In mid-2020, Dominik Mysterio made his in-ring debut, competing against Seth Rollins at that year’s Summerslam.
After impressing fans with his ability, Dominik has worked alongside his father Rey Mysterio, capturing the SmackDown Tag Team Championships last year.
Waiting for the Feud
Rey and Dominik Mysterio have teamed together for years, but WWE has teased splitting the pair multiple times.
In 2020, WWE teased that Dominik would betray his father and join Seth Rollins’ stable but that didn’t take place.
More recently, it was teased that Dominik would join The Judgment Day, but that hasn’t happened yet at this time.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Rey addressed the possibility of feuding with his son and isn’t against the idea (Via 411 Mania.)
“We actually talked about that during his first couple of weeks of training. I remember sitting down with him, and telling him … ‘Could you imagine if you started working and then we teamed up and eventually, you know, whether I turned on you or you turned on me?’”
“I need to feel it at the moment, during that time.”
Rey Mysterio on waiting for the right time to feud with his son Dominik Mysterio.
“Yeah that would be cool… storyline-wise, it might be attractive, but I need to feel it at the moment, during that time. Right now, I feel like we just, we have a really tight bond, but it would be something special.”
Rey and Dominik will face The Judgment Day in a No-Disqualification Match at the WWE Summerslam 2022 Premium Live Event tomorrow night.
Becky Lynch is one of the most successful pro wrestlers of the current generation but it wasn’t always the case. The former women’s champion stepped away from wrestling in 2006 and stayed retired for more than six years. According to Lynch, it was a dark time for her and she battled with depression during this period.
The Man recently had an interview with ESPN. Speaking about her early wrestling career, Lynch mentioned how she didn’t look like the girls that WWE was signing at the time. So she joined a bodybuilding competition in hopes of building herself up, but it turned out to be a slippery slope for her:
“At the time, they wouldn’t have signed me. I didn’t look like the models that they had under contract. So I started doing a bodybuilding competition because I thought, ‘Well, maybe if I look like these girls, then I’ll have a chance of getting signed.’
So I started doing this bodybuilding competition. I know there’s a lot of people that do bodybuilding, and they do great. For me, it was a slippery slope right into an eating disorder. [It] really ruined my mental health for a long time. I became depressed.”
‘It Felt Like A Death’: Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch stepped away from wrestling after suffering a concussion during an indie event in September 2006. She spent the next six years trying to figure out something else to do with her life. She also went to guidance counselors for help:
“I couldn’t face up to it. I was so ashamed that I had turned into this dark person in my head. That I hit this, this low point in this depression. I couldn’t identify with myself because I identified myself as being this great wrestler. Then I just I spent so many years trying to find who I was and what lit that fire in me again.
I would go see counselors and stuff. Guidance counselor. [I was] like ‘I was good at this thing, and I loved this thing,’ and they were like ‘Okay well, but you can’t do this thing anymore. So what else are you gonna do?’ It felt like a death I was kind of trying to grieve. I know that’s very morbid and it’s a dramatic statement, but that’s how it felt.”
Thankfully for Lynch, she managed to recover and get back into the wrestling business. She participated in a WWE tryout after encouragement from a friend. Lynch was signed to a development contract in April 2013, and the rest is history.
You can check out Becky Lynch’s full interview below:
For decades, there has been a debate about who is the greatest wrestler of all time.
Names like Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and John Cena could all lay claim to being the G.O.A.T, but there’s plenty more than just those five wrestlers.
Everyone has their personal pick for the greatest wrestler ever, including the current WWE roster.
The Greatest of All Time
Seth Rollins has plenty of accolades to his name, including reigns as WWE and Universal Champion, the WWE Grand Slam as well as capturing the Money in the Bank Briefcase in 2014 and the Men’s Royal Rumble match in 2019.
Rollins is known, on and off-screen for his high opinion of himself, but has chosen a different current Superstar as the greatest of all time.
Speaking to Sport1, Rollins named his wife Becky Lynch as the greatest to ever step foot in WWE (via Wrestling Inc.)
“Becky has developed into one of the biggest stars in the history of our industry with her personality, she is now the greatest wrestler of all time for me. And you can see that there is more than one way to be ‘larger than life.’ If you’re already physically fit, it’s definitely easier, but there’s another way. You don’t have to look like Hulk Hogan or John Cena, Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather are also ‘larger than life,’ although they feel physically 1.50. In the end, it’s not about the physical conditions, it’s about what you make of your conditions.”
“With her personality, she is now the greatest wrestler of all time.”
Seth Rollins on his wife Becky Lynch.
Lynch will challenge Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at Summerslam, while Rollins’ match with Riddle has been postponed.
