When a wrestler retires, it is not often they can just down tools and walk away. Many of the greatest stars of years gone by have gone on to become coaches, commentators, managers, bookers or producers, to name just a few positions. Kurt Angle is one such great. His career in the ring may have ended in 2019, but his career in wrestling is far from over.

Talking on a recent episode of The Kurt Angle Show, the Hall of Famer spoke about how he had been approached by HHH after his retirement. The offer was to work as a coach at the performance centre, helping younger talent hone their skills.

“Triple H, he contacted me about seven months ago and wanted me to help out down in NXT,” Angle said. “Wanted me to be a trainer. He only said ‘Hey, all I need you to do is go over stuff with talent. You can do it from home on your computer, you can do a zoom call. Just go through the tapes with them in their match and tell what they did right and wrong.’ I said I’d be interested.”

Yet, despite accepting the offier, Kurt Angle went on to say that he never heard back from anybody. “I never heard back from him. Long story short, they were interested but at the last second they must have backed out, which is okay with me.”

Kurt Angle Would be an Asset to Any Development Center

Kurt Angle knows how good he is, and he knows what he could bring to any organization. He is also a professional who knows how small the world is. Any wrestling company would benefit greatly from his experience, his stories, and his advice. It is surely only a matter of time before he comes back into WWE in a backstage capacity.

The performance centre is a quiet place to return. A place with no cameras and no storytelling. It is a place focused on the art and craft of professional wrestling. Something Kurt Angle knows inside and out. Whether he comes back as a coach, a mentor, or just the legend telling his stories to the younger crowd, the wrestling world has not seen the last of him.

There has been a lot of press about Mickie James since her latest release from WWE. From the somewhat insulting way in which her belongings were shipped to her, to the role she is playing in the all-female NWA event. However, in her latest interview with Wrestling Inc. Daily, the focus was on the one regret she carries with her from her most recent WWE run.

“In hindsight, I wish I’d shown up as ‘Hardcore Country’ Mickie James,” she reflected. “I think she would have made a lot of money.”

Going on to elaborate in more detail, Mickie explained how she chose to come back as her old-school WWE persona as she felt that resonated more with the crowds. However, looking back, she would do it differently, and continue with the Hardcore Country gimmick that brought her so much success in IMPACT.

“This is all speculation, but I think they would have more excitement, more stuff to do around that character,” James mused.

There is no denying that Mickie James is a legend of women’s wrestling and deserving of her place among the WWE greats. However, her return to the company certainly didn’t bring with it the run nor success that she deserved.

Mickie James is Moving on to Bigger and Better Things

As is becoming a familiar theme with wrestlers released from WWE during the pandemic era, Mickie James is swiftly moving on to bigger and better things. There is no rebuilding. There is no need to start at the bottom. James is a talented wrestler and a veteran of the business. This is a powerrr-ful combination.

A lady in high demand, Mickie James shocked many when she signed for legendary promotion NWA, but the swift announcement of the all-female PPV she was leading the charge for, made everything clear. Regrets can be haunting things, and while James clearly carries one, she is not letting it define the path she is following.

Ethan Carter cut a beleaguered figure during this stint with WWE. Having started his career with the company, he made a name for himself in IMPACT wrestling, starting during their TNA days. Holding multiple championships in the company, EC3 was a man with a bright future. When WWE came calling, he took the chance but was released less than two years later, having failed to make any form of impact.

Now, he is back wrestling regularly, after signing a contract with Ring of Honor. The move came as a surprise to some after he made a brief return to IMPACT in 2020. While talking to Wrestling Epicentre recently, EC3 addressed the reason for signing with ROH over the other offers he received.

“Ring of Honor is something I’ve never done. And it’s a storied brand and a legacy that is reinventing itself. It’s finding its own new purpose. It’s something that I want to help build and create. I don’t want to go somewhere where I’m just an interchangeable part. I want to go somewhere, create something, build something, make something special happen based on the hard work I can put in.”

EC3 Is Looking to Build a Legacy On the Back of Hard Work

EC3 is only 38 years old. He still has enough years ahead of him to make his mark on the industry. His time with IMPACT showed that he has what it takes to be not just a champion, but a main event name for a company. Ring of Honor is the perfect place for him at this stage of his career.

Positioned in a company that is proud of what it does and who appreciates creativity and allowing the story of wrestling to be told.

EC3 continued his career resurgence this weekend when he took on and beat Flip Gordon at ROH Best of the World. With that victory behind him, surely it won’t be too long before he starts hunting down the ROH championship belt.  

Adam Cole is a star on the rise in NXT. Many people believe that the time has come for him to rise even higher. Fans are calling for him to make his move up to the main roster. However, talking on a recent episode of Inside the Ropes, Cole made it very clear that he still has plans in NXT.

“There is so much to do. That’s the other thing. I find it so flattering that there are people [saying] ‘God, I want to see Adam Cole on RAW or SmackDown so, so badly’. Then there’s another group that’s like ‘No, I really want him to stay in NXT’. And right now, the possibility of things to do, on any of the three brands, feels endless for me. It just feels exciting across the board. Being able to stay in NXT, even with the 403-day reign and being a Triple Crown winner and all that stuff. I’ve been with the brand for such a long time. I’ve seen it grow so much that it’s really fun to be a part of that process. I would love to win the NXT title again, and I would love the chance to someday maybe step in the ring with Samoa Joe. I want the chance to wrestle guys like Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott.” Adam Cole said when addressing talk of the main roster call up.

Adam Cole Has Unfinished Business in NXT

There’s no question that Adam Cole has the star power, and skillset to make an impact on Raw or Smackdown. However, he clearly has a lot of unfinished business on the black and gold brand. To accompany this is the counterargument that sees NXT as being a main roster calibre brand.

Are the days of NXT being a purely developmental territory behind them? With athletes like Adam Cole, Tomasso Ciampa and Finn Balor, an argument could easily be made for NXT being one of the superior brands in WWE right now.

Either way, Adam Cole is a wrestler who is happy where he is. He is in no rush to run chasing glory on a brand that seems less in tune with its stars.

Managers have always been an important part of professional wrestling. They play a crucial role in a wrestler’s career. This is a mentality that AEW has run with. The list of managers is long, including Arn Anderson, Jake the Snake Roberts, Vikki Guerrero and more. Talking on his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff addressed what he sees as a problem with the AEW managers scene.

Eric Bischoff had nothing bad to say about the current managers in AEW but rather commented on the lack of diversity among them.

 “Arn, Tully, Jake, these are serious shoot ass-kicking motherf—ers,” Bischoff said. “There’s no Jimmy Hart’s in that conversation, there’s no balance. Yes AEW is doing a great job in terms of integrating some of the legends, I being one of them occasionally getting to show up and I love that. Balancing the serious, intense with the high-flying, super athletic ridiculous skill sets but still have some of that goofy sh-t mixed in so that the whole audience is satisfied. Not just the portion of the audience that identifies with one specific era or style of wrestling.” Bischoff said.

Eric Bischoff Understands The Need for Diversity

Too much of a good thing can make it bad. That applies to all walks of life. Eric Bischoff understands that different fans are looking for different things when they tune in to a show each week. By having something to cater for all tastes, a brand like AEW can appeal to a wider audience.

AEW already have a mix of wrestling talent, from the serious to the comedic. Eric Bischoff believes adding more managerial variety would bring more balance to the ranks. You already have Vikki Guerrero who, it could be argued, plays a Mouth of the South style role, however, she lacks the comedic appeal.

Could a faction like Best Friends benefit from having a jovial manager leading them? Possibly not, but is there validity in Eric Bischoff’s words? With two weekly shows and two dark shows each week, there is surely a spot that could be filled by a comedically inclined manager.

Mike Bennett is a man who has rediscovered his passion for professional wrestling. Performing in Ring of Honor, Bennett stands on the precipice of history. His goal to take the ROH Pure Championship away from Jonathan Gresham.

The former WWE wrestler has come a long way from the misused figure he cut during his three years there. During his time in WWE, Mike Bennett, along with his wife Maria Bennett (kayfabe Kanellis) wrestled on Smackdown, RAW and 205 Live. Yet, he was never a regular figure, and often just used to feed the larger lions that were climbing the ladder.

“It was one of those things where I felt like WWE kinda beat the love out of wrestling for me. I’d always loved wrestling, I loved what it was, I loved performing but then when I got there, I got to the point where I was like, “I don’t like this.”” Bennett said, talking to Metro.co.uk.

Mike Bennett is Back In Love With Wrestling Thanks to Ring of Honor

Mike Bennett is back wrestling with Ring of Honor, his second stint with the company. He says this time he appreciates the company for all the things he realized he took for granted, or overlooked previously.

 “When I was in Ring of Honor the first time, I don’t think I truly appreciate the opportunity I was given. I was young and stuff. You can always chalk it up to that. I don’t think I ever took a moment to be like, “Oh my God, I have a good spot in this great company that has produced mega stars,””

With his newfound love of wrestling, Mike Bennett has learned to enjoy the art of wrestling. Embracing the range of styles and cultures that can be found in different rings around the globe. He will be looking to kick his resurgence into overdrive this week by taking the crown from Gresham. Cementing himself as the main event guy in Ring of Honor.

The Varsity Blondes are mounting a charge through the AEW Tag Team rankings. After debuting. Spending their early days appearing on AEW Dark, they can now be found as a mainstay of AEW Dynamite. The team of Brian Pillman Jr and Griff Garrison have already challenged the Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team titles, and are currently ranked number two behind the team of Eddie Kingston and Penta el Zero.

Pillman is certainly a star on the rise with AEW, and while he might not have any gold around his waist, he has good cause to celebrate. Following the expiry of his contract with MLW, he has now signed as a full-time member of the AEW roster.

It was thanks to a loophole that Brian Pillman Jr had been able to work for AEW. The contract he signed with MLW did not allow wrestlers to work for other promotions. However, when he signed his deal, AEW did not exist. This meant that they were not mentioned in his deal.

On Monday, AEW confirmed the news of Brian Pillman Jr.’s signing by announcing that he is #AllElite:

Bright Future Ahead for Brian Pillman Jr.

When Brian Pillman’s episode of Dark Side of the Ring aired, a new light was cast over his son. The extent of what Brian Pillman Jr had to endure following his father’s passing pulled at the heartstrings, endearing him to fans around the world.

At just 27, Pillman has the world at his feet, with his size, power and athletic ability. It is surely only a matter of time before we see the Varsity Blondes with gold around their waist. AEW is building a roster full of talent not just for the present day, but for the future.

With the likes of Jungle Boy, MJF and Darby Allin all primed to lead the singles division, Brian Pillman Jr and Griff Garrison could well be the future of tag team wrestling.

Matt Cardona is a wrestler making headlines these days, going after GCW champion Nick Gage. He is also celebrating his first six months with IMPACT wrestling. A lot can happen in such a short time, and Matt was all too happy to talk with Steel Chair about his change in fortunes.

“It’s been a lot of fun, I’ve got a lot of opportunities, and I thank the Impact Wrestling management for those opportunities. That’s why I came to Impact Wrestling.”

Matt Cardona is known primarily from his days in WWE, and many might feel he was never allowed to reach his full potential. His Wrestlemania moment was kept to just that, dropping the title the very next day. If any run could summarize a career with WWE, then that would be it.

However, Cardona is looking to the future, and he has his eyes firmly set on the big prize. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Kenny or Sami Callihan or Moose. It doesn’t matter to me, if you have that Impact title, I want it.”

When asked about who he would love to wrestle on the IMPACT roster, Matt Cardona wasted no time in reeling off two names. “Tommy Dreamer, who’s still around. I thought I retired him over 10 years ago (December 2009 in WWE), but he’s still kicking. If I need to retire him for good, one last hardcore match, I would love to do that. Eddie Edwards, I’ve teamed with, but I’ve never wrestled him. I love his style, I love what he’s done with himself over the past couple of years, more violent style and again. Someone I’d love to get in the ring with, maybe a hardcore match with him.”

Matt Cardona Enjoys the Creative Freedom Offered by IMPACT

After working in an environment that took creative control away from its talent, Matt Cardona is relishing the creativity afforded to him by IMPACT.

“We’re all artists, and we have this blank canvas now to just draw whatever we want, and that’s the best part about Impact, all this creative freedom and all these opportunities, and I think the sky is the limit with Impact. I think it’s on the up and up. All the wrestlers there in that locker room are hungry, they all want Impact to keep getting better and better.”

Matt Cardona is only 36 years old. He has a long future ahead of him. His recent change in attitude including his feud with Nick Gage has made him one of the stars to watch.

As reported last week, WWE are returning to Madison Square Garden later this year for the first time in six years.

The arena has played home to countless WWE events over the years. Both house shows, live events, and big PPVs. Both Wrestlemania and SummerSlam debut events were held there. The announcement of a Smackdown return to Madison Square Garden was naturally excitedly received by the WWE universe.

In a new development, it has been announced that the event will be a ‘Super Smackdown’ with wrestlers from both brands making an appearance.

WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns took to social media to comment on the decision. Saying he was excited to see both brands lining up for the Tribal Chief.

Tickets for the event went on sale this morning. Madison Square Garden has stipulated that anybody over 16 needs to show proof of vaccination if they want to attend. As of the time of writing, there are still tickets available for the event.

WWE Draft Set One Week Before Madison Square Garden Return

The return to Madison Square Garden is scheduled 1 week after the 2021 edition of the WWE draft. The decision to include superstars from both rosters could be a way of ensuring names can appear regardless of the draft result.

Including members of both rosters is not common in the era of the brand split. However, if ever there was a reason to celebrate in such a way, a return to wrestling’s Mecca would certainly be a valid one.

Regardless of the brand, Madison Square Garden always brings with it a special atmosphere. The company are sure to go all out for the event. With WWE celebrating being back on the road, with fans in attendance, it is guaranteed to be a memorable occasion.

It has been confirmed by Dave Meltzer that Paul Heyman will not be returning as host of Talking Smack. Last week Heyman was replaced on the show by Pat McAfee. However, the news is now out that Heyman is being replaced full time. It is not yet known whether McAfee will be the one to assume the mantle or not.

While people are always eager to find an angle in things, there appears to be nothing behind the change. It is just a company decision to move ahead with a new face.

