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Chris Jericho Adds Orange Cassidy, Britt Baker, and More to Cruise

Tyriece Simon
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All Elite Wrestling talent Chris Jericho and his cruise organizers have announced a few names that’ll appear at the Rock N Wrestling Rager Triple Wammy Cruise. The cruise will travel from Miami to Grand Bahama Island from October 21 to 25th. The performers revealed were AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker, Orange Cassidy, Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Colt Cabana.

The announcement also said that “…More additions to come SOON – stay tuned!”

AEW Dynamite Not on The Jericho Cruise

AEW announced that AEW Dynamite would have a Saturday night episode on October 23rd in Orlando, Florida. However, AEW will be taping their event at the Addition Financial Arena. While not official, it seems AEW Dynamite will not have an episode on the cruise.

AEW Dynamite took place on the cruise last year and was considered a success. Heel By Nature reported after the event that Cody Rhodes said that AEW would return in 2021. “…Following the AEW Dynamite taping, Cody Rhodes announced that AEW will have more involvement in next year’s cruise and will air Dynamite live from onboard the vessel on 2/3/2021,” said Heel by Nature.

Jericho scheduled the cruise for earlier this year, but he postponed it due to Covid-19 concerns. The cruise organizers released a statement that said, “After careful consideration and caution for everyone’s health and safety, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to postpone the Triple Whammy.”

It’s unclear if AEW will air some of the matches that will take place on the cruise in October. Jericho has also shared that AEW President Tony Khan is working with him to get AEW talent to appear. Jericho will hope to replicate his success for his third voyage, with more names added to the cruise lineup.

Update On Chris Jericho’s AEW Contract

Chris Stephens
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Chris Jericho will put his in-ring career on the line against Maxwell Jacob Friedman at All Out on September 5th. The match was made official last night on Dynamite. With Jericho’s in-ring career in jeopardy, many fans have wondered how much time is left on his AEW contract.

Jericho’s contract was addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio. According to Dave Meltzer, Jericho’s deal with the promotion has essentially one and a half years left on it.

“There is a 1-year option. So in a sense, it’s up at the end of next year. So, a year and a half basically left,” said Dave Meltzer.

Jericho has wrestled 47 matches in his AEW career. His overall record is 34-12-1. So far in 2021, Jericho is 9-3. He is also the promotion’s inaugural world champion. Jericho held the title for 182 days between August 31st, 2019 and February 20th, 2020. He defended the title successfully against Darby Allin, Cody Rhodes, and Scorpio Sky before dropping it to Jon Moxley.

Chris Jericho’s in-ring career being put on the line at All Out struck a chord with WWE producer Shane “Hurricane” Helms. He posted the following to Twitter shortly after the match stipulation was made.

Cash Wheeler Shares Images & Details Of Gruesome Injury

Chris Stephens
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At Fight for the Fallen last month, a match between Santana & Ortiz and FTR went to the finish early following a gruesome injury suffered by Cash Wheeler. A hook from the turnbuckle post caught his arm and tore into it. Doctors attended to Wheeler as Harwood ended up winning the match for his team.

Wheeler recently took to Twitter to share some gruesome photos of the injury. He also offered further details on how it has impacted him.

“August 28th I had a hook stab into my arm and rip it open. For almost a month I’ve been dealing with loss of grip strength, loss of feeling/nerve damage, and wondering if this is even worth it anymore. If this is the end, we’re taking a pound of flesh with us,” Wheeler wrote on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/CashWheelerFTR/status/1430713639401578496

The rematch between the two teams is scheduled for next week’s edition of Dynamite.

Both Wheeler and Harwood have dropped hints about possibly coming to the end of their wrestling careers.

https://twitter.com/DaxFTR/status/1430553474937331716

The #4 ranked team in AEW have only lost one match this year. That was the Stadium Stampede match where the Inner Circle defeated the Pinnacle at Double or Nothing. They are 6-0 in 2-on-2 tag-team matches so far in 2021.

R-Truth: Never Thought CM Punk Was Impressive, Has “Typical Entitlement”

Rayan Sayyed
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R-Truth has called out CM Punk seemingly out of nowhere and taken massive shots at him, calling the recently-returned wrestler unimpressive and entitled. CM Punk has taken the wrestling world by storm recently by making his All Elite Wrestling debut last week on Rampage: The First Dance. While wrestling fans were delighted, both AEW and WWE stars too welcomed Punk back in the industry with open arms and many wrestling personalities chimed in to congratulate Punk on his comeback. R-Truth, however, is not really a fan of CM Punk according to a recent comment he posted online.

A video of CM Punk’s appearance on Colt Cabana’s podcast from back in 2014 resurfaced on Tiktok, in which Punk discussed his time in the WWE and how he was unsatisfied with management and his overall position in the company. Punk brought up WWE’s decision to book him to lose to Triple H even though he was hot and had momentum, as well as the company’s decision to make him and Triple H lose to The Miz and R-Truth (aka Awesome Truth) back in Vengeance 2011. Punk said that these decisions didn’t make any sense business-wise. R-Truth didn’t take a liking to Punk’s comments, and sounded off in the comments of the Tiktok video with the following:

“CM Punk you lost to me an Miz cause we were HOTTER than you sorry, and I neva thought you were impressive at all, just typical entitlement (sic)”

rtruth comments

Online, fans have been surprised by Truth’s comments with many saying that they have never seen him talk trash before about anyone else from the industry. It would be interesting to note that CM Punk helped R-Truth win against John Cena in a Tables match on Raw back in 2011, before cutting his legendary “Pipebomb” promo. It would be interesting to see if Punk has anything to say in response to Truth’s comments.

Related: CM Punk Addresses Live Crowd After Dynamite & Rampage Taping (Video)

CM Punk Addresses Live Crowd After Dynamite & Rampage Taping (Video)

Chris Stephens
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Following Dynamite last night, AEW taped this Friday’s episode of Rampage. After that, CM Punk came out and spoke to the live crowd in Milwaukee.

“It’s cool to be here,” Punk said. “It’s cool that you all came here and to stay, I know it’s late, I know sometimes these shows can be long but you sit in your seats and you’re enthusiastic and you give everybody here everything you’ve got because everybody, at least that I’ve seen so far, gives you everything that they have.”

