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WWE Raw Ratings Slightly Up From Last Week (8/2)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.821 million viewers with a 0.51 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. This is up from last week’s 1.814 million viewers and the 0.49 rating. 

Here’s the rest of the viewership breakdown for Monday Night Raw, courtesy of Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics:

  • P2+: 1.821
  • P18-49: 657,000
  • M18-49: 442,000
  • F18-49: 215,000
  • P18-34: 216,000
  • M18-34: 131,000
  • F18-34: 86,000
  • P35-49: 440,000
  • M35-49: 312,000
  • F35-49: 129,000
  • non-P18-49: 1.164

Raw was expected to remain the same as it went up against the Olympics. Per the report, the increase in the 18-49 viewership was mostly carried by viewers aged 35-49. 

This episode featured Goldberg’s latest comments about facing WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre vs.Shanky & Veer, Rhea Ripley vs. Nia Jax, Damian Priest & Ricochet vs. John Morrison & Sheamus, Keith Lee vs. Karrion Kross, Raw Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. vs. Charlotte Flair in a no holds barred match, Matt Riddle vs. Omos, 

SmackDown Viewership

The episode drew an average of 1.909 million viewers in the overnight ratings, down from the previous week that did 2.04  million viewers. In the 18-49 demographic, it did a 0.57 rating, which was down from the 0.55 rating the week before.  The final ratings were 2.043 million viewers, down from last week’s 2.137 million viewers.

CM Punk: Betting Odds Released for First AEW Opponent

Jake Skudder
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The rumors surrounding CM Punk and his impending debut for AEW have been ramping up over the past few weeks.

Several AEW stars alluded to the former WWE Superstar on this past week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, with Darby Allin essentially calling out the man who was known as the ‘Best In The World.’

Although Allin has since denied that his promo was aimed at CM Punk, the straight edge Superstar will be making his debut at an upcoming event, likely AEW Rampage in Chicago on August 13.

CM Punk Betting Odds

Bet Online recently released the following list of odds for Punk’s first AEW opponent, with Daniel Bryan and Darby Allin looking like the two most likely candidates:

  • Darby Allin: +100
  • Daniel Bryan: +200
  • Christian Cage: +320
  • Orange Cassidy: +600
  • Matt Hardy: +700
  • Chris Jericho: +800
  • Cody Rhodes: +800
  • Jungle Boy: +900
  • Sting: +1000

Although Punk vs Daniel Bryan would be a big match for AEW, it is unlikely that his first match in the company would be against the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Darby Allin seems to be the safe bet for Punk as a first match when he finally debuts in All Elite. It’s unlikely that he will wrestle on the Rampage show itself on August 13, but he may well set up an ALL OUT match against the former TNT Champion for September 5.

Who do you think CM Punk will face in his first AEW match? Let us know in the comments

Chris Jericho Comments On Wrestling Daniel Bryan On NXT In 2010

Chris Stephens
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Chris Jericho’s book “The Complete List of Jericho” is available now and runs down every match Le Champion had in his first 30 years of wrestling. During an interview with Inside the Ropes, Jericho spoke about a match he had against Daniel Bryan in 2010 as rumors of Bryan heading to AEW shortly continue.

Jericho and Bryan have faced each other in singles action 3 times. The first took place in 2010 when Jericho was World Heavyweight Champion and Bryan was one of the rookies on the old format of NXT. Jericho spoke to Inside the Ropes about the match.

“I didn’t want to have that match. I just thought, ‘Why is the WWE Champion having a match against some guy that’s just coming in for NXT?’ I remember it was Undertaker that was like, ‘Go out there and show them why you’re the champion.”

The match ended with Jericho winning in just under 6 minutes.

“I don’t think I wrestled Daniel many more times, maybe two or three times, but none of them memorable. That one was the one that was memorable and who would have thought it at the time? But here we are, you know, ten years later and people still talk about it because it was such a monumental match and the first meeting between two guys that, you know, are still doing it pretty much at the top of our games ten years later.”

Jericho and Bryan have only wrestled two other singles matches, with Jericho winning both. The next match came 7 months later at a house show. Then in 2013, Jericho defeated Bryan in a singles match on RAW.

Chris Jericho Praises Haku After Appearance On Dynamite

Chris Stephens
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Last week at Fight for the Fallen, HIKULEO came out for his IWGP United States Championship match against Lance Archer along with his father, Haku. Chris Jericho took to Instagram recently to praise the legend.

“It was great to see #KingHaku….my Sempai & one of my favorite people on Earth…in Charlotte last week!! From 1993-1995, I travelled the world with #Tonga and we had many amazing adventures together….some of them were even sober!!” Jericho wrote.

“Whether it was taking on the entire security team in the #MexicoCity Airport, drinking coconut rum right from a coconut (that Tonga scaled a tree to grab) or doing Mezcal fueled aerobics in a gym surrounded by futbol moms at 7am, we always had a blast! He’s also such a kind hearted & gracious man…you don’t hear that much, but it’s true. And of course he’s tough as f**k!! Malo e lelei Tonga!!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSDJsOnMAqp/

Chris Jericho’s Haku Stories

During an appearance on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s podcast earlier this year, Jericho told the story of him and Haku getting in a brawl at an airport. Jericho was being surrounded by security agents when Haku sprung to the rescue.

