64-year-old Diamond Dallas Page believes he has COVID-19. It does not appear that he has tested positive for the virus but several of his family members have. DDP put out a video on his YouTube channel today detailing his family’s situation.
“One of our family members was having a bridal shower, so Brittany and Paige went to the shower and there were 16 other women there and no one was wearing masks because everybody feels super comfortable with each other,” Page said in the video. As it turns out, at least 7 of the women ended up with COVID-19 from the shower.
“Around the 2nd or 3rd day, I started feeling sick,” DDP continued to say. “And then Paige was feeling sick and then we thought wow is this COVID? Because our minds are going to go right to that and like where could that even come from? Not even thinking about the bridal shower.”
DDP then continued to talk about the trouble he had getting people he knew tested for the virus. He finally did get tested and between taking the test and getting the results, his symptoms worsened.
“I felt like Big Show had a hold of my back, I mean it was so painful,” DDP said about the experience.
They got the test results back and DDP tested negative but Paige tested positive.
Page continued to say that AEW’s QT Marshall has tested positive for the virus.
“He tells me, 20 days ago he was tested, he’s got COVID. He had 3 days of symptoms, nothing after that. His wife Caroline, she came back negative, she’s had one symptom after another.”
DDP said that Marshall had another test today and he came back positive still.
“Please try to care about other people. If you don’t wear a mask for you, wear it for other people. Be cautious, do the social distancing and just be good to each other. We’ve only got ourselves so be good to each other.”
WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of Busted Open Radio Bully Ray recently discussed the infamous incident involving Jeff Hardy from TNA’s 2011 PPV Victory Road.
Jeff Hardy appeared in the main event of that show. Hardy faced Sting for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, however he was visibly intoxicated and the call was made for Sting to pin Hardy early in the bout and go home on the broadcast.
There’s been much publicised about the incident and both Hardy and Sting have spoken extensively on the subject. The ‘backstage’ issues surrounding the incident were even brought up on television at the time, with AJ Styles lambasting Hardy in a backstage segment on IMPACT.
Bully Ray on Jeff Hardy
“I remember when Jeff Hardy had the problem, you know in the match against Sting” Bully Ray began. “Remember that debacle in TNA?”
“I remember when Jeff came back to the company” Bully Ray continued. “And they [TNA] made him apologise to the locker room. They put Jeff in front of the whole locker room and he just kind of apologised like I’m really sorry blah blah blah blah blah.”
Bully Ray would elaborate further, saying “then they said at the end of the meeting ‘does anybody have anything to say?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I do.’ I said, ‘Jeff, I really couldn’t care less about all of these things that went on. All I care about is that you can still hit your finish. Now let’s go out there and make some money.'”
The context of Bully’s comments surrounded the recent public issues that Matt Riddle is facing. The former UFC fighter turned WWE Superstar was recently accused of sexual abuse, however he has denied all allegations.
“All of this outside stuff is noise” Bully Ray finished. “We’re performers, when your music hits? You get in there, you perform, you tear the house down. And then you go home.”
Konnan recently stated on his podcast that the reason CM Punk never joined AEW is that he was simply asking for too much money. Cody was recently interviewed by TalkSport and confirmed that his understanding is that there were negotiations between AEW and CM Punk and he did ask for a great deal of money. According to Cody, however, Punk is worth it.
“As far as the CM Punk negotiations go, everyone heard the famous ‘he got a text from us’. Yeah, of course, there were negotiations and he did ask for a great amount of money and Punk is worth a great deal of money,” Cody said during the interview.
According to Cody, he doesn’t believe talks with Punk about coming in ever got too serious. He also said, however, that he believes he has a good relationship with Punk and so does Tony Khan.
“I don’t think they ever got too serious,” Cody said in regards to negotiations between AEW and Punk. “Doesn’t mean they won’t one day, but they never got entirely too serious. I think there is a good relationship there. I think I have a good relationship with Phil, I believe Tony does too and I’m not sure really when it comes to him, it’s not so much about the money. It’s about are you interested in doing this?”
Punk recently responded to Tweets from Cody and Tony Khan online regarding the TNT title tournament as well.
Duly noted. Fun facts: I saw you on a house show in Champaign on Super Bowl Sunday 13.5 years ago with Domino and Cherry (and Deuce). Also, New Jack was really really nice to me when I was a 13 year old kid visiting Philadelphia. My dad loved New Jack.
Former WWE Superstar Ryback recently commented on the company continuing to tape their shows from the Performance Center in Florida. The ‘Big Guy’ joined Raj Giri to discuss the ongoing tapings on this week’s episode of the Shooting Blanks Wrestling Report.
