2024 was a huge year for WWE NXT, with exceptional matches and moments over the 12 months. During the final WWE NXT of 2024, the silver brand handed out its end-of-year results.

Here are the winners and the nominees they beat:

Male Superstar Of The Year

• Trick Williams
• Tony D’Angelo
• Oba Femi
• Ethan Page

Female Superstar Of The Year

• Roxanne Perez
• Kelani Jordan
• Lola Vice
• Jaida Parker

Tag Team Of The Year

• Nathan Frazer & Axiom
• Meta-Four (Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson)
• Chase U
• Hank Walker & Tank Ledger

Moment Of The Year

• Tyrese Haliburton cuts down Orlando Crowd – Sept 17th NXT TV
• Jaida Parker smashing a brick on Lola Vice – ECW Arena – Nov 6th
• Carmelo Hayes turns on Trick Williams – Vengeance Day
• Trick Williams wins his first NXT Title – NXT Spring Breakin’ Week
• Joe Hendry in NXT
• Ethan Page falls into winning the NXT Title – Heatwave
• Wes Lee Turns on Zach Wentz and Trey Miguel – Aug 7th NXT TV
• Giulia Debuts – No Mercy
• NXT launches on the CW Network in Chicago
• Ten Women Tag Team Match Main Events ECW – Nov 6th
• Chase U calendar sales save Chase U from going bankrupt

Match Of The Year

• Ilja Dragunov vs. Trick Williams – NXT Title – Vengeance Day
• Oba Femi vs. Josh Briggs vs. Dijak – North American Title – Stand & Deliver
• Nathan Frazer & Axiom vs. Andre Chase & Duke Hudson – Tag Team Title Match – Heatwave
• Roxanne Perez vs. Thea Hail – Women’s Title – Great American Bash Week 1 (7/30)
• Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge – Deadline
• Kelani Jordan vs. Sol Ruca – Women’s North American Title – Heatwave

Dijak has called the legality of WWE contracts in question after his WWE release.

The former WWE star exited the company earlier last month after the officials decided not to renew his contract. The surprising part of this decision was that Dijak was not informed of this until last minute. He was being used by the company only days before he confirmed his departure from the promotion.

The 37-year-old talked about the implications of his sudden release in a new interview with Forbs. He was asked if it was a blessing in disguise that he could appear for other promotions so soon after leaving the company vs. talents who have to wait 90 days for their non-compete to expire.

It’s Made-Up Nonsense: Dijak

Dijak explained that it’s a double-edged sword and there are pros and cons of both approaches. He said that he is not a fan of WWE releasing people, before questioning the legality of their contracts:

“I don’t think it’s a secret at this point that nobody’s a fan of the WWE contract. That isn’t a real contract, because they can just release you at any point for any reason. I think that’s silly nonsense. I don’t know why that’s allowed to be legal. It just feels illegal to me, and I feel like nobody’s taken the time and monetary effort to challenge the legality of it.”

• Dijak Shares Backstage Forbidden Door Photo After WWE Exit

The former NXT star also commented on the infamous independent contractor status given to talent signed by the company. He said that it’s the most ‘made up nonsense’ in the history of the world:

“We’re so clearly not independent contractors. That’s the most made-up nonsense in the history of the world, and people have talked about this ad nauseum. Something needs to be done about it. It’s just silly. It’s silliness.”

The wrestling star later explained that officials should inform talents earlier if they don’t plan on re-signing them. He mentioned how people like Lacey Evans and SCRYPTS were given a month’s notice and it’s not ethical to inform him of his release at the last second.

Former WWE Superstar Dominik Dijakovic has had fans speculating on his next move after being present at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door.

The third annual Forbidden Door show saw talent from AEW and New Japan converge on the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. In addition to the two titular promotions, wrestlers from STARDOM and CMLL were also involved as part of the show’s 14-match card.

