Bobby Roode talked to Lilian Garcia. Here are highlights:
- There were reports he and Eric Young left Impact due to being owed a substantial amount of money, so he could have been being diplomatic here. That doesn't mean the other reasons aren't also valid.
- As good as Roode is, I don't think he's someone they should be pushing and building as a long-term fixture. At this point, he's probably best working with up-and-coming talent. That said, I certainly think he can be Intercontinental Champion level.
UK's Revolution Pro Wrestling is getting a TV deal. NJPW talent and Colt Cabana will be working their September 5 and 6 tapings. That's good for them, but I don't know if WWE will be too happy about it.
Toni Storm was recently injured, and has dropped the championship she held in Germany. That could definitely throw off NXT UK plans. I hope she's able to return soon.
Viceland's wrestling series will air its pilot at Starrcade. The episode focuses on Bruiser Brody's death. There will be a Q&A session featuring Dutch Mantell. All In weekend has really become a destination. This is amazing!
A Smackdown 20th anniversary book is due in 2019, along with one focusing on WWE's Greatest Grudges.
WWE Network's latest Hidden Gem features a 2011 FCW match with Dean Ambrose, Cesaro, and Damien Sandow against Seth Rollins, EC3, and Fandango. EC3 was Derrick Bateman at the time, while Fandango was Johnny Curtis. If Network subscribers want more FCW content, they should make sure they stream that match a lot.
G1 Supercard released a limited number of tickets for sale as ROH/NJPW have determined how much space production will take up.
Nick Jackson was recently hospitalized for a bad virus. He's still expected to work All In.
El Hijo del Fantasma lost his mask at Triplemania, so we'll be working a different gimmick if we see him in Impact again, which I hope we do.
Jeff Jarrett lost AAA's top championship to Rey Fenix, so that was something of a short-term move.
Global Force Entertainment is working with NWA on the 70th anniversary show. It's unknown what that will entail beyond Jeff Jarrett appearing.
Terry Funk will miss Starrcast due to health issues following a hernia.
UK's Preston City Wrestling has also gotten a TV deal there, which could easily mean NXT UK and WOS names will no longer be able to work there.
Neville does not have a no-compete clause following his WWE release, so he could head right to NJPW or elsewhere. NJPW and ROH should both try to pick him up.
Super Show-Down is set up for 80,000 fans, which of course would be one of WWE"s most successful shows ever.
Evolution is set up for just shy of 11,000 fans, so they're expecting it to be a pretty solid house.
MLW's TV home has now been dropped by AT&T and DIRECTV. That's a shame given MLW TV's early success.
Kacy Catanzaro promoted the Mae Young Classic. I wouldn't be surprised to see her on NXT TV sooner rather than later.
Samoa Joe is on Sam Roberts' latest podcast.
ROH Death Before Dishonor has added:
- Punishment Martinez vs. Chris Sabin for the ROH Television Championship
- Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs. Kenny King
Velveteen Dream is competing for EVOLVE, facing Austin Theory on September 7 and Darby Allin on September 8. Both matches will likely be for the live crowd only. This could be something of a "thank you" for keeping Matt Riddle away from NJPW.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Those are great choices! I'd add Ivory, Victoria, and Jacqueline.
Nothing to add to 2.
3. OH MY THE PHENOM PLAYING MIND GAMES!!
4. Not anytime soon! She's established a career outside of wrestling, and I think she's going to keep that up as long as she can. The fact she hasn't even done anything for the company in a PR/charity capacity is telling; she's essentially moved on from that phase of her life.
5. Because what are they going to do, unionize? Sue WWE? WWE's got them where they want them.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Interviews with Roode/Kacy/Joe, UK promotions get TV deals, top WWE signing hurt, Viceland at Starrcast, future WWE books, FCW on Hidden Gems, Supercard tickets released, top All In name sick, AAA name loses mask, Jarrett updates, legend to miss Starrcast, Neville status update, Super Show-Down and Evolution attendance updates, MLW TV home dropped from more outlets, new ROH PPV matches, NXT name working EVOLVE, and Questions on Evolution guests, Taker's looks, Linda returning to WWE TV, and how WWE classifies its workers
Thursday, August 30, 2018
WWE's value praised, Interview with Ric Flair, JR book sequel on the way, more on Neville-WWE, Martha Hart accepts honor, Angle working on comeback, All In adds street fight, WWE's next Saudi event set, SDL audience, Matt Hardy update, new SSD title match, and Questions on AJ vs. Joe, Vince's movies, Justin Roberts' WWE tenure, WWE removing clocks, and Raw's heels compared with SDL's
Wall Street Journal praised WWE's business after their new content deals.
Ric Flair is on Jim Ross' latest podcast.
Jim Ross will write a second autobiography, and he hopes it will be out by the end of 2019. His first book is really highly praised.
Neville has officially been moved to WWE.com's alumni section, confirming he is indeed no longer an employee there. I wonder if there's a way he can appear in the crowd at All In? ROH should try to get him to debut at Final Battle, leading to him being featured at G1 Supercard.
Martha Hart showcased her husband going into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. I'm sure that will spark further talk of her consenting for WWE to put Owen in their own Hall of Fame, but I don't see her stance changing. It's not a matter of Owen being honored for his wrestling career as much as WWE honoring him after causing his death.
Kurt Angle is training for an in-ring return. There's no word on what the plans are there, although obviously facing Baron Corbin would make sense.
All In's Adam Page vs. Joey Janela is now a Chicago Street Fight. I'm looking forward to that!
Saudi Arabia will host another WWE event on November 2. Currently there's no word on what the event will entail or whether it will air on WWE Network, but I imagine we'll have an announcement on that soon.
Smackdown Live drew 2.35 million viewers, a drop from last week's post-Summerslam show.
Matt Hardy teased his future. There's no telling what he'll end up doing going forward - he could certainly have some fun at the Compound without taking dangerous bumps.
Super Show-Down has added Cedric Alexander vs. (Australia's own) Buddy Murphy for the Cruiserweight Championship. It's shaping up to be a pretty good card.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I can see the comparisons. I also think Eddie Edwards' angle in Impact is similar. AJ vs. Joe is definitely a breath of fresh air compared to AJ vs. Shinsuke. Let's hope it doesn't go down the same road that angle did.
2. Seemingly they're waiting to see if Cooper will play Vince (which sounds amazing).
3. The answer here pretty much sounded like "the behavior happens, but most people don't consider it bullying." Dunn definitely wants everything to be in line with his vision.
4. As was said, certain people are going to do anything they can to "get themselves over" without WWE helping them. If there's a way to keep the clock on the screen for the home viewers but not the live crowd, that's certainly an option. Of course, this is part of a bigger problem that needs to be addressed in ways beyond the occasional timed match.
5. While I do think Smackdown Live is presenting their heels better, by definition moving up and down the card makes someone a main eventer vs. midcarder, etc.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Ric Flair is on Jim Ross' latest podcast.
Jim Ross will write a second autobiography, and he hopes it will be out by the end of 2019. His first book is really highly praised.
Neville has officially been moved to WWE.com's alumni section, confirming he is indeed no longer an employee there. I wonder if there's a way he can appear in the crowd at All In? ROH should try to get him to debut at Final Battle, leading to him being featured at G1 Supercard.
Martha Hart showcased her husband going into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. I'm sure that will spark further talk of her consenting for WWE to put Owen in their own Hall of Fame, but I don't see her stance changing. It's not a matter of Owen being honored for his wrestling career as much as WWE honoring him after causing his death.
Kurt Angle is training for an in-ring return. There's no word on what the plans are there, although obviously facing Baron Corbin would make sense.
All In's Adam Page vs. Joey Janela is now a Chicago Street Fight. I'm looking forward to that!
Saudi Arabia will host another WWE event on November 2. Currently there's no word on what the event will entail or whether it will air on WWE Network, but I imagine we'll have an announcement on that soon.
Smackdown Live drew 2.35 million viewers, a drop from last week's post-Summerslam show.
Matt Hardy teased his future. There's no telling what he'll end up doing going forward - he could certainly have some fun at the Compound without taking dangerous bumps.
Super Show-Down has added Cedric Alexander vs. (Australia's own) Buddy Murphy for the Cruiserweight Championship. It's shaping up to be a pretty good card.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I can see the comparisons. I also think Eddie Edwards' angle in Impact is similar. AJ vs. Joe is definitely a breath of fresh air compared to AJ vs. Shinsuke. Let's hope it doesn't go down the same road that angle did.
2. Seemingly they're waiting to see if Cooper will play Vince (which sounds amazing).
3. The answer here pretty much sounded like "the behavior happens, but most people don't consider it bullying." Dunn definitely wants everything to be in line with his vision.
4. As was said, certain people are going to do anything they can to "get themselves over" without WWE helping them. If there's a way to keep the clock on the screen for the home viewers but not the live crowd, that's certainly an option. Of course, this is part of a bigger problem that needs to be addressed in ways beyond the occasional timed match.
5. While I do think Smackdown Live is presenting their heels better, by definition moving up and down the card makes someone a main eventer vs. midcarder, etc.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
nWo tour, new WWE merch, Interview with Shelton, more on Owens status, WWE European tryouts, final All In hype, former WWE name at ROH, ROH taping set, ROH charity, new All In competitors, Raw names on SDL live event, WWE names at CurvyCon, SDL visitors, Jarrett-Anthem update, ROH tag title match set, Raw audience, NJPW in U.S. adds top names, SSD WWE Title match, and Questions on Lars replacing Rowan, CZW+EVOLVE closing, Alexa's chances vs. Trish, why Evolution isn't like GRR, and Miz and Bryan's rivalry
The nWo of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall will go on the "2 Sweet Tour" doing signings and Q&A sessions beginning October 27 in Florida. I'm interested to see what WWE's reaction to the nWo branding will be, if anything.
The Bella Twins have new merchandise for their return.
Shelton Benjamin spoke to ESPN about working with a number of talents over his previous run.
Kevin Owens is now listed as an alumnus on WWE.com in line with his "quitting" on Raw.
WWE tryouts will be held in Germany in November. "NXT Europe" could be a plan for down the line, but now I think these people are just being recruited for the Florida Performance Center.
All In's final hype show was on Being The Elite. The entire wrestling world will be watching Saturday.
The former Summer Rae was at ROH's latest TV taping. I'm curious if we'll see her come in for WOH - I can only find one match she's worked since leaving WWE two years ago.
Jimmy's Famous Seafood is holding an All In viewing party. That's a very popular venue for wrestlers. It's good to see the two sides work together.
ROH will run a TV taping in Pennsylvania on October 14. Interestingly, that's the same night as Bound For Glory in New York. I don't know how much of an overlap there will be in those audiences. It will be interesting to see which show draws a bigger house.
ROH stars visited a children's hospital before their latest TV taping. That's great for them to do.
All In's Over Budget Battle Royal has added Punishment Martinez and Brandon Cutler. Could we see ROH World Champion vs. ROH TV Champion later in the show?
Raw's Bobby Roode and Mojo Rawley worked a Smackdown Live live event Monday night, so Roode could be in front of his home town and defeat Mojo. I'm glad they didn't have Mojo go over!
The Bella Twins and Nia Jax are CurvyCon's keynote speakers. Good to see them getting to represent WWE there.
Santino Marella and Trish Stratus were backstage at Smackdown Live. Both are local to Toronto.
Jeff Jarrett's motion against Anthem regarding receiving the GFW master tapes was shot down, as Anthem has not officially responded to the lawsuit, and no attorneys are attached to it on their side.
The Briscoes vs. The Addiction for the ROH World Tag Team Championship is official for Death Before Dishonor. This could be Kazarian and Daniels' last chance at that title!
