Saraya, whose formerly known as Paige, believes that Sasha Banks and Naomi will return to WWE now that Triple H is in charge.
Saraya officially left WWE on July 7 when her contract expired and the company decided not to re-sign her.
Sasha Banks & Naomi To Return To WWE?
During Saraya’s StarrCast V Media Scrum, Saraya commented on the suspensions and rumored departures of the tag team of Sasha Banks and Naomi.
The former Divas Champion said, “I mean, everyone love Sasha Banks, right? So the four horsewomen in general is such a big and critical part of the women’s revolutions. So, I think she’ll be back. I think now with Hunter in charge, and kind of like taking the reigns and everything anything.
Just SummerSlam in general, just showed how much WWE has changed overnight. I mean, I don’t think anyone’s really been 100% happy with the pay-per-view in a long time and people are walking away from SummerSlam feeling like this is a turning point.
So, I feel like eventually you know Sasha and Naomi hopefully in my opinion will come back.”
SummerSlam Shakes Up The Women’s Division
Last night, at SummerSlam, Becky Lynch challenged for Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Title in the opening match. Belair picked up the win after 15 minutes of back and forth action.
Naomi is set to make her first public appearance as she has been booked for C2E2 2022, which takes place from August 5 – 7, 2022, at McCormick Place.
She is going by her real name, Trinity Fatu, and will be doing a signing with fans at the gathering. This is the same first public appearance for Sasha Banks, who is also going by her real name, Mercedes Varnado, and is hyped as “Sasha Banks” and from The Mandalorian, since they walked out of WWE.
Watch Saraya’s Starrcast V Media Scrum here:
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to SEScoops for the transcription.
Following Saraya’s (fka Paige) departure from WWE, she has now publicly commented on the possibility of her popping up in AEW.
Saraya officially left WWE on July 7 when her contract expired and the company decided not to re-sign her.
As with most people who leave WWE, fans immediately started to wonder when she would end up in AEW. Saraya was forced to retire in December 2017 due to a neck injury and after serving as General Manager of SmackDown and in a managerial role for Asuka & Kairi Sane, she had been off television since March 2020.
Saraya said, “I’m in the middle of writing a book right now, which I’m really excited about. We got a book, it’s going to be another year before it officially comes out. We’re in the middle of writing that. We’re doing other things, but I’m not allowed to say anything right now. It’s non-wrestling related, sorry guys.
I’m not going to be going to AEW anytime soon. AEW seems great. I love AEW. I would love to face Britt Baker one day if the time is right, that would be awesome. All my friends are there now.”
The former AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker recently named Saraya as one of her dream opponents.
Former Paige Reflects On Career-Ending Injury
Saraya last wrestled at a live event on December 27, 2017, teaming with Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville in a six-woman tag against Bayley, Mickie James & Sasha Banks. During the bout, Banks kicked Saraya in the upper back/neck area, leading to injury.
Saraya was how her neck is doing and if she would like to get back in the ring.
Saraya responded:
“I would love to, for sure. Having your career taken away from you without you wanting it to, having to retire on not my terms, it was really disappointing.
I already knew once my neck got kicked in the middle of the live event match. Once I went down, I was like, ‘This is it, this is the end of my career.’ I couldn’t feel my body. I lost control of my arms, my leg. Then, I’m just laying there and looking up at the referee like, ‘I can’t feel my body, I’m paralyzed right now.’
He threw up the X and I look at poor Sasha in the corner and she’s like, ‘I’m so sorry.’ If it wasn’t you, it would have been someone else.”
Saraya reiterated that she holds no ill will towards Banks. Saraya says that it was her mistake of thinking she could do the same stuff and take the same moves as she did after returning from her first neck surgery.
H/T to Jeremy Lambert of Fightful for the transcription
After her face turn last night, it is now rumored that Becky Lynch may have suffered an injury at SummerSlam.
Becky’s SummerSlam Match & Moment
Former Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch appeared to suffer a shoulder injury during her match against Bianca Belair last night at the WWE SummerSlam premium live event.
In the opening match of the show, Lynch challenged for Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Title. Belair picked up the win after 15 minutes of back and forth action.
At this time, neither WWE nor Becky Lynch have confirmed that Big Time Becks was legitimately hurt during the bout. We will continue to provide updates on Becky Lynch as they become available.
On July 30, Starrcast and New Japan Pro Wrestling held Music City Mayhem at the Nashville Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee. The event streamed live for $14.99 on FITE TV.
Current Card
As of right now, the card is as follows:
No DQ: Jon Moxley vs. El Desperado
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Blake Christian
KUSHIDA vs. Alex Shelley
FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) & Alex Zayne vs United Empire (TJP, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)
NJPW Strong Openweight Championship Match: Fred Rosser vs Big Damo
MLW National Openweight Championship Match: Davey Richards vs Rocky Romero
Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura & Fred Yehi vs Kevin Knight, The DKC & Ren Narita
An intense 24 hours in NJPW continues with Music City Mayhem!
A stacked card coming up from the Nashville Fairgrounds LIVE on @fiteTV! Buy:https://t.co/Clbrc16qDE
In the same vein, this year’s Starrcast event features four live wrestling shows. Black Label Pro, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Jim Crockett Promotions have events planned for this weekend.
Starrcast will also feature the following live podcasts:
Father James Mitchell’s “Midnight Karaoke”
The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast
Insight w/ Chris Van Vliet
The Sessions w/ Renee Paquette
One Last Ride For The Horsemen
30 Years Later w/ Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart
Foley Is Pod w/ Mick Foley
Saraya: Turning The Page
Kliq This w/ Kevin Nash
What’s NeXT? w/ Johnny Gargano
The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy
Starrcast still has one live wrestling show remaining for the weekend. To see the schedule for the remaining events, click here.
On July 29, Starrcast and Game Changer Wrestling held The People vs GCW at the Nashville Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee. The event streamed live for $14.99 on FITE TV.
