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First Look At CM Punk In “Heels” Series On Starz (Photo)

Andrew Ravens
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CM Punk stepped back into the squared circle, but for a television series. He will be appearing in at least one episode in the first season of Starz’ series “Heels” that has Stephen Amell, who is best known from the “Arrow” series, as the leading man. 

The television series completed filming its first season earlier this month. Starz has released a ‘first look’ photo of the former WWE Champion as he makes his way to the ring in this fictional universe. Meet CM Punk’s character in Heels, Ricky Rabies!

The series about two brothers, one a babyface and the other a heel inside the ring, and the struggles they have both on camera and behind the scenes after the death of their father, the promoter of the Georgia-based wrestling promotion they both work for and have now inherited.  Amell will be playing Jack Spade, the heel brother.

Punk impressed casting directors for the role of Jack Spade back in 2017, but never got the role because the project was put on hold. Amell later filled that role so now Punk will be portraying his adversary.

Punk is featured in the new horror movie Jakob’s Wife, which was just released. He plays Deputy Colton in the film that stars Barbara Crampton.

https://twitter.com/StephenAmell/status/1355972265050050563

WWE Introduces New Class Of International Performance Center Recruits

Andrew Ravens
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WWE has officially announced the new class of international Performance Center recruits. 

The company confirmed on Friday evening that several new talents are now training at the facility located in Orlando, Florida.

Most notably, Sari Fujimura, who debuted on NXT television as Sarray this past week, is part of the class. She went by the name Sareee before joining WWE where she worked for various promotions such as Sendai Girls, JWP Joshi Puroresu and World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana.

WWE made the announcement by issuing the following: 

Sanjana George is a 24-year-old from Bangalore, India. In addition to her passion for running grueling obstacle courses, George also holds a 5-1 record in mixed martial arts.

Jennifer Michell Cantu Iglesias is a 23-year-old champion powerlifter from Monterrey, Mexico.

Hideki Suzuki joins the WWE PC’s coaching staff. The Hokkaido, Japan, native trained in catch-as-catch can wrestling at Japan’s Snake Pit under the legendary Billy Robinson before stepping into the ring for Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Wrestle-1 and Zero1, among others. In 2017, Suzuki was named the MVP of Japanese independent wrestling by Samurai TV.

Matt Farrelly of Sydney, Australia, is a former history teacher with experience in the ring and on reality television. He competed on “Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders” in 2019.

Stephanie De Landre of Sydney, Australia, has a background in dance and soccer, and has been a standout on the independent wrestling scene down under.

AEW Blood and Guts: Rules Revealed, Format For May 5th Dynamite

Michael Reichlin
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All Elite Wrestling will present the first Blood and Guts match in company history on the May 5th edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT. Blood and Guts is AEW’s version of War Games, the double steel cage match created by the late Dusty Rhodes.

Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle will square off MJF’s Pinnacle faction in what’s sure to be a violent affiar that lives up to the Blood and Guts name.

On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer revealed some details about what fans can expect from this special episode of Dynamite.

“I think it’s going to be a one match show,” said Meltzer. He clarified that AEW might pre-record some other matches and video packages, but he expects that entire show to be built around B&G and for it to be the only live match that takes place that night.

AEW Blood and Guts: May 5th

AEW Dynamite is a 2-hour show, so Blood and Guts will be a long match. The 10-man elimination match will feature ‘old school’ rules – with no pinfalls.

The Blood and Guts double steel cage will feature a roof, which stays true to Dusty Rhodes’ original concept. WWE’s version of the match, War Games, did not feature a roof.

AEW is just the latest promotion to present their own version of the mythical War Games match. Aside from the original War Games match presented by the National Wrestling Alliance in 1987, other companies that put their own spin on the “match beyond” include ECW, Smoky Mountain, Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling, Major League Wrestling and WWE/NXT.

NWA: When Shadows Fall PPV Announced For June 6th

Michael Reichlin
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0

The National Wrestling Alliance’s next pay-per-view has been announced.

The NWA presents “When Our Shadows Fall” live on pay-per-view on Sunday, June 6th. The event will feature a ‘dark and ominous’ circus theme and streams exclusively at FITE.TV.

All of the NWA’s top champions will be part of this show, including World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis, National Champion Chris Adonis, Women’s Champion Serena Deeb, Tag Team Champions Aron Stevens and Kratos and Television Champion, The Pope.

NWA President Billy Corgan was quoted in a press release sent in to SEScoops.com:

“We ask our fans from all over the globe to join us as we continue to build on the 73 years-and-counting tradition of the National Wrestling Alliance. It’s an awesome legacy to have to navigate, but as you’ve seen recently with Triller’s headline-making acquisition of FITE, the future of television and live broadcast events is in the digital sphere.”

You can pre-order NWA: When Our Shadows Fall now at FITE.TV.

John Cena Comments On Missing WrestleMania This Year

Chris Stephens
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John Cena didn’t perform at WrestleMania this year. The 44-year-old was unable to make it to the event due to his filming schedule. He spoke to the Bleacher Report about what it was like to miss the big show this year.

“We all have a window,” Cena said. “And I love listening to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin talk about his window. My goal when I stepped foot in WWE was to leave it better than I found it, and it’s really great to be able to see an event.”

“I almost had the best transition you can possibly have. My last two WrestleManias were very interesting: an almost cinematic-type match and before that I was a fan. I got to sit in the crowd and see WrestleMania. I got to see the product. I got to see a stadium full of fans and it was beautiful. I felt at home.”

