Brody King has been a mainstay of AEW for years now, and has a very unique look.
Kings’s body is covered in tattoos, which cover his entire torso, as well as his arms and legs.
Now, King has a new tattoo, related to his ongoing storyline in the company.
Brody King’s brand-new ink
As a member of the House of Black, Brody King is currently feuding with Darby Allin, and has routinely attacked the former AEW TNT Champion.
Now, King has a new tattoo to reflect his current feud with Allin, with the new ink depicting a tombstone, with the carving ‘HERE LIES DARBY ALLIN.’
AEW’s official Twitter account was eager to show off the new tattoo that has added the many on King’s body.
While some fans thought the new tattoo was very cool in the comments, many questioned getting the ink for a feud which will ultimately end in the not so distant future.
This week’s edition of Dynamite was held inside the DCU Center in Worchester, MA. The show featured an interim AEW World Championship match between Jon Moxley and RUSH.
Fans also witnessed two FTW Title matches with Danhausen failing to defeat Ricky Starks for the gold but HOOK succeeding.
Afterward, a massive babyface turn took place and it was caused by the break up of a tag team.
Post-Show
The main event of Dynamite featured the return of Bryan Danielson, who didn’t have a match since Anarchy in the Arena back in May due to injury.
Danielson shared the ring with Daniel Garcia and the match was very well received. It also had a shocking ending.
Jake Hager ended up holding Danielson’s leg, allowing Garcia to capitalize with a piledriver. He then locked in a Sharpshooter and Danielson passed out from the pain.
That’s right, Daniel Garcia defeated Bryan Danielson.
SEScoops correspondent Jaychele Nicole was in attendance and she captured footage of what transpired after the TBS broadcast went off the air.
As expected, AEW has introduced trios titles. The announcement was made during the July 27 edition of AEW Dynamite.
A tournament to crown the inaugural AEW World Trios Champions will begin soon. The finals will take place at the upcoming All Out pay-per-view from Chicago on September 4th.
AEW has no less than a dozen teams who could participate in a trios division. For a full list of all the trios teams in AEW, visit our AEW Roster page.
Check out the official announcement:
#AEW World Trios Championship Tournament is coming soon to AEW, the finals will be at #AEWAllOut Sunday, Sept. 4th LIVE on PPV! ? at https://t.co/UN1cNj1kQq
Here’s a closer look at the new belts, created by Ron Edwardsen of Red Leather:
AEW Trios Titles
AEW President Tony Khan told TSN back in May that the AEW World Trios Championship had been created a while back.
“I made them a long time ago, to be honest with you They’ve never been seen, and I did have them made. I do have more championship belts in my possession that have never been unveiled than anybody might suspect. The TBS Championship was in my office for months at the shows before anybody knew it was going to be unveiled, for example, recently.”
“The Ring of Honor purchase and now the great stable of champions[hips] and IP and, not only the legacy of past events, but the great slate of, I think, potential future events we can do with Ring of Honor and all that was kind of a surprise to everybody that we kept under wraps. That came together more quickly, whereas the trios championships are something I’ve thought about for a long time.
“But there are more championship belts than people might think that I’ve had up my sleeve and the trios championship are, arguably, the foremost.”
There’s a lot of speculation on who could be in contention. Fightful recently brought word that Kenny Omega will be making his return soon. It’s possible that he will align with The Young Bucks to go after the newly-announced gold. With that said, The Young Bucks have also been seemingly trying to get back in Hangman Page’s good graces.
Of course, the potential formations are simply speculation at this time.
An AEW star has turned face, while his former tag team partner caused their split.
The July 27 episode of Dynamite went down inside the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. On the show, Ricky Starks put the FTW Championship on the line against Danhausen.
Starks successfully retained the gold but he wasn’t done there. He demanded another title challenger on the spot.
HOOK answered the call.
It didn’t take long for HOOK to get the submission win to pick up the first championship of his pro wrestling career.
After the match, the two showed respect for one another.
Powerhouse Hobbs Turns on Ricky Starks
When the show returned from commercial break, Starks gave a passionate speech about making the FTW Championship relevant again.
He said he was tired of waiting around for a big opportunity. It seemed he was ready to reveal his intentions to go for an official AEW singles title.
Before he could finish his promo, Powerhouse Hobbs attacked him.
Hobbs left Starks laying in the center of the ring after landing a spinebuster.
The next title challenger for Jon Moxley’s AEW World Championship has been revealed.
Moxley was in action to open the July 27 episode of Dynamite. He put the interim AEW World Championship on the line against RUSH. Despite interference from Andrade El Idolo, Moxley was able to score the win and retain his gold.
After the match, Moxley’s next title challenger made his entrance.
Jon Moxley vs. Chris Jericho
That title challenger turned out to be Chris Jericho. He made his way out with fellow Jericho Appreciation Society members.
Jericho laid down the challenge to Moxley for the Quake by the Lake episode of Dynamite on Aug. 10 in Minneapolis, MN.
Moxley accepted but on the condition that Jericho leaves his fellow JAS members behind and doesn’t show up as “The Wizard.”
Instead, Moxley wants to see the return of “The Lionheart.”
There is a lot of history between these two. Jericho was the inaugural AEW World Champion. Moxley would eventually end his reign.
AEW Dynamite Fight for the Fallen aired live from the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. Bryan Danielson made his return tonight and battled Daniel Garcia in the main event. It was also announced that the Undisputed Elite will be returning to AEW on Dynamite next week.
Jon Moxley def. Rush to retain the AEW Interim Championship
Ricky Starks def. Danhausen to retain the FTW Championship
Hook def. Ricky Starks to capture the FTW Championship
Sammy Guevara def. Dante Martin
Swerve Strickland def. Mark Sterling & Tony Nese in a Handicap match
Thunder Rosa def. Miyu Yamashita to retain the AEW Women’s Championship
Daniel Garcia def. Bryan Danielson
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show.
Jon Moxley Retained, Trios Titles Announced
Jon Moxley defended the Interim AEW Championship against Rush in the first match of the night. Rush controlled the match early and knocked Moxley out of the ring. Rush bounced Jon’s head off the chair and Moxley was already bleeding five minutes into the show. Moxley delivered some headbutts to Rush and stomped on him in the corner of the ring. Rush battled back and busted Jon open some more. The action spilled outside the ring again and Moxley launched Rush into the steel steps.
Back in the ring, Moxley and the challenger traded chops to the chest. Rush got the better of the exchange and planted the champion with a release German Suple for a near fall. Rush applied a Crossface in the middle of the ring but Jon was able to escape. Moxley booted Rush in the midsection and unloaded a flurry of kicks to Rush’s face.
Rush connected with an elbow to the face and followed it up with a Belly to Belly Suplex into the turnbuckle. Jon shoved Rush to the canvas and climbed to the top rope. Andrade El Idolo shoved Moxley off the top turnbuckle as the referee was distracted. Lucha Bros chased El Idolo away as Rush connected with a Piledriver on Moxley for a near fall.
