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Minoru Suzuki Will Be Back On Dynamite Next Week

Chris Stephens
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Jon Moxley defeated Minoru Suzuki in the main event of Dynamite from Mox’s hometown of Cincinnati this week. AEW has just announced, however, that Suzuki will be back on Dynamite next week.

AEW also announced that he’ll be joined by his Suzuki-Gun teammate, Lance Archer, and plans to issue a new challenge to the former AEW World Champion. Archer and Suzuki are said to be upset that Moxley received preferential hometown treatment on Dynamite this week.

AEW announced the news on Twitter:

The main event match this week between Suzuki and Moxley only went a little over 8 minutes. There may have been some timing issues in the final few segments of the show that saw the match get reduced in-ring time.

Mox and Suzuki have now met in singles matches twice, with Moxley winning both matches. Their first match took place at the New Beginning in Osaka in February of 2020.

Suzuki also needed 7 stitches to close a cut above his eye that occurred in the match. Emi Sakura posted to Twitter about Suzuki’s injury below:

Next Week’s Dynamite

Next week’s Dynamite will take place from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. In addition to Suzuki-Gun challenging Moxley, the following matches have also been scheduled for the show:

  1. Frankie Kazarian vs. Adam Cole
  2. Leyla Hirsch vs. Jade Cargill (w/Mark Sterling)
  3. Shawn Spears (w/Tully Blanchard) vs. Darby Allin (w/Sting)

John Cena Plays Facebreakers With Jimmy Fallon On The Tonight Show (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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John Cena made another appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Cena was on the show to promote his Hulu movie, “Vacation Friends.” A brief clip from the movie aired on the show and Fallon ran down a synopsis.

Fallon also asked Cena about his WWE SummerSlam match with Roman Reigns. Cena was pinned in a failed bid for the WWE Universal Championship and he joked about falling short.

“Dude it was great. I had a wonderful match, I finished second place.”

Cena went on to say that he’s glad he got a chance to perform in front of the WWE Universe again.

“That was nice. There is no better feeling than being in front of a live audience. There really isn’t and I’m so grateful to have all of you here. I’m so grateful to be back with a live audience. There is no other energy like performing and entertaining, or telling stories or just shooting the sh*t in front of a live audience, so thank you.”

Later on in the show, John Cena and Jimmy Fallon played a game called “Facebreakers.” The goal was to be the first to smash all the glass panels of the opponent’s face by throwing footballs. Here’s how that played out.

Cena will be in Madison Square Garden tonight (Sept. 10) for the WWE SmackDown Supershow. He hasn’t been advertised for the FOX broadcast but he will be competing in a dark match.

Bound For Glory Headed To Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas (10/23)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Impact Wrestling has announced the location and a special start time for their upcoming Bound For Glory pay-per-view.

Impact’s biggest event of the year will take place Saturday, October 23rd from Sam’s Town Live! in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The event will have a special start time of 10pm (Eastern).

Bound for Glory 2021

Before Bound For Glory, Impact has its Victory Road event set for Sept. 18. In the main event of that card, Christian Cage will defend the Impact World Title against Ace Austin. X-Division titleholder Josh Alexander will put his gold on the line against Chris Sabin.

Also set for Victory Road will be a Knockouts Tag Team Title match between Decay and the team of Tasha Steelz and Savannah Evans. Also, Chris Bey and Hikuleo will meet FinJuice. Moose and W. Morrissey will take on Sami Callihan and Eddie Edwards.

After Victory Road reaches its conclusion, Impact will start building towards Bound For Glory. With cross-promotion in full effect, it’ll be interesting to see if any surprises are in store for fans on Oct. 23.

Impact Results (9/9): More Bullet Club Members Walk Through Forbidden Door

Don West Issues Statement After Being In Remission For Cancer

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Former TNA Wrestling color commentator, Don West, has expressed gratitude following some wonderful health news.

Back in June, the wrestling world showed support for West as he revealed his brain cancer diagnosis. Just three months later, West revealed he is now in remission.

Don West had the following to say on his GoFundMe page.

“Terri and I would like to express our gratitude to everyone who helped us through this health journey. I am very blessed to report that after 8 weeks of chemotherapy and 13 radiation treatments, I am in remission. The power of prayer is phenomenal. Following a period of recovery, I am looking so forward to returning to work and continuing my life. My wife and I would like to thank each of you again for your financial donations which helped to relieve a large portion of the financial pressures so we could focus on treatment. Your kind words have also been such an encouragement as we moved through this difficult time.

“We appreciate each one of you!”

During his time with TNA Wrestling, many fans took a liking to West’s style as he was always energetic. He later became TNA’s go-to salesman for their merchandise. Bruce Prichard has credited West for selling out a lot of the merchandise at TNA events.

What Did Vince McMahon Tell Doudrop Before Her Raw Debut?

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Doudrop has recalled the first time she met WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

Doudrop, who had been known as Viper on the independent scene and Piper Niven on NXT, made her debut on the main roster back in June. She aligned herself with Eva Marie but that tandem ended up being short-lived. Now, Doudrop and Eva are in a feud.

