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Watch John Cena And Drew McIntyre Compete In Dark Matches After Super SmackDown

Anutosh Bajpai
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This week’s super SmackDown from Madison Square Garden featured multiple dark matches with names such as John Cena and Drew McIntyre competing in non televised matches. The first dark match took place before the show went on air. It saw Charlotte Flair retain her Raw women’s championship over Rhea Ripley. Flair won the match via submission.

The SmackDown episodes ended with Finn Balor reintroducing his demon persona and confronting Roman Reigns. This confrontation continued after the show went off air. It was a few minutes after the cameras had stopped rolling that the Bloodline left the ring. Balor was then cheering the crowd when Happy Corbin came out.

Corbin quickly backed out after entering the ring but Finn Balor chased and attacked the lone wolf. Finn put him down with a pair of slingblades. Drew McIntyre made his way out as Balor was leaving the arena. The former WWE champion faced Baron Corbin in the second dark match of the show. Though this bout ended in disqualification after Corbin hit McIntyre with a steel chair at ringside.

The duo then fought their way back into the ring. Drew McIntyre hit Corbin with the chair multiple times before ending the segment with a claymore to his opponent. The final dark main event of the night was a six man tag team match.

John Cena was part of this bout. He received one of the biggest pops of the night. The Cenation leader teamed up with Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio to face The Bloodline. Cena countered a spear of Roman Reigns into an attitude adjustment and he then delivered another AA to Jimmy Uso to end the match. You can check out some photos and videos of the unaired matches from the show below:

SmackDown Match Nixed From The Show, Stars React

Anutosh Bajpai
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It appears that WWE had to edit the script for this week’s SmackDown on the fly and they nixed a women’s tag team match originally planned for the show.

According to reports from Fightful select, there were plans for a tag team match to take place on the show which would have seen Carmella teaming up with Zelina Vega.

The duo were expected to go against Liv Morgan and a partner whose name was not mentioned. The match was apparently cut from SmackDown due to time restraints.

The stars who were expected to compete in the bout reacted to this change on Twitter later on. Zelina Vega even posted photos of the gear she had prepared for tonight:

https://twitter.com/TheaTrinidad/status/1436504528996732928

On a related note, the storyline with Naomi and Sonya Deville also appears to have been cut from this week’s SmackDown. There was no mention of the former SmackDown women’s champion on the show.

While it’s not confirmed, it’s likely that Naomi was expected to make her in-ring return at the show this week as the partner for Liv Morgan.

Since the officials made the decision to cut the tag team match from the show, they also had to nix any planned segments for Naomi as well.

Zelina Vega Talks Losing Her Father On 9/11

Tony Khan Offers Praise To Ruby Soho For Her Debut Match

Anutosh Bajpai
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Ruby Soho was one of the surprise debutants for AEW that showed up at All Out and helped the PPV cross 200,000 buys. Tony Khan has nothing but praise for the former WWE star for her performance on the show. During his recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, the AEW president talked about things such as the TV ratings of the post All Out episode of Dynamite and more.

Discussing the debut of Ruby Soho during the Casino Battle Royal on the PPV this past Sunday, Khan revealed that he was the agent for that match. He also explained how Soho came prepared for the bout:

“I just have to say what an organized, intelligent, competent and professional Ruby Soho is. She was really well prepared and she had notes on everyone in the match. She knew what she was doing. I thought ‘wow this is a really hard working person’,

And also just a really good person who really has a lot of integrity and a lot of pride in what they do but she interacted really well with everyone. She interacted really well with everyone. It was her first day at AEW and she really really is a great fit. Her Dynamite debut was tremendous”

Ruby Riott was released from her WWE contract back in June this year. She decided to keep the name for her post-WWE career but had to change her last name due to WWE’s copyright. She made her debut for Tony Khan’s promotion during the All Out PPV earlier this month. Soho entered the Casino Battle Royal as the surprise Joker entrant and won the match.

Ruby Soho Discusses AEW Debut & WWE Departure

Paul Heyman On Adding Naomi To The Bloodline

Anutosh Bajpai
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Paul Heyman had an interview with New York Post ahead of this week’s super SmackDown from Madison Square Garden. He talked about things such as Becky Lynch’s heel turn and more. Naomi was recently moved to SmackDown. It made many wonder if this change can lead to her joining the bloodline stable with her husband Jimmy Uso and Roman Reigns.

When asked about it during the talk, Paul Heyman said that he doesn’t look at any specific person as a potential addition. They instead do a daily assessment of what their TV presentation requires:

“I don’t look at only one person as a potential addition to The Bloodline. I think there is a daily assessment as to what The Bloodline needs and what the presentation requires on television. At the moment I think we are addressing the enormous box office attractions that are now coming back seemingly all the time against the Tribal Chief,

And the fact that The Usos, who are reigning defending SmackDown tag team champions, are being pushed to the limit by the best tag team to come along besides The Usos in the past 20 years, the Street Profits.”

Heyman continued his explanation saying that just because someone is not on TV with them at the moment; it doesn’t mean that they are not within their eyesight:

“We’re telling quite a few stories right now. As the year continues and we get into 2022, are there more stories to tell involving other personalities? I’m sure that there are. And just because someone is not on television with us doesn’t mean they’re not within eyesight of The Bloodline and doesn’t mean they’re not a member of The Bloodline. It just means we’re not presenting them on TV as such.”

After staying away from WWE programming for a month, Naomi made an appearance during the August 27 episode of SmackDown and revealed that she has been moved to the blue brand. Apart from this, Paul Heyman talked about things such as his 2012 match against Ryback at Madison Square Garden, doing commentary on a WWE show after 9/11, and more.

Roman Reigns On Naomi Possibly Joining The Bloodline Story

AEW Rampage Results (9/10): Andrade El Idolo vs. PAC, Brian Pillman Jr. & Jon Moxley

Robert Lentini
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AEW Rampage was taped earlier this week in Cincinnati and aired on TNT tonight. PAC was originally supposed to face Andrade El Idolo at All Out but that match was postponed to tonight due to travel issues.

Rampage Results (9/10)

  1. Andrade El Idolo def. PAC
  2. Ruby Soho, Kris Statlander, Riho def. Britt Baker, Rebel, Jamie Hayter
  3. Brian Pillman Jr. def. Max Caster

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Andrade Picked Up A Win & Left Chavo Guerrero Behind

Andrade El Idolo battled PAC in the first match of the night. Chavo Guerrero was ringside for the match. The action started off back and forth with PAC and Andrade trading forearms and punches to the face. Andrade connected with a Dropkick but PAC battled back and hit a Moonsault. The action spilled out of the ring and both men continued to trade strikes.

