Tessa Blanchard has claimed that she is not signed to a contract anywhere.
The former Impact World Champion made her surprise return to TNA during the 2024 Final Resolution event this past Friday. She attacked former Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace during her singles match against Rosemary.
While speaking to Contralona following her return to the company, Blanchard provided an update on her contract status. She claimed that she is not signed to a deal:
“I am not signed with anyone, including TNA and CMLL. My eyes are now in Jordynne Grace because her locker room in TNA previously had my name on it with a lot of stories I had there.”
Tessa Blanchard said that she’s seen Grace’s career going up and up in the past year. She explained that the 3 times Knockouts Champion would not have had the same success had Blanchard stayed with the promotion. With her return, she wants to prove that the TNA locker room still belongs to her:
“Right now, my goal is to get a singles match with Grace to prove who is the best wrestler in the world.
I had a lot of matches against men, women and have always won multiple championships and tourneys so. I have a lot of confidence in my wrestling that I can say I am the best in the world.”
After a run with TNA Knockouts Championship, Tessa Blanchard defeated Sami Callihan at Hard to Kill in January, 2020 to win the Impact World Title. Due to dispute with the management however, her contract was terminated in June that year and Blanchard was stripped of the title.
WWE taped the December 23 episode of Monday Night Raw tonight from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The taping will allow talents to stay home during the upcoming Christmas week. Below are the complete spoiler results for the taped show:
Drew McIntyre Promo: McIntyre opened the show talking about his recent struggles and called out the fans for ‘instantly forgetting about him’ after he lost the Hell In A Cell match to CM Punk. He said that it was ‘pathetic’ for people to forgive Roman Reigns so easily. This prompted Sami Zayn to confront the former World Champion. Jey Uso came out to help Zayn when a fight broke out and rematch between McIntyre and Sami was made official.
First Round Match In Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament: IYO SKY def. Abla Fyre and Natalya: SKY replaced Kairi Sane in the match after the latter was attacked by Pure Fusion Collective backstage on this week’s Raw.
Singles Match: Chad Gable def. Akira Tozawa: Gable won the match via submission but refused to let go even after the bell. Otis then made the save for Tozawa.
Singles Match: Damian Priest vs. Dominik Mysterio ends in DQ: JD McDonagh dressed as Santa Claus was in Dom’s corner. After Priest laid out McDonagh, Finn Balor and Carlito attacked the former World Champion. The attack continued until War Raiders made the save.
Singles Match: The Miz vs. Dexter Lumis ends in a DQ: The Final Testament got involved causing the disqualification. The Wyatt Sicks then came out and the segment ended in a big brawl.
New Day Homecoming: Kofi Kingston’s mother was at the ringside for this segment. The duo mocked Wade Barrett for not being ‘man enough’ to wrestle again, comparing him to Big E. Kofi said that his mother didn’t deserve to see her son get booed in his hometown like this.
Singles Match: Drew McIntyre def. Sami Zayn: Jey Uso was in Sami’s corner for the bout. McIntyre pinned Zayn in the rematch for Saturday Night’s Main Event. The new Bloodline showed up after the match and attacked both Zayn and Jey.
WWE also taped the December 20 episode of SmackDown in advance featuring stars such as Kevin Owens, LA Knight and more. You can check out the spoiler for it here.
Two new championship matches including a stipulation match have been made official for the AEW Worlds End PPV following tonight’s Collision.
Mariah May had previously told Thunder Rosa to name a time and a place for their Women’s title match. This week’s episode of the Saturday night show then saw Rosa announcing that she would be challenging May in a Tijuana Street Fight at the upcoming PPV event.
Elsewhere in the show, Don Callis declared that he would have his revenge on Powerhouse Hobbs for betraying the Don Callis Family. He announced that Konosuke Takeshita will defend the International Championship against the heavyweight star at the upcoming show.
Don Callis had a bad night last night, and he wants Powerhouse Hobbs to PAY for it by pitting him against his 'Alpha' @Takesoup for the International Championship at #AEWWorldsEnd!
