Home Blog Page 899

Jim Ross Reveals What He Told Malakai Black After His AEW Debut

Michael Reichlin
-
0

Former WWE Superstar Aleister Black made a surprise debut this past week on AEW Dynamite. Now known as Malakai Black, the Dutch grappler immediately made an impact by taking out Arn Anderson and Cody Rhodes.

Malakai Black was on WWE’s payroll just last month. Due to an administrative oversight by WWE, Black only had to sit out for 30 days instead of the standard 90 days.

AEW broadcaster Jim Ross appeared on Busted Open this week to discuss Black’s newsworthy debut at Road Rager. Ross reveals that he didn’t know Malakai Black was in the building until he appeared in the ring.

Ross prefers to learn about surprises like Black’s debut at the same time the audience does. He likened this to a sports game by sayin, “I don’t need to know who wins the game until the game is over.”

“I was pleasantly surprised that Malakai Black joined us,” said Ross. “I saw him after the show, he shook my hand. I never met him before, he said he was glad to meet me and likewise for me. I said, ‘We’re counting on you. We’re counting on you to play in a big way. Not just come in and be one of the boys, but come in and be one of the stars.’”

JR got the impression that Malakai Black had not been spoken to like that in quite some time. He thinks it meant a lot to him and he meant every word of what he said.

“I wasn’t trying to blow smoke,” Ross continued. “I was just trying to say, you’re a highly regarded piece of talent that we value and we’re happy you’re here. So, now we’re looking for great things. You set the bar high with your debut, now let’s see where we can take you.”

Listen to JR’s comments about Malakai Black in the Tweet embedded below:

Kenny Omega & Jim Cornette Take Shots At One Another On Twitter

Chris Stephens
-
0

On Dynamite this week, a fan jumped the guardrail and was briefly on the stage area before being grabbed by security. The fan, or someone purporting to be him, then appeared on social media yesterday.

“I did this for all of us real wrestling fans, wrestling is no longer a safe space for friends to dance around and play dress up,” the fan Tweeted at Jim Cornette.

Cornette then Tweeted the following in response to the fan.

“Got news for you dipshit, the ring is sacred ground for US, and even if you and a lot of others THINK you can kick the shit out of the Young Bucks, I would have turned you into a tennis racket popsicle, & you’re lucky someone there didn’t gut you like a fish. And you’re blocked,” Cornette Tweeted.

Kenny Omega then Tweeted out some comments that many are taking as being directed at Cornette.

Cornette then responded to Omega.

“You & I agree for the first time–this guy IS a moron, or he wouldn’t have been at a show with your phony ass on it. Two clarifications: Unlike you I’ve SEEN violence in an arena & this wasn’t it, & secondly looking at your supporters I wouldn’t toss the phrase “low IQ” around,” Cornette Tweeted.

Cornette continued:

The co-host of Jim Cornette’s podcast also responded to Omega’s comments.

Brian Pillman Jr Signs Full Time Contract With AEW

Alex Laybourne
-
0

The Varsity Blondes are mounting a charge through the AEW Tag Team rankings. After debuting. Spending their early days appearing on AEW Dark, they can now be found as a mainstay of AEW Dynamite. The team of Brian Pillman Jr and Griff Garrison have already challenged the Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team titles, and are currently ranked number two behind the team of Eddie Kingston and Penta el Zero.

Pillman is certainly a star on the rise with AEW, and while he might not have any gold around his waist, he has good cause to celebrate. Following the expiry of his contract with MLW, he has now signed as a full-time member of the AEW roster.

It was thanks to a loophole that Brian Pillman Jr had been able to work for AEW. The contract he signed with MLW did not allow wrestlers to work for other promotions. However, when he signed his deal, AEW did not exist. This meant that they were not mentioned in his deal.

On Monday, AEW confirmed the news of Brian Pillman Jr.’s signing by announcing that he is #AllElite:

Bright Future Ahead for Brian Pillman Jr.

When Brian Pillman’s episode of Dark Side of the Ring aired, a new light was cast over his son. The extent of what Brian Pillman Jr had to endure following his father’s passing pulled at the heartstrings, endearing him to fans around the world.

At just 27, Pillman has the world at his feet, with his size, power and athletic ability. It is surely only a matter of time before we see the Varsity Blondes with gold around their waist. AEW is building a roster full of talent not just for the present day, but for the future.

With the likes of Jungle Boy, MJF and Darby Allin all primed to lead the singles division, Brian Pillman Jr and Griff Garrison could well be the future of tag team wrestling.

WWE Superstars React To Trish Stratus ‘Mom Bod’ Image

Jake Skudder
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer and arguably the greatest female performer in WWE history Trish Stratus recently tweeted an image of her ‘mom bod’ and several WWE Superstars have reacted to how great the former Women’s Champion still looks.

The 45-year-old former WWE Women’s Champion has two children with her husband; her son who was born in 2013 and her daughter who was born in 2017.

Several WWE Superstars reacted to the image of the toned Trish Stratus. Charlotte Flair, Carmella, WWE Hall of Famer Alundra Blayze, Impact Hall of Famer Gail Kim, Kayla Braxton and Eva Marie all commented on the physique of the Hall of Famer.

Superstars React To Trish Stratus

Carmella tweeted “DAYUMMMMMMMM” whilst fellow Hall of Famer and WWE alumni Alundra Blayze wrote “damn… I knew I should of birthed babies.”

IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Famer and former WWE Superstar herself Gail Kim tweeted “Oh yes girl!” Kayla Braxton from WWE’s The Bump and backstage on SmackDown commented, saying “Lord have mercy.”

Trish Stratus retired from WWE in 2019, following her SummerSlam match against Charlotte Flair. It’s not confirmed if Stratus is looking to get back into action, although judging by her toned physique she is definitely in a position to if she wants to.

