All Elite Wrestling’s TNT Champion Cody Rhodes has revealed when fans can expect to see the completed version of the TNT Championship.

Responding to a fan via social media, Cody shared that the championship design will be completed on August 12. He also added how he has seen a video of the plates, describing them as being “very elegant.” He accompanied his comment with a diamond emoji.

Cody’s TNT Championship Journey

The TNT Championship was first presented to Cody Rhodes following his Double of Nothing victory. He beat Lance Archer in the finals of the TNT Championship tournament that night to claim the belt. It would then be presented to him by boxing legend “Iron “Mike Tyson.

Debuting to a mixed reaction from fans, AEW commentators explained that the championship was, in fact, “incomplete” at that time. It was revealed how the production of the belt had unfortunately been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Created by belt maker RED Leather for AEW, the company previously addressed the ‘in progress’ status of the championship:

“Unfortunately due to Covid-19 the platers I used are working on skeleton crews and can only work on respirators / emergency equipment. Once regular business resumes this belt will get some much needed highlights in nickel and gold as well as a relief TNT logo.”

Cody Rhodes is set to defend his TNT Championship this week on AEW Dynamite. He faces off against Warhorse.

All Elite Wrestling World Champion Jon Moxley has explained how he dealt with the “pressure” of delivering scripted promos at the behest of a “74-year-old madman.”

Speaking with Busted Open Radio, Moxley opened up about how AEW gives him creative freedom on the mic. According to Moxley, the promotion simply doesn’t give him a script to work off of. Moxley then juxtaposed this experience with his time in WWE.

He shared how, “If I had to boil it down to one thing that drove me crazier than anything was the fact that I got handed a script and told what to say.”

He recalled how the first time it happened was when he was in The Shield with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Moxley revealed they had never been handed a script before, even in developmental. Hearing the term “scripted promos” blew his mind the first time he heard it. 

Jon Moxley’s Script Pressure

When first going over the script, he was surprised at how detailed and specific he needed to be. At first, Moxley had assumed the writing was more of a “suggestion.”

After approaching the writer with some ideas to add, he quickly found out how he was expected to recite the lines verbatim.

“I remember having this feeling in the pit of my stomach, like oh my God, I made a terrible mistake…I’ll tell you what pressure is. Pressure is having a two-page script written by a 74-year-old madman that makes no sense to you that’s going to make you look stupid and your on worldwide TV live and you have to memorize every single line and somehow try to pull it off and not look like a total jackass. That’s pressure.”

Jon Moxley added how he felt he managed to pull it off most of the time. He did acknowledge there were plenty of times where he wasn’t able to. With AEW, however, Moxley will “never have to be in that situation again.”

WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry featured in several segments during this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw. During the night, he shared the screen with WWE Champion Drew McIntyre. In another segment, he was speaking with both Bianca Belair and Ruby Riott.

According to Dave Meltzer via Wrestling Observer Radio, Mark Henry’s appearance was meant to connect to Ron Simmons’ recent appearance. Simmons appeared on last week’s episode.

Both Simmons and Henry were allegedly brought in to kickstart plans for a rebooted version of the Nation of Domination. These plans, however, have reportedly been nixed.

Plans were speculated to have the new version of the NOD be led by MVP, who recently declared himself the new WWE United States Champion. He made the claim during The Horror Show at Extreme Rules. The group would also have included Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin.

“The deal with Mark Henry was – Mark Henry and Ron Simmons were brought in for these tapings for the Nation of Domination angle that they scrapped,” Meltzer said. “So I guess they just figured since Mark Henry is there, they just put him on TV for no reason.”

In recent weeks, the pairing of MVP and Lashley were referred to as The Hurt Business. Assuming the Nation of Domination reboot has been permanently shelved, this may become the permanent name of MVP’s stable going forward.

NWA World Champion Nick Aldis has shared an open letter to NWA fans. In the letter, he addressed his personal growth and how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted upon his and NWA’s momentum.

Aldis stressed how “Momentum is everything in this business.”

He pointed out how many talented wrestlers have suffered because of a lack of continual momentum.

Reflecting on his career in 2017, he confessed that he had lost a lot of personal and professional momentum. However, because he was always searching for external validation, he had “never taken the time to build any value in myself, BY myself.”

“I had always relied on a team of producers, editors and writers to tell the world who I was. As a result, I wasn’t even sure who I was. And if I wasn’t sure, why should the audience care?”

Nick Aldis’ “Symbiotic Resurrection”

Turning his attention to the success he has enjoyed in NWA, Aldis shared how fans have been able to follow his ascension.

He pointed out how they’ve watched his journey as he defended the same belt held by Harley Race, Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes.

Aldis then pointed out how this “symbiotic resurrection” in NWA has hit a stumbling block thanks to COVID-19. He stressed how he isn’t an “angry young man” anymore. Instead, he has grown into a “thick-skinned experienced man who has weathered storms before.”

