Deonna Purrazzo is the next competitor to walk through the “forbidden door” onto AEW television.
Purrazzo is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, where she’s a multi-time Knockouts Champion. She’s also the reigning Ring of Honor Women’s World Champion.
Next week, she’ll make her AEW in-ring debut in a match that has championship implications. The Virtuosa battle AEW star Mercedes Martinez, who holds the Interim ROH Women’s world title.
The championship unification match will determine which competitor will represent ROH’s women’s division moving forward.
Purrazzo reacted to the match announcement by letting fans know that she’s been eager to grace an AEW ring:
AEW Dynamite aired live from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dax Harwood battled Cash Wheeler in an Owen Hart Tournament Qualifier. Sammy Guevara defended the TNT Championship against Scorpio Sky in a Ladder Match in the main event. In addition to the takeaways below, Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mercedes Martinez for the ROH Women’s Championship was announced for next week’s Dynamite.
Dax Harwood def. Cash Wheeler to qualify for the Owen Hart Tournament
Blackpool Combat Club def. Nick Comoroto, Aaron Solo, QT Marshall
Wardlow def. Lance Archer
Serena Deeb def. Hikaru Shida in a Philly Street Fight
Undisputed Elite def. Varsity Blonds, Brock Anderson, Lee Johnson, Dante Martin
Scorpio Sky def. Sammy Guevara to become the new TNT Champion
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Dax Harwood Qualified For The Owen Hart Tournament, Title Match Announced For Double or Nothing
AAA & ROH Tag Team Champions FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) battled each other for the first time ever in an Owen Hart Tournament Qualifier. CM Punk joined commentary for the match.
Harwood and Wheeler locked up to start the match. Wheeler took Harwood down with an Arm Drag and applied a submission hold. Harwood tripped Wheeler up and escaped. The two traded some more Arm Drags and had a stare down as the crowd applauded.
Cash connected with a couple of shoulder tackles and followed it up with a Body Slam. Harwood shrugged it off but Wheeler took him back down to the canvas. Cash applied an Arm Bar but Harwood escaped with a poke to the eye. Cash shoved Harwood away and then drove his shoulder into his midsection.
Wheeler got Dax in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Harwood escaped and perched Wheeler up on the top turnbuckle. Dax connected with a Superplex and both men were down on the mat. Dax regrouped and pulled himself up on the ring apron before climbing back to the top rope. Harwood went for a flying headbutt but Wheeler got out of the way. Cash then sent Harwood out of the ring with a Dropkick as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Harwood and Wheeler both went for a running Crossbody and slammed into each other. Dax and Cash then traded uppercuts and forearms to the face. Harwood went for a Powerbomb but Wheeler countered into a Hurricanrana for a two count. Dax hit the Powerbomb and went for the cover but Cash was able to kick out at two.
Wheeler hit a Piledriver for a near fall before FTR battled in the corner. Cash went for a Belly to Back Suplex off the top but Harwood countered into a Splash for a two count. Harwood then tackled Wheeler through the ropes and out of the ring. FTR made it back into the ring in time and the match continued.
Cash was holding his knee in pain and Harwood went right after the injury. Dax was about to apply the Sharpshooter but stopped. Harwood went for a kick to the midsection but Wheeler caught the leg and rolled him up for a near fall. Dax then rolled up Wheeler for the pinfall victory and qualified for the Owen Hart Tournament.
After the match, CM Punk grabbed the microphone and said he’s never been in a locker room that has had more talent. Punk shouted, “hell yeah I can still do this”. Punk said he can’t promise a win, but can promise that he will give 100%. Punk added that Hangman Page will know that he has been in a fight with CM Punk at Double or Nothing and that he will fight until the wheels fall off.
Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta, Jon Moxley) faced Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto, and QT Marshall tonight on Dynamite. William Regal accompanied Wheeler Yuta during his entrance and joined commentary for the match. The match started with a brawl until Moxley took control and planted Solo with a Suplex. Wheeler Yuta tagged in and connected with an Arm Drag for a two count. Comoroto tagged in and Wheeler greeted him with a Dropkick. Comoroto shrugged it off and sent Wheeler flying with a big Back Body Drop as Dynamite went to a break.
When Dynamite returned, Danielson hit Solo with some kicks and chops in the corner. Danielson hit Comoroto and Marshall with a dive through the ropes and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Bryan connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with some more kicks. Solo ducked under one and rolled Danielson up for a near fall.
Bryan went for the LeBell Lock but QT broke it up. Jon sent QT across the ring with an Exploder Suplex and then Clotheslined him to the outside. Solo leaped off the top turnbuckle but Danielson countered with a Dropkick. Wheeler and Comoroto tagged in and Nick sent Yuta flying across the ring.
Comoroto posed for the crowd and set up for a Powerslam but Yuta countered into a choke. Yuta hit some elbows to the face and pinned Comoroto as Danielson and Moxley applied a Sleeper and the Bulldog Choke beside him.
Wardlow and Lance Archer battled tonight on Dynamite. Jake Roberts was ringside for the match. Archer controlled the action early and walked across the top rope for a Moonsault as MJF and Shawn Spears celebrated in the crowd. Lance followed it up with massive Chokeslam and went for the cover but Wardlow powered out at two. Archer then hit the Blackout but Wardlow kicked out and rolled up Lance for a two count.
Archer perched Wardlow up on the top turnbuckle and joined him up there. Wardlow hit a couple of headbutts and knocked Archer to the canvas. Wardlow hit a Senton for a near fall and followed it up with a massive Powerbomb. The crowd chanted for another one and Wardlow delivered the 2nd Powerbomb as MJF threw a tantrum. Wardlow hit two more Powerbombs for the pinfall victory. Wardlow was then escorted out of the arena by security.
MJF and Shawn Spears were interviewed backstage. MJF called someone on the phone and offered him six figures for one match. MJF said that Wardlow will be facing someone taller than him next week and “you can’t teach that”, hinting that Wardlow’s opponent will be W. Morrissey (FKA Big Cass in WWE).
.@the_MJF sets up a match for @realwardlow next week against a man who is "smarter", "stronger" and "taller than #MrMayhem.
Jericho Appreciation Society came down to the ring and said that sports entertainers are best for business. JAS referred to the fans as “the AEW Galaxy!”. Eddie Kingston, Santana, Ortiz made their way to the ring for a sit down with JAS. Jericho grabbed the microphone and told everyone that they are lucky to be alive to see him. Chris demanded an apology for Kingston getting JAS kicked out of the arena on Rampage.
Ortiz gave Jericho the middle finger and then Santana did the same. Santana told Jericho that he turned his back on them before Daniel Garcia interrupted. Garcia said that threats don’t mean a thing because they promised Tony Khan there would be no physical altercation. Eddie Kingston knocked the table and challenged Jericho to a fight. Jericho pointed out that it is 5 on 3 and that Kingston is too stupid to realize it. Jericho took a seat in front of Kingston and started mocking him. Eddie threatened Jericho to the point that he started shaking a bit to end the segment. JAS later attacked in the parking lot and shot a fireball at Eddie Kingston’s face.