Check out the tweet below from the multiple time WWE Women’s Champion and WWE Hall of Famer:

Jim Cornette Rips Into Fan Who Jumped The Barricade at AEW ‘For Him’

Jake Skudder
-
0

Outspoken pro wrestling personality Jim Cornette has taken to social media to rip into a ‘fan’ who claims that they jumped the barricade at the AEW Dynamite Road Rager show ‘in his name.’

There was an altercation at the start of the Chris Jericho and MJF segment on this week’s episode of the show, an both Jericho and Maxwell Jacob Friedman referencing the ‘fat b*stard’ jumping the rail during their promos.

The ‘fan’ was sent to jail following the incident, however he has now taken to social media himself to tell Cornette and Brian Last that he did it in the name of ‘real’ wrestling fans.

Jim Cornette Responds To Dipsh*t

“@TheJimCornette @GreatBrianLast, how did you like my #AEW debut?” The ‘fan’ wrote. “I did this for all of us real wrestling fans, wrestling is no longer a safe space for friends to dance around and play dress up.”

“Reality can hit at anytime” the man removed from Dynamite continued, “did they think it is going to be f*cking playtime forever?”

Despite Jim Cornette not liking AEW or some of the stars on the show, he absolutely ripped the ‘fan’ a new one for his actions and said that he does not do anything in his name.

“Got news for you dipsh*t” Cornette began. “The ring is sacred ground for US, and even if you and a lot of others THINK you can kick the s–t out of the Young Bucks, I would have turned you into a tennis racket popsicle.”

“You’re lucky someone there didn’t gut you like a fish. And you’re blocked,” Cornette concluded.

Cornette’s podcast host Brian Last also lambasted the barricade jumper, saying “real wrestling fans don’t jump the rail. You should be embarrassed. You are blocked.”

Matt Cardona Reflects on Six Months with IMPACT Wrestling

Alex Laybourne
-
0

Matt Cardona is a wrestler making headlines these days, going after GCW champion Nick Gage. He is also celebrating his first six months with IMPACT wrestling. A lot can happen in such a short time, and Matt was all too happy to talk with Steel Chair about his change in fortunes.

“It’s been a lot of fun, I’ve got a lot of opportunities, and I thank the Impact Wrestling management for those opportunities. That’s why I came to Impact Wrestling.”

Matt Cardona is known primarily from his days in WWE, and many might feel he was never allowed to reach his full potential. His Wrestlemania moment was kept to just that, dropping the title the very next day. If any run could summarize a career with WWE, then that would be it.

However, Cardona is looking to the future, and he has his eyes firmly set on the big prize. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Kenny or Sami Callihan or Moose. It doesn’t matter to me, if you have that Impact title, I want it.”

When asked about who he would love to wrestle on the IMPACT roster, Matt Cardona wasted no time in reeling off two names. “Tommy Dreamer, who’s still around. I thought I retired him over 10 years ago (December 2009 in WWE), but he’s still kicking. If I need to retire him for good, one last hardcore match, I would love to do that. Eddie Edwards, I’ve teamed with, but I’ve never wrestled him. I love his style, I love what he’s done with himself over the past couple of years, more violent style and again. Someone I’d love to get in the ring with, maybe a hardcore match with him.”

Matt Cardona Enjoys the Creative Freedom Offered by IMPACT

After working in an environment that took creative control away from its talent, Matt Cardona is relishing the creativity afforded to him by IMPACT.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRFf4OYKT0X/

“We’re all artists, and we have this blank canvas now to just draw whatever we want, and that’s the best part about Impact, all this creative freedom and all these opportunities, and I think the sky is the limit with Impact. I think it’s on the up and up. All the wrestlers there in that locker room are hungry, they all want Impact to keep getting better and better.”

Matt Cardona is only 36 years old. He has a long future ahead of him. His recent change in attitude including his feud with Nick Gage has made him one of the stars to watch.

WWE SmackDown Results (7/9): MITB Qualifiers, Reigns & Edge, NXT Superstars Debut

Robert Lentini
-
0

WWE SmackDown aired live from the ThunderDome in Tampa. Seth Rollins faced Cesaro, and King Nakamura battled Baron Corbin in MITB Qualifying matches. It was announced that Toni Storm will be joining the SmackDown roster during tonight’s show. Shotzi Blackheart and Tegan Nox also made their debut during tonight’s episode of SmackDown.

SmackDown Results (7/9)

  1. King Nakamura def. Baron Corbin to qualify for the MITB Ladder Match
  2. Shotzi & Nox def. Tamina & Natalya
  3. Seth Rollins def. Cesaro to qualify for the MITB Ladder Match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Reigns & The Usos Are On The Same Page

Universal Champion Roman Reigns made his way to the ring and said a lot of people didn’t like that he wasn’t present last week. Reigns noted that there were a lot of things that he didn’t like last week and called Edge a liar. Reigns admitted that there was some fear when Edge got him locked in a submission but he used that fear to propel him. Roman then boasted about defeated Edge and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania.

Reigns told Edge that it is not possible for him to be in his head and that he wasn’t even thinking about Edge because he has so much to deal with in regards to his family. Jimmy Uso made his way to the ring but was interrupted by Jey.

Jey said it was time to get back to being the tag team champions and hugged Jimmy. Roman claimed he has been saying that all along and that they all need to work together. Reigns and The Usos then shared a hug as the camera panned in on Reigns.

King Nakamura Qualified For The MITB Ladder Match

Shinsuke Nakamura squared off against Baron Corbin tonight in the first match of the night (25 minutes into the show). It was a MITB Qualifying Match. Corbin attacked Nakamura during his entrance but Boogs broke it up. Big E was ringside for the match and sat with Pat McAfee on a couch.

Nakamura dominated the match early and knocked Corbin to the outside. Corbin knocked Boogs down and hit him with a Brainbuster on top of the announce table as SmackDown went to a commercial. When SmackDown returned, Corbin hit Deep Six for a near fall.

Corbin followed it up with a big Clothesline but Shinsuke battled back. Nakamura hit a few knees to the face and followed it up with the Kinshasa for the pinfall victory. King Nakamura qualified for the MITB Ladder Match.

