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Franky Monet (Taya Valkyrie) Releases Statement On WWE Release

Chris Stephens
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Franky Monet, who will very likely be returning to the name Taya Valkyrie shortly, has released a statement on her release from WWE. She offered thanks to Triple H and Shawn Michaels specifically.

“Well that didn’t go as planned! First and foremost I would like to thank WWE for allowing me to live my dream, even if it was cut short. To say I am disappointed would be an understatement, I’m confused, hurt, sad and honestly mad. I came there as one of the top luchadoras of our era and honestly leaving there a little broken,” Monet began her statement.

“I LOVED everyday when I got to go to work, being around the greatest minds in this business, getting to train in the BEST pro wrestling training facility in the world and see my friends everyday. I was completely enveloped in the industry. Thank you to Triple H, Shawn Michaels and the entire PC staff for welcoming me with open arms and allowing me to learn from you.”

The former Taya Valkyrie continued:

“I know who I am, I know what I’ve done and I know I have more to give. This is just another swerve in my journey that I didn’t expect but to be honest, my life has always been filled with those. Im a fighter, im stubborn and I am a very, very good pro wrestler.”

“Thank you to everyone that’s supported me through this chapter and thank you to everyone that will continue to support me into the next one. Time to let la WERA LOCA loose. Let’s make magic.”

Taya Valkyrie To Return Shortly

Kira Foster, aka Franky Monet, aka Taya Valkyrie, was trained by Lance Storm at the Storm Wrestling Academy in 2010. Although she had discussions with WWE about coming in early in her career, they never materialized. Instead she went to Mexico where she became a big star with AAA as Taya Valkyrie aka Wera Loca. She was part of the Los Perros del Mal stable led by the late Perro Aguayo Jr.

Valkyrie holds the record for the longest-single reign and most combined days spent with AAA’s Reina de Reinas Championship.

In 2016, she would debut in Lucha Underground as part of the World Wide Underground stable. That is where she would meet her now-husband, John Morrison.

In 2017, Valkyrie would debut with Impact Wrestling. She holds the record for the longest single-reign with the Knockouts Championship. In storyline, Valkyrie was arrested for the attempted murder of John E. Bravo which was meant to explain her departure from the company.

Nia Jax Issues Statement Regarding WWE Release

Michael Reichlin
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Nia Jax has issued a statement following her release from WWE. Jax was among 18 wrestlers let go by the company on Thursday.

Amid reports that her vaccination status was a factor behind her departure, Jax says WWE did not mention vaccinations when informing her that her services would no longer be needed.

Nia Jax reveals that she was on a “mental health break” when WWE released her. She recently requested an extension to the mental health break, because she is still dealing with personal issues. “The next thing I heard, I was being released.”

Nia Jax wrote on Instagram:

“I usually keep my personal life private, but yesterday’s reports leave me with no option but to clarify matters. I recently took a short leave of absence from WWE for a mental health break. I’ve been working through so much – more than I can share – and so I took some time, with the full support of the company, to take care of myself.

Earlier this week, after WWE sent me my schedule to return to the ring for the November 15 show, I asked for an extension to my mental health break, feeling that I needed more time, and hoping I would have the ongoing support of the company I have given my all to for the past 7 years. I did not receive a response. The next thing I heard, I was being released. My vaccination status was never mentioned. I wasn’t given any choice or options.

It breaks my heart to be so abruptly let go, without consultation, when dealing with so much privately. I loved my career at WWE, I love the men and women I worked with, and I am going to need time to process this huge loss. I appreciate those people who have shown understanding and compassion during an incredibly difficult time.”

Nia Jax’s story is unfortunate, but its not unique. She is just one of 71 wrestlers released by WWE this year:

https://www.sescoops.com/news/staggering-tally-wwe-releases-2021/

Sabu Is Done Wrestling, But Would Return To Fight Brock Lesnar

Michael Reichlin
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Wrestling legend Sabu says he’s been forced into retirement due to injuries. After a lengthy career of putting his body on the line during each and every match, he’ll probably stick to autograph signings moving forward.

Sabu was a guest on this week’s edition of Wrestling Shoot Interviews. During his discussion with WSI, he admitted that he’s probably wrestled his final match.

“I’m not doing real good,” said Sabu. “I hurt my back about a year ago and it’s still been hurting. I wrestled a couple of weeks ago but I shouldn’t have. I’ve only wrestled like twice in the last year. I only went to the gym a couple of times the last year ’cause I hurt my back. I’m probably not gonna wrestle no more… I’m probably just gonna do autograph signings and personal appearance-type stuff.”

I’d definitely get back in the ring for…

Sabu
Sabu

Of course, this is professional wrestling. Fans are quite familiar with the phrase, “never say never.” So, what would it take to lure Sabu back into the ring?

“I’d definitely get back in the ring for Brock Lesnar, I’d love to wrestle him. Especially if it was my final match, I’d love to wrestle him.”

Sabu heaped praise on Brock Lesnar, saying that he’s “my kind of opponent.”

“He’s the best, he’s a shooter, he’s a good worker, he’s my kind of opponent. I like big guys, I like wrestling big guys. I don’t like wrestling guys like me because it’s not that interesting. It’s more interesting wrestling a guy like me against a guy like Brock Lesnar.”

Sabu also named Big Show and Mike Awesome as two of the best ‘big men’ he’s ever worked with.

Check out the Wrestling Shoot Interviews YouTube channel for more of their videos.

Kyle O’Reilly & Johnny Gargano To Work Dark Match At Smackdown Tonight

Chris Stephens
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2 of NXT’s biggest stars are scheduled to be at Smackdown tonight. According to a Tweet from John Pollock of Post Wrestling, Kyle O’Reilly and Johnny Gargano are both scheduled to work a dark match on the show from the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.

“Per sources – Johnny Gargano and Kyle O’Reilly are scheduled for a dark match tonight in Evansville at the Smackdown tapings,” Pollock Tweeted.

It was reported back in September that Gargano’s contract with WWE was up on December 3rd. As for O’Reilly, earlier this month it was reported that his contract expires sometime next month as well.

Gargano first started working for WWE in 2015, with him officially signing with the promotion the following year. He is the first-ever NXT triple crown champion, having won the NXT Championship (1x), the North American title (3x) and the tag-team titles (1x with Tommaso Ciampa).

Kyle O’Reilly has been with WWE since 2017. He is a 3x NXT tag-team champion along with other members of the Undisputed Era. Along with Bobby Fish, he is also a 3x ROH World Tag Team Champion and 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion in NJPW. O’Reilly is also a former ROH World Champion.

Bray Wyatt Teases His Next Move

Chris Stephens
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Bray Wyatt, Windham Rotunda, took to Twitter late last night. In typical fashion for him, the Tweet asked more questions than it answered about his next move. It’s possible that Wyatt was referring to the recent WWE roster cuts as well.

