Today, New Japan Pro-Wrestling released a video announcement made by NJPW of America CEO, Takami Obari. He discussed how NJPW wrestlers based in the United States are not currently able to travel to Japan to partake in NJPW events.
In the meantime, NJPW Strong will be a weekly show on NJPW World. Obari mentions that it’s difficult for US-based wrestlers to compete in Japan. Starting Friday, at 10PM Eastern, NJPW Strong will be presented on NJPW World.
It will begin with New Japan Cup USA 2020, an eight-man single elimination tournament, and the winner will be eligible to challenge for the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship, currently held by Jon Moxley, at a later date.
The first round matches are as follows, and are scheduled for the premier episode on August 7th.
LEC presents the official NJPW Cup 2020 in the USA bracket!
WWE SmackDown aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. Both the Intercontinental and SmackDown Women’s Championships were defended during tonight’s episode. In addition to the takeaways below, Sonya Deville attacked Mandy Rose from behind and chopped off some of her hair before referees broke it up.
AJ Styles def. Gran Metalik to retain the IC Title
King Corbin def. Drew Gulak
Big E def. The Miz
Naomi def. Lacey Evans
Bayley def. Nikki Cross to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship
Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s show:
AJ Styles Retained The IC Title
AJ Styles. Image Credit: WWE.com
AJ Styles defended the Intercontinental Championship against Gran Metalik tonight. Lince Dorado was ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Styles controlled the match early and beat Metalik down in the corner. Styles connected with a Backbreaker and followed it up with a Vertical Suplex for a near fall.
Styles went for an Elbow Drop but Metalik got out of the way. Metalik sent Styles tumbling to the floor outside the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, AJ was back in control and perched Styles up on the turnbuckle.
Metalik booted AJ to the canvas and hit a Crossbody for a near fall. Metalik followed it up with a DDT and went for the cover but the Intercontinental Champion kicked out at two. AJ battled back with a Clothesline and knocked Metalik to the mat.
AJ set up for the Phenomenal Forearm but Metalik avoided it and hit an Enziguri. Styles booted Metalik to the mat and locked in the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring for the submission victory. AJ Styles is still the Intercontinental Champion.
After the match, AJ Styles attacked Lince Dorado and planted him with the Styles Clash as the crowd booed.
Jeff Hardy came to the ring and said that beating Sheamus in the Bar Fight proved that he was on the right track. Hardy added that he doesn’t want to let his family and fans down again. Hardy stated that he was so grateful to be well and here on SmackDown.
King Corbin interrupted and said his head is going to explode if he has to hear about Jeff’s sobriety again. Corbin claimed that SmackDown was turning into an insane asylum. Hardy told Corbin that if he thinks everyone around him is the problem, he’s actually the problem. Gulak then attacked Corbin from behind and it led to a singles match.
Match Recap: Corbin dominated the match early and kept Gulak on the mat. Corbin connected with a Spinebuster and then locked in a Half Crab in the middle of the ring. Gulak countered into a Crossface but Corbin got his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold.
Gulak made his way to the top rope and hit a Flying Clothesline for a near fall. Corbin hit Deep Six but Matt Riddle’s theme hit. Riddle came down to the entrance ramp and Corbin got distracted. Gulak tried to capitalize with a roll-up but Corbin kicked out at two. Corbin then planted Gulak with the End of Days for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Matt Riddle rushed the ring and attacked King Corbin. Riddle hit the Ripcord Knee but then Shorty G showed up. Corbin had talked to Shorty G earlier in the show about the King’s Ransom he had out on Riddle. Shorty G planted Riddle with a German Suplex and Corbin smiled.
Big E faced The Miz tonight on SmackDown. John Morrison was ringside for the match.
Match Recap: The Miz booted Big E in the midsection and unloaded several right hands to start off the action. Big E applied an Abdominal Stretch and spanked Miz a couple of times. Big E followed it up with an elbow to the face for a one count.
The action spilled out of the ring and Big E sent Miz into the ring post. Morrison hit Big E with a cheap shot and Miz followed it up with a Dropkick through the ropes. Back in the ring, Miz applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring as Morrison cheered him on.
Big E knocked Miz to the apron and went for a Splash but Miz got out of the way. Big E crashed on the apron and fell to the floor as SmackDown went to a break. When SmackDown returned, Big E hit a couple Belly to Belly Suplexes and followed it up with a Splash.
The Miz hit Big E with a Dropkick to the knee and then stomped away on it in the corner. Big E battled back with a Uranage for a near fall. Big E went for a Spear but Miz countered with a knee to the face. Morrison hit Big E with another cheap shot and Miz capitalized with a Skull Crushing Finale.
Miz went for the cover but somehow Big E kicked out at two. Miz locked in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring but Big E was able to make it to the bottom rope to break the hold. The referee caught Morrison going for another cheap shot and kicked him out from ringside. Big E applied the Stretch Muffler submission for the pinfall victory.
Lacey Evans squared off against Naomi tonight on SmackDown. Before the match, Lacey Evans mocked the #NaomiDeservesBetter hashtag and vowed to make everyone really feel sorry for Naomi tonight.
Match Recap: Evans drove Naomi to the corner to start off the match. Naomi broke free but Evans planted her with a Powerbomb in the center of the ring. Lacey wrapped Naomi around the ring post and booted her in the back of the head.
Evans trapped Naomi’s hair in the steel steps and got back into the ring in hopes for a count-out victory. Naomi escaped and made it back into the ring and the match continued. Evans went for the Woman’s Right but Naomi countered into a cover for the pinfall victory. After the match, Lacey Evans went to the announce table and demanded that people start a Lacey deserves better hashtag.
Match Recap: Nikki beat Bayley down in the corner and unloaded several right hands to her face. Cross went for a Neckbreaker but Bayley blocked it. Nikki sent Bayley out of the ring and the champ took a moment to regroup.
