CM Punk’s days with AEW are seemingly coming to an end as the promotion is against the idea of bringing him back.
Punk, who debuted for AEW last year after a seven-year hiatus from wrestling, was suspended after the AEW All Out 2022 post-show backstage fight. The Chicago-Made wrestler was also stripped of the AEW World Championship and is believed to have thrown the first punch.
After All Out 2022, AEW President Tony Khan approved a third-party investigation into the fight and any possible legal ramifications.
In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that AEW are in talks to buy out the remainder of Punk’s contract for an undisclosed sum. Dave Meltzer writes that this suggests that Khan and other higher-ups do not intend to bring Punk back to TV.
Sentiment within AEW is said to be very anti-Punk, and sympathetic to Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks.
CM Punk is Probably Not Returning to AEW
A WWE Return?
If Punk is fired from AEW, then a return to WWE is possible, despite leaving on bad terms in January 2014.
Meltzer reports that there is an issue with the non-compete clause in Punk’s contract and AEW fear Punk joining WWE, likely the only promotion that can afford him.
WWE has been very negative about Punk in the past and did not sign the former World Champion when FOX pushed them to strike a deal.The belief is that signing Punk, even while he’s injured and won’t be able to wrestle for several months, would be a major coup for WWE.
Punk has been heavily critical of WWE and has not had any direct contact with the promotion. However, he is said to be good friends with Adam Pearce and Paul Heyman, both WWE employees. Neither Punk nor AEW responded to a request for comment.
Karl Anderson’s decision to choose WWE Crown Jewel 2022 over NJPW Battle Autumn has infuriated NJPW President Takami Ohbari.
Anderson, the reigning NJPW NEVER Openweight Champion, returned to WWE earlier this month alongside Luke Gallows.
The duo will team up with AJ Styles to face the Judgment Day at Crown Jewel on November 5.
Double Booking
After his return to WWE, it was reported that Anderson was still booked for Battle Autumn, where he was set to defend against Hikuleo.
In an updated card, published after the Good Brothers returned to Raw, the match was still on the schedule, with many believing NJPW and WWE had reached a deal.
After his match at Crown Jewel was announced, Anderson took to Twitter, where he and Gallows said they will not be competing at Battle Autumn.
The show is also scheduled for November 5 and is will take place in Osaka, Japan, over 5,200 miles away from Crown Jewel’s host city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Furious
Anderson and by proxy, Gallows, are off the Battle Autumn card, which hasn’t gone down well with New Japan’s higher ups.
In a recent interview with Tokyo Sports, company President Takami Ohbari stated that he was “furious,” but declined to comment further on the matter.
The report also noted that in early 2006, Brock Lesnar was forced to pull out a NJPW event, though in his case it was due to Visa issues.
Anderson’s decision to skip Battle Autum in favor of WWE Crown Jewel is the first instance of a “foreign fighter blatantly refusing to participate” at a pre-advertised show.
Bill Goldberg’s rise to the top of WWE after joining in 2003 was incredibly quick, but that wasn’t exactly what the promotion wanted.
After WCW folded in March 2001, Goldberg, one of the company’s few home-grown stars, would join WWE in March 2003.
Goldberg would interrupt The Rock, fresh off his WrestleMania XIX win over ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, culminating in a match at Backlash which Goldberg would win.
Not World Champion
In September 2003, Goldberg captured the World Heavyweight Championship, ending Triple H’s nine-month reign.
The match at Unforgiven saw Goldberg put his career on the line, and the title would change hands if Triple H was disqualified or counted out.
“I think at WCW I was the world champion for a while. WWE, I don’t think they ever wanted me to be the champion for more than like 10 minutes. Although I’m still in a contract, sorry guys.”
After retaining at that year’s Survivor Series against Triple H, Goldberg lost the title back to the Game at Armageddon, in a match that included Kane.
Goldberg Today
Goldberg returned to WWE in 2016, and has had two brief reigns as Universal Champion.
In 2017, Goldberg flattened Kevin Owens, before losing the title to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 33.
In 2020, Goldberg defeated ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt in a controversial title-change many criticised WWE over.
Like before, Goldberg’s reign would be short-lived as he’d lose the title at WrestleMania 36 to Braun Strowman, who replaced Roman Reigns.
On “The Business of the Business” podcast, GCW’s Brett Lauderdale, talks about a variety of topics from the situation between his promotion and AEW, what happened with Jon Moxley, and if he will return to the company.
GCW Fight Club took place in Atlantic City the weekend of October 8 and 9. Due to a change in some of the management and confusion over the calendar, the venue was double booked for the Saturday show. To make matters worse, Lauderdale wasn’t informed until it was too late to move the event to another date. This forced them to move the show outside on the pier.
399 days after beating Matt Cardona for the GCW World Championship, Jon Moxley dropped the title to Nick Gage in a Title vs. Career match. Mox was ambushed by Morrissey from The Firm and they cost him the title.
“One thing about Mox’s run– you know there’s people that wished he was at every show– but we have to be realistic here, this guy is one of the top stars of a weekly wrestling company and he’s not going to be able to make every show, he has commitments– real life and professional commitments that extend beyond GCW.
As I saw it, I loved having him as champion this entire time because it made it seem extra special every time he would come and every time he would have a match, put the title on the line. For me, it seemed like a bigger deal than had he been there every week or every show or once a month.”
Jon Moxley’s importance
Jon Moxley
“It was significant having him, for obvious reasons. He’s one of the biggest stars in the world. So to see him wearing our title belt, wearing GCW sweatshirts on TV, and doing crazy matches for us when he doesn’t have to do them, that’s obviously a big deal for GCW. It opens eyes, it takes us beyond the indie wrestling bubble and introduces new fans to us that we never would have known what GCW is.
And furthermore, when other AEW wrestlers or just top name, international talent, or even just top indie wrestlers, when they see Moxley willing to come do GCW, knowing that the guy doesn’t need the money — it’s not about a payday –when they see he does it because he wants to be there, obviously, it helps GCW’s credibility and helps our reputation amongst wrestlers and inside the business. Mox again, his contributions to GCW also extended beyond the ring.”