Shotzi & Nox Debuted & Pinned The Champs

Natalya and Tamina came to the ring for a non-title match. Natalya said that they are facing a team that has never been on SmackDown before. Shotzi Blackheart & Tegan Not then made their way to the ring in the tank.

Tegan and Natalya started off the action. Nox took control and tagged in Shotzi. Blackheart hit a Dropkick and rolled up Natalya for a near fall. Nox sent Tamina to the corner and hit her with a Cannonball. Shotzi slammed Natalya to the mat and hit a Senton for the pinfall victory. ‘

Carmella Will Face Belair Next Week, Liv Morgan Is In The MITB Ladder Match

Sonya Deville came to the ring and announced that Bianca Belair will not being defending the SmackDown Women’s Championship at Money in the Bank PPV. Deville said that Belair will put the title on the line next week against Carmella in Houston.

Carmella made her way to the ring but was interrupted by Liv Morgan. Liv pointed out Deville’s favoritism and vowed to smack Carmella’s smile off her face again. Liv got in Sonya’s face and told her it is inexcusable. Sonya told Liv to shut up and that she is replacing Carmella in the MITB Ladder match. Liv told Carmella that she hopes she wins the title next week so she can take it from her.

Seth Rollins Qualified For The MITB Ladder Match

Cesaro and Seth Rollins faced each other once again in a MITB Qualifying match. Cesaro dominated the action early and knocked Rollins out of the ring. Seth threw a tantrum as Kevin Owens watched on from commentary. SmackDown went to a break with Rollins throwing things around outside the ring as Cesaro posed.

When SmackDown returned, Rollins hit Cesaro with a kick to the back of the head and went for the cover but Cesaro kicked out at two. Cesaro went for a springboard Crossbody but Rollins caught him with a forearm to the face for a two count.

Seth rolled up Cesaro and used the ropes for leverage but Cesaro was able to kick out. Cesaro was bleeding from his head and Rollins sent him out of the ring with another forearm shot. Rollins planted Cesaro with a Brainbuster on the steel and rolled him back in the ring. Seth then hit the Stomp for the pinfall victory. Rollins has qualified for the MITB Ladder match.

After the match, Seth Rollins was interviewed backstage and noted that he cashed in on Roman Reigns to win the title. Seth said he waited for the perfect opportunity last time he won the MITB contract and maybe this time he will win the contract and cash it in on the same night.

Edge appeared behind Rollins and said he heard this nasally whine and wanted to see where it is coming from. Edge added that he is going to the ring to call out Reigns before walking away.

Edge Sent A Message To Roman Reigns

Edge came to the ring and called out the Universal Champion. Roman Reigns was shown backstage with The Usos and told them to stay in the locker room. Reigns said he will handle this on his own and left the room. Reigns was then shown slowly walking with the Universal Championship. Roman handed the title to Heyman and made his way to the ring.

Jimmy and Jey were warned to stay backstage but ignored Reigns’ orders. The Mysterios then rushed the ring and brawled with The Usos. Edge slammed Reigns to the canvas and set up for a Spear but The Usos broke it up.

Rey and Dominik set up The Usos on the ropes and Dominik hit a 619. Edge hit Jey with a Spear as Roman Reigns retreated up the entrance ramp. Edge locked in a Crossface with part of the steel chair on Jey for a bit before WWE rolled highlights to fill time. Edge than got Jimmy in a Crossface with the chair and Reigns sat and watched from the top of the entrance ramp. Reigns walked backstage to close the show.

Opinion: It was odd to see Jimmy Uso without any reference to the elephant in the room. Overall, this week’s SmackDown felt like a rerun. We’ve seen Corbin vs. Nakamura and Cesaro vs. Rollins several times. It will be great to have a live crowd back next week. I’m guessing there won’t be only three matches and over an hour of talking with a crowd in attendance.

WWE Money In The Bank Updated Card: New Ladder Match Competitors Announced

Andrew Ravens
-
0

WWE has announced a few new names for the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match at the upcoming Money in the Bank PPV.

Seth Rollins vs. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin in Money in the Bank qualifying matches took place. 

Nakamura went over to advance to the match and Corbin’s storyline misery continued while Rollins cashed his ticket with the curbstomp to Cesaro. 

WWE presents the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event on Sunday, July 18, 2021 from Fort Worth, Texas at Dickies Arena that will air on Peacock. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming week. Here is the updated card:

Updated WWE Money in the Bank Card

  • WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Edge
  • WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Kofi Kingston
  • Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match – Ricochet vs. Matt Riddle vs. John Morrison vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Big E vs. Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match – Competitors announced thus far: Asuka, Naomi, Alex Bliss, Nikki Cross, Liv Morgan, Carmella, Zelina Vega
  • WWE Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair

Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart Win Match On WWE SmackDown

Andrew Ravens
-
0

After weeks of having NXT stars work dark matches, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina faced NXT stars Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart on this week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown from Tampa, Florida at the Yuengling Center on FOX. 

Blackheart got the win for her team by pinning Natalya by hitting her with the Ballpit finisher.  There’s still no word yet as to whether this marked their official main roster debuts. 

This was expected as the news was reported earlier in the day. This comes at a time where NXT Champion Karrion Kross, Toni Storm, Blackheart, Scarlett, Odyssey Jones and former NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed have been brought to recent TV events for WWE officials to check out. 

Nox returned to the ring at Monday’s Raw TV event when she wrestled a dark match against fellow NXT star Toni Storm. The following night on NXT, she made her return to TV as she was revealed the person behind the battery charging vignettes. She continued her program with Candice LeRae after being sidelined with a torn ACL. 

Kross and Reed are on WWE’s short list for main roster call-ups, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

Title Match Moved From Money In The Bank To Next Week’s WWE SmackDown

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Bayley was slated to challenge Bianca Belair for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Title at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event. However, WWE confirmed on Friday that Bayley suffered an injury while training and will be out of action for nine months. 

