Former Champion Bobby Lashley made his return to WWE during the April 9, 2018 episode of Monday Night Raw. It was the night after WrestleMania 34 and his comeback left a number of fans disappointed.
Braun Strowman had been teasing a mystery partner for the Show Of Shows which ended up being a 10-year-old boy Nicholas. Many believe that instead of the young fan, it would have been better to reintroduce the former ECW Champion during the PPV.
During a recent interview with TalkSport, Lashley was asked if there were any plans for him to be revealed as the mystery partner for the Monster Among Men, and the former ECW Champion replied by saying that he doesn’t know:
“I didn’t know anything to tell you the truth. At the beginning when we first negotiated and started talking, I was supposed to be coming back around WrestleMania. There was talks of before, during and after. I didn’t hear about after. I heard about doing something before to set up an angle for WrestleMania, or doing something at WrestleMania – didn’t know.
I really didn’t know anything about the Braun tagging thing.” said Bobby Lashley. “If they would have told me that, I would have been all for it. That’s an incredible opportunity. I mean to come back as the tag team champions!”
The Raw star continued by saying that the company may have discussed the possibility internally but he has no clue about it. He hasn’t heard anything about it even to this day.
Bobby Lashley set up a match with Drew McIntyre this week and he will now be challenging the WWE Champion for his title at Backlash on June 14.
The unfortunate incident with former WWE star Shad Gaspard has been the point of discussion among wrestling fans but so far WWE had not commented on the matter.
Now the company has finally released an official statement on the incident through their official twitter account, telling people to keep his family in their prayers.
The WWE chairman Vince McMahon has also come forward and on behalf of the company, he said that that the thoughts of everyone at WWE are with Gaspard’s family:
“WWE’s thoughts are with the family of Shad Gaspard. Please continue to keep them in your thoughts during this difficult time.”
The thoughts of everyone at WWE are with Shad Gaspard’s family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/dLRnF6oElX
Shad Gaspard went missing after getting caught in a riptide at Venice Beach in California on Sunday. The lifeguards had reached out to him for help but he asked the rescuers to help his 10-year-old son first.
The former WWE star was unfortunately crushed by a large wave before the guards could reach back to him and this was the last time he was seen.
The search operations ran through Sunday and Monday but the US Coast Guard have confirmed that they have suspended the operations now.
Shad’s family has issued a statement on the matter expressing their gratitude towards the first responders and hoping for the former WWE star’s safe return.
Viewership data is in for Monday’s WWE RAW and Friday’s SmackDown. Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
RAW Viewership
Monday’s edition of WWE RAW averaged 1.757 million viewers, which is down from the 1.920 million viewers last week.
Here is the hourly viewership breakdown:
Hour 1: 1.810 million, 0.53 in the 18-49 Demo
Hour 2: 1.818 million, 0.53 in the 18-49 Demo
Hour 3: 1.644 million, 0.48 in the 18-49 Demo
RAW featured the Edge accepting Randy Orton’s wrestling match challenge at WWE Backlash while the main event featured WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Baron Corbin in a non-title match. Other matches that took place on this show included Charlotte Flair vs. Ruby Riott, Women’s Tag Team champions Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. The IIconics (Billie Kay & Peyton Royce), and Shayna Baszler vs. Natalya.
SmackDown averaged 2.042 million viewers on FOX in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center. This is up from the 2.025 million viewers that the show did for the previous week’s episode of SmackDown.
The show averaged 2.043 million viewers in the fast nationals, which was up from the 2.040 million viewers a week ago. This number measured the top metered markets.
The first hour drew 2.030 million viewers while the second hour did 2.055 million viewers. For comparison, the first show of last week’s show did 2.087million viewers while the second hour did 1.992 million viewers.
SmackDown pulled in a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demos, the same from the 0.50 rating as last week’s show.
The search for Shad Gaspard has been suspended by the US Coast Guard. According to a report from TMZ, the US Coast Guard suspended search efforts this morning. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed with Fox News shortly after, however, that they have not called off their search for Gaspard even if other agencies have.
The family issued the following statement today:
“We would like to express our gratitude to the first responders who rescued Aryeh and to the lifeguards, coast guard, divers, fire and police departments for their continued efforts to help find our beloved Shad.”
“Shad is a fighter, a warrior and a magical soul. We are hoping and praying for his safe return. As a family we thank you all for your concern and well wishes. Please continue to keep sending your positivity and prayers to our beloved Shad.”
JTG recently posted a screen cap from a conversation he had with Gaspard:
Several people have been out searching for Shad today. Chris Masters and Lillian Garcia have both gone out to the beach to look for him. Garcia is asking fans for their prayers.
Walking over to The Marina/Venice beach for @Shadbeast If anybody else wants to come I’ll be there in about a half hour
Several wrestlers are upset with Combat Zone Wrestling for how they treat and portray their female wrestlers. Recently, the company has been running PPVs featuring matches from previously held CZW events. Several PPV events featuring women’s wrestling matches have been given titles such as “CZW Girlz: Top Heavy & Tough” and “Hot & Sweaty Combat.”
Several wrestlers have spoken out about the naming of these shows and how the female talent are being portrayed.