“What do we do now? We wait for the right place. We wait for the right time. Then we turn Rome to Ashes. “Groveling in the muck of avarice” I believe in you too,” Rotunda wrote on Twitter.

This is just speculation, but Wyatt used a snake emoji next to the line “Grovelling in the muck of avarice” which is very similar to a line from a famous Jake “the Snake” Roberts promo. Roberts was feuding with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase at the time. The word avarice means “extreme greed for wealth or material gain.”

“I’m going to make you beg, Dibiase. You are going to get down on your hands and knees. This time you’ll be the one that’s humbled, this time you’ll be the one who is humiliated, and this time you’ll be the one that grovels for the money. And how appropriate that the money you grovel for is your very own. A victim of your own greed, wallowing in the muck of avarice,” Roberts said in a backstage interview from WrestleMania VI.

Update On Karrion Kross, Harry Smith & Other WWE Releases

Chris Stephens
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WWE released another 18 wrestlers on Thursday. Talent were told that budget cuts were to blame, but according to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there were other factors at play.

Karrion Kross & Scarlett

In the case of Karrion Kross, Vince McMahon reportedly had pulled him from television due the feeling that he wasn’t getting over. They were in the process of repackaging him again when the decision was made to cut both him and Scarlett.

“Vince McMahon had just pulled Kross from television, saying that he hadn’t gotten over and within the company they were told they were going to repackage him a third time,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Harry Smith

Harry Smith, aka Davey Boy Smith Jr., was released after wrestling one dark match earlier this summer. The original plan for him was to be a star on the NXT UK brand but at the time he was signed, travel wasn’t opened up and so the decision was made for him to be on the main roster.

He got COVID shortly after his dark match and was told to keep quiet about it. Then they just did nothing with him and released him yesterday.

Franky Monet, B-Fab, Lucha House Party & Others

The NXT talent will all have 30-day no-compete clauses although Ember Moon was under a main roster deal and may have a 90-day clause.

All main roster talent will have 90-day no-compete clauses including Hit Row’s B-Fab who just signed a main roster deal last week.

In the case of Franky Monet, aka Taya Valkyrie, she had been pushed heavily on the old NXT but she had not been featured following the re-brand into NXT 2.0.

Age was also a likely factor in several releases. It was noted that WWE’s directive is to hire women under the age of 25 to attract the male 12-34 demographic.

“The new directives on hiring new women is the recommendations are 25 or younger,” Meltzer wrote.

Both Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado are said to have asked for their releases and were expected to be cut.

It was noted that all veteran talent on NXT were discussed as being possible cuts. There is also talk that some talent could be signed to 60-day tryout contracts moving forward.

As of this writing, WWE has released 71 wrestlers this year.

https://www.sescoops.com/news/staggering-tally-wwe-releases-2021/

Why was Bronson Reed’s Impact Wrestling debut delayed?

Chris Stephens
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Bronson Reed was expected to debut for Impact Wrestling at Bound For Glory. He ended up not being on the show, however. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Reed is expected to sign with Impact. The reason he wasn’t on the PPV and hasn’t debuted yet is that he was still dealing with visa issues.

“Jonah Rock, the former Bronson Reed, was scheduled to debut here for Bound for Glory but he hadn’t gotten his visa. But this is the company he is expecting to sign with,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

According to comments he made recently to Wrestling Inc, it appears Reed has his visa issues handled now and he could debut for Impact soon.

“Well, I’m not at liberty to say exactly what’s going to happen, but I am at the moment, this week, getting everything confirmed with immigration, so everything should be good to go, wherever I do go,” Reed said.

The 33-year-old Australian had been with WWE from January 2019 until being released on August 6th this year. He wrestled two dark matches on the main roster in June and then lost the North American title to Isaiah Scott later that month. His final match in WWE was a loss to Adam Cole on the 7/21 NXT show.

Bronson Reed Explains Why He Missed Bound For Glory

Impact Results (11/4): Minoru Suzuki’s In-Ring Debut

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling on 11/4 continued the build to Turning Point later this month. The main event featured the in-ring promotional debut for Minoru Suzuki.

Impact 11/4 Quick Results:

  1. X-Division #1 Contendership
    Fatal 4-way
    Laredo Kid defeated Rohit Raju, Black Taurus, Steve Maclin
  2. Eric Young defeated Jai Vidal
  3. The Good Brothers vs FinJuice – No Contest
  4. Knockouts Championship
    Mickie James (c) defeated Madison Rayne
  5. Chris Sabin defeated Madman Fulton w/Ace Austin
  6. Moose, W. Morrissey & Minoru Suzuki defeated Josh Alexander, Eddie Edwards, & Matt Cardona

Laredo Kid Earns Title Match Against Trey Miguel

Laredo Kid picked up a victory in the #1 contendership match for Trey Miguel’s X-Division Championship in this week’s opening contest. After Steve Maclin took Taurus out with a suicide dive to the outside, it left Laredo and Raju in the ring together. Raju tried to roll him up and grab the tights but Laredo Kid kicked out and sent Raju crashing into Maclin on the ring apron. This allowed him to hit a Michinoku Driver for the win.

After the match, Miguel came out to congratulate his next challenger but both were attacked from behind by Steve Maclin. Miguel and Laredo Kid then worked together to fight off Maclin and sent him to the outside with a double dropkick to end the segment.

Eric Young Wins Squash Match

Eric Young cut a promo before making his in-ring return after 6 months this week. He said that Rhino made the wrong decision at Bound for Glory. He also said that his opponent, Jai Vidal, has the “disease” and Young has the “cure.”

Young then won quick with a piledriver in convincing fashion.

Bullet Club Cause No-Contest In Good Brothers vs FinJuice Match

The Good Brothers faced FinJuice this week in a non-title match. The match was later ruled a no-contest after all 3 members of Impact’s Bullet Club faction interfered. Hikuleo, El Phantasmo, and Chris Bey hit the ring as all 4 wrestlers were down. They hit low-blows and belt shots on all 4 and posed with the Good Brothers Impact tag-team titles to end the segment.

Later in the show, Juice Robinson and David Finlay complained in the back about Bullet Club’s interference. Scott D’Amore then made a match for next week between them and Bullet Club with the winner to face the Good Brothers for the tag titles.

Mickie James Retains Title Against Madison Rayne, Mercedes Martinez Next In Line

Some veterans of the Knockouts division squared off once again with the title on the line here. These two met 4x for the Knockouts belt in 2011, each winning twice. The finish of this match here came when James took out Kaleb with a K on the outside and then hit Rayne with a diving attack from the top rope for the win.

After the match, the winner of the Knockouts Knockdown tournament Mercedes Martinez came to the ring to confront the champion. Martinez respectfully addressed James but said that she was not there to praise the champion, she’s there to challenge her at Turning Point.