Dijak At Forbidden Door

Dijakovic didn’t appear during AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door but he was at the UBS Arena. Taking to social media, the ex-Superstar shared a backstage photo of his sunglasses in front of a screen showing the event. To make his point clear, Dijakovic tagged AEW President Tony Khan as well as the company itself.

Dijakovic’s presence at the show came after he teased making an appearance and will no doubt fuel speculation that the former WWE Superstar could soon be All-Elite. Dijakovic announced his sudden exit from WWE last week after reports that his contract was set to expire in June 2024. According to the Retribution alum, WWE made no serious effort to re-sign him despite drafting him to the main roster in the 2024 WWE Supplemental Draft.

Where Else for Dijak?

AEW may not be the only option for Dijakovic now that his time with WWE has ended. Speaking last week, the former Superstar said in an interview with Joe Lowry that he is interested in appearing for TNA Wrestling and that the two sides had been in communication.

Dijak made clear however that these talks have not been contract negotiations. Ironically, TNA forged a partnership with WWE NXT this year shortly after Dijak’s call-up to the main roster.

• Dijak Has Pledged His Brain To Science To Aid With CTE Research

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 is set to take place tonight, but what are the rumors heading into the big show?

Always take these rumors with a grain of salt, because although some of these sensationalized headlines can seem more exciting than the usual news cycle, they are just that right now…rumors.

Here are the rumors that are doing the rounds this week ahead of the PPV event and everything you need to know to keep up with the latest updates.

Read More – AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 UK Time: Start Time in BST

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 Rumors

One of the biggest stories right now surrounds former WWE Superstar Dijak, as he appears to be teasing a debut with All Elite tonight.

Dijak took to social media to cut a promo walking out of his house, claiming that it was time for a “Dijak Hijack”

“Today is such a beautiful day, it’s early in the morning right now, why don’t we go for a nice little drive, huh? Maybe a four-and-half hour drive? Maybe that’s exactly what today calls for.”

Long Island fits the bill for a four and a half hour drive for Dijak which is where Forbidden Door takes place, so there’s a very good chance that he appears tonight.

Read the full story here: Dijak Teases AEW Forbidden Door Appearance

AEW Surprise Debuts?

There are also two names that are potentially All Elite bound tonight, with those being WWE Superstars Ricochet and Natalya.

Whilst there is no concrete evidence of either appearing on the show, it’s worth noting as either would be a big get for Tony Khan and co.

We’ll be adding more stories to this page ahead of the show taking place tonight.

Read More – AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 Live Stream: How to watch

It didn’t take Dijak long at all to show up in a wrestling ring after his WWE exit and he may have bigger plans involving AEW.

The former T-Bar revealed before the weekend that he was not offered a new contract by WWE, sharing out a typed out letter explaining his exit in detail. Donovan Dijak stated that he was told at the “eleventh hour” that WWE would not be re-signing him and that they never even attempted to negotiate a new deal. Dijak stated that two months ago he was apart of one of the greatest matches in NXT history during WrestleMania weekend before being called up to RAW where he was never used.

Dijak didn’t let his exit cook for long as on Saturday, he made a return in his own backyard at Blitzkreig Luau in Conneticut. The “punk rock pro wrestling party” promotion stated that Dijak is a “free man.”

That notion may be all the more concrete as Dijak took to social media to cut a promo walking out of his house, claiming that it was time for a “Dijak Hijack”

“Today is such a beautiful day, it’s early in the morning right now, why don’t we go for a nice little drive, huh? Maybe a four-and-half hour drive? Maybe that’s exactly what today calls for.”

When considering the distance, Long Island fits the bill for a four and a half hour drive for Dijak which is where Forbidden Door takes place. In his letter, Dijak stated that he’d be taking bookings starting June 28 so him appearing at Forbidden Door is plausible to happen.

RELATED: Latest On Dijak’s WWE Exit: Backstage Plans, Roster’s Response

More has come to light about the WWE exit of Dijak which has come as a surprise to fans and those within the company alike.

