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U.S. Domestic Attendance Pro Wrestling Live Event Analysis (Non-WWE & AEW)

Lavie Margolin
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The second half of 2021 is a fascinating time to look at domestic pro wrestling attendance and live events outside of the WWE and AEW.

As promotions emerged with regular shows and tapings in what was thought to be the tail end of COVID-19 but in some parts of the country, it continues to be a major challenge and the Omicron variant was just around the corner

With a re-emergence of live events, this half year should serve as a baseline for future comparison as opposed to a comparison to a past that was very different.

Listen to “Episode 56 – U.S. Pro Wrestling Live Event Analysis” on Spreaker.

Game Changer Wrestling emerged as the hottest live event draw for a promotion of its size

Matt Cardona as the GCW champion

In tracking 22 events (one that was co-promoted with Black Label Pro), 11 shows were sellouts. The company promoted coast to coast and its 4 shows in the Los Angeles market were pre-sellouts as well as 2 shows in Detroit. The Detroit shows sold out early enough that the company booked a more ambitious venue in 2022, Harpos.

Two shows had reported attendances above 1,000: 7/24 in Atlantic City at the Showboat Hotel 1,200. 9/4 Hoffman Estates at the Grand Sports Arena 1,450.

The company also established regular touring swings in Texas (Houston, Dallas).

Outside of the confines of the period of this report, GCW has an advance sellout of 2,025 in the Hammerstein Ballroom on 1/23/22 to look forward to.

The NWA builds back

NWA

The 4 shot run of the NWA at the site of the historic Chase Hotel has to be considered a big win. The 73rd anniversary show on 8/29 was sold out at 856 tickets and the EMPOWER show on the 28th was nearly sold out at 843 tickets (98%). The two television tapings had a modest setup with 340 and 323 tickets distributed on the subsequent days.

The company co-promoted a show with Tried & True in Valor Hall in Oak Grove, KY on October 24th that drew 382 (88% capacity).

A multi-day swing in Atlanta included Hard Times 2 and a taping for the new Youtube program, NWA USA. The company was restricted in capacity of 90, with the ppv necessitating refunds to ticket holders beyond the 90 restriction. The NWA USA taping was reported as 70 in attendance.

New Japan’s drawing ability in the U.S. still a question mark

NJPW Strong Shwodown had a wild main event
NJPW Strong Shwodown had a wild main event

New Japan ran 9 domestic shows in the U.S. during the second half of 2021.

The Torch at the LA Coliseum show on 8/14 distributed 99% of the tickets representing 2,240. This may have been the most tickets sold for a non WWE-AEW domestic event in 2021. The television taping in Long Beach, CA sold out with 114 tickets distributed plus General Admission.

The two shows in Garland, TX, a mid-market stronghold for AEW, did not yield good results for New Japan. The 9/25 distributed 903 tickets. It appears more than half the tickets were distributed the day of the show on 9/25, so one might consider if tickets were given away or there was a particularly effective late advertising campaign or significant walk up purchases. 9/26 distributed 841 tickets as of 5pm on the day of the show, significantly up from 443 tickets just a few days prior.

A swing through the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on 10/16 and 10/17 yielded 561 and 531, respectively, according to WrestleTix. The Observer and Cagematch listed around 700 for these shows.

A swing in California in November on 11/13 and 11/15, yielded 1,548 in San Jose and 858 in the Riverside Municipal Auditorium.

A small taping was done in the Vermont Hollywood in Los Angeles on 12/9. A total attendance was not available for the venue that can hold up to 1,200 but the 1st row and ‘lobby standing’ were sold out with a ‘waiting list’ appearing on the ticket sales page.

NEW continued to draw for big shows in warmer weather, celebrates anniversary

In the second half of 2021 (one a partnership with ICW), NEW drew over 1,000 for at least 2 shows, possibly 4.

On 7/9 in Rostaver, PA (co-promoted with ICW), the Post Gazette reported an attendance of 700, whereas the Observer listed 1,700.

A show in Eastwood Field in Niles, OH drew 1,978 and the Anniversary show in the Mid-Hudson Civic Center on 8/14 drew 1,518 (84% capacity). Due only to the promotion’s track record, the anniversary show may have been a modest disappointment in not selling out.

Two additional shows, one in Waterbury on 7/17 and one in Bethany on 9/11, had 260 and 205 tickets distributed.

The 4th quarter (October-December) is traditionally a less ambitious time for NEW. There were several shows in Bethany, CT, most notably 205 at the NEW Arena (representing 73% of the tickets put on sale).

