Archive for September, 2019

WWE 2K20 Releases New Info On Gameplay Modes

WWE 2K20 will hit stores on October 22nd, 2019. 2K announced several changes and improvements to the game today, including the return of lobbies for online play. The game will also feature male and female characters in career mode.

For fans who enjoy creating their own character in MyCareer, you can now export that character to other game modes now.

“For the first time ever, any special creation parts you unlock through playing MyCAREER, Road to Glory, and MyPLAYER Towers are also available in the general Create-a-Superstar mode. On top of that, you can export the appearance of your MyPLAYER out to the general character creations as well!”

The Road to Glory mode will also feature female matches this year as well.

WWE 2K20 “Tonight’s Match”

WWE 2K20 will also feature a mode titled “Today’s Match” for online and multiplayer.

“The new Tonight’s Match feature in Multiplayer places you in a new match every day that rotates through match types, rules, genders, and arenas to make it simple to constantly try something new.”

2K’s full announcement can be read here.

Chyna In WWE 2K20

2K also recently released Chyna’s full entrance from the upcoming game.

AEW Raids Impact Wrestling’s Production Division (Exclusive)

All Elite Wrestling has raided the production team of Impact Wrestling, SEScoops has learned.

Impact has been outsourcing the majority of its production work to Kevin Sullivan’s KevinSully TV, a company based out of Nashville. Over the weekend, KSTV cut a deal with AEW and will be working directly with AEW lead producer Keith Mitchell.

The mass exodus of virtually its entire production division has left Impact scrambling. Impact was blindsided over the weekend when the Sullivan group notified them the working relationship was over effective immediately. The news of Kevin Sullivan giving notice to Impact was first reported by John Pollock of POST Wrestling.

KSTV tried to secure a contract with Anthem, which would have given them a sense of stability. That never came to fruition, which understandably led to some uncertainty and left the door open for AEW to swoop in.

Impact is trying to spin the situation as if AEW only took one person, but that is not the case. Kevin Sullivan TV is composed of editors, graphic artists, sound engineers, video producers, voiceovers studios and more. They assembled all of Impacts weekly programming for domestic and international.

Over the past couple days, Impact hired a local Tennessee producer to handle the work of several people while it regroups from this latest setback.

One source who we spoke with about this story called it a “huge strategic move” by AEW and “crippling” to Impact ahead of their move to AXS TV in late October.

The situation is not without some irony, as it relates to the business practices of Impact and (parent company) Anthem Sports & Entertainment. Following Anthem’s recent purchase of AXS TV, they immediately gutted the production staff of AXS TV’s offices in Dallas and Colorado. Many very talented production people were pushed out of their jobs. Now, Impact finds itself badly in need of very talented production people.

NWA Announces More Names For Studio TV Tapings

The NWA has announced more names for their upcoming studio TV tapings. Billy Corgan’s promotion will film inside Atlanta’s GPB studios on September 30th and October 1st.

Recently announced by the promotion for the tapings are Marti Belle, Thunder Rosa, and Ashley Vox. The 3 female wrestlers added to the tapings might be looking to position themselves for a shot at Allysin Kay’s NWA Women’s World Championship.

NWA Studio TV Tapings In Atlanta

Already announced for the tapings will be an NWA world heavyweight championship match between champion Nick Aldis and former champion Tim Storm. Aldis won his first-ever NWA world heavyweight championship by defeating Storm at a Combat Zone Wrestling event in 2017. He would later lose the title to Cody Rhodes at All In but regain it at the NWA 70th anniversary show.

A stipulation to the match has been added that if Storm loses, he will no longer be able to challenge for the NWA world heavyweight championship.

Eli Drake has also been announced for the tapings:

Nick Aldis recently spoke with SI.com about what fans can expect from the show.

“The intent is to put the onus solely on the talent to captivate the audience with their personality and I have total faith that we will,” Aldis continued in the article. “The audience will be a part of the show in a totally different way, with direct interaction that creates unique moments that, again, are hard to capture in an arena.”

Nick Jackson Comments on AEW Relationship With NJPW, Favorite Wrestlers & More

Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks opened up his Twitter for a short q&a session yesterday. During the conversation, Jackson commented on AEW’s relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling, his favorite wrestlers, dream matches and more.

Highlights from Jackson’s Twitter q&a are below.

Jackson responded with the following when asked about an AEW working relationship with NJPW:

Jackson also commented on the Buffalo based tag team The Butcher and the Blade:

He also said that wrestling the Hardy brothers at the Hardy compound is a dream of his:

Nick Jackson also commented on a potential Canadian TV deal for AEW. NXT will not air in Canada on Wednesday nights, rather a 1-hour condensed version of the show will air on Sportsnet Fridays at 7 p.m. before SmackDown.

Nick Jackson also spoke about a former member of the Elite who has since passed, or gone to NXT or something.

Despite Cody Rhodes teasing a possible AEW TV title, Nick Jackson says there are no plans for such a title in AEW or 6-man belts either:

Jackson also addressed the spiralling of Kenny Omega and the potential to possibly hold an intervention for him.

Jackson also listed off some of his favourite wrestlers of all time:

Kishin Liger’s History In NJPW Revisited

At New Japan Pro Wrestling’s recent Destruction in Kobe event, Jushin Liger would attack Minoru Suzuki and other members of Suzuki-Gun before the bell. The two veterans have been building a rivalry as of late and will face each other at King of Pro Wrestling on October 14th, 2019.

Liger unmasked to reveal his more monstrous side, Kishin Liger. This version of Liger is said to be the most dangerous, evident by his attempting to stab Suzuki with a large spike in Kobe.

NJPW1972.com posted an in-depth article today detailing Kishin Liger’s history in the promotion.

Kishin Liger in NJPW

The name Kishin carries a connection to the gods and also of personal transformation.

“The name Kishin carries with it connections to deities, but also personal transformation. Its kanji ?? can be easily translated as ‘fierce god’, and can also be read as onigami (the god of the oni demons) or kijin. The word carries with it an idea of totality, a universal spirit of all creation both living and dead. It can also suggest the idea of extremely powerful latent ability, traits that Kishin Liger has clearly demonstrated,” NJPW1972.com’s article reads.

