GUNTHER retained against Randy Orton, but ‘The Viper’ did something surprising to close out Bash In Berlin.

Orton lost clean to ‘The Ring General’ after he was choked out via several sleeper hold attempts. The match however, was a lot in favor to Orton as GUNTHER was actually the one to fight underneath against the future WWE Hall of Famer.

Randy was really soaking it in with the record-breaking crowd in Berlin, Germany as the main event got underway and he gave it to GUNTHER in so many ways. Orton ended up hitting a RKO on GUNTHER.

During the Bash In Berlin post-show, Cody Rhodes took a moment to thank both Orton and GUNTHER “for the house” tonight in Berlin and they did deliver for a hot crowd. Orton performed a massive spot on GUNTHER at ringside when he set up steel steps to deliver an elevated belly-to-back suplex through the commentary table.

Orton was ready to strike once again when the action got back into the ring, but GUNTHER corrected course and did cinch in his patented sleeper hold. Orton fought free briefly but GUNTHER kept in control and got Randy to pass out.

After the fight, GUNTHER took a moment to extend a hand to Orton and Randy accepted the handshake without any treachory following it.

Following Randy’s exit, GUNTHER spoke in German to the fans and while it still needs to be translated in English, he did mention Triple H in his speech.

Even the numbers game wasn’t enough to stop the Terror Twins in Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest at Bash In Berlin.

Priest and Ripley had the crowd fully behind them as they took it to Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio over the course of their mixed tag match which was fourth on the card for the record-setting PLE. The offense for Ripley and Priest was impressive as the two made sure to hit a stereo Razor’s Edge on their enemies. It all looked over at that juncture, but the rest of Judgment Day came into play, attempting to stop the duo from getting the W.

With interferences from JD McDonagh, Finn Balor and Carlito, The Terror Twins’ chances at winning looked terribel, but their were several false finishes which included a 619 attempt by Dominik Mysterio. Dom looked like he had Damian dead to rights as both men were brawling on the commentary tables, but Priest put Dirty Dom down after he took out the rest of Judgment Day. This in turn, isolated Liv as she slowly turned around to get a headbutt, a Riptide and the pinfall loss.

Post-fight, Wade Barrett said on commentary that he didn’t think this feud was over, so one would expect the grudge to continue.

The first four matches on the card had all babyfaces winning their respective bouts as Cody Rhodes defeated an also babyface in Kevin Owens while Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair became the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions and CM Punk put Drew McIntyre in his place in the strap match.

Rhea Ripley will certainly have added incentive to continue her feud with Morgan considering Liv still holds onto the WWE Women’s World Championship. There’s plenty of “bad blood” between the two so one could speculate they’ll be battling each other at the PLE with that very name,

WWE Bash In Berlin made history in so many ways for the company and that even includes the breaking of a notable record.

Following the CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre strap match which was third on the PLE card, one of the German announcers revealed to the live crowd in the Uber Arena that Bash In Berlin now holds the highest-grossing arena show in the company’s long history, beating out Clash At The Castle. Triple H originally revealed the news before the PLE, but Cole did note the show was sold out with an attendance number of 13,149.

If the crowd reaction has had any indication as to how well-received the PLE has been so far, the number shouldn’t be surprising. The Berlin crowd has been fully invested into the show with every competitor three matches in getting big reactions.

Cody Rhodes ended up retaining his WWE Undisputed Championship against Kevin Owens, while Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair once again became the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions against The Unholy Union. Then CM Punk finally got his retribution (and his bracelet), winning his strap match against McIntyre. The full card for Bash In Berlin also includes Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest vs. Dominik Mysterio & Liv Morgan as well as GUNTHER vs. Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

It might be several months before WWE potentially reaches such a number again for an arena, but the company is certainly riding plenty of momentum in 2024 and they got a returning PLE forthcoming in WWE Bad Blood.

It was Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens who fired off Bash In Berlin and the two allies didn’t disappoint, but are they allies for long?

Berlin was all about cheering for both fighters during the opening match as dueling chants echoed throughout the Uber Arena, much like the action in the bout itself.

The underlying story was that Cody was fighting with a rumored knee injury as Michael Cole and Wade Barrett put a good deal of focus on Cody’s struggle. Owens hit two major high spots to take it to Cody including an avalanche brainbuster and a top rop senton.

Owens showed frustration when those spots didn’t keep Rhodes down and matters begin to escalate when Cody jammed his knee after an attempted Cody Cutter. Owens eyed the knee, but stopped himself from acting. Cody shoved Owens, telling him he can still fight and that made KO fired up. He almost did his devastating apron powerbomb but stopped himself once again.

The fight did wage on as both men hit finishers, but the tide turned when Cody got his knees up for a KO swanton attempt. Not long after Rhodes hit the Cross Rhodes and secured the 1-2-3.

Post fight, Owens was clearly frustrated, but swallowed some humble pie to embrace Cody and raise his hand.

