Trish Stratus is a WWE Hall of Famer both in title and in merit, but coulld we see Stratusfaction “stratusfy” outside of the WWE umbrella?
Stratus recently discussed the possibility of squaring of against an undeniable future Hall of Famer in AEW’s Mercedes Mone, formerly Sasha Banks in WWE. The two fighters briefly crossed back nearly six years ago at the 2018 Royal Rumble, but outside of that, they have never faced one another in singles action.
However, since then Stratus has made multiple returns in WWE, actually facing Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam 2019. She then returned to the company in 2022 for a very memorable heel run against Becky Lynch, with the program culminating in a cage match at Payback.
During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Stratus looked back on that 2022 run.
“People never thought I’d ever come back for another match… But then, you know, (Banks) left.”
Would she venture outside of the WWE to have that long desired match against Mone?
“I really am a WWE girl all the way.You never know. Who knows? There’s still so much more life to be had.”
Mone ultimately walked out on WWE in May of 2022, only to return to the ring under the NJPW banner before she got injured which shelved her for nearly a year. However, Mone did end up going to AEW where she is currently the TBS Champion.
In an unexpected twist of television history, the iconic sitcom Seinfeld owes part of its existence to an unlikely source: WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event. This revelation, shared by Jerry Seinfeld himself, sheds new light on the origins of one of the most beloved comedy series of all time.
The Unlikely Connection Between Wrestling and Comedy
Jerry Seinfeld disclosed on The Rich Eisen Show back in May 2024 that WWE played a crucial role in the creation of Seinfeld. The connection stems from a decision made by NBC executive Rick Ludwin, who saw potential in the fledgling “show about nothing” when others were skeptical.
“Ludwin said, You know what, I think this show isn’t that bad. Everyone disliked it. And Rick Ludwin said I’m gonna take some moeny from Saturday Night Wrestling [sic]. In those days professional wrestling replaced Saturday Night Live once a month. And he took the money from one of those, and it was enough money for us to make four episodes. We made four episodes, they still didn’t like it…”
NBC’s Gamble: From Ringside to Primetime
Ludwin made a bold move by reallocating funds from the once-a-month wrestling show, Saturday Night’s Main Event, to finance the production of four episodes of “Seinfeld”.
This decision proved to be a pivotal moment in television history, giving the sitcom the opportunity it needed to prove its worth.
The Birth of a Comedy Legend
Despite initial doubts from network executives, the four episodes produced with the wrestling show’s budget were enough to secure “Seinfeld” a place in NBC’s lineup.
This unconventional funding strategy allowed Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David to showcase their unique brand of humor and launch what would become a cultural phenomenon.
From Underdog to Television Icon
Seinfeld went on to become one of the most successful sitcoms in television history. The show’s characters – Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer – became household names, and their misadventures captivated audiences for nine seasons.
The Legacy of Seinfeld and WWE’s Indirect Contribution
The success of Seinfeld not only revolutionized the sitcom genre but also demonstrated the potential for unconventional programming decisions.
The show’s journey from a struggling pilot to a ratings juggernaut is a testament to the power of taking risks in television production.
WWE is no stranger to running their PLEs in major markets, but now the smaller promotions are following suit, including TNA.
The 22-year old company announced to fans on Wednesday to mark their calendars as the company plans to run some of its major PPVs in both Los Angeles and New York City. Not only that, but the PPVs will take place at notable arenas in both cities. TNA Rebellion will take place on April 27, 2025 at the Galen Center, home of USC Trojans basketball, and TNA Slammiversary will hail from the UBS Center, the homebase of the New York Islanders on July 20, 2025.
In the press release, TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth expressed his enthusiasm for the forthcoming year with TNA.
“I am beyond excited to defend the TNA World Championship from coast to coast, in the two of the most iconic cities in the world, Los Angeles and New York City. This is a groundbreaking day for TNA Wrestling. I cannot wait for the ride that TNA will be on in 2025.”
BREAKING: Due to no overwhelming winner, TNA is bringing big PPV events to BOTH Los Angeles and New York in 2025. #TNARebellion is coming to the Galen Center in LA on April 27 while #TNASlammiversary is coming to the UBS Arena in New York on July 20.
Major market announcements have been the ongoing trend for wrestling as 2024 comes to a close. WWE is just on the cusp of returning to New York City for Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14 and just this week, MLW revealed they’ll be heading to Los Angeles for Battle Riot VII in early April. MLW will also be back in NYC this weekend for One-Shot which will have Eric Bischoff steering the ship.
MLW will continue to make company history in 2025 as the promotion will be Los Angeles bound in 2025.
Major League Wrestling announced today that for the first time ever the company will go Hollywood with one of its tentpole events in the Battle Riot. Battle Riot VII will go down on April 5, 2025 from the Commerce Casino & Hotel with tickets set to go on sale December 9.
Battle Riot VI took place at the pro wrestling popular Center Stage in Atlanta with Matt Riddle winning the 40-man fight, but per usual, the event had its fair share of surprises. The full announcement from MLW is below.
Los Angeles, CA – Major League Wrestling (MLW) is bringing its most anticipated event of the year, Battle RIOT VII, to Los Angeles for the first time ever! On Saturday, April 5, 2025, MLW will take over the Commerce Casino & Hotel as 40 combatants riot in the biggest match in MLW.
Tickets go on sale Monday, December 9 at 10 a.m. PT at www.MLWLA.com and Eventbrite, starting at just $10. This is an all-ages event, so all fans are welcome to experience the thrill live and in person.
The Commerce Casino & Hotel will host MLW’s Los Angeles debut. The majestic nine-story hotel is located within minutes of downtown Los Angeles, and just an elevator ride away from its iconic card room, boasting the most table and casino card games in Southern California.? The Commerce Casino & Hotel in Los Angeles features luxurious rooms and suites, popular poker games and tournaments, 24/7 table-side services, and more.
Battle RIOT VII will showcase 40 competitors in a no-holds-barred extravaganza, as they fight for a chance to challenge the MLW World Heavyweight Champion. A unique mash-up of a battle royal and an anything-goes street fight, this super-sized main event features new participants entering the ring every 60 seconds.
