WWE returns to the Capitol Wrestling Center tonight with an all-new episode of NXT on the USA Network.
We are now less than two weeks away from NXT Takeover: In Your House. The main event of that event will see Karrion Kross defend the NXT Championship. His opponent will be determined tonight on NXT.
The main attraction of this week’s broadcast is a triple threat match. We’ll see Johnny Gargano vs. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Pete Dunne. The winner will challenge Kross for the NXT title at Takeover.
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK will also be in action. They will defend against Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde.
Check back Wednesday morning for our NXT Takeover Results & Takeaways.
The next NXT Takeover, In Your House, takes place Sunday, June 13th.
WWE NXT Superstar and the North American Champion Bronson Reed recently appeared on WWE After the Bell. The Australian powerhouse discussed a number of topics on the podcast with Corey Graves, including his dream match in WWE.
Interestingly, the man that his picked as his dream bout in the company was also on the podcast just a few weeks ago. “For me, there’s so many great heavyweights at the moment that there’s so many matches I would like to do,” Reed began on the podcast.
“I think one that would be arranged and hopefully done sooner than later is Bronson Reed vs. WALTER” Reed would continue, revealing his dream match against the WWE United Kingdom Champion. “That’s the one I want to tip off first and then we can talk about the other people.”
Bronson Reed vs WALTER
Bronson Reed would also put out another name of someone that he wants to face in a WWE ring. “Another dream match for me at the moment is Roman Reigns. That’s someone I want to be able to step in the ring with.”
Roman Reigns is arguably a name that most WWE Superstars currently on the NXT brand would put out there as an opponent that they would want. The idea of two gargantuan performers like WALTER and Bronson Reed going at it in NXT however is a very intriguing prospect.
Would you like to see Bronson Reed vs WALTER? Let us know in the comments
Finn Balor has spent the last year and a half rebuilding himself in NXT. After dropping the NXT title to Karrian Kross last month, the former universal champion now feels he is ready for his return to the main roster.
The NXT star recently spoke to Ryan Satin of Fox Sports where he opened up about the ups and downs of his run with the company so far.
Balor admitted that he feels like he wasn’t doing justice to himself in his last run in the main roster. He explained that returning to NXT has helped him figure out who he was and he is now hopeful for a main roster return:
“I grew up as a wrestling fan watching WWE, and that’s, essentially, where I want to be performing, I feel like in my last run there, I wasn’t doing myself justice. I needed to change something, and the change came with NXT to kinda figure out who I was again.
I’ve managed to do that to some level,” claimed Finn Balor, “And I’m definitely hopeful that a return to RAW or SmackDown will happen in the future.”
The former NJPW star was called up to main roster back in July 2016. While his run started with a big universal title win, an injury forced him to relinquish the title. Many believe that he got lost in the shuffle after that.
Finn Balor returned to NXT in October 2019 and turned heel. He has rebuilt himself since then and has had another successful run with the NXT championship.
The NXT Championship is a highly coveted prize in wrestling. Having grown considerably since its days as a feeder/development brand, NXT is now a highly competitive environment. This past week, William Regal announced that there would be a massive triple threat match to determine the next number one contender.
Next week, Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne and Kyle O’Reilly will face off to determine who will challenge Karrion Kross. The winner will face Kross at the upcoming NXT Takeover: In Your House on June 13th.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPUm16FLJML/
Kross recently defended the NXT Championship against former champ Finn Balor. Out of the three combatants, only Gargano has crossed paths with Kross so far. While O’Reilly and Dunne both had entertaining fights with Balor during his title reign.
The match will headline an always entertaining NXT show and promises to be a hard-hitting affair. All three men have stellar reputations. Gargano recently lost his North American Championship. Dunne held the NXT UK Title for almost two years. O’Reilly left everything in the ring during his feud with former stablemate Adam Cole.
None of them has held the NXT Championship before, which will add an extra drive to each of them. While the prize will be a match with the violent and vicious Karrion Kross. The big point will be that they will have less than two weeks to recover before they get their shot at the gold.
Kross is a dominant champion, in his second reign after having to vacate the NXT Championship the day after winning it due to injury. He will be a hard man to beat, and whoever faces him will have a mountain to climb.
WWE returns to the Capitol Wrestling Center tonight with a live episode of NXT on the USA Network.
The main event of this week’s broadcast will see NXT Champion Karrion Kross defend against former champion Finn Balor. WWE released this preview video hyping the bout:
WWE also released this vintage poster promoting Cross vs. Balor:
In addition to the main event, tonight’s NXT will also feature:
Franky Monet will make her “world premiere” in-ring debut
Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzales face Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in a #1 contender’s match. The winners will earn a shot against NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions, The Way.
