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Kurt Angle On Brock Lesnar’s ‘Money First’ Attitude

Anutosh Bajpai
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Kurt Angle has had a storied history with Brock Lesnar. The two stars have challenged each other numerous times in the past and they have had matches in more than one promotion.

The Olympic Gold Medalist talked about the Beast’s early days in the wrestling business during the latest episode of his podcast. He discussed things from Brock’s time in WWE to his controversial NJPW run and more.

Angle discussed Brock Lesnar winning the IWGP world title in his debut match and keeping the belt for over a year. According to him, Lesnar didn’t want to lose the title to just anybody so he told NJPW officials to bring him over:

“He wouldn’t do it with just anybody, so he told New Japan if you bring Kurt Angle over, I’ll do the job for him. They brought me over, he did the job for me and then he wanted to have a rematch so he can make more money.”

Kurt Angle then talked about how Brock Lesnar is a very stern businessman and according to the former Raw general manager, for Brock it’s ‘money first’ and passion second:

“Brock is all about money. He’s a very stern businessman. Everything revolved around money for him. It’s money first, passion second.”

The former TNA star also mentioned how the former universal champion was making a ton of money for his NJPW matches and he was remaining the champion as long as he could.

Brock Lesnar won the IWGP heavyweight championship in his debut match for the promotion in October 2005. Despite his disputes with NJPW, Lesnar kept the title for a while and he dropped it to Angle in June 2007.

Paul Heyman Teases Next Roman Reigns Challenger On Talking Smack

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

‘King’ Shinsuke Nakamura has gained some momentum on SmackDown in the past couple of weeks and now Paul Heyman is teasing a very interesting destination for his current journey.

The former champion appeared on the latest episode of Talking Smack where he discussed his new attitude and where he wants to take his newfound fame.

The Universal champion Roman Reigns, who recently defeated Cesaro now seems to be lacking in challengers for his title and so during the interview, Heyman presented an interesting proposition:

“Nakamura, does it [excite you] just to think that one day, we may actually do King Nakamura against ‘The Tribal Chief’ Roman Reigns,”

The king seemed intrigued by this offer as well. When Shinsuke Nakamura asked Paul to give his word about this bout, he said “[I] promise, my king. Your kingdom is in good hands, sir. I shall send your regards to our Tribal Chief.”

Shinsuke Nakamura was defeated by King Corbin in a match during the May 17 episode of SmackDown. However, Nakamura then attacked Corbin from behind and stole his crown.

On this week’s episode of the show, Nakamura introduced a new ally in Rik Bugez, aka Eric Bugenhagen who performed his entrance. Shinsuke then went on to defeat Corbin in a rematch from last week.

Roman Reigns, on the other hand, defeated Cesaro at WrestleMania: Backlash. Now it would be interesting to see if the Paul Heyman teases come to fruition and we see a feud between these two stars in near future.

Mojo Rawley Teases New Gimmick In Post-WWE Career

Chris Stephens
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Mojo Rawley was released from WWE as part of the company roster cuts last month. The former Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner and 7x 24/7 Champion recently teased online that fans are about to see the “real him” when he’s free to perform again shortly.

“10 days until you get me. The real me. The version of me I’ve been so reeeeaaadddy to share with y’all for a decade,” Rawley Tweeted.

https://twitter.com/MojoRawleyWWE/status/1395945782814064642

In a recent interview, Rawley spoke about the difference between training for his NFL and WWE careers.

“I was surprised to see the extent of how different the training is,” Rawley said (Transcriptions via Sportskeeda). “In football, I was a defensive lineman so my weight training was centered around achieving mass and power. I did mostly high weights and low reps. My cardio training primarily required me to operate at a high energy output for short bursts throughout a football game. Now, my cardio and weight training has to enable me to function nonstop throughout a match. I have to be able to function continuously throughout the entirety of a whole match. Quickness within a ring is more important than straight line speed on a football field. The structure of my training has changed completely but my training style has not. Intensity, conditioning, power and HYPE!”

Jey Uso Reflects On The Samoan Wrestling Dynasty

Chris Stephens
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Jey Uso recently returned to WWE on the Smackdown brand. He’ll team with his brother Jimmy next week in a match against the Street Profits. The 35-year-old recently spoke with Yahoo Sports about the history of Samoans in wrestling.

“I think the Samoan people have made wrestling,” Jey Uso said. “Pro wrestling is right down our alley, we’re just physical people, strong, quick. I feel like we were just made to do this. Being a part of it now and seeing all of the blood that has been laid before me, the whole family tree, it’s very humbling and I’m so proud I am part of this.”

Jimmy and Jey Uso are both from the Fatu side of the Anoa’i family dynasty in wrestling. The Tonga Kid/Tama/Sam Fatu is their Uncle, as was Umaga, and MLW World Champion Jacob Fatu is their cousin.

