Dustin Rhodes will wrestle his brother Cody tomorrow night at Double or Nothing. The 50-year-old spoke to the Sporting News ahead of Saturday’s big PPV. During the interview, Rhodes spoke about Goldust never winning a world title, what AEW needs to be successful and more.
“(Winning a world title) is a hard thing to accomplish in the business,” Dustin said. “Yes, it’s still a dream of mine. The dream has taken a back seat for now because what I’ve realized about the last 24 years of the Goldust character is that Goldust didn’t need a world title. Goldust went out and entertained, had a good time with the fans and left a lasting impression.”
He continued to say the Goldust character never needed to win a world title.
“Every once in a while, a character comes along like Goldust and you don’t need to put a world title around him. I’m OK with me not winning a world title. I get why people would say I’m underrated, but I disagree. Of course, I want to win a world title and put it on my top shelf. Anybody who wants to get into the business wants to do it. If you don’t want to be in the industry to become a world champion, then you shouldn’t be in the business. I’m a good worker. I’m a good storyteller. I’m a good salesman. And I love to entertain and perform for the fans.”
Dustin Rhodes On What AEW Needs To Be
Dustin also spoke about what he feels AEW needs to be.
“If I’m running a company, I want to see more wrestling, fewer commercials and less talking. The group of kids right now in AEW that have been out there working the independent scene and kicking some ass and taking some names are very creative. It’s not all about the older generation anymore. It is about the young kids, and we have to pass on our knowledge to them and let them rise and shine to the occasion.”
AEW is gearing up for their first pay-per-view event, Double Or Nothing, as the production staff is already preparing for the show.
The construction on the stage and set is almost done. A photo of the set up as has surfaced online, which you can see here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx1j6oag9G5/
Double or Nothing, which is the inaugural show promoted by AEW, will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 25, 2019. Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega is expected to serve as the main event of the show. Here’s the updated card for the event:
AEW Double Or Nothing Card
Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega
Cody vs. Dustin
AAA Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks (Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson) vs. The Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Fenix)
Adam Page vs. ???
SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) vs. Strong Hearts (Cima, T-Hawk & El Lindaman)
Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Baretta) vs. Angélico & Jack Evans
Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose vs. Kylie Rae
Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki & Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida, Riho & Ryo Mizunami
21-Man Casino Battle Royale (Sonny Kiss vs. Brandon Cutler vs. Ace Romero vs. Glacier vs. Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Sunny Daze vs. MJF vs. Joey Janela vs. Dustin Thomas vs. Billy Gunn vs. Jimmy Havoc vs. Michael Nakazawa vs. Jungle Boy vs. Isiah Kassidy vs. Marq Quen vs. Luchasaurus vs. Shawn Spears vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA) – Pre-Show
Jim Ross confirmed his signing with All Elite Wrestling
earlier last month and he is expected to be in the commentary booth for their
upcoming Double Or Nothing event.
However, as the wrestling legend explained himself, he won’t only be doing commentary for the upstart promotion but help the talent as a senior advisor as well.
Ross recently had an interview with ESPN where he was asked about his role in the company and he explained that he can advise anyone in the promotion, including the president Tony Khan:
“I’m going to do all I can to help this young group.
Share what I got, what knowledge I have, what expertise I have, whether it be
in the infrastructure of the talent relations department or other areas. As a
senior adviser, I can advise anyone in the company, especially the president.
So I may be as much as Tony Khan’s consigliere as any other job.”
Continuing on the topic, Ross also revealed the things he won’t be doing for the company and claimed that he is not part of the talent relations.
He is not hiring talents and according to Jim, he wouldn’t have signed if he had to be an EVP and be in charge of the talent roster.
Apart from this, Jim Ross also discussed the excitement for the upcoming Double Or Nothing event, his negotiations with WWE before leaving and more. You can check out his full interview at this link.
The Money In The Bank PPV saw Becky Lynch losing the SmackDown Women’s Championship which eventually ended up in the hands of the winner of the female Money In The Bank, Bayley.
While the Man still appeared on the SmackDown episode
following the show and teamed up with Bayley for a match, it appears that this
could be her final appearance for the Blue Brand in a while.
While she was previously listed as a part of both the rosters, Becky Lynch has now been moved to the Raw roster on WWE.com and it seems that the Raw Women’s Champion will be exclusive to the red branded show moving forward.
A Look At 24/7 Title
Mick Foley introduced the 24/7 title on this week’s episode
of Raw and while the design of the belt was criticized by the fans, so far they
have been liking the concept.
Titus O’Neil was the Inaugural champion and after spending some time in Bobby Roode’s hands, the title has found its way around R Truth’s waist. Truth has since been winning the hearts of fans with his segments featuring the title.
WWE recently published a new WWE Now video and in the post as seen below, Cathy Kelly takes a look at the title’s inception and the people who have held it till now:
WWE has released the line-ups for their forthcoming Live Events in Japan, and a few things stood out to the WWE Universe, one of them being the reformation of The Club.
Unfortunately, it appears to be a brief reunion as AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson are slated to team for only one night. They will be facing off against Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin, and Bobby Lashley on June 28th.
The Club was initially formed in WWE in a nod to the group that brought them together: New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Bullet Club.
Despite attempting to capitalize on their former Bullet Club association, The Club disbanded shortly after their formation and were never given the opportunity to establish themselves as a credible group.
Live Events
Other matches that caught the WWE Universe’s attention include Shinsuke Nakamura main eventing the 6/28 card, as he competes against WWE Universal Champion, Seth Rollins.
