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Mark Henry Rips WWE’s Use Of Karrion Kross

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Mark Henry is not a fan of how WWE utilized Karrion Kross on the main roster.

Nov. 4, 2021 was a dark day in the wrestling industry as WWE went on a new talent release spree. Kross was one of the names on that dreaded list along with his fiancee, Scarlett Bordeaux. The release of Kross left many fuming as the general consensus is that WWE doomed Karrion Kross after giving him the gladiator entrance attire.

Mark Henry Criticizes How WWE Handled Kross

During an episode of Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry slammed WWE’s idea of a gladiator gimmick for Kross.

“You look at the world of entertainment. Sometimes it’s art imitating life, sometimes it’s life imitating art. When was the last time you saw a gladiator show? I’ll wait. Plenty of zombie shows on TV. Plenty of sports shows. Mortal Kombat-type characters, superhero-esque things. There are no Spartacus-type shows on TV to associate a Karrion Kross to.”

Henry went on to question why WWE just didn’t allow Kross to be the character he was on the NXT brand.

“He’s basically like taking something that he heard overnight and within a week transitioning and trying to make it mainstream in the world of wrestling. It did not work. What he had before in NXT everybody loved, we loved it. We talked about him, how great their entrance was, how cool his finish was, the fact that he could absorb so much punishment and still get the job done. Did they ever once show his resiliency in a match with one of the people that he wrestled on Raw or SmackDown? No. Not one time did he weather the storm, took a real good ass-whooping, and then made that comeback and made the crowd happy, and there you go, Karrion Kross. Not once.”

Kross is a former two-time NXT Champion. He was praised for being an unstoppable monster on NXT but when he appeared on Raw, he immediately lost to Jeff Hardy. At the time, Kross still held the NXT gold. WWE also didn’t use Scarlett to manage Kross on the main roster.

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Tony Khan Reacts To New Wave Of WWE Roster Cuts

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Tony Khan has reacted to the latest wave of WWE roster cuts and whether or not some names stand out to him.

WWE recently had another string of roster cuts. On the same day the company announced $256 million in revenue this past quarter alone, 18 wrestlers were released. The reported reason was due to “budget cuts.” Among the names released were Keith Lee, Nia Jax, Karrion Kross, Scarlett Bordeaux, Ember Moon, and Franky Monet.

Tony Khan Discusses WWE Roster Cuts

Tony Khan, the AEW boss, spoke to Wade Keller on a new Focus on AEW episode and he talked about the impact that WWE’s latest wave of releases is having.

“Yeah, every time they cut like 20 people let’s just say, it’s terrible because every time somebody loses a job it is affecting them, it’s affecting people around them. Some of these people for all I know they might’ve wanted to leave, but in general, I think most of these people probably did not. So, it’s terrible when anybody loses their work and I feel for them. So, each and everyone counts.

“I’m gonna take a ballpark number and I’m not trying to make light of everything because everyone counts. And I know this is probably not the exact amount of people but every time they let, let’s say as a ballpark, 20 people go, I think there’s in general been one, two, three people in there or so that I am interested in and snatch up because they keep doing these mass layoffs. They let, let’s say 20 people go or more or less, and each time I find a few people and the company gets a little stronger and stronger in my opinion.”

Khan then admitted that there are some names who he’d be interested in doing business with.

“I do see a few in this wave. I don’t wanna say who or when I would be interested in them but there’s a few very interesting people they just let go.”

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Update On Vaccination Status Playing a Role in Recent WWE Releases

Chris Stephens
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WWE released 18 wrestlers last week. Those cut from the roster were told the move was made for budgetary reasons. According to various reports, however, some wrestlers were cut in part due to not being vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

The issue was addressed recently by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“It was probably a half-dozen or more that did not get vaxxed that were cut and it was very much part of the reason,” Meltzer said on the show. He would continue to say that these talent were not told that being unvaccinated could lead to their release. He also noted that unvaccinated talent would not be able to travel overseas for European tours, and this likely played a role in WWE’s decision as well.

“It was understood they wanted you to, absolutely, but nobody was told. If the idea was ‘we’re going to cut people who don’t get vaccinated’ I think they should tell people ahead of time. Maybe there are legal reasons why they don’t,” Meltzer continued.

Nia Jax was among the 18 wrestlers WWE released. She commented on vaccination status playing a role in her release in a statement she posted to social media.

“My vaccination status was never mentioned. I wasn’t given any choice or options,” Nia wrote. It breaks my heart to be so abruptly let go, without consultation, when dealing with so much privately. I loved my career at WWE, I love the men and women I worked with, and I am going to need time to process this huge loss. I appreciate those people who have shown understanding and compassion during an incredibly difficult time.”

Nia Jax Issues Statement Regarding WWE Release

Colby Covington Says He May Go To WWE, Takes Shot At AEW

Chris Stephens
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UFC fighter Colby Covington used Kurt Angle’s (and the Patriot’s) entrance music for his walk to the cage on Saturday night’s UFC 268 card. Covington was defeated via unanimous decision by UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, in the main event. The crowd inside Madison Square Garden knew to chant “You Suck” at all the appropriate moments.

Following the fight, Covington was asked about several of his former American Top Team training partners appearing in AEW. Covington responded by saying he might end up in WWE someday, but he’d never go to AEW.

“I don’t pay any attention to what those losers do,” Covington said. “I’m focused on putting on the biggest and best fights in the world. You might see me in WWE one day, but I don’t think you’re going to see me in a second-tier promotion like AEW.”

Colby said in the spring of 2020 that he was hoping to debut in WWE in the summer of 2021.

“I would say probably 2021,” Covington said on SB Nation’s “What the Heck” show. “Not this summer, but next summer. I’ve been practising moves and really working on my promo and mic skills and just control and slowing things down and understanding the art of wrestling.”

“When I go over there I want to make Brink’s truckloads of money,” he continued.

