The Bloodline could be getting another member if WWE goes through with calling up WWE NXT’s Solo Sikoa.
Fightful Select reported today that as recently as this week, there have been serious discussions about bringing up to the main roster.
It’s unclear which brand he could be on as his brothers, The Usos, and cousin Roman Reigns are technically on both WWE Raw and SmackDown due to them holding the Undisputed WWE Universal and Tag Team Titles.
Sikoa, real name Joseph Fatu, is the son of Rikishi and the younger brother of Jimmy & Jey Uso (Jonathan & Joshua Fatu). He signed with WWE last year.
While speaking with BT Sport last month, Sikoa revealed that before making his NXT TV debut, WWE considered putting him with The Usos on SmackDown. He admitted he was hesitant about it, but they put him in NXT instead.
Solo explained the reason for being hesitant is due to him wanting to stand out on his own and not just be known as The Usos’ brother.
One AEW star was set to make a video appearance on WWE Raw but it ended up being canned.
The June 27 episode of Monday Night Raw celebrated the 20th anniversary of John Cena’s WWE debut. A plethora of current and former WWE superstars paid homage to the “Doctor of Thuganomics.”
Even some current AEW stars such as Bryan Danielson and Chris Jericho were allowed to appear to share their well wishes to Cena.
One notable AEW name was left off the tribute show, however.
Mark Henry Denied WWE Raw Appearance
(AEW)
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that AEW personality Mark Henry had shot a video clip for the anniversary show. Of course, that didn’t end up making it on the USA Network broadcast.
At this time, there’s no word on why Henry’s video was omitted from the show.
Mark Henry had a highly praised feud with John Cena back in 2013. Henry claimed he would be retiring and gave an emotional speech.
When Cena went to hug him, Mark lifted him up and slammed him down to the mat for the World’s Strongest Slam. It was a red hot start to get their program going.
Bruce Prichard was said to have been the one to contact AEW President Tony Khan about using his stars for the anniversary show. Khan gave the green light and it was said that pretty much everyone WWE wanted to use was allowed to be on the show.
This week, Logan Paul signed a new multi-year deal with WWE in one of the biggest signings for the company in recent years.
While Paul has limited wrestling experience prior to signing, he has a massive fanbase from his work on YouTube and has also proven himself in boxing.
Paul is the latest big-name WWE is counting on to help boost both ticket sales and viewership figures, and fans won’t have to wait long to see him on their screens.
Paul on Raw
Fans may still be taken aback by Paul’s signing to WWE, but he’ll be on Raw later this month.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful is reporting that Paul is locally being advertised for the July 18, edition of the red brand which will air from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
There’s no official word yet on what Paul will do during his appearance later this month.
The Amalie Arena in Tampa is advertising Logan Paul for the July 18 WWE Raw
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) July 1, 2022
Logan Paul at Summerslam
WWE have not confirmed what Paul will be doing on the July 18, Raw, but it’s believed he’ll have some sort of run-in with The Miz.
As soon as Paul signed his contract, fans speculated on a match with the two-time WWE Grand Slam Champion, who betrayed Paul at WrestleMania 38.
During his signing, Paul wrote out a warning, saying that he is coming for The Miz who later responded on social media.
It’s also been reported that WWE plans on presenting Paul as a babyface for his inevitable feud with the former WWE World Champion.
Former IMPACT world champion Tessa Blanchard is making her return to the ring later this month.
The indie promotion Hurricane Pro Wrestling announced that Blanchard will be competing at their event on Saturday, July 16 at Ford Park in Beaumont, Texas. The show will be broadcast live on the Title Match Network. Her opponent is Miranda Alize.
Blanchard won’t be the only big name on the show. Steph De Lander (Persia Pirotta), Lady Frost, Chandler Hopkins, Ryan Davidson and more will round out the card.
HPW – Sat July 16 – @FordPark, Beaumont TX
?
? ON SALE NOW! Ticketmaster or Ford Park Box Office
— Hurricane Pro Wrestling (@HurricanePro1) July 1, 2022
This is Blanchard’s first matchup since September 12th 2020, when she dropped the Warrior Wrestling Women’s championship to Kyle Rae. As previously reported she was set to be a key player in WOW (Women of Wrestling), with new episodes set to air on ViacomCBS in the fall. However, Blanchard had more behavior issues leading to yet another falling out with a promotion so her involvement with WOW going forward seems to be non-existent, nor was she in the trailer fort this upcoming season.