Speaking to Metro, Doudrop discussed how her first meeting with McMahon turned out.

“I met him on the first day that I got to Raw and I was super scared because obviously I’ve been a wrestling fan for the majority of my life,” she said. “He was super cool, he just said, ‘Welcome to Raw, so glad that you could come over, we’re gonna have a lot fun with your character.’ I was like, ‘Oh good, I like to have fun, I consider myself a professional play fighter’, and he was just [laughing and applauding].

‘So that was a really cool experience! He’s always super happy with me when I come back and seems to absolutely love it when I kill people so I’m just gonna keep doing that!”

Also in the interview, Doudrop admitted that at first, she wondered if the pitch for her character would work. She said eventually, she was able to get comfortable with the gimmick. She’s gone as far as to say she loves the character.

Paul Heyman Looks Back On Working Post-9/11 SmackDown

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Paul Heyman has taken the time to reflect on working the episode of SmackDown following the tragic events of 9/11.

On Sept. 11, 2001, a terrorist attack took place in New York City. As a result of these attacks, the Twin Towers collapsed and nearly 3,000 people were killed. The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. was also attacked.

As one would imagine, the post-9/11 episode of SmackDown was an emotional one. Heyman was on color commentator duties on the show. During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Heyman looked back on the post-9/11 episode of SmackDown.

“I didn’t know how to convey that on the air, and I didn’t know if it was my place to do so, but as a New Yorker, I felt obligated to identify myself—not only from the perspective of New York as a locale in which I reside but also that deep down, the person you see talking at the moment is culturally, physically, spiritually a New Yorker at heart. I hardly remember anything about that night, other than the memory of Lilian Garcia singing. I don’t even remember what she sang, whether it was ‘God Bless, America,’ ‘America, The Beautiful,’ or the national anthem—I just remember she sang. When she was singing, she did it flawlessly. Her voice carried the emotion of the moment to such a degree that it moved me and woke me up. It also made me a complete emotional wreck.

“I can’t tell you one match that happened on that show. All I remember is the bolt that went through my system when I heard Lilian sing, which reminded me I had an obligation to deliver. Then I heard Jim Ross say, ‘Just follow my lead, kid, and you’ll be fine,’ which is the same thing he’d said to me during my first broadcast on Raw. Afterward, I can still remember Vince McMahon in my headset saying, ‘That was great. Now it’s time to entertain.’ From that point on, I hope J.R. and I did justice to the job for which we were tasked, but I don’t remember doing it all.”

Almost 20 years from the day of the 9/11 attacks, SmackDown will be held inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. Paul Heyman is expected to attend alongside the WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

WWE Draft Expected to Begin on October 1st(Report)

Tyriece Simon
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The WWE may have this year’s WWE draft next month.

Mat Men Podcast Co-host Andrew Zarian reports the WWE Draft will start on the October 1st episode of Friday Night Smackdown. He also notes it will continue on the October 4th episode of Monday Night Raw.

WWE Expected Plans in October

In June, Zarian heard that the WWE Draft would happen on the August 30th episode of Raw. However, it didn’t occur, and WWE hasn’t spoken publicly as to why it didn’t. However, he has since reported that WWE expected to have the draft on October 1st and 4th.

Zarian also shared new dates for the King and Queen of the Ring tournament. He states that both tournaments will start on the October 8th episode of Smackdown, which he noted to be the season premiere. The King and Queen of the Ring will culminate at a live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 21st.

NXT Call Ups During the WWE Draft

It’s unclear if WWE will select talent in NXT to the main roster during the draft. NXT will be going through a revamp starting on September 14th. NXT Talent like Johnny Gargano and Dakota Kai has been in the developmental program for more than two years. In changing NXT, WWE could decide to move established NXT talent to the main roster.

The WWE hasn’t officially confirmed that it will happen on October 1st. However, the WWE has held their draft event for the last two years in October on Smackdown. With one month away, WWE fans will know soon enough if WWE changes the Raw and Smackdown roster.

Tony Khan Gives An Update On Lio Rush’s AEW Status

Chris Stephens
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Lio Rush was the “Joker” in the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing back in May. Rush was injured in the match, however, and would eventually announce his retirement in June. He did note that he would fulfill his obligations to New Japan, however.

Rush was back wrestling with New Japan this summer and performed on the Resurgence PPV on August 14th. Tony Khan took to Twitter this afternoon to say he’s been speaking a lot with Lio Rush lately and said he feels like Rush could be back with the company in the near future.

Earlier today, reports surfaced that WWE had pitched having Adam Cole serve as a manager for Keith Lee similar to the role Lio Rush performed with Bobby Lashley. Khan may have been referencing these reports when he posted the Tweet.

Khan spoke about Rush during the Double or Nothing post-event media scrum back in May.

“I don’t have a pen to paper [deal], but Lio and I have a handshake [deal] that he can work here and do New Japan both,” Khan said. “I think we have something good on a handshake, and I think he’s doing that on a handshake with New Japan too, and that’s kind of what we’ve been doing and it’s been pretty good.”

