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Luke Harper Possibly Out With Injury

There is speculation Luke Harper might be on the injured list at the moment. He was spotted last night with a cast on his left hand. His last match was an October 1st house show in Kennewick, WA. The last time he was on WWE programming was August 21st when he and Rowen dropped the tag titles to New Day on Smackdown.

Comedian, Brad Williams of Netflix’s “the Degenerates”, posted that Harper showed up to his comedy show last night:

Rowen suffered a torn pec (which has really been going around lately) this summer and has been on the injured list ever since.

Harper and Rowen

Collectively known as the Bludgeon Brothers, Eric Rowan, and Luke Harper held the Smackdown tag team titles from WrestleMania to August 21st. Harper was on the Edge and Christian podcast earlier this year and detailed his reaction to learning of the Bludgeon Brothers gimmick.

“[…] instantly, in my head, I go, ‘man, it’s 2018. What are we doing?’ And that lasted about a fleeting second. And then I said, ‘oh, this is f*****g awesome!”

“Years ago, me and Rowan were told we’re done. We’re done being a team, we’ve done everything we can, and we’re here for five years later in a whole new thing and we’re tag team champions, so I can’t complain.”

Posted November 11th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Kota Ibushi Rejects Hirooki Goto’s Offer For A Title Match

Kota Ibushi has rejected an offer from Hirooki Goto to face him for the NEVER Openweight Championship. Evidently, Ibushi seems unsure as to what the NEVER Openweight title is for and so he won’t challenge for it.

Ibushi sent out the following Tweet earlier today:

Google translate offered up little help:

“Mr. Goto. I had a chance to speak directly in Okinawa yesterday, but I didn’t understand it very well. Can anything be done about the belt of Never, a free belt that can explode? To say that… What is it? I am anxious about what can be violent freely. I still don’t know. So… Reject!”

Chris Charlton translated a better description of what Ibushi said:

“Ibushi still rejecting Goto’s invitation to challenge for the NEVER belt until Goto proves its worth. Goto has said NEVER represents freedom because you can represent it how you like but Ibushi doesn’t know what that’s supposed to mean.”

NEVER Openweight Championship

Unlike most of NJPW’s titles, the NEVER Openweight title has no weight restrictions and is open to all wrestlers. The title is actually an acronym for “New Blood”, “Evolution”, “Valiantly”, “Eternal”, and “Radical” but it’s unclear what that means. The title was originally for wrestlers who were from outside NJPW but it eventually just became a lower ranked singles title.

Posted November 11th, 2018 in News, NJPW. Tagged: , .

Flip Gordon Comments On The Elite Possibly Leaving ROH

Flip Gordon’s popularity has grown considerably this last year. Much of that can be attributed to his frequent appearances on Being the Elite. The 26-year-old spoke to Wrestling Inc recently on a variety of subjects recently. Perhaps most notably, however, Flip addressed the possibility of the Elite leaving ROH and what that could mean for him.

“If they do leave, anything can happen,” Gordon said. “There’s so much time between now and whenever whatever’s supposed to happen. If they leave, that just opens up more opportunities. Just like when I came to ROH, there were a lot of guys that left. That’s why I got to where I am so fast, because these opportunities were available for me.”

Flip Gordon On Becoming The “Face of ROH”

If the Elite do leave ROH, Gordon could possibly be pegged as a new top-guy for the promotion. He also addressed the possibility of becoming the “face of ROH” during the interview.

“That is my goal,” He continued. “I re-signed with ROH and I’m with them until 2020. I knew that when I signed the contract, this is a commitment. Two years I’m with ROH. So if people leave, great! That is just more opportunities for me. If they stay, great! That’s even harder I have to work then because I still want those spots.”

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News, ROH.

Kurt Angle Says He Wants To Wrestle More, Names Dream Opponents

Kurt Angle had his first two single’s matches in WWE since 2006 earlier this month. He lost both of them. Angle lost to Dolph Ziggler in the 1st round of the WWE World Cup and then on Monday night, he was soundly beaten by Drew McIntyre in the main event.

He was asked by a fan on his Facebook page recently what is next for him in WWE.

“I don’t know,” Angle responded. “I do want to wrestle more, I just started wrestling again so it’s going to take a few matches before I get the kinks out, especially being older now. I’m hoping I get a little bit more consistent wrestling in the future. Either way, I love contributing. We will see.”

Kurt Angle Facebook Q&A Highlights

Angle was also asked what his thoughts are on Shane McMahon winning the World Cup.

“Shane has proven himself to be a great sports entertainer,” Angle responded. “I would have preferred him to earn the World Cup Title by wrestling in the tournament though.”

Angle named his dream match during the Q&A session.

“2014 Kurt Angle vs 1989 Ric Flair. Damn, I’d pay good money to see that. Lol.”

He also named Kenny Omega as the man from NJPW he would most want to face.

Angle was also asked who from NXT he might want to wrestle some day and his answer was Velveteen Dream.

“I met Velveteen Dream on an Indy circuit 4 or 5 years ago,” Angle said. “I’m amazed at his progress. I’d love to have a match with him before I retire.”

You can read the full Q&A here.

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Dolph Ziggler Talks His Second Career As A Stand-Up Comedian

In addition to being on Raw Monday nights, Dolph Ziggler also moonlights as a stand-up comedian. Ahead of WWE’s weekend in Los Angeles for Survivor Series, Ziggler will be playing a Friday night set at the Comedy Store.

