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Details On Structure Of AEW Talent Contracts

Andrew Ravens
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AEW has a large number of wrestlers under contract these days ranging from various notable top stars such as Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley to lower-tiered stars who work on the undercard. 

As expected, All Elite Wrestling has different contracts in place depending on the level of activity of wrestlers.  Dave Meltzer broke down these different contracts in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer.

For wrestlers who work Dark tapings, they are signed to per date deals. An exception to this rule was Benjamin Carter, who is now under contract with WWE. It was noted that the majority of wrestlers who appear on AEW television has “one deal or another.”

Wrestlers who AEW publicly announces to signing with the promotion are given weekly guarantees. On Thursday, AEW announced that Jade Cargill had signed a multi-year deal and she would be included in this category. 

‘Newcomers’ in AEW are making more than WWE NXT contracts as that’s the general rule, but if these same stars were on WWE main roster they would be making more in the sports entertainment company. 

During his recent appearance on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, Cody Rhodes discussed AEW having different tiers of talent contracts and joked that the the top tier is the ‘Jericho level.’

Jim Cornette Talks FTR vs The Young Bucks from AEW Full Gear

Latest On AEW & NJPW Possible Working Relationship

Michael Reichlin
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There is renewed interest regarding a potential working relationship between All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Harold Meij stepped down as President of NJPW on October 23rd. AEW President Tony Khan spoke to Dave Meltzer last month about the departure. When asked if he thinks Meij’s departure could improve relations between the promotions, Khan said he was not sure yet, but “my initial gut feeling is it could be good.”

Since then, Hiroshi Tanahashi made a cameo appearance on AEW Dynamite at the Chris Jericho 30th anniversary special, Tama Tonga saying he wants to work with FTR and the Lucha Bros and more comments from Tony Khan about the situation.

Earlier this week, Tony Khan told TSN that a talent exchange has been been somewhat one-sided so far. “We’ve sent people there and I haven’t really had people from New Japan show up on my TV yet. I’d like to see more of a two-sided relationship there because I’m honestly one of the easiest people to work with in wrestling. We’ve worked with NWA, we’ve worked with AAA and we’ve sent people to New Japan. I think with Harold being gone, I don’t know if it’s going to be easier, but I have a feeling it might be.”

Dave Meltzer noted in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that NJPW talent is interested in working with AEW. However, management still has bad feelings about AEW taking so many of their top stars like Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks.

As of this writing, there are no AEW wrestlers scheduled to compete at Wrestle Kingdom in January. Things could change over the next month, but a full-blown partnership remains elusive. Both companies stand to benefit from working together, so hopefully whatever differences exist can be put aside in order to deliver some historic moments for wrestling fans in 2021.

Jim Cornette Talks FTR vs The Young Bucks from AEW Full Gear

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE, TNA, WCW and NWA personality Jim Cornette recently discussed the AEW Full Gear PPV. Cornette is outspoken in his hatred for the majority of AEW’s programming, however he is a big proponent of the FTR tag team.

Full Gear of course featured the much anticipated dream match between FTR and The Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championships. Although lauded by the majority of AEW fans, Cornette would discuss how it was a mistake to have the first match in the programme be ‘worked’ in the way it did.

Jim Cornette on FTR vs The Young Bucks

“It’s a programme, that’s the point, this was the very first meeting” Jim Cornette began on the Drive Thru podcast. “They rushed it, they could have had it in front of people. But they could STILL have the big one in front of people. Because this? This was the first one you lunatics! How can you not think about this!?”

Cornette would elaborate further, saying why the blowaway match between the two teams was ‘too much’ for a first encounter. “This wasn’t supposed to be the classic match. This was supposed to be what hooked people, what made them wonder, ‘what if?’ Establish that. That’s despite the fact that they botched the whole build up, everybody’s positioning, everything.”

Jim Cornette would then say how the psychology of the match (in his mind) was completely wrong. The build on social media between the two teams for years has been ‘who has the best in-ring style?’ With FTR championing the ‘no flips, just fists’ mantra and The Young Bucks being the high-flying duo.

