Thea Trinidad, who now goes by Zelina Vega in the WWE, has wrestled worldwide and made a name for herself in the world of professional wrestling.
Trinidad has made it known through her social media that she was in a relationship with Austin Aries at one point but it seems the nature of their relationship has come to light.
While Trinidad did not disclose when the couple broke up, she has confirmed that she’s moved on and does not want to be associated with Aries.
Role In WWE
While many remembered her as Rosita in TNA, Trinidad always dreamed to wrestle for the WWE and that dream came true when she got signed last year with the company. When she arrived on NXT she was put into a manager role managing Adrande Cien Almas throughout their NXT run.
Currently, Trinidad and Almas are on Smackdown Live in which they are in a feud with Rusev, Lana, and Aiden English. Trinidad has wrestled Lana twice in the past couple of weeks where she was victorious in both bouts.
Since Dean Ambrose has been sidelined with an injury, Seth Rollins has seriously flourished in WWE.
Ambrose has been out-of-action since late last year with a tricep injury. In his absence, Seth Rollins has been taking on a big role on Monday Night RAW. Rollins has been used frequently in the Intercontinental Title picture.
“The Architect” had an amazing year with WWE. He won the RAW Tag Team Titles with Jason Jordan. Next he won the Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania 34 in a Fatal Four Way match. Rollins had one of the most impressive performances of the year in a Gauntlet match on RAW earlier this year as well.
In regards to Ambrose’s injury, Rollins calls it “a blessing in disguise for my singles career”:
“Not that I would wish injury on Ambrose at all, but that was something that lit a fire underneath me. It’s definitely been a blessing in disguise for my singles career.”
A Great Year With WWE
Rollins is a candidate for Superstar Of The Year thus far, but admits that SmackDown Live’s WWE Champion AJ Styles isn’t too far behind him:
“Yeah, it’s been a really good year for me. Honestly, you look at my body of work from SummerSlam last year to SummerSlam this year – I really don’t think there’s anybody on the main roster, aside from an AJ Styles give or take, that can compare with what I’ve done.
“From winning the tag team titles, to winning the Intercontinental title at Mania, to the gauntlet match performance on Raw, to some of the matches I’ve been a part of the last six months, nobody can hold a candle to what I’ve done in the ring. I definitely feel I’m back on top for sure.”
Xavier Woods had a terrible experience on an airplane recently.
The New Day member was recently traveling and was stuck on an airplane for several hours. Woods and his fellow passengers were left stuck on the plane without air conditioning and were apparently all sweating.
Their initial pilots for the flights didn’t make it in time and a whole new crew had to be brought in. Those who were hungry were given the option to get off the plane and get something to eat in the airport. However, they’d have to take the risk of the plane leaving with zero warning.
Woods then said the plane began to smell because of the heat and everyone sweating. When the pilot finally arrived the entire plane began to cheer. To add more bad luck, it was only the co-pilot and he couldn’t fly the plane alone. They again had to wait for the captain.
When the captain finally arrived, the plane was understandably in a bad mood. To make matters worse, the captain warned the flight would be a very turbulent one due to weather. Finally the plane took off several hours later and the occupants finally received air conditioning.
The entire documentation from Woods was extremely entertaining and comedic. You can read the full line of Tweets here below:
Been sitting in an airplane since about 2:25pm…. We still haven't taken off. I'm pretty sure they have just decided to cook us. So many people are dripping sweat. Goodbye forever.
Day 31 We have now been told that the pilots are out of time and shall be leaving so we have to wait for a new crew. I haven't felt the wind on my face in so long. I wonder what the world is like now?
One of the flight attendants just sprinted all the way to the front of the plane. Is something wrong? Is she doing wind sprints? Am I hallucinating? Am I even on an airplane? pic.twitter.com/EQ2NAfSHUs
We have received word that things should be fine soon. Or that they also may not be fine soon. We have been told we can leave to go get food in the terminal but also that as soon as they are told we can leave then they are leaving with zero warning. My brain… It melts pic.twitter.com/QvcLRl7wju
People are starting to spiral. Some are leaving, some are crying, some are screaming obscenities, there was a child here at one point but now its nowhere to be found. I think something on the plane is eating us. I am living inside the breakdown of humanity.
The current stench inside this festering tube of filth has reached another level. It smells as if a rotting garbage can was tossed into a larger can of also rotting garbage that has been cooking all day inside of an industrial sized crockpot.
A PILOT HAS ARRIVED! He walked into the plane while people cheered, kissed, someone threw underwear at him. But the cheers came to a halt when someone said "He can't take us alone, he's the co-pilot". So we waited, and waited. This mysterious "Pilot" may just be a myth.
