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Triple H Attributes Velveteen Dream’s ‘Rough Year’ To Immaturity In His Personal Life

Michael Reichlin
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Triple H held a Q&A session Sunday afternoon prior to NXT Takeover 31 from the new Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, FL.

The Game touched upon many topics, but the one that is getting the most attention involves controversial wrestler Velveteen Dream. Dream was accused of having ‘sexually inappropriate’ communications with a minor earlier this year.

WWE says they conducted an investigation into the matter and “didn’t find anything,” although the accuser says he was never contacted by the organization.

During Sunday’s Q&A, Triple H commented on Velveteen Dream’s match against KUSHIDA. He expressed that Dream is coming off a rough year resulting from “immaturity in his personal life”

“Coming off of what was a bit of a rough year for Velveteen Dream, reorganizing himself,” said Triple H. “You know, Dream is one of those young guys that still hasn’t quite found his way yet of who he wants to be. And I think sometimes that weighs on him. His immaturity in his life presents itself in his professional life and makes it difficult for him sometimes.”

Triple H previously stated that WWE has moved on from the “alleged underaged sexting” situation. Fans revolted when Dream was recently brought back to WWE TV. The hashtag #FireVelveteenDream has been a trending topic on social media on more than one occasion.

KUSHIDA picked up the win over Velveteen Dream at NXT Takeover 31.

Injury Updates For Finn Balor & Kyle O’Reilly Following NXT Takeover

Michael Reichlin
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WWE has provided injury updates for Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly following their hard-hitting match in the main event of Sunday’s NXT Takeover 31.

Balor retained the NXT Championship over the Undisputed Era star, but at a steep cost. According to WWE storylines, Balor was hospitalized after the show. He received CAT scans to determine the extent of the damage he sustained and has ‘potential facial fractures.’

Meanwhile, WWE states that O’Reilly broke several teeth during the match. He was evaluated for additional injuries.

Fans can expect updates on the condition of both men this Wednesday night. This will be the first episode of NXT TV taking place inside the new Capitol Wrestling Center at the Performance Center

Triple H commended both men Sunday night after NXT Takeover.

Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 9

Evan S
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New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

Start Times:

  • Pacific: 10/5 3AM
  • Eastern: 10/5 6AM
  • UK: 10/5 11AM
  • Japan: 10/5 7PM
  • East Australia: 10/5 9PM

NJPW World Video (Japanese Commentary)

G1 Climax 30 Day 9 Results

Yuya Uemura def. Gabriel Kidd (7:35)
The neck strength fostered at the NJPW Dojo, and likely most of the dojos in Japan, is truly otherworldly. It’s not even the first time they did this in this series of tournament matches, but watching Uemura bridge while an adult man is kneeling on his torso never fails to impress. What also never fails to please is when someone takes the most obvious move possible, to break the hold they’re trapped in, seen in this match when Kidd ended Uemura’s arm wringer with a loud elbow to the face. I enjoy the struggle that young lion matches embody and oftentimes non-young lions focus more on showcasing their repertoire than embodying that struggle. Yuya Uemura won by submission with a high-angle Boston crab.

A Block: Shingo Takagi def. Yujiro Takahashi (13:38)
Yujiro was sensible enough to understand that fighting dirty was the only hope he had against a powerhouse like Shingo. He bent the rules in every way possible, between hair pulling, biting, and slamming Shingo’s head into the corner post, and a reverse DDT on the apron for good measure. Eventually, Shingo got frustrated enough to bite Yujiro on the hand the way he did to Shingo earlier. It must hurt being bitten by a dragon. Yujiro pushed Shingo harder than I expected, hitting the Miami Shine and trying to set up for Pimp Juice, but Shingo stopped him. Eventually, Yujiro pushed the referee and tried to hit Shingo with his pimp cane, but Shingo lariated it away. A following Pumping Bomber and Last of the Dragon put Yujiro away in decisive fashion. Shingo 4 points, Yujiro 0 points

A Block: Jeff Cobb def. Jay White (12:24)
Taking a lesson from Bullet Club stablemate Yujiro in the previous match, Jay White used underhanded tactics to try and cut Mr. Athletic down to size. At one point, Gedo tried to interfere but Jeff Cobb caught both him and Jay, and delivered a double noggin knocker, something I’m surprised not to see more of in wrestling. Impressively, White was able to lift the rotund Cobb for the Bladebuster, but found himself thoroughly outmatched in a battle of strikes. Jay then transitioned into taking out the big man’s legs with a chop block and a dragonscrew. Cobb fired up and still had enough of a base that he could still try for the Tour of the Islands. Jay blocked it at first, but Gedo came in to distract Cobb and give Jay a moment of reprieve. However, this backfired spectacularly, when Cobb lifted Gedo up, press-slammed him into Jay White, and then hit the Tour of the Islands to pin Jay White. Cobb 4 points, White 6 points

