In June of this year, Murdoch would regain the title (which he’d lose to Tyrus at NWA Hard Times 3) but the wrestler has always hoped for a main event run.
Speaking on Foley is Pod, Mick Foley recalled a discussion between Murdoch and then-WWE CEO Vince McMahon about trying to get a push.
“Trevor told me that he once sat down with Mr. McMahon and said ‘what can I do to catch your eye? What can I do to get to the next level?’ And Vince looked at him and said ‘I hate that pasty, flabby body of yours.’ It’s kind of tough when you’re dealing with a weak genetic hand. That’s something I know a little about.
“I hate that pasty, flabby body of yours.”
Vince McMahon to Trevor Murdoch.
Foley added that despite these comments, he is pleased that Murdoch finally reached that top spot, albeit years later with the NWA.
“He was Trevor Rhodes back then, because he did look a bit like Dusty. He was a really good effective babyface. He just wanted a chance to do something… To become that guy [is difficult.] But he did. He bulked up.”
Of course, Murdoch’s success in the NWA has only come about due to the booking of Billy Corgan, who has an opposite approach to body types than McMahon according to Foley.
“Billy likes the big brawlers on top. That’s the good thing about having a company that’s yours to run. You get to decide the talent you want to see there [on top.]”
Chris Jericho
Murdoch’s WWE name comes from Dick Murdoch, the legendary brawler who was known for his hard-hitting wrestling style and once dominated in New Japan.
On the podcast, Foley explained how decades ago, Japanese audiences expected the heavy American wrestler, and that’s something Chris Jericho took on board in 2017.
“Now, he [Trevor Murdoch] has that look that Japan liked in the 80s. Stan Hansen-esque. So when Jericho went over to face Kenny Omega, Jericho specifically put on weight because in his mind, that’s what Japanese fans saw as an American main eventer. It is really interesting to see the way his mind works.”
In his first non-WWE match since July 1999, Jericho faced Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in January 2018, which Omega would win.
Toni Storm is looking for AEW President Tony Khan to make a decision regarding the World Women’s Title.
Current champion Thunder Rosa is out of action due to a back injury for the last few months. Originally, Rosa was slated to defend the title against Storm at All Out in September, but pulled out of the match due to the injury.
Storm won the interim AEW World Women’s Champion in a 4-way bout. Since that time, she’s been successfully retaining the title against the likes of Hikaru Shida and Serena Deeb.
Storm on Rosa
In an interview with The Ringer, Storm called for Rosa to come to work to defend the title. However, Storm believes that Rosa should be stripped of her title if her injury lingers on for too long.
“Personally, I think she should just come to work and defend her championship like she’s supposed to, like a champion should. But if the injury lingers too long, I believe she should probably be stripped. And then I should be the AEW undisputed Women’s World Champion like I was supposed to be at All Out. That’s verbatim. I think she should defend her title. I think all champions should defend that championship. That doesn’t just go for Thunder Rosa. That goes for everybody.”
Storm is set to defend the interim title against Jamie Hayter this Saturday at the Full Gear pay-per-view.
Kevin Owens is said to be struggling after suffering an injury at a recent WWE Live event.
Over the weekend, Owens suffered an injury during a match with Austin Theory which the Prizefighter would go on to win.
Owens was helped to the back by the referee and it was later reported that he is dealing with a sprained MCL.
Struggling
Owens was not part of this week’s WWE Monday Night Raw, which served as the penultimate episode of the red brand before Survivor Series WarGames
While speaking during the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that Owens is struggling after his injury according to a source close to the situation.
“I did hear that he’s not moving very well. So he better heal up quick if he’s gonna make that pay-per-view.”
Dave Meltzer.
Meltzer added that as of Monday morning, Owens’ injury has not been checked by a medical professional, but he has been rehabbing at the WWE’s Performance Center in Florida.
Survivor Series WarGames
It is expected that Owens will miss this month’s Survivor Series Premium Live Event, which will mark the debut of WarGames on the main roster.
Owens was reported to have been part of the Men’s WarGames match, which would have seen him team with Drew McIntyre and the Brawling Brutes against the Bloodline.
Given Owens’ injury, the Prizefighter is unlikely to compete, and Meltzer said an angle may be filmed for this Friday’s SmackDown to introduce someone else as the fifth member.
During the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that an offer has been made to JONAH.
“JONAH certainly has an offer from WWE and he’s got to make a decision. Will it be New Japan or WWE? He’s got a great push in New Japan, but you know, it’s going to be his call.”
Dave Meltzer.
Meltzer also gave his two cents on the matter, believing that JONAH would be better off staying in New Japan.
“He would actually, probably do much better in New Japan Pro Wrestling than he will do in WWE, but there is a big difference in money. Or at least the potential money. You just don’t know what you want. ]
“They’re completely different lifestyles. It depends on [what he wants.] I know a lot of guys would choose WWE, and a lot of guys would choose New Japan. It’s the circumstances.”
New Japan or WWE?
With an offer on the table, JONAH will have to make a decision soon about where his future lies.
If JONAH’s long-term goal is to be a headline act, then his future should be with NJPW according to Meltzer.
“The one thing with New Japan is he’s going to get a really big push, we’ve already seen that. He’s going to be protected and he’s going to get over because he did get over at a high level. In WWE, on the main roster, you just don’t know. You just don’t know.”
If JONAH is wanting a more secure future and to earn more, then a WWE return makes more sense.
“Main roster WWE, even the bottom number is a quarter-million [dollars a year.] That’s bottom, and obviously top is millions if you make it to the top.”
Dave Meltzer.
Being Released
It’s unclear if JONAH holds any ill will to WWE given his release in August of last year.
Speaking about the release, Meltzer said that the decision specifically came from WWE’s head at the time.
“It was a big surprise. It was Vince McMahon who made the call.”
Dave Meltzer.
After JONAH’s release, it was reported that WWE did not see the Australian as the right fit for NXT 2.0.
The revamped NXT would launch in September 2021, a month after JONAH’s release.
This weekend’s AEW Full Gear card may be forced to change as Anthony Bowens is believed to be injured.
Bowens and Max Caster are scheduled to defend their AEW World Tag Team Championships against Swerve in Our Glory this Saturday in Newark, New Jersey.
The Acclaimed captured the titles from Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland at September’s AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam special, making Bowens the first openly gay champion in the promotion’s history.
Bowens Injured
Fightful Select reports that sources who spoke to them said that Bowens may have suffered an aggravated shoulder injury during Dynamite.
On last night’s show, Bowens faced Swerve Strickland after The Acclaimed debuted their special music video featuring Paul Wight as Captain Insano.
The finish of the match saw Strickland hit Bowens with the JML Driver for the pinfall victory.
Fightful added that they can’t say for certain if this is legit or if it’s being worked into a story.
AEW has not publicly commented on Bowens’ status and he remains booked for Full Gear at this time.
Previous Injury
If Bowens is indeed injured, it won’t be the first time that he will have been hurt during his AEW tenure.
In May, Bowens underwent a procedure on his knee that kept him out of action for months, after suffering a knee injury in March of this year.
Despite the injury, Bowens continued to appear on AEW programming and used a wheelchair to get around.
Vince McMahon is truly gone from the world of professional wrestling and communication between the ex-CEO and the roster has dried up.
McMahon retired from all roles with WWE in July of this year, a month after stepping down as CEO and Chairman of the Board.
McMahon’s resignation came following accusations of millions of dollars paid out in NDAs related to extramarital affairs with female employees.
Silence
Though McMahon publicly announced his retirement, some have questioned if the ex-Chairman is as truly gone as it seems.
In August, Vince Russo said it was “impossible” that McMahon had retired, during an interview session on his Patreon.
Fightful Select reports that McMahon’s retirement is the real deal and that those in the company don’t hear much from him their former boss these days.
In his place, Stephanie McMahon has been appointed WWE’s Chairwoman and is Co-CEO with Nick Khan.
Triple H has replaced the Billionaire as WWE’s Head of Creative and replaced long-time McMahon advocate John Laurinaitis as Head of Talent Relations.
Getting Out More
During his decades on top of wrestling, McMahon was a known workaholic but is finding a life outside of the ring.
Fightful’s report adds that McMahon has been known to be out and about more than he was while still in WWE.
The billionaire was spotted in New York in August for his 77th birthday, which was attended by WWE alum including John Cena and Brock Lesnar.
McMahon was also spotted with an unknown woman, leading to speculation that his marriage to Linda McMahon has ended due to the recent controversy.
Logan Paul left Riyadh worse for wear after his Crown Jewel match with Roman Reigns, and he isn’t the only one.
In his third match, Paul challenged the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion and despite coming up short, impressed fans with his in-ring ability.
After the match, the Maverick took to Twitter to state that he has suffered a knee injury that will keep him out of the ring.
Mike Majlak
Paul wasn’t alone when he squared off against the might of the Bloodline, as his brother Jake and his co-hosts from the ImPAULsive podcast were also at Crown Jewel.
During the match, co-hosts Mike and George were pulled from the crowd after trash-talking the Usos and earned a superkick each from the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions.
While on ImPAULsive, Mike discussed the injuries he sustained on WWE’s latest trip to Saudi Arabia.
“My jaw came out of place. Everybody’s like ‘WWE is fake.’ Yeah, why don’t you get tossed around bro. I have bruises all over my back. My jaw is out of place.
-Mike Majlak.
What’s next for Logan Paul?
Paul’s knee injury is the biggest roadblock for the YouTuber’s WWE career, but Logan remains optimistic about his recovery.
Speaking to DAZN this week, Jake Paul said his brother’s recovery is going better than expected, as while it was believed to have been an ACL injury at first, it has since been diagnosed as an MCL and meniscus injury.
World of Sport may soon be back on screens in the UK with some high-profile talent as part of the promotion.
The show first debuted on ITV in 1965, and covered many sports in the UK, including Soccer, Horse Racing and wrestling.
In 2018, over two decades after the final episode, World of Sport was brought back exclusively as a wrestling promotion.
The Revival
2018’s World of Sport Wrestling did not last long, as the show featured 10 episodes and was not renewed by ITV, making the September 29, episode the final broadcast.
When Inside the Ropes recently spoke to sources close to World of Sport, they were told that there are aspirations for the show to be revived for the second time in the UK.
Their report adds that there is a “number of different approaches” on the table, including a style similar to the NWA.
This would see World of Sport run low-cost, free-to-air television shows from a studio, alongside live events.
This style proved to be effective during the Covid-19 Pandemic due to the lower risk of infection compared to having arenas filled with fans.
Aldis and James
If World of Sport Wrestling is to relaunch, they’ll need a big name, and that could be Nick Aldis.
The two-time former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Aldis recently announced his intention to leave the NWA, and has been vocal about his issues with Billy Corgan.
Sources from World of Sport said that there has been communication between themselves and Aldis, and that the Brit’s wife Mickie James is also interested in getting involved.
James is currently enjoying her ‘Last Rodeo’ with IMPACT Wrestling, having announced back in September that she will retire after her next defeat.
MJF and Jon Moxley came face-to-face at the end of this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Moxley cut a promo about not seeing the hype in MJF before Stokely Hathway interrupted. The Firm beat Moxley down from behind but MJF made the save.
AEW Full Gear 2022 Preview
Maxwell sent The Firm out of the ring and grabbed a microphone. MJF referenced CM Punk’s pipebomb promo and said he doesn’t need the Dynamite Diamond Ring to beat Jon at AEW Full Gear. Jon will defend the AEW World Championship against MJF in the main event of Full Gear this Saturday night at the Prudential Center in New Jersey.
After AEW Dynamite went off the air, Tony Khan joined MJF in the ring. MJF cut an explosive promo and vowed to win the title this Saturday. Maxwell praised Tony while he was standing in the ring, and said that without him the professional wrestling industry is a monopoly. He added that he still loves WWE though and Tony should pay up for the bidding war of 2024.
This is not ballet. Every time we get in this ring we are risking our lives, do you people understand that? We don’t take that lightly.
And what I damn sure don’t take lightly is somebody coming into my company, dropping trow and taking a dump. That sh*t ain’t happening anymore.
Because this is the place and the only reason why it is here is because of Tony f*cking Khan! Without AEW, professional wrestling is a monopoly, and do not get me wrong, I love WWE! Trust me, I love WWE.
However, hear me out, your favorite wrestlers don’t get paid properly, and don’t eat properly unless Tony Khan makes that alternative. And I’m now going to finish it with more honesty.
Tony, I’m just going to keep it real with you. I’m carrying this godd*mn place on my back. If I were you, I would pay up in the bidding war of 2024.
Connecticut, you crazy mother f*ckers better buy this PPV to witness history because MJF is taking home the gold!
Jon Moxley and MJF met face-to-face at the conclusion of this week’s edition of Dynamite.
5 Best Moments of CM Punk’s AEW Career
It was the final episode of Dynamite before AEW Full Gear this Saturday at the Prudential Center. AEW Rampage will be live this Friday night from the New Jersey as well.
Moxley came to the ring first, accompanied by William Regal of the Blackpool Combat Club. The AEW World Champion said that he sees a lot of fear in MJF heading into the match this Saturday.
Jon claimed that MJF was afraid he might not live up to the hype and vowed to retain at the PPV. Stokely Hathaway interrupted and made his way down the entrance ramp.
The Firm (Ethan Page, W. Morrissey, Gunn Glub, Lee Moriarty) attacked the Jon from behind before MJF made the save. Maxwell rushed the ring and beat down The Firm one-by-one.
MJF grabbed the microphone and began his promo with “Jon, while you are laying there hopefully in a ton of pain”. CM Punk’s infamous pipebomb promo from 2011 started off with a similar line directed at John Cena. CM Punk said “John Cena, while you lay there hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be”.
Jon Moxley will defend the AEW World Championship against MJF this Saturday at AEW Full Gear.
5 Reasons Why MJF Should Win The AEW World Championship
There were also two more title matches announced during tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
Wardlow will put his TNT Championship on the line against Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs in a Triple Threat match.
It was also announced tonight that The Elite will make their return to AEW and battle Death Triangle for the Trios Championships. The Elite became the inaugural Trios Champions at All Out by defeating Death Triangle. CM Punk and The Elite were then stripped of AEW World Championship and the Trios Championships following their brawl at the All Out media scrum.
MJF made his return at the conclusion of AEW All Out and confronted CM Punk. Maxwell holds a victory over CM Punk in AEW. Punk got his revenge and defeated MJF in a Dog Collar match at AEW Revolution.
Fans got a graphic with LONDON 2023 in big, red letters. That was it. No other details were given.
AEW on TV tweeted a graphic of Jon Moxley, The Acclaimed, Jade Cargill, Toni Storm, MJF, and Ricky Starks in London with Coming 2023 AEW’s London Debut.
Tony Khan has said numerous times that he wants to hold a show at Craven Cottage. The venue is home to Fulham F.C., which is the football (soccer) team owned by Khan and his family.
Craven Cottage is located in Fulham, West London. The football ground can hold 25,678 fans. In 2019, it was announced that the Riverside Stand would be built. According to the Fulham FC website, “the new stand will not only increase the seating capacity at Craven Cottage but also enhance amenities to the ground and locality for supporters, residents and visitors to enjoy.” The new stand would add an additional 3900 seats.
A major title match was announced this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite.
AEW Full Gear 2022 Preview
Last week, Samoa Joe attacked Wardlow from behind. Wardlow was cutting a promo about wanting every title in the company and the ROH TV Champion took exception. Joe bashed Wardlow over the head with the title and tonight explained his actions.
Samoa Joe cut a fiery promo about not wanting to wait around until he becomes the victim and took action to protect his title. Powerhouse Hobbs interrupted and boasted about kicking Wardlow’s ass for the past couple of weeks. Hobbs threatened to come down to the ring and kicked Joe’s ass but Wardlow interrupted.
The TNT Champion rushed to the ring and attacked both Hobbs and Samoa Joe. AEW security and a bunch of wrestlers of the locker room broke it up. Wardlow could not be stopped and Dark Order simply stepped aside for the champion. He hit leaped onto the top rope and took out everyone outside the ring to end the segment.
Later on Dynamite, it was announced that Wardlow will put the TNT Championship on the line against Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs in a Triple Threat match at AEW Full Gear this Saturday at the Prudential Center.
After weeks of not-so-subtle teasing, the clock has struck midnight and The Elite are returning.
Following a win over Top Flight and AR Fox, PAC took the mic to address the videos and rumors. “If there are certain individuals in this company who think that they can make their triumphant return this Saturday at Full Gear and if they think they can just mosey in here and best the Death Triangle, well, that’s ridiculous.” PAC then issued a challenge. The screen showed a graphic of Death Triangle without an opponent. Suddenly, The Elite’s picture appeared.
The Elite became inaugural AEW Trios champions back at ALL OUT. It didn’t last long as they were involved in a post ALL OUT brawl with CM Punk and Ace Steele (Larry, the dog was an innocent bystander). This led to suspensions of everyone involved and the stripping of their titles (Punk was AEW World Champion at the time).
On the following Dynamite, Death Triangle faced Best Friends for the vacant Trios championships. Death Triangle went on to win and have defended the titles several times since.
“He’ll be back. The guy who wrote The Waterboy has approved. Tony Khan and I have secured the rights to Captain Insano. There’s already an outfit made, the whole nine yards. We’re doing a lot of prep work, and this will be my last hoorah so to speak.”
It remains to be seen if Captain Insano will ever wrestle a match for AEW. It’s possible we will see him as a bonus character in the upcoming AEW: Fight Forever video game.
You can watch the music video for ‘A Hand for A Hand’ by The Acclaimed below. The song is a diss track mocking Swerve In Our Glory, who challenge for The Acclaimed’s tag titles this Saturday at AEW Full Gear.
AEW Dynamite airs live from the Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut tonight. It is the final episode of AEW Dynamite before Full Gear this weekend.
Death Triangle def. Top Flight & AR Fox to retain the Trios Championships
Ethan Page def. Bandido to advance to the finals of the World Title Eliminator tournament at Full Gear
Toni Storm def. Anna Jay
Here are the takeaways from this week’s episode of Dynamite:
Blackpool Combat Club def. Jericho Appreciation Society
Jericho Appreciation Society’s Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara battled Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli in the first match of the night. Jericho will defend the ROH Championship against Sammy Guevara, Bryan Danielson, and Claudio Castagnoli at Full Gear this Saturday night.
AEW Full Gear 2022 Preview
Bryan Danielson and Sammy Guevara started off the match in the ring as Jericho and Castagnoli battled outside the ring. BCC reigned down elbows on JAS in the ring before Danielson got Guevara in a submission hold.
Claudio tagged in and Sammy hit him a Dropkick. Guevara posed in the ring as the crowd booed. Castagnoli showed off his strength and lifted Guevara up for a delayed Vertical Suplex. Claudio delivered a Suplex to Jericho and then a Splash to Guevara.
Danielson tagged back in and hit Guevara with a chop to the chest that echoed throughout the arena. Bryan followed it up with some kicks in the corner of the ring. Guevara raked Danielson’s injured eye and tagged in the ROH Champion.
Chris Jericho lit up Danielson’s chest with several chops and posed for the booing crowd. Jericho flipped the crowd off but it allowed Bryan time to regroup. Danielson stomped on Le Champion’s elbow and tagged in Castagnoli.
Claudio locked in a submission hold as ROH commentator Ian Riccaboni cackled into the headset. Guevara tagged in and was greeted with a loud “you suck!” chant from the AEW Galaxy.Jericho bashed Bryan Danielson on the head with Floyd the baseball bat as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Castagnoli hit a running uppercut and went for the Neutralizer but Jericho escaped. Claudio connected with a springboard uppercut for a two count. Chris locked in the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring as Sammy took out Danielson with a flip over the top rope.
Bryan broke it up with a Dropkick off the top rope. Guevara tagged in and Danielson leveled him with a rolling elbow strike to the face. Danielson followed it up with several kicks to the chest. Sammy raked Danielson’s eye again and went for the GTH but Bryan countered into the LeBell Lock in the middle of the ring. Guevara was able to reach the bottom rope but the match continued.
Danielson perched Guevara up on the top turnbuckle and set up for a Superplex but Guevara bit Bryan in the head. Sammy connected with a Cutter and Jericho tagged in. Chris hit a Lionsault and went for the cover but Castagnoli broke it up.
Castagnoli hit Guevara with a massive uppercut and knocked him out of the ring. Danielson and Jericho ran into each other at the same time and crashed to the canvas. Castagnoli got Jericho in the Giant Swing as Jericho had Floyd the baseball bat in his hand. Claudio took the baseball bat away and posed with it while applying the Sharpshooter to Jericho. Chris submitted and Blackpool Combat Club picked up the victory.
Swerve Strickland Picked Up A Win, Captain Insano Appeared
Anthony Bowens battled Swerve Strickland tonight on AEW Dynamite. Before the match, The Acclaimed premiered a music video featuring Captain Insano and Billy Gunn. Before the match, Billy Gunn attacked Strickland on the entrance ramp.
The referee kicked Max Caster and Billy Gunn out from ringside. Caster mocked Jay Leno for suffering burns recently during his rap and the AEW commentators quickly wished him well at the start of the match.
Strickland dominated the match early and sent Bowens over the barricade as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Strickland was still in control of the match and beat Bowens down in the corner of the ring. Swerve applied an armbar in the middle of the ring and did pushups while doing so. Bowens battled to his feet and drove Strickland into the turnbuckle.
Strickland hopped to the middle turnbuckle but Bowens tripped him up. Bowens stayed on the attack with forearm strikes and followed it up with a Samoan Drop for a near fall. Swerve planted Bowens with a Suplex and a boot to the head for a near fall. Strickland hit the Swerve Stomp but Bowens somehow kicked out at two and the match continued. Swerve went back to worn on Bowens injured arm and hit a slam for the pinfall victory.
WHOSE HOUSE?! @swerveconfident picks up the win over one-half of #AEW World Tag Team Champions! What state will @bowens_official be in, heading into their championship rubber match at the #AEWFullGear PPV this Saturday?
ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe was interviewed by Tony Schiavone in the ring about his attack on Wardlow last week. Wardlow stated that he wanted every title in AEW and Joe bashed him with the title over the head. Joe got fired up and shouted that Wardlow failed to recognize the most dangerous man in the building.
Joe refused to be a victim like most of the people in the building tonight. Samoa Joe added that if anyone has a problem, they can take it up with him. Powerhouse Hobbs interrupted and said he’s been kicking Wardlow’s ass for past several weeks and said he was going to come to the ring to kick Joe’s ass.
TNT Champion Wardlow’s theme hit and both Joe and Hobbs looked around. Wardlow hopped over the barricade and Speared Samoa Joe. Powerhouse Hobbs attacked Wardlow before The Embassy and a bunch of security broke it. Dark Order was left alone in the ring with Wardlow and backed away. The TNT Champion hit a flip onto everyone outside the ring and posed for the fired up crowd.
Britt Baker cut a backstage promo about Saraya claiming that she can’t be a star and has only been in on TV for three years. Baker said in three years, she has been the face of the company and has become a leader. As a leader, she takes all the blame while everyone else takes all the credit. Britt added that every fan says “DMD” along with her.
Baker added that she respects Saraya for beating addiction and coming back from a horrible neck injury. She claimed that business owes Saraya nothing and she’s stuck in the past. Britt claimed she was the heart, soul, and the pulse of AEW. She closed the promo by saying AEW is her house.
Saraya later responded and said she is sick of the back and forth with Britt Baker. She added that she will see Britt at Full Gear.
The Elite will Battle for the Trios Championship at Full Gear
Death Triangle (Pac, Pentagon Jr., Rey Fenix) defended the Trios Championships against Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) & AR Fox. Darius started off the match in his return and Fenix tripped him up. Darius hit an Arm Drag and the two traded moves in an impressive sequence as the crowd applauded.
Dante Marin and Rey Fenix then tagged in and stared at each other. Dante showed off his incredible athleticism and hit a springboard DDT. He followed it up with a Dropkick that knocked Penta to the outside.
AR Fox tagged in and got a pop from the crowd. PAC tagged in as well and traded strikes with Fox. PAC booted Fox in the midsection but he responded with an Enziguri and a Splash in the corner. AR connected with a Cutter and Pac rolled out of the ring to regroup. AR hit a springboard flip off the ring post and rolled Pac into the ring. Fox followed it up with a Swanton Bomb but Penta broke it up.
Darius cleared the ring of the Lucha Bros and AR Fox hit another Cutter on Pac. They then fired up the crowd as Pac rolled out of the ring again. Death Triangle got back into the ring and hit a bunch of Superkicks to knock Top Flight to the outside. Death Triangle followed it up with a series of Splashes on AR Fox but he managed to kick out as Dynamite went to a break.
When Dynamite returned, Dante hit the Lucha Bros with a Splash outside the ring. AR Fox followed it up with a springboard Splash to take out Death Triangle. Back in the ring, Fox battled with Fenix as the crowd chanted “this is awesome”. AR hopped to the top rope and hit a 450 Splash and went for the cover but Pac broke it up at the last moment.
Penta tagged in as Rey climbed to the top turnbuckle. Penta hit the Fear Factor on Fox as Fenix took out Top Flight outside the ring. Pac connected with the Black Arrow for the pinfall victory. Death Triangle are still the Trios Champions.
After the match, Pac grabbed a microphone. Pac wondered if the fans thought the Death Triangle are stupid and that they haven’t seen the videos of The Elite. Pac said “if there are certain individuals in this company that think they can make their triumphant return at Full Gear and best the Death Triangle. Well, that is ridiculous.
Pac then challenged them to bring the heat this Saturday at Full Gear. A graphic was then shown for Death Triangle versus The Elite at the PPV. Pac added that Death Triangle have been waiting for The Elite this whole time.
Ethan Page Advanced to the Finals of the Eliminator Tournament
Ethan Page battled Bandido in the semifinals of the World Title Eliminator tournament. Before the match, Page vowed to win the tournament and challenge for the AEW World Championship at AEW Dynamite: Winter is Coming.
Bandido sent Page to the corner and hit a running uppercut. Bandido connected with a Suplex for a two count. Stokely Hathaway tripped up Bandido and Ethan capitalized with some strikes as Dynamite went to commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Ethan Page connected with a Cutter for a near fall. Page went for. Ego’s Edge but Bandido escaped. Bandido hit a Frog Splash but Page was able to kick out at two.
Bandido and Page battled to the top turnbuckle. Page hit a massive Body Slam and followed it up with a diving shoulder tackle. Ethan connected with the Ego’s Edge for the pinfall victory. Ethan Page has advanced to the finals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament this Saturday at Full Gear.
AEW Interim Women’s Champion Toni Storm battled Anna Jay of the Jericho Appreciation Society tonight on Dynamite. Anna spent the beginning of the match avoiding the champion until Toni got her in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Storm booted Anna in the midsection and sent her to the corner.
Storm sent Jay flying across the ring and went for a Splash but Anna dodged it. Anna hit a Backstabber and followed it up with a strike to the face as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, the champion unloaded several punches and fired up the crowd. Storm connected with the Fisherman’s Buster and went for the cover but Anna kicked out at two. Toni hit Anna with a Hip Attack and knocked to the floor.
Anna Jay battled back and connected with a slam for a near fall. Storm hit a Dropkick and then another Hip Attack in the corner. Storm applied a Cloverleaf for the submission victory. After the match, Jamie Hayter came to the ring and talked some trash ahead of their match this Saturday at Full Gear.
Jon Moxley & MJF Traded Words Ahead of AEW Full Gear
AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and William Regal made their way to the ring in the final ten minutes of the show. Moxley got some boos from the crowd in Connecticut. Moxley claimed he was the best wrestler in the world, talks sh*t, and backs it up. Jon added that he has defined the AEW World Championship.
Jon said that he’s sick in the head and is addicted to the pain inflicted during wrestling matches. Maxwell stated that he’s scouted MJF and he’s found out a few things. Mox complimented MJF on his singing abilities and that he has exactly “one win” in the last six months in AEW.
Moxley added that he won the Casino Ladder match in a Halloween mask and it was the worst ending to a ladder match he’s ever seen. Jon said he thinks MJF is full of fear because he won’t live up to the hype. Moxley challenged MJF to show him something at Full Gear and why everyone thinks he is going to be the future of this industry.
Stokely Hathaway’s The Firm showed up and attacked the AEW World Champion. MJF made the save and beat The Firm down one by one before firing up the crowd. Maxwell told The Firm to get out of Connecticut before he kicks their ass. MJF told Moxley while he’s “laying there hopefully in a ton of pain” (CM Punk reference to John Cena there during the Pipebomb promo).
"John Cena, while you lay there, hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be, I want you to listen to me."
MJF shouted that he will not stop until he becomes the AEW World Champion. Maxwell shouted that holding the AEW title makes you the best wrestler on Earth and it is his time. MJF said Moxley will find out he is the Devil at Full Gear. Jon ripped away the microphone away and said he will bring the best out of MJF at Full Gear but it won’t be enough. The two stared at each other while Regal was in the background as Dynamite went off the air.
There’s a new Vince McMahon documentary in the works from Vice, the network that brought us three seasons of Dark Side of the Ring and Tales from the Territories.
Wrestling fans won’t have to wait long to see what’s in store, because the doc is scheduled to premiere Tuesday, December 13 at 9 PM ET.
Several wrestling pundits were interview for the project, including Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer.
We’ve already seen from Dark Side that Vice doesn’t shy away from controversy. The McMahon doc will span his entire illustrious career, including his resignation from WWE this past summer related to his ‘romantic improprieties’ and mishandling of WWE expense reporting.
McMahon resigned from his duties as Chairman and CEO of WWE amid the WWE Board investigating him for alleged sexual misconduct and hush money. WWE confirmed that from 2006 through 2022 (including amounts paid and payable in the future totaling $14.6 million) funds were not appropriately recorded as expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
WWE identified two additional payments totaling $5.0 million, unrelated to the alleged misconduct by McMahon that led to the investigation. McMahon made in 2007 and 2009 that were not appropriately recorded as expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
Vice is currently airing the first season of Tales from the Territories, a docu-series that reunites wrestlings legends to relive their most jaw-dropping stories from in and out of the ring.
Episodes from the first season have focused on Memphis, the AWA, the CWF, Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling, the Samoan wrestling dynasty and more.
Wrestling legend Jake Roberts took to Twitter today to announce some great news.
Jake has been battling COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and hasn’t appeared on AEW television in some time. The WWE Hall of Famer announced that he is at AEW Dynamite tonight and no longer requires an oxygen tank.
“Off oxygen for good!! Standing tall doing great. At AEW AGAIN!! Sweet life I’m living!!
Off oxygen for good!! Standing tall doing great. At AEW AGAIN!! Sweet life I’m living!!
Jake debuted in AEW in March 2020. He confronted former TNT Champion Cody Rhodes and said that he has a client ready to conquer The American Nightmare. Roberts serves as the manager of Lance Archer in AEW.
Jake Roberts on His Health Issues
Jake Roberts was recently interviewed on Premier Live TV and discussed his health issues. The 67-year-old said that he had difficulty talking for more than 20-seconds at the time and complimented All Elite Wrestling for caring about him.
“I’m just gonna hit on it fairly briefly because we’re still struggling with it. About a week ago, I just couldn’t quit coughing and couldn’t breathe. That’s not good, you know? I wound up having to get to the hospital and stay for a few days. I wish I could say this was COVID but it’s not. What I’ve got is worse than COVID.
It’s something that was passed down to me through the bloodlines and all that stuff, and it’s issues with COPD – of course, me being a dumb son of a b*tch, I smoked cigarettes, you dumb f*ck. Guys, if you don’t ever do anything in your life, just don’t smoke and you’ll live much happier. I promise you that……it’s serious for me. I don’t get the right amount of oxygen into my blood and that’s not good.
I don’t know how much it’s gonna limit me in my future……I know that without the oxygen and I talk for about 20 seconds, I’m done. I can’t do it anymore. It’s just not there. So, it’s gonna be something Im gonna have to work with. The thing I’m happiest about is I’m with AEW and they actually give a damn. It’s really wild, they actually care about the athletes, they actually give us the help we need, and they actually set up protocols……these guys are smart enough to protect us from ourselves. I am so over the top happy with them.”
The Shield first appeared at WWE a decade ago at WWE Series 2012. Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Jon Moxley debuted as mercenaries for CM Punk.
The trio became known as The Shield in WWE and was an incredibly popular faction. The Hounds of Justice dominated the company and battled with legends such as The Undertaker, John Cena, and more along the way.
All three members of The Shield, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, United States Champion Seth Rollins, and AEW World Champion Jon Moxley recently spoke with Justin Barasso of Sports Illustrated about the formation of The Shield.
Seth Rollins stated that he noticed he and Roman Reigns had a similar mindset during a training session.
Roman was on the offense, and I was on the defense, so I knew what was going to happen,” Rollins says. “Roman knew how to bring it, and he got us out of this drill.
Mox and I were already on the same wavelength, and that was the moment that showed the three of us were of one mind and one goal,” Rollins added. “That allowed us to be The Shield. Without that mindset, there is no Shield, and the last ten years look a lot different.
Roman Reigns said that WWE was training them like dogs and he beat the hell out Seth in the gym that day.
That was a time when no one knew who we were,” says Reigns, who has evolved into the industry’s single most compelling star. “They were training us like dogs, training us good, and I turned it up on Seth big time that day.
I remember it well, and I know Seth remembers it,” Reigns says. “I beat the hell out of him.
The Tribal Chief added that they knew early on that the company was going to rely on them and The Shield did everything in their power to put themselves in the right position.
Early on, we found out we were going to be the guys for the company that could pull the wagon as far as we wanted if we worked hard enough,” Reigns says. “If we didn’t step up, someone else would, so we’ve always done everything in our power to put ourselves in the right position.
AEW World Champion stated that the first few months of The Shield were very intense but before long everyone wanted to work with them.
Looking back, it was like we were kids,” Moxley says. “The first few months of The Shield were f—ing intense. It was a different time back then. We weren’t necessarily welcomed with open arms by everybody, but we didn’t give a f—. We were going to push the pace and have good f—ing matches. Before long, everybody wanted to start working with us.”
Moxley added that he still has the work ethic from his days with The Shield and it makes him who he is.
We created that ‘Shield work ethic,’” Moxley says. “The people we were around have that, too. Claudio [Castagnoli] is an old riding partner of The Shield. Hell, Bryan [Danielson] was our opponent in our first match.
I still have that. We all do. It makes us who we are.
JBL recently made his triumphant return to WWE television to manage Baron Corbin.
He’s referred to Corbin as the “Modern Day Wrestling God” in promos and claimed that Baron is the only reason he’s returned to the company. Corbin was traded from SmackDown to RAW in exchange for Rey Mysterio.
Corbin picked up another victory this past Monday over Akira Tozawa. However, Tozawa took all of JBL and Baron Corbin’s money in poker earlier in the show, so all things considered it wasn’t a bad day at the office.
JBL Reveals Stone Cold Steve Austin Named His Finisher
Baron Corbin and JBL appeared on WWE’s The Bump today. During the conversation, the 55-year-old revealed that Stone Cold Steve Austin came up with the “Clothesline From Hell” finisher name. JBL’s Clothesline was one of the best in the business.
Stone Cold is the one that named the Clothesline From Hell. You can’t name your own move. You can’t give yourself a nickname. I hit somebody with a Clothesline one time in Europe and I come back, Stone Cold says ‘that’s not a Clothesline, that is a Clothesline From Hell’. And it stuck from that point forward.
WWE reportedly reached out to Stone Cold Steve Austin about another match recently. The Rattlesnake returned to the ring during Night 1 of WrestleMania 38 and defeated Kevin Owens. Austin looked great in the match and may have another one left in him.
Britt Baker is fired up after Saraya “ripped her to shreds” during a promo last week on AEW Dynamite. Saraya held nothing back when she laid out her long, painful journey to getting ‘medically cleared’ after several years on the sidelines due to injuries.
After having a few days to process everything, Baker admits Saraya is a real-life role model with an inspiring story. She aspires to achieve Saraya’s level of worldwide stardom. For now, she wants to make one thing clear: AEW is still her house. The two will clash this weekend at Full Gear after months of build, which began long before Saraya arrived in All Elite Wrestling at Grand Slam.
The former AEW Women’s champion appeared on Busted Open Radio this week to discuss her mentality heading into the pay-per-view.
“It definitely motivated me, because she ripped me apart. She literally ripped me to shreds.”
– Britt Baker on Saraya’s promo (AEW Dynamite, 11/9/22)
“So, I was kind of in shock for a second,” said Baker. “It was very surreal hearing everything she was saying to me. Even everything she went through, that was very real and raw. That’s totally her. Her digs at me aside, this girl is a real life role model. Everything she went through, everything she’s overcome. Now she’s standing in a ring across the top girl in AEW. Hats off to her, but this is my house. And the fans know that. They told you that, this is my house.”
Saraya is a Star
Toni Storm’s Interim AEW Women’s Championship defense against Jamie Hayter has the higher stakes, but Baker vs. Saraya is the most anticipated women’s match at Full Gear.
Baker says Saraya will bring new eyes to AEW, which will help the company’s expansion. She also understands that Saraya may not be angry with her specifically, even though she felt the wrath last week.
“She has her hardcore group of fans,” said Baker. “This girl’s a star. There’s probably that don’t even watch wrestling that watched her family’s movie that want to watch this match because they’re a fan of her and the story. She’s a worldwide star and I can’t take that away from her. Actually, I would like to be what she is one day. But when it comes to AEW, this is my house, you can’t come in to my house and tell me that you laid the foundation. You didn’t lay a single brick.”
“I’m happy that she said every single word she did in that promo, because this is the most fired up I’ve ever been and it’s not every day that I get to stand in the ring face to face and do a back and forth promo with someone. That was really exciting. Even though she was cutting me deep, and she certainly was cutting me deep, it was very motivating, because I did feel how raw she was.
“She was angry and i don’t think she’s angry at me. I think she’s angry at the situation, but what she told me that I don’t have what it takes to be a star, ok well if you meant to say it or not, you said it, because now, all bets are off. You’re cleared, let’s have a match, let’s go this Saturday.”
AEW Full Gear takes place this Saturday, November 18th from 19th from Newark, NJ. The event airs live on pay-per-view.
MJF is scheduled to face Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship this Saturday at Full Gear in the main event. Blackpool Combat Club’s William Regal has gotten into MJF’s head ahead of the match. MJF has vowed not to use the Dynamite Diamond Ring in the match and earn the title on his own.
AEW Full Gear 2022 Preview
Full Gear will take place at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, or “the shadow of New York” as WWE referred to NJ ahead of WrestleMania 35.
Ahead of tonight’s edition of AEW Dynamite, MJF sent out a message on Twitter. The 26-year-old stated that there has been a shadow cast over AEW by a bunch of “bullsh*t”. Friedman added that All Elite Wrestling needs the devil and he’s ready.
There’s been a shadow casted over AEW by a bunch of f*cking bullsh*t. We are closer then ever to stepping out of the darkness and into the light. We have the roster. We have the platform. Now all we need is stability, change, and leadership. We need the Devil. I’m ready.
There’s been a shadow casted over AEW by a bunch of fucking bullshit.
We are closer then ever to stepping out of the darkness and into the light. We have the roster. We have the platform. Now all we need is stability, change, and leadership.
MJF hasn’t appeared live on Dynamite since the attack by The Firm a few weeks ago. Stokely Hathaway’s faction helped MJF win the Casino Ladder match at AEW All Out on September 4th but the group has since turned against him.
5 Reasons MJF Needs to Win the AEW World Championship
He appeared on last week’s Dynamite while a guest on Barstool Sports’ popular Pardon My Take podcast. MJF delivered a warning to Jon Moxley ahead of the PPV this Saturday night. The 26-year-old noted that he is the guy that wave the flag for AEW and professional wrestling moving forward.
I’m the guy that can come on the #1 sports podcast in the world, Pardon My Take. I’m the guy who can do movies, TV shows, commercials, talk shows, and I can wave the flag of the AEW brand.
And hell, I can wave the flag of professional wrestling and bring pro wrestling back to where it belongs as something that everyone is talking about.
Jake Paul has provided an injury update on his brother Logan Paul following WWE Crown Jewel where Logan came up short when challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title.
After the match on November 5, Logan posted to social media that he had a “torn meniscus, MCL & potentially ACL.” He also noted that the injuries occurred midway through the match.
During an interview with DAZN Boxing, Jake revealed the injuries that Logan is dealing with following Crown Jewel are not as bad as first thought.
The Good News
“He’s doing better than expected. They thought it was supposed to be ACL but it just turned out to be MCL and meniscus, which is better.” He’s rehabbing it in LA and hoping for the best.”
WWE Superstar Top Dolla (AJ Francis) is getting candid about the disappointment and shame he felt when he was released from the company in 2021.
Hit Row is back doing their thing on the SmackDown brand, but it was not an easy road getting there. The group was swept up in WWE’s ‘cost cutting’ wave of releases last year and Top Dolla was hit especially hard when he found himself out of work.
During an appearance on the Fox Sports Out of Character podcast, Dolla told host Ryan Satin that he was caught completely off guard when he lost his dream job. When asked about his initial reaction, he recalled, “Disappointment. Shame.”
“I’ve worked to get to that point,” he said. “We had the fastest call-up ever in NXT history. To then be released a month later it was like, I felt.. I didn’t know that this would happen. I had no assurances that I’d be back in WWE again. So I felt like maybe the two years that I had spent in NXT, getting to that point was just a waste of my time, because I was gonna have to go do something else now. What ended up happening, which was a blessing, was the fact that, I always stayed in contact with Hunter.”
He recalls being “genuinely depressed” when his career came to a screeching halt.
“When we first got released, it was tough. I was genuinely depressed. I had spent my entire life looking for a chance to get an opportunity to be on SmackDown, to be on Raw. Then I got there and then a month later it got taken out from underneath me. So it was one of the worst experiences [and] times of my life.”
Luckily, hard work pays off. He, Ashante “Thee” Adonis and B-Fab were brought back to WWE as part of Triple H’s initiative to re-hire a slew of talented performers.
Top Dolla has gotten himself in great physical shape over the past few months. He revealed on Twitter that he was 367 pounds when he re-signed with WWE less than three months ago. On November 9, he weighed in at 303 pounds – the lightest he’s been since his junior year of college.
You can check out Top Dolla’s full interview below:
Amale made WWE history as the first French female to ever sign with the company. In the summer of 2020, “The French Hope” officially joined the NXT UK roster, later racking up impressive performances in the company’s international brand. In August 2022, NXT UK announced its official hiatus, as WWE looked to expand and launch their respective NXT Europe brand. Accordingly, several NXT UK superstars were let go from their contracts.
SEScoops’ correspondent Ella Jay recently spoke with Amale about wrestling Meiko Satomura, who helped guide her in the NXT UK locker room, possible NXT Europe involvement, returning to the independent scene and much more!
Watch Ella Jay’s interview with Amale:
Here are some highlights of what Amale said about:
Representing France On WWE Programming
“Representation is something I really care about because when I was younger, looking back, I didn’t have anyone to look up to, anyone who looked like me. So I wanted to be that person for somebody and for all the French people. This is the reason why it’s really important to me. So yeah, it has been really cool to be able to do it.”
Wrestling Meiko Satomura For The NXT UK Women’s Championship
Meiko Satomura & Amale
“That was amazing. It was exciting, but scary at the same time, I will say. I faced her before WWE with wXw [in 2019], I had a match against her and it was really intense at that time already, but I felt like I stepped up with the WWE one and it was really intense. I think it’s one of the highlights of my career so far there. So I really keep a good feeling about it.”
Who Helped Guide Her In The NXT UK Locker Room
“There was Kay Lee Ray, Alba Fyre now in NXT. She is so talented and she was like the longest reigning NXT UK Women’s Champion and everything. It was just so inspiring to see her around and to see her being that leader that just want to help people and give advice. She was watching our matches and just helping us, giving us advice, stuff like that. I keep a very cool souvenir of her. I will say JD McDonagh as well, former[ly] Jordan Devlin. He was as well, always really helping and he believed in us. He is someone that understands the business and how pro-wrestling works really well so he can share it and help us grow. “
Possible Involvement In NXT Europe
“So we’ve heard that they (WWE management) want to get back some of the former NXT UK people, but I have no clue what’s going on or what’s going to happen. So I’m just like, ‘wait and see.’ I’m just focusing on what I can control and what I can do right now, and tomorrow, not like next year. It’s really far away, so I just need to get things done now and we will see what happen.”
On Returning To The Independent Scene
“I feel like I’m falling in love with wrestling again, like going back into the roads and seeing new people all the time, new countries having new opportunities. That’s really everything I love about wrestling. I just regret that I was signed [to NXT UK] during — it was kind of bad timing because with the COVID situation and everything, we’ve been out for so long and then we it was pretaped. So we were there only a few weeks and then after nothing for six weeks, stuff like that. So, I wish it was different, but now I’m just more free. I can travel and can do whatever I want. So it’s so cool.”
The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) have abandoned their trademark application for the name, The Wayward Sons.
The Bucks applied for the name on November 3. The ‘Goods and Services’ usage description at the United States Patent and Trademark Office included “entertainment services in the nature of wrestling contests” along with a slew of merchandise offerings, such as shirts, hats, bandanas and more.
Less than two weeks later, their application was rescinded on November 14. No specific reason has been for the abandonment, but it’s likely they received word the application would not be approved due to conflicts with existing trademarks.
The Young Bucks Returning
The top tag team has been away from All Elite Wrestling since the events that transpired after September’s AEW All Out pay-per-view.
The Elite have been backstage at recent AEW Dynamite events, with the belief that they will be returning to television shortly.
In recent weeks, vignettes promoting the “deletion” of the Bucks and Omega have begun airing on AEW television. The Bucks and Omega have been added back to television commercials for Dynamite and Rampage, another indication that they are returning soon.