Current Card
As of right now, the card is as follows:
GCW World Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs Blake Christian
Joey Janela vs Psycho Clown
GCW Tag Team Championships: BUSSY vs Second Gear Crew v Los Macizos
Nick Wayne vs Alex Zayne
Bandido vs Jordan Oliver
“Speedball” Mike Bailey vs Tony Deepen
Masha Slamovich vs Kevin Blackwood
Black Taurus, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel vs ASF, Laredo Kid & Kommander
MOX v BLAKE JANELA v PSYCHO CLOWN BAILEY v DEPPEN WAYNE v ZAYNE BANDIDO v JORDAN BLACKWOOD v MASHA BUSSY v SGC v MACIZOS EXTREME SCRAMBLE LUCHA TAG pic.twitter.com/JQWn3BQf8R
— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) July 30, 2022
GCW The People Vs GCW Quick Results
GCW Extreme Championship Scramble Match: Cole Radrick def. AJ Gray (c), Grim Reefer, Shane Mercer, Axton Ray & Marko Stunt to win the GCW Extreme Championship
Tony Deepen def. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
Nick Wayne def. Alex Zayne
Black Taurus, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel def. ASF, Laredo Kid & Kommander
Psycho Clown def. Joey Janela
Nick Gage addressed the crowd and called out Conrad Thompson (creator of Starrcast) for GCW not being represented on the Ric Flair’s Last Match PPV card
Jordan Oliver def. Bandido
GCW Tag Team Championships: Los Macizos def. BUSSY (c) & Second Gear Crew to win the GCW Tag Team Championships
Masha Slamovich def. Kevin Blackwood
GCW World Championship: Jon Moxley (c) def Blake Christian
In the same vein, this year’s Starrcast event features four live wrestling shows. Black Label Pro, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Jim Crockett Promotions have events planned for this weekend.
Starrcast will also feature the following live podcasts:
Father James Mitchell’s “Midnight Karaoke”
The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast
Insight w/ Chris Van Vliet
The Sessions w/ Renee Paquette
One Last Ride For The Horsemen
30 Years Later w/ Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart
Foley Is Pod w/ Mick Foley
Saraya: Turning The Page
Kliq This w/ Kevin Nash
What’s NeXT? w/ Johnny Gargano
The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy
Starrcast still has two live wrestling shows remaining for the weekend. To see the schedule for the remaining events, click here.
On July 29, Starrcast and Black Label Pro held The Gang Crosses The Line at the Nashville Fairgrounds (BLP Asylum) in Nashville, Tennessee. The event streamed live for $9.99 on FITE TV.
Current Card
As of right now, the card is as follows:
Steph De Lander vs Billie Starkz
Josh Alexander vs Kevin Blackwood
Konosuke Takeshita vs Nick Wayne
James Storm vs Bryan Keith
Shark Boy & Dan The Dad vs Violence is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku)
Jake Something vs Crowbar
Monster’s Ball for the Black Label Pro Championship: PCO (c) vs Levi Everett vs Calvin Tankman vs Joshua Bishop
“Speedball” Mike Bailey, Cole Radrick & Crash Jaxon vs Bang Bros & Jordan Oliver
Eric Young vs Big Damo
Black Label Pro’s The Gang Crosses The Line features a Monster’s Ball for the Black Label Pro Championship where PCO defended his championship against Levi Everett, Calvin Tankman, and Joshua Bishop in a four-way match. Steph De Lander will take on Billie Starkz. Josh Alexander will go head to head with Kevin Blackwood. Konosuke Takeshita will face Nick Wayne, and so much more will take place at The Gang Crosses The Line.
BLP ‘The Gang Crosses The Line’ was quite a good show for a weekend full of wrestling and wrestling related content. Konosuke Takeshita vs Nick Wayne was definitely that stand out of all the matches, as many expected it would be. Nick Wayne showed so much heart in this match. Steph De Lander and Billie Starkz had an enticing match up with some great heel tactics from Billie. “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Cole Radrick & Crash Jaxon vs Bang Bros & Jordan Oliver was a good time especially due to the efforts of “Speedball” Mike Bailey in this match. Calvin Tankman is going to make a great new Black Label Pro Champion.
Other Starrcast Shows
In the same vein, this year’s Starrcasr event features four live wrestling shows. Game Changer Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Jim Crockett Promotions have events planned for this weekend.
Starrcast will also feature the following live podcasts:
Father James Mitchell’s “Midnight Karaoke”
The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast
Insight w/ Chris Van Vliet
The Sessions w/ Renee Paquette
One Last Ride For The Horsemen
30 Years Later w/ Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart
Foley Is Pod w/ Mick Foley
Saraya: Turning The Page
Kliq This w/ Kevin Nash
What’s NeXT? w/ Johnny Gargano
The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy
Starrcast still has three live wrestling shows remaining for the weekend. To see the schedule for the remaining events, click here.
This was a storyline that Vince McMahon came up with and was fully behind. McMahon had worked with Dupri on his promo and how he should sound because McMahon did not want him to sound like his LA Knight character in NXT.
An Update On Max Dupri
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that Dupri being removed was a Vince call made “after one of the early segments of the deal when Vince blamed the segment being bad on his delivery of the lines, and apparently, he also spoke up about some of the scripting.”
With McMahon resigning and Triple H now in charge of creative, Dupri may show up on TV again. However, as of right now, he is out of the group.
Liv Morgan has revealed that she feels guilty after her partner Ruby Soho was released by WWE and she wasn’t.
Liv Morgan & Ruby Riott In WWE
On June 2, 2021, Soho was released by WWE, effectively disbanding The Riott Squad for the second time. Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott (Soho) had spent around five years on and off paired together both through The Riott Squad and their tag team.
On April 10, 2021, on Night 1 of WrestleMania 37, Riott & Morgan competed in a tag team turmoil match to become the #1 contenders for the Women’s Tag Team Championships, with the winners going on to compete the following night. Ruby and Livwould go on to eliminate the teams of Billie Kay & Carmella, and Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke, before being defeated by the new Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya & Tamina.
Liv Morgan Thought She Was Fired
The SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan sat down with Ariel Helwani of BT Sport to talk about remaining in WWE after her then-tag-team partner Ruby Riott (Soho) was released.
The SmackDown Women’s Champion said:
“I get like chills thinking about it. She calls me and she’s like, ‘I just got fired.’ And I live on a farm and I don’t get cell service. So in that moment, I was like, ‘Oh, me too, like, if they fired Ruby, they fired, they fired me.’ And so I’m kind of just sitting there like waiting to get the phone call or the text. And then I’m like, ‘I’m on the farm, I’m not gonna get the phone call because I don’t get cell service.’ So I’m just sitting there like thinking like, I’m fired, too. And then I have Ruby, you know what I mean? So we’re both just shocked. We don’t know what to say. It’s just very, very, very, very surreal.
