Archive for August, 2021

AEW Dynamite Results (8/25): CM Punk Appears, Jericho Puts In-Ring Career On The Line

AEW Dynamite aired live from the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. CM Punk made his first appearance on Dynamite and Chris Jericho addressed his AEW future during the show. It was announced that Satoshi Kojima will face Jon Moxley at All Out.

Dynamite Results

  1. Orange Cassidy def. Matt Hardy
  2. Lucha Bros def. Varsity Blonds to advance to the finals fo the Tag Team Eliminator Tournament
  3. Jamie Hayter def. Red Velvet
  4. Darby Allin, Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston def. The Wingmen
  5. Gunn Club def. The Factory
  6. Malakai Black def. Brock Anderson

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Orange Cassidy def. Matt Hardy

Orange Cassidy faced Matt Hardy in the first match of the night. Cassidy and Hardy traded “delete!” and lazy kicks as the crowd chanted along. Matt put his hands in his pockets but pulled out a bunch of money. Cassidy Dropkicked Matt out of the ring and put some of the money in his pocket. Cassidy went for a Suicide Dive but Matt caught him with a Side Effect outside in the ring.

Matt bounced Cassidy’s face off the ring apron several times and started biting his hand. Hardy wrapped Cassidy around the ring post and stretched him out. Back in the ring, Hardy hit a Back Drop and collected all of the money in the ring. Matt hit an Elbow Drop and went for the cover but Cassidy kicked out at two.

Hardy beat Orange down in the corner of the ring until the referee broke it up. Matt unloaded some forearms to Cassidy’s back and planted him with a Suplex for a near fall. Matt took back the money Cassidy put back in his pocket and hit a Leg Drop for a near fall.

Matt launched Cassidy into the turnbuckle and went for a Clothesline but Orange ducked. Hardy planted Cassidy with a Powerbomb for a near fall. Cassidy kept rolling away from Hardy and then sent him out of ring. Orange hit a Suicide Dive and then a Crossbody back in the ring. Orange wound up landing on Matt’s face and it looked like Hardy broke his nose as blood was pouring down his face. Cassidy followed it up with a Tornado DDT for a near fall. Cassidy planted Matt with a Twist of Fate and went for the cover but Hardy kicked out at two. Cassidy rolled up Hardy for the pinfall victory.

Jericho Put His AEW In-Ring Career On The Line To Get A Match With MJF At All Out

Chris Jericho came to the ring to address his AEW future tonight. Jericho said that this has been a big week for AEW and everybody has been celebrating but him. He noted that he lost to MJF for the third time last week and even worse, he tapped out. Jericho said he has been losing sleep about it and that he has always strived to stay on top.

Jericho shouted that he doesn’t give a shit and will keep attacking to MJF until this is over. Jericho said he has a proposal to MJF and invited him to the ring. MJF didn’t come to the ring and Jericho proposed one final fight at All Out. Jericho added that if he cannot beat MJF, maybe he does not belong in All Elite Wrestling anymore and doesn’t deserve to Le Champion. Jericho said that he will go to commentary full time on Rampage and never wrestle in AEW again.

MJF came to the entrance ramp with a shirt that said he was 3-0 against Jericho. MJF said he is not an idiot like all these people in Milwaukee and that Jericho needed to stay relevant by aligning himself with MJF. MJF joked that he tapped out Jericho faster that somebody listening to a Fozzy CD. He then accepted the match and ended the promo by telling Jericho that he is better than him and he knows it.

Lucha Bros Advanced To The Finals Of The Eliminator Tournament

Lucha Bros faced Varsity Blonds in the tag team Eliminator Tournament. AEW Tag Team Champions Young Bucks, Good Brothers, and Brandon Cutler sat on the entrance ramp and watched the match. Griff Garrison and Rey Fenix started off the match. Rey went for an Arm Drag but Griff blocked it. Griff went for a kick but Fenix got out of the way and the two circled each other.

Pentagon Jr. and Brian Pillman Jr. then tagged in. Penta caught Pillman with a Superkick but then Brian responded with one of his own. Pillman connected with a Hurricanrana as Julia Hart cheered them on from ringside. Penta battled back and lit up Pillman’s chest with a chop as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Fenix hit Pillman with a boot to the face and followed it up with a Dropkick off the top rope. Fenix planted Pillman with a Cutter and went for the cover but Griff broke it up at two as Jurassic Express was show in the crowd. Penta and Garrison battled on the ring apron as Pillman sent Fenix out of the ring. Pillman hit Penta with a Dropkick and knocked him to the floor.

Fenix dragged Pillman to the outside and the Lucha Bros dropped the Varsity Blonds with Superkicks in stereo. Fenix hit a crazy dive onto the Varsity Blonds and taunted the Young Bucks. Back in the ring, Griff connected with a flying forearm but got leveled with a boot to the face from Penta. Lucha Bros took out Pillman with a couple Superkicks and a Piledriver for the pinfall victory. Lucha Bros will face Jurassic Express this Friday night on Rampage in the finals of the tournament. The winners will face the Young Bucks at AEW All Out for the tag titles.

After the match, Jurassic Express and Lucha Bros shook hands. Young Bucks shoved the teams into each other but they didn’t fall for it. They took out Good Brothers and Young Bucks with some Suicide Dives and posed in the ring to end the segment.

Jamie Hayter def. Red Velvet

Jamie Hayter faced Red Velvet tonight on Dynamite. Veltet sent Hayter to the corner with a Dropkick but Jamie quickly shrugged it off. Jamie hit a Fallaway Slam and whipped her into the turnbuckle. Red Velvet sent Jamie out of the ring and hit her with a Suicide Dive. Red Velvet followed it up with another one before having a stare down with Britt Baker ringside.

