It’s been a difficult last few weeks for New Japan Pro Wrestling. The company has postponed its two planned “Wrestle Grand Slam” events including the May 29th show which was to eminate from the Tokyo Dome. At least 9 wrestlers on its roster has tested positive for COVID-19 following night 2 of Wrestling Dontaku at the start of the month. On top of all that, Will Ospreay has been forced to vacate the IWGP World title due to a neck injury.
According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, several of the promotion’s foreign talent are upset with the company over being kept in the dark regarding the company’s schedule and quarantining rules.
“There is also a lot going on behind-the-scenes with New Japan since the COVID outbreak and unhappiness regarding going through quarantine, particularly among the foreign contingent,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
The report would continue to say that wrestlers who have tested positive for the virus have been quarantining in the Dojo. The only reported names at this point are David Finlay and Jay White.
“There is a lot of unrest among some of the foreign talent because of the situation there, the dates canceled and the feeling they’ve been kept in the dark,” Meltzer continued.
David Finlay Considering Leaving NJPW?
Recently, it was reported that David Finlay is looking at options outside of NJPW. His father Fit was on a podcast recently and spoke to his sons situation.
“I don’t know how New Japan are going to handle this new outbreak or, I don’t know, no one does,” Finlay said (transcriptions via POST Wrestling). “But, he’s a little bit confused at the minute as what to do next, you know? Is he going to stay in Japan, does he want to try here, like WWE or whatever. But him and I are gonna sit down when he does eventually come home and try and figure it out but he just needs a little bit of wisdom put in his head. Not that I have any.”
Impact Wrestling was back this week with their first show since Saturday’s Under Siege event. The tag-team titles were on the line in the main event….twice.
Impact Wrestling 5/20 Quick Results
Rohit Raju defeated Jake Something
Tenille Dashwood defeated Kiera Hogan
Petey Williams defeated VSK
Rachael Ellering defeated Jordynne Grace
Impact Tag Team Championships FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) (c) defeated Ace Austin & Madman Fulton
Impact Tag Team Championships Rhino & Joe Doering (Violent By Design) defeated FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) (c) – New Champions
Shera Helps Rohit Raju Defeat Jake Something
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiTi5bW68dg
Rohit Raju was able to defeat Jake Something in this week’s opening contest. It was not without help from Shera on the outside, however. Shera grabbed at Jake Something’s foot during a suplex attempt, causing Raju to land on top of his opponent. Shera then held Something’s boot down as Raju got the 3-count.
After the match, Something turned his attention to Shera and assaulted him after the match. Raju did not appear interested in helping his ally. Something put Shera through a table and then stared down Raju to end the segment.
Taylor Wilde Still Definitely Not Interested In Teaming With Tenille Dashwood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqLv8Ba-0Aw
Tenille Dashwood has been attempting to form a tag-team with Taylor Wilde as of late but Wilde has expressed quite clearly that she is not interested in this. This week, Dashwood pulled off the victory over Kiera Hogan with a roll-up before being assaulted post-match.
Tasha Steelz hit the ring and went after Dashwood, as did Deonna Purrazzo, Susan and Kimber Lee. Dashwood was badly outnumbered but eventually, Taylor Wilde came out to stop the beat down. The heels still had the numbers advantage and took out Wilde as well. Then Havok came out and cleared the ring for the babyface side to close the segment.
Petey Williams Picks Up A Win Over VSK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq4ue1lI844
Petey Williams picked up a win this week in singles action. He defeated VSK with a Canadian Destroyer Piledriver.
After defeating Willie Mack at Under Siege, W. Morrissey picked a new target this week. While Rich Swann was being interviewed in the back, Morrissey attacked, leaving the former World Champion laying to end the segment.
Moose and Kenny Omega Come Face To Face
Moose came away from Under Siege the new #1 contender to Kenny Omega’s Impact World Championship. Moose was cutting a promo on Omega when Callis and the champion made their way to the ring. Callis talked about how Moose never won a Super Bowl, couldn’t even win a world title in ROH, and more.
Moose wanted to get at Omega tonight but Omega instead backed away as Doc Gallows made his way to the ring. It looked as though the Elite were about to have the numbers advantage against Moose when the lights went out and Sami Callihan appeared in the ring to even up the odds.
Later in the back, Callihan told Moose that he doesn’t care who wins between him and Omega, he’s got next.