Alexa Bliss is also scheduled to see in-ring action, as she takes on RAW Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch. This is particularly notable given she was recently pulled from Money In The Bank over fears she had suffered a concussion.
WWE Japan Live Events
6/28:
Shinsuke Nakamura vs WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins
Alexa Bliss vs RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch
Asuka and Kairi Sane vs WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The IIconics
The Revival vs RAW Tag Team Champions Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins
AJ Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson vs Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin and Bobby Lashley
Ricochet vs Samoa Joe vs Cesaro
Braun Strowman vs Robert Roode
6/29:
Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman and AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley
Alexa Bliss vs Asuka vs RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch
The Revival vs Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson vs RAW Tag Team Champions Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins
Ricochet vs Cesaro
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Robert Roode
Appearances by Samoa Joe, Kairi Sane, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The IIconics
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is set to try and take the wrestling world by storm with their follow up to All In, Double Or Nothing.
One of the major storylines going into this show is the reignited rivalry between Cody and his brother, former WWE Superstar, Dustin Rhodes.
In a recent interview with the WINCLY podcast, Dustin Rhodes addressed his creative frustrations during his last tenure with WWE. He compared WWE’s creative approach to AEW’s, promising that the new promotion will “open a lot of eyes and shock the world.”
“They Never Take Your Idea Seriously”
“I think everybody is rushing to up their ratings and entertainment value. Let’s face it, the creative team in the other company [WWE]… you pitch so many ideas and nothing ever gets done. They never take your idea seriously and then you have to bypass them and go to the boss [Vince McMahon],” Rhodes said.
Dustin spoke about his frustrations in being ignored despite actively coming up with new ideas to try. He claims that this WWE culture, where people are afraid to try new things or to talk to Vince McMahon to discuss ideas, has to stop.
“If something is pitched to you and it’s a damn good angle, why are you scared to go take it to the man [Vince McMahon]? That makes no sense to me; he’s a man. He might be our boss but all he can do is say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ My frustration was that I didn’t get a lot of answers.”
He adds that, creatively, “As long as I have that hunger, I wanna keep doing it,” revealed Rhodes. “Until that hunger leaves me, I’m not gonna stop creating… It doesn’t matter what I’m doing. If I’m doing a backstage segment, I’m gonna make it the best backstage segment I can.”
Dustin will face off against his brother, Cody, during Double Or Nothing. The event takes place on May 25th from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
It’s been reported that current NXT Champion, Johnny Gargano, has been dealing with a knee injury.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, this is why Gargano has seen minimal in-ring action in recent weeks.
Further details are unknown at this time, but it is speculated that the injury could have been sustained back in March.
Although he has appeared for NXT TV tapings, Gargano was used sparingly, minimizing the amount of time actively grappling.
These precautionary measures have been taken to allow Gargano an opportunity to rest and heal. He is scheduled for a matchup with Adam Cole. The two will clash for the NXT Championship at NXT’s upcoming TakeOver XXV event.
#JohnnyProducing
In recent weeks, Johnny Gargano has been working as a producer at NXT, learning a different side of the product.
In a recent tweet, he highlighted the importance of not becoming complacent. He called it “The #1 killer of success” before signing off with the hashtag “JohnnyProducing.”
“The #1 killer of success is complacency. Especially when it comes to this job.. there’s just so many different sides and intricacies to it, you can always get better and learn something new. I get the chance to wear a different hat this weekend! @WWENXT #JohnnyProducing?”
The #1 killer of success is complacency.
Especially when it comes to this job.. there's just so many different sides and intricacies to it, you can always get better and learn something new.
This past Monday night on RAW, Mick Foley unveiled the latest WWE championship to the WWE Universe. It was met with a mixed response, with the live crowd actively booing the announcement.
With Foley being the man to reveal the newest title, many were speculating the return of the Hardcore championship. Instead, they were introduced to the 24/7 championship.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, fans can direct their praise or frustrations over the new belt towards the USA Network.
USA Network officials have allegedly been actively worried, complaining over the undeniable drop in RAW ratings. The third hour of the show has been under scrutiny for some time.
This concern has seen USA Network supposedly push Vince McMahon and his team to fix the flagging third hour. In previous years, the 10-11pm hour has typically been highly rated. That has changed drastically over the years.
Shake Up, Wild Card, 24/7
The 24/7 championship is just the latest attempt by WWE in their efforts to reinvigorate not only the third hour but their show as a whole. It follows the recent Superstar Shake-Up, which was intended to bring new feuds and opportunities for both wrestlers and fans.
Only weeks later, they would renege on some of their decisions, introducing a ‘Wild Card’ rule that would allow certain ‘drafted’ talent to freely jump between brands.
This has been done to prepare for SmackDown’s move to Fox in October, ensuring WWE’s top stars are present on both brands and avoiding the blue brand from feeling like a B-show.
Brock Lesnar’s appearance at Money In The Bank was kept under wraps, being treated on a ‘need-to-know’ basis. Apparently, the finish of the match, which saw Lesnar secure the briefcase, was so secretive only one of the ladder match competitors knew about it.
According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, SmackDown Live Superstar, Ali, was the only wrestler to be informed of the true finish.
Need-To-Know
Officials “who needed to know” were told that Ali would be the one to win the briefcase. Earlier plans saw Drew McIntyre claiming the prize.
The actual Superstars involved with the ladder match were allegedly told that Ali was not winning. They were informed an unannounced wrestler would be appearing late in the match. It was understood this wrestler would knock Ali from off the ladder and win the matchup.
Ali was reported to be told just before the match started that the “unannounced wrestler” would be Brock Lesnar.
MITB Fall Out
Not everyone was thrilled with Lesnar’s unexpected return. Prior to Money In The Bank, Lesnar’s last WWE appearance was in early April, where he lost the Universal Championship to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 35.
Lesnar is expected to announce whom he is cashing in against on next week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.
With Kofi Kingston having accepted Dolph Ziggler’s challenge, it is likely that Lesnar will challenge Seth Rollins for a championship matchup at Super ShowDown on June 7th.
Rey Mysterio defeated Samoa Joe for the WWE United States Championship last Sunday at Money In The Bank. Despite the surprisingly short matchup, both men would unfortunately walk away injured. Joe would end up with a busted nose, while Rey Mysterio suffered a shoulder injury.
Taking to his Instagram account, Mysterio has provided an update on his current health saying:
“So after Sunday’s Money In The Bank match against Samoa Joe which—there’s still some issues that need to be cleared up after that 1,2,3, but due to the result at the end of the match I separated a little bit of my AC joint, and we’re doing some PRP sessions here at the lab. Hopefully, this will improve my range of motion, which has been really bad.”
He accompanied the post with the following caption, thanking The Lab for helping him as he heals:
“Thank you @thelabprc for putting me back together & always looking out for me! Highly recommend any athlete or non athlete with injuries to stop by and let them look out for you! #TheStaffIsNumero1 #Cryo #Sauna #PRP #MuchLove”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx0ZVXrB1tD/
With Rey Mysterio injured, WWE has announced that they will reveal the state of the United States Championship on next week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.
DDP had revealed in previous interviews that he made an appearance at All In for free and it appears that he wasn’t the only veteran to do so.
Shane Helms recently had an interview with Fightful where he talked about a number of things and revealed that he had returned the money Cody sent him for his appearance in the show.
Shane who was part of the Over The Budget Battle Royal first discussed how he got booked for the spot, and revealed that his booking for Starrcast led to his All In appearance.
According to him, he met Cody and told him that he would
contribute to the show any way he can and continuing on the topic, the former
WWE Star revealed that he turned down the money that was sent to him:
“Cody was worried about insulting me by offering me something he thought was beneath me. I was like ‘Bro. No. Whatever you need, I’ll do.’ He paid me and I sent it back.”
Later in the interview, Shane Helms said that the event
shined a positive light on the whole business and it showed everyone what is
possible when you do things the right way.
Apart from this, Helms also discussed his appearance at the Over The Budget Battle Royal and the spots he pulled off during the match. You can check out his full interview at this link.
When TJP got released from WWE, there were lots of rumors regarding the former Cruiserweight Champion and the reason behind his departure from the company. However, during a recent interview with Sportskeeda, the former Champion set the record straight and revealed how his release from the company came about.
TJP first revealed that he had a good relationship with
Vince McMahon and said that when he was moved from Raw, Vince asked him how
they could use him better. So he spent a year researching the Filipino
demographic to come up with ways to utilise his character and promote the
company there.
He then showed his research to McMahon who loved it and asked Perkins to submit ideas about possible rivalries for him. Although when he submitted the ideas to the creatives, they never made it to Vince. By the time he noticed TJP again, the ship had sailed on many of those plans and so the Boss decided not to waste his time anymore:
“Vince decided he didn’t want to waste my time and make
me sit on the bench and said I should go out and spread my wings. He said he
had a lot of respect for what I was doing and what I wanted to do. So it was a
mutually inevitable split that had been in motion for a while.”
Continuing on the topic, the CWC Star claimed that he is not the kind of person who likes to collect easy money. According to him, his community, as well as his peace of mind, is important to him. Apart from this, TJP also talked about his participation in Cruiserweight Classic, working in TNA and more. You can check out his full interview at this link.
Alexa Bliss made history when she competed against Sasha
Banks in the first ever Women’s Match in Abu Dhabi in 2017 and now she wants to
wrestle in Saudi Arabia.
Bliss recently had an interview with Sky Sports where she talked about a number of different things including the upcoming WWE Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia.
Answering a question about competing in the country, the former Women’s Champion said that she had a great time in Abu Dhabi and she would love to be able to have a match in Saudi Arabia:
“I had an amazing time (in Abu Dhabi) and I would love
to be able to be have a match in Saudi Arabia if given the opportunity. Because
women have never competed there in any aspect there so it would be awesome to
entertain there and break down barriers and it shows that our women’s evolution
is global.”
It’s worth mentioning here that Alexa Bliss is not the only star who has talked about wrestling in the Middle Eastern country and just recently Natalya had expressed the desire to become the first women to compete there.
However, even though Triple H has talked about having Women’s matches in the country eventually, the upcoming Super Showdown event is not expected to feature any female competitors. Overall there appears to be a long road ahead before female stars are allowed to compete at the shows there.
The rivalry between Hangman Page and Pac has seen some twist and turns in the last few days and the latest development in the situation might not be a pleasing one for fans.
The Young Bucks dropped a special Thursday episode of Being The Elite titled ‘Who’s The Best Tag Team In The World’ yesterday, just 2 days ahead of Double Or Nothing .
The episode also featured a segment starring Hangman Page
who revealed that he will not be allowed to compete at the upcoming event:
“Hey guys, I am checking in because apparently, it’s my
responsibility to tell you that due to recent events I will not be allowed to
compete at Double Or Nothing.
I am sure that none of you are as disappointed or pissed off about the entire situation than I am. But I will still be at Starrcast on Friday doing meet and greet and I am sure that the entire show in itself will be great.” (Transcription: SEScoops.com)
As Hangman explains his situation a video of Pac’s attack on him during their match in Nottingham is played which suggests that he is not medically cleared to compete at the show.
This is disappointing news for fans who were looking forward to Hangman Page’s match at the PPV and were excited to find out who will be his opponent for the event.
However, the situation with Pac has put the company on the back foot. Since AEW Officials want wins and losses to matter in their company, it’s probably the best to keep Page off the card instead of rushing him into a new rivalry.
Jordynne Grace had a brief free agency period recently. The 23-year-old was believed to have signed with Impact in October but it turned out she hadn’t actually signed the contract. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Impact gave Grace an ultimatum, either sign or not be used any further.
“(Grace) was given an ultimatum to sign or not be used anytime further so she agreed to sign,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
The report continued to say why Grace decided Impact was the best place for her.
“It was noted that there are places she likes going such as Eve in London and Sendai Girls, and with Impact, she gets U.S. exposure, as minimal as that may be, gets a push, builds her name and can work where she wants,” Meltzer continued. “In WWE, they’d probably hire her but she’d be lost in the shuffle and AEW would push her but she may not be able to work other places.”
Grace explained her situation recently in an interview with Fightful.
“I was hoping to have some good matches and show that I could follow direction and criticism beforehand, of course. I wanted to renegotiate the original deal once I had shown I had value and worth,” Grace said.
She continued to say that she received offers from multiple companies during her short free agency period.
“I had contact with each of those companies (ROH, WWE, AEW, NWA), and had many options and offers in front of me. At the end of the day, Impact is where I wanted to be. I was ready to make a difficult decision if needed, but I was sincerely hoping everything would work out in the end! I can’t be sure if Double or Nothing had anything to do with it, but it’s a possibility.”
20 years ago today the world lost Owen Hart. The wrestling world has been remembering Owen in their own ways. Sean Waltman, Chris Jericho, and Jim Ross all have podcasts released in remembrance of Owen. Several other wrestling personalities have been posting tributes online as well.
Remembering Owen Hart
“I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new. I thought of you yesterday and days before that too. I think of you in silence as I often speak your name. ……. pic.twitter.com/X16msMJ2Cw
… All I have are memories and your picture in a frame. Your memory is my keepsake with which I'll never part. God has you in His keeping. I have you in my heart.” – Unknown pic.twitter.com/sWNzzdAY5b
Not just today, I try to remember Owen Hart every day. Owen was a friend to so many, quick to lend a hand, provide encouragement or even just a simple smile. Owen has left a lasting impact on us all, far beyond the wresting landscape and I'm proud to see that legacy continue.
On this episode of #XPAC12360@TheRealXPac remembers Owen Hart on the 20 year anniversary of his passing (May 23,1999) by sharing some of the ribs Owen used to pull.
Bret Hart spoke to CBS Sports last summer about the possibility of Owen being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
“I think for what Owen gave to wrestling that it would be important for him to be in the Hall of Fame,” Bret said. “I think it would have meant a lot to my dad [the late Stu Hart], and it would mean a lot to me. I don’t think the Hall of Fame is the same without him.
“I know that Mark Henry, as an example, made a strong speech this past year about getting Owen to the Hall of Fame, and I totally agree.”
Mark Henry also commented on wishing Owen was in the Hall of Fame in the same interview as well.
“Owen brought so much joy to my life,” Henry said. “I wish that he could be here with us, and I miss him dearly.”
“I would love to be able to look down one day and see [Owen’s son] Oje able to be among us. This is his birthright,” Henry continued.
The world lost Owen Hart 20 years ago today. On May 23rd, 1999 Hart fell from the ceiling of the Kemper Arena and lost his life. Tom Buchanan was working as a ringside photographer at the time. He posted a lengthy Facebook post today detailing the rigging setup used for what was supposed to be Owen’s entrance from that night.
“Twenty years ago today professional wrestler Owen Hart was killed by a poorly rigged stunt during a live pay per view in Kansas City,” Buchanan begins his post. “I was working as a WWF/WWE ringside photographer that night when Owen fell 80 feet from the overhead catwalk and landed just 20 feet away. It was a horrible moment and a painful night that just never seemed to end. And twenty years later, May 23, 1999 remains the worst night of my life.”
Following the PPV, Buchanan photographed the police investigation.
“I had been working for WWF/WWE for more than ten years and had been a consistent advocate to management about safety issues, and I had photographed several prior accidents during WWF/WWE productions.”
He continued to say the accident should have never happened and the stunt should not have gone through as planned.
“It shocked me that a professional rigger would fly a wrestler with no stunt experience using just a single snap shackle without any back-up. When the rest of our crew learned how the stunt had been rigged they were equally aghast,” he continued. “This accident should never have happened, and probably wouldn’t have happened if any of the WWF/WWE riggers had even a whiff of how Bobby Talbert, a newly hired independent contractor, was planning to rig the stunt.”
The movement that began with the successful ALL IN venture last September has led to the launch of the brand new All Elite Wrestling pro wrestling promotion, which presents its’ inaugural event, Double Or Nothing, under the AEW banner this weekend.
AEW Double Or Nothing goes down from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 25th. The card features a highly-anticipated lineup of some of the best matches that can be made without using talent currently signed to WWE.
Headlined by the “Alpha vs. Omega II” showdown between Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, AEW Double Or Nothing also features the brother versus brother battle years in the making between Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes, The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Bros and much more.
SEScoops.com writers Ian Carey, Andrew Ravens and Jeff Moss have prepared their predictions for each of the matches scheduled for Saturday night’s big event. Without further adieu, here are the SEScoops.com staff predictions for AEW Double Or Nothing.
Kip Sabian vs. Sammy Guevara (Pre-Show)
Ian Carey: On BTE as of late, it’s become clear that nobody (not even his mother) likes Sammy Guevara. He’s still going to beat Kip Sabian on the pre-show, however. Guevara is the AAA Cruiserweight Champion and will likely be featured prominently in AEW. (Prediction: Sammy Guevara)
Andrew Ravens: Here’s a prime time example of a sleeper match that not many people know of these two guys but Guevara is an extremely talented wrestler who could do some amazing things in AEW. I have Guevara going over. (Prediction: Sammy Guevara)
Jeff Moss: Pre-show? A Cruiserwieght Champion on the PRE-SHOW? You said AEW was going to be DIFFERENT, Cody!! Just kidding of course, you gotta have a pre-show these days and as pre-show matches go, this one ain’t too shabby. Before this match was announced, I wasn’t super familiar with these guys (Though Ian informs me that Guevara is really popular on BTE), but some quick Youtube research shows that they can both go. With Guevara being a champion in AAA, logically he should take this. (Prediction: Sammy Guevara)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Sammy Guevara
21-Man Casino Battle Royale (Pre-Show)
Ian: The winner of this match will face the winner of Omega vs. Jericho to crown the first-ever AEW World Champion. This means the person who wins is someone AEW would have to be comfortable putting in a main event against a top star. Shawn Spears strikes me as someone who could be in that position. Either that or it will be somebody yet to be announced. (Prediction: Shawn Spears)
Andrew: I expect to see some surprises in this match come bell time and the biggest surprise in this contest is likely the winner but no big names come to mind at this time. Thus, with that being said, I actually have MJF winning it here. MJF is someone to keep an eye on and I can’t wait to see how he progresses under the AEW banner as he has the potential to become a top guy. (Prediction: MJF)
Jeff: First off, let me just say I LOVE this concept. It’s a great freshening-up of a classic concept, which is what I hope AEW brings to the table across the board. That said, it’s hard to pick a winner (especially since all the participants haven’t been announced yet). This match should be really fun, with lots of surprises and while my heart wants fellow Canadian Shawn Spears to be the winner, I’d say a more likely candidate is Joey Janela. Janela has the indie crew and vibe to make a good foil for Omega over the AEW title later. Spears should be one of the final men left standing though. I also would not say no to a Glacier victory. (Prediction: Joey Janela)
Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki & Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida, Riho & Ryo Mizunami
Ian: Look for Aja Kong to be the star of this match. This match will look to showcase the Joshi style of wrestling but in the end, it will be Aja Kong who fans remember and who is given more high-profile matches moving forward. (Prediction: Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki & Emi Sakura)
Andrew: Out of all of the matches on this stacked card, I think this will be the bathroom match as I’m not sure how many fans know of these talents, which is fine considering their backgrounds. It’s a toss-up so I’m taking Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki & Emi Sakura. (Prediction: Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki & Emi Sakura)
Jeff: Much like the three-way dance on the card, this match is going to go a long way to defining what the women’s division in AEW looks like. While I’m not a huge fan of the fact both women’s matches are multi-person deals, this does give a lot of women the chance to show off what they can do on a large scale. I’d expect the winner to be Aja Kong’s team, with Kong going on to feud with Baker over a title in the future. (Prediction: Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki & Emi Sakura)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki & Emi Sakura
Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose vs. Kylie Rae
Ian: This one is tough. Kylie Rae will be the wrestler pinned or submitted, it really comes down to whether Baker or Rose gets the win. Baker seems like she’ll be a featured performer but Rose feels like someone they don’t want to beat too early. I’ll go with Nyla Rose on this one but I wouldn’t be shocked if Baker pulls out the win either. (Prediction: Nyla Rose)
Andrew: This is one of the matches I am most looking forward to seeing as Baker and Rae are some of the best prospects in women’s wrestling today. I can easily see AEW building around Baker as their women’s champion thus I have her winning here. (Prediction: Britt Baker)
Jeff: Britt Baker seems like the centrepiece of the AEW women’s roster going forward, so since this is their first chance to shine I expect this match to be an awesome effort from all involved, but Baker takes it in the end. That sets her up as the woman to beat and gives strong motivation to the rest of the division. (Prediction: Britt Baker)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Britt Baker
Best Friends vs. Angelico & Jack Evans
Ian: Angelico and Jack Evans are extremely talented but I have to put my money on the Best Friends here based on how much time they’ve been given on BTE. Beyond their signing being announced, we haven’t seen much of Angelico and Evans but the Best Friends have been involved in an angle with the Bucks, blackmailing them to put them on the main show. (Prediction: Best Friends)
Andrew: This match isn’t getting a lot of buzz and it should as all four talents are very good performers. Based on their success in NJPW, I would have to favor Best Friends to get the win here but if these teams feud moving forward, I could see an upset. (Prediction: Best Friends)
Jeff: I love Angelico. I love Jack Evans. But Best Friends, they are not. I see the more established team winning this one, but long-term, everyone wins because it’ll establish two great tag teams for AEW to use going forward. Should be a high-flying fun match though! (Prediction: Best Friends)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Best Friends
SoCal Uncensored vs. Strong Hearts
Ian: SCU got the win over an OWE team when they visited China recently but I feel like the Strong Hearts could pull out the win in Las Vegas. AEW’s association with OWE was one of the first things announced by AEW. I feel as though having the OWE team lose on the first PPV won’t be something they decide to do. (Prediction: Strong Hearts)
Andrew: An interesting match that should be fun and the winner and loser here doesn’t really matter as I think it’s a one and done feud. I have SoCal Uncensored going over. (Prediction: SoCal Uncensored)
Jeff: This is going to be a really fun match, but in the end probably isn’t going to mean much, long term story wise. I see the Strong Hearts taking it here if only to further cement the AEW/OWE relationship. (Prediction: Strong Hearts)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Strong Hearts
The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Bros
Ian: I’m expecting to be the only person on the panel to predict this but I think the Bucks are losing at Double or Nothing. The Bucks beat the Lucha Bros for the titles in Mexico so if they beat them again in Double or Nothing, where do you go from there? It would knock Pentagon and Fenix out of the title picture in the eyes of fans and I don’t think that’s where AEW wants them to be. (Prediction: The Lucha Bros)
Andrew: I have gone back and forth on this one as either team could win. Since the AAA Tag Team Titles are on the line and Lucha Bros have more of a connection with the promotion, I have them winning the titles. This should be the top feud in the tag team division once AEW stars airing on TNT. (Prediction: The Lucha Bros)
Jeff: It’s still super weird to me as a new-to-the-indies wresting watcher to see another promotions titles on the line at an AEW event, but in a way that brings it a pretty fresh new wrinkle, for me at least. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Lucha Bros work and I’m really looking forward to it. Picking a winner though, I’d say that the AEW Executives in matches at Double or Nothing are likely to take losses at this first event so that they don’t look like they are booking themselves to win. So the Lucha Bros will take the match and titles here. (Prediction: The Lucha Bros)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, The Lucha Bros
Adam “Hangman” Page vs. TBD
Ian: It has to be Moxley, right? Granted, he’s filming a movie right now and might not be available. AEW has said they have a replacement for PAC and it is evidently a good enough surprise that they are saving it for the show. It has to be someone big or it will receive a large groan in response. If it’s not Moxley, I don’t know who could fill that role. Assuming it’s Moxley, he should take the win. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)
Andrew: It will be interesting to see who they get to be Page’s opponent. While it would be a great surprise, I don’t see CM Punk or Dean Ambrose making an appearance on this show. Instead, and this is purely a guess, I think Joey Ryan is his opponent and goes over on Page. (Prediction: Joey Ryan)
Jeff: Lots of rumours about this match. With PAC off the card, they’ve apparently lined up a replacement worthy of a surprise entrance. Jon Moxley? Maybe. CM Punk? Highly unlikely. The Repo Man? My money’s ALWAYS on the Repo Man. In truth though, if the surprise opponent is big enough to be a surprise, they either a) have no one yet or b) have someone big enough that they should win. The Page/PAC plans are scuttled, so Page can take a loss here and not look too bad while they build something else for him to do. (Prediction: TBD)
CONSENSUS: Various (Jon Moxley – 1, Joey Ryan – 1, TBD – 1)
Cody vs. Dustin
Ian: This should be interesting as I’m expecting there to be a story told in the match which leads to future matches. It could lead to Cody and Dustin reforming their tag-team or it could lead to a rivalry between the two. Cody should win, however. In the eyes of the fans, both are babyfaces, though Cody walks the line a little sometimes. Either of the two turning full-blown heel throughout the course of the match is entirely possible. (Prediction: Cody)
Andrew: This should be the easiest pick on the card as there’s no reason to have Dustin go over here. Cody is the future while Dustin is the past. I also think Dustin will serve as an agent for the promotion going forward. (Prediction: Cody)
Jeff: I have been a life-long fan of the Rhodes family, so this is a bit of a dream match for me. I especially like that there’s no gimmicks, no personas or characters beyond just being Dustin and Cody. It’s a beautiful story too about the future of wrestling meeting the past, passing of the torches and all that. Dusty is going to look down on his one and be pretty happy, I think. As far as winner goes, I think Cody takes. Both Rhodes boys have decent arguments for a win, but I think it will be a long, back and forth match, with Cody taking the W. (Prediction: Cody)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Cody
Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega
Ian: Chris Jericho is going to be the top heel in the promotion for the near-future. He will beat Kenny Omega at Double or Nothing to even the series between the two. Since Jericho lost to Omega in the Tokyo Dome and will likely lose to Kazuchika Okada at Dominion next month, a big win would be key for him and I think he’s going to get it. (Prediction: Chris Jericho)
Andrew: I’m not sure if this match will live up to the expectations that fans have for it but at the end of the day, it’s going to be a great match. I do wonder what the finish will be as they can easily visit this feud down the line. I think it would be a mistake if Jericho won here as Omega should be the first AEW champion crowned. (Prediction: Kenny Omega)
Jeff: I don’t know how you pick a “Match of The Night” with a card this stacked, but I’d say this one makes it into the conversation in a walk. Omega is quickly becoming Jericho’s white whale, having lost to him in singles competition at WK12 and then in a 6-Man match on the Jericho Cruise. The winner of this match faces the Casino Battle Royal winner for the AEW Championship at a later date. Jericho is somehow at almost 50, doing the best work of his career, but Omega was born-ready to be AEW Champion. I see Kenny taking this one, winning the title later, or losing it via Jericho to continue their feud. (Prediction: Kenny Omega)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Kenny Omega
What do you think of the above AEW Double Or Nothing predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section below, and make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com on Saturday evening for live play-by-play results coverage of the show!
Add Aleister Black to the list of talent who will not be traveling to Saudi Arabia for Super ShowDown. According to a report from Wrestling Observer Radio, Black’s tattoos are the reason he won’t be on the show.
“Aleister Black’s situation, I don’t know the full details, what I do know is that this was not his choice,” Dave Meltzer said. “This was a choice made for him. I don’t know if it was made by the Saudi Arabian government or by WWE because they didn’t want to offend the Saudi Arabian government.”
“The deal with him is that his tattoos apparently have some religious connotations that the belief is will offend the hosts of the show so they don’t want him going.”
Other Superstars Not Attending Super Show Down
John Cena, Aleister Black, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Daniel Bryan will not be attending or performing at Super ShowDown. In the case of Zayn, he has not attended any of the shows due to his Syrian background. Bryan asked not to go to the last show as well. Owens is said to have asked not to go and this was granted.
Owens not going to Saudi Arabia is what ultimately led to Dolph Ziggler attacking Kofi Kingston on Tuesday night and building an angle for the show in Saudi Arabia.
All Elite Wrestling Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes sat down with entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet this week ahead of Saturday night’s AEW: Double or Nothing PPV from Las Vegas, NV. Topics discussed include this being the biggest weekend of his career, AEW’s weekly TV show, pyro, and how win/loss records will impact the promotion.
Cody Talks AEW, Double or Nothing & More
Cody confirmed that the weekly TV show will be 2-hours and AEW will be a touring brand.
“It’s really likely the show is going to be 2 hours. That’s the sweet spot. In terms of the schedule we’ll find out probably within the next few months for sure and it will be in a great spot to be in prime time on TNT, they’ve really set us up,” Cody said. “Now you’ve got to go deliver the bell to bells and the sports-centric. Another thing that is really cool is you’ll be able to find out per market where we’re going to be all around, this isn’t going to be something that is just stationed in one spot.”
Cody also spoke about the AEW World Championship “belt”. He reiterated it will be called a belt as well.
“I’ve said title and I’ve said championship in our little circle now and everyone is really adamant that we say “belt”. On Saturday there is the chance that you might see the greatest World Championship Title that has ever been created and there’s also a chance that I might have showed Chris a picture of it before this interview. He might have got a sneak peek. It’s really great.”
How Far In Advance Are AEW Storylines Planned?
Cody also spoke about how far in advance AEW has planned out their storylines. According to Cody, they have the next 6 months to a year planned.
“I’d say we have a pretty good bearing on 6 months to a year. Exactly that. Long form storytelling is great in every medium whether it is film or TV or whatever it may be to know and work backwards. We’ve got a good, what would I call it, like a syllabus?”
Cody continued, “There’s a syllabus to what we’re going to do but one thing that Matt Jackson is really good about pointing out is some things just catch fire and one thing that we want to do differently than any other wrestling that’s out there is you can’t deny something when it catches. So if something catches, we’re going to push that, we’re going to promote that. If an individual catches, we’re going to push that, we’re going to promote that. And that all starts at Double or Nothing.”
It appears as though WWE already knows when they want Brock Lesnar to cash in his Money In The Bank opportunity. More importantly, they have also decided which champion he will be targeting.
At this point in time, it is reported that Lesnar will cash against Universal Champion, Seth Rollins. It’s expected to be for a matchup at WWE Super ShowDown, which takes place in Saudi Arabia on June 7th.
Cashing In
According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE intends to have Lesnar make this announcement next week on Monday Night RAW. He may also appear on the June 3rd go-home show prior to Super ShowDown.
He noted that, while Brock will be working the Saudi Arabia show, it’s likely the WWE Universe won’t see “The Beast Incarnate” afterwards until SummerSlam in August.
Lesnar vs Kingston?
Although the company is attempting to hype up speculation over Brock’s decision, they have already announced Kofi Kingston versus Dolph Ziggler for the WWE Championship.
Granted, they could still have Brock Lesnar vs Kofi Kingston, assuming Lesnar doesn’t cash in his briefcase against Rollins on June 7th. The likelihood of the two competing in a non-championship match, however, is slim.
Lesnar won the MITB briefcase after inserting himself into the match as surprise entrant during last Sunday’s Money In The Bank event. His victory has been met with a mixed reaction from both fans, those in the wrestling industry, and WWE Superstars.
The wrestling world tragically lost Ashley Massaro at only 39 years of age recently. In light of these events, Lillian Garcia set-up a GoFundMe account for Ashley’s teenage daughter. The funds will go to Ashley’s daughter’s education.
Mick Foley made a sizeable donation to kickstart the fund and other wrestlers who worked with or were otherwise friends with Ashley have donated.
The passing of our dear sister @ashleymassaro11 has (re)connected us women of wrestling. We’ve come together to lean on each other & united to try to raise funds for Ashley’s daughter. Help us give her daughter a start for her future https://t.co/ZC55iUUrn8#squaredcirclesisters
Gail Kim is auctioning off her ring-gear from Impact Wrestling’s Rebellion PPV and donating the proceeds to the GoFundMe:
I’m going to put up my gear for auction that I wore at Rebellion against Tessa Blanchard. My gear that I wore for my very last match ever. All proceeds will go to Ashley’s daughter. I will let everyone know when it goes live and provide a link. Stand by!
Ashley Massaro is being remembered as a very kind and loving person. She made her debut in the wrestling industry after winning the 2005 Diva Search. Her edgy style and attitude made her one of the most popular performers of the time.
The GoFundMe set up to assist in Ashley’s daughter’s education posted the following in rememberence:
“We, the Squared Circle Sisters who had the amazing honor of working with Ashley Massaro in the WWE, have come together to honor Ashley’s memory – and to create light and hope in the wake of tragedy. We all knew and loved Ashley and her beautiful spirit. Her smile radiated the entire locker room and arenas everywhere. We also got to know Ashley’s incredible daughter Alexa. As our way to show Lexi she is not alone, we have started this gofundme campaign to unite us all and show Lexi and her family our love.”
“Every dollar raised will go into an official New York State 529 college savings plan (technical schools, vocational schools and career colleges all included) to provide for Lexi’s continued education – which would have made Ashley so happy. We invite you to please watch the video we put together & join us by contributing to the cause. Let’s keep Ashley’s memory alive now and forever!! Ashley, thank you for touching our souls and being you! Lexi, please stay strong and know you can reach out to any of us for support! YOU ARE NOT ALONE! WE LOVE YOU!! – Your Squared Circle Sisters”
Riott Squad leader, Ruby Riott, who suffered an unfortunate bilateral injury, has undergone successful shoulder surgery on her right shoulder. She will be undergoing further surgery on her left shoulder at a later time.
WWE released the following update:
“Raw Superstar Ruby Riott underwent successful surgery yesterday to repair a bilateral injury to her right shoulder, WWE.com can confirm. Riott will receive surgery for the same injury on her left shoulder at a later date. Join WWE.com in wishing Ruby a speedy recovery!
The RAW Superstar last competed on television in a losing effort to Dana Brooke on the April 22nd episode of WWE Main Event.
She last competed on May 17th at a WWE Live Event in Cardiff, Wales as a participant in a Fatal Four Way for the RAW Women’s Championship. Becky Lynch would successfully defended her championship.
There is no scheduled return date for Riott at this point in time. However, considering she is yet to receive surgery to her left shoulder, she will probably be out for quite a while.
Given that The Riott Squad were essentially disbanded following Liv Morgan’s move to SmackDown Live post-Superstar Shake-Up, that only leaves Sarah Logan as a potential representative for the group on Monday Night RAW.
WWE has yet to really utilize either Logan or Morgan on their respective brands since the Shake-Up took place.
We are only days away from All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) highly anticipated event, Double Or Nothing.
The show will see former WWE Superstar, Chris Jericho, face off against former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kenny Omega. The winner of that match will proceed to face the winner of the Casino Battle Royale at a later date, with the subsequent victor becoming the inaugural AEW World Champion.
Taking on his podcast, Talk Is Jericho, Chris Jericho hyped the event as he broke down the card. He would also provide further information on his role within the company, highlighting that he isn’t “part of the office.”
“I am not one of the executive vice presidents or whatever the terms are. You know, Cody’s in there and Kenny and Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson, and of course Tony Khan kind of heading everything up—but I know they have a lot of conversations, a lot of booking meetings, a lot of plans. I’m not privy to those conversations,” he clarified before adding “ “[…] I have nothing to do with that behind-the-scenes type hierarchy.”
Double Or Nothing
Kip Sabian vs Sammy Guevara
Casino Battle Royale: Sonny Kiss, Brandon Cutler, Ace Romer, Glacier, Brian Pillman Jr., Sunny Daze, MJF, Joey Janela, Dustin Thomas, Billy Gunn, Jimmy Havoc, Michael Nakazawa, Jungle Boy, Isiah Kassidy, Marq Quen, Luchasaurus, Shawn Spears, TBD
Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki, and Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida, Riho, and Ryo Mizunami
SCU vs Strong Hearts
Best Friends vs Angelico & Jack Evans
Britt Baker vs Nyla Rose vs Kylie Rae
Cody vs Dustin Rhodes
AAA Tag Team Championship Match:The Young Bucks vs the Lucha Bros
Kenny Omega vs Chris Jericho
Double Or Nothing takes place this Saturday, May 25th, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
It’s not easy being a WWE Superstar. With so much travel, media, and actual wrestling, the job is understandably taxing on a Superstar’s physical and emotional well-being. Since the advent of the WWE Network and their original programming, WWE Superstar’s are expected to compete more frequently now than ever before.
Former WWE Superstar, Ryback, has spoken out on his podcast, Conversations With The Big Guy, about WWE’s rigorous touring schedule, commenting on the promotion never having an offseason whilst their talent deal with constantly hurting whilst on the road.
“You’ve got to adapt quickly to the schedule and [you’re] hurting all the time. That’s one of the best things about not being on the road. You wake up and it is just one thing after another. Because it is never-ending. There is no offseason or nothing,” he said. “[…] It is an adjustment for talent, booking your hotels, booking your rental cars, WWE takes care of your flights. But you must be good with your money. You are not just a professional wrestler. You’re a professional driver.”
The time taken driving from one location to another for WWE tends to be done in long stints—a fact that can be dangerous, especially if you have to drive through the night.
“I’m shocked that there have not been any deaths,” Ryback said. “Driving on one-way roads with semi-trucks. There have been nights I have been driving with my head bobbing, drinking my tenth coffee just to stay awake because I’m going on 45 minutes of sleep doing media in the morning. It’s a grueling schedule for the talent.”
Ryback has been wrestling on the independent circuit since parting ways with WWE in 2016.