Viewership data is in for this week’s battle in the WWE NXT vs. AEW Dynamite Wednesday Night War. AEW won the night in total viewers and the key 18-49 demo. NXT did crack the top 150 shows on cable after recently not making the list.
Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
WWE NXT Viewership
NXT on the USA Network averaged 665,000 viewers, down from last week’s 692,000 In the 18-49 demo, they drew a 0.18 rating, up from 0.17 last week.
The episode featured The Velveteen Dream & Keith Lee vs. Adam Cole & Roderick Strong, Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart vs. Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez, and three Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament matches – Kushida vs. Tony Nese, Drake Maverick vs. Jake Atlas, and El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Jack Gallagher.
AEW Dynamite on TNT was watched by 731,000 viewers, up from the 683,000 viewers last week. In the 18-49 demo, Dynamite pulled in a 0.25 rating, the same from the 0.25 rating that the show did last week.
AEW Dynamite featured such as Dustin Rhodes vs. Kip Sabian and Sammy Guevara vs. Darby Allin in AEW TNT Championship Title Tournament matches, Jimmy Havoc vs. Orange Cassidy, Kenny Omega, Brodie Lee, and Wardlow in action.
The state of Georgia will allow certain businesses to open back up for business this Friday. Gyms, bowling alleys, barbershops, and salons will be allowed to open in the state provided they adhere to social distancing guidelines. One gym which won’t be reopening in the state, however, is Diamond Dallas Page’s DDPY location in Smyrna, GA.
DDP was featured on CNN recently talking about his decision to stay closed.
“I’m very fortunate that my DDP Yoga program isn’t solely based on walk-up traffic,” DDP said on the show. “Of course the DDP Yoga Performance Center in Smyrna, that is and that will be closed. My DDP Yoga company which is app, DVDs, that if anything that’s booming right now. So, I’m in a much better position than a lot of people who are in a spot that got gyms.”
“For me, I’m going to err on the side of caution because first of all, I’m 64, so I definitely don’t want to be out there working with people, putting my hands on people or anything.”
DDP also spoke about the difference between rural Georgia and places like Atlanta in terms of COVID-19 cases. The discussion then led to how gyms will have to change the way they do things once they reopen.
“I believe the gym business is going to have to change the way they do business moving forward,” DDP continued. “I know for sure, when I open at some point, I will definitely be changing the way I do things.”
DDPs comments can be heard in the player below:
Ex-pro wrestler and yoga instructor Diamond Dallas Page says he will not be reopening his gym tomorrow despite the announcement from Georgia Gov. Kemp.
Last year, Chris Hemsworth was announced for the role of Hulk Hogan in a biopic on the famous wrestler’s life. The film will be directed by Todd Phillips, who is coming off of having directed 2019’s “Joker.”
Hemsworth was asked about the biopic recently in an interview with Screenrant. According to Hemsworth, he doesn’t know much about the film as of yet.
“Look, I haven’t read a script yet,” Hemsworth said. “I know it’s being written now and worked on. I know very little about that. It’s sort of in the process now.”
Hemsworth would continue to say that he’s excited about the role, however, and is interested in the world of wrestling.
“I’m just fascinated by that world, and I think they’re pretty keen to show a side of the world that people haven’t seen before. I’m as intrigued as you are.”
A script is currently in production. Scott Silver (Joker, 8 Mile) and John Pollono (This is Us) are writers on the project.
Hogan is a consultant for the film. It will be released on Netflix. Although not much is known at this point about the film, it is expected to focus on Hogan’s early years and rise to fame.
Britt Baker was shown on camera during NXT TakeOver: War Games last year. During the main event, Baker was shown looking on in concern with her hands covering her mouth. Mauro Ranallo noted that Baker was Adam Cole’s partner while she was shown on camera. According to WWE, the production crew wasn’t aware of who Baker is and believed they were just shooting a fan in the crowd.
Baker was recently a guest on Talk is Jericho and spoke about what Triple H and Stephanie McMahon said to her backstage about it.
“Triple H came up to me right away. He’s like, ‘Ah, I’m so sorry. We didn’t mean for that to happen.’ I’m kinda like, ‘Wait, what?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, we got you on camera with your reaction to the bump. I’m so sorry. The head [of] production didn’t know who you were,’” Baker said.
“Do I believe that? I don’t know, but he was very apologetic to me, super-nice, him and Stephanie both were so sorry about that. ‘I hope you don’t get in trouble,’ which Tony didn’t care at all because after that night, I was the top Google search of that entire show — of the entire NXT show was Britt Baker, just because of that one little blip they showed me on TV.”
The Britt Baker Challenge
Baker being shown on camera during an NXT event then led to a spoof on AEW Dynamite. This time, Baker was shown reacting to Nyla Rose going on a rampage in much the same way she was shown reacting to the NXT show.
Triple H is one of the most decorated stars in the history of WWE with 14 world title wins and half a dozen other championship victories over the course of his career.
However, all this wouldn’t have been possible if the Game had not left WCW in 1995 and joined WWE and during his recent appearance on the Bump, the former World Champion explained how it came to be.
Triple H recalled how he was trying to gain interest because his WCW contract was coming up. He spoke to J.J. Dillon who was the WWE talent head at the time and he arranged a meeting with Vince McMahon.