John Cena & The Top Merchandise Sellers For WWE This Summer Revealed

Chris Stephens
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Stephanie McMahon addressed who the top merchandise sellers for WWE were this summer during WWE’s Earnings Call held last week. During what was dubbed the “Summer of Cena” John Cena topped the list. McMahon would continue to say that the returns of Brock Lesnar and Becky Lynch followed Cena on that list.

Roman Reigns is also said to be a top merchandise seller in WWE. According to a report from WrestlingNewsCo last month, Reigns has sold more merchandise than any other heel in the history of the company. His sales are said to be close to John Cena’s level.

The Summer of Cena

The “Summer of Cena” coincided with WWE’s return to live events this year. Cena appeared on 15 different live events from July 23rd to August 10th. Most of these were Dark matches or house shows. Cena also wrestled Roman Reigns in the main event of SummerSlam this year. On September 10th, Cena again returned to WWE and wrestled in a dark match at the Super Smackdown from Madison Square Garden.

Cena spoke about his return during an interview with Chris Hardwick.

“Returning to WWE, it’s a brand new world. A new cast of characters, new direction with the company, new platforms, new environment. There is a challenge there. To challenge myself as a 44-year-old to go back, there is an Intrinsic challenge there, a set of circumstances. That’s a good challenge in many ways. My body could tell me after this extended stay, ‘dude, you’re done’ or it could tell me, ‘You’re so far from done it’s crazy.’ That’s another interesting conversation with myself. If physically, I’m slower, I’ve said openly to everyone that I will keep doing this until I feel I’m offending the customer. I will continually go out there and do what I can to contribute and add.”

MLW War Chamber Results from Philadelphia, PA (11/6/21)

Michael Reichlin
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Major League Wrestling returned to the famous 2300 Arena on Saturday night for MLW War Chamber.

SEScoops correspondent Samira was on hand and provided this live report:

Openweight Ladder Match: Alex Kane defeated, Myron Reed, Zenshi, Alex Shelley and mystery entrant ACH.

Gnarls Garvin defeated Budd Heavy

nZo defeated Matt Cross. There was some blood on nZo’s face in the spot between his eyebrows end of match. KC Navarro came out for his match and nZo attacked him.

TJP defeated Calvin Tankman in an Opera Cup semifinal match. Kane and King Mo came out and beat up Calvin twice.

5150 defeated Los Parks to win the MLW Tag Team Championships. Homicide came out to help during match

KC Navarro defeated Warhorse.

Sea Stars defeated the Top Dogs. Willow Nightingale was on commentary. Holidead came out after match was over and attacked Willow.

Davey Richards defeated TJP in the finals of the Opera Cup tournament. Richards dedicated the cup to the city of Philadelphia.

LA Park defeated Homicide w/ Julius Smokes

Holidead w/ Dax defeated Willow Nightingale w/Blue Meanie. Arez interfered and kicked Blue Meanie at end of match.

Team Hammerstone defeated CONTRA Unit in the War Chamber main event. Jeff Cobb returned to MLW as Matanza Duran as part of team Hammerstone. After the match, Jacob Fatu turned on CONTRA Unit.

Tony Khan explains how AEW’s creative structure has changed

Michael Reichlin
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Tony Khan is opening up about the creative influence of AEW’s Executive Vice Presidents.

Khan recently spoke with Wade Keller of PWTorch earlier this week to promote next weekend’s Full Gear pay-per-view.

During the discussion, Khan addressed the rumors that Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks are less-involved than they used to be. Khan said that he has taken over much more of the writing of the shows, but that the EVPs all contribute their ideas as much as they ever did.

What has changed, however, is that they no longer book the show as a committee.

“They are still very involved in a lot of aspects of the business and a lot of those things have been enhanced,” said Khan.

He spoke about Kenny Omega leading a team to create the AEW console video game and Cody and the Young Bucks being leaders in the locker room.

“I’ve probably gotten a little bit more hands on with the stuff that I do than when we started but that makes perfect sense because I had never worked in a wrestling company,” Khan said.

Drawbacks of a booking committee

Khan continued to say that in the early days, the show was being booked with him and the EVPs all in a room together. Now, most of the show is booked by him at home.

“I was like the head of a committee and I think there are a lot of drawbacks of trying to book a wrestling show with a committee,” he continued.

“Around the start of 2020, the end of 2019, moved more to me writing the show and I think it helped and the show has been better for it.”

“They are still contributing all their ideas, that has never changed,” Khan continued to say of the EVPs.

Visit PWTorch.com to check out the full interview with Tony Khan in their paywalled VIP section.

Tony Khan talks in-depth about his approach to longterm booking

Chris Stephens
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AEW President Tony Khan recently spoke to Wade Keller of PWTorch. During the discussion, Khan spoke in-depth about his approach to long-term booking.

Keller asked Khan about if he knows who will come out of Full Gear as the AEW World Champion, and if he knows how long the next champion’s reign will be.

“Yes I do, but you never know,” said Khan. “Things have changed. A lot of the plans I had when Jon Moxley beat Chris Jericho, we did do a lot of the things I wanted to do but a lot of the things were not possible because the pandemic hit.”

“I do have plans, you never know how they are going to change. I do have a lot of plans. Kenny is on one of the great runs and I’m not so sure we’re ready to see it end but on the other hand, Hangman is ready and there are a lot of fans behind him.”

“Whatever the result it, it’s not the end for either man,” Khan continued.

1 out of 3 times …

Keller then asked Khan what percentage of the time does he stick with what he has planned and how often do things stray from what he originally had in mind.

“It’s probably 2 out of 3 times,” Khan said. “1 out of 3 times something changes, it’s not what you expected, somebody gets sick, and then you put a replacement in and then that starts going well and you move in another direction. So, I would say it’s probably about 2 out of 3 times if I draw stuff up and map stuff up.”

