Jamie Hayter has made her way back to AEW and she is joining forces with Britt Baker.
In the main event of the debut edition of Rampage, Baker defended her AEW Women’s World Championship against Red Velvet. Baker fought through a wrist injury in order to defeat the challenger. To do so, “D.M.D.” had to use her uninjured hand to secure Lockjaw for the tap.
After the match, Britt attempted to add insult to injury. She went to Curb Stomp Velvet’s head onto her title but Kris Stantlander initially thwarted Baker’s attack. This didn’t last, however, as Hayter rushed the ring and attacked Statlander. Ultimately, Baker was able to Curb Stomp Velvet into the championship gold.
Jamie Hayter had made some appearances for AEW prior. Her close friend and fellow former Stardom wrestler, Bea Priestley, was released as she simply couldn’t get into the United States to compete due to global restrictions. Many believe this is why Hayter hasn’t worked with AEW more regularly.
What’s interesting about Hayter’s return is that the last time she competed in a singles match on AEW television, it was inside the same venue as her appearance on Rampage. She competed inside the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her opponent was none other than Britt Baker.
Del Sol challenged Miro for the AEW TNT Championship on the debut episode of Rampage. The stipulation was that not only was the gold on the line, but Del Sol would earn an AEW contract with a victory. Despite a red hot start, Del Sol failed to vanquish Miro.
After the match, Miro ripped up what would’ve been Del Sol’s contract. Luckily for the masked luchador, the story doesn’t end here.
Once Rampage returned from a commercial break, Del Sol stood in the ring and received a standing ovation. Sammy Guevara made his way out and he was handed a contract by Tony Khan.
“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.”
The debut episode of Rampage opened up with an Impact World Title match. Kenny Omega put his gold on the line against Christian Cage. Cage turned the tables on Omega, who tried to plant him with the One-Winged Angel on a chair. Cage reversed and nailed Omega with a Killswitch on the chair to capture the Impact World Title.
John Cena dropped quite a reference involving CM Punk and Jon Moxley.
The Aug. 13 edition of SmackDown opened up with Cena addressing the WWE Universe. He made it clear that while he believes he’s in for a beating against Roman Reigns at WWE SummerSlam, he’ll still pull off the victory to become a 17-time world champion in WWE.
Reigns later came out with Paul Heyman to respond to Cena. It was during this exchange that Cena referenced CM Punk with the following.
“You’re gonna show up all full of yourself like you normally do and put on a hell of a show. I’m just gonna hang in there for 1,2,3. And then I’m gonna take your title, I’m gonna jump the barricade, and I’m gonna run out of Allegiant Stadium as fast as I can. I may even blow you a kiss goodbye.”
Cena is referring to his July 2011 showdown with Punk at the Money in the Bank PPV. The storyline going into that match was that CM Punk’s contract was expiring and he wanted to leave the company as WWE Champion. Punk ended up pinning Cena with the GTS and blowing a kiss at Vince McMahon before exiting through the crowd.
Cena then referenced another former WWE star in Jon Moxley, who used to be known as Dean Ambrose with the company.
“You haven’t been embarrassed, you’ve been protected. Pretty face with giant bars of soap you got for teeth. You’ve been protected, Roman. You’ve been protected by The Shield. Hell, you almost ruined Seth Rollins. You ran Dean Ambrose out of WWE.”
Is CM Punk Headed To AEW?
Punk has been heavily teased for a return to wrestling under the AEW banner. Many speculate that he will make his promotional debut on the Aug. 20 edition of Rampage. That episode will be taking place inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Punk, himself, dropped what many believe to be a major hint. On his Instagram Stories, Punk posted a quote that is tattooed on AEW star Darby Allin’s chest.
CM Punk's latest Instagram 'story' includes the quote, "Nothing's Over Till You're Underground" – the phrase Darby Allin has tattooed on his chest ? #AEWpic.twitter.com/Qj8vljI0BS
CM Punk has given some advice for the slew of talent released by WWE.
This year hasn’t been kind to many who once called WWE home. While there were also cuts in 2020, there have been some big surprises as of late such as the releases of Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman. Recently, 12 wrestlers who competed on the NXT brand saw their WWE runs come to a close.
“Um, hmm… I mean, I don’t know, I’ve been out of the loop. I don’t know a lot of the people who got fired but I know that it’s probably more of a blessing than anything. You know, if you want to be a pro wrestler, you can be, but you don’t have to work for WWE. I think it sucks, I think anybody getting fired sucks, but I do think, for a lot of people it could be the best thing that ever happened to them.
