SEScoops

Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

  • Adam Cole: There Is Zero Chance My Twitch Channel Is Going Away

    Adam Cole: There Is Zero Chance My Twitch Channel Is Going Away

    Adam Cole has no plans of shutting down his Twitch channel anytime soon.

    Cole has become a talking point in the world of pro wrestling. He is currently a member of the NXT roster but that isn’t expected to last regardless of his next move. Cole’s contract was recently extended through SummerSlam weekend after WWE reportedly made a clerical error. It’s said that the company thought Cole was under contract for a longer period of time.

    While there is no word on whether or not Cole will re-sign with WWE, he has let it be known that his Twitch channel will remain intact.

    “Guys, I love ya’ll so much. I wish so bad that I could stream for a few more hours. It makes me so happy to be able to stream for a little bit. It’s why, when I say there is a zero chance that this channel is ever going away, I will never give this up. I love it with my whole entire heart. I love you guys and that’s how important you are to me because you guys make me feel very important. There’s been a lot going on lately and I want to make sure everyone knows that this is going nowhere. It’s going absolutely nowhere.”

    The timing of Cole’s statement is interesting. While NXT talent has been able to avoid problems with WWE as far as running Twitch accounts is concerned, main roster talent has been forced to go dark on their channels. The prevailing thought is that if Cole ends up signing a new deal with WWE, it’ll be for a main roster spot.

    In what could be his final WWE match, Cole will take on Kyle O’Reilly at NXT TakeOver 36 on Aug. 22. It’ll be a best two-out-of-three falls match.

    Do you think Adam Cole sticks with WWE or does he go elsewhere?

  • Chicago’s Mask Mandate Takes Effect Same Day As AEW Rampage

    Chicago’s Mask Mandate Takes Effect Same Day As AEW Rampage

    Chicago will be the home of AEW Rampage: The First Dance and fans in attendance may be required to mask up.

    State officials have announced that a mask mandate will take effect this Friday. It’s the same day as AEW’s heavily hyped second episode of Rampage. This mandate applies to indoor establishments for everyone two years old and above. The mandate will be enforced regardless of vaccination status.

    Here’s what Dr. Allison Arwady, CDPH Commissioner, had to say in a statement.

    “With the highly transmissible Delta variant causing case rates to increase, now is the time to re-institute this measure to prevent further spread and save lives. We continue to track the data closely and are hopeful this will only be temporary and we can bend the COVID curve, as we’ve done in the past.”

    Arwady added the following.

    “Similar to previous mask mandates, masks can be removed at restaurants, bars and other eating/drinking establishments by patrons when they are actively eating and drinking. Masks can also be removed for certain activities that require their removal, such as beard shaves or facials. Additionally, masks can be removed by employees in settings that are not open to the public, if employees are static and maintaining at least six feet from all other individuals (office cubicles, for example).”

    As of now, the United Center’s mask policy has stated that “fully vaccinated guests are not required to wear a mask while at the United Center. Masks are recommended for all unvaccinated guests and will be provided for guests upon request.” That policy is now subject to change.

    SEScoops.com has reached out to AEW for comment.

    The upcoming Rampage show has been highly anticipated due to a likely appearance from CM Punk. Punk hasn’t been seen on a pro wrestling show outside of WWE Backstage since 2014. AEW and even Punk himself have dropped hints about a potential appearance.

  • Sheamus: I Fought Hard To Face Drew McIntyre At WrestleMania

    Sheamus: I Fought Hard To Face Drew McIntyre At WrestleMania

    Sheamus says he fought tooth and nail to try to meet his close friend Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania earlier this year.

    Sheamus and McIntyre saw themselves involved in a heated feud over a betrayal. Back in February, Sheamus nailed McIntyre with a Brogue Kick following a promo with Royal Rumble winner, Edge. At the time, McIntyre was the WWE Champion.

    McIntyre ended up losing the WWE Championship at the Elimination Chamber PPV later that month. Rather than go with McIntyre vs. Sheamus at WrestleMania, the match happened at Fastlane instead. McIntyre won the match and went on to lose a WWE Title match against Lashley at WrestleMania, while Sheamus won the United States Title from Riddle at “The Grandest Stage of Them All.”

    During a chat with BT Sport, Sheamus said he did everything he could to push the match with McIntyre to WrestleMania.

    https://twitter.com/btsportwwe/status/1427608145581559839

    “We really were hoping this was gonna be WrestleMania. That’s where we felt the feud should basically climax, should come to an end at WrestleMania. I fought as hard as I could, we both did, to make that happen, but you do what you can do.”

    McIntyre confirmed Sheamus’ efforts and said he himself wanted the match to take place at WWE’s biggest PPV of the year.

    “If you watch the pre-match video, it was WrestleMania worthy. The story, the real story. We can come back around, there is always next year’s WrestleMania. With the fans back, it’ll be new again. It certainly was disappointing.”

    Would you rather have seen Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania?

  • Title Match Removed From WWE NXT Tonight (Aug. 17)

    Title Match Removed From WWE NXT Tonight (Aug. 17)

    Fans hoping to see Kushida defend the WWE NXT Cruiserweight Title against Roderick Strong tonight are sure to be disappointed.