The Iinspiration Recruit Undead Bridesmaids To Take On Decay

It was an interesting week for the new Knockouts tag team champions, the Iinspiration. A show long angle took place involving them and former Knockouts tag champs, Decay. First, the new champs were scheduled for an appearance on Locker Room talk but the members of Decay haunted the set.

They later decided that they needed to recruit the Undead Bridesmaids to take on Decay. Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay seemed a little disturbed by all the spookiness going on. It looks as though the Undead Bridesmaids are willing to take on Decay for them, however. That match was later made official for next week.

Chris Sabin Defeats Madman Fulton

Ace Austin was seen wearing a “I Beat Chris Sabin” t-shirt backstage after defeating him last week. This week, Sabin took on Austin’s ally, Madman Fulton and won with a small package. Austin tried to attack him after the match but Sabin quickly escaped to the outside.

W. Morrissey Pins Eddie Edwards In The Main Event

The main event saw several potential feuds and angles take place. Minoru Suzuki and Josh Alexander appear to be on a collision course as Suzuki took him out with a Gotch-style piledriver near the end of the match. The finish came when Morrissey hit Edwards with a big boot followed by a power bomb for the win. The heels celebrated in the ring to close the show.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Turning Point – November 20th

  • Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    The Iinspiration (Jessie McKay & Cassie Lee) (c) vs Decay (Rosemary & Havok)
  • X-Division Championship
    Trey Miguel (c) vs Laredo Kid
  • Knockouts Championship
    Mickie James (c) vs Mercedes Martinez

Next Week:

  • Digital Media Championship (BTI)
    Jordynne Grace (c) vs John Skyler
  • Undead Bridesmaids (Kimber Lee & Brandi Lauren) vs Decay (Rosemary & Havok)
  • Bullet Club (Chris Bey & Hikuleo) vs FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson)

Kristina Salen Departs As WWE’s Chief Financial Officer

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has announced Frank A. Riddick III has been named as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer & Chief Administrative Officer.

Riddick, a longtime member of WWE’s Board of Directors, will report directly to Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon.

Riddick replaces Kristina Salen, who participated on WWE’s Q3 earnings call on Thursday.

Salen posted the following message on her LinkedIn page regarding the departure:

“Today I’m tagging out at WWE. I started at WWE in the midst of the global pandemic and I am proud of what I accomplished with Vince McMahon’s leadership and the tremendous team. We returned to live event touring, exceeded expectations, raised guidance for 2021 and laid a strong foundation for the future. I look forward to WWE’s continued success in and out of the ring!”

WWE Team Executive Shakeup

WWE Conference Room
WWE Conference Room rendering (Mike Van Tassell)

Vince McMahon issued the following statement regarding Kristina Salen’s departure:

“I want to thank Kristina for her contributions to WWE and wish her well in her future pursuits.”

He also had this to say about Frank Riddick III, the new CFO & CAO:

“Working closely with Frank for many years, we have great confidence in his ability to execute our company’s strategy to increase revenues and drive shareholder value by engaging our global fanbase with phenomenal content,” said McMahon.

Riddick started with WWE during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press release posted on the WWE Corporate website, he said, “We returned to live event touring, exceeded expectations, raised guidance for the year, and have laid a strong foundation for the future. I look forward to WWE’s continued success.”

Kristina Salen is not the only high-profile departure from WWE’s executive team. Earlier this week, it became public that Stan Stanski was out as Senior Vice President of Creative Services. This shocked a lot of people behind the scenes, as Stanski was well-liked and had been with the company for around 15 years.

More on that story here:

WWE Releases Senior Vice President Of Creative Services

H/T to Brandon Thurston and Lavie Margolin for surfacing this story

Update On Repercussions For Charlotte Flair Following Title-Exchange

Chris Stephens
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Charlotte Flair was reportedly escorted out of the building following backstage altercations with Becky Lynch and Sonya Deville after the title-exchange segment on Smackdown recently.

Flair reportedly went off-script by dropping the title belt rather than handing it over. She is said to have felt that the scripting of the segment made her and the championship “look weak.”

Flair will not face any further discipline for the incident, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

“Discipline her and you have to discipline quite a few people.”

Dave Meltzer wrote that a source told him her situation is difficult for a few reasons.

“Charlotte is a tricky situation,” the source reportedly said. “Not just because she’s a star in a division with very few stars. But because she’s not the only guilty party. Discipline her and you have to discipline quite a few people.”

Following the segment, Flair is said to have been confronted by both Becky Lynch and Sonya Deville backstage. PW Insider confirmed that Sonya Deville was quite upset by Flair going against the script in the segment.

“Two different sources described Sonya Deville as ‘mad enough to want to fight Flair’ and at one point, also having an argument with Flair backstage at Smackdown,” wrote Mike Johnson. 

Vaccination Status A Factor With Several WWE Releases

Chris Stephens
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WWE released 18 wrestlers on Thursday. We’re now getting word that some people’s refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccination played a direct impact on their departures.

The NY Post was first to report that Nia Jax was among the handful of people let go due to their vaccination status.

“A source with knowledge of WWE’s operations told The Post that one of the reasons Nia Jax, a former WWE Raw women’s champion, was released is that she is unvaccinated,” wrote Ryan Glasspiegel.

Update: Nia Jax issued a statement about her WWE release and says the company did not mention vaccination status when informing her she’s being let go.

Clearly it was not all budget cuts

Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline.com corroborated this story on Thursday’s episode of the Bryan and Lance Show. Alvarez says he heard some of the cuts were due to wrestlers being unwilling to get vaccinated.

“Yes, it is true. I’ve heard this from multiple sources, that there were individuals that were cut because they refused to get vaccinated,” Alvarez said on the show.

“So, clearly it was not all budget cuts. There were at least a small handful of names on that list that just weren’t going to get vaccinated and the company didn’t want to deal with it.”

The issue was also addressed by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

“Some of the talent released was due to them refusing to get vaccinated and not being big enough stars to get away with that,” wrote Dave Meltzer. He noted that it is believed 5 of the 18 were cut for this reason. One source noted the number could be larger than that, however.

A fully tally of everyone released from the company this year is available in the link below:

https://www.sescoops.com/news/staggering-tally-wwe-releases-2021/

WWE Releases: Staggering Tally For 2021

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE is having an extremely profitable year thanks to lucrative television contracts and the longterm deal with Saudi Arabia. Despite more money rolling in than ever, the company has been firing wrestlers at a pace that has been difficult to keep up with.

Adding insult to injury, the company has been the party line that “budget cuts” are to blame. Former Champions, main eventers, announcers, referees and legends have all been let go. Some have found opportunities elsewhere, while others have yet to resurface in the wrestling business.

