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Tag: Dijak

  • Donovan Dijak Talks MLW Experience, Teaming with Bishop Dyer & Facing The Good Brothers

    It has been a grind for Donovan Dijak, who is working a demanding schedule. And he wouldn’t have it any other way. The 38-year-old enjoys being booked and busy with the former WWE superstar dedicating a lot of time to Major League Wrestling. For the veteran who first impressed fans first in Ring of Honor and then on WWE’s NXT, it’s an environment to prove himself all over again. Not to mention having a hand in elevating the brand to new heights. 

    “It has been tremendous. Growth, that’s exactly what we’re going for in MLW and achieving over and over again,” Dijak said. “It seems like I’ve been there for about 14 months now. In that time, the progress of more shows, more territories, more platforms we’re going to be presenting.” 

    The imposing figure also cites collaborations like with Danny McBride’s Don Gato Tequila for MLW’s next special on November 20 as an example of moving things forward. Not to mention the card deal with Panini. Dijak takes pride in being an ambassador for the promotion as one-half of the MLW Tag Team Championship. He shares the gold with partner Bishop Dyer. 

    “He is obviously outstanding,” Dijak said of the former Baron Corbin. “His is the continuation of his reinvention of himself in the same way and same process I’ve reinvented myself. There was this perception of both of us, especially as sort of main roster members on WWE programming. I think that leans into this perception of the big man in professional wrestling, which was quite frankly deserved in the 1990s and the early 2000s. This isn’t to take away from the great big men out there like The Undertaker and JBL, who are some of the greatest wrestlers of all-time. For everyone one of those there was 10 big lumbering, can’t do much, less is more types.

    “I never liked the saying less is more. I much prefer the saying I took from Tommaso Ciampa. He said get more out of less. I’ve always subscribed to that as a wrestler and trainer. To me, that doesn’t imply I\’m not going to do anything. It implies if I’m going to do something, I’m going to get a lot out of it. I think that should be the mindset. I think that should be the mindset of Bishop Dier. I think that’s not the mindset of myself. We’re not these big lumbering guys that we’re big and not going to do anything. We still do all the exciting maneuver and moments and all the components of professional wrestling. I think that is kind of the test now in 2025 where the bar is so high. It almost seems like a bar achievable for big men. You have to have these high octane matches. I think he and I have proven throughout our career, certainly the past three or four years of our career, that we can both meet and exceed the level smaller wrestlers are doing just as effectively.” 

    As a student of the game, Dijak appreciates how MLW provides a mix of old school fundamentals and mentality with a high-octane, car crash, anything goes approach. That unique blend will be on full display during the next live special when Dijak and Dyer, collectively known as The Skyscrapers, defend against Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson, collectively known as The Good Brothers. This match is part of one of the most star-studded cards in MLW history. 

    “I think what’s going to make us stand out a lot from what a lot of other tag teams are doing with their tag divisions is we have the size and experience to put on some of the best spectacle, as well as technical ,as well as explosive tag team matches possible,” Dijak said. “There is nowhere else in the world you’re going to get a tag team match with three guys who are all 6 \’7 or 260 pounds or bigger. That doesn’t exist in today’s pro wrestling landscape….”

    For Dijak, it’s all about looking ahead and not the rearview. He contends he doesn’t do anything wondering what WWE thinks. Rather than a chip on the shoulder, the athlete makes it a goal to be the best professional wrestler he can. 

    “If you get bogged down in the world of professional wrestling and worrying about what someone else thinks, what the booker thinks, or what a company thinks of what I’m doing, then you’re going to get completely blindsided and sidetracked with that through process,” Dijak explained. 

    He continued, “because the reality of the pro wrestling business is it’s not as performance based as fans want it to be as much as wrestlers want it to be. We all wish and hope that what pro wrestling is whoever does the best is going to be rewarded. That makes sense. That’s how football works. That’s how basketball works. The best get the championships and things like that. Pro wrestling is a business. And business models are different than sports models. At the end of the day timing is a massive factor, money is the bottomline and ultimate factor, any decision is going to be based on those things in deciding how good you are and how well you\’re doing, which isn’t to say those things aren’t completely irrelevant. But pro wrestling is a huge pie chart. If you get bogged down in those details and worry about what someone else thinks of me, you’re going to get lost in the shuffle. I only focus on myself, and right now, for myself, MLW is the complete focus because they are investing in me so I will reciprocate that to them tenfold.” 