This week, it was confirmed by Dijak that he will be leaving the promotion once his contract expires on June 28. The 37-year-old wrestler called up to the main roster this year made clear that WWE ‘stonewalled’ any attempts to discuss a new deal. He also claimed that he was set to feud for the WWE NXT Championship before his call-up to Raw as part of the 2024 WWE Draft.

• Dijak Leaving WWE, Says Company Stonewalled Attempts To Negotiate A New Deal

More On Dijak Leaving WWE

Dijak learned that WWE would not be re-signing him at some point following his WWE Spped match with Xavier Woods, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports. This match aired on the June 19, edition of WWE’s exclusive show on Twitter/X but it is unclear when exactly the decision was made by higher-ups. Dijak himself told Fightful that he had theories that WWE had planned to let his deal expire for a while.

Dijak was wary that something was ‘up’ after he was not used for weeks following his call-up to the main roster. There were several weeks where Dijak was not brought to tapings. When he was, plans were often shifted around between WWE Main Event and WWE Speed tapings. It’s noted that there were no creative plans in place for when he was called up.

Roster Response to Dijak

Dijak was well-liked within WWE and NXT and was praised by officials in the company, Corey Brennan of Fighful Select reports. Shawn Michaels was said to be a big supporter of Dijak despite the two having minor disagreements about creative differences in the past. The NXT head personally called Dijak to welcome him back to WWE NXT following his run as T-Bar on the main roster. Talent were also surprised that Dijak wasn’t featured as a regular on Raw after being called up.

What’s Next?

There is interest in and outside wrestling in Dijak, with two promotions in Europe set to reach out to him for possible appearances. Major companies have been in contact with Dijak’s management to gauge things, Sapp reports. During the conference call for AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door, AEW President Tony Khan was asked about Dijak but opted not to discuss the matter given that Dijak remained with WWE at the time of the call.

• Dijak Says He’s Pledged His Brain To Science To Aid With CTE Research

WWE Superstar Dijak has announced he is leaving WWE. His last day with the company will be tomorrow, Friday June 28, 2024.

The former NXT Champion released a note on social media detailing his painstaking final months with the company. To his dismay, Dijak says WWE had no interest in negotiating a new deal with him and “stonewalled” his attempts to discuss doing so.

According to Dijak, his performance, dedication and positive attitude only got him so far. He’d get commented for putting on show-stealing performances and constantly pitch creative ideas for his character. He was generally feeling pretty good about things, until it came time to talk business and the chance to continue working together for years to come.

“Here’s the truth, WWE never negotiated with me. We attempted to negotiate and they stonewalled us.” he wrote. “They never made me a single offer, then they informed me they would not renew my contract at the eleventh hour. 2 months ago I was in one of the best matches in NXT history, and a top match of Wrestlemania weekend. On that day, a top executive in WWE told me I was ‘crushing it.’

I was slated to feud for the NXT title but I got called up to RAW instead. I consistently outperformed everyone’s expectations, especially throughout 2023 and early 2024. I never complained about anything or was difficult to work with. I tirelessly pitched ideas to anyone who would listen, as recently as the day before I was notified. I never once missed a booking, and I was injured 1 time in 7 years for 3 months. “

What’s next for Donovan Dijak?

The 6-foot-7 wrestler is understandably disappointed at how his WWE career turned out, but he’s thankful for the experience and excited about what lies ahead. He tagged Tony Khan, AEW, TNA and NJPW in the social media post, letting it be known that we could see him turn up elsewhere very soon.

“I’m thankful, disappointed, but also excited. This has lit a fire under me to relentlessly prove myself to the world. All I ever wanted was a fair shot and now I have the opportunity to go out and take it. That’s enough talk, now it’s time to Do or Dijak.”

Dijak signed with WWE in 2017 and wrestled primarily in NXT during his run, although he did wrestle on the main roster for several years. He’s currently taking bookings at BookDijak@gmail.com.

Wrestling World Shocked By Dijak’s Departure

The surprising announcement from the former NXT star has left the wrestling world perplexed. Many people have taken social media, expressing that it’s a rare misstep from the Triple H management.