The ratings for all shows, RAW, SmackDown and NXT have seen a steady decline over the past few months, partly due to the pandemic and seemingly due to the lack of crowds in attendance at shows and lack of ambience. Although the restrictions around live crowds has somewhat been lifted, WWE’s weekly shows continue to see a decline in ratings.
Ryback on NFL Returning
“They are talking about having football without fans” Ryback began on the podcast, saying how the NFL potentially returning will impact WWE’s viewership. “And if they do? People are going to watch football regardless. They’re [WWE] going to lose a chunk of their audience on that.”
“The trend it just keeps going down more and more and more” Ryback continued. “I think really, filming at the Performance Center? I don’t think it’s working. It’s great, it’s a great place, don’t get me wrong. It’s a great training facility, but for shooting regular TV every week? There’s just no energy there and it comes across [on television].”
Ryback was quick to point out that this was not a dig at the performers themselves. “Again, this isn’t because of the performers, wrestlers or anything. It’s just the environment and the lack of energy from a crowd. So, I’m not shocked. I think they [the ratings] go lower, I really do. But I don’t really know what their [WWE] options are, how can they really change anything?”
Do you think that WWE’s ratings will continue to decline during the pandemic? Let us know in the comments
Major League Wrestling is expanding its footprint in South America.
Last month, MLW announced a partnership with DAZN, a premiere streaming platform. The deal got a lot of press for MLW, including a recent feature by the NY Post.
MLW has now coming to DAZN Brazil, a huge market that is sure to bring the fight league additional exposure.
DAZN is available for $19.99 per month or $99.99 a year. Episodes of MLW Fusion are featured on DAZN, as well as the company’s special events.
MLW live events are currently on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that has not slowed their output of fresh content. Head over to the MLW YouTube channel to catch up on recent episodes of Pulp FUSION and MLW Anthology.
WWE Network will be presenting ‘The Horror Show at’ Extreme Rules this Sunday July 19th. The event will be headlined by Drew McIntyre vs Dolph Ziggler for the WWE Championship; plus Bray Wyatt vs Braun Strowman in a Wyatt Swamp Fight and Rey Mysterio versus Seth Rollins in an Eye For An Eye match.
WWE had previously planned for the event to air live from the WWE Performance Center in Florida. However due to recent issues surrounding positive COVID-19 cases within WWE, the company have made tentative plans to pre-tape a number of shows this week.
Fightful Select recently confirmed that WWE are planning on taping Wednesday (15th), Friday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Unless the company gets the opportunity to film next week, they would have to get two episodes of NXT, two episodes of Smackdown, one episode of RAW, and Extreme Rules taped in that short time frame.
As per usual, this is all subject to change, with WWE having to monitor the ongoing pandemic situation closely.
Keith Lee is the new NXT Champion. He defeated Adam Cole on the 2nd night of NXT’s Great American Bash. Booker T spoke about his thoughts on Keith Lee recently on his podcast and YouTube channel.
“I must congratulate Keith Lee the new NXT as well as the North American Champion,” Booker T said. “His trainer just passed away a couple of weeks ago, ‘Killer” Tim Brooks, a guy that I got a chance to mix it up with, a guy that taught me so much.”
“I can only imagine how Keith Lee feels right now. Crashing that glass ceiling is something everyone of us hopes to do in this business. It’s being looked at as the elite, as literally the upper classmen in the business. This guy, Keith Lee, he’s one of the guys you look at him and say ‘man, this guy is good.’ Then you look at him and go ‘wow, this guy’s really good.’ He’s special in so many different ways.”
Booker then said he expects Lee to move to the main roster at some point.
“I’m sure he’s going to move on to the main roster. This guy is going to do big things. I’ve been waiting on Keith Lee. I’ve been waiting on a guy like this to come around for me as a black fan to say ‘man, the brother is doing it and he’s doing it big.'”
WWE Hall-of-Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch has been arrested again. She was booked into the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Monmouth, New Jersey yesterday. Records indicate she has not been granted bond.
According to the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department website Sytch has been charged with the following:
Eluding Police Officer
2 counts of Contempt/Violate Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Operating Motor Vehicle during second license suspension
Sytch had just been released from prison earlier this year. She served 1-year in prison from February 2019 to February of this year. Sytch’s sentence was as a result of numerous DUI convictions. The charges she currently faces, however, do not involve alcohol.
In the few months that Sytch was not in jail, she promoted several business ventures. Sytch had been promoting services for fans on Only Fans, Snapchat, and Cameo.
Sytch was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011. She is often credit from being the first “Diva” in the company. Sytch is also often lauded as helping to have kick-started the Attitude Era in WWE. In addition to her time in WWE, Sytch had stints in both ECW and WCW as well.
It appears as though WWE is teasing a future matchup between Kabuki Warrior members Kairi Sane and WWE RAW Women’s Champion Asuka.
