Kurt Angle discussed his sobriety and more:
- I expect WWE is waiting to have him get back in the ring for Mania. If worse comes to worst, he and HHH can just hit each other with weapons so he won't have to bump much.
- It's got to be hard to put complete faith in a recovering addict.
- I agree Gable has more natural charisma, so Jordan probably benefits from the rub more.
Charlotte Flair talked about her dad's health. It has to have been tough growing up in that environment.
Samoa Joe discussed his recovery:
- It's concerning he put off surgery for so long. I'm glad he's getting the help he needed, though.
- I'm excited for his future matches.
The Young Bucks are auctioning off their "Too Sweet" tights to benefit children's healthcare in Atlanta. That's AMAZING. The best possible way to respond to WWE's cease and desist.
WWE Network is holding off on uploading Thunder and Heat due to the royalties lawsuit from Bagwell and Raven, as those two talents appear on those shows. All necessary work on Thunder has been completed; the show was all ready to be added to the service. Heat was planned to be added before the end of the year.
Impact is considering focusing on other markets for TV tapings in 2018. They may or may not return to Universal Studios going forward. That will be expensive, but I definitely think there's an upside to being in different venues.
John Gaburick is taking more of a lead in Impact, as was expected with Jarrett's departure. We'll see how that affects things after BFG.
Ed Nordholm has been less involved with the day-to-day business of Impact, mainly focusing on legal affairs of the company and the Global Wrestling Network. Another Anthem executive is overseeing things. That may or may not mean changes in the backstage environment.
Alberto El Patron is set to get a big push when he returns, which makes sense on the grounds that he never actually lost the world championship. Alberto vs. Drake after BFG would seem like a given if Eli is still champion then.
Sienna will be at the December 9 WrestlePro event that Impact will tape footage at. A Impact/WrestlePro episode could be good.
Eli Drake, Moose, Eddie Edwards, and Jeremy Borash are working Pro Wrestling NOAH. Good to see that relationship is still healthy.
Low Ki's and Eddie Kingston's contracts are set to expire soon. Ki is certainly done, and I expect Kingston will follow. There could be further departures coming as the company changes over from the Jarrett administration. We'll see which talents Impact does and doesn't want to use going forward.
Impact talents have voiced concerns about lack of communication with management lately. I hope that's resolved soon.
Michael Cole will not be at Raw due to his son getting married. Tom Phillips will fill in. Cole has become an institution on WWE TV. I fully expect him to go into the Hall of Fame at some point.
Robbie E has left Impact Wrestling after asking for his release. He hadn't wrestled for the company since January, although he did tour NOAH on their behalf. Hopefully he's got something else going on now; he worked hard to be a success long after Jersey Shore stopped being a thing.
Triple H is advertised for Smackdown's live event in Portugal on November 6, opposite Raw in England. That could easily be a warm-up match for Survivor Series. Team HHH vs. Team Angle would be interesting.
Stone Cold Steve Austin got another shoutout, this time on NBC's The Good Place. It's a shame we never got Austin vs. Brock, Austin vs. Cena, etc., but Austin seems happy to not be taking bumps anymore.
Raw will have live events on December 2 in Utah and December 15 in New Hampshite.
Xavier Woods has been added to WWE Immortals as Mortal Kombat's Raiden. That's pretty cool. I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a WWE guest character in Mortal Kombat or Injustice, given the other characters who have popped up in those games.
Impact Wrestling drew 264,000 viewers Thursday night. The audience has been kind of lacking lately.
WWE's CTE lawsuit plaintiffs must file an amended plea within 35 days after a judge found sections of the current lawsuit unnecessarily long, overly broad, inaccurate, irrelevant, and frivolous. Each talent involved must provide sworn, taped statements regarding the facts of their WWE tenures and the basis of each and every lawsuit claim within that time frame, too, including specifics on which employees or agents allegedly did the relevant acts or statements involved in the lawsuits, when they did so, and who else was present. Should plaintiffs not do so during that time fame, the judge will dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice so the plaintiffs could not file future lawsuits on these claims and potentially sanction the prosecuting attorney, leading to plaintiffs being responsible for attorney fees. So, the lawsuit will either be drastically changed or totally dropped come November.
An audience member ran to the ring during an NXT live event in Florida as Undisputed were facing Kassius Ohno and Heavy Machinery. Kyle O'Reilly kicked him before security dragged the man off. I said "audience member" instead of "fan" because a fan would respect what's going on in the ring instead of pulling something like this. I hope whatever fame he got was worth it, because he shouldn't be allowed at any future live events.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I think Corgan wants to get a lot of his plans in order before making announcements. He doesn't want to fall into the same trap the original GFW did of hyping a bunch of stuff up and not being able to deliver at the stage they wanted to.
2. He indicates he wasn't, but his name was linked to it. He could have just wanted to escape that drama.
3. They wouldn't be able to. King Kong is owned by Universal Studios. There is a promotion called Kaiju Big Battel where people wrestle in monster costumes, though.
4. I don't see it happening. WWE's not getting any kind of offer to have it on TV, so they're going to keep doing it digitally.
5. If it's something personal, it's not something that needs to be dug into. Hopefully he's able to be back soon.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Interviews with Angle/Charlotte/Joe, Bucks auctioning Too Sweet tights for charity, Thunder/Heat on the Network updates, Impact doing more shows outside of Orlando in 2018, Impact backstage updates, Alberto plans, more on Impact/WrestlePro, Impact names at NOAH, Impact departure announced and more likely on the way, Raw announcer missing next week, HHH booked for European show, another Stone Cold shoutout, more Raw live events set, Xavier Woods gets video game honor, Impact audience, WWE CTE lawsuit in jeopardy, audience run-in on NXT show, and Questions on Corgan's NWA plans, Page leaving EVOLVE, wrestling as King Kong, WWE Network on TV, and Nigel's whereabouts
Friday, September 29, 2017
No Mercy attendance note, Another Sexy-AAA update, likely Final Battle main event, NWA plans update, Impact taping at November convention, possible WWE return, new WWEPC trainer, Enzo's future plans, top EVOLVE name leaves, JBL in India, Interview with Kane, and Questions on dubbing WWE Network music, Flosports burying WWN, the state of the brand extension, and Rousey in WWE
No Mercy was legitimate sellout of 14,000 fans. That's good news!
AAA has no plans to use Sexy Star going forward. It's going to take a lot of goodwill for her to make up for her actions at Triplemania.
The NWA isn't expected to make use of licensing going forward beyond Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. I hope that move pays off. They've got a lot of work to do to reinvigorate the brand.
Cody vs. Dalton Castle is the likely main event at Final Battle. That's the right move. Castle's someone they can make an important future part of the company.
Impact will tape some footage at Wrestlecade on November 25. They'll be able to use legends in attendance at that event. I'm curious what they'll do there.
WWE is considering bringing Kaitlyn back. As far as I know, she's still in great shape, and she was just training in the ring recently, so I hope she's able to make another run for herself.
UK wrestler Johnny Moss will start as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center next month. In addition to those duties, he'll be working backstage on live events. Moss is currently running a wrestling school in the UK, so he's got experience in the role.
Enzo Amore is looking into a rap career. He's unreal. I'd rather him do that AND WWE; I hope this doesn't mean he's about to be done as a wrestler. He's been really entertaining.
Jack Gallagher will have a documentary followed by a Q&A session on November 5 in his hometown. He's definitely a special superstar.
Ethan Page has left EVOLVE. He had been built as their top heel. I hope his departure doesn't hurt his chances of ending up somewhere bigger; this doesn't look to be a case of him leaving the company for somewhere like NXT or Impact.
JBL posted pictures from his recent Indian appearance. I'm glad he's doing that kind of work now.
Kane discussed WWE and his political future:
- Glenn Jacobs is a very intelligent, well-spoken man. From that standpoint, I think he'd absolutely be a service to his community. It's telling WWE executives and his coworkers look to him for advice.
- I assume a lot of his decision was moving from taking bumps to something he felt was more meaningful for his community.
- It's got to be weird convincing people a giant professional wrestler can be a qualified, well-spoken candidate. I can tell you Kane has been interested in politics for some time now. He didn't just pop up and decide to go from wrestling to mayor.
- OK, it's REALLY funny Kane went from Tombstoning Linda to discussing elected office.
- I can see the Braun comparisons.
- I'd like to see "Candidate Kane" make an appearance on a Tennessee show at some point. It's such a no-brainer, but I can see why WWE wouldn't want to risk looking like they just endorse one party over the other in the market.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That's a great idea. I'm not sure why they didn't go that route.
2. Flosports petty af as it circles the drain.
3.a. No, but they definitely recognize the value in having someone like Cena on Raw at times.
b. It can easily just be that Cena's "Smackdown contract expired" and he was able to work both shows on a per date basis. The same could be true of Jordan, or Shane and Bryan felt it was the right thing to do to "release him from his Smackdown deal" to be able to work with "his dad" on Raw. Just because WWE doesn't spell out every detail, that doesn't mean it's a plot hole.
Nothing to add to 4.
5. I would think she'd be used on a Brock schedule rather than going through NXT or whatever. WWE wants to use her appeal under her real name. They won't change it.
More wrestling tomorrow.
AAA has no plans to use Sexy Star going forward. It's going to take a lot of goodwill for her to make up for her actions at Triplemania.
The NWA isn't expected to make use of licensing going forward beyond Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. I hope that move pays off. They've got a lot of work to do to reinvigorate the brand.
Cody vs. Dalton Castle is the likely main event at Final Battle. That's the right move. Castle's someone they can make an important future part of the company.
Impact will tape some footage at Wrestlecade on November 25. They'll be able to use legends in attendance at that event. I'm curious what they'll do there.
WWE is considering bringing Kaitlyn back. As far as I know, she's still in great shape, and she was just training in the ring recently, so I hope she's able to make another run for herself.
UK wrestler Johnny Moss will start as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center next month. In addition to those duties, he'll be working backstage on live events. Moss is currently running a wrestling school in the UK, so he's got experience in the role.
Enzo Amore is looking into a rap career. He's unreal. I'd rather him do that AND WWE; I hope this doesn't mean he's about to be done as a wrestler. He's been really entertaining.
Jack Gallagher will have a documentary followed by a Q&A session on November 5 in his hometown. He's definitely a special superstar.
Ethan Page has left EVOLVE. He had been built as their top heel. I hope his departure doesn't hurt his chances of ending up somewhere bigger; this doesn't look to be a case of him leaving the company for somewhere like NXT or Impact.
JBL posted pictures from his recent Indian appearance. I'm glad he's doing that kind of work now.
Kane discussed WWE and his political future:
- Glenn Jacobs is a very intelligent, well-spoken man. From that standpoint, I think he'd absolutely be a service to his community. It's telling WWE executives and his coworkers look to him for advice.
- I assume a lot of his decision was moving from taking bumps to something he felt was more meaningful for his community.
- It's got to be weird convincing people a giant professional wrestler can be a qualified, well-spoken candidate. I can tell you Kane has been interested in politics for some time now. He didn't just pop up and decide to go from wrestling to mayor.
- OK, it's REALLY funny Kane went from Tombstoning Linda to discussing elected office.
- I can see the Braun comparisons.
- I'd like to see "Candidate Kane" make an appearance on a Tennessee show at some point. It's such a no-brainer, but I can see why WWE wouldn't want to risk looking like they just endorse one party over the other in the market.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That's a great idea. I'm not sure why they didn't go that route.
2. Flosports petty af as it circles the drain.
3.a. No, but they definitely recognize the value in having someone like Cena on Raw at times.
b. It can easily just be that Cena's "Smackdown contract expired" and he was able to work both shows on a per date basis. The same could be true of Jordan, or Shane and Bryan felt it was the right thing to do to "release him from his Smackdown deal" to be able to work with "his dad" on Raw. Just because WWE doesn't spell out every detail, that doesn't mean it's a plot hole.
Nothing to add to 4.
5. I would think she'd be used on a Brock schedule rather than going through NXT or whatever. WWE wants to use her appeal under her real name. They won't change it.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
New indie streaming service, assorted WWE press, another Heenan tribute, Smackdown audience, HoFers wrestling at Starrcade, WWE takes legal action against Bucks, another date for Cena and Brock, and Questions on Owens vs. Shane, Raw vs. MNF, sources getting special treatment, WWE regulating social media, and wrestling for Impact
A new streaming service has launched with access to Women's Extreme Wrestling, the Urban Wrestling Federation, 3PW, Wrestling's Bloodiest Wars, Female Wrestling's Most Violent Brawls, and The Wrestling Zone. Hopefully it's a success for the groups involved. Given Floslam's issues, I can see how people would be shying away from doing streaming services.
John Cena visited Nintendo. He's a good spokesperson for their target demographic.
- Cena also visited a child in the hospital. Cena gets around!!
Chris Jericho paid tribute to Bobby Heenan on his most recent podcast. The Brain was one of the all-time great heels, for sure.
Smackdown drew 2.54 million viewers this week, pretty much in line with last week's show.
Stephanie McMahon was at a big Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Youth of the Year gala Tuesday night.
NXT talent will be part of a Special Olympics plane pull in Florida.
JBL got press for his work in India. I can't praise that enough. Great for him.
An Ontario comic convention is honoring the original Royal Rumble with participants in attendance.
The Club vs. The Rock 'N' Roll Express is official for Starrcade. That's amazing! I wouldn't have expected that team to wrestle for WWE in 2017.
- Ricky Steamboat is also advertised for the event, which is shockingly not currently planned as a WWE Network special.
Bayley will be part of the 2017 Nintendo World Championship on October 7. She'd be great for that, although TJP and New Day would be obvious guests, too.
WWE has served the Young Bucks with a cease-and-desist letter in regard to using the "Too Sweet" hand gesture on TV and in merchandise, as WWE claims ownership of the gesture. WWE also wants a written agreement from the Bucks that they won't use any WWE-owned properties in the future. Should the Bucks not comply, WWE could seek more than $150,000 in damages. I can't say I'm all that surprised. The team was pretty blatantly using something popularized by the nWo. I hope this doesn't lead to a big court battle. Everyone involved should be focused on other things. Plus, it's possible the Bucks, Kenny Omega, etc. are in WWE doing the gesture sooner rather than later anyway!
John Cena is advertised for Raw's December 26 show in Madison Square Garden. So, he still has WWE appearances left in him outside of big PPVs.
Brock Lesnar is advertised for the November 13 Raw, which is six days before Survivor Series. He's not currently advertised for Survivor Series, but I think that will change. I'm hoping for Brock vs. Finn, since I assume Brock vs. Roman is the plan for WM34.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. With Shane being 47 and only working a few matches a year, I think Owens should get the win. Then maybe we get Owens vs. Nakamura?
2. I agree that's an overreaction. They already get destroyed by NFL!
3. HAHAHAHAHA I love it. I do think pretty much all journalists who have friends they cover are going to be influenced by that to a degree, as it's easier to trust someone you know/have a good relationship with. But as far as talent specifically saying "I'll give you a scoop if you put me over" or anything, I don't think that happens.
4. That would be a mess given how many talents send so many social media messages! WWE does give talent rules and all, but they mostly let the talent do their own thing on social media.
5. If they make the best available offer, it's worth a shot. That level of exposure is valuable. Gotta get paid, brother!
More wrestling tomorrow.
John Cena visited Nintendo. He's a good spokesperson for their target demographic.
- Cena also visited a child in the hospital. Cena gets around!!
Chris Jericho paid tribute to Bobby Heenan on his most recent podcast. The Brain was one of the all-time great heels, for sure.
Smackdown drew 2.54 million viewers this week, pretty much in line with last week's show.
Stephanie McMahon was at a big Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Youth of the Year gala Tuesday night.
