SEScoops

Author: Chris Stephens

  • Impact Wrestling Results (5/18/18)

    Impact Wrestling Results (5/18/18)

    Impact Wrestling presented a taped show from Orlando, FL last night. This set of tapings was the 2nd under the new management regime and was held in the days following the Redemption PPV on April 22nd, 2018.

    The promotion also announced a branded episode of Impact named “Under Pressure” to air in 2 weeks. The main event of Under Pressure will be Pentagon Jr defending the Impact World Championship against Austin Aries.

    Impact Wrestling Results (5/18/18)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN2h4K1G-Hc

    1. Impact World Tag Team Championships
    DJZ & Andrew Everett defeated Scott Steiner & Eli Drake (c) (New Champions)

    • DJZ and Everett earned this title match by defeating former champions, LAX, last week.
    • The finish of this match came when Steiner accidentally hit Eli Drake with a chair, allowing Everett to get the pin and win the titles.
    • Following a commerical break, the new champions were shown celebrating with Petey Williams.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F7C-i07OMo

    2. Tessa Blanchard defeated Kiera Hogan

    • Madison Rayne joined Josh Matthews on commentary for this match.
    • After an early surge by Hogan, Blanchard took over and won with a Hammerlock DDT.
    • Blanchard kept up the attack after the match and this brought Madison Rayne out to make the save.
    • Rayne and Blanchard then jawed back and forth at each other for a bit.

    In the back:

    • Grado confronted Jimmy Jacobs about the recent attacks in the back. His friend, Joseph Park, was the 3rd victim of the mystery attacker last week. Grado’s girlfriend, Katarina, goaded him into requesting a match with Jacobs’ monster, Kongo Kong.
    • Kongo Kong and Grado were then booked for a match later in the show.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1FfwpIRkSM

    3. Kongo Kong defeated Grado

    • Grado got in some early comedic offense, but Kongo Kong won with a flying splash.
    • After the match, Kongo kept up the attack. Rather than help her new love interest, however, Katarina left the ring area.
    • “Mr. Impact” Moose made the save for Grado. Moose cleared Kong out of the ring to end the segment.

    In the back:

    • The Cult of Lee made fun of LAX for losing two straight matches now that Konnan is gone. A future match between these two teams seems likely.

    4. Street Fight
    House of Hardcore 
    Eddie Edwards defeated Sami Callihan

    • This match was hosted by House of Hardcore. In storyline, Impact Wrestling officials wanted nothing to do with the match so Tommy Dreamer offered his promotion as a venue for Edwards to get his revenge.
    • Most of this match was a brawl around the arena. One of the bigger spots involved Callihan giving Edwards a Death Valley Driver on the entrance ramp.
    • Callihan picked up a bat and went to hit his opponent but Edwards landed a “Boston Knee Party” before he could and got the win.
    • After the match, Edwards kept going at Callihan, choking him with a baseball bat. Dreamer and security had to pry Edwards after his rival.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wiNYgriwAg

    5. Destiny Wrestling
    Brian Cage defeated Facade

    • Brian Cage defeated Facade in Mississauga, ON, Canada.
    • This is part of Brian Cage’s ongoing world tour. He was shown wrestling for Pro Wrestling NOAH and the World Series of Wrestling (Australia) in previous weeks.

    The classic moment of the week by the Global Wrestling Network was a match between Brian Kendrick and Austin Aries.

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

    Su Yung Creepy Funeral

    • Su Yung held a rather creepy funeral for Rosemary.
    • Yung and her army of undead bridesmaids locked Rosemary in a coffin on a previous episode.
    • Yung blew poison mist on the coffin and lit it on fire to close the segment.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmY070IHHPk

    6. El Hijo Del Fantasma and Pentagon Jr. defeated Matt Sydal and Austin Aries

    • Fantasma is scheduled to face Matt Sydal for the X-Division Championship next week.
    • At Under Pressure in 2 weeks, Aries and Pentagon will meet for the Impact World Championship.
    • Fantasma got the pin on Sydal with a Cradle Piledriver as Matthews explained on commentary that if this happens next week, Fantasma will be the new X-Division champion.
  • The Revival Make Surprise Appearance At NXT House Show

    The Revival Make Surprise Appearance At NXT House Show

    At yesterday’s NXT House show in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the Undisputed Era issued an open challenge to anyone in the locker room. While NXT tag team champions, Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong may have expected a team currently on the NXT roster, they got a team from Raw instead.

    Former NXT tag-team champions, Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson answered the open challenge. It was the first time the team has wrestled in NXT since April of 2017. They were defeated by Strong and O’Reilly, however.

    The Revival in NXT and on Raw

    The Revival wrestled in NXT from 2014 to 2017. The team was previously known as the Mechanics as well. They are 2x NXT tag team champions and won the NXT Tag Team of the Year award in 2016.

    So far, the Revival’s first year on the main roster has not gone as many hoped. Injuries hampered their initial debut and the team hasn’t seemed to have gained much momentum since returning.

    Their most recent match on television came this week on Raw. Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy defeated the Revival in a match which went under 5 minutes. They have managed to score victories over Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows (Raw April 9th, 2018) as well as victories over Breezeango and Heath Slater & Rhyno on episodes of Main Event, however.

  • Shane McMahon Undergoes Succesful Surgery To Repair Hernia

    Shane McMahon Undergoes Succesful Surgery To Repair Hernia

    WWE is reporting that Shane McMahon underwent successful surgery to repair a hernia. The surgery took place last Friday in New York. Shane is said to be at home resting.

    WWE released the following statement to media:

    “McMahon is currently resting at home, but he’s feeling well and is excited to get back to work on Smackdown Live.”

    While Shane performed at WrestleMania despite his hernia, the situation was said to be touch and go. Chris Jericho recently revealed that had Shane not been able to team with Daniel Bryan, that he would have been his replacement. Shane also suffered from diverticulitis and an infection which landed him in hospital in the weeks and months leading to WrestleMania.

    Shane McMahon Performs at WrestleMania 34

    On a recent episode of Chris Jericho’s podcast, Daniel Bryan relayed the story of speaking to Shane McMahon in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania.

    “Shane called me and told me that he was in the hospital now, ‘I got diverticulitis when I was in Antigua, and when they put me on IV’s I got a staph infection from the IV’s and then I have this hernia that is coming out of my stomach,’ but he’s like, ‘don’t worry, I will be ready for WrestleMania.’ What? How? That doesn’t make any sense.”

    Bryan continued to say WWE would not tell him who Shane’s replacement partner would have been.

    “They keep all the secrets from the boys because they are afraid that the boys are talking to the dirt sheets and all of that kind of stuff,” Bryan said.

