Aron Stevens, better known to WWE fans as Damien Sandow was one of the most over-stars for a while in the company previously owned by Vince McMahon. However, despite his popularity, the promotion never pulled the plug on him and he was released without ever holding a singles title in his six-year run with the company.
The wrestling star who currently works as a manager as well as an agent for NWA, recently had an interview with Victoire. He compared the creative freedom offered to talents in NWA as opposed to the restrictions he had to face during his time in WWE.
This prompted the question why his WWE run didn’t turn out as fans were expecting and if Stevens was ‘too good’ for WWE creatively. Answering the question, Aron Stevens explained that someone ‘in the office’ wasn’t a fan of his:
“Look somewhere in the office someone didn’t like what was going on. I did an autograph signing six months ago, and one of the people at the signing was like ‘Hey, I just want you to know something. I had a friend who worked in the office. And when they would get house show reports on you, like they needed to list like the top five reactions, you were always in the top three, usually the top two.
After a while, the boss, you know who that is, said, Do not put Sandow’s name on there anywhere.’ That tells me everything I need to know.
So to answer your question was I too good for WWE? I say I’m just right for NWA.”
Aron Stevens signed with WWE back in July 2010, after having a development run with the company previously. He made his main roster debut as Damien Sandow in May 2012. A few months later, Sandow formed a tag team with Cody Rhodes known as Rhodes Scholars.
Damian would later also win the Money In The Bank briefcase which he cashed in on John Cena. Despite having assaulted Cena before the bout, Sandow failed to win the World Title from him.
His hugely popular tag team with The Miz was one of Sandow’s career highlights. The two even won the tag team titles at the 2014 Survivor Series event. This was Sandow’s only championship in WWE. He started being used less and less after the tag team broke up and Damian Sandow was finally released from his contract in May 2016.
Tyler Mane, an actor who previously wrestled for WCW, has been featured in the latest trailer for the much-anticipated Deadpool Vs. Wolverine.
In the newest trailer, Mane can be seen reprising his role as Victor Creed aka Sabretooth. The character is one of Wolverine’s most fierce adversaries in Marvel Comics and the trailer teases a face-off between the two mutants.
While best known for his work as an actor, including appearing as Sabretooth in the 2000s, Mane competed in a handful of matches throughout his wrestling career. Mane’s biggest showcase in the ring came at WCW Fall Brawl 1993 when Mane (known as Big Sky) lost to Charlie Norris. During his WCW run, Mane also competed against Davey Boy Smith and Ric Flair. He also competed for CMLL, EMLL, and AJPW.
The third film in the series that focuses on the ‘Merc with a Mouth,’ Deadpool Vs. Wolverine follows the two titular characters (Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman respectively) in a post-apocalyptic future on a mission that threatens to change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film sees Jackman return to the Wolverine role after the character was previously killed in 2017’s Logan.
Deadpool Vs. Wolverine will hit cinemas on July 24.
Cody Rhodes’ days with AEW may be long over, but the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion was a part of the most recent episode of Collision.
On the June 29, 2024, episode of AEW’s Saturday show, a vignette aired teasing the long-awaited return of ‘Hangman’ Adam Page. Prior to this episode, the former AEW World Champion had not appeared on AEW programming since Revolution 2024 in March, where he challenged for the World title.
While Page’s vignette focused on the Cowboy, many fans were surprised to see Cody Rhodes make an unlikely AEW appearance. Around 23 seconds into the video, a photo of Rhodes, alongside Page, and the Young Bucks can be seen.
Rhodes left AEW in February 2022, just over three years after he and others founded the company in January 2019. The American Nightmare would return to WWE weeks later and has been one of the company’s top stars ever since. Despite now being part of AEW’s main competition, Rhodes has routinely praised the company and the efforts of those still in AEW in interviews.
What’s Next?
It’s unclear when Page will make his physical return to AEW, though some have speculated it could be at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door. If not, then the Cowboy could make an impactful return at AEW All In inside Wembley Stadium this August.
As for Rhodes, he will continue his war with The Bloodline, now led by Solo Sikoa. Rhodes will team with Randy Orton and Kevin Owens to face the faction at WWE Money in the Bank on July 6. The show will prove especially testing for Rhodes, as should his match happen after the Men’s Money in the Bank ladder match, could be the victim of a swift briefcase cash-in.
In May 2001, Triple H suffered one of the most devastating injuries that a professional athlete could experience: a complete tear of his left quadriceps muscle. The damage occurred half through a World Tag Team Championship match, with The Game continuing the match despite excruciating pain. After an over 8-month hiatus to have surgery and rehab, Triple H would return to WWE inside The World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden.
The King of King’s triumphant return to MSG has etched its place in history as one of the greatest returns in professional wrestling history, as the WWE Universe welcomed Triple H back like a conquering hero. The moment has been referenced, reflected, and spoken about in countless mediums, with AEW’s MJF even referencing it in his return to All Elite Wrestling this past May.
This past Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown saw Triple H return to Madison Square Garden again, this time in a much different capacity, as the company’s Chief Content Officer. Despite the turn taking place over 20 years ago, the moment’s significance still sticks with The Game, as he spoke about in a recent post on X.
In the short clip, WWE’s CCO recalled his grueling road to recovery, his anxiety about the fans’ reaction to him, and some wise words he received from WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
“I remember being two segments out, from me coming out, and [Steve] Austin came up to me…’I know what this is like. You’re thinking no one is going to give a sh*t right?’ and I said ‘that has crossed my mind’ and he said ‘yeah man, I went through the same thing. You know, when I broke my neck…what if your music hits and it’s crickets’. He talked to me about it.”