NXT talent will be part of a Special Olympics plane pull in Florida.
JBL got press for his work in India. I can't praise that enough. Great for him.
An Ontario comic convention is honoring the original Royal Rumble with participants in attendance.
The Club vs. The Rock 'N' Roll Express is official for Starrcade. That's amazing! I wouldn't have expected that team to wrestle for WWE in 2017.
- Ricky Steamboat is also advertised for the event, which is shockingly not currently planned as a WWE Network special.
Bayley will be part of the 2017 Nintendo World Championship on October 7. She'd be great for that, although TJP and New Day would be obvious guests, too.
WWE has served the Young Bucks with a cease-and-desist letter in regard to using the "Too Sweet" hand gesture on TV and in merchandise, as WWE claims ownership of the gesture. WWE also wants a written agreement from the Bucks that they won't use any WWE-owned properties in the future. Should the Bucks not comply, WWE could seek more than $150,000 in damages. I can't say I'm all that surprised. The team was pretty blatantly using something popularized by the nWo. I hope this doesn't lead to a big court battle. Everyone involved should be focused on other things. Plus, it's possible the Bucks, Kenny Omega, etc. are in WWE doing the gesture sooner rather than later anyway!
John Cena is advertised for Raw's December 26 show in Madison Square Garden. So, he still has WWE appearances left in him outside of big PPVs.
Brock Lesnar is advertised for the November 13 Raw, which is six days before Survivor Series. He's not currently advertised for Survivor Series, but I think that will change. I'm hoping for Brock vs. Finn, since I assume Brock vs. Roman is the plan for WM34.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. With Shane being 47 and only working a few matches a year, I think Owens should get the win. Then maybe we get Owens vs. Nakamura?
2. I agree that's an overreaction. They already get destroyed by NFL!
3. HAHAHAHAHA I love it. I do think pretty much all journalists who have friends they cover are going to be influenced by that to a degree, as it's easier to trust someone you know/have a good relationship with. But as far as talent specifically saying "I'll give you a scoop if you put me over" or anything, I don't think that happens.
4. That would be a mess given how many talents send so many social media messages! WWE does give talent rules and all, but they mostly let the talent do their own thing on social media.
5. If they make the best available offer, it's worth a shot. That level of exposure is valuable. Gotta get paid, brother!
More wrestling tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
More on BC invasion, more on Omega-ROH, Hardy injury note, NXT honors Kliq, Paige return update, Interviews with Aries/Y2J, more on WWE Network lawsuit, WWE 2K18 DLC announced, Impact taping at WrestlePro, potential new Knockout, Impact HoF update, Enzo note, Smackdown segment returning, Raw audience, Smackdown names to Funko, Starrcade challenge, and Questions on WWE acknowledging Heenan, Rousey-WWE, Ziggler's impressions, faces winning tournaments, and NWA dropping promotions
Bullet Club posted video of their "invasion" of the Raw parking lot. The Bucks et al. have done things their way and made a big name for themselves. I completely applaud their years of hustle.
Kenny Omega will defend the IWGP U.S. Championship against YOSHI-HASHI as part of Global Wars. That's going to be a big draw for the brand.
Matt Hardy addressed his brother's injury. He's kept people talking about the Broken Universe all these months later; I'll give him credit for that.
NXT stars paid homage to The Kliq at a live event. That's surreal given the reputation of the group 20 years ago.
Paige is expected to return to the ring next month as part of Smackdown. The belief is that she's been cleared by WWE doctors to do so.
Austin Aries discussed his famous banana. I can't blame him for making sure he was adequately nutritious.
Some updates on Buff Bagwell & Raven's lawsuit over WWE Network royalties:
- Raven is arguing WWE's purchase of WCW and ECW video libraries means he should be compensated for royalties at the same rate as he would be for WWE events.
- There's a lot of talk that amounts to "WWE broke various laws by not paying us royalties."
- The lawsuit also says WWE breached contracts by licensing video material to other licencees without the knowledge of Raven and Bagwell.
- The duo are filing a $5 million class action lawsuit that includes another 253 former WWE performers who fit the same parameters as Raven and Bagwell. I know some people are going to say that's a money grab or something, but it's possible they're legally correct that WWE isn't paying them what contracts stated they're owed.
- There's speculation the lawsuit is why WWE is hesitant to put up WCW Thunder episodes, as those would feature Bagwell and Raven. This could extend to other shows featuring the two talents. That's an unfortunate side effect of all of this.
WWE 2K18 has announced the following DLC characters:
- The Hardys
- The Rock 'N' Roll Express
- Drew McIntyre
- Beth Phoenix
- Elias
- Ruby Riot
- Lars Sullivan (!)
- Aleister Black
Eli Drake and Alberto El Patron will be on the December 9 WrestlePro event as part of getting footage for Impact. I wonder if that means we're in for a feud between those two. It would make sense given Alberto never losing the title in the ring.
Impact is interested in signing Tessa Blanchard. As they should be!
Impact's 2017 Hall of Fame ceremony looks to have been dropped as the November tapings were moved to Canada.
Charlotte Flair was at Dancing With The Stars this week. That's pretty cool.
Enzo Amore left No Mercy driving a convertible, showing fans his title and yelling at them. Living his gimmick to the fullest. I love it. To be clear, there's a line between doing that for fans vs. stunting in the locker room/on the tour bus with coworkers.
Breezango taped a new Fashion Files backstage at Smackdown for next week. I have missed them.
Chris Jericho promoted Mick Foley's role on next year's cruise. It's a shame it's not called The Cruise of Jericho.
- Jericho gave another interview.
Raw drew 2.92 million viewers, very close to last week's Raw.
New Day and Zack Ryder will be signing at Funko's headquarters on October 17. Funko has been a pop culture phenomenon.
The Club have challenged The Rock 'N' Roll Express at Starrcade. I'd be all for WWE paying homage to the legacy of the event.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I can see both sides to that. They definitely put him over on Raw, but I can see how people wanted Smackdown to give him a nod, too.
2. I'd be willing to do a one-on-one match that led to a four-on-four match or vice versa. I think we're going to see at least one match from Ronda. Keep Stephanie out of the ring. Save her for setting up HHH vs. Angle at Mania.
3. It set up Roode interrupting with his own flashy entrance. I honestly don't think it was designed to make Ziggler a main eventer. It was just to get heat so Roode could put an end to it. I think it was very effective at showing Ziggler doesn't have any personality or character beyond "Look at me! I'm a good wrestler! Watch me! Why aren't they pushing me???"
4. I do think they designed things to have a big babyface win to end things in a positive fashion of good prevailing over evil.
5. I'm willing to see what Corgan's plans are. It could be a case of cleaning house to start in a new direction. I don't think he made the decision lightly.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Kenny Omega will defend the IWGP U.S. Championship against YOSHI-HASHI as part of Global Wars. That's going to be a big draw for the brand.
Matt Hardy addressed his brother's injury. He's kept people talking about the Broken Universe all these months later; I'll give him credit for that.
NXT stars paid homage to The Kliq at a live event. That's surreal given the reputation of the group 20 years ago.
Paige is expected to return to the ring next month as part of Smackdown. The belief is that she's been cleared by WWE doctors to do so.
Austin Aries discussed his famous banana. I can't blame him for making sure he was adequately nutritious.
Some updates on Buff Bagwell & Raven's lawsuit over WWE Network royalties:
- Raven is arguing WWE's purchase of WCW and ECW video libraries means he should be compensated for royalties at the same rate as he would be for WWE events.
- There's a lot of talk that amounts to "WWE broke various laws by not paying us royalties."
- The lawsuit also says WWE breached contracts by licensing video material to other licencees without the knowledge of Raven and Bagwell.
- The duo are filing a $5 million class action lawsuit that includes another 253 former WWE performers who fit the same parameters as Raven and Bagwell. I know some people are going to say that's a money grab or something, but it's possible they're legally correct that WWE isn't paying them what contracts stated they're owed.
- There's speculation the lawsuit is why WWE is hesitant to put up WCW Thunder episodes, as those would feature Bagwell and Raven. This could extend to other shows featuring the two talents. That's an unfortunate side effect of all of this.
WWE 2K18 has announced the following DLC characters:
- The Hardys
- The Rock 'N' Roll Express
- Drew McIntyre
- Beth Phoenix
- Elias
- Ruby Riot
- Lars Sullivan (!)
- Aleister Black
Eli Drake and Alberto El Patron will be on the December 9 WrestlePro event as part of getting footage for Impact. I wonder if that means we're in for a feud between those two. It would make sense given Alberto never losing the title in the ring.
Impact is interested in signing Tessa Blanchard. As they should be!
Impact's 2017 Hall of Fame ceremony looks to have been dropped as the November tapings were moved to Canada.
Charlotte Flair was at Dancing With The Stars this week. That's pretty cool.
Enzo Amore left No Mercy driving a convertible, showing fans his title and yelling at them. Living his gimmick to the fullest. I love it. To be clear, there's a line between doing that for fans vs. stunting in the locker room/on the tour bus with coworkers.
Breezango taped a new Fashion Files backstage at Smackdown for next week. I have missed them.
Chris Jericho promoted Mick Foley's role on next year's cruise. It's a shame it's not called The Cruise of Jericho.
- Jericho gave another interview.
Raw drew 2.92 million viewers, very close to last week's Raw.
New Day and Zack Ryder will be signing at Funko's headquarters on October 17. Funko has been a pop culture phenomenon.
The Club have challenged The Rock 'N' Roll Express at Starrcade. I'd be all for WWE paying homage to the legacy of the event.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I can see both sides to that. They definitely put him over on Raw, but I can see how people wanted Smackdown to give him a nod, too.
2. I'd be willing to do a one-on-one match that led to a four-on-four match or vice versa. I think we're going to see at least one match from Ronda. Keep Stephanie out of the ring. Save her for setting up HHH vs. Angle at Mania.
3. It set up Roode interrupting with his own flashy entrance. I honestly don't think it was designed to make Ziggler a main eventer. It was just to get heat so Roode could put an end to it. I think it was very effective at showing Ziggler doesn't have any personality or character beyond "Look at me! I'm a good wrestler! Watch me! Why aren't they pushing me???"
4. I do think they designed things to have a big babyface win to end things in a positive fashion of good prevailing over evil.
5. I'm willing to see what Corgan's plans are. It could be a case of cleaning house to start in a new direction. I don't think he made the decision lightly.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Smackdown and 205 Live Reax - 9/26/17
Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown and 205 Live.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Interviews with James Storm/Charlotte, Rayne announcement, more on Cesaro injury, Stone Cold gets a shout-out, big Kanellis announcement, Goldberg special update, SRW on the Network, planned 2018 WWE DVDs, WWE 2K18 to PC, former Divas Champion back in the ring, guests at Raw+No Mercy+NXT, Jeff Hardy out the rest of the year, another Cena movie role, Raw matches, what happened after Raw, and Questions on people who represent NXT, Heyman/Roode, Kofi as world champ, Smackdown in smaller venues, and Stephanie's return
James Storm gave an interview. He's one of the most reliable soldiers the company has left.
Madison Rayne has a comic book coming soon. That's pretty cool.
Cesaro got stitched up after No Mercy. God that looks rough.
- WWE released an update on him. I can barely imagine hitting the corner THAT HARD. He just earned a lot of respect from me for gutting through that.
John Cena had a simple tweet after No Mercy. It's amazing how sudden he's gone from being THE guy in WWE to someone who's not a centerpiece. He has given a lot to the business. It's up to the next generation of stars to step up in his absence.
- #ThankYouJohnCena was trending on Twitter, just a few months after Taker got the same treatment. It's surreal how quickly things are changing in WWE.
- Cena isn't scheduled to be back in WWE until Survivor Series. It's crazy to think the fans who were booing him not that long ago are now upset he's going to miss two months.
Stone Cold got a shout-out on "Rick and Morty." It's a good sign that he's still so relevant despite not having a match in so long.
The Kanellises are expecting a baby! That's why they haven't been on Smackdown lately. They have a big chapter in their life coming. I hope they can have a memorable WWE run at some point.
Goldberg's WWE 24 episode is set to air on November 13 to play off the timing of his Survivor Series return last year.
Southpaw Regional Wrestling has been added to WWE Network in its own section. I hope they can find more tapes of that promotion!!
Charlotte Flair talked on SportsCenter about her new book and more. She's set to be an important public face for the company in the years to come.
WWE's DVD plans for 2018 include:
- Best of 2017 for Raw, Smackdown, PPVs, and NXT.
- the 30th anniversary of Summerslam
- the 25th anniversary of Raw (!)
- a new Shield DVD
- Best of the Hardys
- Unreleased Savage and HBK matches
- an AJ Styles documentary
- Shane McMahon's "Craziest Moments."
WWE 2K18 will be available for PCs on October 17, a 2K series first. That's great! I hope that means more money comes in for the game.
The former Kaitlyn is training to step back in the ring. I'd assume this is just a special appearance for now.
Allison Brie gave a shout-out to the GLOW cast being at No Mercy. I'm glad is willing to showcase them.
Gabe Sapolsky attended an NXT live event in Massachusetts this weekend. He lives in the area, so I wouldn't read this as a confirmation of him having a bigger role in the brand (although that's entirely possible).
Jeff Hardy suffered a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum on Raw last week. He'll undergo surgery next week and could miss four-to-six months. That's a really rough break. I hope he's able to bounce back and get a few more big moments in before retiring. With Matt working as a singles star, I hope he gets to experiment with his character again.
John Cena has been picked up for a big comedy film. His schedule continues to fill up with non-WWE projects.
Bullet Club's Cody, Brandi Rhodes, Young Bucks, Hangman Page, and Marty Scurll had a signing at a Hot Topic store near Raw, so they "invaded" the parking lot. Hey, they're getting press for the appearance, so they're doing the right thing. The group met with former ROH name and current WWE Creative team member Jimmy Jacobs.
Roman Reigns vs. The Miz and Seth Rollins vs. Braun Strowman have both been announced for Raw. I look forward to Seth vs. Braun. That should be great. I'm sure the IC Title match will be good, too.
Braun Strowman and the cruiserweights all destroyed Enzo Amore after Raw. He's becoming as hated on-screen as he is behind-the-scenes!
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. There are a lot of examples here. But for one of each: Finn Balor, Bayley, and The Revival.
2. I honestly think they'll leave together, but I'm not against that pairing. I just think it would be better to pair Heyman with someone who's not as great on the mic. Shinsuke?
3. I'd be a bit surprised to see it, but it could be done. They pushed Jinder after all!
4. I don't see that happening yet. Vince isn't often one to throw in the towel like that.
5. I wouldn't be surprised to see her back to set up Angle vs. HHH at some point in addition to the ongoing Shane/Owens angle.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Madison Rayne has a comic book coming soon. That's pretty cool.
Cesaro got stitched up after No Mercy. God that looks rough.
- WWE released an update on him. I can barely imagine hitting the corner THAT HARD. He just earned a lot of respect from me for gutting through that.
John Cena had a simple tweet after No Mercy. It's amazing how sudden he's gone from being THE guy in WWE to someone who's not a centerpiece. He has given a lot to the business. It's up to the next generation of stars to step up in his absence.
- #ThankYouJohnCena was trending on Twitter, just a few months after Taker got the same treatment. It's surreal how quickly things are changing in WWE.
- Cena isn't scheduled to be back in WWE until Survivor Series. It's crazy to think the fans who were booing him not that long ago are now upset he's going to miss two months.
Stone Cold got a shout-out on "Rick and Morty." It's a good sign that he's still so relevant despite not having a match in so long.
The Kanellises are expecting a baby! That's why they haven't been on Smackdown lately. They have a big chapter in their life coming. I hope they can have a memorable WWE run at some point.
