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Impact Wrestling Results (2/9/23): Joe Hendry vs. Matt Cardona, Steph De Lander Debut & More

Tyriece Simon
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The Feb. 9 episode of Impact Wrestling aired on AXS TV at 8 PM EST/5 PM PT.

This episode featured a title match between Joe Hendry and Matt Cardona for the Digital Media Championship. The feud has lasted for several weeks, as both have traded insults in “diss songs.” Also on the show, Steph De Lander has her debut match against former Impact Knockout Champion Jordynne Grace.

This week’s episode also aired on their Youtube channel for Impact Insider subscribers. Impact Wrestling offers a monthly subscription to watch weekly episodes on Youtube for $1.49. However, it aired at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT.

If you would like more results for this week’s events in wrestling, please check back on our results section.

Impact Wrestling Results (2/9) Results

The show opened with a video package from last week’s episode of Impact Wrestling. We also get a video package showing the feud between Hendry and Cardona. After it ends, we get Cardona trying to get to his locker room but gets stopped by a backstage staff. He gets shown to his private locker room, which is an equipment room.

Dirty Dango vs. Brian Myers- No Surrender Number One Contender’s Qualifier Match

The match starts with the two locking up. Dirty Dango pushes Brian Myers to the corner but back away. They exchange holds again, but Myers takes Dango down with a Shoulder Block. Myers tries to capitalize, but Dango takes back control of the match. Myers tried to go for a Sunset Flip Pin, but Dango countered with a leg drop for a failed pin attempt.

Myers goes outside and hides under the ring. Dango goes after him, but Myers hurts him when he pulls his shoulder into the ring apron. Myers brings Dango back into the ring and controls the match for several minutes. However, they clash heads when Myers tries to Irish Whip Dango into the ropes. The match returns to Dango’s favor as he takes control of the match. Dango landed a Falcon Arrow for a two-count on Myers.

Before Dango can go after Myers, his opponents go to the outside. He tried to go after Myers on the outside of the ring but got caught with the Roster Cut. Myers puts Dango back in the ring and hits the move again for the win.

We get a backstage segment with Gisele Shaw ruining people’s meals in catering. Deonna Purrazzo confronts her and throws food at her. Santino Marella comes to the scene and announces that they will have a match at No Surrender.

Good Hands(Jason Hotch & John Skyler) vs. Mickie James & Tommy Dreamer

The match starts with Jason Hotch and Mickie James exchanging holds. James controls the wrist and gets Tommy Dreamer in the match. Dreamer works on the arm before tagging James back in as she jumps from the top rope on Hotch’s arm. Skyler tags into the match, but James catches him with an Arm Drag. She tags Dreamer back in, and they land a Drop Toe Hold and Running Elbow combo move.

Skyler rolls to the outside. Hotch tries to run after Dreamer but gets thrown to the outside on top of his partner. Dreamer goes to the outside and does a dive on his opponents. James also does a Top Rope Crossbody on the outside. Dreamer brings Skyler back in the ring to put him in a Texas Cloverleaf, but Hotch hits Dreamer from behind. The Good Hands start to control the match working on Dreamer. However, Dreamer catches Skyler with a Cutter, and both tag out.

Before Hotch can go after James, She catches him with several Clotheslines. He tries to go after her again, but She lands the Flapjack on him. She does a Top Rope Lou Thesz Press for a pin on Hotch but gets stopped by Skyler. While Skyler is grabbing her hair, she counters and lands the Mick Kick. Dreamer gets in the ring, and they both land a DDT simultaneously on their opponents. James gets the pin on Hotch for the win.

After the match, Bully Ray comes out to attack Dreamer from behind. He goes after James, but Masha Slamovich attacks James from behind. Slamovich takes out James with the Snowplow.

We get a backstage segment with Marella, Johnny Swinger, Zicky Dice, and Dango. Swinger is looking for an opponent he can beat, and Dice says he has an opponent in mind as we go to the commercial break.

We get a video package of Rich Swann talking about getting an opportunity to win the Impact World Championship at No Surrender.

Steph De Lander vs. Jordynne Grace

Before the match, Lander cuts a promo about how it’s a “fall from grace” as she lost her title and how she will defeat Grace in her debut.

The match starts with Lander and Grace locking up. Lander puts Grace and the corner but back away to kick her in the stomach. She tries to go after Grace again, but her opponents put her in the corner and Knife Edge Chop Lander. Grace takes the fight outside the ring but gets caught with a Big Boot. Lander rolls her back in the ring for a two-count. She starts to control the match by keeping Grace on the ground for a few minutes.

Lander tries to Irish Whip Grace to the corner, but Grace lands a hard elbow strike. Her opponent responds with a Suplex, but it fires up Grace. The former Impact Knockout Champion starts to rally back in the match. However, Lander hits Grace with the Snake Eyes and a Big Boot for a near fall. The finish comes when Grace lands the Grace Driver for the win.

We get a backstage segment as Cardona demands a different locker room. Instead of changing in the equipment room, he has to change in the parking lot.

We get a backstage interview with Impact World Champion Josh Alexander as he talks about defending his title against Swann at No Surrender. He says that they are friends, but he will defeat Swann. Kenny King interrupts the interview. King says Alexander is scared of him and challenges him to a match.

Swann interrupts their argument and hits King in the face. He wants to face King. However, King says that he will see Swann when he sees him.

The Death Dollz (Taya Valkyrie & Rosemary) with Jessicka vs. Taylor Wilde & Killer Kelly)

Taya Valkyrie and Killer Kelly start the match. Kelly tries to go after Valkyrie and Rosemary but is outmatched. Valkyrie tags in Rosemary and lands a Sliding German Suplex as Kelly is on the ropes. Rosemary goes for the pin but gets a two-count. Rosemary starts beating down Kelly.

She puts Kelly in Upside Down in the corner. After the move, Rosemary goes on outside the ring, and Kelly tags in Taylor Wilder, who is looking at tarot cards. Rosemary enters the ring and starts to control Wilde but gets caught with a Backbreaker. The momentum if the match begins to go in favor of Wilde and Kelly as they tag in and out to dominate Rosemary.

