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Queen of the Ring Finals Planned For Saudi Arabia Show (Report)

Chris Stephens
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Recent reports have suggested that WWE is planning a single-elimination Queen of the Ring tournament in October. According to a recent report from Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast, the current plan is for the finals of the tournament to take place in Saudi Arabia.

“Hearing that the current plan is to hold the Queen of the Ring finals in Saudi Arabia in October,” Zarian Tweeted.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on the October 8th edition of Smackdown and the October 11th edition of RAW. The next Saudi Arabia show is planned for October 21st, although this has yet to be officially announced.

There have only ever been two women’s matches on WWE shows from Saudia Arabia. The first was at Crown Jewel in 2019 when Natalya and Lacey Evans wrestled. The second came at Super ShowDown on February 27th, 2020 when Bayley wrestled Naomi.

Provided the event in October takes place as planned, it will be the 6th event WWE has run in Saudi Arabia as part of its agreement with the Saudi Sports Authority. 2 SuperShowdowns, 2 Crown Jewels, and 1 Greatest Royal Rumble event have taken place. WWE’s deal with the Saudi Sports Authority runs until 2027.

Tony Khan: “There Are Certainly A Lot Of Exciting Rumors Right Now”

Chris Stephens
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Tony Khan was recently interviewed by the NY Post and did a solid job of not answering questions relating to CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. The AEW President would state, however, that “there are certainly a lot of exciting rumors right now.”

When asked if he had “signed and/or talked to any former WWE champions” lately, Khan was quick to say there were some things he would not be commenting on during the interivew.

“I have no comment on those, but those are good questions but I can’t comment on those,” Khan said.

Khan was then asked what it would mean if another wrestling promotion were to sign CM Punk and/or Daniel Bryan.

“I can’t comment on those two guys, but I think there are certainly a lot of exciting rumors right now,” Khan said.

Tony Khan on Fight for the Fallen

Tony Khan would comment on what Fight for the Fallen has come to mean for AEW over the last few years. This will be the 3rd event in its history.

“I think it’s one of our major events — the charitable component really makes it stand out — and an important event on the calendar, and it’s something we’ve done from the beginning. It predates even ‘Dynamite.’ We always load it up with big matches, I always try to put a lot of great matches on a “Fight for the Fallen” card, but also now it will have an extra special touch to it because the event is also about helping people.”

6 matches and 2 segments have been announced for tonight. In addition to the matches below, Tony Khan will announce a new AEW live event and Ricky Starks will have a celebration segment for winning the FTW title.

  1. Christian Cage & The Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) vs. The Hardy Family Office(Angelico, Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
  2. Julia Hart vs Thunder Rosa
  3. Five Labours Of Jericho #2 No Disqualification Match
    Chris Jericho vs. Nick Gage
  4. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) (w/Tully Blanchard) vs. The Inner Circle (Ortiz & Santana) (w/Konnan)
  5. IWGP United States Championship
    Lance Archer (c) vs. Hikuleo
  6. 10-Man Elimination Match
    Adam Page & The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, John Silver & Stu Grayson) vs. The Elite (Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson, Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)

Natalya Comments On Injury She Suffered On RAW

Chris Stephens
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Natalya had to be helped to the back after her match on RAW this week. Her and Tamina defeated the team of Eva Marie and Doudrop, but Natalya appeared to hurt her ankle or knee during the bout.

There is no update as to the severity of the injury but Natalya took to Twitter today to thank fans for their concern and well wishes.

“Thank you to everyone for the kind words about what happened on WWE Raw,” she Tweeted. “There are the beatings you can plan for, and the ones you can’t. That’s the job. But I’m willing to give whatever bones, muscles and tendons I have to continue doing what I love. Good thing I’m UNBREAKABLE.”

You can see footage of Natalya’s injury here:

Natalya’s Injury

Natalya’s injury was addressed this week on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“It was not evident watching the match but what happened was essentially Doudrop, Piper Niven, when she did the takedown she kind of rolled and the ankle was twisted in a very ugly way,” said Dave Meltzer.

“We don’t know right now how serious it is but it’s probably serious.”

The 39-year-old Natalya has been with WWE for 14 years. She first signed with the promotion in 2007. Natalya is a 1x Divas Champion, 1x Smackdown Women’s Champion, and 1x WWE Tag Team Champion.

Nikki A.S.H. On Inspiration For Her New Superhero Character

Chris Stephens
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New RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. recently took part in an interview with Ryan Satin on the “Out of Character” podcast. During the discussion, Nikki spoke about her new “Almost a Superhero” character and what influenced the gimmick.

“When we started to explore it, it was going to be a super positive role model for children and the younger audience,” Nikki said during the interview (transcriptions via 411Mania).

She would then talk about how superhero characters from Marvel and D.C helped influence the character.

“We did a concept cartoon and then I looked into the research,” Nikki continued. “For Wonder Woman, what were the numbers like at the box office? It was successful, but how much money did it make? How much money did Captain Marvel make? Looking at the success, especially with female-led superhero movies and television shows. The female-led franchises and female-led movies are what I wanted to really focus on and show that there has been a huge success and it’s inspirational.”

Nikki continued to talk about how she sees how much superhero characters can touch people’s lives. She wanted to bring the same feeling to her new character on RAW.

“I have younger nephews and they are obsessed with superheroes. You see how much it can touch people’s lives and at WWE, we also want to touch people’s lives and connect with families and people with all ages. Superheroes and WWE, we want to unite people.”

Nikki A.S.H became the 10th wrestler in history to win the RAW Women’s Championship when she cashed in on Charlotte Flair. Her reign is currently the 21st in the title’s lineage.

