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Update on Why Miro Hasn’t Appeared on AEW TV Since All Out 2022

Robert Lentini
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Miro has not appeared on AEW TV since teaming up with Sting and Darby Allin on September 4th.

They defeated the House of Black in a Trios Match at the PPV. House of Black went on to disappear from television as well but for different reasons.

Wrestling fans have been wondering where The Redeemer has been and some have grown concerned that he is dealing with an unknown injury. As it turns out, Miro is not injured, he is just not being booked.

According to a new report from Fightful Select, Miro hasn’t been featured on television because creative “simply hasn’t been presented to him.” There were also plans in place for creative discussions to be held but, those haven’t taken place as of this writing.

The Redeemer has competed in just four matches in 2022, despite signing an extension with the promotion earlier this year. Miro’s current contract with All Elite Wrestling has him locked up until 2026.

Orange Cassidy Set to Defend the All-Atlantic Championship this Friday on Rampage

During this week’s edition of Dynamite, All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy and Kip Sabian had a backstage segment. Sabian had competed in the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royale to begin the show but was eliminated early.

Cassidy told Sabian that he can have a title match if he wants it but Kip claimed he was hurt. The champ suggested that he should find someone else and Kip seemed to have someone in line to accept the challenge.

Miro debuted in All Elite Wrestling as Kip Sabian’s “Best Man”. The gimmick fizzled out but perhaps he will be Kip’s selection as an opponent for Cassidy this Friday night on AEW Rampage.

Miro Jokes About Lack of TV Time in AEW: “Remember that Guy?”

Wrestling Belts Among Items Found in Donald Trump’s Storage Unit

Robert Lentini
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Championship belts (and documents marked ‘classified’) were among the items turned up in a search of four locations linked to WWE Hall of Famer and former US President Donald Trump.

The Justice Department is investigating the former president’s handling of classified documents. In August, The FBI discovered more than 300 classified documents that were removed from the White House and in Trump’s possession.

The Washington Post has reported that two items marked as classified have been discovered in a storage facility holding pallets linked to Donald Trump. The storage facility had a wide variety of items, including wrestling belts that were turned in to the FBI. It was not revealed which championships were held in the storage facility.

A source told the Washington Post the following:

“It was suits and swords and wrestling belts and all sorts of things. To my knowledge, he has never even been to that storage unit. I don’t think anyone in Trump world could tell you what’s in that storage unit.”

The Battle of the Billionaires

Bobby Lashley battled Umaga at WrestleMania 23 in a match billed as “The Battle of the Billionaires” in 2007.

Donald Trump was in Lashley’s corner for the match while former CEO Vince McMahon was backing Umaga. The All Mighty picked up the victory and Trump shaved Vince’s head after the match. Shane McMahon served as the special referee but Stone Cold Steve Austin interfered and made his boss’ life a living hell once again.

It was reported by The Wall Street Journal that Trump had it written into his contract that his head was not allowed to be shaved regardless of what happened in the match. This information came to light after WWE’s Board found that Vince McMahon paid $5 million to Trump’s charity in 2007 and 2009.

Dog Collar Tag Title Match Announced for ROH Final Battle 2022, Updated Card

Robert Lentini
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Ring of Honor Final Battle 2022 will air live this Saturday at 4 PM from College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

  • ROH Final Battle 2022 Preview

Two title matches were announced for the PPV this Saturday on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

Dalton Castle competed in the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royale but came up short. The match was eventually won by Ricky Starks, who will face MJF for the AEW World Championship and the Dynamite Diamond Ring next week at Dynamite: Winter is Coming.

Dalton Castle and The Boys will be in action this Saturday at Final Battle. They will defend the ROH 6-Man Tag Team Championships against Brian Cage and Gates of Agony.

FTR battled The Acclaimed for the AEW Tag Team Championships in the main event of tonight’s main event. The Acclaimed escaped with a hard-fought victory and the two teams showed respect to each other after the match. Gunn Club interrupted on the jumbotron with a Christmas card from The Briscoes. They announced that The Briscoes are challenging FTR to a double Dog Collar match for the ROH Tag Team Championships at Final Battle this Saturday.

Updated Card for ROH Final Battle

  • ROH Pure Championship: Daniel Garcia (c) vs. Wheeler Yuta
  • ROH Women’s Championship: Mercedes Martinez (c) vs. Athena
  • ROH TV Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Juice Robinson
  • ROH 6-Man Tag Team Championship: Dalton Castle & The Boys (c) vs. Gates of Agony & Brian Cage
  • ROH Tag Team Championship: FTR (c) vs. The Briscos in a Dog Collar Match
  • Swerve in Our Glory vs. Shane Taylor & JD Griffey
  • ROH Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli
AEW Dynamite Results, Takeaways (12/7/22): MJF & Ricky Starks, The Acclaimed vs. FTR, William Regal

William Regal Explains Why He Turned on Blackpool Combat Club

Samantha Schipman
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Several weeks ago at Full Gear, William Regal slid MJF his brass knucks to cost Jon Moxley the AEW World Championship. The following Wednesday, Mox had to be stopped from beating up Regal.

Last week on Dynamite, MJF turned on Regal with his own brass knucks. We still didn’t have answers from Regal to answer the question, “Why Regal Why?”

Regal Teaches One Final Lesson

Blackpool Combat Club
(AEW)

Tonight, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta had a match and were accompanied by Moxley. Danielson was nowhere to be found (and Moxley didn’t mention him in his promo). While celebrating their win, Tony Schiavone told them he had a video from their former leader.

Regal said if they were seeing the video, something bad has happened to him. He helped MJF win so he’d have a target on his back and to teach the Blackpool Combat Club on final lesson. A few months ago, he came to the conclusion that the veterans of BCC didn’t him anymore.

“I knew they wouldn’t let me go, but I needed to show them why they don’t need me. And I needed to show them what they could teach Wheeler to be the best professional wrestler in the world because they’ve all got that capability. But, you have to lead by example. Hopefully — and I know he will because Jon Moxley’s a very calculated man; he’ll understand this — the reason I did what I did and to lead by example was to teach you the final thing that I could ever teach you, always stay one step ahead and make sure you have eyes in the back of your head. I’m Blackpool Combat Club until the day I die.”

On the media call today, Tony Khan explained that Regal wanted to return to WWE to be with his son, NXT Superstar Charlie Dempsey. Regal will be with AEW through the holidays and then will be released.