Kishin Liger has only appeared in NJPW four times, the first coming in 1996 at the hands of the Great Muta. Liger was unmasked by Muta, leading to the first appearance of Kishin Liger.

“The Great Muta was a wild violent force that Liger kept standing up to, but it was only when Muta tried to remove his mask that the superhuman Kishin appeared.”

It was against Muta that Liger learned to counter the poison mist with a toxic spew. Liger used a poison mist like substance in his attack against Suzuki-Gun in Kobe as well.

NJPW1972.com’s article goes in-depth on all four appearances by Kishin Liger in NJPW and what his reappearance likely means for his match against Minoru Suzuki at King of Pro Wrestling. The full article can be read here.

WWE NXT Preview: #1 Contender’s Street Fight, Star Set For Return

The second episode of WWE NXT has arrived after a successful week 1 on the USA Network.

Thus, it’s time to look ahead starting with tonight’s episode of NXT on the USA Network. 

Matt Riddle and Killian Dain battling in a Street Fight is expected to headline this show. The winner will earn the right to challenge NXT Champion Adam Cole. 

WWE is hyping this contest by noting in their preview article on WWE.com,” Who will emerge from what is sure to be a brutal brawl with a golden opportunity?”

This show will be live from 8 PM – 9 PM Eastern on the USA Network while the second hour of those episodes will air live on the WWE Network. 

The October 2nd episode will air for the complete two-hour live broadcast on the USA Network, which will remain from that point on.

NXT on USA Week 2 Preview

WWE holds this show in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University. WWE is advertising the following items for tonight’s broadcast:

  • Street Fight rematch to determine NXT Champion Adam Cole’s next challenger
  • Dakota Kai returns to action
  • Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic to renew their thrilling rivalry
  • WALTER issues a Six-Man Tag Team Match challenge to Kushida

As usual, fans should expect more matches and segments to be revealed this afternoon for NXT

Join us here later tonight for WWE NXT Live Results and our post-show NXT Takeaways feature.

5 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (9/24)

The September 24th, 2019 episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Chase Center in San Francisco, CA. Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s show:

Bryan & Reigns Challenged Harper & Rowan

Erick Rowan came down to the ring and told the crowd to refer to him as a “creator” and what he has created demands respect. Rowan scolded the crowd for belittling him and seeing him as less than human.

He claimed that Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan knows that he is right and that is why they are afraid. Daniel Bryan interrupted and challenged Rowan to a fight. Bryan and Rowan locked up to start off the match. Erick launched Bryan across the ring and followed it up with a massive Clothesline.

Rowan connected with an Elbow Drop and then a Splash. Rowan hurled Bryan out of the ring and leveled him with a Crossbody. Back in the ring, Bryan tried to battle back but Rowan leveled him with a boot to the face as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Rowan was still in control and Powerbombed Bryan into the ring post. Bryan got back into the ring at the last second and Rowan stomped him down in the corner.

Rowan connected with a Splash and went for another one but Bryan countered with a Dropkick to the knee. Daniel continued to focus on the knee and slammed it into the ring post a couple of times.

Erick planted Bryan with a Jackhammer for a near fall and then trapped Daniel in a Bear Hug in the middle of the ring. Bryan broke free but Rowan connected with a Powerbomb for another near fall.

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Bryan knocked Rowan to the outside and went for a Suicide Dive but Erick caught him. Daniel escaped and shoved Rowan into the steel ring post. Back in the ring, Bryan connected with a Dropkick off the top rope that sent Rowan to the canvas.

The crowd chanted “yes!” as Bryan hit a series of Yes Kicks. Daniel went for the cover but Rowan kicked out at one. Bryan made his way back to the top rope and leaped but Rowan caught him.

Bryan countered into a Guillotine and transitioned into the LeBell Lock in the middle of the ring. Rowan was able to reach the ropes to break the hold as Harper came down to the ringside area.

Daniel hit Harper with a Suicide Dive but Rowan capitalized on the distraction and hit the Iron Claw. Bryan’s foot got caught in the ropes and Rowan continued to beat Bryan down. Rowan then hit another Iron Claw for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Harper and Rowan started clearing off the announce table but Reigns interrupted. Roman hit Harper with a Superman Punch and then the Drive-By. Rowan struck Roman from behind and brought him to the announce table.

Harper went for a Clothesline but Bryan dodged it and hit Luke with the Running Knee. Rowan went for another Iron Claw but Roman broke it up and leveled Erick with a Spear.

Bryan demanded a microphone and asked the crowd if they wanted to see him and Roman kick Harper and Rowan’s asses. The crowd chanted “yes!” to end the segment. It was later made official that Rowan & Harper will battle Reigns & Bryan at WWE Hell in a Cell 2019.

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This was a great opening to tonight’s SmackDown. Rowan had a decent promo and followed it up with a very solid match with Bryan that was given plenty of time. I’m definitely looking forward to their tag match at WWE Hell in a Cell.

Elias Insulted Chad Gable

Photo Credit: WWE.com

Chad Gable stated that his run in the King of the Ring Tournament was no joke and that he had Corbin beat last night and Baron took the low road.

Mike Kanellis interrupted and made a short joke before making his way to the ring. Kanellis added that he is out here to prove to his pregnant wife that size does matter.

Gable planted Kanellis with an Overhead Belly to Belly Suplex and applied the Ankle Lock for the quick submission victory.

Elias appeared on the jumbotron and referred to Gable as “shorty”. Elias performed a song that insulted Gable and claimed that women laugh at him because he has nothing to give.

Sasha Banks Sent A Message To Becky Lynch

Charlotte Flair & 24/7 Champion Carmella faced Bayley and Sasha Banks tonight on SmackDown. R-Truth accompanied Carmella and was ringside for the match.

Sasha and Carmella started the match off. Carmella dodged Banks and moonwalked across the ring before connecting with a kick to the face. Carmella followed it up with a Clothesline and went for the cover but Sasha kicked out at two.