This includes Dijak’s former sparring partner Keith Lee. The two put on some of the most memorable fights in the history of the Black and Gold era of NXT. Lee warned the wrestling world to be ready for Dijak to showcase what he is truly capable of:

The 37-year-old is the fourth member of the ill-fated Retribution stable to depart the company. Their former leader Mustafa Ali referenced their past together saying that they should reunite for a match:

Fans also found an old video of Kenny Omega predicting how the former ROH star would be wasted in WWE because he doesn’t fit the company’s standards:

With the outpouring support from the fans, Dijak will have no trouble getting booked. Following the footsteps of his Retribution teammate Mustafa Ali, the 6-foot-7 star will be hungry to prove his worth to any company that brings him in. 

The combination of it all means fans should get ready for Dijak to hit the ground running and prove his worth as one of the best in-ring talents of the current generation.

Soft Ground Wrestling Uganda will benefit greatly from the money raised by WWE alum Mace and Mansoor, as well as others. 

SGW Uganda has become a hit online in recent months after notable names began sharing the promotion on social media. Both AEW’s Will Ospreay and TNA Wrestling’s Jordynne Grace donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser aimed at providing a standard wrestling ring as well as other operating needs. 

Now Mace and Mansoor have been able to raise more money for SGW Uganda. On Twitter, Mansoor revealed that through a live stream, they had raised over $28,000. This stream included some notable names in wrestling, including AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, TNA X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali, Maven Huffman, YouTuber Matt McMuscles, and others. 

Incredibly excited to announce we have raised $28,731.89 for @SGWug thanks to all of your generous support!

We couldn’t have done this without all our wonderful friends who joined us for the fundraiser. Thank you to all who participated and donated.

ACHIEVE THE DREAM! S-G-DUB! pic.twitter.com/yQWOzIGnQk

— Mansoor (@suavemansoor) May 8, 2024

In a subsequent tweet, Mansoor explained that this money can be put towards six months of food, beds and mosquito nets, an extension on their lease and a storage unit for a wrestling ring. SGW Uganda has been using a ring made of mud so far, but that will hopefully change given the money raised. 

One thing SGW Uganda won’t have to put this money towards is a van that’ll allow the promotion to take their show on the road. In a follow-up tweet, Mansoor explained that his mother has donated enough to buy a van in memory of her father who gifted them a win when Mansoor’s sister was born. 

My mother, my actual shoot mom, has told us she is donating enough money to purchase a van for @SGWug

She wants to honor my late grandfather, George Vrakas, who gifted us a van when my little sister was born ??

Now, SGW can go on the road and tour in Uganda. Thank you Mama! https://t.co/29l4LFqOuF pic.twitter.com/LU20umF7fE

— Mansoor (@suavemansoor) May 8, 2024

SGW Uganda isn’t just a wrestling promotion but is a school that trains over 180 students. With this money, SGW Uganda will be able to take huge steps to the future with fans excited to see what’s next. 

The excitement of the 2024 WWE Draft continued after Raw went off the air as the Supplemental Draft saw more moves happen. 

The April 29, episode of Monday Night Raw marked Night Two of the Draft and saw 20 on-screen picks made in total. Imperium (sans Giovanni Vinci) was the first name selected during Night Two of the televised draft, while NXT’s Blair Davenport was selected by SmackDown in the final televised selection. 

WWE Draft Night Two Supplemental Results

On social media, WWE shared news from their supplemental draft picks after Monday Night Raw went off the air. The picks are as follows: 

It’s certainly a big deal to see Dijak called up to the main roster after re-establishing himself in WWE NXT. Hopefully the former Retribution member fares better on the main-roster than his previous run as T-Bar. 

What’s to Come?

The new rosters will come into effect on the May 6, episode of Raw, the first show following next weekend’s WWE Backlash: France Premium Live Event. Anybody that has not been selected so far is now a free agent and will be eligible to be chosen by Raw or SmackDown in the future. 