PAC and Andrade took turns launching each other into the barricade before the action returned to the ring. Andrade connected with a DDT on the ring apron and followed it up with a Moonsault of his own. Andrade went for the cover but PAC was able to kick out at the last moment. El Idolo got PAC in the Tree of Woe and hit a Double Stomp to the midsection as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Andrade made his way to the top rope and connected with a Moonsault for a near fall. Andrade perched PAC up on the top turnbuckle and connected with a punch to the face. El Idolo lifted PAC up in the Electric Chair but he countered into a Hurricanrana. PAC hit a running kick to the face and followed it up with a Superkick that knocked Andrade to the canvas.

PAC went for a Sunset Flip Powerbomb off the apron but Andrade somehow landed on his feet. PAC hit a Superkick and made his way to the top rope. Andrade tripped PAC up and got him in the Tree of Woe again. PAC dodged the Double Stomp and Andrade crashed to the floor. PAC hit a Moonsault off the top rope and both men were down outside the ring.

Back in the ring, PAC hit a 450 Splash and went for the cover but Andrade grabbed the bottom rope to break it up at two. PAC dragged Andrade to the corner and made his way up to the top rope again. Andrade got up and hit a kick to the face. El Idolo set up for the Hammerlock DDT but PAC escaped. PAC launched Andrade into the turnbuckle with an overhead throw and then locked in the Brutalizer in the middle of the ring.

Chavo hit PAC with a cheap shot and Andrade pinned him for the win. After the match, Andrade leveled Chavo with a punch to the face. Andrade left Chavo behind on the entrance ramp as AEW Tag Team Champions Lucha Bros checked on PAC in the ring. Lucha Bros then leveled Chavo with a couple Superkicks and rolled him into the ring. PAC got Chavo in the Brutalizer in the middle of the ring until AEW officials broke it up.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1436514791196143620?s=20

Shawn Spears Attacked Darby Allin

Tony Schiavone interviewed Darby Allin & Sting tonight. Darby Allin said that Shawn Spears was a generic piece of shit and is absolutely nothing without Tully Blanchard. Sting stated it was good to be back in Cinci and joked that Tully road Arn and Ricochet Flair’s coattails. Tully showed up on the entrance ramp and distracted Sting. Shawn Spears dragged Darby out of the ring and hit him with a Death Valley Driver. Spears retreated through the crowd as Tully laughed on the entrance ramp.

Adam Cole & Bryan Danielson Spoke About Their Arrival In AEW

Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson had backstage promos tonight. Cole said he trusts Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks with his life and they trust him. Adam stated that Christian Cage and Bryan Danielson are special and their body of work is undeniable. Cole claimed that they weren’t on his level and that he isn’t even in his prime yet. Cole added that he would wipe the floor with Bryan Danielson.

Bryan Danielson poked fun at how The Elite dress and claimed that they were insecure. Danielson said he wasn’t going after all of The Elite, he is going after AEW Champion Kenny Omega. Danielson added that he would love for Omega to be his first match in AEW, but if he will find someone else if Kenny is afraid to step up.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1436517239537213442?s=20

Ruby Soho, Kris Statlander, Riho Picked Up A Win

AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Rebel faced Ruby Soho, Kris Statlander, and Riho tonight on Rampage. Baker and Riho started off the action and locked up in the middle of the ring. The AEW Women’s Champion took control and rolled up Riho for a two count. Riho escaped and hit Baker with a Dropkick to the face.

Baker awkwardly punched Riho to the corner and Statlander tagged in. Kris hit Baker with a Powerslam and went for the cover but the champ kicked out at two. Statlander lifted Baker up on her shoulders but Britt escaped and tagged in Rebel. Kris greeted Rebel with a Dropkick and then Riho followed it up with some kicks of her own.

Hayter tagged in and Riho tripped her up. Riho went for the cover but Jamie powered out at two. Rebel hit Riho with a cheap shot as Baker distracted the referee. Jamie capitalized with a Suplex and brought Riho to the corner as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Ruby Soho tagged in and hit Jamie Hayter with some jabs to the face. Ruby booted Jamie in the face and connected with a slam for a two count. Hayter and Statlander then battled in the ring and Jamie hit a Backbreaker for a near fall. Statlander battled back and planted Rebel & Hayter with a double Suplex. Kris rolled up Rebel but Britt broke it up at two. Statlander hit Baker with a Falcon Arrow and Riho followed it up a Splash off Statlander’s shoulders. Riho took out Hayter with a Splash outside the ring as Ruby connected with an overhead kick on Rebel for the pinfall victory.

Brian Pillman Jr. def. Max Caster & Celebrated With Jon Moxley

Max Caster faced Brian Pillman Jr. in the main event of this week’s Rampage. Mark Henry interviewed them both in split screen before the match. Caster noted that Brian isn’t going to have his “fake friends” Griff Garrison and Julia Hart with him tonight. Pillman said his strategy is to outwrestle Max and to find out if Caster can walk the walk. Anthony Bowens was in Max’s corner for the match/

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1436522701984833540?s=20

Pillman started off the match in control and hit Caster with some chops. Max rolled out of there ring to regroup and Pillman hit a Dropkick through the ropes. Pillman celebrated a bit with his hometown crowd before rolling Max into the ring. Caster faked an injury to distract referee Aubrey Edwards and Anthony Bowens hit Pillman with a cheap shot.

Bowens poked Pillman in the eye and Caster applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Pillman powered to his feet as his family was shown in the crowd. Brian got distracted with Bowens again and Caster capitalized with a slam. Caster threw Pillman out of the ring and Bowens stomped on him some more as referee Aubrey Edwards was distracted by Caster again.

Pillman ducked under a Clothesline and traded punches with Max. Pillman hit a big Clothesline of his own and followed it up with some chops. Brian made his way to the top rope but the forever distracted referee Aubrey Edwards was having yet another conversation with Caster and Bowens hopped on the apron. Pillman sent Anthony to the floor and connected with a Crossbody on the floor. Back in the ring, Pillman Jr. hit a springboard Clothesline for the pinfall victory. After the match, The Acclaimed attacked Pillman from behind and were going to hit him with the boombox but Jon Moxley made the save. AEW Rampage went off the air with the two hometown stars celebrating in the ring.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1436524708367896582?s=20

WWE SmackDown Results (9/10): Reigns & Brock Lesnar, Title Match, The Demon Returns

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Usos defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against the Street Profits. Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair signed the contract for the women’s title match at Extreme Rules. Brock Lesnar returned and Edge squared off against Seth Rollins in a SummerSlam rematch. It was announced that Bobby Lashley will put the WWE Championship on the line against Randy Orton on Monday’s episode of RAW.

