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Tony Nese On What Vince McMahon Said About His He-Man Inspired Gear

Anutosh Bajpai
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Tony Nese has been making headlines recently after debuting for All Elite Wrestling and he already has an idea on how he wants to differentiate his AEW character from his WWE persona. The former champion was recently a guest on Insight with Chris Van Vliet. He discussed things such as getting released from WWE and more.

Discussing the ideas he has for his AEW persona, Nese said that he will continue being the premier athlete but he wants to play a character that is a little bit more serious:

“So the Premier Athlete is still going to be who I am and what I represent, but I do want it to be a little bit more of a serious thing rather than ‘Hey look at my abs.’ I love being booed and flexing, but at the same time, I switched up my look to where I am wearing more branded stuff.”

What Vince McMahon Said About Tony Nese’s Gear

Tony Nese
Tony Nese

Tony Nese continued his explanation mentioning how in WWE he was just trying to get a pop with his gear that looked good. He also recalled an interesting remark from Vince McMahon about one of his attires:

“In WWE, I was just trying to pop by getting gear that just looked good. I wore a jacket because they told me I needed something up top. They said ‘You should wear something, but don’t cover up anything.’

For 1 show I wore a He-Man type thing, but nobody thought it looked cool, Vince said ‘Is he wearing a bra out there?’ Straight after I heard that, I threw it into the garbage.”

Tony Nese claimed that he wants to be taken more seriously in AEW. He wants to be his own brand though he will still be kissing his biceps and continue flexing. The former WWE star made his first appearance for AEW during the October 23 episode of Dynamite. He has since made his in-ring debut for the company as well.

Tony Nese Calls 205 Live ‘Wrestling Purgatory’

H/T to WrestleZone for the transcribed quotes

Jon Moxley Is Glad WWE Nixed His Feud With Mick Foley

Anutosh Bajpai
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It’s common knowledge that WWE wanted to introduce Jon Moxley on the main roster through a feud with Mick Foley before the idea for The Shield was formed. Though the former Dean Ambrose believes that it’s actually better that this dream match never happened because officials would have not given him the freedom that he desired.

The former AEW world champion talked about this during a recent interview with Wrestling Observer. He explained why it’s better that the bout remains a dream match:

“In retrospect it’s actually better that me and Foley just remains a total dream match feud. If 90s Mick Foley and current or maybe a decade ago version of me if you do [a feud] with Mick Foley. For sure that would be the s**t. That’s some dream match s**t.

But at that exact time what would have actually happened was I would have come to the building and I would have had it all in my head exactly what I wanted to say. And I would have the promo in my head and the angle in my head and I would have had it all ready. It would have been very cemented in my head then they would have handed me a script.”

Jon Moxley On How He Would Have Reacted To A Script

Jon Moxley and The Shield
Jon Moxley made his debut as part of the Shield

Mox explained how he wasn’t accustomed to working with a script at the time. So he would have reacted very poorly to it and be deemed hard to work with as a result:

“At this time I didn’t know there were scripts. I would have not reacted very good. I would have reacted poorly to say the least to being handed a script, and then I would have been deemed hard to work with and a bad attitude and yada yada. It would have all just probably gone to s**t.”

Jon Moxley then discussed how the two could have had a great feud if they ever crossed paths outside of WWE. According to him, it would have been a money-making match. Moxley made his main roster debut as part of the Shield during the 2012 Survivor Series PPV. You can check out his comments below:

The IInspiration On Where They Got Their Post-WWE Name From

Anutosh Bajpai
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The former IIconics have not only found new names for themselves in Jessica McKay and Cassie Lee but they have changed the name of their team to The IInspiration.

The duo appeared on Impact Press Pass with Gail Kim prior to their Impact debut at Bound For Glory. Among other things, they also revealed where they got the inspiration for their new name.

Jessica McKay gave props to Lee for coming up with the idea, revealing that the former WWE star came up with it after watching the classic movie Bring It On:

“Cassie, I will give props to her. She came up with The IInspiration from ‘Bring It On’ classic film that we’ve all seen a million times. They call themselves inspiration leaders, and she loved that and told me about it. And I was like, that’s amazing.

And it just stuck. It felt like us. And it’s so crazy. Now we say the word inspire 100 times a day, and I never knew that. Of course, now we’re saying the word all the time. So it definitely fits for us.”

The IInspiration was released from WWE back in April this year. They made their Impact Wrestling debut during the Bound For Glory event this past weekend.

The debuting duo challenged Decay for the Impact Knockouts tag team titles on the show and won the championships in their first match for the promotion.

Deonna Purrazzo Praises Impact Signing The IInspiration & Masha Slamovich

H/T to WrestleZone for the transcribed quotes

Rey Mysterio Considered Retirement Before Dominik’s Debut

Anutosh Bajpai
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Rey Mysterio was considering hanging his boots for good and ending his three-decade long run as a professional wrestler before his son Dominik made his wrestling debut.

The wrestling legend recently spoke to Scott Fishman of TV Insider where he discussed a number of things. During the interview, he also revealed that he was thinking about hanging up the mask before Dominik stepped in the ring:

“Before my son even stepped in the ring I thought maybe it was time to hang up the mask.” said Mysterio, “Having my son kick off his career gave me a moment of renewal. It was a rebirth.”

The former world champion explained that he sees his younger self in his son. According to him, Dominik has reminded him of his passion for wrestling and inspired him to stay in the industry:

“I thought I was losing my passion in 2019 and that my career was coming to an end. My son was able to boost my energy and help me keep going.”

When asked how he is able to maintain the high flying style fans have come to know him for, Rey Mysterio said that it’s the passion for the sport that keeps him going.

The master of 619 made his return to WWE programming during the 2018 Royal Rumble in January and became a regular roster member in October. Dominik made his in-ring debut for the company during the SummerSlam 2020 event.