Banks dropped Carmella with a right hand to the face and then threw her to the outside of the ring. Bayley tagged in and slammed Carmella’s face into the announce table.

Back in the ring, Bayley unloaded a few punches and bounced Carmella’s face off the top turnbuckle. Sasha tagged in and bounced off the ropes a couple of times before simply locking in a Sleeper Hold in an effort to taunt the crowd.

Carmella broke free but Bayley quickly tagged in and isolated Carmella in the corner. Charlotte finally tagged in and hit Bayley with a Clothesline before booting Banks off the apron. Charlotte unloaded a series of chops to Bayley and followed it up with a Belly to Back Suplex.

Flair connected with a Backbreaker and then dropped Bayley with a big boot. Charlotte applied the Figure Four but Banks broke it up with the Meteora. Banks tagged in and went for the Backstabber but Flair blocked it.

Carmella tagged in and hit a Crossbody off the top rope and then a Superkick to Sasha’s face. Carmella hit another Superkick and went for the cover but Bayley broke it up at two.

Carmella booted Bayley to the outside and then rolled up Sasha for a two count. Sasha quickly locked in the Bank Statement in the middle of the ring and Carmella had no choice but to tap out. After the match, the women’s locker room chased 24/7 Champion through the crowd as Bayley and Banks attacked Charlotte.

RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch made the save and slammed Bayley to the canvas. Becky connected with an Exploder Suplex on both Bayley and Banks. Lynch applied the Dis-Arm-Her on Banks before Bayley dragged her out of the ring.

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At the very end of the show, Becky Lynch was interviewed backstage by Kayla Braxton. Sasha Banks snuck up behind Lynch and attacked her from behind. Banks slammed Becky into a steel cage several times as SmackDown went off the air.

The Kabuki Warriors Picked Up A Win

Kabuki Warriors
Kabuki Warriors

Asuka and Kairi Sane actually made an appearance on this week’s episode of SmackDown and faced Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose in a tag team match. Before the match, Mandy Rose was handing out copies of her Maxim Magazine to random people backstage. Otis took a selfie with Rose and celebrated with Tucker as they looked at Mandy’s photos in the magazine.

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Asuka and Deville started off the match as Mandy Rose gave Corey Graves a signed magazine. Asuka leveled Deville with a shoulder tackle and tagged in Kairi Sane. Kairi connected with a kick to the face for a near fall. Sonya battled back and launched Sane out of the ring.

Mandy Rose tagged in and paraded around with her magazine while shouting at Kairi that she will never look like her. Sane kicked the magazine out of Mandy’s hand and brought her back into the ring.

Kairi stomped across the ring and hit a sliding elbow on Rose in the corner. Mandy battled back with a right hand to the face for a two count. Asuka tagged in and leveled Mandy with a Dropkick. Asuka followed it up with a knee to the face and then the Hip Attack in the corner of the ring.

Asuka connected with a Bulldog and a kick to the face. Kairi knocked Deville out of the ring and then tagged in. Asuka hit a Jawbreaker as Sane climbed to the top rope. Kairi hit the Insane Elbow on Rose for the pinfall victory.

Kevin Owens & Shane McMahon Will Have A Ladder Match To Determine Who Gets Fired

Shane McMahon and his team of lawyers came down to the ring at the end of this week’s SmackDown. McMahon asked Owens to come down to the ring and demanded that his theme music be played.

Owens’ music hit but Kevin made his way to the ring through the crowd. Kevin grabbed a microphone as Shane introduced Owens to his legal team. Shane warned Owens that if he went through with the wrongful termination lawsuit he will keep in court for years.

Shane suggested that Kevin Owens drop the lawsuit and he will reinstate him immediately. McMahon added that he will waive his $100,000 fine and said that he wanted to start with a clean slate.

McMahon extended his hand but Owens declined and called Shane an idiot. Owens stated that lawyers make him sick, but the only thing that makes him sicker is Shane being in the locker room because he doesn’t belong there.

Owens stated that all he really wants that is to see is Shane fired. Kevin suggested that they have a Ladder Match to determine the fate of their careers. Shane accepted but for some reason, his microphone was cut off as Owens’ music blared through the speakers.

The storyline between Owens and Shane has dragged out for far too long. They are capable of having an awesome Ladder Match but I’ve been bored with this feud for some time now. It wasn’t announced when this match will take place. I’m assuming at Hell in a Cell but the SmackDown premiere on Fox next week is also possible. The promo was cut short because WWE had to air Sasha attacking Becky from behind to close the show. Overall, this week’s episode of SmackDown was an entertaining show. There are several matches on Hell in a Cell’s card that I am really looking forward to.

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Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon Set For SmackDown FOX Premiere

A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE SmackDown FOX premiere episode.

It appears that the blowoff to the Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens feud is upon us. During Tuesday’s episode of SmackDown Live, it was revealed that Owens and McMahon will battle in a Ladder Match at this show with the stipulation of “loser leaves WWE.”

This feud has been going on for several weeks now. The original belief was that this match would take place at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view event. With WWE already having two gimmick matches (Hell in a Cell), the stipulation makes sense in storyline.

However, WWE has switched it to this show. Owens had been fired and threatened a lawsuit against McMahon. 

Next Friday’s SmackDown FOX premiere episode takes place from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Here is the updated line-up for the episode, which will also be the SmackDown 20th Anniversary special:

Brock Lesnar vs. WWE Champion Kofi Kingston

RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley and Sasha Banks

Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon in a Ladder Match

What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? Sound off in the comment section.

Big Tag Team Match Announced For WWE Hell In A Cell

As expected, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan will be taking on Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan at the WWE Hell in a Cell PPV.

WWE made the match announcement official on Tuesday’s episode of SmackDown Live San Francisco, California at the Chase Center.

It happened when Reigns and Bryan aligned before they had a clear the air meeting in the ring where they agreed to put their differences aside to team up in order to get their revenge on the former WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions. 

This storyline was set up when Rowan beat Reigns at the Clash of Champions pay-per-view event that saw Harper make his return in order to help Rowan win the No DQ Match. 