AEW Dynamite Results, Takeaways (12/7/22): MJF & Ricky Starks, The Acclaimed vs. FTR, William Regal

Robert Lentini
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0

AEW Dynamite will air live tonight from the HEB Center in Cedar Park, Texas. It is the final episode of Dynamite before ROH Final Battle this Saturday. In addition to the takeaways below, Jon Moxley delivered a backstage promo and said the Blackpool Combat Club will bring back the ROH and ROH Pure Championship at Final Battle.

  • ROH Final Battle 2022 Preview

Dynamite Results (12/7)

  • Ricky Starks won the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royale
  • Samoa Joe def. Darby Allin to retain the TNT Championship
  • Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta def. Jake Hager & Daniel Garcia
  • Jade Cargill & The Baddies def. Madison Rayne, Kiera Hogan, Skye Blue
  • The Acclaimed def. FTR to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

MJF & Ricky Starks Had An Epic Confrontation

Jungle Boy, Ricky Starks, Dustin Rhodes, Orange Cassidy, Ethan Page, Shawn Dean, Butcher, Blade, Lee Moriarty, Matt Hardy, Kip Sabian, Dalton, Castle, competed in a Battle Royale to open the show. The winner receives the Dynamite Diamond Ring which was won by AEW World Champion MJF the past three years.

Dalton Castle hit Brian Cage with a big boot but he shrugged it off. Cage sent Castle over the top rope but The Boys caught him and paraded him around the ring. Cage then launched Castle over the top rope and he crashed onto The Boys and then to the floor. Jungle Boy got Cage over the top rope but he landed on the apron. He connected with Double Knees off the top rope onto Cage for the elimination as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Butcher was eliminated by Ricky Starks. Jungle Boy sent Lee Moriarty over the top rope but got hit with a big boot from W. Morrissey. He then hit him with a Chokeslam onto the ring apron. Matt Hardy, Ethan Page, and Ricky Starks were the final three. Ethan and Matt beat Starks down until Ricky battled back. Ricky launched Matt over the top rope and hit Page with a Tornado DDT.

Starks went for a Spear but Page blocked it. Ricky then sent Page to the floor to win the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royale. AEW World Champion MJF made his way to the ring and joined Starks for. a promo.

MJF cut a promo on Bryan Danielson and claimed he’s terrified of him after what he did to Regal. Maxwell vowed to win their match next week at Winter is Coming to retain the Dynamite Diamond Ring and the AEW World Championship.

Friedman told Starks that he is really talented and got hit with “shut the f*** up!” chant. MJF stole The Rock’s catchphrase and told Ricky he’s a roody poo candy ass and called Starks a “dollar store Dwayne”. Maxwell joked that he is going to start calling Ricky “The Pebble” and vowed to put him in his pocket, and skip his scrawny ass all the way back to Billy Corgan’s NWA so he can wrestle on YouTube where he belongs. Friedman stated that he is a generational talent and his reign of terror has just begun.

Starks called MJF “Maxipad” and the crowd loudly chanted it. Starks went on an awesome rant about how MJF is cheap and didn’t deliver for the fans when they got behind him. Ricky told Maxwell that he avoids pressure. Starks vowed to take the title from MJF next week at Dynamite: Winter is coming. MJF booted Starks in the balls and went to hit him with the Dynamite Diamond Ring but Starks ducked and hit a Spear to an incredible pop from the crowd. Starks posed in the ring as the crowd cheered to end the segment.

Samoa Joe Retained the TNT Championship

Samoa Joe defended the TNT Championship against Darby Allin tonight on AEW Dynamite. Darby knocked Joe out of the ring and went for his patented dive but Samoe Joe simply stepped aside and Allin crashed into the barricade. Joe swung Darby into the barricade and The King of Television dominated the match early. The champion exposed the concrete floor and hit him with a Spinebuster on the floor as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Joe hurled Darby off the apron into the ring post and he spun around before crashing to the floor.

Allin battled back and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Darby threw caution to the win and hit Samoa Joe with a Coffin Drop onto the floor. Back in the ring, Allin hit a Stunner and followed it up with a Code Red. Darby went for a Coffin Drop in the ring but Joe caught him in the Coquina Clutch. Allin didn’t tap but eventually passed out and Samoa Joe retained the TNT Championship.

After the match, Darby stood up and Joe hit him with a headbutt. Joe brought a skateboard in the ring and flipped it wheels up on the canvas. Samoa Joe delivered a Muscle Buster on top of the trucks of the skate board.

Blackpool Combat Club Vowed to Make a Statement, William Regal Explains His Actions at Full Gear

Jake Hager & Daniel Garcia battled Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta in a tag team match. Hager presented Claudio with a bucket hat but Castagnoli booted it into the crowd. Hager dominated Yuta and hit him with a Splash for a near fall as Jon Moxley showed up ringside.

Daniel Garcia unloaded several chops to Wheeler Yuta’s chest after tagging in. Garcia hit Claudio with a cheap shot and knocked him off the ring apron. Yuta battled back and planted Garcia with a Superplex as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Garcia hit a big boot but Yuta responded with a German Suplex as Claudio pleaded for a tag. Hager and Castagnoli tagged in and Claudio unloaded a series of uppercuts. Castagnoli drove Jake to the corner and went for a Hurricanrana but it was botched a bit and Jake crashed to the mat.

Castagnoli went for The Swing but Garcia jumped on his back. Claudio slammed him down and Yuta hit a Splash off the top rope. Hager went for a Back Body Drop but Castagnoli escaped and got Hager in The Swing for ten rotations as Sammy Guevara was in shock ringside. Claudio followed it up with a Clothesline for a near fall.

Guevara interfered but Moxley leveled him. Jake capitalized on the distraction and applied an Ankle Lock in the middle of the ring. Yuta broke it up and Castagnoli hit an uppercut for the win.

Tony Schiavone rolled an interview with William Regal a few weeks ago. Regal in the interview that people will only see this interview if something bad happens to me. William said he gave MJF what he wanted and now everyone is going to be chasing him. Regal claimed that the three main members of the BCC didn’t need him anymore.

William claimed that the Blackpool Combat Club can teach Yuta to be the best professional wrestler on the planet. Regal claimed his brass knuckles shot to Moxley at AEW Full Gear was a final lesson to him is to be always be one step ahead and he’s Blackpool Combat until he dies.

  • 11 Best Moments from AEW Full Gear 2022

Moxley barely addressed it before saying BCC will put an end to the war with JAS. Jon added that Claudio and Wheeler will make a statement at Final Battle and he will make a statement on Rampage. Moxley issued a challenge to any wrestler in the world this Friday. It was later announced that Moxley will face Konosuke Takeshita on Rampage.

