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Willie Mack Interview: Impact Slammiversary, Teaming With Rich Swann & More

Michael Reichlin
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SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay recently spoke with Impact Wrestling star Willie Mack to promote this weekend’s Slammiversary PPV. Mack and Rich Swann are competing in the Tag Title Fatal 4-Way match at the event.

You can order Impact Wrestling Slammiversary at FITE.TV now for $39.99.

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Willie Mack SEScoops Interview

Topics discussed during this 17+ minute discussion include:

  • His strategy for the to win the tag titles at Slammiversary: “Just look around and start swinging! Whatever hits, hits.”
  • His partnership with Rich Swann, how they linked up and how their styles mesh
  • How they plan to celebrate if they win the Impact tag titles this weekend
  • The wildest match he’s ever participated in
  • His pick to win the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary (“As long as I’m not in it, I’m happy.”)
  • Summer movie picks & more

Check out Ella Jay’s full interview with Willie Mack:

Aliyah Reportedly Being Called Up To WWE’s Main Roster

Chris Stephens
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Aliyah was not pleased with Robert Stone following her team’s loss to Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter on NXT this week. She stormed off on her former team and appears to be gone from the Robert Stone Brand.

According to multiple reports, Aliyah is headed to the main roster. According to a report from Fightful, the 26-year-old from Toronto impressed the right people when they scouted her at the WWE Performance Center recently. Vince McMahon, Bruce Prichard and John Laurinaitis were reported to have been scouting talent at the PC at the end of June.

Another report from the WrestleVotes Twitter account is stating that Aliyah is headed to the RAW brand. This may have been part of a straight-up trade involving Mandy Rose heading to NXT.

Aliyah started training with Squared Circle Training in Toronto. Her first trainer was Impact Wrestling’s Taylor Wilde. She would later train with Rob Fuego as well. She signed a developmental deal with WWE in 2015 and reported to the Performance Center.

In an interview with WWE.com in 2016, she spoke about being a huge wrestling fan growing up.

“Growing up, I would not miss Raw, SmackDown or a pay-per-view. Every time WWE would come to Toronto, I’d go to the events at the Air Canada Centre or Ricoh Coliseum. I was a huge fangirl.”

“My favorites are Edge, obviously, because he’s Canadian, and Jeff Hardy. For the Divas (it was still Divas then), Trish Stratus, Lita and Mickie James.”

Trent Injury Update Following Spinal Fusion Surgery

Chris Stephens
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AEW’s Trent is looking at a long stretch on the injured list. The popular member of the Best Friends underwent spinal fusion recently. According to a report on Wrestling Observer Radio, the surgery went well but he’s going to be out of action for quite awhile.

“He had his surgery, they fused 2 vertebrae in his neck. It went well but he’s going to be out for quite awhile. But the surgery went well,” said Dave Meltzer.

Trent’s doctor, Michael J Sampson, took to Twitter yesterday to share an X-Ray from Trent’s surgery:

Trent was out of action due to a torn pec from last December to this April as well. His injuries have prevented the Best Friends from remaining in the top-5 rankings.

The last time the Best Friends appeared in the top-5 was on January 6th, 2021. They challenged for the AEW World tag team titles most recently last October.

The Best Friends accompanied Wheeler Yuta the ring for his match on Dynamite this week. Yuta was defeated by Sammy Guevara in singles action. It was said on the broadcast that Yuta is something of a protege for Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor.

Miro Debuts Personalized TNT Championship Belt at Fyter Fest

Alex Laybourne
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On night one of AEW Fyter Fest, current TNT champion Miro showed off his brand new, customized TNT Championship belt. In its brief existence within AEW, the TNT title has already gained a prestige that some could argue runs deeper than the AEW Championship. This is largely thanks to the legacy of Brodie Lee and the crowd-endearing fearlessness of Darby Allin.

Now, the TNT Championship is in the hands of God’s Greatest champion Miro. A wrestler who is relishing the creative freedom offered in AEW and is becoming the brutal warrior everybody always knew he could be.

The new TNT title design is one that has been fully customized for the new champion. It carries a deep and personal meaning for Miro, who was born and raised in Bulgaria. The belt, designed from white leather has a green ribbon replacing the red running across the center. This has been done to represent the Bulgarian flag. The missing component of which in the design is the lower red section which will be completed by Miro’s trunks.

Miro is an old school champion and wears the TNT Championship around his waist. This is a clever design that goes deeper than just the belt but incorporates the champion wearing it also.

The belt also has the traditional customized side plates which include the Bulgarian flag at the Bulgarian crest.

Will We See a Customized TNT Championship for Every Champion?

This is the third TNT Championship design so far. The first was retired and awarded to Negative One after Brodie Lee passed. The second was held by Darby Allin. The highly personal nature of this design would indicate that AEW is going to give all of its champions a customized belt.

Changing the side plates of a belt is standard practice for a new champion, but there are easily interchangeable parts. To design an entirely new belt for each holder is an investment in the champion and a wonderful touch to make each reign mean something to said wrestler.

It could be that this design is a once-off, and Miro is going to be given a good run with the belt, after which it will revert to its standard design. However, that seems counterintuitive to the way AEW have conducted their business thus far.

The effort and thought that has gone into this new TNT Championship belt is further proof of AEW’s investment in their wrestlers. Not only from a financial standpoint but from every angle.

