Chris Jericho believes wrestling should be included as a Olympic sport.

Pro Wrestling has always found itself battling for legitimacy in the broader climate of sports. Those who are not familiar still think of it as a fake performance instead of a scripted art form similar to many performing arts. The AEW star has a great idea to help it attain the respect it deserves.

The former AEW Champion recently appeared on the Blocks Podcast to discuss things such as what it means to be an entertainer, how long he will continue performing and more.

During the interview, Jericho floated a very interesting idea, suggesting that pro wrestling could be included in Olympics similar to any other sport that is judged on points:

“I’ve started to really think about how pro wrestling could easily be an Olympic sport, because it’s a athletic display between two people, much like figure skating or synchronized swimming or anything else that’s judged on points.”

Chris Jericho Explains How Wrestling In Olympics Would Work

Chris Jericho explained that wrestlers from different countries can put together matches to the best of their abilities. They can then be judged on their performances instead of the outcome of the match:

“Think about that. So let’s say I’m from Canada. Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, best wrestlers from Canada. We put together our routine, and then you got you know, Will Ospreay and Michael Oku from England. They put together their routine.

Then you got you know Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, from the United States putting together their routine. Then the judges would say, ‘Okay, this was the best,’ It doesn’t matter who wins or loses. Like figure skating.”

• Chris Jericho: ‘Becky Lynch Has An Option in AEW, Who Knows What Could Happen?’

The 2024 Summer Olympics, branded as Paris Olympics 2024 is set to begin later this month in France. The opening ceremony will be taking place on July 26 with some competitions starting as early as July 24. The 2024 edition will notably feature the debut of breakdancing as an Olympic event.

Apart from this, The Learning Tree also talked about things such as his start in wrestling, the backstage politics he had to deal with in 90s, and how things have changed since then.

Dijak has called the legality of WWE contracts in question after his WWE release.

The former WWE star exited the company earlier last month after the officials decided not to renew his contract. The surprising part of this decision was that Dijak was not informed of this until last minute. He was being used by the company only days before he confirmed his departure from the promotion.

The 37-year-old talked about the implications of his sudden release in a new interview with Forbs. He was asked if it was a blessing in disguise that he could appear for other promotions so soon after leaving the company vs. talents who have to wait 90 days for their non-compete to expire.

It’s Made-Up Nonsense: Dijak

Dijak explained that it’s a double-edged sword and there are pros and cons of both approaches. He said that he is not a fan of WWE releasing people, before questioning the legality of their contracts:

“I don’t think it’s a secret at this point that nobody’s a fan of the WWE contract. That isn’t a real contract, because they can just release you at any point for any reason. I think that’s silly nonsense. I don’t know why that’s allowed to be legal. It just feels illegal to me, and I feel like nobody’s taken the time and monetary effort to challenge the legality of it.”

• Dijak Shares Backstage Forbidden Door Photo After WWE Exit

The former NXT star also commented on the infamous independent contractor status given to talent signed by the company. He said that it’s the most ‘made up nonsense’ in the history of the world:

“We’re so clearly not independent contractors. That’s the most made-up nonsense in the history of the world, and people have talked about this ad nauseum. Something needs to be done about it. It’s just silly. It’s silliness.”

The wrestling star later explained that officials should inform talents earlier if they don’t plan on re-signing them. He mentioned how people like Lacey Evans and SCRYPTS were given a month’s notice and it’s not ethical to inform him of his release at the last second.

Wrestling is not a love story, it’s a fairy tale for masochists

The now-immortal words from the late Bray Wyatt is a perfect description of what people should be ready for while entering the business. For every success story, there are many heartbreaks to go along with it. For every superstar who makes a successful career in the business, there are many who have to live with the regret. It’s especially true for someone like Mohammad Hassan, who had to pay the price of being too good.

The former WWE star, real name Marc Copani recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. He prominently talked about his career with the company formerly owned by Vince McMahon and the abrupt end of his run due to pressure from media and the TV Network.

When asked why he decided to leave the wrestling business altogether after WWE, Hassan explained that he was heartbroken and depressed at the way his run came to an end:

“It took me a while to really figure it out. I think I was a little depressed. I was definitely heartbroken; you know turned off. The constant traveling and the spotlight, it was fun while it lasted but it wasn’t for me. It took me a while to figure out that I just didn’t want to get back in there because it really was a huge heartbreaking moment for me.

You work so hard, you spend so much time just training, preparing and then it’s all taken away kind of for no reason. Like I didn’t do anything, I didn’t bomb any place. And I understand why the character was taken off TV, it absolutely had to be but I think that was the heartbreak for me. I was just out there doing the best that I could and the rug was pulled out from under me.”

It Changed My Perspective: Mohammad Hassan

Mohammad Hassan played his character to perfection and became one of the most talked about talents in WWE in a very short amount of time. When asked why the company didn’t consider repackaging him, the former wrestling star explained that he had moved on from wrestling by the time it would have been possible for fans to accept him in a new role:

“I had that conversation with several people at the time and it was possible but I wasn’t gonna be on TV for a long time because Hassan came so quick and had such a huge impact. They didn’t feel like anybody would recognize me as another character at least for a long time.

