The following are highlights of a new interview with Davey Richards:

On his experience in WWE at the Performance Center and NXT: “It was great. We were brought down and put in Billy Gunn’s class. He runs the advanced classes. It was fun and I can’t say enough good things about everyone there. The place is obviously unreal. I t was a good time but it was just different strokes for different folks. It was kind of creepy to me that everyone was walking on eggshells, everyone is really scared for their job. I don’t know. It wasn’t like everyone was having a whole lot of fun down there or maybe they’re just nervous because there’s a lot of eyes on you. Obviously what they are doing has been successful. They’re doing a great job with it. We were treated respectfully and we were taken care of.. I knew then and I know now that their schedule is not for me. I’m glad I got to experience it but I’m glad I found a home with TNA.”

On if he was surprised that WWE didn’t give him a big offer: “I don’t know. You never really know what they’re thinking. The original plan was to do three weeks of NXT and then go to Smackdown but then we got the email that basically what it said was you guys are great but we have a lot of Davey’s and Eddie’s right now. So we’d probably just put you in developmental to start out and we wouldn’t do that when you’ve already been around the world making a living so you’re free to pursue other interests. I thought at least they’re being honest because they could have been yeah, you’re in developmental and it’s going to be great. Then you’re down there for three years. I thought it was really respectful of them. Obviously it worked out for them and it worked out for us. We’re both happy. It didn’t really surprise me. I’m thankful for it.”

On if he’s surprised that size is still an issue in WWE: “Yeah, it’s an old world idea, it’s an old school mentality that’s just obsolete in my opinion. Case in point Daniel Bryan. Even (CM) Punk isn’t a big guy. I’m not saying there aren’t big guys who are over and making a lot of money but the case in point is I don’t think size is relevant. Obviously if you go out there looking like a 15 year-old kid it’s going to be kind of hard promoting that you’re beating someone up who’s 6’5”, 250 (pounds). But people know what an athlete looks like. There’s a lot of different guys who are great wrestlers and tough dudes and 100% athletes and size notwithstanding they’re entertaining and people are going to watch them. It’s just an outdated idea in my opinion.”

Check out the complete interview at OrlandoSentinel.com.

– TNA star Kurt Angle’s comments about WWE in interviews that were arranged for him to promote TNA events, as well as his recent tweet about Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton, are seen within TNA as Angle preparing for life elsewhere once his contract with the company expires this coming fall.

– Apparently Bully Ray is very high on Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards as talents. Ray has reportedly been protective of them when it comes to how they are booked by TNA.

– The following is a new “#IMPACT365” video where TNA president Dixie Carter discusses the contract situation regarding The American Wolves:

http://youtu.be/elxzczAoE9E

– MVP continues to deny the rumors that he is going to TNA. MVP posted the following tweet after the latest internet rumors came out:

I suppose the internet speculation & rumors can be fun if you dig that, but I haven't lied to you guys yet. I'm not signed anywhere.

— MVP (@The305MVP) January 23, 2014

The original plan for Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards debut in TNA was for the two to win the TNA Tag-Team Titles from The Bro Mans right out of the gate.

According to one source, TNA changed the plan because creative writer Dave Lagana feels the company has finally gotten The Bro Mans over as a tag-team.

As things stand now, Richards and Edwards are set to work a program with Christopher Daniels and Kazarian.

Former Ring Of Honor standouts Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards have signed one-year agreements with TNA Wrestling.

Richards and Edwards will be allowed to work independent wrestling shows, as long as they are approved by TNA ahead of time, but are restricted from working any internet pay-per-view events, appearing on regional television shows, or any events that will appear on DVDs sold in retail stores.

As far as Japan is concerned, it is believed that Richards and Edwards will be limited to working for Keiji Mutoh’s Wrestle-1 promotion, as TNA has a working agreement with them.

– Last night’s TNA Genesis edition of Impact Wrestling drew a 1.08 rating and averaged 1.32 million viewers. This was down from last week’s 1.18 rating (1.39 million viewers).

– The backstage talent meeting that Dixie Carter held on Thursday was uneventful, according to sources who were in attendance. Spike TV’s social media team was on hand to explain to the wrestlers better ways to use Twitter for the #IMPACT365 initiative.

– TNA star Davey Richards tweeted the following after his brief appearance on last night’s Impact:

The landscape is changing in @IMPACTWRESTLING @TheEddieEdwards and myself are only the beginning. Stay tuned, BIG changes coming! #clearit

— Davey Richards (@RichardsWesley) January 17, 2014

*SPOILERS* For Next Week’s TNA Genesis Edition Of IMPACT

Former ROH Tag Team champions Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards made their TNA television debuts on Thursday’s Genesis edition of Impact Wrestling.

