SEScoops

Author: Mike Reichlin

  • Brian Pillman Jr. Excited For AEW Debut This Week On Dark

    Brian Pillman Jr. is set to debut for All Elite Wrestling this week on AEW Dark.

    Pillman has spent the past few years working for Major League Wrestling (MLW). He is a former MLW Tag Team Champion as part of the new Hart Foundation team with Davey Boy Smith Jr.

    The 26-year-old second-generation star is still under contract with MLW. His contract allows for him to work with AEW. The fight league has temporarily suspended live events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Brian Pillman Jr. was in attendance at last week\’s AEW TV tapings from Jacksonville, FL. He tweeted a photo of the Fyter Fest stage.

    Attending an AEW event is one thing. Wearing your ring gear is another. This photo with Le Champion Chris Jericho led to speculation that Brian Pillman Jr. will be gracing an AEW ring soon.

    Brian Pillman to Debut for AEW

    AEW has since confirmed that Pillman will make his AEW debut this week on Dark. He will face Shawn Spears.

    In an interesting note of trivia, Pillman, the son of a former member of the Four Horsemen, faces a man who is managed by Tully Blanchard, a founding member of the legendary faction.

    Brian Pillman Jr. says this match is quite literally the biggest opportunity of his life.

    Catch Brian Pillman Jr.\’s AEW debut this Tuesday on AEW Dark.

  • EC3 Puts AEW Talent On Notice In Latest Video

    EC3 is back with his latest \”Control Your Narrative\” video.

    In this installment, EC3 delivers another monologue challenging viewers to think and fight for themselves. \”You are more than elite, you are free,\” he says.

    EC3 makes not-so-subtle references to no less than 20 AEW performers. He references an American Nightmare, an inner circle, young bucks, a dark order, an omega, the elite and a \’con.\’ The video ends with an All Elite Wrestling logo projected on the wall behind him.

    EC3 was part of the mass wave of WWE releases that took place in mid-April. He will be a free agent in just a matter of weeks.

    https://www.facebook.com/therealec3/videos/the-narrative-07012020/271568364072797/

    You can spend your life letting the world tell you what to do.
    Dictate your path.
    Choose your fate.
    Do you decide your future or is it chosen for you?

    We are in an unprecedented time. From lockdowns, to quarantines, to turmoil in the streets. It’s truly an American nightmare.

    From coast to coast, from Maine to SoCal, uncensored chaos and confusion reign. When you go outside it feels like you’re in the jungle…

    You fear the revolt is coming for you if you don’t subscribe to the popular opinion, adhere to the group think, you feel like you are left out to hang…

    The natural state of things has fallen into this dark order, and you plug away, day after day like a gear in a F’n machine.

    Society is BROKEN

    These are the times you keep your inner circle small.
    You don’t have best friends.
    You can only trust yourself.

    Age doesn’t matter whether you are an old man or a young buck now is the time For you to speak your truth

    you stand tall
    exalted
    rise like a phoenix
    carry yourself with moxie
    and seal it with a sunny kiss.

    These bastards may criticize you, mock you, cancel you hell they might imitate you.

    But it’s never the end.
    Never apologize.

    There is never an omega if you are an alpha.

    Now, you Think for yourself
    Now, you Fight for yourself
    Now, you control your narrative

    If you don’t, you’re just part of the con.

    You are more than elite, you are free.

    They have been warned.

    #ControlYourNarrative
    #FreeEC3

  • Major SPOILER For Next Week\’s NXT Great American Bash

    A major spoiler for Week 2 of NXT\’s Great American Bash has leaked online.

    AEW and NXT are putting on special events this week and next. AEW is hosting Fyter Fest, while NXT presents the Great American Bash. You can see results from Week 1 of both shows here:

    The main event of next week\’s NXT will see a rare champion vs. champion clash. It\’s \”winner takes all\” as NXT Champion Adam Cole and NXT North American Champion Keith Lee with both put their titles on the line.

    The match has already been taped. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, WWE taped both weeks of the Great American Bash on Wednesday. The result of Adam Cole vs. Keith Lee has been leaked online and can be read below.

    \"\"/

    Keith Lee defeated Adam Cole to become the new NXT Champion.

    NXT star Saurav posted a photo on his Instagram story spoiling the result of the match. The post has since been deleted.

