Shinsuke Nakamura’s status with WWE has been the topic of some debate recently. There has been some speculation he could leave WWE and return to NJPW when his contract is up next year. Nakamura signed a 3-year deal with WWE in 2016. He was interviewed by Sky Sports this week and addressed his future.
“Who said that?” Nakamura asked in regards to rumors his WWE run would be a short one. “Moving to the US is a big decision for my family. Long term thing.”
Nakamura insists he’s had no discussion with NJPW., despite the rumors. “New Japan didn’t contact me,” Nakamura said in regards to his former employer.
Nakamura was also asked if he plans to re-sign with WWE in 2019. He indicated it was probable but would depend on the money offered.
Nakamura vs Jeff Hardy
Nakamura will take on Jeff Hardy for the US title tomorrow night at Summerslam. It is the first time Nakamura has held a title on the main roster. Previously, Nakamura has lost multiple WWE Championship matches to Jinder Mahal and AJ Styles.
Nakamura won the Royal Rumble earlier this year but then failed in multiple attempts to take the title from AJ Styles. This resulted in Nakamura’s heel turn and subsequent forgetting of the English language. Nakamura has claimed he is unable to speak the language when asked why he low-blowed Styles so often during their feud.
Paul Heyman surprised the audience of Cheap Heat Live last night in New York’s Sony Hall theatre. The advocate for Brock Lesnar took time out of a busy Summerslam weekend to speak on topics ranging from WWE’s current product to naming a modern-day version of the Dangerous Alliance.
Perhaps the most notable question Heyman answered, however, was in regards to who he feels is the next big rebel in WWE today. The audience member cited guys like Shawn Michaels, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and CM Punk as rebels who launched WWE into very successful runs for the company.
Paul Heyman knows a thing or two about rebels, counter-culture and the X-factors that lead a talent to break away from the pack. Heyman said, “Seth Rollins. Seth Rollins because he continuously comes up with moves that are politically incorrect and they have to tell him to stop doing them but they become so popular that they end up saying to him ‘alright go ahead, we’ll deal with it, go do it.'”
Heyman continued to describe Rollins’ rebellious contributions to WWE. “It’s because he’s innovative and he rebels against the system that tries to be politically correct and he continues to be politically incorrect and when he came up with the saying of ‘Burn it Down,’ he was being honest about what he thought would be the constraints of what was being put on him, that he’s going to break through that and do things his way and innovate a style that you can only see in a Seth Rollins match.”
Paul Heyman on Working For Vince McMahon
David Shoemaker then asked Heyman how he feels about working for Vince McMahon. Heyman didn’t address the answer directly but rather corrected Shoemaker regarding who he works for.
“I really don’t consider myself in the Vince McMahon business, I don’t consider myself in the WWE business,” Heyman said. “I pretty much now have found a place in life where I am in the Brock Lesnar business.”
Paul Heyman’s New Dangerous Alliance
Heyman was also asked about the lack of factions in wrestling today. He was asked to put together a Dangerous Alliance 2.0. Heyman responded that there is already a modern version of the stable, however.
“Would you like me to tell you who’s in it?” Heyman asked. “Two members: 1) Brock Lesnar 2) Paul Heyman. That is as dangerous an alliance as you’re ever going to get in WWE.”
Heyman on running a wrestling promotion & more
The first question of the evening centered around the WWE Universal Champion’s torso tattoo. Heyman took a bit of time to berate the question and the person asking it before he gave his answer though.
“Obviously (he’s) trying to insinuate that the tattoo looks like a penis,” Heyman said. “Because, of course, that’s what would attract *points out question-asker* a p***y.”
Heyman was asked about what it’s like to run a wrestling promotion. He responded with a quote he heard from UFC President, Dana White.
“I think actually the person who said it best was Dana White,” Heyman said. “That when he wakes in the morning and his feet hit the ground he knows he’s already 100-miles deep in s**t to deal with.”
Someone in the audience asked Heyman about a member of New Day going solo and winning a single’s title. Heyman used the Shield as an analogy.
“Why would you break up that group?” Heyman asked. “Why would you take a group like that and split them up? It would be like splitting up the Shie… nevermind on that.”
After some murmuring from the crowd, Heyman continued, however. “Hey, when Roman Reigns was in the Shield you guys thought he was the coolest..” the crowd disagreed with this. “Yes, you did! Yes, you did!”
Heyman continued to say New Day were the most entertaining team aside from the Usos, which got some cheers. If he was a member of New Day and collecting their merchandise cheques, Heyman said, they’d have to sue him to break that group up.
As time ran out during the live show, the Hall of Pain music hit and Mark Henry entered the stage. This spelled the end for Paul Heyman’s eventful surprise appearance in the Sony Hall Theatre.
Joey Janela and Game Changer Wrestling hosted ‘Lost In New York’ last night from the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York. Janela has been holding shows during big WWE pay per view weekends since his first Spring Break show during Wrestlemania. Here are the results from last night’s crazy event:
MJF b. Spider Nate Webb –
KTB b. Marko Stunt in an Open Challenge Match
Teddy Hart b. Chris Dickinson – Hart took the pinfall win after hitting a Canadian Destroyer
Nick Gage b. Sabu
Grab The Brass Ring Ladder Match – Jimmy Lloyd b. Tony Deppen, Gringo Loco, Eli Everfly, G Raver, and Orange Cassidy
Ethan Page b. Penelope Ford
Jinsei Shinzaki (Hakushi) b. Joey Janela
PCO b. Matt Riddle
You can check out the show right now on FITE TV for only $13.99, use the code m2q82k when you sign up to the FITE TV app to gain $15 worth of Credit.
Just hours before the Lucha Bros were to compete on a card in Daly City California last night, the promotion was forced to tell fans neither would make it to the show.
Fenix and Pentagon Jr. were to team up and take on Reno Scum at the event. Fans were told via Twitter that Pentagon was injured and Fenix was having travel difficulties.