Shortly after Rush announced his retirement in June, Khan released a statement.

“Lio Rush reached out to me today, and he shared that he’d planned to announce his retirement from pro wrestling tonight. While this news was unexpected, I’m glad that he’s made a choice that he’s confident will make him and his family happy,” Khan’s statement read. “Lio is a great talent, and I enjoyed briefly working with him, and I absolutely wish him the best.”

AEW Dynamite Tops WWE RAW in 18-49 Demo For The First Time

Chris Stephens
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More viewers between the ages of 18 and 49 years old watched AEW Dynamite than WWE RAW this week. This week’s edition of AEW Dynamite was watched by an average of 1,319,000 total viewers and 681,000 in the 18-49 demo (0.53 rating). WWE RAW this week averaged 1,845,000 viewers and did a 0.52 in the key demographic.

There are notable variables, however. RAW this week took place on Labor Day and was up against college football. Dynamite, on the other hand, was coming off of the most talked-about and buzzworthy PPV in the promotion’s history.

This was the second most-watched episode of AEW Dynamite in history, falling only behind the premiere episode in the fall of 2019. That first episode brought in 1,409,000 viewers on average and scored a 0.68 in the key demographic.

Earlier this month, WWE RAW scored its best record for the summer with the post- Summerslam edition on August 23rd. That show averaged a total of 2,067,000 and brought in a 0.64 in the key demographic.

The episode of Dynamite on August 25th also did good numbers for AEW. Until this week, that show had been the second highest-rated in company history in terms of the key demo. It brought in an average of 1,172,000 and did a 0.48 in the 18-49 demo. This was the show that came after CM Punk’s debut on the August 20th edition of Rampage.

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Damian Priest Says WWE Allowed Him To Use Punisher Martinez Name

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Damian Priest says he was allowed to keep the Punisher Martinez name in WWE but he’s glad he didn’t.

Before making his way to WWE, Priest was known as Punishment Martinez. He competed under the Ring of Honor promotion where he captured the Television Title. Priest signed with WWE in the fall of 2018. In New Japan Pro Wrestling, he was known as Punisher Martinez.

Speaking to the folks at ViBe & Wrestling, Priest recalled being allowed to keep the Punisher Martinez name but feeling Triple H had a better idea.

“In my professional career, whether it was in the indies, ROH, or NJPW, I always had a character who in this case was Punisher Martínez. But it was always something artificial, it was not me. They are things that I like, like horror movies and rock music, but it is not who I am. When I started in NXT, Triple H told me that I could continue being Punisher Martínez but that he saw someone better in me and wanted me to show my personality. I had no problem changing.

“It was a different life and I could start from 0. We agreed on the name, and I told him that I loved rock music, archers, so many things in life that we decided to put together. And it was very easy and natural. Now, I’m not acting. It’s me. The Damian Priest that you see on television is the same that you can see on the street. It is the same person, and it made it easier for me to relax and be me, and the fans realized and they love me more because they know that it is real. That I am like this.”

Damian Priest is the current WWE United States Champion. He recently received praise along with Drew McIntyre and Sheamus for an exciting triple threat match for the title on the Aug. 30 edition of Monday Night Raw. Priest is set to defend his gold against Sheamus at the Extreme Rules PPV on Sept. 26.

Renee Paquette To Host New MMA Show On Sirius XM

Michael Reichlin
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Renee Paquette has landed a new hosting gig. The former WWE broadcaster touted a ‘big announcement’ for Thursday.

Paquette is teaming up with UFC fighter Miesha Tate to host a new show about mixed martial arts.

Throwing Down with Renee and Miesha premieres this coming Monday, September 13th at 2pm (Eastern) on Sirius XM Fight Nation.

Here’s the official announcement from Renee Paquette:

Miesha Tate noted that this show has been ‘months in the making.’ Tate is scheduled to face Ketlen Vieira on October 16, 2021 at UFC Fight Night 195.

In addition to Throwing Down MMA show, Renee Paquette will also be joining Busted Open Radio to serve as an on-air correspondent.

Her cookbook, which released in May, is currently on sale at Amazon:

Kenny Omega Wants More Unity in Pro Wrestling Community

Tyriece Simon
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0

All Elite Wrestling Executive Vice President and talent Kenny Omega shared his goal of creating more unity in pro wrestling.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Editor-in-Chief Kevin McElvaney interviewed Omega about being number one in PWI’s top 500 pro wrestlers. During the interview, McElvaney asked Omega about his future goals. Omega shared that he wants to help create a less toxic wrestling community.

https://twitter.com/OfficialPWI/status/1435611376148533256

“…The wrestling community can sometimes be toxic, and I hate seeing it in sports. I hate seeing it in video games, music, and movies, where you have fans divided so passionately. People feel that they have to choose a side, and they feel that when they choose that side, they have to defend that side with every fiber of their being,” said Omega.

He also went on to share that he has friends in other promotions and wants them to succeed. “…I have friends not only in AEW, but I have friends in New Japan, I have friends in Impact, and I have friends in WWE. I know it sounds crazy, but I have friends there, and guess what I want them to succeed. I still keep in touch with them. I don’t want you to wish Ill or wish harm or wish death upon them as my fans, and I don’t think the opposite is true either,” said Omega.

