Triple H is back full-time with WWE following his health issues last year. While speaking with the media on Friday at the WWE tryouts in Nashville, Triple H talked about being Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations for WWE following Vince McMahon’s resignation. 

All of this is happening more than a year after being rushed to the hospital due to heart failure. 

“I appreciate you asking. I feel great. A glitch in the road. Luckily for me, it was caught, right? It took a little bit to get over it, get past it. I’m over it. I’ve got a clean bill of health. I’m a hundred percent.” I’m very aware of it. I’m very aware of what’s important in life and your family and everything else. For more, I approach it a little bit differently now.” 

Triple H then joked about how he realized that sleep is good for him and encouraged everyone to try it. 

“I’m back, I’m 100%, I’m ready to go, I’m ready to tear through this and put on a big pair of shoes. I have a new appreciation for life. It’s precious, it doesn’t last long. Embrace it, and get everything you can out of it. It can be over in a  second. Embrace your family. Embrace your friends.

Tell them you love them, be upfront with it, and the things you love to do in life, embrace that. Work hard because it doesn’t last long. People ask me about my career. Am I sad not wrestling? No, I gave it everything I had. I rode it until the wheels fell off and that’s what you’re supposed to do. Luckily for me, they told me, ‘you shouldn’t do this anymore.’ Sweet, I’m done. I was wrapping it up anyway. To me, there didn’t need to be a perfect out.” 

"I have a new appreciation for life, it's precious, it doesn't last long, embrace it, get everything you can out of it!"

"We're going to make this thing go to places it's never been before!"@arielhelwani x @TripleH ??#SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/Ydhst0Ga3U

— WWE on TNT Sports (@wweontnt) July 29, 2022

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

WWE SmackDown aired live this week from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. It was the final episode of the blue brand before WWE SummerSlam tomorrow night. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus battled tonight to determine who will get a title shot at Clash at the Castle in September.

WWE SmackDown Results

• Drew McIntyre def. Sheamus to earn a title shot at Clash at the Castle
• Shotzi def. Aliyah
• Liv Morgan & Ronda Rousey def. Sonya Deville & Natalya
• The Viking Raiders def. The New Day

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Drew McIntyre Earned A Title Shot, Theory Attacked

Sheamus battled Drew McIntyre in a Donnybrook match tonight. The winner will get a shot at the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Clash at the Castle in September. Sheamus attacked Drew during his entrance but McIntyre battled back. McIntyre connected with a Falcon Arrow and went for the cover but the Celtic Warrior kicked out at two.

The action spilled to the outside and McIntyre tried to get a table from under the ring. Sheamus broke it up and launched Drew into the steel steps. Sheamus set up the table on the outside and got into the ring. He brought in a shillelagh and bashed McIntyre with it a couple of times before hitting the 10 Beats of the Bodhran on the ring apron.

When SmackDown returned from a break, the two Superstars were battling on the turnbuckle. Sheamus got the better of the exchange and knocked him down. Sheamus hit an Alabama Slam for a two count. Drew launched Sheamus out of the ring and into the mini bar ringisde.

Butch popped out of a barrel and leaped onto Drew McIntyre. Sheamus grabbed a barstool and bashed McIntyre with it. Sheamus hit White Noise and went for the cover but Drew powered out at two. The Celtic Warrior followed it up with the Brogue Kick but Drew somehow kicked out and the match continued.

McIntyre battled back with a Glasgow Kiss and hit Butch with a shillelagh. Sheamus went for another Brogue Kick but McIntyre countered into a Powerbomb through the table in the ring. McIntyre then delivered a Claymore to Sheamus’ face for the pinfall victory. Drew McIntyre now has a title shot at Clash at the Castle.

Kayla Braxton interviewed McIntyre after the match and he thanked the crowd. McIntyre stated that somebody has to get the title off the part-time champion before Theory interrupted. Theory bashed McIntyre with briefcase several times as the crowd booed.

.@DMcIntyreWWE is going to #WWECastle! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/KBnq8QJbmi

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Well there's just simply no need for this @_Theory1… #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/OJT6rxkuRC

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Happy Corbin Attacks Pat McAfee

Happy Corbin showed up in the crowd with a sign of Pat McAfee’s mugshot for a previous arrest. Corbin told security that he bought a ticket and sat down right behind Pat on the commentary desk. Happy Corbin and Pat McAfee will battle tomorrow night at WWE SummerSlam. Corbin wasted no time before brawling with McAfee. WWE security broke it up but Corbin took the opportunity to boot Pat in the groin.

.@BaronCorbinWWE showing no respect for @PatMcAfeeShow. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/waO633FqA6

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Yep, goodnight. @BaronCorbinWWE #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/epANKrPAvQ

— WWE on TNT Sports (@wweontnt) July 30, 2022

Shotzi Picked Up A Win

Shoti squared off against Aliyah tonight on SmackDown as Pat McAfee recovered and rejoined commentary. Aliyah ducked under a Clothesline and hit a Bronco Buster. Aliyah applied an armbar but Shotzi escaped and beat her down in the corner of the ring. Shotzi choked Aliyah against the ropes until referee Charles Robinson broke it up. Shotzi connected with a slam and went for the cover but Aliyah kicked out at two and the match continued.

Shotzi got Aliyah in a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring but Aliyah battled through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Aliyah booted Shotzi in the face and followed it up with some forearm strikes. Aliyah hit a Slingblade for a near fall and Shotzi rolled out of the ring to regroup. Aliyah hit Double Knees off the ring apron and posed for the crowd. Shotzi shoved Aliyah into the ring post and rolled her back inside. Shotzi hit a Fisherman’s Buster for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Ronda Rousey marched to the ring as Shotzi stood with a microphone. Ronda demanded the microphone but Shotzi tried to hit her with it. Ronda planted her with Piper’s Pit and grabbed the microphone. Rousey got heckled by a fan and the former SmackDown Women’s Champion shouted “you shut up and your mom failed you” at the fan.

Welp, sorry Shotzi. @RondaRousey #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/LccNjC61eG

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Ronda Rousey & Liv Morgan Team Up Ahead Of Their Title Match At WWE SummerSlam

Ronda Rousey and Liv Morgan battled Natalya and Sonya Deville in a tag team match tonight. Liv Morgan will defend the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Ronda tomorrow night at WWE SummerSlam. Natalya and Deville isolated the SmackDown Women’s Champion in the ring until eventually she escaped.