A total of four title matches have been made official for the show so far, apart from the finishing matches of the ongoing C2 tournament. Below is the updated match card for AEW Worlds End:
Continental Classic Semi-Finals and Final
Dynamite Diamond Ring Match: MJF (c) vs. Adam Cole
AEW World Championship Fatal Four Way Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Orange Cassidy vs. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Jay White
Tijuana Street Fight For AEW Women’s World Championship: Mariah May (c) vs. Thunder Rosa
AEW International Championship Match: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
AEW Worlds End 2024 will be taking place on Saturday, December 28, from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando Florida.
Matt Hardy did not expect Kurt Angle to become the ultimate entertainer when the two first met.
The Broken One talked about the career of the Olympic Gold Medallist in detail during the latest episode of his podcast. He talked about things such as Angle’s WWE TV debut, his first world title win and more.
Before all this, however, Hardy discussed his first impression of the fellow wrestling veteran. He noted that Kurt Angle seemed to be a mix of a dry personality with killer instincts when the two first met:
“When I think about Kurt Angle initially. I remember hearing about him when he was signing with WWE. I remember meeting him and just how, it almost seemed like he had a very dry personality.
He was just like one of these straightforward, kick-ass athletes, who was just kind of quiet and just kind of did his thing but he was a killer whenever he would get you on the mat. That’s what it seemed out initially.”
‘Does He Have A Larger Than Life Personality?’: Matt Hardy
Even when Matt Hardy got the chance to work out with Angle, he did not perceive the success Kurt would achieve with his character work. He did not see the WWE Hall of Famer becoming the ultimate entertainer that he ended up becoming:
“Even working out with him in the beginning, as he was kind of learning about pro wrestling and whatnot, it just seemed like ‘Ah, I don’t know. This guy. Does he have a larger-than-life personality? Is he really gonna excel?’ He’s gonna be great in the ring, because his mechanics are awesome. They’re just unbelievable. He’s so physically, athletically gifted, he would probably be great.
But just the thing I think about with Kurt Angle was like how I did not expect him to morph into this complete, entertaining character that was absolutely amazing, had a great comedic timing and great comedic humor. [He] could just entertain the shit out of everyone out there. He ended up being the ultimate entertainer, and like you said, one of the greatest packages ever in pro wrestling.”
You can check out the full episode of Matt Hardy’s podcast on Kurt Angle below:
Posted December 15th, 2024 in TNA. Tagged: Matt Hardy.
Kevin Owens has given his version of the events that followed his loss to Cody Rhodes in the Undisputed WWE Championship match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
The ending of the bout at the WWE show saw KO introducing a chair to try and take out his opponent. In the end, however, Cody managed to take advantage of it himself and he pinned Owens after delivering a Cross Rhodes on the chair.
When the company posted the footage of Kevin attacking the American Nightmare following the show, the former champion responded. He claimed that he sent the crowd home happy after the referee screwed him out of a WWE championship victory.
The former Universal Champion also reacted to the video of Triple H shoving him on the ramp on his way back. Kevin Owens rationalized it as the WWE CCO thanking him for the full house:
*EXCLUSIVE: After getting screwed out of becoming the Undisputed WWE Champion by incompetent referees, Kevin Owens justifiably gets retribution on The American Person with an often imitated, never truly duplicated, PACKAGE PILEDRIVER just moments after Saturday Night’s Main… https://t.co/Dy2s6PO7TR
*Upon leaving gorilla, Triple H enthusiastically thanks Kevin Owens for the house and tells him how proud he is of Kevin for doing what needed to be done and taking what he truly deserves and proceeds to invite him over to his house for Christmas dinner and to watch #SNME back on… https://t.co/08C8M93ye0
Cody Rhodes had to be stretchered out of the ring after Owens delivered the banned piledriver on the WWE champion. It’s possible that he’ll be kept off TV for a few weeks to sell the attack.
Triple H has not made any public comments on Kevin’s attack despite tonight’s altercation. It’s likely that we’ll see the WWE Executive making an appearance on TV soon to confront the former NXT star.
Apart from this, Saturday Night’s Main Event also featured the finals of the Women’s US Title tournament. You can check out reactions to the crowning of the Inaugural champion here.
A lot of people questioned AEW’s decision to revert the female star back to her old rockstar persona when she returned to the company this past Wednesday on Dynamite. It now appears however, that the character change will lead to the next evolution of the former Women’s Champion.
