Fans have been waiting patiently for the AEW Fight Forever Video Game. While a timeline for its release is still not set, Kenny Omega is hoping that it will be ready before the end of this year. The former AEW champion recently had an interview with Fightful. He discussed things such as his recovery from the various injuries and more.
Providing an update on the development of the game, Omega mentioned how he didn’t know what ideas they would be able to implement in their budget when he first took on the project. Now they’re at the stage where the creative process is almost complete. They are now fine-tuning things:
“Now it’s almost time for me to find something else within this project to do because the creative process is almost complete where we know how the matches will flow. We know some of the systems. We know how the action-reaction type stuff [will work]. It’s now in a process of being tuned and then finely tuned from there.”
Kenny Omega then mentioned how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the game. It got to a point where it seemed like they would never be able to release it. Though now with the help of some old contacts that have now joined the project they are hoping to get it out before the end of this year:
“It got to a point where it seemed bleak like maybe we would never release this thing, but we kind of got past that. We hopefully can be on schedule to make sure that we get this game out by this year. Hopefully, fingers crossed.”
Apart from this, Kenny Omega also talked about the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV. He mentioned how his NJPW run was arguably the most important phase of his career. He said that he is very happy and satisfied that they have been able to create a forum with AEW where different companies can work together.
Jeff Hardy forced Tony Khan and AEW to make major changes to their plans when he got arrested for driving without a license while being intoxicated earlier this month. The AEW owner recently took part in a media call to promote the Forbidden Door PPV. Among other things he also addressed the actions of the Charismatic Enigma.
Khan first mentioned how Jon Moxley also battled with alcohol addiction but he did the right thing by seeking help. What Hardy did was completely different and per Tony, this is why they handled the situations differently:
“With Jeff [Hardy], it’s totally different. The way it went down is totally different and that’s why the statements and the way we handled the two things are different. In this case, I don’t think there is any comparison. Jeff is doing much better. As I understand, Jeff is in treatment. I don’t want to say too much about what is going on because it’s his business, but I’m here for him for whatever he needs. I’m really glad nobody got hurt.”
‘It’s His Last Chance’
Though Tony Khan later said that he’d be remiss if he didn’t give Jeff the credit for finally doing the right thing. The AEW president claimed that this is Hardy’s last chance:
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t give Jeff a lot of credit for now doing the right thing. This is why we said Jeff has to the right thing if he wants to stay with AEW. It’s [his] last chance.”
Khan mentioned how Moxley didn’t put anyone at risk with his actions and so the two things cannot be compared. He also revealed his recent talk with Matt Hardy where he told the AEW star that they will support his brother through his treatment.
One of the main goals of Wardlow is to help grow AEW in all directions. This includes helping the company boost their female viewership as well.
The heavyweight recently had an interview with Forbs. He talked about things such as his early days in wrestling, getting paid $5 for shows and more.
Speaking about his goals in the company, Wardlow said that he is very in tune with numbers. He explained that his main goal is to help expand the viewership numbers in all categories, including the female viewership:
“I’m very in tune with numbers, and my main goal for AEW is, I want to be the reason we have more viewers. I want to be the reason the female viewership goes up.
I want to be the reason that 18-49 demographic goes up.” said Wardlow, “I want to be the reason our ratings are higher,”
The former IWC star also discussed the recent influx of talent in AEW. Some fans are not happy with outside stars taking the spotlight from talents such as him but the AEW star explained that it’s good for them.
He mentioned how someone like CM Punk brings a lot more eyes to the product. The former Pinnacle member said that it’ll only help the company grow and put more eyes on talents who have taken a backseat when they start getting pushed again.
Brock Lesnar made his surprise return during the June 17 SmackDown and immediately reignited his feud with Roman Reigns. WWE was then quick to announce a rematch between the two for the SummerSlam PPV. A lot of fans were not happy with this decision but Corey Graves believes it’s not such a bad thing.
The Raw commentator talked about people’s reactions on the latest After The Bell episode. Graves first said that the Last Man Standing stipulation gives him the feeling that it’s going to be the last chapter of this rivalry. He then explained that while people have seen this match before, it’s been a draw every time:
“Of course, you’ve got people whining and complaining, ‘Oh, we’ve already seen this.’ You’re right, you have seen it, and every time you’ve seen it, has it not been awesome? Every time Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are in the same ring, is it not magic?
Does the arena, or in this case a stadium, not rise to its feet to watch two behemoths who have proven themselves to be worth every dime because they are box office draws?”
WWE had originally planned for Randy Orton to challenge the Tribal Chief at the biggest party of the Summer. However, The Viper has been dealing with some injuries that could keep him out of action for the remainder of the year.
How do you feel about WWE booking yet another Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar match? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
That’s a wrap for the June 24 episode of WWE SmackDown and there was a little something for the fans in attendance after the FOX broadcast.
This week, the blue brand saw Drew McIntyre and Sheamus team together against The Usos. They were fighting to keep their spots in the Money in the Bank ladder match as Paul Heyman pulled some strings behind the scenes.