The brain of Dijak will be useful in the quest for knowledge about Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the WWE NXT Superstar has revealed. 

Taking to Twitter, Dijak shared that he pledged his brain to science years ago and encouraged other wrestlers to do the same. Dijak also shared a link to a research registry for others to donate their brains in the fight against CTE. 

Agreed. I pledged my brain 9 years ago. Wrestlers click here if interested or hit up @ChrisNowinski1 or @ConcussionLF for more info. https://t.co/ZtnyUbzimc

— DONOVAN DIJAK (@DijakFYE) March 28, 2024

What is CTE? 

CTE is a brain disorder believed to be caused by repeated head injuries. It can lead to the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and progressively grows worse over time. Symptoms can include mood changes, short-term memory loss, confusion, problems with movement, and personality changes. 

The Work of Chris Nowinski

In his tweet, Dijak says those interested in learning more should contact Chris Nowinski, a finalist on Tough Enough’s first season who would later make it to WWE. During the 2003 Royal Rumble, a mistimed double missile dropkick would lead to Nowinski being concussed and he would later retire due to post-concussion symptoms. 

Since his in-ring retirement, Nowinski has dedicated his life to research into CTE and fighting the condition. It was Nowinski who encouraged a coroner to examine the brain of Chris Benoit following the double-murder suicide of June 2007. In September of that year, the brain examination report showed extensive damage due to concussions that could have led to dementia.

In June 2007, Nowinski and Robert Cantu founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation. CLF has sought to raise awareness of the effects of head trauma across sports and has been featured in the New York Times and CNN. 

Donating One’s Brain

Dijak isn’t the only wrestler to donate their brain to science in the battle against CTE. Mick Foley, whose body took countless injuries throughout his career, has pledged his brain to science after he passes away. Fellow WWE Hall of Famers Rob Van Dam, Chyna, and Kevin Nash also pledged to donate their brains. 

Oba Femi has a lot of eyes on him right now. NXT officials see him as the next big thing, and there are a lot of reasons to see their point.

This week’s episode of WWE NXT was an eventful broadcast. We saw Ridge Holland step away from in-ring competition. Natalya event surprised fans during the show. Fans also saw a big title match booked for Stand & Deliver.

During the March 26 episode of WWE NXT, Oba Femi announced that he will defend the North American Title against Dijak and Josh Briggs in a triple threat match.

Booking The Match

During WWE NXT this week, Josh Briggs defeated Duke Hudson in a brutal contest. Dijak was at ringside on commentary, and just as he was about to step in the ring to take Briggs on, Oba Femi showed up.

The NXT North American Champion said that he has two worth opponents for his title. They get to climb the mountain at Stand & Deliver, but Oba Femi was there to remind them that he is the mountain.

The triple threat match was booked at that point, where Oba Femi seems more than ready to defend his North American Tile against both Dijak and Josh Briggs.

Now we're cookin'!@Obaofwwe says both Josh Briggs and @DijakWWE have earned a shot at his North American Championship at #StandAndDeliver ?#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/JdoI3gueK7

— WWE (@WWE) March 27, 2024

WWE NXT Stand & Deliver

WWE is less than two weeks away from WrestleMania 40 and Stand & Deliver. This week’s episode of NXT continued building toward the April 6 Stand & Deliver event. A lot can also happen in the meantime. You may check out the updated card (so far) below.

• Host: Meta-Four
• Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo: Singles match for the NXT Championship
• Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker (c) vs. Tournament Winners: Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship
• Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes: Singles match
• Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez: Singles match for the NXT Women’s Championship
• Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs – Triple Threat match for the NXT North American Title

WWE NXT Superstar Dijak is immensely grateful for the opportunity he’s had in the gold brand after being sure he’d be cut as T-Bar. 

Dijak, aka Dominik Dijakovic, was called up to the main roster in 2020 as T-BAR, part of the anarchistic Retribution stable. The group would struggle on WWE TV though with fans finding the gimmick hokey and their masks unintentionally hilarious. 