“I just want to say that I’m super grateful and I know eventually the luster will kind of wear off,” Punk continued. “Just know that until it does wear off, I’m going to keep doing it and I’m going to keep trying to soak it in as much as I can.”

Christian Cage than got on the microphone and noted that it was a big deal that Punk was in AEW.

“It’s a big f***ing deal that you’re here,” Christian says in the video.

Twitter user @allELITExmtz posted video of Punk addressing the crowd in Milwaukee:

He also posted a second video that features Frankie Kazarian come out and speak to both CM Punk and Christian Cage.

CM Punk Drops Bryan Danielson Hints On AEW Dynamite, Instagram

Impact Trying To Sign Former WWE Star Bray Wyatt

Jake Skudder
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IMPACT Wrestling is reportedly “very interested” in trying to bring former WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt into the company.

The former WWE and Universal Champion was released from his contract back on July 31st. He is currently waiting out his 90-day non-compete and will be free to work elsewhere late October.

Dave Meltzer revealed on the Sunday Night’s Main Event podcast that IMPACT officials are “really after” Wyatt. There was no other information offered, but it is interesting that the promotion are going after someone of Wyatt’s level.

Bray Wyatt heading to IMPACT?

When Bray Wyatt was released from WWE, fans immediately began thinking about his next move. Wyatt is a top star of the past decade. At 34 years old, he’s in the prime of his career with a bright future ahead of him.

Naturally, AEW would be a top consideration for Wyatt. Dave Meltzer recently stated that there’s a strong chance he will end up working for Tony Khan’s promotion.

If Wyatt were to make the move to AEW, he might still be able to appear and perform for IMPACT, given their working relationship.

With Wyatt’s 90-day non-compete, he will be available to sign for a new company as of October 29, which incidentally is a week before AEW Full Gear on November 6.

Mickie James Explains How She Scouted Talent for NWA Empowerrr

Alex Laybourne
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Since leaving WWE, Mickie James has been a woman on the rise. Yet to get back into the ring in an active capacity, she has wasted no time in continuing her trailblazing role behind the scenes.

Much has been made about her involvement in the upcoming NWA PPV Empowerrr. The first all-female PPV in NWA history. Mickie James is acting as a producer for the event. She also confirmed that she will not be performing in order to give other women the chance to shine.

Talking during an appearance on the Shining Wizards podcast, Mickie James spoke about how she set about scouting for the show. Wanting to focus on lesser-known talent and those that have not had a steady push.

“I really had to be cognizant of the fact of, you know, who the girls that were all wrestling on [AEW] Dark matches, or different things, you know?… Because I did say that I wanted to give new women opportunities – women who you haven’t necessarily seen, and sometimes you see the same women – not that they don’t deserve it and they’re getting those opportunities for a reason. But you get to see a lot of the same girls show up everywhere…but not really get pushed per se. So I was like, well, here’s a cool opportunity for me to not only define the NWA women’s roster and to start hand kind of selecting and start really seeing who’s going to be in the NWA women’s locker room as a whole.” Mickie James explained.

Mickie James Wants to Help Build the Next Generation of Female NWA Stars

For Mickie James, the Empowerrr PPV is about more than just putting female wrestlers in the spotlight for one night. It is about building up the next generation of female wrestlers. Giving them a stage where they get the attention they deserve.

Mickie James has been a pioneer in women’s wrestling since day one. No matter where she has gone in her career, she has represented women’s wrestling and pushed boundaries in what can be done.

During her career, Mickie James has won 23 different titles across numerous promotions. She is held in high regard by those in the industry. Outside of wrestling, she has earned a degree in Business Administration. This has no doubt helped tremendously in her transition to a more backstage focused role in NWA.

Glenn Jacobs Talks the Role Vader Played in Creating Kane

Alex Laybourne
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Good God, it’s … Inferno. I don’t think there is any way even Jim Ross could have pulled that line off. However, according to WWE legend Glenn Jacobs, that’s very close to what Kane was going to be called.

Talking during a recent appearance on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, Glenn Jacobs talked about how his iconic character came about, and was, largely thanks to Vader.

“The Kane thing came about when Vader got arrested in Kuwait. You know they had the deal where Leon had roughed up the talk show host and then literally got arrested in a Kuwaiti jail. They needed someone to work with Mark. So, the thought was okay, you know, we’ll just hotshot this deal. We need an angle, you know, we need someone — well, Glenn can do it. He’s a big guy, he matches up physically with Taker.” Glenn Jacobs explained, detailing how he had been working under a mask ever since his Issac Yankem gimmick ended.

The Kane Idea Was Pitched as a Single Encounter

Glenn Jacobs explained how the idea of being the Undertaker’s brother was pitched to Vince as a short run. However, the boss saw the instant potential for a long feud.

“Vince liked it so much. He’s like, ‘why are we gonna waste this on just one match when we can turn this into an actual, you know, long-term angle,’ thank goodness.”

All that was left was to come up with a name. This is something Glenn Jacobs is happy he got to have some involvement in.

“Initially, the character was called Inferno. That was kind of my contribution to it, along with Bruce. You know, Bruce had always liked the name, Kane. I thought that Inferno just sounded very comic book character-ish for where we’re going with this. So, we suggested the name Kane, which not only, you know, Undertaker when he initially came in was Kane The Undertaker, and then they dropped the Kane part as he became The Undertaker. But also, with the biblical story of Cain and Abel. We thought that that fit.”

Thank goodness the name was changed because I highly doubt Glenn Jacobs would have enjoyed the long run, he got had they stuck with the original name. After surviving being Fake Diesel and then Issac Yankem, Jacobs struck gold with his Kane character, and as they say, the rest was history.

Deonna Purrazzo Talks Getting Emotional Ahead of Triplemania Victory

Alex Laybourne
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There has been a lot written in the press recently about professional wrestling and tears. Wrestling unites people and when looked at objectively, is a very emotional event. You have heroes and villains, champions conquering the world and prodigal sons returning. This level of emotion is not just felt in the crowds, but by those performing in the ring. IMPACT Knockouts champion and new Reina de Reinas champion Deonna Purrazzo recently spoke about how she cried ahead of her Triplemania victory.

