NXT 2.0 Star Tony D’Angelo seemingly suffered a shoulder or arm injury during the latest WWE Live Event from Largo, Florida.
The young star was scheduled to face Cameron Grimes in a one-on-one match at the show on Saturday but the bout had to be stopped mid-way.
There is no word yet on what caused the injury and if it was any specific move that resulted in the damage. Some photos of D’Angelo holding his shoulder from the show have surfaced online which you can see below:
Tony D’Angelo made his WWE debut back in October 2021 and quickly became one of the faces of the revamped NXT 2.0 brand.
He took part in a WarGames match only a month after his NXT debut. D’Angelo also defeated Pete Dunne in a Crowbar On a Pole match in January.
While WWE’s premier shows have been touring since last year, the NXT 2.0 only just returned to touring this week. It provides many of the young talents the opportunity to experience life on the road for the first time.
There is no word on how serious D’Angelo’s condition is. So it’s hard to say if he will miss any ring time due to it. We will keep you posted about his health.
Jon Moxley vs Hiroshi Tanahashi is now official for AEW X NJPW: Forbidden Door.
After the AEW world champion CM Punk had to step away due to a foot injury, the promotion confirmed that they will be crowning an interim world champion until the Straight Edge Star returns.
The company had announced an Eliminator Tournament to determine the interim champion. The tournament started with a battle royal at Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Kyle O’Reilly won this battle royal and went on to face Jon Moxley in the main event of the show. Mox won the match and earned himself a spot at the Forbidden Door.
Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi Now Official
On NJPW’s side of things, it was announced that the winner of the Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto match at Dominion will go on challenge the AEW competitor for the title at the show.
Tanahashi won this match. Shortly after this, AEW posted the following graphic, making this dream match between the two wrestling veterans officials.
No other match has been announced for the PPV till now. More bouts are expected to be made official in next few days.
The AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door PPV will be taking place from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26, 2022.
Trevor Murdoch has become the NWA World Heavyweight Champion again.
Matt Cardona had defeated Murdoch to become the new NWA world champion during the NWA PowerrrTrip event in February this year.
However, in late May it was revealed that Cardona has suffered a torn bicep and he will require surgery that will keep him out of action for sometime.
During the Alwayz Ready PPV, the NWA champion confirmed that he will be out of action for 3 to 5 months. President Billy Corgan then came out and told Cardona that he must relinquish the title.
Nick Aldis made his way to the ring next and he told Matt that he is a typical ex-WWE parasite. Aldis then issued a challenge to anyone for the championship.
Trevor Murdoch, Thomas Latimer, & Samuel Shaw all answered this challenge. Corgan booked a fatal four-way match for the vacant title.
The ending of this match saw Trevor Murdoch escaping a cloverleaf from Aldis. He then caught Nick with a top rope bulldog and pinned him to become the new NWA world champion.
Trevor Murdoch defeated Nick Aldis, Samuel Shaw, & Thomas Latimer in a Fatal 4 Way Match at NWA Alwayz Ready to become a 2-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion#NWA#AlwayzReady#Championspic.twitter.com/SSsSbb0KvD
— TWN – Total Wrestling Nation (@TWN4fans) June 12, 2022
This wasn’t the only title change of the night as Doug Williams & Harry Smith won the NWA tag team championships while Pretty Empowered became the new NWA women’s tag champions during the show.
Paige announced earlier this week that her time in WWE is coming to an end and she will be leaving the company once her contract expires on July 7. The former Divas champion opened up about her impending departure on her latest Twitch stream and shared her feelings about the situation.
During the talk, Paige first noted how she is thankful to WWE for many things. This includes getting her a therapist when she was dealing with alcohol issues and keeping her around even after her neck surgery when she wasn’t doing anything. She then revealed that she did not make the decision herself:
“I’m not leaving because I want to, they just don’t want to re-sign my contract. I completely understand. There is no hard feelings.”
– Paige
Paige mentioned that she will not have a non-compete clause since her contract is coming to an end. Discussing the conversation she had with officials, the former champion said that it was very respectful and they have kept the door open for any business in future.