Nikki brought Bayley back into the ring and hit her with a Dropkick. Bayley battled back and connected with a Leg Drop for a two count. Nikki slammed Bayley into the ring post and followed it up with a Crossbody outside the ring. Cross then posed on the announce table as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
When SmackDown returned, Bayley hit Nikki with a Suplex and then sent her to the corner of the ring. Nikki battled back and hit a Crossbody for a near fall. Cross followed it up with a Tornado DDT and went for the cover but Bayley kicked out at two. Nikki slammed Bayley on the ring apron for another near fall.
Cross had the Boss ring (brass knuckles) and threw it at Sasha outside the ring. Cross launched Bayley into the barricade before rolling her back into the ring. Sasha hopped up on the apron but Alexa tripped her up. Nikki hit Sasha with a Dropkick and made her way to the top rope. Nikki hit a Crossbody and then rolled up Bayley for a two count. Bayley then connected with the Rose Plant for the pinfall victory. Bayley is still the SmackDown Women’s Champion.
After the match, Nikki Cross refused help from Alexa Bliss and shoved her to the canvas. The lights in the arena went out and The Fiend showed up behind Alexa. The Fiend circled Alexa before locking in the Mandible Claw.
Opinion: I thought this week’s episode of SmackDown was a very solid show. Deville’s attack on Mandy Rose was very well done and it seems like we could be getting a Hair vs. Hair match at SummerSlam. I’m also intrigued as to where The Fiend, Strowman, and Alexa Bliss storyline is going.
Vince McMahon first stated during a recent shareholder’s meeting held earlier this month that the company has a backup plan if WWE is unable to film in Florida anymore.
Of course, the state has been a hot spot for the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the outbreak of it, WWE has been taping television and holding pay-per-view events from Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE has several back-up plans in place if they are no longer allowed to film TV content in the state because of the virus.
However, per the report, there’s a belief that WWE can’t be shut down in Florida. The reason for the belief is due to Linda McMahon’s Super PAC (Political Action Committee) pledging to spend $18.5 million in the Sunshine State for Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is also loyal to Trump.
There was a source who told Meltzer that McMahon has DeSantis “by the balls.” DeSantis has stated that he wants WWE to bring WrestleMania back to his state.
That won’t be allowed to happen until the virus is handled and sports leagues are able to resume somewhat regular operations with fans. McMahon has had a study prepared and now has several different locations as a back-up plan.
It was noted that one of the potential back-up locations is the WWE TV studios, which is near WWE headquarters in Stamford, CT. This is where WWE filmed the Firefly Fun House Match between John Cena and “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt for WrestleMania 36.
Meltzer stated that if they had to do film there then they can make that setting look similar to the setup they’ve used at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.
The only problem with this plan is that WWE wouldn’t have easy access to contracted wrestlers in order to use them as fans.
Not only is WWE holding its SummerSlam pay-per-view event next month but will be hosting a second show just one week after it.
Pwinsider.com has updates on these two events. First up is SummerSlam, which had been reported to potentially be held at an outdoor location with the idea of having some fans in attendance.
There was even some talk of holding the show on a beach or a ship or at a location in the northeast. Per the new report, Summerslam is scheduled to take place at the WWE Performance Center.
WrestleVotes reported that WWE was hoping to finalize plans for SummerSlam and its location on Friday. It should be noted that WWE has yet to confirm where the event will take place after announcing that it had nixed its original plans to hold it in Boston at the TD Garden Arena.
WrestleVotes was the first to report that WWE’s internal calendar was updated to reflect that the company will broadcast WWE Payback on Sunday, August 30th.
Pwinsider has confirmed the report and added that it will also take place from the WWE Performance Center. WWE utilized the Payback PPV title from 2013 through 2017.
Although Matt Cardona has joined AEW that doesn’t mean that he’s under a long term deal.
Cardona, formerly known as Zack Ryder, is currently working on a five appearance deal with the company, according to Wrestling Inc.
It appears to be a tryout situation for the former WWE Intercontinental Champion with the possibility of him signing a longer deal should he impress AEW executives including AEW President Tony Khan.
Ryder had been on the sidelines while he awaited his WWE non-compete deal to expire from April through July 15th. Of course, he was let go during the company’s massive layoffs and furloughs.
The public reason given at the time was that the cuts were due to budget cuts related to the coronavirus. It turns out that the firings came during the same quarter that WWE had its most profitable time to date.
Cardona made his promotional debut this past Wednesday night when he saved Cody Rhodes from an attack by the Dark Order. This came right after Rhodes had successfully retained the AEW TNT Title over Warhorse.
Cardona will team with Cody to face John Silver and Alex Reynolds next Wednesday night on Dynamite in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place on TNT.
After making a strong impression on the microphone and in the ring against Cody on Dynamite 2 weeks back, AEW has signed Eddie Kingston. The 18-year veteran pro has had stints with ROH, the NWA, CHIKARA, Impact Wrestling, CZW, and PWG.
“I learned a long time ago, in this life, you never lose, you learn,” Kingston said following his match with Cody on Dynamite. “I learned tonight that Cody is the better man, he’s the better grappler, he was the better fighter. But just tonight. I’ve been doing this for a very long time … I have nothing else in this life that I love doing.”
“So whether AEW brings me back or not, I’m going to keep going. I’m going to keep going until the wheels fall off,” Kingston continued. As it turns out, AEW will be bringing him back regularly as an official member of its roster.
Kingston spent 2019 with the National Wrestling Alliance. He formed “Outlaw Inc” along with former ROH World Champion, Homicide. In 2018, Kingston managed “The OGZ” in a feud against Konnan and LAX. The OGZ consisted of former LAX members Homicide and Hernandez.
Members of the New Day have been doing what they can to raise awareness about racial injustice. Kofi Kingston and Big E have been wearing armbands each week on Smackdown with the names of people who have lost their lives at the hands of police including Breonna Taylor, Tamla Horsford, Botham Jean, Freddie Gray and many others.
Big E spoke to Yahoo Sports about New Day using their platform to make a statement. He said when they went to Vince McMahon with the idea of taking a knee on Smackdown, he was in total support.
