With WWE set to hold the NXT Takeover: WarGames II during the upcoming Survivor Series weekend, an announcement regarding a WarGames Match was inevitable.
This announcement came during the latest NXT TV tapings where General Manager William Regal confirmed what appears to be the main event of the upcoming NXT special.
The GM announced that The War Raiders, WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne and NXT North American Champion Ricochet will team up for the upcoming show.
They will face Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and NXT Tag Team Champions Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly collectively known as the Undisputed Era in a WarGames match at the upcoming PPV.
NXT reintroduced the WarGames concept to WWE programming last year when they announced the return of this two-caged bout after almost 17 years.
The match saw Sanity, the Undisputed Era, and the team of The Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong battling each other in the main event of the show.
This bout was won by the Undisputed Era after Adam Cole struck Eric Young of Sanity with a kendo stick and then performed a shining wizard for the pin.
With the company going with only two teams for this year’s WarGames match, it will be interesting to see if they are able to top last year’s main event. The episode featuring the announcement of this match is expected to air on October 31st or November 7th.
NXT Takeover: WarGames II will be held in the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 17 during WWE’s Survivor Series weekend
Fans are criticizing the upcoming Crown Jewel PPV for multiple reasons, and one of them is the inclusion of stars from only Unites States into the announced World Cup for the show.
Rusev who lost to Miz in a World Cup qualifying match during SmackDown 1000 episode took on his twitter after the show and joked about this situation:
Sorry world i tried to represent you in the #WWEWorldCup
With WWE already being in a tight spot for moving ahead with the show, it’s easy to imagine that Officials will not be very happy about these tweets from Rusev and we’ll have to see if the Bulgarian Brute is punished for them in some way.
Matt Riddle Makes On Screen In Ring Debut For NXT
Matt Riddle made his WWE debut during the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV event in August this year. Now he has made his televised in-ring debut for the company as well.
Riddle wrestled his first televised match for the company during the recent NXT tapings. He faced Luke Menzies in his debut match for the brand.
This bout is expected to be aired on the October 31 Halloween episode of the show. You can check out some photos from Riddle’s NXT debut in the tweets below:
Steve Austin and Joey Ryan chopped it up as Ryan stopped by 317 Gimmick Street on the latest edition of The Steve Austin Show.
Over the course of the nearly 90 minute conversation, Ryan discussed online criticism of his work, the tough sledding that comes with being an independent wrestler, and how long he sees himself making a living in the business.
A Polarizing Figure
Ryan, of course, is something of a polarizing figure in the wrestling industry. Some see an entertaining wrestler who has made a niche for himself in a crowded wrestling landscape. Others, particularly traditionalists, and some vocal hardcore wrestling fans, accuse him of killing the business.
“Online, people call me a piece of s*** on a daily basis. I see that every day, and it’s tough sometimes,” Ryan said. “I go online and I read negative feedback and it kind of gets me a little bit.”
Ryan said that he tries not to focus on the negative, particularly the harsh words from diehards, as he sees himself as more of a wrestler for casual fans. “My audience is casual fans who aren’t as invested in wrestling,” Ryan said. “They just want to be entertained.”
Ryan also said that he reminds himself that the vocal minority is not the measuring stick for his success or failure in wrestling. “How often I get booked, my t-shirt sales, all that stuff, I have to look and see that the positive outweighs the negative.”
Life On The Indies
The life of an independent wrestler is a busy one, Ryan said.
“I work hard, and it’s not just bumping or doing moves. I travel, I don’t sleep, I have to agent my own bookings. I’m independent. I have to negotiate my own deals,” Ryan said.
Ryan also wants to work as much as possible. “Sometimes I overbook myself, whether it’s smart or not.”
Retirement
As the discussion turned to potentially winding down his career, Ryan mentioned that he might see himself in more of a behind the scenes role in the business in the not too distant future.
Much of that, he says, will be determined by his hustle. “It depends on how healthy I can keep myself, and how relevant I can keep myself. I’m working a less is more style now. This character is a blessing too. It plays at conventions, it plays at autograph signings, it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the ring,” Ryan said.
Ryan also told a funny story about meeting Kevin Sullivan, discussed All In, and covered a variety of other topics. An excerpt can be found below, while the full episode with Steve Austin and Joey Ryan can be found here.
When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity.
What do you think of Ryan’s comments? Do you think he is killing the business?
X-Pac discussed the NJPW talent morale situation on the latest edition of X-Pac 12360. The former WWF and WCW star salso gave his take on the recent controversial angle in Impact Wrestling involving Austin Aries.
Morale in NJPW
Reports that morale in the New Japan locker room took a hit recently with the addition of Michael Craven as a new head of talent relations caught X-Pac’s attention, and he offered a warning to New Japan.
“Let morale go down in your company and see how quickly that forward momentum comes to a halt. There can be a mass exodus to WWE in a second. WWE will cherry pick every single one of the guys you have.”