“Instead of FTR immediately working [the Bucks’ style]…there’s been these supposedly bad feelings and bad blood and jealousy over ‘whose style is better?’ The Young Bucks with the flying, the backyard type stuff. Or FTR with no flips just fists, they’re legitimate wrestlers.”

Cornette would finish by saying how the finish of the match, which saw Cash Wheeler attempt a 450 splash completely went against how the start of a feud should be built. “Don’t just have a f*cking match like you do with everybody else! Do it smart! Instead of working with them right away, and especially instead of doing the Buck’s sh*t right away. FTR shouldn’t cooperate!”

Do you agree with Jim Cornette? Do you think that it was one of the best tag team matches of all time? Let us know in the comments

Kenny Omega Explains North Carolina References During Ring Introductions

Chris Stephens
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Recently in AEW, Kenny Omega has been given long introductions before making his way to the ring. These ring intros include a listing of his many accomplishments and nicknames but also some strange references to the state of North Carolina.

According to Omega himself, the references to North Carolina are an homage to the starting lineup introductions for the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls. Fans would always cheer loudly when the PA announcer would say “From North Carolina, at guard, 6ft 6, Michael Jordan!”

Jordan played college ball in North Carolina and spent much of his childhood in Wilmington, NC.

Lance Storm asked about the references to North Carolina recently on Twitter and Omega responded.

Kenny Omega Inducted Into Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame

Additionally, Kenny Omega was recently selected for induction in the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. Omega also responded to this news on Twitter recently.

“I’m not even sure what to say. To be amongst those that have done so much for our sport is incredibly humbling. With however many years I have left as an active performer, I’ll keep trying my best to contribute something positive to the world of Pro Wrestling,” Omega Tweeted.

Sasha Banks On Bayley Feud: ‘It’s Been Everything That I’ve Ever Wanted’

Steve Russell
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Current WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks has opened up about her current feud with her former friend, Bayley.

Speaking with DigitalSpy, “The Boss” explained how the entire Bayley storyline was “a long time coming.” She added how “[…] there were times in the past where we saw it stop and go, but in the long run we really had to have the fans see this long, long friendship which you don’t really get to see in the WWE too often.”

She reflected on how their storyline and relationship had gone through a five-year journey to get to this point. Banks shared how the pay-off with Bayley turning on her and their subsequent feud has met all her high expectations.

Banks explained how her feud with Bayley drew inspiration from the Trish Stratus versus Mickie James rivalry. “[…] they had a year-long storyline when I was watching as a teenager,” she said. “That’s what I wanted growing up, I wanted a year-long storyline where you just were on the ride the whole time. So for us, it’s kind of like a revamp of that.”

Sasha Banks noted how it’s satisfying to see the time and investment WWE has poured into its women’s division paying off. She noted how the female roster has been taking over WWE with “non-stop […] incredible momentum.”

Booker T Lists His Top Five Modern-Day WWE Superstars

Steve Russell
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WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has shared a list of his top five modern-day Superstars during a recent episode of his Hall of Fame podcast.

At number five is former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre. Number four is The Hurt Business’, Bobby Lashley, who Booker T would like to see “move up to next phase as far as beating up the upper tier guys to get to that upper level.”

Kevin Owens also made the list, with Booker T noting that KO “is always” somewhere in his personal top five rankings. He explained how “Kevin is one of those guys who is grinding and is always trying to better himself in every way, at home as well as on the job.”

The number two slot belonged to the current WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. Booker T pointed to Reigns’ impactful return and pivot into The Tribal Chief gimmick, stressing how it “definitely sparked the wrestling world.” He added how Reigns is now looked at as a “totally different person” thanks to the character change.

Booker T’s Number One Pick

“Coming in at number 1 is Sami Zayn. I wish I had 10 Sami Zayn’s,” Booker T said. “I could build a great company around guys with that knowledge and that talent, and know how to do their job and do their job to the best of their ability until something better comes along. That’s the type of guy that Sami is. He is not looking to hang in the back. He is always the guy that is going to be raising his hand looking to get to the front of the class.”