Drew and Sheamus emerged victorious and will indeed be featured in the MITB match.
We also saw a women’s MITB qualifier between Tamina and Shotzi. Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura was the first match on the show and that was also a qualifying match.
Shotzi and Sami are moving on to Money in the Bank on July 2.
After The Broadcast
Once SmackDown went off the air, there was a dark match. It was WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey vs. Natalya.
The two had been featured in an in-ring segment during the live airing. It ended with Natalya throwing a baby stroller at Ronda.
Rousey ended up scoring the victory via armbar in their dark match.
There were also two WWE digital exclusives. Featured were interviews with Raquel Rodriguez and Lacey Evans. The two defeated Sonya Deville in a handicap match.
AEW Rampage was taped following Dynamite from the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Wisconsin. It was the final AEW TV show before Forbidden Door this Sunday night. In addition to the takeaways below, Aaron Solo & QT Marshall vs. Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi was announced for the Buy-In before Forbidden Door.
Rampage Results (6/24/22)
Andrade El Idolo def. Rey Fenix
Mercedes Martinez & Serena Deeb def. Laynie Luck & Sierra
Hook def. The DKC
Jeff Cobb def. Cash Wheeler
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Andrade El Idol def. Rey Fenix
Andrade El Idolo squared off against Rey Fenix in the first match on tonight’s episode of Rampage. Fenix caught Andrade with a Hurricanrana but Andrade responded with one of his own.
Fenix hit an Enziguri and followed it up with a German Suplex for an early near fall. Rey climbed to the top rope but El Idolo got up. Andrade shoved Rey off the top rope and to the floor as Rampage went to a commercial break.
When Rampage returned, the action returned to the ring, and Andrade connected with a Body Slam. El Idolo climbed to the top turnbuckle but Rey once again broke it up. Fenix hit a chop to the chest but Andrade battled back.
Andrade got Fenix in the Tree of Woe and hit him with a Double Stomp for a two count. Fenix battled back and leveled Anrade with a Dropkick. Rey followed it up with a Cutter for a near fall. Rey went for a Frog Splash but Andrade got his knees up just in time.
Rey dodged Andrade and sent him crashing into the ring post. Back in the ring, Fenix hit an inverted Spanish Fly off the top rope but Jose (Andrade’s assistant/manager) got El Idolo’s foot on the rope to break up the cover.
Jose then gave Andrade a tablet but referee Aubrey Edwards caught it. Andrade went for a poke to the eye but Fenix blocked it. Fenix knocked Andrade out of the ring with a kick and hit him with a dive. Rush caught Fenix with a low blow while the referee was distracted. Back in the ring, Andrade hit the Hammerlock DDT for the pinfall victory. Rush ripped off Fenix’s mask and Pentagon Jr. made the save.
ROH Women’s Champion Mercedes Martinez and Serena Deeb faced Laynie Luck and Sierra tonight on Rampage. Deeb and Martinez dominated the match and won via submission. Deeb and Martinez had submission holds applied and Luck & Sierra quickly tapped out. Martinez and Deeb got in a shoving match with each other after the match.
The DKC (a student at NJPW LA Dojo) faced Hook tonight on Rampage. Hook applied a Knee Bar to begin the match but DKC reached the ropes. Hook unloaded some strikes in the corner of the ring and followed it up with a Suplex. Hook unloaded some more strikes before applying RedRum for the submission victory to remain undefeated in AEW.
Cash Wheeler faced Jeff Cobb in the main event of this week’s episode of AEW Rampage. Before the match, Mark Henry interviewed both wrestlers. Wheeler admitted that he’s a tag team wrestler and competing in singles action isn’t exactly his forte. Cash added that Jeff Cobb is a real tough opponent but he will never back down from a fight.
Cash noted that FTR have a chance to make history in the winner’s take all match this Sunday at Forbidden Door. Jeff Cobb stated that he respects FTR but they run their mouths too much about wanting more gold. Cobb claimed that he and the Great-o-Khan will leave Forbidden Door with all the gold.
Wheeler and Cobb locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the match. Jeff showed off his strength and shoved him down. Wheeler tried to lock in a headlock but Cobb was too strong. Cash went for a shoulder tackle but Cobb barely moved. Cash connected with a Dropkick and got the headlock applied as Chris Jericho announced that Jeff Cobb was his “Sports Entertainer of the Week”.
Cobb escaped the headlock and applied one of his own. Cash escaped and connected with a Dropkick. Jeff responded with a Suplex and Wheeler rolled out of the ring to regroup as Rampage went to the final commercial break of the night. When Rampage returned, Jeff Cobb was still in control of the match. Wheeler went for a Tornado DDT but Cobb blocked it. Cobb went for Tour of the Islands but Cash countered into a cradle for a near fall.
Jeff lifted Cash up for a Powerbomb but Wheeler was able to counter into a Hurricanrana. Wheeler went for the cover but Jeff powered out at two and the match continued. Cobb then planted Wheeler with the Tour of the Islands for the pinfall victory.
