A UFC fighter called out Brock Lesnar after his fight Saturday night, continuing the talk of Lesnar heading back to MMA.
- Lesnar returned fire. Him returning to fighting is a real possibility, one WWE's going to really have to be aware of when it's time for Brock to decide if he'll sign a new contract or not.
UFC's Cris Cyborg responded to Becky Lynch's challenge at Summerslam. No word on whether either competitor's company has signed off on anything happening between the two sides in a WWE ring. Dana White's probably hesitant to have one of his fighters potentially sidelined due to getting physical there.
- The Rock was at the event as well.
WWE promoted Pete Dunne's UK title defense. Things have really stalled regarding the UK brand being a regular touring group, as well as the plans for PROGRESS and ICW to be featured on WWE Network.
William Regal was at London Film & Comic Con this weekend.
Jerry Lawler made an appearance at a Wisconsin minor league baseball game Sunday.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. AWWWWW MY GOODNESS SHUCKY DUCKY QUACK QUACK FAVE FIVE DOG. WWE Management's probably pretty entertained by his antics.
2. It looks like The Kanellises and Rusev have replaced him as heels on Smackdown. There are only so many "spots" on TV and WWE decided to use fresher names.
3. It would depend on how much money Cena and Reigns drew as faces vs. heels. I do think we'd see a different approach to their characters, including potentially them becoming heels, but it's kind of a moot point because WWE's not going to change their PG rating anytime soon.
4. Thankfully HHH and Stephanie have stayed on the sidelines, but it's a real possibility they come back to have a "power struggle" with Angle at some point. I definitely wouldn't put it past their characters to run a scam like that. We could easily see Jordan be something of a warmup for either Angle or HHH on the road to a WM34 clash between the Attitude Era names.
5. WWE is all about branding. They're going to do everything they can to get their chosen nicknames over. And once Vince has set a direction, good luck changing his mind!
More wrestling tomorrow.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Main Event Reax - 7/29/17, Asuka passes another big milestone, assorted WWE+GFW press, Bring it to the Table update, Owens DVD on-demand, Goldberg in new ad, Cena vs. Joe booked, WWE honors the Joe, WWE-UK notes, NXT live event note, and Questions on next year's HoF, determining the GOAT, fake pyro, why the MYC is being released the way it is, and why NXT success doesn't translate to main roster success
-- Main Event:
- Cedric vs. Nese:
Nice basic start. I love some mat work to get things started.
Both men are very gifted athletes.
Nese working out his abs is hilarious.
It would have been funny if Alexander caught him with the inside cradle after all that taunting.
I'm liking the work here.
Good work all around.
Pretty solid ending sequence. These two work together well.
- Apollo vs. Kalisto:
I'm glad Crews has the power advantage. He's been really underutilized.
I've missed seeing Apollo show what he can do. I'd be fine with him going back to NXT for a while so he can return and get the push he's capable of.
Good work here. They're playing off each other well.
NICE enzuigiri counter.
Apollo just going all out here!
This is solid. Wow.
I'm liking the story they're telling.
Yeah, Kalisto probably didn't have Crews dazed enough to hit that moonsault.
That was a really nice ending. Can we get more lower-card people on this show, since we've already got a whole show of cruiserweights?
Asuka has now been NXT Women's Champion longer than New Day held their tag team championships, which was a record-setting 483 days. Asuka is the longest-reigning female champion in WWE since 1990. If she holds the championship until Takeover:Brooklyn, as expected, she'll be the longest-reigning champion since The Fabulous Moolah's years-long reigns in the pre-Wrestlemania days. That's a really, really big milestone.
GFW stars got press for a children's charity event in Orlando. This kind of thing builds goodwill for the brand in the public eye, and gets the name out there for people who might be willing to attend events.
"Bring it to the Table" Monday night will discuss Brock Lesnar potentially going back to UFC and John Cena possibly feuding with Roman Reigns. It will be interesting to see what the company's stance will be on Brock. He's in a really big negotiating position if he's able to return to that company after WM34.
Kevin Owens' WWE DVD is now available on-demand from Amazon. It's apparently a pretty big deal.
MLB.com covered Ric Flair's recent appearance. The Nature Boy's still going, which I don't think is a surprise to anyone.
Goldberg is part of an AT&T commercial. Who would have called Goldberg being Universal Champion in WWE in 2017?
John Cena vs. Samoa Joe is booked for a live event on August 27. It's possible that's a big feud after Summerslam. That would definitely be a big deal.
WWE released a video tribute to the Joe Louis Arena. That's really cool. I'm glad they gave it a sendoff.
- After the main event of the live event there, John Cena put over the building's history. The arena is where he had his first PPV match back in 2002.
Pete Dunne successfully retained his UK Championship at ICW's recent live event. I assume they'll save title changes for the WWE Network, but who knows? The UK project is kind of in limbo right now.
- Also on that show, Noam Dar's team was victorious in the main event.
Johnny Gargano has returned to working NXT shows regularly. I'm interested to see how he does as a singles star and what he does while Ciampa is recovering. I really look forward to them feuding.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That will be up to Vince and the others who make the decisions. There's no telling whom they'll pick and for what reasons. I do expect Taker to go in there, though.
2. I agree it would be difficult to compare someone was on top in one era for one company vs. someone on top in different circumstances. How does one compare HBK in WWF/WWE vs. Jushin Liger in Japan, for instance. One of my personal ideas for what makes someone great is being able to be a success in different markets in different generations, etc. For whatever it's worth, cagematch.net has Shawn Michaels rated as the greatest of all time, but like every site it's going to be biased toward workers the users grew up with, etc.
3. They're lyin' to you, MAN! It's all an illusion, etc.
4. WWE is jumping on the "binge-watching" bandwagon to see if that will be more successful than a weekly episodic series. The original plan was to do it in February or so, but the UK series ended up getting precedence. So, they ended up in an odd situation of when to put it out. It will be an interesting experiment.
5.a. There are a number of reasons. One of the major ones is the amazingly complex task of booking that many characters on that many hours of TV on a week-by-week basis and potentially having to change a lot of it on the fly. Furthermore, a lot of times HHH will cultivate a talent one way and the main roster people might not have the same vision for them. That will happen pretty much any time you go from one booker to another. HHH is more familiar with a lot of the people coming in from outside WWE and often sees them in ways Vince might not. Also worth noting, when someone "graduates" from NXT, they go from being a top name in developmental to having to fit in with a lot of other talented people, some of whom have been in big positions for a decade or more. It's really tough to persuade someone to stop the direction they've been going on in favor of something else. "Why should I push this new guy when I already have all these other wrestlers here?" The new talents have to prove themselves, etc.
Specifically:
b. Tye was called up because he had gone as far as he could go in NXT. He wasn't going to be moved into the title picture and he'd been in developmental for quite some time. It was time to move him up to pay off how long they'd had him "in training." It wasn't reasonable to expect him to get a big push; his strengths are generally in getting others over and being a good hand.
c. The Kanellises at this point seem like they were signed because they were a fairly big deal in GFW and HHH wanted them to be part of his promotion instead. There probably wasn't as big of a demand for them in GFW or ROH to justify them being a big deal right out of the gate.
d. Revival had the injury to deal with. They've being used pretty well now. They just have to "prove they can hang with" the likes of Sheamus/Cesaro, the Hardys, and the Club before WWE will be confident in using them more.
e. American Alpha were brought up because of last year's draft. Smackdown needed them to boost their tag division. They did pretty well for themselves until Mania season. I think WWE was considering having the Hardys face the Usos for the Smackdown tag team titles, and that shot the face team in the foot. They were having to compete with New Day, Breezango, and the Hype Bros as face teams recently, so they didn't have much of a chance of getting much traction. So, WWE split them in the hopes they'll do more as singles wrestler.
f. Apollo was brought up almost solely to get a pop for another NXT talent coming to the main roster the night after WM32. They didn't have much of a plan for him beyond that, and it shows. He definitely could have done more in NXT before being called up, but they wanted an influx of new stars at that time.
g. They're still kind of testing the waters with Nakamura. It's a matter of whether they'll push him, Styles, Orton, or Cena as faces. That's tough competition. Someone's got to be at his place on that list, and all are talented.
More wrestling tomorrow.
- Cedric vs. Nese:
Nice basic start. I love some mat work to get things started.
Both men are very gifted athletes.
Nese working out his abs is hilarious.
It would have been funny if Alexander caught him with the inside cradle after all that taunting.
I'm liking the work here.
Good work all around.
Pretty solid ending sequence. These two work together well.
- Apollo vs. Kalisto:
I'm glad Crews has the power advantage. He's been really underutilized.
I've missed seeing Apollo show what he can do. I'd be fine with him going back to NXT for a while so he can return and get the push he's capable of.
Good work here. They're playing off each other well.
NICE enzuigiri counter.
Apollo just going all out here!
This is solid. Wow.
I'm liking the story they're telling.
Yeah, Kalisto probably didn't have Crews dazed enough to hit that moonsault.
That was a really nice ending. Can we get more lower-card people on this show, since we've already got a whole show of cruiserweights?
Asuka has now been NXT Women's Champion longer than New Day held their tag team championships, which was a record-setting 483 days. Asuka is the longest-reigning female champion in WWE since 1990. If she holds the championship until Takeover:Brooklyn, as expected, she'll be the longest-reigning champion since The Fabulous Moolah's years-long reigns in the pre-Wrestlemania days. That's a really, really big milestone.
GFW stars got press for a children's charity event in Orlando. This kind of thing builds goodwill for the brand in the public eye, and gets the name out there for people who might be willing to attend events.
"Bring it to the Table" Monday night will discuss Brock Lesnar potentially going back to UFC and John Cena possibly feuding with Roman Reigns. It will be interesting to see what the company's stance will be on Brock. He's in a really big negotiating position if he's able to return to that company after WM34.
Kevin Owens' WWE DVD is now available on-demand from Amazon. It's apparently a pretty big deal.
MLB.com covered Ric Flair's recent appearance. The Nature Boy's still going, which I don't think is a surprise to anyone.
Goldberg is part of an AT&T commercial. Who would have called Goldberg being Universal Champion in WWE in 2017?
John Cena vs. Samoa Joe is booked for a live event on August 27. It's possible that's a big feud after Summerslam. That would definitely be a big deal.
WWE released a video tribute to the Joe Louis Arena. That's really cool. I'm glad they gave it a sendoff.
- After the main event of the live event there, John Cena put over the building's history. The arena is where he had his first PPV match back in 2002.
Pete Dunne successfully retained his UK Championship at ICW's recent live event. I assume they'll save title changes for the WWE Network, but who knows? The UK project is kind of in limbo right now.
- Also on that show, Noam Dar's team was victorious in the main event.
Johnny Gargano has returned to working NXT shows regularly. I'm interested to see how he does as a singles star and what he does while Ciampa is recovering. I really look forward to them feuding.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That will be up to Vince and the others who make the decisions. There's no telling whom they'll pick and for what reasons. I do expect Taker to go in there, though.
2. I agree it would be difficult to compare someone was on top in one era for one company vs. someone on top in different circumstances. How does one compare HBK in WWF/WWE vs. Jushin Liger in Japan, for instance. One of my personal ideas for what makes someone great is being able to be a success in different markets in different generations, etc. For whatever it's worth, cagematch.net has Shawn Michaels rated as the greatest of all time, but like every site it's going to be biased toward workers the users grew up with, etc.
3. They're lyin' to you, MAN! It's all an illusion, etc.
4. WWE is jumping on the "binge-watching" bandwagon to see if that will be more successful than a weekly episodic series. The original plan was to do it in February or so, but the UK series ended up getting precedence. So, they ended up in an odd situation of when to put it out. It will be an interesting experiment.
5.a. There are a number of reasons. One of the major ones is the amazingly complex task of booking that many characters on that many hours of TV on a week-by-week basis and potentially having to change a lot of it on the fly. Furthermore, a lot of times HHH will cultivate a talent one way and the main roster people might not have the same vision for them. That will happen pretty much any time you go from one booker to another. HHH is more familiar with a lot of the people coming in from outside WWE and often sees them in ways Vince might not. Also worth noting, when someone "graduates" from NXT, they go from being a top name in developmental to having to fit in with a lot of other talented people, some of whom have been in big positions for a decade or more. It's really tough to persuade someone to stop the direction they've been going on in favor of something else. "Why should I push this new guy when I already have all these other wrestlers here?" The new talents have to prove themselves, etc.
Specifically:
b. Tye was called up because he had gone as far as he could go in NXT. He wasn't going to be moved into the title picture and he'd been in developmental for quite some time. It was time to move him up to pay off how long they'd had him "in training." It wasn't reasonable to expect him to get a big push; his strengths are generally in getting others over and being a good hand.
c. The Kanellises at this point seem like they were signed because they were a fairly big deal in GFW and HHH wanted them to be part of his promotion instead. There probably wasn't as big of a demand for them in GFW or ROH to justify them being a big deal right out of the gate.
d. Revival had the injury to deal with. They've being used pretty well now. They just have to "prove they can hang with" the likes of Sheamus/Cesaro, the Hardys, and the Club before WWE will be confident in using them more.
e. American Alpha were brought up because of last year's draft. Smackdown needed them to boost their tag division. They did pretty well for themselves until Mania season. I think WWE was considering having the Hardys face the Usos for the Smackdown tag team titles, and that shot the face team in the foot. They were having to compete with New Day, Breezango, and the Hype Bros as face teams recently, so they didn't have much of a chance of getting much traction. So, WWE split them in the hopes they'll do more as singles wrestler.
f. Apollo was brought up almost solely to get a pop for another NXT talent coming to the main roster the night after WM32. They didn't have much of a plan for him beyond that, and it shows. He definitely could have done more in NXT before being called up, but they wanted an influx of new stars at that time.
g. They're still kind of testing the waters with Nakamura. It's a matter of whether they'll push him, Styles, Orton, or Cena as faces. That's tough competition. Someone's got to be at his place on that list, and all are talented.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Raw name change, assorted WWE press, more on GFW cancellation, Alberto-GFW updates, WWE-GFW confrontation in Nashville, Hardys vs. Anthem continues, another Brock date, WWE exec leaves, Impact audience, Davey update, Destination-X press match, WWE survey about GFW/ROH/NJPW/LU wrestlers, Interview with HBK, more Southpaw footage, Lauper shouts out WWE, GFW Broken trademarks shot down, WWE Network shows in limbo, WWE PPV concept returning?, Raw live event notes, and Questions on Raw's timeslot, JoJo's WWE status, NHL playing WWE music, WWE cutting Cornette's Table for 3, and WWE keeping Paige
Elias Samson is now solely going by Elias. I like him transforming into more of a prophet. There's a natural association with Bray they're building.
Bo Dallas was on Chris Jericho's podcast to talk about conspiracy theories.
Alicia Fox did a signing before Raw's live event in New York, and Bayley was on a local radio station.
Ric Flair was at a wrestling night for the Miami Marlins Friday night.
