Former ROH Champion Roderick Strong made his NXT debut at Thursday night’s tapings from Full Sail University.

Strong made his debut as the mystery partner of Austin Aries in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. They defeated the team of Tucker Knight and Otis Bogojevic to advance.

Strong has teamed with Aries in both Ring of Honor and TNA. He’s been seen at the WWE Performance Center in recent weeks.

Scoop #12 pic.twitter.com/N783nvvgLs

— Jacob Cohen (@MrJacobCohen) October 13, 2016

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLhWvAeB4TJ/?taken-by=wwe

When you get the call….answer it. Pleased to have @roderickstrong debut in @WWENXT. pic.twitter.com/otCCi2eKyK

— Triple H (@TripleH) October 13, 2016

Mickie James will face Asuka for the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT Takeover: Toronto.

James, a 5-time WWE Women’s Champion and former Divas Champion, appeared on the big screen at Thursday night’s NXT TV tapings from Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL. She worked for TNA as recently as last year.

Earlier today, NXT General Manager William Regal announced the main event for that show will see NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura defending against Samoa Joe.

We’ll have complete spoilers from Thursday’s NXT tapings later tonight.

Scoop #25: Regal out post match, at Takeover: Toronto it's Asuka vs. Mickie James pic.twitter.com/XOROlm8H4c

— Jacob Cohen (@MrJacobCohen) October 14, 2016

NXT General Manager William Regal announced today that TJ Perkins will be replacing the injured Hideo Itami in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

TJ will be teaming with Kota Ibushi, in the first round where they will be facing Lince Dorado and Mustafa Ali.

BREAKING NEWS: @WWENXT General Manager @RealKingRegal has named a replacement partner for @ibushi_kota in the 2016 #DustyClassic! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/zef937dWLP

— WWE (@WWE) October 13, 2016

TJ Perkins and Kota Ibushi have previously teamed in EVOLVE during Wrestlemania 32 weekend in Dallas and they also faced each other in the Cruiserweight Classic tournament where TJ defeated Kota to advance to the finals.

During a recent promotional interview for WWE 2K17 on ESPN, AJ Styles says he’s excited about the possibility of facing his previous opponents Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura inside a WWE ring. Styles had several acclaimed matches outside of WWE with both Joe and Nakamura, and says he “absolutely” wants to face them again. AJ added that Joe is the kind of talent who can “make a difference” on a show.

“I mean, the chemistry I have with both those guys, and other guys that are coming up through NXT or a part of NXT, it’s kind of one of those things where you can’t rush it,” AJ said. “But all this stuff is gonna eventually happen. We just have to be patient.”

Styles captured his first WWE World Championship in September at Backlash, and says that’s the kind of recognition he worked for. Styles had won championships elsewhere, but feels that being recognized by WWE means a lot more.

“It’s huge,” AJ said. “It’s nice to know that the hard work that you’ve put in all these years is finally getting the, I don’t want to say praise, but you know. I busted my tail for so long, I’m just glad it’s getting recognized now as part of the WWE. Because let’s face it, the WWE is the biggest company out there when it comes to wrestling. I’m just happy that I’m being recognized as somebody who works hard, I guess.”

You can read his entire interview on ESPN.com.

Bret Hart has issued an apology on his Facebook page for comments he recently made about the Fabulous Freebirds being in the WWE Hall Of Fame and other worthy superstars not being in. He also goes on to apologies to Triple H and Seth Rollins for past remarks.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to formally apologize to Michael Hayes. A while back I made comments about the Freebirds not being as worthy of being in the WWE Hall of Fame as others. It was unfair for me to dismiss their contributions to the industry and they certainly did great things in Texas with the Von Erich Family. Michael Hayes always treated me with great respect, as did Terry Gordy, Ronnie Garvin and Buddy Roberts and I’m sorry if I disrespected any of them with my comments. Furthermore I apologize to both Triple H and Seth Rollins for any hurtful comments I made on my podcast. The reality of all this is the reason I quit doing podcasts in general, because they’re for the most part an outlet for negativity, and have left me with a reputation as being angry and bitter. I’m not, I’d spoke candidly and openly but it’s no excuse for minimizing other wrestlers or their contributions. In saying all that, I still believe Jim the Anvil Neidhart of the Hart Foundation, including Owen, Brian Pillman, Davey Boy Smith, The Dynamite Kid, Jimmy Hart, The Rougeau Brothers, The Killer Bees, The Demolition, Rick Rude, King Kong Bundy, and One Man Gang all deserve their place in the WWE Hall of Fame. My apologies to all. Bret Hart x”