The DX member then detailed his first meeting with the Boss while he was still under a WCW contract. He revealed that they had a very friendly discussion and his biggest take away from it was the larger than life impression of Mr. McMahon:
“I spoke to J.J. He brought me into a meeting with Vince. I remember coming in and meeting Vince and thinking well for one, he’s Vince McMahon, he has a larger than life presence.” said Triple H” Also, it was the ultimate meeting you could take in the business, especially at that time – maybe even more so today, I guess.
We had a very cordial meeting. He asked me what my plans were, and why I wanted to go there [WWF], as opposed to where I was, all that kind of stuff. I guess the biggest takeaway for me was the larger than life impression Vince McMahon gave.”
Triple H then revealed that the company called him a month after this meeting, right after his Starrcade match with Alex Wright. They asked him if he was still interested in joining the promotion and this led to his WWE debut.
The King Of Kings made his in-ring debut for the company in April 1995 and since then, he has went on to become one of the top stars in the history of the business.
The EVP of Global Talent Strategy & Development for WWE Triple H recently appeared on Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast this week. ‘The Game’ discussed a number of subjects from his near 25 year career, including the filming and logistics of WrestleMania 36 that took place earlier this month.
This year’s WrestleMania is unlike any that fans have ever seen and hopefully the worldwide pandemic will have cleared by WrestleMania 37 next year. This year’s iteration of the biggest show in WWE’s calendar also took place over 2 nights, unprecedented in the event’s history.
Many fans and those in the industry would applaud the concept, with previous shows lasting nearly 8 hours including the pre-show. One of the bigger names that agrees with the two night concept? Triple H.
Triple H on a Two-Night Event
“Well, I mean my opinion is my opinion, but I think it was much more enjoyable than the eight hour extravaganza” Triple H began on the episode. “It’s just become so big that it’s almost when you think about it; it started out as a concert that ended up being a festival.”
Concert To Festival
The Cerebral Assassin would elaborate further, saying “it’s this week long thing you know? When you think about it in that manner. Now the Thursday would have been the Hall of Fame, Friday was Smackdown, Saturday was going to be NXT Takeover. Sunday would have been WrestleMania, Monday would have been RAW.”
With Chaos Comes The Genius
Triple H would then confirm that he much preferred the two-night concept for the actual WrestleMania event itself. “Like, it’s a week long festival and I think that the big main-stage attraction needs to be those two nights and it’d be this weekend of events. I do think that’s probably a change that; with chaos comes the genius and maybe that is the genius of it. I know there’s been people saying that for a period of time, but that’s a major shift and that doesn’t come easy. I think people in the world look at stuff like that and think ‘why can’t they just make it two nights?'”
Hunter would sarcastically finish by saying “yeah, because it’s really easy to!”
Do you think that WrestleMania should be a 2-night event going forward? Let us know in the comments
Before signing with WWE and becoming the Big Show, the Monster Sized Athlete Paul Wight was signed by WCW in 1995. He was given the ring name The Giant and introduced to the audience as the son of the legendary Andre The Giant.
One unique aspect of his WCW character was the fact that he wasn’t given an entrance music and during a recent interview with SportsKeeda, the former World Champion revealed the reason behind it.
According to the Big Show, he had asked the WCW management why he wasn’t given an entrance music and the officials told him that he didn’t need one:
“One of my fondest memories was, I didn’t have ring music and I would ask, “How come I don’t have entrance music or ring music?’ You’re a giant brother, you don’t need ringing music,’ that’s what they told me. Luckily WWE thought differently and now I have an iconic entrance song.”
The Big Show also recalled being part of The Dungeon of Doom stable of Kevin Sullivan saying that they were a collection of misfits and being part of the group was a lot of fun.
The former WCW Champion has claimed in interviews that he was making a lot less money than the other main eventers in WCW and his request to increase his pay was denied.
So he let his contract with the promotion expire in February 1999 and the former World Champion was signed to a 10-year contract by WWE a day after his WCW deal ended.
Cody has named a move after Gail Kim. He used the move on AEW Dark this week to defeat Joe Alonzo. Cody noted that the move is named the “Gail Lock” as he took the move from a clip of Gail Kim.
The Gail Lock helped Cody improve his record to 7-1 on the year. In the latest AEW rankings, Cody moved up to the #1 spot. Jake Hager was previously in the top-contender spot but dropped 3 places after losing his title match with Jon Moxley. Cody is unable to challenge for the AEW World title, however, due to losing his title shot against Chris Jericho at AEW Full Gear.
On Impact Wrestling as of late, Kim has been vocal about the potential she sees in the newly signed Kylie Rae. At Rebellion, Kylie Rae defeated Kiera Hogan with an STF.
Kim also recently commented on the return of Crazzy Steve to the promotion. The former Decay member was Tommy Dreamer and Rhino’s surprise teammate at Rebellion.
WWE NXT Superstar Dakota Kai believes another Women’s championship could work on the black-and-gold brand. Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Kai argued that adding an additional belt for the women’s division is “so feasible for us.”
Kai explained how their roster is stacked with talented women with additional storylines and narrative opportunities outside of the title picture. She believes that with another title, these storylines could have added meaning as they “would be fighting for something.”
