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Kevin Nash: Nobody Ever Broke their Neck Until the German Suplex Came Around

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash’s days in the ring are long behind him, but don’t ever expect Big Daddy Cool to hit, or sell, a German Suplex.

The variation on the traditional Suplex, the German sees a wrestler grab an opponent’s waist from behind, and throw them overhead.

Speaking about the move during the latest episode of Kliq This, Nash said that the risk factor is often not worth it.

“Nobody got hurt until the German. Nobody ever broke their neck when I first broke in. But then all of a sudden that German Suplex comes in, phew!”

Kevin Nash on the dangers of the German Suplex.

The German Suplex results in wrestlers landing on their back and neck and has resulted in injuries.

The Knife Edge Chop

The Suplex wasn’t the only move on Nash’s list, as he also took aim at the knife edge chop.

The chop, while most synonymous with two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has since been adopted by many wrestlers, and now used on a regular basis.

Nash explained that the move, and how wrestlers will trade it back and forth, spoils the suspension of disbelief for fans.

“Jericho and Danielson had that match in AEW, where I lost count. I just don’t get it. I lost count. Why is it ‘I give you one. You sell it. You give me one. I sell it?'”

“Why is it ‘I give you one. You sell it. You give me one. I sell it?'”

Kevin Nash on the use of the knife edge chop trade offs.

Although Nash doesn’t care for the move, he admitted that he did like the unique twist Ricky Steamboat gave the chop.

“I used to like when Ricky The Dragon Steamboat would send them off [the rope] and drop to one knee and do like a Steven Seagal-ish chop.”

Before Nash entered the world of pro-wrestling, the future Hall of Famer worked as a bouncer.

Addressing his time in the role, Nash said that staff were warned to not use a real chop, due to the damage the attack could do in proximity to a person’s heart.

“Our management just immediately outlawed that [the knife edge chop.] When you chop somebody [for real] that’s right below using a handgun. The list goes ‘Firearm, knife edge chop.'”

Nash did later discuss the chops he received from Ric Flair, and why they worked when others don’t.

“Ric would chop me, but Ric would always follow it up with a punch. Chop. Punch. So the chop could give him a chance to fire his f punch. But they’re not doing that [anymore.] There’s psychology for why it would or wouldn’t work.”

The Piledriver

Piledrivers have become a rarity in more modern-day wrestling, especially in WWE, due to the risk of neck injury.

Nash also noted that the move is too dangerous, and that it is simply not needed to have a good match.

“Piledrivers are another one. I mean that almost paralyzed Steve [Austin.] I’ve never given one. I don’t take backdrops and I don’t give backdrops. There are certain things you have to do in order to f***** have a pro-wrestling match. Like running the ropes is one of them.”

Nash’s comment is in reference to the Summerslam 1997 match between Steve Austin and Owen Hart, where Hart’s sit-out tombstone piledriver would break the Rattlesnake’s neck.

For use of any quotes from this article please give a h/t to SEScoops.

Kevin Nash Says Shawn Michaels Lost It at Vince McMahon Over Road Travel

Drew McIntyre Pulled from WWE Live Event over Food Poisoning

Thomas Lowson
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Drew McIntyre won’t be competing for the time being after contracting food poisoning last week.

PW Insider’s Mike Johnson reports that WWE made the decision to pull McIntyre from the Saturday Night’s Main Event show in Stockton, California.

Before being pulled, the two-time former WWE Champion was scheduled to team with the New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods against The Usos and Solo Sikoa.

In his place, Braun Strowman teamed with the New Day in a winning effort, which also marked Strowman’s first WWE Live event since returning to the promotion earlier this month.

SmackDown

McIntyre didn’t make it to the weekend WWE Live events, but he did appear on SmackDown on FOX.

In his report, Johnson added that under the weather during the SmackDown taping, and required IV treatment in order to help him get through the show.

SmackDown saw McIntyre be attacked by Karrion Kross, as part of the build towards their Strap match at WWE Extreme Rules.

WWE Extreme Rules 2022 will take place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 8.

McIntyre Vs. Kross

There has been no comment on whether McIntyre Vs. Kross will be delayed due to this recent food poisoning.

The two have been feuding since Kross’ return to the promotion in July, following his releases from the company in November 2021.

Kross was also ringside for McIntyre’s Clash at the Castle match earlier this month, where the Scottish Warrior came up short against Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

Kevin Owens Opens Up About ‘Wrestler’ Promo With Drew McIntyre

Brody King Reacts To Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews Reportedly Leaving AEW

Robert Lentini
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The House of Black may have crumbled in All Elite Wrestling but Brody King isn’t going anywhere.

At AEW All Out, House of Black battled Miro, Darby Allin, and Sting in a Trios match. Malakai got a taste of his own medicine in the match as Sting spit the green mist in his eyes. Darby followed it up with the Coffin Drop for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Malakai Black stayed behind on the entrance ramp and waved goodbye to the crowd. He later would speak at an independent wrestling event and state that he needed time to “recalibrate”. Black also released a statement that can be read here.

Buddy Matthews and Brody King battled Sting and Darby Allin at Rampage: Grand Slam this past Friday night. This was apparently Buddy’s send-off from the company as he got green mist in his eyes as well. The Great Muta made a shocking appearance in AEW and helped Sting. Muta spat mist in Buddy’s eyes and Sting hit him with the Scorpion Death Drop for the victory.

Buddy appeared at a Fight Life Pro Wrestling event and confirmed he will be going away for a little while like Malakai Black. He used the word “recalibrate” as well and quoted Malakai saying “this isn’t goodbye, this is see you later.”

https://twitter.com/JustAlyxCentral/status/1574083000618389504?s=20&t=tpYpA_N-qTxmfD9DgODmbQ

The remaining House of Black members currently in All Elite Wrestling are Brodie King and Julia Hart.

Brody took to Twitter and shared the “I’m not leaving!” GIF from The Wolf of Wall Street. The 35-year-old signed with All Elite Wrestling in January 2022.

King battled Jon Moxley for the AEW Interim Championship on the July 6th edition of Dynamite but came up short. It will be interesting to see what lies ahead for Brody in AEW.

“Playas, I Love All Of Y’all” – WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long Says He Hasn’t Blocked Anyone On Twitter

Robert Lentini
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WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long seemingly went on a blocking spree this weekend that included some of today’s most popular wrestlers.

It went viral, with AEW and WWE stars tweeting out images of being blocked by the 75-year-old. Today, the former SmackDown GM let everyone know that his account was hacked and he did not go on a blocking spree on Twitter.

Teddy stated that his account may have been hacked by someone he actually did block recently. The WWE legend added that he will be appearing on a couple of podcasts in the near future to discuss what happened in more detail.

Here are Teddy’s comments and you can check them out in the video below.

“Hey what’s up playas, It is WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long. I just wanted to get on here this morning and let everybody know, I’m right here at LA Fitness, my second home. Somebody hacked my Twitter account and I have no idea who it was.

I think it was somebody that I blocked that was mad that I blocked them. And then they wanted to hack my sh*t and block everybody else. Well I want to thank them because the first thing they did was to get me trending.

This is like the third time I’ve ever been trending so that tells me ‘Teddy Long, you still got it.’ But let me explain this to you playas, I didn’t block anybody. That person that hacked me, I might have blocked him and you can see why I blocked him.

