GCW Art of War Games concluded with yet another surprise appearance by AEW star Jon Moxley. Only this time, Mox walked out as the new GCW Heavyweight champion.

Just moments before, Matt Cardona had defended his title in a short match against Frank the Clown after laying down an open challenge. However, he was soon confronted by G-Raver and several druids. Initially, nothing happened, and one by one everybody left the ring. All except for one druid. After hitting a Paradigm Shift on Cardona, Jon Moxley revealed himself to the delight of the crowd.

Mox hit a second Paradigm Shift onto some light tubes and promptly picked up the win and got his hands on the GCW title. The victory marks his first title for GCW and re-ignites a long-running feud with former champion and king of the deathmatches, Nick Gage.

Jon Moxley’s victory ended Matt Cardona’s GCW champion reign after just 42 days.  Mox is a popular figure with the GCW crowd but ending the run of Cardona cemented him as a hero in their eyes.

Jon Moxley and Nick Gage Set for October 9^th in Atlantic City

After the victory, Jon Moxley was soon confronted by Nick Gage. The pair squared off nose-to-nose, reigniting the feud that began to boil earlier this year. It didn’t take long for the match to be made. October 9^th at the GCW event in Atlantic City, Jon Moxley will face Nick Gage for the title.

Moxley cut an intense promo shortly after leaving the ring, which will bring chills to the arms of any wrestling fan.

Nick Gage will be eager to get his hands on Mox as well as a third title reign as the leader of GCW. Likewise, Jon Moxley will be eager to build a successful title reign in a promotion geared around his style of wrestling.

It has been a tough few months for Will Ospreay. After reaching the pinnacle of his career, capturing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in April, injury forced him to vacate the title in May. After several months on the shelf, he made a shocking return at NJPW Resurgence to announce he was once again cleared to wrestle. However, now, the British superstar finds himself laid low once more after confirming he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Will Ospreay took to Twitter to confirm the news, adding that he was double vaccinated and that fans should not worry.

“I’ve got COVID, but I’m fully vaccinated, I’ll be fine. I’ll just rest for these 10 days, keep you updated and I’m sure I’ll be back in no time soon.”

Ospreay looked tired in his video but reassured fans he was going to be back soon promising to beat Covid as he was on another level to the illness.

“I’m going to beat COVID. Why? Because I am on another level!”

Will Ospreay

Will Ospreay went on to confirm his isolation will mean he misses two upcoming Revolution Pro Wrestling shows. This was also confirmed by Revolution Pro Wrestling who also broke the news via social media.

Will Ospreay Expected Back for Rev Pro High Stakes on September 19th

Will Ospreay was scheduled to appear at two upcoming Rev Pro Shows in both Sheffield and London. However, there is no reason to believe he won’t be back in time for their High Stakes show. That event is set for September 19^th and will see Ospreay look to unify the Rev Pro British Heavyweight and Southside Heavyweight belts in a match against Ricky Knight Jr.

Will Ospreay is also back on the NJPW scene. However, has adamantly stated he will not be returning to Japan in the near future. Instead, he will make appearances for their spin-off brand NJPW Strong. NJPW Strong airs out of California. It is not known if this is part of a longer-term story angle with him and Shingo, or something deeper-seated. There has been no shortage of talk surrounding the happiness of gajin talent in Japan since COVID hit.

AEW has built several wrestlers into home-grown stars since their inception. MJF is one such wrestler. He has flourished in the heel role, fast becoming one of the key members on the AEW roster.

MJF has the in-ring ability, a natural character and talent on the mic that means he can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Chris Jericho and no be overwhelmed or beaten down.

Talking during a recent appearance on Inside the Ropes, MJF talked about his inspirations growing up and which wrestler he would most like to go up against on the mic.

“Roddy Piper,” MJF said with no hint of hesitation. “Before me, I’m going to say the only person who would equal the ability to get a visceral reaction from the crowd was Piper. Piper made me fall in love with wrestling.”

MJF continued to talk about the influence Rowdy Roddy Piper had on him growing up, slipping effortlessly into character as he did so.

“And if I was able to have an opportunity to have promos back and forth with Roddy, and then a match that I know would be vicious as all hell. I think that would probably go down as the greatest match in the history of professional wrestling.”

MJF Stands on the Precipice of History

A match with Piper is impossible, and speculation is always easy. However, MJF does stand on the point of making history.

During the interview, MJF also reserved certain praise for his AEW arch-nemesis, Chris Jericho. Reserving special praise for the man whose career he hopes to end at AEW All-Out next week.

“Chris Jericho was up there [as a heel]. As much as I hate to admit it. I would say Chris Jericho is most certainly up there.”

Until now, MJF has had Chris Jericho’s number at every meeting. However, at All-Out the stakes are considerably higher. Maxwell Jacob Friedman has the chance to retire the leader of the Inner Circle if he can pick up a fourth consecutive win over Jericho.  

Social media was ablaze after Raw last night, and it wasn’t anything to do with the two different title matches that took place. It was the contest between Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax that had fingers whirring over the keyboard.

The pair faced off against each other in a brutally stiff match which saw Nia Jax pick up the win, hitting Charlotte with a powerbomb for the pinfall victory. However, it was not the victory that sparked rumours of heat between the pair. Rather the mid-match point just after the commercial break on the televised show. The match took a much stiffer route with a series of cumbersome exchanges that looked to pack a little extra heat than normal.

Nia Jax his Charlotte with a spinebuster and a back drop. Both of which looked a little rough. However, Charlotte kicked out after just a one count. The exchange continued with the pair trading stiff slaps and shoves.

