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GCW Adds Minoru Suzuki To Four Shows

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Japanese wrestling legend Minoru Suzuki is making the most of his return to the United States.

Suzuki has already been announced for the Sept. 25 and 26 tapings for NJPW Strong. Those cards will be taking place in Texas. His journey back to the U.S. isn’t solely with NJPW, however.

GCW has announced that Suzuki will be a part of their upcoming September shows in Los Angeles and New York City. Suzuki’s stay is also being extended into October as he’ll be featured on the Atlantic City show and another LA event.

Suzuki has been freed up for shows in the United States since he will not be participating in this year’s G1 Climax tournament. Many have been speculating about Suzuki potentially making his way to AEW. Of course, nothing has been confirmed as far as that is concerned.

GCW has been on a roll as of late. The company got a ton of attention after Matt Cordona defeated Nick Gage to capture the GCW World Championship. Fans littered the ring with garbage in a scene not common in wrestling these days like it once was. On top of that, Gage made an appearance on AEW Dynamite, losing to Chris Jericho in a No Rules match.

WWE Tried to Get Mike Tyson to Voice-Over Summerslam Opening

Tyriece Simon
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WWE attempted to include WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson for Summerslam this Saturday.

PWinsider’s Mike Johnson reports that WWE wanted Tyson to do the voice-over for the opening video package for Summerslam. WWE has used celebrities to do voice-over work to open a pay-per-view in the past, like Johnny Depp. However, WWE was unsuccessful in making a deal with Tyson.

“…WWE plans called for Tyson to be the voiceover artist for opening video package for Saturday’s Summerslam PPV, which we are told will be built around WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. John Cena,” said PWInsider. The report also shared that it is unclear who will serve as the voice-over artist now that Tyson is unavailable.

Mike Tyson History in WWE

Tyson and WWE have had a long history with each other. Tyson is a well-known pro wrestling, and he was an important figure during the “Attitude Era.” His involvement in WWE during 1998, including Wrestlemania 14, helped bring more attention to the company. He joined the WWE Hall of Fame Celebrity Wing on April 2, 2012. However, since 2012, Tyson has not appeared on WWE television.

Tyson has expressed interest in returning to WWE in the past. It’s unclear if WWE has attempted to reach out to Tyson to do business in recent years.

Tyson involvement in AEW

While WWE hasn’t been able to do business with Tyson, All Elite Wrestling had him involved in significant storylines last year.

Tyson’s first appearance at AEW Dynamite on May 27, 2020, teased him getting into a feud with Chris Jericho. On his Youtube channel, Jericho revealed that AEW wanted Tyson to face him at AEW All out on September 5, 2020.

“Originally, I was supposed to work with Tyson at the September PPV.  All Out II, I think, and we just couldn’t get it done in time,” Jericho said.

Tyson’s last appearance in AEW was AEW Dynamite on April 14th. He served as a guest enforcer for Jericho vs. Dax Harwood. Tyson prevented Harwood’s tag team partner from interfering in the match, and Jericho earned the victory. Both Tyson and Jericho officially ended their feud on the episode as well.

More Celebrities Unable to Attend Summerslam

While the WWE was hoping to use Tyson for Summerslam, they also had other celebrities planned for the event. Fightful Select reports that WWE wanted artist Meg thee Stallion to appear, but the deal fell through.

“…WWE sources indicated they thought it was a done deal but were informed last weekend it wouldn’t be happening,” said Fightful Select.

The report also mentioned that WWE also wanted artist Cardi B involved as well. However, when she announced her pregnancy, it ended her involvement with Summerslam.

Nikki A.S.H. Reflects On ‘Hail Mary’ Moment With Character On WWE TV

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Nikki A.S.H. admits her current character on WWE television was a hail mary.

Nikki is the current Raw Women’s Champion. While she’s in the most prominent spot of her career, the Nikki A.S.H. character has drawn criticism. Those who take issue with the gimmick say that it spells doom for any babyface in 2021 due to its cheesiness.

The character was Nikki’s idea as she wanted to come up with something that would stand out to the WWE brass. The idea earned her a title run and she will be competing at SummerSlam against Charlotte and Rhea Ripley.

During a chat with Corey Graves on WWE After the Bell, Nikki discussed her superhero persona and how it came to fruition.

“Yeah, it really felt like alright this is it, this is the hail mary as you say. It’s so weird nobody has asked me that. I think it was and it was that hail mary moment, there needed to be a change and that was really apparent to me. That was really apparent to me right around the Royal Rumble, we told this fun story on social media and on digital about me qualifying for the match and we made a story out of that. Right around the Royal Rumble it was so clear and so apparent that there needed to be a change and that was it. I spent hours and hours researching this idea and getting this pitch right and I commissioned this artist to draw up what Nikki A.S.H would be as a cartoon character.

“You take it to the boss and it’s like you’re nervous but you’re also confident and I believed in this idea so much that you’re just like alright, let’s do it. You have to put your nerves aside and push down the butterflies. At the end of the day, I believed in the pitch on a personal level, I believed in it from a business sense, this is good business, this is a good idea. I also believed that in the heart of it it’s very pure and wholesome, something that I really wanted to portray, I wanted to portray something fun and joyful. It makes me happy and I want to try and make others and also for business I knew it was a great idea. It was just about swallowing the nerves and just going in and doing it. It did feel like a hail mary, that’s a good way of describing it.”

Thanks to her efforts, Nikki ended up winning the Money in the Bank briefcase. She successfully cashed it in on Charlotte on the July 19 edition of Monday Night Raw. This is her first singles title reign in WWE.

Time will tell if Nikki A.S.H. can maintain her hold on the gold this Saturday night. SummerSlam takes place on Aug. 21 inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Roman Reigns feels CM Punk Didn’t Draw like John Cena or The Rock

Tyriece Simon
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0

Universal Champion Roman Reigns feels CM Punk doesn’t move the needle.

