Jimmy Wang Yang has returned to WWE after more than a decade and he has joined the list of producers recently hired by the company.
The latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter revealed that the former WWE star returned to the promotion recently. He worked as a producer for Raw this past week.
Jimmy Wang Yang started his wrestling career in 1999 when he signed with WCW. He stayed with the promotion until WWE acquired his contract after taking over the company.
Though his first run with the organization didn’t last very long. The American star was released from his contract within a year without making a main roster appearance.
Wang Yang then started working in the independent circuit and also competed for companies such as Impact Wrestling and Ring Of Honor among others.
The 40-year-old had numerous runs with WWE. His longest stint with the promotion was from 2006 to 2010. He returned to the independent circuit afterward and retired from active competition in 2018.
Jimmy Wang Yang joins the list of producers officials have freshly hired or brought back in the past few months including names such as Molly Holly, Hurricane Helms, and more.
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson is aiming for the top of the heap already.
Stevenson is signed to a WWE contract and was drafted to the Monday Night Raw brand. Stevenson will be finishing up his collegiate career before starting his WWE journey. While Steveson has yet to truly dip his toes in the WWE waters, he’s already gunning for Raw’s top dog.
Gable Steveson Wants WWE Champion Big E
Steveson appeared on WWE’s After the Bell podcast and made it clear that he has title aspirations in the pro wrestling industry. Big E is already on his hit list.
“I am on Monday Night Raw, so right now, I’d like to take care of Big E because he’s the champion. I’m title seeking, I’ve always been a title seeker. Gold medal, NCAA championship, anything else I’ve accomplished, and now that WWE belt, whether it’s Monday night, Friday night, I love to be that person that people show up to watch. Wherever Gable is, that show ends up being perfect.”
Steveson also mentioned facing the likes of his mentor Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, Shelton Benjamin, and Chad Gable. Stylistically, all of those matches could be barn burners if Steveson can take his amateur wrestling background and make it work in the world of sports entertainment.
Steveson took home gold for the United States at the Tokyo Games. He did so with a come-from-behind victory over Geno Petriashvili. He hasn’t been beaten in freestyle wrestling since Aug. 2019 and has a 20-match winning streak.
Matt Riddle admits that Roman Reigns was none too pleased with him over a recent remark.
Riddle has been known to ruffle some feathers. We’ve heard reports of stars such as Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, and even Randy Orton at one time take issue with the former UFC fighter. The good news for Riddle is that it appears both Goldberg and Orton are on good terms with him these days. Reigns and Lesnar may be a different story.
Needle Mover
Ahead of this year’s WWE Summerslam event, Reigns told Ariel Helwani for BT Sport that he didn’t feel CM Punk was as good or as over as The Rock or John Cena.
“When he’s saying ‘Acknowledge me’ or ‘I move the needle,’ no, you don’t” You’re related to The Rock. Shut up. Like, I’m not impressed, I can beat you up in a real fight. So, shut your mouth. You’re not moving needles. I’m the real stallion, RK-Bro is moving the merch, we’re moving the needle, and that’s it.”
Riddle continued, “I don’t want to say too much, I’m not trying to get in trouble. Hey, hats off to him. He’s amazing at what he does. I do like what he does, but at the same time, it’s like, get off your high horse. You’re in that spot for a reason. You’re not a bro. You’re second generation. I’m first generation.”
Roman Reigns’ Reaction
Riddle appeared on the Cheap Heat podcast with Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg this week and revealed Reigns didn’t take too kindly to that comment.
“Well ya know, I’ll do this. I’m trying not to talk too much trash anymore. I don’t wanna upset the higherups. I said something about, I’m not gonna mention an exact name, but he’s a ‘Chief of Tribes.’ I said something about him recently and he wasn’t too happy. Like I said, I’m not saying specific names. That could be anybody, that could be anybody. But he wasn’t happy. I talked some trash about me moving the needle and selling merch, and he didn’t like what I said. I thought it was hilarious but not everybody thinks like me.”
Riddle vs. Brock Lesnar? There’s Still Work To Do
Riddle went on to say that while he’d like to share the ring with Lesnar, he made a promise to Brock that he wouldn’t call him out in the media.
“I still want the match with Brock but I promised him I wouldn’t call him out anymore. He asked me not to a couple of years ago at a Royal Rumble, so I respect your wishes Mr. Beast. I won’t call you out.”
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Paul Wight thinks CM Punk is one of the best storytellers in wrestling.
Punk has made a positive impact on the AEW locker room since making his return to the wrestling industry. We’ve seen AEW stars such as Ricky Starks praise Punk for being willing to give advice to anyone. In terms of his performance both in the ring and on the mic, Paul Wight believes CM Punk hasn’t missed a beat.