Jamie Hayter Will Face Winner of Regina Di Wave Title Match on AEW Rampage

Tony Schiavone sat down with AEW Women’s Champion Jamie Hayter. Jamie said the women’s division is getting interesting and everyone is coming after her title. Hayter said she will give whoever wins the Regina Di Wave Championship match between Hikaru Shida & The Bunny this Friday an AEW World Championship match.

Jade & The Baddies Picked Up A Victory

TBS Champion Jade Cargill, Red Velvet and Leila Grey battled Skye Blue, Kiera Hogan, and Madision Rayne in a Trios match. The Baddies beat Skye down to start off the action. Blue battled back and sent Red Velvet out of the ring. Velvet trapped Skye in the ring skirt and unloaded a bunch of punches as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Skye and Red Velvet hit a Clothesline at the same time and fell to the mat. Jade Cargill tagged in and traded strikes with former Baddie Kiera Hogan. Kiera knocked the champ down in the corner as Madison Rayne battled with Leila Grey. Jade hit a Spinebuster on Hogan and talked some trash. She set up for Jaded but Hogan escaped. Madison Rayne tagged in and Cargill quickly hit Jaded for the pinfall victory.

Britt Baker Challenged Saraya

Britt Baker confronted Saraya backstage and noted that she was handed her tickets to the January 11th edition and said she can either sit in the front row or face her again. Saraya said she’d love to face her again. Baker added that she has the AEW Women’s Champion Jamie Hayter at all times and pulled Tony away to end the interview.

The Acclaimed Retained the AEW Tag Team Championships, Briscoes vs. FTR at Final Battle

The Acclaimed defended the AEW Tag Team Championships against FTR in tonight’s main event. Cash Wheeler and Anthony Bowens started off the match and went back and forth. Max Caster and Dax Harwood tagged in and locked up in the middle of the ring.

Max took Harwood down and applied an armbar before tagging Bowens back in. Harwood caught Bowens with a forearm to the face and then some chops in the corner of the ring. The Acclaimed took control and scissored in the ring as the crowd cheered.

Billy Gunn fired up the crowd some more ringside as Max got Harwood in a Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Bowens did the same to Wheeler but FTR got to the ropes to break it up. FTR battled back and catapulted Caster into the steel ring beam before doing the scissor motion as Dynamite went to the final commercial break of the night.

Cash perched Max up on the top turnbuckle when Dynamite returned. Caster slammed Wheeler down as Jarrett, Lethal, Singh, and Dutt were shown watching backstage. Anthony Bowens unloaded a bunch of strikes after tagging in and knocked Harwood. Bowens connected with a Neckbreaker on Dax but he was able to kick out at two.

FTR hit Bowens with a tag team Pilediver for a near fall. Anthony leveled Harwood with an elbow strike and Caster tagged. Caster connected with a Cutter but Harwood kicked out again. FTR set up for the Big Rig but The Acclaimed broke it up. Dax launched Max into the ring post and FTR hit the Big Rig but Bowens broke it up at two. Bowens hit The Arrival and Caster went for the Mic Drop but Wheeler got out of the way.

Cash hit Caster with a massive lariat for a near fall and followed it up with two more. Wheeler followed it up with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Caster countered into a cradle for the pinfall victory. The Acclaimed are still the AEW Tag Team Champions. After the match, FTR and The Acclaimed scissored in the ring.

The Gunn Club showed up on the jumbo tron. Gunn Club announced The Briscoes will be facing FTR in a Double Dog Collar match for the ROH Tag Team Championships at Final Battle to close the show.

Tony Khan Confirms Details on William Regal Leaving AEW This Month

Thomas Lowson
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William Regal will finish his time with All Elite Wrestling this month, company President Tony Khan has confirmed.

For the past week, it has been reported that Regal’s time with AEW was up and that he planned on returning to WWE when he had the chance.

Regal himself has kept quiet throughout this period of time, but previously stated that he signed a three-year deal with AEW when he joined after Revolution in March of this year.

Leaving

This weekend will mark ROH Final Battle, the third event for the promotion since Khan acquired the company earlier this year.

Speaking on a media conference call ahead of the show, Khan publicly confirmed that Regal is set to leave AEW this month.

Khan explained that Regal contacted him and explained that he would live to spend more time with his son Bailey, who competes in WWE NXT as Charlie Dempsey.

The two had a “long, good talk” and Khan said he realized that Regal was honest with his reasons to return to WWE.

The AEW President said that after granting Regal’s request to depart AEW, there was a need for a complete overhaul of plans for the World Championship scene which featured him aligned with MJF.

Khan concluded his talk about the former King of the Ring by saying that Regal will remain with AEW through to the end of the year and that he is sad to see him go.

Medical Issues

During his talk about Regal, Khan addressed the recent health issues his mother has faced.

The AEW President explained that prior to AEW: Grand Slam in September, his mother suffered a stroke, and would suffer a second stroke weeks after being released from the hospital.

Calling his sister an ‘unsung hero’ for being by their mother’s side, Khan stayed with her at night, and doctors found a spot on his mother’s heart.

The discovery coincided with Regal’s request, and Khan said he didn’t want to prevent any parent and son from being together.

The surgery on Mrs. Khan was a complete success and Tony said that she is recovering well.

WWE Legend Reacts to William Regal’s Rumored Comments about “Maturity Issues” in AEW Management

“Ric Flair is Not Going to Wrestle Again”

Andrew Ravens
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Some fans are still holding out hope to see Ric Flair step back into the ring for one more match despite promising that he wrestled his last bout this past July when he teamed with Andrade El Idolo to beat Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal.

The 16-time world champion previously revealed that he’d been invited to be part of the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw (“Raw is XXX”) on January 23 from Philadelphia, PA as well as the Royal Rumble five days later in San Antonio, TX.

Flair has gone on record noting that he wishes he didn’t say that his most recent match would be the last as he enjoyed the experience. There has been some speculation that Flair could come back to wrestle another match, and some even think it may happen in the Men’s Royal Rumble match. 

The End

Ric Flair after his last match

Flair’s son-in-law, Conrad Thompson, has ruled out Flair wrestling again. 

“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but that’s clickbait,” Thompson told Wrestling Inc. “Anybody who actually listens to the podcast knows that he’s said that tongue-in-cheek, laughing. Even when he talked about the Rumble, he’s like ‘Somebody reported that I’m going to be at the Rumble. I’m not. I’m going to be at the 30th Anniversary ‘Raw.’ I am going to be in San Antonio, but I’m doing a signing for Fitterman. But I’ll bring my gear, I’ll bring my robe. Hell yeah, I’ll be number 30.’ It’s a joke. It’s not serious. He’s not really going to be in the Rumble, but I know that gets people talking and it gets people buzzing. But the reality is, Ric’s not going to wrestle again.”