After the match, absolute chaos broke out as Will Ospreay battled with Orange Cassidy on the entrance ramp. Eddie Kingston then attacked Jericho on commentary as Rampage went off the air.
WWE SmackDown will be getting an added boost from some Monday Night Raw talent.
The June 24 episode of SmackDown is in the books. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus have been readded to the Money in the Bank ladder match after being forced to defeat The Usos in order to get back in the match.
Sami Zayn also qualified for the match after he defeated Shinsuke Nakamura. On top of that, Shotzi earned her place in the MITB match by beating Tamina.
Raw MITB Participants Appearing on SmackDown
Just before the main event of this week’s SmackDown started, it was announced that all Raw Money in the Bank participants on the men’s and women’s sides will be making their way to the July 1 episode of SmackDown.
This will be the go-home show before Money in the Bank, which takes place the following evening.
There are still two participants left to determine for the men’s MITB match, while only one spot remains for the women’s ladder match.
The June 24 episode WWE SmackDown aired live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus teamed up to face The Usos in the main event. SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey appeared in a segment with Natalya. Sami Zayn battled Shinsuke Nakamura in a Money in the Bank qualifying match.
WWE SmackDown Results (6/24)
Sami Zayn def. Shinsuke Nakamura in a Money in the Bank qualifying match
Raquel Rodriguez & Lacey Evans def. Sonya Deville in a Handicap match
Gunther def. Ricochet to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Sheamus & Drew McIntyre def. The Usos to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Sheamus & Drew McIntyre Have To Qualify For MITB Again
Drew McIntyre made his way to the ring with Angela the sword to begin tonight’s show. McIntyre claimed that Roman Reigns keeps ducking him and it seems like he is going to have to force his hand. McIntyre vowed to become Mr. Money in the Bank and noted how Brock Lesnar was just given one at SummerSlam. Drew stated that he hopes Lesnar and Reigns beat the hell out of each other so he can cash in and hit them with a Claymore.
Sheamus interrupted with Ridge Holland and Butch. The Brawling Brutes joined McIntyre in the ring and Sheamus claimed that McIntyre was just put in the MITB ladder match because Adam Pearce feels bad for him. Sheamus added that McIntyre’s experience with the MITB contract is watching someone else cash in and take his title.
Paul Heyman interrupted with Adam Pearce by his side. Heyman spoke about the Last Man Standing at SummerSlam and claimed that Roman Reigns will emerge victorious. He said that Pearce has a special announcement to make. Pearce noted that neither McIntyre and Sheamus won their qualifying match and after some influence by Heyman, WWE management has overruled his decision.
Pearce announced that neither Sheamus nor McIntyre will be a part of the Money in the Bank ladder match. Adam added that they can get back into the match if they defeat The Usos tonight. Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos joined the party and high-fived Paul Heyman. Sheamus and McIntyre stared at each other to end the segment.
Sami Zayn Qualified For The Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Shinsuke Nakamura faced Sami Zayn in a Money in the Bank qualifying match on tonight’s SmackDown. Sami controlled the action early and sent Shinsuke to the outside. Zayn connected with an Exploder Suplex that launched Nakamura into the barricade. Sami tried to win the match via count-out but Shinsuke got back into the ring before the ten count. Nakamura knocked Sami to the canvas as SmackDown went to a commercial.
When SmackDown returned, Sami was back in control of the match and taunting the crowd. He hopped to the middle turnbuckle but Nakamura attacked him. Sami booted Shinsuke away and leaped off the turnbuckle into a roundhouse kick from Nakamura for a two count. Zayn responded with a Michinuko Driver for a close two count.
Nakamura and Sami battled on the turnbuckle. Sami knocked him down but Shinsuke popped right back up and crotched Nakamura on the top rope. Zayn avoided the Kinshasa and rolled Shinsuke up using the ropes for leverage. The referee caught Sami and stopped counting. Nakamura capitalized with a strike for a near fall.
Shinsuke connected with a spin kick to the face and went for the Kinshasa but Sami got out of the ring. Nakamura chased Sami around the ring and caught him with the Kinshasa. Nakamura rolled Sami back into the ring but Sami caught him with a Helluva Kick for the pinfall victory. Sami Zayn has qualified for the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
New Day competed in a dance-off with Jinder Mahal and Shanky tonight on SmackDown. Shanky was having a good time and Jinder Mahal got annoyed. Shanky shoved Jinder away and Mahal retreated. Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) returned and beat New Day & Shanky down.
Sonya Deville then spoke with Adam Pearce and mocked him for the way he’s treating the women’s division right now. Deville claimed that the women’s division was saying Pearce is in over his head. Sonya wondered why she hasn’t had a match on SmackDown yet but Raquel Rodriguez gets a qualifying match. Pearce then told Sonya that she’d be facing Lacey Evans & Raquel Rodriguez in a Handicap match next.