AEW Dynamite Fyter Fest Night 1 Results: Coffin Match, Cody & Malakai Black

Robert Lentini
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Night 1 of Fyter Fest aired live from the HEB Center in Cedar Park, Texas. Darby Allin faced Ethan Page in a Coffin Match in the main event. A new promo for AEW new show Rampage also aired during tonight’s show.

Fyter Fest Night 1 Results:

  1. Jon Moxley def. Karl Anderson to retain the IWGP US Championship
  2. Ricky Starks def. Brian Cage for the FTW Championship
  3. Christian Cage def. Matt Hardy
  4. Yuka Sakazaki def. Penelope Ford
  5. Darby Allin def. Ethan Page in a Coffin Match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Moxley Retained & Will Face Lance Archer In A Texas Death Match Next Week

Jon Moxley defended the IWGP US Championship against Karl Anderson. Eddie Kingston attacked Doc Gallows outside the ring before the match. Moxley beat Anderson down to start off the match but Karl battled back with an uppercut. Anderson shoved Moxley to the corner and him with with a chop across the chest.

Anderson sent Moxley to the apron and leveled him with a boot to the face that knocked the champ out of the ring. Moxley got back in and connected with a massive Superplex. Jon took back control and connected with the Paradigm Shift for the pinfall victory. After the match, Lance Archer cut a promo and it was announced that he will face Moxley next week in a Texas Death match.

Later on the show, Moxley said that there is only one boogeyman in NJPW and AEW. Moxley added that Archer will be Texas dead next week in Dallas.

Team Taz Betrayed Brian Cage

Brian Cage defended the FTW Championship against Ricky Starks. Cage sent Starks to the corner and charged but Ricky hopped to the apron. Cage crashed into the turnbuckle and Starks made his way to the top rope. Starks hit a Dropkick and posed in the ring as Dynamite went to a break.

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Starks grabbed the FTW Championship outside the ring but Cage attacked him. Rickey connected with a Clothesline and the action returned to the ring. Cage hit a Falcon Arrow and went for the cover but Starks got his boot on the bottom rope. Brian followed it up with a massive Powerbomb for a near fall. Team Taz interfered and Powerhouse Hobbs hit Cage with the FTW Championship. Starks hit a Spear for the pinfall victory.

Cody Called Out Malakai Black

Cody showed up at the announce table and yelled about Malakai Black kicking Arn Anderson last week. Cody demanded Malakai come to the ring but he showed up on the screen. Malaki said he looked in Cody’s eyes last week and the intensity wasn’t there. Cody dared him to come to the ring and get a better look and the lights went out. Malakai Black arrived in the ring and traded punches. AEW security rushed the ring and broke it up to end the segment.

Hangman Page Confronted Kenny Omega

Tony Schiavone interviewed Hangman Page tonight. Hangman said the Dark Order is right and he still needs that AEW Championship and the crowd popped. Hangman said he was here to challenge for the title and Don Callis interrupted with The Elite. They got in some insults and Matt Jackson made his way to the ring.

Matt said that Hangman abandoned his best friends and it blows his mind that he left them for a bunch of losers (Dark Order). Matt added that he could smell the booze on Hangman’s breath and claimed that Page doesn’t have the balls to hit him. Hangman knocked Matt out of the ring and Kenny Omega slid into the ring. Dark Order rushed the ring for the save and The Elite retreated as the crowd chanted AEW.

Omega suggested a 5 vs. 5 Elimination match and Hangman said if they win he gets a title shot and Dark Order gets a tag title match. Kenny said that if The Elite wins, Hangman loses his title shot and so does the Dark Order. A “cowboy sh*t!” shit broke out and Kenny told them to shut up. Hangman accepted the stipulations to end the promo.

Christian Cage def. Matt Hardy

Christian Cage battled Matt Hardy tonight on Dynamite. Christian dominated early and brought Matt out of the ring. Cage sent Hardy into the barricade and then made his way to the top rope. Christian hit a Crossbody and both men fell to the floor.

When Dynamite returned from a break, Christian brought Matt to the corner and went for a Tornado DDT but Matt blocked it. Hardy unloaded some punches and hit Cage with a chop to the chest. Matt connected with a Superplex and then hit Christian with a low blow while the referee was distracted.

Matt hit the Twist of Fate and went for the cover but Christian kicked out at two. Matt applied a Sleeper Hold outside the ring and rolled back inside as the referee started counting. Christian got back in the ring and hit the Killswitch for the pinfall victory. After the match, Private Party rushed the ring but Jurassic Express made the save. Luchasaurus lifted Christian up on his shoulders to celebrate.

Sammy Guevara Picked Up A Win

Sammy Guevara faced Wheeler Yuta tonight. Sammy got a great reaction from the crowd. Yuta connected with a Splash and went for the cover but Sammy kicked out at two. Guevara connected with an awesome springboard Cutter and then the GTH for the pinfall victory.

Yuka Sakazaki def. Penelope Ford

Yuka Sakazaki squared off against Penelope Ford on this week’s show. Sakazaki controlled the match early and sent Penelope out of the ring. Back in the ring, Penelope hit a Suplex and followed it up with a Clothesline for a near fall. Yuka hit the Magical Girl Splash for the pinfall victory.

Nyla Rose Vowed To Take The Title From Britt Baker Next Week

Britt Baker was interviewed by Tony Schiavone. Tony asked if she was alright after Nyla Rose recently put her through a table. Britt said she has dealt with worse and her wounds healed because she is the baddest b*tch on the block. Baker noted that Nyla has beaten her before but Britt is in a league of her own right now. Britt added that she knows Vickie is listening backstage and said that she has a last name that will keep her relevant forever in wrestling, but Nyla Rose doesn’t. Nyla needs the title to be relevant. Vickie and Nyla responded in a backstage promo and Rose vowed to beat Baker next week for the title.

Darby Allin Won AEW’s First Coffin Match

Darby Allin battled Ethan Page in a Coffin Match in the main event. Scorpio Sky interfered as it was revealed he was hiding in the coffin. Sky attacked Darby and sent him flying over the steel steps. Sting made his way to the ring to a massive pop and battled with Scorpio Sky in the crowd. Sting hit the Stinger Splash as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Page and Allin were still battling in the crowd. They returned to the ring and Page bounced Darby’s face off the steel steps. Ethan removed the turnbuckle and slammed Allin to the mat. Darby hit Page with the exposed steel and Dropkicked the steel steps onto Page.

Ethan and Allin started trading punches inside the coffin. Page connected with a Back Body Drop on the floor. Page lifted Darby up in a Fireman’s Carry and walked up the steel steps but Allin escaped. Darby slammed Page onto the steps and made his way to the top rope.

Page got up and crotched Allin on the top turnbuckle and hit Ego’s Edge on top of the steel steps. Allin used his skateboard and leaped off the top rope. Allin kicked Page with the skateboard and Page fell into the coffin. Allin closed it to win the match. After the match, Darby climbed to the top rope and hit a Coffin Drop through the coffin to close the show.

The IIconics, Now Free Agents, Bid Farewell To WWE Personas

Kristen Ashly
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The duo formerly known as The IIconics said goodbye to “Peyton Royce” and “Billie Kay”, Wednesday.

Jessica McKay and Cassie Lee took to Twitter to say farewell to their old WWE gimmicks, expressing gratitude towards the opportunity to portray and create the personalities.

As pointed out by Reddit user u/braincloud215 on r/SquaredCircle, the pair’s WWE 90-day non-compete clause expires on the same day they announce their separation from the names.

Similarly, Tommy End, formerly Aleister Black, posted a video on his Instagram account in which he escapes from an “insane asylum” the same day he debuted for AEW.

In June, The IIconics appeared on Renee Paquette’s Oral Sessions podcast and revealed they were unable to work in the US, due to issues with their visa status after leaving WWE.

Though it stands as mere speculation, it is interesting to note that the two former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions say “adios” to their old gimmicks on a Wednesday—the same day AEW Dynamite airs.

https://twitter.com/JessicaMcKay/status/1415363670549405711?s=20
https://twitter.com/CassieLee/status/1415333863258267652?s=20

EJ Nduka On Why He Signed With MLW, Battle Riot III & More

Samira
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Major League Wrestling returned to live wrestling Saturday night for their Battle Riot III from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.

I was on-hand at the Battle Riot as a correspondent for SEScoops and I spoke with a few MLW wrestlers. One being MLW’s newest signee, EJ “The Judge” Nduka.

When I asked why he chose to sign with MLW after becoming a free agent, Nduka answered that he likes what MLW does and feels like he’s a great fit to the company.

“MLW has been the most transparent and authentic. I love what they’re doing. I love what they continue to do and I just feel like I’m a great fit here,” said Nduka.

The discussion then moved onto me asking “The Judge” what his strategy was for the Battle Riot. “To shock the world,” Nduka stated.

Other topics discussed include the famous 2300 Arena, who he would like to wrestle with in MLW, and more.

You can watch MLW’s Battle Riot III for free on July 24th with beIN SPORTS at 10 p.m. EST.

Watch my full interview with EJ “The Judge” Nduka here:

Michael Elgin Arrested For Violating Protective Order

Chris Stephens
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Aaron Frobel, better known to wrestling fans as Michael Elgin, has been arrested for violating a protective order. He was arrested on June 29th, 2021.

His ex-fiancée alleges that Elgin violated her protective order as many as 60 times. She filed for the protective order on May 21st.

“I had a plan to leave a few times before but always backed out from fear,” an excerpt of the protective order reads (obtained by WrestlingNewsCo). “Since I left I have received hundreds of phone calls, hundreds of text messages, numerous videos, and suicide threats from him. He has also reached out to my friends and family.”

“Whenever I or someone he has reached out to block him, he uses the free text/calling apps to make a fake number and continues calling and texting. Sometimes saying it is him, sometimes pretending to be other people. I have asked him not to contact me numerous times.”

Elgin’s ex-fiance says she left the home the two shared on April 21st. She stated “I was being abused physically, mentally, verbally, and emotionally.”

A copy of the incident report obtained by WrestlingNewsCo is below:

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Elgin is a former IWGP Intercontinental Champion, NEVER Openweight Champion, and ROH World Champion. Last summer, Impact announced Elgin would no longer appear on their programming. This followed allegations made against him as part of the #SpeakingOut movement.

NXT To Air On SyFy Channel Due To Olympic Coverage

Chris Stephens
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WWE NXT on Tuesday nights will temporarily move to the SyFy Network due to the USA Network’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics. Television listings for Tuesday, July 27th show Olympic coverage taking place during NXT’s normal time slot. According to a report from PW Insider, NXT that week will move to the SyFy channel.

NXT has been putting on big shows this month, perhaps in anticipation of having to move channels temporarily due to the Olympics. Great American Bash took place last week, Karrion Kross vs Johnny Gargano faced off for the NXT Championship this week and an NXT Women’s Championship match between Raquel Gonzalez and Xia Li has been scheduled for next week.