    The husband and father of two young children credits his family for being “completely on board” with whatever decision he makes. At the same time, he doesn’t hold any grudges against WWE or is he seeing any…retribution (sorry, I couldn’t resist). When it comes to former colleagues experiencing their own journey post-WWE, some transitions haven’t been as easy. Among them being Luke Menzies. The former Ridge Holland’s contact was allegedly terminated early before it was set to expire due to what the company considered a breach of his agreement due to recent social media posts. At the same time, Menzies has been sidelined with an injury and recovering. The former rugby player felt he had been “hung out to dry” by WWE and worried about being unable to pay his mortgage as a result. A GoFundMe was started without income coming in. Dijak thinks Menzies is in a tough spot. 

    “It’s a spot that quite frankly I think about myself sometimes in that I’m an independent contractor right now,” he said. “I have no guaranteed contracts or guaranteed money or anything like that. So, if I get injured…I was training at the New England Pro Wrestling Academy last night because like I said this is my passion. Being in the ring is my passion. If I tear my ACL, knock on wood and hopefully that doesn’t happen, in training last night, I’m not going to make my booking on Saturday. I have a booking in the South on Saturday and a booking in Mexico on Sunday with CMLL. Obviously, I can’t do those with a torn ACL. Then that number one question comes up again of how do I provide for my family? The answer is we’ve got to find a way to figure it out.” 

    Dijak quickly clarified that line wasn’t “throwing shade at Luke.” He described him as a “smart dude.” 

    “He is a friend of mine, so I know he is going to figure it out,” Dijak added. “It’s unfortunately these pro wrestling contracts, as much as we don’t want to admit it, they’re a gamble. You’re kind of rolling the dice and hoping it works out for you. Sometimes it works out great. There are a lot of people making a ton of money in WWE being featured very well. Sometimes it doesn\’t. For me, fortunately, I never looked past how fortunate I was in my WWE run, both healthwise and in terms of how long I was there, the presentation I was given, and the fact that when my contract ended I could wrestle right away. I was very thankful for all of those things. Luke is in a position unfortunately where he can’t do some of those things. I think he is out for I think six or seven months. 

    “That’s not a great spot to be in, but I do know Luke is an unbelievable wrestler. He is incredibly talented, and I know he is going to find a way, especially after those seven months to get back in the ring and perform at a high level and bring back that income to his family. The great part is there are places for him to do that. There are lots of options and great opportunities for him. He did have a run where he was a recognizable name as a professional wrestler at this point in his career. He has some huge hurdles to overcome, especially over the next seven months, but I have no doubt in my mind he is going to do that because he is a very perseverant individual and smart individual. I know he loves and cares for his family very much, so I know he is going to persevere.” 

  • Bishop Dyer on MLW Run, Facing Satoshi Kojima, Family Life & Coffee Business

    Bishop Dyer remains motivated as ever to prove he can hang with the best pro wrestling has to offer. The former WWE superstar known to fans as Baron Corbin for 13 years works to reinvent himself in the next chapter of his career. He didn’t waste any time making his presence felt in Major League Wrestling starting at Battle Riot VII.

    “I’m doing it backwards,” Dyer said of his journey. “I think for the most WWE talent, at least a vast majority of it, they did the independent scene prior to coming to WWE. That’s how they built their name. That’s how they built equity in their character and social media to get the attention of WWE. Whereas I was lucky and fortunate to get a tryout and made it that way. 

    “So, I never got to experience the wild west, if you will, of the independent scene. For me, when my career ended, I know I missed a lot in that aspect. I wanted to wrestle in some of these bigger independent companies because there is a ton of talent on these rosters, especially when you look at an MLW roster. The list of talent they have is amazing. It’s up-and-comers, it’s guys that are independently established, and true legends like [Satoshi] Kojima.” 

    The veteran considers himself lucky to be able to control where he works. This includes dates on the independent scene. His criteria for taking bookings comes down to how a particular promotion treats their talent and takes care of them. Dyer decided to work for MLW due to the way the company tells stories across continuous programming rather than just one-off matches. Controlling his schedule has also helped the dedicated husband and dad be home more. 