Of course, there is increasing speculation that Brock Lesnar will soon be returning to WWE. Paul Heyman is a close friend to Brock in real life, and the pair have often worked together in WWE. With Heyman currently acting on behalf of Roman Reigns, it could be that there is a bigger storyline brewing for Heyman which would explain why he needs a break from hosting duties. However, that would be pure speculation.

Paul Heyman has been the host of Talking Smack since November 2020. The show has been through a few incarnations over the years. Originally hosted by Renee Young and Daniel Bryan. It was then moved to a post PPV only slow, before being pulled completely. November was the rebirth of the show, which has provided many memorable moments over the years.

Paul Heyman and Talking Smack Were Viral Gold

Paul Heyman is good with his words and he is good with people. Two things that are a must for a show host, or anybody working in the entertainment sector. His confrontations with the guests on Talking Smack have provided many memorable moments in the eight months he was the host.

Whether he was getting under someone’s skin with pointed barbs, or wisecracking the annoyance out of them, Paul Heyman was a master at getting the job done. He would rant and rave, going off on wild diatribes about different storylines – not only his own – with the annoyingly eloquent grace we have come to expect.

As irritating as Paul Heyman can be, it only serves to highlight the talent the man has for character building. Hopefully, Talking Smack can carry on without him at the helm and there is nothing nefarious work behind the move.

There were few wrestlers caught more by surprise by their release than former NXT tag-team Ever-Rise. The duo comprising wrestlers Matt Martel and Chase Parker had only just signed new contracts with WWE. On top of that, they were getting an ever-increase level of screen time.

Talking to WhatCulture, Ever-Rise, were perfectly happy with the way their careers seemed to be developing.

“Yeah, [we were] surprised to say the least. Surprised, to say the least. It seemed to us that we had our whole careers in front of us in WWE. We were on TV every week doing what we wanted to do.” Matt commented.

“Since, like, the month of October, we were doing something every week. Especially on NXT. finally getting, like, those… fleshing out those characters, which was always the idea, but it was a slow start.” Chase added.

Ever-Rise were always supposed to be background figures, building their popularity and their brand slowly before snowballing onto the main stage. It was a process they all thought was going well.

Ever-Rise Praise NXT Communication and Hold No Grudges

In fact, the duo had been talking creative ideas with NXT the very day they were cut from the roster. However, that said, Ever-Rise hold no animosity with NXT and were full of praise for the level of communication and way of working on the black and gold brand.

“For our end, there’s always great communication between… whether it be Triple H, or Shawn Michaels or the coaches at the Performance Center, the writing team, the producers. Great communication all around. So it was… again, that’s kind of why it comes as a surprise because we were still in the process of working on stuff that day. That day!”

It’s a shame Ever-Rise never got the chance to truly show what they were capable of in a WWE ring. Whether the pair will stay together or go their separate ways remains to be seen. First, they need to sit through their mandatory cooling-off period.

The wrestling world was left in slack-jawed amazement when news broke of Braun Strowman’s WWE release. The monster had been main eventing PPVs and challenging for the top title just a month previous.

Initially, Braun was coy about his future plans. However, after some time away and a new beard cut, the big man is just itching for a fight. Taking to social media recently, Strowman likened his 90-day wait to being in prison.

Braun Strowman has certainly been enjoying life since he was released by WWE on June 2^nd, but a fighter wants to do but one thing. It is clear from his words that Strowman is now ready to get back in the ring. If his recent social media posts are anything to go by, he is keeping himself in great ring condition.

Given the sudden and shocking nature of his goodbye, there will undoubtedly be some frustrations the big man is looking to work out of his system. His first few opponents are surely going to feel his wrath.

Is Braun Strowman AEW Bound?

While not even halfway through his mandatory cooldown period, talking about an AEW move is gaining traction. This was fuelled by new AEW analyst Mark Henry saying that both sides were interested and talking.

If Braun Strowman is going to sign with the Jacksonville-based promotion then his first feud could already be set.  Strowman was quick to reply to a fan who claimed that AEW’s resident big man, Wardlow would be willing to stand in Strowman’s way.

A fight between the pair would be quite the affair, and it could be a natural fit given both men’s physiques. Wardlow is currently locked in a feud along with other Pinnacle members with the Inner Circle.

However, that said, Braun Strowman is not eligible to compete again until August 31^st. Luckily enough, the last day of his sentence is a Tuesday, and with AEW Dynamite airing on a Wednesday, the timing could not be better.

The self-proclaimed Beef King has been posting videos on social media of his training for the next chapter of his career, whatever that entails.

The man formerly known as Aleister Black is wasting no time in getting back into the ring. This week, he released a short horror vignette showing Tommy End in a psychiatric facility, being examined by doctors. The next day, he appeared on AEW, attacking Cody Rhodes and Arn Anderson. In doing so, debuting his new character Malakai Black.

Black also appeared on the YouTube show Drinks With Johnny, where he spoke about his new character and what he is trying to do.

