Home Blog Page 854

Cardi B Set To Host WWE SummerSlam (Report)

Chris Stephens
-
0

Cardi B is reportedly set to be the guest host of SummerSlam this year. The news was first reported by Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast. The recording artist is someone WWE has had on their radar for some time now.

Back in January, Cardi B posted to Twitter after her name was dropped on an episode of WWE RAW.

“Ok nomore wwE tweets I haven’t watched it in years.I was just confused on all the wwe tweets I was getting.Before this last thing I Hurd bout it was about a sexy wrestler name Carmella,” Cardi Tweeted.

https://twitter.com/TheVindictive/status/1346306033216585728

Cardi B then noted she remembered when Trish Stratus debuted alongside Test and Albert (T&A).

Back in April, Stephanie McMahon specifically mentioned that it would be “really cool to work” with Cardi B.

“I think it could be really cool to work with Cardi B, Stephanie McMahon noted on the Rich Eisen show in April. “She had a tweet she put out not long ago which was in reference to her name on the show. I think she’s so colorful herself and so vivacious and full of life that I think she would even bring it up a notch in WWE. I think she’d be awesome.”

https://twitter.com/AndrewZarian/status/1398451903873392641?s=20

The Iiconics Say They Were Shocked By WWE Release

Chris Stephens
-
0

Many fans were surprised when the former Peyton Royce and Billie Kay were amongst the mass roster cuts in April. Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay say they were also shocked by the release. They spoke on the subject during a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio.

“it was a total shock. I had no idea,” said McKay (transcriptions via Post Wrestling). “When I got the phone call, I thought it was in regards to something else. I was like, ‘Oh, they need me to do something. I’m needed for something else’ and when I heard those words, ‘We’re going to release you,’ my heart dropped and I was just — I was so shocked and I was just heartbroken and I don’t have any answers and I don’t think I’m ever gonna get answers. So at the moment I’m just trying to have peace with that.”

Cassie Lee also spoke about not expecting to be released.

“So, it was absolutely a shock because obviously they do the budget cuts once a year but they hadn’t done it in a while and then I thought last year’s was just purely because of the pandemic so, I didn’t see it coming and maybe I should have, especially because I was really doing nothing since they split us up so,” Lee said. “I was like laying in the middle of a massage in my bedroom and the husband [Shawn Spears] walks in and says, ‘You should probably check your phone’ and I was like, ‘Um, okay’ and then I checked it and I was like, ‘Yep, I’m done.’ Jumped up off the bed not wearing anything and that’s when I realized what was going down.”

Where Will The Iiconics Sign With Next?

With the former Iiconics now free agents, many fans are wondering where they will end up next. They spoke about possibly ending up in either AEW or Impact Wrestling.

“It’s tough because for example, AEW, I think we could really help their women’s division,” Lee said. “They don’t necessarily have a women’s tag division, I could be wrong, I’m not sure. But I just feel like we have that TV experience that we could bring to the division and help build that up and with IMPACT, they have a women’s tag team division, a well-established — the Knockouts division that I easily feel we could slip into so it’s like, I feel like we have a lot to offer both of them and it’s — I don’t know, I don’t know.”

“It’s tough to figure out where you think would be the best fit because we are wrestlers but then we are heavy personalities and characters and we love that so I think it’s just blending the two like we always have and just figuring out which company we think we would be better with, you know? AEW or IMPACT,” said McKay.

AEW Double Or Nothing Final Card, Live Coverage

Andrew Ravens
-
0

The card for tonight’s (Sunday, May 30, 2021) AEW Double Or Nothing event has been finalized.

The company hasn’t officially announced the main event of this event that takes place in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place. It will likely be headlined by Stadium Stampede between the Inner Circle and The Pinnacle. 

This show marks the second PPV of 2021 for the promotion, which features a stacked lineup. There are a total of 10 matches booked for this show with five of them being championship matches.

As a reminder, we will be providing live play-by-play coverage of this special later tonight.

AEW Double Or Nothing Card

AEW World Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega vs. PAC vs. Orange Cassidy

Stadium Stampede: The Inner Circle vs. The Pinnacle

AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida vs. Dr. Britt Baker

“The American Dream” Cody Rhodes vs. Anthony Ogogo

Adam Page vs. FTW Champion Brian Cage

TNT Champion Miro vs. Lance Archer

AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks vs.  Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston

Casino Battle Royale: Competitions announced thus far include Griff Garrison, Brian Pillman, 10, Stu Grayson, Nick Comoroto, QT Marshall, Lee Johnson, Dustin Rhodes, Anthony Bowens, Max Caster, Penta El Zero Miedo, Isiah Kassidy, Marq Quen, Matt Sydal, Christian Cage, Matt Hardy, Powerhouse Hobbs, Evil Uno, Colt Cabana, Jungle Boy, mystery participant – winner gets a world title match

Sting and Darby Allin vs. Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky

NWA Women’s Champion Serena Deeb vs. Riho – pre-show match

Chris Jericho Talks His ‘Unfinished Business’ in NJPW

Jake Skudder
-
0

AEW star and former IWGP Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho recently spoke to Mike Beauvais of TSN ahead of the AEW Double or Nothing 2021 PPV event. Jericho will be joining The Inner Circle to take on MJF’s stable The Pinnacle in the second ever Stadium Stampede match.

During the interview, Jericho would address his status in New Japan Pro Wrestling, saying there is still a lot for him to do in the promotion. “There’s a lot of unfinished business for me in New Japan,” Jericho noted. “Jay White is one [potential opponent], [Minoru] Suzuki is another one that would draw big money. Kota Ibushi and [Will] Ospreay — those four guys I’d love to work with.”

Chris Jericho on NJPW Return

“I’d love to do a ‘Golden Jets’ team — Kenny and Jericho — versus [Kazuchika] Okada and Ibushi or [Hiroshi] Tanahashi and Okada or Tanahashi and Ibushi” Jericho added. “I think that’s a Tokyo Dome main event right there.”