A Block: Kazuchika Okada def. Minoru Suzuki (14:10)
Okada tried to grapple with Suzuki only to get summarily stretched, and then rocked when he tried to throw elbows with Suzuki. Okada has come back from behind to defeat Suzuki in the past, but it never seemed quite so one-sided. Okada tried to run off the ropes, but Suzuki caught him in a sleeper hold and went for an early Gotch-style piledriver. Okada blocked it and hit the Reverse Neckbreaker, which was the most relevant moment of offense he had achieved thus far. Still, Suzuki had the mettle to hold his hands behind his back and challenge Okada to hit him hard enough to hurt. Instead, Okada hit a standing dropkick followed by a Tombstone piledriver, then applied his cobra clutch, the Money Clip. Suzuki got to his feet and made it out of the hold. He put on a sleeper hold with bodyscissors, and when Okada managed to stand up out of it, he applied it again, but Okada grabbed Suzuki’s legs and pushed him down into a prawn hold for the pinfall victory. Likely the least earned win Okada has had in this tournament, and has ever had over Suzuki. Okada 6 points, Suzuki 6 points

A Block: Tomohiro Ishii def. Taichi (18:48)
Taichi truly has come along way over the last several years. In the early going of this match, Taichi was trading his kicks for Ishii’s forearm strikes and coming out the better man for it. Of course, Ishii did eventually find the werewithal to push through the pain and start laying the boots to Taichi. Perhaps his hubris got the better of him, as he went for an early attempt at the brainbuster, but Taichi blocked it and a cracking head kick put Ishii’s head flat on the mat. Ishii made it back to his feet but Taichi continued to punish him with heavy strikes. Ishii popped up yet again and hit a buckle bomb and a lariat, then endured a buzzsaw kick to the head and continued laying on his strikes. He went for the brainbuster yet again, but Taichi dropped out of it. In a moment of desperation, he pushed the referee at Ishii and kicked Ishii in the groin, but even this could not put Ishii away for a three-count. Ishii stood up and hit a lariat but Taichi kicked out at one, then stood up and dropped Ishii on his head with a backdrop driver! Down but not out, Ishii blocked Taichi’s attempt at Black Mephisto and hit a jumping high kick, followed by a sliding lariat. The vertical drop brainbuster finished Taichi off in emphatic fashion. Ishii 4 points, Taichi 6 points

A Block: Kota Ibushi def. Will Ospreay (15:56)
The way Ospreay behaved towards Ibushi as this match began was almost comically condescending. He ruffled Ibushi’s hair with his hand when they were locked up against the ropes, then again with his boot later when Ibushi was on the mat. Ibushi did not take this lightly. When Ospreay did his fakeout Sasuke Special and posed in the ring, Ibushi bolted in and grabbed his arms for a Kamigoye attempt. It did not land, but it’s the thought that counts. Similar to their encounter late last year, Ibushi tried for a top rope Frankensteiner, only for Ospreay to land on his feet out of it, albeit with a bit less balance than last time. He was also getting the better of Ibushi when it came to striking too. Ospreay tried for a Stombreaker early on but couldn’t make it stick, and hit a gnarly sitout powerbomb to put Ibushi down for a two-count. Ospreay set up in the corner for the Hidden Blade, but Ibushi stood up just in time to block it, and hit a powerbomb of his own for a near fall. Feeling the need to end the match quickly, Ospreay went for the Oscutter, but Ibushi hit a jumping knee to hit Ospreay in midair, and then the Kamigoye for an abrupt but utlimately satisfying victory. Ibushi 8 points, Ospreay 6 points

G1 Climax 30 Standings

A Block:
8 points – Kota Ibushi
6 points – Taichi, Jay White, Minoru Suzuki, Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada
4 points – Shingo Takagi, Jeff Cobb, Tomohiro Ishii
0 points – Yujiro Takahashi

B Block:
6 points – Toru Yano, Tetsuya Naito, Juice Robinson
4 points – KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., Hiroshi Tanahashi, EVIL
2 points – Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, SANADA

NXT TakeOver 31 Results: Finn Balor vs. Kyle O’Reilly, Ember Moon Returns

Robert Lentini
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NXT TakeOver 31 aired from the Capitol Wrestling Center (formerly known as the Performance Center) tonight on the WWE Network. It was also announced that NXT Halloween Havoc will take place on October 28th.

TakeOver 31 Results

  1. Damian Priest def. Johnny Gargano to retain the NXT North American Championship
  2. Kushida def. Velveteen Dream
  3. Santos Escobar def. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott to retain the Cruiserweight Championship
  4. Io Shirai def. Candice LeRae to retain the NXT Women’s Championship
  5. Finn Balor def. Kyle O’Reilly to retain the NXT Championship

Here are the takeaways from the show:

Damian Priest Retained The North American Title

damian priest gargano takeover 31

Damian Priest defended his NXT North American Championship against Johnny Gargano tonight.

Match Recap: Gargano controlled the action early and beat Damian down in the corner of the ring. Damian battled back and leveled Gargano with a kick to the face. Gargano caught Priest with a kick to the knee and tried to Powerbomb Damian off the apron. Priest blocked it but Gargano rippled Damian to the floor by his arm. Johnny followed it up with a Suicide Dive and then launched Priest into the steel steps outside the ring.

