Charlotte update, New Table for 3, Brock to Mexico, WWE PPV makes history, WWE+NXT guests, Wiese on WWE debut, 100 cast as WWE stars, top names missing Survivor Series, Bryan to Spain, Orton-Wyatts update, more Dusty Classic results, top international star works NXT live event, and a Question on Corgan suing TNA

Charlotte is now officially Charlotte Flair. It's kind of odd they're using her last name months after she kicked Ric to the curb.

After Raw, WWE will have a new "Table for 3" with Goldust, Booker T., and R-Truth. That should be an interesting mix.

Brock Lesnar is scheduled for WWE's live event in Mexico on December 3. I really hope he brings back the sombrero and mariachi band for that appearance.

Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks made history last night as the first women's match to headline a (main roster) WWE PPV. I have a feeling it won't be the last. It will be interesting to see if this leads to other title matches headlining shows in the future. With so many PPVs in the brand split era, it's not out of the question for a tag team title match, for instance, to get the spotlight every once in a while.

- Sasha and Charlotte tweeted ahead of their major match. 

Chris Nowinski was backstage at Hell in a Cell. He lives in the area.

Korn's Jonathan Davis at the NXT event in Bakersfield, California. That's pretty cool.

Tim Wiese discussed his impending WWE debut. I really hope he makes an impact. He seems like he's got some real potential. I could definitely see him having something of a Scott Steiner gimmick with his size and attitude toward smaller, weaker opponents. 

Some of the cast from The CW's "The 100" dressed as WWE personalities. I bet they wish Smackdown was still on The CW!

Neither John Cena nor Randy Orton are advertised for Survivor Series. Cena will likely be busy with "American Grit," and Orton is likely to get time off to be with his wife and soon-to-be-born child. WWE's really got their work cut out for them getting Smackdown over without those two present at the show. Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg is presumably Raw vs. Raw (unless Shane "signed Goldberg" to get revenge for the attack at Summerslam), so once more Smackdown looks like the "B" show. I wouldn't expect Undertaker to show up on Smackdown's side after his hip surgery, either.

Daniel Bryan is advertised for WWE's shows in Spain on Nov. 11, 12, and 13. I assume he'll just make a match or something. 

At a Smackdown live event in Pennsylvania, Randy Orton posed alongside the Wyatt Family after they distracted Kane during a street fight leading to Orton winning. So, maybe Orton gets left for dead for Survivor Series or something.

At an NXT live event in California:

- TM61 defeated Alexander Wolfe and Sawyer Fulton in a Dusty Classic match

- Authors of Pain defeated #DIY in a Dusty Classic match

- Bobby Roode defeated Kota Ibushi. Cool to see Ibushi working more. Hopefully he ends up becoming a full-timer sometime. 

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com question:

- I definitely think he wanted/wants TNA to succeed for the sake of the wrestlers and the wrestling fans.

- He might just wash his hands of the whole situation if he doesn't get a significant stake of TNA and isn't able to change things. I can't say I'd blame him for taking that route.

- Sounds like their theory is he's filing the suit so even if he doesn't end up with TNA, it at least won't keep going along the path it had been going with Dixie at the helm.

More wrestling tomorrow. 

WWE Hell in a Cell Reax

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw special event.

Query on The Cabinet taking a knee, Aries update, Dusty Classic results, Interviews with Nikki/Dolph, and Questions on what happens if TNA goes bankrupt, Foley's Cell promo, and Corgan's lawsuit

First up, answering a query sent to the blog:
1. The Cabinet in ROH take a knee in reference to the NFL's Colin Kaepernick doing so during the U.S. national anthem as a protest. Their characters are basically saying the system of ROH is against them, etc. I think it's pretty clever; they're doing well in their roles.

Austin Aries was unable to compete for NXT this weekend, so his Dusty Classic match was turned into a one-on-one match between Roderick Strong and TM61's Shane Thorne. Thorne won with a rollup, so TM61 advanced. Aries and Strong would have been my picks to win. Aries should be able to return next week.

The Authors of Pain beat Rich Swann and No Way Jose this weekend to advance in the Dusty Classic. I'm curious to see what the Authors' future holds.

Nikki Bella talked about misconceptions and more:
- The Bellas have definitely benefited from their relationships. Their current stepdad got them hired, They got an initial push for being twins despite being incredibly green, Total Divas got them a spotlight upon returning, Brie got a push from Bryan missing time, Nikki got a push from WWE wanting to eclipse AJ's reign, etc. That doesn't mean Brie and Nikki aren't talented, but they certainly got a lot of help from things unrelated to their ring work.

- It's more than a little upsetting she thinks she should be immune from criticism for feminist reasons. I can support Sasha Banks, etc. for breaking the glass ceiling while still being upset the Bellas were hired with zero wrestling experience and only spent a year training before making it to the main roster.

- Again, Nikki has worked really hard to improve her game and I'd say she's a pretty good wrestler in 2016. That doesn't change her getting a spotlight before she was this level of a wrestler because of reasons unrelated to her in-ring ability.

- I can't say I really want to see a Cena/Nikki teaming on-screen.

Sasha Banks visited at the House of Glory school again recently. That's awesome.

Dolph Ziggler talked about a PPV possibly happening in the UK and more. Leaving because you're not getting "a push" kind of irks me. As for a PPV in the UK, it's possible, but nothing is currently in the works.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Where this bankruptcy would differ from WCW going under is a good number of WCW talents were still under contract to AOL Time Warner and were legally still employees getting paid for the remainder of their deals. If TNA goes out of business, everyone would immediately be free agents to be signed to new contracts by whatever promotion picks them up.

2. I see the comparisons, but this was more "I can barely walk because I went through this kind of match. Be careful out there." than "screw you fans for goading us into doing this crazy stuff." I would pop if Charlotte tried to make the match a whole bunch of headlocks, etc. though. It's tougher to sell the Cell match as dangerous after so many of them get booked so often with people going back to wrestling shortly thereafter.

3. I wouldn't be surprised to see Scherer and/or Johnson honored some day if they keep doing what they do for years to come.

4. No one scripts their promos.

5. I think Corgan definitely wanted to save TNA for the sake of the people there and for the business as a whole, but obviously problems have arisen between him and management during the process. I can see this being him lashing out in frustration with how things have worked out.

More wrestling tomorrow.

WWE Hell in a Cell preview

Read on for my ideas on booking tonight's Raw special event.

Superstars Reax - 10/28/16, Steph signs new WWE deal, WWE-Tout update, more on Corgan vs. TNA, TNA taping updates, TNA international tour updates, Strong makes NXT live event debut, TNA audience, Survivor Series going long, ROH 15th anniversary set, NXT taping before Smackdown next month, Sabu has big surgery, and Questions on why Smackdown lags, Ellsworth the cruiser, Coach Del Rey, and why RVD hasn't returned to WWE

- Superstars:
- Titus vs. Neville:
Why is Neville not Cruiserweight No. 11? I don't really see why he's special enough to not be part of the division. Zayn's good enough to be working with other wrestlers, but I don't see Neville as much beyond the other flippers.

I like this match not being two high-flyers. It's more interesting this way.

I love how Titus can make a few simple moves mean so much, countering against all the flying.

That was OK. Could have gone longer; it was pretty basic as it was.

- Dorado/Cedric/Cara vs. Nese/Gulak/A. Daivari:
"Get out there and do a bunch of athletic stuff. We've got a three-hour Raw to book."

I'm very glad to see Nese and Gulak getting to work in WWE.

Good stuff. I'm glad the heels are doing something different from flying.

It's all definitely impressive.

Nese and Gulak make a solid team.

Good work for that style.

Stephanie McMahon has signed a new WWE contract as an on-air character, going through October 2019 and automatically renewing annually until either side gives a 90-day notice of the agreement ending. So, she'll almost definitely be around a LONG time.

It appears WWE is no longer invested in Tout. Somewhat surprisingly, the social platform still exists.

Should things not go Billy Corgan's way Monday, it's entirely possible Anthem pays him the money he's owed and he leaves TNA. Anthem would then take 85% of the company, Aroluxe would get 10%, and Dixie Carter would keep 5%. Aroluxe's Jason Brown would be CEO of TNA for at least three years, and the plan would be to only run tapings every three or four months.

TNA currently plans to tape TV from Jan. 5 through Jan. 10, with Jan. 5 being a live-ish episode. The plan is to tape 12 (!) episodes of Impact Wrestling during that time. It's possible the next tapings would be during WM33 week in Orlando, which could go either way for them attendance-wise.

There are no plans for TNA to do shows in the UK in 2017, which will make the first year that hasn't happened since 2008. That's really telling about the state of the company.

There has been no update regarding TNA running in India after the "postponement and rescheduling" of the tour there. With their Indian TV deal being one of their top sources of revenue, they want to keep their partners over there happy.

Roderick Strong made his NXT live event debut this week in California, beating Oney Lorcan. That's a good market to have Strong start in given his history with PWG.

Thursday's Impact Wrestling drew 362,000 viewers. Somewhat surprisingly, it doesn't look like the big court case affected viewership.

Survivor Series 2016 will be four hours (in addition to the one-hour Kickoff show). With both brands on the event, I suppose that makes sense. It's going to be a LLLOOOONNNGGG night, though.