We’ve compiled a list of the wrestlers released by WWE in 2021. Sadly, this list has been updated many times. The running tally currently stands at over 80 people.

February

  • Lars Sullivan
  • Steve Cutler

March

  • Andrade

April

  • Billie Kay
  • Bo Dallas
  • Chelsea Green
  • Kalisto
  • Mickie James
  • Peyton Royce
  • Samoa Joe
  • Tucker
  • Wesley Blake

May

  • Alexander Wolfe
  • Drake Wuertz
  • Ezra Judge
  • Jake Clemons
  • Jessamyn Duke
  • Kavita Devi
  • Skyler Story
  • Vanessa Borne
  • Velveteen Dream

June

  • Aleister Black
  • Ariya Daivari
  • Arturo Ruas
  • August Grey
  • Braun Strowman
  • Buddy Murphy
  • Curt Stallion
  • Ever-Rise
  • Fandango
  • Killian Dain
  • Lana
  • Marina Shafir
  • Ruby Riott
  • Santana Garrett
  • The Bollywood Boyz
  • Tino Sabbatelli
  • Tony Nese
  • Tyler Breeze

July

  • Bray Wyatt

August

  • Ari Sterling
  • Asher Hale
  • Bobby Fish
  • Bronson Reed
  • Desmond Troy
  • Giant Zanjeer
  • Jake Atlas
  • Kona Reeves
  • Leon Ruff
  • Mercedes Martinez
  • Ric Flair
  • Stephon Smith
  • Tyler Rust
  • Zechariah Smith

November

  • Ashante “Thee” Adonis
  • B-Fab
  • Drake Maverick
  • Ember Moon
  • Eva Marie
  • Franky Monet
  • Gran Metalik
  • Harry Smith
  • Isaiah “Swerve” Scott
  • Jaxson Ryker
  • Jeet Rama
  • Jessi Kamea
  • John Morrison
  • Karrion Kross
  • Katrina Cortez
  • Keith Lee
  • Lince Dorado
  • Mia Yim
  • Nia Jax
  • Oney Lorcan
  • Scarlett Boudreaux
  • Shane Thorne
  • Tegan Nox
  • Top Dolla
  • Trey Baxter
  • Zayda Ramier

WWE Releases Keith Lee, Nia Jax, Karrion Kross, Eva Marie & More

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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WWE released a large group of popular Superstars on Thursday.

The company has severed business ties with the following list of performers, As first reported by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful:

  • Keith Lee
  • Nia Jax
  • Karrion Kross
  • Eva Marie
  • Ember Moon
  • Scarlett Bordeaux
  • Franky Monet
  • Mia Yim
  • Harry Smith
  • Oney Lorcan
  • B-Fab
  • Jessi Kamea
  • Zayda Ramier
  • Trey Baxter
  • Katrina Cortez
  • Jeet Rama
  • Gran Metalik
  • Lince Dorado

Budget cuts were once again cited as the reason for the releases. Sapp says the wrestlers received an email from John Laurinaitis, head of Talent Relations.

Earlier in the day, the company Q3 financial results and touted revenue of $256 million for the quarter.

Once again, the talent and fans are left stunned and wonder how WWE can drop the ball on so much potential.

https://www.sescoops.com/news/staggering-tally-of-wwe-wrestlers-released-in-2021/

Reactions

Several of the released performers took to social media to address their followers:

We will update this post as more details become available.

Additional reactions from the wrestling world

https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/1456408582849662978

Michael Cole Shares He’s Suffering From Hearing Loss

Tyriece Simon
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WWE Smackdown Announcer Michael Cole revealed today that he has 65 percent hearing loss.

He appeared on The Pat McAfee Show with Pat McAfee to discuss sports. After a commercial break, McAfee joked with Cole about being deaf, and Cole acknowledged that he had lost partial hearing. He and McAfee also briefly discussed if his hearing loss resulted from his career in WWE or years as a news reporter before WWE.

“…I’m actually like 65 percent hearing loss, said Cole. He continued, “But that’s why they make these special in-ear pieces that go under my headsets on air, so I can actually hear.”

Michael Cole on The Pat McAfee Show

His appearance on The Pat McAfee Show gave a different look at Cole that Wrestling fans don’t see in WWE. Dressed in a Sweatsuit and flip-flops, he discussed his love for New York sports teams, particularly the New York Jets. He also spoke candidly about his career in the WWE and how he presently deals with the workload.

He discussed the challenge of covering Monday Night Raw, Smackdown, Pay-Per-Views, and NXT. Last year, WWE also promoted Cole to Vice President of Announcing. While he completed his tasks, Cole admitted that it was overwhelming for him. Now Cole focuses on Smackdown and PPV’s while also helping other announcers at their job. However, he shared that he has trouble keeping track of what’s going on in the WWE.

“…I don’t remember last Friday night. Until tomorrow when I can actually sit down and review what happened on the show last week,” said Cole. He explained that he has so much happening during the week, he’ll review last week’s Smackdown hours before a new episode.

Next June, it will be Cole’s 25th year as a WWE Announcer. He shared that his goal is to make it to 25 years with the company regarding his future. He also wants to help other announcers grow in their roles.

“June will be 25 years on the air here. I want to make 25 years because I don’t think there is anybody at least in our line of work that’s been on the air for 52 weeks a year for 25 straight years,” said Cole.

It’s unclear what Cole will do after next year’s anniversary. For now, He wants to be the best announcer he can be, even with his hearing loss.

Corey Graves Reflects On Biggest Commentary Flub

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Corey Graves has taken a look back at his biggest misstep as a color commentator.

Graves has been a key member of the broadcast team for WWE’s main roster since 2016. Since then, he has shared the booth with the likes of Mauro Ranallo, Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and Jimmy Smith.

During an appearance on the Out of Character Podcast with Ryan Satin, Corey Graves discusses a mistake he regretted immediately during The Undertaker’s sendoff.

“Michael Cole and I were back at the kickoff desk doing the voiceover for whatever was happening in the ring and they were talking about The Undertaker’s history. I believe it was with Diesel when Kevin Nash came out. And Michael Cole said ‘It was this WrestleMania… that this happened,’ and I corrected Cole because I was so sure that that wasn’t the year that it happened. And I went oh no, we’re live, I said that and I just realized I’m wrong and Twitter let me know instantly that I was wrong.”

“It’s Michael Cole, He’s Usually Not Wrong”

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Graves continued, “It was in that particular instance, just because of the admiration and respect I have for Undertaker that I wanted everything to be perfect. That’s why I almost looked at Cole like Cole you idiot that wasn’t the year, and then I realized it’s Michael Cole, he’s usually not wrong. I should’ve just trusted the boss in that instance but yeah, that one I wish I could take back but I think they edited it out so it’s not the end of the world.”