Liv tagged in Ronda but quickly tagged herself back in. Liv and Ronda argued and Deville capitalized. Sonya launched Liv into the barricade and brought the champion back into the ring. Natalya tagged in as Sonya choked Liv against the ropes. Natalya planted Morgan with a Suplex before applying a headlock in the middle of the ring as Ronda hopped around on the apron waiting for a tag.

The SmackDown Women’s Champion escaped but Natalya booted her out of the ring. Natalya then Suplexed Liv into the barricade as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Liv was still trapped in the ring and Sonya hit a knee strike to the face for a two count.

Natalya tagged back in and continued to beat the champion down. Natalya hit another Suplex before applying another headlock. Liv hit a Codebreaker and could have tagged out but opted for cover instead. Natalya kicked out and Liv still wouldn’t go for a tag. Natalya and Sonya trapped her in the corner once again and took turns beating the champion down.

Sonya then applied a headlock in the middle of the ring as Ronda paced around on the apron. Liv eventually escaped and hit an Enziguri to knock both superstars to the mat. Liv stared at Ronda but refused to tag out once again. She rolled up Natalya for a near fall before turning around into a Clothesline. Liv tripped up Natalya and sent her into the turnbuckle.

Ronda tagged herself in and Sonya tagged in at the same time. Rousey hit Deville with Piper’s Pit but Natalya attacked from behind. Morgan hit Natalya with Oblivion as Ronda applied an Ankle Lock on Deville for the submssion victory. After the match, Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey posed together ahead of their title match tomorrow night. Ronda and Liv then trash-talked a bit and had a stare-down to end the segment.

Opponents at #SummerSlam…

Tag Team Partners TONIGHT on #SmackDown…

Can @YaOnlyLivvOnce and @RondaRousey pick up a win TOGETHER tonight? pic.twitter.com/gOOkNX8zIE

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Jey Uso Accidentally Hit Jeff Jarrett

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos and The Street Profits made their way to the ring ahead of their title match tomorrow night. Special guest referee Jeff Jarrett joined the party and said he takes his job as referee for the match very seriously. The two teams started arguing and Montez Ford shouted “we want the smoke!”.

Jarrett said he only has one job tomorrow night and that is to count to three. A brawl then broke out and Jey Uso accidentally leveled Jeff Jarrett with a Superkick. The Usos helped Double J up and he shoved them away. Street Profits capitalized and shoved The Usos out of the ring. Montez Ford took them out with a flip and celebrated with Angelo Dawkins. Jeff Jarrett stared at The Usos to end the segment.

With the approval of #SummerSlam Special Guest Referee @RealJeffJarrett, The @WWEUsos and The #StreetProfits BRAWLED on #SmackDown and 'Double J' got stuck in the middle of it! pic.twitter.com/ZkRVGsqhZH

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Well you knew this was going to happen…#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/epPJSZsj5K

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Max Dupri Returned To Maximum Male Models

Maxxine Dupri introduced the new beachwear collection with Mansoor and Mace. They posed in bathing suits and half shirts before Max Dupri made his triumphant return. Max said that they are here to “titillate the juices of your guilty pleasures”.

"To titillate the juices of your guilty pleasures."

Maximum. Male. Models.

@MaxDupri @maxxinedupri #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/3IfrgxNerd

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Viking Raiders def. New Day & Attacked Xavier Woods

The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) faced The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston tonight on SmackDown. Erik and Xavier started off the action. Woods ducked under a Clothesline and tagged in Kofi. Kingston hit a Crossbody and went for the cover but Erik kicked out at two. Kofi went for a Hurricanrana but Erik awkwardly blocked it before hitting a Clothesline. Ivar tagged in and beat Kofi down as The Viking Raiders took control of the match. Ivar hit Kofi with a Splash against the barricade as SmackDown went to a break.

When SmackDown returned, Woods delivered a Dropkick to knock Ivar out of the ring. Woods followed it up with a Dropkick through the ropes on Ivar and then a Tornado DDT on Erik for a near fall. Kofi hit a Frog Splash but Ivar broke up the cover. Ivar leveled Woods with a boot to the face but turned around into a Superkick from Kofi.

Erik delivered a knee strike to Kingston and tagged in Ivar. Erik sent Kofi to the corner and Ivar hit him with a Senton. The Viking Raiders lifted Kofi up and planted him with a massive Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Erik and Ivar grabbed their shields and brought them into the ring with Kofi. Xavier Woods got into the ring and charged but Erik hit him with the shield. The Viking Raiders threw Kofi to the outside and put Woods’ foot inside a steel chair. They then bashed the chair with their shields and Xavier yelled in agony. WWE officials and Kofi checked on Woods in the ring.

The New, Vicious #VikingRaiders pick up a statement win over The #NewDay. @Erik_WWE @Ivar_WWE #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Lq7KPI6Zkc

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Brock Lesnar Appeared, Drew McIntyre Leveled Theory

Paul Heyman closed the final episode of WWE SmackDown before SummerSlam tomorrow night. Heyman paced around the ring in silence for a bit as the crowd booed. Paul went to introduce himself but the Atlanta crowd chanted his name before he could say it.

Heyman said he serves as special counsel to the one and only Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, the greatest of all time, the Head of the Table, and the Last Man Standing tomorrow night at SummerSlam, Roman Reigns. He stated that Reigns has spent 700 days as the heavyweight champion and nobody done that in 35 years.

Paul claimed that Roman Reigns is going to put Brock Lesnar down for ten seconds at SummerSlam and retain the title. The Beast interrupted and saluted the crowd with his cowboy hat as he made marched down the entrance ramp. Paul held his heart out of fear as Brock circled the ring.

Lesnar slowly walked towards Heyman and Paul started backing away. Theory arrived with the Money in the Bank briefcase and hit Brock a couple of times with it. Lesnar shrugged it off and beat the hell out of Theory with the briefcase. Lesnar took Theory to Suplex City before he escaped out of the ring. Theory stumbled around with the briefcase before turning around into a Claymore from Drew McIntyre. Drew and Brock stared at each other to end the show.