Raw drew 2.88 million viewers Monday, in line with what the show did before Summerslam.
NJPW's U.S. show on September 30 has added Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Testuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Tomohito Ishii, EVIL, and SANADA. So that's a pretty good talent lineup for what will be another important show for NJPW.
Super Show-Down has added AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe for the WWE Championship. So we'll be seeing that match quite a bit in the months to come. I'm sure they can keep delivering each time.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That's an interesting idea, but I don't know how good of a fit would be. I think it's more likely they put Bray and Harper back together somehow, as I doubt either of them are going to be up to much by themselves. No word on Lars' future, but I hope we see him back soon.
2. I wouldn't assume either are in financial trouble. I think there's a decent chance WWE decides to buy EVOLVE at some point. At the very least, they're staying associated.
3. Because Alexa's still a pretty highly decorated wrestler going against a WWE Hall of Famer. I think the age difference also improves Alexa's kayfabe chances. Sometimes it's about heat and seeing the heel get theirs instead of expecting a competitive match, and, really, if WWE doesn't take wins and losses seriously, why should we?
4. There's a BIG difference between a government treating women as second-class citizens and a company giving women a spotlight they don't usually get. There's not an outrage because the two situations are so vastly different.
5. Yes, they've faced off before, but those matches were early parts of a rivalry that's now reaching new heights.
More wrestling tomorrow.
The Bella Twins have new merchandise for their return.
Shelton Benjamin spoke to ESPN about working with a number of talents over his previous run.
Kevin Owens is now listed as an alumnus on WWE.com in line with his "quitting" on Raw.
WWE tryouts will be held in Germany in November. "NXT Europe" could be a plan for down the line, but now I think these people are just being recruited for the Florida Performance Center.
All In's final hype show was on Being The Elite. The entire wrestling world will be watching Saturday.
The former Summer Rae was at ROH's latest TV taping. I'm curious if we'll see her come in for WOH - I can only find one match she's worked since leaving WWE two years ago.
Jimmy's Famous Seafood is holding an All In viewing party. That's a very popular venue for wrestlers. It's good to see the two sides work together.
ROH will run a TV taping in Pennsylvania on October 14. Interestingly, that's the same night as Bound For Glory in New York. I don't know how much of an overlap there will be in those audiences. It will be interesting to see which show draws a bigger house.
ROH stars visited a children's hospital before their latest TV taping. That's great for them to do.
All In's Over Budget Battle Royal has added Punishment Martinez and Brandon Cutler. Could we see ROH World Champion vs. ROH TV Champion later in the show?
Raw's Bobby Roode and Mojo Rawley worked a Smackdown Live live event Monday night, so Roode could be in front of his home town and defeat Mojo. I'm glad they didn't have Mojo go over!
The Bella Twins and Nia Jax are CurvyCon's keynote speakers. Good to see them getting to represent WWE there.
Santino Marella and Trish Stratus were backstage at Smackdown Live. Both are local to Toronto.
Jeff Jarrett's motion against Anthem regarding receiving the GFW master tapes was shot down, as Anthem has not officially responded to the lawsuit, and no attorneys are attached to it on their side.
The Briscoes vs. The Addiction for the ROH World Tag Team Championship is official for Death Before Dishonor. This could be Kazarian and Daniels' last chance at that title!
Raw drew 2.88 million viewers Monday, in line with what the show did before Summerslam.
NJPW's U.S. show on September 30 has added Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Testuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Tomohito Ishii, EVIL, and SANADA. So that's a pretty good talent lineup for what will be another important show for NJPW.
Super Show-Down has added AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe for the WWE Championship. So we'll be seeing that match quite a bit in the months to come. I'm sure they can keep delivering each time.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That's an interesting idea, but I don't know how good of a fit would be. I think it's more likely they put Bray and Harper back together somehow, as I doubt either of them are going to be up to much by themselves. No word on Lars' future, but I hope we see him back soon.
2. I wouldn't assume either are in financial trouble. I think there's a decent chance WWE decides to buy EVOLVE at some point. At the very least, they're staying associated.
3. Because Alexa's still a pretty highly decorated wrestler going against a WWE Hall of Famer. I think the age difference also improves Alexa's kayfabe chances. Sometimes it's about heat and seeing the heel get theirs instead of expecting a competitive match, and, really, if WWE doesn't take wins and losses seriously, why should we?
4. There's a BIG difference between a government treating women as second-class citizens and a company giving women a spotlight they don't usually get. There's not an outrage because the two situations are so vastly different.
5. Yes, they've faced off before, but those matches were early parts of a rivalry that's now reaching new heights.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Smackdown Live and 205 Live Reax - 8/28/18
Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown Live and 205 Live.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Late exec honored, Interviews with Roode/Nowinski, Jarrett files motion against Anthem, MLW signs more names to deals, more on MLW's WM35 weekend plans, Neville-WWE update, Paige gets physical at indie show, Bellas back in the ring, WWE name at ROH taping, WWE HoFer misses show due to health, top WWE name likely for Raw, Summerslam 2019 location official, SDL plans, WWE changes international dates, new SSD matches, Owens' French promo, and Questions on Becky being the face in the Charlotte situation, how WWE books heels, and doing title changes on TV
WWE honored former senior VP Ed Cohen. I'm glad he was commemorated.
Bobby Roode is on Lilian Garcia's latest podcast, covering his WWE and Impact careers.
Jeff Jarrett has filed a motion for Anthem to allow him to copy the GFW Amped! master tapes so Jarrett can submit them for copyright purposes.
MLW has signed Aria Blake, the Dirty Blondes, Jason Cade, Jimmy Yuta, and Rhett Giddins to contracts. They're able to take outside independent dates, but MLW must be their priority.
MLW's WrestleMania weekend date has been turned into a TV taping. So Walemania might be off the table following Wale's WWE appearance.
Neville is no longer under WWE contract. It's unknown what led to that finally occurring or what his next steps are, but he's officially been released from his deal.
Chris Nowinski discussed his research. It's been game-changing.
Paige attended Blackcraft Wrestling in Pennsylvania this weekend, as her mother Saraya Knight was in the main event. Paige was on the red carpet before the show as well as in the front row during the show. Paige slapped Britt Baker in the face during Baker's match with Saraya.
The Bella Twins teamed with Ember Moon to defeat The Riott Squad at Sunday's Raw live event in New York.
Bayley attended ROH's TV taping this weekend, as her boyfriend challenged for the Television Championship.
Scott Hall missed an indie appearance this weekend due to an unspecified health issue. I hope he's able to get back into things soon.
Maryse should be a regular on Smackdown Live going forward. Maryse vs. Brie Bella is on the table for Evolution.
The Usos vs. SAnitY vs. Rusev Day is likely for next week's Smackdown Live in the tournament to declare New Day's first championship opponents. I expect we're in for New Day vs. SAnitY at Hell in a Cell.
Summerslam 2019 will be in Toronto. The city will also host Takeover, Raw, Smackdown Live, and AXXESS in the surrounding days.
- It's possible Summerslam weekend will be in Toronto for a multiple-year stretch, as has been the case for Brooklyn lately.
The Undertaker is scheduled for Raw next week. He may or may not appear on camera to promote Super Show-Down. I'm curious what WWE will do with the build to the "Last Time Ever" match.
WWE has moved their October 31 Sweden show to May 11, 2019, while their November 1 Norway show will now be held May 12, 2019. It's expected this move is in advance of a Saudi Arabia return in early November.
Super Show-Down has added:
- The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre
- Ronda Rousey and The Bellas vs. The Riott Squad
-- They're really building that show up from a decent way out. It benefits them to not have to follow WrestleMania.
Kevin Owens' French promo on Raw was "Oh so you're not happy anymore? Earlier you were happy and now you are mad? But hey, it doesn't bother me, you already all paid for the new t-shirt anyway." I love Kevin.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Honestly I think a lot of it's that WWE sees Charlotte as more of the ideal woman than Becky. They don't really see the appeal of the red-haired steampunk enthusiast compared to the blond former college volleyball player, and they think fans will more easily get behind the woman they think men will see as more desirable and women will see as someone they want to look like.
2. I suppose it can be traced back to the "this is just a family friendly TV show" mentality - most babyfaces don't get into TOO much jeopardy to where Little Jimmy doesn't think their hero will prevail in the end. And, honestly, it's probably a size thing, too. Unless you're close to 7' and jacked, Vince isn't going to see you as able to dominate.
3. Smackdown 1000 would be the perfect place to do a title change. On top of that, I think it's worth reconsidering the PPV strategy in light of the new TV deals, outside of a couple of major shows like WrestleMania. Instead, they can build up to a big episode of Raw and Smackdown Live once a month called Backlash or Payback or whatever.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Bobby Roode is on Lilian Garcia's latest podcast, covering his WWE and Impact careers.
Jeff Jarrett has filed a motion for Anthem to allow him to copy the GFW Amped! master tapes so Jarrett can submit them for copyright purposes.
MLW has signed Aria Blake, the Dirty Blondes, Jason Cade, Jimmy Yuta, and Rhett Giddins to contracts. They're able to take outside independent dates, but MLW must be their priority.
MLW's WrestleMania weekend date has been turned into a TV taping. So Walemania might be off the table following Wale's WWE appearance.
Neville is no longer under WWE contract. It's unknown what led to that finally occurring or what his next steps are, but he's officially been released from his deal.
Chris Nowinski discussed his research. It's been game-changing.
Paige attended Blackcraft Wrestling in Pennsylvania this weekend, as her mother Saraya Knight was in the main event. Paige was on the red carpet before the show as well as in the front row during the show. Paige slapped Britt Baker in the face during Baker's match with Saraya.
The Bella Twins teamed with Ember Moon to defeat The Riott Squad at Sunday's Raw live event in New York.
Bayley attended ROH's TV taping this weekend, as her boyfriend challenged for the Television Championship.
Scott Hall missed an indie appearance this weekend due to an unspecified health issue. I hope he's able to get back into things soon.
Maryse should be a regular on Smackdown Live going forward. Maryse vs. Brie Bella is on the table for Evolution.
The Usos vs. SAnitY vs. Rusev Day is likely for next week's Smackdown Live in the tournament to declare New Day's first championship opponents. I expect we're in for New Day vs. SAnitY at Hell in a Cell.
Summerslam 2019 will be in Toronto. The city will also host Takeover, Raw, Smackdown Live, and AXXESS in the surrounding days.
- It's possible Summerslam weekend will be in Toronto for a multiple-year stretch, as has been the case for Brooklyn lately.
The Undertaker is scheduled for Raw next week. He may or may not appear on camera to promote Super Show-Down. I'm curious what WWE will do with the build to the "Last Time Ever" match.
WWE has moved their October 31 Sweden show to May 11, 2019, while their November 1 Norway show will now be held May 12, 2019. It's expected this move is in advance of a Saudi Arabia return in early November.
Super Show-Down has added:
- The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre
- Ronda Rousey and The Bellas vs. The Riott Squad
-- They're really building that show up from a decent way out. It benefits them to not have to follow WrestleMania.
Kevin Owens' French promo on Raw was "Oh so you're not happy anymore? Earlier you were happy and now you are mad? But hey, it doesn't bother me, you already all paid for the new t-shirt anyway." I love Kevin.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Honestly I think a lot of it's that WWE sees Charlotte as more of the ideal woman than Becky. They don't really see the appeal of the red-haired steampunk enthusiast compared to the blond former college volleyball player, and they think fans will more easily get behind the woman they think men will see as more desirable and women will see as someone they want to look like.