Graves recently got some flak over his comments on Dana Brooke. During an episode of Monday Night Raw, Graves said that Brooke hasn’t accomplished much of anything and should cut her losses. Graves responded to the backlash, saying his comments were not a shoot.

WWE star Carmella recently announced that she and Graves are engaged.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

AEW Star Potentially Close To Making His Return

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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One AEW star may be closing in on making his way back to the ring.

Since splitting from the Nightmare Family, The Factory has been ruffling the feathers of other AEW talent. That includes Paul Wight, although Wight got his revenge on QT Marshall at the All Out PPV event. There has been one member of The Factory who has been out of action for a while, however.

Anthony Ogogo Close To Making Return?

Back in July, it was revealed that Anthony Ogogo was taking time off due to having his tenth eye surgery. Ogogo is a former boxer who suffered damage to his left eye and has had to undergo numerous procedures. Back in March 2017, Ogogo was registered blind in his left eye.

In an interview with Daily DDT, QT Marshall delivered the good news that Anthony Ogogo is back in the United States and is ready to return at any time.

“He just came back. He was overseas getting everything taken care of, so we’ll see. I think it’s about right place, right time, and trying to figure out the right story as well. Just to throw someone out there is… my biggest thing for me personally, after 17 years, the last thing I want to do is go in there and take random bumps for no reason.

“I try to explain that to Anthony and everyone’s itching to get back. Right now, we have a huge roster of huge stars, so it’s just one of those things of going back to the drawing board and figuring it out. But in the meantime, he’s been training and working out and doing what he does. He’ll be ready when that call comes.”

Ogogo was last seen feuding with the Gunn Club. Since then, Gunn Club has turned heel so we aren’t likely to see Ogogo wrap up his issues with Billy Gunn.

Bobby Fish Teasing Animosity With Adam Cole

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Could Bobby Fish and Adam Cole be on a collision course at some point in AEW?

Fish and Cole were a part of the Undisputed Era faction in NXT. The two started the group along with Kyle O’Reilly. Eventually, Roderick Strong joined them. All four members of Undisputed Era made a name for themselves in Ring of Honor and dabbled into wrestling in Japan with NJPW prior to joining NXT.

Bobby Fish & Adam Cole No Longer Chummy?

Fish and Cole may have been tight as members of the Undisputed Era but things appear different now. Fish was released from his WWE deal back in August, while Cole decided not to re-sign with the promotion.

Both men now compete under the AEW banner but Bobby Fish claims he and Cole have yet to communicate. Here’s what he had to say on the AEW Unrestricted podcast.

“He didn’t say anything to me. We haven’t talked yet.”

When host Aubrey Edwards pointed out that a lot of people in AEW are busy backstage, Fish had his own theory.

“Yeah, Adam acts like he doesn’t know me.”

Fish went on to say that he still speaks with Kyle O’Reilly, whose WWE deal is reportedly expiring soon.

“Kyle and I still talk. We are definitely still close. Like we said at the top of this conversation, pro wrestling is strange in that way where you see some of the same people daily or weekly for X number of years and then things shift, and you don’t see that person anymore for a little while, but you never know when you’re going to cross paths again and what that frequency is going to be. And we’ll see. I feel like Kyle, Adam, Roddy, myself, however many years we’ve all had in the wrestling industry, we’ve all found a way to cross paths repeatedly.”

Given Adam Cole’s reputation for being one of the nicest people in the business, it’s likely that Fish’s comments are kayfabe. Many feel that Fish and Cole will inevitably cross paths on AEW TV. Whether they realign or go to war remains to be seen.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

The Rock Vows To Never Use Real Guns On Set After “Rust” Tragedy

Chris Stephens
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Following a tragic incident that led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson has pledged to never use real guns in any of his movies. On October 21st, Hutchins was fatally wounded on the set of the film “Rust” following the discharge of a gun by actor Alec Baldwin.

The Rock recently spoke to Variety at the premiere of his new film, “Red Notice.”

“First of all, I was heartbroken,” Rock said. “We lost a life. My heart goes out to her family and everybody on set. I’ve known Alec, too, for a very long time.”

“I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can tell you, without an absence of clarity here, that any movie that we have moving forward with Seven Bucks Productions — any movie, any television show, or anything we do or produce — we won’t use real guns at all,” Johnson continued.

“We’re going to switch over to rubber guns, and we’re going to take care of it in post,” he said. “We’re not going to worry about the dollars; we won’t worry about what it costs.”

“Any movie we do that Seven Bucks does with any studio, the rule is we’re not going to use real guns. That’s it,” he continued.

In addition to the Rock’s vows, 200 cinematographers have also pledged to never use real guns on set again.

Red Notice will be released on Netflix on November 12th.

Young Rock Christmas Special To Air Next Month

Rock’s NBC series “Young Rock” will have a Christmas special next month. The special is scheduled to air on December 15th. The series follows the Rock during various stages of his life, from adolescence to college. The plot of the show is that the Rock is preparing for a Presidential run in the year 2032 and is telling his life stories to a journalist.

NBC announced news of the special recently.

Moose On Winning The Impact World Title: “It’s Just A Prop”

Chris Stephens
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How much winning a world championship means to a wrestler varies from validation of a lifetime in the industry to nothing more than just a prop. Some feel the title is just a tool to get someone over, while others view it as receiving an award for their efforts.

New Impact World Champion Moose recently commented that while it feels good for a company to put the title on him, in the end, he views it as just a prop.

During an appearance on SGP Radio, Moose was asked what winning the Impact world title means to him.

“I’m kind of indifferent about it,” Moose responded. “It feels good for a company to put the championship on you and be like, ‘Hey, you’re our guy.’ At the end of the day, it is just a prop. It is just a prop. One thing I have noticed with this prop is that it makes you busier. When I didn’t have the championship, I didn’t have to do all these interviews and I didn’t have to pre-tapes.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not downplaying being IMPACT World Champion, obviously you don’t become a wrestler without one day wanting to be World Champion,” Moose continued.

“This is Quinn talking, not Moose, because obviously Moose feels different. At the end of the day, I’m still going to work hard and work as hard as I’ve been working. It doesn’t mean I’m going to look at wrestling different because I know as Quinn that this title is just a prop and for storytelling and it doesn’t make me any better or any less than before I had it.”

Moose is the 32nd wrestler to ever hold the Impact World Championship. Josh Alexander, who won the title moments before Moose cashed in his Call Your Shot Gauntlet trophy, was the 31st.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Minoru Suzuki will make his in-ring debut on Impact Wrestling tonight. He’ll team with Impact World Champion Moose, as well as W. Morrissey to take on the team of Eddie Edwards, Josh Alexander, and Matt Cardona.