BROCK LESNAR IS HERE! @HeymanHustle is FROZEN in fear. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/tKnYga4Fg6

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Familiar foes meet again. @DMcIntyreWWE @BrockLesnar #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/sOIiwyyxf8

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2022

Naomi is set to make her first public appearance as she has been booked for C2E2 2022, which takes place from August 5 – 7, 2022, at McCormick Place. 

She is going by her real name, Trinity Fatu, and will be doing a signing with fans at the gathering. This is the same first public appearance for Sasha Banks, who is also going by her real name, Mercedes Varnado, and is hyped as “Sasha Banks” and from The Mandalorian, since they walked out of WWE. 

https://twitter.com/c2e2/status/1553123940679274497

Banks and Naomi walked out of a WWE Raw event in May due to creative differences. WWE noted in their statement that Banks and Naomi felt they weren’t respected enough as champions and later referred to them as ‘unprofessional.” WWE suspended them and stripped them of the Women’s Tag Team Titles. 

The latest on their status with the company is that Banks and Naomi were taken off the company’s internal roster. Banks’ attorneys were still working on her release, but she has not been released yet. 

They may get brought back now that Vince McMahon has resigned from the company. 

WWE is holding talent tryouts ahead of Saturday’s SummerSlam event to sign the next Performance Center class. 

While speaking with the media on Friday at the WWE tryouts in Nashville, Triple H talked about Paul Heyman possibly being involved in creative and development aspects. 

Heyman, who had been the Raw Executive Director from 2019-2020, was at the tryouts to help scout talent. 

“I want ideas from everybody, I want thoughts from everybody,” Triple H stated. “To me, this is inclusive. When I say, that goes for the talent. When I say this is going to take all of us, it’s going to take all of us. I want that, Paul is one of the best promos in the history of this business. Who better?

When I asked him to be part of this, he was thrilled. We both joke about the fountain of youth at these things. Paul always does this (rubbing his chest). Who better to come here to talk about that skill? Paul has the gift of gab, always has. Who better to come here and motivate these kids?”

Triple H mentioned Big E and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair as people who have helped out with the tryouts.

Heyman worked on the WWE creative team from 2001-2003, including the lead writer for SmackDown from July 2002 to February 2003.

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

It’s been one week since Triple H was named EVP, Talent Relations of WWE, and Vince McMahon announced his decision to retire from WWE, stepping down as CEO.

This past Monday morning, it was announced that Triple H would assume all creative duties that were previously held by this father-in-law. It was the first time he had been in charge of creative since stepping away from his duties with NXT last year due to health issues. 

While speaking with the media on Friday at the WWE tryouts in Nashville, Triple H talked about the undertaking of replacing Vince McMahon. 

“You’ve gotta watch the show…there are a massive pair of shoes to fill that I am trying to step into, but I do not dream, for one second, that I can fill those shoes by myself. It’s going to take a lot of us. It’s going to take a team, it’s going to take everybody here to fill those shoes and continue this on, but we will.”

Triple H continued, “the intent is to continue the legacy of what has been going on, that made me fall in love with this business that he created and to take it to new levels. To take it beyond where it is now. The only way we’re going to do that is as a team. That’s with Steph [McMahon], Nick Khan, myself, Kevin Dunn, everybody that is here. That is with all this talent. The great hardest working talent in the world. I have no doubt in my mind that with this team, we can do it, not an inkling of doubt. It’s just a lot of hard work, and we’re all going to grind. We have the greatest fans in the world, and we’re going to make sure they get everything they want out of this product and then some.”

Triple H later added after recapping his week so far, “like I said, it’s going to take all of us to fill a big pair of shoes, but we’re hell-bent on doing it.”

If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit with an h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

On July 29, Starrcast and Black Label Pro held The Gang Crosses The Line at the Nashville Fairgrounds (BLP Asylum) in Nashville, Tennessee. The event streamed live for $9.99 on FITE TV.

Current Card

As of right now, the card is as follows:

• Steph De Lander vs Billie Starkz
• Josh Alexander vs Kevin Blackwood
• Konosuke Takeshita vs Nick Wayne
• James Storm vs Bryan Keith
• Shark Boy & Dan The Dad vs Violence is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku)
• Jake Something vs Crowbar
• Monster’s Ball for the Black Label Pro Championship: PCO (c) vs Levi Everett vs Calvin Tankman vs Joshua Bishop
• “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Cole Radrick & Crash Jaxon vs Bang Bros & Jordan Oliver
• Eric Young vs Big Damo

Black Label Pro’s The Gang Crosses The Line features a Monster’s Ball for the Black Label Pro Championship where PCO defended his championship against Levi Everett, Calvin Tankman, and Joshua Bishop in a four-way match. Steph De Lander will take on Billie Starkz. Josh Alexander will go head to head with Kevin Blackwood. Konosuke Takeshita will face Nick Wayne, and so much more will take place at The Gang Crosses The Line.

**The Gang Crosses The Line**

What match are you looking forward to the most?!

July 29th. The Nashville Fairgrounds
5 PM CT

Tickets: https://t.co/meoJMl6240
@FiteTV stream: https://t.co/meuQDbBTT5 pic.twitter.com/TOW4uXNoe1

— Black Label Pro (@BLabelPro) July 21, 2022

BLP The Gang Crosses The Line Quick Results

1. BLP Tag Team Champions Violence is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku) def. Shark Boy & Dan The Dad *streaming issues*
2. Steph De Lander def. Billie Starkz by DQ
3. James Storm def. Bryan Keith
4. Jake Something def. Crowbar
5. “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Cole Radrick & Crash Jaxon def. Bang Bros & Jordan Oliver (w/ Trevor Outlaw)
6. Big Damo def. Eric Young
7. Josh Alexander def. Kevin Blackwood
8. Konosuke Takeshita def. Nick Wayne
9. Monster’s Ball for the Black Label Pro Championship: Calvin Tankman def. PCO, Levi Everett, Joshua Bishop to become the new Black Label Pro Champion

https://twitter.com/Aregularindyfan/status/1553145381898289159?s=20&t=nfTXskczild_NcXMly37Fg

https://twitter.com/Aregularindyfan/status/1553158392138633218?s=20&t=nfTXskczild_NcXMly37Fg

https://twitter.com/Aregularindyfan/status/1553166708126498823?s=20&t=nfTXskczild_NcXMly37Fg

https://twitter.com/Aregularindyfan/status/1553171027672420354?s=20&t=nfTXskczild_NcXMly37Fg

https://twitter.com/Aregularindyfan/status/1553176796140535808?s=20&t=SreesWeekMzD1LcNdqF0Cg