Wilde tags in to work on Rosemary. She Irish Whips her into the ropes, but they both land Clothesline. They tag out the match, but Valkyrie gets the better of Kelly. She lands a Blue Thunder Bomb on Kelly for a two-count. Valkyrie tries to follow up the move but gets caught with a kick to the face. Kelly tries to tag out, but Wilde reads her tarot cards.

Wilde turns on Kelly, and Valkyrie lands Road to Valhalla for the win.

After the match, Father James Mitchell returns and confronts The Death Dollz. Mitchell says that Rosemary hasn’t spoken to his Boss(her father), and he puts a Hex on her. The Hex (Sienna & Marti Belle) enters the ring from the crowd and attacks The Death Dollz from behind.

We get a backstage segment with Eddie Edwards asking Shera to take out PCO for him.

Impact Wrestling gives another backstage segment with Chris Bey and Ace Austin challenging KUSHIDA and The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) at No Surrender. Bey and Austin reveal that KENTA will be their partner for the six-man tag match.

PCO vs. Shera with Raj Singh- No Surrender Number One Contender’s Qualifier Match

Shera tries to rush in to attack PCO but gets caught with a kick to the stomach. He tries to get his offense back but gets caught with a strike to the throat. Shera rolls to the outside, but PCO does a running dive on Shera and Raj Singh.

PCO tries to choke Singh and Shera, but they push him into the ring corner. Shera brings PCO back into the corner and starts the control the match. PCO is bleeding from hitting the ring corner. Shera lands a Suplex, but it just makes PCO mad. Shera Irish Whips PCO to the corner, but PCO counters with a Clothesline. PCO follows up the move with a Reverse DDT and a Top Rope Moonsault for the win.

We get a backstage interview with Cardona in his wrestling gear. He says he’s ready to fight Hendry.

We get a backstage segment with Frankie Kazarian and Sami Callihan. He tries to talk to Callihan about his recent action. However, The Design interrupts, and Kazarian challenges Kon to a match at No Surrender.

(C)Joe Hendry vs. Matt Cardona- Digital Media Championship Match

Before the match, Hendry cuts a promo and calls Cardona Edge’s B*tch. Hendry declares that he will be victorious in the match.

The match starts with Cardona landing Radio Silence for a near fall. Cardona tries to follow up on the move, but Hendry throws him to the outside. Hendry lands a Knife Edge Chop on Cardona and puts him back in the ring. However, Cardona hits Hendry with a knee as he tries to enter the ring.

Cardona tries to run at Hendry but gets caught with a scoop slam. Hendry tries to continue his offense, but his opponent keeps leaving the ring. Hendry tries to go after Cardona but gets caught with a Neckbreaker outside the ring as we go to a commercial break.

We come back from break with Cardona controlling the match. He locks in a jumping Guillotine on Hendry, but the champion counters with a Suplex. Hendry gains the upper hand as he catches Cardona with a Fallaway Slam. Cardona goes to the corner. The champion tries to go after Cardona, but the referee stops Hendry. Cardona pulls the referee in the way, and as the official moves, he lands a kick to the stomach, followed by a DDT on Hendry for a near fall.

Cardona tries to land a Running Boot to the face of Hendry in the corner, but the champion stops him. He lands the Trust Fall on Cardona for a two count. The champion Irish Whips Cardona to the corner, followed by a Running Cutter for another near fall. Hendry tries to follow up on the move but gets caught with another Radio Silence for a near fall.

The challenger tries to land a Radio Silence for the middle rope but gets caught with a Powerbomb for a two count. Myers tries to interfere in the match and throws the Digital Media Championship in the ring. The referee goes after the title, and Myers runs into the ring to try to hit Hendry with the Roster Cut. However, he accidentally hits Cardona, and Hendry throws Myers out of the ring. The finish comes when Hendry lands the Standing Ovation for the win.

After the match, Moose enters the ring and accidentally hits Cardona with a Spear. He tries to go after the champion but gets thrown to the outside. Hendry escapes up the ramp and plays his “diss song” on Cardona. The show ends with the crowd chanting that Cardona is Edge’s B*tch.

Jerry Lawler Out of ICU, Expected to Leave Hospital on Friday

Michael Reichlin
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We have another encouraging update on Jerry Lawler’s health after suffering a “massive” stroke on Monday outside his home in Fort Myers, Florida.

Lawler’s official Twitter account (@JerryLawler) posted the following update on Thursday, February 9. The King is scheduled to leave the hospital Friday. He’s still experiencing some speech and cognitive issues, but doctors are optimistic that he’ll make a full recovery.

Dutch Mantell, Lawler’s longtime friend, also provided an update after speaking with Lawler’s son, Kevin.

“Just talked to Kevin Lawler who said that Jerry is being released from the hospital tomorrow. It was believed he’d be in through this weekend so Jerry is doing well. He will remain in FL until he’s cleared to fly.”

– Dutch Mantell

Previously … On Wednesday (February 8), Lawler’s official Twitter account (@JerryLawler) checked in with some great news: he’s expected to make a full recovery.

His friend and longtime meteorologist Dave Brown had a video call with the King on Tuesday (February 7) and provided this account to Commercial Appeal:

“Some of the initial reports were just horrible, so I feel much better than I did 18 hours ago when I felt like I got hit in the face with a shovel. I was incredibly encouraged after I did a FaceTime. Jerry was alert. He talked to me. He could only say a couple words at a time, which is pretty normal. But (he) was able to move both legs and both arms.”

Once again, SEScoops wishes Jerry Lawler a full and speedy recovery.

AEW: Fight Forever Rated ‘Teen’ for Partially Exposed Buttocks, Molotov Cocktails & More

Michael Reichlin
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All Elite Wrestling’s first console video game has finally received a rating by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

AEW: Fight Forever has received a “Teen” rating for some suggestive content, including the use of molotov cocktails, deep cleavage, partially exposed buttocks, crotch chops, depictions of alcohol consumption, smoking and more.