And then I’m like, ‘Do I call work and like ask if I’m fired?’ I just didn’t see why they would let her go and not me. I didn’t understand it. So the whole time I’m thinking, ‘I’m fired too.’ And I’m kind of just like settling and like, ‘Okay. You know, maybe, like, I guess we’ll be a team, right? I don’t know.’ And then I wasn’t fired. And I’m so grateful that I wasn’t, but in that moment, it was almost worse, that I wasn’t also fired.”
Liv Morgan Suffers From ‘Survivor’s Guilt’
“Just because I think I had accepted it also because I had thought like, for 25 minutes that I was also fired. So I think I like accepted it right away. Then when I found out that it was just Ruby, I don’t know, just my best friend. That’s my sister, and she’s in so much pain right now that it just hurt my heart and I almost wish that I could like share it or take it from her or at least be like, ‘Dude, me too. It’s okay.’ You know? I don’t know, I don’t know.
I didn’t want her to feel like I was better than her because I don’t believe that, you know. So, I just I didn’t know how to handle my best friend, who I’m in a tag team with being let go and me still being here,” Liv reflected.
The former Riott Squad member said, “Really bad. Really bad survivor’s guilt. I didn’t know what to do. And then going to work that first week was so weird. I walk in with Ruby every single day. We walk around the halls together. We’re together all the time. It was so weird. But then, you know, everything just kept moving. And she’s doing great. I’m so happy for her. Love you Ru. She’s doing great.”
Liv Morgan & Ruby Soho Now
Liv Morgan is currently the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion, and Ruby Soho is a member of the AEW women’s roster.
Ruby received a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship back at AEW Grand Slam in September against Britt Baker. In October, Soho participated in a tournament to crown the first AEW TBS champion, but she was defeated in the final match by Jade Cargill. She also participated in the AEW Owen Hart Cup tournament, where she also made it to the final, but she was defeated at Double or Nothing 2022 by Britt Baker.
Watch Liv Morgan’s interview with Ariel Helwani for BT Sport:
AEW’s Dante Martin was reportedly injured on this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.
Another AEW Injury
Mike Johnson of PWInsider has reported that Dante Martin suffered a knee injury on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Fight For The Fallen.
Martin was reportedly seen on crutches backstage and after the show at the hotel. There is no word on the extent of the injury.
After The Match
Martin took on Sammy Guevara in a losing effort on AEW Dynamite. During the match, he was seen favoring his knee and stayed down on the mat during the post-match segment where Eddie Kingston, Ortiz, and Ruby Soho made the save as Martin and Skye Blue were attacked by Guevara, Anna Jay, and Tay Conti.
He needed help getting out of the ring and was immediately checked out by a ringside official on the apron before the camera cut away.
SEScoops will provide an update on Martin when more is known.
SEScoops wishes Dante Martin a quick and speedy recovery.
Last night, the July 28 episode of IMPACT Wrestling aired. The episode was recorded on July 15 at Old Forester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.
Quick Results
Eddie Edwards (w/ Kenny King) def. Ace Austin (w/ Chris Bey)
Laredo Kid & Trey Miguel def. Johnny Swinger & Zicky Dice
Tiffany Nieves def. Jada Stone
Josh Alexander def. Shera (w/ Raj Singh)
KUSHIDA def. Rich Swann
IMPACT News
Last night, many notable pieces of news emerged from the July 21 episode. We have collected some of the news and updates from last night’s episode.
Honor No More & Bullet Club
Honor No More (Eddie Edwards, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Kenny King & PCO) will face Bullet Club (The Good Brothers, Ace Austin, Chris Bey & Hikuelo) in a ten-man tag match.
If Honor No More wins, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett will get their Tag Team Title match. However, if the Bullet Club wins, Honor No More will be forced to disband as a group.
After Tiffany Nieves defeated Jada Stone, Killer Kelly made her return to IMPACT Wrestling. Kelly hit Nieves with a pump kick before getting Nieves in a one-hand sleeper. Kelly hit a low-shotgun drop kick on Stone before hitting a double-under hook face slam.
Impact Wrestling‘s Alex Shelley is scheduled to challenge Josh Alexander for the Impact World Championship at the upcoming Emergence PPV on Friday, August 12.
This show featured clips of various wrestling personalities talking about the legacy of Shelley.
Among them was Johnny Gargano, who claimed that Alex Shelley is one of the most underrated wrestlers of the current generation:
— ? Kimberley Ford ? (@RoyaltyCanadian) July 29, 2022
KUSHIDA
KUSHIDA made his IMPACT in-ring debut on this week’s edition of IMPACT. The former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion defeated Rich Swann in singles action.
A new report has revealed that the recent injuries in AEW may contribute to those stars spending more time in AEW in the long run.
One of the many notable clauses stated within WWE contracts is that the company can freeze a talent’s contract throughout the recovery of an injury. If that were to happen, the time that they spend out with the injury would then be added on to the talent’s contract length once they’re able to return to the ring.
AEW Has Frozen Contracts
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter recently reported that the same clause is present within several AEW talent contracts.
Melter wrote:
“If you are wondering if when guys are out of action if AEW can extend their contract like WWE does, their contracts do allow for that and it has happened.”
Although Meltzer didn’t explicitly mention which AEW stars have had their contracts extended as a result of an injury, significant stars such as Kenny Omega, Adam Cole, and CM Punk have faced a lengthy period on the sidelines. AEW may have opted to utilize this clause to tie down some of their prized assets for longer.
It appears that with Triple H’s new role as Head of Creative, we will see the old NXT make a return.
Transition To NXT 2.0
In September, WWE changed several things with NXT, from their branding to the on-screen talent. The show was once focused on in-ring action and storylines and featured some of the best wrestlers in the world. However, now NXT 2.0 is focused on promos and character creation while developing young, home-grown talent.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque was away due to his cardiac event when WWE rebranded NXT as NXT 2.0. WWE stopped signing independent wrestlers and focused on younger athletes with no pro wrestling background.
Black & Gold NXT To Return?
Now that Triple H is serving as Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations, fans may see NXT slowly return to Triple H’s vision.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that “in NXT, the belief was that the product will revert back somewhat to Levesque’s previous vision of it.”
Melter also noted the belief was that while they will continue to heavily recruit top-tier athletes, WWE would be open to using more experienced wrestling talent, and going forward, “the door would be more open to better wrestlers who weren’t as big or as good looking as [Vince] McMahon wanted on the roster.”