BT Sports Ariel Helwani interviewed Reigns before his upcoming title defense against John Cena at Summerslam this Saturday at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In the interview, Helwani brought up Punk’s name and asked Reigns about his thoughts of Cena being in the title picture despite being a part-timer. Reigns responded by saying, “I can see it from both perspectives. But, I think you said it before. You know, the high tide raises all the boats, right? Everybody benefits. So I do think there is that strange threshold.”

He then shared his thoughts on Punk and compared his drawing power to Cena. “… I think, man, those statements are coming from bitter people. Who possibly thought they were better than they really were. When it comes down to it, CM Punk was not as good or as over as a John Cena. Wasn’t as good or as over and move the needle, like The Rock,” said Reigns.

Roman Reigns Thoughts on Part-Timers

Reigns’ thoughts on part-time WWE talent seem to have changed over the years. It wasn’t too long ago when he spoke out against part-time WWE talent being featured prominently. New York Post’s Joesph Staszewski interviewed Reigns on April 4, 2018, to promote his match with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34 on April 8, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisana. In the interview, he voiced his frustration with part-time talent in WWE.

“…Some people need to hear this stuff because this has kind of been a thing. Brock’s not the only part-time guy. But there are a lot of full-time guys that are never gonna, as a collective, reach our potentials if we are dominated in this portion of the year by part-time guys,” said Reigns.

It’s unclear why his opinion has changed. He will look to defend his title against Cena in two days successfully.

Juventud Guerrera On Tony Khan’s Reaction To Match Against Chris Jericho

Chris Stephens
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As part of the 5 Labors of Jericho, Chris Jericho faced Juventud Guerrera recently on Dynamite. Juvi was a guest of Nick Hausman’s on the Wrestling Inc. podcast recently. During the discussion, Guerrera revealed what Tony Khan said to him backstage at Dynamite.

“He gave me a thumbs up. I went back to the locker room,” Guerrera said. “He was right there at Gorilla position. He got up. He shook my hand. He said, ‘Great match, good match. Thank you very much,’ and before I came out, when I was going from my locker room to the stage, I heard somebody saying, ‘Juvi! Juvi! Juvi!’ I was like, who’s calling me? Then I turn around. It was TK, or Tony Khan, and he was like, ‘Thank you Juvi for being here. It’s a pleasure for me to have you on this show.’ I was in shock.”

“It gave me this good feeling of wow, this is something different. This is not just a major company, this is something that has value. Somebody actually values your work and the years that you’ve put in this business. It was outstanding I just want to say thank you to Tony Khan.”

Juvi is scheduled to face nZo (FKA Enzo Amore) on a show next month.

Chris Jericho vs Juventud Guerrera Head-to-Head History

When Jericho and Juvi faced off on Dynamite recently, it was the 23rd singles match they’ve had against once another. Of the 12 of those matches that have been televised, Jericho holds a 9-3 edge in the series. Another 11 of those matches were on WCW house shows. Jericho won 9 and lost 2 of those matches. In total, Jericho has an 18-5 advantage in singles matches against Juvi.

Jericho would win the 4th Labors of Jericho after defeating Juvi when he defeated Wardlow last week. MJF would defeat Jericho last night in the 5th and final Labor of Jericho.

The discussion with Juventud Guerrera is available in the player below:

Goldberg Reveals How Many Matches He Has Left In His Current WWE Contract

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Goldberg appeared on the latest episode of the Bump to talk about his upcoming SummerSlam match against the WWE champion Bobby Lashley among other things.

During the talk, the former champion was questioned about the other world title match on the show between the Universal champion Roman Reigns and John Cena.

The wrestling veteran was asked if he is team Cena or team Roman going into the PPV. Replying to it, Goldberg claimed that he is neither because he hasn’t faced either Cena or Reigns in his career so far:

“I’m team neither one of them, neither one has stared across the ring and seen me as an opponent, so I look at both of them the same. They’re just future victims.

I am a great fan of both of them for what they have done individually. I’d love a piece of Roman Reigns, and I think maybe even more so, I’d love to get my hands around Cena’s throat. But that’s wishful thinking.”

Goldberg Reveals Detail Of Current Contract

Goldberg then mentioned how his focus is on Bobby Lashley for now before revealing that he only has two more matches left in his deal with the promotion:

“We’ll see. Let me take care of Bobby Lashley first and hey, I only got one more match, or two more matches on my deal here. So we’ll see what happens.”

While WWE could always negotiate a new contract with Goldberg, the expiration of his current deal can open other possibilities for the former WCW champion in the current competitive environment.

Do you think the 54-year-old will explore other options when his current contract expires or will he seek a new deal with his current employers? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Nick Khan On WWE Sale Speculation: “We’re Open For Business”

Chris Stephens
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The large number of roster cuts and cost-saving moves WWE has made recently has led many fans to speculate as to if the company is preparing to be sold. President & Chief Revenue Officer of WWE Nick Khan recently appeared on the Recode Media podcast. During the discussion, Khan spoke about if there are plans for WWE to be sold.

Khan says there are no immediate plans to sell the company. If someone contacted them about it, however, he says they would listen.

“We’re open for business on anything and everything. Even some of the business plans that we’ve announced recently are different and unique to what the company has traditionally done. We’re open for business. If somebody called, we’ll listen, but we’re not active or out on the marketplace trying to change that structure,” Khan said.

He also spoke about the possibility of Vince McMahon stepping down from his role. Khan doesn’t believe that is going to happen anytime soon.

“I don’t think Vince has any plans, nor in my opinion should he, of stepping aside. He’s 75, he’ll be 76 in a couple of weeks. He’s healthy, he’s strong, maybe he goes another 50 years and you’ll be asking me this in 49 years.”

Khan was also asked if he sees AEW as competition. He said that they view everything as competition but try to just focus just on what they do.

