WWE 2K25 will boast the largest roster in a WWE video game in history with over 300 playable characters as well as managers and other personalities. While the game will indeed be bigger than ever, not everyone competing for the promotion has made it into WWE 2K25.
Just three Superstars from WWE’s main roster will not be included in WWE 2K25 when the game hits shelves next month. The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) will not be playable at launch. The former WWE Tag Team Champions joined the promotion in late 2024 and have been an intrinsic part of the SmackDown tag team roster ever since.
Penta is the third Superstar who won’t be a part of WWE 2K25 at launch. After a messy exit from AEW, the former Trios and Tag Team Champion arrived in WWE during the January 13, 2025, edition of WWE Raw. Since then, the masked star has quickly grown popular with the WWE Universe and was the Iron-Man in the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble match after lasting over 42 minutes.
H/T to @SmackTalks for uncovering this stat. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more interesting wrestling facts and statistics.
The exclusion of these three Superstar isn’t about their talent, but rather that the three only arrived recently in WWE, well during the creation of WWE 2K25. Many have predicted that Penta and the Guns will be a part of upcoming DLC for the game.
WWE 2K25 is set to release on March 14, with the Deadman and Bloodline Editions of the game set to release one week early for eager gamers. While Penta and the Guns won’t be available at the start, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see the trio added as fully-fledged playable creations down the line.
For years, The Usos established themselves as one of the greatest tag teams in WWE history, with multiple title reigns and records to their name. The pair split in 2023, but now, Jimmy and Jey are finally back together in a huge move that also saw the tag team championships change hands.
In the main event of the October 25, episode of WWE SmackDown, the Motor City Machine Guns faced Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa with the Bloodline’s gold on the line. Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso brawled with The Bloodline during the match, before a hooded figure showed up and attacked Loa and Tonga. This mystery person revealed himself to be Jey Uso. The Motor City Machine Guns then scored the win.
Jimmy turned on Jey at WWE SummerSlam 2023, prompting Jey to split from his family and depart for Monday Night Raw. The pair later feuded, resulting in Jey besting his brother at WrestleMania 40 in April of this year. This loss would result in Jimmy being ousted from The Bloodline in April, and he’d be out of action until Bad Blood.
Now, The Usos are back on the same page and SmackDown has brand new Tag Team Champions in Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the developments on this angle now that Jimmy and Jey are back on the same page.
After weeks of teases, the Motor City Machine Guns arrived in WWE on the October 18, episode of SmackDown. The pair won their debut match, one with championship implications, and Alex Shelley is feeling grateful for what has happened in his career.
On X, Shelley admitted that it’s been a “busy week” and shared gratitude to everyone who has supported him.
“We did it. What I was able to accomplish last Friday night on SmackDown was a dream come true.”
Later on, Shelley spoke of his new role and how blessed he is to have made it to the largest and most recognized wrestling promotion on the planet.
“Now I’m a WWE Superstar. And to be able to verbalize that has a very very deep and profound sense of power here… I have to be one of the most blessed people out there.”
Shelley ended his video with another message of thanks and declared that the work begins now. That is indeed the case as he and Chris Sabin will take on DIY this Friday night on SmackDown, with the victors earning a title shot against The Bloodline. Shelley and Sabin defeated A-Town Down Under & Los Garza to earn their spot in this match while DIY bested Pretty Deadly and the Street Profits. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on Alex Shelley and the Motor City Machine Guns now that the pair have officially arrived in WWE.
The Motor City Machine Guns have officially arrived in WWE, debuting during the October 18, edition of WWE SmackDown after weeks of vignettes. Now, fans can look forward to seeing Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin in action next week in what will be nothing short of a dream match for fans of tag-team wrestling!
On this week’s SmackDown, MCMG won their debut match against A-Town Down Under and Los Garza, advancing in a tournament to determine the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championships. The show also saw DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa) advance in the tournament with a win over Pretty Deadly and the Street Profits. DIY and the Motor City Machine Guns will face off next week with the winners earning a shot against The Bloodline.
DIY and MCMG are two talented teams who both established loyal fanbases on the independents before arriving in WWE. Now, fans will get to see these four talented wrestlers do what they do best with a shot at the WWE Tag Team Titles on the line.
