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Kyle O’Reilly Comments On Signing With AEW

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Kyle O’Reilly made a shocking debut on Wednesday’s Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT.

O’Reilly did a run-in during Adam Cole’s match against Orange Cassidy. In doing so, he reunited with former Undisputed Era partners Cole and Bobby Fish.

After Cole picked up the victory, O’Reilly, Cole and Fish stood together in the ring. Out came the Young Bucks, who questioned Adam Cole’s loyalties.

Cole has partnered with the Bucks, as well as Fish & O’Reilly. He left with Fish & O’Reilly, which sets up an interesting scenario about where this leaves the Super Elite.

Kyle O’Reilly debuts on AEW Dynamite

Kyle O’Reilly comments on his AEW debut

O’Reilly addressed his arrival in AEW on social media.

“Life is crazy and I’m very grateful that my professional wrestling abilities have taken me to a new frontier in which to explore my ass-kicking ways,” he wrote. “Proud to be apart of AEW and thanks to Tony Khan for the opportunity.”

“If you’re a fan of mine from elsewhere I hope you continue to support me. If you’re new to KOR prepare to see a man that pours his f’n soul into that ring every night and has an unquenchable thirst for cans of whoop ass.”

“Also, reDRagon is back!!!”

Tony Khan Reacts

Tony Khan also commented on signing O’Reilly and reuniting him with Adam Cole and Bobby Fish.

“I’m still amazed that we were able to reunite Adam Cole & Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly tonight on AEW Dynamite; it doesn’t seem like it should’ve been possible, still doesn’t feel real. The only reason it was possible was because of you great fans supporting AEW on TNT! Thank you.”

Corporal Kirchner Has Passed Away

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Michael Penzel, better known to wrestling fans as Corporal Kirchner has passed away. He was 64. The cause of death is listed as a heart attack.

As a teenager, Kirchner enlisted in the United States Army and eventually became a paratrooper in the  82nd Airborne Division. He left the Army in his early twenties and began working as a mechanic and a bouncer in Minnesota.

He met Hulk Hogan in a gym who introduced him to Verne Gagne. Penzel then went to Gagne’s wrestling school.

In 1984, Kirchner worked as enhancement talent in WWF until Vince McMahon found out he had been in the 82nd Airborne Division. McMahon then gave him the name Corporal Kirchner and incorporated his military background into his character.

He left WWE in 1987 and had a brief run in Calgary for Stampede Wrestling. In 1989, he ended up with New Japan Pro Wrestling and adopted the Leatherface gimmick. He would work for various Japanese promotions until landing with FMW in 1995.

After FMW closed, he worked a few years for various Japanese promotions before retiring from full-time in-ring work in 2004. He’d later make some appearances for the Insane Clown Posse’s promotion in the years after.

SEScoops extends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Michael Penzel.

Corporal Kirchner Remembered

Page vs. Danielson II Set for AEW Dynamite TBS Premeire

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Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson have a date for their second match.

Page and Danielson went to war on the Dec. 15 episode of AEW Dynamite. Hangman’s AEW World Heavyweight Championship was on the line. The two fought to a one-hour time limit draw.

Danielson suggested that there be judges on tap for the rematch in case he and Page go to another 60-minute draw. Hangman Page was in agreement but he vowed that the match won’t make it to the one-hour mark again.

AEW has announced the date for Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson 2. The action will take place inside the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on Jan. 5. This will mark AEW Dynamite’s debut on TBS.

AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash Results (12/22): Kyle O’Reilly Debuts, CM Punk & MJF

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AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash aired live from the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina. CM Punk, Darby Allin, and Sting faced MJF & FTR in this week’s main event. Kyle O’Reilly made his AEW debut tonight during the match between Adam Cole and Orange Cassidy.

Dynamite Results

  1. Adam Cole def. Orange Cassidy
  2. Wardlow def. Shawn Dean
  3. Ruby Soho def. Nyla Rose to advance to the finals of the TBS Championship Tournament
  4. Malakai Black def. Griff Garrison via submission
  5. CM Punk, Darby Allin & Sting def. MJF & FTR

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Kyle O’Reilly Debut, Undisputed Era Reunites

Adam Cole faced Orange Cassidy in the first match of the night. The two traded poses to start off the match. Cassidy took Cole down and applied a Headlock. Cole broke free and connected with an Arm Drag before applying a Headlock of his own. Cassidy rolled up Cole for a two count and got him in another Headlock.

Cole broke free and booted Orange in the midsection. Orange applied a Wrist Lock and then hit another Arm Drag. Cassidy rolled Cole up for a two count before Adam got Cassidy another Headlock. Orange broke free but Cole caught him with a Backstabber.

Adam launched Cassidy into the turnbuckle and then perched him up on the top rope. Cole set up for a Superplex but Cassidy blocked it and shoved him to the canvas. Orange hit a Crossbody and followed it up with a Tornado DDT for a near fall. Orange climbed to the top turnbuckle but Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler came to the entrance ramp for a distraction.

Cassidy hit Cutler with a Splash as Matt & Nick battled with Best Friends. Cassidy hit everyone with a Suicide Dive before Best Friends & Young Bucks battled to the back. Cole launched Orange Cassidy into the steel steps and went for a running knee but Orange got out of the way. Adam bashed his knee into the steps and fell to the floor as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Cassidy and Cole traded shots. Cassidy hit the lazy kicks before following it up with an actual Superkick. Cole shrugged it off but Orange caught him with another one. Cole battled back with a Brainbuster and went for the cover but Orange kicked out at the last moment.

Adam hit a boot to the face but Cassidy responded with the Stundog Millionaire. Cassidy climbed to the top rope and hit the diving DDT for a two count. Cole connected with a Back Body Drop and boot to the face. Cole set up for Panama Sunrise but Cassidy backed away. Cassidy hit a Michinoku Driver for a two count.

Cassidy put on his shaded and put his hands in his pockets. Orange leaped right into a Superkick and Cole followed it up with Panama Sunrise. Cole put his hands in his trunks and went for the cover but Cassidy kicked out at two. Cole went for the Last Shot but Cassidy ducked and hit an Air Raid Crash for a near fall.

Cole rolled out of the ring as Cassidy set up for the Orange Punch. Bobby Fish then trotted to the ring and hopped on the apron for a distraction. Kyle O’Reilly showed up and attacked Orange Cassidy from behind. Cole then hit the Last Shot on Cassidy for the pinfall victory. Cole and O’Reilly then battled Best Friends.