“So there’s a lot of stuff I’d still like to do in New Japan and as soon as we can start going over there again, I’m more than agreeable to doing more work there” Chris Jericho would reveal. “I really enjoyed the six matches that I had there in 2018 and 2019 and think there’s plenty of room for more.”

Would you like to see Chris Jericho back in New Japan? Who would you like to see ‘Le Champion’ face? Let us know in the comments

Sting Talks Preparing for AEW Double or Nothing In-Ring Return

Jake Skudder
-
0

‘The Icon’ Sting spoke to Paste Magazine ahead of his return to in-ring action at AEW’s Double or Nothing PPV event. The former WCW Champion will be teaming with Darby Allin to take on ‘All Ego’ Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky.

This will be Sting’s first in-ring match back since he was injured against Seth Rollins at WWE’s Night of Champions 2015 event. At AEW Revolution, Sting and Darby Allin teamed for a cinematic styled match against Team Taz, however it has been confirmed that this bout will be inside the ring, and Sting revealed to Paste how he’s preparing for the return to the squared circle.

“I’m trying to work a lot on mobility, that’s for sure,” Sting began. “I don’t recover as quick as I used to, either, so I have to really watch how I train, so I don’t overtrain. Because, I’m telling you, you just don’t recover the same.”

Sting Talks Training for Double or Nothing 2021

“I’m still feeling the effects of the powerbomb that I took from Brian Cage [in February 2021]. There are a few kinks I still have from that one” Sting continued. “Otherwise, I’m preparing the same,” he said. “It’s the same kind of stuff, I just have to think about when I do it and what intensity levels and all that.”

“I’m trying to get the heart rate up as much as I possibly can” Sting added, “so the stamina’s there to go with these young guys. Yeah, I’m getting ready — I am ready.”

Are you looking forward to the tag team match on tonight’s PPV event? Let us know in the comments

Paul Wight Reveals Why AEW Commentary Is ‘Less Pressure’ Than WWE

Jake Skudder
-
0

AEW Dark: Elevation commentator and former WWE Superstar Paul Wight recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The former Big Show discussed a number of topics during his time on the broadcast, including how working for AEW is a far less pressure filled environment than WWE.

“If you’ve never done wrestling before, you’re not going to have a preconceived idea of what’s right and what’s wrong,” Wight would begin. “And then the guy that is running the entire show has what he wants presented put on air. And hell, the dude’s paying the bills.”

“You can say what you want to, but that’s one of the things that’s a little bit different about Tony is Tony literally gives the talent freedom to sink or swim” Wight would continue, comparing the AEW President to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. “He (Tony) gives them all the opportunities to get over and to be successful, but there’s no pressure to make a mistake.”

Paul Wight on AEW Commentary

Paul Wight made a mistake on the very first night that he appeared on AEW Dynamite. Wight mentioned that the upcoming AEW PPV event was ‘Evolution,’ when in fact it was ‘Revolution.’ At the time Wight said at the time how he expected to get admonished backstage and it never actually happened, something that definitely would’ve happened backstage in WWE.

“We all make mistakes, it’s how we learn” Wight added. “But being able to make a mistake, recognize the mistake and get over that mistake and move forward is very critical in a younger talent’s career I think. Because sometimes they’ll hold onto something much longer than they should have. Having that freedom like ‘okay I made a mistake. It’s not like I’m going to be taken out back and flogged for making a mistake. It’s a much more creative environment” Paul Wight would conclude.

Reason For Aleister Black And Big E Being Absent From SmackDown

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

The absence of Big E and Aleister Black from this week’s episode of SmackDown after their big encounter at last week’s show left many people puzzled.

A new report from PWinsider provides some insight on the reason behind their absence. It reveals that both the stars were actually backstage at the TV tapings.

According to the site, keeping E and Black off TV was a creative decision. The officials decided to let the story hang for a week before continuing with it.

It is a rare instance of the creatives actually letting things breathe and not rushing the feud between the two former NXT stars which is usually the case.

Last week’s episode of SmackDown saw Aleister Black finally making his return to WWE programming after months of absence and attacking Big E.

The New Day member was competing in a fatal four-way match for the Intercontinental championship. At a point, it looked like the heavyweight star was going to re-capture the title.

However, Black whose return had been teased in previous few weeks made a surprise appearance during the show. He attacked E with a black mass, allowing the current champion Apollo Crews to retain his title.

There is no word yet on where this feud is headed but it’s good to know that the officials are not rushing the rivalry for once. It would be interesting to see what the company has planned for them next.

Bad Bunny Tells LeBron James & Jay-Z: Wrestling is “100% Real”

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

Bad Bunny has nothing but good things to say about his experience working with WWE. The Puerto Rican music sensation recently appeared on the season premiere of HBO’s The Shop: Uninterrupted. The show is hosted by LeBron James and Maverick Carter.

During a discussion with with music mogul Jay-Z and others, Bunny was asked about the legitimacy of pro wrestling. He said wrestling is ‘100% real’ and credited legends such as The Undertaker and Triple H for their ability to endure decades of pain.

“It’s real, it’s 100% real,” he said. “It’s insane, the work. When I was learning the first day and they teach me, like how to fall, take bumps, I said, ‘How these people can do this for 20-30 years?'”

He named Triple H and Undertaker as legends who had long careers that included a hefty dose of physical punishment.

E2hR8B1UYAA3X u?format=jpg&name=small

“So many years receiving that pain,” he added. “It’s crazy, it’s crazy but I love it.”

Bad Bunny then explained how his love for wrestling came from watching the shows with his dad as a kid. He also discussed moving to Florida for his WWE training and did not produce any music during his time there.

The rap star trained for almost three months for his WrestleMania match. He received praise from people such as Triple H, Randy Orton, and The Miz for his performance and work ethic afterward.

Kurt Angle Reacts To John Cena WWE Return Rumors

Jake Skudder
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold Medallist Kurt Angle has reacted to the news that John Cena may be returning to WWE in the near future. It was recently reported that WWE are looking to bring Cena back for the first SmackDown event to take place in front of a live audience in July.