AEW: Fight Forever Rated ‘Teen’

Here’s the official Rating Summary, courtesy of the ESRB:

This is a wrestling game in which players compete in matches with wrestlers from the AEW roster. Players use punches, kicks, and grappling maneuvers to drain their opponents’ health. In some match types (e.g., Barbed Wire, Stadium Stampede, Unsanctioned) players can use barbed wired, baseball bats, metal chairs, and Molotov cocktails against opponents, eventually resulting in submission and/or knock outs. Blood-splatter effects can occur during matches, staining the mats; video footage of real matches also depicts blood on wrestlers’ faces and bodies. The game contains some mildly suggestive material: female wrestlers in revealing outfits (e.g., deep cleavage, bunny outfits, partially exposed buttocks); wrestlers performing taunting gestures (e.g., crotch chop, slapping buttocks). Real footage sometimes depicts wrestlers drinking alcohol and smoking. The word “sh*t” is heard in the game.

Fight Forever is ‘coming soon’ and has been coming soon since 2021. In recent weeks, there has been speculation that the ESRB rating was one of the issues holding up the game’s release, so this is one more hurdle cleared.

The game will be available, at some point, for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X.

NWA Women’s Champion Trains With WWE Superstars

Andrew Ravens
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Kamille is preparing for her next title defense this weekend, but she got to train with two WWE stars before she does. 

The NWA Women’s Champion recently trained with Natalya and TJ Wilson at Workhorse Fitness in Tampa, FL. She shared a photo with Natalya while in the ring and wrote the following in the caption: 

“Huge thanks to @NatbyNature @TJWilson for being so welcoming last night! Helping me to get ready for a big weekend of wrestling. So happy to be continuing my journey in training with the best of the best in the world and can’t wait to see where else this year takes me!”

Next Title Defense

The NWA will present its Nuff Said pay-per-view event this Saturday night at 7 pm EST on FITE TV. Kamille will defend her title against Angelina Love in a no DQ match at the show.

Kamille has been the Women’s Champion for over 600 days after winning it from Serena Deeb at When Our Shadows Fall in June 2021.

Other top matches that will be featured on the card include NWA World Champion Tyrus vs.Matt Cardona, NWA National Champion Cyon vs. Homicide, and Thom Latimer vs. Fodder in a Singapore cane match

Madusa on Raw is XXX “It Could Have Been More Than A Poker Game”

Tyriece Simon
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WWE Hall of Famer Madusa has shared her experience of appearing at Raw is XXX and if she believes WWE could’ve done more with her.

The company celebrated its historic 30th anniversary of Monday Night Raw on Jan. 23. While some fans enjoyed the show, others criticized the lack of female legends. Raw is XXX had male legends like Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, and others make appearances and have segments on the show. However, Madusa was the only female legend to appear at Raw is XXX, and the company had her in the background playing poker.

In an interview with Just ALYX, Madusa talked about how the appearance came together. She has a new book, “Woman Who Would Be King: The Madusa Story,” with a release date to be announced. Amazon has it listed for pre-order for $29.95.

“It was an honor to be called. They did call me a month or two before that and asked me to go. Then like three weeks before, they said, ‘Oh, schedule change.’ And I’m used to that because they always did that. They change it a month ahead, three weeks, two nights before, and the night of the show. They always change the card,” said Madusa.

She admitted that she didn’t take it personally. “…Then they called me two nights before and said, ‘Blaze, can you still come?’ I’m like, what? Oh my gosh, let me see. So you don’t know going in, and you kind of negotiate beforehand on what are we doing. They told me they were gonna have me play poker. And I’m like, I don’t know how to play poker. They were like, ‘Blayze, it’s scripted.’ And I’m like, Oh, that’s right,” said Madusa.

Madusa on If She Agrees With The Bella Twins

After Raw is XXX ended, The Bella Twins spoke openly about how WWE failed to represent a woman on the show. Neither in video tribute packages nor on-screen segments, they believed it didn’t want to showcase women on the show compared to the men. Madusa spoke about The Bellas Twins’ claims as the only female legend on the show.

“My thought when I did see a little bit of that was like, what is all of this? And then I started thinking, well, I was the only woman legend there. That was an honor. I thought maybe they’d be praising that, at least. You know, having one of their older peers there. But I didn’t see any of that. If they were so upset, why wouldn’t they say? Why did Blayze not have anything better for her than just a poker game? So it goes both ways. I guess to have one there is great. But then again, it could have been more than a poker game. I’m just saying,” said Madusa.

WWE hasn’t responded to The Bella Twins’ claims about the lack of female representation on Raw is XXX. The lack of more female Hall of Famer on the show could’ve been a misunderstanding. Hopefully the next major anniversary show, WWE could have an equal tribute for everyone.

Paul Wight is Planning In-Ring Return for Next Month

Andrew Ravens
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Paul Wight has provided an update on his current injury status, as he has only worked a handful of matches since signing with AEW.

The former Big Show has continued to do commentary for the promotion every week on AEW Dark: Elevation but hasn’t wrestled since March 2022, a bout that aired on Dark: Elevation in Wight’s hometown of Columbia, South Carolina.

While speaking with Alistair McGeorge for Metro UK, Wight talked about the injury setbacks he’s had in recent months. 

“You know, there’s been some setbacks personally. I mean, I’ve had a couple of injury setbacks, had to get a knee replaced in August. That knee was bad for 12 years, so it could’ve gone any day! It’s like kind of like that tire on your car that you know you should change but keep driving anyway.”

The Goal

Wight then shared that he’s hoping to be back in the ring next month. 

“But we’re good now, and hopefully we’ll be back in the ring in March. Everything’s on schedule, so we’re looking good!”

Regarding potential opponents, Wight named newly crowned AEW Tag Team Champions The Gunns. He praised them for being athletic and thinks they have a bright future.

Johnny Gargano Details His Experience Wrestling In A Prison

Jon Fuentes
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Johnny Gargano has been in the professional wrestling industry for a long time, and he has competed in some very interesting places.