“When Kofi and I got to the Performance Center that day, we felt like we had to do something,” Big E said. “We went and had a conversation with our boss, Vince McMahon, and he was completely on board. We felt like that even if it was just a five-second gesture, it was important to let people know that the things that affected them, we were feeling too. We’re not above this because we’re on TV or because we make money, we’re still people. I was born Black, I will die Black, I have lived my life as Black American much longer than I will ever be a WWE wrestler.”
Big E would continue to say although he doesn’t know how to solve a systematic problem, it is important to him to do something with the anger and frustration he feels about it.
“It really weighed on me. I felt that even though I didn’t know how to change the structure or end systemic racism, I wanted to do something with my anger and frustration, I wanted to do something positive and we were all on the same page with that.”
Eric Bischoff is reportedly making his AEW debut next week.
Reddit user SpaceForce1, who previously provided correct Dynamite spoilers after being a member of the crowd at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, reports that Bischoff will appear during next Wednesday’s taped Dynamite episode on TNT.
Bischoff will reportedly appear during the debate segment between Chris Jericho and Orange Cassidy. AEW previously announced that the debate will feature a special guest moderator, which apparently is Bischoff.
There is no word yet on if Bischoff will work with AEW past this segment. He has been without a job in pro wrestling since being released from his role as SmackDown Executive Director in October 2019, just a few months after WWE hired him in June 2019.
AEW President & CEO Tony Khan previously praised the former WCW President during the 83 Weeks podcast hosted by Bischoff and Conrad Thompson. Khan stated that there would be no AEW without Bischoff.
“Just so you know, and over the course of this conversation I’m sure it will come across, I am such a huge fan of your work and you are such an incredible innovator in the business,” Khan said to Bischoff during the 83 Weeks interview.
“I wouldn’t be here and there would not be an AEW without you and there would not be wrestling on TNT right now without you,” Khan continued. “You gave me the opening to talk to the President of TNT to talk about the previous success you’d had on his network which he didn’t realize because it’s been 20 years.”
Here is the announced line-up for next Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite episode on TNT:
* Jon Moxley defends the AEW World Championship against Darby Allin
* The Dark Order vs. FTR and The Elite in a 12-man tag team match
* MJF delivers another State of the Industry Address
* Matt Cardona’s in-ring debut, teaming with TNT Champion Cody vs. The Dark Order’s John Silver and Alex Reynolds
* Chris Jericho debates Orange Cassidy with a special guest moderator
Peyton Royce took to social media recently to open up about her experience with depression. The 27-year-old posted a photo from last year taken just weeks before her wedding to Shawn Spears. Royce said that even though on the outside everything was going great in her life, inside she was dealing with depression.
“I was dealing with the lowest low I’ve ever experienced. My mental health was suffering more than I had ever dealt with & I felt like I could not get myself together. I felt like I was letting so many people down including myself & I just couldn’t pick myself up,” Royce said in the post. She would continue to say that many people who suffer from mental illness look fine on the outside.
“Everyone is going through something. Be kind & know that everyone is dealing with whatever it is, the best they can. The more love, support & kindness we can show each other might help someone feel less alone. Even if they seem happy & confident like they’ve got it all together… They could be a fantastic fibber.”
Real name Cassandra Arneill, the Australian was signed to WWE in 2015. Along with her partner, Billie Kay, she debuted on the main roster in April of 2018.
WWE exceeded expectations in the 2nd quarter of 2020. The company recorded $223.4 million in revenue generated resulting in $43.8 million in total profits. They had been expected to generate approximately $231 million in revenue and $12 million in profit. Even though WWE generated less revenue than expected, they earned more profit due to decreased operating expenses.
“Revenues were $223.4 million as compared to $268.9 million in the prior year quarter reflecting the timing of the Company’s large-scale event in Saudi Arabia; Revenues reached a record $514.4 million year-to-date, representing 14% growth from the prior year period,” reads a WWE report on their financials this quarter.
In comparison, quarter 2 for 2019 saw the company bring in $268.9 million in revenue and $10.4 million in profit.
WWE Records Record Profits
WWE has saved money by producing television shows from the Performance Center and taping multiple episodes in a row. This has led to an increase in profits even with the decline in revenue.
The company has also seen an increase in subscribers to the WWE Network. There are currently 195,000 more subscribers to the Network than what had been projected for this time.
“Our second quarter financial performance was strong and demonstrated our ability to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. “We continue to adapt our business to the changing environment, focusing on the development of new content for global distribution platforms and increasing audience engagement to drive growth and value for our shareholders.”
It should also be noted that WWE’s financials this quarter were unaffected by the talent releases in April. WWE continued paying main roster talent until mid-July, meaning they were all still being paid throughout Quarter 2. Some have been critical of WWE for cutting talent during a pandemic at a time when they were on pace for record profits.
On an investors call yesterday, Vince McMahon noted that profits will likely be down once the company starts touring again. With social distancing guidelines in place, it will make running live shows a more financially risky situation.
Cody Rhodes and QT Marshall’s Nightmare Factory wrestling school sent in the following press release Thursday evening:
Nightmare Factory, the premium training facility owned and operated by AEW’s Cody Rhodes and QT Marshall, today announced its new development camp to propel the next generation of professional wrestling talent.
Starting on Monday, Sept. 21, the inaugural class of 25 aspiring male and female wrestlers will experience the unparalleled three-month curriculum at the world-class Nightmare Factory facility in Norcross, Ga. The premium Nightmare Factory facility, which encompasses 43,000 square feet, includes four wrestling rings and a complete Olympic style weight room. AEW filmed several closed-set DYNAMITE shows at the Nightmare Factory earlier this year.
Designed by head trainers Cody Rhodes and QT Marshall, the rolling curriculum incorporates programming never before presented in a wrestling school. In addition to customized workouts and fitness regimes, students will engage with prominent nutrition counselor Carolyn Fazio to develop meal plans, and participate in exclusive seminars on topics such as HD makeup, the history of American wrestling and “Wrestlenomics,” an in-depth look at the past and present of the wrestling economy.
Aspiring wrestlers can apply for the first Nightmare Factory camp at www.NightmareFactoryGa.com. Camps are limited to 25 athletes and open to men and women of any level of wrestling experience. New camp sessions will begin every three months. The opening camp commences on Sept. 21, followed by the second session in early January 2021.