The female star competed in her second match back against Shazza McKenzie at the latest Winter Is Coming special of AEW Collision. After the bout, Storm took the mic and declared that she was officially ‘All Elite’:
In a backstage segment before the bout, Storm greeted both Tony Schiavone and Thunder Rosa like she had never met them. The post-match interview saw her talking about how her younger self would have never believed that she was going to share the locker room with the likes of Mercedes Mone and Willow Nightingale.
Toni Storm did not reveal her intentions when she came out on Wednesday after the main event match between Mariah May and Mina Shirakawa for the AEW Women’s World Championship.
With the 29-year-old seemingly not remembering any of her previous AEW run, it’s possible that May might take the former champion under her wing now, reversing the dynamic that existed before their falling out.
Liv Morgan was said to be ok following her Saturday Night’s Main Event title defense.
The Women’s World Champion defended her championship against IYO SKY at the show. Both Dominik Mysterio and Raquel Rodriguez were at Liv’s side.
The ending of the bout saw SKY hit a running Meteora and she then climbed up the top rope. Morgan, however, countered with a Moonsault of her own and pinned her challenger with an Oblivion.
While Liv successfully retained the title, fans were concerned about the current Champion’s health coming out of the bout. A video of SKY hitting a rough-looking knee to Morgan that went viral made many believe that she might have suffered a broken nose during the match.
Liv Morgan ain’t gonna be able to smell anything for awhile ? That knee to the face looked CRAZY #SNMEpic.twitter.com/wMLceV8BJy
PWInsider is reporting, however, that this wasn’t the case. The Judgment Day star somehow managed to avoid any injury and she was said to be ok after the bout.
Rhea Ripley came out to confront Morgan on the ramp as the women’s champion was making her way back. This suggests that we’ve not seen the last of this rivalry and the two female stars will meet again down the road.
Apart from this, Saturday Night’s Main Event featured matches such as Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn and the finals of the US Women’s Title tournament.
The closing match of the night saw Cody Rhodes retain the Undisputed WWE title against Kevin Owens. Though the night didn’t end with Rhodes’ win and there were some major post-match developments after the show went off air. You can check out more about it here.
Cody Rhodes managed to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship at the returning Saturday Night’s Main Event but things didn’t end on a high note for him as he may have been expecting.
The ending of the main event championship match saw the challenger Kevin Owens introducing a chair to the bout after the referee was knocked out. In the end however, Cody managed to use the chair to his own advantage. The American Nightmare won the bout after delivering a Cross Rhodes to his opponent on the chair.
Owens was visibly upset at how things turned out at the event and he attacked the current champion after the show went off air. Kevin delivered the banned piledriver after the broadcast. Per fans in the arena, Cody had to be stretchered out of the ring following the attack.
KO took the Winged Eagle title that was resurrected by Rhodes for the special event after taking Cody out. Triple H came out to confront the former NXT champion on the ramp and the two had an altercation:
What Happened On Saturday Night’s Main Event
Tonight’s show opened with a physical match between Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn. Unfortunately for Zayn, he lost the bout, continuing his losing streak against the Scottish Psychopath.
The event also featured the finals of the US Women’s Title tournament between Michin and Chelsea Green. Green was the clear favorite to win going into the show and she didn’t disappoint the fans.
It’s clear that the rivalry between Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes is far from over after how things unfolded tonight. It’ll be interesting to see when and where the next chapter of this blood feud will be written.
Liv Morgan is ready to do whatever she can to bring WrestleMania to London.
The Women’s World Champion recently spoke to Mirror to promote WWE’s upcoming UK tour during the road to WrestleMania 41. She discussed things such as having to take time off earlier this year due to a shoulder injury and how the hiatus helped her career.
With the company having increased its international presence in recent years and selling out stadiums outside of the US, the topic of more prominent PPVs emanating from outside of the country is discussed more and more.
One such possibility that has been brought up many times in recent months is WrestleMania coming to London. Morgan also commented on the possibility during the interview and said that it would be huge:
“I think WrestleMania in London would be huge. I think that would be bananas, nuts, crazy. I think it’s going to be the most high energy WrestleMania ever. And I know we’d all love to feed off of that crazy, chaotic, amazing energy that fans would give us.”
Liv Morgan explained that she is all for the Show of Shows coming to the prestigious city and claimed that she is ready to do anything she can to make it happen:
“I’m here and I’m ready for it and if there’s anything I can do to help make it happen I would do. I have my Ginger Spice gear, like in my closet waiting to whip it out again. So that’s got to be worth it just on its own, right?”