Lauderdale had no idea about Moxley’s new deal with AEW. He’s also had very little interaction with AEW directly over the years. “Booking Moxley, I never spoke to AEW. It was always just Mox and talking to him and him handling whatever needed to with AEW. But, yeah, I’m sure things are going to change now. I don’t think we’ll see him as frequently. But I do think we’ll see him again. I think if there comes a time when there’s somebody he wants to wrestle or show he wants to be a part of, I think he’ll be there. I think he’ll let me know, much the same way he’s let me know over the last 399 days. He’ll shoot me a text and say, ‘whattya coming up in this month or when are you going to be in this place?’ and that’s how it would often come together.
So, I wouldn’t be surprised if I hear from him again in a few months or six months or whatever. Sometime in the next year. I wouldn’t be surprised if he came back again and stops in for another event. Again, he does have priorities and I don’t expect it, rather — I don’t know what the word is — I wouldn’t be surprised and I’ll continue to look at it as a bonus anytime he comes around.”
“He’s not doing it for the money. He does not need the money from indie wrestling companies. And I can’t pay him the amount of money, I can’t pay him close to what he probably gets paid on a weekly basis from AEW; nor would he ever expect that or ask for that. He’s just here because there’s a side of him that still loves indie wrestling. That’s where he came from and its part of his personality.
I think there’s a reason why he’s done so many shows for us and why he was cool with being our champion for over a year. That’s because I think he respects us and what we do and what we stand for. Again, Mox is a guy–even with his new contract — he is still a guy that calls a lot of his own shots and if he were ever to ask for a favor or permission for something, I can’t see Tony Khan saying ‘no’ forever. There’s always a time and a place and a reason that could make sense, so we’ll see.”
GCW’s relationship with AEW
(Photo: Jay Lee Photography)
When asked what his relationship is with AEW, Lauderdale replies, “to be honest, I don’t know what our relationship is with GCW. And I don’t mean that in a bad way or a good way. But again, I have very little interaction with AEW. So, I don’t know. In terms of AEW people being banned or barred from wrestling for GCW, I’m not sure that such an edicts exists and I would think that if that was a rule, I think I would know. But again, they don’t send me a weekly email or an update. So, I’m not sure. Everything is on a case-by-case basis. So, we’ll see. I think that we’re very fortunate and very grateful for all the times they have been gracious to allow their talent to come and work for us. Even if it is the end, even if we aren’t going to be seeing any of their people around anymore, it’s been good while it’s lasted. It’s helped our company a lot and I’m thankful, I’m grateful for that.”
Lauderdale said he’s read some “outrageous” comments about Mox, AEW, and GCW from people that think they know what happened. “The literal beginning of Mox in GCW is just him texting me at two in the morning or whatever, asking if we have show in this place or this date anytime soon and him just saying, ‘okay, cool. I’ll come do this or that. Like that’s literally the end of it. There is no talking to talent relations. There is no talking to Tony Khan. There is no talking to an agent. There is no this or that, its Moxley shows up and he wrestles the match and then goes home. That’s what it comes down to. There is not much more to it. There’s no seeking permission or getting rules or guidelines, it’s just that simple.”
Listen to Brett Lauderdale’s appearance on The Business of the Business, the official business podcast of SEScoops:
Darby Allin was one of the first unknown names that AEW helped bring the spotlight on during the company’s initial days. Only 26 years old at the time of his signing, Darby’s daredevil style of wrestling instantly attracted people and made him a star. Though despite his early success, the former TNT champion had his own struggles before being signed. Just like he does in the ring, he also made some crazy decisions in his life to improve his chance of success. This includes going homeless for a few years.
The AEW star was the most recent guest of Renee Paquette’s The Sessions podcast. During the interview, he recalled the time he went homeless during his early days of wrestling. The high-flying star explained that he wanted to give it his all:
“Yeah, that’s when I moved from Seattle to Atlanta. Because Seattle was the black hole of wrestling. There was no shows at the time. This was before Defy and everything, you couldn’t wrestle in the state. The commission wouldn’t let you have pro wrestling shows in the state. So we’d always have to go to Vancouver, Canada, or Oregon or something like that. I was like ‘I gotta do something. I gotta get out of here.’
I just didn’t have a comfort zone. I feel like a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, I really want this to work out,’ But they don’t put everything into it. I wanted to look at myself in the mirror and be like, ‘Yo, you dedicated everything in this so you have no fucking excuse if you don’t make it.'”
‘Why The Hell Does It Smell Like Salmon?’: Darby Allin
Darby Allin later detailed the struggles he had to go through during his homeless days. He recalled living in his car and cooking food in the bathroom of a gym:
“When you don’t have the comfortability to sit down on the couch and be lazy and watch episodes of whatever. When you’re living in your car. Especially in Georgia, it was so hot in the summer. I would have to have like a strict bedtime so I got decent sleep before. Then I parked in this hotel parking garage.
It was connected to an Anytime Fitness and I got the Anytime fitness membership. Then I was just like, cooking all my food there at the George Foreman grill in the bathroom at like one in the morning. There would always [be] like one random guy that’s in there like ‘Why the hell does it smell like salmon in this fucking gym?’ Then I’d walk out like I didn’t know what he’s talking about. But it was fun.”
MJF has taken the professional wrestling world by storm and he’s just getting started. Maxwell became wildly popular after his “pipebomb” promo about AEW President Tony Khan on the Dynamite after Double or Nothing.
He had skipped an autograph signing leading up to the PPV and there were rumors he was going to no-show the PPV. Friedman ultimately did show up and got squashed by Wardlow. However, it was MJF that emerged as the bigger star following the PPV.
Here are 3 reasons MJF is already a generational talent:
The Mic Skills
MJF has a skill that most of today’s wrestlers do not possess, he can captivate an audience with his words.