2. I suppose it can be traced back to the "this is just a family friendly TV show" mentality - most babyfaces don't get into TOO much jeopardy to where Little Jimmy doesn't think their hero will prevail in the end. And, honestly, it's probably a size thing, too. Unless you're close to 7' and jacked, Vince isn't going to see you as able to dominate.
3. Smackdown 1000 would be the perfect place to do a title change. On top of that, I think it's worth reconsidering the PPV strategy in light of the new TV deals, outside of a couple of major shows like WrestleMania. Instead, they can build up to a big episode of Raw and Smackdown Live once a month called Backlash or Payback or whatever.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Monday, August 27, 2018
WWE team returning, Interview with Roode, former WWE VP dies, Bellas back in action, OVW special coming to FITE, and Questions on WWE's choking rules, Vince's confidence in Roman, past champions at Evolution, Nia's short reign, and Joe taking the title from AJ
New Day will defend their Smackdown Tag Team Championship against the winners of tomorrow's triple threat among The Bar, The Club, and The Colons. Epico hasn't been in action since January, and the Colons haven't wrestled on TV since June 2017. It will be very interesting to see how they fit into things going forward.
Bobby Roode promoted tomorrow's Smackdown Live episode.
WWE's former senior vice president of event operations passed away this weekend. Ed Cohen worked for the company in the 1980s and 1990s, securing venues and ensuring rings were set up. I'd like to see him honored at WrestleMania 35's Hall of Fame ceremony. They need to do more for some of the long-term backstage personnel who have helped create the spectacle the company is now.
The Bella Twins are back on the road for WWE as both prepare to return to the ring on PPV. We had a big break from them as wrestlers, so I'm not really upset to see them back in action. Let's just see how prominently they're used.
OVW's 1000th TV episode will air on FITE TV, featuring Billy Gunn, Tommy Dreamer, Hurricane Helms, Abyss, and more. That could be an important show for the promotion.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Not much to add here. Choking with a cord or something is still outlawed. Holds are still allowed.
2. Vince will push who he wants to push and do what he wants to do as long as that stock price stays up and those big content deals keep rolling in. The beachballers are going to pay him hundreds of dollars to attend shows and see wrestlers they tell everyone on the Internet they hate no matter what, so he's going to keep powerwalking around Titan Towers while his theme song plays over the intercom.
3. I think Molly has a pretty good chance since she was in the Royal Rumble. Victoria I'm less sure about, but I'd certainly like to see them both.
4. I suspect they wanted to get to Ronda vs. Alexa for the title sooner rather than later, and that was the main factor.
5. I can certainly see Joe winning the title at some point. It wouldn't surprise me if he holds it into 2019, actually, as Daniel Bryan could end up taking it from him at WrestleMania 35 if they play their cards right.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Bobby Roode promoted tomorrow's Smackdown Live episode.
WWE's former senior vice president of event operations passed away this weekend. Ed Cohen worked for the company in the 1980s and 1990s, securing venues and ensuring rings were set up. I'd like to see him honored at WrestleMania 35's Hall of Fame ceremony. They need to do more for some of the long-term backstage personnel who have helped create the spectacle the company is now.
The Bella Twins are back on the road for WWE as both prepare to return to the ring on PPV. We had a big break from them as wrestlers, so I'm not really upset to see them back in action. Let's just see how prominently they're used.
OVW's 1000th TV episode will air on FITE TV, featuring Billy Gunn, Tommy Dreamer, Hurricane Helms, Abyss, and more. That could be an important show for the promotion.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Not much to add here. Choking with a cord or something is still outlawed. Holds are still allowed.
2. Vince will push who he wants to push and do what he wants to do as long as that stock price stays up and those big content deals keep rolling in. The beachballers are going to pay him hundreds of dollars to attend shows and see wrestlers they tell everyone on the Internet they hate no matter what, so he's going to keep powerwalking around Titan Towers while his theme song plays over the intercom.
3. I think Molly has a pretty good chance since she was in the Royal Rumble. Victoria I'm less sure about, but I'd certainly like to see them both.
4. I suspect they wanted to get to Ronda vs. Alexa for the title sooner rather than later, and that was the main factor.
5. I can certainly see Joe winning the title at some point. It wouldn't surprise me if he holds it into 2019, actually, as Daniel Bryan could end up taking it from him at WrestleMania 35 if they play their cards right.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
New Network episode after Raw, WWE stars launching podcast, UpUpDownDown wins world record, TruTV looks at wrestling, NXT UK stars in WWE 2K19, another pre-WWE Rey match broadcast, NXT UK Women's title revealed, Interview with Lashley, NXT live event notes, and Questions on Hyatt's whereabouts, Impact turning things around, how ROH is affected by the Sinclair-Tribune deal falling through, ROH on Destination America, and Dixie at the NWA PPV
A new "WWE Story Time" will debut after Raw. Hurricane Helms will be featured in the episode.
Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins have launched an action figure podcast. Interestingly, they're doing so under their given names instead of their WWE monikers.
UpUpDownDown won a Guinness World Record for most subscribed celebrity videogames channel. That doesn't seem as impressive as other Guinness records....
TruTV did a video on becoming a professional wrestler. Pretty fun.
WWE 2K19 has added Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate. I expect those two will be in many WWE games going forward. Both have proven themselves.
Expo Lucha on August 31 and September 1 will feature matches broadcast live in English and Spanish. Rey Mysterio will work one of his last scheduled dates there before joining WWE.
The NXT UK Women's Championship was revealed at the latest tapings.
Bobby Lashley spoke to Sam Roberts about Summerslam and more. I hope he's got something good coming up after falling off the map following the Roman loss.
At NXT's August 25 live event in Florida:
- Kacy Catanzaro worked her first NXT live event since June, teaming with Lacey Lane to defeat Reina Gonzalez and Taynara Conti.
- The former Ultimo Ninja worked as Humberto Carrillo, losing to Raul Mendoza. He's getting right to work after being signed.
- Shayna Baszler teamed with Jessamyn Duke and Marina Sharif to defeat Kairi Sane, Io Shirai, and Deonna Purrazzo. This was Sharif and Io's first live events in NXT. This could definitely be practice for the Horsewomen all working together at Survivor Series, as expected. It's very interesting to see Shirai and Sane together, as they've generally been rivals. We'll see how it all plays out.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. She apparently retired from doing any appearances or anything in 2016, but she still comments on the business on Twitter.
2. It does appear that they're getting things in order, which is great news. Obviously they're a long way from where they were, say, five years ago, but 2018 has been better than 2017!
3. Basically it just means they won't be getting a big increase in coverage from that deal. It doesn't really "hurt" them because they didn't actually lose anything. They're just basically where they were before the deal was an option.
4. If Impact wasn't getting enough viewers to stay there, and ROH was getting even lower numbers, why would DA bring them back? The numbers don't lie, and they spell disaster for wrestling on DA. As for the theory mentioned here, that's the first I've heard of it. At the time the stated reason for getting ROH on the channel was to make a block of wrestling content so fans who wanted to see ROH would also watch Impact and/or vice versa. It didn't really work out like that...
5. I don't see it happening. Impact split from the NWA within a few years of her taking over. And, really, I wouldn't expect her to get a positive reaction!
More wrestling tomorrow.
Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins have launched an action figure podcast. Interestingly, they're doing so under their given names instead of their WWE monikers.
UpUpDownDown won a Guinness World Record for most subscribed celebrity videogames channel. That doesn't seem as impressive as other Guinness records....
TruTV did a video on becoming a professional wrestler. Pretty fun.
WWE 2K19 has added Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate. I expect those two will be in many WWE games going forward. Both have proven themselves.
Expo Lucha on August 31 and September 1 will feature matches broadcast live in English and Spanish. Rey Mysterio will work one of his last scheduled dates there before joining WWE.
The NXT UK Women's Championship was revealed at the latest tapings.
Bobby Lashley spoke to Sam Roberts about Summerslam and more. I hope he's got something good coming up after falling off the map following the Roman loss.
At NXT's August 25 live event in Florida:
- Kacy Catanzaro worked her first NXT live event since June, teaming with Lacey Lane to defeat Reina Gonzalez and Taynara Conti.
- The former Ultimo Ninja worked as Humberto Carrillo, losing to Raul Mendoza. He's getting right to work after being signed.
- Shayna Baszler teamed with Jessamyn Duke and Marina Sharif to defeat Kairi Sane, Io Shirai, and Deonna Purrazzo. This was Sharif and Io's first live events in NXT. This could definitely be practice for the Horsewomen all working together at Survivor Series, as expected. It's very interesting to see Shirai and Sane together, as they've generally been rivals. We'll see how it all plays out.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. She apparently retired from doing any appearances or anything in 2016, but she still comments on the business on Twitter.
2. It does appear that they're getting things in order, which is great news. Obviously they're a long way from where they were, say, five years ago, but 2018 has been better than 2017!
3. Basically it just means they won't be getting a big increase in coverage from that deal. It doesn't really "hurt" them because they didn't actually lose anything. They're just basically where they were before the deal was an option.
4. If Impact wasn't getting enough viewers to stay there, and ROH was getting even lower numbers, why would DA bring them back? The numbers don't lie, and they spell disaster for wrestling on DA. As for the theory mentioned here, that's the first I've heard of it. At the time the stated reason for getting ROH on the channel was to make a block of wrestling content so fans who wanted to see ROH would also watch Impact and/or vice versa. It didn't really work out like that...
5. I don't see it happening. Impact split from the NWA within a few years of her taking over. And, really, I wouldn't expect her to get a positive reaction!
More wrestling tomorrow.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Friday, August 24, 2018
Takeover attendance note, Gargano update, more on Impact in Mexico, Alberto pulled from top Mexico show, upcoming English NJPW broadcasts, Omega endorsement deal, another All In battle royal competitor, ROH UK attendance note, Evolution main event set, original MYC plans, Bryan contract update, WWE back in Saudi Arabia soon, Heyman update, Cena replaced as top merch seller, Y2J's Summerslam idea, WWE and NJPW trademarks, Interviews with Gallagher/Goldberg, WWE at the Mets, big NWA event set, Texas Hidden Gem, WWE Studios head fired, WWE stars on air, and Questions on Bullet Club's future, heels getting away with their actions, and WWE's use of Owens and Alexa
Takeover: Brooklyn was an official sellout.
Johnny Gargano's injury is believed to be storyline. We'll see what happens with him going forward; that was an incredible ending.
Impact's Mexico TV tapings will be set up for 2,000 fans. That would be a really good house for them.
Alberto El Patron has been pulled from working AAA due to a dispute between the two sides, with AAA no longer feeling he's worth the risk after he no-showed the Impact vs. AAA show.
NJPW's September 15, September 17, and September 23 events will be broadcast in English on New Japan World.
Kenny Omega has signed an endorsement deal with a German gaming brand. His appeal outside of wrestling has really benefited him.
All In's Over Budget Battle Royal has added Marko Stunt.
Honor Re-United drew significantly lower than ROH's May UK shows. They used more local talent this time around, so there weren't as many guests from the U.S. Running the same buildings three months apart hurt attendance. Hopefully things improve next time ROH comes to the market.
Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella is set to headline Evolution, with the goal of pairing the two biggest mainstream names in the company. They're really looking to push this as a big night for women in WWE.
Tegan Nox was originally set to make it to the finals of the Mae Young Classic, and it's possible she would have won. Hopefully she'll be able to get a big push when she's recovered.
- Nox might need surgery following her MYC injury.
NXT UK's events this weekend are at a gaming festival, Insomnia.
Daniel Bryan has still not signed a new WWE contract, due to an attorney looking over the deal. He's deliberately working a style that will prolong his career.