Wight made an appearance on the Brandon Kravitz podcast and he gave his take on what makes Punk believable in the ring and on the mic.
“I love CM Punk’s matches because he starts slower and builds toward the end. By the end, you’re going nuts because he pulls you right in with his work and his ability to tell that story in the ring, and he’s great on the microphone. His timing on the promo when he came back in Chicago– if you are a younger talent and are looking at cadence, and meaning, and telling a story, and how to cut a promo, that promo is one of the best promos that I have ever heard for storytelling.”
Punk is a Great Storyteller
Paul Wight has cut his share of great promos over the years, However, Punk is on a different level. Wight feels that Punk masterfully explained why he left wrestling, why he returned and left fans wanting more. Punk’s storytelling abilities in and out of the ring make him a huge asset to AEW.
“CM Punk told a story, he didn’t knock anybody or bury anything. He spoke from his heart about how things affected him and he took you on that journey and made you understand why he was gone so long, but then he made you understand what brought him back. That’s what you want to do in a promo, you want to have a beginning, middle, and end, and tell a story, and Punk is a great storyteller on the microphone and in the ring. To have him back, it was a great shot in the arm.”
Punk is fresh off a victory over Bobby Fish on the Halloween episode of Dynamite. AEW Full Gear is coming up on Nov. 13 and Punk doesn’t have a match on the PPV currently. A leaked bout sheet featured Punk vs. MJF’s bodyguard Wardlow but Tony Khan has claimed that list was simply filled with ideas and nothing was finalized.
Former AEW World Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida advanced in the TBS title tournament on Dynamite this week. In the process, she picked up her 50th victory in the promotion by avenging a recent loss to Serena Deeb.
Shida was recently interviewed by Sports Illustratedand spoke about learning from Kenny Omega, Dustin Rhodes, taking acting classes, and improving her English by watching Sherlock Holmes.
“I have been learning so much from Kenny Omega and Dustin Rhodes, and they teach about what it takes to be on a TV show,” Shida said. “Being on TV is something an actress does, so I took acting classes. And my English has got so much better from watching Sherlock Holmes on BBC.”
Shida also addressed the ongoing TBS Title Tournament.
“After losing the title, I was very frustrated,” Shida said. “I thought I could have done more and been better as champion. So this tournament for the TBS title means a lot to me. It is a great opportunity to get back to the top.”
I did it finally… Keep going to TBS tittle even if my knee is broken.
With her win against Deeb on Dynamite, Shida will move on to face Nyla Rose in the tournament quarter-finals. The winner of the match will face the winner of Ruby Soho vs Kris Statlander in the semi-finals.
Several reports recently have suggested that Charlotte Flair has become not well-liked backstage in WWE. Flair’s reputation with others in WWE was addressed recently in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Dave Meltzer reported that Flair has ruffled feathers with many on the roster and this sometimes has to do with match structure.
“One of the complaints is that Flair wants to be a heel, is a heel, but does babyface moves during matches,” Meltzer wrote. This includes doing moonsaults and similar moves. He noted that there is a belief backstage that it is hard for a babyface to get over working with Flair. Rhea Ripley was noted specifically as someone who could have been made a bigger star in her program with her.
“Other aspects were the feeling that Rhea Ripley should have been elevated to Raw women’s champion and not tag team champion and been cooled off as she was the young star on the way up who Flair should have made,” Meltzer continued.
Flair’s match with Nia Jax from late-August that devolved into a bit of a shoot fight was also addressed. Meltzer noted in his report that the WWE women’s locker room was supportive of Nia in that situation. The feeling is Nia stood up to Flair and showed she would not be bullied.
Flair and Lynch had been friends for much of their careers. Both are members of the 4 Horsewomen of NXT, but reportedly they have not been close recently.
Impact Wrestling 9/28 featured the fallout from Bound For Glory. Moose made his first appearance as the new Impact World Champion and Minoru Suzuki made his promotional debut.
Impact 9/28 Quick Results:
X-Division Championship Trey Miguel defeated Rocky Romero
Rachael Ellering defeated Tasha Steelz
Heath vs Joe Doering – No Contest
Ace Austin defeats Chris Sabin
Moose Cuts First Promo As Champion, Josh Alexander & Minoru Suzuki Interrupt
"It doesn't matter how elite you are, it doesn't matter what tribe you're chief to, it doesn't matter if you're the boss, the man…hell you can add a new day to the week – I'm still the greatest champion in all of professional wrestling." #IMPACTonAXSTV@TheMooseNationpic.twitter.com/YCeeFj6K00
Moose cut his first promo as Impact World Champion to kick off the show. He alluded to champions from other promotions before stating that he is the greatest champion in all of pro-wrestling. The man he cashed in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet trophy against, Josh Alexander, hit the ring and attacked Moose, sending him running into the crowd. Just then, Minoru Suzuki’s music hit and he came to the ring. Suzuki and Alexander then came face-to-face. Alexander turned his attention back to Moose but Suzuki turned him around and the two began exchanging blows. Security eventually came out to separate Alexander and Suzuki.