Former Tag Champs Collide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyKkybB3QZM
Former tag-team champions Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering went one-on-one this week. In what was a good natured sporting contest between the two, Ellering scored the victory on a pinning combination. The match ended with one of those multiple near fall pinning combination spots, only Ellering was able to hold Grace’s shoulders down for the 3 to pick up the win. How will this impact the team moving forward?
In the scheduled main event this week on Impact, Juice Robinson and David Finlay retained over Ace Austin and Madman Fulton after Robinson hit the Pulp Friction on Fulton. FinJuice would be surprised as the members of Violent By Design then made their way to the ring.
New Tag Team Champions Crowned!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In0Yxexn_GE
At Slammiversary last year, Rhino won the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match which earned him a title shot at a time of his choosing. Many thought he’d wait for his partner Heath to return but now that he’s a member of VOD, he decided to cash in along with Joe Doering at the end of this week’s show.
The match wouldn’t take long, as FinJuice was already worn down from their match with Austin and Fulton. Rhino gored Finlay and Joe Doering finished off Juice Robinson with a lariat for the win. Rhino and Joe Doering from Violent By Design are your new Impact World Tag Team Champions.
Recently released WWE star Chelsea Green is reportedly in talks with Impact Wrestling officials for a return to the company in near future.
Dave Meltzer talked about the future of the female star on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter and he reports that green has been in talks with Impact officials this past week.
Though while they have been in negotiation, Meltzer noted that an agreement has not yet been reached for Green’s return to Impact wrestling.
The former NXT star was signed by WWE after a tryout in August 2018. Before this, She also competed in the sixth season of Tough Enough finishing at fourth place for the females.
After a stint in NXT, Chelsea Green made her SmackDown debut in November last year. However, she broke her wrist in her debut match, causing original plans that saw her winning the bout to be changed.
After months of inactivity, the company finally made the decision to let the former champion go. She was released from her contract in April earlier this year.
Chelsea’s previous run with Impact wrestling started in 2016 which ended in Janaury 2018. She even won the knockouts title one time during her run.
The former WWE star has been released with a standard 90 days non-compete clause which means that she will only be able to join Impact after July 14, once an agreement is reached.
WWE announced today a 25-city tour that will begin in mid-July and run until Labor Day. Only the first 3 days have been officially unveiled so far, however. 3 dates in Texas will kick off WWE’s return to touring.
“WWE will return to Live Event touring with a 25-city schedule through Labor Day. The tour will debut this July in Texas with a trio of shows,” a WWE press release reads.
Friday, July 16: SmackDown– Toyota Center in Houston
Sunday, July 18: Money In The Bank – Dickies Arena in Fort Worth
Monday, July 19: Raw – American Airlines Center in Dallas
WWE welcomed fans back at WrestleMania 37 for the first time since the start of the pandemic. They then returned to the ThunderDome but will head out back on the road beginning in July.
“On Saturday night, I stood on stage at Raymond James Stadium, surrounded by WWE Superstars, in front of a 103 ft long pirate ship, and looked out into a sea of fans,” Stephanie McMahon said following WrestleMania 37. “My father, WWE Chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon, addressed the crowd and said: “Throughout this past year our WWE Superstars performed tirelessly for all of you. Week after week, month after month but we all knew there was something missing, something very important, THE most important, and that would be all of you, our fans, the WWE Universe.”
Slammiversary is the biggest event on the IMPACT Wrestling calendar. Scheduled to take place on July 17th, it is an event that has a lot of people talking following a recent promo video.
The video, which gives nothing away in terms of scheduled matches, was full of excitement generating teases for potentially huge names.
As seen below, the teaser is full of hidden cryptic references to various former WWE Superstars who would be free agents by 7/17.
Some of the hints include the Iconics and the Forgotten Sons. Both teams were recently released by WWE. The July date of Slammiversary would coincide nicely with the end of the obligatory 90-day release clause.
The video also teases the return of two previously successful IMPACT stars in Samoa Joe and NJPW’s Tetsuya Naito. With the recent exchange of talent including now ex-tag team champions FinJuice and the legendary Satoshi Kojima, this feels like a very likely possibility.
However, the name that has set the IMPACT fan base abuzz is that of Daniel Bryan. The man behind the yes movement let his WWE contract run out last month. No work has been given on where Bryan will head, or if it is all a work by WWE creative. However, eagle-eyed fans spotted the YES! sign in the Slammiversary video package.