As a reminder Blanchard’s future has been unpredictable since her controversial exit from IMPACT in March 2020 when other female wrestlers accused her of bullying and racism, something the former world champion denied. Rumors had circulated that AEW was interested at one point, but nothing ever came of that.
AEW and Diamond Select Toys have announced a working relationship together.
The promotion and the toy-line issued a press release early this morning revealing that a new line of action figures will be made of some of AEW’s biggest superstars. This includes Chris Jericho, Sting, Britt Baker, AEW interim world champion Jon Moxley, and AEW champion CM Punk to name a few.
The figures will be launched at Comic-Con International later this month (July 21-July 24th), with several stars set to appear at a panel to discuss all things AEW. This will include Punk, TBS champion Jade Cargill, Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin, and will be moderated by head play-by-play man Excalibur.
Full details, including quotes from the Diamond Select Toys President and AEW’s Head of Consumer Products can be found below.
“Starting this summer, DST will offer a variety of products based on the stars of AEW, including CM Punk, Sting, Chris Jericho, Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D., Jon Moxley and many more. Categories will include two-inch Minimates poseable figures, four-inch Vinimates vinyl figures, 10-inch Gallery Diorama PVC sculptures and 11-inch Premier Collection statues.
The all-new line will launch with an exclusive Vinimates two-pack at Comic-Con International in San Diego. CM Punk and Sting will be featured, wearing their mutual-tribute face paint as seen at AEW’s Holiday Bash in December 2021. It will be available at Booth 2607 at the convention and on diamondselecttoys.com.
“I’ve been a fan of wrestling for as long as I can remember,” said DST president Chuck Terceira. “AEW is the home of some of the most thrilling talent in the business, so we look forward to spotlighting these stars in our already fan-favorite product lines for fans everywhere.”
“Having worked with Chuck and the team at Diamond Select in the past, I have no doubt they will deliver an amazing assortment of premier collector items based on AEW,” said Mark Caplan, Head of Consumer Products at AEW. “Our fans are passionate and have an ongoing appetite for merchandise at our weekly live events, retail and online stores.”
In addition, some of the biggest stars of AEW will take the San Diego Comic-Con stage for the first time to give a ringside view of the wildly-popular wrestling promotion. The highly anticipated panel discussion on Saturday, July 23, will feature CM Punk, Jade Cargill, Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy and Bryan Danielson, and will be moderated by AEW commentator Excalibur.
Since its debut in 2019, AEW has defied expectations with its meteoric rise, world-class roster, record-high ratings, unprecedented collaboration with other leagues and highly entertaining product.
Meltzer did not specify when that will be, or what plans WWE has for the former Women’s Champion at this time.
Bayley has also teased returning to the ring as soon as tomorrow night’s Money in the Bank Premium Live Event, recently sharing an image of herself hugging the Women’s MITB briefcase she won in 2019.
Bayley and the fans
Bayley’s injury came at an especially bad time for the “Role Model” who got hurt mere days before the return of live fans in July 2021.
Bayley was reportedly injured during a training seminar that WWE had mandated to ensure the Superstars were at their very best prior to the return of fans.
Given that Bayley did not compete at WrestleMania 37 (though did have an on-stage segment with the Bella Twins) it has been over two years since she last wrestled in front of a crowd.
Bayley’s last match in front of the fans was on the March 6, 2020 SmackDown, where she teamed with Sasha Banks to defeat Lacey Evans and Naomi.
There was one match that made Adam Cole cry “like a baby” during his time with WWE NXT.
Recently, the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star was a guest on WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle’s podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.”
During the show, Cole revealed that he got very emotional both before and after his final NXT match with Kyle O’Reilly.
“I’m an emotional guy, and I don’t think I’ve ever said this, but I cried like a baby after that match. I’m sitting there, I’m watching this video package before the match, and its pictures of me and Kyle from 2009, and all this Ring of Honor stuff, and us wrestling each other in New Japan, and I know this is my last night at NXT … I was crying before I went out there.
“Getting to do that with him, there’s no one I would’ve rather wrestled or been in there with than Kyle. Just because I got to close my Ring of Honor chapter with him in a lot of ways, I got to close my PWG chapter and then my ‘NXT’ chapter with Kyle. So it was a very special night and a very emotional night for me.”