Saudi Arabia is expected to host WWE again on November 2. Notably, that's five days after Evolution, so the contrast between a show featuring all women and one where no women are allowed will be pretty big.
Paul Heyman is being considered to stay on WWE TV, possibly working with Ronda Rousey. That could really be interesting. WWE should definitely save him for big things like working with Ronda, rather than pairing him with someone lower on the card to get them over.
Roman Reigns is now the top merchandise seller in WWE. With John Cena out of the picture, Reigns' relative prominence has grown.
Chris Jericho pitched facing Seth Rollins in a match between Intercontinental Champions at Summerslam, but Vince McMahon never responded. I very much doubt he would have been OK with that.
NJPW has applied for U.S. trademarks for G1 Climax, G1 Supercard, and G1 Special, so they intend to use those names for future events.
WWE recently trademarked the ring names Alexander Wolfe, Bobby Fish, Bobby Lashley, Corey Graves, Kairi Sane, Killian Dain, Kyle O'Reilly, Mandy Rose, Mike Kanellis, Sarah Logan, Shayna Baszler, and Sonya Deville.
Jack Gallagher discussed his "Gentleman" character and more. He's really made a name for himself with his look and work.
WWE promoted their appearances with the New York Mets. I'm disappointed Mr. Met didn't get to pin Hawkins.
Goldberg further discussed being hacked.
NWA's 70th anniversary (!!!) event will air on FITE TV on October 21 from the Asylum in Nashville. Jeff Jarrett will be there, which isn't a surprise given the location. That venue held a lot of early NWA:TNA shows. It will be interesting to see how that card comes together.
WWE Network has added Big Time Wrestling's Star Wars '81 event to their Hidden Gems section, minus the Bruiser Brody/Chan Chung match. This promotion was the precursor to World Class Championship Wrestling.
WWE Studios' president Michael Luisi has been released. The call was made by WWE co-president Michelle Wilson. It will be very interesting to see how the move affects that part of the company.
New Day, Sasha Banks, Rusev and Lana were on Open Late with Peter Rosenberg.
Chris Jericho will host a Travel Channel special on October 10, where he'll explore the bayous of Louisiana.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
Nothing to add to 1.
2. I wouldn't make any assumptions about their future one way or another, other than that the next steps will be taken together. It's entirely possible all of them come to WWE as a group.
3. Just because they didn't get in trouble on-screen, doesn't mean they didn't get in trouble from the office later!
4. WWE loves Owens and Alexa for what they do. Sometimes villains get thwarted by dominant heroes. WWE knows those two are talented enough to rebound from losses. I fully expect both of them to be back in important roles soon.
More wrestling coming up.
Johnny Gargano's injury is believed to be storyline. We'll see what happens with him going forward; that was an incredible ending.
Impact's Mexico TV tapings will be set up for 2,000 fans. That would be a really good house for them.
Alberto El Patron has been pulled from working AAA due to a dispute between the two sides, with AAA no longer feeling he's worth the risk after he no-showed the Impact vs. AAA show.
NJPW's September 15, September 17, and September 23 events will be broadcast in English on New Japan World.
Kenny Omega has signed an endorsement deal with a German gaming brand. His appeal outside of wrestling has really benefited him.
All In's Over Budget Battle Royal has added Marko Stunt.
Honor Re-United drew significantly lower than ROH's May UK shows. They used more local talent this time around, so there weren't as many guests from the U.S. Running the same buildings three months apart hurt attendance. Hopefully things improve next time ROH comes to the market.
Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella is set to headline Evolution, with the goal of pairing the two biggest mainstream names in the company. They're really looking to push this as a big night for women in WWE.
Tegan Nox was originally set to make it to the finals of the Mae Young Classic, and it's possible she would have won. Hopefully she'll be able to get a big push when she's recovered.
- Nox might need surgery following her MYC injury.
NXT UK's events this weekend are at a gaming festival, Insomnia.
Daniel Bryan has still not signed a new WWE contract, due to an attorney looking over the deal. He's deliberately working a style that will prolong his career.
Saudi Arabia is expected to host WWE again on November 2. Notably, that's five days after Evolution, so the contrast between a show featuring all women and one where no women are allowed will be pretty big.
Paul Heyman is being considered to stay on WWE TV, possibly working with Ronda Rousey. That could really be interesting. WWE should definitely save him for big things like working with Ronda, rather than pairing him with someone lower on the card to get them over.
Roman Reigns is now the top merchandise seller in WWE. With John Cena out of the picture, Reigns' relative prominence has grown.
Chris Jericho pitched facing Seth Rollins in a match between Intercontinental Champions at Summerslam, but Vince McMahon never responded. I very much doubt he would have been OK with that.
NJPW has applied for U.S. trademarks for G1 Climax, G1 Supercard, and G1 Special, so they intend to use those names for future events.
WWE recently trademarked the ring names Alexander Wolfe, Bobby Fish, Bobby Lashley, Corey Graves, Kairi Sane, Killian Dain, Kyle O'Reilly, Mandy Rose, Mike Kanellis, Sarah Logan, Shayna Baszler, and Sonya Deville.
Jack Gallagher discussed his "Gentleman" character and more. He's really made a name for himself with his look and work.
WWE promoted their appearances with the New York Mets. I'm disappointed Mr. Met didn't get to pin Hawkins.
Goldberg further discussed being hacked.
NWA's 70th anniversary (!!!) event will air on FITE TV on October 21 from the Asylum in Nashville. Jeff Jarrett will be there, which isn't a surprise given the location. That venue held a lot of early NWA:TNA shows. It will be interesting to see how that card comes together.
WWE Network has added Big Time Wrestling's Star Wars '81 event to their Hidden Gems section, minus the Bruiser Brody/Chan Chung match. This promotion was the precursor to World Class Championship Wrestling.
WWE Studios' president Michael Luisi has been released. The call was made by WWE co-president Michelle Wilson. It will be very interesting to see how the move affects that part of the company.
New Day, Sasha Banks, Rusev and Lana were on Open Late with Peter Rosenberg.
Chris Jericho will host a Travel Channel special on October 10, where he'll explore the bayous of Louisiana.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
Nothing to add to 1.
2. I wouldn't make any assumptions about their future one way or another, other than that the next steps will be taken together. It's entirely possible all of them come to WWE as a group.
3. Just because they didn't get in trouble on-screen, doesn't mean they didn't get in trouble from the office later!
4. WWE loves Owens and Alexa for what they do. Sometimes villains get thwarted by dominant heroes. WWE knows those two are talented enough to rebound from losses. I fully expect both of them to be back in important roles soon.
More wrestling coming up.
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
ROH UK events on Honorclub, more NJPW names at ROH TV taping, A-Listers at MTV event, wrestler wives on "Table for 3," Almas profiled, Raw guests, NXT UK to declare champion, Reigns guest role, injured SDL star getting surgery, SDL dark matches, and Questions on female commentators, All In failing, Y2J in Impact, WWE vs. Martha (again), and spitting in wrestling
All Honor Re-United shows have been added to Honorclub. They really got lost in the Summerslam weekend shuffle.
NJPW's EVIL, SANADA, and Chase Owens have been added to ROH's September 29 TV taping. Of course, the next night is the next big NJPW U.S. show.
The Miz and Maryse attended MTV's Music Awards Monday night. After Miz's big Summerslam win, it's good to see he got to celebrate.
Another "Table for 3" featuring the wives of Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, and Matt Hardy has been filmed. So yes, Reby Hardy will be featured on WWE Network!
Andrade "Cien" Almas was profiled. I'm cautiously optimistic about his WWE future.
Finn Balor's parents were ringside at Raw, so they got to see their son challenge for the Universal Championship.
NXT UK will crown its first women's champion at this weekend's tapings. That title is likely to be defended at Evolution.
Roman Reigns recorded a guest role for a Disney cartoon. We'll see if he can end up in Cena's footsteps there, too.
Raw drew 3.10 million viewers Monday night, an increase of more than 250,000 from the show before Summerslam. I'm glad there was an increase for the big title changes. We'll see how the new champions do as ratings draws going forward.
Rowan will need surgery for a biceps tear. It's unfortunate the Bludgeon Brothers' title reign has been cut short due to injury. They had really gotten momentum going.
Asuka defeated Mandy Rose before Smackdown Live. I wonder how Asuka fits into things with the new women's champion.
Samoa Joe vs. Daniel Bryan took place after 205 Live, with The Miz running in for a disqualification. AJ Styles then evened the odds and routed the heels to end the night.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. WWE is absolutely making moves to have more female representation at the commentary desk, as we've seen with Renee Young and Beth Phoenix.
2. If the show isn't received well, it will be interesting to see if those fans sell their Supercard tickets. The entire goal is to appeal to a certain fan base. If they don't impress those fans, it could definitely deflate some bubbles for Bullet Club, The Elite, etc. I'm very curious how those fans would/will react if/when Omega and the Bucks go to WWE. Will they stay loyal or turn on those names like they've turned on their other favorites once they hit WWE?
3. I would very surprised if Jericho went to a promotion that sees 1,000 fans as a huge success, but if anyone would pull something like that, it's Jericho. I could see it being a big factor in getting Impact something bigger, but that's a big "what if." And, really, if he went to Impact, WWE would be falling over themselves to get him back. I don't know if Impact could survive that battle.
4. WWE could honor Owen separately or as part of a group, but I very much doubt Martha would be OK with it. Ultimately, she sees WWE as having killed her husband. She's not likely to want them to feature him.
5. That's why WWE doesn't do it. Some wrestlers are more OK with that risk than others.
More wrestling tomorrow.
NJPW's EVIL, SANADA, and Chase Owens have been added to ROH's September 29 TV taping. Of course, the next night is the next big NJPW U.S. show.
The Miz and Maryse attended MTV's Music Awards Monday night. After Miz's big Summerslam win, it's good to see he got to celebrate.
Another "Table for 3" featuring the wives of Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, and Matt Hardy has been filmed. So yes, Reby Hardy will be featured on WWE Network!
Andrade "Cien" Almas was profiled. I'm cautiously optimistic about his WWE future.
Finn Balor's parents were ringside at Raw, so they got to see their son challenge for the Universal Championship.
NXT UK will crown its first women's champion at this weekend's tapings. That title is likely to be defended at Evolution.
Roman Reigns recorded a guest role for a Disney cartoon. We'll see if he can end up in Cena's footsteps there, too.
Raw drew 3.10 million viewers Monday night, an increase of more than 250,000 from the show before Summerslam. I'm glad there was an increase for the big title changes. We'll see how the new champions do as ratings draws going forward.
Rowan will need surgery for a biceps tear. It's unfortunate the Bludgeon Brothers' title reign has been cut short due to injury. They had really gotten momentum going.
Asuka defeated Mandy Rose before Smackdown Live. I wonder how Asuka fits into things with the new women's champion.
Samoa Joe vs. Daniel Bryan took place after 205 Live, with The Miz running in for a disqualification. AJ Styles then evened the odds and routed the heels to end the night.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. WWE is absolutely making moves to have more female representation at the commentary desk, as we've seen with Renee Young and Beth Phoenix.
2. If the show isn't received well, it will be interesting to see if those fans sell their Supercard tickets. The entire goal is to appeal to a certain fan base. If they don't impress those fans, it could definitely deflate some bubbles for Bullet Club, The Elite, etc. I'm very curious how those fans would/will react if/when Omega and the Bucks go to WWE. Will they stay loyal or turn on those names like they've turned on their other favorites once they hit WWE?
3. I would very surprised if Jericho went to a promotion that sees 1,000 fans as a huge success, but if anyone would pull something like that, it's Jericho. I could see it being a big factor in getting Impact something bigger, but that's a big "what if." And, really, if he went to Impact, WWE would be falling over themselves to get him back. I don't know if Impact could survive that battle.