Speaking during an interview with Beat Of Sports, Gargano revealed that he has actually competed in professional wrestling shows several times that took place inside prisons. Gargano explained that it was, as expected, a “wild” experience.

“I (wrestled in) an actual prison. Before my time in WWE, I was an independent wrestler, so I would wrestle on a bunch of random shows here and there. They had a show booked in a prison. I’ve wrestled multiple times in prisons, which is a wild crowd.

“Wild environment. They ran a wrestling show in the middle of the yard where they had all their activities and stuff like that. ‘Hey, come watch a wrestling show,’ and we wrestled in a prison. It was wild.“

Johnny Gargano

Gargano has been with WWE since 2015 where he was a big part of the company’s developmental NXT brand. Alongside Tommaso Ciampa forming DIY, they became one of the biggest fan-favorites on the program.

After a tremendous run in NXT, which included an NXT Championship win, three NXT North American Titles, and an NXT Tag Team Title run, Gargano made his WWE main roster debut in August.

Gargano’s contract with WWE initially ran out, and after nine months of testing free agency, he eventually re-signed with WWE before debuting on the main roster. Now, Gargano is gearing up to challenge for the United States Title inside the Elimination Chamber later this month.

Quotes via Fightful

Seth Rollins: Logan Paul Only Cares About Himself

Jon Fuentes
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Seth Rollins isn’t buying into Logan Paul’s supposed love for WWE and professional wrestling.

“The Architect” was recently a guest on The Pat McAfee Show where he was asked about Paul eliminating him during the Royal Rumble match last month. Since, Rollins has been speaking ill on Paul whenever he gets the chance.

While McAfee was praising Paul for his dedication to his in-ring work, Rollins explained he believes Paul is only using WWE to boost his own brand.

“He’s in it for himself. He’s in it for his own gain. So, I don’t want you in my business if you’re going to leech off it and you’re going to take from it. Great if you’re going to help out and you’re going to make everything as good as you can, but if you’re going to come and do it for you…look I can only judge what he’s done in the past.

“His own history, that’s foretelling for the future, and that’s why I don’t like the guy. That’s why I don’t dig the guy and he’s going to go rub it in on social media. He’s going to talk his talk, but he don’t want to say nothing to my face.””

Paul has certainly been impressive inside the ring since joining WWE. His tag team match alongside The Miz, as they took on The Mysterios, at WrestleMania last year was very well received.

The YouTube star has received great feedback for his in-ring ability since debuting inside the squared circle. Paul also challenged Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE World Championship at Crown Jewel last year.

Although his challenge was an unsuccessful one, the match itself received great reviews. Now, after eliminating Rollins at the Royal Rumble, it seems like WWE is angling for a match between the pair at WrestleMania 39 in Las Angeles later this year.

Currently, Rollins is slated to challenge for the United States Title inside the Elimination Chamber later this month.

Seth Rollins
(WWE)

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

JBL is No Longer Scheduled to Appear on WWE TV Going Forward

Andrew Ravens
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The latest run for JBL (John Bradshaw Layfield) on WWE television has ended. 

Pwinsider.com reports JBL is not scheduled to appear on WWE programming going forward. This comes after WWE did an angle on Monday Night Raw this week where Baron Corbin lost another match, and JBL wasn’t happy about it. 

The Split

After the show went off the air, WWE released a video where JBL stated he didn’t want to be associated with Corbin any longer. The reason for that is due to Corbin making him look bad by losing on television. 

Corbin has been on a losing streak on TV and at house shows despite the paring. The idea behind putting Corbin and JBL together was to give Corbin a boost, but WWE officials clearly felt like it wasn’t working out. 

Now, what Corbin’s future holds remains to be seen. Corbin is well-liked among the talent in the locker room and was someone Vince McMahon was high on.

Before this pairing, Corbin had been with Madcap Moss on SmackDown, where they were a heel duo, only for Moss to turn babyface after Corbin turned on him. 

Wheeler Yuta Shares What He’d be Doing if He Wasn’t a Wrestler

Thomas Lowson
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Wheeler Yuta has made a name for himself as part of AEW, but he would likely be spending his time under the sea had he not entered the squared circle.

Yuta debuted for All Elite Wrestling in June 2021, and would be welcomed as part of the Blackpool Combat Club the following April.

In addition to AEW, Yuta is also part of the Ring of Honor roster and is currently in his second reign as ROH Pure Champion.

Not a Wrestler

It’s hard to imagine Wheeler Yuta as anything other than a professional wrestler, but it was something the grappler considered in his youth.

Speaking on The Sessions, Yuta said that military service would have likely been his path if not for wrestling.

“When I was young, I always thought that I was probably going to go into the navy at some point. I think my dad’s biggest dream would have been if I had gone into the naval academy and then go on to be an officer. Of course, he loves that I do the wrestling stuff but I think, if he had his way when I was younger that’s what he would have pushed me to.

“I was probably going to go into the navy at some point.”

Wheeler Yuta on what he would have done if not become a wrestler.

“Yeah I always considered going into the navy. My dad’s in the navy. My uncle’s in the navy. So that was kind of something I always had in the back of my head, but I just knew I wanted to wrestle so that was always first.”

Growing Up

Wheeler’s father is a huge supporter of his chosen career path, but the elder Yuta wasn’t afraid to use his naval discipline as a parent.

When asked how it was growing up with a naval master chief for a father, Yuta said it was good, and recalled one time when his father’s military resolve took precedence.

“There was definitely some things that you could tell were very specific to his military stuff. Like if he told us ‘hey we’re going to leave at nine AM’ [it meant nine AM.] If I was there at 9:05, his favorite thing would be to go ‘hey bud, when I say 9 am, that means when the big hand is on the 12, and the little hand is on the nine. He’d explain to me how a clock works and I’m like ‘alright dad I’m sorry.'”

Yuta’s most recent match saw him, ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli, and Jon Moxley defeat The Butcher, the Blade and Kip Sabian on last night’s Rampage tapings.