On Friday’s episode of SmackDown, WWE named Bayley’s replacement in the match and that’s Carmella. It happened when Sonya Deville announced the news. It was also noted that this match is no longer slated to take place at Money in the Bank, but rather moved to next week’s SmackDown episode. 

Fightful Select reports Bayley was training with another WWE star this week and that her “knee popped.” The media outlet was told the staff has been told it’s a torn ACL, but that’s not confirmed by WWE. 

It was said that her injury may have actually caused plans to change for incoming talent and two wrestlers on the roster were openly frustrated that the company’s lack of depth left them scrambling to find an appropriate replacement. One person said “they did it to themselves,” before noting that Bayley helped carry the company during the COVID-19 pandemic and did everything that was asked of her. 

The injury was said to be a freak accident that happened while chain wrestling at WWE’s mandatory return to road Performance Center training.

Chris Jericho Rips Fan Who Jumped The Barricade At AEW Dynamite

Andrew Ravens
-
0

Chris Jericho had an interesting moment in Miami on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite when a fan tried to rush the ring to attack the former AEW World Champion and MJF. 

Security was quick to stop the fan while it looked like Jericho took a swing at him. The person was seeking approval from Jim Cornette on social media but he found out that Cornette wanted nothing to do with him. 

Cornette tweeted, “Got news for you dips**t, the ring is sacred ground for US, and even if you and a lot of others THINK you can kick the s**t out of the Young Bucks, I would have turned you into a tennis racket popsicle, & you’re lucky someone there didn’t gut you like a fish. And you’re blocked.”

Jericho also ripped the fan by writing, “Do you really think @TheJimCornette would condone this you fu**in loser? Jimmy would’ve shoved a tennis racket up your ass and smashed your car windows.”

Speaking of Jericho, Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the top AEW will be missing some Dynamite episodes later this year. 

He’ll be on tour with his rock band Fozzy in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Ireland from November 30 to December 12. According to that schedule, he’ll be missing the December 1st and 8th episodes of AEW Dynamite. 

AEW All Out 2021 Sells Out Almost Immediately

Kristen Ashly
-
0

Once again, tickets for AEW All Out sold out almost immediately.

Thursday, AEW held a ticket presale for the event, which resulted in nearly every ticket inside Chicago’s NOW Arena to sell out. Friday, the general public was given access to the remaining seats, which were also snagged incredibly quickly, selling-out the venue for the September event.

POST Wrestling reported they were told once AEW arrives in Illinois and finalize production set-up, the company may have more seats available.

According to WrestleTix, a Twitter account that posts live ticket information for numerous wrestling promotions including AEW, NJPW, and WWE, the map held 9,496 seats, with suite seats likely increasing that number. The venue’s website itself states the center has 11,800 seats.

WrestleTix also reported that the All Out sold out before the que could lighten, sharing screenshots that revealed very few seats were available before the general public sale began. Even the Trio Combo packages were mostly sold out when WrestleTix made it to the front of the ticket line.

In 2019, AEW also sold out the same venue in 15 minutes for their inaugural All Out event.

This is the third All Out in the event series, the second to be held an hour outside of Chicago in Hoffman Estates, IL. AEW will hold a total of three events at NOW Arena during the same week as All Out— including Dynamite on Wednesday and Rampage on Sunday.

AEW All Out Week begins Wednesday, Sept. 1 with Dynamite. AEW All Out 2021 takes place Sunday, Sept. 5, live from NOW Arena starting at 7:30pm EST.

Stephanie McMahon Says Live Shows “Will Look And Feel Different”

Kristen Ashly
-
0

Stephanie McMahon is promising fans that live shows will feature a different look and feel when it comes to production and creative.

During an interview with Variety, McMahon explained how excited WWE is to get back to live shows, stressing how important fans are to the wrestling experience.

“I think I can speak for everybody that touches the WWE Universe — whether it is our fans, our Superstars, our employees, or our partners — we absolutely cannot wait to get back together and come back home where we belong,” McMahon told Variety. “And even though we never went off the air and we continue to produce our content, even though we brought in nearly a million virtual fans over this time period through the ThunderDome with over 70 plus live shows, there’s still just such a huge component missing without fans physically in attendance.”

WWE’s Chief Brand Officer also revealed how the company’s stint inside the Thunderdome taught the crew many lessons, describing how WWE plans on using those lessons to create change at the upcoming live shows.

“In the ThunderDome, we were able to experiment with different types of technology,” stated McMahon. “And we needed to over-deliver for our partners and our fans watching at home. But now we have the ability to apply all of those learnings to the live event experience with our fans. So from a production and storytelling standpoint, it will look and feel different.”

McMahon continued, “We’re going to have a new set design, a new presentation of our talents, different locations, and arena setups. We’re going to be utilizing augmented reality in a way that we never have before. We experimented with it a lot during Thunderdome, but it is now going to be incorporated into our talent entrances. There’s also going to be animated graphics. It’s going to be so exciting and so different than anything we’ve done before.”

The interview could be alluding to other interviews where Stephanie McMahon has stated that WWE has some surprises in store for SummerSlam. It’s also been rumored that WWE will have special “themed” live events to drive ticket sales.

In May, WWE announced they would return to live events beginning in July 16 with a 25-city tour, starting with the return’s debut at the Toyota Center in Houston for SmackDown.

Bayley Injured, WWE Says She Will Be Out 9 Months

Michael Reichlin
-
0

SmackDown Superstar Bayley will be out of action for the remainder of 2021.

WWE announced on Friday that Bayley sustained an injury while training for her upcoming “I Quit” match against SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at Money in the Bank (7/18).

Upon asking around sources in WWE, we’ve heard Bayley is dealing with a knee injury. In an update to this situation, Pwinsider confirms Bayley tore her ACL during a recent training session at the Performance Center.

With Bayley out of action, a “suitable replacement” to challenge Belair at MITB will be named tonight on WWE SmackDown.

SEScoops wishes Bayley a full and speedy recovery.