In her statement, the retired star claimed that she is not done with wrestling. Though when asked if she has been cleared to compete, the female star replied negatively. She then provided some update on her neck:
“It’s so healthy. I feel like I’m the most healthy I’ve been in my whole career. I feel I can compete again, 1000%.”
– Paige On Her Neck
Paige also recalled how she was trying to start the negotiations with the company for a new contract last year but they kept pushing it further. She was also asked about going to AEW and she said that she would be open to it if the money is right.
The women’s revolution has led to some major changes in the treatment of female competitors in WWE. One such big change is women being allowed to main event WrestleMania. However, Alexa Bliss feels that only a few competitors have been able to get this chance. Her ideal WrestleMania main event would be a multi-women match, representing competitors from past and present.
The former women’s champion recently appeared on WWE – Die Woche. She first named Rhea Ripley as her dream opponent. When asked if she would like to face Ripley in the main event of WrestleMania next year, Bliss replied positively. Though she claimed that her ideal Mania main event would include more than two women:
“If I was main eventing WrestleMania, my ideal match would be a multi-women match. Because, there’s a couple women who have been able to main event WrestleMania.” said Alexa Bliss, “But I would love for it to be a lot of the roster kind of thing, the women’s roster.
She continued: “Because it took the whole women’s roster, past, present and future to get to that point where women can main event WrestleMania. So I would love to see all the women kind of have that moment together.”
Some time has passed since Toni Storm’s AEW debut in March. She has gotten the chance to work with a number of AEW stars since then and understand the difference in behind the scene proceedings of Tony Khan’s company compared to WWE.
During her recent Talk Is Jericho appearance, the former WWE star was asked about the difference she has noticed between the two companies. Replying to it, Storm mentioned that WWE is considered the land of ‘no’. According to the former NXT UK women’s champion, a lot your creativity is shut down in WWE. In comparison, she feels like she can express herself more naturally in AEW:
‘I Can Work More Organically Here’: Toni Storm
“Hey, I love it. I love it here because I have so much [freedom]. I feel like I have creative freedom. I feel like I can express myself more naturally. I feel like WWE is a bit of the land of ‘No’. Some people call it that. You’re just really told ‘no’ a lot. A lot of your ideas, your creativity is shut down. Not always, not for everyone. Just for some people. I should put it out there.” said Toni Storm,
She continued, “Some people just obviously can hack it there and that’s awesome. More power to them. But yeah, it’s really hard to compare. It’s really hard to compare the two except I just feel like I can work more organically here. I’m less uptight, therefore I can perform better.”
The Japanese wrestling promotion then announced late Friday that the Bullet Club member is being stripped of the US title because of his inability to compete:
Juice Robinson had only returned to NJPW during Wrestling Dontaku on May 1. He won the US championship a couple weeks later in a four-way match at Capital Collision. The match saw him defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay, and Jon Moxley.
The video released by NJPW indicates that the American pro wrestler will require surgery. There is no word on how long he is expected to stay out of action. We will keep you posted on his condition.
While Eddie Kingston admits that Bryan Danielson is one of the best wrestlers of today’s era, he isn’t a fan of the former world champion as a person.
The AEW star had an interview with Joe Roderick. He talked about things such as his work on the independent circuit and more.
Eddie recently worked with the Blackpool Combat Club when they went against The Jericho Appreciation Society. Kingston noted how he has known Bryan longer than he has known Jon Moxley:
“I’ve known Bryan, and Bryan’s been a piece of s— since I met him. I’m not gonna lie to you guys and be like, ‘Oh yeah, we’re best buds.’”
Eddie Kingston did admit that Bryan Danielson is a great competitor and he belongs in the discussion for the greatest wrestler of all time. Though despite all this, he is not a fan of the former WWE star:
“But I’m not a mark. I’m not a fan. If I think you’re a bad person or for Bryan, I think he’s a judgmental prick. He judges people, so I don’t like Bryan. There it is.”
Eddie Kingston competed in the Battle Royal to determine Jon Moxley’s opponent at this Wednesday’s Dynamite. He then defeated Jake Hager during Friday’s Rampage.
Former WWE champion Dave Batista has revealed that he underwent surgery for a torn quad tendon and torn meniscus earlier this year.