On 10/2 in Danbury, I hand counted the ticket sales page to represent 610 tickets. However the Observer reported 1,210 fans and 1,174 paid- a number not achievable based on what I saw on the ticket map.

Ring of Honor struggles at the gate, cautiously runs some shows with fans and announces a reimaging

ROH

On 7/11, ROH ran in the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Area. The building was set up for social distancing and WrestleTix estimated a capacity of 700, with 419 in attendance. The Observer listed 1,200 in attendance.

ROH ran a double shot at the 2300 Arena on 8/20, 8/21 drawing 390, 482 according to WrestleTix. The Observer reported the same number for paid on 8/21 but that 550 were in attendance.

ROH has attempted to run Death Before Dishonor in Lakeland, FL but it was canceled for COVID reasons. A hand count showed that only about 150 tickets had been sold prior to the cancellation. ROH instead returned to the 2300 Arena and drew 372 on 9/12.

In the 4th quarter, the company returned to empty arena tapings outside of Final Battle. Prior to Final Battle, the company announced time off in 2022 to reimagine itself, released contracted wrestlers and announced a potential show over WrestleMania weekend in the Dallas market.

Final Battle in Baltimore, MD drew 1,620, a significant increase over July 11th’s 419 attendees. WrestleTix reported that Sinclair employees were offered up to 4 free tickets.

IMPACT & its modest wins

Christian Cage
Impact World Champion Christian Cage

IMPACT remained in Nashville in the third quarter but allowed fans into Skyway Studios. Slammiversary was a quick sellout on 7/17 with  180 in attendance. A nice ‘win’ for the company.

The Observer reported that tapings on 7/18, 7/19 also had 180 in attendance but there was no distinction between the two tapings per day. My own check just prior showed that one could buy multiple tickets each day.

In the 4th quarter, IMPACT spent most of its time in Las Vegas. It ran a triple shot from October 23-25th with Bound for Glory reported as a sell out of 900 fans. Unconfirmed, I received a tweet that there was an advertisement for seat fillers/extras that night.

As of this writing, it appears that the 12/18 show at the Davis Arena in Louisville, KY will sell out its 137 seats (132 had been sold) and has General Admission seats also available.

MLW: Philly X3, shifts Dallas

Hammerstone

In a show long rescheduled due to the pandemic, MLW was completely sold out at the 2300 Arena on 7/10/21. The Observer listed it as “the usual sellout number” – but the actual number was not available. Generally, the building’s maximum capacity is listed as 1,300 with a Battleground sellout in the venue listed as 900.

The show planned for Dallas on 9/11 was canceled for COVID reasons. It had distributed 508 of 512 reserved tickets plus GA prior to cancellation. The promotion will return to the city at least twice in 2022, this time at Gilleys.

The promotion ran the 2300 Arena two more times in the 4th quarter, with 550 on October 2nd and 675 on November 6th reported.

The co-promotion with THE CRASH took place outside the U.S. and is left out of this report.

Other shows drawing 1,000+

Outside of an unknown true attendance for HECHO En MEXICO (7/31 in Hidalgo, TX on 7/31), the following shows were reported as drawing 1,000+ for shows not already mentioned above:

  • Great Lakes Championship Wrestling in Waukesha, WI drew 2,100 at the Waukesha County Expo Center on 12/4
  • Mucha Lucha in Norcross, GA drew 1,500 at Espacio Discoteque on 10/10
  • WRESTLECADE in Winston-Salem, NC drew 1,200 in the Benton Convention Center on 11/26
  • PCW ULTRA in Wilmington, CA drew 1,000 at ILWU Memorial Hall on 10/23

Overall non-WWE/AEW Domestic Attendance Average

In tracking 188 shows, 84 (44%) were reported as sold out (or nearly).

There was an attendance available for 140 of the 188 shows, for an average of 395 in attendance per show.

Given that there were probably 10-15x shows domestically (depending on how quickly independent wrestling is emerging from the pandemic and running with fans), this is just a snapshot and shouldn’t be applied to any trend overall or meant in any way as a representative sample.

Additionally, Georgia Wrestling History provides several local results per week so there is a skewing based on the volume of small Georgia shows.

However, using the same methodology in future years may yield some interesting results.

Sourcing/Credit:

In addition to confidence in my own abilities to hand count ticket maps, credit is due to WrestleTix, The Wrestling Observer, Cagematch, PWInsider, The Wrestling Estate, Georgia Wrestling History and local media coverage in which attendance figures were provided.

Note: All information provided was to the best of my knowledge. Any factual errors are unintentional and will be corrected in future editions. Please reach out at any time with a concern or correction.