Fish joined in on the beatdown in an Undisputed Era reunion. O’Reilly and Fish hit the High/Low on Trent. Young Bucks made their way down to the ring and wondered what was going on. Cole left with Fish & O’Reilly as Matt & Nick watched on.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1473826691902550017?s=20

Hangman Page & Danielson Will Battle Again On The TBS Premiere Of Dynamite

Tony Schiavone interviewed AEW Champion Hangman Page tonight in the ring. Tony noted that Hangman probably would have defeated Bryan Danielson if he had a minute more. Page said that after the match he had never felt less of a champion after the time limit draw.

Bryan Danielson interrupted and called Hangman an “entitled millennial cowboy”. Danielson laughed at Hangman for being disappointed about still having the title. Bryan claimed that the AEW fans should be disappointed because he is not champion after kicking Page’s ass for an hour.

Danielson noted that the rematch is on January 5th (TBS debut) and vowed to kick his ass again. Bryan claimed that he hurt his leg in the match against John Silver and would have destroyed Page if he was completely healthy. Danielson said he won’t make that mistake again and won’t wrestle until January 5th. Bryan suggested that they have judges on January 5th in case Hangman tries to stall for an hour ago. Hangman said that Danielson dragged him out into deep waters but in the seconds that mattered the most, and would have drowned Bryan if he had just a couple more seconds.

Hangman told Danielson to get some judges if he wants to get old timers a payday. Page added that he didn’t come this far to have some prick tell him he’s a B+ player. Hangman closed the promo by saying if the question is “can Hangman Page beat Bryan Danielson in under an hour, on January 5th the answer is yes”.

Wardlow Dominated

Wardlow faced Shawn Dean tonight on Dynamite. Wardlow absolutely dominated and planted Dean with four Powerbombs for the pinfall victory. After the match, Shawn Spears hit Dean with the chair a couple times. Wardlow was angry that Spears tried to steal his spotlight and walked away.

Dan Lambert Took A Shot At Cody

Dan Lambert and Men of the Year cut a promo in the crowd. Lambert boasted about the most successful MMA gym on the planet and put over Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page. Lambert joked Tony Khan gave him the impossible assignment of trying to get Cody cheered. Lambert said that he’d never get anyone to cheer for Cody Rhodes he’s a bigger dick than him. Lambert shouted that he just cares about Sky or Page being next in line to get a title shot to end the promo.

Ruby Soho Advanced To The Finals Of The TBS Championship Tournament

Nyla Rose faced Ruby Soho in the TBS Championship Tournament. Vickie Guerrero accompanied Nyla to the ring for the match. Nyla attacked Soho and beat her down. Ruby’s hand was actually stuck in her jacket sleeve and they embarrassingly tried to get her hand out for the first minute of the match. Nyla took control and sent Soho into the steel steps as Dynamite went to a break

When Dynamite returned, Ruby hit a Clothesline but Rose didn’t go down. Ruby climbed to the top rope but Vickie shoved her down. Nyla hit the Knee Drop across the top rope for a near fall. Nyla followed it up with the Beast Bomb for another near fall. Ruby connected with the Pele Kick after Nyla climbed to the top rope. Ruby covered Rose for the victory and advanced to the finals of the TBS Championship Tournament. Jade Cargill will face Thunder Rosa next week in the semifinals. The winner of the match will battle Ruby Soho on the January 5th episode of Dynamite to crown the first TBS Champion.

Malakai Black Tapped Out Griff Garrison

Malakai Black faced Griff Garrison tonight on Dynamite. Brian Pillman Jr. was in Garrison’s corner for the match. Black caught Griff with a kick to the face to the begin the action. Malakai got distracted with Pillman and Griff capitalized. Malakai quickly battled back and applied a Figure Four butGarrison got to the ropes to break the hold. Black unloaded some more kicks and locked in a Half Crab for the submission victory. After the match, Pillman broke it up but Malakai leveled him with Black Mass.

CM Punk, Darby Allin, Sting Picked Up A Win In A Wild Main Event

MJF & FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) battled CM Punk, Darby Allin, & Sting in a Trios Match in this week’s main event. Sting was wearing a CM Punk shirt and has his face painted with his logo. Taz joked about Hook outselling Punk’s t-shirt and Punk had Sting facepainted like surfer Sting as well.

MJF tagged out instead of fighting Punk and posed outside the ring. Harwood and CM Punk started off the action as the crowd chanted “CM Punk!”. Harwood brought Punk to the canvas with a takeover and went for a Headlock but Punk broke free. Dax leveled Punk with a shoulder tackle but CM responded with an Arm Drag.

Cash Wheeler tagged in and Punk hit him with a Body Slam. Darby Allin tagged in and got Cash in a Headlock. Wheeler escaped and leveled Darby with a shoulder tackle. Allin hit a Dropkick and followed it up with an Arm Drag of his own. Cash scamped to the corner and tagged in MJF.

Darby tagged Punk and he chased MJF around the ring. MJF tagged out again and posed for the booing crowd. Cash tagged back in and then Punk tagged Sting to a massive pop from the crowd. Sting went to work on Cash’s arm and sent him to the corner. Sting went for the Scorpion Death Lock but Cash retreated out of the ring.

MJF tagged in and went for a chop but Sting no sold it. Sting dragged MJF to the corner and tried to tag in Punk but MJF held him back. Sting hit a Clothesline and tagged in Punk but MJF once again retreated out of the ring. Punk chased MJF through the crowd and up the stairs into the concourse area. MJF ran back to the ringside area and Punk was right behind him. MJF tagged Harwood again and hid behind FTR. Darby Allin leveled FTR with a ridiculous dive as Dynamite went to a break.

Allin and Dax were battling in the ring when Dynamite returned. Wheeler dumped Darby out of the ring and Dax sent him into the barricade. Dax tagged in and continued to beat Darby Allin down. MJF spat water at CM Punk and retreated back to the corner. MJF got Allin in a Headlock as the crowd got behind Darby.

MJF hit a Body Slam and tagged in Harwood. Dax hit a Body Slam as well and tagged in Wheeler. Cash hit another Body Slam before tagging in MJF. Maxwell hit a Body Slam before tagging out. Dax delivered another Body Slam and tagged in Wheeler. Cash went for a Body Slam but Darby countered into a roll-up. Cash kicked out and Darby finally hit a Body Slam of his own.