“I’ve had the best trainers throughout my career, and now I feel a responsibility to pass on the fundamentals and traditions of our sport and entertainment medium to aspiring wrestlers,” said Cody Rhodes, co-head trainer of Nightmare Factory and EVP of AEW. “What I love the most about the Nightmare Factory is its push towards the future and innovation, as well as its focus on the history of wrestling and how it has shaped our current business climate.”
To ensure the safety of all athletes and staff, temperature screenings and COVID-19 tests are required to enter the facility. Refer to www.NightmareFactoryGA.com for policies and information.
About Nightmare Factory
Nightmare Factory is a premium training facility owned and operated by Cody Rhodes and QT Marshall. Located in the Atlanta suburb of Norcross, Ga., the 43,000 square feet facility includes four wrestling rings and a comprehensive Olympic-style weight room. Its new three-month development camp launches on Sept. 21, 2020. For more info, check out @NF_Training (Twitter) and www.NightmareFactoryGa.com.
AEW Dynamite scored another decisive win over WWE NXT this week in total viewers and the key Adults 18-49 demographic. Courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
AEW: 773,000 viewers, 0.30 rating (6th on cable for the night)
NXT: 707,000 viewers, 0.18 rating (28th on cable for the night)
NXT narrowed the gap in viewership this week, but Dynamite nearly doubled the WWE brand in the key demo.
By comparison, Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.62 million viewers with a 0.47 demo. Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline points out that AEW & NXT combined did more viewers than the third hour of Raw, which sunk to an all-time low of 1.46 million viewers.
AEW and NXT combined beat the third hour of RAW in viewers this week.
AEW viewership slipped 8.5% from 845,000 last week. Dynamite saw Jon Moxley & Darby Allin defeat Brian Cage and Ricky Starks, MJF deliver his State of the Industry address, a successful title defense by Kenny Omega & Hangman Page, Cody’s lstest TNT Championship defense against Warhorse, the debut of Matt Cardona and much more. (Results & Takeaways)
NXT viewership was up a nice 15% from last week’s 615,000. Top matches included Dexter Lumis defeating Finn Balor & Timmothy Thatcher in a North American title qualifying match, Johnny Gargano defeating Roderick Strong, Imperium in action and Isaiah Scott beating Jake Atlas. (Results & Takeaways)
In what’s becoming a running joke, AEW executive VP Cody referenced that Dynamite outdrew celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s show Guy’s Grocery Games in the key demo.
Last week on Smackdown, Kofi Kingston revealed he’ll be out of action for 6 weeks. Kingston told Big E it’s time for him to show the world what he can do as a singles wrestler. Booker T recently addressed Big E as a singles wrestler on his ESPN Hall of Fame radio show and YouTube channel.
Booker T On Big E As A Singles Wrestler
“I think Big E is going to have to shed a few things in order for people to look at him like the world champion,” Booker said on the show.
“Big E still trying to be the New Day is not going to work for him as far as him working at the top of the card. I’m talking about being the main attraction. I’m talking about being the guy that the company has put in position to be the guy.”
“You can’t rehash something that you’ve been doing for so long and think that’s what’s going to take you to the next level,” Booker continued.
Booker and Brad Gilmore then spoke about wrestlers evolving their characters throughout their careers.
“I talked to Big E maybe a year and a half ago and I could tell he wasn’t in the best place,” Booker continued. “I think it was right after Kofi won the title actually and I said ‘trust me bro, your time is coming. Your run is going to actually happen.’ And he looked at me and I could see he was almost like ‘Nah, it ain’t going to happen.’ I said ‘trust me, it’s going to happen for you cause you’re talented, just keep doing what you’re doing.'”
Former WWE Superstar EC3 recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. During the interview with the show, EC3 discussed his leaving WWE and being able to fully to his character and “control the narrative” on Ethan Carter III.
Co-host of the show Bully Ray asked EC3 what he felt was the biggest issue with the company right now.
EC3 on ‘The Top’ of WWE
“Like with anything? It starts at the top” EC3 began, discussing his former place of work. “And I think the top? The very very top? Is micromanaging to an extremely dangerous level, where there’s no trust in the lieutenants, the majors and the generals to do anything.”
“Everything goes through the top” EC3 continued, clearly alluding to WWE CEO Vince McMahon. “And when the tops inundated with so much business? A lot gets lost. You just mentioned it’s a broken system, and it seems like it.”
EC3 then admitted that he hasn’t been following WWE recently (understandably) but he feels that they could be doing a lot more with their stacked roster of talent. “I’m not following the product, but they have the most talented roster in the world. And the product becomes unwatchable and insufferable sometimes. But, if I’m a leader? Which I’ve been in some cases, not to that level, but as a leader? instead of passing blame to people and firing them, sometimes it comes down on me. And so, leadership starts at the top.”
This comments echo those made by Eric Young recently, another talent released by WWE.
Do you agree with EC3? Let us know in the comments
AEW’s commentary booth was without Excalibur this week. The masked former luchador’s absence was addressed on Wrestling Observer Radio. According to comments from Dave Meltzer, it’s possible Excalibur missed the show due to a controversial wrestling angle he participated in a long time ago. The angle involved using the N-word in reference to a Black wrestler.
Before addressing Excalibur’s absence, Dave Meltzer noted he had not heard any concrete reasons as to why the announcer missed the show. He did offer speculation as to a possible reason, however.
“There was an angle, I’m not sure if it was in 2003 or 2005. It was a long, long time ago,” Meltzer said.
“In that angle, Human Tornado, who was kind of being pushed as a top babyface and he would often ask for guys to do heavily-racial promos on him and he asked them to use the word. From what I was told, Kevin Steen was very reluctant and Human Tornado convinced Kevin Steen.”
“I don’t know if Excalibur and Disco Machine were reluctant or not. The person who was there said he doesn’t know what they were. But they all knew after they did it, and this is again like 15-17 years ago, they all knew after they did it that they f***ed up big time.”