Jon dodged a Dropkick and locked in the Guillotine Choke. Moxley followed it up with the Deathrider and went for the cover but Rush kicked out at two. Jon then choked Rush out for the victory in an awesome match. Jon Moxley retains the AEW Championship. Jericho Appreciation Society interrupted. Jericho and Moxley traded some words and it was announced Jon will defend his title against Chris in two weeks. Moxley said he hates the sports entertainment shit that Jericho is doing and wants to battle the Lionheart.
AEW Trios titles were finally announced tonight. There will be a tournament to crown the inaugural champions at AEW All Out.
#AEW World Trios Championship Tournament is coming soon to AEW, the finals will be at #AEWAllOut Sunday, Sept. 4th LIVE on PPV! ? at https://t.co/UN1cNj1kQq
Ricky Starks Lost The FTW Title & Was Betrayed By Powerhouse Hobbs
Ricky Starks defended the FTW Championship against Danhausen tonight on Dynamite. Danhausen connected with a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count to start off the match. Starks ran into the turnbuckle and Danhausen rolled him up for a two count. Starks then hit a Spear for the pinfall victory. Ricky wanted another challenger to face tonight and HOOK answered the call to a big pop from the crowd.
Starks went for a punch but Hook ducked and unloaded some strikes. Hook followed it up with a Pumphandle Suplex. Ricky caught Hook with a Spear and went for the Roshambo but Hook countered into Redrum in the middle of the ring for the submission victory. Hook is the new FTW Champion. Starks and Hook shook hands after the match.
Ricky then cut a passionate promo about how he is tired of waiting his turn. Powerhouse Hobbs then betrayed Ricky Starks and Team Taz. Hobbs laid out Starks with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Spinebuster.
Dante Martin battled Sammy Guevara tonight on Dynamite. Tay Conti and Skye Blue were ringside for the match. Martin connected with a Dropkick and mocked Sammy a couple of times with poses. Dante flipped onto Sammy off the entrance ramp before bringing him back to the ring.
Sammy capitalized and connected with a slam before applying a headlock in the middle of the ring. Guevara launched Dante into the ring post and did a snow angel in the ring for some reason.
Dante sent him over the top rope with a Back Body Drop and went for a springboard move but jumped into a knee strike. Sammy then flipped onto Dante before rolling him back inside the ring. Guevara hit a standing Spanish Fly for a two count. Sammy hit a springboard Cutter and then the GTH for the pinfall victory. After the match, Jericho Appreciation Society attacked but Ruby Soho, Eddie Kingston, and Ortiz broke it up.
Jungle Boy cut a promo tonight with Luchasaurus and Tony Schiavone in the ring. Jungle Boy shouted that Christian Cage is the biggest p*ssy in the world to start off the promo. He has watched Cage talk shit about his family and noted that Christian needed money because his wife divorced him.
Jungle Boy brought up his deceased father but Christian Cage interrupted from backstage. Christian told Luchasaurus that he could have guided him but he threw it all away to be Jungle Boy’s lapdog. Cage claimed that he sprinted up the stairway last week to get away from Jungle Boy because he was afraid of what he might do to him. Cage vowed to put Jungle Boy in a body bag so he could cozy up to his father.
Swerve Strickland Picked Up A Win, Josh Woods Attacked Keith Lee
Tony Nese and Mark Sterling battled Swerve Strickland in a Handicap match. Sterling and Nese were in control for the first few minutes before Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Strickland took out Nese and chased Mark Sterling around the ring. Strickland caught up to him in the middle of the ring and hit him with the Swerve Stomp for the pinfall victory. After the match, Keith Lee was attacked backstage by Josh Woods. Tony Nese hit Swerve Strickland with a tag title to the face.
Thunder Rosa Retained The AEW Women’s Championship Match
Thunder Rosa defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Miyu Yamashita at Fight for the Fallen. The action started out back and forth for the first few minutes with neither wrestler getting an advantage. Miyu kneed Thunder Rosa in the midsection and knocked her out of the ring. The champion responded with a Dropkick as Dynamite went to a break.
When Dynamite returned, Rosa and Yamashita traded strikes in the middle of the ring and took control. Rosa planted Yamashita with the Thunder Driver for the pinfall victory. Thunder Rosa is still the AEW Women’s Champion.
Danielson started off the match with a Dropkick to Garcia’s face and knocked him out of the ring. Bryan hit a Suicide Dive but Garcia battled back. Daniel sent Danielson into the barricade before ripping up the padding on the floor to expose the concrete below.
Bryan broke up the referee’s count before hitting some Yes Kicks. Danielson connected with a massive running Dropkick and celebrated with the fans. Bryan climbed to the top rope and delivered another Dropkick.
Danielson sold a head injury and Garcia dragged him out of the ring. Garcia launched Danielson into the steel steps and followed it up with a DDT on the concrete as Dynamite went to the final commercial break of the night.
Daniel Garcia busted Danielson open and booted him in the head a few times when Dynamite returned. Bryan hit a forearm to the face but fell back down to the mat. Garcia kept stomping away at Danielson’s head before hitting some chops to the chest.
Bryan battled back in the corner with a bunch of strikes to the midsection before connecting with a Belly to Back Suplex off the top turnbuckle. Danielson hit Garcia with some kicks to the chest before booting him in the side of the head. Garcia went for a choke but Danielson powered to his feet. Bryan countered into a Tiger Suplex for a two count.
Garcia applied an armbar before reigning down elbow strikes to Danielson’s face. Bryan withstood the strikes and then started elbowing the hell out of Garica. Danielson hit another Suplex for a near fall before firing up the crowd. Bryan went for the Running Knee but Garcia countered with a Clothesline for a two count.
Danielson hit the Running Knee and went for the LeBell Lock but Daniel escaped. Bryan hit another Running Knee off the ring apron and rolled him into the ring. Someone grabbed his leg from under the apron and Garcia capitalized with a Piledriver. Garcia then applied a Sharpshooter and Danielson passed out. It was then revealed to be Jake Hager that tripped Danielson up. Jericho posed with Hager and Garcia over Danielson to close the show.
WWE Summerslam will take place this Saturday, in the first instance of the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’ not taking place in August.
The show will feature some of WWE’s biggest names, including Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Becky Lynch, and others.
These Superstars are established names of WWE, recognisable around the world, but WWE is looking for its next breakout stars.
The Tryouts
With one of WWE’s biggest events of the year taking place this Saturday, the promotion has began hosting tryouts for potential future Superstars.
These tryouts will be the first of their kind in the post-Vince McMahon era, after the former WWE CEO and Chairman announced his retirement last Friday.
SEScoops will be on hand this Friday for Day 3 of the WWE Summerslam tryouts. SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay will provide an exclusive look inside the latest WWE Tryout Camp on the SEScoops social media channels.
Updates from the tryouts will be shared on our Twitter and Instagram pages.
The tyrouts also mark the first tryouts that Triple H will be attending since being appointed head of WWE Talent Relations and head of WWE Creative.