“You know, if that’s where you want to be and you got fired, well then your job is to work hard and prove them wrong, and try to get your job back. But if your job is just to be the best pro wrestler you can be, put food on your table, have money in your pocket, I think there’s a world now in 2021 where, more so than in recent times, you can be a pro wrestler.”
CM Punk is heavily rumored to be making his debut on AEW television on the Aug. 20 edition of Rampage. The show will emanate from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Of course, this is Punk’s hometown.
Punk hasn’t been seen in action since 2014. He made his exit from WWE following the Royal Rumble PPV. Punk cited frustrations with how WWE’s medical team handled a staph infection, lack of time off, and booking decisions.
Former AEW Women’s Champion Riho is expected to return to AEW television soon.
Many have wondered why Riho hasn’t been seen in action for over a month. Her last appearance took place on the July 7 edition of AEW Dark: Elevation. Riho picked up a victory over Amber Nova.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Riho has a bad reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine. The good news is that she has been feeling better and is looking to return to the ring soon. An exact timeframe wasn’t revealed.
Riho decided to make the full-time jump from Stardom to AEW. Stardom reportedly wanted to sign her full-time but AEW got the jump on it first. She was reportedly in the process of moving from Japan to the United States.
Back in Oct. 2019, Riho became the inaugural AEW Women’s World Champion. She held on to that title for 133 days before losing it to Nyla Rose. Her last high-profile match took place back in May at Double or Nothing. She challenged Serena Debb for the NWA Women’s Title. Riho was submitted in the title match.
Who would you like to see Riho feud with upon her return to AEW TV?
It appears we now know the true reason why WWE cut ties with Bronson Reed.
Reed was among the dozen names released from NXT earlier this month. The cut came as a surprise to many as Reed appeared primed for a main roster call-up. After all, he had been chosen to compete in a dark match before an episode of SmackDown.
As it turns out, that dark match ended up leading to his release. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon passed on bringing Reed up to the main roster.
McMahon felt it was pointless to keep the former NXT North American Champion on the payroll if he was never going to make it to the big show (Raw and SmackDown). This same attitude was the primary justification for the other releases, as well.
“I was very shocked, very upset. As you know this doesn’t just affect me but affects my wife as well as we are here in a foreign country. But my wife is a super positive person and she’s kept me positive as well.
“The love and support that I’ve received online is just incredible. I was trending on Twitter. That means a lot to me, it means a lot to me that a lot of you feel for me and will still continue to follow me no matter what.”
“I did want to thank NXT, I want to thank Hunter and Shawn for believing in me. I want to thank all the coaches; Terry Taylor, Scotty 2 Hotty, Normal Smiley, Steve Corino, those guys that I learned a lot from. And I want to thank all the boys backstage as well. It was a great locker room to be a part of.”
Becky Lynch has been training for her eventual in-ring return and her progress has been noted.
Lynch has not been seen on WWE television since April 2020. She announced her pregnancy and vacated the Raw Women’s Championship. After giving birth and entering motherhood, it appears Lynch is preparing for a return to action.
Fightful Select reports that Lynch has been training at the Black and Brave Academy since May. Oftentimes, she trains with her husband Seth Rollins.
According to the report, Lynch has already gotten herself to in-ring shape. It’s been said in other reports that Lynch could be making her return to TV this fall. PWInsider has also reported that Lynch will make the trip to SummerSlam but it’s possible she may not be on camera.
No Shortage Of Opponents
When Lynch does return to the WWE, she’ll have no trouble finding a fight. SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair told Planeta Wrestling that she’d like to welcome “The Man” back.
“I would love to defend my title against Becky Lynch. You know, I think it speaks volumes of how big Becky is that she hasn’t been here in over a year but she is still one of the most talked-about names. That shows just how big and how amazing a superstar she is. And, of course, when she comes back, I would love to be the first feud with Becky Lynch when she comes back and I’m the type of person, I’m an athlete, right! So I know that in order to be the best you have to get in the ring with the best.”
“I’m ready for the challenge from Becky and I truly hope it does happen, Becky and Drew [McIntyre] have been amazing role models, inspiring me and creating that blueprint.”
AEW Rampage premieres tonight on TNT at 10pm (Eastern). It’s the second weekly cable TV show from All Elite Wrestling.
The debut episode of AEW Rampage will take place from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Petersen Events Center.
In an effort to establish Rampage as a must-watch show right out the gate, we have three championship matches signed for the broadcast.
The first match on the first episode of AEW Rampage will see Kenny Omega defending the Impact World Championship against Christian Cage. This will be the first time in history that the Impact World title is defending on AEW programming.
TNT Champion Miro will put his title on the line against Fuego Del Sol. In addition to his title shot against Miro, FDS will be awarded an AEW contract if he’s victorious over The Redeemer.
Finally, Dr. Britt Baker will battle Red Velvet in the main event of the first AEW Rampage. Britt Baker typically portrays a villain in AEW. However, she received a hero’s welcome at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite from Pittsburgh.
It’s sure to be an eventful show for AEW fans. A new chapter begins tonight, just one week away from AEW Rampage: The First Dance from Chicago, IL.
Alex Marvez recently interviewed Cage, who revealed he will be making his way back to the Impact Zone next week and he plans to do so as the company’s world champion.
“Listen, Kenny and I are gonna get to know each other really, really well over the next month or so. Kenny, he calls himself the belt collector, and for good reason. Obviously, he has a nice collection going. But I’ve made a decision that I’m gonna beat Kenny for all of those titles and it starts with the Impact World Championship tomorrow night on Rampage.
“But here’s the thing, next week I’ll be back in the Impact Zone for the first time in I don’t know how many years. And I feel like I owe it to Impact for all that it’s done for me in my career. You see Impact, my history there, it runs deep. It gave me the chance to main event. It gave me the chance to wrestle for world titles. I might not have gotten those opportunities anywhere else but Impact, they saw something in me and I stepped up and I became a better wrestler for it.”
During his time with Impact Wrestling, known as TNA Wrestling at the time, Christian Cage became a two-time NWA World Champion. Many credit Cage’s run in TNA as the reason for his ascent to the main event scene.
Do you think Christian Cage will take the Impact World Title from Kenny Omega?
WWE has gone through with a long-persued trademark for Becky Lynch.
The WWE Universe refers to Lynch as “The Man.” It’s a nickname the former women’s champion has gone by since late 2018. Lynch’s popularity eventually caught fire and she became one of the hottest stars in WWE.
Recently, Lynch took time off to become a mother. Since that time, images have surfaced of Lynch and it’s safe to say she looks to be in tremendous ring shape. Could we be one step closer to seeing her back in the ring?
“THE MAN™ trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of toys, namely, action figures, accessories therefor; dolls; cases for action figures; toy wrestling rings; playsets for use with action figures; toy vehicles; board games; hand-held units for playing electronic game other than those adopted for use with an electronic display screen or monitor; tabletop action skill games; construction toys; playing cards; puzzles; stuffed toys; plush toys; toy belts; knee and elbow pads for athletic use; toy foam hands; costume masks; novelty face masks; Christmas tree decorations; toy spinning tops; arcade games; kites; bobble-head dolls; puppets; card games; toy guitars; toy water guns; vinyl products for playing in a pool; doll furniture; party favors in the nature of crackers and noisemakers; skateboards; toy scooters; paper party favors; collectible championship belts.”
WWE and Ric Flair were once in a battle over the trademark. For decades, Flair coined himself as “The Man.” The two sides eventually reached a deal that saw the WWE gain rights to the trademark. They have now filed.
It’s been reported by PW Insider that Becky Lynch is expected to make the travel to SummerSlam this year. With that said, it’s possible that she won’t show up on camera.
CM Punk isn’t interested in dropping another pipebomb on how WWE does business.
The story of Punk’s exit from the WWE is well-documented. After lasting over 49 minutes, Punk was eliminated from the 2014 Royal Rumble match. It would end up being his last WWE appearance, not counting his role as an analyst on the FOX-produced WWE Backstage years later.
Punk grew frustrated with how the WWE medical team handled a staph infection. He was also upset over not getting time off as well as the company’s booking decisions.
Is CM Punk Hip To Current WWE Product?
During an appearance on Sunday Night’s Main Event Podcast, Punk answered the question of whether or not he’s aware of what’s going on when it comes to WWE programming nowadays.
“No, I had to watch it a little bit when I was an analyst for FOX. But I mean… hmm, how do I say this diplomatically? Um, no, I think they’ve got some people who are super awesome and great in the ring, but you know, nothing grabs me to get me to want to watch.”
Jason Agnew, host of the podcast, admitted he was a bit surprised that Punk was rather reserved when discussing his current view of the WWE product. Punk responded with the following.
“I’m getting ‘a little long in the tooth’ now. And I would much rather uplift and show love to things I like than to tear anything down. You know, you can’t say that what they’re doing is wrong. They are the most profitable they’ve ever been since their inception, so who am I to say… you know what I mean? Like… it’s ice cream, there’s 31,000 flavors, everybody gets their favorite, I just don’t like vanilla.”
It has been heavily implied through rumors, reports, and even AEW that Punk will be making his debut on the second edition of AEW Rampage on Aug. 20. Nothing has been made official, however.
Roman Reigns has made it clear he’s no fan of the missionary position but did he get some heat for it?
On the July 23 edition of WWE SmackDown, Reigns cut a promo denying Cena an opportunity at a Universal Title match at SummerSlam. Ultimately, Cena ended up signing a contract on another episode of SmackDown, so the two will end up meeting on Aug. 21 inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Reigns had what many considered to be the line of the night on that July 23 episode of SmackDown, however. He compared John Cena’s act to doing the missionary position with a significant other every night.
I gotta put "Missionary Position" right up there with "This Is My Yard Now" as an all time great Roman Reigns moment on the mic.
During an edition of the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, Reigns set the record straight on whether or not he had backstage heat.
“There was a portion of my career where I’d either read a script or I would try to adjust a script as much as possible. For a while now, especially since I’ve come back from my little leave during the beginning of the pandemic since SummerSlam, I’m not scripted. I say what I want to. I say what I feel, and if it comes out of my mouth, it’s my verbiage. I come up with it. I deliver it, and that’s why it’s been the way it’s been because it’s mine.
“I don’t know why they edited that out, and I think it did raise some eyebrows, but I don’t get in trouble. The gimmick is as close to being real as possible. Even if, even if they try to say something to me, I wouldn’t have cared anyways. What are you gonna do, not have me on SmackDown next week. Like I did before SummerSlam during last summer, I’ll go home. It doesn’t matter to me. Let’s see how it goes without me.”
Many have praised the Roman Reigns character since being aligned with Paul Heyman and turning heel. Reigns has held the WWE Universal Championship since Aug. 30, 2020. He’s on his way to going a full year with the gold.
The “EST of WWE,” Bianca Belair, wants a piece of “The Man,” Becky Lynch.
Belair is the reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion. She’s held that title since WrestleMania 37. Belair is due for a highly-anticipated rematch with Sasha Banks at SummerSlam on Aug. 21.
While Belair is preparing for another high-profile title match, she’s got someone else in the back of her mind as well. During an interview with Planeta Wrestling’s Miguel Perez, Belair said she is hoping to welcome Lynch back inside the ring.
“I would love to defend my title against Becky Lynch. You know, I think it speaks volumes of how big Becky is that she hasn’t been here in over a year but she is still one of the most talked-about names. That shows just how big and how amazing a superstar she is. And, of course, when she comes back, I would love to be the first feud with Becky Lynch when she comes back and I’m the type of person, I’m an athlete, right! So I know that in order to be the best you have to get in the ring with the best.”
Reports have indicated that Lynch will likely make the trip to SummerSlam. With that said, it’s possible that she won’t be on camera. Lynch has been out of action since April 2020 after announcing her pregnancy. Since then, Lynch has been enjoying motherhood and has quickly gotten back to ring shape. Time will tell when she makes her way back to the squared circle.
Former NXT star Bronson Reed (Jonah Rock) has called out AEW TNT Champion Miro.
Reed was a part of a slew of NXT roster cuts. The list included Reed, Bobby Fish, Mercedes Martinez, Leon Ruff, Tyler Rust, Jake Atlas, and others. For many, Reed was the most shocking name on that list. After all, he was called upon to work some dark matches before an episode of SmackDown and the belief was that he’d make his main roster debut soon.
Now that he is no longer a part of the WWE, Reed is turning his attention to other promotions. It’s quite clear that he has at least one man in mind to pick a fight with. Here’s the message Reed sent out on Twitter.
Miro has held the TNT Championship since May 12. He ended the 186-day reign of Darby Allin. On the debut episode of AEW Rampage, Miro will put the gold on the line against Fuego Del Sol.
Recently-released NXT stars have 30-day non-compete clauses, so Bronson Reed could show up in AEW within a matter of weeks.
Time will tell when Reed will be able to showcase his talents in another promotion.
AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker threw out the first pitch at Thursday’s Pittsburgh Pirates MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Her guest catcher was none other than AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone.
The first pitch was in association with KultureCity, a non-profit that provides sensory inclusive experiences for fans at AEW events.
AEW released this video of Britt Baker’s ceremonial first pitch.
Chris Jericho has moved on to the fifth labour and he’s got a doozy of a stipulation to deal with against MJF.
Jericho competed against Wardlow in the main event of this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite. During the match, MJF attempted to hand Wardlow the Dynamite Diamond Ring to use as a weapon. Referee Aubrey Edwards caught MJF in the act and threw him out of the ring.