Some have suggested that Rollins will still have a presence on the show tomorrow night.
New Japan Pro Wrestling and Stardom wrestling have announced the creation of a IWGP Women’s championship in conjunction.
The official English Twitter account of Stardom revealed that this title will be defended not only in Japan but in NJPW events within US as well.
The inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion will be crowned at the NJPW X Stardom joint show from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo Japan, in November later this year:
Just announced in today's Stardom 2022 Strategy Meeting: ? The IWGP Women's Championship! ? NJPW and Stardom are creating this title for defenses not only in Japan but also in the US on New Japan Pro Wrestling events, appealing to the world with the rich IWGP history!
Stardom noted that the World of Stardom championship and the Wonder Of Stardom championship will remain the main titles of the company.
The red and white belts will be the titles defended at Stardom shows regularly. Though the IWGP belt could be defended on big Stardom events.
This is a big news as NJPW has never had a women’s title in the 50+ years of history of the company. This announcement means that we might see the creation of a separate women’s division in the promotion.
There is no word yet on if the officials are planning to hold a tournament to determine the contenders for the upcoming championship match.
It’s possible that they may just name the contenders for the title match. We will keep you posted on any new information about the belt.
Vince McMahon has been named in yet another lawsuit over XFL.
Per PWInsider, a man named David Adrian Smith filed a lawsuit before the District Court for the Northern District of Texas on July 20. People such as Vince McMahon, Dani Garcia, The Rock, current WWE CFO Frank Riddick, Riddick’s wife Carol and others has been named in the lawsuit. Both WWE and ESPN have also been mentioned.
Smith has claimed that he had an email exchange with Carol Riddick in May 2016 in which he “disclosed confidential trade secret information,” including market and opportunity analysis regarding the concept of a minor league or developmental football league. He is alleging that the Riddicks disclosed this information, and it was brought to Vince McMahon. McMahon further shared it with former NBC executive Dick Ebersol as well as ESPN.
Per the claims made in the lawsuit, the “trade secret information” were used in production of the ESPN 30 For 30 documentary This Was The XFL. Smith is alleging that WWE sold the rights to XFL over to McMahon’s Alpha entertainment because they knew the ‘trade secrets.’ Ebersol also launched the AAF league in part because of his knowledge of the said secrets.
When The Rock, Dani Garcia and others purchased XFL, the trade secrets were “disclosed / conveyed to and acquired / received” to the new ownership without the authorization of smith. David Smith is requesting damages for the misappropriation of his trade secrets with an estimated figure greater than $15 million as well as a declaration that defendants’ actions were unlawful, among other things.
Neither Vince McMahon, nor any other involving parties have responded to these claims publicly. We’ll keep you posted on any development in the story.
A lot of things are expected to change in WWE with Vince McMahon’s retirement. One of them could be their reconciliation with Sasha Banks and Naomi.
Dave Meltzer talked about the former women’s tag team champions during his appearance on Sports Illustrated Media podcast. He revealed that the company is expected to make attempts to bring the duo back:
“It’s kind of up in the air. They’re gone, the last I heard was that there would be attempts made to reconcile, especially with Vince gone. So, it’s up in the air. I don’t think there’s anything definite just yet.”
Sasha Banks and Naomi
Sasha Banks and Naomi infamously walked out of WWE before the May 16 episode of Raw. They were unhappy with some creative decisions as well as the treatment of the women’s tag titles.
With the team of Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Nick Khan being at the helm of WWE, it’s very much possible that the former champions may agree to a comeback.
Fans have been speculating about the wrestling future of Johnny Gargano since his WWE departure. His first post-WWE appearance came at the most unexpected place.
Impact Wrestling’s Alex Shelley is scheduled to challenge Josh Alexander for the Impact World Championship at the upcoming Emergence PPV on Friday, August 12.
The July 28 episode of their weekly show featured clips of various wrestling personalities talking about the legacy of Shelley. Among them was also Gargano, who claimed that Alex Shelley is one of the most underrated wrestlers of the current generation:
— ? Kimberley Ford ? (@RoyaltyCanadian) July 29, 2022
The former NXT champion left the Vince McMahon-owned promotion in December last year. He stepped away from wrestling to be with his wife Candice LeRae after the birth of their son.
Johnny Gargano has kept his distance from the wrestling world since then. While he has made some promotional appearances, Gargano is yet to sign a new contract with any promotion.
Many believed that the former DIY member will end up in AEW sooner or later. However, things have changed due to Vince McMahon’s retirement.
With Triple H taking over the creative responsibilities of the main roster, there is now a good chance that Gargano would end up re-signing with the company.
WWE held open tryouts earlier today in Nashville Tennessee, and one surprise attendee is making a large presence due to his accomplishments professional basketball.