    As seen below, a big celebration took place after the match with confetti and \”champ champ\” Keith Lee standing talk with both belts.

    Big congratulations to the new NXT Champion, Keith Lee!

    \"\"

  • Calvin Tankman Signs Multi-Year Deal With MLW

    Calvin Tankman has signed with Major League Wrestling. This is a multi-year agreement, according to a press release sent in by MLW. He officially put pen to paper last month and has been training for his eventual debut.

    Tankman is a Division 1-recruited football player. He stands at 6\’2\” and weighs in at 355 pounds. The super heavyweight possesses a dangerous move-set and uncanny agility for a man of his stature.

    MLW CEO Court Bauer had this to say about the league\’s latest high-profile acquisition.

    “Calvin caught my eye for his athletic explosiveness and versatility as a competitor,” said Bauer. “There isn’t anyone like Calvin Tankman in the sport today and it is our privilege to share this extraordinary competitor with the world.”

    Calvin Tankman also had some things to say about the next chapter of his carer. Billed as a \”one-man rampage\” that fuses power wrestling, brawling and high-flying, Tankman already has his eye on some of MLW\’s top stars.

    “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to show what I can do at the next level and MLW has given me that opportunity,” said Tankman. “I want the money, championships, and everything MLW has to offer and I don’t care who I have to go through to get it. It doesn’t matter if it’s Fatu, Hammerstone, or anyone else on the roster when I step in the ring, I’m going to prove that I’m one of the best young wrestler in the world.”

    • MLW Signs Streaming Deal With DAZN

  • Sammy Guevara Suspended From AEW Without Pay, Will Undergo Sensitivity Training

    All Elite Wrestling has announced disciplinary action for Sammy Guevara to address comments he made about WWE Superstar Sasha Banks several years ago.

    During a 2016 podcast appearance, Guevara made some highly inappropriate remarks about WWE Superstar Sasha Banks. You can hear what Sammy said in the media player embedded below:

    Guevara received a wave of backlash on social media for the comments. He issued the following statement apologizing profusely for what he said. \”I’ve made stupid, inappropriate and extremely offensive comments in my past,\” he began. \”In my idiotic mind, I thought I was being funny in using words and terms that represent nothing but horror and pain. I am truly sorry for my hurtful words and actions, and I will never forgive myself. I’ve made stupid, inappropriate and extremely offensive comments in my past. In my idiotic mind, I thought I was being funny in using words and terms that represent nothing but horror and pain. I am truly sorry for my hurtful words and actions, and I will never forgive myself.\”

    AEW acted promptly and suspended Sammy Guevara without pay. During his time away, Guevara will undergo extensive sensitivity training. His status with the company will be reevaluated upon completion of the program. AEW will be donating his salary during that time to a women\’s shelter in Jacksonville, FL.

    \”AEW insists on doing our part to create a world of understanding and respect for humankind. We therefore strongly condemn the extremely offensive and hurtful words of Sammy Guevara. As such, effective immediately, Sammy is suspended without pay until further notice. Sammy has agreed to undergo extensive sensitivity training and, upon completion, his future status within the company will be re-evaluated. During his suspension, his salary will be donated to the Women\’s Center of Jacksonville.\”

  • Update On Tom Lawlor Wrestling For NJPW, More MLWxNJPW Crossover


    Former MLW World Heavyweight Champion \”Filthy\” Tom Lawlor is gearing up to make his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling.

    NJPW has announced the launch of Lion\’s Break: COLLISION, a new weekly series that will air on the NJPW World streaming service. The show, which premieres Friday, July 3rd, will spotlight talent new to NJPW\’s US-based presence.

    Tom Lawlor will be representing Major League Wrestling in NJPW in the months ahead. This is more than a one-off appearance for \”Filthy\” Tom, who is confirmed for at least one more match under the NJPW banner.

    SEScoops has learned that there is more to the NJPWxMLW relationship than these two confirmed matches. We will provide more details on this developing situation when they are available.

    The premiere episode of NJPW Lion\’s Break Collision will feature the following matches:

    • Clark Connors vs. Alex Coughlin
    • Jeff Cobb and Rocky Romero vs. TJP and Karl Fredericks

  • Tony Khan: \”This Isn’t a Public Company, I’m in 100% Control of Everything\”

    Tony Khan has a strong team surrounding him in All Elite Wrestling, but the buck stops with him.