Back in the ring, Gargano connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Senton off the second rope for a near fall. Priest planted Gargano with a Flatliner and then a Broken Arrow in the middle of the ring for another two count. Priest went for the Razor’s Edge but Gargano countered into a Sunset Flip Bomb for a two count.

Damian leveled Gargano with a forearm to the face and went for a kick but Gargano was ready and Clotheslined Priest out of the ring. Gargano went for another Suicide Dive but Priest caught him. Johnny escaped but Priest booted him in the leg and Gargano fell to the floor outside the ring.

Priest connected with the Razor’s Edge on the ring apron and went for the cover but Johnny kicked out at the last moment. Gargano hit Standing Sliced Bread and then a forearm to the back of Priest’s head for a two count. Johnny rolled up Priest for another near fall and then made his way to the ring apron.

Damian connected with a massive Clothesline but somehow Johnny was able to kick out at two. Gargano rolled out of the ring and Priest tried to flip on him. Johnny got out of the way and Priest crashed onto two members of the WWE security team. Gargano hit Priest with a low blow while the referee was distracted but the NXT North American Champion was able to kick out at two.

Johnny locked in the Gargano Escape in the middle of the ring but Damian was able to break the hold by getting his right foot on the bottom rope. Gargano hit two Superkicks and went for a DDT but Priest countered into the Reckoning for the pinfall victory. Damian Priest is still the NXT North American Champion.

Opinion: Gargano and Priest put on a great opening match at NXT TakeOver 31. The Capitol Wrestling Center looks incredible as well.

Kushida Defeated Velveteen Dream In A Great Match

kushida velveteen dream takeover 31

Velveteen Dream squared off against Kushida tonight at TakeOver 31.

Match Recap: Kushida went right after Velveteen Dream and unloaded a knee to the face. Dream rolled out of the ring and launched a steel chair inside. The referee ripped the chair away from Kushida and the match officially started.

Velveteen Dream chased Kushida around the ring and wound up running into a Dropkick. Kushida slammed Dream’s shoulder into the canvas and followed it up with an Atomic Drop. Velveteen sent Kushida to the outside and connected with a Flying Clothesline off the top rope.

Back in the ring, Velveteen Dream sent Kushida to the corner and hit him with a Bronco Buster. Dream applied a Sleeper Hold but Kushida was able to escape with an elbow to the face. Kushida stomped away on Velveteen Dream until the referee broke it up.

Kushida drove Dream’s shoulder into the steel post a couple times and then Dropkicked the steel steps into his arm. Kushida locked in an Armbar but Dream escaped out of the ring. Velveteen Dream poked Kushida in the eye and followed it up with a Powerbomb for a two count.

Velveteen connected with the Dream Valley Driver and made his way to the top rope. Dream hit the Purple Rainmaker but he landed on his injured arm and couldn’t go for the cover right away and Kushida kicked out at two. Dream leveled Kushida with a Clothesline and climbed back up to the top rope.

Dream posed on the top rope and didn’t realize that Kushida had gotten up. Kushida took Dream down to the mat and applied the Hoverboard Lock in the middle of the ring. Velveteen almost made it to the ropes but Kushida dragged him back to the center of the ring. Velveteen Dream hit the Dream Valley Driver but Kushida didn’t let go of the Hoverboard Lock and Velveteen had no choice but to tap out.

After the match, Kushida attacked Velveteen Dream and locked in an Armbar on his injured arm. Several referees rushed the ring and were finally able to pull Kushida off of Velveteen dream. Kushida backed away but once again attacked Dream and locked in another submission on his injured arm. A “one more time!” chant broke out as Kushida finally exited the ring.

Finn Balor Retains NXT Title At TakeOver 31

Andrew Ravens
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As expected, Finn Balor vs. Kyle O’Reilly ended up serving as the main event. 

Balor put the NXT Title on the line against The Undisputed Era member at the WWE NXT TakeOver 31 event.

While the contest didn’t have the star power that other TakeOver events have had, fans had hoped the work rate would exceed expectations. Based on feedback from fans on social media, it did just that. 

The match was hard-hitting with a mix of various strikes and submission holds. Both guys were bleeding from the mouth. In the end, Balor hit the double foot stomp off the top rope for the win. 

Because Balor had won the NXT Title over top contenders such as Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, and Tommaso Ciampa, he didn’t have a clear cut contender. Thus, WWE came up with a unique match to fill that role. 

WWE held a Gauntlet Eliminator Match on the September 23rd episode of NXT. Bronson Reed, Timothy Thatcher, O’Reilly, Kushida, and Cameron Grimes worked the bout.

The basic rules of the match was every 4 minutes, another competitor will enter, an elimination was via pinfall or submission, and the last person, which was O’Reilly, won the contest. 

What are your thoughts Finn Balor on retaining the NXT Title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.

Io Shirai Retains Women’s Title, Ember Moon Returns At WWE NXT TakeOver 31

Andrew Ravens
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Io Shirai was successful in her latest title defense of the NXT Women’s Title. 

She did so at Sunday’s WWE NXT TakeOver 31 event when she pinned Candice LeRae.