His “DZ and Friends” show also includes comedian Sarah Tima and a few wrestlers that Ziggler describes as “people he’s lost to”.

Dolph Ziggler on Comedy, Hecklers, Trolls, and Seth Rollins

Ziggler was asked by CBS L.A recently about his aptitude for handling trolls on Twitter and how it compares to handling hecklers while doing stand-up.

“As a kid, being a smaller guy and getting bullied, I got used to zinging people back and making them pay for it,” he said. “You try to do that and also have fun, because there’s so much negativity out there, and I don’t want to be part of it.”

“It’s pretty nuts. I live for it, though,” Ziggler continued. “I’m a quick smart-mouth kind of guy so my whole life I’ve been ready with a quick jab back, which is all of social media now”

Ziggler also spoke about his wrestling career during the interview. He was asked specifically about his match with Seth Rollins at SummerSlam.

“When you’re as good as we are — and I mean that [humbly] — we know how good we are. You can still not have the chemistry. I’ve been in there with some of the best, and I was so frustrated because we just wouldn’t meld, or the story wouldn’t be correct, because two different people are telling two different things. He’s an up-and-coming kid, who is going to be one of the best of all-time. I have been there before, but also want to have this legacy that I can do whatever I want. If I’m ever given a chance, I knock it out of the park.”

You can read the full interview here.

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: .

Cody Pulled From Global Wars Toronto Show Due To Injury

Cody Rhodes has confirmed he will not be at tomorrow’s ROH Global Wars: Toronto show. He was scheduled to defend his IWGP United States Championship title against Beretta on the show.

“Sadly folks I will not be able to wrestle tomorrow in Toronto. I will still be at the pre-show meet/greet to say hello to everybody ROH & I will find a suitable replacement for the match. I’m extremely sorry. I’ll be able to confirm the extent of the issue after an MRI this week”

Earlier today, Cody sent out word that he heard his knee pop at Friday night’s show in Buffalo.

“Going from one side of the crowd to the other last night, teasing a t-shirt toss of all things…heard a loud POP in my knee. Terryfing. Hoping it was just a lil’ meniscus and Sunday I can still deliver.”

Cody Injured, Pulled From Global Wars: Toronto

The final stop on ROH’s 4-night tour will take place at 7 PM from the Mattamy Athletic Center, a converted portion of the old Maple Leaf Gardens. The show will air live for Honor Club subscribers.

Here is the lineup for the show:

  • ROH Title Match: Champion Jay Lethal vs. Kenny King
  • ROH Tag Team Championship Match: SCU (c) vs Super Smash Bros
  • The Young Bucks vs KUSHIDA & Chris Sabin
  • Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI vs. Dalton Castle and Juice Robinson
  • Christopher Daniels vs Matt Taven
  • Chuckie T vs Adam Page
  • The Briscoes vs Sanada and Evil

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News, ROH.

Harold Meij Addresses “Westernization Of NJPW” Concerns

NJPW President, Harold Meij, recently spoke with Emily Pratt on a variety of subjects. Perhaps most notably, Meij addressed the criticism some of had lately of NJPW becoming “westernized”.

“What is the Westernization of wrestling? I don’t know. It’s for the fans to decide what that is,” Meij said. “But I can tell you, if it’s the definition that I have, which might be very much different from yours or anyone else’s out there – it’s their own definition, I think – but if it’s my definition of what I think Westernization of wrestling is, then we’re trying to do the exact opposite.”

“We are New Japan Pro Wrestling,” Meij continued. “So I’m trying to bring the Japanese way, the Japanese way of wrestling, to the global audience. And this has to do much more with the philosophy that we talked about earlier, but also our traditions. It has to do with the way we bring and educate, if you will, our wrestlers… We have great talent. We have great matches.”

Harold Meij On Why People Watch Wrestling

Meij also gave some interesting insight into why he believes people like watching wrestling matches.

“As an individual, there are times in your life when you have to fight,” Meij said. And I don’t mean literally fight, but, you know, you have to fight for a cause or fight to protect your family, or yourself, or your opinions, or for your job or your work or whatever you’re doing, but you have to fight.”

“But when I see people physically fighting and overcoming struggles,” he continued. “Like a lot of the wrestlers have, they put a lot of time in it, they overcome a lot of injuries or personal sacrifices or personal, how do you say, struggles, within the wrestling world, and when you see them give it their everything in their match, it actually gives you as a spectator strength and courage to do more than what you might not have done in the past. And I get that from a lot of the fans, that they say the same thing. They say that’s one of the reasons why wrestling is so attractive to them.”

The full interview can be read here.

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News, NJPW. Tagged: .

Joey Ryan Tears Pec Muscle, May Require Surgery

Another torn pec has sent a professional wrestler to the injured list this month. 6 days after Triple H tore his pec in the main event of Crown Jewel, Joey Ryan announced he is suffering from the same injury.

Ryan appeared with his arm in a sling at the MLW: Fightland show in Chicago on Thursday. He was scheduled to wrestle alongside Swoggle under the team name “Size Matters”. Despite his injury, Ryan still competed in the match with his arm still in a sling. He’s had to pull out of several upcoming bookings, however.