  • Minoru Suzuki, W.Morrissey, and Moose vs Eddie Edwards, Josh Alexander, and Matt Cardona
  • The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) vs FinJuice (Juice Robinson & David Finlay)
  • Knockouts Championship
    Mickie James (c) vs Madison Rayne
  • X-Division #1 Contendership
    Rohit Raju vs Laredo Kid vs Black Taurus vs Steve Maclin
  • Digital Media Championship #1 Contendership
    John Skyler vs Chelsea Green

Last week’s Impact Results

  1. X-Division Championship
    Trey Miguel defeated Rocky Romero
  2. Rachael Ellering defeated Tasha Steelz
  3. Heath vs Joe Doering – No Contest
  4. Ace Austin defeats Chris Sabin
Impact 9/28 Results: Minoru Suzuki Debuts

H/t to Fightful for transcriptions.

Big E Has Noticed A ‘Vast Difference’ Since Becoming WWE Champion

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Big E didn’t think he’d notice a significant change after becoming the WWE Champion but he has.

Back in September, Big E cashed in his Money In The Bank contract against then-WWE Champion Bobby Lashley. The cash-in was successful and Big E secured a world title for the first time in his career. Most fans agree that this was long overdue for the former New Day member.

Big E Talks Changes As WWE Champion

Big E’s mindset was simply business as usual when he captured the WWE gold. He admitted to Sportsnet, however, that things have indeed been different since he became Monday Night Raw’s gold standard.

“I’m an established talent, I’ve been around, so I’m not new (and) I didn’t think there would be a vast difference but there really is. I mean, just as far as the amount of people reaching out, the amount of opportunities. I don’t know if I would have had the opportunity to be a part of Fury–Wilder, a small part but a really cool part. Also to go back to Iowa City for one of the biggest home wins in Iowa football history. These are perks that you get with the title and that’s pretty cool.

Big E
Big E

“Yeah things have really, really picked up for me but man, I feel so fortunate to be able to do all these things, especially things that I love. College football was my first love as a kid and getting back to my alma mater (with) the same head coach that I played for 17 years ago is really, really cool. Things have been busy, but things have been very, very good.”

The current WWE Champion also discussed dealing with the added pressure. He said the work never stops, even when he’s at home. Big E also said it’s crucial to know habits that can stay and ones that need to go.

Big E appears to be on a collision course with Seth Rollins, who earned a title shot after winning a number one contender ladder match. As of late, Kevin Owens has been thrown in the mix, so time will tell if this will lead to a triple threat match for the WWE Title.

Kofi Kingston On Why New Day Is The Greatest Team In WWE History

Chris Stephens
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In January, WWE counted down the greatest 50 teams in company history. New Day’s Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E topped the list. During a recent interview on Into the Danger Zone with Chris Denker, Kofi Kingston spoke about why he feels New Day are the greatest team in WWE history.

“I do,” Kingston responded when asked if he thought New Day really are the greatest team in WWE history. “I almost hesitated, and I feel like a lot of times you’re supposed to be humble with it, but for me, I’m old now, I got to the point that I don’t really care what anybody thinks about me.”

Kofi Kingston On Why New Day Are The Greatest Team In WWE History

Kingston continued to list numerous different things the team has accomplished such as having segments with the Rock, hosting WrestleMania, having a cereal produced with their branding.

“We’ve just been able to do a lot of things that are groundbreaking,” Kingston continued. “I haven’t even gotten into our accolades. The longest reigning tag-team champions, 11 times. I look at all that stuff, and not that you compare yourself to anybody else, but being a group that never had the desire to turn on one another.”

On top of their success as a team, New Day members have all had their individual successes while still members of the group. Kofi Kingston had Kofi-Mania and a run with the WWE title. Big E is the current WWE Champion. Xavier Woods recently won the King of the Ring tournament. Kingston continued to say that when one member of the group accomplishes something, they all share in the accolades.

“Woods is the King, I’m the King. E is the WWE Champion, I’m the WWE Champion. We have that actual mentality of all for one and one for all. From all of those perspectives, I can’t think of another group that embodies most of those things, let alone all of those things, like we do. On top of it, WWE.com voted us the greatest tag-team/faction of all time anyway, so it’s official.”

WWE’s tag-team title statistics get a little hard to follow with various brand-splits and reunions that have taken place over the years. For what are now the RAW tag-team titles, they’ve held the belts 4x for a combined 627 days (most all-time). For what are now the Smackdown tag titles, they’ve held the belts 7x for a combined 380 days (2nd only to The Usos 489+ days).

H/T to 411Mania for transcriptions.

Return From Combat: CZW Renaissance Of Tradition Results

MALCOLM
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One of North America’s premier pro wrestling promotions made its long awaited return last week on October 24th.

Combat Zone Wrestling, known for their ultraviolet hard-hitting matches, took an extended hiatus during the initial lockdown in early 2020. Running their last show in Baltimore, Maryland, CZW returned home to New Jersey for a very special event raising money for Breast Cancer awareness.

This event was held in the new Studio Z, a beautiful recording studio that left fans drawing comparisons to an underground fight club or NWA Powerrr style of show.

A reloaded roster of some of the East Coast finest performers, CZW is building towards the future creating the next generation’s stars and given their track history (Jon Moxley, MJF, Riddle, Adam Cole, & Kevin Owens) there’s bound to be several superstars in the making. In Blackwood, NJ, CZW Renaissance of Tradition was a pay-what-you-can with proceeds going to BreastCancer.org.

The show opened with Nate Wallance, Kris Bishop, Dave McCall, collectively the Rep leading a ten-bell salute for DK Meadows, a CZW wrestler and student who passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Match 1: Jackson Drake defeated Duke O’Connor, “Miami” Mike Walker, and Rayo

A fatal 4-way of CZW’s brightest stars. Since the promotion is rebuilding the brand these stars ushered in the new style of CZW. Jackson Drake, displayed a flurry of high-flying athletics against his North Carolinian counterpart Duke O’Connor & Maryland standouts “Miami” Mike Walker & Rayo.

Match 2: Boom Harden defeated Lucky 13

Boom Harden brought a new level of intensity to the CZW mainstay Luck 13. Boom’s fiery comebacks, strength, and never say die mentality makes him an exciting performer all pro wrestling fans should hope to see live one day. 

Mother Endless cut a promo declaring that she has war with CZW. Referencing the great women in the wrestling business like WWE Hall of Famers Lita & Chyna, Mother Endless seemed to be hinting towards a potential CZW women’s division for her to rule over.  

Match 3: Tyler “Action” Andretti defeated Lucky Ali

Two extremely talented athletes Tyler “Action” Andretti and Lucky Ali have every box checked to go to the next level in the business. Another Maryland standout, Tyler Andretti draws close comparisons to the likes of Ricochet or Lio Rush when he enters the squared circle. Andretti outsmarting Ali’s mind games took to the sky on multiple occasions leaving the fans at Studio Z speechless. It might not have been Ali’s lucky day but I’m sure if any company in the world signed The King of The Carolinas he would most certainly be up next to superstardom. 