The simple takeaway from it is not that Aleister Black is dead, but rather he never existed at all. Talking in his interview, Tommy End made two announcements.

“What you’re going to see is what happened to Tommy End during the 4 years that Aleister Black was on TV.” He explained. “The base of my character has always been that Tommy End was possessed by the devil and turned into Aleister Black.”

This is a creative way to not only move on from a character created in an old promotion but also to tie together a career spanning multiple incarnations. Wrestler’s identities will often change when they move around. However, linking everything to an underlying psychosis is a clever way to weave the different stages of a career together.

Aleister Black Likens WWE to a Psychotic Episode

There has been no shortage of released wrestlers talking about the level of frustration they felt while working for WWE. Jon Moxley created his prison break video which aired to the minute of his contract ending. However, writing off your entire WWE experience as one bad psychotic episode is a creative touch that would surely make his former employers jealous.

Aleister Black went on to explain how Tommy End could not beat his episode and eventually gives in to Malakai. He did this to great effect in his video. Yet, it was not without intent. It is another layer to the Tommy End story, with Black wanting to put a little distance between himself and End.

“I’m also moving away from Tommy End for a while. I just wanted to get rid of my WB name for a while. I’m creating a specific IP for something else. You will know it when it happens because it will most likely happen on the same day.”

Aleister Black is taking storytelling and character development to an entirely new level. Luckily, fans will get to see that unfold in AEW. It could be that what Black was alluding to was his AEW debut with his comments. However, there is clearly a lot of thought going into his new character and it is exciting to think where it could go.

The Wednesday Night Wars were always something fought out at the boardroom level. Talking in a recent interview with Sportskeeda, recently released superstar Killian Dain talked about how watching AEW matches while backstage at NXT.

Wrestling is a community. Regardless of what promotion you work for, there is a kinship that exists between wrestlers that runs deep. It is this friendship that keeps matters more than ratings and demographics in the eyes of the wrestlers themselves.

“Like, so, I think people would love [for] me to say it was this rivalry or whatever else, but the truth is, you know when we were going head-to-head if they had a particularly good match, we’d wanted to watch; we’d watch! You know what I mean? We’d be backstage in the locker room; we’ll be like, ‘Oh, such and such, let’s see that.’ A lot of [them] are our friends, [as is] with a lot of the guys on the roster,” Killian Dain said.

Killian Dain Enjoyed the Healthy Rivalry But Never Wants AEW to Fail

A rivalry is always a good thing. It can drive you to do the very best you can at every chance you get. This is a statement echoed by Killian Dain when talking about how the NXT and WWE stars thought of AEW.

“So yeah, sure, there is a rivalry so far as we wanted to do the best we could, we wanted to put on the best matches, and we felt that we had an incredible roster at NXT,” Dain said. “There is not one person there, who has gone, ‘F them’ or anything like that because I shared locker rooms with maybe at least 50 per cent of that roster. In fact, I’m probably underselling that; I’d say I’ve been at shows with about 75 per cent of that roster; some of the guys I even trained with or people who have [been] trained by myself, you know, are on that roster.”

Killian Dain is now a free agent. His wife, Nikki Cross is a WWE wrestler, and his friends are scattered across the globe. He is a hard worker in the prime of his career. Hopefully, it won’t be long before he’s back in a wrestling ring once more.

Having a gaijin as champion worked well for NJPW in the past, however, during the pandemic era it has caused one of their belts to essentially be suspended. Jon Moxley, the reigning IWGP US Heavyweight Champion has held the belt since January 2020. Claiming victory over Lance Archer at Wrestle Kingdom. It is his second reign, after being stripped of the belt while battling a nasty MRSA infection in his elbow. It was the enforcement or a rather strict rule in Japan about making commitments and defending belts.

While unable to travel to Japan, Jon Moxley has defended his NJPW title a few times. Including a defence on Dynamite against Japanese legend Yugi Nagata.

Now, Jon Moxley is defending his belt once again taking on Karl Anderson on Night One of Fyter Fest. This is an interesting match as it not only a continuation of the existing feud between Mox and The Elite but also represents a chance at singles goal for Anderson. Aderson created a video to challenge Moxley. Claiming it makes him sick to see Mox with the belt Omega first held.

Karl Anderson has a long working relationship with NJPW and was one of the founding members of Bullet Club. He has never held a singles title for the promotion and will be looking to emulate his Elite team lead Kenny Omega in capturing the gold.

Jon Moxley is a fighting champion, however, and will not be giving up the gold cheaply. While it is unlikely to be a fair fight, Mox will have Eddie Kingston by his side. This should help even the odds somewhat. Whatever happens, this will not be the last time The Elite will have to contend with Mox and Kingston.

During the 1990s there was one man who was the face of WCW. The icon himself, Sting. With his blonde hair and imposing physique, there was every reason for him to be the face of the TNT network. Former WCW president Eric Bischoff recently spoke on his 83 Weeks podcast about his former main man. As part of the discussion, Bischoff explained the real reason behind Sting ditching the bleached hair surfer gimmick that had been his character for many years.