Even though Owens didn’t turn heel tonight, that doesn’t mean he won’t in weeks to come. Triple H has proven to let storylines slowly develop and not make matters immediate. One matter is for certain is that Berlin was hot for both men for the opening match.

Nikki Garcia understandably would like some privacy following her husband Artem Chigvintsev’s arrest on August 29.

Chigvintsev, a pro dancer who Nikki first met on Dancing With The Stars, was arrested and booked in Napa Valley for corporal injury Thursday, only two days after his second anniversary with Garcia.

A statement was issued on behalf of Garcia reading, “This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time.”

Chigvintsev was released not long after his arrest after posting a $25,000 bail. On the day of their anniversary, Garcia posted a celebration post on Instagram that featured lyrics from Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” She also included the following comments:

““This song is our love story. I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast. And then this song came on. And that’s when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be.”

Garcia and Chigvintsev met back in 2017 and at the time, Nikki was dating John Cena, but once their relationship ended, she began dating Artem. In the past Nikki did cite relationship troubles with Artem after having time away from him. Together they have a four-year old son named Matteo.

Along with her sister Brie, Nikki was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2021 along with JBL, The British Bulldog, Jushin Thunder Liger and the NWO.

If you are experiencing domestic violence you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org.

A major WWE star made her long-awaited return to WWE SmackDown on August 30, 2024, after being absent since WWE SummerSlam earlier this month. Bayley, who had a notable match against Nia Jax at SummerSlam, reappeared in a surprising moment during tonight’s tapings.

During the go-home episode of SmackDown before Bash At Berlin, Bayley made a dramatic entrance by interrupting Tiffany Stratton’s attack on Michin. As Stratton was poised to deliver her signature Prettiest Moonsault Ever, Bayley intervened, stopping the assault and chasing Stratton into the crowd. Watch the moment here:

Bayley, who first won the WWE Women’s Title at WrestleMania 40 by defeating IYO SKY, has recently been on a babyface run since parting ways with her former faction, Damage CTRL. Interestingly, Damage CTRL has also undergone a transformation, now appearing as babyfaces on WWE RAW.

With Bash At Berlin taking place tomorrow, WWE has intensified its efforts to build momentum for SmackDown, with Bayley’s return being a key highlight. Additionally, it has been announced that Giovanni Vinci will make his WWE SmackDown debut next week on September 6.

With Bayley back, SmackDown’s women’s division now features a strong roster of babyfaces, including Michin, Naomi, Bianca Belair, and Jade Cargill. The primary heels are Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton.

Fans should gear up for the highly anticipated return of Giovanni Vinci next week. After weeks of teasing through various vignettes, the former Imperium member is set to make his comeback.

During Friday’s WWE SmackDown tapings in Berlin, a video aired announcing Vinci’s return on the September 6 episode of the show.

The vignettes have depicted Vinci in a manner reminiscent of his early NXT persona—enjoying lavish settings, sipping top-shelf drinks, and cruising in luxury cars.

Vinci has been absent from WWE programming since an April episode of WWE RAW, following a loss to New Day that led to a brutal attack by his former ally, Ludwig Kaiser. Kaiser’s assault with steel steps sidelined Vinci for several months. Shortly after, during the WWE Draft, Vinci was quietly moved to SmackDown.

The recent teases suggest Vinci will maintain his heel persona, but character shifts in WWE are always possible. Separating him from his former Imperium comrades might breathe new life into his character, who often played a supporting role within the faction.

While Kaiser and GUNTHER remain aligned, Imperium is no longer emphasized as a faction. With GUNTHER’s World Heavyweight Title victory, all three members are now receiving a greater focus on their individual careers.

Wrestling fans know no borders, and that was evident this weekend in Queens at MLW’s Summer of the Beasts event.

Major League Wrestling’s event took place on Thursday evening at the Melrose Ballroom, drawing a sold-out crowd. The excitement wasn’t limited to New Yorkers—Art, a fan who traveled all the way from Russia, made MLW his first stop in the U.S. to experience the action firsthand.

“I came to America to see all these cool guys smashing each other around. I’m gonna see all my favorites like KENTA, Matt Riddle, Paul London—you name it. All the international talents are here tonight, and I’m really psyched to see that. So it’s going to be a bop.”

Though legends like Ivan and Nikita Koloff weren’t in attendance, Art wasn’t exaggerating about the international talent packed into Thursday’s event. KENTA was joined by the likes of Mistico, Minoru Suzuki, Atlantis Jr., TJP, and Hanako. Additionally, the reigning World Champion, KOJIMA, who recently lost the World Tag Titles to CONTRA Unit, headlined the event.

The evening also showcased the ongoing Opera Cup, with four matches determining the semi-finalists. Mistico triumphed over Atlantis Jr. in the main event, while TJP bested Tom Lawlor, Bad Dude Tito defeated Alex Kane, and KENTA took down AKIRA.

MLW fans were also treated to a surprise debut as Donovan Dijak made his presence felt during a four-way scramble. In another highlight, Paul London made a long-awaited return to the MLW ring after a 20-year hiatus.

