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Triple H On WWE Looking For Ways To Attract More Fans

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Thunderdome era saw WWE scoring some of the lowest TV ratings in their history. WWE officials seem to have taken note of this. Triple H recently talked about their efforts to bring the attention of fans back to the WWE product.

Dan Gelston of The Associated Press did a story looking back at the Thunderdome era of wrestling and the effect the lack of fans had on WWE programming.

Talking about the record low ratings, Triple H said that the company will “take a hard look” at how it can attract more fans to the product each week. He then explained how they are seeing it as a moment in time to shift everything:

“It never is one thing; we see this as a moment in time to shift everything. I think you’ll see it in just the layout of everything, the set designs, the way it’s presented.

There’s a greater emphasis on utilizing the spaces that we have and the TV aspect of it while still engaging the fans.” said Triple H, “A lot of that comes from the time we had to experiment inside the Thunderdome.”

The article also featured comments from the Universal champion Roman Reigns. He explained why the situation would have been better if they were doing it in front of live crowds, claiming that crowd response keeps you sharp.

Triple H went on to praise the Tribal Chief for his performance during the pandemic era. The Game claimed that Reigns has been able to bring a level of emotion to his performance that wouldn’t have been possible with the fans cheering or booing over him.

Backstage News On Thunder Rosa Signing AEW Contract

Anutosh Bajpai
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AEW announced earlier today that former NWA women’s champion Thunder Rosa has finally signed an official contract with the promotion. While she has been a regular for AEW in recent months, the news of her signing still surprised many because she was under contract with NWA until the end of this year.

In an update to this development, Fightful Select is reporting that Rosa was able to sign with AEW after a buyout of her NWA contract was orchestrated. The site noted that AEW officials including the boss Tony Khan are careful about not tampering with contracts. The company wanted to play by the book in the situation with NWA.

Thunder Rosa had previously asked for a release in 2020 but her request was declined at the time. Previous reports have revealed that Tony Khan and NWA president Billy Corgan have worked with each other in the past, though whether they were directly involved in the negotiation over Rosa is unknown.

  • Cris Cyborg Wants Thunder Rosa in an AEW MMA Fight

The former Lucha Underground star made her AEW debut back in August 2020. She has been making regular appearances for the promotion ever since. Thunder Rosa is already used as one of the top stars of AEW’s women’s division. Now after her signing with the promotion, the officials are free to build long-term storylines around the female star.

Gail Kim On If Impact Wrestling Will Be Affected When Kenny Omega Leaves

Anutosh Bajpai
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Impact Wrestling has been focusing on Kenny Omega and other visiting stars for their top storylines in recent months. Many have wondered how the company will fare once these names leave and Gail Kim recently discussed this.

The Impact veteran recently appeared on Busted Open Radio where she opened up about the current AEW champion being the focus of their top stories.

Kim was asked about the company’s future once stars such as Omega and Jey White stop making appearances for the promotion. Replying to it, the former Knockouts champion showed faith in the Impact management:

“I think if they do things right, and I do trust the creative and management process right now, I think they’ve done a really good job. Just a couple years ago, people hated us. For years! It was very hard to get that stink off, we’ll call it. And we’re getting viewers back; we’re getting people talking about it.

I just recently talked to a guy who has a store, a wrestling store. And he was talking about how he could see the difference in sales and people asking for Impact merchandise. We’re making those steps and I think it’s been so positive.”

Gail Kim went on to claim that she trusts the creative team. The TNA Hall Of Famer explained that they will be fine even after the big stars leave as long as they intertwine all the stories:

“I think as long as they intertwine all of these stories, and like I said, I trust the creative team. They’re great. Any person that’s on our roster is used. That’s what I love about this company. If you have a contract with our company, you’re being used.

So I think, ultimately, I would trust this management team right now, the creative team. And I think we’re making the moves in the right direction.”

Kenny Omega made his return to Impact Wrestling on December 8 last year. This relationship has since developed into a full-blown partnership between not only Impact and AEW, but companies like NJPW and NWA as well.

Thunder Rosa Signs With AEW

Michael Reichlin
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Women’s wrestling star Thunder Rosa has officially signed with All Elite Wrestling. AEW sent out the customary “Thunder Rosa is #AllElite” tweet on Thursday afternoon.

Thunder Rosa has wrestled for AEW since August 2020, but was not formally signed to a longterm contract.

The former MMA fighter turned pro wrestler made her Impact Wrestling debut this past weekend at Slammiversary.

Thunder Rosa issued a statement following the news of her signing. She wrote, “Never in my life doubt that I would be where I want to be! Today one of the biggest accomplishments in my career has been announced!”

Prior to signing with AEW, Thunder Rosa was under contract with the National Wrestling Alliance. The NWA posted a congratulatory message wishing her well in the next chapter of her journey.

Thunder Rosa joins a flourishing AEW women’s roster that also includes (Champion) Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Penelope Ford, Nyla Rose, Jade Cargill, Tay Conti, Riho, Anna Jay and more.

EX WWE Superstar CJ Perry Joins “The Surreal Life” Reboot

Tyriece Simon
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CJ Perry, aka Lana, will join the new “The Surreal Life” reboot.

Deadline’s Peter White reports that VH1 will bring back the reality tv series “The Surreal Life” this fall. The article also reports that Perry will join other celebrities like Dennis Rodman, Tamar Braxton, and Stormy Daniels.

“The Surreal Life is known for bringing together some of the biggest names in pop culture and creating many unforgettable moments in reality television,” said Nina L. Diaz, President of Content and Chief Creative Officer of MTV Entertainment Group, in a statement to Deadline. “We are excited to see how this stellar celebrity cast will make captivating television for audiences everywhere.”