Craven, reportedly, does not have a background in the wrestling business, and X-Pac likened what he’s heard of Craven to when J.J. Dillon managed talent for WWE. “It was tough,” he said. X-Pac mentioned that later on, Jim Ross excelled in Dillon’s role. “He knew how to talk to the talent and make them feel good.”
X-Pac again stressed the importance of maintaining a happy locker room, and the consequences of not doing so. “Vince will take every one of their guys,” he said. “And the climate that wrestling is in right now, yeah. Keep talking down to your talent and see what happens.”
Impact
X-Pac also discussed the recent Johnny Impact and Austin Aries angle from Bound For Glory. While reportedly a work, X-Pac has a more philosophical stance on the storyline.
“I have my opinion. I’m not going to share my opinion. You just never know when it comes to Aries. To sit and go okay, this was a work, this wasn’t, how about we just enjoy it?”
The full episode can be found below.
When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Undisputed Era (Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly) defended their NXT Tag Team Championships against War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe) to kick off this week’s episode of NXT.
Rowe and Strong started off the match by locking up in the middle of the ring. Roderick drove Rowe to the corner and bounced his head off the turnbuckle. O’Reilly tagged in and Rowe immediately greeted him with a Clothesline. Rowe then dragged Kyle to the corner and tagged in Hanson
Hanson leveled O’Reilly with a shoulder tackle and then Strong tagged back into the match. Hanson connected with a double Clothesline and knocked Strong and O’Reilly out of the ring. Strong got back into the ring and hit Rowe with a chop to his chest. Rowe connected with a shoulder tackle and O’Reilly tagged back into the match. Rowe showed off his power and slammed O’Reilly to the canvas.
Hanson tagged back in and Rowe Body Slammed him on top of O’Reilly. War Raiders then picked up Strong and launched him onto O’Reilly. The NXT crowd started to chant “War!” as Rowe beat the hell out of Undisputed Era outside the ring. Strong connected with a cheap shot to Rowe’s knee and O’Reilly took advantage by stomping on the knee back in the ring.
Strong tagged back in and hit Rowe with a Backbreaker for a near fall. O’Reilly got back in and continued to attack Rowe’s injured knee. Strong tagged in and hit Rowe with a Dropkick for another two count. Kyle quickly tagged back in and booted Rowe in the corner of the ring.
Roderick got back in and Rowe finally was able to get in a kick and then an elbow to Strong’s face. O’Reilly tagged in and prevented Rowe from tagging out and continue to attack Rowe’s knee. Strong got back in and bashed away at Rowe’s knee in the center of the ring as the crowd got behind Rowe.
Rowe almost got the tag but O’Reilly once again prevented it. Rowe fired himself up and slammed O’Reilly to the mat. Hanson and Strong tagged in and Hanson planted Roderick with a Side Slam. Hanson followed it up with a Splash and then a boot to Strong’s face. Hanson launched O’Reilly out of the ring and turned Strong inside out with a massive Clothesline.
Hanson followed it up with a Bronco Buster and went for the cover but Strong kicked out at two. Rowe tagged in and hit O’Reilly with a running knee. Rowe then planted Strong with a massive Powerbomb and went for the cover but O’Reilly broke it up at the last second. Hanson tagged back in as Rowe knocked O’Reilly out of the ring.
Rowe lifted Strong up and Hanson hit him with an insane springboard Clothesline. Adam Cole interfered but Hanson launched him out of the ring before the referee could call for a DQ. Strong kneed Hanson in the face and then planted Rowe with an Olympic Slam for a two count.
O’Reilly tagged in and Rowe hit him with a headbutt. O’Reilly went for a Knee Bar and then transitioned into an Ankle Lock. Hanson grabbed Strong and slammed him on top of O’Reilly to break up the hold. Hanson then tagged into the match and traded jabs with O’Reilly. Hanson hit O’Reilly with a Powerslam and then took out Strong with a Suicide Dive outside the ring.
Hanson made his way up to the top rope as Rowe held up O’Reilly. Hanson connected with a Leg Drop off the top rope and went for the cover. Bobby Fish sprinted to the ring and beat the hell out of the War Raiders with a steel chair as the referee called for the bell. Strong then took Rowe’s head off with a running kick and Undisputed Era celebrated in the ring.
Shayna Baszler faced Britt Baker tonight on NXT. Baszler quickly brought Baker down to the mat and stomped on Baker’s left arm. Shayna started bending Britt’s arm back as she screamed in pain. Baszler stomped on Britt’s elbow and the referee called for the bell. Baker screamed in pain as Shayna posed in the ring. Basler then kneed Baker in the face before exiting the ring.
Tian Bing & Rocky battled Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch on this week’s show. Lorcan and Tian Bing started off the match by locking up in the middle of the ring. Bing got the upper hand and applied a Headlock. Lorcan escaped but Bing leveled him with a shoulder tackle and locked in an Arm Bar.