“I have no idea what the story is as far as is he gone? Is he off for a couple of weeks? I know he took the trip to Florida for the show and was not used. And that’s all I really know.”
Randy Orton will challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam. The Legend Killer has had an eventful year in the promotion. He has been involved in a feud with Edge that spanned 2 PPVs. He’s also punt-kicked legends like Christian and the Big Show and is arguably the biggest heel in the company right now.
Orton recently spoke to SI.com and said that having been bullied as a kid is one of the things he feels taught him to be an effective heel.
“When I was younger, I was bullied, I was picked on,” Orton said. “I know how that feels, so it’s just reversing that and being the bully, knowing what to do or say to get under somebody’s skin. Growing up, my younger sister just hated my guts. I took out being bullied at school on her. As far as where I get that motivation, I’m not sure there is just one explanation. I feel comfortable being the heel.”
Arn Anderson recently said that he feels Orton is the best heel in the business.
“When he’s a heel and allowed to get heat, he’s the best heel in the business and I believe that,” Anderson said on the Arn Show. “Randy works old-school, Randy doesn’t do a one-and-a-half off the top. He doesn’t dive out on the floor, he doesn’t do any of those things.”
Randy Orton On Less Being More In Wrestling
Orton also spent some time during the interview talking about modern in-ring styles. According to Orton, wrestlers need to slow down and sell more.
“If two guys are going 100 miles an hour, and they never slow down and they never sell, it’s a big fireworks show and I’m not getting any drama,” said Orton. “I’m not getting invested, and I’m not wanting to see more. When it’s over, it’s over, and onto the next train wreck. It’s too much. Less is more, sometimes. Sometimes you do need to slow it down.
A lot of things involving people aligned with Arn Anderson took place last night on Dynamite. Double-A was called into FTR’s contract-signing on the show as the team’s tag-team advisor. It appears Anderson will likely be aligned with the new signees moving forward.
Anderson also manages Cody Rhodes and the Nightmare Family. This week on Dynamite, Cody was rescued from a Dark Order attack by the debuting Matt Cardona (FKA Zack Ryder). Next week on Dynamite, Cardona, and Cody will team up to take on John Silver & Alex Reynolds. The rest of the Dark Order will then take on FTR, the Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega & Hangman Page.
Anderson spoke about the upcoming matches his guys have against the Dark Order on this week’s Coach’s Corner segment. He said he knows they can trust the debuting Cordona, as he and Cody go way back.
“They’ve got the numbers. What do they got, 20-30 guys in that Dark Order?” Anderson asked. “Sides have been chosen. Now, Matt and Cody go along way back, I know we can count on him. I’m going to have to move some chess pieces around to make this thing fly because I’m going to expect the unexpected, I’m going to expect it to be at its worse.”
Anderson then issued a message to the Dark Order.
“Boys, you jumped on Cody at a time when he should have been shaking Warhorse’s hand who gave him a hell of a fight,” Anderson continued. “But now the focus has changed and it’s changed totally. Now, we’re on the attack and you’re going to be in the crosshairs.”
CM Punk and the Miz traded jabs regarding WWE Backstage back in January. After appearing on the show one week, Miz used the line “Sorry I didn’t change the culture” in reference to a comment CM Punk made when he was first announced as a regular on the show. Punk responded to a Tweet from the WWE on Fox Twitter account regarding the comment:
The Miz was recently interviewed by 411 Mania and addressed the situation. He said he still considers him and Punk friends.
“I have no idea to be honest with you. Like, I still to this day have no idea,” Miz said. “To be honest, I thought we were friends. And it’s just like one of those things where you’re like, ‘God, man.’ I don’t know. I just don’t know, like I really don’t. I wish I could answer any of the questions that you would have about that, but I honestly, I don’t know. I don’t get it. I don’t get him.”
Miz also spent some time during the interview talking about those who are critical of him main eventing WrestleMania 27.
“People were still talking like I didn’t deserve to be in that spot, ‘I should’ve been in that spot!’ ‘Blah blah blah!’ Let’s put it this way: There was no one that generated more heat, more bad guy like oriented couldn’t stand you heat if you will than me at that moment.”
AEW Dynamite aired live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. Kenny Omega & Hangman Page defended the AEW Tag Team Championships against Evil Uno & Stu Grayson of Dark Order. Cody put the TNT Championship on the line against Warhorse tonight as well. FTR signed their contracts and will be hosting Tag Team Appreciation Night on the August 12th edition of Dynamite.
The official contract signing of FTR with a few unique stipulations and a familiar guest joined the party.
Best Friends, Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy, Orange Cassidy def. Inner Circle
Cody def. Warhorse to retain the TNT Championship
Hangman Page & Kenny Omega def. Dark Order to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships
Hikaru Shida def. Diamante
Jon Moxley & Darby Allin def. Brian Cage & Ricky Starks
Here are takeaways from this week’s show:
Matt Hardy Cost Inner Circle The Match
Inner Circle battled Best Friends, Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, and Orange Cassidy in a 10-man tag team match to begin the show.
Match Recap: Jericho tagged in Hager right away and Orange Cassidy greeted him with a couple lazy kicks. Jake lifted Cassidy in the air but Orange escaped and Dropkicked Hager. A brawl then broke out and Jericho booted Cassidy to the outside. Chuck flipped onto Inner Circle outside the ring and Trent followed it up with a Moonsault. Jungle Boy hit Santana with a Hurricanrana and then Luchasaurus hit a Splash onto Inner Circle.
Back in the ring, Trent went for a Splash on Sammy but Hager broke it up with a forearm to the face. Jericho tagged in and planted Trent with a Suplex. Ortiz hit Trent with a DDT outside the ring. Trent hit Jericho with a Dropkick and tried for a tag but Ortiz stopped it. Hager tagged in and applied a Headlock to Trent in the middle of the ring.
Luchasaurus tagged in and beat down Hager in the corner. Jake hit a massive Clotheslien and then turned around into a Superman Punch from Orange Cassidy. Ortiz hit Cassidy with a Powerbomb and then turned around into a boot to the face from Trent. Jericho hit Trent with a Codebreaker. Sammy hit Jungle Boy with a GTS and then got leveled by a kick to the face from Luchasaurus.