Hikaru Shida battled Serena Deeb in a Philly Street Fight tonight on Dynamite. Shida tackled Deeb to the mat and unloaded some punches. Hikaru hit a knee to the face that knocked Deeb out of the ring. Shida grabbed a steel chair and set it up but Deeb rolled back into the ring.
Shida bounced Deeb’s face off the top turnbuckle a couple times before laying her across the top rope. Hikaru hit a running knee to the midsection and Deeb fell to the floor. Hikaru went for a running knee off the apron but Deeb grabbed the chair and bashed Shida in the knee. Back in the ring, Deeb slammed Shida’s knee onto the chair as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Deeb went under the ring and grabbed some powder. Deeb threw it in Shida’s face and brought a kendo stick into the ring. Serena hit Shida with some kendo shots. Hikaru was blinded but was able to connected with a wild swing of the kendo stick and knocked Deeb out of the ring.
Hikaru poured water over her eyes and connected with a knee to the face. Back in the ring, Shida hit Deeb some more with the kendo stick but Deeb caught her with a chair shot. Deeb put Shida’s leg in the chair and climbed to the top rope. Shida got up and bashed Deeb with the chair before hitting a Falcon Arrow off the top rope for a two count. Serena battled back and slammed Shida on top of the chair for a two count. Deeb applied a Half Crab in the middle of the ring for the submission victory. AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa was shown watching the ending of the match backstage.
House of Black came down to the entrance ramp but got distracted by someone in the ring. PAC and Pentagon showed up on the entrance ramp and it was revealed to be the returning Rey Fenix in the ring. Death Triangle cleared House of Black out of the ring and then flipped onto them to end the segment.
Swerve Strickland and Darby Allin had a conversation backstage before their Owen Hart Tournament Qualifier match on Friday’s Rampage. Allin joked that Swerve can’t keep coming into companies and claiming they are his house. Allin said he’s been here since day one and vowed to win the match on Rampage.
Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, Matt & Nick Jackson faced Griff Garrison, Brian Pillman Jr., Lee Johnson, Brock Anderson, and Dante Martin in a 10-man tag team match. Dante hit O’Reilly with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Dropkick to Matt Jackson. Varsity Blonds isolated O’Reilly in the corner and took turns beating him down. Nick Jackson tagged in and connected with a Dropkick.
Lee Johnson hit a Crossbody onto Young Bucks and Brock followed it up with a Clothesline. Bobby Fish sent Brock across the ring with a Suplex. Lee Johnson, Dante Martin hit some dives to the outside and then the faces posed in the ring as the heels argued outside the ring.
When Dynamite returned, Nick Jackson hit Griff with a boot to the face and then flipped onto Pillman outside the ring. Matt Jackson tagged in and hit a Dropkick through the ropes. Nick followed it up with a flip onto Brock & Lee. Adam Cole tagged in as Young Bucks & ReDRagon held Lee up. Cole hit The Boom for the pinfall victory. After the match, Cole presented Young Bucks with an Undisputed Elite shirt and the group posed in the ring.
Sammy Guevara defended the TNT Championship in a Ladder Match against Scorpio Sky in the main event. Tay Conti & Dan Lambert were ringside for the match.
Scorpio Sky attacked Sammy during his entrance and beat him down against the barricade. The champion battled back and connected with a Suplex on the entrance ramp. The action returned to the ring and Sky set up a ladder but Guevara bashed the challenger’s face into it.
Guevara climbed up the ladder and motioned that he’s crazy. He then completely missed a 630 Splash off the ladder and hit the canvas very hard. Scorpio set up the ladder over him and started climbing but Sammy shoved it over as Dynamite went to a break.
When Dynamite returned, Sammy and Scorpio were back on top of the ladders. Scorpio hit a ridiculous Cutter and rolled out of the ring. Scorpio then brought a ladder with barbed wire on it into the ring. Sammy hit him with a Spanish Fly on top of barbed wire ladder and Dan Lambert got into the ring. Tay Conti knocked Lambert on his ass and Paige VanZant rushed the ring. Paige and Tay traded punches before Vanzant got the upper hand. VanZant beat Tay down in the corner but took a break to pose in the ring. Conti leveled her with a pump kick and made out with Sammy Guevara.
The TNT Champion set up the barbed wire ladder against the ropes but Scorpio hit him with a Spear. Scorpio Sky started climbing up the ladder but Tay Conti jumped on his back. Paige VanZant jumped on Sammy’s back and they climbed to the top. Paige VanZant and Tay traded punches all the way back down the ladder and booted each other in the face. Scorpio and Sammy traded punches on top of the ladder. Guevara flipped him off and Scorpio bit his finger.
Sammy punched Scorpio off of the ladder and climbed to the top. Guevara got his hand on the title but Scorpio tipped the ladder over. Sammy fell onto the barbed wire and to the floor. Sammy leaped onto the ladder from the ropes in a cool sequence but Scorpio knocked him back down. Scorpio Sky climbed back to the top and grabbed the belt to once again become TNT Champion. Frankie Kazarian came to the ring and shook Scorpio Sky’s hand after the match. Scorpio Sky celebrated with the TNT Championship to close the show.
On November 6, 1992, a 20-year-old Shaquille O’Neal made his NBA debut for the Orlando Magic, picking up 12 points, 3 blocks, and 18 rebounds against the Miami Heat — the most in an NBA debut since Bill Walton in 1974. After a week of games, Shaq became the first person in NBA history to be named Player of the Week in his first week in the league. He would continue to set records in his debut year, becoming the first rookie to start in the NBA All-Star game since Michael Jordan and winning the 1993 Rookie of the Year in a landslide vote.
Five months earlier, on June 3, 1992, 100 miles southeast of Orlando in Vero Beach, Florida, the current AEW TBS Champion, Jade Cargill, was born. Like Shaq, Cargill was athletically gifted from a young age — a three-time high school basketball Team MVP who helped her teams to two district championships. She continued to excel in basketball at Jacksonville University — where she graduated with a social science degree — being named to the Atlantic Sun Preseason First Team and leading in rebounds and steals for the 2012-13 season.
Not seeing a bright financial future in women’s basketball, Cargill ultimately put her hoop dreams on hold, choosing to raise a family with her partner, MLB All-Star Brandon Phillips, and earn her master’s in child psychology. But Cargill remained athletically inclined, continuing to work on her strength conditioning while also landing gigs as a fitness model. Eventually, her basketball past would come back into the picture when she crossed paths with Shaq in an entirely different sporting arena.
Once again, the location was Florida, this time the Daily’s Place amphitheater in Downtown Jacksonville — the open-roofed venue that housed Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling during the pandemic. On March 3, 2021, almost three decades since Shaq’s NBA debut, the basketball icon made his pro-wrestling debut alongside Cargill, also making her first in-ring appearance, live on TNT in front of 1.1 million viewers.
This match was the culmination of a divisive storyline that saw former AEW stars Cody and Brandi Rhodes embroiled in a vitriolic war of words with the NBA legend and the pro-wrestling newcomer. Teaming with Cody for the night was the fiery up-and-comer, Red Velvet, stepping in for the pregnant Brandi to take on the imposing duo of Cargill and Shaq. As with any celebrity-involved wrestling match, the potential for disaster was ever-present — add on top of that a rookie making her in-ring debut, a car crash spectacle was likely and even anticipated in some circles.
