Nikki Cross may be aligned with Damage CTRL, but the group isn\’t ready to welcome her as a member just yet.
Cross returned to WWE programming on the October 24, 2022 Raw, reverting to the unhinged persona she had used in NXT.
The former Raw Women\’s Champion has ditched her Superhero character and the Nikki A.S.H. name.
Damage CTRL
Despite attacking Bayley during her return, Cross has been on the same side as the Role Model and Damage CTRL since then.
At WWE Crown Jewel, Cross interfered to help Dakota Kai and IYO SKY recapture the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Championships from Alexa Bliss and Asuka.
Fightful Select reports that on WWE\’s internal listings before this week\’s Raw, Cross was not listed as a member of the stable.
On this week\’s Raw, IYO SKY defeated Dana Brooke, while Bayley, Kai, and Cross were ringside, though Cross did not seem interested in what was going on in the ring.
WarGames
Cross is not an official member of the Damage CTRL stable, but she will soon be entering WarGames with Bayley, Kai, and SKY.
On Raw, it was confirmed that Rhea Ripley will be joining the four for WWE\’s upcoming Premium Live Event.
The group will face Raw Women\’s Champion Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Mia Yim, and one final teammate yet to be named.
While it is believed that Candice LeRae will be the final member of the group, that has yet to be confirmed on TV.
CM Punk\’s AEW career may continue for months to come, even if he isn\’t featured on Television.
Punk debuted in AEW last year after a seven-year hiatus from wrestling following his controversial exit from WWE in January 2014.
After explosive comments made on the All Out 2022 post-show media scrum, as well as a backstage fight, Punk has been suspended from the company.
Punk Staying?
It has been reported that AEW seeks to buy out the remainder of Punk\’s contract and release their problematic two-time former World Champion.
Reports of Punk\’s exit come at a time when it is reported that WWE is trying to lure \’Stone Cold\’ Steve Austin back for one more match.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that \”issues\” may prevent the long-anticipated Punk Vs. Austin match.
“If you’re looking for the match that’s going to shake up the business, the Punk match is the one. But I don’t know that Punk will have a release [from his AEW contract.] There’s just a lot of issues there.”
Dave Meltzer.
Austin has been sharing workout videos over the past week and looks in shape for another match.
19 years after his WrestleMania 19 loss to The Rock, Austin competed at this year\’s WrestleMania with a win over Kevin Owens.
Could Punk Return?
As soon as reports began that AEW could cut Punk, rumors circulated of a WWE return.
Last month, it was noted that WWE\’s Head of Talent Triple H has \”softened\” his stance on Punk, and that the two could make amends.
Punk and WWE have been very hostile against each other since Punk\’s 2014 walkout.
Yet another prominent star from All Elite Wrestling is reportedly dealing with an injury.
This year has seen several top names from the promotion go down hurt, including CM Punk (twice) and Bryan Danielson.
Adam Cole has been out for months due to a concussion, while \’Hangman\’ Adam Page is also on the shelf.
This week, it was reported that Abadon suffered an injury while competing at an indie event.
Luchasaurus Injured
Luchasaurus is just the latest AEW star to have been bitten by the injury bug, according to Bryan Alverez.
During the latest Wrestling Observer Live, Alverez suggested that the former AEW World Tag Team Champion has injured his right arm.
“This Luchasaurus is hurt. I don’t know if you noticed, but he did a left-armed chokeslam. He’s hurt. I don’t know how long he’s been hurt, but he’s been hurt for a while now. Hopefully, it’s not something serious.”
Bryan Alverez.
Despite this reported injury, Luchasaurus is scheduled to face Jungle Boy at Full Gear this weekend in a Steel Cage match.
Luchasaurus Vs. Jungle Boy
In 2019, mere months into AEW starting, Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy would form the popular Jurrasic Express, and would capture the World Tag Team Championships in January of this year.
Later recruiting Christian Cage, Jurassic Express would lose the titles in July, and Cage would turn on Jungle Boy, with Luchasaurus also turning on Jungle Boy.
At Fyter Fest Week 2, Luchasaurus turned on Christian Cage to realign with Jungle Boy, but this proved to be a short-lived team, and turned on Jungle Boy again at AEW All Out.
\”That\’s what I said [in response to Van Vliet saying Banks and Saraya should wrestle.] I really wanted to have that match with Sasha. I wanted to have that rematch with her, because we have that built-in story. So I really wanted that.\”
Saraya added that Banks was one of the first people she told after doctor\’s cleared her to wrestle, as The Boss had stressed for years over the injury.
Despite being in different companies, Saraya remains optimistic about a rematch.
\”One day I\’ll have my match with Sasha [Banks.]\”
Saraya.
Banks\’ Absence
Even if Saraya was still with WWE, a match with Banks would be unlikely at this time, given the latter\’s suspension.
Sasha Banks (and Naomi) haven\’t been seen since walking out of the May 16, episode of Raw over a creative dispute.
Speaking about Banks, Saraya said that it is great to see Banks try her hand outside of the ring.
