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Levi Cooper on Why Heavy Machinery Never Won WWE Tag Team Titles

Alex Laybourne
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Levi Cooper – formerly known as Tucker in WWE – recently joined Joey Karni for a chat on The Angle Podcast. During the chat, he naturally spoke about his time as part of Heavy Machinery. Despite being loved by the fans during their run, the team never won a single championship in WWE.

Levi Cooper was happy to share his thoughts on why this was, and why he isn’t bothered by that fact.

“At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think maybe a part of the reason we didn’t get those [Tag Team Titles] is because we were able to get over on our own. We’re this big babyface team, you listen to the crowd when we come out. They love us they’re all about us, you don’t need to put the straps on us for them to be like ‘hey we like these guys and we’re all about them, we’re already all about them.” Levi Cooper explained.

Levi Cooper Feels Titles Are Secondary When It Comes to Success

As he spoke, Levi Cooper expanded on his theory regarding Heavy Machinery. Explaining how he viewed the use of tag team titles in wrestling. Viewing them as props that are used to get certain teams to where they need to be, rather than a reflection of one team necessarily being better than the rest.

“Championships are… for a lack of a better term television props. It’s the prize that’s fought over when there’s a protagonist and an antagonist, they have to both want the same thing for that conflict to work. In a wrestling setting, that’s what the championship exists for. Obviously, the main championship, the top prize that comes with a level of stature. There’s a realness about being that guy… The tag championships for me, it doesn’t mean that we’re any better or worse than any other tag team, it’s just a part of our television atmosphere and what we do. And of course, we’re gonna try and get those, but when we were having conversations together me and Otis, it was about how do we think the audience is gonna react to us, versus what do we need to do to get those tag team championships.” Levi Cooper said.

Championships are used to proclaim a person or team as being the best. However, there is a reality to Levi Cooper’s words. They don’t sound bitter, or resentful, but rather down to earth and straightforward. Every wrestler wants to win titles. However, real success and true character is not driven by gold, but by a connection with the fan base.

Booker T On Reports Of Daniel Bryan’s AEW Signing

Anutosh Bajpai
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Recent reports of former world champion Daniel Bryan signing a contract with AEW have excited fans. WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T recently commented on it.

The former WCW star talked about this major development on the latest episode of his Hall Of Fame podcast. He said that he is not going to hate this decision.

Booker explained how WWE shouldn’t hate the decision either, giving the example of basketball players who change teams every year. He then mentioned how Bryan will be able to do his own thing in AEW:

“One thing about Daniel Bryan and AEW, he’s going to be able to pretty much write his own ticket, go out and have the matches that he wants to have. Go ahead and create the stories that he wants to create.

That’s what guys want to do, they want to be able to do their own thing” said Booker T, “And AEW has given a lot of these guys a chance to do their own thing.”

Daniel Bryan’s contract with WWE expired in May this year. While WWE officials were said to be pushing hard to re-sign him, there hadn’t been any positive update in the direction since then.

A report then came out earlier this week that claimed the former world champion has made his choice. It mentions that he has officially signed a contract with AEW and his debut date for the promotion is already set.

Edge Wants to Have a Wrestlemania Moment Against John Cena

Alex Laybourne
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Any long-term WWE fan will remember the heated rivalry between Edge and John Cena back in 2006. The pair had undeniable chemistry, with their feud running for ten months and an impressive eleven singles matches.

Talking during his recent appearance on The Kurt Angle Show, Edge spoke about his feud with Cena and revealed the one match they never had.

Edge spoke fondly of the recently returned Cena and said their chemistry worked because they were both on the same page from the get-go. Both understood the point of the feud and the expected end result.

“When I got to John, and we kind of got on the same page and he realized what I was out to do, which was just that, to make him Superman. Once we both had that understanding. Then, we were off and running, because I don’t think that program was supposed to last more than three weeks.” Edge explained.

Edge and John Cena Have Never Met at Wrestlemania

One fact that Edge raised during his chat was that while he and John Cena have fought many times over the years. There was one event where they are yet to clash.

“The only thing was with John and I, we never wrestled a one-on-one at WrestleMania. Which is crazy, right? We worked everything else, but.”

The pair have not faced off in a ring since 2010, however, now, in 2021, both men are active on WWE programming once more. Currently, Edge and Cena both have feuds taking place on Smackdown. Edge with Seth Rollins, and Cena with Roman Reigns. It is not inconceivable to think that the pair could still get their shared Wrestlemania moment.