ROH's 15th anniversary PPV will be on March 10 in Las Vegas, with a TV taping following on March 11. Will reDRagon and Jay Lethal still be part of the company by then? Will the show be 50% CMLL and/or NJPW talents? We'll see in five months.

NXT will tape an episode at the Nov. 22 Smackdown in Ottawa following the Nov. 19 Takeover special in Toronto.

Sabu recently underwent hip surgery. He's taken a lot of punishment for decades due to his style. I hope he recovers well.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
Nothing to really add to 1. Nothing to read into there.

2. There are definitely times in the not-so-distant past when taped Smackdowns were doing better than the current live ones. It looks like it's a slow process to convince fans who have written the show off for years that it "actually matters now" and the brand extension won't be shuttered in six months with all the top Smackdown names being used to build Raw. People remember how things went last time. "If someone gets over, they'll end up on Raw. Smackdown is just the testing ground for them."

3. He's on Smackdown, where there isn't a cruiserweight division, so it wouldn't apply. If he "signed with Raw," he might be slated in the division if they want to go that route, but I don't really see any reason to.

4. She's been promoted to assistant head coach of NXT. So, she's doing a lot of training there.

5. Honestly, it's probably a case of them not making an offer for enough money/enough of a push for him to want to come back. Whereas Jericho comes back because there's something he wants to do/someone he wants to work with, the only thing RVD wants to get over is his bank account.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Change to Final Battle main event?, ex-NXT star to ROH?, WWE Network growing, legends' daughters wrestling, Corgan on TNA court date, 2017 HoF update, Headbangers back on Smackdown, Aries hurt, NXT live event notes, and Questions on Kenny-Cena heat, Goldberg's awesome promo, GFW replacing TNA, and Molly Holly

Jay Lethal could be added to the main event of Final Battle to make it a triple threat. Ehhhhh. I'm pretty tired of him as a main eventer. It looks like they want to give him something of a rub in case Kyle O'Reilly is looking like he won't re-sign for 2017. Kyle and Bobby Fish heading to NJPW or elsewhere could make a dent in ROH.  

Former NXT star Josh Woods had a tryout with ROH recently. With his MMA background, he'd probably fit in better there than he did in WWE.

WWE Network is now the No. 5 top subscription streaming service in the United States, behind Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and MLB.tv. That's great news! 

The daughters of Hulk Hogan, Diamond Dallas Page, Roddy Piper, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kerry Von Erich are apparently making their own wrestling league. Christy Hemme is also connected, and they could go against TNA. I'll believe it when I see it. It's an interesting idea, though.

Billy Corgan tweeted about Wednesday's court hearing. We'll find out the next steps Monday. That will be a very big day for TNA, and possibly the wrestling business as a whole.

The 2017 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is set for the Friday before Wrestlemania 33, with Takeover happening the night before WM33. The dates were reversed last year. NXT could pull a really big house that night.

The Headbangers will work Smackdown this week as part of the challenge to be part of Smackdown's Survivor Series team. So, we could end up seeing them more regularly.

Austin Aries got his eye swollen recently. OOOOUUUCCCCHHHH.

Lince Dorado, TJ Perkins, and Cedric Alexander worked an NXT live event in Florida. Tian Bing and Bianca Blair had singles matches... they're both pretty new to NXT live events.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Kenny might just be back for a few more weeks anyway. Either way, it's not like he's in for a big push so I don't see him getting buried or anything if he's still got heat with Cena.

2. I think he delivered one hell of a promo to reintroduce himself to the audience and introduce himself to a lot of newer fans. Part of this run is him getting a big sendoff, and saying goodbye to the fans and all that, so it was appropriate for him to get to speak more.

3. I wouldn't assume GFW will "replace" TNA. Some names might end up working there, but unless Jarrett gets a TV deal and some serious money, he's not going to reach the level of awareness TNA currently has.

4. I'm glad she's getting that chance.

Nothing to add to 5.
More wrestling tomorrow.

WWE Q3 2016 Reax

Read on for thoughts on WWE's earnings release.

ROH and Impact Wrestling Reax - 10/27/16

- ROH:
- Cabana/Castle vs. Tanaka/Komatsu:
Cabana, Boys, and Tempura Boys.

Good work so far. I like the CMLL duo.

Castle's work is impressive. He's got good character, personality, and in-ring skills.

Funny pose spot.

Cabana and Castle make for a really solid duo.

Fine work all around.

I mean, seriously, Colt and Dalton are doing great here.

Nice match to show what the faces can do.

- Briscoes promo:
I'm glad these two are actually doing something now, although there's not much left for them to really do in ROH at this point.

- Gresham vs. O'Reilly:
I'm liking the grappling for position early.

O'Reilly's definitely really impressive. Gresham's not bad himself.

Pretty good spot with the hip tosses.

And more good stuff with hip tosses.

Kyle's got a good technical background. He could be someone to watch in the years to come.

Gresham putting up a good fight against the possible future World Champion.

Pretty good ending overall.

- reDRagon/Page and Cole:
I'm liking partners getting involved in this feud.

I'm glad Page is becoming a badass.

Pretty good fight segment.

- Cheeseburger/Ferrara promo:
I really hope Martinez and Whitmer can beat these two bland goofs.

- Cheeseburger/Ferrara vs. Martinez/Whitmer:
Martinez destroying these two is great.

I like the outright meanness Whitmer shows.

The faces are doing well enough with their comeback.

NICE destruction from Martinez. I'm glad they're using him.

- Post-match:
I liked Martinez not caring the match was over. Keep killing people.

- MCMG promo:
Ughhhhh bland babyface promos. This nu-wrestler bullshit needs to stop.

"We work really hard you guys!!!" They do, but it's such a bland character trait.

- MCMG vs. Naito/EVIL:
Nice heel work to counter a team I haven't cared about in years.

MCMG definitely have really good teamwork.

Pretty good back-and-forth.

I like LOS bringing something different to the table.

EVIL's impressive.

Definitely good work from the heels. MCMG are always impressive athletes, too.

This is pretty good. The two sides play off each other quite well.

This is REALLY heating up well.

Solid match.

- Impact Wrestling:
- Hardys introduction:
I'm not shocked at all this much craziness is going on at the Hardy house for Halloween week.

- EC3/Godderz vs. Drake/Rex:
Mostly good stuff so far.

Drake's made the most of his opportunities on TV in TNA. I like him.

Rex and Drake make a good duo.

Pretty good stuff here.

LOVED the sleepers spots.

NICE fire from Godderz. He's working hard.

I'm totally good with Rex turning heel. He's much more interesting that way.

- Maria/Brandi:
Blehhh... I'm getting burned out on the Bennetts.

- Grado promo:
Hopefully this is ridiculous fun.

- Trick or treaters arrive at the Hardy house:
OMG this is amazing.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I loved it.

- Spud promo:
I just can't find a reason to care about the X-Division these days.

- Grado/Robbie E/DCC:
lolwut. I do miss Robbie E's push alongside Cookie. Also Robbie T.

This is nuts. Funny, though, in a way.

Ahhhh I was wondering where this was going.

I really wonder where this new group goes. A feud with the Hardys, perhaps?

- Allie/Corgan:
That was pretty fun. Allie's story has been told well.

- Z/Mandrews/Sutter vs. Spud/Abyss/Steve:
I like Abyss more when he's dominant. Sutter did more than I expected.

Fine enough work here. It just seems pretty random.

Good enough match overall, although I'm sad Decay have gone downhill.

- Cody/Brandi promo:
Ehh. At least Cody's somewhat interesting.

- Edwards/Lashley:
Blah blah blah just kill him already Bobby.

I'm just not getting into this feud. Edwards has been too bland of a character. EC3 wasn't brought in as "hot free agent formerly known as Derrick Bateman" and Lashley's different from his WWE character, but Edwards is just "that guy who used to wrestle in ROH."

I just can't buy Eddie as a badass, especially with that lame name. That's some FCW shit fam.

- Van Ness/Sutter:
OK, that was pretty funny considering Braxton is married to Allie off-screen.

- Helms/Hardys:
OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD. Great cameo from one of my all-time favorite characters. I miss Hurricane.

More crazy Hardys stuff. TNA has definitely had worse holiday segments.

- Van Ness vs. Allie:
Good heel work from Laurel.

Allie's been absolutely great in her role.

This is a better match than a lot of flippy stuff because we have sympy for the face and a real story.

Nice rollup spot.

- Political shenanigans at the Hardy house:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA this is great.

I'm so writing in #Broken Matt Hardy for president after that segment.

- Godderz/Rex segment:
That was good to continue the angle.

- Hardys/DCC:
OK, now this is important. DCC wanting the titles is a good start to actually mattering.

- Bennetts:
Blah blah blah blah. These two are so bland.

- Cody/Brandi vs. Bennett/Maria:
I can't say I blame Cody and Brandi for taking the spotlight here, since TNA obliged and let them do some shots.

Good stuff from Cody and Bennett.

I'm liking the story of both Bennetts working over Cody.

OUCHHHH that missed punch.

OK, Bennett mocking Dusty got me.

This is pretty silly.

Bleehhhhhh. It was there. Vanity match for the Cody Retirement Tour, more or less.