They appeared in a backstage segment with TNA President Dixie Carter, who said she’s excited for their “tryout match” on next week’s show. Their team name is The Wolves, a variation of their “American Wolves” name in ROH. Carter told the Wolves that if they impress her, they might be offered contracts. This is obviously a reference to their short stint in WWE NXT, where they worked at the WWE Performance Center and wrestled on an NXT TV taping, but were not signed.

Davey Richards said that they’ve already been signed to contracts by a new “TNA investor” – also playing off the reports that country music star Toby Keith was at one point in talks with TNA about investing in the company.

Despite the fact that Dixie Carter said they’d be wrestling on next week’s show, they did not wrestle at the Genesis Week 2 tapings that took place on Thursday night.

*Spoilers* TNA Genesis Tapings Results For 1/24

– Both Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards have officially arrived in Huntsville, Alabama, the site of tonight’s TNA “Genesis” event. As previously reported, the two are expected to make their TNA debuts tonight. As we mentioned recently on the website, TNA president Dixie Carter teased new talent debuting at Genesis, with the initials “D.R.” and “E.E.” as a tease.

– TNA star Ethan Carter III alluded to the Richards/Edwards debut in addition to hyping his own match with Sting. EC3 posted the following tweet today:

42. @TNADixie promises "New" faces tonight. I promise to become the "New" Icon. Carters always keep their promises. @sting #50TweetsToSting

— ecIII (@EthanCarterTNA) January 16, 2014

TNA President Dixie Carter tweeted the following on Wednesday, revealing a hint about two new faces we’ll see on Thursday’s live Genesis edition of Impact Wrestling:

Here is the hint I promised. #Genesis Tomorrow 9/8c on @SpikeTV pic.twitter.com/1gpDPszyjv

— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) January 15, 2014

“DR” amd “EE” are former ROH tag team champions Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards, who recently did a short stint at WWE NXT but were not signed to contracts.

According to reports, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards will not be returning at the next set of WWE NXT television tapings, nor will they be offered a contract by WWE.

Apparently Triple H didn’t want to sign the two after their recent WWE tryout due to their size. The feeling within WWE right now is that the company has enough talent that isn’t very big, but can “go” in the ring. Because of this mindset, the company was looking for guys who fit a different description in the most recent tryout camp.

TNA Interested In Signing Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards

A lot of people reportedly went to bat for Richards and Edwards, saying that not only should WWE sign them, but should immediately push them to the main roster. Ultimately, WWE decided not to sign the two.

• Backstage News On Big Changes At WMXXX, Hogan vs. Piper?! & More(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Apparently the WWE tryout of Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards was not at first intended to lead to a deal for them with the company. The idea was that they worked the first week in NXT and if the company liked them, they would be brought to Orlando to work at the Performance Center and some NXT shows for the first few months of 2014. If everything at that point went accordingly, then that would have led to a deal for the two.

As of right now, there is still no real word on whether or not Richards and Edwards will be coming back to WWE after the first of the year, but it is apparently expected.

Additionally, there is some talk that TNA is either getting ready, or may already have, made a play themselves to get Richards and Edwards to join their company.

Former Ring Of Honor standout Davey Richards had a big “farewell ceremony” this past weekend during the Pro Wrestling Guerilla event. During the ceremony, Richards made a few references to him “heading to Orlando.”

Richards is scheduled to work for the EVOLVE Wrestling promotion in Orlando next month, according to a recent video he posted on his official Facebook account. To check out the video, visit Facebook.com.

– WWE NXT Diva Leah Van Damme has been given her official WWE ring name, which is “Carmella.” Also, Ashley Sebera has been given her official ring name, which is “Dana Brooke.”

– The Ascension vs. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards match will indeed be airing on the special 200th episode of WWE NXT on Wednesday evening. The WWE NXT official Twitter account tweeted the following:

Who will answer @VikorRiseWWE & @KonnorWWE’s Open Challenge for a shot at the NXT Tag Team Championship? Watch on @Hulu #NXT200

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 18, 2013

As previously reported, new WWE developmental talent Davey Richards was pulled from his “farewell match” at the upcoming Ring Of Honor “Final Battle” event on December 14th in New York City. Richards, who was scheduled to team up with Eddie Edwards to take on the duo of Jay Lethal and Roderick Strong, was reportedly pulled due to some comments he made in a Total Wrestling Magazine interview in the United Kingdom.