It is with deep regret to inform the APW Faithful that @PENTAELZEROM was injured last night in ??. @ReyFenixMx has also informed us that he is experiencing travel issues. We greatly apologize to everyone and wish Penta a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/u58whdj4sa
The Lucha Bros have been the center of controversy as of late. Reports surfaced 2 weeks ago that WWE had interest in the brothers. At the time, both Pentagon and Fenix were thought to be locked into Lucha Underground contracts. Their contracts were believed to be preventative from them from jumping ship, however.
It has since been revealed that both Pentagon and Fenix are of the understanding they can opt out of their LU contracts following the 4th season. They would have to sit out 6 months following the expiration of their LU deals but then would be free to sign with WWE.
Pentagon and Fenix, who are the MLW tag-team champions, were pulled from an upcoming MLW show amidst the above rumors. The Lucha Bros are arguably the two most popular stars for Impact Wrestling at the moment as well.
Pentagon is scheduled to take on Sami Callihan in a Mexican Death match next week on Impact. Fenix will take on Brian Cage for the X-Division title in 2 weeks.
The card for tonight’s (Saturday, August 18, 2018 ) WWE NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 event has been finalized.
The company has yet to officially announce the main event of this event that takes place in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center and will air on the WWE Network.
There is speculation that this special will be headlined by Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano for the WWE NXT Title in a Last Man Standing match.
As a reminder, WWE will be taping matches for next week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network before this special event goes live on their streaming service. We will be providing live play-by-play coverage of this special later tonight.
The Card
NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano – Last Man Standing Match
NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Kairi Sane
NXT Tag Team Champions Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly vs. Tyler Bate and Trent Seven
NXT North American Champion Adam Cole vs. Ricochet
EC3 vs. The Velveteen Dream
Our staff has released their predictions for the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 show, which you can read here.
What are your thoughts on this card? Do you plan on watching this show and if not, why? Sound off in the comment section.
Daniel Bryan spoke with ESPN’s Arash Markazi to promote the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view event that takes place this Sunday (August 19, 2018) where he’ll be facing The Miz in a singles match.
His Future In Wrestling
Bryan did talk about how long he plans to wrestle for which is to when he’s 70-years old as he noted that’s a goal to people that sounds insane, but pointed out there’s a MMA trainer, Firas Zahabi, he trains Georges St-Pierre and he was on Joe Rogan’s podcast and loved what he said which is that he wants to live to be 90 years old. Bryan noted that he loves doing this so much he wants to physically be capable of doing it until the day before he dies because it brings him joy and that’s how he feels about it.
“For me, my goal is to enjoy this moment that I have in the WWE spotlight because that doesn’t last forever. That really has taken hold since I was forced to retire. You have to appreciate every moment of this, but I also have to transition my style in a way that I could still be wrestling when I’m 70 years old. I want to transition my style slowly to something that’s a little bit easier on my body.”
Post-SummerSlam Opponents
Although he has yet to reach a new contract with the WWE, he does have some names in mind as potential opponents after SummerSlam such as AJ Styles, Goldberg, Johnny Gargano, and Roderick Strong. He also stated that he wants to wrestle Shinsuke Nakamura and Andrade Cien Almas. He pointed out that Andrade is a true luchador, who main evented arenas in Mexico as a luchador and wants to go there for the match.
“I have all these dream scenarios in my head where I would love to do this and that. I think that’s one of things that’s makes me so passionate about wrestling — the variety.”
Our staff has released their predictions for the SummerSlam show, which you can read here.
ITV will be broadcasting the 4th episode of WoS wrestling tomorrow at 5pm GMT. Two of the matches for the programme have been announced and it appears as though WoS are looking to stack the deck for episode 4 with a top UK showcase match and a showing for the inaugural WoS Women’s Champion.
Will Ospreay will be returning to the show for the first time since episode 1. The ‘Aerial Assassin’ will be taking on one of the most respected stars in UK independent wrestling: Martin Kirby. Kirby is currently embroiled in a feud with IMPACT/DEFIANT star Joe Hendry and it is likely that he will get involved in some way Saturday night.
WoS Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray will also be in action. The ICW star became the first ever Women’s Champion in World of Sport history when she defeated Viper and Bea Priestley in episode 2. Ray’s opponent has not yet been revealed.
NGW stars Nathan Cruz and Adam ‘Flex’ Maxted have also confirmed that they will be continuing their run in the Tag Team Championship tournament. The ‘bromance’ team, BT Gunn & Stevie Boy and Alpha Bad (Iestyn Rees and Kip Sabian) are also still in the running.
You can check out our report on the ratings for Episode 3 here, including information on the potential chance of a renewal for the iconic British wrestling brand.
PROGRESS has officially released the second series of ‘Freedom’s Road’ on Demand Progress.
Freedom’s Road is a completely different approach to professional wrestling. The show features some of the company’s up and coming stars such as Spike Trivet, The OJMO, Big T Justice, Candyfloss, Chakara, Alex Cupid and Dillion D’Angelo. Also featured are UK stars Roy Johnson, Chuck Mambo, Daryl Allen and RJ Singh.
The show has a Lucha Underground vibe but is inherently British. With matches intertwined between cinematic sections that give you a chance to learn the ‘origin’ stories of the performers. You can binge watch all nine episodes of Season 2 all well as Season 1 on demand now.
You can check out the full series on demand now at Demand Progress. PROGRESS’ on demand service is $7.99 per month and contains every single Chapter show and programming from the likes of Smash Wrestling, DEFY, Lucha Forever, FEST, SPW and AAW.
Check out the tweet below to see the full trailer for Season 2 of Freedom’s Road:
WoS Wrestling general manager Stu Bennett/Wade Barrett has set a challenge for MLS star Wayne Rooney. Bennett appeared on TalkSport’s Alan Brazil Breakfast show and issued a challenge to the England footballing great. Barrett stated: “This is a message for Wayne Rooney. I’m watching you out in the MLS and I see you’re doing amazing things. I suggest you stay out there as long as you can cause the second you’re retired you’re stepping in the ring with me, Stu Bennett in WoS Wrestling. I assure you that you’ll have some very, very, bad news.”