So that’s why I was off TV and I was home and then we ended up parting ways maybe a year later the WWE. After that I just didn’t want to do it anymore you know I wanted to do other things and like I said that huge letdown. I think kind of just changed my perspective on things.”

The 44-year-old also explained how the whole thing made him fall out of love with wrestling. According to him, it took him a long time to come to terms with it.

Mohammad Hassan made his debut in December 2003. He was presented as a heel who complained about anti-Arab prejudice in society and WWE. The character quickly became one of company’s top heels, sharing the ring with the likes of Shawn Michaels and Hulk Hogan.

His run came to an abrupt end due a segment where masked men attacked Undertaker on Hassan’s behalf. The pre-taped episode that aired on July 7, 2005 coincides with the London bombings, leading to huge backlash from main stream media. The pressure forced the company to keep him off TV and the character was written off after one final match against Taker at Great American Bash later that month.

Zack Sabre Jr. wants his re-match with Bryan Danielson to happen in England.

The NJPW star picked up a big victory at the Forbidden Door 2024 PPV. He managed to make Orange Cassidy tap out with a submission.

He took part in the post show media scrum after his big win where the former NJPW TV Champion was asked about another star who picked up a win on the same show – Bryan Danielson.

The two have shared the ring a number of times and ZSJ was asked what would be his preferred place if a rematch between the two were to take place. The English star mentioned how their first match was in England and expressed his interest in repeating that:

“Our first match was in England. We had a rematch in Germany that’s somewhat forgotten, and then we had the match at WrestleDream in Japan. I know that Bryan says he’s winding it down, but he’s a pervert so I can’t imagine. In a wrestling sense, that’s not against his character. We at least have to have one more match in England.”

• Watch: What Happened With Will Ospreay After Forbidden Door 2024 Went Off Air

I Can Never Repay The Debt: Zack Sabre Jr

Zack Sabre Jr. mentioned how his early match with Bryan Danielson helped put him on the map and he can never repay the debt of it. This is why he wants to have another match with the wrestling veteran:

“I’ve said this countless times but when I wrestled with Bryan for the first time in England, in front of a pub in front of 50 people when he had no idea who I was and he gave me so much. It kickstarted my entire career, and I can never repay the debt to him, outside of trying to break all his limbs. I’m yet to tap out Bryan Danielson so we have to have at least one more match where he lets me try.”

The 36-year-old is not the only star who is gunning for a rematch against the former world champion. During the same media scrum, AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland mentioned how his previous loss against Bryan irks him to the day and declared that Danielson is at the top of the list of talents he wants to face.

You can check out the full AEW Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:

Tony Khan has confirmed that the third Forbidden Door PPV from the UBS Arena in New York was a huge success for the company.

The AEW president took part in the post Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum where he talked about things such as the upcoming Wrestle Dynasty PPV from Tokyo Dome which will be a joint show hosted by AEW, NJPW, and CMLL.

During the press conference, Khan also touted the success of the latest AEW PPV. He confirmed that the show drew a million-dollar gate for the third consecutive time:

“What a huge success this PPV has been. This is our third Forbidden Door, what a great partnership. Tonight was not only a great PPV, also a great live event here. Like we said over 11,000 fans here at UBS arena paid and over a million dollars live gate, really really, special. Third straight year with over 11,000 fans and over a million-dollar live gate, which is pretty cool too.”

• Watch: What Happened With Will Ospreay After Forbidden Door 2024 Went Off Air

Tony Khan On Super Heavyweight Championship

One interesting question Tony Khan was asked during the scrum was the potential of adding a ‘meaty super heavyweight championship’ after the match between Samoa Joe and Jeff Cobb at the PPV.

The AEW official mentioned how we’ve seen a lot of ‘meat moments’ in AEW and fans can chant ‘meat’ whenever they want to. On the potential of a title exclusive for the big men, Khan said that such matches are always exciting:

“There are a lot of championships in wrestling, but certainly any time we can get the big men fighting, I love it. Even if we’re not ready for a championship, those matches are exciting and we’ve seen people get engaged when those big guys start fighting and they love chanting ‘meat,'”

Apart from this, Tony Khan also discussed the upcoming Brodie Lee tribute shoes and more. You can check out the full Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:

Bryan Danielson is at the top of Swerve Strickland’s list of opponents he wants to face.

Swerve once again defended his AEW World title successfully against Will Ospreay in the main event of Forbidden Door 2024 from UBS arena in New York.

The AEW star took part in the post-show media scrum after his victory. He was asked about Bryan Danielson competing in the Owens Hart Foundation Cup Tournament and if he was still gunning for a re-match against the American Dragon.

The winner of the Owen tournament is set to receive a world title shot at the upcoming All In PPV from Wembley Stadium. Swerve Strickland referenced this fact, saying that Bryan is in the position to gun for him now:

“I think he’s at the position to gun for me now, especially after tonight. But I still want that win back so bad. That’s something that still irks me to this day, that loss from Bryan. Because he’s someone I idolize and look up to, especially coming from the Pacific Northwest. We both share the Seattle-Tacoma native background.”

Swerve Strickland Wants His Win Back

Swerve Strickland then mentioned that he has been following Bryan’s career for a long time and he is determined to get his win back from the former world champion:

“And from his career for the last 10, 15 years I’ve been watching and studying that man. And getting in the ring with him, feeling how special he is? That’s a win that I need to mark off of my list. And I don’t have a long list really, it’s very small. But definitely, Bryan Danielson’s at the top of it.”