The ‘King of Kings’ has been joined by former WWE Champion Big E, who is continuing to recover from a broken neck suffered in March.
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is on hand and delivered this impassioned speech to the athletes:
WWE Summerslam takes place this Saturday night from Nashville, TN at Nissan Stadium. Nearly 40,000 fans will be on hand to witness WWE’s first premium live event without Vince McMahon at the helm.
Note: SEScoops will be on hand for this year’s Summerslam weekend. Follow the SEScoops Instagram account so you can follow along with our coverage in the lead-up to SummerSlam, and during SummerSlam/Starrcast weekend.
SEScoops correspondents Andrew Ravens, Jaychele Nicole and Joey G have assembled to provide our official WWE SummerSlam predictions.
Updated WWE SummerSlam Preview & Betting Odds
The Mysterios vs. Finn Balor & Damian Priest
Jaychele Nicole: I could see The Mysterios getting their revenge for the beatdown they were subjected to on Monday Night RAW. I could also see The Judgment Day losing after Edge returns and interferes in the matchup. With Edge’s travel to Raw being canceled, I believe he’ll likely show up at SummerSlam. However, I could also see The Judgment Day getting the win because I just believe they are due for a win on a big stage. (Prediction: The Mysterios)
Andrew Ravens: Balor and Priest probably need to go over here to continue their momentum, but booking 101 calls for the father-son duo to go over as they get their revenge, especially since Rey was put through a table on Monday’s Raw. However, Rey does have a storyline injury so he may be the one pinned. I’m siding with the heels here to go over, but I can see it going the other way. (Prediction: Finn Balor & Damian Priest)
Joey G: This match would be harder to pick if they didn’t just run it on monday. Since the Mysterios had their big moment then I believe Balor and Priest get the victory here. Whether this feud continues after this contest is the real question. (Prediction Balor & Priest)
Consensus: Split
Happy Corbin vs. Pat McAfee
Jaychele Nicole: Like Logan Paul, this is another match that was booked to spotlight the newcomer. I always really enjoy Pat McAfee’s matches and I think that he is another natural talent. This match will be another win for Pat, which I believe he is deserving of. Pat is a natural babyface, just like how Corbin is a natural heel. I think that the crowd will react as intended and Pat will once again overdeliver. (Prediction: Pat McAfee)
Joey G: Pat McAfee remains one of WWE’s best signings in the last few years. His charisma is unmatched, and his dedication to wrestling is admirable. Corbin serves as the perfect opponent, because a loss doesn’t hurt. (Prediction: Pat McAfee)
Andrew Ravens: Pat should go over. Corbin, a heel, doesn’t lose any moment with a defeat, and the crowd loves Pat, so it’s a win-win situation. It should be a fun match, and fans will have high expectations for McAfee’s performance in this one following his WrestleMania 38 match. (Prediction: Pat McAfee)
Consensus: Pat McAfee
Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch
Jaychele Nicole: I’m hoping that this match is less than 25 seconds. I know that sounds so incredibly petty, but it would be so memorable and a great callback. I am not expecting that at all, as I think the match will be comparable to their WrestleMania match, but it would be an interesting addition to their long storied history. I don’t see Bianca Belair losing her title here, or at least until the Royal Rumble for that matter. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Andrew Ravens: Honestly, this feud is starting to get tiring. It’s a good story, but WWE has gone back to this feud so many times this year, and it’s time for something different. I don’t see Lynch winning because Belair is so over right now with the fans. A great match ending with Belair retaining the title. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Joey G: The feud that started one-year ago. Belair may have gotten the title back from Lynch at Mania but the shadow of the 26-second loss at last year’s SummerSlam still hovers above her. This seems like a fitting setting to end this epic feud, and open up a new path for both women. Belair retains and moves on to Ripley. Lynch perhaps gets ready for a returning Bayley or a showdown with Rousey. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Consensus: Bianca Belair
United States Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Theory
Andrew Ravens: It doesn’t make much sense for Theory to win the title back just a few weeks after losing it, but crazier things have happened in WWE before, so you can’t rule anything out. Keep Lashley strong with him retaining the title. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley)
Jaychele Nicole: While Theory has the Money In The Bank briefcase, I can’t see him also holding the United States Championship. I also think that there are too many people against Theory that would try to interfere before he could get the win. I think that Theory will be cashing in later on in the night, so this match won’t even really be remembered after that moment. (Prediction; Theory)
Joey G: Don’t know what they have planned for Theory, but ain’t no way he’s sneaking one over the Almighty One. Lashley has gained momentum as a babyface, and a lengthy U.S. title run seems like a safe bet. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley)
Consensus: Bobby Lashley
Logan Paul vs. The Miz
Andrew Ravens: I would be shocked if Paul doesn’t win here. He gets his revenge on Miz for laying him out at WrestleMania, and they move on. It will be interesting to see whether Paul can follow up on his performance from Mania in this match. It also sets the tone for what his future singles matches will look like. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Jaychele Nicole: I think that this is an easy win for Logan Paul. The Miz is the perfect first singles opponent for Logan Paul as he can take a loss with no problem. I think this will be another good showing for Logan because he is just a natural. I’m most interested in seeing how he works the match as a babyface since his first match was tag team match where he was the heel. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Consensus: Logan Paul
Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The Street Profits (with Jeff Jarrett as the special guest referee)
Andrew Ravens: It appears WWE is going in the direction of splitting up The Street Profits and strapping a rocket to the back of Montez Ford. They did the cheap finish at Money in the Bank to keep this feud alive, which doesn’t give me any confidence in a title change. (Prediction: The Usos)
Joey G: Usos are one of the best tag teams in WWE’s long history, but the lack of fresh matchups they’ve had over the last two years is starting to weigh their reign down. With me choosing Reigns to retain in the main event it seems like a safe pick to think that the the Usos continue carrying gold as well. (Prediction: The Usos)
Jaychele Nicole: I believe that this is another victory for The Usos. As much as I wish that The Street Profits were winning, this is The Usos match. I don’t see anything changing with the structure of The Bloodline. I would be interested to see the spiral of Roman and The Bloodline if The Usos were to lose the titles here. I think that the match will be good, but I think it’s more likely that Montez Ford will win singles gold before The Street Profits win another tag team championship. (Prediction: The Usos)
Consensus: The Usos
SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs. Ronda Rousey
Andrew Ravens: Honestly, this is a pick ’em. The fans were strongly behind Morgan, and WWE went with her because they needed a new top babyface on SmackDown. Rousey will always be booked strongly, so it could go either way if they feel like Rousey needs to be champion again. I think they keep the title on Morgan. (Prediction: Liv Morgan)
Jaychele Nicole: This should is a must win for Liv Morgan. After the way she won the SmackDown Women’s Championship, Liv is in need of a high-profile win Defeating Ronda at SummerSlam would definitely fill that void. Liv really needs this win to add some legitimacy to her title reign. Ronda can take a loss because her character and star power don’t really depend on this match, but for Liv, I think it does. (Prediction: Liv Morgan)
Joey G: Liv got her big moment at Money In The Bank, and has since had a few successful defense on television. However, my guess would be a fresh Rousey takes her title back and holds it until another showdown with Becky Lynch comes up. I hope I’m wrong. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Consensus: Liv Morgan
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar – Last Man Standing Match
Andrew Ravens: WWE needed a big main event, and they returned to this feud. I don’t see a reason for Lesnar going over here, but I do see it as a placeholder for Drew McIntyre to beat Reigns at Clash at the Castle for one of the titles. Lesnar stays strong but loses in the end. Another question is what WWE does with Lesnar next if he’s not in the title picture. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Joey G: Reigns and Lesnar do have chemistry together, but the two have never produced a match as good as their original clash at Mania 31. It also feels super unnecessary to run this back after the two just met at this year’s Mania, but alas plans changed and WWE felt this was their best headliner. Doesn’t feel like the Beast ends the Tribal Chief’s reign. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Jaychele Nicole: I don’t think this match will be any different than their last three or four matches with Reigns coming out as the victor. I feel like Reigns’ “Tribal Chief” character has gotten stale quickly due to the lack of character progression. Since I believe this will be Roman’s match, I hope that they are saving his eventual defeat for a young star who could be sent to the moon by their victory. I also believe that this is Brock’s last match in WWE, which is ironic because he’s likely losing a Last Man Standing match. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Now that Triple H is the Head of WWE Creative, let’s explore five changes we’d like to see with Triple H in charge.