Bennett and Rooney previously appeared together during a 2015 Smackdown taping in the UK, at the time Rooney was signed to arguably the biggest soccer (football) team in England: Manchester United. The segment gained huge traction in the UK with mainstream outlets airing the ‘slap’ that Rooney gave Bennett.
Opinion: Rooney is now based in the United States playing for DC United in the MLS. Unfortunately the mainstream appeal of the former England International is nowhere near what it once was. If WoS can somehow get an appearance or acknowledgement from Rooney for a potential Bennett match then that could be huge for the ITV brand.
Ronda Rousey has had a great run with WWE thus far.
She made her debut back in April at WrestleMania 34. Rousey teamed up with Kurt Angle and defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a Mixed Tag Team match. “The Rowdy One” returned to the ring at the Money In The Bank (MITB) pay-per-view (PPV).
Rousey took on Nia Jax for the RAW Women’s Championship. It looked as though Rousey was about to win the title, when Alexa Bliss crashed the party with her MITB briefcase. After attacking both Jax and Rousey, Bliss cashed-in her briefcase and won the RAW Women’s Title.
This weekend at SummerSlam, Rousey gets her shot at redemption when she takes on Bliss for the strap. Rousey spoke to AMNY.com to promote this weekend’s Brooklyn event. During the conversation Ronda Rousey opens up about her friendship with fellow WWE star Natalya.
Natalya has been training with Rousey since the beginning of her trials with WWE. Rousey said Natalya really went out of her way to train her for her professional wrestling career in WWE:
“I’ve known Nattie years before I started wrestling. She teaches me so much technically, obviously but I was coming into a new environment, I was nervous and felt like the new kid in school,” Rousey said.
“She really went out of her way to make me feel welcome and comfortable and part of the family. She’s been amazing since day one and I’m so lucky to have her as a friend.”
Discussion: What do you think about Rousey’s comments regarding her friendship with Natalya? Let us know in the comments below!
Hulk Hogan was the first guest on Bill Apter’s new podcast, The Apter Chat. During the conversation, Hogan spoke about being reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame and the backstage reaction to his return.
After it was announced that WWE was welcoming Hogan back into the fold, the reaction from WWE’s locker room was mixed. Several performers, including The New Day and Titus O’Neil, issued statements that indicated they weren’t ready to forgive Hogan for his past racist remarks.
Hogan was backstage at WWE Extreme Rules and issued a formal apology to the locker room. Hogan does not understand why some wrestlers aren’t welcoming him back with open arms.
“A lot of people accepted my apology,” Hogan said. “And a lot of people heard what they wanted to hear and a lot of the narrative that came out of the meeting was on point. A lot of the narrative was really different. I was surprised to hear some people interpreted what I said that I was just sorry I got caught. I’m on camera, whatever they interpreted, but I never said that.”
It’s not hard to understand why certain people would not be ready to forgive Hogan yet, if ever. Hogan says those people simply “don’t understand the bond and brotherhood of wrestling.”
“Outside the ring, you’re supposed to protect your brother. In this case, it’s a situation where 75, 80, 90 percent of the wrestlers are protecting me and they’re giving me another chance to move forward. There’s just a few wrestlers that don’t understand the bond and the brotherhood of wrestling.”
Hogan said if someone makes a mistake, “you need to forgive them” – a point that is certainly up for debate. In response to New Day and Titus O’Neil issuing statements on social media about the situation, Hogan says if anybody has a problem with him, they should say it to his face.
“If anybody had any questions or anybody had anything to say at that time, I really just wanted them to say it to my face so I could address it,” Hogan said. “Hopefully understand the issue and get them to understand me.”
You can listen Hulk Hogan’s chat with Bill Apter over at Stitcher.com.
Ambrose made his long-awaited return to WWE television on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in Greensboro, NC at the Greensboro Coliseum on the USA Network once it was revealed that would be in the corner of Seth Rollins for his Intercontinental Title match against champion Dolph Ziggler, who will have Drew McIntyre in his corner, at SummerSlam this Sunday.
WWE has updated the lineup for events in London, Shanghai, and Osaka at the end of the month and in September. At these shows, he’ll be teaming up with Rollins against Ziggler & McIntyre.
8/29 In London
RAW Women’s Championship Match: Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
WWE Cruiserweight Match: Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak
Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre
Finn Balor vs. Constable Baron Corbin
Bobby Lashley vs. Elias
Ember Moon, Natalya and Nia Jax vs.The Riott Squad
Titus Worldwide vs. The Revival
8/31 In Osaka
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre
RAW Women’s Championship Match: Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss
WWE Cruiserweight Match: Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak vs. Akira Tozawa
Finn Balor vs. Constable Baron Corbin
Bobby Lashley vs. Elias
Kairi Sane vs. Mickie James
Sasha Banks, Bayley and Natalya vs. The Riott Squad
Titus Worldwide vs, The Revival
9/1 In Shanghai
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre
RAW Women’s Championship Match: Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match: Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak
Six Man Tag Team Match: John Cena, Bobby Lashley and Finn Balor vs. Constable Baron Corbin, Elias and Jinder Mahal
Ember Moon, Natalya and Nia Jax vs. The Riott Squad
Titus Worldwide vs. The Revival
Our staff has released their predictions for the SummerSlam show, which you can read here.
Ricochet has reflected on his journey to the WWE and the biggest concern that he had once he decided that he would join the company.
The WWE NXT star spoke with CBS Sports to promote the upcoming NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 event that takes place this Saturday (August 18, 2018) in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center on the WWE Network where he’ll challenge Adam Cole for the North American Championship.