The former world champion revealed this news in an Instagram post. He noted that it’s been 14 weeks since he had the surgery and shared some photos of his leg in a cast:
“Exactly 14 weeks post-surgery for a torn quad tendon and torn meniscus.” wrote Batista, “Thanks to @wilk_kevin Dr @bentonemblom and @heatherprahl_at I was able to keep on truckin .. And now I think its safe to say that I’M BACK IN BINESS!”
It’s unknown when or where the Hollywood star suffered the injury. Though director James Gunn revealed on Twitter last month that they had wrapped up the shooting for Guardians of The Galaxy Vo. 3.
It’s possible that Batista, who plays the role of Drax The Destroyer in the Marvel series may have suffered the injury while filming an action scene for the movie.
The Animal’s last official wrestling match came in 2019. He competed against Triple H at WrestleMania 35. The former WWE star has since maintained that this was the last match of his career and he has no plans of wrestling again.
Wrestling documentary Out In The Ring has won the Best Canadian Feature at Inside Out Toronto, Canada’s largest LGBTQ film festival.
The documentary, chronicling the history of LGBTQ identities in pro wrestling is directed by Ry Levey. It had been in production for a long time.
The film felt the effects of the covid-19 pandemic as well as the #MeToo and #SpeakingOut moments. It was finally released on June 3 after 4 years in development.
Out In The Ring features many prominent wrestling figures from past and present. It includes names such as Chyna, Mike Parrow, Sonny Kiss, Chris Kanyon, Pat Patterson, Sue Green, Dani Jordyn, Effy, Charlie Morgan, Sandy Parker, Pollo Del Mar, Jordan Blade, Reiza Clarke and Wade Keller.
A number of featured stars were in attendance for a panel after the film’s release. They talked about things such as the history of homophobia in pro wrestling.
Levey noted how Inside Out was the first film festival he attended after coming out himself 25 years ago. He said that winning this prize is a full circle moment and it’s a true privilege.
Other movies that won awards at the ceremony include Amelia Eloisa’s “We Will Never Belong” (Best Narrative Feature), Joseph Sackett’s “Homebody” (Best First Feature) and Jacquie Lawrence’s “Gateways Grind” (Best Documentary Feature).
The latest such post from Cena was a picture of the United States title. Kevin Owens reacted to this photo on Twitter and he called out John by his full name:
The promotion has since confirmed that John Cena will be returning to the company very soon. He will make an appearance on the June 27 episode of Raw to celebrate his 20-year anniversary with WWE.
John Cena and Kevin Owens
There is no word yet on if Cena will stick around or if his appearance will be a one-off thing. Both ways, it’s possible that they will use this appearance to set up his next feud.
The last time the Cenation Leader held the US championship was in 2015. He helped elevate the title to new heights with his open challenges.
It was during this title reign when Kevin Owens made his main roster debut and confronted John Cena. It’d be interesting to see if they get to reignite this rivalry when John returns.
Matt Cardona faced many ups and downs during his WWE career. Though he didn’t walk out of Raw mid show when he was frustrated and he did something about it.
The former WWE star recently appeared on Under The Ring podcast of Phil Strum. He discussed things such as the upcoming Alwayz Ready PPV and more.
Sasha Banks and Naomi walking out of WWE has been a hot story recently. Cardona mentioned how he too was unhappy with his position in 2011, but instead of walking out he did something different:
“The Z! True Long Island Story, 2011, I wasn’t happy with my position in WWE. I didn’t walk out, mid-Raw, I did something about it. I changed my future, I worked my ass off, I took a chance, and I started that show.
That YouTube show was all me. Editing it, writing it, filming it, putting it out.” said Matt Cardona, “The fans took to it because this is organic.”
The current NWA champion mentioned how the production quality of his show was not good because he was the only one working on it.
However, fans saw his hard work and appreciated his efforts. Per Matt Cardona, he formed a bond with a lot of fans during that time that he still has to this day.
Bischoff mentioned how there aren’t many people in the industry who can catch up to the former MLW star. He claimed that MJF is ‘in a universe all his own’:
“In my opinion, MJF is without peer. He is so good.” said Eric Bischoff, “There are a handful, one or two people in WWE who are capable of catching up to that, but there aren’t many. He’s in a universe all his own, in my opinion.”