Raquel Rodriguez & Lacey Evans Picked Up A Victory
Sonya Deville faced Lacey Evans and Raquel Rodriguez in a Handicap match. Shayna Baszler and Xia Li accompanied Deville to the ring. Evans and Rodriguez got the win after Lacey hi the Woman’s Right. After the match, Baszler and Li attacked from behind. Rodriguez and Evans held strong and knocked them out of the ring.
Natalya came to the ring with a baby stroller and was dressed like Ronda Rousey as SmackDown went to a commercial break. Natalya spoke as if she was Rousey and claimed that she is the saddest woman on the planet.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey’s theme hit and she made her way to the ring. Ronda said that the closest Natalya will ever get to becoming a main attraction in the company is dressing up like her. A brawl then broke out and Natalya hit Ronda with the stroller. Natalya then retreated out of the ring to end the segment. Ronda Rousey will defend the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Natalya at WWE Money in the Bank.
Gunther Retained The Intercontinental Championship
Gunther defended the Intercontinental Championship against Ricochet tonight on SmackDown. Ludwig Kaiser accompanied Gunther to the ring. Gunther dominated the action early and delivered a Body Slam to Ricochet. Gunther followed it up with a big boot to the face and then an uppercut that sent the challenger to the canvas.
Ludwig instructed Gunther to stay on Ricochet and the champion applied a Half Crab in the middle of the ring. Ricochet screamed in pain and Gunther transitioned into a Crossface. Ricochet was able to escape and reach the ropes to break the hold.
Ricochet hit an Enziguri but Gunther stayed on his feet. Ricochet hit a knee strike but Gunther responded with a big Clothesline and some chops to the chest. Gunther connected with a German Suplex and a massive Dropkick. Gunther then planted Ricochet with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
Shotzi Qualified For The Women’s MITB Ladder Match
Shotzi faced Tamina Snuka tonight in a qualifying match for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. Shotzi was originally supposed to face Aliyah but that match was changed for an unknown reason. Tamina controlled the match early and connected with a shoulder tackle. Snuka followed it up with a Powerslam for a near fall.
Shotzi battled back and hit Never Wake Up for the pinfall victory. Shotzi has qualified for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. After the match, Max Dupri said that the lighting was not good enough and his client will not debut tonight.
Sheamus & Drew McIntyre Qualified For The MITB Ladder Match
Sheamus & Drew McIntyre faced Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos in tonight’s main event. Before the match, Pat McAfee cut a promo and challenged Happy Corbin to a match at SummerSlam.
McIntyre and Sheamus argued over who will start off the match. Jimmy attacked McIntyre but Drew shrugged it off and responded with a Clothesline. Sheamus and Jey then tagged in. Jey connected with a slam and followed it up with a Senton. Drew battled with Butch outside the ring and threw him into the barricade. The Usos hit Sheamus and McIntyre with a couple of dives through the ropes as SmackDown went to the final break of the night.
When SmackDown returned, Sheamus hit the Irish Curse Backbreaker on Jey. McIntyre tagged in and walked into a Superkick. Street Profits, Sami Zayn, Butch, and Ridge Holland all started brawling outside the ring. Back in the ring, Drew McIntyre hit Jimmy Uso with a Claymore for the pinfall victory. Sheamus & McIntyre have once again qualified for the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
WWE Superstar Damian Priest recently spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston about Bad Bunny returning to a WWE ring.
“You know it comes down to he (Bad Bunny) had a perfect time in his schedule that he was like I’m not doing anything, I’m gonna move to Florida just to train and completely invest all my energy and time into this. You know he’s not someone that just wanted to just come in and then leave or just promote something. He wanted to get invested, if he gets that time again where he could devote himself I believe we’ll see Bad Bunny in the WWE ring again.”
Both AEW and WWE have several wrestlers out of action right now due to injury.
While WWE has the likes of Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton on the sidelines, Orton with a back injury that needs surgery and Rhodes out with a torn pec, the number of injuries in AEW is concerning.
All of the injuries in AEW have caused various storylines to be changed. Here’s a list of all the wrestlers out with injuries:
Kenny Omega
Bryan Danielson
CM Punk
Kyle O’Reilly
Red Velvet
The Bunny
Penelope Ford
Buddy Matthews
Jake Roberts
Skye Blue
As previously reported, Adam Cole was on this list as he was banged up, but he’s cleared and will work a fatal 4-way bout at Forbidden Door for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title against champion Jay White, Hangman Adam Page, and Kazuchika Okada.
O’Reilly is out with an injury as President Tony Khan said on the AEW podcast that he’ll be out of action for a while. He didn’t say what the exact injury was.
Matthews noted on Instagram that he has a shoulder injury but he’s still lifting weights and can wrestle.
Roberts is out of action with bladder surgery which is the reason why he wasn’t with Lance Archer in the main event of Dynamite.
“There is really no perfect time to be coming out,” Shaw told The Chronicle. “It’s my journey. Now just felt right for me. Today I’m fully living my life to the fullest, truly, authentic, freely and I am a transgender and I’m very proud,” she said on Breakfast Television.
