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Luke Gallows Wants To Help Foster A Working Relationship Between Impact And NJPW

Steve Russell
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Impact Wrestling’s Doc Gallows, formerly WWE Superstar Luke Gallows, has expressed his interest in Impact developing a working relationship with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). 

Gallows joined a recent episode of This is Wrestling on TSN 1200, where he spoke about what he hopes to achieve with his new run in Impact Wrestling.

“I’m in my prime,” Gallows said. “I’m not slowing down. I just want to grow this IMPACT brand as big as we possibly can and keep it pushing forward. Yeah, this ain’t my last wrestling contract. Oh hell no! I’m not going to stop.”

Luke Gallows On Momentum & Working Relationships

Luke Gallows noted how he wanted to keep The Good Brothers’ momentum going now they have arrived in Impact Wrestling. He shared how he believes there are more tag team championships in the future for the team. He noted how they will, in some shape or form, always be together as a team. That being said, he added how they would naturally support each other in a singles run.  

Ultimately, Gallows wants to see Impact Wrestling continue to grow and evolve. He would also like to be in a position to help their friends sign once their contracts have expired with other promotions. 

He then stressed how part of this promotional growth would see Impact Wrestling engage in working relationships with other promotions:

“I think it would be great. I would love to see New Japan and IMPACT form a working relationship at some point. I think it would be beneficial for both sides, and I would really love to see that. Hopefully, [I] can be a part in making that come together.”

Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson recently made their in-ring debut in Impact Wrestling. The team are former IWGP Tag Team Champions in NJPW. They were released by WWE earlier in the year as part of the company’s cost-cutting methods due to the coronavirus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB7Y0oqnIm8&t=114s

WWE Provides Dexter Lumis Injury Update

Steve Russell
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0

WWE Digital has provided a medical update on NXT Superstar Dexter Lumis. Lumis suffered an ankle injury during his Triple Threat match against Finn Balor and Timothy Thatcher on last week’s episode of the black-and-gold brand.

Lumis’s ankle injury was initially reported on last week’s NXT Injury Report. Since then, however, it is now feared to be worse than first thought. The NXT Superstar reportedly suffered an osteochondral lesion to his talus after the matchup. Lumis would win the Triple Threat matchup, besting both Balor and Thatcher and earning a place at NXT TakeOver XXX.

However, with the “growing severity of his ankle injury,” WWE Digital speculated over Dexter Lumis’s ability to participate in the North American Championship Ladder Match at the event.

NXT has been featuring several Triple Threat matchups over the past few weeks. Like Lumis, the winners of these clashes are being put into a 5-man Ladder Match for the North American Championship. At the time of writing, Lumis is still scheduled to be a part of the match. Bronson Reed has also earned his spot into the match. Tonight’s episode of NXT sees Oney Lorcan, Damien Priest and NXT UK’s Ridge Holland vie for the next open spot.

NXT TakeOver XXX takes place on August 22 from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.

Matt Cardona Reflects On His AEW Dynamite Debut

Steve Russell
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One of All Elite Wrestling’s newest signings is Matt Cardona, formerly WWE Superstar Zack Ryder. In an interview with Busted Open Radio, Cardona spoke about his recent debut in AEW after saving Cody during last week’s episode of Dynamite.

Cardona confessed he was nervous leading up to his debut. He recalled how he felt as though he was “walking in there like the new kid in school.” He shared how he was familiar with so many of the talent backstage through their work or social media. That being said, he “didn’t really know them.”

“It was weird introducing myself to these people who I know. Some people I watched wrestle for years, Cardona said. “Everyone was very welcoming and very inviting. They made me feel like I was there the whole time.”

Cardona then spoke about his continual love for pro wrestling. He explained how there had been times when it has “sucked and there was no light at the end of the tunnel.” He stressed that it’s during those times you “really have to love it.”

“It is so easy to love it when you are on TV every week and in a great spot. Who wouldn’t love that. You have to love it when you are sitting in catering. You have to love it when you are not booked. You have to love it when things aren’t going your way.”

Pointing to his Dynamite experience last week, Cardona explained how moments like that feel “so much better and sweeter” because of his previous frustrations.

Matt Cardona teams up with Cody tonight on AEW Dynamite. They face off against Dark Order’s Alex Reynolds and John Silver.