“He threw guys out of the way to get over to me. They were starting to get like, it was a fight and dude was like Old Western back to back, kind of pushing guys and throwing guys around. I remember he had a guy like Darth Vader, he just picked the guy up by his collars and had him in the air, and then out came the guns.”

WWE Executives Frustrated with Adam Cole’s Contract Situation

Tyriece Simon
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WWE Executives are not happy with NXT Superstar Adam Cole’s contract situation going public.

The news broke yesterday by Wrestling Inc’s Raj Giri that Cole will be a free agent after Summerslam. Giri also reported that Cole already has options, including “companies who are not even in the current wrestling space.”

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson has also followed up on Giri’s report and confirmed the news while adding that WWE executives are unhappy. “Multiple sources within WWE confirmed the story, admitting frustration that it had become public,” said Johnson.

Cole’s Contract Situation

The news of Cole’s contract expiring has caught fans by surprise. Giri reports that Cole’s contract actually expired after the Great American Bash on July 6th. However, Cole decided to extend the contract to this upcoming Summerslam.

Johnson also reports that WWE executives believed Cole was under contract to at least January 2022.

The timing of Cole’s contract issue could also be connected to the release of former Senior Vice President of Talent Development Canyon Ceman. Johnson reported Ceman release on July 23rd and noted he was very involved with the hiring process in NXT.

Wrestling Inc’s Marc Middleton reports that the timing of Cole’s contract issue “Very much lines up with the timing of Ceman’s departure.”

The WWE has yet to release a statement on Cole’s contract situation.

Cole’s WWE Career

Cole signed with the WWE on August 14, 2017, after leaving Ring of Honor. Five days later, he made his NXT debut at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 3 on August 19, 2017, at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. Cole has been an NXT tag team champion, North American champion, and World Champion. He also still holds the record for longest-reigning NXT World Champion.

He’s currently in a feud with a long-time ally/rival Kyle O’Riley. Since February, the feud has been ongoing, with both Cole and Riley getting a win over the other. It is unclear if Cole will finish his feud with Riley at the upcoming NXT Takeover 36 on August 22nd.

Shotzi Blackheart Comments On Chris Jericho’s Blood & Guts Fall Off The Cage

Chris Stephens
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AEW presented the Blood & Guts double steel cage match on the May 5th edition of Dynamite. The finish saw Maxwell Jacob Friedman throw Chris Jericho off the cage. Jericho landed on padding, which some fans criticized as appearing “too safe.”

WWE Superstar Shotzi Blackheart joined in on the mockery, tweeting out this GIF of someone falling gently onto a comfortable bed.

https://twitter.com/ShotziWWE/status/1390124361357660163

Le Champion wasn’t pleased. He addressed Shotzi Blackheart’s apparent sign of disrespect on his Talk is Jericho podcast.

“Best of luck to anybody in our business, and anybody that bags on somebody who’s taking a chance and putting their bodies on the line can really f*** off,” Jericho said. “Especially people in the business. I could say some names.” 

“There’s a couple of chicks in WWE who said some stuff and they should probably not have said that. They probably weren’t trained any better, and in 6 months they’ll probably be asking us for a job anyways and I’ll remember that, so we’ll leave it at that.”

Take A Joke, Bud!

During a recent interview with Alex McCarthy for TalkSport, Shotzi Blackheart responded to Jericho getting salty about her playful GIF.

“I meant no offence to Chris Jericho,” Shotzi stated. “I thought, honestly, the match was great. But, you know what… like, take a joke, Take a joke, bud! [laughs].” 

“It’s just a GIF. Laugh at it and move on. It’s live TV. Things happen, it’s pro wrestling. Don’t take life too seriously is all I have to say.”

You can see her comments about Chris Jericho here:

TV Networks Reportedly Concerned Over Bray Wyatt’s Release

Chris Stephens
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Back in 2019, when Fox first began airing episodes of Smackdown, executives from the network reportedly really wanted Bray Wyatt on their brand. Wyatt had just returned to WWE that summer as the Fiend. Wyatt would be drafted back to RAW the following year, however. Now, nobody gets Wyatt as he had been released from the company altogether.

According to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast, television executives are reportedly quite concerned that WWE has been releasing top stars like Wyatt.

“Bray’s released is really disappointing and a little scary that top stars are being let go,” a source reportedly said on the situation.

“Yeah regardless of what the internet thinks Bray is a major star with a lot of money put into him,” Zarian said in response to someone who questioned whether Wyatt is a top star.

Zarian would continue to give some details as to who is source within the networks is.

“I don’t want to detail it but one is a high up executive that I get drinks with weekly. It’s perception more than anything else. Remember they are not fans like us. They read and see the names,” he Tweeted.

Recently, it was also reported that Wyatt had been out of action due to a medical issue.

“He’d been out for medical reasons, and he had just gotten cleared,” said Dave Meltzer. “I guess when he got cleared they evaluated the situation and he was told that due to budgetary reasons that he is being cut.”