“I never look at anybody as competition. I focus on what I’m doing. In the totality of circumstance, you have to look at everything as your competition,” Khan said.  

Khan’s comments can be heard in the player below:

Brody King Admits to Testing Positive for Covid Despite Double Vaccination

Alex Laybourne
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Talking during a recent interview with The Wrestling Inc. Daily, ROH star Brody King talked about the perceived end to the COVID pandemic and his own surprising battle with the illness.

The chat broached the recent relocation of ROH Death Before Dishonor. Due to the rising number of cases ROH took the decision to move from Florida to the 2300 Area in Philadelphia. Brody King understands the decision and doesn’t blame the executives making the call.

“I would love to perform in Florida. I would love to see my friends in Florida, come out to the shows and have a good time.” Brody King said before sharing his thoughts on why the cases are rising again. “It’s pretty obvious why that’s happening. I feel like a lot of people were so eager to just get out and start doing stuff again in a ‘post-pandemic world, but we’re still very much in it, and I feel like that is a sign of the times to come.

Brody King Knows First-Hand the Dangers of Covid

As he talked, Brody King also let it slip that he had also recently positive for Covid despite being double vaccinated.

“I had COVID last week, and I’m a fully vaccinated person. Thankfully, it didn’t hit me as hard.”

– Brody King

Brody King is a key figure in Ring of Honor and also appears regularly on NJPW Strong. He has been vocal in recent times about how he would like ROH to also open the Forbidden Door. He also pointed out his dislike of the name it has been given.

“I always say that I hate the term ‘forbidden door’ because we are in a fan service business. Keeping Jon Moxley from wrestling Jay Lethal is doing a disservice for the fans. I would love to go to AEW and wrestle Miro, or Darby Allin or whoever they would have me wrestle, just to have this cross-promotion. It’s healthy for everybody. I got to wrestle The Good Brothers on New Japan Strong.”

Brody King is moving from strength to strength as a wrestler. Should he be given the opportunity to wrestle for other promotions and fight against different wrestlers, or, it could be said, higher calibre wrestlers, then it will only serve to help him further his career.

Rumored ‘Forbidden Door’ All Out Match In Jeopardy

Jake Skudder
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One of the matches being rumored for the upcoming All Out PPV in September involves the ongoing ‘Forbidden Door’ storyline. Jox Moxley was slated to be taking on IWGP United States Champion and Japanese wrestling legend Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Moxley reportedly suggested the match to AEW owner Tony Khan a few months ago, and Khan was very receptive to bringing in Tanahashi for the contest and what will be their biggest pay-per-view to date.

It has now been confirmed that Tanahashi will be facing Kota Ibushi as part of the Wrestle Grand Slam event in MetLife Dome, Japan.

Forbidden Door

This puts the proposed match between Moxley and Tanahashi, the night after in Chicago, Illinois, up in the air.

With the current COVID restrictions, it may not be possible for Tanahashi to get out of Japan and over to the United States in time for the event. Let alone the strict quarantining rules he may have to adhere to.

Jon Moxley would cut a promo on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, where he slammed ‘newcomers’ to the company. Moxley would talk about how he was one of the original stars who helped build the company during turbulent times, whereas others now only come into the company because there are fans back and it is successful.

This promo may have been a backup plan for the company if the proposed Forbidden Door match isn’t possible, with a plethora of new talent making their way to AEW over the past couple of months.

Chris Jericho Gets Standing Ovation From Crowd After Dynamite (Video)

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Chris Jericho competed in a hard-fought match against MJF in the main event of this week’s episode of Dynamite. While MJF managed to win this bout, Jericho’s performance was still recognized after the match.

Legends such as Ric Flair took on their Twitter to praise both the stars for their work in the main event match after the show. Flair claimed that Y2J made the business better for everyone.

Jericho also got applauded by the audience in the arena after the bout. As seen in the video below, the fans in the arena gave a standing ovation to the wrestling legend after the show went off air:

https://twitter.com/LegitbossKO2/status/1428225999284707332

Chris Jericho’s storyline with MJF began last year when the former MLW star requested to join Jericho’s Inner Circle stable. The two even formed a tag team for a short while and unsuccessfully challenged for the tag team titles.

However, MJF turned on the former AEW champion during the March 10 Dynamite earlier this year. He formed his own faction called The Pinnacle in the process.

When Jericho demanded a singles match, MJF told him that he would have to go through several opponents. Chris defeated four different opponents over the last few weeks to get the bout on this week’s Dynamite.

CM Punk: Updated Betting Odds For First AEW Opponent

Jake Skudder
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CM Punk is being heavily touted for a debut on this week’s episode of AEW Rampage. Both the company and the straight edge star have been teasing his signing over the past couple of weeks, and now it looks as though he is finally coming back to the squared circle.

The betting odds for CM Punk’s first opponent in AEW have been updated by BetOnline. So here is how they stand currently:

  • Darby Allin 1/2
  • Byan Danielson/Daniel Bryan 11/4
  • Christian Cage 15/4
  • Orange Cassidy 6/1
  • Matt Hardy 7/1
  • Chris Jericho 8/1
  • Cody Rhodes 8/1
  • Jungle Boy 9/1
  • Sting 10/1

It is not surprising that Darby Allin is odds-on favourite to face CM Punk in his debut match for the company. Allin has been teasing a showdown with the ‘Best In The World’ this Friday and this week’s Rampage may be the start of the feud between the two straight edge stars.

CM Punk Betting Odds

BetOnline has also confirmed the following odds for two of the confirmed matches on the ALL OUT PPV card:

AEW Championship Match – Kenny Omega (c) vs Christian Cage

  • Kenny Omega -375 (4/15)
  • Christian Cage +240 (12/5)

Andrade El Idolo vs Pac

  • Andrade El Idolo -180 (5/9)
  • Pac +140 (7/5)

Who do you think CM Punk is facing first in AEW? Let us know in the comments.