The plane is fine. Its filled with gas. It's filled with hungry, sweaty, angry people. We seek a hero to save us. His name is "Pilot". They said he was coming but he's not here. The only logical excuse would be that he was eaten by the monster that ate the child earlier. pic.twitter.com/AUC2yfJOO9
I heard glass breaking in the distance then he appeared. The Pilot walked on the plane but the people had already soured. At this point we who were once civilized and clean were now savages covered in filth. We stared at him in disbelief as he walked to the cockpit…
The lights are off, the stench is high, people (if we can even call ourselves that anymore) are quietly growling as the ac finally turns on and begins to harden the pungent sweat against our heated flesh. But the plane is moving. Is this it? Will we finally escape?
I thought it was over. I thought I had escaped. All of these people are waiting on lyft. It's backed up for miles. The previously hardened sweat from earlier begins to coagulate against my tired flesh. The monster has come with me. I cannot escape it. pic.twitter.com/RtLhZ2WGY0
WWE’s SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) is right around the corner. This year’s “Biggest Party Of The Summer” goes down from the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn, New York on August 19, 2018.
The card is full of great bouts and pivotal match-ups. This year’s card, however, will be greatly different from those of years’ past. It was noted by the WrestleVotes Twitter account that something about this year’s show will break a 30-year streak.
It will be the first SummerSlam not to feature John Cena, The Undertaker, Triple H or Bret Hart in the past 31 years:
Currently, as is, this will be the first SummerSlam ever to not feature one of these 4 superstars: Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Triple H or John Cena. In the past 31 years, the card has incldued at least one of them. pic.twitter.com/ZhwfgPrGhH
As it stands, the only two stars who have the slightest possibility of appearing are Cena and Taker.
The pair went one-on-one at WrestleMania 34 in April. Undertaker defeated Cena in a squash match at the New Orleans event. Cena has since expressed interest in a rematch to avenge the loss. Its been rumored that a possible rematch could happen at SummerSlam.
Undertaker even teased the rematch in a recent Instagram post. As of this writing, however, it doesn’t seem like Cena vs. Taker is a possibility for SummerSlam. Triple H isn’t involved in any WWE storylines at the moment, so a match for him wouldn’t make sense.
Finally, Bret Hart has long been retired from in-ring competition and won’t be competing either. With all that being said, it looks like this year’s SummerSlam will be the end of an era.
The SummerSlam Card
Check out SummerSlam’s full match card thus far below:
WWE Universal Championship: (C) Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
WWE Championship: (C) AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
WWE RAW Women’s Championship: (C) Alexa Bliss vs. Ronda Rousey
WWE Intercontinental Championship: (C) Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins
WWE United States Championship: (C) Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jeff Hardy
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship: (C) Carmella vs. Becky Lynch Charlotte Flair – Triple Threat Match
Kevin Owens vs. Braun Strowman – if Owens wins then he gets the MITB contract
Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: (C) Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship: (C) The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The New Day
Several years removed from being fired by the promotion, Hogan was reinstated earlier this year. Hogan had a sex tape leak out into the public which included some racist comments towards African Americans.
As a result, he was removed from their Hall Of Fame and essentially black-listed from WWE history. Earlier this year before the WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV), Hogan was reinstated into the Hall Of Fame. He also apologized to the entire WWE roster.
Its been said by several stars that the locker room is split on the reception of Hogan’s apology. IMPACT Wrestling star Abyss was recently interviewed by Wrestling Epicenter.
During the interview, Abyss offered his thoughts on Hogan’s reinstatement into the WWE Hall Of Fame. Abyss, who has worked with Hogan before in TNA, said he’s “thrilled” for “The Hulkster”:
“I’m thrilled about it. I’m so happy for him. I know how much it means for him to be back in the Hall of Fame. I got to know him really, really well when Hulk was working for Impact Wrestling. We became close, we became friends.
“We still talk. A lot of the things that happened were unfortunate. A lot of the things that happened were not good. I think he was truly apologetic, I think he truly feels sorry about it.
“I think he’s taken his rightful place back in the WWE Hall of Fame and back in wrestling history, I think that means more to him than anything in the world.”
Its only been two years since Alexa Bliss has been on WWE’s main roster. In those two years, however, Bliss has accomplished so much.
She is a three-time RAW Women’s Champion and a two-time SmackDown Live Women’s Champion. Bliss is also the first woman to have held both titles in history. Now, Bliss is preparing to defend her RAW Women’s Title in the biggest match of her career.
Bliss cashed in her MITB briefcase just as Rousey was on the verge of defeating Nia Jax for the title. She used the briefcase to attack both Rousey and Jax before cashing-in and leaving Chicago with the strap.
Now, Rousey will attempt to extract her revenge at SummerSlam – taking the RAW Women’s Title in the process. Bliss recently spoke to Hollywood Life to discuss her professional wrestling career.
Her accolades with just two years on the WWE’s main roster were mentioned. In regards to what she has left to accomplish in WWE, Bliss had this to say:
“You know, I feel like I have had a very fortunate time with WWE over the last two years. I went to my first WrestleMania as SmackDown Women’s Champion and then I went to my second WrestleMania as the Raw Women’s Champion.
“I have been very fortunate with the opportunities that I have been given and for me, I think I just want to elevate this Women’s Evolution and division.