The current Women’s Champion is set to compete at the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event tonight. She will be defending her title against IYO SKY at the show. You can check out our predictions for the event here.
Triple H has explained why being an unconventional face of WWE works for Roman Reigns.
WWE tried to follow the blueprint of conventional babyfaces with Reigns after the breakup of Shield but for many years fans rejected him as the face of the company. It wasn’t until The Big Dog turned heel and became the Tribal Chief that he was able to truly cement his status as a larger-than-life superstar in league with names such as Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
During a recent appearance on the Roommate show, Triple H discussed how the same things do not work for different stars. He mentioned that people like John Cena or Cody Rhodes are guys that are the perfect representative of the company at all times:
“Every star sort of has the things that work for them. Cena is like the, if you were to say ‘Give me the perfect sort of I’ll do anything for the company guy,’ it’s Cena. He knows what he should do for him, he knows what he should do for the company. He’s the first guy there, last guy to leave. He’ll do all the media.
He’s a perfect representative of the company at all times. Cody Rhodes is very much like that as well. [He] sort of models himself [after that] because he was a young up-and-coming guy when Cena was on top. So he was seeing that and that’s how he sees himself as that’s how you become the top guy.”
Roman Reigns on the other hand is completely different. Triple H discussed how Reigns unlike other past faces of the company does not care much for appearances outside of WWE programming. This approach however, works for him:
“Roman is totally different. Not in a bad way like to do the ultimate PR thing or do the ultimate appearance thing. He’s like ‘I don’t feel like that’s worth my time.’
But that works for him because if we took that character and we put that character in all these other things, we kind of hurt the character. Because it’s not what the character is. So it’s not that he doesn’t want to do it. It’s that he doesn’t feel like the character should do that stuff.”
Kevin Owens continues to cut promos from the car because it offends people.
The former Universal Champion had been kept off TV for a couple of weeks when he attacked Cody Rhodes after the Bad Blood PPV. When WWE wouldn’t allow him on their programming, Owens chose to speak his mind with a number of social media promos all recorded in his car.
His car promos have since become a unique part of his ongoing rivalry with the current Undisputed WWE Champion. During a recent interview with SI, Owens explained why he originally chose the spot to speak his mind:
“I can’t do it from the house. I have five dogs. I have six cats. I have two kids. It’s not happening in there. There’s too much noise. So I do it from my car. And it’s very hard for some people to accept,”
Despite being back on TV since then, Kevin Owens has continued cutting promos from his car. This week’s episode of SmackDown saw him having a war of words with Rhodes from the same place. KO brought up Cody’s past during the segment and told the WWE Champion that he was more entertaining as Stardust.
Explaining why he continues to cut promos like this, the former NXT Champion said that he is doing it just to spite people who are irritated by it:
“It used to be a thing where I just did it because it was easier. Now I’ve seen so many people take offense to it, that now I’m never not doing it from a car just to spite them.”
Kevin Owens will be challenging Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed Title at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14. You can check out our predictions for the show here.
Seth Rollins was originally planned for a big match at the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event this weekend from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Architect had been involved in a rivalry with ‘Big’ Bronson Reed prior to the latter’s unfortunate Survivor Series injury. They had wrestled two singles matches with both of them picking up a victory each.
Now PWinsider is reporting that the original plan was to close out this rivalry with the third and final match at the December 14 event:
“The original plan for tomorrow’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event broadcast on NBC was to close out the Seth Rollins vs. Bronson Reed program with a final match between the two.”
Bronson Reed suffered a broken foot while attempting a Tsunami from the top of the WarGames cage during the Survivor Series event last month. He underwent a surgery earlier this week and the belief is that the heavyweight star will be missing WrestleMania 41.
Seth Rollins has moved on to a program with CM Punk after Reed was put on the shelf. Reports suggest that a match between the two stars is scheduled for early next year.
While the Monday Night Messiah is not scheduled to compete at Saturday’s event, a number of big matches including Kevin Owens vs. Cody Rhodes have been announced for the show. You can check out our predictions for the night here.
Fans will be getting the much-anticipated Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk showdown very soon.