Cena continued to say that he was happy to see that life after him for the WWE is thriving.

“I think it’s really special, and we all think they’re never going to go on without us. That’s not true. It’s more reassuring to me to not only see that WWE has a life after me, which is inevitable for sure, but that the life is thriving.”

“There’s so many great storylines, so many great matches. It’s called WrestleMania, not CenaMania, you know? I’ve been a part [of it], and that part is over.”

John Cena vs John Oliver

Today is John Cena’s 44th birthday. It is also HBO’s John Oliver’s 44th birthday. That the two were born on the exact same day as been a reoccurring joke on Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” show.

https://twitter.com/JohnCena/status/1385469454058885121

Impact Results (4/22): Go-Home Show For Rebellion

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling on 4/22 was the go-home show for Sunday’s Rebellion PPV. Eddie Edwards faced Eric Young in the main event.

Impact 4/22 Quick Results:

  1. The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) defeated Decay (Black Taurus & Crazzy Steve)
  2. Tenille Dashwood defeated Susan
  3. Shera defeated Jake Something
  4. Jordynne Grace defeated Kiera Hogan via DQ
  5. Eric Young defeated Eddie Edwards

Rich Swann and Kenny Omega’s Final Segment Before Rebellion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPUJyg8bSZQ

Rich Swann came out for a promo this week and called out Kenny Omega. Omega and Don Callis appeared on the big screen and said they couldn’t be in the Impact Zone for the show. Omega plans on being on Impact regularly, however, as the new Impact World Champion.

After Omega and Callis logged off, Moose made his return to Impact and confronted Swann in the ring. Moose gave Swann a warning that if he loses his two title belts, he’ll have to deal with him after.

Violent By Design Scores Victory Ahead Of Rebellion

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

With a huge 8-man tag taking place at Rebellion, the leaders of the two sides faced off in singles action in this week’s main event. With the two sides brawling on the outside, VOD’s Joe Doering tripped up Eddie Edwards and allowed Young to score a pinfall with a small package. After the match, the melee between the two sides would continue.

Rachael Ellering To Team With Jordynne Grace At Rebellion

Jordynne Grace faced Kiera Hogan in singles competition this week. With Jazz now having officially retired, Grace is in need of a partner for the Knockouts tag title match at Rebellion. Just when Grace looked as though she had this match won, Tasha Steelz interfered to cause the DQ. It was then a 2-on-1 attack until Rachael Ellering hit the ring and made the save. Ellering will now be Grace’s partner at Rebellion.

The Good Brothers and FinJuice Prepare For Rebellion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9ect0peiW4

The Good Brothers defeated Decay in tag-team action this week as they head to Rebellion on a winning note. After their victory, Anderson and Gallows cut a promo directed at FinJuice. They said they are glad that Finlay and Robinson broke them out of their comfort zone.

Later in the show, FinJuice would cut a promo at Anderson and Gallows, telling them they are dreaming if they think they are going to take the belts from them on Sunday.

Tenille Dashwood Defeats Susan En Route To Rebellion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQml4MdGj44

Tenille Dashwood put away Susan in singles competition this week. After the match, she cut a promo to her Rebellion opponent, Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo. Dashwood said that Purrazzo owes her for all that she has contributed to women’s wrestling.

Sami Callihan Sends Trey Miguel A Warning Ahead of Rebellion

Sami Callihan and Trey Miguel will face off at Rebellion. Just days before the event, Callihan sent Trey a message that at Rebellion he’s going to see to it that he never walks again.

Brian Myers Sends Matt Cardona A Message Ahead of Rebellion

Brian Myers cut a promo this week on his Rebellion opponent, Matt Cardona. Myers said that he’s not interested in living in the past and that at Rebellion, Cardona will be just another “roster cut.”

Final Lineup For Rebellion

Here is the final lineup for this weekend’s Rebellion PPV:

  • AEW World Championship vs Impact World Championship
    Kenny Omega (c) vs Rich Swann
  • Impact Tag Team Championships
    FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) (c) vs. The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson)
  • Knockouts Championship
    Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs Tenille Dashwood
  • X-Division Championship
    Ace Austin (w/Madman Fulton) (c) vs. TJP vs. Josh Alexander
  • Knockouts Tag Team Championships
    Fire N Flava (c) vs Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering
  • Brian Myers vs Matt Cardona

Chelsea Green Comments On Her WWE Release

Chris Stephens
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Chelsea Green was recently released by WWE as part of the cuts made last week. She recently took part in an interview with Chris Van Vliet and spoke about her reaction to being let go.

“At first I was kind of emotionless and I guess confused. My way of handling that has always been to go into overdrive with what’s next?” Green said. “That’s always the way my brain has worked with everything. So even when I became the IMPACT Champion, literally that night, what’s next? What am I going to do next?”

Green continued to talk about how her fiancé, Impact’s Matt Cardona, helped her that day.

“First of all, he warned me that this was coming. Not necessarily to me, that I was going to get fired. But he did call me and give me a 10-minute gap between the time he told me people are letting go and me getting let go. He gave me that warning then I texted him and said ‘OK, I’ve been released.’ I’m not joking he was home within 30 minutes. My Pro-Wrestling Tees store was up, he’s all go go go! Even harder than I was. I think that’s kind of the same way I felt when he was released.”

Chelsea Green: Hot Mess

Green also talked about characters and stories she pitched while with WWE. It does seem as though Green is interested in returning to her “Hot Mess” persona.

