Archive for May, 2020

AEW Double or Nothing Results: Stadium Stampede, TNT Title, Brian Cage Debuts

AEW Double or Nothing aired from Daily’s Place. Jon Moxley defended the AEW Championship against Brodie Lee. Nyla Rose put the AEW Women’s Championship on the line against Hikaru Shida in a No DQ match. Cody squared off against Lance Archer in the finals of the TNT Championship tournament and The Elite faced Inner Circle in a Stadium Stampede match.

Double or Nothing Results

  1. Best Friends def. Private Party to become #1 contenders (Kickoff Show)
  2. Brian Cage won the Casino Ladder match to earn a shot at the AEW Championship
  3. MJF def. Jungle Boy
  4. Cody def. Lance Archer to become the first TNT Champion
  5. Kris Statlander def. Penelope Ford
  6. Dustin Rhodes def. Shawn Spears
  7. Hikaru Shida def. Nyla Rose to become the new AEW Women’s Champion
  8. Jon Moxley def. Brodie Lee to retain the AEW Championship
  9. The Elite def. Inner Circle in the Stadium Stampede match

Here are 6 takeaways from the PPV:

Brian Cage Made His Debut & Won The Casino Ladder Match

The Casino Ladder match kicked off Double or Nothing. The winner of the match will earn a future shot at the AEW Championship. Every two minutes another wrestler will enter the match.

Match Recap: Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky were the first two contestants in the match. Frankie and Scorpio locked up in the middle of the ring. Kazarian connected with a shoulder tackle before they locked up once again. Kip Sabian was the third wrestler in the match and was accompanied to the ring by Penelope Ford and Jimmy Havoc.

Jimmy hit Frankie and Scorpio with a ladder. Frankie battled back and Suplexed Havoc on top of the ladder. Sabian set up Scorpio on top of the steel steps and climbed to the top of a ladder. Kazarian set up a ladder in the ring but Sabian noticed and went after him. Darby Allin was the next wrestler in the match and went for a Double Stomp but wound up crashing through a ladder.

Orange Cassidy was next in the match and took his time getting to the ring. Cassidy asked Excalibur for the rules of the match before finally taking off his denim jacket. Orange finally entered the ring and slowly grabbed a ladder. Cassidy didn’t set up the ladder, instead just stood on top of it and hopelessly reached for the chip suspended above the ring.

Cassidy threw Sabian out of the ring and struggled with trying to figure out how to set up a ladder. Colt Cabana entered the match next and entered the ring with Orange Cassidy. Cabana knocked Orange out of the ring and quickly set up the ladder. Cabana started climbing but SCU tipped it over. SCU then launched Kip Sabian onto the ladder as Orange Cassidy got back in the ring.

Cassidy hit his sloth kicks and followed it up with a Dropkick that knocked SCU out of the ring. Orange Cassidy hit a Suicide Dive with his hands in his pockets before slamming Scorpio’s face into the ring post. Joey Janela entered the match next and took out SCU and Cassidy by diving off the stage. Janela hit Havoc with a Crossbody as Cabana once again set up a ladder in the ring.

Janela launched off the top rope and knocked Cabana out of the ring with a Dropkick. Janela hit Frankie with a steel chair but Scorpio then ripped it away. Scorpio hit Joey with a chair but got knocked out of the ring by Sabian. Kip then planted Frankie with a DDT. Luchasaurus entered the match next and cleaned house by Powerbombing Sabian onto everyone.

Luchasaurus Chokeslammed Frankie onto a ladder. Tazz then accompanied Brian Cage (making his AEW debut) to the ring. Cage launched Allin into the ring post before delivering a Powerbomb to Kip Sabian. Cage planted Scorpio with a Suplex before delivering a massive Suplex to Janela. Orange Cassidy tried for a Sleeper Hold but Cage started climbing with Orange on his back.

Everyone then teamed up on Cage and hit him with a ladder to the face. They then buried Cage under some ladders and a giant poker chip. Cassidy hit Frankie with a Superman Punch and then climbed to the top of the ladder with Sabian. Cassidy knocked Sabian on top of the ladder below. Penelope then got into the ring and climbed the ladder. Orange dropped Penelope on top of Sabian below.

Jimmy Havoc got into the ring and attacked Orange Cassidy. Best Friends rushed the ring and beat down Jimmy Havoc. Luchasaurus got into the ring and shoved the ladder over. Orange Cassidy went for a Chokeslam but Luchasaurus didn’t budge. Marko Stunt brought in a tiny ladder and Chokeslammed Orange Cassidy with Luchasaurus.

Frankie Kazarian botched a Hurricanrana attempt on Luchasaurus and both men awkwardly fell out of the ring. Joey Janela planted Orange Cassidy on top of the poker chip on Brian Cage with a Death Valley Driver. Scorpio hit Janela with the TKO and started climbing. Kazarian leaped onto the ladder and both members of SCU started trading punches. Luchasaurus shoved the ladder over and set up the ladder in the middle of the ring.

Cabana tried to get in the ring but Luchasaurus hit him with a big boot. Brian Cage emerged and got into the ring. Luchasaurus hit a big kick but Cage shrugged it off. Luchasaurus went for a Chokeslam but Cage countered and hit a massive Powerbomb on top of a ladder.

Darby Allin crawled back in the ring and slapped Cage in the face. Cage responded with a big Clothesline and followed it up with the Drill Claw. Cage then hurled Allin on top of several ladders outside the ring and grabbed the chip for the victory. Brian Cage earned a shot at the AEW Championship.

Opinion: I thought this match was a bit of a mess if I’m being honest. It wound up being just an exciting spot once in a while. Having said that, pairing Brian Cage with Taz is a great idea. I love AEW’s use of legends as managers/coaches. Brian Cage has already made a hell of an impact as he is already in line for a shot at the AEW Championship.

Cody Became The First TNT Champion

Cody squared off against Lance Archer to crowd the 1st TNT Champion. Mike Tyson presented the title to the winner of the match.

Match Recap: Lance Archer and Cody refused to shake hands before the match. As soon as the bell rang, Archer planted Cody with the Blackout right away but Cody instinctevly rolled out of the ring. Tony announced that the TNT Championship is not finished due to Covid-19 and there will be some gold plating added to the belt.

Cody got back into the ring and went for the Cutter but Archer countered with a shoulder tackle. Lance then launched Cody to the floor outside the ring. Archer continued to beat down Cody in the ring as Mike Tyson sat ringside with a smile on his face. Cody lifted Archer up for a Suplex but opted to drop Lance on his face instead. Archer launched Cody over the ring post and to the floor outside the ring. Cody got back into the ring and walked into a Uranage from Archer for a near fall.

Cody battled back and locked in a Crossface as Mike Tyson cheered him on. Jake Roberts hopped on the ramp for a distraction but it didn’t work and Cody planted Archer with a DDT. Jake Roberts got pissed off that Cody used his finisher and tried to get in the ring but the referee stopped him. Lance Archer then used Arn Anderson’s Spinebuster on Cody.

Archer took some time to taunt Anderson and climbed to the middle rope. Cody booted Lance in the face and followed it up with a springboard Cutter for a one count. Cody connected with the Cross Rhodes but Archer kicked out at two. Cody hit Archer with the Stinger Splash but Archer shrugged it off and planted Cody for a near fall.