SmackDown Results (9/10)

  1. Nakamura, Boogs, Rey Mysterio, Dominik and Big E def. Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Apollo Crews and Otis
  2. Seth Rollins def. Edge
  3. Street Profits def. The Usos via DQ (Usos retained SmackDown Tag Team Championships)

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Brock Lesnar Confronted Roman Reigns

Universal Champion Roman Reigns kicked off the show and Pat McAfee made his return to the announce table. The Usos and Paul Heyman accompanied Roman Reigns to the ring. Roman Reigns will defend the Universal Championship against Finn Balor at Extreme Rules.

Reigns said WWE runs NYC and then Heyman told Roman that he runs WWE. Reigns agreed and claimed that the Tribal Chief also runs Madison Square Garden. Roman asked the crowd to acknowledge him and they gave him a great reaction. The Bloodline all posed in the ring as the crowd chanted “Roman!”.

Brock Lesnar interrupted and circled the ring. Lesnar got in Reigns’ face as the crowd roared. Roman backed away and The Usos got in Brock’s face as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”. Heyman grabbed a microphone and said that they could go after any other title together.

Lesnar ripped the microphone away and asked Paul why he didn’t tell Roman that he was going to be at SummerSlam. Reigns stared at Heyman as the crowd chanted “you f*cked up!”. Heyman told Reigns that he didn’t know and Roman ripped the Universal Championship out of Paul’s hands. Roman and The Usos exited the ring as Brock laughed.

The crowd chanted “Suplex City!” as Paul Heyman stated that he was the advocate for Lesnar for twenty years. Lesnar told Heyman that was just like old times. Lesnar grabbed Heyman by the jacket and demanded he accept the challenge for a match against Roman Reigns. Paul didn’t respond and Brock lifted Heyman up for the F5. Reigns got back into the ring and hit Lesnar with a Superman Punch and he dropped Heyman to the canvas. . Lesnar battled back and leveled The Usos with a Clothesline. Brock followed it up with a couple German Suplexes on The Usos as Reigns retreated.

Heyman was distraught in a backstage interview. Paul said Kayla was hanging out in the hallways like a Jersey girl and that the Tribal Chief will answer Lesnar’s challenge when he feels like it. Kayla asked Heyman again later on the show and Paul announced that Reigns will respond to Lesnar after the SmackDown Tag Team Championship match.

Trae Young Appeared During A 10-Man Tag Match

Sami Zayn introduced Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young to be in his corner and the crowd at Madison Square Garden booed him out of the building. Young and the Hawks eliminated the Knicks from the playoffs. Zayn, Crews, Otis, Roode, and Dolph Ziggler then faced Nakamura, Boogs, Rey Mysterio, Dominik and Big E in a 10-man tag team match. Commander Azeez, Trae Young, and Gable were ringside.

Nakamura got thrown out of the ring and leveled Gable with a kick. Otis knocked Nakamura to the floor and Gable started taunting him. When SmackDown returned from a break, Mysterio hit Sami with a Senton and followed it up with a Sunset Flip Bomb for a near fall. Boogs sent Crews across the ring with a Fallaway Slam but turned around into a shoulder tackle from Otis. Ziggler hit Nakamura with a Superkick but Big E hit a Belly to Belly Suplex.

Roode planted Big E with a Spinebuster but Rey sent him to the ropes. Sami tripped Mysterio up as he was going for the 619 and then Trae Young choked Rey against the ropes. The referee then threw Trae Young out from ringside and the crowd cheered. Sami was distracted and the Mysterios hit him with a double 619. Big E tagged in and hit Zayn with the Big Ending for the pinfall victory.After the match, Big E teased a MITB cash in and shouted “if you have what I need, you are going to feel my power!”.

Becky Lynch & Bianca Belair Signed The Contract

SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair had a contract signing for their title match at Extreme Rules. Bianca Belair came to the ring first and the crowd chanted “EST!”. Belair said she was so excited the last time she was in the ring with Lynch and that she a ton of respect for Becky. Bianca added that things of changed though because Lynch is running from a fight.

Belair claimed that the outcome would be different if they went toe to toe again and she doesn’t respect Becky as much as she used. Bianca said Becky can win back some of her respect while she takes back her title at Extreme Rules. Belair signed the contract and SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch showed up in a giant red fur coat.

Becky held the SmackDown Women’s Championship in the air and marched to the ring. Lynch took a seat and said that the original WrestleMania main eventer has arrived. Belair said “mine was better” under her breath as Lynch took a seat at the table. Becky noted that Belair was star struck at SummerSlam and told Bianca that she can be a fan or she can be “The Man”.

Lynch stated that there was no shame in being a fan and sitting in the crowd with the regular people. The crowd booed and Lynch wondered what would happen if she didn’t sign this. Belair started up a “sign it!” chant and Lynch got annoyed. Lynch said she came back last minute notice and beat the champ in 26 seconds. Becky added that she left her baby girl at home and scolded the crowd for favoring a “flash in the pan” like Belair over her.

The crowd chanted “EST!” and Becky finally signed the contract. Becky told Belair that the match will end the same way and tried to throw the contract at her but Bianca caught it. Becky exited the ring and raised the title to a chorus of boos. Bianca’s music hit and Becky Lynch got pissed off again and wondered why her music wasn’t playing as she is the champion.

Seth Rollins def. Edge In A Great Match

Edge faced Seth Rollins to begin the 2nd hour of this week’s SmackDown. Rollins started off the match in control and Edge regrouped in the corner. Edge tried to battle back but Seth quickly sent him back tot he canvas. Edge was favoring his knee as the two superstars circled each other.

Rollins and Edge locked up and Edge sent Seth into the turnbuckle. Edge launched Rollins into the ring post and the action spilled out of the ring. Rollins hurled Edge into the barricade and rolled him back into the ring. Edge snapped Rollins across the top rope and unloaded some knee strikes to the face. Edge went for a Spear but Rollins got his knee up.