GFW's August 6 live event had very slow ticket sales compared to the other shows set for that weekend. Hopefully the other shows do well enough.
Ed Nordholm and Alberto El Patron have been in regular discussion regarding his suspension. It looks as though he'll miss the live events, but could still make the TV tapings. It's going to be a big setback for both sides if he's not working the road to BFG.
Alberto El Patron was at a recent Combates America event, and has not resigned from his post as was indicated he would do. Another Combates event is the same night as Destination-X, which sets up an interesting scenario if Alberto is still suspended by then. I don't know if he'd ask for his release from GFW to do other endeavors, but the option would be there.
Braun Strowman and Karen Jarrett had some sort of confrontation in a bar after Raw in Tennessee, where WWE and GFW names were together following Jeff Hardy's concert. There have been numerous versions of their encounter making the rounds.
The Hardys are preparing for a lawsuit against Anthem. Their side has indicated they have recordings of important conversations between the two parties, which would obviously come out in court. I expect we're in for a pretty big showdown that could go on for a while. That will be costly for both sides, pulling resources away that could be used for improving GFW, etc.
Brock Lesnar will be working Raw on August 7. Summerslam will be an important show as far as his situation and the Universal Championship.
Mike Kanellis and Matt Hardy buried GFW for their past pay issues. Anthem has a LOT of work to do to change the perception of the brand.
WWE's executive VP and head of international has left the company after 13 months to pursue other opportunities. The executive VP of global sales & partnerships will be taking over his duties in addition to keeping his own. The departed VP had been with WWE in some capacity for more than nine years. We'll see if that signals any changes in policy.
Thursday's Impact Wrestling dropped to 286,000 viewers, ending a string of well performing shows. Just two weeks ago after Slammiversary and Albero's detainment, they had 374,000 viewers. Destination-X will be an important show, and close to live, so hopefully they can get another solid audience that night.
Davey Richards' GFW release didn't come with a no-compete clause, so he can work anywhere he wants now. I wouldn't expect that to mean him going to WWE or anything, as he's planning on going to medical school. I hope he does great things.
Destination-X will begin with a match featuring managers from an Orlando radio station. Hey, if that gets people in the doors at the Impact Zone, I can live with it. Getting local positive press and goodwill for GFW is a good move.
WWE put out a survey asking for fans' favorite non-WWE wrestlers, specifically naming quite a few from GFW, NJPW, ROH, and LU. This would help WWE determine whom to pursue when they're contractually available. That's pretty wild. I'm sure we'll some of those names in WWE and NXT in time.
Shawn Michaels discussed going on the road with NXT live events. I'm very glad he's helping out in that capacity.
WWE taped further Southpaw Regional Wrestling footage at Smackdown. I can't wait! That was amazing.
Cyndi Lauper dedicated a song at a recent concert to those she worked with in WWF to film the music video. She absolutely belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame. She's past due, honestly, given some of the other celebrities who have gotten in for less of an association with wrestling.
GFW's attempts to trademark "Broken" related names have been disputed for the following reasons:
- "Broken Matt" has likely confusion with Matt Hardy's own "Broken Matt Hardy" trademark, which was filed first. GFW would have to show there is no potential conflict between the two, which would seem an unlikely goal. Furthermore, if GFW is intending to use "Broken Matt" to identify a living person, they would need that person's consent.
- "Brother Nero" was similarly rejected on grounds of needing the permission of the living person indicated by the trademark. GFW would have a hard time proving it's meant to represent anyone other than Jeff Hardy, who is unlikely to give consent for GFW to own the trademark.
- "Broken Brilliance" was refused because GFW must specify whether the term has significance in professional wrestling or whether it's just a "term of art" in the wrestling history. GFW MIGHT be able to succeed on this one, but I don't know what good it would be if they don't own the others.
- "Vanguard1" was rejected for likely confusion with a non-wrestling trademark.
- All four trademarks were additionally refused because GFW's identifications were considered to be too broad.
-- I assume the door would now be open for the Hardys to try to get those same trademarks, but I wouldn't think they'd be able to perform their GFW characters given the reported details of their contracts there.
Edge & Christian's WWE Network's show isn't expected to get a second season due to WWE's financial cutbacks. The duo also indicated they have work conflicts that could potentially prevent them from doing the show. So, it's on the shelf for now. WWE Network has fallen short of the goals the company has for subscriber numbers, so I can see why they're reluctant to invest more money in original content.
- R-Truth's WWE Network game show has also been postponed indefinitely due to cutbacks.
WWE has applied to trademark Taboo Tuesday. That would seem to indicate plans to bring back the concept for a future episode of Smackdown. That could be a pretty fun night given the unpredictability of fan voting at times.
The Club worked as heels on a Raw live event Friday night, with Titus O'Neil working as a face. I wouldn't read much of anything into that as far as plans go. It certainly looks like Anderson and Gallows are going to be more like faces going forward.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It will depend on what NBCU wanted. I would have thought they'd go back to the traditional timeslot of 9-11 p.m. but they have gotten people used to watching at 8:00, so that might be the route to go. Either way, it doesn't like there are plans to go back to being two hours anytime soon.
Nothing to add to 2.
3. She's more or less being replaced by Renee Young for now. Whether that's JoJo's decision or WWE's is unknown.
4. Since they play the songs in the arena as opposed to over the air, they're apparently legally in the clear.
5. WWE cut the show back to tell the story they wanted to tell. I can sympathize with them not wanting the show to turn into the 5,734th "Jim Cornette hates Vince Russo" rant. I wouldn't expect extended cuts of things that have already aired on the Network.
6. WWE would like her to be around in a positive light to promote the Rock movie. If she can escape being charged and convicted of anything, it's possible we do see her in the ring again. She was a pretty big deal when she was active.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Bo Dallas was on Chris Jericho's podcast to talk about conspiracy theories.
Alicia Fox did a signing before Raw's live event in New York, and Bayley was on a local radio station.
Ric Flair was at a wrestling night for the Miami Marlins Friday night.
GFW's August 6 live event had very slow ticket sales compared to the other shows set for that weekend. Hopefully the other shows do well enough.
Ed Nordholm and Alberto El Patron have been in regular discussion regarding his suspension. It looks as though he'll miss the live events, but could still make the TV tapings. It's going to be a big setback for both sides if he's not working the road to BFG.
Alberto El Patron was at a recent Combates America event, and has not resigned from his post as was indicated he would do. Another Combates event is the same night as Destination-X, which sets up an interesting scenario if Alberto is still suspended by then. I don't know if he'd ask for his release from GFW to do other endeavors, but the option would be there.
Braun Strowman and Karen Jarrett had some sort of confrontation in a bar after Raw in Tennessee, where WWE and GFW names were together following Jeff Hardy's concert. There have been numerous versions of their encounter making the rounds.
The Hardys are preparing for a lawsuit against Anthem. Their side has indicated they have recordings of important conversations between the two parties, which would obviously come out in court. I expect we're in for a pretty big showdown that could go on for a while. That will be costly for both sides, pulling resources away that could be used for improving GFW, etc.
Brock Lesnar will be working Raw on August 7. Summerslam will be an important show as far as his situation and the Universal Championship.
Mike Kanellis and Matt Hardy buried GFW for their past pay issues. Anthem has a LOT of work to do to change the perception of the brand.
WWE's executive VP and head of international has left the company after 13 months to pursue other opportunities. The executive VP of global sales & partnerships will be taking over his duties in addition to keeping his own. The departed VP had been with WWE in some capacity for more than nine years. We'll see if that signals any changes in policy.
Thursday's Impact Wrestling dropped to 286,000 viewers, ending a string of well performing shows. Just two weeks ago after Slammiversary and Albero's detainment, they had 374,000 viewers. Destination-X will be an important show, and close to live, so hopefully they can get another solid audience that night.
Davey Richards' GFW release didn't come with a no-compete clause, so he can work anywhere he wants now. I wouldn't expect that to mean him going to WWE or anything, as he's planning on going to medical school. I hope he does great things.
Destination-X will begin with a match featuring managers from an Orlando radio station. Hey, if that gets people in the doors at the Impact Zone, I can live with it. Getting local positive press and goodwill for GFW is a good move.
WWE put out a survey asking for fans' favorite non-WWE wrestlers, specifically naming quite a few from GFW, NJPW, ROH, and LU. This would help WWE determine whom to pursue when they're contractually available. That's pretty wild. I'm sure we'll some of those names in WWE and NXT in time.
Shawn Michaels discussed going on the road with NXT live events. I'm very glad he's helping out in that capacity.
WWE taped further Southpaw Regional Wrestling footage at Smackdown. I can't wait! That was amazing.
Cyndi Lauper dedicated a song at a recent concert to those she worked with in WWF to film the music video. She absolutely belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame. She's past due, honestly, given some of the other celebrities who have gotten in for less of an association with wrestling.
GFW's attempts to trademark "Broken" related names have been disputed for the following reasons:
- "Broken Matt" has likely confusion with Matt Hardy's own "Broken Matt Hardy" trademark, which was filed first. GFW would have to show there is no potential conflict between the two, which would seem an unlikely goal. Furthermore, if GFW is intending to use "Broken Matt" to identify a living person, they would need that person's consent.
- "Brother Nero" was similarly rejected on grounds of needing the permission of the living person indicated by the trademark. GFW would have a hard time proving it's meant to represent anyone other than Jeff Hardy, who is unlikely to give consent for GFW to own the trademark.
- "Broken Brilliance" was refused because GFW must specify whether the term has significance in professional wrestling or whether it's just a "term of art" in the wrestling history. GFW MIGHT be able to succeed on this one, but I don't know what good it would be if they don't own the others.
- "Vanguard1" was rejected for likely confusion with a non-wrestling trademark.
- All four trademarks were additionally refused because GFW's identifications were considered to be too broad.
-- I assume the door would now be open for the Hardys to try to get those same trademarks, but I wouldn't think they'd be able to perform their GFW characters given the reported details of their contracts there.
Edge & Christian's WWE Network's show isn't expected to get a second season due to WWE's financial cutbacks. The duo also indicated they have work conflicts that could potentially prevent them from doing the show. So, it's on the shelf for now. WWE Network has fallen short of the goals the company has for subscriber numbers, so I can see why they're reluctant to invest more money in original content.
- R-Truth's WWE Network game show has also been postponed indefinitely due to cutbacks.
WWE has applied to trademark Taboo Tuesday. That would seem to indicate plans to bring back the concept for a future episode of Smackdown. That could be a pretty fun night given the unpredictability of fan voting at times.
The Club worked as heels on a Raw live event Friday night, with Titus O'Neil working as a face. I wouldn't read much of anything into that as far as plans go. It certainly looks like Anderson and Gallows are going to be more like faces going forward.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It will depend on what NBCU wanted. I would have thought they'd go back to the traditional timeslot of 9-11 p.m. but they have gotten people used to watching at 8:00, so that might be the route to go. Either way, it doesn't like there are plans to go back to being two hours anytime soon.
Nothing to add to 2.
3. She's more or less being replaced by Renee Young for now. Whether that's JoJo's decision or WWE's is unknown.
4. Since they play the songs in the arena as opposed to over the air, they're apparently legally in the clear.
5. WWE cut the show back to tell the story they wanted to tell. I can sympathize with them not wanting the show to turn into the 5,734th "Jim Cornette hates Vince Russo" rant. I wouldn't expect extended cuts of things that have already aired on the Network.
6. WWE would like her to be around in a positive light to promote the Rock movie. If she can escape being charged and convicted of anything, it's possible we do see her in the ring again. She was a pretty big deal when she was active.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Friday, July 28, 2017
Alberto/Paige attorney fires back, Khali update, Mundo-AAA update, AAA loses UK TV home, AAA/LU tryout canceled, Nielsen updating ratings metrics, WWE considering roster shakeup, more ROH alums on their way to NXT, War Machine note, AJ pitches big NJPW rematch, Kong and Kim reunite, WWE 2K18 special edition, original GLOW names on new GLOW, more GFW tapings, Alberto-GFW update, GFW drops live event, WWE Networking adding Spanish content, special WWE shirt for Detroit, Angle DVD preview, HHH wished happy birthday, more ROH TV matches, big LU S4 update, and Questions on Joe the Samoan exile, the Hardys' Broken teases, titles not changing hands on DQ or countout, and WWE doing non-PG content
Alberto El Patron & Paige's attorney fired back at reports regarding the Orlando airport incident. This was definitely more than an argument, considering the potential for battery charges. It's potentially problematic for him to be representing both parties, as he could publicly downplay the seriousness of the situation.
The Great Khali is not currently advertised for further WWE appearances, but WWE clearly recognizes his value in getting their product further over in India.
Johnny Mundo is still working things out with AAA regarding the championships he has. He's not 100% done with the company at this time. AAA did a "worked shoot" angle where he threw down his championships and left his future open. It's expected he'll work TripleMania in late August to drop his championships, but it's unclear what he'll do after that.
AAA's TV show has been pulled from their UK home due to low ratings and complaints regarding the announcers. That's an unfortunate setback for the company. Hopefully Anthem will be able to help them get something bigger in the market, and they'll get things together for a better product.
AAA and LU have pulled out of a planned tryout session in New York during Summerslam weekend. AAA/LU are going through a pretty rocky time right now with Konnan splitting off and now the Mundo/Taya situation.
Nielsen is now adding YouTube and Hulu to its ratings system. I'm glad those venues are being considered as part of the viewership picture, because a lot of fans don't watch things live on TV anymore. Hopefully that gives a more accurate picture of how many people are watching shows.
WWE is considering doing another superstar shakeup in the fall. Interesting. I'd like to think some NXT names will be joining the main roster after Summerslam, too.
- WWE is considering moving some names from the main roster to NXT, particularly those who aren't getting traction on Raw or Smackdown. Between making use of them in NXT and releasing them, I'd definitely rather see names like Emma and Apollo Crews work NXT.
Donovan Dijak should be starting in NXT in September after doing Battle of Los Angeles. I look forward to seeing what he can do here.
Adam Cole is expected to start in NXT soon. I'd imagine there's a good chance he'll be in the crowd at Takeover:Brooklyn or otherwise teased on that show. He'll almost definitely be a hit.
War Machine remain free agents. They're currently holding titles in NJPW, so as long as that's the case, they're not signing with NXT. But they could easily drop them if NXT makes them the right offer.
AJ Styles has pitched a big match with Shinsuke Nakamura. I'm curious how that would get over in WWE.
Awesome Kong met with Gail Kim and John "Big" Gaburick recently, leading to speculation she'll come to GFW and work one last match with the retiring Kim before the year's up. I'd love to see it.
WWE 2K18 will have a "Cena (Nuff)" Edition focusing on Cena's 15-year anniversary with the company. One Night Stand 2006 was an absolutely amazing experience.
WWE Network has added more episodes of World Class Championship Wrestling.
Wrestlers from the original GLOW discussed the current Netflix series. It's gotten a lot of people talking about women's wrestling, so hopefully that means more interest in WWE, GFW, etc.