“I can’t tell you how many ideas I came up with. If I think about it, they all led back to The Hot Mess. But with that being said, it wasn’t The Hot Mess like you saw at IMPACT. I tried to pitch a darker, creepier Hot Mess that you could relate to. Not just like the girl at the bar, more so any psychotic person you’ve had in your life.”

She continued, “It could be anyone. I was always working on ideas that led me turning into The Hot Mess. It’s what I love, I just want to do character work. I don’t need to wrestle. I’m totally cool with not wrestling, I want to tell a story.”

The full interview with Chelsea Green and Chris Van Vliet is in the player below:

MLW Returning To 2300 Arena, Welcoming Back Fans

Chris Stephens
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MLW will return to Philadelphia’s famous 2300 Arena on July 10th, 2021. Fans will be welcomed back in the building for the show and tickets are on sale now.

On MLW Fusion this week, Court Bauer announced that the company will be taking 2-months off. The episode of Fusion on May 5th will be considered the end of the season. A new season will then kick off with the July 10th show in Philadelphia.

This news comes on the heels of MLW announcing a new partnership with VICE TV. MLW will debut on the network on May 1st with content from its archives to get viewers up to speed on the promotion. VICE TV’s 3rd season of Dark Side of the Ring is then set to premiere on May 6th.

In addition to the deal with VICE TV, MLW is also said to be in negotiations with other networks, including Discover Plus.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385567882180956162/

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that MLW will be looking to add new talent to its roster shortly.

“MLW is looking at adding a lot of new talent with the new deals, both to freshen up, and also because a lot of the Mexican talent they had been featuring won’t be available because of the difficulty right now in getting visas renewed,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Alicia Atout interviewed MLW’s Court Bauer about all the latest developments:

WWE Fires Longtime Employee After Ugly Practice Called Out On Social Media

Chris Stephens
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WWE has a longstanding practice of sending wrestlers their personal belongings in trash bags after they’ve been fired.

WWE released several Superstars last week in the latest round of budget cuts. One of these Superstars is legendary performer, Mickie James.

James received a care package from WWE this week. Upon opening it up, she saw that her personal belongings were thrown in a garbage bag. She brought this to the attention of WWE boss Vince McMahon, unsure if he’s aware of this ugly policy.

WWE Executives React

WWE executives Stephanie McMahon and Triple H reacted to the situation. Stephanie says she embarrassed by WWE’s actions and apologized to Mickie James personally and on behalf of the organization. She noted that ‘the person responsible’ has been fired.

Triple H called the treatment disrespectful and reiterated that the person responsible is no longer with WWE.

According to multiple sources, longtime WWE employee Mark Carrano, Senior Director of Talent Relations, was fired on Thursday.

More Former Superstars Speak Out

Several former WWE Superstars, coincidentally all women, spoke up on social media and said they experienced the same treatment over a decade ago.

Gail Kim followed up by giving her personal opinion of Mark Carano. She tweeted, “I know the WWE trolls are going to come for me, but Mark was not a good human being. I don’t think he should necessarily get blamed for this incident but I hope this karma makes him realize and wake up. Be a nice human and maybe things will change for you.”

CM Punk offered up the following in response to Triple H:

The Undertaker Feels He Should Have Been At WrestleMania

Alex Laybourne
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0

If there is one superstar above all others who is synonymous with Wrestlemania, then it is the Undertaker. From The Streak to his cinematic boneyard match with AJ Styles, the Undertaker has seen and done it all.

The fact that the Undertaker was not on the card at Wrestlemania this year was not lost on fans, and it was not lost on the man himself.

In a recent interview with Sports Interactive, Mark Calloway admitted the WrestleMania weekend stirred that familiar itch.

“I was fine all the way until that first ballyhoo of fireworks,” he said. “I kept thinking to myself, ‘You should be there.”

The Undertaker: Time To Step Aside

A Wrestlemania without the Undertaker certainly felt strange. Yet, despite the itch, Calloway is a man who knows when it is time to step aside. Revered by all backstage, his respect was someone every man on the roster wanted to earn. However, there comes a time when the torch needs to be passed, and at 56 years old, that time came. The Undertaker officially retired on November 22nd, 2020.

“There was a bit of an emotional tug of the heartstrings watching this year, but it’s time for me to step aside and let this next generation have the reins and go where they’re going to go.” Calloway said.

It remains to be seen whether the Undertaker will ever be seen back in WWE, in a non-active capacity. For now, the deadman is content to take some much needed time off to adjust to the next stage of his life.

AEW Dynamite Draws 1.104 Million Viewers, 0.37 Rating

Michael Reichlin
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TV viewership data is in for Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite on TNT, the second week of the ‘unopposed’ era.

The April 22nd episode of AEW Dynamite averaged 1.104 million viewers. The show did a 0.37 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic and finished #2 on cable for the day. The numbers come courtesy of ShowBuzzDaily.

For comparison, Monday’s WWE Raw averaged 1.907 million viewers and did a 0.61 rating. Dynamite’s viewership is up since NXT moved to Tuesday’s, but AEW still has a ways to go before they catch WWE’s flagship show.

This was the 4th most-watched episode of AEW Dynamite. MTV’s The Challenge season finale was the highest-rated show of the night, but AEW has a chance to claim that mantle next week.

Overall, this is a strong showing for AEW. The next big test for AEW comes in two weeks, when the company presents Blood and Guts on the May 5th episode.