“As I’m a part of the business now and as a man, you see Peter Maivia rocking the traditional Samoan tattoo, known as the Pe’a, right there, my mind is already blown because at that time they probably looked at him like he was crazy,” Uso continued. “That was telling me that he wasn’t afraid to show people who he was. The heritage, being proud of who he was. The tattoos, that’s our thing, we wear the markings on the skin to show the world who we are, what we are and how we are.”

Jey Uso on his father Rikishi and the Rock

Uso would continue to say that his father Rikishi and the Rock helped to break stereotypes in wrestling while still honoring their heritage.

“The cool thing is that my dad was part of those stereotypes when he was with the Headshrinkers,” Uso said. “When my dad gets with Too Cool and dyes his hair blonde, now he’s adding layers to his character. Now he starts dancing, now he’s got these hip-hop guys with him. That was a feel good moment. Same thing with The Rock. He was so witty and when he started cutting those promos, the way he talked and looked, you wanted to be around him.”

“These guys gave off great energy and that’s what Samoan people are, period. We’re happy people. We’re very, very family oriented. I think that’s what resonated with people and it started to bleed through the screen, to the point where people started to realize that these were fun, cool dudes.”

Yuji Nagata ‘Interested’ in Return To All Elite Wrestling

Jake Skudder
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New Japan Pro Wrestling legend Yuji Nagata made his AEW debut just over a week ago. Blue Justice faced Jon Moxley in a match for the IWGP United States Championship.

This signals yet another time that a belt from an outside promotion has been defended on AEW Dynamite.

It was recently reported by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Nagata was interested in a return to AEW and he was extremely happy with how he was treated.

Yuji Nagata To Return To AEW?

“Yuji Nagata said he enjoyed his time in AEW and would like to return” Meltzer wrote. “He said Tony Khan told him that anytime he wants to come back he’s welcome.”

With the positive way in which Nagata was portrayed on screen by AEW, New Japan will likely be keen to work with them going forward. NJPW Strong producer and New Japan star Rocky Romero will be wrestling on this week’s episode of AEW Dark: Elevation.

It’s not been confirmed if Yuji Nagata will be returning to AEW anytime soon. With the current travel restrictions amid the pandemic; it’s unlikely that we’ll see many more NJPW talents appear on Dynamite that aren’t already based in the US.

PROGRESS Star Kanji Wants Jordynne Grace To Return To Challenge Her

Jake Skudder
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PROGRESS Wrestling star Kanji has made a challenge to IMPACT Wrestling’s Jordynne Grace. Kanji will be attempting to win the PROGRESS Women’s Championship at Chapter 111: One Leg In The Air, and she said that Grace is a former Champion that she would like to see return to the company.

Kanji made the comments during a recent PROGRESS Media Call. “I’d love to see Jordynne Grace come back,” Kanji replied when asked who she would like to see return.

“I’d love to step in the ring with Jordynne Grace and have her come back with all the skills and abilities that she’s learned since having the belt previously” Kanji continued.

Kanji on Jordynne Grace and Meiko Satomura

Jordynne Grace was previously the PROGRESS Women’s Champion after defeating NXT UK Superstar Jinny. Grace was eventually defeated by Meiko Satomura, who also has gone on to NXT UK. Satomura is also someone that the PROGRESS hopeful would like to see return to the company.

“I think definitely also get Meiko Satomura back” the UK star stated. “I think she could grace our ring again. That would be awesome.”

Rey Fenix To Miss Double Or Nothing Due To Injury

Anutosh Bajpai
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Rey Fenix hasn’t wrestled on AEW programming in recent while and new reports reveal that the high flying star has been on the shelf due to some injuries.

Dave Meltzer talked about the Mexican star in the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter and revealed that he is out of action with injuries.

Meltzer also mentioned that the injuries will force Fenix to miss the Double Or Nothing PPV on May 30. Though he did not elaborate further on his condition.

The belief is that the AEW star suffered the damage during a recent match in Mexico, although which match it could have been is also unknown.

Rey Fenix alongside Penta El Zero Miedo are the current AAA tag team champions but the brothers have not defended the titles in recent months.

He has not wrestled for All Elite Wrestling this month either. Fenix’s last match for the promotion was a singles bout against Chuck Taylor on the April 29 episode of AEW Dark: Elevation.

While the former Lucha Underground star will be missing the upcoming PPV of the company, both of his Death Triangle teammates will be competing on the show in different matches.

Penta is currently scheduled to wrestle in the Casino Battle Royale while Pac, alongside Orange Cassidy and the AEW champion Kenny Omega will be competing in a triple threat match for the title.

Zelina Vega Set for WWE Return

Alex Laybourne
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WWE announced the release of Zelina Vega back in November 2020. Since then she has been very vocal about the WWE third party bans they place on their stars. This is a subject of recent discussion, with Xavier Woods recently talking about why Up Up Down Down is not on Twitch.

Since her departure, Zelina Vega has created accounts on both OnlyFans and Twitch. More to the point, her income from these sources is reportedly higher than that of her initial WWE deal.

Yet, despite this, Vega has been seen at the performance center in recent weeks. She was even seen shooting some video footage with Simone Johnson. Source have since confirmed that WWE creative are working on a new angle to bring Zelina Vega back into WWE.