Match 4: Paul Jordane defeated Hayden

Paul Jordane might just be the most impressive performer of the night. A first look wouldn’t tell you how agile this 6’7” monster can be in the ring. Destroying Maryland wrestler Hayden, Jordane finished the short match with a 450 splash from the top rope to pick up the victory. Every fan in attendance was massively impressed by Jordane’s skill level.

Match 5: Vinny Talotta defeated Diego Hill

Vinny Talotta & Diego Hill were mentioned by CZW management to be the two prospects of the promotion we can assume will be sitting at the top of the mountain very soon. Vinny Talotta who recently competed in the WWE Los Angeles Tryout was handed the blue clip prospect of the company and is undoubtedly somebody fans should keep their eyes on. Diego Hill held his own in this match even if he didn’t get the victory, also showing why he’s a performer worth going out of your way to watch!

Dante Caballero came out with two men in suits whom he referred to as Familia and cut a promo about being the most dominant wrestler on the planet. Eran Ashe interrupted him, which Caballero took offense to. The two men jumped Ashe, but Ashe beat down both of them. During that, Grim jumped Ashe from behind.

Match 6: Eran Ashe defeated Grim

An absolute hoss match, Ashe & Grim went to war with clubbing blows and intense words exchanged. Grim showed the CZW faithful why he is someone to keep your eyes on taking to the sky and displaying a rare blend of athletics and strength. It wasn’t his night though as Eran Ashe was declared the winner earning him a prominent position in the combat zone.

Match 7: Prolific (Tyree Taylor, Marcus Marquee and Isaiah Wolf) defeated the Rep (Nate Wallace, Dave McCall and Kris Bishop)

New York faction, Prolific have been grinding on the independent scene for years now and seeing them get this opportunity was well earned. Entertaining outside and grapplers in the ring they brought the fight to the Rep. Prolific pins Kris Bishop to win. Bishop afterwards says that he has let the Rep down but Wallace and McCall tells Bishop to pick his head up.

Match 8: Fred Yehi defeated Griffin McCoy

This was lauded as a must-see great match. Fred Yehi is a well-traveled wrestler making his name known in EVOLVE, AAW Pro, & ROH. Yehi brought his veteran experience and one of a kind technical mastermind style to CZW against the upcomer, Griffin McCoy. McCoy, a student of the CZW Dojo has stepped up to the plate and knocked this match out of the park! There was a lot of raving internally of this match, especially McCoy’s performance as a main eventer.

At the end, CZW announced that they have raised $1500 at the show, all of which will be donated to BreastCancer.org. CZW will return on Sunday, November 21 at Studio Z, located at 110 Harmon Dr, Suite 207, Blackwood, NJ.

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WWE Releases Senior Vice President Of Creative Services

Chris Stephens
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WWE has made a significant change to its executive team recently. According to a report from PW Insider, Senior Vice President of Creative Services Stan Stanski has been released. He had been with the company for 15 years and his release has reportedly shocked many within WWE.

The release comes ahead of WWE’s upcoming Earnings Call scheduled for today.

A source speaking to PW Insider under the condition of anonymity noted that Stanski’s departure is “the ultimate proof no one is safe” and “yet another reminder this isn’t the same company it was a year ago.”

Stanski’s LinkedIn account listed his responsibilities at the company as:

“Responsible for defining and managing the overall creative look of WWE across all platforms including but not limited to: the graphic identity and branding; photography; on and off air affiliate marketing of pay-per-view events; consumer and trade advertising; consumer products; sponsorship and retail promotions; live event and tour promotion; fan events; talent brand development; corporate communication; and WWE Studios.”

Other releases are said to be expected but as of this writing Stanski’s is the only one known about.

Last week, WWE announced that shareholder dividends will be $0.12 per share.

“WWE (NYSE: WWE) announced that its Board of Directors today declared the Company’s regular quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share for all Class A and B shares of common stock. The record date for the dividend will be December 15, 2021 and the payment date will be December 27, 2021,” a WWE press release reads.

Bryan Danielson & Tony Khan Address Live Crowd Following Dynamite (Video)

Chris Stephens
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Following last night’s edition of AEW Dynamite, Bryan Danielson and Tony Khan addressed the live crowd. Danielson was already in the ring after confronting Miro, who he will now face at Full Gear in the finals of the AEW Title Eliminator tournament.

With Orange Cassidy and the Best Friends still in the ring as well, Tony Khan addressed the live crowd and said that this week’s episode was the 2nd hardest ever to put together behind the Brodie Lee tribute show. A loud chant for Jon Moxley then rang out throughout the building.

Khan then gave the microphone to Danielson, who spoke about Brodie Lee and having texted with him about how happy he was in AEW. He also wished Moxley to get better soon. Danielson thanked the fans and everyone in the ring before inviting Justin Roberts into the ring. They then mocked the tie-choking spot that once got Danielson fired from WWE.

The YouTube channel “CoolToy” posted video of what went down after the show went off the air:

Next up for AEW will be a live edition of Rampage in St. Louis on Friday night. Adam Cole will face John Silver, The Bunny will face Red Velvet, and CM Punk will come face to face with Eddie Kingston on the show.

AEW Dynamite Results (11/3): Cody vs. Andrade, Eliminator Finals Set For Full Gear, CM Punk

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri. Cody faced Andrade el Idolo tonight on Dynamite. Orange Cassidy battled Miro in the World Title Eliminator Tournament in this week’s main event. The winner of that match will face Bryan Danielson in the finals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament At Full Gear.

Dynamite Results (11/3)

  1. Kenny Omega def. Alan Angels
  2. FTR def. Aerostar & Samuray Del Sol to retain the AAA Tag Team Championships
  3. Jamie Hayter def. Anna Jay to advance in the TBS Championship Tournament
  4. Andrade el Idolo def. Cody Rhodes
  5. Miro def. Orange Cassidy to advance to the finals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Hangman Page Sent A Message To Kenny Omega

AEW Word Champion Kenny Omega faced Alan Angels tonight in a non-title match. Omega controlled the action early and went for a Dragon Suplex but Angels blocked it. Angels hit an Arm Drag and the action spilled out of the ring. Omega sent Angels into the barricade but Alan battled back. Angels hit a Moonsault and rolled Omega into the ring. Angels followed it up with a Crossbody for a near fall. Angels escaped the One Winged Angel but got caught with a V-Trigger for a two count. Omega hit the One Winged Angel for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Omega went to beat Angels down some more but Hangman Page’s theme hit. Hangman got a great reaction from the crowd as he made his way to the ring. Omega grabbed a steel chair but Angels ripped it away. Hangman Page went for the Buckshot Lariat but Omega dodged it.