Hayter capitalized on the distraction and slammed Red Velvet into the ring post. Baker attacked Red Velvet as well as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Red Velvet connected with a Bulldog and followed it up with Double Knees to the back. Britt hopped on the ring apron but Red Velvet shoved her to the floor. Red Velvet went for a Moonsault but Jamie blocked it. Hayter followed it with a big Clothesline for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Brit Baker and Jamie Hayter attacked Red Velvet but Kris Statlander rushed the ring. Statlander made the save and went after but she retreated. Statlander raised the AEW Women’s Championship in the ring to end the segment. Baker will defend the AEW Women’s Championship against Kris Statlander on September 5th at All Out.

CM Punk Made His First Dynamite Appearance, Referenced Bryan Danielson

Tony Schiavone interviewed CM Punk tonight on Dynamite. Punk pointed at his wrist and noted that it wasn’t clobberin’ time yet. He then made his way to the ring as the crowd chanted his name. Tony asked what the one thing was that brought him back and CM Punk said he couldn’t hear him. The crowd erupted and once again broke out in a CM Punk chant.

Punk listed off several names (Lucha Bros, Jungle Boy, Pillman JR.) but Darby was first. Punk retired the nickname “Voice of the Voiceless” because this place has a voice and the people in the back are listening. Punk stated that Darby Allin would have been his favorite wrestler when he was 15 years old and doesn’t fit the mold of what somebody else thinks a pro wrestler is. Punk added that Darby is not the biggest or strongest, but god damn it he has heart.

CM Punk said that if he is going to answer the question “can you still be the best in the world?” and a “yes!” chant. Punk stated that is somebody else’s shtick and you might just have to a little more patient on that. He said this is not about proving the haters wrong it is about proving himself right. Punk said hi to wife April to end the promo.

Allin, Moxley, Kingston def. The Wingmen

Darby Allin, Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston faced The Wingmen (Cezar Bononi, Ryan Nemeth, JD Drake). Peter Avalon and Sting were ringside for the match. Darby and JD Drake started off the action. Darby hit a chop but Drake shrugged it off. Allin sent JD out of the ring and Drake retreated away from Sting.

Eddie Kingston and Ryan Nemeth then tagged. Nemeth danced around like a goof before flexing in front of Eddie. Kingston leveled Nemeth with a chop and then Cezar tagged in. They then circled each other and Kingston went for a shoulder tackle but Cezar didn’t budge.

Bononi shrugged off some chops before Moxley tagged in. Jon cleared the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Bononi went for a Suplex but Moxley escaped. JD Drake tagged in and Moxley dropped him with a punch. Kingston tagged in and planted Drake with a Uranage.

Nemeth distracted Eddie and JD capitalized with a Backbreaker. JD climbed to the top but Moxley bit his ear like a maniac. Darby hit a Code Red on Drake but got tripped up by Peter Avalon. Sting approached Peter and then Kingston & Moxley beat him down. Nemeth grabbed a steel chair and brought it into the ring. He hit the canvas a few times and got knocked out of the ring as the brawl continued. Allin hit Drake with the Coffin Drop in the ring for the pinfall victory. After the mach, Daniel Garcia attacked Darby Allin from behind and retreated.

Omega & Christian Met Face-To-Face

AEW Champion Kenny Omega came to the ring with Callis but was quickly interrupted by Impact Champion Christian Cage. Christian joked that the fans haven’t had enough booze to believe any of the BS come out of Don Callis’ mouth. Cage rolled footage from the recent Road to Dynamite episode in which Callis fired Cage in the past. Cage said that was proof right there of Don Callis being a carney piece of shit. A piece of shit chant broke out and Callis threw a tantrum.

Omega noted that that the video only proved he was a better athlete than Christian in the past and nothing has changed. Cage said that it was weird that Omega was still letting Don manipulate him as an adult. Callis got pissed and demanded that someone hold his scarf. Don said that Omega will prove that Christian Cage will always be 2nd best at All Out. Cutler sprayed Cage in the face and and Omega attacked him from behind. The Elite Hunter Frankie Kazarian rushed the ring to make the save.

Gunn Club Picked Up A Win

The Factory faced The Gunn Club tonight on Dynamite. Paul Wight joined commentary for the match and will be facing QT Marshall at All out. Billy and Nick Comoroto started off the action. Nick hit an elbow to the face but Billy sent him out of the ring. QT hit a cheap shot and taunted Paul Wight as Dynamite went to a break.

When Dynamite returned, Comoroto hit a slam and went for a Splash but missed. Aaron Solo tagged in for a moment before Colten Gunn tagged in. Coltlen hit QT with a Splash and Solo with a Dropkick. Nick hit a shoulder tackle and battled with Billy outside the ring. Back in the ring, QT hit a Backbreaker and Flatliner combo. QT got distracted with taunting Paul Wight and Colten rolled him up for the pinfall victory.

Malakai Black Dominated

Malakai Black faced Brock Anderson in the main event. Arn Anderson was ringside for the match. Brock took Malakai down and unloaded some punches. Malaki caught Brock with a knee to the face and beat him down in the corner of the ring. Black hit some kicks to the chest before the referee backed him away.

Malakai took a look at Arn and told him to throw in the towel. Arn refused and Malakai continued to taunt him. Brock capitalized with a few punches to the midsection and set up for a DDT but Malakai countered into a slam. Malakai hit Black Mass and paced around Brock as he laid on the canvas. Malakai then covered Brock for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Arn helped Brock up as Malakai grabbed a steel chair. Malakai brought the chair into the ring and Arn stood in the way. Malakai made his way towards Arn and slid the chair out of the ring. Malakai went for a kick but Arn blocked it. Black booted Arn in the groin and followed it up with Black Mass. Malakai took a seat on the top rope to admire his work. Lee Johnson slid into the ring and Malakai exited to end the show.

CM Punk Drops Bryan Danielson Hints On AEW Dynamite, Instagram

CM Punk has delivered a massive tease in regards to Bryan Danielson.