Joey Ryan Pec Injury

Ryan sent the following out on Twitter to address his injury:

https://twitter.com/JoeyRyanOnline/status/1060723120338882560

He would later update fans on his condition. Ryan is currently awaiting an MRI to see the extent of the injury.

https://twitter.com/JoeyRyanOnline/status/1061077532089364480

“I’m back in LA now and seeing my doctor at 3pm. The good news is that there’s virtually no pain and I still have full mobility. The bad news is that it looks terrible. Even more swelling & bruising than the pictures from yesterday. I’ll know more this afternoon.”

“My Dr thinks my chest has a tear because of all the swelling & is worried about it healing wrong & causing me discomfort forever. She wants me to get a MRI but I need a x-ray first & since it’s Friday, I won’t be able to until Monday. So I’ll know Monday if I need surgery or not.”

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

Taka Michinoku Suspended From Kaientai Dojo Due To Public Scandal

Suzuki-Gun’s Taka Michinoku has been suspended for one year without pay from the school and promotion he founded in 2002. The board of the Kaientai Dojo voted to suspend the former WWF Light Heavyweight Champion after a media outlet exposed he has been having an extra-marital affair, an offense considered more serious in Japan.

Michinoku has been removed as a board member and director but he is still the organization’s owner. He will not make any money from the organization for one-year, however, due to the board’s decision. This includes all revenue he would earn from wrestling matches for the promotion as well.

Taka Michinoku Suspended By Kaientai Dojo

Michinoku has been serving as Zack Sabre Jr.’s mouthpiece in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Earlier this spring, Zack Sabre Jr won the New Japan Cup with Taka as his second. ZSJ would then go on to challenge Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

The 45-year-old Michinoku wrestles sparingly these days. He usually teams with fellow Suzuki-Gun members in multi-person tag-team matches when he is not serving as the cornerman for Zack Sabre Jr.

Michinoku is a former 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight tag-team champion along with Dick Togo once and again with Taichi. His most recent match was on November 1st when he teamed with Minoru Suzuki in a losing effort to Tomohiro Ishii and Rocky Romero.

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News, NJPW.

David Arquette Talks Ric Flair Defending Him In WCW

David Arquette’s wrestling career has been revived in 2018. According to the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion, his comeback is not a publicity stunt either. “It’s too painful for that,” Arquette told ESPN recently.

He also told the media outlet he thought management was joking in 2000 when they told him they were putting the belt on him.

“I thought it was a bit of a joke and he was like, ‘No, I’m serious. I think [my] response was, ‘That’s a terrible idea. No, we can’t do that,’ but then they explained the storyline that I wasn’t pinning a wrestler. I was pinning Eric Bischoff.”

Ric Flair Defends David Arquette

Arquette continued to say the reason he went through with it is he wanted to have the experience.

“To be honest, the reason I wanted to do it was so I could be part of it. The fact of the matter was, yeah, I get to be the champion. Whoever gets that opportunity? Part of that was that I would get to travel with all of them and see behind the curtain and walk through the airport with Hulk Hogan and be on the same show as Ric Flair. For a fan of wrestling if I hadn’t done that, I never would have had that experience — and to me, life is about experiences.”

He also said that Ric Flair was one of the guys who defended him.

“Ric Flair at one point put his arms around me and said, ‘Hey guys, he’s one of us.’ That made me feel really great.”

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News. Tagged: , .

Cody Possibly Injured At ROH Show Last Night

Cody has a big match tomorrow night against Beretta for the IWGP United States Championship. Unfortunately, he was possibly injured last night at ROH’s show in Buffalo.

Cody sent out the following on Twitter this morning:

“Going from one side of the crowd to the other last night, teasing a t-shirt toss of all things…heard a loud POP in my knee. Terryfing. Hoping it was just a lil’ meniscus and Sunday I can still deliver.”

Cody Vs Beretta – IWGP United States Championship

ROH held three Global War shows this week in Lowell, Lewiston, and Buffalo. The 4th and final show of the tour is the Global Wars: Toronto show on November 11th. The lineup for the show is as follows:

  • ROH Title Match: Champion Jay Lethal vs. Kenny King
  • IWGP US Title Match: Champion Cody vs. Beretta
  • ROH Tag Team Championship Match: SCU (c) vs Super Smash Bros
  • The Young Bucks vs KUSHIDA & Chris Sabin
  • Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI vs. Dalton Castle and Juice Robinson
  • Christopher Daniels vs Matt Taven
  • Chuckie T vs Adam Page
  • The Briscoes vs Sanada and Evil

Cody’s match against Beretta will be his first attempt at defending the IWGP United States title. He defeated Juice Robinson to win the belt at Fighting Spirit Unleashed.

Posted November 10th, 2018 in News, ROH.

MLW SuperFight Coming To Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena In February

Major League Wrestling has announced that the upcoming MLW SuperFight event will be held on Saturday night, February 2nd from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA. This will be a television taping for the weekly MLW Fusion show on be IN SPORTS.

“Philly is a great sports town and its wrestling fans have shaped and defined wrestling like no other city,” said MLW CEO Court Bauer in a company press release. “When you promote a card in Philly, you have to set the bar high as the Philly fans’ standards are high. Expect a big card as we kick off 2019 with SUPERFIGHT!”

MLW made its debut in Chicago last night (MLW Fightland Results).

MLW: Genesis 2002

MLW: Superfight will be just the second time the promotion has held a show in Philadelphia. MLW’s Philly debut came back in 2002 during the promotion’s first incarnation. In fact, it was the first Major League Wrestling live event ever. The aptly titled “MLW: Genesis” took place June 15th, 2002 from the 2300 Arena (then named “Viking Hall). The event featured a tournament to crown the first-ever MLW Champion.

MLW: Genesis Results:

  1. MLW World Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarter Final Match
    Jerry Lynn defeated La Parka
  2. MLW World Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarter Final Match
    Vampiro defeated Christopher Daniels
  3. MLW World Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarter Final
    Taiyo Kea defeated The Wall
  4. MLW World Heavyweight Title Tournament Quarter Final
    Shane Douglas defeated Steve Corino
  5. Prince Nana, Super Hentai & Ultra Taro Jr. defeated Abunai, Devon Storm & Rising Son
  6. PJ Friedman defeated Shirley Doe
  7. MLW World Heavyweight Title Tournament Semi-Final Match
    Shane Douglas defeated Jerry Lynn
  8. MLW World Heavyweight Title Tournament Semi-Final Match
    Taiyo Kea vs. Vampiro – Draw
  9. MLW World Heavyweight Title Tournament Final Three Way Dance (vacant)
    Shane Douglas defeated Taiyo Kea and Vampiro

Posted November 9th, 2018 in News, MLW.

Fozzy To Open For Iron Maiden In Los Angeles Next Summer

Metal band Iron Maiden has announced their 2019 Legacy of the Beast North American tour dates. When Maiden rolls into Los Angeles on September 14th, 2019, their special guests (opening for them) will be none other than Fozzy.

As a longtime Maiden fan, opening for the band will surely be a treat for frontman Chris Jericho. Fozzy covered Iron Maiden’s “Sun & Steel” on “Maiden Heaven Vol. 2”. In 2010, Jericho was proud enough of Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickenson’s review of Fozzy’s album that he posted the following to Twitter:

Iron Maiden frontman, Bruce Dickenson has appeared on Talk is Jericho multiple times, most recently in January. Jericho is such a big fan of the group that he has a tattoo of Iron Maiden mascot Eddie on his forearm.

Iron Maiden Legacy Of The Beast Tour

Lead-singer Bruce Dickenson had the following to say regarding the tour.

“We’re immensely proud of this show and we’ve had great reactions from the many fans who came to see us in Europe earlier this year,” a band press release reads. “The production is based on our mobile game THE LEGACY OF THE BEAST which basically takes various incarnations of Eddie into many different Maiden Worlds. This inspired us to put together a stage show to take our fans through different Worlds and experiences set to appropriate songs.”

The epic stage-show features pyro (unlike WWE), flame-throwers, muskets, and loads of surprises.

“We’ve got all kinds of crazy things going on, including a replica Spitfire plane dominating the stage during Aces High, tons of pyro, a giant Icarus, muskets, claymores and some truly marvelous flame-throwers which I have a hell of a lot of fun with, as you will see! And of course we have Eddie, as you’ve never seen him before, and absolutely loads of other surprises. I’ve had the time of my life playing with all these magnificent props on stage, it’s been fantastic, we can’t wait to bring this show to you!”

Iron Maiden 2019 North American Tour Dates

7/18 — Sunrise, FL @ BB&T Center
7/20 — Atlanta @ Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
7/22 — Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
7/24 — Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
7/26 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center +
7/30 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center *
8/1 — Boston, MA @ Xfinity Center
8/3 — Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Theatre
8/5 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
8/7 — Quebec City, QC @ Videotron Centre
8/9 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
8/10 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
8/13 — Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
8/15 — Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
8/17 — Pittsburgh PA @ PPG Paints Arena
8/19 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
8/22 — Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/24 — Indianapolis, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
8/26 — St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center *
8/28 — Winnipeg, MB @ Bell MTS Place
8/30 — Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
8/31 — Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
9/3 — Vancouver, BC @ Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
9/5 — Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome
9/6 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center
9/9 — Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center
9/10 — Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
9/13 — Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
9/14 — Los Angeles, CA @ Banc of California Stadium – Fozzy Opens
9/17 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Arena *
9/19 — Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
9/21 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
9/22 — Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
9/25 — San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center”

Posted November 9th, 2018 in News. Tagged: , .

Takeaways From Impact Wrestling 11/8 “Final Hour”

Impact Wrestling’s Final Hour aired last night. The branded-episode featured an Impact World Championship match between Johnny Impact and Killer Kross. It was the final episode before the promotion heads to Las Vegas next week for 3 nights of tapings.

Here are 8 Takeaways from Impact Wrestling 11/8:

Johnny Impact Successfully Defended His Championship Against Killer Kross

  • Impact World Championship – Johnny Impact (c) defeated Killer Kross

Johnny Impact defended the Impact World Championship for the second consecutive time at Final Hour. He defeated Killer Kross with Starship Pain to close the show. The two built-up their main event match earlier this week on Impact Press Pass.

It wasn’t an easy victory for the champion, he survived a Razor’s Edge from the entrance ramp to the ring, several big suplexes, and a Straight-Jacket choke attempt to get the victory. It was the first time Kross has been pinned or submitted in Impact. The win means Johnny will head to the Las Vegas tapings still the champion.

The Lucha Brothers Defeated the OGZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7hEYjU91Sw

  • Pentagon and Fenix defeated Homicide and Hernandez w/KIng

The Lucha Bros took out the OGZ this week, defeating them in the opening contest. In the back, Konnan congratulated Pentagon and Fenix and invited them to an after-party. LAX showed up and also congratulated the Lucha Bros but then seemed confused as to what Konnan was inviting the luchadors to. Konnan told them it was an after-party to celebrate LAX’s win over the OGZ but the tag champs brought up that match was a month ago. Could there be dissension building between LAX, the Lucha Bros, and Konnan? Time will tell.

Sami Callihan’s Army Of Minions Beat Up Brian Cage In Anonymous, Ohio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7rM_-hvQFY

The real Brian Cage went to Ohio this week but he got more than he bargained for. After Cage had asserted his dominance over Callihan, an army of Ohio-based minions came to defend OVE. Cage was simply out-numbered. Can Callihan’s army subdue the Machine? As Impact heads to Las Vegas, an X-Division title match has been confirmed between the two.

Allie Has Aligned With James Mitchell

Allie left her soul in the undead realm at Bound For Glory. Now she is consumed by a dark force. This week, James Mitchell offered to help Allie “heal”. Allie agreed to go with Mitchell if he agreed to leave her friends alone. Su Yung then magically appeared alongside Mitchell and the two of them led Allie away as Kiera Hogan protested.

When we see Allie again, it’s not clear if she will even resemble the person she’d been previously.

Moose Broke Eddie Edwards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0j6sQzchEY

  • Moose defeated Eddie Edwards

Moose may have won the match but did he go too far? In the closing moments of his match with Eddie Edwards, Moose power-bombed his opponent onto the entrance ramp. He followed that up by giving Edwards a spear inside the ring and pinning him. It’s a big win for Moose who re-establishes himself at the top of the men’s single’s division and also sends a message to the rest of the roster that he’s a dangerous man to mess with.

Jordynne Grace is a Strong, Strong Woman

  • Jordynne Grace defeated Katarina

Jordynne Grace made her debut at Final Hour last night. She defeated Katarina via submission due to a vicious bear-hug. The rest of the Knockouts might be advised to be on the lookout for Grace, who could rise up the rankings pretty quickly by the looks of it.

Eli Drake Attacked Joseph Park

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaR3BeZpMiI

Eli Drake cut a promo last night. He said he has officially retired the Open Challenge and is filing suit against Impact Wrestling for unsafe work conditions. Joseph Park then said there were others who were going to join the lawsuit as well but when he turned around to introduce them, Drake low-blowed him. Drake then beat him up while cutting a promo which acknowledged Park is also Abyss, the man who attacked him at Bound For Glory. He blamed Abyss for the state of the wrestling business and hardcore plunder-based wrestling.

Several Matches Announced For Las Vegas Tapings

Impact has confirmed a few matches which will take place at next week’s TV tapings in Las Vegas.

  • Johnny Impact vs Matt Sydal
  • X-Division Championship – Brian Cage (c) vs Sami Callihan
  • Tessa Blanchard vs TBD
  • LAX vs TBD

Quick Results:

  • The Lucha Brothers defeated the OGZ
  • Jordynne Grace defeated Katarina
  • Moose defeated Eddie Edwards
  • Impact World Championship – Johnny Impact (c) defeated Killer Kross

Posted November 9th, 2018 in News, TNA. Tagged: , , .

Impact Wrestling Preview 11/8: “Final Hour”

Impact Wrestling presents “Final Hour” tonight. The branded episode will feature the final unaired matches from the promotion’s recent tapings in New York. Impact will head to Las Vegas this weekend for 3 nights of tapings.

Impact Wrestling Final Hour

Impact World Championship – Johnny Impact (c) vs Killer Kross

Three weeks ago Killer Kross attacked Johnny Impact in the back after the champion had just defeated Fenix. Earlier this week, Killer Kross revealed new details regarding the personal history between the two. He also said what led up to his attack on Johnny.

“To be completely frank with you, John zigged when he should have zagged. I was honestly going to get a cup of coffee, I happened to see him there,” Kross said of the altercation. “(He’d had an) excellent match with Fenix, in my opinion, probably the match of the year, I decided to wrap a cable cord around his head, that’s really all there is to it.”

Johnny would say if Kross wanted a title shot all he had to do was ask for one.

Brian Cage Travels To Ohio (Actually this time)

Sami Callihan brought out an imposter Brian Cage in Ohio previously but tonight Cage said he plans to hit the state himself. Impact cameras have been sent to Anonymous, Ohio to report back on what happens between Callihan and Cage tonight.

The Lucha Bros Vs. the OGZ

After losing to LAX at Bound For Glory, the OGZ needed to find another way to get back at Konnan. They’ve targetted Konnan’s allies Pentagon and Fenix. Tonight, the OGZ and Lucha Bros go head to head.

Eddie Edwards Vs. Moose

This match was supposed to take place at Bound For Glory but after Killer Kross got involved things broke down and were changed to a tag-team match. Tonight, Eddie Edwards finally tries to get his retribution against the man who cost him his shot at the Impact World title at the Toronto tapings this summer.

Jordynne Grace Debuts

“Thick Mama Pump” Jordynne Grace debuts for Impact tonight. The rest of the Knockouts division might be wise to sit up and take notice of her. After making a name for herself on the independent scene and All In recently, Grace is a solid pick-up for Impact and will likely create waves in the Knockouts division in short order.

Eli Drake and Joseph Park Give An Update On Lawsuit Against Company

Eli Drake is suing Impact Wrestling due to his treatment at Bound For Glory. Drake was attacked by Abyss after wrestling James Ellsworth and announced he was filing suit against the company shortly after. He has since retained Joseph Park as his council, odd considering it was Abyss who attacked Drake at the PPV.

Posted November 8th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

“Culture Clash” To Feature Inter-Promotional & International Competition Mania Weekend

A 2-night event over WrestleMania weekend next year will feature inter-promotional and international competition. House of Glory has announced that Culture Clash 19 will feature promotions from around the world competing against one another.

Anthony Carrelli’s (Santino Marella) Destiny Wrestling has just signed on to represent Canada at the event.

“Culture Clash 19 Culture Clash is becoming the biggest spectacle of WrestleMania Week with Confirmed, Representing Canada
, From The UK and
. More coming soon. For all updates visit

House of Glory’s Culture Clash 19

Yesterday, Impact Wrestling announced their involvement in the event. It is not clear, however, what country the international-based promotion will represent. While their head office is located in Toronto, Impact has international television deals. They also have a roster of stars from all over the world.

“The biggest wrestling weekend of the year is right around the corner and in 2019 IMPACT Wrestling is proud to join Culture Clash in New York City,” Impact’s press release regarding the event reads. “IMPACT and House of Glory (HOG) will partner for this thrilling night. All the Stars and Knockouts will be in New York City over the weekend, but the one place to see them for sure is at Culture Clash 2019!”

IPW and Fight Club: Pro will both be involved in the event as well and both will represent the United Kingdom.

Posted November 8th, 2018 in News, TNA.

NJPW Announces Teams For World Tag League

New Japan Pro Wrestling’s last big tournament of the year is the World Tag League. The promotion just announced the participating teams and format change for this year.

Change of format:

The World Tag League will undergo a format change this year. Instead of two divisions (blocks) all teams will be grouped together with the top two teams advancing to the finals.

World Tag League Teams

  1. David Finlay & Juice Robinson
  2. Shota Umino & Ayato Yoshida (Young Lions)
  3. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
  4. Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata
  5. Chuckie T & Beretta
  6. Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
  7. Takashi Iizuka & Minoru Suzuki
  8. Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Lance Archer
  9. Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
  10. Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.
  11. Jeff Cobb & Michael Elgin
  12. Sanada & Evil
  13. Togi Makabe & Toa Henare
  14. Hangman Page vs Yujiro Takahashi

Former IWGP Heavyweight tag-team champions, the Young Bucks, will not be on the tour. Matt Jackson took to Twitter earlier this month to explain why he and his brother won’t be participating in the tournament.

“Truthfully we were never even offered the tour,” Matt Jackson said. “But yes, it wouldn’t make sense to leave our families for close to 4 weeks during the holidays for many reasons; finances only being one amongst many.”

The Young Bucks dropped the tag titles to the Guerillas of Destiny in September.

Posted November 8th, 2018 in News, NJPW.

Reby Hardy And Ashley Massaro Exchange Shots On Twitter

Reby Hardy had some harsh words for her husband’s ex-girlfriend, Ashley Massaro, on Twitter recently. The matriarch of House Hardy responded to Massaro’s Tweet mentioning she found an old CD burned for her by Matt Hardy in 2005.

Reby Hardy vs Ashley Massaro On Twitter

This led to a series of responses from Reby, including some we are unable to transcribe.

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/1060411854214914048

After some time passed, Reby decided to clarify her initial statement.

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/1060420002417991680

Massaro then responded.

Massaro appears to have tapped out of the conversation at this point. Naturally, Reby Hardy was not going to let her get the last word.

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/1060452932154519553

Her response then required a second Tweet:

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/1060454165820923904

Reby’s response then continued into a third Tweet:

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/1060456235424722944

Hardy then posted a couple of Tweets not directed at Massaro but addressing their conflict.

“Seems like I dislike a lot of people for ‘no reason’, huh,” Reby Tweeted. “Lemme make it clear: there is ALWAYS a reason. And reason #1 is almost always bc someone enabled, encouraged or supplied drugs to my family. They will NEVER not be called out for it & I will never forget that.”

The former Divas Champion Massaro is currently a DJ for 943 the Shark Radio. She left WWE in 2008 to spend more time with her daughter.

Last summer, a fan tagged Lita in a post with Matt Hardy. Reby then issued a response to that as well.

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/881015072574685184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E881015072574685184&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F411mania.com%2Fwrestling%2Freby-hardy-takes-shot-at-lita-on-twitter-responds-to-backlash-from-fans%2F

Posted November 8th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Update On WWE Sending Feelers To NJPW Talent

Tokyo Sports published a report this week stating Tetsuya Naito received an offer from WWE back in June. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, Naito is one of three NJPW stars to have been sent feelers from WWE. He is the only one to have turned down the offer outright, however.

“Naito would be one of the three (at least) Japanese top guys feelers have been sent to,” wrote Dave Meltzer. “The other two that we’re aware of didn’t turn the offers down without thought although one would be a huge surprise and the other would be a great worker who I didn’t see flourishing in the WWE system, but also probably wouldn’t have any reservations about moving to the U.S. like many of the Japanese might.”