While the ending of the match was clear cut, there was a lot about the entire altercation that looked uncoordinated and uncooperative.

Nia Jax Picks Up a Big Win and then Makes a Bigger Statement

After the match Mick Foley even took to Twitter to comment on the affair, clearly noticing the tension shared by Nia Jax and Charlotte.

Later, Nia was a guest on Raw talk where she cut an angry promo about getting and taking her shot at the title.

“You know what, I’m sick of this,” Nia Jax said. “Yes, Charlotte is a 12-time champion, but I just beat, no I splattered, the RAW Women’s Champion. Do you know what? I think that gets me a title opportunity.”

At this point in time, it is not clear if there is any genuine heat between the pair, or if it was just a loss of temper and a couple of semi-botched moves. Nia Jax doesn’t have the reputation for being the smoothest worker out there. While Charlotte Flair has a lot of backstage sway in the company and may have taken umbrage to Nia’s mistakes.

For months now Trevor Murdoch has been hunting Nick Aldis. Going into NWA 73 this weekend, the journey had reached its peak. The outcome was simple. Either Trevor Murdoch would win the NWA title, or he would retire from professional wrestling.

The stage was set for an epic confrontation, and ultimately, Trevor Murdoch emerged victorious to cap off the ultimate Cinderella story. Ending Nick Aldis’s reign at 1043 days.

The victory capped off a monumental weekend for the NWA. Two successive days of PPV wrestling, including the first-ever all-female PPV Empowerrr the night before. After Trevor Murdoch’s victory, his family joined him in the ring, swiftly followed by none other than Ric Flair. Flair cut a great promo praising both Murdoch and Nick Aldis.

The victory marks the first reign as  NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion for Trevor Murdoch, who previously captured the NWA National Championship in 2020, after making a return to professional wrestling following his early retirement.

Many fans will remember Murdoch from his run in the WWE. There he was a former tag-team champion alongside Lance Cade. He also enjoyed a successful career on the independent circuit.

Trevor Murdoch Completes His Cinderella Story Comeback

In recent years, the wrestling world has seen numerous amazing comebacks. Daniel Bryan, Edge, CM Punk and now possibly Paige. However, while not as high profile, the resurgence of Trevor Murdoch should surely be added to that list.

In 2018 Murdoch retired from professional wrestling. Now, he has one of the most prestigious titles the industry has known around his waist. His deep ties to Harley Race are no secret, with Murdoch regularly working at the Harley Race Wrestling Academy. He had also previously stated that one of his driving motivations for making his return to wrestling and joining the NWA was to honor the memory of his friend.

Trevor Murdoch is officially recognized as the 98th NWA World Heavyweight champion. Who his first challenger will be remains to be seen, however, a rematch with Aldis is surely on the cards?

Talking on his 83 Weeks podcast this week, Eric Bischoff pitched in on the many conversations relating to Ric Flair. Much has been said in recent weeks about Flair, and Bischoff had his own views that he wanted to share.

Ever since his departure from WWE the rumors have been running wild about where Flair will go next. AEW looks like the most obvious choice, especially following his appearance beside Andrade at AAA Triplemania earlier this month. While appearing in a managerial role is the most likely, there has been lots of talk about the 72-year-old wanting to get back in the ring.

While this might be unlikely in a full-match capacity, Eric Bischoff discussed why there is now, and always will be an appeal to someone the likes of Ric Flair getting his hands dirty in the ring.

“Watch what happens when Ric Flair steps in the ring in AEW,”

Eric Bischoff

“Just watch what happens. We saw what happened in Mexico in AAA when Ric Flair and Andrade got together. When Ric Flair steps back in the ring and starts chopping somebody, nobody is going to say to themselves ‘Oh man, that was a weak chop, he doesn’t chop as well as he did 20 years ago.’ Nobody could give two shits. They’re going to have a blast, they’ll rejoice. It’s going to trigger their memory and they’re going to go back in time and remember some of those magic Ric Flair moments. That’s what they’re paying their money for.” Eric Bischoff Explained.

Eric Bischoff Knows First-hand You Can’t Build a Legacy on Legends Alone

Talking further, Eric Bischoff confirmed that no wrestling company can build an empire by relying on older superstars like Flair. He did however say that it is important for older superstars to make appearances while giving room for the next generation to grow.

“You do need younger talent, definitely building that roster full of the future, there’s no question about that. I’m not suggesting all you do is feature that older legacy talent, but people still want to see them get in the ring, they still want to see them active, they still want to rejoice in seeing talent like Ric Flair to this day at 72 years old step in the ring and have some fun.” Eric Bischoff reasoned.

This is a tactic WWE have used in recent years, with the likes of Goldberg and yes, even John Cena, returning for short bursts to get the crowd going. Eric Bischoff knows full-well Ric Flair is never going to have a full-time run or another championship reign inside a major promotion. However, we all know that Ric Flair will never retire, and all it will take to make a place come alive is a strut, a chop and a woo!”

Eric Bischoff is a man who knows the wrestling business through and through. From his time in charge of WCW to his years in WWE. He has close associations with AEW and remains a vocal point for the wrestling community.

Talking recently on his 83 Weeks Podcast (a name that points to WCW’s Monday night winning streak) he discussed WWE and criticised their storytelling capabilities. Furthermore, he addressed what he feels is a complete lack of long-term story vision in the wrestling world at large.

“As recently as 24 months ago I was in the thick of it in WWE. There were no three- and six-months storylines locked in, I can assure you of that. Maybe that’s changed, hopefully, it has and I think you need to have a good plan, a three-month plan, a six-month plan, if you can have a year great.” Eric Bischoff said, his comments were initially directed at WWE however soon broadened to the grander scale of the entire wrestling business.