Retribution Ends & Dijak Begins

With the faction’s prospects seemingly dead in the water, Retribution imploded in early 2021 by turning on their leader Mustafa Ali. By late 2021 and throughout 2022, he exclusively competed on WWE Main Event. 

In late 2022, he returned to WWE NXT as Dijak, complete with a video promo showing his T-Bar mask being burned in a fire. Since then, Dijak has gone on to become one of the gold brand’s most prominently featured performers and has worked with the show’s top names. 

Dijak is Grateful

On this week’s episode of WWE NXT, Dijak defeated Joe Gacy in the Asylum match which saw both men use a plethora of weapons. During the match, Dijak hit a moonsault off the top of the cage in a surprising display of high-flying from the big man. 

Taking to Twitter, Dijak spoke about the spot in question and fans who may feel he shouldn’t be leaving his feet. Dijak said that he is making the most of the opportunity afforded him in WWE NXT after being sure he would be cut during his T-Bar run. 

People who tell me I shouldn’t do a moonsault off the top of a cage have never been T-Bar barely treading water on Main Event & tearfully staring at my phone waiting to be fired.

I don’t take a second of this for granted and I’m eternally grateful to @ShawnMichaels & @TripleH. pic.twitter.com/CQfkTgMNdW

— DONOVAN DIJAK (@DijakFYE) March 6, 2024

One NXT Superstar’s days with WWE may be numbered if a new contract with the promotion isn’t finalized in the coming weeks or months. 

Fightful Select reports that Dijak’s WWE contract is up in June of 2024. The former Retribution member signed a five-year deal with WWE in 2019. At the time, WWE signed many Superstars to lengthy contracts to prevent anyone from leaving for AEW, which had launched in January of that year. It is unclear at this time if WWE and Dijak are currently in talks over a new deal. It has been stated for other contracts that WWE is leaving things much closer to the expiration date before entering talks. 

 Dijak in WWE

Dominik Dijakovic was initially offered a contract from WWE in January 2017, but that offer was pulled following a legal threat from ROH, who still had him under contract. The following month, Dijakovic opted not to re-sign with ROH, and his signing with WWE was confirmed by the company that September. 

Initially part of the NXT brand, Dijakovic was one of the gold brand’s prominent stars but failed in efforts to capture the NXT and NXT North American titles. In September 2020, he was revealed as a member of Retribution under the name T-Bar, which he’d continue to use after the group’s split in early 2021. In 2022, Dijakovic returned to WWE NXT, now dubbed Dijak. His most recent match saw the veteran defeat Joe Gacy in a No Disqualification match at last weekend’s NXT Vengeance Day event. 

Dijak recently had some choice words for fans spamming WWE NXT Superstar posts with pro-Cody Rhodes messages… 

Former New Japan Pro Wrestling superstar Kazuchika Okada has the wrestling community buzzing as he enters free agency. It was revealed on January 18 that he would be leaving NJPW and is looking to find a new home. 

 It’s speculated that he will either go to WWE or All Elite Wrestling after his contract expires. Okada is seemingly keeping his decision private as he figures out where he wants to sign. 

However, the Japanese wrestling outlet Monthly Puroresu reported on January 23 that they’ve spoken to sources close to Okada, who shared he’s expected to sign with WWE. Furthermore, Puroresu shared that, instead of starting on the main roster, he would compete on WWE NXT, similar to how his friend Shinsuke Nakamura began his WWE career. 

Although it’s worth noting Okada hasn’t publicly made a decision, fans started thinking of potential matches for him in WWE NXT. One talent that fans asked about facing the ‘Rainmaker’ is Dijak, who isn’t enthusiastic about the potential matchup. 

In response to fans’ interest, Dijak downplayed the idea of facing Okada on Twitter unless it came with bigger stakes. 

“I don’t give the slightest sh*t about wrestling Okada unless he’s the NXT Champion, so you can take your fantasy booking nonsense and go F yourself with it,” wrote Dijak

It’s unclear if Dijak is responding in character or if he feels this way. He is currently focused on becoming an NXT Champion but is also involved in a feud with Joe Gacy. If Okada were to join WWE NXT, he’d seemingly be another opponent that would stand in Dijak’s way of becoming champion. 

That said, AEW is confident they’ll sign Okada instead. 

Conflicting Reports On Kazuchika Okada Free Agent Status

Although Puroresu reported that Okada is seemingly WWE-bound, other outlets have shared that AEW believes they will be with them soon, including recently Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer. 

Meltzer reported on January 26 that “…The last word was that he had not made up his mind. I know people here(AEW) range from hopeful to, I’d perceive as confident he will be coming. If he was to sign, the likely arrival would be around the Greensboro show with his final New Japan date on 2/24.” 

It seems nothing is yet set in stone as both companies look to sign Okada. As of now, potential dream matches will have to wait until the former NJPW superstar decides. 

Drew McIntyre Mocks CM Punk

CM Punk made his WWE in-ring return earlier this week with a win over Dominik Mysterio, but his ring attire was underwhelming. Since his planned trunks didn’t fit, Punk wore plain black trunks he brought as a spare. In a video on social media, Drew McIntyre mocked the Best in the World for this awkward wardrobe malfunction. 

“He seems to have forgotten his gear, he was wrestling in under tights, so looked pretty stupid.”

For @DMcIntyreWWE, the #WWELive Holiday Tour all leads to a battle with @WWERollins for the World Heavyweight Title at #WWERaw Day One.

? dmcintyrewwe | TikTok pic.twitter.com/07WWyzl9W8

— WWE (@WWE) December 28, 2023

Dijak Takes Credit

This week’s WWE NXT saw the gold brand continue to build towards the upcoming New Year’s Evil show. The show pulled in an impressive 670,000 viewers, which is respectable considering it happened on Boxing Day when viewerships across TV take a dive. On Twitter, Dijak, who competed in the main event against Eddy Thorpe, was pleased to take credit for the impressive number. 

DIJAK once again huge unbelievable breathtakingly massive draw CONFIRMED.

Also handsome. pic.twitter.com/jtj7SpkS31

— DONOVAN DIJAK (@DijakFYE) December 28, 2023

Changes to NXT Broadcasting

Next year, WWE NXT will begin airing on the CW Network and leave its current home on the USA Network. This week, it was announced that the gold brand has been axed from TNT Sports, which is how it is broadcasted in the UK. The show began airing on Sky Sports and later BT Sports (now TNT Sports) in January 2020. 

The Undertaker’s Mount Rushmore

The Undertaker is on many people’s Mt. Rushmore of wrestlers, but who is on the Phenom’s rankings of the greatest stars of all time? On his Six Feet Under podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer named Arn Anderson, The Rock, Ric Flair, and Dusty Rhodes as his Mt. Rushmore. 

WWE has many ideas floating around, but not every concept comes to fruition within the company. One such discarded idea involved a faction inspired by Antifa, which WWE swiftly abandoned.

Mace joined WWE in 2016 and marked his main roster debut in 2020 as part of the Retribution faction. Unfortunately, the plans for this group, led by Mustafa Ali, were inadequately conceived. 

During a conversation with Denise Salcedo on Instinct Culture, Mace shed light on the initial concept behind Retribution. He disclosed that WWE initially envisioned the group resembling Antifa but decided against it due to the potential controversy that would have ensued.

“[Where did the pitch come about? When did you think of it? How did you feel being part of Retribution?] There was no pitch. If you remember correctly, the initial appearance of Retribution was a bunch of extras because there were a bunch of like really small guys at the time. That’s why, that’s actually how I ended up being in it. There were a bunch of little small guys that were extras. They had no idea who they wanted them to be from what I understand. And I think they were trying to do an Antifa thing. I think that was the idea.“

“But at the same time, it’s a very big company. There’s not really much room for controversy anymore. So, at some point they were like, ‘Yeah, maybe we shouldn’t. But we already did this big angle and we need to kind of finish it in some capacity.”

What Is Antifa?

Antifa is short for “anti-fascist.” The group emerged with roots in various political ideologies, united by a shared opposition to fascist and far-right ideologies. Operating primarily in response to perceived threats of fascism and white supremacy, Antifa often employs direct action methods to counter such ideologies. 

Members of Antifa groups emphasize decentralized, grassroots organization, with no formal leadership structure. The movement’s tactics include protest, direct action, and, at times, confrontations with those they perceive as promoting fascist ideologies.

WWE may have considered making Retribution fall in line with this idea, but they went in a different direction.

WWE’s Wild Booking Of Retribution Stable

WWE didn’t make Retribution a politically-charged angle on television, but that doesn’t mean they had a plan in mind. 

WWE started that Retribution angle during the pandemic, with no live crowds or pay-out planned. This stable was a Vince McMahon vision from the beginning, and it did create interest during their early stages.

I was told at the time that Vince McMahon was mostly writing the angle on a week-to-week basis. This is why things changed so much about the faction, how many members there were, and who were even under the masks, until the big reveal.

Notable members included current AEW talent Mercedes Martinez, NXT standout Dijak, former NJPW star Shane Haste, and SmackDown’s Michin. Despite their introduction in August 2020, the faction disbanded seven months later with very little fanfare, and without giving Mustafa Ali much of a chance to really lead the stable.

Tape up your knuckles because next week WWE NXT is going “underground.”

In a promo for his upcoming fight against Dijak next week, Eddie Thorpe says that ropes can’t contain the two’s intensity and he wants to do it in a ring without one. He wants to settle the score in a concept that used to be briefly popular on WWE Raw: the two will go mono-a-mono in an Underground match.

LET'S GO!!!@EddyThorpe_WWE has challenged @DijakWWE to an #NXTUnderground Match!#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/XAwdlxKfXt

— WWE (@WWE) December 20, 2023

NXT Underground Returns

From a storyline standpoint, the “Underground” concept was brought in by Shane McMahon and was brought to WWE television during the global pandemic. “Underground” never took place in a WWE arena or the “ThunderDome,” but rather went down in an open warehouse, giving everything the intended “Fight Club” feel of it all. There were also no pins and had more of a MMA execution to it rather than your conventional wrestling match.

Shane  originally introduced “Underground” on the August 3, 2020 episode of Raw and the concept only lasted eight weeks until Vince McMahon decided to scrap it. However, some battles did take place that involved names like Bobby Lashley, Braun Strowman, Titus O’Neil, Riddick Moss and even Dolph Ziggler. 

Ziggler had a memorable run with Underground as he faced Lashley and several others where the impending free agent got to utilize his impressive collegiate wrestling background.

During the pandemic, NXT did happen to do a bout that could be considered somewhat similar to Underground as Matt Riddle took on Timothy Thatcher. Like Underground, the match didn’t have ropes, but instead of open space there was a cage around the ring. Kurt Angle happened to be the special guest referee for the contest.

Last Saturday, Dijak challenged Wes Lee for the NXT North American Championship at NXT Vengeance Day.

While he came up short in his quest to get the title and suffered a gruesome looking injury, he is doing something really cool. Dijak wore a custom entrance jacket that read “Reach for the Sky” in red font.

He tweeted “At Vengeance Day I was very proud to honor the legacy of my friend Jay Briscoe.” Dijak announced that he will be auctioning off the jacket with 100% of the funds going to the Pugh (Briscoe) family.

Bid on Dijak’s jacket

In addition to the entrance-worn ring jacket, the auction winner will also be followed by Dijak on a “social media platform.” The silent auction is open until 10 PM ET on February 14.

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To place a bid, go to this Facebook page for details. You can also submit your bid at maniaclubauctions@gmail.com.

Dijak tweeted on February 15 that $3000 was donated directly to the Pugh family. He also thanked Triple H, Shawn Michaels, WWE, and NXT for allowing him to honor his friend.