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Charlie Haas Gets In Great Shape, Challenges Chris Jericho

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Charlie Haas, who worked in WWE from 2000 to 2009, has come back with an amazing body transformation. He got in great shape and posted his new physique on social media. Interestingly enough, he also issued a challenge to AEW star Chris Jericho.

Haas called out Jericho in the caption of the post and used the hashtag “#JerichoFearsHaas” as well. He wrote, “It’s over when I say it’s over. To those that support me thank you, To the Haters, thank you. I love to prove you wrong. I’ve worked to hard. I’ve wrestled all over the world, I’ve wrestled the best that there is, in this era. I have never wrestled the GOAT. @Iamjericho. I want to see where I fall, or I may just want to see how Great I Am. @charliehaas @thehaaspod#JerichoFearsHaas.”

Back in December 2020, he got fans concerned as he lost a lot of weight and looked almost unrecognizable. Fans are now congratulating him online for making positive changes in his life and getting back into shape.

Charlie Haas is best known for his run in the WWE as part of a tag team with Shelton Benjamin in December 2002 on SmackDown. They won the WWE Tag Team Championship twice, and called themselves “The World’s Greatest Tag Team.” The duo split in 2004. He would win the Tag Team Championship one more time with Rico.

Haas would move to singles competition before his release from WWE in 2005. After wrestling in the independent circuit, he would be re-signed to WWE in April 2006. Haas and Benjamin would reform the World’s Greatest Tag Team. However, Benjamin would be moved to the ECW brand and Haas got stuck doing gimmicks like a comical luchador, and a Hall of Fame wrestlers impersonator. He would be released in February 2010.

It would be interesting to see what comes out of Charlie Haas challenging Chris Jericho. Jericho still hasn’t responded, but it would surely be fun to see the two square off in the ring.

Tony Khan On Babyfaces & Heels, Other Booking Strategies

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Tony Khan was recently a guest on Wrestling Observer Radio and spoke about his philosophies around booking a wrestling show. He was asked specifically about having clearly defined babyfaces and heels.

“No, I don’t always,” Khan said when asked if heels and babyfaces should be clearly defined. “I think there are a lot of times where it makes sense. Look, MJF vs Darby on this PPV, that is one of the matches I’m very excited about. It’s very clear who is the heel in Darby vs MJF and who is the babyface.”

He continued, “So, I think that the show is stacked with great matches and I think one of the things that makes AEW great is that not every match is necessarily the black and white heel vs the black and white babyface. There are matches where it’s very obvious and there are matches where it’s less obvious.”

Fans pushing him to change creative direction

Tony Khan also commented on how often he changes his mind on a booking decision based on fan reaction.

“Yeah, I’ve definitely changed my mind based on the fans’ reactions before, many times. Definitely, I’ve changed planned plans,” Khan said.

“Certainly the fans reacting more positively or negatively to something than I expected does affect how I perceive the stories and the matches and the results.”

If you use any of the above quotes please credit Wrestling Observer Radio with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.

Becky Lynch Says She’s Open To Pursuing Hollywood Career

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Becky Lynch is interested in working in the Hollywood industry after leaving WWE.

This week, Lynch went viral after some fans thought that she was spotted on the set of Marvel’s upcoming film, Black Panther. It was another female actor on set that reminded some of Lynch, but the rumor spread like wildfire and reached Lynch herself. She had an amusing reaction to the rumor, and responded with a meme on Twitter:

Lynch, however, does seem interested in working in films. In an interview with The Independent, Lynch said that she loves performing and after WWE she would be open to acting.

“Performing is what I love to do. Right now I love what I’m doing. I love this business, where I’m at, this challenge. I love putting little nuances into what I’m doing,” Lynch said. “I studied theatre, that’s what I got my degree in. That is something I would love to do when the wheels fall off. Just performing, being involved in entertainment, in general, is what I love and honestly, it’s the only thing I’m really good at.”

Lynch also revealed that she asked The Rock and John Cena for advice about transitioning into Hollywood.

“They are just so generous with their time. If ever I have a question or issue or worry, or something to run past them, they are so open and generous and there to help me out,” Lynch said. “When you’re at that level, when you’re that busy and you still check on the generation coming through, what incredible human beings they are.”

Changes Made To Survivor Series Teams

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Survivor Series is coming up ahead, and changes have been made as two sports on Team SmackDown have opened up following last night’s episode of SmackDown.

This update comes following Aliyah and Sami Zayn’s removal from their Survivor Series teams last night on SmackDown. Aliyah got removed from the women’s team by Sonya Deville, and Zayn’s ejection came following a loss to Jeff Hardy. For now, we do not know who will take up their spots in the team.

Aliyah teamed up with Sasha Banks and Naomi to defeat Shotzi, Natalya and Shayna Baszler in a six-woman match. Aliyah got the win for the team when Naomi helped her reverse the Sharpshooter into a pin. Backstage, Deville approached Aliyah and said that she has been removed from the team. While we don’t know why this decision was taken, it probably has something to do with Deville being involved in a feud with Naomi.

On the men’s side, Zayn went to Adam Pearce to convince him to remove Hardy from Team SmackDown. Pearce instead booked them in a match with the loser getting removed from the team. Zayn tried to cheat and pick up a victory to keep his spot but Hardy defeated him via pinfall after hitting him with a Twist of Fate followed by a Swanton Bomb.

We don’t know who will get the final spots on Team SmackDown for Survivor Series. The event will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, November 21.

Updated WWE Survivor Series Card

WWE Champion Big E vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns – Champion vs. Champion Match

Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair – Champion vs. Champion Match

Team Raw (Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Rey Mysterio, and Bobby Lashley) vs. Team SmackDown (Drew McIntyre, Jeff Hardy, Xavier Woods, Baron Corbin, and TBA) – Men’s Elimination Tag Team Match

Team SmackDown (Sasha Banks, Shayna Bazler, Shotzi Blackheart, Natalya, and TBA) vs. Team Raw (Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Carmella, and Zelina Vega) – Women’s Elimination Tag Team Match

AEW Full Gear Final Card, Live Coverage

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The card for tonight’s (Saturday, November 13, 2021) AEW Full Gear event has been finalized.