Eric Bischoff feels people nowadays rely too heavily on the statistics that get thrown up week to week. He likened this to living in the past. Instead, he recommends reading the crowd. Arguing this gives you knowledge of what they want to see in the future.

Eric Bischoff Advises Promotions to Start Listening to their Crowds

His comments were once again addressed to the industry at large. However, there can be no denying the intended direction of Eric Bischoff’s words.

“But you also have to be flexible enough and spend enough time reading the audience, not the ratings, not the quarter hours. That doesn’t tell you sh**. That tells you what history is, that doesn’t tell you what the audience is thinking or feeling. There’s only one way to know that and that is to be out there with the audience. I hope that there are three and six-month plans out there and if there are, hopefully, people are paying attention to the crowd reaction as well.”

Much has been said about WWE’s storytelling and creative juices in recent months. Almost every wrestler released has listed the stifling atmosphere in the creative rooms that left them frustrated and restless. Eric Bischoff is a man who is no stranger to making mistakes in wrestling. He has tasted success and failure in equal measure. This gives him a wide-angled lens through which he can give his commentary. This surely gives makes him a well-rounded authoritative voice.

Ever since his release from WWE on June 2^nd Braun Strowman has kept the world waiting. The question so many people have been asking is ‘where will he go next?’

Earlier this week it looked as if the cat had been let out of the bag somewhat when IMPACT EVP Scott D’Amore claimed they were preparing for ‘Braun for Glory’. This is a not-so-subtle play on words for the IMPACT PPV Bound for Glory, scheduled for October 21^st. While this got everybody talking, it was a tweet yesterday from the man himself that really got people wondering.

Braun Strowman, who is back to using his real name (Adam Scherr) on social media tweeted a quote that appeared to confirm D’Amore’s words.

Remember in life if you’re gonna do something make sure you make a impact. Carve your name in stone!!! #Titan.

Many believe that Braun Strowman’s tweet confirms IMPACT as his next destination and while nothing has been officially confirmed as of yet, it certainly looks as if there is some validity to the rumours.

All Signs Point Towards Braun Strowman Being Back in a Ring Soon

As already reported, all signs seem to point towards Braun Strowman signing with IMPACT wrestling. The news was further discussed by the Wrestling Observer. With Strowman’s no-compete clause up as of August 31^st, it would seem as if the only real worry the wrestling world has is if IMPACT is really going to make us wait until Bound for Glory for the monster to make an appearance.

Braun Strowman has kept himself in great shape during his time away from the ring. He regularly tweets images or videos from his workouts.

His repeated use of the hashtag ‘Titan’ has people wondering if this is a hint at his new ring name. While this feels a little too gimmicky for a man like Strowman, stranger things have happened.

Wherever Strowman decides to go, and whatever his name will be, he will clearly be ready for action and won’t settle for anything less than gold.

What do Tony Khan and Vincent Kennedy McMahon have in common? They are both businessmen. While the media and wrestling fans around the world may view the two as being polar opposites to one another.

However, they are both men cut from the same cloth, and while, right now, they have two different ways of conducting their business, it doesn’t mean they are that far apart in mindset. Speaking during a recent appearance on the Le Batard and Friends – South Beach Sessions, Tony Khan addressed the spate of WWE releases this year. Speaking as a businessman he fully understood what was happening.

“Well, they had a really big roster, and they’ve chosen to try to maximize their profit margins by letting talent go to reduce the amount of cost they have due to talent,” Khan explained, his inner businessman coming out.

“They had a lot of really good people, and they’re making choices about why people have value to them. I can’t say what number they’re trying to hit, but they’re definitely trying to hit a number there. I think it’s about profitability, and they’re making choices, I’m sure they don’t necessarily want to make, but they’ve let good people go in the process, absolutely.”

Tony Khan Understands What It Will Take to Be a Success

There has also been a lot of talk recently from WWE about how the people up the top don’t see AEW as a credible threat. This topic was also discussed during Tony Khan’s interview. Khan understands the talk, however, with WCW and their documented faults acting as a mile marker, he believes he has what it takes to survive.

“If Ted (Turner) had been 1% as hands-on or capable as I am to run a wrestling business, WCW never would have gone out of business.”

Tony Khan also has a good friend in Eric Bischoff, who at the helm of WCW pushed WWE to their limits back during the Monday Night Wars. Armed with industry knowledge, passion and undeniable business acumen, Tony Khan believes he knows the formula for long term success, and it isn’t actually too different from WWE right now.

“There’s been one supreme commander at the top who runs a company and negotiates the contracts, negotiates the TV deals, and the arenas, and figures out who’s wrestling who and books the matches.”

Some wrestling fans, those that feel WWE can do no right will find these words worrying. However, to those that understand the industry, know the history, and appreciate the multiple pathways that constitute sports entertainment, there is an undeniable truth in his words. A truth that should instil confidence and paint a very bright future for All Elite Wrestling.

Samoa Joe is a name that wrestling fans around the world know and love. An indie superstar who became a household name. From spells with ROH and Impact to spells in Japan and dominance in WWE. Joe has fought them all, beat them all and conquered every challenge that has come his way.

With the wrestling world starting a new phase in its continuing evolution. The forbidden door is well and truly open. Dream matches that many never thought possible are now happening week-in and week-out. Yet, Samoa Joe does not support this concept at all. In fact, talking in a recent appearance on So Catch by Hal, Joe made it very clear just how much he would like to close that door.