4. WWE could honor Owen separately or as part of a group, but I very much doubt Martha would be OK with it. Ultimately, she sees WWE as having killed her husband. She's not likely to want them to feature him.
5. That's why WWE doesn't do it. Some wrestlers are more OK with that risk than others.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Smackdown Live and 205 Live Reax - 8/21/18
Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown Live and 205 Live.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Hiromu update, NJPW U.S. matches announced, Natalya on Summerslam, former Impact champion going to MLW, another Summerslam guest, WWE promotes Cena show, WWE music release, Impact running Mexico, Interview with Ember, NXT live events set, GLOW renewed again, Rowan out hurt, injured star ar Raw, SDL preview, and Questions on part-timers headlining Mania, FOX canceling SDL, WWE expecting Natalya at Summerslam, renaming the War Raiders, and the UFC title in WWE
Hiromu Takahashi has relinquished the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship due to injury. A tournament has been scheduled to declare the next champion.
NJPW's U.S. event on September 30 will feature:
- Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll as part of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship tournament
- The Young Bucks vs. The Guerrillas of Destiny for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
- Juice Robinson vs. Cody for the IWGP United States Championship
Natalya discussed being at Summerslam. She's got a great support group.
Abyss is debuting for MLW On September 6. It's interesting they're using him as a wrestler when Impact isn't.
Impact is running Mexico for two TV tapings on September 13 and September 14. That's big! I think it could really put them on the map and grow their audience there. It's going to be a LONG road to make the company prominent again, but they're making steps in the right direction.
Ember Moon talked to Lilian Garcia, highlighted here. Ember is someone who can be an important star and a role model. I hope WWE pulls the trigger on pushing her going forward. And yes, the FCW era hiring practices led to them missing a lot of talented workers.
NXT dates have been announced for:
- October 11 in Missouri
- October 12 in Mississippi
- October 13 in Kentucky
-- It will be interesting to see who's on those shows. Keith Lee? Matt Riddle?
GLOW has been renewed for a third season. I'm glad the show has been such a success.
Rowan missed Smackdown Live's August 20 live event. Harper defeated Karl Anderson, with Luke Gallows in Anderson's corner.
- Rowan suffered an as-yet-identified arm injury during Summerslam. So, we could see a title change tonight.
Maria Kanellis was backstage at Raw. Mike Kanellis competed on Main Event before Raw itself.
On tonight's Smackdown Live:
- Bludgeon Brothers vs. New Day in a no-disqualification match for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship
- Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I think WWE's going to be successful for a long time, pretty much no matter what they book. I also think they're going to keep "going back to the well" of past stars as long as they can. But, no, I'm not worried. I think the show will probably still be solid with the current roster.
2. Some speculate FOX could move it to a different night. Both sides are definitely going to try to make it a success, though. It's planned as one of the anchors of the channel.
3. Natalya vs. Samoa Joe would have really been something! WWE would have understood if she took the PPV off, although certainly the stakes are higher when you're in an important feud.
4. It wouldn't shock me if they got new names post-NXT for that reason. Or any other reason, really. WWE is like that sometimes.
5. It would be big for WWE. I don't know if it would benefit UFC, though, especially if Brock looked inferior to a WWE wrestler.
More wrestling tomorrow.
NJPW's U.S. event on September 30 will feature:
- Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll as part of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship tournament
- The Young Bucks vs. The Guerrillas of Destiny for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
- Juice Robinson vs. Cody for the IWGP United States Championship
Natalya discussed being at Summerslam. She's got a great support group.
Abyss is debuting for MLW On September 6. It's interesting they're using him as a wrestler when Impact isn't.
Desiigner was at Summerslam. It was quite the popular event.
WWE promoted John Cena's role on the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show at Summerslam, including having people in costume taking pictures.
WWE has released a fifth album of unreleased tracks.
Ember Moon talked to Lilian Garcia, highlighted here. Ember is someone who can be an important star and a role model. I hope WWE pulls the trigger on pushing her going forward. And yes, the FCW era hiring practices led to them missing a lot of talented workers.
NXT dates have been announced for:
- October 11 in Missouri
- October 12 in Mississippi
- October 13 in Kentucky
-- It will be interesting to see who's on those shows. Keith Lee? Matt Riddle?
GLOW has been renewed for a third season. I'm glad the show has been such a success.
Rowan missed Smackdown Live's August 20 live event. Harper defeated Karl Anderson, with Luke Gallows in Anderson's corner.
- Rowan suffered an as-yet-identified arm injury during Summerslam. So, we could see a title change tonight.
Maria Kanellis was backstage at Raw. Mike Kanellis competed on Main Event before Raw itself.
On tonight's Smackdown Live:
- Bludgeon Brothers vs. New Day in a no-disqualification match for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship
- Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I think WWE's going to be successful for a long time, pretty much no matter what they book. I also think they're going to keep "going back to the well" of past stars as long as they can. But, no, I'm not worried. I think the show will probably still be solid with the current roster.
2. Some speculate FOX could move it to a different night. Both sides are definitely going to try to make it a success, though. It's planned as one of the anchors of the channel.
3. Natalya vs. Samoa Joe would have really been something! WWE would have understood if she took the PPV off, although certainly the stakes are higher when you're in an important feud.
4. It wouldn't shock me if they got new names post-NXT for that reason. Or any other reason, really. WWE is like that sometimes.
5. It would be big for WWE. I don't know if it would benefit UFC, though, especially if Brock looked inferior to a WWE wrestler.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Final Summerslam weekend notes, another former women's champion at Evolution, Riddle's last non-WWE date set, Interview with IIconics, WWE charity auction, former WWE female star injured, and Questions on Ronda smiling, the recent Peyton controversy, Hogan vs. the WWE locker room, Roman's future, and Takeover running against Supercard
Michelle McCool has been confirmed for Evolution. I'm interested who she'll face.
Dolph Ziggler talked before Summerslam. His future is very much up in the air after his title loss.
Matt Riddle will work PROGRESS' September 30 event as a farewell before joining NXT full-time. PROGRESS has a working agreement with WWE, so he's able to appear there where he couldn't do Battle of Los Angeles.
Triple H put over NXT's success on ESPN.
David Arquette spoke backstage at Takeover. Talk about another potential game-changing signing!
Edge and Christian were backstage at Summerslam, presumably for something related to their WWE Network show.
- Ric Flair and Shane McMahon were also backstage.
John Cena tweeted about missing Summerslam. It's surreal in some ways. I'm glad we're seeing others step up, though.
The IIconics talked in Australia, addressing the recent controversy about Peyton's look. More on that in the question answer below.
WWE did an auction with the Brooklyn Cyclones to support Connor's Cure.
The former Rosa Mendes was recently injured. I'm curious if we'll see her back on TV as a wrestler someday.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Ronda's a big WWE fan happy to be there. That doesn't mean she can't still kick someone's ass. Ask Alexa.
2. I think Meltzer and Alvarez were trying to dance around saying she had gotten breast implants and no longer stands out as much as she did without them. It was a poor word choice, and I genuinely think Meltzer feels regret for making the comments. I do think there's a "we" here, in the sense of male journalists (some of whom are old enough to be Peyton's father) needing to move on from discussing the attractiveness of female wrestlers. Discussing if they stand out from each other with their looks is one thing (as that's something that would also be done with male wrestlers), but it really comes across as unprofessional and uncomfortable to be discussing such things.
3. I really dislike the idea that people who have concerns about how Hogan went about the situation need to just get in line and accept it. This was actually an opportunity to prove himself. He could have said "I still have some work to do in getting people to give me another chance." Instead he's passing the blame.
4. I expect WWE to continue to build him as a franchise player in the months and years to come.
5. I doubt it. Fans can catch the other show on demand the next day before WrestleMania.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Dolph Ziggler talked before Summerslam. His future is very much up in the air after his title loss.
Matt Riddle will work PROGRESS' September 30 event as a farewell before joining NXT full-time. PROGRESS has a working agreement with WWE, so he's able to appear there where he couldn't do Battle of Los Angeles.
Triple H put over NXT's success on ESPN.
David Arquette spoke backstage at Takeover. Talk about another potential game-changing signing!
Edge and Christian were backstage at Summerslam, presumably for something related to their WWE Network show.
- Ric Flair and Shane McMahon were also backstage.
John Cena tweeted about missing Summerslam. It's surreal in some ways. I'm glad we're seeing others step up, though.
The IIconics talked in Australia, addressing the recent controversy about Peyton's look. More on that in the question answer below.
WWE did an auction with the Brooklyn Cyclones to support Connor's Cure.
The former Rosa Mendes was recently injured. I'm curious if we'll see her back on TV as a wrestler someday.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Ronda's a big WWE fan happy to be there. That doesn't mean she can't still kick someone's ass. Ask Alexa.
2. I think Meltzer and Alvarez were trying to dance around saying she had gotten breast implants and no longer stands out as much as she did without them. It was a poor word choice, and I genuinely think Meltzer feels regret for making the comments. I do think there's a "we" here, in the sense of male journalists (some of whom are old enough to be Peyton's father) needing to move on from discussing the attractiveness of female wrestlers. Discussing if they stand out from each other with their looks is one thing (as that's something that would also be done with male wrestlers), but it really comes across as unprofessional and uncomfortable to be discussing such things.
3. I really dislike the idea that people who have concerns about how Hogan went about the situation need to just get in line and accept it. This was actually an opportunity to prove himself. He could have said "I still have some work to do in getting people to give me another chance." Instead he's passing the blame.
4. I expect WWE to continue to build him as a franchise player in the months and years to come.
5. I doubt it. Fans can catch the other show on demand the next day before WrestleMania.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Summerslam Reax
Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw and Smackdown Live brand WWE Network special event.
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Main Event Reax - 8/18/18, assorted WWE and Summerslam weekend press, Summerslam 2019 plans, new Photo Shoot after Raw, Rougeaus finally retiring, top Evolution match announced, NXT UK trailer, HHH conference call, EVOLVE sends Riddle off, Takeover injuries, NXT TV match, and Questions on WM35 weekend main events, Supercard not being in the afternoon, Finkel's absence, and Joey Ryan in NXT
-- Main Event:
- NWJ vs. Hawkins:
In a shocking turn of events, Jose has the advantage.
AAAHHHHHHH I THOUGHT THAT ELBOW DROP WAS GOING TO END THE STREAK!!!!
Nice competitive match. Hawkins will get him next time.
- Slater/Rhyno vs. Ascension:
Stephanie McMahon attended Jim Neidhart's funeral on behalf of WWE.
Sasha Banks and Shelton Benjamin visited at House of Glory's Friday night event in New York.
Dolph Ziggler, Nia Jax, Titus O'Neil, and Charly Caruso were part of a "Be A Star" event Friday.
Summerslam 2019 is expected to be held in Toronto. With WrestleMania 35 being in New York, it's good to see a change for Summerslam.
"WWE Photo Shoot" after Raw will feature Ric Flair and Charlotte Flair.
Bobby Lashley spoke to FOX News to promote Summerslam.
- Lashley, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Carmella were at the New York Stock Exchange Friday to promote Summerslam.
Ronda Rousey graffiti was put up ahead of Summerslam. That's really cool.
Jacques Rougeau discussed his family's final match. The Rougeaus were a dynasty in Canada.
Dolph Ziggler's comedy show featured Zack Ryder, The IIconics, Tyler Breeze, Renee Young, and Charly Caruso.
WWE has a pop-up shop outside Barclays Center for Summerslam weekend.