The post-Clash of Champions episode of SmackDown Live saw Rowan and Harper beat down Reigns that eventually led to Bryan to attempt to make the save only to be attacked. 

WWE presents the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view event on Sunday, October 6, 2019 in Sacramento, California at the Golden 1 Center that will air on the WWE Network. 

Updated WWE Hell in a Cell Card

  • WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt – Hell in a Cell Match
  • WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks – Hell in a Cell Match
  • Luke Harper and Erick Rowan vs. Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan

What are your thoughts on this match being added to the card? Sound off in the comment section.

Road Dogg Talks Leaving SmackDown Creative Team, His NXT Role

Former WWE Tag Team Champion Road Dogg did an interview with Bill Apter at the Legends Of The Ring Pro Wrestling Fanfest over the weekend. 

In the interview, he talked about his transition from being the co-lead writer on SmackDown to NXT where he works in a similar role. 

This is where Dogg stated that a personal thing led to him taking a step back from SmackDown as he had to deal with a thing on a daily basis as it was a stressful situation.

He made it clear that he did not lose his sobriety in the stress of the situation. 

Road Dogg On The Difference Between Current Era And Attitude Era

He brought up how producing live television every week is a stressful situation, which made him move down to NXT to work with younger talent but is thrown back into the frying pan now that NXT is live every Wednesday on USA Network. 

Dogg confirmed that he’s involved with NXT television as he works as the Performance Center throughout the week and helps writes NXT television. 

News of him moving down as co-lead writer on SmackDown first surfaced around WrestleMania 35 weekend where it was reported that it was a mutual decision.

WWE SmackDown Live Results (9/24)

The September 24th, 2019 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the Chase Center in San Francisco, CA.

– Tonight marks the final episode of WWE SmackDown Live on the USA Network before moving to FOX. We start off with a video package looking at last week’s show with Harper, Rowan, Daniel Bryan, and Roman Reigns.

– Tom Phillips, Corey Graves and Byron Saxton welcome us to the Chase Center. Eric Rowan comes out to the ring with a mic to kick off tonight’s show. Rowan says what he and Harper did last week was a wok of art. Rowan says the SmackDown locker room is scared, but then Daniel Bryan comes out to interrupt. Bryan walks down the ramp with mic, and tells Rowan if he wants respect, then fight him right now for it. It looks like we’ve got a match.

Daniel Bryan vs. Erick Rowan: Bryan charges right off the opening bell and locks up with Rowan. Rowan overpowers him and launches Bryan across the ring. Rowan continues the offense with a clothesline and an elbow drop. They fight out to ringside and Rowan hits a running crossbody on the floor. Back in the ring, Rowan keeps control and drops Bryan with a spinning heel kick for a two count.

They fight out to ringside again, and this time Rowan powerbombs Bryan into the ring post. Rowan wastes some time as the ref checks on Bryan. Bryan makes it back in the ring by the 10 count. Rowan stomps a mud hole in Bryan in the corner now. Rowan hits a running splash, then he looks for another, but this time Bryan kicks out his knee to avoid it. Bryan follows up with more kicks, then he wraps Rowan’s knee around the ring post and slams it a few times. Back in the ring, Bryan follows up with strikes, but Rowan is able to fight back and shut him down with a side slam for a two count.

Rowan applies a bear hug and clubs Bryan across the back until Bryan finally breaks free. Rowan grabs him again and hits a powerbomb for a two count. Bryan fights back and stuns Rowan, then goes up to the top rope. Bryan looks for a shot off the top, but Rowan catches him in the chokeslam positon. Bryan fights out and latches on to Rowan. It looks like Bryan is going for a DDT, but instead he applies the Yes Lock to Rowan. Harper comes up to the apron to cause a distraction, and Bryan releases the hold to dropkick Harper. The distraction leads to Rowan grabbing Bryan from the ring, and pulling him up on to the apron. Rowan gives Bryan the Iron Claw from the apron into the ring. Bryan’s foot gets tangled up in the ropes in the process. The referee breaks Bryan’s foot free while Rowan stomps on him. Rowan then hits him with another Iron Claw for the three count.

Winner: Rowan

– After the match, Rowan and Harper look to beat down Bryan, but Roman Reigns comes out for the save. Rowan and Harper are able to overpower Reigns and they bring him over to the announce table. Bryan gets back in the mix now and fights off Harper. Rowan comes over and grabs Bryan, but Reigns gets back up and spears Rowan before he can do anything. Reigns goes to help Bryan to his feet, but Bryan slaps his hand away. Bryan gets on the mic, and asks the fans if they want to see him and Roman kick Harper and Rowan’s asses. The crowd chants “Yes!”

– Back from the break, we see a video package looking at Brock Lesnar and his WWE Title match on October 4th.

– Kofi Kingston is backstage for a sit-down interview with Michael Cole. Cole asks why he accepted Brock Lesnar’s challenge last week. Kofi says he promised he would be a fighting champion, and he will take on all comers. Kofi says he’s beaten all the top stars he’s faced, and he feels like he’s in the prime of his career.

– Chad Gable comes out to the ring and gets on the mic. Gable says Corbin can make all the short jokes he wants, but last night he had Corbin beat, and he knew it, so Corbin intentionally got himself disqualified. Mike Kanellis comes out to interrupt. Kanellis says he’s sorry to cut Gable short, but he’s here to prove a point to his pregnant wife. A ref hits the ring, and it looks like we have a match.

Chad Gable vs. Mike Kanellis: The opening bell sounds and Gable immediately hits a belly to belly suplex on Mike. Chad hits another suplex, followed by the ankle lock. Mike taps out for the finish after a very short match.

Winner: Chad Gable

– Elias appears on the big screen after the match, and he sings a song talking trash to Chad Gable.

– Charlotte approaches R-Truth and asks where Carmella is. Truth says he doesn’t know, but Carmella comes out of hiding to talk to Charlotte. Charlotte and Carmella discuss what happened last week, and Carmella says Bayley isn’t acting like herself lately. Charlotte and Carmella go to get ready for their tag match against Bayley and Sasha Banks tonight.