Check out our results and takeaway’s from this week’s AEW Dynamite:

EC3 Hospitalized With An Infection

Chris Stephens
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ROH’s EC3 revealed on Instagram recently that he has been in the hospital for 5 days with an infection. It is not immediately clear what type of infection he is dealing with.

#ControlYourNarrative CAN KILL YOU

That’s not strictly just an attention grabbing headline. it’s more of an update.?

Short version; an infection I neglected proper care for, put others people’s needs before mind, went straight empath, caught up to me and broke me.?

Long version; it’s extensive, I’ve been hospitalized 5 days and we’ll need longer.

Anyways I will heal, if you want to help drop a comment or a thought or affirmation.?

Please do no not text. PLEASE.all I ask. If you want to help let me be alone,

ControlYourNarrative?

FreeEC3 #ec3

DONTTEXTIMEANINITANDDONTHUNYTMEDOWN #LETMESLEEP #THANKS

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN8tlpBBBRd/?igshid=102lgh71smdwv

EC3 On Signing With Ring Of Honor

Earlier this year, EC3 spoke about his decision to sign with Ring of Honor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLw4p51hvT-/?utm_source=ig_embed

“I very much look forward to etching my name amongst (and above) those who built the foundation Ring of Honor, competing with it’s exceptional roster, finishing what I have started with Jay Brisco, and carrying the #brand forward into the future it deserves.”

Christian Talks About What He Loves About AEW, His Debut & More

Michael Reichlin
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0

Christian Cage is the latest guest on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, presented by the AEW Casino mobile game.

Christian recently signed with All Elite Wrestling and has vowed to, “Out. Work. Everyone.” During this discussion with Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards, Captain Charisma spoke about his AEW debut, what he loves about AEW and much more.

Christian made his AEW at the recent Revolution pay-per-view. He was the ‘big signing’ teased by Paul Wight. Even though he’s been a household name for decades, Christian reveals that he wasn’t sure how fans would react to him in AEW.

“I get there, and straight onto a bus, and it’s nerve-wracking you know, because you’d be like, ‘Will anybody even care that I’m here?’” he said. “You know, you have those kind of thoughts that go through your head a little bit.”

Christian in AEW

Christian’s first match for AEW was against fellow veteran Frankie Kazarian. It was Christian’s first singles match in seven years. He felt Kazarian was the right guy to work with for his debut.

“I wanted to raise his stock no matter what happened in that match, and I know he felt the same way,” said Christian. “When you have two guys committed to that purpose, I think you’re gonna go out there and do something really special.”

Christian was with WWE since the Attitude Era in the late 1990’s. He knows that system inside and out. There are several ways that AEW differs from WWE. Christian says that one thing in particular that he enjoys is the amount of time that AEW gives talent to do their thing. “That’s the thing, too, that I love about AEW. There’s so much time in these matches to tell these stories.”

Other topics discussed include Jon Moxley’s role in Christian joining AEW, his appreciation for AEW’s tag team division, who he’s excited to work with and more.

Listen to Christian on AEW Unrestricted in the link embedded below.

Park To Be Renamed In Honor Of Bruno Sammartino

Chris Stephens
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Bruno Sammartino lived in Ross Township, Pennsylvania for 58 years. The town has announced plans to rename a park in honor of him. Sangree Park will be officially named “Bruno Sammartino Park.” A new sign will be unveiled at a ceremony tomorrow.

A report on Bruno Sammartino Park from CBS Pittsburgh is below:

The unveiling of the sign commemorating Bruno and the renaming of the park comes just over 3 years after his death. Sammartino died on April 18, 2018 from multiple organ failure due to heart problems. He was 82 at the time of his death.

Sammartino was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

“Being inducted into the Hall of Fame at Madison Square Gardens is the biggest thing in my life,” Sammartino said in an interview with ESPN. “Anytime that people feel that you accomplished enough to enter into a Hall of Fame, of course this is a tremendous, tremendous thrill for me. I had a lot of my success due to appearing at the Garden.”

Following news of Sammartino’s death, Vince McMahon Tweeted that he was one of the finest men he ever knew.

“One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business. Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. He will be missed,” Vince McMahon Tweeted.

MLW Fusion Results (4/21): Hammerstone Challenges Jacob Fatu, Court Bauer Announcement

Chris Stephens
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Major League Wrestling Fusion this week featured Court Bauer making a big announcement, a huge upset in the main event, and your boy Hammer challenging the MLW World Champion.

The full episode can be viewed in the player below:

MLW Fusion 4/21 Quick Results:

  1. Rocky Romero defeated Gino Medina
  2. King Mo defeated Robert Martyr 
  3. Bu Ku Dao defeated TJP

Rocky Romero defeats Gino Medina

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385009090183708677

NJPW’s Rocky Romero faced off with former member of the Dynasty Gino Medina in the night’s opening contest. Commentary played up Romero’s NJPW affiliation and also mentioned Tom Lawlor competing on NJPW Strong, where he has made it to the finals the New Japan Cup USA.

Romero pulled of the victory with an arm-bar. That’s two straight losses for Medina, who recently lost to Richard Holliday as well.

PWI Top-10 Rankings

New top-10 rankings were released on this week’s episode as well.

MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu (Contra Unit)

  1. Alexander Hammerstone (Dynasty) (National Openweight Champion)
  2. Tom Lawlor (Team Filthy)
  3. Lio Rush
  4. Mads Krugger (Contra unit)
  5. Richard Holliday (Dynasty)
  6. Low Ki
  7. Mil Muertes (Azteca Underground)
  8. Myron Reed (Inustice)
  9. Calvin Tankman
  10. ACH

King MO defeats Robert Martyr

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385013331665334275

King Mo dismantled his opponent in quick fashion this week. The referee eventually called for the bell as Mo had his opponent locked in a standing guillotine.