I never publically bash CZW but this is just terrible. I’m embarrassed that my name is attached to these “PPV’s” I doubt I have any legal right to get my name off there. This is gross. The CZW office should be ashamed. I’m sorry to the ladies and that have to deal with this. https://t.co/Dtolvb0eDR
— RSP ????????????? (@RickeyShanePage) May 13, 2020
LuFisto published the below video directed at CZW:
“I am a very proud professional wrestler,” LuFisto says in the video. “Lately, CZW, Combat Zone Wrestling, has been promoting us as soft-core porn actresses. I’m a professional wrestler, I’m not a cat fighter, I’m not a sweaty girl getting involved in dirty fights. Although I am top-heavy and a very proud bottom-heavy girl, nothing gives them a right to promote me as such. That’s not what I signed up for.”
The full video can be viewed below:
CZW Issues Statement
Combat Zone Wrestling has since issued a statement that they entered into an agreement with a media distributor who is able to name the PPVs whatever they want. CZW said they stand behind the ring action in all their footage. It sounds as though they signed away their right to have anything to do with the branding of the shows.
— CZW: Combat Zone Wrestling (@combatzone) May 19, 2020
Jordynne Grace and Kimber Lee Comment
“And I’m certain I NEVER signed an agreement giving you the right to sell my intellectual property…. nor did ANY of the women you’re blatantly disrespecting. Or how you told us all you wouldn’t book us if you wouldn’t f**k us. It’s about time the harassment gets exposed,” Kimber Lee Tweeted.
Impact Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace issued the following response to the statement released by CZW:
In AEW at the moment, both classic Matt Hardy and the version that has been taken over by a 3000-year-old entity named Damascus can be seen. In a recent interview with CBS Sports Radio, Hardy noted that he wants to create the most layered character in wrestling history.
“You’re going to see many versions of Matt Hardy,” Hardy said on the show. “I’m really working to create the most layered wrestling character ever right now.”
He also noted that he likes it when other wrestlers or those in segments with him aren’t aware of what he is going to say next.
“A lot of times it works best when I’m speaking with my opponent and they don’t even know what’s coming,” he continued. “You get more of a natural reaction because he says a lot of absurd stuff, he says a lot of unpredictable stuff.”
Hardy then used the example of Chris Jericho’s reaction to Hardy calling him a “Hole of the Ass” on a recent episode of Dynamite.
“When I called Chris Jericho, we were in the ring together, and I called him a hole of the ass, he almost lost it just because he wasn’t expecting that,” he continued.
Hardy’s comments on the show can be heard in the Tweet below:
Broken Matt Hardy says he's going to develop layers no wrestler has ever tried I @DAonCBS pic.twitter.com/IHIUuHsBYR
— Infinity Sports Network (@InfSportsNet) May 19, 2020
AEW star and leader of the Dark Order Brodie Lee recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The former WWE Superstar would discuss a litany of topics from his short time with the All Elite promotion, as well as leaving him WWE earlier this year.
The now Exalted One will be challenging for the AEW Championship this weekend against Jon Moxley, another former WWE Superstar. This is the first main event singles bout for Brodie Lee in a long time, and he would describe how he wasn’t getting these opportunities in WWE, which ultimately led to him leaving the company.
“That’s the main reason why I didn’t want to be in WWE anymore, it’s because I knew those opportunities weren’t coming” Brodie Lee would begin. “No matter how hard I scratched and clawed, no matter what I proved? They weren’t coming. I wasn’t one of the chosen ones. So now here I am, I’m creating [those opportunities] myself.”
Brodie Lee would elaborate further, saying “I know I’m great at professional wrestling, I know I deserve these spots. So now I have to show up and prove that to other people. So now there’s a certain pressure on me, because there’s nobody to blame anymore [other than myself].”
The Exalted One would then discuss his opponent at Double or Nothing this weekend, Jon Moxley. “It’s a wonderful, very freeing feeling to be in that spot. And to do it with Jon Moxley? It’s even better because we’ve done it in EVOLVE, we’ve done it in FCW and we’ve done it in WWE. And now? We’re going to do it at AEW Double or Nothing. I think it’s 10 years? We’ve wrestled multiple times around the world. So, this is a very cool opportunity to have and like I said I’m gonna make him [Moxley] earn it back [the AEW Championship] because I have something to prove.”
Who do you think will be leaving Double or Nothing this Saturday with the AEW Championship? Let us know in the comments
Dark Side of the Ring’s season finale tonight will focus on Owen Hart’s tragic death at the Over the Edge PPV in 1999. In the build-up to the episode airing, Martha Hart has been taking part in media interviews and speaking about the events surrounding her husband’s death.
Bret Hart has since responded to comments Martha Hart made to the Wrap regarding the fallout between his and Martha’s relationship. Martha stated that her fallout with Bret had to do with Bret wanting access to his wrestling footage and rekindling his relationship with Vince McMahon.
“(Bret) was very upset that he didn’t get his footage. It prompted him to befriend Vince again so he could have access to his footage. That was the first fracture in our relationship,” Martha said.