Update On Why Ric Flair Was Released From WWE

Chris Stephens
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Ric Flair was reportedly released from his WWE contract recently. There are conflicting reports regarding the reason why he was released, however. Initial reports suggested that Flair was unhappy and asked WWE to be released. According to comments on Wrestling Observer Radio, however, Flair did not ask WWE to be let out of his contract. Rather, it was solely Vince McMahon’s decision to let him go.

“He had sent a message, I think it was a text message, but he sent a message to Vince McMahon and it was basically complaining about Charlotte’s booking, her situation, and now he’s gone,” said Dave Meltzer.

“Now, I’ve seen it said that it was his decision to leave and I just know from people who I know who are closer to this situation than I am that say that it was Vince’s decision,” Meltzer continued.

As far as Flair possibly ending up in AEW, Meltzer noted that him and Tony Khan are friends.

“Ric had a great contract with WWE, it was exceptional. Ric Flair is also friends with Tony Khan, I mean they’ve been friends for years,” Meltzer continued to say.

The 72-year-old Flair recently posted this picture of what appears to be a new boat:

WWE RAW Results (8/2): Goldberg Responds To Lashley, No Holds Barred Match

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the Allstate Arena in Chicago. Goldberg appeared on the show to respond to WWE Champion Bobby Lashley and Nikki A.S.H. battled Charlotte Flair in a No Holds Barred match in tonight’s main event.

RAW Results (8/2)

  1. Drew Mcintyre def. Shanky & Veer via DQ
  2. Rhea Ripley def. Nia Jax
  3. Mace & T-Bar def. Mansoor & Mustafa Ali
  4. Tamina def. Doudrop
  5. Damian Priest def. John Morrison
  6. Damian Priest & Ricochet def. John Morrison & Sheamus
  7. Omos def. Riddle
  8. Keith Lee def. Karrion Kross
  9. Reginald def. Akira Tozawa to retain the 24/7 Championship
  10. Nikki A.S.H. def. Charlotte Flair in a No Holds Barred Match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Goldberg Attacked MVP

WWE Champion Bobby Lashley kicked off the show and MVP accompanied him to the ring. MVP said he knows the crowd is excited to see Goldberg but they responded with boos. MVP added that Goldberg is used to walking into the coliseum and squashing any other gladiator, but Lashley is not a gladiator. Lashley is an unstoppable force and may end Goldberg’s career.

Goldberg interrupted and made his way to the ring. He shared a moment with his son at the bottom of the entrance ramp. Goldberg said that Lashley should worry about losing the WWE Championship at SummerSlam. Goldberg got right in Lashley’s face and claimed that the WWE Champion looked scared.

Goldberg added that this isn’t a coliseum, it is Chicago and the fans can smell Lashley’s fear. He said that he lives by the Spear, and the champion will die by the Spear. Goldberg shouted that Lashley is next and exited the ring. MVP got out of the ring and started taunting Goldberg’s son. Goldberg rushed down the ramp and leveled MVP with a Spear.

Chairs Are No Match For A Sword

Shanky & Veer faced Drew Mcintyre in a Handicap match that was cut short when Jinder Mahal interfered. The former WWE Champion attacked McIntyre with a steel chair to end the match in a DQ. Mahal, Shanky, and Veer surrounded Drew with chairs but he rolled out of the ring. Drew got back into the ring with the sword and swatted the chairs away. McIntyre posed with the sword as Mahal retreated to end the segment.

Rhea Ripley def. Nia Jax

Nia Jax faced Rhea Ripley tonight on RAW. Jax shoved Ripley to the corner and then shoved her into the ring post. Ripley booted Jax in the back of the head and shoved her out of the ring. Rhea went for a Senton but Nia got out of the way and Ripley landed on Baszler. Jax then planted Ripley with a Samoan Drop on the floor outside the ring as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Nia was still in control and went for another Samoan Drop but Rhea escaped. Ripley went for the Riptide but Shayna hopped on the apron for a distraction. Rhea rolled up Nia for the victory and then Jax & Shayna argued. Shayna left Nia behind and Rhea got back into the ring. Ripley planted Jax with the Riptide and celebrated.

Mace & T-Bar Picked Up A Win

Mansoor & Mustafa Ali faced Mace & T-Bar tonight on RAW. Mace and T-Bar controlled the action early but Ali and Mansoor battled back as the crowd got behind them. Mustafa planted T-Bar with an incredible DDT and tagged in Mansoor. T-Bar kicked Mansoor into the ropes and Mustafa fell off the top turnbuckle. T-Bar then hit Mansoor with a boot to the face for the pinfall victory. After the match, Mace and T-Bar hit Mustafa Ali with a Chokeslam.

Nikki Attacked Charlotte

Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring and brought up Simone Biles withdrawing from the olympics. The crowd started chanting “Becky!” and Flair said that Becky isn’t here and that she was the one that sold out the Allstate Arena. Charlotte boasted about being the 11-time champion and that cashing in the MITB contract is the most cowardly way to win a title. Charlotte complained about being cashed in on three times while throwing weapons into the ring. Flair eventually brought up her No Holds Barred match against Nikki later tonight and A.S.H. attacked her from behind. Nikki hit Flair with a chair to end the segment.