“The women are stepping the game up, time and time again. That is what I really want to focus on because I pretty much done all what there is to do and I am grateful for that. So I am looking forward to the next generation coming in and see how we can elevate the Women’s Revolution together!”
The Miz has shared a rare photo from his days on the indy scene.
Before embarking on his professional wrestling career, Miz (real name Mike Mizanin) got his start as a reality TV star on MTV. He appeared on “The Real World” in 2001 and appeared on several seasons of the show’s spin-off, “Real World/Road Rules Challenge.”
In 2003 he began his pursuit of a career in professional wrestling. He trained and performed under the Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) banner for a year. In 2004 WWE scooped The Miz up and signed him to a developmental deal. He has remained with the company ever since.
Currently on SmackDown Live, Miz is involved in a feud with former WWE World Champion Daniel Bryan. The pair will go on-on-one at SummerSlam later this month. Miz has been poking fun at Bryan’s indy background and urging him to return to the “bingo halls.”
He recently shared a rare picture of himself from his early indy days. Check it out here:
The Miz has been a regular on WWE programming for the past several years. He has blossomed into one of the industry’s best heels throughout his career. Miz is a former WWE Champion who has main evented WrestleMania opposite John Cena.
He is also an eight-time Intercontinental Champion, a six-time WWE Tag Team Title winner, and a former Money In The Bank (MITB) winner. Earlier this year Miz also won the first-ever Mixed Match Challenge tournament with Asuka.
Miz frequently appears on E! Network’s “Total Divas” reality show, alongside his wife Maryse. The couple also have their own reality show on USA Network, “Miz & Mrs.”
Sami Callihan is a featured performer on Impact Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and Lucha Underground. Callihan knows just how well wrestlers can do working outside WWE and he’s not afraid to talk about it. It’s a bridge he’s not worried about burying, in other words.
Callihan mentioned himself, the Elite, and Zack Sabre Jr as those who have helped the independent wrestling scene become just as lucrative for performers these days. “A lot of us are making just as much money as some of the guys in WWE,” Callihan said on Wrestling Observer Live.
“That’s why indy wrestling is striving right now because there is a group of like-mind individuals all working for the same goal,” he continued. “People are finally starting to realize that if it ain’t WWE, we need to be working together.”
“(WWE) are bringing back the territorial days. They are buying a territory in England, they are buying a territory with NXT in American with indy fans, they are eventually going to expand in Japan, China, and everywhere else. They are doing the same thing that happened in the 80s just on a bigger scale.”
“A lot of indy wrestlers are fighting back now because we don’t want to allow WWE to just monopolize.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__d8TGKzP9A&t=12s
Sami Callihan on Impact Wrestling
Callihan spoke about working with Pentagon Jr in multiple territories and also regarding the depth of talent on the Impact roster.
“Impact Wrestling now has one of the best rosters on the planet today,” Callihan said. “And I’ll go on record saying that.”
“The one thing that is going to make Impact Wrestling dangerous right now is that a lot of the wrestlers have a chip on their shoulder and want to prove everyone wrong.”
Talk turned to Callihan’s match with Pentagon at the Slammiversary pay-per-view and fan response to the changes in the promotion.
“Right now I think that is exactly what Impact is doing,” Callihan continued. “They are proving everyone wrong.”
Jeremiah Crane in Lucha Underground
Although Jeremiah Crane lost a Grave Consequences match recently he was brought back to life by Kobra Moon.
Now known as Jeremiah Snake, he is part of the Reptile Tribe which is currently feuding with Johnny Mundo’s World Wide Underground.
Sami Callihan in Major League Wrestling
Sami Callihan and his Death Machines are running loose in MLW as well. The promotion run by Court Bauer features many wrestlers who also compete for other major independent promotions. The company recently aired Battle Riot, a version of a Royal Rumble/Aztec Warfare type match.
Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix have been pulled from MLW’s October 4th TV taping from Queens, NY. The development comes amid reports that WWE is interested in MLW talent.
On Friday, MLW announced Lucha Libre legend LA Park will face Pierre Carl Ouellet (PCO) on 10/4. That will be a fun attraction, but it replaces a previously announced tag title match. MLW Tag-Team Champions The Lucha Bros. (Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix) had been scheduled to face LA Park & El Hijo de LA Park. That match has been scrapped due to Pentagon & Fenix being unable to fulfill the commitment.
The MLW Fury Road tapings are scheduled for Thursday, October 4th at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York. For ticket information, visit MLWTickets.com.
Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix: WWE Bound?
Earlier this week, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter provided an update on the buzz that Pentagon and Fenix are on WWE’s radar. The brothers have reportedly been reaching out to promoters and informing them they may not be able to honor certain dates brooked through 2019.
We will follow this story as more details become available. Pentagon and Fenix are key players on the rosters of MLW, Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground. Both men are scheduled for All In on September 1st. They would make big additions to one of WWE’s rosters, but this would also be a hit to several other promotions.