GFW has added more tapings in August, extending their stay in Orlando from August 17 through August 22. This will take the company through to Bound For Glory. So, things are going to be really different if Alberto's not part of things.
Alberto El Patron is not advertised for GFW's live events on August 4 and 5. Create-A-Pro wrestlers will be featured on the cards in special "showcase" matches in another crossover with a different promotion.
- GFW has canceled their August 6 live event due to "unforeseen circumstances and logistical challenges." People with tickets to that event can attend one of the other GFW shows that weekend. Ticket sales for the event weren't high, so this was likely a face-saving move and an attempt to increase attendance at the other two events. Hopefully things turn out well enough for GFW that weekend.
WWE Network will be adding Spanish commentary to older PPVs in the months to come as part of a move to focus on Spanish-speaking fans. There's expected to be more in that effort to come.
WWE's final event at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena will get a special Suplex City "Last Throw at the Joe" shirt. That's pretty cool. I like them making things like that for local events.
WWE previewed their Kurt Angle DVD. I'd love to see an ultimate collection someday combining his WWE and GFW careers, but that's not happening anytime soon.
The WWE Performance Center trainees wished Triple H Happy Birthday. That's a sea of humanity hired by The Game.
- Vince and Stephanie McMahon also wished him a happy 48th. He's one of the most powerful people in THIS BUSINESS right now.
Added to Saturday's ROH TV taping:
- Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kelly Klein
- Brandi Rhodes & Sumie Sakai vs. Jenny Rose & Mandy Leon in Brandi's ROH debut. I assume we'll be seeing more of Brandi in an ROH ring going forward, and this also likely signals the end of her working at GFW.
El Rey's Chief Creative Officer confirmed there are negotiations for LU Season 4. It sounds like things could finally be coming together for it to happen. We'll see how much of the roster returns and who joins the series.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Joe's seemingly the only Samoan in wrestling not connected to the Anoa'i family.
2. It's currently just a wink and nod to tease something that may or not be coming. The Hardys are doing everything they can to keep fan interest in the Broken Universe stoked in case they are able to finally capitalize on what they did in GFW.
3. It's not as convincing of a win on the champion as a pinfall or submission. It'd be kind of a cheap win for the challenger to get the title that way.
4. I can see them doing some less "PG" stuff on the Network to appeal to that audience, but I wouldn't think that would extend to an in-ring product unless it's a really niche thing they want to do like the original One Night Stand event. That was a really special occasion, so I wouldn't count on something like that coming by again anytime soon.
Nothing to add to 5.
More wrestling tomorrow.
The Great Khali is not currently advertised for further WWE appearances, but WWE clearly recognizes his value in getting their product further over in India.
Johnny Mundo is still working things out with AAA regarding the championships he has. He's not 100% done with the company at this time. AAA did a "worked shoot" angle where he threw down his championships and left his future open. It's expected he'll work TripleMania in late August to drop his championships, but it's unclear what he'll do after that.
AAA's TV show has been pulled from their UK home due to low ratings and complaints regarding the announcers. That's an unfortunate setback for the company. Hopefully Anthem will be able to help them get something bigger in the market, and they'll get things together for a better product.
AAA and LU have pulled out of a planned tryout session in New York during Summerslam weekend. AAA/LU are going through a pretty rocky time right now with Konnan splitting off and now the Mundo/Taya situation.
Nielsen is now adding YouTube and Hulu to its ratings system. I'm glad those venues are being considered as part of the viewership picture, because a lot of fans don't watch things live on TV anymore. Hopefully that gives a more accurate picture of how many people are watching shows.
WWE is considering doing another superstar shakeup in the fall. Interesting. I'd like to think some NXT names will be joining the main roster after Summerslam, too.
- WWE is considering moving some names from the main roster to NXT, particularly those who aren't getting traction on Raw or Smackdown. Between making use of them in NXT and releasing them, I'd definitely rather see names like Emma and Apollo Crews work NXT.
Donovan Dijak should be starting in NXT in September after doing Battle of Los Angeles. I look forward to seeing what he can do here.
Adam Cole is expected to start in NXT soon. I'd imagine there's a good chance he'll be in the crowd at Takeover:Brooklyn or otherwise teased on that show. He'll almost definitely be a hit.
War Machine remain free agents. They're currently holding titles in NJPW, so as long as that's the case, they're not signing with NXT. But they could easily drop them if NXT makes them the right offer.
AJ Styles has pitched a big match with Shinsuke Nakamura. I'm curious how that would get over in WWE.
Awesome Kong met with Gail Kim and John "Big" Gaburick recently, leading to speculation she'll come to GFW and work one last match with the retiring Kim before the year's up. I'd love to see it.
WWE 2K18 will have a "Cena (Nuff)" Edition focusing on Cena's 15-year anniversary with the company. One Night Stand 2006 was an absolutely amazing experience.
WWE Network has added more episodes of World Class Championship Wrestling.
Wrestlers from the original GLOW discussed the current Netflix series. It's gotten a lot of people talking about women's wrestling, so hopefully that means more interest in WWE, GFW, etc.
GFW has added more tapings in August, extending their stay in Orlando from August 17 through August 22. This will take the company through to Bound For Glory. So, things are going to be really different if Alberto's not part of things.
Alberto El Patron is not advertised for GFW's live events on August 4 and 5. Create-A-Pro wrestlers will be featured on the cards in special "showcase" matches in another crossover with a different promotion.
- GFW has canceled their August 6 live event due to "unforeseen circumstances and logistical challenges." People with tickets to that event can attend one of the other GFW shows that weekend. Ticket sales for the event weren't high, so this was likely a face-saving move and an attempt to increase attendance at the other two events. Hopefully things turn out well enough for GFW that weekend.
WWE Network will be adding Spanish commentary to older PPVs in the months to come as part of a move to focus on Spanish-speaking fans. There's expected to be more in that effort to come.
WWE's final event at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena will get a special Suplex City "Last Throw at the Joe" shirt. That's pretty cool. I like them making things like that for local events.
WWE previewed their Kurt Angle DVD. I'd love to see an ultimate collection someday combining his WWE and GFW careers, but that's not happening anytime soon.
The WWE Performance Center trainees wished Triple H Happy Birthday. That's a sea of humanity hired by The Game.
- Vince and Stephanie McMahon also wished him a happy 48th. He's one of the most powerful people in THIS BUSINESS right now.
Added to Saturday's ROH TV taping:
- Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kelly Klein
- Brandi Rhodes & Sumie Sakai vs. Jenny Rose & Mandy Leon in Brandi's ROH debut. I assume we'll be seeing more of Brandi in an ROH ring going forward, and this also likely signals the end of her working at GFW.
El Rey's Chief Creative Officer confirmed there are negotiations for LU Season 4. It sounds like things could finally be coming together for it to happen. We'll see how much of the roster returns and who joins the series.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Joe's seemingly the only Samoan in wrestling not connected to the Anoa'i family.
2. It's currently just a wink and nod to tease something that may or not be coming. The Hardys are doing everything they can to keep fan interest in the Broken Universe stoked in case they are able to finally capitalize on what they did in GFW.
3. It's not as convincing of a win on the champion as a pinfall or submission. It'd be kind of a cheap win for the challenger to get the title that way.
4. I can see them doing some less "PG" stuff on the Network to appeal to that audience, but I wouldn't think that would extend to an in-ring product unless it's a really niche thing they want to do like the original One Night Stand event. That was a really special occasion, so I wouldn't count on something like that coming by again anytime soon.
Nothing to add to 5.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Interviews with James Storm/Nordholm, Brock teases UFC return, HBK on the road with NXT, Paige update, GFW conference call, Renee the free agent, Y2J at indie show, more GFW vs. Hardys, Smackdown audience, Flair ESPN doc preview, NXT name official, Moose signs new contract, BFG update, GFW previews new team, and Questions on WWE booking Mickie, Angle's new son, splitting WWE teams, and a Shield reunion
James Storm discussed GFW, NXT, and more:
- The company has changed names a number of times. Hopefully they stick with GFW for a while and build an identity.
- Jarrett and his friends have already made some good moves to revitalize the company with all the new signings and working agreements. GFW feels mostly fresh and will continue to grow.
- Wait, the big names had a separate locker room in early TNA? I don't like that at all. The younger names could have been asking for advice from the veterans.
- I wish Chris Harris would have gotten further in the business. I expected him to be more important than he ended up being.
- The Boozer Cruiser was pretty hysterical.
- D'Amore and Dutch are two great people to have on-board due to their years of experience.
- I absolutely agree with wrestling being a physical play/performance art. I wish more saw it that way; wrestling could be much more interesting if they added more character to things.
- Some people are creative enough to have outlandish characters, and some people just want to show up and get physical. It's fine.
- That strap feud with EC3 was really intense. They beat the holy hell out of each other.
- Big feuds ending in big fights makes sense.
- I'm interested what will be next for Storm on the road to BFG. I'd like to see Storm vs. EC3 for the title down the line. The Alberto situation is going to factor into the timing of that big time.
- There were reports that GFW offered Storm a LOT more money than NXT offered him, as in more than double.
- HHH having been on the road on the wrestler really helps him in his current role.
- I'd like to see Storm back in WWE at some point, but it has to make sense for all involved.
- DCC was odd. I don't know if GFW needed another faction/mystery person angle, especially one that put Jeff Jarrett in the center of things instead of a fresher name. And it was kind of an odd fit for the beer-drinking redneck.
- Yes, working in front of other audiences in really important. Someone can be really over in the Impact Zone or Full Sail or what have you, but not connect with an audience that's seeing them for the first time.
- Oh yeah, I think the HoF should be saved for people about to wrap things up. They can always honor Mike Tenay or Jeremy Borash at BFG instead.
Brock Lesnar indicated he'd be willing to head back to UFC in a recent interview. We'll see if it happens, or if he's just trying to negotiate the best possible deal in WWE for after his current contract ends after WM34.
Shawn Michaels will be a producer for NXT live events on the road this weekend. This will be his first time traveling with the brand. He'll be a valuable person to have on-hand.
Paige has not been arrested nor served with an arrest warrant, despite reports to the contrary. Whether she will be officially charged is up to the state attorney general.
Notes from GFW's recent conference call:
- Bruce Prichard is officially a consultant backstage.
- There's interest in the former Jack Swagger. I'd love to see him get a chance to shine there.
- GFW is talking with LU, even if it's just a short-term deal. I'd love to see LU names get the bigger exposure in GFW, at least when LU's not taping. That could work out well for both sides!
- GFW continues its internal investigation on Alberto. Presumably he's still suspended until it concludes. There's still time for GFW to clear him for August's live events and TV tapings if they feel that's the right course of action. Things could get dicey for the championship if that investigation doesn't absolve him soon.
- A "GFW Network" kind of idea is a possibility. That could be something Anthem does with its video libraries and GFW would be part of something bigger.
Renee Young will be part of Raw and Smackdown going forward. So, John Cena's not their only free agent. That's great news for her both professionally and personally as it means she'll be with Dean Ambrose on Monday nights.
Chris Jericho will appear for Northeast Wrestling on August 27. He's either able to do signings independently of WWE, or he agreed to the date before returning to the company on Smackdown.
Ed Nordholm did a big interview on the Hardys situation and more:
- GFW could definitely benefit from resolving the Hardys situation from a PR perspective. Going back on the road for live events, the Super X Cup, working agreements, and the like are having to share press space with Reby Hardy's Twitter outbursts.
- GFW could very well legally be in the right for owning the characters, but what good is having the rights to characters for wrestlers who are no longer working for the company? GFW's not going to use them for other wrestlers or anything. It's just making fans turn on GFW at a time when they're trying to save themselves from further negative publicity.
- I do think a court might grant the Hardys some relief for spending their own money on the episodes, but I wouldn't think that would include getting the rights for characters they made alongside GFW employees. Of course, GFW gave them a LOT of airtime to get their characters over. That shouldn't be overlooked. They pretty much made Impact the Hardy show featuring other wrestlers.
- GFW is definitely getting a lot of blowback from Reby in particular. I doubt that's helped anyone.
- Nordholm has a point. The Hardys are the ones who need to take things to court if they want the content. GFW has their signed contracts.
- "Sources" that say Anthem's side is purposefully dragging things out is almost definitely the Hardys' side further painting themselves as the faces. They're pretty close to wrestling journalists.
- The story has been that there was a deal in place, but Nordholm won't sign off on anything. I almost wish they would go to court so we'd get to the bottom of all of it and everyone can move on from their lives.
- This is almost definitely going to continue to play out, as the Hardys continue to tease the gimmick on TV and Reby keeps firing shots at her former employer.
- Reports have been that it's the Hardys trying to get the rights to the content rather than WWE trying to buy it from Anthem.
- I absolutely expect GFW did a lot to keep the Hardys, and decided they'd rather focus that money elsewhere.
- I do wonder if top names will shy away from working GFW if they can get comparable or better deals elsewhere. It's notable top free agents are always mentioned as possibly going to WWE or NJPW rather than GFW. It's not seen as a priority for "name" talents right now.
- There are definitely people who will benefit from GFW getting them outside bookings, while others could do a lot of that work on their own without giving up some of the income back to GFW. It's a case-by-case thing.
-- Matt Hardy disputed Nordholm's remarks about his contract demands. I'm ready for this to go to court so everyone involved (including fans) can move on to focusing on wrestling instead of contract disputes.
Smackdown drew 2.54 million viewers, pretty much in-line with the previous week's show. So, no bump from Battleground. We'll see if Chris Jericho's return affects the audience going forward.
ESPN's Ric Flair documentary will air on November 7. It's expected to be in 90-120 minute range. That should really be something to watch.
- ESPN put out a press release with a trailer. There's only one Ric Flair. I'm glad he's getting that kind of honor.
Thea Trinidad is working as Zelina Vega in NXT. I and others previously spelled it differently, but WWE confirmed that's her official ring name.
Moose has signed a new three-year deal with GFW. It's not a bad idea to try to make a big name for himself there rather than potentially becoming another cog in the NXT machine. He can still grow as a competitor to where he could be invaluable and an important name in the wrestling landscape.
Bound For Glory will likely be in Orlando. So, no PPV on the road just yet it seems, but I could definitely see it happening in 2018.
GFW promoted the upcoming debut of Dave & Jake Crist, who will work under the team name OVE in the company. I like their look.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. WWE wants her to fill out the division, but they clearly want to focus on the NXT alumnae more. I can't say I blame them. As talented as Mickie is, it's smart to build for the future.
I have no idea what 2 is about.
3. Of course he is! You really think they'd go on TV and lie like that? He joins Kane and Big Show as sons of WWE Hall of Famers.
4. Basically all of those teams had pretty much stalled, so WWE's splitting them in the hopes of them doing more as singles competitors. It's also possible Truth is on the road to retirement, so they gave Goldust a rub from turning on him. WWE still has plenty of talented teams. It's just a matter of WWE wanting to change things for duos who clearly weren't going to be champions anytime soon.
5. They could do some interesting things with a Shield reunion against, say, Brock or Strowman or a reunited Wyatt Family. But I don't think it'd be a long-term direction for Roman, Seth, and Dean given their prospects as singles competitors.