AEW Making Contingency Plans Amid Rising COVID Rates

Chris Stephens
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With COVID-19 cases rising in the United States and new mask and virus testing mandates being made in some areas, there is reportedly concern within AEW about upcoming shows being disrupted.

According to a report from Cassidy Haynes of BodySlam.net, AEW has begun to have conversations regarding contingency plans should shows in Chicago, New York, St. Louis and elsewhere not be able to run as planned. These discussions are said to have increased over the last week. The concern is that there could eventually be limits on large gatherings in addition to the new mask and virus testing mandates being made.

Amongst the contingency plans being discussed is returning to shows from Daily’s Place. AEW will be back in the Jacksonville, Florida venue next week regardless for the AEW Dynamite: Homecoming show. Malakai Black vs Cody Rhodes, and Miro defending the TNT title against Lee Johnson have been scheduled for that card.

Tonight’s AEW will emanate from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte. The August 11th edition of Dynamite will be from Pittsburgh. AEW closes out August with trips to Houston on the 18th and Milwaukee on the 25th. AEW will then be in Chicago on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th of September. Dynamite on the 8th of September will be in Cincinnati before AEW closes out the month with shows from Newark, Queens and Rochester.

Ryo Mizunami Hospitalized After Testing Positive for COVID 19

Alex Laybourne
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The professional wrestling industry is starting to get on its feet following the pandemic. Live crowds are beginning to return to events around the world. However, Covid 19 is still around, and it is still a threat. AEW star Ryo Mizunami recently tested positive for Covid 19 and is currently receiving hospital treatment.

The news was confirmed by Ryo Mizunami on her Twitter account.

The statement confirms Mizunami going to the hospital on her doctor’s orders after undergoing a PCR test. Doctors admitted Ryo Mizunami with an initial diagnosis of Pneumonia.

For AEW fans, this news brings back memories of Brodie Lee, after his passing in December 2020. While his illness was non-covid related, comparisons will always be made. Mizunami last competed for AEW in April before returning to Japan in June.

Ryo Mizunami Just One Joshi Star to Test Positive in New Spate of Infections

The world of Joshi wrestling is different to many American organizations. The women of Japanese wrestling often compete on multiple promotions, travelling and mixing with many different stars. The news of Ryo Mizunami testing positive is just one in a recent spate of positive results in the Joshi world.

Since returning to Japan, Mizunami has competed for several different promotions including SEAdLINNNG, Gatoh Move, and Sendai Girls. Her most recent appearance for SEAdLINNNG on 22nd July. It was a 6-person tag match. Two others involved have also tested positive following the event.

The pandemic is still rife in Japan, and with the close proximity within which the stars all work, the spread of infections is higher.

Everybody at SESCOOPS wishes Ryo Mizunami a healthy and speedy recovery. She cut a popular figure during her AEW run, and will be a welcome name on any roster in the future.

Hurricane Helms Has Ideas for Potential Storyline with Nikki A.S.H.

Alex Laybourne
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Nikki A.S.H. might almost be one, but WWE does have a bona fide superhero as part of their history. Gregory ‘Hurricane’ Helms.  The Hurricane as he was known for part of his WWE run, recently made a surprise appearance on WWE’s The Bump. His appearance was a shock for scheduled guest Nikki.

Talking on the show, Helms was full of praise for Nikki A.S.H. who approached him for permission to become a superhero, just like him.

“It’s been amazing. I try to be there in gorilla every time she comes back. For the big moments, I’ve been there,” Shane Helms began. “She’s been polite and humble. Not that she had to ask for permission, but you know, I’m not wrestling as The Hurricane anymore. I just turned 47, and that window might be closing. She took the respectful route and asked me about it, and from day one, I told her, whatever you need, I’m here for you. It’s been fun watching her grow. Nobody was happier for her than me that night.”

The newfound confidence Nikki has gained under her almost a superhero disguise saw her capture her first WWE title after a successful Money in the Bank cash in.

Helms Has Ideas for Nikki A.S.H.

During the conversation, Nikki A.S.H. said that she would love to one day work an angle alongside the Hurricane. To which Helms replied positively.

“Uh, let me say, I have ideas, but I don’t want to give them out now,” Helms replied with a grin. “It would have to be something that highlights Nikki. That’s something I want to make sure of ’cause I’ve had a lot of great moments myself. However, if I could find a way to highlight Nikki, 100 per cent, I’m in.”

In true superhero fashion, Helms is thinking about others before himself. It is true, he has been there, done that and picked up the battle scars along the way. While age is catching him up, and injuries might limit him in the ring, there is something oddly magical about Nikki A.S.H. and The Hurricane joining forces.

American Wolves Reuniting for Upcoming Indie Show

Alex Laybourne
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In professional wrestling, teams and groups always come and go. Some fail, some succeed and some create a legacy that remains with the fans long after they go their separate ways. One such team are the American Wolves. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards got together as a tad team in December 2008 and began writing tag team history.

It is not possible to have a conversation about the best tag teams without including the American Wolves. Seven-time TNA(IMPACT) champions and Two-time ROH champions, in a run that lasted until 2017.

It has been four years since the American Wolves have been in the ring together, but that is changing. The wolves are reuniting for an upcoming Pro Wrestling Revolver event. The indie promotion took to Twitter to announce the return of the tag team for their upcoming event on October 30th.

The Wolves had a special relationship with the fans, and despite the years, both men are still going strong. Eddie Edwards is still active in IMPACT wrestling while Davey Richards recently returned to action with MLW.

Could the American Wolves Really be Back?

The breakup of the American Wolves came as a shock. The returning Richards turning on his partner during his match up with Bobby Lashley. Costing him the title in the process. However, as everybody knows, what happens in one storyline doesn’t necessarily carry over to others.

With the way the wrestling landscape has changed, with people working for multiple promotions, the idea of having tag team champions where each member wrestles for a different promotion could be intriguing indeed.

As of right now, the American Wolves are back for a one night only event. However, with both men still active as singles competitors, there is every chance we could see the team reunite for another run at tag team glory.

WWE NXT Results (7/27): Cole vs. Reed, Star Returns From Injury, Joe’s Decision

Andrew Ravens
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The July 27, 2021 episode of WWE NXT aired live on Syfy from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan def. Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa. 
  • NXT Breakout Tournament, First Round: Carmelo Hayes def. Josh Briggs.
  • Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro def. Jessi Kamea and Franky Monet.
  • Imperium’s Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner def. Hit Row
  • Adam Cole def. Bronson Reed. 

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Tag Team Match Action

02 nxt 2

Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan defeated Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa in a tag team match on this show. 

The match opened the show. Ridge Holland returned from injury to help Dunne and Lorcan beat Thatcher and Ciampa with a distraction. Post-match, the heels beat down the babyfaces. 

Holland was involved in the main event angle of NXT TakeOver 31 last year when he attacked Cole backstage as a way of a storyline where it was said that Pat McAfee hired Holland to attack Cole.

Plans were put on hold when Holland got injured and had to undergo surgery after being injured when catching Oney Lorcan on a dive. Holland suffered a left ankle dislocation and fracture and a right knee patellar dislocation and patellar tendon rupture.

TakeOver Main Event

0NXT

Last week, NXT Champion Karrion Kross continued his feud with Samoa Joe by attacking NXT General Manager William Regal. Two weeks ago, Kross retained the title over Johnny Gargano but choked out Joe, who was the referee for the match, afterward. 

Joe came out to the ring. He set up a table and a chair. He said that he could bark about Kross, but he knows Kross is too much of a coward to be in the building tonight. He asked Regal to come out to the ring. Joe said that he can see Regal’s anger and what Kross did was wrong. He knew Regal would fire Kross, but he had a better solution. 

Joe said that he has a way to help all of their needs. Joe quit his position as the enforcer for Regal. He wanted Regal to reinstate him as part of the active roster in NXT. Regal signed both papers. Joe had a third contract and that was for himself vs. Kross at TakeOver 36. Regal signed that as well. 

Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai Split

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There was a segment with NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai. This opened the second hour. Raquel said all of the challengers have come and fallen. Kai said Raquel is the most dominant woman in NXT history. Kai said Raquel has beaten former champions and the list will go on and on. 

The segment ended when Kai turned on her and laid her out from behind with a kick. Kai threw the title on Raquel and left the ring. 

Gonzalez had just beaten Xia Li on last week’s episode of NXT in the main event to retain her title. She’s been paired with Kai for the majority of her time on the main roster. It is looking like a match between these two stars will be booked for TakeOver. 

More Tag Action

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There was a tag team match that saw Imperium’s Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner defeat Hit Row’s “Top Dolla” AJ Francis and Ashante “Thee” Adonis when Legado del Fantasma distracted Hit Row.

Marcel and Fabian had the majority of the offense. Adonis sold throughout until Top Dolla got the hot tag. Dolla hit a big elbow drop to Fabian for a near fall. 

Towards the end of the match, El Hijo del Fantasma came out, but Top Dolla took them out. This led to Imperium hitting a powerbomb to Adonis. Post-match, El Hijo del Fantasma took out the babyfaces. Isaiah Scott cleared the ring with a chair. 

Main Event

01 nxt 2

WWE saved a big match for last as Adam Cole battled Bronson Reed in a match between two former North American Champions. 

In the end, it was Cole going over in about a 10 minute match. Post-match, Kyle O’Reilly attacked Cole with a steel chair.

Cole and O’Reilly have been feuding for the past several months with all indications that they will settle the score at TakeOver 36 in August. 

Samoa Joe vs. Karrion Kross Confirmed For WWE NXT TakeOver 36

Andrew Ravens
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As expected, the main event of NXT TakeOver 36 will be Samoa Joe challenging NXT Champion Karrion Kross for the title on Sunday, August 22, 2021.

On Tuesday’s episode of NXT, Joe offered his resignation as an enforcer to NXT General Manager William Regal. 

This was done as a way for Joe to be able to fight Kross. Per the stipulation of the original agreement he had with Regal when he made his return about a month ago, Joe couldn’t get physical unless provoked. Well, after last week’s attack by Kross to Regal, he couldn’t let that stand. 

He also wanted Regal to sign a contract to have him back as an active in-ring performer in NXT and sign another contract for the match at TakeOver. Regal agreed to what Joe was offering and made the match official. 

It will be an interesting booking decision made by WWE as Joe will likely be favored to win the championship considering Kross made his main roster debut earlier this month and entered into a program with Jeff Hardy. Kross is also slated to be on the Raw roster going forward, but without Scarlett. 

WWE NXT UK Champion WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov is the only other match announced thus far.  

Ridge Holland Returns On WWE NXT

Andrew Ravens
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Highly touted prospect Ridge Holland made his return to WWE NXT TV on Tuesday’s episode. 

It happened when Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan defeated Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa as Holland caused a distraction. The heels beat down Thatcher and Ciampa after the match. 

Holland was put on the sidelines after suffering injuries on an episode of NXT last October during a match against Oney Lorcan. 

He suffered a left ankle dislocation and fracture, a patellar dislocation, and a ruptured patellar tendon. Holland underwent surgery to get this done. At the time, many people believed that he would be out for quite some time as the patellar tendon rupture alone can take anywhere from 6-12 months to heal. Thus, many people thought he would be out for a year, but that wasn’t the case. 

In June, it was reported that the NXT star had been seen daily at the WWE Performance Center to continue to rehab his leg and working towards getting cleared to return to the ring.

Next week, Holland will be in singles action against Ikemen Jiro.

John Cena On The Rock: “As A Fan Of WWE, I Really Hope He Returns”

Andrew Ravens
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John Cena is just like the majority of fans as they hope that The Rock makes a WWE return in the near future. 

It’s been reported that WWE has plans for The Rock to appear at the Survivor Series pay-per-view in November to set up a rumored match with WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at either WrestleMania 38 or WrestleMania 39. 

Cena recently spoke with ET Tonight and had praise for the fellow WWE Champion. He noted that Rock is a star in his own universe and there’s no one like him and there won’t ever be like him. 

“For him to be gracious enough to return to WWE, it’s own global entertainment phenomenon, that’s great for WWE and it is great for The Rock. As a fan of WWE, I really hope he returns. I think it would be special for everyone.”

In this same article, The Rock was asked if there was anything to tease regarding a potential WWE return and the future WWE Hall of Famer said there’s nothing. 

The Rock is currently promoting his “Jungle Cruise” movie. Cena is back on WWE TV to promote his match with Reigns at SummerSlam. 

WWE Raw Ratings Dips From Last Week’s Surge (7/26)

Andrew Ravens
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Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.814 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic. This is down from last week’s 1.923 million viewers and the 0.57 rating. 

Last week’s show was the best viewership Raw has done since the post-Wrestlemania episode on April 12 as it was the post-show edition of Raw for Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view event.

Here’s the rest of the viewership breakdown for Monday Night Raw, courtesy of Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics:

P2+: 1814 ,000
P18-49: 635,000 
M18-49: 432 ,000
F18-49: 203,000 
P18-34: 215,000 
M18-34: 140,000 
F18-34: 75 ,000
P35-49: 419 ,000
M35-49: 292,000
F35-49: 127,000 
non-P18-49: 1179,000

This episode featured Bobby Lashley responding to Goldberg’s challenge, Raw Tag Team Champions Omos & AJ Styles vs. The Viking Raiders, Mustafa Ali & Mansoor in action, and Raw Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H.addressing the fans following her title win.

SmackDown Viewership

The episode drew an average of 2.04 million viewers in the overnight ratings, down from the previous week that did 2.185 million viewers. In the 18-49 demographic, it did a 0.55 rating, which was down from the 0.66 rating the week before.  The final ratings were 2.137 million viewers, down from last week’s 2.310 million viewers.

Vickie Guerrero Pushing For AEW To Sign Ruby Soho (Ruby Riott)

Tyriece Simon
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All Elite Wrestling talent Vickie Guerrero has expressed interest in seeing former WWE superstar Ruby Riot sign with AEW. Since leaving WWE, Riot’s last name changed to Soho.

Guerrero appeared on the Thoughts Count Anywhere Podcast with Aaron Philips, Thomas Glenn, and Matthew Mullan to discuss various topics regarding AEW. When asked what unsigned talent she’d like to see signed to AEW, Guerrero said Soho.

“I think the one that comes to mind is Ruby. You know she was formerly with WWE; I would love to have Ruby on the roster for AEW,” said Guerrero.

Guerrero also said, “She was really underutilized, and I love her. She was on my podcast and just a great talent and a good wholesome human being.”

Former WWE Talent in AEW

AEW has signed a couple of former WWE superstars in the last couple of months. Malakia Black, formerly known as Alistair Black, made his debut two weeks ago. WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry also signed with AEW in June to a multi-year deal. While WWE has chosen not to resign or is unable to retain talent, AEW has boosted their roster.

AEW also made news last week on rumors that former WWE superstars Daniel Bryan and CM Punk have signed to the company. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that CM Punk is in talks for an in-ring return, likely with AEW. BodySlam.net’s Cassidy Haynes reported that Daniel Bryan has “100 % already signed a contract with AEW.”

Ruby Soho WWE Release

Soho was released from WWE on June 2nd. Her career in the company lasted 5 years after being signed in 2016. Soho’s last match in WWE was in a tag team match with Liv Morgan against Tamina and Natalya on May 28th’s Smackdown. She lost the match and was pinned by Tamina.

Since her release, Soho hasn’t made an appearance for another wrestling promotion. It’s unclear with Guerrero’s comments if Soho has caught the attention of AEW.

Update On WWE’s Queen of the Ring Tournament Plans

Chris Stephens
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Last week, reports came out that WWE was looking at holding a single-elimination tournament dubbed The Queen of the Ring.

In an update to this story, Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast is reporting that the current plan is to start the tournament in October. The October 8th edition of Smackdown and the October 11th edition of RAW is when the tournament is currently scheduled to begin.

Queen of the Ring Tournament

Multiple female Superstars have expressed an interest in WWE holding a Queen of the Ring tournament.

Sasha Banks said a Queen of the Ring tournament would be “really freaking cool” during a 2020 interview with ProSieben MAXX. commented on WWE possibly hosting a Queen of the Ring tournament during an interview last year.

“A Queen of the Ring tournament on a whole PPV for itself would be really freaking cool,” said Banks. “But I’ve been waiting for Evolution 2 for a very long time. So maybe we can do that first, and maybe we can start off little bit [with] matches at Evolution for the Queen of the Ring Tournament. Maybe something like that can happen. But that’s up to you guys, you have to tweet Vince [McMahon]. Make sure you keep on tweeting him so we can have that in 2021.”

In 2019, Bayley also spoke publicly about hoping for such a tournament. 

“We kinda want a Queen of the Ring,” Bayley said on the KSFY Morning Show. “If you guys could make that happen, I would love that.”

Update On When Randy Orton Will Return To WWE

Chris Stephens
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Randy Orton hasn’t been on WWE RAW in over a month. This has greatly impacted his RK-Bro teammate Matt Riddle, who continues to point toward the ceiling any time he mentions the Viper. According to local advertising in the Chicago market, however, Orton is expected to return to RAW on next week’s show.

The Viper is expected back on WWE as early as next week. He will be resuming his partnership with Riddle in the lead-up to SummerSlam on August 21st. Riddle has been hinting at Orton’s return on Raw Talk and social media.

Randy Orton’s last performance in WWE was on the June 21st edition of RAW. He lost a Money in the Bank Qualifying match to John Morrison and has been gone ever since.

Riddle lost a singles match to John Morrison on Monday’s Raw after being distracted by Omos, who broke his scooter. This could be WWE’s way to set up a tag title feud, with RK-Bro chasing Omos and AJ Styles for the tag titles.

Randy Orton is no stranger to tag team gold. He’s a 2-time WWE tag-team champion. He previously held titles with Edge as Rated RKO and with the Wyatt Family in 2016.

Big E Comments On Scrapped Angle With Aleister Black

Chris Stephens
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On the May 21st, 2021 edition of Smackdown, Big E was attacked by Aleister Black. What looked like the start of a big angle turned out to be Black’s last performance in a WWE ring. Now known as Malakai Black, he’ll face Cody Rhodes in his first AEW match at AEW Homecoming next week.

Big E recently spoke about the angle he was supposed to work with Black during an interview with GiveMeSport.

“I don’t know the plans, I had no idea,” Big E said (transcriptions via Fightful). “Obviously, we had seen the vignettes for weeks and weeks. He comes out at the end of the main event and kicks me in the face. I’m thinking, ‘Alright, it’s him and I, we’re going to run for a bit.'”

Black wasn’t on the show the following week. He was then released from WWE on June 2nd, 2021. Meanwhile, Big E continued to feud with Apollo Crews.

“I was definitely surprised (when Black was released),” Big E continued. “I think he’s extremely talented and has a ton to offer. People were excited to see us because there is such a difference in the way we carry ourselves and our characters. We’re polar opposites and I think it would have made for a lot of fun.”

E would also say that he wasn’t worried about Black, noting he was pretty sure someone would pick him up after his release.

“The Aleister thing was an opportunity to do something different and a nice break from that. It ended up fizzling. He’s very good at what he does and I wish him well.”

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

Mickie James Invites Gail Kim To NWA Empowerrr

Chris Stephens
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Mickie James invited Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo to the NWA Empowerrr PPV at Slammiversary. On Impact this week, Gail Kim revealed that she is the one who sent James out to offer the invite to the Virtuosa. In a video posted to Impact’s social media, James has now invited Gail Kim to be a part of NWA Empowerrr as well.

It’s not clear what role Gail Kim will play for the show. James only asks her for her help with the show, not necessarily to wrestle. Kim came out of retirement for one match in 2019. She wrestled Tessa Blanchard at the Impact Rebellion PPV from her hometown of Toronto that year.

NWA Empowerrr will take place from the Khorassan Ballroom At The Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis on August 28th. The NWA will present its 73rd Anniversary show from the same venue the following night.

“It’s pretty amazing because we’re going to we’re going to kick it off and we’re going to set the bar and hopefully for the rest of the weekend,” James said at a press conference in St. Louis earlier this month.

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

Injury Update On Natalya

Chris Stephens
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Natalya was injured and had to be helped to the back on RAW last night. Natalya and Tamina were wrestling Eva Marie and Doudrop. While in the ring with Doudrop, Natalya started favoring her leg. The injury was addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“It was not evident watching the match but what happened was essentially Doudrop, Piper Niven, when she did the takedown she kind of rolled and the ankle was twisted in a very ugly way,” said Dave Meltzer. Unfortunately, he would continue to say the belief right now is that the injury is likely serious.

“We don’t know right now how serious it is but it’s probably serious.”

“Without a doubt, it’s probably something pretty serious because if it wasn’t she would have just walked out on it, that’s the reality,” Meltzer continued.

Natalya and Tamina have been WWE tag team champions dating back to the May 14th Smackdown. They defeated Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax to win the belts on that show. They have defended the titles twice since winning them against the former champions.

This is the 3rd title run for 39-year-old Natalya. She is a 1x former Divas Champion, 1x Smackdown Women’s Champion as well.

Mexican Legend Brazo de Plata ‘Super Porky’ Passes Away Aged 58

Alex Laybourne
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Comedic wrestlers play a very large part in professional wrestling. Often, they fail to get the respect and recognition that they deserve. However, those who work in the industry understand. The sad news was circulated yesterday that Mexican wrestler Brazo de Plata has passed away. Better known for the latter stages of his career as the comedic wrestler Super Porky. He was just 58 years old.

The news was broken by Mexican talk show Mas Lucha and was later confirmed by multiple other sources including Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.

Brazo de Plata is better known in the US for his time with WWE where he wrestled under the name Super Porky. While he never really had a real match, he was part of the Smackdown juniors’ roster. Appearing predominantly in backstage segments.

A small man with a very large physique, it only served to make his oddly athletic moves more impressive.

Super Porky Came from a Legendary Luchador Family

While his accomplishments in the ring might not be as legendary as others, Super Porky came from the legendary luchador family. The Alvarado family runs multiple generations deep in the ring. Super Porky fought alongside his brothers for a lot of his career before eventually fully embracing the comedic side of his catching personality.

Despite failing health in later years, Super Pork continued to wrestle and work the independent scene in Mexico.

Following the news of his passing, several prominent wrestling names tweeted out their respects, including NXT star Santos Escobar.

 ‘I LOVE YOU Pepito. Rest in Peace Silver Arm “Super Porky” my condolences to the entire Alvarado family. Today the Celestial Arena receives a legend.”

A serious wrestler in his youth, his expanding waistline saw him gain the Super Porky moniker in the mid-1990s. His real legacy began once he embraced this side of himself. However, despite his bulging waistline and seeming ineptitude, he was a talented wrestler and a man who loved the business. 

Condolences go to the Alvarado family.

Kenny Omega Wants Rampage to Showcase AEW Women’s Roster

Alex Laybourne
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AEW champion and EVP Kenny Omega has spoken about AEW’s newest show Rampage. In little over two weeks the show will debut on TNT. Talking to Wrestling Observer Radio, Omega talked about how he would book Rampage if given the chance.

“The content I think we’re lacking is in our women’s division. I would love to see Rampage be home to more women’s wrestling.” Kenny Omega said.

It has long been documented that Kenny Omega is the biggest vocal for the AEW women’s division. In his role as EVP, he is the man who has the most involvement with the women’s division and female wrestlers. So, for him to make a comment such as that is not surprising.

However, he followed it up with an explanation that makes a lot of sense.

“I feel like we have incredibly gifted female wrestlers that have been working very hard and fighting for a spot and maybe it’s time for them to get more.”

Kenny Omega Wants to Avoid Over Feeding Fans the Same Wrestlers

AEW have a bulging roster and one that looks set to grow considerably in the next few months. However, Kenny Omega understands how important it is to avoid the common pitfall of showing the same wrestlers down fan’s throats each show.

Yes, AEW has some marquee names on their roster, but they do not need to appear on every show, every week. Instead, Omega would like to use the Rampage hour as a televised platform for other deserving stars.

“I think the extra hour with Rampage, rather than give them more Chris Jericho, more Kenny Omega, more MJF and the guys you know you’re going to see on Dynamite; I’d rather give them all of the extremely talented individuals that maybe you don’t see that week.

AEW have a large female roster, but often Dynamite only shows one or two female matches. Omega wants to see that change on Rampage.

It’s worth noting that Dark and Dark Elevation often feature multiple female matches, however, not everybody wants to watch wrestling on YouTube.

Kenny Omega plays a huge role in AEW, and his real role as EVP is a far cry from his in-ring character. He understands how wrestling works and is invested in not only growing his name but expanding the exposure of high-quality female wrestling to fans.

Tommy Dreamer Touts Omos as Being a Future WWE Champion

Alex Laybourne
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Former ECW legend Tommy Dreamer has spoken up about WWE’s newest big man, Omos. Dreamer’s comments on the taller half of the current RAW tag team champions came via Twitter.

“Everyone hating on @TheGiantOmos Wait till he is @WWE Champ #WWERaw (Remember this tweet)”

The tweet was sent just after AJ Styles and Omos defended their titles against the Viking Raiders. Since debuting as AJ’s bodyguard – a move that drew many comparisons to Shawn Michaels and Diesel – Omos has been unstoppable.

However, as Tommy Dreamer alluded to, there is an undeniable air of a future champion about Omos. He is big, he is powerful, and he is everything Vince McMahon has perpetually wanted in a champion.

How long will it take before Omos turns on his current partner and goes off on his own? Probably as long as their tag title run lasts. Then, once his inevitable feud with AJ is done, Omos will head off in search of singles gold. Tommy Dreamer is right. He will be a future WWE champion.

Tommy Dreamer Sees the Potential in the Big Man

While everybody will make the jokes, as I just did, about Vince’s penchant for the big bull champion, Tommy Dreamer knows what he is talking about. As a promotion owner, as well as being an IMPACT producer and creative mind, Dreamer knows what to look for in wrestlers.

Tommy Dreamer can see the potential in making Omos a champion and the different feuds that could be had. For company owners and management, wrestling is about making money. Telling the right story to get the right attention and make money. Omos as a champion is money.

With the way WWE have been building their recent run of champions as monsters, both with Bobby Lashley and Roman Reigns, the concept of a big man being dominant is nothing new. While the way a character like Tommy Dreamer would book the run might be different than how WWE would do it. However, the end result would be the same. Championship gold around WWE’s newest giant.

WWE RAW Results (7/26): Title Match Set For SummerSlam, Lashley Responds To Goldberg

Robert Lentini
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WWE RAW aired live from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. RAW Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos put the titles on the line against the Viking Raiders tonight. WWE Champion Bobby Lashley responded to Goldberg’s challenge for a match at SummerSlam as well.

RAW Results (7/26)

  1. Damian Priest def. Sheamus (non-title match)
  2. AJ Styles & Omos def. Viking Raiders to retain the RAW Tag Titles
  3. Drew McIntyre def. Veer via DQ
  4. Karrion Kross def. Keith Lee via submission
  5. Mansoor & Mustafa Ali def. Mace & T-Bar
  6. Bobby Lashley def. Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander
  7. John Morrison def. Riddle
  8. Reginald def. R-Truth to retain the 24/7 Championship
  9. Charlotte def. Nikki A.S.H.

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

There Will Be A Triple Threat For The RAW Women’s Title At SummerSlam

RAW Women’s Champion Nikki ASH kicked off this week’s show. The crowd gave Nikki a great reaction as she welcomed everyone to Monday Night RAW. Nikki added that she was so happy to be the new RAW Women’s Champion and the crowd chanted “you deserve it”. Nikki spoke about the confidence she gets from putting on the superhero costume before Charlotte interrupted.

Flair strolled to the ring and grabbed a microphone. Charlotte claimed that it was a disgrace that Nikki was RAW Women’s Champion and she shouldn’t represent WWE dressed like that. The crowd booed Flair and chanted “you suck!” as she boasted about defeating Rhea last week again. Charlotte vowed to get her rematch at SummerSlam and blamed the fans for all the injustice.

Charlotte claimed that the fans were jealous of her and then Rhea Ripley interrupted. The crowd loudly chanted for Rhea as she poked fun at Flair for only holding the title for a day. Eventually, Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville joined the party and announced a Triple Threat match for SummerSlam. They then said Charlotte will face Nikki later tonight.

Damian Priest Pinned The US Champ

US Champion Sheamus faced Damian Priest in the first match of the night. Sheamus dominated the match early and beat Damian down in the corner. When RAW returned from a break, Sheamus was still in control and had Damian trapped in a Headlock.

Damian escaped and dropped Sheamus with a kick to the face. Sheamus hit a kick of his own and climbed to the top rope. Priest grabbed Sheamus by the throat and connected with a massive Chokeslam for a two count. Damian responded with an Alabama Slam and went for the cover but Priest kicked out at two.

Priest unloaded a bunch of kicks to Sheamus’ face but Sheamus responded with a big knee to the face for a two count. Damian hit a Clothesline and followed it up with the Reckoning for the pinfall victory. Sheamus shouted that Damian re-broke his nose after the match.

Opinion: I still look forward to the day that WWE builds up challengers without pinning their champions. I’d like to think someone eventually will ask “why are we routinely making our champions look weak on television?”. It also weakens the moment when Damian does win the title because we’ve now already seen him pin the champion.

AJ Styles & Omos Retained

AJ Styles and Omos defended the RAW Tag Team Championships against Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) tonight. Viking Raiders hit Viking Experience on Styles early but couldn’t go for the cover because Omos beat them down outside the ring as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Viking Raiders were in control and had Styles isolated in the ring. Ivar tried to drag Omos off the apron but the big man just booted him away. Omos got into the ring and Powerbombed Erik to the mat. Styles followed it up with an awesome springboard 450 Splash for the pinfall victory. AJ Styles and Omos are still the RAW Tag Team Champions.

Drew McIntyre def. Veer via DQ

Drew McIntyre faced Veer on this week’s RAW. Before the match, McIntyre tried to get a “Drew is gonna kill you” chant going. Veer got in some offense early and leveled McIntyre with a shoulder tackle. Veer followed it up with an Elbow Drop for a near fall.

Veer applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring but Drew quickly battled to his feet. McIntyre broke the hold but Veer hit him with a kick to the ribs. McIntyre responded with a shoulder tackle of his own and Jinder slid a chair into the ring. McIntyre hit the Claymore and kicked the chair into Veer’s face. According to the announcers, Drew won the match via DQ because Jinder Mahal introduced the chair. After the match, McIntyre leveled Jinder’s attorney with a Claymore to the face.

Alexa Bliss Distracted Eva Marie

Tamina & Natalya faced Eva Marie & Doudrop. Doudrop dominated early and hit Tamina with a Splash. Eva Marie demanded to be tagged in and went for the cover but Tamina kicked out. A video package for Lilly and the Lilly-Lution aired and distracted Eva Marie. Tamina capitalized with a Superkick on Eva for the pinfall victory. Natalya was shown being helped to the back after the match and appeared to have injured her leg.

Karrion Kross Tapped Out Keith Lee

Keith Lee faced NXT Champion Karrion Kross tonight on RAW. Keith Lee hit a couple shoulder tackles before Clotheslining Kross out of the ring. Lee followed him out there and Kross sent him into the ring post. Kross connected with a Suplex on the floor outside the ring as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Kross sent Keith Lee to the corner and beat him down. Lee and Kross traded punches in the middle of the ring. Lee hit the pounce and Kross fell to the canvas. Karrion battled back and locked in the Kross Jacket for the submission victory.

Mansoor & Mustafa Ali Picked Up A Win

Mace & T-Bar faced Mustafa Ali & Mansoor tonight on RAW. T-Bar leveled Mustafa Ali and then knocked Mansoor off the apron. Ali eventually battled back and was able to tag in Mansoor. Mace tagged in at the same time and Mansoor greeted him with an Enziguri.

Mace went for a slam but Mansoor countered into a reverse DDT. Mansoor went for the cover but T-Bar broke it up and sent him to the outside. Mustafa came out of nowhere and hit an awesome Suicide Dive into a Tornado DDT outside the ring. Mansoor then rolled up Mace for the pinfall victory.

Lashley Dominated & Sent A Message To Goldberg

WWE Champion Bobby Lashley came down to the ring to begin the final hour of this week’s RAW. MVP accompanied the champion to the ring. MVP asked the crowd to rise to their feet and show the proper amount of respect for the WWE Champion. MVP brought up Goldberg and the crowd started chanting his name. Lashley said he is not even going to dignify Goldberg’s challenge with a response but this is his ring and he will not be disrespected by anyone.

Cedric Alexander interrupted and challenged Lashley. Shelton Benjamin joined the party and told Cedric that he has an annoying voice. This led to a Handicap match and Lashley planted Shelton with a Neckbreaker. Lashley hit the Flatliner on Cedric and threw him out of the ring.

Benjamin hit Lashley with a knee to the face and Alexander followed it up with a DDT. Shelton and Cedric went for the cover but Lashley threw them both off of him. Lashley planted Alexander with a Chokeslam and then hit Shelton with the a Spear. The WWE Champion then sent a message to Goldberg by hitting Benjamin with a Jackhammer. Lashley stacked Shelton and Cedric on top of each other and pinned them both.

Omos & AJ Styles Helped Morrison & Miz

Riddle faced John Morrison this week on WWE RAW. Riddle sent Morrison to the corner and charged but John dropped him with a kick to the face for a near fall. Riddle booted The Miz in the face and knocked his wheelchair over. Riddle hit a springboard Moonsault onto Morrison outside the ring as AJ Styles & Omos made their way down the entrance ramp. The Miz and Morrison were shown talking to the RAW Tag Champs before the match.