That man is NBA [superstar Dwight Howard, a one-time NBA champion, three-time defensive player of the year, and eight-time All-NBA team honoree. Video of the current Los Angeles Laker cutting a promo at the tryout has surfaced online, which you can watch below courtesy of ESPN’s Arash Markazi. Along with the footage Markazi says he has spoke to Howard, and he legit is interested in a run with WWE.
Dwight Howard was a surprise participant at the WWE Tryout in Nashville today. He told me he legit wants to join the WWE one day. pic.twitter.com/LiUnNqPsdv
Howard’s fun didn’t end there. Markazi has footage of him sticking around at the tryout for hours and cutting promos with the other attendees.
Dwight Howard didn’t just cut this one promo and leave. He’s been here for hours. He’s now cutting promos with the other attendees at the WWE Tryout in Nashville. pic.twitter.com/J9HQQq23cN
The crossover between pro-wrestling and the NBA has been present for years. Few fans will forget the impact made by Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone during the late 90s era of WCW, as both men were marquee players in the NBA at that very same time. The great Shaquille O’Neal was a surprise entrant in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32, then wrestled a tag match in AEW in 2021 to critical acclaim.
Bobby Lashley is eyeing a huge matchup with a rising WWE superstar.
The Almighty one and current United States champion sat-down with BT Sport ahead of his title defense against Theory at this Saturday’s SummerSlam, which takes place from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. It was during this interview that Lashley discussed WWE’s Intercontinental champion Gunther, and what an interesting opponent he thinks the Imperium leader would serve as.
“I think an interesting matchup that I heard a couple of times is Gunther. I think just him being my counter on the other show. I think it’s something that is kind of intriguing. He’s a tough, tough, tough competitor. I mean, he’s been doing some big stuff and he just went right up to the top right away.”
Lashley isn’t wrong. Since joining the main roster and sharpening his physical appearance Gunther has been one of the most dominant acts in WWE aside from Undisputed Universal champion Roman Reigns. This is no surprise as Gunther, formerly known as WALTER, held the NXT U.K. championship for 870 days.
When asked about how he sees a feud with Gunther going Lashley states that he believes Survivor Series would be a fitting setting, but hopes that the bout can be built into something the fans get invested in.
“It’s a matchup that I think that we can kind of build towards. Maybe we can do that at Survivor Series or we can do that a little later on in the year, but it’s something definitely that I’m interested in.”
Lashley is in his third reign with the U.S. title. He captured it from Theory at last month’s Money In Bank premium live event.
Former Ring of Honor talent Matt Taven reflects on his final days with Ring of Honor before his release.
The news of ROH going on hiatus surprised wrestling fans last year. ROH shared their announcement on Oct. 27, 2021, that they wanted to reconceptualize the brand. All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan would purchase ROH on March 2.
While the news took fans by surprise, it also shocked their talent.
In an interview with Steve Fall, Taven shared that he found out about the ROH hiatus not too long after it became public to fans. Although, he also shared that he did see that business wasn’t looking ideal.
“…None of us really knew exactly what was going on, and even after that announcement, no one really knew what was going on. There was definitely guys like myself and Jay Lethal who were, you know. We’re filming in front of no one. I can see how much every time we do these TV tapings, the amount of testing, the single rooms, the amount of people coming in, all the flights. I’m looking around, and I’m adding everything. I’m just thinking to myself. This isn’t good, said Taven.
He continued, “…We were reassured a lot of a lot of different things, and maybe I have no idea because I’m only on one side of it, so I don’t know what was on the other side, but we really found out shortly before the internet found out. I mean, we had a zoom meeting just like this, and we were told the news, and before you really had a chance to process it, your phone’s already going off because it seemed like everyone else knew as well.”
Matt Taven on ROH Allowing him to Wrestle for Impact Wrestling
Once ROH announced they were going on hiatus, it was revealed that they would let go of all their contracted wrestlers. Some wrestlers whose deals expired were let go immediately, while others had their contract end by April 1.
Taven shared he had two years left on his original deal. Despite still being under contract with ROH, the company allowed Taven to compete in Impact Wrestling.
During the interview, he expressed gratitude to the company for allowing him to work for Impact Wrestling and still respecting his contract.
“… They were going to let all of the contracts that were expired just expire and not renew them, and the ones that continue to go on had a new end date per se in Mar. or the end of Mar., so I was one of those guys, but thankfully Ring of Honor allowed me to do Impact Wrestling during that time period after Final Battle and before my contract would actually expire,” said Taven.
ROH letting Taven work with Impact Wrestling helped secure his current working relationship with the company.
Would He Consider Working with Tony Khan’s ROH?