\”She\’s going down her own path and stuff now, she\’s doing her own thing. You don\’t know where she\’s going to be, she has an exciting life going on right now. I\’m very pleased [for her.] She\’s building her career outside of wrestling too. It\’s awesome.\”
Banks has been building her portfolio outside of wrestling, launching her own CBD Oil company with ex-Superstar Kalisto, and appearing in Disney+ hit \’The Mandalorian.\’
Britt Baker
On last week\’s AEW Dynamite, Saraya not just confirmed that she is medically cleared, but added that she\’ll be facing Britt Baker at Full Gear 2022.
Ahead of arguably the most important match of her career, Saraya had plenty of praise for the former AEW Women\’s World Champion.
\”Now I get to face Britt [Baker.] I\’ve always wanted to face Britt, and in this brand-new company as well. The crazy part is that she\’s always been a big fan of mine… She\’s a fan of mine so it is cool that I get to have my comeback story with her and she\’s so supportive, so I\’m excited. I\’m excited.\”
AEW Full Gear 2022 will take place this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Out of the Ring
Though she is cleared to wrestle, Saraya will not be 100% focused on her wrestling career at this time.
Outside of the industry, the former Divas Champion has plenty of opportunities and projects which she plans to keep working on.
\”I\’m still focusing on things outside of wrestling and still building Saraya up as the brand, rather than [just] Paige and being a wrestler. I\’m still in the mindset of still building that, but it\’s so good to be in the mindset that I can do something I\’ve been in love with my whole life.\”
Outside of wrestling, Saraya has a successful Twitch channel, and launched her own brand of clothing and cosmetics during her retirement.
Viscera was a long-term member of the Ministry of Darkness, but he wasn\’t recruited into the group due to his in-ring ability.
The group was founded in October 1998 and was led by The Undertaker until its end in September 1999, when the Phenom went on a hiatus from WWE programming.
Members of the group included Paul Bearer, the Acolytes, the Brood, and Mideon, and the group would later unify with the Corporation to form the Corporate Ministry.
Recruiting Viscera
Once known as Mabel, Viscera was abducted by the Ministry during the 1999 Royal Rumble, and later reintroduced under his darker persona.
Speaking in an interview with Monte & The Pharoah, Ministry alum Mideon admitted that Viscera was recruited because The Undertaker didn\’t want to face him.
\”He was a giant human being, but he was a little reckless sometimes. When ‘Taker was doing The Ministry, ‘Taker was like, ‘We’re gonna bring Viscera in.’ I’m like, ‘Why?’ He goes, ‘Then we don’t have to work with him.’ I was like, ‘F*cking genius!’\”
Mideon.
After being released the following year, Viscera would return to WWE in 2004 as the \’World\’s Largest Love Machine.\’
In 2007, his character would change again to \’Big Daddy V\’ before his final release from WWE in 2008.
Avoiding the Match
The Undertaker had no interest in facing Viscera, but we can hardly blame the Phenom for avoiding the match.
In 1995, Mabel attacked The Undertaker, hitting the future WWE Hall of Famer with a series of leg drops.
Instead of hitting the Undertaker\’s chest, Mabel struck the Phenom in the face, resulting in a broken orbital bone.
This botch earned Mabel significant heat backstage and would go on to lose to The Undertaker in a Casket Match at In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings.
Mia Yim made her return to in-ring competition on this week\’s WWE Raw, but some fans were far more interested in her husband.
Yim returned to WWE last week by attacking Rhea Ripley and has aligned herself with the O.C. in their war with The Judgment Day.
Formerly Reckoning of Retribution, Yim was released from WWE in November 2021 as part of mass releases due to \’budget cuts.\’
Yim on Raw
After returning to Monday Night Raw last week, Yim faced Tamina Snuka in her first match back this week.
During the match, some fans in attendance in Louisville, Kentucky chanted for Swerve in Our Glory, referencing Keith Lee\’s AEW tag team with Swerve Strickland.
Lee, a former NXT and NXT North American Champion was also released in November 2021 over budget cuts.
Later in the show, Yim would be announced for Team Belair at Survivor Series WarGames.
The chants for Swerve in Our Glory can be heard at 1:28 and 1:54 in the video below.
Yim Outside of WWE
Mia Yim is back with WWE, but did plenty during her time away from the promotion.
In February 2022, Yim married Lee in a ceremony officiated by WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley.
Yim returned to Impact Wrestling in May 2022 at the Under Siege event, having previously worked for the company as \’Jade.\’
Yim would challenge for the Impact Knockouts World Championship on multiple occasions but would always come up short.
Yim\’s final match saw her face Taylor Wilde in a losing effort, mere weeks before her WWE return.
With a truly-historic 2022 coming to an end, the wrestling world is looking ahead to 2023, and what will happen over the next 12 months.
With January approaching, WrestleMania season is drawing near, and with WrestleMania comes the Hall of Fame.
Many of wrestling\’s biggest stars have already received the nod, but not everyone and these are some of the huge names yet to go in.