Bret previously said

“I am embarrassed that there’s so many great wrestlers out there that have never been given their credit,” Hart told Forbes. “Never got their due.”

Hart is critical of The Freebirds’ induction into the Hall of Fame over the likes of Owen and Rude.

“Why have they been overlooked when you can induct the Freebirds who never did squat in WWE? Ever. Never drew any money, never did anything,” Hart said. “When I remember the Freebirds, they were all drunk and passed out at the gate at one of the airports in my first day in WWF. None of them even made the show that day, they were too drunk to make their plane”

TNA President Billy Corgan has filed a lawsuit in Nashville against Impact Wrestling (parent company Impact Ventures LLC), TNA Chairman Dixie Carter, TNA Chief Financial Officer Dean Broadhead and Serg Salias, Dixie’s husband. The news was first reported by PWInsider.com.

Details are scarce at this point, but court records reveal a temporary restraining order was approved and a hearing for a temporary injunction will be held next Thursday morning (10/20). Corgan has also requested a six person jury to decide the case. Beyond that, exact nature of the lawsuit is currently unknown due to court documents being sealed.

Corgan has been attempting to purchase a majority stake in the company. Corgan’s stake in the company has grown as he’s financed several rounds of television tapings, but Dixie Carter has maintained a controlling interest. Aroluxe Productions and The Fight Network also own shares. A sale was expected prior to TNA Bound For Glory, but Dixie Carter somehow secured funding and Corgan has been unable to finalize a deal.

Dave Meltzer noted this week,  “There are a lot of hurdles and games being played. [Dixie Carter] has really made a mess and is responsible for all of it.”

Page’s rocky relationship with WWE broke down even further this week following the announcement of her second suspension in a matter of months.

• Paige Addresses Her First Wellness Policy Violation

The former Divas Champion responded on Twitter, venting about the “same old sh*t” and accusing WWE of selectively enforcing the wellness policy. Paige (and several members of her family) indicated the suspension was related to painkillers prescribed to treat her neck injury, but WWE refuted those claims. In an unprecedented statement issued to the NY Post, a WWE spokesperson revealed Paige tested positive for “an illegal substance, not a prescription drug.” Paige told TMZ Sports earlier this week that she’ll be out of action 6-7 months, but sources close to the situation say that is an ambitious timeframe.

A major point of contention between WWE and Paige is the company’s refusal to pay for her neck surgery, according to the Wrestling Observer. WWE’s medical staff does not feel the surgery is necessary, which is what led to Paige hiring legal representation a few months back. The general feeling is that Paige is on her way out of the company.

Many factors have led to the current situation, including the drama surrounding WWE allegedly wanting her to break up with Alberto Del Rio, her two wellness policy violations, publicly lashing out against the company and the dispute over her neck surgery.

RAW General Manager Mick Foley has posted a blog on Facebook addressing claims that Seth Rollins is unsafe in the ring. Foley believes Rollins is one of the very elite wrestlers of his era, an amazing athlete, and a credit to the business.

With Rollins injuring the likes of John Cena, Sting and Finn Balor, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart has said somebody could get killed if Seth doesn’t start protecting his opponents better. Foley has nothing but respect for Bret and stated outright that he doesn’t want to get into a social media war with him. That said, he considers Bret’s opinion to be very influencial and wants to make sure Rollins is not branded as an unsafe worker.