Lance Archer locked in the EBD Claw and bounced Cody’s head off the canvas several times. Archer walked across the top rope but Arn Anderson tripped him up and crotched him on the top turnbuckle. Cody planted Archer with a reverse Suplex before another referee (Paul Turner) came down to the ring and kicked Arn Anderson out. Jake Roberts was kicked out as well.

Jake Roberts grabbed the snake but Mike Tyson got in his face. Roberts retreated as Tyson trash talked with Archer. Lance set up for the Blackout but Cody countered into two Cross Rhodes for the pinfall victory. Cody is the first TNT Champion.

Opinion: Like most of Cody’s matches, this felt very old school and I enjoyed the hell out of it. Archer wasn’t hurt at all by losing this match and will likely find himself in the AEW Championship picture moving forward. Cody is the perfect TNT Champion and I’m looking forward to watching him elevate wrestlers on the roster in the weeks to come.

Dustin Rhodes Embarrassed Shawn Spears

Shawn Spears came down to the ring in a suit for his match against Dustin Rhodes. Spears stated that all mediocre careers must come to an end and suggested that Rhodes was at home washing his tights. Dustin’s music played but nobody came down the entrance ramp. Spears then smirked into the camera and said he couldn’t help it.

Brandi Rhodes then came down to the entrance ramp and distracted Spears as Dustin entered the ring. Dustin hit Spears with a couple of right hands before Shawn battled back. Spears took off his belt and wrapped it around his hand. Shawn flipped off Brandi and Dustin capitalized with a Powerslam.

Dustin ripped off Spears’ pantsand pulled down his underwear. Dustin whipped Spears’ ass and it was revealed that Shawn was wearing boxers with Tully’s face on his groin. Dustin planted Spears with the Final Reckoning for the victory.

Opinion: Shawn Spears is capable of much more and embarrassing him to benefit Dustin Rhodes doesn’t make sense to me. It felt like a stupid WWE comedy segment and I have no interest in stuff like this making it’s way into the AEW product. This sucked and was just a way to kill ten minutes.

Hikaru Shida Captured The AEW Women’s Title

Nyla Rose defended her AEW Championship against Hikaru Shida in a No DQ match.

Match Recap: Rose brought a kendo stick down to the ring and beat the hell out of Shida to start it off. Shida battled back and connected with a knee to the face that knocked Rose to the floor outside the ring. Shida followed her out there and Nyla sent Hikaru flying through a poker table next to the entrance ramp.

Back in the ring, Rose connected with a Backbreaker and followed it up with a Splash for a near fall. Nyla hit a Clothesline that sent Shida out of the ring. Shida hit Nyala with a Crossbody and then a running knee to the back of Rose’s head. Hikaru dumbed Nyla over the barricade and right in front of Vickie Guerrero. Shida bounced Nyla’s head off a giant poker chip and followed it up with a Hip Toss onto the poker chips.

Hikaru Shida connected with a massive running knee that sent Nyla onto the poker chip once again. Shida sent Nyla over the barricade to the ringside area and grabbed a kendo stick. Hikaru hit Nyla with it and rolled her back into the ring to deliver a few more strikes with the kendo stick.

Shida planted Nyla with a Brainbuster on top of the kendo stick for a near fall. Nyla battled back with a Powerslam and then hung Shida on the top rope. Rose climbed to the top rope and connected with a Knee Drop for another two count. Nyla brought a table into the ring and set it up in the corner.

Hikaru tried to fight back but Nyla caught her with a Clothesline. Rose then planted Shida with a Powerbomb though the table and went for the cover but somehow Hikaru was able to kick out at two. Rose planted Shida with a Death Valley Driver and then beat the hell out Shida with the kendo stick. Nyla climbed to the top rope but Shida got up and hurled the kendo stick at the champ.

Shida joined Nyla on the top turnbuckle and hit a Falcon Arrow for another two count. Shida went for the running knee but Rose hit her leg with the kendo stick. Shida then connected with the running knee and went for the cover but Nyla kicked out at two. Hikaru hit Nyla with the kendo stick over the head and hit the running knee for the pinfall victory. Hikaru Shida is the new AEW Women’s Champion.

https://twitter.com/tde_gif/status/1264382147273637889?s=20

Opinion: I was looking forward to this match and I thought it completely delivered. Hikaru Shida is one of the better women’s wrestlers on AEW’s roster and hopefully she has a solid title reign as AEW continues to build up that division.

Jon Moxley Retained The AEW Title In A Great Match With Brodie Lee

Jon Moxley defended the AEW Championship against “The Exalted One” Brodie Lee tonight at Double or Nothing. Brodie came down to the ring with the stolen title and a security team.

Match Recap: Brodie started off the match in control and beat Moxley down in the corner. Moxley knocked Lee to the outside and hit him with a Suicide Dive. Brodie quickly battled back with a Suplex on the floor outside the ring. Back in the ring, Brodie connected with a Senton and followed it up with a couple Suplexes.

Lee knocked Moxley to the outside and hit him with a Suicide Dive of his own. Brodie set up the barricade against a wall and slammed Moxley on top of it. Back in the ring, Moxley and Lee traded punches in the middle of the ring. Lee hit a Suplex but Moxley battled back and hit a Clothesline. Jon planted Brodie with a Piledriver and went for a cover but Brodie kicked out at the last moment.

The action spilled out of the ring and Lee leveled Moxley with a Dropkick. Moxley went for a Powerbomb off the steel steps but Jon countered into a Back Body Drop through the bell table. Moxley brought Brodie back into the ring and made his way to the top rope. Brodie hit a couple of right hands and connected with a Superplex. Lee followed it up with a release Suplex into a card deck set piece that was ringside.

Back in the ring, Brodie hit a big boot and followed it up with a Powerbomb for a near fall. Moxley crawled up the entrance ramp and grabbed a poker chip. Jon launched it into Brodie’s face but Lee got right up. Moxley then planted Brodie with a Paradigm Shift through the entrance ramp as the wrestlers in the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”.

Jon emerged from the ramp first and rolled into the ring. Brodie then emerged with blood pouring down his face and made his way to the ring. Jon hit another Paradigm Shift but Brodie kicked out at one. Moxley savagely went to work on the wound on Brodie’s face and hit another Paradigm Shift but Lee kicked out again. Moxley then choked out Brodie Lee to retain the AEW Championship.

Opinion: Just like Archer’s loss earlier in the night won’t hurt him, this loss for Brodie Lee won’t diminish his character in any way. This was a physical, excellent title match and it took everything for Moxley to prevail. He couldn’t keep him down and had to resort to choking him out to escape with a win. Absolutely perfect ending to keep Moxley as the champ and protect Brodie Lee in the process. Jon Moxley will likely now have to deal with Brian Cage next.

The Elite Defeated Inner Circle In A Wild Stadium Stampede Match

The Elite battled Inner Circle in a Stadium Stampede match in the main event. The Jaguars cheerleaders as Inner Circle came to the field wearing football jerseys.

Match Recap: The two teams sprinted to the ring set up at the 50 yard line and a massive brawl broke out. Inner Circle dominated the action early and Suplexed Nick Jackson on the football field. Hangman Page showed up with a horse and charged at Sammy but he escaped into the concourse area.

Nick Jackson stomped on Jericho in the ring as Hager beat the hell out of Matt Hardy outside the ring. Jericho went for the Judas Effect but Nick ducked and hit a Dropkick. Santana planted Matt Jackson with a Powerbomb as Kenny Omega rolled in the ring.