(AEW)
To the surprise of many, the match was a resounding success — an entertaining blockbuster chockful of shocks and thrills. And while Shaq might have grabbed the early headlines for his performance, which included an impressive crash landing through a table, Cargill was the true star. After all, this marquee match was designed as a platform to introduce Cargill to wrestling and introduce wrestling fans to Cargill. Sure, Shaq was the name that brought them into the building, but he’d soon be back jaw-jacking with Charles Barkley from the comfort of his studio desk. Cargill was the one with a multi-year AEW contract who would have to face the ruthlessly opinionated wrestling fans week in and week out. It was a high-pressure situation — trial by bodyslams and suplexes.
The match had its flaws and hiccups, to be expected of someone’s first-ever match, but Cargill carried herself with the confidence of someone who belonged. With a body that looked chiseled by Michelangelo and eye-catching platinum blond hair, she commanded attention the moment she walked onto the stage. It was evident from this one match that Cargill had the potential to be something special in the world of wrestling — she had that unquantifiable ‘it’ factor that just can’t be taught.
Jade Cargill’s Entry into Pro Wrestling
Wrestling wasn’t on the agenda for Cargill just a few years prior. In college, she had goals of becoming a psychologist, or a lobbyist, with a particular focus on health care. While growing up, she was drawn to wrestling’s Attitude Era and empowered by badass women like Chyna and Jacqueline, but a career in pro-wrestling was a completely alien concept. That changed when she met WWE Hall of Famer and current AEW broadcaster Mark Henry. The former strongman has had a distinguished in-ring career in his own right but has perhaps found even more success as a talent scout, responsible for finding future stars, including current WWE Women’s Champion Bianca Belair.
(AEW)
Impressed by her attitude and athleticism, Henry set Cargill up with a WWE tryout. Her journey once again took her to Florida, where she was one of several athletes in attendance at the company’s Performance Center in Orlando. “Henry told me how serious [the wrestling business] was,” Cargill said in an interview with Muscle & Fitness. “He told me about the time management that I would have to do, the dedication… being on the road all the time. When I went [to the try-out], I saw that it wasn’t as easy as I thought it was, but I love challenges, and this was something that I picked up and didn’t want to put back down.”
Cargill quickly caught the wrestling bug and now had a new goal to set her mind to — she was going to become a pro-wrestler. But she was going to do it on her own terms. Being independently wealthy by this point, money was not necessarily going to be the deciding factor in her career choices. With that in mind, it’s perhaps unsurprising that she turned down a contract offer from WWE — partly due to an off-putting interview process that saw her grilled about her commitment to the company.
“They were like, ‘we want you, we are going to sign you. But we are kind of worried about how bad you want this,” Cargill recalled on the Talk Is Jericho podcast. The discussion turned to Cargill’s then two-year-old daughter and how the young mother would balance her home life with her work life. Cargill had considered all of this already and thought about the precautions. “He was like, ‘yeah, yeah, yeah. I get what you’re saying, but this is your family now; I want you to know that.’ I was like, ‘I get it, I totally understand that, and I have thought about it, and I want it. I’ve been training for this; this is what I want.”
Cargill wasn’t lying; she was determined. After her WWE tryout, Henry had put her in touch with a number of wrestling schools, and she started training at the Face2Face Wrestling Academy in Atlanta, run by Richard Borger, Heath Slater, and Teddy Long. She was out there giving it her all, taking the bumps and earning the bruises, so WWE doubting her commitment left a sour taste.
(AEW)
Superstar or All Elite?
While Cargill was perusing her 100-page WWE contract and considering whether or not to sign on the dotted line, she was invited to attend an AEW taping in Jacksonville. The upstart promotion had debuted its weekly television show Dynamite on TNT in October 2019 and was off to a tremendous start. However, the pandemic shutdowns of 2020 stifled some of the company’s momentum, particularly with no live crowds in attendance. To help create some atmosphere at the shows, AEW started using roster members and extras at ringside. It was usually Austin Gunn stealing attention with his overenthusiastic heckling, but one Wednesday night in September 2020, fans’ eyes were drawn to a tall blond positioned at ringside.
Viewers continued to wonder who this mysterious woman was as Cargill became a regular at AEW events. Meanwhile, Cargill’s good friend and fellow pro-wrestler EJ Nduka urged her to sign her WWE contract. Nduka himself had signed a development deal with WWE in August 2019 and couldn’t understand Cargill’s hesitation. Well, Cargill would soon sign a contract — just not with WWE. After weeks of appearing in the crowd at AEW, Cargill eventually made her way into the ring to interrupt Cody mid-promo. It was official — Jade Cargill was All Elite.
“I came [to AEW], got the experience, and I felt calm,” she said on TIJ. “It made me feel at ease about the decision I wanted to make. I didn’t have to relocate; I felt at home. I could call [Tony Khan] and talk to him, and he knew my name. He knew my purpose, he knew that I wanted to do this, and that mattered to me. I wasn’t just a number. He knew exactly who I was, and that made me feel comfortable.”
Cargill’s decision came as a shock to Nduka. “I remember when I told him I was thinking about coming [to AEW], he couldn’t believe it. ‘Why would you ever choose AEW over WWE?’” Cargill recalled him saying. WWE had been the only game in town for almost 20 years, at least in scale, television exposure, revenue, and brand recognition. For many, like Nduka, WWE was the ultimate dream. AEW was still in its embryonic stages; sure, it had financial backing, a great TV deal, and an impressive roster, but it was (and is) a new and growing company. However, Cargill didn’t see that as a negative; she viewed it as part of the challenge.
“Yes, the other company was pissed off that they sent me a 100-page contract, but I made the best decision for my family and for myself,” she explained. “I’ve always been a believer and I’ve always been an underdog. I love being the underdog and we’re hungry. I want to be part of something that is hungry and wants to change things. That’s why I came here.”
She also felt more security at AEW at a time when WWE was releasing dozens upon dozens of wrestlers due to company-wide “budget cuts.” One of those released was Nduka, who was let go from WWE in May 2021, having never even had a chance to debut on television. “He was so for this company, and look at him,” Cargill said. “I’m like, ‘damn, that sucks. You were all about [WWE], we talked about this, you tried to convince me to come over, you just had a baby, your wife passed the bar in Florida for your career.’ It sucks. I know I made the best decision.”
In that same year, when other athletes from Cargill’s WWE tryout were either released from the company or still performing drill practice in the Performance Center, she was on prime-time TV, essentially learning on the job. Of course, there were stumbling blocks, but Cargill showed improvement with every match she had. She was now regularly training with AEW’s QT Marshall and wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes, adding new tricks to her repertoire. With that in-ring experience came a better sense of her character and an ability to connect with the audience. A masterful pairing with the sleazy ‘Smart’ Mark Sterling only added to the Jade Brand presentation, giving her a sidekick to bounce off and flex her promo muscles as she climbed up the ranks in AEW.
“Can it be nerve-wracking? It can be. Being compared to people that have been doing this for five and 10 years,” Cargill said of her time in AEW so far. “But people are experiencing something raw right now, and I’m not only on a journey myself, but everybody is on a journey with me, and they are going to see me continuously grow… I’m excited to show people tools that they have never seen before.”
Championship Material
On January 5, 2022, just 10 months after Cargill made her in-ring debut, she became AEW’s first-ever TBS Champion. To be entrusted with such responsibility so early in her career shows how important Cargill has become to the AEW brand. Since winning the title, Cargill’s confidence and star power have only grown. Her most recent work — including matches with Anna Jay and Marina Shafir — has been the best of her young career. This has translated into her mic work, too; compare her somewhat stilted first in-ring promo to her recent promo on Dynamite, where she talked with ease in front of a rowdy, packed-out crowd in Boston.
In just a little over a year, Cargill has garnered a loyal base of supporters and won over the most critical of naysayers. She’s even earned her share of celebrity admirers, such as High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens, Straight Outta Compton actor O’Shea Jackson Jr., and rapper Westside Gunn. It’s not a leap to imagine Cargill herself on the big screen one day — perhaps playing her dream role of Storm from The X-Men. “I love what [Storm] portrays. I love her character. I’m a strong black woman, and she’s a strong black woman,” Cargill told Bleacher Report.
For now, Cargill is focused on her AEW career, where she remains undefeated at 30-0. The former basketball hopeful has risen from unknown quantity to a reliable ratings draw. She’s gone from “Who’s that?” to “That bitch” within a year. In addition to winning the TBS Championship, she was recently named PWI’s 2021 Rookie of the Year and AEW’s Female Breakout Star of the Year. Her star will only continue to rise in the coming years as she perfects her craft and establishes her legacy.
In 30 years from now, Cargill should be able to look back on a legendary career that transcended her sport, just like Shaq. In fact, put money on it.
Rapper Copywrite accuses John Cena of stealing his lines in a new “diss track” released earlier this week.
Cena used a rapper gimmick, the Doctor of Thugganomics, in the early days of his WWE career. He was cutting freestyle promos on his opponents and even put out a (pretty solid) rap album in 2005 titled, “You Can’t See Me.”
Copywrite’s new album, The High Exaulted II, contains a song called, “Spoiler Alert / Have U Cena?”
John Cena Diss Track: Audio & Lyrics
The diss track alleges that Cena stole lines from him during some of his pre-match freestyles.
The song includes clips of Cena using phrases that Copywrite claims to have written.
“Spoiler Alert / Have U Cena?” contains lyrics such as:
“Oh shit, so tell me, why John Cena wanna thief my old steez? I got the news from a fan out the blue, at first I didn’t think was the truth, ’til he sent the YouTube link as the proof, now I’m tryna think what to do”
…
“Mister, get it on your own merit. Bit it, It was so apparent. So bad with no swag, when he did it I was so embarrassed”
So, did John Cena steal lyrics from Copywrite?
You can listen to the song below and decide for yourself.
In just under two months, All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling will present the supershow that fans have been clamoring for since AEW launched three years ago.
AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door takes place at Chicago’s United Center on June 26th. The event will air live on PPV, the B/R app, and FITE. It’s expected to be a tough ticket when the event officially goes on sale to the public next week. The United Center is the largest arena in the United States, and there seems to be little doubt that Forbidden Door will sell out, likely within hours if not less than that.
Despite bad faith arguments from critics who claimed the announcement on AEW Dynamite of Forbidden Door wasn’t as big of a deal as advertised by Tony Khan, make no mistake about it: It absolutely was. NJPW essentially launched AEW, and this is the show that fans have wanted since the beginning. Unless WWE gets into cross-promotion, this is the biggest cross-promotional show possible.
Does this event appeal to the most casual fans? Probably not, but that’s not the point here. There’s something to be said about delivering for your paying customers, and with there being no doubt the show will sell out such a large building, debating whether or not the event is a big deal is foolish. It’s clearly going to be a massive success.
Looking ahead to Forbidden Door, which matches do we want to see? There’s been a lot of discussion going on around the wrestling world since the announcement, and there’s many, many matches that could be booked for the show that would set the AEW and NJPW fandoms on fire. Below are some matches that I would most like to see, but they’re not the only possible combinations that would get me pumped for the show.
AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door: Fantasy Booking The Card
Kazuchika Okada vs. CM Punk
There’s also been talk about Punk vs. Kenta in a battle of the GTS, and while I’d love to see that match too, Punk vs. Okada just feels a lot bigger and more fitting for a show like this. This of course has an interesting wrinkle in that how would it impact the finish for Double or Nothing?
We assume Punk is challenging Hangman Page for the title in Las Vegas; does he walk out champion and then have a champion vs. champion match with Okada? If so, how do you book that finish? I don’t have a good answer, but the match itself is my ultimate dream match for the show right now. Punk has been teasing it on social media as well. Chicago is Punk’s hometown, and this is the biggest match he can have at the event.
Golden Elite vs. Undisputed Elite
I’m hardly the first to propose this scenario, but it makes a ton of sense if Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi (both out of action currently) can return by the end of June. Plus, tag team wrestling is a great way to ease back into ring shape.
Omega and Ibushi reunite and and team with the Young Bucks (Golden Elite) to take on Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, and Jay White (Undisputed Elite) in what would be an amazing eight man tag. We have seen the heat building between the Bucks and Cole’s group for weeks now, and Kenny vs. Cole with that same heat has pretty clearly been the long term plan when he returns from injury. Again, entirely dependent on the health of Omega and Ibushi for this scenario to happen, but it would sure be something.
Adam Cole arrives in AEW at All Out.
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bryan Danielson
Two of the best wrestlers of the last 20 years facing off. Who says no? Bryan vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. is another match that has been thrown out there, and it would no doubt be a masterpiece. However, my thoughts mirror what I said about Punk/Kenta above — I’d lean in for the bigger star power matchups at this first joint show when it comes to the card.
Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay
These two have had some of the best runs in wrestling over the last couple of years. Should Page lose the title to Punk at Double or Nothing, a match here with one of the best wrestlers in the world, another former world champion, would be a great way to move on to something new for the time being.
Sammy Guevara vs. Shingo Takagi
Two elite level workers in their respective companies. Takagi has had some outstanding matches with high flyers before (Ospreay in particular). This one would undoubtedly be a highlight reel of a match. Takagi was many people’s wrestler of the year for 2021, and Sammy would have a showcase here for the TNT Championship to show what he can do.
Darby Allin vs Kenta
The hard-hitting style of Kenta matched up with the no-regard-for-his-own-body style of Darby? Sign me up.
FTR vs. Guerrillas of Destiny
As far as traditional tag team matches go for the card, this clearly makes the most sense. FTR has been the dominant tag team of late in AEW, and Guerrillas of Destiny have been carrying the torch for NJPW for years now. This seems like an easy choice.
Samoa Joe vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Yet again, the term “hard-hitting” comes to mind. I can’t think of a single wrestling fan I know who wouldn’t want to see this one. It just makes sense on paper.
Tetsuya Naito vs. Jon Moxley
Two multi-time world champions who have carried the torch for their respective companies in recent years. This is a match with serious star-power and crossover appeal. Plus, they’ve worked together before so there’s some familiarity there to rely on. They had a banger during the 2019 G1 Climax tournament. Naito could be out for revenge for that loss.
Jon Moxley vs. Tetsuya Naito in 2019.
Andrade El Idolo vs. El Desperado
Andrade’s time in AEW just hasn’t clicked with me, but it’s hard to leave a guy with his talent off this card. Put him in there with the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion and see what happens. If Andrade doesn’t work out, I could see Swerve Strickland in this position.
Thunder Rosa, Jade Cargill and Britt Baker vs. Syuri, Saya Kamitani, and Utami Hayashishita
A match like this forces you to have enemies co-existing while also getting some of the biggest women’s stars from AEW and NJPW’s sister promotion, Stardom, on the card.
Lastly, I’d probably do some sort of tag team turmoil or battle royal match on the Buy-In to get some of the other big names in the companies on the show, such as: Keith Lee, Orange Cassidy, Jeff Cobb, Malakai Black, House of Torture, Hiromu Takahashi, Minoru Suzuki, Jeff Cobb, Eddie Kingston, Jurassic Express, and others.
Again, this is tough. There’s many directions this show could go, and most of them would be great. What are your own thoughts? Let me know in the comments section below or give me a shout on Twitter @ryandroste.
Additionally, you can check me out every week on the Top Rope Nation podcast, available on Apple – Spotify – YouTube.We discussed AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door on last week’s show.
The WWE is planning to run a lot more stadium shows in 2023.
According to a report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Andrew Zarian, WWE President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan has pressed forward the idea of running more stadium events moving forward. As of this writing, the WWE has eight stadium shows in total for 2022.
As Zarian mentions, there are some meaningful benefits to running stadium shows, even if it’s not a sell out of 50k+.
“The scalability of large stadiums is very beneficial when it comes to having live attendance over 15k. The event doesn’t have to be a sell-out of 50k+ but now you have room to do 20-35k shows more often leading to much higher revenue & higher level of excitement for the event.”
The scalability of large stadiums is very beneficial when it comes to having live attendance over 15k.
The event doesn't have to be a sell-out of 50k+ but now you have room to do 20-35k shows more often leading to much higher revenue & higher level of excitement for the event.
So far, WWE has run four stadium shows this year. The first being the Royal Rumble from The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. Next up was Elimination Chamber from the Jeddah Super Dome in Saudi Arabia. Finally, Night One and Night Two of WrestleMania 38 took place from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Next up will be Money In the Bank from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on July 2; followed by SummerSlam from the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on July 30; then WWE UK PLE from the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on September 3 – which might already have a big match set for the card soon. Finally, the promotion will return to Saudi Arabia, for what’s believed to be TLC, some time between September and November.
2023 already has two stadiums shows lined up in WrestleMania 39, Night One and Night Two, from SoFi Stadium in Hollywood, California.
WWE almost ran a storyline about The Undertaker having a son – but it was apparently nixed after some comments from Triple H.
Recently, former WWE writer Freddy Prinze Jr. took to his podcast, Wrestling With Freddie, to talk abut his time in the WWE writer’s room. Prinze talked about a time when the creative team was tasked with setting up an opponent for The Undertaker to run through before starting a program with Edge.
Undertaker’s initial opponent was sidelined with an injury, so the creative team was scrambling to find a meaningful replacement. Several ideas were kicked around, before someone suggested bringing up an FCW talent for Undertaker to “smash,” but threw in adding that the opponent was “The Deadman’s” son in a “supernatural sense.”
Prinze said he got a passive approval of “Yeah, whatever” from Michael Hayes and went on to explain the plans for introducing Undertaker’s son, Hadrian.
“We write this promo and he’s sort of hacking into the network feed. So we started hacking the feed on Thursday night SmackDown back then, and they would be kind of grainy pictures. They look kind of like 80s grainy and he had these messages for The Undertaker that he would come in with, ‘His (Undertaker’s) time is nearing and now it’s going to be my time.
“I have anger and love for you.’ He was a British guy. His name was Hadrian. What a great name, Hadrian. I think it was Hadrian Howard. He had this accent and he sounded smooth when he spoke. He had a shaved head and a bit of a beard. He looked real cool, but he definitely was a smaller guy, smaller than me.
“I’m six one right now, like 185. So he’s cutting these promos and he’s doing a good job. So we get the story approved by Freebird, and then we get it approved by Vince. We start shooting these little segments and they’re airing on television.
“It’s an ongoing thing. He’s not calling out The Undertaker, but he’s speaking about The Undertaker, and you’re just waiting to figure out what the reason for it is. It was this father-son thing. So we’re building up, I think we get two weeks of TV out of it.”
Prinze went on to explain how the angle got killed during a production meeting. Triple H walked in and made a comment about the talent that was going to be used for the storyline, saying “He looks like he cuts my grass.” After that, McMahon killed the angle.
“So we’re in the production meeting and everyone’s putting their segments through. Here comes our segment and nobody said boo the last two weeks or even three weeks of TV that we got out of it. Not one agent. Not Kevin Dunn. Not Vince. Not anybody.
“All of a sudden out of nowhere, Hunter [Triple H] says ‘Are we seriously going with this guy?’ Remember, this is not a Pay-Per-View match. This is not a guy that would get any sort of offense on The Undertaker.
“It would be just a build up for The Undertaker to have something to do so he could smash this guy and then get rolling over to Edge. He says, ‘Are we really going to go with this guy?’ Vince goes, ‘What do you mean? What’s the problem?’
“He says, ‘He looks like he cuts my grass, man’, and Vince laughed. Literally all the air went out of the room. Like you could just feel it.”
As if having all that hard work thrown out the window all of a sudden wasn’t enough, Prinze also said one of the daunting parts of it all was having to break it to the young talent that his high-profile storyline introduction to the WWE main roster, with a Superstar the caliber of The Undertaker, was now nixed. Prinze described the ordeal as “sickening.”
Video of Jimmy Uso’s 2021 DUI arrest has surfaced.
Back in July of last year, Jimmy was arrested in Pensacola, FL for driving under the influence. He posted $500 bond the following morning. The arrest brought much scrutiny to Jimmy as he’s had a history of DUI arrests.
A police report from officer William Roper was released detailing the reason for the arrest of Jimmy Uso.
“During the HGN Fatu was unable to keep his head still, and I observed multiple signs of nystagmus. Fatu had difficulty maintaining balance, and had difficulty in performing the Walk and Turn. During the one-legged stand, Fatu was unable to maintain balance, and placed his foot down multiple times.
“Due to the above circumstances I placed Fatu under arrest for DUI.”
Footage Of Jimmy Uso DUI Arrest
TMZ Sports has released video of the arrest and it’s clear that Jimmy Uso was none too pleased with a remark made by an officer. Jimmy lost his cool when the cop referred to a past incident on the road.
TMZ reports that Jimmy reached a deal with prosecutors earlier this month. As part of the agreement, Jimmy underwent and completed courses “related to the incident.”
Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay, best known as The IIconics in WWE, are leaving Impact Wrestling.
The former Impact Wrestling Knockouts World Tag Team Champions will be “indefinitely stepping away” from in-ring action.
They issued a joint statement on Wednesday announcing:
“We first want to thank Scott D’Amore and the entire IMPACT family. We have had such an amazing experience, working with the incredible IMPACT staff and roster. We will cherish these IMPACT memories forever. We are excited to start a new chapter in our lives and explore other opportunities that may come our way.”
Scott D’Amore, Executive VP of Impact, had this to say about their departure:
“The IInspiration have been a great part of IMPACT’s Knockouts roster and wonderful to work with,” said D’Amore. “Cassie and Jesse are incredibly talented performers. Everyone at IMPACT wishes them every success in the future.”
Lee and McKay were released by WWE on April 15, 2021 after six years with the company. They debuted for Impact six months later at Bound for Glory. Shortly after joining Impact, The IInspiration said the company “feels like home.”
Page wasn’t advertised for the show. Last week, he had a stare-down with CM Punk, who has been signaling for a title shot.
SEScoops wishes the “Hangman” a quick and full recovery.
The growing list of wrestlers who have gone public with their COVID-19 diagnoses over the past few months include Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, Goldberg, Matt Jackson of the Young Bucks, Will Ospreay, KENTA, Jake Roberts, Carmela, Nyla Rose and Pat McAfee.
When wrestlers name their Mount Rushmore of pro wrestling, they’re usually talking about in-ring competitors.
On the latest episode of his Something to Wrestle podcast, WWE Senior Vice President Bruce Prichard names his Mount Rushmore of Wrestling Promoters.
Unsurprisingly, Prichard names his longtime boss, Vince McMahon, as his “number one.”
The other three promoters he named were Paul Boesch, Dusty Rhodes and Vince McMahon Sr. “I do have to put Boesch on there because Paul was a true promoter,” said Prichard. “You have to view it through the eyes of who was a promoter, who was a marketer, who was a booker. Paul was a promoter’s promoter.”
He continued, “Vince McMahon Sr. was a promoter. Jim Barnett, Jim was a promoter, and as years went on, Jim Crockett was the guy who owned a business. Jim didn’t promote.”
“Dusty Rhodes was a promoter, even though Dusty didn’t have that moniker, that’s what Dusty did. So that would probably be it, the two Vince’s, Paul and Dusty.”
Listen to the latest episode of Something to Wrestle:
Mount Rushmore of Wrestling
Here are some past articles about wrestlers naming their Mount Rushmore of Wrestling:
Adam Cole says everyone in AEW is psyched for Forbidden Door, and he already knows who he wants to work with at the show.
During a recent discussion with Stephanie Chase, Cole spoke about the excitement that’s building for the upcoming inter-promotional super-show.
Both companies have huge stars and passionate fan bases. Forbidden Door is a chance to see the top stars of both companies square off.
Some AEW fans do not watch New Japan Pro Wrestling. Many NJPW fans don’t watch All Elite Wrestling. This collaboration will expose both companies to new viewers and that’s a huge win for everybody.
“Some of my fondest moments years ago were over in New Japan so yeah, I’m very, very excited for this event,” said Cole. “I think it’s gonna be awesome.”
Cole vs. Okada
The top stars of AEW and NJPW are making it known who they want to work with at Forbidden Door. Cole has his eye on Kazuchika Okada, the reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
“So I’ve never had a singles match with Okada,” he said. “I’ve wrestled Okada before in like a six-man tag team match in Ring of Honor but we barely had any interaction together.”
Cole is eager to make history with Okada and steal the show at Forbidden Door.
“I’ve wrestled Tanahashi, just wrestled Ishii, which was really cool. Wrestled Jushin Liger, YOSHI-HASHI.. so many different guys, but I would love a classic one-on-one singles match with Okada at some point. I think that’d be really cool.”
While no matches have been signed as of this writing, it’s worth tracking who wrestlers are saying they want to work with. In addition to Cole saying he wants to wrestle Okada, we’ve also seen:
The Human Suplex Machine currently works for AEW as a broadcaster. He’s also the on-screen leader of Team Taz, the faction comprised of Powerhouse Hobbs, “Absolute” Ricky Starks and his son, Hook.
Prior to his transition to the announcer’s booth, Taz had a legendary in-ring career. An ECW original, the pitbull from Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY was known for his deep arsenal of suplexes and submission holds. He choked out a couple guys, and dumped a couple guys on their heads, back in his day.
Unfortunately, all those years in the ring took a toll on his body. The 54-year-old legend is now undergoing stem cell and PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) therapy to repair the bad knee.
Wrestlers using Stem Cell Therapy
Several pro wrestlers have resorted to stem cell therapy in recent years, including Rey Mysterio. Many years ago, Mysterio was in bad shape after his In this video from 2019, Mysterio explains how stem cell therapy has revolutionized how he treats his injuries. He credits the procedures for extending his career and “turning back the clock” on the wear and tear his his has body endured.
WWE has released a few promo videos for the Breakout Tournament:
Breakout Tournament History
As the name implies, the Breakout Tournament features NXT rookies.
The inaugural NXT Breakout Tournament was held in 2019. Jordan Myles won the tournament and later cashed in against then-NXT Champion Adam Cole. He lost.
There was no tournament in 2020, but the Breakout returned last year. Carmelo Hayes took the honors and went on to win the NXT North American Championship from Isiah “Swerve” Scott.
Legado del Fantasma (Elektra Lopez, Joaquin Wilde & Cruz del Toro) def. Fallon Henley, Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen.
Solo Sikoa def. Trick Williams.
The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) def. Malik Blade & Edris Enofe.
Mandy Rose def. Roxanne Perez.
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Viking Raiders Appear
The Viking Raiders appeared and wrestled on this show when they took on Malik Blade & Edris Enofe.
The prospects did get some offense in, but it was mostly a one-sided beat down by The Viking Raiders. Post-match, they shook hands. They had a staredown with The Creed Brothers after having a conversation with them earlier in the night to exchange words. They’ll meet next week in a tag team match.
Solo Sikoa vs. Trick Williams took place. The match was back and forth, but Solo dominated the majority of it. Trick was just trying to get Solo over and did a good job at that. Solo went over with a splash off the top rope.
This was done to further build next week’s showdown when Solo challenges for the NXT North American Title in a triple threat match with Carmelo Hayes and Cameron Grimes.
Post-match, Solo went to superkick Hayes, but hit Grimes instead.
Nikkita Lyons vs. Lash Legend in a singles match was booked. The match opened the show. Lyons took a nasty bump off the apron to the floor. Lyons fought back and hit her finisher for the win.
Post-match, Natalya attacked Lyons and Legend jumped in until Cora Jade ran out to make the save.
Lyons defeated Legend in their prior singles meeting on the April 5 NXT 2.0.
Nathan Frazer made his NXT 2.0 debut. Grayson Waller came out and attacked his opponent before cutting a promo about how this is his show. He said he does what he wants when he wants. He mocked Chase U so Chase got into the ring. Nathan attacked Waller and cleared the ring of him.