Punk appeared on AEW Dynamite for the first time on Aug. 25. The self-proclaimed “Best in the World” made his return to the pro wrestling industry on Aug. 20. He opened up the second episode of AEW Rampage to a thunderous ovation inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

On Dynamite, Punk explained why he felt now is the right time to step inside the AEW ring. As fans chanted “Yes!” during Punk’s promo, he dropped quite the hint.

“That’s somebody else’s shtick and you might just need to be a little more patient, ok?” The crowd erupted at the prospect of Danielson joining Punk in AEW.

To add fuel to the fire, CM Punk posted a close-up photo of a handshake on his Instagram Story late Wednesday night. Longtime fans might recognize that handshake. Zoom out and you’ll see that it’s a photo of Punk and Danielson from their days in Ring of Honor.

https://twitter.com/sescoops/status/1430878695598739470

Is Bryan Danielson All Elite?

Bryan is reportedly locked in with AEW. It’s been said that he’ll be making his promotional debut on the Sept. 22 Dynamite show in New York City.

Bryan hasn’t been seen in action since WrestleMania 37. He was defeated in a triple threat match that involved Roman Reigns and Edge. Reigns ended up winning the match to retain the WWE Universal Championship.

When asked about the report of Bryan Danielson being signed to AEW, Tony Khan has said he can’t comment on it. It’s important to note that usually when a false rumor is made about AEW, Khan has no problem dismissing it. He had the same approach to the Punk report where he wouldn’t comment on whether or not it was true.

Chris Jericho’s In-Ring AEW Career On The Line Against MJF At All Out

Chris Jericho is set to end his feud with MJF but it may come at the expense of his in-ring career.

Jericho addressed his future on the Aug. 25 edition of AEW Dynamite in Milwaukee. He admitted that MJF’s three victories over him are stuck in his mind. It’s gotten to the point where he laid down one final challenge to MJF for the All Out PPV. If Jericho loses, he will end his in-ring career with AEW.

Here’s the challenge from Jericho.

“I am proposing one final match. One final fight at All Out on September 5th. And I’ve been thinking about this long and hard, and I’m serious when I say this, if I can’t beat MJF maybe I don’t belong in AEW anymore. It’s inside my head. If I can’t beat MJF maybe I don’t deserve to be ‘Le Champion’ anymore.

“So this is what I propose. If you beat me MJF, I will go to that commentary table full-time on Rampage, hell maybe someday I’ll commentate Dynamite as well because if you beat me I will never wrestle in AEW again.”

It didn’t take long for MJF to respond to Jericho’s proposal. He gladly accepted but urged Jericho to consider the consequences if he loses to him a fourth and final time.

“Being able to say that I ended Jericho, now that’s legendary. So you know what, Chris? You want the match? You got it.

“I want you to really consider this, Chris. I want you to really mull this one over. Because you are putting your in-ring career on the line against the same man who has mopped the floor with you not once, not twice, but three times! You sure you want this match, bud? Because if I were you I wouldn’t because I’m better than you and you know it.”

All Out will take place inside the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Sept. 5. The event will feature the in-ring return of CM Punk, who will face Darby Allin. Also set for the card will be an AEW World Title match between champion Kenny Omega and Christian Cage.

John Cena: The Rock Doesn’t Need To Be Pressured Into WWE Return

John Cena doesn’t believe The Rock owes anyone a return to WWE.

It’s no secret that The Rock has become Hollywood’s biggest star. During his time with WWE, “The People’s Champion” gained immense popularity but few could’ve expected him to explode on the scene the way that he has. It got to the point where some weren’t convinced that he’d ever make a return to WWE.

The Rock ended up returning in 2011 and he served as the WrestleMania 27 host. He ended up facing John Cena at WrestleMania 28 and 29. Along the way, The Rock even captured the WWE Title from CM Punk.

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Cena explained why he won’t be calling his old foe to ask him about returning to WWE.

“He’s earned the right not to be pressured into that choice. I can say he is a fan of the WWE. He is the most electrifying man in sports entertainment. So as a fan do, I want to see one of the greatest performers of all time step back in the WWE ring? Yeah. But in no way am I gonna call him and if I’m gonna talk to him about something, it’s not gonna try to be to get him back in the WWE ring. He needs to come to that conclusion by himself.

“Because then, his performance will be, The Rock, he’ll be the best he can be. So I do hope he comes back, as a fan, and I hope it’s wonderful, and if he chooses not to, he’s earned the right to choose not to.”

Many believe that WWE’s hope is to be able to get The Rock for a WrestleMania showdown with “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns. The holdup is whether or not The Rock’s schedule can align with WWE’s.

Pat McAfee Shares Positive Covid-19 Test on Twitter

Smackdown commentator Pat McAfee has revealed he has tested positive for Covid-19 on Twitter. He also announced that he would be out indefinitely. WWE has not released a statement regarding McAfee’s positive test.

Pat McAfee’s NXT Career

Despite being the current Smackdown commentator, he started his WWE career in NXT last year. He made his in-ring debut with Adam Cole at NXT Takeover 30 on August 22, 2020. His last match was a War Games match at NXT Takeover: War Games on December 6, 2020, with his teammates Pete Dunne, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan vs. the Undisputed Era.

Although his in-ring activity lasted a few months, he was praised for his ability by other WWE talents and even by WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. In an interview with ESPN on December 15, 2020, Austin said, “Hey man, he puts it all on the line. He’s going for it. I think his verbal skills, he’s slaying everybody, but he’s not afraid to go out there and put it all on the line. You wouldn’t expect it from a guy who goes out there and kicks a football.”

New Role as Smackdown Commentator

He joined the Smackdown roster as a commentator on April 16th. Paired with Michael Cole, he has received praise for his work. Cole, who has been with the WWE for nearly 25 years, credits McAfee with revitalizing his career on the Pat McAfee Show.