Omega planted Santana and Ortiz with a couple of Snap Suplexes but turned around into an Atomic Drop from Hager. Sammy jogged back onto the field and and hit Nick Jackson with a knee to the face. Guevara went for a Shooting Star Press but Hardy got out of the way. Matt hit Sammy with a Buckle Bomb and then a Twist of Fate.

Jericho dragged Omega out of the ring as Nick Jackson flipped onto Santana and Ortiz. Sammy climbed to the top rope and hit a massive Shooting Star Press onto everyone. Jericho launched Nick Jackson into the field goal post and Sammy did the same to Matt Jackson.

Young Bucks set up a giant ladder and Matt climbed onto the field goal post. Matt hit a Moonsault onto Jericho and Sammy for a near fall. The battle then spilled into the stands with Santana and Ortiz beating down Kenny Omega and Matt Hardy. Hager joined the party as Hangman Page was shown still looking for Sammy.

Hangman got off the horse and entered the East Club Lobby bar. Omega launched Ortiz into a couple of trash cans as Santana sent Matt into a barricade. Ortiz threw salt in Omega’s eyes and slammed through a barricade with a Powerbomb.

Santana and Ortiz then sent Matt Hardy into the pool. Ortiz shouted that he cannot swim but finally got into the pool. They then started drowning Broken Matt Hardy but Matt emerged as version 1 of Hardy (Pool of Reincarnation). They tried drowning him again and eventually left him in the pool. Broken Matt Hardy emerged from the pool and set up Ortiz on the table. Santana charged at Matt but wound up landing Ortiz and both fell through the table.

Hardy strapped Ortiz onto the chair of wheels but Santana attacked Matt. Hardy slammed Santana into the ice machine and then locked him inside. Jake Hager stumbled upon Hangman’s horse and a “horse!” chant broke out. Hager found Page at the bar and took a seat next to him. Hager took a drink before the two started brawling.

Page grabbed a pool cue and broke it across Jake’s back. Hager planted Page with a Uranage on top of the pool table. Jake dragged Page across the top of the bar and Hangman fell to the floor. Hager then Powerbombed Page through a table for a near fall.

https://twitter.com/BeyondThe3Count/status/1264403138116816896?s=20

Omega showed up and broke a bottle over Hager’s head and followed it up with the V-Trigger. Hangman Page hit Jake witha Buckshot Lariat and poured Kenny a glass of milk. Matt hit Sammy with endless Northern Lights Suplexes on the football field. Jericho grabbed a megaphone and shouted that Nick Jackson should have stayed at home. Nick started launching footballs at Jericho’s balls but Chris sent Nick into the mouth of the inflatable jaguar. Jericho then leveled the Jaguars mascot with the Judas Effect.

Jericho put a cone on his head and started laughing until Nick hit a Superkick out of nowhere. Matt then hit Sammy with the final Northern Lights Suplex in the endzone and spiked Guevara’s head onto the turf. Matt started dancing around and referee Rick Knox assessed him a penalty. Matt hit Knox with a Superkick and then set up Jericho on a table. Nick ran up the stadium steps and sprinted down for a massive Splash. Hangman then showed up the with the yard/line marker and rolled over Jericho’s crotch and face.

The sprinklers came on and blasted Sammy right in the face. Guevara was confused and thought he won the match but Matt and Kenny showed up in the golf cart again. Sammy hopped into the stands and Matt & Kenny chased him. Sammy threw a couple chairs and continued to run up the stands.

Neo-1 (Matt’s new drone) showed up and distracted Sammy. Omega hit Guevara with the V-Trigger and then a One Winged Angel from the seats and through several tables below for the pinfall victory. After the match, The Elite gave Kenny Omega a Gatorade bath.

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1264402947418529792?s=20

Opinion: This entire match was fun as hell and it capped off one of the best PPVs of the year so far. I was slightly disappointed with the Casino Ladder match and hated the Spears & Dustin Rhodes segment. The rest of the show was awesome. Stadium Stampede, MJF vs. Jungle Boy, Shida vs. Nyla Rose, Cody vs. Archer, Moxley vs. Brodie Lee were all great matches. The Stadium Stampede was obviously the most entertaining because of how ridiculous it was.

Posted May 24th, 2020 in AEW, News, Results.

The Elite Wins Stadium Stampede Match At AEW Double Or Nothing

The highly anticipated Stadium Stampede Match is in the books and what a sight it was at AEW Double or Nothing. 

The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana, and Ortiz) vs. The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Adam Page) was the main event. 

As seen on the show, The Elite went over. The Inner Circle was wearing football jerseys with the Inner Circle logo on them. Each group had football entrances. The contest featured a series of wild spots. They started outside of the ring in the stadium. 

Matt Jackson got on a goal post to hit a moonsault onto the Inner Circle. Page entered the stadium on a horse and chased Guevara into the tunnel. Santana and Ortiz tried to drown Hardy in the pool but Matt transformed into various characters. 

Hardy put Santana into the icebox and put a stick through the doors to keep him there. Matt told him that it would help his inflammation. Hardy rang a giant bell with Ortiz underneath then put him in a wheelchair and duct-taped him to it while Ortiz was convulsing.

Page and Hager had a brawl fight that ended with Page and Omega drinking whiskey and milk. Matt Jackson hit a series of suplexes to Sammy across the field. Nick hit Jericho a series of times with footballs then super kicked Jericho through a kicking net. Jericho attacked the Jaguars mascot. Page got the line marker and walked over Jericho with it. 

Omega hit the one-winged angel off the seating area through a platform to Sammy for the win. There were so many different funny spots in this contest. 

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1264402947418529792

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: .

Jon Moxley Retains AEW World Title Over Brodie Lee

Jon Moxley took on Brodie Lee for the top title in the promotion in what many considered to be a top match featured on the card. 

Moxley made his latest title defense as the AEW World Heavyweight Champion against Brodie Lee at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event.

The match had some brawling elements as the referee allowed them to use objects around the ring as weapons. Moxley backdropped Lee off the steel steps through the table. Lee sent him through cardboard signs. Moxley threw a small poker chip at Lee.

The end of the match saw Moxley hit Lee a few times with his finisher before locking in a rear-naked choke for the win. 

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1264389519064825859

Lee made his promotional debut back on the March 18th episode of Dynamite on TNT when he made an appearance. He was revealed as The Exalted One, the leader of The Dark Order. 

The former Luke Harper requested his release from WWE back in April 2019. He remained under contract until December when WWE finally granted the request.

Booker T On Why AEW Needs Guys Like Matt Hardy And Brodie Lee

What are your thoughts on retaining Jon Moxley retaining the AEW World Heavyweight Title? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: , , .

Hikaru Shida Wins AEW Women’s Title

Hikaru Shida has become the new AEW Women’s Champion as she dethroned Nyla Rose. 

Shida did so when she beat Rose to win the title in a No DQ match at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place. They used some kendo sticks and Shida was even sent through a table at ringside. The finish saw Shida hit an Avalanche Falcon Arrow for the win. 

Rose won the title back on February 12th episode of AEW Dynamite when she beat Riho on TNT. 

All Elite Wrestling set up this contest on the May 13th episode of Dynamite when the promotion held a #1 Contender’s Match that saw Shida vs. Penelope Ford vs. Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander battle it out in a Fatal 4-Way contest. 

As seen on the show, Shida ended up winning it. As a result, Shidaearned the right to challenge Rose for the AEW Women’s Title at the Double or Nothing PPV event.

What are your thoughts on Shida going over to win the AEW Women’s Title? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: , , .