Jericho grabbed the baseball bat but Orange Cassidy threw him over the barricade. Guevara made his way to the top rope but Matt Hardy’s theme hit. Hardy shoved Sammy off the turnbuckle and Luchasaurus hit Sammy with a kick to the face for the pinfall victory.
Later on Dynamite, Jericho challenged Orange Cassidy to a debate next week and announced that they will have a rematch on the August 12th episode.
Opinion: Matt Hardy and Sammy Guevara have unfinished business that got put on hold due to Sammy’s suspension. I’m sure that will be a fun match whenever it goes down. However, I absolutely hated this entire match. I thought it was a total mess, had no flow, and there was hardly any noise from the wrestlers playing the role of the crowd.
Match Recap: Warhorse chopped Cody across the chest in the corner of the ring to start the action off. Warhorse rolled up Cody for a two count and then hit Cody with an Arm Drag. Warhorse followed it up with a Clothesline that turned Cody inside out for a near fall.
The TNT Champion rolled out of the ring to try and regroup as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Cody had Warhorse in a Half Crab in the middle of the ring.
Warhorse reached the ropes to break the hold. Cody went for a Figure Four but Warhorse quickly reversed it. Cody broke free but Warhorse sent him to the corner with a Dropkick. Warhorse hit the champ with a couple of Clotheslines in the corner and then another one in the middle of the ring.
Warhorse made his way to the top rope as Cody rolled out of the ring. Warhorse hopped down to the apron and hit Cody with a Double Stomp to the back. Back in the ring, Warhorse made his way to the top rope and hit Cody with an Elbow Drop for a two count.
Cody went for the Figure Four again but Warhorse countered into a roll-up for a two count. Cody hit Warhorse with a Dropkick to the knee and then went for the Figure Four again. Warhorse blocked it for a moment but Cody was able to lock it in the for the submission victory.
After the match, Dark Order rushed the ring and attacked Cody. Arn Anderson got in the ring before Matt Cardona (formerly Zack Ryder in wWE) made the save. Cardona shared a hug with Cody and posed witht he champion to end the segment.
Opinion: Warhorse is freaking awesome and I hope he winds up a part of AEW’s roster. Cardona looks jacked out of his mind and I can’t wait to see what AEW has in store for him.
Kenny Omega & Hangman Page defended their AEW Tag Team Championships against Stu Grayson and Evil Uno of Dark Order tonight. Colt Cabana joined commentary for the match.
Match Recap: Evil Uno sent Omega to the corner and hit him with a chop to the chest. Grayson tagged in and booted Omega in the face. Kenny knocked Uno off the apron and hit Stu with a Backbreaker. Hangman tagged in and hit Grayon with a Moonsault for a near fall.
Hangman leveled Evil Uno with a big boot and followed it up with a Fallaway Slam. Page hit Stu with a Crossbody but Evil Uno sent him flying into the ring post. Uno launched Omega into the barricade as Brodie Lee looked on from next to the commentary table.
When Dynamite returned from a break, Omega hit Grayson with a Moonsault for a near fall. Omega sent Stu flying out of the ring but turned around into a big boot from Evil Uno. Evil Uno hit Omega with a Senton off the top rope for a near fall. Grayson hit Omega with a 450 Splash and went for the cover but Kenny kicked out at two.
Hangman leveled Grayson with a Clothesline and then planted Uno with a Powerbomb. Omega hit Uno with a V-trigger for a near fall. Hangman and Omega then hit Evil Uno with the V-Trigger and Buckshot Lariat combo for the pinfall victory. Omega and Page are still the AEW Tag Team Champions.
Brodie Lee demanded that Colt Cabana and Anna Jay leave. Brodie flipped out on Stu Grayson and Evil Uno before grabbing a microphone. Young Bucks came to the ring as Brodie Lee said that the Dark Order is everywhere. Brodie told Hangman Page that he pissed him off for the last time and now it is time he pays. Several members of Dark Order surrounded the ring before FTR made the save. A massive brawl broke out with FTR and The Elite standing tall.
Opinion: This was a great match and the Dark Order has really grown on me as of late. Omega and Hangman still have friction and it seems like Page is gravitating towards FTR. AEW’s tag team division is ridiculous and it is only a matter of time before Page and Omega drop the belts.
AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida faced Diamante tonight in a non-title match.
Match Recap: Shida went right after Diamante to start off the match and beat her down against the ropes. Diamante leveled Shida with a chop and unloaded several punches to the AEW Women’s Champion. Diamante knocked Shida out of the ring and went after her. Hikaru hung up Diamante on the barricade and connected with a running knee to the face.
Back in the ring, Shida climbed to the top rope and hit Diamante with a Dropkick for a two count. Shida followed it up with another knee to the face that sent Diamante to the apron. Diamante hit Shida with a series of chops in the corner that knocked Hikaru to the mat. Diamante hit Shida with a Stunner and went for the cover but the champ kicked out at two. Hikaru connected with a Falcon Arrow and went for the cover but Diamante kicked out at two. Shida followed it up with a running knee to the face for the pinfall victory.
MJF Challenged Jon Moxley To A Title Match At All Out
MJF made a presentation on the state of industy tonight on Dynamite. MJF stated that he has been given a ton of time to force feed the everyone information. MJF asked the fans to use the #MJF2020 and #notmychampion as the crowd chanted “you suck!”.
He referred to the wrestlers in the audience as “bench warmers” and bitched about not being spotlighted two weeks in a row on Dynamite. MJF said it is time for a change of leadership and that one man in particular called for a “paradigm shift”.
MJF claimed AEW has went from an a revolution to a dictatorship and that is why Moxley isn’t his champion. He complained about how everyone just perform gymnastics instead of actually wrestling on the show. MJF mocked Moxley as trying to cosplay Stone Cold and then brought up ratings.
MJF said that he draws better ratings than “Dictator Jon” and that AEW is meant to be the land of opportunity and Moxley has squandered that. MJF vowed to carry AEW on his back because his talent outweighs Moxley’s talent and he is the guy that is going to be leading this company for the next 25 years. He then challenged Moxley to a title match at All Out.