Concern Joining WWE
“My biggest concern [in joining WWE] was character development and all that stuff because that’s something I never got to do. I was always the ‘dream match’ guy. I was never really put in any stories. So that was the biggest concern, and how I can adjust to that,” Ricochet explained.
The highly talented star noted that there’s also a misconception from fans who say that he shouldn’t join WWE because they will water him down and not let him be himself. He thinks that belief is ridiculous because Triple H and Shawn Michaels and all those guys are more than happy to let him be himself and allow him to do his thing. “That was not a big worry of mine, per se, but I remember a lot of people saying that. Since I’ve been here, everyone’s been so cool. It’s been awesome.”
Wrestling Styles
Ricochet also talked about different wrestling styles as he noted that every country that he worked in before he came to the United States had different styles and ways of doing things. He thinks that as long as there’s effort then it’s right and people are paying to see you then it’s good.
“May not be for everyone, but that’s OK. In the match I saw, two fellas who looked like fighters [had] an excellent, hard competed match in a different style. Win-win!” Our staff has released their predictions for the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 show, which you can read here.
One WWE NXT superstar is back to wrestling after being on the sidelines with an injury. That star is Oney Lorcan, who teamed up with Danny Burch to face the War Raiders in a tag team match at Thursday’s (August 16, 2018) NXT live event in Lowell, MA.
Lorcan suffered an orbital bone fracture during his tag team match against the Undisputed Era at NXT Takeover: Chicago on June 16th, 2018 on the WWE Network that later required facial surgery. This marked his last appearance on WWE television.
WWE will be taping matches for next week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network before the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 event goes live on their streaming service. They will also hold another TV taping next week from Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University. Thus, it’s possible that Lorcan makes his return at one of those tapings.
The Results
War Raiders defeated Oney Lorcan and Danny Birch. Bianca Belair destroyed Deonna Purrazzo. Lars Sullivan defeated Zack Gibson. WWE NXT North American Champion Adam Cole pinned EC3 clean. WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Undisputed Era defeated Mustache Mountain. WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne pinned Velveteen Dream in the best match thus far on the show. Dakota Kai & Kairi Sane defeated WWE NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler & Lacey Evans.
WWE holds NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 event this weekend in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center. Our staff has released their predictions for this show, which you can read here.
WWE is not interested in hearing fans’ opinions on one of their top superstars. The company sent out a survey to fans recently asking them to select up to 10 superstars that they enjoy seeing on WWE programming. There was one notable omission.
WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar, was not one of the selectable Superstars. His exclusion from the survey may lead to further speculation that Lesnar’s last match with the company will be at Summerslam.
Lesnar’s absence from the survey is notable considering his accompanying notable absence from WWE programming. It is still not clear how much longer Lesnar will be with WWE.
Sunday will the 3rd time Lesnar has defended the Universal Championship against Roman Reigns. He defeated Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 34 and then again at the Greatest Royal Rumble. His match against Roman at the GRR, however, was a controversial finish after Lesnar and Roman crashed through the cage at the same time.
SmackDown Live star Samoa Joe has a big match ahead of him this weekend.
“The Destroyer” will challenge AJ Styles for the WWE Titlethis weekend at SummerSlam. The action all goes down from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York Sunday night (August 19, 2018).
Joe recently spoke to The Vulture Hound to promote his WWE Championship opportunity this weekend. During their conversation, Joe talked about who has influenced his professional wrestling career.
WWE producer Arn Anderson is apparently a big influence in Joe’s wrestling career:
“I think a guy, especially after I really started in the business was [WWE RAW producer] Arn Anderson. He had a real good technical acumen, great timing, incredibly explosive, and was able to kind of project an air about himself despite his stature. He seemed like he was ten feet tall.
“Bouncing back and forth, I caught a little bit of UWFI and I remember early Takada matches and seeing kind of the more shoot style of professional wrestling. It was a very mixed bag.”
Discussion: What do you make of Joe’s comments regarding Anderson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
The term Diva has been retired by WWE and carries a negative connotation, but Maria Kanellis is not running away from her former moniker.
This weekend at the Barclays Center from Brooklyn, New York, a SmackDown Live Women’s Title match will take place. Carmella will defend her title against Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch in a Triple Threat match.
Recently, Flair took a jab at Carmella by calling her a “Diva.” This is in reference to the old term used to describe the women competitors of WWE. The term was dropped in the midst of the WWE’s Women’s Revolution. Now female WWE stars are simply referred to as “Superstars” like everyone else.
Carmella owned up to the jab from Charlotte and embraced the “Diva” term. This prompted Maria Kanellis to jump to Carmella’s defense. Maria took part in a Divas Search back in 2004. She came in fifth place but was subsequently signed to WWE.
Defending The “Diva” Term
Women’s professional wrestling wasn’t as prominently featured during Maria’s heyday inside the ring. She eventually made her exit from the company in 2010. Kanellis took to Instagram to defend the “Diva” term in a lengthy post:
“Real Diva. Be careful disparaging the women that fought for what you are getting. Experience is more of a bitch then, entitlement ever will be. We were Divas for a reason, We had to be.
“We all matter in the marathon called the Evolution of Women Superstars. And it’s not over. I see you. I’m with you. We were in the trenches together in full makeup, dresses and heels everyday, every show.
“Still fighting with babies, careers, husbands, and a stigma. Is it better to fight for the system or the spot? Both. Love you. Together we push the system forward, apart we forget our past. Those that forget their past repeat it.”
IMPACT Wrestling star Tessa Blanchard recently recently took part in a media call. The IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion talked about wanting to make a bigger name for herself within the promotion.
Blanchard noted she wants to bring intergender matches to the promotion and also learn as much as possible. She also said she needs to make a name for herself in IMPACT before going anywhere else:
“I have goals, I have my purpose, I want to build upon what my grandpa and my dad and my stepdad did in the past,” Blanchard said. “I also want to do that while making a name for myself I believe it’s important to do that before I go anywhere else.