Bret has since released the following statement on the matter:
“While I am not interested in engaging in any more media mudslinging between Martha and myself especially in light of a global pandemic, I will say that our fallout is multifaceted. To say that it only involved being able to access and use my WWE footage and photos for future projects would merely be an oversimplification and inaccurate. I will not comment any further on the matter.”
WWE Lawyer Comments On Martha Hart Statements
In a recent interview with CBS Sports and on Talk is Jericho, Martha Hart spoke about the negligence involved in Owen’s fall. She also spoke about WWE taking legal action against her in an attempt to force the wrongful death suit to be filed in Connecticut where punitive damages would be less of a factor.
“It was really tough. I have to say it was a knock-down-drag-out fight/battle against them,” Martha said on Talk is Jericho. “A lot of people might not realize this but they actually sued me for breach of Owen’s contract.”
“They had in their contract that you could only sue them in Connecticut but I wasn’t suing them about Owen’s contract, it was something totally different. But through that process of the lawsuit, they were trying anything and everything to muddy the waters or just intimidate me.”
Jerry McDevitt Comments
WWE lawyer Jerry McDevitt has since issued a response to CBS Sports.
“The reality is, we’ve never told our side of the story of what happened — at least not outside of court,” the statement McDevitt provided reads. “We told it in court, but when she talks about the way the lawsuit unfolded over the years, it really isn’t accurate what she’s saying.”
McDevitt then made accusation about Martha’s lawyers attempting to fix the judicial selection process to get a judge they favoured.
“What she did whenever this happened is, she hired a lawyer in Kansas City who we caught essentially trying to fix the judicial selection process to get a judge that was more to their liking. We caught them and went all the way to the Missouri Supreme Court. The Missouri Supreme Court said, ‘No, no, no. We’re not going to let that happen.’ They essentially appointed an independent judge to come in from outside of Kansas City to oversee the proceedings. We were basically trying to find out what happened that night.”
McDevitt then stated that Owen Hart’s widow wanted to damage the wrestling business.
“Martha was not even remotely interested in finding out what happened that night; she just wanted to used it as a vehicle to beat up a business that she didn’t like that her husband was in, the wrestling business.”
McDevitt’s full statement along with Martha’s comments to CBS Sports can be read here.
Martha talking about WWE’s legal action against her can be heard in the player below:
AEW will crown the first TNT Champion this Saturday night at Double or Nothing.
Cody will battle Lance Archer in the finals of the championship tournament to determine which man’s name will be etched in the history books as the inaugural champion. Boxing legend “Iron” Mike Tyson will be on hand to present the new title belt to the winner.
Cody is currently ranked #1 in AEW’s Men’s Singles division. Lance Archer is ranked #2.
Until this week, AEW had yet to address how the new TNT Championship will affect the weekly rankings. Will there be separate rankings for the World Championship and the TNT Championship, or will the top 5 rankings cover both prizes?
TNT Championship’s Impact on AEW Rankings
AEW fan @LoneJobber posed this question to AEW President Tony Khan on Monday. Khan acknowledged this was a good question and shed some light on the situation. According to Tony Khan, AEW will maintain the same singular Top 5 rankings format once the TNT Championship is introduced. The two champions will be ranked atop the Top 5.
Good question. It’ll be a similar format, but going forward we’ll have the 2 male singles champions ranked at the top above the Top 5.
Expect to hear more about the rules governing the AEW TNT Championship in the weeks ahead. We will soon find out if the TNT title has different stipulations than the AEW World Championship, such as the champion being required to defend the gold on television under certain time restraints (ie. every week, every month, etc.).
Roman Reigns recently got some new tattoo work done on his back.
The former WWE Champion been out of action since April, when he decided to pull out of the main event of WrestleMania just days before the event. He is taking time off due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reigns has talked about wanting to look after his family, including his young children and pregnant wife, as a primary reason for taking time off from WWE.
On Tuesday, tattoo artist Michael Fatutoa posted a video on TikTok showing off Roman Reigns’ new ink. As seen below, the back tattoo is an extension of his tribal tattoo that covers his chest, left arm and shoulder.
Hangman Page hasn’t wrestled since the March 18th episode of Dynamite from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. It was the first of AEW’s empty arena shows due to the ongoing global pandemic. On the most recent episode of “Being the Elite,” Page may have teased a potential return to AEW shows, however.
On BTE, Page has been shown living in the woods as of late but on the most recent episode, he teased it was time to go home. As he discussed going home, it could be speculated that by “home” he means returning to AEW television.
“Maybe I should go home,” Page said possibly referring to no longer living in the woods.
“Honestly, it would be ridiculous to go home right now because out here I can’t get infected, I can’t infect anyone else. I mean, we’re all in this together, right?”
“It feels irresponsible to go back to my house, I mean, even now. I’d never know if I over-reacted coming out here to live but I’d forever live with the pain of knowing I didn’t do enough and to be honest, I’ve kind of been enjoying living out here.”
Hangman Page Returning To AEW Tapings?
Then Hangman’s analogy started to become more clear.
“I used to know more but living in a house is kind of all I understand now. And maybe most selfishly, I feel like I want to go back home because I was on the run of my life in that house,” Page said possibly referring to the momentum he had in AEW.