Additionally, NXT saw Mandy Rose return to the roster this week. She appeared on the entrance ramp during the Sarray and Gigi Dolin match. Rose would later appear in a backstage segment with Franky Monet and the Robert Stone Brand. Cameron Grimes and LA Knight are also currently in an angle where Grimes is Knight’s butler.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1415124138641985537

The only other match scheduled for next week’s show sees Bobby Fish team with KUSHIDA to take on the Diamond Mine. Fish was defeated by Tyler Rust this week but only after being distracted by Roderick Strong on the outside.

Brock Lesnar Resurfaces “Bearded Butchers” YouTube Show

Chris Stephens
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Recent pictures of Brock Lesnar sporting a ponytail and facial hair have caused quite a stir online. The photos were from Lesnar’s appearance on “The Bearded Butchers” YouTube channel. Lesnar’s full appearance has been posted online by the company.

“Wondering where did Brock Lesnar go? We found him! The Beast is a Bearded Butcher now! Hang out with us, Brock Lesnar and his new look as he makes his first appearance in over a year!” a description of the video reads.

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

“Avid Outdoorsmen and talented Butchers, Seth & Scott Perkins grew up hunting, harvesting, and butchering all types of wild game, as well as domestic livestock at the family butchering business, leading them on a quest to create a blend of salt & spices that are not only perfect for all types of meat, but just about anything you eat, and why we say ‘Use it on Everything!'” a description of Bearded Butchers reads on BeardedButchers.com.

There have been rumors the 44-year-old could be returning to WWE now that the company has gone back out on the road. Lesnar has not appeared in WWE since losing to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36.

Paul Heyman recently commented on Lesnar’s potential WWE return during an interview with Metro.

“Brock Lesnar does what Brock Lesnar wants to do,” Heyman said during the interview. “If Brock Lesnar wants to return to WWE, he will. If Brock Lesnar wants to take the UFC Championship from Francis Ngannou, he will”

Update On Mandy Rose Appearing On NXT

Chris Stephens
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Mandy Rose appeared on NXT last night. She walked out onto the stage during the Sarray vs Gigi Dolin match leading the live fans to chant that she “don’t go there.” According to a report from PW Insider, however, Mandy Rose does, in fact, go there now.

Mandy Rose has been moved to the NXT roster full-time. Additionally, Rose is considered to no longer be a member of the RAW roster. She had been performing with Dana Brooke as a tag-team on the brand.

Rose would appear later in the night on NXT as well. In a backstage segment, she walked past the Robert Stone Brand and commented on it being “under new management.”

In a digital exclusive, Rose was asked about why she has appeared in NXT. Rose wouldn’t give too much away, however. Her response to the question was only “you’ll see.”

Rose’s move away from the main roster can be considered a little surprising considering high-profile angles with Otis and Sonya Deville she’s appeared in. She made her main roster debut on the November 20, 2017 episode of RAW. She debuted along with Sonya Deville and Paige as “Absolution.” Rose was signed by WWE following her performance on the 2015 edition of Tough Enough.

Kalisto Files Trademark As He Returns to His Previous Ring Name

Alex Laybourne
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For WWE wrestler Kalisto can get back into the squared circle as of tomorrow. His 90-day release clause complete. While he has not given any indication as to where or when he will return, one thing is looking likely. He will be returning to his old ring name of Samuray del Sol.

He has been keeping himself in shape since he was let go if his recent social media posts are anything to go by.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQRThRYj-D_/

Earlier this month, he applied for a trademark to use the Samuray del Sol name for merchandise including shirts, hoodies and caps.

Before signing with WWE in 2013, Kalisto wrestled in several promotions as his del Sol character, including CZW and Dragon Gate and Evolve. He never held any championships in these promotions, which is surely something he will be eager to set straight now.

Kalisto Honed His Skills in an Eight Year WWE Run

During his eight years with WWE, the man formerly known as Kalisto honed his skills inside and outside of the ring. He won two US championships, and the cruiserweight title and the NXT tag team titles. He was part of both the Lucha Dragons and the Lucha House Party. In 2016 he was even ranked as the 25th best wrestler in the PWI 500.

However, he was deemed surplus to requirements in WWE and was released in the now traditional post Wrestlemania cull. However, Kalisto is just 34 years old, and there are plenty of promotions who would benefit from adding him to their roster. As with most released talent, he has something to prove after becoming a marginalized figure at the end of his WWE run.

Kalisto is adept as both a singles and a tag-team competitor. He could make a splash in any roster and in any weight class. He has not announced any booking right now. However, a mysterious countdown clock on his website has just 21 hours to go, which indicates something big is coming.

Post-MITB Plans For Roman Reigns & The Universal Title

Chris Stephens
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Roman Reigns will face Edge for the Universal Championship this Sunday at Money in the Bank. According to WWE advertising in some markets, Reigns will successfully defend the title and then continue his rivalry with the Mysterios after.

WWE has a supershow coming up on Saturday July 24th, 2021 in Pittsburgh. Local advertising has Reigns defending the Universal title against both Dominik and Rey Mysterio in a handicap match for the show.

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This booking was addressed recently in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter: “7/24 in Pittsburgh is listing Reigns vs. Rey & Dominik Mysterio in a handicap match with the title at stake which means Reigns has to win and putting the title up in a handicap match is stupid to begin with, as it just makes the babyfaces look like they are losers to start out with”

Reigns is then expected to move into a program with John Cena for SummerSlam.

