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Roderick Strong Has Requested His WWE Release

Andrew Ravens
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Roderick Strong wants out of WWE as he has asked for his release “multiple times” over the last several months. Fightful Select reported the news today. 

Per the report, Strong has grown frustrated with many things over the past year within the company. Despite his request, WWE has denied it. 

Strong was also pitched a name change, which he was against. There were many within the company that was surprised that Strong was not included in last week’s cuts as he made it clear he wanted to be let go. 

Strong has remained professional in his handling of creative week-to-week. It was added that WWE currently has no plans to release Strong and says he factors into their creative plan.

Strong is the last member of the Undisputed Era that remains with WWE as Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish are all in a stable in AEW. He was put in the  Diamond Mine stable last year. The original idea for the group was for it to feature Stong, Tyler Rust, Arturo Ruas, Malcolm Bivens, Hideki Suzuki, and his wife Marina Shafir. 

Less than a year later, all of the members except for Strong remain with WWE. Prior to the group forming, Strong re-signed with WWE shortly before that.

Reactions to Roderick Strong Requesting His Release

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MLW Boss Confirms “Deep Talks” With a Cable or Streaming Partner

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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MLW could be on the verge of a new deal through a cable or streaming partner.

It’s no secret that MLW has been looking to make a splash with a big broadcast deal. The search was seemingly over as they were set to enter a lucrative deal with Tubi, which is a streaming service owned by FOX.

MLW has filed an antitrust lawsuit against WWE, alleging the promotion halted the deal with Tubi. FOX has a deal with WWE, allowing them to air SmackDown every Friday night.

While that case is ongoing, MLW’s Court Bauer appeared on Busted Open Radio to confirm that there have been serious talks with another cable or streaming partner (via Putting You Over).

“I can confirm that we are in deep talks with a possible player either in cable or in streaming. I can’t say anything else, I’ll get into trouble but we’ve been working on something for a bit.”

MLW has been the home of some great talent including MJF, who left the promotion in favor of a full-time deal with AEW. Max last appeared for MLW back in Jan. 2020.

Today, MLW features talent such as the promotion’s current heavyweight champion Alex Hammerstone, Jacob Fatu, and Richard Holliday.

Ricochet Says NXT Is Home, Would Love To Go Back

Rayan Sayyed
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Ricochet wants to go back to WWE NXT. The former black-and-yellow brand has seen an influx of main roster WWE stars. Names like AJ Styles and Natalya have appeared on the brand and Ricochet says he wants to do the same.

Ricochet signed with WWE in 2018 and would go on to become the NXT North American Champion in the same year. He started appearing on both the main roster brands Raw and SmackDown Live in early 2019. He teamed up with Aleister Black to win the fourth annual Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

After WrestleMania 35, Ricochet moved to the main roster and won the United States and the Intercontinental titles. He is the current IC Champion in his first reign.

In a recent interview with Cultaholic, Ricochet said that he is open to an NXT return. He mentioned AJ Styles and Natalya appearing on the show who seem to be having a great time there. Ricochet also mentioned Carmelo Hayes. They both have heat with each other as they have taken shots at each other on social media.

Answering the question of whether he would like to go back to NXT, Ricochet said, “AJ went back and now Nattie’s down there and all these guys are going back down there and it seems like they’re having a great time. Me and Carmelo [Hayes] had a thing. If Carmelo wants the heat, he can have it but whoever it is I would love to go down there. That’s always been a home of mine so, any time.”

A while ago, Ricochet sent out a friendly reminder for rude fans. He sent a stern message to fans telling them that he would send fans away if they bother him to get multiple things signed at the wrong time, like 4 am in the morning at a hotel, for example.

The Miz Names One WWE Superstar Whose Character Is A “Money Maker”

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The Miz has one WWE superstar in mind who he believes has money written all over him.

If there’s one thing The Miz knows about, it’s longevity under Vince McMahon’s empire. Miz has been on the WWE main roster since 2006. Along the way, he became a two-time WWE Champion and headlined WrestleMania 27.

Miz has seen many come and go over the years and he’s impressed by the growth of one performer in particular.