Cody Rhodes Becomes Inaugural AEW TNT Champion

The inaugural AEW TNT Champion has been crowned and it’s Cody Rhodes. 

At the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place, All Elite Wrestling booked this championship match between Rhodes and Lance Archer that served as the tournament finals. 

Archer controlled the first half of the contest. At one point due to outside interference, Arn Anderson, the coach of Rhodes, was tossed from ringside. Mike Tyson, who was there to present the title to the winner, scared off Jake Roberts, the manager of Archer, after Roberts teased bringing a snake into the ring.

The finish saw Cody hit Cross Rhodes twice for the win. 

https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1264367901366202373

The eight-man tournament was announced on March 30, 2020 and kicked off on the April 8th episode of Dynamite to crown its inaugural TNT Champion. 

Kip Sabian vs. Dustin Rhodes and Lance Archer vs. Colt Cabana was booked for the right side of the bracket while on the left side feared Cody vs. Shawn Spears and Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara. 

The semi-finals of the tournament took place on the April 29th episode of Dynamite. The pair of matches saw Rhodes vs. Allin and Rhodes against Archer. 

As seen on the show, Cody went over Allin in the opening match while Archer beat Rhodes in the main event. 

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: , , .

Brian Cage Makes AEW Debut, Wins Casino Ladder Match

As expected, the Casino Ladder Match was wild and featured the promotional debut of Brian Cage.

Cage ended up winning the contest at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday night. 

All Elite Wrestling booked this contest that featured Darby Allin vs. Colt Cabana vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Fenix vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Kip Sabian vs. Kazarian vs. Luchasaurus vs. mystery man.

It turns out that the mystery competitor was Cage. Taz came out with him and the announcers questioned whether he was the manager or coach for the former Impact wrestling star.  

A new wrestler entered the match every 2 minutes. Early on, Allin went to the top of the ladder and tried to stomp his skateboard onto Kaz but rather went through a ladder. He later briefly disappeared from the match after this spot. 

A group of wrestlers grabbed a giant poker chip to put it on top of Cage as a way to keep him down. Cage managed to get back up and did some nice spots. 

As a result of winning the contest, Cage has become the new #1 contender to the AEW World Heavyweight Title, which is currently held by Jon Moxley. 

As of this writing, there’s no word yet as to when he’ll get the chance to challenge Moxley for the top title in the promotion. 

What are your thoughts on Cage going over? Was this the right call by AEW officials? Sound off in the comment section.

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: , .

Kurt Angle To Appear On Wednesday’s WWE NXT, Updated Lineup

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle is slated to make his return to WWE programming when he appears on Wednesday’s episode of WWE NXT. 

WWE confirmed on Saturday that the legendary pro wrestler will be the special guest referee for the Cage Fight between Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher that takes place on the show. 

This will make his first appearance on WWE television since his departure from the company as he was part of the mass talent and staff releases by WWE due to coronavirus-related budget cuts. He had previously worked as an agent for the company. 

It was also announced by NXT General Manager William Regal that a new match has been added to the lineup. Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley will team up against NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte and a partner of her choosing.

This is being done as a way to further build on the program in the women’s division heading into NXT TakeOver: In Your House on June 7. 

Updated NXT Card

  • NXT Champion Adam Cole and William Regal to have negotiating session
  • Matt Riddle vs. Timothy Thatcher – Cage Fight (Kurt Angle as special guest referee)
  • Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley vs. NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte and a partner of her choosing
  • Drake Maverick vs. Kushida vs. Jake Atlas – Triple Threat to determine the Group A winner of the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Title tournament 

Brodie Lee Says AEW Is “Everything I Ever Wanted It To Be” (Exclusive)

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Brodie Lee Says AEW Is “Everything I Ever Wanted It To Be” (Exclusive)

Brodie Lee spoke with SEScoops.com last week ahead of his title match with Jon Moxley at Double or Nothing. Amongst other topics, Brodie spoke about going from being unfertilized in WWE to headlining a PPV with a new company.

“It’s very gratifying, it’s awesome, it’s exactly what I wanted, it’s exactly what I craved, it’s exactly what I desired,” Brodie said. “It’s everything I ever wanted it to be.”

Brodie would continue to say, however, that now the pressure on him is to deliver in his new role.

“So, now the pressure becomes on me because this is what I asked for, this is what I told people I could do,” he continued. “So now the pressure is on me to either put up or shut up. There’s an added pressure but also I believe that pressure will help make me better and I’m not afraid of the pressure.”

The “Empty Arena Era”

Brodie Lee made his AEW debut on the March 18th episode of Dynamite. That episode was originally supposed to take place from Rochester, NY, his hometown.

Lee revealed that AEW President Tony Khan gave him the option of delaying his debut until things got back to normal, since his big homecoming was not meant to be. He decided to debut on March 18th as planned and make the best of it.

“That’s kind of one of the things I was most looking forward to,” he said about AEW’s live crowds. “I was supposed to make my debut in Rochester, New York on March 18th. They had a really good presale crowd there and then the next week would be in New Jersey, which I think they had 12,000 tickets sold there. So, I was looking to jump right in into the huge aspect of AEW and the fans and the passion. Unfortunately, of course, that turned out to be too good to be true because everything happened on March 11th right before my debut.”

He then mentioned that AEW told him his debut could be pushed back.

“I was told ‘you don’t have to debut, you can wait, we can push it back.’ but at the same time, nobody knew how long that would be and I had been caged up and a stray cat for so long and just kind of left out that I was ready to be a professional wrestler again, I was ready to be a performer again, I was ready to work on my craft and there was no hesitation in me at all to jump right into it.”

“Tony, like I said, Tony gave me the option to hold it off but I think me and Matt Hardy we’re on the same page, we’re ready to hit the ground running.”

AEW Behind The Scenes

AEW stars such as Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley have said that AEW is less scripted and more open to input from performers than previous companies they have worked for. Brodie also commented on this aspect of his new company.

“That’s exactly it. There’s a lot of collaboration but it’s a lot of, I guess friendly collaboration. It’s not like ‘hey do this’ it’s ‘hey, what do you think of this idea?’ and then if I don’t like it, I tell them and it’s a conversation and we go from there.”

“Same thing with promos, it’s like there’s no written script. It’s like here’s the kind of point we need to get across. You say it how you want to say it. It’s your character, you’re fleshing out the character the way you want to which is incredibly refreshing because I was never able to flesh out a character for the past…I was a very one-dimensional character. I said my promo I think it was 2 weeks ago was the first time I’d spoken on a live mic at a professional wrestling show in the past 8 years, almost combined. Again, there’s a certain pressure to it because it’s on you now, there’s nobody left to blame.”

“Again, it’s a different element but it’s a very cool, creative element that helps you sleep at night.”

AEW Changing Course Due To Pandemic

Brodie Lee came to AEW at a time when some on the roster was unable to attend tapings due to travel restrictions. We asked what he knows about AEW changing course creatively as a result of the current climate.

“I think certain things with people not being able to be there maybe got put on hold,” he said. “I’m not privy to that information. I know that Jon Moxley presented us a situation for me to jump at and that’s what I did. So, I can’t worry about hurt feelings about people that didn’t show up to the show and didn’t get the opportunity, I can’t worry about that, I can only worry about myself. But, that said, hopefully, the way I handled things and the way that I performed changed some people’s minds as well if I wasn’t supposed to be in this position.”