After the match, head coach at American Top Team Dan Lambert and King Mo cut a promo on the referee and Low Ki. King Mo said at ATT they don’t tap or submit and the next time him and Low Ki face each other, he’s going to break him in half.

Court Bauer Makes An Announcement

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385016621350199298

Alicia Atout interviewed Court Bauer this week to talk about the company’s future. Bauer spoke about the new deal with Vice TV and also hinted there are other opportunities in the works as well.

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385015563710255115

Bauer revealed that the company will close out “this season” on the May 5th show in two weeks and then kickstart a new season in July. When the company returns later this summer, they will welcome back fans into the arena. Their first taping for the new season will be held at the historic 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.

Bu Ku Dao Pulls Off Big Upset

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385021666418376704

TJP turned heel by turning on his protege Bu Ku Dao recently in MLW. TJP said that Dao just wasn’t pulling his weight when the two had teamed up together. Dao would get revenge on his former mentor in this week’s main event, however. After a back-and-forth match, Dao overcame a referee bump (when he’d had TJP down for a 3 count) to hit a spinning flatliner and get the pin. What a win for Bu Ku Dao!

Hammerstone Challenges Jacob Fatu

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385021925118853123

Before the show came to a close this week, we got a snippet from a press conference with Alexander Hammerstone. Your boy Hammer said he was tired of the debate regarding who is the best between MLW’s two champions. He called out MLW World Champion Jacob Fatu for what will be a giant main event match.

 “Jacob Fatu, the ball is in your court. The challenge is out there.”

Coming Up In MLW

https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1385014844018020353

Here is what is upcoming for Major League Wrestling:

Next week’s episode:

  • Tom Lawlor vs Marshall Von Erich

May 5th, 2021:

  • MLW World Middleweight Championship
    Lio Rush (c) vs Myron Reed

July 10th, 2021

  • MLW Begins its new season with a show from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia

Damian Priest Talks if Bad Bunny Will Ever Make WWE In-Ring Return

Jake Skudder
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0

WWE Superstar Damian Priest recently spoke to Graham Matthews of Fansided. The RAW Superstar discussed a number of topics during the interview, including his angle with Bad Bunny and the impressive debut the Latin artist had at WrestleMania 37.

“We talked about [a potential return] before and after,” Priest began, saying how Bad Bunny feels regarding a WWE in-ring return. “There’s no question that we’ll see Bad Bunny in a WWE ring again. When? I don’t know.”

“He’s really busy, he’s going to start touring again soon” Damian Priest added. “That’s a wild schedule he has to prepare for. But I’d be shocked if we never saw him again. It’s impossible.”

Damian Priest on Bad Bunny

“The love he has for this business and now the love this business has for him, there’s no way I don’t see him coming back” Priest concluded.

Damian Priest finished the interview by saying how Vince McMahon reacted to his own performance at WrestleMania 37. “I made sure to do what he wanted and he told me, ‘I gave you direction last week and this week you implemented it and you did exactly what I wanted you to do. That’s all I ask for. Thank you.’”

“I said, ‘No, thank you.’ That was it” Priest revealed. “At WrestleMania, he gave me a hug and said, ‘Congratulations, I’m happy for you. You did your job well. You should be proud.’”

Would you like to see Bad Bunny back in a WWE ring? Let us know in the comments

Kurt Angle Reveals There Are ‘Plans’ For Him To Make WWE Return

Jake Skudder
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0

WWE Hall of Famer and TNA alumni Kurt Angle recently appeared on Hannibal TV. The man considered one of the greatest ‘all-round’ performers in WWE history discussed a number of topics during the interview, including how he may be returning to WWE sooner rather than later.

“Well my relationship with WWE is really good and I like to keep it that way” Kurt Angle began the interview. “I don’t have any plans of going to AEW. I haven’t really spoke to them that much.”

“There’s just a couple messages sent back and forth but nothing serious” Angle revealed, negating any rumors that he was going to be All Elite bound. “I have something going on with WWE right now and it most likely will materialize.”

Kurt Angle on WWE Return

Angle finished by elaborating, somewhat, on those plans; “I can’t talk about it but that’s what I’m waiting on and I don’t wanna mess that up. The company’s been so good to me and I wanna be loyal to them.”

Kurt Angle’s last WWE match took place back at WrestleMania 35 against Baron Corbin. Angle has previously had a GM position on Monday Night RAW, so there’s a chance he may return for a similar role if and when he were to return.

Angle has stated in the past that he would like to work with Chad Gable, so that is also a possibility down the line.

credit to POST Wrestling for the transcription.

Would you like to see Kurt Angle back in WWE? Let us know in the comments

Daniel Bryan Considering Stepping Back from being a Fulltime Superstar

Alex Laybourne
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0

WWE superstar Daniel Bryan has shocked fans in a recent BT Sport interview. Talking about the match and his future, Bryan opened up and admitted he is considering stepping back from fulltime wrestling.

Daniel Bryan, who won the hearts of the wrestling world during his underdog run that culminated in a huge win at Wrestlemania 30, has had a storied career. From earning his stripes on the indie scene to conquering the top of the mountain in WWE, and returning from a career-ending injury. He is a man who has done it all.