Cole said the video package before the match, showcasing he and O’Reilly together throughout their initial years in the business, as well as knowing it was his last night in NXT, made for an emotional journey.
Now, Cole has signed with AEW, where he has seen some great success right off the bat. He won the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament after a string of impressive matches.
Several WWE stars were reportedly “shocked” at All Elite Wrestling (AEW) signing Claudio Castagnoli (formerly known as Cesaro).
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that the reason they were shocked was based off of the large offer WWE had made to Castagnoli before he signed with AEW. While this wasn’t a big deal with fans, it certainly was for the talent.
The feeling going around is that AEW must’ve matched or topped WWE’s offer, which came as a surprise considering the belief was that AEW was no longer doing that.
Castagnoli could’ve made a substantial amount of money in WWE, however, the likelihood of a push was very small.
Also, at 41-years-old, Meltzer speculated Castagnoli is likely looking to prove once and for all he can be a top guy before he begins to physically decline with age.
AEW president Tony Khan has noted before that he was a big fan of Castagnoli’s in-ring work and IQ.
Talent Benefitting from Competition between WWE & AEW
With both AEW and WWE willing to pay out the big bucks for more talent, wrestlers have more leverage now than ever before. At one point, WWE was offering talents big money just to keep them locked away, only to have them be released mid-contract.
The landscape of professional wrestling has certainly changed quite a bit in recent months, with the likes of Cody Rhodes leaving AEW for WWE in a big money deal; and the likes of Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and now, Claudio Castagnoli, leaving WWE for AEW, it’s a clear indication that it’s a seller’s market at the moment in regards to talent.
All the fun is only likely to continue, with big names like Sasha Banks, Naomi, and Io Shirai also set to hit free agency soon. With both WWE and AEW seemingly financially stable, the madness doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon.
One AEW star isn’t expected to be back inside the ring for a while.
There has perhaps been no time more trying for AEW President Tony Khan as a wrestling promoter than right now. His company has had to endure a slew of injuries all at once.
Kenny Omega has been out of action since Nov. 2021 but things appeared to be steady enough during his absence. Unfortunately for the promotion, a wave of injuries to the likes of AEW World Champion CM Punk has derailed some plans.
Some performers will be missing more time than others and in the case of this top main eventer, he will be out for a lengthy period of time.
Adam Cole Out For A While
(Photo: Big Gold Belt Media)
Adam Cole competed at the AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door PPV event on June 26. He challenged Jay White, Kazuchika Okada, and Hangman Page for the interim IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Jay scored the pinfall over Cole but the ending was awkward. Jay simply got the pin after Cole ducked a Rainmaker, so fans instantly suspected something was off.
On top of that, Cole had been trying to work through a torn labrum. The belief is that Adam Cole would be best served to get surgery for the tear rather than try to tough it out once he’s clear from the concussion.
It’s another blow to AEW because at this point, there is a growing mega-list of injuries within the company.
It looks like one WWE star could be on the verge of a change in attitude.
Heel and face turns are nothing new in the wrestling business. Very few can say they remained on one side of the fence throughout their entire career.
Even some stars who worked best at one role eventually switched things up.
When it comes to this star, however, a heel turn would be quite the surprising move.
Cora Jade Heel Turn?
(via WWE)
NXT star Cora Jade has a bubbly personality and she’s one of the last performers you would expect to turn over to the dark side.
With that said, it looks like WWE is mulling over possibly turning her heel.
Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE is considering having Jade turn on Roxanne Perez at some point. It’s important to note that this is not set in stone, rather an idea being floated around within the company.
Since NXT is a developmental brand, this is where experiments such as this one can be done without much backlash. It could also be a good test to see if Cora Jade has the chops to be a heel.
WCW Fall Brawl 1997 saw a traditional WarGames match pitting the Four Horsemen against representatives of the New World Order. The pairing made sense with the Horsemen traditional masters of the gimmick against the faction that was in many ways their successors as main event heels and WarGames fixtures (they’d feature in WarGames scenarios from 1996 until the company stopped running these specialty matches).
The main point fans remember from this match, though, was that newly minted Horseman Curt Hennig turned on his allies to join the nWo, costing them the match and arguably putting the last nail in the coffin of The Horsemen as a legitimate threat. What if Hennig hadn’t turned heel at all, but rather remained a Horseman?