Hugh Jackman believes Matt Cardona’s Zack Ryder is greater than Wolverine, but what about PCO? 

Fans will find out on August 30 as Cardona will step foot into the ring with the inhuman PCO at TNA Emergence. He’ll be  fighting for the rights to SDL, Stephanie De Lander, whom Cardona called his property. While speaking with Dominic DeAngelo of One True Sport Cardona made clear that he was a little miffed when Steph, his longtime ally, didn’t invite him to the wedding between her and PCO. “That’s why I had to crash it,” he said.

However, if there’s anything Cardona could pull from his past to give him extra reassurance against the French Canadian Frankenstein, it could be from him once crossing paths with the “Canadian Mutant” in Wolverine, aka Hugh Jackman.

Cardona & Hugh: The Original Deadpool & Wolverine

It’s been over ten years since Jackman became the guest host of the September 19 episode of WWE RAW in 2011, but the movie star came to the aid of Matt by slugging Nic Nemeth and helping him get a victory that night.

“He was so cool, man. Hugh Jackman was incredible.”

– Matt Cardona on working with ‘Wolverine’ Hugh Jackman

Cardona said this was just around the time where WWE finally began acknowledging the popularity of his YouTube channel. Jackman pulled all stops out to help Cardona get Ryder over that night and to this day ‘The Indy God’ thank Hugh for digging his claws into the pro wrestling ring.

“I think it took it to a whole another level and he was such a great guy about itHe like wore my headband. Like he didn’t have to wear my headband out there, right?

I was telling him backstage about the YouTube show he asked if he could be on it. He filmed an open for me and the best part, he held up a sign in early in the night, I don’t think he really read the sign, but it said ‘Ryder is greater than Wolverine.’”

Cardona added how happy he’s been for Jackman’s success as Deadpool & Wolverine has been the blockbuster of the summer and the movie has its wrestling ties, featuring Tyler Mane, former WCW wrestler, reprising his role as Sabertooth.

(Author’s note: Madden revealed on the afternoon of 8/29/24 that he actually re-signed with 109.5 The X after noting his contract was expiring this week)

If you’re familiar with WCW or Pittsburgh sports, you’re familiar with Mark Madden, and the sports radio host may be on the verge of a new venture.

The former WCW color commentator has an extensive history in the world of wrestling and earlier this week, Madden teased on social media that it may be his last week at his current radio residence, “109.5 The X” out of Pittsburgh. On Tuesday, Madden said on the air that his contract was going to be running out in four days time while explaining he’s one of the rare media names to be critical of the Steelers in the Pittsburgh area.

“I’m going to be very honest here. And, like, I say what I mean. I’m not like other people on the radio in Pittsburgh, especially now with four days left of my contract,” he said.

“I‘m not like the other people on the radio in Pittsburgh who say stuff for cause and effect. Everything I say, I mean. I’m not a hater. Saying this team’s going to go 9-8, it isn’t being a hater. It is, in fact, being cautiously optimistic if you operate on the reality-based side of the street.”

– Mark Madden, via Awful Announcing

Madden’s main speciality in Pittsburgh is discussing Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, but obviously being a daily sports talk host, he isn’t afraid to criticize the Steelers. Madden was also one of the sports writers to be on the forefront of the infamous Joe Paterno & Jerry Sandusky Penn State scandal in 2011.

Even after his WCW exit, Madden kept tabs on the product, was the ghost-writer for Ric Flair’s autobiography and even co-hosted Flair’s podcast before the two long-time friends had a public falling out. Madden also teamed with current AEW EVP and Head Of Global Operations, Mike Mansury, for a podcast before the two amicably parted ways.

On Thursday afternoon, Madden noted that he re-signed with the station, with the money being the same but much like Roman Reigns, will have a lighter schedule moving forward.

Check Out: WWE Shop Releases Iconic WCW/NWO N64 Video Game Shirts

Baron Corbin got to hang out with Taylor Swift and saw some similarities between her and ‘The Tribal Chief’ in Roman Reigns. Speaking with SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman for VInsider, Corbin recalled how great Taylor Swift was to interact with at a Kansas City Chiefs game who Corbin is a massive fan of.

“The magnitude that she brings to everything and anything. It was awesome, but the biggest takeaway for me is when you are around her, she doesn’t act like a star. She acts like a normal amazing person. She is very sweet. As soon as I was introduced to her, she gives you a big hug. Then you’re like, “This is crazy. She is the biggest star on the planet right now.” To see someone so humble and how they carry themselves. In that way, it’s nice to see. It really teaches you that when people have an ego they shouldn’t.”

Corbin said how great it was for someone as popular as Taylor to not have an ego and Baron noted that Reigns was like that for the WWE locker room.

“It really teaches you that when people have an ego they shouldn’t. You look at how the biggest star in the world acts. You should be the same. It’s the same reason I say in our locker room that if Roman Reigns doesn’t have an ego, nobody on this roster should. He is the standard at the top.”