AEW Rampage Holiday Bash Spoilers

Chris Stephens
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AEW taped Rampage Holiday Bash following Dynamite last night from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The show was headlined by a TNT title match between champion Sammy Guevara and Cody Rhodes.

Cody Rhodes defeated Sammy Guevara to win the TNT Championship for a 3rd time. Reports are that Rhodes used multiple Cross Rhodes and a pedigree to win the match.

The other 3 matches all had submission finishes.

Kris Statlander defeated “Legit” Leyla Hirsch via submission. In his second ever match, HOOK defeated Bear Bronson. Jungle Boy also defeated Isiah Kassidy from Private Party.

The TNT Championship has now changed hands 7x, with Rhodes being the only champion to hold the title more than once. His first run with the belt lasted 82 days and included 8 title defenses. Rhodes then dropped the title to Brodie Lee who defended it twice before dropping it back to Rhodes again. He would then drop the title to Darby Allin, who eventually lost it to Miro. Guevara then defeated Miro before dropping it back to Rhodes.

Next up for AEW will be a show in Jacksonville on December 29th. Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish will reunited to take on the Best Friends and Orange Cassidy. Jade Cargill will face Thunder Rosa in the second TBS Title Tournament semi-final. Eddie Kingston will also team with Santana and Ortiz to take on 2.0 and Daniel Garcia.

Ruby Soho Opens Up About Her AEW Experience: “There’s Something Very Special About The Place”

Anutosh Bajpai
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Ruby Soho has wrestled for many different companies in her career so far. The list includes promotions such as WWE, Stardom, Shimmer, and more. Though while she has been part of many different locker rooms, none can match the energy and vibe that is found in the AEW locker room, according to the female star herself.

Soho recently spoke to Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald. She compared the energy within the AEW locker room to other organizations and claimed that it has a very indie feeling to it:

“I have said before that AEW kind of has a very independent wrestling like underground vibe to it. It’s different than anything that I’ve ever been a part of. The energy within it is definitely kind of an indie wrestling vibe just because we’re all working together as a team to put together this amazing product. And we’re all just a bunch of misfits putting together this incredible show that are brought together by the love of wrestling,”

Ruby Soho Says Tony Khan Is The Best Hype Man

Ruby Soho Tony Khan
Ruby Soho and Tony Khan. Photo: Instinct Culture by Denise Salcedo

Ruby Soho made her AEW debut during the All Out PPV in September. In the short time since then, she has won a Casino Battle Royal and challenged for the AEW women’s world title. She is now competing in the TBS title tournament and reached the finals of it. When asked what her experience at the promotion has been like, Soho said that there is something very special about the place:

“There’s something very special about the place, about the energy that’s in the locker room. Like I said, we’re all just trying to prove that there’s something different out there in the world of professional wrestling and that’s what we’re delivering. So, it is an energy that is intoxicating and motivating. Then on top of that our boss, Tony Khan is probably the best hype man anybody could ask for. He’s just so excited about wrestling and so excited about his product and passionate about it. That energy is infectious throughout the rest of the locker room.”

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

Ruby Soho On AEW Women’s Division & Future Opponents

Sting Praises “Electrifying” CM Punk, Grateful to Retire on His Terms

Chris Stephens
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This week’s special Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite saw Sting team up with Darby Allin and CM Punk in the main event. They defeated the team of Maxwell Jacob Friedman and FTR of the Pinnacle.

Sting and Punk paid homage to one another with their face-paint and ring gear.

Ahead of this memorable bout, Sting spoke to Sports Illustrated and had glowing things to say about Punk.

“CM Punk, he’s truly amazing to me,” he began. “Hearing the crowd respond to him, it’s made me turn back the clock and think of all the different memorable reactions over the years to different wrestlers. I’ve especially been thinking about The Road Warriors. Animal was really big on that. He would say, ‘This guy got a huge pop, but it wasn’t a Road Warrior pop.’ That’s what Punk gets.”

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Sting and CM Punk

Sting has wrestled alongside some of the biggest names in pro wrestling history. He’s worked with them all, yet still credits Punk for being a “remarkable” and “electrifying” performer.

“I had an idea of CM Punk’s greatness, but now I have experienced it,” Sting continued. “His appearances are so electrifying. He is remarkable, and I am grateful to have this opportunity to be in the ring with him and Darby as their tag team partner.”

Sting Retiring on His Terms

Sting also spoke about how fortunate he is to write this final chapter of his career on his terms.

“Not many people get to rewrite their final chapter, not at this level. I had great matches at the Greensboro Coliseum with Lex Luger, and now I get to do it with Darby and CM Punk against MJF and FTR. It’s a great way to end my career. The crowd, their appreciation makes me want to tear up. It’s almost as if they don’t want to say goodbye.”