    “My wife works full-time. She owns her own company, so she is very busy as well,” Dyer explained. “When I was on the road with WWE, she would work five days a week. Then she’d come home to be a mom because I would be gone. A lot of times too I’d be gone on the weekends, which really sucked for her. When we’re doing full tours, I’m leaving the house Thursday, and coming home Monday or Tuesday. She works all week and has to keep the kids entertained Saturday and Sunday. They are young, 3 and 6, so they are busy bodies. For me to be home, I’m taking two shows a month, relatively. I told myself I would really enjoy this year and pump the brakes on things and be a part of it all. I’m very good at home at being that family man and being with my kids because that’s all that matters to me at the end of the day.” 

    He continued, “So, now I’m getting to take my kids to school every day, picking them up every day. It’s elevating a lot of stress from her. It’s also giving me a lot of joy because I get to be here and a part of everything. I’m not missing birthdays, school functions, and school events. Those kinds of things. I really do it as a blessing. Having the ability to go and wrestle twice a month, it doesn\’t bother them like it used to when I was leaving every single weekend. They are excited for me. They are excited when I\’m telling them who I’m working and where I’m working. I’ll show them videos of the guys because they are so used to the WWE thing and just know the main names. My daughter asked about John Cena all the time like they’re friends, which is hilarious. I think they are excited. I think with that too, if I’m doing shows in fun places, I can bring them and stay a few days. Like my wife\’s favorite thing to say now is we can plan things.” 

    Outside the ring Dyer has also been able to explore his other interests. Whether it’s providing cook tips on TikTok or winning 14 gold medals through ju-jitsu, the performer is living his best life. Adding to his other business ventures along with working as an analyst and host for Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 on Sirius XM is a budding coffee business. 

    “It’s called Open Air Coffee where we sell through ecommerce, but I\’m building a facility in Tampa,” Dyer said. “I have 8,000 sq. ft. and I’m building a coffee roastery, a community roastery for all the coffee shops in the area, even Orlando…We’re doing something cool here. With that, not having that WWE paycheck consistently, it can add some stress when you’re financially building a company and things like that. It can be stressful, but I have the time to do that now. Also, exploring new things.. 

    “We’re also getting to go to more concerts now, which I love so much because we can plan stuff again. Having that freedom to do my thing is really fun and allows me to be creative again. When you’re in that cog of WWE, the creativity of the talent gets lost a little bit. Someone else is writing the stories and helping you evolve your characters where as now, especially in the wrestling world I can do it all myself. I’m building the ‘Nomad’ Bishop Dyer. I can wear what I want to wear. I’m not wearing weird suit vests and stuff like that. I’m really getting to do me and be creative from social media to food to coffee to jiu jitsu to planning activities with the kids.” 

    Dyer has enjoyed his time in MLW, reconnecting with Dominik Dijak to form The Skyscrapers. Together the two imposing figures won the MLW Tag Team Championship alongside their savvy manager Saint Laurent. 

    “Working with Dijak is great because we were sharing the ring before in NXT,” said. “We were both grinding and always trying to better ourselves. When I got the email about the plan and that they were going to put me and Dijak together as a team as The Skyscrapers, instantly I smiled because what a really cool ode to the past. They do a great job of incorporating things from the past. 

    “Pairing me with him and giving us The Skyscrapers name, I was worried at first. But it has gotten a great reception. People love it because we have the same type of aura if you will. We’re big dudes who can move. We’re very athletic. We can be very violent and physical with our opponents. It’s a really cool thing. Having Saint Laurent as our manager, it’s extra heat poured on. I’ll take as much as I can get. We do a great job with that. It’s fun and exciting, but it’s nice too at MLW because you’re not pigeonholed to just that tag team. I’m also competing in the Opera Cup where I’m facing Kojima. I’m getting to do multiple things with one company with 95 percent of the roster I’ve never worked with.” 

    Dyer still remains a fan, watching pro wrestling across the board weekly. Not only to stay on top of things for his “Busted Open” work. He is proud to see his former tag team partner Bron Breakker continue his ascent to the top in WWE. 

    “I like him in The Vision, but I don’t like him in The Vision,” Dyer explained. “I think he is such a star. He carries so much personality, athletic ability, and with what he can do in the ring he is truly special. Obviously, I’m partial to him because we created The Wolf Dogs, and that woke a lot of people up to how good I am as well. We were doing some pretty incredible matches, and I think I did a good job bringing a little bit of personality out. Not just being the tough angry guy, but having fun with it. I think it helped him evolve. We bettered each other. So, when I see him in the background of a group because you have [Paul] Heyman, Seth [Rollins], Becky [Lynch], and then Bronson [Reed] and Bron are a step behind them. 