Corbin did say that he did thik there are similarities between wrestling fans and Swifties, noting that both fanbases are diehards. Both have a tendency to defend their cherished star with guns ablazing.

Swift shares added pro wrestling ties besides meeting up with Corbin. She notoriously babysat Jeff Jarrett’s kids with Jarrett noting how great Taylor was to his family during such a difficult time.

The Vince McMahon documentary series is happening and Netflix has a date in place for people to watch.

On Thursday, Netflix announced ‘Mr. McMahon’ will be begin streaming September 25, 2024. The tagline is, “Mastermind. Madman.” The first details released by Netflix indicate the Janel Grant case will be fair game:

“Mr. McMahon, a documentary series chronicling the rise and fall of the WWE’s controversial founder, is coming to Netflix on September 25. From Chris Smith, Executive Producer of Tiger King, and Bill Simmons.

Including interviews with McMahon prior to his resignation, his family, and some of the most iconic names in wrestling history. As well as the journalists who uncovered McMahon’s allegations.”

Vince McMahon, WWE and Netflix

Netflix’s ‘Mr. McMahon’ documentary series drops only a few months before WWE Raw ‘cuts the cord’ and makes Netflix its new home starting in January 2025. The fact that this documentary is airing is quite telling as to how WWE likely wants to position themselves when it comes to the allegations.

Additionally, Bill Simmons who is an executive producer on the documentary, has always had a positive relationship with the company. The scandal has been a big talking point for pro wrestling fans and wrestlers alike, and was recently referenced by AEW’s MJF on social media.

Vince McMahon initially stepped down from WWE in 2022 only to return six months later, before ultimately leaving the company following the Janel Grant lawsuit which was filed in January 2024.

Bryan Danielson considered his AEW World Championship win the greatest moment of his life for several reasons, but leave it to Jack Perry to put a damper on his celebration.

Danielson walked away from ALL IN the new World Champion after he made Swerve Strickland submit, a first in AEW, and on this week’s Dynamite, Bryan was looking for his first challenger, but not before he made a few things clear.

At first, Danielson teased that he may be retiring as champ, noting that he’s going to need neck surgery again soon and the promise he made to his daughter, but got Champaign, Illinois amped back up when he said he wasn’t done yet.

He planned to wrestle full time until he lost that title which he didn’t plan on doing anytime soon. That’s when Danielson issued a “first come, first serve” challenge to anyone in the locker room. Jack Perry appeared on the big screen and mentioned the two’s brief history with one another. Suddenly a reveal was made when Perry attacked Danieslon from behind and it was ‘The Scapegoat’ who stood tall to end the show.

Perry is indeed a surprise challenger for Danielson despite getting a definitive victory against Darby Allin at AEW ALL IN. With less than two weeks before AEW ALL OUT, many fans speculated that the quick feud would be against Christian Cage who won a future title shot at the PPV. Being a false father figure, Cage has a built-in story with Danielson considering how major of a plot Brie Garcia and his kids have been. However, that appears to be a feud further down the line.

Mariah May was dressed to celebrate her AEW Women’s Championship win, but decided against doing so in Champaign, IL.

May took out her former friend in Toni Storm to become the new champ this past Sunday at AEW ALL IN and a celebration was advertised for this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Tony Schiavone was standing on stage during the show and introduced the new champion, who merely came out with a black silk robe on. However, there were no fireworks, balloons or champagnes as May decided that Champaign, IL wasn’t fit for such an occassion.

She ran down the town, claiming it should be called “p*** warm beer” instead of Champaign, and then made a vulgar implication towards the average looking women of the area.

May had Schiavone all kinds of flustered in his ‘Mean Gene’ Okerlund role, and probably got a good deal of the viewing audience the same way when she opened up her robe to show a revealing outfit along with her newly won title.

Mariah wasn’t the only woman celebrating that evening as Mercedes Mone had a little backstage bubbly to celebrate her victory against Britt Baker. Private Party tried crashing the party, but Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen were removed from the premises with a little help from Kazuchika Okada.

Dustin Rhodes knows there’s more than one royal family and Bloodline in pro wrestling. “The Natural” has been busy not only in the AEW ring but also running his own wrestling academy for the past several years. Based in Austin, TX, the Rhodes Wrestling Academy has been a training ground for his two nephews, Wyatt and Wayne Rhodes, who have been learning the ropes from their legendary uncle.

Following their recent AEW debuts, a dark match prior to AEW Collision on August 17, Uncle Dustin proudly introduces them Wayne and Wyatt Rhodes as the new Texas Outlaws – a name that honors their grandfather Dusty Rhodes’ legacy.

Cody’s Endorsement

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes endorsed his nephews potential, expressing confidence they’re capable of following the family’s path.

“Behind the curtain are my nephews, Dalton and Dylan. They’re close with Dustin, and to see them go from playing around, to the point where, now I can see it. It’s one of those things where, once you start, you can’t stop…. They’re not ready to wrestle Jacob Fatu just yet, but they’ll get there.”