Rey Mysterio’s Daughter Aalyah Considering Wrestling Career

Mercedes Martinez On Why She Didn’t Sign With AEW In 2019

Anutosh Bajpai
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Mercedes Martinez made her AEW debut in 2019 and a lot of fans believed that she would sign with the promotion. Though people were left surprised when she joined the WWE roster instead.

The former WWE star recently had an interview with Bell To Belles. Among other thing, she also explained why she didn’t sign a contract with All Elite Wrestling.

Martinez admitted that she was in touch with the AEW officials. Though the female star revealed that despite the belief, the promotion never offered her a contract:

“There was no contract offer. Yes, I mean, if you want to straight shoot, we can straight shoot. People think there was [a contract offer], but there wasn’t, we were in talks, you know?”

Mercedes Martinez On Why She Signed With WWE

Mercedes Martinez
Mercedes Martinez

Mercedes Martinez continued by mentioning how she talked to Cody and Brandi Rhodes and let them know that WWE was offering her a deal. When she didn’t get a response, she took the offer from the rival promotion:

“We talked and I told her, ‘WWE is knocking at my door, so if there is an offer to be made, it has to be done now because if this is the only offer on the table, with me being close to 40, I need to take something,

Because my legacy has to end at some point. And after that, there was nothing, so I took the contract with WWE, negotiated with what we needed to do, and I was very happy with what they offered.”

Mercedes Martinez made her AEW debut as the Joker in the second Casino Battle Royale at the All Out 2019 PPV. She made another appearance for the promotion during a dark episode, before signing with WWE in January 2020.

Apart from this, the former NXT star discussed being put in the Retribution faction. She explained why she chose to leave the main roster stable and went back to NXT.

H/T to WrestlingInc for the transcribed quotes

The Diamond Mine Members Work SmackDown Dark Match

Anutosh Bajpai
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The latest WWE SmackDown tapings from Wilkes-Barre, PA had a couple of interesting pre-show dark matches, including a bout featuring the members of the Diamond Mine NXT stable.

The first match of the night saw Raquel Gonzalez facing Toni Storm in a singles bout. This former NXT women’s champion won this fight after pinning Storm.

The second dark match of the evening saw Brutus Creed and Juliuis Creed collectively known as the Creed Brothers facing The Viking Raiders in a tag team bout.

Creed Brothers did not have their manager Malcolm Bivens at their side but the duo did use the graphic and music of The Diamond Mine for their entrance. Viking Raiders won this bout.

Raquel Gonzalez signed with WWE back in 2016. She competed in the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament under the ring name Reina González. The female star made her NXT TV debut with her current name in February last year.

She went on to win the NXT women’s title in April this year. Raquel held the title until this week where she dropped the belt to Mandy Rose during the NXT: Halloween Havoc special on October 26.

Brutus and Juliuis were signed by WWE at different times. They made their debut as the Creed Brothers in June this year. They joined the Diamond Mine in September.

WWE SmackDown Results (10/29): New Day vs. The Usos, Trick Or Street Fight

Big E On If He Has Dealt With Racism In WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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Big E and the New Day have broken the stereotype of African American wrestlers and made a unique place for themselves not only in the WWE roster but the wrestling world in general. The WWE champion had an interview with Breakfast Club Power 101.5 FM. He opened up about what it means for him to be a successful WWE star.

The New Day member was asked if he has dealt with any racism in WWE. Replying to it, E said that he hasn’t before explaining that as far as their representation on TV goes, they are getting where they need to be:

“In WWE, no, honest I haven’t. I will say, as far as our representation on TV we are getting to where we need to be. It’s always a work in progress. Often times if there are issues it would present themselves as, people see you a certain way and they want you to, as a character go, ‘oh you’re a big black man,’ so this is the role you need to play.”

Big E On Breaking The Stereotype For Talent of Color

Big E
Big E

Big E also discussed how it has been important for the New Day to be themselves on TV. He mentioned how in the wrestling industry talent of color are often put in certain boxes such as being a rapper or dancer. With the presentation of their group, they wanted to show people that they can be unique:

“The three of us are nerds, we are comic book nerds so we wanted to really just be ourselves. I think too often, in our industry you would see talent of color put in certain boxes like you have to be a rapper or dancers. We came out with bright colors, just doing silly stuff and the response, at first was rocky, but we just wanted to show people you can be yourselves, you can be unique, and still be proudly black.”

Big E said that their goal with the New Day has been to tear down those boxes so people don’t see black performers in a specific way. He then gave the example of Bianca Belair as someone who is doing the same.

Big E Recalls Getting Text From Ric Flair Following WWE Title Win

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

Tony Khan Wanted To Bring In WCW Veteran For An AEW Show

Anutosh Bajpai
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Tony Khan apparently wanted to bring in former WCW star and pro wrestling veteran Ultimo Dragon for an appearance during the early days of All Elite Wrestling.

Both the Japanese wrestling star and his WCW manager Sonny Onoo recently made an appearance on Perched on the Top Rope podcast where they talked about a number of different things.

During the talk, Onoo revealed that the AEW president had inquired about booking Ultimo Dragon for an AEW show before the promotion made its debut on TNT:

“Before the AEW started on Turner network, I did get a call directly from Tony Khan. I spoke with him, and he wanted to have Ultimo Dragon on the show or one of their promotional shows in Florida,

I forget the name of it, but it was a computer convention type of show. He wanted to know what the details were, but briefly, what I can tell; it was a one-time shot,”

Explaining why the appearance didn’t happen, Sonny Onoo revealed that the former WCW star was getting ready to go back to Japan for Dragon Gate. The AEW appearance conflicted with his schedule.

Tony Khan has brought in a number of former WCW stars for various AEW appearances since the inception of the company. The list includes names such as Juventud Guerrera and more.

Tony Khan On The Falling Rampage Ratings

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

Impact Wrestling Star Backstage At SmackDown

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former Impact Wrestling X Division champion Petey Williams was backstage for this week’s episode of SmackDown from Wikes-Barre, PA.