Health Update On Brian Knobbs

Chris Stephens
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Last week, it was reported that Brian Knobbs had been rushed to the hospital due to experiencing serious stomach-related issues. Doctors are saying it will be months before Knobbs can leave the hospital again. A GoFundMe has been created to help him with medical expenses. 

Eric Bischoff recently commented on Knobbs’ situation during an episode of his 83 Weeks podcast. According to Bischoff, the situation is worse than is being let on.

“I do know the complexities of what he’s dealing with and, since they haven’t been made it public, I’m not going to do that. I just want to let people know that his situation is much more serious than perhaps you’ve heard or read about,” Bischoff said.

Bischoff is encouraging everyone who can to please donate to Knobbs’ GoFundMe.

“I’m praying for him, and if anybody listening to this, man, please donate. It doesn’t matter if you donate a buck or a hundred bucks, or five bucks, please donate,” Bischoff continued.

As of this writing, the GoFundMe for Knobbs has raised $14,358 USD of its $20,000 goal. In addition to his stomach issues, Knobbs also needs surgery on his knee in order to walk again. A link to the GoFundMe is here.

Triple H Announces New WWE Partnership With Enfield Town F.C.

Alex Laybourne
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The wrestling landscape is changing. The opening of the forbidden door paved the way for all manner of working arrangements and partnerships. However, WWE COO Triple H just announced possibly the strangest partnership in the history of WWE. The wrestling empire has formed a partnership with Enfield Town FC. A UK based football club that currently plies their trade in the Ithsmian League Premier Division.

This is not to be confused with the Premier Division. Home to the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. The Ithsmian League is currently six leagues below the top level and three away from the professional leagues. Why is a WWE legend like Triple H building ties to an amateur football team?

The partnership is not as crazy as it sounds. The WWE has long-standing ties with the UK, and the NXT UK  performance center is located in Enfield. So the town and the company share a deep connection.

Triple H took to social media to confirm the link just as the new season of football begins in the UK.

Triple H and WWE Want to Support Their Local Community

At the time of writing it is not clear as to the extent of the agreement or if WWE will be providing any financial investment into the club.

“Not only is it a big week for WWE with SummerSlam on Saturday and NXT Takeover 36 on Sunday, but it’s a big week for the UK. The football season has returned. Enfield in London has played a big part in the journey of NXT UK since the opening of our UK Performance Centre. That’s why I’m proud to announce today, the first of its kind partnership between NXT UK and Enfield Town Football Club in celebration of their 20th anniversary. As the UK’s first supporter-owned football club, they share our passion for putting fans at the centre of everything we do. Be on the lookout for plenty of exciting things to come over the next few months.”

“But for now, there’s only one question left to ask. Enfield Town football club, are you ready?”

-Triple H

WWE have a long association with building roots in their local communities. Under the leadership of Triple H, NXT UK and the general WWE presence on British soil continues to grow. It only makes sense for them to form relationships with other companies as their brand expands.

Goldberg On Fighting John Cena “You Never Know. You Never Know.”

Alex Laybourne
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The story of Bill Goldberg is one that needs no introduction. He was the beast before the beast, the monster before the monster. He had the streak before it was even a thing. Now, he is a part-time nostalgia act, playing a very specific role within WWE.

Despite preparing to face Bobby Lashley at Summerslam this coming Sunday, Goldberg still had the time to talk to DAZN about his career, and in particular, the names that he still has on his list.

Goldberg is 54 now. Interestingly enough, has been playing the nostalgia act with WWE for longer than he was main eventing in WCW. The run that built his name.

Despite his age and being self-aware that he is a limited-use resource, there are still a couple of names on Goldberg’s list. There are three individuals that Goldberg would still love to face in a WWE ring, but he also knows that he isn’t in a position to make demands when it comes to opponents.

Goldberg Knows Who He Wants to be Next!

Talking honestly, Goldberg admitted he has a lot to be thankful for as a result of his wrestling career. While getting match fit is harder and harder with age, he isn’t ready to hang up the boots just yet.

One fight he would like to see realized is against the face that (used to) run the place, John Cena.

“Cena, that’s always been a dream. Never been in the ring with him. We’re two completely different characters. Hey, you never know. You never know.”

– Goldberg

Following that, there is a potential rivalry building with the Original Bro, Matt Riddle. He and Goldberg do not seem to be on the best of terms when it comes to their personal relationship. However, great recognizes great, or so it would seem.

“The cocky kid (Riddle) spouting off his mouth in the beginning, and I didn’t appreciate it very much by any stretch of the imagination. But the guy has put in a lot of frickin hard work and a lot of hard work, and he’s dedicated his life to this business. Whether I like him as a human being or not, I have to understand and appreciate his passion for the business and his work ethic. Because he works hard and that I appreciate as an athlete and as a human. Is he a prick sometimes? Absolutely. But that’s him. That’s his character, and so am I.”

The other fight Goldberg would love to see happen before he leaves the ring behind him is Roman Reigns. Oddly enough, it’s not because he wants the Universal Title or because he feels that he needs to conquer the top of the wrestling mountain. His want to face Roman is far simpler and far more deep-seated than wrestling.

“I want Roman bad. I want a piece of somebody from Georgia Tech. Like, I can taste it. The comparisons, the football background, I truly believe that’s a match that needs to happen. Am I clamoring for it? Am I begging for it? No. Am I holding my breath for it? No, I do what my job asks me to do.”

A Poetic End Would Be a Fight With the Kid he Inspired

One other name Goldberg would like to fight is a far more poetic tale and one that would be a heck of a fight too.