Talking during an interview on Busted Open Radio, Deonna Purrazzo didn’t hide the fact that she got so emotional ahead of her win.

“I cried, I cried before the match. I was just so worked up.”

Deonna Purrazzo

The wrestling life is not always easy, and it is not always kind. Deonna Purrazzo has not enjoyed an easy road to her current position. Despite being just 27 years old, Purrazzo has been pushed to the limit by her love of wrestling.

Deonna Purrazzo Appreciates Where She is by Understanding Where She has Been

After finding herself stagnating inside of WWE, Purrazzo made her way onto an IMPACT stage. From there she has moved from strength to strength and is growing in both character and confidence every week.

“Like I love wrestling, I love wrestling so much. And it means so much to me to be put in these positions and for people to trust me in these positions and to get to do these cool life things. I wanted to do this my whole life. Especially more now I’m so appreciative of these opportunities because I came from a place where I wasn’t getting those opportunities and didn’t know if I wanted to wrestle anymore.” Deonna Purrazzo explained. “And the last two years of my life, I’ve just really embraced the opportunities and the gratefulness to get them. I always like to go out and just sit in the crowd when there’s no one, and just look around, look at the ring. I was crying all day because I was just like ‘oh shoot, this is so frickin’ cool.’”

Right now, Deonna Purrazzo is a two-promotion champion, and has spoken of her interest in forming a forbidden door tag team with Britt Baker. She is also part of the upcoming NWA Empowerrr PPV. It’s safe to say she’s come a long way in recent years and has not yet even reached her prime.

Jon Moxley’s AEW All Out Opponent Revealed For Sept. 5

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jon Moxley has a dance partner for AEW All Out.

As we get closer to AEW’s next PPV, many have wondered who Moxley will share the ring with. For a brief period, it was looking like newly-minted IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi was a possible opponent. It turns out that isn’t the case as Tanahashi will defend his title against Kota Ibushi on Sept. 4 in Japan.

During the Aug. 25 edition of Dynamite, Jon Moxley revealed that his All Out opponent will be Satoshi Kojima.

“So we get the FedEx back from Tokyo today. One contract signed, sealed, and delivered. Only one, only one guy with the balls to step through the door, only one guy with the balls to chase the boogeyman in New Japan Pro Wrestling. We know who it wasn’t. So I look at this name and I wish I had worn glasses cause I would’ve adjusted them. I couldn’t believe it.

“Kojima Satoshi. And I thought, ‘man what a treat for the fans in Chicago to see a legend of New Japan, a legend of All Japan live and in-person.’ That’s a real treat for the fans and then I started thinking about it. I said, ‘damn, I am insulted. This crazy ass old man wants to step in the ring and go toe-to-toe with me?”

Kojima is a former two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion in NJPW and a former two-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion in AJPW. While he hasn’t been booked as a main eventer in Japan in over a decade, Kojima can still go in the ring.

Moxley is no stranger to facing top talent from Japan. He was a two-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion. He even participated in the G1 Climax back in 2019.

Sean Waltman On Bianca Belair’s SummerSlam Loss: ‘This Ain’t It’

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Sean Waltman has thrown in his two cents on Bianca Belair’s controversial SummerSlam loss.

Belair entered Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada as the SmackDown Women’s Champion. She was expected to put her title on the line against Sasha Banks. Belair made her way to the ring when it was announced that Banks was unable to wrestle.

Becky Lynch made a surprise return and asked Bianca for a last-minute title match. Bianca accepted and Becky nailed her with a cheap shot followed by a pump handle slam for the three-count. The match didn’t make it to the 30-second mark.

During an edition of his Pro Wrestling 4 Life podcast, Waltman expressed his dismay with how WWE booked Belair’s title loss.

“Bianca is on her way to being a MEGA star, and a lot of people are really emotionally invested in her. You can’t do that to people in this day and age,” Waltman pointed out. “You used to be able to do it. That’s why I was saying that was the old mentality, but everyone knows what’s going on. The fan base is incredibly educated, and WWE, I’ve heard them compare themselves to Marvel. Marvel, when it comes to fan service, they’re amazing. This ain’t it.

“You can’t sh*t on a huge portion of your fan base like that. I’m a huge Becky Lynch fan, really big. I was so happy with her run and when she got the bloody nose, cut the promo and all that sh*t, and I’m still a big fan. This did her no favors. It was just unbelievable. Bianca, she’s a thoroughbred. It’s just totally unbelievable that she would get beat that quick by anybody in that f*cking roster. MAYBE Nia [Jax].”

It has been reported by PW Insider that Lynch will be turning heel following her actions at SummerSlam. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter later reported that Lynch was the one who requested the heel turn.

AEW Dynamite Results (8/25): CM Punk Appears, Jericho Puts In-Ring Career On The Line

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. CM Punk made his first appearance on Dynamite and Chris Jericho addressed his AEW future during the show. It was announced that Satoshi Kojima will face Jon Moxley at All Out.

Dynamite Results

  1. Orange Cassidy def. Matt Hardy
  2. Lucha Bros def. Varsity Blonds to advance to the finals fo the Tag Team Eliminator Tournament
  3. Jamie Hayter def. Red Velvet
  4. Darby Allin, Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston def. The Wingmen
  5. Gunn Club def. The Factory
  6. Malakai Black def. Brock Anderson

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Orange Cassidy def. Matt Hardy

Orange Cassidy faced Matt Hardy in the first match of the night. Cassidy and Hardy traded “delete!” and lazy kicks as the crowd chanted along. Matt put his hands in his pockets but pulled out a bunch of money. Cassidy Dropkicked Matt out of the ring and put some of the money in his pocket. Cassidy went for a Suicide Dive but Matt caught him with a Side Effect outside in the ring.

Matt bounced Cassidy’s face off the ring apron several times and started biting his hand. Hardy wrapped Cassidy around the ring post and stretched him out. Back in the ring, Hardy hit a Back Drop and collected all of the money in the ring. Matt hit an Elbow Drop and went for the cover but Cassidy kicked out at two.