WarGames Itself Might Have Been Great
The 1997 edition of WarGames wasn’t bad—certainly not as poor as the more experimental editions in the years to come that were really only WarGames in name. Nonetheless, it didn’t stand out and most fans only remember it for Curt Hennig promptly turning on his team and setting up a nasty finish with him threatening to slam Ric Flair’s head in the cage door to get his teammates to surrender.
While Hennig was no longer in his prime, he was still an elite worker. His efforts, combined with Flair’s, and with Syxx on the opposing side could have made for one of the last great WarGames matches in WCW, whether or not the Horsemen won in the end.
Curt Hennig Might Have Been A WCW Main Eventer
Curt Hennig is often considered one of the great missed opportunities as it pertained to all-around talents whom WWE never pushed to full-fledged main event status. WCW could have made good, minting their own new top guy with a babyface Hennig, backed by The Horsemen, a credible challenger to Hulk Hogan’s WCW title, and perhaps even a world champion.
Hennig was the kind of performer who might have singlehandedly elevated the WCW main event picture, including headlining opposite fellow stars who could go in the ring like Randy Savage or Scott Hall, besides still working feuds with Bret Hart or Diamond Dallas Page with more stakes attached.
The nWo Vs. The Four Horsemen Might Have Been A Great Faction Feud
Looking back, on paper, fans might think of the New World Order vs. The Four Horsemen as a great rivalry between iconic stables. The reality is that the Hollywood Hogan and company mostly dominated the feud, outsmarting The Horsemen when it mattered and prevailing in most major match scenarios.
Part of the problem was that The Horsemen were hamstrung with outstanding talents like Dean Malenko, who nonetheless weren’t over with fans at the main event level, leaving Ric Flair as their only star with the credibility to hang with the top five or so stars of the nWo.
Curt Hennig could have bridged that gap, pushed as a top-level babyface who re-legitimized the group, rather than getting lost in the shuffle as just another guy in the nWo. Like the very best faction feuds, this one might have run across multiple team scenarios and different one-on-one matches between the two lineups.
In the end, we’ll never know quite what would have been if Curt Hennig had stuck with The Four Horsemen rather than joining the nWo. Just the same, Hennig did feel like a squandered talent there for his forgettable work with the nWo after the original turn and getting wedged into The West Texas Rednecks faction, which he made the most of but was a bit beneath his talents. Working alongside Ric Flair as the top Horsemen—and perhaps even still feuding with him in time—could have been special.
It’s been over a month since Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of WWE and the company has distanced itself from the pair ever since.
Days after the walkout during the May 16, Raw, WWE suspended the two, stripped them of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, and pulled them from promotional materials.
It has been reported that Banks has been released by WWE, though there is no confirmation yet, but fans won’t be hearing her name “The Boss'” name no matter what.
Bianca’s Awkward Interview
Speaking on Sports Illustrated’s Laces Up, Bianca Belair discussed her career so far in WWE and made a deliberate attempt to avoid bringing up Banks (via Bodyslam.)
“I had the main event of WrestleMania with with, uhh…. at WrestleMania 37. I was the first black woman to main event WrestleMania that night.”
Bianca Belair avoids using Sasha Banks’ name.
While Belair did indeed main event Night One of WrestleMania 37, she did so alongside Banks.
Banks walked into the show as SmackDown Women’s Champion and lost the title to Belair, marking “The EST’s” first championship in WWE.
The Walkout
Banks and Naomi were branded “unprofessional” by WWE for walking out due to a creative difference between the two sides.
WWE had planned on Naomi winning a number one contenders match for the Raw Women’s Championship, and had planned on Banks entering a program with SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey.
Given that it was likely that both Banks and Naomi would lose their feuds, and feeling that this would diminish the importance of their WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, the pair walked out of the show, and haven’t been seen since.
Last month, Jeff Hardy was arrested and leveled with several charges, including driving under the influence and driving with an invalid license.
This marks Hardy’s third arrest within a decade due to driving under the influence, and many have questioned what can be done with the popular but problematic wrestler.
The evening before his arrest, Hardy had spent it at the SlamDown VII convention in Orlando, FL and there has now been a major update in the case.
Not Guilty Plea
According to PWInsider, Hardy filed a written plea on June 28, insisting that he is not guilty.
If convicted of the DUI charge, a felony in the state of Florida, he could face up to five years in prison for his actions.
Hardy’s blood-alcohol level was over three times the legal limit and at one point, officers had to pull their firearms on the AEW star to get him to comply.