    “I asked who it was, and they said that they couldn’t tell me. I thought, ‘wait, you can’t tell me? I’m in the match! Shouldn’t I know?’ I had assumed, I had kind of assumed that you [Jericho] that makes the most sense with your history with Kevin [Owens] and stuff.”

  • Nick Aldis Confirmed For ROH Honor United: Edinburgh

    Nick Aldis Confirmed For ROH Honor United: Edinburgh

    NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Nick Aldis, will be competing in ROH’s upcoming Honor United tour. It will be his first time in Ring of Honor.

    News that Nick Aldis will be wrestling for ROH comes on the heels of Billy Corgan revealing the NWA title will be defended at All-In. Cody is scheduled to challenge whoever the champion is at the time. Now it appears, Aldis wants to get a piece of Cody’s Bullet Club teammates beforehand.

    Shortly after the All-In Chicago press conference, Aldis seemed upset with Billy Corgan’s announcement. He sent out the following Tweet in response:

    It was not long before Ring of Honor officials confirmed the match:

    ROH Honor United: Edinburgh

    The Edinburg show will be Ring Of Honor’s first stop on a 3 show tour. The promotion will be in London then Doncaster on May 26th and 27th.

    Other matches announced for the show:

    • ROH World Tag Team Championships
      The Briscoes (c) vs Adam Page & Cody
    • The Boys vs Toru Yano & Delirious
    • Evil and Sanada vs Christopher Daniels and Kazarian
    • Shane Taylor vs Scorpio Sky
    • Punishment Martinez vs Kenny King

    Also signed for the show:

    • Sumie Sakai
    • Silas Young
    • the Kingdom
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi
    • Jay Lethal
    • Bully Ray
    • Kelly Klein
    • Tenille Dashwood
  • Smackdown Could Be Headed To Fox, Facebook, or Amazon

    Smackdown Could Be Headed To Fox, Facebook, or Amazon

    “Frontrunning contenders for “SmackDown” rights include Fox, Facebook and Amazon.” – Variety

    Smackdown Live! is likely to have a new home when WWE and USA’s current agreement expires later this year.

    Currently, Fox is the leading candidate to land Shane McMahon’s brand but there are other suitors out there. A recent article from Variety spoke to senior analyst for Wells Fargo, Eric Katz about how Smackdown will do on the open market.

    “We think ‘SmackDown’ is due for a big raise as well, and likely still viewed as a bargain for several players reportedly interested,” Katz said.

    The Variety article also included analysis from a Guggenheim report on WWE’s current television renewals situation.

    “The company sits in a much stronger financial and negotiating position now than in 2014 (having just launched the WWE Network while PPV was winding down),” the report reads. “We believe that WWE stands to make significant headway during its coming television contract negotiations due to an enhanced brand, new [business-to-business] relationships, more potential bidders than ever, and a contract that under-indexes other live premium programming.”

    Smackdown to Fox, Facebook, or Amazon?

    Fox recently sold off the majority of their assets to pave the way for a switch to increased live programming. Facebook and Amazon are also interested suitors, however. The addition of streaming services and social media sites in the bidding has put the WWE in a greater place of leverage than ever before.

    WWE previously partnered with Facebook Live for the Mixed Match Challenge. 35 million engagements were reported for the first episode of the tournament. WWE was said to be unhappy with the overall viewership of the Mixed Match Challenge, however. The tournament was eventually won by the Miz and Asuka.

    Where do you want to see Smackdown Live end up? Fox? Amazon? Facebook Live? Tell us in the comments section below. 

  • Roman Reigns Opens Up About Fans Booing

    Roman Reigns Opens Up About Fans Booing

    Roman Reigns believes so long as fans are showing up to the arenas, it doesn’t matter if they boo him. The 32-year-old recently spoke to SunSport about his reaction to hearing fans respond negatively to him.

    “I’ve done what I’m supposed to do and that’s draw people into the building,” Reigns said.

    “What I and everybody in WWE thinks is to go out there and work hard and continue to show why I am the guy.”

    Roman Reigns as “The Guy” in WWE

    Roman Reigns has been in the main event of WrestleMania 4 years in a row. He is the company’s choice for their top babyface. Despite years of trying, however, the promotion has been unable to get fans to cheer him at live events.

    “It’s not easy doing this every single day, going to every single town, and getting a reaction,” Reigns continued. “That’s what I do regardless of whether it’s all cheers, a mixed reaction, or heavy boos.”

    Reigns would continue to say that although fans in the live arenas might boo him, WWE has to also consider the larger audience watching around the world.

    “We have to look at it as a global company. We’re not just worried about the one town that we’re in, we’re covering our entire fanbase,” Reigns stated.

    “The WWE Universe is humongous. We have to keep that in mind.”

  • Impact Wrestling Preview (5/17/18)

    Impact Wrestling Preview (5/17/18)

    Impact Wrestling is back with another taped show tonight. The company will hold the 3rd set of tapings under the new regime on June 1st and 2nd in Windsor, On, Canada.

    Impact Wrestling Preview (5/17/18)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8l_FI1Ggq4

    Street Fight
    Hosted by House of Hardcore
    Eddie Edwards vs Sami Callihan

    • Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore promotion will host this street fight between the two rivals.
    • Callihan has driven Edwards to the brink by stalking his wife in the hospital. Edwards then convinced Impact management not to fire Callihan so that he can get his revenge.
    • It’s not clear if this will be the blow-off to the feud or if this angle will continue building to Slammiversary on July 22nd. We will probably find out tonight.

    Matt Sydal & Austin Aries vs Fantasma & Pentagon Jr.

    • It’s the X-Division champion (Sydal) teaming up with the Impact Grand Champion (Aries) to take on the #1 contender to the X-Division title (Fantasma) and the Impact World Champion (Pentagon Jr.).
    • Don Callis revealed yesterday during his state of Impact address that Aries vs Pentagon will happen on the May 31st episode. This might not have been announced on Impact yet, however.
    • Fantasma vs Matt Sydal will be the next X-Division title match after Fantasma won a fatal 4-way match last week.

    Kiera Hogan vs Tessa Blanchard

    • This has been building for the last few weeks.
    • Blanchard appeared on commentary during Hogan’s match at the Redemption pay-per-view. Hogan seemed to indicate she was upset with Blanchard for stealing her moment.
    • Blanchard is coming into Impact Wrestling confident, claiming she’s the hottest free agent the company could’ve signed. Tonight we should find out how quick her rise to the top of the Knockouts division will be.

    Impact Wrestling Tag Team Championships
    Eli Drake and Scott Steiner (c) vs Z&E

    • DJZ and Andrew Everett defeated former champions, LAX, last week. The win likely earned them the shot at Steiner and Drake tonight.
    • Meanwhile, LAX seems to be falling apart without Konnan or Homicide.