Goldberg's WWE 24 episode is set to air on November 13 to play off the timing of his Survivor Series return last year.
Southpaw Regional Wrestling has been added to WWE Network in its own section. I hope they can find more tapes of that promotion!!
Charlotte Flair talked on SportsCenter about her new book and more. She's set to be an important public face for the company in the years to come.
WWE's DVD plans for 2018 include:
- Best of 2017 for Raw, Smackdown, PPVs, and NXT.
- the 30th anniversary of Summerslam
- the 25th anniversary of Raw (!)
- a new Shield DVD
- Best of the Hardys
- Unreleased Savage and HBK matches
- an AJ Styles documentary
- Shane McMahon's "Craziest Moments."
WWE 2K18 will be available for PCs on October 17, a 2K series first. That's great! I hope that means more money comes in for the game.
The former Kaitlyn is training to step back in the ring. I'd assume this is just a special appearance for now.
Allison Brie gave a shout-out to the GLOW cast being at No Mercy. I'm glad is willing to showcase them.
Gabe Sapolsky attended an NXT live event in Massachusetts this weekend. He lives in the area, so I wouldn't read this as a confirmation of him having a bigger role in the brand (although that's entirely possible).
Jeff Hardy suffered a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum on Raw last week. He'll undergo surgery next week and could miss four-to-six months. That's a really rough break. I hope he's able to bounce back and get a few more big moments in before retiring. With Matt working as a singles star, I hope he gets to experiment with his character again.
John Cena has been picked up for a big comedy film. His schedule continues to fill up with non-WWE projects.
Bullet Club's Cody, Brandi Rhodes, Young Bucks, Hangman Page, and Marty Scurll had a signing at a Hot Topic store near Raw, so they "invaded" the parking lot. Hey, they're getting press for the appearance, so they're doing the right thing. The group met with former ROH name and current WWE Creative team member Jimmy Jacobs.
Roman Reigns vs. The Miz and Seth Rollins vs. Braun Strowman have both been announced for Raw. I look forward to Seth vs. Braun. That should be great. I'm sure the IC Title match will be good, too.
Braun Strowman and the cruiserweights all destroyed Enzo Amore after Raw. He's becoming as hated on-screen as he is behind-the-scenes!
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. There are a lot of examples here. But for one of each: Finn Balor, Bayley, and The Revival.
2. I honestly think they'll leave together, but I'm not against that pairing. I just think it would be better to pair Heyman with someone who's not as great on the mic. Shinsuke?
3. I'd be a bit surprised to see it, but it could be done. They pushed Jinder after all!
4. I don't see that happening yet. Vince isn't often one to throw in the towel like that.
5. I wouldn't be surprised to see her back to set up Angle vs. HHH at some point in addition to the ongoing Shane/Owens angle.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Monday, September 25, 2017
ROH team loses gold, Omega returns, YouTube content on the Network, SCOH 2018 set, NWA transition notes, Regal on BOLA feedback, Asuka debut set, No Mercy notes, Cena update, and Questions on WWE working with the wrestling media, Alicia's longevity, covering indies, censoring profanity, and WWE's response to Jinder promo criticism
War Machine have lost their IWGP Tag Team Championship in a triple threat match in Japan. The new champions are The Killer Elite Squad, Lance Hoyt & Davey Boy Smith, Jr.
Kenny Omega is back from knee surgery, successfully defending his IWGP United States Championship.
WWE is adding short-form video content to the WWE Network as a collection called WWE Shorts, including "Pop Question" "WWE Superstar Ghost Stories" "WWE Game Night" and "My Daughter (or Son) is a WWE Superstars."
- WWE Network will also add WWE 2K18 roster videos to their original specials section of the network.
ROH announced their WM34 weekend event. Supercard of Honor XII will be held in a 9,000 (!) seat venue. I imagine places are getting booked pretty quickly for that time frame.
NWA member licenses will expire on September 30, paving way for whatever Billy Corgan's plans will be for the brand.
The NWA On Demand service will shut down shortly. Billy Corgan has the license for that library, but it is still owned by the Boesch family.
The NWA Championship was featured at Championship Wrestling from Hollywood's most recent TV taping. So, that promotion could be the center of the Corgan era of the brand. Since that group has TV exposure, it makes sense for things to get started there.
William Regal discussed giving talents feedback after the recent Battle of Los Angeles. I'm glad they were willing to work with him to improve their techniques.
Asuka will be debuting at TLC on October 22. I expect she'll face Alexa at Survivor Series.
Cesaro showed the results of No Mercy. That's BRUTAL.
A lot of GLOW cast members were ringside at No Mercy. They had a pretty great show to watch!
No Mercy had Balor Club Los Angeles shirts as well as a Lakers-themed No Mercy shirt.
John Cena spoke on Raw Talk about his future, saying he's not done but things are changing for him as far as his role as a wrestler. He has had a really long run. I hope the NXT guys can carry the torch into a new era, and I don't just mean as far as having quality matches.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That's an interesting proposition. I wonder how much leeway WWE would give them to criticize the product. I don't expect to see it happen; WWE would rather have something like Bring It To The Table where they can more or less control the narrative.
2. I'm impressed with how long she's been able to keep working there. She doesn't win titles, but she's outlasted a lot of other wrestlers and gets a steady paycheck. Good for her!
3. There's WWWWAAAAAYYYYYYYYY too much wrestling out there to cover all of it without crowding out other news. Everyone has to prioritize what to cover.
4. It's too hot for TV!!! It could have been a Pop call. No telling.
5. Their response is basically that they scripted a villainous character on a TV show to say terrible things, as bad people in real life do. "It's all sports entertainment," etc. Fans need to make sure their heat is directed toward Vince and the writers, otherwise it comes across like they're responding to the character in the intended way. Similarly, if fans throw beach balls and do the wave during matches with wrestlers they like, it also sends conflicting messages.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Kenny Omega is back from knee surgery, successfully defending his IWGP United States Championship.
WWE is adding short-form video content to the WWE Network as a collection called WWE Shorts, including "Pop Question" "WWE Superstar Ghost Stories" "WWE Game Night" and "My Daughter (or Son) is a WWE Superstars."
- WWE Network will also add WWE 2K18 roster videos to their original specials section of the network.
ROH announced their WM34 weekend event. Supercard of Honor XII will be held in a 9,000 (!) seat venue. I imagine places are getting booked pretty quickly for that time frame.
NWA member licenses will expire on September 30, paving way for whatever Billy Corgan's plans will be for the brand.
The NWA On Demand service will shut down shortly. Billy Corgan has the license for that library, but it is still owned by the Boesch family.
The NWA Championship was featured at Championship Wrestling from Hollywood's most recent TV taping. So, that promotion could be the center of the Corgan era of the brand. Since that group has TV exposure, it makes sense for things to get started there.
William Regal discussed giving talents feedback after the recent Battle of Los Angeles. I'm glad they were willing to work with him to improve their techniques.
Asuka will be debuting at TLC on October 22. I expect she'll face Alexa at Survivor Series.
Cesaro showed the results of No Mercy. That's BRUTAL.
A lot of GLOW cast members were ringside at No Mercy. They had a pretty great show to watch!
No Mercy had Balor Club Los Angeles shirts as well as a Lakers-themed No Mercy shirt.
John Cena spoke on Raw Talk about his future, saying he's not done but things are changing for him as far as his role as a wrestler. He has had a really long run. I hope the NXT guys can carry the torch into a new era, and I don't just mean as far as having quality matches.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That's an interesting proposition. I wonder how much leeway WWE would give them to criticize the product. I don't expect to see it happen; WWE would rather have something like Bring It To The Table where they can more or less control the narrative.
2. I'm impressed with how long she's been able to keep working there. She doesn't win titles, but she's outlasted a lot of other wrestlers and gets a steady paycheck. Good for her!
3. There's WWWWAAAAAYYYYYYYYY too much wrestling out there to cover all of it without crowding out other news. Everyone has to prioritize what to cover.
4. It's too hot for TV!!! It could have been a Pop call. No telling.
5. Their response is basically that they scripted a villainous character on a TV show to say terrible things, as bad people in real life do. "It's all sports entertainment," etc. Fans need to make sure their heat is directed toward Vince and the writers, otherwise it comes across like they're responding to the character in the intended way. Similarly, if fans throw beach balls and do the wave during matches with wrestlers they like, it also sends conflicting messages.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Main Event - 9/23/17, Interviews with TL Hopper/Charlotte/Y2J, WWE Network content, NXT TV main event, WWE charity events, Funk/Lawler result, more on Y2J's ROH tournament, Hardy out hurt, Cody signs big contract, NXT live event notes, and Questions on WWN vs. Flosports
-- Main Event:
- Slater vs. Wilder:
I love Heath Slater embracing being a fun lower-level guy. Not everyone's going to be a future WWE Champion.
HAHAHA fun spot with the shirt to start.
This is going well so far.
Simple, but effective.
Both men have solid bases.
I'm enjoying this!
That was pretty fun.
- Ariya/Nese vs. Dorado/Mustafa:
Nese is also a fun worker.
I like some high-flying here and there.
Nice teamwork from the faces!
Ha. Nese and Ariya don't want to be hit with DIVES.
This is going well enough.
Everyone here works together pretty well. After all the matches they've had with each other, that's not a surprise.
This is pretty fun.
I'm OK with handspring moves in matches like this. They're out of place in a serious grudge match, though.
Pretty solid flying going on.
I'm liking this action. That was a pretty cool Asai moonsault.
I would have popped for Ariya winning on the sunset flip counter.
Good match!
The former T.L. Hopper/Dirty White Boy discussed WWE, SMW, and more. Cornette knew what the small-town rural market wanted, but he wasn't successful as a booker outside that bubble. Russo was writing a TV show for a national audience, which is what WWF needed as it moved through the '90s.
Another WWE Story Time episode is coming after Raw. That's a fun show.
Adam Cole vs. Eric Young will be on this week's episode of NXT. That should be pretty great.
WWE Network will honor Bruno Sammartino this week in honor of his birthday. He's one of the biggest legends in wrestling history.
JBL and Titus O'Neil recently took part in charity endeavors. That's great!
Charlotte Flair spoke to TMZ about her dad's recovery. I'm glad the legend is doing better.
Terry Funk and the Rock 'N' Roll Express beat Jerry Lawler, Brian Christopher, and Doug Gilbert by DQ after Lawler attacked a referee. The match was a big brawl.
Chris Jericho promoted ROH's Sea of Honor tournament coming at the end of October 2018. The winner will get a match for the ROH World Championship. Understandably, the card isn't available 13 months out.
Charlotte jumped on the Ronda Rousey/Cris Cyborg bandwagon when talking to the New York Post and TMZ. It looks like MMA is going to keep trying to cross over with wrestling going forward.
Chris Jericho discussed his latest book, Vince McMahon, and more. Pretty entertaining.
Jeff Hardy is dealing with a shoulder injury of some sort. Matt Hardy ended up working a singles match Saturday night as a result. Hopefully he's not out too long. There are only so many Hardy matches left; we should enjoy the team while they're still taking bumps.
Cody is set to sign a multiple-year deal with ROH. He'll still be able to work other top promotions, but he'll be appearing for ROH regularly. Getting Cody has been a really big boost for the company.
At an NXT live event in Florida:
- TM-61 had a new manager named Jessie, likely the recently signed Jessica Elaban.
- Danny Burch beat Sawyer Fulton, so Burch isn't just a WWE:UK guy and Fulton's not part of SAnitY anymore.
- Donovan Dijak debuted in the main event, losing to Aleister Black. I'm excited to see more of Dijak in WWE.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It was Flosports' decision not to air the shows on their service. It would depend on the wording of the contract whether WWN was then free to air the shows themselves. Either way, I think we're in for a pretty rough court battle.
2. Panic, and probably shut the service down given all the money they've lost.
3. Some of that will depend on how long the court battle drags out and the costs involved there. This could definitely hurt WWN in a big way.
4. We could definitely see WWN cut back a lot; I don't think WWE is going to give them any big funding to run events like that.
5. Probably with WWN, because if WWN gets out of their deal with Flosports, WWE Network could feature EVOLVE, etc. on their upcoming premium tier.
6. I expect WWN would go out of business if they're guilty here. It'd be incredibly difficult to rebound from that.
More wrestling tomorrow.
- Slater vs. Wilder:
I love Heath Slater embracing being a fun lower-level guy. Not everyone's going to be a future WWE Champion.
HAHAHA fun spot with the shirt to start.
This is going well so far.
Simple, but effective.
Both men have solid bases.
I'm enjoying this!
That was pretty fun.
- Ariya/Nese vs. Dorado/Mustafa:
Nese is also a fun worker.
I like some high-flying here and there.
Nice teamwork from the faces!
Ha. Nese and Ariya don't want to be hit with DIVES.
This is going well enough.
Everyone here works together pretty well. After all the matches they've had with each other, that's not a surprise.
This is pretty fun.
I'm OK with handspring moves in matches like this. They're out of place in a serious grudge match, though.
Pretty solid flying going on.
I'm liking this action. That was a pretty cool Asai moonsault.
I would have popped for Ariya winning on the sunset flip counter.
Good match!
The former T.L. Hopper/Dirty White Boy discussed WWE, SMW, and more. Cornette knew what the small-town rural market wanted, but he wasn't successful as a booker outside that bubble. Russo was writing a TV show for a national audience, which is what WWF needed as it moved through the '90s.
Another WWE Story Time episode is coming after Raw. That's a fun show.
Adam Cole vs. Eric Young will be on this week's episode of NXT. That should be pretty great.
WWE Network will honor Bruno Sammartino this week in honor of his birthday. He's one of the biggest legends in wrestling history.
JBL and Titus O'Neil recently took part in charity endeavors. That's great!
Charlotte Flair spoke to TMZ about her dad's recovery. I'm glad the legend is doing better.
Terry Funk and the Rock 'N' Roll Express beat Jerry Lawler, Brian Christopher, and Doug Gilbert by DQ after Lawler attacked a referee. The match was a big brawl.
Chris Jericho promoted ROH's Sea of Honor tournament coming at the end of October 2018. The winner will get a match for the ROH World Championship. Understandably, the card isn't available 13 months out.
Charlotte jumped on the Ronda Rousey/Cris Cyborg bandwagon when talking to the New York Post and TMZ. It looks like MMA is going to keep trying to cross over with wrestling going forward.
Chris Jericho discussed his latest book, Vince McMahon, and more. Pretty entertaining.
Jeff Hardy is dealing with a shoulder injury of some sort. Matt Hardy ended up working a singles match Saturday night as a result. Hopefully he's not out too long. There are only so many Hardy matches left; we should enjoy the team while they're still taking bumps.
Cody is set to sign a multiple-year deal with ROH. He'll still be able to work other top promotions, but he'll be appearing for ROH regularly. Getting Cody has been a really big boost for the company.
At an NXT live event in Florida:
- TM-61 had a new manager named Jessie, likely the recently signed Jessica Elaban.
- Danny Burch beat Sawyer Fulton, so Burch isn't just a WWE:UK guy and Fulton's not part of SAnitY anymore.
- Donovan Dijak debuted in the main event, losing to Aleister Black. I'm excited to see more of Dijak in WWE.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It was Flosports' decision not to air the shows on their service. It would depend on the wording of the contract whether WWN was then free to air the shows themselves. Either way, I think we're in for a pretty rough court battle.
2. Panic, and probably shut the service down given all the money they've lost.
3. Some of that will depend on how long the court battle drags out and the costs involved there. This could definitely hurt WWN in a big way.
4. We could definitely see WWN cut back a lot; I don't think WWE is going to give them any big funding to run events like that.