This week, Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE, after decades of running the company. Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan are now Co-Chief Executive Officers, while Stephanie is the sole Chairwoman of WWE now.
McMahon’s retirement comes one month after he stepped down as CEO and Chairman of the Board, due to the allegations of misconduct against multiple female employees.
McMahon is alleged to have paid over $12 million in Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) over 16 years.
WWE executive Paul Levesque (Triple H) has assumed “all responsibilities related to WWE’s creative,” the company announced on July 25.
With Triple H officially running creative, let’s explore five things we’d like to see changed in WWE.
The Women’s Division
At Money In The Bank, we saw Liv Morgan become the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Though there are many thoughts to be had on the quickness of her cash in which you can read here. However, this is a historic title win. Since Liv won the title from Ronda Rousey, it marked the first exchange of the SmackDown Women’s Championship that didn’t include any of the Four Horsewomen since Natalya won it from Naomi in 2017.
With that noted, it seems like we are beginning to transition away from the crutches of the Four Horsewomen. To be fair, three out of the four are currently out of action. So, it is more likely that they are forced to rely on the younger generation. Regardless, it’s a win for the future of women’s wrestling.
Three out of the four horsewomen are currently not active in the company. Sasha Banks is suspended. Charlotte is still taking time off. And Bayley has not yet returning from her injury. So, the WWE has been forced to center the up-and-coming stars of the division. Liv Morgan finally had her moment at Money In The Bank and Bianca Belair got her redemption at WrestleMania 38. As the division moves forward, there are many women ready and waiting to become the present of the division.
(WWE)
The following WWE Superstars represent the future of the WWE Women’s Division and deserve the opportunity to fulfill their destiny: Rhea Ripley, Queen Zelina, Doudrop, Raquel Rodriquez, Xia Li, Alba Fyre, Cora Jade, Elektra Lopez, Indi Hartwell, Io Shirai, Ivy Nile, Tiffany Stratton, Sarray, Roxanne Perez and many others.
I would love to see more women’s matches added to Premium Live Events outside of the usual championship matches. On a show like Raw, with so much talent, the division would benefit from a more fleshed-out mid-card.
I believe in Triple H’s booking ability as he’s proven during his time in NXT that he can create stars in that division like Shayna Baszler, Rhea Ripley, Asuka, Ember Moon, Paige, Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha Banks, and many others.
Tag Team Wrestling
The Street Profits
One of the things that have fallen to the wayside in recent years is the art of tag team wrestling within WWE. With The Usos holding both championships, there are no teams that are viewed as actual contenders to the title.
Tag teams get split up within weeks within WWE. That goes for both the women’s and men’s tag team divisions. In NXT, we saw Cora Jade and Roxanne split up after only teaming together for about a month. None of the teams in the Women’s Tag Team Championship match that took place at WrestleMania 38 are currently together. The match featured the teams of Sasha Banks & Naomi, Carmella & Queen Zelina, Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley, and Natalya & Shayna Baszler.
FTR have said that they left WWE because of the lack of effort put into the tag team division. By rejuvenating the tag team division, WWE may be able to grab some major tag teams. Obviously, this would help the company overall. There are also many tag teams in NXT that show incredible potential and may help to advance the status of the main roster tag team division like The Creed Brothers, The Dyad, Legado Del Fantasma, Pretty Deadly, and others.
Superstar Branding: Names & Theme Songs
One of the main changes we’ve witnessed within WWE recently is the change in how the superstars are being branded. Superstars are being presented with new names and theme songs. Many of these changes happen without explanation or good reason at all.
Part of a superstar’s success is reliant on their identity and branding. For example, superstars like Edge, John Cena, Randy Orton, The Hardyz, Chris Jericho, and many others have incredibly memorable theme songs that make them easily recognizable.
People like Edge, Ciampa, Alexa Bliss, Riddle, Gunther, Wes Lee, Alba Fyre, Lacey Evans, Shayna Baszler, Liv Morgan, Theory, and many others have debuted new entrance music across all of WWE’s television. In the Royal Rumble, we saw how detrimental this could be when fans weren’t able to recognize superstars by their entrance music.
A majority of these changes appear to be unnecessary. As a former wrestler, Triple H would be able to understand the importance of maintaining solid branding throughout your career. There would be a lot more synergy as superstars wouldn’t face full-on character changes when they move up to the main roster.
No More Unnecessary Name Changes
In 2022 alone, there have been 19 name changes. Some of the people who faced name changes had created a name for themselves outside of the WWE. Many believe this was likely the reason for the name change. The need to own everything is incredibly unnecessary as the legacy of the superstars should be prioritized.
Below, you will see the name changes that took place this year along with their previous name:
Kacy Catanzaro became Katana Chance
Kay Lee Ray became Alba Fyre
Raul Mendoza became Cruz Del Toro
Austin Theory became Theory
Raquel Gonzalez became Raquel Rodriguez
Marcel Barthel became Ludwig Kaiser
Pretty Deadly: Lewis Howley became Elton Prince & Sam Stoker became Kit Wilson
Elias became Ezekiel
King Woods became Xavier Woods
Kayla Inlay became Kiana James
Pete Dunne became Butch
Saurav became Sanga
WALTER became Gunther
Seth Rollins became Seth “Freakin” Rollins
LA Knight became Max Dupri
Tommaso Ciampa became Ciampa
Robert Stone became Mr. Stone
Channing Lauren became Channing Lorenzo
Simone Johnson became Ava Raine
Fewer Rematches
A report by Fightful Select (subscription required) stated that with Triple H a person working in and near creative expected “recall of what we have and haven’t done repeatedly. There were so many things that Vince insisted on doing that I’m pretty sure he didn’t remember doing over and over again, even when people would tell him.”