    “He is not a background player. I know it’s buying time and getting him reps, but you kind of just put him in another tag team. He is a singles star all the way through. The day he turns on Seth I’m going to be so happy whenever that happens because I think he is going to headline a WrestleMania at some point. I love supporting him and what he is doing and the stuff he is putting out there. He is out of his mind, and I love it. He does these crazy things, and I’m just like just be safe. It’s exciting. It’s fun to support guys.” 

    Despite WWE deciding to part ways with Dyer, he still has love for his former employer. The 41-year-old is grateful for the opportunities given. He stays in touch with colleagues there to catch up and share news like getting to wrestle the legendary former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima coming up at Slaughterhouse on October 4. The Long Beach event will air on YouTube and beIN Sports. 

    “When I found out I was wrestling Kojima, I’m texting [CM] Punk, I’m texting Finn Balor,” Dyer said. “Guys who appreciate it. It was really cool to get that response from them of how cool that is that I get to do this now.”  

    The talent is looking forward to stepping up against Kojima. Wrestling in Japan is also on Dyer’s to-do list because he finds his style likens to theirs. 

    “For me, it’s a test of am I as good as I think I am and I feel like I would have a lot of success over there,” Dyer said. “This will be a test to say yeah you will or keep working. It’s one of those things. I’m always under the mindset I can get better every day. I was training at Nattie’s gym Wednesday continuing to get better. I’m always bouncing ideas off of TJ [Wilson] because I want to make sure I give him the best opponent I can give him being the legendary he is. I think it’s definitely a place to plant my flag and say I’m for real. I respect him and look up to Kojima as a superstar and the things he has done and the physicality he brings. 

    “He has beaten countless people by a clothesline. That’s as old school and rough as it gets. For me, it\’s an honor to step in the ring with him, but when the bell rings, I’m going to set all of that aside and we’re going to fight. This is to continue to the next level of the Opera Cup. That’s the ultimate goal, to walk away with that. If I have to put Kojima down in the process, I will. And I will give him his respect afterward and prior to. But between those bells, this is what we do. We’re prize fighters in a sense and will go to war. For me too, I think it will open people’s eyes that Bishop Dyer is for real. That I’m just not some WWE guy. He is out here making a name for himself, accomplishing big things, and continuing to further his career between those ropes.”

  • Full WWE NXT 2024 End-Of-Year Awards Results

    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 Questions Legality Of WWE Contracts: Something Needs To Be Done

    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.\”

    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.

  • Dijak Shares Backstage Forbidden Door Photo After Sudden WWE Exit

    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.

  • AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 Rumors: Everything you need to know

    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

  • Dijak Teases AEW Forbidden Door Appearance

    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

  • 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.

    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 Leaving WWE, Says Company \’Stonewalled\’ Attempts To Negotiate A New Deal

    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.

    \"Dijak

    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 [email protected].

    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.

  • Wrestlers & More Raise Over $28,000 For Popular Soft Ground Wrestling Uganda Promotion

    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. 

    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. 

    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. 

  • WWE Draft 2024: Supplemental Picks Take Place After 29/4 Raw, NXT Star Called Up

    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. 

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

    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. 

    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. 

  • NXT Stand & Deliver: Oba Femi Will Defend North American Title In Triple Threat Match

    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.

    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

  • Dijak Grateful To Triple H & Shawn Michaels, Waited to be Fired as T-Bar

    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. 

  • Top WWE NXT Superstar\’s Contract to Expire Within A Matter of Months

    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… 

  • Dijak Downplays Potential Match With Kazuchika Okada

    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. 

  • McIntyre Mocks CM Punk, Undertaker\’s Mt. Rushmore, Dijak Takes Credit & More

    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.”

    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. 

    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 Abandoned Idea Of Giving Retribution An Antifa Gimmick

    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.

  • NXT bringing back WWE Raw concept match next week

    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.

    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.

  • Dijak Auctioning Off Entrance Worn Jacket to Benefit Pugh Family

    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

    \"Dijak

    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.

    Randy Orton Taking Steps Toward WWE In-Ring Return

    To place a bid, go to this Facebook page for details. You can also submit your bid at [email protected].

    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.