CM Punk Shares His Thoughts On RAW Underground

Steve Russell
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0

CM Punk has shared his thoughts on RAW Underground. The new segment was introduced by Shane McMahon this past Monday night on RAW. The segment featured a faux-MMA, Fight Club aesthetic.

Punk joined Renee Young and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T on the latest episode of Watch Along. During the show, Punk revealed he “absolutely loved” RAW Underground. He stressed how he wants to see Nia Jax and women get involved with the concept.

Punk added how he enjoyed the idea of Shane McMahon and all of RAW Underground’s participants hanging around the WWE Performance Center with the show occasionally cutting to them. He explained how “Three hours of no barred fights and strippers” is all he wanted to see.

Luring CM Punk Back To WWE

Booker T then told Punk how, upon seeing the preview for RAW Underground’s shoot-fighting concept, he thought of CM Punk.

He acknowledged how the money would have to be right for Punk to be interested. Booker T then suggested how “maybe this thing will lure Punk back to WWE.”

Punk, who has lost both UFC bouts he has been involved with, responded to Booker T, joking, “You want me to get that first MMA win, right?”

You can view the SummerSlam 1992 Watch Party featuring CM Punk, Bret Hart, Booker T, Finn Balor and Renee Young below:

Cesaro On His Plans For Retirement

Anutosh Bajpai
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Cesaro has achieved a lot in his wrestling career which spans over two decades. However, with his 40th birthday approaching slowly, the talks about his retirement have started creeping in as well.

The SmackDown star recently had an interview with Sport1 where he talked about a number of things including his partnership with Shinsuke Nakamura, potential singles run and more.

When asked how long he plans to continue wrestling, the former US Champion revealed an advice he got from John Cena and Cesaro said that he will stop when he can’t get any better:

“I want to get better every day, that’s how I handle my career. If I can’t do it anymore, it’s time to stop. A wise man named John Cena once told me that you are only as good as you were in your last match.

I want my last match to be great. When I see that this is no longer possible, you have to stop. I don’t know when that is.”

Cesaro was also asked about potentially pursuing a career in acting like Cena or the Rock and the Swiss Superman said that he would take the chance for an acting role if he gets one.

Apart from this, the WWE star talked about things like the rise of German-speaking stars in WWE, the future of NXT UK Champion WALTER and more. You can check out his full interview at this link.

WWE Reveals The Name Of New Faction

Anutosh Bajpai
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This week’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw saw the debut of a number of new things including concepts like Raw Underground and the arrival of a new mysterious faction as well.

While the new faction didn’t get a lot of screen time, it did became a talking point among the fans and now the company has officially revealed the name of the new group.

WWE announced on their website that the group responsible for the technical glitches on the broadcast of the show is calling themselves ‘RETRIBUTION.’

Previous reports have revealed that the storyline is specific to WWE and it’s not intended to coincide with the current happenings in the country.

The group is apparently aiming to change the way the company operates. They are trying to ‘loosen control’ over the WWE superstar and they will do anything that’s necessary to get the management’s attention.

Though at the moment we don’t know much about the members of the group. It’s said that the company officials are keeping the names a secret and they intend to take their time in revealing the faction members.

What did you think about the new WWE faction and the idea that’s being presented through it? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

WWE RAW Viewership Up, RAW Underground Debut Does 1.6 Million Viewers (8/3)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE RAW averaged 1.714 million viewers with a 0.51 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This was up from last week, which did 1.620 million viewers and a 0.47 demo rating.

WWE is staying steady with its current trend of numbers, but it has to be brought up that just one year ago, RAW averaged 2.473 million viewers. The third hour dropped despite the debut of RAW Underground.  

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

  • Hour 1: 1.710 million, 0.48 in the 18-49 Demo
  • Hour 2: 1.824 million, 0.55 in the 18-49 Demo
  • Hour 3: 1.610 million, 0.51 in the 18-49 Demo

This week’s RAW featured a minor tease of a new anarchist group, the return of Shane McMahon, and his reveal of RAW Underground. The show opened with a United States Title Match between Apollo Crews and MVP. 

SmackDown Viewership

Friday’s SmackDown averaged 1.894 million viewers on FOX. This is down from the 1.924 million viewers that the show did for the previous week.

SmackDown averaged 1.892 million viewers in the fast nationals, which was down from the 1.971 million viewers a week ago. This number measured the top metered markets. 