She believes a secondary title could be used well and “isn’t such a crazy idea.” Kai pointed to Io Shirai and Candice LeRae’s match at TakeOver: Toronto and her TakeOver: Portland bout against Tegan Nox as examples where a title could have heightened the matches even more.
Dakota Kai On Moving To RAW Or SmackDown
Having become a fixture of the NXT Women’s division, Kai confessed that, even if RAW or SmackDown came calling, her heart is with NXT. She explained how being on the USA Network makes it more realistic for Superstars to simply stay on NXT.
“That’s not to say that, in the future, Raw or SmackDown are completely off the table to me, but there is a certain family element in NXT that you can’t get anywhere else. That comes back to what I was saying about the NXT women’s division. We all want the best for the brand, and that’s hard to come by. I would love to stay here.”
Dakota Kai competed last night on NXT. She teamed with Raquel Gonzalez, defeating the team of Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, travel was a given if you’re a WWE Superstar. Wrestlers have often spoken about the rigors of WWE’s schedule. It isn’t uncommon for a Superstar to be frequently to perform either in-ring or media duties. On a recent episode of A Little Late With Lilly Singh, Alexa Bliss, Natalya, and Paige opened up about having to travel with a WWE championship belt.
Bliss shared how a WWE champion has to take their belt everywhere with them. “It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, I won a title,’ and they are like yes, now you have to carry it through TSA.”
She explained how it can occasionally get you into weird, embarrassing situations. Bliss recalled a time when she tried to stow her bag into a plane’s overhead locker.
According to Alexa Bliss, the bag just wouldn’t fit. Eventually, she was requested to check the bag, which she wanted to avoid. She was told she would have to take something out of her bag to make it fit. “[…] of course, the only thing that I can take out was the title and then of course miraculously my bag fit. I had to sit there and be that person, that in case you didn’t know I’m the champ, I’m sitting in my airport seat with my title.”
Paige’s Travel Woes
Paige then recalled a travel story where her look ended up causing her to come under suspicion. Despite having the championship in her bag, “they were all focused on my jacket.” She shared how her in-ring jacket had stones and metal on it. This caused security to pull it out and question her.
According to Paige, she was asked if she intended to use her spiked jacket as a weapon. After having a crowd gather to inspect it, she was finally allowed through as they had no choice but to admit it was just a jacket.
Arn Anderson has revealed that WWE did not Dolph Ziggler to use the Superkick. Anderson spoke about it during a recent episode of his ARN Podcast. During the episode, the WWE Hall of Famer also broached why Ziggler has never been “the top guy” in WWE.
Anderson explained how WWE wants “blind devotion” from their Superstars. According to him, Ziggler had a long-standing opinion regarding Superkicks that he would actively voice. Anderson shared how WWE expected the Superkick to be retired after Shawn Michael’s stopped performing. It was a decision Ziggler took issue with.
“You can’t retire moves. How many Superkicks do you see today for God’s sake? Probably one in every single match, in every company,” Arn Anderson said. “So, that was a heated issue years ago, but Dolph, he had an opinion and he would voice it. The guy was never a question amongst all the producers. He worked his ass off and once we got to Gorilla, no matter if he agreed to what’s going on or not, he would go out and give you 100 percent.”
Arn Anderson On Dolph Ziggler Being A Top Guy
Arn Anderson confessed he was a big fan of Dolph Ziggler. He noted how some people may have complained about him when he was on the card, but argued that Ziggler is a performer that “made everybody better than what they were.”
This forced the question: why wasn’t he one of the top guys? Anderson confessed he doesn’t have an answer as to why upper management has never viewed Ziggler as a top talent. He explained how Ziggler is a wealthy man who, he feels, may have been smart with his money. Anderson shared how he wouldn’t be surprised if Ziggler eventually got tired of how he is viewed or treated by WWE.
Arn Anderson believes, if that day comes, Ziggler will “[…] thump down the steps and take off his boots and walk out the door and you’ll never hear from him again, and he will have accomplished what he wanted to in the business. Left on his own terms.”
NXT Superstar Dakota Kai has shared her thoughts on the recent releases by WWE. Speaking with Sporting News, Kai touched on WWE’s decision and whether she was worried she would be one of them.
Dakota Kai admitted that it was a “genuinely heartbreaking” experience to watch the releases be announced. She explained how she discovered the news unfold alongside the rest of the world. Noting how many of those let go were her peers, Kai added how it’s been a tough time. “But it’s tough for every company right now. WWE is in the limelight. All of that stuff was made public.”
The Superstar reflected on how her brother still has a job despite others in his company having been let go. She stressed how everyone is struggling during this “strange, sad time.”
“No matter what your position is in the company, it is always that sort of unknown, right?” Kai argued. “No one’s ever 100 hundred percent safe, so it was terrifying in that sense. I’m super grateful to still be able to do what I’m doing.”
Dakota Kai On Elevating NXT
Turning her attention to NXT and All Elite Wrestling, Dakota Kai reflected on their competition. She noted how if there’s another company out there bringing out a great product, it forces people to want to “elevate your own.”
According to Kai, this Wednesday night war between NXT and Dynamite is “good for the wrestling business.” She shared how she wishes people online could see that. Kai added how she wished people “would just be happy with both and not get into such heated debates about either. Wrestling is for everyone.”