    NXT General Manager William Regal has announced that Kushida is off tonight’s card as he has not been medically cleared to compete. Strong will remain on the card, however.

    “Unfortunately after a medical examination, officials learned Kushida
    is not cleared to compete tonight. When I informed Malcolm Bivens and Roderick Strong, they expressed Roderick’s desire to compete.

    Therefore, WWE NXT will begin with a Diamond Mine open challenge.”

    This edition of NXT will be the go-home show for TakeOver 36. The TakeOver show will be held on Aug. 22. This will be the night after WWE SummerSlam.

    At TakeOver 36, Samoa Joe will challenge Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship. Plus, Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reily will collide in a best two-out-of-three falls match. Also set for the card will be an NXT UK Title match between champion WALTER and Ilja Dragunov.

    That’s not all for TakeOver 36 this weekend. Raquel Gonzalez will put her NXT Women’s Title up for grabs against former friend Dakota Kai. LA Knight will meet Cameron Grimes once again for the Million Dollar Championship. This time, if Knight wins then Ted Dibiase will become his butler.

    Here’s an updated look at what’s in store for NXT tonight.

    • Roderick Strong vs. TBA – Diamond Mine Open Challenge
    • Carmelo Hayes vs. Duke Hudson – NXT Breakout Tournament semifinals
    • Timothy Thatcher vs. Ridge Holland
    • Robert Stone & Jessi Kamea vs. Dexter Lumis & Indi Hartwell
    • MSK (c) vs. Imperium – for WWE NXT Tag Team Titles
    • Interview with WWE NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai
    • WWE NXT Champion Karrion Kross & Samoa Joe meet face-to-face
  • Omos Reveals He Solely Trained Singles Matches At Performance Center

    Omos Reveals He Solely Trained Singles Matches At Performance Center

    Omos is currently one-half of the Raw Tag Team Champions but he only trained for singles action.

    After playing basketball in high school and at the University of South Florida, Omos decided to make the jump to sports entertainment. In early 2019, it was announced that Omos signed on to train at the WWE Performance Center.

    Omos currently teams with former two-time WWE Champion AJ Styles. As mentioned, the two hold tag team gold but it’s something that Omos wasn’t expecting.

    During an appearance on Rasslin with Brandon Walker, Omos revealed that he solely trained for singles matches at the Performance Center.

    “Through my training at the PC, all I did was singles. When I came up (to the main roster), I was doing a tag team, so it was an adjustment mentally for me. Having to learn different spots where guys come in and the hot tags. It was different. I’ve been learning a lot in the past four months. I think I’m getting the hang of it now. One of the hardest matches we did was the Money in the Bank against Viking Raiders. That was very challenging for me, but after that, it was like, ‘Oh, I get it now.’ I fully get tag team (wrestling) and can remember spots and do all this stuff.”

    While Omos has mostly been involved in tag team action since making his way to the main roster, he was last seen going one-on-one with Randy Orton. He lost the match via disqualification.

    Omos and Styles will defend their WWE Raw Tag Team Titles against Orton and Riddle. The title match will take place at SummerSlam on Aug. 21.

  • Keith Lee Works Another Dark Match Before Raw

    Keith Lee Works Another Dark Match Before Raw

    Keith Lee was seen working a dark match again just before the Aug. 16 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.

    Lee went one-on-one with an enhancement talent inside the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. As one would imagine, this was a squash match that saw Lee nab the pinfall easily. Lee has been competing in dark matches since getting his win back over Karrion Kross on the Aug. 2 edition of Raw.

    Keith Lee’s Absence Explained

    Lee had been out of action for five months. While Lee teased an explanation for a while, nothing had come to light for quite a while. In a YouTube video, Lee broke his silence and revealed that he suffered from inflammation of the heart following a COVID-19 diagnosis (h/t Comic Book).

    “I got a call saying there was something off with my blood. Some people might have experienced this thing where there’s an inflammation in the heart or lungs, for me it was the heart. And that led to very scary times. I was basically forbidden or any training outside of a light walk. So there was a fear that doing more than that there was a chance that I could up and pass away. So, for three or four months this was kind of the case and I had several MRIs on my heart.”

    “Very fortunately, even though it took a long time we waited that amount of time, that allowed for the inflammation in my heart to eventually go down to normal. Even though the first MRI was bad and the second MRI was worse, over time things got better here and there. Eventually, after that visit, I was cleared to try and get back into some sort of shape. That’s where the real struggle is. But it took some time, and to be honest it wasn’t even certain that I was going to show up in Dallas (where he returned and challenged Lashley to a non-title match) in terms of on TV.”

    Some have speculated that WWE could be testing the waters with Keith Lee to see if he’s truly 100 percent. Others believe that since he isn’t factored into SummerSlam plans this year, he’ll just stay active through dark matches. In his video, Lee admitted that getting back in ring shape has been his toughest task.