• Watch: What Happened With Will Ospreay After Forbidden Door 2024 Went Off Air

Strickland has shared the ring with Bryan only once. The two had a singles match at the October 10, 2023 episode of Dynamite where Danielson picked up the victory.

The former WWE star picked up another victory at the Forbidden Door PPV tonight. Bryan defeated Shingo Takagi in a quarterfinal match of The Owen Cup, getting him one step closer to a shot at Strickland’s world title.

You can check out the full Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:

Mercedes Mone is unhappy with Britt Baker trying to steal her spotlight at Forbidden Door 2024 and she has invited the DMD for a confrontation.

The AEW TBS Champion picked up a big victory at the company’s latest PPV. She defeated Stephanie Vaquer to win the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship. Though she couldn’t celebrate for long as Britt Baker made her return and stared down the former WWE star.

The double champion took part in the post Forbidden Door media scrum where she was asked about having a double target on her back and if she had any message for someone coming after her. Mercedes Mone claimed that there is a price to pay for anyone who interrupts her:

“Well, I know a certain bitch wanted to come out and decided to steal my spotlight, right? But that’s not gonna happen, because I’m gonna party all night long and show her that I am Mercedes Mone for a reason. And there’s a price to pay when you interrupt me ok.”

Mercedes Mone Teases Britt Baker Confrontation

Mercedes then reiterated that she is the biggest free agent signing in AEW history before inviting Baker for a confrontation at this Wednesday’s Dynamite:

“Tonight was about me and my celebration. Who the hell does Britt Baker thinks that she is? She wants to show up to my show? I understand she is the first ever woman to sign here in AEW. But Tony, am I correct that I am the biggest free agent that you’ve ever signed here? So this Wednesday at Dynamite, to any woman who wants to come out here and steal my spotlight — it’s on.”

• Watch: What Happened With Will Ospreay After Forbidden Door 2024 Went Off Air

Britt Baker has been away from ring for more than 9 months. She last competed against Kris Statlander at the September 16, 2023 episode of AEW Collision. Now it’d be interesting to see what the company has planned for the former women’s champion.

You can check out the full Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:

Will Ospreay was visibly battling with emotions after his loss to Swerve Strickland at AEW Forbidden Door 2024 from UBS Arena in New York.

The former IWGP Champion gave everything he had to dethrone the current AEW Champion in a hard fought main event of the company’s latest PPV.

At the end however, it was Ospreay’s conscience that cost him the bout. He decided against using the screwdriver handed to him by Don Callis after the referee got knocked out. The time he took to make the decision allowed Strickland to recover.

Swerve then took control of the match and delivered not one but three House Calls on his opponent to finally retain the AEW World title.

The AEW Champion took the time to show respect to an emotional Ospreay after the match before he celebrated his win to end the show.

Ospreay received a huge applause from the crowd as well when he was making his return after the Forbidden Door 2024 PPV went off air. He can be seen still battling his emotions in the video from after the show as Kyle Fletcher cheered him on:

• Former Champion Returns To Confront Mercedes Mone At Forbidden Door 2024

What’s Next For Will Ospreay?

Will Ospreay already has his next rivalry set against former AEW Champion MJF after the two shared a segment on this week’s episode of Dynamite.

MJF was offering a match to Daniel Garcia at the upcoming All In London PPV before Ospreay interrupted him. The AEW International Champion offered a title shot to Garcia for next week’s episode of Dynamite instead and the match was then made official.

Both MJF and Garcia were shown to be watching tonight’s main event very closely after the Dynamite segment. The match on Wednesday should further confirm the direction for the British Star heading into the All In PPV.

AEW is still the house of Swerve Strickland.

The AEW World Champion defended his title against Will Ospreay in a hard-fought match in the main event of the Forbidden Door 2024 PPV from UBS Arena in New York.

Both the competitors got special entrances for the match. Will Ospreay entered first paying tribute to the legendary Hayabusa with a mask during his entrance.

Strickland then got a special introduction from rapper Jim Jones who came out with the AEW Title and handed it to Swerve when he appeared.

The match was every bit as brutal as expected with both the stars missing no opportunity to take things to the extreme. This included a crossbody Ospreay delivered to Swerve over the top rope very early in the bout, taking the champion outside.

The ending of the bout saw Ospreay accidentally knocking out the referee with a Hidden Blade. Don Callis then appeared at the ringside to hand his client a screwdriver, before being tackled by Prince Nana.

Ospreay thought about using the screwdriver on Nana but then threw it away. The distraction allowed Swerve to recover and he hit Will Ospreay with a House Call.

A new referee showed up to continue the match and Strickland then delivered a second and third house call to finally put Will Ospreay down.

• Former World Champion Returns To Confront Mercedes Mone At Forbidden Door

What’s Next For Will Ospreay?

Will Ospreay appears to be moving away from the world title picture for the moment as his next feud has already been teased on AEW Programming.

After an opening segment between Ospreay, MJF and Daniel Garcia on this week’s Dynamite, both MJF and Garcia were shown to be watching tonight’s world title match very closely.