Trey Miguel Successfully Defends X-Division Title, Attacked By Steve Maclin
Trey Miguel successfully defended his newly won X-Division Championship in the first match of the night against NJPW’s Rocky Romero. After a difficult match, Miguel was attacked from behind by Steve Maclin. Maclin hung Miguel up in the Tree of Woe and delivered a spear.
Later in the show, Maclin pointed out that Miguel’s never beaten him and nobody in Impact has defeated him. Scott D’Amore then said he would give him an opportunity to qualify for an X-Division title match next week.
After a backstage confrontation between Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering and Tasha Steelz & Savannah Evans, a match was made with Ellering taking on Steelz. After a back-and-forth match, Ellering picked up the victory with a back-slide after countering a cutter from Steelz.
The feud between Heath & Rhino and Violent By Design continued this week. A match between Heath and Joe Doering was thrown out after Rhino and Deaner started brawling in the ring. Rhino was then going to get his hands on Eric Young but EY backed away, noting that he was still injured. It turns out Young is all cleared, however, as he would then get involved as VBD used the numbers advantage to take out both Heath and Rhino. Young gave Heath a piledriver to close the segment.
Mickie James came out to cut her first promo since winning the Knockouts title at Bound for Glory. She praised Deonna Purrazzo for giving her the toughest fight of her life but was then interrupted by Madison Rayne. Rayne then challenged her to a title match next week, which James accepted.
The main event this week saw Chris Sabin and Ace Austin go one-on-one. It looked as though Sabin had the match in control but Madman Fulton then got involved from the outside. After a big punch from Fulton, Austin hit the fold on Sabin and got the 1-2-3.
Coming Up In Impact Wrestling
Next Week:
Minoru Suzuki, W.Morrissey, and Moose vs Eddie Edwards, Josh Alexander, and Matt Cardona
Knockouts Championship Mickie James (c) vs Madison Rayne
X-Division #1 Contendership Rohit Raju vs Laredo Kid vs Black Taurus vs Steve Maclin
Digital Media Championship #1 Contendership John Skyler vs Chelsea Green
The Public Enemies Podcast is adding a different style in covering professional wrestling than other podcasts. Unlike some of their peers, the podcast brings more awareness to black professional wrestlers that other podcasters may have overlooked.
In 2018, Jorodd “Gram” Philips had an idea to create a wrestling podcast that was different from others. His goal was to cover professional wrestling in a fun way by providing honest critique and casual dialogue. Philips also wanted to bring more awareness to black professional wrestlers. Joined by CJ “Jizzle” Beal, Philips created the Public Enemies Podcast. In an interview with Public Enemies Podcast, Philips discussed how the podcast got started.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVQqT2qPLcv/
“…I wanted to do it in a way where it was just like Barbershop talk. Just a couple of friends talking back and forth just we would do at a SuperBowl party, or forth of July barbeque or whatever the situation may be, said Philips. He continued, “I wanted to be where it’s kind of lax. The kind of situation where we can make it fun again, but also make it fun for us.”
Philips also shared his surprise at how many wrestling podcasts when he started the Public Enemies Podcast. However, he knew that he wanted his podcast to be unique from other content creators.
After three years of finding their voice, the podcast has found its stride. The Public Enemies Podcast added Benjamin Haden to the group in 2020, who helped grow their social media platforms. Today, the podcast is growing its popularity and is gaining success.
What makes Public Enemies Unique
An episode of the Public Enemies Podcast is different from other content creators. One way that makes the group unique is that they give their own honest opinion, especially regarding mistreated black athletes. For example, the podcast commented on the first anniversary of Kenny Omega’s quick win over Sonny Kiss. While Omega went on to find success afterward, the podcast questioned what did it do for Kiss.
Remember a year when Kenny Omega beat Sonny Kiss in 30 seconds and everyone said “Wait to see how it plays out. It’s gonna go somewhere”?? Yeah, where did that lead to exactly? pic.twitter.com/k33hRIkRBi
Haden spoke about the lack of awareness for how All Elite Wrestling treated Kiss after losing to Omega. He shared that he gets frustrated when fans claim it’s long-term storytelling when a black wrestler or minority takes a loss. While some pro wrestling content creators moved on, the Public Enemies Podcast wants to highlight issues like Kiss’s career in AEW.