She has been wrestling for seven years after being trained by Lance Storm and has won titles for RevPro, Pro-Wrestling EVE, and Progress.
“People are going to have opinions, but whatever they say, it doesn’t define who I am,” Shaw continued. “I know who I am and I am true to myself.”
Shaw also spoke about the support she has received from her sisters after sharing the news:
“Coming from an Asian background, being the oldest, there was an unsaid rule, the expectation was that I would carry the family name, that I would set an example, that I would take care of my sisters. There was a lot of pressure from my parents to be great,” Shaw said. “My sisters were so important, asking ‘How can you feel like you have failed as a parent? Gisele gets to live her dream. If you want us to look up to someone, why not someone living their dream and being the best version of themselves?’ That was an eye-opener for my parents.”
Executive Vice President of Impact Wrestling Scott D’Amore also spoke to the Chronicle where he called her a valued member of their roster and her role “will not be affected or in any way changed by her disclosing she’s transgender to the wider public.”
The chronicle also spoke to current Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace who said that they have mutual trust and respect.
Shaw is currently scheduled to face Rosemary on next Thursday’s edition of Impact Wrestling.
Stephanie McMahon reportedly acknowledged her father’s ongoing investigation during an “all hands on deck” meeting.
PWInsider reports that WWE held an “all hands on deck” meeting yesterday, in which Stephanie McMahon acknowledged the ongoing investigation into her father, Vince McMahon.
Stephanie is acting as chairman and CEO of WWE after her father stepped down last week. She reportedly said “everyone” is aware of the investigation by the WWE Board of Directors, clarifying her father has “stepped back.”
Also, she added that she loves Vince and WWE, and will do “everything she can” for the company moving forward.
It was also noted that Stephanie McMahon has been “actively involved” in meetings that would usually see Vince involved in the past.
Vince McMahon is currently under investigation for sexual misconduct, along with John Laurinaitis, for an alleged payout he made to an employee he was having an affair with.
Although Vince has stepped down as chairman and CEO of WWE, he’s still very much involved creatively backstage on Monday Night RAW and SmackDown Live.
In fact, its been reported several times that he’s been in great spirits backstage.
If that wasn’t enough, even after the allegations surfaced and became public, as well as after his stepping down as chairman and CEO, Vince made brief television appearances on both RAW and SmackDown last week.
All Elite Wrestling is bringing back the Blood & Guts match on the June 29th episode of Dynamite in Detroit.
AEW has yet to specifically name who will be in the match aside from just the announcement of the match after Chris Jericho accepted a Blood & Guts challenge on behalf of the Jericho Appreciation Society (JAS) from William Regal and Eddie Kingston earlier this month.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that it will be a six-on-six match with Chris Jericho & Daniel Garcia & Matt Menard & Angelo Parker & Jake Hager & Sammy Guevara vs. Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston & Santana & Ortiz & Wheeler Yuta & Bryan Danielson’s hand-picked mystery wrestler. Guevara joined JAS to make both teams even.
This is AEW’s version of War Games where two teams with bad blood battle it out in a cage with two rings.
The first-ever Blood & Guts match took place in May 2021 on Dynamite that saw The Pinnacle (MJF, FTR, Wardlow, and Shawn Spears) defeat The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana, and Ortiz).
The match lasted the majority of the second hour with the heels going over after MJF threatened to throw Jericho off the top of the structure which led to Guevara giving in and surrendering to his demand only for MJF to toss Jericho off the top of the cage anyways.
Former WWE Champion Alberto El Patron (aka Alberto Del Rio) believes he’ll make it into the WWE Hall Of Fame one day.
Recently, El Patron was interviewed by Sportskeeda and discussed the possibility of one day getting the nod for a Hall Of Fame induction.
El Patron said he believes the day will eventually come where he can share what would be a special day with his family.
“I would love to be there and walk into the scenario and just grab the microphone and from the top, look at my dad, my mom, my beautiful children, my girlfriend, my family, and to finally put an end to this amazing career with my name out there in the stars with the legends of our sport,” Del Rio said.
“I know one day it will happen. Of course, the decision is not mine. But I know someday, I will get my justice.”
El Patron debuted in WWE as Alberto Del Rio back in 2010 on SmackDown. It marked the beginning of what would turn out to be a rather successful career with the company overall.
The Mexican star is a former Royal Rumble winner, Money In The Bank Ladder match winner, a four-time WWE World Champion, and a two-time United States Champion. He’s been featured in big feuds alongside stars such as John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, The BIg SHow, and many more.
Aside from WWE, Del Rio has worked for promotions such as AAA, Ring Of Honor (ROH), Lucha Underground, IMPACT Wrestling, and many more.
Major League Wrestling action figures are in the works, thanks to a new partnership between MLW and Boss Fight Studio.
