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Tetsuya Naito Out Of G1 Climax 31 Due To Injury

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The G1 Climax 31 tournament has been dealt a major blow with the removal of Tetsuya Naito.

NJPW has announced that Naito suffered a knee injury during his opening match with Zack Sabre Jr. As a result, the former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion is out of the tournament.

“During his G1 Climax 31 opening match on September 18 in Osaka, Tetsuya Naito suffered an injury to his left knee. 

“Damage was incurred to his left meniscus and MCL. Naito is unable to compete on the remainder of the G1 Climax tour, and does not currently have a timetable for return. All his remaining tournament matches will be counted as losses via forfeit, with opponents gaining an automatic two points.”

The match between Naito and ZSJ was heavily praised. It isn’t too surprising since the two have great chemistry in the ring. What may be surprising is that Naito has to bow out of the tournament. While he has had a history of knee problems, Naito has been quite resilient over the years.

All of Naito’s previously scheduled opponents will now be having special singles matches on the dates they were supposed to face the Los Ingobernables de Japon stalwart.

Tetsuya Naito was a part of the stacked A block. There were many potentially great matches involving Naito that fans will be missing out on. One of the most intriguing matches that was set to take place at the G1 Climax this year was Naito vs. fellow L.I.J. member Shingo Takagi. Takagi is the reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

SEScoops will update you when more information on Naito’s injury and recovery time becomes available.

Big E On Why New Day Never Became ‘More Serious’

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The New Day never caved into the pressure.

When The New Day first arrived on the scene back in 2014, there was a lot of pushback. Fans felt the trio was too cheesy and that the gimmick would be doomed from the start. Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods proved the naysayers wrong. Even as heels, The New Day act became well-liked among the WWE Universe. Eventually, the group turned face and became WWE’s most valuable team.

Some people have still expressed gripes over The New Day for not being serious enough. Big E appeared on Sam Roberts’ Notsam Wrestling Podcast to address the criticism.

“That’s a lesson I learned with The New Day because we have the same pressures to change, to be more serious, to fit in a certain mold, and we just didn’t want to. We simply were stubborn about it. We believed so much in our chemistry in the three of us and our talent. I was extremely fortunate and blessed to be with two other guys who I think are incredible on the mic, in the ring, who can do so many things even outside of wrestling, and are just tremendous human beings. That taught me a real lesson in this business that even though there is a certain formula or a certain mold, you can do things in a way that feel authentic, genuine, and unique to you because in my mind, we didn’t need another guy who comes out wearing all black who is brooding and comes out to heavy metal or scary dark things.”

The group’s decision to go against the grain has paid off. They’ve won tag team gold multiple times together. Kofi Kingston is a former WWE Champion under The New Day and Big E is the current WWE titleholder.

The trio was recently seen in action on the Sept. 20 edition of Monday Night Raw. They fell short against Roman Reigns and The Bloodline. Later that night, Big E lost a triple threat match involving Reigns and Bobby Lashley.

Cody Rhodes: “I’ll Retire Before I Become A Heel”

Anutosh Bajpai
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While many fans have discussed the possibility of Cody Rhodes turning heel for a while now, the AEW star himself is against changing his current character. The former TNT champion recently took part in an AMA of Bleacher Report. He answered questions such as what was the inspiration for him to join AEW and more.

Cody was then asked about the toughest challenge he has faced in his career. Replying to it, Rhodes said that the music has broken his heart far more than it has cheered him:

“The music has broken my heart far more than it has cheered me up so far. I started a bit smaller and today in our industry I’m like a giant. Currently, I’m in a position where they think I book the show and book myself which has created tension for some fans. I’m of the belief that if you pay your money you can cheer, boo, etc.”

Cody Rhodes Will Retire Before Turning Heel

Cody Rhodes continued his explanation saying that going from a warm to adversarial reception from the fans has been a challenge for him. Though the former WWE star promised that he will retire before turning heel:

“To go from a warm reception to an adversarial reception…I’ll retire before I become a heel. I’m not going to make decisions that are bad for our youth to see. That’s the challenge, how do I maintain where I’m at when the crowd wants to get a different flavor.”

Cody Rhodes teased his retirement after losing a match to Malakai Black on the August 4 episode of Dynamite but Black stopped him with a post-match attack. The Rhodes to the top star is set to make his in-ring return at the Dynamite: Grand Slam special this Wednesday in a match against Black.

Cody Rhodes Names His Personal Favorite Matches

Kofi Kingston Responds To Criticism Over The Bloodline Vs. The New Day Match

Anutosh Bajpai
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Kofi Kingston recently had an interview with SportsKeeda. Among other things, he also responded to the fan criticism over the New Day vs. The Bloodline match. WWE has been trying to get better ratings in wake of their recent losses to AEW by giving away big matches. However, many fans believe that this big six men tag team match should have been saved for the Survivor Series.

Kingston was asked if he is surprised that this match is happening so soon during the talk. Replying to it, the former WWE champion claimed that nothing surprises him:

“Oh, nothing surprises me; I think the great thing about WWE is that you don’t know what’s going on. I think a lot of people get upset when they can’t predict what’s happening, you know? You want to talk about how to build a show. How about just enjoy the match you’re about to get sooner than later?”

‘You Don’t Know What’s Gonna Happen’ Says Kofi Kingston

Kofi Kingston then responded to the fans who believe that the bout should have been saved for the upcoming PPV. He said that you never know what is going to happen. Kingston teased that they might do an even better rematch:

“You don’t know what’s gonna happen at Survivor Series. We might do it again and do it even better! The way that we do things is we work towards a great product in terms of telling the story. So sit back and relax and enjoy the story that’s being told to you.”