Talent He Wants to Work With in AEW

Finally, we wanted to know about which young talent Brodie Lee wants to work with in AEW.

“Every person on the roster is a fresh match-up for me. At the top of that list would be Kenny and the Young Bucks. Watched them work, been friends with the Young Bucks for a long time. I’ve always told them that they had these unbelievable matches in Japan.”

“It’d be a thrill to get in there and test myself against guys like that.

“Darby Allin, a guy like that, a guy like Jungle Boy. Even people like the Proud and Powerful, they are fun for me to watch, I think they are wonderful workers. Jericho, Cody, so these people even who I have history with, Shawn Spears even, these guys that I have history with to now do it in a different environment is very appealing to me.”

Brodie then went back on a previous comment. He joked, “I take that back, anybody but Shawn Spears, if you could put that quote in.”

Order AEW Double or Nothing at BR Live (US) and FITE.TV (Internationally).

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in AEW, Interviews, News. Tagged: .

Brodie Lee Explains the Dark Order’s Ultimate Goal in AEW, Why They Are Not A Cult

Earlier this week, we had a chance to chat with Brodie Lee, the Exalted One of AEW’s Dark Order. During the discussion, we asked how he got involved with the Dark Order, the group’s ultimate goal in AEW and why he does not consider them a cult.

“I’ve known Evil Uno and Stu Grayson for the better part of 15 years,” Brodie said during the interview. “We’ve worked together in promotions like C4, Chikara, and upstate New York too. So, I’ve known them, I’ve been in contact with them the entire time they’ve been in AEW. Been watching what they do.

“It was just a good almost piece for me to jump in and try to take something to the next level. Unfortunately, since I’ve been here I’ve seen Uno and Grayson once in the past 2 months just because they’re from Canada and they haven’t been able to get across the border yet. But I think once we’re back together, people will understand and see what a formidable unit we are together.”

The Dark Order’s End Game

We asked Brodie about what the plans are for his Dark Order.

“I don’t want to be a violent organization, that’s not my M.O,” Brodie said. “It kind of becomes a necessity when you are in the professional wrestling world. And to me, you enter the professional wrestling world is to have power and what power equals in professional wrestling is world titles, and tag team championships, and TNT championships now.”

“So, I think our goal is to collect gold and to be a force to be reckoned with. I know the Elite claims to be the elite, they named a frigging promotion after themselves. So, to me, it’s almost like now you’re at the top, just like Jon Moxley, you put a mark on your head and us as a group we think we’re better than that and we think that we’re powerful, we want power, we want the glory. World championships, TNT championships, and tag-team championships are always in our future.”

Dark Order: Cult or Corporation?

Finally, we asked Brodie Lee why he does not consider the Dark Order to be a cult. He flipped the question on our interviewer and asked if SEScoops.com is a cult.

(Editor’s note: For the record, SEScoops is not a cult)

“Who do you work for?” Brodie asked. “Do you have a boss? Would you consider what you do as part of a cult? So then, what is the difference between what you’re doing in your line of work and what we’re going in our line of work?”

We attempted to explain that it seems as though the Dark Order preys upon the down-and-out people.

“Well that’s a strong possibility but the thing is, we’re making those people better in the long run. I mean, I’m undefeated. Uno and Stu are undefeated. Preston was undefeated until last night so I don’t understand, I think results speak for themselves. I don’t understand what difference a successful organization with a wonderful leader like myself, would make it a cult.”

“Tony Schiavone was given clear instructions and I understand you were probably not given the same instructions so I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on this one. But Schiavone was given clear instructions not to ask that question and they actually cut out two other times that he brought it up and left the third one in there.

“The way they cut it of course, they left my little tantrum in there which I wasn’t thrilled about but hey, I thought I got my message across. And again, I asked Tony this too, he works for many corporations and they’re not considered cults, so I don’t understand what the difference is.”

Brodie Lee challenges Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing. Order the PPV now at BR Live (US) and FITE.TV (Internationally).

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: , .

Otis Comments On Being Compared To Dusty Rhodes

Otis has found great success since his main roster debut in January last year. The former NXT star has constantly been featured on WWE programming since then and he also recently won the Money In The Bank match.

Due to his physique and charismatic in-ring presence, some people have started comparing the SmackDown star to the late great Dusty Rhodes.

Otis commented on these comparisons during a recent interview with SportsKeeda. He said that there is only one Dusty Rhodes and being compared to him is an honor:

“There’s only one Dusty Rhodes. I haven’t heard too much of that comparison but I guess you could say that because we’re both big, beefy guys. Good looking, thick men.

It’s an honor. He’s one of the best of all time, Dusty Rhodes.” said Otis. “And watching his stuff back too, just to see how he was working his swagger on the camera, how he translated to the fans was awesome, man,”

The 2020 Money In The Bank winner continued by saying that he hasn’t studied Dusty too much but you have to appreciate his work every time you watch his old matches.

There is no news on when Otis might cash in his Money In The Bank but there are speculations that he can use the contract for a title shot at the Tag Team Championships with his partner Tucker instead of a world title opportunity.

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Japanese Star Hana Kimura Passes Away At The Age Of 22

Japanese female wrestling star Hana Kimura has passed away at the age of 22. Her promotion Stardom confirmed the news of her demise with the following statement:

“Stardom fans, we are very sorry to report that our Hana Kimura has passed away. Please be respectful and allow some time for things to process, and keep your thoughts and prayers with her family and friends. We appreciate your support during this difficult time.”

Hana Kimura was a second-generation wrestler who was the daughter of Kyoko Kimura. She had been a part of the Wrestle-1 roster for some time but returned to Stardom where she became the leader of a faction called Tokyo Cyber Squad.

There were some concerns raised over her status earlier yesterday after Kimura posted some images of self mutilation along with the following cryptic message on Twitter:

“Nearly 100 frank opinions every day. I couldn’t deny that I was hurt. I’m dead. Thank you for giving me a mother. It was a life I wanted to be loved. Thank you to everyone who supported me. I love it. I’m weak, I’m sorry. I don’t want to be a human anymore. It was a life I wanted to be loved. Thank you everyone, I love you. Bye.”

There is no word yet on how the message posted by the young wrestling star coincides with her death but there have been all kinds of rumors about the same.

Apart from being a two-time Artist of Stardom Champion and a one-time Goddess of Stardom Champion, the female star also starred in a Netflix reality show in Japan dubbed “Terrace House” last year.

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Rey Fenix, Britt Baker Pulled From AEW Double Or Nothing Due To Injury

Two stars injured at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite will be unable to compete at tonight’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.

While it was originally said that Rey Fenix has been cleared to compete at the Double Or Nothing PPV, he has now been removed from the show.

The high flying star got banged up during this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. The company then announced late Friday night that the former LU star is not cleared to compete at the show this Saturday.

Fenix will now be replaced by Joey Janela in the Casino Ladder match with the winner getting a future title shot at the AEW World Champion Jon Moxley:

AEW also announced Britt Baker has been pulled from the show. She suffered a knee injury during the women’s tag match. Her health will be addressed Saturday night. Penelope Ford will now face Kris Statlander in her place.