The Miz Has High Hopes For Chad Gable

  • Chad Gable
    (via WWE)

Miz was a guest on the Out of Character podcast with Ryan Satin. During the show, “The A-Lister” reflected on Chad Gable’s road to his current character.

“Chad Gable first came in with Jason Jordan, right? Amazing tag team, incredible. Didn’t click, like didn’t get to the upper echelons but won things and did stuff and was in there.

“Then they took him and said, ‘Alright, you’re gonna be a singles competitor, you’re gonna be Shorty G.’ And everyone was like, ‘What?! What?!’ Honestly, sometimes it’s just to see like, ‘I see something in you, let’s see if we can get something out of you. Let’s see if we can find something that’s different than everybody else.’

“Most times the fans or the critics will be like, ‘Why are they doing this? This guy went to the Olympics.’ We’re just trying to find something here. In my mind, that’s what they’re doing. So, then he did, he took it and I thought he did exceptional at it. He didn’t get to the upper echelons or whatever but he took that character and made something out of it.”

Miz said that Gable has finally found what works for him and he sees a lot of green for the leader of the Alpha Academy.

“Now you look at Chad Gable, guess what? He found his voice, he found his character and now you look at him and you go, ‘Oh wow, this is a money maker. This character is a money maker.'”

Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.

WWE Management High on Nikkita Lyons (Report)

Jon Fuentes
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WWE reportedly sees a lot of potential in NXT star Nikkita Lyons.

Lyons signed with WWE last year before making her NXT debut in February. Since, she’s been a regular feature on NXT 2.0. When Lyons isn’t wrestling in the ring, she’s also featured in video packages or backstage segments.

She tends to get big reactions from the crowds at the Capitol Wrestling Center, and has also generated some buzz on social media. Recently, Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer discussed Lyons during an episode of Sunday Night’s Main Event podcast. Meltzer said WWE management sees big potential in Lyons.

While WWE likes the reactions she’s getting, Meltzer doesn’t believe they’ll fast-track her the way the likes of Bron Breakker or Gable Steveson likely will to the main roster.

He also added that he’s not even sure WWE knew how over she’d be at first. Another telling sign about how WWE feels in regards to Lyons is that she’s working with Natalya. Natalya currently works with young talent in NXT to help them improve their in-ring work.

It will be interesting to see how much working with Natalya will help Lyons improve in regards to her in-ring work over time. If she continues to get big reactions in NXT, it will also be interesting to see if WWE decides to ultimately fast-track her to the main roster.

MJF: If Vince Shells Out The Money, I’ll Join WWE

Jon Fuentes
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If WWE shows MJF the money, he’ll be more than happy to leave All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) has established himself as one of AEW’s top heels over the course of the past three years. The 26-year-old began making a name for himself during his early days in the business, working for promotions such as Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) and Major League Wrestling (MLW).

He eventually signed with AEW in January of 2019 and has been a huge part of the promotion ever since. However, MJF has been very open about his contract with AEW being set to expire in 2024, and WWE reportedly has interest. MJF discussed the matter further during the “For The Love Of Wrestling” convention in Liverpool recently.

In regards to potentially signing with WWE, MJF said that, if Vince McMahon is willing to shell out the cash, he’ll be more than happy to depart from AEW.

“I don’t know if you guys are aware of this, but on January 1st of 2024, I’m going to be a free agent,” MJF said. “Who here would want to see me in WWE? So let me explain something to you people — I did not get into this business to make any of you happy.

“I got into this business to make as much money as humanly possible. And if Vincent Kennedy McMahon is willing to shell out more money than my good friend Tony Khan, then yes, I would go to WWE.”

Recently, there have been many WWE stars who have departed to join AEW. Its been very rare that an AEW talent leaves for WWE instead. In fact, the only notable name to have done so is Cody Rhodes, who returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 earlier this year after his AEW contract expired.

Perhaps MJF will follow in Rhodes’ footsteps come January of 2024 when his own WWE deal is up.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Reason WWE Is Holding Off Major Roman Reigns Match

Anutosh Bajpai
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Fans have been waiting for a singles match between The Undisputed World champion Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre since the Scottish Warrior moved to the SmackDown roster in October last year.