The match was dominated by LeRae in the early going. Shirai managed to fight back and then they went right into the near fall spots. Shirai hit a moonsault off the top rope that saw LeRae put her knees up sending Shirai into the referee.

Johnny Gargano ran out to the ring with a referee t-shirt but the referee told him to get lost. LeRae hit Shirai with the title, but Shirai kicked out at 2. The finish saw Shirai hit a moonsault off the top rope. 

After the match, Toni Storm appeared on the big screen to tell her that it’s Toni’s Time.

Then, the mystery person that had been featured in various video packages was revealed to be Ember Moon. She had a staredown with Shirai to end the segment. 

There was a belief that the videos have been building towards the return of someone who was part of NXT several years ago such as a former NXT Champion. 

Moon has been out of action since November 2019 with an achilles injury.

WWE set up this contest back on the September 23rd episode of NXT when they held a match that would determine who is next in line for a title shot.

A Battle Royal took place Shotzi Blackheart, Kacy Catanzaro, Indi Hartwell, Aliyah, Dakota Kai, LeRae, Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Raquel Gonzalez, Kayden Carter, and Xia Li were the competitors. Obviously, LeRae won the match and earned this title opportunity. 

WWE Announces NXT Halloween Havoc (10/28)

Andrew Ravens
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To the surprise and joy of fans, WWE has decided to bring back Halloween Havoc. They’ll do so on an upcoming episode of NXT TV. 

During Sunday’s NXT TakeOver 31, WWE announced by airing a video package that the October 28th episode of NXT on the USA Network will have this theme.

It will be interesting to see how they design the set for the special as when WCW held the pay-per-view events, there were various fan-favorite sets. 

WWE just remodeled the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida and turned it into the Capitol Wrestling Center. It was also announced in the package that aired after KUSHIDA picking up a win over Velveteen Dream that Shotzi Blackheart will host the special. 

NXT’s last themed event took place during the week of the 4th of July as it was titled ‘Great American Bash’ that took place over the course of two weeks. This will likely be just for one week but WWE is once again using a WCW pay-per-view theme. 

The theme was created in 1989 and last used in 2000 under the WCW banner. 

Santos Escobar Keeps Cruiserweight Title At WWE NXT TakeOver 31

Andrew Ravens
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Santos Escobar is still on top of the cruiserweight division as he wasn’t dethroned by Isaiah Scott.

Escobar did so at Sunday’s (October 4, 2020) WWE NXT TakeOver 31 event in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center when he pinned Scott 

The match featured both guys working a high paced style with various dives. Escobar hit the Phantom Driver for 2 while Scott hit three suplexes then a 450 splash off the top rope. The finish saw Escobar connect with a facebuster after Scott hit his head on the ring post for the win. 

It turns out that before this match, Scott was the only person to pin Escobar in WWE as he scored a win in a group match during NXT’s Cruiserweight Championship tournament. He also pinned him during a six-man tag street fight on NXT earlier this month.

WWE did give Scott a previous title match as he challenged for the title on the August 26 episode of NXT. However, the finish of that contest saw Escobar use a mask that was loaded with a weapon to headbutt Scott. 

Two weeks ago, WWE had Scott say in a video on NXt that he wasn’t content with just having two wins over Escobar. Thus, he wanted another crack at him but this time with no Legado del Fantasma or manipulated lucha masks as he believes he’s a better competitor. 

Damian Priest Retains North American Title At WWE NXT TakeOver 31

Andrew Ravens
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Damian Priest put his newly won NXT North American Title on the line in one of the matches featured on the WWE NXT TakeOver 31 card. 

He did so when he squared off with Johnny Gargano in Orlando, Florida. The contest was a typical big guy vs. small wrestler dynamic to kick off the card. 

Some highlights included Priest doing an outside dive to accidentally take out some extras before Gargano connected with a superkick after hitting him with a low blow. Priest retained the title with his finisher. 

Priest won the title by winning the then-vacant title in a five-way ladder match at TakeOver XXX last month. In fact, Gargano also took part in the contest and it came down him and Priest. The finish of that match saw Priest kick Gargano down and then retrieved the title.

Priest then made his first defense of the North American Title when he retained against Timothy Thatcher. It happened in the main event of a recent episode of NXT. 

Shortly thereafter, Gargano and Candice LeRae declared their intentions to come after they’re both coming after championship gold.

Jack Gallagher Addresses Allegation Made Against Him, WWE Release

Andrew Ravens
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Jack Gallagher has broken his silence regarding an allegation that was made publicly against him during the #SpeakingOut Movement back in June. 

A woman named Becky alleged Gallagher got her drunk on New Years’ Eve in 2014 and he allegedly made unwanted advances and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

She claimed to have resisted his advances. However, when she tried to push him off, he grabbed onto her. He hanged onto her skirt that caused it to rip and she left the party after that.

This resulted in his WWE release. Gallagher took to Twitter to issue the following statement: 

“Following an allegation made in June 2020 as part of the #SpeakingOut movement I was released from my contract with the WWE.

I didn’t release a statement then because it didn’t feel the right thing to do at the time. I have now taken the time to process what has happened and would like to respond.