    Su Yung’s Funeral for Rosemary

    • Two weeks ago on Impact, Yung and her army of undead brides locked Rosemary in a coffin.
    • Last week, we saw a segment where Allie received an ominous note from a charred stuffed bunny. The note was likely an invitation to Rosemary’s funeral, which will take place tonight.

    Also booked for the show:

    • The return of Madison Rayne.
    • Brian Cage’s world tour continues. This time the Machine stops in Canada.
  • Cauliflower Alley Club Defends Fabulous Moolah

    Cauliflower Alley Club Defends Fabulous Moolah

    Did an online mob-mentality unfairly rip apart the legacy of the Fabulous Moolah? There are a growing number of people in the industry who believe that is exactly what happened.

    Earlier this year, WWE announced they were naming the women’s battle royal at WrestleMania after the Fabulous Moolah. This led to the resurfacing of allegations against Moolah for exploiting (both financially and sexually) her female students. In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer details the discussion had at the latest Cauliflower Alley Club reunion regarding Moolah and her legacy.

    In Defense of the Fabulous Moolah

    The most serious allegations against Moolah are the charges she “pimped out” her female wrestling students. Wrestlers Luna Vachon and Mad Maxine are the two wrestlers most associated with these allegations. Meltzer recounted a discussion he had with Vachon on the matter before her passing, however.

    “Her (Luna Vachon) actual claim later was that she was sent to a guy who paid her for a photo shoot, and other women said the same thing, but they said there was so sex involved, just a photo shoot.”

    There were also the claims by wrestler Sweet Georgia Brown. She claimed she was raped and drugged while training to be a wrestler with Moolah. Georgia Brown’s son, however, spoke out against these claims in a video intended to help repair Moolah’s legacy.

    Other allegations involve Moolah taking a high-percentage of her wrestlers’ earnings. She is generally believed to have earned 25% of her wrestler’s booking fees. This was then compared favorably to other promoters, such as Lord Littlebrook. In general, it seems to be agreed Moolah took a high-percentage but all her students were aware of the deal before they agreed to it.

    Meltzer’s report notes the following names were in attendance for the discussion: Despina Montaguas, Vicki Tosi (Princess Victoria), Beverly Shade, Joyce Grable, Judy Martin, Peggy Lee Leather, Malia Hosaka, Sandy Parker, Debbie Combs, and Ramona Isbell.

    The general consensus in the room as reported in the Observer is that Moolah’s name should not have been removed from the Battle Royal. Furthermore, many felt that WWE should apologize for having done so.

    Was the Fabulous Moolah’s Legacy Unfairly Convicted by Social Meda? Tell us what you think below!

  • NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Night 1 Preview

    NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Night 1 Preview

    New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament kicks off tomorrow from Korakuen Hall. The tournament will run until June 4th, when the final night will once again be held in Korakuen Hall.

    Tomorrow’s main event will feature the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Will Ospreay, take on Taiji Ishimori.

    Best of the Super Juniors Night 1 Lineup

    • Shota Umino & Kushida vs Ren Narita & Chris Sabin
    • Tomoyuki Oka & Dragon Lee vs Yoshi-Hashi & Sho
    • Ryusuke Taguchi & Toa Henare vs El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki
    • Hiromu Takahashi & Evil vs Marty Scurll & Chase Owens
    • BOSJ 25 A Block
      Tiger Mask vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru
    • BOSJ 25 A Block
      ACH vs Flip Gordon
    • BOSJ 25 A Block
      Yoh vs Flip Gordon
    • BOSJ 25 A Block
      Will Ospreay vs Taiji Ishimori

    Night 2 of the tournament runs on Saturday and will feature wrestlers from the B Block.

    Best of the Super Juniors 25 Night 2 Lineup

    Night 2 of the tournament will see Marty Scurll and Hiromu Takahashi in the main event.

    • Shota Umino vs Ren Narita
    • Tomoyuki Oka, Tiger Mask, and ACH vs Yoshi-Hashi, Yoh, and Will Ospreay
    • Toa Henare & Flip Gordon vs Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Minoru Suzuki
    • Bushi & Sanada vs Taiji Ishimori & Chase Owens
    • BOSJ 25 B Block
      Dragon Lee vs Sho
    • BOSJ 25 A Block
      Ryusuke Taguchi vs El Desperado
    • BOSJ 25 A Block
      Kushida vs Chris Sabin
    • BOSJ 25 A Block
      Hiromu Takahashi vs Marty Scurll

    There are several possible stories to develop out of this year’s tournament. Kushida has won two of the last three tournaments with only two other wrestlers in history having won the tournament three times.

    Current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Will Ospreay, won the tournament in 2016. Kushida and Ospreay are set up in different blocks this year and could meet in the finals again this year as they did in 2017.

    Tell us who you think will win the 25th edition of the Best of the Super Juniors Tournament:

  • NJPW’s New President Sets Sights On WWE

    NJPW’s New President Sets Sights On WWE

    New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced the signing of the company’s first ever non-Japanese President. Dutch businessperson, Harold Meij, is the former Vice President of Coca-Cola Japan. He was born in the Netherlands but spent his childhood in Japan and is fluent in the language.

    Meij recently took part in an interview with Japanese language media outlet, Nikkei.com. Noted NJPW author, Chris Charlton, provided some translated quotes from the article.

    NJPW HIres New President

    Google translate offered more insight into Meij’s comments. While the overall essence of his comments is captured by Google Translate, the translation is not perfect:

    “The quality of New Japan Wrestling exceeds the world’s largest professional wrestling organization” WWE “. It is high and has drama nature, the athletes are all handsome, they have many charms to stick to various sexes and age groups such as longing to strength and muscular fetish, etc. That is, there are goods, There is still insufficient publicity and accessibility to arouse. “

    It should be noted that despite the above comments by Mr. Meij, Toru Yano is still not very handsome at all.

    “We have already mobilized about 400,000 people a year at 150 times a year. Ticket income accounts for 50% of sales, but there are limits to the number of players and the convenience of the venue. Movie distribution, advertisement etc. Advertisement of monthly fee video distribution “New Japan Pro Wrestling World” has about 100,000 members, but WWE’s video distribution has 1.5 million members worldwide. “

    New Japan World subscriber numbers have remained stagnant at approximately 100,000. Meij seems to be indicating the company is too reliant on ticket sales as a source of revenue and need to diversify how they monetize their product.

    New Japan Pro Wrestling is just about to move into the 25th edition of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament. The tournament gets underway tomorrow from Korakuen Hall.

  • Don Callis Delivers “State of Impact Address”

    Don Callis Delivers “State of Impact Address”

    Don Callis recently took part in the weekly Impact Wrestling media call and delivered his “State of Impact” address.

    From fan feedback to ratings, Impact Wrestling appears to be on an upswing. Callis broke down the promotion’s future and recent history during today’s State of Impact address.