Khan continued to talk about the supposed “leaked card” for AEW Full Gear. A picture of his notebook from the sidelines of a Jaguars game appeared to show the planned lineup for the event but Khan said those were just ideas and not his final ideas for the show.

“People thought I accidentally leaked the PPV card. They saw my doodle notebook on the sideline but that was just me playing around with different stuff, ideas, I was not even close to done with it,” Khan said.

AEW’s TV partners excited to build around CM Punk

Chris Stephens
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Tony Khan recently spoke with Wade Keller of PWTorch to promote next weekend’s Full Gear pay-per-view. During the discussion, TK commented on recent additions to the AEW roster.

“It’s so unrecognizable compared to the company that we started with,” Khan said about the current roster. “It’s pretty unthinkable looking around and seeing CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, Ruby Soho, Thunder Rosa, all these awesome people that weren’t with us when we started.”

He continued touting more of AEW’s talent signings. “Malakai Black, Andrade El Idolo, new faces, and even the people that came in last year. Sting and FTR, Matt Hardy, and so many people have joined us along the way from when we started.”

CM Punk’s impact on AEW business

Khan also spoke about the impact that bringing in CM Punk has had on AEW’s ratings, merchandise sales, PPV buys, and more.

“Our numbers are so much better than they were going into the last few months and there’s been an unquestionable lift since CM Punk came in,” Khan said. “For some reason, I see some people trying to discredit Punk all the time, that he hasn’t been a huge lift to our business and he has been. And he’s only scratching the surface. I have intentionally in working with him tried to hold back a lot of his biggest marquee things, biggest marquee matches and stories.”

“We’ve been getting Punk reintegrated, building him a winning streak, and I think it’s worked great. Again, when you look at the rating we did for our first Wednesday back, that was a really strong number last week and he was such a huge part of it,” Khan continued.

“He’s just lifted our business so much,” Khan continued. He also noted that All Out, with Punk’s debut match against Darby Allin, did the most PPV buys in company history.

TV execs thrilled with CM Punk

“I was on with TNT yesterday, they’re so excited about the direction we’re going and the future of the business and there’s so many possibilities they see for the AEW franchise and he’s one of the big stars they want to build around,” Khan continued.

“The TNT executives also had a great call with Punk and talked to him and they want him to know he’s a really valued member of the TNT Warner Media family, the TBS family.”

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

Were “Perceived Attitude Issues” a factor in Keith Lee’s WWE release?

Chris Stephens
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Keith Lee was among 18 wrestlers cut from WWE’s roster this past week. According to comments made by Wade Keller from PW Torch, “perceived attitude issues” may have played a role in his release from the company.

“Keith Lee, I have chronicled for months and months and months and months and months, was somebody that even people who were rooting for him behind the scenes became frustrated with him,” Keller said.

“He just had, in general, attitude issues. Or as one wrestler told me tonight, “perceived attitude issues,” Keller continued.

“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.”

https://twitter.com/Brick_Zon/status/1456777047569752064

Keith Lee Released From WWE

Lee started with WWE in the spring of 2018, spending roughly 3.5 years with the company. During that time, Lee won the NXT Championship, the NXT North American Championship, and was awarded the NXT Breakout star of the year award in 2019. He was ranked #11 in the PWI Top-500 in 2020.

Lee has yet to officially comment on his release from WWE but he did note that he has been able to take care of some very important business recently.

Tony Khan On AEW’s Live Event Schedule, Outdrawing Pro Sports

Chris Stephens
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Tony Khan recently sat down to talk with Wade Keller for an interview on PW Torch and during the discussion spoke about AEW’s live event schedule. He noted the process the company goes through to determine which cities to visit and how often they do so. Khan also spoke about how AEW’s live events regularly outdraw major sporting events.

“It’s not the most scientific process but it involves picking our best markets and looking where we’ve done good numbers and trying to make sure we cover some new markets,” Khan said of how the company determines which markets to visit.

He would continue to speak about the challenge of booking big arenas, noting that Rampages and PPVs are harder to book than Dynamite because they take place on weekends.

“We try to find the best venues, look at available dates at the big arenas, which is a big challenge,” Khan continued. “Wednesdays are sometimes a little bit easier to get the dates compared to Fridays for Rampage or a weekend for a PPV. Those weekend dates can be really challenging to find if they are booked way in advance at most of the arenas.”

Tony Khan On Visiting Markets Multiple Times

Keller asked Khan about going to markets a 2nd and 3rd time. Khan responded that AEW has had a great response when visiting their biggest markets, such as Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia, multiple times.

“We did start to hit some markets twice through [before the pandemic]. In 2019, we were the #1 wrestling company in the world in tickets sold per event. In 2020, we were off to a great start and doing even better numbers before the pandemic hit,” Tony Khan continued.

“We had actually gone in early 2020 to some markets again and done really well coming back to Chicago and also we were coming back to Boston and Philly and had great advances there. So, it looked like it was really very strong. We had done a sellout again in Boston for our 2nd time through, and pretty close to a sellout in Philly.”

“We were seeing even before the pandemic the markets were ready to see us again and then after we spent over a year in Daily’s Place there was so much pent up demand for our shows.”

On Outdrawing Major Sporting Events

The AEW President also noted that they often draw better than major sporting events in leagues such as the NBA and NHL.

“There’s really a lot of top sports leagues right now that we outdraw and people talk about these big hot sports leagues and right now AEW outdraws a lot of major sporting events on a regular basis,” Khan continued.

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

AEW Rampage Results (11/5): CM Punk & Eddie Kingston, Adam Cole & Bryan Danielson In Action

Robert Lentini
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AEW Rampage aired from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri. CM Punk and Eddie Kingston met face-to-face. Adam Cole squared off against John Silver and Bryan Danielson battled Anthony Bowens on tonight’s show.