Here’s the press release sent in to SEScoops, with additional details on the upcoming line of MLW action figures:
Boss Fight Studio announces MLW action figure line
Licensing deal to bring the world of MLW to action figures, accessories and more
June 24, 2022 – Norwood, MA – Boss Fight Studio, creator of fan favorite action figures, announced today they have acquired the license to make Major League Wrestling action figures. For the first time ever, MLW action figures and collectibles will be available featuring some of the league’s most iconic and popular fighters.
“As a huge wrestling fan myself, I can’t wait to bring the MLW talent to market in action figure form” says Erik Arana, Partner and Creative Art Director at Boss Fight Studio. “I’m extremely excited as a collector and fan at the lineup we’ve put together, including figures, accessories, and entertainment sets – while we’ll reveal more in the coming weeks, I can promise tons of excitement!” says Arana.
“Teaming up with Boss Fight to bring the world of MLW to fans as action figures and collectibles is something the fans have been demanding and we’re delighted to make it happen,” says Court Bauer, CEO and Founder of MLW. “We have a stacked lineup we’ve been working on. Boss Fight’s attention to detail and ability to bring figures to market that are not only incredibly fun to play with but are representative of the talent is key.”
The opening of the MLW catalog of talent is huge with 1:12 scale figures, accessories and entertainment sets all planned. “We have deluxe figures planned alongside some amazing playable sets,” says Arana. Boss Fight Studio is known for their highly articulated figures which translates into wrestling figures that can reach extreme poses for maximum play.
More announcements for specific characters and figure release timing will be shared over the coming months through the Boss Fight Studio social accounts.
John Cena continues to be a huge money maker for WWE even with his very limited schedule.
Cena was WWE’s golden boy for many years. Things are a bit different for “Big Match John” these days, however. While he’s easily the biggest star of the night whenever he appears on WWE TV, Cena’s home these days is in Hollywood.
While he doesn’t make WWE appearances often anymore, he’s still a massive needle mover for the company whenever his schedule is free.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that Cena’s advertised appearance has given ticket sales a massive boost. The report notes that 3,726 tickets were out when Cena’s appearance was first announced and that number has skyrocketed to 6,943.
As of this writing, the show in Laredo, TX is roughly 700 tickets away from a sellout.
Many believe that Cena and Theory will have some sort of encounter on the show. WWE is reportedly planning to book a match between the two at this year’s SummerSlam event.
Cena is not only a top draw but he’s widely considered to be an outstanding individual. He recently broke the record for most wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation at 650 and counting.
Two WWE superstars who have been on the shelf due to injury are expected to return soon.
Injuries have plagued the wrestling business as of late. WWE has lost two top stars in Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton due to surgeries that will have them out of action for months.
Other promotions such as AEW have also been hit hard. AEW is experiencing an all-time high when it comes to injuries.
There is some good news, however.
Io Shirai & Zoey Stark Returning Soon
(via WWE)
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Io Shirai and Zoey Stark are expected to be back on NXT TV soon. The two have been out of action due to injuries but are primed for returns any week now.
Shirai and Stark are former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions. The two had been a humorous duo as Io did everything in her power to get rid of Stark but they ended up winning gold together.
Time will tell if they’ll return looking for singles gold or if they will once again go after the tag team titles.
When news first broke that the WWE board was investigating Vince McMahon over an alleged secret $3 million hush pact with a former employee, many wondered what the immediate future would hold.
Once the Wall Street Journal report of the investigation got out, WWE announced that Vince voluntarily stepped back from his role as CEO and Chairman but retained his creative roles.
Who Put Stephanie In Interim Role?
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that Vince McMahon did not make the decision to give Stephanie the interim role. He reports that a special committee consisting of eight members of the Board of Directors made the decision.
Not included in the decision-making process were Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Nick Khan.
Meltzer also notes that none of the WWE employees who buried Stephanie to the media during her brief leave of absence were members of the special committee.
There was said to be internal shock over the news of Stephanie being named interim CEO and Chairwoman given how she was buried to the media by anonymous employees, reportedly with Vince’s approval.
The reason for WWE changing the name of one of its shows has now been made clear.
The company certainly isn’t afraid to make some changes. WWE has rebranded its developmental system, NXT, and has even made major changes to its main shows Raw and SmackDown.
In the case of this change, WWE felt it was necessary to avoid confusion.
Name Change Explained
WWE made the decision to change the name of its SmackDown post-show. The show was called “Talking Smack” but has since been changed to the “SmackDown LowDown.”
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that the name change was made due to WWE’s new A&E show being named, “WWE Smack Talk.” The series premiere of WWE Smack Talk will air on July 10.
The A&E show will feature Booker T, Peter Rosenberg, and Jackie Redmond. They’ll be recapping episodes of Biography: WWE Legends and WWE Rivals.
WWE had trademarked “SmackDown LowDown” earlier this year. Many assumed that it was for a recap show or segment.
Jeff Jarrett is back with WWE in a new role. The Hall of Famer has been given the title of Senior Vice President of Live Events. His new job in the company has been described as a high-level executive position.