The match between the Bloodline and The New Day saw Bobby Lashley attacking members of both the teams. This distraction allowed Roman Reigns to spear Xavier Woods for the pin. There is no word yet on if we are going to see a rematch between these two groups at Survivor Series.

Kofi Kingston Found Out What He Was Doing At Raw From Social Media

Keith Lee’s New Nickname Pays Homage To Bearcat Wright

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former NXT Champion Keith Lee has a new moniker that pays tribute to a WWE Hall of Famer from the 1950’s.

Lee competed in yet another dark match before this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw. He defeated a local talent in a squash match. What’s interesting to note about his latest appearance is that he was billed as Keith “Bearcat” Lee during his entrance.

You can see footage of Lee’s introduction in the clip below:

Bearcat Wright

Keith Lee’s new “Bearcat” moniker is a reference to popular African American pro wrestler from the 1950s, Bearcat Wright. Wright was posthumously inducted into the legacy wing of WWE Hall Of Fame in 2017.

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Here is a brief Twitter thread giving a little background on WWE Hall of Famer Bearcat Wright:

Keith Lee’s Road to Bearcat

Keith Lee was last seen on WWE TV during the August 2 episode of Raw where he won a match against Karrion Kross. He returned to the road with WWE during the Raw brand supershow live event this past weekend.

The heavyweight star defeated Akira Tozawa at the supershow event. What’s interesting to note here is that the former champion played the role of a heel in his match against Tozawa.

Lee has also been growing a beard. There is speculation that it could be a preparation for turning him heel when he finally returns to WWE TV. Though when that may happen is not known.

Updated Card For Sunday’s Extreme Rules PPV

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE has confirmed that the United States championship match announced for the Extreme Rules PPV will now be a triple threat among Jeff Hardy, Sheamus and the current champion Damian Priest.

Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw featured Jeff Hardy facing Sheamus in a one on one match. The stipulation for the bout was that Hardy would be added to the championship match if he won against Sheamus.

The ending of this match saw Hardy trying to deliver a Swanton bomb but his opponent got his knees up. Though as Sheamus looked to capitalize, Jeff managed to counter. He rolled Sheamus up for the win and got added to the Extreme Rules match.

It’s been rumored that the US title match at the upcoming show will be a tables match but WWE has not confirmed this stipulation as of now.

Extreme Rules Matches

WWE has also confirmed that the Universal championship bout between Roman Reigns and Finn Balor is going to be an Extreme Rules match. After the latest change, here is the updated Extreme Rules match card:

  • Extreme Rules Universal Championship Match: “The Demon” Finn Balor vs. Roman Reigns
  • Raw Women’s Championship Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Charlotte Flair
  • SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch
  • WWE United States Championship Match: Sheamus vs. Damian Priest vs. Jeff Hardy
  • SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match: The Street Profits vs. The Usos
  • Singles Match: Carmella vs. Liv Morgan

WWE Extreme Rules this year will be taking place from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio this Sunday on September 26.

WWE RAW Results (9/20): Triple Threat Main Event, New Day vs. The Bloodline, New Champs

Watch Nikki A.S.H. And Rhea Ripley Win Women’s Tag Team Championship On Raw

Anutosh Bajpai
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Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley became the new WWE women’s tag team champions after defeating Natalya and Tamina Snuka on tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw.

The title match on tonight’s episode of the red branded show saw Nikki and Tamina starting the bout for their teams. Though Tamina attacked Ripley early in the fight when she came in the ring to break a pin.

The champions worked on Nikki A.S.H. for the majority of the bout while tagging in and out themselves. Tamina delivered a Samoan drop to Nikki at one point.

Snuka then went to the top rope for the superfly splash but Nikki managed to get her knees up in time. Though she couldn’t tag in Ripley who was still down at the ringside. Natalya managed to tag in and unloaded on Nikki.

The ending of the bout saw Ripley finally coming to her sense and attacking Tamina at the ringside. Natalya tried to lock Nikki in the sharpshooter but she got distracted by Rhea delivering a riptide to her partner into the edge of the ring apron.

The distraction allowed Nikki A.S.H. to roll Natalya for the pin and win the match for her team, marking the start of the title reign for Ripley and herself.

Natalya and Tamina had won the tag team titles from Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler during the May 14 episode of SmackDown. Their reign lasted for 129 days.

Adam Cole Says CM Punk Is The Biggest Dream Match For Him

Anutosh Bajpai
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Now that Adam Cole is in AEW, he is really excited to face some of the names on the roster including none other than CM Punk. The former NXT champion recently had an interview with News 12. During the talk he discussed the different wrestling personalities who have been on his list of dream opponents. He first mentioned how he has been able to check off some of these names:

“Very fortunate to check off a lot of those guys off the list in the sense of getting to have Shawn Michaels as my mentor, someone who I still have a great relationship with, is a dream come true. Getting the chance to step in the ring with Christian is gonna be really really cool. He has been running his mouth a bit too much so I am gonna make sure I fix that but aside from that if I look at it like 9 year old me, it’s pretty cool.”