Since Triple H’s heart issues, Shawn Michaels has been in charge of the day-to-day running of NXT. However, Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard had the final say on NXT’s booking.
The number of AEW stars dealing with injuries continues to increase because it has been revealed that Dax Harwood is dealing with a torn labrum injury.
One of the ROH, AAA, and IWGP Tag Team Champions previously indicated that he had suffered a shoulder injury following his bout at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view in June. On this past Saturday, at Death Before Dishonor, FTR successfully retained the ROH World Tag Team Titles against The Briscoes in a 2 out of 3 falls match.
Injury Update
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported, “Harwood is the latest AEW wrestler working with a torn labrum.”
Meltzer added that following the Death Before Dishonor match, Harwood also had “a swollen eye, a stiff neck, and his shoulder was worse.”
Other AEW Injuries
Another AEW star, Adam Cole, has been dealing with a torn labrum injury for a few months. He pushed through the pain and kept working until he suffered a concussion at Forbidden Door.
Even though several stars are still sidelined with injuries, some wrestlers have returned, including Bryan Danielson.
Now that Triple H is the Head of WWE Creative, let’s explore five changes we’d like to see with Triple H in charge.
This week, Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE, after decades of running the company. Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan are now Co-Chief Executive Officers, while Stephanie is the sole Chairwoman of WWE now.
McMahon’s retirement comes one month after he stepped down as CEO and Chairman of the Board, due to the allegations of misconduct against multiple female employees.
McMahon is alleged to have paid over $12 million in Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) over 16 years.
WWE executive Paul Levesque (Triple H) has assumed “all responsibilities related to WWE’s creative,” the company announced on July 25.
With Triple H officially running creative, let’s explore five things we’d like to see changed in WWE.
The Women’s Division
At Money In The Bank, we saw Liv Morgan become the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Though there are many thoughts to be had on the quickness of her cash in which you can read here. However, this is a historic title win. Since Liv won the title from Ronda Rousey, it marked the first exchange of the SmackDown Women’s Championship that didn’t include any of the Four Horsewomen since Natalya won it from Naomi in 2017.
With that noted, it seems like we are beginning to transition away from the crutches of the Four Horsewomen. To be fair, three out of the four are currently out of action. So, it is more likely that they are forced to rely on the younger generation. Regardless, it’s a win for the future of women’s wrestling.
Three out of the four horsewomen are currently not active in the company. Sasha Banks is suspended. Charlotte is still taking time off. And Bayley has not yet returning from her injury. So, the WWE has been forced to center the up-and-coming stars of the division. Liv Morgan finally had her moment at Money In The Bank and Bianca Belair got her redemption at WrestleMania 38. As the division moves forward, there are many women ready and waiting to become the present of the division.
(WWE)
The following WWE Superstars represent the future of the WWE Women’s Division and deserve the opportunity to fulfill their destiny: Rhea Ripley, Queen Zelina, Doudrop, Raquel Rodriquez, Xia Li, Alba Fyre, Cora Jade, Elektra Lopez, Indi Hartwell, Io Shirai, Ivy Nile, Tiffany Stratton, Sarray, Roxanne Perez and many others.
I would love to see more women’s matches added to Premium Live Events outside of the usual championship matches. On a show like Raw, with so much talent, the division would benefit from a more fleshed-out mid-card.
I believe in Triple H’s booking ability as he’s proven during his time in NXT that he can create stars in that division like Shayna Baszler, Rhea Ripley, Asuka, Ember Moon, Paige, Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha Banks, and many others.
Tag Team Wrestling
The Street Profits
One of the things that have fallen to the wayside in recent years is the art of tag team wrestling within WWE. With The Usos holding both championships, there are no teams that are viewed as actual contenders to the title.
Tag teams get split up within weeks within WWE. That goes for both the women’s and men’s tag team divisions. In NXT, we saw Cora Jade and Roxanne split up after only teaming together for about a month. None of the teams in the Women’s Tag Team Championship match that took place at WrestleMania 38 are currently together. The match featured the teams of Sasha Banks & Naomi, Carmella & Queen Zelina, Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley, and Natalya & Shayna Baszler.
FTR have said that they left WWE because of the lack of effort put into the tag team division. By rejuvenating the tag team division, WWE may be able to grab some major tag teams. Obviously, this would help the company overall. There are also many tag teams in NXT that show incredible potential and may help to advance the status of the main roster tag team division like The Creed Brothers, The Dyad, Legado Del Fantasma, Pretty Deadly, and others.
Superstar Branding: Names & Theme Songs
One of the main changes we’ve witnessed within WWE recently is the change in how the superstars are being branded. Superstars are being presented with new names and theme songs. Many of these changes happen without explanation or good reason at all.
Part of a superstar’s success is reliant on their identity and branding. For example, superstars like Edge, John Cena, Randy Orton, The Hardyz, Chris Jericho, and many others have incredibly memorable theme songs that make them easily recognizable.
People like Edge, Ciampa, Alexa Bliss, Riddle, Gunther, Wes Lee, Alba Fyre, Lacey Evans, Shayna Baszler, Liv Morgan, Theory, and many others have debuted new entrance music across all of WWE’s television. In the Royal Rumble, we saw how detrimental this could be when fans weren’t able to recognize superstars by their entrance music.
A majority of these changes appear to be unnecessary. As a former wrestler, Triple H would be able to understand the importance of maintaining solid branding throughout your career. There would be a lot more synergy as superstars wouldn’t face full-on character changes when they move up to the main roster.
No More Unnecessary Name Changes
In 2022 alone, there have been 19 name changes. Some of the people who faced name changes had created a name for themselves outside of the WWE. Many believe this was likely the reason for the name change. The need to own everything is incredibly unnecessary as the legacy of the superstars should be prioritized.
Below, you will see the name changes that took place this year along with their previous name:
Kacy Catanzaro became Katana Chance
Kay Lee Ray became Alba Fyre
Raul Mendoza became Cruz Del Toro
Austin Theory became Theory
Raquel Gonzalez became Raquel Rodriguez
Marcel Barthel became Ludwig Kaiser
Pretty Deadly: Lewis Howley became Elton Prince & Sam Stoker became Kit Wilson
Elias became Ezekiel
King Woods became Xavier Woods
Kayla Inlay became Kiana James
Pete Dunne became Butch
Saurav became Sanga
WALTER became Gunther
Seth Rollins became Seth “Freakin” Rollins
LA Knight became Max Dupri
Tommaso Ciampa became Ciampa
Robert Stone became Mr. Stone
Channing Lauren became Channing Lorenzo
Simone Johnson became Ava Raine
Fewer Rematches
A report by Fightful Select (subscription required) stated that with Triple H a person working in and near creative expected “recall of what we have and haven’t done repeatedly. There were so many things that Vince insisted on doing that I’m pretty sure he didn’t remember doing over and over again, even when people would tell him.”