- Based Lashley/Cody/Brandi:
Thank you Bobby. I love his heel actions.

More wrestling coming up.

LU airing in Germany, new matches at HIAC, Smackdown dark matches, even more Smackdown on the Network, Smackdown audience, Total Nonstop Deletion delayed, and Questions on buying TNA's contracts, Charlotte's last name, Ellsworth's future, not pushing The Club, and evaluating Dixie

Lucha Underground has begun airing in Germany with German commentary and subtitles. They began with the first episode of Season One. LU's approach is an interesting one; I like the idea of a wrestling series one can follow from the get-go instead of having to jump in knowing potentially decades of character backstory of an Undertaker or Kane.

Bayley vs. Dana Brooke is official for Hell in a Cell. Sasha vs. Bayley for the title at Survivor Series could be quite the match.

Jack Swagger won a dark match against a local wrestler before Smackdown. After the taping, Dolph Ziggler beat The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship.

WWE has added Cedric Alexander/Lince Dorado/Sin Cara vs. Drew Gulak/Tony Nese/Ariya Daivari to Sunday's PPV. Where are Noam Dar, Akira Tozawa, and Jack Gallagher!? 

WWE Network has finished adding Smackdown episodes from 2004, and has now begun uploading episodes from 2005. The looooooong process of getting the WWE library available online goes on.

Smackdown's audience Tuesday was 2.13 million, the lowest mark since going live on Tuesday nights. That's very disappointing. 

TNA postponed the tapings for the Total Nonstop Deletion angle at the Hardy compound. They say this was due to logistical/planning reasons, although Billy Corgan's lawsuit indicates it was due to financial reasons.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:

1. In other words, it could be complicated. I believe some talents are on per-date deals while others are under more regular, traditional contracts. Ultimately, it's going to be up to how much a promotion wants the talent in question. If, say, the Hardys had six months left on their deals, a company could have to buy those deals out (pay the rest of what they're worth) in order to use them before the deals ended.

2. It's kind of strange, considering Ric's not around anymore, but it's to link her with the Hall of Famer.

3. Possibly to him getting a regular contract. For now, though, it's to continue the Ambrose-Styles story.

4. They certainly don't see the team as being the top duo on Raw or tag team champions. For whatever reason, they don't see The Club as highly as NJPW did.

5. She's definitely been in over her head in the business.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Billy Corgan and TNA hearing notes

Read on for what happened in the initial hearing regarding Billy Corgan's lawsuit against TNA.

NXT and Main Event Reax - 10/26/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's NXT and Main Event.

Smackdown Reax - 10/25/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

Remembering Mr. Perfect, Axel signs confiscated?, more Goldberg soon, top Survivor Series match official, Magnum DVD out, WWE's new recruits profiled, Raw audience, Taker visits NBA Champions, more on Corgan vs. TNA, and Questions on Goldberg's return, Goldberg-Brock expectations, Jarrett staying away from TNA, Kendrick's last chance, and Paige's engagement

RVD, Scott Hall, X-Pac, The Stro, and "Mean" Gene Okerlund remembered Curt Hennig.

Curtis Axel put out a series of tweets related to WWE taking signs supporting him in his hometown: here, here, here, and here. WWE prefers to have fans with signs supporting talents they're showcasing. It's their event, so they're going to run it in a way that benefits the story they want to tell.

Goldberg will be on Monday's Raw to continue the build to his match with Brock Lesnar. I'm curious how big of a deal that match will be presented as.

- Goldberg vs. Lesnar has been officially announced for Survivor Series. It's pretty crazy to see both wrestling in WWE after the way their last match went.

Magnum T.A.'s Highspots.com DVD has been released, thirty years after his big crash. It's good to look back at a career with so much potential.

WWE welcomed its new recruiting class. They have quite the mix of wrestlers with impressive experience and athletes with heavy potential.

Raw Monday night drew 2.82 million viewers, pretty much in line with what they were doing before last week's Goldberg bump. This is pretty much the new normal during football season. The three-hour grind is really stretching them out.

The Undertaker appeared in full gimmick (including hair) for the Cleveland Cavaliers' opening night after they won the NBA Championship this summer. LeBron James wore an Undertaker shirt during the NBA Finals. That's REALLY cool.

Billy Corgan's TNA lawsuit is now public record, other than sensitive financial information. Here are important takeaways:
- Corgan alleges he invested in the company so it wouldn't foreclose and be taken over by Aroluxe.

- Documents indicate Dixie Carter owns 92.5% of TNA, with Aroluxe holding 5% and Anthem holding 2.5%. I expected her to own significantly less given all the talk of her being on the way out, etc. I'm not surprised things have been sensationalized, though.

- Basically he alleges that if Dixie defaulted on her loan from him, he'd gain control over her stake and voting power, effectively making him the majority owner of TNA.

- Corgan believes TNA breached its contract with him by having discussions with WWE about buying their video library without including him, the company president.

- Corgan also believes the deal was breached by him not being informed of the latest financial assistance from Fight Network's parent company.

- As a result of the alleged failings by TNA Management, Corgan is asking the court to grant him control of Dixie's 92.5% of the company. More on all this tomorrow.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It was great! Everyone involved is motivated to make the match a big deal, which is good. It looks like he'll get to go out with a bang.

2. A showcase of both men's big moves leading to a solid thrashing by Brock. Unless Heyman screws him over to set up something at WM33, Brock should finish him clean with an F5. Goldberg going over or being protected too much when he might never wrestle again would be asinine.

3. GFW is small potatoes compared to TNA. Unless Jeff has a spare $10 million or whatever on hand he really wants to get rid of (which would be weird, because why not put that into GFW?), he should stay out of TNA at all costs.

4. As was alluded to, guys like Cena, Orton, Styles, etc. have been doing big things in the world of wrestling for the past 10+ years. Kendrick more or less fell off the map compared to those guys. So, he's out to make a big statement while he still can. If it wasn't for the CWC, it's possible he would have just stayed as a trainer for the rest of his wrestling days.

5. I would primarily advise her to think of where she wants to be in five years. Does she have enough money to throw away a big WWE contract, and possibly years of that level of revenue? I'm sure she could get work elsewhere, but there are reasons people chomp at the bit to get into WWE. It's a big risk if she's thinking of leaving in order to be with Alberto.

More wrestling tomorrow.

ROH and Raw guests, TNA and NXT previews, WWNLive signs big streaming deal, more indie promotions to stream soon?, new documentary on the Network, new match for HIAC, Y2J book cover, post-WM33 Smackdown note, looking back at the Texas territory, post-HIAC panel show set, what happened after Raw, and Questions on other gimmick matches for women, Ellsworth's success, putting Goldberg over, separating the cruiserweights, and WM34 in Boston

Chris Hero was visiting at this weekend's ROH show in Florida. Hero last worked there in 2014.

Announced for this week's Impact Wrestling:
- Laurel Van Ness vs. Allie
- Ethan Carter III/Jessie Godderz vs. Eli Drake/Aron Rex
- Cody/Brandi Rhodes vs. Mike Bennett/Maria

FloSports is seeking contracts with independent wrestling companies in order to air on their new streaming platform. They recently released apps for Roku and AppleTV as part of their expansion. The plan is to create a service known as Floslam to show live and VOD programming, including older footage and documentary-style content. WWE has provided funding for FloSports, but they are not the sole entity backing the endeavor.

- WWNLive has signed a five-year deal to stream live on the Floslam platform starting in November. This won't have any effect on who's producing events, nor does it mean anything for the WWE/EVOLVE relationship. WWNLive will still put forth DVDs and Blu-Rays 90 days after events air on the platform, and fans who've already ordered events on WWNLive.com can still watch what's been purchased.

Blackjack Lanza was visiting backstage at Raw.

WWE put its new Eric Bischoff documentary on the Network after Raw. I hope we see him in the WWE HoF before too much longer.

On this Wednesday's NXT:
- Dusty Rhodes Classic: Johnny Gargano/Tommaso Ciampa vs. HoHo Lun/Tian Bin
- Dusty Rhodes Classic: TJ Perkins/Kota Ibushi vs. Lince Dorado/Mustafa Ali
- Billie Kay vs. Aliyah
- Asuka vs. Thea Trinidad (formerly Rosita in TNA)
- Tye Dillinger vs. Noah Potjes

Before Raw, WWE announced Luke Gallows/Karl Anderson vs. Enzo Amore/Big Cass for Hell in a Cell. I'd like to see Gallows and Anderson align themselves with someone else to expand The Club; they're really stagnant these days.

Chris Jericho revealed the cover of his next book, out around Summerslam 2017. He's definitely found a way to make a lot of success for himself. That could be a great read.

The Smackdown after Wrestlemania 33 will also likely be in Orlando. So, they'll get AXXESS, the Hall of Fame, Takeover, Wrestlemania 33, Raw, and Smackdown all within a week!

Jim Cornette and Terry Funk discussed the territory days in Texas. Those days were WILD.

WWE Network will feature "Raw Talk" following Hell in a Cell, likely their take on Talking Smack. The concept has been one people have liked, which is good for the Network.