Booker T explained that Sami Zayn stands out because of how Zayn makes wrestling “real” for him. He noted that this is just his opinion. Still, because of this skill, it made Zayn’s inclusion at the number one spot a “no-brainer” for Booker T.

Kane Reveals His Top Three Undertaker Matches Of All Time

Steve Russell
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With WWE celebrating The Undertaker’s 30th Anniversary throughout November, many are reminiscing on the matches and memories The Undertaker has provided during his historic career. During an interview with Ryan Satin for WWE on FOX, ‘Taker’s on-screen brother, Kane, revealed his top three Undertaker matches of all time.

Kane’s Favorite Undertaker Matches

One of the bouts Kane mentioned was The Undertaker versus Shawn Michaels match at WrestleMania 25. He explained how this match is “[…] one of the greatest wrestling matches in history.”

Kane added how, if he had to show someone what he did for a living as a pro wrestler, he would want to show them this match as he believes it embodies everything about pro wrestling.

Kane’s Inferno Match against The Undertaker from Unforgiven 1998 also made the list. He shared how it holds a special place for him because of how unique it was. As far as he’s concerned, it helped to take their feud to “another level.”

“The WrestleMania match [we had] a month before was pretty important since it was the first time Taker and Kane locked horns inside the ring. However, the Inferno Match took our rivalry to another level. It gave fans a spectacular visual experience with a ring surrounded by flames leaping up.”

Lastly, Kane pointed to The Undertaker’s Hell in a Cell match against Shawn Michaels at 1997’s Badd Blood. He stressed its importance as the first-ever Hell in a Cell match but also noted how it’s also a “[…] fantastic match and will go down in WWE history.”

“Also, because the match ended with what I believe is the greatest debut in WWE history. Not because it was my debut but because the table was set up so well for me, for Kane, to finally arrive in WWE.” 

The Undertaker: 30 Year Anniversary

This month’s Survivor Series pay-per-view is also being used as a ‘Final Farewell’ event for “The Dead Man.” 

The Undertaker originally debuted for WWE at Survivor Series 1990. The promotion has recently been promoting a ’30 Year Anniversary’ for The Undertaker alongside its ’30 Days of the Deadman’ specials on the WWE Network.

WWE Survivor Series takes place Sunday, November 22nd from the Thunderdome in Orlando, FL.

Update On Original Creative Plans For Kylie Rae In Impact & AAA

Chris Stephens
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Kylie Rae was scheduled to wrestle Deonna Purrazzo for the Impact Knockouts Championship at Bound For Glory. She did not appear on the show, however. While many details of the situation are being kept private, Kylie would later announce on Patreon that she is no longer a professional wrestler.

According to a recent update from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Kylie had been scheduled to defeat Purrazzo for the title. She was also expected to begin portraying a Marvel character as part of AAA’s new deal with the company.

“She was also going to be one of the two women playing Marvel characters in AAA which was going to be a high-profile mainstream spot, with lots of merchandise in Mexico and the possibility of it opening up in the U.S. as well,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Kylie released the following statement to her Patreon subscribers earlier this month:

“I’m truly sorry for the pain I’ve caused and miscommunication, I am currently unwell. I’m also sorry that I wasn’t able to get this out before your monthly subscription charge.”

“I wanted to take this time to say I am no longer a professional wrestler and am currently taking a break from social media. It’s been a very hard decision to make but please understand. When I am well, I will try to fulfill any obligations that have missed.”

Kylie has not been released from her contract with Impact Wrestling. Although Kylie has stated she is no longer a wrestler, the door has been left open for her if she decides to return.

Su Yung replaced Kylie at Bound For Glory and won the title. Her and Purrazzo will rematch at Turning Point on Saturday.

Sasha Banks’ Character Premieres On Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney+)

Chris Stephens
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A new episode of the Mandalorian is currently available on Disney+ and Sasha Banks’ character makes her first appearance. Her performance on the show is credited under her real-name of Mercedes Varnado.

