Kevin Sullivan, All Elite Wrestling’s Vice President, Post Production, has provided a sneak peek at the visual overhaul that’s coming to AEW Dynamite.
AEW President Tony Khan recently confirmed Dynamite will have an all-new look starting January 4, 2023. During a conversation with SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TVInsider, Khan said, “This will affect the way people view AEW on Wednesdays and Fridays in terms of presentation with the set and the show with the same great action.”
On Saturday morning, Sullivan uploaded a video that gives us a first look of what to expect from the ‘new look’ of AEW’s flagship show.
In a message posted on Twitter, he says the AEW production team set out to create a new ‘brand identity’ for Dynamite. The new identity includes many elements, including a new stage (yet to be seen) and a new comprehensive set of ‘package elements.’
Dynamite and Rampage have kept a similar look since the shows premiered. In addition to the first week of January marking the new year, it’s also the one year anniversary of Dynamite’s move from TNT to TBS.
Sullivan says his team is thrilled to finally share their new, bold vision that he feels will help usher in a “new spirit” for the show.
He also revealed this project has been nine months in the making. He thanked Tony Khan, the team at Warner Bros. Discovery and AEW’s graphics team for making this vision a reality.
Time is ticking on WWE’s plans for the main events of WWE WrestleMania 39 as the company wants to have these plans locked in by mid-January. The company will need two headline attractions for the main event of each night.
They will need to also figure out the plans for the men’s and women’s world title matches by January 28th, as that is when the WWE Royal Rumble premium live event goes down.
The women’s roster will need two title challengers for its two world champions: Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey. On the men’s side, things are a little more complicated.
As previously reported, WWE is hoping to have Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns face The Rock at WrestleMania 39, but it comes down to The Rock’s busy Hollywood schedule.
WWE has targeted this show because it takes place in Hollywood and will get more mainstream attention. Reigns has been championing himself as the head of the Anoa’i family for his entire run as The Tribal Chief. The stars are aligning for a battle between the two stars, but the match has yet to be confirmed.
Where Things Stand
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that Reigns vs. Rock is neither “off the boards” nor “a lock” for WrestleMania. The uncertainty of the match means that there have to be “back-up plans put in place,” although it’s unclear if those plans have been made yet.
The report emphasizes that The Rock has to “make up his mind,” likely “just before the Rumble.” Should he not go forward with the match, fans have speculated Cody Rhodes is stepping up to challenge Reigns for the title at the show.
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” a Netflix film with a limited theatrical run, has been released on the streaming service.
Dave Bautista is among the cast, including Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, and Kate Hudson. Here is the synopsis of the film:
“Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case.”
The Moment
Rian Johnson wrote and directed it and produced the film alongside Ram Bergman.
As seen below, while the movie was being made, the former WWE star gave Johnson a World Heavyweight Title belt while entering the set to his WWE theme music, “I Walk Alone” by Saliva.
Dave Bautista entering the Glass Onion set to his theme and giving Rian Johnson the World Heavyweight title is the best thing I’ve ever seen pic.twitter.com/Q3q0yY1QGT
Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” started streaming last month on Disney+ featuring Bautista.
Bautista portrays Drax in the franchise. Also, part of the cast includes Kevin Bacon, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña as Gamora, Vin Diesel as Groot, and Bradley Cooper as Rocket.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” hits theaters May 5, 2023. Bautista has indicated this movie could be the end of his run as the character.
Marcus “Buff” Bagwell has updated his fans regarding his sobriety.
The former WCW star noted in a post on Twitter that he’s been sober for 117 days and is on a healthy path toward recovery. Bagwell added that sharing his experiences on Cameo and with those at live events has been super beneficial for his process.
His full tweet reads, “117 days sober. My walk of sobriety has just begun but I have learned so much in just a few months! Thank you to all those who continue to support me. Sharing my experience on my cameos and at recent live events has been a huge part of knowing I’m on the right path.”
Progress
Back in October, in a video posted on the DDP Yoga YouTube channel, Bagwell revealed that he was working on the “Change Or Die” project to document his addiction issues before going to rehab. Bagwell said that when an intervention was done on him, and he initially didn’t want to go to rehab, he decided to go through with it.
WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page commented on Bagwell’s post to tell him that he is super proud of the progress he’s made.
The WWE Hall Of Famer has been instrumental in Bagwell’s recovery as he’s been working next to him at his compound. He previously helped Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Scott Hall with their addictions. Check out the tweets below.