In 2014, at a New Year’s Eve party, I met a young woman and my behaviour towards her was inappropriate. As this party was nearly six years ago and I had drunk quite a large amount of alcohol that night, unfortunately, I do not recollect what happened.

I wish to make it clear that drinking is not an excuse for my behaviour that night. I want to express my deepest regrets, and I am genuinely sorry for the upset that I have caused.

Following these allegations, I proactively contacted the Head of WWE Talent Relations to take responsibility for my actions, as I was aware that the woman who made the allegations and I had both attended the same New Year’s Eve party. I was then informed that this would be a breach of the company ethics policy, and this is what lead to my release from my contract with the WWE.

This isolated incident is not reflective of my behaviour and attitude towards women. As a man, I know I can do better, and with the support of my wife, I have taken the time over the last few months to understand what I can do. But this is not about me, but about the women that come forward as part of the #SpeakingOut movement. I will continue to support women and this movement to the best of my ability.”

Impact Victory Road Results: Young Retains, Heath Debuts

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling presented Victory Road last night on the Impact Plus streaming service. The event was headlined by an Impact World Championship match between Eric Young and Eddie Edwards. Heath also made his in-ring debut for the promotion and teamed with his former partner, Rhino.

Young retained his Impact World Championship over Eddie Edwards. After the match, he looked to continue the assault until Rich Swann made the save. Swann and Young will face each other at Bound for Glory on October 24th.

Heath and Rhino teamed up for the first time in Impact Wrestling. In storyline, Heath still hasn’t signed a contract with Impact but after this match, Scott D’Amore said they would offer him a deal this Tuesday night.

Impact Wrestling Victory Road Quick Results:

  1. The Rascalz (Dez & Wentz) defeated XXXL (Acey Romero & Larry D)
  2. Brian Myers defeated Tommy Dreamer
  3. X-Division Championship
    Willie Mack defeated Rohit Raju (c) by Countout 
  4. Tenille Dashwood w/ Kaleb defeated Jordynne Grace
  5. Rhino & Heath defeated Reno Scum (Adam Thornstowe & Luster the Legend)
  6. Trey Miguel defeated Moose
  7. Josh Alexander defeated Alex Shelley, Ace Austin & Karl Anderson 
  8. Knockouts Championship
    Deonna Purrazzo (c) defeated Susie w/Kylie Rae
  9. Impact World Championship
    Eric Young (c) defeated Eddie Edwards

Impact On AXS TV Viewership Update

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling’s ratings on AXS TV are staying steady just under the 200,000 viewers mark. According to a recent report from Wrestlenomics, the promotion’s ratings have stayed consistent for the most part lately but saw a big increase for a show at the end of the September headlined by Jordynne Grave vs Tenille Dashwood.

Impact did not fair well up against NXT when WWE’s developmental brand presented two Super Tuesday shows last month, however.

Below are the promotion’s television ratings since late July:

  • 9/29/20: 168,000 viewers (54,000 in 18-49 demo)
  • 9/22/20: 200,000 viewers (51,000 in 18-49 demo)
  • 9/15/20: 170,000 viewers (43,000 in 18-49 demo)
  • 9/8/20: 78,000 viewers (22,000 in 18-49 demo) (opposed by NXT)
  • 9/1/20: 102,000 viewers (31,000 in 18-49 demo) (opposed by NXT)
  • 8/25/20: 171,000 viewers (45,000 in 18-49 key demo)
  • 8/18/20: 147,000 viewers (31,000 in 18-49 key demo)
  • 8/11/20: 182,000 viewers (54,000 in 18-49 key demo)
  • 8/4/20: 134,000 viewers (33,000 in 18-49 key demo)
  • 7/28/20: 157,000 viewers (46,000 in 18-49 in key demo)

Information on Impact’s ratings before July 28th, 2020 can be found here.

Additionally, Impact has several international distribution deals. They are also a key component of the Fight Network which is a specialty channel on many cable and satellite packages outside the United States.

Chris Jericho vs. Mike Tyson Was Planned For AEW All Out

Chris Stephens
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Chris Jericho says his confrontation with Mike Tyson on AEW Dynamite this past spring was supposed to culminate in a match at September’s All Out pay-per-view. Jericho made the revelation on his latest Saturday Night Special YouTube show.

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

“The second match I had with Orange [Cassidy] was originally going to be the Mimosa Mayhem Match but we moved it to the rubber match position.”

Jericho had the following to say to ESPN shortly after Tyson’s appearance on Dynamite this May.

“Whatever it is that we decide to do as we move forward, it’ll be great. You have one of the most iconic boxers—and most iconic personalities—of all time against one of the greatest pro wrestlers and personalities of all time. It writes itself.”

Tyson’s return to boxing likely played a role in negotiations between him and AEW breaking down for All Out II. “Iron Mike” is scheduled to face Roy Jones Jr. in a charity fight on November 28th, 2020. It will be Tyson’s first fight since 2005. The 54-year-old former Heavyweight Champion has a professional record of 50.