5. Probably with WWN, because if WWN gets out of their deal with Flosports, WWE Network could feature EVOLVE, etc. on their upcoming premium tier.
6. I expect WWN would go out of business if they're guilty here. It'd be incredibly difficult to rebound from that.
More wrestling tomorrow.
WWE No Mercy preview
Read on for my ideas for booking tonight's Raw brand WWE Network special event.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Interviews with Flair/Cena/Goldberg, fallout from Flosports suing WWN, new Network collection, big honor for Konnor, The Funker vs. The King, No Mercy Kickoff match, Raw live event notes, and Questions on Thunder coming to the Network, Impact names working in Canada, ROH's interest in Bryan, Adam Pearce, and Starrcade on the Network
Ric Flair discussed his time in the hospital and more. He went through an incredibly scary ordeal. Alcohol abuse can be really dangerous. I am glad he's out of the hospital; I hope this is the last time he has to deal with something like this.
WWN released a response to the FloSports lawsuit, basically burying FloSports. "Fake news! Failing FloSports! Sad!" I mean, I certainly didn't expect them to say they're guilty!
- PWInsider has a big piece on the lawsuit. It definitely has big implications for the future of WWN as it relates to being associated with WWE.
- WWN is alleging breach of contract by Flosports, citing lack of payment for events from July on. So, WWN is on the hook for a lot of expenses from all the shows they've been putting on in the last few months.
- Flosports' contract with WWN has an option to end the agreement set for near the end of 2018. Some believe Flosports' lawsuit is an effort to get out of that contract or get WWN to take a lesser deal. As has been said previously, Flosports has sunk a lot of money into their wrestling service, and alleges WWN has misled them in a way that cost Flosports hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- WWN's defense is that when negotiating with Flosports, they were moving from one website hosting service to another, as the previous company went out of business and deleted their servers. So, WWN had some difficulty getting relevant information to Flosports.
- WWN claims they weren't aware of any problems with Flosports until they were informed the lawsuit had been filed.
John Cena appeared on Edge and Christian's podcast, confirming he's not going to work a full-time schedule in his forties. He's definitely earned a selective schedule after so many years on the road. Cena has wrestled more than 2100 (!) matches for WWE.
Flosports pulled plans to air this weekend's EVOLVE events, and informed Flosports employees not to go to the shows. This might be the end of WWN content on the service.
- EVOLVE booker Gabe Sapolsky responded to this decision. The worst part of this is that wrestlers and wrestling fans caught in the crossfire of the dispute, and there's not much they can really do to affect its outcome.
- WWN indicates Flosports initially wanted to continue featuring WWN content, but then made the decision to pull this weekend's EVOLVE shows from the service.
- WWN decided to air the EVOLVE events on their website, with Flosports subscribers getting a discount. That might become a regular thing going forward.
- Flosports has officially announced they will no longer feature upcoming WWN events. With HOH also gone from the service, they're going to be really starved for new content. I expect they'll be seeing a lot of cancellations of accounts as a result of this.
WWE Network has launched a Bobby Heenan collection. They completely skipped his WCW days!
Konnor celebrated the birth of his first son. That's a really big milestone for him.
Terry Funk promoted an upcoming six-man tag with Jerry Lawler. There's only one Funker.
Goldberg is willing to get back in the ring for WWE. He's theoretically owed a rematch from WM33 if they want to go that route. I'd be open to it if it puts over someone like Braun or Roman.
Apollo Crews vs. Elias will take place on Kickoff before No Mercy. So, no title matches were bumped for the show this time. That's a mixed bag, since more people would likely watch a show if a title's on the line.
At a Raw live event in California:
- Darren Young teamed with Dash Wilder and Curt Hawkins to lose to Goldust, Rhyno, and Heath Slater. So, he's temporarily a heel while Dawson is injured. I wouldn't assume that will stick when he returns to TV; they just needed a heel on the card more than they needed a face. Goldust is officially a face again, too.
- Alexa Bliss retained her championship against Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Mickie James. Curiously, no Emma or Nia Jax there.
- Matt Hardy beat Karl Anderson in a singles match. No Jeff or Gallows. I wouldn't have pictured those two teams not being at No Mercy. WWE has a lot of talented people to put on the show when they can afford to not use those duos.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. They only have the resources to upload so much content at once. So, they focus on one batch at a time.
2. I imagine a good number of them already have such paperwork, but, yes, as far as I know, they'll need visas to work there.
3. No, because he was just expressing interest to work with Bryan. Unless he tries to enter in negotiations with Bryan while Daniel is still under contract to WWE, he's in the clear.
4. The two have actually met in the ring a number of times, so Pearce knows what Kevin's capable of.
5. I expect it to be given all the hype it's gotten.
More wrestling tomorrow.
WWN released a response to the FloSports lawsuit, basically burying FloSports. "Fake news! Failing FloSports! Sad!" I mean, I certainly didn't expect them to say they're guilty!
- PWInsider has a big piece on the lawsuit. It definitely has big implications for the future of WWN as it relates to being associated with WWE.
- WWN is alleging breach of contract by Flosports, citing lack of payment for events from July on. So, WWN is on the hook for a lot of expenses from all the shows they've been putting on in the last few months.
- Flosports' contract with WWN has an option to end the agreement set for near the end of 2018. Some believe Flosports' lawsuit is an effort to get out of that contract or get WWN to take a lesser deal. As has been said previously, Flosports has sunk a lot of money into their wrestling service, and alleges WWN has misled them in a way that cost Flosports hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- WWN's defense is that when negotiating with Flosports, they were moving from one website hosting service to another, as the previous company went out of business and deleted their servers. So, WWN had some difficulty getting relevant information to Flosports.
- WWN claims they weren't aware of any problems with Flosports until they were informed the lawsuit had been filed.
John Cena appeared on Edge and Christian's podcast, confirming he's not going to work a full-time schedule in his forties. He's definitely earned a selective schedule after so many years on the road. Cena has wrestled more than 2100 (!) matches for WWE.
Flosports pulled plans to air this weekend's EVOLVE events, and informed Flosports employees not to go to the shows. This might be the end of WWN content on the service.
- EVOLVE booker Gabe Sapolsky responded to this decision. The worst part of this is that wrestlers and wrestling fans caught in the crossfire of the dispute, and there's not much they can really do to affect its outcome.
- WWN indicates Flosports initially wanted to continue featuring WWN content, but then made the decision to pull this weekend's EVOLVE shows from the service.
- WWN decided to air the EVOLVE events on their website, with Flosports subscribers getting a discount. That might become a regular thing going forward.
- Flosports has officially announced they will no longer feature upcoming WWN events. With HOH also gone from the service, they're going to be really starved for new content. I expect they'll be seeing a lot of cancellations of accounts as a result of this.
WWE Network has launched a Bobby Heenan collection. They completely skipped his WCW days!
Konnor celebrated the birth of his first son. That's a really big milestone for him.
Terry Funk promoted an upcoming six-man tag with Jerry Lawler. There's only one Funker.
Goldberg is willing to get back in the ring for WWE. He's theoretically owed a rematch from WM33 if they want to go that route. I'd be open to it if it puts over someone like Braun or Roman.
Apollo Crews vs. Elias will take place on Kickoff before No Mercy. So, no title matches were bumped for the show this time. That's a mixed bag, since more people would likely watch a show if a title's on the line.
At a Raw live event in California:
- Darren Young teamed with Dash Wilder and Curt Hawkins to lose to Goldust, Rhyno, and Heath Slater. So, he's temporarily a heel while Dawson is injured. I wouldn't assume that will stick when he returns to TV; they just needed a heel on the card more than they needed a face. Goldust is officially a face again, too.
- Alexa Bliss retained her championship against Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Mickie James. Curiously, no Emma or Nia Jax there.
- Matt Hardy beat Karl Anderson in a singles match. No Jeff or Gallows. I wouldn't have pictured those two teams not being at No Mercy. WWE has a lot of talented people to put on the show when they can afford to not use those duos.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. They only have the resources to upload so much content at once. So, they focus on one batch at a time.
2. I imagine a good number of them already have such paperwork, but, yes, as far as I know, they'll need visas to work there.
3. No, because he was just expressing interest to work with Bryan. Unless he tries to enter in negotiations with Bryan while Daniel is still under contract to WWE, he's in the clear.
4. The two have actually met in the ring a number of times, so Pearce knows what Kevin's capable of.
5. I expect it to be given all the hype it's gotten.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Bryan teases wrestling future, Impact name update, more on Jarrett's future, more on Anthem's plans for Impact, notes on Impact's November shows, Sexy-AAA update, more on Vince's angle with Owens, more on Horsewomen-WWE plans, WWE gets heat for Smackdown angle, MYC post-mortem, why Olympian missed MYC, Interviews with Braun/Nordholm/Koff/Cornette/Bellas, assorted WWE press, Flosports sues WWN, NXT live event note, and Questions on managers in WWE's future, an ECW revival, Cody at Starrcade, and wrestling autobiographies
Daniel Bryan teased facing the Bullet Club and other NJPW/CMLL names once he's able to get back in the ring. He's definitely determined to wrestle again once he's contractually free to do so. I believe he's got 11 months or so left on his WWE deal.
Impact Wrestling is definitively moving on from the GFW name, although they're doing so pretty quietly in the sense of not rolling out press releases or anything.
Jeff Jarrett may or may not return to Impact. It's currently up in the air. I assume it's dependent on how things stand as far as the personal issues that led to his leave of absence.
Anthem is looking to move Impact's base to Canada, with the hope that a change in venue will further give the company a fresh direction. It's worth trying out with the November tapings. I hope they can make something work out.
The site of Bound For Glory and the following tapings doesn't have dressing rooms, nor bleachers, so they've got a lot of work to do to make it a fitting venue for the shows. Again, I'm open to a new location if they can make it all work out.
Sexy Star has been pulled from AAA's October show in Japan, so it looks like she's done with the company in the wake of the Rosemary incident. It's (justifiably) going to be hard for her to get bookings going forward; she should further plan a future outside of wrestling.
Vince McMahon kept the blood angle secret from pretty much everyone beforehand. Production was told to focus on his face, but not why. The new direction is that a minimal amount of blood is OK for TV now. I hope the fans who say they want that kind of direction of WWE start tuning in more, etc. to support the move toward more "shoot" content, blood, profanity, and a LOT of indie/international signings.
Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte is a possibility before the possible tag match between WWE's horsewomen and MMA's group. WWE's going to try to get as much as they can out of the group, depending on what the MMA names are willing to commit to.
WWE is planning for Paige's return. She's currently being discussed as working Smackdown when she comes back. I hope she can make it as a wrestler going forward.
Shayna Baszler has likely signed with WWE, although there hasn't been official confirmation of that. That's not a big surprise. I could see her challenging the next NXT Women's Champion if they don't go ahead and move her to Raw or Smackdown. WWE's going to want to put her on a bigger stage sooner rather than later at 37 years old.
The Washington Post called out WWE for Smackdown's Jinder Mahal segment. That's not the kind of attention WWE wants in a mainstream outlet; the company is trying to rehabilitate its image from the content they did in the Attitude Era.
WWE is happy with how the Mae Young Classic turned out, including the release schedule being across three weeks instead of ten. So, I would imagine future tournaments will be handled the same way.
Hope Solo wasn't able to attend the MYC final due to Hurricane Irma. That's unfortunate.
Braun Strowman talked before No Mercy:
- I'm glad WWE found him!
- Show has helped Braun tremendously. I hope he's available to keep passing on tips to big men after his retirement.
- Braun can definitely move for a guy that big. I can't blame him for changing his workout to fit the wear and tear of the business.
- HAHAHAHAHAHA that burial of McGregor.
Erica Wiebe got press in Canada for working out with WWE. I'm excited for her potential future in the ring.
Ed Nordholm promoted Impact's Canadian shows. Wow. I hope 500 paying fans a night draws a profit. That's not a big audience at all for a company trying to be considered prominent. I mean, I get what they're trying to accomplish with an intimate feel, and they only had so many options for the venue, but that doesn't sound very impressive.
New Day was on TruTV's Adam Ruins Everything. It's a shame Francesca can't join those three on WWE's Mt. Rushmore.
Joe Koff discussed Bryan potentially returning to ROH and more:
- ROH can definitely end up in a lot of homes in the years ahead. Working with Sinclair has really helped them.
- I like that names can be successful in one place and move somewhere else to reach a new level or do something fresh. That's a sign of a healthy business.
- Bryan coming back would be HUGE for them.
- NJPW and CMLL are lifting ROH.
Cedric Alexander will be replacing Davey Richards at this weekend's EVOLVE events. EVOLVE 92 will feature Cedric vs. Zack Sabre, Jr., while EVOLVE 93 will have Cedric vs. Fred Yehi. These were initially planned as dark matches due to Cedric's WWE contract.
Jim Cornette further discussed leaving Impact. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did, really.
- Cornette also discussed Heenan on his podcast.
The Bella Twins discussed potentially returning as a duo. I wouldn't mind them coming back as characters instead of wrestlers. Like, say, Nikki's in charge of the women's division on Raw and Brie's in charge on Smackdown. They're going to be part of the show pretty much no matter what, and I don't want it to be as champions.
Flosports has filed a lawsuit against WWN, with WWN preparing a countersuit. While it was initially announced the two sides had signed a five-year deal, it appears the deal is only for two years and would be ending in October 2018. WWN is the parent company of EVOLVE, VIP, Style Battle, and SHINE.
- WWN could end up as part of WWE Network's premium tier if they're able to get out of their commitments to Flosports.
- House of Hardcore's most recent shows were not part of Floslam. This was a Tommy Dreamer call, and it's believed he has another way to distribute his content in the works.
- Flosports' lawsuit alleges WWN misled Flosports in a way that led to the company paying inflated prices for WWN content.
-- Specifically, it alleges WWN grossly misrepresented the number of fans watching WWN broadcasts through initially claiming it had lost or deleted relevant information, then giving falsely inflated broadcast numbers.
-- Flosports is seeking more than a million of dollars in damages, as hundreds of thousands of dollars have been invested based on WWN's data.
-- The lawsuit is asking for WWN to produce all relevant agreements with Flosports within fifty days.
- A lot more on this in tomorrow's news post.
The Undisputed Era made their NXT live event debut in Massachusetts, wrestling SAnitY to a no contest as the match turned into a big brawl. I'm excited to see more between the two factions.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It doesn't look like we'll see anything like that anytime soon. WWE is focusing more on wrestlers than managers these days.
2. That's a natural role for him.
3. I expect the idea is for an ECW-style product rather than trying to focus on the remaining ECW veterans who can still go. It's possible a few ECW veterans would show up, but almost all of the roster would be people who weren't part of things more than 15 years ago, working in the style of what that promotion did in its heyday. It would be a really interesting experiment given how the previous reboot went, but if they don't tape it with Raw or Smackdown, it should be able to operate as independently as NXT does.
4. I'd love to see it! There's a big opportunity there to pay tribute to the Rhodes Family and give Dustin one last moment in the sun, but it could also just be a souped-up version of a Smackdown live event. We'll see what happens at the event comes closer.
5. Some workers are more hands-on than others. A lot of them let the writers do most of that work.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Impact Wrestling is definitively moving on from the GFW name, although they're doing so pretty quietly in the sense of not rolling out press releases or anything.
Jeff Jarrett may or may not return to Impact. It's currently up in the air. I assume it's dependent on how things stand as far as the personal issues that led to his leave of absence.
Anthem is looking to move Impact's base to Canada, with the hope that a change in venue will further give the company a fresh direction. It's worth trying out with the November tapings. I hope they can make something work out.
