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Triple H Comments On If NXT Has Changed Its Recruitment Policy

Chris Stephens
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Triple H spoke with the media following tryouts held in Las Vegas yesterday. When Triple H was asked if the recruitment policy in the company has changed, he said it has not shifted at all despite reports to the contrary.

“It’s a funny thing, people talk about the shifting of what it is. It never really shifted,” Triple H said (transcriptions via Wrestling Inc.). “So if you go back and look at the hiring process, not the hiring process of a television show, the hiring process of who we’re looking to train and make WWE Superstars. Long term. If you go back and look at it, it hasn’t shifted. It’s been the same process. I don’t negate anybody.”

Triple H continued to say that someone would not be denied an opportunity because of having wrestled on the independent scene. He never did mention if someone would be denied an opportunity because of height or size, however.

“Vince used to always say ‘we’re a variety show. We are. In some manner, you need a little bit of everything. That’s the key to all of this. But people hear one statement and then make one (assumption). ‘Now it’s that. No, now it’s this.’ It always has been.”

Triple H would continue to talk about how the company is not looking for professional wrestlers as much as they are superstars. It’s about finding those “diamonds in the rough” who have the potential to do great business for the company.

“You’ll hear Vince say it a lot. It’ll sound wrong to a lot of people, but it’s right. We’re not looking for professional wrestlers, we’re looking for superstars. We’re looking for somebody that can break through that. The rest of it takes care of itself,” Triple H continued.

Several reports recently have stated that WWE’s hiring policy moving forward will place greater emphasis on larger wrestlers who have the potential to “one-day main event WrestleMania.”

NXT’s Relationship With Full Sail University Is Over (Report)

Chris Stephens
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WWE’s NXT brand hasn’t taped inside Full Sail University since September 2020. The shows currently emanate from the WWE Performance Center or the Capitol Wrestling Center as it is referred to on television. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, NXT will not be returning to Full Sail but rather will be making the CWC its permanent home.

At the conclusion of this week’s NXT, the CWC was destroyed during a brawl between Samoa Joe and Karrion Kross. This will reportedly set the stage for the venue to be upgraded. The reported plan is for the CWC to be lit brighter, as the current belief is it comes off as too dark on television. Also, it is expected that the plexiglass inside will be taken down.

There have also been several rumors regarding a change to NXT’s format. Although this cannot be confirmed, the belief is the program will seek to give younger and less experienced wrestlers more in-ring time. The report in the Observer says the idea is for the show to revert back more to what it was around 2015.

Upcoming episodes of NXT will be taped from the CWC on Monday and Tuesday. Takeover 36 will take place the night after SummerSlam this weekend on the 22nd.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1428357166314835973

Impact Results (8/19): Christian Cage Returns To The Impact Zone

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling on 8/19 was the go-home show for Emergence, which takes place tonight. The show also featured Christian Cage retiring the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and Joe Doering facing Doc Gallows in the main event.

Impact 8/19 Quick Results:

  1. Sami Callihan & Chris Sabin defeated Moose & Ace Austin
  2. Matt Cardona w/ Chelsea Green defeated Shera w/ Rohit Raju
  3. Melina defeated Brandi Lauren
  4. No Disqualification
    Jake Something defeated Kaleb with a K
  5. Joe Doering defeated Doc Gallows

Sami Callihan Is Ready For Emergence

Former Impact World Champion Sami Callihan was all over the early parts of the show. He came to the aide of his long-time rival Eddie Edwards as the show kicked off with Edwards and his newer rival, W. Morrissey brawled around ringside. Then Callihan teamed with Chris Sabin in the night’s opening contest against Moose and Ace Austin. This match is a preview of the fatal 4-way at Emergence between these 4 wrestlers. The winner of the match will face the winner of Christian Cage vs Brian Myers.

Sabin ended up getting the win for his team after blind-tagging himself in while Callihan was taunting Austin. After the match, Callihan then gave Sabin a piledriver since they will be opponents at Emergence.

Later, Edwards would tell Sami Callihan in the back that he doesn’t want his help.

Matt Cardona Defeats Shera With Help From Chelsea Green

Last week on Impact, Rohit Raju’s distraction caused Matt Cardona to be pinned by John Skyler. This week, Cardona got back in the win column by defeating Shera. Raju tried to get involved on the outside but Chelsea Green thwarted these attempts, allowing Cardona to hit Radio Silence for the win.

Later in the show, it was revealed that Cardona will face Raju tonight at Emergence.

Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood are “The Influence”

After aligning last week against Taylor Wilde, Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood both had each other as guests on their respective talk shows this week. Madison Rayne’s return means that her Locker Room Talk segment was also brought back. Dashwood was her guest which worked out conveniently because on Dashwood’s “All About Me” talking segment, her guests actually ask her questions as opposed to the other way around. This allowed them to each be the other one’s guest on their own talking segment. The two announced that they are now aligned and using the name “The Influence” for their team.

Christian Cage Returns To The Impact Zone

Christian Cage returned to the Impact Zone this week as the new Impact World Champion. He talked about his history in the promotion and then mentioned that he’d been talking to Scott D’Amore about retiring the TNA World Championship belt. The belt was officially retired and the Impact World Championship declared the top prize in the company.

Cage’s Emergence opponent, Brian Myers, came out to confront the champion. The two came face to face for a moment before Myers pushed his protege, Sam Beale, into Cage. Cage took out Beale but Myers escaped to the outside.

Melina Makes Her Impact Wrestling In-Ring Debut

Melina picked up a win in her Impact in-ring debut. She defeated the former Ava Storie, Brandi Lauren in singles action this week. Lauren wrestled with Impact for a good chunk of 2017 as well. Melina was able to make Lauren submit to the California Dream hold for the win. After the match, however, Melina’s opponent on the NWA Empowerrr PPV, Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo, attacked her from behind.