Updated Double Or Nothing Match Card

AEW Double Or Nothing will be taking place this Saturday from Daily’s Place and TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. You can check out the updated match card for the show below:

  • Pre-Show #1 contenders match for AEW World Tag Team Championship: Private Party vs. Best Friends
  • AEW World Heavyweight Championship: Brodie Lee vs. Jon Moxley (c)
  • AEW TNT Championship Tournament Finals: Lance Archer vs. Cody Rhodes
  • No DQ, No Count Out Match for the AEW Women’s World Championship: Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose (c)
  • Stadium Stampede Match: Matt Hardy and The Elite (Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, AEW World Tag Team Champions Kenny Omega and Hangman Page) vs. The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana, Ortiz)
  • Casino Ladder Match: Joey Janela vs. Luchasaurus vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Kip Sabian vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Darby Allin vs. Colt Cabana vs. Mystery Man TBA
  • Singles Match: MJF vs. Jungle Boy
  • Singles Match: Shawn Spears vs. Dustin Rhodes
  • Singles Match: Penelope Ford vs. Kris Statlander

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

The Undertaker On How Vince McMahon Is In Real Life

There are a lot of stories about how Vince McMahon is in real life but if there is one person who knows the Boss up close and personal, then it’s the Undertaker. The Dead Man has been with WWE for 3 decades now and in the time he has developed a relationship with the boss which only a few stars have developed in the history of the company.

During a recent interview with The Bill Simmons podcast, Taker talked about the Boss and revealed how Mr McMahon is in real life. He was talking about his match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30 where Undertaker suffered a concussion. The Last Outlaw was taken to the hospital after the bout and he revealed that Vince left the show to go with him:

“I don’t remember doing any of this but I cut a promo on him like ‘Don’t you have a show to run? Why are you here? Most people think he’s this tyrant, but you really only get to see it if you’re close to him, he’s just such a giving person. He’s a really kind giving person, he knows how to run business obviously, but for years all the charities we worked with there was no publicity about any of it.

“We worked with Make A Wish for years and you never heard a word about it because that’s not what he was about.” said Undertaker. “Tribute to the Troops, every year whether it was Iraq or Afghanistan, he was on that plane with us. I don’t think people realize what a big heart he has and how much he cares about the people around him.”

The Undertaker also talked about a potential retirement for the chairman saying that McMahon loves the product and he loves working out. Taker mentioned how Mr. McMahon’s mother is 99 years old and she played tennis when she was 97. He then said that he hopes that nobody is waiting to take over Vince’s position because he will be there for long and the Dead Man claimed that McMahon will outlive him.

Posted May 23rd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Backstage News On Recent WWE Departure

A major departure from WWE’s production team was confirmed recently as reports revealed that longtime WWE producer Michael Mansury left the company last week.

The now-former WWE employee was considered a big part of Triple H’s team and many within the company dubbed him as the “next” Kevin Dunn.

The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter provides some updates on the situation and reveals the reason why the WWE official decided to leave the company.

It notes that everyone who is seen as a potential successor to Kevin Dunn has their life “made difficult” in the company and “they get constantly criticized” to Vince McMahon.

Regarding his departure, it was said that Mansury decided to leave the promotion as he had gotten impatient when it comes to upward mobility in the company. Though his departure was not sudden and Michael Mansury had given his notice months in advance.

The former WWE official joined the promotion as a Production Assistant and rose through the ranks over the years to become the Vice President of Global Television Production. Though his last promotion came in March 2016.

Michael Mansury had been with WWE for 11 years since joining the promotion in 2009. He was well-liked among the people in the company and many were shocked with his departure.

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in News, WWE.

Triple H Remembers His Last Meeting With Shad Gaspard

The demise of the former WWE star Shad Gaspard is one of the saddest news coming out of 2020 and fans around the world have been paying their respect to him since his death was confirmed.

WWE also paid tribute to the Cryme Tyme member through an opening graphic on this week’s episode of NXT and he was remembered on SmackDown as well.

During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, WWE Vice President Triple H was asked about the star and he recalled his last meeting with Shad which happened six months ago:

“Stephanie and I saw him maybe six months ago. We were at FOX for a meeting and he was just coming out of the lobby, we were coming into the lobby. We probably stood there for 20 minutes talking. He was just the greatest guy, so nice.”

Triple H On Shad Gaspard’s Death

The Game then discussed the unfortunate circumstances of his death. Triple H said that Gaspard was a great human being and his thoughts are with Shad’s wife and kid:

“With the circumstances around all of this, and you know, his son, thank God he’s okay. Knowing that he said, ‘Save my son’ and that was the last thing he did, that’s all you need to know about the guy.

He was just a great human being and it’s tragic, and my thoughts and prayers, as are everyone’s here, are to his wife and his kid, just the family, it’s tragic.”

The former World Champion continued by explaining how even when the incident was happening everybody was holding hope for Shad’s safe return and his death is very tragic.

You can check out Triple H’s comments in the video below:

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

AJ Styles Traded To SmackDown From Raw

WWE made a surprising change to the SmackDown roster this week and traded the former World Champion AJ Styles from the Raw roster to the Blue Branded show.

The company had stripped Sami Zayn of the Intercontinental Championship and then announced a tournament for the crowning of a new champion last week.

Styles was the only Raw star to be included in the tournament brackets, which suggests that the officials had already planned this move by then.

The Phenomenal One then showed up on this week’s episode of the Blue Branded Show and competed in a first-round match against long time rival Shinsuke Nakamura.

AJ Styles went on to win the bout and he will now be facing Elias in the second round of the tournament next week. Elias had beaten King Corbin last week to advance in the tournament.

It’s interesting to note here that no trade has been announced for the former World Champion for Raw and he has instead been traded for a future draft pick.

This means that it’s very likely that we will see a big star from the Blue Brand’s roster being traded to the Red Branded Show in coming weeks and it would be interesting to see who it turns out to be.

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

WWE SmackDown Results (5/22): AJ Styles & Jeff Hardy Advance, Bayley vs. Charlotte

WWE SmackDown aired from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte battled SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley tonight. Jeff Hardy faced Sheamus and AJ Styles squared off against Shinsuke Nakamura in the Intercontinental Championship tournament. Otis & Mandy Rose faced Dolph Ziggler & Sonya Deville on this week’s show as well.

SmackDown Results (5/22)

  1. Braun Strowman def. The Miz
  2. AJ Styles def. Shinsuke Nakamura to advance in the IC Title Tournament
  3. Bayley def. Charlotte Flair
  4. Dolph Ziggler & Sonya Deville def. Otis & Mandy Rose
  5. Jeff Hardy def. Sheamus to advance in the IC Title Tournament

Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s episode of SmackDown:

Miz & Morrison Challenged Strowman To A Handicap Match For The Title At Backlash

Miz and Morrison kicked off this week’s show with an episode of The Dirt Shirt. The Miz blasted Braun Strowman for getting in their business last week and Morrison mocked Becky Lynch for choosing to have a child with Seth Rollins. Miz joked that Bray Wyatt chose stuffed animals over Braun Strowman in the Wyatt Family.

They then introduced some puppets in a Firefly Funhouse parody. Universal Champion Braun Strowman finally interrupted and demanded that they ask him about Bray Wyatt and Money in the Bank. The Miz said Bray isn’t done with him and Morrison claimed that Strowman isn’t half the man that Miz is. Morrison went on a rant and wound up challenging Strowman for Miz. Strowman accepted and told Miz he is about to get these hands.

Match Recap: Strowman launched The Miz into the turnbuckle to start the match off. Morrison hit Strowman with a cheap shot outside the ring as the referee was distracted. Miz capitalized with a Dropkick and went for a DDT but Strowman blocked it. Strowman sent Miz flying across the ring and hit him with a Splash in the corner. Morrison hopped on the ring apron but the Universal Champion knocked him to the floor with a massive right hand. Strowman then planted Miz with the Running Powerslam for the easy victory.