  • AEW Makes Good With Indie Promotion After Daniel Garcia Removal

    AEW Makes Good With Indie Promotion After Daniel Garcia Removal

    AEW has received praise for reimbursing an independent promotion.

    Daniel Garcia recently appeared on AEW Dynamite on Aug. 11. He went one-on-one with Darby Allin. Despite the loss to Darby, Garcia showcased his technical skill and showed AEW fans what he has to bring to the table.

    Garcia had been scheduled to wrestle for St. Louis Anarchy on Aug. 20. He has been pulled from the event. While losing Garcia isn’t ideal for the promotion, St. Louis Anarchy expressed gratitude to AEW for reimbursing them for the travel money they spent.

    “Shout out to AEW for reimbursing us on travel we had bought Garcia for Friday. Not a lot of bigger companies would of done that. The purpose of us is to get talent ready for them. We wish Garcia the best and hopefully we see him in Anarchy soon.”

    Garcia apologized to St. Louis Anarchy and vowed to make it up to them by appearing at an event in the “near future.” It’s important to note that there wasn’t a reason given for Garcia’s absence from the card. This Friday night will be the second episode of Rampage, so time will tell if AEW needs Garcia for that show.

    Garcia has been emerging as one of wrestling’s feel-good comeback stories despite playing a heel on television. Garcia’s life was nearly taken in a car accident back in January 2019. Garcia ended up walking out of the crash with a broken femur, fibula, and tibia.

    Daniel Garcia made his first appearance for AEW earlier this month.

  • Sting Hypes His First Wrestling Match On TNT In 20 Years

    Sting Hypes His First Wrestling Match On TNT In 20 Years

    Wrestling legend Sting is set to compete on TNT for the first time in 20 years.

    Sting will be teaming with Darby Allin to take on 2point0 in a Texas Tornado Tag Team Match on the Aug. 18 edition of AEW Dynamite. While Sting has been a regular character on AEW since his promotional debut back in Dec. 2020, this will be his first match on TNT since March 26, 2001.

    In a press release, Sting discussed making his in-ring return to TNT.

    “My relationship with TNT goes back more than 25 years, so having the opportunity to wrestle on the network that housed some of my most important moments is pretty surreal. The return of crowds has already been electric enough over the past month and a half, but there’s going to be an extra surge of adrenaline in Houston knowing that we’re live on TNT on Wednesday night.”

    AEW head honcho, Tony Khan, also chimed in.

    “When we first launched AEW, I was ecstatic to bring professional wrestling back to TNT after such a long absence. So many wrestling fans, myself included, watched Sting defeat the legendary Ric Flair 20 years ago in that last match on TNT, and now it’s such a thrill that Sting will finally return to the ring on Wednesday Night Dynamite to team with Darby Allin against 2point0 in a Texas Tornado Tag Team Match. This historic match on Wednesday in Houston is just another example of AEW’s commitment to bring wrestling fans the great moments that they deserve.”

    Sting has played a vital role in AEW since debuting for the company. He has aligned himself with Darby Allin. Sting is often seen at ringside during Darby’s matches. Sting has only had two matches with AEW, both tag team matches that resulted in victory.

    What are you expecting for Sting’s in-ring TNT return?

  • Fuego Del Sol On AEW Contract: ‘I Didn’t See It Coming’

    Fuego Del Sol On AEW Contract: ‘I Didn’t See It Coming’

    Fuego Del Sol has revealed what he knew about his big AEW Rampage segment.

    On the debut episode of Rampage. Del Sol battled AEW TNT Champion Miro. The stipulation was that if Del Sol won, then not only would he take the gold but he’d also be offered a contract with AEW.

    Del Sol was unable to defeat Miro. After getting the early jump on the champion, Del Sol was stopped in his tracks after eating a Machka Kick. Miro then applied Game Over and Del Sol was forced to tap. Miro then ripped up Del Sol’s contract, or at least he thought he did.

    Following a commercial break, Sammy Guevara, Del Sol’s close friend, walked out and AEW President Tony Khan handed him a contract. Guevara entered the ring and revealed that Del Sol is All Elite.

    During a Twitch stream, Del Sol revealed that he was unaware that he’d be getting a contract on television.

    “They told me to lay there and after commercial comes back, get your standing ovation. ‘Hey, these people love you,’ Bryce (Remsburg) was getting it in his ear, ‘Hey, lay here, after commercial break, stand up, get your standing ovation, these people love you. I stood up, I thought, ‘Hell of a match, fun night.’ Sammy Guevara’s music hit, my heart dropped into my stomach because I knew what was happening in that moment. I was overwhelmed with emotion.

    “I get goosebumps. I enjoyed the match so much. I was so amped all day about the match. I had this vision in my mind. Three DDTs. I was on cloud nine all day. We filmed the package they aired before the match, the night before, and it felt big, but I had no idea that they were going to do that after the match. Sammy was dressed nice and I didn’t even think about it. I was so focused on the match that everything else was white noise. I was laser-focused on Miro. It was perfect because I didn’t see it coming.”

    Del Sol’s comments confirm what Tony Khan told Sports Illustrated. The AEW boss said the moment that Del Sol received his AEW contract on television was a “complete shoot.”