The main event of this show that takes place in Minneapolis, MN at the Target Center will be AEW World Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Adam Page

This show marks the fourth PPV of 2021, which features a stacked lineup. There are a total of 10 matches booked for this show with three of them being championship matches. As a reminder, we will be providing live play-by-play coverage of this special later tonight. 

AEW Full Gear Card

  • AEW World Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Adam Page
  • Bryan Danielson vs. Miro – AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament Finals Match
  • AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker vs. Tay Conti
  • AEW Tag Team Champions Lucha Bros vs. FTR
  • Inner Circle vs. American Top Team (Dan Lambert, Ethan Page, Scorpio Sky, Junior Dos Santos and Andrei Arlovski) – Minneapolis Street Fight
  • Darby Allin vs. MJF
  • The Jurassic Express (luchasaurus and Jungle Boy) and Christian Cage vs. the SuperKliq (Adam Cole and The Young Bucks) – Falls Count Anywhere Match
  • CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston
  • Cody Rhodes and PAC vs. Andrade El Idolo and Malakai Black
  • Nyla Rose and Jamie Hayter vs. Hikaru Shida and Thunder Rosa – Buy-In pre-show

Update On Walter Potentially Moving To US

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Walter’s unwillingness to move to the United States has been a major reason behind his limited involvement with NXT and the main roster but it appears that things may be changing in near future.

Mike Johnson of PWinsider recently provided some update on the UK star’s future within the company. He noted that some changes in the WWE star’s personal life have led to him being more open to a potential move:

“Over the last year, we are told that there have been changes in Walter’s personal life that have led him to being more open to moving to the States.”

The former NXT UK star resides in Germany with his wife. Staying close to his home has been a major reason why the Austrian star has been reluctant to make the move.

However, he has started dating fellow NXT UK star Jinny recently. The two have been open about their relationship and have shared pictures together on social media. This has led to further speculations about the future of Walter.

The heavyweight star certainly has the physique and character to become a big star in the main roster. Though we will have to wait and see if he does become a regular part of WWE’s US roster in the future.

Joey Janela Reveals When His AEW Contract Expires

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Joey Janela has his AEW contract expiring next year and the hardcore star believes that he needs to step his game up before that. The bad boy recently appeared on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox. He discussed how he felt unmotivated during the pandemic era because of the lack of crowds.

Speaking of his AEW future, Janela revealed that he signed a three-year-long contract with AEW. His current deal expires in May next year:

“I’m under a three-year deal. My contract’s up in May, you know, I really have to step it up. I felt like I have in the last couple of months. You know, just having killer matches on Dark. Yeah. The arena’s coming back, it really helped me. I feel like we got something right now with AEW, I’m crossing my fingers.”

Joey Janela said that he hopes things will go on an upward trajectory from here on because the whole pandemic was the worst for him. The AEW star has been a regular performer for the promotion since its debut.

Though many believe that he has been outshined by other AEW signings in recent months. Janela is not booked for Saturday’s Full Gear PPV either. We will have to see if he is able to improve his position within the company before his deal ends.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

CM Punk Responds To Criticism Of His AEW Booking

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The return of CM Punk was one of the biggest wrestling comebacks of the past decade. The buzz surrounding him, however, has cooled down quite a bit since then. Many fans believe that his lackluster booking in AEW is the reason for it. Now the straight edge star has responded to this criticism from the fans.

Punk recently had an interview with Bleacher Report. Responding to the criticism, he said that people who have seen the same thing for the past 20 years, don’t understand when they see something different:

“I think the majority of people currently watching wrestling have been fed the same thing for 20-25 years so that when they see something different, they automatically don’t understand it, don’t like it, or try to dissect it. There are a million different styles of pro wrestling, there are a million different booking philosophies, and I’m just kind of doing what I want to do. You can’t really look at the whole picture until you know we’re done telling the story.”

CM Punk Doesn’t Listen To The Criticism

CM Punk admitted that there are a lot of moving parts in what they are doing so they have to come up with some things on the fly. Though according to him, it’s just a different way of doing things and that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad or wrong:

“And honestly, this is all meant for me to kind of have fun with, so as long as I’m having fun and I’m doing what I want to do, I don’t listen to the criticism, I can understand the criticism because we’re not doing what people are used to what they’ve seen for 20 years, but we’re moving in the right direction and at the pace we want to go.”

CM Punk made his triumphant wrestling return and joined AEW back in August. His first match for the company was against Darby Allin at All Out which he won. The former world champion is scheduled to face Eddie Kingston at the upcoming Full Gear PPV this Saturday.

Latest On What Released WWE Stars Were Told About Vaccination Status

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The latest wave of WWE releases has created some controversy after it was reported that the vaccination status of some wrestlers played a part in the decision.

The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter provided some more details on this. It explains how the situation was behind the scene.

According to the Newsletter, while talents were very much encouraged to get COVID-19 vaccines, nobody in WWE was warned that their jobs would be in danger if they didn’t get vaccinated.

One top talent was told they would be less valuable to the company if they weren’t vaccinated. This was because non-vaccinated talents couldn’t travel overseas for tours.

For those who don’t know, WWE released another 18 talents on November 4, including names such as Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, and Nia Jax.

It was later reported that the vaccination status of wrestlers was a factor behind some of these releases. This created a buzz and even prompted a response from Jax.

Though this isn’t the only controversy brewing from the latest wave of releases. Keith Lee has got people talking after claiming that he paid his own medical bills when he caught COVID. WWE has since responded to the claims calling them ‘erroneous.’

Corey Graves Says He Wants To Wrestle Again

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Corey Graves has got people talking about a potential in-ring return after briefly getting involved in the action during this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

The Raw commentator took on his Twitter earlier today and teased an in-ring return with a tweet. He wrote “I kinda wanna wrestle again.”

