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AEW Star Hopes For Less Tribalism Amid Tony Khan-Jinder Mahal Conflict

Thomas Lowson
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One All Elite Wrestling star is hoping to see less tribalism among wrestling fans, following the recent furor over the booking of Jinder Mahal. 

On this week’s WWE Monday Night Raw, Mahal confronted World Heavyweight Champion Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins. After a verbal back-and-forth, the pair brawled. It was later confirmed that a title match would take place between the pair on next week’s episode of the Red brand. 

AEW star Wants Less Tribalism

The booking of Mahal hasn’t gone unnoticed by AEW President Tony Khan, who has had some choice words for the use of the Modern-Day Maharajah. Khan took aim at Mahal, the USA Network, and Eric Bischoff in his latest Twitter outburst. In response, Mahal questioned as to who FTW Champion Hook is in a post that has since been deleted. 

Now, AEW star Dustin Rhodes has weighed into the matter. While not addressing Khan’s comments of the various responses, Rhodes asked for fans to just enjoy wrestling, and to “lighten up on the tribalism.”

WWE commentator Corey Graves would have his own response to the controversy.

Tony Khan’s Twitter

This is hardly the first time that Tony Khan has run his mouth on social media. When AEW Dynamite and WWE NXT went head-to-head last October, Khan took aim at WWE and dubbed Triple H and Shawn Michaels “bald a**holes.” Khan did a lot of talking in the run-up to the head-to-head, so it was pretty embarrassing when NXT comfortably beat Dynamite. While NXT scored one of its highest ratings of all time, AEW Dynamite scored its worst score in close to two years. 

Jinder Mahal Speaks Out After Tony Khan Name Drops Him In Latest Social Media Outburst

Aaron Varble
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Tony Khan saw that the USA Network’s official X account took a jab at him and his love of Cagematch ratings. The situation escalated quickly, and Jinder Mahal became more than aware that his name was brought into the conversation.

Tony Khan’s Unexpected Reply

Tony Khan’s most recent slew of posts on X was documented on SE Scoops. As you are probably aware, the AEW President threw shade at WWE’s booking for Jinder Mahal, as a Superstar who hadn’t won in nearly a year, but he is still getting a WWE World Heavyweight Title shot. 

Tony Khan made an argument in that post that Hook, who has a 28-1 record, is also deserving of a World Title shot.

A double standard: @730hook 28-1 career record, on winning streak calls out the Champ, a logical challenge sparks online outrage Jinder has literally lost every single match he’s in for the past year, immediately gets title shot, where is the rage #AEWDynamite TOMORROW on TBS

Jinder Mahal Replies To Tony Khan

Jinder Mahal has a huge match against Seth Rollins on January 15th’s episode of WWE RAW. The Modern Day Maharaja saw what Tony Khan posted, but he is not going to let that distract him.

Mahal, instead of getting petty or firing off a vengeful reply, simply acted like he didn’t know who Hook is. He also took the opportunity to plug the upcoming episode of RAW in a now-deleted post. 

Who tf is Hook? WATCH MONDAY NIGHT RAW ON USA NETWORK MONDAY 8PM EST!

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It was not lost on anyone that Jinder also tagged the USA Network account that was responsible for this entire chain of events. As of this writing, the USA Network has not followed-up, but we have to wonder if they will post the Cagematch rating for Seth Rollins and Jinder Mahal’s WWE World Heavyweight Title match when the numbers are released. 

Matt Riddle Claims He Was Slated To Win Money In The Bank Match Until Right Before The Show

Aaron Varble
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Matt Riddle was released from WWE in September, and he is now navigating the pro wrestling scene, doing his own thing along the way. He saw a lot in WWE, and it seems that he was also denied some major opportunities.

Matt Riddle’s Big Money in the Bank Claim

During a virtual signing hosted by Signed By Superstars, Riddle candidly discussed various aspects of his career during the two-hour session. He said that the Royal Rumble match win in 2022 was his, until Brock Lensar refused to put him over. He also claimed the Money in the Briefcase was also his for a time, but Vince McMahon picked his new favorite at the time to win instead.

The Original Bro revealed that he was originally scheduled to win the 2022 men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match. However, plans took a turn, with Vince McMahon favoring Austin Theory.

“Wanna hear something else cool? I was supposed to win Money in the Bank but Vince (McMahon) really likes Austin Theory and literally hours before, they changed it and Austin was added in and threw me off the ladder. After I took two huge ladder bumps off the RKO and everything else and it’s like… But, I love Austin Theory and I’m happy for him. Keep killing it bro.”‘

Theory was Vince McMahon protégée during that angle that didn’t really get to finalize before Vince McMahon’s retirement. Austin Theory was then stuck with the Money in the Bank briefcase after that, something that hindered him more than anything. Then WWE got the briefcase off him, and he’s been much better off since then.

Riddle may get another chance to compete in a Royal Rumble or Money in the Bank match. No WWE return is off the table at this point, and that’s one thing we all learned after watching CM Punk return at Survivor Series last year. We do know that Riddle claimed that he is not bitter about his WWE release, but that doesn’t give him any shortage of things to say.

Matt Riddle After WWE

The Original Bro is going to be busy, even if he’s not making dates for WWE anymore. At MLW Kings of Colosseum, Matt Riddle made his return to in-ring action for the first time since being released by WWE. This comeback also extends to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he openly challenged World TV Champion and company President Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Tony Khan Targets WWE’s Jinder Mahal In Latest Twitter Tirade

Aaron Varble
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Tony Khan’s X account has 399.7K followers, and every single one of them are well aware that his account could explode at any moment with an unexpected post. The AEW President did not disappoint today.

How it started

This week during WWE Raw, the official USA Network X account replied to former Wrestling Inc owner Raj Giri, who was acknowledging the history between Seth Rollins and Jinder Mahal. 

The two former WWE Champions participated in a promo battle on the show and are set to compete for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship next week on the January 15th episode of RAW. 

The response included a question about the Cagematch rating, seemingly taking a dig at AEW President Tony Khan, who often highlights the high Cagematch.net scores that AEW pay-per-views, shows, and matches receive.

The USA Network responded to Giri’s post to simply ask: What was the Cagematch rating?” This response blew up within the internet wrestling community, as fans both commended and criticized the account’s zero chill remark.

Tony Khan takes a shot at Jinder Mahal and WWE Booking

On January 9th, Tony Khan logged onto X, where he laid down a post about double standards. AEW has often been lauded as a “challenger brand,” and Khan was not shy about comparing Jinder Mahal’s WWE World Heavyweight Title shot to Hook being a logical challenger for Samoa Joe’s AEW World Title. 