More wrestling tomorrow.
- The company has changed names a number of times. Hopefully they stick with GFW for a while and build an identity.
- Jarrett and his friends have already made some good moves to revitalize the company with all the new signings and working agreements. GFW feels mostly fresh and will continue to grow.
- Wait, the big names had a separate locker room in early TNA? I don't like that at all. The younger names could have been asking for advice from the veterans.
- I wish Chris Harris would have gotten further in the business. I expected him to be more important than he ended up being.
- The Boozer Cruiser was pretty hysterical.
- D'Amore and Dutch are two great people to have on-board due to their years of experience.
- I absolutely agree with wrestling being a physical play/performance art. I wish more saw it that way; wrestling could be much more interesting if they added more character to things.
- Some people are creative enough to have outlandish characters, and some people just want to show up and get physical. It's fine.
- That strap feud with EC3 was really intense. They beat the holy hell out of each other.
- Big feuds ending in big fights makes sense.
- I'm interested what will be next for Storm on the road to BFG. I'd like to see Storm vs. EC3 for the title down the line. The Alberto situation is going to factor into the timing of that big time.
- There were reports that GFW offered Storm a LOT more money than NXT offered him, as in more than double.
- HHH having been on the road on the wrestler really helps him in his current role.
- I'd like to see Storm back in WWE at some point, but it has to make sense for all involved.
- DCC was odd. I don't know if GFW needed another faction/mystery person angle, especially one that put Jeff Jarrett in the center of things instead of a fresher name. And it was kind of an odd fit for the beer-drinking redneck.
- Yes, working in front of other audiences in really important. Someone can be really over in the Impact Zone or Full Sail or what have you, but not connect with an audience that's seeing them for the first time.
- Oh yeah, I think the HoF should be saved for people about to wrap things up. They can always honor Mike Tenay or Jeremy Borash at BFG instead.
Brock Lesnar indicated he'd be willing to head back to UFC in a recent interview. We'll see if it happens, or if he's just trying to negotiate the best possible deal in WWE for after his current contract ends after WM34.
Shawn Michaels will be a producer for NXT live events on the road this weekend. This will be his first time traveling with the brand. He'll be a valuable person to have on-hand.
Paige has not been arrested nor served with an arrest warrant, despite reports to the contrary. Whether she will be officially charged is up to the state attorney general.
Notes from GFW's recent conference call:
- Bruce Prichard is officially a consultant backstage.
- There's interest in the former Jack Swagger. I'd love to see him get a chance to shine there.
- GFW is talking with LU, even if it's just a short-term deal. I'd love to see LU names get the bigger exposure in GFW, at least when LU's not taping. That could work out well for both sides!
- GFW continues its internal investigation on Alberto. Presumably he's still suspended until it concludes. There's still time for GFW to clear him for August's live events and TV tapings if they feel that's the right course of action. Things could get dicey for the championship if that investigation doesn't absolve him soon.
- A "GFW Network" kind of idea is a possibility. That could be something Anthem does with its video libraries and GFW would be part of something bigger.
Renee Young will be part of Raw and Smackdown going forward. So, John Cena's not their only free agent. That's great news for her both professionally and personally as it means she'll be with Dean Ambrose on Monday nights.
Chris Jericho will appear for Northeast Wrestling on August 27. He's either able to do signings independently of WWE, or he agreed to the date before returning to the company on Smackdown.
Ed Nordholm did a big interview on the Hardys situation and more:
- GFW could definitely benefit from resolving the Hardys situation from a PR perspective. Going back on the road for live events, the Super X Cup, working agreements, and the like are having to share press space with Reby Hardy's Twitter outbursts.
- GFW could very well legally be in the right for owning the characters, but what good is having the rights to characters for wrestlers who are no longer working for the company? GFW's not going to use them for other wrestlers or anything. It's just making fans turn on GFW at a time when they're trying to save themselves from further negative publicity.
- I do think a court might grant the Hardys some relief for spending their own money on the episodes, but I wouldn't think that would include getting the rights for characters they made alongside GFW employees. Of course, GFW gave them a LOT of airtime to get their characters over. That shouldn't be overlooked. They pretty much made Impact the Hardy show featuring other wrestlers.
- GFW is definitely getting a lot of blowback from Reby in particular. I doubt that's helped anyone.
- Nordholm has a point. The Hardys are the ones who need to take things to court if they want the content. GFW has their signed contracts.
- "Sources" that say Anthem's side is purposefully dragging things out is almost definitely the Hardys' side further painting themselves as the faces. They're pretty close to wrestling journalists.
- The story has been that there was a deal in place, but Nordholm won't sign off on anything. I almost wish they would go to court so we'd get to the bottom of all of it and everyone can move on from their lives.
- This is almost definitely going to continue to play out, as the Hardys continue to tease the gimmick on TV and Reby keeps firing shots at her former employer.
- Reports have been that it's the Hardys trying to get the rights to the content rather than WWE trying to buy it from Anthem.
- I absolutely expect GFW did a lot to keep the Hardys, and decided they'd rather focus that money elsewhere.
- I do wonder if top names will shy away from working GFW if they can get comparable or better deals elsewhere. It's notable top free agents are always mentioned as possibly going to WWE or NJPW rather than GFW. It's not seen as a priority for "name" talents right now.
- There are definitely people who will benefit from GFW getting them outside bookings, while others could do a lot of that work on their own without giving up some of the income back to GFW. It's a case-by-case thing.
-- Matt Hardy disputed Nordholm's remarks about his contract demands. I'm ready for this to go to court so everyone involved (including fans) can move on to focusing on wrestling instead of contract disputes.
Smackdown drew 2.54 million viewers, pretty much in-line with the previous week's show. So, no bump from Battleground. We'll see if Chris Jericho's return affects the audience going forward.
ESPN's Ric Flair documentary will air on November 7. It's expected to be in 90-120 minute range. That should really be something to watch.
- ESPN put out a press release with a trailer. There's only one Ric Flair. I'm glad he's getting that kind of honor.
Thea Trinidad is working as Zelina Vega in NXT. I and others previously spelled it differently, but WWE confirmed that's her official ring name.
Moose has signed a new three-year deal with GFW. It's not a bad idea to try to make a big name for himself there rather than potentially becoming another cog in the NXT machine. He can still grow as a competitor to where he could be invaluable and an important name in the wrestling landscape.
Bound For Glory will likely be in Orlando. So, no PPV on the road just yet it seems, but I could definitely see it happening in 2018.
GFW promoted the upcoming debut of Dave & Jake Crist, who will work under the team name OVE in the company. I like their look.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. WWE wants her to fill out the division, but they clearly want to focus on the NXT alumnae more. I can't say I blame them. As talented as Mickie is, it's smart to build for the future.
I have no idea what 2 is about.
3. Of course he is! You really think they'd go on TV and lie like that? He joins Kane and Big Show as sons of WWE Hall of Famers.
4. Basically all of those teams had pretty much stalled, so WWE's splitting them in the hopes of them doing more as singles competitors. It's also possible Truth is on the road to retirement, so they gave Goldust a rub from turning on him. WWE still has plenty of talented teams. It's just a matter of WWE wanting to change things for duos who clearly weren't going to be champions anytime soon.
5. They could do some interesting things with a Shield reunion against, say, Brock or Strowman or a reunited Wyatt Family. But I don't think it'd be a long-term direction for Roman, Seth, and Dean given their prospects as singles competitors.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
More WotW matches set, Cappotelli update, Rock shouts out Nia, Raw audience, big matches for Smackdown, "Smacking Talk" debuts, Matt vs. GFW continues, Smackdown dark match, and Questions on Taker's biker look, Titantron troubles, anti-American heels on Smackdown, WWE's use of women, and what is and isn't lazy booking
ROH has announced the following matches for War of the Worlds UK:
-- August 18:
- KUSHIDA vs. CMLL's Titan for the ROH TV Championship
- Dalton Castle & The Boys vs. Jushin "Thunder" Liger & Delirious & CMLL's Mistico
- The Addiction vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero
-- August 18:
- KUSHIDA vs. CMLL's Titan for the ROH TV Championship
- Dalton Castle & The Boys vs. Jushin "Thunder" Liger & Delirious & CMLL's Mistico
- The Addiction vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero
-- August 19:
- KUSHIDA vs. Marty Scurll vs. Dalton Castle vs. Hiromu Takahashi
- KUSHIDA vs. Marty Scurll vs. Dalton Castle vs. Hiromu Takahashi
-- August 20:
- Dalton Castle & The Boys vs. Young Bucks & Hangman Page
- Jay Lethal vs. Silas Young
- Dalton Castle & The Boys vs. Young Bucks & Hangman Page
- Jay Lethal vs. Silas Young
Matt Cappotelli has launched a GoFundMe page to help treat his brain cancer. That's a really rough situation for him and his family. I hope he pulls through.
The Rock put over Nia Jax. She's definitely done great work.
Raw drew 3.07 million viewers Monday, down a bit from the previous week. We'll see how things do after Summerslam.
Set for next week's Smackdown:
- John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura to face Jinder Mahal at Summerslam.
- AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens for the United States Championship
Daniel Bryan and Renee Young did an episode of "Smacking Talk" with Chad Gable. Pretty funny. We'll see how long it will last.
Matt Hardy took another shot at GFW vs. WWE: Tweet 1 Tweet 2 I'm absolutely ready for this to end. Either go to court over it or move on already.
John Cena vs. Jinder Mahal took place after Smackdown, with the Singh brothers running in for a DQ ending. That may or may not mean we're in for that match at Summerslam; neither man wrestled on the main show, so this could have just been giving fans those two in action. The Great Khali was not involved, so they're either saving him for special occasions or Battleground was a one-time only thing.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It could be Hell's Angels saw Taker as a legit enough badass to see him wearing their shirts as free publicity. It's not like Taker was just some guy trying to be tough; he's a big motorcycle fan.
1. It could be Hell's Angels saw Taker as a legit enough badass to see him wearing their shirts as free publicity. It's not like Taker was just some guy trying to be tough; he's a big motorcycle fan.
2. I don't really have an answer for that. Who misses their cue that many times? Someone needs to be FFFFFIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD.
3. LISTEN HERE, PAL. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS COUNTRY, YOU CAN LEAVE IT GODDAMMIT. WE'RE GONNA HAVE PATRIOTS IN THIS COMPANY AND NO ONE'S GONNA STAND AROUND AND LET SOME CANADIAN OR BULGARIAN OR INDIAN GET AWAY WITH DISRESPECT AND THAT'S A GUARAN-DAMN-TEE, PAL! I'm just glad they don't have Nakamura as an evil Japanese samurai or something.
4. WWE is pushing a lot of women at once. They're definitely not just throwing that many women together for the heck of it; they just have a good number of credible women they can put in the title picture.
5. It's only lazy booking if they're just doing that kind of thing because they don't want to put in any effort to do something different. The original angle with the three women's trios was pretty lazy booking. They just had Stephanie introduce some new characters and throw them in teams and everyone went along with it.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Black Friday 2017 preview/predictions *completely speculative*
With WWE cutting expenses by scaling back Network shows, pyro, and set design ahead of tomorrow's release of their earnings from Q2 2017, it's natural to think they could be releasing talents from their contracts to further trim costs. Here are some names that would likely be considered for such an effort, and my thoughts on each:
-- Raw:
- Apollo Crews. I really, really hope he's safe, but WWE's not using him much. That's not a good sign.
- Apollo Crews. I really, really hope he's safe, but WWE's not using him much. That's not a good sign.
- Bo Dallas. A name I wouldn't rule out despite his TV role if WWE doesn't see him having a long shelf life.
- Curtis Axel. See above.
- Dana Brooke. WWE isn't using her. That's not a good sign. She'd be easy to cut.
- Darren Young. Safe due to injury. Otherwise, there's a chance they'd cut him.
- Emma. Pretty much the most obvious cut after her tweet about not being on Raw. They had her get squashed by a fellow heel just to send her a message. She's pretty much done.
- Heath Slater. As much as I don't want to see that happen, if WWE needs to make a fair number of cuts, he's someone who's not an important player right now.
- Kalisto. I don't know how much value they see in him beyond being around to job to others.
- Mark Henry. They'll probably just let his talent contract expire soon and that will be that.
- Paige. Probably safe due to injury. If she's going to be cut, it's going to be because of the airport incident. She hasn't been formally charged yet, so she should survive a hypothetical Black Friday.
- R-Truth. Unless they're going to keep him on for the remainder of his deal for him to retire and become a producer or something, I could see WWE viewing him as expendable.
- Rhyno. He's not doing much of anything, and I doubt they have plans to use him more. It will depend on how much WWE thinks they need a team at his and Heath's level.
- Summer Rae. Unless she's officially injured, I'd be very surprised for her to stick around. She's practically invisible right now.
-- Smackdown:
- Aiden English. Depending on how much WWE thinks they need him as a jobber, he's not someone who has a lot of momentum. That could hurt him.
- Aiden English. Depending on how much WWE thinks they need him as a jobber, he's not someone who has a lot of momentum. That could hurt him.
- The Ascension. Obviously WWE has ZERO plans for them. Unless they want to keep one around as a jobber or think they REALLY need them to job as a duo, they seem like they'd be on the short list to be cut.
- Breezango. I wouldn't completely rule one or both out as a surprise release if WWE doesn't think they have a big shelf life.
- Chad Gable. As a wildcard "did not see that one coming" option if WWE doesn't see him going far as a singles wrestler.
- The Colons. Presumably safe due to Primo being injured. I would think that would mean The Ascension's chances of staying around drop.
- Dolph Ziggler. I'm about 90% sure he's safe, even though they don't use him all that much. He's shown himself to be really dependable.
- Eva Marie. This one's a no-brainer, since she's not expected to come back for anything anyway. I'm surprised she's still under contract as it is.
- Erick Rowan. Unless WWE's got Wyatt-related plans for him, there's not a lot to do with Rowan. He's not used on TV as it is, which isn't good when WWE's looking for someone to cut.
- Kane. He's practically retired anyway, and might volunteer to be released. I'm leaning toward him being allowed to stay under contract as a nod to his many years in WWE and the fact he could return in a PR role, but he's worth mentioning.
- Luke Harper. I REALLY want to be wrong on this one, but since they're not using him, he's on the list of possibilities.
- Sin Cara. Given his backstage problems and how little he's used, things don't look great for him.
- Tamina. I'd think if any active Smackdown woman was in jeopardy, it'd be her. She's 39 and has been wrestling there a while. Theoretically her being released opens up a spot for someone from NXT.
- Zack Ryder. I hate to say it, but I wouldn't rule him out to be cut. WWE always has a few names that are shockers.
More wrestling coming up.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Assorted WWE press, Brie Mode in 2018?, Bruno honored, Davey done with GFW, top WWE stars tease feud, WWE execs sell stock, Brock on more live events, no dark match after Raw, Wyatts reunion teased, and Questions on Mt. Rushmore, no more pyro, PPVs on Sundays, WWE not doing shows in MSG, and War Games in WWE
The WWE Performance Center had another all-access day Monday. It's a really impressive facility, especially compared with how previous eras trained.