This week, the pro wrestling world lost one of its’ own, as former WWE Tough Enough contestant Brian Danovich has passed away at age 38.
Danovich competed as part of the $1,000,000 Tough Enough season in 2004, tearing his pectoral muscles during the competition and still coming back the next day to complete an obstacle course challenge.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I inform all of Brians friends and fans that the Spartan swinger has passed away at the young age of 38. Rest in peace my Dear Brother.”
Danovich’s sister also posted the following in response to a three-day-old thread on Facebook, which addresses his passing and sheds some more light on the subject.
“It breaks my heart that I couldn’t help you. I really tried. I thought the rehab would work this time. I thought that the changes and new things ahead were something that you would look forward to and help you through this rough time. I think it was just too much for you to take. Change is hard. Sometimes it’s enough to make us give up. I’m sorry you felt that you had no other choices. I’m sorry that you felt giving up was your only option. And I’m sorry I wasn’t a better sister to help prevent this horrible tragedy. I hope you have now found the peace that you were always searching for in life. Rest in peace, my sweet and loving baby brother.”
Additionally, Brian Zane, friend of Danovich and fellow pro wrestler, posted the following on his official Twitter page regarding his passing:
Absolutely stunned right now … I just learned a good friend of mine and recurring collaborator, Brian Danovich, has passed away at the age of 38. I will miss him dearly. pic.twitter.com/U5d8riaYfU
Ahead of his upcoming showdown against longtime career rival A.J. Styles for the richest prize in the business, the WWE Championship, at one of WWE’s biggest annual events, WWE SummerSlam 2018, Samoa Joe spoke with the folks at Vulture Hound to promote next Sunday night’s pay-per-view.
During the interview, Joe looked back on his career and how everything built from his debut in 1999 to next Sunday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. While reflecting on his early days in the business, Joe spoke about some of his early career influences.
“I think a guy, especially after I really started in the business, was Arn Anderson,” said Joe. “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.”
Joe continued, “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.”
From there, the conversation switched to topics outside of WWE. Among them was the success the independent wrestling scene seems to be having lately, with New Japan Pro Wrestling entering the U.S. market, promotions working together and the big ALL IN event coming up in September.
“I hope it’s a sustained strength,” said Joe of the strength of the independent wrestling scene right now. “I’ve thought of the independents as a stable industry for a little over two decades, and that’s because I stably worked in it, so I’ve understood it that way. I’m hoping that these companies are looking towards the future and also including their talent in their future plans.”
Joe added, “You know, understanding the value of them and taking care of them accordingly. I get people all the time that say, ‘Ah well, they’re an independent, they can’t afford to take care of the guys at this time,’ but at the same time you should still be making your best effort, because it’s those gentlemen that step through those ropes every night who created this industry with their efforts and their abilities.
“They’re the reason why you see this big flourishing, thriving independent scene. Around the world, in the UK, United States, Canada, Mexico…it’s a great thing to see, and I just hope that they manage this wave accordingly and they get something that’s lasting.”
Finally, the talk moved on to this Sunday’s big showdown against “The Phenomenal One,” an opponent Joe is overly familiar with after working with him hundreds of times over the past decade. While it may seem poetic to some, Joe feels things aren’t exactly what fans may seem due to the fact that the reigning WWE Champion, as well as himself, have changed a lot since climbing the ranks in WWE.
“I think this is a very different encounter,” said Joe. “A.J. is a very different athlete than when I last faced him, much more complete. Obviously, anywhere he goes he’s been able to soak up the best parts of that style and make it his own, and he’s done that.
“He’s gone abroad (to New Japan Pro Wrestling). Going into this, it’ll be a different feel. It’s been a while since we’ve been in something like this — sparks fly, and the fans benefit.”
WWE SummerSlam 2018, featuring Samoa Joe vs. A.J. Styles for the WWE Championship, goes down next Sunday, August 19th, from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Check out the complete Samoa Joe interview at VultureHound.co.uk, and remember to join us here at SEScoops.com this Sunday evening for live results coverage of this year’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view.
Pro Wrestling: EVE will be holding their ‘Riot Grrrls’ event this Saturday from the Resistance Gallery in London, England. One of the marquee bouts of the night will see the newly crowned World of Sport/WoS Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray face Viper.
This match will be a qualifier for the upcoming SHE-1 tournament, last year’s SHE-1 saw Charlie Morgan earn an EVE Title shot at the Wrestle Queendom event earlier this year, she went on to win the Championship after defeating Sammi Jayne in the main event of the evening.
Fans of WoS will notice that this is essentially a rematch from this past Saturday’s show, Kay Lee Ray became the first ever Women’s champion after defeating Viper in a Triple Threat match which included Bea Priestley. KLR and Viper are both world renowned performers having appeared in Japan’s Stardom promotion, ICW and the inaugural Mae Young Classic for WWE.
Opinion: If you have never seen these two stars perform in an EVE ring and you live near London then this is an opportunity that you cannot miss. Pro Wrestling: EVE is one of the big reasons that Women’s wrestling has seen a resurgence not just in the UK but globally. If you can’t make the show then check out EVE’s On Demand service for all of the action.