One of the many reasons that WWE’s programming has begun to become “stale” is because of the use of rematches in storylines. This does nothing for the superstars or stories except trading wins and losses.
We have seen Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns way too many times. I don’t believe that this is because Vince forgot that they did the match, but because of the lack of original ideas. I also think that it’s possible that the writers in WWE have had original ideas but because of the authoritarian leadership of Vince, they were ignored or turned down.
Stars like Bianca Belair, Bobby Lashley, The Street Profits, Charlotte, and others have had their abilities limited due to the number of rematches they’ve been booked in. Most matches on regular TV programming are already short, and the intrigue of most matches is gone after doing them the week before. Many times we have also seen creative burn big matches by booking them too early or too many times in general.
Fewer Premium Live Events
With WWE’s current schedule, there are 12 premium live event shows each year. The schedule of the premium live events only allows for about a month’s time to book a feud through the pay-per-view.
In AEW, there are normally around three months in between pay-per-views. I’m not saying that it should be exactly that length, but spreading out the shows could make them all feel more important. For example, just leaving the big five pay-per-views: Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, Money In The Bank, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series would benefit programming so much.
A schedule adjustment could lead to an increase in the quality of TV programming. A change in schedule would make the matches become more meaningful. Time and time again we have seen WWE put meaningless matches on pay-per-views because they need to fill space. Most times the matches are just used as filler for the card. However, more storylines will gain true substance and will deserve to be on the card.
Tony Khan has revealed two top stars who have years left on their All Elite Wrestling (AEW) deals.
The AEW president was recently a guest on Busted Open Radio where he discussed the contract statuses of two of his top stars. Those being Adam Cole and Malakai Black.
With Vince McMahon now out at WWE, and Triple H taking over creative, there has been speculation that some recently departed stars could consider returning.
However, in regards to Cole and Black, specifically, Khan notes that the pair are still contracted with AEW for several more years.
“Adam Cole is signed until 2027 now,” Tony Khan said. “I wouldn’t expect to see him going anywhere anytime soon. Malakai Black has almost five years left on his deal. I wouldn’t expect him going anywhere anytime soon.”
(via AEW)
Cole spent five years with WWE after signing with the company in 2017. During his time with the company he never left the developmental brand of NXT, however, he became a staple in the brand.
His run resulted in an NXT Championship win, along with a NXT North American Championship, as well as an NXT Tag Team Title reign.
Cole put on some memorable matches for the brand, and admitted it was an emotional exit for him when he decided to leave. Especially given the relationship he built with Triple H and Shawn Michaels, who were very hands on during his run with the company.
Soon after, he made his shocking debut at the AEW All Out pay-per-view (PPV), reuniting with his former Bullet Club brethren Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. This moment was especially memorable, as it was followed by the debut of Bryan Danielson just moments later.
As for Black, he also spent five years with WWE after signing with them in 2016.
Black spent most of his time with WWE on NXT as well, however, he was eventually called up to the main roster. Although he was a top singles star on NXT, winning the NXT Title at one point, he never seemed to get anything going as a singles competitor on the main roster.
He signed with AEW in July of 2021, making his debut on an episode of Dynamite.
This Saturday will mark WWE’s annual Summerslam Premium Live Event, marking the first time the show has taken place outside the month of August.
The show will feature Superstars from both Raw and SmackDown, including a main event Last Man Standing match between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.
Updated WWE SummerSlam Preview
Match Pulled
Summerslam 2022, the first Premium Live Event of the post-Vince McMahon era will be a huge event, but one match is off the card.
On Twitter, WWE confirmed that Raw Superstar Riddle has been medically disqualified from competing at Summerslam.
WWE explained that due to an attack by Seth Rollins, who Riddle was scheduled to face at Summerslam, the ‘Original Bro’ has suffered a brachial plexus injury, more commonly known to fans as a ‘stinger.’
BREAKING: @WWERollins injured @SuperKingofBros with a vicious attack on #WWERaw that resulted in a brachial plexus injury (a stinger). Riddle is medically disqualified until full strength returns.
Rollins’ attack came during this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw.
WWE has confirmed that the match has been postponed until a later date, but did not disclose a specific date when the two will face off.
The match had been considered a potential show-stealer as both men are very strong workers who have been prominently pushed on WWE programming.
Rollins had this to say about his SummerSlam match being postponed:
For anyone who purchased a ticket to #SummerSlam hoping to see me in action, I apologize. 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.
AEW President Tony Khan has provided additional commentary on the fallout from WWE’s big management shakeup.
By now, you’ve probably heard that Vince McMahon is out and Triple H has taken over as the head of Creative and Talent Relations.
The shakeup will bring a revitalized approach to who is hired and how they are booked. We saw an entire generation of NXT stars fail to translate on the main roster, many of whom have left the company and joined All Elite Wrestling. In fact, Fightfulreports that one top free agent is now much more likely to sign with WWE, in light of Vince’s departure.
Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio on Wednesday to promote tonight’s Fight for the Fallen edition of AEW Dynamite.
During his weekly “Tony Time” segment, TK addressed the buzz that certain AEW performers might be interested in returning to WWE now that Triple H is steering the ship.
Khan said, “I am a little amused that, changes in the competition.. people think that it’s just going to magically change the landscape,” and mocked some of the ‘hot takes’ he’s seen on Twitter this week.
“You know, I’ve got people signed for 5 years and people think just because the CEO, the Chairman, the head of creative, those positions change in the competition, people I have 5-year contracts with are just going to magically switch teams? Like, Good luck with that.”
Khan mentioned Adam Cole and Malakai Black in particular, as two stars who fit the “NXT mold” under Triple H who fans think might be wandering back to WWE.
“Adam Cole is signed until 2027 now,” said Khan. “I wouldn’t expect to see him going anywhere anytime soon. Malakai Black has almost five years left on his deal. I wouldn’t expect him going anywhere anytime soon.”
Adam Cole and Malakai Black won’t be going anywhere any time soon, but there’s no question that Triple H taking over creative will have an impact on the free agent market. Instantly, stars such as Johnny Gargano, Bray Wyatt and even Sasha Banks have a lot to think about regarding their next career moves.
Listen to Tony Khan’s comments about the big shakeup in WWE:
ICYMI ?
"People think just because…positions change in the competition, that people I have 5-year contracts with are just magically gonna switch teams? Good luck with that."
Ric Flair is getting candid about his last professional wrestling match later this month.
The professional wrestling legend will be teaming up with his son-in-law and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Andrade El Idolo against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal on July 31 from Nashville, Tennessee on pay-per-view (PPV).
Flair was recently interviewed by TMZ Sports to preview his upcoming match on the Nashville show. “The Nature Boy” was asked if there was ever any hesitancy to jump back into the ring at this point in his life.