    It\’s no secret that Khan is the President of AEW. He is active on social media about all things AEW, but (mercifully) does not appear on television as an authority figure.

    Earlier this week, Tony Khan tweeted that he signed Ricky Starts to an AEW contract after an impressive showing on this week\’s Dynamite.

    Wrestling statistician Craig from Pro Wrestling Musings noted that Tony Khan said \”he\” personally signed Starks, not \”we\” – as in, the company or the wrestlers who serve as AEW Executive Vice Presidents.

    (Full disclosure: Craig has previously served as a correspondent for SEScoops)

    Craig wrote, \”\’I signed\’ not \’We signed\’. Be aware of what you are watching. Yes, it\’s a great product. Yes, it\’s better than WWE morally. But it is not the same product as All In. Be aware of what you are watching. \’For the wrestlers by the wrestlers\’, it is not.\”

    Tony Khan Sets The Record Straight

    Tony Khan responded to Craig taking issue with him stating that he personally signed Ricky Starks. AEW\’s lineage and genesis are linked to the [independent] All In event, but Khan never claimed it\’s the same product.

    \”I\’m transparent on how we work,\” he replied. \”We have a great group of execs in leadership roles, many are star wrestlers, & I work closely with them, & I\’m accessible for all staff & wrestlers. This isn\’t a public company, I\’m in 100% control of everything.\”

    Craig clarified that he is mostly supportive of AEW as a game-changing company. He was simply objecting to the idea of \”the at the top being deified.\” He then asked Tony Khan to help him with all the backlash he was getting on Twitter for his remarks. Khan replied:

  • Aubrey Edwards Working On The AEW Video Game

    The AEW video game is in development, but do not expect to play it any time soon.

    AEW referee Aubrey Edwards was Chris Jericho\’s guest on the latest installment of the Talk is Jericho podcast. During their discussion, Edwards revealed that she is involved in the game\’s development.

    Edwards not sure what she was authorized to reveal, aside from saying that the game is \”very, very early on\” in the development cycle. \”It\’s definitely a way\’s out,\” she said.

    AEW Executive Vice President Kenny Omega, an avid gamer, is also involved. Edwards says she talks to Omega a lot about the project.

    Chris Jericho asked what makes a good wrestling game. They know expectations are high. \”It has to kick ass.\” They are listening to feedback and will give the people what they want. They spoke about the importance of a robust Create-a-Wrestler suite.

    She spent several years working on mobile games and believes that experience will help AEW deliver a great product. WWE\’s release of 2K20 was an all-out disaster. Edwards talked about what went wrong with that game.

    Her gaming console of choice is the Nintendo Switch. She likes that it affords her the flexibility to play from home or while on the road traveling. This bodes well for a Switch release of the AEW game.

    Listen to Aubrey Edwards\’ comments about the AEW video game and much more on the latest episode of Talk is Jericho:

  • Mustafa Ali Moving To WWE\’s RAW Brand

    Mustafa Ali will be competing on WWE Raw when he returns to action. The news was first reported by PWInsider.

    Ali has been off television since February. He was scheduled to challenge for the WWE Championship in the main event of Elimination Chamber. He was pulled from the match after suffering a concussion at a live event, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.

    It was an unfortunate break for the former Chicago Police officer, who was in the midst of a strong push on the SmackDown brand. He first arrived on the scene in WWE back in 2016 during the Cruiserweight Classic tournament. After some time on 205 live, he was called up to SmackDown in 2018.

    There has been speculation that Mustafa Ali is the man behind the SmackDown hacker vignettes that have been airing in recent months.

    Ali\’s move to Raw comes amid the recent shakeup of WWE\’s creative structure.

    Mustafa Ali is still listed as a SmackDown wrestler on the WWE website.

  • New York\’s Nassau Coliseum Shutting Down Indefinitely

    Long Island, New York\’s Nassau Coliseum is shutting down indefinitely, marking a sad day for longtime wrestling fans who grew up with the venue as their home base.