The tease at Forbidden Door only further confirms that AEW is building towards an MJF vs Will Ospreay match for the upcoming All In PPV from London, with Garcia playing a crucial part in this rivalry.

Jack Perry is the new TNT Champion.

AEW had announced a ladder match at Forbidden Door after Adam Copeland had to relinquish the title due to his foot injury. Apart from Perry, the contestants for the bout included El Phantasmo, Mark Briscoe, Lio Rush, Konosuke Takeshita, and Dante Martin

The grueling match featured many brutal spots as expected. One highlight of the fight was when Takeshita landed a blue thunder bomb on Phantasmo through a pair of tables outside.

The ending of the bout saw Mark Briscoe hitting Takeshita with a chair as he looked to grab the title. Briscoe then sent the Japanese star crashing through a ladder and looked to win the match himself.

The Scapegoat, however, used a second ladder to send Briscoe crashing. He then took out Mark using repeat chair shots. The Elite member finally climbed the ladder and grabbed the TNT title to win the bout

The Elite Continues To Dominate

Jack Perry wasn’t the only Elite member in action tonight at The Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada faced the team of Anthony Bowens, Max Caster, and Hiroshi Tanahashi, collectively known as The Scissor Ace.

The Elite won this bout as well. The Continental Champion picked up the victory for his team after he blasted the NJPW President with a rainmaker for the pin.

• Former Champion Returns To Confront Mercedes Mone At Forbidden Door 2024

AEW has started teasing the return of Hangman Adam Page after The Young Bucks announced that they will be introducing the wild card entry into the ongoing Owen Hart Tournament. Now we will have to see when Page actually makes his return.

Aron Stevens, better known to WWE fans as Damien Sandow was one of the most over-stars for a while in the company previously owned by Vince McMahon. However, despite his popularity, the promotion never pulled the plug on him and he was released without ever holding a singles title in his six-year run with the company.

The wrestling star who currently works as a manager as well as an agent for NWA, recently had an interview with Victoire. He compared the creative freedom offered to talents in NWA as opposed to the restrictions he had to face during his time in WWE.

This prompted the question why his WWE run didn’t turn out as fans were expecting and if Stevens was ‘too good’ for WWE creatively. Answering the question, Aron Stevens explained that someone ‘in the office’ wasn’t a fan of his:

“Look somewhere in the office someone didn’t like what was going on. I did an autograph signing six months ago, and one of the people at the signing was like ‘Hey, I just want you to know something. I had a friend who worked in the office. And when they would get house show reports on you, like they needed to list like the top five reactions, you were always in the top three, usually the top two.

After a while, the boss, you know who that is, said, Do not put Sandow’s name on there anywhere.’ That tells me everything I need to know.

So to answer your question was I too good for WWE? I say I’m just right for NWA.”

Aron Stevens signed with WWE back in July 2010, after having a development run with the company previously. He made his main roster debut as Damien Sandow in May 2012. A few months later, Sandow formed a tag team with Cody Rhodes known as Rhodes Scholars.

Damian would later also win the Money In The Bank briefcase which he cashed in on John Cena. Despite having assaulted Cena before the bout, Sandow failed to win the World Title from him.

• NWA’s Aaron Stevens Calls Out “Virus” Of Borderline Untrained Wrestlers Working Today

His hugely popular tag team with The Miz was one of Sandow’s career highlights. The two even won the tag team titles at the 2014 Survivor Series event. This was Sandow’s only championship in WWE. He started being used less and less after the tag team broke up and Damian Sandow was finally released from his contract in May 2016.

Rey Mysterio is one of the most beloved babyfaces in the history of wrestling business. A story from Natalya only further proves that he is as good of a guy behind the scenes as he is on screen.

The Hart Dynasty member recently had an interview with McKenzie Mitchell. They talked about the different aspects of the WWE star’s ring gears including her iconic jackets and more.

When the topic of wrestling boots came up, Natalya recalled the time Rey Mysterio gifted her a custom made pair of wrestling boots:

“It’s funny. Rey Mysterio. He is somebody that inspired me with wrestling boots. I saw a pair of boots that he was wearing and I said ‘Rey, I love those boots.’ The next week, he showed up with a pair of boots for me.

Actually, he gave me a pair of his own boots. Then he had a special pair custom made for me, which are the silver ones that are on the floor over there. That’s the kind of guy that Rey Mysterio is. He’ll literally take the shoes off of his feet and give them to you.”

One of My Most Special Treasures: Natalya

Natalya mentioned how she has worn the boots on many occasions. This includes WrestleMania 38 when she teamed up with Shayna Baszler to challenge for the Women’s Tag Team Championships:

“I wore these at WrestleMania when I tag teamed with Shayna. They’re so light that you almost don’t even feel [them], they’re just light as a feather. They’re so beautiful. I love them so much. The boots that Rey Mysterio gave me are like, one of my most special treasures.”

Natalya also talked about her early career and named Beth Phoenix as someone who inspired her when she first joined WWE. You can check out what Natalya had to say about her tag team with Phoenix here.

Built to Last! WWE’s Natalya Revels In Unique 20+ Year Accolade

Mercedes Mone has said that she has creative control in AEW.