Later in the interview, Cole mentioned another potential future opponent for him in CM Punk. He first discussed how having Punk on the AEW roster is really cool. Adam Cole then went on to explain how the former WWE champion influenced his wrestling persona during his early years:

“I think the biggest one for sure is CM Punk. The fact that he is here is really cool. I have been very open just on my personal Mt. Rushmore of who means the most to me within wrestling, CM Punk is on that list for me. He is the guy who made me decide I really wanna focus on promos. I wanna make sure I get good interviews and stuff like that because he was so captivating. He is the guy who introduced me to companies like Ring Of Honor and the independent wrestling scene.”

Please credit SEScoops.com if using any quotes transcribed from this article.

WWE RAW Results (9/20): Triple Threat Main Event, New Day vs. The Bloodline, New Champs

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was the final episode of RAW before Extreme Rules this Sunday. Universal Champion Roman Reigns & SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos made a rare appearance on the red brand to battle the New Day. Natalya & Tamina defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships against Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. on tonight’s episode of RAW.

RAW Results (9/20)

  1. The Bloodline def. New Day
  2. Doudrop def. Eva Marie
  3. Randy Orton def. AJ Styles
  4. Shayna Baszler def. Nia Jax
  5. Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo def. Mustafa Ali & Mansoor
  6. Rhea Ripley & Nikki A.S.H. def. Natalya & Tamina to become the new Women’s Tag Team Champions
  7. Jeff Hardy def. Sheamus to earn a spot in the US Title match at Extreme Rules
  8. Roman Reigns def. Lashley & Big E in a Triple Threat match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

The Bloodline def. New Day, Lashley Destroyed Everyone

New Day hosted a Championship Celebration for new WWE Champion Big E. The crowd chanted “you deserve it!” as Big E smiled in the ring. Big E said he is thankful for everyone that has supported him and is grateful for one incredible friend up above. The crowd responded with a loud “Brodie!” chant in reference to Brodie Lee. Big E added that the New Day is going to send The Bloodline packing because New Day rocks.

The Bloodline interrupted with Paul Heyman and made their way to the ring for the 6-man tag team match as RAW went to a break. New Day isolated Jimmy Uso in the corner to start off the match. Jimmy connected with a headbutt and brought Xavier Woods to the corner.

Jey tagged in and beat Woods down while talking some trash. Kofi tagged in but Jey didn’t notice and he rolled up Woods. Kingston capitalized and hit a Splash for a two count. Roman tagged in and brought Kofi to the outside. The Universal Champion sent Kingston flying over the announce table as RAW went to a commercial break.

Back from the break, Jimmy Uso tagged in and delivered a Superkick to Xavier’s face on the apron to prevent Kofi from making a needed tag. Kingston battled back and the crowd popped when Big E finally got the tag. Big E and Roman Reigns stared each other down as the crowd buzzed.

Reigns and Big E traded shots but the WWE Champion got the better of the exchange. Big E connected with three Belly to Belly Suplexes and posed for the crowd. Jey ran into a Clothesline but Reigns capitalized on the distraction and planted Big E with a Uranage.

Roman went for a Superman Punch but Big E countered into a Powerslam. Big E went for the Big Ending but the Universal Champion escaped. Woods tagged in as Big E threw Kingston onto The Usos outside the ring. Woods connected with a Superkick but Reigns kicked out at two.

Bobby Lashley ran down the entrance ramp and leveled Big E with a Spear through the barricade as the crowd booed. Lashley bashed Kingston into the ring post and then beatdown The Usos. Woods was distracted in the ring and turned around into a Spear from Reigns for the pinfall victory. After the match, Lashley came back to the ring and connected with a Spear on Roman Reigns as the crowd cheered. It was later announced that Lashley, Big E, and Reigns will compete in a Triple Threat match later tonight.

Doudrop def. Eva Marie

Eva Marie faced Doudrop again tonight on RAW. Eva poked fun at Doudrop before the match and told the crowd to look at Doudrop and then look at her. The fans gave Doudrop a nice reaction as Eva called her a mess.

Doudrop went after Eva right away but she cowered out of the ring. Doudrop chased her around and finally caught her. Eva poked Doudrop in the eye and got in some forearms to the face but Doudrop no sold them. Doudrop slammed Eva to the mat and followed it up with a Crossbody for the pinfall victory.

Randy Orton def. AJ Styles

Randy Orton battled AJ Styles tonight. Riddle and Omos were ringside for the match. Orton dominated the action early and went to boot AJ in the face but Omos tripped him up. The referee wound up throwing out Omos and Riddle started taunting him. Omos absolutely leveled Riddle with an uppercut and Styles capitalized on the distraction and sent Orton out of the ring. Styles hit Orton with a Crossbody and gave Omos a fist bump before RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Styles was in control and connected with a Pele Kick for a near fall. Riddle was holding both of the RAW Tag Team Championships and tried to fire Orton up as AJ set up for the Styles Clash. Orton countered into a cover but AJ kicked out and hit Randy with a forearm to the face. Styles followed it up with a springboard Moonsault for a two count.

AJ set up for the Phenomenal Forearm but opted to go for a kick on Riddle instead. Styles then went for the Phenomenal Forearm but stopped short as he saw Orton was setting up for the RKO. Orton laughed and then hit AJ with the draping DDT as he got into the ring. Orton followed it up with the RKO for the pinfall victory. Riddle and Orton celebrated after the match.

Shayna Baszler Attacked Nia Jax

Nia Jax battled Shayna Baszler tonight on RAW. Jax and Baszler started arguing and shoving each other. Baszler was able to get the Kirifuda Clutch locked in and Jax fought out of it. Shayna locked it in again and Jax yelled in pain before passing out. After the match, Baszler beat Jax down some more and then put her arm against the steel steps. Shayna stomped on it and left her former tag team partner in agony outside the ring.