WWE is taping another episode of "Bring it to the Table" this week. I like the show. It gets WWE's side of the story out there.
"Total Bellas" season two is expected to have eight episodes. The Bellas are a full-on brand at this point.
Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus did signings Monday before their respective shows.
WWE now has official birthday cakes in the UK. That's pretty cool! I'm sure plenty of places will make unofficial cakes, so WWE's smart to get their own out there.
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon are doing a meet & greet and signing before Summerslam to benefit Connor's Cure. That's going to be a busy weekend for WWE.
Brie Bella is looking to return to the ring in 2018. I expect that will be a plot point on "Total Bellas." We'll see if it's going to be a one-time thing or a fairly regular deal.
Bruno Sammartino was profiled for getting a statue in his hometown in Italy. Bruno is a wrestling icon.
WWE artist Rob Schamberger discussed his new deal with Mattel. I'm glad he's being featured by WWE. He does amazing work.
Davey Richards has announced his departure from GFW, which was not surprising as he had previously said 2017 is his last year as a wrestler. His run against Edwards this year was outstanding, and the right feud to go out on. They really tore it up in their big grudge matches. I am curious what this will mean for Angelina Love's future, as she was brought back for that angle specifically.
Roman Reigns and John Cena teased a feud on Twitter: Tweet 1 Tweet 2 Tweet 3 That's something to save for at least Survivor Series, if not WM34.
Top WWE executives have sold stock ahead of this week's earnings report:
- Kevin Dunn (83,737 shares)
- Michelle Wilson (81,951 shares)
- George Barrios (81,856 shares)
- Michael Luisi (13,601 shares)
- Stephanie McMahon (10,417 shares)
- Triple H (10,417 shares)
-- This is definitely something to pay attention to. It could easily mean things aren't as rosy as they'd like them to be in that earnings report, and stocks could be losing value as a result. It's not a good sign that many shares have been sold by important WWE players.
Brock Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe for the Universal Championship is set for Smackdown live events on July 29 and August 12. So I guess they're free agents, too?? Presumably WWE is boosting that side's live events to make them seem as big as Raw's shows are.
There was no dark match after Raw again this week. That's unusual. I wonder if they're going to end that practice? I mean, hey. Those tapings are already REALLY long.
Bray Wyatt teased a Wyatt Family reunion. That would be a setback for Luke and Rowan; a sign WWE doesn't have confidence in them as singles names. They've been notably absent from Smackdown lately.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It all depends on what criteria you're using for the Mt. Rushmore. I focused more on wrestling history, while Dave looked at four of the biggest stars since Vince went national.
2. Makes me wonder if we're in for some releases on Friday. That would certainly cut expenses and make room for more developmental hires.
3. Pretty much that. A lot of people have work and school on Monday morning, so they're more likely to stay in. And, perhaps most importantly, it leads right into Raw and Smackdown.
4. Running shows on TV from MSG is expensive, as the facility requires WWE to use their staff instead of WWE's. So, yeah, WWE's more than happy to do shows in other local venues.
5. They also have to bring a second ring for War Games, and there's a lot more going on in that match. I don't expect to see it return to WWE anytime soon. They've got other structures to play with.
More wrestling tomorrow.
WWE is taping another episode of "Bring it to the Table" this week. I like the show. It gets WWE's side of the story out there.
"Total Bellas" season two is expected to have eight episodes. The Bellas are a full-on brand at this point.
Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus did signings Monday before their respective shows.
WWE now has official birthday cakes in the UK. That's pretty cool! I'm sure plenty of places will make unofficial cakes, so WWE's smart to get their own out there.
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon are doing a meet & greet and signing before Summerslam to benefit Connor's Cure. That's going to be a busy weekend for WWE.
Brie Bella is looking to return to the ring in 2018. I expect that will be a plot point on "Total Bellas." We'll see if it's going to be a one-time thing or a fairly regular deal.
Bruno Sammartino was profiled for getting a statue in his hometown in Italy. Bruno is a wrestling icon.
WWE artist Rob Schamberger discussed his new deal with Mattel. I'm glad he's being featured by WWE. He does amazing work.
Davey Richards has announced his departure from GFW, which was not surprising as he had previously said 2017 is his last year as a wrestler. His run against Edwards this year was outstanding, and the right feud to go out on. They really tore it up in their big grudge matches. I am curious what this will mean for Angelina Love's future, as she was brought back for that angle specifically.
Roman Reigns and John Cena teased a feud on Twitter: Tweet 1 Tweet 2 Tweet 3 That's something to save for at least Survivor Series, if not WM34.
Top WWE executives have sold stock ahead of this week's earnings report:
- Kevin Dunn (83,737 shares)
- Michelle Wilson (81,951 shares)
- George Barrios (81,856 shares)
- Michael Luisi (13,601 shares)
- Stephanie McMahon (10,417 shares)
- Triple H (10,417 shares)
-- This is definitely something to pay attention to. It could easily mean things aren't as rosy as they'd like them to be in that earnings report, and stocks could be losing value as a result. It's not a good sign that many shares have been sold by important WWE players.
Brock Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe for the Universal Championship is set for Smackdown live events on July 29 and August 12. So I guess they're free agents, too?? Presumably WWE is boosting that side's live events to make them seem as big as Raw's shows are.
There was no dark match after Raw again this week. That's unusual. I wonder if they're going to end that practice? I mean, hey. Those tapings are already REALLY long.
Bray Wyatt teased a Wyatt Family reunion. That would be a setback for Luke and Rowan; a sign WWE doesn't have confidence in them as singles names. They've been notably absent from Smackdown lately.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It all depends on what criteria you're using for the Mt. Rushmore. I focused more on wrestling history, while Dave looked at four of the biggest stars since Vince went national.
2. Makes me wonder if we're in for some releases on Friday. That would certainly cut expenses and make room for more developmental hires.
3. Pretty much that. A lot of people have work and school on Monday morning, so they're more likely to stay in. And, perhaps most importantly, it leads right into Raw and Smackdown.
4. Running shows on TV from MSG is expensive, as the facility requires WWE to use their staff instead of WWE's. So, yeah, WWE's more than happy to do shows in other local venues.
5. They also have to bring a second ring for War Games, and there's a lot more going on in that match. I don't expect to see it return to WWE anytime soon. They've got other structures to play with.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Raw Reax - 7/24/17
- Angle/Braun/Joe/Roman:
Kurt has had a lot on his plate with the whole "I've got a secret son" thing.
I'm glad Jason's not changing his last name. That would be a LITTLE much for me.
I hope Jason has a big showing tonight.
Hey Braun grabbed the brass ring by getting involved in the main event!
Right?? Braun makes some good points here.
I want to see Brock vs. Braun REALLY badly.
Actually, I want to see Braun vs. Joe, too.
Joe did have a really good showing at GBOF.
Joe's confident. I like that. He's worked really hard for a long time to get here.
Joe has good reasoning, too.
Roman's such a natural cocky douche. I love it.
Roman does have a great resume!
I wonder if we really have seen the last of Taker in the ring. I expect we have, but I don't know.
I mean, hey, Joe was NXT Champion!
Oh I'm all for these four big hosses colliding. That would be a great way to get the title off Brock without him losing clean.
All this rage piling up.
This is pretty fun. Just imagine the chaos at Summerslam!
Yeah, I didn't expect Roman and Joe to work together for long.
And I didn't expect Braun to stay down long either!
Kurt's going to need a LOT more security. Looks like budget cuts are hurting there, too.
I really hope they do Joe, Roman, and Braun vs. the Raw roster in the main event.
That was cool overall.
- Elias promo:
Poor Samson had to break a guitar because of that dastardly Finn Balor!
Elias can definitely get heat.
- Finn vs. Elias:
Oh yeah, Balor's not too happy about the whole "guitar to the shoulder" thing.
Elias might need more than one guitar to win this one.
This is fine for what it is.
Samson's not a bad wrestler by any means.
Do NOT try a sunset flip on Finn Balor if you don't like being dropkicked.
Elias having a chair evens things up a bit.
This is pretty solid. Good story of targeting the shoulder.
Balor's full of energy. He works really hard.
Finn's going on a tear here.
LOTS of running kicks tonight.
Bray just saved Samson big time. I hope Elias is his disciple.
Fine to continue Finn/Bray.
- Post-match:
Bray's flexibility is impressive.
- Kurt/Emma:
Ah good ol' Curt Hawkins. The designated tackle dummy. Fine by me.
Uh-oh. Emma's about to get buried for her comments last week.
Emma is pretty great. I hope WWE finds a way to use her more.
- Show/Enzo:
Be careful with that, Enzo!
- Enzo promo:
They could easily substitute Show into Enzo's old intro with Cass.
I love this guy on the mic. He's always fired up.
Cass is NOT SAWFT. At least he doesn't hit sawft, as Enzo learned at GBOF.
- Enzo vs. Cass:
Enzo's got fire, but Cass is a mountain of a man.
Cass is just dismantling Enzo. He's a straightforward and efficient hoss.
Cass is just straight-up mean here.
Fine work!
- Post-match:
Enzo messed with the wrong dude.
Cass holding Enzo hostage!
We could see both Show and Khali in action at Summerslam it looks like. Both stories make sense, and Show putting Cass over is a good move.
This is effective to make Cass this generation's Big Show (along with Strowman). Or maybe Braun is more Kane given the Wyatt background?
- Alexa promo:
I love heel Alexa. I'm glad they're giving her a big run.
I love the shade!!
That was great.
- Emma vs. Nia:
Note, THIS is a burial. When a talent is specifically booked to send a lesson to them for something (in this case, Tweeting about not being on Raw), it's a punishment.
Hey, at least Emma did get on Raw!
Emma's definitely talented, but refusing to be Emmalina combined with last week's tweet probably means she's not going to get any kind of push. She better hope no "spring cleanings" are coming up.
Nia's another great talent.
That was an impressive ending!! Nia's put in a lot of work to not just be "The Rock's cousin."
- Tozawa/Titus:
Ha. Don't let a cruiser talk for too long! Get Titus out there dammit!!
I'd pop for Akira beating up a lot of doctors.
I like Akira's resolve.
- Tozawa/Neville/Ariya:
I love Akira's screams.
Neville working REALLY hard to be the centerpiece of everything.
Man, harsh words from the champ.
Akira not taking that lightly! You don't need a shoulder at 100% to do headbutts!
Yeah, be careful on that shoulder.
Ariya the opportunist!
Looks like Neville's got a new friend! Unless Daivari's suckering him in?
- Bayley/Sasha:
Sasha's cockiness on full display. I wouldn't expect her to turn heel unless someone else (Nia?) is going to take her place as a face to keep things even. Mickie's an option, but I would be surprised to see Dana get a push.
- Jordan interview:
This is a pretty big stage for Jason as a singles competitor. He and Gable are really talented, but they need a spotlight like this angle to get to show it.
I hope they do run with Jason as a face. He's good.
So, like, where are the foster parents in all of this? They're kind of getting pushed aside.
Good promo.
- Dean/Seth:
I'm surprised I'm actually not really looking forward to a Shield reunion. Dean's character has really suffered since they split, and Seth and Roman have eclipsed him as workers.
Wait, Seth's the architect! Let him come up with the plan!
Tortured loner Dean doesn't trust anyone. No one understands him, man!
- Bayley vs. Sasha:
This should be good.
These two know each other well, so they have each other scouted.
I'm loving the fast covers.
They're starting off well. I think Sasha can be heel again if they keep this up.
Quite the fight here. I love this match feeling really different from Enzo vs. Cass or the opening segment. It's more technical.
I love the Banks Statement and how Sasha makes it the centerpiece of her in-ring strategy.
I mean, this is really smooth.
Nice slaps and punches. Things have heated up now.
This is really good! Both of them clearly want to win. They started with holds and now it's about nailing that knockout blow.
That was a really good ending, since it could have gone either way and Bayley REALLY gutted through to survive the frog splash.
- Post-match:
I expect a triple threat or something. They've got to use The Boss in Brooklyn.
- Hawkins promo:
I like how self-aware everyone is about Curt. He plays confidence straight even though he's going to lose.
- Jordan vs. Hawkins:
Curt playing mind games. He's got a big opportunity to prove he's better than the son of a Hall of Famer.
I am going to miss American Alpha's amazing teamwork, but it's not like they were going anywhere on Smackdown with New Day as the top faces and Breezango getting regular TV time in the division, too.
This is solid enough.
Good first taste of Jason as a singles star. He's got the ability to be successful.
- Revival/Club:
Hahahahaha poor Charly.
I LOVE these two. They're great.
Man, these two are taking credit for a lot, huh?
I'm normally down on Karl and Luke, but they've been entertaining on Main Event.
I'm good with a face turn for the Club. Them as heels was really forced.
Funny enough.
- Revival vs. Club:
This is a fresh matchup. Glad to see these two teams working together.
Both teams are good workers.
Either team vs. Sheamus/Cesaro would be fun.
The Revival are a very refreshing tag team in a world of spotmonkey duos more focused on cool doubleteams than tag team wrestling.
I'm liking The Club as faces.
This is a good combination of styles. A nice brawl we got going on here.
This is going pretty well! Both teams work together well.
Hey, Hardys! Don't ruin this match!
Good to see The Revival get that win.
- Post-match:
How rude from Matt and Jeff!
- Miztourage backstage:
I'm glad Miz is still getting to show what he's capable of as a heel on Raw.
That was good. Miz is ridiculously underrated.
- Next week announcement:
Braun vs. Roman vs. Joe is going to be INSANE.
- Seth/Dean vs. Miztourage w/Maryse:
Haha Miz is such a natural cowardly heel.
Dean can be a good enough worker, even a fun one. Just don't have him do as much on the mic trying to be edgy.
Hey, at least Bo and Axel can say they're headlining Raw!
This is a showcase of Seth and Dean on Curtis and Bo. That's fine, since I've seen a LOT of Miz vs. Ambrose.
This is good so far.
Heck, Miz might need to expand his crew if he's going to win this one.
I like the heel tactics here.
Glad we are seeing some offense from Bo and Curtis. They don't get to be showcased much.
Miz is a really solid worker.
I want to see Miz mimic Angle SO badly.
This is going pretty well. I'm liking the action.
Dean can be fun in bursts.
This is going quite well, actually. There's a good story involved.
Ooooohhhhh that didn't look like a good fall for Bo.
Lots of backdrops here!
OK, that suicide dive spot was actually really cool.
Miz getting the surprise win after the dives would have been disappointing.
THAT was a cool ending. Seth and Dean work together pretty well. Not that that's a surprise.
- Post-match:
Good enough to continue Dean's paranoia.
More wrestling coming up.
Kurt has had a lot on his plate with the whole "I've got a secret son" thing.
I'm glad Jason's not changing his last name. That would be a LITTLE much for me.