Rocky tagged in and applied a Full Nelson on Oney in the middle of the ring. Lorcan broke free and hit Rocky with a Clothesline. Burch tagged in and hit an Enziguri. Burch followed it up with a Dropkick off the second rope and tagged Lorcan back. Lorcan held Rocky up and Burch connected with a DDT for the pinfall victory.
Bianca Belair faced Nikki Cross in the main event of this week’s episode of NXT. Before the match, NXT GM William Regal was interviewed backstage. Regal said that Aleister Black is coming back soon and that he plans on talking to Nikki Cross after her match tonight to find out what she knows about the attack.
Cross sprinted across the ring and hit Belair with a Crossbody to start off the match. The action quickly spilled out of the ring as Bianca bounced Cross’ face off the ring apron. Nikki launched Belair into the steel steps and then got up with a grin on her face.
Back in the ring, Nikki went for the cover but Bianca kicked out at two. Cross hit Belair with a Dropkick and then a punch to the face. Nikki went for another Crossbody but Belair caught her and hit a Fallaway Slam for a near fall.
Dueling “EST” and “Nikki Cross” chants broke out as Belair applied a Headlock in the center of the ring. Nikki escaped but Belair hit her with a Dropkick that sent Cross to the corner of the ring. Belair connected with a standing Moonsault and went for the cover but Nikki was able to kick out at two.
Nikki rolled up Belair for a two count and then Belair knocked her back down with a shoulder tackle. Bianca climbed to the top rope but Cross caught her in the tree of woe. Nikki stomped on Belair several times and Bianca finally fell back to the mat. Cross followed it up with a Splash and then a running Bulldog.
Nikki made her way up to the top rope and connected with a Crossbody for a two count. Belair hit Nikki with an awesome forearm to the face and both Superstars fell to the canvas. Belair got up and hit Cross with a Spear for a two count. Bianca followed it up with a giant Powerbomb and went for the cover but Nikki somehow was able to kick out at two.
Belair shouted at Cross to stay down but Cross got up with a smile on her face. Belair slapped her in the face and then perched her up on the top rope. Belair lifted Cross above her shoulders but Nikki escaped and applied a Sleeper Hold. Cross transitioned into an inverted DDT for another near fall.
Cross made her way to the top rope and leaped towards Belair but Bianca greeted her with a loud hair whip. Belair climbed up to the top rope but Cross got up and joined her up there. Nikki hit a few punches and connected with a Superplex. The lights went out in the arena and Aleister Black’s music hit.
When the lights came on, Aleister Black was sitting in the ring as Nikki Cross was just getting up. The crowd chanted “holy sh*t!” as Cross rolled around with a smile on her face. Aleister told Nikki to come towards and Nikki crawled towards him. Black demanded that Nikki tell him who attacked her and Cross whispered something into Aleister’s ear. Black got pissed off as Nikki crawled out of the ring. NXT went off the air with Aleister Black enraged in the ring.
Former Ring Of Honor (ROH) star Punishment Martinez has reported to the WWE Performance Center. WWE signed Martinez after he finished up with ROH late last month. WWE Hall Of Famer Diamond Dallas Page posted a photo of himself with all of the talents at the Performance Center.
Martinez was one of the Superstars seen in the photo. “DDP” noted he was at the PC to show the talent how DDP Yoga can help them in the ring, and while recovering from an injury. There is currently no news yet on when Martinez will be making his NXT TV debut. However, it wouldn’t come as a complete shock if fans got their first glimpse of him at NXT Takeover: War Games or later.
“Im down at @WWEPerformCtr again showing these WARRIORS how much @ddpyoga can improve their performance in the ring and help with injuring recovery. #DDPYWORKS I wanna know who your favorite @WWENXT performer is in the picture!”
Im down at @WWEPerformCtr again showing these WARRIORS how much @ddpyoga can improve their performance in the ring and help with injuring recovery. #DDPYWORKS I wanna know who your favorite @WWENXT performer is in the picture! pic.twitter.com/lxX6SKjJ8x
The controversy surrounding WWE’s upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. The company is under a lot of criticism for opting to go through with their Crown Jewel event next month after a Saudi journalist was captured and murdered. Several notable names such as JBL, Randy Orton, and now WWE Hall Of Famer Kevin Nash have come to WWE’s defense on the matter.
Several United States Senators have urged WWE not to go through with the show. Reports have also surfaced indicating WWE talent and crew are uncomfortable making the trip. However, it seems the company will follow through with its plans. Nash took to Twitter recently to offer his thoughts on the matter:
“9-11 was conducted by 15 of the 19 attackers who were Saudi’s, our response was to attack Afghanistan and Iraq.
“Now a hit squad is responsible for the death of a Saudi Journalist. Should we hit Yemen and Iran. We’ll never know the truth. Let’s push Saudi Arabia to progress.”