“Last year, I was talking on about on my personal page, and everybody was in the replies and tweets like you just have to wait. This is what I hate about wrestling fans. You’re never patient. You’re all so shortsighted. I promise you it’s going to go somewhere, and so I thought about that yesterday. I was like; it’s been a whole year, said Haden. He continued, “And like nothing has happened, and I feel like I don’t like it when we are put on the back burner. And just like told you to have to wait your time, because like, we don’t want to wait anymore.”
While the podcast has fun covering pro wrestling, they are also not afraid to discuss issues that wrestling fans may not like. However, the Public Enemies Podcast strongly believes in spreading awareness of the matters and are not afraid to say what they feel to pro wrestling fans.
Future Plans for the Podcast
The Public Enemies Podcast is not resting on its laurels. The podcast has more followers than ever and is getting more recognition from other media outlets and wrestlers. However, Philips still sees more room for the podcast to grow. He wants to do more than recap wrestling events and has teased that the group will do more interviews soon.
“We are working right now on bringing back our interview series behind enemy lines,” said Philips. He explained further, “We started that earlier this year. We only did like two interviews, but we have like so many things confirmed in the can as far as the list of people we want to talk to.”
Philips also shared that the Public Enemies Podcast is considering doing extra content for Patreon. However, it’s unclear what the additional content will be. Regardless the podcast looks to continue to their success and be different from their peers.
Christian Cage lost the Impact Wrestling World Championship at Bound For Glory. He is not expected to receive a rematch for the title either. AEW wrestlers have not been taking part in recent Impact tapings and Impact talent have not been at recent AEW shows either.
As for if the relationship between AEW & Impact is finished, a representative from Impact spoke to the Wrestling Observer Newsletterand noted that the door is still open to work together. The plan had always been to conclude the storyline of an AEW wrestler holding the Impact title at Bound For Glory, however.
“It’s getting talked about like that but not quite accurate,” the source said addressing rumors the relationship between the two companies was done. “Cage dropping the title at BFG was the end of the story that started last December. That was the plan since the spring. Door is open to do more but nothing planned for short-term.”
The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) had frequently been appearing as members of the Elite on AEW programming. They have not been on AEW programming recently, however. It is not clear if they will be returning to AEW or not.
“Tony Khan didn’t comment on whether they would be brought back when asked,” wrote Dave Meltzer regarding the Good Brothers.
AEW has a unique feel to its programming that no other wrestling promotion has and CM Punk has the perfect analogy to describe the reason behind the success of the company. The straight edge star recently had an interview with Sports Illustrated. He discussed things such as his Dynamite match with Bobby Fish and more.
Punk also talked about the spirit of AEW. The wrestling veteran explained that it has the soul of a local indie promotion with the reach of TNT behind it:
“This is really about the soul, the spirit, and the art of professional wrestling, it reminds me of how I started. It’s why guys like me and Bryan Danielson would drive 15 hours to get to a show, and barely get gas money in return, to wrestle in front of 300 rabid fans in Philadelphia. That’s what this is, with TNT behind it.”
CM Punk then gave the analogy of a small rock band that used to play in the local bowling alley, saying that his current company has a similar spirit and love for the art of professional wrestling:
“We’re the punk rock band that used to play at your bowling alley. It has that spirit and love of the art. It’s a place where you can make a living and learn the craft.”
Punk also discussed the recent big developments that have created a lot of buzz for AEW such as the signing of talents like himself and Bryan Danielson or the announcement of the Owen Hart cup tournament.
Goldberg has only one more match left in his current contract with WWE after his Crown Jewel encounter, and he is not sure what the future holds for him afterwards.
The former WCW star recently had an interview with Ring Rules before the Crown Jewel PPV. He discussed things such as his bout with the All-Mighty and more.
Goldberg was then asked what prompted him to return to the ring after staying away for over a decade. He explained that he never had a child when he wrestled before:
“Well I never had a child when I wrestled before. My wife and I were lucky enough to have a little boy. When he grew up and understood what I used to do for a living, there were a lot of questions. And I figured if I can still get in shape physically, and if I was still wanted by the fans then I will show him in person what I did.”
The former Universal champion was also questioned about his future after his match with Lashley. Responding to it, Goldberg revealed that he has only one more bout left in his contract after the Crown Jewel match:
“I still feel as though I can wrestle. I still feel as though I can entertain. So, after this match [with Lashley] I have one more match on my contract and that’s it. We’ll see what happens. You never know.”
There is no word yet on who Goldberg may face in the final match of his current deal. Though he has previously shown interest in competing against Roman Reigns.
