feel it would take longer.
On top of that, I never got to have a great Indie career. I was on the Indies for three years, got lucky, and got scooped up. As a wrestling fan, being an Indie wrestler and doing cool ass Indie shows, that’s a thing I want to do. There are plenty of places to make money in pro wrestling right now. That’s not to say that I won’t be back in AEW, maybe I will, I don’t know, but that’s pretty much it. They offered me something, I felt it was better for me not to. That’s all it was.”
Ring of Honor Champion Chris Jericho has made it his mission to destroy the legacy of the promotion since winning the title.
Jericho captured the ROH Championship from Claudio Castagnoli at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Since becoming the champion, Jericho has defeated Bandido, Bryan Danielson, Dalton Castle and Colt Cabana. He’s also attacked ROH commentator Ian Riccoboni and ring announcer Bobby Cruise.
Chris Jericho had an eventful night last night on AEW Dynamite. In addition to defending the ROH Championship, The Wizard also called out Baltimore Ravens QB Lamer Jackson while he was seated in the front row. The former NFL MVP has since responded.
Jericho issued an Open Challenge last night on AEW Dynamite to “any former ROH Champion”. Former ROH Tag Team Champion Colt Cabana answered the call. Colt Cabana and his former friend, now seemingly mortal enemy CM Punk captured the ROH Tag Team Championships in 2004.
The Second City Saints;Colt Cabana and C.M.Punk,celebrate winning the ROH Tag Team Championship.April 24,2004,Chicago Ridge,https://t.co/2xwlJdVJsl always,Punk is the life of the party.? pic.twitter.com/rzYoSUyddc
— Rasslin' History 101 (@WrestlingIsKing) June 5, 2018
Cabana got a big pop from the crowd in Baltimore and “welcome back!” chants echoed throughout the arena. The 42-year-old took to Twitter today to react to his return to All Elite Wrestling.
I returned to national tv last night on @AEW. I love wrestling!
One of the main factors in the CM Punk and The Elite saga was the disappearance of Colt Cabana from the Dark Order and AEW TV. Cabana rarely did anything besides stand with the Dark Order on TV but his absence all of the sudden was bizarre.
Colt’s return coincided with AEW wrapping up their investigation into AEW Brawl Out (the brawl during the media scrum). It is hard not to look at it as a shot at CM Punk and confirmation that Cabana was taken off of television at the request of the former two-time AEW World Champion.
Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer & Bryan Alvarez noted the timing of Colt’s appearance on last night’s edition of Dynamite and said that it all but confirms the reports of Punk not wanting Colt in AEW.
AEW star Shawn Spears recently joined Renee Paquette for an episode of The Sessions podcast.
Renee recently joined All Elite Wrestling as an interviewer. She formerly worked in WWE as Renee Young as an interviewer and a brief stint on the RAW commentary team. Spears performed in WWE under the name Tye Dillinger until he asked for his release from the company in February 2019. He signed with AEW a few months later in June.
During the interview with Renee, Shawn talked about former WWE Superstar Tyler Breeze and if he will return to wrestling again. The Chairman said that Breeze has claimed that his in-ring career is over.
He still works out, he’s still in shape. There will be times we’ll hop in the ring and have 20, 25 minutes.
We just did that a couple of weeks ago with the Gunns, just at the school to get some cardio in. He can still go, he still does everything.
But I say to him, ‘Hey man, getting ready for a second run?’ He goes ‘Nah, [I’m] retired.’ So I don’t know. That’s the true answer. But I see the excitement sometimes when he hops in.
The 41-year-old added that he hopes that his training partner isn’t done for good and that Breeze will return to the squared circle someday soon.
He’s done very well for himself, he’s a very smart guy.
But I think it still creeps in every now and then, and I only know that because of how passionate he is when he teaches too.
So if he didn’t care, he’d be a little more relaxed. It’s just a matter of timing, or the right opportunity to present itself.
I hope that he’s not done, because he still has a lot to offer. Just an incredible coach, good human being, and a benefit to this industry.
Spears recently returned to AEW on Rampage in Toronto three weeks ago. He teamed with FTR to defeat The Embassy. After the match, Shawn announced that he hasn’t been around lately due to his mother passing away.
Chris Jericho issued an Open Challenge last night to any former ROH Champion and former ROH Tag Team Champion Colt Cabana answered the call.
Colt Cabana was ROH Tag Team Champions with former AEW World Champion CM Punk back in the day. Cabana put up a solid fight but in the end Jericho picked up the victory with the Codebreaker.
After the match, Jericho Appreciation Society attacked ROH announcer Ian Riccaboni but Blackpool Combat Club. JAS and BCC brawled on the entrance ramp to continue their never-ending rivalry until AEW security broke it up.
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Reacts to Chris Jericho Calling Him Out on Dynamite
Before the ROH Championship match, Jericho cut a promo and said he’d even kick Lamar Jackson’s ass tonight. Last night’s Dynamite episode was in the Chesapeake Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore Ravens star quarterback was seated in the front row for the show and Jericho called him out. Lamar got a kick out of it and reacted on social media.
At a Ravens press conference earlier today, Lamar revealed that he didn’t hear what Jericho said at first but laughed after they told him. The former NFL MVP added that Jericho is “crazy” and that he enjoyed it because he was a huge wrestling fan growing up.
I got called out. I wasn’t thinking he was going to call me out. You know, Chris Jericho called me out. I didn’t really hear what he said at first and then they told me. I’m like ‘this man is crazy’. I enjoyed it though because growing up I was a huge fan of wrestling.
WWE Crown Jewel takes place this Saturday from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This will be the 4th Crown Jewel event for the company; it originated in 2018.
SEScoops correspondents Andrew Ravens, Thomas Lowson and Robert Lentini have assembled to provide our official WWE Crown Jewel predictions.
WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul
Thomas Lowson: Arguably the easiest match to predict, and that’s not knocking Paul who has proven to be impressive since arriving in WWE. But it’s of course going to be Roman Reigns winning. Maybe a story of Paul has him on the ropes, and has earned a modicum of respect from the Tribal Chief. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Robert Lentini: Roman Reigns is closing in on a ridiculous 800 days as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion and he sure as hell isn’t losing the title to Logan Paul. The 27-year-old has been impressive in his two matches thus far in the company but he’s not the superstar to dethrone the Tribal Chief. Logan will get in his one lucky shot for a near fall and may even kick out of a Superman Punch. However, the Head of the Table will be too much for Logan and Roman’s incredible reign will continue after Crown Jewel. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Andrew Ravens: There’s no way that Paul is winning this match, but the way that WWE has built him up with the whole ‘I just need one lucky shot’ was a good attempt at it. Reigns should beat him in a short match because Reigns, WWE’s biggest star, should be able to beat Paul, who has only worked a handful of matches, in no time. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Consensus: Roman Reigns
Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (Steel Cage Match)
Thomas Lowson: McIntyre has been on the serious back-foot in this feud, and really has been since losing at Clash at the Castle. With WWE eager to please the Saudi crowd, Expect McIntyre to get the win in Riyadh. Kross has firmly established himself back in WWE, now it’s time for Drew to get a win. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Robert Lentini: Drew McIntyre and Karrion Kross battled in a Strap match at Extreme Rules. Kross escaped with the victory after Scarlett interfered. Drew attacked Karrion in the parking lot on SmackDown and cost Kross a spot in a Fatal 4-Way match to determine the #1 contender for the IC Title. I’m not quite sure if the Karrion Kross experiment is working on SmackDown but I don’t think it is time to hand him a loss. McIntyre deserves a big win as well but I think it will have to come at another date. (Prediction: Karrion Kross)
Andrew Ravens: With Kross already beating McIntyre and the cage supposedly keeping Scarlett from interfering, Kross should take a loss with McIntyre getting the win. They’ve done a nice job of building up this feud, but I think it’s time to move on with the babyface getting his revenge. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Consensus: Split
WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The Brawling Brutes
Thomas Lowson: This is far more tricky than you’d first think. On the one hand there’s the Usos, who have continued to dominate, and from an initial glance, this should just be another walk in the park. After all, the Brawling Brutes have hardly had their number. But with the story of Jey Uso getting so much attention, I’m going to predict the long-awaited title change. It’ll get the belts off the Usos, continue the divide in the Bloodline and the Brutes deserve a big win. (Prediction: The Brawling Brutes)
Robert Lentini: The Brawling Brutes (Butch & Ridge Holland) are out for revenge after The Bloodline brutally attacked Sheamus on a recent episode of SmackDown. I just think Jimmy and Jey will get back to their “Ucey” ways at Crown Jewel and retain the titles. If not, the internal friction between Bloodline members will only get worse. (Prediction: The Usos)
Andrew Ravens: Although this has the potential to be the best match of the show, I don’t see a title change happening. Until Reigns gets closer to dropping the Undisputed WWE Universal Title, The Usos will remain champions. (Prediction: The Usos)
Consensus: Split
WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Bayley
Thomas Lowson: Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’m starting to grow tired of Belair on top. Perhaps it’s the old adage that the face challenger chasing the title is better than the face champion. Personally, I’m rooting for Bayley in this, but I doubt it’ll happen. Especially with the Last Woman Standing match. Wait until a triple threat (likely Belair, Bayley and Nikki Cross) for the title change, meaning Belair doesn’t take the pin. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Robert Lentini: Bianca Belair successfully defended the title against Bayley in a Ladder match last month at WWE Extreme Rules. Their rivalry has been going on for some time now and a Last Woman Standing match is the perfect stipulation to settle it. The Role Model will defeat Belair this time around and potentially set up a feud with a returning Becky Lynch. Damage CTRL’s attack on Becky is the storyline reason she has missed time while recovering from a shoulder injury. (Prediction: Bayley)
Andrew Ravens: This should be fun, but unless there is outside interference, I don’t see a title change happening on this show. Belair already beat Bayley, and this looks to be the blowoff match of the feud. Belair should retain. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Consensus: Split
Braun Strowman vs. Omos
Thomas Lowson: Little interest in this one to be honest. Both men are big and can do big moves. After seeing them repeatedly trade blows though, I’m curious as to how Crown Jewel will be different. (Prediction: Braun Strowman)
Robert Lentini: Omos and Braun Strowman have both been dominant as of late, seemingly defeating multiple enhancement talents on a weekly basis. They will battle at Crown Jewel to determine who the real giant is in the company. WWE seems to be rebooting their push for Omos, so I think the Nigerian Giant will get the victory with some outside interference from MVP. (Prediction: Omos)
Andrew Ravens: I think Braun should go over here because I don’t see what WWE officials do in Omos aside from the guy being really tall. Braun is a better promo and wrestler with the plus of being used as a title contender. Keep it short and to the point, and let’s move on. (Prediction: Braun Strowman)
Consensus: Split
The O.C. vs. The Judgment Day
Thomas Lowson: Perhaps the match I’m most interested in. Plenty has been said about Karl Anderson’s status for the show, but from all accounts, it looks like he’s locked in for Crown Jewel. I imagine Rhea Ripley will again try and be the difference maker, and WWE have certainly been making it clear that while she’s around, the Judgment Day have the advantage. I wouldn’t be too surprised if we see a female Superstar align with the O.C. (possibly Raquel Rodriguez going by recent Live events.) (Prediction: The O.C.)
Robert Lentini: The Judgment Day tried to recruit AJ Styles to the group and attacked him when he declined. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson made their triumphant return to the company and reunited The OC to battle The Judgment Day. Rhea Ripley has been the x-factor in this feud and has gotten the better of Gallows on back-to-back episodes of RAW. The OC are trying to find an equalizer to combat Rhea Ripley and it will be interesting to see who that is. The OC defeat Judgment Day and a mystery superstar prevents Rhea from interfering at Crown Jewel. (Prediction: The O.C.)
Andrew Ravens: As much as I would like to see WWE keep Judgment Day strong, I don’t see WWE beating Anderson and Gallows so early on in their return to the company, especially with a renewed push for Styles. The babyfaces go over, although I can see Judgment Day getting their revenge after the match. (Prediction: The O.C)
Consensus: The O.C.