Under the ownership of Khan, ROH is looking to rebuild the brand. The company recently had its pay-per-view event, ROH Death Before Dishonor, on July 23.
Although he’s working with Impact Wrestling, Taven shared he doesn’t rule out the possibility of working for ROH again. However, he is focused on working with Impact Wrestling and knows he’ll be with them for a little longer.
Despite not being with the company, Taven wishes Khan the best in rebuilding ROH.
Road Dogg wants to know why All Elite Wrestling (AEW) president Tony Khan won’t hire him.
The WWE Hall Of Famer was recently a guest on Busted Open Radio where he talked about his professional wrestling career.
This included his exit from WWE back in January, where he served as a writer, producer, and trainer.
During the interview, Road Dogg talked about the possibility of working for AEW. He noted he’s asked for a job from Khan on several platforms, but he hasn’t heard anything back.
“I’m not retired, I’m unemployed. I see things on Tony Khan’s TV show that appall me. I could help with that.
“I have been begging him for a job on every platform I can and I want to know the reason why he won’t hire me.”
He certainly has a lot of knowledge to pass along. As a member of D-Generation X, he racked up six Tag Team Title reigns alongside Billy Gunn. He also began working backstage in WWE in 2014.
As a producer and writer on SmackDown, Road Dogg helped many young stars develop, while also occasionally returning for some in-ring work. He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2019 as a member of DX.
In May of 2019 he began working as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center, before ultimately leaving the company this past January.
AEW President Tony Khan delivers a different product than what fans are used to seeing with WWE, from production to the booking to the in-ring style. He also caters to hardcore fans instead of casual fans.
The AEW’s product looks more gritty than what you will see on WWE programming.
While speaking on his Kliq This Podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash admitted that he doesn’t watch much modern wrestling but recently caught an episode of AEW Dynamite.
The former WWE Champion noted that the production and feel of the show seemed ‘dated.’
“It just seems…dated? It has a very ‘WCW Thunder’ feel when I watch it.”
Nash was asked if he was specifically talking about the show’s production. Nash said everything and noted it feels like the clear number two.
“It’s almost like a no-borders, ‘Doctors Without Borders’ type of situation over there, and it’s hard for me to figure out who the belts go to, but I don’t watch wrestling that often, and if I’m going to watch a product, just visually … the crystal-clear production, and costuming, and everything else that the WWE gives me, I feel like it’s Cirque du Soleil instead of f*cking, you know, Ringling Brothers.”
The professional wrestling world certainly shook up when it was announced that longtime WWE CEO and creative front-man Vince McMahon decided to retire. This came after allegations of sexual misconduct began to surface, sparking investigations.
Various names from the professional wrestling industry have reacted to the news, now, including WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle.
Angle offered his thoughts on the matter during a recent interview with FOX News. Angle called McMahon the longtime “Achilles heel” of WWE, before praising his mind for business.
“I’m sad because Vince was the Achilles heel of WWE. He’s what made it roll, he’s what made it happen. If it weren’t for Vince, the WWE would not exist.
“I’m not saying he’s perfect. He didn’t do everything perfectly. He made very few mistakes from a business standpoint.”
Kurt Angle and Vince McMahon
Angle worked very closely with McMahon during a large part of his professional wrestling career. After winning an Olympic gold medal, Angle signed with WWE in 1998, quickly rising up as one of the company’s top stars.
The former WWE Champion credits McMahon with the idea of purposely presenting him as an over-the-top babyface that the fans would receive as a heel.
“He thought it was perfect for me to be an Olympic gold medalist. He wanted me to be this clean-cut Olympian that preached the three I’s and motivated fans. And actually, he knew it would backfire.
“He was pretending to push me as a baby face knowing that the fans would crap all over me because I was so clean cut, it was like, give me a break, this guy can’t be that good. It worked extremely well and it turned me heel.
“Even though I would preach the three I’s, I would still cheat and win. That also gave me a lot of heat.”
Charlotte Flair apparently shot down a planned high spot in her father Ric’s upcoming last match.
Ric Flair will wrestle his last professional wrestling match ever this Sunday from Nashville, Tennessee on pay-per-view (PPV). He’ll be teaming up with his son-in-law and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Andrade El Idolo against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.
There has been a lot of concern about Flair wrestling at his age of 73, as well has the fact that he’s going into the match with an injury. However, Flair will press on for one last dance.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Charlotte Flair discussed her father’s upcoming bout, noting she actually shot down the idea of him doing a high spot off of the top rope.
“A lot of our men and women in all companies miss those all the time. I was like, ‘No, not needed, not necessary. Wasn’t necessary in your prime, isn’t necessary now. So, no.’”