Roman Reigns defeated Rusev after Raw. We'll see if that happens again Sunday night.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. We'll see what happens in the months and years to come. I wouldn't be shocked to see other gimmick matches for the women as the brand extension goes on and the divisions get more prominent.

2. He has just the right look and style to catch on at just the right time as an underdog.

3. I think they did that for all the Little Jimmys who weren't around for WCW. I can't say I'd rather have them say "this Goldberg guy's OK, I guess."

4. It's supposed to be something of a break from what we see for the majority of the show. Three hours of looking at the same ring with the same ropes makes for a long night - switching things up is supposed to make things a little fresher.

5. If Boston makes them the right offer, WWE would consider it.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Raw Reax - 10/24/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Fast Lane 2017 confirmed, NXT live event notes, injured WWE names back in action, Halloween is coming, big milestone for Goldust, Balor guest appearance in Scotland, and Questions on pushing Emma, loaning money to TNA, splitting the Rumble, HBK getting back in the ring, and why Shawn was champion after Bret left

Fast Lane 2017 has been announced for March 5 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I assume it will just be one brand on the show ahead of both brands being part of Wrestlemania 33.

At an NXT live event in Florida:
- Gabriel Ealy won a singles match. He's usually in a tag team alongside his brother.
- Dory Funk, Jr. made a surprise appearance. Elias Samson interrupted him, leading to a match between Samson and Wesley Blake after Blake made the save. Blake won. I think it's worth trying him out as a face.

Becky Lynch and Kalisto returned to the ring this weekend, so we should see both on Smackdown soon.

WWE is planning some Halloween-themed surprises for the October 31 Raw. I REALLY want to see Papa Shango.

Goldust recently celebrated the 21st anniversary of his WWE debut. He's made the most of what could have been a career-sinking gimmick, and he's still going strong.

Finn Balor will appear at next month's ICW Fear and Loathing IX in Scotland. Mick Foley had been booked for the show, but his WWE commitments prevented him from being able to make it. So, WWE is letting the injured Balor appear as Special Guest Enforcer. Balor worked for ICW before coming to WWE, so that's pretty cool for both sides.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. We'll have to see how it plays out. She's definitely better than just having a good look. I hope they let her showcase that.

2. Anthem/Fight Network must have faith in TNA to keep things going.

3. I'm not against the idea, but I can't say I wouldn't rather see one big 30-man Rumble with Raw, Smackdown, NXT, and surprises. I'm fine with the winner getting to choose which title they go for; it adds some intrigue to things.

4. I think that's the best chance of it happening, and AJ would definitely be a good choice to face him.

5. Not much to really add here. Vince wanted Shawn to be "the guy" after Bret left, so they went the direction they went.

More wrestling tomorrow.

NXT and ROH live event notes, where's Torrie Wilson now, and Questions on the status of TNA, jobbers being destroyed, running a big WWE PPV outside of the U.S., Rusev losing his accent, and WM34 in Boston

At an NXT live event in Florida:
- Lince Dorado beat Dan Matha
- Eric Young beat Noah Potjes in Young's first NXT live event match (and his only NXT match since the one-off against Joe in April).
- Tian Bin (formerly Bin Wang) beat Patrick Clark
- the teaming of Angelo Dawkins and Kenneth Crawford continued. They lost to Riddick Moss and Tino Sabbatelli.
- Cedric Alexander teamed with Shinsuke Nakamura and Tye Dillinger to beat Samoa Joe, Steve Cutler, and Wesley Blake. No Buddy Murphy on this show.

WWE caught up with Torrie Wilson. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she's still in great shape.

At an ROH show in Florida:
- BJ Whitmer and Punishment Martinez beat Mr. Wrestling 3 and Bull James. I'm a little surprised MW3 wrestled on a live event, but ROH's live shows are more important than, say, WWE's.
- The teams of Shaheem Ali/Leon St. Giovanni and Sho Tanaka/Yohei Komatsu lost to the team of Cheeseburger/Will Ferrara. Cheeseburger pinned St. Giovanni.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Not yet! We'll have to see how things play out in the courtroom. They still have plans to run shows in January, although who will be paying for them and who will be in charge of the company by then is up in the air. As long as someone's willing to throw money at them to make their problems go away, they'll keep on existing.

2. That's kind of the point! They're paid to get thrown around and destroyed. It gets their foot in the door and some money in their pocket, so a lot of indie wrestlers are willing to go through with it.

3. I definitely think there's a chance of it happening, considering they've done Beast in the East and Takeover:London. Given how many PPVs there will be in the brand split era, I can easily see WWE testing the waters with one of those shows. If that goes well enough, there's a chance they go even bigger.

4. Some of his accent is a work anyway. Additionally, once you're around a lot of people who speak a certain way for years, you eventually pick up their accent instead of your own.

5. If they wanted to, they certainly could. We'll see what they have in mind as we get closer to WM33.

More wrestling tomorrow.

CMLL names working ROH next month, Frenchy passes, Corgan lawsuit covered and some documents unsealed, Rock doing WWF-related TV show, TNA viewership, and Questions on why WWE chooses certain PPV markets, how the WCW Invasion would have gone if more big names were signed, talents cutting loose on "Talking Smack," hazing Saxton, and where Father James Mitchell is

CMLL's The Panther (son of Blue Panther) and Misterioso Jr. will work ROH's November events in Texas. If they do well, they could become more regular parts of the promotion. It looks like in some ways ROH is doing what GFW wanted to do: becoming a base for talents from major international promotions.

Frenchy Martin passed away Friday morning at the age of 66 following a battle with cancer. Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council dedicated their weekend events to him. He had quite the international impact during his career.

- WWE released a statement on his passing and remembered him with a photo gallery.

Billy Corgan's lawsuit against TNA was covered in New York Post:
- Very interestingly, Corgan's minority ownership and presidency are listed in the past tense. That will be something to examine as we enter next week's hearing; certainly there's been no official announcement of him stepping down.

- The piece also suggests Fight Network's parent company has the funds to buy Corgan out completely. Whether they end up becoming majority owners and how Aroluxe fits into all this remains to be seen.

FOX has picked up a pilot for a show based on the relationship between The Rock and WWE writer Brian Gewirtz. Attitude Era backstage: the show? That could be really entertaining.

The Billy Corgan/TNA lawsuit and the exhibits used to support it will be unsealed on October 25, becoming public record. However, sensitive financial information that could fall into the hands of competitors will remain sealed. So, we'll learn a lot about where things stand among all the parties then without knowing every specific detail of how TNA's doing financially, since that could lead to even more negative consequences for TNA's business.

- Billy Corgan's temporary restraining order against TNA has been unsealed. In it, Corgan claimed he is likely to prevail in his claims because TNA is financially insolvent. Furthermore, TNA is unable to take any action without Corgan's consent during this restraining order. This includes selling the company or transferring any of its assets. It's likely this would prevent TNA signing any talents to new contracts without Corgan's approval, as well.

- Corgan's request for expedited discovery was also unsealed. In it, Corgan asks for Dixie Carter to admit (among other things) the company has defaulted on the loan he made them and Corgan has the right to remove the managers of TNA's parent company and replace them with people of his own choosing. Should she not admit this, he wants the company to hand over documents related to TNA being insolvent or unable to pay all of its debts in full, documents sent to and received from WWE since January 1, 2016, and documents related to third parties potentially acquiring TNA or any of its assets.

-- Further, Corgan has requested TNA identify the nature and extent of each member's ownership interest, all of its assets, financial statements going back to Jaunary 1, 2016, and the location of the TNA video library. Related to this last claim, he has requested TNA state the ownership of the library and reveal any negotiations for the sale of the library. So, Corgan wants a complete picture of the financial state of TNA, whom the other owners are and what stakes they have, and what offers have been made to purchase parts of or all of TNA and its assets. It looks like we're in for a big court battle revealing a lot of what's going on in the company.

- Dixie Carter and TNA responded to Corgan's claims, denying the company being insolvent because its assets are greater than its debts. However, since no documents have been presented to prove this, Corgan requested them. Dixie objects to this request, stating the documents involved are either not relevant, overly broad, or difficult/expensive for her to obtain. However, the collective defendants have handed over 17,000 pages (!) worth of documents to be reviewed by Corgan's attorneys. More on this process as it continues.

Impact Wrestling drew 353,000 viewers this week, back up from a disappointing drop the previous two weeks following BFG.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. A lot of times it's a case of having big markets nearby for the weekend live events before the show (possibly including a Takeover special) and the Raw and Smackdown afterward. So, that might be what's going on there.

2. I'm sure a lot of those names would be doing jobs to top WWF names, but at least the Alliance wouldn't contain a lot of WWF wrestlers jumping ship.

3. I'd definitely like to see WWE loosen the reins more on talents, as long as those talents stay more or less on-topic and in-line with their characters. That said, I'm always hesitant to say Vince will one day decide to ease up on the amount of control he has. It's just not in his nature; he's "Type A" to a T. I think it's safe to say that in Vince's mind it was his vision and determination that reformed the business from the territory days, beat Billionaire Ted, etc., so he doesn't necessarily trust anyone else to steer the ship. He's not as in control in some areas of the company (talent relations and development), but he's still the one making final decisions about what happens on Raw and Smackdown. Others can make ideas, but he's the one who signs off on them.
 