Wrestling is all about storytelling. We all know about kayfabe and the illusion of character. So what was given as the reason for Sting’s change in attitude was far more dramatic than the reality.

Eric Bischoff explained that with his stock rising, Sting had eyes on a transition into movies, and acting. It was exactly that mindset that caused him to grow his hair and revert back to his natural color.

“Sting was taking acting lessons right around this time and working in that direction. Sting made up his mind, he didn’t want that blonde hair because you can’t get a movie, you can’t get a T.V. role with that look so he wanted more versatility.” Eric Bischoff explained.

Eric Bischoff Tried to Help Sting Make it on the Big Screen

It makes sense that a man with Sting’s presence would want to move into acting. Wrestling is, after all, largely a character-driven performance. Wrestling and acting go hand in hand. Just look at stars like The Rock and John Cena. Both have made the transition from the ring to the big screen.

Talking further, Eric Bischoff detailed how he was the man behind Sting’s first acting opportunity.  “I was the executive producer of Stings’ very first movie called The Real Reason Men Commit Crimes. I put the deal together and made it happen with Turner and funded it.”

Sting was one of the biggest names in WCW. It made sense for Eric Bischoff to help him get more fame as that would, in turn, benefit WCW as a company.

AEW was back on the road this week for the first time since before the pandemic. It has been 15 months since AEW left Daily’s Place. It’s understandable that those in attendance were excited. However, for one fan, a rush of blood got the better of him. Jumping the railings, he tried to get into the ring along with Chris Jericho.

Jericho was making his way to the ring for a segment with his long-time rival MJF when the fan tried to get involved. Chris Jericho swiftly called for security, but still took a swing at the many as he tried to get through the ropes.

Both AEW commentator Jim Ross and wrestler MJF weighed in on the event. With the latter working the moment into his character shouting “I welcome any other one of you fat, white trash hicks to jump in the ring too, so I can beat your ass.”

 While Jim Ross stated, “Well, we don’t condone that kind of behaviour, quite frankly.”

Chris Jericho Soon Got Back to Business

AEW Security swiftly got things under control, and Chris Jericho and MJF got straight back down to the matter at hand. The Labours of Jericho.

“This ain’t about them, Chris, it’s about us.” MJF declared before detailing his stipulations for Jericho earning a title shot against him. “You’re gonna have five labours, Chris. The first four will be opponents of my choosing, all with different stipulations, and you have to win back-to-back matches. And if you manage to get through the first four, which you won’t, you get that MJF rub one more time.”

The long-running feud between The Pinnacle and the Inner Circle has been entertaining. From singles competition to full faction matches such as Blood and Guts and the Stadium Stampede. Both Jericho and MJF are fantastic on the mic and have led both sides by example.

Chris Jericho is currently 0-2 against MJF, but every AEW fan will be behind him as he embarks on his own hero’s journey, chasing the ultimate goal, victory over Maxwell Jacob Friedman.

WWE has a history of culling its unwanted superstars, however, 2021 has brought a number of shocking announcements. Including the release of popular superstars such as Brawn Strowman and Aleister Black. Black just made his AEW debut, attacking both Cody Rhodes and Arn Anderson. Talking to the International Business Times, former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre has spoken up about the recent wave of WWE releases.

“It is a huge opportunity. That’s the way I look at it.” He said when asked for his thoughts on the releases. “Perhaps some of the superstars that were released weren’t particularly happy with their position. Now, they have an opportunity to go out there and reinvent themselves and the world’s opening back up.”

Wrestling is an ever-changing world. A release does not always necessarily mean the end of the journey with that promotion.

Drew McIntyre Can Relate with Released WWE Superstars

Drew McIntyre is one of the WWE’s biggest stars right now. He was their main champion through the Pandemic Era. However, things were not always rosy for the big guy. McIntyre can relate more than others to the pressure and stress of losing a job. He himself was released by WWE back in 2014.

“I was so fortunate that when I was released from the WWE, that’s exactly what my mindset was–I’m gonna put the image out that I see myself as, as opposed to what others see me as. Thankfully, it caught on. I was given a lot of opportunities outside of WWE to make my name and it brought me back to WWE and to the top of the mountain.” Drew McIntyre said when talking about his own experience.

“There are so many talented individuals that just got released. They can do exactly the same [as I did]. If they’ve got the work ethic and the passion, they’re gonna make it happen and I’ll see them all again one day,”

If there is one wrestler who could serve as a guiding light for those superstars, then it would be Drew McIntyre. His story was chronicled by WWE ahead of his Wrestlemania moment in 2020. Drew will be looking to get back to the top of the mountain by winning the Money in the Bank ladder match later this month.

Current AAA Mega Champion Kenny Omega has spoken up about AAA challenger El Hijo del Vikingo. The Mexican star was in action this past week using one of Kenny Omega’s moves in order to get the win. This caught the attention of the triple promotion champion.