These expectations were once again met with disappointment when the company announced a six men tag team match for WrestleMania Backlash main event.

Dave Meltzer provided some updates on this feud during the latest Wrestling Observer Radio. He revealed that WWE is holding off a singles match between McIntyre and Reigns for a bigger event.

WWE is set to hold not one but three major Stadium shows in the span of three months starting from July. The first one will be Money In The Bank from Allegiant Stadium.

This will be followed by the SummerSlam PPV from Nissan Stadium and the Clash Of The Castle special from United Kingdom.

Officials consider Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns to be a dream match. It’s likely that their singles encounter will be saved for one of these shows.

There is no word yet on what the company is planning for the unified titles. We will have to see if this match ends up being for only one of the world titles or both of them when the time comes.

Mick Foley Has a Great Response to Undertaker’s HOF Speech Omission

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Mick Foley isn’t bothered by The Undertaker not mentioning him during his Hall of Fame speech.

When people talk about The Undertaker’s greatest rivals, a popular choice is Foley. Longtime fans may remember the time Foley, who once played the role of Mankind, got Paul Bearer to turn on Undertaker in 1996.

Of course, you can’t discuss the Foley-Undertaker feud without bringing up the 1998 Hell in a Cell match between the two. Foley was thrown off the cell onto the announce table and Undertaker legitimately thought he had killed him.

Foley was also chokeslammed through the roof and into the ring. When he landed, a steel chair bounced and hit him in the mouth, knocking out a tooth. To top that off, Foley also went through some thumbtacks in what is still considered to be the most brutal HIAC match.

  • The Undertaker Mankind
    (via WWE)

Mick Foley Doesn’t Feel He Was Snubbed

Serving as a guest on the In The Kliq podcast, Mick Foley explained why he’s the last person who should be crying “snub” (h/t WrestlingNews.co).

“Well, listen, I forgot to mention my wife during my speech, so I’m not one to lecture anybody about who they should and should not include in their speech. I was not there for those formative years. His was more about friendship and support. We had a great rivalry, but he didn’t mention Rock or Austin. So, if I’m not hurt, no one can be hurt on behalf of me.”

Despite the omission, The Undertaker and Foley will forever be linked career-wise. The two had some unforgettable encounters.

Top Matches Set for NJPW Dominion on June 12th

Michael Reichlin
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New Japan Pro Wrestling is gearing up for NJPW Dominion.

Dominion is New Japan’s next big event and its final PPV before AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door.

Top matches signed for the show include:

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White
  • IWGP Never Openweight Champion Tama Tonga vs. Karl Anderson
  • Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens will defend their newly won IWGP Tag Team championships against the United Empire’s Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan.
  • Shingo Takagi will put the KOPW 2022 trophy on the line against Taichi.

NJPW Dominion 2022 takes place Sunday, June 12th from Osaka, Japan.

For more info on this card, visit NJPW1972.com.

Catch up on the rich history of NJPW Dominion with this video:

Booker T Says Most Fans Won’t Care About AEW Working With NJPW

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Booker T doesn’t believe the “Forbidden Door” event does anything for AEW outside of catering to its existing fanbase.

AEW and NJPW have teamed up to create a joint PPV event, “Forbidden Door.” The event will be held inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26. No matches have been announced at this time.

Booker T Not Sold On Forbidden Door Attracting New Fans

Taking to his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T said he doesn’t see the AEW-NJPW crossover show attracting new fans (h/t EWrestlingNews.com).

“I do not think the majority of people here in the United States are clicking to go find Japanese wrestling. I just don’t believe that.”

Booker said he understands that the existing AEW fanbase will enjoy the show but it won’t be making waves outside of that group.

“They’re going to love it, I get that. The AEW fanbase, they’re going to love it,” Booker expressed. “But what I am saying is, outside of the AEW fanbase, there aren’t a whole lot of people are going to look at this like it’s a forbidden door because don’t too many people know about it but the AEW fanbase.”