Yet now, it would seem, that the near-guaranteed hall of famer is considering calling it a day on his glittering career.

Thoughts of Retirement

When discussing his experience at WrestleMania, Daniel Bryan reflected on feeling disconnected from the moment. As a veteran of the industry, that was an unfamiliar feeling and something Bryan found a bit scary.

“It was really bizarre. I don’t know why or how it happened, but it was unlike anything I’ve felt while wrestling before.”

“Maybe it was a sign that it’s time to let go of being a full-time wrestler, which is something that I have been thinking for a while.”

They say that when it’s your time to stop, you just know. Maybe now is the right time for Daniel Bryan to step away. Doing so on his own terms as opposed to when it was previously forced upon him.

With his words hinting at retirement, could it be that his late inclusion at WrestleMania was his goodbye swan song?

Reason Why Charlotte Flair Is Off WWE Television

Jake Skudder
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Charlotte Flair recently returned to WWE television following WrestleMania 37. The former RAW Women’s Champion returned to face Asuka on this week’s episode of RAW, with Rhea Ripley interrupting the match and causing Flair to be distracted and lose to Asuka.

Following the match, Charlotte Flair attacked WWE referee Eddie Orengo. This caused Flair to be ‘fined’ (in storyline) by Adam Pearce to the sum of $100,000.

Even though Flair has only just returned, she is now back off of WWE programming. The reasoning for this is Flair getting dental work done, this is according to a report from Alex McCarthy on the Wrestling Daily podcast.

Charlotte Flair on Suspension

Flair reacted to the storyline news on Twitter, alluding to a potential feud with Rhea Ripley down the line on Monday nights.

“This whole thing sped past ridiculous, jumped over absurd and landed right on stupid” Flair tweeted. “The top two wrestlers in WWE having a classic match on the flagship show, and for what? To be ruined by a petulant child with Road Warriors cosplay shoulder pads.”

“They found one other thing as well: audacity” Flair added. “The audacity to fine me. The audacity to physically remove me from MY RING and remove me from a building with MY NAME on the marquee. The fine? The suspension? Adam Pearce? All the same, a joke.”

Checking In From Somewhere

Meanwhile, the 13-time Women’s Champion appears to be enjoying her time away from WWE. The daughter of Ric Flair checked in this week from an exotic location. Here she is with her man, former WWE Superstar Andrade.

AEW Dynamite Results (4/21): Two Title Matches, Inner Circle & The Pinnacle

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. Darby Allin put the TNT Championship on the line against Jungle Boy tonight. Hikaru Shida defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Tay Conti during this week’s Dynamite as well. In addition to the takeaways below, Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston smashed into a trailer with The Elite’s name on it tonight.

Dynamite Results (4/21)

  1. Hangman Page def. Ricky Starks
  2. Pentagon Jr. def. Trent
  3. Hikaru Shida def. Tay Conti to retain the AEW Women’s Championship
  4. QT Marshall def. Billy Gunn
  5. Christian Cage def. Powerhouse Hobbs
  6. Darby Allin def. Jungle Boy to retain the TNT Championship

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Hangman Page Picked Up A Win

Ricky Starks squared off against Hangman Page in the first match of the night. Hook was ringside for the match and Taz joined commentary. Page started off the match in control with a Clothesline and then a Splash. Page connected with a Fallaway Slam but Ricky battled back.

Starks sent Page to the corner but Adam responded with a Brainbuster for a near fall. Ricky made his way to the middle turnbuckle but Hangman caught him. Page hit another Fallaway Slam off the top for a two count. Starks hit a Spear for another near fall. Page then targeted Ricky’s ankle and locked in a submission for the victory. After the match, Hook and Starks attacked Page. Brian Cage made his way to the ring as well but Dark Order made the save and Team Taz retreated.

Pentagon Jr. def. Trent

Trent faced Pentagon Jr tonight on Dynamite. The action quickly spilled out of the ring and Pentagon sent Trent into the barricade. Trent went for a Tornado DDT but Pentagon escaped and hit a Crossbody. Penta followed it up with a Slingblade and went for the cover but Trent was able to kick out at two.

Trent hit a DDT but Penta hopped up and hit a Destroyer as Dynamite went to a break. When Dynamite returned, Trent and Penta were battling on the ring apron. Alex Abrahantes got on the mic for a distraction and Orange Cassidy got in the ring. Pentagon hit him with a Superkick and the referee got distracted. Alex hit Trent with the microphone and Pentagon capitalized with a Piledriver for the pinfall victory.

Jim Ross Interviewed The Pinnacle

Jim Ross sat down with The Pinnacle for an interview about their Blood & Guts match against Inner Circle on May 5th. MJF noted that he has been wearing the scarf since he was a child and didn’t attempt to steal Jericho’s gimmick. MJF then switched to a silk scarf as Wardlow claimed Jericho made a mistake by mentioning him.

MJF said that when Jericho was his age, he hadn’t accomplished anything compared to him. He called Mike Tyson a stooge and added that he wants Jericho’s spot and will take it at Blood & Guts.

Hikaru Shida Retained

Hikaru Shida defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Tay Conti. Dark Order accompanied Conti to the stage for the title match. Shida and Conti bowed to each other before the bell rang. Conti controlled the match early and hit a knee to the face for a two count.

Tay went for a submission but the AEW Women’s Champion reached the ropes to break the hold. Shida slammed Conti face first on the apron and followed it up with a running knee. Shida connected with a Brainbuster on the floor before the action returned to the ring.