Morrison connected with a kick to the face but Riddle shrugged it off. Riddle connected with the Ripcord Knee and went for the cover but Morrison kicked out at two. Omos broke Riddle’s scooter and Morrison capitalized with a spinning slam/ Uranage. John followed it up with Starship Pain for the pinfall victory. The Miz fired off the drip stick and AJ beat Riddle down some more after the match.

Reginald Retained The 24/7 Title

Reginald defended the 24/7 Championship against R-Truth. R-Truth had a microphone the entire match and taunted Reginald. R-Truth threw Reginald’s jacket over his face and went for a Crossbody but Reginald got out of the way. Reginald hit a Senton for the pinfall victory and then flipped out of the ring when superstars rushed the ring.

Charlotte Pinned The RAW Women’s Champion

Charlotte Flair faced Nikki A.S.H. in a Championship Contender’s match in the main event. Charlotte slammed Nikki’s face off the top turnbuckle and then choked her against the middle rope. Nikki shoved her away but Charlotte caught her with a forearm to the face.

Flair sent Nikki out of the ring and started mocking the crowd for being behind Nikki. Charlotte stomped away at Nikki as she got back into the ring and then a boot to the face for a two count. Nikki battled back and unloaded some strikes on Charlotte in the corner. Flair turned it around and knocked Nikki to the canvas.

Charlotte stomped Nikki back down in the corner of the ring and went for a Suplex but Nikki countered into a roll-up for a two count. Flair went for a Side Slam but Nikki escaped and sent Charlotte to the outside. Nikki connected with a Dropkick through the ropes but Flair got up and sent the RAW Women’s Champion over the announce table as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Charlotte was stretching out Nikki’s from on the ring post. Back in the ring, Flair hit a Fallaway Slam and went for the cover but the RAW Women’s Champion kicked out at two. Flair got Nikki in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Nikki escaped and sent Charlotte to the outside.

Nikki hit a Crossbody off the apron and rolled Charlotte back into the ring. Nikki ducked a Clothesline and hit Charlotte with two more Crossbodies. Nikki went for a Sunset Flip but Flair blocked it. Nikki connected with a Running Bulldog and went for the cover but Charlotte powered out at two.

The RAW Women’s Champion fired up the crowd as Charlotte made her way back up. Flair unloaded some chops that knocked Nikki to the corner of the ring. Nikki planted Flair with a DDT and climbed to the top rope. The champ went for a Crossbody but Flair rolled through and pinned the champion.

Charlotte was annoyed that she was congratulated after the win by the interviewer. Flair referred to herself as “The Opportunity” and told Nikki that nobody was in her league. The crowd booed and Flair said that she wasn’t sorry. Charlotte posed in the ring and Nikki shouted that she said “Almost A Super Hero!” and can admit that she lost the match. Nikki challenged Flair to a rematch next week. Flair told Nikki that she can beat her any week and accepted the match.

Flair booted Nikki in the face and beat her down next to a fan holding a “Nikki A.S.H.” sign. Charlotte leveled Nikki with another boot to the face and posed for the crowd to close the show.

Opinion: Apparently, you simply are not a champion unless you are constantly getting pinned in non-title matches. I don’t understand the point of making Nikki A.S.H. the champion and immediately handing her a loss.

Date For Next WWE PPV Event In Saudi Arabia

Andrew Ravens
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WWE is planning to return to Saudi Arabia this October for a pay-per-view event just as long as COVID-19 regulations allow for it.

Mat Men’s Andrew Zarian first reported the news on Monday. He noted that Thursday, October 21st was the targeted date. POST Wrestling’s John Pollock tweeted he had heard the same while Dave Meltzer confirmed the date. 

The name nor the location and venue of the show has yet to be revealed. WWE has also yet to confirm the show. 

WWE hasn’t held an event in the country since Super ShowDown in February 2020, which was headlined by Goldberg defeating “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt for the Universal Championship. Since 2018, WWE has held 5 total pay-per-view events in Saudi Arabia. 

In June 2019 at the Super Showdown event, WWE was slated to present a women’s match for the first time in the country as Alexa Bliss was set to take on Natalya, but that got nixed due to the local government. However, later that year, Natalya and Lacey Evans competed instead at Crown Jewel. 

After Crown Jewel, the infamous incident with a plane holding wrestlers, staff and other personnel stuck at the airport for several hours happened. 

After that event, WWE and the Saudi General Entertainment Authority signed a long-term partnership through 2027. That contract states WWE is obligated to hold two events per year in the country.

Natalya Injured During WWE Raw Match

Andrew Ravens
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Unfortunately, Natalya went down with an injury while working a match on Monday’s episode of WWE Raw. 

The Raw Tag Team Champions (Natalya and Tamina) wrestled Eva Marie and Doudrop in a Raw Women’s Tag Title Contenders match on the show from Kansas City, MO at the T-Mobile Center.

Late in the match, Natalya had to leave the ring and Tamina finished the match. The referee called for an audible as a pre-taped skit with Alexa Bliss’ doll aired that caused the distraction finish for Marie to get pinned by Tamina. 

After the match, Natalya was shown being helped out to the back by Tamina and a medical staff member. It’s unclear what the injury is, but it appears to do with her leg as she wasn’t able to walk on it. 

We wish Natalya a speedy recovery and hope the injury is not serious. 

Natalya and Tamina have held the titles since they beat Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler for them on the May 14th episode of SmackDown from the ThunderDome. Jax and Baszler had held the titles for 103 days. Thus far, Natalya and Tamina have held the titles for 72 days. 

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