My Twitter is verified, I didn’t block anybody. So I don’t want you all mad at me and maybe next week we will talk further about this. I’ll be doing maybe a couple of podcasts and we will be talking more about it. But I didn’t block anybody, just letting you all know my Twitter was hacked. Playas, I love all of y’all.”

Buddy Matthews Announces Hiatus from Pro Wrestling – AEW Future Uncertain

Thomas Lowson
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Buddy Matthews is the latest prominent name who won’t be competing on AEW programming anymore, as confirmed by the Australian wrestler.

Matthews joined AEW in February 2022 and immediately aligned himself with Malakai Black and Brody King of The House of Black.

Shortly after AEW President Tony Khan made his signing official on social media.

Leaving AEW

During the most recent Fight Life Pro Wrestling event, Matthews cut a promo following his match and confirmed his departure from AEW

“Tonight, I’m going to be the bearer of some unfortunate news. As everyone knows, the House of Black has had some issues lately. As all the members of the house, I’m speaking for them all, we want to thank you all for being members of the house.

“Unfortunately, I, like some of the other members, need to go away for a while. I need to recalibrate. I need to figure out some things. As my brother Malakai once said, this isn’t goodbye, this is see you later.”

Matthews did not make reference to his contract with AEW, or if his hiatus will result in his departure from the promotion.

The Fall of the House of Black

Matthews is the latest prominent name to finish up work with AEW, after Malakai Black announced his departure earlier this month.

Black had his initial requested release refused, but was later granted a “conditional release” by Tony Khan.

Despite reports that Black was seeking a lengthy, possibly permanent break from wrestling, it has since been reported that he has expressed interest in a return to WWE.

It is not known at this time if Matthews is also interested in a return to the promotion, which has seen several returns since Vince McMahon’s retirement.

Malakai Black Breaks Silence & Confirms He Requested AEW Release

JBL and Gerald Brisco Feel the Pro Wrestling Business is Booming

Scott Fishman
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“When you get a Texan and Oklahoman together, they are either going to do two things: fight each other or sit down and drink a beer. He was too damn big for me to fight at that time. I chose to sit down and have a beer with him.” 

This is what Gerald Brisco said regarding the origins of his friendship with John “Bradshaw” Layfield. If you’ve heard or seen their “Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw” show, you immediately sense there is a special bond between the two. One built on mutual interests including a love of wrestling and football. Perhaps Brisco saw some of his himself as a competitive athlete. 

He fought hard to recruit him for WWE back in the mid-1990s. A time when the war between WCW and WWE was hot and heavy. A member of Vince McMahon’s inner circle for decades, his opinion certainly went a long way.  

“Jerry and JJ Dillon pulled me aside in the shower,” Layfield recalled. “[Jerry] said, ‘I understand you’re going to WCW. Well, I don’t want you to go. How will I know you’re not going to WCW and take our contract.’ I hadn’t seen a contract. I said, ‘Well, how do I know I got a contract?’ He said, ‘You have my word.’ He stuck out his hand, and I shook it. We’ve been friends ever since.” 

“One fo the most giving people,” Brisco added. “I see the work he does not just in America but Africa and Bermuda where he sets up these rugby leagues.” 

Bradshaw’s philanthropic efforts combined with his accomplishments in the business made him an ideal candidate to be recognized by the Cauliflower Alley Club as the 2022 Iron Mike Mazurki honoree. The WWE Hall of Famer and multi-time world champion, along with Brisco, will be part of the 56th Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion. The ceremony takes place September 26-28 at the Plaza Hotel & Casino.

“It’s a huge honor,” JBL said. “I look at the guys who won the award including Gene LeBell, Lou Thesz, ‘Stone Cold’ [Steve Austin], Harley Race, Jesse Ventura. I never dreamed of being in the Hall of Fame. I just love this business. I wanted to be in it. Going into the Hall of Fame with names like this. I feel like I should be buying a ticket to be in the room with those guys including Mr. Gerald Brisco.”

Brisco knows the importance of the CAC over the years as it has helped colleagues in many ways. He stresses the organization not only helps the old-timers but today’s talent too.  

“It’s so important that our current wrestlers get out and get involved and come to these CAC events,” Brisco said. “See exactly the camaraderie that the talent gives out to the fans that come to these. This is a tremendously attended event that is in Las Vegas every year.”

Much the contrary to many veterans, JBL and Brisco have a positive outlook on the current landscape of pro wrestling. They feel the business is certainly booming. 

“My opinion is it is as healthy as it has ever been in the history of the business.,” Brisco said. “You have so many choices now…If there is something on Raw or SmackDown I want to watch, I’ll watch it, but my favorite go-to is the NXT show. You’re going to see a lot of raw and young talent building that dream and taking the next step. You see their successes and feel their failures too. Watching like John and I do, you can see a failure. Not as a person. A failure of a spot and see the disappointment in their body language and expression. 

“But 99 percent of the time they are right on the money. To see these kids come from absolutely never seen a wrestling ring before or what the ropes or turnbuckles are like to taking a giant step center of the ring. You are there seeing them take that first step and see how uncoordinated that first step is. Then you see how they advance, makes goosebumps come to both of our arms.” 

Layfield added that “the business is as hot as it can be. These guys have their own buses and own plane. I’m not saying that in a disparaging way. I love it. I wish we had that. They are making a ton of money, and good for them. We’re not those old guys who say they don’t deserve it. Those guys deserve it as much as we did. I’m so happy there are billion-dollar TV contracts selling out huge arenas. It’s fashionable to knock the current business. You seem smart if you do and a ‘mark’ if you put it over. You have to put it over. Something is going incredibly right. All these independent shows are drawing. I hadn’t seen that in 20 years or more, maybe the late 1980s territories that drew. It’s a wonderful time. 

Visit the CAC site for more information on the organization and to attend the CAC Reunion. 

Roman Reigns has Advice for Wrestlers Unhappy with Celebrity Matches

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns has shared some strong words for wrestlers who aren’t pleased with celebrities taking spots on the card.

Celebrity involvement in wrestling matches is nothing new, with WWE, AEW, WCW and other promotions bringing in big names to attract mainstream attention.

At Crown Jewel, Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Logan Paul, who while technically a signed WWE Superstar, is best known for his career outside the ring.

Be So Good

Celebrity matches have often been criticized by wrestling fans and those in the industry alike. With so many stars trying to appear on a wrestling card and only a select few places, many feel these celebrities are taking away from a more deserving talent.

Speaking to Seconds Out, Reigns addressed this complaint and said that its up to a wrestler to make themselves irreplaceable.

“Be so good that nobody can take your spot. I don’t care who they bring in, you can bring in anyone, and they ain’t going to take the Tribal Chief’s spot.”

Roman Reigns on celebrity involvement in matches.

Reigns certainly doesn’t face the risk of being replaced, as he has become WWE’s biggest star in years, with today marking day 756 of his reign.

Logan Paul

Paul may still be seen as a celebrity first and a wrestler second, but his matches have impressed fans.

The YouTuber’s in-ring debut came at WrestleMania 38, where he teamed with The Miz to defeat the Mysterios.

At Summerslam, Paul defeated The Miz, who had turned on him following the WrestleMania victory.