    The arena\’s lease is currently held by Onexim Sports and Entertainment, a company owned by billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. According to Bloomberg, Prokhorov will shutter the venue \’indefinitely\’ while it seeks investors to take over operations and pick up the remaining debt on the building. Arena employees are being laid off.

    The venue has hosted WWE events since 1985. In addition to hosting dozens of live events (1985-1991) and TV tapings (1985-2019), the Coliseum also hosted some notable WWE pay-per-views:

    • Select matches from WrestleMania 2 (1986), including Roddy Piper vs. Mr. T.
    • SummerSlam (2002), featuring Brock Lesnar defeating The Rock to become the youngest WWE Champion in history.
    • Evolution (2018), WWE\’s first all-women\’s pay-per-view.

    A few non-WWE events also took place from the Nassau Coliseum, including the NWA\’s Bunkhouse Stampede pay-per-view (1988) and two episodes of WCW Nitro (1999/2000).

    The arena was closed from 2015-2017 to undergo a much-needed $180 million renovation. During that time, the National Hockey League\’s Islanders franchise played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which has hosted WWE shows in recent years as well. The Islanders are in the process of building a new arena at Belmont Park, which would create another competitor for the Nassau Coliseum, if it ever reopens.

  • Eric Bischoff Reacts to WWE\’s Big Creative Shakeup, Has Advice For Paul Heyman

    Eric Bischoff has some thoughts about WWE\’s decision to consolidate the writing teams of Raw and SmackDown.

    WWE announced on Thursday that Bruce Prichard is now in charge of creative for both shows. The Something to Wrestle host had been acting as the Executive Director of SmackDown, a job previously held by Bischoff. Raw\’s Executive Director, Paul Heyman, will remain with WWE exclusively as an on-air talent.

    Bischoff commented on the dramatic shakeup. He also offered some advice for Paul Heyman. During a conversation with Christy Olson on After 83 Weeks, Bischoff said his initial reaction is to reach out to Bruce Prichard with a cheeky congratulatory message. “My first reaction is I’m going to send Bruce Prichard a text that says congratulations, with a question mark,\” he joked.

    Eric Bischoff says Bruce Prichard is one of his best friends and he fully supports Bruce in this new role. \”Bruce is an architect, more than a creative mind. But Bruce being a good architect will know how to take advantage of the resources within his grasp, and will do a great job.”

    As for Paul Heyman\’s situation, Bischoff\’s reaction was a little more .. mixed.

    \”He’s quirky as shit. He’s got his own thing, you know. Most really creative, highly aggressive people do. Paul was a handful but in a fun and positive way for me, not in a negative or challenging way, but in a way that kind of made you better because he made you think.”

    Bischoff gave some advice to Paul Heyman, who now finds himself on the outside of WWE\’s chaotic creative process.

    \”This too shall pass,\” Bischoff advised Heyman. \”It’ll pass quickly, and there will be another opportunity tomorrow. So just lay low.”

    Bischoff added that Paul Heyman has a cult-like following with wrestling fans to this day. Heyman is an icon to so many people who feels he can do no wrong. Bischoff says that\’s simply not the case and Heyman is \’just a human being\’ like the rest of us.

    \”He’s a very creative talented human being, but he still a human being that has flaws. but Paul is on such a pedestal that I think people tend to give him a little more credit than they should for some things.”

    Watch the latest episode of After 83 Weeks with Christy Olson and Eric Bischoff:

    https://youtu.be/yY1R-fFMeRg

  • Salina de la Renta Returns to MLW

    Salina de la Renta is officially back with Major League Wrestling (MLW). According to MLW, she is now under an exclusive deal with the fight league.

    As the founder of Promociones Dorado, she represents the top stars of Latin America in professional wrestling, other sports leagues, TV and film.

    Salina de la Renta has managed some of Mexico\’s top luchadores, such as LA Park, Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix. She is widely considered one of the most powerful and influential people in MLW history.

    After a reign of dominance in MLW, de la Renta vanished when Promociones Dorado clashed with CONTRA Unit at Saturday Night SuperFight back in November 2019.

    • MLW Signs Streaming Deal With DAZN

    The Empresaria made her shocking return on this week\’s episode MLW Pulp Fusion. Check out her return at the conclusion of the video embedded below.

  • WWE Combines Writing Teams, Paul Heyman No Loner Part of Creative

    Another major shakeup has taken place with WWE\’s writing staff.