It was also recently reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that people within WWE have talked about Roman Reigns vs. Cena as a top match for SummerSlam. This would be a marquee bout for the company to promote as they welcome back fans in attendance full time for the first time in over a year.

Although the idea is potentially Cena vs Reigns, Kurt Angle has put the idea out there that he himself may return for one final retirement match against John Cena.

Kurt Angle on John Cena Match

“Hearing rumors about @JohnCena going back to @wwe” Kurt Angle would write on Twitter. “[It’s] got me rethinking about my retirement match, like…………”

Although Kurt Angle retired back at WrestleMania 35, he still appears to want that ‘one final match.’ The bout against Baron Corbin that Angle had at that Mania show did make sense in storyline.

However, it was arguably one of the most anticlimactic ways to finish the career of the pro wrestling great.

Whilst Kurt Angle is not able to perform at the level he could a decade ago; a potential final bout against John Cena, who himself had his first WWE televised match against Kurt Angle, would at the very least be intriguing.

Would you like to see Kurt Angle have one final match in WWE? Let us know in the comments

Bronson Reed Reveals His WWE Dream Match on After The Bell

Jake Skudder
-
0

WWE NXT Superstar and the North American Champion Bronson Reed recently appeared on WWE After the Bell. The Australian powerhouse discussed a number of topics on the podcast with Corey Graves, including his dream match in WWE.

Interestingly, the man that his picked as his dream bout in the company was also on the podcast just a few weeks ago. “For me, there’s so many great heavyweights at the moment that there’s so many matches I would like to do,” Reed began on the podcast.

“I think one that would be arranged and hopefully done sooner than later is Bronson Reed vs. WALTER” Reed would continue, revealing his dream match against the WWE United Kingdom Champion. “That’s the one I want to tip off first and then we can talk about the other people.”

Bronson Reed vs WALTER

Bronson Reed would also put out another name of someone that he wants to face in a WWE ring. “Another dream match for me at the moment is Roman Reigns. That’s someone I want to be able to step in the ring with.”

Roman Reigns is arguably a name that most WWE Superstars currently on the NXT brand would put out there as an opponent that they would want. The idea of two gargantuan performers like WALTER and Bronson Reed going at it in NXT however is a very intriguing prospect.

Would you like to see Bronson Reed vs WALTER? Let us know in the comments

IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match And More Announced For Dominion

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

NJPW has announced a small change in date and a number of big matches for their upcoming Dominion event, including the bout to determine the new IWGP heavyweight champion.

The company made the announcements via a tweet and revealed that the upcoming PPV event will have to be delayed by a day due to the extension of the state of emergency which is in place in Osaka.

The tweet confirmed that Dominion will now be taking place on Monday, June 7 instead of the originally announced date of Sunday, June 6.

A more interesting news is the announcement that Kazuchika Okada will be taking on Shingo Takagi in a singles match for the currently vacant IWGP heavyweight championship:

For those who don’t know, the previous champion WIll Ospreay had to vacate the championship due to a neck injury. He went back to UK for his rehabilitation and he recently revealed that he might be suffering from a back injury as well.

Apart from this, the company has also announced a match between Yoh and El Desperado for the IWGP junior heavyweight championship and a bout between Kota Ibushi and Jeff Cobb. NJPW Dominion this year will be taking place from the Osaka Jo Hall on Monday June 7.

Jade Cargill Picks Her New Manager On Dynamite

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

After weeks of not wanting to sign with any manager, AEW star Jade Cargill has decided to join forces with Mark Sterling and allow him to be his manager.

Tonight’s Double Or Nothing go-home episode of Dynamite featured a segment where the female star tried to talk to Tony Schiavone. However, they were interrupted by Matt Hardy.

Hardy tried to persuade Cargill to join him but Mark Sterling jumped in. He revealed that Jade had already selected him to be her manager in the company.

Sterling told Hardy he is going to slap him with a restraining order if the former WWE star keeps bothering his client. Mark also revealed that his deal is different than Hardy’s and he only gets paid when his client wins.

Mark Sterling then accompanied Jade Cargill for her match against KiLynn King. During the match, Cargill sent King out of the ring. Sterling tried to present King his card as well but she attacked him instead.

The ending of the bout saw Cargill hitting the Jaded finisher on her opponent. She then pinned KiLynn King to pick up the victory.

Mark Sterling is an independent wrestler who has worked for ROH and other indie promotions. He previously made an appearance for AEW as MJF’s lawyer last year.

AEW Dynamite Results (5/28): Double or Nothing Go-Home Show, New Women’s Title Design

Robert Lentini
-
0

AEW Dynamite aired from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. It was the final episode of Dynamite before Double or Nothing this Sunday night. Eric Bischoff made his return to Dynamite to host A Celebration of the Inner Circle before their Stadium Stampede match against The Pinnacle this Sunday at the PPV.

Dynamite Results (5/28)

  1. Darby Allin def. Cezar Bononi
  2. Hangman Page def. Joey Janela
  3. Jade Cargill def. KiLynn King
  4. Miro def. Dante Martin to retain the TNT Championship
  5. Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky def. Dark Order

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Darby Allin Picked Up A Win

Darby Allin faced Cezar Bononi tonight on Dynamite. Cezar controlled the match early and tossed Darby around the ring with ease. Allin went for a Sleeper and then hit a Stunner. Darby followed it up with a Coffin Drop for the quick pinfall victory.

After the match, Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page made their way to the entrance ramp. Sky said it will be the end of Sting at Double or Nothing and then Bononi’s group attacked Sting and Darby from behind. Scorpio and Ethan joined in on the beatdown until Dark Order made the save to end the segment.