When sharing what makes McAfee different from past co-workers, Cole said, “…You’re different than all of those guys because you’re a true fan and you bring that enthusiasm to the product, and seeing how you’ve been acting over the past couple of months has really revitalized what I do, and I realize that I have to step up my game to keep up with what you’re doing from an enthusiastic standpoint and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

McAfee’s last appearance was at Summerslam at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 21st.

It’s unclear who will replace him while he recovers, but now another question remains that could potentially lead to other WWE talent indefinitely off WWE programming. Was there any WWE talent in contact with him in the last five days before his positive diagnosis?

Riddle Reveals If He Prefers To Wrestle Brock Lesnar Or Goldberg

Riddle has a preference if he had to choose between a match with Goldberg or Brock Lesnar.

Riddle has been known to ruffle some feathers backstage in WWE. While some have grown to like his personality, others didn’t really have a great first impression of the former UFC fighter. Two of those athletes were Goldberg and Brock Lesnar.

Back in 2019, Riddle and Goldberg had a backstage run-in. Goldberg let Riddle know he didn’t appreciate some comments made by him about his in-ring work. Riddle also reportedly had a run-in with Brock Lesnar where Lesnar told Riddle to stop talking about him because they’ll never share the ring.

At the very least it appears Riddle and Goldberg have smoothed things over. It’s gotten to the point where Riddle told the folks on The Bump that he’d prefer to face Goldberg over Lesnar.

“I’ll say this: I don’t want to talk too much trash, but both Brock [Lesnar] and Goldberg are premium competitors. Mr. Beast [Lesnar] came back. Mr. Beast came down to the ring and did his thing. I’m not a huge fan of Mr. Beast’s man bun. I’m a fan of his work and caliber of athleticism. So, good for him.

“Then, you’ve got Willie G., Goldberg. He was doing his thing. Him and Gage, they bring it; they’re a packaged deal. Honestly, Bill’s been kind of cool with me lately. Not too cool. Not that cool, but he’s been cooler. [Ryan Pappolla shouts out, ‘Building bridges’], Yeah. You know, the bridge was already destroyed. It got blown up. So, right now, we’re throwing some stones, and you can walk across the water.

“But if I had to pick a match between the two of them, if I’m going realistically, I’m thinking Goldberg. Goldberg at ‘Mania, I think that’s a possibility. I think I might convince him to actually wrestle me.”

Goldberg recently fell short in his bid for the WWE Championship against Bobby Lashley at SummerSlam. On the same PPV, Riddle won the Raw Tag Team Titles with Randy Orton.

WWE Reportedly Offered Pete Dunne a Contract Extension

The WWE has reportedly offered NXT talent Pete Dunne a contract extension. Dunne’s contract issue is similar to Cole’s in that WWE was unaware that it was expiring. Fightful Select reports that WWE offered him an extension but was unsure if he signed.

“The length of the offered extension has not been confirmed and varied based on who we spoke to, but the offer was confirmed by an anonymous WWE rep.”

– Fightful Select

Pete Dunne WWE Status

While it’s unclear if WWE re-signed Dunne, NXT featured him on yesterday’s episode. In the recent episode, he teased a feud with NXT Champion Samoa Joe. He also has a newly formed faction with Ridge Holland, Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch. Unlike Cole, it seems that WWE has immediate plans for Dunne in NXT.

Contract issues in WWE

WWE is hoping to re-sign both Dunne and Cole to avoid them testing free agency. WrestlingInc’s Marc Middleton reported Cole’s contract situation caught WWE executives off guard. Middleton also stated that the departure of former Senior Vice President of Talent Development Canyon Ceman is related to the sudden Cole’s contract issue. “…PWInsider noted that the timing of the company learning of the Cole contract issue “very much lines up with the timing of” Ceman’s departure,” said Middleton.

While it’s unclear if Cole will re-sign, WWE seems to be confident Dunne will. PWInsider Mike Johnson reported that WWE plans to make him a featured heel in NXT. However, as Fightful Select said, it’s unknown if Dunne “…has re-signed or if he plans to.”

Tommy Dreamer Details Speaking With Passionate CM Punk Fan

As CM Punk made his entrance in the United Center for The First Dance, numerous fans had an emotional reaction. Several people could be seen in the audience with tears coming down their face. The image of one fan in particular seemed to sum up just how emotional a moment it was, however.

Tommy Dreamer spoke about wanting to find the fan to give back to him as a thank you for his passion. It took a few days but Dreamer was able to get in contact with the man, who appears to just be a nice and humble guy who loves wrestling. Below is what Dreamer said on Busted Open Radio about his conversation with the fan.

“I offered to fly him to Bound For Glory, talked to Tony Khan, Tony Khan said he’ll take care of him for tickets. CM Punk, spoke to him, said he’d take care of him for a meet and greet,” Dreamer said of all the people who want to do something nice for the man.

Dreamer noted that it took a few days to reach the fan. The person is not a “social media guy” so he was harder to track down.

Tommy Dreamer Speaks With Passionate CM Punk Fan

“What a wonderful fan,” Dreamer said of the man. “Does not want any fame, doesn’t really want anything, which is good cause I was going to fly him on my miles.”

Dreamer continued to say that things are still being arranged for the fan, however.

“I asked him to come on this show and he’s like ‘I have a job and a wife, 2 kids and I just really appreciate professional wrestling’ and he didn’t want anything. I still arranged for it to happen and good o’l Judge Jeff Jones made sure all the stuff with Tony Khan and CM Punk, it’s all going to happen for him.”

“It was really cool to hear his response and just his fandom for professional wrestling,” Dreamer continued. Dreamer also said the fan was very happy to speak to him and excited to get to meet some other wrestlers.

Unfortunately, Dreamer also mentioned that 3 different impersonators tried to hit him up for free stuff while pretending to be the fan.

New Japan Showdown Adds Big Names to Event in Philadelphia

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced the talent involved for their New Japan Showdown event. The talent includes big names like former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay and the Never Openweight Champion Jay White.

“October 16 & 17 will see NJPW STRONG taped in Philadelphia, as Showdown 2021 emanates from the legendary 2300 Arena across two nights. An already hot ticket is set to get hotter, as big names have been added to this landmark event,” said NJPW.

Tickets for the event have gone on sale.

All Elite Wrestling Talent Involved at Showdown

While New Japan Showdown will be an NJPW event, they have also acquired an All Elite Wrestling talent to appear. The former NJPW United States Heavyweight Champion Lance Archer participate in the event. NJPW also added Archer to NJPW’s Autumn Attack in September.

Archer lost his championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW Resurgence on August 14th. It is unclear if Archer will get a rematch for the title. Although plans can change, NJPW hasn’t advertised Tanahashi for the event.

What’s Next for Will Ospreay

While Ospreay vacated the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in May, he now claims he is still the champion. He is also in the New Japan Showdown poster with the championship. However, NJPW hasn’t officially acknowledged Ospreay as their champion.

It’s unclear at this time if NJPW will make Ospreay the IWGP Heavyweight Champion for their NJPW strong brand. Ospreay, in his return to NJPW, said that NJPW Strong would be his new home. He also has issued an open challenge for contenders to face him for “his” IWGP Heavyweight Championship under the NJPW strong brand. While the matches are unknown for New Japan Showdown, Ospreay will likely want to defend “his” title.

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Tony Khan Says CM Punk Deal Paid For Itself On The 1st Night

Tony Khan was a guest on the Dan Le Batard & Friends podcast recently. During the discussion, he spoke about the deal he made to bring CM Punk to AEW. Khan said he feels the deal was one of the best he’s ever made.

“I believe this was one of the best deals I’ve ever done in my life and I don’t think it was really all about money,” Khan said.

Khan would continue to talk about how he and Punk got to know each other throughout the pandemic by speaking regularly on the phone. He feels the trust they built is what led to the deal being completed.

“I spent a lot of time talking to him on the phone getting to know each other better and building trust with each other. So, this was a long time coming, we’ve been talking a lot for about a year and a half.”

Le Batard then asked Khan if Punk paid for himself on his first night.

“Yeah, I do think so. In terms of what this has done for our business, I really believe as soon as we saw the results from this, before we even got started I knew this was the best deal we could have possibly done.”

Tony Khan Talks Deal To Bring CM Punk To AEW

Khan also spoke about how Punk was very generous with his time backstage with wrestlers on Friday night.

“He was also really cool about going backstage and offering really, really kind advice, being very good with his time with the wrestlers.”

Khan also spoke about how the idea with The First Dance was that fans would be confident Punk would be there, but not 100% sure.

“The idea by the time the show started is that all the fans would be 99% sure CM Punk is going to be there, but that 1% doubt is what made it that much better than just advertising it,” Khan said.

The full conversation with Tony Khan can be heard in the player below:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/02CqhLPjaQzAFPd6zNOY79

News On WALTER’s Future Following Loss at NXT TakeOver

Walter delivered another impressive performance in his match at TakeOver: 36. His bout appears to have heated up talks about his future within the company.

According to reports from PWInsider, there was ‘a lot’ of talk among WWE officials coming out of his NXT UK championship match that the former champion needs to appear on NXT ‘on a consistent basis.’

Though the site notes that this is not a chosen creative direction for the UK star and whether or not he ends up moving brands will only be seen in the future.

Walter On Moving To America

Walter has shown his disinterest in relocating to America multiple times in the past. In an After The Bell appearance, he had explained that he didn’t consider signing with WWE prior to the inception of NXT UK because he wants to stay where he is:

“I was never too keen about leaving Germany or Europe to live in the United States. It’s a big step. Most of the other wrestlers are willing to do it because it’s their goal from day one or early in their career.”

For those who don’t know, TakeOver: 36 saw Walter dropping his NXT UK title to Ilja Dragunov, ending his historic 870 days long reign with the championship.

Charlotte Flair On Why She Was At TripleMania, What She Told Andrade About Leaving WWE

While she did not appear live on the show, Charlotte Flair’s presence at the TripleMania event attracted a lot of attention. It was the subject of many headlines because she skipped a WWE show to attend the PPV.

The Queen talked about it on the latest episode of Renee Paquette’s Oral Sessions podcast. She explained that TripleMania was like WrestleMania for Andrade and so she couldn’t miss it for the world:

“[Andrade] was like, ‘Mami, TripleMania is my WrestleMania.’ To see him go back to Mexico, be proud of himself, feel confident in himself,

And be the superstar that he is,” said Charlotte, “Especially in his home country, I was like, I’m not missing this for the world.”

Charlotte On Andrade Leaving WWE

The new Raw women’s champion also opened up about Andrade’s decision to leave WWE. She detailed a conversation the two had before the former NXT champion departed from the promotion:

“He felt deflated from not being on TV and what was happening. I said, ‘I can’t tell you what to do, and I can’t beg you to stay even though our life is together on the road because you’ll resent me. You need to go spread your wings and do what you do,

And if you want to come back, I’m always going to be here.” said Flair, “I’m always going to support you.’ It was the best thing for him.”

For those who don’t know, AAA TripleMania XXIX took place earlier this month. One of the top matches of the card saw Kenny Omega succesfully defending his Mega championship against Andrade.

Things became interesting when Ric Flair came out to accompany Andrade to the ring and then backstage photos of Charlotte Flair on the show went viral.

KENTA Reveals He Tested Positive For COVID-19

NJPW’s KENTA has noted on Instagram stories that he recently tested positive for COVID-19. He did experience symptoms, including a fever and loss of smell but is doing better now.

“I got COVID last few weeks,” he wrote. “First of all, I apologize to everyone who had to [change plans] because of me. Fortunately, my symptom was not too bad. Just [had a] fever a few days (102 F) and lost my smell. But now I’m totally fine. And got [a negative test]. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.”

KENTA hasn’t wrested in a month. His last match was the 22-man New Japan Rando match at Wrestle Grand Slam in the Tokyo Dome on July 25th. The night before he lost a singles match to Hiroshi Tanahashi at Summer Struggle in Nagoya.

On August 15th, NJPW announced that several wrestlers had been pulled from shows due to COVID-19 protocols. KENTA was not on the tour by this point, however. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi was pulled from the tour and hasn’t wrestled since August 14th.

In NJPW, KENTA is a 1x Never Openweight Champion and won the USA Cup on New Japan Strong in 2020. In Pro Wrestling NOAH, KENTA is a former 1x GHC Heavyweight Champion and 3x Junior Heavyweight Champion.

KENTA responded to CM Punk’s return to pro-wrestling on Friday night’s The First Dance event:

Drew McIntyre Reacts To CM Punk’s Return

The wrestling world is still buzzing about the return of CM Punk. While many WWE stars have chosen to react to the big development indirectly, Drew McIntyre is openly showing his support for it.

The former WWE champion spoke to Pro Wrestling Bits while promoting the SummerSlam event that took place this past Saturday. He talked about things such as adapting to the Thunderdome and more.

When asked about the pro wrestling return of the Straight Edge star, McIntyre said that he’s all for it. He explained that he supports anything that makes wrestling better:

“Just anything that’s good for wrestling, I’m all about. I was outside the company from 2014 to 2017, working the Independents and with IMPACT, just trying to make wrestling a healthier and better place.

It’s healthy right now, it’s in an incredible place, obviously, WWE is at the top and leading the charge.” said Drew McIntyre, “Anything that can make it better, I’m all about. If it makes a positive difference, it’s a thumbs up from me,”

CM Punk made his long-awaited return to wrestling after 7 years of absence during last Friday’s AEW Rampage. His comeback created a buzz that is seen very rarely.

Drew McIntyre defeated Jinder Mahal in a one on one match at the SummerSlam PPV. We will have to wait and see what the company has planned for him next.

Justin Roberts On The Creative Freedom He Gets In AEW

Many wrestlers have talked about how they get creative freedom in AEW. As it turns out, this feeling is not limited to only the wrestling talent and even the ring announcers such as Justin Roberts feel the same.

The former WWE ring announcer recently appeared on AEW Unrestricted podcast. He talked about things such as working the All In PPV, how it transitioned into an AEW job, his ring announcing heroes and more.

Talking about the extent of creative freedom he gets, Roberts said that on a scale of 1 to 10, he would rate his experience at the company at 100:

“If there’s a scale of creative freedom, and there’s a one and a 10, I guess I’m at 100, since day one, it’s just one of those things where I’ve never been handed a script, or I’ve never been told what to say on anything starting from the first show when,

I believe, we had a guest singer for the national anthem.” recalled Justin Roberts, “Even with that, I’m like, I don’t have anything on who they are or whatever.”

The AEW announcer went on to explain that if he has any questions then he goes to the appropriate person but he doesn’t have anyone speaking his language for him.

Justin Roberts worked as a ring announcer for WWE for over a decade from 2002 to 2014. He was officially hired by AEW as a ring announcer in April 2019.

Samoa Joe On How Vince McMahon Sees NXT

The new NXT champion Samoa Joe was recently interviewed by French YouTuber Hal. He talked about things such as his firing from WWE, a potential return to Raw or SmackDown, and more.

Recent reports about upcoming NXT revamps have been a major topic of discussion among wrestling fans. People have been concerned about Vince McMahon’s apparent directions to change the hiring philosophy for the brand.

Joe was asked what the boss thinks about the brand during the talk. Replying to it, he claimed that Mr McMahon perceives NXT as the future of the company:

“I think he perceives it as the future of his company. I think that he’s heavily invested in it. It’s funny, you know, I read all this stuff that I hear from people…

At the same time, he’s probably the biggest proponent of its existence, and much of what has happened in it thus far.”

Samoa Joe On Taking Backstage Responsibilities In NXT

Samoa Joe also commented on his own return to the brand after getting released from the company. He explained why he took backstage responsibilities in NXT saying that he is excited about introducing new stars to the world:

“NXT – it’s the future of WWE, and it’s a big reason why I’m excited to be kind of associated with it. Because I get to delve into the future.

I get to work on new things and new projects and introduce new stars in the world. And that’s something that, at this point in my career, I’m very, very excited to.”

Apart from this, the NXT champion was asked about the forbidden door and the possibility of making an appearance for Impact Wrestling in the future. You can check out his full interview below:

Paul Wight On How He Got The Big Show Name From Vince McMahon

Paul Wight was known as The Big Show for over two decades during his WWE career. However unusual the name is, it still gets him universal recognization among wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike.

The now former WWE star recently appeared on Insight With Chris Van Vliet. He talked about things such as WWE making him turn down an offer for a role in Gladiator, why he left the promotion and more.

Revealing how he got his WWE name, Wight recalled the time he first got into WWE. He revealed that it was Vince McMahon himself who named him The Big Show:

“That was Vince, when I first came into WWE I was Paul Wight. I just don’t think Vince liked the spelling of my name or just my name. But what would Vince know about marketing?  But he walked by me one day and he goes ‘so how’s The Big Show today?’

I go ‘I’m good but who the hell is The Big show?’ He goes ‘you! You can walk, you can talk, you’re an athlete. You’re The Big Show.’ He walked off” recalled Paul Wight, “And I thought ‘oh dear God I hope that is not my wrestling name.’ But it was.”

The former world champion also talked about his decision to leave WWE and claimed that he was not sure he would get a job in wrestling again after he left the company.

He told the story of how Chris Jericho got him into touch with Tony Khan. They then had a long conversation leading to Wight’s AEW signing. You can check out his full interview below:

Nikki Bella On Why She Didn’t Watch SummerSlam Match Of John Cena

The SummerSlam PPV featuring the match between John Cena and Roman Reigns created a lot of buzz. However, Nikki Bella is one star who didn’t watch this main event match. The former Divas champion recently had an interview with Extra. She talked about things such as her son taking more interest in dancing than wrestling, her new haircut and more.