5: The Great Muta
The Great Muta will retire from wrestling in 2023, but will he soon become a WWE Hall of Famer?
Right now, the Great Muta is on his retirement tour, after a truly iconic career in wrestling.
Considered by many to be one of, if not the greatest Japanese wrestler of all time, Muta has held gold with AJPW, NJPW, WCW, and Pro Wrestling NOAH, among others.
Away from titles, Muta has been an inspiration for so many wrestlers, yet a WWE Hall of Fame induction continues to allude the legend.
On January 1, Muta will compete against WWE\’s Shinsuke Nakamura, in a rare example of WWE allowing one of their stars to compete elsewhere.
Could a Hall of Fame induction have been part of the deal for Nakamura? Perhaps, but whether that happens or not, Muta is worthy of the induction.
4: Owen Hart
The Blackheart, Owen Hart will likely never be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame due to his tragic death in 1999.
It\’s nothing short of a crime that for many wrestling fans (and non-fans alike) Owen Hart will be best known for his final moments.
Hart\’s tragic passing at the Over the Edge 1999 event has forever cast a shadow on a career certainly worthy of the Hall of Fame.
In this instance, it is Owen\’s widow, Martha Hart, who has rejected calls from WWE (and fans) to induct her husband, holding the company responsible for his death.
While Martha has been more open to wrestling this year, even appearing for AEW at their Double or Nothing Pay-Per-View, a relationship with WWE remains non-existent, so don\’t expect to see the Rocket receive the nod next year.
3: Batista
The Animal was announced for the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020, but later pulled out because of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
When Batista broke into the wrestling business, it came at a time of his life when many would be considering winding up their careers.
Undeterred, the Animal not only became a wrestler but a six-time WWE World Champion, along with a handful of Tag title reigns.
Unlike many on this list, we know that Batista will be inducted, as he was announced in 2020, but pulled out due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It\’s understandable, the Animal was worthy of headlining the ceremony, and the 2020/2021 dual induction would not have been right.
With The Undertaker headlining this year\’s Hall of Fame, expect Batista to receive the long-awaited honors next year.
2: The Rock
The Brahma Bull electrified fans for years, but why is he not in WWE\’s Hall of Fame.
The Bramha Bull. The People\’s Champion. The Great One. The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment.
Whatever you call him, Dwayne Johnson should be called a WWE Hall of Famer.
Frankly, it\’s baffling he\’s not already been given the nod, and we can only imagine one reason for why either he\’s said no, or WWE has refused to put him in.
Either Rock, WWE, or both, believe he\’s not done in the ring.
It\’s hardly a secret that WWE wants the Great One back, with many predicting the long-awaited match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.
Will that match happen? At this time it\’s difficult to say, but one thing we know for sure is that Dwayne Johnson is Hall of Fame bound.
1: Vince McMahon
McMahon changed the wrestling world, but his exit from WWE earlier this year could cause problems for an induction.
When fans think of the biggest star in wrestling, they may conjure names like Hulk Hogan, \’Stone Cold\’ Steve Austin, John Cena or even Roman Reigns.
Well none of these names would have reached the heights they soared to without Vince McMahon.
Of course, a McMahon induction is problematic, thanks in part to his controversial exit from WWE in July over allegations of misconduct.
As wrestling fans have made clear, they don\’t forget. Just ask Hulk Hogan and the chilly reception he received at WrestleMania 37 in his home state of Florida.
There is perhaps no bigger name in wrestling who is more deserving than any induction than Vince McMahon, but whether it will ever happen is another matter entirely.
So huge names from the world of professional wrestling left empty-handed after competing at a show for New Evolution Pro.
The event, which took place on November 13, saw prominent names including Ultimo Dragon, Josh Alexander, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Naomichi Marufuji, and Alberto Del Rio appear.
Fightful Select reports that these stars were told that there was no money for the show and that they would not be getting paid.
Medical Emergency
The rightly-irate wrestlers were informed that the promoter of the show had to leave early, due to what was called a \’medical emergency.\’
Instead of payment for appearing, the talent was told to split the profits from meet-and-greets between them.
Fightful reports that Josh Alexander had to \”chase down\” the promoter who had money on him.
When counted, it came to $14,000 less than what was owed to the roster.
Pro Wrestling NOAH
In the report, it\’s added that talent from Pro Wrestling NOAH was not paid and that the promotion will have to chase down the money.
Despite this, Nakajimi, Marufuji and Dragon all worked hard despite missing their payday.
The main event of the show saw a six-man-tag, pitting Alexander, Ricardo Rodriguez and Alberto Del Rio against Ultimo Dragon, Nakajima and Marufuji.
Post-Match
After the match, Del Rio cut a promo saying nobody was getting paid, which while not exactly true, did highlight how nobody was getting near what they were owed.
Fightful adds that some of the talent signed free autographs to help out the crowd.
The promoter reportedly insisted fans pay him via Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App, and there was no point of purchase for actual tickets.