Ric Flair Accompanied By Big Card
Aside from Flair’s headlining bout, there will be several other talents competing on the card from promotions such as Impact Wrestling, MLW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and AAA.
The current card for the show is as follows:
Ric Flair’s Last Match: Ric Flair and Andrade El Idolo vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal
IMPACT World Championship Match: Josh Alexander vs. Jacob Fatu
Impact Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rachael Ellering
We have some news to pass along regarding Edge and his status for WWE SummerSlam this weekend.
Initially, it was expected that Edge would make his return to Monday Night RAW on this week’s episode from Madison Square Garden. However, that didn’t happen due to travel plans apparently breaking down.
It’s believed that WWE wanted to bring Edge back this week to set him up for an appearance at SummerSlam this weekend.
Now, Mike Johnson of PWInsider has provided an update on the situation.
Johnson confirmed that both Edge and his wife, WWE Hall Of Famer Beth Phoenix, were slated for RAW this week, but plans changed shortly after news of Vince McMahon’s exit from WWE.
Initial plans did, in fact, have them slated for SummerSlam weekend, but now there’s no word on whether or not that’s still happening or if they’ll hold off on bringing “The Rated-R Superstar” at a later date.
(via WWE)
WWE has been teasing the return of Edge for weeks now with several cryptic vignettes. He hasn’t been seen since being betrayed by his fellow Judgement Day stablemates Finn Balor and Damian Priest last month.
It’s certainly possible that Edge could return this Saturday to get his revenge. The Judgement Day (Balor and Priest) are slated to face off against Dominik Mysterio and Rey Mysterio in a No Disqualification Tag Team match.
This would be the perfect opportunity for Edge to interfere and cost Balor and Preist the match. The Mysterios already picked up a big win over Priest and Balor in tag team action on RAW this week.
Bianca Belair wants to know why most of the celebrities who crossover to WWE are men, and knows a few famous females she’d like to see inside the squared circle.
WWE’s reigning Raw Women’s Champion appeared on New York’s Z100 radio station earlier this week to promote Monday’s Raw from Madison Square Garden.
While speaking about WWWE utilizing celebrities like Bad Bunny, Johnny Knoxville and Logan Paul, The EST said it’s time for a female superstar to follow suit.
“We were just talking about how there’s been a lot of male crossover into WWE on the male side, and when are we going to have a female? Who’s going to be that female that’s going to crossover into WWE and really show up and show out?”
Let’s collab. Let’s make something happen!
When asked which female celebrities she’d like to see cross over to the WWE Universe, Belair has a few people in mind. In particular, she named hip hop megastars Cardi B, Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion.
“Cardi B, Nicki, Meg, whoever wants to come out, I am a huge fan of them. They can come and get in the ring; we can tag team. They can come and perform, bring me out, let me come out to their music, my entrance music. Let’s collab. Let’s make something happen!
Cardi B & Nicki Minaj
WWE has been outspoken about wanting to work with Cardi B again. Her song “Up” served as the official theme song for SummerSlam 2021.
“Being around Snoop Dogg, everyone always called him The Boss,” Banks said.
“At the time, Floyd Mayweather was out there, Nicki Minaj, just all these larger than life characters that were flashy, cocky and flamboyant. That’s who I wanted to be.”
Last Friday, Vince McMahon announced his retirement, bringing an end to his four-decade career as part of WWE.
McMahon’s retirement comes one month after he stepped down as CEO and Chairman of WWE, due to the ongoing investigation against him.
The former Chairman is alleged to have paid over $12 million to multiple women over 16 years in Non-Disclosure Agreements.
The Tribal Chief reacts
Many WWE Superstars personally benefited from pushes by Vince McMahon, but few stars were treated better than Roman Reigns.
Under McMahon, Reigns was pushed heavily as one of the company’s biggest stars, earning a mixed response from fans.
It wouldn’t be until Reigns turned heel in August 2020 that he would win over his critics, and has dominated WWE since then.
While signing autographs following a recent appearance on the Today Show, and was asked for his comments on McMahon’s retirement.
“I just wish him nothing but luck and happiness in the future. It’s been great.”
Roman Reign on Vince McMahon’s retirement.
There’s no word on what McMahon plans on doing with all his newly-acquired free time now that he’s retired.
McMahon’s Future
Vince McMahon may be retired, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be enjoying life away from WWE.
After the two articles from the Wall Street Journal, which made the claims against McMahon, the authors have teased another article coming very soon, and have been speaking to former employees.
McMahon is still under investigation by WWE’s board, who are under investigation themselves over claims they breached their duties to shareholders, by not mentioning the McMahon scandal prior to it going public
CM Punk isn’t expecting much change within WWE despite Vince McMahon’s retirement.