How Kenny Omega Plans to Create Unity

Omega has been one of the essential factors in AEW working other promotions. When Omega began working with Impact Wrestling, it helped create more intrigue and increased viewership for Impact Wrestling TV episodes. AEW has been working with Impact and New Japan Pro Wrestling, and the National Wrestling Alliance.

Omega doesn’t expect unity in the pro wrestling community to happen immediately but will continue to advocate for it. “…It’s like saying a broad statement like I wish for world peace, and it’s like how do you even attain that. That’s impossible. That’s Naive. Regardless as unrealistic as it is, I’m still taking steps because I don’t think it’s wasted effort,” said Omega.

He also doesn’t know he will see this change happen while he is alive, but Omega is hopeful that one-day promotions will all come together to do a supershow to display different styles of wrestling. Omega will remain dedicated to create unity in the wrestling community and hopes fans will follow along.

Lance Archer Talks Importance Of AEW & NJPW Working Together

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Lance Archer believes that cross-promotion between AEW and NJPW is healthy for the wrestling business.

Archer enjoyed great success during his time with NJPW. Along with Davey Boy Smith Jr. as Killer Elite Squad, Archer became a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. When Smith made his exit from the promotion, it opened the door for Archer’s singles run. He ended up capturing the IWGP United States Championship.

In Feb. 2020, Archer signed with AEW, signaling the end of his run with NJPW. Luckily for wrestling fans, the “Forbidden Door” has been busted open. Archer ended up winning the IWGP United States gold a second time when he defeated Jon Moxley in the main event of an episode of AEW Dynamite.

During an interview with NJPW, Archer discussed the importance of cross-promotion.

“It was absolutely special for me, one of the more special moments of my career. I was able to twice represent NJPW as its US champion, even if the second time wasn’t in a New Japan ring. It really feels for me now that, along with Jon Moxley and some other guys, I’m part of that bridge between NJPW and AEW, and that’s huge because I think that bridge is important to both companies, and to the whole business.”

Archer put the U.S. title on the line against Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW Resurgence. Tanahashi ended up defeating Archer to capture the championship for the first time. After the match, Archer said he wants a rematch with Tanahashi under the AEW banner.

Archer isn’t done with his time inside the NJPW ring. He will be a part of the NJPW Strong Autumn Attack shows on Sept. 25 and 26.

AEW Announces Universal Studios Tapings This Weekend

Chris Stephens
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AEW is going to tape episodes of Dark from Orlando’s Universal Studios this weekend. The promotion announced today that tickets are available for two sets of tapings to take place Saturday.

Each set of tapings is set to run for 3 hours. The first taping will run from 12 until 3 PM. The second taping will run from 4:30 to 7:30 PM.

AEW Taping Schedule

For most weeks, AEW will not tape episodes of Rampage live. Rather, the shows will be filmed immediately following Wednesday’s Dynamite and then air on Friday nights in the usual Rampage timeslot of 10 PM. Episodes of AEW Dark: Elevation are filmed before Dynamite on Wednesdays and then air the following Monday on YouTube.

Some episodes of Rampage will air live, however. The next live episode of Rampage will take place on October 15th from Miami. The November 5th edition of Rampage is also scheduled to be live from St. Louis.

The move to a studio setting for Dark was addressed last month in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

“They are going to be doing studio tapings for Dark most weeks now since Rampage is being taped on most Wednesday nights going forward,” wrote Dave Meltzer. The report continued to say that the format will typically be Dark Elevation filmed before Dynamite and then Rampage being filmed after. 

AEW Dark Moving To Universal Studios In Orlando, FL

Jeff Hardy: “I Show Up to Work, Do What They Need Me To Do & Move On”

Chris Stephens
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Jeff Hardy was involved in a segment on RAW this week where he was chasing after the 24/7 Championship. Many fans have voiced criticism of having a multi-time former world champion in such a segment.

Hardy was asked about his chase of the 24/7 title during a recent appearance on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub.

“Monday night in Miami, that’s just what I felt like doing, that’s what I had to do,” said Hardy. I was in the chase for the 24/7 Title and it just didn’t work out. It’s one of those things, I show up to work and do what they need me to do and move on. That’s in the past and this Monday is the future so I’m super excited.”

Reactions to WWE’s Booking of Jeff Hardy

Several fans have reacted to the segment on social media.

https://twitter.com/Drew7200/status/1435070036629237764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Jeff Hardy’s Recent Win/Loss Record In 2021

Jeff Hardy is 7-12 in 19 singles matches this year. 5 of those matches took place on Main Event, where he has a 2-3 record this year. Hardy’s victories in singles matches have been over Elias, Jaxson Ryker, Cedric Alexander (3x), Karrion Kross, and Shelton Benjamin. His losses in 2021 have come to Randy Orton, Jaxson Ryker, AJ Styles, Sheamus, The Miz, Jinder Mahal (2x), Mustafa Ali, John Morrison, Veer, and Karrion Kross (2x).