WWE SmackDown – 10/25/2024
Next week’s SmackDown will be the penultimate episode of the blue brand before WWE Crown Jewel on November 2. Here is the confirmed card as it currently stands.
DIY (Tomasso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) Vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley (WWE Tag Team Championship No. 1 contenders match)
World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER will come to SmackDown to come face-to-face with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes ahead of Crown Jewel.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for full coverage of SmackDown including breaking news and live results.
The Motor City Machine Guns seemed revved up for a WWE debut in the near future and the initial thought for the veteran tag team is much different than expected.
The go-home episode of WWE SmackDown for Bad Blood featured a “fast cars” vignette for something forthcoming on the roster and many believe it’s a tease to the Motor City Machine Guns ready to pack a punch on the main roster.
A good deal of speculation had the veteran TNA tag team making their “impact” down in NXT, but this vignette certainly changes that mindset. Additionally, a WWE source for Fightful Select stated that they never heard Shelley and Sabin planned for working in NXT. According to the source, the Detroit duo has been slated to be apart of the SmackDown roster for quite some time.
While many young stars would benefit from getting a gauge from both Shelley and Sabin, it makes a lot more marketing sense to have the two established stars be a foundation for a tag division on SmackDown.
Before heading to WWE, Shelley and Sabin both had some memorable last hurrahs with TNA as Shelley finally became the World Champion for the promotion and Sabin had anothe run with the X-Division Title.
WWE is home to some of the most talented tag-teams in the world, with The Bloodline, the Judgment Day, Nathan Frazer & Axiom, and Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair currently holding gold. Now, the promotion is set to welcome one of the most successful tag teams in history which has held gold in several promotions.
The Motor City Machine Guns have signed with WWE, several sources within the promotion have confirmed to both PW Insider and Fightful Select. The reported plan is for the pair to debut by the October 1, edition of WWE NXT, which will serve as the gold brand’s debut on The CW.
The team of Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley became free agents in April of this year after finishing their time with TNA Wrestling. After their departure, it was speculated that the pair would join AEW, two years after competing at the infamous All Out 2022 event. PWN reports that there were talks between the two sides for a short time, but talks had fallen through.
In July, it was reported that Shelley and Sabin ha been in talks with WWE, and Shelley himself hinted as much on social media. In an Instagram post, Shelley spoke of spending July 4, competing in what’d be his final match for Beyond Wrestling “for a while” fuelling speculation that he’d signed somewhere that wouldn’t let him on the indies (WWE.) Days later, Shelley told fans at a West Coast Pro event that “I might not be coming back here” and called the announcement a “spoiler alert” on his future.
Shelley and Sabin are considered one of, if not the greatest tag-teams in TNA history and the pair have held the company’s tag gold multiple times. Both men are also former X-Division and World Champions with Sabin becoming World Champion in 2013 and Shelley in 2023. Now, fans can expect the pair to bring their skills as a tag team and as individual talents to WWE NXT.
WWE NXT – October 1
Should the Motor City Machine Guns debut on NXT’s debut on The CW, they will be just one part of a stacked show. Here is the current lineup for the much-anticipated event next month.
NXT Championship Match: Ethan Page (c) vs. Trick Williams
NXT Women’s Championship Match: Roxanne Perez vs. Giulia
Alex Shelley has suggested that his days competing on the independents are coming to an end, amid rumors he is set to join WWE. Appearing at West Coast Pro Wrestling’s Untouchable event, Shelley indirectly addressed speculation that he and Chris Sabin are set to join the Stamford-based promotion. Shelley did not confirm or deny those reports but did tell fans “I might not come back here.” If that is the case, Shelley is pleased that “the future of pro wrestling is safe and sound is a West Coast Pro ring.”
Alex Shelley addresses the Motor City Machine Gun’s rumors of them heading to WWE tonight at West Coast Pro!
— The Wrestling Blog (@WrestlingBlog_) July 21, 2024
Alex Shelley WWE Rumors
Recent reports have suggested that Shelley and Sabin, collectively known as the Motor City Machine Guns, have been in talks with WWE. Reigning WWE Tag Team Champion Tommaso Ciampa added fuel to the speculation when he posted a photo of the duo on his Instagram Stories.
Shelley’s message at West Coast Pro Untouchable isn’t the first tease that he is leaving the indies, seemingly to join WWE. In a recent Instagram post, Shelley spoke about celebrating the 4th of July by possibly having his final match with Beyond Wrestling for a while.
Shelley stepping away from the independents has led many to believe he and Sabin will soon be joining WWE. After all, if the pair were heading to AEW, it’d be more likely that they’d be allowed to still compete on the independents as many All-Elite talent already do.
A world-renowned athlete who has held gold in TNA and beyond, Shelley would make an excellent addition to the WWE roster. If Sabin joins Shelley, then the Guns would be able to demonstrate their skills against some of the top tag-teams in wrestling today that can be found in WWE.
Alex Shelley’s WWE Past
Should Shelley join WWE, it won’t be his first time competing for the promotion. Shelley’s first match for the company came in June 2005 on Sunday Night Heat where he lost to Simon Dean. After establishing himself as one of the most talented wrestlers in the world, Shelley competed in a handful of matches in NXT in early 2020 where he teamed with Timesplitters ally KUSHIDA.
The Motor City Machine Guns, consisting of Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, became free agents on April 1 after departing from TNA Wrestling.
This immediately sparked rumors of their potential signing with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), but as time has passed without confirmation, attention has turned to another genuine possibility: WWE.
Alex Shelley WWE Interest and Negotiations
Recent reports from the likes of PWN on Discord suggest that Shelley and Sabin have been in discussions with WWE.
Although specific details remain scarce, the interest from WWE appears genuine. WWE superstar Tommaso Ciampa further fuelled these rumors by posting a photo of the duo on his Instagram stories.
Additionally, Alex Shelley himself has hinted at a potential WWE signing through a cryptic Instagram post, which began “This past week, I celebrated the 4th of July by (maybe) having my final match at @beyondwrestling for awhile.”
Social Media Hints and Speculation
Fans were taken aback by Shelley’s Instagram post, which perhaps indicated that he was wrestling his final matches on the independent circuit, at least “for a while.”
This sort of move is, generally, seen as a precursor to signing with WWE, given that AEW would be more inclined to allow talent to work independent dates whilst signed to All Elite.
What Signing the Motor City Machine Guns Means for WWE
Should WWE secure the signatures of the Motor City Machine Guns, it would be a significant acquisition for the tag team divisions on RAW, SmackDown or NXT.
The duo is highly regarded in the wrestling world, known for their fantastic tenure in TNA where they won multiple World Tag Team Championships.
Despite both members being over 40, they continue to perform at a high level. WWE has successfully managed to bring in TNA veteran stars like AJ Styles, suggesting that Shelley and Sabin could also thrive in WWE’s environment.
TNA Wrestling has been experiencing some significant changes to start the year, with bringing in new talent and the letting go of others. The most notable decision came from TNA Wrestling’s owners, Anthem Sports & Entertainment, to terminate Scott D’Amore’s contract on February 7.
Although the company has also seen hot free agents like Nic Nemeth and Alex Hammerstone debut this year, TNA Wrestling is on the verge of losing longtime veterans The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin).
Shelley and Sabin’s deals with TNA Wrestling are expected to end next week. They’ve already taped an episode for their final match for the company, which is slated to air on April 18 on AXS TV. It is unclear if TNA Wrestling will make a final attempt to re-sign them, but The Motor City Machine Guns will likely be free agents soon.
Shelley recently hinted at his future and shared a positive message on Twitter about change. Although he doesn’t address leaving the company directly, the former TNA World Champion seemingly sounded like the end is drawing near.
“While things change, I want to express this – try to leave things better off than when you found them. Everyone is someone, treat them with respect, show up enthused, do your best, and help others whenever possible. I hope this isn’t too “Live, Laugh, Love” wall art cringe,” wrote Shelley.
It isn’t certain if Sabin and Shelley want to sign up with another company, such as WWE or All Elite Wrestling. However, they are already being advertised for an independent wrestling appearance next month.
What’s Next For Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin?
The Motor City Machine Guns will hold a meet-and-greet for Smash Wrestling’s event Riot At The Music Hall on April 21 at the London Music Hall in London, Ontario, Canada. The promotion shared that fans who bought a VIP Perk to the show will be able to take in-ring photos with them and potentially ask questions.
Neither Shelley nor Sabin have advertised other appearances at this time. However, they could be competing on the independent scene for a while. Shelley holds titles for independent wrestling promotions, including the Prestige Championship. They’ve also competed for Deadlock Pro Wrestling over the past few months and were the tag team champions until they lost to Jake Something & Mike Bailey on March 10.