Garza & Carrillo Picked Up A Win

Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo faced Mustafa Ali and Mansoor tonight on RAW. The action started out back and forth before it turned into a brawl outside the ring. Mustafa Ali launched Humberto into the barricade but Garza launched him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Carrillo got Ali in a submission hold and Garza delivered a Dropkick to the face. Humberto then pinned Ali for the victory.

Rhea Ripley & Nikki A.S.H. Are The New Women’s Tag Team Champions

Natalya & Tamina defended the Women’s Tag Team Championships against Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. Before the match, Ripley and Nikki dedicated tonight’s match to everyone that has been affected by pediatric cancer and to supporters of Connor’s Cure.

Natalya and Tamina hit Hart Attack early on Nikki but Ripley broke up the cover at two. The champs took turns beating down Nikki for a couple minutes. Tamina connected with a Samoan Drop and went for the Superfly Splash but Nikki got her knees up.

Natalya tagged in and went for the Sharpshooter but got distracted by Ripley connecting with the Riptide on Tamina outside the ring. Nikki capitalized with a roll-up for the pinfall victory. Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley are the new Women’s Tag Team Champions.

Charlotte & Alexa Bliss Brawled

Alexa Bliss sat with Lilly on a swing set in the ring for an Alexa’s Playground segment. Bliss introduced RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair as her guest. Alexa asked Charlotte to take a seat but the champion declined. Alexa noted how Flair didn’t bring the Charly doll that Bliss gifted her last week and the crowd responded with a “Charly!” chant.

Charlotte said that she doesn’t want Charly, she wants the old Alexa Bliss back, back when she was Five Feet of Fury and championship material. Flair added that this was all just a pathetic attempt by Alexa to hide how fragile she really is. Flair joked that Alexa used to come to the ring with a title but now brings a doll that is more popular than her. Charlotte vowed to beat some sense back into Alexa because this is a desperate cry for help.

Alexa claimed that Charlotte is insecure and feels like she is nothing without the title. Alexa said she doesn’t need titles and leaped towards Charlotte but the champion was ready. Charlotte slammed Alexa to the canvas and followed it up with a big boot. Charlotte ripped up the Charly doll as the crowd groaned. Flair charged at Bliss but Alexa caught her with a DDT at the end of the segment. Charlotte will defend the RAW Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss at Extreme Rules.

Jeff Hardy Earned His Way Into The US Title Match At Extreme Rules

Jeff Hardy faced Sheamus tonight on RAW. Jeff Hardy would be added to the United States Championship match at Extreme Rules if he won the match. United Staes Champion Damian Priest joined commentary.

The action spilled out of the ring and Jeff went for Poetry in Motion but Sheamus caught him. Sheamus slammed Hardy on the ring apron and followed it up with a Clothesline as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Jeff sent Sheamus into the ring post and followed it up with a Dropkick. Hardy connected with a Russian Leg Sweep and then a Splash for a near fall. Hardy went for the Twist of Fate but Sheamus blocked it and bounced Jeff’s face off the top turnbuckle.

Sheamus went for a Cloverleaf submission but Jeff broke free. Jeff dodged a Brogue Kick and planted Sheamus with the Twist of Fate. Hardy made his way to the top rope and went for a Swanton Bomb but Sheamus got his knees up. Jeff then quickly rolled up Sheamus for the win. Damian Priest will now defend the United States Championship against Sheamus & Jeff Hardy in a Triple Threat match at Extreme Rules this Sunday.

Roman Reigns def. Lashley & Big E

Universal Champion Roman Reigns, WWE Champion Big E, and Bobby Lashley battled in a Triple Threat match in this week’s main event. Paul Heyman was ringside for the match. Big E went after Lashley right away as Reigns watched on. Big E took control and hit a Splash on the ring apron. Reigns leveled Big E with the Drive By and posed for the booing crowd as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Lashley launched Big E into the barricade and got into the ring with Roman. Lashley showed off his strength and held Reigns up for an eternity before dropping with a Suplex for a near fall. Big E got back into the ring and planted Lashley with a Belly to Belly Suplex.

Big E put Reigns and Lashley in the middle of the ring and delivered a Splash. Lashley hit Big E with a Spinebuster but Reigns sent Bobby out of the ring. Reigns went for the cover but Big E kicked out at two. Roman went for a Superman Punch but Big E dodged it. Big E hit Reigns with the Big Ending and went for the cover but Lashley dragged him to the outside. Lashley Chokeslammed Big E through the announce table and got back into the ring. Lashley went for the a Spear but Reigns countered with a Superman Punch for a two count. Roman went for a Spear but Lashley countered with a Spear of his own.

Lashley went for the cover but Big E was able to get back into the ring and break it up at the last moment. Lashley went for the Hurt Lock but Reigns broke it up with a Superman Punch. Big E hit Reigns with a Spear off the apron and rolled him back into the ring. Big E hit Roman with the Big Ending again and went for the cover but Lashley broke it up at two. Lashley unloaded on Big E with a bunch of chair shots and the match continued as there is No DQ in a Triple Threat match. Lashley then turned around into a Spear from Roman Reigns for the pinfall victory.

Ric Flair Issues Statement On Allegations Made Against Him On Dark Side Of The Ring

Andrew Ravens
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Days after Vice TV’s Dark Side of the Ring episode covering “The Plane Ride From Hell,” Ric Flair broke his silence on the allegations made against him. 