This tweet has created buzz about the future of Corey Graves because he got physical during Raw and won the 24/7 championship on the show before dropping it back.

The former NXT star signed with WWE back in August 2011. He started competing in the development brand FCW before it was rebranded.

He suffered two concussions in late 2013 and early 2014. Graves officially announced his retirement from active competition due to concussion issues in December 2014.

The former tag champion has taken on commentary duties since his retirement. The 37-year-old currently serves as the lead commentator for both Raw and SmackDown.

We have seen people like Bryan Danielson and Edge making a return in recent years after previously having announced their retirement due to various issues.

Now the big question is if Corey Graves could be following in their footsteps soon and if we will see him making an in-ring return in near future.

AEW Rampage Results (11/12): Lumberjack Match, Final Hype For Full Gear

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AEW Rampage aired tonight on TNT from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was the final show before Full Gear tomorrow night on PPV. Orange Cassidy faced Matt Hardy in a Lumberjack Match in the main event.

Rampage Results (11/12)

  1. Jungle Boy def. Bobby Fish via submission
  2. Jade Cargill def. Santana Garrett
  3. Dante Martin def. Ariya Daivari
  4. Matt Hardy def. Orange Cassidy in a Lumberjack match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Full Gear Promos

AEW aired vignettes during Rampage for CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston, the Women’s Championship match, and the World Title Eliminator Tournament Finals at Full Gear.

Jungle Boy Tapped Out Bobby Fish

Bobby Fish battled Jungle Boy in the first match of the night. Adam Cole introduced Bobby Fish to the Young Bucks backstage on Dynamite and asked Fish to have this match. Cole instructed Fish to beat Jungle Boy down but leave just enough of him for Full Gear. Jungle Boy went right after Bobby Fish to start off the match and connected with a Dropkick. Fish took control and bashed Jungle Boy’s shoulder into the ring apron.

Fish focused his attack on Jungle Boy’s arm for a few minutes trying to injure him before the PPV. Jungle Boy sent Fish into the ring post but Bobby quickly launched Jungle Boy into the barricade as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Fish connected with a DDT for a two count. Jungle Boy hit a Suplex and quickly went for a cover but Bobby was able to kick out at two. Fish hit an Exploder Suplex and the two traded punches in the ring. Jungle Boy brought Fish down to the mat and eventually was able to apply the Snare Trap for the submission victory. After the match, Bobby Fish attacked Jungle Boy. Adam Cole rushed the ring and shared a hug with the former Undisputed Era member before grabbing a steel chair. Christian Cage and Luchasaurus made the save and Cole retreated.

Hangman Page Warned The Young Bucks

Hangman Page confronted Adam Cole and the Young Bucks backstage during tonight’s show. Hangman admitted to be an ass a while back and costing them the tag titles. Page noted that Young Bucks already cost him a title shot back in July, so they are even. Hangman threatened Matt and Nick not to get involved in his AEW Championship match against Kenny Omega tomorrow at Full Gear or he will ruin them.

Jade Cargill Dominated, Red Velvet Attacked

Jade Cargill faced Santana Garrett on this week’s episode of Dynamite. Smart’ Mark Sterling accompanied Cargill to the ring. Red Velvet was in the front row and will face Cargill in the quarterfinals of the TBS Championship Tournament. Cargill dominated the action and made sure to taunt Red Velvet while doing so. Cargill won the match in quick fashion after connecting with Jade for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Sterling presented Jade with a cake for her 1 year anniversary of signing with AEW. Red Velvet hit Jade with a Spear and put Sterling’s face in the cake. Jade and Red Velvet traded punches to end the segment.

Team Taz Tried To Recruit Dante Martin

Ariya Daivari made his AEW in-ring debut and faced Dante Martin tonight on Rampage. Dante connected with a Hurricanrana but Ariya battled back with a boot to the midsection. Daivari hit a Neckbreaker and followed it up with a Frog Splash for a near fall. Dante connected with a Crossbody for the pinfall victory. After the match, Team Taz (Starks, Hobbs, Hook) approached Dante Martin and tried to recruit him to join. Starks told Dante to read over the contract and get back to him with an answer.

Matt Hardy def. Orange Cassidy To End Their Rivalry

Orange Cassidy faced Matt Hardy once again in a Lumberjack match tonight in the main event of Rampage. Before the match, Mark Henry interviewed both wrestlers. Cassidy and Matt Hardy agreed to end their feud after tonight’s match.

Before the bell, Hardy offered the Lumberjacks big money to help him win the match. The lumberjacks attacked Best Friends and then beat Orange Cassidy down when Matt Hardy sent him out of the ring. Hardy then attacked Orange when he got into the ring and stomped him to the canvas.

Orange battled back with a DDT and made his way to the top rope. Isiah Kassidy interfered and shoved Orange Cassidy off the turnbuckle. Orange Cassidy battled back and hit Beach Break and Orange Punches on the heels as they entered the ring one at a time. The Bunny put on some brass knuckles and punched Cassidy in the face. Hardy then covered Orange for the pinfall victory to end the rivalry. After the match, Hardy Family Office attacked Best Friends as Rampage went off the air.

Matt Cardona On Potential WWE Return

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Matt Cardona has built a spot for himself in the independent circuit since his release from WWE, and he has no interest in going back anytime soon.

The former WWE star recently had an interview with WrestlingInc. He discussed things such as what was the lowest point of his wrestling career and more.

He was also asked about a potential return to WWE or AEW. Cardona claimed that he is forever grateful for his time in WWE but at the same time, he has no intention of going back anytime soon:

“I’ve not been talking to WWE, listen, I love WWE. I love my time there; I am forever grateful for my time. The only thing I ever wanted to do was be a WWE Superstar.

If it wasn’t for WWE, I wouldn’t have been able to create my podcast and have the time of my life right now.” said Matt Cardona, “I’m not saying, ‘never say never,’ but I have no intentions of going back anytime in the near future.”

Though the former champion later mentioned how he previously won the IC title the last time WrestleMania was in Dallas. He claimed that he would be open to a Hall Of Fame induction when the PPV returns to the area next year.