4. Without JR or Josh Matthews around, and Cole now in a veteran announcer role, he's the one to get bullied.

5. That sounds AMAZING. I would have loved for him to come into WWE and manage The Ascension; it's really a shame they haven't made use of him given how good he is.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Interviews with Ellsworth/Big Show, Havok on WWE tryout, HBK teased for Rumble '17, new NXT host, more on TNA music issues, Davey Richards return update, NXT live event notes, and Questions on RD Evans in WWE, cruisers in NXT, Gillberg returning, and the WCW-ECW invasion

James Ellsworth continued his string of interviews. They can at least use him in NXT if he doesn't "make it" as a main roster guy.

Big Show talked about the non-importance of winning and losing and more:
- I wish more people in the business got that. Titles, wins, pushes, etc. aren't real. The paycheck is.

- Show's spot on about fan criticism. He's been in the business a lot longer than a good deal of fans have been watching.

- I LOVE Show's response to people burying him (note Show's correct use of the term). Show gives NO fucks.

- Show's the man for burying Internet darlings. So refreshing to hear.

- He's right about needing to build sympy for the face in the ring so their comebacks and big moves mean something. Can he be become a producer now?

- I wouldn't assume WM33 is his last match. I don't see him wrestling past WM34, but it's possible WWE uses him in the ring throughout 2017.

Jessicka Havok discussed TNA, not making it in NXT and more:
- Cyberbullying of people with any level of fame is a real thing.

- I can definitely see how she got pushed aside for Awesome Kong, which didn't end up ending too well for either of them.

- WWE tryouts are definitely really intense.

- Twitter more or less killed her career. There's a lesson there.

- I don't know if suing is going to get her into WWE or anything, but maybe it'd help her in some way.

- Yeah, burying trolls doesn't really make this any better.

- Things got a little whiny and defensive there at the end. I hope she doesn't turn into Bret Hart or Shill Y2J at this point.

AJ Styles posted fan art of him facing Shawn Michaels at Royal Rumble, which will be in HBK's hometown of San Antonio. Given the big anniversary that show is, if Taker's not going to be able to wrestle that night, it might be worth looking into getting Shawn for a one-off. That could really be something.

NXT has signed a new host/announcer, going by the name Kayla Braxton. Presumably she'll be interviewing people backstage on NXT TV soon.

Mike Bennett's entrance music returned on this week's Impact Wrestling. It was removed from laast week's edition airing on Pop due to potential copyright issues with composer Dale Oliver. So, hopefully that's all settled now.

Some music on Impact Wrestling written by Billy Corgan was replaced on the most recent episode of Impact Wrestling, likely due to the ongoing legal issues between Corgan and TNA Management. 

Davey Richards is expected to be able to return to the ring in the next few weeks, so we could see him back on Impact Wrestling in early 2017 if TNA's in position to film more shows then.

At an NXT live event in Florida:
- Macey Estrella debuted in a battle royal.

- Brennan Williams lost to Lince Dorado in the former Marcellus Black's singles match debut. I hope the former NFL player does well.

- Other cruiserweights on the show included Rich Swann and #DIY.

- Eric Young appeared alongside the rest of Sanity, but did not compete.

- Shinsuke Nakamura, Samoa Joe, and Cedric Alexander were all advertised, but didn't appear. NXT's had a real problem with this lately.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I like the idea of people who have experience as wrestlers being on the Creative team. Too often, it's soap opera writers, etc.

2. A lot of Raw cruiserweights are working NXT. I don't know if the plan is to eventually have them do Raw live events or what, but it's been a regular thing to see them on NXT TV and NXT live events.

3. I REALLY want to see Gillberg make a cameo in all this. He was really fun. I'd pop for Gillberg vs. James Ellsworth at Survivor Series, honestly.

Nothing to add to 4.

5. I'm sure there's something really obvious I'm not thinking of like "what if this person had gotten involved in wrestling sooner" kind of stuff. As far as the big invasion, there were a good number of people who were basically being paid a lot of money by AOL Time Warner to sit at home (and possibly recover from the wear-and-tear of working for however long they had). There would have been a lot of politics of not waning to job to people who tried to put WWF out of business, etc. There's no way it could have lived up to expectations.

ROH and Impact Wrestling Reax - 10/20/16

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's ROH and Impact Wrestling.

Interview with Cody, Smackdown main event, WWE hiring again, Steph to CHINA to promote WWE, Paige has successful surgery, TNA sets dates for 2017, World of Sport returning, NXT signings official, Corgan-TNA hearing delayed, Smackdown audience, NXT name suspended, FN company on financing TNA, ROH signing official, CMLL name going for TV Title at Final Battle, WOH bout released, Khali show draws big crowd, ROH to air in Europe, more on Asuka's big opponent, Itami update, more on Smackdown cameo names, 2nd-gen star getting another WWE tryout, where TE winner is, and Questions on a 2016 Attitude Era, why New Day's gotten over, Sheamus-Cesaro as Matt-MVP, having two Rumbles, and Billy regretting his investment

Cody (Rhodes) was interviewed about Stardust and more:
- There's a lot of hustle involved with being a success on the indies.

- I think Goldust ran into the same problem where more people knew his outlandish character than him as himself. It's a curse, but also a blessing when it gets over.

- I loved a lot of Cody's work as Cody. Dashing Cody and the facemask was a really great run. Heck, Team Rhodes Scholars was good, too.

- I'm glad Cody's getting to work a lot of dream opponents.

- We'll see if Cody gets to work more for TNA, or if anyone does at the rate things are going for the company.

- TNA has really been great at times these past few years.

- I think we'll see Cody come back to WWE someday, but that's years down the road if it does happen.

AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose in a non-title match will headline next week's Smackdown. I expect Dean wins to set up a rematch for the title (possibly on November 8 in Scotland).

WWE's seeking a German announcer to do voice-over work for PPVs on the Network. They're also seeking writer assistants. They regularly hire writer assistants; it doesn't mean anything's changing with Creative.

Stephanie McMahon will speak on WWE's brand in CHINA next month. That market will continue to grow in the years to grow, as will India.

Paige successfully underwent neck surgery. It could be some time before we see her in the ring again, if she ends up wrestling in WWE again at all.

- Paige made another tweet about the surgery later. Sounds like she had a pretty serious procedure.

TNA has reserved dates to tape Impact Wrestling and One Night Only PPVs from January 4 through January 10, 2017. Whether they'll actually be able to tape on those dates, and who will be in charge of the company if they do, remains to be seen, but they do have plans to continue operating. It's worth noting there hasn't been an announcement for a big UK tour in 2017, as there has usually been.

A two-hour World of Sport special with commentary by Jim Ross will be taped in the UK to air later this year. I haven't gotten the chance to see much of that promotion, but its style is certainly memorable.

WWE announced the signings of the wrestlers formerly known as Big Damo, Tommy End, and Crazy Mary Dobson. All three have impressive reputations coming into NXT. End looks really intense and Damo as a mobile mastadon sells him for me.

The Billy Corgan-TNA lawsuit hearing scheduled for this week has been pushed back to October 26.

- The hearing was delayed in order to give more time for the defendants to file any potential opposition to a temporary injunction. The temporary restraining order remains in effect.

- The lawsuit is sealed due to a request by Billy Corgan's attorney. There's material in the lawsuit that deals with TNA's financial situation and the situations of those involved in the lawsuit, which has been deemed unnecessary to be disclosed into public record. However, it's possible the court will unseal the records.

Smackdown drew 2.41 million viewers Tuesday night, roughly in line with last week. This show featured cult hero James Ellsworth challenging for the WWE Championship.

NXT talent Terrance Jean-Jacques has been suspended by WWE after being arrested on charges of assault and battery, kidnapping, witness intimidation, destruction of property and threatening to commit a crime. The assault and battery charge is in relation to his pregnant girlfriend, so WWE's domestic violence policy came into play.  As always, Jean-Jacques is innocent until proven guilty. That said, these are some very serious allegations and can  easily derail the 24-year-old's career.

Fight Network's parent company issued a statement on investing in TNA. It sounds like they're committed to keeping the promotion afloat for the time being, but I don't know how much money they're willing to put into that endeavor.

ROH has officially signed Punishment Martinez. He's been working with BJ Whitmer and Kevin Sullivan lately. I'm glad they've got a new monster.

Bobby Fish vs. CMLL's Dragon Lee for the ROH TV Championship is set for Final Battle. Could we see another non-ROH name hold an ROH championship? Fish could be headed to NJPW in 2017, so this one could be interesting.

ROH has released another Women of Honor bout for this week. I believe we'll see another WOH episode of ROH before too much longer as they look to further showcase the division.

Great Khali's wrestling promotion drew 35,000 (!) fans for a show featuring Rob Terry, Mike Knox, Chris Masters, Michael Tarver, Crimson, Hernandez, Apolo, Sam Shaw, Rebel and Santana Garrett. So, that could be another option for performers who aren't getting good pay in other countries. I'd be keeping an eye on this group if I was working with TNA.

ROH will soon begin airing in Portugal. That's a great milestone for them; they're starting to make more of a footprint for themselves internationally.