Lee Moriarty Is The Latest Signing To Bolster AEW’s Growing Roster

Michael Reichlin
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Lee Moriarty is All Elite. The popular independent wrestler competed at the AEW Dark: Elevation tapings that took place prior to the live Dynamite broadcast. He faced Daniel Garcia in a match that will air on AEW’s Youtube channel in the days ahead.

After the match, Moriarty made his way to the backstage area. AEW President Tony Khan greeted him on the stage.

https://twitter.com/ConfirmedShoot/status/1435754111031513088

Lee Moriarty is All Elite

Tony Khan said he’s been so impressed with Moriarty’s appearances on Dark that he wanted to offer him a full-time contract with AEW. Of course, he accepted. You can see footage of Tony Khan presenting Lee Moriarty with his AEW contract here:

AEW’s talent acquisition efforts show no signs of slowing down. The varied ages of their recent signings show the company is investing in the present and future:

  • CM Punk (42)
  • Bryan Danielson (40)
  • Adam Cole (32)
  • Ruby Soho (30)
  • Daniel Garcia (22)
  • Jamie Hayter (26)
  • Lee Moriarty (24)

Ricky Starks Says He’d Like To See Sasha Banks In Team Taz

Chris Stephens
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FTW Champion Ricky Starks recently took part in an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session for Reddit Talk. During the Q&A, Starks was asked who he would like to see join Team Taz. Starks responded that he’d like to see Sasha Banks in the heel faction.

“Sasha Banks. They’re gonna run with that one, boys. Sasha Banks, y’all, in Team Taz,” Starks said during the discussion.

He also mentioned Andrade as someone who he would like to see in Team Taz.

Where Is Sasha Banks?

It has been over a month since Sasha Banks wrestled. She was pulled from some house show events in mid-August and then did not appear on SummerSlam for her scheduled match against Bianca Belair. The reason for her absence has not been revealed.

WWE is hopeful that Banks will return tomorrow for WWE’s Super Smackdown event at Madison Square Garden, according to PWInsider. The Boss was reportedly backstage at last week’s Smackdown.

“Sasha was at SmackDown last week, she did not appear on camera,” Mike Johnson wrote. “I was told the plan was for her initially to be at SmackDown this week at the Garden, so I don’t know if she’ll return, but I expect her to be on the road for the company full time this week.”

Previews for Friday’s AEW Rampage, Next Week’s Dynamite

Michael Reichlin
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Following Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite (Results), we have updated previews for Friday’s AEW Rampage and next week’s Dynamite from Newark, NJ.

AEW Rampage Preview (9/10)

  • Andrade El Idolo vs. PAC
  • Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Max Caster
  • Britt Baker, Rebel, & Jamie Hayter vs. Riho, Ruby Soho, & Kris Statlander

Plus, Darby Allin and Sting will respond to Tully Blanchard’s challenge from Dynamite.

AEW Dynamite Preview (9/22)

The following items are set for next week’s Dynamite from Newark, New Jersey. This will be a big night for AEW, as the company has already sold over 11,600 tickets for the Prudential Center.

  • Adam Cole vs. Frankie Kazarian
  • Darby Allin (w/Sting) vs. Shawn Spears (w/ Tully Blanchard)
  • Jade Cargill vs. Leyla Hirsch
WWE’s Pitch To Keep Adam Cole Made His Call To Leave A No Brainer

WWE’s Pitch To Keep Adam Cole Made His Call To Leave A No Brainer

Chris Stephens
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Adam Cole debuted for AEW at All Out on Sunday, aligning with members of the Elite. Cole reportedly met with Vince McMahon regarding a potential move to the main roster in the weeks leading to his departure. What WWE had planned for him on the main roster was recently addressed on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Evidently, WWE’s pitch to keep him in the company was to have him become a manager. “They were going to bring him up, the idea was to turn Keith Lee heel, have Adam Cole be his manager, probably with a different name because of the last name Cole and its main roster and Michael Cole, and you know how that goes,” said Dave Meltzer.

Meltzer then compared what they wanted from Adam Cole and Keith Lee to a Lio Rush/Bobby Lashley dynamic.

“That was kind of the dynamic they were looking for from him. More of a manager than a wrestler,” Meltzer continued. He would then say that these ideas were coming from either Vince McMahon or Bruce Prichard and not necessarily the creative team.

https://twitter.com/davidbix/status/1436028448535982081

WWE’s Idea To Have Adam Cole Manage Keith Lee

Mick Foley recently commented on social media that WWE is no longer the place that wrestlers aspire to be. WWE’s pitch to have Adam Cole be more of a manager than a wrestler may illustrate some of Foley’s points.

“I think younger talent sees the way that developmental characters are cut or left by the wayside or in the case of Karion Kross, greatly watered down and even made a joke of when they debut on the main roster,” Foley said in the video. “

“I’m not sure that I would trust WWE creative to do the right thing with my career,” Foley continued. Perhaps Adam Cole began to feel the same.