His debut was announced last week in a video vignette. He had been an NXT UK regular who made his WWE debut on the January 7, 2021 episode of NXT UK. Before joining WWE, he worked as Ben Carter and wrestled several matches on AEW programming.
Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. Yulisa Leon & Valentina Feroz
Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. Yulisa Leon & Valentina Feroz took place in a tag team match. The bout ended with Katana and Kayden hitting an impressive tag team finisher.
The match was set up last week in a video posted after NXT 2.0 where they traded words before agreeing to the bout as both teams are looking to challenge Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne) for the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles.
This is also where it was confirmed Kacy Catanzaro would be going by the Chance name as she explained there are two parts of her and this is her other side.
Last week on NXT, WWE confirmed Bron Breakker would defend the NXT Title against Joe Gacy at NXT Spring Breakin. Bron granted it so he could get his father’s Hall Of Fame ring and Gacy gave the ring back. Gacy pushed Bron off the platform. Druids surrounded Bron as the show ended.
This week Gacy came out to the ring and cut a promo about how the mission isn’t quite accomplished. He doesn’t think everyone buys into his way of life and he wants to know why. He wants to separate from those who live in the past. He wants them to accept his vision because when he becomes NXT Champion there will be no choice. He said Bron isn’t medically cleared from the fall. Rick Steiner came out and said his son is cleared and he will defend the title. The druids were about to attack Rick, but Bron ran out to make the save. Gacy laid out Bron and stood tall with the title.
LA Knight has finished with the WWE NXT brand. Fightful Select reported today there are no plans moving forward for Knight in NXT and he is considered to be part of the main roster after just making a few recent SmackDown dark match appearances.
His last NXT match came when he dropped a loss to Gunther at Stand & Deliver during WrestleMania 38 Weeknd earlier this month. Gunther has also been called up to SmackDown.
It’s just a matter of time before Knight will be coming to the main roster with his new Knight Model Management stable.
On April 15th at SmackDown, Knight served as the manager to former RETRIBUTION member Mace in a dark match. Knight cut a promo about launching his Knight Model Management with the former Mace, now known as Face.
Knight stated that he’s starting the model management group after saving up all of his money. Knight was wearing a suit while Face also had a new look and beat Erik of The Viking Raiders, thanks to a distraction by Knight.
Last week at SmackDown, Mansoor was with Knight and Face for a dark match. However, this time, Knight called him Mace The Face, and then cut another promo to hype up his stable.
2022 could end up being a very good year for wrestling video games. WWE 2K22 has been released to a lot of positive reviews, and the latest reports indicate that AEW’s first console video game offering could be coming before year’s end.
So far, our looks at the AEW video game have been few and far between. The game was first announced a little over a year and a half ago.
Speaking on the Put Your Quarters on the Glass YouTube channel, Omega discussed the game’s pending arrival and updated fans on when we can see some more footage from the game.
“I mean we’re working real hard on trying to get something that is presentable, trying to get something that is gonna be complete, ASAP and hopefully that means this year,” Omega said (h/t ComicBook).
He continued, “Hopefully we’re also gonna have more materials to show everyone real soon and I know that there should be something actually really soon being released. I’m not sure when this will release but you may have already seen it by now and that’s just a little taste for things to come but there should be something more expansive, something a little more of an in-depth look, I would say in the upcoming months for sure. Just keep everyone up to speed let everyone know where we’re at.”
Jungle Boy in the AEW Video Game
In a report a couple of week’s back, Fightful Select noted that the AEW video game is expected to release this year among talent and staff. The target date is September. They recently had a cutoff for the roster’s theme music entries and the roster itself that will make it into the game. The company and developers have also reportedly reached an agreement with a publisher. That announcement should be made officially very soon.
Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.We discussed the updates on the AEW video game a couple of weeks ago on the show.
Mustafa Ali made his return to WWE this week during Monday Night Raw. It was Ali’s first appearance on WWE television in six months following a well-publicized spat with the company after he had requested (and been denied) a release from his contract.
Raw saw Ali come out during a Miz TV segment between The Miz and Theory. After requesting a match with Theory, Ali ended up wrestling (and defeating The Miz) instead. He was then attacked by Ciampa.
In an update on the story, Fightful Select provided a report on exactly how the return went down. WWE creative reportedly came up with plans last week for Ali to return. Originally, they had planned for him to lose to Miz. Thankfully, those plans were changed.
Ali was scheduled to meet with Johnny Ace when returning to Raw, and he was unaware of any creative plans at that point. Fightful notes that many backstage were happy to see him back, and when it came to the Miz TV segment, Ali was more than willing to reference his absence from television (Miz mentioned him taking his ball and going home).
The Fightful report also notes that Ali’s WWE contract runs through mid-2024. He had previously been frustrated with WWE creative and reportedly had some verbal disagreements with Vince McMahon over the booking of his character.
WWE could legally add time on to Ali’s contract due to his absence, essentially freezing his contract for the six months that he missed, however that option has reportedly not been exercised as of now.
Despite Ali’s release request, WWE never had any intention of releasing him as they see him as possessing a good deal of value. It seemed as the two sides were at an impasse as Ali had publicly said just three months ago that he had no interest in participating in the WWE Royal Rumble match.
Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.
Xyon Quinn will not be competing on tonight’s episode of NXT 2.0.
Quinn was set to have a match with Tony D’Angelo on the Apr. 26 episode of NXT 2.0. However, WWE has shared on Twitter that Quinn is not “Medically cleared” to compete and canceled the match. It’s unclear if D’Angelo will have a match with someone else.
The company didn’t share if Quinn was injured or what caused him not to be medically cleared in the tweet. His last match was against Wes Lee on the Apr. 19 episode of NXT 2.0. It’s possible an injury could’ve happened sometime during the match. However, the company hasn’t revealed if that is the case.
Since WWE announced that Quinn would not compete, NXT 2.0 Manager Robert Stone has shared that his client Von Wagner could replace Quinn. In a tweet, Stone said, “If Xyon isn’t man enough to step up and face Tony D, my guy will cause he’s not SOFT. I got Von’s suspension cut down. Now all I have to do is pay his fine, which won’t be a problem.”
Former WWE Producer Pat Buck has confirmed that he’s working for All Elite Wrestling.
After almost three years with the company, Buck requested his release from WWE. He announced that he left the company right after Wrestlemania 38 on Apr 4. At the event, he helped produce the Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair and Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar title matches.
In a Tweet, Buck shared that he felt that he accomplished all that he wanted to do in WWE and wanted to focus on outside ventures. PWInsider reported a week later that he was backstage at AEW Dynamite, and the company hired him. Buck has now confirmed on Apr. 26 in a Tweet that he is indeed an AEW Producer and has added that he is an AEW Coach in his Twitter Bio.
Since Buck’s departure, WWE has been looking for a new producer to help with matches. On Apr. 8, Fightful Select reported that the company has brought in former WWE talents Curtis Axel and Ariya Daivari to try out as WWE Producers. Fans may also know Axel as the son of WWE legend Mr. Perfect and Daivari, the brother of current WWE Producer Shawn Daivari.
Although they are receiving tryouts, it’s unclear if WWE will hire them as a full-time producer. Former talent Jimmy Wang Yang had a tryout opportunity as a WWE Producer, but the company ultimately decided that it wasn’t a good fit.