– Cody Rhodes

Texas Outlaws

The original Texas Outlaws, consisting of Dusty Rhodes and Dick Murdoch, began their journey in 1968 in the Kansas City territory, making their mark in promotions like NWA, AWA, and in Japan. Dusty eventually became a singles star, earning the iconic “American Dream” moniker.

Dustin, leading by example, has been actively involved in tag team wrestling, with the accolades to prove it. He currently holds the ROH Trios Tag Titles with Marshall and Kevin Von Erich, as well as the ROH Tag Team Titles with Sammy Guevara. All four competed in a massive multi-man tag match on the All In Buy-In kickoff show this past weekend in London.

Former WWE Champion JBL has been enjoying a resurgence this summer, much like Jeff Jarrett. Over the weekend, JBL stunned the wrestling world when he showed up in GCW and delivered two Clotheslines from Hell to Effy. His actions helped Mance Warner retain the GCW World Championship in a ladder match, ‘flexing’ that he can still have a big influence whenever he chooses.

Jarrett could be credited with setting the blueprint for veteran wrestlers stepping back into the spotlight in unexpected settings. Jarrett famously sparked a feud with Effy in Game Changer Wrestling, smashing him over the head with a guitar. Jarrett’s since made multiple appearances for AAA. JBL followed suit there as well, accompanying Nic Nemeth to the ring for his AAA Triplemanía XXXII Mega Championship match against Alberto El Patron.

Since Jarrett busted that guitar over Effy’s head that fateful night, the third generation star has seemingly been everywhere. From Ric Flair’s Last Match to Wembley Stadium for AEW, fans seemingly can’t get enough.

JBL & Jeff Jarrett: The Last Outlaws

The parallels between Jarrett and JBL have not gone unnoticed. One fan recently suggested how exciting it would be to see these two legends team up. JBL didn’t hesitate to agree.

When the fan asked, “Could you imagine the formation of The Last Outlaws?” JBL replied, “Yes I could.”

With their shared history and recent ventures, the possibility of a JBL and Jeff Jarrett partnership is an exciting prospect for wrestling fans.

Bradshaw and Jarrett’s History

Throughout their decades-long careers, JBL and Jeff Jarrett have crossed paths numerous times, but they’ve never teamed up together.

Notable encounters include Bradshaw’s victories over Jarrett by disqualification on WWE’s RAW in 1998 and 1999, as well as their matches for the NWA North American Heavyweight Title, where Bradshaw defeated Jarrett in February 1998.

Despite these numerous clashes, the idea of these two seasoned veterans finally joining forces presents is an opportunity that is (hopefully) too good to pass up.

Will JBL Come Out of Retirement?

John Bradshaw Layfield retired from active competition a decade ago, but his recent wrestling appearances and these comments to Slam Wrestling last week indicate he’ll dust off his feared Clothesline From Hell again.

“I’m looking for an investment and looking maybe to do something with AAA, and I don’t know. We’ll see. I enjoyed what they did. There’s whatever the crowd capacity was, the building was full. 15, 20,000 people, and they drew a heck of a crowd.”

– JBL about wrestling again

Hulk Hogan always champions that he slammed Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III, but it was the pure strength of Sylvester Stallone that gave Hogan a taste of his own medicine, brother. On Monday, Stallone shared a video of Hogan detailing how it was actually Rocky himself who picked up Hogan and tossed him out of the ring in Rocky III.

“That was him, that was him… bro, if you don’t realize he was 160 lbs and I was like 320 lbs. He got me up and he was wobbling. It was him. He did everything. He did all his own stunts…”

Hogan mentioned how invested Stallone was into the physicality that Hogan brought. As a caption, Sylvester shared his appreciation for Hogan, noting how great he was to work with back in 1981.

“WOW, HULK was the best. Fantastic athlete and threw the most amazing punches of all. Because he was bare fisted I could actually feel his punch touching my skin yet he knew just when to pull back… Amazing!”

Stallone has strong ties to pro wrestling. Not only did he work with Thunderlips, but he also starred in Paradise Alley with the late legendary Terry Funk. There’s also a great picture floating around of Sly standing with Harley Race.

RELATED: Chris Hemsworth On Hulk Hogan Biopic: “Nothing Official Yet”

AEW looks like it’s going to be Swerve Strickland’s house for years to come as the former World Champion inked a new deal with the company.

Strickland happened to sign his new AEW deal on air with Tony Khan observing and Fightful Select has some new details of what that new deal entails.

According to the report, the contract is a multi-year deal that will keep Strickland around AEW at least through 2028. This is reportedly one of the biggest deals in AEW history.

RELATED: Swerve Strickland Signs New AEW Deal Ahead of All In: London Title Defense

Sources have praised Swerve for the work he has done not just in the ring, but out of the ring as well when it comes to making appearances and doing interviews.

Bryan Danielson actually had very high praise for Swerve following his main event match with Strickland at ALL IN. During the post-show media scrum in London, Danielson commended on the talent of Strickland not just as a performer, but as an ambassador for the company as a whole.