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Thomas Lowson: The long-awaited sequel to their match from Royal Rumble 2022, and what I believe could be the match of the night. Will it be long? No. Physical? Yes! What’s made this feud so great is that unlike before, it isn’t rushed, and is free from distractions. No MVP. No Heyman. No Roman Reigns looming over it. This is simply Brock and Bobby. Personally, I’m predicting a Lesnar win, and the door to be open for a rubber match. WrestleMania Fight Pit anyone? (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Robert Lentini: Bobby Lashley defeated Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble in January but that was because Roman Reigns interfered in the match. Lesnar cost Lashley his United States Championship by attacking The All Mighty before his title defense against Seth Rollins. I predict that this will be pure carnage for about five minutes and The Beast Brock Lesnar will emerge from the wreckage victorious. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Andrew Ravens: I see Lesnar going over here as he is coming off a loss to Roman Reigns at SummerSlam, and Lashley beat him in their first match at Elimination Chamber earlier this year. This should be a highlight-reel type of match, and they should do a third match at WrestleMania 39. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar)
Consensus: Brock Lesnar
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Asuka vs. Damage CTRL
Thomas Lowson: Another easy prediction. Bliss and Asuka have just won the titles, with this being Bliss’ first major title win since 2020, and Asuka’s first since 2021. While typically, a faction in multiple matches will win one and lose one, I doubt it this time. Sorry Damage CTRL. It will be a rough night in Riyadh. (Prediction: Alexa Bliss and Asuka)
Robert Lentini: Damage CTRL dropped the titles to Asuka and Alexa Bliss this past Monday on RAW. Bliss and Asuka should win on Saturday again. It doesn’t make sense to play hot potato with the Women’s Tag Team Championships and give them right back to Kai & Sky. (Prediction: Alexa Bliss and Asuka)
Andrew Ravens: WWE just added this because they need another match on the card, and in storyline, it makes sense as the champions do need a rematch as they lost the titles on Monday’s Raw. It wouldn’t make much sense to see WWE do another title change, but we’ve seen crazier things in WWE. (Prediction: Alexa Bliss and Asuka)
WWE Superstar Butch was once a huge part of Triple H’s NXT UK brand, but the pair’s first meeting left a lot to be desired.
Butch joined WWE as Pete Dunne in 2017 as part of the United Kingdom Championship tournament
Despite losing to Tyler Bate in the finals, Butch would win the title in May 2017, and would hold the title for 685 days.
First Meetings
Like its American counterpart, NXT UK saw a lot of involvement by Triple H, who was a key part of the brand being formed in 2017.
Speaking on the latest episode of Out of Character, Butch recalled doing a dark match before signing with WWE and how he had to fight hard (literally) to get the Game’s attention.
“I definitely met him very, very briefly. Me and Tyler [Bate] did a dark match before the show to test the cameras in Glasgow where we had our tryout. Regal picked us up to go and wrestle. I remember he was on his phone or whatever.
“We’re in there and we were just taking it as a job interview, right? So we were out there just putting our best foot forward, putting on the best match we possibly could. Then I remember halfway through, he puts his phone down and just starts watching. I remember him standing there and watching the whole thing.”
Speaking to The Game
While Butch was focused on the match, the idea of speaking for the first time with Triple H was an opportunity he realized he would not be getting again soon.
In the interview, Butch said that despite Triple H’s involvement in NXT UK, he didn’t speak much with the Hall of Famer.
“He was actually talking to Chris Jericho. We stood by the rail, really awkwardly. We thought ‘We’ve got to get five minutes with him if we can.’ Then eventually, Jericho turned around and asked us if we’re okay, what we needed. We said, ‘Oh, we just wanted to make sure everything you saw was okay. If there’s anything we could do differently to improve and get your thoughts.’ Triple H basically just said ‘No, that was great.'”
While the interaction between Butch and Triple H was short, Jericho was far more open.
“Jericho said, ‘Just give me five minutes I’ll come talk to you.’ We had a good chat with him and he had some really kind words to say and stuff. That was the only brief encounter I had with Triple H.”
After working in NXT UK, Butch was moved to NXT, where he held the NXT Tag Team Titles.
Upon arriving on SmackDown earlier this year, the Brit was given the Butch name, and he and Ridge Holland will challenge for Undisputed WWE Tag Champions The Usos at Crown Jewel.
On this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Colt Cabana made his return to take on Chris Jericho for the Ring Of Honor (ROH) World Championship. He came up just short, losing to Jericho after a Code Breaker.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider offered an update on the situation. Johnson reports that Cabana’s Dynamite appearance was planned as a one-off event, and he’s still a part of the Ring Of Honor roster.
Cabana’s return was not about him returning to the AEW roster, but rather about Jericho simply knocking off another Ring Of Honor name.
Colt Cabana (Photo: AEW)
Some speculated that Cabana’s return was framed to be a shot at CM Punk amidst Punk’s current issues with AEW, and expected departure from the promotion. If it was, Johnson doesn’t expect anyone to admit it.
However, WrestleVotes did offer up a report on the situation, noting that Cabana’s appearance on Dynamite did not go unnoticed by WWE. The report could be indicating that WWE could swoop in and scoop up Punk for a return should things between him and AEW ultimately come to a close.
Colt Cabana showing up on Dynamite last night didn’t go unnoticed in Stamford. That’s all I’ll say on that right now…
We now have some idea of what WWE had planned for Randy Orton upon his return from injury.
Orton has been out-of-action for the past several months since he and Matt Riddle’s RAW Tag Team Title reign ended. However, initially Orton wasn’t expected to be sidelined as long as he has.
According to a report from WrestleVotes, the initial plan for Orton was to return and immediately turn on Riddle, sparking a feud between the pair.
Of course, those plans were initiated back in May, when Vince McMahon was still the frontman of WWE. Since, McMahon has retired and Triple H has assumed creative responsibilities.
There’s a possibility that Triple H could decide to go in a different direction. As for Riddle, WrestleVotes speculated that WWE might not have anything for Riddle at the moment because Orton isn’t back.
(via WWE)
Shortly after concluding his feud with Seth Rollins, Riddle has been working with Elias on RAW, teaming up against Alpha Academy on Monday Night RAW.
It will be interesting to see what WWE decides to do with both Randy Orton and Riddle should he eventually return. There’s said to be a bit of worry about Orton’s injury and its severity given how long he’s been away.
WWE is expected to be making regular cuts to NXT moving forward.
Earlier this week, WWE released names such as Bodhi Hayward, Sloane Jacobs, Erica Yan, Damaris Griffin, and Ru Feng from their developmental brand.
This isn’t something completely new, as regularly releasing talent is something that has been going on since Vince McMahon was still running operations.
However, under the Triple H regime, that practice will continue. Wrestling Observer Radio‘s Dave Meltzer shared a report on the situation recently.
WWE is planning on continuing to release NXT talent regularly if they feel they are not progressing the way the company wants.