All Elite Wrestling’s Darby Allin recently opened up about how it “ate him alive” to be in the crowd at last November’s pay-per-view, Full Gear.
Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Allin reflected on his experience. He confessed how not being a part of the show prompted him to make a promise to himself: “I said to myself, ‘I’m going to put in as much work as I ever have, whether it’s video or matches, to be on the next pay-per-view.”
Darby Allin Wants To Prove People Wrong
Darby Allin talked about how there were people who expected him to be off January’s pay-per-view, Revolution. He explained how he wanted to prove them wrong. Allin stressed how he isn’t AEW “to make friends and treat this as a clubhouse.” He acknowledged how the people in AEW are supportive, something he appreciates, but reiterated how “this isn’t friendship hour.”
As far as Darby Allin is concerned, it’s all about proving people wrong about him as he helps put the company on the map.
“Proving people wrong, that’s what drives me,” Allin admitted. “I’ve always believed I belonged in this spot. Others may have not—[due to my] size, [or lack of] years. This is my fifth year in wrestling, and a lot of people say, ‘Your time will come, your time will come.’ No mother——, my time’s now. I feel it and I know it.”
Darby Allin defeated Inner Circle member Sammy Guevara last night on TNT Dynamite. This victory sees Allin advance in the TNT Championship Tournament. He will face Cody Rhodes in the semi-finals on the April 29 episode of Dynamite.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had a surprise appearance on this week’s episode of WWE show The Bump. Johnson provided a pre-recorded video, congratulating Triple H, who was celebrating his 25th anniversary in WWE.
Recording in his backyard, The Rock reflected on Triple H’s “epic, historic” career. He confessed he was honored to be able to send him a message to commemorate the occasion. “We are lucky boys to have had the career we have had in the world that we love so much in pro wrestling.”
The Rock shared how Triple H has been good to him from the start. He added that he could see the hunger in Triple H’s eyes and knew that they would be competitors. Johnson explained how “That’s exactly why we gelled together; why we had incredible chemistry.”
“There’s only one man that I’ve gone around the world with and wrestled consistently so many times, and put in just incredible matches, and that is you,” The Rock said. “And I thank you. I love you. Congratulations, man, on just such an amazing career.”
Rock then spoke about Triple H’s work away from the ring, calling it “unparalleled.” He pointed to his work with NXT and WWE and his commitment to making sure the fans are happy. He talked about how wrestling is in Triple H’s blood and DNA, noting how “it’s as if you were born in the business.”
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AEW star Cody has filed an application to trademark his WWE ring name Cody Rhodes for merchandising and entertainment service usage.
The former WWE star has stated previously that he is free to use the name if he wants to but latest updates reveal that WWE still owned the trademark for it up until now.
According to the United States Patent & Trademark Office, WWE’s trademark of the name expired on October 13, 2019. The company was given a 6 month grace period to re-file for the trademark. That period expired earlier this month on April 12th.
WWE officials did not make a move to secure the name they have owned since June 2007, a month before Cody Rhodes made his main roster debut on Raw.
The AEW star was quick to act on the opportunity. The USPTO filing reveals that he sent out an application for the trademark on April 13, a day after WWE’s claim on the name ended.
This is not the first time Cody Rhodes has attempted to trademark a name previously owned by WWE. The AEW VP previously managed to trademark several WCW PPV names including the Bash At The Beach name they used for a show earlier this year.
Though the former WWE star’s attempt to trademark the name Dusty Rhodes was rejected last year and it would now be interesting to see if he manages to get the rights for his old ring name without any problem.
However not all the employees feel the same about the situation and Dakota Kai seems to be one of the stars who is satisfied with the company’s preventive measures.
The NXT star was recently interviewed by CBS Sport, and when asked if she feels comfortable working shows at the WWE Performance Center, she replied positively:
“I feel so comfortable taping all the shows that there have been a lot of measures being taken during this time. So yeah, all of us have to wear masks, besides from when we’re actually taping the matches, that’s definitely a need. Before we do anything, we have to check in with medical to make sure that we’re able to perform.”
Kai went on to explain that only a certain number of people
are allowed in places like the makeup area at one time. Anyone who is not
cleared by the medical team can’t be involved or be at the set at all and they
get sent home.
Apart from this, Dakota Kai also talked about the future of NXT Takeover events, the adjustments she has made to perform with no audience and more. You can check out her full interview at this link.
The news of WWE releasing over a dozen superstars made a lot of headlines last week but the company also released a lot of lesser-known names alongside people like Kurt Angle and Rusev as well.
One such name was the long time WWE referee Mike Chioda who had been with the promotion since 1989. He was the longest-tenured referee in the history of the promotion.
Chioda finally broke his silence on his WWE firing on Wednesday and he put out the following tweets, thanking the members of the WWE Universe as well as his co-workers who have reached out to him:
I Want To Say Thanks To the WWE & To All My AMAZING WWE FANS & Universe! 35yrs & 31yrs Refereeing Working for the WWE has been a FANTASTIC RUN!! I Am So PROUD to have Worked with So Many ICONS & AMAZING TALENT IN THIS INDUSTRY!! I THANK YOU ALL!! 1Luv! Mike Chioda @WWE
A Very Special Thanks To All My WWE Co-Workers & WWE FANS for Reaching out to Me! I Really Appreciate The RESPECT & KIND WORDS FROM EVERYONE!! During these Unprecedented times in our lives. Everyone & There Families B Safe & God Bless!! @WWE
This week’s episode of NXT saw the Undisputed Era facing the
team of The Velveteen Dream and Keith Lee in a tag team match. Lee was taken
out of the equation after an attack from Damian Priest.