“I’m back. The scent is in the air. You never know, it could happen one day.” From the sound of things, Edge thinks it could happen too. Whether there are titles on the line or not, there is no denying the fact that a match between them would be a perfect fit for any card.

Kevin Nash on Acting and the “Perfect Role I’ve Always Wanted To Play.”

Alex Laybourne
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Listening to Kevin Nash chat with Stone Cold Steve Austin is something special. The two nattered like long lost buddies catching up on old times. During his recent appearance on Broken Skull Sessions, Nash and Austin spoke about a great many things. One of which was acting, which seems to be the go-to backup profession for wrestlers these days.

Kevin Nash admitted that he would love to get into film and tv work. Nash admitted during the talk that opportunities would likely be limited for him, given his size. However, he did reveal there was already a role out there he wanted to claim as his own.

“I love to act,” Kevin Nash said. “Like right now, Rob Zombie’s got the rights to The Munsters. I’d love to play Herman. The thing is, there’s a sensibility and femininity in Herman Munster. That would be if I had to pick the perfect role that I’ve always wanted to play.”

As of the time of writing, there is no official word on who has been cast for any roles in the Munsters reboot. However, it is believed all roles have been filled.

Kevin Nash is No Stranger to the Big Screen

While Kevin Nash is correct, a big man may struggle to find roles in most conventional movies, he is certainly no stranger to the camera.

Nash has acted in films dating back to 1991. Then, he played the role of Super Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. In fact, Kevin Nash has quite a number of small productions under his belt.

It’s not surprising that so many wrestlers turn towards acting when their in-ring careers begin drawing to a close. A large part of wrestling is developing a character and performing night after night. Skills that will serve you well on the big screen. Just look at the success of The Rock or John Cena.

Kevin Nash is a talented man, and he is right about one thing. The role of Herman Munster would be perfect for him.

W. Morrissey Reveals His Contractual Status With Impact Wrestling

Anutosh Bajpai
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W. Morrissey better known to WWE fans as Big Cass has created a spot for himself in the Impact Wrestling roster since his debut for the promotion in April earlier this year. The former WWE star recently appeared on the Pro Wrestling 4 Life podcast, where he discussed his current run and future in Impact Wrestling.

During the interview, Morrissey claimed that he doesn’t know how long his run with Impact will last. When asked if he is under contract with the promotion, the heavyweight star revealed that he is signed until October:

“I wasn’t at first, but I am signed with IMPACT until Bound For Glory in October. Things could change tomorrow. We’ll see. We’re kind of going on a ‘feel’ basis. They brought me in and I’m not stupid, I understand I’m a high risk because they don’t know what they’re getting.

We’ve gone taping by taping and they were like, ‘We’ll sign you up until Bound For Glory’ and that was cool with me” said W. Morrissey, “because I’m not interested in signing anything long-term right now. It worked out perfectly. I’m there until October for right now.”

Big Cass made his Impact Wrestling debut during the Rebellion PPV in April. He was revealed as a surprise replacement for Eric Young in an 8 men tag match.

He has been on a PPV winning streak since then. W. Morrissey defeated Rich Swann at Against All Odds and Willie Mack at Under Siege. He then beat Eddie Edwards in a singles match at this past Sunday’s Slammiversary.

WWE SummerSlam To Be Shown In Select Movie Theaters

Alex Laybourne
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WWE is a brand that is known the world over. Say what you want about their creative side, but when it comes to branding, they know what they are doing. In their most recent move, the company has announced a deal with Iconic Events Releasing.

The deal will see Summerslam, and other WWE PPVs broadcast in movie theaters around the United States. WWE broke the news of their Iconic Events Releasing deal on their website yesterday.

“Iconic Events Releasing is proud to be in partnership with WWE to bring their incredible brand to movie theaters coast to coast,” said Iconic CEO Steve Bunnell. “Summerslam is a marquee event that demands to be seen on the big screen, with big sound, in an auditorium full of excited fans.”

Summerslam is also available live on the Peacock Network. Streaming a PPV directly to theaters is a new first for WWE. It is unclear if WWE plans to use their relationship with Iconic to show every PPV or just their core shows. Events like Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summerslam and Survivor Series.

WWE and Iconic Events Releasing Just Made Summerslam Even Bigger

Often touted as the biggest event of the summer, WWE Summerslam 2021 was already shaping up to be a huge event. Live crowds and the return of John Cena and living legend Goldberg has fans chomping at the bit. However, with the Iconic Events Releasing partnership, everything about Summerslam just got that much bigger.