Taking to Twitter, Kenny Omega acknowledged the move, but in true Omega fashion, exclaimed, he could do it better.

El Hijo del Vikingo wants to get his hands on the AAA title. He wants to bring it home. Kenny Omega has held the belt for close to two years. Winning it from fellow AEW wrestler Rey Fenix in 2019.

It is interesting to note that the next AAA title defence for Kenny Omega is against Andrade el Idolo. Another Mexican star who has signed for AEW. This would mean that even if Omega lost, the belt would still not be in the hands of a AAA wrestler.

Kenny Omega and Andrade el Idolo are set to square off at the AAA Triplemania event, on August 14th. Omega will be hoping to shake off the worst of his injury concerns ahead of the bout, as he aims to continue his legacy as the ‘Belt Collector’.

Should Omega emerge victorious then you can only imagine a match with El Hijo del Vikingo would be on the cards. It would look like both men are interested in the bout. It would be fitting if the victory came as a result of the move that set their discussions in motion.  

The current IMPACT Wrestling X Division Champion Josh Alexander is coming back to NJPW Strong. Alexander will make his second appearance for the US wing of the NJPW brand this week, taking on NJPW legend Rocky Romero.

During his first outing for the promotion, Josh Alexander defeated the LA dojo graduate Alex Coughlin.

This match is a big one not just for the show, but for both wrestlers involved. For Josh Alexander, he will not want to take a loss as champion, even if this is not for the belt. While Rocky Romero is looking to get back on track with his quest to work back into the NJPW Junior heavyweight championship picture.

Both men are veterans of the game, and masters of submission. The bout promises to be a technical showcase between two men at the top of their game.

Rocky Romero Leading the NJPW Strong Charge

NJPW Strong is a new subdivision of NJPW and based solely in the US. The promotion is only just a year old, but with stars like Rocky Romero leading the way, they have made great strides through the pandemic era.

The promotion has attracted some great stars to their ranks, and thanks to their working arrangements with other promotions, such as ROH and IMPACT they have been able to offer fans a range of attractive matches.

Rocky Romero versus Josh Alexander is just one example of this. With NJPW returning to the US for a few shows later this year, the future is looking bright for Rocky Romero and the rest of the NJPW Strong brand.  

Wrestling is a money-making business. Look back at the biggest stars of the industry. Bret Hart, The Rock, Stone Cold, Hulk Hogan. They were big draw names that put bums in seats and shirts over shoulders. The ability to generate revenue makes a wrestler invaluable to an organization. However, for Japanese star Maki Itoh.

Itoh made several appearances for AEW earlier this year catching the attention of many in the process. Her quirky style and unique approach to wrestling made her a real character to watch both in the ring, and out.

This international appeal helped boost her popularity, with Itoh herself confirming that for a period of time, last week, she was the top seller on Pro Wrestling Tees.

However, despite this, and reported interest from both AEW and WWE for her services, no contract offers have been forthcoming.

Currently, Itoh is wrestling in her native Japan for TJPW where she is trying to capture their Princess of Princess title. She was last seen wrestling in America for AEW in March. Shortly after her time in AEW expired, Maji Itoh made it very clear that she wanted to return to American again.

During her time in AEW, and despite her rising popularity, she played the clownish heel role to great effect. There is nobody quite like her in the AEW women’s division, and should she get a contract with them, it’s a valid role for her to fill.

Kenny Omega, one of the AEW EVPs has long since made it clear that he wants to put a focus on the Joshi wrestlers, and has stayed true to his word. Many AEW fans will be hoping he manages to get Maki Itoh back in an AEW ring soon.

Getting ready for a title match is always going to be a test of nerves. Getting ready to go into a title match with a wild stipulation is something else entirely. For former WWE champion Bayley, the pressure of the impending I Quit match with Bianca Belair is intimidating.

Talking to the hosts of WWE Talking Smack, Bayley made the confession. “So, this match is a little intimidating for me.”

However, in true heel form, she soon turned her nerves into an attack on her opponent. “Imagine how Bianca feels. Yeah, it’s intimidating to me, but I’ve been ready for every single thing that’s been thrown at me in my career in WWE since day one. I’m ready for anything. Bianca is done for. I don’t care what she thinks or the title that she holds because it’s coming back home.”

This will be the third meeting between the pair, with Bianca Belair having won the previous two matches. Belair won the Smackdown title back at Wrestlemania and has looked confident in her reign ever since. Bayley, however, is a multiple-time champion and will be looking to use her experience to her advantage in this rare match.

Bayley and Belair Prepare for a Rare Women’s Championship Match

This match will be just the third match of its kind for women in WWE history. The first came in 2008 when Melina and Beth Phoenix squared off.

The second was an NXT UK Women’s Championship match in 2020. The champion retained that night, and Bianca Belair will be hoping to emulate that at Money in the Bank.