Perry’s Release From WWE

The WWE released Perry from her contract last month. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp and Jeremy Lambert were the first to report the news, which WWE later confirmed. Ryan Satin reported that Perry signed a five-year deal with WWE in November 2019. However, WWE decided to let her go regardless. Perry’s career with WWE lasted eight years.

Perry’s last match was a tag team loss with Naomi to Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose on May 31st, Monday Night Raw. As of now, “The Surreal Life” will be Perry’s first TV appearance since her release.

Seventh Season of “The Surreal Life”

The upcoming reboot is the seventh season of “The Surreal Life.” The first season was in 2003 and lasted until 2006. The series revolves around celebrities living together in a mansion for a period of time while being filmed. It is unclear where the new season will occur or if the show will be in a different format.

“The Surreal Life” History with Wrestlers

Perry will be the fourth wrestler to appear in the reality series. “The Surreal Life” has seen former WWE wrestlers like Chyna, Sean Waltman, and Maven. Both Chyna and Waltman were in season 4, and Maven appeared in season 6.

Perry’s History on Reality TV shows

Perry is not unfamiliar with reality tv series. She appeared in four seasons of WWE’s reality tv series “Total Divas.” Perry has also been active in her acting career. She was featured in a movie released to Video on Demand this year with Bruce Willis called “Cosmic Sin.”

Kiera Hogan Announces Departure From Impact Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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Former Knockouts tag team champion Kiera Hogan has announced that she is leaving Impact Wrestling. The 26-year-old took to her OnlyFans account to announce the news.

“What’s up babies! I’m in Nashville for tapings and you guys will be the first to know that this is my last IMPACT tapings and I’m going to see what else is out there for me I’m so excited and scared but I know whatever I choose to do I’m gonna be the best and that’s on periodt,” she wrote.

Hogan formed a team with Tasha Steelz known as Fire N Flava last year. In January, Hogan and Steelz won an 8-team single-elimination tournament to win the Knockouts tag team championships. The titles were brought out of retirement for the first time since 2013.

Hogan and Steelz lost the titles to Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering at Rebellion in April. They regained the belts at Under Siege the following month, however. Recently at Slammiversary, Havok & Rosemary defeated Fire N Flava to become the new Knockouts tag team champions.

Hogan made her pro-debut in 2015 on independents near Atlanta. She was trained by Curtis “Mr.” Hughes. She signed with Impact in the summer of 2017.

The Rock Expected To Appear At WWE Survivor Series

Chris Stephens
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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is expected to be at WWE’s Survivor Series pay-per-view in November, according to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast.

Zarian tweeted on Thursday, “Hearing from a Source that The Rock is currently planned to be at this year’s Survivor Series,” Zarian Tweeted.

It was also noted that WWE has tentative plans for Survivor Series to be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The Rock’s 25 Anniversary

This year’s Survivor Series will also be the 25th Anniversary of the Rock’s WWE in-ring debut, in a sense. Technically, The Rock wrestled under his birth name on one episode of Superstars in 1996 before this. He also wrestled 3 Dark matches under the name “Flex Kavana” before the Survivor Series that year. Flex Kavana also wrestled with the USWA throughout 96.

His in-ring WWE debut as Rocky Maivia was at Survivor Series 96, however, when he teamed with Jake Roberts, Marc Mero, and “The Stalker” (Barry Windham). They defeated the team of Jerry Lawler, Crush, Goldust, and Triple H.

Survivor Series is also where The Rock won his first-ever world title. At Survivor Series 98, Rock defeated Mankind in the finals of a tournament to determine a new WWF Champion. Rock would turn heel and align with the Corporation in the process.

The Rock hasn’t wrestled an official match since WrestleMania 32, where he defeated Erik Rowan in an impromptu match that lasted only 6 seconds.

Andrade El Idolo Now Managed By Chavo Guerrero After ‘Complaints’

Jake Skudder
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All Elite star Andrade El Idolo revealed on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite that his new ‘consultant’ was former WWE Superstar Chavo Guerrero.

Before this week’s show, Andrade El Idolo had been accompanied to the ring by Vickie Guerrero, who was acting as his manager on-screen. According to a report from the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, several ‘complaints led to the storyline direction being changed for Andrade.

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez did not confirm if the ‘complaining’ had come from those within AEW or the fans, but it was enough for Tony Khan himself to change the former WWE Superstars’ push.

Meltzer stated, “I guess sometimes when you complain a lot, things happen. [Chavo] was not the surprise, this was a change. Tony Khan made a change from Vickie Guerrero to a new manager, and the new manager is Chavo Guerrero. So, that was not the original plan. The original plan was for Vickie Guerrero.”

Andrade El Idolo and Chavo Guerrero

There’s no news either on whether Andrade himself requested the change of manager to now have Chavo as his consultant.

El Idolo and Chavo interacted with Death Triangle on this week’s episode of Dynamite, with PAC, Penta El Zero M and Rey Fenix interrupting the newly signed AEW star during his segment.

It’s not confirmed what the direction now is for Andrade going forward. Still, it will likely be similar to what was originally planned, but with Chavo Guerrero managing him rather than Vickie.

Vickie Guerrero appears only to be managing Nyla Rose on AEW programming at this point. Dr Britt Baker D.M.D defeated Rose on this week’s episode of Dynamite in a contest for the AEW Women’s Championship.