Final Thoughts

BLP ‘The Gang Crosses The Line’ was quite a good show for a weekend full of wrestling and wrestling related content. Konosuke Takeshita vs Nick Wayne was definitely that stand out of all the matches, as many expected it would be. Nick Wayne showed so much heart in this match. Steph De Lander and Billie Starkz had an enticing match up with some great heel tactics from Billie. “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Cole Radrick & Crash Jaxon vs Bang Bros & Jordan Oliver was a good time especially due to the efforts of “Speedball” Mike Bailey in this match. Calvin Tankman is going to make a great new Black Label Pro Champion.

Other Starrcast Shows

In the same vein, this year’s Starrcasr event features four live wrestling shows. Game Changer Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Jim Crockett Promotions have events planned for this weekend.

Starrcast will also feature the following live podcasts:

• Father James Mitchell’s “Midnight Karaoke”
• The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast
• Insight w/ Chris Van Vliet 
• The Sessions w/ Renee Paquette 
• One Last Ride For The Horsemen
• 30 Years Later w/ Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart
• Foley Is Pod w/ Mick Foley
• Saraya: Turning The Page
• Kliq This w/ Kevin Nash
• What’s NeXT? w/ Johnny Gargano
• The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy

Starrcast still has three live wrestling shows remaining for the weekend. To see the schedule for the remaining events, click here.

Kurt Angle has revealed what he texted to Vince McMahon after it was announced that McMahon has retired.

As noted, there have been a lot of changes within WWE as of late. Vince McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO after some sexual misconduct allegations came to light.

He then decided to retire, handing the reigns of WWE creative over to son-in-law Triple H.

Now, various professional wrestling stars have offered up their reactions to the news. Recently, WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle was interviewed by Bleacher Report and offered his take on the situation.

Angle revealed that he actually texted McMahon after the news of his retirement broke, and divulged some details on the conversation.

“I text him five days ago when he decided to retire. I said, ‘Love you, Vince.’ I didn’t want to go into detail, what happened, this and that. He said, ‘I love you too.’ That’s all we said to each other.

“Vince has always been kind of a father figure to me. We did have a falling out in 2006, but we mended that in 2017 and I love the guy to death. He’s such a great individual.

“We all make mistakes as human beings and Vince is no different, but he’s an excellent individual.“

Kurt Angle and McMahon worked closely together when the former Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler was brought into WWE in the late 90s.

He would go on to become one of the company’s biggest stars of his generation.

Although he doesn’t wrestle anymore, having retired and been inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, Angle still regularly gives his take on the current goings on within the business on his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.”

Quotes via Fightful

We have some more details to pass along regarding to ongoing situation between Jonathan Gresham and Ring Of Honor (ROH).

As we’ve noted, there have been some issues between Gresham and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) president/ROH owner Tony Khan.

Gresham requested his release from the promotion shortly after an incident with Khan before the ROH Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view (PPV). 

In an update from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Gresham is not expected back “in any form” with AEW or ROH. That’s unless he and Khan are able to make amends with one another.

Their last conversation was said to be “ugly and unprofessional.” There are multiple versions of the story going around.

One suggests that Gresham “cursed out” Khan, while others say he tried to use his ranking in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine’s PWI 500 list as a reason why he should be used better.

Neither Gresham nor Khan have publicly commented on the situation, however, Gresham’s wife, Jordynne Grace, did write the following on Twitter.

“I promise that you don’t have to believe everything you read online. 95% of “dirt sheet” news is exaggerated, completely made up, or taken out of context.”

I promise that you don’t have to believe everything you read online.

95% of “dirt sheet” news is exaggerated, completely made up, or taken out of context.

— Jordynne Grace (@JordynneGrace) July 29, 2022

It should be noted that Jonathan Gresham recently dropped the ROH World Championship to Claudio Castagnoli at ROH Death Before Dishonor on July 23.

We have some more details to pass along regarding Johnny Gargano appearing on IMPACT Wrestling this week.

As we’ve noted, Gargano made a surprise video appearance on last night’s episode of IMPACT Wrestling. He was one of several talents who did so in order to hype up Alex Shelley ahead of his IMPACT World Title shot at their Emergence PPV on Friday, August 12.

During his appearance, Gargano called Shelly one of the most underrated wrestlers of this current generation. Check it out here:

Johnny Gargano on #IMPACTonAXSTV giving praise to Alex Shelley ??? #Summerslam pic.twitter.com/H6KItwzS32

— ? Kimberley Ford ? (@RoyaltyCanadian) July 29, 2022

Fightful Select reports that the free agent Gargano’s appearance on IMPACT was more of a favor to a friend. He is not in talks with IMPACT Wrestling as of this writing.

Johnny Gargano joined WWE in 2015 where he was a key piece to their NXT brand. During his WWE run, Gargano had one reign a NXT Champion, three as NXT North American Champion, and an NXT Tag Team Title reign.

He departed from WWE after his contract expired in December. Since, he has remained a free agent, with no indication as to where he could be signing any time soon.

However, with the recent changes in WWE, one could argue that Gargano might be making a return to his former employer relatively soon. With Vince McMahon now retired, Triple H has now assumed the role of head of creative.

Gargano worked very closely with Triple H during his NXT run, as “The Game” was at the forefront of the developmental brand for quite some time.

One WWE superstar has made the trip to Nashville despite his match being canceled.

We are officially in the midst of SummerSlam weekend. WWE has opened up media availability and a lot of questions are being answered.

This will be the first major premium live event under the new regime in WWE. Stephanie McMahon is the new Chairwoman and co-CEO, sharing that title with Nick Khan.

The change comes after Vince McMahon officially resigned from the company in the midst of an investigation.