“I nearly won the prestigious ‘Man of the House’ award in May,” Page continued as he listed off reasons to possibly return “home.”
“I teamed up with our broom to clean the house better than anyone had ever swept before,” Page continued, possibly talking about his team with Kenny Omega if not his actual domestic prowess.
“Everybody was loving it, what I was doing in the house, and it made me feel more validated than I’d ever felt in my life. I felt like maybe I was on my way back to winning the ‘Man of the House’ award.”
“It seems unfair that I’ve gotten to live out this Snow White woodland fantasy while Cynthia from Foodland has to go back to her apartment every morning,” he continued.
Page’s comments begin at the 14:45 mark of the below video:
Tonight’s season finale of Dark Side of the Ring focusses on Owen Hart’s tragic death on May 23rd, 1999. In conjunction with the episode, the Owen Hart Foundation and VICE media have produced official Owen Hart merchandise for the first time in over 20 years. All proceeds will go to support the foundation Martha Hart set-up in Owen’s name.
Two T-shirts are currently available on ProWrestlingTees.com. One has a picture of Owen and the Dark Side of the Ring logo in the corner. The other shirt features a pink and black heart logo with the words “In our hearts forever.”
First Official Owen Hart T-Shirt in 20 Years – All Proceeds Go To The OHF!
To commemorate Vice Media's Dark Side of the Ring Episode 'Owen Hart's Final Days' the OHF has produced Owen Hart T-shirts with One Hour Tees. Includes a Authenticity Certificate. https://t.co/hcJOAvBgUtpic.twitter.com/sCSKnmo3jV
— The Owen Hart Foundation (@owen_foundation) May 19, 2020
Established following the wrongful death lawsuit regarding Owen’s tragic fall, the Owen Hart Foundation supports a variety of programs including helping low-income families and individuals purchase homes and a scholarship program for students.
“Owen was a practical man of profound integrity, a wonderful husband and devoted father. He would be extremely proud of the good work carried out by the Foundation and would be honoured to be remembered for what he loved best, which was his sincere kindness to all people,” reads the website of the Owen Hart Foundation.
WWE has filed for a couple of trademarks recently and one of them might be an indication of a very interesting possibility for the future of Bray Wyatt.
According to the United States Patent & Trademark Office, WWE has filed applications to trademark terms “In Your House” and “Sister Abigail”.
The In Your House term has been used by the company for a number of PPVs. Just recently they announced NXT TakeOver: In Your House event for June.
With this trademark, it seems likely that the company will be branding more of their empty arena PPVs as In Your House events until they are allowed to run normal shows again.
On the other hand, Sister Abigail has often been referred by Bray Wyatt and the company has teased the character for WWE TV a number of times to no avail.
Wyatt had teased the debut of the character for the TLC event in 2017 for his match against Finn Balor. However, he was pulled from the show due to an undisclosed illness and AJ Styles ended up replacing the former Universal Champion in the bout.
Now the trademarking of the term could be an indication that the company is finally planning to bring her to life and it would be interesting to see if we witness the debut of Sister Abigail anytime soon.
A number of WWE superstars have been released by the company recently and now another major behind the scene departure has been confirmed, though this time the official has chosen to leave himself.
According to PWinsider, WWE’s Vice President of Global Television Production Michael Mansury has officially parted ways with the company last week.
The now former WWE employee had given his notice several months ago that he would be leaving in May. He was apparently a big part of Triple H’s team and even dubbed as the successor for Kevin Dunn:
“Mansury was seen as a big part of the Triple H regime and some in the company had dubbed him unofficially as the ‘next Kevin Dunn’ – with the idea being that he would one day fill Dunn’s role down the line.”
The former WWE official had joined the company in 2009 as a Production Assistant. He rose through the ranks over the years and became an Associate Producer, Producer and then Managing Producer before being elevated to his final position in March 2016.
Michael Mansury had been the director of record for many WWE PPVs and TV productions in recent years. He was well-liked backstage and many were “shocked” by his departure from the promotion.
There is no word yet on the reason for his decision to leave the company. We will keep you posted on any updates on the same.
The family of the former WWE star Shad Gaspard who went missing after getting caught in a riptide has issued a statement on the matter.
“We would like to express our gratitude to the first responders who rescued Aryeh and to the lifeguards, coast guards, drivers, fire and police departments for their continued efforts to help find our beloved Shad.
Shad is a fighter, a warrior and a magical soul. We are hoping and praying for his safe return. As a family we thank you all for your concern and wishes. Please continue to keep sending your positivity and prayers to our beloved Shad.”
The Gaspard Family
Shad Gaspard went missing after getting caught in a riptide at Venice Beach in California on Sunday. There were a number of swimmers that were pulled by the current but the former WWE star was the only one that went under.
The lifeguards had reached out to the people and they were trying to pull them out. The wrestling star reportedly directed them to help his 10-year-old son first which they did.
However, another large wave crashed down on Gaspard before the authorities could reach him and this was the last time he was seen. Los Angeles Fire Department lifeguard specialist Pono Barnes has confirmed that Shad was the only person to submerge.