– Back from the break, Tom Phillips thanks the USA Network for being home to SmackDown for so long, and they talk about SmackDown moving to FOX next week.

Charlotte & Carmella vs. Bayley & Sasha Banks: R-Truth is at ringside for this one. Carmella starts off strong in this one, but the fight spills out to ringside and Bayley slams Carmella into the announce table. Back in the ring, Bayley pummels on Carmella and then slams her into the turnbuckle. Sasha tags in to continue the attack on Carmella. Bayley tags back in for the double team. Carmella finally fights back and gives the hot tag to Charlotte. Charlotte cleans house and drops Bayley with a big boot. Bayley fights back, but Carmella tags in and drops her with a superkick. Sasha tags in as Carmella kicks Bayley out of the ring. Sasha grabs Carmella and puts her in the Banks Statement for the win via submission.

Winners: Bayley & Sasha Banks

– After the match, a bunch of female wrestlers come out to chase Carmella for the 24/7 Title. R-Truth picks Carmella up and runs through the crowd with her. Charlotte is alone in the ring now and Bayley and Sasha beat her down. Becky Lynch comes out for the save, and Bayley and Banks retreat up the ramp.

– We see Shane McMahon backstage talking to his attorneys about Kevin Owens’ lawsuit against him.

Ali vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: This one is a non-Title match. Sami Zayn introduces Nakamura and comes down to ringside for a closer look at this match. Nakamura starts off strong, but Ali is able to dropkicks him away, and Nakamura rolls outside for a breather. Ali follows up with a big suicide dive on Nakamura, and Ali’s head bounces off the announce table in the process. Back in the ring, Ali hits a cross body off the top for a two count. Sami causes a distraction, which leads to Nakamura throwing Ali face-first into the ring post. Nakamura takes control until Ali fires back with kicks and a facebuster. Ali hits a running knee strike in the corner, then takes Nakamura to the top turnbuckle. Nakamura shoves Ali down and then leaps towards him, but Ali knocks him out of mid-air with a kick. Ali pins for a two count. Nakamura fires back with a kick of his own, and then he hangs Ali up in the ropes and suplexes him off. Nakamura looks for the Kinshasa, but Ali intercepts it with a superkick for a two count. Nakamura fires back with more strikes, but Ali grabs him and rolls him up for a two count. Ali follows up with a tornado DDT, then he goes up top. Sami helps Nakamura roll out to ringside before Ali can leap. Ali runs the ropes and leaps over the referee for a big suicide dive on Nakamura. Ali gets distracted by Sami again, which leads to Nakamura hitting the Kinshasa for the three count.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura

– We go to a video package recapping the feud between Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens.

– Backstage, Shane is shown still talking to his lawyers.

Big E & Xavier Woods vs. The B Team: Woods and Axel start off trading strikes. Axel flattens him with a forearm shot, then Dallas tags in and puts the boots to Woods. The B Team trades frequent tags now to take turns beating on Woods. The B Team takes it out to ringside, where Big E drops them both. Back in the ring, The New Day hits the Midnight Hour for the three count.

Winners: Big E & Xavier Woods

– We see Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville handing out copies of Mandy’s new Maxim Australia magazine. Otis from Heavy Machinery interrupts and takes a selfie with Mandy, and takes one of the magazines. Tucker walks over and gives Otis the thumbs up.

Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane: Asuka and Sonya start off trading kicks. Mandy and Kairi tag in now and start going at it. They fight out to ringside, and Mandy shoves her Maxim Australia magazine in Kairi’s face. Kairi tries to kick the magazine out of her hands but misses. Kairi goes for it again and successfully kicks the magazine out of Mandy’s hands this time. Back in the ring, Kairi and Mandy trade strikes, and Mandy gets the upper hand after Sonya causes a distraction. Kairi fights back and kicks away Mandy, then tags in Asuka. Asuka drops Mandy with a series of strikes, and then she hits the hip attack in the corner. Asuka hits a running bulldog and then a knee to the face of Mandy. Sonya breaks up the pin attempt. Kairi dropkicks Sonya out to ringside. Mandy rolls Asuka up from behind for two. Asuka kicks Mandy, then tags in Kairi. Kairi goes up top and hits the flying elbow drop for the three count.

Winners: The Kabuki Warriors

– We see Shane backstage with his lawyers again, and it looks like they’re getting ready to come out to the ring.

– Back from the commercial break, Shane and his lawyers come out to the ring, and Shane gets on the mic. Shane invites Kevin Owens out to the ring, and instructs for his entrance music to be played. Owens emerges from the crowd and enters the ring. Shane says they’ve been reviewing his frivolous lawsuit, and they’ve come up with some options for Kevin. Shane says he could use his resources to keep Kevin in court for years and drain his funds with appeals. Shane says the other option is for Kevin to drop the lawsuit, and Shane will drop the $100,000 fine he gave to Owens. Shane extends his hand to Owens, and says they can start with a clean slate. Owens tells Shane he’s an idiot and he doesn’t get it. Owens says the thought of going to court makes him sick, just like seeing Shane in the locker room, where he doesn’t belong. Owens says what he really wants is to see Shane get fired. Owens says they should settle it the best way he knows how – in a match. Owens proposes that if Shane wins, Owens drops the lawsuit, and if Owens wins, then Shane must be gone from WWE. Owens says it won’t be a regular match, it’ll be a ladder match. Shane seems to say “you’re on,” but his microphone didn’t pick it up.

– Becky Lynch is backstage for an interview. She says Sasha will need Bayley helping her in order to beat Becky. Sasha then runs up from behind and attacks Becky. Becky fights back and they brawl in the loading bay area. Sasha throws Becky into a chain link fence, and then referees and agents break it up. Sasha slams the chain fence into Becky while she’s down, then walks off. SmackDown goes off the air with Becky laying on the arena floor.

Cody Rhodes Confirms TV Rating For AEW Dynamite, Statement Ahead Of Debut

Cody Rhodes was active on social media on Tuesday where he confirmed the television rating for the AEW weekly series on TNT.

The All Elite Wrestling Executive Vice President confirmed on his official Twitter account that AEW Dynamite will be rated TV-14.