The two-time WWE Hall Of Famer admitted he did at first, however, over the past few weeks of training and seeing his physical ability improve, he’s feeling much better about everything.
“It did until the last couple of weeks. It was so hard to go from just regular working out to getting in shape to doing this. But I’ve basically done everything in the ring that I can do in the match.
“For me it was a question of picking up the pacing, you know, I needed to be able to get up and down faster. So I’ve worked on that, I’ve had plenty of time – I’m probably in the best shape I’ve been in my life since I was 35. Even before I wrestled Shawn [Michaels].”
Many seem to be skeptical as to whether or not Flair will stay true to his word about staying retired after this match. At 73-years-old, and reportedly dealing with injuries heading into the match, there are concerns with Flair competing at all.
However, Flair promises to his fans that this will be the last time he wrestles, as he doesn’t want to let anybody down by continuing.
“It’s because I would really disappoint a lot of people if I did,” Flair said. “I’ve already been offered $100,000 by three different promoters to wrestle. And I’m not saying I won’t get back in the ring as a manager, but I absolutely – I owe this to my fans. I will not wrestle again.”
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
UFC president Dana White has reacted to the news of Vince McMahon retiring from WWE.
As noted, the recent sexual misconduct allegations against McMahon have forced him to step down as CEO of WWE, and he also subsequently retired as the head of creative for the company as well.
During a recent post-fight press conference after his Dana White Contenders Series show, the UFC boss was asked for his thoughts on his longtime fellow promoter finally calling it a career.
White had nothing but good things to say about McMahon, claiming he has nothing but respect for Vince, while acknowledging he’s also “buried the hatchet in my back a few times.”
“Oh, I got stories about Vince for days, White said. “But yeah, you know, what that guy built and what he’s done is incredible. He’s been doing it for 50-plus years. You know, I watched that stuff as a kid, and to still be here doing it now, it’s phenomenal.
“He’s a killer, he’s buried the hatchet in my back a few times – but that’s what you’re dealing with. It’s not like you – you don’t deal with a killer and not expect him to try and kill you. Yeah, I have nothing but respect for Vince though.”
The UFC and WWE have seemingly had a good relationship with one another in the past several years. For a time, Brock Lesnar split his time between the two companies before ultimately returning to WWE on a more permanent basis.
White has also been in the crowd for WrestleMania in the past when Ronda Rousey competed, while Vince McMahon has also been seen cageside at UFC shows as well.
In fact, McMahon was recently Octagon-side, along with his daughter Stephanie McMahon, son-in-law Triple H, and SmackDown commentator Pat McAfee.
The recent sexual misconduct allegations against McMahon have caused a plethora of massive changes within WWE. With McMahon stepping down as CEO, his daughter Stephanie McMahon and WWE President Nick Khan have assumed the roles as co-CEOs.
McMahon’s retirement also saw Triple H ascend to be the new head of WWE Creative.
With Vince McMahon stepping aside, that leaves the door open for an even bigger change to take place, including an outright sale of the company.
There has been a longstanding belief that Vince McMahon was the “magic ingredient” keeping WWE in such good financial shape. Fears that WWE would be in trouble once Vince stepped aside have proven to be untrue, at least in the short term.
Impact on WWE Stock
Following the news of McMahon’s retirement, WWE stock has actually increased. Investment firm Loop Capital upgraded its outlook of the company.
The recent growth growth of WWE’s stock price is largely due to the perception that there is now a greater chance that WWE is sold over the next few years.
WWE President Nick Khan has in the past been adamant that the WWE is more than willing to entertain offers for a sale. Earlier this year, he reiterated, “We’re open for business.”
(via WWE)
With WWE’s U.S. TV rights renewal coming up in approximately mid-2023, a potential acquirer might think it more opportune to buy the company rather than strike a temporary rights deal.
Currently FOX owns the broadcasting rights to SmackDown, while Monday Night RAW is hosted by NBCUniversal. Both deals will be up at the end of 2024.
As for potential buyers, there are several companies that make sense. Some being Comcast, Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount Global, Apple, Amazon and Netflix. Warner Bros Discovery in particular would make for a very interesting situation, as they currently air All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on TNT and TBS.
Attempting a WWE purchase would be a smart business move on anybody’s part given the growth WWE has seen in the past several years. Over the past decade WWE has consistently grown annual revenue.
Monday it was announced that second-quarter revenue is currently expected at about $328 million for the quarter. That’s a 23% increase from last year. Also, WWE has an operating income of about $70 million, which is a 52% increase.
In regards to a potential WWE sale, only time will tell given how fresh the recent changes have been.
The “Grandest Stage of Them All” is WWE’s biggest yearly event. This year’s WrestleMania two-night event took place inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas back in April.
The 2023 WrestleMania show will be held inside SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
But what about the 2024 location?
The City of Brotherly Love
(via Philadelphia Eagles)
WWE has announced that WrestleMania 40 is scheduled for Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 in 2024. Playing host to WWE’s biggest event will be Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
In a press release, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney expressed his excitement:
“We are proud to welcome WWE fans from around the world to Philadelphia to be a part of the historic 40thWrestleMania in 2024,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “The week-long series of events will help put a global spotlight on our great city while also generating a major impact for our local economy.”
Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau President & CEO Gregg Caren was also ecstatic over the news and he welcomes WWE fans to the “City of Brotherly Love.”
“Philadelphia is excited to host WrestleMania for the first time in 25 years,” said Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau President & CEO Gregg Caren. “The combination of Philadelphia’s passionate fans joining forces with WWE’s worldwide fan base will create an incredible electricity throughout the city for the events at Lincoln Financial Field, Wells Fargo Center and the Pennsylvania Convention Center.”
Now, Stephanie McMahon is the Chairwoman and co-CEO, a title she shares with Nick Khan. Triple H is the Head of Creative. When it comes to Triple H’s role, fans have already noticed subtle changes that bring hope for the future.
It may be enough to sway one top free agent.
Top Free Agent Signing With WWE?
(via SIPA USA/AP)
Fightful reports that there is a top free agent who is now seriously considering putting pen to paper with WWE now that Triple H is at the helm of creative.
The report didn’t mention who the free agent in question is but speculation has already run wild.
Also noted in the report is that this individual has plenty of options on the table.
In a previous report, Fightful spoke with a slew of former WWE performers who had been with the company dating back to 2016. The overall feeling from those talents is that had Triple H been in charge sooner, they’d still be with the promotion today.
SEScoops will keep you posted as this story develops.
Earlier this month, Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez captured the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships, but their reign was short-lived.
The next week, Perez was attacked at the start of NXT 2.0, ahead of her NXT Women’s Championship match with Mandy Rose.
It was later revealed that Jade had betrayed her tag-team partner, attempting to take her out of the running so she could face Rose instead.
During last week’s show, Jade threw her NXT Women’s Tag Team Title in the trash, signifying the end of the team.
Blayze’s Surprise Appearance
One person who knows all about throwing titles in the trash is WWE Hall of Famer Alundra Blayze.