Triple H is in charge of creative and he’s already made his presence felt when it comes to one big SummerSlam match that was originally planned.

Seth Rollins at SummerSlam Location

The first major move Triple H made was putting the hammer down on an initially scheduled SummerSlam match between Seth Rollins and Riddle. An angle was done on the go-home episode of Raw where Rollins injured Riddle by giving him The Stomp on steel steps.

During an episode of WWE’s The Bump, it was announced that Rollins vs. Riddle is off the card due to injury from the vicious attack.

The injury is just for entertainment as Triple H reportedly has bigger plans for the match at Clash at the Castle on Sept. 3 in Cardiff, Wales.

The good news for Seth Rollins fans is that he has been spotted in Nashville for the WWE tryouts. Whether or not he’ll stay on the card remains to be seen.

Seth Rollins just arrived to the #WWE tryout ahead of #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/81Cpo7XuiZ

— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) July 29, 2022

Rumors have been swirling about a potential new opponent for Rollins on the show. Names such as top free agent Johnny Gargano and Dolph Ziggler have been rumored.

Nothing has been confirmed on that end at this time.

Vince McMahon’s wife, Linda, has given her first public comments about her husband leaving the company he built into a global empire. 

It happened during an America First Policy Institute event, and things got awkward. 

“I’m not going to talk about Vince and WWE, I’m here to talk about AFPI.”

The interviewer asked a follow-up question, and she responded:

“Well, you know what? He’ll just be deciding on how he’s going to spend his free time. I think that’s a good thing, thanks.”

Linda McMahon asked about Vince "retiring".

The way she dodged the Hush Money question. No shame. pic.twitter.com/lxolACqr8e

— Drainmaker ?? ? (@DrainBamager) July 29, 2022

The Wall Street Journal broke the news about the WWE Board of Directors investigating McMahon over a $3 million settlement that McMahon had agreed to pay a former employee with whom he allegedly had an affair. They also reported he paid them more than $12 million to four women formerly with the company to “suppress allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity.”

Since Vince’s resignation, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have been named co-CEOs, while Triple H has been named Head of Creative.

Linda helped launch Titan Sports alongside her husband, where she served as president and CEO of WWE until leaving the company in 2009. Since her departure from WWE, he attempted to secure a seat in the Senate in 2010 and 2012 but was unsuccessful. 

Former US president Donald Trump named McMahon the head of the Small Business Administration in 2020.

One current member of the WWE roster has been approached about a possible showdown with Mike Tyson.

Tyson may be 56 years old but he is more marketable than ever before. The former undisputed heavyweight champion of boxing has become a pop culture icon.

This of course has many promoters fawning to try to get him to fight again. Back in Nov. 2020, Tyson took on fellow boxing legend and Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition bout.

While a winner wasn’t determined, the general consensus is that Tyson got the better of Jones.

Could a WWE superstar be next for “Iron” Mike?

Mike Tyson vs. Bobby Lashley?

Bobby Lashley is the current WWE United States Champion. While his MMA days have been behind him for a few years due to his WWE exclusivity, he hasn’t lost the itch to compete again.

Promoters are aware of this, which is why he was approached with an offer to fight Mike Tyson.

Fightful was told by Lashley that a rep from a bare-knuckle boxing company put out a feeler to see if such a bout would be possible.

Lashley said that the promotion in question had listed Madison Square Garden in New York City as a possible destination. Fightful wasn’t able to confirm which company approached Lashley.

Even though Lashley would be clearly outmatched by Tyson on the feet, “Iron” Mike isn’t a spring chicken these days. TMZ Sports recently recorded footage of Mike Tyson moving around NYC with a cane.

The outlet received word that Tyson is dealing with a sciatica flare-up. The source for TMZ claimed that this wasn’t due to a new injury, but rather wear and tear over the years.

Max Dupri’s future in WWE remains unclear after he was removed from the Maximum Male Models but we do have an update. 

Max Dupri Removed From Maximum Male Models

Last week on SmackDown, Max Dupri was replaced by the Maxxine Dupri character played by former NXT wrestler Sofia Cromwell.

It was previously reported, that Dupri was said to have rubbed some people the wrong way and was unbooked at the last minute. Although Mace and Mansoor were on board with the storyline, Dupri had some reservations about things, and scripts were changed.

This was a storyline that Vince McMahon came up with and was fully behind. McMahon had worked with Dupri on his promo and how he should sound because McMahon did not want him to sound like his LA Knight character in NXT.

An Update On Max Dupri

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that Dupri being removed was a Vince call made “after one of the early segments of the deal when Vince blamed the segment being bad on his delivery of the lines, and apparently, he also spoke up about some of the scripting.”

With McMahon resigning and Triple H now in charge of creative, Dupri may show up on TV again. However, as of right now, he is out of the group.

Last Friday, Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE, after four decades as the unquestionable leader of the promotion.

A month after stepping down as CEO and Chairman of WWE, McMahon’s retirement saw him relinquish his role as head of WWE creative, which has been filled by Triple H.

In addition to being the head of WWE creative, the former WWE World Champion now serves as head of Talent Relations.

Kevin Dunn Staying

Much has changed behind the scenes in WWE, and one name fans expected to depart the company is Kevin Dunn.

Dunn, who serves as WWE’s Executive Vice President of TV Production has worked with the company for years, but is reportedly not liked by Triple H among others backstage.

It was recently reported that Dunn was expected to leave WWE within the next year, either of his own choice or by being forced out.

It now appears that Dunn will be sticking with WWE after all, as in a recent talk with the media, Triple H name-dropped Dunn as one of the people who is doing important work in the company.

“The Game” spoke about building on the company Vince McMahon created and seemingly confirmed that Dunn will be staying despite the reports.

“To take it [WWE] beyond where it is now, the only way we’re gonna do that is with a team. That’s with Steph [McMahon.] That’s with Nick Khan. That’s with myself. That’s with Kevin Dunn.”

Triple H on the team who will lead WWE into the future in the post-Vince McMahon era.

.@TripleH about being the new BOSS in town #SummerSlam #wwe @WWE pic.twitter.com/8HXP0GtJoB

— Enrico Ahlig ? (@enrico_ahlig) July 29, 2022

Tonight’s Friday Night SmackDown will be the first show fully under Triple H’s control.