Tickets to the show in Pittsburgh have not been selling well. It was reported in the Observer that just 5800 tickets have been sold for a venue that seats 14,000.

AEW is headed to Pittsburgh a few weeks later on August 11th and 13th. The shows will feature the debut episode of Rampage. Pittsburgh native Britt Baker will also make her return to “Britts-burgh” on the shows. Ticket sales to those shows were also addressed recently in the Observer.

“In Pittsburgh on 8/11 and 8/13 for AEW Dynamite and the first Rampage show at the Peterson Events Center, they are at 3,700 and 3,400 respectively. The arena for a pro wrestling taping could hold 8,700.”

Jim Ross Says Ethan Page Will Be A “Big-Time Player” In AEW

Alex Laybourne
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If there was ever a man in wrestling who had an eye for talent, an ability to spot potential, then it is Jim Ross. He has been influential in the careers of so many stars over the years. In addition to his role as the voice of a generation. So, when he took time out on his podcast Grilling JR to talk the praises of Ethan Page, everybody listened.

“Darby is one of my favorites,” said Ross. “He’s one of my favorites to talk to. Darby is very creative. He comes up with a lot of his own material, shall we say. He’s one of our homegrown guys that we take pride in; he and Jungle Boy Jack Perry, for example. Nobody should sleep on Ethan Page. He’s going to be a big-time player. He’s doing really well.”

Ross says Page has the look, the attitude and the smarts to reach the upper echelon of AEW. As long as Page stays healthy, JR sees him contributing in a big way for many years to come.

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Jim Ross Has an Eye for Talent

Ethan Page joined the AEW roster after the Revolution PPV back in March. Since then he has gone on to team with Scorpio Sky, entering into a long-running and violent feud with Sting and Darby Allin. That rivalry looks to reach its culmination this week at Fyter Fest when the pair face off in a coffin match. Jim Ross will be there to call the shots and has spoken to both fighters in recent weeks about their feud.

Ethan Page is no rookie when it comes to professional wrestling. He had quite the reputation in IMPACT, forming a formidable tag-team with Josh Alexander. However, the AEW roster is stacked for to get special praise from Jim Ross speaks volumes.

While partnering with Scorpio Sky, both men have been actively pursuing singles competition. Once the feud with Darby is over, it will be interesting to see where they position themselves. They will inevitably be chase gold, but which belt remains to be seen. There is no real opening right now, as all of the current AEW champions are involved in long-running feuds. However, that doesn’t mean the men of the year won’t start building something.

Jim Ross has been around a long time and doesn’t give praise where it’s not due. Expect to see Ethan Page move from strength to strength within AEW.

Scott D’Amore Says Britt Baker Cornered Him For Match Against Knockouts Champ

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling executive Scott D’Amore appeared on Vickie Guerrero’s Excuse Me podcast yesterday. During the discussion, D’Amore mentioned that he was cornered by AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker for a match against Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo.

“I got cornered by Britt Baker down in Jacksonville a few weeks ago and she’s like, ‘When do I get Deonna?’ I said, ‘Hey, Britt oh, come on. We’ve always said we have an open-door policy and we’re open to doing it,'” D’Amore said on the show.

“Sometimes there’s a lot of hurdles to jump through but I think the relationship with AEW has been fantastic,” he continued.

Baker has made no secret of the fact that she would like to face Purrazzo. She’s posted to social media about the potential match multiple times.

Britt Baker Wants To Face Deonna Purrazzo

Baker also discussed possibly facing Purrazzo during an interview with TV Insider.

“Personally, I would love to see Deonna Purrazzo come through the forbidden door. She is one of my best friends and arguably one of the best technical wrestlers in the world. She is amazing.. When she was released from WWE, she was told in a roundabout way she wasn’t good enough. Now she is one of the faces in Impact Wrestling. I was similar in that I was told I wasn’t ready, and now I’m the face of All Elite Wrestling. Our paths are paralleling, so it would be amazing to be in the ring with her.”

D’Amore continued to talk about his relationship with AEW’s Tony Khan.

“We share our vision for a world like that and I love to see it because I mean whether it’s Nyla Rose or whether it’s some of the many other talents that you have there. Imagine if Nyla came in and hid the ring on Deonna and just laid her lying there and picked up the title, right?”

Purrazzo is scheduled to face a “Mystery Opponent” this Saturday at Slammiversary. Gail Kim revealed to the Knockouts Champ last week that her opponent will not be named ahead of time.

H/T to Fightful for the transcriptions.

Billy Corgan, Mickie James & Nick Aldis Promote The NWA’s Return To The Chase

Chris Stephens
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For four nights at the end of August, the National Wrestling Alliance will return to a historic pro-wrestling venue. NWA owner Billy Corgan, Empowerrr executive producer Mickie James, and NWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis appeared at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis yesterday to promote the shows.

“The NWA is living history and Wrestling the Chase is living history,” NWA Owner, President Billy Corgan said. 

“So when you put those two things together, it’s like a brush fire. Particularly in this local community of St. Louis. It was like the response was overwhelming.”

On August 28th, the NWA will present the all-female PPV, Empowerrr, produced by Mickie James.

“It’s pretty amazing because we’re going to we’re going to kick it off and we’re going to set the bar and hopefully for the rest of the weekend,” NWA Empowerrr Executive Producer Mickie James said. It was also revealed during the press conference that an invitational tournament will take place at Empowerr. The winner will receive a shot at the NWA Women’s Championship the following night.

“There’s so much stuff, happening from Fan Fest, to the women’s show empowered, to NWA 73, and the two television tapings. It’s going to be an incredible four days.”