On the Apr. 22 episode of Friday Night Smackdown, Fightful Select shared that Axel and Daivari helped produce matches on the show as part of the tryout. Axel helped Adam Pearce with the Madcap Moss vs. Angel Garza match, while Daivari assisted Michael Hayes with the Riddle vs. Jey Uso match.
While Buck has found a new opportunity with AEW, WWE hopes to provide new opportunities to someone else.
It appears that a WWE Hall Of Famer is backstage for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 in Orlando, Florida.
Per a report from PWInsider, Rick Steiner is backstage for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT. He is likely there to further the storyline between Joe Gacy and his son, WWE NXT Champion Bron Breakker. A few weeks back, WWE did an angle where Gacy kidnapped Rick Steiner and put him in a shark tank.
The Hall Of Famer hasn’t been on WWE NXT TV since, but Gacy did return Steiner’s Hall Of Fame ring to Breakker last week, before pushing him off a platform. Both Rick and his brother Scott Steiner were inducted into the Hall Of Fame earlier this month prior to WrestleMania 38.
Rick’s son, Bron Breakker, currently reigns as NXT Champion and is expected to make his next title defense against Gacy at NXT Spring Breakin’ next year.
Check out the updated card for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 below:
Solo Sikoa vs. Trick Williams
Fallon Henley, Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen vs. Legado del Fantasma (Elektra Lopez, Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde)
Nikkita Lyons vs. Lash Legend
Nathan Frazer makes his NXT 2.0 debut
Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. Yulisa Leon & Valentina Feroz
Drew McIntyre sees a lot of similarities between he and Cody Rhodes’ journeys back to WWE.
Back in 2014 McIntyre was released from the WWE, forcing him to return to the independent scene; additionally working for promotions such as Evolve, IMPACT Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Guerilla (PWG), and so many more. In 2017 he was brought back to WWE after proving himself away from the company, eventually earning himself a WWE Title win over Brock Lesnar.
His former Tag Team Championship partner, Cody Rhodes, has had a very similar path. Rhodes left WWE in 2016 and went on to develop his “American Nightmare” gimmick after working for promotions such as IMPACT, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and the then-newly developed All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Now, Rhodes has returned to WWE and has his eyes locked on a World Championship. Rhodes and Drew McIntyre have walked very similar paths in terms of leaving WWE, and returning proven commodities.
For Rhodes’ sake, hopefully he has the same results as McIntyre, earning a World Championship run. Speaking to Cultaholic, McIntyre discussed the similarities between he and Rhodes’ paths, praising his former tag team partner’s growth.
“Personally I’m happy to see him back, and there’s a few of us that have been around for a few years now that are excited to see Cody back just because we’re buddies with him and with his talent he adds to the show, 100%,” said McIntyre.
“And it’s cool to see how much he’s grown as a performer and as a person, much like myself. When I was gone from the company, I had to kinda go find who I was as a performer, kinda grow up as a man, and Cody’s done the exactly the same. And it’s cool. And I’d seen him before he came back and was aware of that. But it’s cool just to see him back in WWE.”
Currently, Rhodes is in the midst of a feud with Seth Rollins on Monday Night RAW. “The American Nightmare” made his WWE return against Rollins as his surprise opponent at WrestleMania 38.
Rhodes came out on top in the matchup, and now the pair will rematch at WrestleMania Backlash on May 8 from the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.
Becky Lynch says the women’s division in WWE is far superior to AEW’s.
WWE is heading overseas this week for the annual post-WrestleMania European tour. The company is still running shows in the US this weekend, including a “Saturday Night’s Main Event” house show from Lakeland, Florida at the RP Funding Center.
Big Time Becks called in to Drew Garabo Live Featured Cut Of The Day to promote the Lakeland event and had some interesting things to say about the state of AEW’s women’s division.
She sees two big issues with the AEW women’s division:
They don’t feature women prominently, as WWE does
The women in AEW are not on “the same level” as WWE
Frankly, they’re not as good as we are
Lynch was asked if she feels motivated by having competition from AEW. She wishes that was the case, but she’s not feeling the heat.
“I wish I could say ‘yes,’ but, unfortunately, I don’t think they are represented the way we are, they don’t get as much time as we get and frankly, they’re not as good as we are,” said Lynch (via Fightful).
Lynch went on to say that WWE has the best women’s division in the world — and it’s not even close.
“Competition is great and it’s great for there to be another place and I have a very good friend, Ruby Soho, over there and I would love to see her as champion one day,” she said. “I would love to see her get the spotlight she deserves. Competition is always great. Over here, we’re on another level.”
Listen to Becky Lynch’s appearance on Drew Garabo Live Featured Cut of the Day:
WWE & AEW’s Women’s Divisions
Top female competitors in WWE include Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Carmela, Naomi, Natalya and Liv Morgan.
Top female competitors in AEW include Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa, TNT Champion Jade Cargill, Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Nyla Rose, Serena Deeb, Kris Statlander, Ruby Soho and Riho.
Steve Fall is back for Episode 2 of Getting Red, recapping the April 25, 2022 edition of WWE Raw in a strange and unique way.
Steve and his guest Stephanie Hypes run down the Good, the Bad and the What The Heck?! moments from this week’s Raw. Plus, we name the MVE: Most Valuable Entertainer.
Check out the show below, Subscribe to the SEScoops YouTube Channel and be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you think.
Will Ospreay is making it known that he wants to face Kenny Omega at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door.
Omega has been out of action since late 2021. He worked through multiple injuries as AEW World Champion. Omega underwent multiple surgeries during his time off, including for his knee and a sports hernia.
Ospreay and Omega have exchanged a lot of trash talk on social media and in interviews. On Tuesday morning, Ospreay tweeted about his upcoming match against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestling Dontaku (5/1/22). He wrote, “I will be paying homage to a wrestler that largely impacted my career, to show my appreciation for his contribution & sacrifice.”
Omega assumed Ospreay was talking about him, and said, “thanks, I guess.” Ospreay reacted with an inquiry about Omega’s health, and whether or not he’ll be healthy by June.
— Will Ospreay • ????????? (@WillOspreay) April 26, 2022
AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door takes place Sunday, June 26th from Chicago, IL.
No matches have been announced as of this writing, but wrestlers from both companies are already making challenges and dropping hints about who they want to face. Omega vs. Ospreay would be a match worthy of this inter-promotional super-card.
A few months ago, Will Ospreay spoke to SEScoops and expressed his desire to work with AEW stars. To put it more bluntly, Ospreay expressed his desire to “embarrass” the likes of Kenny Omega, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.
“If you guys really want it that bad, you know what to do,” Ospreay told SEScoops. “You just gotta call my number and I’ll show up. I’ll show up. But 9 times out of 10, these guys don’t want me to show up. Because A, I’ll embarrass them. I’ll embarrass them.”
“Guys like Bryan Danielson made a living being one of the best wrestlers in the world. But if I showed up, he would not last in the ring with me. Kenny Omega was THE guy in New Japan Pro Wrestling. He left. I took over. Nobody could compete with me in 2019. If I got in the ring with him, I’d embarrass him.”