All Elite Wrestling\’s Jay Lethal is going to be sticking with the company for the long haul according to recent comments by Lethal himself.
Lethal debuted for AEW one year ago at the Full Gear 2021 Pay-Per-View and has aligned himself with Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh.
Before arriving in AEW, Lethal competed for Ring of Honor and holds the record for the most combined days as Ring of Honor World Champion.
Staying in AEW
Lethal is a well-traveled wrestler, having competed in AEW, ROH, and Impact Wrestling, among other smaller promotions.
Now that he\’s with AEW though, Lethal is ready to settle down, as he told Kurt Angle on the Olympian\’s podcast.
\”I’ll be at AEW until the company closes, they let me go, or they fire me, because, to me, in wrestling, if I’m going to put my body, my life, and my career on the line for you, I’ve got to appreciate and love you. There is some bond between us and I’m going to try my hardest to not ever break that bond.\”
Lethal has certainly been booked prominently since arriving in AEW, and will compete at this weekend\’s Full Gear event.
The man once called Black Machismo will team with Jeff Jarrett to face Darby Allin and Sting in Double-J\’s AEW in-ring debut.
What Could Have Been…
Lethal is happy with his role in AEW, but is aware that things could have been much different.
Speaking about his sense of loyalty, Lethal believes he would not have tried to leave either Ring of Honor or Impact had things been different.
\”My dad and I have always talked about being loyal and wrestling and not just going to the highest bidder.\”
\”I would have been in IMPACT Wrestling, I believe, to this day if they didn’t let me go. Ring of Honor, if they didn’t close down, I would still be wrestling for them to this day.”
Jay Lethal.
In late 2021, Ring of Honor temporarily ceased operations due to costs, and resurfaced in March 2022, now owned by AEW President Tony Khan.
The crowd in Dubai may not be interested in seeing Guevara competing in pro boxing, but that is the reported plan.
After Guevara was announced for the Global Titans event, Dave Meltzer reported that the show\’s promoters are hopeful that Guevara will compete at a future show.
The former AEW TNT Champion does not have any professional fighting experience.
Guevara in AEW
Joining AEW in February 2019, Guevara is a record-tying three-time AEW TNT Champion, an accolade he shares with Cody Rhodes.
Once part of the Inner Circle, Guevara is now part of the Jericho Appreciation Society.
The Spanish God\’s actions out of the ring have also been noteworthy, as he engaged in an altercation with Eddie Kingston earlier this year, and was more recently attacked by Andrade El Idolo.
Guevara\’s most recent match came on last week\’s AEW Dynamite, where he lost to Bryan Danielson in a two out of three falls match.
Sami Zayn was conspicuous by his absence on this week\’s episode of SmackDown on FOX.
The show saw The Usos successfully defend their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against the New Day, and celebrated after the match with Roman Reigns.
Tomorrow, The Usos will officially reach the record for the longest-reigning WWE Tag Team Champions of all time, eclipsing the New Day.
Zayn\’s Absence
Zayn was nowhere to be seen during SmackDown, despite often being a highlight of the show.
WWE explained Zayn\’s absence as due to \’personal reasons,\’ which may, unfortunately, be tragic.
Mustafa Ali will be competing in the SmackDown World Cup Tournament, despite being a Raw Superstar.
The tournament kicked off on this week\’s SmackDown, with Mexico\’s Santos Escobar defeating Japan\’s Shinsuke Nakamura.
The United States\’ Braun Strowman qualified for the semi-finals with a convincing victory over Jinder Mahal who is representing India.
Mustafa Ali
Ali is one of eight names in the tournament and is the only one who is a Raw Superstar.
The former Retribution leader has been feuding with United States Champion Seth Rollins in recent weeks, and there has been speculation over his roster status.
When Fightful Select asked sources within WWE, they were told that Ali is still a member of the Raw roster, and is expected to work both shows during the tournament.
Ali was a last-minute replacement for Rey Mysterio, who was pulled from the tournament for unspecified reasons.
Mustafa Ali, who is representing Pakistan, will face Ricochet (USA) in a first-round match on next week\’s SmackDown.
The SmackDown World Cup
The SmackDown World Cup Tournament Trophy was revealed this week.
In addition to Ricochet Vs. Ali, next week\’s SmackDown will also see Sami Zayn (Canada) taking on Butch (England.)
Michael Cole noted on commentary that the SmackDown World Cup Tournament will take place over three weeks, meaning it will conclude on the November 25, SmackDown.
That show will also be the go-home event for Survivor Series WarGames.
The winner of the tournament will receive a Championship match at Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, likely on the Premium Live Event.
The SmackDown World Cup Trophy was revealed on last week\’s SmackDown.
The iconic NWA World Heavyweight Championship is now in the massive hands of Tyrus who captured the gold at Hard Times 3.
Last night\’s Pay-Per-View saw Tyrus win the gold in the main event from Champion Trevor Murdoch, in a match that also included Matt Cardona.
Cardona had held the NWA World Title earlier this year but vacated the gold due to a biceps injury.
This marks Tyrus\’ first World Championship win.
Other title changes on the show saw Clearwater defeating AJ Cazana to win the Television title and Kerry Morton defeating Homicide to win the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title.
Road to the Gold
Tyrus captured the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Hard Times 3, defeating Trevor Murdoch and Matt Cardona.
Tyrus first challenged for the NWA World Championship at NWA 74: Night Two in August of this year, but was unsuccessful.
The former WWE Superstar earned the title match at Hard Times by cashing in the NWA World Television Championship, which he had successfully defended seven times.
Outside Influence?
Tyrus\’ victory at Hard Times 3 is by far the biggest victory of his career, but his push to the top may not be entirely down to wrestling.
Earlier this week, Fightful Select reported that his appearances on FOX News have helped his popularity immensely, and have led to him being the most-purchased Major Bendie figure released in the Major Pod line.
Tyrus appeared on Greg Gutfeld’s “Gutfeld!” program and plugged the action figure, which apparently led to a boost in sales.
Tyrus began appearing for FOX in 2016, and was promoted to his own show \’Nuff Said in 2019.
In the report, Fightful added that a custom-length NWA World Championship had been designed, presumably to match Tyrus\’ size.
Green was called up to WWE\’s main roster in late 2020 but suffered a hand injury during her first match on SmackDown.
Despite being released, she was allowed to continue attending WWE\’s Performance Center while her hand was healing.
Speaking earlier this week, Green rejected the idea of going to AEW and said that she had maintained a great relationship with WWE\’s Head of Talent Relations Triple H.
WWE WrestleMania 39 will be a star-studded event, and we\’re not just talking about the Superstars who\’ll be competing.
WrestleMania 39 will take place on Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2, marking the fourth year in a row WrestleMania will be over two nights.
The show will air from the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, marking the seventh time WWE\’s biggest event of the year will be in the Golden State.
Celebrities
WrestleMania and celebrity culture have been intertwined since the very first event in 1985, which saw Mr. T, Liberace, Muhammad Ali, Cyndi Lauper, and others on the show.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it\’s reported that WWE wants a lot of celebrity involvement in the show, given that WrestleMania 39 will air from Hollywood.
WWE wants a lot of mainstream attention for WrestleMania 39 and believes that this attention will come with celebrities involved.
The Observer adds that WWE co-CEO Nick Khan has several connections with people in the sports and entertainment industries from his time working as an agent.
WrestleMania 39 Plans
WrestleMania 39 will likely see a lot of celebrities appear, but the biggest question now is who?
Depending on whether he is recovered from his Crown Jewel injury, Logan Paul could be on the card, and has teased interest in a match with John Cena.
NOTE: This Article Contains Spoilers for an Upcoming WWE Televised Event. You Have Been Warned!
Fans at last night\’s taping of WWE SmackDown on FOX got an extra treat once the blue brand went off the air.
Last night\’s SmackDown took place at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, and saw WWE continue on the road to Survivor Series WarGames.
The main event of the show saw Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos retain their titles against the New Day.
After the Show
After SmackDown went off the air, WWE filmed their annual Tribute to the Troops special.
The shows results are as follows:
Braun Strowman defeated L.A. Knight.
WWE SmackDown Women\’s Champion Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler defeated Emma and Tamina.
Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, and Ricochet defeated Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, Giovanni Vinci, and Ludwig Kaiser of Imperium.
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson are back with WWE, but only after a tumultuous exit from the company.
The former Raw Tag Team Champions returned to WWE last month to aid AJ Styles in his feud with The Judgment Day.
The pair had been released from WWE in April 2020 as part of the first wave of releases explained as \’budget cuts.\’
Offended
Gallows and Anderson\’s final appearance for WWE before being released came at WrestleMania 36, during the much-acclaimed Boneyard match between Styles and The Undertaker.
Speaking about being released on After the Bell, Luke Gallows explained why it was kind of offensive to be cut after such a popular match.
\”It\’s eleven days removed from this Boneyard match that we got all this praise for. so we didn\’t see it coming. It offended him and it offended me too a little bit. We\’re eleven days out from main eventing Wrestlemania.\”
Luke Gallows.
The match, which would also be The Undertaker\’s final match, saw the Deadman win in the main event of WrestleMania 36: Night One.
A Total Surprise
Gallows and Anderson were one of dozens of names cut in April 2020, which included Matt Cardona, Miro, Kurt Angle among many more.
During the podcast, Anderson explained that when he was called, he did not figure he would be one of the many released.
\”When the Talent Relations person called that day, I saw them ringing my phone. I said \’you must be having a bad day and wanting to hear a good voice.\’ He goes \’well it\’s not so good for you either.\’ I go \’Huh?!\’\”
Like Anderson, Gallows had no idea he was going to be released, even as more names were added to the list of cuts.
\”He [Gallows] doesn\’t even know what\’s going on because he\’s outside mowing his lawn. The guy rings and the HR guy goes \’I just got off the phone with your partner\’ and Gallows go \’why?\’ It just came as a surprise to us.\”
Hitting the Ground Running
Gallows and Anderson\’s departure in 2020 came less than four years after the joined WWE, which in Gallows\’ case, was a return.
Anderson explained on After the Bell that he and Gallows immediately went to work after receiving the dreaded call.
\”Those kind of things set people back for days. But after that first hour, we had CBD Oil, we had a beer, and we had a wine label. We had an Impact Wrestling offer. We had New Japan on the phone. All of this was rocking. By the end of the day, I had almost forgotten what had happened.\”
Gallows and Anderson would return to New Japan, debut for AEW, and compete for Impact Wrestling before their return to WWE this year.
WWE and their gaming partner 2K are appealing a courtroom defeat over the use of Randy Orton\’s tattoos in video games.
In April 2018, artist Catherine Alexander filed the suit, alleging that she was not properly reimbursed for the use of tattoos on the Viper\’s body used in gaming.
In 2015, Alexander submitted applications to register copyrights on each of the tattoos she inked on the former World Champion\’s body.
The Appeal
Last month, after years of delays thanks in part to the Covid-19 pandemic, a jury ruled in Alexander\’s favor.
WWE had argued that the tattoos came under \’fair use,\’ and were necessary to depict Orton in video games.
Despite the lengthy case, Alexander was awarded just $3,750 in damages.
Bandido\’s decision to sign with AEW over WWE was thanks in part due to the wrestler not wishing to relocate to Flordia.
Bandido made his AEW debut during the September 28, 2022, episode of AEW Dynamite, challenging Ring of Honor World Champion Chris Jericho in a losing effort.
In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that Bandido\’s decision was influenced by having a family in Mexico, who would not want to move to Florida.
The belief is that had he signed, Bandido would have gone to WWE\’s Performance Center first and later competed in NXT, both of which are based in Florida.
It was also noted that if/when he was called up to the main roster, Bandido would have far fewer opportunities to spend time with his family than by signing with AEW.
Bandido\’s Contract
Now officially part of the AEW roster, Bandido\’s deal is reported to be the standard three years, typical for now AEW signings.
The Observer adds that Bandido has a \”maximum number of dates,\” which is more matches than most AEW wrestlers work in a year.
It was also noted that the maximum number of matches an AEW star can do a year could change if the promotion introduces house shows.
Alexa Bliss has had many characters during her years with WWE, and that\’s expected to continue if the former Women\’s Champion has her way.
Bliss debuted for WWE in 2013 and is a former Raw and SmackDown Women\’s Champion, a WWE Women\’s Tag Champion, and a one-time 24/7 Champion.
More recently, Bliss has been aligned with Raw Women\’s Champion Bianca Belair and Asuka in their war with Damage CTRL, and the two teams will face off inside WarGames.
Going Through Changes
Bliss has undergone several changes since her debut as a glitter-loving babyface, and that trend is likely to continue.
Speaking to Sebastian Hackl of WWE Deutschland, Bliss explained that her current character on TV is something she hopes to change.
\”I think about it [changing her character] a lot more recently because I don’t really know where I’m at right now when it comes to character-wise.
\”So I think about like, ‘Man, I’ve been eight to nine different personas in my career. I tried to always evolve, and I am actually trying to even change from what I’m doing now.”
Bliss captured the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Titles last week (her third reign overall) but she and Asuka lost the titles days later at WWE Crown Jewel.
Bliss\’ Personas
It was on the July 24, 2013 episode of NXT that Bliss would make her on-screen debut and would remain a glitter-loving face who wore a tutu to the ring.
Turning heel in 2015, Bliss would align with Blake and Murphy (she was dating Buddy Murphy at the time) and would often associate cosplay with her attires.
This trend continued upon her call-up to SmackDown in 2016 as a heel, where she would be compared to DC\’s Harley Quinn for her colorful hair and persona.
After a run as \’The Goddess\’ Bliss would miss months of action due to injuries and would adopt various roles, including being WWE\’s head of the Women\’s division.
Bliss\’ biggest character change came in 2020 when she became her \’Dark Alexa\’ persona and aligned with Bray Wyatt.
Earlier this year, Bliss ditched the Dark Alexa character, though some believe it will return now that Wyatt has been rehired by WWE.
Anthony Ogogo is an established fighter, but that hasn\’t translated into TV time on AEW Dynamite or Rampage.
Ogogo joined AEW in 2019 and comes from a boxing background, having won Silver at the 2010 New Dehli Commonwealth Games and Bronze at the London 2012 Summer Olympics.
A 2017 fight resulted in one of Ogogo\’s eye sockets being fractured and he would be forced to retire from professional boxing years later.
I Just Want to Wrestle
In March 2021, Ogogo would make his AEW TV debut and would immediately enter a program with Cody Rhodes.
Despite the prominent feud, that saw Rhodes win at Double or Nothing 2021, Ogogo has all but vanished from AEW TV.