    WWE has consolidated the writing teams for Raw and SmackDown. Bruce Prichard will lead the new creative team. He previously served as the Executive Director of the SmackDown brand.

    Paul Heyman, who served as Executive Director of Raw, will not be part of the new writing team. According to the following statement sent in to SEScoops.com, Heyman will focus on his role as on-air talent.

    “In an effort to streamline our creative writing process for television, we have consolidated both teams from Raw and SmackDown into one group, led by Bruce Prichard. Paul Heyman will concentrate on his role as an in-ring performer.”

    Heyman worked as the head of Raw\’s creative effort since June 2019. At the time, Eric Bischoff was named as the leader of SmackDown\’s writing team. Bruce Prichard took over for Heyman in just a few months later in October 2019.

  • Charlotte Flair Not Ready To Start A Family, Has Hollywood Aspirations

    WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair wants to have a big family one day. For now, she wants to focus on her career in the ring and eventually on the big screen.

    Charlotte appeared on Better Together with Maria Menounos this week and talked about her plans to start a family with Andrade. He would be ready to have children soon, but she questions if it\’s the right time. \”I just, I don’t know, when’s the right time? Am I selling myself short not trying to reach for bigger things,\” she asked.

    \”Of course, I think about it, because of my age. But, being able to face Trish Stratus at SummerSlam, and seeing her as a mother of two. And being consider the Greatest of All Time and have the best match on the show, makes me see, you don’t need to worry about when and why and where.\”

    She continued, \”I definitely do [want kids]. I want the whole fairytale. I want three kids. Four Kids. I want all of it. It’s just, I don’t know how. This isn’t just it now, and then I go have kids! I really want to try to be an action figure in a movie, but I don’t know how to write it.\”

    Charlotte Flair Talks Hollywood Plans

    Part of the reason Charlotte avoided appearing on reality shows like Total Divas is because she wanted to keep the door open for a serious career in Hollywood. The exposure would help Andrade build his brand, so maybe they will consider it in a few years.

    When asked if she had a dream movie role in mind, Charlotte revealed she recently watched all of the Marvel movies in order and has a character she could see herself playing.

    \”I just finished all the Marvels in order! It took 3 weeks. After watching the last 22, if I was playing a bad guy, I’d love to be Thor’s sister, Hela, and have a whole film telling her story.\”

    Other topics discussed include regretting not getting into wrestling at a younger age, the most common misconception about her and more.

    Watch & listen to Charlotte Flair on Better Together with Maria Menounos:

  • Trailer & Movie Poster For Edge\’s New Movie Money Plane

    WWE Hall of Famer Adam \’Edge\’ Copeland is set to star in a new action thriller, Money Plane.

    Money Plane is about professional thief with $40 million in debt. With his family’s life on the line, he must commit one final heist – rob a futuristic airborne casino filled with the world’s most dangerous criminals.

    The tag line on the movie poster calls it, \’An explosive casino heist in the sky.\’

    Edge plays the lead character, Jack Reese. The cast also features Denise Richards, Kelsey Grammer, Joey Lawrence, Thomas Jane, Katrina Norman and Patrick Lamont Jr.

    Money Plane is written and directed by Andrew Lawrence. The film is scheduled to be rebased on digital and on-demand on July 10, 2020.

    As seen in the official trailer, Edge is shown kicking all sorts of ass, getting friendly with co-star Denise Richards and preparing to jump out of a plane.

    https://youtu.be/XMaH2pKheH0

    Edge has had a recurring role on the series Vikings, which airs on the History channel.

    The 46-year-old grappler retired from active competition back in 2011 due to cervical spinal stenosis. He made a shocking return at the 2020 Royal Rumble after a 9-year hiatus. He is scheduled to face Randy Orton this weekend at WWE Backlash, a rematch from their singles bout at WrestleMania.

    WWE is touting that Sunday\’s match between Edge and Orton will be the greatest pro wrestling match of all time. The match has already been taped in advance. During a recent interview, Edge revealed that he has mixed feelings about WWE setting expectations so high with the lofty marketing.

    Here is the official movie poster for Money Plane:

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  • CM Punk Calls Out AJ Styles For Previous Insensitive Language

    CM Punk threw some not-so-subtle shade at WWE Superstar AJ Styles on social media.

    CM Punk\’s penchant for speaking his mind is well-documented. Punk has been vocal on social media this week about issues related to the ongoing nationwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality in the wake of George Floyd\’s killing.

    On Friday afternoon, he tweeted the following about other people showing their true colors by expressing their words and actions:

    \”Lotta people snitching on themselves. When people tell you who they are, believe it. Might be unfortunate and disappointing if you\’re a fan of that person, or if it\’s your grandmother, but fuck \’em. Good bye! (I yield my time, fuck you)\”

    Twitter user @titan9 replied to CM Punk and said \’silence speaks volumes,\’ while referencing AJ Styles in particular for not chiming in on current events. Styles has gotten flack for using the \”f\” word (the derogatory term for gay people) over the years.

    @titan9 wrote, \”Seeing AJ Styles promote streams and shit but couldn\’t be bothered to post anything made it clear how he feels. That was a tough unfollow…\”

    CM Punk referenced AJ Styles\’ history of \’insensitive\’ remarks by saying, \”Well. Come on. That one has been obvious for years.\”

    https://twitter.com/CMPunk/status/1268977364102533120

    Punk currently serves as an on-air correspondent for WWE Backstage on FS1.

    CM Punk appeared on this week\’s episode to weight in on the nationwide protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd. You can see footage of the appearance below:

  • Jinder Mahal Undergoes Knee Surgery

    Jinder Mahal underwent another knee surgery this week.

    The former WWE Champion posted a photo on Instagram with his leg bandaged up post-operation. He wrote on Friday morning,

    \”Unfortunately I had to go under the knife again to fix some knee issues. The journey has hit a speed bump, but I will be back stronger than ever.\”

    Jinder Mahal reportedly signed a 5-year contract extension in early 2019. He was injured in June 2019 during a WWE live event. He underwent surgery that month to repair a ruptured patella tendon. Since then, he has been rarely seen on television.

    Mahal returned on the April 27th, 2020 edition of WWE Raw.

    We wish Jinder Mahal a speedy recovery.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CBDkPKvDeoF/

  • AEW Dynamite From Newark, NJ Rescheduled to February 2021

    All Elite Wrestling\’s debut in Newark, New Jersey has been rescheduled once again.

    AEW Dynamite from the Prudential Center in Newark was originally booked for Wednesday, March 25th. This was set to feature the first Blood and Guts double steel cage match between the Inner Circle and The Elite.

    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Newark show was bumped to July 22nd.

    Ticketmaster sent out an email Thursday afternoon announcing the show has been postponed once again. Dynamite from Newark will now take place Wednesday, February 24, 2021.

    Ticket holders have the option of keeping the same seats for February 2021 or getting a refund if they are unable to attend.

    It\’s worth noting that Ticketmaster.com has a full listing of AEW\’s upcoming touring schedule. As of this writing, the first AEW Dynamite outside of Jacksonville, FL is scheduled for Wednesday, August 5th from Boston, MA.

    Other cities still scheduled to host Dynamite this year include St. Louis, Milwakee, Houston, New Orlean and Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Of course, this is all subject to change, based upon the status of the pandemic in the months ahead.

    Here\’s the current AEW road schedule from Ticketmaster:

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  • Arn Anderson Signs New Multi-Year Deal With AEW

    Arn Anderson will be part of the AEW family for several years to come.

    The Four Horsemen alum made the announcement during a special edition of his Coach\’s Corner web series. Anderson said that last year, he told himself that he does not want to be anywhere that he\’s not wanted. This was a reference to his time as a backstage producer in WWE. Today, he does feel wanted in AEW.

    \”I am absolutely thrilled to be here with all this young talent and watch this company blossom into being the platinum of all of our industry,\” he said.

    Anderson feels the next few years will see some big changes in the world of professional wrestling. They plan to \’mix some old in with the new\’ and the AEW product will shine as a result of having capable people working towards their goals.

    Anderson currently serves as the personal advisor and \’head coach\’ to AEW TNT Champion Cody Rhodes.

    In addition to working for AEW behind the scenes, Arn Anderson hosts is the host of the popular Arn Show podcast along with Conrad Thompson.