    Fuego Del Sol only has one win in AEW. That victory was a tag team match so he remains winless in singles competition. With a fresh contract in hand, however, that figures to change soon.

  • Roman Reigns Reacts To Jimmy Uso’s DUI Arrests

    Roman Reigns Reacts To Jimmy Uso’s DUI Arrests

    Roman Reigns has spoken out on Jimmy Uso’s history with DUI arrests.

    Jimmy is currently involved in the biggest storyline of his pro wrestling career. He has aligned himself with his cousin, Reigns, who is known as “The Head of the Table” on SmackDown. Despite the opportunity, Jimmy once again found himself in legal trouble.

    On July 5, Jimmy was arrested in Pensacola, Florida. Jimmy had been speeding and police administered a breathalyzer. Jimmy was well above Florida’s legal drinking limit, which led to his arrest. It wasn’t the first time Jimmy was busted for DUI as he was caught in 2011 and 2019. There was also an incident in 2019 where he was arrested in Detroit for disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice.

    During an interview with the New York Post, Reigns discussed Jimmy’s history of legal issues.

    “[I don’t] condone that kind of behavior or decision-making. [It’s] not a great light to be shining [on WWE].

    “We’re all human, we’re all cynics, we all make mistakes. Instead of what some people might feel you should give up on somebody or maybe turn your back on that type of behavior, that’s one way to do it. But I don’t think that’s the way to push through and gain experience or make progressive movements of becoming a better man or a better human. So for me, it was diving into it with great attention, great love and very thorough communication to make sure my family is continually bettering themselves and putting themselves in a position to make better decisions.”

    Jimmy is currently one-half of the SmackDown Tag Team Champions along with his brother, Jey. The two very well could be involved in the main event of SummerSlam, which will feature a Universal Title match between Reigns and John Cena.

  • Riddle Talks Whether Or Not Adam Cole Can Succeed On Main Roster

    Riddle Talks Whether Or Not Adam Cole Can Succeed On Main Roster

    Riddle has weighed in on whether or not he believes Adam Cole can succeed on the main roster.

    The WWE future of Adam Cole has been a hot topic in the world of pro wrestling. Cole has been a top star on the NXT brand since 2017. As of late, however, NXT has reportedly been in the process of major changes. On top of that, Cole’s brief contract extension is set to run out soon and as of now, he has not re-signed long-term.

    The general consensus is that if Cole decides to stick around with WWE, he’ll be brought up to the main roster. Speaking to Sportskeeda, Riddle discussed whether or not Cole can shatter the glass ceiling.

    “Adam Cole is amazing at what he does. He’s one of the best wrestlers in the world, in my personal opinion. He’s very charismatic, has a good look, everything else. I don’t know, the main roster’s the main roster. A lot of people dread going up there because they don’t know what’s gonna happen to them and as they should be. The indies is like a small pond, and then NXT is like a small ocean, and then when you get to the main roster, you are in the ocean with all the wild animals and the currents and everything else. It’s just a different beast, and sometimes you get lost in the shuffle.

    “You really do because there’s so many people, and it’s not like nobody’s talented. Everybody at this level is somebody. Adam Cole will be successful wherever he goes. He’s too good not to be. He cares too much. He’s too passionate. If he goes to RAW, he’ll be successful. If he goes to SmackDown, he’ll be successful. If he stays at NXT, he’ll be successful. He can do whatever he wants.”

    Riddle has been able to find success on the main roster. In fact, he’s currently involved in his most high-profile angle to date. Riddle is teaming with future Hall of Famer Randy Orton and fans of Raw and SmackDown have taken a liking to him.

    How do you think Adam Cole would fare on the main roster?

  • Kurt Angle Praises Christian Cage, Thinks He’s Underappreciated

    Kurt Angle Praises Christian Cage, Thinks He’s Underappreciated

    Kurt Angle believes Christian Cage is world-class.

    Cage has had quite a career. He’s made his mark for WWE, TNA Wrestling, and now AEW. Cage is fresh off an Impact World Championship victory over Kenny Omega on the debut episode of Rampage. It is actually his first Impact World Title run as he had only won the NWA gold twice under the TNA banner.

    During an edition of The Kurt Angle Show, the former Olympic gold medalist and multiple-time world champion in WWE and TNA expressed his belief that Cage is a special talent.

    “Every once in a while we touch base. He’s such a good guy. We were best friends, you know, Edge, Christian, myself, and Rhyno. We really were best friends. We spent a lot of time together and that time was so valuable. I’ll never forget what he did for me. What he did for the business. Christian is one of the most underrated professional wrestlers of all time. This guy should actually already be in the Hall of Fame. That’s how good he was and, I don’t know, I mean, I think someday he will be. I just think that he’s been underappreciated.

    “He could have very well been the best professional wrestler of all time. That’s how good he was. He was creative putting the matches together. His timing was impeccable. He was one of the absolute best I’ve ever worked with.”

    Cage is set to take on Omega a second time on Sept. 5. This time, it’ll be for the AEW World Title. The match is penciled in to serve as the main event of All Out.