There are no details on when this is likely to be. However, it will be on the main roster, rather than a return to NXT.

During her previous run, WWE used Zelina Vega primarily as a valet. It stands to reason that she will be used predominantly in the same capacity on her return. Vega is married to Aleister Black, who recently made his return to Smackdown, interrupting a fatal-four-way match for the Intercontinental title.

Simone Johnson was recently seen modelling for Aleister Black’s new clothing range and has been shooting footage with Zelina Vega in recent weeks. Could this mean that she will be returning to aid her real-life husband and further develop his new character?

In whatever guise Vega makes her return, it also remains to be seen what will happen with her third party commitments.

Gisele Shaw Calls Out Sasha Banks

Jake Skudder
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PROGRESS Wrestling star Gisele Shaw has called out WWE Superstar Sasha Banks. During a recent PROGRESS Media Call, Shaw said that she has ‘heard’ that Banks wants to perform in a PROGRESS ring, and the ‘Quintessential Diva’ Shaw has said that she is ready for the challenge.

“My people told me that apparently Sasha Banks wants to come to PROGRESS” Gisele Shaw mentioned during the media call. “And if we can make that happen, then you know what? I’m open to a singles match.”

Previously, Shaw had called out Charlotte Flair on WWE’s The Bump on Wednesday. Shaw said that The Queen has won every Championship going, but she has never faced the Canadian star nor the PROGRESS Women’s Championship; which Jordynne Grace recently said was on par with the IMPACT title.

Gisele Shaw on Sasha Banks

“I’m open to a triple threat, doesn’t matter to me” Gisele continued, after mentioning Charlotte Flair. “Get that out there.”

Gisele Shaw vs Kanji headlines PROGRESS Chapter 111 tonight on WWE Network, Peacock and demandPROGRESS.

Here’s the full card for the show which is available on demand from 5pm GMT, 1pm Eastern and 10am Pacific:

  • Spike Trivet vs Big Guns Joe
  • Luke Jacobs vs Chris Ridgeway
  • Taonga vs Mercedez Blaze
  • The 0121 vs Sunshine Machine
  • Kid Lykos vs Danny Black
  • PROGRESS Women’s Champion Best of Three Series: Match 3 – Kanji vs Gisele Shaw

QT Marshall Taunts Paul Wight During AEW Dark Elevation Match

Alex Laybourne
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When Paul Wight signed for AEW he did so as both a color commentator and a part-time performer. Since then we have yet to see the big man in an AEW ring. However, that could be changing if recent events on AEW Dark Elevation mean anything.

Paul Wight has been fun to listen to since the launch of Elevation, and the show is a great place to catch a packed card with some very good names each week.

It was during the match between QT Marshall and Baron Black that Marshall first the first shot of a possible feud. Raising his arm into the air ala Wight’s previous incarnation as The Big Show in WWE. He followed this up with stare at the commentary table and a gesture in Wights direction that left nothing to the imagination.

Paul Wight All Too Eager to Put QT Marshall in his Place

Both the crowd and the commentators reacted to the gesture, with Tony Schiavone remarking “Well, he knows you’re here, Paul.”

Paul White smiled and added “Yeah, well he might feel I’m here pretty quick too.”

It was always expected that Wight would step between the ropes. He has plenty of gas left in the tank. With Double or Nothing coming up, and QT Marshall currently without an opponent, perhaps we will be seeing Wight sooner rather than later.

They were certainly fighting words and actions from both Paul White and QT on Elevation, and there are no coincidences in professional wrestling.

The timing of the actions are a little strange, given the Nightmare Family – Factory feud that is currently going on. That might be why we saw it take place on Dark Elevation rather than Dynamite. Either way, it will be interesting to see if anything comes from it. Seeing Paul Wight in action in an AEW ring will certainly be met by cheers from fans around the world.

The USOs Will Take on The Street Profits Next Friday on Smackdown

Alex Laybourne
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The USOs versus Private Party is a fight the WWE universe has been waiting for. It has been 14 months since their paths first crossed. However, a serious injury to Jimmy Uso meant it has taken this long for them to meet in tag-team action.

Tension has been running high between The USOs ever since Jimmy made a return to WWE Smackdown. In his absence, Jey has gone on to have a rather impressive singles run. He has also fallen in line at the side of his real-life cousin, Roman Reigns. This point alone seems to sit foul with the returning Jimmy.

It will be very interesting to see how the tensions have settled as The USOs return to tag team action for the first time in a year. It is also interesting that their first match back will be against one of the hottest and more decorated teams on the roster.

The Street Profits are three-time champions in WWE and certainly won’t give the brothers room to breathe. Hopefully, The USOs will be able to shake off any ring rust, as this will not be an easy match.

There has been some talk in WWE circles about a brother vs brother feud building between The USOs, and now would be the time for WWE to pull the trigger on that. The Roman Reigns allegiance with Jey is the perfect material from which to build a feud. There is every chance that we could see the start of this next Friday when The USOs face off against the Street Profits live on Smackdown.