“[…] the major difference between the pre-NWA Nick and the current version is you, the fans. The fans who took a chance on a bold new strategy of focusing on one match, one champion, one challenger and one prize. The fans who sold out the GPB studios over and over for NWA Powerrr, the most authentic alternative in the business. The fans who stuck their flags in the ground on my island and said “this is where I want to be a wrestling fan the most.”

Nick Aldis ended his open letter thanking the fans. He stressed how he appreciates their support, and that he has no intention of letting them down. He added how, together, they will collectively find that lost momentum once more, helping NWA get back on track.

Current WWE Intercontinental Champion AJ Styles has revealed who he believes can be blamed for ruining TNA’s Impact Wrestling show. As far as he’s concerned, blame can be fully attributed to Dixie Carter.

Reflecting on his time working for the promotion during a Twitch stream, Styles confessed how he loved Vince Russo as a person. However, when it came to working creatively together, he admitted they often “butted heads.”

“[…] but I realized when we butted heads, it was because he was getting things from Dixie the whole time. It must have been very difficult to work with this woman who has no idea how wrestling works and wanted everything to be done to it and it didn’t make any sense.”

Style then stressed how “Do I believe Dixie ruined IMPACT? Well, it was TNA back then, and 100%.”

He explained how, at the time, Impact was gaining positive momentum. Styles believes the problem stemmed from Dixie Carter’s need to be “WWE-lite,” something Styles claimed people weren’t interested in.

AJ Styles argued how instead of providing WWE-lite, fans were eager for “something else.” He shared how all Dixie Carter had to do was “let us do what we do.” He added how—had she left the creative direction to the writers—TNA would still be around and would probably be more popular than they currently are as Impact Wrestling. Styles added how, because Dixie Carter didn’t know what was best for business, she ultimately ended up hurting TNA.

WWE SmackDown Superstar Cesaro recently took part in an interview with Newsweek.com. During the conversation, Cesaro acknowledged his growth on the microphone and whether or not he’s interested in another singles run.

When asked if he was actively working to improve on the mic, Cesaro joked how he’s been “working on that forever.” He noted how English isn’t his first language, so promos tend to be a bit harder for him.

“A lot of stuff gets mixed up in my head, I’ll mix up words and sayings. I had a good one like ‘taking the kid from the candy’ or one of my better ones is ‘out of blue field’ which is a mix of ‘out of left field’ and ‘out of the blue’ so I mess up stuff, I mix stuff up, my accent sometimes people don’t understand it.”

He acknowledged how his hard work is paying off, however. As his promo abilities have grown, he shared how he’s now “getting the chance to talk more.” He argued how the two feed into each other, with his evolving promo skills opening up mic opportunities and vice versa.

Despite this growth and additional mic time, Cesaro confessed how it’s a process he will be constantly working on and hopes to continue improving in.

Cesaro’s Ultimate WWE Ambition

Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura recently claimed the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Despite this accomplishment, Cesaro joked how he hasn’t held enough gold. He divulged how his goal has always been to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Cesaro acknowledged how this goal is shared by everyone in WWE but remains his ultimate ambition.

He stressed how he doesn’t want to win the title just for himself. He wants to be crowned WWE Champion for “all of Europe” and for all of WWE’s international fans.

All Elite Wrestling’s TNT Champion Cody Rhodes has responded to fan criticism regarding the promotion during a recent Q&A Session under the hashtag #AskCody.

When asked about AEW’s detractors and why they might find it so difficult to relax and enjoy wrestling without constantly comparing promotions and shows, Cody replied explained AEW’s show is still so new and unknown. He added how Dynamite is “aggressive in delivery and it’s marketing.”

He acknowledged how the Monday Night Wars that took place between WWE and WCW offers a template that people often revert to as a reference point. Cody added how “respectfully that ecosystem doesn’t fit ours. This is very new territory & it’s fan made.”

Cody On Providing An Alternative & Equal Entry Contracts

Cody Rhodes also responded to a fan who stressed how they wanted an alternative to WWE, not alternative WWE. The fan pointed at Marko Stunt as an example of how AEW’s product is embarrassing, to which Cody replied:

“Show is great man. It’s a 2hr gritty/atheltid/and often fun weekly presentation. Seems odd to form an opinion about the entire brand based on you disliking short people. Not the end of the world though man, you can’t please everybody and trying is the first step down.”

When challenged over the starting contract rates between male and female talents, Cody was quick to correct a fan who believed men were on a higher entry rate than the women. He explained how AEW’s “entry contracts are the same, regardless of gender. It’s 2020 man.” He added how AEW stressed the importance of this initiative at its first press conference, and how they’ve delivered on it ever since.

All Elite Wrestling’s Chris Jericho has explained why he isn’t interested in returning to WWE. The former AEW Champion shared his reasoning during a recent live stream of Saturday Night Special.

Jericho proclaimed how a return to WWE simply isn’t going to happen. He explained how he’s really enjoying being in AEW before adding how he loved his WWE experience. Jericho also stressed how he loves Vince McMahon.

He noted how he learned a lot and had a lot of fun in WWE but, ultimately, felt how he couldn’t “stay in the same place forever.” If he did, he believes he would have eventually become stagnant—something he never wants to become.

“If you do and I think you need to push yourself to do something new and the fact that AEW was live without a net when I first showed up and all of us have done such a great job of promoting this brand and promoting this company.”

Chris Jericho then stressed how his current claims of being a “demogod” are real. He was quick to add, however, that it’s not just him contributing to AEW’s success “[…] even though I’ve never been beaten in the demo for my segment this week. The friggin Young Bucks did over a million viewers. And not only that, The Butcher and The Blade, how about that?”

Chris Jericho teamed with Jake Hager in a winning effort against Jurassic Express during last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite that saw the return of Inner Circle member Sammy Guevara.

WWE Hall of Famers Mark Henry and Bully Ray have shared their thoughts on the recent confrontation between Adam Cole and Pat McAfee. The two discussed the incident during a recent episode of Busted Open Radio.

While appearing on McAfee’s show, Cole took issue with McAfee’s suggestion that he had only become the longest-reigning NXT Champion because of the Undisputed Era. He then mocked Cole’s size, calling him “small.” At this point, Cole took offense and began to berate McAfee before storming off.

Henry stressed how the best stories have a semblance of reality to them. He shared how he doesn’t believe their interaction was work, adding how WWE should capitalize on this encounter, turning it into business.

“This is not a work, this is real sh*t that’s going to have to be turned into business because it’s too good not to,” Mark Henry explained. “Here we are with all the stuff that happened for a week in pro wrestling and we’re talking about a verbal disagreement on a show. It was real and that’s why we talking about it.”

Pushing Adam Cole’s Buttons

Mark Henry’s co-host Bully Ray explained how he believes McAfee’s words pushed Cole’s buttons on an off day. He then asked how Cole’s reaction can be justified or found “acceptable” by WWE.

Bully Ray also argued how people can also put the onus on McAfee. He suggested how WWE may reflect on its relationship with the host and the work they’ve done together:

“And then the WWE can turn around and go, ‘You know something Pat? We’ve been really good to you, we’ve allowed you to announce on our shows. […] Why did you even feel the need to throw any digs at Adam Cole?’ There’s a lot of different ways to look at this. You know Adam Cole is a big part of the NXT roster. You know that people bust his chops for his size. Why would you do that?”

Adam Cole’s momentous reign as NXT Champion came to an end after Keith Lee defeated him in a “Winner Take All” match at NXT’s Great American Bash.

Orange Cassidy has shared how he believes The Young Bucks signed him to All Elite Wrestling as a “middle finger to professional wrestling.”

Speaking with ESPN, Cassidy reflected on how Matt and Nick Jackson were determined to sign him. The brothers eventually got their wish granted when Cassidy officially debuted for AEW at 2019’s All Out pay-per-view. He had previously participated at Double or Nothing’s Casino Battle Royale.

“The Young Bucks were the people that were like, ‘We need to get Orange here,'” Orange Cassidy said. “Because my character is a giant middle finger to professional wrestling, so they were like, ‘Of course, let’s get him in.'”

Cassidy aligned himself with Best Friends, Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta. The trio have been teaming with and accompanying one another ever since.

AEW President Tony Khan previously shared how he didn’t originally have major plans for Cassidy. This was because he wasn’t too familiar with Cassidy or his gimmick.

Recognizing Cassidy had a following, Khan explained how “[…] he wasn’t somebody, when we started, that I was really particularly aware of or had real big plans for,” Khan said. “[After Double or Nothing,] I spent a lot of time with Orange Cassidy and got to know him a lot better, and also talked to him about ideas, and that opened a lot of doors for both of us.”

Since then, Khan has acknowledged how Cassidy is a multitalented team player. This recognition has seen Cassidy become involved in a major feud with former AEW Champion Chris Jericho.

Fresh off his TNT Championship match from last week’s special episode of Dynamite, All Elite Wrestling’s Sonny Kiss joined Chris Jericho’s podcast, Talk is Jericho.

During their conversation, Kiss opened up about how he came to sign with AEW. He also revealed how he came to be known as Sonny Kiss.

Kiss revealed how Sonny is actually a nickname off his real-life name, Hassan. He explained how Kiss derives from him blowing a lot of kisses during his entrances. Kiss revealed how his dad is “partly Middle Eastern” and his mom is “African American Native American.”

Sonny Kiss on Joining AEW

Chris Jericho then asked how Sonny Kiss came to be signed by AEW. Kiss revealed how Brandi Rhodes had reached out to him. According to Kiss, she wanted to know if he was signed and asked if she could go to a show.

He explained how he was signed to Lucha Underground at the time. Despite this, he was allowed to “do other stuff.” Kiss noted how Lucha Underground talent were allowed to do “everything but the other company.”

Lucha Underground

Reflecting on his time with Lucha Underground, Kiss shared how it wasn’t the best time. He also noted how the roster weren’t on high salary contracts.