Maxwell doesn’t just hold the audience’s attention when he speaks, he has them hanging on every word. He’s an old-school heel that will say whatever it takes to get his opponent off their game. MJF is also old-school in regard to his interviews. He rarely breaks character and is the same on Dynamite as he is on a podcast.
The rivalry between former AEW World Champion CM Punk and MJF culminated in a Dog Collar match at AEW Revolution. Punk emerged victorious in the match to even the record up at 1-1. Time will tell if we ever get to see the third match in the series.
MJF has made the claim that his feud with CM Punk will go down as one of the best of all time. Their promo at Dynamite: Thanksgiving in 2021 alone makes their rivalry a memorable one.
The Character
It is easy to dismiss MJF as a jerk or just another heel, but you aren’t paying attention if you do so. Friedman has referenced being bullied in the past for being Jewish, as well as hinting that he’s not the biggest fan of himself recently.
AEW Dynamite had a special Tuesday night edition of Dynamite this week. During the show, Tony Schiavone was set to interview Blackpool Combat Club’s William Regal. MJF quickly interrupted and brought up an email Regal sent him 7-years ago.
Max had tried out for WWE and Regal told him that he was too young, but to email updates on his work. Regal apparently scolded MJF in one of the emails and Max resented it. William mocked the 26-year-old, called him sunshine, and claimed that he’s had it easy in his career if he’s hung up on an email.
Following Hangman Page’s injury, MJF and Jon Moxley had an impromptu promo while William Regal was ringside. MJF announced that he will be cashing in his chip for a shot at the AEW World Championship at Full Gear. He added “for once in my miserable life, I’m going to earn it” as Regal grinned.
Thus, he’s not a complete vile character. There is a kernel of dignity somewhere within MJF’s character that fans get to see from time to time.
The Future
MJF may just have the brightest future of anybody in wrestling.
There was a brief moment when Austin Theory appeared to be on his way to the top of the industry, but the 25-year-old seemingly hasn’t won a match since capturing the Money in the Bank contract.
At 26, the future is incredibly bright for Maxwell Jacob Friedman. He’s established himself as an attraction, meaning he doesn’t get inside the squared circle often. However, whenever MJF does get in the ring he proves that he is one of the best wrestlers on the planet as well.
It is must-watch television when MJF delivers a promo. When MJF wrestles a match, it is must-watch television because you don’t get to see it often and you know it is going to be worth your time.
MJF’s epic rant at The Forum in Los Angeles following Double or Nothing, and his subsequent absence from AEW TV, has made him a massive star in the wrestling industry. It was a promo that only a qualified oratory exhibitionist like MJF could deliver. The following months without him only proved how much AEW needed him.
His return at AEW All Out was overshadowed by CM Punk’s rant and the brawl at the media scrum after the PPV. However, Max has gotten fans to talk about him and less about the controversy since All Out.
It sure looks like MJF will be capturing the AEW World Championship at Full Gear on November 19th. He will also likely be heading into the bidding war of 2024 as one of the biggest free agents the industry has ever seen. MJF is Salt of the Earth, better than you and you know it, and has set himself up to become a legend in the years to come.
5 Reasons MJF Should Win The AEW World Championship
Popular YouTuber, boxer, podcaster, and WWE Superstar Logan Paul is scheduled to battle Roman Reigns at WWE Crown Jewel on November 5th.
The Tribal Chief will put the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against Logan at the Premium Live Event. Roman Reigns has held the title for 778 days now and the 27-year-old will look to put an end to his title reign in a couple of weeks.
Logan Paul and The Bloodline held a press conference in Las Vegas last month to make the match official.
Roman Reigns Reacts to Logan Paul Training with Shawn Michaels
Logan Paul has only competed in two matches during his young WWE career. He teamed up with The Miz at WrestleMania 38 to battle Dominik and Rey Mysterio. The A-Lister and Logan picked up the victory but The Miz betrayed him after the match.
The Miz planted Logan with a Skull Crushing Finale at WrestleMania as the crowd cheered. Logan got his revenge a couple of months later at WWE SummerSlam. Logan defeated The Miz in a singles match and impressed the WWE Universe with his skills in the squared circle.
He is in for the match of his life at Crown Jewel against The Tribal Chief but appears to be taking the necessary steps in order to give himself a fighting chance. Logan took to Twitter today to share a photo of him training with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels. The 27-year-old is in mid-flip in the photo seen below.
Ring of Honor will hold its next PPV event on December 10th. ROH Final Battle will live from the University of Texas at Arlington with a start time of 4 PM ET.
The Wednesday night wars were revisited this week, only this time it was on a Tuesday. AEW Dynamite aired on Tuesday night this week due to postseason baseball. Dynamite drew a larger audience and a bigger number in the key demographic in this week’s ratings war.
AEW President Tony Khan also spoke with Sports Illustrated recently and said that there will be “great news” soon about a weekly ROH TV show after the PPV.
We’ll have great news soon about Ring of Honor weekly shows,” Khan says. “The success of Death Before Dishonor on pay-per-view has ensured there will be more Ring of Honor pay-per-views.
Our goal is to have one more great pay-per-view for Ring of Honor in 2022 and then follow that up with a weekly show in 2023.
Tony Khan on the future of ROH via Sports Illustrated
WWE Planning Show The Same Day As ROH Final Battle
WWE reportedly is planning an event on the same day as ROH Final Battle. The company employed a similar strategy against AEW All Out weekend, with Clash at the Castle and an NXT event happening the same weekend.
In a new report from Fightful Select, NXT talent were informed that December 10th is the date internally scheduled for the next WWE NXT Premium Live Event.
The show is rumored to be related to the “Deadline” trademark recently filed by WWE but that has not been confirmed.
While the shows will be on the same day, the companies will not be going head-to-head. ROH Final Battle is scheduled to air in the afternoon, while the unnamed NXT event will be at night.
Fightful’s report also notes that the NXT PLE will likely be held in the Performance Center and is expected to be announced at the Halloween Havoc event this Saturday.