I’m so Proud my brother Mr. Bagwell? Marcus really has come along way. I wanna Thank all our friends/fans for supporting him on this journey.Thanks everybody! DDP. https://t.co/TyImHkYvew
Santino Marella was a lovable comedy wrestler (portrayed by Anthony Carelli) who competed for WWE from 2007-2020. A new trademark filing indicates he could be headed to Impact Wrestling in the coming new year.
Anthem Wrestling Exhibitions LLC, parent company of Impact, recently secured a trademark for the name Santino Marella. According to the USPTO database, the live trademark was filed on December 19, 2022.
The ‘Goods and Services’ usage description includes:
Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests;
Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer;
Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a a professional wrestler and sports entertainer;
Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainment personality;
Entertainment services, namely, televised appearances by a professional wrestling and sports entertainment personality;
WWE previously held the Santino Marella trademark, but let it expire in October 2021.
Santino’s daughter, Bianca Carelli, currently wrestles for WWE’s NXT brand as Arianna Grace.
Drew McIntyre will be unable to compete at next week’s WWE live event from Madison Square Garden.
WWE’s Live Holiday Tour continued this coming Monday, with eight shows scheduled between Christmas and New Year’s:
New York, NY
Columbus, Ohio
Atlanta, GA
Cleveland, OH
Greensboro, NC
Miami, FL
Hershey, PA
Toronto, ON
McIntyre is still advertised for MSG as of this writing, but a report at PWInsider states that he won’t be medically cleared in time.
WWE sources have confirmed that the reason a change was made to their MSG main event for the annual post-Christmas event is that Drew McIntyre will not be cleared to return to the ring by the time the show takes place.
– PWInsider
McIntyre Dealing with an Injury
Drew McIntyre has been pulled from several appearances this month, including a tag title match on the December 9 edition of SmackDown on Fox. WWE noted at the time that he was ‘medically disqualified’ from competing.
It’s believed he’s dealing with an injury. McIntyre was optimistic he’d be back in time for the Christmas-week tour, but he won’t be there on Monday.
McIntyre’s most recent match took place nearly a month ago. He competed on November 27 at a non-televised SuperShow from Portland, Maine. He teamed with Kevin Owens & The Brawling Brutes (Butch & Ridge Holland) to defeat The Usos, Sami Zayn & Solo Sikoa of The Bloodline.
Visit WWE.com for ticket information if you’re interested in attending any of the shows on the 2022 Live Holiday Tour.
John Cena is set to wrestle for the first time this year at the December 30 edition of SmackDown.
The longtime star-turned-Hollywood actor will tag with Kevin Owens against Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. John Cena has not wrestled since his SummerSlam main event loss against Reigns last year. In that time, Cena has been focusing on film and TV work, including the popular HBO series Peacemaker.
As per the Wrestling Observer, several angles for John Cena at next year’s WrestleMania could be implemented in next week’s match. Despite interest in seeing the 16-time World Champion perform at the Show of Shows, it’s not yet definite he will be able to. The former face of the company is very busy with other commitments at the moment but it’s believed he will manage to make the Mania event.
Due to his show business commitments, John Cena will be unavailable for much of February and March. This could make building his WrestleMania angle troublesome.
Who Did Vince McMahon Want Cena To Face At WrestleMania?
Before his retirement earlier this year, Vince McMahon was apparently keen on John Cena facing Austin Theory next year. Seeds for a feud were seemingly planted at Cena’s 20th Anniversary celebrations on RAW earlier this year. Theory was in his first run as US Champion at the time. The rising star cut an aggressive promo on “The Doctor of Thuganomics”.
Since then, Theory has lost the US Title, won and failed to cash-in the Money in the Bank briefcase, and regained the US Championship. The title’s long been synonymous with John Cena due to both his early years in the WWE midcard and his acclaimed 2015 title run. Therefore, a US Title bout between the two could work as a passing of the torch-type angle.
Vince McMahon reportedly considered Theory the next John Cena-level star. However, Cena has been inserted into the Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn/Roman Reigns angle. With this in mind, a Theory feud coming soon doesn’t look as likely as it did earlier this year.
Mandy Rose is already receiving interest from other promotions following her surprise release from WWE earlier this month.
