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WWE Hall of Famer Hungry For A Match With AEW’s Britt Baker

Thomas Lowson
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Britt Baker may have her sights set on AEW TBS/NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone, but Nikki Garcia has her eyes on the DMD.

Baker made her return to AEW programming at Forbidden Door by confronting Mone following her win over Stephanie Vaquer. On the subsequent Dynamite, Baker shared the serious medical issue that has kept her out of the ring since September of last year. Baker also made clear that she plans on challenging Mone though the CEO isn’t keen on the idea.

Mercedes Mone Offers Open Challenge To Everyone Except Britt Baker

Nikki Garcia Wants Britt Baker

Prior to her recent hiatus, Baker had established herself as one of the top women in AEW. When Britt appeared on the Nikki & Brie Show, the conversation turned to a possible match between Baker and the former Nikki Bella.

Britt: It’s right here for you. Do you want it? Because I’m right here, if you need an opponent. 

Nikki: I would come out of retirement for you. 

Britt: I would love nothing more. 

Nikki: You know what? This is my one thing: Doing a comeback, because I do wanna do a comeback in a few years…

Nikki’s most recent match was as part of the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble which was won by the returning Ronda Rousey. Whilst the WWE Hall of Famer hasn’t competed since then, she has shown interest in joining AEW in the past. Of course, it would be up to Tony Khan whether a deal is offered to Garcia, but if that is the case, Baker is waiting for the longest-reigning WWE Divas Champion.

In the meantime, Garcia will continue to grow her media profile outside of the squared circle. The WWE Hall of Famer was recently announced for season three of the hit series The Traitors U.S. in which celebrities will try and decide which members aren’t telling the truth. Garcia has also appeared on Dancing With The Stars (where she met her now husband) and it remains to be seen if one more match is in her future.

Surprise Performance: Britt Baker Takes Stage at Zach Bryan Pittsburgh Concert During AEW Hiatus

Tony Khan On What It Would Take For A Women’s Blood & Guts Match in AEW

Michael Reichlin
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Blood & Guts is one of the most dangerous stipulation matches in professional wrestling. It’s AEW’s take on War Games, the double-cage, anything-goes team warfare match originated by the late ‘American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes in the 1980’s.

AEW introduced Blood & Guts in 2021, and has run the match each year ever since on a special-themed edition of AEW Dynamite. The match returns this year on Wednesday, July 24 from Nashville, TN. AEW Blood & Guts 2024 will feature Team Elite against Team AEW.

The first four Blood & Guts matches have featured only men, but is there a specific reason for this? Tony Khan appeared on the Battleground Podcast this week and said there’s no policy preventing a Women’s Blood & Guts match. In fact, he thinks it’s a great under as long as there’s a good story to support it.

“At some point, it would be great to have a women’s Blood & Guts match,” said Khan. “I think you need a lot of people [involved with] the story, and a lot of healthy people,” Khan said. “We have a great roster that we’re building up, and I think our women’s roster is stronger than it’s ever been right now today and I’m really excited about that. So, if we ever get to the point where we’ve got enough people tied together and the story makes sense, I think it would be great.”

5th Time’s A Charm?

There has never been a Women’s Blood and Guts match. Blood & Guts 2024 will feature two teams of male competitors, just like the first three.

  • The inaugural Blood & Guts match (The Inner Circle vs. The Pinnacle) took place on May 5, 2021, after being delayed from its original March 2020 date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The second Blood & Guts match (Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Blackpool Combat Club, Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz) occurred in June 2022.
  • The third and most recent Blood & Guts match (The Golden Elite vs. Blackpool Combat Club, Konosuke Takeshita, and Pac) was held on July 19, 2023, at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

Several women on the AEW roster have expressed interest in participating, including Willow Nightingale and Skye Blue. WWE regularly features women’s Money in the Bank and WarGames matches. As we saw at the conclusion of this week’s AEW Dynamite, they’re not exactly preventing the women from getting as bloody and violent as the men. The question of a Women’s Blood & Guts match is about when it will happen, not if it will happen.

Stephanie Vaquer: What You Need To Know About The New WWE Signee

Jake Skudder
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Stephanie Vaquer became one of the most talked-about free agents in professional wrestling following her release from CMLL and NJPW, and she has now seemingly signed with WWE.

Here is everything you need to know about the latest WWE signee.

Read More – Stephanie Vaquer Gone From CMLL & NJPW Amid WWE/AEW Interest

Who is Stephanie Vaquer? Early Life and Career Beginnings

Stephanie Vaquer CMLL AEW 1

Born on March 29, 1993, in San Antonio, Valparaiso Region, Chile, Stephanie Vaquer, whose real name is Stephanie Beatriz Vaquer, began her wrestling training at a young age.

She trained under prominent wrestling figures such as Paul Slandering, Gran Apache, Ricky Marvin, and Villano IV, making her professional debut in February 2009.

Rise in Lucha Libre

Vaquer’s talent quickly shone through in the world of Lucha Libre. She competed in various promotions, including Alianza Universal De Lucha Libre (AULL) where she won the AULL Women’s Championship.

Her performances led her to be signed by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), where she won multiple championships, including the CMLL World Women’s Championship and the CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Championship.

Major Achievements and Wrestling Style

Stephanie Vaquer

Championships and Accomplishments

Stephanie Vaquer has held numerous titles throughout her already impressive career. In addition to her CMLL accolades, she captured the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship, which she held before losing it to Mercedes Mone at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 PPV event.

Stephanie Vaquer Finisher

Vaquer’s signature and finishing moves include the Package Backbreaker, Cross Armbreaker, and the Dragon Screw Legwhip, which have earned her respect and admiration from fans and peers alike.

Recent Highlights

AEW and NJPW STRONG Appearances

As noted, Stephanie Vaquer made headlines at AEW’s Forbidden Door 2024 event, where she faced Mercedes Moné in a champion vs. champion match.

Although Vaquer dominated much of the match, Moné emerged victorious, securing the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship.

This match was reportedly a major reason why WWE decided to show interest in signing her, as she arguably had one of the best matches of the night against a former WWE Superstar in Mone/Sasha Banks.