Matt Riddle Set to Face Xavier Woods on RAW

Alex Laybourne
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The pairing of Matt Riddle and Randy Orton was one nobody saw coming in WWE, and yet, it works. R-K-Bro as they are affectionately known are a mismatch that we love to watch. So when Riddles attempts to make friends between Orton and the New Day backfired, there was only one thing for Riddle to do.

After Kofi Kingston picked up a win over Orton, Riddle and Woods came to blows. Woods was very vocal, as always, during the match.  A quick shove in the middle of the ring on Raw last week was all it took for the match to be made.

Matt Riddle and Xavier Woods will be going one on one this Monday on RAW.

The unlikely partnership between Riddle and Orton began after Riddle lost his US championship to Sheamus. While both men admitted in interviews to not getting on with each other when they first met, times change. Orton was the one asking to work an angle with Matt Riddle.

Orton is a sure-fire Hall of Famer, and the partnership could be very rewarding to Riddle, as he looks to establish himself as a credible performer on the flagship brand.

The question is whether we will see a character change from Riddle, who is a bonafide face right now. Face/heel teams can work, but ultimately, something will give. There is no doubt about Riddle’s in-ring skills, or his ability to fight. Could a Matt Riddle heel turn be what he needs to elevate himself?

Tommy Fury Wants to Wrestle for WWE

Alex Laybourne
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Tommy Fury, the younger brother of heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has declared his intent to wrestle for WWE. Tyson Fury has already dipped his toes into the wrestling pool when he feuded with Brawn Strowman in 2019. Tyson is also currently teasing a feud with Drew McIntyre.

The Fury family were backstage at Wrestlemania Backlash earlier this month, with Tommy Fury getting a chance to hang out with some of the wrestlers. He also got to have a chat with Vince McMahon which left a huge impression on the 22-year old.

Talking to Dev Sahni on his The Lowdown show, Tommy Fury talked about his passion for wrestling.

The Fury Brothers are fighters, and while Boxing is a very different sport to wrestling, there is every chance we could see both of them in a WWE ring at some point down the road. At just 22, Tommy Fury has youth on his side, and has plenty of time left to carve himself a successful wrestling career.

“Hopefully that’s what they were thinking because after boxing, I’m definitely gonna give it a go.” Fury said, responding to the question of whether WWE saw potential in him.

There is no denying his athletic pedigree, and after his brother put in such an impressive show during his stint, the wrestling future could be bright for the Fury’s. Could we even be in line for a Tommy and Tyson tag team?

Moose Has Signed New Contract With Impact Wrestling

Anutosh Bajpai
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After many rumors and teases from the heavyweight star himself, Moose has finally signed a new contract with Impact Wrestling to stay with the company for the foreseeable future.

The former Impact grand champion was set to become a free agent when his previous contract with the company expired next month.

The Impact star had been teasing fans about his future moves recently and Moose went as far as suggesting that he might be signing with NXT once his current contract expires.

However, Dave Meltzer of F4wonline is now reporting that the former football player has made the decision to stay with his current promotion and already inked a new deal to make it official.

Though the site was not able to reveal the length of his new contract. So it’s unknown for how long we can expect Moose’s current run to continue

The former ROH star has been with Impact Wrestling for 5 years now. He has achieved numerous accolades during his time with the promotion including two reigns with the now defunct Impact Grand championship.

Though he has failed to win the Impact world title so far. He will get an opportunity at the title when he faces ‘The Belt Collector’ Kenny Omega at the upcoming Against All Odds event taking place on June 12.

In light of his newly signed contract with the company, it would be interesting to see if Moose if finally able to capture the title at the upcoming show.

Backstage News On Last Minute WrestleMania: Backlash Changes

Anutosh Bajpai
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It’s not uncommon nowadays for WWE to have not decided on the match order and finalized scripts hours before Raw and SmackDown. Now latest reports reveal that it was the case with WrestleMania: Backlash as well.

According to the reports from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the original idea for the main event of the night was different. The company had not made a final call on it until 5:30 PM on the day of the show.

Per the report, the original Backlash plan was for the triple threat WWE championship match among Bobby Lashley, Braun Strowman, and Drew McIntyre to close the show.

However, a push was made on the day of the PPV to have Roman Reigns’ match close the event. The idea was that he was the only franchise player on the roster.

The belief was that he should either go first or last. Since the triple threat match for the Raw women’s championship opened Backlash, the decision was made to let the universal championship match close the show.

The call was helped by the feeling that since Reigns and Cesaro were going to put on a long match, it might have left the audience exhausted for the WWE title match that would have followed.

John Cena’s WWE Return Reportedly In Works

Anutosh Bajpai
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John Cena might be returning to WWE in near future.

After more than a year without fans and being restricted to one location, WWE recently announced their return to touring with a big 25 city tour in July.

In an update to the touring plans, F4wonline is reporting that the company is discussing John Cena’s return for their first show back on the road on July 16.