Drama King Matt came out to help his Homecoming Queen partner. This brought out Trey Miguel to help make the save for Melina, whom he’d run into backstage earlier in the night. Later, a match for Emergence pitting Purrazzo and Drama King against Melina and Miguel was scheduled.

Juice Robinson Was Attacked Backstage

We were shown video of Juice Robinson laying on the ground after having been attacked. It’s not clear who took him out.

Jake Something Defeats Kaleb En Route To X-Division Title Shot

Jake Something wanted a match tonight to get ready for his X-Division Championship match at Emergence. Kaleb with a K happened to be issuing several complaints to Scott D’Amore just as Something was requesting a match, leading him to be chosen as Jake’s opponent. Something would pick up the win after driving Kaleb through a table. After the match, Something and Josh Alexander would have a stare-down as they get ready for their title match at Emergence.

Joe Doering Defeats Doc Gallows In The Main Event

The main event this week pitted Violent By Design’s Joe Doering against the Elite’s Doc Gallows. These two big hosses ended up on the stage area and Gallows hit a sky-high powerbomb on Doering that sent them both crashing through the stage. It looked like the match was over but both big men got up and ended up back in the ring. That’s where Doering hit Gallows with a big lariat and was just able to drap his arm over him to get the pin. If that happens at Emergence, we’ll have new Impact tag team champions.

Lineup For Impact Emergence

  1. Impact World Championship
    Christian Cage (c) vs. Brian Myers
  2. Impact World Tag Team Championships
    The Good Brothers (c) vs. Violent By Design vs. Rich Swann and Willie Mack
  3. X-Division Championship 
    Josh Alexander (c) vs. Jake Something
  4. #1 Contenders Match
    Chris Sabin vs. Sami Callihan vs. Moose vs. Ace Austin
  5. Petey Williams vs. Steve Maclin
  6. Madison Rayne vs. Taylor Wilde
  7. Deonna Purrazzo % Matthew Rehwoldt vs. Melina & Trey Miguel
  8. Matt Cardona (w/ Chelsea Green) vs. Rohit Raju (w/ Shera)
  9. Tasha Steelz, Savannah Evans, Fallah Bahh and No Way vs. Decay (Black Taurus, Crazzy Steve, Rosemary, Havok)

Deonna Purrazzo Would Love to Team With Dr Britt Baker

Alex Laybourne
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With the Forbidden Door now open, the wrestling landscape is full of potential dream matches. We have already seen a few, shared between companies like AEW, NJOW and IMPACT. One other benefit of the forbidden door is the possible pairings we could see forming. This idea was recently discussed by IMPACT Knockouts champion Deonna Purrazzo.

Talking on Busted Open Radio Deonna Purrazzo spoke about the female wrestler she would love to form a team with. She was referring to none other than AEW’s own, Dr Britt Baker D.M.D.

“That’s a dream for Britt and I more so than it probably was for anyone else to begin with. We’ve kind of pushed this narrative that we want to wrestle each other. Whether it happens or not, I’m just happy to see the people I love succeed and the people who deserve to succeed, succeeding. I love everything she’s doing. I love the confidence she has. She’s the baddest bitch on the block, for real. Whether I get to wrestle her or not, that’s a dream come true, but it’s also hard. I’m the Knockouts Champion and now the Reina de Reinas Champion and she’s the AEW Women’s Champion. So, what’s the outcome? I’d rather us be a tag team and no one has to lose their belts. Then, IMPACT will let us be the Knockouts Tag Team Champions, maybe.” Deonna Purrazzo mused.

Deonna Purrazzo Is a Woman on the Rise These Days

While Britt Baker has certainly risen to the challenge offered by AEW, Deonna Purrazzo has equalled her over in IMPACT. Not only is she the Knockouts Champion but recently captured the Reina de Reinas belt at AAA Triplemania.

She is a woman who is fast improving in the ring, and at only 27 years old, she has plenty of time left to mature and become the talent everybody can see she will be.

Much has been said about female use of the Forbidden Door, or rather, the lack of it. The idea of having a tag-team of Deonna Purrazzo and Britt Baker chasing down the IMPACT title belts is mouth-watering. With wrestling being wrestling, that would also mean, at some point down the road, there would be a heel/face turn for one of them, that would set them on course for a 1v1 showdown.

Paul Heyman Addresses Rumors of Backstage Heat With AJ Styles

Alex Laybourne
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Wrestling is an emotional business. Tensions can run high both in the ring and backstage. Talking during a recent interview with Inside the Ropes Paul Heyman addressed recent rumours of backstage heat between him and AJ Styles.

Rumours sparked about a disagreement between Paul Heyman and AJ relating to the release of The Good Brothers. Both Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows are close friends to AJ Styles, predating their time in WWE. The trio was part of the Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling. A stable they pseudo continued in WWE as The Club.

Addressing their fallout, Paul Heyman was, as always, deliberate with his word choices.

“That is an inaccurate portrayal of what AJ Styles has said,” Heyman said. “AJ Styles has not said that we weren’t on the same page or that we clashed. AJ Styles has been quoted as blaming me for the departure from WWE of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. That is what AJ Styles has been quoted as saying. He has never made a statement regarding whether or not our collaboration on Monday Night RAW was to his liking or not—and if he wishes to, I’d be happy to accept whatever assessment he had on our time together behind the scenes.”

Paul Heyman Plays a Wide-Reaching Role Backstage in WWE

While many just know Paul Heyman as being the special counsel for Roman Reigns, or the advocate for Brock Lesnar, he also plays a deeper role backstage. It can be hard to keep business and real-life associations separate. Heyman understands this and likens the difference between the boardroom and the wrestling rings to a magic act.