.@The_MJF will address the state of the industry next on Dynamite!
Opinion: MJF cut an awesome promo tonight as usual and I’m looking forward to his feud with Moxley. The ridiculous entrance was great and the Stone Cold line was epic. It is incredible how talented he is already and I would have zero issue with them putting the belt on him at All Out.
Jon Moxley Will Defend AEW Championship Against Darby Allin Next Week
Jon Moxley and Darby Allin faced Brian Cage and Ricky Starks in a Tornado Tag Team match in the main event. Darby Allin hit Starks and Cage with a Coffin Drop before the match started.
Match Recap: Starks hit Darby with a Clothesline as Moxley hit Cage with some chops to the chest outside the ring. Cage leveled Jon with a kick to the face and then caught Allin as he went for a Crossbody. Moxley hit Cage with a Suicide Dive and grabbed a trash can from under the ring as Dynamite went to a break.
When Dynamite returned, Cage hit Allin with a German Suplex for a near fall. Moxley launched a chair into Starks face and then hit Brian with a knee to the midsection. Starks hit Allin with a Spear but Moxley dropped hit him with a Cutter.
Jon hit Cage with a Belly to Back Suplex and then followed it up with a Piledriver for a near fall. Starts hit Moxley with a Dropkick to the face for a two count. Starks and Cage hit Moxley with an Alabama Slam on top of a trash can and went for the cover but Darby broke it up at two.
Allin sent Starks into the ring post and then made his way to the top rope. Moxley and Allin hit a Paradigm Shift/ Coffin Drop combo on Cage for a near fall. Darby grabbed his skateboard that had tacks on it. Allin leaped onto Starks as Moxley had Cage in an Arm Bar. Allin pinned Starks for the victory as blood poured down Ricky’s back. It was announced after the match that Moxley will defend the AEW Championship against Darby Allin next week.
Opinion: Aside from the opening match, this week’s Dynamite was wildly entertaining. I thought MJF’s promo and the TNT Championship match were the highlights of the show.
Imperium (Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel) def. Ever-Rise (Chase Parker & Matt Martel).
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott def. Jake Atlas.
Dexter Lumis def. Timothy Thatcher and Finn Balor in a WWE NXT North American Championship Qualifying Match.
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Tag Opener
Io Shirai and Tegan Nox vs. Candice LeRae and Dakota Kai in a tag team match opened the show and did so in style.
Things got wild towards the end of this solid match. The finish saw Io hit a moonsault off the top rope, but her knees landed on the head of LeRae. Kai didn’t wait around for her partner after the match as she stood on the stage.
The four stars have some history. Of course, we have the never-ending feud between Nox and Kai while Shirai retained her NXT Women’s Championship against Nox two weeks ago on NXT. Following the match, Kai laid out the current champion with a kick to the face.
Fast forward to last week, there was a video promo done by Kai, who stated that it felt good to kick Io in the face. She added that once Shirai returned that she would be waiting on her and to bring the title.
Clearly, WWE is building up Io defending the championship against Kai heading into the NXT TakeOver: 30 event. This was a nice way to continue that program while also featuring Nox and LeRae, who could be headed into their own feud.
In a match that actually made sense in booking, Roderick Strong vs. Johnny Gargano took place in a singles match.
This was the best match on the show and had to be considering the quality of wrestlers in the bout. Gargano went over in the contest when he hit the springboard DDT.
Of course, both guys lost in the triple threat match that saw Bronson Reed win last week in order to move onto the Ladder Match at NXT TakeOver: 30 to crown a new North American Champion.
Reed won after flattening Strong with a top-rope splash after Gargano spiked Strong with a One Final Beat DDT.
Following the match, WWE had them exchange some words that lead to this match.
A triple threat match that featured Finn Balor, Dexter Lumis, and Timothy Thatcher doing battle for the second Ladder Match spot at NXT TakeOver: 30 to crown a new North American Champion.
Balor had his left knee taken out when Thatcher had him in a submission hold. Lumis managed to lock in his submission finisher on Thatcher, who passed out as a result and Lumis won the contest. After the match, Lumis was staring at the title.
It was a fun match with a better ending although some will be surprised with Lumis going over. They protected Balor with the finish though.
As a result, Lumis now joins Bronson Reed as the other competitor in the match. More stars will be added to the bout in the coming weeks.
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Mercedes Martinez in a singles match was booked with it continuing to feud two sides. The match was fine with Martinez going over.
Of course, Blackheart went over Aaliyah last week on NXT as she is a client of Robert Stone, who has been embarrassed by Blackheart over the last few weeks. Following the loss, WWE reintroduced Martinez on television and aligned her with the group.
Two things are pretty clear coming out of this match. One, NXT officials clearly see something in Blackheart and continue to build her up as a likable babyfaces.
The other is that Martinez can be a future title contender as Io Shirai is currently a babyface champion.
Keith Lee responded to Karrion Kross’ actions from last week.
Of course, in the headliner of that show, Kross beat Dominik Dijakovic, who is the good friend yet better enemy of the NXT Champion. Kross beat the former title contender in a violent way when Kross put the head of his opponent between the ring and steps and kicked the steel.
Lee came out to the ring and pleaded for his friend to quit the match, but he took the strikes before being choked out.
On this show, Lee cut a promo about how he can talk all day about how his friend wanted the beatdown and that he is a grown man who will be just fine. Lee stated that Kross has made it a point that he wants his attention and the title. He said that Kross has done extra BS and it means nothing to him.
He said that Kross doesn’t have the balls to face him. Thus, Lee is calling out Kross. Cameron Grimes came out to the ring, but he was taken out by Lee. This led to Scarlett standing on the rampway before Kross appeared on the big screen. Kross questioned Lee for watching his friend get beaten down. He said that Lee has two choices which are to give him his shot at the NXT Title or the hard way that would let everyone suffer.
Lee said that Kross can pick the time and place and he would whoop that a**.
They did a segment on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite where FTR was with two legal counsel members and Tony Schiavone. FTR brought in Arn Anderson, who will be their adviser.
Arn looked over the contract and brought up how they got their signing bonus, a 10-second rule for double-teaming, and a tag rope.
It was also revealed that there will be a tag team appreciation night on August 12th that they’ll be hosting. Adam Page came into the meeting with some whiskey and poured shots. Anderson poured his shot into another glass. Page had poured himself an entire glass and joked that he might’ve poured himself a little too much.
FTR signs with AEW, with guidance from Arn Anderson
AEW President Tony Khan sent out a tweet following the segment by writing the following:
“Welcome to #AEW officially, #FTR @CashWheelerFTR and @DaxHarwood. Thank you for signing your multiyear contracts tonight on #AEWDynamite!”
This comes hours after FTR had an exchange with Khan on Twitter about not being included in the tag team rankings. Khan told them to sign their deals.
FTR made their promotional debut back on the May 27th episode of Dynamite and has been working matches since then.
Zack Ryder (well, Matt Cardona) is all elite. The former WWE wrestler made his AEW debut on this week’s episode of Dynamite in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place on TNT.
Cody Rhodes successfully retained the TNT Championship over Warhorse. After the match, two members of The Dark Order ran out and attacked Rhodes and Warhorse. Arn Anderson got into the ring and was ready to throw down.
This is when Ryder walked out to the ring, looking jacked, and made the save. He hit his finisher to both guys to clear the ring. He hugged it out with Rhodes to end the segment.
Cody and Matt Cardona (AEW Dynamite, 7/29/20)
Fans won’t have to wait long to see Matt Cardona’s in-ring debut. It was announced that next week on Dynamite, Cody and Cardona will team up against the Dark Order in tag team action.
You can see footage of Matt Cardona’ AEW Dynamite debut here:
Zack Ryder’s Road to AEW
Ryder, real name Matt Cardona, was released by WWE due to budget cuts related to the coronavirus back in April. Just like all of the other wrestlers who were released by the company, he had to wait until July 15th until he could sign with another promotion. Ryder was a longtime wrestler for the company.
Leading up this debut, there had been speculation that he might be headed to AEW due to his friendship with Rhodes. That answer has been made. Now, it will be interesting to see where this leads him.
It appears that Rusev is done with the pro wrestling business.
Since his departure from WWE, there has been a lot of speculation about which promotion he will sign with. The majority of fans speculated that he could land in All Elite Wrestling or New Japan Pro Wrestling.
However, the former WWE star may have other ideas. Over the last few months, Rusev, real name Miroslav Barnyashev, has been producing content that he puts on Twitch and YouTube.
In a recent Q&A stream on Twitch, he stated that he has moved on from the business and won’t be wrestling inside of the squared circle anymore.
“I’m done. I’m done, man. I’m just enjoying my Twitch. I’m a professional Twitcher, YouTuber, content creator,” Miro said. “I’m not a wrestler anymore. Can I be your favorite streamer?”
He did note that he texted Vince McMahon and it was a nice conversation.
WWE decided to release several wrestlers and staff back in April due to budget cuts. Before the departure, he hadn’t been used much on television following his storyline with Lana and Bobby Lashley.
Rusev had been reportedly in talks with WWE about a new deal prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which WWE publicly blamed on for the budget cuts.
Cody Rhodes addressed whether AEW has any interest in signing new talent to join their loaded roster.
Following the mass talent firings done by WWE back in April, there are several notable wrestlers on the free-agent market right now. While some talent such as EC3, Eric Young, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson have joined Impact Wrestling, there are other wrestlers who are still not under contract with any promotion.
That includes Rusev and Zack Ryder. These two stars have been spoken highly about by Rhodes. The AEW TNT Champion did an interview with ESPN where he discussed whether the promotion has any interest in signing them.
“I think there are two free agents that are on a lot of people’s radar, that being Miro — formerly Rusev — and Matt Cardona, who was Zack Ryder. Obviously, those free agents should be on any radar. They have literally drawn money. They have TV experience. They have high-profile experience. They have locker room experience. The pros heavily outweigh the cons.
Those are two great free agents. I’m not going to go as far to say that if I had to sign anybody, those would be the two that I would sign. But I think they’re great free agents. I think if they have the passion for pro wrestling, they’re going to continue to succeed.”
Rhodes continued by talking about how AEW only has a few hours of programming each week with a lot of their roster that hasn’t been fully seen by its fanbase. Thus, he wants to make sure that he honors their existing roster while considering bringing in other wrestlers.
Another talent who is on the free-agent market right now is Tessa Blanchard, a former Impact World Champion who recently departed from the company.
Rhodes stated that he doesn’t know about the current situation between Blanchard and Impact. He noted that this would be a decision left to be made by Kenny Omega, Brandi Rhodes, and Tony Khan, who oversee the women’s division.
“She was part of All In for us. And anyone who was part of All In has a place in my heart. On a personal level, I always want all the second- and third-generation wrestlers to have the best experience.”
He added that she’s talented and he is sure that is something that the three other executives have talked about.
Rhodes did acknowledge his respect for Rey Mysterio but knows that Mysterio is currently in talks with WWE for a new deal. Thus, he didn’t give much of a comment about him.
Conspicuously absent from the tag team rankings are FTR, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. The omission was not lost on Wheeler, questioned, “Hello? Anyone there?”
This prompted a response from AEW President Tony Khan, who revealed that Harwood and Wheeler have yet to sign their AEW contracts.
As I’ve told your attorney, you each need to sign your contracts before we can rank you in the top 5.
Dax Harwood then noted he and Cash will make a decision on the matter today.
“Mr. Kahn dropping personal information on twitter. We’ll make our decision today,” Harwood Tweeted in response.
AEW Tag Team Rankings
FTR are 4-1 thus far in AEW. They have defeated Butcher and the Blade, SCU, The Lucha Bros, and Peter Avalon & Brandon Cutler. Their only loss came at Fyter Fest when they teamed with the Young Bucks and dropped an 8-wrestler match to the Lucha Bros and Butcher and the Blade.