Jericho was one step ahead of both MJF and Wardlow. With Aubrey focused on MJF, Jericho struck Wardlow with a bat and nailed the Judas Effect for the three-count. After the match, Jericho was attacked by Shawn Spears. Sammy Guevara ran down but the numbers game caught up as MJF and Wardlow jumped in.
Before substantial damage could be done, Jake Hager chased off members of The Pinnacle.
Dynamite didn’t go off the air until MJF revealed his stipulation for the fifth labour. When the match goes down on the Aug. 18 edition of Dynamite, Jericho cannot walk down the ramp to his entrance music and is barred from using the Judas Effect against MJF.
“Next week, I’m gonna take away something from you that you love, something you cherish, something that has helped you win each and every single one of these labours thus far. Chris next week, no Judas Effect, no Judas music. You are going to be coming out here to dead silence! These schmucks are not gonna be able to sing along to your crappy little song! And if you hit me with Judas Effect, Chris, I automatically win.”
Who will win the fifth labour of Jericho? Will it be MJF or Chris Jericho?
Malakai Black has weighed in on the possibility of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan joining AEW.
The wrestling world has been buzzing about reports and rumors of Punk and Bryan making their way to AEW television. Punk hasn’t been seen in a wrestling ring since 2014, while Bryan is fresh off his run on WWE TV.
Black, who is a recent AEW signee, appeared on Pro Wrestling 4 Life and told Sean Waltman that he doesn’t know if Punk truly is on his way to the promotion.
“Number one, I genuinely do not know if it’s true. I genuinely don’t. I haven’t heard anyone mention it. Obviously, there’s a buzz in the locker room. I think it’d be great. I think it really proves that the times have changed. I think it’d be a validation of how different everything is and how different the business is now. I don’t play the ‘us vs. them’ cards. I just don’t. I want everybody to be successful.”
Black then turned his attention to Bryan and said he’d love to see the former WWE Champion make the transition.
“I can see someone like Daniel pulling the trigger on that because he’s someone who has a great love for wrestling, and always wants to try different things and always has a different perspective on stuff. Sometimes, it’s just fun to think about the possibilities, and for me, obviously with my release, the possibilities became different. I can only imagine how his brain might work. I can only guess at it. I hope so. I can see him definitely showing up, but again, I don’t know.”
Would you like to see Malakai Black booked to face CM Punk or Daniel Bryan?
Damian Priest has revealed that it was looking like his angle with renowned recording artist Bad Bunny wouldn’t come to fruition.
Priest was involved in the biggest angle of his pro wrestling career going into WrestleMania 37. At “The Grandest Stage of Them All” Priest teamed with Bad Bunny to take on The Miz and John Morrison. It was a chance for Priest to showcase his talents to a new audience as well as get the existing WWE Universe members behind him. Priest and Bad Bunny ended up winning the match.
Appearing on the Battleground podcast, Priest recalled the opportunity nearly slipping from his grasp.
“The day before the Royal Rumble, it got scrapped. I wasn’t supposed to be a part of it. Come the Royal Rumble, it was back on. I know for instance, HHH said, ‘I don’t know why they told you that was going to change, but no, we’re still going to go with this because this is more realistic. It’s an actual thing that you’re friends.’ To go along with that, it was also Bad Bunny, where they told him they were going to switch it, and he actually spoke up and said, ‘No, I want to work with Priest.’ That’s actually really cool because if he would have said, ‘Ok, yea, I would rather work with somebody else,’ they would have given him whatever he wanted, but he specifically said he wanted me to work with him.”
Priest said that he was able to get along with Bad Bunny quickly as they both share Puerto Rican heritage. He went on to praise the popular artist for taking the wrestling business seriously.
“He wanted to put in the work. He didn’t want to come in here and just be that celebrity that was in and out. He wanted to make his fans proud, our fans proud, and his fandom proud because he is a huge fan. He understands the respect that’s needed to be put into this business to be successful. He did everything the right way, and it showed.”
You can add Damian Priest to the long list of wrestlers that have praised Bad Bunny. Triple H, Randy Orton, The Miz, and others have expressed their joy after Bad Bunny’s performance and dedication to the industry.
Booker T is aware of Rene Dupree’s injury accusations hurled towards Goldberg.
Dupree had been signed with WWE from 2002 through 2007. He got called up from OVW in 2003. He had been on television during Goldberg’s first run with WWE. At some point, Dupree had a pretape with the former WCW Champion. During an appearance on That 90’s Wrestling Podcast, Dupree alleged that Goldberg broke his collarbone after several botched spots where he was hit with the French flag.
On a recent edition of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T questioned why Dupree is all of sudden publicly airing out his issues with Goldberg.
“When I hear that kind of talk like that, as far as he broke my shoulder (collarbone) or whatever, the time to speak up about that collarbone thing was back then, and say, ‘What the hell are you doing? You’re about to hurt me. Hit me like that one more time and see what happens, we’re going to be in a fight.’
“I’m just saying, that’s what I would have said. I wouldn’t be talking 15 years later about how bad it hurt. We would have had to confront each other about something like that happening. I just hate to hear people talk about, ‘WWE is desperate.’ I’m sure he (Dupree) wished he was the person in that spot where still the company was ‘desperate’ but he was the guy in that spot.”
Booker T also brought up an infamous incident involving Dupree and Hardcore Holly. It’s been said that Holly put the boots to Dupree over failing to admit he racked up parking tickets after letting him borrow his car.
Do you agree with Booker T’s comments on Rene Dupree airing his grievances with Goldberg?
Bianca Belair has given her take on NXT’s potential new direction.
Reports have surfaced claiming that there are some major changes being made to the brand. The rumors have come off the heels of many NXT roster cuts. Names such as Bronson Reed, Bobby Fish, Mercedes Martinez, former NXT North American Champion Leon Ruff, and more were released.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio recently reported that neither Triple H nor Shawn Michaels had anything to do with the talent cuts. On top of that, it’s been said that NXT will be more focused on getting talent prepped for the main roster rather than being a third major brand.
ViBe & Wrestling was able to catch up with Belair, who shined bright in NXT and has since become the SmackDown Women’s Champion. The “EST of WWE” responded to a possible repackaging of NXT.
So Good At Adapting
“NXT is home to me. They really built me from the ground. When I came to NXT I didn’t know anything so it’s an amazing place to be and no matter how long you are there, [they’re] always gonna instill something in you that can ignite the fire in you and help you to succeed no matter where you’re at.
“As far as repackaging NXT, I know no matter what happens, NXT and WWE, in general, are so good at adapting and just being successful at anything that they do. Look at the ThunderDome and how they adapted at what was happening in the world, making the ThunderDome and virtual fans being able to adapt no matter what to be successful and that’s what’s amazing about this company. Anybody that steps foot in this company, no matter what can go off and be successful inside and outside.”
Bianca Belair also talked about being inspired by Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, who recently went public with her mental health struggles.
Just in time for UFC Utica, here’s another edition of the MMA News Roundup.
Once a week, MMANews.com provides a roundup of three top news stories from the week for SEScoops.com readers. This week’s top stories center around Michael Bisping, Dana White on Chuck Liddell’s return, and Nick Diaz. There was plenty more to digest and you can visit MMA News for a complete fix.
Let’s hop into this week’s roundup:
3. Nick Diaz Arrested, Mugshot Revealed
Image Credit: LVMPD
Nick Diaz found himself in hot water last week. The Stockton native was arrested on domestic violence charges. After seeing a judge in Las Vegas, Diaz was out of jail on $18,000 bail. This week, his mugshot was revealed.
Diaz had just been free to compete under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner. Diaz was cleared by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) following three Whereabouts Failures. The UFC released the following statement on Diaz’s arrest:
“UFC is aware of the recent arrest of middleweight athlete, Nick Diaz. The organization does not tolerate domestic violence and requires all athletes to adhere to the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy. Every athlete is deserving of due process and this situation, as with any official allegations, will be duly reviewed and thoroughly investigated by an independent party.”
2. Dana White Reacts To Chuck Liddell’s Return
Image Credit: Bryan Steffy/WireImage via Getty Images
Chuck Liddell recently announced that he was making his return to active competition as mentioned in a previous edition of the MMA News Roundup. If you didn’t get the gist of that bit of news, Liddell is in talks with Oscar De La Hoya to have a third bout with Tito Ortiz in November. Even if it doesn’t work out with Ortiz, Liddell still plans to compete again.
UFC president Dana White was the man who urged Liddell to retire back in 2010. When White caught wind of Liddell’s plans, he blasted De La Hoya as a promoter. Here’s what he had to say:
“I don’t know if De La Hoya’s that smart. He isn’t the brightest bulb on the porch. Oscar De La Arum is not that bright, but I don’t know what he’s thinking. Hopefully Chuck’s going to be his business partner and not fight. The last thing I want to do is sh*t on Chuck Liddell, because I love him, but I asked him to retire 10 years ago for a reason.”