“It’s not for public consumption. Triple H had a very interesting analogy the other day that he and Stephanie love to take their kids to magic shows and that the kids are fascinated by the magic that happens in front of their eyes, despite the fact that they understand it’s a trick. And even though you know it’s a trick, no one wants to see the wires that lift the magician up in the air and bring the magician back down, and I really enjoyed that analogy.”

“Whatever you think of sports entertainment, I’m not here to expose the wires, so whatever happened between Gallows and Anderson happened behind the scenes, behind closed doors in a meeting that I’m not going to expose to the public because it was an inner sanctum meeting with the chairman of the board, Vincent Kennedy McMahon. And unless Vince wants to talk about it publicly, I’m not going to be the one to expose what happened, why, and what the other conversations were in that meeting.”

Paul Heyman is wrestling through and through. He knows there is no place for sentiment when it comes to the business side of things. It is surely no easy task to be in such a dual-sided position.

Goldberg Discusses Whether His Son Will Follow in His Footsteps

Alex Laybourne
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Summerslam is just one day away, and Goldberg is once again vying to become the WWE champion. At 54 years old, his sporadic appearances have been met with mixed emotions from the WWE universe.

Talking during a recent appearance on The Bump, Goldberg addressed his future in wrestling. The conversation included a discussion about whether he would support his son in pursuing a wrestling career.

“Like I said, if I was 25, 55, or 105, I still think that I can pose a big threat to him, but he doesn’t think so. But that’s his problem. He will see the difference on Saturday. I’m still the Goldberg of old there’s no doubt about it.” Goldberg said when discussing his age and Bobby Lashley disbelief at him being a credible threat.

If there is one thing driving Goldberg more than the idea of having another belt to add to his collection, it is his family. “Everybody knows that 100 percent of my reasoning behind coming back was because of my family. My son, my wife, [they] had never seen me wrestle. My wife didn’t even know who the hell I was when we met.”

Goldberg Would Support His Son No Matter What He Wants to Do

As a father, seeing your child follow in your footsteps is a dream. For professional wrestlers, especially those who achieved great things, there is an added worry. It’s not the danger of the profession but rather the weight of expectation and the anchor that can be around a child’s ankles. This is a phenomenon that Goldberg is painfully aware of.  

“I don’t want to choose his path. The kid’s 15-years-old, and he’s a hell of a baseball player and a hell of a football player. And if one day he wanted to step in the ring, you know, I would support it 100 percent,” Goldberg answered. “But I would also let him know to be prepared to be a target, as he is probably right now. As a father, I would be behind him 100 percent.”

“Just know, if he did, he would be the biggest and baddest to ever step in the ring, just like his dad.”

-Goldberg

Goldberg’s son has a lot of years ahead of him before he needs to decide on a career path, and even his father pursued several other avenues before settling on professional wrestling. However, should that be his eventual direction, he has a wealth of experience in his corner.

Four Matches Added To Impact Emergence

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The Impact Emergence card has been finalized.

Tomorrow night (Aug. 20), Emergence will air on Impact Plus. In the main event, Christian Cage will defend the Impact Wrestling World Championship against Brian Myers. Also set for the card will be an X-Division Title clash between champion Josh Alexander and Jake Something. The Impact World Tag Team Titles will also be on the line as Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson meet Violent By Design, and the team of Rich Swann and Willie Mack.

We now have four more matches to round out the event. On the go-home show for Emergence, it was announced that Decay will collide with Tasha Steelz, Savannah Evans, Fallah Bahh & No Way. Another newly announced matchup is Deonna Purrazzo and Matthew Rehwoldt vs. Melina and Trey Miguel.

Also announced on the recent episode of Impact is a one-on-one match between Matt Cardona and Rohit Raju. It was also revealed that Madison Rayne is making her return to take on Taylor Wilde.

Here’s a look at the final Emergence card.

  • Christian Cage (c) vs. Brian Myers – for Impact Wrestling World Title
  • Josh Alexander (c) vs. Jake Something – For X-Division Title
  • Impact World Tag Team Championship:
  • The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) (c) vs. Violent By Design vs. Rich Swann & Willie Mack – for Impact Wrestling World Tag Team Titles
  • Deonna Purrazzo & Matthew Rehwoldt vs. Melina & Trey Miguel
  • Decay vs. Tasha Steelz, Savannah Evans, Fallah Bahh & No Way
  • Matt Cardona vs. Rohit Raju
  • Madison Rayne vs. Taylor Wilde
  • Steve Maclin vs. Petey Williams

Christian Cage Appears On Impact Wrestling, Retires TNA World Title

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Christian Cage and Impact Wrestling have said goodbye to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

Cage captured the Impact and TNA World Titles when he defeated Kenny Omega on the debut edition of AEW Rampage. While Cage is looking to start his own belt collection, the TNA World Championship will not be a part of it any longer.

Christian Cage made his return to Impact for the first time since 2008. During a promo, Cage revealed that he and Impact officials have decided to put the TNA World Title to rest so that the Impact World Championship can thrive as the lone top prize of the company.

“Sitting here talking about my history with Impact Wrestling, it’s got me thinking this isn’t really about my history anymore. Maybe it’s time. I had some conversations with Scott D’Amore and other Impact executives and we all agree, as much as this TNA Championship means maybe it’s time to set this aside. To respectfully retire this championship because this isn’t about my history anymore, this isn’t about the past. This is about the here and now, this is about the future.”

Cage is set for his first Impact World Title defense tomorrow night (Aug. 20). He’ll put the championship on the line against Brian Myers at Emergence. Myers won a battle royale match in order to earn the title opportunity.

