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Chavo Guerrero Makes AEW Debut as Consultant for Andrade el Idolo

Alex Laybourne
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Another surprise appearance at AEW Fyter Fest came during a segment involving Andrade el Idolo who introduced a new associate in the form of Chavo Guerrero. The nephew of the late great Eddie Guerrero is a wrestling veteran. His emergence from the tunnel as the new executive consultant for el Idolo certainly shocked the raucous AEW crowd.

Since his AEW debt, Andrade el Idolo has been working alongside Vickie Guerrero, who is Chavo’s aunt through marriage. The wrestling world has a special affinity with the Guerrero family. AEW is certainly a great place for Chavo Guerrero to be.

Addressing the crowd, Chavo Guerrero made a quick impact with the fans, praising the talent that he had seen backstage. However, he quickly moved into character, positioning his client at the top of that list.

Chavo Guerrero Stirs the Pot for Death Triangle

Only a few moments after making his debut, Chavo Guerrero started to stir the pot for Death Triangle. Andrade has wasted no time in picking on the talented faction since his arrival. Chavo went one step further by suggesting Penta and Rey Fenix should switch allegiances and side with his client.

The deal was swiftly rejected, and a classic referee pull-apart ensued, furthering the feud between Andrade and the Death Triangle. As of writing, little has been confirmed about Chavo Guerrero’s involvement with AEW. We have yet to see the classic Chavo is All Elite image. However, it seems unlikely he would be introduced in such a role for a single or short run.

At 50 years old, it’s unlikely we will see him lacing up his boots in AEW. However, a move into management could be exactly what the veteran needs at this stage of his career.

Chavo Guerrero has accomplished a lot in his career, fighting for major promotions around the world, including a decade long run in WWE which ended in 2011.

Daniel Bryan Reportedly Signs With AEW

Alex Laybourne
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Much has been written about Daniel Bryan in recent months. The quiet nature of his WWE departure had everybody scratching their heads. Now, according to reports on Bodyslam.net, Bryan is locked into a deal with AEW.

This news comes just days after PWInsider reported that WWE was not factoring Daniel Bryan into the merchandise and licensing plans for 2021-2022.

Bodyslam has since updated that current plans call for Daniel Bryan to debut for AEW at the September 22nd Grand Slam event from New York City’s Arthur Ashe stadium. AEW put great care into planning their events, often running quite far in advance. Having a star like Bryan debut at a big event such as that would make great sense. It would also allow for existing plans to reach their head at All Out on September 5th.

Daniel Bryan’s AEW deal is said to be for similar money as he was making in WWE, but he’ll be required to work far fewer dates. Moreover, his deal reportedly allows him the opportunity to work in Japan. This is another country close to his wrestling heart, and something he could never have done while working at WWE.

Daniel Bryan is Not the Only Potential AEW Surprise

The news of Daniel Bryan agreeing a deal with AEW is something many saw coming the minute he disappeared from WWE. However, with recent news of CM Punk being cleared for a wrestling return, and AEW having a sold-out show coming up in Chicago, AEW fans could have a lot to cheer about very soon.

A lot has been made of WWE wrestlers signing for AEW. However, wrestling is a relatively small world. Yes, there are lots of indie promotions, but as you look at larger promotions, you would be hard pushed to find many stars who have not competed for a combination of IMPACT, ROH, WWE, or AEW. Daniel Bryan has had a long wrestling career. He’s wrestled for promotions all over the world. When it comes down to it, AEW is the destination that makes the most sense.

While nothing has been reported, it is believed that Daniel Bryan will revert to fighting under his real name of Brian Danielson.

Nick Gage Makes Shocking AEW Debut as the Second Labor of Jericho

Alex Laybourne
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On a night of crazy happenings at Fyter Fest, the biggest shock of them all was undoubtedly the debut of GCW champion Nick Gage. Moreover, the manner in which is made his debut.

Much has been publicized about Gage’s feud with Jon Moxley. However, it was best MJF that the hardcore hero made his entrance. Nick Gage will be the second step in the Labors of Jericho.

jericho gage

The debut came just after Chris Jericho had defeated Shawn Spears. The stipulation of that match being Spears could use a chair, while Jericho could not.

The match between Jericho and Nick Gage has already been set for AEW’s Fight for the Fallen. Jericho has already responded to the news that it will be a no disqualification match but promising to resurrect his Painmaker persona.

Jericho is the G.O.A.T, and he is no stranger to hellacious matches. However, he would not have been the first name on the list of potential Nick Gage opponents in AEW.

Nick Gage Versus Chris Jericho Will Be Bowling Shoe Ugly

It seems only fitting to quote Jim Ross by saying the upcoming match between Gage and Jericho will be bowling shoe ugly. Nick Gage is a fighter. He’s the master of the hardcore, deathmatch style. Jericho is a warrior, there is no doubt about it. Just don’t expect to see a fight built around technical finesse and headlocks.

If Jericho wants to get his hands on MJF, then Nick Gage is certainly going to make him work for it.

The appearance on AEW made its mark on Nick Gage, who has not had an easy life both in and out of the ring. His episode of Dark Side of the Ring did a lot to educate people on the well-known indie wrestler. Love him or hate him, Gage is tough as a two-dollar steak. There’s a good chance, AEW will never be the same again by the time he is done.

Gage is the current GCW champion. Besides a feud with Moxley, is also preparing to take on former AEW wrestler Matt Cardona. That fight is set for the GCQ world title this coming Saturday at the GCW Homecoming Part 1 event.

At the time of writing, it’s not known if Nick Gage’s appearance for AEW is a once-off affair. With Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega both recently being linked to Gage, there is scope for a longer run.

AEW Dynamite Fyter Fest Night 2 Results: Texas Death Match, Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose

Robert Lentini
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Night 2 of Fyter Fest aired from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. It was announced that FTR will face Santana & Ortiz next week and Cody will battle Malakai Black in two weeks at Dynamite Homecoming.