Elsewhere in the interview, Matt Cardona also revealed that he had a chat with AEW president Tony Khan a couple of months ago. Although he explained that he wasn’t offered a deal to return to the promotion.

WWE SmackDown Results (11/12): Reigns vs. Woods, Changes To Survivor Series Team

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WWE SmackDown aired live from the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. Universal Champion Roman Reigns squared off against King Woods tonight. Two superstars were removed from Team SmackDown for Survivor Series during tonight’s episode.

SmackDown Results (11/12)

  1. Aliyah, Naomi, Sasha Banks def. Natalya, Shayna Baszler, Shotzi
  2. Los Lotharios def. Nakamura & Boogs
  3. Jeff Hardy def. Sami Zayn (Sami Zayn is no longer on Team SmackDown at Survivor Series)
  4. King Woods def. Roman Reigns via DQ

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Aliyah Picked Up A Win In Her Debut But Was Kicked Off Team SmackDown

Sonya Deville was in the ring with Shotzi, Aliyah, Shayna Baszler, and Natalya (women’s SmackDown Team). Sasha Banks and Naomi made their way to the ring and a brawl broke out as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

Shotzi, Baszler, and Naomi faced Aliyah, Sasha Banks, and Naomi in a 6-woman tag team match. Natalya and Banks started off the action. Sasha connected with a Bulldog and went for the cover. Natalya kicked out at two and retreated to the corner.

Baszler tagged in and slammed Banks to the canvas. Shayna took a cheap shot on Naomi before Aliyah tagged in. Aliyah hit Shayna with a Hurricanrana and followed its up with a Dropkick for a two count. Shotzi tagged in and beat Aliyah down before bringing her to the corner.

They took turns stomping on Aliyah in the corner of the ring before Natalya hit a Clothesline for a two count. Baszler tagged in and Aliyah battled back with some punches. Shayna brought Aliyah down with a Headlock but she escaped and tagged in Naomi.

Natalya hit Naomi with a cheap shot and then a Suplex on the floor outside the ring. Natalya hit another snap Suplex and rolled Naomi into the ring. Natalya hit a third snap Suplex and went for the cover but Naomi kicked out at two. Natalya went for another Suplex but Naomi blocked it. Natalya leveled Naomi with a Clothesline for a two count.

Shayna brought Naomi out of the ring and threw her into the barricade as SmackDown went to a commercial break. They were still beating Naomi down when SmackDown returned. Shotzi applied a Headlock and dragged Naomi back to the corner.

Baszler tagged in and stomped on Naomi’s elbow before choking her against the ropes. The referee got distracted and Natalya hit Naomi with a cheap shot. Naomi finally tagged out and Aliyah hit Natalya off the top rope with a Crossbody for a near fall. Aliyah unloaded some punches and then hit Natalya with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Natalya went for the Sharpshooter but Aliyah countered into a roll-up for a two count. Aliyah sent Natalya to the corner and hit a Northern Lights Suplex.

Aliyah went for the cover but Baszler broke it up at two. Sasha sent Shotzi and Baszler out of the ring and hit Baszler with a Meteora. Natalya got Aliyah in the Sharpshooter and held onto the ropes for leverage. Naomi hit Natalya with a forearm to the face and Aliyah rolled Natalya up for the pinfall victory.

Sonya Deville approached Aliyah backstage and removed her from the team at Survivor Series. Aliyah was overjoyed after winning her debut match but was devastated after inexplicably being taken off the team.

Los Lotharios def. Nakamura & Boogs

Boogs & Shinsuke Nakamura faced Los Lotharios (Humberto & Angel). Boogs got in some offense early before Angel tagged in and beat the hell out of him in the middle of the ring. Angel unloaded some punches to the face and brought Rick to the corner. Angel tied him up in the Tree of Woe and delivered a Dropkick to the face. Humberto tagged in and applied a Headlock.

Angel tagged back in and kept Boogs isolated in the corner. Boogs battled back and bounced Angel’s face off the turnbuckle. Nakamura and Humberto tagged in. Shinsuke planted Humberto with a Slingblade before sending Angel out of the ring. Shinsuke hit the sliding German Suplex on Humberto and followed it up with a knee to the face.

Nakamura went for the cover but Angel broke it up at two. Angel slammed Boogs into the ring post and dragged Humberto out of the ring before Nakamura could hit the Kinshasa. Angel tripped Nakamura up and Humberto capitalized with a Dropkick. Ange and Humberto hit a high/low kick combo on the IC Champion for the pinfall victory.

Toni Storm Interrupted Charlotte

SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair came down to the ring for a promo. Charlotte will be facing RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch at Survivor Series. Charlotte claimed that there was nothing natural about Becky Lynch and she is a fabricated champion. Charlotte ranted about Becky and called her Becky Uh-Oh. Flair boasted about her victory over Shotzi before Toni Storm interrupted. Toni challenged Charlotte to a match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship tonight. Charlotte declined and left the ring.

Sami Zayn Is No Longer On Team SmackDown

Sami Zayn was shown backstage giving a speech. Sami said he was the captain of Team SmackDown and will do whatever it takes to win. It was then revealed that Sami was just giving the speech to himself in the mirror. Jeff Hardy was watching on and an embarrassed Sami asked what Jeff thought of the speech. Jeff told Sami that it sucked and walked away. Later on SmackDown, Sami and Jeff battled with the loser being removed from Team SmackDown at Survivor Series. Adam Pearce informed Sami of the match with Von Wagner standing beside him.