Richards has since been announced as a participant in the competing Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) show on the same night in Vorhees, New Jersey. Richards will work on the “Cage of Death” show on 12/14 in an unannounced match. Also on that show will be former WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno, who is returning to his “Chris Hero” persona, as he faces CZW Heavyweight Champion Drew Gulak.

As far as the ROH “Final Battle” show is concerned, Matt Hardy recently took to his YouTube account to release a video promo he did claiming he will “help ROH out” and give the aforementioned Edwards a “farewell rub” as he offered to replace Richards and work alongside Edwards in the tag-team match against Lethal and Strong.

You can check out Hardy’s promo below:

http://youtu.be/Kfbi_lFnJHg

Davey Richards recently released the following statement to the wrestling media regarding rumors of his current issues with Ring Of Honor.

“I guess I could be pretty upset about ROH pulling my farewell match.

A company I’ve given literally everything in my body for time and time again, driven crazy amounts of hours to save the company money on flights, worked for reduced payoffs when the houses were down, etc.

It’s wild man, it’s such a different place now than when I started- not saying better of worse- just different.

So here we are- at the end of the road. I gotta be honest- though it’s pretty crappy to me and the fans to not get a farewell match I really can’t be anything but thankful for my time spent in that ring.

Truth is, ROH fans have been the only family I’ve had for the past 6 years.

What you saw is what you got with me. For better or for worse I bore my soul to you all. You All were there during the worst days when my grandparents died unexpectantly, my divorce, my home being taken. You didn’t even know it but you all saved me. That ring was my therapy.

Sometimes people have good days, sometimes very bad ones, sometimes they do things they’re very proud of, sometime they make mistakes and do things they’re regretful of. No one’s perfect and I’ve been though all of those moments right in front of the ROH fanbase.

I recovered, grew, learned, matured in that ring. I want so bad to kiss it goodbye bc it was the only familiar thing I knew for so long.

But I can walk away. I’m ok. If for no other reason that I know is from day one to my last match I gave you all 100% of everything I had in my body and heart. You always hear people say, ” leave it all in the ring”. Well I can honestly say I did that. So in that I have closure.

Whether you like me or hate me I’ve always been honest ( often times perhaps too honest). But that’s me. I don’t believe in lying to people I consider family- and like it or not I considered y’all family.

ROH wanted to tell you all I was injured for Final Battle. Yes my neck is banged up, but I could have been there and wrestled by then. I didn’t want y’all being fed lies so I took the Initiative to tell you the truth.

I don’t wanna slander anyone or speak badly of anyone.

Instead of thinking about this situation I’d rather think that I got to see one of my best friends go from an illegal immigrant barely getting on a preshow to a main eventer, I got to see a guy everyone wondered why I chose to tag with become far better than ill ever be, I got to share the ring with the guys I looked up to starting out, I got to see the new crop of amazing athletes come into they’re own.

I got to find a reason to live when I had none.

You all gave me so many good time and great memories ( hello Colt:) ) that I can only hope I gave you all some.

There was an aura, a surreal felling that company once had that I hope they find again.

ROH is about heart. I hope they find theirs again.

Please continue to watch them, support them, go to the shows bc the guys in that locker room and in that ring have more desire, heart, and dedication than can be measured.

Thank you all for everything, hope to see you all somewhere else down the road. But if not, you all meant the world me and I am forever in debt.

Wesley Richards”

As previously reported, Davey Richards will no longer be appearing at the Ring Of Honor “Final Battle” event on December 14th at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Richards confirmed this news in a statement he released this weekend, where he also revealed that as of right now he is officially done with ROH for good. Richards wrote:

“With a heavy heart I can announce I announce that myself and ROH have parted ways for good and I will not be at Final Battle. Please continue to support them and the incredible talent they have. Thanks for the memories. It was an amazing ride.”

Apparently Richards was let go from ROH and removed from his final scheduled booking with the company at the 12/14 event in NYC due to some comments he made in a recent Total Wrestling Magazine interview in the United Kingdom. Richards talked bad about the importance of the ROH titles and the iPPV issues ROH has been having not being his concern.

Richards reportedly made a point to apologize to the guys in ROH in the locker room at a recent show, and noted that the aforementioned magazine comments were taken out of context.

– Former top Ring Of Honor star Davey Richards recently posted the following message on his official Facebook page:

“With a heavy heart I can announce I announce that myself and ROH have parted ways for good and I will not be at Final Battle. Please continue to support them and the incredible talent they have. Thanks for the memories. It was an amazing ride.”