Hardy beat Orange down in the corner of the ring until the referee broke it up. Matt unloaded some forearms to Cassidy’s back and planted him with a Suplex for a near fall. Matt took back the money Cassidy put back in his pocket and hit a Leg Drop for a near fall.

Matt launched Cassidy into the turnbuckle and went for a Clothesline but Orange ducked. Hardy planted Cassidy with a Powerbomb for a near fall. Cassidy kept rolling away from Hardy and then sent him out of ring. Orange hit a Suicide Dive and then a Crossbody back in the ring. Orange wound up landing on Matt’s face and it looked like Hardy broke his nose as blood was pouring down his face. Cassidy followed it up with a Tornado DDT for a near fall. Cassidy planted Matt with a Twist of Fate and went for the cover but Hardy kicked out at two. Cassidy rolled up Hardy for the pinfall victory.

Jericho Put His AEW In-Ring Career On The Line To Get A Match With MJF At All Out

Chris Jericho came to the ring to address his AEW future tonight. Jericho said that this has been a big week for AEW and everybody has been celebrating but him. He noted that he lost to MJF for the third time last week and even worse, he tapped out. Jericho said he has been losing sleep about it and that he has always strived to stay on top.

Jericho shouted that he doesn’t give a shit and will keep attacking to MJF until this is over. Jericho said he has a proposal to MJF and invited him to the ring. MJF didn’t come to the ring and Jericho proposed one final fight at All Out. Jericho added that if he cannot beat MJF, maybe he does not belong in All Elite Wrestling anymore and doesn’t deserve to Le Champion. Jericho said that he will go to commentary full time on Rampage and never wrestle in AEW again.

MJF came to the entrance ramp with a shirt that said he was 3-0 against Jericho. MJF said he is not an idiot like all these people in Milwaukee and that Jericho needed to stay relevant by aligning himself with MJF. MJF joked that he tapped out Jericho faster that somebody listening to a Fozzy CD. He then accepted the match and ended the promo by telling Jericho that he is better than him and he knows it.

Lucha Bros Advanced To The Finals Of The Eliminator Tournament

Lucha Bros faced Varsity Blonds in the tag team Eliminator Tournament. AEW Tag Team Champions Young Bucks, Good Brothers, and Brandon Cutler sat on the entrance ramp and watched the match. Griff Garrison and Rey Fenix started off the match. Rey went for an Arm Drag but Griff blocked it. Griff went for a kick but Fenix got out of the way and the two circled each other.

Pentagon Jr. and Brian Pillman Jr. then tagged in. Penta caught Pillman with a Superkick but then Brian responded with one of his own. Pillman connected with a Hurricanrana as Julia Hart cheered them on from ringside. Penta battled back and lit up Pillman’s chest with a chop as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Fenix hit Pillman with a boot to the face and followed it up with a Dropkick off the top rope. Fenix planted Pillman with a Cutter and went for the cover but Griff broke it up at two as Jurassic Express was show in the crowd. Penta and Garrison battled on the ring apron as Pillman sent Fenix out of the ring. Pillman hit Penta with a Dropkick and knocked him to the floor.

Fenix dragged Pillman to the outside and the Lucha Bros dropped the Varsity Blonds with Superkicks in stereo. Fenix hit a crazy dive onto the Varsity Blonds and taunted the Young Bucks. Back in the ring, Griff connected with a flying forearm but got leveled with a boot to the face from Penta. Lucha Bros took out Pillman with a couple Superkicks and a Piledriver for the pinfall victory. Lucha Bros will face Jurassic Express this Friday night on Rampage in the finals of the tournament. The winners will face the Young Bucks at AEW All Out for the tag titles.

After the match, Jurassic Express and Lucha Bros shook hands. Young Bucks shoved the teams into each other but they didn’t fall for it. They took out Good Brothers and Young Bucks with some Suicide Dives and posed in the ring to end the segment.

Jamie Hayter def. Red Velvet

Jamie Hayter faced Red Velvet tonight on Dynamite. Veltet sent Hayter to the corner with a Dropkick but Jamie quickly shrugged it off. Jamie hit a Fallaway Slam and whipped her into the turnbuckle. Red Velvet sent Jamie out of the ring and hit her with a Suicide Dive. Red Velvet followed it up with another one before having a stare down with Britt Baker ringside.

Hayter capitalized on the distraction and slammed Red Velvet into the ring post. Baker attacked Red Velvet as well as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Red Velvet connected with a Bulldog and followed it up with Double Knees to the back. Britt hopped on the ring apron but Red Velvet shoved her to the floor. Red Velvet went for a Moonsault but Jamie blocked it. Hayter followed it with a big Clothesline for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Brit Baker and Jamie Hayter attacked Red Velvet but Kris Statlander rushed the ring. Statlander made the save and went after but she retreated. Statlander raised the AEW Women’s Championship in the ring to end the segment. Baker will defend the AEW Women’s Championship against Kris Statlander on September 5th at All Out.

CM Punk Made His First Dynamite Appearance, Referenced Bryan Danielson

Tony Schiavone interviewed CM Punk tonight on Dynamite. Punk pointed at his wrist and noted that it wasn’t clobberin’ time yet. He then made his way to the ring as the crowd chanted his name. Tony asked what the one thing was that brought him back and CM Punk said he couldn’t hear him. The crowd erupted and once again broke out in a CM Punk chant.

Punk listed off several names (Lucha Bros, Jungle Boy, Pillman JR.) but Darby was first. Punk retired the nickname “Voice of the Voiceless” because this place has a voice and the people in the back are listening. Punk stated that Darby Allin would have been his favorite wrestler when he was 15 years old and doesn’t fit the mold of what somebody else thinks a pro wrestler is. Punk added that Darby is not the biggest or strongest, but god damn it he has heart.

CM Punk said that if he is going to answer the question “can you still be the best in the world?” and a “yes!” chant. Punk stated that is somebody else’s shtick and you might just have to a little more patient on that. He said this is not about proving the haters wrong it is about proving himself right. Punk said hi to wife April to end the promo.