    Don Callis on Impact Wrestling

    Callis immediately began the call by addressing the storyline situation involving Sami Callihan. Last week on Impact, company officials only chose not to fire Callihan due to the urging of his rival, Eddie Edwards. Tomorrow night on Impact, Edwards and Callihan will face each other in a street fight hosted by House of Hardcore.

    “Some people see help as being told what to do and they don’t like it,” Callis explained. “That’s probably the nicest thing I can say about Sami in that situation, at this point.”

    Callis touched on the relationship between Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground. While the next season of Lucha Underground is set to begin airing later next month, many of the promotion’s stars have become regulars on Impact programming. SEScoops had the chance to ask Callis his thoughts on Impact’s relationship with the rather unique Lucha Libre promotion.

    “With respect to the Lucha Underground relationship, I think that’s been one of the more exciting stories in the wrestling business the last 3 months,” Callis stated.

    “I think us and LU doing this is is symptomatic of what’s going on in the wrestling business,” Callis continued. “We have broken the traditional old school wrestling paradigms of ‘you only work with who you work with’.”

    Stars such as Brian Cage, Johnny Impact/Mondo, Taya Valkyrie, Sami Callihan/Jerimiah Crane, and many others now compete for both promotions regularly.

    Impact Wrestling’s X-Division Update

    Callis also gave a couple of updates on the company’s X-Division. In response to a media question, Callis stated he is not looking to separate the division from the rest of the roster. The recent signing of former WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Rich Swann, to the division also was addressed by Callis.

    “As you probably know, his wife works for us and was an advocate for him coming in,” Callis explained. “He’ll be at our next set of tapings and he’s going to get an opportunity in the same way other talent that come in gets an opportunity to show what they can do.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rBuJJaorGA

  • NXT Preview (5/16/18): Ricochet vs the Velveteen Dream

    NXT Preview (5/16/18): Ricochet vs the Velveteen Dream

    Tonight’s episode of NXT will feature two huge matches, one squash match, and the continuation of one of WWE’s most intense storylines.

    In 6-man tag-team action, the Undisputed Era will go up against stars of the United Kingdom division, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch. Arguably two of the best wrestlers on the roster, Ricochet, and the Velveteen Dream, will go at it in single’s action as well tonight.

    Tomasso Ciampa is scheduled to be back on the show tonight and we will also see the Hawaiian Kona Reeves back in action as well.

    NXT Preview (5/16/18)

    Ricochet vs the Velveteen Dream

    • Two of the best on the NXT roster will face off in 1-on-1 action tonight.
    • Velveteen Dream took exception to Ricochet’s recent promo stating he was gunning for the NXT title. The Dream believes Ricochet is looking to step-over other stars, such as him.

    What’s Next For Tommaso Ciampa?

    • In one of WWE’s most intense storylines currently running, Ciampa will be back on NXT tonight.
    • Last week, Ciampa was victorious in the main event over Johnny Gargano’s friend and traveling buddy, Kassius Ohno.
    • Ciampa will be back on the show tonight but it is currently unclear what the next chapter holds for the Blackheart.

    Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, & Danny Burch vs Roderick Strong, Adam Cole, and Kyle O’Reilly (Undisputed Era)

    • WWE United Kingdom Champion, Pete Dunne, might be a loner but he will join forces with Lorcan and Burch as they unite over common enemies.
    • Dunne was looking to exact revenge on Strong for turning on him in the Dusty Rhodes Classic recently. As Strong has the UE behind him, however, Dunne was outnumbered. Now with Burch and Lorcan backing him up, the sides are even tonight.

    Kona Reeves Back in Action

    • For the second time since receiving a gimmick makeover, Kona Reeves will be back in single’s action tonight.
    • No opponent has been announced for the Hawaiian, which likely means tonight will be a squash match showcase for Reeves.
  • Smackdown & 205 Live Announced Matches and Segments (5/15/18)

    Smackdown & 205 Live Announced Matches and Segments (5/15/18)

    WWE is back in London’s O2 arena for Smackdown and 205 Live tonight. Only two matches have been announced thus far for Smackdown. There is a lot at stake in both matches, however.

    Smackdown Live Preview (5/15/2018)

    AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura

    • Commissioner Shane McMahon has announced that the winner of this match will earn the right to choose the stipulation for their upcoming title match at the Money in the Bank PPV.
    • Styles and Nakamura have now wrestled each other on the last 3 PPVs. Styles won the first match but the following two would both end in draws.

    Andrade “Cien” Almas Makes His Smackdown Debut

    • The former NXT champion will finally make his debut on the main roster tonight.
    • His journey to Smackdown was not without its obstacles but Almas was able to turn his time in NXT around thanks in part to the ringside assistance of Zelina Vega.

    Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
    the New Day vs the Bar

    • Even though this will be a tag team match, the winning team is only allotted one entrant into the Money In The Bank match.
    • This dynamic could get interesting for the winning team if there is dissension regarding which member is picked to enter the Money In The Bank match.

    Carmella’s Royal “Mellbration”

    • Carmella plans to throw a big celebration in honor of her first defense of the Smackdown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair.
    • The champion contends that her celebration will upstage even the royal wedding.

    205 Live Preview

    205 Live General Manager, Drake Maverick, has not revealed too many details about tonight’s episode. What he has revealed, however, is that much like the last time the brand was in London, stars of the UK division will compete against members of the 205 Live roster tonight.

    While no matches have been officially announced, UK wrestlers Mark Andrews and Tyler Bate could likely find themselves competing tonight.

  • Former WWE Tag Team Unite Backstage At Raw

    Former WWE Tag Team Unite Backstage At Raw

    Last night Monday Night Raw took place from the 02 Arena in London. Former WWE tag-team champions, the Hart Dynasty, reunited backstage during the event.

    The moments were captured on Natalya’s social media accounts.

    the Hart Dynasty 

    While the Hart Dynasty officially began their professional wrestling careers in Florida Championship Wrestling in 2007, its members have been wrestling together long before then. Harry Smith, who now wrestles under the name Davey Boy Smith Jr and Natalya Neidhart are cousins. The British Bulldog and Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart were often opponents in the British Bulldogs vs Hart Foundation rivalry of the 1980s. In the 1990s, they became teammates in the Hart Foundation stable and eventually were put together as a tag team in WCW as well.

    Tyson Kidd was a family friend of the Hart’s growing up in Calgary. As a kid, he would often practice in the family wrestling ring along with Harry, Natalya, and Teddy Hart.

    Speaking of Teddy Hart, he has reinvigorated his own wrestling career as of late. In addition to making several appearances on the independent scene, he has also made appearances along with Impact Wrestling stars through Destiny Wrestling. He had been a member of the Hart Dynasty while in WWE developmental, although he never cracked the main roster as the other members did.

    Davey Boy Smith Jr.