Expect surprises, legends, and jaw-dropping moments as the best from MLW, CMLL, and New Japan Pro Wrestling collide to secure a title shot anytime, anywhere. Eliminations occur by pinfall, submission, or by tossing competitors over the top rope—anything can happen in the Battle RIOT!
Bring your signs and be part of the MLW experience as MLW TV trucks will be rolling up for this premium live special.
Don’t miss your chance to witness history as Major League Wrestling makes its long-awaited debut in Los Angeles with Battle RIOT VII!
TICKETS: On sale Monday, December 9 at 10 a.m. PT at www.MLWLA.com and Eventbrite.
Bianca Belair made sure a WWE 2K24 game player’s creativity came to life at WWE Survivor Series. Belair joined the crew of babyfaces to kick off the festivities of Survivor Series with the women’s War Games match, but had a one of a kind attire that so happened to be designed by a user of the WWE 2K24 Creative Community.
The Create-A-Wrestler days are quite different from the times of WWF No Mercy as fans can not only create their own wrestlers, but can be the tailor for some of their favorite WWE Superstars. One fan did just that for Belair and they made it very reflective of Bret Hart. Belair sported the pink, white and black duds as she made her way down for the opening “match beyond.” Belair is notorious for literally sewing her own outfits so that sense of creativity likely came from both her and the fan that made it via the gaming platform.
As Belair made her entrance, Michael Cole noted on commentary of the fan’s handywork before telling fans that WWE 2K24 was nominated for “Best Sports Game” for the forthcoming Game Awards. There’s only a set of five games in total nominated for the category as WWE 2K24 finds itself up against NBA 2K25, Top Spin 2K25 (a tennis game), F1 24, and EA SPORTS FC 25.
Tony Khan continues to cultivate the scorecard for the ongoing AEW Continental Classic.
As WWE Survivor Series set to commence on Saturday evening, the AEW President took to social media to announce a round two fight for the round robin tournament. It will be Shelton Benjamin taking on Kyle Fletcher for the 12/4 episode of AEW Dynamite. Khan hyped the match, noting that Benjamin are the two top names in their “league” going mono-a-mono.
“The current Top 2 in the C2 Blue League will fight 1-on-1: Shelton Benjamin vs Kyle Fletcher. THIS WEDNESDAY!”
This Wednesday, December 4 Fishers, IN, near Indianapolis TBS, 8pm ET/7pm CT Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite
The Continental Classic started up on the pre-Thanksgiving episode of AEW Dynamite as Shelton Benjamin defeated former ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe via a clean pinfall following a powerslam.
As for Fletcher, the adversary of Will Ospreay upended the Beast Mortos on this week’s episode of AEW Collision after nailing the bullheadecd luchador with a brainbuster. The match-up itself provides to be an intriguing one as Benjamin and Fletcher are both top heels in the company, also being involved in their respective heel factions. Benjamin is notoriously apart of The Hurt Syndicate alongside MVP and Bobby Lashley while Fletcher is a member of the revamped Don Callis Family. Fletcher will look to continue the hot hand as he ended up definitively defeating Ospreay earlier this week at AEW Full Gear. Ospreay is aiming to rebound from that loss as on that same episode of Collision, he defeated Juice Robinson in the ‘Gold League’ side of the Classic. Unfortunately, Robinson ended up getting injured in the fight.
Bron Breakker is all types of “Steinerized” for his upcoming triple threat match tonight at WWE Survivor Series. Donning a WCW shirt of his dear Uncle Scott, the Intercontinental Champion cut a pre-match promo as he was asked by Jackie Redmod what his mindset was going up against both Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser. Breakker took a moment to note the respect he has for both competitors in the bout. Bron made clear he knew the score of Kaiser and how he’ll aim to win the match.
“[Kaiser is] gonna try to sewer rat around and steal the championship from me.”
When it comes to Sheamus, Breakker said just cause ‘The Celtic Warrior’ is searching to secure that Intercontinental gold, the only title he’s never held in WWE, doesn’t mean he’ll get it.
“I played for the Ravens and never won a Super Bowl but should they give me a Super Bowl ring cause I was there for participation? No! Take it back to the retirement home old man, this ain’t Saturday night bingo!”
Both Kaiser and Sheamus had challenged Breakker for the Title the past two weeks on WWE RAW. Due to interference by both men in their respective bouts, the matches led to disqualification finishes, building to the battle that’s taking place at Survivor Series.
Kaiser could be a wild card in this match as he’s finding himself a little at odds with his Imperium pal, GUNTHER, who is defending his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Damian Priest.
Bret Hart may go by ‘The Excellence of Execution’ but ‘Hitman’ himself may give that designation to the late great Leo Burke.
Burke, a pro wrestling legend out of Canada, sadly passed away on July 24, 2024 and Hart shared a beautiful tribute on his social media, noting of the legacy Leo left on the industry and on himself.
Less than a week ago, I got to speak with Bret Hart in detail about Burke’s influence on not just him, but other wrestlers who have left an impact on the business
How Bret Hart Learned From Leo Burke
Burke made a pro wrestling name for himself wrestling for the likes of Stu Hart, The Funks, Jim Crockett and so many other names across the globe. Hart was familiar with Burke when Leo first got his start in 1966. Bret was just a kid at the time, but remembered Burke came into Calgary with a ‘Batman’ gimmick, and while the memory stuck with Bret, the gimmick didn’t for Burke, who became a big star for Stu Hart and a good in-ring rival for Bret while in Stampede. Bret noted what a master of ring psychology Burke was. He credited both Leo and the late Dynamite Kid for helping him become in-ring legend he is today.
“Like I learned so much from both Dynamite and Leo, that when I think of like my style and my career, and how I maybe blossomed as a wrestler in WWF, it was all because of both those guys.”