Sami and Jeff locked up to start off the action. Hardy took control and sent Sami to the corner. Hardy unloaded some punches to the face but Sami responded with a boot tot he midsection. Jeff bounced Sami’s head off the top turnbuckle but Sami caught him with a knee to the face for a two count. Sami unloaded a flurry of forearms to Hardy’s face but Jeff battled back. Hardy sent Sami out of the ring and hit a Dropkick through the ropes. Hardy went for Whisper in the Wind off the steel steps but Sami got out of the way and Jeff crashed into the barricade as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, the action had returned to the ring and Sami had Hardy in a Headlock. Jeff escaped and hit Sami with a Dropkick followed by a Splash for a two count. Hardy flipped onto Sami and went for the cover but Zayn somehow kicked out at two. Jeff went for Twist of Fate but Sami countered into a cradle for a two count. Hardy missed with a Splash and Sami rolled him up while using his foot on the ropes for leverage. The referee caught him and Sami started arguing with her. Jeff hit the Twist of Fate and the Swanton Bomb for the pinfall victory. Sami Zayn is no longer on Team SmackDown at Survivor Series.

After the match, Hit Row had a backstage promo and hyped up their future on SmackDown. Jinder Mahal and Shanky cut a promo on Hit Row and referred to them as “cringe row”.

Cesaro Warned Ridge Holland About Sheamus

Cesaro approached Ridge Holland backstage and warned him about Sheamus. Cesaro noted that The Bar was a great team but Sheamus will stab him in the back. Ridge told Cesaro that he is well aware of The Bar but is taking Cesaro’s place. Holland added that if Cesaro has an issue with anything he is saying, he can take it up with Sheamus next week on SmackDown.

The Usos Interfered In The Main Event, Roman Reigns Put On The King’s Crown

Universal Champion Roman Reigns battled King Woods in tonight’s main event. Paul Heyman was ringside for the match. Reigns brought Woods to the corner and unloaded some punches. King Woods battled back and returned the favor with some punches to the Tribal Chief’s face. Woods knocked Reigns out of the ring with a Dropkick and taunted him.

Reigns told the referee to hold Woods back to let him into the ring. Woods leaped through the ropes with a Dropkick and followed it up with some chops to the Universal Champion’s chest. Back in the ring, Reigns hit Woods with a punch and Xavier rolled to the outside. Roman followed him and connected with a Uranage on the announce table and posed as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Roman connected with a big boot and went for the cover but Woods kicked out at two. Woods backed to the corner and Reigns hit him with a Clothesline. Roman went for a Spear but Woods countered with a Clothesline of his own. Roman leveled Woods with an uppercut but Xavier responded with a Tornado DDT and both superstars fell to the canvas.

Woods and Roman traded punches and chops in the middle of the ring. Roman hit Woods with a knee to the midsection but he shrugged it off and caught Roman with a boot to the face for a near fall. King Woods made his way to the top rope but Reigns caught him with a Uranage for a two count. Roman went for the Spear but Woods dodged it. Woods sent Reigns into the turnbuckle and climbed to the top rope. King Woods hit the Elbow Drop and went for the cover but The Usos dragged him out of the ring to end the match in a DQ.

Jimmy and Jey attacked Xavier Woods and bashed him with the steel steps several times. Roman took a knee and The Usos put Woods’ crown on him. Reigns and The Usos posed for the crowd to close the show.

WWE Disputes “Erroneous” Claims By Keith Lee About Paying For His Medical Bills

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WWE has issued a statement in response to what Keith Lee stated about how he paid for his own medical expenses. Lee wrote in the statement regarding the bills:

“Several months ago, it was not a guarantee I would make it to this day, so there is positivity in that. I paid all my medical bills from the many offices and machines I frequented. There is positivity in that. And, I do find it amusing that people believe anyone but me paid for my medical expenses.”

On Friday, WWE issued this statement to dispute Lee’s claims: 

“Keith Lee’s recent comments implying WWE failed to pay his medical bills are erroneous. WWE has an extensive healthcare program for the medical care of its in-ring performers and Mr. Lee was part of this program while with the company. Should Mr. Lee have any concerns over the payment of medical bills, he is welcome to address them with WWE.”

Last Thursday, Lee was among the 18 talents released as part of the latest wave of budget cuts.

Lee was sidelined earlier this year with COVID-19 and the virus caused heart issues that kept him sidelined for several months. He would return in July only to later be pulled from television as he started working dark matches with the “Bearcat” gimmick. Lee is under a 90-day non-compete clause.

Buddy Matthews Discusses Magnitude Of Facing Kazuchika Okada

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Buddy Matthews has quite the task going into his NJPW debut.

Matthews will be sharing the ring with Kazuchika Okada, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers today. The match will be taking place at NJPW Battle In The Valley this Saturday (Nov. 13).

Buddy Matthews Wants Classic With Okada

During an interview with Forbes, Buddy Matthews said that he’s more than happy with being thrown to the wolves in his first NJPW match.

“I feel like I’m a better performer when there’s less buildup to it, less pressure and whatnot.

“I’m just going to go out there, do what I do best and tear it up. I don’t think there’s any bigger match that you could have in a debut in New Japan Pro Wrestling. I wanted to swim with the whales and they gave me the biggest whale they could find.”

Matthews competed as Buddy Murphy under the WWE banner. He was released from the company back in June.

Matthews has been praised for his in-ring style. Many fans clamored for him to sign with NJPW since he has the style to match. Those fans will get their wish for at least one night.

NJPW Battle In The Valley will feature a NEVER Openweight Title match between champion Jay White and Tomohiro Ishii. Plus, Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Moose will collide with Juice Robinson.

The self-proclaimed “real” IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay will also be in action. He’ll take on Ren Narita.

Hangman Page Admits He Felt ‘Inferior’ In Bullet Club

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Hangman Page didn’t exactly feel like a trailblazer while in the Bullet Club.

When Page was first brought up to The Elite and Bullet Club, many thought he had potential. With that said, he was part of a group with names that had been well established.

Kenny Omega was having all-time classic matches in NJPW, Cody Rhodes was making waves in the U.S., and The Young Bucks already cemented themselves as a top-tier tag team.

Hangman Page Didn’t Feel Superior In Bullet Club

During an interview with Men’s Health, Page wasn’t afraid to admit that he kind of felt like a benchwarmer in BC.

“I was the guy who was the last to join the Bullet Club—on the house show that wasn’t even on TV. I was the guy who was getting beat in all these multi-man matches in New Japan.

“I was the guy who didn’t even have a winning record in (New Japan’s G1 Climax tournament). It feels like a fresh thing in wrestling to be that honest about how you feel in that situation.

“But what other truth could there be than to feel inferior in this group?”

Japanese crowds often reacted favorably to Hangman Page and they were onto something. Page has become a star in AEW and is on the cusp of capturing his first world title.

This Saturday night (Nov. 13), Page will challenge Kenny Omega for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship at Full Gear.

Jeff Jarrett Thinks AEW-Owen Hart Foundation Partnership Is ‘Excellent’

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Jeff Jarrett is all for the partnership between AEW and the Owen Hart Foundation.

Owen Hart tragically died on May 23, 1999. Jarrett and Owen were great friends and following Hart’s tragic fall at the Over The Edge PPV, Jarrett was visibly shaken and prayed for Owen before having a mixed tag team match.

Back in September, AEW announced a partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation. Through this partnership, AEW will be hosting a tournament called, “The Owen.”

Owen Hart’s likeness will also be used for the upcoming AEW console video game and retail goods.

Jeff Jarrett Praises AEW-Owen Hart Foundation Partnership

Jeff Jarrett appeared on That 90s Wrestling Podcast and expressed his joy in Owen Hart’s name being introduced to a fresh crop of fans.

“It’s excellent. At the very end of the day, father time’s undefeated. So, we all pass on and the only thing that sometimes living in our fast, busy world, material possessions or events or triumphs or tragedy, that really all comes and goes with life but a legacy like Owen left?

“Obviously, Owen passed away 22 years ago, so that in and of itself is amazing. But the legacy of Owen Hart is gonna be exposed to an entirely new generation in a very positive way.

“Hats off to everyone involved with all that, Martha, and Oje, Athena, the kids. Just how that legacy, but also the awareness it’s gonna bring to the foundation and doing good.

“Doing the next right thing and being able to take the life Owen lived and make an impact in a very positive way in a lot of folks’ lives.”

The Owen Hart Foundation has made it a mission to help those with limited resources. The efforts have led to those in need obtaining homeownership as well as scholarships for disadvantaged youth.

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

Bully Ray Reacts To Backlash Over His Take On Hangman Page

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Bully Ray has fired back at those who ripped him over his opinion on whether or not Hangman Page should emerge victorious at Full Gear.

This Saturday night (Nov. 13), Page will be challenging Kenny Omega for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship. When Hangman first competed for the title back in Aug. 2019, he lost to Chris Jericho.

Many believe the time is now for Hangman to win the AEW gold but Bully Ray had other ideas.

He expressed his belief that it would be beneficial to get more heat on Hangman and have him win the title at another show.

Bully Ray Responds To Angry Fans

Bully got ripped to shreds on social media for his take. During an episode of Busted Open Radio, he addressed the backlash.

“After last night and all the heat that they built up in that segment, which is exactly what I wanted to see, it was crazy to see the tweets I got. This one tweet said, ‘Bully has caused so much discourse with his takes.’

“Well, I’m glad that my takes, my opinion could cause so much discourse amongst the AEW fans or the wrestling community. It’s an opinion based on 30 years of being in this business.

“So, I’m agreeing with you [speaking to host Dave LaGreca] now that they got a good segment of heat on him where he’s signed in blood. Wow, that was awesome I loved it.

“Yes, let’s strike while the iron’s hot but will the iron be hotter in Minneapolis? Or is that a good opportunity to get a little bit more heat? Or if we don’t do it in Minneapolis, have we missed a golden opportunity? It’s just a discussion.”

Bully Ray also claimed the “IWC bottom-feeding dirt sheets” embellished his take on it not being time for Hangman to win the championship.

This is despite the fact that Bully said, “Do I feel it’s the right time for Hangman? I’m gonna say in nine days? No.”

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

Beth Phoenix Pitched Storyline to Play Brock Lesnar’s Sister

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Brock Lesnar is known as “The Beast” in WWE and for good reason. He is exceptionally strong and burly, and has been a force to be reckoned with. While he performed mostly as a singles wrestler, having a female counterpart to him could be a very interesting idea if the execution is done properly. Beth Phoenix had this exact same idea but it never came to fruition.

The WWE Hall of Famer recently revealed that she pitched an interesting idea to producer Michael Hayes during her time with the WWE as an extra. She wanted to play the role of Brock Lesnar’s sister. She even came up with a detailed storyline on how she could be brought in as Lesnar’s sister.

“Fun Fact: At one of my first gigs as a @WWE extra I pitched a detailed storyline to Michael Hayes to be brought in as Brock Lesnar’s sister. I had ZERO CHILL,” Beth Phoenix wrote on Twitter.

Beth Phoenix joined WWE’s developmental territory OVW in 2004. This is the same year Lesnar left the WWE to join the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (but was cut from the team pre-season). Phoenix would work in OVW till 2006, and she would make her debut on the WWE main roster in the same year. During this time, things between Brock Lesnar and WWE were strained which could be the reason why didn’t want a female counterpart of him.

Interestingly enough, Phoenix would leave WWE the same year Lesnar would make his return in 2012. Currently, Phoenix is a color commentator on NXT and occasionally makes wrestling appearances. Brock Lesnar is suspended as part of a storyline but has vowed to make his return.

Impact 11/11 Results: Eddie Edwards Earns Title Shot Against Moose

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Impact 11/11 continued the build to Turning Point on November 20th. The main event saw Moose’s first challenger for his title determined.

Impact 11/11 Quick Results:

  1. Savannah Evans defeated Rachael Ellering (BTI)
  2. #1 Contendership for the Impact Tag Team Championships
    Bullet Club (Chris Bey & El Phantasmo) defeated FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson)
  3. Minoru Suzuki defeated Kaleb with a K
  4. Decay (Havok & Rosemary) defeated The Undead Bridesmaids (Brandi Lauren & Kimber Lee)
  5. Mercedes Martinez defeated Madison Rayne
  6. Rohit Raju defeated Rocky Romero
  7. #1 Contendership for the Impact World Championship
    Triple Threat
    Eddie Edwards defeated Matt Cardona and W. Morrissey

Bullet Club Earns Title Shot Against The Good Brothers

Last week on Impact, Bullet Club interfered in a non-title match between FinJuice and the Good Brothers, leading to a no-contest. In response, Scott D’Amore booked this #1 contendership match between FinJuice and Bullet Club with the winners moving on to challenge the Good Brothers with the titles on the line.

The finish of this match came when Finjuice looked to be setting Chris Bey up for the Doomsday Device but ELP grabbed a hold of Finlay’s foot while he was on the top rope. Finlay then turned his attention HIKULEO on the outside and hit him with a diving attack to the floor. Meanwhile in the ring, Bey countered Juice into a cradle but Juice reversed the momentum and ended up on top. With the ref counting the pin on Bey, ELP hit Juice with a super kick (there have been concerns that ELP uses a loaded boot). Bey then covered Juice and got the pin.

After the match, The Good Brothers came out to confront Bullet Club and a brawl ensued. HIKULEO entered the ring and took out Anderson. This left just Gallows and HIKULEO in the ring. They brawled and HIKULEO eventually tossed Gallows out of the ring. Bullet Club stood tall in the ring with the champions on the outside to end the segment.

Minoru Suzuki Destroys Kaleb With a K While Josh Alexander Watches

Minoru Suzuki made quick work of the Influence’s Kaleb this week. During the match, the camera would cut to a shot of Josh Alexander watching Suzuki on a monitor. Suzuki picked up the quick win with a Gotch style piledriver. Suzuki and Josh Alexander will face off next week.

Decay Defeat The Undead Bridesmaids Ahead of Title Rematch

Last week, The Iinspiration sought out the Undead Bridesmaids to take out Decay. This week Decay made short work of them in tag team action. Jessica McKay and Cassie Lee came out to the stage area to watch the match and then came down to the ring area after and taunted the former champions.

Later in the show, the Iinspiration then said they were going to take out the Undead Bridesmaids next week for their failure to take out Decay.

Mickie James Saves Mercedes Martinez From Post-Match Attack, Mercedes Not Then Attacks Her

Mercedes Martinez will challenge Mickie James for the Knockouts World Championship at Turning point. Martinez would face and defeat a former champion in Madison Rayne this week. The finish of the match saw Martinez get the pin after countering a cutter into a cradle. After the match, Rayne attacked Mercedes from behind and eventually gave her the cutter she wasn’t able to during the match. Rayne then hit Mercedes in the midsection with a chair before Mickie James’ music hit and she came out to make the save. Then James went to help Martinez up but her future challenger then picked her up and slammed her down. Martinez then sauntered away from the ring area while James lay in the ring to end the segment.

Rohit Raju Picks Up Win Over Rocky Romero

Rohit Raju picked up a big win this week as he defeated NJPW’s Rocky Romero. The finish of the match came when Raj Singh distracted the ref while Rocky had Raju trapped in an arm-bar. Rocky then took out Singh and hit a running sliced bread on Raju for a 2-count. Raju fought back, however, and countered a tornado DDT with a high-knee followed by his Drive-By finish for the win.

Eddie Edwards Earns A Title Shot Against Moose

Eddie Edwards has earned a shot at Moose’s Impact World Championship. A triple threat between him, W. Morrissey and Matt Cardona headlined this week’s episode. Edwards hit a Boston Knee Party on Morrissey on the outside, taking him out of the match. The finish of the match then came when it was left to Edwards and Cardona inside the ring. Cardona missed a dive off the ropes and Edwards then followed that up with a Boston Knee Party again and got the 3-count.

Moose was shown watching the match from a private box but then getting up and leaving as soon as Edwards was declared the victor.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Next Week:

  • Josh Alexander vs Minoru Suzuki
  • The Iinspiration vs the Undead Bridesmaids
  • Steve Maclin vs Laredo Kid (If Maclin wins he’s added to X-Division title match at Turning Point)
  • Sit down interview with Deonna Purrazzo

Turning Point – November 20th

  • Impact World Championship
    Moose (c) vs Eddie Edwards
  • Knockouts World Championship
    Mickie James (c) vs Mercedes Martinez
  • Knockouts World Tag Team Championships
    The Iinspiration (Jessie McKay & Cassie Lee) (c) vs Decay (Rosemary & Havok)
  • Impact World Tag Team Championships
    The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) (c) vs. Bullet Club (Chris Bey and Hikuleo)
  • X-Division Championship
    Trey Miguel (c) vs Laredo Kid

Keith Lee Tells Fans “Patience Is Key” After WWE Release

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Keith Lee got released from his WWE contract earlier this month on November 4. He received a lot of support from fans online and looks like there are some who are ready to drop watching WWE altogether because they released him.

A fan wrote to Lee on Twitter saying that he will never watch WWE again and would never support the company by going to their events. They asked how they can keep supporting Lee from now onwards.

Lee responded by thanking his fans for supporting him and asked them to be patient. He said he’s looking forward to the future and only time will tell what’s next in store for him.

“Right now, I think patience is key. Time is a friend right now. And I intend to make the most of it. I feel your support right this moment. In the not so distant future, I am sure something will come about. At such a time… well… time will tell I suppose,” Lee wrote in the quote tweet.

It would be interesting to see where Keith Lee would end up next. AEW Tony Khan is interested in the recent WWE releases, and in a recent interview he said that he’s interesting in doing business with some of the people that WWE let go.

Following his release, it was reported that Lee had “attitude issues” in the company and that may have played a vital role in his release from the contract. PWTorch’s Wade Keller reported, “He just had, in general, attitude issues. Or as one wrestler told me tonight, “perceived attitude issues.” He just was frustrated. I’ve heard different things about him in terms of his mood being altered way more than it should in the modern era about being asked to do a job.”

Chris Jericho Explains Why He Constantly Changed Look In WWE

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Chris Jericho has a good reason behind changing his look and attire all the time while working with the WWE.