Edge crashed to the canvas and Rollins made his way to the top rope. Seth hopped down and opted to send Edge out of the ring instead. Rollins connected with a Suicide Dive and laughed on the entrance ramp as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Rollins rolled Edge into the ring and connected with a springboard knee to the face for a two count. Seth went back to work on Edge’s knee and followed it up with a couple of Glam Slams for a near fall. Edge locked in a submission but Rollins broke it up by sending the Rated R Superstar into the turnbuckle.

Edge connected with a Pedigree and the crowd popped. Edge applied a Crossface in the middle of the ring but Seth reached the ropes after Edge bashed his head off the canvas a couple times. Edge connected with the Edgecution and went for the Spear but Rollins countered into a Neckbreaker. Seth went for the Stomp but Edge countered into a Powerbomb for a near fall.

Seth and Edge battled to the corner of the ring. Rollins hit Edge with a Bucks Bomb and went for the Stomp again but Edge countered with a Spear. Edge went for the cover but Seth kicked out at two. Seth hit Edge with a low blow while the referee was distracted. Rollins unloaded several Superkicks to Edge’s face and he fell to his knees. Rollins hit another one and Edge fell to the canvas. Seth delivered another Superkick and then the Stomp for the pinfall victory. WWE medical staff rushed the ring after the match.

The Usos Retained Via DQ, The Demon Finn Balor Returned

The Usos put the SmackDown Tag Team Championships on the line against the Street Profits in the main event. Universal Champion Roman Reigns was shown watching backstage with Paul Heyman as Jimmy & Jey Uso made their way to the ring. Montez Ford hit a Dropkick to start off the action.

Montez and Jimmy Uso battled in the corner. Jimmy sent Ford out of the ring and connected with a Suicide Dive as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, The Usos isolated Angelo Dawkins in the ring and took turns beating him down.

Dawkins connected with a Dropkick but Jey battled back with a shoulder tackle. Street Profits sent The Usos out of the ring and Montez flipped onto them. Universal Champion Roman Reigns made his way down the entrance ramp with Paul Heyman as SmackDown went to another commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Heyman was watching Roman Reigns watch The Usos on the entrance ramp. Montez connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Blockbuster for a near fall. Montez was only in one shoe and made his way to the top rope. Dawkins lifted Uso up in the Electric Chair and Montez hit another Blockbuster for a near fall. The Usos hit Dawkins with a couple Superkicks and Jey followed it up with an Uso Splash. Jey went for the cover but Dawkins kicked out. Roman Reigns couldn’t believe it and the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”.

Montez Ford and Jimmy Uso tagged in. Jimmy went for a Splash but Dawkins got his knees up. Montez connected with a Frog Splash and went for the cover but Roman Reigns broke it up. Reigns locked in the Guillotine on Ford to end the match in a DQ. Roman choked out Ford as The Usos beat Dawkins down outside the ring.

Roman Reigns accepted the challenge from Brock Lesnar and vowed to smash him as soon as he was done smashing Finn Balor. The Demon Finn Balor showed up and crawled through the smoke. Balor got in the ring with Reigns and the two had a stare down to close the show.

Bobby Lashley vs. Randy Orton For WWE Title Announced For Raw

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has seemingly made a change of plans for the top prize on the Raw brand as a commercial aired during SmackDown noting that Bobby Lashley will defend his WWE Championship against Randy Orton on Monday’s Raw.

It should be noted that WWE had already announced Orton challenging Lashley for the title at Extreme Rules. 

RK-Bro (Orton & Matt Riddle) were originally scheduled to defend their Raw Tag Team Titles against Lashley & MVP on Monday’s Raw, but WWE’s website has taken down their article for that Tag Team match so it looks like that has been nixed. 

This past Monday night, Lashley and MVP won a Tag Team Turmoil match on Raw to become the number one contenders to Orton & Riddle’s titles. Lashley and MVP and AJ Styles & Omos were the final two teams in the match. After the bout, Orton hit Lashley with an RKO, which was the second straight week that had happened as Orton previously did it following RK-Bro retaining their titles against Lashley and MVP in the main event of Raw.

WWE holds this Monday’s Raw at the TD Garden in Boston. Also announced for the show is Doupdrop likely wrestling Eva Marie after Doupdrop issued the match challenge.

NBA Star Trae Young Appears On WWE SmackDown

Andrew Ravens
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NBA superstar Trae Young made a special appearance on Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown New York City, NY at the Madison Square Garden on FOX. 

It happened in the first hour of the show, which reignited his rivalry with the New York City fans. Sami Zayn was seen wearing a New York Knicks jersey before working a 10-man tag team match. Zayn told the fans that he had a special guest to accompany him and his team at ringside and Young was that person. 

Young, the starting point guard of the Atlanta Hawks, got heavily booed when he first walked out. In the match, Young got physical when he choked Rey Mysterio through the bottom rope after a missed 619 attempt. After the referee saw what Young was doing and ejected him from ringside, which got a big pop from the fans. 

The finish of this match saw Rey and Dominik Mysterio hit a double 619 on Zayn before Big E gave Zayn the Big Ending to get the win.

Young is a big WWE fan and recently helped the company announce that their Day 1 pay-per-view event will be taking place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on New Year’s Day 2022.

Young and the rest of the Hawks roster beat the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs this summer. In that series, Young had a great performance and obviously, the Knicks fans were not thrilled about it. So much so that one fan spit on Young. 

Adam Cole: AEW Debut Felt Like A Full-Circle Moment

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Adam Cole is All Elite and for him, it’s all come full-circle.

For many, Cole was the MVP of NXT. He had many memorable matches with the likes of Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Ricochet, and Kyle O’Reilly. While Cole was the top dog of WWE’s NXT brand, he never ended up having a run on the main roster.

That’s because Cole decided to make the jump to AEW once his WWE contract expired. Cole had signed a brief extension with WWE to finish his feud with O’Reilly and seemingly left the company on good terms.

Appearing on Busted Open Radio, Cole explained why his AEW debut was a “full-circle moment.”

“It felt like a full-circle moment in a lot of ways. I haven’t gotten to share the ring with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega in really long time. I was feeling very sentimental. Before I was about to come out, I was so overwhelmed with emotion that my legs were physically shaking. It wasn’t even nerves. I was so excited for that moment and that’s why I’m going to try and relive it constantly in my head. I had such an amazing time. It was so cool and felt like all 13 and a half years led to that moment.”

The former NXT Champion had told reporters following All Out that signing with AEW was an easy decision. It had been reported by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE’s idea for Cole on the main roster was to pair him with Keith Lee. This wouldn’t have been a team, however, as he would’ve been a manager.