Regarding Seth breaking John Cena’s nose on RAW last summer, Foley thinks that was simply an accident. He says Rollins effectively ending Sting’s career last year with two “turnbuckle bombs” wasn’t anybody’s fault, but referenced Sting’s age by stating it “may have been a case of trying to push back the hands of time a little too far, a little too fast.” As for Finn Balor’s injury at SummerSlam, Foley says the “buckle bomb” leaves very little room for mistakes and Seth felt great remorse for his involvement in Finn’s injury. Foley wrote:

“Sometimes, injuries just happen. It’s part of what we do. Seth Rollins is a safe wrestler. He works an intense, highly physical style, as do most of the WWE Superstars. Those moves look good for a reason; there’s a sense of realism to so many of them – a realism that is absolutely necessary in today’s day and age. When I was growing up as a WWE fan, we received two hourlong shows comprised almost entirely of one-sided matches. Current fans see good, and often great matches on a weekly basis and today’s WWE Superstars sacrifice their bodies, week in and week out in their effort to excite, excel and entertain. Seth Rollins embodies this spirit. He deserves to be remembered for his dedication to his craft, and for his willingness to go above and beyond to participate in great matches for WWE fans around the world. That’s the Seth Rollins I think people should know – the real guy, not the rep!”

You can read the full statement on Facebook.

NXT star Hideo Itami announced on Thursday that he is injured and will be unable to compete in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Itami was scheduled to team with Kota Ibushi in the tournament, but will be out of action for several months due to injury. Itami says he likely won’t be healthy in time for NXT Takeover: Toronto during Survivor Series weekend, but vows to return in time for NXT’s first-ever live event from Osaka, Japan on December 3rd.

Hideo Itami suffered a neck injury earlier this month at NXT’s live event from Largo, Florida. Itami was teaming with Shinsuke Nakamura in a match against Riddick Moss & Tino Sabbatelli. Moss dropped Itami on his head while performing a modified powerslam and the match ended abruptly.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted this week there is official diagnosis at this time, other than it being a significant injury. Itami’s WWE run has been plagued with injuries, including two shoulder surgeries prior to this latest injury.

Here’s the announcement from Hideo Itami:

BREAKING: @HideoItami has suffered an injury and is unable to compete in the #DustyClassic with @ibushi_kota. #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/s1fuZNuoF5

— WWE (@WWE) October 13, 2016

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published his latest blog update, which you can read over at JRsBarBQ.com. In this installment, JR wrote about a meeting he had in Los Angeles this week regarding a major project, his recent work on AXS TV’s New Japan Pro Wrestling series and more. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Paige’s Recent Troubles: “Concerned about WWE’s Paige coming on the heels of her second wellness policy violation. It’s never too late more often than not to make better decisions and changes in one’s life.  I’m pulling for the talented young woman to be happy and healthy  and wish her the best on her upcoming neck surgery.”

Bill Goldberg Returning To WWE: “I like the ‘attraction’ aspect of this booking and fully expect it to be a one-off … Cynics hanging their hats on the last match the [Goldberg and Lesnar] wrestled are reaching, IMO, as the lay of the land is much different this time around. I expect a straight forward, physical match with Lesnar winning in what I expect to be the last pro wrestling match that the Oklahoma native and former WCW phenom likely will ever have.”

TNA’s Future: “Rumors of tension between TNA’s Dixie Carter and Billy Corgan is outwardly uncomfortable for many TNA wrestlers or so some have told me. One has to assume that major changes with this troubled brand are imminent.”

If you’ll be in Toronto for Survivor Series weekend, make sure to check out JR’s “RINGSIDE” one-man-show on Sunday, November 20tg at 2:30 pm. For more information, visit JRsBarBQ.com.

WWE has sent out the official promotional poster for their annual Hell In A Cell pay-per-view. RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks and Charlotte and featured predominately on the poster, promoting the first-ever Women’s Title defense inside a Hell In A Cell cage.

Hell In A Cell 2016 takes place on October 30th at the TD Garden Arena in Boston, MA, with live results and discussion starting on SEScoops.com at 7:30 PM ET.

Here the current card for Hell In A Cell 2016:

– Hell In A Cell: WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins

– Hell In A Cell: United States Champion Roman Reigns vs. Rusev

– Hell In A Cell: RAW Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte

– RAW Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. Cesaro and Sheamus

One of the oldest tricks in pro wrestling is hiding a wrestler under the ring. WWE used this effect during the Randy Orton & Kane vs. Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper tag match Tuesday’s SmackDown. During the match the lights cut out, and when they came back on Kane had disappeared from the ring apron.

We received several live reports from sharp-eyed fans who were in attendance at SmackDown who noted that Kane didn’t stay hidden under the ring very long. Fans in attendance noted that after SmackDown went off the air, the lights in the arena went out again for several seconds. During this time, Kane rolled out from under the ring and ran to the back. It’s unknown if WWE will continue a storyline based on Kane’s disappearance during the match.

The lights came back on as Kane was arriving in the back, and WWE taped an episode of Main Event after SmackDown.

Photos surfaced online this week of WWE legend The Undertaker using crutches when walking. It’s unknown which specific injury lead to the use of crutches. The former WWE Champion has dealt with numerous hip, knee, and back issues over the years.

‘Taker hasn’t appeared on WWE television since defeating Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 32 back in April. He’s been reportedly telling people backstage at WWE events for the last several years that he plans on retiring, but he hasn’t officially yet. The Undertaker, real name Mark Calaway, is currently 51 years old and has been on the WWE roster since he was 25.

Here are the photos snapped by fans over the last week:

Recent photo of #TheUndertaker on crutches. #WWE #Raw #Smackdown #Undertaker #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/lWCDSUhDbj

— Pro Wrestling Worldwide ? (@ProWrestlingWW) October 12, 2016

Another photo of The Undertaker. You can see the crutches in his trunk which tells you it's his. I hope he heals up soon. pic.twitter.com/teU8Lz0Axu

— Zack (@TheZackLethal) October 12, 2016

Former WWE Superstar Ryback appeared on the Busted Open radio show this week to discuss his departure from the company, his relationship with WWE Chariman Vince McMahon and what’s next for him.

Regarding Vince McMahon, The Big Guy says they had some cool moments, but Vince lied to him repeatedly and considers the relationship more negative than positive.  “I’ve had a lot of good conversations with Vince, but he also lied to me time and time again,” Ryback said. “It’s just, he’s a business man and he [has] dealt with everybody from top to bottom for how many years now? And he fights to live another day and I just didn’t appreciate the lies, personally. We had some cool moments and I developed a little bit of a relationship with Vince and I talked with him quite a bit, but a lot of it was more negative than positive.”

Ryback understands that WWE has a creative process and he didn’t expect to be a champion all the time, but he got very frustrated when WWE didn’t support his character or would kill his momentum by having him lose short matches with no consequence.

“They had me lose in every big match that I was in, essentially, time and time again, and that conditions the crowd. It took a long time, mind you, to do this, but it conditioned them, slowly, [to wonder] ‘Why are we going to cheer this guy? Why are we going to like this guy? He has everything, but he doesn’t win when he needs to win.’ Like, ‘he’s a loser’. And, like, that, that subconsciously plays in kids’ minds and adults’ minds and it didn’t happen right away. It didn’t happen nearly as quick as they wanted it to happen, but eventually it started happening.”

Eventually, the writing was on the wall and Ryback decided the frustration he experienced wasn’t worth his 3-year, $1.65 million downside contract. He could have stayed with WWE and mentally checked out, but he believes himself, trusts himself and wants to be successful on his own.

“And that’s what I’m doing right now and I don’t care what anybody think, what anybody says about me. I know the work I put in, the heart and the passion and the desire that I put into that. I gave them everything that I had and for them to s–t on me time and time again, I had the balls and the courage to say, ‘do you know what? No thank you. There’s more to life than money and I’m going to go prove that to you and the world.”

You can listen to Ryback’s appearance on Busted Open below. Thanks to William Windsor of Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes.

https://soundcloud.com/siriusxmrush/ryback-reflects-on-what-went-wrong-with-his-wwe-run

As announced earlier this will, Bill Goldberg will be making his first live WWE television appearance in over a decade on Monday’s RAW from Denver, CO. Golberg will be there to address the challenge laid out by Paul Heyman on behalf of his client, Brock Lesnar.

The latest update (via the Wrestling Observer Newsletter) states that Goldberg camp negotiated with WWE for approximately three weeks before the deal was finalized. It’s worth noting TMZ first reported back in August that the two sides were discussing a return. According to Dave Meltzer, Goldberg has only agreed to one match, scheduled for Survivor Series.

Goldberg’s last pro wrestling match was against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX in New York City. He’s made a handful of independent appearances since then, but this will be his first full-length match since 2004.

While Billy Corgan had the final creatively at the last set of TNA TV tapings, Dixie Carter remains the majority shareholder of the company. Executives from The Fight Network were also backstage to meet with Carter, as they are also company shareholders. Dixie left before the end of the tapings.

According to the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there is a lot of frustration among company employees and wrestlers due to the extended state of ownership limbo. TNA still reportedly owes a significant amount of money to some of their performers. There is also heat on Dixie Carter for the perception that she’s handling things badly and causing deals to fall apart.

According to the Observer, things are heated behind-the-scenes between Dixie Carter and potential buyers Billy Corgan and Aroluxe Marketing. It now appears that Aroluxe may be the most-likely buyer.

There’s currently no word on who funded the previous set of tapings. It wasn’t WWE, and WWE is reportedly no longer in talks to purchase the company.

Matt Hardy had a grand vision about an “Open Invitational Tag Team Apocalypto Match” and is willing to appear on WWE programming in order to get RAW tag team champions The New Day to participate.

Matt and Jeff Hardy recaptured the TNA tag titles from Decay at Bound For Glory. Last week’s Impact Wrestling tapings from Orlando will air over the next several months, through December 8th. The following week will be a special edition of Impact dubbed “Total Nonstop Deletion” that will air entirely from the Hardy compound in Cameron, North Carolina. The ‘main event’ of Total Nonstop Deletion will presumably feature the Tag Team Apocalypto match, with all tag teams from “time and space” invited to challenge the Hardy Boyz.

I've had a grand vision.

An Open Invitational Tag Team #APOCALYPTO match at #TotalNonstopDELETION.

Every tag team in history is welcome.

— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) October 13, 2016

With “every team in history” invited to this open challenge, a  fan asked Matt if WWE tag team champions The New Day were welcomed. Hardy officially invited them – and offered to show up on WWE programming in order to make it happen.

INVITED. If MeekMahan allows The Day of New to appear at #TotalNonstopDELETION's #APOCALYPTO, I'll make an appearance on MeekMahan's Show. https://t.co/ouDAM6GT2A

— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) October 13, 2016

Matt Jackson of the “Bucks of Youth” said they’d be willing to answer the challenge. Hardy said the Bucks are invited.

https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/786422557863841792

INVITED. If The Honorable Ring's COO Kris Koff allows The Bucks of Youth to appear at #TND, I will appear at ROH in return. https://t.co/aFMadMB9I5

— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) October 13, 2016

NXT General Manager William Regal has announced the main event of Takeover: Toronto will see NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura defending against Samoa Joe.

Nakamura defeated Joe for the championship during SummerSlam weekend at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn. Since then, Joe has been hell bent on recapturing his title, viciously attacking the champion and terrorizing NXT until he gets what he wants.

NXT Takeover: Toronto takes place Saturday, November 19th at the Air Canada Centre.

John Cena is gearing up to take another hiatus from WWE to film Season 2 of his hit reality series, American Grit.

Production begins this coming week and the 15-time World Champion will be away for several months. He will likely return during the WWE holiday tour in December like he did last year. While it’s possible he could make sporadic appearances before late December, he will largely off television as a full-time character.