On the 29th, the NWA will present the NWA 73rd Anniversary show. On August 30th and 31st, the promotion will be filming episodes of NWA Powerrr.

“There are people in this area who for them is such a huge part of their cultural fabric,” Nick Aldis said. “And they’re so excited that it’s back because they never thought they would see that Wrestling at the Chase back.”

Mickie James: WWE Evolution PPV Was “Set Up To Fail”

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar and NWA EMPOWERRR Producer Mickie James recently appeared on the The Wrestling Inc. Daily show. The former WWE Women’s Champion discussed a number of topics during the interview, including the WWE Evolution PPV event that she claims was ‘set up to fail.’

“I thought we had made such a monumental stride by announcing Evolution,” Mickie James would begin. “We all thought it was the start of something really, really cool.”

“It was only really promoted for a month. The matches weren’t even announced but a week or two before. There was zero promotion or marketing,” James continued, lamenting how WWE promoted the all-women’s PPV event.

Mickie James on WWE Evolution

“It was almost set up to fail,” Mickie James added. “If there was as much energy and focus put into it as perhaps some of the other events, and made and highlighted how monumental this actually is, perhaps that wouldn’t be true.”

Mickie James would also reveal that the upcoming NWA EMPOWERRR event will hopefully not be a one-off All-Women’s event for the National Wrestling Alliance.

“We hope it’s the first of many,” James says of EMPOWERRR, “I really want to make this something unique and special and a way to highlight the women in a different way you don’t necessarily see on modern television today. I think there’s a cool way to do that from a female perspective.”

Update on Johnny Gargano Following Potential Injury on NXT

Jake Skudder
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WWE NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano challenged for the NXT Championship on this week’s episode of the show. Johnny Wrestling took on Karrion Kross with Samoa Joe in the role of special guest referee.

Gargano was unsuccessful in his attempt to regain the NXT Championship from Kross, following a great match that headlined the episode on USA Network. Kross and Samoa Joe went toe to toe multiple times in the match between Kross would choke Joe out after the match.

Johnny Gargano took a nasty bump into a table during the main event of the show, and Fightful Select have reported that despite this the leader of The Way is not suffering from any clear injuries.

It’s not clear what the future is for Johnny Gargano or The Way, with WWE looking at potentially moving more Superstars across the three main brands as fans begin to return to shows.

It’s very unlikely however that we will be seeing Gargano appear in the NXT title picture for quite some time, after Kross got a definitive win over the former EVOLVE star.

IMPACT World Championship Match is Now a No Disqualification Affair

Alex Laybourne
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The upcoming Slammiversary match between Kenny Omega and Sami Callihan for the IMPACT World Championship has an interesting new stipulation. The challenge was laid down by Callihan last night and confirmed by IMPACT Wrestling this morning.

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

The championship match will now be a No-Disqualification match. Kenny Omega, the current holder of the IMPACT World Championship has not commented on this late-stage change, however, given his fondness for bending the rules, this could play into his hands.

Callihan is a brawler. You don’t get a nickname like Death Machine without knowing how to get physical. The ability to take the fight to a more hardcore level will certainly give him an extra level to fall back on. However, the same stipulation means the Elite could get involved at any moment. Should the Young Bucks show up at Slammiversary, there is every chance the fight for the IMPACT World Championship could become a 5 on 1 affair.

Will The IMPACT World Championship Finally Come Back Home?

Kenny Omega holds multiple belts across multiple organizations. That grip has to end at some point. Will his match at Slammiversary be the one to chip away at his pro-wrestling dominance? IMPACT fans will be hoping that Callihan has what it takes to wrestle the IMPACT World Championship from his grip.

Omega has held the belt since April. While this will only be his third defence, his reign has already made enough headlines to be memorable. While Sammi Callihan is a former IMPACT World Championship belt holder and is eager to reclaim the gold.

Slammiversary is just 3 days away and will be held in front of a limited capacity live audience. You can always watch it live on Fite TV.

It is worth noting that should Kenny Omega call on his Elite brethren to come to his aid, there is a very well known AEW name who has a history fighting alongside Callihan. Former AEW champion Jon Moxley has unfinished business with Kenny Omega. Wrestling fans will be hoping for a switchblade collective reunion. One thing is for sure, Mox would love to play a hand in helping strip Omega of his IMPACT World Championship.

Details Emerge Over Bo Dallas Backstage Role at WWE Prior to Release

Alex Laybourne
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Prior to his release in April, Bo Dallas had not been seen on WWE TV for over eighteen months. The former NXT champion had been riding a high wave after he and Curtis Axel formed the B-team. An unlikely fan favourite, the duo reached the top of the tag team ranks claiming the RAW tag team titles. Then, WWE released his partner, and he was removed from programming.

While many of the recent releases have come as a surprise to the WWE universe, the news of Bo Dallas being let go was greeted differently. Most people surprised to hear he was still employed, expecting his release to have simply gone unnoticed. Bo is a rather quiet person, rarely active on social media, so a quiet departure would not have been a surprise.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B92swE9hT-c/

Now, as he approaches the end of his mandatory no-compete period, details have emerged about the role Bo Dallas played backstage at WWE.

Fightful reported that he wasn’t used in the performance center, and he didn’t try his hand at being a producer or anything else directly linked to the business his family are embedded in. Bo had instead been used to help test camera setups, lighting rigs and live event configurations.  