    It has been an interesting last month and a half for Davey Boy Smith Jr. He was wanted for questioning by police after an incident over WrestleMania weekend. Smith is accused of (and would later admit to) throwing coffee at Jake “the Snake” Roberts. The incident goes back to comments Jake had made about Smith’s father on a podcast episode.

    The beef between the two was reportedly squashed on a recent phone call. Bret Hart is said to have moderated a call between Jake and Smith.

  • Matt Jackson Comments On Hulk Hogan at All-In, Length of Show, more…

    Matt Jackson Comments On Hulk Hogan at All-In, Length of Show, more…

    After selling out Chicago’s Sears Center Arena in under 30 minutes, members of the Elite are likely feeling pretty good these days.

    We still don’t have any official matches for the show. We know Cody will be challenging for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship currently held by Nick Aldis. We don’t know if Nick Aldis will still be the champion come September 1st, 2018, however.

    Matt Jackson has commented on the length of All In. He specifically mentioned he does not want the show to be a five or six-hour marathon as some New Japan Pro Wrestling shows are. Jackson was interviewed by WrestleZone radio recently and answered questions on what fans can expect on September 1st.

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/995791187041816577

    Matt Jackson Interview

    Jackson was asked specifically about how long All-In will be.

    “I like three hours,” Jackson said. “I have a short attention span and I’m a father of two. I think I’m a millennial, I’m 33 now. I think three hours is realistic and I am going to try and keep it around that.”

    NJPW often runs shows which pass the 4 and even 5-hour mark. The Greatest Royal Rumble was also a show of similar length.

    In terms of other wrestlers which could still be booked for the show, Jackson mentioned the booking team gets a lot of requests.

    “I was asked the other day about “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan and I was like, ‘He’d probably cost $150,000 just to make an in-ring appearance.’ I can’t afford that,” Jackson said. “When we first announced this show, I think everyone just assumed we had these endless funds so just go ahead and bring in whoever! Sometimes there are names that are just unrealistic. It really is just three guys running a show. Give me a break.”

    Jackson also stated NJPW has been great about the event and said they could ask for whatever wrestler they wanted. Kazuchika Okada seems like a good choice.

  • All-In Sells Out In Under 30 Minutes

    All-In Sells Out In Under 30 Minutes

    All in on September 1st, 2018, from the Sears Center in Chicago, will be the biggest non-WWE wrestling show in the United States or Canada since the closing of WCW in 2001.

    Yesterday, all 10,000 tickets to the event were sold in under 30 minutes. Many are rejoicing at the news today as it signifies just how successful non-WWE wrestling can be in the current era.

    Several wrestlers have sent out messages commending Cody and the Young Bucks. Others are calling the sellout one of the most significant accomplishments in modern-day pro-wrestling.

    All-In Sells Out In Less Than 30 Minutes

    Some fans are upset scalpers purchased a good chunk of tickets to the event, however. Unfortunately, this is a reality for all ticketed events which are expected to sell-out.

    Friday’s ROH show in Toronto was sold-out and tickets were available on the secondary market for 4x face value. Ticketmaster and other outlets have methods in place to limit how many tickets scalpers can purchase but there is only so much they can do.

    https://twitter.com/LanceStorm/status/995797302387200000

    Cody Challenging For NWA World Heavyweight Championship at All-In

    At yesterday’s press conference, Billy Corgan announced the NWA World Heavyweight Championship will be defended at All In. The challenger will be none other than Cody himself. The title belt owned by Billy Corgan and held by Nick Aldis played a significant role in Cody’s father’s career. It is fitting that Cody would challenge for it at such a significant event in his own career.

    A question which will probably go on unanswered until the event itself is what will happen if Cody wins the championship? It’s not clear if he would take the belt with him to Ring Of Honor. The NWA World Heavyweight Championship has been defended in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where Cody also works, on multiple occasions.

    The events at All-In may go a long way in determining how closely promotions such as ROH, the NWA, as well as Impact and Lucha Underground are able to work together.

  • Cody Tells Vince Russo To Stay Away From All-In

    Cody Tells Vince Russo To Stay Away From All-In

    Controversial wrestling personality, Vince Russo, has expressed his desire to appear at Bullet Club’s All-In event on September 1st, 2018. For his part, Cody has expressed his strong desire Vince Russo not appear at the event. Cody also recently announced he has booked his dog, Pharoah, for the event.

    This dynamic recently led to a series of Twitter messages we have curated for you below. Enjoy!

    Cody responded to Russo’s text not long after.

    Vince Russo then sent out a series of additional Tweets:

    The above Tweet could be construed as Russo saying the style of wrestling at All-In would be too dangerous.

    The above Tweet seems to insinuate Russo feels he is being ostracized for having a perspective which deviates from the norm.

    Velveteen Dream has been cutting some anti-independent wrestling fan promos as of late.

    Russo gives the old “Sorry Not Sorry” line.

    It’s not completely clear what Russo’s opposing viewpoints are although he seems to indicate modern wrestling is a little too dangerous.

    Cody Books His Dog at Starrcast, Not Vince Russo

    Shortly before the exchange with Vince Russo, Cody announced that his Huskie “Pharoah” has been booked for Starrcast. Since Pharoah does not benefit from human currency, proceeds from his appearance will go towards the PAWS Chicago organization. Current speculation states Pharoah is a Good Boy.

    Tickets for All-In go on sale Sunday. A list of confirmed names for the event is below:

    Names Announced for Starrcast

    • Bruce Pritchard
    • Eric Bischoff
    • Tony Schiavone
    • Cody
    • Colt Cabana
    • Jerry Lawler
    • Matt Jackson
    • Sean Mooney
    • Nick Jackson
    • Macaulay Culkin
    • Dutch Mantell
    • Ron Funches
    • Diamond Dallas Page
    • David Penzer
    • Kevin Nash
    • “Papa Buck” Matthew Lee Massie (Young Bucks father/music guy)
    • X-Pac
    • Konnan
    • Road Warrior Animal
    • Tully Blanchard

    Starrcast will run from August 30th to September 2nd

    Names Announced For All-In

    • Matt Cross (announced earlier this week)
    • Jay Lethal
    • Britt Baker
    • Penelope Ford
    • “Bad Boy” Joey Janela
    • Chelsea Green
    • Kazuchika Okada
    • Deonna Purrazzo
    • Pentagon Jr.
    • Ray Fenix
    • Tessa Blanchard
    • Kenny Omega
    • Matt & Nick Jackson
    • Hangman Page
    • Cody
    • Specifically not Flip Gordon (though he’ll have another chance to qualify soon)
    • Stephen Amell
    • Marty Scurll
  • ROH War of the Worlds Toronto Live Report

    ROH War of the Worlds Toronto Live Report

    Ring of Honor’s 2nd stop on their War of the Worlds 2018 tour was in Toronto’s Ted Reeve Arena. The show was a legit sellout with tickets on the secondary market going for several times above face value.