‘Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair’, a new documentary about the life and career of Flair, will air on Peacock on December 26. 

Matt Hardy Believes Things Would Be Different Had Shelton Benjamin Debuted Today

Jon Fuentes
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Matt Hardy believes Shelton Benjamin would’ve thrived as a singles star in today’s age.

Hardy recently discussed The Hardy Boyz feud with The World’s Greatest Tag Team on an episode of his podcast, “The Extreme Life Of Matt Hardy.”

During the show, Hardy praised the ability of Benjamin, and speculated as to why he never took off as a singles competitor.

He noted that, had Benjamin came up in today’s day and age, he believes the former Tag Team Champion would have seen things turn out a lot different for himself.

“I don’t know. I think if you had Shelton Benjamin, a young Shelton Benjamin, come along today, it would change a lot,” Matt Hardy said.

“I think because back then it was still they were looking for larger-than-life personalities, people that really like bonded with the crowd, and I feel like they didn’t see that as much in Shelton as they would have liked to. They knew from an athletic perspective; he was just unbelievable.

“He was unreal, but I feel like in this day and age, if you have someone who’s an amazing athlete and produces these great quality matches day in and day out and does it every single time he hit the ring, then they get over in a different way because the fan base has kind of changed for their respective in-ring content as well.

“So I think if Shelton came along today, I think it would be changed. I think he would definitely be programmed a lot higher than it was back then.”

Shelton Benjamin. Photo Credit: WWE.com
Shelton Benjamin. Photo Credit: WWE.com

Benjamin entered professional wrestling as a very accomplished amateur wrestler, displaying a tremendous amount of athleticism and poise. Throughout his years in the business, he’s been highly decorated as a tag team competitor, winning the ROH World Tag Team Titles twice with Charlie Haas, as well as three runs with the WWE Tag Team Titles.

As a singles competitor, Benjamin secured the WWE Intercontinental Title three times, as well as one run with the United States Title. At 47-years-old, Benjamin still competes for WWE on Monday Night RAW.

Quotes via WrestleZone

Kurt Angle Opens Up About 2007 DUI Arrest

Jon Fuentes
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WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle has opened up about his DUI arrest from 2007.

Angle recently took to his podcast to reflect on his time from TNA, discussing a variety of topics from his time with the company. One such topic being a 2007 DUI arrest he suffered shortly after joining TNA.

It was the beginning of a long string of DUIs that Angle said ultimately forced him to check into rehab in 2013.

“I was having a tough time. I was making horrible decision. Irresponsible decisions. Getting four DUIs in five years was just ridiculous. When you’re doing that, you know you have a problem. I didn’t want to admit it until I ended up going to rehab in 2013. It took me awhile to come to my gripes, but eventually I did.”

Kurt Angle

The initial DUI occurred in September of 2007, when the Moon Township Police Department in Moon Township, Pennsylvania arrested Angle at his home after a report of erratic driving from a local bar.

Ultimately, Angle was found not guilty of the charges after the complaining witness was unable to corroborate the story. However, Angle would find himself in hot water with the law at least four more times for driving under the influence.

Since checking into rehab in 2013, Angle seems to have been doing much better for himself. In 2017, Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame by John Cena. He has made sporadic appearances for the company since.

“I Feel Like I Failed Shotzi” – Ronda Rousey Addresses Ridiculed Survivor Series Match

Michael Reichlin
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Ronda Rousey says she put a lot of effort into her Survivor Series match against Shotzi and feels terrible about the way things played out.

Rousey put her SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against the #1 contender back on November 26. The match was widely criticized for looking sloppy and unprofessional, but it was an awkward DDT on the ring apron that got the most attention. Wrestling pundits and fans roasted Rousey on social media, with some of them calling for her to be fired.

The Baddest Woman on the Planet addressed the match during her latest YouTube stream. She explains there were some difficulties preparing for the bout, the match itself was abruptly cut short and doesn’t understand why she’s getting more flack than certain male performers who have injured their opponents.

Ronda Rousey & Shotzi

Rousey said she’s the one who pitched the infamous apron DDT spot, because she knows it’s something Shotzi does in a lot of her matches. She has her own wrestling ring for training, but was unable to rehearse the DDT because the ropes on her ring are too lose.

“I fucked it up because I was so concerned with keeping somebody safe. A lot of time, when you see me do something for the first time, it’s the first time I ever did it. I was really concerned with keeping Shotzi safe and I made it look bad. You know what, sorry. Apparently, I deserve to be fired or burned. It reminds me of Monty Python, ‘BURN HER!'”

– Ronda Rousey

According to Rousey, there’s a double standard when it comes to critiquing female pro wrestlers. Nobody called for Ridge Holland to be fired when he accidentally broke Big E’s neck, but people are calling for her to be released after a match she admits didn’t live up to expextations.

“There weren’t calls to fire anybody when Madcap Moss and Big E were spiked on their heads,” said Rousey. “‘BURN HER ANYWAY!’ I’m so sorry that I was so concerned with keeping someone safe that I made the bump look bad.”

Rousey was especially bummed because the crowd in Boston was hostile towards her and she loves winning over a hostile crowd. Unfortunately, time constraints and the pacing of the show led WWE officials to call an audible and cut their match short before they could continue winning the crowd back.

“I was bummed though because we worked on that match for two weeks and we were really excited about it,” she said. “I felt like I really failed Shotzi. I really wanted to showcase her shit and make all of her shit look great and show everyone how great she is. That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to comeback for this run, to showcase the new talent.”

Rousey says the match fans saw is not the match they had planned out. A few spots went wrong and fans are judging them on an incomplete product.

“We literally only had eight minutes to do everything. When we hit eight minutes, ‘alright, you gotta go,’ I’m not gonna argue. They pay me to show up and do what they say to do. I’m bummed though. I feel like I failed Shotzi. Sorry. I’ll do better. I’ll make it up to her. I’ll let her beat my ass.”

– Ronda Rousey

Umaga’s Son Zilla Fatu Begins Pro Wrestling Training

Michael Reichlin
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Zilla Fatu, son of Umaga, is beginning his pro wrestling training at Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling school in Houston, TX.

Fatu is the latest in a long line of warriors from pro wrestling’s wrestling’s legendary Anoa’i family. Elders such as The Wild Samoans, Yokozuna, Rikishi, Umaga and The Rock paved the way for today’s generation, which includes Roman Reigns, the Usos and Solo Sikoa.

On Tuesday evening, ROW welcomed Zilla Fatu as he embarks on a journey to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Zilla Fatu received congratulatory messages from several family members.