The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion’s next big day will be on July 5 when he is scheduled to be arraigned.
Hardy’s last chance
This is Hardy’s first run-in with the law as an AEW wrestler, and if Tony Khan has his way, it will also be the last.
Khan has made it clear that this is Jeff’s last chance and is likely to release him should he have another arrest while under contract.
It was reported last month that Jeff has entered a rehab facility which he began on June 21.
Game Changer Wrestling held their event GCW: Dead on Arrival at the Knights of Columbus venue in Detroit, Michigan.
The event is the first of GCW’s Summer Round Trip tour. The promotion will have four events in four states from Jun. 30 to Jul. 4. The main event saw Cole Radrick vs. Ciclope vs. Miedo Extremo in a Three-Way Deathmatch. The card also had Blake Christian facing Chase Burnett as he prepares to challenge Jon Moxley for the GCW World Championship next month.
The event aired live on FITE and is available for $11.99 on Video on Demand. GCW fans can also watch the event as part of the Summer Round Trip Bundle for $29.99.
This event had everything GCW fans would love with different types of wrestling matches, most notably the Deathmatch. It can be argued that the show may have overdone itself by having four Deathmatches straight till the end. One of the moments that stood out on the show was Slade vs. Hoodfoot.
The match ended abruptly after Slade sliced Hoodfoot with a broken light tube on the arm, which caused a severe injury. Hoodfoot was rushed out of the ring to receive help. GCW’s Brett Lauderdale shared on Twitter that he went to the hospital to get stitches.
Overall the event did have entertaining matches. Ninja Mack vs. Calvin Tankman and Jordan Oliver vs. Alex Shelley vs. Nick Wayne could be the matches that stand out to fans.
The next event part of the Summer Road Trip tour will take place on Jul. 1.
The May 4 episode of AEW Dynamite almost had a former ROH star appear as a security guard.
In an interview with Ringsiders Wrestling, Tony Deppen shared that he was supposed to be a member of the security team that Wardlow had attacked. The AEW star faced former Impact Wrestling talent W. Morrissey at the May 4 episode of AEW Dynamite in Baltimore, Maryland.
After the match, Deppen was supposed to be one of the security guards that Wardlow beat down. He had already had a taped match with John Silver for AEW Dark that day.
However, according to the former ROH star, AEW pulled him because they didn’t want to hurt his value as a wrestler.
“…When I did AEW in Baltimore, I was supposed to do the run-in with Wardlow as well, and you know that Baltimore’s prime Ring of Honor territory. Everyone knows me there, and I did my match, got in the back, and the extra coordinator pulled me to the side.
“He’s like, ‘You’re not going out there for that,'” said Deppen. He continued, “I was like, ‘oh, why?’ He just like, ‘we don’t want to hurt you like everyone knows who you are out there.’ They didn’t want me to get hurt as like my value, I guess, which I understand that but also in the same sense I’m like, ‘yo I would’ve got an extra payday.'”
What is Former ROH Star Tony Deppen Doing Now?
Since he departed from ROH, Deppen has competed for different independent wrestling promotions. He has also become one of the frequent talents competing in Game Changer Wrestling.
He faced Jon Moxley for the GCW World Championship at GCW: You Wouldn’t Understand on June 18. While Deppen pushed the champion to his limit, Moxley defeated him to retain the title.
Deppen also recently competed in a scramble match at GCW: Dead or Alive on June 30, which he won by pinning Dark Sheik.
If AEW President Tony Khan wants to revive the ROH brand, he could consider signing Deppen. Although, it seems like Deppen is keeping himself active and having success.
During a recent discussion with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston, Chelsea Green spoke about the creative pitches she made during her time in WWE and the process surrounding it.
Chelsea Green and her husband Matt Cardona have been everywhere on the independent scene after their releases from WWE. On April 15, 2021, Chelsea Green was released from her WWE contract.
Matt was released exactly one year before Chelsea on April 15, 2020.
After her release, Green made it known that she made multiple pitches to Vince McMahon to try and get herself on TV.
Unfortunately, during her main roster debut match on the November 13, 2020 episode of SmackDown, Chelsea suffered yet another arm injury.
Green’s WWE Creative Pitch
Green spoke about the pitches she made and her process for pitching them to Vince.