Yes, you can still watch the event at home, however, there is something special about watching anything in a movie theatre. Seeing the wrestling on a truly big screen, with the volume cranked up high. It would certainly be a memorable experience. You can get tickets from local box offices or online through the Iconic Events Releasing website.

Mark Henry Says His Retirement Match Is ‘Definitely Gonna Happen In AEW’

Anutosh Bajpai
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While Mark Henry has spent his entire pro wrestling career in WWE, the former world champion is determined to have his final match in AEW.

The WWE Hall Of Famer recently made an appearance on Battleground podcast. He reiterated his comments about preparing for a retirement match.

Henry said that his retirement match is ‘definitely gonna happen in AEW’. Though he explained that it’s not going to happen anytime soon :

“Well, it’s definitely gonna happen in AEW, It’s not going to be anytime soon, I think. I want to be 100%. I am still nursing injuries from 4 years ago.

The wrestling business is a tough business, it’s not meant for everybody.” said Mark Henry, “Being in my home state, it would be cool to be able to do that, but not at this current time.”

The former WWE star then discussed his upcoming commentary gig as part of AEW’s second TV show Rampage. He claimed that he wants to compete with people such as Jim Ross and Pat McAfee in his new position.

AEW Rampage will be premiering on TNT on Friday, August 13 at 10 PM right after SmackDown. Mark Henry will be one of the commentators and a top AEW star is expected to join him in the commentary booth.

Mark Henry Talks Jade Cargill’s Superstar Potential

Alex Laybourne
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AEW’s newest member of the announcement team, Mark Henry has spoken up about working for AEW and in particular, Jade Cargill.

Mark Henry believes that Cargill has everything it takes to be a major star for the promotion despite only being involved in wrestling for a very short time.

“Jade is going to be a superstar. I’ve told her recently, I said, ‘You’re me. You are a star, you are a celebrity. Without a doubt, she will do all of it. She’s going to have to get to the point where she can wake up at 4 in the morning and if somebody grabs her in a headlock, she’ll know exactly what to do. In this industry, there is a lot to learn, and if you want to learn it at a good clip, but you don’t want to learn so fast that you get injured and that’s kind of the thing. She has tried to do things she probably shouldn’t be doing yet, and she has gotten injured. So, we’re going to slow down, work on the fundamentals, and let her evolve.”

“It took me three years, and she’s been in it less than one. So, the Jade Cargill that we’re going to get in three years is going to be one of the main event players on the show. She is already ‘must-see TV’. We’ll be talking about her like we talked about Kenny Omega in three years.” Mark Henry explained. Talking during an appearance on the Battleground podcast.

Mark Henry Was Been Jade Cargills Mentor Before Either Signed for AEW

It is no secret that Mark Henry knew Jade Cargill before both signed for AEW. It was thanks to Henry that Cargill started training at Heath Slaters wrestling school. Jade has also made sure that people know she views Mark Henry as her mentor in the wrestling world.

Jade Cargill is a woman just starting her wrestling career and had her first-ever match live on AEW Dynamite. It’s oddly poetic that Mark Henry intends to have his last ever match on the same show. Possible Elevation, but that lacks the poetry this piece needed.

Hearing the enthusiasm in Mark Henry’s voice when he talks about Cargill’s potential in a wrestling ring certainly makes you take notice. She has already accomplished a lot in a short time and certainly seems to have the tools necessary to succeed.

AEW Applies for New Entertainment Services Trademark

Alex Laybourne
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The going is good right now for All Elite Wrestling. The return of fans has boosted their viewing figures, and Fyter Fest proved to be a very exciting occasion with plenty of surprises. It seems as if there is a new announcement every single week. Not to mention recent rumours of both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan signing for the company. It has also just been discovered that All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has applied for a new trademark. This time for the term The First Dance.

The First Dance trademark is for Entertainment Services which is described as:

“THE FIRST DANCE trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of educational and entertainment services, namely, a continuing program about wrestling accessible by radio, television, satellite, audio, video and computer networks; Entertainment services in the nature of development, creation, production, distribution, and post-production of wrestling programs and events; Entertainment services in the nature of live wrestling performances; Entertainment services in the nature of production of television shows and multimedia entertainment content featuring wrestling programs and events; Entertainment services, namely, production and distribution of ongoing television programs in the field of wrestling; Entertainment services, namely, providing ongoing webisodes featuring wrestling via a global computer network; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing multimedia program featuring wrestling distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing series featuring wrestling provided through a global computer network; Providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network.

The First Dance is the Latest AEW Trademark to be Filed

This is not the first time news has broken for AEW trademarks. Earlier reports included their application for Battle for the Belts. While we are yet to hear that name associated with AEW, it shows their intentions and echoes their penchant for forward planning. The First Dance certainly has an interesting air to it and would make a great PPV name.

As of the time of writing, nothing more is known about how AEW plan to use The First Dance should they be given the trademark for it. However, with their plans for regular TNT specials and ongoing PPVs already known, it makes sense to assume this will fall into one of those open slots.

AEW has proven itself to be a well-run company, making decisions that are thought out and well planned. Don’t expect them to throw The First Dance around before they knew exactly how and when the music will start to play.

Jay White To Make In-Ring Debut For Impact Wrestling Next Week

Anutosh Bajpai
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NJPW Never Openweight Champion Jay White made his Impact Wrestling debut during the Slammiversary PPV last Sunday. The company has now confirmed the date for his in ring debut as well.

This week’s episode of Impact Wrestling saw the Bullet Club leader offering Impact Wrestling star Chris Bey a spot in the nefarious faction. Though Bey initially declined the offer.

White called out the Elite later in the show claiming that they were not relevant anymore. The segment led to The Good Brothers attacking White and delivering a nasty beatdown.

This was until Chris Bey came out to help the NJPW star. The former X Division champion helped make things even. The duo then sent the team of Gallows and Anderson retreating.

Impact Wrestling announced after this that Jay White will return to the show next week. He will make his in ring debut for the promotion and team up with Bey to take on The Good Brothers in a tag team match.

There is no word yet on who could be Kenny Omega’s next challenger but the recent interactions between him and Jay White are suggesting that we are gonna see a rematch between these two sooner rather than later.

Triple H On WWE Looking For Ways To Attract More Fans

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Thunderdome era saw WWE scoring some of the lowest TV ratings in their history. WWE officials seem to have taken note of this. Triple H recently talked about their efforts to bring the attention of fans back to the WWE product.

Dan Gelston of The Associated Press did a story looking back at the Thunderdome era of wrestling and the effect the lack of fans had on WWE programming.

Talking about the record low ratings, Triple H said that the company will “take a hard look” at how it can attract more fans to the product each week. He then explained how they are seeing it as a moment in time to shift everything:

“It never is one thing; we see this as a moment in time to shift everything. I think you’ll see it in just the layout of everything, the set designs, the way it’s presented.

There’s a greater emphasis on utilizing the spaces that we have and the TV aspect of it while still engaging the fans.” said Triple H, “A lot of that comes from the time we had to experiment inside the Thunderdome.”

The article also featured comments from the Universal champion Roman Reigns. He explained why the situation would have been better if they were doing it in front of live crowds, claiming that crowd response keeps you sharp.

Triple H went on to praise the Tribal Chief for his performance during the pandemic era. The Game claimed that Reigns has been able to bring a level of emotion to his performance that wouldn’t have been possible with the fans cheering or booing over him.

Backstage News On Thunder Rosa Signing AEW Contract

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW announced earlier today that former NWA women’s champion Thunder Rosa has finally signed an official contract with the promotion. While she has been a regular for AEW in recent months, the news of her signing still surprised many because she was under contract with NWA until the end of this year.

In an update to this development, Fightful Select is reporting that Rosa was able to sign with AEW after a buyout of her NWA contract was orchestrated. The site noted that AEW officials including the boss Tony Khan are careful about not tampering with contracts. The company wanted to play by the book in the situation with NWA.

Thunder Rosa had previously asked for a release in 2020 but her request was declined at the time. Previous reports have revealed that Tony Khan and NWA president Billy Corgan have worked with each other in the past, though whether they were directly involved in the negotiation over Rosa is unknown.

  • Cris Cyborg Wants Thunder Rosa in an AEW MMA Fight

The former Lucha Underground star made her AEW debut back in August 2020. She has been making regular appearances for the promotion ever since. Thunder Rosa is already used as one of the top stars of AEW’s women’s division. Now after her signing with the promotion, the officials are free to build long-term storylines around the female star.

Gail Kim On If Impact Wrestling Will Be Affected When Kenny Omega Leaves

Anutosh Bajpai
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Impact Wrestling has been focusing on Kenny Omega and other visiting stars for their top storylines in recent months. Many have wondered how the company will fare once these names leave and Gail Kim recently discussed this.

The Impact veteran recently appeared on Busted Open Radio where she opened up about the current AEW champion being the focus of their top stories.

Kim was asked about the company’s future once stars such as Omega and Jey White stop making appearances for the promotion. Replying to it, the former Knockouts champion showed faith in the Impact management:

“I think if they do things right, and I do trust the creative and management process right now, I think they’ve done a really good job. Just a couple years ago, people hated us. For years! It was very hard to get that stink off, we’ll call it. And we’re getting viewers back; we’re getting people talking about it.

I just recently talked to a guy who has a store, a wrestling store. And he was talking about how he could see the difference in sales and people asking for Impact merchandise. We’re making those steps and I think it’s been so positive.”

Gail Kim went on to claim that she trusts the creative team. The TNA Hall Of Famer explained that they will be fine even after the big stars leave as long as they intertwine all the stories:

“I think as long as they intertwine all of these stories, and like I said, I trust the creative team. They’re great. Any person that’s on our roster is used. That’s what I love about this company. If you have a contract with our company, you’re being used.

So I think, ultimately, I would trust this management team right now, the creative team. And I think we’re making the moves in the right direction.”

Kenny Omega made his return to Impact Wrestling on December 8 last year. This relationship has since developed into a full-blown partnership between not only Impact and AEW, but companies like NJPW and NWA as well.

Thunder Rosa Signs With AEW

Michael Reichlin
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Women’s wrestling star Thunder Rosa has officially signed with All Elite Wrestling. AEW sent out the customary “Thunder Rosa is #AllElite” tweet on Thursday afternoon.

Thunder Rosa has wrestled for AEW since August 2020, but was not formally signed to a longterm contract.

The former MMA fighter turned pro wrestler made her Impact Wrestling debut this past weekend at Slammiversary.

Thunder Rosa issued a statement following the news of her signing. She wrote, “Never in my life doubt that I would be where I want to be! Today one of the biggest accomplishments in my career has been announced!”

Prior to signing with AEW, Thunder Rosa was under contract with the National Wrestling Alliance. The NWA posted a congratulatory message wishing her well in the next chapter of her journey.

Thunder Rosa joins a flourishing AEW women’s roster that also includes (Champion) Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Penelope Ford, Nyla Rose, Jade Cargill, Tay Conti, Riho, Anna Jay and more.

EX WWE Superstar CJ Perry Joins “The Surreal Life” Reboot

Tyriece Simon
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CJ Perry, aka Lana, will join the new “The Surreal Life” reboot.

Deadline’s Peter White reports that VH1 will bring back the reality tv series “The Surreal Life” this fall. The article also reports that Perry will join other celebrities like Dennis Rodman, Tamar Braxton, and Stormy Daniels.

“The Surreal Life is known for bringing together some of the biggest names in pop culture and creating many unforgettable moments in reality television,” said Nina L. Diaz, President of Content and Chief Creative Officer of MTV Entertainment Group, in a statement to Deadline. “We are excited to see how this stellar celebrity cast will make captivating television for audiences everywhere.”

Perry’s Release From WWE

The WWE released Perry from her contract last month. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp and Jeremy Lambert were the first to report the news, which WWE later confirmed. Ryan Satin reported that Perry signed a five-year deal with WWE in November 2019. However, WWE decided to let her go regardless. Perry’s career with WWE lasted eight years.

Perry’s last match was a tag team loss with Naomi to Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose on May 31st, Monday Night Raw. As of now, “The Surreal Life” will be Perry’s first TV appearance since her release.

Seventh Season of “The Surreal Life”

The upcoming reboot is the seventh season of “The Surreal Life.” The first season was in 2003 and lasted until 2006. The series revolves around celebrities living together in a mansion for a period of time while being filmed. It is unclear where the new season will occur or if the show will be in a different format.

“The Surreal Life” History with Wrestlers

Perry will be the fourth wrestler to appear in the reality series. “The Surreal Life” has seen former WWE wrestlers like Chyna, Sean Waltman, and Maven. Both Chyna and Waltman were in season 4, and Maven appeared in season 6.

Perry’s History on Reality TV shows

Perry is not unfamiliar with reality tv series. She appeared in four seasons of WWE’s reality tv series “Total Divas.” Perry has also been active in her acting career. She was featured in a movie released to Video on Demand this year with Bruce Willis called “Cosmic Sin.”

Kiera Hogan Announces Departure From Impact Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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Former Knockouts tag team champion Kiera Hogan has announced that she is leaving Impact Wrestling. The 26-year-old took to her OnlyFans account to announce the news.

“What’s up babies! I’m in Nashville for tapings and you guys will be the first to know that this is my last IMPACT tapings and I’m going to see what else is out there for me I’m so excited and scared but I know whatever I choose to do I’m gonna be the best and that’s on periodt,” she wrote.

Hogan formed a team with Tasha Steelz known as Fire N Flava last year. In January, Hogan and Steelz won an 8-team single-elimination tournament to win the Knockouts tag team championships. The titles were brought out of retirement for the first time since 2013.

Hogan and Steelz lost the titles to Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering at Rebellion in April. They regained the belts at Under Siege the following month, however. Recently at Slammiversary, Havok & Rosemary defeated Fire N Flava to become the new Knockouts tag team champions.

Hogan made her pro-debut in 2015 on independents near Atlanta. She was trained by Curtis “Mr.” Hughes. She signed with Impact in the summer of 2017.

The Rock Expected To Appear At WWE Survivor Series

Chris Stephens
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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is expected to be at WWE’s Survivor Series pay-per-view in November, according to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast.

Zarian tweeted on Thursday, “Hearing from a Source that The Rock is currently planned to be at this year’s Survivor Series,” Zarian Tweeted.

It was also noted that WWE has tentative plans for Survivor Series to be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The Rock’s 25 Anniversary

This year’s Survivor Series will also be the 25th Anniversary of the Rock’s WWE in-ring debut, in a sense. Technically, The Rock wrestled under his birth name on one episode of Superstars in 1996 before this. He also wrestled 3 Dark matches under the name “Flex Kavana” before the Survivor Series that year. Flex Kavana also wrestled with the USWA throughout 96.

His in-ring WWE debut as Rocky Maivia was at Survivor Series 96, however, when he teamed with Jake Roberts, Marc Mero, and “The Stalker” (Barry Windham). They defeated the team of Jerry Lawler, Crush, Goldust, and Triple H.

Survivor Series is also where The Rock won his first-ever world title. At Survivor Series 98, Rock defeated Mankind in the finals of a tournament to determine a new WWF Champion. Rock would turn heel and align with the Corporation in the process.

The Rock hasn’t wrestled an official match since WrestleMania 32, where he defeated Erik Rowan in an impromptu match that lasted only 6 seconds.

Andrade El Idolo Now Managed By Chavo Guerrero After ‘Complaints’

Jake Skudder
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All Elite star Andrade El Idolo revealed on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite that his new ‘consultant’ was former WWE Superstar Chavo Guerrero.

Before this week’s show, Andrade El Idolo had been accompanied to the ring by Vickie Guerrero, who was acting as his manager on-screen. According to a report from the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, several ‘complaints led to the storyline direction being changed for Andrade.

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez did not confirm if the ‘complaining’ had come from those within AEW or the fans, but it was enough for Tony Khan himself to change the former WWE Superstars’ push.

Meltzer stated, “I guess sometimes when you complain a lot, things happen. [Chavo] was not the surprise, this was a change. Tony Khan made a change from Vickie Guerrero to a new manager, and the new manager is Chavo Guerrero. So, that was not the original plan. The original plan was for Vickie Guerrero.”

Andrade El Idolo and Chavo Guerrero

There’s no news either on whether Andrade himself requested the change of manager to now have Chavo as his consultant.

El Idolo and Chavo interacted with Death Triangle on this week’s episode of Dynamite, with PAC, Penta El Zero M and Rey Fenix interrupting the newly signed AEW star during his segment.

It’s not confirmed what the direction now is for Andrade going forward. Still, it will likely be similar to what was originally planned, but with Chavo Guerrero managing him rather than Vickie.

Vickie Guerrero appears only to be managing Nyla Rose on AEW programming at this point. Dr Britt Baker D.M.D defeated Rose on this week’s episode of Dynamite in a contest for the AEW Women’s Championship.

WWE Planning Queen of the Ring Tournament For This Year (Report)

Chris Stephens
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WWE has toyed with the idea of running a single-elimination women’s tournament dubbed the Queen of the Ring for a few years now but it has never come to fruition. According to WrestlingInc, however, plans are in place for the company to run such a tournament by the end of the year.

In December, Sasha Banks spoke about wanting the company to run an annual Queen of the Ring tournament.

Queen of the Ring

“A Queen of the Ring tournament on a whole PPV for itself would be really freaking cool,” Banks said during an interview with ProSieben MAXX. “But I’ve been waiting for Evolution 2 for a very long time. So maybe we can do that first, and maybe we can start off little bit [with] matches at Evolution for the Queen of the Ring Tournament. Maybe something like that can happen. But that’s up to you guys, you have to tweet Vince [McMahon]. Make sure you keep on tweeting him so we can have that in 2021.”

In 2019, Bayley also spoke publicly about hoping for such a tournament.

“We kinda want a Queen of the Ring,” Bayley said on the KSFY Morning Show. “If you guys could make that happen, I would love that.”

The Rock Is Being Considered for a New Space Jam Movie

Jake Skudder
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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is reportedly on the radar of Space Jam: A New Legacy director Malcolm D. Lee as being a potential leading actor for the franchise as they look towards the future of the series.

The first two films are among some of the most successful ever, with Space Jam: A New Legacy ranking #1 in theaters and bringing in $31 million on opening weekend.

Malcolm D. Lee recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the future of the franchise and how The Rock could be considered as the leading star, meaning that Space Jam may be heading beyond the basketball court.

“Dwayne Johnson would be an interesting choice,” Lee would begin the interview. “It would be different. I’m not exactly sure what his skill set would be, maybe he goes back to wrestling. That might be interesting.”

Space Jam 3 Feat. The Rock?

“I never say never” Lee continued. “It’s all going to be about whether the fans respond to this positively. But I think the bar has been set so high in terms of the first one with this global iconic superstar in Michael Jordan, and now the same global iconic superstar in LeBron James, who transcends sports.”

“Who is that next person to put into that universe?” the Space Jam: A New Legacy director noted; implying that the next megastar in the main role would need to be a huge name, like The Rock.

“And then you’ve got to find a script and story that’s good enough to not repeat what’s been done; but will capture the spirit of it and keep it going” Lee then concluded.

Would you like to see The Rock in Space Jam? Let us know in the comments.

Jimmy Korderas On Why Fans Reacted Differently To Goldberg and Cena

Alex Laybourne
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As we roll on towards the biggest wrestling event of the summer, we have both John Cena and Goldberg making their WWE comebacks. Talking recently on The Wrestling Inc., Daily former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas discussed the different reactions to the two legends. He went on to explain why he feels John Cena will always get a different reaction than Goldberg, regardless of the split opinion on them both.

“I think it’s going to be mixed,” admitted Jimmy Korderas. “Obviously there’s going to be the people going ‘Oh, cool to see [Goldberg]’ [and] ‘Eh, do we really want to see him right now?’ Especially with this current fanbase. Right now, they want to see [WWE] moving forward, and I think too many of them might see this as a step too far back.”

However, with John Cena, the reaction, while mixed, held far less exasperation about another old-timer coming back. In Jimmy Korderas’s mind, this has to do with the fact that Cena is a homegrown WWE talent. As such, his connection with the fans is very different.

“It’s different with John Cena because John Cena, for WWE, was at a different level,” observed Korderas. “If a Stone Cold comes back and does a beer bash and a couple of stunners people really love that. The Rock coming back, again, another rumored thing. Goldberg wasn’t a homegrown WWE talent, so I think the fans might view it a little differently.”

Jimmy Korderas Sees Money in Goldberg Returning

As the conversation continued to flow, Jimmy Korderas said he can see the thinking behind both men returning this moment in time. He would book Goldberg to be dominated by Bobby Lashley in order to establish Bobby as a monster ahead of the real match people are waiting for.

Call me crazy here, because obviously [Goldberg] would have to agree to this,” prefaced Korderas. “But can you imagine Goldberg having a match against Bobby Lashley and it turning out the same way as it did with Kofi? Would that not turn Bobby into one of the most hated individuals? Not only that, he took out Goldberg like that? Setting him up as the big monster for possibly another monster returning?”

The monster Jimmy Korderas is referring to is Brock Lesnar. Lesnar versus Lashley is a fight the entire WWE universe has been waiting for for a very long time.

Cody Rhodes Announces AEW Community Outreach Initiative

Chris Stephens
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With AEW now back out on the road, Cody Rhodes has announced a new community outreach initiative. Rhodes stated that the goal of the new department is to make a positive contribution to every city AEW visits.

“Very privileged to announce w/the blessing of Tony Khan our new Community Outreach team & department! We have a mission to do something positive in EVERY community we visit,” Rhodes Tweeted.

AEW Charitable Initiatives

AEW has run several charitable initiatives since its inception in 2019. Proceeds from first “Fight for the Fallen” event benefitted victims of gun violence in the Jacksonville, Florida area. Last year’s “Fight for the Fallen” benefited COVID-19 relief efforts.

AEW also has a partnership with Kulture City to make their events sensory inclusive.

“Priding itself on being for everyone, AEW partnered with KultureCity to make all their events Sensory Inclusive™ Certified so that all fans might be able to attend and be included,” Kulture City’s website reads regarding the partnership.

Fight for the Fallen 2021

Several matches have been booked for next week’s Fight for the Fallen event from Charlotte, North Carolina:

  • IWGP United States Championship
    Lance Archer (c) vs HIKULEO
  • No Rules – 5 Labors of Jericho
    “The Painmaker” Chris Jericho vs Nick Gage
  • Santana and Ortiz (with Konnan) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) (with Tully Blanchard)
  • Christian Cage and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) (with Marko Stunt) vs. Hardy Family Office (Angelico and Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen)) (with Matt Hardy)
  • 10 Man Elimination Tag Team Match
    The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Good Brothers and The Young Bucks) (with Don Callis) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page and The Dark Order (Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds)

Velveteen Dream’s Wrestling Return Announced, Then Canceled

Michael Reichlin
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Former WWE Superstar Velveteen Dream (Patrick Clark) was briefly advertised to appear at an upcoming independent wrestling show. He was quickly pulled from the event after “careful consideration” by the promoter.

Dream was released by WWE back in May. The controversial former NXT wrestler had his WWE career derailed after numerous ‘sexual misconduct’ allegations.

New Jersey-based promotion SWF announced Velveteen Dream would appear at their Home Sweet Home event on September 11th from Toms River, New Jersey. This would have been his return to the public eye.

Within a matter of hours of Velveteen Dream being advertised for SWF Home Sweet Home, plans changed. SWF owner Rob Fury issued a statement on social media addressing the situation.

Fury wrote, “I believe any man can be slandered and have been through other situations in my life unrelated but untrue. After careful consideration, Dream has been removed.”

Patrick Clark issued a lengthy statement following his WWE release, which you can read here.

Samoa Joe To Make In-Ring Return Against Karrion Kross At NXT Takeover 36

Chris Stephens
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At the recent NXT television tapings held at the Capitol Wrestling Center, Samoa Joe’s in-ring return was confirmed. During the tapings, Samoa Joe offered NXT General Manager William Regal his resignation so that he could face Kross. Regal agreed and signed the paperwork for a match between Kross and Joe at Takeover 36 for the NXT Championship.

For Samoa Joe this would be his first match since February of 2020. He has been out of action dealing with concussion issues. Following his release from WWE’s main roster this spring, Joe moved to NXT where he became something of Regal’s enforcer, although he only lasted a short while in the role.

Joe appeared on Ryan Satin’s “Out of Character” podcast at the end of June and spoke about his transition to NXT.

“I’ve kind of been in this situation before. A younger me probably would have been really, really freaked out. But, I mean at this point you just roll/pivot. That’s really all there is to it when it comes to life in general. That’s kind of the mantra I’ve kept. At that point I think I was already kind of in the works and setting up the next framework for whatever else I was going to do. A few hours later I get a call from Hunter and it pretty much all kind of changed.”

Update On Daniel Bryan & CM Punk Possibly Signing With AEW

Chris Stephens
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Recent reports have surfaced suggesting that both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan are likely to sign with AEW. This was addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“I don’t know if either of those two are signed right now. I would not be surprised if Bryan Danielson signed but I do not know that to be a fact,” said Dave Meltzer. “As far as CM Punk, I know they’ve been talking to him for awhile. I know they’ve been talking to Bryan Danielson for awhile as well.”

NJPW The Biggest Factor For Daniel Bryan

Meltzer would continue to say that Bryan has loyalty to WWE and Vince McMahon but in the end, AEW’s relationship with NJPW was the biggest factor.

“In the end, the company with the relationship with New Japan was going to be the favorite to get (Daniel Bryan),” Meltzer continued.

In terms of Bryan debuting on the September 22nd show in New York, Meltzer said he wouldn’t be surprised if that’s true but could not confirm it.

On May 28th, reports surfaced that WWE was looking to get an exclusive talent-sharing deal with NJPW. Daniel Bryan wanting to wrestle in NJPW is speculated as to being a reason WWE was looking to do this at first.

“While Bryan Danielson was absolutely part of the early talks, that hasn’t been the case of late as far as the major aspect, and one source said he hasn’t been a part of any recent talks,” Meltzer said in June.

Update On CM Punk

“In May, I had been told there 4 signings. 2 somewhat big and 2 huge but none of them were signed but there was confidence that they would be signed,” Meltzer continued. “I knew 2 of them were Aleister Black and Danielson.”

“The other two I presumed were Punk and Andrade.”

Meltzer would continue to say that he does not know if there is a deal between Punk and AEW but he does know they’ve been talking for awhile.

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