Dexter Lumis suddenly appeared on the side of Dream towards the ending of the match and the two went on to defeat the Undisputed Era despite the disadvantage of numbers.
After the show, the trio was interviewed backstage where they claimed that the odds were stacked against them from the beginning and warned the NXT roster to be ready for the Undisputed Era. You can check out their interview below:
El Hijo del Fantasma def. Jack Gallagher – Tournament Match
The Velveteen Dream & Dexter Lumis (replacing Keith Lee) vs. Adam Cole & Roderick Strong
Here are the 6 takeaways from this week’s show:
Drake Maverick Wrestles After WWE Release
An Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Match between Drake Maverick and Jake Atlas took place.
This was one of the most interesting matches of the night. Not because of the storyline of the bout because there wasn’t one, but the situation that Maverick finds himself in right now.
Atlas went over after hitting a cartwheel DDT for the win.
Last Wednesday, it was a dark day in WWE as the company decided to release several wrestlers and staff members as a way to cut costs due to the coronavirus. Maverick was one of those talents who were released by the company.
Despite this, WWE is pushing forward with booking Maverick in this tournament, which was announced prior to the releases that were made. Clearly, the likelihood of him winning the tournament is very small but the mentality that WWE has is quite intriguing.
.@WWEMaverick gives his ALL in this high-stakes Interim #WWENXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament Match against @iamjakeatlas. pic.twitter.com/XrDGOxK9xT
Kushida vs. Tony Nese in an Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Match took place.
The expectations of this match lived up to it as it was a fun high paced bout. In the end, it was Kushida who went over.
Since his arrival in NXT, Kushida has seemed lost in the way of the brand as he wasn’t necessarily booked badly but didn’t have a ton going on and outside of his accomplishments in NJPW, WWE never gave a reason for fans to like or even invest in him.
This tournament will be a good way to do that. Clearly, the issue isn’t his in-ring work as he can put on a compelling match with anyone.
The feud that seems will never end continued on this show with Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart vs. Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez in a tag team match taking place.
It was a fine match with Gonzalez going over after she pinned Shotzi. This feud dates all the way back to November at the NXT TakeOver: War Games event once Kai turned heel by attacking her good friend in Nox.
Since then, Nox and Kai have worked several matches including a Steel Cage Match.
Now, with the additions of Gonzales as the heater for Kai and Shotizi backing up Nox, there’s still no end in sight.
Just one week after the initial start of the program, WWE went straight to booking a match between Velveteen Dream and Finn Balor. It was the biggest match featured on the card and due to the star power of both stars, rightfully so.
WWE set up the match last week when Dream was doing a promo. Balor interrupted and told him that he doesn’t know or like Dream.
The only problem is that the contest didn’t take place. WWE did an angle where there was a backstage incident involving Balor and the match was pulled.
NXT Champion Adam Cole came out and cut a promo while Dream was in the ring. Cole talked about how many thought Dream vs. Balor was a #1 contender match and now with Balor no longer being found, he thinks Dream is trying to sneak his way into a title match.
Cole said that Dream would never be the champion. He said that he doesn’t know what happened to Balor but does know what will happen to Dream.
This led to The Undisputed Era attacking Dream. Keith Lee ran out to make the save.
Some fans might be mad about the false advertising but it appears that WWE is holding off on the match.
So with The Velveteen Dream vs. Finn Balor not taking place, WWE went in a different direction for the main event. Following the opening segment, WWE booked Dream and Keith Lee vs. Adam Cole and Roderick Strong.
When WWE first announced Dream vs. Balor, some thought it was just a hiccup in the eventual showdown with NXT Champion Adam Cole for Dream, who has been trading promos with Cole for the past several weeks.
Many fans could argue that WWE could’ve held off on booking this match in order to gain some momentum and perhaps pull in good ratings. It appears that is what WWE is doing.
Lee was taken out early by Damien Priest, who hit him in the throat with a nightstick. Dexter Loomis eventually came out to be the Dream’s new tag team partner. The match was a lot of fun with Dream going over.
WWE did this segment with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae at their home right before they were about to eat dinner. The video kept going in and out of black and white and color.
Gargano and LeRae talked about how for years, they took a backseat to everyone. They put NXT first and themselves in second place. They questioned where that got them. Exactly nowhere.
Gargano and LeRae both vowed that they wouldn’t be second anymore and would make those who put NXT first pay for doing so as they learned the hard lesson.
LeRae is now showing off a new look with a different hairstyle. It was a unique vignette and perhaps we’ll get more of it going forward.
"The #WWENXT that I love has been turned into a ????? ????????? where the good people are taken advantage of and the horrible people ?????? and are ???????? for it." – @JohnnyGarganopic.twitter.com/EtfUneVREd
The first round of the TNT Championship Tournament wrapped up during tonight’s Dynamite. Sammy Guevara squared off against Darby Allin in the first match of the night. Dustin Rhodes faced Kip Sabian in the main event. Dustin vowed to retire if he could not defeat Sabian tonight.