Banks has been posting to Twitter today in recognition of her character’s first appearance on the show.

“The Mandalorian braves high seas and meets unexpected allies,” reads a description for the episode.

Banks spoke to Digital Spy earlier this month about the role.

“I am just beyond extreme blessed. I cannot believe that I am in two of the biggest universes in the whole world, with WWE and the Star Wars universe,” Banks said. “I’m just like so in shock. I can’t believe it.”

“I act every single week on Friday Night Smackdown,” Sasha continued. “So I love performing and I love entertaining. So wherever that takes me, then that’s where I want to be.”

In September, Banks appeared in the trailer for the new season of the show. She appeared in a long robe that led to some speculation she could be portraying a Jedi character.

Renee Young was evidently also excited to learn about Banks’ role on the show:

In the below video, the YouTube channel “Star Wars Coffee” previews the character Banks portrays in the Mandalorian Season 2:

Update On AEW Full Gear PPV Buyrate

Chris Stephens
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AEW presented Full Gear from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida last weekend. The show was the 4th and final PPV event for the company in 2020. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the show’s buyrate was consistent with what the company has done for previous shows.

“It looks to have done about the same as All Out in September and Revolution in February,” wrote Dave Meltzer. Those events both hovered around 100,000 buys.

Most AEW PPVs hover around 100,000 buys, with the only exception being May’s Double or Nothing 2020 event. That show featured the Stadium Stampede match pitting the Elite and Matt Hardy against the Inner Circle. It is estimated to have done 115,00 to 120,000 buys on PPV. This was just two months into the pandemic and at the time, PPV numbers were up for the UFC as well.

AEW’s Full Gear 2020 is projected to be around the same or slightly above what Full Gear 2019 is said to have done. That event is believed to have gotten around 100,000 buys or slightly lower.

AEW PPV Buyrate estimates:

  • Double or Nothing 2019 – approximately 100,000 buys.
  • All Out 2019 – approximately 100,000 buys.
  • Full Gear 2019 – approximately 100,000 buys or slightly lower.
  • Revolution 2020 – approximately 100,000 buys.
  • Double or Nothing 2020 – approximately 115,000 – 120,000 buys.
  • All Out 2020 – approximately 100,000 buys.
  • Full Gear 2020 – approximately 100,000 buys.

The Undertaker Not Interested In More Cinematic Matches For WWE

Steve Russell
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Despite receiving positive feedback to his cinematic Boneyard Match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36, The Undertaker has revealed he has some problems with cinematic matches.

“It really doesn’t appeal to me because basically what it is, is working around my limitations,” The Undertaker informed NYPost. “It’s capitalizing on some of my ability and some of my creative ability to tell a story but basically it’s trying to mask some of the lack of my physical abilities at this point.” 

He explained how he came to the realization that he had “taken every physical gift, tool that I have and have used it up.”

Undertaker then used water and a sponge as an analogy for how he currently feels. He shared how he had “rung everything I could get out of that sponge.”

When asked if he’s still training, The Undertaker shared that he continues to do so. However, he stressed that he’s not training in preparation for a matchup. Instead, he’s training and working out in an effort to stay healthy. 

This month’s Survivor Series pay-per-view is also being used as a ‘Final Farewell’ event for “The Dead Man.”

Originally making his WWE debut at Survivor Series 1990, WWE has recently been promoting a ’30 Year Anniversary’ for The Undertaker alongside its ’30 Days of the Deadman’ specials on the WWE Network.

WWE Survivor Series takes place Sunday, November 22nd from the Thunderdome in Orlando, FL.

Rey Mysterio Reveals Dominik Wasn’t Meant To Debut Until 2021

Steve Russell
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WWE Legend Rey Mysterio has revealed how his son, Dominik Mysterio, was not meant to debut in WWE until 2021. The two recently joined Lilian Garcia as guests for her podcast, Chasing Glory.

“We weren’t expecting this opportunity so quick,” Mysterio told Garcia. “We were still giving it about another year of training. We started to negotiate with WWE for him to potentially sign a developmental deal and we said ok.”