“That contract (Lucha Underground), I don’t even want to get into for legal reasons. We were probably making $4,000 a year. There were times I couldn’t even pay my cell phone bill or anything,” Kiss explained. “I couldn’t even contribute to my rent. They (Pentagon and Phoenix) were one of the first to get out and I was one of the last to get out. Cody said, don’t worry, we are still going to book you to the moon and make sure you are still here which was great.”

Sonny Kiss recently responded to hateful comments made by a troll ahead of his TNT Championship match on last week’s Fight for the Fallen event. Despite his best efforts, he would ultimately lose the match to reigning champion, Cody.

AJ Styles continues to publicly express his displeasure for former RAW Executive Director Paul Heyman.

During a Twitch stream, Styles addressed his problems with Heyman, whom he has previously labeled a “liar.“

AJ Styles confessed that the reason he requested to move to SmackDown was because he “couldn’t stand looking” at Heyman. He stressed how he “just can’t stand a liar.”

He explained how, as grown men, he couldn’t understand why Heyman felt the need to lie. This led his feelings of animosity to grow to the point where, if an opportunity presented itself on SmackDown, he was willing to jump at it.

AJ Styles: WWE Talent Despise Paul Heyman

AJ Styles shared how fans wouldn’t believe how many people “despise” Paul Heyman because of his lies. He then claimed that Heyman would “find ways to throw them under the bus when he screwed up.”

According to Styles, Heyman would do this so they would get in trouble instead of him. It’s a claim Styles said he’s heard from “several, several different people.” He added how it was hard to find someone who actually liked Heyman.

“I didn’t know this, I just assumed everybody liked him and I was the only one. Vince is a very smart man and he can see through a lot of crap and I think he finally saw what everybody already knew and said ‘you know what man, you’ve done some great things in the past [but] you’re just not well-liked here, maybe hit the bricks. We’ll let you be the advocate for Brock Lesnar. You do it well, you can’t deny that. He’s good at that. I think that’s as far as it needs to go.'”

AJ Styles then stated how the only person Heyman can blame is himself:

“Just don’t lie to people man. This is the business that he, I don’t want to say grew up in but found a way to be successful in – probably by lying. I’m not the first guy to say this, as I found out.”

AJ Styles has previously shared how he believed Heyman recommended that Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson be released by WWE as a cost-cutting measure due to COVID-19.

Former WWE Superstar and O.C. member Luke Gallows has revealed whether he and his tag partner, Karl Anderson, talked with AEW following their WWE release.

Speaking with The Wrestling Inc Daily podcast, Gallows confessed there “weren’t a lot of talks” between the two parties. He shared how he and Anderson felt “if we already didn’t take that option maybe that option won’t be available again.”

According to him, there wasn’t much back and forth outside of friendly conversation. They never pushed for a spot and AEW allegedly never really offered one. Regardless, Gallows shared how the team is in “constant communication” with The Young Bucks on a daily basis as they are good friends.

Why Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson Signed With Impact Wrestling

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson would eventually reveal they had signed with Impact Wrestling. He revealed how, from the moment WWE released them, Scott D’Amore was “aggressively” looking to sign them. 

Gallows explained what made Impact Wrestling so appealing to the team. He noted how the promotion has a “solid belief in us as a commodity.” He then added how “Scott said let’s do this together and co-promote all this stuff you guys have got” in regards to Gallows and Anderson’s numerous side projects.

“All of these things WWE would never allow me to do and if it was getting away with it, I wouldn’t be allowed to talk about it. I don’t know how much availability there would have been for stuff like that with AEW,” Gallows said. “Scott basically opened his arms and said everything you guys are doing we’ll help and co-promote. We said if somebody is gonna offer that to you and afford you that opportunity, then let me wave the Impact flag higher than ever…”

Gallows added how having a company that believes in them and that is willing to acknowledge, co-promote, and help brand-build “means the world to me and to the both of us.”

The Good Brothers recently announced they had signed two-year contracts with Impact Wrestling. They made their first appearance since their WWE release at Impact’s recent Slammiversary show.

NXT Superstar Mercedes Martinez has officially joined The Robert Stone brand. The decision has seen her align herself with Robert Stone and Aliyah.

During last night’s episode of WWE’s black-and-gold brand, Martinez saved Stone after Aliyah lost a matchup to Shotzi Blackheart.

Having previously run over Stone’s leg, Blackheart would drive her mini-tank over his good leg. Martinez would then attack Blackheart as Aliyah assisted Stone away from the mini-tank.

Later on the show, Martinez approached Stone and Aliyah who were recovering from the match and its aftermath.

She stressed how she wanted someone who would help her “handle the big matches, look after the contracts and look after the crap I don’t care about. All of the stuff outside of the ring.”

She added how she just wants to be able to focus on what she does best: hurt people in the ring.

Wanting to know if Stone was capable of delivering, Stone promised that he was the right man for the job. She levied one final warning, promising to permanently break both of Stone’s legs if he “oversteps” his boundaries. Despite the threat, Stone eagerly welcomed her to the Robert Stone Brand as the two shook hands.