The former SmackDown Executive Director also gave his opinion on whether the storyline between MJF and Tony Khan is a work or shoot. In Bischoff’s opinion, it’s something that started out as very real.
Though both sides woke up one day and realized that they have worked themselves into a corner, so they turned it into a story. However, Eric said that he doesn’t care if he is right or wrong because the potential in this story is off the charts.
A number of notable stars missed the Hell In A Cell PPV. One such name who was surprisingly not at the show was SmackDown commentator Pat McAfee.
The former NFL player talked about the PPV among other things on the latest episode of his podcast. He discussed the various matches that took place on the show.
McAfee also noted how the event featured only one match from SmackDown brand. He explained that all parties agreed that it was not worth it for him to make the trip to Chicago to call just one bout:
“I was not at Hell in a Cell, SmackDown only had one match and all parties agreed that it was probably not worth the trip to Chicago and back for that. It ended up being a 13-minute match,”
The match in question saw Madcap Moss defeat Happy Corbin. In the absence of Pat McAfee, Michael Cole was joined by Raw’s Corey Graves for the commentary of the bout.
Apart from this, the former NXT star discussed Cody Rhodes’ injury which has been the buzzing topic of discussion for the past couple of days. He revealed that he thought it to be a work at first. His perception changed as soon as Rhodes took off his jacket.
In the era of the internet, many wrestling fans think that they know the wrestling world inside and out. Matt Hardy is here to remind you that it’s not the case.
The AEW star recently made a tweet about the reality of wrestling. He noted that it’s a very physically demanding career. According to Hardy, fans have become ‘desensitized’ to how dangerous it all is:
“Many fans have became desensitized to how physical & dangerous pro wrestling truly is. Maybe it’s because they *think* they understand what we do.” wrote Matt Hardy, “Every match is physically taxing. Most wrestlers are banged up before their matches. It’s not theater. It’s insanely physical.”
Many fans have became desensitized to how physical & dangerous pro wrestling truly is. Maybe it’s because they *think* they understand what we do. Every match is physically taxing. Most wrestlers are banged up before their matches. It’s not theater. It’s insanely physical.
WWE veteran Natalya agreed with this sentiment. She replied to Hardy with a tweet of her own, saying that she loves her fans and is grateful for her phenomenal career, but it also came with many sacrifices:
“I absolutely love what we do and I adore our fans. But yes, every single match is a risk. And most of us are banged up prior to our performances because what we do is so physical. Truly grateful for such a phenomenal career, but there’s a ton of physical sacrifices made.”
I absolutely love what we do and I adore our fans. But yes, every single match is a risk. And most of us are banged up prior to our performances because what we do is so physical. Truly grateful for such a phenomenal career, but there’s a ton of physical sacrifices made—
AJ Lee is an inspiration for any person dealing with mental health problems. She had a successful WWE career while dealing with multiple issues herself. By opening up about her struggles with bipolar disorder, she has inspired many to seek help. The former Divas champion has continued spreading awareness about mental health in the society with her post-WWE work.
The former WWE star opened up about her journey and struggles on Renee Paquette’s The Sessions podcast. Speaking about how she manages her career with her illness, Lee said that it’s something you have to constantly be aware of:
“It really becomes this thing that you have to stay on top of all the time. You always have to kind of give yourself grace and check in with yourself” said AJ Lee, “And educate yourself about treatment, about the right method for you and about symptoms.”
The retired wrestling star also revealed her advice for the people who are dealing with issues themselves or know someone who does. She mentioned how education and empathy are two things that can save a life:
“So that’s my biggest thing, whether it’s you or someone you care about – education and empathy. If you just know what’s happening and you can give people a little bit of space and healing and grace when they need help.” said AJ Lee, “You really could save your life or somebody else’s.”
You can find country wise and global mental health hotlines here.
The injury bug has hit AEW hard. A number of top stars of the company seem to be dealing with injuries and Bryan Danielson is the latest in the spree.
The former WWE star was unable to attend a scheduled meet and greet on Sunday. The venue told people that he wasn’t able to fly due to an injury.
Bryan Alvarez of F4Wonline provided some more update on the situation. He confirmed that Danielson got hurt during the Anarchy in the Arena match at Double Or Nothing.