Tamina def. Doudrop

Tamina faced Doudrop tonight on RAW. Eva Marie was ringside for the match. Doudrop and Tamina traded shoulder tackles to begin the action. Tamina sent Doudrop to the canvas and made her way to the top. Eva Marie hopped on the apron for a distraction and Doudrop capitalized by slamming Tamina into the ring post. Doudrop followed it up with an Elbow Drop for a two count. Tamina connected with a Crossbody and sent Doudrop to the corner. Doudrop missed with a Splash and Tamina connected with a Samoan Drop for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Alexa Bliss appeared on the Jumbotron with Lilly. Bliss laughed and said “the loser of this match is Eva Marie”. Later on RAW, Eva Marie & Doudrop attacked Bliss at Alexa’s Playground.

Damian Priest Pinned John Morrison Twice

The Miz and John Morrison came to the ring for an episode of Miz TV. Damian Priest was the guest and they immediately started taunting him. Priest dared The Miz to do something about it and after a painful few minutes, this promo led to a match between Morrison and Priest.

Damian Priest then faced John Morrison in a singles match. Priest had the match in control and made his way to the top turnbuckle. The Miz sprayed the drip stick in his face and Morrison capitalized with a slam on the apron. Morrison rolled up Damian for a near fall and followed it up with a Standing Moonsault for a near fall. Damian connected with a Chokeslam for the pinfall victory.

After the match, United States Champion Sheamus rushed the ring and beat Damian down. Ricochet made the save and leveled Sheamus with a Dropkick. Damian then launched Morrison out of the ring as RAW went to a commercial break.

Ricochet & Damian Priest faced Sheamus & John Morrison in a tag team match with The Miz still ringside. Morrison and Sheamus isolated Ricochet in the corner to start off the match. Sheamus connected with a Clothesline and unloaded some strikes to Ricochet’s midsection. Ricochet hit Sheamus with an Enziguri and followed it up with a Dropkick to Morrison when he tagged in.

Damian tagged in and leveled Morrison with a Clothesline. Priest hit a Backbreaker and followed it up with a Chokeslam but Sheamus broke it up at two. Priest Clotheslined Sheamus out of the ring and Ricochet flipped onto the US Champion. Damian then planted Morrison with the Reckoning for the pinfall victory.

Omos def. Riddle

Riddle faced Omos tonight on RAW and AJ Styles was ringside for the match. Riddle got in some forearms to the face to start off the action but the big man shrugged them off. Omos launched Riddle out of the ring and then over the barricade. Riddle made it back into the ring at the count of nine but Omos quickly sent him back to the outside. Back in the ring, Omos connected with a Chokeslam for the pinfall victory.

Keith Lee def. Karrion Kross

Keith Lee faced Karrion Kross tonight on RAW. Karrion dominated early and connected with an Exploder Suplex in the corner. Kross launched Lee into the steel steps as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, the NXT Champion was still in control. Karrion went for the Krossjacket but Keith was able to escape and threw Kross to the ropes. Keith Lee then hit the Spirit Bomb and pinned the NXT Champion.

Reginald Retained

Reggie/Reginald defended the 24/7 Championship against Akira Tozawa tonight. Tozawa got in some offense early and then shouted at Reginald to stop. Tozawa shouted “Ninja Power” and promptly got hit with a Senton by Reggie for the pinfall victory.

Nikki A.S.H. Pinned Charlotte Flair

Charlotte Flair faced RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. in a non-title No Holds Barred match. Charlotte slammed Nikki into the turnbuckle and went for a Splash but Nikki got out of the way. Flair stayed on the attack with some elbows to the face before sending the RAW Women’s Champion out of the ring.

Flair started clearing off the announce table and throwing tablets around. Charlotte brought out a table from under the ring but it allowed time for Nikki to regroup. Nikki sent Charlotte into the ring post but Flair battled back as Rhea Ripley was shown watching from backstage.

Nikki and Charlotte traded kicks and chops but Flair got the better of the exchange. Charlotte connected with a Fallaway Slam on the floor outside the ring and then Spears Nikki through the barricade as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Charlotte and Nikki were battling on the turnbuckle. Nikki went for a Crossbody but Charlotte got out of the way and the champion crashed to the canvas. Charlotte hit a big boot to the face and went for the cover but pulled Nikki up at two. Charlotte hit another boot to the face and stopped the count at two again.

Flair grabbed a chair from under the ring but turned around into a Dropkick through the ropes. Nikki followed it up with a Tornado DDT onto the floor outside the ring. Charlotte threw Nikki over the barricade and posed for the crowd as they booed. Flair then Powerbombed Nikki through the announce table and a “yes!” chant broke out.

Charlotte brought Nikki back into the ring and placed her boot on her midsection for a pin but Nikki kicked out at two. Charlotte went for a Spear but Nikki got out of the way and Flair crashed through a table in the corner of the ring. Nikki went for the cover but Flair kicked out at two. Nikki then planted Flair with a Swinging Neckbreaker for the pinfall victory.

Goldberg vs. Bobby Lashley Confirmed For WWE SummerSlam

Andrew Ravens
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WWE had teased it happening and so it did, the confirmation of Goldberg challenging Bobby Lashley for the WWE Title at SummerSlam was made official during Monday’s episode of Raw. 

It happened after the opening segment where Goldberg sent a warning to Lashley. MVP had started talking trash to Goldberg’s son at ringside and the WWE Hall of Famer speared MVP. Later in the show, Lashley accepted the challenge and told Goldberg to bring his son so he could watch his father get annihilated. 

Back on the July 19th episode of Raw, Goldberg confronted Lashley, who had just beaten Keith Lee in a singles match. Goldberg came out to a mixed reaction and told Lashley that he was next. Lashley wanted to fight right then, but MVP held him back. MVP later stated that the disrespect from Goldberg wouldn’t dignify a response from them. 

There had been speculation that Lashley could end up defending the WWE Title against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam, but Lesnar has yet to come to terms with WWE regarding a return. 

WWE holds the SummerSlam pay-per-view event on Saturday, August 21 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Allegiant Stadium which will air on Peacock. This is the top match on the card from Raw. 

Lio Rush Is Medically Cleared For In-Ring Return

Andrew Ravens
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Lio Rush is ready to return to the ring. 

Rush took to Twitter to announce that he’s been cleared after three months of rehab. He’s been sidelined since suffering an AC injury in the Casino Battle Royale at AEW Double or Nothing. This marked his AEW debut as he was the surprise entrant in the match.

He wrote,“Every single day for the past 3 months I’ve been in rehab working harder than I ever have before. Happy to announce that today….I’ve been cleared.”

Back in June, Rush announced his plans to retire because he felt fulfilled with his professional wrestling career and was happy to be moving on to be a better father and husband.

Rush was released from WWE last year along with several other wrestlers due to budget cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic. He continued his career by working for MLW and NJPW. 

Although he wants out of the wrestling business, he plans to continue his contractual agreements with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Rush is advertised for upcoming NJPW events including Resurgence on August 14 and Fighting Spirit Unleashed on August 16.

Britt Baker Comments On Adam Cole Possibly Joining AEW

Andrew Ravens
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Adam Cole reportedly will have the decision to either re-sign with WWE or test the waters as a free agent. The contract of the former NXT Champion will expire later this month shortly after SummerSlam. 

AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker, who has been dating Cole for the past few years, recently did an interview with the Daily Star before the report about Cole’s status came out. 

During the discussion, Baker was asked about the possibility of Cole jumping ship to All Elite Wrestling and if he would do it for her.

“He has got to hold down Tuesday night and I’ll hold down Wednesday night, right?! I think it’s funny when people say, ‘He has to go to AEW because of Britt!’ because there are so many more people at AEW who have played a bigger role in the wrestling side of his life.”

I Just Want Him To Be Happy

Baker continued by noting that The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega were in the Bullet Club for the majority of the time that Cole was a big star in ROH so he was around them. She noted that his history with some of the top stars in AEW would create endless storylines for Cole. 

“But he’s happy where he is. So, if he were to jump ship and come my way, that would be awesome, but if he stays in WWE forever then I’d be happy, too, as I just want him to be happy.”

Cole nor WWE has yet to publicly comment on his contract status. It was reported that WWE executives were surprised to learn that they had let the expiration date of Cole’s contract get so close without realizing it was set to end.

Alexa Bliss Throws First Pitch At Chicago White Sox Game (Video)

Michael Reichlin
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Alexa Bliss threw the ceremonial first pitch at Sunday’s Chicago White Sox baseball game at Wrigley Field. She was joined by her fiancé, pop star Ryan Cabrera.

WWE is currently in Chicago for Monday’s Raw at the sold-out Allstate Arena.

Bliss was good luck for Sox, who picked up a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Check out this video of Alexa Bliss throwing the ceremonial first pitch at Sunday’s White Sox game:

https://twitter.com/whitesox/status/1422021045876404233

Update On When Becky Lynch Is Expected Back In WWE

Chris Stephens
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Fans expecting to see Becky Lynch back in WWE as soon as SummerSlam might be in for a bit of a disappointment. According to a report from PW Insider, Lynch is not expected to be at SummerSlam and the word going around backstage in WWE is that she won’t be back until the fall. October was discussed as when she may be back.

Lynch has not wrestled a match since WrestleMania 36. She successfully defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Shayna Baszler on that show. Lynch would later vacate the title, giving it to 2020 Money in the Bank winner Asuka.

Lynch gave birth to her and Seth Rollins’ first child Roux in December. The pair got married on June 29th, 2021.

In WWE, Lynch is a 4x World Champion. She’s held the Smackdown Women’s Championship on 3 occasions. Lynch became the inaugural holder of the belt at Backlash in 2016. She ranks in at #2 in terms of days spent with the Smackdown Women’s title behind only Bayley. Lynch is also a 1x RAW Women’s Champion. Her title reign beginning from WrestleMania 35 all the way to the night after Money in the Bank 2020 was the longest single reign with the belt in history at 373 days.

Lynch has teased returning at the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, and Money in the Bank so far this year.

AEW “First Dance” In Chicago Sells Out

Chris Stephens
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AEW’s “First Dance” event on Friday August 20th inside Chicago’s United Center has sold out. Over 12,000 tickets were sold during the presale last Friday. Tickets went on sale to the general public today and the rest sold quickly. In total, 13, 654 tickets have been distributed to the event.

Just under 5000 seats in the venue will likely be behind the stage or camera setup. It’s possible more tickets open up closer to the date of the show.

It’s a big next month for wrestling in Chicago. Tonight’s episode of WWE RAW will emanate from the Allstate Arena in the city. The show is a near sellout of over 12,000.

AEW First Dance will technically be the second ever episode of Rampage. The first edition of the show will be on Friday, August 13th, in Pittsburgh.

Other Event Ticket Sales

NJPW has just over 2000 tickets distributed for NJPW Resurgence from the LA Coliseum on August 14th.

The NWA 73rd Anniversary show in St. Louis at the end of the month is almost sold out. Capacity for the show is just under 900.

WWE SummerSlam has just under 45,000 tickets distributed.

WWE Announces Ric Flair Has Been Released

Michael Reichlin
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2-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has been granted his release. The company confirmed the news on Tuesday morning. Contrary to common practice, WWE did not wish him the best in his future endeavors.

The 16-time World Champion is one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time. His daughter, Charlotte, remains with the company.

His most recent on-camera appearance with WWE occurred back in February 2021. He was involved in a romantic storyline with Lacey Evans, who was feuding with Charlotte. The angle was dropped after Evans legitimately became pregnant.

During an interview with Ariel Helwani back in May, Flair revealed that he and Lacy Evans were both very uncomfortable with the storyline. He was angry about what WWE creative came up with, but went along with the angle in an effort to be a team player.

Ric Flair issued the following statement regarding his departure from WWE. The Nature Boy says WWE granted his request and there are no hard feelings on his end. “We have a different vision for my future.” He’s not upset and wishes them nothing but continued success.

AEW Signs TV Deal In India For Dynamite & Rampage

Chris Stephens
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AEW has signed a deal with Eurosport India to broadcast episodes of AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage. According to a report from Sportskeeda, the first broadcast will be on Sunday August 15th, 2021 which happens to be Independence Day in the country.

Eurosport India also broadcasts episodes of Impact Wrestling and NJPW. WWE is broadcast on Sony Sports India.

Tony Khan was quoted in a press release announcing the news.

“In less then two years since launching AEW DYNAMITE, we’ve started a professional wrestling revolution,” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “Through our partnership with Eurosport India, we’re looking forward to showcasing the best professional wrestling that fans in India demand and deserve.”

“We were an instant success in the U.S., and now fans across the world are discovering AEW, feeling refreshed and excited about professional wrestling again. We can’t wait for fans in India to experience our dynamic storytelling, high-flying action and incredible roster of global stars and homegrown talent on a weekly basis.”

The deal comes just as AEW is getting ready to begin airing its 2nd show. AEW Rampage will debut a week from Friday on August 13th, 2021 from Pittsburgh.

Josh Alexander: I Beat Kenny Omega 99 Times Out Of 100

Michael Reichlin
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X Division Champion Josh Alexander doesn’t know if he’ll ever get to face Impact World Champion Kenny Omega, but if he does, he thinks he beats Omega 99 times out of 100.

SEScoops correspondent Mike Shalik spoke with the Walking Weapon last week about a wide variety of topics, including:

  • How Impact Wrestling has changed since he joined in 2019
  • His vision for the X Division, as champion
  • Injuries in wrestling and how his neck is doing
  • The feeling in the locker room about outside talent appearing in Impact
  • A possible Impact x AEW x New Japan super-show
  • Ambitions to wrestle in Japan

Josh Alexander vs. Kenny Omega?

We also asked Josh Alexander about his recent back encounter with Kenny Omega on Impact TV. He says fans blew up his social media at the prospect of this match, but he doesn’t think Omega would ever agree to fight him. If they did cross paths inside the squared circle, Alexander is convinced he beats the Belt Collector 99 times out of 100.

“I do not think Kenny Omega wants to face me,” he said. “I don’t think he has any intention of ever getting in the ring with me. So I think him chirping and saying his little comments like that, that’s just his way to try to get a rise out of me and everybody else.”

Alexander continued, “It gets people talking and wanting the match. I think my social media blew up more than probably anything ever has before, just in the anticipation for that possibly being a match, so it’s what people want to see. It’s good for business and it’s good for everybody else. I think it’s something that should happen. whether it does or not, not up to me, unfortunately. If that match ever were to happen, I would bet on me 99 times out of 100.”

Check out our full interview with Josh Alexander:

https://youtu.be/9Q_lAWDE6hI

JoJo Offerman No Longer With WWE

Chris Stephens
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JoJo Offerman, the wife of the recently released Bray Wyatt, is no longer with WWE either. According to a report from PW Insider, Offerman was released from the company approximately 5-6 months ago. She had been with the company since 2013.

The daughter of former MLB player Jose Offerman, JoJo joined WWE following her time on Total Divas. From 2013-15, Offerman was the ring announcer for NXT. In 2015, she began doing ring announcing duties on the main roster as well.

Wyatt and Offerman have two children together. They welcomed their first son, Knash Sixx Rotunda, into the world on May 18, 2019. Their second child, Hyrie Von Rotunda, was born on May 28th, 2020.

Did Bray Wyatt Predict His Own Release?

A fan on Twitter recently noted that Wyatt’s last edition of the FireFly FunHouse may have predicted his own release.

“We will always have each other. As a matter of fact, I feel great. I think it’s going to be a brand new start for all of us. A new season, new friends, and a brand new me!” Wyatt says in segment. “I feel reborn! I feel reborn!”

Wyatt responded to this theory in the Tweet below:

Damian Priest Still Wants NXT Championship Run

Jake Skudder
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WWE RAW Superstar and former NXT North American Champion Damian Priest recently appeared on the Battleground Podcast. The man who teamed with Bad Bunny at WrestleMania 37 discussed several topics during the show, including the NXT Championship.

“I mean, there’s a lot of guys that I wish I could have had the opportunity to work with” Damian Priest began, discussing the talent in NXT that he didn’t get a chance to work with originally.

“Obviously, that’s not saying that we were never going to work because it’s still WWE, right? Whether it happens here or I go back or whatever. But yeah, there are definitely more moments, there are definitely championships. I wanted to be the NXT Champion” Priest continued.

Damian Priest on NXT Run

“You know, unfortunately, I didn’t get that opportunity. But again, you never know, you know, Finn Balor’s done it, you know, so I don’t see why not down the line” Priest added, citing the NXT return of Finn Balor in 2019.

“If that opportunity presents itself, I’ll take advantage of it. But at the same time, there are no regrets about how I did things. I mean, obviously, everything worked out the way it should have.”

DAMIAN PRIEST

“I got to have good experiences, I got to become North American Champion. I got to have great matches with a lot of incredible talent. So at the end of the day, it was still a successful and positive NXT run” Damian Priest concluded.

WWE Superstars ‘concerned’ about their status following Bray Wyatt release

Jake Skudder
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WWE announced the shock release of Bray Wyatt over the weekend. The news broke Saturday evening, and several stories regarding the backstage situation and talent have been leaked over the past couple of days.

According to a report from Fightful Select, several WWE Superstars now do not feel ‘safe’ in their roles with the company, even the upper card talent who have seen the likes of Braun Strowman and now Wyatt released.

Bray Wyatt Release Concerns Talent

The official reason for Bray Wyatt being released from WWE was ‘budget cuts,’ at least this is what the talent where told over the weekend. Many believe that there is far more to the story, but we will have to wait to hear directly from the man himself.

In addition to being a third-generation wrestler and multi-time world champion, Bray Wyatt was one of the top merchandise movers in WWE over the past decade. The general feeling amongst WWE talent has been that if Wyatt is expendable, what does that mean from everyone else?

It’s not confirmed exactly which talents are concerned about their positions, and it is likely we won’t get any names, anytime soon.

There has been a lot of talk online about Bray Wyatt now making his way over to AEW, with some hoping that he join the Dark Order stable to ‘continue the work’ of his friend Brodie Lee who of course passed away late last year.

Juventud Guerrera Cuts Promo On Chris Jericho

Chris Stephens
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This week on AEW Dynamite, the 3rd “Labor of Jericho” match will take place. Chris Jericho will face his old rival from WCW, Juventud Guerrera. Ahead of the match, Juvi posted a promo to social media directed at the former AEW World Champion.

“I want to dedicate this match to my mentor and best friend, Eddie Guerrero. So, I want everybody to be there next Wednesday and start chanting the Juice’s name! Juvi Juvi! Let’s get juicy!” he says in the video.

“MJF, I got this my friend. Chris Jericho, you took my mask but I will take your soul. Because when the Juice says so, the Juice makes so. And this is the proof, I see you Wednesday!”

AEW Dynamite Preview

The 1st Labor of Jericho saw Jericho face Shawn Spears in a match where chairs were legal for Spears but not for Jericho. Last week, the 2nd Labor of Jericho saw him take on Nick Gage in a deathmatch.

5 matches have been confirmed for the August 4th edition of Dynamite.

  1. Malakai Black vs. Cody Rhodes
  2. TNT Championship
    Miro (c) vs. Lee Johnson (w/Dustin Rhodes)
  3. Christian Cage (w/Jungle Boy) vs. The Blade (w/Matt Hardy)
  4. NWA World Women’s Title Eliminator Match
    The Bunny vs. Leyla Hirsch
  5. 3rd Labor of Jericho
    Chris Jericho vs Juventud Guerrera

Adam Cole’s WWE Contract Recently Expired

Alex Laybourne
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There are not many NXT (or WWE superstars) better than Adam Cole. He has wrestled across the globe and has been part of several great factions. Most notably, Bullet Club and Undisputed Era.

However, news has recently broken that Adam Cole’s contract with NXT expired last month and he has since been agreed a one-month extension while WWE try to thrash out a new deal for their star. The news was originally broken this weekend by Wrestling Inc’s Raj Giri, who confirmed that Cole’s original deal expired just after the NXT Great American Bash PPV.

The expiration reportedly took WWE officials by surprise, as most believed Adam Cole’s contract ran until December. Cole agreed on a short term, one-month extension but is said to be considering different options. This is reported as including several options that lie beyond the professional wrestling sphere.

Fans of WWE and NXT will be hoping that this short-term deal is merely giving both Cole and WWE the chance to discuss a long-term deal.

Adam Cole Has Been the Face of NXT Since Arriving

Adam Cole signed for WWE, joining their NXT brand in 2017. Since then, he has been one of the leading figures in both storylines and memorable matches. As the leader of Undisputed Era, he wrote his way into NXT history. With Cole at their helm, Era became the most successful faction on the brand. A good argument could be made for their placing in the top lists of all WWE factions.

During his time in NXT, Adam Cole has won every belt going. This includes being the inaugural North American Champion and the longest-reigning NXT champion. His title reign spanned 403 days.

With the high number of releases happing in WWE this year, including the recent shock release of Bray Wyatt, it would seem unlikely that they would be happy for Adam Cole to walk away also. Hopefully, a new deal can be reached and we can all carry on watching Cole and Kyle O’Reilly fight forever.

Jon Moxley Talks the Original Plan for Wild Thing Entrance Theme

Alex Laybourne
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When Jon Moxley came to the ring to the sound of Wild Thing many fans were a little confused. Why change it? Talking in a recent interview with Cincy 360, Mox talked about the original plan for the theme. The original intention was for a one night only use of the song for his now infamous exploding barbed wire deathmatch with Kenny Omega. However, because the rights didn’t come through in time, plans needed to be changed.

“So we’re doing this Exploding Barbed Wire match,” Moxley said. “And I was being compared to the innovator of that, who’s called Atsushi Onita, who’s a Japanese wrestler who came out to that (song). A month before Tony (Khan) was like, we’re talking about it and Tony, who is the owner and booker and so forth, he goes ‘should we get ‘Wild Thing’ for that?’ Just for one night for the Exploding Match. And I was like ‘no that’s too derivative. No, it’s too much.’ And then a week before I started thinking about it again and I was like ‘well it might be cool for one night. People might get the reference. Just for that one night, I was like ‘let’s do it.’ By then it was too late, and we couldn’t get the rights for it or whatever.

Jon Moxley Is Happy with His New Entrance Theme

However, Tony Khan did manage to get the rights and surprised Jon Moxley with the tune ahead of his match with Yuji Nagata. The Japanese reference was still there for the Onita comparisons.

“But then it came through a couple of weeks later, and I was in the ring with Yuji Nagata. And I thought it was the ‘Season of the Witch’ playing. I was like ‘why is Season of the Witch playing right now?’ And after the match, I heard it was like the original, the Troggs ‘Wild Thing.’ I was like ‘oh, they must’ve got ‘Wild Thing’ after all. That’s my music now.’ And they then changed it to the X version, the Major League version. So, it kind of just happened by accident. But if the people like it, I like it. So that’s all that matters. I’m into it, it’s cool.”

There is a funny irony about a man like Jon Moxley getting ushered to the ring by a tune such as Wild Thing. However, somehow, it works perfectly.

Josh Alexander Wants to Face AEW Star at Bound for Glory

Alex Laybourne
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Since winning the X Division Championship in April this year, Josh Alexander has ridden high. Facing challenges from not only within IMPACT Wrestling but from AAA and New Japan Pro Wrestling also. Now, the man dubbed the Walking Weapon has his eyes set on a star from rival promotion, AEW.

“Black Taurus, you were AAA’s best. If we look at my title reign, I’ve beaten someone from New Japan that’s supposedly the best, someone from AAA that’s supposedly the best, I have run through the entire IMPACT X-Division. So maybe I need to look elsewhere.” Josh Alexander said in a tweet sent out by IMPACT.

 “We’re talking about all these different promotions coming at Bound for Glory. AEW, yeah, you know who I’m talking about. I’m saying you give me your best, and we will see which division matters most in this company.”

Josh Alexander Wants to Defend His Belt Against the Best

Josh Alexander never backs down from a fight. He is a fighting champion in every sense of the word. This is demonstrated by his recent match with Black Taurus at Homecoming and the 60-minute Iron Man match with TJP.

It is not clear who exactly in AEW Alexander is calling out, but there are plenty of names on the roster who could be a good fit. Professional wrestling is seeing a throwback style resurgence since opening the ‘Forbidden Door’. Champions from one promotion contracted to others. It is a great time to be a pro-wrestling fan.

As a current champion, Josh Alexander knows the importance of keeping the belt in the company that employs him. Especially with Kenny Omega holding the IMPACT World Championship right now. When IMPACT Bound for Glory comes around, and Alexander’s opponent is announced, he will be fighting extra hard to make sure the belt stays where it belongs.

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