9-11 was conducted by 15 of the 19 attackers who were Saudi's, our response was to attack Afghanistan and Iraq. Now a hit squad is responsible for the death of a Saudi Journalist. Should we hit Yemen and Iran. We'll never know the truth. Let's push Saudi Arabia to progress.
Nash then discussed the differences in culture and government between the United States and Saudi Arabia:
“Because democracy isn’t the answer in every country. Who the f*ck made our system the only system that functions in the world. The Muslim world see’s thing very differently. I perfer to live in a democracy. Yet I was born into it. I don’t feel I have the right to dictate others”
Because democracy isn't the answer in every country. Who the fuck made our system the only system that functions in the world. The Muslim world see's thing very differently. I perfer to live in a democracy. Yet I was born into it. I don't feel I have the right to dictate others
SmackDown Live featured the return of several stars to WWE TV. Those included Edge, Ric Flair, Batista, Rey Mysterio, The Undertaker, and more. One man who didn’t get to appear on the show, despite being backstage, was James Ellsworth. Ellsworth was interviewed by Mike Rome for WWE’s YouTube channel instead, complaining about having a “SmackDown legend” like himself snubbed.
As it turns out, Ellsworth was actually nixed from the show due to timing issues. According to a report from WrestlingNewsCo, “at least one” segment was canceled from SmackDown 1000 due to the Evolution reunion running long. In fact, this extended into the main event between Rey Mysterio and United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. Their match was rushed to allow The Undertaker to cut his promo on D-Generation X ahead of Crown Jewel.
WWE was also unable to make the show three hours. WWE has contractual obligations to Facebook to put on the Mixed Match Challenge live. The contract indicated the Mixed Match Challenge must be a live show aired at 10 P.M. ET. It was for that reason SDL couldn’t go over two hours.
What do you think about Ellsworth missing out on appearing on SmackDown 1000?
Last night (Tues. October 16, 2018) was certainly a day to remember for professional wrestling fans. Especially for The Bar. Sheamus and Cesaro teamed up and defeated The New Day to capture the SmackDown Live Tag Team Titles on SmackDown 1000. This was after some assistance from The Big Show, who turned heel and seemingly joined forced with The Bar.
Shortly after the victory, former RAW Tag Team Champion Nicholas took to Twitter to fire off a shot at The Bar. Here’s what he had to say:
“Congratulations to @WWESheamus and @WWECesaro for winning the @WWE SmackDown Tag Team Titles!! #SD1000couldn’t do it at Mania…just saying.”
For those of you who might not remember, Nicholas was selected by Braun Strowman to be his tag team partner at WrestleMania 34. “The Monster Among Men” picked Nicholas, son of WWE referee John Cone, out of the crowd. Together they defeated The Bar to capture the RAW Tag Team Titles.
It should be noted, Nicholas never engaged in any physicality in the match. He was tagged in for a few seconds before tagging back out. The following night on Monday Night RAW, however, Strowman and Nicholas vacated the titles.
What do you think about Nicholas’ shot at The Bar?
Tuesday’s edition of WWE SmackDown Live from Washington, DC averaged 2.545 million viewers, up from 2,135 million the previous week, according toShowbuzzDaily. This was the 1000th episode of the show.
As a result, it pulled in more viewers than this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW as that show drew 2.396 million viewers, up from last week’s 2,374 million viewers.
SmackDown had some notable moments including appearances by Shane, Stephanie & Vince McMahon, past general managers such as Teddy Long, Vickie Guerrero, and John Laurinaitis. The opening match had The Usos vs. AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan with the main event featuring the return of Rey Mysterio, who took on United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura in a World Cup qualifying match.
Other moments including a brief appearance by The Undertaker and a title change once The Bar beat The New Day to win the SmackDown Tag Teams Titles. In case you missed the show, you can check out the results here.
Despite WWE putting some together some intriguing segments for the show, this episode faced some solid competition. The show had to go up against two MLB playoff games that had TBS pulling in 4.871 million viewers while Fox Sports 1 drew 4.087 million viewers and an NBA game between the 76ers and Celtics on TNT that pulled in 2.945 views.
Also on cable, that night was Hannity (3.356 million viewers), Rachel Maddow Show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, Last Word, The Five, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report and The Story.
WWE will attempt to capitalize on this show with next week’s episode. As of this writing, there are no matches or segments announced for the show.
Watch: Top 10 Moments from Tuesday’s SmackDown Live (10.16.18)
On the latest episode of 83 Weeks with Eric Bischoff, the former WCW President and co-host Conrad Thompson discussed the WCW career of The Giant, best known to WWE fans as the Big Show. Bischoff, who was at the helm when Paul Wight was brought in, took a deep dive on Show’s early run, and the challenges of booking Big Show in WCW.
Bischoff said that the veterans in the WCW locker room, some of whom are legendary for holding down young talent, were very supportive of Show in his early days. “Everyone was impressed with what he could do athletically, and at how fast he was picking things up in the ring.”
Bischoff admitted, though, that from a creative standpoint, he had a difficult time figuring out exactly what to do with Show’s character, especially early on.