“I work for a company,” Joe said. “If I played for a major football club, you wouldn’t lend me out on the weekend to go play for the rival team. Messi’s ain’t doing day shifts over at Manchester United. I understand some fans want for that and they want to see that, but at the same time, just with the whole politics of that type of situation, it wouldn’t be a good outcome anyways. Nobody wants to look bad in that situation. Everyone’s getting pushed and pulled in a certain way and it becomes a convoluted mess.

Samoa Joe Doesn’t Need the Forbidden Door

There is an argument to be made that this stance of a WWE stance. However, it could just be that now, at his age he has achieved what others strive for. Joe simply doesn’t need the Forbidden Door. He has been around the world; he has fought everybody there is to fight. Not to mention being a record-setting three-time NXT champion. He has a base, and it is established.

“If guys want to show and get down with Samoa Joe, get on my level, then come find me and let’s do this. I ain’t making house calls right now.”

While for others, those hungry to get on the ladder or to make a name in the way Joe has done, the prospect of fighting on other promotions, and exposing their individual brand to new audiences is a means to obtaining that.

Either way, Samoa Joe, while steadfast in his view, still isn’t going to back down from a fight. Should anybody want to come sign for NXT he will be waiting for them.

Since leaving WWE, Mickie James has been a woman on the rise. Yet to get back into the ring in an active capacity, she has wasted no time in continuing her trailblazing role behind the scenes.

Much has been made about her involvement in the upcoming NWA PPV Empowerrr. The first all-female PPV in NWA history. Mickie James is acting as a producer for the event. She also confirmed that she will not be performing in order to give other women the chance to shine.

Talking during an appearance on the Shining Wizards podcast, Mickie James spoke about how she set about scouting for the show. Wanting to focus on lesser-known talent and those that have not had a steady push.

“I really had to be cognizant of the fact of, you know, who the girls that were all wrestling on [AEW] Dark matches, or different things, you know?… Because I did say that I wanted to give new women opportunities – women who you haven’t necessarily seen, and sometimes you see the same women – not that they don’t deserve it and they’re getting those opportunities for a reason. But you get to see a lot of the same girls show up everywhere…but not really get pushed per se. So I was like, well, here’s a cool opportunity for me to not only define the NWA women’s roster and to start hand kind of selecting and start really seeing who’s going to be in the NWA women’s locker room as a whole.” Mickie James explained.

Mickie James Wants to Help Build the Next Generation of Female NWA Stars

For Mickie James, the Empowerrr PPV is about more than just putting female wrestlers in the spotlight for one night. It is about building up the next generation of female wrestlers. Giving them a stage where they get the attention they deserve.

Mickie James has been a pioneer in women’s wrestling since day one. No matter where she has gone in her career, she has represented women’s wrestling and pushed boundaries in what can be done.

During her career, Mickie James has won 23 different titles across numerous promotions. She is held in high regard by those in the industry. Outside of wrestling, she has earned a degree in Business Administration. This has no doubt helped tremendously in her transition to a more backstage focused role in NWA.

Good God, it’s … Inferno. I don’t think there is any way even Jim Ross could have pulled that line off. However, according to WWE legend Glenn Jacobs, that’s very close to what Kane was going to be called.

Talking during a recent appearance on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, Glenn Jacobs talked about how his iconic character came about, and was, largely thanks to Vader.

“The Kane thing came about when Vader got arrested in Kuwait. You know they had the deal where Leon had roughed up the talk show host and then literally got arrested in a Kuwaiti jail. They needed someone to work with Mark. So, the thought was okay, you know, we’ll just hotshot this deal. We need an angle, you know, we need someone — well, Glenn can do it. He’s a big guy, he matches up physically with Taker.” Glenn Jacobs explained, detailing how he had been working under a mask ever since his Issac Yankem gimmick ended.

The Kane Idea Was Pitched as a Single Encounter

Glenn Jacobs explained how the idea of being the Undertaker’s brother was pitched to Vince as a short run. However, the boss saw the instant potential for a long feud.

“Vince liked it so much. He’s like, ‘why are we gonna waste this on just one match when we can turn this into an actual, you know, long-term angle,’ thank goodness.”

All that was left was to come up with a name. This is something Glenn Jacobs is happy he got to have some involvement in.

“Initially, the character was called Inferno. That was kind of my contribution to it, along with Bruce. You know, Bruce had always liked the name, Kane. I thought that Inferno just sounded very comic book character-ish for where we’re going with this. So, we suggested the name Kane, which not only, you know, Undertaker when he initially came in was Kane The Undertaker, and then they dropped the Kane part as he became The Undertaker. But also, with the biblical story of Cain and Abel. We thought that that fit.”

Thank goodness the name was changed because I highly doubt Glenn Jacobs would have enjoyed the long run, he got had they stuck with the original name. After surviving being Fake Diesel and then Issac Yankem, Jacobs struck gold with his Kane character, and as they say, the rest was history.

There has been a lot written in the press recently about professional wrestling and tears. Wrestling unites people and when looked at objectively, is a very emotional event. You have heroes and villains, champions conquering the world and prodigal sons returning. This level of emotion is not just felt in the crowds, but by those performing in the ring. IMPACT Knockouts champion and new Reina de Reinas champion Deonna Purrazzo recently spoke about how she cried ahead of her Triplemania victory.

Talking during an interview on Busted Open Radio, Deonna Purrazzo didn’t hide the fact that she got so emotional ahead of her win.

“I cried, I cried before the match. I was just so worked up.”

Deonna Purrazzo

The wrestling life is not always easy, and it is not always kind. Deonna Purrazzo has not enjoyed an easy road to her current position. Despite being just 27 years old, Purrazzo has been pushed to the limit by her love of wrestling.