Jericho revealed that he changed his look and his ring gear in WWE to keep things fresh and relevant in the wrestling business. By doing so, he was also able to make more money from merchandising.

Speaking to Sports Media with Richard Deitsch, Jericho revealed that he did not want to turn into a nostalgia act so he made a conscious effort to keep reinventing himself.

“When I first started working on TV every week in WCW and more specifically, in WWE when SmackDown started, and we used to do both shows [before the roster split/brand drafts]. I said people are going to get bored of me pretty quickly if I am on TV twice a week and I look the same and have the same rap, shall we say? ‘We’ve got to change it up,’” Jericho said.

Jericho said that he would keep changing his ring attire subtly enough every week. This meant that multiple versions of actions figures would be made for him to accommodate all the different changes. He would do the same thing with his facial hair. This resulted in Jericho making more money from merchandise.

“I remember the late, great Pat Patterson said to me, ‘You always have different facial hair every week.’ And one of the reasons for that was because it was always something different. Subtly, it was something different,” Jericho added. “I had different tights that I changed every week, and then I noticed that they would make an action figure for every set of tights that I wore and every set of facial hair that I had. So now you’re making more money too, because there’s more diversity of what people can market from you.”

Jericho attributes this mindset of keeping things fresh and constantly staying ahead of the curve from show business and rock and roll culture. He stated that he got advice from KISS bassist and co-lead singer Gene Simmons to never stagnate and keep reinventing yourself, and that this can be applied to life in general.

Related: Chris Jericho Says Recent MJF Promo Got the “Wrong Kind of Heat”

H/T Wrestlezone for the quotes

The Undertaker To Undergo Multiple Surgeries

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The Undertaker is set to go through multiple surgeries for his right knee.

After having an illustrious career spanning three decades, it’s no surprise that being in the ring for such a long time has taken a toll on The Undertaker’s body. Even though he has been officially retired from wrestling for a year, he is still trying to heal from decades’ worth of wear and tear of that his body has went through wrestling.

Speaking in an interview on The Norm and D Invasion show this week (via PWInsider), The Undertaker said that he has surgeries lined up for his new right knee.

“Both my hips are partial hip replacements already,” The Phenom said. “I need, I need a right knee, so I have surgeries lined up. I just… I gotta wait until hunting season is over for [them.]”

The Undertaker also said that he still misses performing in front of live audiences, especially during WrestleMania season. However, he is thankful and feels blessed that he had a very long career in the ring. “…but the body can only take so much and deliver so much, and for me that time.  I realized at the last WrestleMania that I had, that I did [WrestleMania 36] that my time had come.”

In a recent interview, Undertaker said that he is simply unable to meet the standards of a traditional wrestling match these days, due to his age and the condition of his body.

“I think it’s always in my head and in my heart, especially getting ready for WrestleMania here at AT&T Stadium it’s just like … man. But it’s just at a point where physically, I can’t perform at a level. I mean, I could go out and walk through something and I could get through a match. But I can’t give people what they expect at this point.”

The Undertaker had his Final Farewell at Survivor Series in November 2020. His last match was with AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. The match was cinematic and narrative-heavy, and was dubbed the “Boneyard Match”. He won the match and his performance was heavily praised.

More Details On Eddie Kingston & CM Punk Backstage Dispute Referenced On Rampage

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Eddie Kingston and CM Punk’s intense promo segment from last week’s Rampage focussed on a beef Kingston had with CM Punk going back to their days on the independent circuit. More details regarding what actually did happen between the two of them was covered in the most recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

A source speaking on the condition of anonymity noted that they were backstage at a show when Punk and Kingston had an altercation.

“I can fully vouch for Eddie’s promo on Punk the other night. I was sitting right there in an IWA Mid South locker room when Punk called Eddie and his partner at the time, Blackjack Marciano, fat, lazy and unsafe. Marciano had just accidentally injured Delirious in a previous match and Punk was hot about it, so just buried them nonstop. I could see why Eddie hung onto that hate and anger for so long,” the anonymous source said.

This week on AEW Dynamite, Punk and Kingston had to be separated from brawling in the back. The two will face off in singles action at AEW Full Gear on Saturday. It will be the first time the two have ever been in a match together.

The IInspiration Say Impact Wrestling Feels Like Home

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The IInspiration made their debut for Impact Wrestling at the Bound for Glory event and picked up a big win by winning the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship. The duo feel at home working with Impact Wrestling, with Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay both talking about signing with the company and how Impact turned out to be a perfect fit for them.

Speaking to Alex McCarthy on the Wrestling Daily podcast, Lee said that they had many options to choose from but in the end they decided to go with Impact and it was a perfect fit for them.

“I feel like it was a perfect fit for us or not to toot our own horn but we’ve had many options and what it came down to Jess and I just felt like we just fit perfectly with IMPACT in the knockouts division they just use their talents so incredibly well and the women are just you know put on a pedestal which they should be they’re so good and I just feel like we slipped right on in you know became not hesitating champs did the damn thing and you know, [we fit in IMPACT] like a missing puzzle piece,” Lee stated.

“We found a home because that’s how it really felt. We wanted it to feel like the best decision and it really did, it fits so well. We were so happy,” McKay added. “We’re just incredibly grateful to be part of IMPACT and The Knockouts Division I’m super stoked. That’s all I have to say.”

According to McKay, one of the biggest plus points of working with Impact is the open communication the company maintains with its talents. The company provided them with all the information they needed and kept in touch with them frequently. They also spoke about the freedom Impact gave them regarding their characters.

“The freedom that we’ve had is, I mean, it just makes me so freakin’ happy. Because we know The IInspiration better than anyone we have built this from the ground up is a 17-year-old friendship, you cannot force anything on that and they respect that and they respect us as performance. It’s just beautiful and that was a big decision in us joining IMPACT,” McKay said. “We felt that respect and we felt wanted, to be honest, and that’s it. That’s an awesome feeling to have.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFEF2s7vhKU

H/T to Fightful for the quotes