After the show, Martinez took to Twitter to reiterate Stone’s need to respect her boundaries. If he does, she believes their partnership can “reach the highest levels of GOLD!!!”

Stone quickly replied, “DONE” before asking her to follow him back on the social media platform. She would eventually follow him back, noting how she is happy to do so for now.

Eddie Kingston has shared his thoughts following his AEW Dynamite debut from last night’s episode. Kingston faced off against TNT Champion Cody in a No Disqualification championship bout. Despite his best efforts, Kingston would ultimately succumb to a figure-four leglock.

Speaking with AEW in a Social Exclusive after his match, Kingston stressed how you never lose, you learn. Reflecting on his brutal matchup with Cody, Kingston conceded that Cody was the better man last night.

“I learned a long time ago in this life…you never lose, you learn, and, uh, I learned tonight that Cody is the better man. He’s the better grappler, he was the better fighter—but just tonight,” Kingston stressed. “

I’ve been doing this for a very long time. I’m not gonna say the year, the number or all that jazz, ’cause that’s just pitiful to say, in my opinion. […] I have nothing else in this life that I love doing. So whether AEW brings me back or not, I’m going to keep going. I’m going to keep going until the wheels fall off ’cause I have nothing else but this. I chose to have nothing else but this.”

Kingston reiterated how he has no excuses and that Cody was undoubtedly the better man for the night. Becoming emotional, Kingston then shared how he’s going to learn from his match with Cody and use the lessons to help him move forward. He ended the interview promising how he would be back.

Arn Anderson Comments On Cody’s Defense

In another backstage interview via Coach’s Corner, Cody’s mentor Arn Anderson also shared his thoughts on the No DQ matchup.

Anderson admitted he had no idea who Eddie Kingston was or about his reputation. He acknowledged how Kingston made his presence immediately known, stating how he’s “got a big mouth and a lot of guts.”

He then noted how Kingston sold his wrestling gear in order to afford his mortgage payment. Anderson explained how that was “paying dues in life” for his family. Respecting that decision, Anderson stressed how “underneath that big mouth, Eddie Kingston is all man.”

Arn Anderson then noted how Cody was able to overcome and meet Kingston’s aggression despite having a “back full of tacks.” According to Anderson, Cody showcased the grit and determination that will help him successfully defend the TNT Championship “for as long as he keeps that mindset.”

He then promised how he and Cody have plans to “go to war” next week on AEW Dynamite.

If you use any quotes from this article, please provide a H/T to SEScoops.

All Elite Wrestling’s Colt Cabana has revealed when he was first told by The Young Bucks about their plans to launch a new promotion.

Speaking with Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone on AEW’s official podcast, AEW Unrestricted, Cabana shared how The Young Bucks told him their plans at All In.

He divulged how he has been close with Matt and Nick Jackson for years and is someone they often come to for advice.

“I’m someone that they talk to. They’ll ask advice. They like pulled me aside, and they were like, ‘hey this thing is happening. I’m sure you don’t believe it, but I think we’re doing this.’ That was at All In, which from All In to when it all started was pretty long, so I kept that under my hood. I’m a good secret keeper, and it was pretty exciting.”

Colt Cabana Never Doubted AEW

Cabana noted how he believed AEW would eventually become a reality. He recalled how he had often been told different things during his 21-year career. Cabana shared how he had been offered enough fake offers and tours to know when something wouldn’t actually happen. That was never the feeling he had regarding All Elite Wrestling.

“It seemed about right, and it also made sense. The Bucks, Cody, Kenny and Hangman, they were the hottest thing in wrestling,” Cabana said. “I watched it at Ring of Honor when it was x amount of people. Then Being The Elite became so hot. I watched the numbers go up. I watched everything go up.”

He continued, “I saw All In. I was going to be able to be a part of All In. For someone to realize and to understand that, it’s pretty obvious, but it’s just so much to have to put into in order to get that thing on a higher ground, it made sense. So I understood why Tony would take this gamble and this risk.”

Since his debut in AEW, Colt Cabana has become involved in a storyline involving Brodie Lee and The Dark Order. He recently teamed with Lee and Stu Grayson in a six-man tag team match on Fyter Fest Night Two. They successfully defeated SoCal Uncensored.

Current WWE Intercontinental Champion AJ Styles has shared which Superstars would feature on his personal pro wrestling Mount Rushmore.

Speaking with The Sun, Styles noted how it was a tough decision. Clarifying his choice parameters, Styles shared how he would be picking people who “made the biggest difference” to the wrestling industry. He wanted to make his choices reflected those who helped shape the business, and are why people “get the opportunity to make a living [wrestling].”

With that established, he was quick to name two WWE Hall of Famers: Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan.

He explained how Ric Flair was undoubtedly up there in his long-lasting impact. Styles explained how he didn’t watch WWF as a kid but was familiar with Hulk Hogan because of his cartoon. He pointed to Hogan’s role in Rocky III as Thunderlips, noting he was more aware of Hogan’s impact on pop culture than his in-ring career. 

AJ Styles admitted he had a hard time selecting his next choice. He argued how “[…] there’s Ricky the Dragon Steamboat, The Macho Man, Andre the Giant, like he also broke that barrier of larger than life.”

“In fact, he was probably the first one to do it. So if I had to, and I know I’ll go back and I’ll change this a million times, Ric Flair. Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Lou Thesz.”

He admitted he was making deliberate choices that skewed away from WWE. Styles then noted how he chose Lou Thesz because of how Thesz helped shaped the business:

“The reason why I saw Lou Thesz and not some other guys who have definitely shaped this business is because I didn’t watch it. I didn’t have that cable where I could watch WWF. So I think my three for sure gotta be Hogan, Andre, and Ric Flair. That fourth is open to debate.”

AJ Styles recently defended his championship this past Friday on SmackDown. He successfully beat Matt Riddle.

WWE has revealed it will still be hosting a panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con event. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the San Diego Comic-Con was forced to pivot into an online event. Having been a regular fixture of the convention for years, and not wanting to miss the occasion, WWE will be hosting a virtual panel with Mattel and the WWE Elite Suard.

In an official statement, WWE acknowledged how San Diego Comic-Con will be different this year. It teased how the panel will feature some big announcements and new WWE action figure news. This news will be revealed by Mattel and the WWE Elite Squad.

The WWE Elite Squad consists of NXT’s Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae and Sam Roberts. They will join WWE Hall of Famer Edge, Ricochet, Rhea Ripley and members of Mattel’s WWE team.

Their San Diego Comic-Con presentation promises “in-depth conversation on all things WWE and a look into what the future holds for WWE action figure collectors.”

Additionally, WWE’s digital team will be doing further reveals and announcements across the week.

Fans and collectors interested in the panel can join in this Thursday at 3 PM ET via Comic-Con International’s official YouTube channel and by using the #ComicConAt Home hashtag.

The Big Show has revealed he has no future interest in becoming a producer for WWE once his extensive in-ring career has come to an end.

Speaking with Newsweek, Big Show joked how he “may as well put my head under a car and back over it.” He explained how he wouldn’t want the headache that WWE’s backstage producers go through. Instead, he’d rather continue to serve as in-ring talent for as long as possible, working with up-and-coming Superstars.

“I’m in a unique position that I don’t have to work five nights a week like when I was full time. If you have a talent that is on their way as a big guy or medium-sized guy and I get the chance to get in the ring and work again and ride with this guy for a few days and help them that way, that’s where I get to do my best work—being in the ring with them and work out their timing and what’s going on in their head, and take them where they need to be.”

Big Show On Working With Younger Talent

The Big Show admitted the hardest thing in working with younger talent is ensuring they relax in the ring. He pointed out how a lot of them struggle in finding the flow and fluid nature of the match.

According to him, several younger Superstars are hung up in forcing stuff and overplanning spots. He noted how the empty arenas have made it different to create a connection, and so instead of connecting with fans, they have to connect with hard in-ring work.

“As far as me: I’m around as long as I’m still able to compete and produce. I know that those times are not as much as they used to be back in the day. Father Time is undefeated, but I’ll always respect and love this business and I’m always around to help anyone, whether it’s a talent from the Cruiserweights on up, I’m willing to help anybody. If the experiences that I’ve been through can help and make things easier, I’m always willing to give it.”

The Big Show recently competed in an Unsanctioned matchup this Monday Night on Raw. He lost to Randy Orton after receiving an RKO. After the match had ended, Orton delivered a punt kick to Big Show’s head.

WWE Hall of Famer Booker T recently addressed the hashtag #NaomiDeservesBetter trending on Twitter. The hashtag gained momentum as disgruntled fans who believe WWE has been mishandling the Superstar rallied in support of Naomi.

Speaking on his podcast, The Hall of Famer with Booker T and Brad Gilmore, Booker T shared his critical take on the trending hashtag. 

“They can go to hell with all these hashtags,” Booker T stated. “I’m tired of hearing about them. Don’t nobody ‘deserve’ a chance. You have to earn a chance and your spot on the roster, this is not some kind of movement just to pull somebody up just because. I hate to say this because I like Naomi, but as far as the business goes, you get it on your merit alone. There is no buddy system.”

Booker T noted how, although some people may have benefited from help, ultimately “life is not fair.”

He added how people have to make their own breaks and rise to the occasion. Acknowledging how this kind of shift doesn’t happen overnight, he pointed to himself as an example:

“No one expected me to become a six-time champ, but my persistence of going out there and performing better than all of those suckas in the locker room, and they knew it, and the fans saw something different.”

#NaomiDeservesBetter

Booker T argued how the hashtag doesn’t serve a purpose and doesn’t benefit Naomi. Instead, he believes she should be advocating for herself and consistently performing at a high level. Booker T believes if a Superstar can achieve that, then they “cannot be denied” and “No one will ever say you were given anything.”