MLW star Jacob Fatu wrote on Twitter, “!! BLOODLINE JUST KEEPS GETTING STRONGER WELCOME MY UNCLE RIP #UMAGA YOUNGEST SON #ZILLAFATU”

Rikishi responded to the announcement on Instagram and thanked Booker T, writing in the comments section, “Thank you @BookerTfivex @realityofwrestling”

Zilla Fatu, 22, was recently released from prison. He spent six years behind bars after being convicted of aggravated robbery at the age of 15. He documented his experience on his YouTube channel.

Umaga has been in the news this week because December 4 was the 13-year anniversary of his untimely passing. Bloodline members Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa paid tribute to Umaga are among the wrestlers who paid tribute to their uncle.

Ric Flair Calls Infamous Gimmick the “Most Humiliating” Event in His Life

Thomas Lowson
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Ric Flair has led a life unlike anyone else, but one gimmick from his past is something the Nature Boy wishes he could forget.

Flair’s wrestling journey began in 1972 and has seen the North Carolina native become a 16-time World Champion, though Ric argues the number is much higher.

In July of this year, Flair wrestled his final match, teaming with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.

The Black Scorpion

For years, Ric Flair feuded with Sting, and in 1990, WCW introduced a new opponent for the Stinger: The Black Scorpion.

Realizing that fans had grown tired of Flair Vs. Sting, WCW introduced the character to give fans a new feud for Sting, who was still relatively green.

Months of segments played hyping the Black Scorpion as someone from Sting’s past, buying WCW time to figure out who exactly would play the character.

Wrestler Al Perez was chosen for the role, but after realizing he’d be working with the World Champion, demanded more money, which WCW refused to pay.

In a desperation act, WCW had Flair play the Black Scorpion, who was unmasked at Starrcade 1990, undoing the purpose of the character in the first place.

Humiliating

The Black Scorpion character was never resurrected by Flair, who has for years made his views on the character very clear.

Speaking on the latest episode of his To Be The Man podcast, Flair bashed the character as the most humiliating experience of his life.

“I did have the ability to make the call. I took one for the team. Do you think I like laying underneath that ring in St. Louis? A building that I sold out no less than 30 times as the NWA Champion?”

“That was the most humiliating thing I’ve ever been through in my life, and with how I conducted myself afterward. But I’m never the sh*ts.”

Ric Flair

Flair said that anyone who watches Starrcade 1990 will see that he and the Stinger did not ‘steal the show.’

Ric Flair Attending WWE’s Royal Rumble and Raw XXX Anniversary

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

Jim Ross on William Regal: “I Don’t Know What the Future Holds for Him”

Thomas Lowson
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0

AEW commentator Jim Ross has become the latest name to suggest that William Regal’s time with the promotion has come to an end.

Regal was cut from WWE in January of this year from his role with NXT, after over 20 years with the promotion.

A former WWE Intercontinental, European, and Tag Team Champion, the 2008 King of the Ring would debut for AEW at the Revolution Pay-Per-View in March 2022.

Jim Ross

William Regal was written off AEW TV last week with an attack by MJF and it has been reported that the British legend is set to leave the company and return to WWE.

On the latest episode of Grilling JR, Ross praised what Regal has brought to All Elite Wrestling.

“He’s been a very valuable resource, you can’t replace guys with that kind of experience and in Regal’s case, the patience to help these young guys. He was in the ring every day at [AEW] TV, he always had time for the talent, young green guys.”

Jim Ross

Neither Tony Khan nor Regal have confirmed reports of his departure, and the British veteran had previously stated that his three-year contract would expire in early 2025.

The Future

Regal’s apparent exit comes not long after he betrayed the Blackpool Combat Club and aided MJF in winning the AEW World Championship at Full Gear.

On his podcast, Jim Ross spoke about the Salt of the Earth, and said he isn’t sure what’s next for William Regal.

“I mentioned to MJF, I said ‘The more you can sit under that learning tree of William Regal and talk about the psychology of being a wrestling villain, you should because he’s got great psychology.’ A very valuable asset wherever he may be, I don’t know what the future holds for him.”

“I don’t know what the future holds for him.”

Jim Ross on William Regal.

MJF (sans Regal) is expected to appear on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

Former WWE Star Claims William Regal Regretted Signing with AEW due to “Maturity Issues” in Management

h/t – WrestlingInc

Latest on Scary Botch with Mustafa Ali & Austin Theory on WWE Raw

Thomas Lowson
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0

There is no heat between WWE United States Champion Austin Theory and Mustafa Ali despite a scary botch during their title match on this week’s Raw.

During the match, Ali attempted a top rope Frankensteiner on the U.S. Champion, which did not go as planned.

Instead, both men fell awkwardly in the corner of the ring but were able to carry on and finish the match.

The Update

This botch on Monday Night Raw happened because Theory did not hold onto Ali the proper way, Fightful Select reports.

The idea was for Theory to block the attempted Frankensteiner and lift Ali up into a powerbomb.

Ali would have blocked that attempt and leveled Theory with a Hurricanrana before going into the next spot for the match.

It was Mustafa Ali who called for the referee to check on them both, while both men called an audible for the match to end early with the satellite DDT.

Backstage

After the match, the situation was discussed behind the scenes, and Austin Theory was said to be incredibly apologetic for what happened.

Fightful adds that there is no heat between the two, with this unfortunate incident being chalked up to an accident that could have happened to anyone.

Theory has been feuding with Seth Rollins in recent weeks and failed to dethrone the then-United States Champion when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.

Theory’s attempted cash-in marked the first time the contract had been cashed in on a championship that wasn’t a World title.

Austin Theory Thinks he’s Heading Towards Roman Reigns’ Level After Character Change

Anthony Bowens Feared His Career Would End if he Came Out as Gay

Thomas Lowson
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0

AEW World Tag Team Champion was concerned that coming out as gay would negatively affect or possibly end his career in the ring.

In November 2020, Bowens, alongside Acclaimed teammate, Max Caster, signed a five-year deal with AEW and are in their first reign as World Tag Team Champions.

After coming out as bisexual in 2017, Bowens shared a video in 2019 with his partner, stating he now solely identifies as homosexual.

Career-Ending

Bowens is proud of who he is, but for years he feared he would never have the chance to come out due to his career.

Speaking on the Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend podcast, the AEW star explained how the decision to not come out was seen as the more pragmatic choice.

 “I would sit in my room, in my car, and just cry thinking if I came out, you know, my career is over, fans would hate me, wrestlers would hate me, a national TV company wouldn’t take a chance on me.”

Anthony Bowens.