According to PWInsider, the Impact wrestling star was in the arena getting tryout as a producer for the company. It’s a role he has been working in for Impact recently.

Petey Williams has spent the majority of his career working for Impact Wrestling after making his debut in 2004. He worked as a producer for the Bound For Glory PPV this past weekend and the subsequent Impact tapings.

Though the former champion wasn’t the only interesting name backstage for the Friday night show. Both former WWE star Jimmy Wang Yang and NXT coach Steve Corino were also present for the episode.

The report confirms the suspicion that Wang Yang is also receiving a tryout as a producer after it was initially revealed that he was backstage for Raw this past week.

Corino, on the other hand, has been with WWE since 2017. He left his position as a ROH announcer back then to work with WWE as a performance center coach and producer.

There is no word yet on if this was a one-time appearance or if the former ROH star has been brought up to the main roster to work as a producer full time.

WWE SmackDown Results (10/29): New Day vs. The Usos, Trick Or Street Fight

AEW Rampage Results (10/29): Britt Baker vs. Abadon, Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston

Robert Lentini
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AEW Rampage was taped from the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA. Bryan Danielson battled Eddie Kingston in the semifinals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament. AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker faced Abadon in a Trick or Treat No DQ match in the main event.

Rampage Results (10/29)

  1. Bryan Danielson def. Eddie Kingston to advance to the finals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament
  2. Dante Martin def. Matt Sydal
  3. Britt Baker def. Abadon

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Bryan Danielson Advanced To The Finals Of The World Title Eliminator Tournament

Danielson and Kingston traded punches in the corner of the ring to begin the action. Danielson took control and sent Kingston out of the ring. Eddie regrouped on the outside and threw a chair in anger. Back in the ring, Kingston and Danlelson started trading heatbutts. Kingston unloaded some chops to Danielson’s chest and then bit him on the head.

When Rampage returned from a commercial break, Kingston focused his attack on Bryan’s neck and connected with a Suplex outside the ring. Eddie brought Danielson to the top rope and went for a Superplex but Bryan escaped. Kingston connected with a DDT and then Backfist to the Future but took too long to get to the cover. Danielson countered into a Triangle submission. Danielson unloaded some elbow strikes while maintaining hold. Kingston gave Danielson the middle finger as he passed out. Kingston refused to shake Bryan’s hand after the match as well. Bryan Danielson advanced to the finals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament. The finals will take place at Full Gear.

Eddie Kingston Confronted CM Punk

CM Punk was interviewed backstage during tonight’s Rampage. CM Punk noted that he is 5-0 and was interrupted by an angry Eddie Kingston. Eddie shouted “I know you!” at CM Punk and slapped the microphone out of Tony Schiavone’s hand. Punk said he will put Eddie to sleep again and that he saw what just happened to him in the ring. Kingston was escorted away as Punk joked that Kingston was being unprofessional.

Dante Martin def. Matt Sydal

Matt Sydal faced Dante Martin tonight on Rampage. Lio Rush was in Dante Martin’s corner for the match. Sydal and Dante Martin started the match off back and forth with some incredible action. Martin dropped Matt with a high Dropkick and followed it up with a Moonsault. Dante connected with a Stunner and a ridiculous springboard Moonsault for the pinfall victory. Lio Rush celebrated with Dante Martin after the match as the crowd gave him a great reaction.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1454276625349189632?s=20

Britt Baker Escaped With A Win

AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker faced Abadon in a Trick or Treat No DQ match. Before the main event, Mark Henry interviewed Britt Baker and Abadon in split screen. Mark Henry said that the “treat” in the match will be a future title shot for Abadon if she wins the match. Mark added that the trick is that this match is no disqualification, and asked if Abadon had any tricks up her sleeve.

Abadon answered like a zombie and Mark comically said “it looks like Abadon doesn’t have a comment”. AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker claimed to be highly confident and noted that she brought a couple zombies with her and pointed to Rebel & Jamie Hayter dressed up. Baker vowed to sent “Abby” back down to hell where she belongs. Mark Henry then pointed out that Abadon had already left to end the promo.

Baker got out of the ring and told Hayter and Rebel to get her some treats from under the ring. Hayter and Rebel grabbed a steel chair and a table as Rampage went to a break. When Rampage returned, Abadon was in control and bashed the AEW Women’s Champion in the ribs with the steel chair.

Abadon put the chair on top of Baker and delivered a Senton. Abadon put the chair in between the ropes but it backfired. Baker sent Abadon into the chair and went for the cover but the challenger was able to kick out at two. Hayter and Rebel dragged Abadon out of the ring and set her up on top of the table.

Britt climbed to the top rope but Abadon was able to fight herself off the table. Britt hit a Neckbreaker onto the table and the two bounced off of it and to the floor. Baker then Suplexed Abadon onto the table but it wouldn’t break again. Abadon battled back and rolled the champion into the ring.

Abadon brought out thumbtacks and scattered them on the canvas. Abadon went for a DDT on the thumbtacks but Baker battled free. Abadon connected with a Uranage on top of the tacks for a two count. Britt launched a chair at Abadon and bashed her into the chair in the corner. Baker put on the glove to set up for the Lockjaw but Abadon had already recovered.

Baker grabbed a bunch of thumbtacks and put them in Abadon’s mouth. Britt hit a Superkick and applied the Lockjaw with thumbtacks still in Abadon’s mouth. The crowd chanted “holy sh*t!” as Abadon bit Baker’s hand to break the hold. Hayter and Rebel attacked Abadon again and Britt capitalized with a roll-up for the pinfall victory.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1454281660384612361?s=20

WWE SmackDown Results (10/29): New Day vs. The Usos, Trick Or Street Fight

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss faced Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs in a Trick or Street Fight. New Day faced The Usos in a non-title match in the main event.