The first hour drew 1.873 million viewers while the second hour did 1.911 million viewers. For comparison, the first show of last week’s show did 1.985 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.

Enzo Amore Trashes ROH For Poor Handling of MSG Hype from 2019

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar and 205 Live Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore/nZo recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio to discuss a number of topics from his recent career in and out of a pro wrestling ring.

One of the topics discussed was the now infamous Madison Square Garden incident from WrestleMania weekend in 2019. Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling were hosting the co-brand G1 Supercard event from MSG when Enzo and Big Cass jumped the rail and attacked Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and The Briscoes.

Co-host of Busted Open Bully Ray was also part of the ‘angle,’ although Enzo would claim that it was a “real fight.” Only a select number of people within ROH knew about the angle, with the company trying to ‘work the boys’ and create some buzz for the promotion.

Enzo Amore on Canned Angle

“No one got on the phone after and said ‘that was a great job'” Enzo would reveal on Busted Open. Enzo would then also discuss how a small minority of fans ‘scared’ ROH online, leading the angle to be ixnayed. “They [ROH] just said, ‘oh sh*t, we f*cked up. No, you didn’t you idiots.”

Enzo would then launch straight into ROH management, saying how they completely ruined what could’ve been a hugely lucrative angle for the promotion. “This was the biggest f*cking…you (ROH) have never in your entire wrestling existence as a promotion been spoken about more! You just dropped the ball like, I had never seen anything like it in my life. I have never seen such sh*t. I could have talked Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and the f*cking Briscoes…TWO PROMOTIONS INTO MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. AGAIN!”

“When you do that? And you don’t follow through with it? You leave such a sour taste in my mouth” Enzo would finish. “And when I walk away? I go, ‘this is what the f*cking indie promotions are like? This is what wrestling IS outside of WWE? People can’t take a joke, you know!? I hope you take d*ck better than you take a joke.”

Do you think that ROH missed out on a major angle here? Let us know in the comments

Also Check Out:

Big Cass Enzo Amore
CaZXL and nZo (formerly Big Cass & Enzo Amore)

Backstage News On Potential New Location For WWE SummerSlam

Jon Fuentes
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SummerSlam takes place in less than three weeks, but WWE has yet to announce where the summer spectacular will take place.

Most of WWE’s pay-per-views have taken place at the Performance Center in Orlando, FL due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been rumors that WWE is looking to hold SummerSlam outside of Florida. The North East United States has been discussed as a host region.

On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer addressed the chatter about SummerSlam’s host venue. Meltzer says that a beach in Atlantic City, New Jersey is being discussed. Vince McMahon is hoping to achieve a “different look” for SummerSlam. Additionally, the WWE boss is pushing to have at least some fans in attendance.

With such a short lead-up time to the pay-per-view, expect the location to be finalized very soon.

WWE SummerSlam Card

WWE currently has four matches confirmed for this year’s SummerSlam pay-per-view:

  • WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton
  • 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

SummerSlam takes place on Sunday, August 23rd and will stream live on the WWE Network.

MJF Taunts AEW Champion Jon Moxley: “What I Did Was a Real Paradigm Shift, Not a Fake One”

Jake Skudder
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AEW star MJF recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio show. The ‘Salt of The Earth’ appeared on the show to discuss his ongoing role with All Elite Wrestling, specifically his recent promo on AEW Dynamite where he called out AEW Champion Jon Moxley.

Busted Open co-host Bully Ray asked Maxwell Jacob Friedman how he felt being relegated to the ‘sidelines’ of the show over the past couple of months. MJF has not been a prominent figure on AEW programming really since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the company to film exclusively from Jacksonville.

MJF on The ‘Sidelines’

“You know what, it might be okay for somebody else on the roster to be on the sideline? But it’s not okay for me, I am the franchise player” MJF began on Busted Open. “I’m the guy who boasts on the microphone and in the ring, I’m a once in a lifetime professional wrestler.”

“I’m something that people are never going to get to see again” MJF would continue. “So no it wasn’t okay [that I was sidelined], and that’s why I wanted to make perfectly clear. The reason I was on that sideline? Is because certain people in our company don’t want to give up their spot. And that’s fine. You don’t want to give up your spot? I’ll take yours if that’s what I have to do.”

Feud With Jon Moxley?