One of the many reasons that WWE’s programming has begun to become “stale” is because of the use of rematches in storylines. This does nothing for the superstars or stories except trading wins and losses.
We have seen Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns way too many times. I don’t believe that this is because Vince forgot that they did the match, but because of the lack of original ideas. I also think that it’s possible that the writers in WWE have had original ideas but because of the authoritarian leadership of Vince, they were ignored or turned down.
Stars like Bianca Belair, Bobby Lashley, The Street Profits, Charlotte, and others have had their abilities limited due to the number of rematches they’ve been booked in. Most matches on regular TV programming are already short, and the intrigue of most matches is gone after doing them the week before. Many times we have also seen creative burn big matches by booking them too early or too many times in general.
Fewer Premium Live Events
With WWE’s current schedule, there are 12 premium live event shows each year. The schedule of the premium live events only allows for about a month’s time to book a feud through the pay-per-view.
In AEW, there are normally around three months in between pay-per-views. I’m not saying that it should be exactly that length, but spreading out the shows could make them all feel more important. For example, just leaving the big five pay-per-views: Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, Money In The Bank, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series would benefit programming so much.
A schedule adjustment could lead to an increase in the quality of TV programming. A change in schedule would make the matches become more meaningful. Time and time again we have seen WWE put meaningless matches on pay-per-views because they need to fill space. Most times the matches are just used as filler for the card. However, more storylines will gain true substance and will deserve to be on the card.
Liv Morgan, the SmackDown Women’s Champion, sat down with Graham “GSM” Matthews of Bleacher Report to talk about how her fans have been able to positively impact her career.
Earlier this month at Money in the Bank, Liv Morgan captured her first SmackDown Women’s Championship. This Saturday, she defends the title at SummerSlam against former champion Ronda Rousey. The match is seen as a chance for Morgan to solidify herself as a worthy champion.
Liv Morgan has one of the biggest fanbases in all of pro wrestling. Due to her reactions and support, Liv was launched all the way to the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Liv: My Fans Made Me Undeniable
Liv Morgan spoke with Graham “GSM” Matthews of Bleacher Report about how her fans aided her in her journey to the top of the WWE women’s division.
The SmackDown Women’s Champion said:
“Yeah, I mean, I feel like my fans have watched me like, grow, grow up in general, you know. I mean, I signed to WWE when I was 20 years old, I’m 28. You know, they watched me grow and just learn this business as best as I can to where, you know, eventually they started rooting for me because of the familiarity and for like, watching me for so long.
“And just I love, I mean, I’ve taken advantage of social media, as far as I want to talk to my fans, I want to reach out to them. I want to know what’s going on. I want to like, you know, see what they’re thinking and what they’re feeling. And I don’t think I’d be in this position without them. I know, I’ve said that a bunch of times, but it’s so true.
“You know, coming into this business, I realized kind of very soon, I’m coming in in the era of like the four horsewomen. And so I wasn’t that. I wasn’t a generational superstar. I don’t have anyone famous in my family. I definitely wasn’t chosen, or the chosen one by any means.
“But my fans kind of put me in this position to where they kind of made me undeniable. And essentially, because of how supportive they’ve been and how amazing they’ve been, and how much they have kind of propelled me to keep going and to keep fighting.”
Liv Morgan on her fan support
Liv Talks About Her Emotions Entering The MITB Match
Liv followed this up by talking about her emotions heading into the Money in the Bank match. Liv explained that she felt so much pressure to become Ms. Money in the Bank because of her fans. She even spoke about the impact that the fans had on her while she was making her entrance.
“Yeah, I was, I was okay. I mean, that whole day was kind of just, it was make or break for me. I felt like just, you know, professionally in that moment of time. I was like, if I don’t do this for my fans, I dropped the ball if I don’t win this for them. So, that’s kind of how I was feeling. So, I took it very seriously. And it was very, I feel like I had no choice but to win.
“But like, you know, heading into the match. I was feeling okay, but then as soon as I walked through, and I heard, I heard the crowd. It just like struck a chord with me for some reason. I just was like, ‘They want me to win this so bad.’ I was like, ‘They want me to have this so bad.’ And it just struck a chord and it just made me emotional. And then in that moment, I was like, ‘I’m doing it. Like there’s no way, there’s no way I’m leaving this match without that briefcase in my hands.’
“And so it just it was a very overwhelming kind of feeling that I was trying to compose myself, but they gave me so much energy that it just like broke me,” Liv said.
While promoting his episode of Biography: WWE Legends on A&E, Goldberg discussed possible dream matches and talks about Wardlow and their parallels.
Goldberg Vs Roman Reigns Again?
After Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE, reports emerged revealing that Brock Lesnar is extremely upset and that he left the July 22 SmackDown tapings.
The Beast Incarnate is scheduled to compete at WWE SummerSlam 2022 next weekend and challenge Roman Reigns for the Unified WWE Universal Championship. Following Lesnar leaving SmackDown, Bryan Alvarez reported that a replacement is being considered for him at SummerSlam.
WrestlingNews then went on to report that WWE was considering bringing back Goldberg as the SummerSlam replacement for Lesnar.
Goldberg’s Dream Opponents
Interestingly enough, before this report even came out, Goldberg noted that Roman was one of the opponents that he would like to get retribution from.
Goldberg spoke with Graham “GSM” Matthews of Bleacher Report about the possibility of squaring up with guys like Brock and Roman again, along with a possible first-time-ever match-up.
The only man in history to hold the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and WWE Universal Championship said:
“Oh, man, you know, there there are a number of guys out there that would be interesting for sure. I think Riddle and I have had a little bit of a controversial past. I’d love to pop him in the face a couple of times.
“But yeah, Roman I owe Roman something for sure. I’d always like to get Brock again. But you know, hey, man, beggars can’t be choosers. And if it happens, it happens. If not, then, you know, I just got to deal with it. I’ll catch him on the street or something.”