Rampage Results (11/5)

  1. Bryan Danielson def. Anthony Bowens
  2. Red Velvet def. The Bunny to advance in the TBS Championship tournament
  3. Adam Cole def. John Silver

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Bryan Danielson def. Anthony Bowens

Bryan Danielson faced Anthony Bowens tonight on Rampage. Tony Khan booked the match after The Acclaimed complained about him being a bad boss.

Bowens got in some offense early and leveled Danielson with a shoulder tackle. Bowens followed it up with some chops to the chest but Danielson shrugged them off and applied an Armbreaker. Anthony escaped and Max Caster hit Danielson with a cheap shot as Rampage went to a commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Danielson unloaded some kicks for a near fall. Bowens connected with the Arrival DDT but Danielson battled back. Danielson sent Bowens out of the ring and then leaped onto both members of The Acclaimed with a Crossbody. Back in the ring, Bryan applied the LeBell Lock for the submission victory.

Eddie Kingston & CM Punk Had A Great Promo, Will Battle At Full Gear

CM Punk came down to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Punk invited Eddie Kingston out to “my ring” and Kingston’s theme hit. The music stopped and Kingston didn’t come out. Punk said maybe he just needs to talk some more because Kingston feels more comfortable being rude and interrupting. Kingston made his way to the ring and mocked CM Punk. Eddie mocked Punk asking for an apology and said he missed the show because he had to get tested for Covid. Kingston stated that Punk, Samoa Joe, Homicide, Amazing Red, were heroes of his. Eddie called CM Punk a low life scumbag for judging him and burying others to get his stuff in.

Punk added that it wasn’t just him that judged Eddie and Kingston was the one who fell short of the mark. Punk said he is not a fool for seeing the greatness in Eddie Kingston 15 years ago, but he is a fool for expecting it now because Kingston is a bum. Kingston got in Punk’s face and told him to stop smirking at him.

Eddie challenged Punk to a match at Full Gear and CM suggested a match at Elevation or Dark because it more of Eddie’s speed. Kingston called Punk a coward and got right in his face. Punk asked the crowd if they wanted the match and he accepted. Punk went to leave but Kingston stopped him. Eddie said he doesn’t care about winning at Full Gear, he just wants to beat CM Punk up. Eddie added that Punk should quit and leave again after the match and Punk lost it. CM Punk headbutted Eddie and AEW officials rushed the ring. They kept breaking free and jumping on each other until more officials rushed the ring to separate them.

Red Velvet Advanced In The TBS Championship Tournament

Red Velvet faced The Bunny tonight on Rampage in a TBS Championship Tournament match. Red Velvet ran down to the ring and attacked The Bunny right away. The Bunny rolled out of the ring to regroup and Red Velvet caught her with a Clothesline. Red Velvet started arguing with Jade Cargill in the front row and The Bunny capitalized.

The Bunny bashed Red Velvet into the steel steps and rolled her back into the ring. The Bunny connected with a slam and went for the cover but Red Velvet kicked out at two. The Bunny slapped herself a few times out of frustration before delivering a kick to Red Velvet’s face. Red Velvet connected with Final Slice for the pinfall victory. Red Velvet will face Jade Cargill next in the tournament.

Adam Cole def. John Silver

Adam Cole faced John Silver in the main event. Cole and The Young Bucks will battle Christian Cage and Jurassic Express in a Falls Count Anywhere match at Full Gear. Christian Cage hit Adam Cole with a Con-Chair-To 48 hours ago but apparently Cole has already recovered as if it never happened.

John Silver and Adam Cole locked up to start off the action. Silver showed off his strength and threw Cole across the ring a couple times as Rampage went to a break. When Rampage returned, Adam Cole connected with a Neckbreaker over his knee for a two count. Cole set up for the Last Shot but Silver was ready for it and countered with a Clothesline.

Silver connected with a German Suplex as Young Bucks and Dark Order argued outside the ring. Cole went for a low blow but Silver was ready and blocked it. Silver connected with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Cole kicked out at two. Cole went for Panama Sunrise but Silver blocked it. Silver hit a couple Splashes before Cole hit a Superkick. Cole followed it up the Last Shot (Shining Wizard) for the pinfall victory.

WWE SmackDown Results (11/5): King Woods vs. Jimmy Uso, Roman Reigns Attacks

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. King Woods faced Jimmy Uso tonight in the main event. Drew McIntyre issued an Open Challenge and Universal Champion Roman Reigns returned to SmackDown after a week away.

SmackDown Results (11/5)

  1. Shayna Baszler def. Naomi
  2. Los Lotharios def. Cesaro & Mansoor
  3. Drew McIntyre def. Ricochet
  4. Viking Raiders def. Madcap Moss & Happy Corbin via countout
  5. King Woods def. Jimmy Uso

Here are the takeaways from this week’s SmackDown:

New Day Interrupted The Bloodline

Universal Champion Roman Reigns and SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos kicked off this week’s show. Paul Heyman accompanied The Bloodline to the ring. Reigns said he was running around naked with his wife on an island and had a great week. Roman called Lesnar a dumbass for being suspended and brought up The Usos losing to New Day last week. Reigns said that New Day is not better than The Bloodline and gave Jimmy and Jey grief for losing. Roman noted that Jimmy got pinned and wondered how Jimmy was going to fix this issue. Jimmy went on a rant about how he is going to kick the crown off of Woods’ head and make him acknowledge the true Tribal Chief is.

New Day interrupted and Kofi Kingston told the crowd to lend them their ears so they can hear the creed of King Woods. Xavier said that he will make Jimmy Uso bend the knee in their match later tonight.

Sonya Deville Cost Naomi A Win

Naomi faced Shayna Baszler tonight on SmackDown. Kayla Braxton interviewed Sonya Deville backstage and she claimed that Naomi has confidence right now because she lit a fire under her. Shayna and Naomi locked up to start off the action. Naomi tacked Shayna to the mat and unloaded some punches. Shayna escaped and went for a Half Crab but Naomi booted her away.