Strickland and Danielson duked it out big time in the main event at Wembley and it was Danielson who came out on top, being the first wrestler to force Strickland to submit when he locked him in the LaBell Lock.

Swerve first signed with AEW back in 2022. That initial deal was set to keep him through March of 2025, but now this new deal locks the star in for the foreseeable future. Current plans are to keep Strickland at the top of the card.

RELATED: Latest On Bryan Danielson’s World Title Win At AEW All In London 2024

Ronda Rousey has shed light on WWE’s questionable decision to never run a second WWE Evolution all-women’s premium live event. The former WWE and UFC champion tells DS Shin of Ring The Belle that WWE had creative plans in place for her to face Becky Lynch at WWE Evolution 2.

[They said to her] “Ronda, if you stay after WrestleMania we’ll have another Evolution in six weeks, and have you and Becky as a singles.”

While the pitch was exciting, Rousey has been more focused on spending time with her family at this stage of her career.

“I was like, ‘no. I already asked too much of my family. I can’t ask anymore.’ I promised them this. I promised… I promised them I would only stay this long and I’m not going to keep moving the goalpost.”

Rousey is no longer with WWE, but has full confidence an Evolution 2 could be very successful. She’s hopeful WWE brings the event back and is happy with what she contributed to the first one. She doesn’t think she’s needed for a second installment, and hopes believes enough in their women’s roster to make it happen.

Watch Ronda Rousey on Ring The Belle:

It’s fitting that Bryan Danielson came out to Europe’s “Final Countdown” before his AEW World Title win, and ‘The American Dragon’ certainly didn’t plan it that way.

Danielson partook in a bloody, yet technical battle between he and Swerve Strickland in the main event of AEW ALL IN in London for World Championship gold. The stakes were high and simple as Danielson put his career on the line to express his desire to win the World Title.

It was a back and forth match for the two while Danielson appearing to be dead to rights after Swerve unloaded several Swerve Stomps on the challenger. However, being motivated for the love of his kids, Danielson persevered and got the first submission win against Strickland to become the new AEW World Champion.

RELATED: Photos: Bryan Danielson Wins AEW World Championship at AEW All In 2024

During the media scrum sitting with his daughter Birdie, Danielson was asked by veteran journalist Keith Elliot Greensburg about walking out to Europe’s “Final Countdown” and if he ever considered how poignant those lyrics were for that night.

“Honestly I chose it as a joke. I was going to Japan a lot and would pick up music magazines at the airport and they used to have all these lists of best songs or whatever. Well they had a 100 worst songs of all time. I think #1 was Final Countdown…”

Danielson hated to admit it, but he was illegally downloading the list of bad songs on Napster. When he heard the song, he thought it would be awesome for entrance music. He did say it was surreal that over 50,000 people were singing along to the famous song, but hoped that it could lead to a heavier wallet for his boss, Tony Khan.

“I don’t know if anybody’s shown this to Europe, if you could, maybe they might bring down the price? It might get us a couple more buys.”

This championship win marked the first time Danielson has won the AEW World Championship since joining the company nearly three years ago.

RELATED: Latest On Bryan Danielson’s World Title Win At AEW All In London 2024

Former WWE Superstar Kane thinks U.S. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz could benefit from a few ‘promo’ classes at the WWE Performance Center.

Kane (Glenn Jacobs) currently serves as the Republican Mayor of Knox County, TN. He’s an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump’s campaign, and was not impressed with what he saw at last week’s Democratic National Convention. While the Republican convention featured speeches from luminaries such as Hulk Hogan, Linda McMahon and Dana White, Jacobs feels Harris and Walz were a far cry from iconic ‘stick men’ like Dusty Rhodes.

“Harris/Walz are spitting out catch phrases faster than Dusty Rhodes with an open mic on a Saturday morning. Dusty’s were entertaining and iconic. Their’s, not so much.”

Jacobs also noted that Harris and Walz have avoided another aspect where Rhodes made his money in by stating, “Dusty also did interviews.”

President Kane? Glenn Jacobs Discusses Possibly Running for President

While there’s at least three WWE Hall Of Famers not rooting for the Harris/Walz ticket in Jacobs, Donald Trump and Hulk Hogan the two do have two in their corner. Jesse Ventura, who like Walz was also the Governor of Minnesota, put his support behind Harris. Ventura has notoriously been against either major party in the past but explained in an interview that it was time to have a woman in the Oval Office.

The other legend backing the Harris/Walz campaign is Kevin Nash, who ran into Kane at SummerSlam. Nash, a noted Democrat, but made clear to Kane he had no problems with the ‘Big Red Republican.’ On a recent episode of The Kliq This Podcast, Nash echoed Kane’s political aspirations before the aforementioned interview took place and according to Big Sexy, Kane cited how dirty of a business the political game was.

Dory Funk Jr. really knew how to honor his late brother Terry Funk by following in his footsteps at the age of 83.