While this week’s Raw came after McMahon’s retirement, the show had been written last week.

5 Changes We Want to See with Triple H Running WWE Creative

We have some backstage news to pass along regarding Brock Lesnar returning to SmackDown last week after initially walking out.

On last week’s episode of SmackDown, it was reported that Lesnar, who was initially advertised for the show, walked out hours before the show began after news began to circulate that Vince McMahon retired.

However, later on in the night to close the show, Lesnar did end up coming out, attacking Theory to close the show.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer reports that Lesnar walked out the moment word began to go around on Vince’s retirement.

Meltzer adds that exact details of what happened are being kept confidential, but Lesnar did return to the TD Garden in Boston at around 8:30 PM, about seven hours after his walkout.

It’s said that WWE management kept in constant contact with Lesnar after his walkout. They then “made a deal with him” to come back. It’s not known whether this deal was regarding creative or a more lucrative financial deal.

As for the reason for his walkout, it remains unknown if it truly was because of McMahon’s retirement, or if it was “brilliant business” on his part given the situation. The only person who truly knows, Lesnar, will likely never tell.

One source told WON that Brock Lesnar, who is unarguably WWE’s biggest star, walking out would have sent a “terrible public message,” creating the image of the company being “in chaos” without McMahon.

With that being said, WWE went out of their way to get Lesnar back on the show, seeing him as a must-have.

Meltzer also confirmed that alternate plans were in place if Lesnar didn’t return. Several names were pitched as potential replacement opponents for Reigns at SummerSlam.

It’s said that Lesnar seemed “very happy” when he returned to the arena, which could be an indication that, whatever deal WWE gave him, clearly did the job.

A major possible spoiler for the WWE SummerSlam main event has surfaced.

This year’s big SummerSlam event will be taking place inside Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The show is going down on July 30.

In the main event, WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns will put his gold on the line against Brock Lesnar. For weeks, WWE has been teasing the idea of having Theory cash in his Money in the Bank contract to close out the show.

As it turns out, the main event may have been spoiled ahead of the big night.

Spoiler Alert

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that the plan as of now within WWE is for Roman Reigns to enter Clash at the Castle as the Undisputed Universal Champion going up against Drew McIntyre.

Of course, that would mean that Reigns would defeat Brock Lesnar in their Last Man Standing match and avoid a successful cash-in from Theory if the company plans to have the briefcase holder show up after his United States Title match against Bobby Lashley.

WWE has been building up Drew and keeping him away from The Bloodline for months in order to build towards the big Sept. 3 show in Cardiff, Wales.

This seems to be the perfect time for Reigns to drop the gold and give McIntyre that big feel-good moment that he was robbed of back in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Time will tell if WWE will actually go through with having Drew McIntyre dethrone Roman Reigns.

Drew McIntyre: ‘My Dream Scenario Is Fighting Roman Reigns At WWE Clash At The Castle’

Liv Morgan has revealed that she feels guilty after her partner Ruby Soho was released by WWE and she wasn’t. 

Liv Morgan & Ruby Riott In WWE

On June 2, 2021, Soho was released by WWE, effectively disbanding The Riott Squad for the second time. Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott (Soho) had spent around five years on and off paired together both through The Riott Squad and their tag team.

On April 10, 2021, on Night 1 of WrestleMania 37, Riott & Morgan competed in a tag team turmoil match to become the #1 contenders for the Women’s Tag Team Championships, with the winners going on to compete the following night. Ruby and Livwould go on to eliminate the teams of Billie Kay & Carmella, and Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke, before being defeated by the new Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya & Tamina.

Liv Morgan Thought She Was Fired

The SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan sat down with Ariel Helwani of BT Sport to talk about remaining in WWE after her then-tag-team partner Ruby Riott (Soho) was released. 

The SmackDown Women’s Champion said:

“I get like chills thinking about it. She calls me and she’s like, ‘I just got fired.’ And I live on a farm and I don’t get cell service. So in that moment, I was like, ‘Oh, me too, like, if they fired Ruby, they fired, they fired me.’ And so I’m kind of just sitting there like waiting to get the phone call or the text. And then I’m like, ‘I’m on the farm, I’m not gonna get the phone call because I don’t get cell service.’ So I’m just sitting there like thinking like, I’m fired, too. And then I have Ruby, you know what I mean? So we’re both just shocked. We don’t know what to say. It’s just very, very, very, very surreal. 

And then I’m like, ‘Do I call work and like ask if I’m fired?’ I just didn’t see why they would let her go and not me. I didn’t understand it. So the whole time I’m thinking, ‘I’m fired too.’ And I’m kind of just like settling and like, ‘Okay. You know, maybe, like, I guess we’ll be a team, right? I don’t know.’ And then I wasn’t fired. And I’m so grateful that I wasn’t, but in that moment, it was almost worse, that I wasn’t also fired.”

Liv Morgan Suffers From ‘Survivor’s Guilt’

“Just because I think I had accepted it also because I had thought like, for 25 minutes that I was also fired. So I think I like accepted it right away. Then when I found out that it was just Ruby, I don’t know, just my best friend. That’s my sister, and she’s in so much pain right now that it just hurt my heart and I almost wish that I could like share it or take it from her or at least be like, ‘Dude, me too. It’s okay.’ You know? I don’t know, I don’t know. 

I didn’t want her to feel like I was better than her because I don’t believe that, you know. So, I just I didn’t know how to handle my best friend, who I’m in a tag team with being let go and me still being here,” Liv reflected.

The former Riott Squad member said, “Really bad. Really bad survivor’s guilt. I didn’t know what to do. And then going to work that first week was so weird. I walk in with Ruby every single day. We walk around the halls together. We’re together all the time. It was so weird. But then, you know, everything just kept moving. And she’s doing great. I’m so happy for her. Love you Ru. She’s doing great.”

Liv Morgan & Ruby Soho Now

Liv Morgan is currently the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion, and Ruby Soho is a member of the AEW women’s roster. 