Mickie James being brought in to face Asuka at Takeover was something of a last-minute deal. WWE was interested in getting Toronto's Trish Stratus for the role, but Stratus is currently pregnant. Mickie is currently just coming in for Takeover, but it's possible it turns into something bigger. I totally want to see her do more in WWE while she's still able to bump. Heck, give Magnus a try, too. It's not like GFW's lighting the world on fire.

Hideo Itami will likely miss about two months due to his injury. Hopefully he'll be able to compete at NXT's Japanese show. If not, I hope he finally builds some big momentum in 2017 after stalling due to his injury.

Kenny, Mikey, and James Ellsworth are currently working on per-date deals, but at least Kenny and Mikey are expected to be used more. All three have been good additions to Smackdown.

Cedric Rougeau is expected to get another WWE tryout in 2017 due to his youth, size, and family connections. He's definitely an impressive potential recruit.

Tough Enough winner Josh Bredl has been dealing with the fallout from a severe concussion for months now, so he hasn't been doing much in NXT. That explains why he's been passed by other names from TE.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It all depends on how that stuff would be used. If it was just done for shock value and to be edgy, it would only get them so far (beyond losing sponsors). It's worth noting how easy it is to get access to adult content now vs. in 1998 when people actually paid for issues of Playboy instead of hacking celebrity's private photos. However, if those things were used to add to a strong narrative (like, say, Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, etc.), it would have a chance of getting a good audience.

2. Some of it was getting more freedom with the act. They're having fun (Maggle) and getting to be exaggerated versions of themselves instead of heavily scripted characters.

3. I don't think they play off each other as well as Matt and MVP, but I see the similarities. I think the goal is the same.

4. I'm under the impression they'll just have one Rumble match, as was done in the last brand extension. The winner can pick which top title to challenge for.

5. I think it's more he's sorry he partnered with Dixie Carter and hasn't gotten the kind of traction he's wanted with the amount of money he's invested.

More wrestling tomorrow.

NXT and Main Event Reax - 10/19/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's NXT and Main Event.

Ellsworth T-shirt for sale, Interview with Ellsworth, ROH attendance notes, ROH TV match announced, top ROH names working NJPW, Raw dark matches, Raw guest, Cody-Dusty Classic update, WWE seeking Olympic medalist, Raw audience, another TNA bill due, Taker on crutches, and Questions on WWE having divisions, TNA's expenses, WWE burying Demolition, cruiserweights leaving the division, and Rollins' characterization

WWE has released a James Ellsworth T-shirt. He better make the most of this opportunity, because he might not get another shot like this!

- Ellsworth was interviewed before Smackdown:
-- He's got kids. He needs this job! I would so watch a Slater/Rhyno/Ellsworth team.

-- There's definitely something to be said for experience when there's a big opportunity like he's getting these days.

-- At least the Rosebuds got someone over, I guess.

-- Jericho's been really great at coaching younger wrestlers. I'd love to see him take a backstage role someday.

-- I hope he becomes a regular, at least for as long as he can be relevant in the gimmick. When you have lightning in a bottle, you need to capitalize on it.

-- He seems like a pretty great guy, all around.

ROH drew crowds of roughly 600 for each of its live events this weekend. While that's not huge, being able to draw decent crowds while touring regularly is nothing to scoff at.

Bobby Fish vs. Hangman Page is set for the October 29 ROH TV taping. I hope we see Page step things up in the months ahead; he's starting to have consistently good showings as a worker. The reboot/Bullet Club association has done him well.

Jay Lethal and Adam Cole are booked for NJPW in November. Both men could probably do well at a higher level than ROH given getting booked overseas so often.

After Raw, Roman Reigns beat Rusev before Seth Rollins got a DQ win over Kevin Owens due to Chris Jericho interference. I'm glad they're saving any potential Reigns/Rollins teaming for a big storyline moment.

The Boogeyman was at Raw this week. Halloween falls on a Monday this year, so I expect we'll see him that night.

Sarah Stock (Sarita) worked as a producer/agent on Raw. She had been doing work in NXT.

Cody (Rhodes) has not been asked to present the trophy at the Dusty Classic, but would be interested in doing so. It's possible Dusty's granddaughter Dakota or someone else joins Dustin in the honor.

WWE is in talks to recruit an Olympic medalist, Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar. He's got a really impressive resume; it's definitely worth pursuing him.

Raw this week had 3.13 million viewers. So, it looks like Goldberg gave the audience a decent boost from previous weeks.

TNA received another lawsuit in August, where American Express is alleging the company owes more than $269,000 on a corporate credit card. Enjoy Impact Wrestling while it lasts, because they're really facing a lot of financial problems right now.

The Undertaker recently had hip surgery, and has been seen using crutches. We're still months out from WM33, so I wouldn't jump to any conclusions as far as him working that night.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It's something of a transition into something a little more sports-like, at least as far as that kind of thing is concerned.

2. I don't remember off the top of my head how much they spent filming the Hardys/Decay footage, but it wasn't in the tens of thousands or anything. As for signing talents, those names aren't paid the big money immediately, but after each taping. So rather than getting $100,000 up front, someone's paid (say) $2000 each night they work. Obviously that still adds up, but it's a risk they're willing to take to try to get higher ratings. As for the big benefactor, it was the parent company of Fight Network, who has a minority stake in TNA.

3. To pass Demolition? It looks like it. Out of spite? It could very well be, but it's also worth noting New Day are pretty over. They didn't just pick some random shmucks to put the belts on just to tick off Demolition.

4. I think it's possible someone breaks out if WWE thinks they can be a bigger deal, like Rey Mysterio did during the first brand extension. I wouldn't rule it out. That doesn't mean a lot of people won't stay as cruiserweights for most of their run.

5. He's a babyface in the sense of competing against heels, but that doesn't mean his character is going to undergo a massive change to be all "I love this town and I'm here to have a great match!" I definitely expect Rollins vs. HHH to happen at some point. If I'm not mistaken, that was the original plan for WM32 before Seth got injured.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Smackdown Reax - 10/18/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

Former NXT name working more ROH shows, WWE legend biography out, who was backstage at Raw, another way to watch the Network, what's set for Raw, and Questions on Jarrett buying TNA, WWE booking of faces, criticizing Slater, robbing Smackdown to pay Raw, and saving yourself in the Styles Clash

Bull James is booked for this weekend's ROH events. I'm curious to see how this "reboot" of his career goes.

A Hillbilly Jim book has been released, with forewords by Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart. Interesting WWE isn't publishing that.

Emmalina was backstage at Raw. I really wonder where she fits into things when she returns, and why she's being rebooted in a different gimmick. Hopefully it turns out well for her, either way.

WWE Network gift cards are now available at Best Buy. It's great there are so many ways to get the service. The easier it is for fans to pay for it, the better.

Next week on Raw, Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. Chris Jericho in a non-title match will headline the show. The show will also feature New Day vs. Sheamus and Cesaro in another non-title bout.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. He's probably better off trying to get some of the TNA roster over to GFW if the company collapses soon. Buying a company with that much debt and baggage isn't a great move at this point.

2. Because that's the "babyface comes from behind" underdog story WWE likes.

3. Slater was over before Rhyno was there. He's not there to be a "five-star worker" or a main eventer. He's there to be an entertaining mid-level performer like Santino was. He's taken his role and done well in it, so he's getting more TV time and honors.

4. It wasn't so much of a burial of Smackdown as really wanting to make Raw a big deal. It's possible they try to do it again, BUT with Smackdown also being live, maybe they'll treat it as being equal to Raw this time around.

5. The instinct is to tuck your head in during something like that, so a relatively inexperienced wrestler is in a difficult position when taking that move.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Raw Reax - 10/17/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

WWE live event notes, LU live events coming, why WWE won't remove Trump from the Hall, Y2J-Fozzy update, Interview with Haas, and Questions on Dixie's ego killing TNA, how to save TNA, wrestlers dying young, Taker's future, and McMahons getting paid for TV time

At a Raw live event in Alberta, Canada, R-Truth teamed with Darren Young to beat Titus O'Neil and Jinder Mahal. Interesting that Goldust didn't compete. They could have booked Neville vs. Mahal and done Young/Golden Truth vs. Titus/Bo/Axel.

At a Smackdown live event in Arizona:
- Emma joined the Smackdown roster to team with Nikki Bella and Naomi in a win over Carmella, Alexa Bliss, and Natalya. She more or less filled in for Becky Lynch there. I assume Emma/Emmalina will still be returning on Raw, but who knows at this point.
- John Cena worked the main event, a rematch from No Mercy won by AJ Styles.

WWE talents and staff had trouble making it to a live event in Alberta this weekend due to a snowstorm. The show had to be reworked, and Adam Pearce was the only producer on hand.

Lucha Underground will have live events on October 23, October 30, and November 5, which officially makes it more than just a TV show.

Linda McMahon donated $6 million to Donald Trump's political campaign during the past few months. I normally wouldn't cover this kind of thing, but since people are wondering whether WWE will remove Trump from the Hall of Fame or anything, there's more or less your answer. Vince and Linda donated millions to Trump's charity foundation years back, as well.

Chris Jericho's Fozzy has signed a new record deal, and will be releasing new music in 2017. He was initially expected to finish working with WWE around November in order to work with them on the project, but he's currently advertised for events through the end of the year. We'll see how long he ends up competing before taking another hiatus.

Charlie Haas discussed a lot of wrestling topics. Charlie still wrestles, so WWE could make him an offer if they were interested in using him again. I'd LOVE to see American Alpha vs. Haas and Benjamin at WM33. That story writes itself.

At a Smackdown live event in Idaho:
- Heath Slater and the Hype Bros beat The Ascension and Simon Gotch. Oddly, Rhyno wasn't on the show after being on the previous night's event.

- Naomi and Emma beat Natalya, Alexa Bliss, and Carmella. No Nikki on this show. I assume there was some kind of travel issue or Cena and Nikki were needed for something else.

- AJ Styles beat Dean Ambrose. No Cena, despite working the previous night.

At a Raw live event in Colorado, Golden Truth teamed with Darren Young to beat Titus O'Neil, Bo Dallas, and Curtis Axel. So Goldust wasn't off all weekend or anything.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I think that's too simplistic of an explanation. A lot of TNA's downfall is due to decisions that didn't pan out (Hogan/Bischoff's changes, certain talents they spent a lot of money on who didn't add a ton to the product, etc). It can definitely be argued she should have either sold to Jarrett when she had the chance or sold to Billy Corgan recently, though. I can understand Dixie not wanting to be painted as a failure and taking responsibility for righting the ship, but it's just not working in her favor.

2. Unless we're in for a big swerve where someone saves the day at the last minute, things don't look good for TNA's survival. Hopefully that means the talented people working there get employment in other promotions.

3. WWE is certainly making steps to improve the sad situation of wrestlers dying young. Hopefully future generations fare better than wrestlers in the past did due to how the business has changed.

4. I would think he might want to wait to go in the HoF in Texas, but that's up to him. Once he's done wrestling, he might want to stop being "Taker" and start being Mark ASAP. There hasn't been anything definitive about him working or not working WM33. I expect we'll know more as we move closer to the end of the year/beginning of next year.

5. I know Shane was pretty well respected for what he'd put himself through despite not being "one of the boys." It's Vince's company; if he wants to put his kids on the show, that's his right.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Superstars Reax - 10/15/16, NXT+ROH live event notes, Brock booked for Raw opposite Goldberg, more potential Network changes, Paige update, and Questions on Goldberg vs. Brock leading to Network subscriptions, WWE honoring Piper, and booing Goldberg

- Superstars:
- S. Stars vs. Pim/Andrews:
It's good to see more squash matches utilized. I definitely don't want to see Primo and Epico beat an actually over team.

OK, the timeshare brochure spot was pretty funny.

I wish I could "unwatch" their previous runs and view Primo and Epico as a fresh team. It's hard to get excited for this combination after seeing their other work.

I am seeing good work from the Colons here. 

This is pretty solid overall.

- Jinder vs. Darren:
Good straight-up wrestling early.

This has been pretty enjoyable action so far.

Sometimes it's good to see some straightforward, no-frills wrestling.

I'm impressed by both men; they have good grasps of the fundamentals.

Nice ending.

At an NXT live event in Florida:
- Tinn Ling lost to Patrick Clark. I'm not really sure who that is, but that seems to be his NXT live event debut. Time will tell what his future holds.

- Nikola Bogojevic is now working as Otis Dozovic. His team with Tucker Knight is going by the name Heavy Machinery.

- Angelo Dawkins teamed with Kenneth Crawford, so that could end up being a more regular pairing.

Brock Lesnar is also booked for the November 14 Raw, so he and Goldberg will be in the same place at the same time six nights before Survivor Series.

WWE has put forward another survey regarding potential Network options, including:
- Free shipping on WWEShop orders.
- Closed captioning of live events (PPVs? NXT, etc.?) in other languages
- Playing WWE-themed games on the Network app
- Being part of a test group for new games, merchandise, and Network programming
- Automatic entry into raffles for trips to major WWE events
- Q&A chats with talents
- Getting three months of Starz with three months of a Network subscription
- Ability to bookmark and play specific matches in events

-- I like a number of those options. Good to see WWE considering adding more important features to the Network as it continues to grow.

The Miz appeared on Nickelodeon's "Ultimate Haunted House." That's the life of an A-lister.

Alberto El Patron made reference to Paige's neck issues in a totally believable iMessage diagnosis. He's been pretty busy lately setting up dates with TNA and ROH after being stabbed due to a car accident/attack by a drunk homeless person/defense of Paige's honor in front of a restaurant where he went to the police and filed a report no one can find.

At an ROH show in Michigan:
- The Tempura Boyz lost to ANX.
- Alex Shelley stated MCMG is looking for an addition to the group so they can take the six-man tag team championship.
- ACH lost to Hangman Page. I wonder how much longer ACH will be there.
- The main event was an impromptu tag team title match, with the Young Bucks beating Dalton Castle and Colt Cabana.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. They're trying to get lapsed fans who either don't know about the Network or haven't tried it yet. They have a pretty good retention rate, but they need people to make that crucial first step and sign up for that free month. Even if only a percentage of those who try for a free month stay on for longer than a month, that's an increase. And who's to say they won't want to try another month down the line and that second month gets them to stay? It's a calculated risk.

2. I absolutely wish they'd honor Piper more, given his contributions to the industry. I can see why they focus on Dusty so much given his work in NXT and the like, but Piper should get a statue and some honors, too.

3. There are going to be hipster "smark" fans who boo him and chant things to get themselves over because they do that for pretty much everything. But I think he'll also get a decent reaction from other parts of the audience.

Nothing to add to 4 or 5.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Sydal's NJPW future in jeopardy, who financed TNA's latest tapings, Spirit Squad update, upcoming WWE European dates, HHH with new top NXT signing, Stephanie profiled, Interviews with Henry/Sheamus/Alexa/Yang, Goldberg booked to wrestle on Raws, TNA audience, more on TNA music issues, more legal trouble and potential legal trouble for TNA, and Questions on Goldberg vs. Brock drawing, WWE paying for surgeries for suspended talents, Tod Gordon in the HoF, the Spirit Squad, and Angle/Punk returning to WWE

Matt Sydal was arrested and convicted in Japan for possession of 2.12 grams of liquid marijuana as he entered the country on September 23. This could easily mean he'll be banned from working in the country, which has some of the strictest drug laws in the world. That's a really intense punishment for such a small amount of marijuana. With his NJPW tenure effectively over, I would expect him to go back to being an ROH regular.

TNA's most recent stretch of tapings (BFG and TV) were likely financed by the parent company of TNA minority owner Fight Network. That parent company and Aroluxe Marketing are listed as secured creditors for TNA, meaning they would be the first to be taken care of if TNA went bankrupt. Billy Corgan is not a secured creditor to TNA, but is listed as one for Dixie Carter. That's all interesting as the battle for TNA and its future continues.

There are further plans for The Spirit Squad on Smackdown, although there hasn't been any confirmation of them signing WWE deals. I'd like to see them and James Ellsworth going forward, at least for a decent run.

WWE has announced a May 5 date for Ireland and a May 6 date for Northern Island.

Triple H showed off the latest big name NXT signing, former ROH Champion Roderick Strong. Strong will be teaming with Austin Aries in the Dusty Classic. 

Stephanie McMahon was profiled by Variety in their Power of Women issue. She's definitely stepping out of Vince's shadow to begin her own legacy.

Mark Henry talked about the current generation of stars and more. I still don't get the Cesaro fixation.

Sheamus talked about his current angle and more. I'm curious to see what they do if Sheamus and Cesaro don't win the tag team titles. I definitely don't want to see them face off another seven times. They could both go for the U.S. or Universal Title, though. That would work.

Goldberg is advertised as returning to the ring for the November 14 Raw. I assume he'll just kill some jobber, which is the right move. I think having Bo call him out only to be speared and jackhammered would be fun.

- Actually, it looks like he's returning to the ring before then! He's set for the October 31 Raw, too.
 
Impact Wrestling this week drew 284,000 viewers, the lowest number in months (other than the night they had technical difficulties). It looks like people are pretty much giving up on the show with all that's going on outside the ring.

Alexa Bliss talked about her road to WWE and more. She's such a great heel.

WWE caught up with Jimmy Wang Yang. I was kind of hoping he'd end up coming back, but I can't blame him for making a living that doesn't involve taking bumps.

Mike Bennett and DJ Z's theme songs being pulled from Impact Wrestling is likely a result of a pay issue with Dale Oliver. It's believed it was Billy Corgan who brought this issue to the attention of the production crew before the show aired. TNA has a litany of issues taking their toll right now.

A number of TNA employees are considering suing TNA for breach of contract if their pay is late following working the most recent set of TV tapings. This definitely feels like a "get ready to man the lifeboats" situation. TNA might not survive 2016.

The state of Tennessee has filed a lien against TNA for unpaid business taxes. Aroluxe Marketing and the parent companies of Fight Network are listed as being owed a combined $3.4 million.

New York Post covered Billy Corgan's lawsuit against TNA, claiming it's centered on Corgan not becoming majority owner after his investments. We should find out more this week.
 