Rey Mysterio shared how he instructed Dominik to travel to the WWE Performance Center and get himself ready. He noted that Dominik needed to be “ready by 2021.”

However, an opportunity to wrestle Seth Rollins arose that forced them to reassess their plans.

“This opportunity presented itself. I told him I can’t say yes or no. It’s up to you. However you feel,” Mysterio said. ‘As a parent, the last thing I wanted him to do is fail on his first try. I said all eyes are on you. It isn’t an indie show with no TV. You are live worldwide, SummerSlam, one of the biggest PPVs in WWE. He took the opportunity. He had been training for almost three years by then.”

Dominik Mysterio explained how he felt confident he could make the most of the opportunity. He highlighted how his training had taken him from “Tempe, to Calgary and then to come home to San Diego.”

He noted how the people had been training with and the positive feedback he received made him feel he could do it. Ultimately, “I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity that was being presented so I jumped on it.”

Dominik Mysterio debuted at WWE’s SummerSlam pay-per-view. He competed in a losing effort against Seth Rollins in a Street Fight.

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More Details On A Potential Bella Twins Return To WWE

Steve Russell
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Following reports indicating the Bella Twins may be interested in an in-ring return, Nikki Bella’s fiancee, Artem Chigvintsev, has revealed the twins have been in talks with WWE.

“She’s been having talks about coming back and doing something together with [her twin sister], Brie [Bella],” Chigvintsev revealed to USWeekly. “They both have kids, and I feel like they still have this unclosed chapter with wrestling. I would not be surprised.”

His words follow Brie Bella’s recent comments expressing an interest in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles in an interview with Michael Lopez on Access.

“When we left, all of the sudden the WWE Women’s Tag Titles came, and we’re like, ‘Wait a sec, that’s for the Bella Twins.’ Like, we’ve been dying to have tag titles, and so her and I feel like we have one more run in us, and we really want to go for those tag titles,” Brie Bella revealed.

While the twins have never held tag-team gold, they are both former WWE Divas Champions. Brie held the title once while Nikki had two reigns with the belt. Nikki’s 307 combined days with the title is second only to AJ Lee’s 406 combined days with that particular championship.

Both Nikki and Brie Bella announced their retirement from in-ring competition in March 2019.

Details Behind Leon Ruff’s NXT North American Championship Victory

Steve Russell
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This week’s episode of NXT saw Johnny Gargano suffer an upset loss to Leon Ruff. This loss cost Gargano the NXT North American Championship in the process. The belief is that Ruff’s win is being considered a joke at Gargano’s expense. It is intended to be used to reinforce the idea the Gargano is a “cursed” champion.

According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline, Ruff’s victory was not done in an effort to turn the young talent into a major star. He reflected on how a Superstar coming in and winning a championship in their first bout is rarely done.

It was noted, however, that the technique has been used in the past. When done, it was intended to help get a Superstar instantly over with the crowd. Past Superstars who have won singles gold in their debut matches include Paige, Carlito, and Santino Marella, to name a few.

Leon Ruff: NXT North American Champion

It didn’t take long for people to congratulate Leon Ruff following his surprising victory and for Gargano to take issue with the loss.

Triple H reached out to Ruff via Twitter to offer his congratulations. After winning the match, the North American Championship actually fell off Ruff after he raised his hands to celebrate. Triple H commented on the moment in his tweet, joking how “That’s why we don’t call it a belt.”

You can watch Ruff’s surprise championship victory over Gargano below:

Tony Khan Teases “Aces Up The Sleeve” For AEW In The Weeks Ahead

Steve Russell
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AEW President Tony Khan says wrestling fans have some big surprises in store in the weeks ahead

Khan teased that Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite would see the balance of power in wrestling shift. The show saw the debut of Jade Cargill, a a tease that Shaq is headed to AEW and the return of PAC, who has been out of action for several months during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some fans questioned if the “balance of power” shift was excessive hype. However, Tony Khan assured fans that there are some incredible moments still to come before the end of the year. He then noted that he has some “aces up the sleeve” that fans are sure to enjoy.