Deonna Purrazzo Appreciates Where She is by Understanding Where She has Been

After finding herself stagnating inside of WWE, Purrazzo made her way onto an IMPACT stage. From there she has moved from strength to strength and is growing in both character and confidence every week.

“Like I love wrestling, I love wrestling so much. And it means so much to me to be put in these positions and for people to trust me in these positions and to get to do these cool life things. I wanted to do this my whole life. Especially more now I’m so appreciative of these opportunities because I came from a place where I wasn’t getting those opportunities and didn’t know if I wanted to wrestle anymore.” Deonna Purrazzo explained. “And the last two years of my life, I’ve just really embraced the opportunities and the gratefulness to get them. I always like to go out and just sit in the crowd when there’s no one, and just look around, look at the ring. I was crying all day because I was just like ‘oh shoot, this is so frickin’ cool.’”

Right now, Deonna Purrazzo is a two-promotion champion, and has spoken of her interest in forming a forbidden door tag team with Britt Baker. She is also part of the upcoming NWA Empowerrr PPV. It’s safe to say she’s come a long way in recent years and has not yet even reached her prime.

Dr Britt Baker is currently leading the AEW women’s division. While she is cutting a steady path through everybody on the women’s roster as well as calling other her Forbidden Door opponents, there is one other name she would love to get in the ring with.

Speaking during a recent live panel appearance at Planet Comicon this weekend, Dr Britt Baker discussed the return of CM Punk.

She also addressed the possibility of his wife, AJ Lee ever coming out of retirement to wrestle in AEW. With the good doctor admitting she was a big fan of AJ Lee during her time with WWE.

“I was a big AJ Lee fan. One of the first moves I asked my trainer to teach me when I was training was her finished the Black Widow. So, that would be really cool.”

Dr Britt Baker went on to say that while she would love to get in the ring with AJ, it would be an even more special moment for the fans and giving them another special moment that would resonate with them.

“I would love to see her back in the ring. I would love to see her in the ring with me.”

– Dr Britt Baker D.M.D.

Britt Baker Agrees AJ Lee Was a Trailblazer for Women’s Wrestling

There can be no denying that AJ Lee is a formative figure in the world of women’s wrestling. She spent her entire career with WWE and build a name and a brand for herself and helped push women’s wrestling to the next level. Even Dr Britt Baker couldn’t deny that AJ Lee was an influential superstar.,

However, at this point in time, there has been no talk of AJ Lee getting back into the ring. Her memoir attributed her retirement being driven by injuries to her spine.  However, if she does want to get back into the ring, it would seem there is a spot for her in AEW. Dr Britt Baker even has a match in mind that she would love to work should the chance arise.

“I could think of a mixed tag that I would like to see. One involving her, him (CM Punk), me and … somebody else.”

Of course, that was another in a recent run of not-so-subtle hints involving Dr Britt Baker’s real-life partner Adam Cole, whose WWE future is currently unclear.

Much has been said about the assumed end to the Bianca Belair Sasha Banks storyline. What had been one of the most highly anticipated matches on the card turned into a non-affair that has drawn the ire of people far and wide across the wrestling universe.

The real issue with the way things went at Summerslam is not with Becky Lynch returning. It is not even really related to the manner in which she won the title. It goes further back than that to the way WWE hyped the match despite knowing it was a lie. Sasha Banks was never going to appear at Summerslam. Yet, they pushed her match up to the moment it should have begun.

This obvious deception is what has left the truly sour taste in the mouths of WWE fans who feel they, well as the wrestlers, deserved better.

The rumours around Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair were rife after both were pulled from live shows in the build-up to Summerslam. WWE allayed these concerns confirming both women had been cleared to wrestle and all would be fine.

Sasha Banks Misses SummerSlam

The news surrounding Banks was originally broken by PWInsider. They claimed while both women were cleared to wrestle there was still something off about the status of Sasha Banks. They even went so far as to muse the return of Becky Lynch.

As of the time of writing, there is no official word on the status of Sasha Banks. Nor why she got pulled from the match at Summerslam. However, with the bad taste that has been left in people’s mouths, an explanation will surely come.

Fans were clamoring to see a second match between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair, and feel they were robbed of it. Despite Becky Lynch’s popularity, there was something to this feud that just needed to be added to.

Right now, a match between them is still advertised for the upcoming episode of Smackdown. However, it is widely expected that this booking will be updated closer to the time.

Hopefully whatever is keeping Sasha Banks out of action is nothing serious and she will be back in the ring soon.  

Adam Cole is moving on to the next chapter of his career. The longest-reigning NXT Champion in history came up short against Kyle O’Reilly at Sunday’s NXT Takeover 36 event. According to PWInsider, that was Cole’s final match for WWE’s black and gold brand.

News broke earlier this month that Cole’s contract had actually already expired, to the surprise of top WWE officials. Cole reportedly agreed to work through SummerSlam weekend, which has now come and gone.

Following his loss at NXT Takeover, his longtime friends The Young Bucks immediately reacted to Cole effectively becoming a free agent. As they’re known for doing, the Bucks got their message out via their Twitter bio.

The ‘new bio’ linked to a YouTube video titled ‘The Most Infamous Seances in History,’ a compilation of moments from Being The Elite. Many of those moments feature Cole.

Along with this, they updated their Twitter image to a picture from 2016 when together with Kenny Omega they dressed as the Ghostbusters for an NJPW show.

What does this have to do with Adam Cole?

Well, the Young Bucks are masters of the social media art that is cryptic sh*t stirring. The link and image combined to create a tenuous link to Cole in so far as his character on Being the Elite is dead.