AEW Dynamite Results (4/22)
Darby Allin def. Sammy Guevara to advance in the TNT Championship Tournament
Kenny Omega def. Alan Angels
Orange Cassidy def. Jimmy Havoc
Wardlow def. Lee Johnson
Brodie Lee def. Justin Law
Dustin Rhodes def. Kip Sabian to advance in the TNT Championship Tournament
Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s Dynamite:
Darby Allin Advanced In The TNT Championship Tournament
Darby Allin (Photo: Scott Lesh)
Darby Allin battled Sammy Guevara in a Quarter Final match of the TNT Championship Tournament.
Match Recap: Sammy flipped onto Darby during his entrance and followed it up by throwing him into the ring apron. Guevara launched Darby into the barricade and grabbed a ladder from under the ring.
Guevara set up a ladder from the barricade to the apron and put Allin on top of it. Sammy climbed to the top rope and hit Allin with a Splash that sent both wrestlers to the floor outside the ring.
The match officially started in the ring and Sammy beat down Allin in the corner. Sammy perched Allin up on the top rope but Darby battled back and tied up Sammy in the ropes.
Darby pulled off Sammy’s boot and started twisting his ankle. Guevara collapsed to the mat and Darby continued to target his ankle. Sammy planted Darby with a Cutter and went for the cover but Allin kicked out at two.
Sammy dropped Darby with a spinning back-fist and followed it up with a knee to the face for a near fall. When Dynamite returned, Darby went for a Suicide Dive but Sammy got out of the way and Allin crashed into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Sammy hit a Splash for a two count. Sammy went for a knee strike but Allin countered into the Last Supper for the pinfall victory. Darby will face Cody in the Semifinals in the TNT Championship Tournament.
Matt Hardy Challenged Sammy Guevara To Come To His Compound
Broken Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy appeared on tonight’s show from his compound. Hardy stated that Jericho was trembling in fear during last week’s episode of the Bubbly Bunch. Matt pointed out that Sammy Geuvara was the only one that had the testicles to mention his name.
Hardy challenged Sammy to come to the compound if he wants to take Jericho’s place. Matt suggested that Jericho speak to the mortal vessel version of himself. Regular Matt Hardy then showed up and said that Jericho was so angry when he had the back of the Elite.
Matt claimed that Jericho was so mad because if he is able to knock out all the pillars in AEW, it creates an opportunity for Chris to sit at the top. Hardy stated that AEW is not a platform for Jericho, it is a platform for the future. Matt vowed to kick Sammy’s ass and every ass in Inner Circle until he gets to Jericho.
Orange Cassidy faced Jimmy Havoc tonight on Dynamite. Trent and Chuck were ringside for the bout.
Match Recap: Jimmy controlled the match early and ripped off Cassidy’s jacked. Havoc choked Orange with it before throwing it out of the ring. Havoc then ripped off Orange’s shirt and hit him with a chop to the chest.
Jimmy threw Orange Cassidy out of the ring and then threw him to the barricade. Jericho joked that Jimmy is beating Orange Cassidy to a pulp as Havoc connected with another chop.
Havoc planted Cassidy with a Suplex before bringing back in the ring. Orange tried to fight but Havoc leveled him with a Clothesline for a two count. Cassidy finally battled back and hit a Dropkick. He followed it up with a Crossbody and then a Tornado DDT for a near fall.
Orange Cassidy hit a lazy Splash off the top rope for a two count. Cassidy hit a Superman Punch and got fired up. Penelope Ford hopped on the ring apron but Chuck tripped her up. Penelope did a split and Kip Sabian came out of nowhere and hit a flip. Orange Cassidy then rolled up Jimmy for the win. After the match, Jimmy Havoc planted Orange Cassidy with a Cradle DDT. Kip got in a couple of stomps before Best Friends made the save.
Wardlow Dominated & MJF Revealed Why He Hasn’t Been On Dynamite
MJF spoke from outside his “rat’s” house in Cape Cod about not being on Dynamite recently. He pretended to get choked up and claimed that he suffered a very serious injury while gambling during his last appearance on Dynamite. MJF stated that he suffered a hangnail that became life threatening. MJF vowed to return to Dynamite soon. MJF’s arm was in a sling and his finger was wrapped in a scarf.
Wardlow then battled Lee Johnson on Dynamite. Wardlow showed off his power and hit a ridiculous Powerslam before launching Johnson across the ring with a release Suplex. Wardlow planted Lee with an Airplane Spin for the quick victory.
Opinion: Wardlow has been very impressive in the couple of matches he has had so far on Dynamite. As for MJF’s promo tonight, it was great as always. His splint wrapped in a scarf was a great touch.
Dustin Rhodes Advanced In The TNT Championship Tournament
Dustin Rhodes faced Kip Sabian in the final match of the first round of the TNT Championship Tournament. Rhodes said he will retire if he cannot defeat Sabian tonight. Brandi Rhodes and Penelope Ford were ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Dustin tried to shake Kip’s hand before the match but Sabian declined. Rhodes controlled the action early and locked in an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring. Sabian broke free and booted Rhodes in the face for a two count as Dynamite went to a break.