SmackDown Results (10/29)

  1. Charlotte def. Shotzi
  2. Drew McIntyre def. Mustafa Ali via submission
  3. Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss def. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs
  4. Shayna Baszler def. Naomi
  5. New Day def. The Usos

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Shotzi Attacked Sasha Banks

SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair kicked off the show and came down to the ring. Charlotte told the crowd that none of them can do what she can do. Flair claimed that she is this the face of this company and the most decorated woman in sports entertainment history. Charlotte said that order has been restored to SmackDown after last week’s drama.

Charlotte mocked the locker room for jumping up and down when they win a title, because for her it is just another Friday when she does it. Flair added that the locker room needs someone to guide them and bring out the best in them. Flair pointed at herself but was interrupted by Sasha Banks. Sasha wanted a shot a title shot and Flair complained about all the chances she has given Banks in the past.

Shotzi interrupted and drove down the entrance ramp on her tank. Shotzi said if Charlotte is looking for someone that she hasn’t faced before, then she’s her girl. Flair joked that Shotzi came to the ring in a tank so she must be ready for battle as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

Charlotte faced Shotzi in a Championship Contender’s match and Sasha Banks was ringside. Charlotte and Shotzi locked up to begin the match. Charlotte took control and sent Shotzi to the corner. Shotzi battled back with a Sunset Flip for a near fall. Shotzi went for a Clothesline but Flair ducked. Charlotte flipped across the ring and delivered a Dropkick to Shot’s ribs.

Flair bounced Shotzi’s face off the turnbuckle but Shotzi battled back. Shotzi hit a springboard Hurricanrana and went for the cover but the champion powered out at two. Shotzi climbed to the top rope but Charlotte tripped her up. Charlotte went for a Suplex but Shotzi reversed into a cradle for a near fall. Flair delivered a big boot and applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring.

Shotzi battled to her feet and sent Flair into the turnbuckle. Charlotte got dropped with an Enziguri and Shotzi followed it up with a Splash against the ropes for a two count. The action spilled out of the ring and Shotzi took control as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Shotzi hit a Hurricanrana off the top rope for a near fall. Charlotte knocked Shotzi out of the ring with a big boot and followed her out there. Shotzi hit a Superkick as Sasha cheered her on. Shotzi went for the cover but Flair kicked out at two. Flair went for the Figure Four but Shotzi countered into a cover for a two count.

Shotzi hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Flair hit Shotzi with an elbow to the face and bashed her into the turnbuckle. Charlotte hit a standing Moonsault for a two count. Banks accidentally distracted Shotzi and Charlotte capitalized with the Natural Selection.

After the match, Banks helped Shotzi up and Shotzi shoved her to the mat. Charlotte distracted Banks and Shotzi beat her down in the middle of the ring. Shotzi bashed Banks’ head into the turnbuckle and stomped her down int he corner of the ring. Shotzi then hit an Enziguri that knocked Sasha to the apron. Shotzi knocked her off the apron and to the floor with a Hip Attack. The attack continued and Shotzi slammed Banks into the barricade. Back in the ring, Shotzi climbed to the top rope and hit a Senton.

Adam Pearce Fined Brock Lesnar 1 Million Dollars

Adam Pearce cut a promo on Brock Lesnar from his home office. Pearce said he will not be disrespected and that will not happen again. Adam stated that Brock Lesnar is not only suspended, but is being fined one million dollars. Kayla Braxton showed up and wondered if Heyman knew how Brock Lesnar would respond. Paul said that Brock Lesnar would respond by showing up at the office and ripping out everyone’s throats. Heyman got way too into talking about how Brock Lesnar would respond and checked himself. Paul said that he hasn’t spoken to Brock Lesnar and asked Kayla to leave him alone.

Drew McIntyre def. Mustafa Ali

Drew McIntyre issued an Open Challenge tonight on SmackDown. Mustafa Ali answered the challenge and the two superstars talked some trash as the bell rang. McIntyre sent Ali to the corner and unloaded some kicks. McIntyre went for the Future Shock DDT but Ali blocked it and sent Drew into the ring post.

Ali went for the 450 Splash but McIntyre got out of the way. Ali landed on his feet and dodged a Claymore from McIntyre. Mustafa Ali went for a Tornado DDT but McIntyre countered into a Kimura Lock submission for the victory. After the match, Ali claimed that the only reason people root against him is because his name is Mustafa Ali.

The Usos Interrupted New Day

New Day came down to the ring with a throne and a podium in it. Kofi asked the crowd to listen to the creed of King Woods. The crowd chanted “you deserve it!” as Woods asked Kofi to drop to one knee. Woods praised Kingston and knighted him with the scepter. Woods referred to Kofi as “Sir Kofi Kingston with the order of the Golden Unicorn”.

The Usos interrupted and marched to the ring. They claimed that a lot has changed since New Day went to RAW. The Usos said that SmackDown is their show and The Bloodline’s show. Kofi called The Usos jealous and Woods joked that The Usos have been wearing the same attire for years. New Day proposed a tag match for later tonight and The Usos accepted.

Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss Picked Up A Win

IC Champion Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs faced Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss in a Trick or Street Fight. Nakamura and Corbin battled to the outside and Shinsuke unloaded some knee strikes. Boogs hit Madcap Moss with a slam and played the guitar. 24/7 Champion Reggie was then chased around by some superstars and then to the back.

Madcap Moss beat Boogs down while mocking Pat McAfree. Boogs dunked Moss into a bob for apples tank and then they enjoyed some apples as SmackDown went to a break. When SmackDown returned, Corbin and Moss were beating the hell out of Moss with some kendo sticks.

Corbin connected with Deep Six as Nakamura geared up in the corner. Madcap put a pumpkin on the Intercontinental Champion’s head and then Corbin sent him into the timekeeper’s area. Boogs took control but two masked men attacked him with kendo sticks. Moss hit a Neckbreaker on top of a pumpkin for the pinfall victory. It was revealed that Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo were the masked men.