“Impact has given me the platform and the exposure and they’re supplying me with the tools and the teachers to do that and I’m very, very grateful for that. Because not only am I learning so much but I’m also honing my own skills and taking it to the next level in a way.
“I’m very grateful to be in Impact and honestly, if I’m being completely honest I was just going with my gut and signing with Impact was a feeling I had that was right for me and it will be right for me for the next two years.”
Discussion: Do you think Blanchard needs to make a name for herself before departing IMPACT Wrestling? Where else would you like to see her work? Sound off in the comments below!
Kenny Omega has landed a sponsorship deal with Team Razer. The avid video game fanatic uses Team Razer products such as the Panthera Evo fight stick and the Razer Thresher Ultimate headset for PlayStation 4.
“I’ve always been a supporter of Razer and their products, so joining their team is really exciting,” said Omega. “To rise to the next level in wrestling or gaming, a true support system is needed, and that’s where Team Razer comes in. Their top-quality devices and fashion-forward gear are the best on the market, and I’m proud to be working with a company whose motto is ‘for gamers, by gamers’ that is just as driven to win as I am.”
Proud to be a member of the team. Better believe we’re gonna do a ton of cool stuff in the future. Can’t wait to show everyone! https://t.co/egtGMfh5cX
Some felt Omega’s deal with the company was only a cover, however. Omega seemed to profess his love for Brandi Rhodes on an episode of BTE. It was later revealed, however, that Omega was simply talking about his new sponsor.
Omega will face Pentagon Jr. on September 1st at All In. Following that match, Omega will next defend his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Tomohiro Ishii.
The era of Kazuchika Okada being managed by Gedo has apparently come to an end in New Japan Pro Wrestling. The current belief is NJPW’s booker will no longer be accompanying Okada to ringside or delivering promos on his behalf.
“The whole reason for the dynamic was that Gedo was there to do Okada’s promos and make him feel special at first,” wrote Dave Meltzer. “Okada has gotten to where he doesn’t need anyone doing his promos and he’s already special.”
When the Rainmaker was first put with Okada, he was a cocky up-and-coming prospect. Now, Okada has been established as the greatest IWGP Heavyweight Champion of all-time, minus one record of Tanahashi’s he has yet to surpass.
Okada is scheduled to face Marty Scurll at All In. He will then join the Destruction tours back in Japan.
Kazuchika Okada Gedo
While Okada did not win the A-Block in this year’s G1, he was booked strong all the same. After losing to Kenny Omega, Okada’s character lost his confidence and, as a result, several matches. Okada lost a single’s match to Zack Sabre Jr. before the G1 began. To start the G1, Okada dropped his first two matches as well.
After losses to Jay White and Bad Luck Fale, Okada won his next 6 round-robin bouts before wrestling Tanahashi to a draw. Tanahashi then advanced to the finals where he defeated Kota Ibushi. The story with Okada is that once he got his confidence back, he wasn’t defeated again. Even though he didn’t win the tournament itself, Okada is back to looking like he can’t be beaten.
Rousey’s feud with Bliss has turned personal in the past several weeks. It looks like she’s taking her training for SummerSlam very seriously. WWE posted a video on their YouTube channel showing a glimpse into Rousey’s preparations.
She was working at the WWE Performance Center and drilling inside the ring. Watch the video here:
Discussion: Do you think Rousey will win the RAW Women’s Title this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!
The Young Bucks Set To Debut New Theme
Matt Jackson made an interesting announcement on Twitter. He revealed he and his brother, Nick, will be debuting a new entrance theme at “All In.” The event goes down in Illinois on September 1st.
The actual song will be heard on August 22nd on Chris Jericho’s podcast. Listen to a small clip below:
“Nick and I are excited to announce, we will be debuting our new entrance & theme song at ALL IN! Here’s a sneak peak… Tune into @IAmJericho‘s Podcast, Talk is Jericho on Aug 22 to check out the song in its entirety!”
The show will go down from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Ricochet was recently a guest on Edge and Christian’s podcast, E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness. He was able to share some of his thoughts on his NXT TakeOver opponent during the show.
Intimidation On The Mic
Ricoceht divulged that he is a bit intimidated by Cole’s skills on the microphone. “The One And Only” said working with those better than him on the mic has helped him improve in that department of the game himself:
“Oh man, [Cole] is so good on the mic. It’s crazy. It’s intimidating,” Ricochet said. “Even with [Velveteen] Dream because Dream is very comfortable on the mic as well, so like both of those situations I felt like this was, like, good for me because, again, it’s either make it or break it.
“Do you know what I mean? So I had this pressure on me and I was like, ‘I’m going to go out there and do my best I can to kill it.’ I guess, especially because I’ve known Adam for so long and we’ve become pretty good friends or whatever, like, I’m comfortable in there.
“There’s not like the weird awkwardness where I’m uncomfortable speaking to him, I guess. I don’t know. So yeah, especially with him being so good on the mic, I definitely have to step up and show them that I might not beat him verbally, but, like, I can for sure keep up with him.”
Listen to Ricochet on E&C’s Pod Of Awesomeness by clicking this link here.
Discussion: What do you make of Ricochet’s comments? Do you think he’ll best Cole tomorrow night? Let us know in the comments!
WWE SummerSlam takes place this Sunday night from Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center. The card for the 31st event under the SummerSlam chronology is a stacked one, with the best from the RAW and SmackDown Live brands.
The main event for Sunday’s PPV will see Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns battle it out for the WWE Universal Championship in a match that will be viewed closely due to rumors of “The Beast Incarnate” possibly being UFC-bound. Other headline bouts will see Ronda Rousey challenge Alexa Bliss for the RAW Women’s Championship and Samoa Joe challenge longtime rival A.J. Styles for the WWE Championship.