    The venue holds 1,500 and the live crowd was lively and fun all night. ROH could easily run a bigger venue in the city for these shows.

    ROH War of the Worlds Toronto Live Report

    1. IWPG United States Championship Match
    Jay White (c) defeated Punishment Martinez

    • This was White’s 3rd straight title defense. He’s one defense away from tying Omega’s record of 4.
    • White got a big pop and streamers during his introduction.
    • Martinez attempted to use a chair against Martinez but Hangman Page ran in to break it up.
    • White hit the Switchblade off the distraction for the win.

    2. Cheeseburger defeated Bully Ray via DQ

    • Before the match, Bully cut a promo on how streamers were stupid. This led to the fans throwing streamers at him and cheering when anything hit him in the head.
    • Fans chanted for streamers and also for D-Von. There were also a few jeers of “Give us hell, Quimby!” from a Simpsons-loving fan behind me.
    • Bully cut a promo calling the fans marks and snowflake millennials.
    • Cheeseburger came out and told Bully he wasn’t afraid of him.
    • Bully beat him up considerably and then got DQ for hitting him with a chair.
    • After the match, Bully made it look as though he was going to powerbomb his opponent on the outside but then simply placed Cheeseburger on the ground and left.

    3. Tetsuya Naito defeated the Beer City Bruiser

    • Surprisingly, the Bruiser got the bulk of the offense in this match.
    • Bruiser got heat from the Canadian crowd by attempting to get a USA chant going.
    • Naito won with two Destinos in a row. The first Destino didn’t land quite as he likely wanted it to, so he went for and hit a second for the win.

    4. the Young Bucks defeated the Super Smash Bros.

    • For those unaware, the Super Smash Bros are stars of Toronto’s independent wrestling scene, specifically for Smash Wrestling. They’ve had a rivalry with the Bucks doing back to 2009 when they met several times in Chikara and Pro Wrestling Guerilla.
    • This was the first time they’ve met in almost 4 years.
    • Fans were into the match from start to finish, with both teams getting chants.
    • Bucks won with a Meltzer Driver and both teams celebrated in the ring after as fans cheered the match.
    • After the match, the Briscoes hit the ring and took out both teams.
    • The Briscoes cut a promo stating they were the ones who run ROH and insulted any fan wearing a Young Bucks or Bullet Club t-shirt.

    5. Women of Honor
    Jenny Rose & Tenille Dashwood defeated Xandra Bale and Alexia Nicole

    • Bale and Nicole are two local wrestlers from just outside of Toronto (Thornhill and Woodbridge to be exact). Like the Super Smash Brothers, both Nicole and Bale wrestle consistently for Smash Wrestling in Toronto and surrounding areas.
    • Bale and Nicole were both making their Ring of Honor debuts.
    • Rose was eliminated in the 1st round of the WOH tournament but has since scored a win over Brandi Rhodes on ROH TV.
    • Dashwood was the big star but Rose was the most dominant in the match.
    • Rose hit a backbreaker/Rock bottom combo on Bale for the win.
    • Watching the show back on Honor Club, commentary mentioned Jenny Rose is the next in line for a title shot against Sumie Sakai.

    6. SoCal Uncensored defeated Roppongi 3K

    • In Lowell on Thursday night, the Kingdom defeated SCU for the 6-Man Tag-Team Championships.
    • SCU got back on the winning track in Toronto, defeating Roppongi 3K.
    • Kazarian pinned Rocky Romero after Celebrity Rehab and a spinning kick to the face by Scorpio Sky.
    • On commentary, it was suggested that SCU is now right back in the running for a shot at 6-Man Tag Team Championships.

    7. Ring of Honor TV Championship
    Silas Young (c) defeated Hangman Page

    • Before the match, Punishment Martinez attacked Page from behind out of retaliation for Page’s earlier thwarting of Martinez’s attempt to use a chair against Jay White.
    • It looked as though Page would not be able to compete but Young insisted the referee start the match and begin to count him out.
    • Page made it back into the ring but the injuries he suffered before the match gave Young the advantage here.
    • Page hit a moonsault to the outside, springboard Buckshot lariat, but then Silas countered the Right of Passage into Misery for the win.

    8. Cody defeated Jushin Liger

    • While there was some booing of Cody, for the most part, this was a pro-Cody crowd. He got streamers and a big pop.
    • Liger also got a big pop, chants, and streamers. Dueling chants for both wrestlers happened a couple of times.
    • Cody had to cheat to win. He grabbed Liger’s horns and twisted his mask to the side before hitting the Cross Rhodes for the win.

    9. Los InGobernables (Sanada, Evil, and Hiromu Takahashi) w/Bushi defeated Kenny King, Jay Lethal, and Colt Cabana

    • Dalton Castle’s injury resulted in Colt Cabana replacing him in this match.
    • While Cabana and Takahashi were in the ring, Cabana proclaimed he wanted to face Darryl, the stuffed cat. Takahashi then got Darryl, placed him in the ring and then left the ring himself to cheer Darryl on.
    • Cabana danced around the toy cat for a few moments pretending to wrestle him. When the cat fell over and lost his little hat, everyone decided it was time for him to go back to the timekeepers’ table. A “This is Wrestling” chant broke out during this as well.
    • Following Cabana being sprayed in the eyes with poison mist by Bushi, Evil hit the STO on him and got the pin.
    • After the match, Evil grabbed the microphone and welcomed everyone to the Darkness World. He reminded us that everything is evil.
    • Naito then did his normal closing promo, introducing the members of LIJ to close the show.
  • CM Punk Announced For Meet & Greet In Chicago During “All-In” Weekend

    CM Punk Announced For Meet & Greet In Chicago During “All-In” Weekend

    Fans attending Bullet Club’s “All In” event will be able to attend a Meet and Greet with CM Punk the night before. The Pro Wrestling Tees retail store in Chicago has just announced Punk will be at their location on August 31st, 2018, the night before All In.

    Is CM Punk All-In?

    Cody Rhodes re-tweeted Pro Wrestling Tees’ announcement of Punk’s Meet and Greet. This could fuel speculation of Punk’s further involvement with the event. That news of Punk’s meet and greet in Chicago is coming just before tickets go on sale this Sunday might be a coincidence.

    Punk has an upcoming MMA fight to worry about first, however. He takes on Mike Jackson at UFC 225 on June 9th, 2018. UFC 225 will also be held in Punk’s hometown of Chicago.

    Punk previously teased the idea he would be appearing at the September 1st, 2018 event earlier this year. Punk posted a Tweet saying fans had been asking him if he’s “All-In”. He followed it up with a post about being “In” for the Chicago Cubs upcoming season, however.

    Punk’s friend, Matt Jackson, said this of Punk in an interview he gave earlier this year:

    “I will say this: I text message Punk on a weekly basis. We’re good friends,” Matt Jackson said. “We talk wrestling. He still loves wrestling, of course, he does. We’re pro wrestlers. That’s what we do. Even when you quit or retire or whatever, it’s still in your blood.”

    Punk has said he’ll never return to WWE but he’s never fully closed the door on a return to wrestling either. On the now-famous episode of Colt Cabana’s “Art of Wrestling” podcast, he did mention the idea of wrestling with the likes of the Young Bucks for promotions such as Pro Wrestling Guerilla. Ever since signing with the UFC, however, Punk’s focus has been solely on MMA it seems.

    https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/994983425634390016

    Will CM Punk ever return to pro-wrestling? Tell us what you think below!

  • Macaulay Culkin, DDP, and Others Announced For Starrcast

    Macaulay Culkin, DDP, and Others Announced For Starrcast

    In addition to the All-In event scheduled for September 1 in Chicago’s Sears Center, Arena, Bullet Club has been putting together a solid roster of entertainers and podcast hosts to appear at their Starccast convention the weekend of the event.

    In addition to notable wrestling podcast hosts such as Konnan and Bruce Prichard, Starrcast has recently announced Macauley Culkin, Diamond Dallas Page, and several other names will be appearing at the event.

    Tickets for All-In go on sale this Sunday while tickets for Starrcast go on sale May 15th.

    Names Announced for Starrcast

    • Bruce Pritchard
    • Eric Bischoff
    • Tony Schiavone
    • Cody
    • Colt Cabana
    • Jerry Lawler
    • Matt Jackson
    • Sean Mooney
    • Nick Jackson
    • Macaulay Culkin
    • Dutch Mantell
    • Ron Funches
    • Diamond Dallas Page
    • David Penzer
    • Kevin Nash
    • “Papa Buck” Matthew Lee Massie (Young Bucks father/music guy)
    • X-Pac
    • Konnan
    • Road Warrior Animal
    • Tully Blanchard

    Starrcast will run from August 30th to September 2nd

    Names Announced For All-In

    • Matt Cross (announced earlier this week)
    • Jay Lethal
    • Britt Baker
    • Penelope Ford
    • “Bad Boy” Joey Janela
    • Chelsea Green
    • Kazuchika Okada
    • Deonna Purrazzo
    • Pentagon Jr.
    • Ray Fenix
    • Tessa Blanchard
    • Kenny Omega
    • Matt & Nick Jackson
    • Hangman Page
    • Cody
    • Specifically not Flip Gordon (though he’ll have another chance to qualify soon)
    • Stephen Amell
    • Marty Scurll
  • Impact Wrestling (5/10/18): Sami Callihan’s Fate Decided

    Impact Wrestling (5/10/18): Sami Callihan’s Fate Decided

    Impact Wrestling last night featured an episode-long plot regarding management deciding the future of Sami Callihan. Josh Matthews was solo on commentary as Don Callis was involved in the meeting.

    Impact Wrestling (5/10/18)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf0jehxB-J8&t=5s

    Update on Sami Callihan and Impact Wrestling

    • The show opened with footage of Sami Callihan’s attack on Don Callis from a recent Destiny Wrestling event in Toronto.
    • Callihan attacked Callis out of revenge for Callis stopping his match with Eddie Edwards at WrestleCon. Callis was left bloodied by Callihan and required help to the back.
    • Josh Matthews let the viewing audience know that Impact Wrestling management was meeting to discuss Callihan’s future and there would be an announcement by the end of the show.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9t43WV8db0&t=3s

    1. DJZ & Andrew Everett defeated LAX

    • After losing their tag titles and the subsequent rematch, LAX fell further down the tag ranks with the loss here.
    • LAX looked in control and was going to give the 5150 to DJZ but the X-Division star rolled up Ortiz and got the pin while Everett tossed Santana out of the ring.
    • It was later revealed that DJZ and Andrew Everett will challenge Eli Drake and Scott Steiner for the tag titles next week.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04dKqTwYJyk&t=13s

    2. Grado (w/ Katarina) defeated Rohit Raju

    • In a backstage segment before the match, Grado introduced Joseph Park to his new girlfriend Katarina.
    • Katarina is actually Katarina Waters who has also wrestled under the names Katie Lea Burchill and Winter. She is a former 2x Knockouts Champion.
    • Grado pinned Raju after a cannonball in the corner.
    • After the match, Grado discovered Joseph Park knocked out with an “X” over his body. 2 other people have been attacked in similar fashion in recent weeks.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvESX7gSCTo&t=90s

    3. El Hijo Del Fantasma defeated Aerostar, Drago, and Taiji Ishimori (Fatal 4-Way)

    • Aerostar looks like he might have been injured during this match as he landed awkwardly on the outside after a plancha. He finished the match, however, and reports are he was banged up and sore but not injured after.
    • Fantasma hit a modified cradle-piledriver (Thrill of the Kill) on Aerostar for the win.
    • Josh Matthews stated Fantasma has now earned the next X-Division title shot against Matt Sydal.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O-4WDWaiUI

    Impact Management Decision on Sami Callihan

    Eddie Edwards interrupted Impact management’s meeting regarding Samm Callihan to insist the promotion doesn’t fire the controversial wrestler. Edwards, who received a broken orbital bone from Callihan at the company’s January television tapings, insisted he gets a chance to enact revenge on Callihan instead.

    Impact management ruled they would not fire Callihan but would not allow Edwards to get his revenge on him inside an Impact ring. Rather, House of Hardcore will host a street fight between Edwards and Callihan which will air next week on Impact Wrestling.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm_xme1OFfU

    4. Moose defeated Kongo Kong w/Jimmy Jacobs via DQ (House of Hardcore)

    • This match was filmed at a House of Hardcore event.
    • Moose was about to get the win but Jacobs entered the ring and hit him with a chair for the DQ.

    Freaked Out Allie Develops Facial Tick

    • Allie watched her demon friend, Rosemary, locked in a coffin last week by Su Yung and her army of undead bridesmaids.
    • This week a clip aired of Allie in her home. She received a knock at the door but when she answered it there was a charred-up stuffed bunny holding a note. Allie read the note and developed a freaky little facial tick.
    • The note may have been an invite to Rosemary’s funeral, which Su Yung will be hosting on Impact next week.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-ufQdMXuqY&t=101s

    5. Brian Cage defeated Takashi Sugiura (Pro Wrestling NOAH)

    • This match was filmed in Japan for Pro Wrestling NOAH.
    • Cage, who is undefeated in Impact Wrestling, won with the Drill Claw.

    6. Impact Wrestling World Championship
    Pentagon Jr. (c) defeated Eli Drake

    • Drake earned the title shot by winning a Feast of Fired briefcase vs briefcase match against Moose.
    • Before the match, Drake told Scott Steiner backstage to stay in the back as he didn’t want his help defeating Pentagon.
    • Pentagon was able to retain his title after Drake Mr. springboard moon salt in the champion hit him with a cradle piledriver for the win.
  • Buddy Murphy To Challenge For Cedric Alexander’s CW Title on May 29th

    Buddy Murphy To Challenge For Cedric Alexander’s CW Title on May 29th

    WWE has recently confirmed that the next challenger for Cedric Alexander’s championship will be Buddy Murphy. The match will take place on the May 29th, 2018 edition of 205 Live.

    The event is scheduled to take place from the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina.

    WWE Cruiserweight Championship
    Buddy Murphy vs Cedric Alexander

    This is the match 205 Live has been building towards for weeks. Murphy had previously earned a title match but had it rescinded by General Manager, Drake Maverick after he failed to make weight.

    Murphy had won a fatal 4-way match against Akira Tozawa, Kalisto, and TJP to earn the right to challenge Alexander before failing to make weight. Kalisto then won a gauntlet match to earn a Cruiserweight title match at the Greatest Royal Rumble.

    After making weight, Murphy has won three straight on 205 live including a victory over Kalisto. His main event victory over Mustafa Ali this week avenged his only loss since arriving on 205 Live. Ali defeated Murphy in the semifinals of the recent cruiserweight tournament. Murphy explained the loss by stating he was still getting used to the weight cut at the time.

  • Tom Phillips Proud To Have No Personality, Praises JBL

    Tom Phillips Proud To Have No Personality, Praises JBL

    Tom Phillips recently appeared on the Sam Roberts wrestling podcast and talked in detail about his role on commentary. The 28-year-old openly joked about some of the criticisms he hears from fans.

    “I get Tweets from people saying I don’t have much of a personality on air. I’m like “that’s great!” I’m not supposed to, I’m supposed to tell you when the show is, here’s why this guy hates this guy and try to tell you some moves along the way,” Phillips said.

    He also relayed a story of his father telling him his commentary is like white noise during the show.

    “I’m not out there to be myself, I’m there to give you the information.”

    “Nobody is buying a ticket to see Tom Phillips” – Tom Phillips

    Tom Phillips Interview with Sam Roberts.

    One of the more interesting parts of the interview involved Phillips’ comments regarding JBL. Phillips stated that JBL receives an unfair reputation and said he learned quite a bit from him.

    Phillips also relayed several stories involving his interviews with Chris Jericho. He said that Jericho and Owens would not let him in on the things they were going to say to him and Jericho confusing him with Mike Rome caught him off guard.

    Phillips majored in broadcasting at Penn State and did play-by-play for Juniata College football. He was signed by WWE in 2012 and worked his way up from conducting interviews on the App to doing play-by-play on the main roster.

  • Big Cass Reportedly Has Heat For Going Off Script

    Big Cass Reportedly Has Heat For Going Off Script

    There is news today that Smackdown wrestler, Big Cass, went off script during the May 1st, 2018 edition of Smackdown. The segment involved a little person dressed up to impersonate Daniel Bryan.

    According to a report from the Pro Wrestling Sheet, Big Cass went farther in his beating of Daniel Bryan’s impersonator than backstage officials wanted. Big Cass was told to give a boot to the face of the impersonator but Cass felt a longer beating would be better.

    Cass is said to have approached Vince McMahon and asked to go farther during the segment but McMahon denied his request. Despite this, Cass continued his beating after delivering the boot during the segment. He mounted Bryan’s impersonator and continued to deliver punches.

    The additional strikes thrown by Cass which were not approved by backstage officials were not included in the YouTube clip WWE published of the segment.

    Cass was not on Smackdown this week but he did give an interview to WWE.com yesterday, taking credit for Rusev’s victory over Daniel Bryan. This seems to indicate Cass’ feud with Daniel Bryan will continue.

    Big Cass on Smackdown

    Since returning from injury recently, Cass has wrestled two matches on WWE programming and another 4 at live events. He competed in the Greatest Royal Rumble match in Saudi Arabia. Following that, he submitted to Daniel Bryan in under 8 minutes at Backlash.

    Following Backlash, Cass defeated Tye Dillinger on a house show Monday night but was then not used on Smackdown this Tuesday. He’s not advertised for upcoming shows on the European tour though he could still be there. Cass has not posted on social media since Sunday night. He doesn’t post regularly on social media, however, so this easily could just be a coincidence.

    Reports surfaced last July that Cass had backstage heat then as well. At the time, Cass was said to have rubbed some people the wrong way by expressing his pro-Trump views loudly.

    As for Cass’ rival, Daniel Bryan, he just lost a Money in the Bank qualifying match to Rusev on Smackdown.

  • Sami Callihan Hijacks Impact Wrestling Media Call (Audio)

    Sami Callihan Hijacks Impact Wrestling Media Call (Audio)

    During today’s Impact Wrestling Media conference call featuring Matt Sydal, Sami Callihan called in and insisted on being heard. He demanded Impact Wrestling show footage of his recent attack on Don Callis during tonight’s episode.

    Callihan attacked Callis recently at a Destiny Wrestling event in Toronto. The show was being promoted by Santino Marella and Callis was scheduled to receive an award.

    Audio of Callihan interrupting the media call can be heard in the player below:

    https://youtu.be/qcdVQYD-KVQ?t=19m12s

    Sami Callihan on Impact Wrestling

    Impact Wrestling officials announced they will show the footage of Callihan’s attack on Callis during tonight’s episode. They also said there would be an announcement regarding whether or not Callihan is fired tonight.

    The company had previously placed a poll on their website asking fans if Callihan should be fired.

    “Impact management knows the numbers I put up and Impact management knows exactly what they need to do, whats best for their business model.” – Sami Callihan

    Callihan continued to complain about the lack of exposure his Ohio Vs Everything group gets from Impact management. He mentioned the faction aren’t even in the show’s opening video.

    Matt Sydal, who was the scheduled talent for the call, expressed both positive and negative sentiment towards Callihan’s interruption.

    “Props to Sami Callihan for thinking for himself and questioning authority. What a great attitude,” Sydal said. “I hope when he hung up the phone he didn’t accidentally hit himself in the eye and break his orbital bone,” he then added.

    Callihan’s feud with Eddie Edwards has been a focal point of Impact Wrestling for several weeks. The rivalry was thrust further into the spotlight following the spot which broke Edwards’ orbital bone during the promotion’s January television tapings in Orlando.

    In recent weeks, Edwards accidentally struck his own wife with a kendo stick. To further torment his rival, Callihan was shown visiting Edwards’ wife in the hospital last week.