Sonya Deville Sent A Message To Naomi

Naomi faced Shayna Baszler tonight on SmackDown. Before the match, Sonya Deville said that the referee that was supposed to work this match was injured during Brock Lesnar’s attack last week. Sonya made herself the referee for the match. Baszler went for the Kirifuda Clutch but Naomi escaped. Deville distracted Naomi and Baszler rolled her up. Sonya Deville counted to three very fast and argued with Naomi after the match. Baszler attacked Naomi from behind and choked her out with the Kirifuda Clutch.

New Day def. The Usos

New Day squared off against The Usos in tonight’s main event. The action started off back and the two teams started trash talking. Kingston connected with a springboard Dropkick on Jimmy Uso and knocked him to the corner. Jey tagged in and King Woods sent him out of the ring. Kofi went for the Trust Fall but The Usos caught him and threw Kingston over the barricade as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Kingston was trapped in the ring as The Usos took turns beating him down. Kingston connected with a Double Stomp and tagged in Xavier Woods. Xavier unloaded some chops to Jimmy and Jey before Kofi tagged back in. Kingston went for Trouble in Paradise but Jimmy dodged it. Jimmy hit a Samoan Drop and followed it up with a Superkick for. near fall. Woods tagged in but Jimmy didn’t see it. Woods rolled Jimmy up for the pinfall victory to close the show.

Goldberg Thinks He Shut Up The Critics With His Match At WWE Crown Jewel

Andrew Ravens
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Goldberg is satisfied with his match against Bobby Lashley at WWE Crown Jewel. 

The WWE Hall of Famer talked about the match on the latest episode of the CarCast podcast. He thinks the performance silenced the critics of his work in the ring. 

“I don’t have the best track record in Saudi Arabia. I’ve knocked myself out in a match, I’ve dropped The Undertaker on his head, and this and that. I needed to redeem myself. I’m not happy with my performance, but I’m satisfied with it to a point where I think it’s shut all these f*ckers up finally.”

The match was a no holds barred, falls count anywhere bout that he ended when he speared Lashley off the stage and onto a crash pad on the floor.

On the same podcast, Goldberg noted that his injured knee is hurting him, but is his life now after a career of playing football and wrestling. 

Also on the CarCast, Goldberg addressed how his injured knee is feeling and spoke about what his relationship with Lashley is like behind the scenes. He put over Lashley for being a great individual and someone he’s wanted to wrestle for years so he felt honored that Lashley worked with him.

AJ Styles Believes Omos Is A Future WWE World Champion

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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AJ Styles is of the belief that Omos can lay claim to a world title in WWE someday.

Styles and Omos are the former Raw Tag Team Champions. They ended up losing the titles at WWE SummerSlam against RKBro (Randy Orton & Riddle). Styles and Omos were unsuccessful in their bids to reclaim the gold, at least so far.

AJ Styles Has Confidence In Omos As A Singles Star

Styles spoke to the folks at Ring Rules and he expressed his belief that Omos will eventually become a WWE world champion.

“Omos and myself can focus on a singles run if we decide. Like you said before He’ll be a champion — WWE Champion/Universal Champion soon. I have no doubt about it.”

AJ Styles remains on the Monday Night Raw brand following the draft but he said it doesn’t matter which show he’s on.

“I prefer whatever I’m on, it doesn’t matter if it’s Raw or SmackDown. I’m going to do what I gotta do. You know, both, you know, SmackDown and Raw, it doesn’t matter. I enjoy both. I enjoy being a part of WWE.”

It was reported that WWE considered splitting up the team of Styles and Omos by having them drafted to separate brands. Obviously, that plan didn’t materialize.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Mance Warner Released By MLW

Michael Reichlin
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Mance Warner has been released by Major League Wrestling.

The Southern Psychopath has been looking to become a free agent for over a year. Amid reports that he was looking to work elsewhere, he spoke with Nick Hausman of WrestlingINC last December and confirmed that he was looking to get out of his contract.

SEScoops can confirm Warner is now a free man.

Warner is the latest wrestler to be released from MLW over the past few weeks. Jordan Oliver, Beastman, Bu Ku Dao and Leo Brien have also been let go. We’re told this concludes MLW’s talent cuts and the company is making room for new signings in the weeks and months ahead.

Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net recently reported that Warner would be a free agent at the end of January 2022. A tweet from ‘Ol Mancer himself seemed to confirm this timeline, as well as where he might be looking to work next.

Mance Warner is one of the most popular wrestlers on the independent scene. He will have no problem finding work with another major promotion, whether that be AEW, WWE or elsewhere. He’s competing this weekend against Dirty Dango (former WWE Superstar Fandango) in Knoxville, TN at Nightmare in the Old City.

We have reached out to MLW and Mance Warner for comment and will update this article if new details become available.

Daniel Garcia Speaks On Who Helped Him Get Hired By AEW

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Daniel Garcia has revealed who helped him get his foot in the door at AEW.

Garcia has quickly been mixing it up with some top-tier talent in AEW. He’s collided with the likes of CM Punk, Jon Moxley, and Darby Allin. It was recently announced that Garcia has signed a contract with the promotion.

The Blade Assisted Daniel Garcia In Getting Signed By AEW

The Blade, who wrestles in a tag team with The Butcher, is credited with getting Daniel Garcia on board. Here’s what Garcia had to say during his appearance on the AEW Unrestricted Podcast.

“People just end up reaching out to you. I think you develop a lot of independent wrestling clout or notoriety, and then people end up hitting you up. And I think The Blade, Pepper Parks, one of my trainers, I think he was able to put in a good word for me a little bit. I’m sure that didn’t harm the cause at all, but I think that’s how it came together. They were just looking for, kind of, high-profile indie wrestlers that they could put on their show and give an opportunity to and that, plus a recommendation, I think went a long way. I had about eight months off from wrestling, and my first match back was at AEW.”

Garcia leads the way along with the team of 2point0. At the age of 23 and with some technical abilities that very few possess, Garcia seems destined for big things in AEW. Time will tell how he develops and if the audience will take a liking to him in the long haul.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

Jimmy Wang Yang Working As WWE Producer

Anutosh Bajpai
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Jimmy Wang Yang has returned to WWE after more than a decade and he has joined the list of producers recently hired by the company.

The latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter revealed that the former WWE star returned to the promotion recently. He worked as a producer for Raw this past week.

Jimmy Wang Yang started his wrestling career in 1999 when he signed with WCW. He stayed with the promotion until WWE acquired his contract after taking over the company.

Though his first run with the organization didn’t last very long. The American star was released from his contract within a year without making a main roster appearance.

Wang Yang then started working in the independent circuit and also competed for companies such as Impact Wrestling and Ring Of Honor among others.

The 40-year-old had numerous runs with WWE. His longest stint with the promotion was from 2006 to 2010. He returned to the independent circuit afterward and retired from active competition in 2018.

Jimmy Wang Yang joins the list of producers officials have freshly hired or brought back in the past few months including names such as Molly Holly, Hurricane Helms, and more.

Goldberg On His Future After Current WWE Deal Ends

Gable Steveson Already Targeting WWE Champion Big E

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson is aiming for the top of the heap already.

Stevenson is signed to a WWE contract and was drafted to the Monday Night Raw brand. Stevenson will be finishing up his collegiate career before starting his WWE journey. While Steveson has yet to truly dip his toes in the WWE waters, he’s already gunning for Raw’s top dog.

Gable Steveson Wants WWE Champion Big E

Steveson appeared on WWE’s After the Bell podcast and made it clear that he has title aspirations in the pro wrestling industry. Big E is already on his hit list.

“I am on Monday Night Raw, so right now, I’d like to take care of Big E because he’s the champion. I’m title seeking, I’ve always been a title seeker. Gold medal, NCAA championship, anything else I’ve accomplished, and now that WWE belt, whether it’s Monday night, Friday night, I love to be that person that people show up to watch. Wherever Gable is, that show ends up being perfect.”

Steveson also mentioned facing the likes of his mentor Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, Shelton Benjamin, and Chad Gable. Stylistically, all of those matches could be barn burners if Steveson can take his amateur wrestling background and make it work in the world of sports entertainment.

Steveson took home gold for the United States at the Tokyo Games. He did so with a come-from-behind victory over Geno Petriashvili. He hasn’t been beaten in freestyle wrestling since Aug. 2019 and has a 20-match winning streak.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Riddle: Roman Reigns Wasn’t Happy With ‘Needle-Mover’ Remark

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Matt Riddle admits that Roman Reigns was none too pleased with him over a recent remark.

Riddle has been known to ruffle some feathers. We’ve heard reports of stars such as Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, and even Randy Orton at one time take issue with the former UFC fighter. The good news for Riddle is that it appears both Goldberg and Orton are on good terms with him these days. Reigns and Lesnar may be a different story.

Needle Mover

Ahead of this year’s WWE Summerslam event, Reigns told Ariel Helwani for BT Sport that he didn’t feel CM Punk was as good or as over as The Rock or John Cena.

Riddle responded to this during an interview with Bleacher Report, claiming that Reigns himself isn’t a needle-mover.

“When he’s saying ‘Acknowledge me’ or ‘I move the needle,’ no, you don’t” You’re related to The Rock. Shut up. Like, I’m not impressed, I can beat you up in a real fight. So, shut your mouth. You’re not moving needles. I’m the real stallion, RK-Bro is moving the merch, we’re moving the needle, and that’s it.”

Riddle continued, “I don’t want to say too much, I’m not trying to get in trouble. Hey, hats off to him. He’s amazing at what he does. I do like what he does, but at the same time, it’s like, get off your high horse. You’re in that spot for a reason. You’re not a bro. You’re second generation. I’m first generation.”

Roman Reigns’ Reaction

Riddle appeared on the Cheap Heat podcast with Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg this week and revealed Reigns didn’t take too kindly to that comment.

“Well ya know, I’ll do this. I’m trying not to talk too much trash anymore. I don’t wanna upset the higherups. I said something about, I’m not gonna mention an exact name, but he’s a ‘Chief of Tribes.’ I said something about him recently and he wasn’t too happy. Like I said, I’m not saying specific names. That could be anybody, that could be anybody. But he wasn’t happy. I talked some trash about me moving the needle and selling merch, and he didn’t like what I said. I thought it was hilarious but not everybody thinks like me.”

Riddle vs. Brock Lesnar? There’s Still Work To Do

Riddle went on to say that while he’d like to share the ring with Lesnar, he made a promise to Brock that he wouldn’t call him out in the media.

“I still want the match with Brock but I promised him I wouldn’t call him out anymore. He asked me not to a couple of years ago at a Royal Rumble, so I respect your wishes Mr. Beast. I won’t call you out.”

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

Paul Wight Has Massive Praise For CM Punk’s Promo Ability

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Paul Wight thinks CM Punk is one of the best storytellers in wrestling.

Punk has made a positive impact on the AEW locker room since making his return to the wrestling industry. We’ve seen AEW stars such as Ricky Starks praise Punk for being willing to give advice to anyone. In terms of his performance both in the ring and on the mic, Paul Wight believes CM Punk hasn’t missed a beat.

Wight made an appearance on the Brandon Kravitz podcast and he gave his take on what makes Punk believable in the ring and on the mic.

“I love CM Punk’s matches because he starts slower and builds toward the end. By the end, you’re going nuts because he pulls you right in with his work and his ability to tell that story in the ring, and he’s great on the microphone. His timing on the promo when he came back in Chicago– if you are a younger talent and are looking at cadence, and meaning, and telling a story, and how to cut a promo, that promo is one of the best promos that I have ever heard for storytelling.”

Punk is a Great Storyteller

Paul Wight has cut his share of great promos over the years, However, Punk is on a different level. Wight feels that Punk masterfully explained why he left wrestling, why he returned and left fans wanting more. Punk’s storytelling abilities in and out of the ring make him a huge asset to AEW.