The news was made when Rhodes was responding to a fan who asked if the weekly AEW TV show on TNT will be rated TV-PG. 

AEW’s competition, WWE, made the move to PG programming several years ago, which has led to many fans wanting them to make the product edgier like they had back in the Attitude Era. 

Rhodes also issued the following statement ahead of the premiere episode of the weekly television show: 

Cody Rhodes Discusses Potential Third Hour Of Content On Wednesday Nights

Starting Wednesday, October 2 in Washington, D.C., at the famed Capital One Arena, AEW will begin airing live two-hour weekly matches on TNT at 8 p.m. ET. 

Rhodes is expected to open the show as he’ll be in action when he takes on Sammy Guevara in a singles match.

He was last seen in action under the AEW banner when he got his revenge on Sean Spears by beating him at the All Out event in at the Sears Centre in Chicago, IL that aired on pay-per-view.

New WWE SmackDown On FOX Commercial Features Big Names

WWE is getting close to the premiere episode of SmackDown on FOX. 

With promotion for the first show, which is now being titled “Friday Night SmackDown,” only ramping up, even more, a new commercial was released. 

In it, the promo features several big names including Hulk Hogan, Roman Reigns, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Becky Lynch. 

It also hypes the main event, which is Brock Lesnar challenging Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship. You can watch it here: 

https://twitter.com/WWEonFOX/status/1176572256543096832

Brock Lesnar vs. Kofi Kingston Set For WWE SmackDown On FOX Premiere

FOX is helping promote the brand during its various sports broadcasts in hopes of increasing ratings when the show gets to the network. There is a one-hour “blue carpet” special scheduled before the big debut.

The belief is that it will be a new era for the company as it will be the start of SmackDown being viewed as the “A” show ahead of Monday Night RAW. 

WWE Hall of Famers Kurt Angle, Lita, Mick Foley, Booker T, Trish Stratus, Goldberg, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Mark Henry, Ric Flair, and Sting are advertised to appear. 

The October 4th show takes place from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Taz Discusses Possible Commentary Return, What He’s Looking For

ECW Original Taz recently spoke to Wrestling INC’s WINCLY podcast to discuss his potential return to the commentary booth.

This comes after noted on his official Twitter account that he has had recent talks with a few pro wrestling promotions. 

In this interview, he noted that it was just a quick interaction on Twitter as he tries his best to talk with his followers and was just answering a question. 

“It’s been several years since I’ve done commentary in pro wrestling and over time it’s something I’ve missed. Anybody who listens to my podcast, they’re not super-shocked as I talked about this in one of my shows about a month ago that I missed commentary.”

Taz Shares Having Recent Talks With Wrestling Promotions

Taz noted that it blew up but noted that his time as a commentator is something that he loved both in WWE and TNA. He noted that he had a lot of fun doing it. 

He recalled making the transition from the ring to the commentary desk and how it was a hard thing for him to do as he didn’t want it but Vince McMahon felt it was the next chapter for him.

Taz stated that the No. 1 thing he’s looking for in a promotion that he could potentially work for is credibility in the ring with stars who can work and not look green. 

The reason for this is due to him wanting to be honest with the audience as he doesn’t want to call out talent for lack of experience or lie to the audience about a mistake that happened. 

WWE 205 Live Moving To Different Night

A change to WWE 205 Live, the home of cruiserweight stars under the banner of the company, is moving nights. 

The show is reportedly moving to Friday nights, according to PWInsider. WWE should be making an official announcement on the future of the cruiserweight show soon.

According to the report, the word going around backstage at the SmackDown/205 Live TV event from the Chase Center in San Francisco is that 205 Live will be moving to Friday nights at 10pm ET. The show will remain to air on WWE’s streaming service, WWE Network. 

Triple H Reveals Plans For 205 Live, Cruiserweights To NXT

The change is expected to start next week, October 4. This will be a busy date for the company as it marks the same night that SmackDown premieres on FOX, live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

As of this writing, the current plan is to tape 205 Live after SmackDown goes off the air on Friday nights.

The series is now the responsibility of the NXT Creative Team as Triple H will continue to oversee the series. 

Since Triple H took over the creative 205 Live last year, fans have been more prone to praise the show and tune in. 

WWE continues to make changes in order to improve and draw more viewers for the 205 Live brand.

WWE RAW Viewership Down From Last Week

Monday’s edition of WWE RAW from San Francisco, California at the Chase Center averaged 2.210 million viewers, which is down from 2.272 million the previous week.

Here is the hourly viewership breakdown, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

  • Hour 1: 2.372 million – Last Week: 2.417
  • Hour 2: 2.213 million – Last Week: 2.319 
  • Hour 3: 2.044 million – Last Week: 2.079

The episode was expected to drop slightly in viewership due to the competition that it faced. 

The biggest competition that WWE RAW faced came in the way of an NFL regular-season game between the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins that aired on ESPN did 10.327 million viewers.

For comparison, the same episode last year drew 2.493 million viewers for hour one, 2.275 in the second hour, and 2.281 in the third hour.

Some of the matches that took place include The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) defeat The OC (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows), Sasha Banks (w/Bayley) defeats Nikki Cross (w/Alexa Bliss), Lacey Evans defeats Ember Moon, Chad Gable defeats King Corbin, WWE Universal Title #1 Contendership Fatal Five-Way Elimination Match that was won by Rey Mysterio, and Braun Strowman vs. Seth Rollins in the headliner. 

The show also featured an appearance by Bray Wyatt, who attacked Strowman to close the show. 

WWE will attempt to maintain its viewership for RAW next week. In case you missed the show, you can check out the five takeaways here.

Watch: Top 10 Moments from Monday’s RAW (9.23.19)

Samoa Joe Says Vince McMahon Didn’t Want Him In WWE

Samoa Joe has now been with WWE for over 4 years now, having debuted in NXT on May 20th, 2015. Joe made his debut on the main roster on January 30th, 2017. According to Joe, Vince McMahon was initially not on board with him being brought in. He spoke to Fightful recently about his relationship with Vince and not being appreciated at first by promotions he’s worked for.