The TNA World Title had been revived in a sense back in April 2020. Moose brought the title out with him and proclaimed himself to be the true world champion of Impact Wrestling. Rich Swann defeated Moose in a title unification match. Kenny Omega then beat Rich Swann for the Impact gold and continued to carry both titles.

Mick Foley Comes To CM Punk’s Defense After Roman Reigns’ Comments

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Wrestling legend Mick Foley is sticking up for CM Punk following comments made by WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

Punk has been the talk of the wrestling world lately. While nothing has been announced, Punk is expected to make an appearance tomorrow night (Aug. 20) at AEW Rampage: The First Dance. This episode of Rampage will be held inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Reigns recently had an interview with Ariel Helwani for BT Sport. When Helwani mentioned that Punk has long been a detractor of part-timers taking the spotlight from full-time workers in the wrestling industry, Reigns had the following response.

“… I think, man, those statements are coming from bitter people. Who possibly thought they were better than they really were. When it comes down to it, CM Punk was not as good or as over as a John Cena. Wasn’t as good or as over and moved the needle, like The Rock.”

Mick Foley took to his Twitter account and made it clear that he disagrees with Reigns and feels Punk was as good and as over as he said he was.

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1428472898445103106

“CM PUNK WAS DAMN GOOD, AND DAMN OVER. With one interview he changed the course of the wrestling business. He had great matches with a wide variety of opponents on a nightly basis. When/if he returns to wrestling, he will once again be damn good and damn over.”

If all indications are correct, we won’t have to wait long to see just how much of a needle-mover Punk is in 2021. He hasn’t been involved with a wrestling promotion since 2014. His stint on WWE Backstage was through FOX, not WWE.

Who do you agree with on the popularity ceiling of CM Punk, Mick Foley or Roman Reigns?

Ric Flair Announced For NWA 73 PPV (8/29)

Michael Reichlin
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Ric Flair will appear at NWA 73, the upcoming pay-per-view presented by the National Wrestling Alliance.

Flair is a 10-time NWA World Heavyweight champion and a member of the NWA Hall of Fame. The legendary Nature Boy will be on hand for NWA 73 Sunday night, August 29th from the Khorassan Ballroom at The Chase in St. Louis.

Check out this video announcing Flair’s involvement:

https://twitter.com/nwa/status/1428478128439971843

NWA 73 Matches

Here’s the complete lineup for the NWA’s upcoming 73rd anniversary, available for PPV streaming at FITE.TV.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis vs. Trevor Murdoch

Mickie James vs. Kylie Rae

National Champion Chris Adonis vs. James Storm

NWA World Tag Team Champions Aron Stevens and Kratos vs. La Rebelión (Bestia 666, Mecha Wolf 450)

NWA Women Champion Kamille vs. the Women’s Invitational Cup Gauntlet Winner

Brawl In The Lou: Thom Latimer vs. Crimson vs. Tim Storm

Battle Royal: Winner becomes the new #1 contender to the NWA National Title

NWA World Television Champion Tyrus, Jordan Clearwater and The Masked Man vs. The Pope and The End (Odinson, Parrow)

Tony Khan Teases Biggest Announcement In AEW History At Rampage

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The second edition of AEW Rampage figures to be one that wrestling fans can’t miss.

While it hasn’t been announced, the general consensus is that CM Punk will be making his AEW debut inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois tomorrow night (Aug. 20). Punk hasn’t been a part of a wrestling show outside of WWE Backstage since 2014.

The upcoming episode of Rampage dubbed The First Dance has been heavily promoted by AEW to the point where extra seating recently opened up for the United Center.

AEW founder Tony Khan took to his Twitter account to tease the biggest announcement in the company’s history tomorrow night.

“I’m betting that excitement from the most anticipated announcement in AEW
history at AEW Rampage The First Dance will build up through All Out on PPV. We’ll make new fans + we’ll welcome dormant wrestling households worldwide back into the fold; a new era in AEW begins tomorrow.”

Tony Khan hasn’t been shy in teasing what AEW fans can expect from the upcoming Rampage episode. He told Busted Open Radio the following.

“It’s going to be a huge card, and tonight [Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite] we’ll establish more of what’s coming on the premiere of Rampage. Of course, I think everyone knows what to expect on the second episode of Rampage, which is titled ‘The First Dance.’ And I expect the anticipation will continue to build.”

Three matches have been set for The First Dance. Former AEW World Champion Jon Moxley will take on Daniel Garcia. Plus, Jurassic Express will meet Private Party in an AEW World Tag Team Title eliminator. Also set for the card will be Jade Cargill vs. Kiera Hogan.

Stick with SEScoops tomorrow night as we’ll keep you posted on the major news that comes out of The First Dance. Of course, we’ll also be bringing you full results.

GCW Adds Minoru Suzuki To Four Shows

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Japanese wrestling legend Minoru Suzuki is making the most of his return to the United States.

Suzuki has already been announced for the Sept. 25 and 26 tapings for NJPW Strong. Those cards will be taking place in Texas. His journey back to the U.S. isn’t solely with NJPW, however.

GCW has announced that Suzuki will be a part of their upcoming September shows in Los Angeles and New York City. Suzuki’s stay is also being extended into October as he’ll be featured on the Atlantic City show and another LA event.

Suzuki has been freed up for shows in the United States since he will not be participating in this year’s G1 Climax tournament. Many have been speculating about Suzuki potentially making his way to AEW. Of course, nothing has been confirmed as far as that is concerned.

GCW has been on a roll as of late. The company got a ton of attention after Matt Cordona defeated Nick Gage to capture the GCW World Championship. Fans littered the ring with garbage in a scene not common in wrestling these days like it once was. On top of that, Gage made an appearance on AEW Dynamite, losing to Chris Jericho in a No Rules match.