As the leader of the Toxic Attraction stable, Mandy Rose was the face of women’s wrestling in NXT this year. Holding the NXT Women’s Title and unifying it with the NXT UK Women’s Championship, Rose had arguably the finest run of her career on the developmental brand. She successfully reinvented herself following a main roster run best known for her romance angle with Otis in 2020.
Mandy Rose’s release from WWE was announced shortly after Roxanne Perez ended her epic 413-day reign. The release was decided on due to the adult content on Rose’s FanTime account which was considered inappropriate for modern WWE.
A key figure in the Impact Wrestling Knockouts division has now revealed she’d like to face Mandy Rose in the squared circle.
Mandy Rose in Impact Wrestling?
Deonna Purrazzo wants to wrestle Mandy Rose
Former two-time Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo recently revealed that she’d love to wrestle the former NXT Women’s Champion.
Oh, I’m gonna open the door and welcome her in! I think that the Mandy Rose that came to NXT a year and a half, almost two years ago, to the Mandy Rose we see today has been a complete evolution of Mandy Rose.
To see her in a different light and on a different platform, and see what else she can do without the WWE confines, is going to reinvent her again. ‘Obviously we can’t speculate what she’s gonna do, or what her mindset is… But if she chooses to wrestle, I want to wrestle her.
– Deonna Purrazzo
Deonna Purrazzo is a key figure in Impact Wrestling. She was even voted Wrestler of the Year by the promotion in 2020. In 2022, she’s focused more on the Knockouts tag team division, forming the VXT duo with Chelsea Green. Earlier this year, she main-evented an episode of AEW Dynamite. There, she faced Mercedes Martinez in an ROH Women’s Championship unification bout which she lost.
“The Virtuosa” is known for her realistic, technical, submission holds-focused ring style. Her matches often revolve around her well-protected Fujiwara armbar submission hold finisher. Going up against the more explosive offense and vainglorious persona Mandy Rose exhibited in NXT could make for an interesting styles clash.
AEW fans have been concerned regarding the health of Adam Cole as he’s been on the sidelines for months.
The promotion is being cautious with him, although there is still no timetable on when he will return to the squared circle. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer has reported the update after a fan asked him on Twitter where things stand with the former ROH World Champion.
Still No Return
“He’s doing much better. The last I heard is they were being cautious. Don’t have any time frame for a return. With concussions, you can’t predict a time frame,” Meltzer tweeted.
Cole has been out of action since he suffered a serious concussion at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view this past June when he was involved in a Four-Way for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the show with Jay White, Kazuchika Okada, and Hangman Page.
The popular star fell to the ground at the end of the match, leading to White covering him immediately. He reportedly suffered another concussion at Double Or Nothing.
In August, Cole resurfaced for one show so he, Kyle O’Reilly, and Bobby Fish could turn on The Young Bucks but he hasn’t been seen on TV since. Cole has been a part of AEW since September 2021.
In May, Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of an episode of WWE Raw over a creative dispute about how they were being booked as WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.
They put their titles on John Laurinaitis’ desk and left the arena before the company stripped them of the titles and suspended them. The commentary teams for both Raw and SmackDown publicly chastised them for weeks.
Once Laurinaitis and Vince McMahon were gone from the company, some fans believed it would only be a matter of time before the two returned. For Naomi, fans are still waiting for that day to happen while Banks negotiated her WWE release months ago and is slated to start working for NJPW next month.
Banks reportedly signed a highly-lucrative contract with New Japan’s parent company Bushiroad. Although not confirmed, it’s believed Banks will feud with Kairi (Sane) over the IWGP Women’s Championship.
Dax Harwood, who is good friends with Banks, offered some insight in a new interview with AdFreeShows while promoting his new podcast “FTR With Dax Harwood.” He noted that she worked hard for the company and became a big star, but still feels slighted.
Insight
“I think that, just like me, I feel that sometimes she gets a bad rep because of how passionate she is and how much she wants,” Harwood explained. “You know, she wants it all, but she wants to work for it. That’s the same with us. Like, I want everything this business, but I want to work for it and I want you to know that I’m going to work hard for you, and that’s her, man. She knows what she deserves, and she knows what she’s earned, and she works her ass off to get it, and if she doesn’t get it, she feels slighted and she has a reason to feel that way. Huge star, huge heart, beautiful human being, the greatest woman wrestler of all time. I think she’s just incredible.”
FTR was in action on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, where they lost to Austin & Colten Gunn.