    Earlier this year, Christian Cage appeared in the Royal Rumble PPV. It was his first appearance as an active competitor since 2014 as he hadn’t been medically cleared to return. Cage wouldn’t stick around with WWE, however, as he ended up signing a full-time deal with AEW.

  • NXT Getting A New Look Soon, Will Be Taped After TakeOver 36

    NXT Getting A New Look Soon, Will Be Taped After TakeOver 36

    Times are changing in the land of NXT. Earlier this month, PW Insider reported that fans can soon expect changes to the brand. The changes noted in the report were a new logo, lighting, and a new feel to the show.

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that those changes will be coming this week. In addition, Fightful is reporting that NXT shows will be taped after TakeOver 36, which is set to take place on Aug. 22.

    Recently, 12 stars who once worked under the brand were released. Among those names were Bronson Reed and Bobby Fish. It was later reported that WWE no longer looks at NXT as the third brand due to “losing the war” to AEW in terms of television viewership. The idea is that the brand will now focus on talent who are bigger in size and younger than 30.

    It’s a far cry from what NXT had been known for years prior. There was a time when WWE scooped up some of the hottest stars on the independent scene in an attempt to make the NXT brand profitable. We’ve seen former indie and international stars such as Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, and more get their start on NXT before going onto the main roster to win titles.

    At TakeOver 36, Samoa Joe is scheduled to challenge Karrion Kross for the brand’s main title. Plus, Raquel González puts her women’s gold on the line against Dakota Kai. We’ll also get to see UK Champion WALTER defend his gold in a rematch with Ilja Dragunov.

  • Tony Khan: Fuego Del Sol’s AEW Contract Was A ‘Complete Shoot’

    Tony Khan: Fuego Del Sol’s AEW Contract Was A ‘Complete Shoot’

    Tony Khan claims that when Fuego Del Sol was offered his AEW contract on the debut episode of Rampage, it was a total shoot.

    This past Friday night (Aug. 13), Del Sol challenged Miro for the TNT Championship. The stipulation was that if Del Sol won then not only would he become a titleholder but he’d also be offered an AEW contract. Despite getting off to a blazing start, nailing Miro with three tornado DDTs, Del Sol was crushed by the Machka Kick and was forced to tap out to the Game Over.

    After the match, Miro seemingly tore up Del Sol’s contract. When Rampage returned from commercial break, Del Sol was in the ring and received cheers from the Pittsburgh crowd. Sammy Guevara then made his entrance and was handed a contract by Khan. He then presented it to Del Sol, revealing his best friend is now All Elite.

    “Fuego, Fuego man you lost but sometimes there’s victory in defeat. I mean, you’ve been coming here for the past year, you’re like 1-50 but who cares cause these people love you. And Fuego, whether you know it a lot of guys love you back there too. Tony Khan thought it was only right for me to be the one to come out here, since you’re my best friend, to say officially Fuego Del Sol is All Elite.”

    During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Khan revealed that the moment Del Sol received his contract was a legit shoot.

    “That was a complete shoot. Fuego had no idea that was going to happen. Sammy was the only person I told, and Fuego was legitimately surprised to receive the contract he’s been dreaming of and chasing.”

    Fuego Del Sol has yet to have a singles victory under the AEW banner. His only win with the promotion was a tag team match.

  • Renee Paquette: Watching Jon Moxley In Deathmatches Isn’t Easy

    Renee Paquette: Watching Jon Moxley In Deathmatches Isn’t Easy

    Renee Paquette admits it can be difficult to see her husband, Jon Moxley, in hardcore matches.

    Moxley has been taking full advantage of the freedom afforded to him since his WWE departure. We’ve seen Moxley participate in deathmatches post-WWE. One of those deathmatches took place back in July against Lance Archer. Moxley lost the IWGP United States Title after being driven into a barbed wire table.

    Paquette spoke to Wrestling Inc. and gave her reaction to Moxley’s string of violence inside the ring.

    “I know how that feels to be sitting there going like ‘Oh, my God!’ It can be very stressful. Especially when it’s somebody like Nick Gage across the ring from your significant other. It’s not easy to watch.”

    “When Jon and I started dating, yes we were in WWE, but I got caught up very, very quickly on who Jon Moxley was before ‘Dean Ambrose’ became a thing.”

    Renee Paquette also said sometimes she’s taken aback by how Moxley can quickly transition from a traditional pro wrestling match to a deathmatch.

    “Now watching Jon Moxley re-submerge into the world. I know how difficult it can be to be like, ‘Wait! I saw you wrestle this other way, and now you’re getting involved in this other chaos! What is happening?!?’”

    Moxley has also dabbled into the world of GCW. He’s even confronted Nick Gage in the promotion. Gage is known for his violent matches and he even wrestled Chris Jericho on an episode of AEW Dynamite.

    Do you like seeing Jon Moxley in deathmatches?

  • CM Punk Drops Latest AEW Hint During MMA Broadcast

    CM Punk Drops Latest AEW Hint During MMA Broadcast

    CM Punk continues to get the wrestling world talking with another AEW hint.