Naomi connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Clothesline. Baszler planted Naomi with a release German Suplex but Naomi battled back with a Dropkick. Shayna and Naomi then seemed to have no idea what each other were doing and had awkward minute of shoving outside the ring. Shayna eventually slammed Naomi on the floor as SmackDown went to a commercial break. Naomi quickly rolled up Baszler when SmackDown returned for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Sonya Deville marched to the ring and claimed that Naomi grabbed the rope before the pinfall. Deville said it should have been a rope break and the win shouldn’t count. Sonya stated that she had no choice but to restart the match. Shayna then choked Naomi out with the Kirifuda Clutch. There were a smattering of boos but the crowd was most dead for this angle.

Los Lotharios Picked Up A Win

Los Lotharios (Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo) faced Cesaro and Mansoor. Garza and Carrillo dominated the action early and kept Mansoor isolated in the corner of the ring. Garza connected with a Back Body Drop and ripped off his pants to reveal his ring trunks. Angel focused his attack on Mansoor’s leg and applied a Half Crab in the middle of the ring. Mansoor battled to his feet and connected with an Enziguri to break the hold.

Mansoor hit a DDT and finally was able to tag in Cesaro. Carrillo tagged in and Cesaro greeted him with some uppercuts in the corner of the ring. Cesaro hit a Clothesline and then delivered an uppercut to Garza outside the ring. Back in the ring, Cesaro hit a springboard uppercut on Humberto and went for The Swing. Garza broke it up but Cesaro got him in the Swing. Carrillo broke it up and hit a Superkick. Garza tagged in and delivered a Dropkick to Cesaro’s face for the pinfall victory.

Drew McIntyre def. Ricochet

Drew McIntyre came to the ring and issued an Open Challenge. McIntyre asked who wanted to fight him and Ricochet accepted the challenge. Ricochet slapped McIntyre in the face before the match. Drew stared at him and beat the hell out of him in the corner when the bell rang. McIntyre hurled Ricochet across the ring and then bounced his face off the turnbuckle. Drew charged but Ricochet ducked and McIntyre tumbled to the outside. McIntyre slammed Ricochet on top of the apron and rolled him back into the ring.

Drew hit a Splash in the corner and launched Ricochet across the ring again. Mustafa Ali was briefly interviewed backstage during the match and said he has a lot in common with Ricochet. McIntyre hit Ricochet with a chop and went for a Clothesline but missed. Ricochet hit a springboard Crossbody and followed it up with a Moonsault. McIntyre hit a Suplex for a one count and sent Ricochet to the corner. Drew went for an Alabama Slam but Ricochet countered into a roll-up for a two count. Ricochet hit a Superkick and went for a Moonsault but McIntyre hit a Claymore in midair for the pinfall victory.

Viking Raiders Picked Up A Win

Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss welcomed the Viking Raiders as guests for an episode of Happy Talk. Madcap Moss and Happy Corbin controlled the action early and isolated Erik in the ring. Corbin hit a Clothesline and went for the cover but Ivar broke it up. Corbin hit Deep Six on Erik for a near fall. Madcap tagged in and Erik hit him with a knee to the face. Ivar tagged in and Clotheslined Corbin out of the ring.

Ivar hit Madcap with a Crossbody and then punched Corbin in the face. Ivar connected with a Senton and tagged Erik in. Erik hit Corbin with a Suplex and then slammed Ivar on top of Madcap in the corner. Ivar tagged in and Erik botched a slam on Madcap. Ivar climbed to the top rope and Happy Corbin dragged Madcap out of the ring. They then just left and got counted out.

Sami Zayn Showed Hit Row How To Make An Entrance

Sami Zayn ran into Hit Row backstage and said their entrance sucked. Sami wanted to show them how a proper entrance is done and they followed him. Sami rocked out and shouted that is how you do it into a microphone. Zayn said that is called being fearless and being in the present. Sami introduced Hit Row and Top Dolla said Sami pressed his luck and that he sucks. Hit Row surrounded Sami but ultimately let him go.

Roman Reigns Attacked New Day

King Woods faced Jimmy Uso in the week’s main event. Woods dominated the action early and Jimmy rolled out of the ring to regroup. Jey tried to fire Jimmy up but Woods caught him with a Dropkick. King Woods hit some chops to the chest and went for a Suplex but Uso blocked it. Jimmy bounced Xavier’s face off the top turnbuckle and slid him out of the ring. Woods got hung up on the bottom rope before falling to the floor as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Jimmy was in control and hit Woods with a knee to the face. Uso went for the cover but Xavier was able to kick out at two. Woods battled back and hit Jimmy with a knee to the face. Jimmy rolled out of the ring and Woods caught him with a Dropkick through the ropes.

Back in the ring, Woods made his way to the top turnbuckle. King Woods hit a massive Leg Drop and went for the cover but Jimmy somehow was able to kick out at two. Woods climbed to the top rope again but Jey distracted him. Jimmy crotched Woods on the top turnbuckle and lifted him up on his shoulders. Jimmy hit a Samoan Drop off the middle rope for a near fall.

Jimmy went for a Splash but Woods countered with a boot to the face. Jimmy rolled up Woods but Kofi had the referee distracted. Jimmy then tried to interfere but the referee caught him. Woods then rolled Jimmy up and used the tights for leverage for the pinfall victory.

After the match, King Woods told Jimmy to bend the knee and pointed his scepter at the mat. Roman Reigns attacked Xavier Woods and beat him down. The Usos beat Kofi Kingston down in the corner of the ring as Woods unloaded some punches on Reigns. Roman shoved him away and The Usos hit a couple Superkicks. Reigns then leveled Kofi Kingston with a Spear and told Jey to stomp on his leg. Roman then forced Woods to watch as Jimmy hit Kofi with a Splash on the leg. Reigns posed with the Universal Championship to close the show.

Why Hasn’t WWE Started Promoting This Year’s Survivor Series?