Goldberg Speaks About AEW Champion
Graham “GSM” Matthews also asked about Wardlow. Many comparisons have been made between Wardlow and stars of the past, and Goldberg has been one of them.
Goldberg had the following to say about the current AEW TNT Champion:
“I understand the comparisons. I’ve heard of him for sure. I’ve seen pictures of him. I haven’t seen him work that much. But yeah, hey, man, more power to him. There needs to be more characters like that. There needs to be serious intensity out there. There’s people that slice meat and there’s people that eat meat, and he needs to be eating meat; and now Big E is going to come into it.”
Goldberg on Wardlow comparisons
“But yeah, man, I don’t know I’ve never read anything about a comparison from him and how he passes judgment on it. But at the end of the day, anybody that’s close to the top and their prospective business to be compared with myself. That’s an honor and a privilege.”
Tony Khan recently spoke with Steve Fall of NBC Sports Boston about his relationships with the members of the AEW roster and the range of connections he has to them.
The former ROH World Champion had been told that creative decisions needed to go through Khan, but Gresham couldn’t get in contact with Khan until only a few hours before Saturday’s show.
There seems to be quite a bit of criticism regarding the lack of communication within AEW; from stars such as Joey Janela, Marko Stunt, and Chavo Guerrero. However, it does seem that it is not all across the board as many wrestlers have praised their relationship with the AEW Owner.
Tony Khan: “I Am A Boss And Try To Be A Friend”
When speaking with Steve Fall of NBC Sports Boston, Tony Khan discussed his relationships with AEW wrestlers and how they vary.
“I think in most cases, I am a boss and try to be a friend. I mean, I guess in every case, if you work for AEW, I’m a boss, but if you know it’s somebody I’ve gotten to spend time with I try to at least be very friendly and make it a fun place to work.
And there are a lot of people I have different relationships with some people are older and you know, I can learn a lot from them. And a lot of the young wrestlers, I do try to give advice to and give them ideas and things they can use on TV on Wednesday night dynamite on TBS, or on Friday night rampage on TNT and hopefully things that they can use to develop their skills and also to make them more interesting to the wrestling fans who watch the shows.”
McMahon’s retirement comes one month after he stepped down as CEO and Chairman of the Board, due to the allegations of misconduct against multiple female employees.
McMahon is alleged to have paid over $12 million in Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) over 16 years.
WWE executive Paul Levesque (Triple H) has assumed “all responsibilities related to WWE’s creative,” the company announced Monday morning.
“I believe that there are a lot of great wrestling fans all over the world who are following pro wrestling pretty closely and there’s obviously been shakeups. I’ve definitely followed that promotion since I was a small kid. And it’ll be interesting to see how things turn out in the world of pro wrestling and I’m a big fan of pro wrestling all over the place, not just AEW. And now not just Ring of Honor either. We’ve worked with New Japan Pro Wrestling, and a lot of other great companies all over the world.
So, we’ll see what’s to be held for the future of the pro wrestling business. But I’m glad that AEW and Ring of Honor are both a huge part of it with AEW every Wednesday on TBS, and every Friday on TNT and now Ring of Honor with the Pay Per View events on Bleacher Report hopefully, will lead to a weekly Ring of Honor also going forward.”
Athena, formerly known as Ember Moon, spent six years in WWE, where she now says she was forced to limit her moveset.
Athena’s AEW Career
Athena made her AEW debut at AEW Double or Nothing following Jade Cargill’s TBS Title defense against Anna Jay. Since then, she has had four matches and currently has a 3-1 record within the company.
Athena received her first loss in AEW this past week on AEW Dynamite. However, due to her feud with Jade Cargill, it is more than likely that Athena will become ranked and will challenge Jade for the TBS Championship.
In recent weeks, Athena has been partnering with Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander to take on Jade and The Baddies. Athena recently teamed with Willow Nightingale on the July 20 episode of Dynamite to take on Jade Cargill and Keira Hogan.
Athena’s Time In WWE
During her time in WWE, Athena, then Ember Moon, was known for being a high-flyer. Athena now says that this is due to her height and the restrictions that were placed on her because of how short she was.
Athena was in WWE from 2015–2021. She spent 2015–2018 in NXT. Athena was on the main roster from 2018-2020, but she then returned to NXT in 2020 until she was released in 2021.
She was released from WWE on November 4, 2021 alongside Keith Lee, Karrion Kross (Killer Kross), Mia Yim, Franky Monet (Taya Valkyrie), and many others.
“So I feel like, like I said, I’m 5’1. In a former life, I was 5’1. And I was required to be 5’1 is in like, I had to be a high flyer and jump around and do things. And I like doing that stuff, right? I’m not I’m not knocking any shade.
“That’s just the small window of what I’ve given. And I took advantage of it to the nines. And like that’s, that was the challenge given to me. You are a high flyer go out in high fly and do your thing woman, right? Because I’m short, right? I get it right. But before I got there, I was a technician, I was a powerhouse.
“I didn’t do any of the high-flying stuff. You know, I learned that to get a job because I saw that no one else was doing that at the time. Now everyone can do everything.
“That’s amazing, but that’s that was when I got signed. That was the role I was given. And I was like, ‘Ah, this is just kind of like ugh.'”
Athena on being limited in WWE
Expanding Possibilities Through An Unfiltered Moveset
“But having an unfiltered moveset, not having to worry about so much of who does what but what works for your match and your story within the match. Like, there’s so much more entertainment value to that to me.
“And a lot of that is like one of my favorite things I saw as a kid because I feel like I have to say this because then you’ll understand where my mindset is. Hurricane versus The Rock.
“Mind you didn’t realize hurricane was like six foot something till I met him in person but still, like Hurricane versus a rock? How many times? Did he tease that chokeslam? How many times? Chokeslam? No, no one’s taken the chokeslam.
“And then he finally gets to that championship match with The Rock on SmackDown. And he hits him with the choke slam boom. The crowd loses their crap because for six months, he’s been teasing this chokeslam, The Rock finally takes it that place explodes and everyone thought he was gonna win the match.
“Like that’s the type of like, I don’t want to be limited by the way I look. Right?
Athena Wants To Do What The Guys Can But Better
“But like, I just I want that excitement back. And I feel like that’s just me as a performer. That doesn’t apply to everyone. Some people are comfortable doing what they know.
“And that’s absolutely fine. But I want to push the limits. When I first signed, it’s because I wanted to change the world of women’s wrestling. I’m not a porcelain princess. And I want people to know that like, I am a warrior to and through.