A match between the two stars has been in the works since the night Punk came back to WWE at Survivor Series 2023. People will remember the fan videos showing Rollins being held back by officials when the Straight Edge Star made his surprise return.
The two former champions have crossed paths a number of times since then but they have yet to step into the ring for a match. Now PWInsider is reporting that the rumors of the former AEW star facing the Architect at Raw Netflix debut on January 6 are true:
“PWInsider.com was told this morning that [Punk vs Rollins] is 100% the current direction they are going in. We were cautioned ‘anything can always change’ but that match is ‘absolutely part of the plan to come in nuclear hot’ for the Netflix debut on 1/6/25.”
CM Punk interfered in the triple threat world championship match among Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre and then champion Damian Priest at Money In the Bank 2024. While targeting McIntyre, Punk inadvertently cost Rollins the title at the show.
Seth then refereed the first match of the trilogy between Punk and McIntyre at SummerSlam 2024. After an argument during the bout, Punk ended up knocking Rollins out with a GTS. This allowed McIntyre to win the match.
The two stars have reignited their rivalry after Punk teamed up with the OG Bloodline at Survivor Series last month. Rollins confronted him on Raw this past week in an intense segment following the PPV.
Punk vs. Rollins is not the only big match planned for the upcoming special. Roman Reigns also issued a big challenge for the night on SmackDown this week. You can check out more about it here.
Joe Hendry has earned the right to face Nic Nemeth and potentially start 2025 with a World Title victory at tonight’s Final Resolution PPV.
The viral star took part in a fatal four-way #1 contenders match during Friday’s event, competing against Josh Alexander, Steve Maclin, and Mike Santana for a shot at the TNA World title.
The ending of the bout saw Alexander taking Santana out of the bout by zip-tying him to the barricade. He also low-blowed Maclin to stop him from winning. Hendry however, foiled the plans for the former TNA champion. He won the match after delivering a Standing Ovation Chokeslam to Alexander.
.@joehendry is the #1 Contender for the TNA World Championship!
The win earns Joe Hendry a right to face Nic Nemeth for the TNA title at the 2025 Genesis event on January 19, 2025, from Garland, Texas.
Hendry previously challenged the former WWE star for the title at the Bound For Glory event in October this year. He lost the bout due to interference from WWE Hall of Famer John Layfield.
Nemeth also competed at tonight’s show, successfully defending his title against A.J. Francis in the main event. Francis and KC Navarro attacked the world champion after the bout until Joe Hendry made the save. The show ended with the two Genesis opponents arguing with each other.
Joe Hendry previously teased making his WWE main roster debut at the 2025 Royal Rumble. Though reports suggest that he is under a TNA contract till late 2025. So it’s possible that he’ll get a run with the TNA title before his deal comes to an end.
Posted December 13th, 2024 in TNA. Tagged: Joe Hendry.
TNA Hall of Famer Rhino has announced that his 5-year run with the company will be coming to an end this week.
The wrestling veteran made the announcement on Facebook, revealing that his match with Ryan Nemeth during the December 14 Impact TV tapings from Atlanta, GA will be his last match for the promotion:
“Tomorrow is my last day with TNA Wrestling. I am wrestling Ryan Nemeth. It will most likely be the last time EVER I will wrestle in a TNA ring. If you can make it to Center Stage in Atlanta, come and be part of this 5-year chapter of my life and our journey. Thank you to all of the amazing wrestling fans for your support. I’m not done wrestling but TNA and I have parted ways. ?”
Rhino’s second run with TNA started with a surprise appearance at Slammiversary XVII in 2019, while he was still under WWE contract. He would go on to sign a contract with the company after getting his release from the Endeavor-owned promotion.
During his second run, the hardcore veteran has not won any singles titles in the company. Though he has held the tag titles multiple times, having reigns with Heath Slater and Joe Doering.
The former ECW star was inducted into the 2024 TNA Hall of Fame at Bound For Glory alongside TNA co-founder Bob Ryder in October this year.
Kevin Owens has nothing but nice things to say about Randy Orton despite their recent falling out.
The former Universal Champion recently spoke to DailyMail UK to promote the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event. He discussed things such as his upcoming WWE Championship match with Cody Rhodes and more.