The episode featured an interview from Heidi Doyle, former a flight attendant, who alleged that he exposed himself to her while wearing a robe and forced her to touch his penis.

Flair took to Twitter to issue the following statement regarding the allegations: 

“Every person that I’ve worked with, from my lawyer to my publicist to my wife has said not to post a response; but I’ve never run from past behaviors before and I’m not going to start now.

I want to clarify a few things:

About four years ago, I gave ESPN full access to my life for a “30 for 30? special. They covered taxes, financial issues, adultery, divorces, the passing of my child and drinking/partying AT LENGTH.”

Rory Kampf, desperate to matter for another 15 minutes, did an interview about it this morning. When Rory’s lips are moving, he’s typically lying, but one part of what he said was the God’s honest truth:

“I’d never heard that he had forced someone to touch his genitals,” Karpf admitted. “Everything with Ric that was construed as negative I tried to address in the 30 for 30. His drinking, his philandering, his adultery, his money problems, there’s quite a bit, but never, at least in the people that I spoke to, no one ever brought up that he would force himself on somebody.”

I allowed my personal life and the lives of my wife and children to be turned upside down for one reason: Whether it’s good or bad, even the really bad, the truth has to matter. Even in wrestling.

My issues have been well documented over my 40+ year career. The impact of drinking too much (which nearly killed me 5 years ago) has been told time and time and time again. The reason Rory (or anyone else for that matter) never heard stories of me forcing myself on ANYONE is simple: it never happened.”

As a result of the allegations, CarShield decided to pause their commercials featuring Flair.

AEW Makes ‘Permanent’ Change In Rampage Commentary Booth

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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It appears that there is a change being made to the AEW Rampage commentary team.

Rampage is a new show for AEW that has only been on the air for a month. It didn’t take long for the show to get a two-hour special. That will be the AEW Grand Slam edition of Rampage set to air on Sept. 24 via tape delay.

Fans took notice of the commentary team for the Sept. 17 edition of Rampage. Ricky Starks joined Taz, Chris Jericho, and Excalibur. Usually, Mark Henry is in the booth but instead, he just had a pre-main event interview.

Speaking to Wrestle Talk, Starks claimed that he is now a permanent member of the Rampage commentary team.

“I am definitely proud of AEW, the work that I’ve done in AEW, and the work that I continue to do. And the fact that I think so much that they appreciate me that they made me a permanent commentator for Rampage, replacing Mark (Henry).”

F4W reports that while there is a change to the Rampage booth, it isn’t what Starks is claiming. The report notes that instead, AEW is going with a rotating commentary team. At this time, there is no word on why AEW has decided to go with this change.

Cesaro Reveals What Disappointed Him About Roman Reigns Feud

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Cesaro has dished out on what disappointed him about the Roman Reigns feud.

Cesaro had a red hot spring this year. The “Swiss Superman” defeated Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 37. He then received a WWE Universal Title match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania Backlash. While Cesaro lost the match, this stretch was the most relevant he had been in WWE since winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royale back in 2014.

During his appearance on Ryan Satin’s Out of Character podcast, Cesaro revealed the biggest disappointment about his rivalry with Reigns.

“You know what I was disappointed about? I wish it would have been in front of fans. That’s the one thing. That was the one thing, like… that match, the build-up, everything, I wish it would have been in front of fans, but it was the ThunderDome and it was still awesome.”

While WrestleMania 37 took place inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay at a reduced capacity, WWE didn’t immediately return to regular shows on the road. The company eased its way back to live crowds. This meant that WrestleMania Backlash was held inside the ThunderDome with no fans in attendance.

At the very least, Cesaro can take pride in his match with Rollins at WrestleMania 37. As mentioned, that event did have fans and Cesaro received a big ovation when he scored the pinfall.

Tommy Dreamer Removed From Busted Open Radio

Chris Stephens
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Busted Open Radio’s Dave LaGreca briefly addressed Tommy Dreamer’s status with the show on today’s episode. Dreamer has been a longtime co-host of Busted Open but has not appeared on it since the airing of a recent Dark Side of the Ring episode focussed on 2002’s Plane Ride From Hell.

LaGreca noted that Dreamer is off the show for the time being but he does not know how long Dreamer will be gone for.

“As far as Tommy’s future on Busted Open, he’s off the show. How long? I don’t know. I don’t know how long Tommy is going to be off the show,” said Dave LaGreca (transcriptions via WrestlingNewsCO).

Dreamer took to social media recently to apologize for the comments he made on the Dark Side of the Ring episode. His statement is below:

Dreamer was also suspended by Impact Wrestling. He was sent home from the promotion’s recent tapings in Nashville.

“We are aware of Mr. Laughlin’s (Tommy Dreamer) comments on ‘Dark Side of the Ring.’ The views expressed by him in the interview are completely unacceptable. We can confirm Mr. Laughlin was suspended this morning with immediate effect, pending further action,” reads a statement released by Impact.

Sami Callihan Undergoes Surgery After Suffering Broken Ankle

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Sami Callihan will be out of action for a while.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Callihan suffered a broken ankle during this past weekend’s Impact Wrestling tapings. Callihan isn’t expected to return to the ring this year.

“Sami Callihan suffered a broken ankle Saturday at the Impact tapings and had surgery. Looks to be out until spring 2022.”

It’s a tough pill to swallow for Impact Wrestling fans. Those who were hoping to see the return of Switchblade Conspiracy will also be disappointed. Switchblade Conspiracy is the team of Sami Callihan and Jon Moxley. The two were set to reunite at The Wrestler Revolver’s Tales From The Ring show on Oct. 30.