For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

Matt Cardona: “Zack Ryder is Dead” After WWE trademark Dispute

Michael Reichlin
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Matt Cardona, best known to wrestling fans as Zack Ryder in WWE, is a master of branding and self-promotion. When WWE creative didn’t have anything for him in the early 2010’s, Cardona took it upon himself to create the groundbreaking Z! True Long Island Story digital series. He generated so much organic popularity that the company had no choice but to feature him more prominently on television.

He’s been wrestling independently since leaving WWE in 2020, with appearances for Game Changer Wrestling, All Elite Wrestling, Impact and more. Throughout his career, Cardona has proven to be creative and innovative.

Necessity has been one of the main reasons Cardona has been forced to get so creative. When WWE wouldn’t push him, he took matters into his own spray-tanned hands and made them push him. When he saw that WWE let the “Zack Ryder” trademark lapse, he jumped at the chance to secure the name and monetize it himself. According to the Long Island Broski, that was not a smooth process.

Zack Ryder Trademark Battle

Cardona recently spoke with Jason Powell of ProWrestling.net for the Pro Wrestling Boom podcast. During his discussion with the veteran journalist, Cardona explained that he had big plans for a “Matt Cardona vs. Zack Ryder” cinematic match. That would have led to all sorts of merchandising opportunities, including a “Ryder & Cardona two-pack” of wrestling figures produced by his very own toy company, Major Bendies.

Unfortunately, WWE lawyers fought Cardona’s attempt to secure the Zack Ryder Trademark. He knows a legal battle with WWE would be costly, so decided to abandon his effort. As a result, he’s officially closing the book on that portion of his career.

“I applied for [the Zack Ryder trademark] knowing there’s a chance [WWE] could fight it and they have so that’s it, I’m letting it go,” he said. “… I’m not gonna fight — because at the end of the day, it’s their intellectual property. They would win if we ever went to court over it so I tried, they fought it so that’s it, I’m backing down.”

“Zack Ryder is dead, in my opinion … It’s over, it’s dead, it was great. I’m grateful for that time but it’s done.”

– Matt Cardona

There’s always a chance we could see ‘Zack Ryder’ make another run in WWE, but he’s moving on from ever owning that character himself. Cardona’s wife, Chelsea Green, recently returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble.

Check out our exclusive interview with Matt Cardona (June 2022):

Final SmackDown Before WWE Money in the Bank 2023 to Air from London

Thomas Lowson
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The go-home episode of SmackDown on FOX before July’s Money in the Bank event will take place in London, England.

This year’s Money in the Bank Premium Live Event will be the 14th event in the show’s history, and the first to take place in London.

Money in the Bank will follow on the heels of the massively successful WWE Clash at the Castle event from last September in Cardiff, Wales.

SmackDown

In a press release, WWE confirmed that SmackDown will be taking place in London, 24 hours before WWE Money in the Bank 2023.

‘Due to the incredible early response for Money In The Bank ticket pre-registrations at The O2 in London on Saturday, July 1, WWE today announced that SmackDown will also emanate from The O2 the night before – Friday, June 30.’

This marks the first time ever that SmackDown will broadcast live and in primetime from the UK at 8 pm local time on BT Sport.

Like Money in the Bank, WWE SmackDown will air live from London’s O2 Arena.

Tickets for both WWE Money in the Bank and WWE SmackDown will go on sale via Ticketmaster on February 22nd at noon UK time.

So far, no matches have been confirmed for Money in the Bank other than the two titular ladder matches.

Reason WWE is Hosting Money in the Bank in London’s O2 Arena

The Miz to Play in NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Raw Superstar The Miz will be trading the ring for the basketball court as part of an NBA All-Star Celebrity game later this month.

On Twitter, the two-time WWE Champion’s participation was confirmed by the official NBA account, and he will be part of Team Ryan, named for Utah Jazz President Ryan Smith.

The Game will air on ESPN on February 17.

Team Ryan

The Miz’s success in WWE has been well-documented, but he’ll be playing with some heavy hitters.

While WWE’s resident A-lister will be the only wrestler on his team, other sporting stars include Football wide receiver Calvin Johnson, and baseball player Albert Pujols.

Singer Kane Brown will be playing on Team Ryan, as will as Puerto Rican sensation Ozuna, and rapper Codae.

From the world of television, Brazilian presenter Marcus Mion will be playing alongside actor Sinqua Walls and Guillermo Rodriguez of Jimmy Kimmel fame.

The team will also include some Basketball talent including Phoenix Mercury star Diamond Deshields and the NCAA’s Everett Osborne.

Team Dwayne

Team Ryan will face some stiff competition from Team Dwayne, coached by minority owner Dwyane Wade.

From the world of music, the team will be represented by singer Nicky Jam, Janelle Monáe, and 21 Savage.

Comedian Hasan Minhaj will align with YouTuber Jesser and Shang Chi star Simu Liu, as well as Indian actor Ranveer Singh.

Tennis star Frances Tiafoe will give the team some speed, alongside the NFL’s DK Metcalf, basketball star Arike Ogunbowale and Peloton instructor/Puma athlete Alex Toussaint.

The Miz Compares Sami Zayn To Classic TV Series Lead

Eric Bischoff: The Bloodline is a Better Storyline than the New World Order

Thomas Lowson
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Eric Bischoff has become the latest individual to heap praise on the Bloodline, considering the popular faction to be better than the New World Order.

The NWO changed the wrestling landscape forever upon the group’s inception in 1996, ushering in the concept of the ‘cool heel.’

Much like Hogan in 1996, Roman Reigns’ heel turn in 2020 breathed new life into a character that fans had already turned on due to their strong babyface booking.

Better

While Bischoff played a large backstage role in the formation of the NWO (and would later be an on-screen member) he has now acknowledged the Tribal Chief.

Speaking on his 83 Weeks Podcast, Bischoff compared the two factions that have dominated their respective eras.