  • AEW Fyter Fest Will Take Place July 1st & 8th On Dynamite

    AEW Fyter Fest will be a 2-night event taking place next month.

    Fyter Fest Night 1 takes place on the Wednesday, July 1st edition of AEW Dynamite. Night 2 is scheduled for the following week, Wednesday, July 8th.

    There are two confirmed title matches for AEW Fyter Fest:

    • AEW World Champion Jon Mxoley vs. Brian Cage. Cage earned the title shot by winning the Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing. He is not currently ranked in the Top 5 of AEW Rankings.
    • AEW Tag Team Champions Kenny Omega & Hangman Page vs. Best Friends

    AEW President Tony Khan commented:

    The first AEW Fyter Fest took place last year from Daytona Beach, Florida.

    Fyter Fest taking place over two consecutive weeks is a similar format to what AEW did with Bash at the Beach earlier this year.

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  • Impact Wrestling Blocks Talent From Appearing in Virtual Basement Wrestling Game

    Impact Wrestling has blocked its contracted talent from appearing in Virtual Basement\’s upcoming pro wrestling video game.

    Virtual Basement is an indie video game studio developing a 3D wrestling game for mainstream consoles. They have not yet released gameplay footage. However, they have been making noise on social media this year with announcements of wrestlers signing on to be playable characters in the game.

    Follow Virtual Basement on Twitter

    The untitled Virtual Basement wrestling game will featured a wide variety of wrestling stars. Popular wrestling names signed on to appear include Ken Shamrock, nZo, Matt Taven, Brian Pillman Jr, Matt Sydal, Brian Cage, Lio Rush, Eli Drake, Nick Mondo and more.

    YouTuber VikingSizeGamer released this video on June 3 saying that Impact Wrestling has pulled its contracted talent from backing out of agreements to appear in Virtual Basement wrestling. VSG says Impact sent a memo to their contracted talent asking them to refuse to be in the game, even if they already agreed.

    Virtual Basement commented on the situation and said the news is \”sadly true.\”

  • MJF Remains Atop AEW Rankings, Dark Order Bumped From Top 5

    AEW Rankings have been released for June 3, 2020. There was not much movement this week, aside from the Dark Order being bumped from the top 5 tag teams due to inactivity.

    AEW Men’s Single’s Rankings

    AEW World Champion: Jon Moxley (12-0)
    TNT Champion: Cody (10-1)

    1. MJF (6-0)
    2. Lance Archer (5-1)
    3. Brodie Lee (5-1) 
    4. Kenny Omega (4-0)
    5. Darby Allin (6-4)

    Maxwell Jacob Friedman is still the top ranked men\’s competitor in All Elite Wrestling. He is in a strong position to challenge for either the AEW World or TNT Championships.

    AEW newcomer Brian Cage remains unranked, despite wins at Double or Nothing and a squash match last week on Dynamite. Cage will be in action on Dynamite this week. Expect to see him break into the Top 5 in the weeks ahead.

    Cody defends the TNT Championship against Jungle Boy this week on Dynamite. After that, his weekly Open Challenge begins. Keep an eye on Cody\’s record. By wrestling each week on Dynamite, this presents a unique opportunity to add significant wins in the weeks and months ahead.

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    AEW Women’s Division

    Champion: Hikaru Shida (11-1)

    1. Nyla Rose (5-2)
    2. Kris Statlander (4-4)
    3. Britt Baker (4-4)
    4. Yuka Sakazaki (1-1)
    5. Penelope Ford (3-3)

    This week\’s Women\’s rankings remain unchanged. Top-ranked athlete Nyla Rose wrestles Big Swole this week on Dynamite. The result of that match could be a factor in how long she holds on to the ace position.

    Britt Baker is out of action due to injury, which puts her #3 spot in jeopardy. #4 ranked Yuka Sakazaki has also been inactive, so she will probably slide as well.

    \"\"/

    AEW Tag Team Division

    Champions: Kenny Omega & Hangman Page (6-0)

    1. Best Friends (9-3)
    2. The Natural Nightmares (5-0)
    3. Private Party (4-2)
    4. Jimmy Havoc & Kip Sabian (3-1)
    5. Young Bucks (2-2)

    Jimmy Havoc and Kip Sabian broke into the Top 5 rankings this week with and landed in the #4 spot. They will face tag champions Kenny Omega and Hangman Page this week on Dynamite.