He explained how, if someone gave Naomi a championship tomorrow it wouldn’t feel earned or as though she “did it on her own.”

Booker T stressed how he would never have wanted to have the championship simply given to him. He then praised Naomi as the most athletic female Superstar in the WWE locker room.

However, he added how “psychology and working are two different things.” Booker T then suggested that if he could guide her for a month, she would look at the pro wrestling business in a totally different way. 

Naomi Reacts To Booker T’s Thoughts

Naomi saw Booker T’s comments on the situation. She responded with a succinct reply, writing “Will do @BookerT5x.” She accompanied her answer with a Gif of Jim Carrey wrapped in tape, waving.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Sasha Banks also commented on Booker T’s observations. She wrote in support of Naomi, telling her not to “feed into useless opinions, no matter who they come from.” She encouraged Naomi to keep glowing and how she has nothing to prove to anybody. Sasha Banks recently irked Booker T after claiming she and Bayley were a better tag team than Harlem Heat.

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has reflected on preparing for his first-ever WWE promo with Vince McMahon’s help. He shared the story during an interview with the BASCHAMANIA podcast. Angle revealed how he had initially been under the impression he would be used solely as a wrestler. He hadn’t anticipated having to speak a lot and the importance of cutting promos himself. Angle shared how he thought he would be assigned a manager to be his mouthpiece.

Angle then recalled the night of his debut. He shared how Vince McMahon had him rehearse a “preconceived promo at my hometown of Pittsburgh.”

According to Angle, Vince McMahon instructed him on what to say but didn’t write anything down.

When his debut match against finally rolled around, Angle confessed he arrived at the arena and had forgotten his lines. He revealed how “Vince was pissed at me and said, ‘Ok, here are the lines again but you better not forget again.'”

Having defeated Shawn Stasiak, Angle then delivered the promo. He declared himself a role model and introduced the WWE Universe to the Three I’s: Intensity, Integrity and Intelligence. He divulged how during his first promo, he only delivered “about 70 percent” of his lines.

Despite only remembering 70 percent, his delivery impressed Vince McMahon. Vince believed that Angle’s ability to cut a promo and improvise if need be was something to “build off.”

Kurt Angle On WWE’s Current Promo Training Methods

Kurt Angle juxtaposed how he learned to deliver promos with WWE’s current training methods. He shared how in the past “everything was spontaneous.”

Angle explained how Superstars would travel from arena to arena, taking bumps and learning on the job. He stressed they never had time to work on promos. Angle argued how today, NXT Superstars get to “work extensively on their promos, matches, and pre-takes,” which he believes creates “very polished” Superstars.

Seth Rollins has addressed the fallout of his “Eye for an Eye” matchup against Rey Mysterio. The two clashed in the first-ever bout this past Sunday at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules. The match stipulation stated a victor could only be announced once they had removed an eye from their opponent’s skull. Having ultimately won the match, Rollins would proceed to be sick at ringside.

Speaking on Raw Talk following his involvement in this week’s episode of Raw, Seth Rollins explained how he was the victim in this situation, not Mysterio. He noted how Mysterio was a “hero to us all” before adding how “no one seems to understand that I am the victim in all of this. I didn’t make the stipulation, Rey did.”

Seth Rollins explained how he wasn’t prepared for the “visual aspect” of removing Mysterio’s eyeball. Once it dawned on him, it made him sick to his stomach. Despite this reaction, Rollins stressed that he had a match to win, “which is my job to do at all costs.”

He was asked if he regretted what he had done at Extreme Rules. Seth Rollins, however, refused to shoulder any accountability. Instead, he pointed blame at the WWE Universe.

“Why is everyone trying to blame me? Let me ask the WWE Universe a question: Did they regret what they did to me? If you can say absolutely yes, then maybe I can shed some regret as well,” Seth Rollins said. “But you if don’t want to share the responsibility with me, then what is my responsibility to Rey Mysterio?”

WWE released a storyline update on Mysterio’s medical condition following Extreme Rules. At the time of writing, Mysterio will reportedly continue to appear on WWE programming despite allegedly not yet having signed a new contract.

Former WWE Superstars Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis-Bennett have opened up about their initial push being cut short upon their debut in 2017. The two recently joined ROHStrong Podcast where they addressed their Money in the Bank experience. They shared how they had so much initial excitement at portraying a heel couple on screen.

Maria revealed how once they had signed their contracts, WWE simply didn’t utilize them. Instead, the couple “sat at home from March until June.”

She explained how WWE didn’t contact them until June, which caused her to become suspicious:

“We had no contact until June. I already felt like something was fishy because if you were that excited about us ,why didn’t you bring us out at Wrestlemania?”

Mike Bennett & Maria Kanellis At Money In The Bank 2017

Upon their appearance at Money in the Bank, the couple were confident in their new characters and direction. According to them, they got a “great reaction” when they stepped out from behind the curtain. However, despite the immediate heel heat, their momentum would be almost immediately stopped.