Ruby received a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship back at AEW Grand Slam in September against Britt Baker. In October, Soho participated in a tournament to crown the first AEW TBS champion, but she was defeated in the final match by Jade Cargill. She also participated in the AEW Owen Hart Cup tournament, where she also made it to the final, but she was defeated at Double or Nothing 2022 by Britt Baker.

Watch Liv Morgan’s interview with Ariel Helwani for BT Sport:

The neck injury of Big E is an example of how quickly things can take a turn for the worse in wrestling. His condition didn’t look very bad at first, and people believed that the WWE star will be back soon. However, the severity of his injury has since been revealed and there is currently no timetable for his comeback.

The former WWE champion recently had an interview with The MMA Hour. Speaking about his immediate reaction to the injury, E said that he didn’t think it was a big deal:

“So the bump happens and I can tell right away something went array, but I didn’t think it was that severe. I thought maybe I had a contusion or sprain. I’ve had no neck issues before. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but immediately EMTs rushed over.

Salute to all the doctors and EMTs and everyone because they made sure I wasn’t going to move. My thought was ‘Let me just make sure I’m okay. My fingers. I’m so thankful that I could move my hands.’ I didn’t seem to have any like, there was no nerve pain, no tingling. So I wasn’t really that worried.”

‘I Felt Like A Bullet Went By My Head’: Big E

Big E noted that he expected to be out for a few weeks. However, after learning about the severity of his injury, the New Day member felt like a bullet had passed by his head:

“I really just expected to be told that ‘Hey, your neck is sprained. You are out for a month’, but they told me pretty soon after running a battery of tests and everything that I had broken my neck. They let me know how severe it was. In that moment, in many ways I felt like a bullet whiz by my head.

I felt like the breeze of a bullet went by my head because I very quickly learned that a lot of people die instantly from the same kind of injury. If they don’t die, if your C1 is displaced in a certain way. It can travel towards your brain stem and it can either lead to stroke, it can lead to paralysis or death. For me to come out of all of that, with no nerve issues, no atrophy, to still be alive honestly, is pretty incredible.”

You can check out Big E’s full interview in the video below:

More Originals From SEScoops:

• Becky Lynch Opens Up About Battle With Depression During Wrestling Hiatus
• Joey Janela Discusses Jim Cornette Fans Harassing His Family Members
• Rey Mysterio Reveals What Vince McMahon Wanted Before His WWE Debut
• Becky Lynch Tells Her Favorite Vince McMahon Story
• Gunther Describes Difference Between NXT And Main Roster

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

AEW’s Dante Martin was reportedly injured on this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.

Another AEW Injury

Mike Johnson of PWInsider has reported that Dante Martin suffered a knee injury on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Fight For The Fallen.

Martin was reportedly seen on crutches backstage and after the show at the hotel. There is no word on the extent of the injury.

After The Match

Martin took on Sammy Guevara in a losing effort on AEW Dynamite. During the match, he was seen favoring his knee and stayed down on the mat during the post-match segment where Eddie Kingston, Ortiz, and Ruby Soho made the save as Martin and Skye Blue were attacked by Guevara, Anna Jay, and Tay Conti.

He needed help getting out of the ring and was immediately checked out by a ringside official on the apron before the camera cut away.

SEScoops will provide an update on Martin when more is known.

SEScoops wishes Dante Martin a quick and speedy recovery.

• Wrestling Injury Tracker: Updated List of Everyone Out of Action

Last night, the July 28 episode of IMPACT Wrestling aired. The episode was recorded on July 15 at Old Forester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Quick Results

Eddie Edwards (w/ Kenny King) def. Ace Austin (w/ Chris Bey)

Laredo Kid & Trey Miguel def. Johnny Swinger & Zicky Dice

Tiffany Nieves def. Jada Stone

Josh Alexander def. Shera (w/ Raj Singh) 

KUSHIDA def. Rich Swann

IMPACT News

Last night, many notable pieces of news emerged from the July 21 episode. We have collected some of the news and updates from last night’s episode.

Honor No More & Bullet Club

Honor No More (Eddie Edwards, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Kenny King & PCO) will face Bullet Club (The Good Brothers, Ace Austin, Chris Bey & Hikuelo) in a ten-man tag match. 

If Honor No More wins, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett will get their Tag Team Title match. However, if the Bullet Club wins, Honor No More will be forced to disband as a group.

BREAKING: @ScottDAmore has made it OFFICIAL!

Honor No More vs Bullet Club goes down at #EMERGENCE and If Honor No More loses they must DISBAND!

Get tickets and be there LIVE: https://t.co/kGwSciqtxA#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/9bt2woOWGV

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) July 29, 2022

Killer Kelly

After Tiffany Nieves defeated Jada Stone, Killer Kelly made her return to IMPACT Wrestling. Kelly hit Nieves with a pump kick before getting Nieves in a one-hand sleeper. Kelly hit a low-shotgun drop kick on Stone before hitting a double-under hook face slam. 

Tasha Steelz was shocked by Kelly’s debut.

.@tiffanynieves_ was in the wrong place at the wrong time! @Kelly_WP has arrived in @IMPACTWRESTLING and is ready to take out anyone in her path! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/ooVtPvRIHL

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) July 29, 2022

Johnny Gargano

Impact Wrestling‘s Alex Shelley is scheduled to challenge Josh Alexander for the Impact World Championship at the upcoming Emergence PPV on Friday, August 12.

This show featured clips of various wrestling personalities talking about the legacy of Shelley.

Among them was Johnny Gargano, who claimed that Alex Shelley is one of the most underrated wrestlers of the current generation:

Johnny Gargano on #IMPACTonAXSTV giving praise to Alex Shelley ??? #Summerslam pic.twitter.com/H6KItwzS32

— ? Kimberley Ford ? (@RoyaltyCanadian) July 29, 2022

KUSHIDA

KUSHIDA made his IMPACT in-ring debut on this week’s edition of IMPACT. The former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion defeated Rich Swann in singles action.

Kushida has arrived on #IMPACTonAXSTV! pic.twitter.com/IR3Adek63g

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) July 29, 2022

What A Main Event! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/tN7DrM4rF3

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) July 29, 2022

IMPACT Wrestling (8/4) Card

• Derby City Street Fight: PCO vs. Doc Gallows
• IMPACT Digital Media Championship: Brian Myers (c) vs. Black Taurus
• Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rosemary
• Masha Slamovich vs. Gisele Shaw

A new report has revealed that the recent injuries in AEW may contribute to those stars spending more time in AEW in the long run.