Speaking to Fightful, the Olympic Bronze medalist reflected on how little he\’s been featured over the past 18 months.
\”I just want to wrestle. I want to get good and have time. I just want to be on TV and show people how hard I\’m working and how good I can be.\”
Anthony Ogogo.
Ogogo added that he\’s being \”patient\” and continues to make appearances for indie promotions and PROGRESS Wrestling.
Everything has Changed
Ogogo was away in the UK from June 2021 to December 2021 dealing with his passport and visa issues, after both items were stolen during his time in the States.
Speaking about his return to AEW, the British star explained how nothing is quite the same as it once was.
\”When I came back, everything had changed. They signed Bryan Danielson, the best wrestler who has probably ever lived, they signed (CM) Punk and this, that, and the other person.
\”The whole landscape changed. Cody left, me coming back and doing something with him, that was gone because he\’s not there. Everything just changed and with me, I think I\’m such a unique talent that it\’s hard to know what to do with me.\”
Ogogo\’s most recent match for the promotion saw him defeat Luke Kurtis via knockout on the August 21, 2022 taping of AEW Dark.
Tonight\’s episode of SmackDown will have a touch of class added to the broadcast as Lacey Evans will be making her return to TV.
PW Insider reports that Evans will be part of a six-pack challenge, with the winning earning a title shot at WWE Smackdown Women\’s Champion Ronda Rousey.
The Sassy Southern Belle will face Xia Li, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Sonya Deville and Shotzi.
This will mark Evans\’ first match in close to two months, and only her third televised match since July.
Evans\’s Wild Year
In 2021, Evans was on the cusp of becoming Raw Women\’s Champion, before she was pulled from programming due to her pregnancy.
Mere months after giving birth, Evans returned to SmackDown on the April 8, episode, initially as a babyface.
The former U.S. Marine spoke about being a mother and her time serving her country but was moved to Raw shortly after and as a heel.
Before she could appear in person on the red brand, Evans was moved back to SmackDown, and despite being listed as a heel, returned as a face.
After failing to win the Women\’s Money in the Bank briefcase, Evans would turn heel once more, attacking Aliyah.
SmackDown
Evans\’ return to TV isn\’t the only big thing coming to tonight\’s SmackDown in Indianapolis.
It\’s been confirmed that the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos will put their titles on the line against the New Day.
The SmackDown World Cup Tournament will also begin tonight.
Shinsuke Nakamura will face Santos Escobar on the show, and there will also be an appearance by Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
Cena\’s thriving Hollywood career has kept him away from the ring, with his most recent televised match taking place all the way back at Summerslam 2021.
John Cena has faced some of wrestling\’s biggest names at WrestleMania, including Bray Wyatt, The Rock, the Big Show, and Shawn Michaels, but who is next for Big Match John?
4 – Austin Theory
Is the long-rumored Cena-Theory match destined to happen at WrestleMania?
To many people, the most obvious choice for WWE, a match between Cena and Theory makes a lot of sense.
It was earlier this year that the two teased a feud, with both men throwing shade at one another on social media.
At the time, fans predicted that a match at Summerslam 2022 was bound to happen, likely for the U.S. Title Theory held earlier this year.
That of course didn\’t happen, and while he\’s confident the Cena match will come in time, Theory has been on a downward spiral since then, recently failing in his Money in the Bank cash-in attempt.
At just 25 years old, Theory is a star WWE could get a lot out of for years, possibly decades to come, but they need to have that big win.
A match with Cena would be a fantastic mix of generations, and if Theory was to get the win, would set the cocky heel back on track on his road to the main event.
3 – Logan Paul
Logan Paul wowed fans with his gutsy performance against Roman Reigns at WWE Crown Jewel 2022.
Fans may love him or hate him, but there\’s no denying Logan Paul\’s talent in the ring.
In just three matches, Paul has shown that he can hang with full-time WWE Superstars, and he could soon be sharing the ring with John Cena.
Cena\’s thriving Hollywood career and Paul consistent YouTube fame would guarantee the match mainstream exposure, something WWE always wants, especially for WrestleMania.
The story would not need to be too complex, and while WWE could go with a heel Paul disrespecting the legend, the feud would also work as face vs. face.
It could be as simple as Paul saying that he wants to prove himself by facing the best, and boom! John Cena storyline, and Paul recently tweeted interest in the match.
The big question however is Paul\’s recent injuries, which are expected to keep him out for the foreseeable future, and could force him to miss WrestleMania.
With that said, Cena himself became known for recovering from injuries at a near super-human rate, and if Paul can match that, then this unlikely dream match is a possibility.
2 – Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER
2022 has been the year of the Austrian powerhouse GUNTHER, who could have a war with John Cena.
As anyone who watches SmackDown will know, 2022 has been the year of GUNTHER.
Debuting on the blue brand earlier this year, the Austrian quickly captured the Intercontinental Championship and has held on to it with an iron grip.
Of course, GUNTHER\’s rise to prominence has come during Cena\’s hiatus from wrestling, but a match between the two would be a spectacle.