“”I picked up the ring bell and I’ m gonna take it over the apron and take it in the ring and I’m gonna brain Steve Austin with the bell, and I walk over and I set it on the apron and then I change my mind and then I go over and get a chair, I pick up one chair and I go, ‘Ah this one’s not good enough, it’s got padding on it,’ or something. I pick up a metal chair and go, ‘This is perfect,’ and I forget all about the bell, slide under the bottom rope and I’m going to the ring and I’ m working Steve over with a chair.
“I mean everyone forgets about the the bell then, and the bell is the key right sitting on the apron for the whole thing … that’ s a real Burke type of [move]. You know he would tell you, ‘They’ll forget all about the bell.’
“those are the kind of things that Leo taught me like to think ahead and how to think, imagine things. He WAS SUCH A MASTER CLASS.”
The ‘Master Class’ Of Leo Burke With Adam Copeland
Bret mentioned how historic names like Harley Race and Terry Funk would revere Burke’s talent in god-like fashion and Burke eventually got to instill that knowledge into major names of the late 1990s. Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, Ken Shamrock and Mark Henry all learned under Leo Burke up in Calgary while Bret worked in WWE.
“Leo would train them, and Leo got paid the same every day, he got a certain check every week, and he would just have classes. He would tell everyone what time to come, and Test was another one that was there.
“He was one of those guys I met him in Toronto; he was a bouncer at a club, and I remember the next day he was sitting in my living room.
“And Leo was training all these guys, and I remember I would come home from being on the road, and then Leo would say, ‘ Could you just work with one guy?'”
That one guy was Copeland.
“I did it with Edge, I remember wrestling Edge, I did it with a couple of guys, I remember, it might have been Mark Henry, and I remember, I’ m like, ‘I am so beat up.’
“I’ ve been on the road for six weeks or something, and I come home and Leo’ s like, ‘Can you just come in for a couple of weeks? Just a couple.’ I didn’ t even care, you know? I was the one that would do it, I’ d be so sore I’ d spend the afternoon in there taking arm drags and stuff, like that, working stuff out.”
Hart commented on how much he garnered from working with and being around Leo, who had a great sense of humor and was a big factor at making life on the road fun, pulling light-hearted, yet memorable ribs on his brothers and other workers. However, if there was one thing Hitman would want wrestlers today to take note of by studying Burke, it would be the best thing he was known for.
“I would you think if there’s a big aspect you want them to take away from him, I would say Leo was most famous for his psychology.”
WWE ID is becoming a cherished new aspect in the pro wrestling industry and everyone in the business is taking notice, including CM Punk and MJF.
WWE ID went on an announcement spree revealing a bevvy of independent wrestling names who have been approved by the program. Names like Jack Cartwheel, Cappuccino Jones and Zayda Steel were all initial announcments and eyes were certainly on the WWE ID X account.
CM Punk was sure to give shout-outs to all the names being revealed, and even tagged all of them on his Instagram stories. The former WWE Champion even shared an interview with Steel noting that Punk’s wife, AJ Mendez, was a major influence to her as a kid.
WWE ID even kicked down the “forbidden door” as AEW’s MJF was sure to tip the cap to Bryce Donovan, who came from the very school he and Max Caster did, Brian Myers’ Create-A-Pro. Donovan was the blue-chip prospect of Create-A-Pro and MJF made sure to let fans know on his Instagram stories to “Be shook.”
Another name of note who is keeping eyes on WWE ID is the wrestling extraordinaire Natalya. Nattie was sure to wish Steel a congratulations on being inked to the program.
Cartweel had a “cup of coffee” in All Elite Wrestling, but never signed with the company. Before the announcement, Steel did make a few appearances for Major League Wrestling as she became a contender for the Featherweight Championship as a heel under WTF, the World Titan Federation.
NXT found a new way to promote their brand by hitting smaller venues and the company may have found a sweet spot in the 2300 Arena.
With NXT finding a new broadcast home on The CW, Shawn Michaels and his team assembled there put on an event, that if done consistently, can create a very strong and rapid fanbase, echoing the very vibes that ECW Arena was notorious for.
That creates appointment television and the brand is on the right track, starting with Swanson & Ritner.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) November 7, 2024
I was on site for WWE NXT 2300 and spent a half-decade in Philly (two of those years right down the street on Snyder Ave.). I’ve seen many wrestling shows there from many promotions (past the Paul Heyman heyday) and I haven’t seen a crowd that electric.
There were previous reports that Heyman’s induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame was the spiritual “closing the book” of ECW, but Tuesday dispelled that notion. WWE sees there’s still market for it and Tuesday night walked a very nice balance of mixing the legacy in without overdoing it. As a matter of fact, the tone-setters for the show can greatly go to a clearly stacked women’s division.
WWE got the heavy-hitters for legends. ECW names like Rob Van Dam (I know that guy!) and Bully Ray set the tone for the whole evening by their mere presence. They’re home run hitters for those three letters and pairing Bubba with the NXT Champ Trick Williams ties history with future. Fans were ready to go ballistic if RVD had a match and they dangled that carrot for down the road. Even RVD said he plans to be back for a bout. Knowing that those two were going to be there established buzz and then they had a good deal of names in store for the show.
Then you had the surprises to help to blow the roof off the building. D-Von walked out to “get the tables” for Trick and Bubba in a “send the fans home happy” moment. I was admiring the ECW mural in the bathroom when Rhyno came out to Gore Robert Stone, but that pop ‘The Man Beast’ got was worthy of a TNA Hall of Famer.
I felt “family” and heritage collide when Nunzio surprised Tony D’Angelo by challenging ‘The Don’ for the North American Championship and it was a nice way to get Tony D even more over and creating a “lineage” that adds to the value of The D’Angelo Family.
Nunzio was an “off-the-beaten-path” ECW incorporation which made it refreshing and the same can be said by having Dawn Marie and Francine involved. Blue Meanie would have been an excellent addition to the festivities, but hopefully there’s more to come with the 2300 pairing.
The merchandise was well executed to make this event feel special. You had an “NX F’N T” tee, a 2300 NXT tee and of course, an RVD special event tee. The line was quite long before the show.