    Havoc and Sabian bumped the Dark Order out of the weekly rankings. Evil Uno and Stu Grayson have been inactive due to travel complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Best Friends are sitting pretty as the top ranked tag team in All Elite Wrestling. Expect to see them challenge for the gold soon.

    Keep an eye on QT Marshall and Dustin Rhodes, better known as the Natural Nightmares. They\’ve been racking up wins and are also in contention for a title match.

    \"\"/

  • Christian Returns To WWE Raw Next Week, NXT Preview & More

    – Christian returns to WWE programming next week on Raw. Captain Charisma will be on hand to host a special edition of The Peep Show. His guest will be longtime friend and former tag team partner, Edge.

    WWE is hyping the segment by teasing what Edge will say just 6 days before the \”Greatest Wrestling Match Ever\” against Randy Orton at Backlash.

    – WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg will appear on this week\’s After The Bell podcast with Corey Graves. He will be on hand to discuss NXT Takeover: In Your House. WWE is teasing that Road Dogg will reveal which NXT stars he\’s got his eye on.

    The DX alum and 6-time WWE tag team champion competed at the first WWE In Your House pay-per-view 25 years ago.

    – The following matches are advertised for tonight\’s edition of NXT on the USA Network:

    • El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Drake Maverick in the finals of the NXT Cruiserweight Championship Tournament.
    • Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae

    Catch up on the Top 10 moments from last week\’s NXT:

  • Impact Teasing Former WWE Talent Appearing At Slammiversary


    Impact Wrestling is teasing surprise appearances from former WWE talent at the upcoming Slammiversary pay-per-view.

    Slammiversary is one of Impact\’s signature events. This year\’s installment takes place Sunday, July 18th.

    A promo aired during this week\’s Impact TV letting fans know to expect some familiar faces in attendance.

    The promo, embedded below, shows a shadowy figure watching a news report about WWE\’s mass wave of releases that occurred in April. Footage is shown of EC3, Rockstar Spud, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson and more.

    We already know that former NXT star Deonna Purrazzo is joining Impact. It will be interesting to see which of the stars shown in this promo will be joining her.

    Watch Impact Wrestling\’s Slammiversary 2020 promo teasing former WWE talent below:

    https://youtu.be/9cAls5RN_iM

  • Candice LaRae Talks About Performing Without Fans In Attendance

    NXT star Candice LaRae spoke with PW Insider to promote this weekend\’s NXT Takeover: In Your House event.

    LaRae says she is very excited for Takeover. She remembers watching WWE\’s In Your House pay-per-views with her brothers during the mid/late 1990\’s.

    NXT Takeover takes place from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Even though fans are still not permitted to attend these shows, WWE has placed contracted talent in the audience to simulate crowd noise.

    Candice LaRae gave her thoughts about WWE\’s approach to live wrestling shows without fans in the audience.

    \”I am always trying to be aware of the fact that there are people watching at home,\” she began. \”So once I’m in a match and I’m physically in that moment, they don’t have to physically be there for me personally.\”

    She initially thought it was going to be very difficult to perform without fans in attendance. However, during her recent ladder match, she was not bothered by the lack of fans because there was something meaningful on the line.

    LaRae said the most uncomfortable thing for her about performing without fans is her ring entrance. \”I’m a little bit of a socially awkward person, so having to do an entrance and nobody’s there is very uncomfortable for me,\” she said.

    Even though WWE having NXT wrestlers stand around is not the same as paying customers, Candice LaRae says it\’s still better than performing in silence.

    \”It’s uncomfortable for me a little bit, I’ll admit, when there are fans there. So having the NXT talent all be there and being rowdy or responding how they respond, is just, it helps my entrance. Nothing else. I appreciate that. I feel less awkward.”

    NXT Takeover: In Your House Preview

    The following matches are confirmed for NXT Takeover: In Your House.

    • NXT ChampionAdam Cole vs. The Velveteen Dream
    • NXT Women\’s Championship Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai
    • Tommaso Ciampa vs. Karrion Kross
    • NXT North American Champion Keith Lee vs. Johnny Gargano
    • Finn Bálor vs. Damian Priest

    The show airs live on the WWE Network this Sunday night, June 7th.