Daniel Bryan is a huge name and would be an incredible draw for the Slammiversary event. Especially as IMPACT look to continue their brand after being a huge part of the Forbidden Door movement.
Even if just one or two of the teased names actually make an appearance, Impact could make some significant additions to their roster.
WWE quietly letting Velveteen Dream go became a talking point among fans yesterday when the news about his release from the company broke online.
Among the people who reacted to the news was longtime WWE artist Rob Schamberger who made some interesting comments about the former NXT star.
Schamberger reacted to the news not long after it came out. He took Twitter to describe Dream as the ‘most unprofessional person’ he has encountered:
“Without saying anything further: He was the single most unprofessional person I’ve encountered in this business. I hope this is the wake up call he needs to start doing the emotional work to become a better person. All told.”
Rob Schamberger has had a long standing relationship with WWE and his work is printed on a variety of merchandise sold by the company. He also holds Canvas 2 Canvas show on YouTube in collaboration with WWE Network.
Velveteen Dream signed with WWE back in October 2015 after competing in the sixth season of Tough Enough. He acquired the Dream Moniker in May 2017 and received praise for his work with the new character.
However, he was accused of inappropriate behavior with underage boys and girls in 2020, leading to his removal from WWE programming.
While the officials initially claimed that they didn’t find anything in their investigation against Dream, it was reported yesterday that the NXT star has been released from his contract.
Wrestling is in The Rock’s blood, so should come as no surprise that his daughter is showing all the signs of being a great wrestler herself. Reports from the WWE performance center say that Simone Johnson was the most improved talent in squats. The period in question runs from January through to May, and in itself shows that her dad’s hard work ethic has been passed on to his daughter.
The Rock is one of the biggest names in the world. One of the highest-paid movie stars of all time and holds God-like status to the WWE universe. One of the faces of the attitude era, his legacy in the ring cemented during a surprisingly short in-ring career.
Simone Johnson signed for the performance center back in 2020 but has yet to make her in-ring debut. Sources say she is still some way off doing so, but surely, if she keeps topping the training lists, it won’t be too long before we see her in action.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNWJrYMAMVs/
Since signing Simon Johnson has modelled for Alistair Black’s clothing label. She was also reportedly seen shooting some footage with Zelina Vega recently, ahead of Vega’s return.
With The Rock’s eagerness to appear before a WWE crowd, and the recent success of the Mysterios, could it be long before we see a father-daughter team in a WWE ring? Either way, Simone Johnson looks set for an in-ring career. With quite the wrestling heritage behind her, she is never going to be short of advice or support. The question is, will she look to carry on her father’s legacy, or build one of her own?
Jim Ross has less than a year left in his current contract with AEW and he has started thinking about his future after his current deal with the company expires.
The former WWE star recently had an interview with DAZN where he discussed a number of things and also opened up about his current run with the promotion.
During the interview, Ross talked about the length of his current contract with All Elite Wrestling and revealed that he signed a three-year deal with the promotion when he first joined the company in 2019:
“The contract I came in here was three years because that’s what he (Khan) wanted. He wants stability. It made Time Warner happy because they’re used to my work in their company for many years and the WWE stuff as well.”
Discussing his plans after his contract expires, Jim Ross said that he would like to continue working for Tony Khan but take things one year at a time:
“I’d like to, in a perfect world, Steven, I would say I’ll do this year, and then let’s evaluate and see where we are health-wise, motivational-wise. Then if I come back, I’d like to come back for a year at a time.”
Jim Ross signed for three year with AEW in April 2019 which means his current deal would expire sometime around the same month next year. We will have to wait and see what decision the company makes about him after that.
Don Callis is no longer an Impact Wrestling executive and he has been relieved of his backstage duties with the company according to latest reports.
The former NJPW commentator was present for the latest Impact tapings. However, he only stayed around to film his content with Kenny Omega and left after day one of the four day taping schedule.
This made many wonder if Callis is no longer working in a backstage capacity for the promotion and a latest report from PWinsider confirms these speculations.
According to reports, the Impact star had been preparing for his exit for a while and he had slowly been decreasing his responsibilities outside of the Impact creative team in the past year.