When asked what it’s been like working with The Viper on a personal and professional level since his return from back injury, Owens claimed that there is no one in WWE he respects more than Randy:
“On a professional level, but also a personal level, he will willingly talk about the mistakes he has made when he was younger and first starting out, because he wants to be an example of what to do and what not to do. He is very open about it and I respect him so much.”
Kevin Owens said that he’s seen Orton changing and maturing through his WWE tenure. He mentioned that the Legend Killer gives the credit for it to his wife and kids:
“He is just a real positive influence in our locker room. When he wasn’t here, you could feel it. When Randy Orton is around, people are on their toes more because they want Randy to respect them. Randy’s respect is worth a lot.”
The former NXT Champion also discussed how Orton has signed a new WWE deal recently and said that they need guys like Randy to stick around as a positive influence on talents coming from the developmental.
AEW taped the December 14 ‘Winter is Coming’ special of Saturday Night Collision this Thursday, December 12 from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO. The show featured Toni Storm in action after she returned to the company earlier this week. Below are the complete spoilers for the show:
Backstage Segment: Darby Allin approached Will Ospreay and asked for his help in defending AEW. Ospreay said he needed momentum from winning the C2. He’d step into the war with Darby once he was done.
International Women’s Cup Qualifier Singles Match: Willow Nightingale def. Jamie Hayter: Nightingale pinned Hayter to advance to Wrestle Dynasty. The lights went out after the match. Julia Hart appeared when the light came back and she attacked Hayter.
Continental Classic Blue League Match: Kazuchika Okada def. The Beast Mortos: The Continental champion picked up the win with The Rainmaker.
Singles Match: Toni Storm def. Shazza McKenzie: After the match, Storm cut a promo and said she’s ‘All Elite’
Tag Team Match: Action Andretti & Lio Rush def. Top Flight: Leila Grey was in Top Flight’s corner for the match. She was knocked out during a dive spot, allowing Andretti and Rush to take advantage and win the match.
Singles Match: Kris Statlander def. Tootie Lynn
10 Men Tag Team Match: Orange Cassidy, The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd), Komander & Daniel Garcia def. MxM Collection (Mason Madden & Mansoor), Ari Daivari, Josh Woods & Tony Nese (w/ Mark Sterling)
Continental Classic Blue League Match: Mark Briscoe def. Kyle Fletcher: Briscoe pinned Fletcher for the win.
AEW recently also confirmed two new matches for the Worlds End PPV later this month. You can check out more about it here.
The long-anticipated ROH Women’s Championship rematch between Athena and Billie Starkz has finally been made official for the upcoming Final Battle PPV.
The Final Battle event holds special importance for the current champion as her historic reign began at the 2022 edition of the show. She successfully defeated her former protege Starkz in a match during the 2023 edition of the ROH PPV to retain the title.
The two have continued feuding since then with Athena surpassing Samoa Joe to become the longest reigning title holder in ROH history in September this year. The upcoming match which was made official during the December 12 episode of ROH TV on Honor Club will bring the storyline between the two female stars to a full circle.
ROH Final Battle 2024 Updated Card
During the same episode, it was also announced that Jay Lethal will be returning to the brand at the upcoming PPV to face QT Marshall. Below is the updated card for the show:
ROH Women’s TV Championship Match: Red Velvet (c) vs. Leyla Hirsch
ROH World Heavyweight Championship Match: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Matt Cardona
ROH World Tag Team Championship Match: The Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara) (c) vs. The Righteous (Vincent and Dutch)
Singles Match: Jay Lethal vs. Q. T. Marshall
ROH Women’s Championship Match: Athena (c) vs. Billie Starkz
Final Battle 2024 will be taking place from the Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, December 20, 2024.
WWE is looking to create a retro vibe for the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event this weekend and their efforts include bringing in a number of legends for the show.
The company previously confirmed that legendary wrestler and broadcast personality Jesse Ventura will be returning to commentary for the upcoming event.
Now PWInsider is reporting that the former Minnesota governor is not the only big name booked for the night. According to them, names such as Ted Dibiase, Jimmy Hart, Tito Santana, Greg Valentine, and Koko B. Ware will also be in attendance at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The inclusion of legendary names is a tradition the company has re-established in recent times. Many WWE veterans attended the recent SmackDown 25th anniversary special while a number of hardcore legends were brought in when NXT emanated from the 2300 Arena.
The upcoming show is not only expected to feature talents from the past but Triple H and Cody Rhodes have also teased bringing back a classic title belt for one night only during the show.