Allin, Moxley, Kingston def. The Wingmen

Darby Allin, Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston faced The Wingmen (Cezar Bononi, Ryan Nemeth, JD Drake). Peter Avalon and Sting were ringside for the match. Darby and JD Drake started off the action. Darby hit a chop but Drake shrugged it off. Allin sent JD out of the ring and Drake retreated away from Sting.

Eddie Kingston and Ryan Nemeth then tagged. Nemeth danced around like a goof before flexing in front of Eddie. Kingston leveled Nemeth with a chop and then Cezar tagged in. They then circled each other and Kingston went for a shoulder tackle but Cezar didn’t budge.

Bononi shrugged off some chops before Moxley tagged in. Jon cleared the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Bononi went for a Suplex but Moxley escaped. JD Drake tagged in and Moxley dropped him with a punch. Kingston tagged in and planted Drake with a Uranage.

Nemeth distracted Eddie and JD capitalized with a Backbreaker. JD climbed to the top but Moxley bit his ear like a maniac. Darby hit a Code Red on Drake but got tripped up by Peter Avalon. Sting approached Peter and then Kingston & Moxley beat him down. Nemeth grabbed a steel chair and brought it into the ring. He hit the canvas a few times and got knocked out of the ring as the brawl continued. Allin hit Drake with the Coffin Drop in the ring for the pinfall victory. After the mach, Daniel Garcia attacked Darby Allin from behind and retreated.

Omega & Christian Met Face-To-Face

AEW Champion Kenny Omega came to the ring with Callis but was quickly interrupted by Impact Champion Christian Cage. Christian joked that the fans haven’t had enough booze to believe any of the BS come out of Don Callis’ mouth. Cage rolled footage from the recent Road to Dynamite episode in which Callis fired Cage in the past. Cage said that was proof right there of Don Callis being a carney piece of shit. A piece of shit chant broke out and Callis threw a tantrum.

Omega noted that that the video only proved he was a better athlete than Christian in the past and nothing has changed. Cage said that it was weird that Omega was still letting Don manipulate him as an adult. Callis got pissed and demanded that someone hold his scarf. Don said that Omega will prove that Christian Cage will always be 2nd best at All Out. Cutler sprayed Cage in the face and and Omega attacked him from behind. The Elite Hunter Frankie Kazarian rushed the ring to make the save.

Gunn Club Picked Up A Win

The Factory faced The Gunn Club tonight on Dynamite. Paul Wight joined commentary for the match and will be facing QT Marshall at All out. Billy and Nick Comoroto started off the action. Nick hit an elbow to the face but Billy sent him out of the ring. QT hit a cheap shot and taunted Paul Wight as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Comoroto hit a slam and went for a Splash but missed. Aaron Solo tagged in for a moment before Colten Gunn tagged in. Coltlen hit QT with a Splash and Solo with a Dropkick. Nick hit a shoulder tackle and battled with Billy outside the ring. Back in the ring, QT hit a Backbreaker and Flatliner combo. QT got distracted with taunting Paul Wight and Colten rolled him up for the pinfall victory.

Malakai Black Dominated

Malakai Black faced Brock Anderson in the main event. Arn Anderson was ringside for the match. Brock took Malakai down and unloaded some punches. Malaki caught Brock with a knee to the face and beat him down in the corner of the ring. Black hit some kicks to the chest before the referee backed him away.

Malakai took a look at Arn and told him to throw in the towel. Arn refused and Malakai continued to taunt him. Brock capitalized with a few punches to the midsection and set up for a DDT but Malakai countered into a slam. Malakai hit Black Mass and paced around Brock as he laid on the canvas. Malakai then covered Brock for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Arn helped Brock up as Malakai grabbed a steel chair. Malakai brought the chair into the ring and Arn stood in the way. Malakai made his way towards Arn and slid the chair out of the ring. Malakai went for a kick but Arn blocked it. Black booted Arn in the groin and followed it up with Black Mass. Malakai took a seat on the top rope to admire his work. Lee Johnson slid into the ring and Malakai exited to end the show.

CM Punk Drops Bryan Danielson Hints On AEW Dynamite, Instagram

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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CM Punk has delivered a massive tease in regards to Bryan Danielson.

Punk appeared on AEW Dynamite for the first time on Aug. 25. The self-proclaimed “Best in the World” made his return to the pro wrestling industry on Aug. 20. He opened up the second episode of AEW Rampage to a thunderous ovation inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

On Dynamite, Punk explained why he felt now is the right time to step inside the AEW ring. As fans chanted “Yes!” during Punk’s promo, he dropped quite the hint.

“That’s somebody else’s shtick and you might just need to be a little more patient, ok?” The crowd erupted at the prospect of Danielson joining Punk in AEW.

To add fuel to the fire, CM Punk posted a close-up photo of a handshake on his Instagram Story late Wednesday night. Longtime fans might recognize that handshake. Zoom out and you’ll see that it’s a photo of Punk and Danielson from their days in Ring of Honor.

https://twitter.com/sescoops/status/1430878695598739470

Is Bryan Danielson All Elite?

Bryan is reportedly locked in with AEW. It’s been said that he’ll be making his promotional debut on the Sept. 22 Dynamite show in New York City.

Bryan hasn’t been seen in action since WrestleMania 37. He was defeated in a triple threat match that involved Roman Reigns and Edge. Reigns ended up winning the match to retain the WWE Universal Championship.

When asked about the report of Bryan Danielson being signed to AEW, Tony Khan has said he can’t comment on it. It’s important to note that usually when a false rumor is made about AEW, Khan has no problem dismissing it. He had the same approach to the Punk report where he wouldn’t comment on whether or not it was true.

Chris Jericho’s In-Ring AEW Career On The Line Against MJF At All Out

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Chris Jericho is set to end his feud with MJF but it may come at the expense of his in-ring career.

Jericho addressed his future on the Aug. 25 edition of AEW Dynamite in Milwaukee. He admitted that MJF’s three victories over him are stuck in his mind. It’s gotten to the point where he laid down one final challenge to MJF for the All Out PPV. If Jericho loses, he will end his in-ring career with AEW.

Here’s the challenge from Jericho.

“I am proposing one final match. One final fight at All Out on September 5th. And I’ve been thinking about this long and hard, and I’m serious when I say this, if I can’t beat MJF maybe I don’t belong in AEW anymore. It’s inside my head. If I can’t beat MJF maybe I don’t deserve to be ‘Le Champion’ anymore.

“So this is what I propose. If you beat me MJF, I will go to that commentary table full-time on Rampage, hell maybe someday I’ll commentate Dynamite as well because if you beat me I will never wrestle in AEW again.”

It didn’t take long for MJF to respond to Jericho’s proposal. He gladly accepted but urged Jericho to consider the consequences if he loses to him a fourth and final time.

“Being able to say that I ended Jericho, now that’s legendary. So you know what, Chris? You want the match? You got it.

“I want you to really consider this, Chris. I want you to really mull this one over. Because you are putting your in-ring career on the line against the same man who has mopped the floor with you not once, not twice, but three times! You sure you want this match, bud? Because if I were you I wouldn’t because I’m better than you and you know it.”

All Out will take place inside the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Sept. 5. The event will feature the in-ring return of CM Punk, who will face Darby Allin. Also set for the card will be an AEW World Title match between champion Kenny Omega and Christian Cage.

John Cena: The Rock Doesn’t Need To Be Pressured Into WWE Return

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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John Cena doesn’t believe The Rock owes anyone a return to WWE.

It’s no secret that The Rock has become Hollywood’s biggest star. During his time with WWE, “The People’s Champion” gained immense popularity but few could’ve expected him to explode on the scene the way that he has. It got to the point where some weren’t convinced that he’d ever make a return to WWE.

The Rock ended up returning in 2011 and he served as the WrestleMania 27 host. He ended up facing John Cena at WrestleMania 28 and 29. Along the way, The Rock even captured the WWE Title from CM Punk.

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Cena explained why he won’t be calling his old foe to ask him about returning to WWE.

“He’s earned the right not to be pressured into that choice. I can say he is a fan of the WWE. He is the most electrifying man in sports entertainment. So as a fan do, I want to see one of the greatest performers of all time step back in the WWE ring? Yeah. But in no way am I gonna call him and if I’m gonna talk to him about something, it’s not gonna try to be to get him back in the WWE ring. He needs to come to that conclusion by himself.

“Because then, his performance will be, The Rock, he’ll be the best he can be. So I do hope he comes back, as a fan, and I hope it’s wonderful, and if he chooses not to, he’s earned the right to choose not to.”

Many believe that WWE’s hope is to be able to get The Rock for a WrestleMania showdown with “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns. The holdup is whether or not The Rock’s schedule can align with WWE’s.

Pat McAfee Shares Positive Covid-19 Test on Twitter

Tyriece Simon
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Smackdown commentator Pat McAfee has revealed he has tested positive for Covid-19 on Twitter. He also announced that he would be out indefinitely. WWE has not released a statement regarding McAfee’s positive test.

Pat McAfee’s NXT Career

Despite being the current Smackdown commentator, he started his WWE career in NXT last year. He made his in-ring debut with Adam Cole at NXT Takeover 30 on August 22, 2020. His last match was a War Games match at NXT Takeover: War Games on December 6, 2020, with his teammates Pete Dunne, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan vs. the Undisputed Era.

Although his in-ring activity lasted a few months, he was praised for his ability by other WWE talents and even by WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. In an interview with ESPN on December 15, 2020, Austin said, “Hey man, he puts it all on the line. He’s going for it. I think his verbal skills, he’s slaying everybody, but he’s not afraid to go out there and put it all on the line. You wouldn’t expect it from a guy who goes out there and kicks a football.”

New Role as Smackdown Commentator

He joined the Smackdown roster as a commentator on April 16th. Paired with Michael Cole, he has received praise for his work. Cole, who has been with the WWE for nearly 25 years, credits McAfee with revitalizing his career on the Pat McAfee Show.

When sharing what makes McAfee different from past co-workers, Cole said, “…You’re different than all of those guys because you’re a true fan and you bring that enthusiasm to the product, and seeing how you’ve been acting over the past couple of months has really revitalized what I do, and I realize that I have to step up my game to keep up with what you’re doing from an enthusiastic standpoint and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

McAfee’s last appearance was at Summerslam at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 21st.

It’s unclear who will replace him while he recovers, but now another question remains that could potentially lead to other WWE talent indefinitely off WWE programming. Was there any WWE talent in contact with him in the last five days before his positive diagnosis?

Riddle Reveals If He Prefers To Wrestle Brock Lesnar Or Goldberg

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Riddle has a preference if he had to choose between a match with Goldberg or Brock Lesnar.

Riddle has been known to ruffle some feathers backstage in WWE. While some have grown to like his personality, others didn’t really have a great first impression of the former UFC fighter. Two of those athletes were Goldberg and Brock Lesnar.

Back in 2019, Riddle and Goldberg had a backstage run-in. Goldberg let Riddle know he didn’t appreciate some comments made by him about his in-ring work. Riddle also reportedly had a run-in with Brock Lesnar where Lesnar told Riddle to stop talking about him because they’ll never share the ring.

At the very least it appears Riddle and Goldberg have smoothed things over. It’s gotten to the point where Riddle told the folks on The Bump that he’d prefer to face Goldberg over Lesnar.

“I’ll say this: I don’t want to talk too much trash, but both Brock [Lesnar] and Goldberg are premium competitors. Mr. Beast [Lesnar] came back. Mr. Beast came down to the ring and did his thing. I’m not a huge fan of Mr. Beast’s man bun. I’m a fan of his work and caliber of athleticism. So, good for him.

“Then, you’ve got Willie G., Goldberg. He was doing his thing. Him and Gage, they bring it; they’re a packaged deal. Honestly, Bill’s been kind of cool with me lately. Not too cool. Not that cool, but he’s been cooler. [Ryan Pappolla shouts out, ‘Building bridges’], Yeah. You know, the bridge was already destroyed. It got blown up. So, right now, we’re throwing some stones, and you can walk across the water.

“But if I had to pick a match between the two of them, if I’m going realistically, I’m thinking Goldberg. Goldberg at ‘Mania, I think that’s a possibility. I think I might convince him to actually wrestle me.”

Goldberg recently fell short in his bid for the WWE Championship against Bobby Lashley at SummerSlam. On the same PPV, Riddle won the Raw Tag Team Titles with Randy Orton.

WWE Reportedly Offered Pete Dunne a Contract Extension

Tyriece Simon
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The WWE has reportedly offered NXT talent Pete Dunne a contract extension. Dunne’s contract issue is similar to Cole’s in that WWE was unaware that it was expiring. Fightful Select reports that WWE offered him an extension but was unsure if he signed.

“The length of the offered extension has not been confirmed and varied based on who we spoke to, but the offer was confirmed by an anonymous WWE rep.”

– Fightful Select

Pete Dunne WWE Status

While it’s unclear if WWE re-signed Dunne, NXT featured him on yesterday’s episode. In the recent episode, he teased a feud with NXT Champion Samoa Joe. He also has a newly formed faction with Ridge Holland, Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch. Unlike Cole, it seems that WWE has immediate plans for Dunne in NXT.

Contract issues in WWE

WWE is hoping to re-sign both Dunne and Cole to avoid them testing free agency. WrestlingInc’s Marc Middleton reported Cole’s contract situation caught WWE executives off guard. Middleton also stated that the departure of former Senior Vice President of Talent Development Canyon Ceman is related to the sudden Cole’s contract issue. “…PWInsider noted that the timing of the company learning of the Cole contract issue “very much lines up with the timing of” Ceman’s departure,” said Middleton.

While it’s unclear if Cole will re-sign, WWE seems to be confident Dunne will. PWInsider Mike Johnson reported that WWE plans to make him a featured heel in NXT. However, as Fightful Select said, it’s unknown if Dunne “…has re-signed or if he plans to.”

Tommy Dreamer Details Speaking With Passionate CM Punk Fan

Chris Stephens
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As CM Punk made his entrance in the United Center for The First Dance, numerous fans had an emotional reaction. Several people could be seen in the audience with tears coming down their face. The image of one fan in particular seemed to sum up just how emotional a moment it was, however.

Tommy Dreamer spoke about wanting to find the fan to give back to him as a thank you for his passion. It took a few days but Dreamer was able to get in contact with the man, who appears to just be a nice and humble guy who loves wrestling. Below is what Dreamer said on Busted Open Radio about his conversation with the fan.

“I offered to fly him to Bound For Glory, talked to Tony Khan, Tony Khan said he’ll take care of him for tickets. CM Punk, spoke to him, said he’d take care of him for a meet and greet,” Dreamer said of all the people who want to do something nice for the man.

Dreamer noted that it took a few days to reach the fan. The person is not a “social media guy” so he was harder to track down.

Tommy Dreamer Speaks With Passionate CM Punk Fan

“What a wonderful fan,” Dreamer said of the man. “Does not want any fame, doesn’t really want anything, which is good cause I was going to fly him on my miles.”

Dreamer continued to say that things are still being arranged for the fan, however.

“I asked him to come on this show and he’s like ‘I have a job and a wife, 2 kids and I just really appreciate professional wrestling’ and he didn’t want anything. I still arranged for it to happen and good o’l Judge Jeff Jones made sure all the stuff with Tony Khan and CM Punk, it’s all going to happen for him.”

“It was really cool to hear his response and just his fandom for professional wrestling,” Dreamer continued. Dreamer also said the fan was very happy to speak to him and excited to get to meet some other wrestlers.

Unfortunately, Dreamer also mentioned that 3 different impersonators tried to hit him up for free stuff while pretending to be the fan.

New Japan Showdown Adds Big Names to Event in Philadelphia

Tyriece Simon
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New Japan Pro Wrestling announced the talent involved for their New Japan Showdown event. The talent includes big names like former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay and the Never Openweight Champion Jay White.

“October 16 & 17 will see NJPW STRONG taped in Philadelphia, as Showdown 2021 emanates from the legendary 2300 Arena across two nights. An already hot ticket is set to get hotter, as big names have been added to this landmark event,” said NJPW.

Tickets for the event have gone on sale.

All Elite Wrestling Talent Involved at Showdown

While New Japan Showdown will be an NJPW event, they have also acquired an All Elite Wrestling talent to appear. The former NJPW United States Heavyweight Champion Lance Archer participate in the event. NJPW also added Archer to NJPW’s Autumn Attack in September.

Archer lost his championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW Resurgence on August 14th. It is unclear if Archer will get a rematch for the title. Although plans can change, NJPW hasn’t advertised Tanahashi for the event.

What’s Next for Will Ospreay

While Ospreay vacated the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in May, he now claims he is still the champion. He is also in the New Japan Showdown poster with the championship. However, NJPW hasn’t officially acknowledged Ospreay as their champion.

It’s unclear at this time if NJPW will make Ospreay the IWGP Heavyweight Champion for their NJPW strong brand. Ospreay, in his return to NJPW, said that NJPW Strong would be his new home. He also has issued an open challenge for contenders to face him for “his” IWGP Heavyweight Championship under the NJPW strong brand. While the matches are unknown for New Japan Showdown, Ospreay will likely want to defend “his” title.

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Tony Khan Says CM Punk Deal Paid For Itself On The 1st Night

Chris Stephens
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Tony Khan was a guest on the Dan Le Batard & Friends podcast recently. During the discussion, he spoke about the deal he made to bring CM Punk to AEW. Khan said he feels the deal was one of the best he’s ever made.

“I believe this was one of the best deals I’ve ever done in my life and I don’t think it was really all about money,” Khan said.

Khan would continue to talk about how he and Punk got to know each other throughout the pandemic by speaking regularly on the phone. He feels the trust they built is what led to the deal being completed.

“I spent a lot of time talking to him on the phone getting to know each other better and building trust with each other. So, this was a long time coming, we’ve been talking a lot for about a year and a half.”

Le Batard then asked Khan if Punk paid for himself on his first night.

“Yeah, I do think so. In terms of what this has done for our business, I really believe as soon as we saw the results from this, before we even got started I knew this was the best deal we could have possibly done.”