WWE Tried to Get Mike Tyson to Voice-Over Summerslam Opening

Tyriece Simon
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WWE attempted to include WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson for Summerslam this Saturday.

PWinsider’s Mike Johnson reports that WWE wanted Tyson to do the voice-over for the opening video package for Summerslam. WWE has used celebrities to do voice-over work to open a pay-per-view in the past, like Johnny Depp. However, WWE was unsuccessful in making a deal with Tyson.

“…WWE plans called for Tyson to be the voiceover artist for opening video package for Saturday’s Summerslam PPV, which we are told will be built around WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. John Cena,” said PWInsider. The report also shared that it is unclear who will serve as the voice-over artist now that Tyson is unavailable.

Mike Tyson History in WWE

Tyson and WWE have had a long history with each other. Tyson is a well-known pro wrestling, and he was an important figure during the “Attitude Era.” His involvement in WWE during 1998, including Wrestlemania 14, helped bring more attention to the company. He joined the WWE Hall of Fame Celebrity Wing on April 2, 2012. However, since 2012, Tyson has not appeared on WWE television.

Tyson has expressed interest in returning to WWE in the past. It’s unclear if WWE has attempted to reach out to Tyson to do business in recent years.

Tyson involvement in AEW

While WWE hasn’t been able to do business with Tyson, All Elite Wrestling had him involved in significant storylines last year.

Tyson’s first appearance at AEW Dynamite on May 27, 2020, teased him getting into a feud with Chris Jericho. On his Youtube channel, Jericho revealed that AEW wanted Tyson to face him at AEW All out on September 5, 2020.

“Originally, I was supposed to work with Tyson at the September PPV.  All Out II, I think, and we just couldn’t get it done in time,” Jericho said.

Tyson’s last appearance in AEW was AEW Dynamite on April 14th. He served as a guest enforcer for Jericho vs. Dax Harwood. Tyson prevented Harwood’s tag team partner from interfering in the match, and Jericho earned the victory. Both Tyson and Jericho officially ended their feud on the episode as well.

More Celebrities Unable to Attend Summerslam

While the WWE was hoping to use Tyson for Summerslam, they also had other celebrities planned for the event. Fightful Select reports that WWE wanted artist Meg thee Stallion to appear, but the deal fell through.

“…WWE sources indicated they thought it was a done deal but were informed last weekend it wouldn’t be happening,” said Fightful Select.

The report also mentioned that WWE also wanted artist Cardi B involved as well. However, when she announced her pregnancy, it ended her involvement with Summerslam.

Nikki A.S.H. Reflects On ‘Hail Mary’ Moment With Character On WWE TV

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Nikki A.S.H. admits her current character on WWE television was a hail mary.

Nikki is the current Raw Women’s Champion. While she’s in the most prominent spot of her career, the Nikki A.S.H. character has drawn criticism. Those who take issue with the gimmick say that it spells doom for any babyface in 2021 due to its cheesiness.

The character was Nikki’s idea as she wanted to come up with something that would stand out to the WWE brass. The idea earned her a title run and she will be competing at SummerSlam against Charlotte and Rhea Ripley.

During a chat with Corey Graves on WWE After the Bell, Nikki discussed her superhero persona and how it came to fruition.

“Yeah, it really felt like alright this is it, this is the hail mary as you say. It’s so weird nobody has asked me that. I think it was and it was that hail mary moment, there needed to be a change and that was really apparent to me. That was really apparent to me right around the Royal Rumble, we told this fun story on social media and on digital about me qualifying for the match and we made a story out of that. Right around the Royal Rumble it was so clear and so apparent that there needed to be a change and that was it. I spent hours and hours researching this idea and getting this pitch right and I commissioned this artist to draw up what Nikki A.S.H would be as a cartoon character.

“You take it to the boss and it’s like you’re nervous but you’re also confident and I believed in this idea so much that you’re just like alright, let’s do it. You have to put your nerves aside and push down the butterflies. At the end of the day, I believed in the pitch on a personal level, I believed in it from a business sense, this is good business, this is a good idea. I also believed that in the heart of it it’s very pure and wholesome, something that I really wanted to portray, I wanted to portray something fun and joyful. It makes me happy and I want to try and make others and also for business I knew it was a great idea. It was just about swallowing the nerves and just going in and doing it. It did feel like a hail mary, that’s a good way of describing it.”

Thanks to her efforts, Nikki ended up winning the Money in the Bank briefcase. She successfully cashed it in on Charlotte on the July 19 edition of Monday Night Raw. This is her first singles title reign in WWE.

Time will tell if Nikki A.S.H. can maintain her hold on the gold this Saturday night. SummerSlam takes place on Aug. 21 inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Roman Reigns feels CM Punk Didn’t Draw like John Cena or The Rock

Tyriece Simon
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Universal Champion Roman Reigns feels CM Punk doesn’t move the needle.

BT Sports Ariel Helwani interviewed Reigns before his upcoming title defense against John Cena at Summerslam this Saturday at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In the interview, Helwani brought up Punk’s name and asked Reigns about his thoughts of Cena being in the title picture despite being a part-timer. Reigns responded by saying, “I can see it from both perspectives. But, I think you said it before. You know, the high tide raises all the boats, right? Everybody benefits. So I do think there is that strange threshold.”

He then shared his thoughts on Punk and compared his drawing power to Cena. “… I think, man, those statements are coming from bitter people. Who possibly thought they were better than they really were. When it comes down to it, CM Punk was not as good or as over as a John Cena. Wasn’t as good or as over and move the needle, like The Rock,” said Reigns.