The Cenation leader has been away from WWE programming since his Firefly Fun House match with Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36 last April.

Though John Cena had expressed interest in a comeback during a recent interview saying that he ‘really, really’ wants to get back to WWE and he wants the audience to return as well.

The company’s 25 city tour will begin with the July 16 episode of SmackDown in Houston. It’s expected to be followed by the Money In The Bank PPV from Fort Worth on July 18 and Raw from Dallas on July 19.

There is no word yet on if Cena’s return is going to be a one off thing or if he is gonna make more than one appearances but the possibility of him wrestling for the promotion is thin.

Stay tuned for more updates on the story.

Alexander Wolfe On What He Was Told About His WWE Release

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former Sanity member Alexander Wolfe was one of the reported names in the list of NXT talents which were released from their contracts earlier this week, alongside half a dozen other talents.

The now-former WWE star had his first interview after the news broke out recently. He spoke to German publication Sport1 and opened up about his release.

Wolfe first detailed his situation with WWE and explained that it’s more of an end of his run with the promotion than an abrupt firing like some others:

“Well, I got a call from WWE on Wednesday and was told that my contract was not extended, it wasn’t officially a dismissal because my contract expires on June 15th. From then on I am no longer a wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment.”

Alexander Wolfe then revealed the reason he was given for his release, confirming the previous reports that talents were told it was for budgetary reasons:

“The reason I was given was the pandemic time that savings are still necessary due to the global event restrictions,

Well, that’s better than no reason at all, but ultimately you know WWE makes so much money that no firing is really mandatory. But it is what it is.”

Alexander Wolfe was also asked what was next for him after the end of his time with WWE. He said that he hasn’t decided if he wants to sign with a different promotion or have a run in the independent circuit.

The former Sanity member discussed how you can never be completely carefree in the wrestling business and explained that he has prepared for a career outside of the industry just in case as well.

The Gunn Club On Advice They Got About Going To WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn of The Gunn Club have been impressing people with their performance in AEW. However, due to their heritage, a lot of people wonder why the duo did not start their career in WWE instead.

The two AEW stars recently appeared on Talk Is Jericho podcast where they talked about a number of things and explained why they did not try to get a job with WWE before joining AEW.

Talking about their decision to not join the WWE PC, Austin Gunn revealed the advice they got from their father and WWE Hall Of Famer Billy Gunn about it:

“This came up, and I was like, ‘What do you think about the Performance Center?’ He goes, ‘I don’t want you to lose your love for wrestling that you have right now by going there and then them having you turn into that Performance Center, follow directions. you need to be this

Instead of me being just free spoken and just express myself naturally.’ So it was a discussion that we had, but we tried everything to not go there.”

Colten expanded on his brothers’ comments recalling how their father’s advice to them was to find themselves and develop a character first:

“I think the discussion was, if I remember it correctly, more of like, you can go there, but you need to go do your own thing for two to three years,” recalled The Gunn Club member, “And find out who you are and try to develop a character yourself or feel out the landscape

Before you just go straight to the Performance Center and they tell you what to be, as opposed to you know kind of what you are when you go in there and you have a little more confidence.”

Chris Jericho then recalled similar advice he gave to Davey Boy Smith Jr. in past. Jericho told him that WWE would still be there in a few years but he would gain a lot of life experience competing for different promotions.

Apart from this, The Gunn Club also talked about Billy Gunn’s Hall Of Fame induction alongside DX, the freedom they get in AEW and more.

Watch Aleister Black Make His Return To WWE TV

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

Aleister Black has finally returned to WWE TV.

This week’s episode of SmackDown featured another vignette of the former NXT champion which saw him reading from his “Tales From The Dark Father” book. The main event of the show then saw Apollo Crews defending his Intercontinental Championship in a fatal four-way match, before Black made his return.

Crews was defending the title against Big E, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. At a time it felt like E would take out the current champion to win the title back. However, the lights went low in the Thunderdome before the new day member could capitalize on his momentum and fog started filling the entrance ramp.

Black then made his return to WWE programming. He was seen wearing a hooded robe. He removed the hood before entering the ring and stared down Big E. The distraction allowed Crews to crawl close to E and hold his leg, and Aleister Black then took out the former champion with his signature Black Mass kick.

The former NXT champion then went back to the ramp. He stared back at the ring as Apollo Crews pinned the former tag champion to retain his title. The show ended with Black standing tall.

Aleister Black has not been seen on WWE TV since being drafted to SmackDwon in October last year. While they had been teasing his return for a while with promos, a date for his return had not been announced. After tonight’s events it appears that Big E is going to be his first feud after returning from his hiatus.

Two NJPW Stars Announced For AEW Dark: Elevation

Anutosh Bajpai
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0

AEW has announced a number of interesting matches for the upcoming episode of AEW Dark: Elevation and it includes the addition of two NJPW stars in Rocky Romero and Ren Narita.

The company announced that the main event of the upcoming show will see NJPW’s Rocky Romero going one on one against former NXT star JD Drake.