WWE NXT’s Arianna Grace has provided an injury update after getting surgery to repair a knee injury.
Gace first revealed on October 13th that she suffered the injury that needed surgery with the following message on Twitter:
“Hey you guys!!!! Sadly, I’m injured and will have surgery next week. I’m going to do all I can to recover properly and come back stronger so I can get back to doing what I love, performing for all of YOU! I can’t wait to get back in the ring.”
Gace later thanked fans and fellow wrestlers for their support and well wishes following her announcement.
Arianna Grace’s Road to Recovery
WWE
Grace later revealed on TikTok that she had surgery due to a torn ACL and meniscus in her knee. In another TikTok video, she noted that she would miss in-ring action for nine months. “The Iron Princess” announced today that she underwent successful surgery this past Tuesday.
“Hey guys, surgery went well. Now is the hard part. Really difficult to move or even use my crutches without excruciating pain. Hoping it gets better soon,” Grace wrote via Twitter.
Gace had a WWE tryout last December and signed with the company to start training at the Performance Center earlier this year. She worked the inaugural NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament but fell short to Nikkita Lyons in the opening round. Her last match happened at the October 4 NXT Level Up taping, where she teamed with Kiana James against Fallon Henley & Sol Ruca.
Kane may have spent decades terrifying countless WWE fans, but it is an iconic dance move that keeps the Devil’s Favorite Demon up at night.
After multiple previous gimmicks including ‘Fake Diesel’ and Isaac Yankem D.D.S, Jacobs debuted as the hellish Kane during the In Your House: 1997 Bad Blood Pay-Per-View.
Attacking his ‘brother’ The Undertaker, Kane cost the Phenom the very first Hell in a Cell match against Shawn Michaels.
The Kanearoonie
By 2002, Kane’s monstrous personality had somewhat simmered, and he was a babyface adored by fans on Raw.
In one of the character’s most infamous moments, Kane used Booker T’s ‘Spinaroonie,’ dubbed by fans as the ‘Kanearoonie.’
Speaking on the latest episode of WWE’s The Bump, Jacobs recalled the segment, calling it the scariest moment of his career.
“The most horrifying was the Kaneroonie, I’ll tell you that. I had to get some lessons from Booker T on how to do the Kaneroonie. It turns out it’s all about momentum, getting your lower body and your legs going first. Booker was kind enough to show me how to do that.”
Repackaging
While many Superstars would be opposed to performing the dance move, Jacobs was open to the idea.
The WWE Hall of Famer explained in the interview that he wasn’t against doing the move, as he was working on changing the Kane character.
“We did want it to be a more lighthearted Kane and a more entertaining Kane as opposed to the dark brooding character that I had been initially. So I didn’t really had to be talked into it.
“After I saw it, I kind of wished that I’d never gotten talked into it.”
Kane would remain as a babyface until losing a mask vs. title match against then-World Heavyweight Champion Triple H in June 2003.
WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley is working on a new television project. During the latest episode of his Foley is Pod podcast, the Hardcore Legend commented on a mysterious project in the works.
“I may or may not be within a few miles of WWE’s compound where I may or may not be working on a television show. But if I am working on a show, it is going really well.”
It sure sounds like he’s working with WWE on this new project, but he’s keeping things close to the vest for now.
Cody Rhodes Revisits The Throne
Cody Rhodes remains out of action after undergoing surgery to repair his torn pectoral muscle earlier this year. The American Nightmare’s recovery is going well and he’s expected back in action in early 2023.
On Wednesday, Rhodes posted a photo on social media of himself in front of Triple H’s iron cross throne. The last time he stood in front of a throne like that, he was destroying it at All Elite Wrestling’s first pay-per-view event, Double or Nothing 2019.
At the time, the defiant act symbolized his plan to chart a new path for himself outside the auspices of Triple H and WWE. Fast forward three years and Cody in front of the throne takes on an entirely different meaning.
Bobby Lashley was recently interviewed by RainmakerNYC and discussed his current run with WWE. Lashley returned to the company in 2018 after a 10-year hiatus, which saw him working primarily for Impact Wrestling.
Here’s what the 46-year old Almighty one had to say about the biggest change during those ten years way:
“I’m older!”, he joked. “No, older, wiser — I mean, there’s there’s a little bit of everything. There’s a different kind of training that you have when you’re a little bit of an older athlete. You know, I take care of myself a little bit more, I have different — just different thoughts. Before when I was younger, it was like, yeah, early lifestyle, money you run around doing a whole bunch of different things. Now, I’m more of a businessman.
Green Kane
WWE legend Kane (Glenn Jacobs) is debunking the rumor that the company planned for him to wear an alternate green costume during the Attitude Era.
Kane was loosely affiliated with DX when he and X-Pac won the WWE tag team championships in 1999. Over the years, photos of Kane in a green outfit have circulated online, as seen below:
The Big Red Machine appeared on WWE’s The Bump this week and says there were never any plans for him to wear a green outfit on television.
“There is no green gear,” he said. “There was never going to be any green gear, and there never will be green gear. Kane’s red and black all the way, man.”
– Kane
Kane did change up his look over the years, including different black and red gear, as well as variations of his mask (and later, no mask at all). However, nothing green was ever considered. In fact, he hates the idea of Green Kane.
“I think that would have kind of undermined the character, actually,” he said. “So that’s one of those deals that sparked on the Internet, and that’s the first time I’d ever seen it, was when people started to talk about green Kane like part of DX. To my knowledge, that was never even discussed, although maybe I would look good in green. I don’t know.”
You can watch Kane’s comments about “Green Kane” below:
"There is no green gear, there was never going to be any green gear and there never will be any green gear!"
AEW star Darby Allin is a risk-taker in and out of the ring, but thought he wasn’t going to make it through a match with Jeff Hardy.
During the May 11, 2022, edition of AEW Dynamite, the two popular wrestlers faced off in what was billed as an ‘Anything Goes’ Match.
The match, which Hardy would eventually win, saw both men use weapons in one of the most extreme matches AEW has ever produced.