The return of Saturday Night’s Main Event will be headlined by Cody defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against former friend Kevin Owens. You can check out our predictions for the show here.
The duo of Austin and Colten Gunn have not been seen on AEW TV in the last few months and reports suggest there is good reason for it.
The brothers, collectively known as Gunn Club last wrestled together during the September 14 episode of AEW Collision where they teamed up with Juice Robinson.
Hangman Page took credit for taking out Austin Gunn during the October 23 episode of Dynamite. He was confronted by the rest of the Bang Bang Gang including Colten in the segment but the second generation star has not been seen on TV since then.
Fightful Select is now reporting that multiple people on AEW roster have confirmed that Austin Gunn has actually been sidelined with an injury. Colten has been kept off TV because of his brother’s status.
The duo also provided a brief update on their status during a recent Highspots Virtual Signing. Austin claimed that the former AEW tag champions will be ‘back soon.’ He also asked fans to continue supporting the company during their absence.
Austin is not the only Bang Bang Gang member who is sidelined with an injury. Juice Robinson was recently replaced in the ongoing Continental Classic tournament after suffering a leg injury.
Jay White is the only member of the faction that is currently active on the roster. He is scheduled to challenge Jon Moxley for the AEW World Title at the Worlds End PPV in a fatal four-way match.
Shelton Benjamin was very happy and grateful for the reaction of his AEW debut.
After surprisingly being released from his WWE contract in September 2023, Benjamin returned to the independent circuit. Following many months of rumors, he finally made his AEW debut during Five Year Anniversary special of Dynamite.
Speaking about his arrival in Tony Khan’s promotion on AEW Unrestricted podcast, the former US Champion noted that even 2 decades after his debut, he gets flattered when someone recognizes him:
“You know, having done this for so long — to this day, any time someone even recognizes me in the street, I’m honestly very flattered. So to have that reaction, especially [from] the AEW crowd, you know, being a quote-unquote ‘former WWE guy,’ I was humbled. I was overjoyed.”
Shelton Benjamin’s AEW debut came in a relatively quiet manner. He made his first appearance for the company in a backstage interview segment where MVP introduced him as his business partner.
Despite not getting a big spot, the fans were excited for the Gold Standard and there was a big pop when he was first shown on screen. According to the former WWE star, before the segment he was worried about how the fans would react:
“I was actually kind of worried about how the reaction would be. But like I said, the fans have stuck by me through thick and thin all these years. And it was very heartwarming is the best way I could put it. Because I really appreciate it, and I loved it, and I could rewatch that moment over and over and over.”
After wrestling in a couple of physical matches, Shelton Benjamin has been thrown into the deep end by AEW officials as one of the participants in the ongoing Continental Classic tournament. With a win and a loss each in the blue league, he currently holds three points in the competition.
Darby Allin believes his trip to Mt. Everest is going to be like therapy for him.
The former TNT champion will be looking to scale the unforgiving mountain next year. He originally planned to make the trip this year but a broken foot forced him to postpone his plans. The daredevil star, however, remains as motivated for the climb as ever and he continues to talk about it every chance he gets.
During a recent interview with Flickering Myth, Allin was asked to describe a quality about him that might surprise people. The former Champion revealed that despite his psychotic nature, he spends a lot of time meditating:
“People think I’m such a psychopath but I’m saying maybe some people will be surprised that I like to meditate all the time. I think that’s because people are like ‘Oh how can someone be so psychotic and so peaceful at the same time.’
I feel like there’s like definitely a balance that I like to do with my meditation and my psycho-ness but I don’t know. I think a lot of people would be surprised with that.”
That’s The Most Fun: Darby Allin
Darby Allin then revealed that his quest to climb Mount Everest is related to his desire for inner peace. According to him, the prospect of spending a couple months alone with his thoughts is very appealing to him:
“That’s why like Mount Everest is so peaceful, the thought of like climbing it. Because when you’re climbing it, you can’t just talk, you can’t waste any energy talking. So it’s just you and your thoughts for like two months climbing that mountain.
So you gotta dig deep down inside and really pull out who you are. From a day-to-day life, you have all these distractions whether it’s your phone or whether it’s TV or whether it’s anything [else] but when you’re alone with your thoughts, that’s when you really find out who you are.