Mike Mansury has opened up about the journey that has led him to AEW after working as Vice President of Global Television Production for WWE and is now working in AEW as a co-Executive Producer and Senior Production Executive.
He explained that it was inferred that he was going to be the successor to Kevin Dunn and while he was praised for his work, they didn’t know what to do with him until they figured out what Dunn’s future was.
“I knew that there was more that I was capable of but I had already excelled at everything they allowed me to do at that point. I was looking for that new challenge and even if it was something that were outside of the scope of what people would have defined as my potential, it would have been nice to be able to kind of spread wings a little bit and take on a new challenge so, once I kind of realized I was in the lane that I was in and the path to the destination wasn’t really gonna change or even progress that much, I knew it was time to make a change.”
The Decision
He decided to leave WWE in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic started. After giving them his notice, they offered him the opportunity to rescind his resignation. While he appreciated the offer, felt that if he did not give notice and bow out then, he would never do it.
“I remember I had gone back up to Stamford and they had offered me the opportunity to rescind my resignation and I was beyond appreciative of it but you know, I told them, I said, ‘Look, I know we’re heading into uncertain times but if I don’t do this, I’m never gonna do it and I need to.’
AEW Talks
Mansury dove into his talks with AEW and how joining the promotion came about. It happened when Mike and his wife were in Singapore as they moved to the country for his job with ONE Championship MMA.
Mansury felt it was not the right time, and AEW already had a solid team with Keith Mitchell at the helm, but Mitchell retired from his role months after those talks.
“I don’t think they knew Keith was gonna wind up retiring a couple months later. But a lot of folks on the AEW side that we had known from WWE had spoken to Tony [Khan] a lot and had talked to me about coming down and just checking things out and just saying hello. But ultimately, you know, ONE was the new home.”
Things picked back up again as the two sides began talking over the summer between Mansury, Tony Khan and Chief Legal Officer Megha Parekh. They expressed to Mansury that they feel AEW is ready to break into their next level and he felt like there was some unfinished business.
“I don’t know that I left wrestling feeling fulfilled. I think when I left the WWE, I was burned out at that point and I was frustrated.”
According to a new report, WWE won’t be going to India after all. WWE had plans to run a show on a “grand scale” in Hyderabad, India, and would consist of “a mix of superstars, both Indian and international.”
It was later reported that the show would be on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, from the G.M.C. Balayogi Sports Complex, an indoor stadium in Hyderabad with a capacity of 5,000 people featuring SmackDown talent mostly.
WWE never announced the show, nor was it confirmed whether the company had plans to air it as a special on Peacock, tape it for the local market, or just have it as a house show.
Postponed
According to WrestleVotes, the show has been postponed, although no reason was given. It’s also unclear when the company plans to reschedule the show:
I’m told the proposed WWE Live Event in India scheduled for 1/18 has been postponed for unspecified reasons.
Sanga & Veer Mahaan vs. The Creed Brothers had been booked for the WWE NXT Deadline event earlier this month, but it was later nixed.
The match was reportedly pulled due to Veer dealing with a minor injury and the promotion is being careful with him, so they pulled the bout as he was supposed to be featured at this India event.
Dax Harwood of the popular FTR tag team is moving into the podcast arena starting next week. The reigning IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion will co-host a new show titled, “FTR With Dax Harwood’ along with co-host Matt Koon.
Koon previously co-hosted the Gentleman Villain podcast with William Regal. That show has come to an end due to his AEW departure and imminent WWE return.
The debut episode of ‘FTR With Dax Harwood’ premieres December 29 at on AdFreeShows.com. Any potential involvement of his longtime tag team partner Cash Wheeler is also yet to be confirmed.
Following Final Battle 2022, FTR are down to two of the three tag team titles they’ve held for much of this year.
At the ROH event, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler dropped the ROH Tag Team Championships to the Briscoe Brothers. The third of their bouts was a bloody Double Dog Collar Match that has received considerable acclaim.
Cash Wheeler (left) and Dax Harwood (right)
On Wednesday’s Dynamite, FTR lost a non-title match to the Gunn Club. Dax Harwood ate a partner-assisted roll-up pinfall to end the match.
On January 4, the pair are set to defend their IWGP titles against World Tag League winners Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI. The recent losses of their belts, as well as an AEW Tag Team Title match against current champions The Acclaimed, has turned some heads lately.
Dax Harwood himself has confirmed that FTR’s AEW contracts finish in April 2023. The fan favorite tag team’s prospects could get very interesting if they choose to become free agents next year.