Meet my Doom
Arguably the biggest spot of the match (at least from a literal sense) came when Allin dove off a ladder in the ring, onto Jeff outside the ring.
The pair landed on ten steel chairs, earning ‘Holy Sh*t’ chants from the crowd in attendance.
Speaking on the latest episode of ‘The Sessions’ Allin told new AEW signing Renee Paquette about the trepidation going into the match.
“Earlier in the day, I climbed that ladder and I looked down and I was like ‘yeah, I’m for sure going to the hospital tonight.’ There’s no way around it.”
Despite how dangerous the spot seemed and looked to fans, Allin said he found it a mostly pleasant experience.
“Everybody asks me ‘dude how’d that feel?’ And honestly, it didn’t feel like anything, it was so safe. You can see me if you watch the video back, I kinda go to Jeff’s ear ‘that sh*t was so fun!”
“AEW-wise, that was the craziest thing. I thought for sure I was going to meet my doom.”
Darby Allin on Anything Goes match with Jeff Hardy.
The match would be one of Jeff’s most recent matches with AEW, as he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence the following month.
Wrestling Myself
With his face paint, daredevil attitude, and unique personality, Darby Allin has often been compared to Jeff Hardy.
Speaking about working with the former WWE World Champion, Allin said it was like working with himself.
“It felt like I was putting a match together with myself…It was like I was talking to myself. It was fun. A week before, it was just supposed to be a normal match. Just a straight-up match. And I went up to Tony [Khan] and I said ‘hey, nobody wants to see us exchange wrist locks.'”
Allin’s only regret is that the match was under the watchful eye of New York’s State Athletic Commission, which kept some of his most extreme ideas off of the show.
“It was in New York where there’s a state commission, and I was like ‘why couldn’t we wait a week when we’re in Texas when no-one gives a sh*t?”
Darby Allin
Out of the Ring
Allin considers the Jeff Hardy match a personal highlight of his risk-taking life, which isn’t just for the cameras.
In the interview, Allin explained how even when he’s got time to ‘relax’ his version of chilling out includes more risk-taking.
“Every time I’m off for the week, it’s like ‘alright, Darby is going to take the week off and chill out and whatever.’ [But really,] I go harder outside of work than I do in the realm of AEW. I’m never really stopping. It’s fun though because I never know when I’m going to get hit by a bus or something.”
Allin has taken to social media to show off some of his stunts, including driving a jeep over his own home.
For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.
AEW felt the need to check that both Athena and Jody Threat were okay after their hard-hitting match on Dark: Elevation.
The match, which aired this week, saw Athena portray the heel role while Threat was the babyface in her hometown of Toronto, Canada.
The match has become notable for the stiff, hard-hitting strikes which have led some to believe that there are genuine issues between the two.
Backstage
Athena got the win in the hard-hitting match, but a lot took place backstage after the match.
Fightful Select reports that during a planned spot in the match, Threat slipped while attempting a comeback sequence.
Threat, thrown off by the error, asked Athena what was the next spot and the two got more physical afterward.
A source who spoke to Fightful said that the aggressiveness shouldn’t have happened and things should’ve instead been made more clear.
Another source criticized Athena, the veteran in the match, saying she should have led by example rather than let the match get more physical than planned.
Both women were reportedly approached by management after the match to make sure things were okay between them.
Some close to Athena added that this hard-hitting style was always her plan to play up her heel role in front of Threat’s hometown crowd.
Avoiding Drama
This match has quickly become what many fans know Jody Threat for, but she hopes that isn’t the case for long.
Fightful’s report adds that there have been no reports so far on heat for either woman.
Threat is described as someone who attempts to avoid attention and doesn’t like to get involved in wrestling politics.
She is reportedly hopeful that this is not a career-defining match.
Wrestling is the business of iconic moments. You never know which moment or segment will become a classic and many of them have gone on to have a life of their own. One such segment that is talked about to this day is the infamous math promo cut by Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner.
The wrestling veteran recently had an interview with The Bullet Cast. He first talked about the 2022 Hall of Fame induction of the Steiner Brothers and mentioned that the fans had been waiting for them to be inducted for years:
“Oh, it’s great because my nephew introduced us. So it was good. For the fans too because for years they had been asking [for us to be inducted].”
– Scott Steiner
‘It Made Sense’: Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner was then asked about his infamous promo and if he knew it would become as popular as it did. Replying to it, the former WWE star admitted that he didn’t think it’s gonna last for as long as it has:
No, I don’t think you can ever do an interview and think it’s gonna last forever the way it did. But no, It took off. People still enjoy it today. So, it’s great and It made sense.”
– Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner cut the infamous math promo before TNA Sacrifice 2008. He had a match against Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe at the PPV. He explained how adding Kurt Angle to the mix drastically reduced the chance of a victory for Joe.
You can relive the iconic promo in the video below:
Fightful reports that WWE filed a trademark for the term ‘NXT Deadline’ on October 15.
The trademark reads as follows.
“NXT DEADLINE trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of entertainment services, namely, a show about professional wrestling; entertainment services, namely, the production and exhibition of professional wrestling events rendered live and through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; providing wrestling news and information through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment through broadcast media including television and distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information.”
WWE has not commented publicly on plans for NXT Deadline or how the show will differ from the main NXT two-hour weekly show.
The NXT Brand
There’s no word on when NXT Deadline will arrive on our screens, but the project is just the latest endeavor of the NXT brand.
In 2017, WWE started its NXT UK brand, which ended in August to make way for NXT Europe.
“During the day prior, I texted him, ‘Hey, are you going to be able to make it? Have you found out any answers yet?’ He said, ‘Yes, I’m in.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s awesome.’ Literally, before I landed at home, I found out he was not in. I texted him back and he wasn’t happy.”
While Gunn didn’t appear and wasn’t directly mentioned, Corey Graves references an absent member working with office supplies, a nod to Gunn’s teaming with The Acclaimed and ‘scissoring’ with Anthony Bowens.