I hope Jason has a big showing tonight.
Hey Braun grabbed the brass ring by getting involved in the main event!
Right?? Braun makes some good points here.
I want to see Brock vs. Braun REALLY badly.
Actually, I want to see Braun vs. Joe, too.
Joe did have a really good showing at GBOF.
Joe's confident. I like that. He's worked really hard for a long time to get here.
Joe has good reasoning, too.
Roman's such a natural cocky douche. I love it.
Roman does have a great resume!
I wonder if we really have seen the last of Taker in the ring. I expect we have, but I don't know.
I mean, hey, Joe was NXT Champion!
Oh I'm all for these four big hosses colliding. That would be a great way to get the title off Brock without him losing clean.
All this rage piling up.
This is pretty fun. Just imagine the chaos at Summerslam!
Yeah, I didn't expect Roman and Joe to work together for long.
And I didn't expect Braun to stay down long either!
Kurt's going to need a LOT more security. Looks like budget cuts are hurting there, too.
I really hope they do Joe, Roman, and Braun vs. the Raw roster in the main event.
That was cool overall.
- Elias promo:
Poor Samson had to break a guitar because of that dastardly Finn Balor!
Elias can definitely get heat.
- Finn vs. Elias:
Oh yeah, Balor's not too happy about the whole "guitar to the shoulder" thing.
Elias might need more than one guitar to win this one.
This is fine for what it is.
Samson's not a bad wrestler by any means.
Do NOT try a sunset flip on Finn Balor if you don't like being dropkicked.
Elias having a chair evens things up a bit.
This is pretty solid. Good story of targeting the shoulder.
Balor's full of energy. He works really hard.
Finn's going on a tear here.
LOTS of running kicks tonight.
Bray just saved Samson big time. I hope Elias is his disciple.
Fine to continue Finn/Bray.
- Post-match:
Bray's flexibility is impressive.
- Kurt/Emma:
Ah good ol' Curt Hawkins. The designated tackle dummy. Fine by me.
Uh-oh. Emma's about to get buried for her comments last week.
Emma is pretty great. I hope WWE finds a way to use her more.
- Show/Enzo:
Be careful with that, Enzo!
- Enzo promo:
They could easily substitute Show into Enzo's old intro with Cass.
I love this guy on the mic. He's always fired up.
Cass is NOT SAWFT. At least he doesn't hit sawft, as Enzo learned at GBOF.
- Enzo vs. Cass:
Enzo's got fire, but Cass is a mountain of a man.
Cass is just dismantling Enzo. He's a straightforward and efficient hoss.
Cass is just straight-up mean here.
Fine work!
- Post-match:
Enzo messed with the wrong dude.
Cass holding Enzo hostage!
We could see both Show and Khali in action at Summerslam it looks like. Both stories make sense, and Show putting Cass over is a good move.
This is effective to make Cass this generation's Big Show (along with Strowman). Or maybe Braun is more Kane given the Wyatt background?
- Alexa promo:
I love heel Alexa. I'm glad they're giving her a big run.
I love the shade!!
That was great.
- Emma vs. Nia:
Note, THIS is a burial. When a talent is specifically booked to send a lesson to them for something (in this case, Tweeting about not being on Raw), it's a punishment.
Hey, at least Emma did get on Raw!
Emma's definitely talented, but refusing to be Emmalina combined with last week's tweet probably means she's not going to get any kind of push. She better hope no "spring cleanings" are coming up.
Nia's another great talent.
That was an impressive ending!! Nia's put in a lot of work to not just be "The Rock's cousin."
- Tozawa/Titus:
Ha. Don't let a cruiser talk for too long! Get Titus out there dammit!!
I'd pop for Akira beating up a lot of doctors.
I like Akira's resolve.
- Tozawa/Neville/Ariya:
I love Akira's screams.
Neville working REALLY hard to be the centerpiece of everything.
Man, harsh words from the champ.
Akira not taking that lightly! You don't need a shoulder at 100% to do headbutts!
Yeah, be careful on that shoulder.
Ariya the opportunist!
Looks like Neville's got a new friend! Unless Daivari's suckering him in?
- Bayley/Sasha:
Sasha's cockiness on full display. I wouldn't expect her to turn heel unless someone else (Nia?) is going to take her place as a face to keep things even. Mickie's an option, but I would be surprised to see Dana get a push.
- Jordan interview:
This is a pretty big stage for Jason as a singles competitor. He and Gable are really talented, but they need a spotlight like this angle to get to show it.
I hope they do run with Jason as a face. He's good.
So, like, where are the foster parents in all of this? They're kind of getting pushed aside.
Good promo.
- Dean/Seth:
I'm surprised I'm actually not really looking forward to a Shield reunion. Dean's character has really suffered since they split, and Seth and Roman have eclipsed him as workers.
Wait, Seth's the architect! Let him come up with the plan!
Tortured loner Dean doesn't trust anyone. No one understands him, man!
- Bayley vs. Sasha:
This should be good.
These two know each other well, so they have each other scouted.
I'm loving the fast covers.
They're starting off well. I think Sasha can be heel again if they keep this up.
Quite the fight here. I love this match feeling really different from Enzo vs. Cass or the opening segment. It's more technical.
I love the Banks Statement and how Sasha makes it the centerpiece of her in-ring strategy.
I mean, this is really smooth.
Nice slaps and punches. Things have heated up now.
This is really good! Both of them clearly want to win. They started with holds and now it's about nailing that knockout blow.
That was a really good ending, since it could have gone either way and Bayley REALLY gutted through to survive the frog splash.
- Post-match:
I expect a triple threat or something. They've got to use The Boss in Brooklyn.
- Hawkins promo:
I like how self-aware everyone is about Curt. He plays confidence straight even though he's going to lose.
- Jordan vs. Hawkins:
Curt playing mind games. He's got a big opportunity to prove he's better than the son of a Hall of Famer.
I am going to miss American Alpha's amazing teamwork, but it's not like they were going anywhere on Smackdown with New Day as the top faces and Breezango getting regular TV time in the division, too.
This is solid enough.
Good first taste of Jason as a singles star. He's got the ability to be successful.
- Revival/Club:
Hahahahaha poor Charly.
I LOVE these two. They're great.
Man, these two are taking credit for a lot, huh?
I'm normally down on Karl and Luke, but they've been entertaining on Main Event.
I'm good with a face turn for the Club. Them as heels was really forced.
Funny enough.
- Revival vs. Club:
This is a fresh matchup. Glad to see these two teams working together.
Both teams are good workers.
Either team vs. Sheamus/Cesaro would be fun.
The Revival are a very refreshing tag team in a world of spotmonkey duos more focused on cool doubleteams than tag team wrestling.
I'm liking The Club as faces.
This is a good combination of styles. A nice brawl we got going on here.
This is going pretty well! Both teams work together well.
Hey, Hardys! Don't ruin this match!
Good to see The Revival get that win.
- Post-match:
How rude from Matt and Jeff!
- Miztourage backstage:
I'm glad Miz is still getting to show what he's capable of as a heel on Raw.
That was good. Miz is ridiculously underrated.
- Next week announcement:
Braun vs. Roman vs. Joe is going to be INSANE.
- Seth/Dean vs. Miztourage w/Maryse:
Haha Miz is such a natural cowardly heel.
Dean can be a good enough worker, even a fun one. Just don't have him do as much on the mic trying to be edgy.
Hey, at least Bo and Axel can say they're headlining Raw!
This is a showcase of Seth and Dean on Curtis and Bo. That's fine, since I've seen a LOT of Miz vs. Ambrose.
This is good so far.
Heck, Miz might need to expand his crew if he's going to win this one.
I like the heel tactics here.
Glad we are seeing some offense from Bo and Curtis. They don't get to be showcased much.
Miz is a really solid worker.
I want to see Miz mimic Angle SO badly.
This is going pretty well. I'm liking the action.
Dean can be fun in bursts.
This is going quite well, actually. There's a good story involved.
Ooooohhhhh that didn't look like a good fall for Bo.
Lots of backdrops here!
OK, that suicide dive spot was actually really cool.
Miz getting the surprise win after the dives would have been disappointing.
THAT was a cool ending. Seth and Dean work together pretty well. Not that that's a surprise.
- Post-match:
Good enough to continue Dean's paranoia.
More wrestling coming up.
Monday, July 24, 2017
Abyss changing his look, WWE cutting back on sets, recent GFW name at WWE live event, Finn banged up, and Questions on NJPW's first U.S. shows, Jason Angle, WWE being snubbed by the Emmys, Finn's place on the card, and Cena's place in wrestling history
Abyss is getting a new mask. That looks pretty creepy. Part of me wants Abyss and Storm to team in a bit of a Wyatt Family kind of thing.
WWE is scaling back on special PPV sets and pyrotechnics as an economic move. I love pyro and the things that make the show special, but I see why WWE would want to cut back on costs.
Shane Helms visited at a Raw live event this weekend near his neck of the woods. There's speculation of him ending up with a behind-the-scenes role in WWE. It wouldn't be a surprise given his history in the business. I'd like to see him be a producer for the cruiserweights.
Finn Balor is wearing tape on his shoulder, so he could be a little banged up. Glad he's still going, though. He's one of my favorite workers right now.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. They seem to have been pretty successful! Followup will be key. I'm very curious to see how they'll fare in the U.S., and what that will mean for other promotions.
2. Well, it can be argued Jason's mother hid him from his real dad for 28 years, even though Jason wanted to become a wrestler and all that. The mystery drew interest to what the reveal would be, and the goal is to use Jason's "second-generation" status as a way to push his association with the WWE Hall of Famer. The hope is that will lead to him becoming a bigger star, selling tickets and drawing ratings and all that other stuff. The idea of it being a ruse on Jason's part (or his mom's) isn't a bad idea if they want to go that route.
3. It might be that, but I think a lot of it is the inherent bias against honoring something like WWE. I'm sure it's still seen as pretty low-brow to those types.
4. That's not a bad take! I do like the idea of him getting over for reasons other than "this guy's such a great wrestler and he was a big deal in other places so we're going to put him in the main event of a major PPV within a month of him hitting the main roster." I like Finn, but I can see how the casual audience hasn't gotten to connect with him just yet compared to people who have been there longer.
5. I think we all have really different criteria for the Mount Rushmore of wrestling. To me, it's not the four biggest stars/draws, but an acknowledgement of different eras of wrestling. I think it should primarily honor history. I like my picks of Hackenshmidt, Bruno, Hogan, and Rock for what they all meant for their respective era of wrestling. Rock is still expanding things into the mainstream, which gives him the edge over Austin for his time period. As great as Cena is, and I have no doubt he'll bring wrestling even further into the mainstream, there are only four spots, and I think you have to give Hackenshmidt the "George Washington" spot as the first recognized world champion.
More wrestling tomorrow.
WWE is scaling back on special PPV sets and pyrotechnics as an economic move. I love pyro and the things that make the show special, but I see why WWE would want to cut back on costs.
Shane Helms visited at a Raw live event this weekend near his neck of the woods. There's speculation of him ending up with a behind-the-scenes role in WWE. It wouldn't be a surprise given his history in the business. I'd like to see him be a producer for the cruiserweights.
Finn Balor is wearing tape on his shoulder, so he could be a little banged up. Glad he's still going, though. He's one of my favorite workers right now.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. They seem to have been pretty successful! Followup will be key. I'm very curious to see how they'll fare in the U.S., and what that will mean for other promotions.
2. Well, it can be argued Jason's mother hid him from his real dad for 28 years, even though Jason wanted to become a wrestler and all that. The mystery drew interest to what the reveal would be, and the goal is to use Jason's "second-generation" status as a way to push his association with the WWE Hall of Famer. The hope is that will lead to him becoming a bigger star, selling tickets and drawing ratings and all that other stuff. The idea of it being a ruse on Jason's part (or his mom's) isn't a bad idea if they want to go that route.
3. It might be that, but I think a lot of it is the inherent bias against honoring something like WWE. I'm sure it's still seen as pretty low-brow to those types.
4. That's not a bad take! I do like the idea of him getting over for reasons other than "this guy's such a great wrestler and he was a big deal in other places so we're going to put him in the main event of a major PPV within a month of him hitting the main roster." I like Finn, but I can see how the casual audience hasn't gotten to connect with him just yet compared to people who have been there longer.
5. I think we all have really different criteria for the Mount Rushmore of wrestling. To me, it's not the four biggest stars/draws, but an acknowledgement of different eras of wrestling. I think it should primarily honor history. I like my picks of Hackenshmidt, Bruno, Hogan, and Rock for what they all meant for their respective era of wrestling. Rock is still expanding things into the mainstream, which gives him the edge over Austin for his time period. As great as Cena is, and I have no doubt he'll bring wrestling even further into the mainstream, there are only four spots, and I think you have to give Hackenshmidt the "George Washington" spot as the first recognized world champion.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Battleground Reax
Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown-brand WWE Network special event.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
WWE Network puts HHH over, 205 Live name gets Mattel figure, more World Class on the Network, Interviews with Jinder/Justin Robers, Mattel signs deal with WWE artist, Smackdown live event notes, and Questions on a WWE MVP, Mathilda, Flair's history, and John Tenta
WWE Network will feature Triple H related content on Friday in honor of his birthday, including his first WCW PPV and when he won his first Intercontinental Championship. Both of those events are more than 20 years ago now.
Jack Gallagher is also getting his first ever WWE action figure from Mattel, complete with an umbrella.
WWE Network has uploaded more episodes of WCCW TV, from 1983 and 1984. WWE has a treasure trove of archived content available on that service, with plenty more on the way!
Jinder Mahal gave another interview to promote Battleground:
- WWE is definitely putting him in position to be an important player. I hope he's champion until at least Survivor Series, if not the Rumble. The goal should be that it will be believable for him to be champion again once he drops the title.
- It's kind of crazy to have the WWE Title determined in a climbing contest/obstacle course, but they can make it work.
- WWE has some other Indian prospects in NXT. I wouldn't be surprised if we see Jeet Rama on NXT TV soon, since he's worked dark matches at tapings recently.
- Jinder can be a big player. He should have a big run ahead of him. I'm glad he's motivated to be a big deal.
- WWE has absolutely tried to make new stars for years. They just had a tendency in the past to lose faith in people (Swagger, Ziggler, Miz, Truth, etc.) after one main event run.
- WWE definitely has a lot of talented people. I'm curious how things will shake out for them going forward.
- Oh, yeah, Cena's work ethic is unparalleled.
- McIntyre vs. Jinder for the WWE Title is an interesting idea. I don't think it will happen at WM34, as WWE will want to get everything they can out of him at the NXT level, but there's a chance it happens in 2018.
- I enjoyed 3MB, but obviously it wasn't The Shield as far as being a force to be taken seriously.
Justin Roberts gave a long interview about the backstage WWE environment and more. Of course, there are politics and the like in any job.
Mattel has signed a deal with wrestling artist Rob Schamberger to make figures of his work. That should REALLY be cool. He's an incredible talent.