MJF would then discuss his recent promo on Dynamite directly, “that’s precisely what I did this week [on Dynamite]. So, the auditory speech that I gave? It will go down in history as a career defining moment, and as a defining moment in the history of All Elite Wrestling. Because what I did was a real paradigm shift, not a fake one. I caused a real paradigm shift. I wasn’t a guy who was a top guy elsewhere, I’m a guy who BECAME a top guy inside of my company, a company that I’m so proud to be a part of.”

MJF would finish by saying how dedicated he is to the AEW brand. “Like I said, I bleed black white and gold. I’m not leaving. This is a place I’m going to stay in and make better. And that’s why it’s so important to me to be spotlighted, front and centre. Because I know when I’m on the TV screen? We ain’t losing viewers. And it’s very important to me.”

Do you think that MJF will get an AEW Championship match at All Out on September 5th? Let us know in the comments

Also Check Out:

MJF All Out

Impact Signs Kimber Lee To Contract

Chris Stephens
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Kimber Lee is now officially a member of the Impact roster. She has been performing on recent shows since the promotion began empty arena tapings. Impact announced today they have locked her up to an official contract.

The 30-year-old is a former CHIKARA Grand Champion. She also performed in WWE as part of the NXT brand from 2016 to 2018, sometimes under the name Abbey Laith. Kimber Lee defeated Havok twice to kick-start her run in Impact. She has since been defeated by Jordynne Grace, Neveah, and Deonna Purrazzo on episodes of Impact on AXS TV.

The company took to Twitter to announce Kimber Lee’s signing:

Tonight’s Impact Lineup

Impact Wrestling is back on AXS TV tonight with a stacked card. The former Heath Slater will make his in-ring debut for the promotion. Eddie Edwards will look to defend the Impact title for the first time this reign as well.

The following matches have been announced for tonight’s show:

  • Moose vs Heath (if Heath wins, he earns an Impact contract)
  • Impact World Championship
    Eddie Edwards (c) vs Trey from the Rascalz
  • Chris Bey & Rohit Raju vs TJP & Fallah Bah
  • Motor City Machine Guns interview
  • Rich Swann update
  • Wrestle House continues

Impact Wrestling Emergence: 2-Week Special Event Announced

Michael Reichlin
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Impact Wrestling has announced Emergence, a 2-week event that will air on AXS TV later this month.

These will be special editions of Impact’s weekly TV show, similar to AEW Fyter Fest and NXT’s Great American Bash.

Impact Wrestling: Emergence will air Tuesday, August 18th and Tuesday, August 25th. A teaser released by Impact states, “Personal rivalries will be settled and championships will be on the line.”

The first match confirmed for Emergence is Deonna Purrazzo defending the Knockouts title against former champion Jordynne Grace. The contest is scheduled for Emergence Night Two on 8/25.

We expect Impact to announce more details for Emergence on tonight’s broadcast.

Sonya Deville On Advice She Gave To Tegan Nox

Chris Stephens
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Smackdown’s Sonya Deville recently took part in an interview with the International Business Times. During the interview, Deville revealed that Tegan Nox reached out to her before coming out as gay last month.

“She reached out to me a couple of months ago and she just kind of picked my brain on my coming out story. What it was like and what she was going through and how to kind of navigate some of the dark waters that she hasn’t done yet.”

Deville then said the advice she gave Tegan was to do things on her own time and in her own way.

“I just gave her the best advice I could, and I told her that I think she’s awesome and speaking her truth is a powerful thing, but to do it on her time, in her way and not to let anybody else dictate that journey for her.”

Deville also spoke about representation in wrestling in both AEW and WWE.

“Having Jake Atlas and Tegan in WWE, and seeing Sonny Kiss and Nyla Rose in AEW, it’s so powerful and it means the world to me.”

Deville’s full interview with the International Business Times can be read here.

Arn Anderson Comments On Women’s Wrestling In 2010

Chris Stephens
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Arn Anderson was working backstage in WWE in 2010. He recently spent some time talking with Conrad Thompson about the Money in the Bank PPV from that year. During the discussion, Anderson spoke about the state of women’s wrestling at the time.

“It takes a long time to get at this,” Anderson said on The Arn Show. “Let’s just face it, the girls didn’t have enough reps to be polished. They were just beautiful women. They were meant to just be beautiful women out there. And if they were athletic on top of it, then great.”