“Even in [his] early matches, he’s in the ring with some of the top guys in the business, because we needed the camouflage. We needed to camouflage that not only was he somewhat inexperienced, or very inexperienced. But also, what do you do with a guy that’s over seven foot tall and 400 pounds?”
Challenges Booking Big Show in WCW
Bischoff continued. “As a character, if you’re going to put him out there every week, what do you do with that character? Is the character a babyface? Well if the character is a babyface, you’ve got to be able to get sympathy on him. Otherwise, the formula doesn’t work.”
Likewise, Bischoff said, booking Show as a heel came with its own set of challenges. “Conversely, if you want him to be an effective heel, he’s gotta lie, steal and cheat. Eddie Guerrero. Why does a guy who’s seven foot four and 400 pounds have to lie, steal and cheat?”
Bischoff said that the reason Show never reached the level of stardom of an Undertaker, John Cena, Triple H or Batista, is because of that creative challenge.
“It’s just too hard to put him in a role,” said Bischoff. “It’s hard for him to be a babyface you can get sympathy on, or a heel that you believe.”
Other topics covered include Show and Kevin Nash’s relationship, Hulk Hogan’s role in Show’s career, and why Bischoff was not heartbroken when Show left WCW for WWE in 1999. The full episode can be found below.
When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. Some quotes have been edited for clarity.
Charlotte Flair recently spoke with comicbook.com to talk about a wide range of topics including WWE fans comparing her WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. These two stars have been pushed as the two talents in their divisions under the WWE banner.
Flair stated that she’s honored to be compared to Reigns as she looks at him as a top guy and has headlined WrestleMania three years in a row.
“He absolutely works his butt off, and always has to be on his A game. That’s a lot, a lot of pressure. To be considered one of the top stars for the company, that’s my main goal. So yeah, that’s extremely flattering. I still feel like I have a long way to go, but if I could be like him, heck yeah.”
Flair is set to challenge WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch at the Evolution pay-per-view event later this month in Long Island, New York at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum that will air on the WWE Network. Flair discussed her feud where she pointed out that their story is looking at two best friends dispute who’s the babyface or heel.
“So, whether people are like, “Well, she’s the bad guy in this.” I feel for me, and this is just me personally. You’ll know when I’m a bad guy, and right now I’m a good guy.”
New UK promotion Fight Forever has announced the new main event for their first ever show. The company will be heading to the PRYZM Nightclub in Birmingham on December 6th. NJPW star Will Ospreay was expected to be taking on the Cody Rhodes in a huge international bout. Unfortunately Ospreay had to pull out of the bout due to a rib injury. This was sustained at Rev Pro’s Global Wars event.
The company has confirmed that El Phantasmo will be taking on Cody at ‘Phenomena.’ Phantasmo recently won the Rev Pro British J Cup and is a star on the rise. This will be one of his biggest tests to date when he faces the ‘American Nightmare.’
Fight Forever will be announcing a second main event this coming Friday.
Brandi Rhodes will also be taking on Bea Priestley as part of the debut show. Priestley is one of the stars of the WoS/World of Sport re-boot alongside her partner Will Ospreay. Priestley has been on the UK scene for a number of years working as a top star in promotions such as Pro Wrestling: EVE. Brandi has been building her own brand over the last year with several high profile bouts and appearances alongside Cody Rhodes.
You can purchase tickets for Phenomena and all upcoming events over at fightforeverwrestling.com. Fight Forever will also be heading to London on December 7th with a co-branded show alongside ‘Something to Wrestle’ starring Conrad Thompson and Bruce Prichard.
?Breaking Main Event News?
The American Nightmare @CodyRhodes vs El Phantasmo @elpwrestling is one of your main-events for Phenomena on December 6th at PRYZM Nightclub Birmingham ??
A second huge main-event will be revealed this Friday!
NXT UK will be debuting on the WWE Network this week. The long awaited show has several shows taped and many were waiting for WWE to pull the trigger and release the content. NXT UK stars Eddie Dennis, Isla Dawn and Jinny recently spoke to The Mirror on the new series.
Eddie Dennis
Eddie Dennis is a former school headteacher turned full time professional wrestler. One of the core parts of PROGRESS, Dennis has been engaged in a year long feud with 205 Live Superstar Mark Andrews. The ‘Pride of Wales’ stated that “We want to make NXT UK the unmissable hour of wrestling on the WWE Network.” Dennis also commented on being given the chance to perform for WWE, stating that “It blows my mind when I consider having a connection with WWE fans. It’s been really humbling in terms of the reaction that I have received from people, and I am often told that by following my dreams I am inspiration to people not just in wrestling, but for people chasing all types of goals.”