SEScoops staff writers Ian Carey, Andrew Ravens and Jeff Moss have prepared their predictions for each of the matches scheduled for Sunday’s big event. Without further adieu, here are our predictions for WWE SummerSlam.
RAW Tag-Team Champions The B-Team vs. The Revival
Ian: I wish I thought the Revival are getting the belts but considering the match is on the preshow, I’m going to go with Axel and Dallas. I get the feeling the Revival might not be Vince McMahon’s cup of tea. (Prediction: The B-Team)
Andrew: A match that is purely filler as we just saw it this week on Raw and one that no one really cares about. The Revival should obviously have a run as tag team champions and will eventually but not here. WWE is behind Dallas and Axel right now, and they find a way to retain the titles. (Prediction: The B-Team)
Jeff: I doubt I’m alone in thinking that the B-Team thing has just about run it’s course. I’m all for comedy wrestlers or in this case tag teams, but “accidentally” succeeding gets old. If I’m lucky, the Revival with walk out there, Shatter Machine them both back to Main Event and walk away with the straps, breathing some much needed air into the RAW tag team scene. Smackdown has been killing it lately with tag teams, so let’s get a RAW team that we can take seriously as Champions. (Prediction: The Revival)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for The B-Team
Rusev & Lana vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas & Zelina Vega
Ian: If this was on the main card I would expect a storyline development involving Aiden English but I think they will wait for Smackdown to do that. The pre-show isn’t given as much importance for storylines and angles. Almas and Zelina should win after botched interference from Aiden English but English won’t leave the trio completely until Tuesday. (Prediction: Andrade “Cien” Almas & Zelina Vega)
Andrew: This is a throwaway match that will likely have a heavy showcase for Rusev and Almas, who should have a good match that will likely have them dominate the in-ring time of it. It’s a toss-up as to who wins this match. Rusev and Lana are fan favorites, but Almas has been kept strong on TV. I have Almas and Zega winning here. (Prediction: Andrade “Cien” Almas & Zelina Vega)
Jeff: Given that this card has Bryan/Miz, Aj/Samoa Joe and about a dozen other matches on it, I shouldn’t really complain about the wonderful unicorn known as Rusev and the downlow best worker in the company, Almas, being sandwiched into this mixed tag match. That said, wouldn’t Rusev vs Samoa Joe for the title be something you’d want to see at say, Survivor Series? Anyway, Rusev & Lana win here because they have merch. (Prediction: Rusev & Lana)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for Andrade “Cien” Almas & Zelina Vega
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
Ian: Daniel Bryan will surely take home the feel-good victory here. One might think that Miz would get the win due to his reality show currently airing but Miz is better showcased by being given his due from babyfaces, anyway. (Prediction: Daniel Bryan)
Andrew: The contract status of Bryan plays a big factor in this match due to the fact that the next PPV event is after the date that his contract expires. If Bryan wins here, I could see that being a factor that he re-signed, but if he loses, that could lead to two things. Either he has signed a new deal, and WWE will continue this feud, or he hasn’t and want to put Miz over. Bryan should go over here in storyline, and I will predict he’ll win. (Prediction: Daniel Bryan)
Jeff: This feud has had it all; heated words, on-set face punchings, fake babies, and some of the most killer video packages WWE has ever done. This will more than likely be the match of the night given the 8 years of heat between the two men involved. I’d expect Daniel Bryan to win here, unless he’s planning on heading for the Indies next month. I don’t want to lose him from my weekly TV viewing though, so with a little luck this will not only be a killer match, but show WWE that they should back that dump truck full of cash out of Lesnar’s driveway and head west with it to Chez Danielson. (Prediction: Daniel Bryan)
CONSENSUS: 3-0 for Daniel Bryan
Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin
Ian: Balor should pick up the feel-good victory here. Once upon a time Finn Balor was winning World Championships at SummerSlam… now he’s wrestling Corbin in a match few are excited about. (Prediction: Finn Balor)
Andrew: Balor should win here and for the sake of the match, let’s hope they keep it short as they haven’t had the greatest matches in the world when they work with each other. Balor gets his revenge once and for all. Balor wins. (Prediction: Finn Balor)
Jeff: It’d be fun if Finn showed up in Biker Werewolf Baron Corbin cosplay, or beat him in 5 seconds and spent the next 30 minutes in the ring building a Lego Millennium Falcon. Aside from that, I can’t see this match being anything other than a pee-break for me, which is a shame considering how great Finn Balor is. (Prediction: Finn Balor)
CONSENSUS: 3-0 for Finn Balor
WWE U.S. Champion Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jeff Hardy
Ian: So Randy Orton never got named to this match? He must get involved somehow. I’m predicting this match gets thrown out in some way due to Orton’s interference. I also predict nobody shakes his hand following the match. (Prediction: No Contest)
Andrew: Randy Orton lingering in the background of this match will be put out to shine, and he could even play a factor into this fight. We’ve already seen this match twice with the latest finish coming with Orton attacking Hardy for him to win by DQ. I have Nakamura winning with help from Orton, who distracts Hardy, in order to retain his title. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
Jeff: Seriously, what does this guy have against Jeff Hardy’s balls? Shinsuke has crushed them. Shinsuke has allowed Randy Orton to crush them. Shinsuke crushed them AGAIN. I was hoping once he moved on from Aj, Nakamura could have a really feud with someone like Rusev or Daniel Bryan or even Tye Dillinger. But no, here we are, looking at our 7.000th Hardy/Nakamura match in 60 days that will more than likely have a testicle-related finish. Maybe if Matt’s serious about retiring, he could manage his brother and keep the w(br)oken universe alive. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak
Ian: It’s still Cedric’s time with the title. Until 205 Live develops a potential new star, they won’t take the belt off the current champ. Lio Rush could be on his way up but he’s not there yet. (Prediction: Cedric Alexander)
Andrew: Alexander has gone a great job at not only being the Cruiserweight Champion but also carrying the 205 Live brand, which needed a solid champion that the fans could not only get behind but also believe in. Alexander will retain in a fun match. (Prediction: Cedric Alexander)