Bobby Fish returns to action against Pete Dunne
Finally, Cameron Grimes will have a “Million Dollar Faceoff” with Ted DiBiase and we’ll hear from new NXT North American Champion, Bronson Reed.
Following his recent release by WWE, Drake Wuertz announced that he is returning to the ring as an active competitor.
Drake Wuertz was an active star in the indies. He transitioned to a refereeing role following signing with WWE in 2013.
In a social media post, Drake Wuertz announced that he was returning to his ‘Younger’ days before confirming the date for his return.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPQ8jllJMRc/
Younger was recently released from his WWE contract, following a series of incidents involving his personal views. Recently these had been interfering with this WWE responsibilities. Wuertz will return at a charity event that echoes his own personal beliefs. The event will also feature a meet and greet with former WWE and International superstars Matt Morgan and Low-Ki!
A devout Christian and conservative, Drake Wuertz fell out of favour in WWE, despite being the head referee in NXT. Reports since his release say that many wrestlers were starting to refuse to wrestle in matches under his control.
Drake Wuertz has been out of the ring for almost 8 years. It remains to be seen if this return or a one-off event. If a full-time return is part of the plan, Wuertz may find himself struggling to get a regular spot at any of the larger promotions. His reputation and often confrontational views may limit his opportunities both as a wrestler and a performer.
Former WWE Superstar Velveteen Dream (Patrick Clark) has issued a lengthy statement about his release from the company. He also defends himself against the sexual misconduct allegations that he feels derailed his wrestling career.
Velveteen Dream wrote on Instagram, “The allegations from April 20, 2020 have effectively derailed any upward momentum I had professionally. And has ultimately resulted in my termination with WWE. My name is Patrick Clark, not the Velveteen Dream. Velveteen Dream is a character that I have spent years developing and trying to bring to life. The success of the Dream character relied heavily on kayfabe, my ability to blur Patrick Clark from Tough Enough with this over the top personality.”
He says his character was conceptualized the day legendary pop music star Prince passed away on April 21, 2016. He says he knew “nothing” about Prince at this time, but recognized Prince’s image could be leveraged to produce a captivating wrestling gimmick.
“The character was conceptualized the day Prince passed, April 21, 2016. I knew nothing about him at that time, but my thinking was that I could use my interpretation of Prince to create an onscreen personality vastly different from who I am as a person. *Cue Velveteen Dream: A Sexually Ambiguous, Gender Fluid, Self Absorbed Diva. And as I learned more about Prince I began to tame certain aspects of the character. Aspects that I deemed way too over the top and inconsistent with who Prince was as a performer”
Velveteen Dream Addresses The Allegations
“The night of April 20, from my verified Instagram account I [posted] a story to my followers letting them know that my DMs had been open. I received a few different messages ranging from support, to heckling, and some inquiring about how to get started in pro wrestling. I responded to a few, but not all, and in their conversation Jaccob shared his interest in working as a wrestler one day and asked what steps would be required. I messaged a short list of things he should consider if he was serious: Physique and Promo to start, Physique, because as an independent contractor no-one is going to make you train and eat in a way that creates the aesthetic of a believable pro wrestler. And promo because our job is to sell drama, and you can’t rely on someone flipping channels to stop to watch a choreographed fight, you’re more likely to grab their attention looking into a camera with a strong impassioned 30 second monologue. I also inquired about which schools he was closest to in relation to wrestling training, his weight, and his height.
Jaccob explained how anxious he felt messaging me and asked me to verify it was really me. I did find it strange, because I have a blue check, but as a lifelong fan I remember meet and greets and the days I would message wrestlers hoping to be seem, so I chalked it up to his innocence and sent a voice message in my Velveteen Dream voice, as to keep kayfabe, The full voice message has me asking Jacob about his height, weight, where he trained, and what school he attended. Which Jaccob answered back with a voice message and I continued to answer his questions until I politely wrapped up the conversation. April 21 I woke up to notifications of tags of created screenshots and videos of a conversation I didn’t have with Jaccob. I immediately contacted WWE’s talent relations and social media departments as to begin an investigation. Even after the investigation, WWE released a statement maintaining my innocence. The part that hurt for me was having a personal picture that I’ve used in my personal life, on apps, being used to label me as a predator. I am in now way of the word a predator. This is the first and only time I’ve been accused of solicitation to anyone.