Both Sane and Asuka appeared on RAW Talk following this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW. The team lost a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match to defending champions Sasha Banks and WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley.
At one point during the show, Sane turned to her partner. She declared her interest in a matchup if Asuka were to emerge victorious from her upcoming championship match at Extreme Rules.
Sane shared how “If you want that match, I am ready for…Asuka.”
After embracing her partner, Asuka responded: “I want to face you, I want to face you.”
Kairi Sane then revealed how a match with Asuka is her “dream.”
ask and you shall receive:
@KairiSaneWWE will face @WWEAsuka for the RAW women’s championship if asuka retains at extreme rules.
It is rumored Sane is preparing to leave WWE following the end of her contract. However, WWE is reportedly expected to make another, lucrative offer in its attempts to keep her on its roster. Prior to her recent singles matchup on the July 6 episode of RAW, Sane had been away from WWE programming following a match with Nia Jax in June.
Asuka will defend her WWE RAW Women’s Championship against Sasha Banks at WWE’s next pay-per-view. The two clash at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules on Sunday, July 19.
New Day member Big E has revealed what he believes would have happened to him had the stable not succeeded in WWE.
Speaking on his podcast The New Day: Feel The Power alongside Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston, Big E shared his predictions. According to Big E, he thinks he may have been released by WWE or “sent back down to NXT.”
When first debuting New Day, there was a lot of pressure to make the stable work: “It just feels like this is it. This is the last big pitch. All my chips have to be in on this.”
Addressing their guest, former WWE writer Michael Notarile, Big E explained how he had to put a lot of faith and trust into him. Furthermore, he acknowledged how he had to listen to Notarile’s advice and guidance. This was because he “knew so much more” than he did at the time, especially when it came to how things worked and the best way to put things together.
“I think instantly it all just felt right when Woods first came to me and then we worked with you and then with Kofi. It felt like, ok, these are the four men that should be working on this together,” Big E said. “It just felt like all the pieces were where they needed to be. I didn’t know what in incarnation or how long the group would last.”
Big E noted how they would have been happy to have been together for six months if it meant TV time. He believes it’s “amazing” that they are still going strong six years since their initial debut.
Current WWE Intercontinental Champion AJ Styles has opened up about his future ambitions in the squared circle. During his interview with Vicente Beltrán of ViBe & Wrestling, Styles also confessed he “would not hesitate” in giving The Undertaker a championship shot.
Styles believes he still has more to give before considering retirement. He admitted he intends to push his body to the limit. Styles highlighted how he enjoys what he does for a living, respects pro wrestling, and is proud of everything that he has accomplished. Because of this, Styles intends to “do this as long as my body and my mind allow it.”
He admitted how his body and mind are often at odds. Styles explained his head will tell him he can do something, only for his body to reject the idea. Comparing his position with his WrestleMania opponent, The Undertaker, Styles added:
“This is something Undertaker has already talked about and it is something that happens every day because you love what you do.”
AJ Styles On Giving The Undertaker A Title Shot
AJ Styles then turned his attention to The Dead Man. Having lost the Boneyard Match at WrestleMania 36, Styles shared how he is eager for a potential rematch. He acknowledged that, if it were to happen, he would be interested in performing in front of a live crowd as opposed to another cinematic matchup.
“If that means that he returns to a ring and we face in front of thousands of people, I would not hesitate for a moment. but will it happen? Would he be able to accept it? Probably not. If he decided that his career is over, I respect it. He has already done everything he had to do and has said: “That’s it, I have had enough” and believe me, I know what it is like.”
Styles reflected on The Undertaker’s extensive career. He added how ‘Taker has undoubtedly earned the right to say “enough” but reiterated how he wouldn’t hesitate in offering him a championship opportunity if he wanted it.
Current NXT North American Champion and NXT Champion Keith Lee is confident he is destined to headline WrestleMania with another NXT Superstar. According to Lee, it’s only a matter of time before he and Dominik Dijakovic cross paths on the “Grandest Stage of Them All.”
Taking to Twitter, Keith Lee shared how he and his longtime rival have “beat the crap out of each other” over the years. However, their professional rivalry and bond has only strengthened with each bout. Because of the way they push one another, Lee shared how Dijakovic is “forever my dude.”
“One day we will main event #Wrestlemania. And we’ll beat the crap out of each other again. Big shoutout to @dijakovicwwe. I love that guy. #FeastYourEyes”
We beat the crap out of each other. Our bond strengthens through combat every time. Because of that, this is forever my dude.
Keith Lee recently became the new NXT Champion, defeating Adam Cole in the main event of NXT’s Great American Bash Night Two. This victory saw Lee become a double champion in WWE. It also saw him snap Cole’s impressive 403-day reign as NXT Champion.