A New Chapter

Following the end of this week’s AEW Dynamite, Khan took to Twitter to thank fans who tuned in and reflect on PAC’s return. He noted how the episode “opened a new chapter” for the promotion. Khan then promised how “indelible moments” are still ahead for Dynamite in the coming months.

Before PAC’s hiatus, forced due to travel limitations because of the coronavirus pandemic, he had debuted a stable with Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix, known as Death Triangle.

Following his time away from the promotion, however, the Lucha Bros eventually aligned themselves with Eddie Kingston and his ‘Family.’

Jade Cargill Signs Multi-Year Deal With AEW

Michael Reichlin
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AEW has announced that Jade Cargill is All Elite. AEW sent in word that Cargill has signed a multi-year deal with the company and will be part of the women’s division.

“I joined AEW because here I have a voice,” said Jade. “I’m ready to shake up the women’s division, and I’m going to flip this promotion on its head.”

AEW President Tony Khan touted Jade’s credentials and stating that her signing demonstrates their commitment to signing world class athletes as they build the Women’s roster.

Khan said, “I’m confident that fans will enjoy getting to know Jade’s strong personality and watching her development as a wrestler after her surprising confrontation with Cody and Brandi Rhodes last night on Dynamite.”

Jade Cargill made her official debut on this week’s AEW Dynamite. She confronted Cody Rhodes in a segment and took issue with Cody’s reputation for being a ‘Giant Killer.’ She said that she knows a giant – none other than Shaquille O’Neil. Shaq has expressed interest in wrestling Cody, so this latest development indicates we may actually see them in the ring together in some capacity.

After talking trash to the American Nightmare, Cargill was interrupted by his wife, AEW Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHgYCFNhFoQ/

According to her official website, Cargill is a business owner, trainer and active mother. She played basketball at Jacksonville University and has a masters in child psychology.

AEW Dynamite Tops NXT In Viewership & Key Demo (Nov. 11th)

Michael Reichlin
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AEW Dynamite scored another win over NXT this week in overnight viewership and the Adults 18-49 demographic. Here is the breakdown, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

  • AEW: 764,000 viewers, 0.30 rating (17th on cable for the night)
  • NXT: 632,000 viewers, 0.16 rating (56th on cable for the night)

Both shows were up slightly from last week, when AEW had 717,000 viewers with a 0.30 rating (even) and NXT did 610,000 viewers and a 0.14 in the key demo. The Top 20 shows on cable were dominated by news shows once again, with only two episodes of ‘Real Housewives’ drawing better than AEW.

For comparison, Monday’s WWE Raw averaged 1.690 million viewers with a 0.54 rating.

You can find full results and our takeaways from both shows below:

John Cena Reached Out To The Bella Twins After They Gave Birth

Michael Reichlin
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Nikki Bella says ex-fiancé John Cena reached out to her and sister Brie after they gave birth to baby boys one day apart earlier this year.

The former couple got engaged at WrestleMania 33, but it was not meant to be. They broke off the engagement the following year. Nikki tells US Weekly that Cena called to congratulate the twins.

“So with the baby, he reached out to Brie and I both,” said Nikki. “We haven’t had an individual conversation in gosh, I don’t know how long, but it was very short and sweet!”

Nikki Bella has started a family with Artem Chigvintsev and John Cena is now married to Shay Shariatzadeh. They have both moved on with their lives, but Nikki says she and John Cena will always be tied together.

“John and I will be tied forever,” she said. “I get that, like, we had a public relationship on a reality show for six years. All I’ve ever wanted was for him to be happy. So, it makes me happy when I see that and, like, him kicking butt in the movie world and all that stuff. I love that!”

Nikki hasn’t wrestled since 2018, but teased that she and Brie might return for one last run in hopes of winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles.