The team will have many options if they decide to leave TNA Wrestling. While anything can change to make them re-sign, Shelley’s comments seem to point towards looking at a fresh start after creating great moments over the years with the company.
TNA Wrestling may have its old brand name back, but two originals from the first era of those letters seem to be moving on.
Reports have been made that Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin’s contracts with the company were both set to expire this month and according to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, The Motor City Machine Guns were apparently saying some goodbyes to current TNA colleagues backstage during the TV tapings this weekend in Philadelphia.
“There were some farewells said backstage at the TNA tapings tonight for Sabin and Shelley. Anything can happen but as of now they’re free agents in about a week.”
There were some farewells said backstage at the TNA tapings tonight for Sabin and Shelley. Anything can happen but as of now they're free agents in about a week
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 24, 2024
Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin Were Top Stars In Recent TNA Run
Shelley and Sabin both had extremely memorable runs with Impact and TNA this go-around. Shelley had a more than formidable inaugural reign as the World Champion and was such heading into TNA’s first PPV back, Hard To Kill, where he finally dropped the gold to Moose.
Sabin, a former World Champion with the promotion as well, was the X-Division Champion before he lost to Mustafa Ali just recently at TNA Sacrifice, which also served as Ali’s debut with the promotion.
Obviously, Sabin and Shelley are best known for their work as a top tag team, not just in TNA, but all of wrestling. What the future holds for both is currently unknown, but Sabin and Shelley have appeared at AEW All Out 2022 and Shelley even had a cup of coffee in NXT with KUSHIDA, serving as his tag team partner in the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Alex Shelley recently (3/19) filed to trademark the names ‘Motor City Machine Guns’ and ‘MCMG.’
With Shelly and partner Chris Sabin’s TNA contracts expiring very soon, the timing of this business move indicates they’ll be shopping themselves on the open market when they’re legally able to.
According to the US Patent & Trademark Office database, the Goods and Services usage descriptions cover the usual wrestling-related examples, such as appearances and merchandise.
Shelly and Sabin are each former TNA World Champions, as well as multi-time World Tag Team Champions together.
TNA’s New Era
TNA Wrestling officially ‘rebranded’ for 2024, reverting to the company’s original identity. Hard to Kill, the first PPV back under the TNA banner, was well-received. They’ve brought in some big names as of late, including Nic Nemeth, Mustafai Ali and Alex Hammerstone.
TNA talent contracts do not all expire at the same time, so as contracts do expire, it will be very interesting to see who sticks around and who decides to look elsewhere, now that the company is under new leadership.
The Motor City Machine Guns are set to wrestle for Smash Wrestling in London, Ontario, Canada on April 21. Interestingly, TNA will hold its TV taping on the same night. You can draw you own conclusions about what this indicates about Shelly and Sabin’s plans moving forward.
TNA may be making a significant change on how they ink deals with most talent. According to a new report from Fightful Select, TNA may me leaning more towards offering wrestlers per-date deals rather than full-time contracts.
The impression has been that the offers have been quite different than what talent typically expected of a TNA deal. There is currently no confirmation whether this is a widespread movement for the company, but it would be a notable difference for TNA. The company notoriously parted ways with long-time TNA President Scott D’Amore earlier this year which caused the roster to write a petition on behalf of their former boss.
Update On The Contracts Of The Motor City Machine Guns
Could the Motor City Machine Guns be moving on from TNA already? According to recent reports, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin may have that option.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider intially got word that Shelley and Sabin’s contract could be up soon and Fightful followed up with their sources who believed that it could be in the within month of March. However, Sabin nor Shelley confirmed such news directly. The legendary TNA tag team actually signed with the company back on March 23, 2023.
It’s been a beneficial run for both Sabin in Shelley while Impact transitioned back to TNA as both became stalwart singles champions with the promotion. Sabin secured the X-Division Title during his tenure while Shelley had a very strong run as TNA World Champion before he dropped it to Moose at TNA’s first official PPV back at Hard To Kill.
The pro wrestling world is always changing, and it appears that two veteran performers may be entering the free agency pool soon. The Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley do not seem to be attending TNA’s next television tapings.