As of now, no matches have been announced for the “Forbidden Door” show. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada has squashed speculation that he may not be able to attend the show.

Big AEW names such as Bryan Danielson have also committed to being in action on the show. The Hardys have made it clear that they want to add the IWGP Tag Team Titles to their mantle.

Tetsuya Naito has said that he won’t be calling anyone out and that he’ll let the AEW stars come to him. His status is a bit of a question mark, however, as he’ll be undergoing surgery on his right eye soon. Naito had a quick turnaround for a similar surgery back in 2019.

Theory Hints At SummerSlam Match With John Cena

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Theory is teasing a SummerSlam showdown with John Cena.

It’s no secret that WWE is pushing Theory as the next big thing. Theory is aligned with Vince McMahon on TV and has been labeled as the WWE Chairman’s new “Chosen One.” Some reports have even claimed that WWE is trying to make Theory the next John Cena.

Theory vs. John Cena At SummerSlam?

Theory recently took to Instagram Stories to drop a big tease regarding a potential match with Cena (h/t The Brass Ring).

https://twitter.com/TheBrassRing1/status/1520890918353711108

Theory is the reigning United States Champion. He captured the gold on the April 18 episode of Raw. He pinned Finn Balor to win his first singles championship in WWE.

WWE seemingly dropped its own hint of a possible collision between Theory and Cena. During the April 25 episode of Raw, Mustafa Ali returned and said he was hoping Theory would have an open challenge for the United States Championship.

During John Cena’s runs with the United States gold back in 2015, he held open challenges with the title on the line. If Theory eventually does the same, then it would be yet another hint.

Theory stoked the flames of a potential rivalry, taking to social media to claim he’s a better U.S. champ than Cena was. Cena responded, warning Theory to not get too big for his britches.

Power Goes Out During Wrestling Show, Fans Use Smartphones For Light (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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No matter what lengths they have to go through, wrestling fans will be entertained one way or another.

The perfect example of this was a Journey Pro KC show that took place on April 29. At one point, the power inside the building was cut off.

So, what did the crowd do?

Fans in attendance pulled out their smartphones for light and it’s a sight that would make Bray Wyatt proud.

Here are some videos courtesy of Twitter users Patriot Pat, GPA, and Journey Pro KC:

When wrestling promotions book Lights Out matches, this is surely not what they have in mind.

Still, fans made the best out of a less-than-ideal situation and it’s quite the sight. The crowd also seemed to remain hot throughout the show.

Stardom Reportedly Interested In Working With AEW

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Much like NJPW, it appears Stardom has warmed up to the idea of working with AEW.

Dave Meltzer hopped on the Sunday Night’s Main Event podcast to discuss all things wrestling. During his appearance, he reported that Stardom is high on the idea of working with AEW. In particular, the company would like to bring in some big names for some of its more high-profile events.

Which AEW Talents Have Stardom’s Eye?

Stardom has certainly grown in popularity and served as a bright spot in Japanese wrestling during the pandemic. As the promotion gears up for some of its major events, eventually at full capacity with Japan starting to open up more, there is interest in top AEW talent.

Meltzer noted that Stardom wouldn’t hesitate to have the likes of AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa and Britt Baker for some of its key shows.

The report may not come as a surprise to many. After all, Bushiroad owns both Stardom and NJPW. We’ve seen NJPW team up with AEW ever since Harold Meij was replaced by Takami Ohbari as the promotion’s president.

AEW and NJPW will be holding a joint PPV event dubbed, “Forbidden Door” on June 26. At this time, Stardom isn’t expected to participate. The promotion has its own event on that date.

Parker Boudreaux Already Making Waves After WWE Release

Michael Reichlin
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Former WWE Superstar Harland (Parker Boudreaux) wont have trouble finding work in the wrestling business.

Boudreaux was released from WWE last week after an underwhelming stint in NXT.

The 6’4″ heavyweight came into the company with a lot of fan fare. During an interview with Bleacher Report last year, Boudreaux said he gets compared to Brock Lesnar frequently. “I probably get that one every day,” he said.

Lesnar’s former advocate, Paul Heyman, also touted his potential.

Parker Boudreaux is Back

Shortly after his WWE release, Boudreux let it be known that “Harland” is gone and he is back using his birth name.

It didn’t take long for Parker Boudreaux’s return to get the attention of other promoters.

MLW CEO Court Bauer took notice of Boudreaux’s tweets and said he’s a “beast of an athlete” that will realize his potential as a “big player” one day.

https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1520400607445925888

As a former member of the NXT roster, Boudreaux is likely bound by a 30-day non-compete clause. He would be able to appear for other companies starting in late May.

Okada Confirms His Status for Forbidden Door PPV

Michael Reichlin
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Kazuchika Okada says the upcoming Forbidden Door pay-per-view wouldn’t be much of a super-show without him.

The reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion spoke about the upcoming PPV at Sunday’s press conference following NJPW Dontaku.

Okada says he does not know what the format will be when AEW and NJPW make history on June 26th. It might be AEW stars vs. NJPW stars, it might be talent from both companies teaming up together. What matters is that he’s a part of it.

“Well, of course I don’t know what shape that event will take, but the fact that we’re having this combined event at all means I should absolutely be a part of it,” he said (via NJPW1972.com).

“There wouldn’t be much point in having a supershow like that if I’m not there.”

– Kazuchika Okada

Okada feels that New Japan Pro Wrestling will gain new fans from working with AEW, just like some NJPW fans will discover All Elite Wrestling.

Okada on AEW

Okada joked that he is certainly aware of AEW. He complimented them for having world class talent. However, there is always the opportunity to reach new fans.

There are still many people who have never heard of AEW. He said that cuts both ways, and there are many people who will be seeing him for the first time, as well.


“Whatever happens, I’m fully confident that those people will be leaving knowing how good I am. No matter who it might be, I think that a lot of people will get fired up, draw on that energy. There’ll be fans counting the days, not sleeping the night before, and that’s great. But anything more specific, I can’t really say at this point.”

He added that he plans on walking into Chicago as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

Kurt Angle On Who Is The Better Wrestler Between AJ Styles And Bryan Danielson

Anutosh Bajpai
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AJ Styles and Bryan Danielson are two of the most celebrated wrestlers of today’s era. Both have followers that believe them to be the best in ring talent of the current generation. Kurt Angle recently revealed his pick between the two.

The Olympic Gold Medallist talked about a number of things on the latest episode of his podcast. He discussed topics such as his WWE retirement tour and more.

When asked to pick the better wrestler between Styles and Danielson, Angle picked Styles because of their history together:

“That’s tough, they’re identical, they’re so much alike and as far as their styles and everything they do, they’re great at submission, they’re great at highflying, they’re great at anything that belongs in the ring.

I will say this, I will pick AJ only because I wrestled him.” said Kurt Angle, “I never wrestled Daniel Bryan and if I did I might change my mind, so I’m saying AJ right now because I wrestled him.”

The former Raw GM has a long history with the Phenomenal One. Both were part of TNA for a long time and did some of their best work while being part of the promotion. Angle returned to WWE in 2017, a year after Styles made his debut.

Who do you think is the better wrestler between AJ Styles and Bryan Danielson? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

Gunther On If WWE Pushed Him For Move To US

Anutosh Bajpai
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After years of resisting it, Gunther finally moved to the US and made his main roster debut last month. According to him, it wasn’t WWE that prompted him to make the decision, and instead he brought it up himself.

The former NXT UK champion recently had an interview with Cultoholic Wrestling. Among other things, he talked about his decision to move to the US.

Gunther claimed that WWE officials never pushed him to do anything. He just felt like he had grown out of NXT UK and it was finally the time to move:

“They never pushed me to do anything. They have always been good to me. Literally, they [have] never asked me to change anything about myself or what I wanted to do and stuff like that. They [have] always been very good to me. I just figured myself.

In general, in life I am big about being proactive about things that happen. I think you never get If you don’t ask, is that smart saying.” said Gunther, “So I just brought it up myself and I said, ‘I’m ready to doing that'”

Apart from this, the SmackDown star also talked about WWE breaking up Imperium for his main roster debut and more.