Jeff: Oh yeah, they still have a Cruiserweight title, don’t they? I kid, 205 live has been great lately, and I like Alexander as the champion. I’d expect him to retain here, possibly via Mustafa Ali interference in order to keep the belt on Alexander so they can go at it again. Come to think of it, a Crusierweight Hell in a Cell match has never been done before, has it… (Prediction: Cedric Alexander)
CONSENSUS: 3-0 for Cedric Alexander
SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Carmella vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair
Ian: I’m picking Carmella! A triple threat with one heel and two friends is often a great opportunity for the heel to pick up a cheap victory. Expect Carmella to rub her victory in on social media to all the people who tell her she can’t wrestle. (Prediction: Carmella)
Andrew: All signs point to Carmella losing the title here, but WWE might have a swerve coming with either Lynch or Flair turning on each other and setting up a rivalry going forward. Carmella squeaks out with a cheap win to retain her title. (Prediction: Carmella)
Jeff: Thanks for keeping that belt warm, Carmella! But Charlotte’s back in town and if she doesn’t walk out of SummerSlam the winner, I’ll be shocked. I could easily see this leading to a battle between Becky and Charlotte over the title as Charlotte will probably employ some of her father’s tactics in order to win. Could bring some “straight fire” to the SD women’s division heading into fall! Also, where’s Asuka? (Prediction: Charlotte Flair)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for Carmella
WWE Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins
Ian: The Shield will take this match for the feel good victory. The real question becomes if Roman will be thrown into the Shield reunion after SummerSlam is over. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)
Andrew: An interesting dynamic here as Rollins should get his revenge on Ziggler after weeks of problems and getting beat down by both Ziggler and Drew McIntyre. However, with Dean Ambrose being at ringside, that adds a factor into it. I think WWE keeps the strap on Ziggler here with Ambrose and McIntyre getting into at ringside which allows Ziggler to walk away with the cheap win and setting up a tag team match next month. (Prediction: Dolph Ziggler)
Jeff: Another potential show stealer in this match, especially with the return of jacked up, Angry Dean Ambrose. However, am I the only one who thinks after the match he’s going to turn on his former Shield Bro, setting up a feud between the two over the IC title? Dolph can go do standup for a while and wouldn’t it be fun to see Drew take on a new, Braun Strowman-sized challenge? I think it would. Like I say, potential show-stealer, but Seth wins. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for Seth Rollins
MITB Briefcase Holder Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens
Ian: I have a feeling I might give a different pick than many on this one. I’m taking Kevin Owens, however. Owens is a cowardly heel and Strowman an unstoppable monster. One needs a briefcase to win the title and the other doesn’t. I expect Owens to get another cheap victory by way of DQ or count-out to win the briefcase. Strowman will have to win the title some other way. (Prediction: Kevin Owens)
Andrew: Strowman should not lose this match not only due to the good momentum that he has despite working with Owens at the previous PPV event but also because of what’s on the line here as Strowman is someone that should/will be booked into the main event scene, and likely an opponent for Roman Reigns going forward. Strowman goes over here to win the match and keep his MITB briefcase. (Prediction: Braun Strowman)
Jeff: I’m genuinely curious what they plan to do with this match as they have telegraphed the idea of an Owens win and Cash-in pretty hard. Hell, could even be just a Strowman cash-in, but since it’s expected, thats when WWE likes to throw the monkey wrench into things. Are they ready to pull the trigger on a Strowman title run? I don’t think so, but Owens, the best Universal Champion, getting the case and holding it over the heads of everyone heading into the fall would make for great TV. Either way, no one gets rag dolled like by Strowman like Owens, so the match should be entertaining. (Prediction: Kevin Owens)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for Kevin Owens
SmackDown Live Tag-Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The New Day
Ian: I get the feeling Vince McMahon isn’t totally done building the Bludgeon Brothers up as monsters yet. I give them the win over New Day. (Prediction: The Bludgeon Brothers)
Andrew: You could make the case that it’s time to put the titles on The New Day as a way to change up the division but Harper and Rowan are still a new act as we have seen New Day as champions several times in the past. I see it being a good to solid match that could be extended another month. There’s no real good reason to take the titles off Harper and Rowan, and I see them retaining. (Prediction: The Bludgeon Brothers)
Jeff: Let me just jump right to the prediction here and say New Day takes back the tag titles. The Bludgeons have run the course, which is sad given that they are both great workers. Hopefully WWE can find a niche for them that doesn’t involve paper mâché hammers and Nu-Metal outfits soon. New Day have been having killer matches for what, a year now? It’s time they take their place on top and we get a re-match of their Hell In A Cell outing with the Usos. (Prediction: The New Day)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for The Bludgeon Brothers
WWE Champion A.J. Styles vs. Samoa Joe
Ian: This will be a fantastic match but it will not be where Styles loses the championship. I think AJ is going to be given the belt to run with until he surpasses CM Punk’s 481 day mark. To WrestleMania and beyond AJ! One day Joe will get the belt, it just won’t be Sunday. (Prediction: A.J. Styles)
Andrew: I actually see Joe winning this match here as it makes sense. Joe has been built up as a top star and challenger on the blue brand. These two are advertised for upcoming WWE events and will likely continue their feud at the Hell in a Cell PPV event next month. Styles has had a great run as champ, but now it’s time for him to chase with Joe as champion, which is something that is overdue. Joe wins the title. (Prediction: Samoa Joe)
Jeff: AJ Styles is one of the best performers in the world right now, arguably all time. He’s had classic matches during his run in WWE, but let’s be honest; his title reign has be lacking. Mainly lacking an adversary that can deliver. Joe can deliver. These two should be able to put on a clinic in what should be match of the night. My only disappointment has been that this feud has so far been mostly talking. Weird, family oriented talking. Here’s hoping some action takes it to the next level. As may or may not be apparent, I love heated rivalries over titles where it goes back and forth. (Prediction: Samoa Joe)