During last night’s NXT 2.0, Perez was seen with her NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship and was furious at Jade’s actions given the work they’d done to win the titles.
That’s when Blayze appeared and revealed that a Tag Team Elimination Match will take place next week and that the winners will be crowned the new NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Blayze didn’t confirm any teams for the match, but Kayden Carter and Katana Collins were featured in a backstage segment along with Ivy Nile and Tatum Paxley.
The two teams brawled and it was revealed that Toxic Attraction and Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz will also be competing.
The July 26, 2022 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center.
WWE NXT Results
Grayson Waller def. Wes Lee.
Apollo Crews def. Xyon Quinn.
Zoey Stark def. Gigi Dolin.
Giovanni Vinci def. Andre Chase.
Tony D’Angelo’s Family def. Diamond Mine
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
It’s Official
JD McDonagh came out cutting a promo and teasing he could hurt anybody by breaking their collarbone, including a planted fan and Vic Joseph. He then called out NXT Champion Bron Breakker.
Breaker stated at Heatwave on August 16th, they will meet and next week, they’ll make it official. JD took a cheap shot and Bron knocked him down. JD took a blood capsule, which was caught on camera.
Zoey Stark opened the show with an in-ring promo. Last week, Stark made her return to television after she had been out of action since October when she suffered a torn ACL & meniscus in a three-way tag team ladder match where she and Shirai were defending the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles.
Stark won a battle royal to earn the right to be the next #1 contender for Mandy Rose’s NXT Women’s Title.
Stark talked about how she returned to NXT four months ahead of schedule and was originally told she would be out of action for over a year. She said she didn’t know if the fans would remember her. Cora Jade came out and cut a promo about how she had the match won until Stark ruined her moment. Stark called Jade a piece of trash.
Rose came out and mocked them and said neither of them can beat her. Stark challenged Rose to a title match tonight. Gigi Dolin challenged Stark to a match tonight. Stark will get her title match at Heatwave on August 16th.
Stark went over in their match with her finisher. Post-match, Jade attacked Stark until Roxanne Perez ran out to make the save.
Apollo Crews vs. Xyon Quinn
Apollo Crews vs. Xyon Quinn in a singles match took place. Quinn dominated the majority of the match, but it was Crews who went over cleanly.
Ever since Crews made his return to NXT, Quinn has been reminding him that he is the next big star and will be waiting for his title shot. Quinn recently cost Crews his match against Giovanni Vinci.
Tony D’Angelo’s Family (D’Angelo, Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza, Joaquin Wilde, and Channing Lorenzo) vs. Diamond Mine (Roderick Strong, Brutus Creed, Julius Creed, & Damon Kemp) was booked in an eight-man tag team match.
Last week, Strong and Kemp were working a singles match when D’Angelo’s Family interrupted as he and his crew beat down The Creed Brothers.Strong raced back to check on Julius & Brutus Creed before challenging them to a match.
This was the main event of the show that ended with Tony hitting his finisher on Julius.
Giovanni Vinci vs. Bodhi Hayward was set up last week when the Chase U bus blocked Vinci in the NXT parking lot.
Hayward hasn’t wrestled on NXT since March when he lost a singles match to Von Wagner. The former Fabian Aichner has won three straight since being repackaged as Vinci.
This was a really good match with Vinci going over.
McMahon announced his retirement on July 22 but an 8-K report revealed that Vince actually resigned amid an investigation into his alleged million-dollar pacts with former employees.
With Stephanie McMahon in place as the Chairwoman and co-CEO, Triple H is the new Head of Creative. He is essentially running the show for Raw and SmackDown.
This was reportedly been well received by both current and former WWE performers.
Former WWE Stars React to the News
(via WWE)
Fightful is reporting that talent who have since exited from WWE dating back to 2016 have shared their opinion on Triple H’s new position. The report notes that the overall feeling is that had Triple H taken over sooner, then they would still be in the company today.
Sean Ross Sapp also spoke to one current member of the AEW roster who used to be with WWE. This talent said that had Triple H been running the main shows when their deal was up, they probably would’ve re-signed with WWE.
In a previous report, it was said that the USA Network is quite optimistic about Triple H’s new role and the overall feeling is that of excitement.
The betting odds for the matches that will take place at the WWE SummerSlam event have been released.
The card for the show that takes place this Saturday appears to be finalized. So far, nine matches have been announced for the show.
Roman Reigns is a major favorite at -500 to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar in a last man standing match. Logan Paul is the biggest favorite on the card at -1500 and there are no titles favored to change hands.
WWE SummerSlam Preview
SummerSlam Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds, courtesy of Bet Online:
Happy Corbin is an underdog (+200) against Pat McAfee (-300)
The Mysterios are underdogs (+150) againstFinn Balor & Damian Priest (-200) in the No-DQ tag match.
Bobby Lashley is expected (-300) to retain the United States championship against Theory (+200)
Bianca Belair is favored (-400) to retain the Raw Women’s title against Becky Lynch (+275)
The Usos are favored (-300) to retain the Undisputed Tag Team Champions against the Street Profits (+200)
Riddle and Seth Rollins are even.
Logan Paul is heavily favored (-1500) to beat The Miz (+650)
Liv Morgan is favored (-200) to retain the SmackDown Women’s title against Ronda Rousey (+300)
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is favored (-500) to defeat Brock Lesnar (+300) in the Last Man Standing Match
WWE is planning to hold the next premium live event for the NXT brand on Sunday, September 4, the same day as AEW’s next pay-per-view, All Out, according to internal messaging at WWE.
Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics reported the news today. There’s no word yet on the name of the show. All Out is slated to air at 8 pm Eastern with the pre-show airing one hour earlier.
Dave Meltzer previously reported that WWE was “tentatively planning a major NXT show for late August, with 8/20 and 8/27 being looked at as possible dates.” It’s unclear what changed. WWE holds its Clash at the Castle event on September 3rd.
It should be noted that it’s unclear whether this event will run head-to-head in primetime against the AEW PPV. The show will take place in Orlando, likely at the Performance Center, although the venue is not confirmed.
The report also noted NXT’s next special TV episode will be Tuesday, August 16, branded “Heatwave,” formerly used as PPV events by ECW. The announcement is expected to be made tonight on NXT television.
WWE will also hold NXT TV tapings on September 20, and 27 will be taped on September 14.
This upcoming event will be NXT’s fourth special event on Peacock and the WWE Network since the last TakeOver show in August 2021.
Nick Wayne and his mother were on a plane ride home when the flight was diverted due to a bomb threat.
They were flying to Seattle from Frankfurt, Germany, on Condor flight DE2032 when a bomb threat was found written on a bathroom mirror. The flight changed course over Greenland and landed in Keflavik, Iceland.
Iceland police conducted a search of all carry-on items and passenger belongings. On today’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez noted that Nick’s mother was interrogated because she had eyeliner, and the threat was scrawled in eyeliner or makeup on the bathroom mirror.