The AEW TBS Champion has been in news recently due to various reasons, including her upcoming champion vs champion match against NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer at Forbidden Door this Sunday.

TMZ sports cameras caught up with the female star ahead of her big match this weekend. Mone was asked if she has finally found the creative control in AEW which she was missing in WWE, and the former Sasha Banks explained that opportunities are endless for her in Tony Khan’s promotion:

“I feel like here at AEW, all of my dreams and opportunity is just endless. So of course, being the TBS champion, and this Sunday at Forbidden Door, I’m about to be two-time champion. I’m gonna be the TBS champion and the New Japan Strong Champion. So yes, this little creativity that I have of taking all the belts, and going global, it’s beautiful.”

It’s A Great Combo: Mercedes Mone

When pressed again, the Mandalorian star claimed that she indeed has creative control in AEW and she works closely with the AEW President on her presentation:

“Yes I have creative control, but I work with Tony Khan very closely, so it’s great, it’s a great combo.”

In a different interview earlier this week, Mercedes Mone had revealed that she was in talks with AEW for 2 years before she finally signed with the company.

It’s very much possible that creative control was one of the reasons why the negotiations ran so long before she made her debut for the promotion during the March 13 episode of Dynamite this year.

Kayla Braxton received a special farewell after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Madison Square Garden went off air.

The WWE broadcaster worked her final show at the world’s most famous arena after announcing her departure from the company last week.

After the show went off air, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made an appearance to honor his dad, Dusty Rhodes, in the same arena where Dusty briefly held the WWWF title before it was taken away from him.

Before his promo, however, Cody mentioned how one member of the WWE family was leaving them after tonight, and brought her out for a final acknowledgment.

Kayla got emotional on receiving a huge applause from the audience. She cut a short promo, thanking the fans for accepting an outsider like her into the business 8 years ago when she first joined the promotion:

What’s Next For Kayla Braxton

Kayla Braxton posted a photo on her Twitter from the arena after the show. She said that she is overwhelmed with emotions and will miss everyone:

I love my WWE family. Thank you guys so much. I’m overwhelmed. I will miss you all but we will see eachother again. ?? pic.twitter.com/41gQipSLsi

— Kayla Becker (@kaylabecker_tv) June 29, 2024

It’s been reported that the company was in talks with the female star for a contract renewal but she ultimately chose not to renew her deal.

While Kayla has not revealed plans for her post-WWE career, she did confirm that she will be leaving the wrestling business altogether, instead of joining a rival promotion like AEW.

The experience of working in a live TV environment in a global brand like WWE would surely help Braxton in her next adventure. We wish that she will find success in whatever she chooses to do next.

Cody Rhodes honored his father Dusty Rhodes in a unique way after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Madison Square Garden went off air.

This was an emotional night for The American Nightmare. It was his first appearance as a World Champion, in the same arena where his father briefly held the WWWF Heavyweight Championship before it was taken away from him.

The SmackDown star addressed the crowd after the show went off the air. He mentioned how MSG is where it all began when Dusty Rhodes first traveled to New York from Texas.

The Undisputed WWE Champion went on to cut a short promo about his family’s history before he surprised the fans by bringing out the belt that his father had failed to capture all the decades prior:

Dusty Rhodes challenged Superstar Billy Graham for the WWWF Championship on September 27, 1977. He defeated Graham via a count out and celebrated with the title for a while. It was then announced, however, that the belt could only change hands via pinfall or submission, and the title was returned to Graham.

What Happened On SmackDown

Cody Rhodes was involved in the broadcast of the show. He along with Kevin Owens and Randy Orton attacked The Bloodline led by Solo Sikoa in the opening segment of the night. This came after Jacob Fatu made his debut and took out all three during last week’s SmackDown.

The babyface trio was escorted out of the arena by security and police so they could not interfere in the Bloodline Acknowledgement ceremony in the main event.

During the ceremony, Paul Heyman was brutally attacked by Solo and his cousins after the wiseman refused to acknowledge him as the new Tribal Chief. You can check out what happened with Paul Heyman after this segment here.

WWE returned to their home turf in Madison Square Garden, NYC for the latest episode of SmackDown with the new Bloodline being in front and center of the show.

The opening segment of tonight’s show saw Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens and Randy Orton attacking The Bloodline after Jacob Fatu took them out in his debut last week. Nick Aldis had to bring in a lot of security to break things up and the babyface trio were then escorted out of the arena.

The main event of the show was the announced Bloodline Acknowledgement ceremony, where Solo Sikoa first introduced his enforcer Jacob Fatu and then demanded that the MSG crowd acknowledge him.

Sikoa then asked each member of the group to acknowledge him separately and they all obliged. Finally, he placed a lei in Heyman’s hands to officially declare him the new Tribal Chief.

However, Heyman was attacked brutally when he refused to do so. The show ended with Fatu putting the lei on Sikoa and the Bloodline standing tall.

WWE has since released a video of Heyman being escorted out of the arena in a stretcher after this week’s SmackDown went off air:

Apart from the Bloodline chaos, tonight’s show only featured three triple-threat matches in which, Naomi, LA Knight, and Tiffany Stratton all qualified for their respective Money In The Bank matches.

WWE also paid tribute to Hall of Famer Sika Anoa’i, who passed away earlier this week. You can check out more details on it here.