    Back in July, it was reported by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful that Punk is looking to make his return to the pro wrestling industry. The report also noted that the likely candidate to scoop Punk up is AEW.

    AEW hasn’t been shy in dropping references either. Darby Allin recently cut a promo where he said anyone looking to prove themselves has to compete in AEW, even if they think they’re the “Best in the World.” That, of course, is CM Punk’s catchphrase.

    Punk, who serves as a color commentator for the CFFC promotion, dropped a big hint regarding his future inside the ring during an event. Take a listen below.

    https://twitter.com/joedaddy85/status/1426760880293883904

    This isn’t the first time Punk has dropped an AEW hint. He recently took to his Instagram Stories to post a quote that is tattooed on Darby Allin’s chest.

    CM Punk hasn’t been seen inside a wrestling ring since 2014. He made his final appearance for WWE at the Royal Rumble PPV. Punk says he was due to face and defeat Triple H at WrestleMania but he grew tired of what he claims to have been broken promises, a misdiagnosis of his staph infection, lack of time off, and creative differences.

    It was reported by Fightful Select that Punk has looked as if he hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to training. Punk had to do some in-ring work for the Heels show starring Stephen Amell. Those who were on set say Punk looked so fresh in the ring that they believe he has been training for a while now.

    How big of an impact do you think CM Punk would make if he does indeed return?

  • NJPW Resurgence Quick Results: New Champion Crowned

    NJPW Resurgence Quick Results: New Champion Crowned

    NJPW Resurgence is in the books.

    Earlier tonight (Aug. 14), NJPW Resurgence emanated from The Torch at LA Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The main event saw IWGP United States Champion Lance Archer put his gold up for grabs against Hiroshi Tanahashi. In the co-headliner, Jay White defended the NEVER Openweight gold against David Finlay.

    Resurgence also saw a surprise appearance from former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay. He revealed that he has been medically cleared to compete but he will not be participating in the G1 Climax due to issues with NJPW brass.

    We also got an appearance from Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa. The two confronted Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson after their match against Jon Moxley and Yuji Nagata. After a back-and-forth verbal exchange, the Good Brothers left the ring.

    Here are quick results for NJPW Resurgence.

    • Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Lance Archer – For IWGP United States Championship
    • Jay White (c) def. David Finlay
    • Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson def. Jon Moxley & Yuji Nagata
    • Tomohiro Ishii def. Moose
    • Juice Robinson def. Hikuleo
    • Lio Rush, Adrian Quest, Chris Dickinson, Fred Yehi & Yuya Uemura def. Tom Lawlor, JR
    • Kratos, Jorel Nelson, Royce Issacs & Danny Limelight
    • Ren Narita, Clark Connors & TJP def. Rocky Romero, Fred Rosser & Wheeler Yuta
    • Karl Fredericks def. Alex Coughlin
  • Will Ospreay Makes Surprise Return At NJPW Resurgence

    Will Ospreay Makes Surprise Return At NJPW Resurgence

    Will Ospreay crashed NJPW Resurgence and he dropped a bombshell.

    Ospreay appeared following the strong style clash between Tomohiro Ishii and Moose. Ospreay, who is never one to hold his tongue, had a lot to say on the mic.

    The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion revealed that he is medically cleared to return. Despite this, he said he will not be participating in the G1 Climax. In fact, he claimed he isn’t going back to Japan until NJPW negotiates with him.

    https://twitter.com/AnaMelissa15/status/1426770074224971776

    Ospreay’s issue with NJPW is that they forced him to vacate the gold. He’s upset that Jon Moxley was never stripped of the IWGP United States Championship despite not being able to head to Japan.

    Ospreay then pulled out another IWGP World Title and said that he’s the real champion, not Shingo Takagi. He claimed he’s willing to defend his version of the title against anyone. Ospreay also proclaimed that NJPW Strong is his home going forward.

    Eventually, Ospreay took aim at Shibata and his Dojo wrestlers. He ended up being chased out of the ring by TJP, Karl Fredericks, and Clark Connors.

    Ospreay had been inactive due to a neck injury. Now that he’s cleared to return to action but won’t be in Japan anytime soon, it’ll be interesting to see what’s in store for him in the coming weeks.

  • AAA Triplemania XXIX Quick Results: New Champion, Mask vs. Hair

    AAA Triplemania XXIX Quick Results: New Champion, Mask vs. Hair

    AAA Triplemania XXIX has concluded.

    Triplemania XXIX took place inside Arena Ciudad de México in Azcapotzalco, Mexico City, Mexico. The event featured an AAA Megacampeonato title match between Kenny Omega and Andrade. Also featured on the card was a mask vs. hair match between Psycho Clown and Rey Escorpion.

    Impact Knockouts Champion Deoanna Purrazzo shared the ring with AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Faby Apache in a title vs. title match. Also, Fenix and Pentagon defended the AAA Tag Team Titles.

    The show even featured a surprise appearance from wrestling legend Ric Flair. Flair was recently released from his WWE contract. Flair was in Andrade’s corner after “El Idolo” had a disagreement with Konnan, who ended up cornering Omega.