“Everywhere that I’ve gone—ROH I remember walking into and Gabe Sapolsky telling me, ‘listen, we can’t afford to fly you in from California, you’ll never work here again, but thanks for coming tonight,’ and shortly afterwards ‘hey, you’re working every show from here until forever,'” Joe said.

“TNA was very much the same thing, ‘Hey you’re an internet guy. We don’t have television. We’re gonna bring you in and I don’t know what we’ll use for you afterwards.’ Then obviously that went well. And it was the same thing here. I’ve never had a nice entry into a company, nobody’s ever said “oh, man, we can’t wait to have you here.” It’s like I show up and they’re like “Oh, why didn’t we hire you sooner?” And, I mean, there’s some satisfaction in that. But that’s been par for the course my entire career.”

You can watch the full interview in the player below:

Samoa Joe on Relationship With Vince McMahon

Joe also commented that many people have gone to bat for him over the years to Vince.

“Oh, there were tons here for years. Years. Vince vehemently opposed me being in WWE. He didn’t know me, wasn’t familiar with me. And now we have a great relationship, everything’s working fine. I think he just realize he already bought it, so he might as well use it. No, like I said, with every partner I’ve ever worked with it’s about time and understanding. And we’ve had some time and we’ve had some understanding. It’s working out pretty well,” Joe continued.

Watch Chyna’s Entrance From WWE 2K20 (Video)

WWE Hall of Fame legend Chyna will be a playable character in WWE 2K20. Fans who purchase the deluxe or collector’s edition of the game will be able to play as the 9th Wonder of the World and a sneak preview of her entrance was posted to WWE’s social media accounts earlier today.

The game is scheduled to be released on October 22nd, 2019.

WWE Hall of Famer Chyna

While many fans are pleased Chyna was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year, some felt let down she wasn’t given a solo induction. Chyna was inducted as a member of D-X before WrestleMania this year. Triple H spoke to CBS in April and noted that he believes Chyna will receive a solo induction some day.

“I’m sure she will be in the Hall of Fame sometime on her own. I think it’s fitting she is in there with DX in the beginning because it’s how she started, and I think it’s what it should be,” Triple H said.

WWE 2K20

Bray Wyatt’s Fiend character was also announced as downloadable content for the game. The Fiend will be featured in the “Bump in the Night” originals series.

WWE 2K20 also announced a partnership with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on a global marketing strategy.

Bray Wyatt Asks For Forgiveness From Braun Strowman After RAW

Braun Strowman was attacked by Bray Wyatt’s Fiend in the closing segment of WWE Raw last night. Strowman had formerly been a member of the Wyatt family stable.

Wyatt posted the following message to Twitter earlier this morning:

Not long after, Strowman posted the following:

Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt

Wyatt was the person who introduced the WWE Universe to Braun Strowman. He did so in the summer of 2015. Below is Wyatt’s promo to Roman Reigns where Strowman was first introduced:

While Bray Wyatt has a Universal Championship match with Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell coming up on October 6th, Braun Strowman does not yet have a match for the pay-per-view. Strowman dropped a Universal Championship match at Clash of Champions to Rollins.

It was announced before Clash of Champions that the Fiend would face the winner between Strowman and Rollins. Strowman posted the following when news of the Fiend’s title match at Hell in a Cell first broke:

Strowman and Wyatt have never faced each other in single’s competition. In fact, the only times they’ve been on opposing sides in a match was at the 2016 Survivor Series in the RAW vs Smackdown men’s elimination match. They’ve also been in 2 Royal Rumble matches together as well.

Impact Wrestling Moving To Tuesday Nights on AXS TV Starting October 29th

Impact Wrestling has announced Tuesday night will be the new home of their weekly television series.  The promotion’s flagship weekly 2-hour show will premiere on AXS TV at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29th.

Leading up to the premier on the network, AXS TV will air specials featuring pay-per-view matches from the promotion beginning October 1st at 8 p.m est.

Impact Wrestling Announces Move To Tuesday Nights On AXS

“Leading up to the debut of its flagship weekly show IMPACT! on October 29, AXS TV will showcase IMPACT Wrestling’s critically acclaimed pay-per-view events of 2019, broadcasting each of Homecoming (October 1), Rebellion (October 8) and Slammiversary XVII (October 15) in their entirety and hosted by Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore and the voice of IMPACT Wrestling Josh Mathews. Finally, on October 22, THIS IS IMPACT! will serve as a launchpad for the promotion’s AXS TV debut, featuring a preview of the weekly series, profiles on IMPACT Wrestling’s biggest stars and exclusive non-televised matches from BOUND FOR GLORY, IMPACT Wrestling’s biggest pay-per-view event of the year to be held on Sunday, October 20 in Chicago,” Impact’s press release reads.

Impact President Ed Nordholm was also quoted in today’s press release.

“The incredible athleticism of our roster, dynamic characters and accomplished story-telling deliver must-see weekly programming that has captured the attention of professional wrestling fans around the world,” said Ed Nordholm, Chief Corporate Officer of Anthem Sports & Entertainment and president of IMPACT Wrestling. “We are excited to bring the best professional wrestling on television to AXS TV, long recognized as a premier destination for world class sports entertainment programming”

Latest Update On The Future Of WWE 205 Live

With SmackDown Live moving to FOX and NXT having recently premiered on USA Network, there is still no definitive announcement regarding the future of WWE’s purple brand, 205 Live.

It has been speculated by Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez, however, that this might change in the next few days. In a recent tweet, Alvarez claimed there could be an announcement made within the next 24-48 hours.

205 Live/NXT

During a recent media call following NXT’s first episode on USA Network, Triple H stated there were no plans of removing the brand. Instead, it was suggested that 205 Live may be consolidated into NXT.

With the show now moving to a two-hour time slot, there could be greater opportunity for WWE to utilize their Cruiserweight talent on USA, granting these Superstars a broader platform to showcase their skills.

Lio Rush recently defeated Oney Lorcan to become the number 1 contender for the Cruiserweight Championship. This match took place on the black-and-gold brand’s premiere on September 18th. This matchup for the 205 Live contendership could be an indication that the brand will eventually become a part of NXT as Triple H suggested.