Bowens added that he feels proud for coming out, and hopes to be an example to others that there is nothing wrong with being LGBTQ+.

“To be able to be somebody that people can watch on television, hopefully connect to and relate to, to give them that sense of hope that, I made it through, they can make it through.”

Anthony Bowens.

LGBTQ+ Wrestling

While there was once a stigma around LGBTQ+ in wrestling, that isn’t the case (as much) anymore.

In addition to Bowens, AEW’s first openly gay champion, AEW is also home to Nyla Rose, a transwoman, and both Toni Storm and referee Aubrey Edwards identify as bisexual.

In WWE, Sonya Deville is the promotion’s first openly lesbian Superstar, while Doudrop, Kayla Braxton, and the recently returned Tegan Nox have also come out as bisexual.

Tony Khan on Billy Gunn in The Acclaimed: “He Has Helped Guide Them to the Top of the Sport”

h/t – eWrestlingNews

Athena on Why She Turned Heel in AEW: “Nice Guys Finish Last”

Robert Lentini
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0

Athena has had a major character shift in All Elite Wrestling as of late and completely dominated Dani Mo on this past Friday’s episode of Rampage.

Athena was known as Ember Moon in WWE. She spent six years with the promotion before being released on November 4th, 2021. Athena debuted in All Elite Wrestling at Double or Nothing 2022 following Jade Cargill’s match.

The Fallen Goddess recently got very aggressive in a match against Jody Threat on AEW Dark: Elevation and some fans thought she went too far. She has used the negative reaction to the match to inject a new attitude into her character and it has paid off on screen.

Athena will challenge Mercedes Martinez for the ROH Women’s Championship at Final Battle this Saturday at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

  • ROH Final Battle 2022 Preview
What Was Said to Athena After Hard-Hitting AEW Dark: Elevation Match?

Athena Reveals Why She Turned Heel

Athena appeared on Busted Open Radio and explained her character change. The 34-year-old revealed that she worked her entire indie career as a “bad guy” and was fearful of getting lost in the shuffle in All Elite Wrestling.

Cause I feel like it. Sometimes, nice guys finish last.

Sometimes, you just get frustrated and it’s really hard because you’re trying to find an opportunity to not get lost in the shuffle because at AEW, there are so many talented women just across the board and it’s like, ‘What can you do to stand out?’

You’re asking your questions like, ‘Why am I stuck in this position? Why is this happening to me? Am I not good?’ Finally, you have to just say ‘eff it.

H/T: Wrestling Inc

Jim Ross Takes Shot at John Laurinaitis: “His A** is Without a Job”

Robert Lentini
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0

John Laurinaitis was dismissed from his position in WWE as Head of Talent Relations earlier this year.

In addition to his backstage role, Laurinaitis portrayed an authority figure in WWE in 2011 – 2012. He made sporadic appearances after that before Vince McMahon re-hired him as Head of Talent Relations in March of 2021.

He was let go by WWE on August 8th following Vince McMahon’s resignation in July. Vince resigned on Twitter after the the company’s Board of Directors investigated alleged “hush money” payments to former female employees.

WWE Issues new Statement on Vince McMahon Hush-Money Scandal

Jim Ross Blasts John Laurinaitis

AEW commentator Jim Ross shared his thoughts on John Laurinaitis on the latest edition of his Grillin JR podcast.

Ross didn’t mince words when it came to John and said he wasn’t a fan of how Laurinaitis treated him in the past. JR added that John tried to upstage him in front of Vince McMahon and deserves the misery he is currently living in.

I had a hard time as time went on trusting Laurinaitis. That’s sad to say. I hired him. I gave him a job when he needed it. I don’t think he treated me quite right.

He just wanted to show Vince that he was a better manager than JR and all these things.

So now his ass is without a job and he deserves the Goddamn misery that he’s living, that I perceive that he’s living, and I didn’t like how he treated me.

H/T: WrestlingNews

The Origin of WWE Monday Night RAW: “We Needed a Different Presentation”

Robert Lentini
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0

WWE RAW has been the company’s flagship show since 1993 and there have been 1,510 episodes to date. The show began as a one-hour program and has now expanded to three hours every Monday night. WWF Monday Night Raw’s first episode aired live on January 11th, 1993.

The first commentary team on Monday Night Raw was comprised of former WWE CEO Vince McMahon, comedian Rob Bartlett, and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Bartlett didn’t last long and was replaced by Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Bobby eventually left for WCW and called the action for WCW Nitro during the Monday Night Wars.

Vince Mcmahon bartlett macho

Before RAW, there was a show called WWF Prime Time Wrestling. The show aired from January 1985 – January 1993. The two-hour weekly show featured WWE Hall of Famers Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon, guests, and house show matches. WWF Prime Time Wrestling aired from January 1, 1985 – January 4, 1983.

Ric Flair and Randy Savage battled on Prime Time Wrestling in a WrestleMania VIII rematch. Vince McMahon was not a fan of how the match was going and had Heenan tell the referee to stop the match.

Speaking on his Something to Wrestle With podcast, Bruce Richard detailed how Vince McMahon had Savage and Ric Flair redo the match in front of the same audience. He noted that Ric and Randy were pissed off about it.

They were pissed. They didn’t think that there was anything wrong with the match. Obviously, someone else (Vince) did went out and redid it. And that was also when Randy went crazy and we went out to try and hold Randy back.

I got nailed by Randy and took a hell of a bump too. Quite the cheer backstage when I got nailed.

Bruce explained how Prime Time wasn’t clicking anymore and they were looking for a different presentation, which eventually led to WWE RAW.

The format had gone from Bobby & Gorilla to this kind of round table format if you will. That didn’t click. It just really didn’t click.

We were looking for different things, obviously, I had nothing to do with it beforehand. But once I got there everybody’s ‘what do you think of this?’ and it just, it wasn’t good.

It was a compilation show with a compilation panel. There was no consistency to the show at all, other than I think Vince (McMahon) and Bobby (Heenan).

We were looking for ways to save money, we were looking for a different presentation of the show, which is where the germ of RAW came from.

Co-host Conrad Thompson noted that fans typically didn’t get to see big moments at the time on weekly television. He noted that the World Title changing hands only brought in a 2.4 rating and wondered if they realized something had to change. Bruce Prichard said RAW came to be as a cost-cutting measure.

No. It was more of a cost-cutting measure. It was looking at ways to produce this show without doing it on the road. And look at delivering a product that was unique and that was different.

One thing that would make it unique and different was going live. The other part is we wanted to do it in a unique setting, a smaller more intimate setting than the big arenas.

The original concept was to build the studio where our current television studio was in the warehouse section that. Make that into an arena that would hold maybe 500 – 1,000 people.