The Icon Sting tagged in and bounced Dax’s head off the turnbuckle several times. Sting delivered a Back Body Drop to Cash and then a Spinebuster to MJF. Sting hit FTR with a couple Splashes and then Punk followed it up with a knee strike. Sting hit another Stinger Splash on Dax and went for the Scorpion Death Lock. MJF broke it up as Cash distracted the referee. Dynamite went to a final commercial break with MJF and FTR in control.

Sting battled back when Dynamite returned and hit a Clothesline. Dax tagged in and kept Sting in the corner. Harwood sent Sting into the turnbuckle and went for a Splash but Sting countered into a slam. MJF tagged in but Sting slammed him down. Sting fell down and delivered a headbutt to MJF’s “yam bag” as Taz called it.

CM Punk tagged in and beat FTR down. Punk hit Wheeler with a knee to the face and did the same to Harwood. Punk hit a Bulldog/Clothesline combo and then a Suicide Dive to Harwood. Punk climbed to the top rope and hit Wheeler with a Crossbody for a near fall. CM signaled for the GTS but Dax broke it up.

Harwood tagged in and walked into a Neckbreaker from Punk for a near fall. Cash tagged in and hit Punk with a Splash off the top rope for a close two count. Dax knocked Sting off the apron as Tony Schiavone wondered where MJF was. Punk rolled up Harwood for a two count as something off camera happened at the timekeeper’s table (would have been nice to see it). MJF was apparently hiding behind the table and Darby caught him with a dive.

Dax and Punk traded punches in the middle of the ring. Punk went for the GTS but Harwood blocked it. FTR hit the Big Rig and went for the cover but Sting broke it up. MJF crawled into the ring and hit Sting with a DDT. Sting got right up and MJF tried to run away. Sting sent MJF out of the ring and FTR couldn’t catch him. MJF landed on his head but thankfully was alright.

Sting hit a Splash on everyone off the top rope outside the ring. CM Punk hit Dax with the GTS, Sting hit the Splash, Darby followed it up with the Coffin Drop. Punk then covered Harwood for the pinfall victory. MJF joined commentary and shouted that Punk was afraid of him the entire match. MJF added that Punk was running like a bitch as Punk posed with Sting & Darby to close the show.

Kyle O’Reilly Is All Elite, Aligns With Adam Cole & Bobby Fish

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Kyle O’Reilly has joined the AEW roster and drama has already reared its ugly head.

On the Holiday Bash episode of AEW Dynamite, Adam Cole went one-on-one with Orange Cassidy. Cole got a major assist from the debuting Kyle O’Reilly, which allowed Cole to hit The Boom for the three-count.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1473826691902550017

After the match, The Young Bucks made their way down the ramp and they did not look too pleased. Cole promised a surprise for his fellow Elite members but this isn’t what The Bucks were hoping for.

Bobby Fish was also at ringside and he posed with O’Reilly. Cole looked conflicted as he noticed that The Young Bucks were not happy with what had transpired.

Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish were all members of the Undisputed Era on NXT. The group eventually added Roderick Strong to the group.

O’Reilly had been with WWE under the NXT brand since 2017. Once his contract came to an end, O’Reilly decided to leave the company. Many expected the move given that NXT has changed direction.

Tony Khan Initially Didn’t Understand Appeal Of Orange Cassidy’s Gimmick

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Tony Khan always admired the athletic ability of Orange Cassidy but he was iffy on his gimmick at first.

Cassidy garnered a lot of attention on the indie scene. Many fans loved his gimmick of being the chill wrestler who puts his hands in his pockets. Others felt that OC had no shot of getting over on television.

Cassidy has been well received since coming to AEW and his gimmick hasn’t been as over the top as it was on the indies. Still, OC is allowed to be himself and has garnered success.

Tony Khan Didn’t Get Orange Cassidy At First

Tony Khan appeared as a guest on Busted Open Radio and said that he wasn’t sure what to make of the Orange Cassidy gimmick initially.

“The gimmick is very entertaining and people love it but the thing I really love about Orange Cassidy is how great of a wrestler he is when he really wants to try [laughs]. It’s what really made me fall in love with Orange Cassidy.

“I didn’t understand it at first either and I’ll be the first to admit that.

“The first time I ever really talked to him was after a PWG show I think and I had really not gotten to know him very well, and I spent a lot of time with him and talking to him about how I saw the character and how I would want to see Orange Cassidy in AEW.

“One thing I’m really proud of is if you’re an independent wrestling fan then you probably would know this or maybe looking back this would make sense to you, the Orange Cassidy in AEW is very different from the independent Orange Cassidy from pre-AEW.”

On the Dec. 22 Holiday Bash episode of AEW Dynamite, OC will be going one-on-one with Adam Cole. OC and Best Friends, who recently joined the NJPW faction CHAOS, have been in a feud with The Elite.

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Jim Ross Names The Hardy Boyz as WWE’s Greatest Homegrown Team

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Jim Ross believes WWE struck gold with The Hardy Boyz.

No one can deny the impact that Matt and Jeff Hardy have made in the wrestling business. They were known as daredevils and risk-takers during the Attitude Era. While the two split several times as a team, they always find a way to reunite.

WWE can take pride in the fact that The Hardy Boyz were homegrown talents. In fact, Ross believes WWE couldn’t have scripted it any better.

Jim Ross Puts Over The Hardy Boyz

Taking to his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross expressed his belief that when it comes to a homegrown team for WWE, it doesn’t get any better than The Hardy Boyz.

“The Hardys are the greatest team ever developed in WWE. Think about it. I’m not talking about Arn and Tully or the Dudleys, some of those other great teams that came through there, but they were teams when they got there, a lot of them.

“Matt and Jeff came in wearing their own homemade wrestling tights that they sewed with their own sewing machine. I just love the story and I love their enthusiasm and their youthful passion. I don’t think there’s ever been a better tag team that’s developed in WWE than The Hardys.

“I hope that someday they go into the Hall of Fame. I don’t know how that’s going to happen or work out because Jeff leaving, unfortunately, but they deserve accolades because WWE has never developed a better tag team, homegrown, than the Hardy Boyz, in my opinion.”

It’s possible that Matt and Jeff could see tag team action again. Matt competes under the AEW brand and Jeff was recently released from his WWE contract.