Until I was accused of grooming by Joshua Fuller, unlike Jaccob, I know Josh. I met Josh after my stint on Tough Enough in (2015) at a meet and greet. And we developed a friendship through a mutual trainer at GXW. Josh shared to Twitter screenshots of the first time we communicated through text (2016), and autographed picture from when we met, and an extremely contradictory story. Josh alleged that I made him feel uncomfortable but contradicts himself twice by saying I was never sexual towards him. For those willng to research Josh’s tweet accusing me: Josh’s messages are in blue and mine in grey. Josh claimed that he was a 16-year-old high school graduate and that he takes “yearly trips” with his friend to Orlando, FL.
I doubted that when he told me, yet I kept my replies diplomatic and professional. The reality of the situation is that I was very helpful and respectful to Josh. Josh lives with his grandparents in rural southern Maryland. Josh got a concussion (2017) and against my advice, insisted on wrestling. My worry came from Josh severaly injurying himself, specifically his brain. I suggested he take time off from training to see a doctor. He declined because he believed he could work through the concussion, and I cut all communication with him in 2018 because I didn’t want to be partially responsible had he worsened his injury. So to have him accuse me of predatory behavior because I chose not to help was spiteful.
Josh and Jaccob are 2 of MANY people that I’ve helped. Yet these are the only two who have found me to be malicious and predatory in how I go about helping others. What wasn’t shared at the time
Josh Fuller reached out to Jaccob over social media before Josh put out his own accusation. When this came out Josh Fuller temporarily deleted his Twitter account @joshfullerpw
Which is important because in all the social media confusion, Josh Fuller is the only one who suggested that an investigation had not been done and that he had not been contacted.
Jaccob deleted his social media after he was outed for being a member of an anti-black group chat.
There is a public forum, wwe lpsg stars where people are buying, selling and sharing explicit photos and videos of multiple wrestlers and no-one has done anything to have this site taken down.
All in all this entire experience defamed my character and ultimately accomplished what it sought out to do and that was to see me released. My hope is that over time people can put 2 and 2 together and realize that all the allegations surrounding me were baseless and untrue from jump. I felt strongly about not needing to defend myself on social media for a while now, but I understand the audience I work for and those who know me deserve clarity. I’m thankful for the opportunities afforded to me and the memories I have as a receipt. GOD HAS ALWAYS HAD ME AND HE ALWAYS WILL. DREAM IS OFFICIALLY OVER BUT Patrick Clark LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY”
Credit to Liam Winnard of WrestleTalk for transcribing Velveteen Dream’s Statement
Adam Cole has yet to make the move to the main roster. When he does, however, there is one many he is eager to face. Seth Rollins. The pair have fought on many different occasions, across many different promotions through the years. However, Adam Cole is quick to recall their bout on Monday Night Raw a few years ago. Citing it as a legendary moment in his career.
Appearing on the recent 100th episode of WWE’S The Bump, Rollins and Cole came together to talk wrestling, that match, and possibilities for the future.
Both men are at the top of their game and leaders of their respective brands. A match between them is guaranteed to draw viewers.
“I know, myself, and Adam Cole are capable of so much more than what you saw that night. That was a little dip in the pool. We’ve got an entire ocean of potential awaiting us. I know if we run it once, twice, three, four, five times, we’ll blow the wrestling world out of the sky!” Rollins said talking about the chemistry he and Adam Cole share.
At the time, Adam Cole was building a following in NXT. Coming in with a huge reputation following his stint in New Japan among others. However, at the time, NXT was still very much viewed as a feeder brand.
“To me, I showed everybody that Adam Cole had arrived and that I could be a player not just on NXT, but on Raw or SmackDown. That match was massive for my career, huge!”
Could We See Adam Cole and Seth Rollins as a Tag Team?
As their discussions continued, the topic turned not only to future fights against one another but to possibly teamwork. Both men responded positively to the idea of working together down the road.
“I like that idea, too,” Adam Cole replied.
“That sounds great!” Seth Rollins stated. “I think it would be uncomfortable for the other teams that come and face us. They wouldn’t stand a chance. We’re two good-looking young men, and we’re talented. No one would stand a chance – the men or women. The chemistry is off the charts.”
One way or another, every professional wrestling fan is eager to see these two men work together more often. The question is finding the right storyline to make it work.
Ted DiBiase has been popping up on NXT quite frequently over the last few weeks. Much to the anguish of Cameron Grimes. Recent news suggests that the NXT universe will see the return of another old-school legend. Only this time it isn’t a person, but rather, a belt.
Ahead of their million-dollar showdown on NXT, sources have revealed that the Million Dollar Belt is being brought back into rotation.
The news was broken inadvertently by Andrew Zaharian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling podcast.
“Sorry to the individual that told me but Million Dollar Belt is coming back,” Zaharian said. “I don’t know for how long but they’re gonna have it on TV. People are very excited within WWE about the Million Dollar Belt.”