“No, actually one that was really ridiculous and I get made fun of all the time on the internet still for it, was like this kind of like nun character where- What was Seth Rollins? He had a character and he would come out and be like The Messiah. And, I wanted to come out with him, I always thought that I could be a good valet, but then also be able to be in the women’s division. But I really loved the idea of being like a 90’s style valet.“
“So, I wanted to come out with him as kind of like his follower, his disciple, and just basically be like a yes man to everything that he wanted when he wanted to kind of stir things up in each division.”
Chelsea Green on her WWE pitch
“When I first pitched the character to Vince and I said a nun, I think everyone just has this immediate thought of what that is and how that’s not going to work, and finally he kind of like laughed and was like, ‘I need you to explain this for me.’
“And I explained like the look that I had in mind, the attitude that I had in mind, the fact that it was more of building this following of everyone following Seth Rollins to the ring. Finally, he’s like, ‘Oh, okay,’ and you can see the wheels turning.“
WWE Creative Is Ever-Changing
“A lot of the scenarios that I pitched were like that, like, ‘Okay, how can we make this work? Can we make this work? What’s gonna be-‘ I mean Raw and SmackDown, when I say they’re ever-changing, I seriously mean up until ten minutes before showtime. So, something could work, and then ten minutes before showtime, it doesn’t,” Green said.
“All these ideas are so out of left field and so opposite that they can’t tell you whether it’s a bad idea or a good idea or yes or no because they might need to use it last minute, or they might need to give it to somebody else and have someone else use it because they fit the mold. They’ll never tell you no, but I mean if you have any sort of brain, you can tell what’s hitting and what’s missing,” she said.
Possible Name Change
Recently, WWE has seen many superstars face name changes. It seems that Chelsea was scheduled to get a name change as well. She was asked about working with WWE creative and how they responded to her pitching so many ideas.
Green responded, “I think there’s a fine line where if you don’t do what they want then yes [creative would ignore ideas]. But, I never did that. They gave me, they called me, they said, ‘You’re going to be in this qualifying match for Survivor Series and your name is going to be Victorious.’
“I’m like, ‘Great.’ A lot of people laughed at that name, but I’m like, ‘F*cking awesome dude.’ This is a name I can work with. This is a name people won’t forget.
“It might be so ridiculous and sound like a stripper, but on the other hand you’re not going to ever forget this name. Once I’m Victorious, you’re not going to forget Victorious was Victorious kind of thing.
“I think if I had been like, ‘Well, I have different names for you.’ Do you know what I mean? Like, that is something I would never do.“
Green’s Willingness To Work
“I only suggested things because I was sitting waiting. So, I wanted them to know, ‘Hey, I’m not just sitting here collecting a paycheck.
“I’m sitting here collecting a paycheck because I am every single day thinking about what I can do to get on TV, how I can change my look. Goddamnit, I will dye my hair.’ I will never forget, I said to Cannon before he hired me at NXT, ‘What do you need?
“Do you need me to dye my hair blue? Do you need me to shave my head? I’ll do it. I will do it. Just tell me what you need. Tell me what’s missing, and I will be that missing piece.’ That’s what I was trying to give to the writers.
“So, if they told me, ‘You’re going to be CM Punk’s next person who’s shaving their head and stuff,’ I would’ve done it. “
Green In Impact
Chelsea can still be seen on Impact Wrestling as she recently competed, in a losing effort, for the Knockouts World Championship in a first-ever Queen of the Mountain match at the Slammiversary pay-per-view.
Chelsea was able to have a memorable moment with Deonna Purrazzo when they both fell off of a tall ladder to the outside of the ring and through two tables.
Front row view of the Chelsea/Deonna table spot from #Slammiversary !! Fkng terrifying!!?? Glad they’re both OK.
Gunther, formerly known as WALTER, had a dominant reign in WWE NXT UK for several years as the NXT UK Champion before moving to the United States, where he worked in NXT and was later called up to the main roster.
When Gunther went to NXT permanently, William Regal was already off television as the GM. The current AEW manager praised Gunther during the latest episode of his podcast, Gentleman Villain. He thinks Gunther perfectly understands his role in WWE.
“He knows what he is, and he sticks to what he does best. He doesn’t expose anything that he doesn’t know. He knows exactly what to do that’s got him to where he got to. He had a long time to figure it out. I remember him having a tryout and he hadn’t figured himself out at the time. once he figured it out — WALTER, now Gunther, he is the perfect heavyweight lion. A person that was a huge influence on my wrestling style, and in helping me, was my favorite wrestler to wrestle.”