Don Callis finally left the creative team in April as well, marking the end of his tenure as an executive for the company. He is now only working as an on-screen personality for the promotion.
Though this exit was not dramatic and he remains on friendly terms with Impact officials. The former WWF star is expected to continue his on-screen role as the manager for Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers.
Impact wrestling has streamlined their creative team since his exit. The team of Scott D’Amore, Tommy Dreamer, RD Evans and Jimmy Jacobs are overlooking creative process now. There is no plan to replace Don Callis as of now.
Former Raw women’s champion Ronda Rousey is once again teaming with WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle for a new project.
The wrestling veteran teased the new project sharing a photo of the two on social media earlier yesterday. Both the former WWE stars are seen standing in front of a truck marked ‘Rowdy’s dairy home delivery’ with the following caption:
“Wait and see what @rondarousey and your Olympic hero have in store for you. Yes! That’s Ronda’s milk truck behind us. We had a great day filming the show. #itstrue”
Wait and see what @RondaRousey and your Olympic hero have in store for you. Yes! That’s Ronda’s milk truck behind us. We had a great day filming the show. #itstruepic.twitter.com/s6dqHyWu0w
There is no word yet on what the project is about. It’s likely that the Browsey Acres farm in California which is owned by the female star and her husband Travis Browne, is involved in it.
Ronda Rousey’s relationship with Kurt Angle goes back to the former UFC star’s debut match in WWE. She teamed up with the Olympic Gold Medallist to face Triple H and Stephanie McMahon at WrestleMania 34.
Though the former champion has been away from WWE since WrestleMania 35. She left the company to start a family and Rousey revealed in April that she was four months pregnant with her first child.
Tonight’s episode of Impact Wrestling saw a title change as Rhino and Joe Doering from Violent By Design defeated FinJuice to become the new Impact Wrestling tag team champions.
The main event of this week’s episode of the weekly show saw the team of Juice Robinson & David Finlay successfully defending their title against the duo of Ace Austin and Madman Fulton.
However, after the bout, VBD leader Eric Young announced that they were going to cash in Rhino’s Call Your Shot Trophy, leading to the champions defending their titles the second time in the night.
The ending to this match saw Doering hitting Robinson with a massive lariat while Rhino crushed Finlay with a Gore. Doering then picked up a pin fall victory for his team, making them the new champions.
FinJuice had won the tag team titles in March earlier this year. They had defeated Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson, The Good Brothers at the Sacrifice PPV.
Rhino had won the Call Your Shot Trophy in a 20-wrestler intergender gauntlet match at last year’s Bound For Glory event in October. He had last eliminated Sami Callihan to win the match.
This wasn’t the only big news coming out of the show and the company also announced the arrival of a former IWGP heavyweight champion for next week. You can check out their announcement here.
NJPW veteran and former IWGP heavyweight champion Satoshi Kojima will be coming to Impact Wrestling and making his debut next week as part of the two company’s partnership.
The company revealed the news during the latest episode of Impact Wrestling and they aired a promo hyping up the NJPW star’s arrival during the show.
They announced that Kojima will be making his Impact debut during the May 27 episode of the show and he will challenge an opponent that has yet to be named:
— ?????SATOSHI KOJIMA? (@cozy_lariat) May 21, 2021
The wrestling veteran has had a couple of stints with NJPW with a combined time of more than two decades with the promotion. His current run started in 2010 when he returned to the company.
Satoshi Kojima has wrestled in United States before. He most notably had a stint with Major League Wrestling in 2002-2003 where he won the MLW world heavyweight championship once.
Apart from being a two-time IWGP heavyweight champion, the NJPW star has had seven reigns with the company’s tag team championship with different partners and won several other accolades as well.
Whether his Impact Wrestling appearance will be a one off thing or he will stick around for a longer program is not known yet. It would be interesting to see if Satoshi Kojima gets involved in a feud.
MLW has announced the signing of former TNA and ROH star Davey Richards and confirmed that he will be making his debut for the promotion in July.
The company has been looking to restock its roster following their new TV deal with Vice. Just last week they confirmed Dario Cueto as El Jefe of Aztec Underground.
They announced another big addition to their roster as part of their open draft concept this week and confirmed that Davey Richards who announced his return to pro wrestling in March has signed with the promotion:
The episode featured Alicia Atout interviewing the company’s newest signing. During the interview, the former ROH star revealed that he actually signed with the promotion a while back.