Bennett shared how Vince McMahon apparently didn’t see the reaction they received. This led to their push being “pretty much all but dropped.”

The couple added how they were meant to be on the next episode of SmackDown. Bennett recalled how they were written into the show only to be cut entirely. It was at this point that he reveals they both went felt how “that’s it, we’re done.”

Mike Bennett stressed how the three years with WWE was a “waste of time and a mess.” However, he acknowledged the lessons and personal growth he achieved are things he wouldn’t ever trade.

The couple recently shared insight into their negative experiences in WWE. Mike Bennett revealed how WWE never supported him or paid for his addiction recovery. Instead, he credited Maria with helping him through to sobriety. Maria, meanwhile, gave fans alleged information over what WWE said and promised them as they deliberated over re-signing with the company.

The couple joined several other Superstars to be released earlier this year as a cost-cutting decision. WWE attributed its decision to the coronavirus pandemic having impacted upon business.

Former WWE Superstars Mike Bennett and his wife Maria Kanellis-Bennett have opened up to fans about their experiences with WWE prior to being released.

Bennett revealed via Twitter that, despite its drug testing policy and insistence that it puts talents health and wellbeing first and foremost, WWE never paid or supported his recovery journey.

He explained how he never went to rehab and instead “My wife was my rehab.” Bennett noted how he recovered on the road while adhering to WWE’s travel schedule. According to him, WWE “never paid for my rehab” and “never reached out” to him during his recovery from addiction.

Bennett shared how “Not a single person in management ever contacted me to see if I needed help or if I was doing ok in my recovery.All credit goes to my wife”

Bennett stressed how he isn’t saying WWE had an obligation to reach out to him. However, when people claim his rehab was paid for, it undermines and takes away all the hard work and support Maria provided. Those false claims are something that will “never be ok” with him.

Maria Kanellis Shares Insight Into Her Experience

Maria Kanellis-Bennett also opened up on Twitter. She shared what she and Mike were allegedly told and promised by WWE. Maria has previously called out WWE over its decision to release her and Mike amidst a global pandemic so soon after her giving birth.

Her series of Tweets seem to indicate what they were told by WWE as they contemplated re-signing with the company. Both Maria and Mike would sign multi-year contracts in 2019.

Fans speculated that the pair signed with WWE knowing Maria was pregnant. This would have allowed them to make money while at home after their baby was born. This was not the case, however, as Maria was not aware she was pregnant until after signing her new WWE contract.

According to Maria, she was told and promised the following:

“Think about your family. – @wwe”

“We want to make sure your family is taken care of. -@wwe”

“Look at the position (she) put you in by naming you. – @wwe”

“Don’t you think you’d remember something like that. – @WWE”

“(He) still wants to sign you to this. -@WWE”

“We used to get away with a lot, we can’t get away with (that) anymore. -@WWE”

“It would be good for your career…. -@WWE”

Maria explained how she’s not “spilling tea” or spreading gossip with her series of tweets. Instead, she wanted to give fans insight into what she and Mike were told and experienced.

The couple joined several other Superstars to be released earlier this year as a cost-cutting decision. WWE attributed its decision to the coronavirus pandemic having impacted upon business.

Montez Ford recently spoke with Inside the Ropes where he talked about working with Paul Heyman and his WrestleMania 36 experience.

According to the WWE RAW Tag Team Champion, he owes Paul Heyman his life. Ford noted how he and his partner, Angelo Dawkins, are practically indebted to Heyman. He stressed how Heyman was supportive of the team “since day one.”

Montez Ford shared how the first time The Street Profits met Heyman, he took the time to give them a “wealth of knowledge” upon their RAW debut.

“[…] he was the first person that came and found us and talked to us and pretty much just took us under his wing and there’s so much I can say and describe but he’s given us a whole bunch of stuff and he’s pretty much been there the whole way and given us a lot of motivation, man and insight and you guys know, getting any type of insight, anything from Paul Heyman man is golden so just in short terms I can say that, man I’m just privileged to know and have worked with him in the time period that we did, you know?”

Montez Ford On Competing At WrestleMania 36 With A Broken Back

The Street Profits made their WrestleMania debut at this year’s event back in April. Montez Ford actually broke his back prior to the event, but would still compete at the show. He and Dawkins would successfully defend their championships against Angel Garza and Austin Theory. They competed on the second night of WrestleMania’s two-day show.

Reflecting on his decision to compete despite his injury, Montez said “I broke my back, man, okay? You know what I’m saying?Who do you know broke they [sic] back and still made it to WrestleMania? Who do you know man, just tell me one person. I’ll wait. Exactly. It’s alright, you’re talking to him right now, man. Who do you know?”

Despite competing at WrestleMania 36 in front of zero fans and with a broken back, Ford stressed the experience was a “blessing.” He noted how with the coronavirus pandemic forcing so many changes worldwide, his WrestleMania memories will be “forever cemented” for him and remains grateful that they were able to have their moment.