While there was concern over Jeff’s health at the time of his WWE release, it appears he and Matt insist that everything is in the clear.

H/T to EWrestlingNews.com for the quotes.

AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker Reveals Her Favorite Match Of 2021

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Britt Baker has unveiled her favorite match of 2021 and it isn’t one that she competed in.

Many agree that 2021 was a great year in terms of quality wrestling matches. We’ve seen plenty of “Match of the Year” candidates from promotions such as AEW, NJPW, WWE, and Stardom.

This year, fans got to witness instant classics such as Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi from NJPW’s Wrestling Dontaku event. Or how about that steel cage match for the AEW World Tag Team Championships at All Out between The Lucha Bros and The Young Bucks?

Of course, the hard-hitting NXT TakeOver 36 match between Ilja Dragunov and WALTER didn’t disappoint. As for the women, Utami Hayashishita and Syuri tore the house down, going past the time limit in their World of Stardom Championship match.

Britt Baker’s Personal Choice

Appearing on an episode of Busted Open Radio, Britt Baker revealed that her favorite match of 2021 has a bit of personal meaning behind it.

“This is gonna be weird for you guys but I have a match that was special to me for many reasons.

“And it’s not mine so just hold up before you say I’m like too arrogant but when we were in Pittsburgh everybody there was saying, ‘Oh my gosh, this city is so brutal, we hate coming to Pittsburgh, the fans suck.’

“And I took that as a personal attack. I’m like, ‘What? No, Pittsburgh shows up.’ The Kenny Omega-Christian match that happened, it was a great match but the fans were absolutely rabid.

“They were insane for this match and it made me so excited to just tell everybody, ‘See, the fans will come when you give them what they want.’ That match proved that because it wasn’t me.

“It wasn’t the hometown chick getting the great reaction. The place came unglued when Christian won the Impact Title. So, for me, that was a really cool moment cause that’s my city.”

The match Britt is referring to took place on the debut episode of AEW Rampage. It was held inside the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA on Aug. 13. The bout was contested for the Impact Wrestling World Title, which was held by Kenny Omega.

Britt herself had a highly-praised match in 2021. On the March 11 episode of AEW Dynamite, Britt had a Lights Out match against Thunder Rosa. The bloody matchup ended with Thunder Rosa getting the win.

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Jon Moxley Tried to Get WWE to Sign Eddie Kingston Years Ago

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Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston are long time friends, a fact that AEW has tied into on-screen storylines nicely. The two have been both enemies (wrestling in an I Quit match at AEW Full Gear 2020) and friends (tag team partners) over the last year with the company.

In an interview with TalkSPORT, Kingston revealed how Moxley (then Dean Ambrose) tried to get WWE to sign him several years ago.

“Jon has been one of the biggest advocates for me in my whole career, since we met,” Kingston revealed. “A lot of people don’t know that he was trying to get me into WWE years ago. Trying his best to do what he could. ‘Hey, I told this guy to check you out.’ And this is me and Jon not talking for years and out of nowhere he’ll text me ‘Hey, I told so and so to watch your match from blah blah blah’ and I’ll be like ‘Who is this?’ And he’ll be like ‘Jon’ and I’ll be like ‘Oh hey, what’s up Mox?’ [laughs]. That’s the kind of friends we are.”

Moxley is currently off of AEW television after checking himself into treatment for alcohol abuse just over one week before AEW Full Gear earlier this year.

“That was real man stuff. He understood that his family is number one, that’s grown man stuff,” Kingston said regarding Moxley’s decision to get help.

He continued, “And you got to think about it like this, what’s wrong with being honest with the people? There’s so much stuff on social media now you can’t hide anything anyway. Be honest with the people, if they accept it, they accept it. If they don’t, they don’t. 

“But you’ve got to do what’s right for you and I’m proud of him. I’m very proud of him.”

Kingston is currently in the midst of the most successful period of his wrestling career, starring on national television on a weekly basis. It took years for him to get there (with many trials and tribulations recently revealed in a column for The Players Tribune), but Kingston ended up making it in the business without ever signing a WWE contract.

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.

The Bella Twins Recall the Dark Days of Women’s Wrestling in WWE

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The Bella Twins are two of the most accomplished women in pro wrestling history. According to Nikki and Brie, they may have never made it to the WWE Hall of Fame if not for Freddie Prinze Jr.

The Bellas are the latest guests on FPJ’s latest Wrestling With Freddie podcast. During their discussion, Brie recalls that it was Prinze who kept pushing WWE officials to call them up from Florida Championship Wrestling.

“We do give you a lot of credit, because we were down in FCW for so long and they were like, ‘We just don’t know what to do with twins.’” said Brie. “We’re like, ‘Seems like it writes itself.’ It was your ideas that you kept pushing that I think it made people in the company see there was something special.”

Brie recalls training at [former developmental territory] Florida Championship Wrestling and growing frustrated because WWE couldn’t figure out what to do with them.

Bella Twins Kofi Kingston FCW
The Bella Twins and Kofi Kingston in Florida Championship Wrestling (2008)

Things did not get much better once they made it to the main roster and wrestled as “Divas.” After five years on WWE TV, they were ready to leave because they were not happy with the way women were being portrayed on television.

“We did a five-year contract, we were on TV for five years and our five years was coming up,” said Brie. “I remember at that point, we didn’t like how women were treated in WWE. The two minute matches, but we were allowed to have 10 minutes at live events. What we were working on at live events, we could never showcase on TV and our stories didn’t have depth.”

‘There needs to be a massive change here, this is not good.’

Nikki recalls that morale amongst the female wrestlers was at an all-time low during the early 2010’s.

“We needed to find a way to be treated like the men and treated equally,” she said. “That’s what we wanted for the women. We wanted to empower the women. We were about everyone. ‘Who are we getting over today? What’s the story?’ We never worried about getting our shit in. We just wanted everything to be good and for people to be happy.”

Nikki Bella describes morale as “miserable” and hopeless during the lowest points of women’s wrestling in WWE.

“The locker room was becoming so miserable, because girls were working so hard on live events and getting to Raw or SmackDown and being so disappointed. They were losing their will and their hope. We were like, ‘there needs to be a massive change here, this is not good.’”

Total Divas

Brie feels that the Total Divas reality show (2013) was a huge turning point for WWE’s perception of women’s wrestlers.