RAW originated from the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center and aired live each week. Prichard noted that the Manhattan Center was extremely expensive to run shows from.

In fact, the shows became so costly to produce, WWE began taping multiple shows at a time and would air a taped edition of Raw every other week.

Going to the Manhattan Center certainly didn’t accomplish that because the Manhattan Center was extremely expensive and a tough proposition. You had to take the ring up seven floors on an elevator, a passenger elevator at that. It was tough but the whole idea was we needed a different presentation.

The first episode of Monday Night Raw featured Yokozuna defeating Koko B. Ware, Shawn Michaels retaining the Intercontinental Championship against Max Moon, The Steiner Brothers defeating The Executioners, and The Undertaker picking up a victory over Damien Demento in the main event.

Tony Khan Previews ROH Final Battle 2022: “The Big Scores are Going to be Settled”

Robert Lentini
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0

ROH Final Battle 2022 is this Saturday night at 4 PM EST at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

There are currently only four matches on the card but presumably more will be added on Dynamite and Rampage. Chris Jericho will defend the ROH Championship against Claudio Castagnoli in the main event. Jericho defeated Claudio at Dynamite: Grand Slam to win the ROH Championship.

  • ROH Final Battle 2022 Preview

Speaking on the Battleground Podcast, AEW President Tony Khan hyped up the PPV this Saturday.

Tony was asked how Final Battle will stand out from previous ROH shows this year and here was his response:

Well, the ROH PPVs have been excellent for in-ring wrestling. I think so far we’ve seen at Supercard of Honor, at Death Before Dishonor, this new iteration of Ring of Honor you are going to see some of the best wrestlers in the world having some of the best matches in the world on these PPVs. Trying to build a consistent rhythm of great shows, and we are two for two so far. [09:21 – 09:46]

Tony then hyped up this Saturday’s main event for the ROH Championship between Chris Jericho and Claudio Castagnoli.

Now at Final Battle, it is the final major wrestling PPV of this year, and a lot of the big scores are going to be settled. Of course, it doesn’t get any bigger in Ring of Honor than the World Championship match. Chris Jericho versus Claudio Castagnoli.

Two great World Champions, and really we are seeing two men on top of their profession, two guys with completely different approaches and opposite philosophies to pro wrestling.
But frankly, the issue has gotten very personal.

Not only are their approaches very different, but if Chris Jericho wins this match, Claudio Castagnoli has to join the Jericho Appreciation Society and go back to applying his trade as a sports entertainer.

He (Claudio) has been in a tag team with Jake Hager in the past. I see Jake has got a second bucket hat with Claudio’s name on it. That is what is in Claudio’s future if he cannot beat Chris Jericho this weekend. [09:47 – 10:47]

Tony praised Chris Jericho’s run as ROH Champion and noted that he’s going for “The Ocho”, his 8th straight victory over a former Ring of Honor Champion at Final Battle.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit The Battleground Podcast with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

WWE NXT Results (12/6): Wild Card Matches, New Day Sets Up Deadline Match

Andrew Ravens
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0

The December 6, 2022 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  •  
  • Axiom def.  Andre Chase and Von Wagner
  • Charlie Dempsey def. Hank Walker.
  • Tony D’Angelo def. Xyon Quinn.
  • Isla Dawn def. Thea Hail
  • Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen def. Malik Blade & Edris Enofe.
  • Indi Hartwell defeated Wendy Choo and Fallon Henley

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Final Build

wwe nxt deadline

Final Build

WWE NXT Champion Bron Breakker will defend the title against Apollo Crews at NXT Deadline. So what did WWE do for the final build of this main event match?

They went on a fishing trip where they talked trash in a friendly way. That was it. 

Drew Gulak Appears

drew gulak nxt

Charlie Dempsey, who is the son of William Regal, had a match with former security guard Hank Walker. Midway through the match, Drew Gulak appeared and watched on as Dempsey won his match. Post-match, Gulak walked away and was impressed with what he saw. 

New Day Appears

new day

NXT Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson) had a segment where they read a ‘Christmas story’. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) interrupted.

Woods and Kingston issued a challenge to Pretty Deadly with NXT Deadline. A brawl broke out with New Day standing tall. The match has been formally announced.

Iron Survivor Challenge Men’s Wild Card Match

3nxt

Von Wagner vs. Axiom vs. Andre Chase in a Iron Survivor Challenge wild card match took place. 

The match opened the show and was solid. Axion went over when he hit a running knee strike to Von. 

The Grayson Waller Effect

0NXT

Waller roasted a fan about not being able to get laid then mocked Axion for wearing a turtleneck. He also roasted JD for being a garden gnome and Hayes for being a loser and an A-hole. JD said Hayes has been protected since he arrived in NXT. They all talked trash before getting into a brawl. 

Iron Survivor Challenge Women’s Wild Card Match

2nxt

Wendy Choo vs. Fallon Henley vs. Indi Hartwell in a Iron Survivor Challenge wild card match took place. 

The other competitors in the upcoming bout include Zoey Stark, Cora Jade, Kiana James, and Roxanne Perez.

The match served as the main event and saw Heartwell go over after Wendy hit a splash to Fallon and was tossed to the floor before Heartwell hit her in the back with a strike. 

Tony D’Angelo Back in Action

1nxt

Tony D’Angelo returned to the ring when he took on Xyon Quin. 

Stacks and D’Angelo met Dijak in the parking lot during last Tuesday’s NXT episode, and D’Angelo thanked him for what he had done to Wes Lee the previous week. It wasn’t for him, according to Dijak. Lee’s reign as champion is about to come to an end, according to D’Angelo, who claimed that he is now allowed to make his return.

The match saw Tony quickly take out Quinn with his finisher. Post-match, he called out Lee, who came out to the ring. Lee told him to wait until he is done with Dijak and then they can settle their business. Tony said that he doesn’t wait for anyone. 

Dijak said that he plays by a different set of rules. He told Lee to keep his mind out of his way. He said neither of them will stop him from decimatingNXT. 

Tony Khan Responds to Criticism About Booking ROH Storylines on AEW Dynamite

Andrew Ravens
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0

In recent weeks, AEW and ROH owner Tony Khan has come under fire from some fans who feel that there has been too much focus put on the ROH brand with its titles and storylines. 

Khan bought the promotion earlier this year and, despite not having a television deal in place for the brand, he has booked pay-per-view events for ROH and used its talent and championships on AEW programming. 

During an appearance on the Battleground podcast, Khan responded to those critics.