Richards claimed that he was offered contracts by several companies when he announced his return to professional wrestling. He chose MLW as his new home because it stood out as a sports-oriented option.
The heavyweight star has had a successful career and he has competed for many well-known companies as well as the most famous independent promotions.
Davey Richards has won gold everywhere he has been. Apart from being a former ROH champion, he is a former TNA tag team champion and IWGP junior heavyweight tag team champion as well.
MLW will return to Philadelphia for their July 10 event which will be held in front of fans and their newest signing will also be making his debut on the same show.
Kenny Omega is a wrestler everybody loves to hate right now. Since pairing with Don Callis to rob Jon Moxley of the AEW title, he has grown into one of the best heels in the business. A throwback heel. One with character and slimy charm. A villain that gets under your skin and makes you want a shower after seeing him on TV.
Yet, beneath that is a man who loves wrestling. An athlete who is as dedicated as any to the profession he loves.
Talking on the Wrestling with the Week podcast, Kenny Omega opened up about the pressures of being a multi-belt champion and the toll it takes.
“It’s a blessing and a curse. As champion, you get some high-quality matches and you’re the focal point of the shows, but at the same time, there is a schedule that is required and a demand for your body and health and psychological health.” Omega said, talking openly and honestly about life at the top.
Kenny Omega Realizes It’s Not Easy Being Number One
It’s not easy to be the best. Kenny Omega has created a universally hated heel persona. However, it’s easy to forget that he is just as human as the rest of us.
“It’s cool to look at pictures and be like, ‘wow, look at all these belts,’ but then I think, ‘Man, I have to defend these and make time to defend these.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/COy1WrYJYaB/
Omega is defending his AEW championship in a triple threat event Double or Nothing on May 30th.
There is no denying that Kenny Omega is at the top of his game. Every wrestling fan is hoping he can maintain his hectic schedule. He must do credit to the belts he carries, and not spark out for flying too high.
Velveteen Dream has been released by WWE. The news was first reported by PWInsider and we have since confirmed the news independently.
Once seen as one of the hottest prospects in NXT, Velveteen Dream was accused of sending lewd messages to a minor last year. WWE officials stated on multiple occasions that they took the allegations seriously, but their internal investigation was inconclusive.
Velveteen Dream has been off television for some time, but was backstage at a recent WWE Raw taping. This led to speculation that he’d be joining the main roster soon, but it was not meant to be. His last televised match took place on the December 23rd, 2020 edition of NXT.
Velveteen Dream's career projection is absolutely insane.
Was seemingly destined for a call-up, and checked off most boxes.
Then everything fell apart, and quickly. Pretty crazy. #WWE#WWENXT
Velveteen Dream (real name) Patrick Clark signed a developmental deal with WWE in 2015. He had previously competed on the 6th season of the Tough Enough reality show competition. He debuted the Dream gimmick in May of 2017.
Earlier this week, WWE also released several people from NXT, including referee Drake Wuertz, Jessamyn Duke, Vanessa Borne, Skyler Story, Ezra Judge, Alexander Wolfe and Kavita Devi. WWE has yet to publicly acknowledge any of the cuts.
Randy Orton and rapper Soulja Boy had some heated exchanges on social media earlier this year. It began when Soulja Boy tweeted that the rap game is ‘faker than WWE.’
Several WWE Superstars took issue with his tweet, including Orton. He fired back with a barrage of insults, calling Soulja Boy “nuthin but a bitch ass” and said Bad Bunny actually had the guts to check out the world of pro wrestling instead of just running his mouth.
Ps @sanbenito would beat the fuck outta you. Why? How? Because he’s seen our world. Respects it and knows what it takes and finds himself lucky to be a part of it. You wanna talk fake? Pawn that cheap ass chain and come work for it you one hit wonder ass mutha fucka https://t.co/zJPMmuqskr
Click here to see a full recap of their their social media beef.
Soulja Boy Comments On Randy Orton Beef
Soulja Boy joined Ebro in the Morning on Hot 97 on Thursday and discussed his beef with Randy Orton. Host Peter Rosenberg pressed Soulja Boy to give us the real story of what went down. The 30-year-old Chicago rapper said he actually likes WWE, but is not going to take back anything he said to Orton.