“And I just want people to know that like whatever the guys can do. I can do it. And I’m going to try to do it better than them. And that’s what my whole life in this pro wrestling world has been is.
“I want people to see me as a performer, not a great women’s wrestler, a great wrestler, great performer, and I want them to look at me and say, oh my god, Athena is one of the best in the world.
“It doesn’t matter if she’s a man doesn’t matter if she’s a woman, she can do her job and she does it well.”
Watch Rick Ucchino’s interview with Athena:
Posted July 24th, 2022 in AEW, News. Tagged: Athena.
Athena reflected on her feud with Jade Cargill, how it began, and some new details around it.
Athena & Jade Cargill’s History
Back in March of 2022, Athena and Jade Cargill teased a match between the two through a fiery Twitter exchange. It now appears that this exchange happened before Athena’s AEW plans were set in stone.
This exchange was a catalyst for Athena’s first feud in AEW against Jade Cargill and The Baddies. Athena made her AEW debut at AEW Double or Nothing following Jade’s TBS Title defense against Anna Jay. Since then, the two have been in a deep rivalry.
In recent weeks, Athena has been partnering with Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander to take on Jade and The Baddies. Athena recently teamed with Willow Nightingale on the July 20 episode of Dynamite to take on Jade Cargill and Keira Hogan.
“Well, yeah, for sure. But I look at this as an opportunity to kind of go into something massive to show people not only what I can do as a high flyer, a technician a strong man at times. And I look at like the collaborative effort that could be there. Right? Jade Cargill is a megastar. You just look at this woman, and you see her on the TV, and you’re like, ‘Hold on, let me flip back a couple more channels. What was- what was this Amazon woman I just saw right here?’ And she looks great doing it. And she owns that persona, which is even more fantastic. Because she has a character. Right? A lot of women they’re like, Oh, I’m the good girl. I’m the bad girl. Right? I’m all attitude. I am. I don’t know if I’m supposed to be a good guy different. So that dies. I just gotta say what I say do what I do, and just kind of wait people like me. It’s weird. But when you look at someone like Jade Cargill, it’s just like, ‘Oh, that’s a challenge.’ That’s something I need in my life, right?,” Athena said
How Their Feud Began
The 15-year veteran continued, “And it started on Twitter. Before I even like, before we even got into the final talks of me coming officially to AEW. And it was just like, ‘Ou, there’s something here.’ And like, just me going, ‘Hmm?’ With a little face responding to who’s next just went viral and then she responded. Then I responded. And it just blew out of the water. So it kind of started on Twitter. So thank you blue bird, you did the swimming. But like I think people were so interested in that feud.
And they’re like, ‘Oh, when is this happening?’ Then the Joker thing happened and I kind of I already knew I was going when the Joker happened. So, me and my husband we got on free. We’re like, ‘This is pretape.’ because we knew that weekend I was going. So, we’re like, ‘Oh no, still in Texas.'”
How Much The Feud Means To Athena
And so it was it was just really cool to just be able to go into a main feud right away because I feel like it’s been so long since one I got a singles run. Like not like a singles run, like when the other undefeated streak was alive. Telling stories are so important to what we do in pro wrestling, right, because that’s what gets people invested and coming into this story with Jade Cargill. Like, that means a lot to me.
Athena: I’m Gonna Knock Her Flat On Her Ass
So I want to put all of my effort, all of my emotion, all of my physical well-being into this, to make it good to make people relate to, ‘Hey, like, I’m 5’1. I don’t care that she’s six foot.’ Whatever, like, I don’t care, I’m gonna knock her flat on her ass. That’s what I do. You know. And like, the one thing that has stayed true throughout my entire career is that, like, if there’s a challenge there, it doesn’t matter how many times I get knocked down, I’m going to beat that challenge. And I don’t think people really know that about me as a person. Like, I’ve had so many tryouts in the former life. That like, I was like, ‘Nah, I’m kicking this door down, baby. We’re gonna get there, right? We’re gonna get there and though.’ I finally got there, so like, that’s just the type of person I am.
Maybe it’s because I’m a massive gamer, that I will sit here and rage play every game until I till I have a mental breakdown. But like, that’s me. It’s like, I’m going to beat the big monster. I’m going to beat the big bad at the end of the adventure. I like to win. That’s what I do. You know? And it’s just like an alpha mentality of just like, I gotta be the best. I’m gonna beat the best to be the best. You gotta beat this Hussy here. I’m gotta say the (unintelligible) because I don’t want someone to come after me with DNCAs and all that stuff.
Athena Imagines Epic Battle With Jade
But you guys get what I’m saying is that like, this person who has made a career out of nothing in the pro wrestling world, because she was very accomplishable before she got here. Out of nothing in the pro wrestling world, who is at the top of the mountain right now. And I’m like, ‘I want to kick her off this mountain.’ Even then, even if I don’t kick her off the mountain because we all know it’s pro wrestling, right? Like, I want people to remember what I did at the top of that mountain that we had this epic battle on top of Olympus and lightning was striking and angels were weeping and fire from Hell was blazing up and I want it to be that I want to do this epic, like rock battle, if you will.”
Athena’s AEW Record
Athena received her first loss in AEW this past week on AEW Dynamite. Her current AEW 2022 record is 3-1 and she is not yet ranked. However, due to this feud, it is more than likely that Athena will become ranked and will challenge Jade Cargill for the TBS Championship.
Fightful has reported that WWE announcing that Triple H was back signaled ‘widely expected’ confirmation that Laurinaitis has effectively finished up with the company.
It was also noted that many expected John to be a ‘fall guy’ with all the ‘hush pact’ investigations. The report also said that several sources had stated that the Head of Talent Relations position had ‘long passed Laurinaitis by’.
In John Laurinaitis’ absence, Bruce Prichard has been acting as interim Head of Talent Relations.
Allegations Fallout
Following the initial allegations surfacing, Vince McMahon stepped away from his positions as WWE CEO and Chairman. Stephanie McMahon has filled in and become the Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairwoman of WWE.
Since then, another report from the Wall Street Journal indicated that Vince McMahon has paid over $12 million in ‘hush money’ over the past 16 years to ‘suppress allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity. This includes a $7.5 million payment to a former WWE wrestler.
Last night, the July 21 episode of IMPACT Wrestling aired. The episode was recorded on July 15 at Old Forester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.