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I completely disagree with the questioner here. If marketed correctly, the match would appeal to people who normally wouldn't watch a WWE PPV. They're going for the nostalgic fans from 10+ years ago and the like. The hope is to get an audience of those people to sample the Network and turn into more regular subscribers.

2. I would expect they wouldn't cover anything for someone no longer under contract, but suspended performers are still under contract.

3. He should, but the Hall of Fame is currently something of a marketing gimmick. WWE pretty much tells the story Paul Heyman is the end-all be-all of ECW management, so I don't know if they'll put Gordon in unless he ends up working for WWE in some capacity (which I don't really see happening).

4. He should have come back in order to play off Dark Knight Rises. Robocop should have come back a number of times now.

5. The story is Johnny has a full-time job he didn't want to take time off from and Nicky lives in Israel.

6. Well, excluding the Hardys (and Lashley?), they're certainly the top names people want back in the fold. I wouldn't be shocked to see Angle back for WM33 and/or WM34. As for Punk, I don't think he wants to be back in WWE anytime soon. It will be some time before that attitude changes, if it ever does. As was said, there's still the big lawsuit going on.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Cena to miss time, Vince returns, first Takeover of 2017 planned, international name starts at WWEPC, CMLL name tries out for WWE, Metalik-WWE update, Elgin's NJPW replacement, Interview with Styles, NXT to tape footage in Australia, Foley on Rollins criticism, Bret apologizes for recent criticisms, Takeover:Toronto main event set, Itami injured again, Corgan sues TNA+Dixie, TNA sued by former production company, why music was missing from Impact, and Questions on the Hardys' TNA work, what to do with the TNA library, and why WWE hasn't distanced itself from Trump

Due to filming commitments for "American Grit," John Cena will miss Survivor Series. He could also easily miss TLC. Smackdown's got its work cut out for it with him off TV for two months or more. 

Vince McMahon is back on the road after his injury and surgery. He was at No Mercy and this weekend's live events. Even when not physically there, he still stays in contact with those going over the show. 

The next Takeover special after Toronto will almost definitely be in San Antonio the night before the Royal Rumble. Using the "big four" PPVs as anchors for big NXT shows is a good idea to draw big crowds and make the brand look major league.

Big Damo is starting at the WWE Performance Center after finishing up outside commitments.

CMLL's Zeuxis was also part of the most recent WWE tryout. I'd think it's too early for anyone to have been offered a deal. 

Gran Metalik is now set to work in CMLL through November before starting full-time in the cruiserweight division. I'm excited to see more of him, so I hope he gets everything sorted out soon as far as coming to the U.S.

Due to Michael Elgin's injury, Jay Lethal will replace him against Tetsuya Naito at the November 5 NJPW event. That should be a solid match.

AJ Styles discussed his rise to the top of WWE. I hope he's champion going into WM33.

NXT will film footage for the WWE Network during its tour of Australia. I'd like to see a special episode of NXT TV or two filmed between there and Japan.

Mick Foley responded to the impression of Seth Rollins as an unsafe worker. It's a shame Bret's bitter ramblings get the amount of attention they do in 2016. 

- Bret Hart apologized for recent comments regarding Triple H, Seth Rollins, and the Freebirds. It's probably time to stop commenting on the wrestling business. 

-- This follows Michael P.S. Hayes firing back at Hart's comments in a series of Tweets here, here, and here.

Samoa Joe will get his rematch with Shinsuke Nakamura for the NXT Championship at Takeover in Toronto. I expect another really great match.

Nancy Grace walked out of an interview after being challenged on her previous reports on wrestling.

Hideo Itami has suffered another injury. He was unable to compete at NXT's most recent taping. That's very unfortunate, since he had more or less just come back and gotten in the groove of things. Hopefully he's not out long; I was looking forward to him facing the likes of Aries, Roode, and Joe.

Billy Corgan has filed a lawsuit against TNA, Dixie Carter, Dixie's husband Serg Salinas, and TNA Chief Financial Officer Dean Broadhead. There had been friction between Corgan and Carter at the post-BFG TV tapings, with Corgan turning down the invitation to be part of a meeting with talent alongside Carter.

- Filings for the lawsuit have been sealed "until further notice," but a hearing is set for Thursday, October 20. So, we will hopefully learn more then. A costly lawsuit could be the death knell for TNA. The very state of the company could easily be in the balance here.

TNA's former production company also sued TNA, Aroluxe Marketing, Aroluxe's Ron Harris, and Dean Broadhead. This lawsuit was filed on September 27 and seeks $223,000 plus interest and post-judgment costs for breach of contract, fraudulent inducement on behalf of Harris and Broadhead, tortuous interference by Aroluxe and all defendants violating Virginia code.

- This lawsuit stems from Audience of One Productions being approached for production work for BFG 2015 due to Broadhead being unhappy with Aroluxe's work in that department. The allegation is that Broadhead and Harris more or less led AO1 to believe they were in for a long partnership when they only did a few shows, then once Aroluxe was able to take a stake in TNA, requests to pay money owed to AO1 for producing BFG were either ignored or drawn out as much as possible.

Entrance music for Mike Bennett and DJ Z was pulled from the airing of Impact Wrestling this week. This is believed to be due to rights issues with composer Dave Oliver, and is unrelated to the Billy Corgan lawsuit. TNA's issues are really starting to snowball with all these legal issues.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:

1. I wouldn't be shocked if the Hardys pitched using that land themselves. They're well enough off financially they don't really need to charge TNA to use it; they're probably just glad they're getting that much leeway in their angle.

2. I'm under the impression they pretty much steer the ship of how they're used.

3. King Maxel is part of the Hardy family. What's crazy to us is probably normal to him and his experience.

4. I can't disagree with what they're saying. If/when Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy are back in WWE in some form, you can make collections for them, too.

5. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Vince sides with Trump in all his fiascoes given their history. He likely agrees the leaked tape was just "locker room talk all men engage in." WWE not getting involved in anything political this year is probably as far as they'll go in distancing themselves from the Trumps.

More wrestling tomorrow.

ROH and Impact Wrestling Reax - 10/13/16

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's ROH and Impact Wrestling.

Cena sets record for PPV main events, unreleased Riley theme, Elgin injury update, why Hawkins wasn't on Smackdown, Australian NXT main event set, Eva Marie update, Foley acknowledges Paige's status, Interviews with Bayley/El Patron+Paige, Lesnar booked for future Raw, Smackdown audience, ROH name wanting out of deal?, Paige getting surgery, and Questions on PPV bonuses, Heyman as a speaker, why WWE's doing Brock vs. Goldberg, and Emma's new gimmick

John Cena reached his record-breaking 68th (!) WWE PPV main event at No Mercy. Of course, there have been a good deal more chances to do so in the (previous and current) brand split era. That's still a really big number; it's the equivalent of nearly six years of PPVs back-to-back. He's definitely not done yet.

Downstait released an unfinished Alex Riley theme that was set to be used before Riley's release. I think that would have worked well for him.

Michael Elgin will require surgery for a fractured orbital bone. Elgin's a really solid hoss, so it's a shame we might not see him in action for a while as he recovers.

Curt Hawkins' segment was cut from Smackdown because earlier segments went longer than anticipated. He's expected to be on next week's show for his "first match."

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Samoa Joe in a cage match is set for NXT in Australia. I would think we could see that in Japan, too.

Eva Marie, with dark black hair, has a role in a Nicolas Cage film that's currently shooting. So, it will be even longer before we see her compete again.

Mick Foley shouted out Paige, which makes me wonder if he'll get any backlash given her relationship with WWE right now.

Bayley discussed her fellow Four Horsewomen and more. They've all made quite the mark in WWE.

Alberto El Patron and Paige talked to TMZ, with El Patron claiming he'll be working with TNA and ROH soon. TNA has had discussions with Patron regarding him coming in in 2017, but it would be a matter of having the money to sign him. It's unknown what ROH's plans are for him, if any.

Brock Lesnar is set for the October 24 Raw to continue the build to Survivor Series.

Smackdown's audience this week was 2.45 million, seeing a bit of a bump from previous weeks.

ACH cut a promo at a recent indie event that many are interpreting as taking shots at ROH. ROH personnel (workers and higher-ups) are aware of the incident, and the situation could come to a head at this weekend's Glory by Honor events. The promo in question was about a wife who doesn't appreciate him that he's planning on divorcing soon in order to be with the girl who always loved and appreciated him. In other words, he'd like to leave ROH to go back to the indies.

Paige will undergo neck surgery next week, which could put her out of the ring until around the time of WM33. More on this, and how WWE fits into the picture, tomorrow.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. WWE doesn't make the amount of money they used to make from PPV buys, so PPV bonuses aren't a thing anymore. The business has changed.

2. I see what they're saying. Yes, Heyman was amazing with Punk, too.

Nothing to add to 3.

4. C.M. Punk vs. Mickey Gall clearly wasn't "good" but it got a lot of interest from fans who normally couldn't care any less about UFC. There are similar links with some big Bellator matches featuring "legacy names." WWE's going for the same thing. Brock vs. Goldberg is an attraction; it's not meant to be a "five-star match."

5. I wouldn't assume she'll be in that kind of gimmick. I also enjoyed her as a heel in NXT, but hopefully whatever they're doing with her will be good, too.

More wrestling tomorrow.