Not Happy
Gunn wasn’t happy about not appearing, and neither was the remaining members of DX, according to James.
“It broke my heart, and I believe it broke his too. In all actuality, Hunter was not happy about it either. Shawn and X-Pac weren’t either. We wanted the band, all that we could get back together.”
DX appeared multiple times on the show, before having an in-ring segment with the four remaining members available to WWE.
The Miz didn’t compete on this week’s Monday Night Raw as previously advertised, but there is a very good reason for that.
On this week’s Raw, the plan was for Miz to face Dexter Lumis, who would have earned a WWE contract had he defeated the A-Lister.
Had Miz defeated the former NXT Superstar, Lumis would have been banned from future appearances.
Instead, Miz attacked Lumis before the match began, and the bout never took place.
Working Hurt
WWE did not give an explanation for why the match did not take place, but it is reportedly due to an injury.
Speaking on the Ekeler’s Edge podcast, Miz told co-hosts Matt Harmon and Los Angeles Chargers Running Back Austin Ekeler about his condition (via POST Wrestling.)
“I have a bursa sac that I burst that just keeps blowing up. I don’t know if you’ve ever blown that. It takes so long and then it’ll go away and then I don’t know if you can see it. Literally, it just keeps coming back. Fluid comes in, it goes away, comes in, goes away.”
A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that acts like a cushion between tendons and bones to prevent grinding.
The Miz added that he is also dealing with a hurt shoulder, saying that it was recently “messed up.”
Miz on SmackDown
While The Miz is a Monday Night Raw Superstar, he will be appearing for this week’s SmackDown.
In the interview, the WWE Grand Slam Champion explained that he’ll be competing in a dark match, but no opponent was named.
This Friday’s SmackDown will take place at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio.
MJF is one of the biggest stars of All Elite Wrestling and wrestling legends are starting to take notice.
On this week’s special Tuesday night edition of AEW Dynamite, Maxwell confronted William Regal of the Blackpool Combat Club. MJF brought up an email Regal sent him in the past that he thought was an attempt to crush his dreams. Regal responded by claiming MJF has had it easy if he’s hung up on an email from seven years ago.
William also referred to MJF as “sunshine” multiple times in the segment. The 54-year-old’s words must have left an impact on MJF as he made a proclamation to close the show. After Hangman Page suffered a concussion in the title match against Jon Moxley, the AEW World Champion called MJF out.
Jon wanted to fight but MJF announced that he will be cashing in his chip for a title match at AEW Full Gear. Maxwell added “for the first time in my miserable life, I’m going to earn it” before whipping the microphone to the floor.
WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley took to Twitter after the incredible segment between William Regal and MJF on this week’s Dynamite. Mick praised MJF for his mic skills and added that he’s believable.
MJF HAS SOME SERIOUS SKILLS! While I might not believe every word @The_MJF says, I believe that HE believes every word he says – and that’s IMPORTANT!
Wrestling legend and AEW commentator Jim Ross has shared his thoughts on Ace Steel being released from All Elite Wrestling.
Ace Steel had a hell of a run leading up until All Out but the brawl during the media scrum came back to bite him. He appeared on the Dynamite before the PPV to hype up CM Punk and convince him to challenge for the title once again.
CM Punk had dropped the AEW World Championship to Jon Moxley the week prior on Dynamite. Ace’s words of wisdom inspired Punk to accept the challenge and he fired up his hometown crowd in the NOW Arena.
Jim Ross on Ace Steel Being Released by All Elite Wrestling
Jim Ross spoke about Ace Steel being let go by AEW on a recent episode of his Grillin JR podcast.The 70-year-old complimented Ace as a producer and referred to him as a “solid hand”. Ross added that he didn’t work with him directly and called the situation “regrettable”.
“He’s a smart guy. He has a lot of product knowledge. Solid hand. I thought he did a nice job. I didn’t work with him directly a lot. I have seen him at TV and he was always friendly and approachable.
I’m sorry to hear that because I thought he was a good hand and did a nice job there. Things have a way of working out, you never say never, but I always thought he did a nice job for us. He was very loyal to CM Punk, nothing wrong with that, they were buddies. I’m assuming CM Punk is the guy that got Ace Steel his job.
I don’t know where all of that is going. I hate to see anybody lose a job, lose a paycheck. While he was there, he seemed to be a viable asset, but again, I didn’t work with him directly. I didn’t have any issues, pro or con, with him. The bottom line is, another guy lost his job. That’s what’s regrettable.”
JR wished Ace well and believes that he will find another job in wrestling.
He’s got skills. I would think, if given a fair shake within the landscape of wrestling in general, he’ll find some work. Smart guy. I hope it works out well. I regret that anybody, anywhere in wrestling, loses their job.
Ric Flair wrestled his final match at the “Ric Flair’s Last Match” event during SummerSlam weekend. The match took place at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium and was presented by Jim Crocket Promotions and Conrad Thompson.
He teamed up with his son-in-law, AEW star Andrade El Idolo, to beat wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett and AEW star Jay Lethal in a tag team match.
Flair has won countless matches throughout his career with the Figure Four submission hold, a move created by Buddy Rogers and has been used by many wrestlers throughout the years. Flair recently recounted his last match on his “To Be The Man” podcast.
Joe Rogan on Ric Flair’s Figure Four
Popular podcaster and standup comedian Joe Rogan recently discussed Ric Flair on a recent episode of his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Rogan is also a commentator for MMA and broke down the Figure Four lock and referred to the legendary move as “dumb”. Rogan noted that the technique of the move doesn’t make sense when applied to real-life fighting.
A bunch of [pro] wrestlers got mad at me… I was trying to explain how dumb a figure-four leg lock was because I was like he was literally giving up an inside heel hook.
Inside heel hook is one of the most devastating submission techniques because once someone gets it the time you have to tap is so small before your knee gets ripped apart and so, a Figure-four leg lock you’ll never see in a jiu-jitsu competition.