“I said what I said about the WWE, he has a right to speak on how he feels, so I can’t knock him for that, but i’m gonna defend myself,” he began. “People know I like the WWE. Back in the day, with Stone Cold and The Rock, at the end of the day, I said what I said. I’m not gonna take it back.”
Ebro asked Soulja Boy to recap how the beef began. He said he was in the studio one day and came up with the rhyme about the rap game being faker than wrestling. He said Orton got mad and went off on him. “We went back and forth, but it wasn’t anything too serious. It was entertainment, this is wrestling.”
Rosenberg pushed Soulja Boy to clarify if their beef was just a misunderstanding. Soulja Boy replied, “That’s exactly what happened.”
Ebro suggested that Soulja Boy make things right by getting back in the studio and producing music featuring some Randy Orton quotes and send it to him.
“I’m gonna get back in the lab and try to cook something up,” he added. Rosenberg is ready to broker a peace deal and said, “I’ll connect you guys, let’s do it.”
Check out Soulja Boy talking about his beef with Randy Orton:
Xavier Woods recently took to Twitter to clarify some things regarding the popular YouTube video game channel, UpUpDownDown. Woods noted that the channel is not owned by him but rather WWE. He also noted that they are not currently permitted to stream on Twitch but that could change somewhere down the line.
For those who have asked – @UpUpDwnDwn is owned by WWE and always has been. Hence why we are allowed to stream on that platform. Unfortunately, at this point in time, we are not allowed to be on twitch but hopefully we are given permission at some point. Hope that clears it up!
So everyone understands, @UpUpDwnDwn is a group effort. It isn’t just me. There are so many talented and incredible people involved who give me(you) their time because they are kind and want to show everyone the people they really are. That’s my family.
Jessamyn Duke was amongst the names released from NXT yesterday. On her video game stream yesterday she spoke on how she will not be leaving UpUPDownDown despite her release. She will also continue her OkayGamer live streams as well as BRE Start with Shayna Baszler, Mia Yim, and others.
“As far as this stuff goes, nothing is changing. My stream, my channel, all of that is the same,” Duke said (transcriptions via Fightful) ‘More importantly than that, I want all of you to know; UpUpDownDown is still my home. BRE Start is not going anywhere. Everyone can relax, sit back, and enjoy knowing that tomorrow [Friday] a brand new episode of BRE Start will be premiering. We still have BRE Fridays and have BRE content coming out of our ears. That’s not going anywhere. Basically, what I’ve been doing the last six months or so is exactly what I’m going to keep doing. I know I have an immense amount of support and it is overwhelming. I appreciate you guys. UpUpDownDown is my home, they have my back, we are in this together, and we are family.“
The recent AEW announcement relating to their move from TNT to TBS has got the wrestling world talking. The young company are certainly taking big strides into the wrestling world. Confident in their vision and unafraid of competition.
News of a new weekly show on Friday’s is further proof of their confidence in the AEW brand. They will have special events broadcast on TNT through the year running alongside the weekly shows and regular PPV’s.
There’s no news on when these shows will start. However, there is already one name likely to be used. AEW trademarked ‘Battle of the Belts’ back in January this year. Until now this name has not been used or mentioned. It stands to reason, therefore, that it will be used for one of the new events they mentioned in their announcement.
The name is a clever and quirky one that resembles names of events used by other organizations. However, with AEW’s openness to working with other companies, and belt swapping with them, the concept of a Battle of the Belts, suddenly takes on a whole new realm of possibilities.
AEW has already proven that they are not afraid to go all-in when it comes to embracing the creativity of wrestling. Battle of the Belts could soon become a fascinating event, whatever network or time of the year it appears.
Roman Reigns is a wrestler in his prime right now. After a long period in the creative doldrums, stagnating as a face nobody could like, WWE creative finally pulled the trigger on a heel turn.
Now, undefeated since December 2019, Reigns is arguably the most dominant wrestler around. He is leaner and meaner than ever. The addition of Paul Heyman as his spokesperson was a great stroke. Even if Roman has improved immeasurably on the mic in the same period of time. The journey to becoming a dominant heel was a remarkably simple one for Roman Reigns. Now, as Heavyweight champion, he rightly sits at the head of the table. Eleven consecutive defences of his title have only added to the tribal chief’s confidence.
Roman Reigns is riding high these days and doesn’t waste a moment in making sure everybody knows it. Taking to Twitter recently, Reigns penned a response to a WWE post asking fans about their favourite Backlash fight.