Roman Reigns Dual Title Situation Described As ‘Complex’

“I Stand Alone” – Ricky Starks Rejects Being a Pillar of AEW

Thomas Lowson
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All Elite Wrestling has some of the most talented wrestlers in the world today, but Ricky Starks has no intention to be a ‘pillar’ of Tony Khan’s promotion.

The concept of AEW having four pillars was first coined by MJF in an interview and references four home-grown AEW talent he believes will be headlining for the promotion one day.

AEW’s four pillars consist of MJF, Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara and Jungle Boy.

The promotion has even released a shirt, confirming the four as the ‘pillars’ and future main-eventers of All Elite Wrestling.

I Stand Alone

Ricky Starks wasn’t named by MJF as a pillar of AEW, but that’s okay with the longest-reigning FTW Champion.

When a fan addressed the concept of pillars in AEW, stating that Starks’ name should be on the list, the wrestler said that he stands alone and those terms should be left to wrestlers “enclosed by those definitions.

Headliner

Starks isn’t interested in being a pillar of AEW, and has already been working his way up the promotion’s ranks.

In a separate tweet, the former FTW Champion pointed out that he headlined this week’s AEW Rampage: Grand Slam, after not being booked for the event the prior year.

Starks defeated his former teammate Powerhouse Hobbs in a ‘Lights Out’ match to close out the AEW Rampage: Grand Slam special.

After hitting Hobbs with some lights, Starks finished off his former tag-team partner with a Roshambo to get the pinfall victory.

Ricky Starks Addresses Comparisons to The Rock

Dark Side of the Ring Creator Addresses Future of the Show

Thomas Lowson
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For three seasons, VICE’s Dark Side of the Ring has focussed on the controversies associated with professional wrestling.

No topic has been off-limits from the show’s investigative practices, with the Chris Benoit tragedy, the death of Owen Hart, and the WWF steroids scandal all being covered.

The show has faced criticism from some in the industry, with Jim Ross claiming the show has “misrepresented” him and others with their choice of editing.

Ross also claimed during an April 2022 episode of his ‘Grilling Jr’ podcast that he doubts he’ll be on the show again.

Definitely, Hopefully

With criticism over the show’s production, the future of Dark Side of the Ring has been uncertain for some time.

Addressing the future of the show, DSOTR co-creator Jason Eisner told Comic Book that he remains optimistic.

“It’s not something I can quite answer yet, but it’s not … We’re definitely thinking about more Dark Side of the Ring.”

“It’s definitely something that will, hopefully, be in the cards in the future.”

Jason Eisner on the future of Dark Side of the Ring.

“But right now, we’re gearing up for Tales From The Territories to come out … But yeah, there’s going to be plenty more wrestling documentaries that are going to come out from me.”

Tales from the Territories

With Dark Side of the Ring on hiatus indefinitely, VICE has a new wrestling series in the works, Tales from the Territories.

Announced back in August, TFTT be produced by Eisner’s team from Dark Side of the Ring as well as Dwayne Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions.

A trailer for the show, featuring a voice-over from Johnson, can be seen here:

The series will debut on Tuesday, October 4, at 10 p.m. ET.

“Worth It” – Darby Allin Got Staples in Scalp After AEW Rampage: Grand Slam

Thomas Lowson
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Darby Allin isn’t phased after getting staples in his head following this week’s AEW Rampage: Grand Slam event.

During the show, Allin teamed with Sting to face the House of Black’s Buddy Matthews and Brody King.

At one point, Allin dropped himself and King off of the stage, which resulted in the former getting his head split wide open.

While Allin was willing to continue, AEW’s medical team advised him to exit the match due to the laceration.

Sting and Allin would win the match, following the interference from Japanese wrestling legend The Great Muta.

Staples

After the match, Allin required five staples in his scalp to close the wound.

On Twitter, the former AEW TNT Champion showed off the injury, but said that the staples had been “worth it.”

Death-Defying

Allin’s recent dive off of the stage is hardly the first time the AEW wrestler has put his body on the line.

In May, Allin faced Jeff Hardy, and hit the latter’s Swanton Bomb off a ladder in the ring, onto Hardy, who was laid across several steel chairs outside of the ring.

Darby’s high-flying antics aren’t reserved to just AEW, as he also performs stunts at various events not associated with wrestling.

Last month, Allin drove a jeep over his house in an insane 96-foot jump, which he called the “sketchiest” stunt he’s done.

Earlier this month, the former AEW TNT Champion performed a backflip on a tricycle after going down a long ramp.

Darby Allin Took Out a $12k Loan So He Could Join AEW

WWE & AEW Stars React To Being Blocked By Former SmackDown GM Teddy Long: “He Can’t Hate Us All”

Robert Lentini
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Teddy Long has apparently gone on a blocking spree on Twitter that involves some of today’s most popular stars in WWE & AEW.

Teddy Long debuted in WWF in 1998 as a referee before becoming a manager for the promotion. In 2004, Teddy replaced Kurt Angle as the general manager of SmackDown and held that role until 2012. Long was made “senior advisor” to SmackDown GM Booker T before being released from the company in 2014. He has made occasion cameos for the company and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017.

Former WWE personality Renee Young (Renee Paquette) posted a screen shot of her being blocked on social media and a bunch of other stars noticed they suffered the same on Twitter.

WWE NXT Superstar Joe Gacy noticed that he was randomly blocked by the WWE legend as well.

All Elite Wrestling announcer Taz revealed that he is also blocked by Teddy Long on the social media app.

I guess I’m just another victim also! I love Teddy!!

https://twitter.com/OfficialTAZ/status/1573867296141070341?s=20&t=eR7Br4guoLZTIu7xkaBx_g

One-half of AEW Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed, Anthony Bowens, also revealed that he’s no longer welcome on the former SmackDown GM’s profile. His teammate, Max Caster, is not blocked by Teddy.

EVERYONE LOVES THE…

Former WWE Superstar and current AEW star Dustin Rhodes said that Teddy must of been blocked because he simply cannot hate them all.

Teddy Long must be hacked. He can’t hate us all

Former WWE and Impact referee Brian Hebner responded to Brandi Lauren and said that the 75-year-old was indeed hacked because he is blocked despite being his “homie”.

Guys relax. His shot got hacked. I’m blocked too. And he is my Homie.

https://twitter.com/WWEREALONE/status/1573871341962498048?s=20&t=eR7Br4guoLZTIu7xkaBx_g

WWE Hall of Famer Praises Saraya (Paige) After Her Debut In AEW: “Always Been One Of My Favorites”

Robert Lentini
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Saraya, formerly known as Paige in WWE, made her shocking debut for All Elite Wrestling at Dynamite: Grand Slam.

The 30-year-old arrived in AEW following the 4-Way match for the AEW Interim Women’s Championship. Toni Storm successfully defended the title against Britt Baker, Serena Deeb, and Athena. After the match, Britt, Jamie Hayter, and Serena Deeb attacked Toni and Athena in the ring.

Saraya then made her way to the ring to an enormous pop from the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. AEW has announced that she will be addressing the crowd this Wednesday on Dynamite.

Booker T Praises Saraya After Her Debut In All Elite Wrestling

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T spoke about Saraya’s debut in AEW on his Hall of Fame podcast and noted that he predicted that she would return to the ring after WWE opted not to re-sign her.

“Arthur Ashe Stadium, nice crowd, big pop. You could tell she was happy, you know, that smile was just radiating through the arena. So yeah man, I’m glad to see her back. Me personally, Paige has always been one of my favorites. She’s always been that chick, so I’m just glad to see her back seriously.

The 57-year-old also discussed the time he got her in trouble for a joke on WWE Backstage and said he enjoyed working with her on the now-canceled talk show.

“It was like a night off working with Paige. I remember getting her in trouble one night because I told her to introduce me as ‘The OG mother from the hood’. She got so much heat on social media man, people were blowing her up.I had to actually go out and defend her to say ‘come on I told her to say that’. That was all me. She wouldn’t have thought of anything like that.” [17:58 – 19:01]

You can check out Booker’s comments and the entire podcast below.

H/T: Sportskeeda Wrestling

3 Ways Sami Zayn Could Destroy The Bloodline

Robert Lentini
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Sami Zayn’s journey to becoming an Honorary UCE has been wildly entertaining and some of the best content WWE has produced in years.

On Friday’s episode of SmackDown, Roman Reigns made it seem like The Bloodline was finally going to betray Sami. The Honorary Uce had spent months trying to join the group despite Jey Uso’s objections. The Tribal Chief demanded that Sami remove his The Bloodline shirt after he dared to speak.

Roman instructed Jey to rip off the shirt and Uso obliged. The Locker Room leader stood in the ring, shirtless and heartbroken, as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion continued to mock him. Reigns then suddenly changed his tune and tossed him a new “Honorary Uce” shirt to signify he’s a member of The Bloodline. Sami quickly put on the shirt, acknowledged Roman as his Tribal Chief and gave him a hug to end the segment.

While the ideal situation for Sami would be to become Intercontinental Champion and bring more gold to The Bloodline, the odds are that eventually the group will view him as expendable.

When the time comes, here are three ways The Great Liberator can destroy The Bloodline:

With An Old Friend

The Usos have been Undisputed Tag Team Champions for an incredible 433 days. Sami’s old friend and rival, Kevin Owens, recently tried to talk some sense into The Locker Room Leader but Sami wasn’t hearing it.

Jey Uso then battled Kevin Owens in a singles match and Sami had the opportunity to hit KO with a steel chair but opted not to. This led to Jey getting angry at Sami and taking his eyes off of Owens. Kevin then planted Jey with the Stunner for the pinfall victory.

KO has not held a championship in WWE since he was United States Champion in 2017. He’s never held a tag team championship in the company. It would make sense for Kevin to come to Sami’s rescue if The Bloodline ever turns its back on him. The Usos versus Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens is a match the WWE Universe would certainly be excited about.

From Within

Solo Sikoa made his main roster debut at Clash at the Castle during the main event. Roman Reigns defended the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Drew McIntyre at the Premium Live Event in Cardiff, Wales. It appeared that Drew was going to walk out as the new champion but Sikoa interfered. The Tribal Chief was able to capitalized with his third Spear of the night to retain the championship.

Sikoa then went on to win the NXT North American Championship, successfully defend the title against Madcap Moss on an episode of SmackDown, only to have it stripped from him on the following NXT because was not “sanctioned to compete” in the title match against Carmela Hayes.

Despite those questionable booking decisions, one thing that is not in question is Solo’s admiration for the Honorary Uce. Sikoa has shown no animosity towards Zayn and that has only caused Jey Uso to get more frustrated. Sikoa had his main roster debut match against Drew McIntyre on the September 9th edition of SmackDown.

Solo said he wanted to go into the match alone but told Sami that he appreciates his offer to help him. Jey got frustrated and said that the entire Bloodline would be ringside for the match. On Friday’s episode of SmackDown, Ricochet and Madcap Moss had a conversation with Sami Zayn backstage. They tried to tell him that he’s not actually a part of The Bloodline and Solo brutally attacked them.

It was later announced that Sami & Solo will battle Madcap & Ricochet next week in a tag team match. Sami and Solo could team up against The Usos if The Bloodline were to ever implode, or Zayn could have Sikoa’s back if he decides he’s done answering to The Tribal Chief.

On His Own

Sami Zayn is a former NXT Champion and a three-time Intercontinental Champion. Much like Kevin Owens, he also has never been a tag team champion in the company. Unlike Kevin Owens, he’s never held a major championship in WWE. Owens captured the Universal Championship in 2016 after Triple H betrayed Seth Rollins and hit him with a Pedigree.

This scenario seems highly unlikely, but this is wrestling so anything can happen. Sami’s already become one of the more entertaining parts of SmackDown as he tries to fit in with The Bloodline, it’s hard to imagine how popular he’d be if he was the underdog that refused to stand down against them.

Zayn versus Reigns looks and sounds like a mismatch because it is. However, Daniel Bryan versus Triple H was a mismatch. Daniel Bryan versus Batista and Randy Orton in a Triple Threat was a mismatch.

The crowd bought it because they were invested in Daniel Bryan because he is one of the greatest wrestlers on the planet that also has the ability to connect with fans. In my opinion, Sami has already proven to be more than a B+ player because he made a match with Johnny Knoxville memorable. It is a long shot, but in a weird way it could be what is “best for business”.

How would you like to see the storyline between Sami Zayn and The Bloodline play out? Let us know in the comments section below.

Jon Moxley Set To Face NJPW Star Making AEW Debut In A World Title Eliminator On Dynamite

Robert Lentini
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AEW World Champion Jon Moxley will battle NJPW star Juice Robinson this Wednesday on Dynamite in a World Title Eliminator match.

If Juice Robinson is able to defeat the champion on Dynamite, he will earn a future title shot, much like a Championship Contender’s match in WWE.

Robinson is one of the only two men that have defeated Jon Moxley in 2022 so far. The other wrestler is former AEW World Champion CM Punk at All Out.

AEW President Tony Khan announced the match on Twitter and noted that MJF can fight Moxley for the championship any time he chooses.

In addition to MJF, Jon Moxley now has to worry about another wrestler on the AEW roster coming after his title. On Rampage: Grand Slam this past Friday night, Hangman Adam Page took a massive step closer to becoming a two-time AEW World Champion.

Page hit Rush with a Dead Eye on the ring apron to win the Golden Ticket Battle Royal and ensure himself a shot at the title. It was announced that Jon Moxley will defend the AEW World Championship against Hangman Adam Page on Dynamite on October 18th. It will be a special Tuesday night edition of AEW Dynamite.

What Has Been Announced For Dynamite (9/28)?

Saraya, formerly known as Paige in WWE, made her shocking debut this past Wednesday at Dynamite: Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. AEW has announced that fans will hear from Saraya on Wednesday night.

Chris Jericho is set to have a celebration with the Jericho Appreciation Society after defeating Claudio Castagnoli to become the new ROH Champion.

World Title Eliminator: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Juice Robinson. Juice will earn a future shot at the AEW World Championship if he can defeat Jon Moxley.

MJF will address the crowd. Maxwell appeared on Dynamite: Grand Slam and interrupted Tony Schiavone’s interview with Wheeler Yuta. Maxwell took several shots at Wheeler and the Blackpool Combat Club. He then brawled with Yuta, shoved Schiavone to the floor, and was helped by W. Morrissey of The Firm.

Health Update on Julia Hart After Scary Bump on AEW Grand Slam: Rampage

Joey Galizia
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AEW’s Grand Slam special is now in the rearview mirror, with the promotion’s Grand Slam: Rampage edition taking place last night. The show, which took place from Arthur Ashe Stadium, opened up with the anticipated House of Black (Brody King & Buddy Matthews) vs. Darby Allin & Sting no-DQ matchup, with Julia Hart accompanying the HoB to the ring.

The match was an all-out brawl that saw the daredevil Allin get busted open following an epic crash through a table alongside Brody King. Meanwhile the Stinger was left handcuffed to a chair as Matthews prepared to beat down the legend with his own baseball bat. Right before the attack the lights would go out and the fans in New York would be treated to their biggest surprise of the night, an appearance from Japanese legend, the Great Muta.

Muta came to the ring slowly and looked as if he was about to attack Sting, who he had an intense rivalry with during the early portion of his career. However, Muta instead hit Matthews with a Dragon Screw before spitting his signature green mist in Matthew’s face, which caused him to back up into Julia Hart, who was standing on the apron. Hart was supposed to take the bump and fall through a table, but she seemed to overshoot her jump and instead came crashing onto the pavement.

Hart Is Doing Just Fine

While many fans were worried about Hart’s condition after her fall, they need not worry for long. Both Hart and King took to Twitter to reveal that Hart is not only doing just fine, but that her scary looking hat is also okay.

King writes, “I just want everyone to know that TheJuliaHart’s Hat made it out safely. Thank you for your concerns.” Hart herself would then confirm this news with her own tweet. She writes, “Me and my hat are okay.”

Cody Rhodes On His Eventual Return From Injury: “Hopefully It’s A Run People Remember”

Joey Galizia
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Cody Rhodes is ready to get back into the ring for WWE.

The American Nightmare has been on the shelf since June with a torn pec, with his last match being the classic Hell in a Cell encounter against Seth Rollins where his injury was present for the whole world to see. Rhodes was heavily applauded by fans, colleagues, and analysts for his gutsy performance on that night, but it came at a time when he was the hottest act in WWE.

However, Rhodes remains optimistic. In a recent interview with TMZ Sports the former three-time AEW TNT champion is ready to get back into the squared circle, and even hints that his run this time will be even more epic than the first. He does add that doctors are refusing to give him a return timetable due to a fear that he will test its limits.

“You know they haven’t really given me one because they know I’m stupid, and I’d try to test it. I got in my mind where I want to be, and I think a lot of fans have in their mind where I’d like to be, and that’s hopefully where it’s at.

Right now, I do actually agree with what’s going on because I think what happens next hopefully and what we do, and this is all speculative up in the air. Hopefully, it’s a run that people remember, and I got to be healthy for it.”

“Best Three Months Of My Life”

Rhodes was also asked about how he feels WWE has handled his return.

“No complaints. They’ve treated me like the house that built me, which they were. And honestly, it was amazing. We were back, and everything was rolling so fast, and then I tore my pec. It was like the best three months of my life. Hopefully, get back to that soon. I was told I have the strength of an 11-year-old, but I was pretty strong at 11. Hopefully soon.”

Speculation is that Rhodes will be back in time for the Royal Rumble, which many fans believe he will win and go on to challenge for the world title at WrestleMania 39.

Sting to Compete at The Great Muta’s Retirement Event in January 2023

Thomas Lowson
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AEW’s resident Icon Sting will be part of The Grea Muta’s final match after a legendary career next January.

During this week’s AEW Rampage: Grand Slam, aiding Sting and Darby Allin in a no-disqualification tag team match against the Houe of Black.

Muta hit the green mist on Buddy Matthews, giving Sting to hit the Scorpion Death Drop for the win.

Post-match, Muta and Sting embraced in the ring.

The Final Match

The Great Muta’s appearance during AEW Rampage: Grand Slam came in the midst of a retirement tour for the Japanese wrestling legend.

After the match, Pro Wrestling NOAH announced that Sting will be heading to Japan to participate in the Great Muta Final Bye-Bye show.

The event will take place on January 22, 2023.

The announcement notes that Sting “has decided to participate in the Yokohama Arena tournament” following Muta’s appearance on Rampage.

Muta and Sting

Muta would feud with Sting during his WCW tenure in 1989, capturing the NWA World Television Championship from the Icon in September that year.

In 1991, the pair rekindled their rivalry at the WCW-NJPW cross-promotion Starrcade event in the Tokyo Dome, where Muta would again defeat Sting.

The following year, the pair would team together in the Tokyo Dome to defeat the Steiner Brothers at WCW/NJPW Supershow II.

After capturing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in August 1992, one of Muta’s first title defenses would come against the Stinger that November.

When appearing for WCW, Muta would often be on the losing end to Sting, coming up short against the WWE Hall of Famer at live events.

Sting Speaks On Crazy Table Spot At AEW Revolution

Newest Member of the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame Announced

Thomas Lowson
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Former TNA/Impact Wrestling star Raven will take his place in the promotion’s Hall of Fame, the company has confirmed.

During last night’s Victory Road event, a video package confirmed Raven’s induction, using prose from Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven.’

The induction will take place at Impact’s Bound for Glory event on October 7, at the Albany Armory in Albany, New York.

Raven and Impact Wrestling

After runs in ECW, WCW and WWE, Raven joined Impact (then TNA Wrestling) on January 22, 2003, two days following his WWE release.

In June 2005, Raven would capture the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at that year’s Slammiversary.

After losing the World Championship to Jeff Jarrett, Raven would form the group Seratonin, consisting of himself, Frankie Kazarian, Johnny Devine and Matt Bentley.

Following a 2008 release from the company, Raven returned after over a year away in May 2009, working alongside fellow ECW alum Dr. Stevie (Steven Richards), and Daffney.

Raven’s final match for TNA/Impact came in November 2010, defeating then-TNA television Champion AJ Styles in a non-title match at a Live event.

Hall of Fame

Raven is the latest big name to join Impact’s Hall of Fame, which was founded in 2012 with the induction of Sting.

The Icon is one of three men to be both Impact and WWE Hall of Famers, alongside Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett.

The group also contains long-time Impact referee Earl Hebner, first-ever Knockouts Champion Gail Kim, and first World Champion in the promotion Ken Shamrock.

Team 3-D are the only tag-team to be inducted in the Hall of Fame, which also includes Impact veterans Abyss and Awesome Kong.

Raven Comments On His New Backstage Role In The NWA

Thunder Rosa On Saraya Arriving In AEW: “She’s A Star, She Has What I Want”

Robert Lentini
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AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa was supposed to defend her title against Toni Storm at All Out but had to pull out of the match due to injury. She has not appeared on AEW TV since the Dynamite before the PPV on September 4th. Toni Storm is currently the Interim AEW Women’s Champion.

On Dynamite Grand Slam, Toni defended the title against Britt Baker, Athena, and Serena Deeb in a 4-Way match. Toni emerged victorious but Britt Baker attacked after the match. Jamie Hayter and Serena Deeb joined the D.M.D. in the attack before Falling in Reverse’s Zombified echoed throughout Arthur Ashe stadium.

Britt stood in the ring confused as the blood poured down her face from another busted nose incident. The name “Saraya” flashed on the screen and the crowd popped. Saraya (FKA as Paige in WWE) made her way to the ring to an incredible reaction from AEW fans as the heels retreated. Saraya then hugged Athena and Toni Storm in the ring to end the segment.

Thunder Rosa Praises Saraya After Her Debut

The AEW Women’s Champion was interviewed by Dave LeGreca on Busted Open Radio today and had some kind words to say about Saraya following her debut at Dynamite Grand Slam. She said that she is one of the stars that AEW helped create and she’s excited to have someone the caliber of Saraya to work with.

“I hope she is completely cleared to wrestle. She is going to teach a lot of the girls a lot of cool stuff that otherwise they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do. Wrestling was her bread and butter for a long time and she knows the grind.

Before she got signed, she was in the indies struggling just like everybody else. One of the things that Saraya has is that she has not changed her core. She continues to be the same person that she was before. I’m really interested to get to know her on another level.

I know that fans are very excited to see her because they haven’t seen her wrestle in a while and they are very eager for that. Company-wise and ratings-wise, this is going to be great for ratings and going to be great for the women’s division. You cannot deny that.

I want to come back a way that you guys have never seen me before and having Saraya there, I’m like ‘alright yeah’ there’s even more competition. Yes I’m on top, but when you have bigger sharks in the tank you better start eating because you have to get bigger than the shark that wants to take what you have.

So, it is going to be very interesting. She brings a lot to the women’s division. She brings a brand, something that is needed in the division too. That you cannot deny. I know Tony does a lot of stuff because he wants ratings. We want to be number one. If you start something and you don’t want to be number one, don’t start it.”

But for me as an athlete, for me as a champion, that is top competition right there, on every single aspect. Experience, persona, character, how well-known she is, she’s a star. She has what I want and I’m striving for.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Busted Open Radio with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Sheamus Reveals Why He Wants The Intercontinental Championship “More Than Anything”

Robert Lentini
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Sheamus battled Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at WWE Clash at the Castle in a match that received rave reviews from critics and fans. The Celtic Warrior came up short but still got a standing ovation from the crowd in Cardiff.

On this week’s edition of SmackDown, The Brawling Brutes competed in the main event against The Usos for the Undisputed Tag Team Championships. Sheamus, Sami Zayn, and Solo Sikoa were ringside for the match. It appeared that Ridge Holland and Butch were about to win the match but Imperium interfered.

Intercontinental Champion Gunther attacked Sheamus outside the ring and beat him down. The Usos capitalized on Imperium’s interference and hit the 1D for the pinfall victory to retain the titles. It was announced that Sheamus will battle Gunther once again for the Intercontinental Championship in two weeks on WWE SmackDown.

Sheamus Reveals Why He Wants The Intercontinental Championship

He joined WWE announcer Corey Graves on his After the Bell podcast and discussed why he wants to become Intercontinental Champion. The 44-year-old has never held the IC Title in his incredible career.

“My mentality is if you go in there and you’ve achieved X amount of stuff, there’s no doubt that your passion and drive is going to drop. And the idea is to zone that out and go in there like I’ve won nothing and today is the first day, and I want to achieve this, this, and this.

That is why I’ve been so adamant and so vocal about the Intercontinental Championship because it is the one title that is not sitting on this shelf right here. It is the one I want more than anything and that is what has been driving me. You have to have goals. You have to have targets and you have to know what is next.”

If you use quotes from this article, please credit After the Bell with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

7 Takeaways From AEW Rampage Grand Slam (9/23): Battle Royale, Action Bronson & Hook, Starks vs. Hobbs

Robert Lentini
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AEW Rampage Grand Slam was taped Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe stadium in New York. A number one contender was crowned in the Golden Ticket Battle Royal, Action Bronson stepped into the ring, The Great Muta showed up, and Ricky Starks battled Powerhouse Hobbs in an All Out rematch in the main event.

Rampage Grand Slam Results

  • Sting & Darby Allin def. House of Black
  • Hook & Action Bronson def. Angelo Parker & Matt Menard
  • Samoa Joe & Wardlow def. Tony Nese & Josh Woods
  • Sammy Guevara def. Eddie Kingston via DQ
  • Jade Cargill def. Diamante to retain the TBS Championship
  • Hangman Page won the Golden Ticket Battle Royale & Will face Jon Moxley for the AEW Title on October 18th
  • Ricky Starks def. Powerhouse Hobbs in a Lights Out match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s special edition of Rampage:

The Great Muta Helped Darby Allin & Sting

House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews) battled Darby Allin & Sting tonight at Rampage Grand Slam. Darby hit a Coffin Drop off the top of the tunnel on Buddy. He went for another Coffin Drop on Brody but he caught him with a chokehold. Darby tried to escape and both men fell off the stage and through a table below as Julia Hart angrily walked around with a giant hat on.

Brody King then handcuffed Sting and sat him up on a chair. The lights went out and The Great Muta arrived. The Great Muta spit green mist in Buddy’s face and Sting followed it up with the Scorpion Death Drop for the pinfall vitory.

Hook & Action Bronson Picked Up A Win

Hook and Action Bronson battled Angelo Parker and Matt Menard tonight on Rampage Grand Slam. Hook knocked Angelo Parker to the canvas to begin the action. Menard and Bronson tagged in and had a stare down. Bronson hit a massive shoulder tackle and then a Splash onto Daddy Magic and Cool Ang in the corner.

Hook tagged back in and delivered a Suplex to Parker. He went for a submission hold but Matt broke it up. Parker battled back and beat the FTW Champion down in the corner. The JAS members took turns beating Hook down and kept him isolated in the corner as Action Bronson waited for a tag.

Bronson got the tag and started dishing out Clotheslines. Action hit Parker with a Running Powerslam but Menard attacked him from behind. Bronson hit another big shoulder tackle and tagged in Hook. The FTW Champion leveled Matt with a Clothesline and hit Parker with an Exploder Suplex. Hook applied Redrum and Action Bronson locked it in at the same time and Parker and Menard tapped out.

Wardlow & Samoa Joe def. Tony Nese & Josh Woods

ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe and TNT Champion Wardow teamed up at Rampage Grand Slam to battle Josh Woods and Tony Nese. Wardlow appeared to hurt his knee during the match. Samoa Joe was unbothered and beat the hell out of Nese and Woods. Joe connected with the Muscle Buster on Tony for the pinfall victory. The heels attacked after the match but Joe and Wardlow fought them off. The TNT Champion delivered some Powerbombs to Mark Sterling to end the segment.

Jungle Boy def. Rey Fenix, Luchasaurus Attacked

Jungle Boy battled Rey Fenix tonight at Rampage Grand Slam. The action started off back and forth until both wrestlers fell to the outside. Rey was the first up as Rampage went to a commercial break. The two continued to trade punches during the break and the action returned to the ring.

When Rampage Grand Slam returned, Fenix and Jungle Boy continued trading strikes. Fenix hit a knee to the face and followed it up with a Cutter for a near fall. Rey hit a crazy springboard Crossbody but couldn’t keep Jungle Boy down for a count of three.

Jungle Boy battled back with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb and a running knee strike to the head for a two count. Fenix hit a kick to the face and went for a Brainbuster but Jungle Boy countered into a roll-up for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Luchasaurus attacked Jungle Boy from behind and Christian Cage cut a promo on him. Christian had his arm in a sling during the promo.

Sammy Guevara def. Eddie Kingston In Controversial Fashion

Eddie Kingston battled Sammy Guevara tonight on Rampage Grand Slam. Kingston lit up Sammy’s chest with some chops and went for a Powerbomb off the ring apron. Sammy countered into a Back Body Drop that sent Guevara to the floor.

Back from a commercial, the action had returned to the ring and Guevara hit a springboard Cutter for a near fall. Sammy went for another one but Eddie was ready for it this time. Kingston connected with an Exploder Suplex and went for Backfist to the Future but Sammy dodged it. Eddie hit another Exploder that sent Sammy flying across the ring.

Kingston followed it up with Backfist to the Future but one wasn’t enough. Tay Melo looked on in horror as Eddie hit another Backfist. Kingston hit a third but still didn’t go for the cover. Eddie applied a submission but Sammy was out and referee Bryce Remsburg called for the bell. Kingston wouldn’t let go of the hold until several security guards rushed the ring. Kingston started attacking them all as Sammy and Tay exited the ring. It was announced that Sammy actually won the match because Eddie was disqualified for not letting go of the hold.

Jade Cargill Retained The TBS Championship

Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against Diamante. Rapper Trina accompanied Diamante to the entrance ramp. Cargill dominated the action early and went for a Powerbomb but Diamante escaped. Jade leveled Diamante with a pump kick to the face and the champ posed for the crowd. The challenger connected with a Dropkick that sent Jade tumbling out of the ring. Diamante climbed to the middle turnbuckle and went for a Crossbody. Jade caught her and slammed Diamante on the ring apron.

The champion hobbled back into the ring and delivered some more kicks to Diamante. Cargill planted Diamante with Jaded for the pinfall victory. Jade Cargill remains undefeated and is still the TBS Champion. Trina shoved Diamante over after the match and posed with Jade.

Hangman Page Won Golden Ticket Battle Royale

The Golden Ticket Battle Royal aired tonight on Rampage. Dalton Castle was about to be eliminated but The Boys caught him. Castle and The Boys then eliminated Brian Cage. Matt Hardy and Private Party reunited for a bit and were quickly eliminated by Rush and The Butcher.

Hangman Adam Page eliminated The Butcher as John Silver and Rush traded punches in the ring. Pentagon Jr. tried to eliminate Jay Lethal but Satnamn Singh caught him. Jay sent Pentagon Jr. over the top rope for the elimination. Hangman launched Lethal over the top rope and were down to two wrestlers.

Page and Rush traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Rush ducked under a clothesline but Page caught him with a few forearm strikes. Rush sent Hangman over the top but he just barely hung on. Hangman dragged Rush to the apron with him and they traded chops. Rush set up for a Piledriver on the apron but Page countered into Dead Eye. Rush fell to the floor and Page won the Battle Royal. Hangman Page will battle Jon Moxley on the Oct. 18th Tuesday night edition of Dynamite for the AEW Championship.

Ricky Starks def. Powerhouse Hobbs

Powerhouse Hobbs squared off with Ricky Starks in a rematch from AEW All Out in the main event of Rampage Grand Slam. It was a Lights Out (No DQ) match. Mark Henry interviewed both wrestlers before the match.

Starks went after Hobbs right away and unloaded some punches. Powerhouse rolled out of the ring and Ricky chased after him. Starks connected with a Clothesline and then launched Hobbs into the steel steps.

The action returned to the ring with Starks in control. Hobbs battled back as Chris Jericho named him the Sports Entertainer of the week. Hobbs threw some weapons into the ring and bashed Starks with a chair as Rampage went to the final commercial break of the night.

Back from the break, Hobbs went for a Powerslam but Ricky escaped. Starks launched Hobbs into a steel chair and hit him with a Tornado DDT for a near fall. Hobbs set up a couple of chairs in the ring but Starks caught him with a low blow. Ricky put the chairs back to back and set up for the Roshambo. Powerhouse countered into a Back Body Drop and followed it up with a Powerslam on top of the steel chairs for a near fall.

Starks and Hobbs battled on the entrance ramp and near the tunnels. Ricky went for a Spear but Starks launched him into the tunnel. Hobbs ripped off a light from the tunnel and started following Ricky as he crawled down the entrance ramp. Hobbs swung the light but Ricky ducked and hit a Spear through the table. Ricky grabbed the beam and bashed Hobbs over the head with it. Starks followed it up with the Roshambo for the pinfall victory.

Watch: What Happened With Gunther After SmackDown Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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After the main event match between The Usos and Brawling Brutes on this week’s episode of SmackDown, fans in attendance got to witness another big dream confrontation.

The off air dark match after this week’s SmackDown saw Gunther coming face to face with Shinsuke Nakamura as they competed in a six-man tag team match.

The bout saw The Street Profits joining the Japanese legend in his fight against the current IC Champion and his subordinates Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci.

Gunther teased a confrontation with Nakamura early in the bout but he ultimately decided to tag himself out and send in Vinci instead.

He attacked Shinsuke towards the ending of the match but the former champion managed to get the upper hand over the Ring General.

The SmackDown dark match concluded with Shinsuke Nakamura delivering a Kinshasa to Ludwig Kaiser and pinning him for the victory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4mS7wPzlpI

Shinsuke Nakamura was part of a backstage segment on this week’s SmackDown alongside Hit Row and The Street Profits.

Gunther has been feuding with Sheamus recently over the Intercontinental championship. The two delivered an impressive match at Clash At The Castle.

WWE has since announced a rematch between these two for the season premiere episode of SmackDown on October 7.

Bobby Fish Appears At Tonight’s Impact Victory Road Special

Joey Galizia
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Bobby Fish has arrived in the Impact Zone.

The former WWE and AEW star made a surprise appearance at this evening’s Victory Road special from Skyway Studios where he immediately made his presence known to the Impact locker room.

Fish cut a promo about how controversial he’s been since his AEW departure, where he was most likely referring to the shoot comments he made against CM Punk following Punk’s blow up at the post-ALL OUT media scrum. He made it known that he was a guy who always did his job well, and that he has not joined Impact for the bull***t.

Fish made sure to state that he doesn’t officially work for the company, so Impact cannot fire him for any reason, and that he was in search of good competition. This brought out Raj Singh and Mahabali Shera, who confronted the former multi-time NXT tag champion thinking they would get one over on him due to the two-on-one advantage. Unfortunately for the heels, Fish would nail Shera with a kick and trap Singh in a heel hook before they eventually retreated.

As a reminder Fish left AEW near the end of August after the company decided to not renew his contract. At this time it is not known whether Fish is under contract with Impact or on a per-appearance deal.

Continue to follow Sescoops for more updates on Bobby Fish.

6 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (9/23): Roman Reigns Returns, Title Match, Sami Zayn, White Rabbit

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live this week from the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Usos defended the Undisputed Tag Team Championships against The Brawling Brutes in the main event.

WWE SmackDown Results

  • Liv Morgan def. Lacey Evans
  • New Day def. Maximum Male Models
  • Braun Strowman def. Otis
  • Raquel Rodriguez def. Dakota Kai
  • The Usos def. The Brawling Brutes to retain the Undisputed Tag Team Championships

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Sami Zayn Was Embraced By The Bloodline (Besides Jey Uso), Tag Match Set For Next Week

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos, The Honorary Uce Sami Zayn, and Paul Heyman made their way to the ring to kick off the show.