Adam Cole: Main Roster or AEW?

Everybody knew he was fighting his last match for NXT. Could their attempts to communicate with the dead be about bringing Adam Cole back to life in AEW?

Nobody knows what is going on with the Adam Cole negotiations behind the scenes at WWE. They reportedly dropped the ball on his original expiry, thinking it ran for longer. However, was the one-month extension just to have him finish his feud or was it to work in a non-NXT no-compete clause?

Time will tell where Adam Cole is going to go with his career. However, it looks as if the Young Bucks are more than happy for him to come over to AEW. As too is Cole’s girlfriend current AEW Women’s Champion Dr Britt Baker D.M.D.

It will not be long before we know more about Adam Cole’s future. With his departure from NXT confirmed, should he not make an appearance on either Raw or Smackdown this week, then the writing could well be on the wall.

The return of Becky Lynch at Summerslam was a moment that caught everybody by surprise. Not only was there zero rumours or spoilers about her in-ring return, but she pinned Bianca Belair in 27 seconds to win the Smackdown Women’s Championship.

This booking has already caused a lot of commotion in wrestling communities. Many are saying that it does a huge disservice to Belair. A woman who went from ESPY award winner to a jobber in less than six months. However, it looks as if this could be part of a larger construct.

Becky Lynch Heel Turn

Becky Lynch is one of WWE’s most beloved Superstars, but don’t get too comfortable cheering for her. According to PW Insider, who cited multiple WWE sources in their report, the plans are in place for Becky Lynch to play the heel role in her upcoming feud with Bianca Belair.

Becky Lynch has previously had a few heel runs with the company, but this decision would seem a little strange given the anti-hero role she was playing and held on to during her hiatus from the ring. You can’t help but wonder if this really is the best way to book the feud.

Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair

Currently, Bianca Belair is a face who has done so much for her character despite very limited storytelling in WWE. However, the decision to turn Becky Lynch heel still doesn’t necessarily feel as if it is the right one.

The character of The Man dominated WWE headlines. The Stone Cold Steve Austin style rebel who didn’t care what people thought or felt. The Man, in many ways, transcended the heel/face stereotypes.

Either way, it would appear that creative minds have been set. The returning Becky Lynch is going to be the villain for the foreseeable future. Whether she will continue with her current moniker or change to something else also remains to be seen.

Back in 2011 and the Summer of Punk was in full swing. All that was missing were some good, old-fashioned ice cream. Fast forward a decade and CM Punk is back in a wrestling ring and finally got his hands on an ice cream bar.

When CM Punk’s music hit and he walked out into an AEW ring fans around the world felt as if things were finally getting back to where they should always have been. It didn’t take Punk long to broach the subject of ice creams.

“One more thing. Seven years is an awful long time to wait for somebody. I appreciate everybody here who has waited. So on your way out of the United Center tonight, grab yourself a free ice cream bar on me.”

The crowd went wild. However, there was one thing nobody really understood at the time. The entire affair was not just some publicity stunt thought up by AEW executives. It was not just some extra way to get a little barb shot out at WWE.

He Came To Us 2 Years Ago

The entire idea was CM Punk’s brainchild. Furthermore, it was not something he thought up on the spot. It was an act of generosity two years in the making. This was confirmed in a statement released by Pretty Cool Ice Cream, the company that produced the frozen treats.

“He came to us on his own and asked us to help him do this 2 years ago, and finally the moment was right. Our small team worked tirelessly to hand-make every bar.”

“CM Punk wrote the check for the entire bill himself”

Pretty Cool Ice Cream

That’s a pretty awesome thing to do, and one heck of a way to fulfil a promise made a decade earlier.

The return of CM Punk to professional wrestling has further heightened the electricity that is buzzing around the industry right now. Grabbing the attention of old-school wrestling fans, and potentially bringing fresh, experienced eyes to AEW.

Despite the rumours surrounding other more recently released WWE stars possibly signing with the company, the acquisition of CM Punk will be the story that dominates AEW headlines for some time to come.

WWE has released a lot of superstars this year. Real superstars, not wrestlers given that moniker due to needing a superlative to complete a sentence. Bray Wyatt was arguably the biggest and most surprising name to be given the chop.

Everybody knew about the sudden creative drought surrounding the Fiend character. However, for a fighter as determined, committed and creative as Bray Wyatt, his release was certainly a shock.

Not even a month ago, it seems like it has been forever since the news broke. While there is an undeniable irony to his no-compete clause expiring on October 31^st, there were many rumours abounding that Bray Wyatt might leave his boots in the ring and pursue other ventures. Acting being a main role linked to the star.

However, in another recent and cryptic tweet – something of a speciality for the man – it looks as if fans can rest assured, they will see him back between the ropes.

Bray Wyatt has Been Quiet but Said so Much

Bray Wyatt is a man who knows how to create a character. He is more than capable of putting on a show and building the interest around himself. Now that he is free from the shackles of WWE creative control, he can explore to his fullest.

“Rock Stars come and go. Musicians play until they die.”

– Bray Wyatt / Van Halen

The words may be borrowed from Van Halen, but many fans are taking this to be Wyatt’s way of committing to a life in the ring. The only real question that remains is what he will do, and where he will go to do it.

Wyatt’s only other tweet since his release was an equally mysterious one teasing at a new mask and a new direction for his Fiend character.

Whatever happens, one thing is for sure, Bray Wyatt is going to be a force to be reckoned with when he gets back into the ring.