Roman Reigns Thoughts on Part-Timers

Reigns’ thoughts on part-time WWE talent seem to have changed over the years. It wasn’t too long ago when he spoke out against part-time WWE talent being featured prominently. New York Post’s Joesph Staszewski interviewed Reigns on April 4, 2018, to promote his match with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34 on April 8, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisana. In the interview, he voiced his frustration with part-time talent in WWE.

“…Some people need to hear this stuff because this has kind of been a thing. Brock’s not the only part-time guy. But there are a lot of full-time guys that are never gonna, as a collective, reach our potentials if we are dominated in this portion of the year by part-time guys,” said Reigns.

It’s unclear why his opinion has changed. He will look to defend his title against Cena in two days successfully.

Juventud Guerrera On Tony Khan’s Reaction To Match Against Chris Jericho

Chris Stephens
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As part of the 5 Labors of Jericho, Chris Jericho faced Juventud Guerrera recently on Dynamite. Juvi was a guest of Nick Hausman’s on the Wrestling Inc. podcast recently. During the discussion, Guerrera revealed what Tony Khan said to him backstage at Dynamite.

“He gave me a thumbs up. I went back to the locker room,” Guerrera said. “He was right there at Gorilla position. He got up. He shook my hand. He said, ‘Great match, good match. Thank you very much,’ and before I came out, when I was going from my locker room to the stage, I heard somebody saying, ‘Juvi! Juvi! Juvi!’ I was like, who’s calling me? Then I turn around. It was TK, or Tony Khan, and he was like, ‘Thank you Juvi for being here. It’s a pleasure for me to have you on this show.’ I was in shock.”

“It gave me this good feeling of wow, this is something different. This is not just a major company, this is something that has value. Somebody actually values your work and the years that you’ve put in this business. It was outstanding I just want to say thank you to Tony Khan.”

Juvi is scheduled to face nZo (FKA Enzo Amore) on a show next month.

Chris Jericho vs Juventud Guerrera Head-to-Head History

When Jericho and Juvi faced off on Dynamite recently, it was the 23rd singles match they’ve had against once another. Of the 12 of those matches that have been televised, Jericho holds a 9-3 edge in the series. Another 11 of those matches were on WCW house shows. Jericho won 9 and lost 2 of those matches. In total, Jericho has an 18-5 advantage in singles matches against Juvi.

Jericho would win the 4th Labors of Jericho after defeating Juvi when he defeated Wardlow last week. MJF would defeat Jericho last night in the 5th and final Labor of Jericho.

The discussion with Juventud Guerrera is available in the player below:

Goldberg Reveals How Many Matches He Has Left In His Current WWE Contract

Anutosh Bajpai
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Goldberg appeared on the latest episode of the Bump to talk about his upcoming SummerSlam match against the WWE champion Bobby Lashley among other things.

During the talk, the former champion was questioned about the other world title match on the show between the Universal champion Roman Reigns and John Cena.

The wrestling veteran was asked if he is team Cena or team Roman going into the PPV. Replying to it, Goldberg claimed that he is neither because he hasn’t faced either Cena or Reigns in his career so far:

“I’m team neither one of them, neither one has stared across the ring and seen me as an opponent, so I look at both of them the same. They’re just future victims.

I am a great fan of both of them for what they have done individually. I’d love a piece of Roman Reigns, and I think maybe even more so, I’d love to get my hands around Cena’s throat. But that’s wishful thinking.”

Goldberg Reveals Detail Of Current Contract

Goldberg then mentioned how his focus is on Bobby Lashley for now before revealing that he only has two more matches left in his deal with the promotion:

“We’ll see. Let me take care of Bobby Lashley first and hey, I only got one more match, or two more matches on my deal here. So we’ll see what happens.”

While WWE could always negotiate a new contract with Goldberg, the expiration of his current deal can open other possibilities for the former WCW champion in the current competitive environment.

Do you think the 54-year-old will explore other options when his current contract expires or will he seek a new deal with his current employers? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Nick Khan On WWE Sale Speculation: “We’re Open For Business”

Chris Stephens
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The large number of roster cuts and cost-saving moves WWE has made recently has led many fans to speculate as to if the company is preparing to be sold. President & Chief Revenue Officer of WWE Nick Khan recently appeared on the Recode Media podcast. During the discussion, Khan spoke about if there are plans for WWE to be sold.

Khan says there are no immediate plans to sell the company. If someone contacted them about it, however, he says they would listen.

“We’re open for business on anything and everything. Even some of the business plans that we’ve announced recently are different and unique to what the company has traditionally done. We’re open for business. If somebody called, we’ll listen, but we’re not active or out on the marketplace trying to change that structure,” Khan said.

He also spoke about the possibility of Vince McMahon stepping down from his role. Khan doesn’t believe that is going to happen anytime soon.

“I don’t think Vince has any plans, nor in my opinion should he, of stepping aside. He’s 75, he’ll be 76 in a couple of weeks. He’s healthy, he’s strong, maybe he goes another 50 years and you’ll be asking me this in 49 years.”

Khan was also asked if he sees AEW as competition. He said that they view everything as competition but try to just focus just on what they do.

“I never look at anybody as competition. I focus on what I’m doing. In the totality of circumstance, you have to look at everything as your competition,” Khan said.  

Khan’s comments can be heard in the player below:

Brody King Admits to Testing Positive for Covid Despite Double Vaccination

Alex Laybourne
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Talking during a recent interview with The Wrestling Inc. Daily, ROH star Brody King talked about the perceived end to the COVID pandemic and his own surprising battle with the illness.

The chat broached the recent relocation of ROH Death Before Dishonor. Due to the rising number of cases ROH took the decision to move from Florida to the 2300 Area in Philadelphia. Brody King understands the decision and doesn’t blame the executives making the call.