TNA Wrestling faces potential losses as company changes and discontent among talent is seemingly leading to impending departures. Now, the Motor City Machine Guns seem to be leaving.
Talent May be Leaving TNA
It appears that TNA Wrestling is facing the looming departures of two of its key stars. Impact Wrestling’s revival of the TNA brand at the Hard to Kill pay-per-view event in January marked a significant milestone for the promotion. Some would argue that the firing of Scott D’Amore was an even bigger event.
After the subsequent removal of Scott D’Amore as TNA President and the appointment of Anthony Cicione, this sparked discontent among talent. With the upcoming Rebellion PPV event scheduled for April 20 at the Palms Casino Resort, uncertainty is certainly present over the company’s future direction with these big internal changes.
PW Insider reported indicating that The Motor City Machine Guns, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, are slated to appear for Smash Wrestling in London, Ontario, on April 21, coinciding with TNA’s post-PPV TV tapings. This is interesting timing that they will missing those tapings. After all, TNA tapes weeks worth of content in one or two nights.
Their existing deals are rumored to expire soon, possibly by the end of March. Now that they will not be around for the tapings, some are under the opinion that the TNA mainstays may be out.
Sabin & Shelley
Having formed their tag team in 2007, Shelley and Sabin have achieved success across various companies as veteran performers. Those stints included ROH and NJPW.
Their tenure in TNA saw them capture the World and X-Division Titles, solidifying their status as three-time Tag Team Champions. Now, we will have to see if they take their talents elsewhere at this point.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more from all over the pro wrestling world. You never know what will happen next, especially with so many talented performers making headlines.
There’ll be no shortage of gold on the line when TNA Wrestling hosts its No Surrender event this month.
TNA No Surrender will take place from the Alario Center in Westwego, Louisiana on Friday, February 23. The show will be TNA’ second major event since its relaunch, which officially came into effect with last month’s Hard to Kill show.
TNA Knockouts Championship Match
On this week’s episode of TNA iMPACT! it was announced that Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace will defend her gold at No Surrender against Gisele Shaw. Both women have been building momentum as of late. Grace captured the title at Hard to Kill last month and shocked the world by competing in the 2024 WWE Women’s Royal Rumble Match.
Gisele Shaw earned her shot at Grace at Hard to Kill by winning a Knockouts Ultimate X match. She defeated Alisha Edwards, Dani Luna, Jody Threat, Tasha Steelz, and Xia Brookside in the show’s opener.
BREAKING: @JordynneGrace will defend the Knockouts World Championship against @GiseleShaw08 on February 23rd at #NoSurrender LIVE on TNA+ and YouTube for IMPACT Ultimate Insiders!
At Hard to Kill, Moose captured the TNA World Championship from Alex Shelley. During this week’s TNA iMPACT! Shelley officially informed Moose that he’d be utilizing his rematch. Moose accepted the challenge and warned Shelley that he was going to learn how “The System” works. The System is the name of Moose’s faction, which consists of himself, Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards, and Alisha Edwards.
Whoever wins this TNA World Championship match could soon be sharing the ring with Nic Nemeth, who made his TNA debut at Hard to Kill. After close to two decades in WWE, Nemeth is ready for a fresh start in TNA and has set his sights on the top of the card…
Reigning IMPACT World Champion Alex Shelley has another accolade to his impressive career after winning the promotion’s Male Wrestler of the Year award.
Shelley was one of several wrestlers to take home an award after an impressive 2023. The Bound for Glory 2023 match between ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey and Will Ospreay was named the promotion’s Match of the Year.
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.
Alex Shelley is the latest wrestler to sign with MLW. He’ll take part in the Opera Cup tournament on October 2nd when MLW presents Fightland from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
“Alex is a true fighting artist,” said Court Bauer in a press release. “He’s someone I’ve been dying to bring into MLW and the timing is perfect as the Opera Cup is the definitive stage for the grappling genius that is Alex Shelley.”
Already confirmed for the Opera Cup will be Tom Lawlor, Bobby Fish, Lee Moriarty Davey Richards, TJP, Matt Cross, and Calvin Tankman. Also confirmed for the October 2nd MLW Fightland show will be Tajiri.
Fightland will be MLW’s first show since Battle Riot in July. They had a scheduled event in Texas for September but it was cancelled due to rising COVID cases in the state.