Paul Heyman Discusses Becky Lynch’s Heel Turn

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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0

Paul Heyman has thrown in his two cents on the heel turn of Becky Lynch.

Lynch made her return to WWE after being away due to her pregnancy. She appeared at the SummerSlam PPV, challenging Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Lynch landed a cheap shot to Belair once she accepted the challenge and hit the pumphandle slam for the pin in under 30 seconds.

Heyman spoke to the New York Post and said that fans don’t have to settle on thinking she’s just a face or a heel.

“I’m not a big believer in the positioning of people as protagonists and antagonists, I think these personalities have multiple sides to them,” Heyman continued. “Events in life will change your perspective, demeanor and the way you address people. So, if there is a more coarse side of Becky’s personality that is now coming to the forefront and you’re a fan of Becky then embrace it and accept it.

“And if you just judge someone by their immediate actions and their short-term perspective then I guess you now have a villain for whom you can root against.”

Lynch has been refusing to give Belair a rematch but now she has no choice. At Extreme Rules on Sept. 26, Lynch will put her gold on the line against Belair.

As for Heyman, he finds himself in a tricky situation. Brock Lesnar made an unexpected return at SummerSlam, confronting Roman Reigns. For years, Heyman has served as Lesnar’s advocate. When Brock was away, Heyman aligned himself with Reigns.

Ruby Soho Discusses AEW Debut & WWE Departure

Chris Stephens
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Ruby Soho made her AEW debut at All Out and won the Casino Battle Royale. She followed that up by defeating Jamie Hayter on Dynamite this week and has a future date with AEW Women’s World Champion, Britt Baker. She spoke to Sports Illustrated recently about her emotional debut in AEW and the 11-year journey it’s been to get there.

“I was able to experience a lot in WWE and make lifelong friends, so I’m very grateful for my time there,” said the 30-year-old Soho. “But that chapter is closed, and I knew there had to be a new place for me. This is a chance to experience a side of professional wrestling I haven’t experienced yet. There is a fire here, and there is a lot for me to show the world. There are a lot of sides to what I do that have yet to flourish, and I am going to put it all out there in AEW.”

Ruby Soho On Her AEW Debut

Soho was emotional during the post-event media scrum following All Out. She talked about the fans chanting for her even before she was announced as the Joker card in the battle royale. She continued to tell Sports Illustrated how much that moment meant to her.

“I fell back in love with professional wrestling at that moment,” Soho said. “I was elated. These people accepted me. They understand me; they understood my journey. That gave me a fire I haven’t felt in a long time. These people were ready to see me thrive, and there is no better stage to do that than in AEW.”

After leaving WWE, Soho released a series of vignettes on social media. The videos would show Ruby en route to somewhere. In her first video, she was seen with a train ticket from Florida to New York’s Penn station. Her second video featured her stealing a car. She says “The Runaway” has now found a home in AEW.

“Choosing AEW wasn’t a difficult decision,” Soho continued. “I had been a fan of AEW long before I left WWE. I could sense there was something very special and very different about this company. Now that I’m here, I am beginning to realize it was the home I have always been searching for.”

“This is where I belong, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to be here,” she continued.

Soho debuted a new name and ring music at All Out. Using “Ruby Soho” by Rancid for both her name and ring music was something Lars Frederiksen of the band encouraged her to do. Frederiksen is a longtime wrestling fan and co-hosts the Wrestling Perspectives Podcast along with Impact’s Petey Williams and former NHL player Darren McCarty.

AEW All Out Did “Well Over” 200,000 Buys, Per Tony Khan

Chris Stephens
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Tony Khan was on Busted Open Radio this morning and touted the success of his company’s All Out PPV. The total number of buys is not yet available for, Khan said the show did “well over 200,000 buys” – making it the most purchased AEW PPV of all time by a longshot.

Below is a list of AEW PPV buys, estimated and compiled by Wrestlenomics:

  • All Out 2018 (ROH/Elite): 45,000.
  • Double or Nothing 2019: 98,000.
  • All Out 2019: 88,000.
  • Full Gear 2019: 80,000.
  • Revolution 2020: 90,000.
  • Double or Nothing 2020: 105,000.
  • All Out 2020: 90,000.
  • Full Gear 2020: 85,000.
  • Revolution 2021: 135,000.
  • Double or Nothing 2021: 115,000
  • AEW All Out 2021: 200,000+

This is the first time a non-WWE PPV had over 200,000 buys since WCW Mayhem in 1999 (estimated at 200K). WCW PPVs fell off after that. The company’s final 8 PPVs all brought in less than 90K buys following the Bash at the Beach PPV in 2000.

TNA PPVs never managed to get higher than an estimated 60K buys.

WWE PPVs in the years before the Network also struggled to get above 200K. Typically, WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam would all bring in monster PPV numbers while most other PPVs would bring in less than 200K buys.

The Money in the Bank 2011 PPV from Chicago which featured John Cena vs CM Punk brought in an estimated 146,000 buys. The last WWE PPV to bring in more than 200K buys was WrestleMania 30 (420,000 buys) which featured Daniel Bryan winning the WWE Championship in the main event.

Tony Khan: I Always Dreamed Of Having Adam Cole In AEW

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AEW head honcho Tony Khan says that Adam Cole joining AEW is a dream come true.

Cole made his AEW debut at the conclusion of the All Out PPV. Reports had been rolling out claiming that the former NXT Champion was on his way out of WWE. The reports were correct.

Appearing on Busted Open Radio, Tony Khan admitted that having Cole on the AEW roster is something he dreamt of.

“I’ve never felt better. I’ve never felt better about anything. This show was almost two years in the making really. There were things that happened on this show that have been talked about for so long. I always dreamed of the day that Adam Cole would come to AEW. I always believed that some day it would be possible, though I didn’t know it would be so soon. That’s a dream come true. He’s always been a talent we’ve had a close eye on and he’s been somebody I’ve been very fortunate to get a closer look at, because our Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker obviously lives with him. He’s somebody that I’ve know and kept an eye on.”

Adam Cole extended his contract with WWE in order to complete his feud with Kyle O’Reilly. Following All Out, Cole said that giving O’Reilly the win on his way out was important to him as the two are close friends.

Cole is set to make his in-ring debut for AEW on the Sept. 15 edition of Dynamite. He’ll be going one-on-one with Kazarian.