Talent can expect to be let go anywhere from the six-month to one-year mark if progression expectations are not being met. Also, anyone who isn’t put on TV after two years can also expect to be let go.
Of course, Bodhi Hayward’s situation, in particular, was a bit different. Subsequent reports have since suggested that Hayward was actually a handful to deal with, which added to the company’s decision to let him go in the end.
While WWE will continue its efforts to search the globe for more potential stars, it seems they also have set a hard rule on how long they’re waiting to sit on a talent’s potential before cutting ties.
In a conversation of great years in professional wrestling history, 1992 has a tendency to go overlooked. The Golden Era in WWE was tapering off and business was slipping downward. Meanwhile, WCW went through its share of transitions, including Bill Watts taking over creative and instituting unpopular rules like making moves off the top rope illegal. Neither major promotion would really find its way the way they did again around 1996-1997 as the Monday Night War took off.
However, 1992 also featured a deceptive number of highlights and important shifts that set up the future of the business, making it arguably the greatest year in wrestling history, at least for the mainstream product in the US
1992 Had The Best Versions Of Important Matches
January 1992 saw the greatest Royal Rumble match of all time. Ric Flair put on the first iron man performance that culminated in a victory as he entered at number three and lasted an hour against a full catalog of WWE Superstars, including the Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, The Undertaker, Sid Justice, and Roddy Piper as legitimate contenders and a laundry list of iconic names in the supporting cast like Jake Roberts, Jim Duggan, The Big Boss Man, and The Texas Tornado to name a few. The match culminated in an electric finish with Hogan and Justice falling out—handing Flair the win and setting each other up as WrestleMania opponents. Speaking of WrestleMania, the event itself would feature arguably the best WWE Championship match in event history up to that point, with Flair defending against Savage.
On the WCW side of the equation, 1992 was host to the greatest War Games match of all time as the babyface Sting’s Squadron not only won an epic battle, but effectively ended The Dangerous Alliance, a great faction that crumbled by degrees after their defeat. This match featured a perfect blend of current top stars like Sting, Ricky Steamboat, and Rick Rude, alongside up and coming top talent like Steve Austin and Dustin Rhodes, with a fine mix of highly skilled and over role players like Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko, Nikita Koloff, and Barry Windham rounding things out.
WWE SummerSlam drew a full stadium crowd in England for an event highlighted by arguably the best main event in the show’s history: Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog for the Intercontinental Championship. This would prove to the be the first of many one-on-one PPV headliners for The Hitman as he rose up the ranks.
1992 Saw Major Stars Defined
1992 saw the evolution of Bret Hart. He started the year as Intercontinental Champion, stole the show beating Roddy Piper at WrestleMania 8, and went on to main event SummerSlam and Survivor Series alike. In between those events, he won his very first world championship, cementing him as a top guy.
January 1992 also saw Shawn Michaels famously superkick Marty Jannetty and throw him through the window of Brutus Beefcake’s Barbershop interview set. More than a simple heel turn or tag team split, this was the launch of one of the most important singles stars of the decade to follow.
Early 1992 was a critical point for The Undertaker as well. After a highly successful first year in WWE as a monster heel, there was a real risk of the character running its course. A babyface turn offered longevity and the rise of an unlikely favorite among the fan base. He’d defeat Jake Roberts at WrestleMania, and though he wouldn’t get back to the world title picture for some time, this run set him up to become an iconic character who spanned decades, as opposed to a monster with a couple-year shelf life.
On the WCW side of things, 1992 was the year when Ron Simmons realized his potential at the greatest level, becoming the first universally recognized black world champion after he defeated Big Van Vader.
1992 Was a Great Year For In Ring Performance
One of the biggest arguments in favor of 1992 comes down to in-ring quality. The world title picture in WWE tells its own story as the first year since 1983 when Hulk Hogan didn’t get his hands on the WWE Championship at all. In his place were a trio of all-time-great workers: Ric Flair, Randy Savage, and Bret Hart holding down the fort and elevating the quality of main event matches to a significant degree.
In WCW, Sting quite arguably reached his peak as an in-ring worker—an incredibly athletic and dynamic powerhouse who took well to being the franchise player. Meanwhile, Vader rose up not just an intimidating monster heel, but rare one who could work at an extremely high level. Add in Ricky Steamboat, Rick Rude, and Steve Austin all performing at the highest level and the company was quietly thriving when it came to big matches.
1992 may never get the full credit it deserves, but it was a historically important year, full of great wrestling as the business evolved and prepared for its next boom period. In addition the great signature matches, rise of top stars, and quality of performance on the whole, it was also the first year WWE staged a ladder match and the year WCW innovated Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal, all pointing the way toward even bigger things to come.
Bodhi Hayward was well-liked by fans and in the middle of a popular storyline, but that wasn’t enough to keep his job with WWE NXT.
Hayward was one of five Superstars released from the developmental brand this week, alongside Sloane Jacobs, Erica Yan, Ru Feng, and Damaris Griffin.
It has been reported that unlike previous years of ‘budget cuts,’ the releases this week were down to WWE not seeing enough improvement.
Trouble Backstage
Hayward’s release was the most surprising of the five, given that he was part of the Chase U stable at the time.
It was reported not long after that Hayward’s release was down to issues WWE had with him and not due to a lack of improvement.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer shared more details about Hayward’s backstage issues.
With Bodhi Hayward, it was more than that [not showing enough progress.] They didn’t like the work ethic. They didn’t like that he was late to shows and didn’t show up to shows. The primary reason for everyone [else] was lack of progression. But for him it was a little bit more than that. It had to be enough to overcome the fact that he was actually in a storyline that was a long-term storyline, and that the crowd liked him.
Speaking about future prospects for Hayward, Meltzer said that there are options for the former NXT Superstar.
“He does have friends. He might be able to get hooked up some place. He has a good look. He’s got that going for him. People naturally liked him. So it took a lot for him to get cut. He would be the kind of guy they would want to keep. He did get injured, which didn’t help.”
What’s Next?
After his release, Hayward shared a video saying that he is “hurt” and “embarrassed” to be release.
Speaking about the video, Meltzer acknowledged that there is a big difference between promising big things and delivering.
“There are so many guys when they get cut from WWE, they do the big speech. ‘I’m going to come back and this and that.’ And there are guys who do. But seven or eight out of ten, you never hear from them again. They don’t do indies. Remember Dan Matha? ‘Oh yeah you’ll be seeing me! You’ll be seeing me!’ I never saw him again.”