The biggest story of the week was easily Michael Bisping’s retirement. On Monday (May 28), the former UFC middleweight title holder announced that he’s decided to hang up his gloves. Bisping flirted with the idea of a third bout with Luke Rockhold, but he’s moving on.
“The Count” leaves the sport of mixed martial arts with a record of 30-9. Many believe his legacy will be that of a pioneer for MMA in Europe. He’ll also likely be remembered for overcoming many obstacles in his career, including winning a world championship despite suffering from strabismus as a result of multiple surgeries done to correct a retinal detachment of his right eye.
That’ll do it for this week’s edition of the MMA News Roundup. Tonight (June 1), UFC Utica will take place. MMANews.com will provide live coverage of the event, so be sure to join us.
Once a week, MMANews.com provides a roundup of three top news stories from the week for SEScoops.com readers. This week’s top stories center around Chuck Liddell, Nate Diaz, and Raquel Pennington. There was plenty more to digest and you can visit MMA News for a complete fix.
Let’s hop into this week’s roundup:
3. Raquel Pennington Responds To Corner Critics
Image Credit: Jason Silva/USA TODAY Sports
The main event of UFC 224 sparked a debate within the MMA community. Raquel Pennington challenged women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. Pennington ending up suffering a fifth round TKO loss.
The controversy here revolves around Pennington’s corner. After having her nose busted at the end of the fourth round, Pennington told her corner that she was done. Rather than throwing in the towel, Pennington’s corner encouraged her to enter the final round. Many criticized the corner, saying “Rocky” took unnecessary damage. Pennington responded by saying her corner pushed her as an athlete when she wanted to quit on herself.
2. Nate Diaz Investigated For Alleged Battery
Image Credit: Getty Images
Nate Diaz is in some hot water following a recent incident involving a fellow UFC fighter and former opponent. Diaz attended a Combate Americas event and apparently couldn’t keep his hands to himself. Diaz allegedly shoved Clay Guida from behind. Guida stumbled forward and split his lip on a guardrail. Diaz also allegedly slapped Tyler Diamond, a training partner of Guida.
The Sacramento Sheriff Department confirmed that an investigation is underway. Guida filed an incident report. Back in Jan. 2009, Guida earned a split decision victory over Diaz. In March, Guida called out Diaz for a rematch.
1. Chuck Liddell Returning To MMA
Image Credit: Marlene Karas/AP
When Chuck Liddell met up with Oscar De La Hoya recently, it got MMA fans talking. It didn’t take long for Liddell to reveal what those talks were about. “The Iceman” said he’s making a return to active competition and may do so under Golden Boy MMA. Liddell revealed that he is in talks to fight Tito Ortiz for a third time this November.
“The Iceman” also said he’s interested in bouts with Chael Sonnen and Jon Jones. This led to a back-and-forth exchange on Twitter where Jones ripped Liddell’s string of losses. Liddell made it clear that even if the bout with Ortiz falls through, he will still make a comeback.
That’ll do it for this week’s MMA News Roundup. Be sure to visit MMANews.com for live coverage of UFC Chile tonight starting with the prelims at 6:30 p.m. ET.
While fight fans have been gearing up for UFC 224 and Bellator 199 tomorrow night (May 12), fans got hit with some bombshells near the end of the week. We have a targeted bout, a confirmed lightweight tilt, and a shocking UFC release. All of that is covered in this week’s MMA News Roundup.
Let’s get to business:
3. Eddie Alvarez vs. Dustin Poirier II Set For UFC Calgary
Image via UFC weigh-ins
After much delay, a rematch between Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier is finally set to go down. A big holdup was Alvarez’s contract situation. The former UFC lightweight title holder said he wouldn’t compete unless he was offered a new contract. UFC president Dana White spoke with Alvarez recently and talks went smooth enough for “The Underground King” to get back inside the Octagon.
Alvarez and Poirier first did battle back in May 2017. It was a back-and-forth contest with both men getting in clean shots. The bout ended in a No Contest when Alvarez landed illegal knee strikes to the head of a downed opponent. Many believe Alvarez should’ve been disqualified.
2. Yair Rodriguez Released From UFC
Image Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
In a move that made most of the MMA community say “what the f*ck,” Yair Rodriguez was released by the UFC. Rodriguez was linked to talks of a bout at UFC 227 on Aug. 4 against fellow 145-pound prospect Zabit Magomedsharipov. Dana White claimed Rodriguez turned down bouts with Magomedsharipov and Ricardo Lamas. As a result, “El Pantera” was cut from his contract.