Fyter Fest Night 2 Results

  1. Chris Jericho def. Shawn Spears
  2. Doc Gallows def. Frankie Kazarian
  3. Darby Allin def. Wheeler Yuta
  4. Britt Baker def. Nyla Rose via submission to retain the AEW Women’s Championship
  5. Orange Cassidy def. The Blade
  6. Lance Archer def. Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match to become the new IWGP US Champion

Here are the takeaways from Night 2 of Fyter Fest:

Jericho Will Battle Nick Gage Next Week

Chris Jericho faced Shawn Spears tonight in Chapter 1 of the Five Labors of Jericho. Shawn Spears was allowed to use a chair for the match and Tully Blanchard was ringside. MJF joined commentary for the match. Jericho controlled the action early and launched Spears into the barricade. Chris took the camera and waved to the crowd before the action returned to the ring.

Spears hit Jericho with a chair shot to the injured elbow against the ring post. Jericho battled back and hit a Frankensteiner off the top rope. Spears planted Jericho with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Jericho kicked out at two. Jericho got Spears in the Walls of Jericho and Spears tapped out but Tully was distracting the referee. Sammy Guevara broke up the distraction but Spears capitalized with the C4 for a near fall. Jericho caught Spears with the Judas Effect for the pinfall victory.

After the match, MJF came to the entrance ramp with a microphone. MJF said that nobody can interfere in the remaining four matches Jericho has to win to earn a match against him. MJF announced that Jericho has to face Nick Gage in a No DQ match next week.

Doc Gallows def. Frankie Kazarian

Doc Gallows faced Frankie Kazarian this week on Dynamite. The action started out back and forth before Frankie got knocked out of the ring. Gallows launched Kazarian into the barricade and rolled him back into the ring. Frankie battled back with a Back Body Drop and then a Leg Drop for a near fall.

Frankie went for a Crossface but Karl Anderson hopped on the ring apron for a distraction. Kazarian knocked Anderson off the apron but turned around into a big boot to the face from Gallows. Doc followed it up with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Gallows and Anderson continued to beat Kazarian down and connected with the Magic Killer. AEW Champion Kenny Omega and Don Callis then joined the party. Omega told Frankie that he had been a thorn in The Elite’s side for weeks but the tables have turned.

Omega set up for a V-Trigger but Hangman Page interrupted to a great reaction. Page got into the ring and Callis pointed out that he is outnumbered four to one. Hangman handed Callis his beverage and unloaded some strikes on Omega. Gallows and Anderson beat Page down as the AEW Champion retreated out of the ring. Dark Order rushed the ring and Page leveled Anderson with the Buckshot Lariat to end the segment.

Darby Allin Picked Up A Win, Sting & Orange Cassidy

Darby Allin squared off with Wheeler Yuta tonight. Hikuleo was shown in the crowd during the beginning of the match. Sting and Darby Allin were ringside.

Yuta dominated the action early and got Allin in an Octopus submission. Yuta focused his attack on Darby’s injured ribs by driving his elbow into his midsection. Darby escaped but Wheeler hit a German Suplex for a two count. Yuta made his way to the top rope but Darby joined him up there and hit a Superplex.

Orange Cassidy and Sting had a funny face-off outside the ring. Sting and Cassidy connected with dueling lazy Superkicks as Yuta tried to capitalize with a roll-up but Darby kicked out. Allin connected with a Stunner and followed it up with the Coffin Drop for the pinfall victory.

The Blade hit Orange Cassidy with brass knuckles following the match. He will face Orange Cassidy later on the show.

Britt Baker Tapped Out Nyla Rose To Retain The AEW Women’s Championship

Britt Baker defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Nyla Rose. Vickie Guerrero was ringside for the match. The champion kept Nyla on the mat to begin the match and tried to roll her up a couple of times but Rose kicked out at two.

Rose battled back with a Body Slam and then a Senton. Nyla perched Baker up on the top turnbuckle but Rebel quickly dragged her to the apron. Rose connected with a couple Backbreakers and followed it up with a Fallaway Slam as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Britt hit a Slingblade for a two count. Baker brought out the glove and went for Lockjaw but Rose blocked it with some elbows to the champ’s face. Rose connected with a Death Valley Driver and put Baker over the top rope. Rose hit the Knee Drop off the top and went for the cover but Baker was somehow able to kick out at two.

Nyla went for the Beast Bomb but Baker broke free and connected with a Neckbreaker for a near fall. Rose responded with a Chokeslam for another two count. Rebel hopped on the apron and Britt threw the title to Nyla. Baker tried to make it seem like Nyla hit her with the title but Vickie Guerrero kept distracting the referee.

Rose then threw the title to Baker and pretended like Britt hit her with it. Nyla hit the Beast Bomb and went for the cover but Baker kicked out at two. Nyla went for another Beast Bomb but Baker escaped and applied the Lockjaw for the submission victory.

Death Triangle Interrupted Andrade & Chavo

Tony Schiavone interviewed Andrade El Idolo tonight. Andrade announced that Chavo Guerrero is his new Executive Consultant. Chavo hyped up Andrade before Death Triangle interrupted to a great reaction. Pac said Death Triangle doesn’t hide from anyone. Andrade said that Lucha Bros were good, but he is great.

Chavo wondered why the Lucha Bros work for PAC and pointed out how there is no gold around their waists. PAC said Death Triangle is a family and nobody works for him. Fenix grabbed the microphone and stated that they are the real face of Latinos. Abrahantes translated for Lucha Bros and wondered why they would want to join a group with Andrade when he isn’t even on their level. A brawl broke out but the referees and security quickly broke it up.

Orange Cassidy def. The Blade

The Blade squared off with Orange Cassidy tonight. The Blade wanted his hand raised because he didn’t think Orange Cassidy would be able to compete after hitting him with brass knuckles earlier on the show. Orange got in the ring and went for the Orange Punch but Blade got out of the ring.

Back in the ring, The Blade faked a knee injury and Cassidy allowed the referee to check on him. The Blade capitalized and booted Cassidy to the corner. Cassidy connected with Stundog Millionaire but Blade shrugged it off. Blade hit a massive Gutwrench Powerbomb that slammed Cassidy onto the top turnbuckle and to the floor.