“CM Punk told a story, he didn’t knock anybody or bury anything. He spoke from his heart about how things affected him and he took you on that journey and made you understand why he was gone so long, but then he made you understand what brought him back. That’s what you want to do in a promo, you want to have a beginning, middle, and end, and tell a story, and Punk is a great storyteller on the microphone and in the ring. To have him back, it was a great shot in the arm.”

Punk is fresh off a victory over Bobby Fish on the Halloween episode of Dynamite. AEW Full Gear is coming up on Nov. 13 and Punk doesn’t have a match on the PPV currently. A leaked bout sheet featured Punk vs. MJF’s bodyguard Wardlow but Tony Khan has claimed that list was simply filled with ideas and nothing was finalized.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

Hikaru Shida Comments On Learning From Kenny Omega & Dustin Rhodes

Chris Stephens
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Former AEW World Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida advanced in the TBS title tournament on Dynamite this week. In the process, she picked up her 50th victory in the promotion by avenging a recent loss to Serena Deeb.

Shida was recently interviewed by Sports Illustrated and spoke about learning from Kenny Omega, Dustin Rhodes, taking acting classes, and improving her English by watching Sherlock Holmes.

“I have been learning so much from Kenny Omega and Dustin Rhodes, and they teach about what it takes to be on a TV show,” Shida said. “Being on TV is something an actress does, so I took acting classes. And my English has got so much better from watching Sherlock Holmes on BBC.”

Shida also addressed the ongoing TBS Title Tournament.

“After losing the title, I was very frustrated,” Shida said. “I thought I could have done more and been better as champion. So this tournament for the TBS title means a lot to me. It is a great opportunity to get back to the top.”

With her win against Deeb on Dynamite, Shida will move on to face Nyla Rose in the tournament quarter-finals. The winner of the match will face the winner of Ruby Soho vs Kris Statlander in the semi-finals.

Update On The Reasons For Charlotte Flair’s Backstage Heat

Chris Stephens
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Several reports recently have suggested that Charlotte Flair has become not well-liked backstage in WWE. Flair’s reputation with others in WWE was addressed recently in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Dave Meltzer reported that Flair has ruffled feathers with many on the roster and this sometimes has to do with match structure.

“One of the complaints is that Flair wants to be a heel, is a heel, but does babyface moves during matches,” Meltzer wrote. This includes doing moonsaults and similar moves. He noted that there is a belief backstage that it is hard for a babyface to get over working with Flair. Rhea Ripley was noted specifically as someone who could have been made a bigger star in her program with her.

“Other aspects were the feeling that Rhea Ripley should have been elevated to Raw women’s champion and not tag team champion and been cooled off as she was the young star on the way up who Flair should have made,” Meltzer continued.

Flair’s match with Nia Jax from late-August that devolved into a bit of a shoot fight was also addressed. Meltzer noted in his report that the WWE women’s locker room was supportive of Nia in that situation. The feeling is Nia stood up to Flair and showed she would not be bullied.

Flair and Lynch had been friends for much of their careers. Both are members of the 4 Horsewomen of NXT, but reportedly they have not been close recently.

More on the Charlotte Flair situation:

Impact 9/28 Results: Minoru Suzuki Debuts

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling 9/28 featured the fallout from Bound For Glory. Moose made his first appearance as the new Impact World Champion and Minoru Suzuki made his promotional debut.

Impact 9/28 Quick 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

Moose Cuts First Promo As Champion, Josh Alexander & Minoru Suzuki Interrupt

Moose cut his first promo as Impact World Champion to kick off the show. He alluded to champions from other promotions before stating that he is the greatest champion in all of pro-wrestling. The man he cashed in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet trophy against, Josh Alexander, hit the ring and attacked Moose, sending him running into the crowd. Just then, Minoru Suzuki’s music hit and he came to the ring. Suzuki and Alexander then came face-to-face. Alexander turned his attention back to Moose but Suzuki turned him around and the two began exchanging blows. Security eventually came out to separate Alexander and Suzuki.

Trey Miguel Successfully Defends X-Division Title, Attacked By Steve Maclin

Trey Miguel successfully defended his newly won X-Division Championship in the first match of the night against NJPW’s Rocky Romero. After a difficult match, Miguel was attacked from behind by Steve Maclin. Maclin hung Miguel up in the Tree of Woe and delivered a spear.

Later in the show, Maclin pointed out that Miguel’s never beaten him and nobody in Impact has defeated him. Scott D’Amore then said he would give him an opportunity to qualify for an X-Division title match next week.

Rachael Ellering Defeats Tasha Steelz

After a backstage confrontation between Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering and Tasha Steelz & Savannah Evans, a match was made with Ellering taking on Steelz. After a back-and-forth match, Ellering picked up the victory with a back-slide after countering a cutter from Steelz.

Heath & Rhino Battle With Violent By Design

The feud between Heath & Rhino and Violent By Design continued this week. A match between Heath and Joe Doering was thrown out after Rhino and Deaner started brawling in the ring. Rhino was then going to get his hands on Eric Young but EY backed away, noting that he was still injured. It turns out Young is all cleared, however, as he would then get involved as VBD used the numbers advantage to take out both Heath and Rhino. Young gave Heath a piledriver to close the segment.

Madison Rayne Challenges Mickie James

Mickie James came out to cut her first promo since winning the Knockouts title at Bound for Glory. She praised Deonna Purrazzo for giving her the toughest fight of her life but was then interrupted by Madison Rayne. Rayne then challenged her to a title match next week, which James accepted.

Ace Austin Defeats Chris Sabin In The Main Event

The main event this week saw Chris Sabin and Ace Austin go one-on-one. It looked as though Sabin had the match in control but Madman Fulton then got involved from the outside. After a big punch from Fulton, Austin hit the fold on Sabin and got the 1-2-3.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Next Week:

  • Minoru Suzuki, W.Morrissey, and Moose vs Eddie Edwards, Josh Alexander, and Matt Cardona
  • 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

The Public Enemies Podcast Adds Unique Style to Wrestling Podcasting

Tyriece Simon
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The Public Enemies Podcast is adding a different style in covering professional wrestling than other podcasts. Unlike some of their peers, the podcast brings more awareness to black professional wrestlers that other podcasters may have overlooked.