Sting has a lot of great memories wrestling at the Greensboro Coliseum. Back in 1988, he wrestled NWA Champion Ric Flair to a 45-minute time-limit draw at the first-ever Clash of the Champions. That show went head-to-head with WWE’s WrestleMania IV.

Matt Cardona On If He Will Ever Sign An Exclusive Contract Again

Anutosh Bajpai
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Matt Cardona has made independent wrestling his new home after being released by WWE. He’s having the time of his life traveling around and working for multiple promotions at the same time.

After being a WWE star for 15 years, it doesn’t look like he is interested in signing another exclusive contract anytime soon. During a recent interview with Barstool Wrestling, the Long Island Broski was asked if he’d ever signing an exclusive contract in wrestling again.

“I mean never say never but I’m having the time of my life right now, the time of my career,” he began. “Before this, 2011, when I did the YouTube show back in the day, that was my favorite year of my career. But fuck this year is number one. By far I’m having the time of my life. Making some money and being my own boss. I love it.”

Cardona continued, “Not only the creative freedom, but the freedom to just make my own schedule, do whatever I want to do. and it’s working. This wasn’t some master plan.”

“It’s The Way I Live My Life”

Matt Cardona IMPACT

Matt Cardona claimed that always ready is not just a catchphrase for him. It’s the way he lives his life. He is not one of those people who gets a lot of opportunities, but he is ready to seize the ones that come his way. Later in the interview, he explained how this mindset led to him making his Impact Wrestling debut at last year’s Hard To Kill PPV:

“The always ready. It’s not just a hashtag or gimmick. It’s the way I live my life and career. Some people not just in wrestling but in life, get handed opportunity after opportunity. I’m not one of them. I’m not complaining about that. They come few and far between. But when I get one, I better capitalize. I better make the most of it and that’s what the always ready is all about.

“It was last year at Hard To kill. I made my debut. [I] wasn’t scheduled to be on the show. The day before, someone from their talent relations texted me and said ‘hey, can you be at the Pay Per View tomorrow?’ I said ‘always ready.’ I literally had just shaved my entire body the night before and got a little confidence tan. But I was like, fuck, I say I’m always ready, [and] I better be. I better be fucking ready to go and I was. And I’ve been with impact, doing their shows ever since. I love impact. I love the opportunities that they give me. Now a year later on the anniversary of my debut going for the world title, it’s very special to me.”

It doesn’t appear Matt Cardona will slow down in 2022 either. He already has a few big shows coming his way in the first month of the year. Cardona is scheduled to challenge Moose for the Impact world title at Hard To Kill on January 8. The match will be a triple threat also involving W. Morrissey. He is booked for the GCW event in Hammerstein Ballroom on January 23 as well.

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

This article has been edited for clarity

John Morrison to challenge for the AAA Mega Championship

Michael Reichlin
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John Morrison has resurfaced. Following his WWE release in November, the master of Starship Pain will return to AAA early next year.

Now going by Johnny Mundo once again, the high-flying grappler will challenge Mega Champion Hijo del Vikingo at Rey de Reyes on February 19th.

Watch the official announcement from Johnny Mundo himself:

https://twitter.com/luchalibreaaa/status/1473756107654979588

Rey de Reyes Card

AAA Rey de Reyes

Here is the full card for AAA’s Rey de Reyes on February 19th:

  • AAA Mega Champion Hijo del Vikingo vs Johnny Mundo
  • Pentagon Jr. & Fenix vs. Dragon Lee & Dralistico
  • Rey de Reyes Sword: Laredo Kid vs Bandido vs Cibernetico vs TBA vs Psycho Clown
  • La Hiedra & Villano III Jr. vs Sexy Star (II) & Octagon Jr. vs Chik Tormenta & Arez
  • Psicosis (II), Abismo Negro Jr., Latigo vs Willie Mack, Mr. Iguana, Nino Hamburguesa
  • Reina de Reinas Championship #1 contender –  Maravilla vs Lady Shani vs Flammer vs TBA
  • NGD vs LA Park vs La Empresa (Puma King, Sam Adonis, DMT Azul)
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Kyle O’Reilly Comments On Signing With AEW

Chris Stephens
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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.”

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

Corporal Kirchner Has Passed Away

Chris Stephens
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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

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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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

Robert Lentini
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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.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

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

  • Christian Cage Kenny Omega
    Christian Cage & Kenny Omega

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.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

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.

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

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.

Kane Reveals His Top Three Undertaker Matches Of All Time

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

Vince McMahon Not Willing to Give on WWE Contracts

Ryan Droste
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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.

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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.

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