When Dynamite returned, Sabian was still in control and was targeting Dustin’s knee. Kip stomped away on Dustin’s knee on the corner before hitting a Dropkick for a near fall.
Rhodes battled back with a punch for the face and went for a Slam but his knee gave out. Sabian fell on top of him for a two count before applying an Arm Bar. Sabian missed with a Dropkick but caught Rhodes with a Lariat for another two count.
Kip applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring but Dustin was able to battle to his feet. Rhodes unloaded some punches but Kip sent Dustin back to the canvas with a boot to the head.
Dustin hit a Spinebuster and followed it up with a Clothesline. Rhodes connected with an Atomic Drop and then a Bulldog. Rhodes planted Kip with a Powerslam and went for the cover but Sabian kicked out at the last moment.
Kip connected with a DDT for a two count. Sabian taunted Rhodes before unloading several punches to his face. Referee Aubrey Edwards broke it up as Brandi and Penelope battled in the ring. Brandi hit a Spear and rolled Penelope out of the ring. Rhodes capitalized on the distraction and hit the Code Red (Destroyer) for the pinfall victory. Dustin Rhodes advanced to the semifinals and will face Lance Archer next.
Opinion: This week’s episode of Dynamite was another solid show. The wrestlers acting as the crowd continues to make a difference and the TNT Championship Tournament provides a reason to tune in every week. As of now, it seems likely that Lance Archer and Cody will meet in the finals of the tournament. In order for that to happen, Cody will have to defeat Darby Allin and Archer will have to defeat Dustin Rhodes.
If Archer beats the hell out of Dustin, it would make his rivalry with Cody even more personal. Darby Allin is a fan favorite and he showed his frustration recently by slapping Cody after suffering a loss in a tag team match. There are several layers to the TNT Championship Tournament and I think it has been very well done so far.
Cody Rhodes took part in an “AMA” (Ask Me Anything) on Wednesday with Bleacher Report where he addressed the status of the fabled AEW video game.
Cody gave a candid update on the project. He let fans know this is a big project and they are taking it seriously. AEW does a great job with their “Road To” hype videos for pay-per-views and big events. They plan to take a similar approach with this game.
“I’ll give the honest update: the AEW video game will be something all fans know about as we begin the process and as we move forward. If we were to make a very good game, which is our intention, it’s going to take time.”
He continued, “Game development is arduous, it’s a very creative space, and we want to do it right. We will keep people updated, it won’t come as a surprise, we want them to take the journey with us. Be extra patient so we can deliver.”
The discussion of a possible video game for All Elite Wrestling started back in July 2019 when Matt Jackson confirmed there had been talks of a potential game for the promotion but didn’t disclose any other details.
Fast forward, Kenny Omega, who is a big video game fan, has also stated that he’s made it his personal mission to bring back the classic AKI game engine used for famous wrestling games.
Games such as No Mercy and WrestleMania 2000. Back in March, Cody also talked about the game at C2E2. This is where he noted that there is a very specific type of game that people want.
He also pointed out that there is a very specific engine that people want and Omega would make an announcement about it soon. Thus, it appears we’ll just have to wait for it.
The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) did an interview with Sports Illustrated to talk about a wide range of topics.
During the interview, the AEW executives gave high praise to the inaugural AEW World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho.
Nick Jackson stated, “I always call [Jericho] our Hulk Hogan. He’s done it all, and there is something about that. Even though he has been in the business for 30 years or so, he still wants to give back and get characters over. You never see that.”
Matt Jackson chimed in by noting how most wrestlers want to be over, and they don’t care about anybody else. He thinks that is the prevailing attitude in pro wrestling. He thinks the mentality is that wrestlers want others to do good but not as good as them.
“Jericho wants everyone to be elevated. We made the right call.”
Matt praised Jericho for helping establish guys like Darby Allin, Jungle Boy, and Scorpio Sky. He stated that Jericho watches their matches as well and people don’t realize he’s the guy that pulls us aside.
Matt added that Jericho will tell them what they did well and what they could do better. He also stated, “We don’t have enough of those guys in the business.”
The Elite (Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Adam Page, and Matt Hardy) are currently feuding with The Inner Circle that is led by Jericho on AEW Dynamite.
AEW has released its weekly rankings for April 22nd, 2020. The promotion releases new top-5 rankings every Wednesday for its men’s, women’s and tag team divisions.
AEW Men’s Division
World Champion: Jon Moxley (9-0)
Cody Rhodes (7-1) (+1)
Chris Jericho (0-1) (+1)
Kenny Omega (3-0) (+1)
Jake Hager (4-1) (-3)
Lance Archer (3-0)(previously unranked)
After Jon Moxley’s successful title defense last week, title-challenger Jake Hager drops from the #1 spot all the way to #4. As a result, Omega, Cody, and Jericho all move up one spot. Lance Archer defeated Colt Cabana on Dynamite last week. The win moves him into the rankings and into the TNT title tournament semi-finals. He bumps Darby Allin out of the rankings this week as well.
Cody picked up his 7th win of the year on Dark this week, defeating Joe Alonzo. Both Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega had the week off from competition.