Isla Dawn
Isla Dawn is one of the top Women’s competitors for Pro Wrestling: EVE and PROGRESS. The Scottish star discussed her relationship with NXT competitor Nikki Cross; “I’m really close to Nikki Cross, and I remember at one point I think it was just her and two other girls that were wrestling in Scotland.” Dawn elaborated further stating that “There were hardly any shows that had even just one match for a girl. They had a tough time getting the experience, and they had to work extra hard.” Dawn also described being given the opportunity to perform for WWE: “to be able to come in (to WWE) at a point where there are so many girls to wrestle, and so many places to learn, and so many opportunities for us, it’s amazing. I don’t think people would have believed this could have happened for the women 10 years ago.”
Jinny
Jinny is the reigning PROGRESS Women’s Champion and was part of this year’s Mae Young Classic. The ‘Fashionista’ discussed how important the build of Women’s wrestling in the UK played a part in NXT UK. “All the women, whether in the present or the past, have worked incredibly hard to pave the way for us, so just because women’s wrestling is enjoying a fantastic time right now, it doesn’t mean that we have to take it easy.” Jinny finished by stating that “it means that we have to try even harder, and take it further, to make sure that we continue to forge the path that’s been made for us.“
– MLW CEO Court Bauer appeared on ESPN Chicago with Jonathan Hood on Tuesday night and revealed 2 new matches for MLW’s big Chicago debut on November 8th:
Brody King will fight PCO in a rematch where there will be no disqualifications.
The Dirty Blondes will square off against the debuting tag team “Size Matters” featuring Joey Ryan and Swoggle.
In addition to these two matches at MLW Fightland (11/8), MLW newcomer Puma King has signed to appear and super heavyweight pounce machine Ace Romero will make his MLW debut on the card.
– CMLL star Rush will hit Miami for the first time ever this December. He is confirmed for MLW’s shows on December 13th & 14th. Tickets for MLW’s Miami double-shot go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. ET at MLWTickets.com.
– A few days after last week’s MLW.com article on the disappearance of Stokely Hathaway, a video was sent in to MLW’s production team. It was brief and blunt: Stokely Hathaway is back. What happened when he was seemingly kidnapped? Where was he? Why is he back? So many questions and no answers – yet. One thing is for certain: Mr. Hathaway’s return is upon us. Is MLW ready? We’re about to find out:
Revolution Pro (Rev Pro) will be heading to FreeSportsUK this Friday. The UK based company will be using the nationwide channel as the home for their new TV show. FreeSportsUK made the announcement back in August via Twitter where the channel announced that the show initially would be airing “later in September.”
Interestingly WWE announced that the NXT UK brand would be airing tonight (Wednesday). The timing of the long awaited show in intriguing considering Rev Pro’s impending debut on UK television. Many believed that WWE were initially waiting for WoS to make their next move in relation to a second series.
You may remember FreeSports as the channel that hosted the ill-fated 5 Star Wrestling earlier this year. Rev Pro is an extremely well established promotion comparatively and will relish the opportunity to be available in UK homes.
You can check out the exclusive interview we conducted with Rev Pro owner Andy Quildan here. When we discussed the timing of the new show Andy confirmed that “WoS had no impact on our decision. In all honesty whilst I watch as much product as possible from WWE, ROH, NJPW, CMLL to all the indies here in the UK, aside from learning best (or at times worst) practice I try not to let what others are doing dictate the way I choose to run my business.”
World of Pro Wrestling starts this week on @FreeSportsUK ?
New Japan Pro Wrestling’s October scheduling is usually dominated by the POWER STRUGGLE shows – and 2018 is no different. This year’s lineup of shows will of course feature the ‘Road To’ shows, some of which will be available on NJPWWorld.
The headline grabbing bouts revolve around the continuation of the Super Jr Tag League. Tiger Mask and Jushin Liger will be taking on Shingo Takagi and BUSHI. ACH and Ryusuke Taguchi will also be taking on El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
Jay White and Gedo continue their ongoing war against Kazuchika Okada in the main event tag bout. Okada will be teaming with SHO, YOH and Rocky Romero. White and Gedo will be teaming with Robbie Eagles and Taiji Ishimori.
Here’s the full card for the October 19th show in Hiroshima:
Yota Tsuji and Shota Umino vs Yuya Uemura and Ren Narita
Toa Henare, Chris Sabin and KUSHIDA vs Soberano Jr, Ayato Yoshida and Volador Jr
Chuckie T, Beretta and Hirooki Goto vs Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga and Bad Luck Fale
Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii vs TAKA Michinoku and Minoru Suzuki
Tomoaki Honma and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi
Super Jr Tag League 2018 Match – Tiger Mask and Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger vs Shingo Takagi and BUSHI
Super Jr Tag League 2018 Match – ACH and Ryusuke Taguchi vs El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
SHO, YOH, Rocky Romero and Kazuchika Okada vs Robbie Eagles, Taiji Ishimori, Gedo and Jay White
PROGRESS Wrestling has announced a top international star for Chapter 78. wXw Unified Champion Ilja Dragunov will be heading to the O2 Ritz on November 11th.