“Vince is about putting asses in seats,” she said. “He cares about money. The one thing Total Divas did was it showed Vince that people were coming to the shows to see women. It was more than just men. It started being young girls and women buying tickets just to see the Total Divas.”

Years later, WWE ultimately embraced the ‘Women’s Revolution.’ Athleticism and wrestling ability are valued over bikinis and pillow fighting. Women’s wrestling has come a long way since the Bella Twins’ days in Florida Championship Wrestling. They were a big part of that revolution and credit Freddie Prinze Jr. with helping get it started.

Listen to The Bella Twins on Wrestling with Freedie:

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Mick Foley Explains Why Match with Jon Moxley Never Happened

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Mick Foley and Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose at the time) were originally slated to have a match in WWE back in 2012. The symbolism of such a match would have been spectacular — a hardcore icon from years past passing the torch to a new-school hardcore performer.

However, plans for the match were dropped after Foley was unable to get clearance from medical personnel to actually participate. This followed Foley and Moxley having already put the wheels in motion, both in real life and across social media (Moxley further expands on this in his new book, Mox).

In an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Foley spoke about failing an impact test which resulted in the angle being halted.

“I did not fare well on the WWE impact test. I went to a neurologist independent of WWE and he told me I should never wrestle again. WWE’s neurologist said the exact same thing,” Foley revealed (h/t Wrestling Inc.). “This is something that I am so proud of, and it shows I am a wrestler to the end. When Robert Cantu, one of the most respected neurologists in the country tells me I should never wrestle again.

“I look him in the eye and say, ‘I can work an entire match around my left knee,’” Foley revealed. “He says, ‘Mr. Foley, you struck me as a very bright young man when I met you a couple of weeks ago. Since then I’ve been doing some research on you, you’ve got a lot to live for. If you think you can find another neurologist to clear you, then that’s up to you. But I am telling you, you should never wrestle again.’ That was the end of the Moxley angle.”

Foley Complimentary of Another AEW Star

Elsewhere in the interview, Foley talked about getting to meet another AEW star recently: Thunder Rosa.

“She strikes me as one of those really rare people who feels it every time she’s getting in the ring. I’d like to say I felt it every time. I didn’t,” Foley said. “Ric Flair did, Terry Funk did, and it’s a short list. But she’s someone that’s just like, lives, breathes wrestling. She’s such a super cool person.”

Foley continued, talking about Rosa’s drawing power, specifically in reference to a show in Texas.

“She got the biggest pop. I think it was a big reason why we had such a big house in San Antonio. We had almost 300 people on a Monday. By that time, the very high end for any of my shows, my shows are normally 150 to 200. Three years ago, I didn’t dare do a show on Monday because I thought, ‘I can’t compete with Raw.’ So she put some butts in seats and we had a good time,” Foley said.

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Kane (Glenn Jacobs) Eyeing Re-Election as Knox County Mayor

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WWE legend Kane (Glenn Jacobs) will seek another term as the Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.

Earlier this week, the “Big Red Machine” began filing the paperwork to run for re-election.

“Picked up my petition sheet for Knox County Mayor yesterday,” he wrote on Twitter. “It’s been an honor serving you and I would love to have your support to serve the Knox County community again.”

Mayor Kane’s Accolades

Glenn Jacobs is a Republican and won election to serve as the Mayor of Knox County, TN on August 2, 2018.

His campaign websites several accomplishments as Knox County Mayor, including no tax increases, job growth and no money to Planned Parenthood.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Jacobs fought tooth and nail against the lockdowns and mandates.

For more information, visit JacobsForMayor.com.

WWE Staff & Talent Reportedly Test Positive For COVID-19

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Following Friday’s Smackdown and weekend live events, numerous WWE talent and staff reportedly started to feel ill. According to a report from PW Insider’s Mike Johnson, some have tested positive for COVID-19. Others are still awaiting test results. No names have been released, however.

“A number of talents and staff were feeling run down and some have since tested positive for COVID-19, while others who were feeling sick are still waiting for their test results to return,” wrote Johnson.

This week’s edition of Smackdown was taped last week and will air on Friday night in its usual time slot.

WWE has also postponed live events scheduled for Quebec next week. The province has issued a shutdown due to surging COVID-19 cases. A WWE live event for Toronto on December 29th still has tickets on sale even though the province of Ontario has limited live events to 50% capacity and the venue has already exceeded that amount in ticket sales for the show. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the Toronto show is “in a state of flux”, which sounds a lot like they just aren’t sure what they are going to do about it yet.

The NHL has postponed all games for the next week and cancelled sending players to the Olympics. The NBA has postponed several games but has said they will continue to operate despite rising cases.

Bryan Danielson defends AEW using Time Limit Draws

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Bryan Danielson said 2021 has been a year of surprises for him. He was speaking with the Asbury Park Press recently and noted that he’s done multiple things this year that he didn’t expect to.

Bryan noted during the interview that he was surprised to be inserted into the WrestleMania main event earlier this year. He noted that he told WWE he was leaving, and didn’t think being in the main event of WrestleMania was what they would have him do on his way out.

“The thing that surprised me the most (in 2021) was being inserted into the main event of WrestleMania,” said Danielson. “When I started the year, I knew my contract was ending and I was part of the creative team with WWE and I was like, ‘OK, what’s the best thing for me to do on my way out?’ And it was certainly not (being part of) the main event of WrestleMania”.

Bryan Danielson On Time Limit Draws In Wrestling

Since arriving in AEW, Danielson has wrestled in two time-limit draws. Him and Kenny Omega went to a 30-minute time limit draw at Dynamite Grand Slam in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Then at Winter is Coming last week, Danielson and Hangman Page went to a 60-minute time-limit draw. He also spoke about these matches during the interview.

“If you would have told me at the beginning of the year that I would do a 60-minute match on television, I would have been like, ‘Where’s that happening?’” Danielson said. “So I’ve had some really cool surprises this year.”

He continued to say that time limit draws are an interesting storytelling device, one that sets the stage for a rematch.

“It’s just a story device, right?” Danielson continued. “And it’s interesting to me in the sense of in sporting events, and especially when you’re looking at MMA or boxing and the idea that there are draws in boxing and there are draws in MMA … Usually what it does is it’s a mechanism to lead to a rematch.”

Visit App.com to read their full interview with “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson.