Ted Dibiase first introduced the Million-Dollar Belt back in 1989. It is an unsanctioned title, that changed hands a few times. The most notable million-dollar champion was The Ringmaster a.k.a. Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Ted DiBiase appeared in the NXT area for the first time last week, when it cost Grimes his match against Jake Atlas. Right now, it is unclear what direction NXT creative are going to take with DiBiase. However, the upcoming segment with Grimes, and the million-dollar belt comeback, points to a single outcome.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPDzNLlsvRc/
Ted DiBiase is likely to offer the belt to Grimes and bring the recently wealthy man under his wing. DiBiase is a WWE legend, and teaming him with Grimes would be a great way to keep the storyline rolling. Otherwise, it’s hard to see where Cameron would be heading, other than being a mere flash in the pan.
Former Sanity member Alexander Wolfe was one of the reported names in the list of NXT talents which were released from their contracts earlier this week, alongside half a dozen other talents.
The now-former WWE star had his first interview after the news broke out recently. He spoke to German publication Sport1 and opened up about his release.
Wolfe first detailed his situation with WWE and explained that it’s more of an end of his run with the promotion than an abrupt firing like some others:
“Well, I got a call from WWE on Wednesday and was told that my contract was not extended, it wasn’t officially a dismissal because my contract expires on June 15th. From then on I am no longer a wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment.”
Alexander Wolfe then revealed the reason he was given for his release, confirming the previous reports that talents were told it was for budgetary reasons:
“The reason I was given was the pandemic time that savings are still necessary due to the global event restrictions,
Well, that’s better than no reason at all, but ultimately you know WWE makes so much money that no firing is really mandatory. But it is what it is.”
Alexander Wolfe was also asked what was next for him after the end of his time with WWE. He said that he hasn’t decided if he wants to sign with a different promotion or have a run in the independent circuit.
The former Sanity member discussed how you can never be completely carefree in the wrestling business and explained that he has prepared for a career outside of the industry just in case as well.
WWE quietly letting Velveteen Dream go became a talking point among fans yesterday when the news about his release from the company broke online.
Among the people who reacted to the news was longtime WWE artist Rob Schamberger who made some interesting comments about the former NXT star.
Schamberger reacted to the news not long after it came out. He took Twitter to describe Dream as the ‘most unprofessional person’ he has encountered:
“Without saying anything further: He was the single most unprofessional person I’ve encountered in this business. I hope this is the wake up call he needs to start doing the emotional work to become a better person. All told.”
Rob Schamberger has had a long standing relationship with WWE and his work is printed on a variety of merchandise sold by the company. He also holds Canvas 2 Canvas show on YouTube in collaboration with WWE Network.
Velveteen Dream signed with WWE back in October 2015 after competing in the sixth season of Tough Enough. He acquired the Dream Moniker in May 2017 and received praise for his work with the new character.
However, he was accused of inappropriate behavior with underage boys and girls in 2020, leading to his removal from WWE programming.
While the officials initially claimed that they didn’t find anything in their investigation against Dream, it was reported yesterday that the NXT star has been released from his contract.
Velveteen Dream has been released by WWE. The news was first reported by PWInsider and we have since confirmed the news independently.
Once seen as one of the hottest prospects in NXT, Velveteen Dream was accused of sending lewd messages to a minor last year. WWE officials stated on multiple occasions that they took the allegations seriously, but their internal investigation was inconclusive.
Velveteen Dream has been off television for some time, but was backstage at a recent WWE Raw taping. This led to speculation that he’d be joining the main roster soon, but it was not meant to be. His last televised match took place on the December 23rd, 2020 edition of NXT.
Velveteen Dream's career projection is absolutely insane.
Was seemingly destined for a call-up, and checked off most boxes.
Then everything fell apart, and quickly. Pretty crazy. #WWE#WWENXT
Velveteen Dream (real name) Patrick Clark signed a developmental deal with WWE in 2015. He had previously competed on the 6th season of the Tough Enough reality show competition. He debuted the Dream gimmick in May of 2017.
Earlier this week, WWE also released several people from NXT, including referee Drake Wuertz, Jessamyn Duke, Vanessa Borne, Skyler Story, Ezra Judge, Alexander Wolfe and Kavita Devi. WWE has yet to publicly acknowledge any of the cuts.
Shawn Michael is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. A top tier performer who gave his all every match. Known for selling moves even more the Dolph Ziggler. Now, in his (semi) retirement, Michaels plays a senior role down in NXT.
Being the teacher is a role Shawn Michaels relishes, and there is one particular NXT superstar who catches his eye. Not only for their wrestling skills but also for the way their careers have been going.
Dakota Kai has been a phenomenal performer for the yellow and gold brand. It is not surprising to hear that she has been training extensively with Shawn Michaels, given the way she is selling her opponents moves. Taking bump after bump in order to make the match and her opponent look great.
“We have an incredibly talented roster, especially our women, but look at Dakota,” Michaels says. “She’s a special one,” Michaels said when talking to in his A&E Biography this week.
Shawn Michaels Was Full of Praise for Dakota Kai
“What you see Dakota doing, I always pictured myself in that role because I wanted to Ping-Pong around the ring for my opponent,” Michaels says. “That’s one of the reasons I became who I became in the business, so watching Dakota, I am so impressed.”
There is no denying that Shawn Michaels’s influence is paying off in Kai, but there are also deep parallels to the way their careers moved. Kai’s relationship with current champion Raquel Gonzales has been drawing comparisons to the famous Michaels vs Diesel storyline in recent weeks. In both instances, the smaller superstar saw their bodyguard claim singles gold before them.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CO3BgN7AoFJ/
It is surely only a matter of time before Kai and Gonzales come to blows in the ring. One thing is for sure. It will be an epic match. If Shawn Michaels is to be believed, the future is looking very bright for Dakota Kai.
Reports of several NXT talents being released from their contract became a point of discussion among fans earlier today and one of the most notable names being mentioned was Alexander Wolfe.
Though once the reports went viral, the former Sanity member came forward. He made a tweet to clarify his status with the company and revealed that he hasn’t been let go by the officials just yet.
Wolfe took on his Twitter to reveal that his current WWE contract actually expires on June 15 and he can only take bookings after that.
However, at the same time, the NXT star updated his Twitter bio to start accepting independent bookings, indicating that he won’t be staying around for long.
His former Sanity teammates Nikki Cross and Killian Dane also took on their twitters to reflect on their time together, further confirming that his official release is only a matter of time:
Just for the record: My WWE contract will expire on June 15th. That means I'm a free agent on June 16th.
I have a lot in my head right now so let's keep it short:
Thank you. You were so good to me from day 1. Getting to work with you and learn from you was a true honor. Outside of that, I’m just happy I got to experience your kindness and generosity as a brother. You are so talented and I’m excited for your next chapter @TheWWEWolfe ?? pic.twitter.com/jTLaJEUrg6
Alexander Wolfe signed with WWE back in 2015 and he started teaming with Sawyer Fulton in 2016. The duo joined Nikki Cross and Eric Young to form the Sanity Stable in NXT in late 2016.
After Sanity’s main roster debut on SmackDown and disbanding, the German professional wrestler was sent to the NXT UK brand where he joined the Imperium faction led by the current NXT UK champion Walter.
WWE has released several NXT talents today including some noteworthy names such as former Sanity member Alexander Wolfe and one of the MMA horsewomen Jessamyn Duke.
The news of talent releases started coming in early in the morning. The list only grew as the day passed by, reaching to more than half a dozen releases.
Below is the current standing list of stars that have confirmed to have been released by the officials during today’s cuts according to reports from PWInsider and Fightful select:
Jessamyn Duke
Alexander Wolfe
Vanessa Borne
Skyler Story
Ezra Judge
Kavita Devi
Wrestling talents are not the only ones to have been let go and NXT referee Drake Younger and referee Jake Clemons have also been cut by the company. The talents that have been released today have apparently been told that they are being let go due to budgetary reasons.
The release of Jessamyn Duke is especially interesting because it ends the possibility of having an MMA horsewoman vs. WWE horsemen feud which has been rumored for a long while.
Now it would be interesting to see what these talents are planning for their future after the end of their WWE stints and if any of them end up at rival promotions such as AEW or Impact Wrestling.
Toni Storm has endured a tough time of late in NXT. After coming across from NXT UK, it could be argued that’s she has failed to find her stride. A loss at the hands of Zoey Stark, an NXT newcomer on the Stand and Deliver pre-show did little to bolster her mood. This was followed by another loss to Zayda Ramier – another new talent.
It is not unusual for wrestlers to go through a dry patch, but there is no denying that Toni Storm came to the US to win titles. Something that has avoided her until now.
Going into NXT this week, Storm was looking to get her career back on track. Ready put the blip that was Zoey Stark behind her, Toni Storm came ready to fight.
However, when her opponent wasn’t put down when hit with Toni Storm’s ‘Storms End’ finisher, the New Zealand native had to dig deep. Pulling out a new move that not only looks incredible but buried her opponent.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPDdnCOn5db/
The move is one that has been gifted to Toni Storm by her trainer Dean Allmark. The move was named the Ruby Cutter by Allmark. It could be just what Storm needs to get her hands on NXT gold.
So I’m guessing by the amount of ?’s I’m being tagged in that people don’t know that I trained Toni ? and even though she didn’t need to, she asked my permission to use the Ruby cutter. I just suggested that maybe she should do a DDT version so not to step on any toes (1/2)….
— Dean Allmark ?? ???? ????? (@DeanAllmark) May 19, 2021
It’s not clear yet what Toni Storm is going to call her new finisher, but the NXT universe is certainly keen to see her use it more often.
Daniel Bryan is currently a free agent. His contract is said to have expired after he lost to Roman Reigns in a match that carried a stipulation that he would leave Smackdown if he did so. This has led to much speculation regarding where and when fans will see Bryan next.
In a recent interview with Comicbook.com, Johnny Gargano said he hopes Bryan ends up on NXT. He also mentioned that Bryan was pitcing for the two to be a team on Smackdown a few years ago.
“So (Bryan) can’t go to SmackDown anymore, so obviously, I’m in NXT. The only thing for him to do now obviously is to come down NXT,” Gargano said. “I remember back then when he was making the pitch for me to come to SmackDown, he really wanted us to be a team, which would have been amazing.”
“Obviously, I had other things going on in my life during that time with Tommaso and everything like that. And I definitely didn’t feel like I was anywhere near leaving NXT, but now obviously, I think the door should be wide open for him to come to NXT. Obviously, NXT now is a different incarnation than it was back in 2018.”
“But I think now he has the opportunity to come here and selfishly, I want him to come here just because I think the potential match-ups for him here are just so exciting. I’m able to throw my name in the ring of having the ultimate street match, I guess ultimate underdog street match in me versus Daniel Bryan,” Gargano said. “But also, you have matches with Pete Dunne, you have matches with Kushida, you have matches with Tommaso, you have matches with Cole, you have matches with Kyle O’Reilly. I think the list goes on and on and on of guys that Daniel Bryan getting in the ring with, it would be amazing to see.”
“So yes, Daniel Bryan, if you are listening to this, please come to NXT. Everyone here wants you. Everyone wants to get in the ring with you. That’d be tons of fun, man,’ Gargano added.
Another rivalry looks to be reaching its conclusion in NXT. William Regal has sanctioned an NXT tag team title match between MSK and Mendoza and Wilde from Legado del Fantasma.
The match came about after Mendoza and Wilde picked up a win over Tomasso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher. The match itself served as a device for escalating two different feuds. The MSK feud for one and the growing storyline between the duo of Ciampa and Thatcher and the Grizzled Young Veterans. The British pair being the reason Legado del Fantasma picked up the victory on Tuesday night.
The group have been feuding with the current Tag Team champions for a while now. MSK beat Mendoza and Wilde on the opening night of NXT Stand and Deliver to claim the then vacant belts. In recent weeks, the pair have been teaming up with Cruiserweight champion Kushida. Kushida himself is locked in a feud with Santiago Escobar, the leader of Legado del Fantasma.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPDVUq_L1jI/
MSK are currently enjoying their first reign as champions in WWE. The championship fight, which is set for June 1st, will be the second time they have defended the belts. At this time there are no stipulations attached the bout. However, expect to see Escobar show up at some point to try and steer the odds in his teams favor. Hopefully Kushida will be on hand however to even up the score.
It could be hard to pick a winner between these two groups, but either way, the match is bound to be a show-stealer.
Bronson Reed emerged from the steel cage victorious after a brutal bout with Johnny Gargano on NXT this week. The pair have been locked in a feud for some time. In recent weeks Gargano has been seen doing everything he can to try and avoid a clash with the big Australian. However, their clash was inevitable, and with the addition of a steel cage, the mountain Gargano had to climb grew even bigger.
Reed is a fan favourite in WWE and a fourteen-year veteran. The title is his first in WWE and it caps off quite a rocky road for the high-flying big man.
Having been rejected by WWE on several occasions in the past, he finally got his chance in 2019. Grasping it with both hands, his hard work paid off on Tuesday night.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPCblfQrh-3/
‘It’s been a long journey but I’m finally a champion in WWE. It’s overwhelming. I didn’t think in these sorts of moments that I’d cry, but I did,’ Bronson Reed told the Adelaide Advertiser.
2021 has been a good year for Australian wrestlers in WWE. Bronson Reed and Reah Ripley – both Adelaide natives – hold singles titles. While fellow Australian Indi Hartwell is one-half of the newly crowned NXT Tag Team champions.
We have so much untapped potential and talent in Australia. We’re starting to put the world on notice that Australia is a big wrestling company,’ Bronson Reed told reporters.
With the steel cage behind him, it is unlikely that Reed will get long to celebrate his victory. NXT is full of superstars who are willing to go to great lengths to claim gold. It is not clear who Reed will feud with next, but there will no doubt be a rematch with Gargano in the near future.
The former WWE star recently had an interview with Jimmy Varsallone where he talked about a number of things like Paul Wight joining AEW and more.
Talking about WWE’s decision to move NXT to a different night, Ross claimed that they probably got tired of getting beaten by AEW in TV ratings every week:
“It was obvious, WWE goes on Wednesdays, head-to-head with us, in hopes it would hurt our growth. It didn’t happen. They probably got tired of getting their ass beat every week. They have a lot of stroke with USA, so they made a move.
It helped them and they have more viewers, we have more viewers, and fans don’t have to make a decision.” said Jim Ross “If it’s fan-friendly, it’s a good move. We have to protect our greatest assets (the fans),”
The legendary commentator also said that he thinks the AEW product in general was more fan friendly and NXT’s move makes it easier for fans as they don’t have to choose between the two shows anymore.
Apart from this, Jim Ross also talked about things such as the AEW president Tony Khan, being able to enjoy the wrestling business again and more.
WWE has announced NXT TakeOver: In Your House will take place Sunday, June 13th. The news was first reported by Fightful. The event will air live on Peacock and the WWE Network.
Former WWE broadcaster Todd Pettengill will return to host. Pettengill is best known to wrestling fans for his time as a WWE host and backstage interviewer during the mid-1990’s.
This is the second installment of NXT Takeover: In Your House, a revival of the mid-90’s WWE pay-per-view series. Last year’s show saw NXT Champion Adam Cole defeat Velveteen Dream in a Backlot Brawl and Io Shirai capture the NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat match.
As we look ahead to NXT Takeover: In Your House, WWE presents an all-new episode of NXT tonight on the USA Network. There are two championship matches announced for the show:
A rematch for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship will take place on the card. New champion KUSHIDA will defend against former champion, Santos Escobar. The match will be contested under a best 2-of-3 falls stipulation.
The NXT Women’s Championship will also be defended tonight. Raquel Gonzalez will look to defend the title when she faces Mercedes Martinez in singles competition.
NXT Champion Karrion Kross is also set for singles action tonight. He’ll take on Austin Theory from the Way.
In other action, former Sanity teammates will collide when Killian Dain faces Alexander Wolfe.
We saw a title change on last week’s edition of NXT on the USA Network. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae defeated Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon for the NXT tag-team championships. Blackheart and Moon had previously defeated the Way at Stand and Deliver. It’s possible a trilogy match between the two teams could take place at NXT TakeOver: In Your House.
It was a big night on RAW for Karrion Kross. The NXT champion and his valet Scarlett appeared on the main roster show in a promo vignette for their upcoming NXT match with Austin Theory.
Karrion Kross is a formidable figure in the ring. He will no doubt be wrestling on the main roster in the future. However, his appearance in a vignette for an NXT show is indicative of how NXT has grown as a brand.
Raw has been the flagship WWE show for decades and NXT was the development territory. Yet the growth of the NXT brand has seen it become a highly watched brand each week. The position of WWE shows each week means that RAW could now be used more frequently as a platform to advertise upcoming NXT matches.
There is no doubt that Karrion Kross vs Austin Theory will be a good fight. However, it is really the statement that the vignette makes on a larger branding scale that makes it interesting.
WWE has been investing solidly in NXT. Under the careful guidance of HHH NXT has moved from strength to strength. This newest step forward shows what a good thing WWE have in their Florida-based brand. NXT figures dropped during the Wednesday Night Wars. Using Raw to promote NXT is a great way to pull viewers back to the new Tuesday night show.
Whatever the reasoning, it was great to see Karrion Kross on the main brand. Whether to moves up, or stays on NXT, he is bound to become a name the entire WWE universe is familiar with.
Wes Lee and Nash Carter, formerly known as Zachary Wentz and Dezmond Xavier, are the current NXT tag-team champions. They spoke to Metro UK recently about their time in NXT and the meaning behind their new team name “MSK.”
“It’s us. MSK is Wes Lee and Nash Carter. It’s what we stand for, it’s who we are,” said Wes Lee. He wouldn’t give away what the letters actually stand for, however.
“It’s what we do. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a mentality,” he continued.
What does MSK stand for?
The duo continued to say they like to “keep people guessing” about what MSK actually stands for.
“It’s like our matches,” Lee continued. “You never know what to expect from us. People identify us as highflyers, but that’s not all we do. We learned highflying because that’s what was exciting to us, but we know how to punch somebody in the mouth, we know how to snap an arm. We know how to get gritty and nasty as well – so you never know what you’re gonna get with us.”
Nash Carter continued to talk about how quickly everything has come since signing with WWE.
“The story of MSK has just been ready, set, go. Not even set! It’s just been ready, go. Everything just happened so fast, where it’s kinda hard to process. ‘Once we got the call, at least for me, I knew this is the place I wanted to be. I’ve always wanted to be a WWE superstar, I always loved WWE and this place, what we have access to, is second to none. It’s the greatest thing in the world.”
Visit Metro.co.uk to read the full interview with MSK.
Controversial NXT referee Drake Wuertz was reportedly suspended by WWE earlier this year and has had his responsibilities reduced backstage. This comes on the heels of journalist David Bixenspan’s reporting on Wuertz’s extreme political views.
In November, Bixenspan published an article titled “WWE appears to have a Drake Wuertz problem.” The article details Wuertz’s relationship with a a QAnon-adjacent “anti-child trafficking” charity, and his activity on Parler including his following the official “Proud Boys” account. According to the report from Fightful, WWE officials were “horrified” by what they read in the article.
According to a report from Fightful, Wuertz is no longer the head referee in NXT. That job has now gone to Darryl Sharma. Wuertz was also not given the role of timing matches in NXT in favor of giving that role to the returning Scott Armstrong. Wuertz is said to have been banned from the Capitol Wrestling Center for a period, either formerly or informally as well. He has since returned, however.
Drake Wuertz Response On Facebook
Wuertz published the following response to the reports about him on Facebook:
“My wife said some folks are apparently writing about our “Radical Views “. *Human Trafficking is modern-day slavery and we seek to eradicate it *Abortion is Murder and needs to be Abolished *Children in my community that are being forced by local government to wear masks for 8 hours a day against their parents wishes is abuse. We have a God-ordained duty to speak up for the ‘least of these’ and petition our magistrates to prevent harm upon children. If this is “Radical” then label me an extremist for Christ. Were not called to fit in with the world. Were called to serve God!…”We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29”
What Is Qanon?
In April, a report was published by the global security-focussed non-profit group the Soufan Center, and stated that Qanon messaging and conspiracy theories were being amplified by foreign countries with the goal of sowing civil discontent within the United States.
“Our data collection and analysis has demonstrated that QAnon has been weaponized by America’s adversaries,” cautioned Zach Schwitzky, Founder of Limbik. “Actors from Russia, China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia have all entered the fray amplifying QAnon messaging, most likely as a means to sow further discord and division among the American population.”
WWE Superstar and United Kingdom Champion WALTER recently appeared on WWE’s After The Bell podcast w/Corey Graves. The Austrian Superstar discussed a number of topics during the interview, including how WWE was never his end goal and a destination he never expected to end up.
“I was never thinking about signing with WWE,” WALTER said in the interview with Graves. “It was never a goal. I was happy in the process, sometimes you get lost too much when thinking about the future. Sometimes, your brain is way ahead of you so I always have to focus on what I’m doing right now.”
WALTER then confirmed prior rumors regarding his status with the WWE ‘main’ roster. It has been reported in the past that WALTER is unwilling to move away from Europe, thus why he has not been moved over to either NXT, RAW or SmackDown, despite the company wanting him to.
“I was never too keen about leaving Germany or Europe to live in the United States. It’s a big step” WALTER said. “Most of the other wrestlers are willing to do it because it’s their goal from day one or early in their career. For me, it was never a realistic thing that I could ever wrestle for WWE.”
WALTER on WWE Landscape
“When I started ten years ago, the wrestling world was different” the NXT United Kingdom Champion continued. “WWE was very protected and isolated from everyone else. They opened up a few years ago when they realized how much talent there is. When everything came to talks with NXT UK, they talked to me right when it started and I was doing well on the Indies.”
“I wanted to wait and see what happens” WALTER revealed, clearly wanting to see how the pieces fell before he committed to the then new brand. “When everything came together with NXT UK, I was thinking about myself. The travel schedule on the Indies was really rough. You’re working for a different guy every day and have to organize everything. If you rely on the promoter, there’s a chance you get stranded somewhere.”
“I was only home two or three days a week. When NXT UK came up and we talked, obviously the focus was to build something in Europe and it was the logical first step in the process” WALTER concluded.
Do you think at some point we will see WALTER in NXT, RAW or SmackDown full time? Let us know in the comments