The search operation continued until sundown on Sunday and it was resumed on Monday morning at around 7 am local time. Shad’s family remained on the beach as the operations continued but there have been no updates on the matter.
Brodie Lee has become a prominent figure in AEW programming since his debut in March and some of his promos have created buzz on the internet due to their resemblance with the habits of his former boss, Vince McMahon.
However, the former Luke Harper is saying that while he has heard the talks and speculations about his work, the similarities are not intentional.
Lee recently appeared on Busted Open Radio and when asked about his promos, he claimed that he has no reason to hate WWE or Vince McMahon:
“Look, you take them however you want, I happen to be a fan of mafia movies, so that’s the way the character is portrayed for me. I believe the leadership style, the results speak for themselves. So, you can take it anyway you want.
“Trust me, I hear you. I hear everybody. None of that is intentional.” said Brodie Lee. “I have no reason to hate WWE, no reason to hate Vince McMahon, nothing like that. You take it how you want.”
The former WWE star also commented on the fan notion that he is upset with WWE for his mistreatment, saying that he wasn’t upset and instead he just wanted to wrestle.
Brodie Lee explained that he is a professional wrestler and he wanted to wrestle while he still had the opportunity because he will not be able to do this forever.
The former WWE star is set to challenge AEW World Champion Jon Moxley for his title at the upcoming Double Or Nothing PPV on May 23.
The Rock was at the height of his wrestling career when he decided to leave the business behind and pursue a full time acting career in 2004.
The former World Champion recently held a Q&A from his Instagram account where he answered questions related to his WWE career among other things.
When a fan asked the Great One why he decided to retire from wrestling at the age of 32, The Rock said that there were two reasons why he made the call:
“I retired in from the WWE in 2004 at the age of 32, and at that time, well here’s the why. Why I retired was two reasons. 1) My contract had expired and 2) Which is the most important thing, an agreement that I have with anybody in the world.
Any company, any individual, it’s always important to me, to shake that person’s hand and look them in the eye. In 2004 when my contract expired, I had delivered on my agreement with the WWE” said The Rock.” And with my long-time mentor and very, very good friend Vince McMahon. We shook hands, that’s the way we are.”
The People’s Champion started his career when he was 25 and ended his run 7 years later, at the age of 32. The former WWE star said that 7 is a very important number to him and he claimed that he wanted to retire when he was at the top.
Apart from this, The Rock also talked about his WWE return in 2011 and what it meant to wrestle John Cena at WrestleMania XXVIII in his hometown of Miami.
WWE RAW aired from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The Brand-to-Brand Invitational began with Corbin battling Drew McIntyre, and Bliss & Cross defended their Women’s Team Championships against The IIConics. Edge also answered Orton’s challenge for a traditional wrestling match at Backlash.
RAW Results (5/18)
Edge accepted Randy Orton’s challenge for a match at Backlash
Murphy def. Humberto Carrillo
Charlotte Flair def. Ruby Riott
Bobby Lashley def. R-Truth
Bliss & Cross def. The IIconincs via DQ to retain the Women’s Tag Titles
Shayna Baszler def. Natalya in a Submission Match
Kevin Owens & Apollo Crews def. Angel Garza & Andrade
Aleister Black def. Murphy via DQ
Drew McIntyre def. King Corbin
Here are 6 takeaways from this week’s show:
Edge Will Face Randy Orton At Backlash
Edge
Charly Caruso kicked off the show in the ring and introduced Randy Orton. Randy once again stated that Edge was the better man at WrestleMania but he is not the superior wrestler. He intends to prove that at Backlash in a traditional wrestling match. Randy claimed that Edge didn’t accept the challenge last Monday night because he saw doubt in his eyes.
Orton added that Edge’s grit and passion is gone and is now just doubt. Edge interrupted and marched down to the ring. Edge said that Orton spoke a lot of truths last week and gave him a lot to contemplate. Edge added that this was all just a game and a paycheck for Orton because this isn’t the life he wanted. This was his backup plan and was handed this opportunity.
Edge said that Orton doesn’t care about this business like he does and boasted about defeating Randy for the IC Title in the past. He claimed Randy doesn’t love the sport like the rest of the locker room does before Orton interrupted. Orton demanded an answer and Edge accepted the challenge. The two superstars stared at each other before Orton left the ring.
Rollins Showed No Remorse For His Attack On Mysterio
Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins came down to the ring with Murphy and said that he has now seen the light thanks to Rey Mysterio. Seth stated that Rey Mysterio was a sacrifice for the greater good and that soon enough he will come to understand that what happened was a blessing in disguise.
Rollins made it seem like he was going to apologize to Rey but simply said “you’re welcome”. Humberto Carrillo joined the party and stated Rey is a hero and Seth is a coward. Carrillo hopped in the ring but Murphy got in the way. Rollins told Humberto he appreciated him standing up for his idol. Rollins was wearing a suit and said he was not ready for a fight right now. Seth suggested that Murphy fight Humberto and the match was made official.