“Big E has to be on that list. I’ve watched him for years develop, and I’m very proud of him. I do remember when he was in my autograph line 150 years ago. As a little kid having aspirations of doing things that he’s doing now. The road that he’s taken and the hard work that he’s put towards it, he’s reaping the benefits, and I’m extremely proud of him. I’m very happy for him.”

Despite the prospect of fights with Reigns and Cena, as a wrestling fan and storyteller, there is something about an angle between Goldberg and Big E that speaks much louder than anything else. If executed in the right way, it could be the most fitting way for the big man to end his career and come full circle.

Bo Dallas Breaks Silence On Wrestling Future After WWE Release

Anutosh Bajpai
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Reports suggested that Bo Dallas was preparing for life after wrestling before his WWE release in April this year. So many wondered if his release marks the end of his wrestling career but the former WWE star is claiming that it’s not the case.

The former NXT champion recently had an interview with Highspots Wrestling Network. During the interview, he revealed that he actually broke his neck during his final TV appearance for the company:

“Something that a lot of people don’t know is I broke my neck two years ago. The last time I was on television on SmackDown, I think it was a segment involving — it was a B-Team segment involving Braun Strowman.”

Bo Dallas On His Wrestling Future

Dallas also addressed his wrestling status during the talk. While he mentioned how he has been dabbling in a bunch of other things, Bo Dallas claimed that he is ‘1,000 percent not done’ with wrestling:

“So, my next goal, I’m definitely, 1,000 percent not done wrestling. There’s no chance in that. My next goal is to find something that I can really sink my teeth into, something that I really love and that I’m passionate about that is not a one-off.”

He continued, “It’s not a small time thing. I’m dabbling in a bunch of other things but wrestling is my passion and I’m re-finding the love for it. If I’ve lost any of it, I’m finding that passion all over again in my way and I’m really excited. “

For those who don’t know, it was reported in early 2021 that Bo Dallas has been preparing for life after wrestling. He has been running a farm with Liv Morgan and the former champion has also started a real estate business.

Bray Wyatt Offers To “Fix” Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel

Seth Rollins On Bray Wyatt’s Release: “God, I Miss Him”

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE superstar Seth Rollins recently had an interview with Metro. He talked about things such as the development of his new character and the inspirations behind it.

The former Universal champion also commented on the WWE release of Bray Wyatt during the talk. He claimed that he misses Wyatt but the former champion made it clear that he didn’t draw a lot of inspiration from The Fiend:

“Bray Wyatt – God, I miss him. But I wouldn’t say that I drew much inspiration from him. He was way out there with the stuff he wanted to do character-wise – and it worked for him.

For me, not so much. That’s not really where I sit when it comes to characters in wrestling. but it worked well for him.”

Seth Rollins On Getting Inspiration From Triple H

Someone Seth Rollins did admit getting inspiration from is Triple H. The Architect mentioned how the game played a major part in the initial stages of his career:

“Triple H is definitely someone that my character draws inspiration from. Obviously, he played a major role in the beginnings of my character and what it’s become,

But if you look at his career, his character always did the same thing; it evolved very naturally over the years. He was able to teeter back and forth to both ends of the spectrum.”

Seth Rollins is scheduled to face Edge in a one-on-one match at the SummerSlam PPV this Saturday. You can check out an updated card for the event at this link.

Seth Rollins Comments on John Cena Namedropping Dean Ambrose

Backstage Update On Molly Holly And Shawn Daivari

Anutosh Bajpai
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Both Hall Of Famer Molly Holly and former wrestling star Shawn Daivari are now working as full-time producers for WWE, according to PWinsider.

The female star had a tryout for a producer role back in June after the officials decided to hire more women for the role. She was originally offered a position at the performance center as well but she declined.

After the initial tryout, Holly went through an extended learning period to familiarise herself with the role. She worked on the SmackDown brand for the most part during the training period.

Daivari on the other hand had already worked as a producer for WWE before. He was hired as a full time producer in January 2019 but had to be released due to the coronavirus budget cuts in early 2020.

He returned to wrestling after getting released. Shawn Daivari wrestled for promotions such as Impact Wrestling and MLW in the time following his departure.

He also worked as a producer for a set of NWA tapings and was brought back by WWE right after that. The 37-year-old was brought back in June this year.

With the return of crowds, both Molly Holly and Shawn Diavari have assumed full-time positions in the company. It’s likely that WWE will hire more producers in future.

Molly Holly On Why She Declined Position At WWE Performance Center

Steel Cage Championship Match Announced For All Out

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW has announced that the world tag team champions The Young Bucks will be defending their titles in a steel cage match at the upcoming All Out PPV next month.

This week’s episode of Dynamite saw the tag champs defending the titles in a match against Jurassic Express. The Bucks retained the championships in a bout filled with many interferences from the Elite.

The Elite were featured in a backstage segment after this bout. Don Callis claimed that The Young Bucks are very dominant and they should take a break.

Though he got interrupted by Tony Khan. Khan announced an eliminator tournament to determine the new #1 contenders for the tag belts.

He confirmed that the tournament will feature Varsity Blonds, Private Party, Jurassic Express and Lucha Bros with the winner getting a title shot at All Out in Chicago.

AEW All Out Updated Match Card

all out

The schedule for this title tournament has not been revealed as of yet. With only a couple of weeks remaining to the PPV, the competition should begin soon. After the latest announcement, here is the updated match card for the show:

  • AEW World Championship Match: Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage
  • Steel Cage Match For AEW Tag Team Championship: The Young Bucks vs. TBA
  • Singles Match: PAC vs. Andrade El Idolo
  • Singles Match: Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall

AEW All Out will take place on Saturday, September 5 from the Now arena in Chicago.

Three Major Names Announced For NJPW Strong Autumn Attack

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Three big names have been added to the NJPW Strong Autumn Attack cards.

NJPW Strong will be making its way to the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX. NJPW will be holding tapings on Sept. 25 and 26. NJPW has announced that three major names will be making their appearances.