A double standard: @730hook 28-1 career record, on winning streak calls out the Champ, a logical challenge sparks online outrage Jinder has literally lost every single match he’s in for the past year, immediately gets title shot, where is the rage #AEWDynamite TOMORROW on TBS

… and keeps tweeting

Tony Khan was not finished there. He then directed a reply directly at the USA Network’s post asking about a Cagematch rating. The AEW President pointed out that Jinder Mahal has gone a full year without winning a match, yet he’s getting a big match opportunity.

A moral victory for USA is one win more than their World Title challenger Jinder Mahal has in the past 364 days… because it’s been literally a full year since he won a match. You really put AEW in our place getting Jinder Mahal in a big match on your tv show. Do it more often.

Jinder Mahal Reacts

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal replied to Tony Khan’s tweets about him and shut down in the situation in true ‘Modern Day Maharaja’ fashion.

Khan is familiar with expressing his thoughts and sparking discussions on social media. Last year, the AEW President shared a retweet, discussing how Shawn Michaels and Triple H aimed to convey a message to him through a loaded-up WWE NXT episode when their shows were in direct competition. He then proceeded to throw down a post where he called the WWE higher-ups “bald *ssholes.” 

Eric Bischoff Jumps In the Fray and things get even uglier

Tony Khan and Eric Bischoff directed some fiery tweets at each other in the aftermath of this situation. Bischoff called Khan a clown via emoji, and Tony replied by channeling the great Joan Collins to tell Bischoff he’s a ‘miserable has-been.’

A fan posted on X to say, “Tony forgets that he literally gave Abadon a title shot after being off AEW TV for over a year…. the same exact situation as Jinder.” Eric Bischoff noticed that post on X, and he replied to ask Tony Khan, “Hey Tony Khan is this true or is it a bot?”

Tony Khan then replied to Eric Bischoff, as he backed up his booking of Abadon.

No @EBischoff, not true at all. Abadon returned to AEW + then they won a 4 way match on TNT against other great wrestlers to earn a title shot, which is completely different than someone going a full year losing every match they’re in + getting a title shot without a single win.”

Tony Khan then followed that post up with another which said: “Reading would be your friend, Eric.”

Eric Bischoff promptly responded to Tony Khan, addressing AEW’s leader while referencing a Dave Meltzer quote.

“Oh kid, my reading comprehension skills are wizard like. By the way, that was one of @davemeltzerWON wicked comebacks whenever he’d get called out on his bs. Coincidence or are you really that deep?”

More reactions

Here are some more reactions from the wrestling world at Tony Khan’s latest Twitter activity:

Dragon Lee’s Visa Issues Seem To Be Cleared Up Before 1/9 WWE NXT

Aaron Varble
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WWE’s NXT brand was missing a big piece for their puzzle when Dragon Lee couldn’t make the trip back to the United States after the new year. Some documentation needed to be straightened up that 2024 undoubtably caused, but that situation is apparently okay now.

Spoiler on Dragon Lee’s WWE NXT Return

It was noted on Fightful Select that Corey Brennan has learned that Dragon Lee’s Visa situation has cleared up. He is slated to be on this week’s episode, where he will defend the NXT North American Title.

It would appear Dragon Lee’s visa situation got handled, as he is slated to defend the North American Title against Lexis King in the show’s main event.

Dragon Lee promised to be a fighting NXT North American Champion. After he won the title from Dominik Mysterio, there was also no shortage of celebration. Now, he will get to continue his reign as champion.

Carlito filled in for Dragon Lee at New Year’s Evil. The freshly-returned SmackDown Superstar led his LWO allies to victory over Drew Gulak, Myles Borne, and Damon Kemp. For good measure, Carlito delivered his trademark apple-spit spot to Gulak after the match.

WWE NXT airs at 8:00 PM EST on the USA Network. Dragon Lee is expected to be on this week’s show, if you would like to see the rest of the spoilers that Fightful Select posted, then you may find that below.

WWE NXT Spoilers for 1/9 Episode: 

  • Nikkita Lyons vs. Blair Davenport is scheduled to open.
  • NXT Tag Titles: D’Angelo & Stacks defend against OTM
  • Gigi Dolin vs. Cora Jade
  • Dusty Classic: Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker vs. Gallus
  • Dusty Classic: Axiom & Nathan Frazer vs. Hank Walker & Tank Ledger

AEW Star Rey Fenix Is Working Hard Toward His In-Ring Return

Aaron Varble
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AEW stars are not immune to injury, and this is all too apparent every time someone goes out of action for an extended period of time. Although Rey Fenix has been out of action since October, he is making strides for his return to the ring.

Fenix’s Injury Status

On October 2nd, Fenix dropped a post on Instagram, explaining how he became aware of his current injury. He wanted to be International Champion for AEW, but it just was not in the cards for him. He promised to keep battling in the ring, where he will leave it all, but that injury needed to be addressed.

The international championship has been a big challenge.The night I became champion, I left the arena with the championship in my hands and with an old injury bothering me again. My first defense was painful, it did not allow the pain to stop me and continue until the fight was over, this coming Wednesday will be my second defense and I am doing my best to enter that ring and retain the champion.I will defend this beautiful championship in any situation, a Luchador does not give up, a Luchador will always leave everything in every battle. I am a real Luchador and the man of a thousand lives, nothing and no one is going to stop me. 

Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Fenix’s injury concerns his back, his hip, or possibly both, which poses challenges for the AEW star. He has been through a lot in his career, so the damage he put his body through understandably mounted up on him.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:Cx6BheogAbG

Fenix Nearing In-Ring Return For AEW

In a recent interview with Denise Salcedo, Rey Fenix provided an update on his recovery efforts, acknowledging this injury as one of his most severe. Despite the setback, Fenix remains optimistic about making a return to the squared circle in the near future.

“We are working on the injury. It’s one of the worst, but I’m taking my time. I’m doing a good job with my recovery. I clear everything with the doctors. I’m following the doctor’s line. I’m doing my best and I think I think that soon I will be in the ring doing lucha libre, the thing that makes me so happy.”

Future Possibilities For The Death Triangle in AEW

AEW currently has several wrestlers sidelined due to injuries, and they are all in varying stages of rehabilitation. Despite being out of action, Fenix is putting in the effort to recover and return to the ring.

The Death Triangle, Fenix, Penta, and PAC, haven’t been full in AEW for some time. PAC has also been out of action with an injury, but 2024 may see the former AEW Trios Champions’ full-fledged return.

Katsuyori Shibata Plans to End His Wrestling Career in AEW

Thomas Lowson
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Katsuyori Shibata doesn’t know when his wrestling career will come to an end but intends to spend the rest of his career in AEW. 

Shibata officially became All-Elite last month but has been competing for the promotion since 2022. Merely getting to this point is a huge feat for Shibata, who suffered a subdural hematoma in 2017 after a bout with Kazuchika Okada. At the time, it was thought that Shibata’s career had ended, but he would make a return to the ring at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 in early 2022. 