With McMahon stepping down as WWE CEO, and now retiring as the head of creative for the company as well, many are expecting big changes for the promotion moving forward.
However, ex-WWE Champion and current All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Champion CM Punk doesn’t share those expectations.
“You think because he tweeted that ‘I’m retired’ you think that he’s not going to be hands-on, and he’s not gonna –
“But I don’t think the structure there, I don’t think the – what’s the word I’m looking for? I don’t think the culture there changes. At all. I think it is what it is.”
(Scott Lesh Photography)
CM Punk & WWE
Punk is no stranger to WWE. He signed with the company back in 2005 before eventually departing in 2014. During his time with the company Punk established himself as one of their biggest stars, racking up five World Title runs.
However, his relationship with the company broke down in very ugly fashion in his final months with WWE, eventually leading to Punk walking out and eventually being fired.
Punk ventured into other industries such as mixed martial arts (MMA), acting, and comic book writing during a seven-year hiatus from wrestling. He then helped shake up the professional wrestling world again when he signed with AEW in August of 2021.
After finally winning the AEW World Title from Adam Page at Double Or Nothing this past May, Punk unfortunately suffered an injury that forced him to be shelved for several months.
He’s still officially listed as the AEW World Champion, however, an interim AEW World TItle was implemented, of which Jon Moxley currently holds.
When he’s ready, Punk will likely return to feud with the interim AEW Title holder to unify their belts.
In the latest installment of the Get to Know series, we bring you a special interview with The A Show Podcast.
As the independent wrestling podcast community is increasing, some content creators have begun to create media networks. Aside from their podcast, creators may help spotlight others and bolster the overall brand.
Created by Justin Davis and Jameel Raeburn, The A Show, through their network RNC Radio has found success in this model with a growing fanbase. The podcast has published over 200 episodes and has led to the creation of other wrestling podcasts, The War Report and Rewriters Room.
I recently had the chance to speak with Davis and Raeburn about the success of their podcast, alongside The War Report’s Cyrus Blot and Melquan Allen.
Here’s the video of our discussion, followed by written highlights.
How Did The A Show Podcast Begin?
Davis and Raeburn began their venture as wrestling content creators helping with the renowned podcast WrassleRap in its early days.
Both Davis and Raeburn credit Sparks and Famuyide for learning under them. However, they also felt they didn’t get the opportunities they wanted, and their frustration led to creating their wrestling podcast.
“It was influential for myself and Meelz because we saw it from the ground floor, and a lot of the lessons I learned there were lessons that when me and Meelz started this whole thing, we said there are some of the things that we are going to do and some of the stuff we are never going to do. Most of all, being inclusive to some of the people that are there and giving everybody a chance,” said Davis.
The first episode of The A Show launched on Oct. 26, 2017. During the early stages, Davis shared he would go on his lunch break at his job and record an episode.
However, the podcast became successful over time, leading to Davis and Raeburn creating the RNC Radio Network.
? GENERATION DISRESPECT ?
On this week's episode @CyrusOnTWR & @TheComebackSpot discuss the Barbed Wire Everywhere match, Kenny Omega's speculated return and Cora Jade's disrespect!
— The A Show on RNC RADIO (@TheAShowRNC) July 22, 2022
Creating The War Report Podcast
After the success of The A Show, Davis and Raeburn wanted another wrestling show on the network. After getting to know Blot, Davis decided to help him create and host The War Report.
Blot would start his show under The A Show brand on Oct. 5, 2019. The podcast focuses on All Elite Wrestling and NXT. However, Blot’s show underwent several changes as he had different co-hosts through the years.
It wasn’t until Jan 15, 2021, when Allen became Blot’s co-host. Over the year they worked together, the podcast has thrived and gained popularity. During the interview, Davis reflected on getting Blot and Quan together to do The War Report.
“…One thing I say about every gentleman on this call right now is that I see something in everybody I come across, and I see something great in all of them. With Cyrus, I saw that Oh, he’s opinionated, and a lot of people might not like it, but I’m the same way. Why not give him a voice and let him kind of expand on that and be himself, said Davis. He also explained finding Allen as Blot’s co-host. “…It was very tough for us, and this is going to be funny. It was very tough for us to find the perfect co-host for Cyrus because he is a very acquired taste. But I’m glad we found one in Quan and I think it works best that way.”
IT’S FINALLY COMING ?
The A Show ‘Revenge Tour’ t-shirt celebrating five years and 250 episodes! #ASHOW250
— The A Show on RNC RADIO (@TheAShowRNC) July 26, 2022
What are their Future Plans?
The A Show is on track to achieving a milestone. Davis and Raeburn will have their 250th episode on Aug. 3. In celebration of reaching its landmark, the podcast will release new merchandise.