The clash of styles alone would make this a potential Match of the Night, and the story would play into Imperium\’s quest for respect for wrestling.
This match is more than wishful thinking, however, as like Paul, GUNTHER has also addressed rumors of a match, and is all for facing Big Match John.
Should he hold the Intercontinental title that long, there would also be the possibility of John Cena finally winning the gold and becoming a Grand Slam Champion, one of a select few accolades not on his resume.
GUNTHER\’s title reign has done wonders to bring prestige back to the Intercontinental Championship, and having the biggest star of the past two decades would certainly add to that.
1 – Randy Orton
It\’s been over five years since the two veterans faced off. Will WrestleMania 39 mark the end of one of WWE\’s biggest feuds?
All matches so far are never before seen bouts, but what if WWE wants an opponent Cena is VERY familiar with?
Holmes and Moriarty. Batman and The Joker. Some opponents are made for each other. Orton and Cena are such a pair.
Fans may groan at the idea of seeing YET ANOTHER Cena-Orton match, but bear in mind that it\’s been five years since their last bout, and close to nine years since their last match at a Premium Live Event.
Cena and Orton are two of WWE\’s biggest stars, and a rematch (especially one billed as their final collision) is worthy of WrestleMania.
But there\’s another reason why this match makes sense for WrestleMania 39: Time.
As we\’ve seen, Cena isn\’t around as much these days, and it\’s not impossible to think that WrestleMania 39 could be the last time he competes at WWE\’s flag-ship show.
There\’s also questions that need to be raised about Orton, who\’s missed most of 2022 with an injury, and is expected to miss the rest of this year.
If WWE wants one final epic Cena-Orton match, then the window of opportunity is closing, and WrestleMania 39 could be a fitting send-off for one of the biggest feuds in wrestling.
Who is winning the war between WWE and All Elite Wrestling? Well in the UK, it\’s hard to tell.
In May 2019, months after launching, AEW announced a partnership deal with ITV for their weekly programming and Pay-Per-Views to be aired.
After ITV Box Office ceased operations in January 2020, the promotion\’s Pay-Per-Views were no longer streamed by the broadcaster.
The Ratings
During this week\’s AEW Dynamite, it was announced that the promotion will host its first UK event next year.
The UK is known for its wildly passionate fanbase, as the success of WWE Clash at the Castle can attest.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that AEW is consistently improving in the ratings thanks to a new timeslot.
\”Because the ratings have been good, ITV 4 [AEW\’s host channel] decided to move it to 9 pm every Friday night. That is a regular time slot. It won\’t be revolving around. What happened the first couple of weeks is the new timeslot, the numbers were way down. Not way up, because people didn\’t know about the timeslot change. But every week the ratings have gone up and up and up.
\”Last week, they set their all-time record rating, not just for that time slot but since Dynamite has been on the air.\”
Popularity
Typically, ratings can tell you what is the more popular show, and this metric can often shape future deals for companies.
As Meltzer explained, this isn\’t the case with the UK, as WWE remains the more popular show despite what the numbers say.
\”Ratings and popularity are not the exact same thing. Because they are on a station that is stronger in England than WWE is, as far as exposure, their ratings dwarf WWE in England. WWE just ran in Cardiff and did 53,999 paid attendance and an $8 million house, and AEW is not going to do that. AEW\’s ratings dwarf WWE but WWE is more popular in England, and by a significant margin.
\”In this case, the ratings do not tell you which is the more popular promotion, even though more people by far watch Dynamite than any other show. More people watch Rampage than watch Raw or SmackDown in England.\”
It is unclear when exactly in 2023 AEW will make their UK debut, while WWE\’s next events in the UK will be in April next year.
Another NWA star is done with the promotion just days after Nick Aldis announced his intention to leave when his contract is up.
Aldis, arguably the NWA\’s biggest star since its 2017 revamp, made his announcement last week and has been suspended from the promotion.
The two-time former NWA Worlds Champion has been openly critical of NWA President Billy Corgan who he claims disrespected Mickie James ahead of and after NWA Empowerrr.
Taryn Terrell
Aldis\’ contract with the NWA will expire in January 2023, and Taryn Terrell is also set to leave the promotion.
Fightful Select reports that Terrell gave her notice last month, and has expressed concerns about the lack of direction in the show.
Terrell, who worked as Tiffany in WWE\’s ECW, wrestled in ten matches during her time with the NWA.
Her most recent match saw Terrell and Natalia Markova lose to Max the Impaler in a handicap tag match on the August 31, NWA USA Taping.
When Fightful reached out to Terrell, they were unable to get a statement, and NWA did not confirm if she is leaving when asked.
Injury
Taryn is unhappy with the promotion\’s direction moving forward, but that isn\’t the only issue with the company.
Terrell is also said to be unhappy with how the company reacted when she suffered a head injury during a match.
It is unclear which match Terell suffered her head injury in or how the injury happened.
The 36-year-old had hoped to finish up her remaining dates with the company but is unable to.
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