Former promoter of Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) Christian Michael Jakobi appeared during PROGRESS Wrestling’s Super Strong Style 16 event earlier this year and challenged the reigning WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne to a bout against the wXw World United Heavyweight Champion. This match took place at Wembley Arena and Dunne was victorious via submission.
Dragunov became the wXw Champion during the company’s 16 Carat Gold 2018 event back in March of this year, he defeated then Champion John Klinger and WWE linked star WALTER in an incredible bout that headlined day two of the tournament. This marked the return of Dragunov to the company and he received a thunderous reception from the wXw fanbase.
PROGRESS has yet to announce Dragunov’s opponent. A rematch against Dunne is possible but with NXT UK starting this week the focus may shift to non-WWE affiliated talent.
Randy Orton has given his take on whether WWE should move forward with their next big pay-per-view event, Crown Jewel. Over the last few days, there have been reports that multiple members of the WWE roster were uncomfortable with going to Saudi Arabia for the event because of the disappearance and alleged murder of Jamal Khashoggi of the Washington Post.
Thus, there has been some talk of WWE potentially canceling this show but WWE has made it known through statements that they are monitoring the situation at this time.
According to the former WWE Champion, he thinks that the company should move forward with plans for the event. “I think we should go,” Orton stated to TMZ in a recent interview. “I think the only way to help with change over there is to go and not to cancel the trip.”
He would continue by stating that he thinks having women wrestle in Saudi Arabia will be something that happens eventually as he brought up the female talent working in Abu Dhabi not too long ago. “That’s the goal is to make things better everywhere and I think us not going doesn’t help. Going helps.”
Orton will compete in the World Cup Tournament at this show. John Cena, Kurt Angle, Seth Rollins & Dolph Ziggler will represent RAW while Rey Mysterio, The Miz, Orton & Jeff Hardy will represent SmackDown.
WWE presents the Crown Jewel pay-per-view event on November 2nd, 2018 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Saud University Stadium and will air on the WWE Network. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks.
Two more names have been confirmed to be backstage at the upcoming WWE Evolution pay-per-view event. Former WWE Women’s Champions Molly Holly and WWE Hall of Famer Ivory are set to be at the show as the company is bringing them in. As of this writing, there’s no word yet on their roles for the show and if they will be wrestling. It’s likely that they will be added to the battle royal that will see the winner receive a championship match. Tamina, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, Ember Moon, Nia Jax, Alicia Fox, Dana Brooke, Asuka, Mandy Rose, Lana, Carmella, Sonya Deville, Naomi, Torrie Wilson have already been confirmed as stars competing in the match.
The Evolution pay-per-view event takes place on Sunday, October 28, 2018 in Long Island, New York at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and will air on the WWE Network.
Updated WWE Evolution Card
Trish Stratus & Lita vs. Alexa Bliss & Mickie James
NXT Women’s Champion Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler
WWE RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella
SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair – Last Woman Standing Match
Battle Royal: Tamina, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, Ember Moon, Nia Jax, Alicia Fox, Dana Brooke, Asuka, Mandy Rose, Lana, Carmella, Sonya Deville, Naomi, Torrie Wilson – Winner will a receive championship match
Shane McMahon recently appeared on the latest Opie Radio podcast where he talked about various topics including Hulk Hogan’s WWE status.
The WWE Hall of Famer was backstage at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view event where he held a meeting with Superstars to talk to them about privacy as a celebrity and the incident that got him shunned from WWE for years.
Although the son of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon would not provide an update on Hogan’s status with the company, he did make it known that he believes Hogan should be welcomed back in the company.
Shane said that he had no scoop and that this is a question that can only be answered by Vince. “He is an icon, that’s for sure. He will be back. I mean I grew up with Hulk. McMahon added, “He’s iconic.” McMahon would continue by stating that he’s not going to press stuff but would assume that he’ll come back one more time. He joked that they could talk about United States President Donald Trump or something less controversial.
Hogan was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame earlier this year after Hogan was fired from WWE in the summer of 2015 after racially charged comments from a sex tape came to light. Gawker alleged that Hogan only filed a lawsuit against them to prevent the racial statements from being released.
He has wrestled some of the biggest names in the history of pro wrestling, and although he has a long-lasting relationship with the company, there have been some hiccups between the two sides throughout the years. The belief is that when WWE is able to bring Hogan back at the right time, they will.
Chris Jericho On Reason He Didn’t Appear On SmackDown 1000
IWGP Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho was asked on Twitter by a fan about why he wasn’t at SmackDown 1000 on Tuesday night in Washington, DC at the Capital One Arena on the USA Network. Jericho wrote, “Nobody asked me.”
It should be noted that Jericho’s first IWGP Intercontinental Championship defense will be against EVIL at the NJPW Power Struggle event on November 3. Jericho has made a few appearances for WWE this year, including a backstage segment at the RAW 25th Anniversary special in January. He last wrestled in a WWE ring at the Greatest Royal Rumble back in April. At Dominion, he captured the IWGP Intercontinental Championship from Tetsuya Naito.