According to a report from Air Live, two hundred sixty-six people aboard the flight have been sent to an area guarded by police. It is not clear if the passengers are still being detained.
Shayna Edwards assured family that they were okay in a Facebook post by writing the following, courtesy of Slam Wrestling:
“Yes, Nick and I were on a flight with a bomb on it. Yes, it was 6 hrs of madness like I’ve never experienced. Yes, we are safe. No, we are not home. And no, I don’t know when we will be.”
Nick is the son of late wrestler Buddy Wayne and the grandson of Ed “Moondog.” He was given an AEW contract in February 2022, contingent on finishing high school.
On Sunday at the PROGRESS Chapter 136: 24/7 event from the Electric Ballroom in London, England, Wayne defeated Robbie X.
PROGRESS has issued the following statement:
PROGRESS Wrestling are delighted and relieved to hear that rising star, and recent UK and European debutant Nick Wayne, and his mother Shayna Edwards are safe and sound, and home in Seattle.
In an extraordinary and quite alarming incident, their return to the USA was interrupted by a bomb scare and an alleged hoaxer putting a note in the airplane bathroom to the effect that there was danger on board.
The Condor pilot quite correctly took immediate action and diverted the Seattle-bound plane to Keflavik in Iceland, with a then very stressful 24 hours for both Nick, Shayna and the other 264 passengers on board.
Lee McAteer, co-owner of PROGRESS said, “We are so pleased to hear that both Nick and his mother are safely home and can start to relax after what had been a triumphant first trip to the UK.”
Nick has been widely tipped for stardom, and after a remarkable start to his career with Defy Wrestling and GCW, had absolutely shone on his debut with PROGRESS at their 24/7 show in an exciting encounter with Robbie X. He and his mother had made many friends, and Nick is due to return in September for a joint show with TNT Extreme and GCW, with his finale at PROGRESS on their Handshakes and Cheeseburgers show on Sunday 18th September.
Shayna, who runs her late husband’s wrestling school, The Buddy Wayne Wrestling Academy had said to the PROGRESS owners Martyn Best and Lee McAteer, “After such a wonderful weekend, and such an exciting one for Nick at being on one of his dream promotions, we were then really shook up with what happened on the plane. It was so unreal, and we are just so grateful that everyone is safe.
“We had a very scary six hours until the authorities were able to find out what was really happening, and then it was a long wait to finally board a plane back home.
“We really want to say such a big thank you to all our friends for your kind thoughts and concerns for us – and PROGRESS guys, don’t worry, we know this won’t happen every time that Nick comes over to be with you.”
Martyn Best added, “We had to change Nick’s original opponent due to a traditional flight issue delay, and the weekend had gone so well with Nick having had a terrific fight on his UK, European and PROGRESS debut. He had generated so much joy with everyone, and we were very proud that he and Shayna had chosen PROGRESS to make such a debut.
“Having bid them a fond adieu, it was really quite astonishing and distressing for us to then hear about the trauma that followed, and we are totally relived and happy that all ended well. We really look forward to Nick and Shayna returning to both Liverpool and London in September.”
News has come out regarding the creative environment Vince McMahon inspired in recent years in WWE while in charge of creative.
Although he temporarily stepped down as CEO and Chairman due to the hush money scandals, he was still heavily involved in creative up until last week before he resigned.
Fightful Select reports sources from within the creative process have indicated that many writer’s assistants effectively needed to ‘filter’ McMahon and needed to know what not to write for McMahon when taking notes for him.
The report stated that minutes were ‘heavily edited’ for a long time, claiming that edits were made for various reasons ranging from simple kayfabe terms to McMahon saying things that would appear insensitive or offensive.
A former production employee reportedly noted, “If a live feed of Vince McMahon on a headset any given night ever made it out, that it would provide a picture of that production experience, especially for the announcers. There were plenty of times he was in a good mood, but he would blow up at the most ridiculous things and act like they ruined an angle far past its expiration date anyway.”
Fightful previously noted that sources who worked with him are more open to speaking about their experiences following his exit from the company.
Liv Morgan, the SmackDown Women’s Champion, sat down with Graham “GSM” Matthews of Bleacher Report to talk about how her fans have been able to positively impact her career.
Earlier this month at Money in the Bank, Liv Morgan captured her first SmackDown Women’s Championship. This Saturday, she defends the title at SummerSlam against former champion Ronda Rousey. The match is seen as a chance for Morgan to solidify herself as a worthy champion.
Liv Morgan has one of the biggest fanbases in all of pro wrestling. Due to her reactions and support, Liv was launched all the way to the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Liv: My Fans Made Me Undeniable
Liv Morgan spoke with Graham “GSM” Matthews of Bleacher Report about how her fans aided her in her journey to the top of the WWE women’s division.
The SmackDown Women’s Champion said:
“Yeah, I mean, I feel like my fans have watched me like, grow, grow up in general, you know. I mean, I signed to WWE when I was 20 years old, I’m 28. You know, they watched me grow and just learn this business as best as I can to where, you know, eventually they started rooting for me because of the familiarity and for like, watching me for so long.
“And just I love, I mean, I’ve taken advantage of social media, as far as I want to talk to my fans, I want to reach out to them. I want to know what’s going on. I want to like, you know, see what they’re thinking and what they’re feeling. And I don’t think I’d be in this position without them. I know, I’ve said that a bunch of times, but it’s so true.
“You know, coming into this business, I realized kind of very soon, I’m coming in in the era of like the four horsewomen. And so I wasn’t that. I wasn’t a generational superstar. I don’t have anyone famous in my family. I definitely wasn’t chosen, or the chosen one by any means.
“But my fans kind of put me in this position to where they kind of made me undeniable. And essentially, because of how supportive they’ve been and how amazing they’ve been, and how much they have kind of propelled me to keep going and to keep fighting.”
Liv Morgan on her fan support
Liv Talks About Her Emotions Entering The MITB Match
Liv followed this up by talking about her emotions heading into the Money in the Bank match. Liv explained that she felt so much pressure to become Ms. Money in the Bank because of her fans. She even spoke about the impact that the fans had on her while she was making her entrance.
“Yeah, I was, I was okay. I mean, that whole day was kind of just, it was make or break for me. I felt like just, you know, professionally in that moment of time. I was like, if I don’t do this for my fans, I dropped the ball if I don’t win this for them. So, that’s kind of how I was feeling. So, I took it very seriously. And it was very, I feel like I had no choice but to win.
“But like, you know, heading into the match. I was feeling okay, but then as soon as I walked through, and I heard, I heard the crowd. It just like struck a chord with me for some reason. I just was like, ‘They want me to win this so bad.’ I was like, ‘They want me to have this so bad.’ And it just struck a chord and it just made me emotional. And then in that moment, I was like, ‘I’m doing it. Like there’s no way, there’s no way I’m leaving this match without that briefcase in my hands.’
“And so it just it was a very overwhelming kind of feeling that I was trying to compose myself, but they gave me so much energy that it just like broke me,” Liv said.