Quick Results
VXT (Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green) def. Jordynne Grace & Mia Yim
X-Division Championship Match: Mike Bailey (c) def. Deaner (w/ Joe Doering)
Masha Slamovich def. Madison Rayne (w/ Gisele Shaw)
Ace Austin & Chris Bey def. OGK (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) (w/ Maria Kanellis)
No. 1 Contender’s Match for IMPACT World Heavyweight Championship: Alex Shelley def. Chris Sabin
IMPACT News
Last night, many notable pieces of news emerged from the July 21 episode. We have collected some of the news and updates from last night’s episode.
VXT (Chelsea Green & Deonna Purrazzo)
VXT (Chelsea Green & Deonna Purrazzo) will be challenging Taya Valkyrie & Rosemary for their Knockouts Tag Team Championships.
KUSHIDA is set to make his IMPACT in-ring debut on the next week’s edition of IMPACT. The former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion is set to take on Rich Swann in singles action.
In the main event of IMPACT Wrestling, Alex Shelley took on his long-time tag partner Chris Sabin. The match was a No. 1 Contender’s Match for IMPACT World Heavyweight Championship. Alex Shelley would go on and defeat Sabin after a hard-fought bout. ,
Alex Shelley will be challenging Josh Alexander for the IMPACT World Championship. This will be Shelley and Alexander’s first ever one-on-one encounter.
WWE’s Cody Rhodes recently revealed that he was told by WWE to save the reveal of his torn pec for the Hell In A Cell premium live event.
Performing Through The Injury
At Hell in a Cell, Cody Rhodes entered the cell with a torn pectoral muscle. The injury was announced before the show, but Cody fought through and still wrestled against Seth Rollins.
While making his entrance, Rhodes covered up the injury with his American Nightmare ring jacket. He made the big reveal when he was in the ring with Rollins. Rollins, and the crowd, were stunned when they saw the intense bruising on Cody’s chest.
Cody Rhodes shows off more of his gnarly pec injury after match with Seth Rollins
Cody Was Told To Save The Reveal
When speaking to ComicBook, Cody talked about the big reveal:
“No one saw it, other than, I think Vince (McMahon) saw it. I was going to take my robe off for cameras, and the voice of God, whoever is head of production in that moment, I remember them saying, ‘Don’t.’ Stu, the camera operator, told me we were going to save it for the show. Very few people had actually seen it and how bad it was.
Through the day, it was getting worse because there was so much blood, so much blood under my skin. I’m almost anemic, so if you chop me or squeeze me, you can see it instantly. Just the perfect person to have their body ripped in half for that moment.”
A new report has revealed the possible reason that Liv Morgan has finally received a push by WWE.
Many were surprised when WWE decided to give Liv Morgan a major push over the last few weeks. Earlier this month, Liv won the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. Later that night, she cashed in the briefcase on Ronda Rousey to become the SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Liv Benefits From Sasha & Naomi?
In the most recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed that “part of the reason, if not the key reason, for the recent push of Morgan was the walking out of Sasha Banks and Naomi.”
Meltzer noted that when they left WWE needed a top-tier babyface for the SmackDown women’s division. Now we see that Morgan was the one who got the pick of the draw, which has worked out because fans have always been strongly behind her.
As previously reported, Banks and Naomi are still under contract with WWE. However, Banks’ lawyer is reportedly working on her release. Banks has been making non-wrestling bookings and reportedly won’t make any wrestling-related bookings until next year. It was also reported that Sasha Banks has an asking price of $30,000 for non-wrestling appearances.
According to the police report, Atlas, whose real name is Kenny Sanchez, was out drinking on May 22 and called his partner to come pick him up. Atlas wanted his partner to drink with him and then wanted his partner to go with him back to a female friend’s house to take part in sexual activities.
His partner said in the report, “he [the partner] showed the female half more attention than Atlas, which upset Atlas. This started a huge verbal argument between him and Atlas.”
Atlas reportedly became physically aggressive and charged his partner. A witness stepped in to prevent an attack. Atlas’ partner left, but Atlas followed, continued to yell, and again attempted to attack.
Atlas scratched the victim and tore his tank top before the witness separated them, putting Atlas in a car.
Atlas’ Statement
On July 22, Atlas took to social media to issue a statement on the incident. He said that he has completed an intensive outpatient program at LiveWell Behavioral Health in Florida.
I want to thank those of you who will take the time to read this statement.
I'm issuing a formal apology for my wrongdoing and any hurt, disappointment and complications I may have caused to my colleagues and fans.
As incredibly difficult it is for me to publicly disclose very personal and private information, it is Imperative that admit to my alcohol abuse and provide transparency about my deteriorating mental health. I have accepted that my anxiety and depression led me to detrimentally self-medicate for the last 7 years. In addition, a lot of unresolved trauma resurfaced for me recently that was fundamental to the development of some extremely negative core beliefs and I was inadequately able to manage.
An incident occurred a couple or months ago that I am 100% not proud or; I take complete responsibility and accountability for the situation and my actions, I recognize that the state of being intoxicated does not excuse my behavior. I made a terrible mistake. I hurt people I love and it's something I deeply regret.
The only clarity I wish to provide specifically about what circulated online is this: the relationship is not abusive in any way, shape, or form and this events certainly not a reflection of my character. One can read a report and choose to take the information for what it is, but to speculate, draw conclusions, and create a narrative that has no merit only adds further damage to those involved. This was a situation that was already being, and continues to be dealt with privately, so it is with great humility that I ask the respect of that privacy going forward.
I would like to share that I have successfully completed an intensive outpatient program at LiveWell Behavioral Health in Florida. I self admitted with a dual diagnosis in substance abuse and mental health. The treatment consisted of 10 hours of group and individualized therapy every week for 5 weeks. The next step in the program is to attend 1 group session a week for 3 weeks and continue individual outpatient therapy thereafter. My time there has been nothing short of extraordinary and life changing - a phenomenal first step in my recovery.
I am human and that makes me flawed. I believe in second chances, I believe in redemption, and in turn. I believe in personal growth. express mv gratitude to those who have reached out to me. I have made exceptional progress and I am excited for my future. I have full faith for a positive outcome from this journey as I continue my sobriety and the process of healing with the support of my friends, my family, and my partner.
"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am Changing myself" -Rumi
Atlas is currently recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered during an AEW Rampage taping in January. He underwent surgery in February. It was reported that Atlas is not expected back in AEW as he was on a per-appearance deal.