Dijakovic last featured on NXT programming on the May 6 episode of the black-and-gold brand. He lost to Johnny Gargano. It has been rumored that WWE is interested in bringing Dijakovic to either RAW or SmackDown in the near future.
All Elite Wrestling star Sonny Kiss has released an official statement regarding hateful comments made against him by a fan.
In the now-deleted tweet, the fan wrote:
“Seriously Cody Rhodes this is supposed to compete with WWE now? You having a match with this low class f*t he’s a joke that I’ll never take seriously. He Twerks in the ring like a stripper one of his moves is banging your face into his ass really?!!”
Having reflected on the swell of support he has received, Kiss shared how the support means a lot to him. In the wake of the negative words, both fans and pro wrestlers rallied behind Kiss.
Kiss shared how he has been open and comfortable with who he is since he was practically a baby. Because of this level of personal acceptance, “You can’t shame someone who is unabashed.”
He added how he firmly stands with the LGBTQ+ community and its allies in making wrestling a more positive and comfortable escape for people. Kiss believes this is something “we should all strive for.”
Sonny Kiss explained how “Sadly, I’d imagine the people on social media who spew hatred are often feeling more pain and sadness than what they’re inflicting on others. I won’t speak for everyone and I will continue to respect everyone’s responses that come naturally to them. We’re human. We have emotions. For me, I try my best to not counter hate with hate, but rather with confidence.”
Kiss is scheduled to face off against Cody Rhodes this Wednesday in a TNT Championship match. He added how this opportunity isn’t just for him, it’s for the entire LGBTQ+ community.
The July 13th episode of RAW aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. It was the final episode of RAW before WWE Extreme Rules: The Horror Show this Sunday. Bayley & Sasha Banks defended their Women’s Tag Team Championships against The Kabuki Warriors tonight in the main event.
WWE RAW (7/13) Results
Andrade & Angel Garza def. Viking Raiders
Bianca Belair & Ruby Riott def. The IIconics
Aleister Black def. Murphy via DQ
Kevin Owens def. Seth Rollins
Randy Orton def. R-Truth
Lashley def. Ricochet
Bayley & Sasha Banks def. The Kabuki Warriors to retain the Women’s Tag Titles
Here are 7 takeaways from this week’s show:
McIntyre Leveled Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler joined MVP for an episode of the VIP Lounge to start this week’s show. MVP praised Dolph for not revealing the stipulation for the WWE Championship match yet and said it was good strategy. Ziggler thanked MVP and claimed that McIntyre would be an unemployed loser if it wasn’t for him.
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre interrupted and joined Ziggler and MVP in the ring. Drew accused Ziggler of using him as his hired gun and they were never friends. Drew then vowed to hurt and torture Ziggler this Sunday at Extreme Rules. McIntyre stated that he didn’t want to wait until Sunday and got in Dolph’s face. McIntyre leveled Ziggler with a punch to the face to end the segment.
The Viking Raiders battled Angel Garza & Andrade in a Tag Team Elimination match tonight on RAW. Before the match, Charly Caruso interviewed Angel, Andrade, and Zelina backstage. The Viking Raiders interrupted and Ivar ripped the rose out of Garza’s hand. Ivar gave it to Charly and she blushed.
Match Recap: Garza and Andrade controlled the action early and isolated Erik in the ring. Andrade planted Erik with the Hammerlock DDT for the pinfall elimination. When RAW returned from a break, Ivar sent Andrade out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but Garza broke it up with a Dropkick.
Ivar quickly battled back and took them both out with a Suicide Dive. Ivar leveled Andrade with a Clothesline and followed it up with a slam for the pinfall elimination. Garza hit Ivar with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Superkick. Ivar connected with a spin kick and went for the cover but Andrade put Garza’s foot on the ropes. Garza then planted Ivar with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.
The IIconics approached Ruby Riott backstage and started mocking her. The IIConics said that Ruby doesn’t have any friends and wouldn’t be able to find a partner for a tag team match. Bianca Belair showed up and told The IIconics that they cannot beat her and it led to a tag team match.
Match Recap: The IIconics dominated early and isolated Ruby Riott in the corner of the ring. Peyton stomped on Ruby Riott several times before Riott finally battled back with a Jawbreaker.
Bianca tagged in and leveled Billie Kay with a few shoulder tackles and then a Splash in the corner of the ring. Bianca lifted up Billie up, did some squats before slamming her to the canvas.
Peyton Royce got into the ring but Riott hit her out of nowhere with an Enziguri. Billie went for a kick to the face but Belair countered into the KOD for the pinfall victory.
R-Truth and Tozawa were supposed to have a 24/7 Championship match tonight. Before the match, R-Truth told Tozawa that he didn’t like that he was out here with his ninjas. Shayna Baszler’s music hit and the Queen of Spades made her way to the ring.