NXT Has A New Energy And It’s For Good Reason
Speaking with a key creative name in the NXT mix, a credit to the growing identity of the brand goes to the incorporation of athletes not from wrestling and the positive team environment behind-the-scenes. The fact that many names have played in organized sports make taking direction much easier and while some aspects have a bit of a learning curve, the ROI has reverberated through the roster. Today’s wrestling has a lot of just “pro wrestlers” and haven’t played a lick of organized sports in high school. They’re strictly used to fending for themselves on the indie scene. That doesn’t create a foundation for “tough love” and the reception for criticism is less welcoming. If you get a good deal of that early on, you get more of a team effort and friendly competition. That in turn, creates good energy.
You embrace that with unique (and historic) atmospheres such as the one on Swanson & Ritner, and you get yourself something different than everyone else. Now that Deadline has been announced for Minneapolis at The Armory, they’re geared up for yet another spectacle.
Posted November 7th, 2024 in News. Tagged: NXT 2300.
Big Boom AJ is ready for QT Marshall at AEW Full Gear and the COSTCO Guy cut a promo smack dab in New York City.
Big Boom AJ Befumo was in the Big Apple with Big Justice and The Rizzler to appear on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and while he was there decided to share a few words with his upcoming opponent, QT Marshall, who he’ll be facing at AEW Full Gear Zero Hour. AJ says that if Tony Khan is QT’s “best friend” he can have him because he’s got two names in his corner.
“I got Big Justice, I got all the people at the Prudental Center, I got all the people around the world and we’re coming to bring the BOOM.
“We could have made everything better in AEW, but you chose to take me on in the ring. Big mistake, QT Marshall.”
AEW Full Gear goes down on November 23. AJ does have previous experience as a pro wrestler.
Jimmy Fallon May Not Be A Fan Of The Costco Guys
The aformentioned Fallon may have thought it was a “big mistake” to have the COSTCO crew on his show as guests. The former SNL star is getting some not so stellar feedback after how he handled the trio on the show. Fallon interrupted their “BOOM” catchphrase after asking about their “BOOM Meter” for rating stuff. Current GCW Champion Mance Warner made it known that The Rizzler pays no mind to funny men.
I want to hire one of those body language analysis people to study Fallon in this whole appearance. All I get from Fallon here is seeping contempt. He just talks over these guys and ignores them constantly. It’s even funnier because you can tell The Roots like them more. pic.twitter.com/M9M4Jzueg6
Hulk Hogan may have found a new tag team partner in Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the WWE Hall of Famer says he wants to help kids get healthy and in shape.
Throughout the course of 2024, RFK Jr. made his own bid for President of the United States, running first as a Democrat then later as an Independent, but due to America’s established two-party system, the son of Bobby Kennedy found the deck stacked against him. That made him to decide to align with Donald Trump, who promised RFK Jr. that he’d have him be a factor in health and enviromental issues if he were to be elected as President.
RFK Jr. has been on the campaign run for Trump and so has Hogan, who not only showed up at the notorious rally that took place in Madison Square Garden, but has been making media appearances too.
Hogan was just on Fox News with Jesse Waters, who asked Hogan if Trump wins, would he play any role in helping the Trump adminstration out. Hogan certainly had an idea in mind, noting that in wrestling you have to draw a big angle and put “hot spice on a feud.”
“This Robert Kennedy Jr., he’s onto something with nutrition, but he’s gonna tag team us up as the Mega Powers – the ‘MAGA Powers,’ there ya go. ‘The MAGA Powers’: RFK Jr. and Hulk Hogan, he could get them to eat the right food and I could get all of our kids in shape, brother.”
Eric Bischoff is heading to Major League Wrestling’s upcoming event from New York City on December 5, MLW One Shot.
Bischoff’s latest guest on his 83 Weeks podcast is Paul Walter Hauser, as the accomplished actor who has been heavily involved with MLW over the past few months. During their discussion, Hauser turned the tables on Bischoff, asking him if he ever gets the itch to get back in the business. Bischoff said that the feeling comes and goes, but he does particularly enjoy working in a backstage role and in the production realm of the business.
Hauser noted that he has MLW CEO Court Bauer in his phonebook and decided to call him on the spot. Bauer picked up, Hauser caught him up to speed and asked if he’d be open to working with the outspoken former wrestling executive.
“Without hesitation, the answer is absolutely yes. Dude, ERic going to enemy Territory in one place where he’s never promoted a show, new york city, for one night, calling the shots. That to me sounds like money.”
MLW President Court Bauer open to working with Eric Bischoff
Bauer then made the pitch for Bischoff to attend MLW One-Shot on December 5. Hauser, playing the facilitator, made clear he’d get the two in a group text to hammer out the details. On Thrusday afternoon, MLW confirmed Bischoff will be on hand.
The event is now being billed as, Eric Bischoff’s One-Shot: An Eric Bischoff Production. Tickets are now on sale at Eventbrite.
Both Tony Schiavone and Bruce Prichard worked for MLW both in production and commentary years back right as their podcasts began taking fire courtesy of Conrad Thompson. Bischoff has previously said he wouldn’t get involved with AEW, stating that the environment wouldn’t be fun for him.
There’s the cliche that it’s a “fine line between love and hate” but that line Jim Cornette drew between he and Donald Trump is wider than the Mississippi River his home state rests alongside.
A rightful WWE Hall of Famer, Cornette clearly despises Trump, a 2013 celebrity inductee, who aims to reclaim the Oval Office once again this November. With Election Day less than a week out, there’s a fine line between politics and pro wrestling, and while an immense amount of hate is harbored from Cornette to Trump, Donald pulls quite a bit of promotional tactics from the world of wrestling. The distinct difference is one is just selling merchandise, the other is doing that and campaigning to be the next leader of the free world.
Two well-known no-no’s in the wrestling business have been to steer clear from politics and religion. If you’re currently in the ring or under a promotion’s umbrella, that notion (for the most part) still holds true. Very rarely do you see an AEW name, a WWE name or a “name your promotion” name take a political stand because when you’re in between the ropes, your goal should be to unite the people in an effort to make money.