Ogogo Weighed One Pound More Than Cody

Paul Wight said it was great to be in front of a full crowd and welcomed everyone to the Weigh In for the match between Cody Rhodes & Anthony Ogogo at Double or Nothing. Ogogo made his entrance first with The Factory by his side. Cody and the Nightmare Family entered next. Cody weighed in at 218 and Ogogo weighed in at 219. QT Marshall claimed that because Ogogo weighed more he was going to defeat Cody at Double or Nothing. Cody and Ogogo had a stare down before Rhodes thanked Paul and asked the crowd to give it up for him.

Hangman Page def. Joey Janela

Hangman Adam Page battled Joey Janela on this week’s Dynamite. Page got Janela in a Headlock to start off the action. Joey escaped and lit up Hangman’s chest with a chop. Hangman got angry and planted Janela with a Suplex for a two count. The action spilled out of the ring and Janela went for a Crossbody but Page countered into a Fallaway Slam on the floor.

When Dynamite returned from a break, Hangman connected with a big Spinebuster and went for the cover but Joey was able to kick out at two. Janela sent Hangman into the turnbuckle with a German Suplex and followed it up with an Elbow Drop for a near fall. Hangman hit a Powerbomb and followed it up with the Buckshot Lariat for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Taz and Brian Cage came to the entrance ramp. Page said he knows what is going to happen now and someone is going to attack him from behind. Hangman noted that he expected that from Taz but expected more from Brian Cage. Page thought that Cage didn’t need anyone’s help and suggested that his balls have shriveled up. Cage got angry and said that he doesn’t need any help now and won’t need any help at Double or Nothing when he faces Page.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1398469831079477249?s=20

Orange Cassidy Will Be In The Title Match

PAC stormed to the ring and apologized to the crowd if they were expecting somebody else. PAC said he is here to teach everyone that Orange Cassidy will be irrelevant on Sunday. He called AEW Champion Kenny Omega pathetic and asked him to come to the ring.

Don Callis appeared on the Jumbotron and referred to PAC as a “soulless sociopath”. Omega tried to attack PAC but he was ready for it. Good Brothers rushed the ring and PAC couldn’t overcome the numbers. Lucha Bros made the save and then Best Friends & Orange Cassidy joined the party.

Cassidy gave Kenny Omega an envelope and it was shredded contract that Callis & Omega offered last week to get him out of the title match. Cassidy hit Omega with the Orange Punch and then delivered one to PAC.

Jade Cargill Dominated

Jade Cargill faced KiLynn King tonight on Dynamite. Before the match, Matt Hardy tried to get Jade to join the Hardy Family Office but was interrupted by Mark Sterling. Mark said Jade has already selected him to hand her business and is close to issuing Matt a 50 yard restraining order. Sterling added that he only gets paid when Jade wins and gave Matt his card.

Cargill dominated and did curls with KiLynn as Dynamite went to a break. When Dynamite returned, Jade connected with a Suplex and launched King to the outside. Mark Sterling and King started arguing and Jade capitalized with the Jaded for the pinfall victory.

Miro Retained The TNT Title

Miro defended the TNT Championship against Dante Martin tonight on Dynamite. Miro beat Dante down in the corner but Martin battled back with a Moonsault for only a one count. Dante followed it up with a Dropkick and went for the cover but the TNT Champion powered out at one again. Miro hit a Suplex and followed it up with the Machka Kick. Miro then applied the Game Over for the submission victory. Miro is still the TNT Champion.

After the match, Lance Archer and Jake Roberts interrupted. Roberts said that Miro’s fairytale comes to an end on Sunday and Archer will be the new TNT Champion. Miro dared Archer to fight and Lance marched to the ring. Archer and Miro got in some shots before AEW officials separated them.

AEW Introduced A New Women’s Title Design

Hikaru Shida was presented with a new version of the AEW Women’s Championship tonight and was interviewed by Tony Schiavone to celebrate her one year title reign. Hikaru said there were no fans when she won the title and she’s proud to share the moment with them tonight.

Britt Baker interrupted and congratulated Shida on being the champion during the most difficult time for professional wrestling. Baker then said she will not only be the face of the women’s division, she will be the face of a whole new era when she wins the AEW Women’s Championship. Baker added that the last era was about 3:16, this one will be D.M.D.

Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page def. Dark Order

Dark Order (Stu Grayson & Evil Uno) faced Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page tonight on Dynamite. Grayson planted Scorpio with a DDT but Sky battled back as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Stu hit a Uranage and then delivered a Neckbreaker on Page. Ethan Page caught Evil Uno with Ego’s Edge for the pinfall victory. After the match, Darby Allin and a bunch of people in Sting masks rushed the ring. They beat down the fake Stings until one was revealed to actually be Sting. Ethan and Scorpio then ran away to end the segment.

The Pinnacle Sent A Message To Inner Circle

Eric Bischoff returned to Dynamite tonight to host A Celebration of the Inner Circle. The Pinnacle will face Inner Circle in a Stadium Stampede match this Sunday night at Double or Nothing. If Inner Circle loses the match, they will break up as a group. Bischoff brought up the 25th anniversary of Scott Hall showing up on Nitro and compared nWo to Inner Circle. Inner Circle then made their entrance as the crowd sang along.

Jericho said it feels good to be back in front of fans and thanked Bischoff for everything he has done for him during his career. Eric rolled highlights of Inner Circle before Santana brought up October 2nd, 2019. Santana said that was the night everything changed and they put AEW on their backs and carried them during a pandemic. Santana added that now that they are back in front of the best fans in wrestling, he wouldn’t have it any other way if this is their last dance.

Sammy Guevara added that they are like Guns & Roses in 1987, putting on the best performances and not caring what anyone thinks. Guevara said that they are going to put on another great performance in the Stadium Stampede and will go down in a blaze of glory if they lose.

Inner Circle then shared a hug before MJF interrupted. MJF was on the Jumbotron. MJF revealed that they had beaten Dean Malenko down by the goalposts. Inner Circle started heading there but The Pinnacle attacked them. FTR put Santana & Ortiz through tables with a couple Piledivers and The Pinnacle vowed to end Inner Circle at Double or Nothing this Sunday.