Though the wrestling journalist has confirmed with sources that the injury is not anything serious. The American Dragon is expected to be out of action for 1 to 2 weeks.
This is a good news for AEW as this means that Bryan Danielson will be healthy and ready to compete by the Forbidden Door PPV later this month.
Although it’s a bit disappointing for fans as this injury will likely prevent the AEW star from competing in the Interim world title eliminator Battle Royal that will open this Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Cody Rhodes put out one of the greatest performances of his wrestling career at Hell In A Cell. The wrestling world is touting The American Nightmare for the resilience he showed during the show.
After it was revealed that the former Intercontinental champion has torn his pec, many fans believed that the main event of tonight’s show will be called off.
However, Cody Rhodes had other plans. The 36-year-old not only delivered the performance of a lifetime on the show with the gruesome injury, but he also managed to win his match against Seth Rollins.
The wrestling world has been reacting to this incredible performance ever since and people from different companies have come together to tout the wrestling veteran.
Former WWE and Impact Wrestling star Brian Myers tagged Cody Rhodes in a tweet. He touted the WWE star for his performance calling him an ‘absolute warrior’:
Other names who reacted to the news include people such as Renee Paquette, Big Swole, Jordynne Grace, Carmelo Hayes, and many more. You can check out the top reactions below:
Nothing but absolute respect to @CodyRhodes. Dude lives and breathes professional wrestling, is willing to give 100% every single night. Tonight was something special only those who truly love this business will understand.
Cody Rhodes not only won his Hell In A Cell match but he earned the respect of everyone watching. According to his wife Brandi Rhodes, this performance is evidence that you can do anything if you set your mind to it.
The former WWE star took on her Twitter after the PPV went off air. She said that she would use this performance from her husband as an example and inspiration for their daughter Liberty:
“Liberty better not ever tell me “I can’t”. I’m gonna have this match cued up faster than she can finish her sentence. Never imagined he would be able to finish that match…and win.”
Liberty better not ever tell me "I can't". I'm gonna have this match cued up faster than she can finish her sentence.
Never imagined he would be able to finish that match…and win.
WWE announced earlier today that Cody Rhodes had suffered an injury. It was later reported that he tore his pec while training in the gym.
Many expected the company to call off the Hell In A Cell match between him and Seth Rollins on account of the injury but the American Nightmare decided otherwise.
Not only did Cody come out to perform with a graphic-looking injury but he competed in a gruesome Hell In A Cell match and won.
The debate about whether or not the officials should have allowed him to compete in such a condition is hot among fans. There is no denying that this outing has cemented Rhodes as one of the toughest wrestlers of the current generation.
The wrestling veteran provided an update on his condition on his podcast. He claimed that he is ‘pretty much useless’ because he can’t use his back or legs:
“A week later, I’m not doing much better. It’s pretty brutal. Especially when you have both knees done at the same time. I never went through anything this difficult.
I also have a little bit of a back problem so I can’t use my legs but I can’t use my back. So I’m pretty much useless.”
Though despite the temporary troubles, Kurt Angle is keeping his spirits high. The former world champion revealed his rehab schedule and said that he is very positive about the long process:
“I go to a rehab facility three days a week over near my house and then the other four days I do five different sessions of rehab on my own. It’s a long process but hopefully, it will work out. It should and I’m very positive about this,”
Angle also revealed that he couldn’t straighten his legs before his surgery because of all the injuries he suffered throughout his career. This is why he had the knee surgery and they are now trying to straighten his legs.
The end of their WWE career has been a bitter experience for a lot of former WWE stars, but not for AJ Lee. According to the former Diva’s champion, her exit was exactly what it needed to be.
The former WWE star recently appeared on The Sessions with Renee Paquette. Among other things, she talked openly about her departure from WWE.
Lee first revealed how Vince McMahon reacted to her decision to leave. She claimed that the boss was very kind and told her that the door was always open:
“He was very kind. He was just like, ‘the door’s always open if you want to come back.’ and that to me was I don’t know like I know it’s different for some people, but to me, it was so important to go out on top on my own terms.”