Baszler took out the ninjas one by one before setting her sights on Tozawa. Tozawa said “I’m out” and exited the ring. R-Truth said that he will show himself out of the ring and tossed the microphone to Shayna.
Shayna stated that she has been patient and has let everyone have their fun but now she is done. Baszler claimed that all the women’s champions are weak minded and are fooling themselves by believing that they are in control. Baszler added that she is hear to shatter that illusion with a hard dose of reality, and she is that dose of reality.
Mysterio Vowed To Rip Out Rollins’ Eye At Extreme Rules
Murphy was shown backstage with a worried look on his face and Rollins asked what was wrong. Murphy wondered if someone is actually going to lose an eye at Extreme Rules and Rollins told him that nothing significant happens without sacrifice. Seth then made his way to the ring and cut a promo to hype the Eye for an Eye match against Rey Mysterio at Extreme Rules.
Seth claimed that he never wanted to hurt Rey and cannot believe an Eye for an Eye match has been sanctioned by WWE. Rollins vowed to “pluck Rey’s eye out of it’s socket” at the PPV so that Mysterio will be blind and never see his wife or son again. Kevin Owens interrupted and called Rollins a scumbag for driving a nice gut like Mysterio to the point where he wants to rip Seth’s eyes out. Owens then said he knows a pirate named Jean-Pierre LaFitte (former gimmick of PCO) and handed Seth an eye patch.
A brawl broke out and Aleister Black and Murphy rushed the ring. Murphy then battled Aleister Black as Mysterio, Dominik, Kevin Owens, and Rollins were ringside. Aleister connected with Black Mass but Rollins broke up the cover and the match ended in a DQ. Owens then battled Rollins in a WrestleMania 36 rematch. Kevin Owens defeated Rollins after her was distracted by Rey, Black, and Dominik hopping on the ring apron. After the match, Rey told Rollins that he is leaving Extreme Rules with only one eye.
Randy Orton Will Face Big Show Next Week In An Unsanctioned Match
Randy Orton faced R-Truth tonight on RAW. Ric Flair came down to the entrance ramp and said that Randy Orton isn’t going to punt R-Truth’s head off tonight, he’s just going to hit him with an RKO.
R-Truth got in a few punches but Orton quickly dropped him with the RKO for the easy victory. After the match, Orton set up to punt R-Truth’s head but Big Show interrupted.
Big Show came down to the entrance ramp and was about to get into the ring but Orton grabbed a microphone. Randy said that he wasn’t going to punt R-Truth and challenged Big Show to an Unsanctioned Match next week on RAW. Big Show accepted and got into the ring but Orton retreated.
Bayley and Sasha Banks defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships against The Kabuki Warriors in the main event of this week’s show. Before the match, Bayley and Banks once again held a tribute for themselves and rolled the same video package that was shown on SmackDown.
Match Recap: Banks and Bayley attacked the Kabuki Warriors right when the bell rang and beat them down. Asuka and Sane battled back and Dropkicked them out of the ring as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Asuka and Bayley were battling in the ring. Sane tagged in and planted Bayley with a Neckbreaker. Sasha knocked Asuka out of the ring and connected with a kick to Kairi’s face for a one count.
Sasha threw Sane out of the ring and tagged in Bayley. The Women’s Tag Team Champions then catapulted Kairi into the plexiglass as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Sane was trapped in the ring as Bayley and Banks took turns beating her down. Asuka tagged in and hit Bayley with a Hip Attack. Asuka followed it up with a Bulldog and went for the cover but Bayley kicked out at two.
Asuka hit Bayley with a kick to the face for another near fall. Bayley battled back and tagged in Sasha. Banks slammed Asuka to the canvas and went for the cover but the RAW Women’s Champion kicked out at two. Bayley tagged back in and perched Asuka up on the top rope. Bayley hit Asuka with a Hurricanrana and tagged Sasha back in. Banks hit Asuka with a Crossbody for a near fall. Asuka quickly locked in the Asuka Lock in the middle of the ring. Bayley tried to break it up but Kairi leveled her with the Interceptor Spear.
Banks got her foot on the ropes and Sane tagged in. Asuka leveled Banks with a kick to the face and Kairi followed it up with the Insane Elbow but Bayley broke up the cover. Sane hit Banks with an Alabama Slam and went for a Clothesline but Sasha countered into the Bank Statement for the submission victory. Bayley and Banks are still the Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Opinion: Overall, this week’s episode of RAW was a solid show. It didn’t do much to hype up Extreme Rules but was an entertaining show throughout. I thought the McIntyre and Ziggler segment tonight was a lame follow up to the Heath Slater promo last week and I really don’t have much excitement for their WWE Championship match at the PPV Bayley and Banks have become the focal point of the shows and continue to knock it out of the park. WWE’s women’s division got even strong with Baszler and Belair finally coming back tonight.