AEW

Marc Mero On Having Backstage Heat Due To His WWE Contract

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

A downside guaranteed contract is a standard deal WWE offers to its wrestlers nowadays but it wasn’t the case when Marc Mero signed one such contract with the company back in 1996 and it got him some backstage heat.

The former WWE and WCW star recently had an interview with WrestlingInc where he talked about his time with the company among other things.

Talking about how he was one of the first wrestlers to get a guaranteed WWE contract, Mero mentioned how it upset some people. Though he claimed that his signing ultimately opened the doors for everyone to get a guaranteed deal:

“Mick Foley and Steve Austin went before me, and they never got a guaranteed deal after I got one. So as much as I think some guys were upset that I got it, if you really look back at it, it opened the doors for everyone to get it eventually. It was like breaking that glass ceiling.”

Marc Mero also discussed his experience with WWE’s medical facilities when he suffered a knee injury. He explained that the company sent him to the best doctor in the country for his treatment.

The former boxing star started his wrestling career in 1990 and he was signed by WCW only a year later. He jumped ships to WWE in 1996 and lasted there until 1999. He also had a TNA stint in 2005-06.

John Cena Rumored For Headline Match At SummerSlam

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

There has been some chatter within WWE about the current universal champion Roman Reigns possibly defending his title against John Cena in the main event of SummerSlam this year.

WWE recently announced their return to touring for July. The cenation leader’s comeback has been in discussion for the company’s first show back on the road which will the July 16 SmackDown from Houston.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is now reporting that people within the promotion have talked about Reigns vs. Cena as a top match for SummerSlam, though nobody has been able to confirm if this is the plan.

On a related note, the Observer claims that despite their ongoing feud, there are currently no plans for Jimmy Uso to challenge for the universal championship at the upcoming Hell In A Cell PPV.

There is no word yet on who could be Roman Reigns’ opponent for the PPV if not his cousin. Though Paul Heyman recently teased Shinsuke Nakamura as a potential future opponent for the tribal chief.

John Cena has faced the current champion in a one on match before. The two squared off at the No Mercy PPV in September 2017 and the big dog came out victorious in that bout.

What do you think about a potential Roman Reigns vs. John Cena rematch main eventing the SummerSlam PPV this year?

DDP Heading To Colombia For Stem Cell Therapy

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling veteran Diamond Dallas Page aka DDP has announced that he is heading to Colombia for stem cell therapy.

The former WWE star posted a video on his Twitter earlier where he revealed that he is looking to get stem cell therapy for the various parts of his body:

“Hey guys it’s me, Diamond Dallas Page, WWE Hall Of Famer. After years of pro wrestling beating up my body, I can’t tell you how excited I am to be heading to Medellin, Colombia to see my good friends at bio accelerator,

Because they are gonna hook me up with some serious stem cells, in my neck, in my back, in my shoulders, and in my knees. I am looking for bio accelerator to take me from 65 years old to 65 years young and that’s a fact.”

https://twitter.com/RealDDP/status/1398453080966975489

A former WCW world champion, Diamond Dallas Page has been active in the wrestling business for more than three decades since his debut in 1988.

He has made appearances for almost all major promotions in the US in this time. The list includes companies such as WCW, WWE, Impact Wrestling and AEW as well. There is no word yet on how long DDP will stay in Columbia for the treatment but we will keep you posted on his whereabouts.

WWE SmackDown Results (5/28): Tag Title Match, The Usos vs. Street Profits

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome. The Usos returned to action to battle Street Profits. Rey Mysterio and Dominik put the SmackDown Tag Team Championships on the line against Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode tonight as well.

SmackDown Results (5/28)

  1. The Usos def. Street Profits
  2. Tamina & Natalya def. Riott Squad
  3. Bianca Belair def. Carmella
  4. Kevin Owens def. Apollo Crews via DQ
  5. Shinsuke Nakamura def. Chad Gable
  6. Rey & Dominik def. Roode & Ziggler to retain the SmackDown Tag Team Championships

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

The Usos Picked Up A Win

The Usos were shown backstage getting ready for their match against Street Profits. Universal Champion Roman Reigns showed up and wished them luck. Roman asked what the gameplan was and Jimmy said it was to win. Jimmy walked off and Jey had a down look on his face. Jey told Roman that even though he is with Jimmy tonight, he is with Reigns as well. Roman said that maybe Jey should tell his brother that as Jey walked away.

Jimmy and Jey battled the Street Profits in the first match of the night. Angelo leveled Jimmy with a shoulder tackle and tagged in Ford. Jey tagged in and Montez greeted him with an Arm Drag. Angelo tagged in and planted Jey with a Suplex for a two count.

Jimmy tagged in and applied a Headlock to Dawkins in the middle of the ring. Dawkins escaped and tagged in Ford. Montez connected with a Dropkick and the Street Profits took back control of the match as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Jey sent Ford into the barricade outside the ring. Back in the ring, Jey connected with a Suplex and tagged in Jimmy as Reigns watched on from backstage. The Usos isolated Montez in the ring and dragged Angelo off the ring apron to prevent a tag.

Angelo eventually got the tag and connected with an Elbow Drop on Jimmy for a two count. Montez Ford hit an unreal Suicide Dive over the ring post on Jey outside the ring. Dawkins hit a Spinebuster and Montez made his way to the top rope. Ford went for the Frog Splash but Jey pulled Jimmy out of the way at the last moment. Jimmy then booted Montez in the face for the pinfall victory.

Later on SmackDown, The Usos approached Adam Pearce backstage and said that they wanted a title match next week. Adam Pearce made the match official and the winners of the tag title match tonight will defend against Jimmy & Jey on next week’s show.

Reigns had a conversation with Jey backstage and said he hates to see him going back to the opening match with his brother in reference to their title match next week.