“I would love to perform in Florida. I would love to see my friends in Florida, come out to the shows and have a good time.” Brody King said before sharing his thoughts on why the cases are rising again. “It’s pretty obvious why that’s happening. I feel like a lot of people were so eager to just get out and start doing stuff again in a ‘post-pandemic world, but we’re still very much in it, and I feel like that is a sign of the times to come.

Brody King Knows First-Hand the Dangers of Covid

As he talked, Brody King also let it slip that he had also recently positive for Covid despite being double vaccinated.

“I had COVID last week, and I’m a fully vaccinated person. Thankfully, it didn’t hit me as hard.”

– Brody King

Brody King is a key figure in Ring of Honor and also appears regularly on NJPW Strong. He has been vocal in recent times about how he would like ROH to also open the Forbidden Door. He also pointed out his dislike of the name it has been given.

“I always say that I hate the term ‘forbidden door’ because we are in a fan service business. Keeping Jon Moxley from wrestling Jay Lethal is doing a disservice for the fans. I would love to go to AEW and wrestle Miro, or Darby Allin or whoever they would have me wrestle, just to have this cross-promotion. It’s healthy for everybody. I got to wrestle The Good Brothers on New Japan Strong.”

Brody King is moving from strength to strength as a wrestler. Should he be given the opportunity to wrestle for other promotions and fight against different wrestlers, or, it could be said, higher calibre wrestlers, then it will only serve to help him further his career.

Rumored ‘Forbidden Door’ All Out Match In Jeopardy

Jake Skudder
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One of the matches being rumored for the upcoming All Out PPV in September involves the ongoing ‘Forbidden Door’ storyline. Jox Moxley was slated to be taking on IWGP United States Champion and Japanese wrestling legend Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Moxley reportedly suggested the match to AEW owner Tony Khan a few months ago, and Khan was very receptive to bringing in Tanahashi for the contest and what will be their biggest pay-per-view to date.

It has now been confirmed that Tanahashi will be facing Kota Ibushi as part of the Wrestle Grand Slam event in MetLife Dome, Japan.

Forbidden Door

This puts the proposed match between Moxley and Tanahashi, the night after in Chicago, Illinois, up in the air.

With the current COVID restrictions, it may not be possible for Tanahashi to get out of Japan and over to the United States in time for the event. Let alone the strict quarantining rules he may have to adhere to.

Jon Moxley would cut a promo on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, where he slammed ‘newcomers’ to the company. Moxley would talk about how he was one of the original stars who helped build the company during turbulent times, whereas others now only come into the company because there are fans back and it is successful.

This promo may have been a backup plan for the company if the proposed Forbidden Door match isn’t possible, with a plethora of new talent making their way to AEW over the past couple of months.

Chris Jericho Gets Standing Ovation From Crowd After Dynamite (Video)

Anutosh Bajpai
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Chris Jericho competed in a hard-fought match against MJF in the main event of this week’s episode of Dynamite. While MJF managed to win this bout, Jericho’s performance was still recognized after the match.

Legends such as Ric Flair took on their Twitter to praise both the stars for their work in the main event match after the show. Flair claimed that Y2J made the business better for everyone.

Jericho also got applauded by the audience in the arena after the bout. As seen in the video below, the fans in the arena gave a standing ovation to the wrestling legend after the show went off air:

https://twitter.com/LegitbossKO2/status/1428225999284707332

Chris Jericho’s storyline with MJF began last year when the former MLW star requested to join Jericho’s Inner Circle stable. The two even formed a tag team for a short while and unsuccessfully challenged for the tag team titles.

However, MJF turned on the former AEW champion during the March 10 Dynamite earlier this year. He formed his own faction called The Pinnacle in the process.

When Jericho demanded a singles match, MJF told him that he would have to go through several opponents. Chris defeated four different opponents over the last few weeks to get the bout on this week’s Dynamite.

CM Punk: Updated Betting Odds For First AEW Opponent

Jake Skudder
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CM Punk is being heavily touted for a debut on this week’s episode of AEW Rampage. Both the company and the straight edge star have been teasing his signing over the past couple of weeks, and now it looks as though he is finally coming back to the squared circle.

The betting odds for CM Punk’s first opponent in AEW have been updated by BetOnline. So here is how they stand currently:

  • Darby Allin 1/2
  • Byan Danielson/Daniel Bryan 11/4
  • Christian Cage 15/4
  • Orange Cassidy 6/1
  • Matt Hardy 7/1
  • Chris Jericho 8/1
  • Cody Rhodes 8/1
  • Jungle Boy 9/1
  • Sting 10/1

It is not surprising that Darby Allin is odds-on favourite to face CM Punk in his debut match for the company. Allin has been teasing a showdown with the ‘Best In The World’ this Friday and this week’s Rampage may be the start of the feud between the two straight edge stars.

CM Punk Betting Odds

BetOnline has also confirmed the following odds for two of the confirmed matches on the ALL OUT PPV card:

AEW Championship Match – Kenny Omega (c) vs Christian Cage

  • Kenny Omega -375 (4/15)
  • Christian Cage +240 (12/5)

Andrade El Idolo vs Pac

  • Andrade El Idolo -180 (5/9)
  • Pac +140 (7/5)

Who do you think CM Punk is facing first in AEW? Let us know in the comments.

Health Update On Brian Knobbs

Chris Stephens
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Last week, it was reported that Brian Knobbs had been rushed to the hospital due to experiencing serious stomach-related issues. Doctors are saying it will be months before Knobbs can leave the hospital again. A GoFundMe has been created to help him with medical expenses. 

Eric Bischoff recently commented on Knobbs’ situation during an episode of his 83 Weeks podcast. According to Bischoff, the situation is worse than is being let on.