A lot of wrestling personalities took the time to congratulate Big E on his WWE championship win and the list of names included none other than Ric Flair.
The WWE champion recently had an interview with Ebro in the Morning. He talked about things such as the GIF of him excitedly eating popcorn going viral and more.
Speaking of his big win that saw him cashing in his Money In The Bank briefcase and winning the WWE title, Big E revealed that he got a text from Flair afterward:
“There were a bunch of people who reached out. Trying to think of everyone, Ric Flair, I got a Ric Flair text. I’ll always pop at getting a text from him.
I don’t know how he has my number. I think he found it from someone else but having Ric Flair reach out.” said Big E, “He’s always been calling me. He’s always been real cool. He was definitely one that was dope.”
The New Day member was also asked about a potential heel turn. He mentioned how the group were heels for a long time and claimed that he had fun portraying a villain.
Though Big E explained that the trio is pretty well-liked now. There is also a lot of charitable things he does outside of the wrestling ring and all this makes it hard for any of them to turn heel.
The viewership for AEW Dynamite stayed under a million despite returning to their usual time slot on Wednesday this week after a couple of episodes on Saturday.
This is a huge 63.65% increase from last week’s Saturday night Dynamite. The episode featuring the third installment in the series between Cody Rhodes and Malakai Black had drawn 575,000 viewers.
This week’s episode of the AEW show also saw a big jump in the key demo ratings, scoring 0.40 rating in the 18-49 demographic. This is up from last week’s 0.22 rating.
A 0.40 score represents 518,000 viewers of the demographic which is a big 79.86% increase from last week’s 288,000 viewers of the 18-49 age group.
Though the overall viewership number was down 10.63% compared to the last Dynamite episode on Wednesday night. The October 6 episode celebrating Dynamite’s second anniversary had drawn 1.053 million viewers and a 0.37 rating in the key demo.
In comparison, the post Crown Jewel episode of Raw on Monday drew 1.593 million viewers. It got a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic, representing 613,000 viewers.
This week’s episode of Dynamite ranked #4 in the Cable Top 150 ranking based on the 18-49 demo. This is tied with the second-anniversary show from a couple of weeks ago and up from last week’s #10 ranking.
Riddle has not given up on a potential encounter with Goldberg and the outspoken star is hoping to finally step in the ring with the WCW veteran in 2022.
Speaking of Goldberg, Riddle claimed that he has grown on the former WCW champion. He is hoping that the encounter between the two will finally happen in the coming year because it will sell tickets:
“I’ll be honest, I think I’ve grown on the guy. I think he’s grown on me a little. I think that match can possibly happen. We both went to Saudi. We were both on the same airplane. We bumped into each other quite a few times on that airplane.
I think we can get that match. I think we pull that one out. No promises but I’m hoping by 2022, we get Riddle vs. Goldberg. It will sell tickets.”
The former UFC star also discussed the difference between the preparation of MMA and wrestling. He said that wrestling is different as it requires nonstop preparation.
Riddle explained that you have to look the part and be ready to recite a whole paragraph or two on live TV anytime. Though he claimed that once you get competent enough, it’s almost like a therapy session because you get to express yourself.
Catch Matt Riddle’s full interview with Cheap Here here:
Posted October 29th, 2021 in News, WWE. Tagged: Riddle.
ROH made the major announcement of going dark for the first quarter of 2022 earlier yesterday. Now reports have revealed that they are trying to sell their tape library.
According to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, the promotion’s tape library is available for purchase, and it will be sold to the highest bidder. They are, however, asking for significant money, much more than the current market dictates.
According to the report, ROH has been trying to move the Sinclair-owned footage from 2012 to the present day for more than a year now.
The tape library includes footage of early careers of some of the biggest pro-wrestling names of the current generation, including stars from both WWE and AEW.
The ROH archives could showcase the starting careers of people such as Seth Rollins, Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Cesaro, Samoa Joe, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Moose among others.
This tape library also includes the All In PPV that led to the creation of AEW. While Tony Khan’s promotion owns the trademark for the All In name, ROH officially owns all the footage for the PPV event.
Khan revealed recently that they are in talks to launch the AEW library on a streaming platform. An addition such as this could boost the interest in AEW’s streaming services significantly.
WWE has also shown interest in purchasing the tape library previously. The two companies had negotiated over it in 2017.
Though this was prior to the Peacock deal. WWE has released many former ROH stars since then so we will have to see if they still have the same level of interest now.
Bray Wyatt might be looking to expand his repertoire beyond the world of professional wrestling and make a spot for himself in Hollywood after his WWE release.