Rich Swann will be wrestling under the Impact Wrestling banner for years to come.
Swann has been wrestling for Impact since June 2018. He’s held a lot of gold during this run, including the Impact World Championship, the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, the X-Division title and the recently-introduced Digital Media championship.
The 31-year-old star from Baltimore, MD will have many more opportunities to add further accolades to his resume. During a conversation with Chris Van Vliet, Swann announced that he’s signed a new two-year contract with the organization. The deal will keep him part of the Impact family through the end of 2024.
Swann Comments on His Future
Swann tells CVV that his world has been ‘lighting up’ as of late. In addition to this new deal with Impact, he’s got a one-year-old baby boy (“Little Richard Jr.”) with fellow Impact star Su Yung.
He spoke very highly of Impact Wrestling, as well as the other stars on the roster.
“IMPACT Wrestling has done nothing but treat me with the utmost respect and it’s been a place where I’ve been able to grow. I’ve been able to watch other competitors grow and I’ve been able to watch the company grow into a spot to where it should be.”
– Rich Swann
Swann has dealt with a series of injuries, which have been difficult to work through. Thankfully, Impact was supportive through all of it.
“Unfortunately, I broke my back and my leg, my hip, my foot, everything on my right side was damn-near damaged,” said Swann. “I was told by doctors that I wouldn’t walk the same, let alone wrestle again.”
He’d go on to become Impact World Champion, an accomplishment and opportunity he’ll never forget. Swann feels that he’s doing the best work of his career and now has two more years to show the fans what he’s capable of.
Swann is scheduled to compete against Steve Maclin on this week’s edition of Impact TV.
WWE has made major changes to its Wellness Policy which could see Superstars receive more violations before being released.
The Wellness Policy was introduced in the early 2000s in the wake of the sudden death of Eddie Guerrero, who died aged 38 of heart failure.
Traditionally, a Superstar who violates the policy will receive a 30-day suspension for their first violation, and a 60-day suspension for their second violation.
A third violation traditionally results in a Superstar being released.
Matt Riddle
Earlier this month, Matt Riddle was written off of WWE TV with an attack by Solo Sikoa, which is believed to be due to his second violation of the Wellness Policy.
On the Wrestling Observer Forums, a fan said that Riddle will be fired upon his next suspension from the company.
In response, Dave Meltzer said that WWE has changed the roles, thanks in part to multiple prominent names having two suspensions to their name already.
Meltzer said that the “wrestling war” between WWE and AEW has affected the rule change, as WWE does not want any of those big names on two violations becoming ‘All-Elite.’
It was also noted that somebody with two suspensions could intentionally fail a test to get out of their contract, something that cannot happen with this new rule.
It is unclear how many violations now result in a Superstar’s release, or if there is a fixed number.
Riddle and Rehab
WWE has reported that Riddle is not expected back for six weeks after the attack by Sikoa.
It has been reported that Riddle has entered rehab for his drug issues, though this claim has not been publicly confirmed by WWE.
Riddle is also facing allegations of abuse by his ex-girlfriend Daniela Petrow and has been dating multiple adult film actresses.
It’s safe to say that 2022 has been one of the wildest years in the history of WWE.
From mass releases to the shock retirement of Vince McMahon, this is a year that none of us will ever, ever forget.
But with 2022 drawing to a close, attention turns to 2023, and a whole new year of matches to look forward to.
Here are five of the most anticipated matches of WWE in the new year.
5: Brock Lesnar Vs. GUNTHER
It has been reported that GUNTHER Vs. Brock Lesnar is in the works for WrestleMania 39.
Can you say PHYSICAL?!
In 2022, there are few names in WWE who have made an impact quite like our reigning Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.
Debuting on the main roster earlier this year, the Austrian powerhouse wasted no time in winning his title from Ricochet, a title he has held for over 200 days.
It was reported recently that right now, WWE’s plan for WrestleMania 39 is for GUNTHER to face Brock Lesnar, in what could be the most hard hitting match we’ve seen in decades.
GUNTHER’s in-ring strength has never been in doubt, while Lesnar is a once in a lifetime athlete who’s 2022 has shown he still has a love for wrestling.
Whether the title is on the line or not, GUNTHER Vs. Lesnar has all the markings of an instant classic, and a match fans are eager to see.