Tony Chimel was the special ring announcer at Smackdown's live event Saturday night. I don't know if that was a one-time thing or he's covering for Greg Hamilton for a while or what. We'll see.
- The Hype Bros worked as a team at that event, so they're still a duo for the time being. I assume they're splitting soon-ish, though.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. From that list, I'm going with Owens given how many different things they've done with him. To me, the MVP is the soldier who works a lot of matches all over the card and all that. AJ's a great wrestler, but I don't think he's shown the utility in WWE that Owens has shown.
2. That had to be more convenient than the alternative.
3. I'd think announcing he was from Memphis would have conflicted with Jerry Lawler as King of Memphis. That city/territories was already claimed!
4. I have a soft spot for The Oddities. Wrestling used to be a LOT more interesting, character-wise.
Nothing to add to 5.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Jack Gallagher is also getting his first ever WWE action figure from Mattel, complete with an umbrella.
WWE Network has uploaded more episodes of WCCW TV, from 1983 and 1984. WWE has a treasure trove of archived content available on that service, with plenty more on the way!
Jinder Mahal gave another interview to promote Battleground:
- WWE is definitely putting him in position to be an important player. I hope he's champion until at least Survivor Series, if not the Rumble. The goal should be that it will be believable for him to be champion again once he drops the title.
- It's kind of crazy to have the WWE Title determined in a climbing contest/obstacle course, but they can make it work.
- WWE has some other Indian prospects in NXT. I wouldn't be surprised if we see Jeet Rama on NXT TV soon, since he's worked dark matches at tapings recently.
- Jinder can be a big player. He should have a big run ahead of him. I'm glad he's motivated to be a big deal.
- WWE has absolutely tried to make new stars for years. They just had a tendency in the past to lose faith in people (Swagger, Ziggler, Miz, Truth, etc.) after one main event run.
- WWE definitely has a lot of talented people. I'm curious how things will shake out for them going forward.
- Oh, yeah, Cena's work ethic is unparalleled.
- McIntyre vs. Jinder for the WWE Title is an interesting idea. I don't think it will happen at WM34, as WWE will want to get everything they can out of him at the NXT level, but there's a chance it happens in 2018.
- I enjoyed 3MB, but obviously it wasn't The Shield as far as being a force to be taken seriously.
Justin Roberts gave a long interview about the backstage WWE environment and more. Of course, there are politics and the like in any job.
Mattel has signed a deal with wrestling artist Rob Schamberger to make figures of his work. That should REALLY be cool. He's an incredible talent.
Tony Chimel was the special ring announcer at Smackdown's live event Saturday night. I don't know if that was a one-time thing or he's covering for Greg Hamilton for a while or what. We'll see.
- The Hype Bros worked as a team at that event, so they're still a duo for the time being. I assume they're splitting soon-ish, though.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. From that list, I'm going with Owens given how many different things they've done with him. To me, the MVP is the soldier who works a lot of matches all over the card and all that. AJ's a great wrestler, but I don't think he's shown the utility in WWE that Owens has shown.
2. That had to be more convenient than the alternative.
3. I'd think announcing he was from Memphis would have conflicted with Jerry Lawler as King of Memphis. That city/territories was already claimed!
4. I have a soft spot for The Oddities. Wrestling used to be a LOT more interesting, character-wise.
Nothing to add to 5.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Main Event Reax - 7/21/17, WWEPC shooter committed to hospital, LAX promotes GFW shows, Darren Young update, Interviews with Jinder/Charlotte, new first-time WWE/NXT Mattel figures, Impact audience, more classic territory footage on WWE Network, new title replica available, Alberto cleared as suspect, and Questions on past WWE HoF plans, Dr. D vs. Stossel, and Punk's wrestling status
-- Main Event:
- Truth vs. Hawkins:
Comedy match? Fine by me.
Ha. Truth has still got it, shaking Curt off like that.
Curt does his role pretty well. At least he's making main roster money instead of doing this in NXT.
This is a pretty solid little match.
Glad to see Hawkins scout the scissors kick.
So much for Curt ever getting a win. Fine by me, I guess. I doubt there are enough Hawkins fans to be that upset about him losing 99 straight. Hell, he probably doesn't even keep track of that.
- Club vs. Slater/Rhyno:
I'm looking forward to this one. We don't get to see much of Slater and Rhyno these days.
Fun stuff in the early going.
Both sides work together well.
Rhyno's still got some fire. This is a good use of him.
Straightforward tag action done well.
This is pretty solid!
Glad to see both teams getting to show what they can do. I like having a Sunday Night Heat kind of environment for people lower on the card to let loose.
I'm very glad we're getting this instead of something from 205 Live. It's something fresh.
The Club can be solid heels in the ring, but I wouldn't mind them turning face if it means WWE would use them more.
The man shot outside the WWE Performance Center in 2015 has been committed to a mental hospital and ruled incompetent to stand trial on the charges against him. I hope he can have peace there and will have no further legal issues.
LAX threw out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game to promote the upcoming GFW live events. Between making money running a baseball stadium and not making money/giving people work, this is the right move for GFW.
Darren Young should be cleared to return to the ring sometime in August. I hope he can contribute to things in a meaningful way.
Jinder Mahal promoted Battleground:
- Oh yeah, Jinder still has a lot of work ahead of him to be an important player. There's no guarantee he won't go right back down the card once he's no longer champion, although his connection to India offers some protection in that regard.
- I do wonder what the plan is for Jinder, Cena, etc. for Summerslam, since I doubt they're doing Jinder/Orton IV there.
- It seems like just yesterday Cena and Orton were the ones trying to prove themselves worthy of being consistent main eventers/WWE Champions.
- Imagine 3MB on top of WWE. That could be AMAZING. Slater the goofy manager for the Modern Day Maharaja and the Scottish warrior would be a lot of fun.
Ken Shamrock, D-Lo Brown, and Wrestling Superstar Virgil all now have WWE Mattel figures for the first time. Mattel has a LOT of people to potentially make figures of.
- Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa got figures as well, as NXT's profile continues to rise.
Impact drew 322,000 viewers Thursday, so the boost from Slammiversary and the Alberto situation was short-lived. It happens; it's tough to get casual fans watching every week.
World Class Championship Wrestling episodes from 1982 and 1983 are being added to WWE Network. That's some pretty classic footage.
WWE is now selling toy replicas of the Universal Championship. So maybe now that title will be present at live events!
Charlotte promoted Second Nature at San Diego Comic-Con. It's risky getting an autobiography so early in your WWE career, but I think she's proven herself as someone who's going to be important for years to come.
Alberto El Patron has been cleared as a suspect in the Orlando airport incident. GFW has had a conference call with Alberto, but have not officially ended his suspension at this time. This is definitely a good break for the champion and promotion; this could have ended up a lot worse for both sides.
- Alberto being cleared, along with their recent statement about Paige, would seem to indicate Orlando police believe Paige was the aggressor. It's now up to the state attorney general to decide whether or not she will face charges. If she does, WWE will almost certainly suspend her, and release her from her contract if she's convicted of them.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I assume we'll still see DX inducted as a group at some point. It actually works out better that they didn't put them in the Hall of Fame that year, since now they could theoretically include Rick Rude and Chyna. There could be less flak for inducting Chyna in that circumstance.
2. Nowadays they would have had Stephanie smiling and talking about how great their family-friendly sports entertainment is. Things have changed a LOT since those days.
3. Punk owns it and is able to market himself/sell merchandise under that name.
4. He seems pretty adamant to continue his MMA career. He's still officially under contract to UFC and wants to fight again.
5. Probably something along those lines.
More wrestling tomorrow.
- Truth vs. Hawkins:
Comedy match? Fine by me.
Ha. Truth has still got it, shaking Curt off like that.
Curt does his role pretty well. At least he's making main roster money instead of doing this in NXT.
This is a pretty solid little match.
Glad to see Hawkins scout the scissors kick.
So much for Curt ever getting a win. Fine by me, I guess. I doubt there are enough Hawkins fans to be that upset about him losing 99 straight. Hell, he probably doesn't even keep track of that.
- Club vs. Slater/Rhyno:
I'm looking forward to this one. We don't get to see much of Slater and Rhyno these days.
Fun stuff in the early going.
Both sides work together well.
Rhyno's still got some fire. This is a good use of him.
Straightforward tag action done well.
This is pretty solid!
Glad to see both teams getting to show what they can do. I like having a Sunday Night Heat kind of environment for people lower on the card to let loose.
I'm very glad we're getting this instead of something from 205 Live. It's something fresh.
The Club can be solid heels in the ring, but I wouldn't mind them turning face if it means WWE would use them more.
The man shot outside the WWE Performance Center in 2015 has been committed to a mental hospital and ruled incompetent to stand trial on the charges against him. I hope he can have peace there and will have no further legal issues.
LAX threw out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game to promote the upcoming GFW live events. Between making money running a baseball stadium and not making money/giving people work, this is the right move for GFW.
Darren Young should be cleared to return to the ring sometime in August. I hope he can contribute to things in a meaningful way.
Jinder Mahal promoted Battleground:
- Oh yeah, Jinder still has a lot of work ahead of him to be an important player. There's no guarantee he won't go right back down the card once he's no longer champion, although his connection to India offers some protection in that regard.
- I do wonder what the plan is for Jinder, Cena, etc. for Summerslam, since I doubt they're doing Jinder/Orton IV there.
- It seems like just yesterday Cena and Orton were the ones trying to prove themselves worthy of being consistent main eventers/WWE Champions.
- Imagine 3MB on top of WWE. That could be AMAZING. Slater the goofy manager for the Modern Day Maharaja and the Scottish warrior would be a lot of fun.
Ken Shamrock, D-Lo Brown, and Wrestling Superstar Virgil all now have WWE Mattel figures for the first time. Mattel has a LOT of people to potentially make figures of.
- Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa got figures as well, as NXT's profile continues to rise.
Impact drew 322,000 viewers Thursday, so the boost from Slammiversary and the Alberto situation was short-lived. It happens; it's tough to get casual fans watching every week.
World Class Championship Wrestling episodes from 1982 and 1983 are being added to WWE Network. That's some pretty classic footage.
WWE is now selling toy replicas of the Universal Championship. So maybe now that title will be present at live events!
Charlotte promoted Second Nature at San Diego Comic-Con. It's risky getting an autobiography so early in your WWE career, but I think she's proven herself as someone who's going to be important for years to come.
Alberto El Patron has been cleared as a suspect in the Orlando airport incident. GFW has had a conference call with Alberto, but have not officially ended his suspension at this time. This is definitely a good break for the champion and promotion; this could have ended up a lot worse for both sides.
- Alberto being cleared, along with their recent statement about Paige, would seem to indicate Orlando police believe Paige was the aggressor. It's now up to the state attorney general to decide whether or not she will face charges. If she does, WWE will almost certainly suspend her, and release her from her contract if she's convicted of them.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I assume we'll still see DX inducted as a group at some point. It actually works out better that they didn't put them in the Hall of Fame that year, since now they could theoretically include Rick Rude and Chyna. There could be less flak for inducting Chyna in that circumstance.
2. Nowadays they would have had Stephanie smiling and talking about how great their family-friendly sports entertainment is. Things have changed a LOT since those days.
3. Punk owns it and is able to market himself/sell merchandise under that name.
4. He seems pretty adamant to continue his MMA career. He's still officially under contract to UFC and wants to fight again.
5. Probably something along those lines.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Friday, July 21, 2017
More on Talking Smack, top LU couple at odds with AAA, CMLL looking to limit ROH names' Mexican work, more NJPW merchandise, more Alberto fallout, Rey considering his future, former GFW champion turns down contract, recent GFW producer to WWE?, WWE scouting in Mexico, WWE signs big African TV deal, former ROH name likely heading to NXT, Interviews with Owens/Cena, new Smackdown UK tour date, Shane thanks fans, another Hardy broken tease, Mattel launches new line of dolls, more classic WWF shows on Network, Brock set for another Raw, WWE hopeful trademarks nickname, NXT injury, and Questions on Sabu in WCW and Miz's pre-WWE training
Vince McMahon may have cut back on weekly editions of Talking Smack due to not liking its unscripted nature, where talents are able to speak their mind publicly. However, the show was not doing as well as it used to as far as viewership, so there's at least some validity to the given reasoning for the show being dropped to just following PPVs.
Johnny Mundo and Taya Valkyrie have heat with AAA, so they could be looking to make GFW a more permanent home. Taya has already left the promotion. Neither wrestler is currently able to appear on another promotion's TV show or PPVs due to their LU commitments, so they might just be doing GFW live events along with other indie bookings until those deals are up.
CMLL is trying to prevent ROH names from working The Crash due to it being a rival Mexican promotion. However, since CMLL isn't booking ROH names for their own events, it would lock performers out of bookings and pay days in Mexico. The CMLL partnership is important for ROH, so this one could be tricky to navigate. It is worth nothing top ROH names should be able to get plenty of other dates outside of Mexico, but they could be making more working The Crash or at least being booked by CMLL.
NJPW will get further merchandise at Hot Topic as Bullet Club related merchandise is selling well there. New merchandise for NJPW and Los Ingobernables will hit stores in August and September. That's really good news for NJPW continuing to expand its U.S. fanbase.
Another UK promotion has pulled Alberto El Patron from its shows, following Paige's family's lead. Pete Dunne will replace Alberto on dates he has been booked for, which obviously gives WWE a nice boost at Pro Wrestling Elite.
Paige's family says the decision to vacate their promotion's world championship was a mutual decision with Alberto, and put him over for what he did to raise the company's profile.
Rey Mysterio will be a free agent in early 2018 should he not sign a new deal with LU. He's been offered a deal with GFW, and there are reports of WWE interest. Rey's son Dominick could be joining his father in the ring wherever he ends up. That's big for both Mysterios.
Magnus has turned down a GFW contract. He only came in for one set of tapings to work the angle with Alberto. Unless he's getting a shot in WWE, it's a shame we won't see more of him on Impact.
Shane Helms could be coming to WWE as a coach. That'd be a good role for him!
William Regal, Sarah Stock (formerly Sarita), and Sam Adonis were at a recent CMLL show and a Mexican indie promotion scouting talent. WWE could be in the early stages in planning something along the lines of the UK Championship for Latin America. WWE would definitely like to grow business south of the U.S.
WWE has signed a new multi-year deal to air Raw and Smackdown live in more than 50 African countries for the first time, starting after Summerslam. That's potentially a big move that could pay dividends years down the line.
Donovan Dijak will be finishing up the shows he's currently booked for as he's expected to sign a contract with NXT shortly. I've enjoyed what I've seen from him so far. I hope he can make it far in WWE.
- Dijak is expected to expected to start at the WWE Performance Center sometime in August. It's kind of funny he and Lio could start training at the same time given how they worked together in ROH.
Kevin Owens promoted a Smackdown live event. Pure banter as always. He's so much fun.
Smackdown will run a show in Ireland on November 2. I hope their UK brand wrestlers get to be part of that, too. They haven't gotten to do regular work for WWE as was originally planned.