A photo surfaced on social media earlier today that showed the former world champion standing with Jason Baker in front of the Gate 4 of Warner Bros. studio.
Baker works with horror icon Tom Savini. Wyatt has had a relationship with these two for long. Their teams were the ones responsible for a number of props the WWE star has used throughout his career, including the Fiend mask.
Now in a seemingly related update, Fightful is reporting that the former WWE superstar has been in Los Angeles recently. He has been making inquiries for potential Hollywood projects.
This isn’t the first time Bray Wyatt has shown interest in Hollywood. Per WWE sources, there had been a pitch before his release that would have seen him star in a movie.
Bray Wyatt’s Post-WWE Career
In the meantime, the Fiend seems to be preparing for his life after wrestling. He recently teased his impending free agency on Twitter. Since then, the former champion has made some other significant changes to his Twitter profile.
Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda has finally changed his Twitter handle from @WWEBrayWyatt to @Windham6. This late change apparently helps him keep his profile verified through the transition process.
He’s updated his Twitter bio to read, “Revenge is a Confession of pain.”
There is no word yet on what Bray Wyatt is planning for his future in wrestling. We should get a better idea about his future once he officially becomes a free agent after Friday, October 29.
The Godfather has reflected on a funny moment he had with Vince McMahon.
If there’s one thing wrestlers know about The Godfather, it’s that he loves his marijuana. The man known for conducting the “Ho Train” in the WWF Attitude Era smelled of ganja to the point where The Rock wouldn’t ride with him anymore during their heyday.
The Godfather Shares Hysterical Story Involving Vince McMahon
Appearing on the Generation Of Wrestling Podcast, The Godfather confirmed the story of Vince McMahon seeing him coming out of an elevator with smoke blowing out in full force.
“I love Vince McMahon to death because he has let me be me, and believe me that’s saying a lot. There’s been a lot of incidents like that with Vince but Vince was always cool with me and to this day, maybe not gonna be after today, but I don’t know. He’s always been cool with me, man. But that’s a true story.
“What happened is me and a friend of mine named ‘Big Worm’ who taught me [how to smoke]. In fact, the first time I smoked was with Big Worm. Big Worm would smoke no matter where you were, man. He didn’t care, he’d smoke. He didn’t care if it was the elevator, he didn’t care. So he’s in the elevator just puffin’, chiefin’. The elevator opens up and those four are standing there and Vince is just looking at me and just smoke coming out of the elevator. Vince says, ‘Charles, I think we’ll take the next one.'”
Perhaps The Godfather will be paying a visit to Jim Ross once his cannabis farm is ready.
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Bronson Reed has given his take on the big news surrounding the future of ROH.
Wrestling fans were in for an unpleasant surprise with the news that ROH is in the midst of a “reconceptualizing” period. In ROH’s initial statement, the gut-wrenching news wasn’t revealed. Reports trickled in with word that the entire roster was released of their contracts.
Bronson Reed Gives Take On ROH Releases
During an interview with Wrestling Inc, Bronson Reed said he was just as surprised at the ROH news as anyone.
“It’s very shocking. I have friends within the business that have messaged me straight away saying, ‘What’s going on?’ I assume it has to do with, obviously, unfortunately, the pandemic has affected a lot of wrestling companies and what they’ve been able to earn every quarter, and it looks like, this is just me guessing, it’s from that and that’s what’s happening with Ring of Honor. But I do have some friends in Australia that were set to do work with Ring of Honor, so I’m hoping for them that they can still do so.”
Reed has since teased making the move to a slew of other promotions. He has yet to sign with a major company. It was reported by Fightful Select that Reed appeared to be bound for Impact Wrestling but he was pulled from the Bound for Glory event for reasons not known.
MLW may have its sights set on a former ROH World Champion.
The wrestling world was hit with some stunning news this week. ROH will be going dark to undergo a “reconceptualizing” process. As a result, all contracted ROH talent has been released.
Could RUSH Return To MLW?
RUSH is one of the major names that is now without a job due to the ROH restructuring. There’s no doubt that he is an elite talent who won’t be out of work for long. The question is, where will he end up?
MLW head honcho Court Bauer has a history with RUSH and it’s a positive one. Appearing on Busted Open Radio, Bauer didn’t deny that RUSH is a great asset for any promotion.
“RUSH because I had him before and with my fans, I mean I have a Spanish language show on beIN Espanol, we always go down to Mexico. We offered him a deal, Ring of Honor countered and he went with Ring of Honor. I sold out Cicero Stadium with RUSH. I know his [drawing] power. I know the guy’s injured but I think he’s gonna come back strong.”
RUSH is a former two-time ROH World Champion. His second reign lasted 498 days. A good chunk of that was due to ROH going dark during the COVID-19 pandemic. He lost the championship to Bandido back in July.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io-LId1WTmA
Posted October 28th, 2021 in MLW, News. Tagged: Rush.
Tony Nese admits he feels 205 Live was a road that led to nowhere.
Nese competed in the Cruiserweight Classic and was eliminated by Brian Kendrick. He made his main roster debut back in Sept. 2016. He won the Cruiserweight Championship at the WrestleMania 35 Kickoff show back in 2019. Tony Nese held the title for 77 days.
Tony Nese Admits He Felt 205 Live Was A Dead End
Nese was released from his WWE contract back in June. He had spent the majority of his time being lost in the shuffle on 205 Live.
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Nese shared his belief that 205 Live felt like an endless loop that wrestlers couldn’t get out of.
“We would always say that we were in this wrestling purgatory. Even though I was there, when it comes to the company’s decisions, I’m on the outside looking in too. This is all speculation, but it seemed like they had an idea for the show. It was Triple H’s idea, it was his baby. He wanted the show to have a yearly tournament, win/loss records, all that stuff. He wanted it to be a different feel. As soon as it was announced that the cruiserweights would be a part of RAW, that was where Vince was like, ‘No, it’s my show now.’ All that other stuff went out the window.”
Nese recently appeared on AEW TV and Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that he signed with the promotion. Nese has since confirmed the report.
On the Oct. 27 episode of AEW Dynamite, Nese was shown in the crowd. He was observing the TNT Championship match between Sammy Guevara and Ethan Page. Guevara defeated Page to retain his title. It’ll be interesting to see if Nese will eventually challenge for the TNT gold.
After months of silence, former WWE Commentator Adnan Virk shared his experience working for WWE. The company released Virk on May 25th.
Virk appeared on the Couch Potato Diary with Peter Klein to discuss his career with WWE. He shared that he was a Professional Wrestling fan as a kid but stopped watching when he got older. He was excited about working for WWE. However, catching up to the current product was too challenging to overcome.
“…I think the biggest challenge for me was that it’s hard to be really well versed in the sport when you’re trying to catch a freight train that’s already going 100mph,” said Virk.
Adnan Virk Career in WWE
The WWE signed Virk on April 12th. In Virk’s 45 day career in WWE, he received criticism from fans and wrestling personalities for his work. Although it did come as a surprise that WWE released Virk 45 days after signing him. AEW Commentator Jim Ross shared on the Dan Le Betard Show that WWE misused and got rid of Virk too quickly.
“Adnan got put on TV in a very unique product before he was ready, from a product knowledge standpoint,” said Ross. “Wrestling fans today, with social media and all the information flow, they have a great sense of what they like and what might be wrong. He’s a solid broadcaster, and they rushed to judgment too quick.”
Thanks to @WWE for a wonderful opportunity. The weekly travel along with my other jobs was a grind for me and my family. Am grateful to everyone with the company especially @WWEGraves and @ByronSaxton for being such fantastic teammates. https://t.co/lrP0fCAMXz
However, Virk knew himself that a long-term career in WWE wasn’t possible. He admitted to Klein that the travel and being away from his family was an issue. “…I really did not like the travel, said Virk. He continued, “I knew that I would not be able to do it for 52 weeks a year, for two years.”
Virk remains thankful for the opportunity he had with WWE. Although, he believes that he couldn’t handle the play-by-play commentary for the company at the time. He also praised Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, Michael Cole, and Vince McMahon for their work ethic and help. Virk is currently working for the MLB Network.
Jon Moxley believes there are similarities between modern wrestling and the Marvel Universe.
Moxley has been having quite the ride since leaving WWE. He has competed for promotions such as NJPW and GCW but his main home is AEW. Moxley has made it clear that his passion for the wrestling business has been renewed since leaving WWE.
Jon Moxley Explains How Wrestling In 2021 Is Similar To Marvel Universe
Moxley appeared on the Throwing Down podcast and he said the wrestling industry used to be about trying to trick the audience into thinking real fights are going on. He then compared wrestling today to Marvel.
“That is not the case anymore in 2021. There’s real fighting, which is what you do, and there’s this. Fans are very passionate about it, but they know it’s — nobody’s being fooled into thinking they’re watching a legitimate thing, that’s a completely different separate sport now in 2021. What it is now is like the Marvel Universe, for instance. In real life, no one can shoot f-ckin’ spiderwebs out of their fingers or whatever, but in the Marvel Universe, there’s a guy that can and that’s accepted and you know that. So when he shoots somebody in the face with a spiderweb, Spider-Man, you totally accept it. So in pro wrestling, it’s like you have to understand the universe and then once you accept it like this is this fictional universe we’re living in, then you’re into it.”