“This was prior to the really polished ladies that were just world class athletes, got the business, were meant to be in the business, it was ordained probably centuries before they were ever even thought about.”

“Because when the shoe dropped and the ladies were getting all those reps and then you started to see the talent just get better and better and better, it was because of reps.”

Anderson continued to talk about how some women wrestlers in WWE back in 2010 were not as skilled as the wrestlers who would come after them.

“These ladies were just meant to be on TV just not necessarily as wrestlers.”

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

Eric Bischoff On Moving To Stamford For WWE

Chris Stephens
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Eric Bischoff was the Executive Director of WWE Smackdown from the summer of 2019 until March of 2020. He moved to Stamford, Connecticut near WWE’s headquarters for the role. Bischoff spoke about moving to Stamford on a recent edition of the 83 Weeks podcast.

“I must have known this just intuitively or whatever but I said ‘Look, we’re not going to sell the house, we’re not going to pick up and sell everything we own and start over at 64 years old.'”

Bischoff continued to say that he was hoping to make some changes to the creative process in WWE. Once that was set up, however, he figured he would leave the promotion.

“I kind of looked at WWE as a 2 or a 3-year gig. And not because I wouldn’t have wanted to work there longer, not because I devalued it in any way but I was honest about what could I really contribute that actually mattered.”

Bischoff wasn’t expecting to be in Stamford long and said he looked at the whole thing as something of an adventure.

“I’m just going to go there and we’re going to make the most of it and that’s kind of what we did. It felt like we were 21 again.”

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gmVpt8bQgk

Gallows & Anderson Trying to Lure AJ Styles Back To Impact Wrestling

Steve Russell
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0

Former WWE Superstars Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have made it clear: they want to see AJ Styles back in Impact Wrestling. Speaking with Gary Cassidy of Sportskeeda, The Good Brothers also shared Styles’ reaction to their decision to sign with Impact Wrestling.

Luke Gallows revealed how Styles called them when he “knew that it was actually confirmed.” He acknowledged how Styles’ WWE schedule is so hectic and that they, in turn, have been “busier than we’ve ever been.”

He revealed how they’d been occupied putting plans in place, but Styles let them know he was happy for them and their decision during a phone call. Gallows then noted how neither he nor Anderson “ever actually went to AJ for advice on whether we should do it or not.”

At this point, Karl Anderson chimed in with their ultimate ambition. According to him, he and Luke Gallows want to entice Styles back to Impact Wrestling, where he once enjoyed several years as one of their top stars.

“Ultimately, we’re going to talk AJ Styles into coming back to IMPACT. That’s what we’re doing every single day. We’re texting him and telling him to come back.”

AJ Styles recently moved to SmackDown following issues with Paul Heyman on Monday Night RAW. He subsequently won the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

After appearing on Slammiversary, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows recently made their Impact Wrestling in-ring debut, which you can see below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB7Y0oqnIm8

WWE Superstars Offer Nikki & Brie Bella Parenting Advice

Steve Russell
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0

Several WWE Superstars have recorded their congratulations for Brie and Nikki Bella following the births of their newborn sons. The Bella Twins recently gave birth, with their babies arriving only a day apart.

In a WWE YouTube video, Mickie James, Lacey Evans and Natalya all offered their congratulations alongside some parenting tips and advice.

Natalya wished both Brie and Nikki Bella the best, noting how Nikki had always wanted to be a mom from the first time they met. She expressed her love for both Bellas and shared how she has no doubt they’ll be “amazing parents.”

“I’m so proud of you in every way, and I cannot wait to see your babies. […] I don’t really have great parenting advice because I’m still trying to be a good cat mom—but the best thing to do is just spoil your kids silly the way that I do Two Paws. That way, everything will be great,” she joked.

Lacey Evans gave some more unique advice to the sisters. She stressed how they should elect for the epidural before sharing some an interesting potty training tip she has utilized in the past:

“Get the epidural. Ain’t nobody got time for all that fussin’ and a-fightin’, and, um, the water hose is a great potty training tool. If you got any questions on that, go ahead and call me. Trust me, it works wonders.”

Mickie James’ Advice

Mickie James expressed how there “couldn’t be anything more beautiful than two sisters having a baby at the same time.”

Regarding advice she had for the twins, she recommended that they do their best to see life through their kids’ eyes.