Danhausen in AEW? Tony Khan comments

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AEW President Tony Khan has commented on the possibility of Danhausen joining All Elite Wrestling.

The very nice, very evil grappler is one of the most popular performers on the independent scene. He was on board for the latest Jericho Cruise. This marked his first appearance in an AEW ring and got fans wondering if he’ll ever join the company in an official capacity.

Khan was interviewed for CBS Sports this week and said the Danhausen-AEW situation is something to keep an eye on.

“Well, he was on the Jericho cruise, interacting with a lot of the AEW wrestlers and that was great,” said Khan. “He’s had an injury recently, I know, so it’s something to keep an eye on, for sure.”

Khan acknowledged Danhausen’s popularity, stating, “He’s got a big following and he does sell some merch. He’s a very nice guy, so he’s got a lot of things going for him.”

Tony Khan’s response is a bit ambiguous, so it’s difficult to get a read on whether or not there is real interest in Danhausen at this time. Danhausen is currently recovering from a broken tibia and fibia, so he won’t be wrestling for several more months.

Orange Cassidy is another comedy wrestler and he’s carved out a niche for himself on the AEW roster, so Danhausen could fill a similar role if they decide to bring him in.

Watch Shak’s complete interview with AEW President Tony Khan:

Big E Reveals How Much Longer He Plans To Wrestle

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At one point, WWE Champion Big E said he wanted to stop wrestling by the age of 35. Now that he is about to turn 36, Big E feels he still has more years left in the ring. He spoke to The Sun recently about how much longer he plans to wrestle for.

“I’ve got a few more years left in me. I don’t really know when that time will be… but when you’re 23, 35 feels like it’s ages from now and that you’ll be an old man and beat up,” Big E said.

“So 35 felt like at the time a good time to get out and I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

Big E would continue to say, however, that some wresters aren’t hitting their prime until they are 35-40.

“We have so many guys now… Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Kofi Kingston, Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler – so many guys in their 40s performing at such a high level.  They look great and are ageing well,” he said.

Big E still isn’t sure if he plans to wrestle into his forties, however, as he always told himself he would get out before then. He says that he feels good physically and if his body holds up, he’ll keep wrestling for years more still.

“In the ring, I feel leaner and my cardio is getting better. There’s so much about where I’m at physically that I’m really appreciating.”

Serena Deeb Working As A Producer & Coach Backstage In AEW

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Serena Deeb recently noted that when she was out with a knee injury earlier this year she began working backstage in AEW as a producer and a coach. Deeb was speaking with Wrestling Inc. when she mentioned having taken on the role.

“When I was kind of sitting on the sidelines I stepped into the coaching role and the producing role,” Deeb said. “Kind of like the stuff I was doing before at the other company,” she said. “I’m helping them with their matches, I am on headset next to Tony calling their matches, talking to the truck, doing all of that. I love that too and, you know what? That has an exhilarating component in itself. Like, especially when you really help and then you watch them go out there and they kill it. You feel like you’re part of that, it’s very rewarding.”

Deeb worked as a trainer in the WWE Performance Center from 2017 until the spring of 2020. She was released in April 2020 along with many others at the start of the pandemic.

“Yesterday I did what was supposed to be a four-hour seminar but it ended up being a six-hour seminar because we were just in it and we were just going. I felt so good at the end of it,” Deeb continued. “I really love coaching and I want it to be a part of my life and my future and I am getting to do a little bit of that at AEW, as well. So that’s a part of me, for sure. I have an innate desire to help people and I’ve kind of always been like that, I really love it.”

Deeb recently faced Hikaru Shida in the rubber match of their series at Winter is Coming. Deeb had defeated Shida on the October 6th episode of Dynamite. Shida then defeated Deeb in the 1st round of the TBS title tournament. Deeb attacked Shida after the match, targeting her already damaged knee. She then attacked Shida during her quarter-final match with Nyla Rose, again attacking the knee. Rose ended up submitting Shida with a stretch muffler shortly after. Shida then defeated Deeb in the 3rd match in their trilogy last week.

Johnny Gargano Teases Future Match With Tommaso Ciampa

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While the wrestling world waits to see where Johnny Gargano takes his talents next, the man himself is teasing one particular match that could yet be in his future — another bout with Tommaso Ciampa.

Gargano and Ciampa had one of the most notable feuds in the history of WWE NXT, with their match at NXT TakeOver New Orleans arguably one of the best matches in the history of the promotion. This all, of course, followed the pair having a successful run as the tag team DIY.

Gargano spoke about the possibility of wrestling Ciampa again during the first episode of his new Twitch show — Johnny Wrestling Stream: Episode 1.

“So, we did find out we were doing that until maybe that day obviously, it wasn’t the ending me and Tommaso wanted,” Gargano admitted (quote via Fightful). “We wanted to be able to finish our feud.

“It was supposed to be TakeOver: Tampa. [Was originally] supposed to be TakeOver: New York and then this was supposed to be TakeOver: Tampa, we wanted to have a huge crowd and all that but that’s not how things work out. Unfortunately. That’s, I guess, the story of our whole feud. It’s just timing and just thing’s not working out. Who knows, maybe we’ll finish it one day somewhere.”

The pair last shared the ring together as opponents in a fatal four-way Iron Man Match in September 2020. Their last singles match against each other was in April 2020, an Empty Arena Match. The pair teamed together in a War Games Match at NXT War Games on December 5th. War Games was Gargano’s final match with WWE NXT.

Will He Stay With WWE or Leave?

Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano

Gargano has said that he is currently taking some time off from pro wrestling entirely before deciding his next career move. He and his wife, WWE’s Candice LeRae, are set to welcome their first child in early 2022. At this moment in time, he has fulfilled his WWE contract and would be free to go wherever he would want in the wrestling world if he chose to do so.

Where do you want to see Johnny Gargano next? Let us know in the comments section below!

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.

Vince McMahon Not Willing to Give on WWE Contracts

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WWE has been raking in record profits over the last couple of years, but even with all of that cash flow, the company has released over 100 performers from their contracts since the pandemic began in early 2020.

The term “budget cuts” was used internally as the rationale for those cuts, despite the company reporting record financial numbers in recent months. For talent worried about their jobs moving forward, they won’t have a lot of say in the matter unless they have a “no-cut clause.” The vast majority of WWE talent do not have these clauses written into their contracts; only a select few at the top of the card have a no-cut clause.