Katsuyori Shibata Wants to End His Career in AEW

Speaking to Tokyo Sports, Shibata commented on his health and his tenure with AEW thus far, compared to his run with New Japan. 

“I can’t work as an affiliated fighter. I guess that (New Japan’s decision) is not wrong. But if there is no place for me, then there is no reason for me to be here. I’ve regained a lot of my senses after competing in AEW, and I feel like I want to finish my career here.”

Shibata was also asked about his health. 

“I’ve been checked by a doctor, and I’ve given him a medical certificate. If I don’t clear it, I can’t compete.”

Shibata’s most recent match took place on the November 25, episode of AEW Rampage, where he lost the ROH Pure Championship to Wheeler Yuta. He has also challenged for the AEW International Championship and the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship. 

Matt Riddle Reveals Creative Plan To Dismantle RK-Bro Team In WWE

Aaron Varble
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WWE released Matt Riddle from his contract in September, and while that was a surprise, many fans are now wondering what could have been. RK-Bro won’t get another run, but there were apparently plans to end their team anyway. 

The Rise of RK-Bro in WWE

Randy Orton and Matt Riddle formed an unconventional tag team in 2021. Although Orton tried, Riddle was persistent, and it created some television gold for WWE.

Originally slated to be a very short angle, RK-Bro caught fire. Soon, fans all over were cheering for the team as they carried on their weekly soap opera storyline. 

Initially, The Viper and The Original Bro had a dysfunctional dynamic, but their chemistry evolved into a cohesive tag teams. After winning the RAW Tag Team Titles, they had a nice run as champions before losing a title unification match to The Usos, and then Orton took off for 18 months.

Original Plan For RK-Bro’s Breakup

During an appearance on Signed by Superstars, Matt Riddle was asked about WWE’s plans for him and Randy Orton before his release. While being cautious not to divulge too much information, given the possibility of a WWE return, the King of Bros did reveal that there were plans for a storyline involving a heel turn for one of the two members of the RK-Bro team.

”Plan was — well we were hoping it… I don’t wanna really say how, because if I do return and then we do the story — yeah, I would say eventually all teams eventually turn on each other. I don’t wanna give the spoiler of who was gonna turn on who.”

Riddle did not specify who would be turning heel in that scenario. Orton went out of action with a back injury, one that required back fusion surgery; and that injury for the Apex Predator ended the RK-Bro team. So, a heel turn was never needed.

Exclusive Insight into RK-Bro’s Reunion Plans

After Matt Riddle was released, I reached out to inquire about RK-Bro, because I was curious. I was told by members of the creative team that there was never any plan to reunite RK-Bro.

There was never any talk of getting Matt Riddle back together with Randy Orton after The Viper’s return. Of course, Riddle was fired in September, two months prior to Orton’s Survivor Series return, where he snapped that 18-month hiatus from in-ring competition. 

Cody Rhodes: CM Punk’s Great & The Rock Electrifies, But I’m Not Flinching

Thomas Lowson
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Cody Rhodes won’t let the recent returns of CM Punk and The Rock deter him from finishing the story and becoming a WWE World Champion. 

Since returning to WWE, Rhodes has made it clear he plans on winning the title that his father never officially held. At the 2023 Royal Rumble event, Rhodes won the Men’s Rumble match, earning a shot at Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. At WrestleMania 39, Rhodes would fail to ‘finish the story’ in a shocking loss that left those in the industry in awe. 

Cody Rhodes Isn’t Flinching

Up until a few weeks back, it seemed a certainty that Rhodes would win the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble and finally dethrone Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Unfortunately for the American Nightmare, the return of CM Punk at Survivor Series as well as the return of The Rock on the Day 1 Raw has left his future less clear. 

Though his long-awaited win over Roman Reigns appears to be slipping away, Cody Rhodes remains defiant that he can stand up to any WWE Superstar put in front of him. The American Nightmare made that clear when speaking with SI. 

“The Rock is The Great One–he’s still electrifying. CM Punk is one of the greatest stars in the history of wrestling. I know what I’m up against. Look at the roster–it’s loaded with stars. But that doesn’t bother me. I’m not flinching. I’m not rooting against anyone else, I’m just working to make it happen.”

No matter what comes next for Cody Rhodes, expect the American Nightmare to be his always-generous self… 

LA Knight Took Pay Cut To Make WWE Return & Was Miserable Under Vince McMahon’s Creative Vision

Aaron Varble
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LA Knight is riding a huge wave of momentum at 41-years-old. He is anything but a flash in the pan, although WWE was originally cautious about dropping a lot of merchandise for him due to that concern. Now, he can look back and see what he had to go through, and he has quite a story to tell.

LA Knight’s Road To WWE

LA Knight inked a developmental contract with WWE back in 2013, but his time there didn’t pan out, as he was released in August 2014. Naturally, this turn of events didn’t bring him any joy, but it didn’t kill his determination to make it to the top of the pro wrestling world.

Knight gained popularity as Eli Drake in Impact Wrestling, establishing himself as a major star due to his impressive promo skills and in-ring abilities. He later went to the NWA, where that Namer of Dummies character went with him. These factors paved the way for his eventual return to WWE a few years later.

While speaking to Chris Van Vliet of Insight, LA Knight disclosed that upon his return to WWE, he accepted a pay cut. This was a decision he was fully aware of. He willingly took the cut, confident that he could bet on himself to eventually earn more money.

”So finally, when I did make the jump over there, there was a little bit of not necessarily negotiation, but it was just kind of like, I knew I was going to have to take a pay cut coming in. But I was willing to take the pay cut on the bet that I could turn it into much more. Because I had hit the ceiling basically in IMPACT. And I had an awesome time (in) NWA for that little bit that we were able to do before the pandemic hit.”

LA Knight Was Miserable Working With Vince McMahon’s Creative

After making his way from NXT to the WWE main roster, Vince McMahon changed LA Knight’s name to Max Dupri. That creative shift did not result in much success.

The former Eli Drake went on to open up about how this time as a male modeling agent made his miserable with creative. That was Vince McMahon’s vision, and he was calling the shots.

“(Vince McMahon) had a vision for this thing that put such a microscope on it and I didn’t know what the hell it was… and it just wasn’t going well. I was very unhappy, and I’m sure he probably was, and then at some point it was just like all of a sudden I’m not on TV, and I’m like, well, I’m pretty sure I’m fired. I’m pretty sure this whole ride is over.”

What’s Next For LA Knight in WWE?

LA Knight has a much different position in WWE now. He is 1/4 of the Undisputed Universal Title match at the Royal Rumble on January 27th. He will battle with AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and Triple H with the biggest title on SmackDown on the line. That match at Tropicana Field may turn out to be a massive notch in his belt, as LA Knight has gone through a lot to get him to this point. 