4: Bray Wyatt’s First Match Back
Bray Wyatt returned with a ton of buzz, but WWE needs to pull the trigger with a match soon.
At Extreme Rules, WWE’s excellent White Rabbit build paid off with the return of Bray Wyatt, fifteen months after his controversial release from the company.
Since then, Wyatt has feuded with LA Knight, though his attentions seem to be more focused on the presence of the mysterious Uncle Howdy.
For all of Wyatt’s talk and promos though, Bray is yet to wrestle, something that has not gone unnoticed by fans.
It has been rumored that Wyatt will face Knight in a ‘Pitch Black’ match at the Royal Rumble, though whatever the rules are for said match is unclear.
I guess you could say that with the Pitch Black match, we’re ‘in the dark!’ (I crack myself up.)
While Bray returned with all the momentum in the world, it does feel like some of the shine has come off, and WWE needs to pull the trigger on a match for him soon.
Wyatt’s first match back is hotly anticipated, if nothing else than fans want to see what he can do in the ring as this new character, and we can only imagine his match will come in 2023.
3: Edge’s Final Match
Edge will have the chance to end his career on his own terms next year.
It’s hard to believe that next month will be the third anniversary of Edge’s startling return to wrestling.
In April 2011, fans (and Edge himself) had resigned themselves to the fact that his career was over, tragically cut short by neck issues.
This year has seen Edge compete six times, a slight dip from the ten matches in 2021, but next year may see his final match.
After competing in his native Toronto earlier this year, Edge strongly implied that he will be retiring the next time WWE comes to Canada, which is expected for mid-2023.
If so, then we are not long away from Edge’s final match, and hopefully WWE will give it the build and gravitas it deserves.
Edge’s return to wrestling has been nothing short of miraculous, but the Rated-R Superstar now has the chance to end his in-ring career again, this time on his own terms.
2: Roman Reigns Vs. Cody Rhodes
From the moment Cody Rhodes returned, there has been speculation on a match with Roman Reigns. (via WWE)
From the moment Cody Rhodes’ platform was raised at WrestleMania 38, this was a match fans anticipated.
The idea of Rhodes Vs. Reigns was cemented the following night when the American Nightmare spoke about his WWE return, and his desire to become World Champion.
Sure, Rhodes’ injury may have delayed those plans, but it is clear that Cody is destined to hold gold soon.
With rumors of Rhodes returning as part of the Men’s Rumble match, a match he is a favorite among many to win, a match with Reigns seems a matter of when, not if.
But this match will resonate for another reason. It will be WWE’s top star against someone for years considered the face of AEW.
The fact that Cody is in WWE now at all remains mind-blowing, and him facing Reigns has the substance to be an all-time great story, even if there’s one more for the Tribal Chief that fans are anticipating even more…
1: The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns
The Rock & Roman Reigns could be the biggest match WWE has held in a decade.
The People’s Champion Vs. The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
The Brahma Bull Vs. The Tribal Chief.
The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns.
Not since The Rock Vs. John Cena in 2012 has there been this level of excitement for a match, one that WWE has yet to confirm.
Both Reigns and Rock have teased for years that a match between them could happen, but never has it seemed more likely.
From Reigns being at his very best, to Rock’s movie filming schedule being suspiciously free for the first quarter of the year, all the signs are pointing to this match finally happening.
The Rock, now 50 years old, is not the spring chicken he once was, and if not next year, than this match, nor any other match with him, may never happen.
If WWE wants The Rock Vs. Reigns, then 2023 is the time, in what would be the biggest fight we’ve seen in years.
“The great thing about wrestling is it doesn’t matter what company you work for, what promotion, anything can happen. Let’s be honest, we know that everyone always returns back to WWE at some point.”
“Everyone always returns back to WWE at some point.”
CJ Perry
Speaking about Rusev Day, arguably Miro’s most popular gimmick, Perry said the idea will live on, and reiterated her belief that he will return.
“Rusev Day will never die. It’s always going to be around, the kids are going to want to sing it and I’m sure it will make a return in WWE at some point. Rusev — well, whatever he shows [up] back in; whatever frickin name or gimmick or character he returns [as] at some point, in WWE is going to be iconic.”
Unhappy
Miro held more titles and was more prominently featured in WWE, so it’s hardly surprising that he is reportedly unhappy in AEW.
Earlier this year, Miro liked a tweet suggesting that his AEW run had been a dud so far.