Callihan recently competed at Impact Wrestling’s Victory Road PPV. He teamed with Eddie Edwards to take on Moose and W. Morrissey. Callihan and Edwards lost the match. This match had been taped back in August but didn’t air until Sept. 18.

Ruby Soho On Where Vince McMahon Got The Inspiration For Riott Squad

Anutosh Bajpai
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Vince McMahon doesn’t shy away from getting inspiration from any place, even if it’s a movie like the Suicide Squad, according to Ruby Soho.

The former NXT star recently appeared on the Talk Is Jericho podcast. During the episode, she talked openly about her time in WWE among other things.

Discussing her main roster debut as part of the Riott Squad, Soho revealed an interesting rumor she had heard about where the boss Vince McMahon got the inspiration for the faction:

“I don’t know how much truth there is to this, Vince [McMahon] watched the Suicide Squad and wanted a Joker, a Harley Quinn, and a beast in a female faction.”

Chris Jericho chimed in saying that Mr. McMahon probably didn’t even watch the Suicide Squad in full. Ruby Soho then explained the apparent logic behind the choice of the members for her faction:

“Maybe it was just a trailer he watched? I’ve always wondered what made him put that group together, the three of us, he wanted a Joker, which was me. A Harley Quinn, which was Liv Morgan and a beast, which was Sarah. make sense.”

Ruby Soho, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan all made their main roster debuts as The Riott Squad in November 2017. The group stayed together before being drafted to different brands during the 2019 Superstar Shakeup.

Ruby Soho Says She Became An AEW Fan ‘Long Before’ Leaving WWE

Stephen Amell On Advice He Got From Triple H Before His SummerSlam Match

Anutosh Bajpai
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Stephen Amell appeared on the latest episode of the Talk Is Jericho podcast. During the interview, the Arrow star reflected on his wrestling journey so far.

The acting star first recalled his match against Christopher Daniels at All In. He remembered the big table spot and said that he wishes he would have taken some more time in between spots.

Amell then discussed his very first outing in the wrestling world at SummerSlam 2015. He revealed the advice Triple H had given him at the time before his match:

“And I just think back to before I went out at SummerSlam, just think back to Hunter, Triple H coming up to me and going, ‘If you think you’re going too fast, just slow down. If you think you’re going too slow, slow down more.

And when you’re absolutely positive that you’re going way too slow, slow it way f——— down.’ And it’s such great advice” said Stephen Amell, “and I didn’t listen to it at all.”

The Heels star teamed up with Neville to compete against the team of Cody Rhodes then known as Stardust and Wade Barrett at the SummerSlam 2015 event.

Stephen Amell stated recently that he will be attending the upcoming Dynamite: Grand Slam event this Wednesday and he has also promised to bring his wrestling gear for the show.

Stephen Amell On Potential Wrestling Return

Sean Waltman Talks Potential Royal Rumble Return

Anutosh Bajpai
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Sean Waltman has been talking about wanting to make a wrestling return for a while now and he is ready to compete at Royal Rumble next year if WWE calls him.

The former WWE star provided some updates on rehab of his knee on the latest episode of his Pro Wrestling 4 Life podcast. He revealed that while he is a little behind the schedule, everything seems to be coming along nicely.

Waltman then mentioned that his goal is to be ring ready by the time for Royal Rumble just in case the officials decided to give him a call to compete on the show:

“Just in case, I would like to be ready by Royal Rumble time. That’s not something that is my main goal to go do Royal Rumble, but if they call me, I would do the Royal Rumble. “

A Lot Of People Have Reached Out To Sean Waltman

Though later in the episode, the former X-Pac said that he has already had ‘a lot of people’ reach out to him, in case the call from WWE does not come:

“I love WWE, regardless of what’s going on, I love it. I would like for them to be the ones that host my return matches. If not, there are plenty of other people that will. I’ve already had a lot of people reach out.”

WWE has not announced the official details for next year’s Royal Rumble yet. It’s expected to be held in St. Louis, Missouri and there has also been some talk of the event being held in February this time.

Do you think WWE should bring back Sean Waltman for the big event if he is ready to compete by then? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Sean Waltman Reveals His Text Exchange With Triple H After Medical Procedure

Becky Lynch Confirms Initial Plans For Return At WrestleMania

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Becky Lynch has revealed nixed plans for a return at WrestleMania 37.

Lynch ended up making her surprise return at WWE SummerSlam. She replaced Sasha Banks to challenge Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Lynch won the title in under 30 seconds after nailing Belair with a cheap shot following by a pump handle slam for the win.

Lynch had been out of action due to her pregnancy. She quickly found herself hitting the gym and getting back in shape. In fact, “The Man” revealed to talkSPORT’s Alex McCarthy that she was even set to make her return at WrestleMania inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida back in April.

Ultimately, Becky Lynch didn’t appear at “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” Bayley didn’t even have a match at the PPV. Instead, she was involved in multiple segments on the show before being made to look like a fool courtesy of the Bella Twins.

Becky is currently embracing the role of a heel on television. She has done all she can to avoid a rematch with Belair. Lynch’s efforts were futile, however, as she will be putting her SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against Belair at Extreme Rules on Sept. 26.

NJPW Legend Minoru Suzuki Booked For Bloodsport 7

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Minoru Suzuki is taking full advantage of his time in the United States.

The Japanese wrestling legend has appeared for AEW and GCW. He’s fresh off a victory over Jonathan Gresham and is scheduled to compete on the AEW Grand Slam edition of Rampage. He will team with Lance Archer to take on Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston in a Lights Out match.