Bayley, however, will be looking to lay her hands on a third Smackdown Women’s championship belt, and make amends not only for her two previous losses against Belair but also for her elimination from the Royal Rumble earlier this year. Belair went on to win the event, thus earning her fateful shot at Wrestlemania.

It has been twenty-three years since the Undertaker dropped Mick Foley through the roof of Hell in a Cell. Yet it is still one of the most talked-about moments in WWE history. Talking in a recent interview with Wrestling Inc., a former WWE doctor has detailed the full extent of Mick Foley’s injuries.

Frank Romascavage was in the ring with Mick and was there to collect his teeth and sew up his mouth backstage at the event.

 “I was in the ring. You’ll see me in that match. I’m in the ring there, and Mick, he got beat up. He was hurting big time. I said, “Mick, come on. We’re gonna get you through this.” I took him in the back in the locker room back there.”

Romascavage went on to talk about how Mick Foley was lucky that the accident occurred where it did, and not one of the many other venues WWE held events.

“You couldn’t be in a better place. The University of Pittsburgh has a 24/7 on-call orthodontic dental type program,” he explained. “I called up the dentists or the dental orthodontic guy, whoever was on call, and I said, “Do you like wrestling?” He says, “I love wrestling.”

Together they got Mick Foley patched up to the point he was still able to come back to the arena and interfere in the show’s main event match.

Mick Foley Cemented His Legacy with Hell in a Cell

Going into the Hell in a Cell match, Mick Foley was already a hardcore legend, but it was that moment that cemented his place in history. A moment that to this day is still costing him a lot of money in dental bills.

Talking recently to Steve Austin on Broken Skull sessions, Mick Foley admits he was lucky to survive his fall. Had he not been so tired and sold the chokeslam with the usual vigour he believes he would have met his end at that moment.

“But if I’d had the energy and I’d gone up for this chokeslam the way that I usually did, then you and I are not having this conversation. It’s the only time I take a bad chokeslam. Because of that, I don’t over-rotate and land on my head.”

Ken Shamrock was once regarded as the most dangerous man on the planet. After moving from the octagon to the squared circle in 1997, everybody was excepting big things from him. However, just two years later, in 1999, Shamrock quit the WWE (then WWF).

During a recent appearance on the Kurt Angle Show podcast, Shamrock spoke about his time in WWE and what was going through his mind when he quit the company.

Talking candidly, Ken Shamrock said it all started with the now infamous Montreal screw job, and Owen Hart’s death. Citing a lack of trust and insecurity as the main thing that brought an end to his WWE career.

“I think there was a lot of insecurity on my end when they did the thing with Bret Hart. Then the thing with Owen and then they did the little skit thing with the Road Warriors where he fell off the big screen and then we saw a body fall behind it,”

Ken Shamrock is not alone with his thoughts and feelings on things. Time passes, and old wounds can heal, but trust is something needed in the moment.

“Everything that I was taught going into the WWF was that you had to trust people and that when you went into the ring, the guy across from you, you had to trust he would do his job and you were going to do yours, the announcers were going to do their jobs and so on. It just felt like it came apart.” Ken Shamrock confessed.

During his time with WWE, Ken Shamrock held two titles and won the 1998 King of the Ring tournament. One can only wonder at what Shamrock could have achieved had he remained in WWE.

Eddie Edwards is a man who has faced them all in his career. He has held titles in many promotions the world over, including 9 inside an Impact ring. This includes the TNA years.

However, despite everything he has achieved, there is one many still on Eddie Edwards’s hit list. Talking in a recent Sports Illustrated interview, Eddie spoke about the one man he would still love to face in the ring. His recent appendectomy scare may have cost him a dream match with Satoshi Kojima. However, there is a new name he wants to fight.

“I want to be in the ring against the best, and, right now, Kenny is one of the best. He’s also our champ, and I’d love to be the guy to bring that title back to Impact. The stars haven’t aligned yet, but hopefully, that match will happen.”

Career Parallels Can Be Drawn Between Eddie Edwards and Kenny Omega

Both men have wrestled in Japan for several years, as well as for different promotions in the US. It’s both strange and a shame that they are yet to face each other in singles competition. A fact that is not lost of Eddie Edwards.

“We’ve been on some of the same shows together, but we’ve never wrestled each other in a singles match. In a lot of ways, we took a similar path. We tried to do our thing in the indies, we both went to Japan. I got a chance to thrive in Pro Wrestling NOAH, which is what he did in DDT, and then later in New Japan. He went on to win the IWGP title. I won the GHC title. To me, it’s hard to deny that we have career similarities.”

There is no denying that a match between the two would be quite a show. Eddie Edwards is only 37, despite everything he has already achieved in his career. Long-time IMPACT fans have an affinity with Eddie Edwards that runs deep. Few would grumble if he was the man to eventually dethrone Kenny Omega.