How many Role Models does it take to flip a Kabuki Warrior? ??
Shayna Baszler has made her return to WWE television.
The former WWE NXT Women’s Champion did so during Monday’s episode of RAW when she interrupted WWE 24/7 Champion R-Truth and Akira Tozawa. The two stars were slated to take part in a title match, but Baszler took out Tozawa’s ninjas.
She allowed Tozawa and Truth to leave the ring. This led to her cutting a promo about how she’s been patient and has allowed everyone on the show to have their fun, which ends now because she’s done.
Baszler sent a warning to all the weak-minded women’s champions who were running around fooling themselves with the delusion that they are in control. She stated that the limbs and terror left in her wake are a distant memory. Now, she’s back to remind them of the reality, which is her.
Baszler sent out the following message on her official Twitter account after the segment:
Baszler has been absent since the May 18 RAW episode where she beat Natalya in the Submission Match. It’s been reported that McMahon pulled her from TV because he had “soured” on Baszler.
Karrion Kross is looking to do his own cinematic match in WWE NXT.
The trend of this type of match began at WrestleMania 36 with the Boneyard between AJ Styles and The Undertaker, which was highly praised, in addition to the Firefly Fun House between John Cena and Bray Wyatt.
Since then, WWE has done several of these types of matches including two in NXT.
Kross recently spoke with Stephanie Chase of Digital Spy. During the interview, he noted that he has a few ideas in mind for doing such a match. The reason for that is due to him thinking that it would suit his character.
“I have a couple in mind,” Kross teased. “And I have a feeling that we may see one before the end of the year.”
Kross had been teasing challenging for the NXT Championship next. Originally, he dropped hints at coming after Adam Cole, but Cole just dropped the top championship on NXT TV to Keith Lee last week in a Winner Takes All Match.
There’s speculation that Kross could challenge Lee, who is also the NXT North American Champion, for the strap at the upcoming Takeover event during SummerSlam weekend, but that has not been confirmed.
WWE Superstar The Miz recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio show. The ‘Awesome’ SmackDown Superstar would answer a number of topics from his time with WWE as well as his new role as the host of Cannonball.
With The Miz now hosting USA Network’s Cannonball show it gave him the opportunity to land the cover of TV Guide. Miz discussed how special it was to land that spot on the iconic infozine. “It only took me 20 years to get back on it!” The Miz began on Busted Open.
The Miz on TV Guide
“The last time I was on the cover of TV Guide? It was for The Real World Back To New York. That was back in like 2000. So, to be able to grace the cover once again of TV Guide? I grew up waiting for the Sunday paper to get my TV Guide to circle the shows that I want to watch for the week.”
“We didn’t have the luxuries that the kids have these days” The Miz continued. “We had to wait for the paper to come in so you get your TV Guide to circle all the shows. Like we didn’t have recording. Like our version of recording was getting a VCR, putting a tape in the VCR and pressing record.”
The Miz would then talk about his 15 year stint with the WWE. “I’m very fortunate for all the things that I’ve been able to do. From being a WWE Superstar on SmackDown? I mean I’m six foot nothing, 200 like 200 pounds of just nothing. And yet here I am today, 15 years in the business. I’ve held every major title WWE has, [as well as having my own] reality show Miz and Mrs.”
WrestleMania Moment
Mike Mizanin would then discuss the appearances of his father on WWE television. The biggest moment for ‘Mr Miz’ came at WrestleMania when he entered the ring and stood up to Shane McMahon. “It really warms my heart when my dad, even though it gets really annoying, tells me how famous he is. How at WrestleMania in MetLife Stadium when he got inside the ring with Shane McMahon and put his dukes up. He became a meme! He went viral and became like the biggest story of WrestleMania.”
“You know his 15 minutes of fame is my 15 minutes of hell” Miz continued. “Because now? He was able to take two seconds inside a ring, and make it something. I’ve been there for 15 years and I haven’t went viral like he has!?”
Cody will defend his TNT Championship Wednesday night against Sonny Kiss. A person on Twitter responded to the match announcement by using a homophobic slur. Cody was having none of this and ripped the fan online. His older brother Dustin also let his feelings about the comment be known.
This is terrible. And you’re not worth the signal boost.
But I’ll make this clear to fans worldwide.
If you have a problem with a gay man receiving a title shot, you can kiss my ass.
“Seriously Cody Rhodes this is supposed to compete with WWE now? You having a match with this low class f*****t he’s a joke that I’ll never take seriously. He Twerks in the ring like a stripper one of his moves is banging your face into his ass really?!!”