The tweet also suggested that Miro would do much better if he returned to WWE.
The identity of the man who attacked Keith Lee on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite has been revealed.
During a segment, rapper Rick Ross attempted to mediate a discussion between Lee and tag-team partner Swerve Strickland.
After Strickland warned Lee to be wary of his surroundings, the Limitless One was attacked by Parker Boudreaux and a mystery man, bringing an end to Swerve in Our Glory.
Granden Goetzman
After AEW Dynamite went off the air, Lee’s attacker was revealed to be Granden Goetzman, according to Fightful Select.
It is reported that Goetzman has been training for quite some time in preparation of his AEW debut, and has been working hard at Jay Lethal’s wrestling school.
Sources who spoke to Fightful said that his debut has been planned out for at the least a couple of weeks before last night’s show.
Goetzman was also backstage at AEW Dynamite on October 10, and sources said he’s been with AEW for “quite some time” anticipating his debut.
Goetzman Before AEW
The 30-year-old Goetzman joins AEW with a background in baseball, which he played professionally until last year.
A second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011, Goetzman has been playing in the minor league system in Mexico.
Listed at 6-4, Goetzman made it all the way up to AAA in the Rays minor league system before moving on to the St. Lous Cardinals and Houston Astros farm systems until 2019.
The outfielder was primarily known for his speed but did not end in the major leagues.
Will Vince McMahon return to WWE after his shocking retirement in July? Ric Flair certainly hopes so.
The 77-year-old billionaire retired from WWE earlier this year due to allegations of misconduct with female employees and after paying millions of dollars in ‘hush money’ NDAs.
McMahon reportedly regrets retiring as CEO and Chairman and believes the allegations against him would have blown over had he stayed in his roles.
Hope
Since McMahon’s retirement, it has been reported that morale in WWE has improved significantly, with talent and staff no longer walking on eggshells.
Speaking about McMahon’s rumored comeback during the latest To Be The Man, Flair admitted he doesn’t know for sure but hopes it happens.
“I don’t know the answer to that. I wish he would come back in some capacity. I mean, obviously, Hunter and Stephanie [McMahon] are doing a great job, and trust me, it’s a big job, you know what I mean? At least they’re dividing the time. I see people periodically, and people are happy working for Hunter.
” I wish he would come back in some capacity.”
Ric Flair on Vince McMahon.
“Here’s the problem, it’s like in any business, you’re never gonna like everybody you work for. So, I’m sure there are some people [who] like working for Hunter, some people like better working for Vince. I can’t give you an honest answer. I just want him to be happy.”
McMahon’s Return – Could it Happen?
Although Vince McMahon is gone from WWE, he’s not entirely left the promotion he ran for four decades.
McMahon is the majority shareholder, owning over 30% of all stock, and due to how his stock is treated, the ex-CEO has approximately 80% of the voting power.
With that said, his return to WWE’s board and as CEO would face significant backlash from fans and the media, and could lead to a potential loss of sponsors.
Bill DeMott has been in the wrestling business for many years. He’s been loved, he’s been hated, he’s been criticized, and he’s been ignored. What many wrestling fans may not know is the fact that DeMott’s daughter was killed by a drunk driver in 2015.
It’s a tragic story and, since his daughter’s death, DeMott has spoken out against drunk driving as often as he could.
DeMott even created ‘The Keri Anne DeMott Foundation’ in order to raise awareness of the issues, and to advocate for other families who have been affected by similar tragic circumstances.
The Pandemic of Drunk Driving
DeMott recently spoke a local news source in his hometown in Florida. He talked about the foundation, and tried offer advice to people who may be thinking about getting behind the wheel of a car after drinking.
“This time of year – the holiday season – things have changed,” DeMott told My News 13. “Someone made a decision that took my daughter’s life, and every day we have to make a decision to get up and make that not happen for someone else.”
So, that’s what he does.
According to My News 13, DeMott drives his vehicle, one adorned with his daughter’s face, across Florida to spread their message and to tell their stories.
“[Drinking and driving] has become socially acceptable,” DeMott stated. “I think people are numb to the fact that this is happening, and as long as it’s not happening to them, it doesn’t exist.”
It was reported that in 2019, there were 10,142 fatalities due to drunk driving. This is not a new problem, and it’s not one that will go away until people start taking it seriously. That’s what DeMott aims to tell people with his foundation, and it’s a message worth hearing.