The site of Bound For Glory and the following tapings doesn't have dressing rooms, nor bleachers, so they've got a lot of work to do to make it a fitting venue for the shows. Again, I'm open to a new location if they can make it all work out.
Sexy Star has been pulled from AAA's October show in Japan, so it looks like she's done with the company in the wake of the Rosemary incident. It's (justifiably) going to be hard for her to get bookings going forward; she should further plan a future outside of wrestling.
Vince McMahon kept the blood angle secret from pretty much everyone beforehand. Production was told to focus on his face, but not why. The new direction is that a minimal amount of blood is OK for TV now. I hope the fans who say they want that kind of direction of WWE start tuning in more, etc. to support the move toward more "shoot" content, blood, profanity, and a LOT of indie/international signings.
Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte is a possibility before the possible tag match between WWE's horsewomen and MMA's group. WWE's going to try to get as much as they can out of the group, depending on what the MMA names are willing to commit to.
WWE is planning for Paige's return. She's currently being discussed as working Smackdown when she comes back. I hope she can make it as a wrestler going forward.
Shayna Baszler has likely signed with WWE, although there hasn't been official confirmation of that. That's not a big surprise. I could see her challenging the next NXT Women's Champion if they don't go ahead and move her to Raw or Smackdown. WWE's going to want to put her on a bigger stage sooner rather than later at 37 years old.
The Washington Post called out WWE for Smackdown's Jinder Mahal segment. That's not the kind of attention WWE wants in a mainstream outlet; the company is trying to rehabilitate its image from the content they did in the Attitude Era.
WWE is happy with how the Mae Young Classic turned out, including the release schedule being across three weeks instead of ten. So, I would imagine future tournaments will be handled the same way.
Hope Solo wasn't able to attend the MYC final due to Hurricane Irma. That's unfortunate.
Braun Strowman talked before No Mercy:
- I'm glad WWE found him!
- Show has helped Braun tremendously. I hope he's available to keep passing on tips to big men after his retirement.
- Braun can definitely move for a guy that big. I can't blame him for changing his workout to fit the wear and tear of the business.
- HAHAHAHAHAHA that burial of McGregor.
Erica Wiebe got press in Canada for working out with WWE. I'm excited for her potential future in the ring.
Ed Nordholm promoted Impact's Canadian shows. Wow. I hope 500 paying fans a night draws a profit. That's not a big audience at all for a company trying to be considered prominent. I mean, I get what they're trying to accomplish with an intimate feel, and they only had so many options for the venue, but that doesn't sound very impressive.
New Day was on TruTV's Adam Ruins Everything. It's a shame Francesca can't join those three on WWE's Mt. Rushmore.
Joe Koff discussed Bryan potentially returning to ROH and more:
- ROH can definitely end up in a lot of homes in the years ahead. Working with Sinclair has really helped them.
- I like that names can be successful in one place and move somewhere else to reach a new level or do something fresh. That's a sign of a healthy business.
- Bryan coming back would be HUGE for them.
- NJPW and CMLL are lifting ROH.
Cedric Alexander will be replacing Davey Richards at this weekend's EVOLVE events. EVOLVE 92 will feature Cedric vs. Zack Sabre, Jr., while EVOLVE 93 will have Cedric vs. Fred Yehi. These were initially planned as dark matches due to Cedric's WWE contract.
Jim Cornette further discussed leaving Impact. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did, really.
- Cornette also discussed Heenan on his podcast.
The Bella Twins discussed potentially returning as a duo. I wouldn't mind them coming back as characters instead of wrestlers. Like, say, Nikki's in charge of the women's division on Raw and Brie's in charge on Smackdown. They're going to be part of the show pretty much no matter what, and I don't want it to be as champions.
Flosports has filed a lawsuit against WWN, with WWN preparing a countersuit. While it was initially announced the two sides had signed a five-year deal, it appears the deal is only for two years and would be ending in October 2018. WWN is the parent company of EVOLVE, VIP, Style Battle, and SHINE.
- WWN could end up as part of WWE Network's premium tier if they're able to get out of their commitments to Flosports.
- House of Hardcore's most recent shows were not part of Floslam. This was a Tommy Dreamer call, and it's believed he has another way to distribute his content in the works.
- Flosports' lawsuit alleges WWN misled Flosports in a way that led to the company paying inflated prices for WWN content.
-- Specifically, it alleges WWN grossly misrepresented the number of fans watching WWN broadcasts through initially claiming it had lost or deleted relevant information, then giving falsely inflated broadcast numbers.
-- Flosports is seeking more than a million of dollars in damages, as hundreds of thousands of dollars have been invested based on WWN's data.
-- The lawsuit is asking for WWN to produce all relevant agreements with Flosports within fifty days.
- A lot more on this in tomorrow's news post.
The Undisputed Era made their NXT live event debut in Massachusetts, wrestling SAnitY to a no contest as the match turned into a big brawl. I'm excited to see more between the two factions.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It doesn't look like we'll see anything like that anytime soon. WWE is focusing more on wrestlers than managers these days.
2. That's a natural role for him.
3. I expect the idea is for an ECW-style product rather than trying to focus on the remaining ECW veterans who can still go. It's possible a few ECW veterans would show up, but almost all of the roster would be people who weren't part of things more than 15 years ago, working in the style of what that promotion did in its heyday. It would be a really interesting experiment given how the previous reboot went, but if they don't tape it with Raw or Smackdown, it should be able to operate as independently as NXT does.
4. I'd love to see it! There's a big opportunity there to pay tribute to the Rhodes Family and give Dustin one last moment in the sun, but it could also just be a souped-up version of a Smackdown live event. We'll see what happens at the event comes closer.
5. Some workers are more hands-on than others. A lot of them let the writers do most of that work.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Jarrett update, Heenan press, NXT loop set, Dana honored, Paige-WWE update, Cena commercial, Interviews with Cass/Bucks, Riley responds to Raw namedrop, WWE Night in the NFL, GLOW trademark trouble brewing?, ROH team invited to Starrcade, Flair book reviewed, Stephanie book update, more on Y2J cruise, Raw audience, Taker signings set, and Questions on Impact merch, Impact press conferences, the MYC final, Raw on Christmas, and edgier promo
Jeff Jarrett worked an independent event in Kentucky recently, so his "leave of absence" only applies to Impact. I'm not really surprised. He'll likely pave his own path from here on out.
Bobby Heenan's death was picked up by a lot of major media outlets. He's absolutely iconic.
- WWE Network is working on a collection to honor Heenan. That should be classic.
NXT will have live events on:
- November 9 in Arizona
- November 10 in Nevada
- November 11 in California
-- The show on the 10th is in the same venue where the original GFW taped its proposed TV show. It will be interesting to see if NXT can draw better attendance than those shows did.
Dana Brooke won a Female Image Award at Mr. Olympia. I wish she was being used more, even if it's just on Main Event.
WWE is officially teasing Paige's return. I hope in a few years we're talking about her as a wrestler instead of things happening outside the ring.
John Cena was part of a Cricket Wireless ad dealing with the fact no one can see him. Pretty funny, and good use of effects.
Big Cass was interviewed before his injury. I was loving his push, although he could only really go so far with Strowman doing a similar role.
The former Alex Riley referred to being mentioned in Roman Reigns' promo on Raw. I think he's moved on from his wrestling life and doesn't seem to want to bring up old issues. I can respect him focusing on his acting career instead of shoot interviews.
NHL's New Jersey Devils will have a WWE Night on November 9, with WWE names in attendance and a special WWE-Devils T-shirt. That's a great idea! WWE should do more like that!
A trademark for GLOW has been filed by a competitor from the original promotion. Babe the Farmer's Daughter owns the rights to the original video library, and filed the trademark on September 1. If Netflix hasn't worked something out with her to use something she owns, there could be a lawsuit coming. It's the same reason not everyone can make a Batman movie; that name and its assets are owned by WB Entertainment. I hope for the fans' sake all this is worked out in a way that lets the series continue.
Matt Hardy is soliciting the Young Bucks to appear at Starrcade, along with Matt's family. I don't see that happening, and it shouldn't. That night needs to be about the Rhodes Family, and maybe N.C.'s own Hardy family can be involved. Way to take the focus off the actual WWE stars, Matt.
NPR reviewed the Ric & Charlotte Flair autobiography. I'm glad it's getting positive press.
Stephanie McMahon's autobiography is on indefinite hold. That would have been a pretty interesting read.
Chris Jericho's cruise will feature Jim Ross, DDP, Mick Foley, Ricky Steamboat, Rey Mysterio, and Raven. Leave it to Y2J to come up with something like that.
Raw drew 2.83 million viewers Monday night. The NFL is taking an effect on them. WWE's got Brock and Cena on there pretty often; imagine what things would be like if they didn't!
The Young Bucks talked about the Hardys and more:
- The Bullet Club is definitely over with a lot of fans, although I think some of it is how The Ramones are over: branding and targeting that rebellious youth demographic.
- ROH is definitely improving its spot because of the association with NJPW and the Bullet Club. WWE is wise to go after that same audience with NXT, although I think Raw and Smackdown need to stay with what the traditional WWE audience wants.
- I applaud wrestlers being able to do well for themselves outside of WWE. That's great.
- It's a shame we never got "Delete or Too Sweet." That could have been fun.
- They're smart to have their own trademarks like that!
- Oh, yeah. NJPW owns Bullet Club. No way would they be able to use that name elsewhere.
- It makes sense to want to work for the place with the biggest crowds and potentially the biggest pay, but I see how it stifles other options.
- Scurll in the Club has been pretty cool.
- It was smart to save Marty joining Bullet Club for a show. It happening on Twitter would have been underwhelming.
- The Bucks have some serious pull. That's great for them.
- GENIUS to have great material on-hand for the angle. I'm sure that made the choice a lot easier.
- Also genius to have something to take the focus on Cole leaving. The Bucks are smart. They know what they're doing.
- It's really, really good that the Bucks can help fans going through down times. My opinion of them just shot up a lot.
- A lot of fans use wrestling as an escape from depression, etc.
The Undertaker will be doing signings at Ace Universe from December 8 though December 10. It's a new pop culture convention coming to Long Island. That's really cool. I hope Taker's more willing to do that kind of thing as time goes on and he doesn't have to worry as much about "protecting his character."
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I suppose they hope there are some Impact superfans there willing to keep the company afloat one piece of merch at a time!
2. I guess they were giving the press ideas for softball questions so it wouldn't turn into a conversation about the company being for sale, Jarrett leaving, etc.
3. The ending definitely established Kairi as someone to keep an eye on in the future, which was the goal. Shayna might not be a long-term project for them like Sane is, so I don't think they're too worried. The event got press for a potential Horsewomen-Horsewomen match, which was their other major goal for the night.
4. USA Network wants as big of an audience as they can get that night.
5. They're definitely getting more loose with bringing up real issues and using profanity. I've generally enjoyed the worked shoot direction, but I wonder how much of the content is going over fans' heads. I'm worried this is another attempt to try to appeal to the most vocal fans at the expense of families with kids. The problem with that is the hardcore fans are already talking about every little thing WWE does. Marketing to that segment of the audience instead of expanding to reach out to other potential fans seems backward.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Bobby Heenan's death was picked up by a lot of major media outlets. He's absolutely iconic.
- WWE Network is working on a collection to honor Heenan. That should be classic.
NXT will have live events on:
- November 9 in Arizona
- November 10 in Nevada
- November 11 in California
-- The show on the 10th is in the same venue where the original GFW taped its proposed TV show. It will be interesting to see if NXT can draw better attendance than those shows did.
Dana Brooke won a Female Image Award at Mr. Olympia. I wish she was being used more, even if it's just on Main Event.
WWE is officially teasing Paige's return. I hope in a few years we're talking about her as a wrestler instead of things happening outside the ring.
John Cena was part of a Cricket Wireless ad dealing with the fact no one can see him. Pretty funny, and good use of effects.
Big Cass was interviewed before his injury. I was loving his push, although he could only really go so far with Strowman doing a similar role.
The former Alex Riley referred to being mentioned in Roman Reigns' promo on Raw. I think he's moved on from his wrestling life and doesn't seem to want to bring up old issues. I can respect him focusing on his acting career instead of shoot interviews.
NHL's New Jersey Devils will have a WWE Night on November 9, with WWE names in attendance and a special WWE-Devils T-shirt. That's a great idea! WWE should do more like that!
A trademark for GLOW has been filed by a competitor from the original promotion. Babe the Farmer's Daughter owns the rights to the original video library, and filed the trademark on September 1. If Netflix hasn't worked something out with her to use something she owns, there could be a lawsuit coming. It's the same reason not everyone can make a Batman movie; that name and its assets are owned by WB Entertainment. I hope for the fans' sake all this is worked out in a way that lets the series continue.
Matt Hardy is soliciting the Young Bucks to appear at Starrcade, along with Matt's family. I don't see that happening, and it shouldn't. That night needs to be about the Rhodes Family, and maybe N.C.'s own Hardy family can be involved. Way to take the focus off the actual WWE stars, Matt.
NPR reviewed the Ric & Charlotte Flair autobiography. I'm glad it's getting positive press.
Stephanie McMahon's autobiography is on indefinite hold. That would have been a pretty interesting read.
Chris Jericho's cruise will feature Jim Ross, DDP, Mick Foley, Ricky Steamboat, Rey Mysterio, and Raven. Leave it to Y2J to come up with something like that.
Raw drew 2.83 million viewers Monday night. The NFL is taking an effect on them. WWE's got Brock and Cena on there pretty often; imagine what things would be like if they didn't!
The Young Bucks talked about the Hardys and more:
- The Bullet Club is definitely over with a lot of fans, although I think some of it is how The Ramones are over: branding and targeting that rebellious youth demographic.
- ROH is definitely improving its spot because of the association with NJPW and the Bullet Club. WWE is wise to go after that same audience with NXT, although I think Raw and Smackdown need to stay with what the traditional WWE audience wants.
- I applaud wrestlers being able to do well for themselves outside of WWE. That's great.
- It's a shame we never got "Delete or Too Sweet." That could have been fun.
- They're smart to have their own trademarks like that!
- Oh, yeah. NJPW owns Bullet Club. No way would they be able to use that name elsewhere.
- It makes sense to want to work for the place with the biggest crowds and potentially the biggest pay, but I see how it stifles other options.
- Scurll in the Club has been pretty cool.
- It was smart to save Marty joining Bullet Club for a show. It happening on Twitter would have been underwhelming.
- The Bucks have some serious pull. That's great for them.
- GENIUS to have great material on-hand for the angle. I'm sure that made the choice a lot easier.
- Also genius to have something to take the focus on Cole leaving. The Bucks are smart. They know what they're doing.
- It's really, really good that the Bucks can help fans going through down times. My opinion of them just shot up a lot.
- A lot of fans use wrestling as an escape from depression, etc.
The Undertaker will be doing signings at Ace Universe from December 8 though December 10. It's a new pop culture convention coming to Long Island. That's really cool. I hope Taker's more willing to do that kind of thing as time goes on and he doesn't have to worry as much about "protecting his character."
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I suppose they hope there are some Impact superfans there willing to keep the company afloat one piece of merch at a time!
2. I guess they were giving the press ideas for softball questions so it wouldn't turn into a conversation about the company being for sale, Jarrett leaving, etc.
3. The ending definitely established Kairi as someone to keep an eye on in the future, which was the goal. Shayna might not be a long-term project for them like Sane is, so I don't think they're too worried. The event got press for a potential Horsewomen-Horsewomen match, which was their other major goal for the night.