While not confirmed, it is believed Hayward is dealing with a 30-day non compete clause, as is customary for releases from NXT.
WWE Crown Jewel comes at us this Saturday, live from Saudi Arabia. Despite recent warnings of violence and an “imminent attack” in the nation, WWE has pressed on with running the show. Several members of the WWE crew are already overseas getting ready for the event.
Here are the betting odds for WWE Crown Jewel, courtesy of Bet Online:
Roman Reigns (-5000) is heavily favored to retain his WWE Undisputed Universal Championship over Logan Paul (+1000).
Bianca Belair is a slight favorite (-160) to retain the WWE Raw Women’s Championship against Bayley (+120).
The Usos (-4000) are heavily favored to retain their WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championships against The Brawling Brutes (+900).
Asuka and Alexa Bliss (-200) are favorites to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships over Damage CTRL (+150).
Brock Lesnar (-450) is a clear favorite over Bobby Lashley (+275).
Drew McIntyre is a slight favorite (-140) in his steel cage match against Karrion Kross (+100).
Braun Strowman is a heavy favorite (-700) to defeat Omos (+400).
The O.C. (-400) is favored to defeat The Judgment Day (+250).
Keep it locked to SEScoops this weekend, as we’ll be covering WWE Crown Jewel from all angles, including results and news coming out of the event.
Becky Lynch is crossing over to the universe of Young Rock, the hit show about the life of pro wrestler turned Hollywood megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Friday night’s Season 3 premiere, titled The People Need you, takes place in 1985 during the lead-up to the first WrestleMania event. Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, Vince McMahon, Lou Albano, Liberace ans Cyndi Lauper will also be depicted.
The episode synopsis reads, “After losing the election, Dwayne Johnson is ready to withdraw from politics. In 1985, Rocky Johnson learns there’s consequences to crossing Vince McMahon.”
On Thursday morning, Dwayne Johnson provided a ‘first look’ at Becky Lynch as Cyndi Lauper on Young Rock.
The Rock says he was present for Becky’s audition for the role, and “We were all very impressed at her high level commitment as an actor to become Cyndi Lauper.”
Becky Lynch is one of the most popular Superstars in WWE. This appearance on Young Rock is not her first time testing the waters in Hollywood. She’s already appeared on a 2020 episode of the show Billions as well as the 2021 Paramount+ movie, Rumble.
The Man has been off WWE television sinceSummerSlam, when she suffered a separated shoulder during her match against Bianca Belair. Lynch was written out of storylines the next night on Raw due to a vicious attack from Damage CTRL.
Young Rock returns this Friday 8:30 PM EST on NBC.
At the time, it was reported that Bray’s high-dollar contract and creative differences with then-CEO Vince McMahon led to the decision.
The White Rabbit
During the recent 2022 Q3 earnings call, WWE Head of Creative and Talent Relations spoke about Wyatt’s return.
The Game explained that ‘The White Rabbit Project’ was an incredibly effective tool in generating hype, as fans tried to decipher the use of the Jefferson Airplane song at Live events.
Triple H added that interest in the White Rabbit only grew with the introduction of QR codes, and said that these drove up the viewership of the 9pm hour of the September 23, 2022, SmackDown by 20%.
That episode was the most-watched episode of SmackDown since March of 2020.
Best for Business
After weeks of teases, the White Rabbit would be revealed to be Wyatt who earned a thunderous response from the live crowd.
Triple H explained how Bray, who he called “one of our biggest Superstars” has been a provable draw, going by their metrics (via NoDQ.com.)
“Bray Wyatt’s return at Extreme Rules resulted in a 30% increase in total viewership and became the most-watched Extreme Rules in history. Monday Night Raw just two nights later also benefitted increasing our audience to nearly 2 million, an increase of 14% week over week.”
Wyatt’s return to WWE has come with a ton of merchandise, which has been selling well so far.
On the call, Triple H explained that when Bray returned, his first shirt back became the top-selling item – not just among WWE merchandise – but across Fanatics’ entire network of e-commerce sites.
More merchandise is expected following the debut of the Uncle Howdy character on last week’s SmackDown.
The action didn’t end when this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite went off the air.
Last night’s episode aired from the Chesapeake Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, and saw Tony Khan’s promotion continue on the road to Full Gear.
The show is most notable for the debut of WWE Hall of Famer ‘Double J’ Jeff Jarrett, who has signed as the promotion’s Director of Business Development.
Joe and Wardlow
In the main event of the show, ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe put his title on the line against Brian Cage.
In an unsurprisingly physical match, Joe got the win via submission, but he was attacked by the Gates of Agony and other members of The Embassy.
The show ended with TNT Champion Wardlow running the group off, before being attacked by Powerhouse Hobbs, who ended AEW Dynamite by raising the title in the air.
According to several fan reports, Powerhouse Hobbs went backstage while the referee checked on Wardlow after the show.
Samoa Joe got back into the ring and shook hands with Wardlow, and the two champions raised hands before leaving.
Matt Hardy
After Wardlow and Joe left, Tony Khan came out and introduced Matt Hardy, but the pair were interrupted by Stokely Hathaway and The Firm.
Hathaway told Khan to go to the bank because he owns the contracts for Private Party and Matt, who he called “Matthew Hardy.”
Ethan Page told Hardy that he isn’t going to help him, and touted himself as a future AEW World Champion.
While Page and W. Morrisey’s backs were turned, Hardy hit Hathaway with a Twist Of Fate to send the crowd home happy.
WWE has big plans to launch NXT Europe next year, but the promotion will soon be traveling to Africa to recruit talent.
This week, WWE had its 2022 Q3 earnings call with investors, in which co-CEO Nick Khan confirmed a talent search starting next week.
Khan confirmed that the search will begin in Nigeria, but it is unclear whether the search will travel to other parts of the continent.
WWE had initially planned a two-day tryout back in 2020, but those plans were canceled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Broadcast Deal
WWE isn’t just searching for their next Superstars in Africa, but have also reached a deal regarding their content.
In a statement, WWE announced that the streaming service Showmax will become the new home of the WWE Network in sub-Saharan Africa.
Matt Drew, WWE Senior VP of International, was optimistic about plans for the new deal.
“Adding WWE to the Showmax platform is an exciting development that we know our entertainment and sport-loving African subscribers are going to enjoy, making WWE even more accessible and affordable.”