It doesn’t work. It’s funny in that regard, you know, you are doing this thing but this thing in the real world is the worst thing you do.
The storyline of Sami Zayn becoming a member of The Bloodline has captivated the WWE Universe.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns recently anointed Sami Zayn as the official Honorary Uce of The Bloodline and presented him with a new shirt. Sami was overcome with joy and celebrated with every member of The Bloodline besides Jey Uso.
Jey Uso is no fan of the Honorary Uce but has been instructed by The Tribal Chief to make things work. Time will tell if the tensions rise to a boiling point.
Sami Zayn and The Enforcer of The Bloodline Solo Sikoa appeared on WWE’s The Bump today. The Honorary Uce admitted that things are starting to get a little weird with Jey Uso. Zayn added that he has known The Usos for a decade and has always gotten along with them prior to him being named an Honorary Uce.
It’s getting kinda weird with Jey, because we used to get along great. I’ve known them [The Usos] for 10 years; we’ve always got along like peas in a pod. But this time around things are a little different, he [Jey] is a little different…. In the last 9 or 10 years, whatever it is, I’ve never known him to be like this, so snappy and so angry.
The 38-year-old added that many fans don’t realize that they have been working well together as of late. Sami noted that when they are typically on the same page when they are ringside for each others’ matches.
There is one thing though, that people fail to acknowledge with Jey. If you watch during the matches; when I’m out for his matches and he’s out during mine, we are kinda on the same page more often than not. Because when it comes to actually taking care of The Bloodline business, that’s what kinda brings us together.
Fans have seen Lynch as both a babyface and a heel throughout her career. She admits that playing a heel is more fun. “I think human nature is we just generally don’t want to like people and certainly now, certainly that’s Twitter nature. So you have so much freedom that you can do anything, you can have fun. If people don’t like you, ‘well, I’m doing my job well. If people like you, well, you’re so entertaining, how can people not like you?’ It’s a lot easier, it’s a lot more fun in that aspect.”
Becky Lynch being a heel helps the women’s division more
Photo: WWE.com
“Being a babyface, I tend to naturally fall into. I think, honestly, I’m not the greatest athlete in the world and I think my story of perseverance has registered with a lot of people. Fans can get behind that underdog who constantly has to overcome.”
“But then when it comes to business and wrestling as a whole, especially women’s wrestling, I feel like I can be of help by being a heel, right? Because when you’re a babyface, it’s all about you. It’s about how good you look. It’s how do we make the audience like you the most? And when you’re a heel, it’s all about how do you make the babyface look? How can you get people invested and want to see this guy win? I feel like I’ve gotten enough equity with the audience that I’m able to help a babyface. And then as a whole, that just helps women’s wrestling. When people get more equity and get more exposure and I think that drives the business forward.
Lynch on women’s wrestling in WWE
(via WWE)
Lynch talks about headlining WrestleMania being a big career highlight. “I think anytime that I’ve gone out there as maybe the underdog or my match has gone out there as an underdog and we’ve stolen the show, that feels like a career highlight. One of my most recent ones was at WrestleMania against Bianca Belair. I didn’t get the win, but we stole the show, we stole that weekend and that felt like an accomplishment. There’s been so many and I’ve been so lucky and privileged that I’ve been in a time with women and people that are so progressive in terms of changing the way women are viewed in the business, which has been so predominantly male for so many years.”
“And being one of the first people in the women’s Royal Rumble and having the first women’s ladder match. There’s just been a series of firsts and I think one is not better than the other. It’s been a whole story of how do we present the way women are perceived in this business and it’s awesome that I’ve been able to be a strong part of it.”
When discussing the future of women’s wrestling in WWE, Lynch points to the up-and-comers of NXT. “I look at NXT and–this is no discourse towards the men–but the women, I go ‘oh, yep. That’s the future.’ That’s where the engaging characters are. There’s incredible athleticism, that’s athleticism that never in a million years I would be capable of. I think you can see the interest in what the women are doing down there and so I think it’s the future.”
“And I look at our women’s roster now and I go between me (laughing), you’ve got Bianca Belair. You’ve got Rhea Ripley, who’s just incredible and she’s so young. And you’ve got Liv Morgan and you have all these incredible women just getting started. It’s awesome. I’m very excited about it.”
LA Knight debuted on the main roster as Max Dupri, manager of Maximum Male Models.
The character and the group didn’t get over with fans and now Max Dupri is no more. Following Vince McMahon’s resignation from the company, several released stars have returned to the company and some had their names changed.
LA Knight has exited Maximum Male Models and now has his sights set on becoming a star on WWE SmackDown. He defeated Mansoor of MMM this past Friday night and warned the locker room in a promo after the match.
Jim Cornette on LA Knight’s Match and Promo on SmackDown
Wrestling legend Jim Cornette shared his thoughts on LA Knight’s match and promo this past Friday on a recent edition of the Jim Cornette Experience. Cornette said that Mace and Mansoor have to be embarrassed at this point to be a part of Maximum Male Models.
The thing about LA Knight is, I like the fact that they realize they’ve committed a crime against nature. Changing his name to Max Dupri, the whole male model thing, Mace and Mansoor, and by the way those guys have to be so embarrassed. They’re going out on TV looking like that and doing that s***.
Jim commented on LA Knight’s promo after his victory over Mansoor and said he expects WWE to never mention his involvement with MMM ever again.
He cuts the promo as LA Knight and he did a new catchphrase and blah blah blah. I expect they’ll just never mention this again. But you know me, I’ve got the OCD.
And I would have had to have given LA Knight some reason to impart to the people why he did this. To obviously put it to bed, get over it, it was the worst idea anybody has ever had. But what was the reason he went along with it for three weeks?
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Jim Cornette Experience and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.
During NYC Advertising Week, WWE Superstar Becky Lynch joined WWE Digital Vice President, Steve Braband on a panel to discuss how WWE Superstars create and build their personal brands.