You can watch the latest Chris Jericho’s Saturday Night Special in the player below:

First Look At WWE’s New ‘Capitol Wrestling Center’ Venue

Chris Stephens
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WWE has provided a first look at the new Capitol Wrestling Center, the newly redesigned live wrestling venue at the Performance Center in Orlando. The name is an homage to the Capitol Wrestling Corporation founded by Jess McMahon in 1953.

“It’s a historic callback to where this all began,” Triple H said to SI.com. “We gutted the Performance Center and it’s now rebuilt, so it feels like we’re going back to the beginning. To me, it feels like we’re going back to 1953. Just like then, we’re doing something different and new, taking the business to a whole new level.”

Much like the WWE Thunderdome, the Capitol Wrestling Center has LED boards surrounding the ring area with virtual fans. WWE is stating the look will be distinct to the NXT brand, however. Some select family and friends will also be permitted attendance to tonight’s show. Groups will be behind plexiglass, will have taken and passed a PCR test, and be wearing masks.

Triple H added that the new-look Performance Center will feature the high-tech bells and whistles of the ThunderDome, but with an edgier, darker look that he equated to the ‘ultimate heavy metal soundstage.’

“The Capitol Wrestling Center captures the feel and the vibe of NXT. We will have all the bells and whistles of the ThunderDome, but we’ll keep that NXT feel. It’s edgier, darker and raw—you’re walking into the ultimate heavy metal soundstage.”

“The building is a throwback to Capitol Wrestling, a business that caused a shift in wrestling. That is exactly what we’re planning on doing again, starting today in NXT.”

NXT TakeOver 31 Final Card, Results Tonight

Andrew Ravens
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WWE presents NXT Takeover: 31 tonight live on the WWE Network.

WWE has announced Takeover will take place from a completely redesigned Performance Center, which they’ve dubbed the Capitol Wrestling Center. There will be a limited number of fans in attendance.

Takeover 31 marks the fourth special for the yellow brand in 2020. The top advertised match will see NXT Champion Finn Balor defend against Kyle O’Reilly of the Undisputed Era. There are a total of five matches booked for this show, with four of them being championship matches.

As a reminder, we will be providing coverage of this special on Sunday evening.

NXT TakeOver: 31 Card

Here’s the final card for tonight show:

  • WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. Kyle O’Reilly
  • WWE NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae
  • WWE NXT North American Champion Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano
  • KUSHIDA vs. The Velveteen Dream
  • WWE NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

What are your thoughts on this card and the feuds that WWE is presenting to their fans? Sound off in the comment section.

Ben Carter Drawing Interest From WWE & AEW

Andrew Ravens
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It’s been well documented that WWE and AEW compete against each other in the Wednesday Night War, but now they might be competing for the services of a rising independent wrestler. 

Ben Carter has drawn the interest of multiple companies including WWE and AEW. Per the report, there was at least contact with NXT, but there’s no word yet on how serious those discussions were or how far the conversations got.

AEW may have a slight advantage in signing him to a full-time deal as he’s worked for the promotion in the past. 

He made his AEW debut when he worked a match against Ricky Starks on Dark. Two of his matches aired last month that saw him lose to Scorpio Sky on Late Night Dynamite, but scored a win over Lee Johnson on Dark. 

Carter was trained at Seth Rollins and Marek Brave’s wrestling school before breaking into the pro wrestling business. 

FTR Talks About Learning From Dusty Rhodes

Michael Reichlin
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AEW tag team champions appeared on The Push Podcast the week and spoke about their experience being mentored by Dusty Rhodes.

Prior to joining All Elite Wrestling, Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood competed in WWE and NXT as The Revival. It was Dusty Rhodes who paired them up and they learned a lot from the late American Dream.

“For us, he wanted us to be a team.” said Harwood. I think he enjoyed that we were two Carolina boys. I think he enjoyed the fact that we both had Southern accents, and we had our style of work. And I also think he liked the fact that we weren’t the biggest guys in the room.”

Rhodes urged them to always have each others backs, which created a bond between them that has lasted to this day. Harwood continued, “He told us never to leave each other’s side, whether we were in promo class, at the shows together, or in the Performance Center, ‘Never leave each other’s side. Be seen together all the time, so that people can see what I sees, just on the surface.’”

Harwood added that Dusty Rhodes taught them to use a ‘conversational’ style when doing their promos. He taught them the value of connecting with the audience and their peers by speaking to them in a believable way.

Cash Wheeler also spoke fondly of Dusty Rhodes’ teaching style.

“Yeah, the craziest thing about learning from Dusty is, half the time you didn’t even realize you were learning until after he already taught you,” said Wheeler. “He would like, Mr. Miyagi you. You don’t understand why he’s asking you certain things, and why you’re doing certain things until after, finally you just have this realization of like, ‘Oh wow, that’s why he wanted me to do it.’”

You can listen to Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler’s comments about learning from Dusty Rhodes in the player embedded below:

MJF Says He Wants To Work With Top NXT Star

Michael Reichlin
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MJF is interested in wrestling one of the top stars on WWE’s NXT brand.