Becky Lynch Responds To Criticism Over Heel Turn

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Becky Lynch is aware of all the hoopla surrounding her heel turn.

Lynch returned at WWE SummerSlam back in August. Bianca Belair was set to defend the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship against Sasha Banks at the PPV. When Banks couldn’t compete, Carmella stepped up to take the challenge. She ended up getting tossed out of the ring by Lynch, who challenged Belair.

Lynch got the match but it didn’t last long. She nailed Belair with a cheap shot following by a pumphandle slam for the win in under 30 seconds.

This marked Lynch’s heel turn, much to the chagrin of many fans. Lynch responded to critics during an interview with the NY Daily News.

“I’ve just come back and now I feel like suddenly there’s this conversation that I’m not doing things the right way, but I don’t know what anybody expects me to do. Do you want me to come back and toy with Bianca and give her more of a chance to look like she’s got an opportunity? Or would I come back, knowing that I haven’t done this in a while, and be smart about it and blindside her?

Becky Lynch: I Just Got Smarter

She continued, “I just did what an intelligent person would do. If you haven’t been wrestling in a long time, then you’ve been strategizing. You’ve been strategizing because you haven’t been in the ring with this person, so then you are going to do something different. You are going to catch them off guard.”

Lynch questioned why she is suddenly considered the ‘bad guy’ because she came back better than ever. She doesn’t consider herself a heel. She simply believes she got smarter.

Becky Lynch is one of WWE’s most popular stars. She solidified herself as “The Man.” Despite turning heel, Lynch has been getting cheered at the shows she attends. Lynch had taken time off as she was pregnant. She was reportedly set to return in October but that got bumped up.

Nike Launches Lucha Libre Inspired Collection

Chris Stephens
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Nike announced today they have produced a collection of Lucha Libre-inspired shoes and apparel. The collection will be released in Mexico in the coming days before being released globally next Friday.

The collection features multiple shoes and hooded sweatshirts all influenced by Lucha Libre culture.

“We see sharing cultural expressions as a way of creating relationships,” says Carlos Hernández, Mexico City Merchandising Director for Geo Express Lane in a press release. “When you’re deeply invested in a culture, you share its passions and interests. By paying close attention to Lucha Libre tradition, we get to use footwear and apparel to share a piece of Mexican culture with the world in places like Seoul, Tokyo, Brazil and more. With a number of Mexico GEL collections releasing soon, we’re creating the product with that same imaginative focus on cultural detail.”

Images of the collection are below:

NikeNews LuchaLibre 2021 Blazer 4 original

The hoodies in the collection draw inspiration from Luchador masks. The back of the hooded sweater shown below has an interesting design in the back. The hood of the sweater is designed to look like there are laces in the back.

NikeNews LuchaLibreCollection Apparel 1 original
NikeNews LuchaLibreCollection Apparel 3 original

“The Air Max 90 comes in a bisected black and white color scheme,” a description of the shoes reads. “A nod to famous Lucha Libre rivalries pitting good against evil, or “Los Técnicos vs. Los Rudos.”

NikeNews LuchaLibreCollection Apparel 13 original
NikeNews LuchaLibre 2021 AirForce1 3 original

Impact Results (9/9): More Bullet Club Members Walk Through Forbidden Door

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling on September 9th featured the continued build to Victory Road and another Bullet Club member walking through the forbidden door. Much of this show also involved Christian Cage and Ace Austin putting together teams for a big multi-person tag match next week.

Impact 9/9 Quick Results:

  1. Rosemary defeated Tasha Steelz
  2. Bunkhouse Brawl
    Karl Anderson defeated Rich Swann
  3. David Finlay defeated Chris Bey
  4. Steve Maclin defeated Petey Williams
  5. Moose defeated Eddie Edwards

Tasha Steelz and Savannah Evans Steal KO Tag Title Belts

Decay’s Rosemary picked up a win in the night’s opening contest against Tasha Steelz. Things seemed even between the two but then Rosemary caught Steelz coming out of the corner with a spear and picked up the win.

As Decay was celebrating, Savannah Evans hit the ring and distracted Rosemary and Havok. This allowed Steelz to grab the Knockouts tag title belts as Evans attacked Decay. Steelz and Evans hurried away with the title belts with Decay in pursuit to end the segment.

Karl Anderson Needs Doc Gallows’ Help To Beat Rich Swann

Rich Swann was without his tag partner Willie Mack at ringside this week, and that was the difference here. Mack is on the shelf with an injury after The Good Brothers put him through a table recently. This meant that Swann had nobody in his corner for this Bunkhouse brawl against Karl Anderson. It would be the numbers advantage that would allow Anderson to pick up the win.

The finish of the match saw Swann go to the top rope, possibly to go for his Phoenix Splash while Anderson was on top of a table. Gallows got involved, however, and grabbed Swann’s leg. This allowed Anderson to recover and deliver a top rope Gun Stun to Swann onto a table (that didn’t break) for the win.

Bullet Club’s HIKULEO Walks Through The Forbidden Door

David Finlay picked up a measure of revenge on Bullet Club this week. He scored a pin on Chris Bey moments after Juice Robinson thwarted Bey’s attempt to use the ropes for leverage on a pin attempt of his own. The real action came after the match, however.

As FinJuice was celebrating their win, Bullet Club’s HIKULEO hit the ring and attacked. Bey and HIKULEO wrapped Juice’s injured knee in a chair and stomped on it. Bullet Club then celebrated in the ring to end the segment.

Gambling Scandal Costs Petey Williams Match Against Steve Maclin

Sadly, an underground gambling operation backstage in Impact has reared its ugly head. Backstage this week in Swinger’s Casino, TJP placed a bet on Steve Maclin in his match this week against Petey Williams. Then during the match, TJP led a conga line with Fallah Bah and No Way to the ring just as Williams was going for the Canadian Destroyer. This distracted Williams and allowed Maclin to hit his finisher for the win.

Moose Defeats Eddie Edwards With Help From W. Morrissey

Moose and W. Morrissey have aligned in Impact and have targeted Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan. Edwards could have used Callihan’s help in this match as Morrissey’s interference on the outside allowed Moose to gain the advantage. He eventually put Edwards away with a spear. A melee after the match would eventually force Callihan to come to Edwards’ rescue, however.

Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan’s Uneasy Alliance

After the match, a huge melee took place featuring the wrestlers scheduled for the 10-man tag match on next week’s show. Chris Sabin came out to make the save but was thwarted by Brian Myers and his “professionals.” Josh Alexander then came out to fight them off but he was then attacked by Ace Austin and Madman Fulton. Christian Cage then came out to take on Fulton and Austin. Edwards came in to help Cage with the numbers advantage but then Moose and Morrissey rejoined the fight and attacked him. This led to Alisha Edwards coming out with a kendo stick to try and help but was not overly effective at this. Morrissey was ready to pick her up for a choke slam when the lights went out. When the lights came back on, Sami Callihan was in the ring with two baseball bats. He gave one to Edwards and the two of them fought off the heels. Cage then played peace-broker between the two longtime rivals turned uneasy partners as the show came to a close.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Much of this week’s episode featured Ace Austin and Christian Cage recruiting team members for a big multi-person tag match next week.

Next Week:

  • Ace Austin, Madman Fulton, Brian Myers, Moose & W. Morrissey vs Christian Cage, Josh Alexander, Chris Sabin, & TBA

Victory Road (September 18th)

  • Impact World Championship
    Christian Cage (c) vs Ace Austin
  • X-Division Championship
    Josh Alexander (c) vs Chris Sabin
  • Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    Decay (Rosemary & Havok) vs Tasha Steelz & Savannah Evans
  • Chris Bey & Hikuleo vs FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson)
  • Moose & W. Morrissey vs. Eddie Edwards & Sami Callihan

Brian Cage & Wife Melissa Santos Frustrated With His Role in AEW

Chris Stephens
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Has Brian Cage gotten lost in the shuffle in AEW? There are some who believe so. According to Cage’s wife, Melissa Santos, he is being misused in the promotion. She posted a video to social media explaining her position.

“You see, Brian Cage is a superstar,” Santos said. “Those people who know him from indies, Impact, Lucha Underground where I met him, know that he’s a superstar. All you have to do is Google him and watch all his matches [at] PWG. He’s a superstar, and he’s being misused right now.”

Earlier, Santos had posted the following to social media:

Cage appears to agree with the post and responded with a Fresh Prince GIF to illustrate this:

The former FTW Champion lost to Team Taz’s Powerhouse Hobbs on Dynamite last week. Back in July, he lost the FTW title to Ricky Starks. Before then, he lost to Hangman Page in the opening match of the Double or Nothing PPV in May. Cage had defeated Page on an episode of Dynamite back in April, however.

The last time Cage was ranked in the AEW top-5 was on May 19th, 2021. Cage’s career record in AEW currently sits at 38-9.

Minoru Suzuki Will Be Back On Dynamite Next Week

Chris Stephens
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Jon Moxley defeated Minoru Suzuki in the main event of Dynamite from Mox’s hometown of Cincinnati this week. AEW has just announced, however, that Suzuki will be back on Dynamite next week.

AEW also announced that he’ll be joined by his Suzuki-Gun teammate, Lance Archer, and plans to issue a new challenge to the former AEW World Champion. Archer and Suzuki are said to be upset that Moxley received preferential hometown treatment on Dynamite this week.

AEW announced the news on Twitter:

The main event match this week between Suzuki and Moxley only went a little over 8 minutes. There may have been some timing issues in the final few segments of the show that saw the match get reduced in-ring time.

Mox and Suzuki have now met in singles matches twice, with Moxley winning both matches. Their first match took place at the New Beginning in Osaka in February of 2020.

Suzuki also needed 7 stitches to close a cut above his eye that occurred in the match. Emi Sakura posted to Twitter about Suzuki’s injury below:

Next Week’s Dynamite

Next week’s Dynamite will take place from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. In addition to Suzuki-Gun challenging Moxley, the following matches have also been scheduled for the show:

  1. Frankie Kazarian vs. Adam Cole
  2. Leyla Hirsch vs. Jade Cargill (w/Mark Sterling)
  3. Shawn Spears (w/Tully Blanchard) vs. Darby Allin (w/Sting)

John Cena Plays Facebreakers With Jimmy Fallon On The Tonight Show (Video)

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John Cena made another appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Cena was on the show to promote his Hulu movie, “Vacation Friends.” A brief clip from the movie aired on the show and Fallon ran down a synopsis.

Fallon also asked Cena about his WWE SummerSlam match with Roman Reigns. Cena was pinned in a failed bid for the WWE Universal Championship and he joked about falling short.

“Dude it was great. I had a wonderful match, I finished second place.”

Cena went on to say that he’s glad he got a chance to perform in front of the WWE Universe again.

“That was nice. There is no better feeling than being in front of a live audience. There really isn’t and I’m so grateful to have all of you here. I’m so grateful to be back with a live audience. There is no other energy like performing and entertaining, or telling stories or just shooting the sh*t in front of a live audience, so thank you.”

Later on in the show, John Cena and Jimmy Fallon played a game called “Facebreakers.” The goal was to be the first to smash all the glass panels of the opponent’s face by throwing footballs. Here’s how that played out.

Cena will be in Madison Square Garden tonight (Sept. 10) for the WWE SmackDown Supershow. He hasn’t been advertised for the FOX broadcast but he will be competing in a dark match.

Bound For Glory Headed To Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas (10/23)

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Impact Wrestling has announced the location and a special start time for their upcoming Bound For Glory pay-per-view.

Impact’s biggest event of the year will take place Saturday, October 23rd from Sam’s Town Live! in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The event will have a special start time of 10pm (Eastern).

Bound for Glory 2021

Before Bound For Glory, Impact has its Victory Road event set for Sept. 18. In the main event of that card, Christian Cage will defend the Impact World Title against Ace Austin. X-Division titleholder Josh Alexander will put his gold on the line against Chris Sabin.

Also set for Victory Road will be a Knockouts Tag Team Title match between Decay and the team of Tasha Steelz and Savannah Evans. Also, Chris Bey and Hikuleo will meet FinJuice. Moose and W. Morrissey will take on Sami Callihan and Eddie Edwards.

After Victory Road reaches its conclusion, Impact will start building towards Bound For Glory. With cross-promotion in full effect, it’ll be interesting to see if any surprises are in store for fans on Oct. 23.

Impact Results (9/9): More Bullet Club Members Walk Through Forbidden Door

Don West Issues Statement After Being In Remission For Cancer

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Former TNA Wrestling color commentator, Don West, has expressed gratitude following some wonderful health news.

Back in June, the wrestling world showed support for West as he revealed his brain cancer diagnosis. Just three months later, West revealed he is now in remission.

Don West had the following to say on his GoFundMe page.