Tamina & Natalya Dominated

Natalya & Tamina faced Riott Squad in a non-title match. The match started during a commercial break and Riott Squad dominated the action early. Natalya fought her way out of the corner and tagged in Tamina. Snuka climbed to the top rope as Natalya sent Liv Morgan to the floor. Tamina hit the Superfly Splash on Ruby Riott for the pinfall victory.

Bianca Belair def. Carmella

Bianca Belair squared off against Carmella on this week’s episode of SmackDown. Bayley interrupted just before the bell rang and joined commentary for the match. Bianca sent Carmella to the corner and beat her down to begin the action. Carmella connected with a Facebuster on the ring apron for a near fall.

Carmella went for a Crossbody but Belair countered into a Fallaway Slam for a two count. Carmella battled back with a Superkick and went for the cover but Belair was able to kick out at two. Belair blocked the Code of Silence and hit the KOD for the pinfall victory.

Seth Rollins Wished Himself A Happy Birthday

Seth Rollins made his way down the entrance ramp as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Seth Rollins shouted that he was here for a fight and demanded that Cesaro come to the ring so they can finish this now. Rollins joked that Cesaro isn’t here to ruin his birthday and rolled highlights of his brutal attack on Cesaro last week.

Seth played “exclusive audio” from Cesaro’s hospital room and it was the beeps of a heart monitor with a man in pain. Rollins claimed that he was sorry for what he did to Cesaro and that he blacked out. Seth of course then began blaming Cesaro and the fans for his own actions. Seth added that the fans are brainwashed and sung Happy Birthday to himself to end the promo.

Commander Azeez Attacked Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens faced Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews tonight and Commander Azeez was ringside. Owens started off the match in control and sent Apollo to the corner. Kevin connected with a Cannonball and followed it up with a Senton for a two count. Owens went for the Pop-Up Powerbomb but Apollo blocked it. Owens then hit the Stunner but Azeez attacked him right away to end the match in a DQ. Azeez hit Owens with the Nigerian Nail after the match.

Adam Pearce checked on Kevin Owens backstage later on the show. Owens said he wanted a title match with Commander Azeez banned from ringside and Pearce agreed.

Nakamura def. Gable

Shinsuke Nakamura faced Chad Gable tonight. Before the match, Otis attacked Nakamura and slammed him to the canvas. Gable capitalized with a couple of Belly to Belly Suplexes for a two count. Nakamura battled back and then knocked Otis off the ring apron.

Gable went for a Moonsault off the top rope but Nakamura got out of the way. Shinsuke followed it up with a roundhouse kick to the face and then rolled Gable up for the victory. After the match, King Corbin had taken his crown back and was basing about to but Rick Boogs attacked him from behind. Boogs then took the crown back for Nakamura.

Rey & Dominik Retained

Rey Mysterio and Dominik defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode in the main event of this week’s show. Roode and Ziggler made their way to the ring first and said that they are not responsible for what happened. Ziggler said that the referee should start counting as Rey and Dominik hadn’t come to the ring yet. It was revealed that someone attacked Rey Mysterio and Dominik made his way to the ring by himself.

Dominik then faced Roode and Ziggler when SmackDown returned from a break. Ziggler caught him with a Dropkick for an early near fall. Roode tagged in and planted Dominik with a Suplex for another two count. Dominik dodged a Knee Drop but turned around into a Clothesline from Dolph Ziggler.

Dolph raked Dominik’s face across the top rope and then planted him with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Rey Mysterio’s music then hit and he came down to the entrance ramp. Dominik capitalized on the distraction and rolled up Roode for the pinfall victory. After the match, The Usos had a stare down with Rey and Dominik as Reigns watched on from backstage.

Tony Khan To WWE’s Nick Khan: “There’s Only Room For One Khan In The Pro Wrestling Business”

Andrew Ravens
-
0

AEW President Tony Khan decided to have some fun when he sent a taunting message to WWE President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan in a video shared on Twitter. 

The big story on Friday was how the WWE President has been negotiating with NJPW for the last few months about WWE becoming the exclusive North American partner for NJPW. AEW does have a working relationship with NJPW right now. 

Tony hyped Friday’s Dynamite show on TNT and then had some interesting things to say about Nick. 

Tony started out by noting that he saw Nick has had reported talks with NJPW and gotten a lot done while he’s had the likes of Yuji Nagata, Ren Narita, and Rocky Romero on AEW programming before bringing up having a Roppongi Vice reunion in addition to IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley defending the title on Dynamite. 

“So you must’ve really gotten a lot done in the two months, Nick, and in fact, I think there’s only room for one Khan in the wrestling business, Nick, and it’s me. It’s Tony Khan, it’s not some con-man from Connecticut. Have a fun show tonight, Nick, see you on Dynamite.”

The AEW President has done these types of promos during the paid ads on Impact Wrestling. 

Update On Events That Led To Velveteen Dream’s WWE Release

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Earlier this month, The Velveteen Dream (Patrick Clark) was released from WWE NXT. 

His release came after he hadn’t been seen on TV since his December 2020 loss to Adam Cole. It turns out his departure was not related to the allegations against him, but rather it came after a top talent went to management to alert them about an incident that Dream was involved in, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

As it stands right now, there’s no word yet on which star came forward or what the incident was about. 

Shortly after his release, it was reported Dream had behavioral issues during his time with the company but stayed on the roster because he had support from higher management, and this caused concern among Dream’s co-workers. 

Regarding these issues, it was said this period came from his time in NXT, and from when he went to other places such as EVOLVE.

Dream had issued a lengthy statement on his departure this week where he blamed the allegations for not only derailing any upward momentum he had with the company but thinks his release was due to the allegations. He did declare that the “Dream is officially over” but Patrick Clark will live to fight another day.

Kenny Omega Discusses Will Ospreay Vacating IWGP Heavyweight Title

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Kenny Omega was the top North American talent to work in NJPW, but when he left the promotion for AEW, NJPW had to find someone to fill that role and they decided on Will Ospreay. 

Ospreay rose up the ranks and eventually became the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. However, after winning it earlier this year, Ospreay had to vacate it due to an injury. 