“One piece of advice that I could send to you is, when you see them look at the world for the first time, when you see them look at magic for the first time, of like what reality is — what life is — try to look at it with them. Look at it for the first time with their eyes. Remember what that’s like.”

Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan already have a child in their little girl, Birdie. Their new baby boy is their second child together.

The birth of her baby boy sees Nikki Bella become a parent for the first time with her partner, Artem Chigvintsev.

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

Eric Bischoff On RAW’s Declining Viewership, Dynamite’s Recovery During COVID-19

Steve Russell
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0

Former SmackDown Executive Director and WCW President Eric Bischoff has commented on RAW’s declining viewership. Speaking with Chris Featherstone of Sportskeeda, Bischoff addressed pro wrestling’s current viewership and ratings. He also discussed how AEW is growing and recovering despite the difficulties of the coronavirus.

Bischoff explained how no promotion bar AEW is “starting to show real signs of life,” pointing to how the promotion was recently “knocking on a million viewers again.”

It’s a number he noted wasn’t too far from what they were achieving during Dynamite’s debut. He called this “a really good sign” for AEW’s future during COVID-19.

Turning his attention to WWE’s RAW and SmackDown shows, Eric Bischoff talked about how “SmackDown hasn’t fallen farther than it has, it’s not gonna sound like anything to cheer about. I think that’s a good sign.”

He believes SmackDown has “stabilized” during this time. Bischoff pointed out how SmackDown is still “delivering over two million,” which puts them where WWE wants it to be for their key demos. According to him, “they’re more than treading water in that regard.”

RAW, however, is a different story.

Bischoff acknowledged how RAW seems to be “suffering.” He stressed how seeing AEW grow and SmackDown maintain steady viewership and “not dropping like a rock” unlike RAW can only be interpreted as a good thing for those brands during a pandemic.

Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson Discuss Impact’s Influx Of Former WWE Superstars

Steve Russell
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0

Former WWE Superstars Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson have previously spoken about their decision to become a part of Impact Wrestling’s roster. They weren’t the only former WWE Superstars to sign and debut with the promotion, however.

Speaking with Sportskeeda, The Good Brothers, discussed the opportunities that await their fellow WWE colleagues. The two pointed to how they evoked interest over their impending debut as an example of creating opportunities for themselves.

With the coronavirus pandemic still affecting business, Anderson believed that announcing their debut ahead of time would be an exciting, different approach:

“I would say, if this was in front of a live crowd, it may be there are ways to have a surprise, and you get that reaction from the surprise that maybe you could have held off. But I think in this Covid-19 environment, and with there not being a crowd, I think us announcing that we were coming to IMPACT actually got a lot more eyes on the pay-per-view, and that’s what made it so cool.”

Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows And More Sign With Impact

Alongside The Good Brothers, Impact Wrestling signed EC3, Brian Myers, Eric Young and Heath Slater. All were cut from WWE as a cost-cutting measure due to the coronavirus impacting business.

Gallows revealed how they were all discussing business options together due to their friendship. It’s something Gallows believed “came off beautifully.” He noted how due to their success outside of WWE, people would often seek their advice. He pointed to Slater as an example of someone who asked for help, explaining how he had been a part of WWE’s system for 14 years.

“They don’t necessarily know what it’s like outside, so we don’t mind helping our brothers along when they need it. But I think we were a huge part of that.”

Anderson shared how Impact Wrestling fans are in for something special with this influx of talent looking to prove themselves. He highlighted Slater and Myers as two to watch, promising how most haven’t seen what Myers is fully capable of.

Karl Anderson then acknowledged how EC3 has previously enjoyed a main event run in Impact and that Eric Young is a previous Impact World Champion. He stressed that this level of ability makes it an “exciting time” for Impact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB7Y0oqnIm8

Chris Jericho Considered Retirement In 2015, Shares Future Retirement Plans

Steve Russell
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0

Chris Jericho has spoken about his future retirement plans during a recent episode of his YouTube show, Saturday Night Special. During the episode, Jericho revealed how he had intended to begin hinting towards retirement back in 2015. However, his best friend storyline with Kevin Owens allegedly rekindled his passion for pro wrestling, leading him to nix any retirement plans.

He shared how he “started having fun again” after contemplating a reduced schedule that would seem him “wind down” and compete at WWE house shows. Jericho gave it serious consideration after discovering how much fun he was having on house shows. This was because they were “fun [without] the pressure.”