Match Recap: Murphy controlled the action early and applied a Headlock as Rollins watched on from ringside. Humberto broke free and Dropkicked Murphy out of the ring. Humberto rolled Murphy back into the ring but got distracted by Rollins. Murphy capitalized with a knee to the face and then Murphy’s Law for the pinfall victory. After the match, Murphy beat Humberto down some more before Aleister Black rushed the ring. Black unloaded several strikes to Murphy as Rollins retreated up the entrance ramp. Murphy will face Aleister Black later on the show.
Aaaaaaaand @WWE_Murphy was just a split-second away from NOT having a match against @WWEAleister later tonight… #WWERawpic.twitter.com/A1hJC9Of1C
RAW Women’s Champion Asuka celebrated with Kairi Sane in the ring. Kairi ran down all of Asuka’s accomplishments and shouted that Asuka was a Grand Slam Champion.
Asuka danced around the ring as Kairi played a flute. Nia Jax interrupted and got into the ring. Jax stated that there was nothing to celebrate because Asuka was handed the title due to Becky Lynch’s pregnancy.
Nia told Asuka that she lucked her way into the greatest temp job ever and vowed to replace her soon. Asuka attacked Nia and knocked her out of the ring with a Hip Attack.
Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross defended their Women’s Tag Team Championships against The IIConics tonight on RAW. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce defeated Bliss and Cross last week in a non-title match.
Match Recap: The IIconincs dominated early and isolated Nikki in the ring. Bliss tagged in and connected with a Dropkick to Billie Kay. Alexa followed it up with Double Knees to Billie and went for the cover but Peyton broke it up. Nikki launched Peyton out of the ring but turned around into a big boot from Billie.
Alexa hit Billie with a right hand and followed it up with Twisted Bliss. Peyton Royce broke up the cover and repeatedly launched Bliss into the ring post which caused the match to end in DQ. Bliss and Cross retained the Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Billie Kay and Peyton Royce started arguing backstage. Billie slapped Peyton in the face and Royce started crying. The two shared a hug to end the segment.
Kevin Owens & Apollo Crews Picked Up A Win, Austin Theory Joined Seth Rollins
Angel Garza, Andrade, Austin Theory, and Zelina Vega were guests on the Kevin Owens show tonight. Natalya destroyed the set after yet another loss to Shayna Baszler.
Owens said that he hasn’t been around for a while due to getting injured at WrestleMania. Kevin said that he is good to go now and tonight is a major edition of the Kevin Owens Show.
Vega claimed there was no dysfunction in her group and referred to United States Champion Andrade as a “god amongst insects”. She complimented Theory and Garza before saying that she is the best this business has seen in a long time. Vega asked why Kevin Owens was standing on the ring apron and he said that he doesn’t want the ring to be too crowded. Owens introduced Apollo Crews as another guest and Crews rushed the ring. Crews leveled Andrade and a brawl broke out as RAW went to a break.
Match Recap: Crews and Owens teamed up to face Andrade and Angel Garza as Austin Theory and Zelina Vega were ringside. Crews planted Garza with a Suplex and tagged in Owens. Kevin hit Garza with a Senton but Angel escaped to the corner to tag in Andrade.
The United States Champion booted Owens in the face and stomped on him in the corner. Owens battled back with a massive Clothesline and a couple chops to the chest. Crews and Garza tagged back in and Apollo hit a Clothesline. Crews booted Andrade off the apron and planted Garza with a Spinebuster. Vega hopped up on the apron for a distraction but it backfired as Theory accidentally hit Garza. Crews planted Garza with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Andrade attacked Theory from behind. Angel hit Theory with a Dropkick and the two sent Austin out of the ring. Vega shouted that she should have never believed in Theory and slapped him in the face. Andrade then hit Theory with a steel chair across the back.
During the match between Black and Murphy, Seth Rollins approached Austin Theory ringside. Rollins and Theory shook hands and Seth instructed him to get in the ring. Theory attacked Black to end the match in DQ. After the match, Theory planted Aleister with the ATL and shared a hug with Rollins.
King Corbin faced Drew McIntyre in the main event of this week’s show. Before the match began, Bobby Lashley and MVP showed up on the entrance ramp. MVP said that he can probably spend ten minutes talking about all the impressive things King Corbin has done and McIntyre is the WWE Champion. Lashley stated that he is coming after McIntyre and the WWE Championship.
Match Recap: Corbin leveled McIntyre with a shoulder tackle but the WWE Champion responded with a shoulder tackle of his own. McIntyre Clotheslined Corbin out of the ring and then delivered another Clothesline over the barricade. Corbin battled back and launched Drew into the ring post.
Back in the ring, Corbin hit a Clothesline for a one count. King Corbin sent McIntyre to the apron and slammed his head into the ring post once again. Corbin connected with a Superplex for another one count. McIntyre hit a Belly to Belly Suplex and made his way to the top rope.
McIntyre hit a Flying Clothesline and demanded that Corbin get back up. Drew shouted that Lashley was next and planted Corbin with a Spinebuster for a near fall. Corbin sent McIntyre into the ring post and followed it up with a slam but McIntyre kicked out at one again. Drew hit the Future Shock DDT and geared up in the corner. McIntyre went for the Claymore but Corbin countered into Deep Six for a two count. Drew leveled Corbin with the Claymore Kick for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: The opening promo between Edge & Orton, Kairi Sane playing the flute, and Austin Theory becoming a disciple of Rollins were the only parts of this show I found entertaining. It is going to take a lot for me to become invested in a title program between Drew McIntyre and Lashley.