AXS TV has been partnering with NJPW to air matches every Thursday at 10 PM ET after IMPACT Wrestling ends. The matches are on a several week delay from the original airing.
AXS TV announced today that their partnership with NJPW will continue in 2023. They will begin airing exclusive coverage for Wrestle Kingdom 17 starting on January 12.
We're pleased to announce AXS TV is continuing its partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling for 2023, premiering with exclusive coverage of Wrestle Kingdom 17. Don't miss the action, starting January 12th (10/9c) on AXS TV! @njpwglobalpic.twitter.com/u369mkOibO
Wrestle Kingdom 17 is live from the Tokyo Dome on January 4th. After running for two nights during the height of the pandemic, it is back to a one night only event. New Year Dash will take place the following day.
NJPW’s biggest show of the year will feature a double main event with Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay. Jay White will put the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on the line against Kazuchika Okada.
The brand new IWGP Women’s Championship will also be defended. KAIRI will defend her title for the first time against Tam Nakano. Sasha Banks will be appearing at Wrestle Kingdom. It’s unclear what exactly she’ll be doing at the show, but she is expected to wrestle several dates for NJPW.
Both WWE and AEW will be represented at Wrestle Kingdom 17. Karl Anderson will put his NEVER Openweight title on the line against Tama Tonga. FTR is scheduled to face Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI for the IWGP Tag Team titles.
Edge had a memorable homecoming in the main event of the August 22 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw despite not being around every week leading up to the show to do the match with Damian Priest or the Finn Balor match at Extreme Rules. Since then, he hasn’t been seen since.
Fightful Select reports that Edge is on a deal with limited dates, which is why he has appeared periodically since splitting from the Judgment Day group.
One WWE higher-up said that the vignettes this past summer were a way to “buy some weeks” on television for him before he made his return to television and give them a little more time to build to some important matches throughout the rest of the year. This happened with the Balor and Priest matchups.
His Deal
In 2020 when Edge was medically cleared and made a deal with WWE, it was reported the Hall Of Famer had signed a three-year contract for 25 appearances and five matches per year. Edge had talks with All Elite Wrestling before his WWE deal was signed.
However, Fightful’s new report notes that it was either incorrect or amended, as Edge competed in ten matches in 2021 and has already competed in six matches in 2022.
It’s unclear when his deal is up or how many appearances are left on his existing deal, but if the length was correctly reported, that deal could be up soon. It’s always possible that the deal was frozen due to injury, but that’s not confirmed if that’s the case.
Sasha Banks has reportedly arrived in Japan, days before she is expected to start the next chapter in her pro wrestling career.
It was anyone’s guess that Banks would end up in wrestling after she and Naomi walked out of WWE in May of this year. That changed when it was recently reported that Banks was scheduled to be at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 17 event on January 4.
She is slated to do multiple dates for NJPW/STARDOM as she has been able to get her release from WWE.
Arrival
According to a report by PWInsider, Banks has now arrived in Japan ahead of her appearance at Wrestle Kingdom 17:
“PWInsider.com is told that Mercedes Varnado, aka Sasha Banks, is now in Japan in advance of the 1/4/23 New Japan Pro Wrestling Tokyo Dome event.”
Banks’ appearance at the upcoming show is still yet to be officially announced by NJPW so it looks like it will be saved as a surprise. Many fans expect that she will be setting something up with the winner of the IWGP Women’s Title match between Champion KAIRI & Tam Nakano.
The top matches on the card include Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title, and Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Title.
MJF is featured in a new spotlight trailer for the upcoming AEW Fight Forever video game.
AEW has released a new trailer for Fight Forever that features clips of “The Salt of The Earth” in action. He also tweeted the video and wrote in the caption, “Even in video game form I’ll be better than your favorites in #AEWFightForever and you know it.”
The release date has yet to be revealed for the game, but it is scheduled to arrive sometime in 2023. The game will be released on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows.
There had been rumors about an M for Mature rating, but the word is that the game will be rated T for Teen.
Fight Forever is All Elite Wrestling’s first console video game. A website with information has been launched, and a teaser trailer is out. Wrestlers, move-sets, entrances, and arenas in the game will be customizable. There will also be a deep career mode.
MJF became the AEW World Heavyweight Champion when he beat Jon Moxley with the help of William Regal at Full Gear. He retained his championship last week against Ricky Starsk on Dynamite: Winter Is Coming.