“I don’t need stunts or gimmicks.” Reigns began, referring to the evenings undead attack that has gained such derision from the WWE universe.
Reign’s went the distance with Cesaro at Backlash, in a fight lasting over thirty minutes. Cesaro was arguably the toughest competitor Roman Reign’s has faced as champion. In emerging victories, Reigns further clarified his status as the man to beat in WWE. The only question remaining is, who out there has what it takes to beat him.
I don’t need stunts or gimmicks. I am every bit of this art form. 30 min inside the ropes.. No crowd, no problem. Head and shoulders above everyone else and that’s being generous!!
Shawn Michael is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. A top tier performer who gave his all every match. Known for selling moves even more the Dolph Ziggler. Now, in his (semi) retirement, Michaels plays a senior role down in NXT.
Being the teacher is a role Shawn Michaels relishes, and there is one particular NXT superstar who catches his eye. Not only for their wrestling skills but also for the way their careers have been going.
Dakota Kai has been a phenomenal performer for the yellow and gold brand. It is not surprising to hear that she has been training extensively with Shawn Michaels, given the way she is selling her opponents moves. Taking bump after bump in order to make the match and her opponent look great.
“We have an incredibly talented roster, especially our women, but look at Dakota,” Michaels says. “She’s a special one,” Michaels said when talking to in his A&E Biography this week.
Shawn Michaels Was Full of Praise for Dakota Kai
“What you see Dakota doing, I always pictured myself in that role because I wanted to Ping-Pong around the ring for my opponent,” Michaels says. “That’s one of the reasons I became who I became in the business, so watching Dakota, I am so impressed.”
There is no denying that Shawn Michaels’s influence is paying off in Kai, but there are also deep parallels to the way their careers moved. Kai’s relationship with current champion Raquel Gonzales has been drawing comparisons to the famous Michaels vs Diesel storyline in recent weeks. In both instances, the smaller superstar saw their bodyguard claim singles gold before them.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CO3BgN7AoFJ/
It is surely only a matter of time before Kai and Gonzales come to blows in the ring. One thing is for sure. It will be an epic match. If Shawn Michaels is to be believed, the future is looking very bright for Dakota Kai.
NJPW has announced that the current IWGP heavyweight champion Will Ospreay will be vacating the championship due to a neck injury.
The company announced the news on their website early Thursday morning. The high flying star suffered the injury during his title defense against Shingo Takagi on the night two of Wrestling Dontaku in Fukuoka on May 4.
Due to the injury, Ospreay will be returning to UK for his treatment and rehabilitation and he will not be able to participate in upcoming NJPW events.
Since a timetable for his return to action is not known, the company officials have made the decision to vacate the title. An announcement about the future of the championship will come at a later date.
Will Ospreay In NJPW
Will Ospreay
Will Ospreay has been with NJPW since 2016. He started his career in the company as part of their junior heavyweight division and won the junior heavyweight title for the first time in October 2017.
The English star found his own United Empire stable in 2020. He went on to win the 2021 New Japan Cup, which also earned him the right to challenge Kota Ibushi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Ospreay then defeated Ibushi for the title at Sakura Genesis in April earlier this year to become the new heavyweight champion before being forced to vacate it. We will keep you posted about his health and the future of the title.
Kevin Owens will get an opportunity to win his third Intercontinental Championship this Friday but according to the former champion, he will be fine even if he doesn’t win the title.
The former Universal Champion recently appeared on WWE’s The Bump where he talked about things such as his rivalry with Sami Zayn and more.
While discussing the upcoming match, Owens mentioned how he is a bit conflicted about winning the title because he is currently tied to Owen Hart for the number of days they have held the championship:
“As everybody knows, Owen Hart had a very positive influence on my career. What fans have pointed out to me in the past is that me and Owen share a birthday,
But also, we were both Intercontinental Champions twice.” said Kevin Owens, “If you add the total amount of days from our reigns, we both have the exact number of days as Intercontinental Champions.”
The former NXT star said that he almost doesn’t want to break this streak but he will allow it to happen because the current title has a new design compared to the last one which the wrestling legend and he both held.
Kevin Owens alongside Big E and Sami Zayn will challenge the current Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews in a fatal four way match for the title at this Friday’s episode of SmackDown.