You can watch his full interview below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Gunther On WWE Breaking Up The Imperium

Anutosh Bajpai
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The last few months have brought a lot of change for Gunther. He has finally moved to US, made his main roster debut, and parted ways with one of his old partners.

Apart from the former NXT UK champion, The Imperium group also featured Fabian Aichner and Barthel. However, Aichner was not called up when the other two made their debuts on SmackDown last month.

Gunther talked about this change during a recent interview with Cultaholic Wrestling. He admitted that he has no idea about what’s going on with Aichner

“I literally don’t know, Obviously, for him and Ludwig, it was a little bit of a rough few days. Because they worked so hard together for so many years and stuff like that. Now everyone has to go their own way a little bit. But you’ve got to look forward and stay positive about things.”

The former champion also noted how this is a challenge for all three of the former Imperium members. He claimed that the end goal is for them to reunite somewhere down the line:

“It’s a new challenge for Ludwig and me. But also for Fabian, it’s going to be a new challenge with whatever he is going to do going forward. But, I guess the end goal is that it’s going to be three of us again.”

Gunther is the longest-reigning NXT UK champion in the history of the brand. He made his main roster debut during the April 8 episode of SmackDown.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

Former ROH Booker Delirious Taking Independent Bookings

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Delirious is taking independent bookings for the first time in over a decade.

He made the announcement on his Twitter account. He will be taking “full-time” bookings this spring into late summer.

Here is the press release from Delirious:

“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1st, 2022

“For the first time in over 10 years …. DELIRIOUS will be available for full-time bookings from May 2022 – August 2022.
Don’t miss your chance to book DELIRIOUS this summer for wrestling appearances and comprehensive pro wrestling seminars.

“DELIRIOUS has an extensive resume consisting of over 20 years of international pro wrestling experience including Mexico, Japan and the UK. Over 10 years as ROH Head Training Instructor. Over 10 years of full-time writing and producing for television and much more.

“For booking inquiries and info on seminar packages please email: [email protected]

“DELIRIOUS has provided a list of wrestlers who he would love to compete against this summer so promoters… take note.

“We are excited for the 2022 SUMMER HYSTERIA TOUR and it is still to be determined whether this is the last time DELIRIOUS will be available for independent bookings so don’t miss out!

“Peace and Love, Alice.

“- Delirious Translator & Assistant”

WWE superstar Cody Rhodes showed his support for Delirious on social media:

“Awwww I love this. When I came to ROH there was a 30% business jolt in year 1 and then double that for year 2 – record business for them! AND this was the guy writing/editing/organizing the whole show. Good luck Delirious! Check em’ all off.

“Also, I should make a new list…”

When ROH went on hiatus, there was a ton of uncertainty. The promotion had released all of its talent and planned for a “reconceptualization” period. AEW President Tony Khan ended up purchasing the promotion.

As SEScoops first reported, ROH staff were told to prepare for their releases. Delirious was no exception.

Tetsuya Naito Undergoing Surgery On Right Eye Again

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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NJPW star and former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito will be having another operation on his right eye.

Naito suffers from superior oblique muscle paralysis. As a result, Naito has been having issues with double vision. Tokyo Sports reports that the top NJPW main eventer will be undergoing surgery soon.

Back in 2019, Naito underwent a similar operation.

Tetsuya Naito recently challenged Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling Dontaku. Okada successfully defended the gold.

The good news for Naito fans is that it only took him 20 days to recover and return to the ring following his first procedure. Time will tell if he’ll need more or less time this go-around.

Former Impact Star Debuts at AEW Dark Taping

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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A former Impact Wrestling star has made his AEW debut.

JJ Williams was in attendance for an AEW Dark taping. At the show, there was a former Impact X-Division Title challenger in action. This talent just so happened to have parted ways with Impact back in March.

Jake Something Wrestles On AEW Dark

JJ Williams of Wrestling Observer Newsletter attended an AEW Dark taping and he witnessed Jake Something make his AEW debut.