AJ Lee mentioned how a lot of people get buried on their way out of WWE. To get a win at WrestleMania just before her departure, felt the right way to leave to the female star:
“Yeah, I appreciated that. I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience with them. For me, it was exactly what it needed to be.”
Lee teamed up with Paige to defeat The Bella Twins on WrestleMania 31. She competed in a six women tag team match the next night on Raw and then announced her retirement on April 3, 2015.
Ric Flair is getting ready for an in-ring return later this year and he is taking top rope bumps at the age of 73 in preparation for the same.
The Nature Boy announced last month that he will be having a final match later this year. The bout is scheduled for Starrcast V on July 31, during the SummerSlam weekend.
While an opponent for him is yet to be announced, Flair has already started preparing for his in-ring return. He has been training with Jay Lethal to get back in the ring shape.
Ric Flair Takes Top Rope Bump Ahead Of Final Match
After teasing a top rope bump for his last match, the 16-time world champion shared the following video of taking a slam from the top rope on Twitter:
Ric Flair previously explained why he is making this commitment at his age. He explained that he wasn’t satisfied with his last outing and wanted to make things right.
His last match was broadcasted on Impact back in 2011. He competed against Sting in a singles bout in which The Icon came out victorious.
Who do you think will face the wrestling legend in his final match? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Damian Priest wants former world champion AJ Styles to stop fighting and join their Judgement Day faction led by Edge instead.
The former US champion recently had an interview with Bleav in Pro Wrestling podcast. He talked about things such as his upcoming Hell In A Cell match and more.
When asked which star he would like to join their faction next after Rhea Ripley, Priest took the name of Styles. Damian said that when he first came to WWE, AJ was on the top of the list of people he wanted to work with:
“AJ Styles. We need him to come over to the other side. I mean stop fighting against and fight with, fight alongside. When I first signed a contract to come to WWE, he was on top of that list of people I wanted to work with and I knew he would elevate me.”
Damian Priest continued to praise the Phenomenal One. He claimed that if you can’t have a good match with Styles, then you don’t belong in WWE.
The Judgement Day is currently scheduled to compete in a six-man tag team match against Finn Balor, AJ Styles, and Liv Morgan at the Hell In A Cell PPV this Sunday.
AEW found out about CM Punk requiring a surgery for his injury very late. It was probably the reason behind all the confusion about the future of the AEW world title.
PWinsider provided some behind the scene updates on the Straight Edge Star’s announcement. They noted that officials were aware that the AEW star had hurt himself after his six men tag match on Dynamite.
However, they didn’t get the confirmation that he will require surgery until Friday afternoon, only a short time before the broadcast of Rampage.
Despite the commotion, there were never plans for the former WWE star to relinquish the title. Chris Jericho was mistaken when he said the same and Y2J has since clarified his comments.
As far as his return is concerned, there is no definitive word on how long CM Punk will be out of action after his foot surgery.
AEW has since announced its plans to crown an interim world champion until the veteran returns. The company has followed UFC and taken this approach anytime there has been a problem with the reigning champion.
This Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite will see the promotion determining a #1 contender. He will go on to Forbidden Door on June 26, to compete in a match to crown the interim champion.
Bianca Belair has achieved a lot in her relatively short WWE career. Though the Raw women’s champion still finds herself struggling with self-doubt because of imposter syndrome.
The current champion recently appeared on After The Bell podcast of Corey Graves. She talked about things such as main eventing WrestleMania and more.
Graves asked if she ever feels like she has been given too much too soon. Belair revealed that she is always questioning herself because of imposter syndrome:
“So I deal with impostor syndrome. I just recently learned the term for it. I had these feelings of everybody saying I’m good, and I’m accomplishing all of these things, but I still feel like I’m learning and I’m always questioning myself,”
Bianca Belair said that she was more nervous at her second WrestleMania match this year than her Mania debut last year. She also mentioned how she wasn’t aware of the term imposter syndrome until she started reading about it:
“I was more nervous at WrestleMania against Becky Lynch then I was the year before because I’m always dealing with impostor syndrome. I never knew the word for it until recently when I started reading about my feelings.”
Apart from this, Belair also discussed losing the SmackDown women’s championship to Becky Lynch at SummerSlam last year, how her family helped her get through it and more.