Reigns asked the crowd to acknowledge him before handing the microphone to Paul Heyman. Paul said that Solo was sent to The Bloodline by the elders of the Samoan dynasty because somebody had to put a stop to the conspiracies against The Tribal Chief. Heyman referred to Sikoa as the enforcer that will stop everyone from trying to take Roman’s throne.

Solo grabbed the microphone and acknowledged Roman Reigns as his Tribal Chief. Roman shared a hug with his cousin and everyone was about to leave. Sami cut the music off and apologized to The Bloodline. He wanted to extend his gratitude to The Bloodline for welcoming him into the family.

Roman Reigns got annoyed and wondered why Sami is saying anything right now. Hedemanded that Sami Zayn take The Bloodline shirt off. Jey Uso shouted at him as well but Sami tried to offer an explanation. Sami wondered if this was about him disrespecting The Wiseman Paul Heyman during the Crown Jewel press conference with Logan Paul.

Reigns instructed Jey to rip off the shirt and he obliged. The Tribal Chief told Sami that he will never wear a Bloodline shirt ever again. Roman presented Sami with a new Honorary Uce shirt and Sami danced around as Jey Uso was pissed off. Sami said, “I acknowledge you Tribal Chief” and shared a hug with the champion to end the segment.

Madcap Moss and Ricochet confronted Sami Zayn backstage and said he’s not actually a member of The Bloodline. Solo Sikoa arrived and beat the hell out Moss and Ricochet. Sami and Solo versus Ricochet & Madcap Moss was then announced for next week’s show.

Liv Morgan def. Lacey Evans & Sent A Message To Ronda Rousey

SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan battled Lacey Evans tonight on SmackDown. Lacey dominated the action early as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Lacey hit a big boot and went for the cover but the champion kicked out at two. Evans applied a submission hold in the middle of the ring and did pushups while doing so. Morgan battled back and connected with Oblivion for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Liv attacked Lacey Evans with a kendo stick and slammed her against the barricade. The champion set up a table outside the ring as the crowd cheered. Liv hit a Senton off the top rope and through the table below. Liv Morgan will defend the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Ronda Rousey in an Extreme Rules match at the Premium Live Event on October 8th.

New QR Code, Max Dupri Flips Out

New Day battled Maximum Male Models tonight in a tag team match. Max and Maxiine Dupri were ringside for the match. Maxxiine Dupri wanted to take photos of Maximum Male Models instead and Kofi rolled Mansoor up for the pinfall victory. After hte match, Max Dupri ripped off his jacket in frustration and walked away.

Another QR code appeared that dropped more hints for WWE’s White Rabbit. It was a game that listed off the coordinates for next week’s RAW as well as the word “patricide”, which means the killing of one’s father.

Braun Strowman Dominated

Braun Strowman battled Alpha Academy’s Otis tonight on SmackDown. Otis showed off his power early and got in some offense. However, The Monster of all Monsters battled back and connected with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

Karrion Kross Choked Out Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre cut a promo about Karrion Kross on tonight’s SmackDown. He said that he wanted to battle Karrion Kross in a Strap Match at Extreme Rules on October 8th.

Kross’ theme hit and Scarlett appeared on the entrance ramp. Karrion attacked Drew from behind but McIntyre battled back. Drew whipped Karrion with the strap several times but got distracted by Scarlett. She apparently shot a fireball at him ala The Wizard Chris Jericho. Karrion capitalized and applied the Kross Jacket to choke McIntyre out.

Raquel Rodriguez Picked Up A Win

Raquel Rodriguez faced Dakota Kai tonight on SmackDown. Bayley interfered and hit Raquel with the one of the Women’s Tat Titles. Shotzi rushed down the entrance ramp and attacked Bayley. Raquel capitalized on the distraction and rolled up Dakota for the pinfall victory. Shotzi and Raquel stood tall as Damage CTRL retreated after the match.

Gunther will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Sheamus in two weeks in a rematch from Clash at the Castle. Bayley will battle Shotzi next week and Hit Row will square off against Los Lotharios.

The Usos Retained After Imperium Interfered

The Usos defended the Undisputed Tag Team Championships against The Brawling Brutes (Butch, Ridge Holland) in tonight’s main event. Sheamus was ringside for the match for The Brawling Brutes. Solo Sikoa and Sami Zayn of The Bloodline accompanied The Usos to the ring. The Usos controlled the action early and took the Brawling Brutes out of the ring.

Jey started getting annoyed with Sami Zayn as he mocked Butch and Ridge ringside. Back in the ring, The Usos slammed Butch down to the mat for a two count as SmackDown went to the final commercial break of the night.

When SmackDown returned, referee Charles Robinson caught Sami ringside approaching Butch. Jey jumped out of the ring and started shouting at Sami again. The two continued to argue and Sami implored Jey to focus on the match. Butch capitalized on the distraction and caught Jey with an Enziguri.

Ridge Holland tagged in and sent Jey to the outside. Holland planted Jimmy Uso with a Powerslam and went for the cover but Jimmy kicked out at two. Jimmy connected with a Samoan Drop but Butch broke up the cover and then tagged into the match.

Butch climbed to the top rope and went for a Moonsault but The Usos countered with two Superkicks to his face. Jimmy went for the cover but somehow Butch kicked out at two and the match continued.

Jey Uso tagged back in and The Usos went for the 1D. Butch countered into a DDT that sent Jimmy out of the ring. Butch started bending back Jey’s fingers and tagged in Holland. Ridge went for an Alabama Slam but Jimmy tagged himself in. The Usos went for another double Superkick but Ridge countered into a double Back Body Drop.

Butch tagged back into the match and went for the cover but Jey broke it up at the last moment. Sami Zayn grabbed a steel chair but Sheamus ripped it away. Imperium rushed down the entrance ramp and attacked Sheamus. Intercontinental Champion Gunther beat Sheamus down. The Usos hit Butch with a Superkick and then the 1D for the pinfall victory. The Usos are still the Undisputed Tag Team Champions.

WWE Drops More White Rabbit Clues on SmackDown

Robert Lentini
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WWE’s White Rabbit teases continued on Friday’s edition of SmackDown. During a backstage segment featuring Hit Row and Street Profits, a new QR code could be seen.

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When scanned, it takes fans to another hidden section of the WWE website.

It is another game where you control the White Rabbit through a maze. After you’ve completed the game, the coordinates to next week’s edition of WWE RAW are revealed. The location for Monday’s edition of the red brand is Rodgers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The word “patricide” is seen at the end of the video and it means “killing your father”. Several WWE fans have pointed out that Bray Wyatt has referenced murdering his father in a previous promo. The white rabbit hops through the red door and the coordinates and the word are revealed.

WWE’s “White Rabbit” cryptic teaser campaign has been a big success for the company as fans are really enjoying trying to solve the mystery.

Most fans are convinced that Bray Wyatt is the White Rabbit. Alexa Bliss recently referenced White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane during her promo on RAW. Bliss was aligned with Bray before his release from the company last year.

Other fans seem to believe that Karrion Kross is the White Rabbit due to his stint in Lucha Underground. You can check out our full breakdown of WWE’s White Rabbit here.

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