Suzuki has added another date to his calendar. It has been announced that he will be a part of the upcoming Bloodsport 7 event on Oct. 22. Here’s what Josh Barnett had to say on the addition of Suzuki.

“My brother in Gotch-ism. Fellow ‘King of Pancrase,’ Minoru Suzuki is coming back to the hardest-hitting event in professional wrestling. This is where you will see Suzuki-san thrive above all others. This is Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport.”

Minoru Suzuki joins the likes of Killer Kelly, Marina Shafir, and Calvin Tankman as the names announced for the show. It’s yet another GCW date for the “King of Pancrase.” He worked the Sept. 17 show and is due to meet Nick Gage on Sept. 24 in New York City. He also has GCW dates lined up for Oct. 10 and Oct. 23.

Suzuki has been penciled in for the Sept. 25 and 26 NJPW Strong Autumn Attack tapings.

AEW Announces Partnership With The Owen Hart Foundation

Chris Stephens
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AEW announced a partnership today with the Owen Hart Foundation. The agreement will honor the legendary wrestler’s memory and contributions to the wrestling industry.

The promotion has also announced the creation of an annual tournament named “The Owen Hart Cup”. The tournament winner will receive a trophy referred to as “The Owen.”

“AEW’s relationship with the Hart family dates back to our inaugural pay-per-view event, Double or Nothing in 2019, and Owen’s influence is still felt today,” said Tony Khan, AEW CEO, GM, and Head of Creative. “To extend his memory and his legacy even further through this agreement is a powerful and meaningful moment for the entire wrestling community.”

AEW X The Owen Hart Foundation

In addition to the Owen Hart tournament, AEW will also market merchandise featuring Owen Hart’s likeness. This includes apparel and Owen’s inclusion in the upcoming AEW console video game. Owen Hart action figures are also part of the agreement.

“The Owen Hart Foundation is extremely pleased to partner with AEW in this wonderful joint venture to honor Owen’s substantial international wrestling career and the lasting influence he and his craft has had in the sport. AEW’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament serves as a tremendous tribute to Owen and provides an incredible way for professional wrestling enthusiasts to celebrate his work in a most fitting way. We trust that Tony Khan and his amazing AEW team will do a brilliant job with this highly anticipated project. This OHF/AEW partnership is my special gift to all of Owen’s magnificent loyal fans who forever remember him and his inspiring repertoire of talents,” said Dr. Martha Hart.

The Owen Hart Foundation’s mandate is to help those who have “limited resources but unlimited potential”. Programs offered by the nonprofit include helping people with limited resources obtain homeownership and scholarships for disadvantaged youth.

AEW’s press release is below:

Tony Khan Wants AEW Grand Slam To Be An Annual Event In NYC

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Tony Khan is hoping to make AEW Grand Slam an annual event.

This Wednesday night (Sept. 22), AEW will be making its big debut in New York City. Arthur Ashe Stadium is the venue for the show. Dynamite will be airing live, while Rampage is going to be taped.

Khan has been making regular appearances on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. During his most recent session, Khan discussed the future of AEW’s Grand Slam events.

“I’m really hoping it’s something we can do in New York with Arthur Ashe Stadium every year.”

Khan also said the significance of holding an AEW event inside a stadium that is known for hosting the US Open isn’t lost on him. AEW will also be a part of history as Grand Slam will be the first wrestling show held inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Here’s a look at the final card for AEW Grand Slam.

AEW Dynamite (Live On Sept. 22)

  • Kenny Omega vs. Bryan Danielson (Non-Title Match)
  • Britt Baker (c) vs. Ruby Soho (AEW Women’s World Championship)
  • Malakai Black vs. Cody Rhodes
  • Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston vs. Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer
  • Sting and Darby Allin vs. FTR
  • MJF vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

AEW Rampage (Airs On Sept. 24)

  • Adam Cole & The Young Bucks vs. Christian Cage & Jurassic Express
  • Powerhouse Hobbs vs. CM Punk
  • Lights Out Match: Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston vs. Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer
  • Chris Jericho & Jake Hager vs. Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page
  • Lucha Bros & Proud N Powerful vs. Private Party & The Butcher and The Blade
  • Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford

The Godfather Says Shane McMahon Owns A Cannabis Business, Vince McMahon Is Not Anti-Cannabis

Chris Stephens
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Testing positive for cannabis without a medical prescription is against WWE’s Wellness Policy. Currently, a positive test will result in a talent being fined $2,500. According to comments the Godfather recently made on the Midnight Hustle podcast, however, Vince McMahon is not anti-cannabis and Shane McMahon even owns a cannabis business.

“What you are failing to realize is that’s a big corporation and they answer to a lot of people so if they let people smoke weed, it’s not federally legal and you’re still breaking the law no matter if it’s legal in states,” Godfather said on the show. “If it was up to Vince, Vince would have everybody smoking. Vince is no fool but he has people to answer to and it’s a big company. He just can’t say it’s okay to smoke weed because what happens if you go to a state where it’s not legal? They bring the police in, they test you and there’s a lot of legal things. It ain’t because Vince don’t want to. The second it becomes legal, Vince would be the first one on that wagon.”

Godfather continued to say that Shane McMahon even owns a large cannabis co-op in California.

“I mean Shane owns a [Cannabis] co-op in California. A big co-op. [Vince is] not against weed, he’s a businessman. I’m telling you, I know this 100 percent, he would much rather see people smoke cannabis than all this other stupid sh** if it was up to him, believe me.”