Reactions to Bayley’s Injury

Here are some reactions from WWE Superstars and social media:

WWE Madison Square Garden Return Gets a Super Smackdown Upgrade

Alex Laybourne
-
0

As reported last week, WWE are returning to Madison Square Garden later this year for the first time in six years.

The arena has played home to countless WWE events over the years. Both house shows, live events, and big PPVs. Both Wrestlemania and SummerSlam debut events were held there. The announcement of a Smackdown return to Madison Square Garden was naturally excitedly received by the WWE universe.

In a new development, it has been announced that the event will be a ‘Super Smackdown’ with wrestlers from both brands making an appearance.

WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns took to social media to comment on the decision. Saying he was excited to see both brands lining up for the Tribal Chief.

Tickets for the event went on sale this morning. Madison Square Garden has stipulated that anybody over 16 needs to show proof of vaccination if they want to attend. As of the time of writing, there are still tickets available for the event.

WWE Draft Set One Week Before Madison Square Garden Return

The return to Madison Square Garden is scheduled 1 week after the 2021 edition of the WWE draft. The decision to include superstars from both rosters could be a way of ensuring names can appear regardless of the draft result.

Including members of both rosters is not common in the era of the brand split. However, if ever there was a reason to celebrate in such a way, a return to wrestling’s Mecca would certainly be a valid one.

Regardless of the brand, Madison Square Garden always brings with it a special atmosphere. The company are sure to go all out for the event. With WWE celebrating being back on the road, with fans in attendance, it is guaranteed to be a memorable occasion.

Riddle Comments On Heat With Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch

Chris Stephens
-
0

Riddle has become one of the bigger stars on RAW every Monday night. His RK-Bro team with Randy Orton has become a focal part of the show even when Orton’s not there. The UFC fighter turned WWE Superstar recently spoke to Talk Sport and the topic of backstage heat he had with Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch was discussed.

The Original Bro told Alex McCarthy, “I’ll be honest, I’ve met Seth multiple times and he’s met me and I don’t think we’ll ever be best friends I don’t think we like one another, we’re just two different people. We both love wrestling.”

The conflict between Riddle and Rollins started after Riddle’s partner posted some comments online about women on the WWE roster.

“Calling several main roster divas over the past two weeks for being straight skinny jiggly fat (not to say they aren’t pretty, just to say SQUAT),” she said in a since deleted post.

Riddle continued to talk about how these comments impacted his relationship with both Seth and Becky.

“I know my significant other said something about Becky that they didn’t like and I also did not like or agree with,” Riddle continued. “Seth didn’t like me after that and I don’t think Becky liked me or my wife either, which is understandable. It is what it is.”

Riddle and Seth Rollins Talk Backstage At Survivor Series

Riddle continued to say that he and Rollins spoke about their issues backstage at Survivor Series.

“We talked,” Riddle continued. “I said ‘Hey man, what was said, I don’t agree with it. I thought it was bullcrap. It’s not cool. I just want you to know I apologise, I apologise on her behalf as well.”

“On top of that I think you’re a great performer and if you would ever have it in your heart to work with me, I would love that.”

Riddle said the two appeared to squash their beef then but things still aren’t friendly between the two of them.

“I said ‘Thank you for listening and giving me the time, bro. I hope we’re good now.’ And I will say this, we’re good enough to be working together, I don’t think we’re friends.”

Paul Heyman Will Not Return as Host of Talking Smack

Alex Laybourne
-
0

It has been confirmed by Dave Meltzer that Paul Heyman will not be returning as host of Talking Smack. Last week Heyman was replaced on the show by Pat McAfee. However, the news is now out that Heyman is being replaced full time. It is not yet known whether McAfee will be the one to assume the mantle or not.

While people are always eager to find an angle in things, there appears to be nothing behind the change. It is just a company decision to move ahead with a new face.

Of course, there is increasing speculation that Brock Lesnar will soon be returning to WWE. Paul Heyman is a close friend to Brock in real life, and the pair have often worked together in WWE. With Heyman currently acting on behalf of Roman Reigns, it could be that there is a bigger storyline brewing for Heyman which would explain why he needs a break from hosting duties. However, that would be pure speculation.

Paul Heyman has been the host of Talking Smack since November 2020. The show has been through a few incarnations over the years. Originally hosted by Renee Young and Daniel Bryan. It was then moved to a post PPV only slow, before being pulled completely. November was the rebirth of the show, which has provided many memorable moments over the years.

Paul Heyman and Talking Smack Were Viral Gold

Paul Heyman is good with his words and he is good with people. Two things that are a must for a show host, or anybody working in the entertainment sector. His confrontations with the guests on Talking Smack have provided many memorable moments in the eight months he was the host.

Whether he was getting under someone’s skin with pointed barbs, or wisecracking the annoyance out of them, Paul Heyman was a master at getting the job done. He would rant and rave, going off on wild diatribes about different storylines – not only his own – with the annoyingly eloquent grace we have come to expect.

As irritating as Paul Heyman can be, it only serves to highlight the talent the man has for character building. Hopefully, Talking Smack can carry on without him at the helm and there is nothing nefarious work behind the move.

Ever-Rise Pitched Creative Ideas on the Day of their Release

Alex Laybourne
-
0

There were few wrestlers caught more by surprise by their release than former NXT tag-team Ever-Rise. The duo comprising wrestlers Matt Martel and Chase Parker had only just signed new contracts with WWE. On top of that, they were getting an ever-increase level of screen time.

Talking to WhatCulture, Ever-Rise, were perfectly happy with the way their careers seemed to be developing.

“Yeah, [we were] surprised to say the least. Surprised, to say the least. It seemed to us that we had our whole careers in front of us in WWE. We were on TV every week doing what we wanted to do.” Matt commented.

“Since, like, the month of October, we were doing something every week. Especially on NXT. finally getting, like, those… fleshing out those characters, which was always the idea, but it was a slow start.” Chase added.

Ever-Rise were always supposed to be background figures, building their popularity and their brand slowly before snowballing onto the main stage. It was a process they all thought was going well.