WWE and Africa
WWE has never hosted a Premium Live Event in the continent of Africa but has hosted several African-born Superstars.
Arguably the most successful of these stars is Kofi Kingston of Ghana, who has become a WWE Champion, Grand Slam Champion, and one of WWE’s longest-tenuring stars.
The colossal Omos also comes from Africa, having been born in Lagos, Nigeria, and is a former Raw Tag Team Champion.
In 2008, Justin Gabriel signed with the promotion, becoming the first South African wrestler under control, and would become FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion in September 2009.
Called up the following year, Gabriel would become a three-time WWE Tag Team Champion before he quit the company in January 2015, one day before being scheduled to appear at the Royal Rumble.
Could Vince McMahon return to WWE now that the investigation into him is over? Don’t bet on it.
In June, it was reported that McMahon had paid a total $12 million in NDA pay outs to female employees who it is alleged he had extramarital affairs with.
After an investigation into the matter was set up, McMahon retired from all roles with WWE in July with his role as Chair of the company going to Stephanie McMahon.
As part of the filing, it was said that “Mr. McMahon can effectively exercise control over our affairs,” leaving some to speculate on a return.
That isn’t the case, as a spokesperson from WWE who spoke to Fightful Select said that McMahon is “done, done” with the promotion.
Another WWE higher-up said that the morale in WWE post-McMahon has been the highest they’ve seen it in over a decade that they’ve been around.
Another longtime WWE employee said that rehiring the former Chairman would be a major step backward, and that the company’s success since his retirement proves it.
Still Paying
McMahon is alleged to have paid a total $12 million across 16 years to women it is reported he slept with to keep hush-hush about what happened.
In their statement on the matter, WWE disclosed that the investigation into the allegations totaled an estimated $19.4 million.
McMahon, who has a net worth of $2.7 billion, has agreed to pay the costs of the investigation.
Chris Jericho is the Ring of Honor Champion and has made it his mission to destroy the legacy of the promotion. Jericho challenged any former Ring of Honor to face him tonight on Dynamite and his Open Challenge was answered by Colt Cabana.
Colt got a big pop from the crowd in Baltimore and put up a good fight against The Wizard. In the end, Jericho connected with a Codebreaker to retain the title.
After the match, Jericho tried to attack ROH announcer Ian Riccaboni but Claudio Castagnoli broke it up. Jericho Appreciation Society and Blackpool Combat Club battled on the stage until security broke it up.
After victories at @ringofhonor Supercard of Honor & Death Before Dishonor, Cabana is looking pick up the biggest win of his career with a victory over #TheOcho, #ROH World Champion @IAmJericho!
Bobby Fish had a bizarre run in All Elite Wrestling that came to an end earlier this year. The Undisputed Era wasn’t meant to be in AEW but Bobby has since found a new home in Impact Wrestling. Fish took to Twitter to post Colt Cabana’s entrance said it was great to see Chicago’s own Colt Cabana.
Great to see this on my TV Tonight. Chicago’s own, @ColtCabana . One of the good ones!
Former two-time AEW World Champion and Chicago’s own CM Punk and Bobby Fish had a match on Dynamite in October last year. Speaking with Steve Fall on NBC Ten Count following his exit from All Elite Wrestling, Fish had some strong words for CM Punk.
“Phil is not a bad pro-wrestling, but what Phil is not is a martial artist,” said Fish. “I’ve been doing martial arts since I was eight years old so I take a lot of pride in it… You are insulting the audience’s intelligence. It’s honestly insulting for you as one of my co-workers. As a martial artist you’re asking me to go out and sell, put over your bunk-ass martial arts. It’s insulting to the audience. It’s insulting to me. At the same time, I’m working for AEW. They’re the ones paying my check. You asked me to go out and put my shoulders down for Phil Brooks. I go out and I do it.”
AEW commentator and wrestling legend Jim Ross recently revealed on his Grillin JR podcast that Bret Hart didn’t speak to him for years following Survivor Series in Montreal.
The famous Montreal Screwjob match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels went down at Survivor Series 1997. Jim Ross stated that The Hitman hated him after Screwjob took place.
“We went for years [and] never spoke because he didn’t believe I was not a party to it. The truth was, I was not a party to it. The truth was, I didn’t even know the f***ing finish.”
JR added that he and Jerry Lawler were “whisked away by security” during the chaos as Earl Hebner signaled for the timekeeper to ring the bell for a submission while The Hitman was in the Sharpshooter.
Ross said that he was upset after the show because he didn’t think it could “go to that extreme”. The 70-year-old referred to the championship as “a prom, a goddamn prop… stage attire-type thing. It’s a prop for a fictional presentation”.
Jim admitted that he is tired of hearing about the Montreal Screwjob but is glad Bret and Shawn finally settled their differences.
I’m glad to some degree that the story has a happy ending. It was emotional for Bret to come back, get a hug and be in a ring and then finally have his meeting with Shawn.
Two weeks ago, Jay Lethal told Allin that he had friend that knew his weaknesses. Jarrett has a history with Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Sting. While standing over a bloodied Allin, “Double J” told him that his admiration of Sting has made him Allin’s “biggest weakness”.
Jarrett also addressed the crowd by running down his family’s many decades in wrestling business from his grandmother, Christine, and his dad, Jerry. After insulting the audience, Jarrett declared:
“By the time I’m done with this place, there will be full of body bags. So AEW fans, you can choke on that, Slapnuts!”
– Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett Has A Backstage Position
Tony Khan tweeted that not only was Jeff Jarrett All Elite, he is also the AEW Director of Business Development. Khan is looking forward to expanding the live events calendar next year with JJ’s help. Jarrett held a similar position in WWE earlier this year. He was only employed by WWE for 3 months after a surprise appearance as a special guest referee at SummerSlam.
In addition to briefly working for WWE, Jarrett wrestled EFFY in GCW earlier this year. He was also a special guest referee in NWA when Nick Aldis defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Matt Cardona. Jarrett and Lethal faced Ric Flair and Andrade El Idolo in Flair’s last match.
The winner of the triple threat All-Atlantic Championship match between Orange Cassidy, Luchasaurus, and Rey Fenix would get to defend the title in a dream match this Friday on Rampage.
Jungle Boy returned with a surprise attack on Luchasaurus to take care of him. PAC tried to get Fenix to use the ring bell hammer to cheat. Cassidy ended up pinning Fenix and immediately paid for it when PAC attacked the champion. “The Bastard” was about to live up to his moniker and attack Cassidy with the hammer when Katsuyori Shibata’s music hit (yeah, you read that right).