Bobby Lashley is a great athlete, but has never been remotely charismatic or interesting as a character. Lana was shown flipping out that MVP was with Lashley, so I’m assuming she is going to play a part in this feud. I just cannot imagine that being an interesting feud for the WWE Championship but hopefully I am wrong. It was also announced tonight that Apollo Crews will get another shot at the US Title next week.
A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Backlash PPV and it’s Edge vs. Randy Orton.
Two weeks ago when WWE aired a video package hyping the returns of the WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE Champion for last week’s show, there was speculation as to whether this was a typo. It turns out that it wasn’t.
Instead, WWE is moving forward with their feud. Of course, Orton lost to Edge in a Last Man Standing Match at WrestleMania 36 last month. Many considered this to be the end of their feud that had started the night after Royal Rumble when Orton attacked Edge.
Last week’s show ended with Orton issuing a challenge to Edge to a wrestling match at Backlash. It ended with Edge not giving an answer and Charly Caruso stating that if it did happen it could be the greatest match of all-time.
Monday’s episode of RAW opened with Orton demanding an answer, which brought out Edge to accept the challenge and make the contest official.
WWE presents the Backlash pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 14, 2020 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center that will air on the WWE Network.
Ricky Starks is now a free agent and looking to sign a deal with a promotion.
Starks announced on Monday on Busted Open Radio that he is now a free agent after his deal with the NWA expired and they mutually parted ways.
Starks had been with the NWA since August of 2019. After the appearance on the radio show, he took to Twitter to share this new vignette.
This video saw him do an old school interview that ended with saying that he can’t be underappreciated or overlooked.
The interviewer asked him why it took so long for him to be signed. This led to a transition where he was thinking and seeing himself run through a field.
He said that the question isn’t why it took him so long but why it took y’all so long. The video faded to black. You can see it below:
You can check out NWA Powerrr every week via their Official YouTube channel.
You can listen to Busted Open Radio every day via SiriusXM. Or catch the podcast version of the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast host.
Richard Holliday has signed a new multi-year contract extension with Major League Wrestling (MLW).
The news comes on the heels of MLW CEO Court Bauer revealing on social media that an “aggressive competitor” tried signing away two top MLW performers.
Bauer commented on Holliday re-signing in a press release sent in to SEScoops.
“Richard has become a staple of MLW and its telecasts, helping to lead the charge in representing the league as a world class homegrown athlete.” said Bauer. “He is a dynastic competitor with qualities you seldom find. MLW is ecstatic to continue to feature Richard Holliday for years to come.”
Holliday was nearing free agency and admits he gave some consideration to testing the waters on the open market. “MLW checked all of the boxes in terms of opportunity, presentation, creative process, and upwards mobility. Other offers were presented, and of course taken into consideration, but remaining with MLW felt like the best decision for me.”
Richard Holliday made his debut for MLW in 2018. He is a founding member of the Dynasty faction and a former MLW tag team champion with former MLW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman. He’s the reigning Caribbean Heavyweight Champion.
We’ll provide an update when MLW goes public with the other wrestler they re-signed despite a big money offer from that ‘aggressive competitor.’
Owen Hart was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2019. The Hall of Fame and Museum are located in Wichita Falls, Texas and was founded by Tony Vellano in 1999. Do not expect Owen to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, however. Owen Hart’s widow Martha Hart recently took part in an interview with CBS Sports and commented on WWE’s version of a pro-wrestling Hall of Fame.
“Their Hall of Fame? They don’t even have a Hallway of Fame. It doesn’t exist,” Martha said about the possibility of Owen being inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame. “There’s nothing. It’s a fake entity. There’s nothing real or tangible. It’s just an event they have to make money. They put it on TV and have a celebration, and it’s just so ridiculous. I would never even entertain it. It’s garbage.”
Owen was also inducted into the Lou Thesz/George Tragos Hall of Fame in 2018:
Martha Hart holding her husband’s Hall of Fame plaque. Owen Hart was inducted posthumously into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame on July 28. pic.twitter.com/ECYLzMKbFo
Martha Hart On Over The Edge PPV Continuing After Owen’s Death
Martha also spoke about how disrespectful it was for WWE to continue on with the Over the Edge PPV in 1999 after Owen had died.
“When Owen died, they scooped him out like a piece of garbage and they paraded wrestlers out to wrestle in a ring that had Owen’s blood, where the boards were broken from Owen’s fall and where the guys could feel the dip in the ring from where he fell. Just that disrespect and lack of respect for a human life that had just been lost,” Martha Hart said. “The fact that they didn’t stop the show is just appalling. Vince McMahon was a poor leader, and he failed because that talent was looking for leadership and he failed them.”
Martha’s full interview with CBS Sports can be found here.
Fans of Owen Hart are encouraged to support the Owen Hart Foundation. The organization was set-up following the wrongful death lawsuit against WWE. Martha has said that much of the work the Owen Hart Foundation does mirrors the kind of person Owen was in life.