The Bella Twins Say They Have “One More Run” Left In WWE

You can watch Nikki Bella talk about her recent conversation with John Cena in the player embedded below:

WWE Reportedly Interested In Re-Signing No Way Jose

Chris Stephens
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Levis Valenzuela Jr, better known to wrestling fans as No Way Jose, was signed to WWE in 2015. The following year, he began portraying the No Way Jose character in NXT. He’d take the act to the main roster in 2018 but failed to make a big impact on the RAW brand. He was released along with many others in April.

According to a report from Fightful, however, WWE has interest in re-signing the 32-year-old. It is not altogether clear if he would be coming back under his old gimmick.

WWE recently filed to trademark the name “The Way” as well, leading to some speculation it could be related to Valenzuela’s return.

Shortly after being released, No Way Jose began taking indy bookings under the name Levy Valenz.

Over the summer, he released the below video:

https://twitter.com/LevyValenz/status/1284344192211120131

He’s only wrestled one match on record since leaving WWE. That occurred in August when he appeared on a Lariato Pro show in Georgia. He teamed with Doc Gallows on the card and they defeated the team of Air Paris & Aleksandr Koloff. His last match in WWE was on April 13th when he dropped a match to Bobby Lashley on RAW.

Dax Harwood Releases Statement Following Loss To The Young Bucks

Chris Stephens
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It happened. FTR wrestled the Young Bucks and now, many wrestling fans are rejoicing. The match that was years in the making took place at AEW Full Gear. The Young Bucks defeated FTR and won the AEW World Tag Team Championships for the first time.

Dax Harwood released a statement regarding the match. He posted the following to Twitter:

“The emotions of Saturday night have finally settled down. Thank you to everyone for the praise & admiration of this match. The texts and calls I’ve received from guys and girls who are considered the best in this business will never be forgotten. We poured every bit of passion, intensity, & fire we could muster up from the bottom of our soul to find out who was the best.”

“I had many sleepless nights because of this one match. The moment in time that our hands would be raised and we’d be called the greatest tag team of this generation actually scared me. What if we didn’t deliver on our behalf?! What if this one match completely tainted our legacy?! Money’s cool. Fame is cool. A legacy lasts forever.”

“Will it go down as one of the greatest tag matches in US wrestling history? I don’t know. My only hope is that we made you FEEL. I don’t care about the stars or the ratings. For 36 years, professional wrestling has made me FEEL. I still FEEL! With everything I have, I LOVE this sport. I’m happy this match could for you what many others did for me.”

“Young Bucks, I hope there’s a round 2. Top Guys, out.”

Leon Ruff, Johnny Gargano & Triple H React To NXT North American Title Change

Michael Reichlin
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Leon Ruff scored a shocking win over Johnny Gargano on Wednesday’s NXT to capture the brand’s North American Championship. Ruff noted on Twitter that the victory was one of the greatest moments of his life.

WWE NXT Results & Takeaways (11/11)

The match came about when Gargano spun a wheel with various NXT wrestlers’ names on it to determine who he would defend the title against. In what turned out to be a short match, Ruff scored the victory with a crucifix driver after Damian Priest came out and distracted Gargano.

You can see footage from the Ruff vs. Gargano match here, in case you missed it on television.

Triple H congratulated Leon Ruff on his big win. In a memorable moment after the match, the North American Championship fell off Leon Ruff when he raised his hands in victory. Triple H joked, “That’s why we don’t call it a belt.”

Johnny Gargano was livid after his short title reign came to a dramatic conclusion. WWE released the following video Gargano complaining to NXT General Manager William Regal.

Overall, this was a pretty hot angle for NXT and an effective way to catapult newcomer Leon Ruff into prominence.

Peyton Royce Says She’ll Only Be In A Tag Team With Billie Kay

Chris Stephens
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Peyton Royce and Billie Kay lost a match this summer to the Riott Squad that carried the stipulation that the losing team had to disband. Just like that, the former WWE Women’s tag-team champions were split up.

On RAW lately, Peyton Royce has been teaming with Lacey Evans. When WWE sent out a Tweet asking fans to give the pair a name, however, Royce responded that they were not a team. She added in that she would only ever form a team with Billie Kay.