The late great George Carlin said division is what makes the government run off the backs of the lower and middle classes. “It’s a big club and you ain’t in it,” unless you buy a ticket to take the ride, something those classes do in droves for pro wrestling. While the First Amendment gives everyone the right to speak their mind, doing such under a wrestling company’s eye could garner some repercussions. Good or bad, you’re not just representing yourself, but the promotion you work for.
That doesn’t stop the retired names from talking, however. Dave Bautista made it known he’ll be voting for Kamala Harris. She got the Venn diagram of pro wrestling and Juggalos with ICP’s support. Mick Foley shot a video believing America will have a “Nice Day” if you go to the polls for Harris/Waltz. Same goes for Kevin Nash, always an outspoken Clinton Democrat, “sidewalk slams” Trump’s bluster on a weekly basis. However, his fellow NWO member Hulk Hogan notoriously tore off his shirt for Trump and JD Vance at the Republican National Convention. Right after Bautista voiced his vote, Trump literally sat in between Undertaker and Kane for a TikTok video. “The Brothers Of Destruction” called out “The Animal,” making it known they’ll be voting for Donald on November 5. Trump was then the next guest on Undertaker’s podcast.
Jim Cornette Pulls No Political Punches
While Jim Cornette has never been one to mince words, he makes a point to saw off the end of the double barrel and fire away at anyone who evokes the name of Trump. He did just that with Undertaker and Kane.
“Another former great wrestler on the list of alien pod people duped by the world’s most repugnant con man. Mark & Glen, you made it this long with everyone admiring you, then in the end you ruin your reputations AND try to destroy the country along with them. I’m ashamed FOR you.”
Cornette was so motivated by many of his colleagues speaking their minds, the legendary manager ended up doing the same. Very rarely does Jim Cornette put himself on video (his podcast clips are mostly adorned with Hannah-Barbara like illustrations), but he made clear that “we’re all idiots” if we as a country put Trump back in office.
Cornette has been out of the mainstream pro wrestling spotlight for years, but has created his own relevancy via his podcasts and his undeniably astute takes on the business. Because of his brashness, particularly when it comes to AEW, Jim Cornette has created a fine division amongst the cesspool that is social media. Jim has cultivated his own “Cult of Cornette” that backs him and there are plenty of wrestlers (plenty) that agree with his philosophy on the business. I too find myself nodding along in agreement with a good deal of his thoughts. Granted, how he sometimes expresses said thoughts can cut deep and raise eyebrows, but that’s always been what made Cornette the legend he is in the business.
In a lot of ways that willingness to verbally flamethrow is what helped his ultimate heel become president. Before he was ever a primetime factor on “The Apprentice”, Trump’s ties to the WWE have been long-standing since WrestleMania 4. Lavie Margolin’s “TrumpMania” does an in-depth job at showing Donald’s continuous ties to pro wrestling before he became the 45th President covering his beef with Rosie O’Donnell, the potential influence of Dutch Mantell’s Zeb Colter. For basically a decade now, the “cult of personality” conjured up Donnie’s own passionate fanbase, filled with all types of wild merchandise to show your MAGA support.
However, there is a very distinct difference between Trump’s rise to power and Jim Cornette’s impact on the business. Cornette has been a bricklayer for how the house of pro wrestling has been presented while Trump is the result of a broken system courtesy of both parties. The lack of attention to the middle class in favor of what’s going on overseas, gave Americans an ax to grind and a division that is fiercer than anything ever exemplified in our lifetime.
Many Legends Don’t Let Politics Divide
While Cornette is more than willing to draw a line in the sand between he and his colleagues, others aim to not torch their longstanding relationships over political sides. On his podcast, Nash said despite Kane fully putting the “red” behind “Big Red Machine” he didn’t bury him alive for his stance, same with Hogan, who “Big Sexy” checked in on following Hurricane Milton. In Mick Foley’s ballot backing for Kamala, Mankind didn’t throw his friendship with The Undertaker off the cell either despite disagreeing with him, but much like Cornette did to him, Undertaker took a light jab at Bautista for backing Harris and Waltz.
Pro wrestling fandom sure has its fair share of tribalism and the political contention is quite thick between everyone with less than a week away.
“I can count on one hand the number of friends I lost over politics. Friendships are stronger, family is stronger, the things that draw us together are so much more meaningful than the things that divide us,” Foley said in an interview with CNN, noting how much respect he has for Undertaker despite their political differences.
“When I see him for the next time, we’ll hug it out, we’ll agree to disagree and we’ll do the best we can to keep a 30 year friendship going strong.”
Bo Dallas states that there are bigger things to come for the Wyatt Sicks and it’s all in honor of Bray Wyatt.
Speaking with Shakiel Mahjouri of CBS Sports, Dallas, who has greatly remained a mystery since returning as Uncle Howdy, gave fans a bit of a teaser as what wrestling fans can expect for the future of his very cryptic faction.
“There are going to be ups and downs. We’ll come back more explosive than ever and keep the vibe and feeling that everyone has seen. It’ll take turns no one saw coming. I think the future is very exciting and looks very, very bright for the Wyatt Sicks.”
Since Dallas’ group had its memorable and near frightening debut on WWE Raw, the Wyatt Sicks are very much removed from the supernatural aspect that Bray Wyatt’s “The Fiend” once had. Instead, all members of the group have been very humanized, yet blended with Bray’s ‘Firefly Funhouse’ characters.
“Family” has been a theme since their debut as they first targeted Chad Gable, who turned his back on ‘The Alpha Academy’. After they won the feud against American Made, the Wyatt Sicks set their sights on The Final Testament, who has caused fracture in the relationships between Awesome Truth and The New Day.
The familial aspect of the faction makes plenty of sense for Dallas, who says how the formation of the group is in honor of his late great older brother, but will develop all the personalities involved.
“The Wyatt Sicks, I have no fear or problem saying we have no worries about standing on our own. This beginning part is the main tribute to Bray, and it will all come around. Everybody in the Wyatt Sicks is in the Wyatt Sicks for a reason.”