WWE recently held tapings for the second annual Mae Young Classic Tournament from Full Sail. During the tapings one of the hottest prospects in NXT unfortunately fell to a knee injury.
Tegan Nox (formerly known as Nixon Newell on the UK scene) injured her left knee following a dive in a match against Rhea Ripley. Nox attempted to fight on however the referee had to throw up the dreaded ‘X’ symbol and the match had to be ended, with Nox herself throwing up an ‘X’ signifying how hurt she was. Nox was visibly in tears leaving the ring and the fans in attendance gave her a standing ovation.
Triple H appeared in the ring later in the evening to confirm that Nox was carried out with a “broken heart, not a broken knee.”
The ‘Girl With the Shiniest Wizard’ has now issued a statement on Twitter following her injury, claiming that “this is more mentally draining than it is physically but you can guarantee that this isn’t going to keep me down!” Nox went on to say that “freak accidents happen, it’s part of the job but to hear that she [Rhea] had a killer match with one of the best wrestlers in the world Io Shirai made my heart swell with happiness.”
WWE will present WWE Super Show-Down in Melbourne Australia on October 6th, 2018. The show will emanate from the massive Melbourne Cricket Ground, sometimes simply referred to as “The G”.
The venue holds over 100,000 fans for cricket matches.
John Cena vs Kevin Owens has just been announced as the second confirmed match for the card. Previously, the Undertaker vs Triple H was also confirmed.
The match was announced recently by the WWE Australia Twitter account.
WWE has several talents from Australia at the moment. In addition to the Iiconics, WWE also has the Mighty, Buddy Murphy, and Rhea Ripley. Technically, Nia Jax was born in Australia but she would later move to Hawaii and then San Diego.
The first Australian born women’s wrestler to work in WWE, Emma, was released from her contract late last year. She was a big hit on the company’s Australian tour in 2017.
Ronda Rousey in Australia
Ronda Rousey is featured in advertising for the show as well. Rousey famously lost the UFC Bantamweight Championship in Melbourne, when she lost to Holly Holm at UFC 193.
WWE Super-Shows
It is notable that WWE is stacking this card with legends such as John Cena and the Undertaker. The last time WWE did that for a show which was to air on the WWE Network was the Greatest Royal Rumble. WWE had large financial motives to provide a certain type of show in that case, however.
In this case, WWE may wish to stack the deck for a super-show simply because of the size of the venue and WWE wanting to create a special stadium-show atmosphere.
Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling have sold out Madison Square Garden. The G1 Supercard show is scheduled for April 6th, 2019 but you won’t be able to get tickets at Ticketmaster.
After going on sale to the general public at 10 AM, the remaining seats not sold to Honor Club subscribers sold-out almost instantly today. Fans were expressing their frustration at not being able to purchase tickets.
keep trying! some may pop up if someone lets their cart empty!
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) August 10, 2018
ROH/NJPW Madison Square Garden
Tickets for the event went on sale to Honor Club subscribers last week. Subscribers were given the option of purchasing up to 8 tickets at one time. Following the sale to Honor Club subscribers, ROH officials said the building was approximately 60% sold. The remaining 40% went up for grabs this morning and were gone pretty much as soon as they went on sale.
Confirmed for G1 Supercard:
Ring of Honor contracts typically finishes at the promotion’s final event of the year, Final Battle. As a result, many ROH stars aren’t under contract passed 2019. Some ROH talent has been signed to deals that long, however, and those stars are being featured in promo videos.
IMPACT has announced the first two bouts for their upcoming UK show at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester on Sunday 9th September. The show will be part of the Wrestling MediaCon 2018 event featuring panels with the likes of Pat Patterson, Colt Cabana, X-Pac, Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger and more.
The first match sees former CZW Tournament of Death winner and PROGRESS World Champion Jimmy Havoc taking on ‘The Draw’ Sami Callihan. These two Deathmatch style performers will be looking to tear each other to shreds in Manchester so this won’t be a match to miss.
The second confirmed match will see arguably IMPACT’s best tag team LAX taking on two legends of the British Independent Wrestling scene: Jody Fleisch and Jonny Storm. The tandem of Fleisch and Storm will also be performing as part of the upcoming Honor ReUnited tour for Ring of Honor with bouts against The Young Bucks and The Briscoes now confirmed.
The time has come…. Your first two matches for Wrestling Media Con have arrived!
You asked for international dream matches for IMPACT at @WrestlingMediaC in Manchester on Sunday 9th September… so we've given you international dream matches. Two of them!
New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual G1 Climax is widely regarded as the greatest tournament in pro wrestling today. Two blocks of competitors are competing in a round robin format to determine the number 1 contender to Kenny Omega’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship at January 4th’s Wrestle Kingdom. The tournament is nearing the later stages and here are the results from Night 17:
Togi Makabe b. Michael Elgin – Makabe took the pinfall win after hitting the King Kong Knee Drop
YOSHI-HASHI b. Hangman Page – YOSHI-HASHI took the pinfall win after hitting the Karma
Minoru Suzuki b. Bad Luck Fale – Suzuki took the DQ win after Tama Tonga interfered and hit the Gun Stun…again
EVIL b. “Switchblade” Jay White – EVIL took the pinfall win after hitting his namesake signature move
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada ended in a Time Limit Draw – Due to this result Tanahashi advances to the final on Sunday 12th August
The second annual Mae Young Classic kicked off this week at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. Following two nights of tapings, we now know who will be competing in the finals of this year’s event.
32 women competed in a single-elimination tournament that premiere on the WWE Network on Wednesday, September 5th. The eight episode ‘season’ will culminate at WWE’s all-women’s Evolution pay-per-view on Sunday, October 28th.
Mae Young Classic Results
The show began with Triple H welcoming everyone to the second annual Mae Young Classic tournament. He introduced Michael Cole, Beth Phoenix and Renee Young as commentators.
Britt Baker defeated Tesha Price via submission in a dark match.
Week 1 (First Round Matches):
They held a Parade of Champions introducing the 32 competitors.
Tegan Nox def. Zatara Cabrona
Rhea Ripley def. MJ Jenkins
Lacey Lane def. Vanessa Kraven
Meiko Satomura def. Killer Kelly
Week 2 (First Round Matches):
Deonna Purrazzo def. Priscilla Kelly
Zeuxis def. Aerial Monroe
Kacy Catanzaro def. Reina Gonzalez
Mercedes Martinez def. Ashley Rayne
Week 3 (First Round Matches):
Kaitlyn def. Kavita Devi
Toni Storm def. Jinny
Xia Li def. Karen Q
Mia Yim def. Allysin Kay
Week 4 (First Round Matches):
Hiroyo Matsumoto def. Rachel Evers
Taynara Conti def. Jessie Elaban
Nicole Matthews def. Isla Dawn
Io Shirai def. Xia Brookside
Week 5 (Second Round Matches):
Toni Storm def. Hiroyo Matsumoto
Rhea Ripley def. Kacy Catanzaro
Lacey Lane def. Taynara Conti
Meiko Satomura def. Mercedes Martinez
Week 6 (Secomd Round Matches):
Io Shirai def. Zeuxis
Deonna Purrazzo def. Xia Li
Tegan Nox def. Nicole Matthews
Mia Yim def. Kaitlyn
Week 7 (Quarter Finals):
Meiko Satomura def. Lacey Lane
Io Shirai def. Deonna Purrazzo
Toni Storm def. Mia Yim
Rhea Ripley def. Tegan Nox after Nox suffered a legitimate knee injury.
Week 8 (Semi-Finals):
Jessie Elaban, MJ Jenkins, & Xia Brookside deff. Allysin Kay, Reina Gonzalez, & Vanessa Kraven in a non-tournament match.
Aerial Monroe & Candice LeRae def. Jinny & Killer Kelly in a non-tournament match.
Toni Storm over Meiko Satomura to advance to the finals.
Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley to advance to the finals.
Mae Young Classic Finals
The finals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic tournament are set. The field of 32 women has been narrowed down to two. It will be Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm squaring off at WWE Evolution to determine this year’s winner.
With Ring of Honor having booked Madison Square Garden for WrestleMania weekend next year, many are wondering if WWE plans to retaliate. There has been talk that many ROH talents have contracts which expire before the event and that WWE may attempt to sign-away ROH’s bigger attractions.
If ROH is worried about losing their top draws to WWE, they aren’t saying it. Ring of Honor General Manager, Greg Gilleland recently spoke to CBS Sports. He was asked about the possibility of losing guys like Cody or the Young Bucks.
“They’re our top guys, right?” Gilleland asked. “Of course, we’re going to do everything that we can to keep them. And we have fair offers and fair plans to retain them. With that said, I don’t think we ever operate in fear. We always operate with solid backup plans. And we have to always think about what if this, and what if that.”
Gilleland admits there’s a chance the talent could leave before the MSG show but he’s not too worried about that.
“If they go to the WWE, and they very much deserve that opportunity, we’ll continue to offer the best wrestling that we can,” he continued. “There’s other talent out there. And we will continue as our brand has for the past however many years. We’ve lost top guys before.”
He then mentioned several times in the past when the promotion has had to overcome losing their top stars to WWE.
“Think about Kevin Owens and even going back to Bryan Danielson and CM Punk and all of them. They all went to the WWE, and the brand has continued to grow and prosper.”
“Do I wanna lose the Young Bucks and Cody? No. Of course not. Why would I wanna lose them?” Gilleland continued. “Am I gonna make an aggressive attempt to retain them and sign longer-term agreements? Of course, we are. But, at the end of the day, the ROH brand is about the ROH experience, and that’s how we continue to grow.”
It was a big night on Impact Wrestling last night. Eddie Edwards would challenge for the title against Austin Aries. Matt Sydal took on Pentagon Jr and Sami Callihan descended further into madness.
Here are 8 Takeaways from Impact Wrestling 8/9:
Taiji Ishimori and Petey Williams Impact’s Newest Team?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUHuFdwQ34g
Two weeks ago on Impact Wrestling, Taiji Ishimori and Petey Williams were opponents. Ishimori defeated Williams on the first episode following Slammiversary last month. The two former X-Division champions showed each other respect after the match but were then attacked by the Great Gama Singh’s Desi Hit Squad.
This week on Impact, Ishimori and Williams teamed up and defeated Rohit Raju and Gursinder Singh. Is this the start of a new and successful tag-team?
One thing that is for sure is that the Desi Hit Squad has angered their manager, the Great Gama Singh.
Tessa Blanchard Wants the Knockouts Title, Allie Just Wants Su Yung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scZFsMEYPiY
This week on Impact Wrestling, Allie sent a message to Su Yung that her time has come. Allie challenged Yung to a match next week but this did not sit too well with Tessa Blanchard.
Blanchard defeated Alisha Edwards this week and then cut a promo on Allie after the match. She said Allie was just trying to weasel her way into a Knockouts title match and didn’t actually care about Su Yung’s reign of terror being ended. Blanchard then said if Allie was going to wrestle Su Yung next week, she’ll be there too.
We spoke with Blanchard earlier in the day, and she stressed to us how important winning the Knockouts Championship is to her.
“My main goal in Impact Wrestling is the Knockouts Championship,” Blanchard said with confidence.
“Because having that championship means you are the best.”
“I’m confident I am the uncrowned champion because I am the best women’s wrestler in Impact Wrestling,” she continued.
Scarlett Bordeaux’s “the Smokeshow” Talk Show Debuts Next Week
Scarlett Bordeaux not only has Bobo wrapped around her finger but the whole Impact management team.
The easily manipulated management team then caved to Scarlett’s wishes and announced she will have her own talk show segment “the Smoke Show” debuting next week.
Before the match, Sydal spoke about how even though he isn’t the champion anymore, he still has the spirit of an X-Division Champion inside of him.
It wouldn’t help him this week, however, Pentagon defeated him with a package piledriver in a match which any other week would have been the main event.
Sami Callihan Wants oVe to Look Like A Family
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkx7mEle9kc
Callihan continued to spiral out of control this week. After Pentagon defeated Sydal, Callihan and oVe appeared on the big screen. Callihan said he was sick of all the losing they’ve been doing as of late. He then forced Jake Crist to shave the head of Dave Crist so they would look more like a family.
King Challenges Konnan and LAX To A Street Fight
“We’re like scarecrows: Out-standing in our field” – Konnan
King and Konnan had an interesting back and forth this week, as they tend to do.
After an at times hilarious debate between the two, it was decided that this battle would be taken to the streets. A street fight between the two factions was agreed to before the segment ended.
Next Week Johnny Impact Gets “the Monster”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44ecq5OJV04
Last week on Impact, Johnny Impact punched Jacobs in the mouth and demanded a chance for revenge against Kongo Kong.
This week on Impact, Jimmy Jacobs delivered a message to Johnny. He said he’s a good guy and was just trying to give Johnny fair warning last week.
“You want the monster, you got the monster,” Jacobs warned. “Johnny, be careful. I am the monster.”
Killer Kross Is Aligned With Austin Aries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZerVEuPtYCU
It looked as though Eddie Edwards was going to win the Impact World Championship. What we didn’t know going into the match was that Aries had an insurance policy all along.
With the referee down, Killer Kross came to ringside and took out Edwards, allowing Aries to pick up the win. The champion and his back-up celebrated in the ring to close the show.
Quick Results:
Taiji Ishimori & Petey Williams defeated the Desi Hit Squad
Tessa Blanchard defeated Alisha Edwards
Pentagon Jr. defeated Matt Sydal
Impact World Championship
Austin Aries (c) defeated Eddie Edwards
WWE has announced that The Bella Twins will be appearing at the SummerSlam Meet & Greets on Friday, August 17 at the Barclays Center. They will join WWE Champion AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan and RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss for the 3:30 pm signing.
Bella Twins in 2018
The Bella Twins have not been seen on WWE television since the Royal Rumble back in January.
Brie Bella has been enjoying motherhood as of late. She and Daniel Bryan are busy raising their daughter Birdie. Number two might not be far behind, as Brie told People Magazine that she will probably be pregnant again soon.
Nikki has been in the news lately due to her on and off engagement with John Cena. That turmoil has been documented on the latest season of the Total Bellas reality series on the E! Network. The has officially called it quits and have moved on, according to the latest reports
Fans of the Bella Twins will have their chance to meet them during SummerSlam weekend. It also seems likely that they will be part of WWE Evolution in some capacity.
CM Punk just beat one lawsuit and now he’s facing another — this time from a close friend.
Colt Cabana — real name Scott Colton — filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against Phillip Jack Brooks aka CM Punk for breach of contract and fraud stemming from a defamation lawsuit they just beat a couple of months ago.
According to the documentation obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, Cabana’s lawsuit contends that Punk promised to help him with legal fees that were being accrued while the pair fought against a defamation lawsuit brought against them by a WWE doctor over comments made on a podcast several years ago.
Punk and Cabana were both cleared in the defamation lawsuit but now an entirely new legal battle is brewing.
Cabana claims he has a text message from Punk stating that he would be ‘100% covered’ for his legal fees they were going to endure to fight the defamation lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims Punk failed to live up to that agreement with the legal fees totaling $513,736.
Cabana included an email he allegedly received from Punk that stated “whatever my bill is currently will be cut in half and half will be yours. If you choose to make this ugly, that’s fine too. I hope you won’t but I gave up on you doing what is right a long time ago.”
Now Cabana has filed his own lawsuit against Punk asking for $200,000 in general damages as well as another $1 million in punitive and exemplary damages. The lawsuit alleges that Punk acted with “fraud, malice and oppression” while seeking to cause “deliberate intention” of causing Cabana harm.
The original defamation lawsuit from WWE physician Dr. Chris Amann went after the professional wrestlers after comments made by Punk on Cabana’s podcast about the medical treatment he did or didn’t receive while in WWE.
That led to a trial where Punk and Cabana were found not liable in the lawsuit but now it appears they will be going back to court for a whole different kind of lawsuit this time around.
Dusty Rhodes once told his son Cody the only thing real in wrestling is the World Championship. Cody will challenge Nick Aldis for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at All In on September 1st. Also booked for that show is Impact Wrestling’s, Tessa Blanchard.
The 3rd generation wrestler has a similar view regarding the importance of world titles. Blanchard was this week’s guest on Impact Wrestling’s media call and stated unequivocally that winning the Knockouts Championship is her goal.
“My main goal in Impact Wrestling is the Knockouts Championship,” Blanchard said with confidence. “I’m going to have my opportunity to claim that on Sunday against Allie and Su Yung.”
Blanchard will wrestle Alisha Edwards tonight on Impact Wrestling. She’s then scheduled to face Allie and Su Yung in a triple threat match for the title at the upcoming set of tapings. The title match will be held this Sunday in Toronto.
“That is the goal,” Blanchard said in reference to the Knockouts Championship. “Because having that championship means you are the best.”
“I’m confident I am the uncrowned champion because I am the best women’s wrestler in Impact Wrestling,” she continued.
A Knockouts Championship victory would also add to Blanchard’s already impressive (and still growing) list of titles. She’s won titles with WSU, RISE, PCW, and in Mexico for the Crash promotion.
Those who have been following the 23-year-old’s career will note she has a realistic and intense style. Blanchard has said previously she is influenced heavily by the era of her father and step-father’s prime.
“I have huge respect for the 4 Horsemen, all bias aside,” Blanchard said earlier this year. “I think my Dad and Arn were one of the greatest tag-teams of all time.”
She would continue to say she studies tape from this era.
“I watch that era of professional wrestling for inspiration and to study tape,” Blanchard continued to say. “I want to portray that style through my work.”
– Maria Kanellis’ plan for returning to WWE television could be put on hold as the SmackDown LIVE Superstar recently broke her wrist.
Kanellis revealed the injury today in a post on Instagram.
https://instagram.com/p/BmRCupOAezh/
Kanellis also posted an X-ray photo and said she broke her wrist while training in the ring for her return. The injury will require her to wear a cast for six weeks.
https://instagram.com/p/BmRQWnSAmCI/
Kanellis has been training at the WWE Performance Center since last week to get back into shape after giving birth in April to her first child, Fredrica “Freddie” Moon Bennett.
– Former WWE Superstar Kaitlyn, who is among the 32 competitors in the 2018 Mae Young Classic, talked about how she feels today after working yesterday’s tapings at Full Sail Live in Orlando, Florida.
WWE fans have been wondering where is Jason Jordan and what is preventing him from returning to WWE television.
The former WWE RAW Tag Team Champion been out of action since early 2018 due to a neck issue and was last seen on TV when Monday Night RAW General Manager Kurt Angle sent him home until he was healthy enough to compete. He was on the road for the company back in July with Goldust, WWE NXT Superstar Dan Matha and others as they had been representing WWE at the 2018 Special Olympic USA Games.
The original belief at that time was that he would be returning to in-ring action under the WWE banner last month but now a new report suggests different as Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Jordan has been dealing with another setback. The longtime pro wrestling journalist wrote the following: “Jordan’s neck injury situation after surgery is worse than expected. He’s not returning at the present time.”
As of this writing, there’s no word yet on what the company has planned for Jordan on television whether that be with his storyline involving Seth Rollins or the “father and son” storyline with Angle.
What are your thoughts on what WWE should do once Jordan returns to TV? Sound off in the comment section.