One of those names is former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay. The leader of the United Empire made a surprise appearance on the Resurgence show this past Saturday (Aug. 14). He cut a promo proclaiming himself to be the real IWGP World Champion and Shingo Takagi as just an interim titleholder. Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada for the gold when Ospreay was forced to vacate it due to an injury.

Another name added to the NJPW Strong Autumn Attack card is Minoru Suzuki. Suzuki is a legend in Japanese wrestling. He is a former GHC Heavyweight Champion as well as a former IWGP Intercontinental and NEVER Openweight titleholder. He hasn’t wrestled in the United States in nearly two years.

The third name is Lance Archer. Archer recently lost the IWGP United States Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Resurgence. After the match, Archer said he hopes to see Tanahashi in AEW.

News On How AEW Broadcast Partners Are Reacting To CM Punk Rumors

Anutosh Bajpai
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While it doesn’t look like we will get an official confirmation of CM Punk’s AEW debut, people are still very excited about the same. The list appears to include the officials from the promotion’s broadcast partners TNT and WarnerMedia.

According to Fightful Select, the people involved with WarnerMedia and TNT are working under the assumption that the former champion is coming to the company.

The officials have spoken about the excitement of bringing someone like CM Punk to the promotion. It was also noted that Punk will have its full promotional machine behind him upon his return.

It’s unknown whether AEW officials have communicated the details of his comeback with their broadcast partners, though TNT and WarnerMedia are said to be ‘very aware’ of the situation.

TNT officials are also very impressed with AEW for selling four shows in the Chicago area within a few weeks. They are thrilled about Punk’s return being tied in with the City Of Chicago, United Center, and NBA team Chicago Bulls as well.

AEW will be presenting ‘The First Dance’ edition of Rampage from United Center in Chicago this Friday night. CM Punk is expected to make his debut for the promotion during the show.

CM Punk Drops Latest AEW Hint During MMA Broadcast

AEW Dynamite Results (8/18): MJF vs. Jericho, Tag Title Match, Darby Allin & Sting

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas. The Young Bucks put the AEW Tag Team Championships on the line against Jurassic Express. Chris Jericho finally got to face MJF tonight and Darby Allin & Sting squared off against 2.0. It was announced that Malakai Black will face Brock Anderson next week on Dynamite. Jon Moxley will face Daniel Garcia this Friday night at Rampage and cut a backstage promo noting how he was one waving the flag for AEW during tough times.

Dynamite Results

  1. Sting & Darby Allin def. 2.0 & Daniel Garcia in a Texas Tornado tag team match
  2. Sammy Guevara def. Shawn Spears
  3. Young Bucks def. Jurassic Express to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships
  4. Thunder Rosa def. Penelope Ford via submission
  5. MJF def. Chris Jericho via submission

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Sting & Darby Allin Picked Up A Win

Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston made their way through the crowd but were attacked from behind by 2.0. They then faced Sting and Darby Allin in a Texas Tornado Tag Team match. It was Sting’s first match on TNT in over 20 years.

Allin got in the ring and attacked with his skateboard as Sting hit a Splash in the corner. The action spilled backstage and Darby got launched into a concrete wall. Darby scaled down the stairs and hit a big Crossbody.

Kingston and Moxley got in some punches for revenge before the action returned to the ring. 2.0 Suplexed Darby Allin onto his skateboard on the entrance ramp and then set up a table in the ring. 2.0 Powerbombed Sting through the table but Sting got back up to a massive pop from the crowd. Sting hit a double Scorpion Death Drop and locked in a double Scorpion Deathlock for the submission victory.

Guevara Got Engaged & Picked Up A Win

Shawn Spears faced Sammy Guevara tonight on Dynamite. Guevara proposed to his fiancee earlier in the night and AEW showed it on the broadcast.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1428148143942561796?s=20

Spears attacked Guevara during his entrance but Sammy was ready for it. The two traded punches on the entrance ramp with Sammy getting the better of the exchange. Sammy hit a massive Cannonball flip onto Spears and gave his future wife a kiss. Guevara hit Spears with a chop to the chest and then hurled him into the barricade. Spears and Tully then hit Guevara with a spike Piledriver and rolled him into the ring.

The match officially started and Tully wanted to hit the Piledriver again but Aubrey Edwards kicked him out. Spears took down his knee pad and kneed Guevara in the face several times. Sammy and Spears traded chops as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Guevara hit a Death Valley Drive on top of a steel barricade. Sammy followed it up with a 630 Splash but somehow Spears kicked out at two. Guevara hit Spears with three knees to the face and then the GTH for the pinfall victory.

Young Bucks Retained, Omega Sent A Message To Christian

The Young Bucks defended the AEW Tag Team Championships against Jurassic Express tonight on Dynamite. Nick Jackson and Jungle Boy started off the match. Nick hit a shoulder tackle and posed in the ring. Jungle Boy charged at him but Nick flipped to the outside. Jungle Boy decked him with a Crossbody and the action returned to the ring.

Luchasaurus tagged in and beat Nick down in the corner. Nick escaped and tagged in Matt Jackson. Luchasaurus unloaded a couple Clotheslines and then planted Matt with a slam for a near fall. Jungle Boy tagged back in and hit a Senton for a two count. Nick hit Jungle Boy with a cheap shot but he responded with a ridiculous Hurricanrana off the apron. Matt leveled Jungle Boy with a Dropkick through the ropes and then hit Luchasaurus with a Crossbody off the top. Matt danced around in the ring as the crowd booed and Dynamite went to a break.

Luchasaurus countered and sent Nick Jackson flying across the ring as he went for a Running Bulldog. Luchasaurus went for a Chokeslam but Nick countered with an Enziguri. Jungle Boy tagged in and hit a Brainbuster off of Luchasaurus’ shoulders but Matt broke up the cover.