Shida hit a Suplex but Conti shrugged it off and booted Hikaru in the face. Tay connected with a German Suplex and followed it up with a Senton for a near fall. Hikaru hit a Falcon Arrow but Conti was able to kick out at the last moment. Conti hit the TayKO but Shida kicked out at two. Shida connected with a Backbreaker and a big kick to the face for the pinfall victory. Hikaru Shida is still the AEW Women’s Champion. Britt Baker came to the entrance ramp and sent a message to Shida after the match. Baker has moved into the top spot on the rankings and is in line for a title match.

Inner Circle Responded To The Pinnacle

Tony Shiavone interviewed Inner Circle tonight in the ring. Jericho said there was a lot of energy in the crowd due to the upcoming Blood & Guts match against The Pinnacle on May 5th. Jericho claimed it will be one of the most brutal matches ever seen on TV and Hager added that The Pinnacle will be sucking out of a straw after the match. Santana called The Pinnacle bitches because they wait until there is a crew behind them to fight.

Chris Jericho said MJF is all talk and on May 5th he is going to teach him a lesson in violence. Chris brought up Le Dinner Debonaire and sang a quick verse poking fun at MJF. Jericho suggested a parley between Inner Circle and The Pinnacle next week. Inner Circle then gave a middle finger to the camera to end the promo.

QT Marshall def. Billy Gunn

Billy Gunn faced QT Marshall this week on Dynamite. Gunn hit a Powerslam as Aaron Solow came to the ring. Austin and Colten attacked Comoroto and Solow to even the odds. QT hit Gunn with a Piledriver for a two count. Anthony Ogogo interfered and punched Billy in the midsection. QT followed it up with a Diamond Cutter for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Ogogo brought a wooden chair into the ring and went to hit Gunn but Dustin Rhodes broke it up. Ogogo retreated as Dustin planted QT with a Powerslam. Nick Comoroto broke it up and The Factory retreated.

Christian Cage def. Powerhouse Hobbs

Christian Cage faced Powerhouse Hobbs tonight and Team Taz was banned from ringside. Hobbs dominated the match early on as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Hobbs had Cage in a Headlock in the middle of the ring as the crowd got behind Christian. Taz joined commentary and said he loved what Hobbs was doing tonight.

Powerhouse Hobbs threw Cage to the corner of the ring and began taunting him. Hobbs threw Cage across the ring again as the crowd booed. Hobbs stood on Cage’s chest and posed like him. Hobbs went for a Splash but Cage got his knees up. Christian connected with a flurry of right hands and then a diving uppercut off the middle turnbuckle for a near fall.

Cage slapped Hobbs in the face but ran into a Spinebuster for a near fall. Hobbs perched Christian up on the top turnbuckle but Cage hit him with a Powerbomb to the mat. Cage went to the top rope and hit a Frog Splash for a near fall. Christian went for a Spear but Hobbs leveled him. Powerhouse hit a Hip Attack in the corner of the ring for a two count.

Hobbs brought Cage back up to his feet but Christian applied a Sleeper Hold in the middle of the ring. Hobbs broke the hold and went for a Powerslam but Christian escaped. Cage planted Hobbs with the Killswitch for the pinfall victory.

Darby Allin Retained

Darby Allin defended the TNT Championship against Jungle Boy in the main event of this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Sting and Luchasaurus were ringside for the match. Jungle Boy brought Darby to the canvas and applied an Armbar in the middle of the ring.

Allin finally was able to escape and break the hold. Darby connected with an Arm Drag that sent Jungle Boy across the ring and the two had a stare down. Jungle Boy went for another submission right away but Allin escaped to the ropes. Jungle Boy and Darby got in each other’s face and before Darby sent Jungle Boy to the outside.

Jungle Boy hit Darby with a chop to the chest but he shrugged it off and drove Jungle Boy into the ring post. The two then battled into the crowd as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Darby hit a couple Splashes and went for a third but Jungle Boy got his knees up.

Jungle Boy threw Darby out of the ring and flipped onto him. Darby battled back and stomped Jungle Boy down on the ring apron. Allin climbed to the top rope and hit a Coffin Drop on top of the ring apron. Luchasaurus got on the entrance ramp and Sting got in his face. Sting unloaded some strikes and awkwardly fought with Luchasaurus until they went backstage.

Back in the ring, Jungle Boy hit a Brainbuster for a two count before locking in the Snare Trap in the middle of the ring. Allin fought through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Jungle Boy once again locked in the Snare Trap but Darby broke free by raking Jungle Boy’s eyes. Darby then rolled up Jungle Boy with the Last Supper for the victory.

After the match, Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page attacked Darby Allin. Lance Archer made the save as Sting marched back to the ring. Sting pointed his bat at Scorpio and Ethan Page to close the show.

NXT On USA Draws 841K Viewers, 0.23 Rating (4/20)

Michael Reichlin
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NXT’s move to Tuesday nights continues to pay off with an uptrend in viewership.

The 4/20 edition of NXT on the USA Network averaged 841,000 viewers, up from 805,000 last week. The show scored a 0.23 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic, up from 0.22.

NXT finished 23rd on cable for the day up against news coverage of the Derek Chauvin trial verdict. The numbers come courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily.

WWE’s black and gold brand is settling in to a new level of viewership on Tuesday nights without the direct competition of AEW Dynamite. They’ll be in good shape if they can maintain and steadily grow this audience.