“I do know the complexities of what he’s dealing with and, since they haven’t been made it public, I’m not going to do that. I just want to let people know that his situation is much more serious than perhaps you’ve heard or read about,” Bischoff said.

Bischoff is encouraging everyone who can to please donate to Knobbs’ GoFundMe.

“I’m praying for him, and if anybody listening to this, man, please donate. It doesn’t matter if you donate a buck or a hundred bucks, or five bucks, please donate,” Bischoff continued.

As of this writing, the GoFundMe for Knobbs has raised $14,358 USD of its $20,000 goal. In addition to his stomach issues, Knobbs also needs surgery on his knee in order to walk again. A link to the GoFundMe is here.

Triple H Announces New WWE Partnership With Enfield Town F.C.

Alex Laybourne
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The wrestling landscape is changing. The opening of the forbidden door paved the way for all manner of working arrangements and partnerships. However, WWE COO Triple H just announced possibly the strangest partnership in the history of WWE. The wrestling empire has formed a partnership with Enfield Town FC. A UK based football club that currently plies their trade in the Ithsmian League Premier Division.

This is not to be confused with the Premier Division. Home to the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. The Ithsmian League is currently six leagues below the top level and three away from the professional leagues. Why is a WWE legend like Triple H building ties to an amateur football team?

The partnership is not as crazy as it sounds. The WWE has long-standing ties with the UK, and the NXT UK  performance center is located in Enfield. So the town and the company share a deep connection.

Triple H took to social media to confirm the link just as the new season of football begins in the UK.

Triple H and WWE Want to Support Their Local Community

At the time of writing it is not clear as to the extent of the agreement or if WWE will be providing any financial investment into the club.

“Not only is it a big week for WWE with SummerSlam on Saturday and NXT Takeover 36 on Sunday, but it’s a big week for the UK. The football season has returned. Enfield in London has played a big part in the journey of NXT UK since the opening of our UK Performance Centre. That’s why I’m proud to announce today, the first of its kind partnership between NXT UK and Enfield Town Football Club in celebration of their 20th anniversary. As the UK’s first supporter-owned football club, they share our passion for putting fans at the centre of everything we do. Be on the lookout for plenty of exciting things to come over the next few months.”

“But for now, there’s only one question left to ask. Enfield Town football club, are you ready?”

-Triple H

WWE have a long association with building roots in their local communities. Under the leadership of Triple H, NXT UK and the general WWE presence on British soil continues to grow. It only makes sense for them to form relationships with other companies as their brand expands.

Goldberg On Fighting John Cena “You Never Know. You Never Know.”

Alex Laybourne
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The story of Bill Goldberg is one that needs no introduction. He was the beast before the beast, the monster before the monster. He had the streak before it was even a thing. Now, he is a part-time nostalgia act, playing a very specific role within WWE.

Despite preparing to face Bobby Lashley at Summerslam this coming Sunday, Goldberg still had the time to talk to DAZN about his career, and in particular, the names that he still has on his list.

Goldberg is 54 now. Interestingly enough, has been playing the nostalgia act with WWE for longer than he was main eventing in WCW. The run that built his name.

Despite his age and being self-aware that he is a limited-use resource, there are still a couple of names on Goldberg’s list. There are three individuals that Goldberg would still love to face in a WWE ring, but he also knows that he isn’t in a position to make demands when it comes to opponents.

Goldberg Knows Who He Wants to be Next!

Talking honestly, Goldberg admitted he has a lot to be thankful for as a result of his wrestling career. While getting match fit is harder and harder with age, he isn’t ready to hang up the boots just yet.

One fight he would like to see realized is against the face that (used to) run the place, John Cena.

“Cena, that’s always been a dream. Never been in the ring with him. We’re two completely different characters. Hey, you never know. You never know.”

– Goldberg

Following that, there is a potential rivalry building with the Original Bro, Matt Riddle. He and Goldberg do not seem to be on the best of terms when it comes to their personal relationship. However, great recognizes great, or so it would seem.

“The cocky kid (Riddle) spouting off his mouth in the beginning, and I didn’t appreciate it very much by any stretch of the imagination. But the guy has put in a lot of frickin hard work and a lot of hard work, and he’s dedicated his life to this business. Whether I like him as a human being or not, I have to understand and appreciate his passion for the business and his work ethic. Because he works hard and that I appreciate as an athlete and as a human. Is he a prick sometimes? Absolutely. But that’s him. That’s his character, and so am I.”

The other fight Goldberg would love to see happen before he leaves the ring behind him is Roman Reigns. Oddly enough, it’s not because he wants the Universal Title or because he feels that he needs to conquer the top of the wrestling mountain. His want to face Roman is far simpler and far more deep-seated than wrestling.

“I want Roman bad. I want a piece of somebody from Georgia Tech. Like, I can taste it. The comparisons, the football background, I truly believe that’s a match that needs to happen. Am I clamoring for it? Am I begging for it? No. Am I holding my breath for it? No, I do what my job asks me to do.”

A Poetic End Would Be a Fight With the Kid he Inspired

One other name Goldberg would like to fight is a far more poetic tale and one that would be a heck of a fight too.

“Big E has to be on that list. I’ve watched him for years develop, and I’m very proud of him. I do remember when he was in my autograph line 150 years ago. As a little kid having aspirations of doing things that he’s doing now. The road that he’s taken and the hard work that he’s put towards it, he’s reaping the benefits, and I’m extremely proud of him. I’m very happy for him.”

Despite the prospect of fights with Reigns and Cena, as a wrestling fan and storyteller, there is something about an angle between Goldberg and Big E that speaks much louder than anything else. If executed in the right way, it could be the most fitting way for the big man to end his career and come full circle.

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