John Cena is not currently scheduled to compete at Survivor Series and likely miss the Smackdown TLC PPV on 12/4. With John Cena out of action, SmackDown will focus on the AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton feuds.

The storyline of John Cena’s quest to tie Ric Flair’s record of 16 World championships clearly won’t be culminating before the end of the year. WWE could feature Cena in a championship match at the Royal Rumble, but it’s more likely they’ll hold off until WrestleMania 33 for Cena’s historic moment.

SAnitY was revealed to be Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, Sawyer Fulton and Nikki Cross on tonight’s NXT episode. Video of the reveal is below.

Sawyer and Fulton are representing the stable in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and picked up a win over Bobby Roode & Tye Dillinger tonight after Roode walked out on his partner. They will now face the winner of Lince Dorado & Mustafa Ali vs. Kota Ibushi & Hideo Itami.

#SAnitY. IS. HERE!!!! #DustyClassic #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/zVh3XBv7MR

— WWE (@WWE) October 13, 2016

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/786359436340101120

Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet is reporting that Hideo Itami hurt his neck at a recent NXT live event and was told the injury will keep him from wrestling for months.

The injury occurred while taking a powerslam gone wrong during a tag match on October 1st where he teamed with Shinsuke Nakamura to take on Riddick Moss and Tino Sabbatelli.

No word yet on the exact injury but it seems to be his neck.

The following is a video of what happened.

Hideo Itami Takes Nasty Looking Bump Saturday Night At An NXT Live Event. No Word On His Condition pic.twitter.com/xK0YnPZZ9J

— PWUnlimited (@PWUnlimited) October 2, 2016

Hideo was scheduled to take part in this years Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic with his partner Kota Ibushi, no word yet on a replacement for him or the team all together.

Last night’s WWE SmackDown drew 2.448 million viewers, up from last week’s 2.316 million.

This week’s show featured fallout from the No Mercy pay-per-view with Randy Orton and Kane vs. Luke Harper and Bray Wyatt in the main event.

SmackDown was #6 for the night on cable in viewership and #2 in the 18-49 demographic, next to MLB.

By comparison, RAW averaged 2.758 million viewers this week.

Last week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network featured the first opening round matches in the WWE NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The first round saw NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival defeat Cedric Alexander & Andrade “Cien” Almas, with Almas attacking Alexander after the fact. The Authors of Pain defeated The Bollywood Boyz, and will go on to face the winner of of No Way Jose and Rich Swann vs. Tony
Nese and Drew Gulak. The Tag Team Champions will face the winners of HoHo Lun and Bin Wang vs. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa.

The tournament continues on tonight’s NXT episode with Sanity being revealed as they face Bobby Roode and Tye Dillinger, plus Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss vs. TM-61.

Non-tournament matches for tonight’s NXT episode include Blake vs. Murphy and Liv Morgan vs. Peyton Royce.

The Target Center in Minneapolis has announced that hometown star Brock Lesnar will return to WWE RAW on 10/24.

Lesnar will be there to further the Survivor Series feud with Bill Goldberg.

Just announced: BROCK LESNAR will return to @WWE RAW in his hometown Mpls on Oct 24! https://t.co/iuuS9lARW9 pic.twitter.com/sZjeBGQ8kH

— Target Center (@TargetCenterMN) October 12, 2016

Meanwhile, Paul Heyman tweeted the following on Goldberg getting media attention after name-dropping Brock Lesnar:

Look how dropping @BrockLesnar's name has increased @Goldberg's value … headline on @TheWrap! What a publicity ploy! #WWE2K17 @WWEgames https://t.co/bcgrAESWiD

— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) October 12, 2016

Baron Corbin vs. Jack Swagger in a No Mercy rematch has been added to next Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown. The match was made by SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan on Talking Smack.

Next Tuesday’s show from Denver is shaping up as the following matches have been announced:

– Corbin vs. Swagger

– James Ellsworth vs. WWE World Champion AJ Styles

– Naomi vs. Alexa Bliss

– Curt Hawkins wrestles