Omega did an interview with Sports Illustrated and spoke about Ospreay no longer being the champion. He started out by noting that he pulled aside Ospreay and Jay White when he left to tell them it’s in their hands to represent “at least the western expansion and the pride of the foreigners” because he knew NJPW would look to them to carry it. 

The reason he told them was that he knew it was a likely scenario and also hoping to light a fire under both of them. He continued by noting that Ospreay really came into his own and made a complete career shift, and he was going to be a fantastic champion. Omega thinks Ospreay became the person that he needed to be the champion of the company.

“Unfortunately, becoming champion wasn’t enough for him. He tried to fill my shoes. Physically, even though he is one of the most gifted performers to ever step foot in the ring, there is only one Kenny Omega—and you can’t fill those shoes. 

Thus, now his belt is vacant, so perhaps it was always meant to be my belt and my belt alone. That’s not me making a firm statement as to whether I’ll make a venture out there, just that there is no one there that can fill my shoes or override my legacy. When Ospreay comes back, he’ll have to re-analyze who he is and who he’s meant to be, because he’s not meant to be me.”

Omega will defend the AEW World Heavyweight Championship against PAC and Orange Cassidy this Sunday at Double Or Nothing.

Tony Khan Says AEW Will Undergo A Huge Expansion This Year

Andrew Ravens
-
0

AEW President Tony Khan is pumped for what’s in store for the promotion this year. He talked about it during the latest episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast with Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone where they previewed this Sunday’s Double or Nothing. 

“There’s going to be a huge expansion of AEW, and I think that’s where Double or Nothing comes in.” 

E2Fk87tXIAUSIzX

Khan touted Double or Nothing is one of AEW’s signature events and says they expect Sunday’s show to be one of the best pay-per-views they’ve presented. He thinks having the return of crowds is going to help boost this great card.

“I also think we have to start expanding the roster in AEW, and there’s going to be great moments, great surprises on the show.”

Khan stated that they’re doing just that and going to deliver an awesome wrestling pay-per-view for the fans. He’s excited about what they have in store for wrestling fans this year and said the company is going to change. “I’m very happy with what we’ve done in these first two years, and now is the time to build off it and grow.”

It’s already been confirmed Dynamite will move to TBS in January 2022 while they’ll be premiering a new one-hour weekly show, Rampage, on TNT starting in August.

WWE’s Talks With NJPW Involve Daniel Bryan (Report)

Andrew Ravens
-
0

The biggest story on Friday was news of the talks between WWE and NJPW. It was first reported by Dave Meltzer that WWE President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan recently reached out to NJPW and began talks about a potential working relationship. 

PWinsider.com reports Daniel Bryan was a topic of discussion in the recent talks as it stated the main crux of the talks had to do with the potential of Bryan being able to work some dates for NJPW.

It was added that the talks have been going on for several months. As it stands right now, nothing has been reached yet as they’ve had talks on and off for some time now. Even though NJPW has had talks with WWE, it won’t impact their relationships AEW and Impact Wrestling for now. 

If an agreement is reached then it would mark the first time that they’ve worked together since the 1970s.

Bryan’s future has been heavily speculated about since his last appearance on WWE TV when he dropped a loss to WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns on the April 30 SmackDown with the stipulation that if Bryan lost then he would be banned from SmackDown. 

This was the storyline reason for his disappearance from TV as his contract expired at that time. At first, the belief was he would remain with WWE in some capacity, but there has been no update on his status as of late. 

Shaquille O’Neal Says He’ll Be Wrestling Again This Summer

Chris Stephens
-
0

Shaquille O’Neal says that he’ll be back inside a wrestling ring soon. The NBA legend was asked on an episode of NBA on TNT when he’ll be wrestling again and he responded that he expects to wrestle again this summer.

“Soon. This Summer,” said the 49-year-old.  

O’Neal has two official pro-wrestling matches on his record. He competed in the 2016 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32. It seemed as though his appearance in the match was to set-up a program with the Big Show. That program never seemed to develop, however.

O’Neal’s second official match in wrestling came just under 3 months ago in AEW. O’Neal teamed with Jade Cargill and defeated the team of Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet. The match took place on March 3rd’s “Crossroads” event. While Shaq’s team came out on the winning end of the match, he was sent through two tables and taken away in an ambulance. Cargill pinned Velvet to win the match for her team.

It is believed that Shaq had been training for the match for awhile. His preparation for Crossroads was addressed by Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live.

“I talked to several people and what I’ve gathered is that Shaq has been training for awhile,” Alvarez said on the show.

“I know there were rumors that he had been secretly training since the summer, I don’t know if it’s been that long,” Alvarez continued. 

SummerSlam Moved To Saturday 8/21, Plans For Location, Main Event, Host

Chris Stephens
-
0

When WWE presents the 34th edition of SummerSlam this August, it will take place on a Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday night. The company has announced that the show’s date has officially been moved from Sunday August 22nd to Saturday, August 21st.

“WWE today announced that SummerSlam 2021 will take place on Saturday, August 21 from a summer destination location,” reads a WWE press release for the event.

The date change moves the show onto the same day as the Manny Pacquiao vs. Errol Spence Jr. fight in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium is among the frontrunners to host the venue, with stadiums located in Miami, Inglewood, Houston and Nasvhille also under consideration.

SummerSlam Main Event, Host

The rumored main event for SummerSlam 2021 is said to be John Cena taking on Roman Reigns. That has not been confirmed, however, but WWE is said to have big plans for Cena’s return to the company.

Other reports have indicated that WWE plans to have a “bizarre” host for SummerSlam this year. The host will apparently fit with a planned theme for the show.