Natalya and Tyson Kidd are in New York City following Jim Neidhart's funeral. I think everyone would understand if they took the week off.
Matt Hardy is in New York City following his injury, so he could address his status on Raw.
AJ Styles discussed his history with Samoa Joe. I don't think I would have ever predicted AJ vs. Joe for the WWE Title, much less at Summerslam.
Andrade "Cien" Almas and Zelina Vega talked about making it to WWE and more. Zelina has tremendously added to Andrade's act.
Something To Wrestle With live in New York City featured Joel Gertner, Jenn Bloodsworth, Charlotte Flair, Mark Henry, Brian Gerwitz, JBL, Zack Ryder, and Curt Hawkins. Gertner was a really pleasant surprise.
Trish Stratus vs. Alexa Bliss is advertised for Evolution. That should be great, and really put Alexa on the map. I'm glad they're not rehashing Trish vs. Lita, instead giving us something new.
NXT UK got a trailer during Takeover. A broadcast announcement is expected to be made in the next few weeks.
Triple H did a conference call after Takeover, covered here:
- NXT can definitely draw big gates when tied to other major events.
- There's a delicate balance between being a unique third brand and truly being developmental.
- I'm curious about the feasibility of taking NXT TV tapings on the road. Obviously Full Sail is a great facility for them, but one would think they'd be able to draw well if they toured tapings.
- I'm curious what the original plan for the main event was, and whether changing it was the right call.
- I'm VERY curious how Riddle will fit in, and how much he'll adapt inside and outside the ring.
- The whole point of NXT is to call people up. It's weird to think of having a completely different show with a completely different roster and expecting it to mesh with what the Raw and Smackdown Live audiences want.
- It was obvious from the CWC there was potential in a Gargano/Ciampa feud. Especially given Gargano being such a pure babyface and Ciampa being such a pure heel pre-WWE.
- Dude, really? Vince has given him a blank check for developmental. Come on. It was more likely they were just brought in as guests and proved themselves.
Matt Riddle got a farewell documentary from EVOLVE. We'll see how he navigates being in WWE after being such an important fixture outside of it.
EC3 suffered some sort of eye injury and a possible concussion at Takeover. I hope he's able to rebound soon.
Johnny Gargano could have dislocated his kneecap at the end of his Takeover match. He definitely had some force behind that finisher.
Stephanie McMahon, Wale, Travis Browne, and David Aquette were all at Takeover.
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Bianca Belair was taped for NXT TV before Takeover. Purrazzo is already getting a spotlight. I like it.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. We're way too early to plan that. The show's going to sell out no matter what, so they should go with what makes sense in the months leading to the show. I definitely think they should have some "special guests" on the card, though. Certainly having The Elite work in NXT a few months to build to that weekend before they move to Raw or Smackdown Live is an idea to have on the table.
2. It could also be that they were confident enough in selling out vs. Takeover.
3. If there's any way to get Chris Jericho or C.M. Punk on that show, they absolutely deserve that main event spot. Otherwise, certainly having two top NJPW names face off is a bigger option than some of the people who can be seen at most other ROH events. Funny how part timers are OK when it's NJPW working ROH...
4. Finkel's 68. WWE's focusing on younger people all over the card.
5. Unless Joey is willing to REALLY tone down his gimmick, he's not going to be in WWE anytime soon.
More wrestling tomorrow.
- NWJ vs. Hawkins:
In a shocking turn of events, Jose has the advantage.
AAAHHHHHHH I THOUGHT THAT ELBOW DROP WAS GOING TO END THE STREAK!!!!
Nice competitive match. Hawkins will get him next time.
- Slater/Rhyno vs. Ascension:
Solid work from some names we don't get to see much of on Raw.
The Ascension aren't bad when they get to show what they can do.
Pretty competitive contest. Not bad at all.
Stephanie McMahon attended Jim Neidhart's funeral on behalf of WWE.
Sasha Banks and Shelton Benjamin visited at House of Glory's Friday night event in New York.
Dolph Ziggler, Nia Jax, Titus O'Neil, and Charly Caruso were part of a "Be A Star" event Friday.
Summerslam 2019 is expected to be held in Toronto. With WrestleMania 35 being in New York, it's good to see a change for Summerslam.
"WWE Photo Shoot" after Raw will feature Ric Flair and Charlotte Flair.
Bobby Lashley spoke to FOX News to promote Summerslam.
- Lashley, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Carmella were at the New York Stock Exchange Friday to promote Summerslam.
Ronda Rousey graffiti was put up ahead of Summerslam. That's really cool.
Jacques Rougeau discussed his family's final match. The Rougeaus were a dynasty in Canada.
Dolph Ziggler's comedy show featured Zack Ryder, The IIconics, Tyler Breeze, Renee Young, and Charly Caruso.
WWE has a pop-up shop outside Barclays Center for Summerslam weekend.
Natalya and Tyson Kidd are in New York City following Jim Neidhart's funeral. I think everyone would understand if they took the week off.
Matt Hardy is in New York City following his injury, so he could address his status on Raw.
AJ Styles discussed his history with Samoa Joe. I don't think I would have ever predicted AJ vs. Joe for the WWE Title, much less at Summerslam.
Andrade "Cien" Almas and Zelina Vega talked about making it to WWE and more. Zelina has tremendously added to Andrade's act.
Something To Wrestle With live in New York City featured Joel Gertner, Jenn Bloodsworth, Charlotte Flair, Mark Henry, Brian Gerwitz, JBL, Zack Ryder, and Curt Hawkins. Gertner was a really pleasant surprise.
Trish Stratus vs. Alexa Bliss is advertised for Evolution. That should be great, and really put Alexa on the map. I'm glad they're not rehashing Trish vs. Lita, instead giving us something new.
NXT UK got a trailer during Takeover. A broadcast announcement is expected to be made in the next few weeks.
Triple H did a conference call after Takeover, covered here:
- NXT can definitely draw big gates when tied to other major events.
- There's a delicate balance between being a unique third brand and truly being developmental.
- I'm curious about the feasibility of taking NXT TV tapings on the road. Obviously Full Sail is a great facility for them, but one would think they'd be able to draw well if they toured tapings.
- I'm curious what the original plan for the main event was, and whether changing it was the right call.
- I'm VERY curious how Riddle will fit in, and how much he'll adapt inside and outside the ring.
- The whole point of NXT is to call people up. It's weird to think of having a completely different show with a completely different roster and expecting it to mesh with what the Raw and Smackdown Live audiences want.
- It was obvious from the CWC there was potential in a Gargano/Ciampa feud. Especially given Gargano being such a pure babyface and Ciampa being such a pure heel pre-WWE.
- Dude, really? Vince has given him a blank check for developmental. Come on. It was more likely they were just brought in as guests and proved themselves.
Matt Riddle got a farewell documentary from EVOLVE. We'll see how he navigates being in WWE after being such an important fixture outside of it.
EC3 suffered some sort of eye injury and a possible concussion at Takeover. I hope he's able to rebound soon.
Johnny Gargano could have dislocated his kneecap at the end of his Takeover match. He definitely had some force behind that finisher.
Stephanie McMahon, Wale, Travis Browne, and David Aquette were all at Takeover.
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Bianca Belair was taped for NXT TV before Takeover. Purrazzo is already getting a spotlight. I like it.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. We're way too early to plan that. The show's going to sell out no matter what, so they should go with what makes sense in the months leading to the show. I definitely think they should have some "special guests" on the card, though. Certainly having The Elite work in NXT a few months to build to that weekend before they move to Raw or Smackdown Live is an idea to have on the table.
2. It could also be that they were confident enough in selling out vs. Takeover.
3. If there's any way to get Chris Jericho or C.M. Punk on that show, they absolutely deserve that main event spot. Otherwise, certainly having two top NJPW names face off is a bigger option than some of the people who can be seen at most other ROH events. Funny how part timers are OK when it's NJPW working ROH...
4. Finkel's 68. WWE's focusing on younger people all over the card.
5. Unless Joey is willing to REALLY tone down his gimmick, he's not going to be in WWE anytime soon.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Summerslam preview
Read on for my ideas on booking tonight's Raw and Smackdown Live brand WWE Network special event.
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Ambrose on live events, more All In battle royal participants, WWE expands Australian TV deals, assorted WWE/Summerslam press, Interview with Stephanie, Tenille discloses diagnosis, and NXT live event note
Dean Ambrose has been added to Raw's international tour beginning at the end of the month. He'll team with Seth Rollins against Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre. No surprises there.
- Ambrose is also being advertised for Hell in a Cell in that same match. As always, plans could change between now and then.
All In's Over Budget Battle Royal has added Brian Cage, Billy Gunn, and Jimmy Jacobs. That's quite the interesting combination.
WWE is continuing their Australian TV deals for Raw and Smackdown Live in one-hour versions. I'm curious how Super Show-Down will affect WWE's standing in the country.
Mauro Ranallo promoted this weekend on Edge and Christian's podcast.
Stephanie McMahon discussed branding and more.
Seth Rollins spoke before Summerslam. The interviewer totally tried to stir the pot on the Brock situation. Funny stuff. The comments about not having part-timers forever was a smart one, but I don't see WWE changing on that front anytime soon. I honestly think there's a skepticism that guys like Rollins can carry the torch as well as guys like Brock, Angle, Rock, etc.
Big Show has been named as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador. That's pretty cool.
Samoa Joe was part of a big WWE documentary. It's crazy they didn't save that for the Network.
Charlotte Flair promoted Summerslam on ESPN. It's just a matter of time before we see Charlotte vs. Ronda.
Tenille Dashwood discussed the health issue preventing her from working Honor Reunited. I wish her the best.
NXT UK's Zack Gibson defeated Dominik Dijakovic at NXT's August 17 live event in New Jersey. Dijakovic has been toiling away quite a while it feels for someone who was already on ROH TV.
More wrestling tomorrow.
- Ambrose is also being advertised for Hell in a Cell in that same match. As always, plans could change between now and then.
All In's Over Budget Battle Royal has added Brian Cage, Billy Gunn, and Jimmy Jacobs. That's quite the interesting combination.
WWE is continuing their Australian TV deals for Raw and Smackdown Live in one-hour versions. I'm curious how Super Show-Down will affect WWE's standing in the country.
Mauro Ranallo promoted this weekend on Edge and Christian's podcast.
Stephanie McMahon discussed branding and more.
Seth Rollins spoke before Summerslam. The interviewer totally tried to stir the pot on the Brock situation. Funny stuff. The comments about not having part-timers forever was a smart one, but I don't see WWE changing on that front anytime soon. I honestly think there's a skepticism that guys like Rollins can carry the torch as well as guys like Brock, Angle, Rock, etc.
Big Show has been named as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador. That's pretty cool.
Samoa Joe was part of a big WWE documentary. It's crazy they didn't save that for the Network.
Charlotte Flair promoted Summerslam on ESPN. It's just a matter of time before we see Charlotte vs. Ronda.
Tenille Dashwood discussed the health issue preventing her from working Honor Reunited. I wish her the best.
NXT UK's Zack Gibson defeated Dominik Dijakovic at NXT's August 17 live event in New Jersey. Dijakovic has been toiling away quite a while it feels for someone who was already on ROH TV.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Takeover Brooklyn 4 preview
Read on for my ideas for booking tonight's NXT brand WWE Network special event.