Corey Graves is a man who knows how to use his words. A wrestler turned color commentator, Graves is a great example of a heel character. Both in the ring and out.
Talking on his show, After the Bell Graves took the time to talk about John Cena’s return to WWE. Not in the ring but regarding the upcoming show WWE Evil. It is a show that speaks directly to Graves. Promising to dive deep into the psychology of some of the biggest villains in wrestling.
“As a villain at heart I always look forward to understanding the psychology and why we had such disdain or loved to hate some of the best bad guys ever in the business. Definitely something to look forward to.” Graves said when discussing the show.
— WWE After The Bell (@AfterTheBellWWE) May 14, 2021
Corey Graves Words Echo the Frustration of WWE Fans
It was an interesting monologue from the host. He went on to criticize WWE for the lack of time devoted to real character development on screen.
Yes, there are clear cut heels and faces, and characters like Bray Wyatt and Alex Bliss have seen their characters explored through their weekly segments. However, Graves believes that current programming fails to truly bring the inverse in and get them invested in the characters.
“I always missed and loved being invested in the characters we see on RAW and on SmackDown and on NXT. I’ve said I would like to see more character pieces.” Graves went on to rescue himself from the ire of his employers by referring people to the WWE network. “it’s almost more of an incentive to subscribe to WWE Network on Peacock to really dive into these specials, whether it be WWE 24 or Chronicles, to really get to know the person behind what you see on screen for a fraction of the show.”
Corey Graves is a villain to the core. His words always carefully chosen to rile those that listen. Hopefully, however, the hidden frustration in his words won’t come back to haunt him.
A huge name has been announced for the upcoming Ring of Honor Women’s World Championship tournament. Allysin Kay is a former IMPACT Wrestling and NWA world champion. Holding the latter belt for almost the entirety of 2019.
Kay is a free agent having left the NWA in November 2020. She is an experienced wrestler who has a proven championship pedigree.
. @Sienna gets her ticket to gold and will compete in the Quest For Gold Tournament this summer where we will crown a women’s champion! #ROHWDpic.twitter.com/FDqOWkn41Z
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) May 19, 2021
She will definitely be a name to beat. Having been given a bye through the qualifying rounds, she will be that bit fresher than her opponents. However, another big name already through – with a bye – is Angela Love who is herself a former TNA titleholder. Love is also a former ROH champion and will be all too eager to win this tournament.
Allysin Kay has made sporadic appearances for Ring of Honor in the past, but now has her sights set on making a real and lasting impact for the company. A great way to do this would be winning the tournament and claiming the gold. The title itself is a brand-new championship that is replacing the Women of Honor world championship.
Victory for Allysin Kay would mean she has held gold across three different companies, as well as having made an appearance for WWE in their Mae Young Classic. She also appeared for AEW on the Full Gear pre-show last November.
Allysin Kay is certainly a formidable opponent. Whether she is successful in the tournament or not, there is a lot for ROH fans to be excited about.
Wrestling fans are clamouring to get their hands on Jon Moxley’s upcoming autobiography. Moxley’s life in professional wrestling is certainly a story that would appeal to most fans, hungry for details. Earlier this week, Moxley spoke to John Cassidy from Inside the Ropes and gave a startling insight into his mindset.
For Jon Moxley, wrestling is the easy part of his life. It’s the reward he seeks, and after a match is when he feels the best. The wrestling equivalent to a runner’s high?
“I usually feel like crap most of the day, every day,” Moxley admitted. “The best I ever feel is usually right after the match, even if it was a very physically demanding match. My adrenaline is high, I’m loose, I’m on a high, I’m feeling good. When I walk into the back and I’m bleeding and sweating and everything and all busted up, that’s usually when I actually feel the best.” Moxley explained.
It is an interesting glimpse into the mind and psyche of a professional wrestler. One that does not get explored enough. Jon Moxley is a master of his art, and deserving of the regard in which he is held.
It makes sense that wrestlers find the release in the ring. They lead busy lives and away from the glitz and glamor of the big leagues, it is a hard life and often a lonely road. Wrestling isn’t a profession you can do without being fully in love with it. It is an art unlike anything else, and there is a reason that Jon Moxley sits on its throne right now.
Jon Moxley’s autobiography, titled MOX titled, will be available this November and is destined for the bestsellers list. Pe-order MOX now from Amazon:
