SEScoops

Author: Chris Stephens

  • 205 Live Results (6/5/2018): Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy Clash

    205 Live Results (6/5/2018): Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy Clash

    205 Live this week featured two matches in the cruiserweight division. The brand continues to build towards as the introduction of cruiserweight tag-team championships, although it is still not clear when those will be unveiled.

    Jack Gallagher and the Brian Kendrick are in the middle of a rivalry with the members of the Lucha House Party over tag-team bragging rights currently. The team of Akira Tozawa and Hideo Itami had previously been teaming together but that after a couple of losses and the shoving match, the team appears to have disbanded.

    Kendrick would face Lince Dorado from the Lucha House Party in single’s action this week. Meanwhile, at the top of the cruiserweight rankings, Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali would face off in last night’s main event.

    205 Live 6/5/18 Results

    1) Lince Dorado defeated the Brian Kendrick

    In the first match of the night, Lince Dorado hit a springboard cutter on Kendrick for the victory.

    With Gallagher absent this week (was at a wedding), Drew Gulak accompanied Kendrick to the ring. Gulak has been vocally critical of the Lucha House Party and their high-flying tactics.

    Following the match, Gulak attacked Dorado but was chased away by the other members of the Lucha House Party.

    It was later revealed that the Lucha House Party will face Drew Gulak, Jack Gallagher, and the Brian Kendrick in a trios match next week.

    2) TJP defeated Brian Keith

    This was a squash match for TJP. Early in the match, he went to the outside and grabbed a mic. He expressed his dismay that he hasn’t been given tougher competition all the while putting his opponent in submission holds. He insinuated another GM might appreciate his talent better. Keith eventually tapped out while in a sharpshooter.

    Lio Rush is Coming to 205 Live

    Highly touted cruiserweight prospect, Lio Rush, is coming to 205 Live. The small but entertaining Rush barely wrestled in NXT during his short stay with the brand.

    3) Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali Goes to a No-Contest

    After a long match, it seemed as though Ali was in a position to avenge his recent loss to Murphy but Hideo Itami’s interference caused the match to be thrown out.

    Itami took out both competitors before yelling for no one in particular to respect him. Perhaps, Itami is looking to be added to the cruiserweight title picture as well and this is why he interfered in last night’s main event.

  • Brian Christopher Arrested In Memphis

    Brian Christopher Arrested In Memphis

    Former WWE tag-team champion, Brian Christopher, has been arrested. Christopher and the owner/chairman of the Glory Championship Wrestling Alliance, Terry Teague, were arrested for failing to pay for a hotel bill totaling over $800.

    It’s been an unfortunate few months for the son of Jerry Lawler. In March, it was reported that Christopher was beaten so badly he required surgery. Indie wrestler, Chase Stevens, was arrested shortly after the incident.

    Fox Memphis was the first to report on Christopher’s arrest. According to their report, Lawler and Teague had used a company credit card to pay for their stay. When the hotel attempted to bill the wrestlers there was not enough money remaining on the card they used. The hotel then notified the police after being informed by Christopher and Teague that they were unable to pay their bill through other methods. The pair were staying at the Hampton Inn on Peabody Place in Memphis.

    Christopher has been charged with Theft of Services under $1000 or less. The crime is deemed a misdemeanor offense in Tennessee.

    Tennessee law lists the following possible penalties for Christopher’s offense:

    “Tennessee law specifies that penalties for a Misdemeanor Theft conviction apply if the value of lost property or services was $1,000 or less.  Misdemeanor Theft is a Class A Misdemeanor and may result in some or all of the following penalties:

    1. A sentence of up to 11 months, 29 days in prison;
    2. A probationary period;
    3. A fine of up to $2,500;
    4. Court costs.”

    Brian Christopher in 2018

    The 46-year old has yet to wrestle a match in 2018. He’s been dealing with the facial injuries he suffered since March.

    Christopher has been wrestling only sporadically in recent years. He wrestled 4 matches in 2017 and only 5 in 2016. Often, he will wrestle under his former Grandmasta Sexay gimmick as well. On occasion, he has been joined by Scotty 2 Hotty on the indie scene as well. In 2015, Too Cool wrested several matches together. Scotty 2 Hotty now works at the WWE Performance Center in Florida, however.

  • Daniel Bryan Responds To Big Cass’ Smackdown Promo

    Daniel Bryan Responds To Big Cass’ Smackdown Promo

    Daniel Bryan didn’t have a response to Big Cass’ Smackdown promo until after last night’s show. Bryan was interviewed by WWE backstage correspondents for a WWE.com exclusive interview.

    “Big Cass, guess what? You said you’re going to break my leg in half? You don’t even know how. You haven’t trained hard enough, you haven’t been in the gym hard enough, you don’t know how to wrestle hard enough to break my leg in half. Do you know what’s going to happen at Money in the Bank? I am going to make you tap out one more time, whether it’s the YES Lock, whether it’s the heel hook, whether I just knee you in the face and stomp you in the face until you give up, that’s what’s going to happen at Money in the Bank. And you can’t teach surviving that.”

    transcripts courtesy of Cageside Seats

    Daniel Bryan vs Big Cass Rivalry

    The story WWE appears to be telling with the Daniel Bryan vs Big Cass rivalry is that Big Cass wants to show Bryan he can’t “hang in a big man’s world”. Bryan, on the other hand, wants to prove that good wrestlers can beat naturally gifted athletes such as the 7-foot tall Big Cass.

    It’s been an interesting in-ring return for Daniel Bryan these last few months. Not including house shows, Daniel Bryan has wrestled 8 times for WWE since returning to action at WrestleMania 34.

    Daniel Bryan’s WWE Record Since Return 

    not including house shows or dark matches

    • WrestleMania 34: Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan defeated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
    • April 10th, 2018 Smackdown: AJ Styles vs Daniel Bryan went to a no-contest.
    • April 17th, 2018 Smackdown: AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan defeated Aiden English and Rusev via DQ.
    • Greatest Royal Rumble: Set a new record for longest time in a Rumble match but did not win.
    • May 6th, 2018 Backlash PPV: Daniel Bryan defeated Big Cass.
    • May 8th, 2018 Smackdown: Rusev defeated Daniel Bryan (MITB qualifier).
    • May 22nd, 2018 Smackdown: Daniel Bryan defeated Jeff Hardy.
    • May 29th, 2018 Smackdown: Samoa Joe defeated Daniel Bryan and Big Cass (MITB qualifier)
  • NXT 6/6/18 Preview: Tommaso Ciampa Addresses Street Fight With Johnny Gargano

    NXT 6/6/18 Preview: Tommaso Ciampa Addresses Street Fight With Johnny Gargano

    NXT will present a taped show from Full Sail University tonight. The brand is building towards the upcoming Takeover event in 10 days from Chicago’s All-State Arena.

    4 matches have been confirmed already for Takeover but more could be announced on tonight’s show.

    NXT 6/6/18 Preview

    Tommaso Ciampa Addresses His Street Fight with Johnny Gargano

    • At Takeover Chicago the epic rivalry between Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano will continue. They will meet in a street fight in Chicago in a match which might finally bring this long-running blood feud to an end. Tonight, Ciampa plans to address his match at Takeover: Chicago with the fans at Full Sail University.

    Nikki Cross Segment

    • Last week, Nikki Cross saved Dakota Kai from a post-match beatdown by Shayna Baszler. Cross then challenged the champion to an impromptu match and won after Kai counted the 3-count. The match was unofficial, of course, and Cross did not actually win the championship.
    • The NXT Women’s Championship still doesn’t have an official match at Takeover: Chicago, perhaps Cross’ segment tonight could lead to such a match being confirmed.

    Roderick Strong vs Danny Burch

    • Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch will challenge the Undisputed Era at Takeover: Chicago for the NXT tag-team championships. This week, Danny Burch will face Roderick Strong in one-on-one action. Burch scored the win for his team (with Lorcan and Pete Dunne) over the 3 healthy members of Undisputed Era (O’Reilly, Strong, and Cole) recently on NXT.

    Kairi Sane vs Lacey Evans

    • Evans pulled off a huge upset the last time these two met in single’s action back in May. Sane had defeated Evans back in April, however. As the two are 1-and-1 with each other, this match here will be the rubber match. The winner likely moves into the title picture following Takeover: Chicago and the loser does not.

    Matches Already Confirmed for Takeover: Chicago:

    1. NXT Tag Team Championships
      Undisputed Era (c) vs Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch
    2. NXT Championship
      Aleister Black (c) vs Lars Sullivan
    3. Street Fight
      Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa
    4. Ricochet vs Velveteen Dream
  • NJPW Releases Full Card For Dominion

    NJPW Releases Full Card For Dominion

    New Japan Pro Wrestling presents one of the biggest shows of the year this Saturday from Osaka Jo Hall in Osaka, Japan.

    The main event will feature a 4th one-on-one match between Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada. In their 3 previous matches, each has won once and their match from Dominion last year went to a time-limit draw.

    Chris Jericho returns to NJPW this weekend to face Tetsuya Naito. Jericho filmed an expletive-laced promo directed at Naito which aired on the final night of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament this week.

    Will Ospreay will defend his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against the winner of this year’s Best of the Super Juniors, Hiromu Takahashi.

    Also on the card this Saturday, the Young Bucks will attempt to win heavyweight tag-team gold in the promotion for the first time. The Bucks will challenge Evil and Sanada of Los InGobernables for the IWGP Heavyweight tag-team championships.

    Rey Mysterio Jr’s match in NJPW was also put together on the last night of the BOSJ tournament. Marty Scurll kept up the attack on Tanahashi after their tag match on the card, causing Liger to run in and make the save. Liger then said he would team with Tanahashi and Mysterio to take on Scurll and his Bullet Club teammates.

    Lineup for NJPW Dominion

    1. IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
      El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) vs Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh)
    2. David Finlay and Juice Robinson vs Yoshi-Hashi and Jay White
    3. Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii vs Zack Sabre Jr and Minoru Suzuki
    4. NEVER Openweight Championship
      Hirooki Goto (c) vs Michael Elgin vs Taichi
    5. IWGP Tag Team Championship
      Evil and Sanada (c) vs the Young Bucks
    6. Rey Mysterio Jr, Jushin Liger, and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Marty Scurll, Hangman Page, and Cody
    7. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
      Will Ospreay (c) vs Hiromu Takahashi
    8. IWGP Intercontinental Championship
      Tetsuya Naito (c) vs Chris Jericho
    9. IWGP Heavyweight Championship
      Best 2-of-3 Falls
      Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Kenny Omega
  • Rosemary Reveals “They’ve” Been Learning Voodoo

    Rosemary Reveals “They’ve” Been Learning Voodoo

    Move over Papa Shango, here comes Rosemary. The former Knockouts Champion recently sat down for an interview with Alicia Atout and revealed she’s been working on a controversial new in-ring strategy.

    “There are so many forms of the black arts in this world, child,” Rosemary explained. “Admittedly, we are not up on all of them as we’d like to be.”

    Rosemary, who references herself in the plural, recently was in New Orleans and admitted to studying voodoo while she was there.

    Rosemary Learning Voodoo

    “Yes, we definitely wanted to learn more about voodoo, and tarot,” she expressed. “Would it not be helpful to see the future? So much better to plan. ”

    When asked if she plans to use her newly gained knowledge of the black arts while wrestling, Rosemary didn’t hesitate in her answer.

    “Yes, of course,” Rosemary said. “How better to control them all with dear?”

    New Impact Wrestling backstage correspondent, Alicia Atout, hosted Rosemary on her YouTube and Blog site, Amby. You can watch the interview in its entirety below:

    Demons, Bunnies, and Undead Brides

    The Impact Wrestling Knockouts division is reminiscent of a Rob Zombie film at times. Most recently, Allie lost the Knockout Championship to undead bride Su Yung in a Last Rites (coffin) match. Previously, Yung had locked Rosemary in a coffin as well.

    Rosemary suffered a torn ACL last month and could be out of action for the rest of the year. Her injury actual worked out conveniently for storyline purposes, however, as she had just recently been locked in a coffin by Su Yung and her army of undead brides.

    When Allie faced Su Yung at “Under Pressure” last Thursday, she painted her face in a way reminiscent of Rosemary and came out to her music as well. Yung will defend the Knockouts Championship at Slammiversary on July 22nd, with her challenger being revealed in the coming weeks on television.

  • Kenny Omega Comments On Facing Kazuchika Okada at Dominion

    Kenny Omega Comments On Facing Kazuchika Okada at Dominion

    Kenny Omega will face Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Dominion on June 9th, 2018. It will be the fourth one-on-one match between the two.

    Okada defeated Omega at WrestleKingdom 11. They met at last year’s Dominion event as well. That match went to a time limit draw. The last time they met was in last summer’s G1 tournament. Okada suffered a back injury in his previous match against Evil, which allowed Omega a slight advantage and the victory.

    Kenny Omega recently sat down with New Japan World to discuss his upcoming title challenge on June 9th.

    Kenny Omega Pre-Dominion Interview

    “He’s done so much and beaten everyone so many times that he calls the shots! He makes the challenges; he makes the rules.,” Omega said on his opponent’s record-breaking title reign. “That’s the situation we’re in right now.”

    In order to further break the deadlock between the two, their match will be a best out of two of three falls. Omega addressed the stipulation during the interview.

    “Don’t give me a handicap, Okada. That makes it too easy for me. Let’s make this fair, 50-50, right down the line. That is why I wanted the best two out of three falls,” Omega said. “I know the secret to this match, Okada. The secret is in that first fall; I won’t let you take it. You’re not getting the first fall. I’m going to take the first fall and control the pace.”

    Kenny Omega’s Motivation To Beat Okada

    Omega also addressed his motivation for defeating Okada aside from winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

    “You may be the best wrestler on the planet. I’ll admit it, you are,” Omega said “It’s not even an opinion thing anymore, this is something that you’ve proven. But you can’t say you are the best performer. That goes to me. If we’re going to move this thing forward, if we’re going to cause this revolution of professional wrestling and make it worldwide and something cool, we can’t just have the best natural wrestler steering the ship. We need someone who captures the imagination, who captures the heart. We need a professional wrestler and a showman. Which is why I’m doing everything in my power, to overtake your natural wrestling ability.”

    NJPW Dominion takes place June 9th and airs live on New Japan World.

  • WWE Files to Trademark NWO For Wrestling Purposes

    WWE Files to Trademark NWO For Wrestling Purposes

    WWE filed for several new trademarks recently. One particular trademark filed could prove interesting as well. WWE has filed to trademark “NWO” not just for merchandising but also for wrestling purposes.

    The statement of activity listed for the NWO trademark is as follows:

    “Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network, providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal, providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing and staging events with wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the fields of sports entertainment”

    WWE Files to Trademark NWO and Several Other Terms

    The free internet database of federally registered government records, Trademarkia, lists several recent trademarks the company has filed for.

    In addition to filing the above-mentioned NWO trademarks, WWE has also filed to trademark the term “Skull King” and “Immortals”.

    “Woken Warrior” is one of the terms WWE has filed for recently. The term has been used as part of Matt Hardy’s and Bray Wyatt’s current storyline.

    The name Pete Dunne was only trademarked a few weeks ago as well.

    The term “Talking Snack” was trademarked in March and that is definitely “Snack” and not “Smack” as well. WWE Brawl, AWA, and “The Irresistible Force” have all been trademarked by WWE recently. In March, WWE filed to trademark the phrase “the Most Patriotic Show on Television.”

    “Project Rock” was also trademarked around the same time the company filed for trademarks on “WWE Mixed Match Challenge” and “Absolution”.

    Do you think WWE will bring back an NWO Faction? Tell us what you think below:

  • 2 Championship Matches Announced For Slammiversary

    2 Championship Matches Announced For Slammiversary

    Impact Wrestling just announced 2 championship matches for their July 22nd Slammiversary PPV in Toronto.

    The promotion finished a set of TV tapings in Windsor this weekend and then filmed a One Night Only PPV in Mississauga last night. This morning, Impact’s management team held a press conference in Toronto and announced the Impact World Championship and Knockouts Championship matches.

    Impact announcer, Josh Matthews, announced Su Yung will defend her Knockouts Championship against Madison Rayne. Also announced, Impact World Champion, Austin Aries, will defend against Moose.

    Knockouts Championship: Su Yung (c) vs Madison Rayne

    Madison Rayne was on hand in Toronto and was announced as Su Yung’s challenger for the Knockouts Championship on July 22nd. Rayne was speaking with media when she was interrupted by a video of Knockouts champion, Su Yung.

    Impact World Championship: Austin Aries (c) vs Moose

    Moose was also on hand in Toronto this morning. The former NFL’er was announced as Austin Aries’ challenger at the upcoming PPV. Aries came out shortly after Moose. In addition to announcing the title match, Aries announced he was merging the Impact World and Grand Championships into one.

    When asked what merging the titles will mean for the championship picture in Impact, Aries took a shot at a former champion. Aries stated that ever since Josh Matthews was Impact Grand Champion, the title lost all value. He then continued to say the title was created under a different regime and under different rules.

    Impact Wrestling Returns

    Impact also announced the return of two members of their roster. Johnny Impact will return to action at Slammiversary. The popular star hasn’t been seen in the promotion since earlier this year. His absence on television has been explained via an injury angle with Kongo Kong.

    Johnny Impact and member of the Impact Knockouts division, Taya Valkyrie, were married over the weekend. The former Lucha Underground Champion will be a contestant on the upcoming season of Survivor. He will also be featured in the upcoming season of Lucha Underground as well (begins airing June 13th, 2018).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWflEr3JHV8

  • Sami Callihan Threatens Chris Jericho, Jericho Responds (Video)

    Sami Callihan Threatens Chris Jericho, Jericho Responds (Video)

    Impact Wrestling and MLW star Sami Callihan is threatening to show up on Chris Jericho’s cruise this fall. Callihan is not officially booked for the cruise, but his recent comments suggest he might show up there anyway.

    Cameras caught up with Callihan yesterday as he was arriving for the Impact Wrestling TV tapings in Windsor, ON, Canada.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=irMgSd-1j_Q

    Sami Callihan Threatens Chris Jericho and Ring of Honor

    ”I don’t care if it’s the Chris Jericho cruise, a cruise I didn’t even get booked on, which is bullshit,” Callihan said. “What are you guys, afraid? Chris Jericho, are you just afraid of Sami Callihan? Ring of Honor, are you afraid of making money with The Draw, Sami Callihan? That is my question. I am sick of being disrespected because I am The Draw and there is not one person that will tell me differently.

    The way I’m looking at it right now, the only bigger bitches than Impact management is Ring of Honor and Chris Jericho. So here’s the thing: I might just have to get my baseball bat and show up on this cruise because I do what I want, when I want.”

    Not long after, Chris Jericho responded.

    Sami Callihan in Impact Wrestling

    Ever since the promotion’s TV tapings in January, Callihan has been playing up the “loose cannon” gimmick. He broke Eddie Edwards’s orbital bone during a segment filmed in January which received a lot of coverage.

    Since that time, Callahan and Edwards have wrestled on Impact Wrestling and in Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore promotion. They are scheduled to face each other on Impact Wrestling again this Thursday in a match filmed in the woods.

    Transcripts via Cagesideseats

  • The Rock Offers Advice To Dakota Kai

    The Rock Offers Advice To Dakota Kai

    In an interview with WWE.com, NXT Superstar Dakota Kai recently mentioned the Rock as one of her early influences.

    “My brother was the one who actually got me into WWE,” Kai said when asked about first getting into wrestling. “He watched it all the time, and I started to watch with him. I was hooked on The Rock and his ability to captivate an audience. From there, one of my friends I used to do athletics with told me about a local company that needed more girls. That was in 2007, and I haven’t looked back since.”

    The Rock responded to the article and Kai on Twitter.

    The Rock Offers Advice to Dakota Kai

    “Very cool and flattering @DakotaKai_WWE,” Rock Tweeted. “Thank you! Look forward to following your career. Work extremely hard, have FUN in the ring performing for the fans and always stay above bullshit backstage politics”

    Kai and the Rock are both half-Samoan. Kai was also asked if she feels any pressure because of the rich lineage of Samoan wrestlers.

    “I never felt any pressure about that,” she explained. “I’ve simply always embraced being ‘afakasi. Mum would make sure us kids would grow up with a strong sense of who we are and where we came from. I’ve visited Samoa twice and visited my mum’s home village of Lepea. She would always make traditional Samoan dishes for us, and we would have family get togethers somewhat regularly. Family is priority within the Samoan community, which means the support system I get from them is amazing.”

    Dakota Kai was recently defeated by NXT Women’s Champion, Shayna Baszler, on NXT. The 30-year-old has now been in WWE developmental since April 2017. Before signing with WWE, she wrestled as Evie for promotions such as Shimmer and Stardom. Kai defeated Rhea Ripley as the NXT house show from Fort Pierce, Florida last night.

  • CM Punk Testifies Today, Confirms What CM Stands For, Motivation For Podcast Comments

    CM Punk Testifies Today, Confirms What CM Stands For, Motivation For Podcast Comments

    CM Punk took the stand today as part of his ongoing trial. Dr. Chris Amann is suing Punk for comments he made on his friend Colt Cabana’s podcast regarding the medical care he received while with WWE.

    A reporter for the Chicago Tribue, Gregory Pratt, is live at the trial and noted some interesting testimony was given by Punk this morning. His Tweets from the courtroom are below:

    https://twitter.com/royalpratt/status/1002604531946082305

    Notes From CM Punk Testimony

    Punk was asked if there is anything he would change about his comments on the podcast.

    “CM Punk took stand mid-morn,” Pratt tweeted. “His attorney asked if there’s anything he’d change about podcast, he said he swore a lot on there and wouldn’t today. Acknowledged being bitter then and wrestling being his whole life. Lots of things on the podcast he just doesn’t care about anymore.”

    Pratt also acknowledged that Punk confirmed “CM” stands for Chick Magnet.

    “He confirmed “CM” stands for Chick Magnet,” Pratt continued. “Remembers first promo after hitting someone w roll of coins: ‘All’s I’m saying is, I’ve got a lot of cents.’ Amann atty won relevance objection”

    https://twitter.com/royalpratt/status/1002603245766889472

    “Punk explained his character saying it was heavy on straight edge — no drugs/alcohol subculture — and make no excuses for who you are. When a good guy, focuses on core good guy values, when bad guy, gets a little preachy, like call for cutting off beer sales if he wins match”

    https://twitter.com/royalpratt/status/1002603537623339008

    https://twitter.com/royalpratt/status/1002603587187376128

    The Tribune also noted that lawyers from both sides debated the relevance of showing a video of CM Punk after having been put through a table. Evidently, the attorneys needed to explain to the judge who Kane was.

    “There was a lawyer fight between Amann and Punk reps over video of CM Punk laying after going thru table,” Pratt Tweeted. “Amann counsel didn’t want video to show Kane chokeslamming Punk thru table. Judge:’ I don’t know who Kane is.’ Attorney: “The big man without a shirt.”

  • David Arquette Clarifies Return To Wrestling, Wants To Silence Haters

    David Arquette Clarifies Return To Wrestling, Wants To Silence Haters

    David Arquette announced yesterday he plans to return to professional wrestling. He made the announcement during an appearance on the Wendy Williams Show. He has since clarified his statements and motivation for returning.

    Arquette explained his desire to return to wrestling has to do with wanting to silence the critics of his WCW World Championship run.

    “I was promoting a movie I did called Ready to Rumble and it just so happened that I won the championship,” Arquette said yesterday on the Wendy Williams show. “(Fans) blamed me for ruining WCW. It’s no longer around and maybe I did have something to do with it.”

    “For 18 years, I’ve been trolled on the internet,” he continued. “And I just want to bring some respect back to my name!”

    After his announcement yesterday, Arquette spoke with TMZ Sports to clarify why he is returning to wrestling.

    David “the Magic Man” Arquette Returns to Pro Wrestling

    Arquette told TMZ he has been training to get in shape for his return. He’s been practicing jiu-jitsu and boxing as well.

    He was asked if his return was a publicity stunt for a sequel to Ready 2 Rumble.

    “Ready 2 Rumble 2 I don’t think will happen,” Arquette said before mentioning his co-star in the movie, Diamond Dallas Page. “I am going to be doing some DDP Yoga that’s for sure.”

    When asked if Arquette plans to go for a championship or end up in WWE, here is what he had to say:

    “I love WWE, I’ve always been a fan of the McMahons and Vince and everything they’ve been doing over there,” Arquette said. “It’s always been a weird relationship between me and wrestling. I’m just trying to clear my name.”

    WWE wasted little time in promoting Arquette’s return to wrestling themselves. They Tweeted out the following not long after Arquette appeared on the Wendy Williams show.

    So far, it’s not clear what promotion Arquette is looking to get booked with. The Hollywood actor is located in Los Angeles and seemingly could appear for promotions such as Joey Ryan’s the Bar Wrestling, though that is only speculation.

  • Kimber Lee Talks NXT, Inter-Gender Matches, the Northern Tournament, more…

    Kimber Lee Talks NXT, Inter-Gender Matches, the Northern Tournament, more…

    27-year-old Kimberly Frankele is better known to wrestling fans as Kimber Lee. The former Chikara Grand Champion was released from her WWE contract earlier this year and has since returned to the independent scene.

    Ahead of her participation in this weekend’s “the Northern” tournament with Smash Wrestling in Toronto, Kimber Lee spoke with Slam! Sports. During the interview, Kimber Lee spoke about her time in WWE developmental and her career on the independents.

    Kimber Lee Interview Highlights

    Kimber Lee was asked about the difference between the independent circuit and the year she spent in WWE developmental.

    “When you’re on the independent circuit your schedule really depends on yourself,” she said. “If there are three [NXT] shows on the weekend you can work one or none at all.”

    “When I first started at NXT I didn’t get to travel as much, I mainly stayed in Florida and trained a lot,” Kimber Lee continued. “I got to work with trainers like Robbie Brookside and Norman Smiley.”

    https://twitter.com/Kimber_Lee90/status/998994532837584898

    Abbey Laith in NXT

    Kimber Lee wrestled under the name Abbey Laith while in NXT. She only appeared on 3 episodes of NXT television. She lost to Ruby Riot on the April 5th, 2017 episode and also participated in two battle royals, neither of which she won. Abbey Laith did regularly compete at NXT house shows, however. She lost most of her matches but did have a good showing in the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Laith made it to the quarter-finals of the tournament before losing to Mercedes Martinez. She had defeated Jazzy Gabert and Rachael Evers to reach that point in the tournament.

    Kimber Lee was also asked about her experiences being a woman in the business and what her experience has been like with inter-gender matches.

    Lee will wrestle in an inter-gender match in the 1st round of this weekend’s Northern tournament. She takes on Wheeler Yuta. Both Yuta and Lee were trained by 205 Live Superstar, Drew Gulak. Here is what Lee had to say about her upcoming opponent.

    “He’s going to have a strong technical base because Drew is such a technical mat wrestler,” she said. “It’s going to be more of a grappling battle than people think.”

    More information on Smash Wrestling’s tournament this weekend can be found here.

    In addition to Lee, Matt Riddle, Joey Mercury, Joe Hendry, Joey Janela, and Mia Yim are also entered into the tournament.

    Lee concluded the interview by stating, “The Crown Jewel is very much alive, so never count me out.”

  • Sami Callihan vs Eddie Edwards “Fight in the Woods” Match Next Week

    Sami Callihan vs Eddie Edwards “Fight in the Woods” Match Next Week

    The feud between Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan continues to roll on in Impact Wrestling. The rivalry has spilled into other promotions as well such as Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore and Santino Marella’s Destiny Wrestling.

    Last night on Impact Wrestling’s “Under Pressure” it was revealed that Callihan and Edwards will face each other once more next week. The match will be a “Fight in the Woods”. By the sounds of it, Impact will film (or already has done so) a match between the two in the middle of a forest with no fans present.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wxEasAFw9g

    Sami Callihan vs Eddie Edwards

    So far in 2018, Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan have faced each other on 4 occasions. Here are the results:

    1. Impact Wrestling January 13th: Edwards defeated Callihan
    2. Redemption PPV (Hardcore Rules): Callihan and oVe defeated Edwards, Moose, and Dreamer
    3. House of Hardcore 41 (Street Fight): Edwards defeated Callihan
    4. House of Hardcore 42 (Street Fight): Edwards defeated Callihan

    Edwards spoke to the Mirror UK website about the recent changes in Impact Wrestling.

    “Since (the new management team) came in it feels like a new regime but in a good way,” Edwards said. “Feels like at this point from the guys in the locker room to the guys in the office, Scott, Don, Sonjay and creative are all on the same page. We are trying to slowly but surely turn things around and get back to where we were in the heyday.”

    Edwards continued to say he is pleased with the level of creative freedom and communication which currently exists in the promotion.

    “Right now the lines of communication are open between everybody which is great,” he continued. “To be able to go back and forth with ideas and creative stuff. It’s nice to just have the team all on the same page going forward and that’s the biggest thing. We can’t have people going in different directions that doesn’t work. Right now it’s a good time.”

  • Don Callis Talks About Rebuilding Impact Wrestling

    Don Callis Talks About Rebuilding Impact Wrestling

    Impact Wrestling’s management and roster are in for a busy few days. The company is currently in Windsor, ON, Canada for the first of two nights of television tapings. Following the 3rd set of TV tapings under the new management, the promotion will head to Mississauga, ON, Canada for a One Night Only PPV on Sunday.

    Impact co-Vice President, Don Callis, recently appeared on the Busted Open Radio show.

    Don Callis Interview Highlights

    For much of its existence, Impact Wrestling has been a poorly reviewed promotion. Callis was asked how he plans to rebuild a new reputation for Impact Wrestling.

    “You’ve got to start making the small changes, the changes that make sense. For us, that meant eliminating the stupid stuff. Don’t insult the fans’ intelligence, and also getting the talent roster the way you want it,” Callis said. “I think that despite the fact that when I came in here with Scott [D’Amore] for the first tapings in January, people were flustered by the fact that ‘oh EC3 is leaving’ and this guy is leaving, but they would never say ‘but they just signed Brian Cage, they just signed Sami Callihan’, etc. I said it would take a couple of months to get the roster the way we wanted it.”

    Callis was also asked what the company has to do to create a buzz.

    “I think the way you create buzz— we’ve had a bit of a honeymoon period, as any kind of new coach or whatever does — is you get compelling talents in storylines that people are invested in, and you do a good job promoting it and you go from there.”

    transcriptions courtesy of WrestleZone

    Impact Wrestling’s Under Pressure aired last night. During the show, Austin Aries won back the Impact World Championship and Su Yung defeated Allie to win the Knockouts title.

  • Tessa Blanchard Talks Her Influences and Impact Wrestling

    Tessa Blanchard Talks Her Influences and Impact Wrestling

    Tonight on Impact Wrestling’s “Under Pressure” Tessa Blanchard will take on Madison Rayne. Blanchard made her debut with the company at the Redemption PPV on April 22nd, 2018 and let the rest of the division know she plans on cutting in line to the top of the card.

    Blanchard defeated up-and-comer Kiera Hogan on a recent episode of Impact. She then opted to continue the beating on her opponent after the match. Rayne then ran in to make the save.

    Blanchard is someone the company appears to be high on. The Knockouts division has added several new talents recently but none with as much potential as the 22-year-old Blanchard.

    She recently took part in an Impact Wrestling media teleconference.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zlhgATPs2E

    Tessa Blanchard Interview Highlights

    “Things are about to get very, very, interesting” Tessa Blanchard on what is next for her in Impact Wrestling.

    During the call, Blanchard was asked about her father’s history with the 4 Horseman and what influence he has had on her career.

    “I have huge respect for the 4 Horsemen, all bias aside,” Blanchard said of her father’s old faction. “I think my Dad and Arn were one of the greatest tag-teams of all time.”

    Blanchard would say that her father’s era of professional wrestling is one she studies often. The gritty and more realistic approach to wrestling from Tully Blanchard’s era in the 4 Horseman is something which appeals to the younger Blanchard.

    “I watch that era of professional wrestling for inspiration and to study tape,” Blanchard continued to say. “I want to portray that style through my work.”

    Blanchard was also asked about recent media reports that she was broken-hearted when she wasn’t signed to WWE after her tryout in 2014. She clarified that she believes everything happens for a reason and she does not believe she would be the wrestler she is today if she had signed with WWE 4 years ago.

    “These life experiences, these personal experiences through wrestling, if I was signed on (with WWE), my entire path would be different,” she said. “I’m very blessed for things to have played out the way they have.”

    Blanchard also revealed she broke her collarbone while wrestling in Lucha Underground. She otherwise praised the company, talent, and how they treated her, however.

  • Impact Wrestling “Under Pressure” Confirmed Matches

    Impact Wrestling “Under Pressure” Confirmed Matches

    Impact Wrestling presents a branded episode tonight titled “Under Pressure”. The matches taped for tonight’s show will be the last to air from the company’s tapings held in Orlando this April.

    After tonight’s show, the company heads to Windsor for 2 days of television tapings on Friday and Saturday. They will be in Mississauga on Sunday for a One Night Only PPV in collaboration with Santino Marella’s Destiny Wrestling.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R97ZEWhHBsk

    Impact Wrestling Under Pressure Confirmed Matches

    Brian Cage vs Dezmond Xavier

    Recently on Impact Wrestling, Brian Cage has been shown wrestling in Japan, Australia, and Canada. Tonight he will return to Impact to face Dezmond Xavier.

    Scott Steiner vs Eli Drake

    The former tag team champions appear to blame one another for their losing the belts to Z&E. Steiner accidentally hit Drake in the head with a chair to cost their team their titles. Tonight they will go one-on-one with each other at Impact Wrestling’s Under Pressure.

    Tessa Blanchard vs Madison Rayne

    Madison Rayne has returned to pro-wrestling. She saved Kiera Hogan from suffering a post-match beatdown at the hands of Blanchard on a previous episode but tonight she will have to face the 3rd generation star herself.

    Knockouts Championship
    Allie (c) vs Su Yung

    In recent weeks, we have seen Allie adopt a new and darker persona. After watching her friend, Rosemary, be locked in a coffin by the devious Su Yung, Allie appears to have gone unstable.

    Yung’s army of undead bridesmaids may also be in attendance, however.

    Impact Wrestling World Championship
    Pentagon Jr. (c) vs Austin Aries

    Following the departure of Alberto El Patron, Pentagon and his brother Fenix found themselves in an Impact World Championship match at Redemption on April 22nd. Pentagon came out the victor but has yet to have his one-on-one rematch with former champion Austin Aries.

    Aries will get his chance to add more gold to his belt collection tonight and avenge his title loss at Redemption.

  • Dean Ambrose and Renee Young Ride Zamboni During Stanley Cup Finals

    Dean Ambrose and Renee Young Ride Zamboni During Stanley Cup Finals

    Married couple, Renee Young and Dean Ambrose, live in Las Vegas. They have both been seen supporting the NHL’s expansion Las Vegas Golden Knights franchise this season as well. The Golden Knights have made it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals and both Young and Ambrose were there in person for game 2 last night.

    Rather than sit in private box, however, the pair spent a portion of the evening riding atop the arena’s Zamboni.

    Wrestling fans in attendance for the game made note of their appearance. Ambrose appears to have grown in a beard and gotten a haircut too.

    https://twitter.com/XtremeBliss/status/1002038719006691328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    Dean Ambrose Injury Status

    Ambrose has been out with a triceps injury since December. Although this hasn’t been confirmed, speculation is there have been several setbacks in his recovery.

    Kurt Angle addressed Ambrose’s extended stay on the DL during a Q and A session on his Facebook page last month.

    “LISTEN EVERYONE. Dean is healing nicely. He will be back soon!!!!! I get this question every week. I know how popular he is but asking me when he will return will not make him return any sooner than he can. He will be back soon. Promise.”

    At the time of his injury, Ambrose was taking part in the Shield reunion storyline. In Ambrose’s absence, Roman Reigns has gone back into single’s action and Seth Rollins has since won the Intercontinental Championship.

    There is still no timeline for Ambrose’s return.

  • David Arquette Announces Return To Pro-Wrestling

    David Arquette Announces Return To Pro-Wrestling

    Former World Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, David Arquette, has announced he is returning to pro-wrestling.

    Arquette held the title from April 25th, 2000 to May 7th, 2000. He won the title from Diamond Dallas Page during a tag-team match in which he and Page were partners and defeated Jeff Jarrett and Eric Bischoff. The stipulation in the match had been whoever scored the pinfall also won the title.

    Arquette then lost the title to Jeff Jarrett at Slamboree 2000. The match was a triple threat against DDP and Jarrett inside a triple-tiered cage. Arquette turned on Page during the match and helped Jarrett win the title. He donated everything he earned from WCW to the families of Owen Hart and Brian Pillman. Arquette is said to be a nice guy and a huge wrestling fan.

    Now it appears Arquette is ready to return to pro-wrestling. He made the announcement during an appearance on the Wendy Williams Show, though it’s not altogether clear when/if fans can expect to see the 46-year-old booked on any upcoming wrestling shows.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BjZ0HdIh3DR/?utm_source=ig_embed

    David Arquette Announces Return to Pro-Wrestling

    “I’d like to announce my return to professional wrestling!” Arquette proclaimed.

    “I was promoting a movie I did called Ready to Rumble and it just so happened that I won the championship,” Arquette said. “(Fans) blamed me for ruining WCW, it’s no longer around and maybe I did have something to do with it.”

    Arquette appears to have adopted a new gimmick as well. His new name is David “the Magic Man” Arquette.

    “For 18 years, I’ve been trolled on the internet,” he continued. “And I just want to bring some respect back to my name!”

    Check out his appearance on the Wendy Williams Show below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhMy8Gp6dZw

  • Cody Defends Starrcast From Scam Allegations, Ranks Star Wars Movies

    Cody Defends Starrcast From Scam Allegations, Ranks Star Wars Movies

    In recent weeks, there has been some mild controversy over Vince Russo being specifically excluded from Starrcast. Another podcast host has now fired shots at Cody for how Starrcast is being organized as well.

    The producers of the podcast “Wrestling Soup” are booked for Starrcast despite the fact the hosts have been critical of Cody in the past. Cody used their inclusion at Starrcast recently in a Tweet.

    The producers of Wrestling Soup then disputed the “payday” Cody referenced above.

    https://twitter.com/JoeNumbas/status/1001906137875263489

    Cody then clarified that talent at Starrcast are being given an opportunity to earn new fans.

    “Cody, this is the same scam that promoters (music, wrestling, etc) have ran for YEARS,” Wrestling Soup’s host said in a Tweet. “It’s an intangible promise therefore basically a lie. I was respecting your hustle till you said “I’m trying to get people paydays” and just NOW you denied making people pay. Wtf man?”

    “I’m not seeing your argument,” Cody responded. “No scam ha. I’m not the operations manager of Starrcast, but ill personally refund any expense your team/brand has incurred or I’ll refund you and have somebody else take the spot. All In is meant to be fun, that’s all!”

    Are Cody and the Young Bucks Teasing CM Punk Will Be At All-In?

    Another fan then accused Cody and the Bucks from attempting to profit off of the talent booked for Starrcast. He also addressed the idea that CM Punk was involved in producing All-In.

    Cody Ranks the Star Wars Movies

    With the latest Star Wars movies in theaters, Cody recently ranked every Star Wars movie from best to worst. Cody is a noted Star Wars fan.

    1- Empire
    2- Last Jedi
    3- Force awakens
    4- Return Of the Jedi
    5- Revenge of the Sith
    6- New Hope
    7- Solo
    8- Clone Wars
    9- Phantom Menace
    10- Rogue one
    11- Rebels
    12- Attack of the clones

    Cody most recently competed on Ring of Honor’s Honor United tour. After defeating Kenny King in London, it was revealed Cody will challenge for the ROH Championship before All-In. If Cody holds the ROH World Championship come September 1st, his match for the NWA World Heavyweight belt will be a title vs title match.

  • Impact Wrestling Confirms Matches For Upcoming Tapings

    Impact Wrestling Confirms Matches For Upcoming Tapings

    Impact wrestling will host two days of television tapings this weekend from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The city is home to Scott D’Amore’s long-running Border City Wrestling promotion. Border City Wrestling has long been a top feeder promotion to bigger organizations especially during periods in which D’Amore has been working with Impact Wrestling.

    Tickets for the tapings are still available although all floor seats have been sold. Impact will then head to Mississauga, ON, Canada on Sunday to film a One Night Only PPV.

    Confirmed Matches for Upcoming Impact Wrestling Tapings

    The following matches are being advertised for the first night of tapings on June 1st, 2018:

    • Austin Aries vs Aiden Prince
    • Matt Sydal and Kongo Kong vs Reverso and A1
    • Dezmond Xavier vs Phil Atlas

    The following matches are confirmed for the 2nd night of tapings held on June 2:

    • A1 and Moose vs Austin Aries and Phil Atlas
    • Fenix vs Rich Swann

    New wrestlers debuting during the tapings:

    Aiden Prince: 

    Prince is a local wrestler from Windsor who has been a pro since 2012. In addition to wrestling with BCW, Prince is active in the Toronto independent wrestling scene. He has competed with Smash Wrestling and Greektown Wrestling in Toronto.

    Prince has also wrestled on Impact Wrestling One Night Only PPVs run in association with BCW. Prince also wrestles for Santino Marella’s Destiny Wrestling promotion in Mississauga.