Here is what Royce said on Twitter:

“We are not a team. I will only be in a tag team if it’s with Billie Kay. That’s it. The end. I’m dead serious.”

She continued to say that her and Billie Kay can re-form their team once they have accomplished enough as singles competitors.

“The IIconics can return in years after we have both challenged ourselves & made exponential growth as singles competitors,” Peyton followed up with.

The Iiconics won the WWE Women’s tag-team titles at WrestleMania 35. They won a 4-way match and won the titles away from Sasha Banks and Bayley. They held the belts for 120 days before dropping them to Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross.

Cody Talks Shawn Spears Chair Shot, AEW’s Success & More On ‘Unrestricted’

Michael Reichlin
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Cody Rhodes is the latest guest on the AEW Unrestricted podcast for the show’s season two premiere. The American Nightmare sat down with Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone to discuss recently securing the right to use the Rhodes name, Dynamite’s first year TNT, his future and more.

Here are some highlights of what Cody Rhodes said abbout:

What fans can expect from AEW Dynamite in the coming year:

“In year 2, we’re going to make some big moves to expand the audience that are not so much moves that you would think we would make, but I’m excited about them.”

His future in pro wrestling:

“For the next 5 years, I want to wrestle at the absolute highest level I can wrestle, be part of the building of new stars, but I’m not going to apologize if my run continues at its rate. I’m going to ride the lightning bolt until I can’t anymore.”

Cody Reveals Plans To Run For United States Senate

The infamous Shawn Spears chair shot at Fyter Fest 2019:

“I told him [Shawn Spears] to swing from the side, and the last words I told him were, ‘swing for the fences,’ and when I landed, I don’t know if you can make out in the camera shot, but when I landed, my head is so stiff from the shot that I land the awkward landing when you have two falls, I muttered, ‘swing for the fences.’”

Cody also spoke his time driving John Cena around while at WWE and why he firmly believes that “nobody is a nobody” in pro wrestling. You can listen to the full episode in the player embedded below or at Omny.fm.

Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega Signed For AEW Dynamite (12/2)

Michael Reichlin
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Wrestling won’t have to wait until February’s AEW Revolution pay-per-view to see Kenny Omega do battle with Jon Moxley.

Kenny Omega won the recent World Title Eliminator Tournament to earn a shot at AEW World Champion Jon Moxley. Some fans expected this match would headline Revolution, but AEW has announced this match will take place next month on Dynamite instead.

Jon Moxley will defend the AEW World Championship against Kenny Omega on the December 2nd edition of Dynamite. It is not hyperbole to say this will be the biggest main event in the history of AEW Dynamite. This match could easily headline a PPV.

Moxley and Omega have squared off once before in AEW. Last November at Full Gear, Moxley got the win in an unsanctioned Lights Out match that drew a lot of controversy due to the excessive violence.

Kenny Omega will be Jon Moxley’s toughest title defense to date. Since parting ways with former tag team partner “Hangman” Page, Omega has been hell bent on proving to fans that he is still the “Best In The World” and capable of the type of matches we saw during his run in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Jon Moxley Reveals Original Plans For His Full Gear Opponent

AEW Dynamite New Cold Open, Matches For Next Week

Michael Reichlin
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AEW Dynamite premiered a new opening video package this week, along with refreshed on-screen graphics. Below is the new cold open video:

Several matches and segments have been announced for next week’s Dynamite broadcast. They include:

  • PAC vs. The Blade
  • Orange Cassidy vs. Kip Sabian
  • The Young Bucks vs. Top Flight (Non-Title Match)
  • Darby Allin & Cody Rhodes vs. Brian Cage & Ricky Starks

Plus, the MJF takes the Inner Circle to Las Vegas. As seen in the backstage photo from this week’s Dynamite, there are a lot of dynamics at play within this new incarnation of Chris Jericho’s faction.

https://twitter.com/sammyguevara/status/1326726261453041665

Below are some of the new aforementioned match graphics:

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