Tony Khan Talks Deal To Bring CM Punk To AEW

Khan also spoke about how Punk was very generous with his time backstage with wrestlers on Friday night.

“He was also really cool about going backstage and offering really, really kind advice, being very good with his time with the wrestlers.”

Khan also spoke about how the idea with The First Dance was that fans would be confident Punk would be there, but not 100% sure.

“The idea by the time the show started is that all the fans would be 99% sure CM Punk is going to be there, but that 1% doubt is what made it that much better than just advertising it,” Khan said.

The full conversation with Tony Khan can be heard in the player below:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/02CqhLPjaQzAFPd6zNOY79

News On WALTER’s Future Following Loss at NXT TakeOver

Anutosh Bajpai
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Walter delivered another impressive performance in his match at TakeOver: 36. His bout appears to have heated up talks about his future within the company.

According to reports from PWInsider, there was ‘a lot’ of talk among WWE officials coming out of his NXT UK championship match that the former champion needs to appear on NXT ‘on a consistent basis.’

Though the site notes that this is not a chosen creative direction for the UK star and whether or not he ends up moving brands will only be seen in the future.

Walter On Moving To America

Walter has shown his disinterest in relocating to America multiple times in the past. In an After The Bell appearance, he had explained that he didn’t consider signing with WWE prior to the inception of NXT UK because he wants to stay where he is:

“I was never too keen about leaving Germany or Europe to live in the United States. It’s a big step. Most of the other wrestlers are willing to do it because it’s their goal from day one or early in their career.”

For those who don’t know, TakeOver: 36 saw Walter dropping his NXT UK title to Ilja Dragunov, ending his historic 870 days long reign with the championship.

Walter Interested In Possible Clash With Brock Lesnar

Charlotte Flair On Why She Was At TripleMania, What She Told Andrade About Leaving WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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While she did not appear live on the show, Charlotte Flair’s presence at the TripleMania event attracted a lot of attention. It was the subject of many headlines because she skipped a WWE show to attend the PPV.

The Queen talked about it on the latest episode of Renee Paquette’s Oral Sessions podcast. She explained that TripleMania was like WrestleMania for Andrade and so she couldn’t miss it for the world:

“[Andrade] was like, ‘Mami, TripleMania is my WrestleMania.’ To see him go back to Mexico, be proud of himself, feel confident in himself,

And be the superstar that he is,” said Charlotte, “Especially in his home country, I was like, I’m not missing this for the world.”

Charlotte Attends TripleMania, Original Plan For Omega vs. Andrade

Charlotte On Andrade Leaving WWE

The new Raw women’s champion also opened up about Andrade’s decision to leave WWE. She detailed a conversation the two had before the former NXT champion departed from the promotion:

“He felt deflated from not being on TV and what was happening. I said, ‘I can’t tell you what to do, and I can’t beg you to stay even though our life is together on the road because you’ll resent me. You need to go spread your wings and do what you do,

And if you want to come back, I’m always going to be here.” said Flair, “I’m always going to support you.’ It was the best thing for him.”

For those who don’t know, AAA TripleMania XXIX took place earlier this month. One of the top matches of the card saw Kenny Omega succesfully defending his Mega championship against Andrade.

Things became interesting when Ric Flair came out to accompany Andrade to the ring and then backstage photos of Charlotte Flair on the show went viral.

Charlotte Flair Showered With “DMD” Chants During Live Interview

KENTA Reveals He Tested Positive For COVID-19

Chris Stephens
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NJPW’s KENTA has noted on Instagram stories that he recently tested positive for COVID-19. He did experience symptoms, including a fever and loss of smell but is doing better now.

“I got COVID last few weeks,” he wrote. “First of all, I apologize to everyone who had to [change plans] because of me. Fortunately, my symptom was not too bad. Just [had a] fever a few days (102 F) and lost my smell. But now I’m totally fine. And got [a negative test]. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.”

KENTA hasn’t wrested in a month. His last match was the 22-man New Japan Rando match at Wrestle Grand Slam in the Tokyo Dome on July 25th. The night before he lost a singles match to Hiroshi Tanahashi at Summer Struggle in Nagoya.

On August 15th, NJPW announced that several wrestlers had been pulled from shows due to COVID-19 protocols. KENTA was not on the tour by this point, however. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi was pulled from the tour and hasn’t wrestled since August 14th.

Multiple Wrestlers Pulled From NJPW Shows Due To COVID-19 Protocols

In NJPW, KENTA is a 1x Never Openweight Champion and won the USA Cup on New Japan Strong in 2020. In Pro Wrestling NOAH, KENTA is a former 1x GHC Heavyweight Champion and 3x Junior Heavyweight Champion.

KENTA responded to CM Punk’s return to pro-wrestling on Friday night’s The First Dance event:

Drew McIntyre Reacts To CM Punk’s Return

Anutosh Bajpai
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The wrestling world is still buzzing about the return of CM Punk. While many WWE stars have chosen to react to the big development indirectly, Drew McIntyre is openly showing his support for it.

The former WWE champion spoke to Pro Wrestling Bits while promoting the SummerSlam event that took place this past Saturday. He talked about things such as adapting to the Thunderdome and more.

When asked about the pro wrestling return of the Straight Edge star, McIntyre said that he’s all for it. He explained that he supports anything that makes wrestling better:

“Just anything that’s good for wrestling, I’m all about. I was outside the company from 2014 to 2017, working the Independents and with IMPACT, just trying to make wrestling a healthier and better place.

It’s healthy right now, it’s in an incredible place, obviously, WWE is at the top and leading the charge.” said Drew McIntyre, “Anything that can make it better, I’m all about. If it makes a positive difference, it’s a thumbs up from me,”

CM Punk made his long-awaited return to wrestling after 7 years of absence during last Friday’s AEW Rampage. His comeback created a buzz that is seen very rarely.

Drew McIntyre defeated Jinder Mahal in a one on one match at the SummerSlam PPV. We will have to wait and see what the company has planned for him next.

Drew McIntyre Responds To Mick Foley’s Criticism Of Chair Spot
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