One of the many notable clauses stated within WWE contracts is that the company can freeze a talent’s contract throughout the recovery of an injury. If that were to happen, the time that they spend out with the injury would then be added on to the talent’s contract length once they’re able to return to the ring.

AEW Has Frozen Contracts

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter recently reported that the same clause is present within several AEW talent contracts.

Melter wrote:

“If you are wondering if when guys are out of action if AEW can extend their contract like WWE does, their contracts do allow for that and it has happened.”

Although Meltzer didn’t explicitly mention which AEW stars have had their contracts extended as a result of an injury, significant stars such as Kenny Omega, Adam Cole, and CM Punk have faced a lengthy period on the sidelines. AEW may have opted to utilize this clause to tie down some of their prized assets for longer.

• Wrestling Injuries Tracker: Updated List of Everyone Out of Action

It appears that with Triple H’s new role as Head of Creative, we will see the old NXT make a return.

Transition To NXT 2.0

In September, WWE changed several things with NXT, from their branding to the on-screen talent. The show was once focused on in-ring action and storylines and featured some of the best wrestlers in the world. However, now NXT 2.0 is focused on promos and character creation while developing young, home-grown talent.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque was away due to his cardiac event when WWE rebranded NXT as NXT 2.0. WWE stopped signing independent wrestlers and focused on younger athletes with no pro wrestling background.

Black & Gold NXT To Return?

Now that Triple H is serving as Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations, fans may see NXT slowly return to Triple H’s vision.

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that “in NXT, the belief was that the product will revert back somewhat to Levesque’s previous vision of it.”

Melter also noted the belief was that while they will continue to heavily recruit top-tier athletes, WWE would be open to using more experienced wrestling talent, and going forward, “the door would be more open to better wrestlers who weren’t as big or as good looking as [Vince] McMahon wanted on the roster.”

Since Triple H’s heart issues, Shawn Michaels has been in charge of the day-to-day running of NXT. However, Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard had the final say on NXT’s booking. 

The number of AEW stars dealing with injuries continues to increase because it has been revealed that Dax Harwood is dealing with a torn labrum injury.

One of the ROH, AAA, and IWGP Tag Team Champions previously indicated that he had suffered a shoulder injury following his bout at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view in June. On this past Saturday, at Death Before Dishonor, FTR successfully retained the ROH World Tag Team Titles against The Briscoes in a 2 out of 3 falls match.

Injury Update

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported, “Harwood is the latest AEW wrestler working with a torn labrum.”

Meltzer added that following the Death Before Dishonor match, Harwood also had “a swollen eye, a stiff neck, and his shoulder was worse.”

Other AEW Injuries

Another AEW star, Adam Cole, has been dealing with a torn labrum injury for a few months. He pushed through the pain and kept working until he suffered a concussion at Forbidden Door.

Even though several stars are still sidelined with injuries, some wrestlers have returned, including Bryan Danielson.

• Wrestling Injuries Tracker: Updated List of Everyone Out of Action

Last week, Ring of Honor hosted their latest Pay Per View, Death Before Dishonor 2022.

The show marked the second Pay Per View of the Tony Khan era, and the second since returning from hiatus earlier this year.

The event opened up with Claudio Castagnoli capturing the ROH World Championship from Jonathan Gresham, marking the Swiss wrestler’s first World title.

Dalton Castle and the Boys captured the ROH World six-man Tag-Team Titles, while Wheeler Yuta and Mercedes Martinez retained their respective ROH PURE and ROH Women’s World Titles.

Samoa Joe retained the ROH World Television Champion while FTR retained the World Tag Titles against the Briscoes in the main event.

The Event

In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it’s reported that Death Before Dishonor earned 36,100 buys.

Breaking this number down, the vast majority of fans watched online, with 27,000 digital buys and 9,100 from classic television Pay Per View providers.

This 36,100 buys is nearly double what Ring of Honor’s previous Pay Per View ‘Supercard of Honor’ which did

Over two-thirds of those who bought Death Before Dishonor (67.4%) had previously purchased the AEW/NJPW: Forbidden Door crossover event.

68.2% of those who purchased Death Before Dishonor had purchased AEW Double or Nothing 2022.

38.5% of fans who purchased the ROH Pay Per View purchased AEW Revolution 2022.

The crowd for Ring of Honor Death Before Dishonor 2022 was the fourth-largest in the 20-year history of the promotion.

It was also the largest attendance for any ROH event that has happened outside of WrestleMania weekend.

ROH Death Before Dishonor 2022 Results: FTR vs. The Briscoes, Claudio Castagnoli Wins Title, Samoa Joe

In mid-2020, Dominik Mysterio made his in-ring debut, competing against Seth Rollins at that year’s Summerslam.

After impressing fans with his ability, Dominik has worked alongside his father Rey Mysterio, capturing the SmackDown Tag Team Championships last year.

Waiting for the Feud

Rey and Dominik Mysterio have teamed together for years, but WWE has teased splitting the pair multiple times.

In 2020, WWE teased that Dominik would betray his father and join Seth Rollins’ stable but that didn’t take place.

More recently, it was teased that Dominik would join The Judgment Day, but that hasn’t happened yet at this time.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Rey addressed the possibility of feuding with his son and isn’t against the idea (Via 411 Mania.)

“We actually talked about that during his first couple of weeks of training. I remember sitting down with him, and telling him … ‘Could you imagine if you started working and then we teamed up and eventually, you know, whether I turned on you or you turned on me?’”

“I need to feel it at the moment, during that time.”

Rey Mysterio on waiting for the right time to feud with his son Dominik Mysterio.

“Yeah that would be cool… storyline-wise, it might be attractive, but I need to feel it at the moment, during that time. Right now, I feel like we just, we have a really tight bond, but it would be something special.”

Rey and Dominik will face The Judgment Day in a No-Disqualification Match at the WWE Summerslam 2022 Premium Live Event tomorrow night.

When Does Rey Mysterio Plan to Retire?