Following him out of the tunnel was Rocky Romero and Best Friends. Shibata also had a hammer in hand while PAC safely awaited on the other side of the ring. He needn’t worry because “The Wrestler” wasn’t coming for him, he was coming for the All-Atlantic Champion. Cassidy handed Shibata the contract and a pen, which he signed on the spot.
???
The #AEW All-Atlantic City Dream Match HAS BEEN SIGNED! It's Katsuyori Shibata vs. Champion @orangecassidy!
Shibata had Orange Cassidy’s back at Forbidden Door
Shibata was last seen in AEW back in June at Forbidden Door. Will Ospreay attacked Cassidy and Shibata made the save. That makes it surprising that he wants to challenge Cassidy for his title.
Shibata hasn’t wrestled since January at Wrestle Kingdom 16. He beat his protege, Ren Narita. Last October, Shibata made his surprise in-ring return at the G1. He and Zack Sabre, Jr. went to a time-limit draw in a grappling match. Shibata stopped wrestling (he says he wasn’t retiring) in 2017 after suffering a subdural hematoma in a match against Kazuchika Okada, which left the right side of his body paralyzed.
His match on Rampage will only be his third match since that fateful day.
AEW announced another title match for Full Gear during this week’s episode of Dynamite.
Thunder Rosa was the AEW Women’s Champion heading into AEW All Out in September but announced that she was pulling out of the event due to an injury on the Dynamite before the PPV. She has not appeared on AEW television since. Toni Storm went on to win the Interim AEW Women’s Championship at All Out by defeating Jamie Hayter, Hikaru Shida, and Britt Baker in a Fatal 4-Way.
It was announced tonight that Toni Storm will put the AEW Interim Women’s Championship on the line against Jamie Hayter at Full Gear on November 19th. The PPV will air live from the Prudential Center in New Jersey.
A video package aired during the show and Toni Storm noted that she and Jamie go way back. She noted that the two actually lived together during the pandemic.
A lot of people don’t know this, but me and Jamie Hayter go way back. During the pandemic, me and Jamie actually lived together in England.
So we spent a lot of months together, and we became best friends. If anything, we became like sisters.
I knew straight away that we weren’t friends anymore. It is very obvious that she is Britt’s (Baker) friend now.
Toni Storm on her friendship with Jamie Hayter
Jamie Hayter then responded that she hasn’t changed at all.
I’m the same old Jamie Hayter that I’ve always been. Maybe people just didn’t notice who I was before.
Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter are set for a tag team match on Rampage this week. Britt was supposed to sit down with Saraya and Renee Paquette for an interview but didn’t show up. Renee asked Saraya if she was cleared to wrestle but she didn’t answer. Saraya said there is one more doctor she needs to check with (Britt Baker) next week on Dynamite.
AEW Dynamite aired live from the Chesapeake Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to the takeaways below, a vignette for House of Black aired during the episode. There were three title matches on this week’s Dynamite and a celebration for Daddy Ass Billy Gunn. Toni Storm versus Jamie Hayter was set for AEW Full Gear as well.
Jon Moxley def. Lee Moriarty in a World Title Elminator
Chris Jericho def. Colt Cabana to retain the ROH Championship
Jade Cargill def. Marina Shafir to retain the TBS Championship
Samoa Joe def. Brian Cage to retain the ROH TV Championship
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Jeff Jarrett Arrived In AEW
Darby Allin battled Jay Lethal in the first match of the night. Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh were ringside for the match. Singh provided a distraction and Jay capitalized by launching Allin into the steel steps. Lethal then beat Allin down against the barricade before returning to the ring to pose for the booing crowd.
Jay continued to beat the hell out of Allin by stomping on his ribs in the ring. Allin went for a Suicide Dive but simply bounced off Satnam Singh. Someone dressed as Sting rolled Darby into the ring. It was revealed to be Cole Karter and he got absolutely no reaction from the crowd. Jay hit Lethal Injection for the pinfall victory.
Another mysterious figure appeared and it was Jeff Jarrett. Double J bashed Darby over the head with his guitar. Jarrett grabbed a microphone and mocked the “rabid & delusional AEW fanbase”. Jeff said his family got into the wrestling business in 1946, and has made an impact for over 75 years. Jarrett sent out a warning to the locker room to close the show.
Jon Moxley battled The Firm’s Lee Moriarty in a World Title Eliminator match and Ethan Page joined commentary. Moxley controlled the match early and applied a headlock. Moxley controlled the first few minutes of the match as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Moxley and Moriarty traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Jon connected with a Clothesline and followed it up with several boots to Lee’s face. Moxley continued to beat Lee down and applied an Armbar for the submission victory.
After the match, The Firm’s Ethan Page rushed the ring and leveled AEW World Champion Jon Moxley with a Clothesline. Ethan posed in the ring as Stokely Hathaway angrily stared at Moxley.
By way of submission, #AEW World Champion @JonMoxley gets the victory! But #TheFirm's @OfficialEGO takes the opportunity to blast Moxley with a boot to the face!
Saraya Will Announce if She is Medically Cleared Next Week
Renee Paquette interviewed Saraya earlier today in the arena. Saraya noted that she has had to build divisions wherever she went and Britt should have felt lucky to have this interview. Britt was supposed to be a part of the interview but didn’t show up.
Saraya stated that she feels like she can help the women’s division. Paquette asked Saraya if she was medically cleared to compete and she didn’t answer. Saraya stated that she will save it for next week because there is one more doctor (Britt) she wants to consult on this.
William Regal was interviewed backstage by Tony Schiavone. Regal said that MJF has all the potential in the world but still has a long way to go before he becomes a full villain. William added that Maxwell will face a real demon in Jon Moxley at Full Gear,
AEW World Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed made their way to the ring with a big reaction from the crowd. Billy Gunn had his hands taped up because Swerve Strickland attacked them with pliers. They put a foam scissor hand on Billy so he could still scissor with the team. They also gave Daddy Ass a World’s Greatest Dad trophy.
Bowens and Caster then produced a certificate for adoption and the crowd chanted “sign it!”. Gunn Club interrupted and provided a distraction as W. Morrissey attacked from behind. ROH Tag Team Champions FTR made the save and The Firm retreated. FTR then took a look at the AEW Tag Team Championships before handing them to The Acclaimed and backing away.