Luchasaurus tagged back in as Brandon Cutler hopped on the apron. Luchasaurus sent him down and unloaded some kicks on the Young Bucks. He then connected with a double Chokeslam and Jungle Boy hit Nick with a Suicide Dive outside the ring. Back in the ring, Young Bucks hit Jungle Boy with a couple Superkicks and then the Indie Taker but Jungle boy kicked out at two. Marko Stunt went for a distraction but Kenny Omega hit him in the back with a chair.

Christian joined the party and leveled Omega with a Spear and battled with him all the way backstage. Jungle Boy hit a Brainbuster on the chair but the cover was broken up. Young Bucks broke up another false finish and Jungle Boy laid out Karl Anderson and returned to the ring. Young Bucks hit the BTE Trigger for the pinfall victory. Young Bucks are still the AEW Tag Team Champions. Gallows then carried Christian Cage to the ring and beat him down.

Omega instructed Callis to get in a kick and he obliged before hobbling away. Kenny lifted Christian up and hit the One Winged Angel. Callis then counted to three and The Elite celebrated. They raised all their titles as Omega had his boot on Christian’s chest. Omega was wearing a shirt that read “chick magnet” in another CM Punk reference.

It was later announced that Private Party, Varsity Blonds, Lucha Bros, and Jurassic Express will compete in a Tag Team Eliminator Tournament. The winners will face the Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championships at All Out.

Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page Attacked Lance Archer

Tony Schiavone interviewed American Top Team’s Dan Lambert. Dan said that AEW has boarded the cancel culture train after they sent Lance Archer out to punch him. Lambert added that this time he brought former UFC Champions Junior Dos Santos and Andrei Arlovsk as backup. Lambert poked fun at the fans until Lance Archer interrupted. Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page attacked Archer from behind and beat him down.

Paul Wight Will Face QT Marshall At All Out

Tony Schiavone welcomed Paul Wight down to the ring. Tony asked Paul what it was like getting back in the ring and he shouted that it was amazing. Paul took the microphone away from Tony and joked that he is so hyped up that he doesn’t want to rip Tony’s arm off by accident.

QT Marshall & The Factory interrupted and Paul dared them to get into the ring. QT noted that Tony Khan hired Paul Wight as an announcer and not as a wrestler. Marshall showed photos of medically implanted devices in Paul’s hip and added that it is a miracle he can walk. Paul announced that he has a match at All Out against QT Marshall and QT retreated out of fear to end the segment.

Team Taz’s Plan Backfired

Taz and Hook came down to the ring and introduced FTW Champion Ricky Starks. Ricky said he wanted to talk to Brian Cage and told him to come down here. Powerhouse Hobbs was shown beating Cage down but Brian battled back. Ricky flipped out and they rushed backstage.

Thunder Rosa Tapped Out Penelope Ford

Penelope Ford faced Thunder Rosa tonight on Dynamite. Thunder sent Ford to the corner and booted her to the canvas. Thunder followed it up with a Dropkick that knocked Penelope to the outside. Thunder Rosa followed her out there but Ford was ready and shoved her into the ring post. Penelope hit a Cutter on the floor outside the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Penelope rolled up Thunder Rosa for a two count and then applied a submission hold in the middle of the ring. Thunder Rosa escaped and locked in a Half Crab but Ford was able to make it to the bottom rope to break the hold. Thunder Rosa planted Penelope with a Death Valley Driver and went for the cover but Ford was able to kick out at two. Ford hit a Gutbuster and went for another submission but Thunder Rosa blocked it. Thunder Rosa got in a Guillotine choke for the submission victory.

MJF def. Chris Jericho via Submission

MJF faced Jericho in the main event and the crowd sang Judas as Le Champion made his way to the ring in a great moment. The action started off back and forth before the action spilled out of the ring. MJF took control and grabbed a camera. MJF flipped everyone off but Jericho knocked him down. Jericho then gave MJF the middle finger and the action returned to the ring.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1428170949749362693?s=20

Jericho beat MJF down in the corner but Maxwell battled back and sent Chris into the ring post. MJF posed on the ring apron to a chorus of boos as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Jericho hit a double axe handle and fired up the crowd. MJF battled back and started taunting Jericho. MJF went to work on Jericho’s arm to try and soften it up for the Salt of the Earth Armbar. Jericho battled back and hit a Lionsault for a near fall as the crowd chanted “this is awesome”.

Jericho hit some chops in the corner and followed it up with some Clotheslines. MJF brought Jericho down and applied the Salt of the Earth Armbar. Chris broke free and got MJF in the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring. MJF quickly escaped and raked Jericho’s eyes. MJF connected with a Piledriver and went for the cover but Jericho was able to kick out at two. MJF then got Chris in the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring. Jericho was able to battle through the pain and reached the bottom rope.

Jericho crawled to the corner and grabbed Floyd the bat as MJF put on the Dynamite Diamond. Aubrey caught it and removed the ring but didn’t catch Jericho hitting MJF with the bat. Jericho went to use the Judas Effect but stopped himself because the move was banned. MJF hit the Judas Effect on Jericho and then applied the Salt of the Earth Armbar for the submission victory.

Paul Wight vs. QT Marshall Announced For AEW All Out

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Paul Wight will be back in the ring on Sept. 5 at the All Out PPV.

Wight has gotten involved in a feud with QT Marshall and The Factory. It all started when Marshall, Nick Comoroto, and Aaron Solow attacked Tony Schiavone and his son. Paul Wight made the save and chokeslammed Solow.

Wight had an in-ring interview with Schiavone on the Aug. 18 edition of Dynamite. He was ready to make an announcement when QT Marshall interrupted.