In 2018, Jorodd “Gram” Philips had an idea to create a wrestling podcast that was different from others. His goal was to cover professional wrestling in a fun way by providing honest critique and casual dialogue. Philips also wanted to bring more awareness to black professional wrestlers. Joined by CJ “Jizzle” Beal, Philips created the Public Enemies Podcast. In an interview with Public Enemies Podcast, Philips discussed how the podcast got started.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVQqT2qPLcv/

“…I wanted to do it in a way where it was just like Barbershop talk. Just a couple of friends talking back and forth just we would do at a SuperBowl party, or forth of July barbeque or whatever the situation may be, said Philips. He continued, “I wanted to be where it’s kind of lax. The kind of situation where we can make it fun again, but also make it fun for us.”

Philips also shared his surprise at how many wrestling podcasts when he started the Public Enemies Podcast. However, he knew that he wanted his podcast to be unique from other content creators.

After three years of finding their voice, the podcast has found its stride. The Public Enemies Podcast added Benjamin Haden to the group in 2020, who helped grow their social media platforms. Today, the podcast is growing its popularity and is gaining success.

What makes Public Enemies Unique

An episode of the Public Enemies Podcast is different from other content creators. One way that makes the group unique is that they give their own honest opinion, especially regarding mistreated black athletes. For example, the podcast commented on the first anniversary of Kenny Omega’s quick win over Sonny Kiss. While Omega went on to find success afterward, the podcast questioned what did it do for Kiss.

Haden spoke about the lack of awareness for how All Elite Wrestling treated Kiss after losing to Omega. He shared that he gets frustrated when fans claim it’s long-term storytelling when a black wrestler or minority takes a loss. While some pro wrestling content creators moved on, the Public Enemies Podcast wants to highlight issues like Kiss’s career in AEW.

“Last year, I was talking on about on my personal page, and everybody was in the replies and tweets like you just have to wait. This is what I hate about wrestling fans. You’re never patient. You’re all so shortsighted. I promise you it’s going to go somewhere, and so I thought about that yesterday. I was like; it’s been a whole year, said Haden. He continued, “And like nothing has happened, and I feel like I don’t like it when we are put on the back burner. And just like told you to have to wait your time, because like, we don’t want to wait anymore.”

While the podcast has fun covering pro wrestling, they are also not afraid to discuss issues that wrestling fans may not like. However, the Public Enemies Podcast strongly believes in spreading awareness of the matters and are not afraid to say what they feel to pro wrestling fans.

Future Plans for the Podcast

The Public Enemies Podcast is not resting on its laurels. The podcast has more followers than ever and is getting more recognition from other media outlets and wrestlers. However, Philips still sees more room for the podcast to grow. He wants to do more than recap wrestling events and has teased that the group will do more interviews soon.

“We are working right now on bringing back our interview series behind enemy lines,” said Philips. He explained further, “We started that earlier this year. We only did like two interviews, but we have like so many things confirmed in the can as far as the list of people we want to talk to.”

Philips also shared that the Public Enemies Podcast is considering doing extra content for Patreon. However, it’s unclear what the additional content will be. Regardless the podcast looks to continue to their success and be different from their peers.

Update On AEW-Impact Wrestling Relationship

Chris Stephens
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Christian Cage lost the Impact Wrestling World Championship at Bound For Glory. He is not expected to receive a rematch for the title either. AEW wrestlers have not been taking part in recent Impact tapings and Impact talent have not been at recent AEW shows either.

As for if the relationship between AEW & Impact is finished, a representative from Impact spoke to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and noted that the door is still open to work together. The plan had always been to conclude the storyline of an AEW wrestler holding the Impact title at Bound For Glory, however.

“It’s getting talked about like that but not quite accurate,” the source said addressing rumors the relationship between the two companies was done. “Cage dropping the title at BFG was the end of the story that started last December. That was the plan since the spring. Door is open to do more but nothing planned for short-term.”

The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) had frequently been appearing as members of the Elite on AEW programming. They have not been on AEW programming recently, however. It is not clear if they will be returning to AEW or not.

“Tony Khan didn’t comment on whether they would be brought back when asked,” wrote Dave Meltzer regarding the Good Brothers.

CM Punk On The Spirit Of AEW: We’re The Rock Band That Played At Your Bowling Alley

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW has a unique feel to its programming that no other wrestling promotion has and CM Punk has the perfect analogy to describe the reason behind the success of the company. The straight edge star recently had an interview with Sports Illustrated. He discussed things such as his Dynamite match with Bobby Fish and more.

Punk also talked about the spirit of AEW. The wrestling veteran explained that it has the soul of a local indie promotion with the reach of TNT behind it:

“This is really about the soul, the spirit, and the art of professional wrestling, it reminds me of how I started. It’s why guys like me and Bryan Danielson would drive 15 hours to get to a show, and barely get gas money in return, to wrestle in front of 300 rabid fans in Philadelphia. That’s what this is, with TNT behind it.”

CM Punk Says AEW Has Love For Pro Wrestling

Sting CM Punk
Sting & CM Punk (Photo: AEW)

CM Punk then gave the analogy of a small rock band that used to play in the local bowling alley, saying that his current company has a similar spirit and love for the art of professional wrestling:

“We’re the punk rock band that used to play at your bowling alley. It has that spirit and love of the art. It’s a place where you can make a living and learn the craft.”

Punk also discussed the recent big developments that have created a lot of buzz for AEW such as the signing of talents like himself and Bryan Danielson or the announcement of the Owen Hart cup tournament.

Samoa Joe On When He Knew CM Punk Would Return To Wrestling
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