Chris Jericho def. Colt Cabana to Retain the ROH Title
Chris Jericho defended the ROH Championship against any former ROH Champion. Jericho joked that he will even whip Lamar Jackson’s ass and the Ravens QB was shown in the front row. Colt Cabana answered the challenge and drove Jericho to the corner of the ring.
Cabana leveled Jericho with a shoulder tackle and then followed it up with another one. Colt perched Jericho up on the top turnbuckle but they both tumbled to the floor as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
Colt drove Jericho to the corner but Cabana battled back. Cabana connected with a Splash and climbed back up to the top rope. Jericho tripped Cabana up but Colt battled back once again. Cabana applied a reverse Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring on the ROH Champion.
Jericho escaped but Cabana rolled him up for a near fall. Cabana connected with a Moonsault onto JAS outside the ring. Back in the ring, Jericho hit a Codebreaker for the pinfall victory. Chris Jericho is still the ROH Champion.
Chris was about to attack ROH announcer Ian Riccoboni when Blackpool Combat Club broke it up. JAS and Blackpool Combat Club then brawled on the entrance ramp until AEW security separated the two factions.
Orange Cassidy Retained The All-Atlantic Championship
Orange Cassidy defended the All-Atlantic Championship against Luchasaurus and Rey Fenix in a Triple Threat match. Cassidy connected with a Tornado DDT and went for the cover but Rey Fenix kicked out.
Luchasaurus got into the ring and leveled them both with a giant shoulder tackle. He followed it up with a couple of Splashes as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Fenix and Orange Cassidy teamed up and went for a Suicide Dive. Luchasaurus was ready for it and caught them both.
Luchasaurus sent Fenix through a table with a Chokeslam outside the ring. Jungle Boy then showed up and hit Luchasaurus with a Crossbody off the entrance ramp and through a table below. PAC came to the ring with the timekeeper’s hammer but Fenix refused to use it. Cassidy then hit the Orange Punch to retain the title.
After the match, PAC attacked but Katsuyori Shibata showed up with Best Friends and Rocky Romero. Shibata confronted Orange Cassidy and said he wanted a title match. They signed a contract and the match is official for Wednesday.
Jade Cargill was set to defend the TBS Championship tonight against Marina Shafir. Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero distracted Jade and she almost got counted out. Jade leveled her with a pump kick and followed it up with Jaded for the pinfall victory. Nyla left Kiera Hogan laying on the entrance ramp after the match.
Samoa Joe Retained the ROH TV Title, Powerhouse Hobbs Attacked Wardlow
Samoa Joe defended the ROH TV Championship against Brian Cage in the main event of tonight’s show. Joe dominated the match early and hit him with an elbow drop for a two-count. Brian Cage battled with a couple of Clotheslines and followed it up with a German Suplex.
When Dynamite returned from the final break of the night, Joe hit an Atomic Drop, a big boot, and followed it up with a Senton for a near fall. Samoa Joe followed it up with a Powerslam for a two count.
Cage hit an Elbow Drop but the champion wouldn’t stay down. Brian hit a Pump-Handle Slam and went for the cover but Samoa Joe powered out at two. Cage leveled Joe with a big lariat for another near fall. Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch for the submission victory. Samoa Joe is still the Ring of Honor TV Champion.
The Gates of Agony attacked after the match but TNT Champion Wardlow made the save. Powerhouse Hobbs then planted Wardlow with a massive Spinebuster and posed over him with the TNT Championship to close the show.
For years, fans and Bobby Lashley had wanted to see him share the squared circle with Brock Lesnar under the WWE banner.
That dream became a reality at WWE Royal Rumble 2022, where Lashley challenged Lesnar for the WWE Championship. Thanks to some interference from Roman Reigns, Lashley scored the win.
Although they were booked in an Elimination Chamber Match the next month, it wasn’t what fans had hoped to see as Lashley was removed from the bout due to an injury. Lesnar ended up winning the WWE Title.
Fast forward to last month, WWE started the feud again and booked a rematch between the two stars at Crown Jewel.
Lashley on Lesnar
(WWE)
Speaking with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Lashley was asked to describe how he feels about the build to this bout compared to the first match.
“I like the buildup because I think the buildup is really important because of what happened last time. There wasn’t that real resolution to anything except me pinning him. This time is going to be a lot more hype. I think that it’s not going to be the last time. I think that is so much more that Brock and I can actually get into. So I think that this feud is going to be a feud that’s going to keep going, and it’s going to keep looking different, and there is going to be a lot more involved with it.”
Lashley stated that Lesnar wants to fight and is the type of person that’s just going to let somebody beat him up two times in a row and then not even come to avenge it, so the feud will continue in his eyes.
WWE announced today in its third quarter 2022 earnings report that the investigation into alleged misconduct by Vince McMahon “is now complete, and the Special Committee has been disbanded.”
McMahon resigned from his duties as Chairman and CEO of WWE amid the WWE Board investigating him for alleged sexual misconduct and hush money. The investigation cost WWE $19.4 million.
WWE’s Statement
“As previously announced, a Special Committee of independent members of the Board of Directors was formed to investigate alleged misconduct by Vincent K. McMahon, the Company’s former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who resigned from all positions held with the Company on July 22, 2022 but remains a stockholder with a controlling interest, and another executive, who is also no longer with the Company. The Special Committee investigation is now complete and the Special Committee has been disbanded. Management is working with the Board to implement the recommendations of the Special Committee related to the investigation. For the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2022, the Company’s consolidated pre-tax results include the impact of $17.7 million and $19.4 million, respectively, associated with certain costs related to the investigation. Please see the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K/A and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q/A and Form 10-Q for further details and ongoing risks regarding this matter.”
The Wall Street Journal broke the news earlier this year about the WWE Board of Directors investigating McMahon over a $3 million settlement that McMahon had agreed to pay a former employee with whom he allegedly had an affair. McMahon allegedly paid them more than $12 million to four women formerly with the company to “suppress allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity.” WWE later found more payments that were made.
McMahon resigned from WWE as Chairman and CEO. Since Vince’s resignation, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have been named co-CEOs, while Triple H has been named Head of Creative.
WWE says the investigation into alleged misconduct by Vince McMahon "is now complete and the Special Committee has been disbanded."
The investigation cost WWE $19.4M. My reading is that that's separate from the $19.6M in previously unrecorded payments made by Vince McMahon. pic.twitter.com/YewJQxQxBE