For clarification purposes, this “offer” was not a firm contract sent but rather “feelers” from the organization to see if they might be interested in jumping ship.

Who Is WWE Interested In?

Judging by the report, it appears at least two NJPW stars have contacted Dave Meltzer to say they have been sent feelers from WWE. He specifically mentions they are Japanese top guys as well, indicating it is not members of the Elite (as has previously been the case).

The NJPW star that “would be a huge surprise” could be anyone from Okada, Tanahashi and down. The other NJPW star “wouldn’t have any reservations about moving to the U.S” could be just about anyone as well. An important note regarding this, however, is that most NJPW stars are under 1-year contracts which end following Wrestle Kingdom.

Posted November 8th, 2018 in News, NJPW. Tagged: .

Killer Kross Reveals Why He Attacked Johnny Impact, Personal History Between The Two

Killer Kross will challenge Johnny Impact for the Impact World Championship tomorrow night at “Final Hour”. The two were both guests on this week’s Impact Press Pass to build up their match on tomorrow night’s branded episode. During the call, I had the chance to ask Kross what led to his attack on Johnny in the back a few weeks ago.

“To be completely frank with you, John zigged when he should have zagged. I was honestly going to get a cup of coffee, I happened to see him there,” Kross said of the altercation. “(He’d had an) excellent match with Fenix, in my opinion, probably the match of the year, I decided to wrap a cable cord around his head, that’s really all there is to it.”

Kross then revealed some storyline information which wasn’t previously known regarding the personal history between the two.

“He had it coming, he’s had it coming for a long time,” Kross continued. “In terms of our history, John and his wife now Taya, were in Mexico crushing the competition, taking over the industry, typically he always does wherever he goes. This guy had nuclear heat.”

Kross continued to say that Johnny and Taya called him to watch their back in Mexico and he obliged. He would then show something almost resembling emotion when he admitted he thought the two were friends.

“I thought there was something a little bit more other than just professionalism there,” Kross said. “Maybe, I thought, maybe I thought John and I were friends.”

Johnny Impact (c) vs Killer Kross – “Final Hour” November 8th

Kross would also say that he knows a side of Johnny nobody else does. He implied it was a more vicious side and that he wants to bring that Johnny to the surface.

As for Johnny’s side of the story, he feels if Kross wanted a title shot, he could have just asked for one. Johnny didn’t dispute Kross’ side of their alliance in Mexico either.

“My version isn’t even that different,” Johnny said. “The things Kross just said about Mexico are true. We trained down there, I didn’t have anybody to turn to. I was down there with my wife Taya. Kevin (Kross), Taya, and I all had each other’s backs. I did think we were friends and the one thing that confuses me is Killer Kross has been undefeated since he’s come to Impact, never been pinned. Two weeks ago, I make this statement about how I’m going to be a fighting champion. I’m going to give title shots to anyone I think deserves them. Somebody who is undefeated and unbeaten deserves a title shot. If you wanted a title shot, bro, you could have just asked me.”

Johnny then said that Kross likes theatrics and wants to “send messages” and “make statements”.

“Those messages and those statements were obviously more important than whatever type of friendship or relationship we had,” Johnny said.

You can listen to the conversation in the player below:

https://youtu.be/K5ILZAErYz4?t=2431

Posted November 7th, 2018 in News, TNA. Tagged: .

NXT & 205 Live 11/7 Preview

NXT and 205 Live will both air tonight on the WWE Network. In the case of NXT, tonight’s episode will be the penultimate before Takeover: WarGames on November 17th.

NXT Preview 11/7

Velveteen Dream vs Lars Sullivan

To the dismay of Lars Sullivan, Velveteen Dream was awarded the title shot at WarGames. Sullivan has vowed to prove tonight he’s the top contender for the NXT title no matter what William Regal decides.

Johnny Gargano Provides Answers

Last month, Johnny Gargano was revealed as the man behind the attack on Aleister Black. Now, Gargano is scheduled to face Black one-on-one at Takeover: WarGames. Tonight, Gargano hs promised to explain why he did what he did. His old DIY tag-team partner, Tommaso Ciampa, might be listening closely to what he says.

Heavy Machinery vs The Forgotten Sons

Two teams looking to move up in NXT’s tag-team division face each other tonight. With teams like the Street Profits, the Mighty, and Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan kicking around the division, there is not much room for error or losses.

Dakota Kai vs Taynara Conti

The captain of Team Kick has been competing in NXT UK in addition to the North American version. She’ll take on Taynara Conti tonight. Conti may not have a single’s victory yet in NXT but she did make it to the 2nd round of the MYC II before losing to Lacey Lane in the 2nd round.

205 Live Preview 11/7

TJP and Lucha House Party Rivalry Continues

Last week, TJP attacked Gran Metalik after the luchador had won a single’s match. TJP ripped off Metalik’s mask as he continues to disrespect lucha libre culture. Tonight, TJP may have his sights set on stealing another member of the factions masks.

Mark Andrews vs Buddy Murphy

The new Cruiserweight Champion, Buddy Murphy, will wrestle Mark Andrews tonight. The champion decided that since tonight’s 205 Live emanates from Manchester that he should take on one of NXT UK’s brightest stars.

Waiting in the wings for Murphy is Mustafa Ali, however. Ali defeated Tony Nese last week in a #1 contenders match.