4. USA Network wants as big of an audience as they can get that night.
5. They're definitely getting more loose with bringing up real issues and using profanity. I've generally enjoyed the worked shoot direction, but I wonder how much of the content is going over fans' heads. I'm worried this is another attempt to try to appeal to the most vocal fans at the expense of families with kids. The problem with that is the hardcore fans are already talking about every little thing WWE does. Marketing to that segment of the audience instead of expanding to reach out to other potential fans seems backward.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Remembering Heenan, MMA names facing off in WWE?, Smackdown match changed, Smackdown buried, why Emma missed Raw, ROH tournament on Y2J cruise, Interviews with Terry Funk/Flair, Dijak shares fan mail, WWE has big ideas for Network, and Questions on Total Divas affecting perceptions of wrestlers, Impact detractors returning to the company, Justin Roberts backstage, fan perceptions of Vince, and Cena burying Taker
Jim Ross, Gene Okerlund, and Tony Schiavone remembered Bobby Heenan on Ross' latest podcast.
UFC's Cris Cyborg challenged Ronda Rousey to a match in WWE. That'd be big for WWE, but I'm getting a little leery of MMA names using wrestling to prop up their fighting careers.
Tamina being part of the contendership match on Smackdown was somewhat of a last-minute decision. I think the match benefited from having her involved instead of just the three faces, as talented as everyone else involved is.
Tuesday's Smackdown taping was notably poorly attended. It didn't take long for the B-show mentality to kick back in!
Jinder Mahal's promo on Tuesday got some backlash for its race-related content. Fans should have chanted something related to Vince/Creative if they wanted to bury the segment. Instead, they might have inadvertently sent the message Jinder was getting to them as a heel. This kind of situation is when you do the wave, etc. - the rebellion might actually mean something then.
Emma missed Raw because she spent time with her family in Australia after WWE toured there. That presumably moved Bayley into the mix at No Mercy. I would have liked for Mickie or Dana to get the spot given their issues with Emma. They could have saved Bayley for the week after.
ROH will have a "Sea of Honor" tournament as part of Chris Jericho's cruise, which will take place from October 27 through October 31. Lance Storm, Don Callis, Konnan, Disco Inferno, and Shane Helms will also be part of the event. That's all a pretty cool idea. I love the ingenuity.
Terry Funk discussed his many retirements with Jerry Lawler, saying he always intends to be done with the business, but doesn't want to turn down people asking for one "last" booking. Hey, if he's still healthy enough and still loves doing it, more power to him!
Donovan Dijak got some pretty funny fan mail. I can only imagine some of the things wrestlers are sent.
Ric Flair discussed his history of alcohol abuse with People magazine. That's got to be tough to deal with. I hope he's able to put down the bottle.
Smackdown drew 2.51 million viewers on Tuesday, which is a shame after that big angle to close the previous week's show.
WWE is seeking fan feedback for the following options for a premium tier of WWE Network:
- Live events/house shows. I assume it would mean the occasional Beast in the East kind of event.
- Local tournaments, as we saw with the UK. There were plans for similar events in Latin America and Asia. This is definitely something they could put on that tier given the costs involved.
- Reality shows. Self-explanatory. They've pitched this kind of thing since the Network launched.
- Licensing other wrestling promotions, with current and archived content. Specifically mentioned were Impact, ROH, NJPW, ICW, and PROGRESS. I'd think EVOLVE would be a possibility, too. ROH would be interested. I don't know about Impact or NJPW. It would be big for all involved, and an interesting situation for WWE to air independent content.
- "Director's Cut" versions of content on the regular Network tier.
- Live audio. Podcasts, call-in shows, etc. Trolls would have a field day with that, for better or worse. Also music playlists. They might as well do that, since fans do it themselves on YouTube.
- An ECW reboot and/or TV-14 in-ring show. That could be really big considering how many fans claim to want that kind of thing. It's an idea worth exploring.
- Scripted wrestling-related comedies and/or dramas. That could also be fun if the right people are doing it. Given the success of GLOW, there could be legs to the idea.
- Downloading content to watch offline.
- Being able to comment live on Facebook while watching.
- Alternative commentary, potentially from Steve Austin and Jerry Lawler. That would be really interesting.
- Alternative camera angles, potentially including a drone, a GoPro, and from Gorilla position.
- Listening in on WWE executive conference calls. That would be really big. Wow.
- Voting on the Hall of Fame and Slammys. I'm interested in how that would turn out. I assume it would be from a list of options under consideration. Otherwise they'd get thousands of votes for Chris Benoit and Hitler.
-- This premium version of the Network would potentially be up to $20 a month. With that much content, I don't think that's an unreasonable amount to ask. Those are some really big ideas, and some would be very costly. I applaud the bold efforts, though.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. In some ways it's like they're two separate continuities, like Marvel having the Ultimate Universe. I do think it could alter fans' perceptions of wrestlers by getting a look at what they're like outside of WWE, in a way that either helps or hurts depending on how they come across on "Total Divas."
2. I think their respective issues were more with previous management teams, and they were willing to come back with Jarrett back in the company, as Bruce at least is in a position to make some changes there.
3. It's pretty bad when you come across as unlikeable in your own book! Most talents use the opportunity to paint themselves in the best possible light, because of course it was everyone else's fault they didn't get pushed, etc.
4. Vince is probably going to hang on to control as long as he's physically able to do the job. Most fans will be sad to see him go, but there are definitely people who do wish something terrible would happen to him because they care that much about the wrestling business and think Vince is ruining it. I'd much rather him continue to pass the torch than a forced exodus through tragedy. There's no need for wishing that level of cruelty in regard to pro wrestling of all things.
5. If Taker's not coming back, he's just a broken-down 52-year-old man who's not wrestling anymore, in which case I'm fine with Cena throwing him under a bus, because there's no need to worry about Taker "looking strong" or whatever. If he does come back for WM34, Cena either beats an AARP member or loses to someone just holding it together for one last match. Neither really does anyone any favors. Most of Taker's aura is pretty much gone after WM33. Taker vs. Cena would be big, but not as big as it would have been years previously.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
The wrestling industry remembers Bobby Heenan
The following post contains wrestlers' remembrances of the Hall of Famer, who recently passed away at the age of 73.
WWE team name official, NXT trio correction, WWE bringing back major event, Cody working WWE special?, Interview with Cena, BFG and Impact TV location set, Cornette-Impact update, Paige training for a comeback, Impact downplaying GFW name, and Questions on WWF's health in the Monday Night War, the Vince-Owens angle, and which MYC names impressed
Sheamus and Cesaro are now officially known as The Bar. WWE has a new T-shirt for the duo, so they're likely staying together as a unit for the time being.
The Adam Cole/Kyle O'Reilly/Bobby Fish faction is known as The Undisputed Era. That's kind of clunky. "Undisputed" by itself would be fine.
WWE Starrcade is coming to Greensboro, North Carolina on Saturday, November 25, an homage to the old NWA/WCW event. It looks like this will be a WWE Network event from Smackdown. I'm very, very surprised they're resurrecting that event.
-- Currently advertised matches for the event:
- Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship in a steel cage
- Natalya vs. Charlotte Flair for the Smackdown Women's Championship in a steel cage
- AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin vs. Rusev for the United States Championship
- Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
- New Day vs. The Usos for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship
- Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler
- Breezango vs. Aiden English & Mike Kanellis
- The Hardys in a role to be announced
--- Basically they turned a live event into a potential WWE Network special, like some previous shows on the service. Still really cool, though!
- Cody commented on WWE using one of his dad's signature events, which led to Michael Hayes and Dustin Rhodes making one hell of an offer. I would LOVE to see the free agent take them up on that. It benefits everyone involved!!
- Brandi Rhodes also commented on the event. Heck, give her a payday that night too if she's that upset. This could be a really big night for that family, and put a cap on Dustin's Hall of Fame career.
John Cena talked about WWE being in China. I can definitely see them doing a Network special from the country at some point if it's cost-effective.
Bound For Glory will be held in Ottawa, as will five days of TV tapings following that event. They've got their work cut out for them selling tickets for six straight days of events. Wow. I hope it's worth it for them.
- AAA's El Hijo del Fantasma, Pagano, and El Texano, Jr. have all been announced for the show. I'm sure NOAH talent will also be part of the loop.
- Jim Cornette will not be part of the tapings, as he is unable to appear in Canada due to his criminal record from the 1980s. He has offered to film material explaining his absence on the shows, and is open to working with Impact when they return to the U.S. Whether he'll return to the company in 2018 remains to be seen.
Paige has begun working out at the WWE Performance Center as she looks to be cleared to return to the ring. She has remained under WWE contract during her recovery from neck surgery. I hope she can write a new chapter in her life as a wrestler. It's not going to be easy, but she deserves a chance to turn things around from her lowest points.
Impact Wrestling is going back to showcasing that name, rather than GFW. It's also possible the company changes the name of the upcoming Global Wrestling Network to follow suit, although it would make sense to keep that name if the service will include content from international markets. So, for the time being at least, it looks like the company is quietly moving on from the GFW branding. I assume they'll go back to the previous belt designs, etc. when they start taping content again.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. THAT DAMN BILLIONAIRE TED DAMN NEAR KILLED WWF WITH HIS RASSLIN' COMPANY BUT THE GENETIC JACKHAMMER PERSEVERED AND SAVED SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT FROM DUBYA CEE DUBYA ONCE AND FOR ALL!!! I do think the stakes have been exaggerated in the years that followed, but WCW definitely had WWF on the ropes for a while there.
2. It says that when non-wrestling personalities are used sporadically and importantly, they can really make for an interesting storyline with high stakes. It's MUCH easier to book someone for a few big appearances than book so many characters for five hours each week on the two longest-running weekly episodic shows in television history and an additional three hours each month exclusively on the award-winning WWE Network for $9.99 a month with a free trial for new subscribers. The regular cast of WWE superstars can kind of fade into the background when they're involved in so much. And hopefully Owens wins and moves on to someone like Orton or Nakamura en route to being WWE Champion at some point in 2018.
3. I think a lot of people were shocked Kevin attacked Vince. And, hell, Vince probably would have resented people helping him out. As was said, he's the Genetic Jackhammer, PAL! He's not afraid of some overweight bingo hall wrestler.
4. People were shocked. Sometimes when that happens, they don't act in a logical way.
5. Aside from names already signed: Mia Yim, Jazzy Gabert, Piper Niven, Santana Garrett, Tessa Blanchard, and maybe Candice LeRae, Mercedes Martinez, and Princesa Sugehit. A lot of names were good, but those are the names I'd be looking at signing.
More wrestling coming up.
The Adam Cole/Kyle O'Reilly/Bobby Fish faction is known as The Undisputed Era. That's kind of clunky. "Undisputed" by itself would be fine.
WWE Starrcade is coming to Greensboro, North Carolina on Saturday, November 25, an homage to the old NWA/WCW event. It looks like this will be a WWE Network event from Smackdown. I'm very, very surprised they're resurrecting that event.
-- Currently advertised matches for the event:
- Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship in a steel cage
- Natalya vs. Charlotte Flair for the Smackdown Women's Championship in a steel cage
- AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin vs. Rusev for the United States Championship
- Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
- New Day vs. The Usos for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship
- Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler
- Breezango vs. Aiden English & Mike Kanellis
- The Hardys in a role to be announced
--- Basically they turned a live event into a potential WWE Network special, like some previous shows on the service. Still really cool, though!
- Cody commented on WWE using one of his dad's signature events, which led to Michael Hayes and Dustin Rhodes making one hell of an offer. I would LOVE to see the free agent take them up on that. It benefits everyone involved!!
- Brandi Rhodes also commented on the event. Heck, give her a payday that night too if she's that upset. This could be a really big night for that family, and put a cap on Dustin's Hall of Fame career.
John Cena talked about WWE being in China. I can definitely see them doing a Network special from the country at some point if it's cost-effective.
Bound For Glory will be held in Ottawa, as will five days of TV tapings following that event. They've got their work cut out for them selling tickets for six straight days of events. Wow. I hope it's worth it for them.
- AAA's El Hijo del Fantasma, Pagano, and El Texano, Jr. have all been announced for the show. I'm sure NOAH talent will also be part of the loop.
- Jim Cornette will not be part of the tapings, as he is unable to appear in Canada due to his criminal record from the 1980s. He has offered to film material explaining his absence on the shows, and is open to working with Impact when they return to the U.S. Whether he'll return to the company in 2018 remains to be seen.
Paige has begun working out at the WWE Performance Center as she looks to be cleared to return to the ring. She has remained under WWE contract during her recovery from neck surgery. I hope she can write a new chapter in her life as a wrestler. It's not going to be easy, but she deserves a chance to turn things around from her lowest points.
Impact Wrestling is going back to showcasing that name, rather than GFW. It's also possible the company changes the name of the upcoming Global Wrestling Network to follow suit, although it would make sense to keep that name if the service will include content from international markets. So, for the time being at least, it looks like the company is quietly moving on from the GFW branding. I assume they'll go back to the previous belt designs, etc. when they start taping content again.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. THAT DAMN BILLIONAIRE TED DAMN NEAR KILLED WWF WITH HIS RASSLIN' COMPANY BUT THE GENETIC JACKHAMMER PERSEVERED AND SAVED SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT FROM DUBYA CEE DUBYA ONCE AND FOR ALL!!! I do think the stakes have been exaggerated in the years that followed, but WCW definitely had WWF on the ropes for a while there.
2. It says that when non-wrestling personalities are used sporadically and importantly, they can really make for an interesting storyline with high stakes. It's MUCH easier to book someone for a few big appearances than book so many characters for five hours each week on the two longest-running weekly episodic shows in television history and an additional three hours each month exclusively on the award-winning WWE Network for $9.99 a month with a free trial for new subscribers. The regular cast of WWE superstars can kind of fade into the background when they're involved in so much. And hopefully Owens wins and moves on to someone like Orton or Nakamura en route to being WWE Champion at some point in 2018.
3. I think a lot of people were shocked Kevin attacked Vince. And, hell, Vince probably would have resented people helping him out. As was said, he's the Genetic Jackhammer, PAL! He's not afraid of some overweight bingo hall wrestler.
4. People were shocked. Sometimes when that happens, they don't act in a logical way.
5. Aside from names already signed: Mia Yim, Jazzy Gabert, Piper Niven, Santana Garrett, Tessa Blanchard, and maybe Candice LeRae, Mercedes Martinez, and Princesa Sugehit. A lot of names were good, but those are the names I'd be looking at signing.
More wrestling coming up.
Monday, September 18, 2017
GFW name update, GFW champ south of the border, MYC name unmasked, remembering Connor, Halloween costume, Vince angle correction, OVW helping Cappotelli, WWE-China notes, former ROH Champion canceling dates, Heenan passes away, and Questions on Mania attendance dropping, "revealing" headlines, Shane's wrestling abilities, WWF taping Raw, and Owens headbutting Vince
Impact Wrestling is downplaying the GFW name, as Anthem's deal to acquire that brand was never officially consummated. In other words, with Jeff Jarrett gone, the name GFW is going with him.
Eli Drake's recent work in Mexico will be profiled on this week's Impact Wrestling. They're getting some pretty good mileage out of Triplemania. Thankfully, they're not going to promote the Sexy Star aspect of things any more.
MYC competitor Princesa Sugehit was unmasked as the result of a CMLL match, so that opens things up for her to wrestle under her real name. That theoretically means she's done with that gimmick and about to start under a name elsewhere, but there's been no word of her heading to WWE on a more regular basis.
Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella remembered Connor The Crusher. Connor definitely made a big mark on WWE personnel who met him.
WWE is selling Halloween costumes for a number of past and present superstars. I'm surprised there are no Kane nor Mankind masks. There need to be some Breezango costumes, too. And a Chris Jericho scarf, and some New Day unicorns.... Get on this, WWE.