When asked how much she pays attention to how fans are engaging, Lynch replied, “I think there’s two different–in a way, there’s two different audiences– the online audience isn’t necessarily the audience that’s coming to the shows with their family. So, the things that those two audiences are into are very different. And I think you have to be in tune with both and you have to keep your ears open, your eyes open to what’s working and what isn’t.”
“But at the same time, I think of this as art. I think of this as my art, my craft that I put my heart and soul into. I think you have to be aware and very diligent about not consuming too many opinions because once you’re listening to everybody, you’re not listening to yourself. It’s hard to forget what you’ve seen and what you’ve heard, especially if it’s negative. So I think you have to be very mindful of the feedback you’re getting.”
Balancing the character and real life on social media
(via WWE)
“Big Time Becks” posts a lot about both her professional and personal life on social media. She answered how she keeps a balance with, “I don’t know. I don’t know.” (laughing) “I think it’s constantly a work in progress. I try to keep my social media platforms very much in line with what I’m doing on TV. So that everything feels like it’s one story being told. The same character that you see on TV is the same character that you see tweeting, the same character that’s posting on social media. Sometimes, we bring in a little bit of reality, just like we do in WWE.”
“But for me, I think it’s important that I keep a little bit of me for myself and my family. I don’t like posting pictures of my baby girl too much because I take her everywhere and I want her to be free of any of that kind of stuff.”
10-year-old Becky Lynch helps her branding choices
Lynch had a simple response on deciding what products to brand: “would ten-year-old me think its cool? Not always, but when you’re on the cover of a cereal box. It’s pretty frickin’ cool. I think in the beginning of my career, any opportunity that came my way was ‘yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.’ (pointing) Then as you grow and you can get a little bit pickier, you think ‘how do I want my brand to appear? How do I want this to effect the business in general? Or how will this progress the business? How does this progress me, my family, is it good for everyone involved?’ That’s how I look at things or how will ten-year-old me feel about it?”
Being on Billions since she was a fan of the show was a highlight for Lynch. The SportsCenter commercial is another favorite branding opportunity.
When Lynch wasn’t getting much TV time, social media was a “live mic in my hand 24/7 so that I could tell my story, so that I could get my message across. The currency of Twitter is the zinger; how do you zing people? And people get interested in that and they get engaged in that. And we’re in the conflict business–sure pre-determined conflict business, but it’s a conflict business– so when people see that on Twitter, they’re like, ‘oh, that’s real. That’s the real thing there.’ So, it’s always helped to drive a story.”
She also says that people get upset about the conflicts on Twitter, but that helps drive the story.
WWE has canceled its Day 1 Premium Live Event and is expected to make more changes in 2023. It was reported over the weekend by Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer that WWE may be moving away from gimmick PLEs next year to focus on international events.
Here are three reasons WWE switching up its strategy for Premium Live Events is a good thing:
The Potential For New Fans
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H has already laid out his vision for NXT in multiple interviews. The Game noted that he wants NXT to expand into an “almost World Cup scenario“, with brands like NXT Europe, NXT Australia, NXT South America, etc. NXT UK was shut down this year but the company will be launching NXT Europe in 2023.
It makes sense for his vision for WWE’s developmental system to also be implemented in some fashion on the main roster. The company held its first stadium show in the UK in over thirty years in September with WWE Clash at the Castle. The Premium Live Event attracted over 60,000 fans to Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. There are markets all around the world that will be overjoyed to see WWE live.
The long-term goal in that is to be in markets all around the world. With products that eventually can be competing against each other, world cup type scenarios, that are feeding into RAW, and to SmackDown, and to WrestleMania.
Triple H has a vision of WWE in markets around the world competing on a world cup level. That also feeds into Raw, Smackdown and Wrestlemania #WWECastlepic.twitter.com/q58wyGOwU0
The shows in Saudi Arabia and Clash at the Castle have proven that WWE fans will come to the arena all around the world. Crown Jewel will air on November 5th from Mrsool Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mrsool Park has a seating capacity of 25,000. For comparison, Survivor Series will be held at the TD Garden with less than 20,000 tickets available for purchase. Survivor Series is one of the most recognizable Premium Live Events to fans but Crown Jewel will likely earn more money for the company.
WWE held the Elimination Chamber PLE at the Jeddah Super Dome earlier this year with 33,328 in attendance. The company has a global audience, with transcendent stars like Roman Reigns that will instantly draw fans. The inclusion of celebrities like Logan Paul only brings more fans to the product as young people from all over the planet follow the 27-year-old.
Another market that WWE will likely be focusing on is India. The hashtag #SearchForMerch recently went viral as there is no option to purchase official WWE merchandise in India at the moment. Triple H responded to the hashtag and told fans “we hear you”. It feels like it is a good time to try and expand the audience when there are viral campaigns to be able to buy your merchandise.
Extreme Rules aired this past weekend and the card featured six gimmick matches. There was an Extreme Rules match, a Ladder match, a Strap match, an I Quit match, a Donnybrook, and a Fight Pit match.
While many fans enjoyed the show, there were definitely some that found it to be overkill. In other words, there’s an issue when the gimmick matches don’t feel special. Hell in a Cell used to be reserved to feuds that have become some personal, the two wrestlers needed to be locked inside a steel structure to sort out their differences.
Now, the feuds leading up to the Hell in a Cell PLE rarely reach the level of animus required for the stipulation to mean anything. A HIAC match should be special, and it instantly isn’t when there are multiple of them on the same show. Plus, the more gimmick matches you have, the quicker the audience will get tired of seeing it.
Cody Rhodes battled Seth Rollins at WWE Hell in a Cell earlier this year in June. It was the third time the two had faced each other in 2022 and The American Nightmare emerged victorious in all three. Rhodes went into the match with a torn pectoral and showed off the gruesome injury before the bell.
The Hell in a Cell stipulation added to the match tremendously given the brutal nature of Cody’s injury. It was also fitting that they battled inside the steel structure because their rivalry had been going on for months. The potential change in strategy in regard to Premium Live Events allows WWE to expand its audience while reserving gimmick matches for the rivalries that truly deserve them.