Stephanie Vaquer Boyfriend: A tumultuous situation

Vaquer’s personal life has seen its share of challenges, including a highly publicized domestic violence incident involving her former partner, Cuatrero.

Will Stephanie Vaquer go to WWE?

The big question after Vaquer’s release from CMLL is where she will be heading next. According to the latest reliable reports, she is in fact headed to WWE.

AEW Dynamite 250: MJF Vs. Ospreay, Swerve Vs. Okada, Mone In Action

Thomas Lowson
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All Elite Wrestling isn’t holding back with their 250th episode of Dynamite with a stacked card already announced for the July 17, show.

Close to five years after the first episode of Dynamite in October 2019, AEW will celebrate its milestone figure next week from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The crowd will not only get to watch the 250th episode of Dynamite, but AEW will also tape the July 19, edition of Rampage at the show.

MJF Vs. Will Ospreay

On the July 10, edition of Dynamite, MJF, fresh off last week’s heel turn, had some verbal barbs for Will Ospreay. MJF belittled the “flippy guy” and said he’s seen countless wrestlers like Ospreay come and go throughout his career. MJF then announced his plans to challenge Ospreay for the AEW International Title next week. Ospreay, who was in the ring, accepted the challenge.

Swerve Strickland Vs. Kazuchika Okada

It will be champion vs. champion next week when AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland faces AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada. Strickland appeared following Bryan Danielson’s victory in the Owen Hart Men’s Tournament and spoke about his challenger for AEW All In.

Strickland also revealed that he will be on Team AEW against the Elite for the upcoming Blood & Guts match. Strickland ended his promo by challenging Okada for a match for Dynamite 250 that has been made official, and added that All In will be Bryan Danielson’s ‘final countdown.’

Mercedes Mone In Action

At Forbidden Door, Mercedes Mone became a double champion and the CEO is ready to take on (almost) all comers. On Twitter, Mone said that she will defend her titles in an open challenge on AEW Dynamite 250. This challenge can be accepted by anyone, with the exception of Britt Baker.

Chris Jericho Talks In-Ring Retirement Plans

Rayan Sayyed
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AEW star Chris Jericho recently addressed his potential retirement from professional wrestling, stating that he will know when it’s time to hang up his boots.

Appearing on the McGuire on Wrestling podcast, Jericho opened up about retirement from in-ring action, revealing that for now, he hasn’t thought about it.

“I’ll know when it’s time, you know? I’m really enjoying what I’m doing and I’m still contributing at a high level. I can still have the best match on the show on any given night — not every night but any given night. And I just really love what we’re doing with AEW right now. So there’s really no rush on that. And when I know, I’ll know.”

The current FTW Champion is an active member of the AEW roster, leading the stable The Learning Tree. For now, Jericho doesn’t seem like he’s going to stop anytime soon in the ring.

Chris Jericho on John Cena’s Retirement Announcement

Speaking of retirements, one wrestler who is in fact going to retire soon is John Cena, who recently announced his farewell tour.

On the same podcast, Jericho was asked to share his thoughts about Cena’s retirement tour.

“My career is already longer than John Cena’s. No, I mean it’s great. John’s always had a great love for wrestling and he’s got a great connection with the fans, so I think it’s a cool way to go about it.”

Jericho added that fans know this is going to be it for Cena, as he’s not the type to say anything lightly. “I’m sure it’s going to be a really great year-and-a-half for Cena fans and for John Cena himself,” he added.

Cena made his surprise return at WWE Money in the Bank, where he announced his retirement. It is not yet known when and where his final match will take place, but we will see him in action at major events such as Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania.

Stephanie Vaquer: ‘2018 WWE Tryout Taught Me What I Needed To Do’

Thomas Lowson
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Stephanie Vaquer’s first attempt to make it in WWE was not successful, but it did teach her a lot about what she needed to do to succeed in the ring.

This week, it was reported that Vaquer would be leaving CMLL and NJPW in order to join WWE. On Twitter, WWE’s SVP of Talent Development Shawn Michaels welcomed Vaquer into the WWE ‘family’ seemingly confirming her arrival and suggesting she will start in NXT (where Michaels also leads.)

More On Stephanie Vaquer Joining WWE On Multi-Yeal Deal

Stephanie Vaquer On Her WWE Tryout

While Vaquer is expected to begin competing for WWE in the coming months, she did have a tryout for the company back in 2018. Speaking to Denise Salcedo, Vaquer reflected on her tryout and not feeling ready for a role in WWE at the time.

“It was a very difficult test. I feel that I didn’t have the experience to do a test with them yet. I had very little time fighting, I was not an athlete. Maybe I did not have the physical condition to perform at 100% but that experience taught me a lot… I started to train physically, I started to do conditioning and become an athlete. I didn’t place in the event, but it really was, I think it was a plus to say ‘Ok, I have to change all this because this is what I have to do from now on.’ It helped me a lot and it was an experience that I will take with me forever.”

While Vaquer did not secure a deal with WWE, the Chilean wrestler appreciates the extra effort WWE made for her so that she could see her family.

“I remember WWE asking me a lot. I hadn’t seen my family for a long time. I was already living in Mexico and they gave me two more days so I could go see my family before the tryout. I will always thank them for that.”

The lessons Vaquer learned in 2018 clearly paid off for her as she has gone on to hold titles in CMLL, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and elsewhere. Now, the Chilean star is returning to WWE and is ready to achieve what she felt she couldn’t six years ago.

Stephanie Vaquer: What You Need To Know About WWE’s Signing

AEW Collision Spoilers For Saturday, July 13th: Titles Vacated

Thomas Lowson
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The latest tapings of AEW Collision saw some huge developments, including some champions in the All-Elite company being stripped of their titles.

The Collision taping took place after the July 10, edition of AEW Dynamite. That show saw the finals of the Men’s and Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments. In the men’s tournament, Bryan Danielson earned a shot at the AEW World Title at All In by defeating ‘Hangman’ Adam Page. In the women’s tournament, Mariah May defeated 2023 winner Willow Nightingale, earning a shot at the Women’s World Championship. After the match, May attacked Toni Storm and left her ‘mentor’ in a bloodied heap on the stage.