Andrew Ravens
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Fans have noticed that WWE has yet to fully start the build for the Survivor Series pay-per-view event, which is just a few weeks away from happening. 

The speculation is the card will feature WWE Champion Big E against Universal Champion Roman Reigns and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair against Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. As of this writing, WWE has yet to make those bouts official. 

There’s also been very little talk about those matches on television as the women’s bout was briefly mentioned during the Title Exchange segment a few weeks ago. A few weeks ago, there was a brief face-to-face between Big E and Reigns a few weeks ago.

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the mentality in the company was to push Crown Jewel as hard as possible as that was the most important thing at the time. Now that the show has passed, the focus has been on the new rosters to settle in on television before eventually pushing the pay-per-view in the final weeks.

Big E is in a feud with Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens right now while Reigns hasn’t mentioned Big E at all. Historically, WWE does a Raw vs. SmackDown theme for the show. 

WWE presents the Survivor Series pay-per-view event on Saturday, November 21, 2021 in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center that will air on Peacock. 

Booker T On WWE Roster Cuts: ‘I Hate To See It’

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Booker T isn’t happy with the latest wave of WWE roster cuts.

WWE made the dreaded announcement of a new crop of talent getting the ax on Nov. 4. Among those names were Keith Lee, Nia Jax, Karrion Kross, Scarlett Bourdeaux, Ember Moon, Franky Monet, and others.

Booker T On WWE Roster Cuts

Booker T discussed the WWE roster cuts during an episode of the Hall of Fame podcast.

“I hate to see it. Ember Moon, she’s one of mine so definitely I hate to see her get released. But one thing I always teach my girls is if you’re talented, cream always rises to the top, you’ll find a spot somewhere. Ember, she’s going to be okay. The business decisions as far as Scarlett, I don’t know the behind the scenes dealing that go on with stuff like that. Franky Monet, I know she was talented, I thought she was money and I thought she fit right in and she was doing a great job. She was one of the girls that I thought you could do pretty much anything with as far as title picture, angle wise, working with and bringing somebody up.”

Booker T went on to say that the business has changed over the last few years. Booker believes job security in the industry is vastly different from what it was when he was in the ring. He also expressed his belief that some of the names released didn’t reach a level to where they were almost bulletproof.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

“I Don’t Think Cody Rhodes Cares About Being Booed”

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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One AEW star doesn’t believe Cody Rhodes is bothered by fans booing him.

Cody insists he has no plans of turning heel in AEW but the fans haven’t taken too kindly to him. The boos rained down on Cody during his AEW Grand Slam match with Malakai Black. It wasn’t just the New York City crowd who turned on Cody Rhodes, however.

QT Marshall, the heel leader of The Factory, appeared on the Battleground Podcast and expressed his belief that Cody Rhodes doesn’t actually care whether or not fans boo him. 

“Yeah, I mean, well, it depends,” said Marshall. “I think they were booing him because, like, especially right now with Malakai, Malakai is cool. He’s fresh, he’s from the other place. So it’s like, we’re in the honeymoon phase of Malakai. So, I did expect that.”

It is hard, on the surface, to like him

QT Marshall Cody Rhodes
(Photo: AEW)

Marshall understands that Cody Rhodes can be a polarizing figure. Aside from his in-ring career, he’s a successful businessman and television star. This may rub some people the wrong way.

“On top of that, Cody is like a very polarizing figure, right? He’s got his own tour bus that suits. He’s rich. He says, he has a reality show. I mean, it is hard, on the surface, to like him, but at the same time, what has he done to deserve to get booed?

“I don’t know. You know, I punched Arn Anderson in the face. So I deserve to get booed. You know, Malakai kicked Arn’s head off, he deserves to get booed. I’m trying to think of one thing that Cody’s done that deserves booing from the fans. At the same time, as long as they’re making noise, I don’t think he really cares one way or the other.”

Rhodes ended up defeating Black in their third outing. He recently took on Andrade El Idolo on the Nov. 3 episode of Dynamite. A run-in from FTR cost Cody the match.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Adam Cole Shares Positive Message To Released WWE & ROH Talent

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Adam Cole has an uplifting message for those who are no longer employed by WWE and ROH.

It’s been a rough few days in the wrestling industry. First, word broke that Ring of Honor is going through a “reconceptualization” phase and has released all of its wrestlers. Then, a new wave of WWE roster cuts was announced.

Adam Cole Speaks On WWE & ROH Releases

Adam Cole appeared on Busted Open Radio and showed support for those who no longer have a wrestling company to call home. He also shared some words of encouragement.

“First of all, it always breaks my heart to hear stuff, whether it be a company like Ring of Honor, which I love dearly, going on hiatus for a little while, I hope they come back strong, hope they have the chance to. Like you said with the releases, pretty much to everybody who is in that boat right now where they’re not too sure what they’re gonna do going forward, I’m sure there’s a lot of stress going through their minds, but I wanna remind everybody that there’s a reason that they got to where they did.

“Ring of Honor’s an incredible company and the people who were in WWE who got let go, again your talent it spoke for itself. There’s a reason you were able to advance so far within the industry and get so far because a lot of people saw a lot of talent in you and a lot of people still do see a lot of talent in you. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Again, if these people continue to have patience and continue to show the world how good they are, trust me when I tell ya it’s gonna work out.”

Adam Cole was in a situation where he could’ve either signed a long-term extension with WWE or take his talents elsewhere. Ultimately, Cole decided to sign with AEW. He has realigned with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.

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

Vic Joseph and McKenzie Mitchell Announce Engagement

Chris Stephens
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Vic Joseph and McKenzie Mitchell have announced their engagement. Mitchell posted to social media to announce the news.

Joseph, real name Victor Travagliante, is the current play-by-play commentator for NXT and the 205 brands in WWE. Previously he has worked on NXT UK, RAW and Main Event as well. Before WWE, Joseph worked for the Cleveland Browns Radio Network covering Cleveland Browns games. He started with WWE in 2017.