During his most recent appearance on After The Bell, Jarrett talked about his newfound responsibilities and how it all came together. He explained that it all started with his Hall of Fame induction in 2018. Jeff made an appearance at the 2019 Royal Rumble and then got hired as a backstage producer:
“In 2018 I got inducted into Hall of Fame. Fast forward a year later, did Royal Rumble and then came on kind of in a producer role. Then I guess I was under CWT, creative writing team, which encompassed a lot. But then after about six months, I was moved into the live event department. So in a lot of ways, I’m kind of coming back to the position that I got into.”
Unfortunately for Jeff Jarrett, the whole world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic not too long after he took over the responsibility of running live events. The former WCW world champion was then moved to a different department before he parted ways with the company. He wasn’t brought back immediately when WWE went on the road again in July last year but Jarrett finally got the call last month:
“So the whole world shut down as we know it. Then during the pandemic, I worked in international for quite some time, and then we went our separate ways. So just as of late, it all happened really quick.
It’s hard to believe that WWE is back on the road almost a year. So as that ramping up process [began]. Everyone knows how the organization made some smart decisions to run lean and mean. Highly profitable. But I am really grateful that the executive team said, ‘Hey, we’d like you to basically come back into the Live Event department'”
AEW and NJPW are set to present one of the biggest cross-promotional events in the history of American Wrestling in Forbidden Door this Sunday. Though the two promotions were not on such good terms just a couple of years back. NJPW officials were not happy with The Elite for leaving the promotion to found their own company. At a time when the two organizations didn’t even have a line of communication, Jon Moxley became the bridge that helped close the gap.
The former AEW world champion was one of the first major stars to be working for both the companies simultaneously. He was a major catalyst in opening up the line of communication between the two wrestling promotions. Mox talked about being one of the most important figures that helped build this relationship during his recent appearance on The Sessions podcast.
Moxley was one of the first names to popularize the Forbidden Door term. However, he claimed that he is over it now because a Forbidden Door does not exist between AEW and New Japan anymore:
“I really am over that term myself.” said Jon Moxley, “Everybody is using that. Tanahashi actually coined it but now it’s not forbidden anymore because now there’s a nice little working relationship. So the door is not forbidden anymore. There are [other] forbidden doors but there does not exist one between AEW and New Japan.”
‘People Told Me To Stop Working For New Japan’: Jon Moxley
Jon then recalled the time when AEW and NJPW did not want to talk to each other. Per the former WWE star, there were plenty of people who told him to stop working for the Japanese promotion. Though he knew that it would be the end of all possibility of a crossover if he did so:
“There were plenty of people that told me to stop working for New Japan. They did not understand it, they were like ‘you should stop going there.’ I knew that I was like the last linchpin, the last domino. If I fell then there would be no communication ever. There were so many people on both sides that were agreeing with me. It just didn’t open the communication. I think like when that Harold guy got fired from New Japan I think that kind of opened it up a little bit.”
Ric Flair has been enthusiastically preparing for what’s being built as his final match next month but an opponent for the Nature Boy has yet to be announced. Fightful Select provided some update on the situation after it was initially reported that the wrestling veteran would be teaming up with FTR for the match.
The original idea was for The Rock N’ Roll Express to team up with Ricky Steamboat to face this trio before Steamboat declined to be a part of the bout. Steamboat was actually ready for the fight and the two parties had a meeting about it. However, his asking price was ‘extremely high’ and they were unable to come to an agreement.
After Ricky Steamboat’s denial, the chances of FTR making it to the show are starting to look thin as well. Per the site, the AEW owner Tony Khan was yet to give them the clearance to work the show as of Thursday afternoon. While the reason why Khan has not approved this appearance is not known, it’s worth noting here that he had a falling out with Flair following Dark Side of The Ring’s Plane Ride From Hell episode.
The wrestling world had bashed Flair for his conduct on the flight. Ric’s former podcast co-host Mark Madden has hinted that Tony even disinvited the wrestling veteran from his birthday party this year. Despite the controversies, people’s interest in Ric Flair’s final match seems to only increase as the date comes closer. The event was recently moved to a much larger venue after they sold out the arena initially booked for the show.
Ric Flair’s final match is scheduled to take place from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium on July 31.
Impact Wrestling star Lady Frost has decided to move on from the promotion. She has asked for her release less than a year into her run with the company.
The female star revealed this news on Twitter earlier today. She thanked the fans and the staff of the promotion for the opportunities she has been given:
“I have officially asked for my release from @IMPACTWRESTLING I want to thank the incredible fans, staff, and locker room, as well as @ScottDAmore and @gailkimITSME for the opportunities given to me. Thank you for a great experience.”
I have officially asked for my release from @IMPACTWRESTLING I want to thank the incredible fans, staff, and locker room, as well as @ScottDAmore and @gailkimITSME for the opportunities given to me. Thank you for a great experience.
Lady Frost made her wrestling debut at the age of 33 in March 2018. She competed for WWE in her very first match and the Impact star lost to Asuka in a squash match.
She went on to wrestle for some known promotions in the following years. The most notable of it was her AEW debut where Frost and Jennacide teamed up for a loss against Diamante and Ivelisse for an episode of Dark in November 2020.