Marshall showed off X-rays of Wight’s hip and dismissed the big man as a competitor in 2021. That’s when Wight dropped a bombshell, announcing that he will meet Marshall in a match at All Out.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1428163484357906442

“I had a little talk with Tony Khan last week. It felt so good to step over that top rope to be in this ring in front of this amazing AEW crowd. That’s why at the All Out pay-per-view in Chicago, I have a match. And guess who my opponent is my little guppy. At All Out it’s gonna be Paul Wight one-on-one against QT Marshall.”

All Out will be held inside the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. AEW World Champion Kenny Omega will put his title on the line against Impact World Champion Christian Cage.

Are you looking forward to seeing Paul Wight return to the ring?

Dan Lambert Wanted Lance Archer To Legitimately Elbow Him

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Dan Lambert apparently told Lance Archer to really lay into him with an elbow on AEW Dynamite.

Lambert is the head coach of the renowned MMA gym, American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Lambert has helped coach a slew of elite MMA fighters such as current UFC Women’s Bantamweight and Featherweight Champion Amanda Nunes. He’s also a huge wrestling fan.

Lambert has appeared in angles for Impact Wrestling and, most recently, AEW. On the July 7 edition of Dynamite, Lambert cut a heel promo before being laid out with an elbow by Lance Archer. Lambert was then nailed by the Blackout.

Olympic judo gold medalist and 2019 PFL Women’s Lightweight Champion, Kayla Harrison, appeared on MMAFighting’s The MMA Hour. She claimed that Lambert wanted Archer to legitimately elbow him to avoid getting an earful from the ATT fighters.

“That was his Olympics. That was his moment. He was rapidly texting me, ‘I’m going on at 9:30, you gotta watch. Wait until you see this.’ Then he does this nerdy spiel about all these wrestlers and styles. Afterward, I told him, ‘Dan, I’m happy for you if you’re happy. You are the biggest nerd I’ve ever met in my life, but I’m happy.’ He’s like, You wanna hear a funny story?’ He starts talking about how they prepared all this and he said, ‘I had to tell (Lance Archer), can you do me a favor? When you elbow me, I need you to really elbow me. Everyone at my gym will give me sh*t if you don’t really give me the business.'”

Lambert is set to return to Dynamite tonight (Aug. 18) and he won’t be alone. During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Tony Khan said Lambert will be bringing “two great UFC Champions” with him on Dynamite.

Konnan Reveals How AAA Locked Up Ric Flair For TripleMania XXIX

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Konnan has dished out some details on how AAA was able to secure Ric Flair.

On Aug. 14, AAA’s biggest event of the year, TripleMania XXIX, took place. In the co-main event, Kenny Omega put the AAA Megacampeonato Title on the line against Andrade. Fans were in for quite the surprise as Ric Flair accompanied Andrade to the ring.

On an edition of his Keepin It 100 podcast, Konnan revealed how AAA was able to bring Flair in.

“Originally, we were going to bring it up Andrade with this Mexican singer that’s mega-popular, but that fell through. (Andrade) told me that maybe Ric was going to come with him to the show, but as a guest, just to watch it. That’s when I first thought, ‘If he’s gonna be there as a guest, why doesn’t he just be your second?’ (Andrade asked Ric) and he said ‘yeah.’

“Basically, I thought, If Flair comes out, that would be cool because no one is expecting it. When I told them when they are on the plane, ‘Make sure when you get to the airport, there are fans at the airport and they know what hotel you stay at, make sure he wears a hat, a mask, a jacket, something.’ He goes, ‘Nah, he doesn’t want to wear a jacket. He’s in a pink shirt and has gold chains.’ That’s Flair being Flair, right?”

Flair ended up getting physically involved in the match. He and Andrade took turns chopping the chest of Omega. Flair even got in a figure-four leglock on Konnan, while Andrade sunk in the figure-four on Omega. Ultimately, Omega retained the title after hitting Andrade with the gold and planting him with the One-Winged Angel. Omega and Andrade have been teasing a rematch.

Konnan said he asked Andrade beforehand if Flair would be willing to get physical in the match. Of course, “The Nature Boy” was on board with the idea.

Jinder Mahal Denies Being Experimental WWE Champion

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jinder Mahal feels he has been discredited.

Mahal is currently involved in a feud with his friend and former 3MB teammate, Drew McIntyre. The two will collide this Saturday night (Aug. 21) at WWE SummerSlam. It’s Mahal’s highest-profile rivalry since he lost the WWE Championship back in 2017.

During an interview with GiveMeSport, Jinder Mahal expressed his belief that his detractors have downplayed the hard work he put in to become WWE Champion.

“So this is just people downplaying my accomplishments. WWE Universe in India, their TV deals everything, were just as much in play when I was in 3MB and while I was released I do believe WWE Raw was the live on Sony. When I was brought back who still write live on Sony. I wasn’t brought back to become WWE Champion, at that time they separated the rosters again, Raw and SmackDown, and they just needed some people who were TV-ready essentially to throw on and maybe highlight some of the newer talent, but somewhere along the line I knew ‘Hey this is my way in. This is my foot in the door. I’m going to knock the whole door down and I’m going to become WWE Champion.’

“So that’s like me saying ‘Hey Drew, you were WWE Champion because WWE wanted to expand into the UK’. Why is that? Why are people not saying that? Right now Drew is celebrated, I’m the one who was this experimental champion, which is untrue. I’ve worked hard for and I’ve earned every opportunity that I’ve ever been given, every championship that I’ve had I’ve worked very very hard for.”

Many have criticized Mahal’s 2017 run as WWE Champion. The general consensus is that the title change felt rushed and that Mahal’s character wasn’t built up before the title victory to look credible as champion. Even McIntyre shared that belief in an interview.

Following Monday Night Raw, a stipulation has been added to the SummerSlam match between Mahal and McIntyre. Mahal’s cronies, Shanky and Veer, won’t be allowed at ringside. Furthermore, McIntyre is allowed to bring his sword.

Were you a fan of Jinder Mahal’s WWE Title reign?

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