It’s near serendipitous that NXT went up against AEW Dynamite two weeks ago considering the two brands once competed for television supremacy. While AEW won that initial ‘piss-ant’ battle back in 2019, NXT dominated Tony Khan’s company in the ratings going mono-a-mono in 2024.
Granted, AEW was saddled with Tuesday night instead of Wednesday, but the numbers for Dynamite were extremely jarring even for a day change. NXT finally won the face-off, but if AEW were to parse through the tea leaves, there’s a bit more AEW could garner from their longtime rival.
NXT had grandiose plans for their second episode on The CW as the black and gold brand aimed to put the show on at The Enterprise Center, home of the St. Louis Blues. However, ticket sales weren’t up to standards and WWE decided to pivot by moving the show over to The Factory at The District.
The venues have quite the difference in capacity. The Enterprise Center houses over 18,000 while The Factory slices that in sixths, seating only 3,000. It is an absolute downgrade, but ultimately the product benefitted from the change.
With a smaller venue, you obviously fill the seats easier and it creates a more intimate aesthetic to your television presentation. Courtesy of The Factory’s website, the venue already sets up a unique set-up, touting an “industrial style” as it “takes cues from old factories and manufacturing spaces with appointments like weathered wood, open metalwork stairs, exposed brick, industrial lighting fixtures and polished concrete.”
WWE was cagey enough to understand the limitations that a big venue would present and embraced the downgrade, which in turn, upgraded the episode. NXT pulled a page from Paul Heyman book of ECW in so many ways by downplaying their weakness (not a big audience) and playing to its strengths (the intimacy of the venue). Back in his “extreme” swing, Heyman was well-aware that it’s better to turn 1,500 away than make that 1,500 try to fill a 3,500-seated arena.
If WWE makes the decision to continue NXT on the road, they’ll likely be more cognizant of how much attraction value the brand currently has. The hope would be to build to those bigger venues once again, but NXT likely realized that they need to build those stars again to the Triple H operation days. AEW should very much get the jump on them, but NXT is reportedly a step ahead by booking the original ECW arena for the month of November.
Yes, Wembley and ALL IN is a tent-pole event for AEW that speaks to the potential reach of the All Elite brand, but domestically, it’s been a different story for All Elite Wrestling. The company has encountered low ticket sales and sparse audiences. However, the fans that do go to the show are typically rapid and invested.
The week before their “black Tuesday”, AEW came to Pittsburgh and played at the Peterson Events Center. “The Pete” is not where Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins hoisted four Stanley Cups, but it is were the University of Pitt Panthers struggle to remain relevant as a collegiate basketball team (Pitt basketball used to be good, but the arena itself is still very nice). The place was packed and the crowd kept the energy up for the majority of the show.
It’s a new era for the company considering the television deal and a key aspect of making each episode feel special is to make the venue and the crowd you’re playing to feel special. Embrace the ambience, make the most of your environment. If you do that right, pair it up with sensical storylines, then those environments will grow. Consistency of all that will put more butts in those seats.
If Mercedes Mone is indeed the ‘CEO’ of All Elite Wrestling, then she should be in tune with the company’s tech department. At the very least, she may give some added insight to the gaming department.
The AEW ‘Superstar’ kept busy in the state of California this week as she not only wrestled on ‘AEW Dynamite,’ but she made her way down to Los Angeles to be an active participate in LA Tech Week. The TBS Women’s Champion actually joined a panel involving gaming creative mastermind Notef of NEIGHBOR, Angela Dalton of Signum Growth Dot Play and Cordell Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s son. Notef specializes in creating content for Fortnite and Mone partook in a panel labeled “The New Superstars In The Future of Media.”
The Signum Growth Dot Play team will be brainstorming a future of creator empowerment in a decentralized world with CEO Mercedes Mone and CEO @notef_fn of @NEIGHBOR_FN – Thurs night in Los Angeles ????with our friends at @meta_viu, @ohmygrace Please DM if in town pic.twitter.com/zZ3auJTOu8
Mone is the cousin of Snoop Dogg so the panel may have been a bit of a family flavor, but her ties to the Fortnite world are very indirect. While her likeness has not been a featured skin on the game, Mone’s colleagues Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, John Cena and even The Rock have been featured on the game. She also have several Mandelorian colleagues apart of the Fortnite world when the Star Wars packs get released from time to time on the platform.
On Wednesday, Mone wrestled like a Fortnite storm was closing in as she took on a game Queen Aminita in singles action. The AEW TBS Championship was on the line as Mone ultimately made Aminata tap out to The Statement Maker.
Week 6 of the NFL had one WWE Hall of Famer stopping by the forthcoming WrestleMania 41 grounds in Las Vegas and an AEW star becoming the “Twelfth Man” for his homestate Seattle Seahawks. Plus there’s some “mojo” going down with Rob Gronkowski and the actor playing him. Let’s kick it off.
Rey Mysterio Rocks Raiders Silver & Black
While last week’s write-up showcased the Steelers heavily, this week we have Rey Mysterio to thank for the spotlight being shown on their opponent in the Las Vegas Raiders. WWE is revving up to crash the Las Vegas strip next year at WrestleMania 41, but before they do they teased the fans a little with a special appearance by Mysterio, Titus O’Neil and Samatha Irvin (who actually sang the national anthem before the game).
Mysterio took photos before kickoff with some of the players and later with the fans, but it wasn’t enough for them to thwart Pittsburgh, who made Aidan O’Connell and the Raider offense walk the plank 32-13.
Pro wrestling became a factor in the very first game of week six when the Seattle Seahawks battled NFC East rival San Francisco in a Thursday night game. Considering AEW was in the area for their upcoming WrestleDream PPV on Saturday, AEW pillar Darby Allin popped by complete with his signature pink jacket. However, it was the 49ers who put the Coffin Drop on Seattle by winning 36-24.
Mojo Rawley ‘Gets Hyped’ For Gronk Actor In ‘Aaron Hernandez: American Sports Story’
Mojo Rawley (Dean Muhtadi) may not be grappling it up in the ring at the moment, but the former WWE star keeps busy being a notable TMZ personality. Rawley had some fun news to talk about this week as family and friendship collided this week in a viral moment involving FX’s dark story behind deceased NFL tight end, Aaron Hernandez. The show has created a lot of buzz with the portrayals of notable NFL names like Bill Belicheck and Robert Kraft, but a shining star is the one actor playing Rob Gronkowski.