Shelton Benjamin’s First Post-WWE Booking Revealed

Thomas Lowson
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Shelton Benjamin is coming to Pro Wrestling REVOLVER’s upcoming event in March, in his first booking since his release from WWE. 

The Gold Standard was among those released in September 2023, in the first wave of cuts following the launch of TKO Group Holdings. Benjamin’s most recent tenure with WWE kicked off in 2016 though he wouldn’t compete until the following year. During this run, Benjamin held the Raw Tag Team Championships (with Cedric Alexander) and the 24/7 Championship. 

Benjamin’s Post-WWE Booking

Shelton Benjamin will be a part of the REVOLVER ‘Ready or Not’ event on March 16, the promotion has confirmed. Fans will have the chance to meet the former Superstar before the show. 

Wrestling REVOLVER: Ready or Not

Fans will be able to watch Benjamin’s match, and the rest of the show, on Triller TV+ (formerly Fite TV). The show will take place at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa. Benjamin isn’t the only former Superstar fans can expect for the show, as ‘Indy God’ Matt Cardona has also been announced. Other names announced for the event include Sami Callihan, Masha Slamovich, Jake Crist, The Rascalz, SGC, Killer Kelly, and Steve Maclin.

TNA Wrestling World Champion Alex Shelley has also been announced, as has Paul Walter Hauser of Netflix’s Cobra Kai. At this time, only one match has been announced, a dream match between ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey and Marina Shafir. 

Shelton Benjamin is ready to take the wrestling world by storm, but he isn’t the only notable free agent in wrestling at the moment… 

Matt Riddle Says Brock Lesnar Refused To Let Him Win WWE Royal Rumble

Aaron Varble
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Matt Riddle was released from WWE in September last year, and he is already filling up his 2024 with dates. He will not have a match against Brock Lesnar, but that also wasn’t going to happen while he was with WWE, either.

Matt Riddle & Brock Lesnar’s Story

The history between Matt Riddle and Brock Lesnar has been a popular narrative for pro wrestling fans, but the match never took place. The two had a backstage confrontation during the 2020 Royal Rumble, which garnered notable attention. 

In that Royal Rumble backstage encounter, Brock Lesnar let Matt Riddle know that he had no interest in facing him. Although they eventually briefly worked together, Riddle didn’t get the marquee match he wanted. Now, The King of Bros has alleged that Lesnar intentionally sandbagged his chances of winning the Royal Rumble match.

During an interview on Signed by Superstars, Matt Riddle alleged that he was initially told he would win the 2022 Royal Rumble, but then he claimed that Brock Lesnar refused to cooperate and insisted on winning the match himself.

“I believe — you know, it’s sports-entertainment — that I was told at one point, yeah, I was gonna win the (Royal) Rumble and everything else, and then what was it? Bobby Lashley beat Brock Lesnar because somebody came in and hit him with the belt or what have you. Then Brock came in, didn’t wanna do business with everybody, said he was winning, and then he won, and then none of the producers… nobody stood up to him, and they let him do it. I didn’t either, I didn’t either. I’m like, f*ck man, I’m just here.”

Matt Riddle is very firm on the idea that Brock Lesnar harbored animosity towards him. This belief has spurred discussions among fans, especially considering the Royal Rumble incident. 

The anticipation leading up to the 2022 Royal Rumble suggested that Matt Riddle had significant momentum, leading many fans to believe it could be his moment to finally break into the main event picture with a WrestleMania main event match. That was not in the cards for the Original Bro.

Matt Riddle’s WWE Release

Matt Riddle’s release from WWE was marked by a series of internal issues, culminating in an incident at JFK Airport while returning from WWE’s final live event in India. He had a lot of internal infractions before that. 

Despite prior support from management, Matt Riddle exhausted his chances as they found themselves unable to stand behind him any longer. The Original Bro had recently rejoined the company after an extended hiatus for rehab.

After jumping back into the indies, Matt Riddle is already securing numerous dates. His upcoming first-time-ever match against RVD in March and his anticipated return to MLW are all promising prospects. Matt Riddle won’t be hard to find after his WWE tenure is over, even if Brock Lesnar wants to track him down.

WWE Warned LA Knight That He May Be Just a Flavor Of the Month

Thomas Lowson
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LA Knight has become one of WWE’s most popular Superstars competing today, despite some thinking at first he’d just be the flavor of the month. 

2023 saw a dramatic rise in popularity for the former Max Dupri, who kicked off the year the Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble event. Throughout the year, Knight’s popularity continued to grow as fans continued to rally behind the veteran. At WWE Crown Jewel, Knight challenged Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns but failed to dethrone the Tribal Chief.

Flavor of the Month

LA Knight is one of WWE’s top stars right now, but not everybody had high hopes for the megastar. Speaking to Chris Van Vliet of Insight, Knight recalled WWE higher-ups being hesitant to go all in on him. 

“There was skepticism at first. Is this really a thing? Is this just going to be a flash in the pan? Is this going to be a flavor of the month? And that’s a thing we had talked about and was even talked about with me. ‘Well, we don’t want to give it to you too soon because then they might get over it.’ Look, fine. If that’s the case and I’m not good enough to carry that, cool, let’s go with that.

“I understand the idea of wanting to protect me at some point as well. But I have the belief in myself that I could pivot and move and adapt to whatever the situation is. You don’t want to give it to him too soon but if try and not give it to him at all, come on man. I feel like I’m better than that. And I don’t mean that in a boisterous way, but I’m confident in what I do. I’m confident in my skills. And at the same time, I want to be able to fail. Because when I fail, I get back up.”

When Van Vliet rejected the notion that Knight has failed, the megastar corrected him and shared how crazy the past year has been. 

“I’ve failed a million times but this year has been crazy… Apparently, I’ve been married twice this year as well. [Chris says Congratulations] Thank you, even though I’m not married.”

An Overnight Success? 

While Knight’s rise in WWE has been dramatic, this chapter is just the latest in his lengthy career. On the show, Knight explained how his success was both an overnight sensation as wel as something that was a long time coming. 

“It was but it wasn’t. It was 20 years, but then it was an overnight success. It was 20 years to get the overnight success basically because all of a sudden you’ve got– anywhere I’ve been any other company, had a fraction of the audience we have now. So to any of the uninitiated, most of them are seeing me for the first time. So in a certain way, it is an overnight success to the broader audience.”

La Knight will challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble, as will Randy Orton and AJ Styles. Roman Reigns is understandly not happy about this… 

For use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops. 

The Undertaker Shares Hilarious First Reaction to Mick Foley as Dude Love

Thomas Lowson
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The Undertaker may have faced giants, kings, and even himself, but nothing could have prepared him for the enigmatic Dude Love persona. 

The oldest of Mick Foley’s iconic characters, the WWE Hall of Famer first crafted Dude Love while still in his youth. The fun-loving character was brought to the WWF years later after Foley had competed around the world as the ultra-violent Cactus Jack and the tortured soul known as Mankind. 

The Undertaker Reacts to Dude Love

On a recent episode of his Six Feet Under podcast, The Undertaker spoke about the Dude Love persona. The Phenom recalled seeing Dude Love for the first time and questioning how he’d ever sold for Mick. 

“I remember when he started doing Dude Love. He passed me in the hall and he could tell by the look on my face…I’ve sold more for him than anybody ever. We’ve been through hell and back together. Then here he is…Dude Love and all this tie-dyed stuff.

“He was getting into character and he was walking down the hall. Then he’d seen me and then he’d seen the look on my face. I’ll never forget him just dropping his head and walking by [like] ‘I’m sorry.’ It’s like, ‘I can’t believe I sold for you.'”

Mick Foley & The Undertaker

The Undertaker and Dude Love never faced off, but Mick Foley shared the ring several times with The Undertaker. The pair’s most iconic match came in Pittsburgh at the 1998 King of the Ring event, where the pair battled in, and on top of Hell in a Cell. 

Latest on Giovanni Vinci After Injury On Day 1 Episode of WWE Raw

Thomas Lowson
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Fans won’t be seeing Giovanni Vinci in the ring for some time after the Imperium member suffered an injury during last week’s episode of Raw. 

During the Day 1 episode of WWE Raw, Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser faced the tag-team experts Jey Uso and Kofi Kingston. The match came to a sudden conclusion when Kingston dropkicked Vinci and his head caught the back of the mat on the way down. After a consultation, medical officials at ringside determined that Vinci couldn’t compete. The match ended without a winner being determined. 

Update on Giovanni Vinci

During this week’s Raw, it was announced that Vinci would be out for “a number of weeks” due to the situation that unfolded on last week’s Raw. WWE has still not publicly disclosed details about the issue with Vinci. On Twitter, the Italian Superstar told fans “Sto bene. Grazie mille” which means “I’m fine, thanks a lot.”

A Feud Brewing?

On this week’s Raw, Ludwig Kaiser showed a new level of aggression in his singles match with Kofi Kingston. The match ended with a double count-out as Kaiser was attacking Kingston on the outside of the ring and would not stop to break the ref’s ten-count. 

On social media, WWE shared footage of Kingston being taken backstage after the match. It was noted that Kingston is being evaluated by medical staff but an update on his condition is not public knowledge at this time. 

Ludwig Kaiser was recently the victim of a sweet-treat incident at a WWE live event… 

Grayson Waller is “Fearing for His Life” Thanks to Madman Punching People in WWE

Thomas Lowson
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WWE SmackDown Superstar Grayson Waller is ‘fearing for his life’ due to a string of attacks, but it’s not CM Punk who’s to blame. 

In a video shared on Twitter, Waller spoke about his issues with Kevin Owens. The prizefighter made a surprise appearance on last week’s WWE NXT and attacked Waller during his match with Trick Williams. 

“2024 hasn’t really started off the way that I was hoping for. Last Tuesday, I go to NXT because Ilja Dragunov is too scared to fight Trick Williams, and I save the show. You’re welcome, Shawn Michaels. But what thanks do I get? I get assaulted, punched in the face by Kevin Owens for no reason at all.”

Waller then spoke about being at SmackDown in Vancouver, where he saw U.S. Champion Logan Paul suffer a similar fate. 

“I got cuts inside my lip, my jaw is sore. What do I see while I’m watching the show? Kevin Owens punches Logan Paul, the United States Champion, in the face for no reason at all. Me and Theory had enough. We go and check on Logan backstage. Because you know what? We’re starting to fear for our lives backstage. There’s a madman running around punching people.”

Waller’s comment about fearing for his life is an obvious nod to CM Punk’s release from AEW in September of last year. Addressing an AEW Collision crowd in Chicago after Punk’s release, Tony Khan claimed he was left fearing for his life during the Punk-Jack Perry altercation at AEW All In. 

This isn’t the first time that Grayson Waller has poked fun at CM Punk’s exit from AEW… 

H/T – WrestleZone

AEW’s Swerve Strickland Lands Role In Upcoming Slasher Movie

Thomas Lowson
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The star power of Swerve Strickland is only continuing to grow with the AEW wrestler landing a role in an upcoming slasher movie. 

Strickland will star in ‘Stiletto‘, a new film from Samuel Gonzalez Jr. which will see Gigi Gustin (Night of the Missing) star and produce. Other names attached to the film include Charlotte McKinney (Fantasy Island), Colleen Camp (Amsterdam, American Hustle), Pancho Moler (3 from Hell), Tyler Abron (Fear), and Stephen Blackehart (Guardians of the Galaxy)

A plot summary for the film reads as follows: 

“A year after the grisly murder of a local exotic dancer, the victim’s sister, Lyric [Gustin], searches for the serial killer responsible as he stalks and kills his favorite dancers on the night of the anniversary.”

It is unclear what role Strickland will have in the film. He is being represented by Fourth Wall Management and this will be his feature film debut. 

What’s Next for Swerve Strickland? 

While Strickland has yet to hold singles gold in AEW, many feel his time will come, possibly this year. Last month, Strickland declared that he will be AEW’s first African American World Champion, a goal he plans on achieving in 2024. Whatever Strickland’s future holds, it seemingly won’t include Keith Lee. The former allies were set to face off at Worlds End before Lee was pulled from the show due to a persistent injury. Speaking after the event, Strickland said he was done waiting for the Limitless One. 

Watch: What Happened With Cody Rhodes After Raw Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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Cody Rhodes continued his new tradition after this week’s episode of Raw.

The Red Branded Show this week featured a number of strong segments that got people talking. The show opened with a heated confrontation between Drew McIntyre and CM Punk.

The episode also featured a segment between Seth Rollins and Jinder Mahal leading to the announcement of a World Title Match between the two next week.

The matches on the show included bouts such as The Miz taking on JD McDonagh, Kayden Carter and Katana Chance defending the Women’s Tag Team Titles and more.

What Happened After Raw

cody table 1

The main event of this week’s Raw saw Cody Rhodes facing off against Shinsuke Nakamura. Both these stars have been involved in a personal rivalry the last few weeks and due to it, this match had been turned into a street fight.

Neither Nakamura nor Rhodes shied away from using various weapons in this match and they introduced objects such as Kendo Sticks, Tables, and even Nunchucks.

At one point, Nakamura accidentally spit his red mist into the timekeeper’s eyes, originally meant for Cody. This took Cody’s mind out of the match for a minute as the timekeeper was Berkley Ottman, the son of former WWE star Typhoon and a cousin of Rhodes.

At the end of the night however, Cody managed to pick up the victory. He sent Nakamura crashing through a table and then pinned him with a Cross-Rhodes.

The cameras went off air with Cody Rhodes celebrating in the ring. After the show, he continued the tradition he has built recently and the American Nightmare gave away another table to one of the fans in attendance.

Related: Cody Rhodes Gives Away Christmas Tree To Fan After Raw

Cody Rhodes gives table to fan after 08/01 Raw

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Andrade El Idolo Pulls Out Of GCW No Compadre Event

Aaron Varble
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Andrade El Idolo departed from AEW, and he had kind things to say about Tony Khan’s company. Now, it appears that he is on his way back to WWE, and there is more evidence to support that idea now.

Andrade El Idolo Expected Back In WWE

Having debuted for GCW at the ‘Highest In The Room 2’ event on December 9th, 2023 as he took on Joey Janela at the show. There was a plan to see Andrade’s return to GCW. However, it seems that won’t be happening now.

Game Changer Wrestling announced Andrade El Idolo’s withdrawal from the GCW No Compadre event, where he was initially set to face Jonathan Gresham on Friday, January 12th. Lio Rush will step in to replace Andrade in the matchup.

Due to circumstances out of control, ANDRADE and MAKI ITOH will be unable to compete on Friday’s event in Chicago.

The following replacements have been signed: MASHA SLAMOVICH will replace Maki Itoh LIO RUSH will replace Andrade

*Additional Matches TBA tonite and this week*

It was previously reported that Andrade was expected to be pulled from this event. Now, GCW has confirmed this cancellation. Andrade was advertised for at least one GCW event for 2024, and that is no longer the case. Of course, WWE famously prefers to keep their talent away from other promotions, with only a select few exceptions.

Andrade’s Next Moves in Pro Wrestling

Andrade El Idolo’s departure from AEW strongly indicates his intention to return to WWE. Now, pulling out of this Game Changer Wrestling event gives even more weight to the idea that he’s WWE-bound once again.

Clearing his schedule aligns with the typical transition for individuals moving from indies to WWE, considering WWE’s demanding schedule that doesn’t often allow for independent bookings. There have been times when WWE allowed incoming stars to finish up their indie dates in the past.

The specific reasons for Andrade El Idolo’s removal from the GCW event remain undisclosed, but many speculate that this is part of the process leading up to his WWE return. There’s a strong possibility that he will return to WWE, but nothing is definite until it actually happens.

Matt Riddle Will Drop His 420 Persona While Working In Japan

Aaron Varble
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Matt Riddle’s WWE release opened a lot of doors for him. Now, at 37-yaers-old, he is ready for different challenges, even if he has to switch things up along the way.

Matt Riddle Changing Up His Character For Japan

While speaking to Signed by Superstars, Matt Riddle was asked about the possibility of facing the Bullet Club in Japan, to which he replied that his 420 Bro character probably won’t work against that kind of opponent. 

“I’ve read a lot of things. The 420 Bro probably won’t make it to Japan,” Matt Riddle responded. This implies that he might have to switch up his in-ring style, which he has already covered. 

Matt Riddle expanded on this idea, as he responded that the 420 Bro persona is going to stay in America. So, whenever Riddle is in Japan, that 420 lifestyle is going to stay out of the country. He’s never been arrested for anything, nor does he have a criminal record. He wants to keep it that way as well.

“Regardless of what people think, I’ve never been arrested. I’ve never been arrested, I don’t have a criminal record. I want to keep it that way. Regardless of what people think, I’m going to keep it that way. That’s what we’re going to do. 420 Bro stays in America.”

What’s Next For Matt Riddle

Matt Riddle has shared his desire to challenge NJPW World TV Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. However, his “420 Bro” persona might face drawbacks in Japan. He realizes that all too well, so things may have to change when he’s in Japan.

It was previously noted by Dave Meltzer that Matt Riddle and Jeff Cobb were almost a team in NJPW before. It’s anyone’s guess to see if that team may get a second chance in 2024. Cobb would definitely help Riddle tap into a more aggressive in-ring style. 

Amazon Prime May Emerge As Top Contender For WWE RAW’s New Home

Aaron Varble
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WWE has some huge deals in the pipeline for 2024, and we already know that SmackDown and NXT have new network homes. Now, a major player in the streaming wars may be in play for RAW’s rights.

Amazon Prime Could Secure WWE RAW

With WWE’s existing media rights deal for Monday Night Raw with NBCUniversal set to conclude in October 2024, speculation is arising about the company’s next broadcasting partner. Since the USA Network secured SmackDown, the red brand’s long-time home is expected to change.

Sports Business Journalism reporter John Ourand predicts that Amazon is likely to secure the rights to WWE’s flagship show. This would see WWE RAW move behind Amazon Prime’s streaming paywall.

John Ourand’s forecast envisions Amazon keeping Raw on Monday nights. The show would then air live from whichever city they are in that week.

Amazon Prime has been trying hard to target a young male audience and provide Prime Video with an additional night of premium live programming alongside Thursday Night Football. Shifting from cable television to a streaming service would represent a notable transformation in the wrestling television rights industry.

Amazon Prime’s Possible Plan For WWE RAW

This transition to a streaming service like Amazon Prime Video aligns with the changing landscape of television consumption. Cable TV is experiencing a decline in viewership, while streaming services are gaining prominence. This shift has redefined how television content is monetarily valued. Streaming services offer precise data insights, enabling companies like WWE to accurately assess viewership and the value of their product.

Utilizing streaming data alongside advertising revenue and sponsorships lets companies determine the worth of their brand when negotiating media rights deals. WWE may secure an incredibly lucrative deal compared to its previous agreement with NBCUniversal after breaking down those numbers.

WBD’s Interest In WWE RAW

Warner Bros Discovery is also reportedly interested in WWE RAW’s next contract. CM Punk may have brought even more interest from them, as it ramped up after his Survivor Series debut.

If WBD secures WWE RAW, then that could mean a big change is coming for AEW programming, as their television deal is up at the end of 2024.

Tony Khan, who said that AEW’s relationship with Warner Brothers Discovery is “very strong,“ has already spoken on WBD’s reported interest in WWE, and he said that it is “a part of sports.”

WWE’s Possible RAW Backup Plan

WWE has some big money deals in motion right now, but there is another contender if Warner Bros Discovery and Amazon don’t lock in the rights for RAW.

John Ourand proposed that Disney could enter the scene. Disney might consider a deal involving both renewing its existing UFC deal and broadcasting Monday Night Raw on its FX cable channel.