Regal recalled how Terry Rudge taught him early in his career that all wrestlers should wrestle like a big cat – lightweights should be like a cheetah, middleweights like a puma, and light heavyweights should be like a tiger or a panther. Heavyweights should wrestle like either a lion, a tiger, or a cross between the two.
Regal stated that Gunther has perfected this mindset, which he believes makes him the perfect lion.
“If you think of the way a wrestler moves, the way he attacks, and the way — if you’re a good wrestler, it makes perfect sense. Well Gunther, as you say, has perfected being a perfect lion. He knows exactly how to be a lion… If you just think about the way a lion is, It’ll just stalk, prowl up and down, will swat if it has to, and when it has to sprint, it spreads and it kills, and if you look at him like that, you know, he’s figured out his perfect role. How to be a perfect lion. That’s what a really good heavyweight should be.”
Gunther is currently the WWE Intercontinental Champion. He made his most recent televised title defense last week on SmackDown against Ricochet.
Regal is a seasoned talent scout and knows a tough competitor when he sees one. He currently leads AEW’s Blackpool Combat Club faction, comprised of Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Claudio Castignoli and Wheeler Yuta.
AEW certainly isn’t the only promotion that leans on stables. The likes of NJPW and Stardom are quite group-heavy as well. Even WWE has its share of factions such as The New Day and The Judgment Day.
One AEW faction, however, could very well be in the midst of a breakup.
Gunn Club Splitting From The Acclaimed?
(via Tony’s Music)
There could be some trouble brewing between the Gunn Club and The Acclaimed.
During the special Blood & Guts edition of AEW Dynamite, Danhausen and FTR took on Max Caster & The Gunn Club. Anthony Bowens accidentally hit Austin Gunn with one of his crutches, costing Gunn Club the match.
Afterward, Austin & Colten Gunn were not happy with Bowens. Things got heated, which led to Billy Gunn shoving Austin down and appearing to side with The Acclaimed.
For weeks, The Gunn Club has hinted at not being aligned with The Acclaimed, who have been pandering to the crowd in babyface-like fashion.
In particular, Austin and Colten are not amused when being referred to as the “Ass Boys.” Bowens had been leading the crowd to sing “Ass Boys” while The Acclaimed’s theme would play.
A big upcoming talent debut for AEW/ROH was not, in fact, spoiled by AEW music producer Mikey Rukus.
Rukus held a live stream on YouTube where he was just showing off the process of making entrance theme songs for AEW. He also broke down the drum tracks for the theme song for the Butcher and the Blade.
An oversight was spotted by fans when a list of files for recent AEW theme songs he had created was shown on screen. There were tracks listed for stars such as Claudio Castagnoli and Luchasaurus’ new theme song
An interesting name was also listed – current Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace, which you can see in the image below:
Fightful Select has an update – Jordynne Grace actually commented on the music file weeks ago. She clarified at the time that Mikey Rukus has produced songs for her for quite a while, even dating back before AEW existed. She is under contract with Impact through at least Spring 2023.
Rukus also responded to the potential leak, claiming it has nothing to do with AEW.
Sorry to rain on the parade but has nothing to do with AEW ???.
Grace signed with Impact Wrestling in August 2018. She’s held the Impact Digital Media Championship, Knockouts World Championship, and Knockouts Tag Team Championship.
WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle has revealed his favorite match in which he competed against John Cena.
Angle knows Cena as well as anyone inside the squared circle, being Cena’s first opponent for his main roster debut in 2002. The pair then embarked on a lengthy rivalry that helped elevate Cena into Superstar status.
Speaking in an interview with TV Insider recently, Angle was asked about his favorite match that he had with Cena during their feud. Angle named his 2003 No Mercy match against Cena in which he made “The Leader Of The Cenation” tap out.
“I would say probably where I made him tap,” Angle said. “I believe it may have been No Mercy 2003. We had a really good match. John stayed with me and worked really hard, he hit all his moves. The match was magic and one of my favorite matches. All my favorite matches, though, are when I make someone tap out.
“John and I also had a great match in No Way Out 2005 where he beat me. It was right before the WrestleMania before he won the WWE championship for the first time. That match might have been a little better. That was when they were really pushing John to be the champion.”
The latter match Kurt Angle mentioned was their 2005 bout at No Way Out in which Cena defeated “The Olympic Hero” for the first time by either pinfall or submission. Prior, he had only ever beaten Angle via disqualification in 2002.