“The truth is The Bloodline story, in terms of a storyline in and the ingredients and the elements and the discipline and the structure and the nature of it, is a far better story than the NWO. Will it have the same impact on the industry as the NWO did? Probably not. But, that has a lot to do with timing.”

“The Bloodline story, in terms of a storyline… is a far better story than the NWO.”

“There are so many things that made the NWO work, including Hulk Hogan turning heel, by the way. There were so many things that were just a moment in time that helped propel that storyline at that, that time that you can’t replicate that today.”

While WWE tried to recapture the magic of the NWO upon the return of Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in 2002, the group was gone within months.

The Bloodline has been suffering some issues themselves as of late, with the exit of Sami Zayn and the seeming departure of Jey Uso.

The Undertaker on Sami Zayn’s Storyline With Bloodline: “It’s Perfect”

H/T – Wrestling Inc

Bryan Danielson Secures World Championship Match at AEW Revolution

Thomas Lowson
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0

Bryan Danielson is heading to the main event of AEW Revolution 2023, and he will face MJF on his own terms.

For over a month, Danielson has been forced to remain undefeated in competition in order to earn a title match against the AEW World Champion at the upcoming Pay-Per-View.

This challenge has seen the American Dragon pick up wins over Konosuke Takeshita, Bandido, Brian Cage, and Timothy Thatcher.

During this week’s AEW Dynamite, Danielson got his final victory, defeating RUSH to complete MJF’s challenge and earn a title match.

Post-match, MJF locked Danielson in the ‘Salt of the Earth’ submission hold. 

As previously laid out, Danielson’s match against MJF at AEW Revolution will be a sixty-minute Iron Man match, the first time this stipulation has been use in AEW.

MJF’s Reign So Far

Danielson and the Iron Man match will prove to be the greatest challenge so far to MJF’s reign on top as AEW World Champion.

The Salt of the Earth captured the title from Jon Moxley at AEW Full Gear last November, defeating the Blackpool Combat Club member thanks to an assist by William Regal.

While many believed this would start a Regal-MJF alliance on TV, the Brit was attacked by MJF shortly after, writing him off TV.

At AEW Dynamite: Winter is Coming, MJF had his first successful title defense, retaining his championship against Ricky Starks.

MJF References Popular WWE Superstar on Latest AEW Dynamite

MJF References Popular WWE Superstar on Latest AEW Dynamite

Thomas Lowson
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AEW World Champion MJF had an interesting story to tell on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite and made reference to one of WWE’s most popular current-day Superstars.

During Dynamite, MJF defeated Konosuke Takeshita in the former’s first match in two months, and was interviewed after the match by Lexy Nair.

In his promo, MJF recalled meeting a beautiful girl, whose name, for “legal reasons” was Liv.

MJF said that ‘Liv’ went down on him while driving his blue Camaro and that they were involved in a vehicular accident that killed the woman.

The AEW World Champion remembered being covered in her blood and switching seats to trick the cops into thinking ‘Liv’ was driving, before telling Bryan Danielson “I am a scumbag and I am proud of it.”

Given the choice of the name for the women in MJF’s promo, countless fans saw this as a reference to former WWE SmackDown Champion Liv Morgan.

The 28-year-old Superstar was even trending on Twitter after MJF’s promo, and you can see some of the reactions from fans below.

MJF & Liv Morgan

image 6

Despite working in different promotions, MJF and Liv Morgan have been seen together in the past, and were photographed together in late 2022.

Speaking to the Metro at the time, Morgan was asked how her meeting with MJF came together.

“I went to my friend Skylar’s birthday party and he was just there!…We had great, great, great, great banter. We have a lot in common actually.”

Liv Morgan

Morgan added that she hopes MJF does “what is best” when his contract with AEW expires in January 2024.

h/t – Fightful

GCW Announces First 2023 Indie HOF Inductee

Samantha Schipman
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GCW’s The Collective 2023 is back again from March 30-April 2. There will be a total of 10 shows, including the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame to close the weekend.

Talent and match announcements from all shows have been trickling out, including that Jon Moxley is making his return to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 9.

GCW announces first inductee

FofVU qWcAEfmoe

On Wednesday night, Christopher Daniels was announced as the first inductee for the 2023 Indie Hall of Fame was announced. He will be inducted by his best friend and long-time tag team partner, Frankie Kazarian.

Kazarian tweeted that he is “very much humbled and proud to induct one of the very best ever…”

“The Fallen Angel” has been wrestling since 1993 and is still wrestling. Daniels has wrestled for ROH, IMPACT, AEW, NJPW, and NOAH. He made several appearances in WWE.

Danielson has held over 20 titles among multiple promotions. He was also ROH’s first ever Grand Slam Champion.

In addition to wrestling, he is also the AEW Head of Talent Relations. Along with Kazarian and Scorpio Sky, Daniels was one of the first AEW signees.

The Indie Hall of Fame airs on Sunday, April 2 at 12 PM PT. It will be broadcast on FITE+.

MLW Battle Riot V is coming to Philadelphia April 8

Michael Reichlin
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Major League Wrestling sent in the following announcement:

Philadelphia to host Battle RIOT V, tickets on sale this Friday at MLW2300.com

(PHILADELPHIA) — Major League Wrestling today announced Battle RIOT V for Saturday, April 8 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

? Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. at MLW2300.com and the 2300 Arena box office. Tickets start at $15.

40 wrestlers will riot in Philly as one combatant looks to outlast 39 others and earn a world title shot anytime, anywhere against Alex Hammerstone.

More talent and matches will be announced in the coming weeks ahead at MLW.com.

WHAT IS THE BATTLE RIOT?

A mash-up of a battle royal, royal rumble and anything goes street fight, this super-sized main event will feature 40 wrestlers with new participants entering the ring every 60 seconds.

There will be surprises! There will be legends! There will be WTF entries… and there will be no disqualifications!

Elimination is by pinfall, submission or by throwing an individual over the top rope.
Anything is possible in a Battle Riot!

WHAT DOES THE WINNER GET?