They also have plans to produce more content for their Patreon and do more video content on their Youtube channel. As for The War Report, they plan to continue to deliver consistently great content and look forward to their 200th episode next year.
The A Show podcast and the RNC Radio Network are enjoying their achievements. However, the brand is still motivated to grow and gain more success.
One WWE superstar doesn’t believe “go away heat” is an actual thing.
We’ve heard that term used throughout wrestling circles for many years. There was a time when fans referred to it as “X-Pac heat.”
The idea behind this term is that fans wouldn’t boo a heel for a job well done. Instead, “go away heat” means fans simply think the performer playing the heel isn’t very good at all and fans are booing to get rid of the wrestler.
For a current WWE superstar on the SmackDown roster, this term doesn’t truly exist.
Happy Corbin Slams “Go Away Heat”
(via WWE)
During an appearance on Bleav In Pro Wrestling, Happy Corbin expressed his belief that “go away heat” is a myth.
“That’s a make-believe term. Go-away heat would be silence cause they wouldn’t care; they don’t want to see you. But when my music hits, that’s the difference. People have to sometimes go out there and do something to get booed. The second my music hits, they are booing. That is when you have — that is when people don’t like you. It doesn’t take me punching John Cena in the face and going out and telling the crowd I’m better than John Cena to get booed.”
Happy Corbin on “go away heat”
Corbin went on to discuss the crowd reaction that Theory has been getting.
“It’s a rare trait for guys to go out there and truly want to be booed and hated because it’s 24/7 your life at that point — you are getting it on social media, you’re getting it in arenas, you’re getting it in public,” Corbin said. “Like, it is a lifestyle, and it is hard for a lot of people. For some reason, it doesn’t bother me and it doesn’t seem to bother [Theory].
“I think it’s hilarious that people hate him because the WWE Universe is always begging for new stars, new players, new talent, and this guy came in, and he’s getting a push and they’re like, ‘This — no! This isn’t what I want. I didn’t want this guy. He’s getting pushed too far’… They hate him because he’s exactly what they wanted. They wanted a fresh new star, and Austin Theory is a new star in WWE.”
It seems two AEW stars were none too pleased with a fan during a recent taping.
There have been plenty of incidents involving performers and fans in the wrestling industry for many years. Some fans have overstepped their boundaries and even attacked wrestlers.
It appears another ugly incident took place during the taping for Rampage but not much is known at this time.
Lee Moriarty & Stokely Hathaway Take Issue With Fan
(via AEW)
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio is reporting that there was some sort of altercation involving Lee Moriarty, Stokely Hathaway, and a fan. The report noted that this was more than simply two heels jousting with a member of the audience.
Details are scarce at this time but Meltzer doesn’t expect the incident to air when Rampage hits TNT this Friday night.
As of late, we’ve seen Moriarty turn to more underhanded tactics on AEW TV. He has aligned himself with Hathaway, who will serve as his manager.
Moriarty will take on Matt Sydal on this week’s edition of Rampage.
The new WWE headquarters that’s currently under renovation just took a big step forward.
After decades at the current company headquarters (1241 E. Main Street in Stamford, CT), WWE will relocate to 677 Washington Blvd in downtown Stamford soon. (As of late 2021, the plan was to move in late 2022.)
The new facility is just two miles away.
Reddit user u/BugOperator was in Stamford this week and photographed the WWE logo now appears atop the building at 677 Washington Blvd.
WWE is leasing several floors in the 13-story tower, and will also have a production center in the adjacent seven-story pavilion (per Stamford Advocate).
New WWE HQ
In WWE’s 2020 annual report, the company had this to say about the move:
“Upon completion of our move to the new global headquarters, we expect to sell our owned and operated corporate facility, exit our leased spaces and will evaluate options for our television production studio facilities based on strategic, operating and financial considerations.”
Initial plans for an early-2021 move were delayed in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(677 Washington Blvd in Stamford, CT. Photo: Stamford Advocate)
Seth Rollins is currently without a match for Saturday’s SummerSlam premium live event from Nashville, TN.
Rollins was scheduled to face Riddle on the show, but the match has been postponed after Rollins attacked Riddle on Raw. According to WWE’s storyline, Riddle sustained a ‘brachial plexus’ injury (a stinger) and is not cleared to compete this weekend.
Following the announcement that his SummerSlam match is off, Rollins took to social media to apologize to fans.
“For anyone who purchased a ticket to SummerSlam hoping to see me in action, I apologize,” he wrote. “I did everything I could over the last 6 months to earn my spot on this show, but some things are out of my control. Thank you for always singing my song. They’ll hear ya someday.”
