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Impact Results (8/11): Brian Myers Is “The Most Professional Wrestler”

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling presented a show on AXS TV and Twitch last night. The card was the go-home show before the 2-week Emergence event that starts next Tuesday night. It featured the in-ring return to the promotion of Brian Myers, who now wishes to be referred to as “The Most Professional Wrestler.”

Impact Results 8/11:

  1. Eric Young defeated Willie Mack
  2. Jordynne Grace defeated Kimber Lee
  3. Wrestle House
    Larry D defeated Acey Romero
  4. No DQ
    Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz defeated Neveah & Havok
  5. Dez vs Suicide – No Contest
  6. Wrestle House
    Susie defeated Alisha Edwards
  7. Impact World Championship
    Eddie Edwards (c) defeated Brian Myers

Here are 10 takeaways from Impact 8/11:

“The Most Professional Wrestler” Brian Myers Faces Eddie Edwards

Brian Myers returned to Impact Wrestling in the main event this week. He answered Eddie Edwards’ open challenge for a shot at the belt. Edwards had called out Eric Young for a match but Myers answered instead. He told the champion that in Edwards’ hands, the Impact World title is a “belt” but in Myers’ hands, it would be a “championship”, which is perhaps a nod to what Myers means when he says he’s “The Most Professional Wrestler.”

Myers would give the champion all he could handle but in the end he couldn’t dodge multiple Boston Knee Party attempts, allowing the champion to retain his title. Edwards will continue his Open Challenge for the Impact World Championship at Emergence as well.

The Good Brothers To Face Ace Austin & Madman Fulton At Emergence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rifVthN7ckw

It was announced this week that Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows will face Ace Austin and Madman Fulton next week on night 1 of Emergence. Recently on Impact, Austin planted a trap for the Good Brothers which resulted in Gallows being arrested. This allowed Austin and Fulton to attack Anderson 2-on-1. This week on Impact, Anderson and Gallows were on the search for Austin and Fulton.

Later in the show, The Good Brothers told Scott D’Amore that they were headed out to the ring to search for Austin and Fulton. This caused D’Amore to remark that he was getting some real “Hall and Nash” vibes from Anderson and Gallows.

Anderson and Gallows then interrupted the match between Dez and Suicide. They called out Austin and Fulton but only got them to appear on the big screen. Austin and Fulton said they will fight the Good Brothers on their terms, which will be next week on night 1 of Emergence.

EC3 Says He Must Destroy Moose

EC3 says he is returning to Impact Wrestling to destroy his past. Part of his past is the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and EC3 let the current self-proclaimed holder of that title, Moose, know this week that he is coming to destroy him.

EC3 found a rather interesting way to deliver his promo this week as well. As Moose was backstage, an image of EC3 was projected on the wall. The former champ let Moose know that he is coming to destroy what he currently holds as it is synonymous with his past.

Susie Showed Cousin Jake Her True Self Then Blamed Alisha For Their Bad Date

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRe5CXhxsSM

Wrestle House sure has developed into a showcase of Impact’s humorous side. This week saw Susie, Alisha, and the Deaners all involved in an interesting angle.

Susie and Cousin Jake seemed to have a bit of a budding romance going. Alisha was helping Susie with her dating game but things didn’t go too well. Cousin Jake got all dressed up in his best Fantastics gear and Susie repeatedly mentioned that she has the runs, which set the stage for their dinner date. Unfortunately, when Jake was saying he had a good time, Susie showed him her “true self” which is, of course, a dark and frightening undead soul. Upon seeing this, Jake fled. Susie then blamed Alisha’s dating advice for this and the two ended up having a match.

With Crazzy Steve serving as a rather unorthodox referee, Susie was able to secure the victory with a roll-up pin.

After the match, Taya attempted to get everyone back in the living room to continue watching “The Best of Taya Valkyrie.” Kylie Rae suggested they go to bed instead and this seemed to irritate Taya, as most things Kylie says seem to do. Taya mentioned that while Kylie is the #1 contender to the Knockouts title, she’s never defeated a champion. This led to Kylie challenging Taya but Taya mentioning she’s “all booked up” right now.

Jordynne Grace defeated Kimber Lee, Deonna Purrazzo Sets Stipulation For Emergence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4X2Gl5yewg

Last week on Impact, Kimber Lee struck a deal with Deonna Purrazzo. Kimber Lee said she would take out Jordynne Grace for the champion so long as she was granted a title shot in return. She wasn’t able to take out the former champion, however. The end of the match came when Grace countered a swanton into a choke and got the tap out.

Later in the show, Deonna Purrazzo cut a promo and informed fans that when she faces Grace on night 2 of Emergence it will be a 30-Minute Ironman Match.

Sami Callihan Attacks Rob Van Dam On Locker Room Talk, Heath Purchases Advertisement

Madison Rayne hosted another edition of Locker Room Talk this week. She also announced that the show this week had a sponsor. A 38-second ad from Heath was then played. He encouraged fans to use the hashtag “Heath4IMPACT” to help get him a contract in the promotion.

Rayne brought on Katie Forbes and Rob Van Dam as her guests this week. When the couple began ignoring her and making out, Rayne opted to just leave. Eventually, Sami Callihan managed to teleport himself into Madison’s chair and then began attacking RVD, furthering the ongoing rivalry between the two. Forbes ended up spraying Callihan in the face with an aerosol can and this allowed RVD to turn the tables of the melee.

Eric Young Defeats An Emotional Willie Mack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9phnKUQIvU

Before this match began, viewers watched highlights of Rich Swann’s emotional retirement speech and the brutal attack from Eric Young that followed. This week, Swann’s tag-team partner Willie Mack sought revenge on Eric Young when they faced each other in singles competition.

The match kicked off the show but only because the two began brawling in the backstage area before the show began. They eventually made it to the ring and decided to have their match earlier then scheduled.

Mack seemed in control of the match but he eventually let his desire for revenge cloud his judgement. He put a chair over EY’s leg, perhaps intending to injure him as he had done to Swann, and then went to the top rope. This gave Young a chance to recover, however, and he countered with a stalling pile driver for the win.

Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz defeat Neveah & Havok In A No Disqualification Match

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_coRaLn3peg

The ongoing tag-team rivalry between Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz and Neveah & Havok continued this week. The two teams faced off in a no disqualification match that seemingly favoured Neveah and Havok. For weeks, it seemed as though Neveah and Havok were on their way to getting revenge on Hogan & Steelz for the two singles victory they had stolen from the team as of late. No such revenge would happen here, however.

The finish of the match came when Hogan and Steelz super kicked Havok off the apron and through a table. This allowed Hogan to hit a spinning fisherman suplex for the win. Big win for Hogan and Steelz as they likely walk away from this rivalry here the strong victors.

Team XXXL Fight Following a Spell From Rosemary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xck8FXeXRBs

Rosemary is having a difficult time trying to seduce John E Bravo on Wrestle House. Bravo’s frequent attention given to Taya Valkyrie seemed to frustrate her this week. She opted to cast a magical spell on Larry D from Team XXXL which seemed to cause him to fall in love with her. Perhaps, Rosemary was doing this in an attempt to make Bravo jealous.

With Larry D under a spell, he gets into an argument with his tag-team partner, Acey Romero over his apparent change in attitude (and lack of appetite.) This led to a match between the two partners which Larry won with a Knockout punch. He’d then point at Rosemary and say “that was for you.”

Updated Lineup For Emergence

Here is the announced lineup for Emergence Night 1:

  • Impact World Championship
    Eddie Edwards Open Challenge
  • Impact Tag Team Championships
    The Motor City Machine Guns (c) vs The North
  • Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows vs Ace Austin & Madman Fulton
  • X-Division Championship
    Chris Bey (c) vs TJP vs Rohit Raju
  • Wrestle House
    Taya Valkyrie vs Kylie Rae
  • TNA World Heavyweight Championship (Unofficial)
    Moose (c) vs Trey

For night 2, just the main event has been revealed thus far:

  • Knockouts Championship
    30-Minute Ironman Match
    Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs Jordynne Grace

Booker T: Eric Bischoff Doesn’t Belong On WCW’s Mount Rushmore

Steve Russell
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Booker T doesn’t believe that former WCW President Eric Bischoff belongs on anyone’s WCW Mount Rushmore. As far as the Hall of Famer is concerned, Bischoff’s “not in the conversation.”

Booker T shared his thoughts on his Hall of Fame podcast. He explained how people like Bischoff who “haven’t put time in the ring wrestling for years” don’t deserve consideration. He stressed that this was just his opinion on the matter.

Extrapolating on his opinion, Booker T reflected on Bischoff’s impact on WCW and the wrestling business. He acknowledged how Bischoff did a lot for him and his career in WCW. However, he noted that when business and pleasure mingle, problems can occur.

“When Eric Bischoff stopped being the president, stopped being the boss and wanted to start being one of the boys and wanting to be one of the talents on the show, that’s when everything got clouded.”

Booker T continued, “Judgment totally didn’t come into play in certain instances because you got a lot of guys around you that you think are your friends. Eric Bischoff should have never been in a position to even be considered to be a part of Mount Rushmore.”

Booker T has previously expressed a similar opinion regarding Bischoff being inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame.

FTR Talk About Tag Team Psychology, If AEW Needs 6-Man Tag Titles

Steve Russell
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FTR has shared their approach to tag team psychology and whether they believe AEW needs a 6-man championship.

Speaking with Fightful Select, Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood explained how they approach tag team psychology. They revealed how, when it comes to finally hitting a hot tag, “you don’t want to come in and do a bunch of flips and roll like that.”

FTR shared how, because their partner has been beaten down for minutes on end, they would come charging with fists instead of flips.

“I’m going to come in and throw fists. I’m going to come in and beat the sh*t out of you. That’s the psychology of tag team wrestling that you can build so much around that.”  

FTR On 6-Man Tag Team Championships

When asked if they thought AEW needed 6-man tag team championships, FTR’s Wheeler expressed how the promotion could consider it “down the line.”

He explained how including them now would be akin to “trying to run before we can walk.”

Wheeler stressed how AEW is still building its tag team division and establishing all of its tag talents:

“We don’t need to bring more championships into the fold when these aren’t even established and are less than a year old. We don’t need to bring 6 man teams into the fold when we are still trying to establish the 2 man.”

He reiterated how AEW may consider it at some point in the future. However, until their current tag team division is firmly established, it would be an unnecessary endeavor.

Check out Fightful’s full interview with FTR:

Booker T On Intergender Wrestling, Who WWE’s COVID-19 Era MVP Is

Steve Russell
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WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has agreed with Lance Storm’s recent comments on intergender wrestling. Speaking on his podcast, The Hall of Fame, Booker T addressed the issue as well as the backlash Storm received. During the episode, he also shared his thoughts on who he believes the MVP of WWE’s COVID-19 era is.

Addressing Storm’s recent comments stating that intergender wrestling should be abolished, Booker T pointed to the backlash Storm’s words received on social media. Despite the negative response, the Hall of Famer shared how he seconded Storm’s feelings.

“I second that emotion as far as definitely abolishing intergender wrestling. I don’t think it does a whole lot for female wrestlers. If it is to ever be done on an independent level, for women to be able to get a little more training because there are less women out there working at the top level or better level that can get a lot of practice in working with guys, but as far as intergender wrestling ever making it to the big stage in professional wrestling, I think it would screw everything up.”

He recalled his thoughts from earlier in the year pertaining to Tessa Blanchard’s intergender matchups.

Booker T stressed how he didn’t agree with it but didn’t dispute her talent. He added how he didn’t agree with Impact Wrestling’s decision and reiterated how he 100% agrees with Storm’s sentiments.

Booker T Names His WWE COVID-19 Era MVP

Booker T then turned his attention to WWE’s current product and how it has been forced to pivot due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Acknowledging how COVID-19 has forced both WWE and its Superstars to change and evolve, Booker T shared who he believes is WWE’s current MVP. He stressed that, even though it’s been a relatively short period of time, his MVP is MVP and The Hurt Business.

Booker T explained his decision, noting how MVP has been “going out and creating some really good drama.”

He stressed how MVP has managed to do this by going out and cutting promos. He believes this career resurgence is more memorable than MVP’s first run in WWE and thinks the Superstar has really found his “groove” during this time.

Cody Rhodes On What AEW Looks For In Indie Talent, Completed TNT Championship

Steve Russell
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All Elite Wrestling’s TNT Champion Cody Rhodes has opened up about what the company looks when considering indie talent. During a sit-down interview with Tony Schiavone, held ahead of his championship match with Scorpio Sky, Cody also revealed when fans can expect to finally see the completed TNT Championship.

Cody Rhodes addressed how most of his Open Challenge opponents have been selected following online social media support from wrestlers. Cody has recently faced talents such as the recently signed Eddie Kingston and Warhorse in successful defenses. He noted that the finalized version of the TNT Championship will be debuted on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

When it comes to what the promotion seeks in its potential talent, Cody explained its process. He pointed to how AEW President Tony Khan and Arn Anderson have done a “really great job at looking at the overall landscape.”

He stressed that this is true regarding talent in AEW as well as those not currently signed.

“I think it has less to do with polished talent and pedigree and more to do with work. Those are the type of individuals I like to hang with, to work with, to train with and of course to compete with, Cody said. “I think that’s a big part of it – your ability to do the work. It went from a fun motto and hashtag but it’s applicable to everything especially in this era of wrestling on TV. Content is what matters.”

Cody explained how Tony Khan is an individual who has his “ear to the ground.”

He highlighted how Khan is a youthful person in management. This makes him more in tune with “what people want.”

Because of this approach, Cody Rhodes believes he’s been able to face some great opponents during his Open Challenge.

Xavier Woods Responds To CM Punk Suggesting That Big E Should ‘Dump’ The New Day

Anutosh Bajpai
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Big E is getting a shot at a singles run due to the injuries of Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston but E has made it clear that he is still a representative of the New Day even when he is competing on his own. However, several stars have spoken up against this mentality and people like CM Punk have said that the former NXT Champion should ‘dump’ his teammates to advance further in his career.

During his recent appearance on the Battleground podcast, Xavier Woods responded to these comments and he said that he loves the fact that people have enough passion about what’s going on to talk about it. He mentioned how it keeps people’s names in the zeitgeist but Woods went on to explain that their friendship is more important to the three than anything else:

“We’ve explained many times that, again, our friendship and bond is more important than anything else, Thee interesting thing about people saying things like this about E is, ‘oh, well you said the same things about Kofi.’ That worked out okay, I think. I think this is the vocal minority again, which is fine, everyone have your voice and use it the way you want, just don’t be disrespectful to people.”

Xavier Woods continued to explain that fans demand things that are different than the usual and we have seen people make it to the top using one specific toolbox. However, now that they are attempting something different they want the trio to go back to the old tools and according to Woods no one is right or wrong for having an opinion:

“Everyone has their opinion and everyone is entitled to it, and no one’s is right, no one’s is wrong because we can’t tell the future, we don’t know.” said Xavier Woods, “It’s great that people talk about it and want something to happen because I want something to happen too. I want E to hold all the titles, I want Kofi to hold all the titles; I want to hold all the titles. And so the way that we get there, we’re going to do it our own way.”

This is not the first time a New Day member has spoken up against the idea of the group being dismantled. During a recent interview, Big E had explained the importance of Xavier Woods for their group, saying that there would be no New Day without the former NXT star.

Drew McIntyre Wants Current SmackDown Champion To Be Drafted To Raw

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Next WWE draft is on the horizon. Reports suggest that the company has shortlisted two dates in October for the same and Drew McIntyre has some interesting picks he would like to see change brands during the event.

The WWE Champion recently had an interview with Comicbook.com where he talked about things like his first stint with WWE, his ongoing rivalry with Randy Orton and more.

When asked which stars he would like to join the Raw brand if another WWE draft was to be held, McIntyre took the name of the current Universal Champion Braun Strowman:

“There’s a few guys, Like, Cesaro is on my list of never had a match ever. I’d love to have a big match with him. Braun Strowman and I have never had a big, significant singles match. I think that could be interesting.”

Drew McIntyre also took the name of Sheamus mentioning how they have a long history together and the former NXT Champion described his relationship with the Celtic Warrior as a “big brother, little brother relationship.”

Apart from this, The Scottish Psychopath was asked about his dream matches from the past and he took the name of people like Shawn Michaels and Triple H. You can check out his full interview at this link.

MVP On Advice He Got From Vince McMahon During His Early Career

Anutosh Bajpai
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MVP recently had an interview with Sports Illustrated where he talked about things like his return to WWE, the potential of Apollo Crews, the concept of Raw Underground and more.

In his long career, the former US Champion has wrestled for a number of promotions. He has left his mark on companies like NJPW, ROH and Impact Wrestling, however, it all started with his first stint with WWE.

During the interview, MVP talked about his early career and when asked how Vince McMahon has influenced his career, the former Champion revealed the advice he got from the Boss about his segments with Matt Hardy:

I remember when I first got called up to WWE and I was doing segments with Matt Hardy in our feud, Vince pulled us to the side and said, very specifically, ‘When we’re doing these segments, I want you guys to be very involved. I want you to participate.’

Up until then, I thought my role was as talent, so I didn’t know I was allowed to do that.” said MVP, “But Vince was the one that opened that door for me, so I took a more hands-on approach.”

The Raw star continued by saying that WWE is the NFL of pro wrestling and he was able to learn from Vince McMahon and take those skills to the other places.

Apart from this, MVP also talked about his new faction called The Hurt Business, Bobby Lashley possibly becoming a world champion in future and more.

Former WWE Star Makes Impact Return (Video)

Anutosh Bajpai
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Brian Myers, formerly known as Curt Hawkins in WWE, returned to Impact Wrestling for the first time since 2015 during Tuesday night’s show.

Myers jumped right into the deep end of Impact Wrestling by answering an open challenge by World Champion Eddie Edwards. Myers put up a good fight, but Edwards ultimately put him away with his Boston Knee Party finisher.

Below you can see footage of Brian Myers answering the open challenge of Impact World Champion Eddie Edwards:

Curt Hawkins’ first run with WWE started in 2006 and it ended in 2014. The former WWE star spent most of his time during this run on the various development territories of the company.

After his release from the company, Myers had returned to the independent circuit and he had a short run with Impact Wrestling in 2015 as well where he represented the GFW promotion.

Hawkins was brought back by WWE in July 2016 and he has been making regular appearances on WWE TV ever since.

However, his latest run came to a halt due to coronavirus and the company released him as part of their budget cuts in April earlier this year.

Myers has been teasing his wrestling return in the past few weeks and he has been promoting himself as the “most professional wrestler” on social platforms.

Now it would be interesting to see if he ends up being a regular performer for Impact after his return and if his latest run lasts longer than his previous stint.

FOX To Air WWE Special During SummerSlam Weekend

Scott Lazara
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The main FOX channel is scheduled to air a WWE special during SummerSlam Weekend.

TV guides currently have a two-hour special called “WWE SummerSlam’s Hottest Moments” scheduled to air on Saturday, August 22nd. The special will begin at 4pm EST.

FOX’s SummerSlam special will air the night before the big SummerSlam 2020 pay-per-view on the WWE Network. It will be over in time for the WWE NXT “TakeOver: XXX” special, which also airs on the WWE Network.

Fans interested in catching FOX’s SummerSlam special should check their local listings because the timeslot will likely change in some markets.

The official synopsis for “WWE SummerSlam’s Hottest Moments” is as follows: “A look back at the top moments from WWE’s Summerslam.”

Below is the updated SummerSlam card for August 23rd:

– WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton

– WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt

– WWE United States Champion Apollo Crews vs. MVP

– RAW Tag Team Champions The Street Profits vs. Andrade & Angel Garza

– RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs. Asuka

– SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley vs. winner of Friday’s Tri-Brand Battle Royal

– Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins (Mysterio will be allowed to use weapons)

WWE RAW Total Viewership Stays Steady, RAW Underground Week 2 Slightly Dips (8/10)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE RAW averaged 1.722 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This was up from last week, which did 1.714 million viewers and a 0.51 demo rating.

Just one year ago, RAW averaged 2.473 million viewers. The third hour dropped despite the second week of RAW Underground, but last week’s third hour was down as well from the 1.610 million viewers.

Here’s the hourly viewership breakdown for Raw, courtesy of Showbuzzdaily.com:

  • Hour 1: 1.811 million, 0.50 in the 18-49 Demo
  • Hour 2: 1.754 million, 0.46 in the 18-49 Demo
  • Hour 3: 1.601 million, 0.46 in the 18-49 Demo

This week’s RAW featured Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton, Asuka vs. WWE Women’s Tag Team & SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley in a non-title match, the second week of RAW Underground, the return of Mickie James, and more. 

SmackDown Viewership

Friday’s SmackDown averaged 1.962 million viewers on FOX. This is up from the 1.894 million viewers that the show did for the previous week.

SmackDown averaged 1.956 million viewers in the fast nationals, which was up from the 1.892 million viewers a week ago. This number measured the top metered markets. 

The first hour drew 1.924 million viewers while the second hour did 1.880 million viewers. For comparison, the first show of last week’s show did 1.911 million viewers while the second hour did 1.956 million viewers. 

SmackDown pulled in a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demos, the same from the 0.50 rating as last week’s show.

Second NXT TakeOver Special Reportedly Planned For October

Scott Lazara
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It looks like there could be two WWE NXT TakeOver specials airing in the month of October.

There are plans for a NXT TakeOver event to air on Sunday, October 4th, according to PWInsider. The name of the special and the locatio have not been confirmed as of this writing.

WWE also has the NXT UK “TakeOver: Dublin” special on the calendar for Sunday, October 25th. The NXT UK TakeOver event is scheduled to air live from the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. TakeOver: Dublin was originally scheduled for April 26th, but it was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The next NXT TakeOver event will air live on Saturday, August 22nd during SummerSlam Weekend. “TakeOver: XXX” will be the thirtieth special for the NXT brand. The following matches have been confirmed for “TakeOver: XXX” as of this writing:

– Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee

– NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai vs. Dakota Kai

– Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest vs. 3 Superstars TBD in a Ladder Match for the vacant NXT North American Championship

ROH To Resume TV Tapings, PPV Scheduled For Next Month

Chris Stephens
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Ring of Honor is getting set to return. The promotion has not run a live event since February. Previously, they were forced to cancel their scheduled 18th Anniversary PPV show on March 13th as the pandemic hit.

According to a report from PW Insider, ROH plans to film empty arena shows in Baltimore on August 22nd and 23rd. The promotion had originally planned to film the shows in July but canceled after there was a spike in COVID-19 cases. ROH is planning on using a “bubble system” similar to the NHL or NBA. Talent would only be permitted within a certain radius and everyone will be tested.

ROH will also be returning to PPV next month. They do not plan on holding a live event, however. Rather, the promotion will run a PPV on September 25th featuring previously aired matches.

ROH has continued to pay talent and staff while the pandemic has been ongoing. They have not released anyone despite not having run a show in almost 5 months.

ROH’s Marty Scurll was set to start his new role as head of creative when the pandemic hit. He spoke to the ROH Strong podcast about what he had in store for the shows.

“No one was more heartbroken then myself,” Scurll said on the podcast. “Even though I’ve sort of been hands-on with the show since January, I felt like these were really my first shows that I had full control of.”

“I put so many hours of time and thought into these shows.”

Eric Bischoff On Negotiating With Vince McMahon To Come Back To WWE

Chris Stephens
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Eric Bischoff returned to WWE from June to October of last year. His short-lived time as the Executive Director of Smackdown was recently addressed on Bischoff’s 83 Weeks podcast. He spoke about what led to him returning to the company.

“It hit me out of left field. If others felt like it was a surprise to them you should have been sitting on my deck when I got that phone call in early June or May or whenever it was,” Bischoff said.

“Bruce (Prichard) and I started talking, and I think it happened at a Starrcast event, at an event Bruce and I were both at.”

Bischoff continued to say that Prichard asked him what he would think about his name being thrown out to Vince for a potential role. Bischoff suggested he was happy with this as he would enjoy working with Bruce again.

“We worked together very closely in TNA and we kind of learned how to work together.”

Bischoff also spoke about negotiating with Vince McMahon on a deal to return to the company. He said the first meeting the two had didn’t get into specifics too much.

Eric Bischoff On Meeting With Vince

Bischoff says his meetings with Vince went very smoothly.

“More social than business is how I would characterize it,” Bischoff said about his first meeting with Vince last year about coming back.

“Vince and I hadn’t seen each other in 12 years or whatever, I think the last time I had seen Vince was in 2007 or so,” he continued. “Big bear hug, how you doing, pal? It was all very social and positive.”

Bischoff continued to say that he knew when he was invited back for a 2nd meeting that talks of him returning had gotten more serious.

“That meeting went equally as well and we were off and running.”

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIyZWjGNCJo

Ken Shamrock Sends Message To WWE Regarding RAW Underground Segments

Chris Stephens
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Ken Shamrock has not been impressed by the worked-shoot style of fighting in the RAW Underground segments. The MMA pioneer sent out a Tweet yesterday to Vince and Shane McMahon suggesting they should contact him if they want the segments to look good.

“Hey @WWE and @shanemcmahon next time you guys want to do some worked shoots on #RawUnderground and actually make them look good, you got my number, give me a call!” Shamrock Tweeted.

Ken Shamrock Biography Released

Shamrock’s contributions to MMA are the subject of a recent book by Jonathan Snowden.

“From his fights inside the cage with Hall of Famers Royce Gracie and Dan Severn to his even more fearsome battles outside of it, this book takes an in-depth look at one of the most fascinating men in all of combat sports.,“ reads a description of the book.

Ken Shamrock In Impact Wrestling

Shamrock is also part of the Impact Wrestling roster currently. He was involved in a feud with Sami Callihan but then the two briefly formed a tag-team. They unsuccessfully challenged the North for the tag belts at Slammiversary on July 18th.

A documentary on Shamrock’s return to Impact was released on YouTube:

MVP Talks About RAW Underground, How It Gives The Show A ‘Different Vibe’

Steve Russell
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WWE RAW Superstar MVP has opened up about the show’s newest segment, RAW Underground. Speaking with Newsweek, MVP addressed the creative process behind the concept and how his stable, The Hurt Business, has taken over.

MVP confessed that the idea of RAW Underground “shocked” him at first. He detailed how Shane McMahon pitched the idea and how he felt it was a good idea to try. He explained that, because the WWE locker room is full of competitive athletes, no one shied away from the idea of RAW Underground.

From a creative input perspective, MVP revealed how “it was just go in there and beat people up and that’s what we do.”

He reflected on how they had received “a lot of positive feedback” following RAW Underground’s debut. MVP added that the general reaction to the segment has been “favorable” before promising that The Hurt Business will continue “going in there and wrecking shop.”

MVP, who recently signed a new multi-year deal with WWE, admitted he’s excited to see what happens with the segment going forward. He highlighted how it provides a “different flavor, different vibe” to Monday Night RAW before acknowledging how new ideas sometimes take a little while for people to get used to. For MVP, however, he liked everything about the concept straight off the bat.

Update On MLW Resuming Live Events

Chris Stephens
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Major League Wrestling hasn’t run an event since March. Court Bauer has been adamant that the promotion would not run any events until it was safe to do so. The company recently posted an article on its website which suggests the league has been looking at how to run events safely.

“I’ve been very encouraged by how the UFC, NBA, the NHL, Top Rank Boxing and DAZN Match Room boxing have managed operations as they restart,” said Bauer. “We’re also seeing TV and film start back up in certain regions in a cautious manner and that’s the mindset you need to operate with during this moment in time: caution.”

Bauer would continue to say that the league has consulted with medical professionals. They have also spoken with NJPW, who recently returned to live events as well. MLW’s Tom Lawlor has been competing on NJPW USA shows as of late.

“We are speaking with some of the sharpest minds at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine on a restart and talked with New Japan’s people on how they’ve approached it – and they’ve done an incredible job… we also engaged some of our athletes who have competed outside of MLW during the pandemic to see what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved upon.” 

In storyline, MLW’s shut down occurred after a takeover by Contra Unit. They have been airing old episodes of MLW Underground in place of new episodes of Fusion.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1292906139043221504

Goldberg Labels Roman Reigns A ‘Joke,’ Explains Why He Headbutted Doors

Steve Russell
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WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE Universal Champion Goldberg has labeled Roman Reigns a “joke.” His words come in response to a tweet Reigns uploaded earlier this year in January. In the tweet, Reigns poked fun at Golberg’s decision to headbutt doors during his entrances:

Speaking with American Monster Productions, Goldberg addressed Reigns’ comments. He detailed his reasoning behind the headbutts, explaining they were an integral part of helping him get into character.

“Roman, you’re a joke, first of all. Second of all, when he ragged on me about headbutting the doors and stuff, you know, um, I never really explained my whole thought process on that.”

“For you guys to get the character that you got, I had to do certain things. Well, one of them was headbutt the door, right? And that may, on the outside, look like a stupid move…but as I mentioned, we all weigh the positives and negatives. So it’s very positive to make it as violent as humanly possible, and as real as humanly possible, and all the negative is you lose a little blood and hey, man, you get another concussion and cut a week off your life, man.”

Goldberg was due to face Reigns at this year’s WrestleMania 36 event in April. Reigns would ultimately pull out of the match, citing coronavirus concerns. Goldberg would go on to lose the WWE Universal Championship to Reigns’ replacement, Braun Strowman.

If you use any quotes from this article, please prove a H/T to SEScoops.

Unseen Footage Of Ric Flair After Randy Orton’s Attack On Raw (Video)

Anutosh Bajpai
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The main event of this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw saw Randy Orton facing Kevin Owens in a singles match with the WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair being at the ringside.

Orton won the fight and he then cut a promo on the Nature Boy, saying Flair’s ego during last week’s backstage segment with Owens got him into this bout.

The Viper went on to insult Flair and he made things personal, causing the WWE legend to get emotional. Randy then tried to turn things around and he embraced Flair, only to low blow him from behind.

Randy Orton didn’t stop there and he continued his attack on the 2 time Hall Of Famer with a punt kick to Flair’s head. Though fans weren’t able to see the actual kick due to the technical difficulties caused by RETRIBUTION and the lights went off and they came back on right after Orton finished the spot.

The WWE Champion Drew McIntyre ran down to check on the wrestling veteran after this and the show ended with McIntyre in the ring and Randy Orton staring him down from the stage.

WWE later posted a post-show video on their official YouTube channel and the video as seen below features the footage of Ric Flair being loaded onto a stretcher and being taken out of the arena:

WWE has already announced that Randy Orton will be facing the WWE Champion Drew McIntyre for his title at the upcoming SummerSlam PPV on August 23 from Performance Center.

MVP Suggests Former NXT Champion Could Return To In-Ring Action Soon

Anutosh Bajpai
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Samoa Joe has been out of action for a while now but a new interview of MVP has fans buzzing about the potential in-ring return of the former NXT Champion.

The leader of the Hurt Business recently had an interview with Newsweek where he talked about things like his return to WWE TV, the concept of Raw Underground and more.

During the interview, MVP was asked about guys he would want to work with in future and the Raw star said that from what he understands; The Samoan Submission Machine will be back in action:

“What I understand, ole Samoa Joe is gonna be back in action and over the years Samoa Joe and I have been great friends, but we’ve never ever faced each other.

At this stage of my career, I think I feel a lot more confident facing him” said MVP “knowing that I got Bobby and Shelton backing me up—but I also know that wouldn’t phase Joe in the least.”

Samoa Joe has been on and off WWE television in recent months and he has been out of action for several reasons, including multiple injuries and a wellness policy violation.

Now these comments from MVP have given new hope to the fans of Joe and it would be interesting to see if the former champion returns to in-ring action anytime soon.

WWE Files For A Dozen New Trademarks Including RETRIBUTION

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE has filed for a dozen new trademarks in the past week, which includes trademarks for some factions and the names of various superstars.

The most interesting one of these trademarks is for the name Retribution for goods and service, specifically for being used as a name for wrestling character, which the company filed on August 4.

Retribution is the new faction which debuted on the August 3 episode of Raw and they have since made their presence felt during the following episode of SmackDown as well.

Other trademarks filed on the same day include Mustance Mountain, Karrion Kross, James Drake, Jake Atlas, Indi Hartwell, and Kacy Catanzaro which are similar in nature to the Retribution trademark.’

Though this is not all as the company filed an application for additional trademarks the next day on August 5, including Gallus, Indus Sher, Grizzled Young Veterans, Legado del Fantasma and Imperium.

These trademark applications suggest that the company has big plans for the Retribution in future and we can expect to see a lot more of the new faction in coming times.

It would also be interesting to see how the promotion utilises the other trademarks and if filings such as the one for Imperium could mean that we might start seeing them on the main roster sooner rather than later.

AJ Styles On How He Would Like To Be Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

Anutosh Bajpai
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With multiple world title victories and many memorable matches under his belt, it’s safe to say that AJ Styles has cemented his spot in the WWE Hall Of Fame after his retirement.

However, the former World Champion does not want to go in the traditional way and he believes that the inductors who induct the legends sometimes end up taking too much time.

Styles talked about a potential Hall Of Fame induction during a recent Twitch stream. While explaining how he would like to go in, AJ said that he would rather go out and do his thing than being inducted by someone else:

“If I had the opportunity to go into the WWE Hall Of Fame, I’d rather a music video play, and then I come out, and I do my thing, that’s what I’d rather happen.

I think that’s more entertaining – I mean, sometimes I feel like they take too long when they’re inducting someone.” said AJ Styles “Like, it’s not your time; it’s someone else’s time. Induct them short and sweet.”

The current Intercontinental Champion also talked about other wrestling companies and how he doesn’t get a chance to catch up on other promotions while being a part of the WWE bubble.

However, Styles admitted that he still watches highlight of other shows every now and then, especially when it involves his friends who work at the other promotions like NJPW and AEW.

Eric Bischoff On His Dynamite Cameo Possibly Being His Last TV Appearance

Anutosh Bajpai
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Eric Bischoff was one of the key figures of the Monday Night Wars and he is still seen making wrestling appearances here and there, such as his appearance on last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

However, since he is not a regular character on any shows, any appearance could end up being his last televised appearance and it’s possible that we might never see the 65-year-old star on TV after this week.

Bischoff talked about this possibility during the latest episode of his 83 weeks podcast and the former WCW official said that he would be okay if he never steps in front of a camera again:

“If I never step in front of a camera again, if I never go backstage again anywhere, it would be okay to me, I’m really glad that my last experience in a backstage environment watching a bunch of young talent, fresh talent and hungry talent that believe they can make a difference, that energy is something I walked away with. If that’s the last experience I have, it will be a great one.”

Eric Bischoff also talked about the backstage environment and the creative process of AEW. He revealed that there was no writer’s room at AEW and the talents had a lot of say in their promos and characters.

The former WCW President was brought in as a guest moderator for the debate between Chris Jericho and Orange Cassidy on last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. At this point, his appearance is expected to be a one off deal.

WWE RAW Results (8/10): Randy Orton Attacks Ric Flair, Asuka vs. Bayley

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. Randy Orton faced Kevin Owens in this week’s main event. Asuka battled Bayley to try and earn a shot at the RAW Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. Mickie James returned during tonight’s show and will face Natalya next week.

RAW Results (8/10)

  1. Seth Rollins def. Humberto Carrillo
  2. Angelo Dawkins def. Andrade
  3. Bianca Belair def. Zelina Vega
  4. Shelton Benjamin def. Apollo Crews
  5. R-Truth def. Akira Tozawa to win the 24/7 Championship
  6. Viking Raiders, Cedric Alexander, Ricochet def. Akira Tozawa & the ninjas
  7. Peyton Royce def. Liv Morgan
  8. Asuka def. Bayley to earn a RAW Women’s Championship match at SummerSlam
  9. Randy Orton def. Kevin Owens

Here are 6 takeaways from the show:

Rollins & Murphy Brutally Attacked Dominik

Dominik RAW 8 10

Samoa Joe moderated a contract signing between Seth Rollins and Dominik Mysterio. Dominik will also be signing another contract to officially make him a WWE superstar.

Murphy accompanied Rollins to the ring and Dominik brought a kendo stick with him. Rollins called Dominik a scared little boy for bringing a kendo stick to the ring. Dominik handed Joe the kendo stick as he laughed.

Samoa Joe mocked Seth for getting all caught up in his feelings after the WWE Universe booed him a couple of times. Joe added that he has given Dominik no choice but to fight in this match. Rollins claimed that he gave Rey and Dominik every opportunity to make the right choice and that he was actually the one that had no choice.

Seth added that he tried to be Mr. Burn it Down but he got crapped on by every person here and everyone watching at home. Dominik told Seth that he makes excuses for his ungodly actions and said that his father’s confidence isn’t the same. Dominik added that the greater good is only for Seth and Rollins told Dominik that he should be on his knees thanking him. Dominik stated that his dream was to kick Seth’s ass at SummerSlam and Rollins cackled into the microphone.

Rollins claimed that Dominik wouldn’t last ten seconds with him in a regular match and referred to himself as the best wrestler of his generation. Seth told Dominik that he can use the kendo stick or any weapon he wants so that he will have no excuse when he ends his career before it ever begins. They signed the contracts and Seth mockingly congratulated Dominik on becoming a WWE superstar.

Dominik was ringside for Seth’s victory over Humberto Carrillo. After the match, Seth and Murphy beat Dominik down with the kendo stick. Murphy tied Dominik’s arms up in the ropes as Rollins hit him several times. Rollins looked into the camera and told Rey Mysterio that he should be begging for mercy for his son. Murphy brought in several kendo sticks and Rollins suggested that Murphy get in a couple of shots. Rollins and Murphy then hit Dominik from both sides.

Opinion: This was a really great segment and Dominik absolutely got the hell kicked out of him with the kendo sticks. Dominik’s promo was solid as well, but to take the beating he took will surely get a lot of fans on his side that weren’t into this storyline.

Bianca Belair Defeated Zelina Vega

bianca belair raw 8 10

Zelina Vega claimed that she didn’t poison Montez Ford last week because Andrade & Garza have a title shot at SummerSlam and she wouldn’t want to ruin that. Angelo Dawkins defeated Andrade in a match before Vega and Belair squared off.

Match Recap: Bianca dominated the action early as Vega continued to deny that she poisoned Montez Ford. Zelina locked in a Triangle Choke in the middle of the ring but Belair quickly broke free. Bianca beat Vega down in the corner but Zelina turned the tables with a poke to the eye.

Vega followed it up with a Tornado DDT and went for the cover but Belair kicked out at two. Zelina went for a Crossbody but Belair caught her and connected with a slam. Bianca charged at Vega but she got out of the way and Belair crashed into the ring post. Belair battled back and planted Zelina with a Powerbomb. Bianca followed it up with the KOD on Vega.

After the match, Charly Caruso interviewed Belair and asked if she had any evidence that Vega poisoned her husband. Belair stated that she just knows it was her and Angelo Dawkins added that Montez Ford will be back for SummerSlam.

Asuka vs. Sasha Banks Official For WWE SummerSlam

Andrew Ravens
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As expected, Asuka vs. Sasha Banks 3 is set for the upcoming WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view event. 

Asuka wanted a rematch with Banks and she got it. During Monday’s episode of RAW, WWE booked Asuka vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley in a non-title match with the stipulation that if Asuka wins then she earns the right to challenge the RAW Women’s champion for the title at SummerSlam.

It happened and saw the finish of Asuka tapping out Bayley. There was some outside interference from Banks earlier in the match. 

https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/1293006867145330688

Their first match took place at Extreme Rules that saw a controversial finish that ultimately didn’t count since Bayley counted the pinfall. Banks then dethroned Asuka as the champion a few weeks ago on RAW when Asuka was counted out thanks to Bayley attacking Kairi Sane in the backstage area. 

WWE presents the SummerSlam pay-per-view event on Sunday, August 23, 2020 at an unknown location that will air on the WWE Network. 

Updated WWE SummerSlam Card

  • WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton
  • WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt
  • WWE RAW Tag Team Champions The Street Profits vs. Andrade & Angel Garza
  • WWE United States Champion Apollo Crews vs. MVP
  • Seth Rollins vs. Dominik Mysterio – Dominik Allowed to Use Weapons
  • WWE RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs. Asuka

Seth Rollins Talks RAW Underground, Initial Boost For WWE TV Ratings

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