This will be the 3rd time MLW has run a tournament for the Opera Cup trophy. In 2019, Davey Boy Smith Jr. won the cup that had been in the Hart family for decades. In 2020, Tom Lawlor won the trophy.
Shelley recently returned to the ring for the first time in 2021 at the GCW/Black Label Pro show on September 3rd. He dropped the BLP Midwest title to Tom Lawlor on the show.
Alex Shelley will be returning to wrestling for the first time in 2021 next month. GCW has announced him for their September 3rd show in Chicago.
Shelley was forced to withdraw from Impact Wrestling’s Hard to Kill event back in January. He had been scheduled to team with Chris Sabin and Rich Swann to face Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers.
“There are certain things in life that are just out of our control and unfortunately, my ability to compete at Hard to Kill has been dropped into that bucket,” Shelley said regarding having to withdraw from the event. “So, on that note, I owe an apology to Chris Sabin. I owe one to Rich Swann, I owe one to the fans. And I owe a receipt to the Good Brothers and Kenny Omega.”
Shelley would clarify a couple of weeks later that he would be unable to wrestle until a COVID-19 vaccine became available.
“I am a physical therapy clinician,” Shelley stated. “Physio is my livelihood and career. Wrestling is my livelihood and passion project. At my company, due to the volume of sick and injured patients we are in care of, we modify our COVID-19 mandates as needed. As numbers went up, so did restrictiveness.”
“To circumvent the topic, I could not be at Hard To Kill due to my career. I respect the decisions made by our company surgeons and doctors: I look to them for advice and guidance. I am unable to travel and wrestle until I am vaccinated.”
It is not yet clear if Shelley will be returning to Impact Wrestling.
ALEX SHELLEY returns to GCW and BLP on September 3rd at #3CupsStuffed in CHICAGO!
Alex Shelly was originally expected to be part of Impact Wrestling’s Hard To Kill main event but he was pulled from the show a day before the PPV without any explanation. This sudden change without a given reason had started many rumors about his status and now the high flying star has come forward to clear the air.
Shelly took on his Twitter recently to post a lengthy statement and one half of the Motor City Machine Guns explained that his day job as a physical therapy clinician prevented him from making an appearance at the PPV:
“I am a physical therapy clinician, physio is my livelihood and career. Wrestling is my livelihood and passion project. At my company, due to the volume of sick and injured patients we are in care of, we modify our COVID-19 mandates as needed.
As numbers went up, so did restrictiveness. To circumvent the topic, I could not be at Hard To Kill due to my career. I respect the decisions made by our company surgeons and doctors: I look to them for advice and guidance. I am unable to travel and wrestle until I am vaccinated. “
Alex Shelly then discussed how he does not want to receive the coronavirus vaccine so soon but he wants to help the people in therapy and wrestle as well:
“But I want to wrestle very badly while I help people in therapy. So there’s no option. @IMPACTWRESTLING was supportive and understanding and as someone who doesn’t have nor want a contract at this point, my hands were tied. Thanks for your support everyone.”
There is no word yet on how long Alex Shelly will have to stay away from action. Impact Wrestling taped a few months of content coming out of the Hard To Kill PPV and the former tag champion did not work these tapings.
The next Impact PPV Rebellion is scheduled for April 24 and we will have to see if the former champion is able to return to the ring before that.
You can check out his full statement below:
Most days out of the week, I look like this. I read theories about why I wasn’t at @IMPACTWRESTLING for Hard to Kill. They ranged from injury, to illness, to getting arrested, to harming my family members and attempting to cover it up; I am a physical therapy clinician. pic.twitter.com/i68Bg0XHhl
Physio is my livelihood and career. Wrestling is my livelihood and passion project. At my company, due to the volume of sick and injured patients we are in care of, we modify our COVID-19 mandates as needed. As numbers went up, so did restrictiveness.
To circumvent the topic, I could not be at Hard To Kill due to my career. I respect the decisions made by our company surgeons and doctors: I look to them for advice and guidance. I am unable to travel and wrestle until I am vaccinated. I took every caution I could before…
But I don’t feel right maintaining this duality unless I take every possible safety measure. When the vaccine became available, that required extra security on my end and my company’s end for our patients. I honestly don’t want to get the vaccine so soon…
But I want to wrestle very badly while I help people in therapy. So there’s no option. @IMPACTWRESTLING was supportive and understanding and as someone who doesn’t have nor want a contract at this point, my hands were tied. Thanks for your support everyone.
The Motor City Machine Guns have captured the Impact Wrestling World Tag Team Championships.
Tuesday’s Impact Wrestling episode on AXS TV saw Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin defeat The North’s Josh Alexander and Ethan Page to take home the gold. The finish to the match featured Sabin countering The Northern Assault to roll Page up for the win.
Sabin and Shelley are now two-time tag team champions for the promotion. Their first championship reign came in 2010 when Impact Wrestling was still known as TNA. The North’s championship reign lasted 383 days, making them the longest-reigning tag team champions in promotion history.
Page and Alexander won the titles back in July 2019 by defeating LAX during Impact’s The Bash At The Brewery event, which was co-promoted with River City Wrestling.
The MCMG just returned to Impact at Saturday’s Slammiversary pay-per-view, defeating The Rascalz after answering their open challenge. Sabin and Shelley later challenged The North during a segment on the pay-per-view, and the match was made for tonight’s post-Slammiversary episode.
Video: MCMG Win Impact Tag Titles
Watch the Motor City Machine Guns capture the Impact Wrestling World tag team championships below:
Shelley took to Twitter after the match and gave praise to The North.
“I can honestly say that The North are one of the best teams I have been in with. And I have been in with all of the best teams in the past 15 years,” he wrote.
Shelley made a follow-up tweet and mentioned FTR, writing, “Edit: All the best teams except FTR, those dudes rule real hard.”
I can honestly say that The North are one of the best teams I have been in with. And I have been in with all of the best teams in the past 15 years.
Alex Shelley reflected on his recent WWE debut during an NXT Live Event in Pittsburgh, PA. Shelley partnered with KUSHIDA, reforming their Time Splitters tag team ahead of their Dusty Classic matchups. They faced off against the Forgotten Sons, ultimately coming out on top with the victory.
Taking to Twitter, the Superstar addressed how wrestling in WWE and their black-and-gold brand has been a dream of his. He then highlighted how the past few years haven’t been easy for him, but noted that “If a single person can draw some inspiration and strength from this? Win.”
“I’ve more to say, but wrestling for @WWE and @WWENXT specifically has been a dream of mine for awhile. I have had to do a lot of hard things in life, especially the last few years. But so have you. If a single person can draw some inspiration and strength from this? Win. Thanks.”
Alex Shelly’s Not Even Mad
Shelley shared how he had broken down on the highway following an NXT show in Warren, OH. Despite the setback, Shelley didn’t let it bother him. Instead, he stated “studying for my CSCS exam, looking up chords to @TogetherPangea songs, reading Scott Pilgrim books. Not even mad. The high I experienced this weekend was immeasurable. Thank you, NXT, Kushi, everyone.”
Broke down on the highway post @WWENXT in Warren, OH, studying for my CSCS exam, looking up chords to @TogetherPangea songs, reading Scott Pilgrim books. Not even mad. The high I experienced this weekend was immeasurable. Thank you, NXT, Kushi, everyone.
Alex Shelley will team with KUSHIDA against the team of NXT UK’s Grizzled Young Veterans. They clash in the first round of the 2020 Dusty Classic this Wednesday on NXT.
Alex Shelley surprised fans in attendance at a recent house show by making his in-ring debut under the WWE NXT banner.
WWE held an NXT live event on Friday in Pittsburgh, PA at the Stage AE. In the opening contest, Shelley reunited The Time Splitters with Kushida by teaming up to take on The Forgotten Sons in a tag team match, which saw the babyfaces go over.
Alex Shelley In WWE NXT
This comes days before Shelley reunites Kushida on next Wednesday’s episode of NXT on the USA Network Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University to face The Grizzled Young Veterans.
The BroserWeights (Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne) vs. Andrews and Flash will also air next week as both matches are part of the first round of the Dusty Classic
As of this writing, there’s no word yet on if Shelley has signed a full-time contract with WWE. It should be noted that the former Impact/ROH/NJPW did work as a Guest Coach at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando last October.