When Dynamite returned from a break, Orange hit a Crossbody and followed it up with a DDT for a two count. Kris Statlander and The Bunny battled outside the ring as Blade blocked Beach Break in the ring. The Blade hit a Tombstone Piledriver and went for the cover but Cassidy was able to kick out at the last moment. Cassidy hit Beach Break but Blade kicked out. The Bunny gave the brass knuckles to Blade but Cassidy dodged the punch. Cassidy then hit the Orange Punch for the pinfall victory.

Lance Archer Is The New IWGP US Champion

Jon Moxley put the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship on the line against Lance Archer in a Texas Death Match in this week’s main event. Moxley beat Archer down and grabbed a kendo stick from outside the ring. Moxley hit Archer with the kendo stick several times and then tackled him through the barricade outside the ring.

The two battled into the crowd and Archer launched a “fan” onto Moxley. Jon went for a Suicide Dive but Archer caught him with a forearm to the face. Archer ripped up the padding to expose the concrete floor and went for a slam but Moxley escaped. The champ planted Archer with a DDT onto the concrete. Archer made it back up to break the count and Moxley stabbed him in the head with a fork as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Archer grabbed a trash can lid and punched it onto Moxley’s face. Jon responded by biting Archer’s forehead like a maniac but Lance quickly took back control. Moxley hit a low blow but Archer battled back with a ridiculous Chokeslam onto some steel chairs.

Moxley beat the count and beat Archer down. Jon hit the Paradigm Shift but Archer got up in time and flipped the champ the middle finger. Jon hit Archer with the fork over and over again and then set up some barbed wire tables. Archer grabbed the fork and stabbed Moxley with it.

Archer then Chokeslammed Moxley through the tables and Moxley got stuck in the barbed wire. Jon couldn’t beat the count and Archer is the new IWGP US Champion. After the match, Hikuleo appeared and stared Archer down. Archer will defend the title against hm next week.

CM Punk In Talks For In-Ring Return (Report)

Chris Stephens
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CM Punk hasn’t officially wrestled a match since taking part in the 2014 Royal Rumble but it’s possible he could be making a return to the ring. According to a report from Fightful, the 42-year-old has been involved in ongoing talks regarding a return.

While the report would suggest that there are multiple parties interested, it notes that AEW is the most likely spot for Punk to land.

This is not the first time that Punk has been linked to AEW. Last summer, both Cody Rhodes and Konnan spoke about previous negotiations between AEW and Punk.

Cody Rhodes Comments On Previous Negotiations With CM Punk

During a conversation with Talk Sport last summer, Cody Rhodes commented on previous negotiations AEW has had with Punk.

“As far as the CM Punk negotiations go, everyone heard the famous ‘he got a text from us’. Yeah, of course, there were negotiations and he did ask for a great amount of money and Punk is worth a great deal of money,” Cody said during the interview. 

“I don’t think they ever got too serious,” Cody said. “Doesn’t mean they won’t one day, but they never got entirely too serious. I think there is a good relationship there. I think I have a good relationship with Phil, I believe Tony does too and I’m not sure really when it comes to him, it’s not so much about the money. It’s about are you interested in doing this?”

Konnan Says CM Punk Was Asking For Too Much Money

Also last summer, Konnan revealed on his podcast that he heard CM Punk was asking for too much money from AEW.

“I do remember when I was negotiating with AEW and they were telling me about him, they were telling me that he was asking for like (an) astronomical amount of money,” Konnan said on the show. “They really wanted to work with him but…”

“I’m sure if they wanted to do something with him and Jericho or him and Cody, I’m sure they could,” Konnan continued. “Like I said, from what they told me, he was just asking for way too much. And this is a company that is willing to spend, so who knows what he was asking for?”

Ryan Nemeth Reveals The Origin Of AEW’s Wingmen Faction

Alex Laybourne
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Not every wrestler in a company needs to be a champion. There are all kinds of wrestlers, from jobbers and comedic relief to midcarders and main event stars. All have a role to play and are important to a company brand and dynamic. Ryan Nemeth and the Wingmen are one such group. They serve a purpose in AEW. They can put on a good match and are entertaining characters, but rarely will they be main event players.

Talking on a recent episode of Talk is Jericho, Ryan Nemeth spoke about how the Wingmen came to be. Admitting that it wasn’t even his idea, but rather, Christian’s.

Ryan Nemeth had no idea a plan was being made for him and his friends until he was ordered to visit Tony Khan’s Office.

“I remember walking around Dynamite one day and three people said, ‘Hey, did you talk to Tony yet? Go talk to him.’ I was like, ‘Alright’, so I go and knock on the door, and he goes, ‘You’re going to be the Wingmen, okay? Christian thought of this. He thinks you guys look kind of funny together and it can be funny. You can be funny, ya know? You’ll figure it out, right?’” Ryan Nemeth explained.

Ryan Nemeth Has Christian to Thank for The Wingmen

The next task for Ryan Nemeth explaining the gimmick to the others in his group. “And I was like, ‘Alright,’ so I went back and gathered everyone around and I said, ‘Alright, so we’re The Wingmen now,’ and they said, ‘What does that mean?’ ‘You know, like when you go to a bar and you help a guy meet a girl. We’re just that.. just, all the time. And it’s not really ever about women.”

The Wingmen are a talented group of individuals. JD Drake is a wrestler very easy to underestimate and yes, Peter Avolon is also. You need skills to play such a fool in such a dangerous profession. Under his Hollywood Hunk moniker, Ryan Nemeth is leading the group as they irritate their way through the AEW ranks.

Kevin Nash On What Being Diesel Meant For His Career

Chris Stephens
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Mattel has recently released a new line of action figures from WWE’s “New Generation” era. One of the company’s biggest stars of that era was Kevin Nash’s Diesel character. Nash recently spoke to Sports Illustrated about what his time as Diesel meant for his career.

“That was only three years of my life. It seemed like so much more,” Nash said. “I came from basically nowhere. There were so many times during my first run in WCW that I was going to leave and go back to the bar scene. It didn’t seem like it was going anywhere, until I came to WWE.”

Diesel held the WWF Championship from November 26th, 1994 until November 19th, 1995.

“People don’t realize that during my run in WWE as champion, not only was I green and I barely had 300 matches, but my mom died almost 30 days to the date of being crowned champion,” said Nash. “I was dealing with that on top of everything else.”

“I just remember soldiering on. I buried my mom and went to Winnipeg and worked. That’s kind of the way it was.”

Nash is a 2x WWE Hall of Fame inductee. He was first inducted in 2015 as a singles star. He went in under his real name rather than as Diesel, however. Nash was then inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a second time when he went in as part of the New World Order.

Ryan Nemeth Reveals Dolph Ziggler May Have Had a “Talking To” About AEW Tweets

Jake Skudder
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Ryan Nemeth, AEW star and brother of WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler, recently appeared on Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast. The former FCW star discussed several topics on the podcast, including how his brother may have run into issues after ‘anti promoting’ AEW a few months ago.

“I think he got in trouble for tweeting so much”, Ryan Nemeth revealed on the show, discussing how his brother would tweet some ‘encouragement’ for his AEW debut matches.

“He would always anti-advertise for Dynamite by posting ‘do not watch this show, this guy sucks’ and it’s (a picture) of me”, Nemeth continued. “‘Don’t tune in to TNT at 8 pm tonight.’ I think, after a few months, maybe he got a talking to.”

Ryan Nemeth on Dolph Ziggler

Jericho himself then revealed that he actually wanted Dolph Ziggler to be part of his cruise. ‘Le Champion’ didn’t want Ziggler to appear to wrestle; he wanted him on tour as a comedy act.

“I was going to book him on my cruise at one point, and it was like, ‘You can’t book him on your cruise.’ ‘Why? He’s coming as a comedian,'” Jericho stated on the podcast.

With Chris Jericho having an affiliation with AEW for the first cruise and then having signed with the company for the second, it’s easy to see why WWE would chose not to let Ziggler make an appearance.

Eddie Kingston Names His Favorite Opponents

Chris Stephens
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Eddie Kingston recently took part in an interview with Bleacher Report. During the discussions, the 39-year-old spoke about some of his favorite opponents and partners he’s had throughout his career.

“Jon Moxley. Teaming up with him and fighting him has been fun,” Kingston said. “Fighting The Young Bucks is great because you get to see that little bit of fear in their eyes as you’re hitting them. That’s a lot of fun. Honestly, everyone I have been in the ring with at AEW has been fun because I’m on national television, baby. I’m having fun.”

Kingston would continue to talk about some of his favorite opponents and partners from outside of AEW as well.

“On the independents, it was guys like Josh Alexander and Samoa Joe, teaming with Homicide, who is my mentor. Overseas, you have guys like Trent Seven and Cara Noir, who I think the world of in the ring. I was in the ring with WALTER. There are so many guys and I know I am missing a lot from this list and I apologize to all of them,” he continued.

Kingston would continue to mention Kevin Owens as one of his favorite opponents that are currently “with the competition now.”

Kingston and Penta El Zero Miedo dropped an AEW tag team title shot to the Young Bucks at Road Rager earlier this month. This week on AEW Dark: Elevation, they defeated Cezar Bononi and JD Drake.

Mark Henry Helps Land Max Caster a Slot on TMZ

Alex Laybourne
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AEW’s Max Caster has landed himself a regular gig on TMZ, and it’s all thanks to Mark Henry. Talking recently during an appearance on the Battleground Podcast, Henry took the credit for brokering the deal.

“I just recently fostered a deal with TMZ and Max Caster. Now every week, he’s going to be on TMZ ripping Hollywood, ripping sports, ripping wrestling. Tune in to see what Max Caster is going to do every week.” Mark Henry explained.

There is no denying that a job on TMZ would suit a character like Caster. He has a sharp tongue and isn’t afraid to lace his barbs with venom when necessary. He knows how to get under the skin and say things in a way that get a reaction. Just look at his Oral Sessions intro ahead of his tag-team fight against Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston.

While there are no details right now, from what Mark Henry has said it sounds like a role Caster was born to fill.

Mark Henry Sees the Power of Cross Media Promotions

Speaking further, Mark Henry explained how he sees a value in AEW branching out into other media streams. Not just mainstream, wrestling-centric avenues, but allowing wrestlers to test the waters in related niches, in order to draw in more fans.

“The number one thing I would want to put out there is, we have to do more of this, er, marketing and creating relationships with media and not just big media but the grassroots media, the podcasts, the companies that are interested in pro-wrestling, not only to the market but for fans.” Mark Henry said.

Since signing with AEW, Mark Henry has been a quiet figure, however, he is gearing up for the premiere of AEW Rampage which premiers on August 13th. Henry will serve as a lead analyst for the show, as well as being an influential figure backstage.

Update On Xia Li Following NXT Title Match

Chris Stephens
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Xia Li appeared to be injured during her NXT Women’s Championship match against Raquel Gonzalez last night on NXT. The match was stopped after Gonzalez landed on Li following a springboard senton splash. Li rolled onto her stomach after the move and then was only weakly able to get her shoulder up during the pin attempt.

The match was restarted after medical personnel checked on Li for a few moments. They quickly went to the finish after, however, with Gonzalez pinning Li after a one-armed power bomb. According to sources backstage at the Capitol Wrestling Center, Li appeared to be fine after the match (via Fightful).

Xia Li To The Main Roster?

Xia Li is one of several members of the NXT roster rumored to be headed to the main roster soon. Li faced former Robert Stone Brand member, Aliyah, in a dark match before Smackdown. She picked up the win in a match from Houston’s Toyota Center.

Xia Li joined WWE in 2017 after having impressed scouts during a WWE tryout from Shanghai, China. She is the first woman from China to compete in a WWE ring. As of late in NXT, she has been aligned with Boa and Mei Ying in the Tian Sha faction.

Matt Morris (FKA Aiden English) Joins Commentary Team For NJPW Resurgence

Chris Stephens
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Matt Morris (Matthew Rehwoldt, Drama King Matt, Aiden English) has been announced as joining the broadcast team for the NJPW Resurgence show next month in Los Angeles. The show will be available on the FITE app.

“Morris joins Kevin Kelly and Alex Koslov on the call for Resurgence. Could his background also lead to in-ring involvement? Time will tell!” An NJPW report reads.

As Aiden English, Morris joined the commentary team for 205 Live in early 2019. He was part of massive roster cuts WWE made shortly after WrestleMania in 2020.

It has been an eventful week for “Drama King Matt” as well. A vignette announcing his arrival to Impact Wrestling played during the Slammiversary PPV on Saturday. He then took part in the promotion’s television tapings in Nashville on Sunday and Monday.

3 matches have been announced thus far for the NJPW Resurgence show. “Switchblade” Jay White will defend the NEVER Openweight Championship against David Finlay. Both White and Finlay took part in the recent Impact television tapings as well. Karl Fredericks will face Alex Coughlin in singles action and Fred Rosser, Rocky Romero & Wheeler Yuta will take on TJP, Clark Connors & Ren Narita. The show will emanate from the Torch at L.A. Coliseum on August 14.

WWE Producer Steve Corino Lacing Up His Boots to Wrestle His Son

Alex Laybourne
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It has been five years since Steve Corino last had a competitive match in a wrestling ring. While the former ECW champion has never officially retired, he has been working as a producer for WWE since 2016.

However, sometimes all a wrestler needs to lace up his boots one more time, is the right motivation. For Steve Corino, it came in the form of a challenge laid down by his own son. Colby Corino is the current PWF Crystal Coast Oceanic Title.

Colby laid down the challenge, which Steve was happy to accept. The pair will clash on Colby’s 25th birthday. That’s quite the way to celebrate.

https://twitter.com/ColbyCorino/status/1417520686323666946

Steve Corino held numerous championships in a career dating back to 1994. The most notable of which was his time as ECW Heavyweight champion. He also enjoyed a reign as ROH tag team champion alongside Jimmy Jacobs.

Steve Corino Lacing Up His Boots For The Right Reasons

Wrestling is a business where it can be hard to stay retired. The lure of one more match can often be too hard to resist. However, for Steve Corino, a return to the ring is happening for all the right reasons.

Colby Corino is a talented wrestler, who is known predominantly for his time in Ring of Honor. He also trained for a time in the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo in LA. He also made two appearances for WWE. The match against his father, Steve Corino promises to be a fun affair. Airing on independentwrestling.tv, the result would appear to be written on the wall. However, for wrestling fans, it will be a treat to see the older Corino back in action.

The return to the ring looks to be a one and done affair for Steve Corino, who is contracted to WWE and seems to be enjoying his backstage producer role.

Malakai Black Talks About His Immediate Reaction to His WWE Release

Alex Laybourne
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The debut of Malakai Black on AEW Dynamite was a shock that nobody saw coming. At least, not so soon. The reasons for his sudden appearance have been well documented. However, talking in a recent interview with Metal Injection, Black talked about his release, including his unusual reaction to the news.

“It’s funny, but as soon as I got released, my wife started crying. I actually started laughing because they built me up for 5-6 weeks, they made me come back [to SmackDown], and now they’re pulling me off TV again? I just couldn’t take the whole situation seriously anymore.” Malakai Black (talking as Tommy End) explained.

The now Malakai Black went on to talk about how he felt WWE booking was something somewhat farcical. Creative minds seemingly changing with the wind.

“There’s nothing really consistent. Everything changes week to week or is done to the point of beating it to death.”

Malakai Black Always Knew AEW Was Where He Needed to Be

When talking about the relief of his release, Malakai Black just knew that he wanted to head to AEW. It was an immediate reaction.

“That was the immediate thought process. I was sick of it, even before everything went down. I loved my time in NXT, but I felt I did nothing of importance on the main roster. It was too much bipolar 50-50 booking, they would push me and pull me off TV.”

One thing has been consistent with Malakai Black’s comments since his release and that is the depth of frustration he felt being trapped in WWE. He went so far as to create a ‘release video’ proclaiming his entire WWE experience to be nothing more than a psychotic episode.

Malakai Black made a big splash, attacking Arn Anderson and Cody Rhodes. With all of that pent up frustration ready to be released, his first feud promises to be a good one.

Ethan Page Says AEW Has “Been A Life-Changing Experience

Alex Laybourne
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Love them or hate them, Heels serve a very important purpose in professional wrestling. AEW star Ethan Page is a heel at the top of his game right now. Alongside Scorpio Sky, they are the Men of the Year, and they are getting under the skin of every AEW out there. Exactly as a great heel should.

Talking on a recent episode of Oral Sessions (guest hosted by Danhausen), Ethan Page spoke at length about his motivation in AEW. For the most part, he remained firmly in character, which made for entertaining listening.

“See I would love to beat up Orange Cassidy,” Ethan Page said. “It pisses me off that he’s cornered the market on denim, especially since he’s not Canadian and he wears a Canadian tuxedo on a regular basis. And I want to wear more denim, but I feel like if I do all the little nerds online are going to be like ‘oh you can’t wear that. That’s Orange Cassidy’s outfit.’ And it pisses me off because I am a man of fashion.”

Ethan Page Got Serious to Talk About His Appreciation For AEW

Towards the end of the interview, however, Ethan Page dropped his persona and spoke from the heart. Talking about his experience with AEW so far, and how it differs from everything else in his career.

“I do want to give a big shoutout to AEW,” Ethan Page said. “I’ve only been here since about March but it’s been a life-changing experience. The way the company treats talent is something unlike I’ve ever experienced before. I hope one day, not to cause any kerfuffle on the internet, I hope you get to experience it one-day Danhausen. It’s insane to me to find a company that puts the company first. I think more people should be talking about it. And I would love for people to check out my vlog because I think I give a little bit of a glimpse to that side of it.”