Joe Hendry Reveals How Cody Rhodes Helped Advance His Career

Joe Hendry has revealed how Cody Rhodes stuck his neck out to get him a job which was an important stop in the journey to his current popularity.

The TNA star recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. He talked about things such as his song going viral, how well TNA management has treated him, and more.

During the interview, he was asked about Cody Rhodes and Hendry mentioned that the two met at What Culture Pro Wrestling. He revealed that it was around the same time as the inception of AEW.

At the time Joe Hendry may not have been ready for a spot in AEW but the American Nightmare still helped him get in touch with ROH officials:

“We were on the same tour right around the time that he was starting AEW. Obviously, at the time, that might not be the right fit, but rather than just be like, ‘No,’ Cody came to me, he says, ‘Listen, I think Ring of Honor is Interested in you’ I was like ‘Really?’

He’s like, ‘ but you’re not under contract?’ Because I’d done stuff with TNA when it was Impact back in 2018. I think there was the assumption that I was under contract, but I’d just done a handful of shows.”

• Couple Names Baby After Joe Hendry

I Definitely Owe Cody Rhodes A Cigar: Joe Hendry

Joe Hendry mentioned that the deal with ROH was done within 5 minutes. According to him, the experience he gained at the company was very valuable to his journey:

“So Cody set up that call with me and Ring of Honor. Honestly, it was like, deal was done in five minutes. So all of this happened because of that call, because I wouldn’t have got to TNA if I didn’t have…I did the first Ring of Honor show back with the new ownership.

So if I hadn’t have my time at Ring of Honor, I learned so much, that I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing right now. So I definitely owe Cody Rhodes a cigar, for sure.”

Joe Hendry returned to ROH in 2018 after a brief stint in 2016 and he was officially signed to a contract in 2019. He was featured regularly on the promotion until the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cease operations.

Hendry was also part of Supercard of Honor XV in April 2022, the first ROH show under the leadership of Tony Khan. He then signed a contract with Impact Wrestling in September that year and has been a part of the promotion ever since.

You can check out Hendry’s full interview below:

Natalya has been a part of WWE for more than 17 years. She has had a very successful career in WWE and it’s no surprise that the former Women’s Champion is a role model for many young female fans who aspire to become a wrestler one day.

The Hart family member recently had an interview with McKenzie Mitchell. She talked about things such as her start in wrestling, getting to compete in the first-ever women’s match in Saudi Arabia and more.

When asked if there were any female talents, she herself idolized while climbing the WWE ladder, Natalya took the name of Beth Phoenix without hesitation:

“Beth Phoenix. I had never met her prior to working in WWE. I remember like she debuted and I was just getting hired, I was like, ‘I like that she’s different. I like that she’s not your typical Barbie doll, she’s beautiful, and she’s strong, and she loves wrestling.’ It’s funny because she messaged me when I got hired by WWE on MySpace.

Beth Phoenix messaged me on MySpace and she’s like, ‘Hey I’m Beth. My whole childhood I grew up idolizing your family and I just had heard that there was a female Hart getting into the business. I wanted to reach out and just introduce myself.’ Long story short. We’ve been best friends ever since.”

There’s Only So Many Colors In The Rainbow

Natalya would later get the chance to share the ring with her idol and the two even formed a tag team named Divas of Doom. The Canadian star recalled how the two had a lot of fun working together including working on their gear:

“Beth always wanted to pay homage to my family with pink and black. You know, we got these little sparkly study-like spikes made for one of our costumes. We always wanted to match each other.

I remember Beth coming up to me and going ‘Would you mind if I got pink and black in my gear,’ and I was like ‘Oh my gosh Beth, I will be honored and also I don’t own pink and black.’ There’s only so many colors in the rainbow for us to use.”

• Built to Last! WWE’s Natalya Revels In Unique 20+ Year Accolade

While the tag team came to an end after Phoenix retired from active competition in 2012, Natalya has continued being a featured superstar in the women’s division. She most recently competed in the Queen of the Ring tournament, being eliminated by IYO SKY.

Drew McIntyre is not letting his rivalry with CM Punk cool down anytime soon and he is even ready to offer the Straight Edge Star a world title match just to get his hands on him.

This week’s episode of SmackDown came live from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York featuring The New Bloodline and Kevin Owens among other names.

There were a couple of dark matches that took place after the cameras stopped rolling as well, one of which featured the Scottish Psychopath in action. The former WWE Champion faced off against ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso in the match after SmackDown went off air. 

Though before the bell rang, he took the time to call out CM Punk. Drew McIntyre referred to Punk as a ‘scared little bitch’ and even offered him a world title shot after he wins the championship at the upcoming Clash at The Castle PLE:

What Happened On SmackDown

Elsewhere in the show we saw the coronation ceremony for the new Queen Of The Ring Nia Jax and a segment between Paul Heyman and Kevin Owens.

The matches on this week’s SmackDown included Austin Theory facing Tommaso Ciampa and The New Bloodline taking on The Street Profits.

The main event of the show featured AJ Styles who pulled a Mark Henry and faked his retirement to ultimately get his hands on the Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes. You can read more about the segment here.