Wrestling is in Bo Dallas’s Blood

It is no secret that Bo Dallas comes from a rich wrestling heritage. His grandfather was Hall of Famer Blackjack Mulligan. His father the taxman himself, I.R.S., and his brother is WWE stalwart, Bray Wyatt. Bo Dallas is an accomplished wrestler. He was never really afforded a real chance in WWE. Yey, with so much wrestling history running through his veins, it’s unlikely that we have seen the last of him.

Bo Dallas will undoubtedly have a fair bit of ring rust to shake off. However, with his 90 days served as of tomorrow, it will surely only be a matter of time before we see him back between the ropes again. It was reported earlier this year that Dallas, along with Liv Morgan had set up a real estate business. This is in preparation for their post wrestling careers. At just 31, Dallas surely has something left to prove, and wouldn’t want the Running Bo-Dog to be his legacy.

Kurt Angle Trolls Connor McGregor “I Won A Gold Medal With A Broken Freakin’ Neck”

Alex Laybourne
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WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has taken to social media to become the latest celebrity to troll UFC star Connor McGregor. McGregor suffered a broken leg at the end of the first round of his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.

Kurt Angle has never been one to back away from reminding the world he won an Olympic gold medal with a broken neck. Breaking it out once more to laud over the Notorious One.

“So….@TheNotoriousMMA (Conor McGregor) broke his freakin’ ankle this past weekend. Big deal. I break my ankle all of the time. Broke my ankle this morning and I’m jumping around right now!! I even won a gold medal with a broken freakin’ neck too,” Kurt Angle said.

The comments from Kurt Angle are of course made in jest, aimed at a fighter who has built a career from his barbed comments and scalpel-sharp wit. Now, he finds himself on the other end of things, and people are wasting no time in taking advantage of the situation.

Kurt Angle Knows a Thing or Two About Injuries

All athletes suffer injuries. Some are luckier than others. Kurt Angle is one of those who understands full well the toll a serious injury can take a performer. Angle broke his neck four times during a career that included both amateur and professional wrestling glory.

While Kurt was quick to jump on the trolling bandwagon, he was no doubt pleased to hear that Connor’s surgery was successful. Regardless of persona, it’s never good when someone suffers such a possibly career-ending injury.

Now retired, Angle is still very much active in the wrestling world thanks in part to this podcast The Kurt Angle Show. Kurt Angle has spoken recently about how he lives in constant pain as a result of his wrestling career. Pain management is a part of his life. It is the price that is paid for a career inside both the squared circle and the octagon.

Alexa Bliss To Buddy Murphy: “I Always Will Be There For You”

Alex Laybourne
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Alexa Bliss took to social media yesterday to voice her eternal support to recently released WWE wrestler, Buddy Murphy.

Murphy was released on June 2nd after his career within WWE had stagnated. Talking during a recent interview with Chris van Vliet, he was full of praise for Alexa Bliss thanking her for helping him adjust after moving to the US from Australia. Bliss was instrumental in his formative period in WWE.

There was no secret made that Alexa Bliss and Buddy Murphy were a couple for several years and have remained incredibly close even after their break-up. As evidenced by their near-constant exchange of kind words and well wishes.

In response to Murphy’s words of praise Alexa Bliss said she was excited to see what he does next and that she would always be there for him.

Alexa Bliss and Buddy Murphy Have a Deep Connection

There is something about the connection between Alexa Bliss and Buddy Murphy that runs deeper than anything else. They are close friends and echo the same sentiments as recently shared by Killian Dain. Regardless of promotion, regardless of factions, faces or heels, friendships in wrestling are few but genuine.

When Alexa Bliss first started in NXT, she was paired with the tag team of Blake and Murphy, turning heel for the first time with them. Since those days, Alexa Bliss has moved through several different characters, earning multiple championships along the way.

A main event star, Bliss has garnered plenty of attention creating headlines that have dominated wrestling news around the world.

The pair have followed very different career paths since their early days. However, there is no denying both are extremely talented performers. The future is looking very bright for both of them.

Buddy Murphy will return to action on September 18th taking on AEW star Brian Cage for Battleground Championship Wrestling. While Alex Bliss is set to compete in another Money in the Bank ladder match as she continues her quest to reclaim WWE gold.

WWE NXT Results (7/13): Kross vs. Gargano, Kai vs. Moon, Breakout Tournament

Andrew Ravens
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The July 13, 2021 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center.

WWE NXT Results 

  • Dakota Kai def. Ember Moon.
  • Tyler Rust def. Bobby Fish.
  • Sarray def. Gigi Dolin.
  • Santos Escobar def. Dexter Lumis.
  • Duke Hudson def. Ikemen Jiro
  • Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro def. Jessi Kamea & Aliyah.
  • Karrion Kross def. Samoa Joe to retain NXT Title

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

 

Dexter Lumis vs. Santos Escobar

lumis escobar

WWE booked Dexter Lumis vs. Santos Escobar. The match ended with Escobar hitting his finisher to Lumis. 

This marked Escobar’s first match since Legado del Fantasma lost to NXT Tag Team Champions MSK and former NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed in a “Winners Take All” match at “Takeover: In Your House” on June 13th. Regarding his last singles match, it was the 2 of 3 Falls match on May 11th where he dropped the NXT Cruiserweight Title to Kushida.

After the match, Hit Row came out to address Escobar’s previous promo about them. They talked some trash. However, there was no physical interaction. 

Cameron Grimes’ Butler Duties Started

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Cameron Grimes’ butler duties for Million Dollar Champion LA Knight began on this show. 