There’s currently no word on whether or not AEW will be doing business with Jake Something in the long term. We’ve seen plenty of recognizable names on AEW Dark in the past but not all of them end up with full-time roles, at least not right away.

Jake debuted in the wrestling industry back in 2010. He was trained by the ROH dojo. Jake made appearances for the likes of ROH and NWA before making his way to Impact back in 2017.

Fightful Select reported that Jake’s contract with Impact was up in February of this year. He ended up working the Sacrifice event in March anyway and it’s been said that the split was amicable and that the door is open for Jake to return down the road.

“Thank you to @IMPACTWRESTLING and @ScottDAmore for taking the chance on me, and helping me learn and grow so much. Much love to the entire locker room, a true family.”

Former AEW Women’s Champion Expected To Return From Injury Soon

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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One former AEW Women’s Champion looks to be on the verge of making her return.

The current world titleholder in AEW’s women’s division is Thunder Rosa. The TBS Champion is Jade Cargill. Jade has been shutting down all challengers, while Thunder’s reign is in the early stages. A return could add a spark to the division.

Riho Expecting To Return Soon

  • Riho
    (via AEW)

Riho has confirmed on her blog that she has completely healed from a broken collarbone. Her return to the United States is imminent (via The Midwest Marks Podcast).

https://twitter.com/marks_midwest/status/1520489795713175555

Riho’s last match was back in January when she took on Britt Baker at Battle of the Belts. It was in that match where Riho suffered the injury.

Reports had said the former AEW Women’s Champion was expected to fully recover in about three months so it appears everything went according to plan.

The Hardys Eyeing IWGP Tag Team Championship At Forbidden Door

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

The Hardys have long cemented their legacy but they may not be done adding more hardware to their mantle.

On June 26, AEW and NJPW will team up for a special cross-promotion event dubbed, “Forbidden Door.” The action will be held inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. No matches have been announced at this time but The Hardys seem to already have one goal in mind.

The Hardys Want Gold In NJPW

Matt and Jeff are looking to add to their already stellar legacies. In a new video posted by AEW, Matt said he and his brother have their sights set on IWGP gold.

“The Forbidden Door event is going to be massive. It is going to be huge and blow people’s minds. There should be plenty of opponents for us to ‘DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!’ And you know what, Brother Nero? We never held the New Japan Pro Wrestling tag team titles. Maybe it’s time for a new expedition of gold. See you at the Forbidden Door.”

Bullet Club members Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens recently captured the IWGP Tag Team Championship at Wrestling Dontaku. They defeated previous champions Jeff Cobb & The Great-O-Khan as well as Hiroki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi in a three-way tag team title match.

Please H/T SEScoops if you use any quotes from this article.

Former NXT Title Holder Debuts at AEW Dark Tapings (Photos)

Michael Reichlin
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Leon Ruff made his debut for All Elite Wrestling at the May 1st AEW Dark tapings from Universal Studios in Orlando, FL.

Ruff previously wrestled for WWE, starting in late 2019. He worked primarily as enhancement talent on the main roster until he signed with the company in late 2020.

Ruff joined NXT and feuded with Johnny Gargano. That program saw him win the NXT North American championship, which he held for 25 days.

You can see video of Leon Ruff scoring a shocking win over Johnny Gargano to win the NXT North American Championship HERE.

Ruff was released from WWE in August 2021.

Here are some of our articles about Leon Ruff:

Leon Ruff Debuts in AEW

Here are photos from Leon Ruff’s AEW debut, courtesy of JJ Williams:

Leon Ruff AEW Debut

Juice Robinson Turns Heel, Joins Bullet Club (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Juice Robinson has swerved the wrestling industry.

It wasn’t long ago when Juice claimed he didn’t plan on re-signing with NJPW. He sounded a bit deflated during an interview on Wrestling Observer Live. His tone even left some fans concerned but it was all a ruse.

During Wrestling Dontaku, a masked man attacked IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. The man then hit Pulp Friction and at that point, it was clear what was going on. The man unmasked and sure enough, it was Juice Robinson.

Check out the heel turn below courtesy of NJPW World.

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