A lot of things have changed in wrestling since The Undertaker made his debut in 1987. The path to success in the business wasn’t defined as well and aspiring wrestlers had to do a lot of unexpected things to get the experience they needed back then. For the Last Outlaw, this meant wrestling in places such as a federal prison just to get good at his craft.

The Dead Man reviewed this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw in a new video on his Patreon page and answered some questions.

During the talk, Taker was asked if he ever wrestled in prison. The wrestling veteran recalled one of his early trainers booking him for one such show:

“Oh, yeah. It was a federal prison. Kind of like a pre-release prison. It was pretty interesting. You know, back then, anytime anybody had a ring going up somewhere and you can get on a card, you got on it. That was just how it was because there was nothing more valuable than ring experience. So I remember the guy that invited me to go. He actually trained me a little bit too. His name was Rick Davidson. Him and his brother were a tag team in the 70s.”

• The Undertaker Gives Roman Reigns His Flowers After Historic Championship Reign Ends

The Russian Grave Digger: The Undertaker

The Undertaker revealed that ironically, he was working the gimmick of a Russian grave digger at the time and detailed the environment they had to deal with for these events:

“I want to say my name was Boris Dragu – the Russian grave digger. How about that for irony? And you haven’t been heckled till you’ve been to a prison show. They don’t give any kind of dams about what they say or what they do. It was always that long walk in through the prison to get to where we had the wrestling event…But that’s funny. I haven’t thought about that in years, but yeah, I’ve worked there. I worked there several times.”

Rick & John Davidson were two brothers who were born in Texas in the early 50s. They wrestled for promotions such as NWA Hollywood and MSW Mid-South Wrestling.

Tiffany Stratton is undoubtedly the breakout star of WWE for 2024. The former NXT Women’s Champion has impressed everyone with her performances since her main roster debut in February. Tiffany has rightfully been dubbed as the future of the women’s division, though she already has an idea of what she wants to do after her WWE run as well.

The 25-year-old recently spoke to The Battleground podcast. She talked about things such as her performance in the Queen of The Ring tournament, Nia Jax’s win, and more.

During the interview, the current SmackDown star was asked if she has any Hollywood aspirations. Tiffany Stratton said that she would like to start breaking into Hollywood in around 5 years:

“I do, of course I do. I think by the age of 30 I kind of wanna be breaking into Hollywood and do something along those lines. At around the age of 30 I feel like [doing that]”

Tiffany Stratton Says Elimination Chamber Was Life Changing

Tiffany Stratton also talked about the overwhelming positive crowd reaction for her during the Elimination Chamber: Perth event earlier this year. She claimed that the whole experience was life changing for her:

“Australia was, it was life-changing I feel like for my career. I had no idea that Australia even knew who I was. Going into that match I was the rookie. It was kind of like ‘Are they gonna know who I am? If they’re not I am just gonna show out regardless.’ So the fact that I had the entire stadium chanting Tiffy time was so amazing for me.”

Apart from this Stratton discussed Jordynne Grace’s surprise NXT appearance this week. When asked which women from outside the WWE roster she would like to face if given a chance, Stratton took the name of Toni Storm and Deonna Purrazzo.

SEScoops had an exclusive interview with Tiffany Stratton earlier this year. You can check that out below:

AEW has had to shift its programming around recently due to the NBA and NHL playoffs. While it has created some problems for President Tony Khan, the schedule shift has also led to some unique opportunities such as having two of their weekly shows running one after another.

With 2024 being the year of media rights renewal for the promotion, there has been chatter about potential big changes for AEW. With the recent success of these three-hour blocks, the possibility of either Dynamite or Collision seeing a permanent expansion has certainly been a point of discussion.

Khan recently had an interview with Shakiel Mahjouri. During the talk, he was asked about the potential of Dynamite adding another hour in the future. Tony referenced Raw expanding to three hours back in 2012 and noted how it can be challenging to keep things interesting throughout a longer show:

“That’s a really challenging question. It’s been interesting to do the three-hour block when it’s been Dynamite and Rampage. You wanna keep Dynamite as strong as possible. Look at the history of what’s happened with a two-hour wrestling show when that show has expanded to three hours.”

I Want More: Tony Khan

Tony Khan however also discussed the business side of things and what it would mean for AEW financially to add another hour to their most profitable show. 

Khan mentioned how three hours of continuous programming allows them to follow up on things on the same night. They debated the idea of containing the five hours of weekly AEW programming to two nights instead of three with Tony Khan saying that he definitely wants to do at least 5 hours a week:

“It’s interesting right now the most we get per hour for any of our TV shows is Dynamite. So in some ways you can say that would be a really lucrative opportunity. I think it’s a very interesting conversation to have about how many nights a week you allocate the programming. Is 5 hours the best? Should we do 6? I mean I definitely wanna do at least 5 now. I’ve tasted blood and I want more. So I could easily be sold on doing more than 5 hours of programming.”

The AEW President has been doing media rounds recently and discussing some interesting topics. He also recently commented on the possibility of Becky Lynch joining AEW amid reports of her current WWE deal coming to an end. You can check out what Tony Khan had to say here.

Shawn Michaels is proud to deliver a genuine surprise in today’s wrestling climate like TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace’s unexpected NXT appearance this week.