Just last week at the Great American Bash special, Knight defended the title against Grimes. As a result of the loss, the stipulation called for Grimes to become butler. 

So what happened on this show? Grimes showed up to Knight’s mansion late. Knight demanded that Grimes get a makeover. They trimmed his beard and hair before putting him in a tux and gloves. Knight also had Grimes mow his lawn with a pusher mower. The segments ended with Grimes delegating his duties and ended up by the pool. 

https://twitter.com/ryansatin/status/1415123538432774148

Ember Moon vs. Dakota Kai

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Ember Moon vs. Dakota Kai in a singles bout was booked. 

Moon defeated Kai by disqualification on NXT’s go-home show for TakeOver: In Your House last month when NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez interfered. 

Gonzalez retained her NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Moon at TakeOver: In Your House. Two weeks ago, Io Shirai & Zoey Stark defeated Gonzalez & Kai and Shotzi Blackheart & Moon in a triple threat tag team number one contender’s match.

The match ended with Kai going over. Post-match, Xia Li came out and challenged Gonzalez for the title. A date wasn’t given for the bout. 

NXT Breakout Tournament Match

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Ikemen Jiro vs. Duke Hudson in an NXT Breakout Tournament Match took place. For those who may not know, Hudson is Brendan Vink’s new WWE in-ring name.

The match saw both stars work hard. Hudson had a strong style to him and dominated the majority of the match as he didn’t let Jiro out of his jacket. Hudson went over to advance to the second round. 

Sarray vs. Gigi Dolin 

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Sarray vs. Gigi Dolin (Priscilla Kelly) in a singles match took place. 

On Monday, WWE released a video where Sarray accepted a challenge from Dolin for a match on the show after it was left unknown who Sarray would be facing. 

Just two weeks ago, there was a backstage segment where  Sarray asked NXT general manager William Regal for a match against Toni Storm and he said he would take it under consideration, but Storm cut a promo stating that Sarray isn’t on her level.

The reason for that match not happening is due to Storm being called up to the main roster and placed on SmackDown. 

Sarray and Dolin both made their NXT debuts earlier this year. The match saw Mandy Rose walk out and appear on the stage to watch the action. Sarray went over. Rose never got involved, but intriguing. 

NXT Championship Match

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NXT Champion Karrion Kross vs. Johnny Gargano headlined the episode. Samoa Joe was the special guest referee for the bout. 

The match saw Kross dominate most of it. Kross was going to use the steel steps, but Joe stopped him. Kross won with his running forearm shot. Joe and Kross had a staredown before Kross choked out Joe. 

WWE set up this bout last week during a face-to-face segment after Kross and Gargano brawled throughout the show that took place two weeks ago including  an angle where Kross tried to run Gargano over with his car as they fought in the parking lot. 

Joe ended up making the save for Gargano as he pulled him aside to avoid being hit. 

Kross has been NXT Champion since defeating Finn Balor for the title at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver this April. Since that time, he’s made various title defenses. 

He’s also wrestled in dark matches at WWE main roster shows in recent weeks and appeared on Main Event three weeks ago where he beat Shelton Benjamin.

Gargano previously held the title from April 2019 to June 2019.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1415129635315138563

Karrion Kross Retains WWE NXT Title Over Johnny Gargano

Andrew Ravens
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Karrion Kross was successful in his latest title defense as the NXT Champion when he put the title on the line in a match on Tuesday’s episode of NXT against Johnny Gargano. 

This served as the main event of the show from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on the USA Network. Samoa Joe was the special guest referee.

The match saw both stars work hard with Kross being booked as the monster. Near the end, Kross was going to use the steel steps, but Joe stopped him. Kross won with his running forearm strike. After the match, Kross choked out Joe to end the show. 

The title match was announced during a face-to-face segment with Kross and Gargano last week after the two stars had been brawling over the past few weeks. 

Kross’ previous title defense came in a fatal 5-way match against Gargano, Pete Dunne, Kyle O’Reilly, and Adam Cole in the main event of WWE NXT TakeOver:  In Your House event. 

Kross won the NXT Championship from Finn Balor at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver. Since that time, he’s made one title defense and that also came against Balor. 

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1415129635315138563

AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam At Arthur Ashe Stadium Ticket Info, Pre-Sale Code

Andrew Ravens
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AEW will hold a Dynamite episode on Wednesday, September 22nd at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, Queens, NYC, which is titled Dynamite: Grand Slam. 

The pre-sale for tickets will be this Wednesday. Pwinsider.com reports it will be just for 24 hours on Ticketmaster.com in advance of this Friday’s official on sale date. 

The pre-sale will last from 10 AM – 10 PM EST. The reason for that is due to tickets going on sale for the US Open Tennis at the same stadium on Thursday. 

The pre-sale code is AEW718. For fans planning to attend the show, ticket prices are listed as the following: $250, $100, $80, $60, $40 and $25

This will not only be AEW’s first-ever stadium show, but also the first-ever professional wrestling event at the stadium. Weather conditions won’t be an issue as the stadium has a retractable roof. AEW will air a live Dynamite episode in addition to taping matches for Dark Elevation and Dark before Dynamite then the Rampage episode after.

The likes of Eddie Kingston, MJF, Santana, Ortiz, Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Max Caster, Kris Statlander, Trent Beretta, and more are from the area.

This venue is the largest tennis stadium in the world as it sits 23,000 for tennis. As the event gets closer, All Elite Wrestling will be announcing matches for the show, which is likely to be loaded.

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