“Terri and I would like to express our gratitude to everyone who helped us through this health journey. I am very blessed to report that after 8 weeks of chemotherapy and 13 radiation treatments, I am in remission. The power of prayer is phenomenal. Following a period of recovery, I am looking so forward to returning to work and continuing my life. My wife and I would like to thank each of you again for your financial donations which helped to relieve a large portion of the financial pressures so we could focus on treatment. Your kind words have also been such an encouragement as we moved through this difficult time.

“We appreciate each one of you!”

During his time with TNA Wrestling, many fans took a liking to West’s style as he was always energetic. He later became TNA’s go-to salesman for their merchandise. Bruce Prichard has credited West for selling out a lot of the merchandise at TNA events.

What Did Vince McMahon Tell Doudrop Before Her Raw Debut?

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Doudrop has recalled the first time she met WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

Doudrop, who had been known as Viper on the independent scene and Piper Niven on NXT, made her debut on the main roster back in June. She aligned herself with Eva Marie but that tandem ended up being short-lived. Now, Doudrop and Eva are in a feud.

Speaking to Metro, Doudrop discussed how her first meeting with McMahon turned out.

“I met him on the first day that I got to Raw and I was super scared because obviously I’ve been a wrestling fan for the majority of my life,” she said. “He was super cool, he just said, ‘Welcome to Raw, so glad that you could come over, we’re gonna have a lot fun with your character.’ I was like, ‘Oh good, I like to have fun, I consider myself a professional play fighter’, and he was just [laughing and applauding].

‘So that was a really cool experience! He’s always super happy with me when I come back and seems to absolutely love it when I kill people so I’m just gonna keep doing that!”

Also in the interview, Doudrop admitted that at first, she wondered if the pitch for her character would work. She said eventually, she was able to get comfortable with the gimmick. She’s gone as far as to say she loves the character.

Paul Heyman Looks Back On Working Post-9/11 SmackDown

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Paul Heyman has taken the time to reflect on working the episode of SmackDown following the tragic events of 9/11.

On Sept. 11, 2001, a terrorist attack took place in New York City. As a result of these attacks, the Twin Towers collapsed and nearly 3,000 people were killed. The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. was also attacked.

As one would imagine, the post-9/11 episode of SmackDown was an emotional one. Heyman was on color commentator duties on the show. During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Heyman looked back on the post-9/11 episode of SmackDown.

“I didn’t know how to convey that on the air, and I didn’t know if it was my place to do so, but as a New Yorker, I felt obligated to identify myself—not only from the perspective of New York as a locale in which I reside but also that deep down, the person you see talking at the moment is culturally, physically, spiritually a New Yorker at heart. I hardly remember anything about that night, other than the memory of Lilian Garcia singing. I don’t even remember what she sang, whether it was ‘God Bless, America,’ ‘America, The Beautiful,’ or the national anthem—I just remember she sang. When she was singing, she did it flawlessly. Her voice carried the emotion of the moment to such a degree that it moved me and woke me up. It also made me a complete emotional wreck.

“I can’t tell you one match that happened on that show. All I remember is the bolt that went through my system when I heard Lilian sing, which reminded me I had an obligation to deliver. Then I heard Jim Ross say, ‘Just follow my lead, kid, and you’ll be fine,’ which is the same thing he’d said to me during my first broadcast on Raw. Afterward, I can still remember Vince McMahon in my headset saying, ‘That was great. Now it’s time to entertain.’ From that point on, I hope J.R. and I did justice to the job for which we were tasked, but I don’t remember doing it all.”

Almost 20 years from the day of the 9/11 attacks, SmackDown will be held inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. Paul Heyman is expected to attend alongside the WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

WWE Draft Expected to Begin on October 1st(Report)

Tyriece Simon
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The WWE may have this year’s WWE draft next month.

Mat Men Podcast Co-host Andrew Zarian reports the WWE Draft will start on the October 1st episode of Friday Night Smackdown. He also notes it will continue on the October 4th episode of Monday Night Raw.

WWE Expected Plans in October

In June, Zarian heard that the WWE Draft would happen on the August 30th episode of Raw. However, it didn’t occur, and WWE hasn’t spoken publicly as to why it didn’t. However, he has since reported that WWE expected to have the draft on October 1st and 4th.

Zarian also shared new dates for the King and Queen of the Ring tournament. He states that both tournaments will start on the October 8th episode of Smackdown, which he noted to be the season premiere. The King and Queen of the Ring will culminate at a live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 21st.

NXT Call Ups During the WWE Draft

It’s unclear if WWE will select talent in NXT to the main roster during the draft. NXT will be going through a revamp starting on September 14th. NXT Talent like Johnny Gargano and Dakota Kai has been in the developmental program for more than two years. In changing NXT, WWE could decide to move established NXT talent to the main roster.

The WWE hasn’t officially confirmed that it will happen on October 1st. However, the WWE has held their draft event for the last two years in October on Smackdown. With one month away, WWE fans will know soon enough if WWE changes the Raw and Smackdown roster.

Tony Khan Gives An Update On Lio Rush’s AEW Status

Chris Stephens
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Lio Rush was the “Joker” in the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing back in May. Rush was injured in the match, however, and would eventually announce his retirement in June. He did note that he would fulfill his obligations to New Japan, however.

Rush was back wrestling with New Japan this summer and performed on the Resurgence PPV on August 14th. Tony Khan took to Twitter this afternoon to say he’s been speaking a lot with Lio Rush lately and said he feels like Rush could be back with the company in the near future.

Earlier today, reports surfaced that WWE had pitched having Adam Cole serve as a manager for Keith Lee similar to the role Lio Rush performed with Bobby Lashley. Khan may have been referencing these reports when he posted the Tweet.

Khan spoke about Rush during the Double or Nothing post-event media scrum back in May.

“I don’t have a pen to paper [deal], but Lio and I have a handshake [deal] that he can work here and do New Japan both,” Khan said. “I think we have something good on a handshake, and I think he’s doing that on a handshake with New Japan too, and that’s kind of what we’ve been doing and it’s been pretty good.”

Shortly after Rush announced his retirement in June, Khan released a statement.

“Lio Rush reached out to me today, and he shared that he’d planned to announce his retirement from pro wrestling tonight. While this news was unexpected, I’m glad that he’s made a choice that he’s confident will make him and his family happy,” Khan’s statement read. “Lio is a great talent, and I enjoyed briefly working with him, and I absolutely wish him the best.”

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