Vince McMahon was planned to be cut open on Smackdown, in a correction to a previous story. Vince created a wound on his forehead and covered it up so Kevin could open it back up. The original plan for the end of the segment was for Stephanie McMahon to clean up the blood with a towel, but that was changed. So, Vince is willing to violate the "no blood" rule in special cases. He's got the pull to change things like that on the fly.
OVW is holding a benefit event for Matt Cappotelli as he battles brain cancer again. I hope this is the last time he has to go through all that.
From WWE's stay in China:
- A number of WWE stars pressed their hands in cement at the largest golf course in the world.
- Shinsuke Nakamura and Lana had a meet-and-greet before the show.
- NXT's Big Boa beat Aiden English. Boa had Tian Bing in his corner. Good to see the local names in action there.
Davey Richards will undergo knee surgery, so he will not be working any more shows in 2017. Hopefully he'll be able to get back in action here and there in 2018.
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan passed away at the age of 73. Heenan is considered one of the best announcers and managers in the history of the business. He leaves behind a very big legacy.
- WWE released a statement on the Hall of Famer passing away.
- PWInsider had a long look at his career. Heenan will be rightly remembered as one of the most important figures in modern wrestling history.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It will depend on how much of a spectacle the event is in the years to come. If it's presented as the place to see "five-star matches" by workers who made their names in other promotions, the audience is limited. If it's presented as a larger-than-life event with big stars and all the pomp and circumstance of the Super Bowl, it should be fine. It's all a matter of how WWE adapts (or doesn't adapt) to mainstream culture and if they want to be a wrestling promotion or a sports-entertainment company.
2. It's definitely on the sensationalist side. There's a tendency with some outlets to make every story sound like a bigger deal than it is.
3. Shane is able to make the most of his toughness and daredevil streak in order to put on a big spectacle. He makes up for his lack of formal training with pure willpower and tenacity.
4. They would have kept doing it if WCW didn't spoil the taped content on Nitro! Although I'd imagine with the Internet growing in popularity, spoilers would have taken their toll eventually and their TV partners would have pushed for them to be live each week.
5. Vince goes all-in. He's more than willing to break the rules he sets for others.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Eli Drake's recent work in Mexico will be profiled on this week's Impact Wrestling. They're getting some pretty good mileage out of Triplemania. Thankfully, they're not going to promote the Sexy Star aspect of things any more.
MYC competitor Princesa Sugehit was unmasked as the result of a CMLL match, so that opens things up for her to wrestle under her real name. That theoretically means she's done with that gimmick and about to start under a name elsewhere, but there's been no word of her heading to WWE on a more regular basis.
Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella remembered Connor The Crusher. Connor definitely made a big mark on WWE personnel who met him.
WWE is selling Halloween costumes for a number of past and present superstars. I'm surprised there are no Kane nor Mankind masks. There need to be some Breezango costumes, too. And a Chris Jericho scarf, and some New Day unicorns.... Get on this, WWE.
Vince McMahon was planned to be cut open on Smackdown, in a correction to a previous story. Vince created a wound on his forehead and covered it up so Kevin could open it back up. The original plan for the end of the segment was for Stephanie McMahon to clean up the blood with a towel, but that was changed. So, Vince is willing to violate the "no blood" rule in special cases. He's got the pull to change things like that on the fly.
OVW is holding a benefit event for Matt Cappotelli as he battles brain cancer again. I hope this is the last time he has to go through all that.
From WWE's stay in China:
- A number of WWE stars pressed their hands in cement at the largest golf course in the world.
- Shinsuke Nakamura and Lana had a meet-and-greet before the show.
- NXT's Big Boa beat Aiden English. Boa had Tian Bing in his corner. Good to see the local names in action there.
Davey Richards will undergo knee surgery, so he will not be working any more shows in 2017. Hopefully he'll be able to get back in action here and there in 2018.
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan passed away at the age of 73. Heenan is considered one of the best announcers and managers in the history of the business. He leaves behind a very big legacy.
- WWE released a statement on the Hall of Famer passing away.
- PWInsider had a long look at his career. Heenan will be rightly remembered as one of the most important figures in modern wrestling history.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It will depend on how much of a spectacle the event is in the years to come. If it's presented as the place to see "five-star matches" by workers who made their names in other promotions, the audience is limited. If it's presented as a larger-than-life event with big stars and all the pomp and circumstance of the Super Bowl, it should be fine. It's all a matter of how WWE adapts (or doesn't adapt) to mainstream culture and if they want to be a wrestling promotion or a sports-entertainment company.
2. It's definitely on the sensationalist side. There's a tendency with some outlets to make every story sound like a bigger deal than it is.
3. Shane is able to make the most of his toughness and daredevil streak in order to put on a big spectacle. He makes up for his lack of formal training with pure willpower and tenacity.
4. They would have kept doing it if WCW didn't spoil the taped content on Nitro! Although I'd imagine with the Internet growing in popularity, spoilers would have taken their toll eventually and their TV partners would have pushed for them to be live each week.
5. Vince goes all-in. He's more than willing to break the rules he sets for others.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Network content updates, The Cruise of Jericho, WWE TV appearances, Sasha signing, and Questions on the former Wyatt Family, jobbers in the Hall, wrestlers in the SAG, Droz getting the Warrior Award and why sources talk to the sheets
WWE Story Time season two will premiere after Raw.
This week's NXT will feature:
- Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish vs. Trent Seven & Tyler Bate (it looks like the "reDRagon" name has been dropped.)
- Lars Sullivan vs. No Way Jose
- Johnny Gargano vs. Tino Sabatelli
The Alundra Blayze documentary will debut on WWE Network after NXT this week.
Chris Jericho has launched a cruise party, because of course he has. Jericho has had one of the most unique careers in wrestling history.
New Day will be part of TruTV's "Adam Ruins Everything" this week to discuss Mt. Rushmore. I love how much appeal they have outside of wrestling.
Paul Heyman was part of pre-game coverage of an MLB game alongside Scott Stanford. Stanford is the No. 1 Broski for life.
Sasha Banks is doing a signing at a Crickett Wireless store before Raw. Sasha is more than happy to do announced signings; it's the fans who track her down at airports and hotels she has an issue with.
Goldberg's WWE 24 special will air in November, a year after his surprise return against Brock. I would have never called Goldberg being WWE Champion in 2017.
WWE Network has removed the Subscribers' Choice collection, which could mean a new collection with new choices is replacing it at some point.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It's notable WWE isn't willing to feature either man as a singles star. WWE's really going to have to come up with something interesting and new for them as a team if they're ever going to be more than Bray's followers. I like the idea of them finally being free of Bray's influence and being able to do something on their own. Their minds wouldn't be clouded by whatever Bray did to them in the Wyatt Compound, so they could cut more in-depth, "intelligent" promos.
2. A jobber wing of the Hall of Fame would be interesting, but I don't know if WWE would be interested in such a thing. Maybe a yearly award for people who never gave up or something. Alternately, I could see WWE having Randy Orton induct the other members of his family, which would include Barry O.
3. WWE's going to do everything it can to prevent its workers from being acknowledged as employees/allow them to form a union.
4. I'd love to see it, but WWE will almost definitely continue to use the recognition to get appeal outside the wrestling business.
5. It's either to get a side of a story out there that isn't being publicized (e.g. wrestlers not getting paid on time), or to get their version of events across (e.g. so-and-so used their spot to BURY me!!, I/my friend was totally in the right in this story that you're being told about). Some sources are more credible than others. PWInsider generally does a pretty good job of getting both sides of things, which is important because people will absolutely spin things to make themselves look better and others look worse.
More wrestling tomorrow.
This week's NXT will feature:
- Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish vs. Trent Seven & Tyler Bate (it looks like the "reDRagon" name has been dropped.)
- Lars Sullivan vs. No Way Jose
- Johnny Gargano vs. Tino Sabatelli
The Alundra Blayze documentary will debut on WWE Network after NXT this week.
Chris Jericho has launched a cruise party, because of course he has. Jericho has had one of the most unique careers in wrestling history.
New Day will be part of TruTV's "Adam Ruins Everything" this week to discuss Mt. Rushmore. I love how much appeal they have outside of wrestling.
Paul Heyman was part of pre-game coverage of an MLB game alongside Scott Stanford. Stanford is the No. 1 Broski for life.
Sasha Banks is doing a signing at a Crickett Wireless store before Raw. Sasha is more than happy to do announced signings; it's the fans who track her down at airports and hotels she has an issue with.
Goldberg's WWE 24 special will air in November, a year after his surprise return against Brock. I would have never called Goldberg being WWE Champion in 2017.
WWE Network has removed the Subscribers' Choice collection, which could mean a new collection with new choices is replacing it at some point.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. It's notable WWE isn't willing to feature either man as a singles star. WWE's really going to have to come up with something interesting and new for them as a team if they're ever going to be more than Bray's followers. I like the idea of them finally being free of Bray's influence and being able to do something on their own. Their minds wouldn't be clouded by whatever Bray did to them in the Wyatt Compound, so they could cut more in-depth, "intelligent" promos.
2. A jobber wing of the Hall of Fame would be interesting, but I don't know if WWE would be interested in such a thing. Maybe a yearly award for people who never gave up or something. Alternately, I could see WWE having Randy Orton induct the other members of his family, which would include Barry O.
3. WWE's going to do everything it can to prevent its workers from being acknowledged as employees/allow them to form a union.
4. I'd love to see it, but WWE will almost definitely continue to use the recognition to get appeal outside the wrestling business.
5. It's either to get a side of a story out there that isn't being publicized (e.g. wrestlers not getting paid on time), or to get their version of events across (e.g. so-and-so used their spot to BURY me!!, I/my friend was totally in the right in this story that you're being told about). Some sources are more credible than others. PWInsider generally does a pretty good job of getting both sides of things, which is important because people will absolutely spin things to make themselves look better and others look worse.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Lashley update, GFW scouting in Canada, Horsewoman at NXT taping, assorted WWE press, BFG on the road, WWE mobile games coming, Interviews with Cena/Henry, Impact audience, NXT name deals with Irma, NXT team back in action, and Questions on headlining the 2018 HoF, Batista's WWE status, honoring backstage employees, acknowledging sources, and future Mania locations
Lashley is still listed as part of the active GFW roster, so presumably we will be seeing him more despite the angle of him asking for his release.
GFW is using Scott D'Amore's Border City Wrestling to scout new talent. One of the top reasons for hoping the company remains in a position to have a national TV show is for more talent getting TV exposure who otherwise wouldn't.
Shayna Baszler was in attendance at NXT's most recent taping. I hope WWE is on the path to signing her after they used the MYC to promote her so heavily.
New Day was part of an in-ring segment where a Hawaiian football player learned he was getting a full scholarship. That's pretty cool.
Former FCW trainer Steve Keirn was profiled. That's a really powerful story. Some territory era wrestling was INSANE.
WWE referee Scott Armstrong was honored in Alabama. That's really cool.
Mark Henry showed off his strength on ESPN, alongside the insufferable Michelle Beadle.
GFW teased the location for Bound For Glory, which will not be in Orlando as originally planned. People are going to be disappointed if it's not a big destination after teasing a UK show. I hope having the show on the road is the right move financially; I do like the big show being in a more prominent location.
- GFW is expected to hold the show and the following TV tapings in the Ontario area. Anthem Media made this call, as they're based in that area. GFW is expected to return to Universal Studios in 2018.
WWE has signed a multiple-year deal for mobile games, which will incorporate upcoming Mattel action figures. That's pretty cool! This could very well be why Undertaker was present at Summerslam weekend - his likeness could have been digitally scanned for this game.
John Cena was on ESPN to discuss his upcoming schedule. He will be part of WWE's upcoming live event in China. I hope other superstars are brushing up on their Mandarin if they want to have the same impact Cena has in the market.
Kalisto was part of the Hispanic Heritage Awards in Washington, DC. That's great!
Natalya put over WWE's work with Connor's Cure.
Mark Henry discussed Owen Hart and more. He's slipping into the ambassador role pretty well; I assume he's under a legends deal or something now.
Impact drew 239,000 viewers Thursday night, another pretty dismal number.
NXT's Lacey Evans faced flooding from Hurricane Irma. That's sad to hear. I hope she's able to get things back in order soon.
TM-61 worked a dark match at Thursday's NXT taping, so they're back in action after the long injury. I hope they can get some momentum going; NXT has some really talented teams right now.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Taker, since New Orleans was where The Streak ended. I expect that's the direction WWE will take, too.
2. I'm almost positive everything got worked out for him to be free of WWE commitments. He might have left a little earlier than they expected, but I strongly doubt he's still under a deal there.
3. I REALLY, REALLY hope so. Even if it's something they do like the legacy wing of the Hall of Fame where it's not an official part of the ceremonies.
4. Every once in a while, someone will pretty much out themselves as a source, but I don't think it would be appropriate for me to do so here.
5. Parts Unknown! Despite so many wrestlers coming from there, we never see a show in the market.
More wrestling tomorrow.
GFW is using Scott D'Amore's Border City Wrestling to scout new talent. One of the top reasons for hoping the company remains in a position to have a national TV show is for more talent getting TV exposure who otherwise wouldn't.
Shayna Baszler was in attendance at NXT's most recent taping. I hope WWE is on the path to signing her after they used the MYC to promote her so heavily.
New Day was part of an in-ring segment where a Hawaiian football player learned he was getting a full scholarship. That's pretty cool.
Former FCW trainer Steve Keirn was profiled. That's a really powerful story. Some territory era wrestling was INSANE.
WWE referee Scott Armstrong was honored in Alabama. That's really cool.
Mark Henry showed off his strength on ESPN, alongside the insufferable Michelle Beadle.
GFW teased the location for Bound For Glory, which will not be in Orlando as originally planned. People are going to be disappointed if it's not a big destination after teasing a UK show. I hope having the show on the road is the right move financially; I do like the big show being in a more prominent location.
- GFW is expected to hold the show and the following TV tapings in the Ontario area. Anthem Media made this call, as they're based in that area. GFW is expected to return to Universal Studios in 2018.
WWE has signed a multiple-year deal for mobile games, which will incorporate upcoming Mattel action figures. That's pretty cool! This could very well be why Undertaker was present at Summerslam weekend - his likeness could have been digitally scanned for this game.
John Cena was on ESPN to discuss his upcoming schedule. He will be part of WWE's upcoming live event in China. I hope other superstars are brushing up on their Mandarin if they want to have the same impact Cena has in the market.
Kalisto was part of the Hispanic Heritage Awards in Washington, DC. That's great!
Natalya put over WWE's work with Connor's Cure.
Mark Henry discussed Owen Hart and more. He's slipping into the ambassador role pretty well; I assume he's under a legends deal or something now.
Impact drew 239,000 viewers Thursday night, another pretty dismal number.
NXT's Lacey Evans faced flooding from Hurricane Irma. That's sad to hear. I hope she's able to get things back in order soon.
TM-61 worked a dark match at Thursday's NXT taping, so they're back in action after the long injury. I hope they can get some momentum going; NXT has some really talented teams right now.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Taker, since New Orleans was where The Streak ended. I expect that's the direction WWE will take, too.
2. I'm almost positive everything got worked out for him to be free of WWE commitments. He might have left a little earlier than they expected, but I strongly doubt he's still under a deal there.
3. I REALLY, REALLY hope so. Even if it's something they do like the legacy wing of the Hall of Fame where it's not an official part of the ceremonies.
4. Every once in a while, someone will pretty much out themselves as a source, but I don't think it would be appropriate for me to do so here.