Though this wasn’t all as they also confirmed the debut of NJPW young lion Ren Narita who will be facing Royce Isaacs in his first match for the promotion:

Rocky Romero is a Cuban American professional wrestler who has had a couple of stints with ROH. He has also competed for a number of well-known promotions in Mexico including CMLL and others.

He was originally trained by Antonio Inoki at the NJPW Dojo in Los Angeles. He has been a regular for the promotion ever since his return to the company in 2010.

Ren Narita on the other hand has been training under the company’s young lion program since 2017. The 23-year-old has received some praise for his work so far.

Other matches announced for the show include Thunder Rosa vs. Ashley D’Amboise and OT Marshall vs. Robo. AEW Dark Elevation airs on the company’s YouTube channel every Monday at 7pm ET.

WWE SmackDown Results (5/21): Fatal 4-Way For IC Title, Aleister Black Returns

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the Yuengling Center in Tampa. It was the first episode of SmackDown following WWE WrestleMania Backlash. Apollo Crews put the Intercontinental Championship on the line against Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Big E in a Fatal 4-Way main event.

SmackDown Results (5/21)

  1. Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax, Bayley def. Natalya, Tamina, Bianca Belair
  2. Shinsuke Nakamura def. King Corbin
  3. Dominik def. Robert Roode
  4. Apollo Crews def. Big E, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens to retain the Intercontinental Championship

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

A Parade Of Champions Kicked Off The Show

Sonya Deville started off the show and welcomed everyone to a “extra special” edition of SmackDown. Deville noted that WWE is going back on the road soon and back with the WWE Universe. Sonya claimed that Adam Pearce is on the road scouting locations for their tour.

Deville introduced all of SmackDown’s champions but Apollo Crews grabbed a microphone. Apollo complained about having to defend his title in a Fatal 4-Way later tonight before vowing to destroy Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Big E tonight.

Sonya introduced Universal Champion Roman Reigns for the Parade of Champions but Paul Heyman came to the entrance ramp instead. Heyman said this wasn’t a parade of champions, its a parade of title holders. Paul stated that Roman Reigns is not a title holder, he is the champion in WWE.

Paul claimed that fans will buy tickets with confidence because WWE is represented by the Tribal Chief and that Reigns is not interested in being a part of this parade. Heyman added that there will be a “Parade of Champion” later tonight whenever Roman Reigns wants it to happen.

Bayley interrupted and complained about her title reign not being recognized during the ThunderDome era. Bayley mocked the babyface champions but was nice to Apollo and Commander Azeez. She claimed that Bianca Belair cheated in their title match at WrestleMania Backlash and demanded that Sonya Deville strip her of the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Bianca Belair started trading words with Bayley but was attacked from behind by Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya & Tamina tried for the save but Nia and Shayna beat them down as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

Shayna, Nia, Bayley Picked Up A Win

Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and Bayley then battled Natala, Tamina, and Bianca Belair in the first match of the night. Nia sent Tamina to the corner and connected with a Splash. Baszler tagged in as Michael Cole explained that Reginald is not ringside because of injuries sustained during the Alexa Bliss magic/fire interference last week.

Belair finally turned the momentum and planted Shayna with a big Spinebuster. Bianca made her way to the top rope but Nia and Bayley dragged Baszler to the outside. Belair opted to take out all three of them with a Crossbody off the top rope. Belair tweaked her knee during the move as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Bayley was in control and was targeting her attack on Bianca’s knee injury. Belair desperately tried to make it to the corner but Bayley dragged her back. Bianca battled back and launched Bayley out of the ring. Tamina tagged in and beat Bayley down in the corner.

Tamina knocked Shayna off the ring apron and delivered a Powerslam to Bayley. Natalya tagged in and connected with a German Suplex. Tamina tagged back in and leveled Bayley with a Superkick. Tamina went for the cover but Bayley grabbed the bottom rope to break it up at two.

Natalya tagged in but didn’t catch Shayna tagging in as well. Natalya set up for the Sharpshooter on Bayley but Shayna broke it up. Tamina hit Baszler with a headbutt but Bayley then sent her out of the ring. Bayley brought Bianca to the outside and hit a Bayley to Belly. Shayna then got Natalya in the Kirifuda Clutch for the submission victory.

Shinsuke Nakamura def. King Corbin

King Corbin said that Shinsuke Nakamura stealing his crown is the most disrespectful thing he has ever seen and that Nakamura is no king. Corbin vowed to beat Nakamura tonight and take his crown back. Rick Bugez showed up with his guitar and said he was here to rock out with the real king of SmackDown. Bugez riffed Nakamura’s theme and Shinsuke entered with the crown as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Boogz (Rick Bugez) was ringside as Nakamura was beating Corbin down. Corbin took control with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Shinsuke was able to kick out at two. Corbin then mocked Nakamura and hit Good Vibrations on him in the corner of the ring.