McKenzie Mitchell was with Impact Wrestling from 2016 until 2019 when she signed with WWE. She works on the NXT broadcast team in addition to numerous digital media hosting roles with the company.

The couple went public with their relationship a year ago on social media.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CICsLQup27i/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=8486b59a-6ecc-4683-ac7f-de3fd005c0a2

Earlier this year, Jospeh appeared on After the Bell and spoke about advice John Cena gave him on his commentary.

“I happen to see Cena and I went up and said, ‘Mr. Cena, I’m Vic Joseph, I’m new and I’m doing 205 Live tonight and I wanted to introduce myself.’ He goes, ‘You’re new? I’m going to watch the show.’ I’m thinking he’s not going to watch the show. We do the show and I’m leaving, he’s still in the locker room area or wherever and I walk by and I said, ‘John, nice to meet you.’ He says, ‘Vic, come here.’ He walked me over and sat and talked with me about what I did for that hour. ‘Know the stories, know the transitions, you had this, don’t say this, lay out here.’ He ran through it all.”

Franky Monet (Taya Valkyrie) Releases Statement On WWE Release

Chris Stephens
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Franky Monet, who will very likely be returning to the name Taya Valkyrie shortly, has released a statement on her release from WWE. She offered thanks to Triple H and Shawn Michaels specifically.

“Well that didn’t go as planned! First and foremost I would like to thank WWE for allowing me to live my dream, even if it was cut short. To say I am disappointed would be an understatement, I’m confused, hurt, sad and honestly mad. I came there as one of the top luchadoras of our era and honestly leaving there a little broken,” Monet began her statement.

“I LOVED everyday when I got to go to work, being around the greatest minds in this business, getting to train in the BEST pro wrestling training facility in the world and see my friends everyday. I was completely enveloped in the industry. Thank you to Triple H, Shawn Michaels and the entire PC staff for welcoming me with open arms and allowing me to learn from you.”

The former Taya Valkyrie continued:

“I know who I am, I know what I’ve done and I know I have more to give. This is just another swerve in my journey that I didn’t expect but to be honest, my life has always been filled with those. Im a fighter, im stubborn and I am a very, very good pro wrestler.”

“Thank you to everyone that’s supported me through this chapter and thank you to everyone that will continue to support me into the next one. Time to let la WERA LOCA loose. Let’s make magic.”

Taya Valkyrie To Return Shortly

Kira Foster, aka Franky Monet, aka Taya Valkyrie, was trained by Lance Storm at the Storm Wrestling Academy in 2010. Although she had discussions with WWE about coming in early in her career, they never materialized. Instead she went to Mexico where she became a big star with AAA as Taya Valkyrie aka Wera Loca. She was part of the Los Perros del Mal stable led by the late Perro Aguayo Jr.

Valkyrie holds the record for the longest-single reign and most combined days spent with AAA’s Reina de Reinas Championship.

In 2016, she would debut in Lucha Underground as part of the World Wide Underground stable. That is where she would meet her now-husband, John Morrison.

In 2017, Valkyrie would debut with Impact Wrestling. She holds the record for the longest single-reign with the Knockouts Championship. In storyline, Valkyrie was arrested for the attempted murder of John E. Bravo which was meant to explain her departure from the company.

Nia Jax Issues Statement Regarding WWE Release

Michael Reichlin
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Nia Jax has issued a statement following her release from WWE. Jax was among 18 wrestlers let go by the company on Thursday.

Amid reports that her vaccination status was a factor behind her departure, Jax says WWE did not mention vaccinations when informing her that her services would no longer be needed.

Nia Jax reveals that she was on a “mental health break” when WWE released her. She recently requested an extension to the mental health break, because she is still dealing with personal issues. “The next thing I heard, I was being released.”

Nia Jax wrote on Instagram:

“I usually keep my personal life private, but yesterday’s reports leave me with no option but to clarify matters. I recently took a short leave of absence from WWE for a mental health break. I’ve been working through so much – more than I can share – and so I took some time, with the full support of the company, to take care of myself.

Earlier this week, after WWE sent me my schedule to return to the ring for the November 15 show, I asked for an extension to my mental health break, feeling that I needed more time, and hoping I would have the ongoing support of the company I have given my all to for the past 7 years. I did not receive a response. The next thing I heard, I was being released. My vaccination status was never mentioned. I wasn’t given any choice or options.

It breaks my heart to be so abruptly let go, without consultation, when dealing with so much privately. I loved my career at WWE, I love the men and women I worked with, and I am going to need time to process this huge loss. I appreciate those people who have shown understanding and compassion during an incredibly difficult time.”

Nia Jax’s story is unfortunate, but its not unique. She is just one of 71 wrestlers released by WWE this year:

https://www.sescoops.com/news/staggering-tally-wwe-releases-2021/

Sabu Is Done Wrestling, But Would Return To Fight Brock Lesnar

Michael Reichlin
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Wrestling legend Sabu says he’s been forced into retirement due to injuries. After a lengthy career of putting his body on the line during each and every match, he’ll probably stick to autograph signings moving forward.

Sabu was a guest on this week’s edition of Wrestling Shoot Interviews. During his discussion with WSI, he admitted that he’s probably wrestled his final match.

“I’m not doing real good,” said Sabu. “I hurt my back about a year ago and it’s still been hurting. I wrestled a couple of weeks ago but I shouldn’t have. I’ve only wrestled like twice in the last year. I only went to the gym a couple of times the last year ’cause I hurt my back. I’m probably not gonna wrestle no more… I’m probably just gonna do autograph signings and personal appearance-type stuff.”

I’d definitely get back in the ring for…

Sabu
Sabu

Of course, this is professional wrestling. Fans are quite familiar with the phrase, “never say never.” So, what would it take to lure Sabu back into the ring?

“I’d definitely get back in the ring for Brock Lesnar, I’d love to wrestle him. Especially if it was my final match, I’d love to wrestle him.”