The NXT head recently spoke to Adrian Hernandez to promote the upcoming NXT Battleground special coming from the UFC Apex, Enmarket Arena on June 10. The Knockouts champion will be challenging Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Title at the show.

During the interview, Michaels was asked what Grace’s appearance means for the partnership between WWE and TNA. Shawn said that he leaves those kind of decisions to people above him, and his focus instead is on delivering genuine surprises:

“Well look, right now, a lot of those things are still being worked out internally. Obviously as I try to be honest with folks all the time, there are people above me that I leave to making all those kinds of decisions. What I enjoy doing is what we did last night, which is having the opportunity to bring real surprises and real ‘oh my God’ moments back to the WWE, back to wrestling, back to NXT. That’s what we had last night.”

We’re Thrilled To Have Her: Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels also talked about Jordynne Grace’s Royal Rumble appearance earlier this year. HBK revealed what he told Triple H about it:

I have been very public about being a fan of Jordynne Grace. I expressed to Hunter [Triple H] privately that I was very jealous that he had her for the Rumble [and] that he owed me one, he owed me a big one. We’re thrilled to have her for Battleground and we’re thrilled to have her next week. This is going to be a huge epic event.

One, for NXT to be the first brand to be out there in the UFC Apex is just really really big for us. We’re so honored to get to be the brand that gets to launch that. Then of course to sort of one up ourselves, like we always try to do, having TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace contend for the NXT Women’s Championship, fighting Roxanne Perez, is going to be really really big,”

Jordynne Grace’s NXT appearance seems to have opened the gates for a bigger partnership between the two companies. Reports suggest that this collaboration will not be one-sided.

A number of WWE and TNA talents have taken part in social media banter since Tuesday and even people like Drew McIntyre have teased a return to the Impact Zone.

Chris Jericho doesn’t mind the hate he is getting from fans and believes that it’s the beauty of wrestling.

The Learning Tree recently had an interview with KCAL News to promote tonight’s Dynamite episode from Kia Forum in LA. He discussed things such as the reasons behind the recent growth in the popularity of wrestling.

During the interview, Jericho also talked about the latest evolution of his character. The former AEW Champion was asked how he feels about the heat he has been getting recently, and Chris said that it’s amazing:

“It’s amazing. When you have been in the business as long as I have, 33 years, you always wanna evolve and revamp your character. Kind of get some diversity with what you’re doing so I think reestablishing myself under this Leaning Tree, it gives you a new vibe, reinvigorates you, and keeps things fresh and fun.”

It’s The Beauty of Wrestling: Chris Jericho

Later in the interview, Chris Jericho proclaimed that character and stories are the most important things in the business. Fans will always come to see the show if you can connect with the people. When asked how he interacts with the fans, the wrestling veteran said that it’s very important to read the room:

“The one thing about wrestling is and it’s very important is you have to understand the concepts of being a good guy and when it starts getting stale, of being a bad guy. It’s kind of like when people say ‘It’s like a soap opera.’ In that way, it is a soap opera. You’re a good guy and then suddenly something happens and then you don’t like ’em for a while. You have to be able to read the room on that and know when people hate you.

People are really not liking me right now so it’s time to kind of change. And that’s ok, that’s the beauty of wrestling, you can just lean into it. I take great pride in kind of making people angry with things cause that’s what you want to do. You’re playing a character. When Chris Jericho comes on screen in AEW, it’s different from the Chris Jericho you’re talking to right now. That’s the way it should be. A larger-than-life character is kind of what wrestling is all about and I embrace that wholly.”

Chris Jericho successfully defended his FTW Championship at the Double or Nothing PPV this past Sunday. He will be debuting a new talk show dubbed ‘TV Time’ at this Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite.

Quotes in this article have been edited for clarity

Wrestling has seen unprecedented growth in popularity in the past few years and the sport has started getting regular mainstream attention once again. This new era has been dubbed as the ‘Renaissance Era’ and Chris Jericho believes the live presentation of it is a big reason for it.

The Learning Tree recently appeared on KCAL News to promote this Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite from Kia Forum in LA.

During the interview, the FTW Champion was asked about the renewed popularity of wrestling in recent times. Chris Jericho explained that the live presentation is a big reason for it alongside good stories and characters:

It’s Live Sports: Chris Jericho

“It’s the characters and it’s the stories. It’s live sports. In this day and age, it’s kind of the most valuable entity. It’s the one thing people still watch and don’t stream. You mentioned the NBA playoffs, the NHL playoffs or AEW Dynamite – it’s live, it’s happening right here, right now. So you want to be a part of it. You don’t wanna really go watch it the next day when you find out what’s gonna happen.

I think that keeps it very valuable. But wrestling’s always been about characters and about engaging people with stories. If you can connect with the fans then you’ll always interest them and they’ll always wanna come be a part of what you’re doing, come see and watch you.”

Chris Jericho successfully defended the FTW title in a triple-threat match against Hook and Katsuyori Shibata at Sunday’s Double or Nothing PPV.

The wrestling veteran has been announced for an appearance on this week’s Dynamite. He will be hosting a talk show dubbed as ‘TV Time With The Learning Tree’ on the episode.

The House of Dragon themed episode will also feature a singles match between the AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland and Killswitch as well as a Casino Gauntlet Match to determine the challenger for the AEW World Title at the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV.