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AEW Games Announces Release Date For “AEW Elite General Manager”

Chris Stephens
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AEW Games announced today that fans will be able to download “AEW Elite General Manager’ later this week. According to a comments made by Aubrey Edwards on social media, the game is scheduled to be released on July 15th.

“AEW Elite General Manager will drop on iOS and Android this Thursday. Get hype,” the referee/video game producer Tweeted. She included a video of an enthusiastic Kenny Omega playing the game.

https://twitter.com/RefAubrey/status/1414634673301430272

“Think you have what it takes? Prove it, with AEW Elite General Manager. Draft your favorite AEW wrestlers and book your own shows from week to week. Download AEW Elite General Manager available July 15th on IOS and Android,” Paul Wight says in the video.

The game went through a series of beta testing last month.

”We’ve spent more than a year dissecting the wrestling GM genre, analyzing feedback and rebuilding it in a way that appeals to today’s fans,” said Stephen Kim, CEO of Crystallized Games said in a press release back in May. “AEW Elite GM takes the best elements of the simulator genre to create an immersive experience that wrestling fans will love. We’re excited to put the responsibility of calling the shots in the hands of wrestling fans.” 

https://twitter.com/AEWGames/status/1414634272552624131

Natalya Added To MITB Ladder Match

Chris Stephens
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Sonya Deville took to Twitter on Monday to announce that Natalya has been added to the Money in the Bank ladder match. She joins Asuka, Naomi, Alex Bliss, Nikki Cross, Liv Morgan, and Zelina Vega.

There is still one name left to be added to the match.

“With all the changes and challengers for #MITB and #Smackdown, I will be the one to establish some consistency for this Sunday and there is NO ONE more consistent than 1/2 of our @WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions… @natbynature. Nattie, welcome to the MITB Ladder Match!” Deville Tweeted.

“You have great taste, @SonyaDevilleWWE. I don’t care how I get in the match. All I care about is climbing that ladder for our team & winning every piece of gold I can win in @wwe. I’m gonna bring home the briefcase for us & I’ll be dedicating my win at #MITB 2 you, @TaminaSnuka!” Natalya replied.

Natalya and Tamina lost a non-title match to the debuting Shotzi Blackheart and Tegan Nox on Smackdown.

Updated WWE Money in the Bank Card

  • WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Edge
  • WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Kofi Kingston
  • 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
  • Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match – Competitors announced thus far: Asuka, Naomi, Alex Bliss, Nikki Cross, Liv Morgan, Zelina Vega, Natalya
  • WWE Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair

Becky Lynch Names Tyson Kidd The “Best in the Biz”

Alex Laybourne
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It has been a long hard road for Tyson Kidd. The former WWE tag team champion had his career ended in 2017. Lucky to be alive after a bad bump from a muscle buster on a RAW dark match against Samoa Joe. Even luckier it could be said to come out the other side being able to walk or move at all. The injury was very similar to that suffered by Christopher Reeve.

Tyson Kidd is aware of how lucky he is. Offered a full-time backstage role with WWE in 2017, Kidd has wasted no time in becoming a pivotal figure behind the scenes. He has been instrumental in pushing the women’s division. He has become s driving voice behind women’s wrestling and is the producer for most of their matches.

Many have credited him for the award-winning Wrestlemania 37 match between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair.

There can be no escaping the fact that Tyson Kidd is a popular figure backstage. He has learned a lot about wrestling and himself as a result of his injury. This knowledge he is all too happy to pass on to the next generations.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that so many stars turned out to wish Tyson Kidd a happy 41st birthday yesterday. Including the Man herself, Becky Lynch, who proudly declared Kidd as being the “Best in the biz!”

Shanya Baszler also took time out to proclaim that Tyson Kidd was a genius.

In recent interviews, he talked about how he feels prouder of what the WWE women’s roster is achieving than he ever did in his own career. It is a sad fact that there will be no Daniel Bryan or Edge style comeback for Tyson Kidd. However, he is relishing his new role and has a very promising future ahead of him.

Nikki Cross Is Now Nikki A.S.H, More New WWE Ring Names

Michael Reichlin
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Several WWE Superstars will be using different ring names moving forward.

Nikki Cross recently introduced a new super hero character focused on being a good person and inspiring others. She has dropped the name Cross and is now going by Nikki A.S.H. (ALMOST. SUPER. HERO.).

Her Superstar profile at WWE.com still lists her as Nikki Cross, but that is sure to be updated soon.

More Recent Name Changes

Former Retribution members Reckoning and Slapjack have shed those names and have reverted back to Mia Yim and Shane Thorne, respectively.

Last week on SmackDown, we saw the main roster debuts of Shotzi Blackheart and Tegan Nox. Nox’s last name was spared, but Blackheart is now going by simply Shotzi.

WWE has a long history of renaming wrestlers when they join NXT or get called up to the main roster. Just a few weeks ago, the following Performance Center recruits got new names as well:

  • Harlem Bravado is now Andre Chase
  • Drew and Jacob Kasper are now Brutus and Julius Creed
  • Avery Taylor is now Jacy Jayne

Malakai Black Talks Issues With WWE Non-Compete Clauses

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar and new AEW signee Malakai Black recently discussed several topics on his Twitch streaming account. One of the topics that the former Aleister Black addressed was the non-compete clauses that WWE have in place.

“There is a middle ground. From a business point of view, I understand having a non-compete” Malakai Black began during a recent stream. “As a person who works on TV, I understand that they want separation between you going from one place to another. I get that.”

“Do I think it needs to be three months? No. That’s the standard contract. Obviously, with me, you guys know what happened” Black added, alluding to the now public ‘clerical error’ that meant he could join AEW after 30 days instead of the standard 90 for WWE main roster talent.

Malakai Black on WWE’s Non-Compete Clauses

“Something definitely needs to change and maybe there needs to be better prior notice” Black added. “One of the things that I don’t think is completely accurate is ‘hey, today we decided to do that and we’ll follow up on it.’ I think you need a little more notice, but it’s a different process.”

“The WWE is not a normal company. They kind of make the rules themselves” Malakai would then claim. “That’s where I think [Joe] Biden is trying to make a change where they have all the pros and you have all the cons.”

“I understand the need for change on multiple levels and I also understand that there needs to be a middle ground and that there needs to be spacing in between. They still pay you when you’re no longer working for them for the duration of your non-compete” the former NXT Champion would then conclude.

Update on Chelsea Green’s Status With Ring of Honor

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE NXT Superstar Chelsea Green recently made a shock appearance for Ring of Honor. The star, who is engaged to fellow former WWE Superstar Matt Cardona/Zack Ryder, appeared during the Best In The World PPV this weekend.

It is believed that Chelsea Green will now be part of the Women’s Championship Tournament, which has been organized on television by Maria Kanellis. Chelsea Green will likely be facing Mandy Leon in the opening round of the tournament which also includes the likes of Allysin Kay, Angelina Love and Holidead.

Chelsea Green Appears at Best In The World

According to a recent report from Fightful, the agreement to bring Green into the company was confirmed well over a month ago. Select also noted that Green reportedly had to get clearance from WWE to appear on the PPV before her 90-day non-compete clause had finished.

Chelsea Green was released from WWE on April 15 and several sites reported that a number of released WWE Superstars had requested that their non-compete clauses be rescinded. Green is believed to be one of those who asked shortly after leaving, otherwise she may have been running into some legal issues after the PPV appearance.

Green is also believed to be appearing on ROH programming in a commentary position, but as of right now she does not technically have a contract with Ring of Honor.

Kurt Angle Says WWE Ghosted Him After Offering Coaching Job

Alex Laybourne
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When a wrestler retires, it is not often they can just down tools and walk away. Many of the greatest stars of years gone by have gone on to become coaches, commentators, managers, bookers or producers, to name just a few positions. Kurt Angle is one such great. His career in the ring may have ended in 2019, but his career in wrestling is far from over.

Talking on a recent episode of The Kurt Angle Show, the Hall of Famer spoke about how he had been approached by HHH after his retirement. The offer was to work as a coach at the performance centre, helping younger talent hone their skills.

“Triple H, he contacted me about seven months ago and wanted me to help out down in NXT,” Angle said. “Wanted me to be a trainer. He only said ‘Hey, all I need you to do is go over stuff with talent. You can do it from home on your computer, you can do a zoom call. Just go through the tapes with them in their match and tell what they did right and wrong.’ I said I’d be interested.”

Yet, despite accepting the offier, Kurt Angle went on to say that he never heard back from anybody. “I never heard back from him. Long story short, they were interested but at the last second they must have backed out, which is okay with me.”

Kurt Angle Would be an Asset to Any Development Center

Kurt Angle knows how good he is, and he knows what he could bring to any organization. He is also a professional who knows how small the world is. Any wrestling company would benefit greatly from his experience, his stories, and his advice. It is surely only a matter of time before he comes back into WWE in a backstage capacity.

The performance centre is a quiet place to return. A place with no cameras and no storytelling. It is a place focused on the art and craft of professional wrestling. Something Kurt Angle knows inside and out. Whether he comes back as a coach, a mentor, or just the legend telling his stories to the younger crowd, the wrestling world has not seen the last of him.

NJPW Announces Full Card For Wrestle Grand Slam

Chris Stephens
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New Japan Pro Wrestling presents Wrestle Grand Slam from the Tokyo Dome on July 25th. Shingo Takagi will defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against former champion Kota Ibushi. NJPW has now released the full card for the show:

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
    Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
  • IWGP Tag Team Championships
    Tetsuya Naito & SANADA (c) vs. Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.)
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
    El Desperado vs. Robbie Eagles
  • IWGP Junior Tag Team Championships
    Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo (c) vs. Rocky Romero & Ryusuke Taguchi
  • Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
  • KOPW Trophy
    New Japan Ranbo battle royal

The show will be available via PPV on FITE for $19.99 USD.

NJPW also announce the lineups for four upcoming shows on the Summer Struggle tour. No title matches were announce for the shows but there were some significant bouts booked.

Upcoming NJPW Schedule

July 17th from Korakuen Hall:

  • Rocky Romero vs. El Phantasmo
  • Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Taiji Ishimori
  • Robbie Eagles, SHO & YOH vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
  • Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. KENTA, EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo

July 22nd from Osaka:

  • Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi
  • SANADA vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
  • Kazuchika Okada & Hirooki Goto vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA, EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Robbie Eagles, SHO & YOH vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI

July 23rd from Osaka:

  • Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • SANADA vs. Taichi
  • Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
  • Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. KENTA, EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Rocky Romero vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado

July 24th from Nagoya:

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. KENTA
  • Tomohiro Ishii vs. EVIL
  • Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
  • Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
  • Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Ryusuke Taguchi & Rocky Romero vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado
  • Robbie Eagles, SHO & YOH vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI

Mickie James Has One Lingering Regret from Her Last WWE Run

Alex Laybourne
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There has been a lot of press about Mickie James since her latest release from WWE. From the somewhat insulting way in which her belongings were shipped to her, to the role she is playing in the all-female NWA event. However, in her latest interview with Wrestling Inc. Daily, the focus was on the one regret she carries with her from her most recent WWE run.

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

“In hindsight, I wish I’d shown up as ‘Hardcore Country’ Mickie James,” she reflected. “I think she would have made a lot of money.”

Going on to elaborate in more detail, Mickie explained how she chose to come back as her old-school WWE persona as she felt that resonated more with the crowds. However, looking back, she would do it differently, and continue with the Hardcore Country gimmick that brought her so much success in IMPACT.

“This is all speculation, but I think they would have more excitement, more stuff to do around that character,” James mused.

There is no denying that Mickie James is a legend of women’s wrestling and deserving of her place among the WWE greats. However, her return to the company certainly didn’t bring with it the run nor success that she deserved.

Mickie James is Moving on to Bigger and Better Things

As is becoming a familiar theme with wrestlers released from WWE during the pandemic era, Mickie James is swiftly moving on to bigger and better things. There is no rebuilding. There is no need to start at the bottom. James is a talented wrestler and a veteran of the business. This is a powerrr-ful combination.

A lady in high demand, Mickie James shocked many when she signed for legendary promotion NWA, but the swift announcement of the all-female PPV she was leading the charge for, made everything clear. Regrets can be haunting things, and while James clearly carries one, she is not letting it define the path she is following.

Ronda Rousey Reacts To Conor McGregor Loss from UFC 264

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey took to Twitter to react to Conor McGregor losing at UFC 264. The former RAW Women’s Champion applauded McGregor for seemingly cutting a promo that sowed the seeds for a 4th match between he and Dustin Poirier.

The ‘Notorious’ 155 pound fighter suffered a fracture towards the end of the first round of five, where after a missed punch he handed back on his left foot and it buckled, indicated that something had broken.

Whilst McGregor was on the ground, he started shouting at officials and demanded that he be given a microphone. Once Joe Rogan went to interview McGregor, the former two-division Champion would continue his slights at Dustin Poirier’s wife, saying that she was ‘in his DMs.’

Ronda Rousey on Conor McGregor

“I’m amazed that as soon as you hit the ground you were already promoting the next fight @TheNotoriousMMA” Ronda Rousey wrote on Twitter, praising the Irish fighter. “I def wouldn’t have had the mind to do that. The other fighters, @ufc and media are lucky to have you.”

Ronda Rousey herself was slated for a return to WWE at some point in the near future, before it was publicly revealed that she was pregnant with her first child. It’s not confirmed if she will be returning to the company following the birth; however WWE are extremely keen to get as much starpower on the two main roster brands as possible.

EC3 on Choosing to Sign for Ring of Honor Over Other Promotions

Alex Laybourne
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Ethan Carter cut a beleaguered figure during this stint with WWE. Having started his career with the company, he made a name for himself in IMPACT wrestling, starting during their TNA days. Holding multiple championships in the company, EC3 was a man with a bright future. When WWE came calling, he took the chance but was released less than two years later, having failed to make any form of impact.

Now, he is back wrestling regularly, after signing a contract with Ring of Honor. The move came as a surprise to some after he made a brief return to IMPACT in 2020. While talking to Wrestling Epicentre recently, EC3 addressed the reason for signing with ROH over the other offers he received.

“Ring of Honor is something I’ve never done. And it’s a storied brand and a legacy that is reinventing itself. It’s finding its own new purpose. It’s something that I want to help build and create. I don’t want to go somewhere where I’m just an interchangeable part. I want to go somewhere, create something, build something, make something special happen based on the hard work I can put in.”

EC3 Is Looking to Build a Legacy On the Back of Hard Work

EC3 is only 38 years old. He still has enough years ahead of him to make his mark on the industry. His time with IMPACT showed that he has what it takes to be not just a champion, but a main event name for a company. Ring of Honor is the perfect place for him at this stage of his career.

Positioned in a company that is proud of what it does and who appreciates creativity and allowing the story of wrestling to be told.

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

EC3 continued his career resurgence this weekend when he took on and beat Flip Gordon at ROH Best of the World. With that victory behind him, surely it won’t be too long before he starts hunting down the ROH championship belt.  

Adam Cole Addresses Main Roster Call Up and Fighting Samoa Joe

Alex Laybourne
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Adam Cole is a star on the rise in NXT. Many people believe that the time has come for him to rise even higher. Fans are calling for him to make his move up to the main roster. However, talking on a recent episode of Inside the Ropes, Cole made it very clear that he still has plans in NXT.

“There is so much to do. That’s the other thing. I find it so flattering that there are people [saying] ‘God, I want to see Adam Cole on RAW or SmackDown so, so badly’. Then there’s another group that’s like ‘No, I really want him to stay in NXT’. And right now, the possibility of things to do, on any of the three brands, feels endless for me. It just feels exciting across the board. Being able to stay in NXT, even with the 403-day reign and being a Triple Crown winner and all that stuff. I’ve been with the brand for such a long time. I’ve seen it grow so much that it’s really fun to be a part of that process. I would love to win the NXT title again, and I would love the chance to someday maybe step in the ring with Samoa Joe. I want the chance to wrestle guys like Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott.” Adam Cole said when addressing talk of the main roster call up.

Adam Cole Has Unfinished Business in NXT

There’s no question that Adam Cole has the star power, and skillset to make an impact on Raw or Smackdown. However, he clearly has a lot of unfinished business on the black and gold brand. To accompany this is the counterargument that sees NXT as being a main roster calibre brand.

Are the days of NXT being a purely developmental territory behind them? With athletes like Adam Cole, Tomasso Ciampa and Finn Balor, an argument could easily be made for NXT being one of the superior brands in WWE right now.

Either way, Adam Cole is a wrestler who is happy where he is. He is in no rush to run chasing glory on a brand that seems less in tune with its stars.

Eric Bischoff on the Lack of Balance in AEW Managers

Alex Laybourne
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Managers have always been an important part of professional wrestling. They play a crucial role in a wrestler’s career. This is a mentality that AEW has run with. The list of managers is long, including Arn Anderson, Jake the Snake Roberts, Vikki Guerrero and more. Talking on his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff addressed what he sees as a problem with the AEW managers scene.

Eric Bischoff had nothing bad to say about the current managers in AEW but rather commented on the lack of diversity among them.

 “Arn, Tully, Jake, these are serious shoot ass-kicking motherf—ers,” Bischoff said. “There’s no Jimmy Hart’s in that conversation, there’s no balance. Yes AEW is doing a great job in terms of integrating some of the legends, I being one of them occasionally getting to show up and I love that. Balancing the serious, intense with the high-flying, super athletic ridiculous skill sets but still have some of that goofy sh-t mixed in so that the whole audience is satisfied. Not just the portion of the audience that identifies with one specific era or style of wrestling.” Bischoff said.

Eric Bischoff Understands The Need for Diversity

Too much of a good thing can make it bad. That applies to all walks of life. Eric Bischoff understands that different fans are looking for different things when they tune in to a show each week. By having something to cater for all tastes, a brand like AEW can appeal to a wider audience.

AEW already have a mix of wrestling talent, from the serious to the comedic. Eric Bischoff believes adding more managerial variety would bring more balance to the ranks. You already have Vikki Guerrero who, it could be argued, plays a Mouth of the South style role, however, she lacks the comedic appeal.

Could a faction like Best Friends benefit from having a jovial manager leading them? Possibly not, but is there validity in Eric Bischoff’s words? With two weekly shows and two dark shows each week, there is surely a spot that could be filled by a comedically inclined manager.

Health Slater On Which Stars He Originally Wanted In 3MB

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former WWE star Heath Slater recently appeared as a guest on Such Good Shoot podcast where he opened up about his WWE career.

One of the career highlights of the One Man Band was being part of the 3MB faction. While the group did not achieve a lot of success in WWE, it did win the heart of fans and is remembered as one of the most beloved factions.

During the interview, Slater recalled how he was the one who pitched the idea for the group to WWE officials. The former Nexus member then revealed which stars he originally wanted in his band:

“I pitch [Dean] Ambrose, Fandango, and EC3. And this is before any of them are on TV. Fandango and EC3 were on NXT season three or something. So I pitch for those three. And then they were like, ‘Okay, let me get back with you.’” recalled Heath Slater, “and this is Michael Hayes the whole time I’m talking with.”

The former WWE star finally got a response from Hayes after a few weeks. While his idea got approval, he was told that his group would not involve Ambrose, Fandango or EC3 because the creatives had other plans for them.

Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal interfered in a match of Heath Slater in September 2012. They attacked his opponent Brodus Clay and formed the 3MB. The group was disbanded in 2014 when both McIntyre and Mahal were released from their contracts.

Mike Bennett Reveals Nixed Plans For A Fiend Faction In WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former WWE and current ROH star Mike Bennett recently spoke to Metro. He talked about a number of things and also revealed some interesting nixed plans for a Fiend faction in WWE.

Bray Wyatt made his main roster WWE debut as the leader of the Wyatt Family in 2013. He spent a good amount of his time as the leader of the group before introducing The Fiend persona in 2019.

However, during the interview, Bennett revealed that Mr. McMahon wanted The Fiend to have a faction as well and the former WWE star almost played a part in it:

“Early on when Bray Wyatt turned into The Fiend, Vince was always high on having Bray lead a group for some reason — he always wanted him to lead a group, We were about a week away from making it happen where me and Eric Young were gonna be part of Bray Wyatt’s group.

We were gonna actually be — they were gonna bring to life the puppets. Each puppet was gonna represent an actual person.” revealed Mike Bennett, “I don’t remember, there were talks that I was gonna be Sister Abigail and Eric Young was gonna be a buzzard.”

The current ROH star revealed that the company had come close to materializing these plans on TV. Though like many other things in WWE, these plans also got canceled last minute.

Bray Wyatt has been away from WWE programming since WrestleMania 37. One can only imagine how different his character would have been with a group. You can check out Mike Bennett’s full interview at this link.

Bandido Becomes New ROH World Champion At Best In The World

Anutosh Bajpai
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Sunday’s ROH Best In The World event saw a number of big title changes including Bandido capturing Ring of Honor’s World heavyweight championship from Rush.

The ending of this main event match saw Rush ripping off most of Bandido’s mask. The referee got shoved down when he tried to stop the champion.

This led to Rush losing his attention on his challenger for a moment. Bandido took advantage of the situation. The high-flying star rolled the champion for a pin.

Though the action didn’t end there and Rush alongside his stablemates delivered a post-match beating on the new champion. He then put the belt over Bandido.

https://twitter.com/ringofhonor/status/1414419734947377156

This isn’t the only big title change that took place during the show. Both the ROH tag team championships and ROH television championship changed hands during the event as well.

Earlier in the night, Dragon Lee defeated Tony Deppen to become the new TV champion. Lee picked up a pinfall victory over his opponent.

The ROH world tag team titles changed hands during the show as well when Chris Dickinson and Homicide managed to beat the makeshift team of Rhett Titus and pure champion Jonathan Gresham during the show.

Tracy Williams wasn’t cleared for action due to a legit car accident a couple of weeks ago. Jay Lethal who was supposed to replace the injured champion then got attacked by Brody King.

Jonathan Gresham had to step up for the title defense. Though he wasn’t 100% after his match with Mike Bennett earlier in the night. Homicide hit his finisher on the pure champion to pick up the victory.

ROH Best In The World 2021 Results: Rush vs. Bandido, Several Title Changes

Andrew Ravens
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ROH presented their second pay-per-view event, Best in the World, of the year on Sunday night (July 11, 2021) from the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore, Maryland. 

The main event saw ROH World Champion Rush vs. Bandido. After a back and forth encounter, the shocking finish came when Bandido pinned the longtime champion to win the title. 

https://twitter.com/ringofhonor/status/1414419734947377156

Three other titles were on the line – ROH TV Champion Tony Deppen vs. Dragon Lee, ROH Pure Champion Jonathan Gresham vs. Mike Bennett, ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Shane Taylor, Moses & Kaun vs. Dalton Castle, Dak Draper & Eli Isom, and ROH Tag Team Champions The Foundation (Tracy Williams & Rhett Titus) vs. Violence Unlimited (Homicide & Chris Dickinson). 

Lee won the TV Title after hitting a running knee strike to the head while Violence Unlimited became the ROH Tag Team Champions. 

ROH Final Battle Quick Results

  • Rey Horus defeated Demonic Flamita 
  • PCO and Danhausen beat “The Bouncers” Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas
  • Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe defeated PJ Black and Brian Johnson
  • EC3 beat Flip Gordon
  • Shane Taylor, Moses, and Kaun defeated Dalton Castle, Dak Draper, and Eli Isom to retain the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles.
  • Josh Woods beat Silas Young in a Last Man Standing match.
  • Brody King beat Jay Lethal 
  • Jonathan Gresham defeated Mike Bennett to retain the Pure Rules Championship.
  • Dragon Lee beat Tony Deppen to win the ROH TV Title.
  • Homicide and Chris Dickinson defeated Jonathan Gresham and Rhett Titus in a Fight Without Honor to win the ROH Tag Titles.
  • Bandido defeated rush to win the ROH World Title

Chelsea Green Makes Her ROH Debut At Best In The World

Andrew Ravens
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Chelsea Green has arrived in ROH. She did so by appearing at Sunday’s Best in The World PPV and announcing her participation in the tournament to crown a new Women’s Champion that starts on July 30th. 

Green was released by WWE due to budget cuts and able to get out of her non-compete clause early. Fightful Select reports Green isn’t under contract with ROH for now but will work the TV tapings this week. 

Green signed with WWE NXT in 2018 after a run in Impact Wrestling. Green made her main roster debut back on the November 13th, 2020 edition of SmackDown when she competed in a Fatal Four-Way match to determine the final member of the Women’s Team SmackDown at Survivor Series. Those involved in the bout were Natalya, Liv Morgan, and Tamina. The finish saw Morgan pin Tamina.

In the match, she suffered a wrist injury and had to get surgery done. As a result, she was put on the shelf.  She signed a contract extension with the company during her time away from the ring. 

Green had been making progress towards an in-ring return since before the Royal Rumble in January and it was reported that she had been cleared to make a return. However, the decision was made to cut her. 

(Spoilers) MLW Battle Riot III Results & Live Report

Michael Reichlin
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Major League Wrestling returned Saturday night live from Philadelphia, PA with MLW Battle Riot. SEScoops correspondent Samira was in attendance at the 2300 Arena and interviewed several MLW fighters. We’ll have videos of those interviews live on the site next week.

MLW Battle Riot III Results
Julyl 10, 2021
Philadelphia, PA (2300 Arena)
Report by Samira

MLW kicked off their Battle Riot III show with a moment of silence for the lives that were lost due to COVID-19.

The first match to start was Anthony Catena vs. Rustin Grundy. The match was very quick with Rustin giving a powerbomb to Catena for the win.

Next, we had a women’s match. Brittany Blake vs. Delmi Exo with Ashley Vox ringside. Exo picked up the win by giving a buster to Blake.

Third match was Budd Heavy, who got a loud chant from the crowd, against Alex Kane. Budd received a powerbomb from Kane, which resulted in Kane winning. Budd had given Kane the finger as he was walking up the ramp, which led to Kane running back in the ring and giving Budd many suplexes. Heavy was then helped backstage by referees.

KC Navarro, making his MLW debut, went up against Gino Medina. However, Medina hit his “Eat Defeat” on Navarro, which resulted with him winning the match.

Next, Team Filthy came out with Tom Lawlor talking on the microphone about how Kit Osbourne and Kevin Ku were going to defeat the Von Erichs. Marshall and Ross then came out to start the Bunkhouse Brawl Match. The Von Erichs won by pinfall once Marshall did a moonsault from the top rope landing on Ku who was laying on a table.

Cesar Duran then came out and cut a promo on how he was going to bring Lucha and the Azteca Underground to MLW. Injustice came out asking Duran for a fight when LAX came out, which resulted in a big pop from the crowd. This new LAX consists of Danny Rivera (Limelight) and Slice Boogie. Konnan and Julius Smokes came along with them as well. LAX talked on the microphone for a bit, which then led to a fight between them and Injustice, which led the fight backstage. Cesar then announced there will be a match later and then mentioned the championship match between Jacob Fatu and Matt Cross.

Next was Lee Moriarty against Calvin Tankman. Tankman picks up the win with his “Tankman Driver.” As he walks up the ramp, he is stopped by Alicia Atout, who is with Alex Kane. Atout asks Tankman if he would join the American Hustle, which he responded with “I’ll think about it,” then walked backstage.

Alicia comes down to the ring, but not with the American Hustle, but with Cesar Duran. They sit down behind the commentators and enjoy some champagne as they watch the next match of Richard Holliday defending his Caribbean Championship against King Muertes. Muertes becomes the new champion. According to Holliday’s Instagram story, he had to receive stitches in the back of his head after the match.

National Openweight Champion Alex Hammerstone defended his title against Tom Lawlor. During the match, the crowd had chanted “Daisy Dukes” in reference to the very short jean shorts Lawlor was wearing. Lawlor’s “Daisy Dukes” didn’t help as Hammerstone retained the title.

The other half of the Sea Stars, Ashley Vox, then went up against Willow Nightingale. Delmi Exo was ringside as the match went on. Nightingale won by pinfall after giving Vox a powerbomb.

Up next was Davey Richards, making his MLW debut, against TJP. Throughout the whole match, the crowd showed very loudly their dislike for TJP as they had cheered “TJP sucks” and “TJPussy.” Richards wins his debut match after making TJP submit to an ankle lock.

We then had LAX versus Injustice. Smokes had come to the ring with LAX, but not Konnan. Rivera picked up the victory for LAX with a roll up. LAX then proceeded to beat up Injustice along with a few referees. Danny then spray painted on one of the members of Injustice chest.

Arez versus Aramis. Both had some nice high flying moves off the top rope that landed outside of the ring. Aramis won after using his “3 Seconds Around The World.” The two shook hands after the match.

The last singles match of the night was Matt Cross again Jacob Fatu for the MLW World Championship. Fatu retained the title by doing a moonsault off the top rope onto Cross. Cross was then placed in a body bag and taken backstage.

The last and final match of the evening was the Battle Riot. Among all the 40 entrants, we saw surprises from Savio Vega, Zicky Dice, Kim Chee, and the Blue Meanie. EJ Nduka came in and had eliminated a lot of wrestlers, but then was eliminated by LAX. Fans had believed LA Park had entered, but it turned out to be Tom Lawlor after he was unmasked. He then was eliminated by Marshall Von Erich. Alexander Hammerstone ended up winning the Battle Riot, who then tore up a Contra flag. Jacob Fatu came out wanting to fight, but then walked away. Hammerstone celebrated his victory in the ring.

MLW Battle Riot will air for free on beIN Sports later this month on July 24th.

PROGRESS World Title #1 Contenders Match Set for Chapter 115 – Exclusive

Jake Skudder
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We can exclusively reveal that PROGRESS Wrestling will be holding a #1 Contender’s Match for the PROGRESS World Championship at the Chapter 115 event next weekend on Peacock and WWE Network.

The Smokin’ Aces Nick Riley and Charlie Sterling will face each other to determine who will be the next challenger to Cara Noir’s PROGRESS World Championship. We spoke to both men before the match to get their take on arguably their biggest match to date in PROGRESS, which will be available to view on Saturday July 17.

Charlie Sterling

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IMAGE CREDIT @THEHEADDROP

“Its very strange that I’m asked to talk about fighting my best friend” Charlie Sterling noted. “Our families are close. We get the same praise and compliments. Athletic. Technically gifted. Resilient. He’s the greatest tag partner I could ask for. I’d do anything for him and I’d hope he would say the same. I know his favourite meal is Black Bean Curry and he knows mine is Spaghetti Bolognese. We are brothers!”

“Come Chapter 115 though, I will put all that aside. He won’t be my brother, he will just be my opponent” Sterling continued. “Nick will still be athletic. He will still be technically gifted. He will still be resilient. Everything that is said about me will still be true of him too. Except for one thing, one truth – Belief.”

“Nick will THINK he CAN beat me but I KNOW I WILL beat him” Charlie Sterling continued, laying in somewhat to his Smokin’ Aces partner in PROGRESS. “He will believe it too, when he’s defeated. However, when that bell rings and my hand is raised, I will put my arm around Nick, hug him close and thank him because we are still athletic. Still technically gifted, still resilient, still a team, still brothers.

“Chapter 115 will not be easy for either of us, but it’s necessary and we both know it.”

CHARLIE STERLING

Cara Noir

Charlie Sterling would also issue a warning to PROGRESS World Champion Cara Noir ahead of the match, saying that he is gunning for the phenom performer once Chapter 115 is said and done.

“Cara Noir needs to believe too – once I’ve beaten Nick? He’s in my sights. He may think putting us in this scenario will challenge us, it will only make us stronger. Give me an inch, I will take a mile. I’m coming for that World Title.”

Nick Riley

May be an image of one or more people and text that says "ERYONE WELCOME PROGRESS PROGRESS PROGRESS S"
IMAGE CREDIT @THEHEADDROP

Here’s what Nick Riley had to say about fighting his tag team partner next weekend:

“Underrated and underused. The words most of the wrestling scene has used to describe Nick Riley and Charlie Sterling” Nick Riley began. “But now, we are in a position where one of us will fight for the PROGRESS World Championship.”

“No one has any idea of what this could do for me and Charlie, our families, our careers” Riley continued. “But what I do know, is my first title defence will be against Charlie Sterling.”

“Charlie, you are my best friend, my brother, my tag team partner…But for one match? You are the road block to greatness, and I’m knocking you down!” The Smokin’ Ace concluded.

“what I do know, is my first title defence will be against Charlie Sterling.”

NICK RILEY

PROGRESS Chapter 115

Here’s the currently confirmed card for PROGRESS Chapter 115 – For The Hearts Who Never Played In Tune:

  • Big Money Gun Dogs vs Lykos Gym Dog House Rules Match
  • Malik (w/Kosta K) vs Ethan Allen (w/Luke Jacobs)
  • Greedy Souls vs Sunshine Machine
  • Mercedez Blaze (w/Taonga) vs Roxxy Hellz Belle

Killian Dain Reveals His Immediate Plans for Life After WWE

Jake Skudder
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Former WWE Superstar Killian Dain recently spoke to the It’s My House Podcast. The former member of Sanity discussed a number of topics during the interview, including what his immediate plans are now that he has left the NXT brand.

“So for the time being I’ll be staying in America with Nikkis success and everything else” the former NXT Superstar confirmed. “So then, literally once I am free to work again, I’m going to be picky, choosy and I’m going to take a bit of time to really get around the world you know?”

“There’s places I want to go, there’s companies I want to work for and there’s people I want to work” Big Damo continued. “I’ve got a full list of people I’m desperate to work. It was a blast when I got to wrestle a lot of the New Japan guys through Rev Pro, and I’d love it if I get a chance to wrestle the likes of Ishi again and Tanahashi again.”

Killian Dain on New Japan Run

“I’d love to wrestle Okada, Shingo, you know all those guys” Damo noted, basically confirming that he wants to have a run in New Japan. “And there’s so many others across the world so for me, I’m taking these three months to take a bit of time for myself to get myself prepared mentally, physically, everything else.”

The former Killian Dain finished by confirming that he needs to sort out some visa issues to remain in the United States. “Obviously I have to figure out my being a foreigner living in America. “There’s a couple of hoops we have to jump through next which will hopefully go down without a problem. And then yeah get myself around the world, because I do want to get back and do some things back in Britain, and I want to see how he scene is there, I want to be an inspiration for the next group of guys coming through.”

You can check out the full interview with the former Killian Dain below:

ROH Best In The World PPV: Final Card

Andrew Ravens
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ROH holds its Best in the World pay-per-view tonight (Sunday, July 11, 2021), which marks the second PPV of the year. 

Ring of Honor is slated to hold the show from Baltimore, Maryland at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. The main event will see ROH World Champion Rush vs. vs. Bandido. Three other titles will be on the line including ROH Six-Man Champions Shane Taylor, Moses, and Kaun vs. Dalton Castle, Dak Draper, and Eli Isom.

ROH Best in the World can be purchased via traditional pay-per-view and the FITE app. The show will be four hours long with the first hour airing for free at 7 pm ET on ROH Facebook Live, FITE TV, and traditional PPV while the main card will begin at 8 pm ET.

Final ROH Best In The World Card

  • ROH World Champion Rush vs. Bandido
  • ROH TV Champion Tony Deppen vs. Dragon Lee 
  • ROH Pure Champion Jonathan Gresham vs. Mike Bennett 
  • ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions Shane Taylor, Moses, and Kaun vs. Dalton Castle, Dak Draper, and Eli Isom
  • ROH Tag Team Champions The Foundation (Tracy Williams & Rhett Titus) vs. Violence Unlimited (Homicide & Chris Dickinson)
  • Brody King vs. Jay Lethal.
  • EC3 vs. Flip Gordon.
  • Josh Woods vs. Silas Young – Last Man Standing Match
  • The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe) vs. PJ Black & Brian Johnson

Pre-Show

  • PCO and Danhausen vs.The Bouncers.
  • Demonic Flamita vs. Rey Horus.
  • Matt Taven will host a Trending With Taven segment.

*Spoiler* Popular Faction Debuts At MLW Battle Riot III

Michael Reichlin
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LAX has arrived in Major League Wrestling.

During Saturday night’s MLW Battle Riot III event from Philadelphia, PA, Azteca Underground boss Cesar Duran (formerly Dario Cueto) came out. He was interrupted by Myron Reed and Jordan Oliver of Injustice. This brought out LAX, now comprised of Konnan, Danny Limelight and Slice Boogie.

SEScoops correspondent Samira is live on site and sent in word that LAX got a huge reaction from the Philly crowd.

Konnan is a founding member of LAX dating back to the early 2000’s. Limelight is a fan favorite who has appeared on AEW Dark and Elevation several times over the past few months. He has also appeared on NJPW Strong.

SEScoops will have full results from MLW Battle Riot III later tonight.

Here is footage of Cesar Duran introducing LAX, courtesy of John Siino:

Mike Bennett Has Rediscovered his Love of Wrestling With Ring of Honor

Alex Laybourne
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Mike Bennett is a man who has rediscovered his passion for professional wrestling. Performing in Ring of Honor, Bennett stands on the precipice of history. His goal to take the ROH Pure Championship away from Jonathan Gresham.

The former WWE wrestler has come a long way from the misused figure he cut during his three years there. During his time in WWE, Mike Bennett, along with his wife Maria Bennett (kayfabe Kanellis) wrestled on Smackdown, RAW and 205 Live. Yet, he was never a regular figure, and often just used to feed the larger lions that were climbing the ladder.

“It was one of those things where I felt like WWE kinda beat the love out of wrestling for me. I’d always loved wrestling, I loved what it was, I loved performing but then when I got there, I got to the point where I was like, “I don’t like this.”” Bennett said, talking to Metro.co.uk.

Mike Bennett is Back In Love With Wrestling Thanks to Ring of Honor

Mike Bennett is back wrestling with Ring of Honor, his second stint with the company. He says this time he appreciates the company for all the things he realized he took for granted, or overlooked previously.

 “When I was in Ring of Honor the first time, I don’t think I truly appreciate the opportunity I was given. I was young and stuff. You can always chalk it up to that. I don’t think I ever took a moment to be like, “Oh my God, I have a good spot in this great company that has produced mega stars,””

With his newfound love of wrestling, Mike Bennett has learned to enjoy the art of wrestling. Embracing the range of styles and cultures that can be found in different rings around the globe. He will be looking to kick his resurgence into overdrive this week by taking the crown from Gresham. Cementing himself as the main event guy in Ring of Honor.

Jim Ross Reveals What He Told Malakai Black After His AEW Debut

Michael Reichlin
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Former WWE Superstar Aleister Black made a surprise debut this past week on AEW Dynamite. Now known as Malakai Black, the Dutch grappler immediately made an impact by taking out Arn Anderson and Cody Rhodes.

Malakai Black was on WWE’s payroll just last month. Due to an administrative oversight by WWE, Black only had to sit out for 30 days instead of the standard 90 days.

AEW broadcaster Jim Ross appeared on Busted Open this week to discuss Black’s newsworthy debut at Road Rager. Ross reveals that he didn’t know Malakai Black was in the building until he appeared in the ring.

Ross prefers to learn about surprises like Black’s debut at the same time the audience does. He likened this to a sports game by sayin, “I don’t need to know who wins the game until the game is over.”

“I was pleasantly surprised that Malakai Black joined us,” said Ross. “I saw him after the show, he shook my hand. I never met him before, he said he was glad to meet me and likewise for me. I said, ‘We’re counting on you. We’re counting on you to play in a big way. Not just come in and be one of the boys, but come in and be one of the stars.’”

JR got the impression that Malakai Black had not been spoken to like that in quite some time. He thinks it meant a lot to him and he meant every word of what he said.

“I wasn’t trying to blow smoke,” Ross continued. “I was just trying to say, you’re a highly regarded piece of talent that we value and we’re happy you’re here. So, now we’re looking for great things. You set the bar high with your debut, now let’s see where we can take you.”

Listen to JR’s comments about Malakai Black in the Tweet embedded below:

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