Friday, August 17, 2018
More on new SAnitY look, Kidd launches fitness brand, Summerslam press, Show close to being cleared, more on Sin Cara surgery, Y2J tweets on wrestling future, more Hidden Gems, more Neidhart memories, One Night Only card, Cass signing full-time deal, lucha documentary on Netflix, ROH TV matches, another NJPW name at DBD TV, more Supercard milestones, NJPW planning international TV deals, ROH company looking to buy regional sports networks, Impact taping notes, Rey pulls out of show due to WWE signing, Matt Hardy's next steps, Jason Jordan plans, another SDL injury, WWE exec unloads stocks, Brisco honored, WWE planning Horsewomen vs. Horsewomen soon, expected WWE signing likely off, Elias concert canceled, NXT live event notes, AJ breaks a record, WWEPC seeking help, and Questions on Shane's WWE role, giving Dixie and Impact credit for featuring women before WWE, and how WM35 Takeover will be affected by Supercard
Killian Dain addressed his new look, which had people speculating Management had ordered him to change his attire.
Tyson Kidd has launched a fitness brand. I'm glad he's found something to strive for post-retirement.
In Summerslam promotional appearances:
- Kevin Owens and Big E did a signing with the Amazon Treasure Truck
- The Bar signed "Making The Mania" at a Barnes & Noble.
Big Show discussed returning to the ring soon. He has been out long enough to be somewhat fresh again. It's all in how they intend to use him. One would think a part time schedule would be ideal.
Sin Cara's surgery was due to getting scar tissue removed. He has begun physical therapy.
Chris Jericho tweeted about his future. He could absolutely be a difference maker for NJPW's future U.S. shows. If anyone can convince WWE to bring him back despite working for a competitor on their "home turf," it's Jericho.
WWE Network has added more hidden gems:
- Samoa Joe vs. Tommy Dreamer from UPW in 2001. It's interesting to see UPW content on WWE Network.
- Roman Reigns (as Leakee) vs. Corey Graves from FCW in 2011
- Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker from WWE in Finland in 2003
Ric Flair discussed Jim Neidhart on Jim Ross' latest podcast.
Natalya wrote a column about her father. I think her own legacy rivals his now.
One Night Only: Night of The Dummies on August 25 in New York will feature:
- Eddie Edwards vs. Eli Drake
- Moose vs. KM
- LAX vs. Z&E
- Alisha Edwards vs. Rebel
- Homicide, Fallah Bahh, and Dick Justice in action along with local talents
Ronda Rousey spoke to ESPN. The original thought was she signed a deal through WrestleMania 35 with the option to extend it yearly. I hope (and WWE hopes) she's part of things for some time coming.
The former Big Cass is signing a full-time deal with Championship Wrestling League in Michigan at the end of September. So, he'll be working regularly post-WWE.
Becky Lynch talked about her journey to Summerslam. Becky has the "curse" of being a great utility player who can work with just about anyone, so WWE doesn't feel the need to push her.
Official Summerslam content has been added to Twitter and Instagram. WWE's all over those platforms.
A Spanish-language lucha libre documentary series called Nuestra Lucha Libre was added to Netflix.
ROH has announced the following matches for August 25's TV taping in Pennsylvania:
- Marty Scurll vs. Shane Helms
- Kenny King vs. Adam Page
- Vinny Marseglia and TK O'Ryan vs. Coast 2 Coast
- Best Friends vs. The Boys
- Sumie Sakai vs. Tasha Steelz
EVIL has been added to ROH's September 29 TV taping. I expect a good-sized NJPW presence there.
G1 Supercard has the largest non-WWE ticket revenue of any United States event ever. It was also the most early sellout for Madison Square Garden ever. This and All In are going to be milestones in wrestling history.
NJPW is beginning talks to have international TV deals, including in French. That can be key to continuing their global expansion and revenue.
ROH's parent company is looking to purchase regional Fox Sports Networks, the pre-Spike home for Impact. A lot of other parties are in the running as well, but that could really expand ROH's profile.
Impact's most recent TV tapings were poorly attended, which isn't a huge surprise given they were the fourth and fifth Impact events in the same venue in a month. We'll see what changes they make going forward given that.
Rey Mysterio has officially joined WWE, as he has pulled from an independent show in order to rest up for debuting there. His last scheduled non-WWE appearance is the night after All In, so he won't be returning to NJPW or The Crash. Obviously this is a big move for WWE that will cut NJPW's U.S. momentum.
Matt Hardy is officially off all future dates, and it's expected the Deleters of Worlds are done as a team. He's going to be training to be a producer in case he's not cleared to get back in the ring. A decision on his wrestling future will come after he treats his various injuries.
- Jason Jordan is also looking into becoming a producer as he continues to experience issues with his neck. I hope he's not having to retire this early.
Tye Dillinger was recently injured and pulled from the ring. There's no word on when he'll return to the ring. Obviously he's rarely in action on TV, but he was regularly working live events.
WWE co-president George Barrios recently sold nearly a million dollars in stock. He still owns roughly $48 million in WWE stock, so this shouldn't be taken as any major change for him.
Gerald Brisco was awarded the "Outstanding American" award from The Cauliflower Alley Club. That's really cool.
WWE is working toward having their "four horsewomen" of Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Becky Lynch face the MMA four horsewomen of Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir at Survivor Series. So, yes, I was completely wrong when I suggested we probably wouldn't see that match for a while. It's a big risk to take.
WWE is being reimbursed for all legal fees in getting attorney Konstantine Kyros sanctioned. That could total more than $175,000. That's great, and I hope Kyros is out of the picture now.
Garza Jr., who has been discussed as a potential WWE signing, is injured and isn't expected to wrestle for the rest of the year. As such, he's likely not signing with WWE at this time.
Elias' August 18 concert has been canceled, likely due to low ticket sales.
At NXT's August 16 live event in Massachusetts:
- Oney Lorcan returned to the ring to team with Danny Burch in a loss to War Raiders
- Deonna Purrazzo debuted in a loss to Bianca Belair
- NXT UK's Zack Gibson lost to Lars Sullivan ahead of challenging Pete Dunne in a match being taped before Takeover
AJ Styles is now the longest-reigning WWE Champion in Smackdown Live history. That's pretty significant.
Summerslam Kickoff will be available in 3D virtual reality. That's insane.
WWE is seeking a production assistant for the WWE Performance Center. You'd think Full Sail would be perfect for getting someone for that.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I've heard of him giving advice to talents from a production standpoint when he's booked for TV, but he doesn't have any official contracted behind-the-scenes duties. That doesn't look to be changing anytime soon. I'd think if the two sides wanted it to happen, it would have happened by now.
Nothing to add to 2.
3. If people are going to blame Dixie for the people she had on her creative team doing things they didn't like, they should also give her credit when people on her creative team did things they did like. If people are going to blame Dixie for allowing the hiring of wrestlers who shouldn't have been on TV, they should praise her for allowing the hiring of wrestlers who brought ratings and change. And if people are going to give Cornette credit for being the guy who got in touch with the guys who saved ROH, they also need to blame him for outdated booking and unprofessional managing that held that and other companies back. At any rate, yes, Impact took the women's wrestling ball and ran with it when WWE was focused on telling former models to make sure they don't outshine the men.
4. An interesting idea, but more people will be in town Saturday night than Friday night.
5. Without rehashing how THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE, if 80,000 people are going to attend WrestleMania 35 and only 15,000 are going to attend G1 Supercard, there are plenty of fans to sell out Takeover and whatever else will be going on that Saturday.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Tyson Kidd has launched a fitness brand. I'm glad he's found something to strive for post-retirement.
In Summerslam promotional appearances:
- Kevin Owens and Big E did a signing with the Amazon Treasure Truck
- The Bar signed "Making The Mania" at a Barnes & Noble.
Big Show discussed returning to the ring soon. He has been out long enough to be somewhat fresh again. It's all in how they intend to use him. One would think a part time schedule would be ideal.
Sin Cara's surgery was due to getting scar tissue removed. He has begun physical therapy.
Chris Jericho tweeted about his future. He could absolutely be a difference maker for NJPW's future U.S. shows. If anyone can convince WWE to bring him back despite working for a competitor on their "home turf," it's Jericho.
WWE Network has added more hidden gems:
- Samoa Joe vs. Tommy Dreamer from UPW in 2001. It's interesting to see UPW content on WWE Network.
- Roman Reigns (as Leakee) vs. Corey Graves from FCW in 2011
- Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker from WWE in Finland in 2003
Ric Flair discussed Jim Neidhart on Jim Ross' latest podcast.
Natalya wrote a column about her father. I think her own legacy rivals his now.
One Night Only: Night of The Dummies on August 25 in New York will feature:
- Eddie Edwards vs. Eli Drake
- Moose vs. KM
- LAX vs. Z&E
- Alisha Edwards vs. Rebel
- Homicide, Fallah Bahh, and Dick Justice in action along with local talents
Ronda Rousey spoke to ESPN. The original thought was she signed a deal through WrestleMania 35 with the option to extend it yearly. I hope (and WWE hopes) she's part of things for some time coming.
The former Big Cass is signing a full-time deal with Championship Wrestling League in Michigan at the end of September. So, he'll be working regularly post-WWE.
Becky Lynch talked about her journey to Summerslam. Becky has the "curse" of being a great utility player who can work with just about anyone, so WWE doesn't feel the need to push her.
Official Summerslam content has been added to Twitter and Instagram. WWE's all over those platforms.
A Spanish-language lucha libre documentary series called Nuestra Lucha Libre was added to Netflix.
ROH has announced the following matches for August 25's TV taping in Pennsylvania:
- Marty Scurll vs. Shane Helms
- Kenny King vs. Adam Page
- Vinny Marseglia and TK O'Ryan vs. Coast 2 Coast
- Best Friends vs. The Boys
- Sumie Sakai vs. Tasha Steelz
EVIL has been added to ROH's September 29 TV taping. I expect a good-sized NJPW presence there.
G1 Supercard has the largest non-WWE ticket revenue of any United States event ever. It was also the most early sellout for Madison Square Garden ever. This and All In are going to be milestones in wrestling history.
NJPW is beginning talks to have international TV deals, including in French. That can be key to continuing their global expansion and revenue.
ROH's parent company is looking to purchase regional Fox Sports Networks, the pre-Spike home for Impact. A lot of other parties are in the running as well, but that could really expand ROH's profile.
Impact's most recent TV tapings were poorly attended, which isn't a huge surprise given they were the fourth and fifth Impact events in the same venue in a month. We'll see what changes they make going forward given that.
Rey Mysterio has officially joined WWE, as he has pulled from an independent show in order to rest up for debuting there. His last scheduled non-WWE appearance is the night after All In, so he won't be returning to NJPW or The Crash. Obviously this is a big move for WWE that will cut NJPW's U.S. momentum.
Matt Hardy is officially off all future dates, and it's expected the Deleters of Worlds are done as a team. He's going to be training to be a producer in case he's not cleared to get back in the ring. A decision on his wrestling future will come after he treats his various injuries.
- Jason Jordan is also looking into becoming a producer as he continues to experience issues with his neck. I hope he's not having to retire this early.
Tye Dillinger was recently injured and pulled from the ring. There's no word on when he'll return to the ring. Obviously he's rarely in action on TV, but he was regularly working live events.
WWE co-president George Barrios recently sold nearly a million dollars in stock. He still owns roughly $48 million in WWE stock, so this shouldn't be taken as any major change for him.
Gerald Brisco was awarded the "Outstanding American" award from The Cauliflower Alley Club. That's really cool.
WWE is working toward having their "four horsewomen" of Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Becky Lynch face the MMA four horsewomen of Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir at Survivor Series. So, yes, I was completely wrong when I suggested we probably wouldn't see that match for a while. It's a big risk to take.
WWE is being reimbursed for all legal fees in getting attorney Konstantine Kyros sanctioned. That could total more than $175,000. That's great, and I hope Kyros is out of the picture now.