Jon Moxley is participating in the AEW World Heavyweight Title tournament. He advanced to the semifinals where he will meet Orange Cassidy. Many expect him to take on Bryan Danielson in the finals at AEW Full Gear. Time will tell if things will shape up that way.
Kota Ibushi believes he knows why he suffered a dislocated shoulder against Kazuchika Okada.
Ibushi and Okada did battle in the finals of the G1 Climax 31 tournament. Things went south when Kota Ibushi missed a Phoenix Splash and landed hard on his arm. The match was stopped immediately and Ibushi was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder. He’s expected to be out of action for about two months.
During an interview with Tokyo Sports, Ibushi shared his take on why he ended up suffering the injury (rough translation via Google).
“There is a cause for it, weight control. This time, I’ve lost or gained weight by then. I was able to practice Phoenix, but there were too many waves. If that is 100 grams different, it’s completely different (feeling). Because it’s such an advanced technique. That was 3 kilometers different on the day of the KENTA match (18th). I was intentionally increasing it for the championship-deciding match, but I think I was tired … I wonder if my weight was definitely (influenced).”
Ibushi was out of action from July until September. He was able to return just in time for the G1 Climax. In the tournament, Ibushi had a highly praised match with current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi. Ibushi went over 25 minutes with Okada before the injury occurred.
Cain Velasquez has a long-standing history with Brock Lesnar. This is why people expected a competitive fight when he showed up to take on the beast incarnate in WWE but their match can only be described as disappointing.
The Mexican-American fighter recently appeared on The MMA Hour. He reflected on his pro wrestling encounter with the former world champion, among other things.
Explaining why their match couldn’t live up to the expectations, Velasquez said WWE wanted him to keep his MMA style of fighting instead of using his lucha libre skills:
“They wanted me to stay in that MMA zone. They wanted me to have a rivalry with Brock, but they weren’t willing to put the time in to have us work together. They wanted us to do that, and well, you know how that ended.
I felt good in that style (lucha libre).” said Cain Velasquez, “I don’t know if they saw it wouldn’t work. That to me, and I think everyone else, was a clear path, but that’s not what they chose for me.”
The retired MMA star explained that he was willing to do whatever the officials wanted him to and said that he is sorry to let everyone down. He also said that the failure hurt him as well because he expects a lot out of himself.
Cain Velasquez made his wrestling debut for AAA during the Triplemanía XXVII event. He made his in-ring debut for WWE facing Lesnar during the Crown Jewel 2019 event. Though Velasquez lost the bout in quick fashion, to a largely negative fan reaction.
A lot of people questioned the decision of Mercedes Martinez when she made the call to leave the Retribution faction. She was sent back to NXT as a result, after having made her main roster debut. The now-former WWE star recently had an interview with Bell To Belles. During the talk, she explained her side of the story and detailed why she had to make the decision.
Martinez explained that she was under the impression that the masks they were going to wear were just for the aesthetic and not wrestling. She explained that it would have still been fine if she got some input on this part of their attire before revealing the reason why she couldn’t wrestle with the mask that was given to her:
“You know, I tried really hard but I can’t wrestle in this mask and that’s another issue is that I can’t wrestle in a mask. I have asthma, it’s hard for me to breath in the first place without a mask. How am I going to wrestle in a mask? And you know, we’re still in (a) pandemic. For me to train or be in a gym or anything like that, I have to wear a mask and it’s so hard for me to do that-that I built my own home gym.”
Mercedes Martinez Didn’t Want To Be Known Only For Retribution
Mercedes Martinez also responded to the criticism that the decision pushed her back into her career. She said that even though she could have made more money doing it, she just didn’t feel it in her heart. The former NXT star then explained how it was the right decision for her because she didn’t want her WWE career to be valued as part of a group. She wanted to be known as herself after spending 20 years in the business:
“When something doesn’t feel right, regardless of maybe you can be on the main roster, you can make all this money and stuff, at the end of the day, I just didn’t feel it in my heart. It really came down to that. It really just didn’t feel like I should be a part of this group and people think that it’s probably the wrong decision but for me it was the right decision right then and there, for me. Maybe they could’ve gotten somebody else but for me and for the 20 years that I put in-in this business, I didn’t want my WWE career to be valued as part of a group.”
Mercedes Martinez continued by saying that her name got her signed to WWE and she wanted to leave the promotion as she came in, being herself. The female star was introduced as a member of Retribution during the September 21, 2020 episode of Raw. Though she was quietly moved back to NXT after requesting her removal from the group. She was released from her WWE contract in August this year.