The Crossover

Tony Khan

“One thing I have tried to do…I think we only have three hours of AEW TV a week so I have tried to limit the Ring of Honor focus on Dynamite to mostly the Ring of Jericho and Chris Jericho, the ROH World Champion.”

Khan stated that he has tried to keep the other ROH Title matches on either AEW Rampage or Dark: Elevation. He found it “amusing” when he saw someone saying they thought there was too much ROH on Dynamite as he feels that having a variety of new ROH-aligned wrestlers has been, and will continue to be, good for ROH business. 

According to Khan, they have made “good money” on the pay-per-views since he bought the promotion, and “frankly, (the money) has been in line with what I paid for the entire business.”

Saturday’s Final Battle is expected to garner some of their best numbers thanks to the main event of Jericho vs. Claudio Castagnoli, according to Khan. 

H/T to F4Wonline.com for the transcription

Tony Khan on Billy Gunn in The Acclaimed: “He Has Helped Guide Them to the Top of the Sport”

Robert Lentini
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0

AEW President Tony Khan was a guest on the BattleGround podcast to promote ROH Final Battle this Saturday night. The PPV will air live at 4 PM EST at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

  • ROH Final Battle 2022 Preview

Speaking on the Battleground Podcast, Tony hyped up this Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite featuring AEW World Champion MJF, Samoa Joe versus Darby Allin for the TNT Championship, and The Acclaimed versus FTR for the AEW Tag Team Championships.

Tony was asked if Billy Gunn managing The Acclaimed was the turning point for the AEW Tag Team Champions and Khan noted that they have only been a team for a short amount of time. He praised Billy Gunn for guiding The Acclaimed to the top of the sport and credited Caster and Bowens for their hard work.

The Acclaimed have only been a tag team for a couple of years. So with a few years under their belt, I think they have done an incredible job. Because just over two years ago in Jacksonville, The Acclaimed teamed up together for the first time ever on AEW Dark.

They worked their way up from Dark onto wrestling matches on TV pretty regularly. They didn’t win every single match but they made a big impression. I think they have quickly earned a place at the top of tag team wrestling.

I might not have put them at the top of the list at the very beginning, but I do think really very quickly, with the guidance of Billy Gunn, he has helped guide them to the top of the sport.
Billy is a great mentor for them. He is also very popular.

I think their popularity was skyrocketing really quickly and Billy Gunn was clearly the right person at the right time for The Acclaimed.

And it has all just come together quickly. It was the perfect combination of things. And most of all, it was the hard work of Max Caster and Anthony Bowens to become the AEW World Tag Team Champions. [From 06:17 – 07:29]

Tony Khan on what Billy Gunn has brought to The Acclaimed

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Battleground Podcast and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

“Scissor Away, My Friend” – Road Dogg Praises Billy Gunn’s Work With The Acclaimed In AEW

Former ROH Stars Attend Tuesday’s WWE NXT (Photo)

Andrew Ravens
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0

ROH went on hiatus in 2021 after the Final Battle pay-per-view event, which opened the doors for many contracted wrestlers to sign up with promotions, including WWE, AEW, Impact Wrestling, NWA, and NJPW. AEW’s Tony Khan purchased the company earlier this year but didn’t bring everyone back. 

Several former ROH stars are on WWE’s radar once again, as Vincent and Dutch were spotted in attendance at WWE NXT on Tuesday night. 

It’s unclear why WWE brought the two stars to the show or whether they have signed with the promotion, but with them being in attendance, it would indicate that they’re close to signing if they haven’t done so already. 

In October, it was reported that WWE had discussed having them part of Bray Wyatt’s rumored Wyatt 6 faction. 

In Attendance

wwe nxt 2022 ring

Former Impact Wrestling star KC Navarro was in attendance as well. As noted, Navarro attended the WWE tryouts earlier on Tuesday. Former Impact Wrestling star Kylie Rae attended the tryouts as well. 

Vincent and Dutch are the former Ring of Honor World Six-Man Tag Team Champions, which they co-held alongside Matt Taven as part of The Kingdom. When the promotion went on hiatus, members of The Kingdom showed up in Impact Wrestling as part Honor No More.

WWE typically announces a new group of signees at once, so an announcement will likely come in the next few weeks about who has signed with the company. 

‘Iron Claw’ Von Erich Biopic Casts Its Harley Race

Andrew Ravens
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0

Kevin Anton has joined the cast of A24’s “The Iron Claw,” a movie about the rise and fall of the Von Erich family. 

He will portray legendary wrestler Harley Race. Anton recently appeared in Showtime’s seven-part limited series, “The Loudest Voice,” based on a bestselling book about Roger Ailes, the founder of Fox News.

He will also be featured in the upcoming Amazon series, Dead Ringers, starring Rachel Weisz. Anton is represented by Stefanie Talent and Entertainment.

Rest of The Cast

Harley Race
Harley Race

Zac Efron (Kevin Von Erich), Jeremy Allen White (Kerry), Harris Dickinson (David), Holt McCallany (Fritz Von Erich), Maura Tierney (Doris Von Erich), Aaron Dean Eisenberg (Ric Flair), AEW‘s MJF (Lance Von Erich) and Lily James in an unknown role make up the rest of the cast.  

The film is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sean Durkin. A24 and Access Industries are co-financing the film. Producing alongside A24 are Tessa Ross, Derrin Schlesinger, and Harrison Huffman. The Iron Claw began principal photography beginning in Louisiana in October. 

Although no release date has been announced for the movie, production is currently underway, and the film will premiere sometime in 2023.

Update on Plans for WWE’s Return to India

Andrew Ravens
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0

WWE is slated to return to India for the first time since 2017 next year. 

It was previously reported that WWE has plans to run a show on a “grand scale” in Hyderabad, India, and would consist of “a mix of superstars, both Indian and international.”

As part of WWE’s deal with Sony Pictures Networks India, WWE previously held an Indian show, Superstar Spectacle, on January 22, 2021, that aired five days later to coincide with India’s Republic Day.

The Latest

Triple H

Pwinsider.com provided an update on the show as the date of the show will be Wednesday, January 18, 2023, from the G.M.C. Balayogi Sports Complex, an indoor stadium in Hyderabad with a capacity of 5,000 people. 

It’s expected to feature SmackDown talent mostly. It’s unclear whether WWE plans to air the show as a special on Peacock, tape it for the local market, or just have it as a house show. 

The Superstar Spectacle special was billed as “a unique showcase of Indian-inspired action,” which also featured elements of Indian culture and was headlined by Drew McIntyre and The Indus Sher (Rinku and Saurav) defeating The Bollywood Boyz (Samir Singh and Sunil Singh) and Jinder Mahal.

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