According to a report from Fightful Select, Vince McMahon has been steadfast in his opposition to no-cut clauses being offered to talents who re-sign with the company. It was revealed last week that Kevin Owens re-signed with WWE — a deal that is reportedly worth in the neighborhood of $2-3 million per year. His new deal does not include a no-cut clause.

The Fightful report notes that some within WWE (“people of influence” is the term given) have been open to the idea of including no-cut clauses, but McMahon has ruled it out. Talent have essentially been told that the idea is a non-starter at this point.

Which Talent Will Sign WWE Contracts, Who Will Leave

Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano

There are currently rumors that Sami Zayn has re-signed with WWE, though the specifics of his deal have not been made public and this is only a rumor at this point (as reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter). One would assume that since Owens was unable to get a no-cut clause, the same would apply for Zayn.

Johnny Gargano and Kyle O’Reilly are both now free agents after their deals with WWE expired. The pair would be free to sign or appear for AEW or any other promotion as soon as they wanted. O’Reilly is expected to be the first to possibly jump ship with Gargano and his wife, Candice LeRae, expecting their first child soon.

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.

WWE NXT 2.0 Results (12/21): AJ Styles Appears, Street Fight

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The December 21, 2021 episode of WWE NXT 2.0 aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

  • Raquel Gonzalez def. Dakota Kai.
  • The Grizzled Young Veterans vs. The Creed Brothers ended in an apparent no-contest
  • Dexter Lumis def. Trick Williams.
  • Edris Enofe defeated Von Wagner 
  • Io Shirai def. Elektra Lopez.
  • Pete Dunne def. Tony D’Angelo.

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Tommaso Ciampa Opens

bron ciampa

Tommaso Ciampa opened the show with a promo in the ring about how being NXT Champion means you are the hunted. However, he’s different and he does the hunting. He said last week, Bron Breaker was the hunted. He said Bron should come out to the ring because he wants to say something to him. Bron came out and Ciampa said Bron wants a title match on January 4th at New Year’s Evil. Ciampa said that Bron does need the title and hopes he doesn’t drown in opportunity. He said that Bron will get that chance. He put Bron over. Ciampa said Bron isn’t ready to be a champion in his NXT. Ciampa slapped him and said that the reality will slap him in the face and it’s him. Bron lifted him up then slowly put him down. Bron said he’s a shark and he’s going to eat Ciampa alive in two weeks. 

AJ Styles Appearance

NXT

AJ Styles made an appearance on this show after a video that NXT’s Grayson Waller posted on social media over the weekend.

In the video, Waller stated that The Miz should have better Miz TV guests than Styles and that while he loved AJ as a kid, Styles is hanging on too long in his career. He mocked Styles’ haircut and called him out for riding Omos’ coattails. He called himself “The Phenomenal Grayson Waller.”

So what happened? Waller laid out Dexter Lumis, who had just worked a match. Waller cut a promo about how when he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame, he’s going to tell the fans he told them he was going to be great. Styles came out to the ring. Styles told Waller to shut up and said Waller is the biggest jackass in NXT. Waller wants to know why AJ was there and he knows because Omos left him on Monday’s Raw so he needs someone to make him relevant. AJ pointed out how Waller called him out and how Waller wants to be like him. AJ questions whether Waller can be a WWE star. AJ wanted him to attack him, but Waller backed down. He said he’s going to let Omos get him first then he will get what’s left. 

Trick Williams vs. Dexter Lumis

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Trick Williams vs. Dexter Lumis in a singles match was booked. A short match with Lumis going over with his finisher. 

Lumis, who had been aligned with Johnny Gargano, has been feuding with Williams and NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes for the last several months. With Gargano leaving WWE after not renewing his WWE deal, it has left Lumis on his own. 

Street Fight

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WWE booked a Street Fight between Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez. The match started in the backstage area before going to the ring area. Various weapons were used. 

Raquel hit a powerbomb on the steel steps before hitting a powerbomb onto a trash can for the win. 

Last week, Kai lost to Cora Jade. Post-match, Kai attacked Jade until Raquel ran down to make the save. Raquel and Kai later brawled into the parking lot. Later in the show, Raquel cut a promo where she said their friendship was positive, but realizes now that she needs to end Kai. She then issued the challenge. 

This feud dates back to July when Kai turned on Raquel. Gonzalez defeated Kai at NXT TakeOver 36 in August to retain the Women’s Title. Kai made her return at Halloween Havoc and caused Gonzalez to lose the title to Mandy Rose. Fast forward to WarGames, Mandy Rose. Gonzalez, Jade, Io Shirai & Kay Lee Ray defeated Kai, Rose, Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne.

After the Street Fight, Raquel called out Rose for a title match. Jade came out instead and said that she knows Rose doesn’t want to face her. Jade threw out the idea to take out Toxic Attraction. Rose appeared on the big screen while in a pool. This is where it was revealed that Rose will defend the title against Jade and Raquel at New Year’s Evil. 

Von Wagner In Action

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Von Wagner was in action this week against Edris Enofe, who actually pinned Wagner as Von was distracted by Robert Stone who stood on the rampway. Von took out Edris after the match. Von shoulder checked Stone when walking past him. 

Wagner had been in a tag team with Kyle O’Reilly, which started around the time that Wagner made his debut. After falling short at NXT WarGames in an attempt to become tag team champions, Von turned heel and tried to attack Kyle, but Kyle laid him out. The following Tuesday, they worked a steel cage match that ended with O’Reilly being laid out by Von to write him off television as his contract expired.

Big Title Matches Confirmed For WWE NXT New Year’s Evil

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WWE has started to announce some of the matches that will be featured on the New Year’s Evil edition of WWE NXT 2.0 on January 4th. 

During Tuesday’s episode of the show, it was confirmed that Tommaso Ciampa will defend the NXT Title against Bron Breakker while Mandy Rose will put her Women’s Title on the line against Cora Jade and Raquel Gonzalez in a triple threat match. 

Regarding the likely main event of this show, Ciampa first beat Bron to retain the title at Halloween Havoc. Ciampa called out Breakker and predicted that the young star would ask for a championship opportunity. Ciampa told Breakker that he hopes he doesn’t drown again because he doesn’t think Bron is ready to be a champion in his NXT. He mocked the Steiner family, which led to Bron picking Ciampa up and then putting him down before telling him that there was blood in the water and he’s the shark is coming to feast.