Ever-Rise Praise NXT Communication and Hold No Grudges

In fact, the duo had been talking creative ideas with NXT the very day they were cut from the roster. However, that said, Ever-Rise hold no animosity with NXT and were full of praise for the level of communication and way of working on the black and gold brand.

“For our end, there’s always great communication between… whether it be Triple H, or Shawn Michaels or the coaches at the Performance Center, the writing team, the producers. Great communication all around. So it was… again, that’s kind of why it comes as a surprise because we were still in the process of working on stuff that day. That day!”

It’s a shame Ever-Rise never got the chance to truly show what they were capable of in a WWE ring. Whether the pair will stay together or go their separate ways remains to be seen. First, they need to sit through their mandatory cooling-off period.

MLW Battle Riot III Preview

Chris Stephens
-
0

Major League Wrestling returns tomorrow in Philadelphia for Battle Riot III. The promotion will welcome back fans for the first time since the pandemic as they invade the famed 2300 Arena.

The show will kick-start a new season for the promotion, one that has been built up in recent weeks with an official draft. The show is officially sold out.

MLW announced today that the show will air at a later date on BeIN Sports.

What Is Battle Riot?

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1413105103821750278

Battle Riot is similar to a Royal Rumble style battle royal with wrestlers entering at different times. In Battle Riot, 40 wrestlers will take part entering the ring in intervals of 1 minute. Eliminations can occur by throwing a wrestler over the top rope but also by pin and submission.

The winner of the match earns the right to challenge the MLW World Champion at a time and place of their choosing. Tom Lawlor won the first Battle Riot in 2018. LA Park won the second Battle Riot in 2019. The event did not take place last year due to the pandemic.

Battle Riot III Entrants

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1413468727824236545

The entrants for this year’s Battle Riot are below:

  1. Tom Lawlor
  2. Alexander Hammerstone
  3. King Muertes
  4. Mads Krugger
  5. Richard Holliday
  6. TJP
  7. Myron Reed
  8. Marshall Von Erich
  9. Ross Von Erich
  10. Davey Richards
  11. Josef Samael
  12. Ikuro Kwon
  13. Simon Gotch
  14. Calvin Tankman
  15. Savio Vega
  16. King Mo
  17. EJ Nduka
  18. Gino Medina
  19. Lee Moriarty
  20. Shawn Daivari
  21. Bu Ku Dao
  22. Alex Kane
  23. Aramis
  24. Gringo Loco
  25. Zenshi
  26. Kit Osbourne

The 14 remaining spots leave plenty of room for surprises.

Richard Holliday vs King Muertes – Caribbean Championship

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1413243920331550720

Azteca Underground’s Cesar Duran (the former Dario Cueto) has arranged for his King Muertes to receive a shot at the Caribbean Championship at Battle Riot. He’ll take on Richard Holliday under Caribbean rules, meaning anything goes. Duran is scheduled to be part of the tapings and will be live in Philadelphia to lead his mysterious faction. Muertes represents a significant threat to Holliday’s title.

Davey Richards vs TJP

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1412753281907101700

Davey Richards is returning to the ring with MLW. He’ll take on TJP at Battle Riot III in a match that will have technical wrestling fans excited. TJP will be looking to deal a blow to Richard’s return while Richards will be looking to show the wrestling world he hasn’t lost a step.

MLW 2021 Draft Concludes

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1413323046241378306

MLW has also announced that its 2021 Draft will conclude at Battle Riot. This could possibly mean many surprise new additions to the roster will be unveiled on the show.

Bunkhouse Brawl Pits The Von Erichs vs Team Filthy

E5JVpqWXoAIp2G0 2

This match was announced late last month, but no longer appears on MLW.com. It is not currently clear it is still taking place.

There is perhaps no bigger rivalry in MLW than the Von Erichs vs Tom Lawlor and his Team Filthy. That rivalry will continue at Battle Riot III when the Von Erichs take on Team Filthy in a Bunkhouse Brawl. Team Filthy cost the Von Erichs the tag belts earlier this year while the Von Erichs ruined Lawlor’s “Filthy Island” festival. This will be a brutal grudge match between two rival factions.

Braun Strowman Asks, “How Long Until I’m Out of Jail?”

Alex Laybourne
-
0

The wrestling world was left in slack-jawed amazement when news broke of Braun Strowman’s WWE release. The monster had been main eventing PPVs and challenging for the top title just a month previous.

Initially, Braun was coy about his future plans. However, after some time away and a new beard cut, the big man is just itching for a fight. Taking to social media recently, Strowman likened his 90-day wait to being in prison.

Braun Strowman has certainly been enjoying life since he was released by WWE on June 2nd, but a fighter wants to do but one thing. It is clear from his words that Strowman is now ready to get back in the ring. If his recent social media posts are anything to go by, he is keeping himself in great ring condition.

Given the sudden and shocking nature of his goodbye, there will undoubtedly be some frustrations the big man is looking to work out of his system. His first few opponents are surely going to feel his wrath.

Is Braun Strowman AEW Bound?

While not even halfway through his mandatory cooldown period, talking about an AEW move is gaining traction. This was fuelled by new AEW analyst Mark Henry saying that both sides were interested and talking.

If Braun Strowman is going to sign with the Jacksonville-based promotion then his first feud could already be set.  Strowman was quick to reply to a fan who claimed that AEW’s resident big man, Wardlow would be willing to stand in Strowman’s way.

A fight between the pair would be quite the affair, and it could be a natural fit given both men’s physiques. Wardlow is currently locked in a feud along with other Pinnacle members with the Inner Circle.

However, that said, Braun Strowman is not eligible to compete again until August 31st. Luckily enough, the last day of his sentence is a Tuesday, and with AEW Dynamite airing on a Wednesday, the timing could not be better.

The self-proclaimed Beef King has been posting videos on social media of his training for the next chapter of his career, whatever that entails.