5. Parts Unknown! Despite so many wrestlers coming from there, we never see a show in the market.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Original MYC final, Sexy Star updates, NJPW-Crash update, MYC name gets Japan gig, WM34 weekend shows set, Ospreay booked for more ROH shows, more on GFW in Europe, Show surgery note, Tribute plans update, AWA legend passes, WWE champs meet UFC champ, Raw+Smackdown audiences, Olympian at WWEPC, and Questions on GCW on the Network, ROH's commentary, Sabu, an NXT women's division, and aftermath of the MYC
Kairi Sane vs. Toni Storm was the originally planned final for the MYC before WWE decided to use the tournament to push the Horsewomen angle. Hopefully that means they'll use Toni more going forward; she was one of the best workers in the event.
Sexy Star might be done with AAA, as she says she is done working under that name. We'll see if that sticks, as she already returned there under that name after a stint as an unmasked boxer.
A number of NJPW names can now work The Crash after some negotiations. Cody, although not under an exclusive deal with anyone, is not eligible as long as he's ROH Champion. The whole situation is a mess, since CMLL isn't booking a lot of in-demand talent in Mexico despite the working agreements involved.
MYC competitor Miranda Salinas will start working STARDOM in Japan in January. So, if we do see her in WWE again, it will be some time down the road.
GFW is expected to do a show during WM34 weekend, as are ROH, The Crash, and Rev Pro. I hope that goes well for GFW after they skipped WM33 in Orlando.
Will Ospreay will be working ROH in October and November. He's been a standout.
GFW's deal with ran Fighting in Europe is to air an 80-minute commercial-free edition of Impact on the streaming service each week. That's most of the show, but they do cut some things for that timeslot.
Big Show's surgery was planned before the Strowman match. That was a great sendoff for him. I'm loving the Braun push.
Tribute to the Troops is expected to feature Raw and Smackdown names, despite being taped before Smackdown.
AWA legend Otto Wanz passed away at the age of 74. PWInsider recapped his storied career. He was definitely an important figure in wrestling at the time.
Jinder Mahal and New Day met with UFC's Featherweight Champion in Hawaii. Jinder and New Day are doing pretty well in the mainstream.
Jim Cornette will be part of GFW's November TV tapings, but not for every day of them. He's currently more or less a replacement for Bruce Prichard, since Bruce couldn't work all of the August tapings. We'll see how long GFW keeps using Cornette.
Moose buried a Canadian promotion. Canada already has plenty of moose, I guess.
Raw drew 2.90 million viewers Monday, slightly down from the previous week. This is considered a good number against NFL on ESPN.
Smackdown drew 2.75 million viewers this week, a pretty good jump from the previous week. That's the biggest number in five months for the return of Vince McMahon.
Olympian Erica Wiebe trained with NXT stars at the WWE Performance Center after appearing at the MYC finals. She then attended the NXT taping Thursday night. She has a REALLY impressive resume, inside and outside of wrestling accomplishments. I hope we see more of her.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Whatever's left of it that hasn't been taped over is in WWE's vast video archive. They'll get around to uploading some of it eventually, if there's enough demand.
1. Whatever's left of it that hasn't been taped over is in WWE's vast video archive. They'll get around to uploading some of it eventually, if there's enough demand.
2. It was all part of his character. It wasn't so much him being a color commentator as him being a guest at the announce table. Until/unless they get someone who isn't actively wrestling in that role, we'll likely see the role used as a means to get characters over.
3. Haha. Still trying to work a payday at 52. I love it.
4. I don't think NXT needs another title right now, since they just have an hour a week and are also hosting the UK brand here and there. If they went to two hours, I still don't think they'd really "need" a tag division, but they could definitely feature more female wrestlers.
5. It depends on the talent! WWE pulled from a lot of different places to fill out the brackets. I expect some names will be joining NXT in the months to come, though. There were some really solid workers there they'd be crazy to pass on.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
MYC guests and press, more on ESPN Flair doc, more vintage WWE Network content, NXT DVD preview, new NXT merch, why GFW pulled the Network, GLOW gearing up for season two, Alberto lawsuit, Smackdown live event notes, and Questions on Show's transformation, female referees, the other SAnitY member, determining a wrestler's finisher, and wrestling without Nitro
The following names were at the MYC final: Asuka, Dana Warrior, Alundra Blayze, Beth Phoenix, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, Summer Raw, Mercedes Martinez, Piper Niven, Toni Storm, Ronda Rousey, Jessamyn Duke. Chelsea Rae, Nikki Bella, Charlotte Flair, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Olympian Erica Wiebe, Candice LaRae, GLOW cast members, and former WWE/GFW referee Brian Wittenstein. So, it was as big of an event as they wanted it to be on that front.
- ESPN caught up with Ronda Rousey at the event. WWE has got to appreciate that mainstream press for the show.
- The Las Vegas Review-Journal interviewed Stephanie McMahon, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch about Ronda Rousey's potential for WWE. Horsewomen vs. Horsewomen can be a big deal for WWE.
ESPN is discussing an advance screening for their Ric Flair special, which will air on that network in November. I look forward to seeing that documentary.
More World Class TV episodes have been added to WWE Network. WCW Thunder episodes are coming later this month. Thunder has got to be the most prominent show that hasn't been uploaded yet.
NXT's November DVD has a trailer out. I expect plenty more NXT DVDs in the years to come.
WWE is now selling replicas of the new NXT Championship.
GFW shut down the Global Wrestling Network after inadvertently making the service public while working on it. Fans were briefly able to access all its video content for free. Fans are very savvy these days and will easily catch on to most technical mistakes.
Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, & Bobby Fish have their first NXT T-shirt. It looks like they'll be known as Undisputed. That's not an awful name; it's just not one I'd have thought of for them. At least not making reference to "honor" means they won't have to face any heat from ROH, and it lets the stable expand to people who didn't work there.
Netflix's GLOW series will start taping season two on October 16. It will be ten episodes, as the first season was. I'm glad it's so popular; I hope that means wrestling will get more acceptance.
Alberto El Patron is suing a Mexican promotion for not paying him and other wrestlers for some shows in May. The wrestling business can be shady like that sometimes, unfortunately. I hope everyone involved gets what they're owed.
University of Hawaii football coach Nick Rolovich was in New Day's corner as they beat Dolph Ziggler & Baron Corbin on a Smackdown live event in that state. I like when they work with local markets like that.
- Asuka accompanied Charlotte, Naomi, & Becky Lynch as they defeated Natalya, Tamina, Lana, & Carmella on the same show. She was booked for the tour going through Japan well before the announcement of her coming to Raw.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Big Show has really turned things around with his massive weight loss, and he deserves credit for that determination. The matches with Braun have indeed been great. All that said, if we were still getting the Show from before he hit the gym, I'd probably still be calling for him to retire. The years of wear and tear from carrying that much weight around were taking their toll; I'm glad he took the route he did instead of phoning things in and staying in the shape he was in.
2. I'd start with having regular female referees in women's matches on all brands, but I'm fine with that eventual goal. They just have to be careful with a female referee in a male match being a tip off to there not being ref bumps involved.
3. Sawyer got injured, so Dain stepped up to the plate. That worked out well for Killian and for SAnitY. Sawyer has been back in action since then on NXT live events, but he's not part of that group anymore.
4. It's not basic when someone Braun's size does it! It's a feeling out process a lot of times determining what works best as a signature move or finisher.
5. I'd like to think things would have turned into what they are today eventually as fans started to demand more than squash matches. Smaller wrestlers and international wrestlers might have had a longer time to be featured in WWF, with Vince notoriously not wanting to step out of his comfort zone. Nitro really sped things up as far as variety in wrestling went. Interestingly, now the changes are happening inside the WWE system with HHH's projects.
More wrestling tomorrow.
- ESPN caught up with Ronda Rousey at the event. WWE has got to appreciate that mainstream press for the show.
- The Las Vegas Review-Journal interviewed Stephanie McMahon, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch about Ronda Rousey's potential for WWE. Horsewomen vs. Horsewomen can be a big deal for WWE.
ESPN is discussing an advance screening for their Ric Flair special, which will air on that network in November. I look forward to seeing that documentary.
More World Class TV episodes have been added to WWE Network. WCW Thunder episodes are coming later this month. Thunder has got to be the most prominent show that hasn't been uploaded yet.
NXT's November DVD has a trailer out. I expect plenty more NXT DVDs in the years to come.
WWE is now selling replicas of the new NXT Championship.
GFW shut down the Global Wrestling Network after inadvertently making the service public while working on it. Fans were briefly able to access all its video content for free. Fans are very savvy these days and will easily catch on to most technical mistakes.
Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, & Bobby Fish have their first NXT T-shirt. It looks like they'll be known as Undisputed. That's not an awful name; it's just not one I'd have thought of for them. At least not making reference to "honor" means they won't have to face any heat from ROH, and it lets the stable expand to people who didn't work there.
Netflix's GLOW series will start taping season two on October 16. It will be ten episodes, as the first season was. I'm glad it's so popular; I hope that means wrestling will get more acceptance.
Alberto El Patron is suing a Mexican promotion for not paying him and other wrestlers for some shows in May. The wrestling business can be shady like that sometimes, unfortunately. I hope everyone involved gets what they're owed.
University of Hawaii football coach Nick Rolovich was in New Day's corner as they beat Dolph Ziggler & Baron Corbin on a Smackdown live event in that state. I like when they work with local markets like that.
- Asuka accompanied Charlotte, Naomi, & Becky Lynch as they defeated Natalya, Tamina, Lana, & Carmella on the same show. She was booked for the tour going through Japan well before the announcement of her coming to Raw.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Big Show has really turned things around with his massive weight loss, and he deserves credit for that determination. The matches with Braun have indeed been great. All that said, if we were still getting the Show from before he hit the gym, I'd probably still be calling for him to retire. The years of wear and tear from carrying that much weight around were taking their toll; I'm glad he took the route he did instead of phoning things in and staying in the shape he was in.
2. I'd start with having regular female referees in women's matches on all brands, but I'm fine with that eventual goal. They just have to be careful with a female referee in a male match being a tip off to there not being ref bumps involved.
3. Sawyer got injured, so Dain stepped up to the plate. That worked out well for Killian and for SAnitY. Sawyer has been back in action since then on NXT live events, but he's not part of that group anymore.
4. It's not basic when someone Braun's size does it! It's a feeling out process a lot of times determining what works best as a signature move or finisher.
5. I'd like to think things would have turned into what they are today eventually as fans started to demand more than squash matches. Smaller wrestlers and international wrestlers might have had a longer time to be featured in WWF, with Vince notoriously not wanting to step out of his comfort zone. Nitro really sped things up as far as variety in wrestling went. Interestingly, now the changes are happening inside the WWE system with HHH's projects.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Interviews with Y2J/Mathews/GFW Creative, Miz/Maryse update, Smackdown live event set, Impact preview, EY honored in Ontario, Vince in 2K18, why Brie missed MYC final, Bram fires back at critics, NXT moves taping back, GFW Network coming soon, plans for NXT women's title announced, Vince update after Smackdown, and Questions on the WM34 main event, Rousey-WWE masked wrestlers, WWE's next tournament, and blood in WWE
Chris Jericho appeared on a new USA Network talk show Tuesday night to promote his book. This was almost certainly booked independently of WWE; he's not currently under contract there.
The Miz and Maryse's Raw announcement was legitimate. There's potential for some pretty funny segments with an A-List kid. As great as they are, I would understand the couple taking leave to be Mom and Dad for a while.
Smackdown will have a live event in New York on December 19. The end of the year is going to be a busy time for WWE.
Announced for Impact Wrestling:
- Ethan Carter III vs. El Hijo Del Fantasma
- Trevor Lee vs. Sonjay Dutt in a Falls Count Anywhere match for the X-Division Championship
- Braxton Sutter vs. Garza, Jr.
- Ethan Carter III vs. El Hijo Del Fantasma
- Trevor Lee vs. Sonjay Dutt in a Falls Count Anywhere match for the X-Division Championship
- Braxton Sutter vs. Garza, Jr.
Josh Mathews disputed reports of Anthem looking to sell GFW in an interview with Newsday. It's entirely possible Anthem is putting its best foot forward in case they don't get to sell GFW and/or to raise its value. I REALLY don't think Sports Illustrated just made the story up. GFW has fallen a good deal from even the Destination America days. I'm glad they're making moves to turn things around (live events, the Network), but they're in pretty deep.
Eric Young was honored in Ontario. That's pretty cool. Bobby Roode might be getting more attention, but EY's a pretty solid worker in his own role.
Vince McMahon is a playable character in WWE 2K18. All those protein bars being put to good use!
The GFW Creative team held a conference call:
- Presumably Anthem is giving Alberto another chance. I hope we can focus on his in-ring accomplishments going forward.
- Presumably Anthem is giving Alberto another chance. I hope we can focus on his in-ring accomplishments going forward.
- I expect the product will start to resemble what it looked like before Corgan came onboard. GFW can book great action; I just love having some other stuff in the mix, too.
- I'm very curious what changes will be made on the talent end. Some people might have some pretty brief tenures. I hope Jarrett doesn't siphon people off for another promotion again.
- It's a shame we won't see much more of Low Ki. It's got to be tough to book someone with such a high opinion of themselves. Ki is absolutely a great talent, but it's been understandably hard for him to get any momentum going with all the switching companies.
- Kingston would have to be signed to a new deal if they want to use him at or after BFG. We'll see if that happens.
- It's a lot easier to get content out there than it was in the VHS days. It's just perhaps harder to stand out with so many options easily available.
- I like Sonjay being a bridge between active talent and Creative.
- Good to know Rosemary's back in action.
- Working with AAA is a big deal given the crowds they draw. It's in GFW's best interest to keep that relationship going.
Brie Bella was unable to attend the Mae Young Classic finale because her daughter was sick. That's unfortunate.
Bram fired back at fans upset at him being booked in Ireland after his 2015 arrest. I think if he did work to benefit women's charities, etc., fans would be more willing to support him financially. Attacking potential paying customers probably only made matters worse.
NXT postponed its TV taping from September 13 to September 14, as Full Sail University had not reopened after the effects of Hurricane Irma. I'm glad they didn't have to change plans too much.
GFW has begun work on Global Wrestling Network, which will be $5.99 a month and include discounts on live PPVs and merchandise. They accidentally made the service live early while they were working on it, giving people access to all its content for free. Classic GFW move.
Kairi Sane will challenge for the NXT Women's Championship at Takeover:Houston on November 18. I hope some other MYC competitors will be in the mix there at some point as well. There were some really talented people featured there. Sane vs. Nikki Cross would be fun, since Ember's already had a few shots at the gold. That would be tough from a promo perspective, though.
Kevin Owens legitimately opened a cut on Vince McMahon's head during Smackdown. Vince took a pretty serious beatdown for a 72-year-old man.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1.Wow. That was a pretty good take. I wouldn't mind WWE Horsewomen vs. MMA Horsewomen headlining the show, since it would be an attractive that would get outside fans like McGregor-Mayweather. I think they've already got a good start on the build, too.
1.Wow. That was a pretty good take. I wouldn't mind WWE Horsewomen vs. MMA Horsewomen headlining the show, since it would be an attractive that would get outside fans like McGregor-Mayweather. I think they've already got a good start on the build, too.
2. Sure! Especially if it's just one match and the rights are fairly cheap. I expect it would pay for itself.
3. They just travel maskless, because most fans don't recognize them without the mask! That said, the idea of Rey getting his driver's license photo taken with a mask on is a funny one.
4. Tag teams is a pretty obvious idea, as are Latin American and Asian tournaments. I wouldn't mind NXT doing a version of the Top Prospect Tournament every so often to sign someone to a contract. Ummm... maybe a nostalgia tournament?
5. Sanitation is important!
More wrestling tomorrow.
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