After the match, Miz & Morrison challenged Braun to a Handicap Match for the Universal Championship at Miz & Morrison and Strowman accepted.

AJ Styles Advanced In The IC Title Tournament In A Great Match With Nakamura

AJ Styles
AJ Styles. Image Credit: WWE.com

Shinsuke Nakamura faced AJ Styles in the first round of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament.

Match Recap: AJ applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring but Nakamura quickly countered into a Headlock of his own. AJ broke free and leveled Shinsuke with a Dropkick. Styles brought Nakamura to the corner and delivered some chops to the chest. Nakamura hit Styles with a knee to the ribs and the two superstars traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Styles hit an Enziguri and went for a Suplex but Nakamura dodged it. Shinsuke connected with a snap German Suplex as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Styles hit a Pele Kick and both superstars fell to the canvas. Styles followed it up with a Clothesline and a Neckbreaker for a near fall. Styles locked in the Calf Crusher but Shinsuke was able to reach the bottom rope. Nakamura battled back with a knee to the face and went for the cover but Styles kicked out at two.

Nakamura went for the Kinshasa but Styles countered into a roll-up for a two count. Shinsuke quickly locked in a Triangle submission but AJ countered into a Styles Clash but Nakamura kicked out at the last moment. Styles hit a kick to the face and then the Phenomenal Forearm for the pinfall victory. AJ Styles has advanced to the semifinals in the IC Title Tournament. It was also announced during the match that RAW has traded Styles to SmackDown for future draft picks.

Bayley Stole A Victory

Charlotte battled Bayley tonight on SmackDown. Before the match, Bayley asked Sasha Banks not to be in her corner tonight because people are starting to think she cannot win without her.

Match Recap: Charlotte dominated early and beat Bayley down in the corner. Bayley went for a roll-up and used the ropes for leverage but the referee caught her. Bayley tripped up Charlotte and slammed her on the apron. Bayley went for a Baseball Slide but Flair got out of the way and Charlotte hit a Clothesline. Charlotte sent Bayley flying over the barricade and grabbed the Cole’s headset. Charlotte asked Sasha to come out here so she can kick both their asses as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Flair was still in control of the match and had Bayley in a Headlock. Flair sent Bayley to the corner and leveled her with a chop. Charlotte set up for a Moonsault but Bayley brought her back down to the mat and Flair tweaked her knee. The action spilled out of the ring and Bayley sent Charlotte into the ring post.

Bayley slammed Flair into the barricade and into the apron before the action returned to the ring. Charlotte connected with a Fallaway Slam and then beat her down in the corner once again. Flair climbed to the top rope and went for a Moonsault but Bayley got out of the way. Bayley went for an Elbow Drop but Charlotte blocked it and applied a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring. Bayley escaped and rolled up Flair for the victory. Bayley used the ropes for leverage again but the referee didn’t catch it. After the match, Sasha Banks congratulated Bayley on her victory.

Ziggler & Deville Picked Up A Win

Mandy Rose and Otis battled Sonya Deville and Otis tonight on SmackDown.

Match Recap: Sonya beat Mandy Rose in the corner to start off the match. Mandy exploded out of the corner and unloaded some punches to Deville’s face. Ziggler attacked Otis and sent him into the steel steps as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Sonya Deville booted Mandy in the midsection. Rose hit a Jawbreaker and went for a tag but Sonya hit a boot to the face. Rose finally got a tag and Otis sent Dolph to the canvas with a Clothesline. Deville tagged in and Mandy hit her with a Clothesline.

Otis and Ziggler brawled outside the ring as Mandy hit a running knee to the face. Sonya hit a running knee to the back of Rose’s head for the pinfall victory. After the match, Ziggler hit Otis with a Superkick as he was checking on Mandy.

Jeff Hardy Advanced In The IC Title Tournament

Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy battled Sheamus in the final first round match of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament. The winner of the match will face Daniel Bryan in the semifinals next week.

Match Recap: Sheamus beat the hell out of Jeff Hardy to start the match off. Jeff sent Sheamus out of the ring and hit a Dropkick through the ropes. Hardy went for a Crossbody but Sheamus caught him. Sheamus slammed Jeff into the ring post and then slammed him on top of the announce table as SmackDown went a commercial break.

Sheamus was still in control of the match when SmackDown returned and hit Hardy with a Clothesline. Hardy battled back and hit Whisper in the Wind. Sheamus shrugged it off and hit three Irish Curse Backbreakers in a row. Sheamus charged at Hardy but Jeff got out of the way at the last moment.

Jeff hit Sheamus with a Dropkick after he charged into the ring post for a near fall. Hardy hit a Clothesline off the barricade outside the ring and both superstars fell to the floor. Jeff climbed up to the top rope and went for the Swanton Bomb but Sheamus got his knees up. Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick but Jeff countered into a roll-up for the victory.

Opinion: I thought this week’s episode of SmackDown was a very good show. Styles vs. Nakamura, and Bayley vs. Charlotte were both solid matches. I’m also looking forward to Bryan versus Jeff Hardy next week. In my opinion, the main negative from this show was Strowman facing Miz & Morrison at Backlash. It seems like that will be the end of Miz & Morrison and I would have preferred a more interesting storyline for the Universal Championship.

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in Results, WWE.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament Semi-Finals Set

The semi-finals of the WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament are set.

The second batch of matches in this tournament took place on Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center on FOX.

Those matches saw AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura with Styles going over and Sheamus vs. Jeff Hardy with Hardy being victorious. 

WWE held the first batch of matches last week that saw Elias defeat Baron Corbin and Daniel Bryan beat Drew Gulak, who departed from the company after the match after his contract had expired with WWE and the company deciding to nix the talks about a new deal when he asked for more money. 

WWE Intercontinental Championship Tournament Semi-Finals

Now, Bryan will battle Hardy while Elias is slated to take on Styles in the semi-finals of the tournament. 

WWE announced when the finals will take place. It will take place next week on SmackDown.

WWE presents the Backlash pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 14, 2020 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center that will air on the WWE Network. Time will tell whether the finals go down at this show.

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: , , .

Title Match Added To WWE Backlash

A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Backlash PPV.

WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman will make his next title defense against The Miz and John Morrison in a Handicap Match at this event. 

WWE set up this contest on Friday’s episode of SmackDown on FOX when the show opened with Strowman interrupting The Miz and Morrison on The Dirt Sheet. 

This led to Strowman beating the Miz in a non-title match. After the match, he was challenged by Morrison to a Handicap Match at Backlash with the title on the line, which was accepted by Strowman. 

WWE presents the Backlash pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 14, 2020 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center that will air on the WWE Network. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming weeks. Here is the updated card:

Updated WWE Backlash Card

  • Edge vs. Randy Orton – Singles Match
  • WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Bobby Lashley
  • WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman vs. The Miz & John Morrison – Handicap Match

Ric Flair On Conversation With Tony Khan About Possibly Joining AEW

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

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

AEW Double Or Nothing Final Card

The card for Saturday’s (May 23, 2020) AEW Double Or Nothing has been finalized.

The company has yet to officially announce the main event of this event that takes place in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place and will air on pay-per-view.

The belief is that this special will be headlined by the Stadium Stampede Match. Another top match is AEW World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley vs. Brodie Lee. 