Gronk notoriously has a history with WWE and is a former teammate of the aformentioned Rawley at the University of Maryland. However, both have ties to the actor playing Gronk, Laith Wallschleger. Laith is a former D1 from the University of Delaware (alma mater of Joe Flacco – Blue Hens!) before spending some time in the NFL until making the trip to Hollywood. He now finds steady work as a stuntman, voice actor and now got eyes as Gronkowski. During an interview with Kay Adams, Gronkowski actually revealed that Wallschleger is his acting double for everything he does and the two are good friends. Rawley noted that Laith is actually his cousin!
The good vibes from Laith didn’t translate for the actual Patriots on the field this week as they got stampeded by the Houston Texans 41-21.
Trevor Lee Celebrates A Ravens Win
Trevor Lee is currently a free agent in the world of pro wrestling, but he was flying to the moon during the Baltimore Ravens game against in-state adversary the Washington Commanders. For many, the game may have been tighter than expected, but the Ravens rode the legs Derrick Henry who trounced the Commanders in an effort to win by just a touchdown. Lee had a video of himself celebrating at the game following the team’s fourth straight win.
Mickey Rourke received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Randy “The Ram” Robinson in The Wrestler, but the legendary actor harbors some regret.
The Wrestler, directed by Darren Aronofsky, was one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 2008, winning and being nominated for several major awards in the film industry. A big takeaway was how Rourke looked and felt the part of a pro wrestler past his prime trying to remain relevant in a business that is so unforgiving.
To look the part, Rourke put his body through an immense transformation as the Sin City star added on 70 pounds of muscle by eating an exorbitant amount of food and taking steroids.
This week, Rourke took to his Instagram to express his regret at not approaching his transformation in the right manner.
“Was just finishing up my nightly 2 hr trainning. I was thinking back to when I did a film called ‘the WRESTLER.’ I HONESTLY REGRET PUTTING ON 70 POUNDS TO LOOK THE PART ..I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE IN MY OWN SKIN AND IT TOOK ALMOST 4 OR 5 YRS TO GET BACK TO 180.
IT WAS NOT A GREAT WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN, I OF COURSE USED STEROIDS AND ATE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF FOOD 6 TIMES A DAY. WAS VERY STUPID ON MY PART. MY ONLY REAL ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS LONG HRS IN GYM. I REGRET IT, BUT I’VE MADE MANY DUMB ASS DECISIONS IN MY LIFE.
I CRINGE WHEN I SEE PHOTOS OF MYSELF. I NEVER SAID I WAS THE SHARPEST PENCIL IN THE BOX. OH WELL I WAS THINKING OUT LOUD AND THOUGHT PERHAPS I COULD GET THIS MESSAGE OUT TO SOME YOUNG DUDE WHO WANTS TO GET BIGGER AND BIGGER. “
Vince McMahon allegedly had no appreciation for the talent of Christian Cage while in WWE, but someone who does is his current boss Tony Khan.
Cage trended on social media on Thursday night after former WWE commentator Todd Grisham shared an antedote that Vince McMahon once gave him on the headset to hype Christian to the ring. Cage was set to go against then ECW Champion Jack Swagger, but Grisham very much undersold the surprise that was Christian Cage.
Cage did have a World Heavyweight Title reign while in WWE, but the veteran could still that in AEW. The company’s ‘Father Figure’ has a World Title contract he can cash in at anytime.
As it stands now, Jon Moxley will challenge Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Championship this Saturday night at WrestleDream, but one of wrestling’s top heels isn’t beyond inserting himself into the equation. Cage has tried to do so previously against Danielson, but was thwarted by Claudio Castagnoli and PAC.
The Rock took an admirable babyface turn today on social media to make sure people are being cognizant of their mental health.
It’s World Mental Health Day and ‘The People’s Champion’ took to the people to make the fans aware of how depression can hit anyone. The Rock shared his own personal experience with that.
“I got wobbly and I was spinning and I was struggling. I woke up, I saw gray.
“I’m used to being alone because I was born an only child, but there’s a difference I learned over the years of being lonesome and lonliness.”
The Rock said he was reaching out to people by midnight and sought some support. Dwayne Johnson shared a story of how a friend of his hung himself in a jail cell. He says it’s important to check in on others, but sometimes more important to check in on yourself.
“I’ve been there, if you’re going through it, reach out. That’s your superpower.”
Mental Health Check In.
The power of checking in on our loved ones, friends and even strangers’ mental health can mean the world of a difference, if they’re struggling.
And if you’re struggling, spinning, wobbly and just can’t quite catch your breath – you gotta reach out and… pic.twitter.com/LqAk07bkmC
The Rock sure has a superpower when it comes to creating buzz for WWE. ‘The Final Boss’ returned to the company last week to close out Bad Blood, confronting Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns after the unlikely duo teamed up against Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu.
Earlier in the day, Rocky took to social media to make it known that’s he’s far from done when it comes to confronting old nemesises. Bad Blood was The Rock’s first appearance since he made his exit on the WWE Raw after WrestleMania XL.
Atlanta got an initial surprise with a returning Jimmy Uso who helped Reigns and Rhodes win, but it was The Rock who closed out the show by stepping on the stage and staring down the good guys before walking off.
Dwayne Johnson had some more thoughts to share immediately after, going live on his Instagram, but he put his words to print Thursday afternoon as WWE SmackDown is set to air Friday night. Cody Rhodes may have finished his “story” at WrestleMania XL, but Rocky wants to make it clear his “story” was just getting started.
The show ain’t over, until the Final Boss says it’s over.
There’s no business like show business, and there’s no connection stronger and more electrifying than that of the people and the people’s champ.
The Rock hadn’t been seen on WWE programming since the Raw after WrestleMania where he had a tense exchange with Cody Rhodes, but his cameo at Bad Blood started paving the road to WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
During the Bad Blood press conference, Triple H remarked as to how much he appreciated The Rock still showing his love for WWE and taking the time out of his wild schedule to make the appearance.