Shane McMahon thanked those who reached out to him after his emergency helicopter landing. Shane's a real class act.
UFC is disputing Brock Lesnar coming out of MMA retirement and re-entering the drug testing pool. Interesting there are conflicting stories out there.
Alberto El Patron is stepping down as the president of MMA promotion Combate Americas, reportedly to focus on wrestling. Obviously the timing of this following his airport detainment raises some eyebrows, but the official story is him asking to step down and being open to a return after finishing his wrestling career. We'll see what happens on that front.
Jeff Hardy made another "Broken" reference on social media. There have been conflicting reports of the status of Anthem negotiating with the Hardy camp regarding the use of what the Hardys did in GFW. There has been no formal announcement of coming to terms. I think everyone's ready for this situation to wrap up. It's not helping anyone for it to continue the way it's going.
Mattel and WWE have launched a line of fashion dolls of their female performers, in an effort to target girls. They must have planned to use Eva Marie quite some time ago and got kind of "Stuck" with a doll of someone who's no longer in the picture. As best I know, Eva is still under contract but there are no plans to use her going forward.
John Cena talked about his free agency and more:
- Cena's definitely moving into a pretty high echelon in WWE. They need to use him as a special asset as he starts to change priorities.
- Cena's going to remain an important part of things for some time, I expect. He's just continuing that transition to not being just a WWE superstar.
- I assume he'll stay around as an ambassador or something once he's done taking bumps.
WWE Network has uploaded Boston Garden shows from 1986 to their vault section as they continue to feature Old School content on the service.
Brock Lesnar is advertised for the September 11 Raw. So, he won't be disappearing entirely after Summerslam. I'm very curious what his WWE future is and how it will relate to the Universal Championship.
Shayna Baszler has trademarked her Queen of Spades nickname. The speculation is she did so in order to prevent WWE from doing so should she sign there.
Buddy Murphy had an ankle injury during an NXT live event match. He was teaming with Kassius Ohno against Hideo Itami and The Velveteen Dream, and Ohno had to work a lot of the match on his own. Alexa Bliss' former partners have lost whatever momentum they had as NXT tag team champions. Neither have been on NXT TV in quite some time, and this could only serve as a further setback for the Australian.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
Nothing to add to 1, 3, or 5.
Nothing to add to 1, 3, or 5.
2. I like to think Sabu could have been a bigger success in the wrestling business if he could have stayed in one place. Easier said than done, I know.
4. Miz didn't just hop off Real World and get into a WWE ring. While he definitely got a big break due to how good of a talker he is, he's earned his stripes.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Talking Smack returning?, Bayley gummy bears, SDCC hype, new Battleground matches, Steph gets press, more Brock live events, tag legend retiring, Henry getting new WWE job, Shane needs emergency landing, Paige investigated for battery, Smackdown audience, Brock un-retires from MMA, War Machine-ROH update, new ROH TV matches, GFW announces new web show, Gable honors Jordan, Angle DVD preview, top LU name and others working GFW shows, and Questions on where Mickie is, Wellness testing Paige, Demon Balor, the Xavier reference on Smackdown, and Paige's WWE future
Daniel Bryan and Renee Young teased doing their own version of Talking Smack next week. I doubt management appreciates them pushing a canceled show and taking shots at the Tout venture. I'd like to see them push 205 Live instead. There are a lot of talented people there who could use the promotion!
Bayley now has her own gummy bears from FYE. They're doing a good job offering unique WWE merchandise.
- Sami Zayn and Nikki Bella did appearances at FYE stores in San Diego to tie in with their big Comic-Con.
Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English is set for Kickoff before Battleground. Tye and the former Wyatt Family members better hope they end up on Fashion Files so they'll get some screen time on Smackdown. Maybe Harper will get into the mix after Battleground. I'd like to see Tye and Rowan vs. The Ascension on Main Event to break up all the 205 Live matches, but WWE wants to keep that show for the people at Monday tapings (when Smackdown names are doing their own live events).
Fortune covered Stephanie McMahon's presentation on dropping the Diva branding. WWE definitely appreciates mainstream press putting it over as a forward-looking company that listens to its fan base.
Brock Lesnar is advertised for a September 30 live event in Manitoba. That's pretty close to home for him, so it's a natural use for the champ.
- Brock has also been added to a Smackdown live event on
August 12. He gets added to the most random dates. I hope he's worth the
expense.
Demolition's Ax will be retiring in his hometown soon. I hope WWE honors that team in the Hall of Fame, video games, etc. at some point once the big CTE lawsuit is out of the picture.
Mark Henry is officially transitioning into a backstage role in WWE, although exactly what job is unknown. He brings a lot of experience to the table to help the current batch of talent.
Charlotte promoted an upcoming live event, which will be preceded in the market by an AJ Styles signing. This is the night before Battleground, so they might use it to prepare for that event in some ways.
Shane McMahon was involved in an emergency helicopter landing Wednesday. No one was harmed, thank goodness. I'm mainly wondering who's going to reference this at Battleground. Owens? Rusev? Carmella?
Paige is being investigated for battery for her role in the recent airport incident. Police have found probable cause for her to be charged and have sent the case to the Florida state attorney's offense. Police continue to investigate Alberto El Patron in the same incident. Should Paige be charged, she'll be indefinitely suspended by WWE until/unless she's cleared of wrongdoing. If she's convicted, WWE will immediately release her. That would be a very sad ending for her WWE tenure. I hope it wouldn't mean GFW would scoop her up in spite of those charges and the situation with their current world champion. That would be a TERRIBLE PR move.
Smackdown drew 2.55 million viewers Tuesday night, a nice boost from previous weeks. Jinder's reign seems to be doing well enough as far as TV goes, although Battleground ticket sales aren't exactly great right now.
Brock Lesnar has re-entered the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency testing protocol so his suspension from MMA can expire in time for the end of his WWE deal. This would open him up to return to UFC after WM34, or use that opportunity as leverage for another amazing deal from WWE. It's telling just how big of a deal he is that it's actually a possibility for him to get back in UFC after failing a drug test on such a big stage. Brock is living the LIFE.
War Machine is booked for ROH's July 29 live event, facing Jonathan Gresham & Jay White. So, Hanson & Rowe aren't gone from the company just yet. To the best of my knowledge, they're still free agents and can sign with ROH, NJPW, or NXT if they so choose to make one of those places their more regular home. GFW is theoretically an option, but there hasn't been any talk of them heading there.
- Also announced for that show, Chuckie T. & Beretta will face Coast 2 Coast.
GFW has announced a web show to follow Impact, presumably in the vein of Talking Smack. That's really clever considering WWE canceled a similar show that had a nice following. Maybe they can get some positive buzz for themselves amid all the Alberto and Hardys drama.
Chad Gable gave a lengthy homage to Jason Jordan as the pair split. I hope both men do well as singles stars.
Mike Kanellis vs. Sami Zayn is official for Battleground. We'll see how things go for those two going forward.
Kurt Angle's DVD's opening video has been released. Hopefully his son Jason will have that level of a career, too!
The former John Morrison, Drago, Taya Valkyrie, Dave Crist, and Jake Crist will work GFW's Northeastern live events. I would think it's possible those latter four names would also work the TV tapings later in the month. John Morrison/Johnny Mundo and Taya wouldn't be able to due to their LU contracts, which is a shame, because Johnny would really have a chance to shine in GFW. Either way, it's good to see fresh talent in the mix. GFW has done a great job replenishing the roster under the new regime.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. She wrestled Emma on Main Event last week. It's worth checking out if you miss those two. With Sasha and Bayley around as faces, Mickie is a little out of the mix for the time being. Hopefully we'll see more from her on TV before too much longer.
1. She wrestled Emma on Main Event last week. It's worth checking out if you miss those two. With Sasha and Bayley around as faces, Mickie is a little out of the mix for the time being. Hopefully we'll see more from her on TV before too much longer.
2. While they're within their rights to test her for drugs or otherwise discipline her, I think it would come across as callous to punish someone who was just in a domestic violence situation. That said, should she be convicted of the charges being considered against her, WWE will almost definitely release her. I absolutely hope she and Alberto get whatever help they need to live healthy lives, but WWE would likely come under fire if she's convicted of battery and they don't act.
3. As was said, they're saving it for Balor being in a big enough situation to warrant "needing" to unleash the Demon. I don't think he'd have to go to those depths to beat Elias Samson.
4. I haven't heard of any heat. Reportedly a producer approved the reference, which wasn't overt or explicit.
5. She needs to get in a good place in her life first, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Angle announcement fallout, Smackdown promotion, Finn's guitar scars, Emma "celebrates" anniversary backstage, former GFW name tried out for MYC, WWE names hang with GFW names, former WWE Champion to GFW?, Interview with Riley, Raw audience, ROH UK main events, and Questions on attempted vehicular manslaughter, more female refs, a wrestling Mt. Rushmore, turning Cena and Reigns heel, and Brock's amazing WWE deal
AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Austin Aries, and William Regal had their own take on Kurt Angle's Raw announcement. Pretty funny all around, although I wonder what WWE thinks of the shoutout to the Bucks. I love the unscripted banter, but I doubt Vince does.
Charlotte visited a local Cricket wireless store to promote Smackdown.
Finn Balor showed the results of Elias Samson's guitar shot. Not much you can do to protect yourself from that.
Emma tweeted about not being on Raw on the night of her five-year anniversary in WWE. I don't think that's going to endear her to management, unless her goal is to be squashed by Nia or something. Unfortunately there's not much room for her to go up the card with Sasha, Bayley, Nia, and Alexa all being featured. I do think she's being overlooked as a talent.
The former Taylor Wilde was injured training to be part of the Mae Young Classic. As such, she intends to remain retired. I definitely understand her getting out of the business to get a degree, but I wonder how good she would have become had she continued to train/work as a wrestler.
R-Truth hung out with Konnan and Rey Mysterio in Nashville, which is the home of GFW's offices. Truth spent a lot of time in the company, sometimes with Konnan. If Mysterio wasn't part of LU, I would assume he'd be able to work GFW. He's done some matches in The Crash for Konnan. I'm sure GFW would love to be able to use him to expand their fanbase.
- Mysterio, Konnan, and GFW are negotiating a contract for Rey. I'm not 100% sure what he'll be able to do as far as any deals with LU/El Rey Network. While no fourth season has been greenlit for the project, he might still be tied up in contracts there. GFW does NOT want another Hernandez situation where they film something with someone only to be unable to use a talent due to their LU deal still being in effect.
- Bray Wyatt hung out with James Storm while in Nashville, which I'd LOVE to see as a team in WWE. Heel Storm could fit in pretty well, as I don't think he'd be the beer-drinking cowboy.
The former Alex Riley discussed heat with John Cena killing his WWE career and more. I absolutely think Riley could have been more in WWE. He was a talented guy the company didn't handle correctly. He fell through the cracks due to something of a personal falling out with Cena, which is really sad.
Raw drew 3.2 million viewers for the big Kurt Angle announcement episode. There was a time when that was a low number, but it's pretty good for WWE these days as people watch things as they air on TV less and less.
ROH has announced the main events for next month's UK tour:
- August 18 will feature Cody, The Young Bucks, Marty Scurll & Hangman Page vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI
- August 19 will be headlined by Cody vs. SANADA for the ROH World Championship on iPPV
- August 20 will feature Cody & Marty Scurll vs. The Addiction
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I'm guessing Braun waived away any charges, focusing on attacking Roman again. Just because WWE doesn't spell everything out for the audience, that doesn't mean it's a plot hole.
2. I'm sure it's coming! I hope we see at least one female commentator on the main roster as time goes on, too.
3. George Hackenshmidt, Bruno, The Hulkster, and Vince? I'm leaning toward Rock over Austin as No. 5 because of his lasting mainstream appeal and connection to other wrestlers.
4. Bigger? Cena, since he's been an important face for SO long. I see no reason to do it, though, since he has reached such an elite place in WWE. Hipsters are going to boo him, but everyone respects him.
5. If Brock draws enough business for WWE, it just might all be worth it. He's definitely got a REALLY cozy deal.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Charlotte visited a local Cricket wireless store to promote Smackdown.
Finn Balor showed the results of Elias Samson's guitar shot. Not much you can do to protect yourself from that.
Emma tweeted about not being on Raw on the night of her five-year anniversary in WWE. I don't think that's going to endear her to management, unless her goal is to be squashed by Nia or something. Unfortunately there's not much room for her to go up the card with Sasha, Bayley, Nia, and Alexa all being featured. I do think she's being overlooked as a talent.
The former Taylor Wilde was injured training to be part of the Mae Young Classic. As such, she intends to remain retired. I definitely understand her getting out of the business to get a degree, but I wonder how good she would have become had she continued to train/work as a wrestler.
R-Truth hung out with Konnan and Rey Mysterio in Nashville, which is the home of GFW's offices. Truth spent a lot of time in the company, sometimes with Konnan. If Mysterio wasn't part of LU, I would assume he'd be able to work GFW. He's done some matches in The Crash for Konnan. I'm sure GFW would love to be able to use him to expand their fanbase.
- Mysterio, Konnan, and GFW are negotiating a contract for Rey. I'm not 100% sure what he'll be able to do as far as any deals with LU/El Rey Network. While no fourth season has been greenlit for the project, he might still be tied up in contracts there. GFW does NOT want another Hernandez situation where they film something with someone only to be unable to use a talent due to their LU deal still being in effect.
- Bray Wyatt hung out with James Storm while in Nashville, which I'd LOVE to see as a team in WWE. Heel Storm could fit in pretty well, as I don't think he'd be the beer-drinking cowboy.
The former Alex Riley discussed heat with John Cena killing his WWE career and more. I absolutely think Riley could have been more in WWE. He was a talented guy the company didn't handle correctly. He fell through the cracks due to something of a personal falling out with Cena, which is really sad.
Raw drew 3.2 million viewers for the big Kurt Angle announcement episode. There was a time when that was a low number, but it's pretty good for WWE these days as people watch things as they air on TV less and less.
ROH has announced the main events for next month's UK tour:
- August 18 will feature Cody, The Young Bucks, Marty Scurll & Hangman Page vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI
- August 19 will be headlined by Cody vs. SANADA for the ROH World Championship on iPPV
- August 20 will feature Cody & Marty Scurll vs. The Addiction
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I'm guessing Braun waived away any charges, focusing on attacking Roman again. Just because WWE doesn't spell everything out for the audience, that doesn't mean it's a plot hole.
2. I'm sure it's coming! I hope we see at least one female commentator on the main roster as time goes on, too.
3. George Hackenshmidt, Bruno, The Hulkster, and Vince? I'm leaning toward Rock over Austin as No. 5 because of his lasting mainstream appeal and connection to other wrestlers.
4. Bigger? Cena, since he's been an important face for SO long. I see no reason to do it, though, since he has reached such an elite place in WWE. Hipsters are going to boo him, but everyone respects him.
5. If Brock draws enough business for WWE, it just might all be worth it. He's definitely got a REALLY cozy deal.
More wrestling tomorrow.
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