If 205 Live continues as a separate brand, the show may be taped ahead of NXT every week. This would at least give the 205 Live Superstars a more engaged and active crowd to perform in front of.

NJPW Reveals Full King Of Pro Wrestling Card

New Japan Pro-Wrestling has revealed the entire card for their upcoming King of Pro Wrestling event. The show takes place in Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo on October 14th.

The show is stacked with championship matches including IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada defending against Los Ingobernables de Japon member SANADA. The IWGP United States Championship is also on the line as Jon Moxley faces against former champion Juice Robinson. Lastly, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship matchup sees Will Ospreay attempt to keep his belt against Bullet Club’s El Phantasmo.

Joining these huge matches are Kota Ibushi vs EVIL for Ibushi’s hard-won G1 Contract. A personal grudge match will also be resolved as Jyushin Thunder Liger faces off against Suzuki-gun leader, Minoru Suzuki. Suzuki recently pushed Liger too far, with Liger unveiling Kishin Liger for the first time since 2012.

King of Pro Wrestling 2019

  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship
    Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. SANADA
  • G1 Contract
    Kota Ibushi (G1 Contract Winner) vs EVIL
  • IWGP United States Championship – No Disqualification
    Jon Moxley (c) vs Juice Robinson
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
    Will Ospreay (c) vs. El Phantasmo
  • Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Minoru Suzuki
  • Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jay White, KENTA & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs Zack Sabre Jr, Lance Archer & Taichi
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomoaki Honma vs. Togi Makabe & Toru Yano
  • Ryusuke Taguchi, SHO & YOH vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru, DOUKI, & El Desperado

Shawn Michaels On If He Was Considered To Face Dolph Ziggler At SummerSlam

During a recent episode of the State of Combat Podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels addressed his involvement with Dolph Ziggler’s recent feud with Goldberg. Ziggler and Goldberg would face each other one-on-one last month at WWE’s SummerSlam pay-per-view.

The build-up to this match involved a tease that Michaels might feud with Ziggler. This led the WWE Universe to speculate that HBK could be coming back for one more match. When discussing whether there was ever a possibility he would be getting back in the ring, Michaels confessed there was “absolutely no thought of me and Dolph.”

“I never know when the phone call is going to come and I’m going to jump on a plane,” Shawn explained. “I was just sort of doing what I was asked to do. If nothing else, with all these years later, after 30 years, I’m a pretty good employee. I just do what I am told, so to speak. It was fun to do but there was absolutely no thought of me and Dolph or anything like that. It was always going to be Bill Goldberg, but perhaps they needed somebody to light the fuse for Dolph Ziggler in that respect and I was the guy to do it as best as I could.”

Ziggler went on to face off, and be decimated by, Goldberg in 1 minute and 50 seconds.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription. 

Victoria Officially Retires From Pro Wrestling

Former WWE Superstar Victoria has officially announced her retirement.

Victoria, whose real name is Lisa Marie Varon, made the announcement via her Instagram account. She wrestled her last match this past weekend in a bout against Melina for Masters of the Ring Entertainment.

She thanked the promotion for putting her in their main event for her final match, adding that it’s an honor to have left the ring that night as the Women’s Masters of the Ring Entertainment Champion. Varon also thanked Melina, Terri Runnels and Trish Stratus for sharing the moment with her. She asked that fans don’t feel sad for her, but instead for them to be happy as she has had an awesome 20 year run in the industry.

“As @therealkurtangle said, “Oh It’s True. It’s damn True” Thank you @mastersofringentertainment for main eventing my final match this past Saturday. It’s such an honor leaving the ring as the Women’s Masters of the Ring Entertainment Champion. Thank you @realmelina , @theterrirunnels and @trishstratuscom for sharing this moment with me. Don’t be sad for me… be happy for me. I had an awesome 20 year run. I love you all so very much. I’m appreciative of your support and loyalty.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2w6AIyg2wT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=dlfix

Varon also wrestled in Impact Wrestling under the ring name Tara. She retires as a two-time WWE Women’s Champion and five-time Knockouts Champion.

NJPW Releases Full Card Details For Fighting Spirit Unleashed Tour

New Japan Pro-Wrestling will soon be travelling back to the United States of America for their East Coast tour, Fighting Spirit Unleashed. Having previously announced which names from their roster will be making the trip, the promotion has now released full card details for each date of their three-city tour.

NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed in Lowell, MA, September 27

  • Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi vs SANADA, EVIL & Tetsuya Naito
  • IWGP Tag Team Championship Match: Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) (c) vs Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH)
  • Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Rocky Romero vs Jay White, Gedo & KENTA
  • Tomohiro Ishii & Amazing Red vs Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
  • The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) vs Chase Owens & Jado
  • Mikey Nicholls & Juice Robinson vs TJP & Clark Connors
  • Lance Archer vs Ren Narita
  • Karl Fredericks vs Alex Coughlin

NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed in New York City, NY, September 28

  • Kazuchika Okada & Kota Ibushi vs. SANADA & EVIL
  • NEVER Openweight Championship Match: KENTA (c) vs YOSHI-HASHI
  • Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & Amazing Red vs Jay White, Chase Owens & Gedo
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi & The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) vs Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
  • Rocky Romero, SHO & YOH vs Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
  • Juice Robinson & Mikey Nicholls vs Clark Connors & Alex Coughlin
  • Lance Archer vs Karl Fredericks
  • TJP vs Ren Narita

NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed in Philadelphia, PA, September 29

  • Elimination Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) vs Jay White, KENTA, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Chase Owens & Gedo
  • Kota Ibushi & TJP vs EVIL & BUSHI
  • Juice Robinson, SHO & YOH vs Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & Shingo Takagi
  • Amazing Red vs Ren Narita
  • Lance Archer vs Alex Coughlin
  • Mikey Nicholls vs Karl Fredericks
  • Rocky Romero vs Clark Connors

NJPW recently announced that they will be streaming their New York show live via their NJPW World streaming service.