Deonna Purrazzo To Face A Mystery Opponent At Slammiversary

Chris Stephens
-
0

Impact Wrestling continues to build up the idea that anyone could show up at Slammiversary. This week on Impact Wrestling, Gail Kim informed Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo that she will not know who her opponent on the PPV will be ahead of time. She’ll be defending her title against a mystery opponent.

This has led many people to speculate as to who could be brought in to face the champion on the PPV. There is no shortage of possible options.

Former Knockouts Champion, Chelsea Green, is heavily rumored to return to her former promotion. Green returning to Impact was addressed recently in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

“Chelsea Green has been heavily talked of as coming back here of late and even hinted herself about the idea of bringing back Laurel Van Ness, which was her Impact name,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Slammiversary Card

7 matches have now been confirmed for the PPV.

  1. Impact World Championship
    Kenny Omega (c) vs Sami Callihan
  2. Knockouts Championship
    Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs A Mystery Opponent
  3. Impact Tag Team Championships
    Violent By Design (c) vs The Good Brothers vs Willie Mack & Rich Swann vs TJP & Fallah Bah
  4. Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    Fire N Flava (c) vs Rosemary & Havok
  5. X-Division Championship
    Ultimate-X
    Josh Alexander (c) vs Rohit Raju vs Chris Bey vs Trey Miguel vs Ace Austin vs Petey Williams
  6. Moose vs Chris Sabin
  7. Eddie Edwards vs W. Morrissey

Aleister Black Was Nothing More Than a Psychotic Episode for Tommy End

Alex Laybourne
-
0

The man formerly known as Aleister Black is wasting no time in getting back into the ring. This week, he released a short horror vignette showing Tommy End in a psychiatric facility, being examined by doctors. The next day, he appeared on AEW, attacking Cody Rhodes and Arn Anderson. In doing so, debuting his new character Malakai Black.

Black also appeared on the YouTube show Drinks With Johnny, where he spoke about his new character and what he is trying to do.

The simple takeaway from it is not that Aleister Black is dead, but rather he never existed at all. Talking in his interview, Tommy End made two announcements.

“What you’re going to see is what happened to Tommy End during the 4 years that Aleister Black was on TV.” He explained. “The base of my character has always been that Tommy End was possessed by the devil and turned into Aleister Black.”

This is a creative way to not only move on from a character created in an old promotion but also to tie together a career spanning multiple incarnations. Wrestler’s identities will often change when they move around. However, linking everything to an underlying psychosis is a clever way to weave the different stages of a career together.

Aleister Black Likens WWE to a Psychotic Episode

There has been no shortage of released wrestlers talking about the level of frustration they felt while working for WWE. Jon Moxley created his prison break video which aired to the minute of his contract ending. However, writing off your entire WWE experience as one bad psychotic episode is a creative touch that would surely make his former employers jealous.

Aleister Black went on to explain how Tommy End could not beat his episode and eventually gives in to Malakai. He did this to great effect in his video. Yet, it was not without intent. It is another layer to the Tommy End story, with Black wanting to put a little distance between himself and End.

“I’m also moving away from Tommy End for a while. I just wanted to get rid of my WB name for a while. I’m creating a specific IP for something else. You will know it when it happens because it will most likely happen on the same day.”

Aleister Black is taking storytelling and character development to an entirely new level. Luckily, fans will get to see that unfold in AEW. It could be that what Black was alluding to was his AEW debut with his comments. However, there is clearly a lot of thought going into his new character and it is exciting to think where it could go.

Malakai Black Details How His AEW Debut Came Together

Chris Stephens
-
0

Malakai Black (FKA Aleister Black, Tommy End) hosted Thea Trinidad’s (Zelina Vega’s) Twitch channel yesterday. During the stream, he spoke about how his AEW debut all came together.

“Once I found out that my contract was a tad different than the usual, I just came up with this idea,” said Black (transcriptions via Wrestling Observer). “We made it a thing to make it available to as limited people as possible because that’s how you keep it under wraps. Security, Cody Rhodes, and a few others. It may have been five or six total people.”

On AEW Dynamite this week, Arn Anderson was in the ring when the lights cut out. When they returned, Black was in the ring. He attacked Anderson and then Cody Rhodes as well.

“I pitched that idea and said, ‘What if we do multiple blackouts throughout the show and insinuated the technical difficulties?’ Commentary did a great job getting that over and it came off great,” he continued. The lights also went out during the Rhodes vs QT Marshall strap match, with commentary alluding to there having been technical difficulties throughout the day.

Shortly after Black was released from WWE, there were rumors that some in the company were pushing for him to be brought back. Black also addressed his decision to sign with AEW during the stream.

“It was the right move for me to make for me, my family, my career, the state of mind I’m in. It’s just a really good company. I can’t say enough good things about it. They have a bright future.”

“Last night was top three one of my favorite moments of my career… It was the cumulation of months and months and months and having this big payoff was worth the pain, chaos, and perseverance,” Black concluded.

Impact Results (7/8): Kenny Omega & Sami Callihan Slammiversary Contract Signing

Chris Stephens
-
0

Impact Wrestling on 7/8 featured a show-long storyline of Sami Callihan being arrested for assaulting Don Callis. The promotion also continued the build to Slammiversary in less than two weeks.

Impact Wrestling 7/8 Quick Results:

  1. Jake Something defeated Brian Myers w/ Sam Beale
  2. Knockouts Championship
    Deonna Purrazzo defeated Lady Frost
  3. W. Morrissey defeated Jason Page, Manny Smith & Deonte Evans
  4. Rosemary & Havok defeated Susan & Kimber Lee
  5. Karl Anderson w/ Doc Gallows defeated Deaner w/ Violent By Design, TJP w/ Fallah Bahh & Rich Swann w/ Willie Mack

Matt Cardona Returns!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv_8NFTMfwg

Jake Something picked up a big victory in this week’s opening contest. He defeated Brian Myers with a Black Hole Slam. The stipulation in this match was that the loser had to acknowledge the other as a true “professional” but Myers’ protege, Sam Beale, jumped Something from behind before Myers adhered to the stipulation.