When it comes to dominance in professional wrestling, it is hard to think much beyond Goldberg. In his prime he was untouchable. His streak ran for 173 matches. His opponents rarely survived more than a few minutes in the ring with him.

Alas, age catches up with even the most lionhearted souls. Now, at aged 54, Goldberg realizes he is getting towards the end. However, a warrior’s spirit never dies. Talking in a recent interview with AP news, he spoke openly and candidly about his performances in the ring over recent years.

Referencing the way people have reacted to John Cena’s return and the comments that he still has that same ability hit home for Goldberg.

“I guess Roman made mention of Cena coming back and being the same guy,” he said. “Well, that’s what people pay for. That’s why they bring him back because he’s the same guy. Yeah, you have to evolve a little bit.”

“But people want to see me go out and smash dudes. That’s what made me who I am.”

– Goldberg

Goldberg Understands the Expectations He Built for Himself in the Ring

There are quite some years between Goldberg and John Cena. Age is a fickle mistress and the former WWE champion knows isn’t the same man he was back then. However, he accepts he needs to do better. For himself, and for the fans.

“I’m not proud of anything I’ve done over the past number of years,” he said. “Have I done enough to get by? Yeah. But am I proud of my performances? Hell no. No. 1, I’ve got to win. No. 2, I’ve got to provide a little bit more entertainment, more power moves and just be more like Goldberg. That’s what you’re going to see on Saturday.”

While many wrestling fans may clamor they want more from a match, they need to understand that Goldberg is not your average wrestler. His gimmick, his character is defined by what he does in the ring. He hits big moves, and he tears guys apart.

It sounds as if Goldberg is more than fired up for his match this weekend at Summerslam. Whether he wins the title or not, it will be about leaving behind a memory that he can look back on without regret.

With the Forbidden Door now open, the wrestling landscape is full of potential dream matches. We have already seen a few, shared between companies like AEW, NJOW and IMPACT. One other benefit of the forbidden door is the possible pairings we could see forming. This idea was recently discussed by IMPACT Knockouts champion Deonna Purrazzo.

Talking on Busted Open Radio Deonna Purrazzo spoke about the female wrestler she would love to form a team with. She was referring to none other than AEW’s own, Dr Britt Baker D.M.D.

“That’s a dream for Britt and I more so than it probably was for anyone else to begin with. We’ve kind of pushed this narrative that we want to wrestle each other. Whether it happens or not, I’m just happy to see the people I love succeed and the people who deserve to succeed, succeeding. I love everything she’s doing. I love the confidence she has. She’s the baddest bitch on the block, for real. Whether I get to wrestle her or not, that’s a dream come true, but it’s also hard. I’m the Knockouts Champion and now the Reina de Reinas Champion and she’s the AEW Women’s Champion. So, what’s the outcome? I’d rather us be a tag team and no one has to lose their belts. Then, IMPACT will let us be the Knockouts Tag Team Champions, maybe.” Deonna Purrazzo mused.

Deonna Purrazzo Is a Woman on the Rise These Days

While Britt Baker has certainly risen to the challenge offered by AEW, Deonna Purrazzo has equalled her over in IMPACT. Not only is she the Knockouts Champion but recently captured the Reina de Reinas belt at AAA Triplemania.

She is a woman who is fast improving in the ring, and at only 27 years old, she has plenty of time left to mature and become the talent everybody can see she will be.

Much has been said about female use of the Forbidden Door, or rather, the lack of it. The idea of having a tag-team of Deonna Purrazzo and Britt Baker chasing down the IMPACT title belts is mouth-watering. With wrestling being wrestling, that would also mean, at some point down the road, there would be a heel/face turn for one of them, that would set them on course for a 1v1 showdown.

Wrestling is an emotional business. Tensions can run high both in the ring and backstage. Talking during a recent interview with Inside the Ropes Paul Heyman addressed recent rumours of backstage heat between him and AJ Styles.

Rumours sparked about a disagreement between Paul Heyman and AJ relating to the release of The Good Brothers. Both Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows are close friends to AJ Styles, predating their time in WWE. The trio was part of the Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling. A stable they pseudo continued in WWE as The Club.

Addressing their fallout, Paul Heyman was, as always, deliberate with his word choices.

“That is an inaccurate portrayal of what AJ Styles has said,” Heyman said. “AJ Styles has not said that we weren’t on the same page or that we clashed. AJ Styles has been quoted as blaming me for the departure from WWE of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. That is what AJ Styles has been quoted as saying. He has never made a statement regarding whether or not our collaboration on Monday Night RAW was to his liking or not—and if he wishes to, I’d be happy to accept whatever assessment he had on our time together behind the scenes.”

Paul Heyman Plays a Wide-Reaching Role Backstage in WWE

While many just know Paul Heyman as being the special counsel for Roman Reigns, or the advocate for Brock Lesnar, he also plays a deeper role backstage. It can be hard to keep business and real-life associations separate. Heyman understands this and likens the difference between the boardroom and the wrestling rings to a magic act.

“It’s not for public consumption. Triple H had a very interesting analogy the other day that he and Stephanie love to take their kids to magic shows and that the kids are fascinated by the magic that happens in front of their eyes, despite the fact that they understand it’s a trick. And even though you know it’s a trick, no one wants to see the wires that lift the magician up in the air and bring the magician back down, and I really enjoyed that analogy.”

“Whatever you think of sports entertainment, I’m not here to expose the wires, so whatever happened between Gallows and Anderson happened behind the scenes, behind closed doors in a meeting that I’m not going to expose to the public because it was an inner sanctum meeting with the chairman of the board, Vincent Kennedy McMahon. And unless Vince wants to talk about it publicly, I’m not going to be the one to expose what happened, why, and what the other conversations were in that meeting.”