Ethan Page is a huge talent for AEW, with Jim Ross recently singling him out for praise, picking him to be a top star for the company. While not the youngest member of the roster, Page has a lot of years left in the ring and has only just begun to define himself.

Big E Already Knows Who He Wants to Cash In Against

Alex Laybourne
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He who holds the Money in the Bank briefcase holds his own destiny. Big E recently rose to the top of the ladder and grabbed the briefcase. Now, he has already spoken about who he would love to cash in against.

Talking in an interview with DAZN’s Steve Muehlhausen Big E explained who he would rather choose to cash in against.

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

“Those are all great options,” Big E said. “I feel Roman’s the guy though. Roman’s the guy in the industry, and if you want to be remembered, if you want to do something cool, something special, that’s a great way to do it. Roman’s on a tear. This is one of the best runs I can remember. I feel like he’s definitely hitting his stride in a way that he hasn’t before.”

Ordinarily, cashing in your Money in the Bank case is a surprise affair, but recent years have seen the holders call their shots a little ahead of time.

Big E Feels to be the Best You Should Beat the Best

Going on to explain his reasoning for choosing Roman as his cash in of choice. It’s a simple matter of wanting to prove that you are the best and deserving of the right to be a champion.

“You can look at the entire scope of the rest of the industry, and you can determine who you think is the number one guy, who you think is the best, who should be at the very top. I think it’s not that difficult to make an argument for Roman being number one across all brands, across all boards. Beating him means that whoever beats him for that title, it’s going to be memorable. It’s going to mean something, and why not me?” Big E explained.

In wrestling, plans can always change. With John Cena back to challenge Roman Reigns at SummerSlam, Big E may need to adjust on the fly. However, one thing is certain, whoever is the champ when the time comes, Big E will be ready for them.

Kota Ibushi Diagnosed With Aspiration Pneumonia

Alex Laybourne
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NJPW has released a statement on the status of Kota Ibushi. The former dual IWGP Champion and Intercontinental champion was recently pulled from the companies Summer Struggle series. The reasons for this were given as a bad reaction to the COVID-19 vaccination. However, new updates have confirmed Ibushi has a case of Aspiration Pneumonia.

In a statement issued by New Japan Pro Wrestling, they stressed that the illness was not related to the vaccination and that Kota Ibushi had tested negative for Covid.

Kota Ibushi was scheduled to participate in a few shows at the end of this month, namely events in Osaka on July 22nd and 23rd and Nagoya on July 24th. There is no current timeline for his return to the ring. However, he will be assessed ahead of the Wrestle Grand Slam event on July 25th.

Kota Ibushi Will Be Eager to Regain His IWGP Crown

Kota Ibushi has had quite the year in NJPW. He defeated Naito to claim both the IWGP Championship and Intercontinental belts. He then became in inaugural IWGP Heavyweight champion before losing the title to Will Ospreay.

Now, with the belt around Shingo Takagi’s waist, Kota Ibushi will be eager to get back into the run and restart his journey to the top. This could happen at the Wrestle Grand Slam event, assuming medical staff clear Ibushi for a return to the ring. Failing that, however, all eyes will turn to the G1.

With less than two months before the start of the G1 Climax event, Kota Ibushi will be eager to get back to full match fitness. He won the event in 2019 and 2020, becoming only the third wrestler to win back-to-back G1’s. He will be looking to set history this year and claim victory for a third successive year.

Doing so would give him the opportunity to headline Wrestle Kingdom in the new year and try to reclaim the gold from whoever is the IWGP Heavyweight champion at the time. Kota Ibushi is a star draw for NJPW. Hopefully, this bout of pneumonia will not hinder his performance once he returns.

WWE NXT Results (7/20): Women’s Title Match, Samoa Joe Reacts, O’Reilly vs. Theory

Andrew Ravens
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The July 20, 2021 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Bobby Fish & KUSHIDA def. Diamond Mine
  • Franky Monet def. Jacy Jayne.
  • Kyle O’Reilly def. Austin Theory.
  • Odyssey Jones def. Andre Chase to advance to the Semi Finals of the Breakout Tournament.
  • Drake Maverick def. LA Knight.
  • NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez def. Xia Li

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Samoa Joe Reacts

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Samoa Joe responded to Karrion Kross’ attack from last week after Kross had successfully retained the NXT Title over Johnny Gargano. Kross choked Joe out with the Kross Jacket.

On Monday’s Raw, Kross made his Raw debut and lost to Jeff Hardy when Hardy pinned Kross while having his feet on the ropes for added leverage. Following the match, Kross was interviewed and said Hardy just made the biggest mistake of his life.

Joe opened the show by calling out Kross with his wrist taped. William Regal stated that Joe cannot be calling out wrestlers. Joe pointed out that he was told he could attack anyone if he was provoked. Joe didn’t want to hear what Regal says and that Kross needs to be put down.

Joe said that Regal can’t control Kross and he is the man to get Kross under control. Regal said Kross is on his way here and all hell won’t break loose because they will handle things peacefully. Joe said tonight will be the end of it because someone is going to sleep. 

Later in the show, Joe called out Kross, who appeared on the big screen. He said he can hurt anyone he wants. Kross was seen standing over a downed Regal. Joe chased to the back as Kross left and that’s how the show ended.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Austin Theory

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Kyle O’Reilly vs. Austin Theory in a singles match took place. 

There was a backstage segment where Gargano was asked about his loss to NXT Champion Karrion Kross last week. O’Reilly walked up how he heard about what Theory talked about him. O’Reilly challenged him to a match and Theory accepted. O’Reilly told him that he would get his dancing shoes on. Gargano told Theory that he would be on his own tonight. 

WWE actually gave these guys plenty of time to work and Theory had various moments of offense, which is surprising. O’Reilly won with his knee lock submission. He wouldn’t let go of it for several seconds after Theory tapped. 

Mariachi Musical Madness

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Legado del Fantasma hosted “Mariachi Musical Madness” on this show. So what was it?

Santos Escobar told the performers to leave. He said that he was going to give everyone a taste of the best music in the world, but he changed his mind because he wouldn’t lower himself to entertain the fans as they’re not worth it and won’t do the Hit Row thing. 

Santos said that he would take the North American Title from Isiah Scott. Hit Row came out and said that they’re trash. Top Dolla did some jokes about how he was as tall as them in the sixth grade. A brawl broke out with Hit Row standing tall. 

LA Knight vs. Drake Maverick

07 NXT

Million Dollar Champion LA Knight vs. Drake Maverick took place in a non-title match. 

This match was set up when WWE did an angle where Knight and Maverick got into a confrontation in the parking lot prior to the show. Cameron Grimes was in Knight’s corner due to him serving as his butler, which was part of a stipulation that dates back to Grimes losing a Million Dollar Championship match against Knight at NXT Great American Bash two weeks ago

Due to accidental outside interference by Grimes, Knight rolled up Maverick for the win. Post-match, Grimes tried to warn Maverick to get out of the ring, but Knight beat him down. Grimes pushed Knight away.

Knight told Grimes to attack Maverick and while Grimes refused at first, he ended up doing it.

Tag Team Match

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Diamond Mine’s Roderick Strong & Tyler Rust vs. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida & Bobby Fish took place. 

WWE set up this match last week as with Strong’s help, Rust defeated Fish. Kushida then ran out and chased Diamond Mine off after the match. 

The match went long with the typical tag team style until Kushida locked in a kimura on Rust for the win. 

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Title Match

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NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez defended her title against Xia Li. 

Last week, Gonzalez’s tag team partner Dakota Kai defeated Ember Moon. After the match, Li came out to the ring and confronted Gonzalez because she wanted a title match, which Gonzalez accepted. 

The match was the main event of the show. Li chopped Raquel down throughout the match. They did a spot where Raquel did a splash off the top rope and then Li never got up so medical staff checked on her. There was a lot of confusion. They went straight to the finish with Raquel hitting her finisher for the win. 

Gonzalez won the NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Io Shirai at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver this April. Since that time, she’s successfully defended the title against Mercedes Martinez and then Moon at TakeOver: In Your House last month. 

WWE Confirms NXT TakeOver Special On SummerSlam Weekend

Andrew Ravens
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The next WWE NXT TakeOver special has been announced.

WWE confirmed on Tuesday night during the weekly NXT TV show on the USA Network that the 36th installment of their TakeOver specials will take place on August 22nd. The theme and location of the show have yet to be revealed. 

This year’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view event will take place on Saturday, August 21st from Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium. Thus, fans will have back-to-back nights of WWE action that weekend.

In the video package about the announcement, NXT lead announcer Vic Joseph’s mentioning of the Capital Wrestling Center was added in. The date of this show has been known all the way back in June when Fightful Select first reported the news. 

Mat Men Radio’s Andrew Zarian noted on his show that the event would be held on a Sunday in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center, but WWE could opt out of that location should they decide to do so. 

NXT’s last TakeOver event was In Your House in June that saw the main event being a successful defense of the NXT Title by Karrion Kross over Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Pete Dunne, and Johnny Gargano.

Jake Roberts Signs Two-Year Extension With AEW

Andrew Ravens
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Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts has re-signed with All Elite Wrestling.

The WWE Hall of Famer shared the news when he spoke with Diamond Dallas Page in a video that was posted on the former WCW stars’ YouTube channel. The extension will see him under contract for the next two years. 

“When I originally signed with [AEW], it was for a ten week deal. At eight weeks, [a guy] comes along with some papers, ‘You need to sign these.’ I’m like, ‘What for?’ ‘Well it’s your contract.’ ‘Dude, I’ve only got two weeks left.’ ‘No, you got another year.’ ‘What?’ And then just a few weeks ago, I buzzed Tony, I said, ‘Hey, I’ve got four weeks left. What do you want me to do? I need a notice so I can start setting up my stuff’ and he says, ‘We need to sign another piece of paper’ and I signed again and then after I signed it, I found out that it wasn’t for a year, it was for more than a year. It was for two years.”

Roberts noted that Khan is a wonderful man and he gave him his love back for wrestling as it’s great to be part of AEW. He said that he’s taken this opportunity to keep his eyes open and try to help people that are struggling. 

The legendary pro wrestler made his promotional debut last year when he confronted Cody Rhodes as a way to give him a message about how he had a client coming to AEW. 

This client turned out to be Lance Archer. The two have yet to part ways. Archer is slated to challenge Jon Moxley for the IWGP United States Title in a Texas Death Match on Dynamite this Wednesday. This will be the second night of Fyter Fest in Garland, Texas.

List Of Producers For WWE Money In The Bank Matches

Andrew Ravens
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After all the build and lead-up, Money in the Bank is in the books after being held this past weekend from Fort Worth, Texas at Dickies Arena and aired on Peacock. 

Big E ended up winning the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match and has yet to cash in while Nikki A.S.H won the women’s bout. 

The WWE star formerly known as Nikki Cross has already cashed in her briefcase as she did so on Monday’s episode of Raw when she beat Charlotte Flair, who had just wrestled Rhea Ripley in the main event, to win the Raw Women’s Title. 

Pwinsider.com has gathered a list of producers for each match, as seen below: 

WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Edge – Michael Hayes

Rhea Ripley vs. WWE Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair – Adam Pearce

WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Kofi Kingston – Jason Jordan & Jamie Noble

Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match – Ricochet vs. Matt Riddle vs. John Morrison vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Big E vs. Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – Jamie Noble & Shane McMahon

Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match – Asuka vs. Naomi vs. Alex Bliss vs. Nikki Cross vs. Liv Morgan vs. Zelina Vega vs. Natalya vs. Tamina – TJ Wilson & Pat Buck

WWE Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Omos vs. The Viking Raiders – Chris Parks

WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champion The Usos vs. The Mysterios – D-Von Dudley

WWE Announces John Cena’s Live Event Schedule for the Summer

Tyriece Simon
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John Cena will be back in WWE’s live event schedule tour this Summer.

WWE has officially revealed what Cena’s tour schedule would look like for the Summer. The plan will see Cena appear at Raw and SmackDown tapings, non-televised live events and a pay-per-view (SummerSlam) from July 23rd through August 21st.

WWE is promoting Cena’s return to the road as, the “Summer of Cena.”

In total, Cena is advertised for 15 upcoming shows. It’s worth noting that Cena is only appearing at select shows through SummerSlam. You can see the full schedule at WWE.com.

Cena vs. Reigns at SummerSlam

John Cena made his long-awaited return at this year’s Money in the Bank after Universal champion Roman Reigns defeated Edge. He appeared on last night’s episode of Raw to challenge Reigns to a championship match at Summerslam.

Cena explained why he returned and said Reigns “Needs to be knocked down a peg in the promo.” Cena also confirmed that he would be on Smackdown this Friday to confront Reigns.

The last time that Cena faced Reigns was at No Mercy at the Staples Center in Las Angeles, California, on September 24, 2017. Reigns defeated Cena with the spear.

Cena’s Challenging Tour schedule

The “Summer of Cena” will be Cena’s most demanding WWE tour schedule in quite some time. Over the past couple of years, Cena hasn’t toured with WWE to this level. His last WWE match was a firefly funhouse match against the Fiend at Wrestlemania 36 on April 5, 2020.

At 44 years old, Cena has been focusing more on his acting career than wrestling consistently. It’s unclear if he will have matches leading to Summerslam to condition himself or if he’s been training already.

WWE’s Live Event Struggles

WWE is looking to make Summerslam a big event. Cena earned a big reaction for his return at Money in the Bank and Raw. With Cena set to appear at live events throughout the Summer, it may result in more sold-out shows.

WWE has seen mixed results with ticket sales since the return of live events. Some markets have been strong, while others have struggled. WWE recently canceled shows in Georgia and Florida after slow ticket launches.

As of this writing, tickets are still available on Ticketmaster for SummerSlam as low as $25. The announcement of Cena vs. Reigns for the Universal Championship may generate interest to help sell out the event.

If you are interested in ticket sales and the business side of live wrestling shows, the @WrestleTix Twitter account has been doing excellent work lately.

Triple H: ‘Roman Reigns Is The Biggest Star In The Industry’

Andrew Ravens
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WWE spent years to have Roman Reigns be the top star in the promotion, but the fans didn’t accept him in that role until after a global pandemic took place. Following his hiatus, WWE decided to turn him into a heel, which took his career to another level. 

While speaking with Sports Illustrated, Triple H talked about the Universal Champion, who just successfully retained the title over Edge in the main event of Money in the Bank.

After the match, Reigns had a staredown with the returning John Cena. According to the WWE Hall of Famer, Reigns is not only the biggest star in WWE but in all of pro wrestling. 

“Roman is the biggest star in WWE, he’s the biggest star in the industry. He perfected his craft at a really hard time to do so with no fans. He put so much into his character work, and his reaction to Cena was as powerful as the moment itself. Watching that, I couldn’t help but think back to how long he’s been doing this and some of the tougher times he’s been through. Right now, he’s performing on a whole other level. He’s at the point where he is no longer thinking about the character, he just is.”

Reigns will face Cena in the main event of next month’s SummerSlam pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada at Allegiant Stadium.

Backstage Reaction To Karrion Kross’ Loss On WWE Raw

Andrew Ravens
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After much anticipation for his official main roster debut, many fans were disappointed with WWE’s booking of NXT Champion Karrion Kross on his first night as an official member of the Raw roster. 

Monday’s episode of Raw saw him drop a quick loss to Jeff Hardy. Post-match, Kross warned Hardy that he just made the biggest mistake of his career so it appears that a feud will be playing out in the coming weeks. 

There was said to be a lot of “shock and frustration” within WWE NXT from talent and staff due to the way WWE handled Kross’ first night, according to Fightful Select. It was said the general mood among those in NXT wasn’t a “mad, disappointed” vibe, as they felt like this represented how the NXT brand is viewed by WWE higher-ups as a whole.

One person stated that the loss felt like a message being sent, but didn’t further elaborate. Those backstage at the show noted Kross was in good spirits backstage after the match. One talent stated Kross was put in an unfavorable position considering his spot as a protected talent in NXT while also being a new talent on another brand. 

This debut came after WWE built Kross up during the broadcast with vignettes and praise from the announcers. There’s no clear direction yet for Kross’ status in NXT. 

It’s likely we will find that out Tuesday’s NXT after he retained his title over Johnny Gargano last week, and then attacked Samoa Joe, the enforcer to NXT General Manager William Regal.

WWE Raw Ratings Up For Return Of Live Fans & MITB Fallout (7/19)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.923 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. This is up from last week’s 1.609 million viewers and the 0.43 rating. 

This week’s show was the post-show edition of Raw for Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view event.  It was also the first show back with fans.  This was the best viewership Raw has done since the post-Wrestlemania episode on April 12.

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

P2+: 1923 (+21%)
P18-49: 741 (+35%)
M18-49: 481 (+41%)
F18-49: 260 (+26%)
P18-34: 225 (+16%)
M18-34: 143 (+28%)
F18-34: 82 (+2%)
P35-49: 516 (+42%)
M35-49: 338 (+44%)
F35-49: 178 (+38%)
non-P18-49: 1182 (+13%)

This episode featured a promo segment with John Cena, Riddle & The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) vs. AJ Styles, John Morrison & Omos, Natalya & Tamina vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler, Karrion Kross vs. Jeff Hardy, Sheamus vs. Humberto Carrillo, Bobby Lashley vs. Keith Lee,  and Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Title. 

SmackDown Viewership

The episode drew an average of 2.185 million viewers in the overnight ratings, up from the previous week that did 1.881 million viewers. In the 18-49 demographic, it did a 0.66 rating, which was up from the 0.48 rating the week before.  The final ratings were 2.310 million viewers, up from last week’s 1.986 million viewers.

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