It was a massive stepping stone in Cena’s journey to become “the guy” as it made him the No. 1-contender for the WWE Title, where he’d go on to defeat JBL at WrestleMania 21 to capture the World Title.
John Cena recently celebrated his 20th year in WWE since his debut on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.
Internet sensation Logan Paul has signed a deal with WWE.
Paul has been getting quite comfortable with the company and for good reason. He performed at WrestleMania 38, teaming with The Miz to take on Rey & Dominik Mysterio.
Logan was highly praised for his showing and many believed he looked like a natural inside the ring. While Paul had been announced for a SummerSlam return, he has now put pen to paper.
Logan Paul Signs on Dotted Line
Logan Paul took to his Twitter account to show he’s signed a WWE contract in front of Stephanie McMahon and Triple H.
A video was then released of Paul writing a message to The Miz on the back of his contract.
“Deal includes an undisclosed number of premium live events across 2022 and 2023. He’ll likely, I’m told, have his first big appearance at SS but could be on TV before that. He signed his deal yesterday.”
Ariel Helwani on Logan Paul’s WWE deal
Paul and Miz picked up the win over The Mysterios at WrestleMania. After the match, Miz turned on Paul by hitting the Skull Crushing Finale.
During a recent episode of Monday Night Raw, Miz revealed he told Paul that this was just a learning lesson and the two are back on the same page.
The Undertaker believes current RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair has only just “scratched the surface” of her star potential in WWE.
“The Dead Man” was recently interviewed by Sports Illustrated, where he offered his thoughts on the current landscape of the WWE’s women’s division. Taker spoke on two stars in particular that stand out to him.
The first being “The Man” Becky Lynch, who Undertaker says is “so dialed in right now.”
“Becky is so dialed in right now,” ‘Taker said. “You’re on TV as much as they are, you can get used up really fast—but Becky is constantly evolving. She’s doing that on the mic and in the ring.”
Second, Undertaker praised current RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, who he believes has only “scratched the surface” of her star potential within the company.
“The women’s division is really, really good,” Undertaker said. “Bianca has only scratched the surface of the star she’s going to be. She’s got such an incredible personality. She’s someone I really want to see succeed.”
Both Lynch and Belair have big weekends ahead of them. They’ll both be in action at WWE’s Money In The Bank event Saturday from Las Vegas.
A WWE Hall of Famer is back to work for the first time since undergoing spinal surgery.
The wrestling business can be grueling. Even years after a performer has had one final match, there are likely to be lingering effects. In the case of one tag team legend, it led to him undergoing back surgery.
Luckily, everything seems to be in order now and this legend is back working behind the scenes in WWE for the first time since the operation.
D-Von Dudley Returns
D-Von Dudley
Legendary tag team wrestler D-Von Dudley has revealed on his Twitter account that he is now back to work in WWE for the first time since the fall of 2021.
This pass Tuesday night was the first time back at work since my back surgery that took me out last October. Feeling great and Glad to be back, but even more glad to be back in my new role in NXT. Love working with the new talent now. I thank God for this opportunity.
“This past Tuesday night was the first time back at work since my back surgery that took me out last October,” said D-Von.
“Feeling great and Glad to be back, but even more glad to be back in my new role in NXT. Love working with the new talent now. I thank God for this opportunity.”
Two NXT prospects are said to be on the radar of WWE management for potential callups to the main roster.
WWE has made many changes to NXT over the years. The brand has gone from the black and gold look to a more colorful vibe. With its current iteration also came a change in direction.
NXT is now a true developmental system, preparing stars for the main roster. It’s no longer considered its own top brand filled with high-level indie talent and international stars.
It appears WWE feels two NXT talents have been doing well enough to potentially earn main roster spots.
Sanaga & Xyon Quinn to the Main Roster?
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio is reporting that WWE management is mulling over the possibility of adding Sanga and Xyon Quinn to the main roster.
Furthermore, Meltzer claims WWE sees Quinn as “the total package.”
Sanga and Quinn shared the ring on the June 28 episode of NXT 2.0. Sanga emerged victorious.
It’s unknown which brands are being discussed should Sanga and Xyon Quinn make the jump to the main roster.
At the moment, SmackDown is depleted of babyfaces so perhaps Sanga could be a good fit there but nothing has been confirmed.