WWE Planning Queen of the Ring Tournament For This Year (Report)

Chris Stephens
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WWE has toyed with the idea of running a single-elimination women’s tournament dubbed the Queen of the Ring for a few years now but it has never come to fruition. According to WrestlingInc, however, plans are in place for the company to run such a tournament by the end of the year.

In December, Sasha Banks spoke about wanting the company to run an annual Queen of the Ring tournament.

Queen of the Ring

“A Queen of the Ring tournament on a whole PPV for itself would be really freaking cool,” Banks said during an interview with ProSieben MAXX. “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.”

The Rock Is Being Considered for a New Space Jam Movie

Jake Skudder
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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is reportedly on the radar of Space Jam: A New Legacy director Malcolm D. Lee as being a potential leading actor for the franchise as they look towards the future of the series.

The first two films are among some of the most successful ever, with Space Jam: A New Legacy ranking #1 in theaters and bringing in $31 million on opening weekend.

Malcolm D. Lee recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the future of the franchise and how The Rock could be considered as the leading star, meaning that Space Jam may be heading beyond the basketball court.

“Dwayne Johnson would be an interesting choice,” Lee would begin the interview. “It would be different. I’m not exactly sure what his skill set would be, maybe he goes back to wrestling. That might be interesting.”

Space Jam 3 Feat. The Rock?

“I never say never” Lee continued. “It’s all going to be about whether the fans respond to this positively. But I think the bar has been set so high in terms of the first one with this global iconic superstar in Michael Jordan, and now the same global iconic superstar in LeBron James, who transcends sports.”

“Who is that next person to put into that universe?” the Space Jam: A New Legacy director noted; implying that the next megastar in the main role would need to be a huge name, like The Rock.

“And then you’ve got to find a script and story that’s good enough to not repeat what’s been done; but will capture the spirit of it and keep it going” Lee then concluded.

Would you like to see The Rock in Space Jam? Let us know in the comments.

Jimmy Korderas On Why Fans Reacted Differently To Goldberg and Cena

Alex Laybourne
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As we roll on towards the biggest wrestling event of the summer, we have both John Cena and Goldberg making their WWE comebacks. Talking recently on The Wrestling Inc., Daily former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas discussed the different reactions to the two legends. He went on to explain why he feels John Cena will always get a different reaction than Goldberg, regardless of the split opinion on them both.

“I think it’s going to be mixed,” admitted Jimmy Korderas. “Obviously there’s going to be the people going ‘Oh, cool to see [Goldberg]’ [and] ‘Eh, do we really want to see him right now?’ Especially with this current fanbase. Right now, they want to see [WWE] moving forward, and I think too many of them might see this as a step too far back.”

However, with John Cena, the reaction, while mixed, held far less exasperation about another old-timer coming back. In Jimmy Korderas’s mind, this has to do with the fact that Cena is a homegrown WWE talent. As such, his connection with the fans is very different.

“It’s different with John Cena because John Cena, for WWE, was at a different level,” observed Korderas. “If a Stone Cold comes back and does a beer bash and a couple of stunners people really love that. The Rock coming back, again, another rumored thing. Goldberg wasn’t a homegrown WWE talent, so I think the fans might view it a little differently.”

Jimmy Korderas Sees Money in Goldberg Returning

As the conversation continued to flow, Jimmy Korderas said he can see the thinking behind both men returning this moment in time. He would book Goldberg to be dominated by Bobby Lashley in order to establish Bobby as a monster ahead of the real match people are waiting for.

Call me crazy here, because obviously [Goldberg] would have to agree to this,” prefaced Korderas. “But can you imagine Goldberg having a match against Bobby Lashley and it turning out the same way as it did with Kofi? Would that not turn Bobby into one of the most hated individuals? Not only that, he took out Goldberg like that? Setting him up as the big monster for possibly another monster returning?”

The monster Jimmy Korderas is referring to is Brock Lesnar. Lesnar versus Lashley is a fight the entire WWE universe has been waiting for for a very long time.

Cody Rhodes Announces AEW Community Outreach Initiative

Chris Stephens
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With AEW now back out on the road, Cody Rhodes has announced a new community outreach initiative. Rhodes stated that the goal of the new department is to make a positive contribution to every city AEW visits.

“Very privileged to announce w/the blessing of Tony Khan our new Community Outreach team & department! We have a mission to do something positive in EVERY community we visit,” Rhodes Tweeted.

AEW Charitable Initiatives

AEW has run several charitable initiatives since its inception in 2019. Proceeds from first “Fight for the Fallen” event benefitted victims of gun violence in the Jacksonville, Florida area. Last year’s “Fight for the Fallen” benefited COVID-19 relief efforts.

AEW also has a partnership with Kulture City to make their events sensory inclusive.

“Priding itself on being for everyone, AEW partnered with KultureCity to make all their events Sensory Inclusive™ Certified so that all fans might be able to attend and be included,” Kulture City’s website reads regarding the partnership.

Fight for the Fallen 2021

Several matches have been booked for next week’s Fight for the Fallen event from Charlotte, North Carolina:

  • IWGP United States Championship
    Lance Archer (c) vs HIKULEO
  • No Rules – 5 Labors of Jericho
    “The Painmaker” Chris Jericho vs Nick Gage
  • Santana and Ortiz (with Konnan) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) (with Tully Blanchard)
  • Christian Cage and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) (with Marko Stunt) vs. Hardy Family Office (Angelico and Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen)) (with Matt Hardy)
  • 10 Man Elimination Tag Team Match
    The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Good Brothers and The Young Bucks) (with Don Callis) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page and The Dark Order (Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds)

Velveteen Dream’s Wrestling Return Announced, Then Canceled

Michael Reichlin
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Former WWE Superstar Velveteen Dream (Patrick Clark) was briefly advertised to appear at an upcoming independent wrestling show. He was quickly pulled from the event after “careful consideration” by the promoter.

Dream was released by WWE back in May. The controversial former NXT wrestler had his WWE career derailed after numerous ‘sexual misconduct’ allegations.

New Jersey-based promotion SWF announced Velveteen Dream would appear at their Home Sweet Home event on September 11th from Toms River, New Jersey. This would have been his return to the public eye.

Within a matter of hours of Velveteen Dream being advertised for SWF Home Sweet Home, plans changed. SWF owner Rob Fury issued a statement on social media addressing the situation.

Fury wrote, “I believe any man can be slandered and have been through other situations in my life unrelated but untrue. After careful consideration, Dream has been removed.”

Patrick Clark issued a lengthy statement following his WWE release, which you can read here.

Samoa Joe To Make In-Ring Return Against Karrion Kross At NXT Takeover 36

Chris Stephens
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At the recent NXT television tapings held at the Capitol Wrestling Center, Samoa Joe’s in-ring return was confirmed. During the tapings, Samoa Joe offered NXT General Manager William Regal his resignation so that he could face Kross. Regal agreed and signed the paperwork for a match between Kross and Joe at Takeover 36 for the NXT Championship.

For Samoa Joe this would be his first match since February of 2020. He has been out of action dealing with concussion issues. Following his release from WWE’s main roster this spring, Joe moved to NXT where he became something of Regal’s enforcer, although he only lasted a short while in the role.

Joe appeared on Ryan Satin’s “Out of Character” podcast at the end of June and spoke about his transition to NXT.

“I’ve kind of been in this situation before. A younger me probably would have been really, really freaked out. But, I mean at this point you just roll/pivot. That’s really all there is to it when it comes to life in general. That’s kind of the mantra I’ve kept. At that point I think I was already kind of in the works and setting up the next framework for whatever else I was going to do. A few hours later I get a call from Hunter and it pretty much all kind of changed.”

Update On Daniel Bryan & CM Punk Possibly Signing With AEW

Chris Stephens
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Recent reports have surfaced suggesting that both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan are likely to sign with AEW. This was addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio.

“I don’t know if either of those two are signed right now. I would not be surprised if Bryan Danielson signed but I do not know that to be a fact,” said Dave Meltzer. “As far as CM Punk, I know they’ve been talking to him for awhile. I know they’ve been talking to Bryan Danielson for awhile as well.”

NJPW The Biggest Factor For Daniel Bryan

Meltzer would continue to say that Bryan has loyalty to WWE and Vince McMahon but in the end, AEW’s relationship with NJPW was the biggest factor.

“In the end, the company with the relationship with New Japan was going to be the favorite to get (Daniel Bryan),” Meltzer continued.

In terms of Bryan debuting on the September 22nd show in New York, Meltzer said he wouldn’t be surprised if that’s true but could not confirm it.

On May 28th, reports surfaced that WWE was looking to get an exclusive talent-sharing deal with NJPW. Daniel Bryan wanting to wrestle in NJPW is speculated as to being a reason WWE was looking to do this at first.

“While Bryan Danielson was absolutely part of the early talks, that hasn’t been the case of late as far as the major aspect, and one source said he hasn’t been a part of any recent talks,” Meltzer said in June.

Update On CM Punk

“In May, I had been told there 4 signings. 2 somewhat big and 2 huge but none of them were signed but there was confidence that they would be signed,” Meltzer continued. “I knew 2 of them were Aleister Black and Danielson.”

“The other two I presumed were Punk and Andrade.”

Meltzer would continue to say that he does not know if there is a deal between Punk and AEW but he does know they’ve been talking for awhile.

Booker T Believes Finn Balor Needs to Prove Himself to be a Contender

Alex Laybourne
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Finn Balor is back on the WWE main roster. Many will say it is where he should have always been. However, one Hall of Famer has spoken up about the challenge that Finn now faces. Booker T doesn’t expect Balor to have an easy time of things after moving back up from NXT to Smackdown.

“I’m going to tell you this, Finn Balor being back on the main roster, he’s gonna have to work, man. It’s almost like you’ve got your 1-10 contenders. Right now I would say is No. 10. He’s going to have to work his way back up to that No. 1 spot through his performance — through his performance and that alone. I’m going to tell you right now, if Finn Balor is lucky enough to have a dance partner like Sami Zayn, that’s going to be definitely one for him to be able to go out there and create some magic in a match like that and let the world see exactly what Finn Balor is all about.” Booker T said while talking on his Hall of Fame podcast.

Booker T Says Finn Balor Needs to Connect with the Fans

Booker T wasn’t done there. It went on to say that Finn Balor will need to build a connection with the fans.

“I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times, you want to make the fans feel you in the ring …You got a guy like Finn Balor who can go out there and be not just a top Superstar on the roster, *the* top Superstar on the roster.

Booker T’s words seem mildly out of place for a star like Finn Balor. The fans know exactly what he can do, and already have a deep connection with the Irish star. The NXT audience blew up when Balor made his first-ever appearance for the brand and reacted the same way every time he worked a show.

Eddie Kingston Gives His Take on the Future Stars of Wrestling

Alex Laybourne
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Eddie Kingston has been on a tear as of late in AEW, proving all of his critics wrong. While many were surprised by his appearances, he has grown to be one of the company’s top guys.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRO6Dcrjr5L/

Talking in a recent interview with Bleacher Report, Kingston addressed the commonly raised issue of ‘the future of wrestling.’

Every generation has given rise to a few names who stand taller than the rest. A few youngsters whose skills can be seen right from the very start of their career. Eddie Kingston had a few names spring to his mind when answering the question.

“Everybody knows Jungle Boy is the future of the business,” was Kingston’s initial response. However, he later went on to add more and more names to the list. Emphasizing that the future of AEW does not lie in the hands of just one name.

“(Wheeler) Yuta just came in. I’ve known him for a minute. Brian Pillman Jr. of course, and his partner, Griff (Garrison). A lot of guys in the Dark Order are the future, especially of AEW. I don’t like the kid. What’s his name? MJF? He’s an assh–e. He hasn’t messed with me yet. I have known him for a very long time and he knows how I am. I’ll give the devil his due. He is definitely the future of AEW.”

Eddie Kingston Sees The Future Everywhere He Looks

Going on to further expand on his point, Eddie Kingston continued to look further afield than his own current setting. Explaining how he saw the future of wrestling in every different organization.

“You have a bunch of young, hungry guys there and in all of wrestling,” Eddie Kingston said. “Every promotion has a bunch of guys who are ready to go. I think the pandemic made these guys hungrier because they saw that everything can be taken away in a heartbeat. Wrestling is in good hands. My man Curt Stallion, who just got let go. When he gets his shot, he will knock it out of the park. There are so many good dudes. Joshua Bishop in AIW up in Cleveland. He’s an animal. I don’t want to keep naming people because I know I’m going to leave somebody out and I am going to feel bad. Charli Evans out in Australia, Marti Belle, Allysin Kay, they’re great.”

The point Eddie Kingston makes is that we are often too concerned with an individual than with the entirety of a generation. The future of wrestling is not Jungle Boy or MFJ. The future of wrestling is everybody in their generation who is hungry enough to fight for their place on any given roster.

Chavo Guerrero Makes AEW Debut as Consultant for Andrade el Idolo

Alex Laybourne
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Another surprise appearance at AEW Fyter Fest came during a segment involving Andrade el Idolo who introduced a new associate in the form of Chavo Guerrero. The nephew of the late great Eddie Guerrero is a wrestling veteran. His emergence from the tunnel as the new executive consultant for el Idolo certainly shocked the raucous AEW crowd.

Since his AEW debt, Andrade el Idolo has been working alongside Vickie Guerrero, who is Chavo’s aunt through marriage. The wrestling world has a special affinity with the Guerrero family. AEW is certainly a great place for Chavo Guerrero to be.

Addressing the crowd, Chavo Guerrero made a quick impact with the fans, praising the talent that he had seen backstage. However, he quickly moved into character, positioning his client at the top of that list.

Chavo Guerrero Stirs the Pot for Death Triangle

Only a few moments after making his debut, Chavo Guerrero started to stir the pot for Death Triangle. Andrade has wasted no time in picking on the talented faction since his arrival. Chavo went one step further by suggesting Penta and Rey Fenix should switch allegiances and side with his client.

The deal was swiftly rejected, and a classic referee pull-apart ensued, furthering the feud between Andrade and the Death Triangle. As of writing, little has been confirmed about Chavo Guerrero’s involvement with AEW. We have yet to see the classic Chavo is All Elite image. However, it seems unlikely he would be introduced in such a role for a single or short run.

At 50 years old, it’s unlikely we will see him lacing up his boots in AEW. However, a move into management could be exactly what the veteran needs at this stage of his career.

Chavo Guerrero has accomplished a lot in his career, fighting for major promotions around the world, including a decade long run in WWE which ended in 2011.

Daniel Bryan Reportedly Signs With AEW

Alex Laybourne
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Much has been written about Daniel Bryan in recent months. The quiet nature of his WWE departure had everybody scratching their heads. Now, according to reports on Bodyslam.net, Bryan is locked into a deal with AEW.

This news comes just days after PWInsider reported that WWE was not factoring Daniel Bryan into the merchandise and licensing plans for 2021-2022.

Bodyslam has since updated that current plans call for Daniel Bryan to debut for AEW at the September 22nd Grand Slam event from New York City’s Arthur Ashe stadium. AEW put great care into planning their events, often running quite far in advance. Having a star like Bryan debut at a big event such as that would make great sense. It would also allow for existing plans to reach their head at All Out on September 5th.

Daniel Bryan’s AEW deal is said to be for similar money as he was making in WWE, but he’ll be required to work far fewer dates. Moreover, his deal reportedly allows him the opportunity to work in Japan. This is another country close to his wrestling heart, and something he could never have done while working at WWE.

Daniel Bryan is Not the Only Potential AEW Surprise

The news of Daniel Bryan agreeing a deal with AEW is something many saw coming the minute he disappeared from WWE. However, with recent news of CM Punk being cleared for a wrestling return, and AEW having a sold-out show coming up in Chicago, AEW fans could have a lot to cheer about very soon.

A lot has been made of WWE wrestlers signing for AEW. However, wrestling is a relatively small world. Yes, there are lots of indie promotions, but as you look at larger promotions, you would be hard pushed to find many stars who have not competed for a combination of IMPACT, ROH, WWE, or AEW. Daniel Bryan has had a long wrestling career. He’s wrestled for promotions all over the world. When it comes down to it, AEW is the destination that makes the most sense.

While nothing has been reported, it is believed that Daniel Bryan will revert to fighting under his real name of Brian Danielson.

Nick Gage Makes Shocking AEW Debut as the Second Labor of Jericho

Alex Laybourne
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On a night of crazy happenings at Fyter Fest, the biggest shock of them all was undoubtedly the debut of GCW champion Nick Gage. Moreover, the manner in which is made his debut.

Much has been publicized about Gage’s feud with Jon Moxley. However, it was best MJF that the hardcore hero made his entrance. Nick Gage will be the second step in the Labors of Jericho.

jericho gage

The debut came just after Chris Jericho had defeated Shawn Spears. The stipulation of that match being Spears could use a chair, while Jericho could not.

The match between Jericho and Nick Gage has already been set for AEW’s Fight for the Fallen. Jericho has already responded to the news that it will be a no disqualification match but promising to resurrect his Painmaker persona.

Jericho is the G.O.A.T, and he is no stranger to hellacious matches. However, he would not have been the first name on the list of potential Nick Gage opponents in AEW.

Nick Gage Versus Chris Jericho Will Be Bowling Shoe Ugly

It seems only fitting to quote Jim Ross by saying the upcoming match between Gage and Jericho will be bowling shoe ugly. Nick Gage is a fighter. He’s the master of the hardcore, deathmatch style. Jericho is a warrior, there is no doubt about it. Just don’t expect to see a fight built around technical finesse and headlocks.

If Jericho wants to get his hands on MJF, then Nick Gage is certainly going to make him work for it.

The appearance on AEW made its mark on Nick Gage, who has not had an easy life both in and out of the ring. His episode of Dark Side of the Ring did a lot to educate people on the well-known indie wrestler. Love him or hate him, Gage is tough as a two-dollar steak. There’s a good chance, AEW will never be the same again by the time he is done.

Gage is the current GCW champion. Besides a feud with Moxley, is also preparing to take on former AEW wrestler Matt Cardona. That fight is set for the GCQ world title this coming Saturday at the GCW Homecoming Part 1 event.

At the time of writing, it’s not known if Nick Gage’s appearance for AEW is a once-off affair. With Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega both recently being linked to Gage, there is scope for a longer run.

AEW Dynamite Fyter Fest Night 2 Results: Texas Death Match, Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose

Robert Lentini
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Night 2 of Fyter Fest aired from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. It was announced that FTR will face Santana & Ortiz next week and Cody will battle Malakai Black in two weeks at Dynamite Homecoming.

Fyter Fest Night 2 Results

  1. Chris Jericho def. Shawn Spears
  2. Doc Gallows def. Frankie Kazarian
  3. Darby Allin def. Wheeler Yuta
  4. Britt Baker def. Nyla Rose via submission to retain the AEW Women’s Championship
  5. Orange Cassidy def. The Blade
  6. Lance Archer def. Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match to become the new IWGP US Champion

Here are the takeaways from Night 2 of Fyter Fest:

Jericho Will Battle Nick Gage Next Week

Chris Jericho faced Shawn Spears tonight in Chapter 1 of the Five Labors of Jericho. Shawn Spears was allowed to use a chair for the match and Tully Blanchard was ringside. MJF joined commentary for the match. Jericho controlled the action early and launched Spears into the barricade. Chris took the camera and waved to the crowd before the action returned to the ring.

Spears hit Jericho with a chair shot to the injured elbow against the ring post. Jericho battled back and hit a Frankensteiner off the top rope. Spears planted Jericho with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Jericho kicked out at two. Jericho got Spears in the Walls of Jericho and Spears tapped out but Tully was distracting the referee. Sammy Guevara broke up the distraction but Spears capitalized with the C4 for a near fall. Jericho caught Spears with the Judas Effect for the pinfall victory.

After the match, MJF came to the entrance ramp with a microphone. MJF said that nobody can interfere in the remaining four matches Jericho has to win to earn a match against him. MJF announced that Jericho has to face Nick Gage in a No DQ match next week.

Doc Gallows def. Frankie Kazarian

Doc Gallows faced Frankie Kazarian this week on Dynamite. The action started out back and forth before Frankie got knocked out of the ring. Gallows launched Kazarian into the barricade and rolled him back into the ring. Frankie battled back with a Back Body Drop and then a Leg Drop for a near fall.

Frankie went for a Crossface but Karl Anderson hopped on the ring apron for a distraction. Kazarian knocked Anderson off the apron but turned around into a big boot to the face from Gallows. Doc followed it up with a Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Gallows and Anderson continued to beat Kazarian down and connected with the Magic Killer. AEW Champion Kenny Omega and Don Callis then joined the party. Omega told Frankie that he had been a thorn in The Elite’s side for weeks but the tables have turned.

Omega set up for a V-Trigger but Hangman Page interrupted to a great reaction. Page got into the ring and Callis pointed out that he is outnumbered four to one. Hangman handed Callis his beverage and unloaded some strikes on Omega. Gallows and Anderson beat Page down as the AEW Champion retreated out of the ring. Dark Order rushed the ring and Page leveled Anderson with the Buckshot Lariat to end the segment.

Darby Allin Picked Up A Win, Sting & Orange Cassidy

Darby Allin squared off with Wheeler Yuta tonight. Hikuleo was shown in the crowd during the beginning of the match. Sting and Darby Allin were ringside.

Yuta dominated the action early and got Allin in an Octopus submission. Yuta focused his attack on Darby’s injured ribs by driving his elbow into his midsection. Darby escaped but Wheeler hit a German Suplex for a two count. Yuta made his way to the top rope but Darby joined him up there and hit a Superplex.

Orange Cassidy and Sting had a funny face-off outside the ring. Sting and Cassidy connected with dueling lazy Superkicks as Yuta tried to capitalize with a roll-up but Darby kicked out. Allin connected with a Stunner and followed it up with the Coffin Drop for the pinfall victory.

The Blade hit Orange Cassidy with brass knuckles following the match. He will face Orange Cassidy later on the show.

Britt Baker Tapped Out Nyla Rose To Retain The AEW Women’s Championship

Britt Baker defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Nyla Rose. Vickie Guerrero was ringside for the match. The champion kept Nyla on the mat to begin the match and tried to roll her up a couple of times but Rose kicked out at two.

Rose battled back with a Body Slam and then a Senton. Nyla perched Baker up on the top turnbuckle but Rebel quickly dragged her to the apron. Rose connected with a couple Backbreakers and followed it up with a Fallaway Slam as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Britt hit a Slingblade for a two count. Baker brought out the glove and went for Lockjaw but Rose blocked it with some elbows to the champ’s face. Rose connected with a Death Valley Driver and put Baker over the top rope. Rose hit the Knee Drop off the top and went for the cover but Baker was somehow able to kick out at two.

Nyla went for the Beast Bomb but Baker broke free and connected with a Neckbreaker for a near fall. Rose responded with a Chokeslam for another two count. Rebel hopped on the apron and Britt threw the title to Nyla. Baker tried to make it seem like Nyla hit her with the title but Vickie Guerrero kept distracting the referee.

Rose then threw the title to Baker and pretended like Britt hit her with it. Nyla hit the Beast Bomb and went for the cover but Baker kicked out at two. Nyla went for another Beast Bomb but Baker escaped and applied the Lockjaw for the submission victory.

Death Triangle Interrupted Andrade & Chavo

Tony Schiavone interviewed Andrade El Idolo tonight. Andrade announced that Chavo Guerrero is his new Executive Consultant. Chavo hyped up Andrade before Death Triangle interrupted to a great reaction. Pac said Death Triangle doesn’t hide from anyone. Andrade said that Lucha Bros were good, but he is great.

Chavo wondered why the Lucha Bros work for PAC and pointed out how there is no gold around their waists. PAC said Death Triangle is a family and nobody works for him. Fenix grabbed the microphone and stated that they are the real face of Latinos. Abrahantes translated for Lucha Bros and wondered why they would want to join a group with Andrade when he isn’t even on their level. A brawl broke out but the referees and security quickly broke it up.

Orange Cassidy def. The Blade

The Blade squared off with Orange Cassidy tonight. The Blade wanted his hand raised because he didn’t think Orange Cassidy would be able to compete after hitting him with brass knuckles earlier on the show. Orange got in the ring and went for the Orange Punch but Blade got out of the ring.

Back in the ring, The Blade faked a knee injury and Cassidy allowed the referee to check on him. The Blade capitalized and booted Cassidy to the corner. Cassidy connected with Stundog Millionaire but Blade shrugged it off. Blade hit a massive Gutwrench Powerbomb that slammed Cassidy onto the top turnbuckle and to the floor.

When Dynamite returned from a break, Orange hit a Crossbody and followed it up with a DDT for a two count. Kris Statlander and The Bunny battled outside the ring as Blade blocked Beach Break in the ring. The Blade hit a Tombstone Piledriver and went for the cover but Cassidy was able to kick out at the last moment. Cassidy hit Beach Break but Blade kicked out. The Bunny gave the brass knuckles to Blade but Cassidy dodged the punch. Cassidy then hit the Orange Punch for the pinfall victory.

Lance Archer Is The New IWGP US Champion

Jon Moxley put the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship on the line against Lance Archer in a Texas Death Match in this week’s main event. Moxley beat Archer down and grabbed a kendo stick from outside the ring. Moxley hit Archer with the kendo stick several times and then tackled him through the barricade outside the ring.

The two battled into the crowd and Archer launched a “fan” onto Moxley. Jon went for a Suicide Dive but Archer caught him with a forearm to the face. Archer ripped up the padding to expose the concrete floor and went for a slam but Moxley escaped. The champ planted Archer with a DDT onto the concrete. Archer made it back up to break the count and Moxley stabbed him in the head with a fork as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Archer grabbed a trash can lid and punched it onto Moxley’s face. Jon responded by biting Archer’s forehead like a maniac but Lance quickly took back control. Moxley hit a low blow but Archer battled back with a ridiculous Chokeslam onto some steel chairs.

Moxley beat the count and beat Archer down. Jon hit the Paradigm Shift but Archer got up in time and flipped the champ the middle finger. Jon hit Archer with the fork over and over again and then set up some barbed wire tables. Archer grabbed the fork and stabbed Moxley with it.

Archer then Chokeslammed Moxley through the tables and Moxley got stuck in the barbed wire. Jon couldn’t beat the count and Archer is the new IWGP US Champion. After the match, Hikuleo appeared and stared Archer down. Archer will defend the title against hm next week.

CM Punk In Talks For In-Ring Return (Report)

Chris Stephens
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CM Punk hasn’t officially wrestled a match since taking part in the 2014 Royal Rumble but it’s possible he could be making a return to the ring. According to a report from Fightful, the 42-year-old has been involved in ongoing talks regarding a return.

While the report would suggest that there are multiple parties interested, it notes that AEW is the most likely spot for Punk to land.

This is not the first time that Punk has been linked to AEW. Last summer, both Cody Rhodes and Konnan spoke about previous negotiations between AEW and Punk.

Cody Rhodes Comments On Previous Negotiations With CM Punk

During a conversation with Talk Sport last summer, Cody Rhodes commented on previous negotiations AEW has had with Punk.

“As far as the CM Punk negotiations go, everyone heard the famous ‘he got a text from us’. Yeah, of course, there were negotiations and he did ask for a great amount of money and Punk is worth a great deal of money,” Cody said during the interview. 

“I don’t think they ever got too serious,” Cody said. “Doesn’t mean they won’t one day, but they never got entirely too serious. I think there is a good relationship there. I think I have a good relationship with Phil, I believe Tony does too and I’m not sure really when it comes to him, it’s not so much about the money. It’s about are you interested in doing this?”

Konnan Says CM Punk Was Asking For Too Much Money

Also last summer, Konnan revealed on his podcast that he heard CM Punk was asking for too much money from AEW.

“I do remember when I was negotiating with AEW and they were telling me about him, they were telling me that he was asking for like (an) astronomical amount of money,” Konnan said on the show. “They really wanted to work with him but…”

“I’m sure if they wanted to do something with him and Jericho or him and Cody, I’m sure they could,” Konnan continued. “Like I said, from what they told me, he was just asking for way too much. And this is a company that is willing to spend, so who knows what he was asking for?”

Ryan Nemeth Reveals The Origin Of AEW’s Wingmen Faction

Alex Laybourne
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Not every wrestler in a company needs to be a champion. There are all kinds of wrestlers, from jobbers and comedic relief to midcarders and main event stars. All have a role to play and are important to a company brand and dynamic. Ryan Nemeth and the Wingmen are one such group. They serve a purpose in AEW. They can put on a good match and are entertaining characters, but rarely will they be main event players.

Talking on a recent episode of Talk is Jericho, Ryan Nemeth spoke about how the Wingmen came to be. Admitting that it wasn’t even his idea, but rather, Christian’s.

Ryan Nemeth had no idea a plan was being made for him and his friends until he was ordered to visit Tony Khan’s Office.

“I remember walking around Dynamite one day and three people said, ‘Hey, did you talk to Tony yet? Go talk to him.’ I was like, ‘Alright’, so I go and knock on the door, and he goes, ‘You’re going to be the Wingmen, okay? Christian thought of this. He thinks you guys look kind of funny together and it can be funny. You can be funny, ya know? You’ll figure it out, right?’” Ryan Nemeth explained.

Ryan Nemeth Has Christian to Thank for The Wingmen

The next task for Ryan Nemeth explaining the gimmick to the others in his group. “And I was like, ‘Alright,’ so I went back and gathered everyone around and I said, ‘Alright, so we’re The Wingmen now,’ and they said, ‘What does that mean?’ ‘You know, like when you go to a bar and you help a guy meet a girl. We’re just that.. just, all the time. And it’s not really ever about women.”

The Wingmen are a talented group of individuals. JD Drake is a wrestler very easy to underestimate and yes, Peter Avolon is also. You need skills to play such a fool in such a dangerous profession. Under his Hollywood Hunk moniker, Ryan Nemeth is leading the group as they irritate their way through the AEW ranks.

Kevin Nash On What Being Diesel Meant For His Career

Chris Stephens
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Mattel has recently released a new line of action figures from WWE’s “New Generation” era. One of the company’s biggest stars of that era was Kevin Nash’s Diesel character. Nash recently spoke to Sports Illustrated about what his time as Diesel meant for his career.

“That was only three years of my life. It seemed like so much more,” Nash said. “I came from basically nowhere. There were so many times during my first run in WCW that I was going to leave and go back to the bar scene. It didn’t seem like it was going anywhere, until I came to WWE.”

Diesel held the WWF Championship from November 26th, 1994 until November 19th, 1995.

“People don’t realize that during my run in WWE as champion, not only was I green and I barely had 300 matches, but my mom died almost 30 days to the date of being crowned champion,” said Nash. “I was dealing with that on top of everything else.”

“I just remember soldiering on. I buried my mom and went to Winnipeg and worked. That’s kind of the way it was.”

Nash is a 2x WWE Hall of Fame inductee. He was first inducted in 2015 as a singles star. He went in under his real name rather than as Diesel, however. Nash was then inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a second time when he went in as part of the New World Order.

Ryan Nemeth Reveals Dolph Ziggler May Have Had a “Talking To” About AEW Tweets

Jake Skudder
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Ryan Nemeth, AEW star and brother of WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler, recently appeared on Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast. The former FCW star discussed several topics on the podcast, including how his brother may have run into issues after ‘anti promoting’ AEW a few months ago.

“I think he got in trouble for tweeting so much”, Ryan Nemeth revealed on the show, discussing how his brother would tweet some ‘encouragement’ for his AEW debut matches.

“He would always anti-advertise for Dynamite by posting ‘do not watch this show, this guy sucks’ and it’s (a picture) of me”, Nemeth continued. “‘Don’t tune in to TNT at 8 pm tonight.’ I think, after a few months, maybe he got a talking to.”

Ryan Nemeth on Dolph Ziggler

Jericho himself then revealed that he actually wanted Dolph Ziggler to be part of his cruise. ‘Le Champion’ didn’t want Ziggler to appear to wrestle; he wanted him on tour as a comedy act.

“I was going to book him on my cruise at one point, and it was like, ‘You can’t book him on your cruise.’ ‘Why? He’s coming as a comedian,'” Jericho stated on the podcast.

With Chris Jericho having an affiliation with AEW for the first cruise and then having signed with the company for the second, it’s easy to see why WWE would chose not to let Ziggler make an appearance.

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