Posted November 7th, 2018 in News, NXT. Tagged: , .

Mandy Rose Apologizes To Sonya Deville For Eliminating Her From Evolution Battle Royal

Last night, Mandy Rose interrupted Smackdown General Manager, Paige, as she was introducing the members of her brand’s Survivor Series team. Rose was upset she was not picked for the team. She also seemed upset that her Absolution tag-team partner, Sonya Deville, was.

Rose ran down each member of the team and brought up how it was her that eliminated Deville from the Evolution battle royal. Just days earlier, however, Rose had apologized to Deville for having done so.

Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose

Shortly after Evolution, however, Sonya Deville was upset about her ally eliminating her and cut a promo about it on Instagram. Rose then interrupted the promo with donuts, however, and all was forgotten. The pair often samples donuts together on their YouTube channel.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BprvggknWjQ/

Despite winning her friend back with donuts after Evolution, Rose then insulted her on Smackdown last night. Judging by recent events, it appears Rose and Deville’s alliance could be in jeopardy. This would prevent them from teaming together when the promotion finally introduces women’s tag titles.

As for Rose possibly being included in the Smackdown Survivor Series team, it should be noted that Charlotte Flair’s spot on the team is questionable. Flair turned down the team captain position last week and this week failed to come out for the team introductions. This could open up a spot for Rose to compete on the upcoming PPV.

Posted November 7th, 2018 in News, WWE. Tagged: , .

Jose Lothario Has Passed Away

Wrestling legend Jose Lothario has passed away at the age of 83. Former NWA President, Bruce Tharpe, broke the news on Twitter yesterday.

“Sad news today. The great JOSE LOTHARIO has passed away. So thankful that I had the opportunity to induct him into the NWA Hall of Fame while I served as President. He was so happy and it was my pleasure to induct him. God bless you Jose Lothario and may you Rest In Peace.”

Lothario was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame class of 2017. In WWE, he is perhaps best known for having trained Shawn Michaels.

“I think every young boy who lived in Texas knew who Jose Lothario was,” Michaels said to WWE Magazine in 1996. “I first saw him on TV when I was 12. He was the first Superstar to come across my screen. He is a legend in San Antonio, Cuba, Mexico… just about everywhere!”

Jose Lothario

Lothario’s in-ring career took place mainly in Texas. He won the NWA Brass Knuckles title (the Texan version) 5x. Lothario also won the WCCW television title twice. He won tag titles with names like Rocky Johnson, Ivan Putski, and Mil Mascaras.

“Despite never winning a WWE-sanctioned championship or competing at WrestleMania, Jose Lothario –  born Guadalupe Robledo on Dec. 12, 1934 – made a lasting mark on the WWE Universe by simply agreeing to train a cocky teenager from San Antonio, Texas,” WWE wrote of Lothario. “A cocky teenager that grew up to become WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels.”

Posted November 7th, 2018 in News, WWE.

Hangman Page Releases Statement On Bullet Club Departure

Members of the Elite are no longer part of the Bullet Club faction. The gradual move was made official this weekend on the Chris Jericho Rock N Rager at Sea. Adam “Hangman” Page has just released a further statement on no longer being affiliated with the faction.

https://twitter.com/theAdamPage/status/1059911346240843783

“To be crystal clear, I’d like to no longer be considered a member of Bullet Club. I’m very thankful for my time with the group and all it has afforded me. I hope you all continue to support me in whatever comes next and not just for the logo printed on my shirt.”

The Elite Are No Longer Bullet Club

Page gave an interview to CBS Sports earlier this year. He said he and the other members of his faction want to continue working together.

“I think as a collective, as a group, we have been able to change wrestling,” Page said. “I think, as a group, we are really on to something, and I think we wanna continue this. It would be a real disservice to everyone who has supported us and got us to this point if we were to abandon what we’ve built.”

As of this writing, members of the Elite have yet to commit to any promotion for 2019.

Posted November 6th, 2018 in News, ROH. Tagged: .

Gail Kim Releases Personal Statement Regarding Recent Remarks

Impact Wrestling Hall of Famer, Gail Kim, has released a personal statement regarding her recent remarks. Kim recently made some headlines when she referred to WWE as “racist.”

Gail Kim Personal Statement

“After speaking with a couple of friends recently regarding comments on social media on racism, I had my eyes opened to the fact that my words chosen to deliver my message could have been managed more thoughtfully. The one word of my statement that I regret using is the term “they”. I think due to the fact that sometimes terms like racism are thrown around easily, especially in today’s climate. Racism is a serious thing and I realized that saying “they” that I was putting a blanket over everyone who works in the company. This is not true. The culture or environment of a company starts from the top. The leadership. The leadership of a company sends a message to its employees of what is tolerated and what is not. I know there are a lot of respectful people in WWE who have a lot of integrity. Being Election Day and realizing the climate of hate and negativity, I think it’s important to use my voice. As an ethnic female in wrestling, there will be people reading my words and I want to set an example. I did experience racism. I never even understood the term “gook” until I worked for the company or heard the usage of so many ugly racial slurs. I think it’s important to educate, listen and talk about these issues. I want to be very clear where I stand. I want racial and gender equality. I hope that we can make strides to talk about and create change for the good of our industry and others.”

Posted November 6th, 2018 in News, TNA. Tagged: .

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