Nikki also reiterated her comments about a run with the women’s tag team championship tempting her for a wrestling return. She said that she truly hopes to make a comeback in the future so her son can watch her wrestle:

“I talk to Brie about this on the daily. I look at Tamina and I look at Natalya and I see them hold those tag team championships and there’s nothing more that I would love to come back for that,

I truly hope that in the future I can come back in that ring and compete. Compete in front of my son! He would sit front row. It would be a dream. It’s not over for the Bella Twins. We definitely will come back and make our mark.”

Nikki Bella On Why She Didn’t Watch John Cena’s Match

During the interview, Nikki Bella was also asked about John Cena’s match at the SummerSlam PPV. Replying to it, the former champion claimed that she missed the bout because she was too busy playing roulette:

“You know, I actually have to say when you’re in Vegas, the tables took me away, I was too busy playing roulette, and I was winning big. So I missed it.”

Nikki Bella hasn’t wrestled on WWE TV for more than three years. Her last televised match was when she challenged Ronda Rousey for the Raw women’s championship at Evolution in 2018. While she has been talking about her desire for an in-ring return for some time now, a timetable for her comeback is not known.

Carmelo Hayes Wins NXT Breakout Tournament 2021, Earns Title Shot

Carmelo Hayes has defeated Odyssey Jones in the finals of the NXT Breakout Tournament 2021 to earn a future title shot in the brand.

This week’s post Takeover 36 episode of the black and yellow brand featured the finals of the tournament that started last month on July 13.

The finals saw the two men wrestling in a competitive match. The ending of the bout saw Jones trying to pin his opponent after delivering a frog splash.

However, Hayes rolled him over to get the pin and become the winner of the Breakout tournament. The finish left both the superstars in shock as the NXT general manager William Regal came out.

Regal presented Carmelo Hayes a contract for a future championship match against any NXT champion he wants to face. Samantha Irvin then asked him which titleholder he would like to challenge.

Hayes first gave a shout out to Jones saying that he is no joke. He then explained that it’s too soon to know which champion he will challenge.

The NXT tournament winner said that he called his shot to get here and he doesn’t miss whenever he shoots. The segment ended with Carmelo Hayes standing tall on the stage, raising the contract as pyro rained down.

Corgan: Mickie James Mended Fences Between NWA & Impact Wrestling

Billy Corgan believes that Mickie James played a crucial role in repairing the relationship between NWA and Impact Wrestling.

The “Forbidden Door” has taken on a life of its own. While the phrase began to hint at Hiroshi Tanahashi of NJPW challenging Chris Jericho for the AEW Championship, other promotions have joined in on the fun over the past year. NWA and Impact Wrestling in particular have been enjoying success through cross-promotion.

When Corgan was ousted from Impact Wrestling and went on to take over NWA, any thought of cross-promotion between the two companies seemed out of the question. Things have changed, however, and Corgan told the folks at The Battleground Podcast that Mickie deserves props.

“Well I think it’s all credit to Mickie, you know, she was the one that had the relationships to go back and kind of reopen that door, which from my end was closed due to some business stuff that had gone on. Then, Pat Kenney, who works behind the scenes in talent relations, has a long-standing relationship with people in IMPACT. I think it just kind of mended the fence and we found some business to do together and they’ve been a great partner in this.

“Obviously, Deonna Purrazzo’s gonna be on the pay-per-view, and it’s a real honor. Let’s not forget, I worked for that championship, so that championship means a lot to me. So to have it on an NWA show is a great honor and it’s a tribute to everybody involved to help put it together. Because, I think it’s now very obvious, you know, everybody calls it the forbidden door, but I’ve been saying it for years, you know, the future of the wrestling business is really great people working together, putting together these Supercards.”

NWA will be running an all-women’s PPV event on Saturday night (Aug. 28). The PPV will feature an NWA Women’s World Title match and an Impact Wrestling Knockouts Title match. New NWA Women’s Tag Team Champions will also be crowned through a tournament.

Mickie James will serve as the executive producer for NWA Empowerrr.

WWE NXT Results (8/24): Six-Man Tag, Joe Talks

The August 24, 2021 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Ridge Holland defeated Timothy Thatcher.
  • Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter defeated Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin.
  • Kay Lee Ray defeated Valentina Feroz.
  • Carmelo Hayes defeated Odyssey Jones.
  • Xyon Quinn defeated Boa.
  • Legado del Fantasma defeated Hit Row.

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Let’s Celebrate

Ted DiBiase and Cameron Grimes started the show with a celebration for Grimes’ victory at TakeOver 36 over LA Knight. 

DiBiase said that quitters never win while winners never quit. He said that Grimes became the Million Dollar Man. Grimes said that when Ted first showed up, he drove him next. Ted said he did that as a test. 

Grimes said he was lacking something before Ted showed up and he realized there was no way of letting Ted become Knight’s butler when he was doing those things. Grimes said they took care of Knight together. Grimes asked where he goes from here. Ted said it’s time to go to the moon. Money started flying out of blowers. 

Ridge Holland vs. Timothy Thatcher

Ridge Holland vs. Timothy Thatcher in a singles match took place. 

Holland went over in the contest with his finisher after a hard-hitting bout. Tommaso Ciama was checking out Thatcher when Holland attacked him. 

There was a brawl between all four men after the match. Oney Lorcan and a returning Danny Burch then came out to back up Dunne and Holland.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1430326731454533632

Samoa Joe Promo

New NXT Champion Samoa Joe entered the ring for a promo where he talked about his big win over Karrion Kross and wondered who his first challenger would be. 

He said his knowledge tells him there is a land of savages and there is no time to celebrate. He said the tension in the air can be felt and the stares are more bolder. He asked who is willing to step up. 

Pete Dunne, LA Knight, and Kyle O’Reilly came out. They all pitched why they should get the title. 