Sabu heaped praise on Brock Lesnar, saying that he’s “my kind of opponent.”

“He’s the best, he’s a shooter, he’s a good worker, he’s my kind of opponent. I like big guys, I like wrestling big guys. I don’t like wrestling guys like me because it’s not that interesting. It’s more interesting wrestling a guy like me against a guy like Brock Lesnar.”

Sabu also named Big Show and Mike Awesome as two of the best ‘big men’ he’s ever worked with.

Check out the Wrestling Shoot Interviews YouTube channel for more of their videos.

Kyle O’Reilly & Johnny Gargano To Work Dark Match At Smackdown Tonight

Chris Stephens
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2 of NXT’s biggest stars are scheduled to be at Smackdown tonight. According to a Tweet from John Pollock of Post Wrestling, Kyle O’Reilly and Johnny Gargano are both scheduled to work a dark match on the show from the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.

“Per sources – Johnny Gargano and Kyle O’Reilly are scheduled for a dark match tonight in Evansville at the Smackdown tapings,” Pollock Tweeted.

It was reported back in September that Gargano’s contract with WWE was up on December 3rd. As for O’Reilly, earlier this month it was reported that his contract expires sometime next month as well.

Gargano first started working for WWE in 2015, with him officially signing with the promotion the following year. He is the first-ever NXT triple crown champion, having won the NXT Championship (1x), the North American title (3x) and the tag-team titles (1x with Tommaso Ciampa).

Kyle O’Reilly has been with WWE since 2017. He is a 3x NXT tag-team champion along with other members of the Undisputed Era. Along with Bobby Fish, he is also a 3x ROH World Tag Team Champion and 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion in NJPW. O’Reilly is also a former ROH World Champion.

Bray Wyatt Teases His Next Move

Chris Stephens
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Bray Wyatt, Windham Rotunda, took to Twitter late last night. In typical fashion for him, the Tweet asked more questions than it answered about his next move. It’s possible that Wyatt was referring to the recent WWE roster cuts as well.

“What do we do now? We wait for the right place. We wait for the right time. Then we turn Rome to Ashes. “Groveling in the muck of avarice” I believe in you too,” Rotunda wrote on Twitter.

This is just speculation, but Wyatt used a snake emoji next to the line “Grovelling in the muck of avarice” which is very similar to a line from a famous Jake “the Snake” Roberts promo. Roberts was feuding with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase at the time. The word avarice means “extreme greed for wealth or material gain.”

“I’m going to make you beg, Dibiase. You are going to get down on your hands and knees. This time you’ll be the one that’s humbled, this time you’ll be the one who is humiliated, and this time you’ll be the one that grovels for the money. And how appropriate that the money you grovel for is your very own. A victim of your own greed, wallowing in the muck of avarice,” Roberts said in a backstage interview from WrestleMania VI.

Update On Karrion Kross, Harry Smith & Other WWE Releases

Chris Stephens
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WWE released another 18 wrestlers on Thursday. Talent were told that budget cuts were to blame, but according to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there were other factors at play.

Karrion Kross & Scarlett

In the case of Karrion Kross, Vince McMahon reportedly had pulled him from television due the feeling that he wasn’t getting over. They were in the process of repackaging him again when the decision was made to cut both him and Scarlett.

“Vince McMahon had just pulled Kross from television, saying that he hadn’t gotten over and within the company they were told they were going to repackage him a third time,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Harry Smith

Harry Smith, aka Davey Boy Smith Jr., was released after wrestling one dark match earlier this summer. The original plan for him was to be a star on the NXT UK brand but at the time he was signed, travel wasn’t opened up and so the decision was made for him to be on the main roster.

He got COVID shortly after his dark match and was told to keep quiet about it. Then they just did nothing with him and released him yesterday.

Franky Monet, B-Fab, Lucha House Party & Others

The NXT talent will all have 30-day no-compete clauses although Ember Moon was under a main roster deal and may have a 90-day clause.

All main roster talent will have 90-day no-compete clauses including Hit Row’s B-Fab who just signed a main roster deal last week.

In the case of Franky Monet, aka Taya Valkyrie, she had been pushed heavily on the old NXT but she had not been featured following the re-brand into NXT 2.0.

Age was also a likely factor in several releases. It was noted that WWE’s directive is to hire women under the age of 25 to attract the male 12-34 demographic.

“The new directives on hiring new women is the recommendations are 25 or younger,” Meltzer wrote.

Both Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado are said to have asked for their releases and were expected to be cut.

It was noted that all veteran talent on NXT were discussed as being possible cuts. There is also talk that some talent could be signed to 60-day tryout contracts moving forward.

As of this writing, WWE has released 71 wrestlers this year.

https://www.sescoops.com/news/staggering-tally-wwe-releases-2021/

Why was Bronson Reed’s Impact Wrestling debut delayed?

Chris Stephens
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Bronson Reed was expected to debut for Impact Wrestling at Bound For Glory. He ended up not being on the show, however. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Reed is expected to sign with Impact. The reason he wasn’t on the PPV and hasn’t debuted yet is that he was still dealing with visa issues.

“Jonah Rock, the former Bronson Reed, was scheduled to debut here for Bound for Glory but he hadn’t gotten his visa. But this is the company he is expecting to sign with,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

According to comments he made recently to Wrestling Inc, it appears Reed has his visa issues handled now and he could debut for Impact soon.

“Well, I’m not at liberty to say exactly what’s going to happen, but I am at the moment, this week, getting everything confirmed with immigration, so everything should be good to go, wherever I do go,” Reed said.

The 33-year-old Australian had been with WWE from January 2019 until being released on August 6th this year. He wrestled two dark matches on the main roster in June and then lost the North American title to Isaiah Scott later that month. His final match in WWE was a loss to Adam Cole on the 7/21 NXT show.

Bronson Reed Explains Why He Missed Bound For Glory
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