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin suffered a significant injury during SummerSlam 1997 when Austin took on Owen Hart for the Intercontinental Championship when a miscalculated piledriver caused Austin to become temporarily paralyzed. Austin would be plagued with neck issues for the entirety of his full-time WWE run, eventually leading him to retire at 38 years old from in-ring competition.
Triple H would later describe how it felt to hear the crowd’s reaction when his music hit. Stating how that moment was “10x more than anything I could have ever dreamed of. If all of it had been for that one moment, it would have been worth it.”
Every time @WWE comes to @TheGarden, all the memories come back… and this one will always be at the top of the list. Moments like these are what our business is all about. pic.twitter.com/saC0A5NPb0
WWE SmackDoxwn (6/28) Saw The BloodlineKick Out Paul Heyman
In a shocking turn of events, The Bloodline’s Acknowledgment ceremony turned into a vicious beatdown, as Solo Sikoa ordered the rest of the group to attack The Wise Man Paul Heyman. The New York native found himself being smashed through an announce table as the show closed out.
Heyman refused to acknowledge Solo Sikoa as the true Tribal Chief, sparking a brutal assault on The Godfather of Extreme. Later, Paul Heyman was taken out of MSG in an ambulance, leaving the WWE Universe wondering what comes next for the self-proclaimed tribal chief and the rest of The Bloodline.
A new round of wrestling legends and one major pop superstar have been added to WWE 2K24. The popular video game released their latest downloadable content, Post Malone & Friends, on June 26 for $9.99. Along with Malone, the update features Honky Tonk Man, Sensational Sherri, and The Headbangers (Mosh & Thrasher) as playable characters, and Jimmy Hart is included as a manager.
Fans will already notice that the game marks the WWE 2K debut of the Grammy-nominated artist. However, it also marks the return of the featured wrestling legends in the video game series. Honky Tonk Man and Sherri haven’t made an appearance in a WWE game since WWE 2K16, where the former WWF Intercontinental Champion was the only superstar playable. For The Headbangers, they haven’t been playable in a WWE game since WWF Attitude, which came out in 1999.
It’s been long since these legends were made available to WWE 2K fans, but was it worth the wait? I’ve played with each character to give my review on the Post Malone & Friends and will rate it between 1-10. I also won’t count Malone, as comparing a special guest character to people who have wrestled wouldn’t be fair.
WWE 2K24: Sensational Sherri Collage
All Character Models Look Amazing
In my review of the ECW Punk Pack DLC, I was blown away by the job the developers did to make each character model look realistic to their counterparts. I believe the Post Malone & Friends takes the look of each of the characters to another level. Honky Tonk Man, Sherri, and The Headbangers look absolutely incredible and show how much the developers cared about representing each legend.
The standout among the new stars of WWE 2K24 was Sherri. She looks fantastic and almost accurate to her look during her wrestling career. Her attire seems nearly identical to that of when she faced Rockin Robin for the WWE Women’s Championship on December 26, 1987.
There are notable differences like her hair used to be brown. WWE 2K24 gave Sherri black hair, which would resemble her look when she was a manager. It’s small details of these legends that younger fans may not notice, but people who have watched Sherri during her wrestling career may criticize. That said, all of the character models are very close to where their real counterparts were during their wrestling careers, which the majority of fans should love.
One of my complaints from the ECW Punk Pack was that the developers could have done better at having more of the iconic moveset for characters. One example was how The Dudley Boyz(Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) didn’t have one of their signature moves, which I believed should’ve been included. In this latest DLC, the developers did a perfect job getting each legend’s move set to make them unique. Fans will notice how Honky Tank Man and Sherri both have a style that resembles more of the wrestling they did in their careers. Their move set is simplistic but effective.
For example, Sherri has moves in which she utilizes her opponent’s hair to either slam or throw them down. Another example was how well the tag team moves for The Headbangers were in the DLC. I noticed every signature move they did and couldn’t think of a tag move the developers missed. Compared to the move set from The Dudley Boyz, The Headbangers seems flawless and makes it more fun to play with them.
Conclusion
ThePost Malone & Friends DLC sets a high bar for what will come. I thought the ECW Punk Pack was great, but the developers took it to another level with the latest DLC.
The character models are near perfect, and the attention to detail in making each legend use a move set that is natural to them is incredible. When looking at the following slate of new content from WWE 2K24, I believe the Post Malone & Friends is the new standard.
One of the cardinal rules of wrestling is to not blend it in with politics, but with a genre that was birthed out of the carnival grounds, it’s hard to avoid comparisons.
The U.S. Presidential Debate took place on Thursday night with former President Donald Trump going up against current President Joe Biden. This is the earliest debate to ever happen during an election year and it will go down as the most controversial.
For starters, there was no live audience or media in attendance with the expection of the moderators. Secondly, Trump and Biden were not allowed to have notes in front of them and whenever it was not their turn to talk their mics were muted. From both sides of the podium, the performances of Biden and Trump were resoundingly underhwhelming. However, Biden’s performance has been greatly panned, causing voters and pundits alike to question the future of the 2024 election.