Ridge Holland attacked O’Reilly. Ciampa came out to attack Dunne and Holland with Joe and Ciampa staring down Dunne and Holland.

NXT Breakout Tournament Finals

Odyssey Jones vs. Carmelo Hayes in the finals of the 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament took place. 

Carmelo Hayes went over in the contest to win the tournament. This was a really fun match with Hayes just edging him out with a roll up. 

Hayes said that Jones is no joke and wouldn’t say who he would challenge with this opportunity. 

Jones defeated Andre Chase in the first round of the Breakout Tournament while Hayes defeated Josh Briggs. Moving along, Hayes advanced to the finals by defeating Duke Hudson. On the flip side, Jones got his spot in the finals by defeating Trey Baxter

Six-Man Tag Team Match

Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza, Joaquin Wilde) vs. Hit Row (Ashante “Thee” Adonis, “Top Dolla” AJ Francis, NXT North American Champion Isaiah “Swerve” Scott) in an six-man tag team match was booked. 

The match was the main event of the show. Elektra Lopez came out and attacked B-Fab with a weapon. She also distracted Scott, which allowed Santos to roll up Scott for the win. 

These two factions have been feuding for several weeks including last week where they had a parking lot brawl with Hit Row standing tall as a way to get revenge for Santos stealing the grill of Scott two weeks ago. 

Becky Lynch To Appear At Super SmackDown In MSG

Becky Lynch will be making her way to New York City.

Lynch made a surprise return at WWE SummerSlam this past Saturday night (Aug. 21). She took out Carmella and asked Bianca Belair for a SmackDown Women’s Title match on the spot. Bianca accepted and Becky nailed her with a cheap shot followed by a pump handle slam for the victory in less than 30 seconds.

The newly-minted SmackDown Women’s Champion is now being advertised for the “Super” edition of SmackDown inside Madison Square Garden in NYC on Sept. 10.

“BREAKING, ‘The Man’ Becky Lynch is back! See the new Smackdown Women’s Champion live in action when WWE Super SmackDown returns to The Garden on Fri, Sept 10.”

Much has been made over the return of Lynch, which was reportedly supposed to be held off until October before Sasha Banks was pulled from the SummerSlam card. Many believe that Lynch’s actions at the PPV event were heelish and didn’t do Bianca any favors.

As it turns out, the idea is for Becky Lynch to be a heel going forward according to PW Insider. Furthermore, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that Lynch requested that she returns as a heel and that request is being granted.

Two Matches Added To 8/25 AEW Dynamite

AEW has added two matches to tomorrow night’s (Aug. 25) episode of Dynamite.

This week’s episode of Dynamite will take place inside the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The show will feature an appearance from CM Punk. Plus, Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Hardy, Malakai Black vs. Brock Anderson, Jamie Hayter vs. Red Velvet, and the Lucha Bros vs. The Varsity Blondes will be featured.

There have now been two trios matches announced for the card. Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston will team with Darby Allin to take on The Wingmen. Also, The Factory will meet The Gunn Club with Paul Wight serving as the special guest commentator.

Here’s an updated look at what to expect from this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite.

  • CM Punk Appears
  • Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Hardy
  • Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston, & Darby Allin vs. The Wingmen
  • Lucha Bros vs. The Varsity Blondes
  • Malakai Black vs. Brock Anderson
  • Jamie Hayter vs. Red Velvet
  • The Factory vs. The Gunn Club

The tag team match between the Lucha Bros and The Varsity Blondes has major implications in the tag team division. The winner will go on to meet Jurassic Express for a shot at The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Titles.

Video: Behind-The-Scenes Look At CM Punk’s AEW Debut

AEW has rolled out a special look at the AEW debut of CM Punk.

Punk got the wrestling world buzzing with his return to professional wrestling. He appeared on the second episode of AEW Rampage. The show emanated from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Punk received one of the loudest ovations you will ever hear at a wrestling show.

Take a look at AEW’s behind-the-scenes glimpse at Punk’s arrival.

Punk grabbed the mic and discussed making his way back to professional wrestling. He then targeted Darby Allin, who has made a name for himself in AEW. Punk said that Darby is a daredevil but there’s nothing more dangerous than facing CM Punk in Chicago. Punk will have his first match since January 2014 against Darby at All Out on Sept. 5.

Punk is set to appear on AEW Dynamite on Aug. 25 in Milwaukee. He is expected to address his decision to call out Darby Allin for his first match in over seven years.

AEW Rampage viewership totals were significantly increased from the show’s debut thanks to Punk’s appearance. The second episode of Rampage garnered 1.1 million viewers, while Punk’s segment drew 1.3 million viewers. This episode was up 53 percent in viewership from Rampage’s premiere.

Kay Lee Ray Joins NXT Roster Full-Time

Former NXT UK Women’s champion Kay Lee Ray has become a full-time talent for NXT. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reports that she has moved to the United States and will remain with NXT.

Ray has been training at the Performance Center since the first week of August. She made her surprise return to the brand at NXT Takeover 36 on Sunday.

“Kay Lee Ray is on the WWE NXT roster full-time going forward and will be residing in the United States. This is not meant to be a short run, and then she’s back to NXT UK,” said Johnson.

Kay Lee Ray Return to NXT

Ray made her return after NXT Women’s champion Raquel Gonzalez successfully defended her title against Dakota Kai. The former NXT UK Women’s champion stood at the entrance ramp and taunted Gonzalez. On tonight’s NXT taping, she will face Valentina Feroz.

NXT Women’s Title Picture

With Gonzalez successfully retaining her championship against Kai, it seems she needs a new challenger. Kai has wrestled on Main Event, so it would appear that she’s preparing to leave NXT. However, WWE also hasn’t officially stated that Kai is going to the main roster.

Other than Kai, Gonzalez doesn’t have a clear challenger to face next. However, with the return of Ray, she has an opportunity to be the next contender for the championship.