    Here are quick results for AAA Triplemania XXIX.

    • Mask vs. Hair: Psycho Clown def. Rey Escorpion
    • AAA Megacampeonato: Kenny Omega (c) def. Andrade
    • Lucha de Empresas: La Empresa (Puma King, Sam Adonis, & DMT Azul) def. Team AAA (Pagano, Murder Clown, & Chessman)
    • AAA Tag Team Championship: Fenix & Pentagon (c) def. Hijo del Vikingo & Laredo Kid, Taurus & Brian Cage
    • Deonna Purrazzo def. Faby Apache – For Impact Wrestling Knockouts & AAA Reina de Reinas Titles
    • Mr. Iguana Won Copa Bardahl
    • Team Leyenda Americana def. Team Terror Purpura
  • Kenny Omega Defeats Andrade, Retains AAA Megacampeonato Title

    Kenny Omega Defeats Andrade, Retains AAA Megacampeonato Title

    The highly-anticipated title match between Kenny Omega and Andrade has wrapped up.

    Omega and Andrade did battle inside Arena Ciudad de México in Azcapotzalco, Mexico City, Mexico. Omega’s AAA Megacampeonato Title was on the line.

    Before the match, Konnan and Andrade had a disagreement backstage. Andrade told Konnan that he doesn’t want him in his corner. As a result, Konnan entered Omega’s dressing room with a business proposition that would ensure victory.

    Omega ended up making his entrance with Konnan. Andrade stunned the wrestling world when he brought out wrestling legend Ric Flair.

    Late in the match, Konnan distracted the referee on the ring apron. Kenny capitalized, bumping the referee into Andrade. He went to hit Andrade with the belt but Flair thwarted this attempt. He and Andrade took turns chopping Omega’s chest. Konnan got in the ring and took a figure-four leglock for his efforts. At the same time, Andrade had his own figure-four on Omega.

    It wasn’t enough for Andrade, however. Kenny Omega eventually was able to hit Andrade with the belt. He then nailed him with the One-Winged Angel to retain the gold. Omega remains a bit of a belt collector with the win, although he recently lost the Impact Wrestling World Title to Christian Cage.

  • Ric Flair Appears At Triplemania XXIX

    Ric Flair Appears At Triplemania XXIX

    Ric Flair’s first landing spot post-WWE has been revealed.

    AAA Triplemania XXIX emanated from Arena Ciudad de México in Azcapotzalco, Mexico City, Mexico. In the co-main event, the AAA Megacampeonato Title was on the line between champion Kenny Omega and Andrade.

    Ahead of the match, Andrade had an argument with Konnan backstage. Andrade said that he no longer wanted Konnan in his corner because he had someone more suited for the job. In return, Konnan went into Omega’s dressing room to propose a plan to ensure victory.

    Omega made his entrance with Konnan but Andrade turned the tables. He ended up being accompanied by Ric Flair.

    https://twitter.com/SkullsMedia/status/1426747728273412099

    Flair wound up getting physical with Kenny Omega in a confrontation that was surreal to witness. Flair delivered some of his signature chops to Omega before putting him down again with a roundhouse punch. The Nature Boy then slapped the figure four onto Konnan, as Andrade did the same to Omega.

    Flair recently made his exit from WWE. It was reported that “The Nature Boy” had issues with the company creatively. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that Ric Flair is expected to join AEW when he’s legally able to do so.

    Flair aligning himself with Andrade makes sense given that Andrade is engaged to Flair’s daughter, WWE superstar Charlotte. Flair recently revealed that Andrade wants him and Charlotte to eventually sign with AEW.

    Kenny Omega Defeats Andrade, Retains AAA Megacampeonato Title
  • Deonna Purrazzo Wins AAA Reina de Reinas Title

    Deonna Purrazzo Wins AAA Reina de Reinas Title

    Deonna Purrazzo has added more gold to her collection.

    On the Triplemania XXIX card, Purrazzo competed in a title vs. title match. She put her Impact Wrestling Knockouts Title up for grabs against Faby Apache, who held the AAA Reina de Reinas Title. Purrazzo ended up taking the win and the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship.

    Throughout the match, it was quite clear that the referee was in Purrazzo’s pocket. He shoved Apache before the match began and pulled Purrazzo’s hand to the ropes when she was on the receiving end of a submission. He even counted slower when Apache went for pins and faster when Purrazzo attempted pinfalls.

    The final straw for Apache was when she went for a move off the top rope but the referee helped Purrazzo back up. Apache nailed the referee with a hurricanrana off the top rope followed by another hurricanrana. Deonna Purrazzo capitalized with a spike package piledriver on Apache followed by the Fujiwara Armbar for the submission victory.

    After the match, Purrazzo was handed both titles and she didn’t hesitate to snatch them and pose. Time will tell who in AAA will step up to challenge the newly-minted Reina de Reinas Champion but for now, “The Virtuosa” will enjoy the fruits of her labor.

    Purrazzo spoke to the media backstage after her victory. She vows to be a fighting champion.