Dustin was a little more aggressive than Cody with his response:
You are one of those guys, a jackass of monumental proportions. Don't you ever speak like that again, you piece of shit! No room for that kind of crap. Now go bury your head forever. https://t.co/kCVeoN750t
Cody also spoke about Sonny Kiss in response to a Tweet from Taz. He noted that Sonny Kiss is talented and untested but ultimately stands no chance against him.
Strongest legs in the company, great balance, and explosive/flush offense(ie 450) when he executes. Really talented and untested.
Cody and Sonny Kiss have never wrestled against each other yet in their careers. The TNT Champion will come into this one having held the title for 53 days (as of Wednesday) and with 4 defences already under his belt. Cody has defeated Jungle Boy, Marq Quen, Ricky Starks and Jake Hager in successful title defences.
Sonny Kiss comes into this match with a 6-9 career record in AEW. He has recently been apart of a successful tag-team along with Joey Janela as well.
Earlier this month, WWE made it mandatory for spectators inside the WWE Performance Center to wear masks. Failure to do so will result in a fine. Previously, WWE had sent a statement to media stating that since social distancing measures were being adhered to inside the Performance Center masks were not necessary.
According to Pat Laprade of the French-language podcast Les anti-pods de la Lutte, mask-wearing was made mandatory after Kevin Owens spoke to Vince McMahon about it. According to Post Wrestling’s report, Laprade says Kevin Owens spoke to Vince McMahon about the situation during the tapings held on July 3rd.
Owens reportedly told McMahon he wasn’t comfortable with people not wearing masks and standing so close. He said he was going home but McMahon asked what they could do to make him more comfortable. Owens said mandating masks and instituting a fine would be sufficient. Owens also noted that he was once fined for swearing on Smackdown and then never did it again, proving fines are a good deterrent.
The fine for a first offence is $500 and it doubles to $1000 for a second offence. Owens has since said he will continue to take part in the tapings now that the policy is in effect. He is scheduled to wrestle Seth Rollins tonight on RAW.
EDIT: Shortly after this piece was posted, Kevin Owens was quoted by SI.com on the matter:
“At first, the masks weren’t being taken seriously enough. Eventually, a fine system was implemented to make sure people took it seriously. That came from me. I thought that the masks weren’t being worn seriously enough, so I went and talked to the people in charge. They immediately did what they could to remedy the situation,” Owens said.
All Elite Wrestling’s Matt Hardy has hinted at his concerns over WWE’s current storyline between his brother Jeff Hardy and Sheamus.
The two have been feuding for weeks, with a heavy focus of the narrative being put on Jeff Hardy’s past real-life substance abuse issues. It’s something Matt Hardy believes could be adding “unneeded pressure” on his brother.
Responding to a fan on Twitter, Matt Hardy stressed how AEW has allowed him to “brand his persona.”
I’m very happy with how AEW has let me brand my persona. Allowing me to help younger talent on & off screen, while also respectfully celebrating my legacy & contributions to the industry. I have those same concerns about the unneeded pressure on my brother.
He explained how this freedom has seen him help out younger talent both on-screen and backstage. Matt Hardy noted how AEW has celebrated his legacy and contributions to the pro wrestling industry.
It was argued how Matt is being celebrated for his impact on the industry in AEW, whereas Jeff is being presented as a “junkie.”
It was then asked, “What if he relapsed?” These concerns are clearly shared by Matt Hardy, who acknowledged he has the same worries for Jeff.
Having lost to Sheamus at WWE Backlash, Jeff Hardy and Sheamus are scheduled to face each other once more. They will clash in a Bar Fight. The match takes place at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules, which airs on July 19 on the WWE Network.
Former AEW Women’s Champion Nyla Rose has explained how she came to be hired by All Elite Wrestling. She shared her story during an interview with Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards on AEW’s official podcast,Unrestricted.
When reflecting on her initial hiring, Rose was asked about how Kenny Omega first reached out to her. It was explained how nobody was aware that Rose was transgender when they first approached.
Nyla Rose explained how she wasn’t asked to join AEW just to fill a “check box.” Being approached on her own merits as a professional wrestler was “the biggest compliment” for her.
“It made me feel really good because they didn’t see me as a check box, like, ok, we got one of those. They were like, we like this chick. We like what she does in the ring. We want to put her on television and we want that with us,” Rose said. “Well, at the time, there was no television, but you know what I’m saying. They knew it was happening. I didn’t know it was happening.”
“The Native Beast” recently revealed how she has hired a manager to help her in-ring career and AEW championship aspirations. Nyla Rose made the announcement during Fyter Fest Night Two.
NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano has responded to a fan accusing him of being “scared” of moving to either RAW or SmackDown.
It was suggested that Gargano had achieved everything he could hope to achieve in NXT. According to the statement, Gargano wouldn’t have a successful career if he didn’t move to WWE’s red or blue brand.