Kenny exited the ring but left the AEW Championship on the mat. Hangman grabbed the microphone and then the AEW Championship. Page told Omega that he better hang on to the title tight because he has 10 days left with it.

CM Punk Warned Eddie Kingston

CM Punk came down to the ring for a promo as the crowd cheered. Punk said that he is not in the best mood and wanted to talk to the crowd seriously. Punk stated that there are two people that aren’t here tonight and one is the name he wants to hear chanted. The crowd chanted “Moxley!” and Punk said he doesn’t want anyone to criticize Jon Moxley because he is “god damn proud of him”. Punk added that there is nothing wrong with asking for help.

Punk turned his attention to Eddie Kingston and noted that he was not here tonight. CM Punk said he was embarrassed for Kingston when he interrupted him last week. The crowd chanted Full Gear and Punk brought up Friday’s Rampage. Punk said he will be there in St. Louis to accept Eddie Kingston’s apology.

https://twitter.com/MadKing1981/status/1456055706826727428?s=20

Christian & Jurassic Express Attacked The Elite

Adam Cole and the Young Bucks were interviewed backstage. Cole claimed that last week was a fluke and Nick added that they are not afraid of anything. Christian Cage showed up and Nick flinched. Luchasaurus joined the party and a brawl broke out. The Elite took control but Jungle Boy dove off the stage to take them out. Christian hit Matt with a Spear. Luchasaurus Chokeslammed Nick onto Matt as Jungle Boy got the Snare Trap on Adam Cole. Christian Cage hit Adam Cole with a Con-Chair-To.

FTR Retained

FTR defended the AAA Tag Team Championship against Aerostar & Samuray Del Sol (FKA Kalisto). Del Sol and Cash started off the action. Samuray hit a Frankensteiner and tagged in Aerostar. Aerostar flipped around the ring and Dax responded by flipping him the bird. Back from a break, Del Sol hit a Crossbody for a near fall. Dax hit a Brainbuster on the floor outside the ring to take Del Sol out. Back in the ring, Cash Wheeler rolled up Aerostar and held onto the tights & middle rope for leverage. FTR are still the AAA Tag Team Champions.

Inner Circle Made Their Picks

Inner Circle made their way to the ring and Jericho complimented Sammy Guevara for defeating Ethan Page and retaining the TNT Championship. Jericho said that they now get to choose which members of American Top Team face them in the Street Fight at Full Gear.

Dan Lambert demanded some respect before Inner Circle made their picks. Hager picked Junior Dos Santos, Santana picked Andrei Arloski. Lambert noted that Paige Van Zant wants in the match. Paige joked about the tight pants Inner Circle were wearing and how they don’t have the balls to take her own. She claimed that she could take on all five of them by herself. Jericho joked that maybe she could put that on her OnlyFans page. Jericho then selected Dan Lambert and started up a “fat face dish*t” chant. Lambert threw a tantrum and shouted that his face wasn’t even fat.

Jamie Hayter Advanced In The TBS Championship Tournament

Anna Jay faced Jamie Hayter in a TBS Championship Tournament match. Anna and Jamie locked up in the middle of the ring to begin the action. Anna took Hayter to the canvas and applied a Headlock. The action spilled to the floor and Anna sent Hayter into the barricade. When Dynamite returned from a break, Rebel and Britt Baker distracted Anna Jay and Hayter hit a big Clothesline for the pinfall victory. After the match, the heels went to attack Anna Jay but Tay Conti made the save. The numbers game caught up to Tay but then Thunder Rosa rushed the ring. Baker, Rebel, and Hayter retreated to end the segment.

MJF & Darby Allin Brawled

MJF came to the ring and stared at Darby Allin who was in the crowd throughout the show. MJF said that they both know that without them, AEW doesn’t work. Maxwell added that he is not deaf and hears that the crowd is booing him and cheering Darby ever week. MJF referred to himself as a symbol of everything that people want to be but can’t, while Darby is an outcast incel that can barely form a sentence. MJF claimed that the reason Allin hurls himself around and throws caution to the wind is because he’s not good enough to be a functioning member of society.

Maxwell said that Allin is just the like crowd, he’ll never fit in and never win. MJF told Allin that he is a glorified stuntman and will lose at Full Gear because he’s not focused enough on winning. MJF went on and said that even if Allin changed his ways, he’s still a better wrestler and that nobody can defeat him in the middle of the ring.

Darby admitted to being everything MJF claimed he is, but vowed to keep his cool and have a wrestling match at Full Gear. Allin told MJF that he was going to take his anger out on him now but Maxwell retreated. Sting cut MJF off at the top of the ramp and out came Shawn Spears & Wardlow. A brawl broke out and Darby sent MJF over the barricade with a Clothesline. Darby was going for the Coffin Drop but MJF scampered away. MJF and Darby Allin will battle November 13th at Full Gear.

FTR Helped Andrade def. Cody

Cody Rhodes battled Andrade el Idolo tonight on Dynamite. They locked up to start off the match and then traded punches. Cody hit a Dropkick and went for a Cutter but Andrade sent him out of the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Rhodes was in control and connected with a Powerslam. Rhodes ran into a back elbow from Andrade for a close two count. Andrade hit Three Amigos and the third Suplex sent Cody into the turnbuckle. Andrade went for a Moonsault but Cody got out of the way.

Andrade got Cody in a Figure Four and let out a “woo!”. Cody countered and then took control of the match. Rhodes set up for a Suicide Dive but FTR hit him with the AAA tag titles. Andrade capitalized with the Hammerlock DDT for the pinfall victory. FTR got in some more punches after the match

Miro Will Face Bryan Danielson At Full Gear

Orange Cassidy faced Miro in the World Title Eliminator Tournament. Miro is replacing Jon Moxley in the match. Bryan Danielson joined commentary for the match. Danielson will face the winner at Full Gear in the finals of the tournament. Miro dominated the action early and beat Orange Cassidy down outside the ring as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Miro was still dominating and launched Cassidy into the turnbuckle. Orange fired up and unloaded some punches. Cassidy hit a Dropkick and followed it up with a Tornado DDT for a two count. Cassidy geared up for the Orange Punch but Miro rolled out of the ring. Miro rested up against a table as Orange climbed to the top rope.

Cassidy hit a Crossbody through the table and rolled back into the ring as the referee started counting. Miro made it back into the ring at the last moment and Cassidy hit a slam for a two count. Orange went for the punch but Miro hit a Back Body Drop. Miro hit a kick to the face and applied the Game Over for the submission victory. Miro will battle Bryan Danielson at Full Gear. The winner of that match will get a shot at the AEW Championship. After the match, Bryan Danielson got into the ring and had a stare down with Miro to close the show. Danielson offered a handshake but Miro backed away.

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