Adam Copeland and Dax Harwood praised Tony Khan for donating towards the relief efforts after Hurricane Helene and the AEW President wanted to tip the cap back to his stars.
Speaking on the AEW WrestleDream media call, Khan mentioned how Copeland credited him for helping police with Starlink connections in those affected by Hurricane Helene and shared with the media something he believed Copeland wouldn’t want to be shared.
“Adam called me last week at backstage at Collision and he was with FEMA workers and he was working with them, he’s helping them. And they were digging bodies out and, and they were dealing with this terrible, terrible tragedy.”
After Copeland credited Khan for his charity, Harwood backed up Copeland’s story stating that all it took for Tony to contribute was “one ask.” Khan noted both stars were doing their part in North Carolina. Cash Wheeler set up a GoFundMe (donate here) for those in western part of the state that has nearly tripled the $25,000 goal.
“Adam and Dax and Cash and everybody chipping in on the relief efforts and the hurricane problem and as the damage and God forbid the loss of life and all these things start to become a reality, it’s terrible.”
The devastation from #HurricaneHelene left a path of destruction throughout the Appalachian region. @RatedRCope & FTR's @DaxFTR explain how you can help!
Khan went on to note how busy he’s been with promoting WrestleDream and dealing with the travel issues stemming from Hurricane Helene, but seeing and hearing about all the damage puts matters in perspective and made clear that this past episode of Dynamite was certain to have an 800 number where fans could donate if they were able.
“I care about [AEW] so much what we’re doing and yet, I would be remiss not to bring the charitable aspect of this end of the show and to try to get people to donate…
“It wasn’t all about promoting AEW on TBS last night. It’s also about promoting hurricane relief and whatever we can do to help people.”
If you’d like to donate to any of the non-profits on the ground for those in North Carolina, below is a screenshot of the QR codes presented on AEW Dynamite.
Big prayers for everyone who will be affected by Hurricane Milton down in Florida. If you'd like to donate to some causes to help the damages done in North Carolina. Here are the QR codes #AEWDynamite presented last night. pic.twitter.com/pBYflWzvGg
Week 5 of the NFL didn’t have any appearances from WWE talent, but there happened to be a big moment for a former NFL player and WWE Hall of Famer. Plus, the Houston Texans just might be studying some NXT tape. Let’s get to it.
Atlanta Falcons’ Bill Goldberg Almost Gets Physical With GUNTHER
Goldberg shocked the wrestling world when he was shown sitting at ringside for WWE Bad Blood this weekend in Atlanta. Goldberg notoriously played for the Atlanta Falcons before he ultimately made the move to the squared circle and certainly used that tackling ability to create the most unrivaled pro wrestling spear of all time.
GUNTHER almost became a recipient of one on Saturday night when he interrupted Triple H to mock Goldberg for being a “one trick pony” and not a very good parent. Goldberg got in the ring before Sami Zayn attacked GUNTHER as the two have a WWE World Title match on RAW.
The Houston Texans Channel Roxanne Perez
The Texas love for pro wrestling runs deep and that’s been on display in Houston for the past two weeks. Both Thunder Rosa and Izzy Moreno were making waves before the Texans came out victorious last week and the team may have been taking notes, particularly Neville Hewett. When the Texans were punting to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Hewitt came charging at the punt returner and did his best Roxanne Perez impression by nailing his target with a Pop Roxx.
Richard Holliday certainly deserved his flowers this weekend as he had to deal with a flight that was chock full of Steelers black and gold. The Steelers are hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football and Holliday was flying into Pittburgh for International Wrestling Cartel’s Super Indy 2024 event that went down on Saturday. The former MLW Tag Team Champion may have been reaching for his AirPods once more as he film himself trapped on the plane while the excited fans chanted the notorious “Here We Go” song; a tune that echoes across the Steel City during the NFL season.
While Holliday cleared his ears from Steeler chants on Saturday, October 5 marked 15 years to the day when Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers took over WWE Raw as they shared a ring with Chris Jericho, The Big Show, Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Ben and his offensive line squared up against JeriShow before the duo bailed.
As of this writing, Dallas and Pittsburgh are currently embroiled in a rainy battle on the gridiron but either way, pro wrestling will walk out with a winning record this week as Goldberg’s Falcons got the W against the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football and the Texans beat the Bills after showing off some Roxanne Perez moves. That’s two wins, zero losses.
After two weeks, wrestling related NFL stories stand at 8-5.
WWE is once again going to “feel the bang” as DDP has signed a legends deal with the company. Cody Rhodes’ ‘Nightmare Family’ crew is finding themselves into the WWE fold as ‘The Master Of The Diamond Cutter’ announced via social media that he put pen to paper on a WWE legends deal.
Last night, #WWEBadBlood was one of the first pay-per-views I really enjoyed from beginning to end.
Got to the building early to spend some quality time with @CodyRhodes, but he was so busy, it’s something we'll have to do at a later date. @WWE actually had all of the legends… pic.twitter.com/OzkGOOACmh
Page kept his ties to Cody Rhodes all the way back at the Royal Rumble earlier this year when Dallas sat in the post-show media scrum for Cody after ‘The American Nightmare’ won the 30-man match.
Despite his kindship with Cody, Page has his ties all over the mainstream wrestling world as WCW’s “People’s Champion” is proactive in the wellness of both legends and modern talent alike. Dallas has notoriously helped names like Jake Roberts and Scott Hall on their roads to sobriety in addition to helping current stars bounce back like Drew McIntyre, Darby Allin and Big Bill.
Another ‘Nightmare Family’ name who was in attendance for WWE Bad Blood was WWE Hall Of Famer Arn Anderson who has been a prominent presence at the side of Rhodes both in AEW and WWE. On the latest episode of “ARN”, ‘The Enforcer’ revealed that as of that recording, he was not under a legends deal with WWE, but it remains to be seen if he signed a deal while in Atlanta this past Saturday.