What makes the move shocking is the fact that White has claimed that fighters in the past have turned down numerous fights. Nate and Nick Diaz are prime examples of this. Yet they get to remain on the roster due to their drawing abilities. Meanwhile, with the UFC making a less aggressive play for Mexico, Rodriguez is left in the dust. MMA News’ Adam Martin doesn’t agree with the move.
1. GSP vs. Nate Diaz Targeted For UFC 227
It’s clear that officials and Dana White want to stack UFC 227. The event will take place inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The main event is already decided as bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw defends his gold against Cody Garbrandt in a rematch. Now, the UFC wants its co-headliner.
White recently revealed that he’s looking to book Georges St-Pierre vs. Nate Diaz for the card. St-Pierre has never competed at lightweight, while Diaz’s last bout at 155 pounds was back in Dec. 2015. There’s a bit of history between the two, as St-Pierre defeated Nate’s brother Nick at UFC 158. Nate recently accused GSP of using steroids ahead of that fight.
That’ll be all for this week’s MMA News Roundup. Be sure to check in with MMANews.com tomorrow night as we’ll be providing live coverage of UFC 224 and Bellator 199.
This week, the MMA world was hit with some interesting reports that caused quite a stir. From Nate Diaz, to Conor McGregor and even the inaugural UFC women’s flyweight champion. Without wasting any more time, let’s get to it:
3. Nicco Montano-UFC Calgary Drama
Image Credit: Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
A report from MMA journalist Ariel Helwani caused some controversy. Helwani reported that sources told him the UFC was losing patience with Nicco Montano. The report notes that officials were hoping to book Montano’s title defense against Valentina Shevchenko for UFC Calgary, but the champion is not committing to the bout.
This caused Montano to unleash a rant on Helwani where she talked about being unable to compete due to her condition. She’s recovering from surgery due to a bacterial infection. Helwani stuck to his report on yesterday’s “MMA Beat” and says UFC officials have reached out to him to confirm his initial report.
2. Conor McGregor’s Punishment From UFC
If you were expecting the UFC to punish Conor McGregor before he deals with the law, then think again. UFC president Dana White recently said that McGregor’s punishment from the law has to come first before the UFC decides on a punishment for the “Notorious” one. Many are still holding out hope that McGregor will face Khabib Nurmagomedov later this year.
McGregor found himself in hot water after his UFC 223 media day incident. McGregor threw a dolly at a fighter bus, smashing one of the windows. Main card fighter Michael Chiesa was cut and had to be pulled from the event. Ray Borg had glass shards in his eyes and had to be removed as well. McGregor was arrested and later released on $50,000 bond. He is due back in court in June.
1. Nate Diaz’s UFC Return Status
Image Credit: Getty Images
The true status of Nate Diaz’s UFC return is anyone’s guess. Brett Okamoto, a respected journalist who has been getting a number of exclusive tidbits from Dana White recently, reported that Diaz and the UFC have been in talks for a potential return. The reported date discussed was Aug. 4 for UFC 227 in Los Angeles.
Another respected and longtime combat sports journalist Kevin Iole reached out to White for confirmation. White said “nothing is going on” because Diaz has been offered fights numerous times and has always turned them down. Time will tell if Diaz steps back inside the Octagon.
That’ll do it for this week’s MMA News Roundup. There are no UFC or Bellator events this weekend, but stick with MMANews.com for the latest updates in the world of MMA. On May 12, UFC 224 and Bellator 199 will take place. Be sure to check in with MMA News for live results, highlights, and other post-fight tidbits for both events.
The life of Bruno Sammartino won’t soon be forgotten.
Sammartino died today (April 18) at the age of 82. WWE made the announcement this morning. Sammartino leaves behind his wife Carol and their three sons.
It’s almost an understatement to call Sammartino a legend. He is the longest reigning WWE champion and nobody comes close to the length of his combined reigns. He held the championship for 2,803. His second reign was shorter, but he still maintained gold for a whopping 1,237 days.
This record is unlikely to be broken as times have changed. During his prime, Sammartino carried the World Wide Wrestling Federation on his back. He eventually had a falling out with Vince McMahon over the direction that the industry was going in.
To the surprise of many, Sammartino accepted a WWE Hall of Fame invitation in 2013. The WWE made numerous attempts in the past for obvious reasons. It isn’t much of a pro wrestling Hall of Fame if Sammartino isn’t inducted.
The timing couldn’t be any better. The 2013 Hall of Fame ceremony was held inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was in that building where Sammartino tore the house down with many other wrestlers who would also become legends.
We here at SEScoops.com send our condolences to the family of Bruno Sammartino.