Recently on Talk is Jericho, Martha spoke about how she remembered one time Owen offered a person experiencing homelessness use of his hotel room. Now, the Owen Hart Foundation helps low-income families and individuals purchase homes. The Owen Hart Foundation also offers scholarships for students.
“Owen was a practical man of profound integrity, a wonderful husband and devoted father. He would be extremely proud of the good work carried out by the Foundation and would be honoured to be remembered for what he loved best, which was his sincere kindness to all people,” reads the website of the Owen Hart Foundation.
Martha also noted recently that official Owen Hart merchandise will likely be available soon.
Dark Side the Ring’s season 2 finale will focus on the tragic death of Owen Hart.
Last week on WWE RAW, Becky Lynch shocked the wrestling world by announcing she is pregnant. Lynch had been the RAW Women’s Champion dating back to WrestleMania 35 when she pinned Ronda Rousey in the main event. Now, she’ll be gone for an extended period of time.
Natalya recently commented on Becky Lynch’s pregnancy in an article for the Calgary Sun.
“It took me a minute to digest what I was hearing; Becky Lynch would be no longer be sharing a locker room with us, but she would be taking on this new role of motherhood during the height of her career,” Natalya wrote. “I knew in that moment that I was truly going to miss seeing someone who wasn’t just a coworker, but a friend to me and so many others in WWE.”
Natalya also noted in the article that their shared history goes back before either was in WWE.
“Becky and I shared our first tour of Japan together in 2005 when we were both just getting started,” Natalya continued. “She knew what it was like to be an underdog, which was ultimately what helped turn her into one of the biggest stars in WWE.”
Lynch and Natalya wrestled each other at SummerSlam last year in a submission match. In her article, Natalya noted that they drew inspiration from the Bret Hart vs Steve Austin WrestleMania 13 submission match for their SummerSlam tilt.
“I told Becky that one of my favourite matches of all time was Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin from WrestleMania 13,” Natalya continued. “Turns out we both found inspiration in Austin vs. The Hitman, and we both studied that match closely before our SummerSlam match. “
Natalya continued to say her match against Lynch was her favourite submission match of her career and that it set the bar high for the women’s revolution.
“Not only did we tear the house down in what was my favorite submission match I’ve been in, but we also felt proud that together we were setting the bar high for the Raw women’s division.”
Natalya’s full article from the Calgary Sun can be read here.
A thread online originally started by MLW’s Brian Pillman Jr. is gaining traction on Twitter. Pillman tweeted out that he enjoys modern wrestling more than old school and this caused several wrestlers and personalities from the wrestling industry to comment.
Hot take: Modern day wrestling is actually better in a lot of ways than the old stuff. We often look back at the past with rose colored goggles but if you actually watch a lot of things at the top level are smoother, faster and more exciting than they were 30 years ago.
“I think the wrestling today is geared towards a more savvy fanbase. It may be harder to digest than your good ol classic babyface/heel match from the 80s but at the highest level there does exist complex storytelling and psychology,” Pillman continued to Tweet.
“That’s because 30 years ago the things that mattered were getting over and drawing money,” Lance Storm Tweeted. “Not saying one is better or worse, just the goals have changed. People cared about angles and who won, Not the smoothness of cool spots.”
Dr. Tom Prichard then stated what he feels is missing in today’s pro-wrestling.
Smoother, faster, more exciting…Better? Matter of opinion I guess. Not rose colored goggles as much as knowing the difference between "feeling" and "playing a part." Huge element missing with many today. Luv ya Brian, but you'll never know the "feeling" & that's what's MISSING https://t.co/2esrAV0U8U
“That’s the things people miss. Go back and watch Freebirds vs Von Erichs in World Class. Instead of trying to see if the “work” holds up, look at how the crowd reaction holds up,” Lance Storm Tweeted in response to Prichard.
You are right. My goal will be to bridge the 2 philosophies together!
Pillman’s original Tweet which kicked off the thread below:
Hot take: Modern day wrestling is actually better in a lot of ways than the old stuff. We often look back at the past with rose colored goggles but if you actually watch a lot of things at the top level are smoother, faster and more exciting than they were 30 years ago.
Shad Gaspard is currently missing after getting caught in a strong rip tide yesterday at Marina Del Rey beach. Lifeguards were attempting to get people out of the water due to the conditions and Gaspard is reported to have directed them to help his 10-year-old son before helping him. Gaspard’s son was rescued and unharmed but Gaspard was taken underwater by a large wave.
According to CBSN in Los Angeles, Rescuers called off the search for Gaspard in the water at 7:30 PM yesterday and are hoping he will be found on land. TMZ later confirmed that the 39-year-old in CBSN’s report is Shad Gaspard.
The CBS Los Angeles report can be viewed in the player below:
Shad Gaspard In Wrestling
Gaspard debuted in the WWE developmental system as “Da Beast” in OVW in 2003. He then debuted on the main roster as 1/2 of Cryme Tyme along with JTG in 2006.
Gaspard was also an actor. He portrayed the role of former World Champion boxer Jack Johnson in a stage adaptation of Pugilist in 2013. He also played the role of Muhammad Ali in the TV film “The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time.”