The legendary Terry Funk passed away one year ago on August 23 and his older brother Dory decided to step into the deathmatch realm against a longtime Terry rival in Atsushi Onita. Terry Funk and Onita had a very memorable match back in 1993 as the two battled in an exploding ring match, a battle that was historically violent and memorable.

Dory Funk decided to tip his cowboy hat in honor of his brother by doing just that this weekend as he teamed up with an old rival of his own in Osamu Nishimura to face Onita and Raijin Yaguchi in a Double Hell Current Explosion Death Match.

Thankfully, the “death” aspect didn’t live up to its name but the “explosion” most definitely did on Dory’s end. Ontia managed to whack the former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion with an exploding baseball bat during the battle, but it wasn’t enough to keep Funk down as his team ended up getting the victory at the Terry Funk Memorial & Atsushi Onita 50th Anniversary show.

Before this fight, Dory’s last in-ring match took place five years ago against the aforementioned Nishimura in a ten-minute draw.

However, Dory Funk Jr. made history in the world of pro wrestling as he became the oldest wrestler to ever have a match while paying tribute to his baby brother Terry.

RELATED: Dory Funk Jr. To Make History In Upcoming Tribute Match for Terry

There may be no more famous ringside fan the notorious Vlad, but another name of notoriety is the intense “Bowl Cut Kid” and he has finally resurfaced.

Online documentarian and lucha libre advocate Roy Lucier was one of the names to attend the 58th Cauliflower Alley Club reunion in Las Vegas. Lucha legend Negro Casas was the recepient of the Lucha Libre Award and Lucier sat at the table with the famed luchador. However, he went around and got plenty of photo opportunities, and that included the ‘Bowl Cut Kid.’

Over a decade ago, a thread on Reddit was posted trying to determine the whereabout of the expressive heavyset fan at ringside who would be at several WWE and WCW events during the 1990s wrestling boom period.

“Bowl Cut Kid” was noted to be seen at several major shows including WrestleMania XII, WrestleMania 13, Halloween Havoc 1996 and Survivor Series 1996. He’s also been all over the United States in different cities.

However, the city he was at this past week was Las Vegas. Lucier made sure to get a photo with the fan who sadly no longer sports the bowl cut, but did keep his signature intensity for the picture.

In addition to Casas, the long list of recipients included Kurt Angle, Sting, The Dudley Boyz, Bill Alfonso, Buff Bagwell, Jim Ross and more. The event took place over the course of three days and a lot of other names were in attendance for the ceremonies.

John Cena’s time may be running out in the ring but he knows that his time will always be then, now and forever.

While appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live with guest co-host and acting legend Jeff Goldblum, Cena revealed that always carries along a broken pocket watch with him. He does have an actual watch to keep the time, but he carries around the pocket watch for an even bigger reason: perspective.

“I used to think I was not enough. I did not value self. So on the back of this watch it says ‘comparison is the thief of joy,’ so I take this and every time I feel uncomfortable or have low self-worth, I just give it a little reminder and it reminds me that I am enough and I am worthy of love.”

The front of the watch has a very different message to give the future WWE Hall Of Famer another thing to be mindful of.

RELATED: John Cena Signs WWE Contract Extension Past 2025 Retirement

““It says ‘Memento mori’ for when my head gets too big I need to remember that I am human and I’m above no one and always remember where I came from and remember those who support me, that I don’t do it alone so I have one side when I don’t think my ego is too big and one side for when I don’t feel enough and it’s a nice little keeper of perspective not time and that’s why I have it.”

Cena will likely have that pocket watch handy as he heads into 2025 to keep perspective during his farewell tour, a run that consists of 36 dates for Cena with some big stops on the way including WrestleMania 41 and Royal Rumble.

Please credit Jimmy Kimmel Live and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

RELATED: Nic Nemeth Reveals What He Doesn’t Want to see on John Cena WWE Retirement Tour

It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since All Elite Wrestling debuted with AEW Dynamite, and my goodness, how the landscape has changed.

AEW started as a true alternative to WWE, and while it still is, the perception of both companies has evolved dramatically since 2019. Real-life power struggles have unfolded, with both companies gaining and losing talent, both in the ring and behind the scenes—much like the shifting dynamics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Before 2005, Marvel was a company teetering on the brink, fit for “The Void” (more on that later). But Robert Downey Jr.‘s portrayal of Tony Stark in Iron Man breathed new life into the comic book movie genre. This resurgence was further fueled by Disney’s acquisition of Marvel, a steal in hindsight. From there, Captain America swung his shield, The Hulk smashed, and Thor felt mighty (at least two out of four times). Add The Avengers films, Dave Bautista boosting Guardians of the Galaxy, and the rights to Spider-Man, and Marvel suddenly had a roster and future to be excited about.

However, that roster became oversaturated, the focus turned multi-universal, and goodwill eroded as the franchise drifted away from its core comic book fanbase. This should sound familiar to the diehard wrestling fans.