Shinsuke kicked Corbin in the face and followed it up with some knee strikes. Nakamura set up for the Kinshasa but Corbin countered into a slam for a near fall. Corbin went for a Chokeslam but Shinsuke escaped. Corbin quickly connected with the Deep Six for a near fall. Bugez played the guitar a bit and Corbin got distracted. Corbin went for End of Days but Nakamura countered into a roll-up for the pinfall victory.

Seth Rollins Attacked Cesaro

Universal Champion Roman Reigns came to the ring with Paul Heyman and Jey Uso. Reigns raised the title and pyro went off as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

Reigns claimed to be a humble man and didn’t want to brag on television. Roman instead said he will allow this time for his Special Counsel to celebrate him. Heyman listed off Reigns’ accomplishments and the superstars he has defeated during his Universal Championship reign.

Roman asked for Heyman to get Jimmy down here and Paul obliged. Heyman asked Jimmy Uso to come down to the ring but Cesaro’s music hit instead. Cesaro had his arm in a sling and made his way down the entrance ramp. Cesaro said he was looking for Seth Rollins but had to come to the ring due to the annoying yapping from Reigns and Heyman.

Roman joked that he will break Cesaro’s other arm and Cesaro laughed it off. Cesaro challenged Reigns to a rematch at Hell in a Cell but was attacked from behind by Seth Rollins. Seth slammed Cesaro’s arm into the steel steps and then hit two Stomps on the entrance ramp. Cesaro was stretchered out to end the segment. Rollins was interviewed backstage and claimed that he blacked out. Cesaro was stretchered by him and Rollins went insane. Seth shouted that this was all Cesaro’s fault as he was stretchered away.

Dominik def. Robert Roode

Robert Roode squared off against Dominik Mysterio tonight on SmackDown. Before the match, Roode cut a promo and told Dominik not to let winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championships go to his head. Roode added that Dominik can’t rely on his dad and that he is going to prove that Dominik does not belong here tonight.

Roode hit two Suplexes to begin the action and went for a third but Dominik countered into a roll-up for a two count. Dominik connected with a Crossbody and followed it up with a Frankensteiner. Dolph tried to interfere but Rey Mysterio fought him off. Dominik sent Roode into the ring post and followed it up with a 619. Dominik then hit a Frog Splash off the top rope for the pinfall victory.

Aleister Black Returned & Apollo Crews Retained

Apollo Crews defended the Intercontinental Championship against Big E, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn in a Fatal 4-Way match in this week’s main event. Owens and Zayn battled to the floor as Crews and Big E traded shots. Big E hit Zayn and Crews with a Splash on the apron but Owens leaped onto him as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Big E was beating down Crews in the corner. Apollo battled back and sent Big E out of the ring with a Dropkick. Crews sent Big E into the steel steps and then bounced Kevin Owens’ face off of them. Apollo hit a Moonsault but Sami Zayn launched him into the barricade.

Zayn then hit a Moonsault off the barricade but turned around into a Clothesline from Owens. Back in the ring, Owens hit a Swanton Bomb off the top rope and went for the cover but Big E broke it up at the last moment. Crews got back into the ring and hit Big E with a few German Suplexes for a near fall.

Sami sent Owens flying into the turnbuckle with an Exploder Suplex. Owens avoided the Helluva Kick and went for the Stunner but Sami was able to escape. Zayn connected with a Michinoku Driver but Owens was able to power out at two. Zayn went for a Suplex but Owens countered into a Neckbreaker.

Big E tried to Spear Apollo on the apron but Crews got his knee up. Owens went for the Stunner but Crews countered with a DDT on the ring apron. Big E then leveled Crews with a Spear off the apron as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

Back from the break, Big E connected with a double Suplex on Zayn and Crews. Kevin Owens then hit Big E with a Frog Splash out of nowhere for a near fall. Owens followed it up with a Cannonball but turned around into a Blue Thunder Bomb from Zayn for a near fall.

Zayn and Owens then battled to the outside and Sami planted him with a Suplex. Big E got on a roll and connected with the Big Ending. Commander Azeez dragged Big E to the outside and beat him down. Big E sent Azeez into the ring post and the lights started flickering. Aleister Black showed up and hit Big E with Black Mass. Apollo Crews capitalized with a cover to retain the Intercontinental Championship.

The Usos Will Face Street Profits Next Week

Jimmy Uso approached Sonya Deville backstage and said that The Usos are ready to get back in the tag team division. Sonya wondered if Jey agreed with that and Jimmy claimed that he wouldn’t be saying this if Jey didn’t have his back. Jimmy added that they wanted the Street Profits and Sonya made the match official for next week’s show.

Jey later talked to Jimmy backstage and wasn’t a fan of Jimmy booking matches for them. Jey said he has to inform Roman Reigns of the match next week. Jey told Reigns that he had nothing to do with next week’s match against the Street Profits. Roman got annoyed that Jey used the word “we” and said that this is we and everything we do represents the family.

Reigns hugged Jey and whispered something in his ear before walking away. As of now, The Usos are scheduled to take on Street Profits next week and it will be interesting to see if Jimmy and Jey are on the same page.