Upcoming WWE Tour Dates

WWE also announced the following tour dates:

  • Saturday, July 24: Supershow – PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh
  • Sunday, July 25: Supershow – KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
  • Saturday, July 31: Supershow – Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee
  • Sunday, August 1: Supershow – Little Caesars Arena in Detroit
  • Monday, August 2: Raw – Allstate Arena in Chicago
  • Friday, August 6: SmackDown – Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
  • Saturday, August 7: Supershow – Hertz Arena in Fort Myers, Fla.
  • Sunday, August 8: Supershow – Stephen O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.
  • Monday, August 9: Raw – Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.
  • Friday, August 13: SmackDown – BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.
  • Saturday, August 14: Supershow – Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
  • Sunday, August 15: Supershow – Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.
  • Monday, August 16: Raw – AT&T Center in San Antonio
  • Friday, August 20: SmackDown – Phoenix Suns Arena in Phoenix
  • Saturday, August 21: SummerSlam (Venue TBD)
  • Sunday, August 22: Supershow – Ball Arena in Denver
  • Monday, August 23: Raw – Pechanga Arena in San Diego
  • Friday, August 27: SmackDown – Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark.
  • Monday, August 30: Raw – Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City
  • Friday, September 3: SmackDown – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
  • Monday, September 6: Raw – American Airlines Arena in Miami

Impact Results (5/27): Satoshi Kojima Challenges Joe Doering, Good Brothers vs Moose & Callihan

Chris Stephens
-
0

Impact Wrestling 5/27 featured Moose & Sami Callihan teaming up to take on the Good Brothers. Matches were booked for Against All Odds and Satoshi Kojima arrived to challenge Joe Doering.

Impact Wrestling 5/27 Quick Results:

  1. TJP & Fallah Bah defeated Josh Alexander & Petey Williams
  2. Rosemary, Jordynne Grace, Rachael Ellering, Tenille Dashwood, & Havok defeated Deonna Purrazzo, Kiera Hogan, Tasha Steelz, Kimber Lee & Susan
  3. Crazzy Steve & Taurus (Decay) defeated Johnny Swinger & Hernandez
  4. The Good Brothers defeated Sami Callihan & Moose

TJP Pins X-Division Champion Josh Alexander, Ironman Match Booked For BTI

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

TJP and Fallah Bah teamed up to defeat Petey Williams and X-Division Champion Josh Alexander this week. The finish of the match saw TJP pin Alexander with the Mamba Splash. The pinfall over the X-Division Champion should put TJP in line for the next shot at the title. It also moved TJP and Fallah Bah up the rankings in the tag-team division.

Later in the show, TJP challenged Alexander to another match for the title. Scott D’Amore then interjected and made an Ironman match for “Before the Impact” the company’s pre-show weekly event. That match will take place next week. TJP and Alexander shook hands after the match was booked.

W. Morrissey Rips Fans For Recording Him Suffering A Seizure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lWAHkontss

W. Morrissey is not happy with how fans and others from the wrestling industry have treated him in the past. He cut an intense promo this week and referred to the time that fans recorded him suffering a seizure at a House of Hardcore event in late 2018. He also ripped his current rivals, Willie Mack and Rich Swann, before Swann appeared out of nowhere and attacked.

Rosemary Pins Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoPnRUb68EE

The second singles champion to be pinned on the show this week was Deonna Purrazzo. In a 10-person Knockouts tag-team match, Rosemary picked up the win for the babyface side when she hit a double-underhook slam on the champion and got the 3-count.

Satoshi Kojima vs Joe Doering In Impact Wrestling

Violent By Design cut a promo this week celebrating their tag title victory over FinJuice last week. Young reminded everyone that this world does not belong to you, it belongs to them. Satoshi Kojima then hit the ring and stared down his longtime rival from AJPW, Joe Doering. These two haven’t met since 2010 but the last time they did, Kojima defended the Triple Crown title against him in a show from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.

Kojima challenged Joe Doering to another match at Against All Odds. While Doering didn’t say anything at the time, he would later accept the challenge in a backstage interview.

Matt Cardona Out 12 Weeks With Broken Orbital Bone, Brian Myers Doesn’t Care

It was revealed this week that Matt Cardona will be out of action for 12 weeks with a broken orbital bone following the attack last week by Brian Myers. While Dr. Foreman was giving an update on Cardona’s condition, Myers interrupted, seemingly irate that they are wasting time talking about Cardona on the show. Sam Beale then walked in and this seemed to irritate Bad Mood Brian as well. Myers then told Beale he is going to teach him to be “professional.”

Decay Pick Up Victory Over Johnny Swinger & Hernandez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34sbs09yptw

Before Crazzy Steve and Taurus took on Johnny Swinger and Hernandez, they got into a backstage altercation with Violent By Design. Crazzy Steve berated Deaner for being a follower and set up what could be a possible match between the two down the line. It was noted that both Crazzy Steve and Deaner were trained by Eric Young. Decay then picked up the victory over the pair from Swinger’s Palace, Johnny Swinger and Hernandez after Steve hit Swinger with a flying DDT.

Moose and Sami Callihan Implode in Match Against The Good Brothers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MNk5vi79bc

Moose is the number 1 contender for Omega’s Impact World title but Sami Callihan seems to be interjecting himself into things as well. Callihan cut a promo to start the show that was interrupted by Moose who reminded Callihan that he is the one to challenge Omega next. This led to a match where Callihan and Moose teamed up against the Good Brothers.

The two could not get along during the match, however, and Moose delivered a pump kick to Callihan while he was setting up Anderson for a piledriver. This led to the Good Brothers giving Callihan the Magic Killer for the win. Moose then took out Callihan with a spear and told him to mind his business to close the show.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

The following matches are upcoming in Impact Wrestling:

Before the Impact – Next Week 7 PM est

  • X-Division Championship
    60-Minute Ironman Match
    Josh Alexander (c) vs TJP

Next Week:

  • Tables Match
    Rohit Raju vs Jake Something
  • Satoshi Kojima vs Deaner
  • Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    Fire N Flava (c) vs Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering

Against All Odds – June 12th, 2021

  • Impact World Championship
    Kenny Omega (c) vs Moose
  • Satoshi Kojima vs Joe Doering (Violent By Design)

1...853854855...3,339Page 854 of 3,339