Triple H is Listening
The tweet caught the attention of Triple H, WWE’s new Head of Talent Relations and creative. Triple H informed Rollins, “I hear you!”
WWE has yet to announce a new match for Rollins, but speculation is rampant that Triple H will make a call to an old friend to fill in for Riddle.
This is purely speculation at this point, but the prevailing theory is that we’ll see free agent (and former NXT Champion) Johnny Gargano return to WWE to battle Rollins.
Gargano was believed to be “too small” to succeed on the main roster when he made the difficult decision to leave WWE late last year. Of course, there’s now a new regime in place. Gargano thrived under Triple H in NXT, so he’d have a much better shot on Raw or SmackDown with Triple H in charge of creative. Stay tuned!
The Roast of Ric Flair takes place this Friday night in Nashville, TN. The event kicks off Starrcast V weekend, which culminates Friday night with Ric Flair’s Last Match.
The Roast of Ric Flair streams live on FITE Friday night at 8pm (Eastern).
Order Starrcast V, including The Roast of Ric Flair, Ric Flair’s Last Match and much more ($99.99)
SEScoops correspondents Webmaster Mike and Ella Jay will be in Nashville this weekend covering Starrcast and SummerSlam weekend. Follow SEScoops on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see all of our on-site coverage.
Flair Wants Vince to Roast Him
In the lead-up to The Roast of Ric Flair, the Nature Boy asks, who better to roast him than longtime friend and former WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon?
In the fallout of McMahon’s retirement from WWE, Flair joked, “I’m trying to get him to come to Nashville now!”
Starrcast organizer Conrad Thompson quickly added, “He’s welcome, we’d love to have him as the special guest enforcer for the main event.”
Flair and Vince’s relationship goes back several decades. They’ve had their ups and downs, but McMahon has been there for Flair through some tough times he’s experienced.
Ric Flair added, “I want him to roast me, he certainly has in real life enough!”
He then impersonated McMahon and joked, “80’s heels don’t draw you stupid SOB Don’t ever bring a lawyer to see me. I don’t like lawyers, who are these two jack-offs?”
Flair added, “I started crying and so did the lawyers!”
Watch Ric Flair joking about Vince McMahon roasting him here:
Roast of Ric Flair Special Guests
Announced guests for The Roast of Ric Flair:
Torrie Wilson – WWE Hall Of Famer
DDP – WWE Hall Of Famer
Eddie George – NFL Hall Of Famer
Vickie Guerrero – AEW Superstar
Tie Domi – NHL Legend
Brian Knobbs – Multi-Time Tag Team Champion
Eric Bischoff – WWE Hall Of Famer
Earl Skakel – Comedian and Host of The Inappropriate Earl Podcast
Tyler Morrison – Comedian and Host of Fight Stories
Dan St. Germain – Comedian and Host of Wrestle Roast
Shuli Egar – Comedian and Host of The Shuli Show
Corey Ryan Forrester – Comedian and Host of Puttin On Airs
Casio Kid – Comedian, Morning DJ Rocket 95.1 and Host of Casio’s Cut
Once again, you can order The Roast of Ric Flairnow at FITE for just $19.99. The event streams this Friday, July 29th at 8pm (Eastern).
Over the past month, a lot has been said about retirements in wrestling.
Last week, Vince McMahon retired, a month after stepping down as CEO and Chairman of WWE due to the ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct with female employees.
This Sunday, Ric Flair will officially retire from wrestling, having his final ever match as part of Starrcast V.
A Happy Plan
WWE Superstar Happy Corbin is several decades younger than either McMahon or Flair, but he too has plans for his retirement.
Speaking with Rick Ucchino, Corbin said that he has already thought about when he will be finishing his time in WWE.
“I want to have another five or ten years here in WWE, but eventually, like all athletes at some point, our body doesn’t keep up with our minds anymore.”
Happy Corbin on when he plans on retiring from wrestling.
Corbin also spoke about what he’ll do after he hangs up his wrestling boots for good, and has some strong connections with the Food Network.
I’ve made some good buddies in the Food Network world. Chef Aaron May is one of my good buddies. He’s always on Guy’s Grocery Games… I definitely want to get into that food world, whether it’s Food Network, or it’s my own YouTube stuff, or, you know, my buddy Aaron does a lot of stuff where he’s a guest, where he’s a celebrity sponsored cook… There’s a lot of really cool opportunities that food will bring when I’m done throwing people like Pat McAfee around in a ring.”
“I definitely want to get into that food world, whether it’s Food Network, or it’s my own YouTube stuff.”
Happy Corbin on plans for after he retires.
Corbin will face Pat McAfee at this Saturday’s Summerslam Premium Live Event.