Mick Foley: WWE Is No Longer The Place For Talent To Aspire To

Update On Bryan Danielson’s Reasons For Signing With AEW

Chris Stephens
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At the post-event media scrum from All Out this weekend, Bryan Danielson mentioned that WWE had made a very gracious offer to him. Danielson said their offer included him being able to work for other companies.

There had been rumors that part of Danielson’s negotiations with WWE involved being able to work with NJPW. This is said to have been a key reason why Nick Khan was looking to develop an exclusive relationship with the promotion. Danielson’s negotiations with WWE and AEW were addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“New Japan was a big thing. The key aspect of this was whether Nick Khan could pull of the exclusive deal between New Japan and WWE which obviously did not happen,” said Dave Meltzer. “Because if that happened, maybe he would have gone in the other direction and maybe he wouldn’t have.”

WWE Was Going To Let Bryan Danielson Go To NJPW

Meltzer continued to say that WWE was going to let Danielson work for NJPW. He also said that both offers from WWE and AEW were similar from a financial perspective.

“Both offers were money-wise similar. And both would have allowed him to do New Japan. WWE was going to allow him to do New Japan and he was trying to open the door for other people in WWE that wanted to go to New Japan to be able to do that but that seems to be a dead issue right now from a WWE standpoint.”

Danielson’s decision is also said to have been influenced by what he felt was best for the wrestling industry as a whole.

“He may have felt like Mick Foley did many years ago when he went to TNA, that the best thing for the industry is competition at a high level,” Meltzer continued. “Mick Foley went to TNA years ago for that reason.”

“For the industry as a whole, if competition is one of the key things then going to AEW would obviously be a big part of that as well. So, that was a factor.”

Kenny Omega Thinks He Will Cross Paths With Kota Ibushi Again

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Kenny Omega believes there is unfinished business with Kota Ibushi.

Omega left NJPW following his Wrestle Kingdom 13 match against Hiroshi Tanahashi back in January 2019. He ended up signing with AEW and is the promotion’s current world champion. Before he left NJPW, Kenny realigned with Ibushi as the Golden Lovers back in 2018.

During an interview with Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Omega said he doubts that he’s crossed paths with Ibushi for the final time.

“If I were a betting man, I would say, it’s safe to say…when real life is involved and it’s more than just the wrestling in the ring and now, as time goes by and promotions and fans are listening more and responding more to what they want to see in professional wrestling — we talk about the ‘forbidden door’ and this concept that if you wrestle for one promotion, there’s no way you get to mingle with another, slowly but surely those borders are evaporating. We’ve seen IMPACT talent and New Japan talent on AEW. We’ve seen our talent go elsewhere as well. Who knows where the future lies. There may be more special guests and surprises in the future.

“For me, I’m a storyteller. Way more than I like professional wrestling, I like telling stories. I love stories that have an ending. I love stories that have a beginning, middle, and end. I have a lot of stories that have yet to have a final chapter. That story is yet to close. I would love, with however long my health allows me to, I would love to have that book have the final chapter written. That goes for not only that but for quite a few other stories as well. I would love to close the book and look back and be proud that these stories that I pictured in my wacky little brain, they had a beginning, middle, and end and that I could close that book happily. For someone as influential as Ibushi was to my career, inside and outside, I feel it would be an injustice for it to die.”

Ibushi recently challenged for the IWGP United States Championship. He went one-on-one with titleholder Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome. Ibushi fell short in the match. Meanwhile, Omega had a successful AEW World Title defense against Christian Cage at All Out.

AEW Dynamite Results (9/8): Bryan Danielson & Kenny Omega, Moxley vs. Suzuki

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the first episode of Dynamite following AEW All Out. Jon Moxley battled Minoru Suzuki tonight. It was announced that Cody Rhodes will face Malakai Black on the September 22nd edition of Dynamite from Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Dynamite Results (9/8)

  1. Malakai Black def. Dustin Rhodes
  2. Powerhouse Hobbs def. Dante Martin
  3. Ruby Soho def. Jamie Hayter
  4. The Pinnacle def. Dark Order
  5. Jon Moxley def. Minoru Suzuki

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Malakai Black def. Dustin Rhodes

Dustin Rhodes battled Malakai Black in the first match of the night. Rhodes connected with a couple Clotheslines and an Atomic Drop to begin the action. Malakai hit a kick to the face but Rhodes shrugged it off. Dustin sent Malakai across the ring with a release German Suplex.

Rhodes threw Malakai to the outside and followed him out there. Malakai shoved Rhodes into the ring post and then slammed him through a table. Malakai removed the turnbuckle padding and brought Rhodes back into the ring.

Malakai kept Rhodes grounded for a bit and booted him in the face as he tried to get up. Dustin battled to his feet and leveled Malakai with a Clothesline. Dustin Rhodes went for a Powerslam but Malakai held onto the ropes. Rhodes still did the Powerslam motion for whatever reason and then got up into a running kick to the face from Malakai. Dustin connected with a Canadian Destroyer and went for the cover but Malakai kicked out at two. Malakai brought Cody’s boot into the ring but Rhodes attacked him. Black sent Dustin into the exposed turnbuckle and hit Fade to Black for the pinfall victory.

Team Taz Interrupted CM Punk

CM Punk made his way to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Punk defeated Darby Allin this past weekend at All Out. Punk thanked Darby Allin, Sting, and all the fans. CM Punk thanked the crowd for the “you still got it!” chants and hyped the main event between Suzuki and Moxley. Punk also gave a shout out to Ruby Soho, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole. The crowd responded with a loud “Moxley!” chant and Punk pointed out Aunt Linda Pillman in the crowd and called her an angel.

Punk noted that his wife asked him what is next for him and that he didn’t know. CM Punk asked the crowd and then Taz interrupted. The crowd booed and Punk told Taz to never interrupt him again. Taz said he was sick of this bullshit love fest and told CM to never mention anyone from Team Taz. Punk dared Taz to send the whole team and CM added “beat me if you can, survive if I let you” to end the promo and mock Taz some more.

Powerhouse Hobbs def. Dante Martin

Powerhouse Hobbs squared off against Dante Martin tonight on Dynamite. Dante got in some offense early but Hobbs quickly put a stop to it. Hobbs beat Dante down and connected with a Suplex as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Hobbs went for a Knee Drop but Dante got out of the way at the last moment. Martin hit a massive Dropkick and followed it up with a Senton for a two count. Dante hit a running kick to Hobbs’ face and set up for a Suicide Dive but Hook hopped on the apron. Dante flipped over Hook and onto Hobbs outside the ring. Back in the ring, Martin tried to capitalize but Hobbs caught him with a big Spinebuster for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Dan Lambert cut a promo in the crowd with Men of the Year (Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page) beside him. Lambert said that AEW was hiring every skinny dork to hide the truth. Lambert claimed that the Men of the Year are the best in the company and challenged anyone in the locker room to try and take them out.

MJF & Wardlow Sent A Message To Varsity Blonds

MJF claimed that he beat Jericho clean at All Out but the match was restarted due to extreme bias against him. MJF said that there is a bias against him because everyone in the back wants to be him. He then complained about how much of a dumpster fire Cincinnati is and dared anyone from the crowd to jump the barricade. MJF added that it is called the midwest because everything from the chili to the people are mid.

MJF mocked Pillman’s family in the front row and eventually Brian Pillman Jr. interrupted wearing a Bengals jersey. Pillman said he doesn’t appreciate MJF mocking his hometown and his family. Pillman noted that MJF grew up with a silver spoon but Cincinnati breeds badasses like Jon Moxley and his father.

Pillman made his way to the ring Wardlow got in his face. MJF mocked Wardlow for not being any help at All Out and told him to stand in the corner and look pretty. MJF said he was going to do something Pillman’s mother should have done 28 years ago and abort him. Pillman tackled MJF and unloaded some strikes as Wardlow watched in the corner. Eventually, Wardlow helped out and sent Pillman across the ring with a release German Suplex. Griff Garrison rushed the ring but MJF put the Dynamite Diamond Ring on and punched Griff in the face.

Ruby Soho def. Jamie Hayter

Ruby Soho squared off against Jamie Hayter tonight on Dynamite. AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker and Rebel were ringside for the match. Earlier on the show, Baker and Ruby Soho had a conversation backstage. Soho vowed to win the title and Baker joked that she was going to send Ruby back to where she has spent the past four years of her career, catering. Hayter connected with a shoulder tackle but Ruby responded with a knee to the face. Jamie then booted Ruby to the outside as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

Hayter got Soho up in the Electric Chair but Ruby countered into a slam for a near fall. Soho caught Hayter with the Riot Kick (overhead kick) for the pinfall victory. After the match, Baker, Rebelt and Hayter attacked Ruby Soho. Riho and Kris Statlander rushed the ring for the save. Britt retreated and raised the AEW Women’s Championship to end the segment.

The Pinnacle Picked Up A Win

FTR & Shawn Spears faced Dark Order’s Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, John Silver in a Trios Match. Dark Order controlled the action early but things quickly broke down. John Silver got trapped in the ring alone and Spears hit him with a Death Valley Driver for the pinfall victory. After the match, Dark Order started shoving each other as Tay Conti & Anna Jay watched on the entrance ramp.

Bryan Danielson Confronted Kenny Omega, Adam Cole’s First AEW Match Announced

Tony Schiavone was supposed to interview The Elite but Don Callis took the microphone from him. Callis noted that Omega was voted #1 in the PWI Top 500 and thanked the fans for their votes & money. Don shouted that the AEW Tag Team Championships were stolen from the Young Bucks and gave the microphone to Nick Jackson.

Nick announced that they have their best friend back and Adam Cole made his way to the ring. Cole got in Tony’s face and told him that he will slap his stupid glasses off if he ever looks at Britt Baker again. Cole called Schiavone a nerd and continued to mock him as he got out of the ring.