Check out our recap and takeaways from this week’s NXT:

Daniel Bryan Tried Getting Out Of The WrestleMania 37 Main Event

Michael Reichlin
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Daniel Bryan made history earlier this month when he competed in the main event of WWE WrestleMania 37 (Night 2). He challenged for Roman Reigns’ Universal Championship in a triple threat match that also involved Edge.

The original plan was for Royal Rumble winner Edge to challenge Reigns one-one-one. Bryan was a late addition. Although headlining WrestleMania is a huge honor that most pro wrestlers never achieve, Bryan reveals that he actually tried getting out of the match several times.

During an interview with BT Sport, Daniel Bryan said, “I kept trying to get out of it… It was such a strong main event with just the two of them.”

Bryan acknowledges that he ‘added something’ to the triple threat main event of WrestleMania XXX, where he defeated Randy Orton and Batista to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion. However, he didn’t feel that he was needed in the main event of WrestleMania 37.

Bryan sensed that certain people in WWE felt like he didn’t belong in the match either, but couldn’t say anything. He voiced his opinion backstage, but nobody agreed with him (to his face).

Ultimately, Daniel Bryan was an asset to the match, which was not at all surprising. He is still one of the best wrestlers in the world and his mentality going into WrestleMania shows that he’s also humble and selfless.

Check out BT Sport’s interview with Daniel Bryan in the Youtube player embedded below:

Jim Ross Wants NJPW Champion To Join All Elite Wrestling

Jake Skudder
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Jim Ross recently discussed IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay on the Grilling Jr podcast. JR discussed that while Ospreay is a ‘very good hand’ he still has a long way to go before he can be classed as one of the best in wrestling history.

“He’s now the greatest champion in the history of wrestling and nobody’s been better, are you sh*tting me?” Ross began on Grilling Jr. “Come on. He’s a very good hand. I called some of his matches back in the day, he’s very good and very unique, he creates his own style with a lot of British stuff.”

Jim Ross then discussed the former top Champions of New Japan, questioning whether Will Ospreay even ranks up to them at present.

“I think Will Ospreay is a great talent, but all of a sudden, because he did have a fantastic NJPW experience, is he the greatest ever?” Ross asked. “Is he even the greatest NJPW champion? It’s hard to say he’s better than [Hiroshi] Tanahashi, it’s hard to say he’s better than [Kazuchika] Okada or the list of all luminaries that held that title. I do think he’s very good, it might be a little early a week after his win to consider him the greatest ever.”

Jim Ross on Will Ospreay

JR finished by saying that he wants to see Ospreay appear for AEW at some point in the future. “I wish he wrestled in AEW, he’d do great here,” Ross noted. “He’s not from here you know, I don’t know if that means a lot to him or not. I know he could probably make more money than he’s making where he is, that’s my guess.”

“We know he’d have more creative freedom if he wrestled for Tony Khan than if he wrestled for Vince McMahon” Jim Ross added. “I think that’s one of the attractive things about our company that’s ever growing, you get to have a bigger influence on your creative. I know guys here in AEW that outline their whole program, I think that’s cool as hell. It gives them some creative release and wrestlers are creative by nature.”

Would you like to see Will Ospreay appear in AEW? Let us know in the comments

Reason Vince McMahon ‘Doesn’t Want’ a Real Hall of Fame

Jake Skudder
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This past weekend, a new WWE show premiered on A&E titled, “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures.” Hosts Triple H and Stephanie McMahon scour the globe for lost pieces of pro wrestling memorabilia, such as Ric Flair’s iconic robes, Kane’s mask, etc. The recovered items are being brought back to a WWE warehouse, but they might eventually be part of a physical WWE Hall of Fame building.

WWE has considered a physical Hall of Fame at different times over the years, but it’s never come to fruition. The Most Wanted Treasures show has revived interest in the topic, which led to some commentary by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

According to Meltzer, the reason WWE never pulled the trigger on a physical Hall of Fame is because Vince McMahon has always felt it’s a waste of money. Triple H has reportedly been pushing for a Hall of Fame building for nearly a decade, but McMahon has always vetoed the idea.

The company has a spotty track record when it comes to real estate. The WWF New York restaurant in Times Square was short-lived. The company’s Las Vegas hotel and casino concept never got off the ground.

There were talks about bringing the WWE Hall of Fame to Universal City Walk in Orlando, Florida, but that fell apart in 2016. For now, the best place for wrestling fans to see WWE memorabilia is the Axxess Fan Fest that is held during WrestleMania weekends.

Ronda Rousey Reveals She’s 4-Months Pregnant

Chris Stephens
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Ronda Rousey’s “impregnation vacation” has proven successful. Rousey and Travis Browne announced on YouTube that the couple is expecting.

“How do I put this? Pow, 4 months pregnant!” Rousey revealed in the video. “What? You didn’t even know the last 4 months.”

“I’ve been pregnant since January, so 4 months. Woo baby bump! I can’t hide it anymore so time to show it off.”

“There’s definitely much more to the story that we’ll be telling later,” Rousey also revealed.

Shortly after WrestleMania 35, Rousey revealed she would be taking a hiatus from wrestling as she looked to start a family. She spoke to ESPN about her decision in 2019.

“I’ve not kept it a secret that I would definitely want to start a family,” Rousey said. “But how do you go about doing that? I love this way more than I thought that I would. So do you just keep going until you just happen to get pregnant? Or should you stop and go try and get pregnant? Or is going and trying to get pregnant putting yourself on the spot and then you’re less likely to get pregnant?”

You can watch Ronda and Browne make the big reveal in the video below:

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