– The official TNA Twitter account posted the following tweet, which includes a link to video footage of TNA Knockouts Gail Kim and Christy Hemme doing a lower-body workout for Muscle & Fitness Hers:

Christy Hemme and Gail Kim New Lower Body Workout Video for Muscle and Fitness Hers http://t.co/PvV0pzkbTn

— IMPACT WRESTLING (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 1, 2013

As we previously reported, Davey Richards has pulled out of his scheduled appearance on the Pro Wrestling NOAH shows because of a neck injury that he suffered.

Some feel that Richards suffered the injury during his tag-team match against The Ascension in WWE NXT. The injury appeared to happen when Richards was dropped on his head, as there was apparently immediate concern that he was hurt. Richards was checked out after the match, however, and apparently had not suffered any serious injuries.

Apparently nobody had heard anything else until the news came out that he had pulled out of his scheduled appearance with NOAH.

According to reports, WWE NXT writer Ryan Ward is making a push for Triple H to sign top former Ring Of Honor stars Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards. Apparently the two also received good reactions from NXT trainers Billy Gunn and Bill DeMott.

WWE is going to allow both Richards and Edwards to finish out their commitments with Ring Of Honor, including the upcoming ROH show in New York City on December 14th, but the company has apparently told them not to take any additional dates with ROH.

– We recently reported via Indian media outlets that a giant by the name of Rajesh Kumar said he was training in Japan to wrestle for WWE and was motivated after meeting WWE Superstar The Great Khali. People in Indian apparently refer to Kumar as “The New Khali,” however, WWE claims to have no affiliation with anyone with Kumar’s name.

– The latest WWE update on Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards is that there were no issues with their most recent tryout with the company. Richards and Edwards are scheduled to return for the next set of WWE NXT television tapings in January, but have not been offered official contracts as of yet.

– Puerto Rican wrestler Sebastian Guerra, who is a 21 year old, 6-foot-5 and 285-pound independent worker, was at the same WWE tryout camp that included Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards, Joey Ryan and several others a few weeks ago. WWE apparently wants Guerra to gain additional experience and learn the English language better before doing something with him. As a result, Guerra is expected to head to Ohio Valley Wrestling for further training and to attempt to improve his English by living there.

– Current word is that Paul Heyman is not expected back on WWE television for several more weeks. As previously reported, Heyman is expected to be brought back when Brock Lesnar makes his television return to the company.

Former ROH tag team champions Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards made their NXT in-ring debuts at last night’s tapings.

Details On Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards’ Unique Relationship With WWE

It was reported earlier that the former American Wolves are now known as the American Pitbulls. Both men also now have individual new ring names.

Davey Richards is now John Cahill and Eddie Edwards is nowEric Philbin.

At last night’s WWE NXT tapings from Winter Park, Florida, former Ring of Honor tag team champions Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards made their NXT in-ring debuts as the American Pitbulls.

Rob Feinstein, the original owner of Ring of Honor has revealed the details behind Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards’ unique relationship with WWE.

In a Facebook post, Feinstein revealed that The Pitbulls are NOT signed to a WWE contract, but will be working in NXT at and the Performance Center. After a few months, WWE will give them a chance on Smackdown to see if they can get over. If they do, they’ll get signed. Feinstein wrote:

“Here is the deal with them. I knew about this about a month ago but out of respect to all parties involved I felt it was not in my best interest to say anything….They have not been hired by the WWE. In fact Joey Matthews and Steven Regal had to push for them to get looked at because HHH does not want anymore “top Indy” guys and actually said he already has “so and so”, who I will not name and his stance was why would I need another two that are already like him when we already have a few of that kind of person.

“HHH feels that guys from ROH and PWG are hard to transform because they have their set ways and its harder for them to break them down and remold which I understand. So the deal with them is that they are not under contract. They reported to NXT this week and actually have a few other dates that they are still going to work for since they are prior bookings. They are also going to keep them as a tag team and after a few months I have been told they are going to Smackdown as a tag team to see if they get over….If they do get over they will get offered a contract.”

Richards and Edwards are still scheduled to work for Ring of Honor’s Final Battle event on December 14th, where they are rumored to be facing Roderick Strong and Jay Lethal.

*Spoilers* WWE #NXT200 Tapings Results

Earlier this week, we reported that Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards (former ROH tag champions The American Wolves) would be receiving another tryout this week at the WWE Performance Center.

Richards and Edwards wrestled at last night’s NXT tapings using the new ring name “The American Pitbulls.” They wrestled The Ascension. Their match will air on the December 18th episode of NXT on Hulu.

During the tapings, Davey Richards tweeted:

https://twitter.com/RichardsWesley/status/403700623063134208