You can deal with a lot of problems that you have in your head when you just have to bear with it and you can’t distract yourself. So I think that sounds, that’s the most fun thing about Mount Everest – it’s very therapeutic.”
The AEW star also talked about the fan following he has cultivated since joining Tony Khan’s promotion and explained why he doesn’t like being called a superstar.
Darby Allin believes people shouldn’t idolize famous people and focus on becoming the best version of themselves instead.
The former TNT Champion recently spoke to Flickering Myth for a new interview. He discussed things such as his motivation for climbing the Mount Everest, being part of the 2024 Continental Classic tournament, and more.
In just a few short years since his arrival in AEW in 2019, Darby has become one of the most loved stars of the wrestling world. He has a dedicated following with a lot of young fans who look up to him. During the interview, however, Allin explained why he doesn’t like being called a superstar despite people seeing one in him:
“I always tell people don’t refer to me as a superstar because I think that’s some bullshit term. Because I feel like it teaches people to praise false idols and people that are like…I don’t know man, I think you shouldn’t put so much stock into another human being. You should do good with yourself.”
I’m One Of You: Darby Allin
The former champion explained that he wants to be seen as a common person in order to motivate people to believe in themselves:
“You should focus on being the best version of you possible as opposed to trying to constantly live vicariously through other people. So my message I want to tell people more than anything is I’m one of you.
I don’t pretend to be some bullshit dumb fuck superstar. I want to just be like a humble guy and then be like ‘Yo man I’m just like you.’ You can do whatever you want too.”
Darby Allin defeated Komander in a gold league match of the C2 tournament but got beat by Brody King. He currently has 3 points in the tournament. Allin is scheduled to face Will Ospreay on the December 18 Dynamite.
Becky Lynch has revealed that her daughter finds the colorful world of wrestling to be too loud for her taste. The power couple of WWE in Lynch and Seth Rollins welcomed their first daughter Roux back in December 2020. The little one celebrated her fourth birthday just last week.
The Man, who has been taking a break from wrestling after her WWE contract expired in June, recently joined Cobra Kai actor Xolo Mariduena for a game of Magic: The Gathering. While talking about motherhood, Lynch was asked if Roux is into wrestling. The former champion revealed that she finds it to be too loud:
“No. God no. She hates it. It’s too loud for her. She’s been around wrestling since she was like a little baby, a tiny little thing. The Pyro’s always going on.
She loves playing around in the ring but she’s no interest in watching. No interest. She told me the other day that dancing makes her inside sparkle.”
She’s Just Wonderful: Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch also discussed the challenges of motherhood. She noted that as a first-time parent, she’s always wondering if what she is doing is right:
“She’s just wonderful. She’s just amazing. She’s three. I think more than anything you’re just always, as a parent just wondering if you’re doing it right but she’s fine. She’s loved. I think the most important thing is she’s loved. I think that’s the most important thing. I think that’s what gives you confidence.”
The former Women’s Champion has been stepping back into the limelight recently after her break. Just this month she made an appearance on WWE’s Netflix media event and the latest reports suggest that she’ll be back in the company soon enough.
WWE has seen unprecedented growth in its audience in the last couple of years, and Kevin Owens believes Vince McMahon’s exit is a reason for it.
The former WWE Universal Champion recently spoke to Collider to promote the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC. He discussed things such as the history of the event, which names from the past he would have loved to face at the show and more.
Talking about the recent growth of WWE, Owens said that it’s the result of all the hard work everyone has been putting in for the last few years. He also believes that the mainstream attention they’ve gotten due to recent management changes helped rejuvenate general public’s interest in sports entertainment:
“That change in direction made a lot of noise outside of WWE, I think that probably turned a few eyes toward us. Everybody started watching again and realized, like, hey, this is really good stuff now.”
KO later discussed his WWE journey noting that in NXT he was told that he might never make it to the main roster. While he has achieved a lot more than many expected him to since then, Owens still has goals left in WWE:
“I’d love to be world champion again. I’d love to Main Event WrestleMania night two, since I’ve done night one already. I’d love to have a match with Rey Mysterio. But if my career ends tomorrow, I’d still be happy with what I’ve done.”
Kevin Owens will be challenging his former friend Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title at Saturday Night’s Main Event. You can check out the full card for the show here.