Vince McMahon Thanks Fans
Speaking of SmackDown 1000, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon took to his official Twitter account after the milestone episode to thank the fans with the following comments:
“Getting to 1,000 episodes is only possible if you have an entire universe behind you. Thank you, #WWE Universe, for celebrating #SD1000 with us. Here’s to 1,000 more.”
Getting to 1,000 episodes is only possible if you have an entire universe behind you. Thank you, #WWE Universe, for celebrating #SD1000 with us. Here’s to 1,000 more. pic.twitter.com/fVI5B0jTWn
In case you missed it, Vince, Stephanie, and Shane McMahon all made an appearance on this show in the opening segment to do a dance segment with R-Truth and Carmella.
John Hennigan is having a terrific year. The current Impact Wrestling World Champion competes regularly for both Lucha Underground and Impact and is also a contestant on this season of the hit reality TV show “Survivor”.
According to Hennigan, giving out scoops on Survivor is a far riskier proposition than doing so for pro-wrestling.
“Nobody gets Survivor scoops!” Hennigan said to Fightful recently. “There are some pretty iron-clad NDAs (non-disclosure agreements). I think you have to chop off your left arm if you give away a secret (laughs). They don’t mess around at all. Hunting for Survivor scoops would be a very tough job.”
John Hennigan On Survivor
Hennigan’s season of Survivor pits “Davids” against “Goliaths”. He spoke to Fightful regarding his experience filming the show.
“I cleared my schedule and everyone was supportive, and seemed pretty happy I was doing something. There’s a lot of people who watch Survivor and a lot of Survivor fans — that’s certainly true about the Impact office. Every time I come to work and everyone’s asking me what happened and I can’t say anything. It’s cool to be a part of something like Survivor, that’s a mainstay of pop culture. It’s good to be on the other side and get to experience it.”
After the major milestone episode of WWE SmackDown 1000 went off the air, there was a title match that took place. Becky Lynch successfully retained the WWE SmackDown Women’s Title over Charlotte Flair in a dark match.
As seen on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live, which was the 1000th edition, in Washington, DC at the Capital One Arena on the USA Network, Lynch and Flair made an appearance when Edge hosted his “Cutting Edge” segment, which is a talk show, that had Lynch as his special guest.
During the segment, the WWE Hall of Famer spoke about how Lynch’s attitude is wrong and has concerns about her treatment of Flair. This led to Lynch mocking him for his words.
Flair would then come out to the ring where she confronted the champion and a brawl broke out until several referees came out to break it up. It should be noted that no women’s matches were televised on the show.
Lynch will make her next title defense against Flair in a Last Woman Standing match at the Evolution pay-per-view event that takes place on Sunday, October 28, 2018 in Long Island, New York at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on the WWE Network.
WWE will present 4 previously unaired television programs today. At 3 PM est, the NXT UK brand will debut on the network. At 7 PM est, the WWE Network will air 205 Live, NXT, and the next episode of the Mae Young Classic.
Here are the matches and segments airing on the Network today:
NXT UK Brand:
United Kingdom Championship
Pete Dunne (c) vs Noam Dar
The United Kingdom title will be defended tonight on NXT UK. Pete Dunne will look to keep his 500 day plus title reign going when he faces Noam Dar.
Toni Storm vs Nina Samuels
The NXT UK brand’s women’s division kicks off with two stars destined to become a bit part of the brand.
Mark Andrews vs Joe Coffey
Joe and Mark Coffey cost Andrews a match during the second UK title tournament and now he’s out for revenge.
Dave Mastiff vs Sid Scala
Big Dave Mastiff looks to make an impact tonight when he takes on Sid Scala.
205 Live:
Akira Tozawa vs Drew Gulak
Drew Gulak recently kicked Brian Kendrick out of his small faction. Tonight he’ll take on a former Cruiserweight Champion in Tozawa. Gulak’s other ally, Jack Gallagher, lost to Tozawa in single’s action recently as well.
Why Did Mike Kanellis Attack Lince Dorado?
Mike and Maria Kanellis showed up on 205 Live last week and cost Dorado a match against Lio Rush. We’ll hear why Mike and Maria did what they did this week.
NXT:
NXT Tag Team Championships
The Undisputed Era (c) vs War Raiders
Hanson and Rowe will have a chance to win NXT gold tonight when they take on Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong.
Nikki Cross vs Bianca Belair
The last time these two met it was a double count-out after a tense match-up. Cross had been lobbying William Regal for a rematch and she gets her wish tonight.
Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan In Tag Action
Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan will team up tonight. Their opponents haven’t been announced.
Shayna Baszler In Single’s Action
Shayna Baszler will also be in single’s action tonight. Her opponent has not been named either.
Mae Young Classic:
4 quarter-final matches will take place tonight. Each winning Superstar will earn entry into the tournament’s semi-finals.