CONSENSUS: 2-1 for Samoa Joe
RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss vs. Ronda Rousey
Ian: I hope this match closes the show. It likely won’t, otherwise WWE would have made a big deal of the first women to main event SummerSlam. I think Rousey squashes Bliss and begins her reign as an unstoppable champion. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Andrew: It appears more and more that this is Rousey’s time to finally capture her first title in the WWE and no other spot is better than SummerSlam at this time of the year. Some can say that it’s too early for her to win the title but we are getting closer month by month to WrestleMania. Rousey wins the title and can feud with Bliss for the next few months. Rousey gets it done. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Jeff: Alexa bliss is a 5-time women’s champion. Ronda Rousey may not be human. We’ve already done the “Rhonda loses via shenanigans” bit so hopefully the WWE doesn’t go back to that well. As much as I love Alexa, if you want Rousey to be as dominant as she should be, she needs to grab that belt like she was born for it. That alone will elevate the title, division and give the women like Ember Moon and Ruby Riot a reason to step up their game and show us what they’ve got. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
CONSENSUS: 3-0 for Ronda Rousey
WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
Ian: I picked Roman at WrestleMania and I was incredibly confident in my pick. At the Greatest Royal Rumble, I again picked Roman and again felt confident in my pick. Yet somehow, here we are at SummerSlam and I’m about to make the same mistake all over again. He has to right? They have to have Roman beat Brock at SummerSlam. Part of me wants to believe he won’t and then they’ll have Strowman beat him and become the new big dog he runs this yard. Won’t happen though. Roman for the win. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Andrew: This is by far the easiest prediction of this whole card. Vinnie Mac gets his way and crowns Reigns as the Universal Champion. Lesnar, who is off to the UFC, is not advertised for any other WWE events and his contract is most likely up after this match. This isn’t a huge surprise by any means. Although I do pick Reigns as the winner, don’t be surprised to see Braun Strowman cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase after the match as a way to send the fans home happy. Reigns wins this match against Lesnar and the title. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Jeff: This match has been talked about, written about, blogged about, podcasted about and speculated on by everyone and their (big) dog, myself included, and I’m so tired of it. It’s going to go one of three ways; 1) Roman wins and everyone boos because they’ve been trained to even though he’s really good. 2) Brock retains and flips back and forth from WWE to UFC, we still don’t have a major title on RAW and everyone boos. Or 3) There’s a Money In The Bank Cash in and Strowman or Owens walks away with the title making it the second time Roman has been screwed by the MITB briefcase. And everyone will probably boo for no reason. Personally, I want the Monday-After-Wrestlemania Roman Reigns who beat the Undertaker to end up with the strap and not only revel in the boos but finally be allowed to make them work for him. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
CONSENSUS: 3-0 for Roman Reigns
What do the experts think is going to happen on Sunday? Check out the official betting odds. What do you think of the above WWE SummerSlam predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section.
Brock Lesnar has one of the best contracts in the history of professional wrestling.
Lesnar is currently the WWE Universal Champion on Monday Night RAW. He is likely the highest-paid Superstar on the roster and is only required to show up a handful of times a year. One of those appearances will happen this weekend. Lesnar will defend his Universal Title against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam on Sunday.
It’s expected to be one of Lesnar’s final appearances on WWE TV for quite some time. “The Beast” will return to the UFC for a fight with Daniel Cormier early next year. Because of this, everyone expects Lesnar to lose the Universal Title in Brooklyn.
There have been plenty of those within the industry who express displeasure for Lesnar’s part-time status. Also, there are some who credit Lesnar for being able to obtain such a great deal.
Rollins On Lesnar’s WWE Deal
Intercontinental Title challenger Seth Rollins is part of the latter. “The Architect” spoke to Sports Illustrated to promote his title match with Dolph Ziggler this weekend at SummerSlam:
“I think it’s more of the latter. From my perspective, I’m not mad at Brock Lesnar for getting a great deal. The guy got a fantastic deal. In a way, it’s a challenge, it’s inspiring. Part of being inspiring is the frustration that, “I don’t have Brock Lesnar’s deal.
“I’m not the Universal Champion for 600-and-some-odd days with 12 defenses or whatever it is. You can call it jealously, you can call it envy, but at the end of the day, as long as you don’t get ugly with it, it’s just motivation to work harder.
“Lesnar’s gonna do what Lesnar’s gonna do, whether he stays or goes. I think the cool part of SummerSlam is that animosity toward him has reached a boiling point. So I think coming into SummerSlam, you don’t know what’s going to happen.
“That’s what’s interesting to me. That’s the fun part of wrestling. The worst part of wrestling is when it’s super predictable. The best part is when it’s “Honestly, I don’t know.””
Natalya penned a letter to her father in the Calgary Sun recently. The wrestling world is mourning the loss of Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart, who passed away on August 13th.
“I really want to thank everyone for all of the love that they’ve shown to my dad and my whole family in the past week,” she begins her letter.
“Daddy — as I affectionately called him — and I were so similar in a lot of ways, and we shared that extra-special bond of professional wrestling and our careers.”
Natalya Remembers Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart
Natalya’s family is one of the most famous in wrestling history. Her father was involved in some of the most highly-praised tag-team matches along with Bret Hart and the British Bulldogs. Natalya mentioned in her letter that Anvil would text her all the time with wrestling advice.
“He would send me random text messages to work on my dropkicks and get at least two dropkicks in every match,” Natalya wrote. “Because that’s what Dynamite Kid would do.”
Natalya shares many heart-warming messages about the Anvil in her article. It certainly sounds like the Anvil was a wonderful father.
“I didn’t know it then, but my dad was my rock star. I’m glad that I got to follow in his footsteps to proudly carry the Neidhart name forward in WWE.”