Whether your fandom began by flipping through the halftone pages of comics or trading wrestling tapes with Meltzer, making money is what both businesses are ultimately about. However, there’s always a better way to profit, and sometimes a property needs a reset. Deadpool & Wolverine seemingly did that for Marvel, both creatively and at the box office. In these challenging times for AEW, Tony Khan could learn a thing or two from this summer blockbuster.

WARNING: Spoilers for “Deadpool & Wolverine” lie ahead. Continue reading if you’d like to break the fourth wall.

Make It Make Sense.

A major plot point in Deadpool & Wolverine revolves around “timelines,” with several that Deadpool (and eventually Wolverine) must navigate. Two are the characters’ individual timelines, and one is the “sacred timeline,” which includes all the main Marvel characters (“Earth-616”). Deadpool remains part of Fox’s X-Men Universe (referred to as “Earth-10005” in the movie), but in his timeline, Wolverine is dead, having been killed in Logan seven years ago. To find a living Wolverine, Wade Wilson must travel to another universe, but he inadvertently ends up in one where Wolverine is at his worst. The two team up after a timeline operator throws them into a multi-verse purgatory called “The Void,” where they must collaborate to save (and possibly correct) their own universes.

At this point, “timeline” and “multi-verse” have become Marvel’s equivalent of the “Forbidden Door,” terms that have been used to the point of exhaustion, weaving a tangled web of complex storylines. However, if Marvel could bring Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine back to life in a sensible way within their (wait for it) “multi-verse,” then AEW should have no problem bringing clarity to their weekly programming.

Making sense of Marvel’s convoluted narrative required a team of five writers, including Ryan Reynolds, who has a deep understanding and personal investment in the character. With Shawn Levy directing and the original Deadpool writers on board, they managed to craft a coherent story. Tony Khan has mentioned what appears to be a rotating cast of people contributing creative input at AEW. On top of that, Khan is producing what amounts to two and a half feature-length “films” each week. By trusting a core group to execute a unified vision under his guidance, AEW could achieve the distinction and direction it needs. Right now, there are too many timelines in play, and the show is in desperate need of a “sacred” one.

Related: AEW Stories To Give Behind-The-Scenes Look At All In: London 2023

Focus On Your Stars, Even The Forgotten Ones.

With a title as straightforward as Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel clearly understood who the stars of the film were. The movie would have fallen flat if the spotlight wasn’t squarely on Reynolds and Jackman, and AEW could benefit from a similar focus on identifying and elevating the wrestlers who drive their television product. Too much of the AEW roster has been relegated to “The Void,” which has significantly impacted the product and contributed to declining ratings.

Deadpool & Wolverine gave fans exactly what they wanted by teaming up Reynolds and Jackman in the right way, but it also brought back familiar faces to round out the ensemble. Wesley Snipes returned as Blade, Jennifer Garner reprised her role as Elektra from Ben Affleck’s Daredevil, and Channing Tatum finally debuted as Gambit after years of the Fox film being stuck in production limbo. Along with X-23 from Logan, these characters helped Deadpool and Wolverine in their battle out of “The Void.”

The film also featured numerous cameos that were used effectively to fill out the lower midcard. Tyler Mane, Kevin Nash’s former Master Blaster partner, was swiftly killed by Wolverine in his return as Sabretooth, and Chris Evans’ Human Torch was horrifically murdered by the film’s top villain, Cassandra Nova. As Kevin Sullivan would say, they “did the favor,” but those squash matches still mattered in the grand scheme of the film and arguably the entire Marvel franchise.

From its inception, AEW has struggled to make its stars feel like top-tier talent due to inconsistent booking, limited TV time, and poor positioning. With talents like Ricky Starks, Jade Cargill, Wardlow, and Ethan Page, the list of wrestlers stuck in “The Void” could go on indefinitely. Two of those names have already found greater success by jumping ship to WWE. If AEW took the time to establish a solid hierarchy, it could better position itself as the engaging alternative it was meant to be. Unfortunately, we’ve often seen a “Toad” in a prominent position over a Channing Tatum “Gambit” (no offense to Ray Park).

Related: All of AEW’s World Champions RANKED

Make Fun Of Past Mistakes – At The Right Time.

How do you beat a bully? By not letting them see you sweat. Deadpool is notorious for breaking the fourth wall, taking jabs at everyone—Fox, Disney, even Hugh Jackman—but there’s a fine line between taking good-natured shots and coming across as petty.

Tony Khan has shown he’s unafraid to “break the fourth wall” when taking shots at WWE, but are they always the right target? What about poking fun at the tribalistic fanbase or even acknowledging the company’s own missteps? Reynolds’ Deadpool is known as “The Merc With The Mouth” for a reason, but often, the character’s sharpest barbs are directed at himself. If a Taco Bell commercial airs between an intense vignette of one of your top heels, why not make light of it the following week by having that heel eat a taco after beating Darby Allin?

AEW is still a young company, and there’s value in knowing when to take yourself seriously and when to lighten the mood. Breaking your own “fourth wall” can be a powerful tool, and fans will appreciate the nods to those paying close attention.