The winner gets a World Heavyweight Title Shot anywhere, anytime! It could be that night; it could be in 6 months. The challenger has the key to unlock an instant title shot against whoever the champion is!

More athletes and matches will be announced at MLW.com.

Major League Wrestling returns to Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena on Saturday, April 8. Buy tickets at http://MLW2300.com. Tickets will also be available day of show at the box office unless the event sales out in advance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xWHc3-BTMg

Carmella to Vince Russo: “Put Some Damn Respect On My Name!!!”

Andrew Ravens
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Vince Russo has been critical of Carmella in the past and recently criticized a booking decision made by WWE involving her, something the WWE star didn’t appreciate so she put him on blast. 

This past Monday night on Raw, Carmella defeated Piper Niven, “Michin” Mia Yim, and Candice LeRae to win the last Elimination Chamber qualifier. 

While speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Legion of Raw, Russo noted that he thought Niven should have been the one to qualify for the Elimination Chamber Match. 

“Listen, we have gone through the well with Carmella a million times. To me, I am going with Piper Niven. Do you know why? At the end of the day, here’s the deal bro. If they get Rhea Ripley if she beats Charlotte Flair. Who do you think would be a better opponent for her? Carmella or Piper Niven? Carmella is not even in the same conversation, why are you going there?”

Carmella Fires Back

Carmella responded on Twitter by demanding the former WWE/WCW/TNA creative writer give her the respect she has earned: 

“Lololol not in that same conversation?? Allow me to list the women I have wins over: Charlotte, Asuka, Becky, Bayley, Sasha, Bianca, Liv, Alexa. The list goes on and on. I have more charisma in my pinky finger than both of these jabronies COMBINED. PUT SOME DAMN RESPECT ON MY NAME!!!”

Asuka, Carmella, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Natalya, and Nikki Cross will be featured in the Women’s Chamber bout. The winner will earn a shot to challenge Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 39.

Big E: ‘Montez Ford Has All The Tools, It’s Time to Get This Guy Cooking’

Andrew Ravens
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Although Montez Ford has mostly been used as a tag team star in WWE alongside Angelo Dawkins as part of The Street Profits, Big E thinks it’s time to see what Ford can do on his own. 

The Street Profits made their debut in 2016 and rose up the ranks in NXT before capturing the NXT Tag Team Championships. they later went to the main roster on Raw in 2019 and found more success with multiple reigns as Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Champions.

Many have expected to see Ford break away from Dawkins in pursuit of a singles run. This includes Big E, who praised Ford while appearing on WWE’s The Bump

Ford qualified for the Elimination Chamber Match with the United States Title on the line this past week on Raw with a win over Elias. 

Big E’s Praise

“It’s hard not to be a Montez guy. You talk about someone who has all the tools, charismatic as hell, absurdly athletic. He has everything, so it’s about time for Montez to get his. I’m excited to see his rise and see his run. Talk about a star. Guy has screamed ‘star’ for a long time, so it’s time to get Montez cooking,”

Ford joins US Champion Austin Theory, Johnny Gargano, Seth Rollins, Bronson Reed, and Damien Priest in the Elimination Chamber match.

H/T to Fightful for the transcription.

Tony Khan is Very Optimistic About AEW’s Next TV Rights Deal

Tyriece Simon
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All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan feels optimistic about the company’s future media rights deal.

This year will be interesting for AEW. The company’s TV rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to be finished by the end of the year. Their rival, WWE, is also entering TV rights negotiations but may decide to sell the company.

Wrestling fans are curious if Warner Bros. Discovery will renew the AEW TV deal and for how much. However, Khan has expressed optimism about the future of AEW and that their TV distributor is happy with them. In an interview with Uproxx, Khan spoke about the company’s future but pointed out he’s excited about AEW’s media rights deal.

Uproxx’s Raj Prashad transcribed the following quotes.

“I expect big increases in the rights for the AEW programs, and we’re on a good pace to make a very lucrative deal for the AEW media rights going forward.

– Tony Khan

Is AEW Looking To Create Their Own Streaming Service?

Khan is very interested in AEW having their own streaming service. The company airs its pay-per-views on Bleacher Report in the United States but doesn’t have all its archive content on the app. They’ve also reached a multi-year broadcast deal with DAZN to air AEW Dynamite and Rampage, Dark, and Dark: Elevation, four Battle of the Belt events a year, and four Pay-Per-Views a year internationally.

Khan spoke about AEW’s tremendous content library.

“We’ve done 174 episodes of Dynamite, 80 episodes of AEW Rampage, our 17th pay-per-view event will be March 5 in Revolution, so we’ve done hundreds and hundreds of hours of AEW content in our library,” Khan says. He continued, “I also purchased Ring of Honor last year, which is a great promotion with over 20 years of history and thousands of hours of video in their library.”

Khan added, “So overall, AEW has access to so many great wrestling events, including some widely considered to be some of the best wrestling events of all time. There’s a lot of interest in this library as well as the new weekly content we continue to produce each week, and I do think there’s a lot of demand for the library and it makes a lot of sense for us to try to make that AEW library available to fans all over the world on demand.”

It’s possible to increase the value of their TV rights deal; they may look to add their content to Warner Bros. Discovery streaming service HBO Max. However, Warner Bros. Discovery is also intriguing as they are still trying to figure out their content and are expected to revamp their HBO Max service. Regardless, Khan’s optimism for the future of AEW is something that may erase concern from fans.

Cody Rhodes Discusses WWE’s Transition From Vince McMahon To Triple H

Jon Fuentes
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0

Cody Rhodes has offered his thoughts on WWE’s creative control transferring from Vince McMahon to Triple H.

Rhodes recently took part in an interview with Alex McCarthy of Daily Mail and was asked about the transition of creative power going from McMahon to Triple H.

The 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble winner was out of action (pectoral injury) from June 2022 through January 2023. A lot happened in WWE during that time, to say the least. Most notably – the exit and return of Vince McMahon. Vince is back as Executive Chairman of WWE’s Board of Directors, but Triple H is very much in control of day-to-day operations.