Gargano replied to the accusation, wanting to directly address the idea that he is scared of WWE’s main roster. He argued how he’s in a position to work side by side with his wife, Candice LeRae. He added how he also gets to share the locker room with Superstars he has traveled the world with for years.
Gargano proceeded to explain how he has a “great relationship” with everyone in the office. Additionally, he gets to “WRESTLE” and help grow a product he truly believes in. According to Gargano, that is his definition of what success is.
Let's talk about this "scared" narrative. I get to work side by side with my Wife and guys I've traveled the world with for years. I have a great relationship with everyone in the office, get to WRESTLE and help a product I truly believe in. That's my definition of "success".
Johnny Gargano recently competed in a few unsuccessful attempts to reclaim the NXT North American Championship. He lost to Keith Lee at NXT: In Your House back on June 7. Gargano also lost a Triple Threat opportunity for the title on the June 17 episode of NXT. He went on to reclaim some momentum by defeating Isaiah Scott at NXT’s The Great American Bash Night Two.
SmackDown Superstar Jeff Hardy has shared a list of top names in WWE that he’d love to wrestle. Speaking with WWE show The Bump, Hardy opened up about some of his dream opponents once his current feud with Sheamus has concluded.
Hardy admitted that it’s been a dream of his to once again wrestle AJ Styles. He noted he they have crossed paths before when Hardy “went to another wrestling world.” He added how Styles was his first match back in WWE, “and I remember being so nervous because he was so good. We’re both the same age, but we’re the complete opposites.”
Alongside “The Phenomenal One,” Hardy named Roman Reigns and “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt as Superstars he’d love to compete against. Jeff Hardy noted how if he was able to feud with “The Fiend,” he’s confident they would be “something special between me and him.”
Jeff Hardy is set to face off against Sheamus at WWE’s upcoming event The Horror Show at Extreme Rules. They will compete in a Bar Fight matchup. The last time these two Superstars competed, Hardy lost to Sheamus at WWE Backlash back in June.
The Horror Show at Extreme Rules take place on July 19 on the WWE Network.
Former Los Ingobernables de Japon member EVIL has commented on his momentous championship victory at NJPW Dominion. EVIL defeated Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championship, shocking the crowd in attendance.
Taking to his Twitter account, the new champion boasted about his win. He also taunted fans about his new “pareja” (partner), former Kai En Tai member Dick Togo.
“”EVIL is 71st. IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION and 25th. IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION. And you all like my new “PAREJA” Dick Togo @boliviacuba, don’t you!? Bullet Club is perfect EVIL. #EVIL #BulletClub.”
EVIL is 71st. IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION and 25th. IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION.
And you all like my new “PAREJA” Dick Togo @boliviacuba , don’t you!?
EVIL turned on his former LIJ stablemate after successfully defeating Kazuchika Okada during the New Japan Cup Finals on 7/11. He aligned himself with longtime heel stable Bullet Club. He debuted a new attitude, new gear, and even new theme music for his championship bout with Naito.
Following the bout, which featured Bullet Club interference, LIJ member Hiromu Takahashi would run out to assist Naito. These events led to a challenge that EVIL has accepted. His first-ever defense of both the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championship will now take place against Takahashi at NJPW’s Segonku Lord in Nagoya event.
Prior to this champinoship clash, however, is New Japan Road. Taking place on 25/7, EVIL will be a part of a Bullet Club team set to face LIJ, including Naito and title contender, Takahashi.
Charlotte Flair is currently taking some time off after having dropped the NXT Women’s Championship to Io Shirai and losing a match to Asuka on RAW. It was initially reported that she was undergoing surgery but the nature of the surgery was not revealed.
In a series of Tweets, Flair recently revealed why she is taking time away from WWE.
“My air conditioning is broken, and we have a little free time. These tweets may be spaced out a bit, but we’re going to talk time off, plastic surgery and boobs,” Flair began the thread on Twitter.
Flair would then reveal she got sick in 2018 due to silicone poisoning from a leaking implant.
I’m going to save the history of my boobs for a different bedtime story, so:
Picture it. Charlotte, North Carolina, 2018. A young queen, shortly after a career defining Wrestlemania victory, finds herself sicker than sick at her brother’s house.
A trip to the doctor tells us the likely culprit is silicone poisoning, and that my implant had been leaking for quite some time. It was one of the worse cases the doctor had seen.
“At that time, I had a few options to fix the issue. Each option had a specific recovery time. I love this job more than anything, so I picked the option that allowed me to return the soonest. That was the choice I made,” Flair continued.
To clarify: I do not have silicone poisoning this time. The surgery is cosmetic to fix an issue from a prior surgery
“I’ll be back when I’m ready. The body will be rested, and the mind still focused on legacy. Focused on this job. Focused on being better. Always being better,” she ended the thread with.