RELATED: Donald Trump Reportedly Suggests Separate Divisions In The UFC For Americans & Illegal Immigrants
Despite the debate not being as captivating as the current Bloodline saga, the location of the occurance does have its ties to wrestling history. Donald Trump’s WWE Hall of Fame status notwithstanding, the venue in which the debate was hosted originally played host to classic wrestling. Former WCW announcer David Penzer provided some insight on X.
“Did you know… that the studio that the POTUS Debate is tomorrow is the same studio where Georgia Championship Wrestling and later World Championship Wrestling were taped in the 70’s & 80’s???”
Did you know…
that the studio that the POTUS Debate is tomorrow is the same studio where Georgia Championship Wrestling and later World Championship Wrestling were taped in the 70's & 80's??? pic.twitter.com/ny4OAQwakp
With Trump aiming to secure his second term as President, much of the speculation as to how he patterned his political presence off of Zeb Colter, aka Dutch Mantell during his “For The People” era. It was around that same time when Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.
September 3, 2022. A bevy of wrestlers, both independent and of the TNA ilk filter in and out of a conference room at The Hyatt Regency in Schaumburg, IL. A live stream of WWE Clash At The Castle plays on a projector. Conrad Thompson is there. As is David Crockett. As is Jeff Jarrett. As is Road Dogg. As is Jacob Fatu.
It’s main event time. Drew McIntyre looks to make music against Roman Reigns and Glasgow is the Scotsman’s soundtrack. Everyone, mark and mat expert alike are glued to the action, but an explosion of emotion comes from the right side of the room when Solo Sikoa debuts, infamously costing Drew his shot at WWE gold and adding another inning to The Bloodline story. That energy burst came from Fatu, elated for his cousin. His Uce.
Now that kinship is full circle. Jacob Fatu is in WWE and it’s been a long time coming. The son of The Tonga Kid is getting that chance to shine under Paul Levesque’s watch and we are all in store for something special.
The Samoan Dynasty Epitomized In Jacob Fatu
‘The Samoan Werewolf’ made a debut that would make Lon Chaney Jr. blush as he tore top babyfaces apart protecting Solo Sikoa on SmackDown. This further adds to the chaotic and violent element that Wiseman Paul Heyman has been so fearful of, but behind the scenes Roman’s main counsel has to be grinning like a butcher’s dog at Fatu’s limitless ceiling. Fatu carries the pure presence of Umaga, the cool factor of a “Main Event” Jey Uso, and the pro wrestling acumen of Afa and Sika. He’s got the x-factor to the extreme and will elevate anyone who works with him.
Fatu had the opportunity to show his versatility against an array of talent in Major League Wrestling, most notably feuding with Alex Hammerstone over that World Title gold. He was really put in that top position starting off as the head soldier in CONTRA Unit, dominant as Brock Lesnar was during that same time with no one taking the title off him until he clashed with Hammerstone. Anyone that fell to his wrath were lucky if they literally weren’t body-bagged by his Sentai Death Squad insurgents, but it was a great way to position a monster of many talents.
Fatu’s menace made his eventual babyface all the more meaningful. After his loss to Hammerstone, fans got to see the human side of the San Fran Samoan. Instead of shying away from it, Fatu and MLW embraced Jacob’s troubled past, diving in deep to what made the monster tick. The peeling back of the page put Fatu in an even better spot of connecting with fans. Aside from Cody Rhodes, there may not be one person better at it.
Connection With Legacy & With Fans
Jacob Fatu is as real as a real one comes. Back in 2022, Fatu was in the aforementioned Shaumburg (a suburban purgatory outside of Chicago) for Josh Shernoff’s Premier Wrestling Showcase, a tournament highlighting a who’s who of indie names. Fatu didn’t win, but the fans sure did. The event was paired in tandem with Conrad Thompson’s AdFreeShows’ Top Guy Weekend while also being the same weekend of the infamous All Out 2022. Fatu went out of his way to make himself apart of the festivities in the surrounding area. Instead of partying with the boys, Fatu partied with the fans. He invited them to do whatever he was doing, made them feel included and apart of something special.
Fatu didn’t just respect the fans that weekend, but the legacy of the business as well. In addition to Jeff Jarrett being in the building, so was his father, the late Jerry Jarrett. Fatu had me track down Jerry to make sure he got his photo taken with the Memphis legend. Jerry was grateful and Jacob was beaming. There was no cooler moment to witness seeing two names in the business, separated by several generations make that unique connection – one that will never happen again.
Schaumburg, IL, September 2002. Jacob Fatu stands with the late great Jerry Jarrett. (Photo Credit: Dominic DeAngelo)
From a locker room perspective, Fatu is one to lead by example. He never rah-rahed the troops, but he didn’t need to. Everything he did seemed effortless yet always full of passion and energy. His sense of humor kept the busy environment light-hearted and fun to be around. He should fit right in with what WWE is aiming to cultivate.
Something that will always stand out too is Fatu’s instinct within the ropes. During a match in Philadelphia, Fatu appeared to legitimately hurt his leg doing a move, but worked the whole bout nonetheless. It wasn’t until after the fact where everyone discovered he just did that to sell the match even further. It’s in his blood.
When it’s all said and done, that “Head Of The Table” designation in WWE could very well go to Jacob Fatu. And he’s earned it.
MJF has claimed that he was able to speak with the late Brodie Lee via a medium, after the former AEW TNT Champion’s sudden passing.
Lee, real name Jon Huber, passed away in December 2020 at the age of 41. Lee’s final match would take place in October of that year, where he lost the TNT title to Cody Rhodes. Lee’s cause of death was ruled as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; a rare illness that thickens and stiffens tissue in the lungs.
Over three years after his passing, Lee’s legacy stands strong in AEW and he is remembered fondly by fans and talent alike. Speaking about Lee this week, MJF shared that he initially visited a medium to speak to his grandfather who had passed close to when Lee died.
“Before I left, they said… ‘Whoa, there’s this big individual that has just walked into the room, he’s got a big scraggly beard, and he said he needs you to send a message to his wife.’ and I’m like, who the hell is this? The medium looks at me and goes, ‘his wife’s name is Amanda. Amanda Huber.'”
MJF was “freaked out” by the medium’s comments, and this feeling continued as the medium spoke in the manner and cadence MJF associated with Lee. The conversation ended with Lee sharing a message to MJF to pass on to his widow Amanda.
“I walk up to Amanda at TV the next week, and I tell her this insane story. Her eyes start welling up because she was searching for this message. She had got her answer that day. So even in the afterlife, Brody really loved and cared about his wife and kids.”
Brodie Lee evidently had a profound effect on those who knew him and MJF is just one of many to have been impacted by Lee and the legacy of the late wrestler. To this day, Lee’s influence carries on, with AEW & Reebok teaming up to create new footwear based on the star.
Rey Mysterio is one of the most beloved babyfaces in the history of wrestling business. A story from Natalya only further proves that he is as good of a guy behind the scenes as he is on screen.
The Hart Dynasty member recently had an interview with McKenzie Mitchell. They talked about the different aspects of the WWE star’s ring gears including her iconic jackets and more.
When the topic of wrestling boots came up, Natalya recalled the time Rey Mysterio gifted her a custom made pair of wrestling boots:
“It’s funny. Rey Mysterio. He is somebody that inspired me with wrestling boots. I saw a pair of boots that he was wearing and I said ‘Rey, I love those boots.’ The next week, he showed up with a pair of boots for me.
Actually, he gave me a pair of his own boots. Then he had a special pair custom made for me, which are the silver ones that are on the floor over there. That’s the kind of guy that Rey Mysterio is. He’ll literally take the shoes off of his feet and give them to you.”
One of My Most Special Treasures: Natalya
Natalya mentioned how she has worn the boots on many occasions. This includes WrestleMania 38 when she teamed up with Shayna Baszler to challenge for the Women’s Tag Team Championships:
“I wore these at WrestleMania when I tag teamed with Shayna. They’re so light that you almost don’t even feel [them], they’re just light as a feather. They’re so beautiful. I love them so much. The boots that Rey Mysterio gave me are like, one of my most special treasures.”
Natalya also talked about her early career and named Beth Phoenix as someone who inspired her when she first joined WWE. You can check out what Natalya had to say about her tag team with Phoenix here.
More has come to light regarding Penta El Zero Miedo as his current deal with All Elite Wrestling continues to tick away.
It was recently reported that Penta’s contract with AEW will expire between August and September of this year. Penta joined the All-Elite promotion in February 2019. He is a former AEW World Tag Team Champion with Rey Fenix and the pair are also former AEW World Trios Champions alongside Pac.
Latest On Penta El Zerio Miedo In AEW
Penta is open to leaving AEW and going where the best financial offer is, Dave Meltzer reports. It’s noted that Penta believes that his next contract will be “probably his last big money deal” as the masked wrestler is currently 39 years old. Penta is also said to have “a lot of people counting on him” which has left the talented wrestler with a very difficult decision to make.
Penta On WWE Interest
Should Penta leave AEW for a better financial offer, it’s likely that nowhere else would offer him more than WWE. Speaking on COMIENDO CARNITAS, Penta was coy when asked about whether WWE has its eyes on him.
“I prefer to focus on my present and my present is currently with AEW. If any company like WWE wanted to offer me something, I would need to evaluate because there is a lot of interests on the way.”
Ultimately, Penta El Zero Miedo will do what he feels is best for himself and those who rely on him. Time will tell whether we one day call him a WWE Superstar, but for now, the masked star is focused on his work with AEW.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest missed last night’s SmackDown due to a flight delay.
Last night’s Smackdown emanated from the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City. However, he was forced to miss his scheduled appearance due to some travel issues. Though he is part of the Raw roster, ‘The Archer of Infamy’ was slated to put his title on the line against Jey Uso in a dark match after SmackDown.
However, he informed his fans that there were some flight issues and that he was “trying my best to make it.” Damian Priest couldn’t reach the venue in time for the show as his flight got delayed. Ahead of the show, he took to his X account, he revealed that his flight didn’t take off and was stuck on the runway. He apologized to his fans as he wrote:
“Unfortunately the honor of main eventing The Garden is not possible tonight. Still haven’t taken off. Stuck on a plane in a runway. Very disappointed and apologies to my people. This one hurts. Enjoy the show! #SmackDown I’m sure will be awesome”
Unfortunately the honor of main eventing The Garden is not possible tonight. Still haven't taken off. Stuck on a plane in a runway. Very disappointed and apologies to my people. This one hurts. Enjoy the show! #SmackDown I'm sure will be awesome https://t.co/YpVemY2wsZ
The dark match main event was then changed to a Street Fight between Jey Uso and Finn Balor. The former emerged victorious over The Judgment Day member. There was another dark match in which the former WWE World Tag Team Champions The Miz & R-Truth defeated The Pretty Deadly.
Damian Priest is set to put his World Heavyweight Title on the line against Seth Rollins at Money In The Bank Premium Live Event on Saturday, July 6. The winner of the match will defend the title against Gunther at SummerSlam in August.
On this week’s Raw, Priest and Rollins raised the stakes for their match. The pair agreed to a stipulation that states that should Priest retain, Rollins will be barred from challenging for the title as long as Priest is the Champion. However, if Priest loses, he will have to part ways with The Judgment Day.
Mercedes Mone has said that she has creative control in AEW.
The AEW TBS Champion has been in news recently due to various reasons, including her upcoming champion vs champion match against NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer at Forbidden Door this Sunday.
TMZ sports cameras caught up with the female star ahead of her big match this weekend. Mone was asked if she has finally found the creative control in AEW which she was missing in WWE, and the former Sasha Banks explained that opportunities are endless for her in Tony Khan’s promotion:
“I feel like here at AEW, all of my dreams and opportunity is just endless. So of course, being the TBS champion, and this Sunday at Forbidden Door, I’m about to be two-time champion. I’m gonna be the TBS champion and the New Japan Strong Champion. So yes, this little creativity that I have of taking all the belts, and going global, it’s beautiful.”
It’s A Great Combo: Mercedes Mone
When pressed again, the Mandalorian star claimed that she indeed has creative control in AEW and she works closely with the AEW President on her presentation:
“Yes I have creative control, but I work with Tony Khan very closely, so it’s great, it’s a great combo.”
In a different interview earlier this week, Mercedes Mone had revealed that she was in talks with AEW for 2 years before she finally signed with the company.
It’s very much possible that creative control was one of the reasons why the negotiations ran so long before she made her debut for the promotion during the March 13 episode of Dynamite this year.
Kayla Braxton received a special farewell after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Madison Square Garden went off air.
The WWE broadcaster worked her final show at the world’s most famous arena after announcing her departure from the company last week.
After the show went off air, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made an appearance to honor his dad, Dusty Rhodes, in the same arena where Dusty briefly held the WWWF title before it was taken away from him.
Before his promo, however, Cody mentioned how one member of the WWE family was leaving them after tonight, and brought her out for a final acknowledgment.
Kayla got emotional on receiving a huge applause from the audience. She cut a short promo, thanking the fans for accepting an outsider like her into the business 8 years ago when she first joined the promotion:
What’s Next For Kayla Braxton
Kayla Braxton posted a photo on her Twitter from the arena after the show. She said that she is overwhelmed with emotions and will miss everyone:
I love my WWE family. Thank you guys so much. I’m overwhelmed. I will miss you all but we will see eachother again. ?? pic.twitter.com/41gQipSLsi
It’s been reported that the company was in talks with the female star for a contract renewal but she ultimately chose not to renew her deal.
While Kayla has not revealed plans for her post-WWE career, she did confirm that she will be leaving the wrestling business altogether, instead of joining a rival promotion like AEW.
The experience of working in a live TV environment in a global brand like WWE would surely help Braxton in her next adventure. We wish that she will find success in whatever she chooses to do next.
Cody Rhodes honored his father Dusty Rhodes in a unique way after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Madison Square Garden went off air.
This was an emotional night for The American Nightmare. It was his first appearance as a World Champion, in the same arena where his father briefly held the WWWF Heavyweight Championship before it was taken away from him.
The SmackDown star addressed the crowd after the show went off the air. He mentioned how MSG is where it all began when Dusty Rhodes first traveled to New York from Texas.
The Undisputed WWE Champion went on to cut a short promo about his family’s history before he surprised the fans by bringing out the belt that his father had failed to capture all the decades prior:
Dusty Rhodes challenged Superstar Billy Graham for the WWWF Championship on September 27, 1977. He defeated Graham via a count out and celebrated with the title for a while. It was then announced, however, that the belt could only change hands via pinfall or submission, and the title was returned to Graham.
What Happened On SmackDown
Cody Rhodes was involved in the broadcast of the show. He along with Kevin Owens and Randy Orton attacked The Bloodline led by Solo Sikoa in the opening segment of the night. This came after Jacob Fatu made his debut and took out all three during last week’s SmackDown.
The babyface trio was escorted out of the arena by security and police so they could not interfere in the Bloodline Acknowledgement ceremony in the main event.
During the ceremony, Paul Heyman was brutally attacked by Solo and his cousins after the wiseman refused to acknowledge him as the new Tribal Chief. You can check out what happened with Paul Heyman after this segment here.
Some of WWE NXT’s top Superstars made his presence felt during the latest tapings for TNA Wrestling’s weekly Television show iMPACT!
At the tapings in Philadelphia, PA, Charlie Dempsey of the No Quarter Catch Crew appeared and attacked Trey Miguel, Leon Slater, and a referee. The son of William Regal, Dempsey earned loud NXT chants from the crowd in Philly.
Dempsey is no stranger to appearing for other companies despite being a part of the WWE NXT roster. Earlier this year, he competed for All Japan Pro Wrestling and unsuccessfully challenged for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship. Over WWE WrestleMania weekend, Dempsey was part of Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X as part of GCW’s The Collective.
Dempsey wasn’t the only name from WWE NXT to appear at the TNA iMPACT! tapings. Before the event, it was advertised that TNA Knockout World Champion Jordynne Grace would be defending her title in an open challenge. Her challenge was answered by NXT’s Izzi Dame, but she was unable to dethrone the Juggernaut.
NXT’s Izzi Dame is answering Jordan Grace’s open challenge for the TNA Women’s Championship pic.twitter.com/kHGkWnNq1s
Dame’s arrival in TNA comes after Tatum Paxley challenged Grace for the gold at Against All Odds 2024. Grace herself competed in WWE NXT earlier this year and challenged NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at Battleground 2024.
What’s to Come?
WWE and TNA’s working relationship has built intrigue in both sides, and there is a belief that there will be more down the line. Following Joe Hendry’s appearance at WWE NXT, both companies were pleased with his role and hoped for the collaboration to go further. It remains to be seen who’s next to jump through the ‘Prohibited Portal’ but don’t be surprised if more crossover comes between WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling.
WWE returned to their home turf in Madison Square Garden, NYC for the latest episode of SmackDown with the new Bloodline being in front and center of the show.
The opening segment of tonight’s show saw Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens and Randy Orton attacking The Bloodline after Jacob Fatu took them out in his debut last week. Nick Aldis had to bring in a lot of security to break things up and the babyface trio were then escorted out of the arena.
The main event of the show was the announced Bloodline Acknowledgement ceremony, where Solo Sikoa first introduced his enforcer Jacob Fatu and then demanded that the MSG crowd acknowledge him.
Sikoa then asked each member of the group to acknowledge him separately and they all obliged. Finally, he placed a lei in Heyman’s hands to officially declare him the new Tribal Chief.
However, Heyman was attacked brutally when he refused to do so. The show ended with Fatu putting the lei on Sikoa and the Bloodline standing tall.
WWE has since released a video of Heyman being escorted out of the arena in a stretcher after this week’s SmackDown went off air:
Apart from the Bloodline chaos, tonight’s show only featured three triple-threat matches in which, Naomi, LA Knight, and Tiffany Stratton all qualified for their respective Money In The Bank matches.
WWE also paid tribute to Hall of Famer Sika Anoa’i, who passed away earlier this week. You can check out more details on it here.
Joe Hendry has revealed how Cody Rhodes stuck his neck out to get him a job which was an important stop in the journey to his current popularity.
The TNA star recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. He talked about things such as his song going viral, how well TNA management has treated him, and more.
During the interview, he was asked about Cody Rhodes and Hendry mentioned that the two met at What Culture Pro Wrestling. He revealed that it was around the same time as the inception of AEW.
At the time Joe Hendry may not have been ready for a spot in AEW but the American Nightmare still helped him get in touch with ROH officials:
“We were on the same tour right around the time that he was starting AEW. Obviously, at the time, that might not be the right fit, but rather than just be like, ‘No,’ Cody came to me, he says, ‘Listen, I think Ring of Honor is Interested in you’ I was like ‘Really?’
He’s like, ‘ but you’re not under contract?’ Because I’d done stuff with TNA when it was Impact back in 2018. I think there was the assumption that I was under contract, but I’d just done a handful of shows.”
Joe Hendry mentioned that the deal with ROH was done within 5 minutes. According to him, the experience he gained at the company was very valuable to his journey:
“So Cody set up that call with me and Ring of Honor. Honestly, it was like, deal was done in five minutes. So all of this happened because of that call, because I wouldn’t have got to TNA if I didn’t have…I did the first Ring of Honor show back with the new ownership.
So if I hadn’t have my time at Ring of Honor, I learned so much, that I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing right now. So I definitely owe Cody Rhodes a cigar, for sure.”
Joe Hendry returned to ROH in 2018 after a brief stint in 2016 and he was officially signed to a contract in 2019. He was featured regularly on the promotion until the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cease operations.
Hendry was also part of Supercard of Honor XV in April 2022, the first ROH show under the leadership of Tony Khan. He then signed a contract with Impact Wrestling in September that year and has been a part of the promotion ever since.
Salina de la Renta is pregnant and from a storyline perspective, it could cause ripples within the operations of Major League Wrestling.
Salina revealed her pregnancy during the MLW ’24 Anniversary Show on June 22, weeks after the diabolical Cesar Duran dropped the bombshell that he was her long-estranged father. That shocking news was dropped during Battle Riot VI and de la Renta was clearly shaken by the family ties.
However, Salina decided to take the power in her own hands by giving Duran a belated “Father’s Day gift,” showing that Cesar was soon to be a grandfather. Duran showed astonishment but eventually displayed enthusiam for the prospect.
If fans had any doubt that Salina’s pregnancy was storylined-based, both de la Renta and MLW disregard such speculation with Salina actually revealing her baby bump online.
Duran did lean into the controversy of all by posting “what a scandal” on X.
Duran and de la Renta have been at odds for years on MLW programming as it’s been a constant power struggle between the father and daughter duo. At one time Duran was appointed as MLW matchmaker, but now strictly finds himself in a managerial role, just like de la Renta has been.
Salina just made her return to Major League Wrestling earlier this year and her contention with Duran culminated at Azteca Lucha, a sold-out show in Chicago. Both Duran and Salina had luchadores compete against one another in order to earn the rights to a mysterious key, but the battle turned to a stalemate. Now with it becoming a family affair, the drama will continue between the two talents.
The next event on tap for MLW is Blood & Thunder which takes place on July 12 in St. Petersburg, FL.
If you thought Swerve Strickland was a man on an island heading into Forbidden Door against Will Ospreay, think again.
Strickland happened to team with his opponent on the go-home episode of AEW Dynamite to face The Gates Of Agony. Swerve and Ospreay ended up winning the fight, but not without their share of trouble. Ospreay accidentally kicked Swerve in the face and post-match, it prompted Swerve to drop Ospreay. The AEW Collision elevated that tension ahead of Sunday.
Fan footage has Swerve and Will confronting one another on the entryway ahead of their big Forbidden Door battle. Swerve once more broke a cardinal rule of Will’s by once again bringing up his family, but this time the champ had some literal big back-up.
EJ Nduka happened to be standing behind Swerve as he mentioned Ospreay’s wife and it led to a pull apart brawl onstage, with Kyle Fletcher and Nduka taking swings at one another.
As #AEW readies for Forbidden Door this weekend, the go-home of #AEWCollision tapings had Swerve Strickland confronting Will Ospreay.
Nduka has been a blue chip acquisition by AEW since 2023, but The Judge had yet to make his TV debut until this coming Saturday. Nduka impressed Tony Khan and AEW in a memorable tryout match against Konosuke Takeshita, but has been kept on the back-burner since. The Judge was in WWE developmental for a time, but was released during the pandemic.
EJ eventually found opportunity to hone his craft in Major League Wrestling as he was a dominant force on their programming. Along with Calvin Tankman, Nduka captured the MLW World Tag Team Titles and Nduka also had a World Title program with then champion, Alex Hammerstone
Natalya has been a part of WWE for more than 17 years. She has had a very successful career in WWE and it’s no surprise that the former Women’s Champion is a role model for many young female fans who aspire to become a wrestler one day.
The Hart family member recently had an interview with McKenzie Mitchell. She talked about things such as her start in wrestling, getting to compete in the first-ever women’s match in Saudi Arabia and more.
When asked if there were any female talents, she herself idolized while climbing the WWE ladder, Natalya took the name of Beth Phoenix without hesitation:
“Beth Phoenix. I had never met her prior to working in WWE. I remember like she debuted and I was just getting hired, I was like, ‘I like that she’s different. I like that she’s not your typical Barbie doll, she’s beautiful, and she’s strong, and she loves wrestling.’ It’s funny because she messaged me when I got hired by WWE on MySpace.
Beth Phoenix messaged me on MySpace and she’s like, ‘Hey I’m Beth. My whole childhood I grew up idolizing your family and I just had heard that there was a female Hart getting into the business. I wanted to reach out and just introduce myself.’ Long story short. We’ve been best friends ever since.”
There’s Only So Many Colors In The Rainbow
Natalya would later get the chance to share the ring with her idol and the two even formed a tag team named Divas of Doom. The Canadian star recalled how the two had a lot of fun working together including working on their gear:
“Beth always wanted to pay homage to my family with pink and black. You know, we got these little sparkly study-like spikes made for one of our costumes. We always wanted to match each other.
I remember Beth coming up to me and going ‘Would you mind if I got pink and black in my gear,’ and I was like ‘Oh my gosh Beth, I will be honored and also I don’t own pink and black.’ There’s only so many colors in the rainbow for us to use.”
While the tag team came to an end after Phoenix retired from active competition in 2012, Natalya has continued being a featured superstar in the women’s division. She most recently competed in the Queen of the Ring tournament, being eliminated by IYO SKY.
Actor-turned-pro-wrestler Paul Walter Hauser has been added to the Major League Wrestling (MLW) roster.
Hauser recently competed in MLW Battle Riot IV and seemingly impressed the management as he has now officially become a part of the roster. The New York-based promotion’s official X account announced that Paul Walter Hauser’s fighter bio is live on their official website.
Paul Walter Hauser shared his thoughts and said that he was “very excited” after being added to the MLW roster. He said:
Paul Walter Hauser gained attention of the fans across the globe with his performances in popular TV roles. He has also been a part of several movies and series including “Inside Out 2” and “Cobra Kai” and even bagged a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.
The Golden Globe winner transitioned into a pro wrestler after having a successful acting career. He made his pro wrestling debut last year. Hauser has made a handful of appearances at wrestling shows. He also appeared on an edition of AEW Dynamite where Jeff Jarrett and co. stole his Golden Globe Award.
Hauser has competed in seven matches in his pro wrestling career. Apart from MLW, the 37-year-old star has worked in Pro Wrestling Revolver, where he had the majority of his bouts. His recent match took place against Danhausen at REVOLVER Cage of Horrors 3 on June 22.
Popular wrestler and MLW alum Paul London has been helping Hauser with pro wrestling training and it seems Hauser is not stopping anytime soon.
WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura will have quite the role to play at the upcoming UFC 303 event, in the latest sign of synergy between the two companies.
In an interview with Mizugaki Takeya, fighter Tsuruya Rei spoke of his debut match for UFC at this week’s event. Rei revealed during the interview that WWE’s resident King of Strong Style will be in his corner for the upcoming fight with Carlos Hernandez The fight will be a part of the early preliminary card and broadcast on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass.
More has come to light about the WWE exit of Dijak which has come as a surprise to fans and those within the company alike.
This week, it was confirmed by Dijak that he will be leaving the promotion once his contract expires on June 28. The 37-year-old wrestler called up to the main roster this year made clear that WWE ‘stonewalled’ any attempts to discuss a new deal. He also claimed that he was set to feud for the WWE NXT Championship before his call-up to Raw as part of the 2024 WWE Draft.
Dijak learned that WWE would not be re-signing him at some point following his WWE Spped match with Xavier Woods, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports. This match aired on the June 19, edition of WWE’s exclusive show on Twitter/X but it is unclear when exactly the decision was made by higher-ups. Dijak himself told Fightful that he had theories that WWE had planned to let his deal expire for a while.
Dijak was wary that something was ‘up’ after he was not used for weeks following his call-up to the main roster. There were several weeks where Dijak was not brought to tapings. When he was, plans were often shifted around between WWE Main Event and WWE Speed tapings. It’s noted that there were no creative plans in place for when he was called up.
Roster Response to Dijak
Dijak was well-liked within WWE and NXT and was praised by officials in the company, Corey Brennan of Fighful Select reports. Shawn Michaels was said to be a big supporter of Dijak despite the two having minor disagreements about creative differences in the past. The NXT head personally called Dijak to welcome him back to WWE NXT following his run as T-Bar on the main roster. Talent were also surprised that Dijak wasn’t featured as a regular on Raw after being called up.
What’s Next?
There is interest in and outside wrestling in Dijak, with two promotions in Europe set to reach out to him for possible appearances. Major companies have been in contact with Dijak’s management to gauge things, Sapp reports. During the conference call for AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door, AEW President Tony Khan was asked about Dijak but opted not to discuss the matter given that Dijak remained with WWE at the time of the call.
Since joining the Raw brand, Breakker has been on a path to becoming a threat to the division. He has yet to lose a match ‘Clean’ on the main roster and has wins over Ricochet and Ilja Dragunov. In addition to his performances, the fans have gotten behind the former NXT Champion and have started to do his signature bark whenever he does it in his matches.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has also taken notice of Breakker’s rise on the main roster and sees an incredible future for the former NXT Champion. In an interview with Bill Apter for Wrestlebinge, Hogan praised Breakker’s run thus far and believes he could be the company’s next big superstar.
“He’s something else. He’s wise beyond his years. Number one, to be that intense and to know the red lights on, and to be able to stay in that zone. It’s very impressive, so if they do the right thing with him, that could be your next Stone Cole, Rock, or Hulk Hogan. He can be the guy,” said Hogan.
The wrestling legend shared that he also sees Goldberg’s superstar potential in Breakker. Hogan hopes Breakker continues to grow as a performer and seeks wisdom from other wrestlers who have been in the business longer than he has.
What’s Next For Bron Breakker?
On the June 24 episode of Raw, Breakker had another strong performance in a disqualification loss to Ludwig Kaiser. The finish came when Sheamus interfered to cost the former NXT Champion the win. Although he didn’t win, he confronted Raw General Manager Adam Pierce to get an opportunity to challenge WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn.
The champion would overhear the conversation and allow Breakker to challenge him anytime. Breakker would call his shot to take on Zayn for the title at the Money In The Bank on July 6, which Pierce made official.
It’s unclear if WWE intends to have Breakker win the WWE Intercontinental Championship this soon into his main roster career. However, the matchup will be another milestone in his career and a promising start to becoming WWE’s next big superstar.
WWE and Manchester City have announced an exclusive merchandise collaboration, featuring six T-shirts that blend Manchester City and WWE designs, including shirts inspired by CM Punk, Becky Lynch, Roman Reigns, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. It also introduces a new name and number style for Manchester City players, incorporating the WWE logo, to be worn during their preseason tour in the U.S.
WWE Superstars Bayley and Baron Corbin will be on hand at CityStore in New York City on this Friday, June 28 to celebrate the launch.
The WWE x Manchester City collection is now available at WWE Shop:
Here’s the full press release sent in to SEScoops:
MANCHESTER CITY AND WWE ® LAUNCH EXCLUSIVE MERCHANDISE COLLABORATION
Manchester City and WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), have today announced details of an exclusive merchandise collaboration, that will see the two globally recognised brands featured together across a range of new products.
The new collection will include six T-shirts featuring Manchester City and WWE detailing, such as a CM Punk best team in the land and all the world T-shirt and other tee’s featuring Becky Lynch, Roman Reigns and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin design inspiration.
As part of the collaboration, Manchester City and WWE have jointly designed a new name and number style that our players will wear in all of our games that we play during our preseason tour of America this summer. The design features the WWE logo within the number and a red outline.
Fans will be able to access the new range of t-shirts by visiting shop.mancity.com, WWEShop.com and Fanatics.com. Additionally, it will be available in the recently opened pop-up CityStore at Rockefeller Center, New York.
To celebrate the launch and ahead of WWE Friday Night SmackDown taking place at Madison Square Garden, WWE Women’s Champion Bayley and WWE Superstar Baron Corbin will be visiting the CityStore on 6th Avenue in New York on Friday 28th June between 10am and 11am for an exclusive meet and greet with fans. The Premier league trophy will also be in store on Friday and over the weekend.
Serena Gosling, Director of Integrated Fan Experience and Retail & Licensing at Manchester City, said: “We are excited to announce the launch of our exclusive retail collaboration with WWE today. As a club, we’re always exploring new ways to enhance our retail offering for our fans across the globe and collaborations like this with WWE are part of that ongoing strategy.
“In addition, today’s announcement offers a further touchpoint for our fans within the US and beyond to engage with the club, ahead of men’s first team visit this summer.”