Cole said AEW is the greatest professional wrestling company in the world because of the guys in the ring right now. Adam added that he is a once in a generation professional wrestler and now he is with the very best. Cole referred to the Young Bucks as the greatest tag team of all time and Kenny Omega as another once in a lifetime talent. Cole announced that he will make his in-ring debut next week on Dynamite. It was later revealed that his opponent will be Frankie Kazarian.

AEW Champion Kenny Omega grabbed the microphone and said he hated interruptions. Bryan Danielson immediately interrupted and made his way to the ring as the crowd chanted “yes!”. Omega asked the rest of The Elite to get out of the ring and invited Danielson into the ring. Bryan ripped the microphone away from Omega and asked the crowd if they wanted to see him fight Kenny. The crowd erupted in a “yes!” chant but Omega said that isn’t how it works here.

Danielson told Omega that he was afraid to take this match because Kenny knows that he is not on his level. Omega tried to attack Danielson but he took him down and applied a Yes Lock. The Elite hopped back into the ring and beat down Danielson until Jurassic Express and Frankie Kazarian made the save. Danielson hit Cutler with the running knee to end the segment.

Jon Moxley def. Minoru Suzuki

Moxley battled Minoru Suzuki in the main event. Suzuki and Moxley traded chops and strikes in the middle of the ring. Moxley hit a forearm to the face that knocked Minoru to the ropes. Jon beat Suzuki down some more in the corner of the ring as Dynamite went to a final commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Suzuki went for a kick but Moxley caught his leg. Moxley bit Minoru’s head and then Suzuki returned the favor. They then traded headbutts in the middle of the ring but neither would go down. Moxley and Suzuki then headbutted each other at the same time and fell to the canvas. Jon went for a Clothesline but Suzuki countered into a Sleeper. Minoru went for the Gotch Piledriver but Jon countered with a Back Body Drop. Moxley hit Minoru with a Clothesline but he wouldn’t go down. Suzuki had blood pouring down his face and caught Moxley with a kick. Jon shrugged it off and hit the Paradigm Shift for the pinfall victory. Moxley celebrated with his hometown crowd to close the show.

Status Update On Kevin Owens’ Future With WWE

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Much has been made about the WWE future of Kevin Owens.

It was recently reported by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select that Owens’ contract with WWE is running out sooner than expected. The current deal ends in January 2022.

Jon Alba has now revealed that some within WWE are of the belief that Owens will be making his exit from the promotion.

“In speaking with some WWE sources throughout the day, there is very much an internal belief Owens is gone at the end of his WWE deal. He has dropped multiple hints on social media in the last 24 hours that allude to him being AEW-bound.”

Alba added the following to his report in a Twitter post.

“Just for more context on this. I spoke with multiple people in #WWE today and this is just what they believe. Still plenty of time for things to change, as Sean Ross Sapp
noted, his deal is up in beginning of 2022. He’ll be an asset wherever he goes.”

Kevin Owens currently competes on the SmackDown brand. He has accomplished quite a bit in his WWE run. He’s a former WWE Universal Champion, a three-time United States Champion, a two-time Intercontinental Champion, and a former NXT Champion.

Kenny Omega & Will Ospreay Trash Talk Heating Up

Michael Reichlin
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Will Ospreay called out Kenny Omega on Wednesday after the AEW World Champion was named the #1 pro wrestler the world on this year’s PWI Top 500 list.

Omega topped the list, while Ospreay charted at the #7 spot (behind Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, Kota Ibushi and Jon Moxley.)

Ospreay was so put off by his placement on the list that he said, “I’d beat up number 1 any day of the week and twice on Wednesdays……just saying.”

This did not sit well with Kenny Omega. He replied by telling Ospreay that “his promotion” (New Japan Pro Wrestling) has been so “ice cold” since he left that not even Dave Meltzer can convince his followers that Ospreay should be in the conversation for Best in the World.”

“It hurts me, bruv,” said Omega. “One of you dorks should have been the guy. Turned out a bigger dog was my only competition.”

Will Opsreay vs. Kenny Omega

Will Ospreay wasn’t done. He followed up by tweeting a recent clip of himself threatening to walk through the ‘Forbidden Door.’

He also touted New Japan Pro Wrestling’s accomplishments since Omega left. “A pandemic put the breaks on & you know it. Open that door, let’s have this conversation.”

Needless to say, Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay would be a banger of a match. With NJPW talent already wrestling on AEW programming, this is high on the light for potential ‘Forbidden Door’ dream matches we could see in the months ahead.

Triple H Recovering After Cardiac Event, Expected To Make Full Recovery

Michael Reichlin
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WWE executive Paul Levesque (Triple H) is recovering from a recent ‘cardiac event.’

According to a statement sent in by WWE, he underwent a successful procedure last week at Yale New Haven Hospital. The episode was caused by a genetic heart issue.

“Paul Levesque, a.k.a. Triple H, underwent a successful procedure last week at Yale New Haven Hospital following a cardiac event. The episode was caused by a genetic heart issue and Paul is expected to make a full recovery.

– WWE Statement on Triple H’s health

Levesque serves as WWE Executive Vice President, Global Talent Strategy & Development.

SEScoops wishes Paul “Triple H” Levesque a full and speedy recovery.

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