Lady Frost made her Impact Wrestling debut in July last year. She answered an open challenge issued by the then Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo.
Impact Wrestling has not yet responded to the release request of the wrestling star. We will keep you updated on any development in the story.
When wrestling fans hear the name Roddy Piper, a number of different concepts might come to mind.
He was, perhaps, the greatest talker in wrestling history and certainly the host of the greatest wrestling talk show of all time. He was one of the best heels ever, and a darn good babyface too.
Then there’s the matter of WrestleMania.
Absolutely no one has a legacy at the Showcase of the Immortals quite like Hot Rod, ranging from all-time classic performances, to matches fans thought were his last, to a series of downright bizarre matches, to playing an interviewer, guest referee, and a number of points in between.
Roddy Piper’s Historically Great WrestleMania Performances
The original WrestleMania certainly wasn’t the greatest iteration of the event, but was one of the most historically important ones for establishing the WrestleMania brand and cementing WWE’s place atop the wrestling world.
Roddy Piper’s contributions to the event can’t be overstated. While Hulk Hogan was explosively popular and it was a score to sign Mr. T as his tag team partner, Piper was the engine of the heel side of that equation—the bad guy whom fans were all too eager to pay to see get his comeuppance against the heroes.
Paul Orndorff was the muscle and a formidable villain in his own right, but there’s no question Piper was the top bad guy on the show.
On the flip side of Piper’s great heel work at WrestleMania 1 came arguably his greatest babyface performance and perhaps the best match of his WWE career at WrestleMania 8. There, Hot Rod went out of his way to put over Bret Hart, taking a rare pinfall loss to drop the Intercontinental Championship.
It’s telling that, after this important victory, Hart would work world title matches at three out of the next four WrestleManias.
Roddy Piper’s First And Last Retirement Matches
At WrestleMania 3, a babyface Roddy Piper battled Adrian Adonis in a match that was billed to be Hot Rod’s last time in the wrestling ring. By all indications, he really did mean to transition to Hollywood, and did take part in his share of films in the years to follow.
Seeing him put Adonis to sleep and pass the upper mid-card babyface torch to Brutus Beefcake, who cut Adonis’s hair afterward, was a fitting enough send-off.
Of course, Piper wasn’t really done by a long shot.
Twenty-two years later, he’d work his true final match for WWE at a WrestleMania, when he teamed up with Ricky Steamboat and Jimmy Snuka in an elimination handicap match against Chris Jericho.
Hot Rod was a shell of his former self by then but performed respectably in an entertaining spectacle.
Roddy Piper’s Unusual Encounters At WrestleMania
Roddy Piper took diversification of his WrestleMania resume to the next level with his efforts at WrestleManias 2, 6, and 12.
WrestleMania 2 saw him headline his leg of the event from the Nassau Coliseum in a boxing match that went off the rails with celebrity visitor Mr. T. From there, he engaged in an even uglier spectacle at WrestleMania 6 with Bad News Brown.
The otherwise forgettable match achieved infamy for the poor choice for Piper to wear black paint over half his body.
Piper may have had his strangest match of all at WrestleMania 12 in a Hollywood Backlot Brawl with Goldust.
This was one of WWE’s first stabs at a cinematic match, staged outside before it gave way to a high-speed chase, clearly deriving from real-life OJ Simpson theatrics that was still in the news at the time.
Finally, the battle returned to the arena and culminated in the ring with Piper stripping Goldust’s garb to reveal lingerie underneath—a humiliation that was apparently profound enough for Hot Rod to be declared the winner.
Roddy Piper’s Guest Referee Appearances At WrestleMania
After appearing in the main event of the first WrestleMania, set in Madison Square Garden, it was only fitting that Roddy Piper returned to the venue for WrestleMania 10, this time to serve as guest referee for the last match of the show—a WWE Championship clash between Yokozuna and Bret Hart.
Piper counting the pin offered some symmetry to the first decade of WrestleMania, in addition to calling back to Hot Rod and The Hitman’s history from WrestleMania 8.
Piper officiated Hart’s match again at WrestleMania 11—a less auspicious affair when Hart won an I Quit Match over Bob Backlund.
While Hot Rod’s role felt a little random in this context—and a number of fans were annoyed with his insistence on repeatedly asking if either man gave up into a mic–it nonetheless kept Piper in the ‘Mania mix, adding another unconventional chapter to his history with the event.
In addition to the matches Roddy Piper wrestled or officiated at WrestleMania, he appeared at other events as well.
He hosted editions of Piper’s Pit with Morton Downey Jr. and Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleManias 5 and 21, respectively. He was also Virgil’s cornerman against Ted Dibiase for WrestleMania 7 and interfered on Mr. McMahon’s behalf against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 19.
He made a series of oddball backstage appearances for WrestleManias 21, 30, and 31, too, all adding up to the most unusual legacy any wrestler ever has, or likely ever will have at WWE’s biggest annual event.