This show marks the second special for the promotion in 2020, which features a stacked lineup. 

With Britt Baker suffering an injury on Wednesday’s Dynamite, the promotion had Penelope Ford replace her against Kris Statlander.

AEW Double Or Nothing Card

  • AEW World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley vs. Brodie Lee
  • Cody Rhodes vs. Lance Archer – AEW TNT Title Tournament Finals
  • Jungle Boy vs. MJF
  • Darby Allin vs. Colt Cabana vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Joey Janela vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Kip Sabian vs. Kazarian vs. Luchasaurus vs. mystery man- Casino Ladder Match for future AEW World Championship shot
  • AEW Women’s Champion Nyla Rose vs. Hikaru Shida – No DQ Match
  • The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana and Ortiz) vs. The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Adam Page) – Stadium Stampede Match
  • Penelope Ford vs. Kris Statlander
  • Shawn Spears vs. Dustin Rhodes
  • Best Friends vs. Private Party – #1 Contenders Match (Pre-Show)

What are your thoughts on this card and the feuds that AEW is presenting to its fans? Sound off in the comment section.

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: .

Ric Flair On Conversation With Tony Khan About Possibly Joining AEW

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has opened up on signing a new deal with WWE shortly after making the news known to the public. 

He did so while speaking with Raj Giri. It turns out that he signed the deal last week. While he’s now under a new agreement with the company, he made it known that he’s never gone without getting paid by the company. 

Flair stated that WWE dealing with the coronavirus slowed down the actual official signing. He brought up how everybody went to work on figuring out on their end what to do.

He pointed out how it’s a lot to deal with in wrestling because it’s not a seasonal sport and is year-round. He added that just figuring your way around that has been an act of genius in itself. 

It turns out that despite their friendship, AEW President Tony Khan told him that he wouldn’t even ask Flair to join AEW. 

“Tony [Khan] told me that he wouldn’t even ask me to come to work there because he knows how tight I am with [WWE]. Our friendship is one thing but he respects my loyalty to the company. That’s how much respect [Khan] has for me and my relationship with the company which speaks volumes to what kind of guy Tony is. The same would apply to my daughter and WWE.”

Flair didn’t disclose the length of the deal but noted that he hopes that WWE keeps him around in some capacity for many years. 

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in AEW, News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Match & Segment Advertised For Monday’s WWE RAW

It appears that a match and segment has been revealed ahead of Monday’s episode of WWE RAW. 

Cable TV guides are advertising WWE Champion Drew McIntyre being the special guest on MVP’s VIP Lounge.

With MVP serving as the manager for Bobby Lashley, it’s likely that this segment is to further hype the upcoming championship match that will see McIntyre put the title on the line against Lashley.

This contest is one of the top matches featured on the Backlash pay-per-view card that takes place next month. 

Also advertised for this episode is a Triple Threat with the winner becoming the new #1 contender to RAW Women’s Champion Asuka. 

The advertised participants are WWE NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax and Natalya. Although not confirmed, it’s likely that the winner of this contest will challenge Asuka for the strap at Backlash. 

It should be noted that WWE has not officially announced this segment and match for the show. That could change over the weekend as RAW gets closer. 

The only thing announced for RAW in advance is WWE United States Champion Andrade defending the title against Apollo Crews. 

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in WWE.

AEW Taping Big Double Or Nothing Match In Advance

One match will reportedly not be live come Saturday night at the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view event. 

It was noted on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Live that All Elite Wrestling is taping the Stadium Stampede match on Friday in Jacksonville, Florida. The reason for this ten-man match being taped is so AEW can edit the contest and put it together ahead of the broadcast. 

As of this writing, there’s still no word yet as to what the main event of Double or Nothing will be. It’s possible that the Stadium Stampede will serve as the headliner of the show.

This contest is to take place from the empty TIAA Bank Field, the home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars

It’ll see The Elite (The Young Bucks, AEW World Tag Team Champions Kenny Omega & Hangman Page) and Matt Hardy vs. The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Santana, Ortiz).

Although not confirmed, there’s speculation that it will feature a few cameo appearances and some surprises. It’s supposed to be a wild brawl with the wrestlers having the entire stadium and football field to do battle on. A ring is going to be set up in the middle of the field. 

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: .

Injury Updates On Multiple AEW Wrestlers

The most recent edition of AEW Dynamite saw several wrestlers sustain injuries. At the moment, it is not clear if any of them will cause changes to the planned card for Double or Nothing, however.

Britt Baker Injury

Dr. Britt Baker sustained an injury to her knee on Dynamite. Baker teamed with Nyla Rose and took on Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida. During the match, Shida and Statlander tossed Rose onto Baker in the corner. It appears as though Rose landed hard on Baker’s knee. Baker took another move from Statlander (despite appearing to have trouble going up for the move) before tagging out and spending the rest of the match on the apron.

In an update from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Baker was said to have been feeling better the next day but her match with Statlander on Saturday could be in jeopardy. AEW has not released any official word on her status at this point, however.

Fenix Injury

Fenix did a dive to the outside on Dynamite and was not really caught by anyone before landing flat on the floor. The dive looked back and while he was said to have been pretty banged up, the Wrestling Observer is reporting that he will not miss any action and is still scheduled to be in the Casino Ladder match at Double or Nothing.

Matt Jackson Injury

The Young Bucks returned to AEW during the brawl inside the stadium on Wednesday night. Matt hurt his rib doing the diving crossbody inside the stadium. According to the Wrestling Observer, however, the injury shouldn’t cause him to miss any time.

“(Matt Jackson) said on 5/21 that he was hoping it’s just bruised or a cartilage injury and that the doctor seems to think that’s what it is, but that he would be wrestling on Saturday,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in AEW, News. Tagged: , .

Brodie Lee Is Ready For Jon Moxley: “I’m Not Afraid Of Violence” (Exclusive)

Brodie Lee challenges Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship this Saturday night at AEW Double or Nothing.

Just days before the biggest match of his career, The Exalted One spoke with SEScoops about how he’s preparing for the bout.

“It’s a lot of cardio right now,” he began. “Having not been in the ring for the better part of a year almost, I think I had 7 matches last year in WWE and maybe 3 at the end of the year and then 0. I’ve had 1 match over 3 minutes this year. So, it’s a lot of cardio, a lot of preparing myself for a long battle.”

“I know exactly what Jon Moxley is going to bring. He’s very violent, he likes to punch you in the face right away. So I think that’ll snap me out of any kind of slumber I might be in real quick. And I know he’s going to bring a level of violence that I have to be prepared for and I am prepared for that because I’m not afraid of violence.”

He then revealed that his wife is concerned about what will transpire at Double or Nothing.

“Before I left the house on Tuesday, my wife told me ‘you and Jon Moxley scare me.’ I think she knows and hopefully the fans know that when we link it up it’s going to be something, I guess, terrible, is a good description.”

There’s no doubt that Jon Moxley will bring the violence. However, Brodie Lee feels he has the advantage when it comes to size, agility and instability.

“I know I have the size advantage, I maybe have the agility advantage,” he continued. “He probably thinks he’s a little more violent than me but there’s definitely something wrong up here [in his head].”

Thanks to Brodie Lee for chatting with us. You can check out our full interview below.

Order AEW Double or Nothing at BR Live (US) and FITE.TV (Internationally). Catch AEW Dynamite Wednesday nights on TNT.

Posted May 22nd, 2020 in AEW, Interviews, News. Tagged: , , .

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