    El Reverso

    Another local Windsor talent, El Reverso wrestled from 2004 to 2008 with BCW before retiring. He recently ended a nine-year retirement and has been competing in Windsor and the surrounding area.

    A1

    A former member of TNA’s Team Canada stable in 2006, A1 is a long time veteran. As with El Reverso, he retired in 2008 during a low period for the business. He returned to the independent scene in 2015, however, wrestling for various promotions. Border City wrestling has always remained his home, however.

    Phil Atlas

    33-year-old Phil Atlas has also been a regular for Border City Wrestling, and Destiny Wrestling, which are basically both feeder systems for Impact at this point. He’s also wrestled for the Toronto promotion, Superkick’d, and several other Canadian independent companies.

  • Details On The Pitch That Helped Fox Secure WWE SmackDown

    Details On The Pitch That Helped Fox Secure WWE SmackDown

    The current Executive Co-Chairman of 21st-Century Fox, Rupert Murdoch, is believed to have been the creative mind behind the pitch which landed his network WWE Smackdown.

    According to a recent report from the Hollywood Reporter, Murdoch let WWE know that their competitors at NBC (USA Networks parent company) are embarrassed by sports entertainment on their network. This despite the ratings and revenue WWE brings in for them.

    In the end, the USA Network was willing to let Smackdown go to another network. The Fox Network was then willing to do the same with the UFC after landing Smackdown.

    Fox Pitch to WWE Centered Around “New Fox”

    Fox recently cleared up a lot of budget by canceling several sitcoms and scripted programs. It is believed that with most of their assets being sold to Disney or Comcast, sports and live programming will become the most integral piece of the company’s broadcast schedule.

    The report continued to say that the meeting between Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Fox executives concluded in under 3 hours. Within that time, the two sides had reached a handshake agreement and a new relationship had been forged.

    The 81-year-old Murdoch reportedly told WWE that NBC was embarrassed by pro-wrestling. On the other hand, Murdoch said Fox plans to make them a key part of their lineup. WWE would fit right in with their plans for the new Fox. He promised WWE that Smackdown promos will air across sports programming on every night of the week. Fox also said they will produce a weekly studio show on FS1. This show will likely be similar to what they have done with UFC in the past.

    In a private phone call with Vince McMahon, Murdoch is also believed to have said the new agreement would usher in the beginning of a marriage between the Murdochs and the McMahons. Both McMahon and Murdoch view themselves as rebels who built media empires.

    WWE and Fox’s agreement will begin in October 2019. It covers the period from October 1, 2019, all the way to 2024.

  • NXT Preview (5/30/18)

    NXT Preview (5/30/18)

    NXT this week will be a taped down from Full Sail University in Florida. The main event will feature an NXT Women’s Championship match. Shayna Baszler will defend her title against Dakota Kai.

    In recent weeks, Kai has seemed to be quite intimidated by the champion. It will be interesting to see how she reacts to being in the ring with her tonight.

    NXT Preview 5/30/18

    • Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa Segment
      • Gargano will face Ciampa in a street fight at Takeover: Chicago.
      • Candice LeRae does not appear to support Gargano’s decision to continue the rivalry, however.
      • We should get an update on this rivalry tonight.
    • Bianca Belair Sit Down Interview
      • Belair is becoming one of the most highly featured members of the NXT women’s division.
      • She’ll take part in a sit-down interview tonight.
    • EC3 In Single’s Action
      • EC3 will be in single’s action tonight.
      • No opponent has been named for him, however. This will most likely be a squash match.
    • Aleister Black Appearance
      • Aleister Black will make an appearance in front of the live crowd at Full Sail tonight.
      • We don’t know who his opponent will be at Takeover: Chicago but wrestlers such as the Velveteen Dream, Lars Sullivan, and Ricochet appear to be in the mix.
    • NXT Women’s Championship Match
      Shayna Baszler (c) vs Dakota Kai

      • While this might seem like a big opportunity for the challenger, she has been rather intimidated by the champion in recent weeks.
      • Last week, Dakota appeared determined to conquer her fears and get in the ring with Baszler, however. Behind the scenes, Nikki Cross is said to be driving Kai’s new found confidence.
      • What will happen when Kai finally gets in the ring to conquer her fears, however, won’t be known until tonight.
      • Tonight we will find out who goes into Takeover: Chicago as the champion and will likely find out more about who will be the challenger on that show.
  • Tessa Blanchard Talks Impact Wrestling and Not Signing With WWE

    Tessa Blanchard Talks Impact Wrestling and Not Signing With WWE

    In the short time since she has been with Impact Wrestling, Tessa Blanchard is undefeated and could move into the Knockouts title picture shortly. The 22-year-old has competed in WWE and Stardom and is quickly becoming one of the most recognizable faces on Impact’s roster.

    Blanchard recently took part in an interview on Busted Open Radio. She talked about the mood backstage in Impact Wrestling as well as details surrounding her 2014 WWE tryout.

    Tessa Blanchard on Busted Open Radio

    “After my WWE tryout in 2014, I was like ‘alright, I’m getting signed, I’m going to be there, I’m ready, let’s do this’, Blanchard said in regards to her relationship with WWE. “Then when it didn’t happen, I was heartbroken. I honestly think it’s cause God had a plan for me. If I would have gone and they would have signed me, I don’t think I would have had the life experiences or the experiences in wrestling.”

    “I wouldn’t be the wrestler I am today,” she continued.

    The daughter of Tully Blanchard and step-daughter of Magnum TA also had this to say regarding the Impact Wrestling roster and mood backstage:

    “At first I was a little nervous,” Blanchard said. “I didn’t really know what to expect. TV style is very new to me still. But the locker room and everyone has been so welcoming there and it’s just a very good environment there. Everyone wants the best for each other. I haven’t run into any problems where it’s like people talking about other people or saying one thing and turning around and saying a different thing. It feels just like good vibes there, like good energy. Everyone really, really wants the best for each other.”

    Blanchard also credited Gail Kim, Petey Williams, and Jimmy Jacobs as creative minds backstage in Impact. She will take on Madison Rayne this Thursday on Impact’s branded episode “Under Pressure”.