“[…] I came back and I started having so much fun, and then I met Kevin Owens. We had a great chemistry, we clicked right away, and I was like, ‘This guy get it. He’s a lot like me, like, he doesn’t take things seriously but he takes his work seriously. He’s not afraid to look himself look stupid if it’s willing to get a reaction. That’s when the whole Jericho/Owens best friends thing happened, and that’s when I was like, ‘This is awesome’.”

Chris Jericho’s Future Retirement Plans

Turning his attention to future retirement plans once he is done with in-ring competition, the “Demo God” confessed he doesn’t have a specific date in mind. He shared how, even when he does retire, he would want to continue being a part of the business. Jericho suggested he would be interested in a commentary role or becoming a consultant.

He stressed how he’s not interested in becoming an Executive Vice President or a writer for any promotion. Jericho also added how he’d want to continue hosting shows like Saturday Night Special and his podcast Talk is Jericho, as well as pursuing more acting opportunities.

Eric Young Says That Triple H Did Not Know About His WWE Release

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Eric Young was one of the guys Triple H had signed to NXT. He found success in the development territory of the company but couldn’t replicate the same after being called up to the main roster in 2018.

After making sporadic appearances for the company for a couple of years, the former TNA Champion was released in April earlier this year and according to him, HHH did not even know about his firing beforehand.

Young recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. During the talk, the former leader of Sanity revealed that The Game was the first person to call him after his release and that the DX member did not know about his firing:

“I can tell you now Scott D’Amore was the second person I heard from when the news came out. This is going to sound weird, but Triple H was the very first. He was unaware that it was happening. He’s in a different position in the company now. [We] have always had a very good relationship.”

After being released from WWE, Eric Young has returned to his roots in Impact Wrestling and he made his surprise return to the company during the Slammiversary PPV last month.

Young took part in a 5-way match for the Impact World Championship during the show and he established himself as a heel during the bout.

Austin Theory Reportedly On An “Unannounced Suspension”

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former NXT star Austin Theory hasn’t been seen on WWE programming for a while now and latest updates on the situation suggest that he might be in hot waters with WWE management.

A fan recently asked Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer on why the former Evolve Champion hasn’t been seen on WWE TV recently and replying to the question, Meltzer claimed that he is on an “unannounced suspension”:

Though Meltzer did not confirm the reason for this so it’s hard to say if the former champion has done something to upset the management or if he has beef with any top star instead.

Austin Theory made his wrestling debut in 2016. He made his name working for many independent promotions including his stint with Evolve which led to his WWE signing in August last year.

Theory made his televised debut for the promotion in December. Though he didn’t stay in the development for long. He was called up to the main roster just before WrestleMania 36 and he later joined Seth Rollins’ stable.

However, his name hasn’t been mentioned on WWE programming in recent times and this latest report now puts a question mark over the future of the young star. We will keep you posted on any updates on his status.

Rusev Takes Shot At Shane McMahon’s Return, The Riott Squad On Their Future

Anutosh Bajpai
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This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw saw the return of former SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon who was there to introduce a new segment on the show.

Former WWE star Rusev who was released from the company earlier this year took a shot at Shane’s return via Twitter. He made the following tweet, mentioning how it’s opposed to the talks of building new stars:

Shane McMahon was on the show to introduce the concept of Raw Underground which took place in a warehouse-like setting with a ring that had no ropes. You can check out the complete Raw results at this link.

The Riott Squad On Their Future

Tonight’s episode of Raw saw Kevin Owens holding his talk show with the special guest being Ruby Riott. Liv Morgan also came out during the segment and Riott admitted that she was wrong to attack Liv before.

The IIconics then came out as well and the segment set up a match between the two teams. The match saw Liv Morgan picking up the victory for her team.

Both Riott and Morgan were interviewed backstage after the match and when asked about their future, they suggested that this reunion could continue in the upcoming times. You can check out their interview below:

Two Former WWE Stars Debut During AEW’s Women’s Tag Team Cup Tournament

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW’s Women’s Tag Team Cup Tournament kicked off tonight on the company’s YouTube channel and it saw the debut of not one but two former WWE stars.

The show started with WWE Hall of Famer Madusa introducing the trophy that will be rewarded to the winning team. Tony Schiavone and Veda Scott were on the commentary for the show.

The tournament will see 8 teams fighting for the trophy. The competition interestingly has a random draw for partners meaning that the competitors do not know who will be their partner before the match.

The first match of the show saw Brandi Rhodes teaming with Allie to face the team of Penelope Ford and Mel. Brandi won this bout for her team via a pin after hitting Mel with a spear.

The second match saw the debuts of former WWE star Ariane Andrew better known to WWE fans as Cameron and Tay Conti who was known as Taynara Conti.

The match saw Anna Jay and Tay Conti teaming together to face Nyla Rose and Ariane Andrew. The match was won by Jay and Conti with Anna Jay picking up a pinfall victory over Ariane Andrew

Due to the random draw format, the company has not announced the matches for next week. You can check out this week’s episode featuring the debut of the former WWE stars below:

WWE RAW Results (8/3): Shane McMahon Returns, Dominik Attacks Rollins

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. Shane McMahon made his return tonight to debut RAW Underground and Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre met Face-to-Face before their WWE Championship match at SummerSlam.

RAW Results (8/3)

  1. Apollo Crews def. MVP to retain the US Title
  2. The Riott Squad def. The IIConics
  3. Akira Tozawa won the 24/7 Championship
  4. Sasha Banks vs. Shayna Baszler ended in a DQ
  5. Angel Garza def. Angelo Dawkins
  6. Andrade def. Montez Ford

Here are 7 takeaways from this week’s show:

Apollo Crews Retained The US Title

Apollo Crews
United States Champion Apollo Crews

Apollo defended his United States Championship against MVP to begin this week’s show. This match was supposed to take place at Extreme Rules but Apollo couldn’t compete. The lights went out and the announcer’s tried to play it off as bad weather.

Before the match started, MVP claimed he was the real United States Champion because Crews didn’t show up at Extreme Rules. MVP said that their beef is done after he wins tonight and Apollo can go back and hang with Cedric Alexander & Ricochet in catering. The lights flickered once again when the bell rang.

Match Recap: Apollo and MVP locked and MVP hit him with a stomp to the left foot. The lights continued to flicker as MVP hit Apollo with an uppercut. Crews battled back and hit a Suplex for a near fall. Apollo flipped onto the Hurt Business outside the ring as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, MVP had Crews in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Apollo broke free but MVP leveled him with a Clothesline for a near fall. Crews connected with a Crossbody off the second rope for a two count. Apollo followed it up with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory. After the match, Lashley tried to get Apollo in the Full Nelson but he escaped. Apollo said he was going to hang the old title in his kids room and wear the new US Title that MVP paid for around his shoulder.

MVP flipped out and complained about the flickering lights. MVP claimed that this was an unsafe working environment and that Apollo stole the United States Championship. MVP shouted that he doesn’t care about Crews’ wife or kids and wants his rematch at SummerSlam. It was later announced that Crews accepted MVP’s challenge for a rematch at SummerSlam.

The Riott Squad Is Back Together

riott squad raw

Kevin Owens came down to the ring and said it was interesting that Shane McMahon was returning but didn’t want to talk about that tonight. Owens then welcomed Ruby Riott as his guest on the show.

Owens noted that Riott got pretty emotional after finally picking up a win over Peyton Royce recently. Riott said she hadn’t won a singles match since February and called The IIConics “toxic, sad broads” that have to bring people down to pick themselves up. Ruby said she wished Liv Morgan was in the ring to celebrate with her.

Liv came down to the ring and said that Ruby asked her to listen and Owens convinced her to be here. Kevin said that the Riott Squad was special and Sarah has moved on to another part of her life. Owens claimed that Liv and Ruby bring out the best in each other and that it was worth it to Morgan to hear Ruby out.

Riott got choked up and said that she thought things were going to be the same when she came back. Ruby stated that Liv was thriving and maybe she didn’t need her. Riott pointed out that Liv beat her twice and realized that Liv didn’t need her at all. Riott apologized for taking it out on Morgan and noted that they have their debut date tattooed on them. Ruby asked for once more chance for the Riott Squad to be stronger than it has ever been.

The IIConics interrupted and shouted that nobody cares about the Riott Squad. Billie Kay told Riott that everyone is so tired of her emotional social media posts after winning one match. Liv said that nobody starts a riot better than them before Owens got back into the ring. The IIconics then challenged them to a match. The Riott Squad picked up the quick win.

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