The 24-year-old AEW star held a Twitter Q&A session with fans Friday afternoon. Taking time out of his busy schedule, MJF answered 5 questions from fans who used the hashtag, #imabigdumbmark.

One fan asked if he could if he could have a jacket too, a reference to MJF giving members of the Inner Circle jackets this past week on Dynamite. MJF “forgot” to give a jacket to Sammy Guevara and referenced his snub of the Spanish God during the Q&A. He wrote, “I’m still trying to find Sammy’s [Jacket]. Poor little guy is probably somewhere freezing cold right now.”

MJF was asked who he wants to wrestle that is not currently on the AEW roster. He replied, “#Betterthanyou vs. #BayBay.” The tweet has since been deleted.

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Of course, this is a reference to former NXT Champion Adam Cole, husband of AEW star Britt Baker. Aside from his wife, Cole has history with many of AEW’s core performers. The Undisputed Era leader would be a huge addition to the AEW roster if he ever decided to jump ship.

Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso Confirmed For WWE Hell in a Cell

Michael Reichlin
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The main event is set for the next WWE pay-per-view.

The WWE Universal Championship will be on the line when Roman Reigns the defends the title against his cousin, Jey Uso. This is a rematch from their recent battle at Clash of the Champions. The stakes will be higher this time, as the match is taking place inside the demonic structure

WWE.com confirmed the match Saturday afternoon.

The match came about on Friday’s SmackDown. Jey Uso appeared the big Tribal Chief crowning ceremony, but refused to acknowledge Reigns’ new moniker. This prompted the high-stakes rematch, which is being promoted as “the highest stakes match in WWE history.”

Hell in a Cell takes place Sunday, October 25th from the ThunderDome in Orlando, FL and airs live on the WWE Network.

Vickie Guerrero Talks How Protective Eddie Was of Kayfabe

Jake Skudder
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AEW on screen manager and former WWE star Vickie Guerrero recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The former SmackDown General Manager discussed how her late husband Eddie Guerrero was extremely protective of ‘kayfabe’ when they first started dating.

“Wrestling heritage in Mexico and through the Hispanic community was taken very seriously” Vickie Guerrero began on the show. “You talk about kayfabe? They really protected the business in so many ways. And it wasn’t for three years when I was dating Eddie…he would not let me into any of the secrets or the psychology or anything about wrestling! Because he always told me ‘in due time, I will let you know what’s going on.'”

Vickie Guerrero on Eddie Bleeding In-Ring

Vickie Guerrero would then discuss how difficult it was seeing Eddie perform in brutal matches in Mexico before she was ‘smartened’ up the to the business. “I would see the wrestling happening, which was really big from 1986 to 1995. I mean, it was just, when I saw Ari Romero get his fork and make Eddie bleed? It was just like, I was a mess because here’s my boyfriend in the ring bleeding.”

“And there’s diapers full of crap!” Vickie Guerrero would continue. “Fans were throwing them at the heels! I didn’t understand because the wrestling I saw in American TV? With Hulk Hogan and the Von Erichs? There was no diapers with crap being thrown into the ring. ‘So why is it okay here in Mexico but not in the States!?’ I was very green and I didn’t know a lot.”

Guerrero would finish by discussing the sense of family that was a hugely important part of the scene in Mexico. “I did know that going back into the locker room it’s such a deep rooted family history. There’s a love for the sport and everyone is just so appreciative of the sport that they they were involved in.”

Are you enjoying Vickie Guerrero in AEW so far? Let us know in the comments

Arn Anderson Talks Best Match He’s Ever Seen Live

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE agent and AEW on screen coach Arn Anderson recently answered fan questions on the ARN podcast.

One fan asked The Enforcer what was the best match you’ve ever seen ‘live.’ Arn Anderson would give an interesting and unexpected answer to that question. “I’ll tell you one, it’s a sleeper” Anderson began on the podcast.

Arn Anderson on Kane vs Kurt Angle

“I saw Kane wrestle Kurt Angle, and I hadn’t been with WWE too long. I don’t remember the exact year, but they [WWE] were really high on Angle. They were really building him, and it was when Kane was about 330 pounds with the mask.”

The match that Anderson was referring to is from SmackDown in November 2001. At the time Kurt Angle was the WCW United States Champion and this was right at the tail end of the Invasion storyline.

“They went about 20-25 minutes on TV. With the story being Kane, the monster, tripping up a little bit and allowing that ankle lock to be put on him several times. And I mean several times. Kane obviously did what you thought Kane would, he nodded his head back and forth, saying ‘no no no no way, I’m going to tap out no way.'”

Glenn Jacobs

Arn Anderson would then praise the man behind the mask. “I’m a huge fan of the Kane character, and the person Glenn Jacobs. As we know if you’ve got a mask covering your face? It’s hard to see your facial and facials are where our money lies in this business. It tells you when you’re happy, when you’re hurt, when you’re sad, when you’re hurting and when you’re in trouble. All those emotions are conveyed through your face.”

Elaborating further, Arn Anderson said “when you got a mask on? It’s hard to do that. But some way, somehow Kane was able to show me his frustration, bobbing his head in pain and the slapping of the mat. His whole body English during the course of that; until finally he did the unthinkable, and it was the first time he’d ever done it. Kane tapped out to Kurt Angle.”