FX was previously reported as a top contender to lock down the longest running weekly episodic television show in history, and they may still be in the running. This alternative option would provide WWE with a broadcasting partner, albeit on cable television.

‘In An Ideal World’ Eric Bischoff Would Love Sting to Retire Against Ric Flair

Dominic DeAngelo
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Eric Bischoff knows Sting deserves a million dollar type send-off and in a universe where the stars aligned, he thinks The Icon would have the ultimate final match dance partner in Ric Flair.

Speaking on the latest episode of 83 Weeks, the former WCW President was joined by special guest co-host Matt Mitchell for an “Ask Eric Anything” episode and was asked about how would he handle Sting’s retirement match. Would he have him do a singles bout or team up in tag action to lighten the load? Bischoff gives a sound reason as to why he wouldn’t have him to a tag match.

“It’s faster paced, usually less emotion as a result of the pace and the fact that your attention is spread out.”

Bischoff then makes the case as to why he’d love to see Flair do his ‘Nature Boy strut’ across the ring from his longtime rival.

“In an ideal world (and it’s not an ideal world, trust me, I know that), but in an ideal world I would love for it to be Ric Flair. And I know I’m gonna get blistered, ‘Ah, Ric, he’s too old, blah, blah, blah.’ Bull****. Now Ric may not be interested in going out there and physically being in that position because again, he was almost dead a couple years ago so and 74 freaking years old so it’s kind of understandable that he’s not going to want to go out there and bounce around, but if he could, if he could go out there it would be the coolest thing in the world to see Ric Flair and Sting.”

bischoff flair sting 1

Bischoff understands that Flair vs. Sting in 2024 isn’t really possible, but hopes Sting gets a proper sendoff and delivers one more classic match.

“Whoever it is, I would want it to be meaningful from a storyline point of view, and I would want that person to want nothing more in his life than to make Sting look like a million bucks because he deserves that.”

Sting’s final battle will take place at the very PPV he made his AEW debut at three years ago, AEW Revolution.

Take a Look into Pro Wrestling’s Hot Free Agent Market

Zack Heydorn
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2024 is here and with it comes a treasure trove of free agent wrestlers that are chomping at the bit to make a difference and collect a paycheck. 

2023 was a boom for the pro wrestling industry. WWE stood strong at the top of the food chain and ushered in a new era of the company under the banner of Endeavor and the newly formed TKO Group with the UFC. With Vince McMahon on the creative sideline for much of the year, the WWE roster as it’s shaped right now was done through the thoughtful lens of WWE Chief Content Officer, Paul (Triple H) Levesque. 

Levesque constructed his talent roster with standard WWE mainstays like Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and others, but also rounded it out with “Triple H guys and women” like Karrion Kross, Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Nia Jax, and Bronson Reed — all talents that made their way through the Triple H led NXT system at some point early in their run with the company. Triple H also broke the internet and the brains of wrestling fans when he orchestrated the WWE return of CM Punk.

Over in the land of AEW, Tony Khan added to his roster in 2023 by bringing in notable talent like Kota Ibushi, Adam Copeland, Billie Starkz, Nick Wayne, Jay White, Mariah May, and also announced signing of world renowned wrestler, Will Ospreay, to a contract beginning this year.

Impact Wrestling and their soon rebrand back to TNA saw an influx of new talent hit their ring in 2023. Trinity was the most notable name of the bunch. After being away from wrestling for months due to her walkout of WWE with Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) Trinity made her debut in April and won the Impact Wrestling Knockouts Championship in July. 

New Japan Pro Wrestling maintained the status quo in a lot ways when it comes to their roster with the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Sanada, and Hiroshi Tanahashi at the top of the company. They onboarded a few new faces including Wheeler Yuta and Mike Bailey for one off appearances and will continue to make a splash in 2024 with the appearances of Nic Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler) and Matt Riddle.

Many potential free agents landed with companies at the end of 2023. CM Punk signed with WWE, Rey Mysterio renewed his deal with WWE, Dominik Mysterio did the same. Charlotte Flair also signed with WWE and will remain with the company for the foreseeable future. Tony Khan opened up the checkbook to keep Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Adam Page under contract with AEW.

There are plenty of free agents that will hit the open market in 2024 and where they’ll land could significantly change the outlook of the industry by the time things are said and done. The free agents we’ll analyze are talents that would have considerable impact on the organization they’re leaving and joining, and have contracts that will reportedly be up in 2024, leaving them open to joining a new promotion. First up..

Mercedes Mone

Mercedes Mone, formerly Sasha Banks, is the talk of the wrestling world and the top free agent that is currently open and available to sign a contract. Mone famously stormed out of Monday Night Raw in May of 2022, walking out of the company where she became famous and landed in Japan as a part of New Japan Pro Wrestling and Stardom. Mone had matches against Kairi Sane and others in Japan, but was injured in the summer of 2023 and has appeared for any wrestling promotion since. 

Both AEW and WWE will try to roll out the red carpet for Mone. Talks between Mone and WWE reportedly stalled, but with the Royal Rumble on the horizon and WWE showing their chops in hiding major surprises with CM Punk, a surprise appearance at the annual event can’t be overlooked.

Mone in AEW is an interesting proposition. The women’s division in the company has searched for it’s face and top star since it’s inception in 2019 and Mone could finally bring direction and top tier star power that it’s needed. With matches against Toni Storm, Britt Baker, Jaime Hayter, Saraya, and Hikaru Shida all potentially viable, signing Mone gives Tony Khan multiple years worth of material for his women’s division. 

Mone to WWE is a safe play that will pay her lots of money, but AEW is the intriguing one with fresh matches and business abound.

Drew McIntyre

Much has been made about Drew McIntyre’s contract situation in WWE, but he’s a virtual lock to stay with the company. McIntyre has been the focus of Monday Night Raw for months and has lead the show with a compelling character turn that has bolstered his act, moving it from upper mid card to main event. 

McIntyre is a WWE guy. He sees himself as a company guy and the company sees him as such. If McIntyre slides into a role as heel foil for the likes of Cody Rhodes and CM Punk in 2024, that’s a premiere spot to be in and not something that Tony Khan will be able to compete with.

AEW can offer McIntyre a fresh start and lots of money, but McIntyre vs. Omega, McIntyre vs. Copeland, and McIntyre vs. MJF just doesn’t have the same juice like his potential WWE bouts. 

Drew McIntyre is a top talent, but defined by his work in WWE at this point. Can he move the needle for AEW? A little, but his impact there won’t be as significant as it will be in WWE.

Mustafa Ali

Since officially hitting the free agent market at the end of 2023, Mustafa Ali has filled up his calendar with various independent wrestling events like GCW, Freelance Wrestling, and others. 