First match at @WWENXT#NXTPittsburgh and I get the debut match in WWE of the reunited Time Splitters?! Hell yes!! The rest of the card tonight could be anything, this alone was worth the trip and price of admission! @KUSHIDA_0904 @fakekinkade pic.twitter.com/XVi2EsHLQh
A few weeks ago, Ring Of Honor (ROH) wrestler Matt Taven successfully defended his ROH World Championship against a returning Alex Shelley.
In an interview with Wrestling Inc. prior to their matchup at ROH Summer Supercard, Taven spoke about Shelley and what it means to him to be wrestling the former Motor City Machine Gun.
“Alex Shelley is one of those guys that, when I was getting into wrestling, I was watching Alex Shelley all the time. He’s one of those guys that I modeled my career after because I thought that was the way to do things—going to Mexico and Japan and learning all of these different styles. To me, I don’t think he gets enough credit. People kind of sleep on his legacy,” Taven said.
He praised Shelley’s contributions to pro wrestling, adding that their match was a huge opportunity to prove himself against a competitor he has “nothing but respect for.”
However, since winning the ROH World Championship back in April during the G1 Supercard, Taven has claimed he has been so busy defending the belt, he hasn’t been able to enjoy the fact he is champion.
He admitted that “[…] this is what I’ve wanted, and this is the position I’ve wanted. As much as I jokingly say this is stressful, this is where I’ve always pictured myself. Now I’m about to defend it in Toronto against a guy I used to watch. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Alex Shelley walked away from in-ring competition last year. He retired from pro wrestling days after his Ring of Honor (ROH) contract expired.
Shelley has since returned to ROH, and in an interview with the promotion’s column ‘10 Questions With…’ revealed that he fell on some incredibly hard times after he left.
“[…] full transparency: I went through a lot of life changes when I left ROH. I got divorced, I was homeless, no income, I was paying for school and working for free, and I had some dark, dark days,” he admitted.
“Helping people is on my bucket list. I’d like to go back to school again, maybe for psychology this time. Pain management is a huge up and coming field, so is sports psych, and to bring this answer full circle, I’d like to be able to help people not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. And maybe charm them with my rapier, Oscar Wilde wit. Laughter is a solid medicine.”
After leaving ROH, Shelley went to earn a second college degree, finishing his bachelor’s in physical therapy.
He returned to the company during a TV taping on June 29th, and is scheduled to face off against ROH World Champion Matt Taven. The two will compete for the title on August 9th at ROH’s Summer Supercard event in Toronto, Ontario. p
Alex Shelley appears to have retired from in-ring competition. For the time being, at least.
Last month, it was reported that Shelley’s Ring of Honor contract had expired and he was going to spend time focussing on pursuing a career as a physical therapist.
He suffered an injury in June and has been out ever since. Recent Twitter activity from Shelley seems to suggest he’s moved on from his wrestling career, however.
Is Alex Shelley Saying Goodbye?
Shelley posted the following in regards to Motor City Machine Guns’ “final match”:
In the end, MCMG's final match was against @NickJacksonYB, @MattJackson13, @njpwShowT, and @njpwyohei_k. I really don't think I could've asked for a better ending. Four guys I love very much who I hope I helped some over the years. Thank you, gentlemen.
Shelley took to Twitter to describe his latest injury.
“Long story short: my teeth got knocked out alongside a concussion that made me time travel. And it all goes to hell from here,” Shelley Tweeted on June 4th, 2018.
“That said, Ring of Honor takes care of their athletes when injured and practices the most ethical business practices possible. Not all major companies I have wrestled for could say that. NJPW could though.”
“Ironic considering this happened 3 years ago in NYC as well,” Shelley continued. “And that was the turning point for me to pursue physical therapy. Ain’t no PT for teeth and traumatic brain injuries.”
Alex Shelley’s Career
The 35-year-old has had a decorated 14-year career in the business. He started his pro-career in Ring of Honor in 2004 and would end it in the same promotion in 2018. He spent another 8 years in Impact Wrestling (then known as TNA).
He’s also done a few stints in New Japan Pro Wrestling as well, including from 2012-2015 when he teamed with KUSHIDA as the Time-Splitters.
Shelley is a former 5x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag-Team Champion (3x with Chris Sabin and 2x with KUSHIDA). The Time Splitters also won the Super Jr Tag Tournament in 2012. The Motor City Machine Guns won gold in both Impact and ROH. Shelley is a 1x former X-Division Champion as well.