Do you remember the match from ’01? Do you agree with Arn Anderson that it’s a great bout? Check out the match below and let us know what you think in the comments.

Read Vince McMahon’s Message To Talent About 3rd Party Services

Chris Stephens
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An email from Vince McMahon to talent on the WWE roster has reportedly been leaked. According to a report from Fightful Select, the below email was sent from Vince McMahon to the roster. The email is regarding 3rd party deals with companies such as Twitch or Cameo. The alleged leaked email reads as follows:

“Just a friendly reminder that this Friday, October 2 is the deadline for severing any unauthorized business relationships with 3rd parties. As was mentioned in my September 3 message, continued violations beyond this deadline will results in fines and may result in suspension of termination. If you need further details, please contact our EVP of Operations, Brad Blum. Thank you. Vince.”

Shortly after news first broke regarding the policy, it was later reported that talent would only have to use their real names for such accounts. Now it appears, that WWE is set to assume control of all accounts belonging to members of its roster.

Talent will still earn revenue from Twitch and Cameo but it will count toward their downside guarantee in their WWE contract. This may be part of a larger strategy WWE eventually rolls out regarding both Twitch and Cameo.

Dakota Kai, Zelina Vega, Mia Yim & Others Comment On Twitch Relationship

Chris Stephens
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WWE is reportedly set to assume ownership of the Twitch accounts created by several members of its roster. The talent will still earn revenue from their Twitch accounts but it will count toward the downside guarantee in their contract with WWE.

Several WWE Superstars who have accounts on the video game streaming platform have issued a public statement regarding their relationship with Twitch.

Dakota Kai posted the following:

Zelina Vega sent out the following in response to Paige’s statement:

https://twitter.com/Zelina_VegaWWE/status/1312130749127036928

“And host charities for people and animals in need. Yesterday we raised enough money to help someone get their cat the surgery they needed to survive. We love what we built and worked hard for,” Vega added.

Mia Yim has done charity streams on Twitch to raise money for people who need medical procedures and other causes. She posted the following regarding her relationship with Twitch:

Paige also issued a statement about her Twitch platform recently.

“Twitch is MY place what I built with my wonderful fans. A place where people can go and feel some positivity and little bit of normalcy. Fun. Interactive. Non judgemental. Charitable place. I’m proud of what I built with my fan base,” Paige Tweeted.

Kyle O’Reilly Talks Daily Grind Of Type 1 Diabetes

Chris Stephens
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Kyle O’Reilly will headline Takeover 31 tomorrow night against NXT champion Finn Balor. The Undisputed Era member lives with Type 1 diabetes and spoke to the NY Post recently about the challenges that come from living with the condition while being a pro-wrestler.

“That’s the thing about Type 1 diabetes, it is a daily grind, a daily challenge,” O’Reilly said. “But it’s a challenge and fight I can win on a daily basis, too. I know it keeps me accountable for my own health, my own well-being. I take it into my own hands. I do what I have to do to be the best performer and the best healthy human being I can possibly be.”

O’Reilly continued to talk about the challenges associated with having Type 1 diabetes and being a professional athlete.

“It’s not without its challenges, but it’s something I’ve dealt with my entire career since I was 18 years old. It’s something I’ve dealt with for a long time. I’ve always had a good grasp of it. I’ve looked at it as a blessing in disguise because it does sort of keep me accountable for my own health. I have no excuse to let things slide or to get lazy with my own health.”

It also appears as though some members of the UE are turning babyface. O’Reilly spoke about this as well during the interview.

“Pretty much all of my singles success in the past has come with me being a babyface, so it’s something I’m comfortable doing. It’s something I think I can be good at.”

O’Reilly won a gauntlet elimination match on NXT recently to earn the right to face Balor. The full interview can be read here.

Update On WWE Taking Over Twitch Accounts, Andrew Yang Comments

Chris Stephens
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It was reported recently that WWE is planning on assuming ownership of several Twitch accounts operated by talent on its roster. Paige, Dakota Kai, Mia Yim, and several others have successful accounts on the video game streaming platform.

Former US Presidential candidate Andrew Yang hopes to be in a cabinet position following the next election. He has publicly stated he plans to take action on WWE’s independent contractor policy when/if he is in a position to do.

According to Yang, he has heard from WWE Superstars that the company is asking them to sign new contracts that specifically mention Twitch.

WWE will reportedly be rolling out a new Twitch strategy, with streaming on the platform becoming part of a talent’s regular work schedule. Money earned from streaming on Twitch would count toward that talent’s downside guarantee.

Yang had the following to say regarding the Twitch deal recently when speaking to Wrestling Inc.

“A lot of it is that wrestlers are afraid to speak out, and I’ve had wrestlers past and present reach out to me and say that Vince has been getting away with exploitation of wrestlers calling them independent contractors while controlling their activities for years and years,” Yang said. “A lot of it is just that they are a quasi-monopoly, and wrestlers fear that if they do try and unionize or organize in any way that Vince doesn’t like, that it will never work again.”

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