AEW Women’s Division
Champion: Nyla Rose (4-1)
Hikaru Shida (7-1)
Kris Statlander (2-3)
Yuka Sakazaki (1-1)
Britt Baker (3-3) (+1)
Riho (3-3) (+1) (-1)
Britt Baker moves up one spot this week after defeating Cassandra Golden in single’s competition. Penelope Ford is likely just outside the top-5 as well after picking up a win over Anna Jay on Dark. Those were the only two matches in the division on the most recent episodes of Dark or Dynamite.
AEW Tag Team Division
Champions: Kenny Omega & Hangman Page (6-0)
The Dark Order (5-0)
The Young Bucks (2-2)
Best Friends (4-3)
SCU (2-3)
Lucha Bros (1-2)
There was no movement in the tag team rankings this week. It does not appear as though the matches on BTE are counting toward official AEW records. There were no tag-team matches this week. Dynamite consisted of 6 single’s matches and Dark had 2 single’s matches. Chuck Taylor of the Best Friends lost to Kip Sabian in single’s competition, however. No other ranked tag competitors competed on Dynamite or Dark.
It appears that WWE SummerSlam, for the time being, is still going down from the TD Garden in Boston.
The current coronavirus pandemic has forced WWE, and various other sports organizations, to cease mass gatherings of fans and hold events in empty arenas. It could be a long time before fans are ever allowed back inside sporting events. WWE has been taping most of their programs inside the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
The upcoming Money In The Bank program was filmed on the roof of WWE headquarters. With that being said, SummerSlam could remain from the TD Garden in Boston, as the venue issued the following statement on the matter.
“As of today, we have not received any updates from WWE regarding changes to SummerSlam, so it is still scheduled as planned. Any updates regarding the event will be posted to our website here: https://www.tdgarden.com/events/detail/wwe-summerslam-2020. We also suggest checking WWE’s website and social channels for the most up-to-date information.”
I messaged TD Garden regarding SummerSlam, as of today SummerSlam is still scheduled to take place on August 23rd in Boston. pic.twitter.com/sivJ6d4n65
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, WWE has been forced to make a lot of changes. Numerous talent and WWE employees have been let go due to the economic impact of the virus. Also, the company’s biggest show of the year, WrestleMania, for the first time ever, took place in front of an empty arena and was pre-taped. This has truly been a trying time for the professional wrestling industry, and the sports world as a whole.
We’ll keep you updated as more information on the matter becomes available. WWE SummerSlam is currently scheduled to go down on Sunday, August 23, 2020.
The still-unsolved murder of Dino Bravo was the topic of the latest episode of Vice’sDark Side of the Ring. During the episode, Jacques Rougeau is interviewed and he revealed what Dino Bravo said to him the night he was murdered.
The episode covers how Bravo got involved with organized crime shortly after leaving the World Wrestling Federation. Bravo’s last match in WWF was May 16th, 1992. He would be dead less than 10 months later. It was suggested during the show that Bravo likely new his life was in danger shortly before he was murdered.
“One night, Dino calls me. ‘Hey Jaques, can you come and see me?’ I’m going ‘Dino’s calling me to go see him?’ We’re not that close of friends,” Rougeau said during the documentary. “We respect each other but we’re not that close of friends.”
“I said ‘ok, I can’t go today but I’ll go tomorrow.’ He says ‘come and see me as soon as you can.’ That was his last words to me,” Rougeau continued.
That night Dino is said to have been at home watching a hockey game.
“The next morning I’m at the gas station, now I’m going to see him,” Rougeau continued. “At the pump, the guy says ‘yeah, your friend your buddy there he got it, huh?’ I looked at the paper, the front page of the Montreal paper. He got 11 bullets in the body and 7 bullets in the head, that’s a rough way to go.”
The documentary goes into further detail regarding the known details of Bravo’s murder. It features interviews with Jimmy Hart, Jacques Rougeau, as well as Bravo’s family.
Impact recently taped months worth of content in Tennessee including the 2-part Rebellion event. Former Impact World Champion Sami Callihan took part in the tapings and his match against Ken Shamrock from Rebellion aired on last night’s show. When the global pandemic first began to impact live events, Callihan stated he would not be wrestling during this time. He spoke to SI.com recently about what made him feel safe taking part in the recent tapings for Impact.
“The reason that I was 100% OK with doing that was because Impact took amazing care of us,” Callihan said during the interview. “From the time we got there to the time we left, I knew no one from our crew was going to be in any danger. Impact took every precaution to make sure our television taping was the safest television taping going on right now.”
Sami Callihan on Recent Impact Tapings
Unfortunately, several members of the roster were unable to attend the tapings. Neither Tessa Blanchard nor Eddie Edwards attended. Tag champions the North were unable to travel to the state due to the US-Canada border being shut down. A Knockouts title match between Taya Valkyrie and Jordynne Grace has been scrapped from Rebellion as well.
“I put my entire trust in Impact management to make sure we all get taken care of,” Callihan continued. “I’ve wrestled for every major wrestling company on the planet, and Impact Wrestling truly is a family. I know it’s crazy to think how many ‘families’ there are in this crazy world, but our entire locker room and our entire staff took care of each other so we could all be safe.”
Callihan took on a new gimmick in Impact Wrestling shortly after losing the world title to Tessa Blanchard. He has been revealed as the hacker behind the “ICU” videos on the show. He spoke with Chris Van Vliet recently about the character.