  • Brody King Removed From NJPW Resurgence Card

    Brody King Removed From NJPW Resurgence Card

    Brody King is no longer a part of the NJPW Resurgence card.

    Tonight (Aug. 14), NJPW Resurgence will take place inside the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. In the main event, Lance Archer will put the IWGP United States Championship on the line against Hiroshi Tanahashi. Plus, Jay White defends the NEVER Openweight Title against David Finlay.

    King was expected to be featured in the third match of the night. He was going team with Yuya Uemura, Chris Dickinson, Fred Yehi, and Lio Rush to take on Tom Lawlor, Danny Limelight, JR Kratos, Jorel Nelson, and Royce Isaacs.

    The official Twitter account of NJPW Global has announced that King is off the card.

    “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Brody King will be unable to compete at Resurgence. We apologize to fans who were looking forward to seeing King wrestle and appreciate your understanding.”

    King is being replaced by Adrian Quest. At this time, it is unknown why King has been pulled from NJPW Resurgence. Quest was going to be featured in a tag team dark match. Jordan Clearwater will take his place.

    Here’s an updated look at the final NJPW Resurgence card.

    IWGP UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
    Lance Archer (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

    NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
    Jay White (c) vs. David Finlay

    The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) vs. Jon Moxley & TBA

    Tomohiro Ishii vs. Moose

    Juice Robinson vs. Hikuleo

    Adrian Quest, Chris Dickinson, Lio Rush, Fred Yehi & Yuya Uemura vs.
    Team Filthy (Tom Lawlor, Danny LimeLight, JR Kratos, Royce Issacs & Jorel Nelson)

    Fred Rosser, Wheeler Yuta & Rocky Romero vs. Ren Narita, Clark Connors & TJP

    Alex Coughlin vs. Karl Fredericks

  • Dixie Carter Speaks On Christian Cage Winning Impact World Title

    Dixie Carter Speaks On Christian Cage Winning Impact World Title

    Christian Cage is the new Impact Wrestling World Champion and Dixie Carter has responded.

    Cage challenged Kenny Omega for the gold this past Friday night (Aug. 13). The title match opened up the debut episode of AEW Rampage inside the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Cage turned the tables on Omega, who attempted to hit him with One-Winged Angel on a chair. Cage ended up nailing Omega with the Killswitch on a chair for the three-count.

    After the match, former TNA Wrestling President Dixie Carter took to her Twitter account to praise Christian Cage.

    “This makes me very happy. I will never forget how special it was when Christian
    first became [a world champion for TNA]. I always hated losing him to WWE. Welcome home Christian & massive props to AEW for allowing these type of matches to happen.”

    Christian Cage never captured the TNA Wrestling Title during his first run with the promotion. He was a two-time NWA World Champion and was the last NWA World titleholder of the NWA-TNA era. He ended up leaving TNA in 2008 to return to WWE.

    Cage is set to return to the Impact Zone on Aug. 19. He’s already got his first title challenger set and time will tell when that match will come to fruition. The number one contender is Brian Myers, who recently won a battle royale match to earn the title opportunity.

    Cage is due for another match with Omega on Sept. 5. The match will take place at the All Out PPV and it’ll be contested for Omega’s AEW World Championship.

  • Tony Khan Reacts To AEW Rampage Debut

    Tony Khan Reacts To AEW Rampage Debut

    Tony Khan is quite pleased with how the debut episode of AEW Rampage unfolded.

    This past Friday night (Aug. 13), the first-ever Rampage event took place inside the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania. Rampage got off to a hot start when Christian Cage defeated Kenny Omega to capture the Impact Wrestling World Title. We then saw Fuego Del Sol fail to capture the TNT Title from Miro. Despite the loss, Del Sol was given a contract with AEW.

    Headlining the card was an AEW Women’s World Title match. Champion Britt Baker put her gold on the line against Red Velvet. Baker won the match via Lockjaw. After the match, Kris Statlander attempted to thwart Britt’s post-match attack on Velvet. Statlander ended up being ambushed by Jamie Hayter, who is now All Elite.

    Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Khan expressed joy in how AEW was able to pull off the first Rampage show.

    “This was one of the biggest nights in the history of the company, and it was a great show. We went in with a tremendous card of three championship matches and a plan to deliver the best one-hour wrestling TV show anyone’s seen in a very long time. We needed to hit a home run, and we did. Everyone across the board, including production and staff, did a tremendous job.”

    Tony Khan also hyped up the Aug. 20 edition of Rampage and seemingly dropped another CM Punk hint.

    “We highlighted our people, and that led to great moments. Tonight was all about showing fans the top stars of AEW, ones that are becoming mainstream names in wrestling and even outside of it, too. This is the perfect time to launch Rampage, and I wanted to go in as hot as possible.

    “Next week’s Rampage is ‘The First Dance’, and I think everyone knows what to expect—and everyone is very excited. We built a foundation here for what you’re going to see next week. This was a huge premiere, and there is tons of anticipation for next week in Chicago.”

    Did you like the debut episode of AEW Rampage?