AEW Collision Spoilers [7/13/2024]

Here are the spoilers for the July 13, edition of AEW Collision: 

  • Konsuke Takeshita defeated ‘Dynamite Kid’ Tommy Billington. Post-match, Don Callis welcomed Billington into the family only to get a “Kiss my Ass!” in response. Callis’ family attacked Billington before FTR made the save.
  • Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, and Juice Robinson defeated three enhancement talents (London Lightning, Michael Allen Richard Clark, and Shaun Moore). Acting EVP Christopher Daniels then stripped the Gunns and Robinson of the Unified Trios Titles, not allowing them to use Robinson instead of the injured Jay White. Christian Cage came out and expected that he, Nick Wayne, and Killswitch would be awarded the titles. Instead, a match for the vacant titles will take place at a later date.
  • Roderick Strong (w/Matt Taven, Mike Bennett) defeated Dalton Castle (w/Truth Magnum, Turbo Floyd). There was an unfortunate botch near the end of the match as Strong caught Castle with a knee to the face. The referee hesitated with his count even though Castle did not kick out and the match was awarded to Strong. The Undisputed Kingdom seemed unsure what was happening and Castle was motionless in the ring for ten seconds after the pin, with some fearing he was knocked out.
  • Nyla Rose beat local wrestler Ava Lawless
  • “Top Flight” Dante Martin and Darius Martin (w/Action Andretti) beat Lee Moriarty and Anthony Ogogo (w/Shane Taylor).
  • Skye Blue defeated Harley Cameron
  • Matt Taven and Mike Bennett defeated Orange Cassidy and Kyle O’Reilly. Trent Beretta attacked Cassidy after the match.

Mariah May Wins 2024 Owen Hart Tournament, Attacks Toni Storm

Thomas Lowson
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Mariah May is on the road to Wembley after winning the Owen Hart Women’s Cup, and has split from Women’s World Champion ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm.

In the finals of the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation women’s tournament, May defeated last year’s winner Willow Nightingale on Dynamite. May advanced to the finals by defeating Saraya in the first round and Hikaru Shida in the semi-finals, both of whom are former AEW Women’s World Champions. Willow’s path to the finals saw her defeat Serena Deeb in the first round and her former ally Kris Statlander in the semis. Statlander and Stokley Hathaway would get involved in the finals to try and cost Willow the match.

With this victory, May has earned herself an AEW Women’s World Championship match against ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm at AEW All In. After the match, Storm seemed happy for her ‘understudy’ to win, seemingly predicting an easy title defense next month. On the ramp, May attacked Storm with the Owen Hart Foundation Championship and Luther also took a beating from the British wrestler.

On commentary, it was suggested that this had been May’s plan the whole time and that her loyalty to Storm was never genuine. Whatever the case may be, May now has a golden opportunity next month in her home country.

Bryan Danielson Wins 2024 Owen Hart Tournament, Earns AEW All In Title Shot

AEW All In 2024

AEW All In 2024 will take place on August 25, from Wembley Stadium in London, England. The show will be the second AEW All In event, and the third All In event overall. Tickets for the show went on sale on December 1 and the event will be AEW’s second pay-per-view to take place outside the U.S. AEW All In 2024 was confirmed immediately following last year’s AEW All In event.

Bryan Danielson Wins 2024 Owen Hart Tournament, Earns AEW All In Title Shot

Thomas Lowson
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Bryan Danielson is officially on the road to Wembley after winning the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament this week.

During the July 10, edition of AEW Dynamite, Danielson defeated ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in the finals of the tournament. Danielson reached the finals by defeating Shingo Takagi in the first round and besting PAC in the semi-finals. Page’s road to the finals saw him defeat Jeff Jarrett in the first round and Jay White in the semis. At 25:45, this was the longest match in the tournament and the longest match in the history of the Owen Hart Cup.

After the match, AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland appeared on the ramp for a stare-down with Danielson. By winning the tournament, Danielson has earned a World Championship opportunity against Swerve that will take place at AEW All In.

Danielson missed last year’s All In pay-per-view due to a fractured forearm injury he suffered at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2023. In November of last year, it was confirmed that Danielson would be competing at All In 2024 and now fans know what exactly the American Dragon will do in Wembley Stadium.

AEW All In 2024

AEW All In 2024 will take place on August 25, from Wembley Stadium in London, England. The show will be the second AEW All In event, and the third All In event overall. Tickets for the show went on sale on December 1 and the event will be AEW’s second pay-per-view to take place outside the U.S. AEW All In 2024 was confirmed immediately following last year’s AEW All In event.

Cody Rhodes Previews AJ Styles vs. Naomichi Marufuji

Tyriece Simon
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The forbidden door reopens this weekend, as WWE Superstar AJ Styles returns to Japan to wrestle a match for Pro Wrestling NOAH. The Japanese promotion shocked the wrestling world last month by announcing Styles would be the next opponent of the legendary Naomichi Marufuji.

Styles vs. Marufuji is scheduled for July 13 at Destination from Tokyo, Japan at the Nippon Budokan. The dream match will mark the former WWE Champion’s debut in Noah and the first encounter between the legends.

Before the crossover matchup, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes spoke with NOAH to share his thoughts on the upcoming contest. He spoke highly of both wrestling legends and also credited Marufuji for inspiring his move set.

“…It’s not hyperbole to say that Marufuji, on the other side of the ring, is how important he is to modern pro wrestling and modern sports entertainment,” said Rhodes.

“I mean, if you hit the ropes behind another guy, you call that a Marufuji. That’s a Marufuji forearm. That’s what I do. It’s part of my comeback that I have in my own matches.”

Rhodes added that he’d be open to having a match against Marufuji in the future. The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion believes Styles will look to impress this weekend.

“… I can see AJ Styles, really showing out in Japan.”

– Cody Rhodes

: Cody Rhodes Previews AJ Styles vs. Naomichi Marufuji

More On AJ Styles vs. Naomichi Marufuji

Styles and Marufuji have enjoyed an ongoing successful career and are respected amongst their peers. Styles is on the short list of wrestlers who have won major titles in New Japan Pro Wrestling, TNA Wrestling, and WWE. Marufuji is a four-time GHC Heavyweight Champion and is currently on his ninth reign as a GHC Tag Team Champion.

Both fan favorites have inspired other wrestlers with their accolades and longevity in the wrestling business. This weekend, Styles and Marufuji have the opportunity to showcase why they are still among the best wrestlers in the world. In the previews of their dream match, ‘The Phenomenal One’ has expressed that he wants to tear the house down with his opponent.

NOAH’s Destination event is looking to be an event fans will not want to miss.

Naomichi Marufuji: ‘AJ Styles Is Great! I Want More WWE Stars In NOAH’

WWE MSK: What Happened To The NXT Tag Team?

Thomas Lowson
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MSK, aka The Rascalz, are back together on WWE NXT programming, and this has been quite the journey for all members of the group.

On this week’s WWE NXT, Wes Lee was in a somber mood as he reflected on his loss to North American Champion Oba Femi at Heatwave. Just as it appeared Lee was ready to say goodbye to NXT, Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz emerged to loud T-N-A chants from the crowd. The duo reflected on their past with Lee and were able to convince him not to leave NXT behind. On the contrary, Lee, Miguel, and Wentz will face Gallus on next week’s show.

Before WWE NXT

MSK’s history dates back to December 2015 when Lee (known as Dezmond Xaiver at the time) first teamed with Wentz. After teaming for years and holding gold in CZW and AAW, the duo added Trey Miguel and Myron Reed into the group in April 2018 and dubbed themselves ‘The Rascalz.’ That same year, the group, minus reed, joined Impact Wrestling with their names shortened to Dez, Trey, and Wentz. The group became a staple of the tag-team scene though the Tag Team Championships continued to allude them. In November 2020, it was revealed that the group would be leaving Impact amid interest from both WWE and AEW.

Arriving In WWE NXT

Xavier and Wentz debuted in WWE NXT in January 2021, now under the names of Wes Lee and Nash Carter respectively, while Miguel would later return to Impact. It was during this run that Wes and Carter were dubbed MSK and wasted no time in establishing themselves as a top team in the brand. A month after their debut, MSK won the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and by April had become the WWE NXT Tag Team Champions.

The pair held the titles for six months and would dispatch of teams like Tommaso Ciampa &Timothy Thatcher and Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch along the way. Their reign would end at the hands of Imperium at NXT Stand & Deliver in April 2022.

The Nash Carter Release

Around the time of MSK’s second tag title win, Nash Carter’s ex-wife Kimber Lee publicly claimed that she had been abused by the NXT wrestler. At the time, Dave Meltzer noted that WWE did not find Lee’s claims to be credible which is why they did not back out of plans to put the titles on the tag-team. After Kimber Lee shared a photo of Carter parodying Adolf Hitler though, the decision was made to release him and MSK was stripped of the tag titles.

Now, Nash, once again known as Zachary Wentz, is back, alongside Trey Miguel. With the WWE NXT-TNA Wrestling crossover proving a hit so far, fans can expect many more exciting moments from the trio moving forward.

Drew McIntyre Signs With Paradigm Talent Agency

Thomas Lowson
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Wrestling fans can expect to see more of Drew McIntyre outside of the ring in the years ahead. According to Joe Otterson for Variety, the three-time WWE World Champion, known as the ‘Scottish Warrior,’ has signed with the Paradigm Talent Agency.

McIntyre recently signed a new multi-year WWE contract, but this new relationship indicates he’s eager to explore opportunities in the entertainment industry, such as television and film. Paradigm represents several other WWE superstars, including Tiffany Stratton, Damian Priest, and McIntyre’s on-screen rival, CM Punk.

McIntyre is currently serving a storyline suspension from WWE after putting his hands on Adam Pearce at Money in the Bank. The WWE RAW GM has promised to meet with him this coming Monday. If he isn’t reinstated, McIntyre has teased returning to TNA Wrestling.

Drew McIntyre in The Killer’s Game

Paradigm will undoubtedly open doors for Drew McIntyre in Hollywood, but he’s already getting his feet wet in that regard. McIntyre is set to co-star in WWE alum Dave Bautista’s next film, The Killer’s Game, which hits theaters on September 13. The film also stars Terry Crews, Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley.

Synopsis

A veteran assassin is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and authorizes a kill on himself. After ordering the kill, an army of former colleagues pounce and a new piece of information comes to light. Insanity ensues.

Trailer

WWE’s Natalya Reveals 4th Generation Hart Family Member is Training to Wrestle

Rayan Sayyed
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Veteran Superstar Natalya has built a legendary WWE career that began in 2007. The third generation wrestler is member of the legendary Hart family wrestling dynasty. She’s the daughter of Jim Neidhart and granddaughter of Hart Family patriarch Stu.

During a wide-ranging discussion with McKenzie Mitchell for Threads with McKenzie Mitchell, the ‘Queen of Harts’ revealed that her nephew Maddox is training to wrestle.

Maddox Neidhart is the son of Natalya’s younger sister, Kristen. He’s only 12 years old, but he’s training at Natalya and husband Tyson Kidd’s world-renowned Dungeon 2.0 training facility.

“Maddox is very inspired. I think there will be a fourth-generation Hart.”

– Natalya Neidhart to McKenzie Mitchell

Maddox Neidhart’s favorite wrestler is Jey Uso. Natalya says Jey sent Maddox a personalized video and sent him a few gifts, including a t-shirt he wore to the ring and a pair of his sunglasses.

Check out Natalya Neidhart’s appearance on Threads with McKenzie Mitchell:

Natalya Neidhart and the Hart Dynasty

Natalya Neidhart’s father Natalya’s father, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, married Ellie Hart, who is one of Stu Hart’s daughters. This makes Natalya a member of the Hart family through her mother. As a result of this lineage, she’s related to other famous wrestlers from the Hart family, including uncles Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Owen Hart.

Her connection to the Hart family has played a significant role in her wrestling career, as she trained in the Hart family Dungeon under her uncles Ross and Bruce Hart.

More from Natalya

In another recent interview, Natalya recalled that wrestling legend Rey Mysterio gifted her a custom-made pair of wrestling boots, which she has worn on many occasions in the ring.

Natalya also talked about which female star she admired during her early WWE days, who was a roster member and messaged Natalya on MySpace when she got hired by WWE.

The Dungeon 2.0 is WWE Veteran Natalya’s ‘Love Letter’ To Wrestling

Stephanie Vaquer Joins WWE, Shawn Michaels: “See You In Orlando!”

Thomas Lowson
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Chilean wrestling sensation Stephanie Vaquer has signed with WWE, as first reported by Record Mexico. Other outlets, including PWInsider, corroborated the report before WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels gave the official confirmation.

Shawn Michaels Welcomes Stephanie Vaquer to WWE

Michaels, WWE’s SVP of Talent Development, officially welcomed Vaquer to the family.

Wanted by WWE and AEW

Stephanie Vaquer and Mercedes Mone delivered a show-stealing performance at last month’s AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2024 pay-per-view. Mone was victorious, but it was Vaquer who received most of the buzz coming out of the show. Despite holding championships in Mexico, including the (since-vacated) CMLL World Women’s Championship, she received strong interest from both AEW and WWE.

Stephanie Vaquer
(AEW)

Vaquer had been a part of CMLL since 2019 and was positioned as one of the top women in the company. She made her NJPW debut in 2023 as part of the tournament to crown the inaugural NJPW Strong Women’s World Champion (won by Willow Nightingale.)

While she came up short in that tournament, Vaquer would win the gold in early 2024 from Giulia, another top female name fans can expect to see in WWE very soon.

Leaving CMLL & New Japan

On Wednesday, Lucha Libre CMLL and New Japan Pro Wrestling issued a joint CMLL-NJPW Special Announcement stating that Vaquer has informed them she will not participate in her next scheduled match due to “personal reasons.” As a result, she’s no longer associated with either promotion and been stripped of the CMLL World Women’s Championship.

“We want to inform you that Stephanie Vaquer has abruptly informed us that she will not participate, for personal reasons, in her next fight at FantasticaMania USA. As of today, he also no longer belongs to the CMLL and NJPW talent.”

A new CMLL World Women’s Champion will be crowned at FantasticaMania USA in an inter-promotional trios match. Lluvia, representing CMLL, will face Viva Van of NJPW and AEW’s Willow Nightingale for the gold. CMLL apologized to fans for the abrupt departure.

Vaquer’s Farewell

Stephanie Vaquer CMLL NJPW

Though these moves may come as something of a surprise, suspicions grew that Vaquer was parting ways with CMLL after what would become her final match for the promotion. After a recent match, Vaquer appeared emotional and embraced her opponent Tessa Blanchard

Logan Paul: ‘I’ll Become WWE Champion If I Put My Mind To It’

Thomas Lowson
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Logan Paul has already captured the WWE United States Championship, but the Maverick sees a richer prize waiting for him if he fully ‘commits’ to wrestling.

Since arriving in WWE in 2021, Paul has impressed fans with both his character work and his skills in the ring. At WWE Crown Jewel 2023, Paul captured the U.S. Championship from Rey Mysterio, albeit under controversial circumstances thanks to the use of his signature brass knuckles. At close to 250 days, Paul’s reign is the second-longest U.S. title reign of the past decade, and he is the longest reigning champion of any current title-holder in WWE today.

Logan Paul On The WWE Championship

With Paul excelling as U.S. Champion, it’s hardly a surprise that some have speculated whether more gold could be in his future. On his ImPaulsive podcast, the Maverick addressed the possibility of becoming WWE Champion.

“I’m going to do it, bro. I think I could become [WWE] champ if I just put my mind to it and commit. I like it.”

While Paul has yet to win a WWE World Championship, that’s not for lack of trying. At WWE Crown Jewel 2022, Paul came up short against then-Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns and suffered an injury in the match. He would return to action in the following January’s Men’s Royal Rumble match that was won by Cody Rhodes.

A year later, Paul shared the ring with Rhodes at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring for Cody’s Undisputed WWE Championship. Paul’s return to Saudi Arabia would not go like his U.S. title victory as he would fall short against the American Nightmare.

WWE Champion Logan Paul: Could It Happen?

The idea of putting a World Championship on Logan Paul would certainly be controversial given the lineage of the title he’d be winning. Fans will immediately point to David Arquette’s doomed WCW World Heavyweight title win in 2000 which hurt the company and the title more than it helped. Arquette, a prolific wrestling fan, was against the title change but went along with it under the hope it’d help garner interest (and money) in the Ready to Rumble film.

Unlike WCW-era Arquette, Paul has more than proven he belongs in the ring and even his most ardent of critics can’t deny his skills. As a natural heel, Paul relishes in getting fans to hate him, and having him win the title would certainly do just that. Whether WWE would be willing to withstand a potential real backlash against the company in their efforts to have Paul be a top heel, however, is the $64,000 question.

Reason WWE Teased Cody Rhodes Vs. Logan Paul Being Title For Title

AEW Dynamite Preview (7/10/24): Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals

Michael Reichlin
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AEW Dynamite is set for an action-packed show live from the Calgary Stampede tonight at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TBS Network. The special Stampede-themed episode from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta will feature the finals of the 2024 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.

Matches

Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals

  • Men’s Final: Bryan Danielson vs Adam Page
  • Women’s Final: Willow Nightingale vs Mariah May
  • Stampede Street Fight featuring Chris Jericho
  • Global Glory 4-Way Match featuring Claudio Castagnoli, Kyle Fletcher, PAC, and Tomohiro Ishii

Segments

Mercedes Mone Double Championship Victory Toast
  • AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland returns
  • We’ll hear from AEW International Champion Will Ospreay
  • AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone will host a Double Championship Victory Toast

Plus, Samoa Joe is advertised to appear.

What Happened Last Week on AEW Dynamite?

The show featured several Owen Hart Foundation Tournament matches, including Bryan Danielson defeating PAC in a semifinal bout. Willow Nightingale advanced to the women’s finals by beating Kris Statlander. In a surprising twist, “Hangman” Adam Page returned as the Young Bucks’ Wild Card pick, defeating Jeff Jarrett to end Double J’s dream of honoring his former partner.

The main event saw AEW International Champion Will Ospreay successfully defend his title against Daniel Garcia in a highly competitive match. The closing segment ended in dramatic fashion with a ‘swerve’ that we probably should have seen coming. After Garcia’s loss, MJF revealed his true colors by attacking him brutally. MJF used his Dynamite Diamond Ring to assault Garcia, leaving him bloodied and injured. The show ended with Garcia being stretchered out while Will Ospreay looked on with concern.

mjf garcia last week
Photo by Ricky Havlik for AEW

This shocking turn of events sets up potential storylines involving MJF, Garcia, and possibly Ospreay moving forward. Additionally, the episode featured appearances by other champions, including TBS and NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion Mercedes Moné, who had a heated confrontation with the returning Britt Baker.

7/3/24 AEW Video Recap

The AEW YouTube channel posted this video of recap of the show:

Cody Rhodes Reflects on Career Post-WrestleMania XL Victory

Rayan Sayyed
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Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently talked about his career trajectory following his monumental WrestleMania XL win over Roman Reigns, and revealed his future plans in the ring. Appearing on The Pivot Podcast, Rhodes discussed the Mount Rushmore of wrestling and his aspirations to secure his place among the industry’s legends.

Rhodes stated that after achieving significant milestones in his professional wrestling career, he looks up to industry icons like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and John Cena, comparing his “numbers and stats” with theirs to ensure he matches or even surpasses their achievements.

“There’s even like a post-WrestleMania blues psychology-wise, like what’s the next thing? So I always need a task; what’s my specific task? And that’s an area where I look to Steve Austin and I look to John Cena who are the lead dogs.

This is not me in my ego, I have this [the championship], so I’m currently in front of the pack, right?
I’m the lead dog, as long as I have this. I want to make sure that my numbers — and it’s not the most emotional goal or anything — but I want to make sure my numbers and stats match theirs or supersede theirs because you can’t argue with that.”

Cody Rhodes on his career aspirations after WrestleMania XL win.

After ‘Finishing The Story’ at WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes defended his title at Backlash France against AJ Styles and at King and Queen of the Ring against Logan Paul. On May 31, AJ Styles attacked Rhodes during what seemed like a retirement speech. Rhodes later defeated Styles in an “I Quit” match at Clash at the Castle, but was assaulted by The Bloodline afterward, with Randy Orton and Kevin Owens making the save.

On June 21, Rhodes faced Solo Sikoa in a match that ended in disqualification due to Bloodline interference, followed by the debut of Jacob Fatu. At Money in the Bank, The Bloodline (Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Fatu) defeated Rhodes, Orton, and Owens in a six-man tag match, with Rhodes being pinned by Sikoa.

The American Nightmare was recently featured in the Video announcing the return of WWE Bad Blood. Check out the details here.

What Do WWE Talent Make Of AEW’s Perceived High-Injury Rate?

Thomas Lowson
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WWE talent have hardly been surprised by the perceived high level of injuries that have occurred in AEW, it has been reported.

While injuries are a work hazard for any professional wrestler, many have pointed at Tony Khan’s promotion for having a higher rate of injuries than other companies of its size. Currently, top names including Adam Cole, Adam Copeland, and Jamie Hayter are all out of action with injuries. Bryan Danielson has seen much of his AEW run disrupted due to injuries and similar setbacks also caused issues throughout CM Punk’s All-Elite tenure.

Riho Confirms Arm Injury After AEW Return Match

WWE Talent On AEW Injuries

Talent in WWE have not been surprised by the apparent high rate of injuries in AEW, Mike Johnson of PW Insider reports. The belief is that instead of lowering the risk of injuries, AEW’s more relaxed schedule which sees talent compete maybe once or twice a week is actually making their situation worse. The reasoning is that with long breaks between matches, AEW talent aren’t able to callus their bodies which has resulted in bumps and moves hurting more. In contrast, WWE hosts events almost every night of the week which keeps talent toughened up in the long term.

WWE Superstars were forced to wrestle much less during the COVID-19 pandemic when events happened behind closed doors, either at the Performance Center on inside the Thunderdome. The report adds that talent felt “off” by a few steps after touring resumed in July 2021 but were pleased that they would finally be able to compete more and therefore callus their bodies.

Bayley was an unfortunate victim of this situation as mere weeks before touring resumed, she suffered an injury during training. The Role Model, who had been considered a highlight of the Pandemic Era, would miss a year of in-ring action before returning to TV at SummerSlam 2022.

While it may seem antithetical, it appears wrestling more is decreasing the chances of injuries, at least when it comes to WWE talent. While AEW has flirted with untelevised shows in the past, it remains to be seen if the promotion will ever have a schedule close to WWE.

Chuck Taylor’s Career-Ending Injury Reportedly Legitimate

Finn Balor: I’d Love To Work With The Wyatt Sicks

Bishal Roy
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The Judgment Day member Finn Balor is willing to work with the cryptic group, Wyatt Sicks.

Finn Balor recently joined in for an interview on the What’s The Story podcast and shed light on possibly getting involved with the group led by Uncle Howdy. He is eager to work with them and believes they could create some great moments.

However, he clarified that he wouldn’t bring back his ‘Demon’ persona for the potential storyline. ‘Demon King’ or ‘Demon has been Balor’s alter-ego, possessing supernatural powers. The former WWE Universal Champion said that he wanted to keep his Finn Balor character as a heel and the Demon character as a babyface.

“I’d love to work with The Wyatt Sicks. I feel like we could do some cool s**t there… I would like to keep Finn as a heel and The Demon as the babyface and not blur the lines at all.

Poor execution

finn balor demon1

Following a successful showcase of Demon character in NXT, Balor introduced the character on the main roster. He has been using it rarely and saved it for big matches. While he usually won matches in his Demon character, things haven’t been going in favor of the gimmick in recent years.

The ‘Demon’ endured a loss against Roman Reigns and the last time Balor donned the body and face paint was at WrestleMania 39 when he faced Edge in a Hell In A Cell match. However, he suffered another loss at the show.

During the podcast, Balor said that the Demon character hasn’t been executed well in the recent years. He said:

“But it’s so hard and I feel like The Demon’s kind of something that we haven’t executed very well the last couple years and I’d rather not-not do it than do it in a way that I’m not happy with so, and look, in six years time, they can throw me out there in Demon paint and I’ll do the entrance.

Balor said that he might be performing in Demon gimmick again in the future but he is enjoying his current run as a heel. He might add more layers to his current character in comparison to his straightforward Demon gimmick. He explained:

“But now, Finn’s having too much fun and I feel like I can give a lot more layers as a heel Finn than The Demon. The Demon’s just very straight-forward. He’s like a bulldozer. He just goes straight for the kill, where Finn’s a little bit more sneaky and there’s more story arcs you can tell with Finn versus a supernatural Demon so…”

Finn Balor is one-half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions with JD McDonagh. Well, we might witness the return of Demon in the future as he is not leaving WWE anytime soon.

Chris Jericho Comments On John Cena Announcing His Retirement Tour

Bishal Roy
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Pro wrestling veteran Chris Jericho feels that fans have a great time ahead of them as John Cena announced his farewell tour before hanging up his boots.

Chris Jericho recently made an appearance on McGuire on Wrestling podcast and he was asked to share his insights on Cena’s retirement tour. It was mentioned to the former WWE star that Cena’s retirement means he has outlasted the 16-time World Champion. While Jericho agreed, he reckoned that John Cena always had a great connection with his fans and it’s an amazing way to end his career.

“My career is already longer than John Cena’s. No, I mean it’s great. John’s always had a great love for wrestling and he’s got a great connection with the fans, so I think it’s a cool way to go about it.”

‘The Learning Tree’ is certain that Cena will be focused on ensuring that the retirement plans turn out well and he believes fans will enjoy watching Cena back in the squared circle for his final run. He said:

“People know that this is it, and John’s not the type of guy to say anything lightly, so I’m sure he’s been focused on this and working with the company to make sure it’s right. I’m sure it’s going to be a really great year-and-a-half for Cena fans and for John Cena himself.”

John Cena’s retirement

‘The Leader of Cenation’ made his surprise return during last Saturday’s WWE Money In The Bank PLE at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. He shocked the fans when he announced that he decided to hang up his boots next year. He didn’t specify when and where he would compete in his final match.

However, he made it clear that next year will be his last time competing at the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania. During the post-show press conference, he further shared details of his upcoming farewell tour.

‘Brawl Under The Bridge’ Continues An Annual Wrestling Tradition

Dominic DeAngelo
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Pittsburgh is a city steeped in wrestling tradition and the “City Of Bridges” is continuing a new one for the pro wrestling world.

“Brawl Under The Bridge” is entering it’s ninth year in the Homestead neighborhood of Pittsburgh and the event name is as advertised. The event, which takes place on July 13, occurs under the Homestead Grays Bridge. The vibe of the fight is more of a communal event for the whole area with beer stands and sandwiches from the Steel City.

The Keystone State Wrestling Alliance have aligned with comic book artist Frank Cundiff, who always had an interest in putting on a pro wrestling event and he came up with a fresh idea with strong Pittsburgh ties.

RELATED: Park To Be Renamed In Honor Of Bruno Sammartino

“I worked on comics before I started the event, and I was familiar with the area because I was also the sound guy for Oyster Fest that was held at the Homestead-Grays bridge.”

The event will be headlined by ‘The Face Of Pittsburgh’ Lou Martin as he’ll defend his KSWA Championship against Freek E. Doyle. Also, former ECW and WCW talent T-Rantula will be in action for the Brawl Under The Bridge title. Also on the card is Shane Starr taking on Shawn Blanchard in a Steel City strap match.

Martin and KSWA have been running for years and the champ knows how special “Brawl Under The Bridge” is for the promotion and for the area.

“The venue for the event under the historic Homestead Grays Bridge is pretty unique for an event,” Martin said. “The bridge just adds to the overall aura of the event as a whole.”

In the past, Brawl Under The Bridge featured notable wrestling names like Nikolai Volkoff, Doink The Clown and more.

RELATED: Bruno Sammartino Statue Unveiled In Pizzoferrato, Italy (Video)

2 Years After Leaving Wrestling, NXT Alum ACH Is Returning

Thomas Lowson
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Former WWE NXT Superstar ACH will make his return to the ring this month, close to two years after his previous wrestling match.

ACH, who competed as Jordan Myles in WWE NXT, will compete for SCW Pro Wrestling on Saturday, July 13, at the company’s Red, White, and Bruised event. SCW Pro’s Twitter account shared the news and the match will mark ACH’s debut for the company and he will face Shain Boucher. Boucher is a graduate of the Black & Brave Academy run by WWE’s Seth Rollins and has competed for SCW Pro for years.

SCW Pro Red, White, and Bruised will take place at the Blue Grass Community in Blue Grass, Iowa. Doors will open at 6:30 pm local time with the show set to begin at 7pm. Tickets for the show begin at $10.

ACH

ACH, full name Albert Christian Hardie Jr. joined WWE NXT in February 2019 and expectations were high for his time with the company. In the finals of that year’s Breakout Tournament, Jordan Myles defeated Cameron Crimes, earning himself a future championship opportunity. Myles chose to challenge then-WWE NXT Champion Adam Cole but was defeated in September of that year.

The following month, controversy spawned when WWE released Myles’ first t-shirt which showed his name surrounded by the shape of a mouth. Though it was said to be inspired by The Rollins Stones logo, many, including Myles, said it resembled blackface and the NXT Superstar accused WWE of racism. He would also accuse ROH (where he had previously worked) of racism and claimed former ROH World Champion Jay Lethal was an ‘Uncle Tom.’ ACH released a video in November saying he’d quit WWE as he “refused to work for racists” and his release was confirmed by WWE that same month.

Booker T On Jordan Myles’ Quitting Video: “He’s Doing Himself An Injustice”

Outside of WWE, ACH has competed for Impact Wrestling, Lucha Libre AAA, Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling, NOAH, and other promotions. This week’s match will be his first match since September 2022, when he, Mark Andrews, and Jah-C defeated Kyle Fletcher, Mark Davis, and Zachary Wentz.

Naomichi Marufuji: ‘AJ Styles Is Great! I Want More WWE Stars In NOAH’

Thomas Lowson
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AJ Styles may not be the only WWE Superstar competing in NOAH this year if the promotion’s very own Naomichi Marufuji has anything to say about it.

The Phenomenal former WWE Champion will wrestle at NOAH’s Destination 2024 on July 13 against Marufuji. Despite a lofty career in Japan, this match will be Styles’ first time competing for NOAH. Marufuji on the other hand, has spent close to a quarter of a century with NOAH after debuting in 2000. He is a four-time GHC Heavyweight Champion and was appointed NOAH’s Vice President in 2009.

Marufuji Wants More WWE Talent

Sitting down with Planeta Wrestling, Marufuji discussed the upcoming match with Styles. The NOAH President was excited to step into the ring with the former WWE World Champion (h/t Fightful.)

“He (Styles) is a great fighter in every way and one of the best in the world. I want the fans to really enjoy my exchanges during the match with him, and I think we can achieve that.”

Marufuji added that he is interested in all WWE Superstars as potential names for NOAH events, but isn’t sure he’s ready to one day work a WWE show.

“I am interested in all WWE wrestlers. I want to invite several wrestlers to compete in the NOAH ring. To compete in the WWE ring, I think I need more training before that, so I can’t say I want to do it right now.”

Marufuji is certainly interested in doing much more with WWE which would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. The company’s new administration has been more open to working with other promotions including Rossy Ogawa’s Marigold, Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport, and TNA Wrestling. These crossovers have left fans very excited to see what’s to come and fans can expect much more to come in the future.

TNA’s The Rascalz Appear On 7/9 WWE NXT, Joe Hendry Wins Main Event

Report: WWE NXT No Mercy 2024 Set For 9/1 in Denver, Colorado

Thomas Lowson
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The iconic No Mercy pay-per-view will be returning this September as an upcoming Premium Live Event for WWE NXT.

NXT No Mercy 2024 will take place on September 1, from Denver, Colorado, PW Insider reports. At this time, no matches have been confirmed for the event. Before that show, WWE NXT will play host to its Great American Bash event that will take place on August 6, on SyFy. The show has been moved from the USA Network, which will instead be covering the Summer Olympic Games.

WWE NXT No Mercy

WWE’s first No Mercy event took place in the UK in May 1999 and the U.S. version of the event took place in October that same year. The show ran each year from then on until 2009 before returning as PLE in 2016 and 2017.

In 2023, WWE once again revived the No Mercy show, this time as an event exclusive to NXT. In the main event, then-NXT Women’s Champion Becky Lynch retained her title against Tiffany Stratton in a brutal Extreme Rules match.

NXT No Mercy is one of several events from the gold brand to make use of a historic name. WWE Battleground was a staple of the main roster for years before being reintroduced as an NXT event, with the most recent show of its kind taking place last month.

WWE NXT also uses the ‘In Your House’ brand from time to time. The name was used in the 1990s to promote WWE pay-per-views that were not as significant as the ‘Big 4’ and therefore had a cheaper price tag. WWE even brought back former broadcaster Todd Pettengil to promote NXT In Your House, as seen in the clip below.

WWE NXT’s most recent PLE, Heatwave, also comes from wrestling’s past. From 1994 to 2000, the name was used by ECW and fittingly took place during the summer. Each October, fans can expect to see NXT Halloween Havoc, a name that stems from World Championship Wrestling.

With these shows, and the return of NXT No Mercy, WWE has shown its willingness to embrace the past. And with WWE recently filing trademarks for the name of WCW events, fans may not have seen the last of old shows being given a new spotlight in WWE’s gold brand.

WWE Files More Trademarks For Classic WCW Terminology

TNA’s The Rascalz Appear On 7/9 WWE NXT, Joe Hendry Wins Main Event

Thomas Lowson
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Those tuning into this week’s WWE NXT will have no choice but to believe in Joe Hendry after he emerged victorious in the show’s main event.

In the main event of the show, Hendry teamed with Trick Williams to face Shawn Spears and new WWE NXT Champion ‘All Ego’ Ethan Page. Hendry got one of the loudest pops of the night as he was introduced as Trick’s mystery opponent.

Not only did Hendry compete in the main event of the post-Heatwave edition of NXT, but he also got the win for his team. Hendry pinned Shawn Spears and celebrated with Trick Williams to close out the show.

On Twitter, WWE NXT General Manager Ava was pleased that the fans were happy that she had been able to book the popular TNA Wrestling star for the show.

Hendry’s appearance at the show was not entirely a surprise. In the closing moments of WWE NXT Heatwave, Hendry was shown on the broadcast, teasing his return to NXT. A promo video for this week’s episode of WWE NXT also featured Hendry, implying that his return would be happening very soon.

This week’s show marks Hendry’s second time competing in WWE NXT after previously being part of a battle royal to determine the number one contender for the NXT Championship. Fans should get used to seeing him in WWE’s gold brand as Hendry will be a focal point of the TNA-NXT crossover moving forward.

The Rascalz In WWE NXT

This week’s WWE NXT also saw Wes Lee address his loss to North American Champion Oba Femi at Heatwave. As the popular Lee waxed about his career and his shortcomings, it appeared that Wes was ready to leave NXT. If so, his farewell speech was interrupted by TNA’s The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel.) Lee was part of the group before joining WWE NXT and the two remaining members were able to convince Lee not to leave NXT behind.

Not only did The Rascalz reunite, but the group will be in action as a trio next week. Lee, Wentz, and Miguel will ride once more to take on Gallus during the July 16, episode of WWE NXT.

TNA vs. NXT Match Set for this Thursday on TNA iMPACT
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