Ali released a video that declared his purpose as a wrestler and it very much indicated he’s out to change the narrative of himself. He clearly is set to use his time to prove how much of a draw he can be, but also how much of a character wrestler he can be. To that end, I don’t think we see him sign a contract.

Look for Ali to continue to make appearances at various top indy promotions and maybe pick up a run in Impact Wrestling. When it’s all said and done, Ali impresses with this run and creates enough demand for WWE to sign him again in a few years.

Giulia

All indications point to Giulia signing with WWE when her contract in Japan wraps up in the spring and it’s a perfect signing for both parties.

Giulia is a wonderful worker with a great look that is tailor made for the WWE product. Starting in NXT will get her the lay of the land working on a national television show in the United States and when the time is right, she’ll move up to the main roster for a permanent run there. 

Giulia is a master in the ring and the number of great matches she can have with WWE talent like Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, and others is endless. 

Kamille

Another perfect signing for WWE. Kamille has “WWE wrestler” written all over her. She was able to show her skills and wrestling chops in the NWA for the last few years, but being under the banner of WWE will help her greatly from a promotional perspective, but also for an in-ring work perspective as well.

Kamille in AEW would be an interesting twist if it ever happened, but the rest of the women’s roster there doesn’t match up well with what Kamille brings t
o the table. WWE can get the most out of her and she can deliver the most for them.

Kazuchika Okada

Reports indicate that Kazuchika Okada may hit the open market this year and let the bidding ceremony commence. Both AEW and WWE will be in on a generational talent and draw like Okada. 

AEW would have to be the likely landing spot given the working relationship that he and Tony Khan already have due to the business partnership between AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Okada has worked with much of the talent on the AEW roster and the company seems like a comfortable landing place for him to slow the work down, earn good money, and get national television exposure in the United States.

Okada wouldn’t take a first look at a Vince McMahon-run WWE. McMahon has a terrible reputation pushing Japanese talent in a prominent way and likely wouldn’t take the time to understand how special of a performer Okada is. Paul Levesque isn’t Vince McMahon. It’s obvious that Levesque respects talent from other parts of the world and would give Okada the respect he deserves as the star that he is. 

If WWE has aspirations for entering the Japanese market, Okada would be the guy to bring in to help with that endeavor. He’d be top guy regularly as well.

Opposite to the situation with Mercedes Mone, AEW is the safe option for Okada, but WWE is infinitely more intriguing. 

Nic Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler)

Well, Nic Nemeth, formerly Dolph Ziggler in WWE, is a free agent, but is also tied to New Japan Pro Wrestling. Nemeth appeared at Wrestle Kingdom 18 on Thursday and had a physical altercation with David Finlay — the new IWGP Global Champion. 

Nemeth and New Japan is a strong fit for both parties. He only has his WWE work to lean on and with such a good reputation as a worker in the ring, trying his hand in Japan is a nice way for him to break away from the WWE mold. As for New Japan, 

Nemeth can help the company as a well-known American act that can help drive some interest for high level U.S. shows. He’s also someone Gedo can beat regularly, while not damaging his aura as a draw. If Nemeth enters the G1 this year, it’s a thumbs up signing for NJPW.

Becky Lynch

“The Man” will become a free agent in 2024, but she’s not going anywhere. If it hasn’t been done already, the TKO Group will send Lynch a new contract with lots of zeros on a gold platter with a platinum pen to sign it with. 

Lynch is one WWE’s top stars and TKO Group will not want to be in the business of losing her. She’s said openly that she wants to finish her career with WWE and she will do just that.

Mandy Rose

Mandy Rose doesn’t need professional wrestling. Her modeling career has flourished since leaving NXT at the end of 2022 and she’s stated on many occasions that she simply doesn’t know if a return to the ring is in the cards.

If it is, AEW should give Rose a hard look. Rose can’t wrestle like Shida can, but she’s a character wrestler that the AEW women’s division could desperately use. Being in AEW would give Rose the chance to expand her in-ring work and grow that part of her game.

WWE would certainly try to win her back, but she’s background noise in a company that is now stocked with top tier women. She likely wouldn’t crack the top tier of the women’s division on the WWE main roster, so why go back there? AEW is the landing spot as it gives her the most upside possible.

Ronda Rousey 

Since leaving WWE, Ronda Rousey has made a couple appearances for Pro Wrestling Revolver and Tony Khan’s ROH. Who had that on their bingo card? 

Rousey joining those companies was a fun gesture, but she’s certainly going to be looking for a big payday if and when she decides to sign on again as a full or part time wrestler. That leaves two companies open to her — AEW and WWE.

How much value does Rousey have to WWE anymore? She’s feuded with almost every top tier woman on the roster already aside from Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley and the run she just completed wasn’t that memorable. She’s a top name, but not nearly as “household” as she was when she first joined the company. Is she worth it? 

For AEW? She sure is. AEW needs pillar stars in their women’s division. Rousey can provide that and she also provides fresh matches for wrestling fans. Most of the AEW women’s roster she hasn’t worked with, so anything she does will feel new.

Conclusion

There’s the picture. We’ll see how each company paints it. WWE is in a strong position to sign whoever they want. Not only does the company have deep pockets, but it owns a hot product right now and case studies of outside talent being featured strong. That goes a long way.

AEW has come on some hard times as far as it’s product goes, but is still a strong landing spot due to the money they can throw at potential stars. They have deep pockets as well. 

It’ll be a fight, but a fun one to watch play out.

Nic Nemeth On The End Of His WWE Run: “I’m Being Paid Way Too Much To Sit At Home“

Dominic DeAngelo
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Nic Nemeth is now a “Wanted Man” after now officially being a free agent. The former Dolph Ziggler was one of several releases by WWE back in September, and he kicked 2024 off with a surprise appearance at Wrestle Kingdom.

However, Nemeth’s impending exit was something he actually fully expected and even inquired about.

Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Nemeth touched upon how his leave felt like a long time coming.

“I was planning for half of this entire last contract going, ‘I know at some point, I’m being paid way too much to sit at home so I’m gonna have to get out of here.’ I always wanted to be ready to go, just in case they said, ‘I know you’ve been doing 90-second matches, can you do 30 minutes with The Undertaker?’ You’re damn right I can. I was ready to go anyway.

“I just wanted to have every option available. It wasn’t out of the blue. I had sent emails to the boss over the last few months saying, ‘I have to move on to somewhere else, can you let me do this?’ Eventually, without exact back and forth, that’s how it worked out.”

Nemeth has plenty to look forward to as free agency is a new beginning for him. His appearance at Wrestle Kingdom even surprised talent backstage at NJPW, but Nemeth will be keeping busy overseas in the wrestling realm as he’ll be making appearances in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Since his release, Nemeth also has been doing stand-up appearances with his younger brother Ryan.

Please credit Busted Open Radio and h/t to Fightful for the transcription.

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