Paul Heyman is wrestling through and through. He knows there is no place for sentiment when it comes to the business side of things. It is surely no easy task to be in such a dual-sided position.

Summerslam is just one day away, and Goldberg is once again vying to become the WWE champion. At 54 years old, his sporadic appearances have been met with mixed emotions from the WWE universe.

Talking during a recent appearance on The Bump, Goldberg addressed his future in wrestling. The conversation included a discussion about whether he would support his son in pursuing a wrestling career.

“Like I said, if I was 25, 55, or 105, I still think that I can pose a big threat to him, but he doesn’t think so. But that’s his problem. He will see the difference on Saturday. I’m still the Goldberg of old there’s no doubt about it.” Goldberg said when discussing his age and Bobby Lashley disbelief at him being a credible threat.

If there is one thing driving Goldberg more than the idea of having another belt to add to his collection, it is his family. “Everybody knows that 100 percent of my reasoning behind coming back was because of my family. My son, my wife, [they] had never seen me wrestle. My wife didn’t even know who the hell I was when we met.”

Goldberg Would Support His Son No Matter What He Wants to Do

As a father, seeing your child follow in your footsteps is a dream. For professional wrestlers, especially those who achieved great things, there is an added worry. It’s not the danger of the profession but rather the weight of expectation and the anchor that can be around a child’s ankles. This is a phenomenon that Goldberg is painfully aware of.  

“I don’t want to choose his path. The kid’s 15-years-old, and he’s a hell of a baseball player and a hell of a football player. And if one day he wanted to step in the ring, you know, I would support it 100 percent,” Goldberg answered. “But I would also let him know to be prepared to be a target, as he is probably right now. As a father, I would be behind him 100 percent.”

“Just know, if he did, he would be the biggest and baddest to ever step in the ring, just like his dad.”

-Goldberg

Goldberg’s son has a lot of years ahead of him before he needs to decide on a career path, and even his father pursued several other avenues before settling on professional wrestling. However, should that be his eventual direction, he has a wealth of experience in his corner.

Talking during a recent interview with The Wrestling Inc. Daily, ROH star Brody King talked about the perceived end to the COVID pandemic and his own surprising battle with the illness.

The chat broached the recent relocation of ROH Death Before Dishonor. Due to the rising number of cases ROH took the decision to move from Florida to the 2300 Area in Philadelphia. Brody King understands the decision and doesn’t blame the executives making the call.

“I would love to perform in Florida. I would love to see my friends in Florida, come out to the shows and have a good time.” Brody King said before sharing his thoughts on why the cases are rising again. “It’s pretty obvious why that’s happening. I feel like a lot of people were so eager to just get out and start doing stuff again in a ‘post-pandemic world, but we’re still very much in it, and I feel like that is a sign of the times to come.

Brody King Knows First-Hand the Dangers of Covid

As he talked, Brody King also let it slip that he had also recently positive for Covid despite being double vaccinated.

“I had COVID last week, and I’m a fully vaccinated person. Thankfully, it didn’t hit me as hard.”

– Brody King

Brody King is a key figure in Ring of Honor and also appears regularly on NJPW Strong. He has been vocal in recent times about how he would like ROH to also open the Forbidden Door. He also pointed out his dislike of the name it has been given.

“I always say that I hate the term ‘forbidden door’ because we are in a fan service business. Keeping Jon Moxley from wrestling Jay Lethal is doing a disservice for the fans. I would love to go to AEW and wrestle Miro, or Darby Allin or whoever they would have me wrestle, just to have this cross-promotion. It’s healthy for everybody. I got to wrestle The Good Brothers on New Japan Strong.”

Brody King is moving from strength to strength as a wrestler. Should he be given the opportunity to wrestle for other promotions and fight against different wrestlers, or, it could be said, higher calibre wrestlers, then it will only serve to help him further his career.

The wrestling landscape is changing. The opening of the forbidden door paved the way for all manner of working arrangements and partnerships. However, WWE COO Triple H just announced possibly the strangest partnership in the history of WWE. The wrestling empire has formed a partnership with Enfield Town FC. A UK based football club that currently plies their trade in the Ithsmian League Premier Division.

This is not to be confused with the Premier Division. Home to the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. The Ithsmian League is currently six leagues below the top level and three away from the professional leagues. Why is a WWE legend like Triple H building ties to an amateur football team?

The partnership is not as crazy as it sounds. The WWE has long-standing ties with the UK, and the NXT UK  performance center is located in Enfield. So the town and the company share a deep connection.

Triple H took to social media to confirm the link just as the new season of football begins in the UK.

Triple H and WWE Want to Support Their Local Community

At the time of writing it is not clear as to the extent of the agreement or if WWE will be providing any financial investment into the club.

“Not only is it a big week for WWE with SummerSlam on Saturday and NXT Takeover 36 on Sunday, but it’s a big week for the UK. The football season has returned. Enfield in London has played a big part in the journey of NXT UK since the opening of our UK Performance Centre. That’s why I’m proud to announce today, the first of its kind partnership between NXT UK and Enfield Town Football Club in celebration of their 20th anniversary. As the UK’s first supporter-owned football club, they share our passion for putting fans at the centre of everything we do. Be on the lookout for plenty of exciting things to come over the next few months.”

“But for now, there’s only one question left to ask. Enfield Town football club, are you ready?”

-Triple H

WWE have a long association with building roots in their local communities. Under the leadership of Triple H, NXT UK and the general WWE presence on British soil continues to grow. It only makes sense for them to form relationships with other companies as their brand expands.