Details On Velveteen Dream ‘Behavioral Issues’ In NXT

Andrew Ravens
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The Velveteen Dream was released by WWE on Thursday after he hadn’t appeared on NXT TV since dropping a loss to Adam Cole in December. He was backstage at Monday Night Raw back on May 10th, but wasn’t scheduled to appear. 

It turns out that Dream reportedly had some behavioral issues. He also had support from higher-ups in the company.

Bryan Alvarez noted on today’s Wrestling Observer Live that Dream had friends in WWE who were “very” high up in the company, which led to some people feeling uncomfortable with going to management about his behavior because he was close with management.

It was indicated that Dream’s release was not due to previous allegations against him. Instead, it was more because of the behavioral issues as there had been talk about his issues from his time in NXT, and from when he went to other promotions such as EVOLVE. 

He worked three dates for EVOLVE – in 2018 and 2019. Dream was training at the WWE Performance Center as recently as last week. 

There’s still no word yet on what he might be planning for his future but will have at least 30 days to figure it out as he is under a standard 30-day non-compete clause with his NXT contract. On June 19th, he will be free to sign with other companies. 

Expected Venue For This Year’s WWE SummerSlam

Andrew Ravens
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It was reported earlier this month that WWE was planning to hold this year’s SummerSlam pay-per-view event on August 22nd, but at the time, the location wasn’t confirmed just yet. 

WWE has talked about holding this year’s SummerSlam in various locations such as Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere in Texas.

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that an announcement is coming very soon on the location of SummerSlam. Per the report,  August 22 is the targeted date and the plan is to run the show at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. 

This is the home of the Las Vegas Raiders. The stadium could hold somewhere around 60,000 for WWE, which is an ambitious goal as the country continues to come out of the COVID-19 restrictions that have been placed on sporting events and entertainment. 

This comes at a time where WWE just confirmed that they’ll be resuming live events as the July 16 SmackDown will take place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Money in the Bank goes down on July 18th for the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, and Raw on July 19th will take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

WWE’s next pay-per-view event is Hell in a Cell on June 20th from the ThunderDome. 

Ultimate Warrior Documentaries From A&E & Dark Side Of The Ring To Air Next Week

Andrew Ravens
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It’s not often that two documentaries from two different companies about the same topic are released within days apart from the other, but that’s what will be happening next week about the life and career of The Ultimate Warrior. 

Warrior was fast-tracked to the main event scene in WWE where he became a popular wrestler among fans. He had an up-and-down relationship with Vince McMahon during his tenure. He worked for WWE from 1987 to 1991 and again in 1992 and 1996. He also had a stint with WCW in 1998. 

Warrior became a two-time Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion and won the WWE Championship when he pinned Hulk Hogan in the main event at WrestleMania VI in 1990. After being on the outs with WWE, he returned to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but died just days after appearing on the post-WrestleMania episode of Raw in 2014 at the age of 54. 

ultimate warrior

A&E Biography Episode

WWE has teamed up with A&E for new “Biography” episodes with the latest edition to be about Warrior, which will air on Sunday, May 23rd. 

The synopsis for A&E’s WWE Biography reads, “The Ultimate Warrior inspired an entire generation of fans living by his mantra of ‘always believe.’ With his colorful face paint and equally colorful interviews, Ultimate Warrior is perhaps best remembered for defeating Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI to become both the WWE Champion and the Intercontinental Champion.”

You can view the A&E Biography trailer in this tweet:

Dark Side Of The Ring

Just a few days later, Vice TV drops their highly anticipated Warrior episode of Dark Side of the Ring on Thursday, May 27th:

https://twitter.com/DarkSideOfRing/status/1395817995633676288

Moose Teases AEW Appearance & Signing With NXT

Chris Stephens
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Moose picked up a big win at Under Siege this weekend. He is now the #1 contender to Kenny Omega’s Impact World Championship. He noted on Twitter recently that he is hoping to win the title before he becomes a free agent next month.

Moose recently teased that he could show up in NXT:

https://twitter.com/TheMooseNation/status/1395722962146320388

Moose and Kenny Omega came face-to-face last night on Impact. Sami Callihan surprisingly made the save for Moose when he appeared to be outnumbered. Moose teased that he could show up at Double or Nothing to confront Omega as well.

https://twitter.com/TheMooseNation/status/1395176956564549634
https://twitter.com/TheMooseNation/status/1390358667829161993

Moose In Impact Wrestling

Moose has been with Impact Wrestling for close to 5 years now. In that time, he’s yet to win the Impact World Championship despite being in the title picture for years. He’s been the TNA World Heavyweight Champion and the Impact Grand Champion but never the Impact World Champion. He was defeated by Rich Swann in a TNA World Champion vs Impact World Champion title for title match at Sacrifice 2021.

Moose spoke with Sportskeeda earlier this year about his progression as a pro-wrestler.

“I still feel like I have a lot to learn, in growing every day as a performer. I’m going to keep doing it. Right now, I’m still working on my in-ring and my promos, my body. Hopefully, soon, you guys will see close to a finished product,” Moose said during the interview.

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