Something was then saved from a 2-on-1 beatdown by a returning Matt Cardona, however. Cardona cleared the ring of the heels, leaving him and Something in the ring to close the segment.

Sami Callihan Is Arrested

As Sami Callihan is being interviewed in the back, several security officers approach him to say they have a warrant out for his arrest. Later we would see that footage exists of Callihan having punched Don Callis, although the footage only seemed to show Callihan from behind…

With Callihan arrested it is not clear if he will be able to make it to the contract signing later.

Deonna Purrazzo Will Face A Mystery Opponent At Slammiversary

Lady Frost made her debut in Impact Wrestling by answering Deonna Purrazzo’s open challenge this week. She’d drop the match via submission when the champion locked in a Fujiwara arm-bar, however.

After the match, Gail Kim came to the ring and confronted the champion. At first, Purrazzo thought that Kim was there to issue a challenge to her for Slammiversary. Kim confirmed she’s retired but was out there to announce that at Slammiversary, Purrazzo won’t know who her opponent is ahead of time. It will be the champion versus a mystery contender on the PPV.

Moose Attacks Chris Sabin In Swinger’s Palace

Chris Sabin was just settling in for a relaxing time at Swinger’s Palace this week when he was attacked from behind by Moose. Sabin was left fairly brutalized as Moose effectively softened up his Slammiversary opponent.

W. Morrissey Sends A Message To Eddie Edwards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2-Rvd4ZE9E

W. Morrissey attacked Eddie Edwards before he was scheduled to face Satoshi Kojima last week. The big man who is still undefeated in Impact will face Edwards at Slammiversary. He sent a message to his upcoming opponent this week by dominating 3 opponents in a handicap match.

Kimber Lee Enlists James Mitchell’s Help After Loss To Havok & Rosemary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUPDGdE4KVc

Havok & Rosemary have joined forces as of late and this week they picked up a win over Kimber Lee and Susan. They will now move on to face the champions at Slammiversary.

After the match, Kimber Lee was distraught at suffering another loss. She approached Father James Mitchell in the back to ask for help. Susan, the former Su Yung, then left with Mitchell. Could the more devious version of her character be returning?

Tenille Dashwood Attacks Jazz

On Dashwood’s “All About Me” reverse-talk show this week, she berated Jazz and said that she’s the reason Dashwood and Rachael Ellering didn’t become a team. Jazz went to leave but was attacked from behind by Dashwood.

Later in the show, Rachael Ellering and Jordynne Grace would challenge Dashwood and Kaleb to a match for next week.

Multi-Team Tag Team Title Match Announced For Slammiversary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtZgPKtzDI4

Rich Swann and Willie Mack came out for a promo and said they want a shot at Violent By Design, but then so did several other teams. This brought out Tommy Dreamer who announced a 4-way match at Slammiversary featuring Mack & Swann, TJP & Fallah Bah, The Good Brothers, and the champions Violent By Design.

This then led to a four way match with each team sending one representative. Anderson would pick up the win with a Gun Stun on 1/2 of the champs, Deaner.

Sami Callihan and Kenny Omega Contract Signing

Kenny Omega and Don Callis come out for the official Slammiversary contract signing with Scott D’Amore. With Callihan arrested, it was just them. Omega signed the contract but then the lights in the building went out. The video of “Callihan” assaulting Callis is shown on the screen but this time the footage continues to show that it was actually John E Bravo dressed up as Callihan. When the lights come back on Callihan is in the ring. He delivers a piledriver to the champion before signing the contract. The challenger then put the champion through a table to end the show.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Next Week

  • Doc Gallows vs. Fallah Bahh vs. Joe Doering vs. Willie Mack
  • Josh Alexander, Chris Bey, Trey Miguel & Petey Williams vs Rohit Raju, Ace Austin, Madman Fulton & Shera
  • Havok vs Tasha Steelz
  • Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering vs Tenille Dashwood & Kaleb

Slammivesary:

  1. Impact World Championship
    Kenny Omega (c) vs Sami Callihan
  2. Knockouts Championship
    Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs A Mystery Opponent
  3. Impact Tag Team Championships
    Violent By Design (c) vs The Good Brothers vs Willie Mack & Rich Swann vs TJP & Fallah Bah
  4. Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    Fire N Flava (c) vs Rosemary & Havok
  5. X-Division Championship
    Ultimate-X
    Josh Alexander (c) vs Rohit Raju vs Chris Bey vs Trey Miguel vs Ace Austin vs Petey Williams
  6. Moose vs Chris Sabin
  7. Eddie Edwards vs W. Morrissey

Alicia Atout Names Her Pick To Win MLW Battle Riot III

Samira
-
0

Major League Wrestling returns this Saturday night with MLW Battle Riot III live from the famous 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA.

I will be on-hand for Battle Riot this weekend as a correspondent for SEScoops and spoke with “Interview Queen” Alicia Atout to discuss MLW’s return, Battle Riot and much more.

When asked who she thinks will win Battle Riot III, Atout named MLW National Openweight Champion Alex Hammerstone as her favorite.

“As much as I don’t want to choose someone from this faction, I feel like a lot of eyes are on Hammerstone at the moment,” said Atout.

She goes on to say that many people were wondering when he will finally go one on one against Fatu and will he hold the Openweight and Heavyweight Championship at the same time.

Atout added, “Every single day when I’m opening Instagram, I’m seeing him like in the gym 10 times a day. He knows what he’s been working on and I think he’s gonna come in just like swinging. I think it might be Hammer, but I’m not sure.”

Other topics discussed include the returning to live wrestling, Salina De La Renta’s departure from MLW, her favorite reality TV shows, and more.

Watch my full interview with Alicia Atout:

MLW’s Battle Riot III is sold out and will be taking place at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on July 10th at 7 p.m. EST.

Check back this weekend for MLW Battle Riot III Results!

1...898899900...3,410Page 899 of 3,410