Rhodes says both Vince McMahon and Triple H were in touch during his hiatus. He acknowledged they each have very different visions for WWE. At the end of the day, he’s focused on being the best WWE Superstar he can be.

“At the time when the transition happened, I wasn’t even close to coming back and I was communicated with every step of the way,” he said. “I was communicated with by Vince and by Triple H. That was very nice. I was never left in the dark on anything and obviously, these are different visions, they change.

“My transaction needs to be simple. I don’t need to be caught up in whatever is happening behind the scenes. Those stories can be fun but I need my story on the screen to be the more important story. For that to happen I need to be at the very best. Best as a superstar, best as a wrestler because then the other stuff will come.”

– Cody Rhodes

Rhodes to WrestleMania

Cody Rhodes returned to WWE in April of last year as Seth Rollins’ surprise opponent at WrestleMania 38. After a tremendous rivalry with Rollins, Rhodes was forced to be sidelined for most of the year with a pectoral injury.

Upon making his in-ring return at the Royal Rumble last month, winning the match, Rhodes has now punched his ticket to WrestleMania, where he will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Title.

Quotes via WrestleZone

MJF Impressed by The Outrunners: “Now These Are Wrestlers!”

Tyriece Simon
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0

Maxwell Jacob Friedman, All Elite Wrestling’s reigning World Heavyweight Champion, has given his stamp of approval to The Outrunners. The duo, comprised of Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum, have been catching fans’ attention on AEW Dark and Dark Elevation.

Floyd and Magnum are a throwback act straight out of the 1980’s. The retro team made their AEW debuts on the Sep. 13, 2021, episode of AEW Dark Elevation in a losing effort to The Butcher And The Blade. They lost a couple more matches since then, before picking up their first win on this week’s (Feb. 7, 2023) episode of Dark against Logan Cruz and Tyshaun Price.

After the win, the Outrunners cut an over-the-top promo that’s getting them a lot of buzz on social media. They’re rule-breaking villains, so naturally, they’ve earned the approval of the biggest heel in all of AEW, MJF.

He quoted tweeted a clip from their trash talking and said, “Now these are wrestlers!”

Turbo replied with a “Thanks, Champ” – which MJF ate right up.

What’s Next For The Outrunners in AEW?

Although they have wrestled a couple of times on AEW, The Outrunners aren’t signed to the company. The team is working in Ohio Valley Wrestling and is on the roster page on the promotion’s website. However, with MJF’s endorsement and growing fanbase, AEW fans may see The Outrunners more often.

Their record in AEW is 1-3. They started 2023 with the first win, so the company may invest more into them and get some wins. It’s unclear if they contractually can’t sign with AEW, but getting noticed by the AEW World Champion will put more eyes on The Outrunners moving forward.

For MJF, he will have to focus on his upcoming match against Konosuke Takeshita on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite. You’ll be able to check the results of the match for tonight later on here.

JBL Recalls Backstage Fight Between Eddie Guerrero & Kurt Angle

Jon Fuentes
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0

WWE Hall Of Famer JBL was front row for a legitimate backstage fight between Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero.

He told the story during a recent episode of Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, noting that the fight took place backstage after a match Angle and Guerrero had. Guerrero was under the impression that Angle had stiffed him.

JBL explained that he was confused because during the fight, Guerrero attempted to take Angle down – Angle being an Olympic gold medalist wrestler.

“You know a fight’s going on in the locker room … you can tell by the noise, and this was a fight. So finally, [John] Laurinaitis had gotten between Eddie and Kurt. Kurt was outside the dressing room, Eddie was inside it, I was dressing right by Eddie.

“Laurinaitis shut the door, so that separated Kurt and Eddie. Eddie comes back and sits down, and I could tell by the noise that’s going on that …  Eddie had tried to leg dive [him]. So I’m sitting there looking at Eddie, and he’s not looking at me at all. He’s looking at the door, just mad as mad as he can be, breathing so loud you can hear him breathe. …

“Finally I said ‘Why would you leg dive a Gold Medalist?’ And without looking at me, he goes ‘Cause I’m stupid!’ That was great. Then he finally started laughing.“

Eddie Guerrero

Not only is Angle a former Olympic gold medalist, but he’s also a five-time former WWE World Champion. He has since retired from in-ring competition and was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2017.

Guerrero was also inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame shortly after his untimely death in 2005. He was a former WWE Champion and one of the most respected in-ring performers of his time.

Dirty Dango Wants To Prove That He’s Not Just A Comedy Act

Tyriece Simon
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0

Impact Wrestling talent Dirty Dango wants to prove he can be a serious wrestler when he needs to be.

Throughout his career in WWE, Dango(FKA Fandango) used to entertain fans with his funny persona. He started as a serious dancer when he debuted in 2013, but his character became more comedic over time. While it brought him success in winning the NXT Tag Team Championship with Tyler Breeze, Dango primarily stayed a comedic act for the majority of his WWE career. His run with the company ended on June 25, 2021, when WWE released him.

After spending some time as a free agent, PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that Dango signed a one-year deal with Impact Wrestling on Jan. 31. He recently had a match with Steve Maclin on Jan. 19 episode of Impact Wrestling. In an interview with Windy City Slam Podcast, Dango shared that he doesn’t have an opponent he wants to wrestle against but wants to prove that he’s not only a comedy act.

“I don’t really have my eyes not necessarily on one person, but I guess just to prove to management that I’m not just a comedy act when the bell rings, I can go.”

– Dirty Dango

What’s Next for Dirty Dango in Impact Wrestling?

image 5

On the Feb. 2 episode of Impact Wrestling, “Director of Authority” Santino Marella revealed that Dango would compete in a qualifying match that, if he wins, will be involved in a fatal four-way match at No Surrender to determine the following number one contender for the Impact World Championship.

The company also shared on Twitter that Dango will compete against Brian Myers on the Feb. 9 episode of Impact Wrestling. Dango will have the opportunity to prove that he can be a serious contender for a world title in Impact and show that he’s more than the comedic persona he’s demonstrated for years.

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