As far as the women’s match goes, Rose defeated Gonzalez to win the NXT Women’s Championship at Halloween Havoc with the help of Dakota Kai. On Tuesday’s show, Jade stated that she wanted a title match while Raquel said she would go through anyone to get her belt back.

Rose appeared on the big screen and threw out the match challenge. Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne then attacked the babyfaces. 

Jim Ross Wasn’t A Fan Of Stone Cold’s Smoking Skull Title

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Jim Ross isn’t one to pick apart wrestling titles but he didn’t like the Smoking Skull gold.

During his second WWE Championship run in 1998, Stone Cold Steve Austin was given a custom title. This featured a skull logo as well as rattlesnake logos. The title matched Austin’s persona but not everyone was a fan of it.

Jim Ross Dismisses Custom Titles

During an episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross explained why he wasn’t exactly gung-ho over Stone Cold’s custom piece of hardware.

“I didn’t like the rattlesnake belt. The reason for it — it was a great idea. Steve made a lot of money on his royalties because they sold a hell of a lot of those belts but God dang, man.

“It flew in the face of what the belt’s supposed to symbolize. So, it didn’t symbolize a world champion or whatever. It symbolized an individual and it’s strictly made for reselling.”

Ross also mentioned that he didn’t like John Cena’s spinner belts either.

Cena introduced his first custom championship back in 2004 with the United States spinner belt. The following year, he had another spinner title but this time it was the WWE Championship.

JR isn’t the only commentator who takes issue with custom gold in wrestling. Back in 2019, Corey Graves admitted that while he thought the Smoking Skull belt was cool, he felt it devalued the meaning of the WWE Championship.

Of course, The Rock wasn’t digging the title either.

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Tony Khan Admits He Would’ve Made A Play For Kevin Owens If He Didn’t Re-Sign With WWE

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AEW boss Tony Khan says he would’ve had interest in Kevin Owens had he not re-signed with WWE.

Owens had a decision to make regarding his in-ring career. His WWE contract was running out and he had the choice of staying with the company or testing free agency. Ultimately, he signed a new deal with WWE which is said to last for three years.

Tony Khan Praises Kevin Owens

Speaking to Shakiel Mahjouri of CBS Sports, Tony Khan said that Kevin Owens is a great talent and that he would’ve looked into possibly signing him had he been available.

“I would have been interested in that. He’s a great wrestler. I think he ended up signing for what I believe is probably a lot of money. I think that’s great and good for him. We have a lot of people spotlighted here and he’s great. Any company he goes to he’ll be a great wrestler for them.”

Tony Khan speaks with Shakiel Mahjouri

Owens’ new deal with WWE is said to be quite lucrative. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that Owens’ contract is in the $2-3 million range per year.

The report also noted that the feeling is AEW wouldn’t have matched such an offer. WWE has been releasing plenty of talent as of late so it’s clear that the company wanted KO to stick around and didn’t hesitate to throw out a hefty offer.

KO will be featured in a WWE Title match at the Day 1 PPV. He’ll challenge WWE Champion Big E. KO won’t be the only challenger as this will be a fatal four-way match. Bobby Lashley and Seth Rollins will also be competing for the gold.

Tony Khan Responds To Reports Of WWE Being Interested In MJF

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Tony Khan is aware of the report claiming that WWE as well as FOX and USA Network executives have great interest in MJF.

MJF will tell anyone who listens that his AEW contract will expire in 2024. He even mentioned it following the Long Island show on Dec. 8. MJF got on the mic and said Khan will need to roll out the big bucks in order to keep him.

While MJF is having some fun playing things up, it’s a very real situation that AEW will have to face in a couple of years. Many consider MJF to be a top heel in the wrestling business and at the young age of 25, there is plenty of upside.

Tony Khan Welcomes WWE’s Interest In MJF

Andrew Zarian recently reported that WWE, along with FOX and USA Network execs have their eyes on MJF. Speaking to Shakiel Mahjouri of CBS Sports, Tony Khan explained why WWE’s interest in MJF is a good thing.

“I think that’s great. I encourage that. I think they should keep talking about him because he’s a wrestler that’s a big part of AEW and is signed here for a few more years.

“So I think please keep giving us that buzz because he’s been getting great ratings for his segments and those have also been featuring CM Punk pretty regularly as they continue to interact.

“They’ve had a war of words and now there’ll be on opposite sides of this huge trios match where you got Sting [and] Darby Allin teaming with CM Punk against MJF and FTR.

“I think that’s great. You know, [WWE] had some wrestlers I really wanted to sign there and I signed him, Bryan Danielson and Adam [Cole] and Ruby Soho.”

As Khan mentioned, MJF is currently in a feud with CM Punk. A match hasn’t been made official between the two but it’s bound to happen.

MJF may have more issues to deal with other than CM Punk, however. His bodyguard, Wardlow, has been showing signs of frustration. Wardlow told Busted Open Radio that his “contract” with MJF won’t last forever.

JONAH Explains Difference Between Western & Japanese Wrestling Fans

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JONAH knows what’s it’s like to travel around the world as a wrestler and he’s got an idea of the big difference between western and Japanese fans.

The man who was known as Bronson Reed on WWE’s NXT brand found himself in the free agency market after being released. It didn’t take long for JONAH to find work as he was signed by NJPW and was allowed to take bookings for Impact Wrestling.

JONAH Details Culture Differences

It is undeniable that there are differences between western and Japanese crowds. JONAH already has experience working in “The Land of the Rising Sun” thanks to his time in Pro Wrestling NOAH.

During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, JONAH went over the key difference between western and Japanese wrestling fans.

“I did work with Pro Wrestling NOAH for about a year. Yeah, I lived in Japan for about a year.

“So, I know what the Japanese crowd is like and what the fanbase is like. I think the big difference is obviously wrestling fans in the western world, they love professional wrestling, they love everything about it but it’s almost like the Japanese fans watch it as a sport.

“So, they’re a little bit more engaged during the match. Promos and things like that maybe not so much but during the match, you can see that they’re with your every move.”

JONAH has wasted little time making his mark in both NJPW and Impact. At Battle in the Valley back in November, JONAH laid out both Juice Robinson and David Finlay.

He took things a step further over in Impact. At the Turning Point PPV, JONAH attacked Josh Alexander and left him bleeding from the mouth. The two will collide at the Hard To Kill PPV on Jan. 8.

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