Shane McMahon’s Cannabis Business Ventures

Shane investing in a California-based cannabis co-op is not the first time he’s been involved in the cannabis industry. In 2017, the NY Daily News reported on Shane McMahon’s investment in another cannabis-based company.

According to the report, Shane invested half a million dollars into a cannabis startup in Connecticut. The company was called EnviroGrow. When McMahon went to tour the company’s facilities, however, he found their operations to be “virtually nonexistent”. He filed suit to have his investment refunded. Documents pertaining to Shane’s lawsuit against the company can be found here.

Under the WWE Wellness Policy, testing positive for cannabis does not result in a suspension. It still results in a fine of $2500, however. A WWE talent may receive an exemption provided cannabis is prescribed by a physician, however.

“A WWE Talent may request a Therapeutic Use Exception (“TUE”) for a prohibited drug under the Policy if (i) such use is for a legitimate medical purpose given pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed and treating physician of the WWE Talent,” WWE’s Wellness Policy reads.

H/T to WrestlingNewsCo for the transcribed quotes

Tony Khan: AEW’s Fans Are More Educated & Affluent Than Other Companies

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW Dynamite beating WWE Raw ratings in the 18-49 demographic has been the major story of the wrestling world for the past couple of weeks and Tony Khan is very happy about it. The AEW president recently had an interview with Bloomberg Business of Sports. Among other things, he talked about the AEW TV audience in detail.

Khan mentioned how they have the ‘youngest skewing audience’ of all sports programming. He then discussed how both Dynamite and Rampage are doing great in the 18-49 demo on their respective nights:

“Well, it’s the youngest skewing audience of all sports programming on all of television, there have been more weeks than not in the past several months where we’ve beaten every major sporting event in terms of having the youngest skewing audience. Our Wednesday night show and our Friday night show have both been rated as the number one show on cable in the 18-49 demographic.”

‘More Affluent Fanbase’

Tony Khan added that their audience is consistent and you can count on AEW fans to watch the show every Wednesday. He didn’t forget to mention how the AEW audience is more likely to be a college-educated audience and it’s attractive for advertisers.

“We have a more affluent fanbase than other wrestling organizations, but really, people from all kinds of backgrounds. They are more likely to be a college educated audience. They’re a very attractive audience to an advertising base — particularly, with the age demographic that they add.”

Tony continued his explanation saying that having such a young and engaged audience is really important for them. He also revealed that the male-to-female split of the AEW audience is currently about five to three. Apart from this, the AEW official opened up about the vaccination policy of the promotion. You can check out his comments on the matter at this link.

CM Punk Is Already Doing Huge Business For AEW

Big E Explains Why He Doesn’t View Himself As A Locker Room Leader

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Big E is not ready to anoint himself a “locker room leader” anytime soon.

The newly-minted WWE Champion is well respected by his peers. Many performers from WWE as well as other promotions such as AEW have congratulated Big E on finally winning the big one. Despite being a veteran and someone who is liked by pretty much everyone, E doesn’t want to be seen as a leader of the locker room.

He explained why during an appearance on The Ringer Wrestling Show.

“I will never refer to myself as a locker room leader of any sort. Kofi is not a vocal leader, he just leads by example. You look at him and see the way he carries himself. I remember when he won the title and how busy he was, but he never complained and was always professional. That’s all I want to be and we should all do that, just lead by example, carry yourself in a way….

“I don’t want to have this public image that I have to worry about upholding because I’m a fraud and I have to make sure everyone has to stay quiet because they know how I really am. I want to be transparent about who I am and how I carry myself. As far as my personal life is concerned, I don’t want beef or smoke with a single person on this planet. I hope everyone does well and is successful. I don’t intend on changing how I carry myself. I also realize that winning the title isn’t where it stops, it’s where it starts.”

Big E captured the WWE Championship on the Sept. 13 episode of Monday Night Raw. After Bobby Lashley successfully retained the WWE Title against Randy Orton, he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and pinned Lashley.

Former WWE broadcaster Renee Paquette spoke about Big E’s title win last week on Busted Open Radio. She believes Big E has all the tools to be WWE’s next franchise player. However, she is not convinced the company’s creative efforts will position Big E to achieve his full potential in that respect. More on that below:

Renee Paquette: Big E Could Be WWE’s Franchise Player, But “You Kind Of Worry”

Jeff Hardy Wants To Bring Back Willow One More Time Before Retirement

Anutosh Bajpai
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Jeff Hardy has not given up on his Willow The Wisp gimmick and he wants to portray it on television one more time before hanging his boots for good.

The former world champion recently had an interview with the Culture State podcast. He talked about things such as being part of the first ever TLC match and more.

Discussing the possibility of bringing back The Willow character, Hardy revealed that he recently talked to the guy who originally made the mask for the gimmick:

“Speaking of Willow, I was just talking to the guy who makes the mask, who made it back then, he’s an awesome mask maker and making a new Willow mask

And talking about the possibility of Willow entering the scene once again before my career is over. There we go, it’s gonna happen,”

Jeff Hardy created Willow The Wisp character during the very early stage of his career. He has since brought it back a couple of times, including for a brief 2014 run in TNA.

Though the chances of WWE officials allowing him to use an outside character on their programming are slim.

The possibility of AEW allowing the use of the gimmick is far greater, that is if Jeff joins the promotion in the future as his brother Matt Hardy hopes.

Jeff Hardy On WWE Using His Personal Struggles For Storyline
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