Garza Jr., who has been discussed as a potential WWE signing, is injured and isn't expected to wrestle for the rest of the year. As such, he's likely not signing with WWE at this time.
Elias' August 18 concert has been canceled, likely due to low ticket sales.
At NXT's August 16 live event in Massachusetts:
- Oney Lorcan returned to the ring to team with Danny Burch in a loss to War Raiders
- Deonna Purrazzo debuted in a loss to Bianca Belair
- NXT UK's Zack Gibson lost to Lars Sullivan ahead of challenging Pete Dunne in a match being taped before Takeover
AJ Styles is now the longest-reigning WWE Champion in Smackdown Live history. That's pretty significant.
Summerslam Kickoff will be available in 3D virtual reality. That's insane.
WWE is seeking a production assistant for the WWE Performance Center. You'd think Full Sail would be perfect for getting someone for that.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I've heard of him giving advice to talents from a production standpoint when he's booked for TV, but he doesn't have any official contracted behind-the-scenes duties. That doesn't look to be changing anytime soon. I'd think if the two sides wanted it to happen, it would have happened by now.
Nothing to add to 2.
3. If people are going to blame Dixie for the people she had on her creative team doing things they didn't like, they should also give her credit when people on her creative team did things they did like. If people are going to blame Dixie for allowing the hiring of wrestlers who shouldn't have been on TV, they should praise her for allowing the hiring of wrestlers who brought ratings and change. And if people are going to give Cornette credit for being the guy who got in touch with the guys who saved ROH, they also need to blame him for outdated booking and unprofessional managing that held that and other companies back. At any rate, yes, Impact took the women's wrestling ball and ran with it when WWE was focused on telling former models to make sure they don't outshine the men.
4. An interesting idea, but more people will be in town Saturday night than Friday night.
5. Without rehashing how THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE, if 80,000 people are going to attend WrestleMania 35 and only 15,000 are going to attend G1 Supercard, there are plenty of fans to sell out Takeover and whatever else will be going on that Saturday.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
SDL star has surgery, remembering Neidhart, assorted WWE press, AJ Styles dark match a Hidden Gem, Ronda vs. a bat, even more All In merch, Impact pulls GFW merch, Jericho in Kevin Smith movie, international MYC greetings, HHH conference call, AXS show taping at Comic Con, SDL audience, Interview with Renee, Tenille off ROH tour, and Questions on emotional moments in the business, part timers headlining Mania, WWE Horsewomen vs. MMA Horsewomen, WWE's worth, and PROGRESS and EVOLVE on WWE Network
Sin Cara underwent knee surgery earlier this week. It's unknown how long he will be out of the ring as a result. At 40 and 14 years (at least) in the ring, he's probably taken quite a lot of damage. I hope he's able to continue to working when he recovers.
Jim Neidhart's passing was the front page story of the Calgary Sun. That's how big the Harts are there.
- WWE Network has added a Jim Neidhart collection to honor him.
The Miz and Maryse were on "The Today Show" to promote their show and Summerslam. The show is doing much better than "Total Bellas" and "Total Divas." Being on USA rather than E! has boosted it.
For Summerslam week outreach:
- Alexa Bliss, Titus O'Neil, Apollo Crews, and Dana Warrior visited The Brooklyn Hospital Center
- AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, and Charlotte Flair were at batting practice for the New York Yankees
- Big Show, Mark Henry, Nia Jax, Ember Moon, and Dana Warrior went to a Boys & Girls Club in New Jersey. So Nia's at least cleared to do appearances.
-- As always, it's great to see WWE work with local charitable endeavors.
AJ Styles' 2001 WWF dark match against Rick Michaels has been added to WWE Network's Hidden Gems section. That was his first official match for the company. Things would have been very different for AJ and for wrestling had he been signed there then.
WWE showed video of the bat coming to ringside during Alexa Bliss vs. Ember Moon at Raw. I love Ronda trying to remain focused.
Pro Wrestling Tees is producing more All In event merchandise available at the weekend's activities. Running the show near the PWT store was a great tie-in move.
Impact is no longer selling their GFW DVDs after Jeff Jarrett filed a lawsuit over the content. Hopefully this will be settled out of court without either side spending a lot of time and resources battling things out.
Chris Jericho has filmed a role for a Kevin Smith movie. Good to see Y2J able to pretty much make his own schedule, and Kevin Smith looks much better than the last time I saw him.
The Mae Young Classic's international competitors promoted the series in their native languages. It's absolutely an asset to be multilingual in today's WWE.
Triple H did a conference call before Takeover:Brooklyn, covered here:
- Not replacing Black at the last minute was the right call. It wouldn't have been the same.
- I don't expect a wave of callups after Summerslam, but certainly we could see someone like Nikki Cross brought to Raw or Smackdown Live soon.
- Again, we are in the NXT Era or Network Era. The number of Triple H-recruited or developed stars on Raw and Smackdown Live has changed WWE substantially.
- Honestly, Breeze would be much fresher on 205 Live. Breeze vs. Lio would be great.
- Interesting long-term plan for "territories." And absolutely we'll see NXT and NXT UK work together for the time being, given the lack of a broadcast deal for that brand.
- Oh come on. The head of talent relations doesn't know what's going on with Neville?????? I'd love to see him in NXT UK.
- Triple H needs to step up and say why Raw and Smackdown Live can't be like NXT. He's setting himself up to be turned on by the beachballers when he can't recreate the magic given the big differences between taping four one-hour shows with an unlimited budget and no limitations compared with doing hours of live weekly content for USA Network.
- I'm a little surprised they're not taping replacement matches to cover for Tegan's injury.
- Interesting pitch about pairing UE with Baszler, Duke, and Shafir.
- Another unbelievable claim from HHH regarding airing the MYC. He had previously praised releasing last season the way it was. He could have easily just said it was to build to Evolution.
AXS TV's Women of Wrestling series will tape episodes at Los Angeles Comic Con on October 10 and October 11. That's an interesting combination, but a smart move to expose the brand to new potential fans.
Smackdown Live drew 2.19 million viewers Tuesday night. It will be interesting to see how Summerslam affects that number next week.
Renee Young discussed doing Raw commentary. I expect we'll see her at the desk more going ahead.
Xavier Woods did a special WWE and gaming Twitch session. It's kind of funny he's able to make money doing something some would think would be a locker room distraction.
Tenille Dashwood is missing ROH's Honor Re-United tour for an unspecified medical reason. She's been a highlight of the WOH division, so I hope we see her back in action soon.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Certainly retirements and deaths are there. Every so often a well-deserved title win will do it. As for pure shock factor, Brock beating Undertaker at WM30 is hard to top. I legitimately thought there was a screwup or injury at first.
2. I doubt it. If anything he's trying to figure out which part-timers are headlining WrestleMania 35. I think he would argue if you only see those names at certain marquee events, it makes sense to make the most of them. I think there's also an element of him trusting those names on top above the talent that has come through the pipeline since Triple H took over that part of the company.
3. Maybe Evolution 2019 or 2020! Duke and Shafir aren't even on NXT TV yet. I hope WWE doesn't rush into things when there's money to be made with Shayna, Duke, and Shafir making their way through NXT and building them on Raw or Smackdown Live for a while before putting that match together.
4. They're worth more than a billion dollars easily. It's all a matter of what someone would pay for them, though.
5. Just as soon as WWE buys them and absorbs them into NXT and NXT UK! It's definitely possible we see it happen before that hypothetical move, too. The tiered Network idea hasn't been totally abandoned.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Jim Neidhart's passing was the front page story of the Calgary Sun. That's how big the Harts are there.
- WWE Network has added a Jim Neidhart collection to honor him.
The Miz and Maryse were on "The Today Show" to promote their show and Summerslam. The show is doing much better than "Total Bellas" and "Total Divas." Being on USA rather than E! has boosted it.
For Summerslam week outreach:
- Alexa Bliss, Titus O'Neil, Apollo Crews, and Dana Warrior visited The Brooklyn Hospital Center
- AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, and Charlotte Flair were at batting practice for the New York Yankees
- Big Show, Mark Henry, Nia Jax, Ember Moon, and Dana Warrior went to a Boys & Girls Club in New Jersey. So Nia's at least cleared to do appearances.
-- As always, it's great to see WWE work with local charitable endeavors.
AJ Styles' 2001 WWF dark match against Rick Michaels has been added to WWE Network's Hidden Gems section. That was his first official match for the company. Things would have been very different for AJ and for wrestling had he been signed there then.
WWE showed video of the bat coming to ringside during Alexa Bliss vs. Ember Moon at Raw. I love Ronda trying to remain focused.
Pro Wrestling Tees is producing more All In event merchandise available at the weekend's activities. Running the show near the PWT store was a great tie-in move.
Impact is no longer selling their GFW DVDs after Jeff Jarrett filed a lawsuit over the content. Hopefully this will be settled out of court without either side spending a lot of time and resources battling things out.
Chris Jericho has filmed a role for a Kevin Smith movie. Good to see Y2J able to pretty much make his own schedule, and Kevin Smith looks much better than the last time I saw him.
The Mae Young Classic's international competitors promoted the series in their native languages. It's absolutely an asset to be multilingual in today's WWE.
Triple H did a conference call before Takeover:Brooklyn, covered here:
- Not replacing Black at the last minute was the right call. It wouldn't have been the same.
- I don't expect a wave of callups after Summerslam, but certainly we could see someone like Nikki Cross brought to Raw or Smackdown Live soon.
- Again, we are in the NXT Era or Network Era. The number of Triple H-recruited or developed stars on Raw and Smackdown Live has changed WWE substantially.
- Honestly, Breeze would be much fresher on 205 Live. Breeze vs. Lio would be great.
- Interesting long-term plan for "territories." And absolutely we'll see NXT and NXT UK work together for the time being, given the lack of a broadcast deal for that brand.
- Oh come on. The head of talent relations doesn't know what's going on with Neville?????? I'd love to see him in NXT UK.
- Triple H needs to step up and say why Raw and Smackdown Live can't be like NXT. He's setting himself up to be turned on by the beachballers when he can't recreate the magic given the big differences between taping four one-hour shows with an unlimited budget and no limitations compared with doing hours of live weekly content for USA Network.
- I'm a little surprised they're not taping replacement matches to cover for Tegan's injury.
- Interesting pitch about pairing UE with Baszler, Duke, and Shafir.
- Another unbelievable claim from HHH regarding airing the MYC. He had previously praised releasing last season the way it was. He could have easily just said it was to build to Evolution.
AXS TV's Women of Wrestling series will tape episodes at Los Angeles Comic Con on October 10 and October 11. That's an interesting combination, but a smart move to expose the brand to new potential fans.
Smackdown Live drew 2.19 million viewers Tuesday night. It will be interesting to see how Summerslam affects that number next week.
Renee Young discussed doing Raw commentary. I expect we'll see her at the desk more going ahead.
Xavier Woods did a special WWE and gaming Twitch session. It's kind of funny he's able to make money doing something some would think would be a locker room distraction.
Tenille Dashwood is missing ROH's Honor Re-United tour for an unspecified medical reason. She's been a highlight of the WOH division, so I hope we see her back in action soon.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Certainly retirements and deaths are there. Every so often a well-deserved title win will do it. As for pure shock factor, Brock beating Undertaker at WM30 is hard to top. I legitimately thought there was a screwup or injury at first.
2. I doubt it. If anything he's trying to figure out which part-timers are headlining WrestleMania 35. I think he would argue if you only see those names at certain marquee events, it makes sense to make the most of them. I think there's also an element of him trusting those names on top above the talent that has come through the pipeline since Triple H took over that part of the company.
3. Maybe Evolution 2019 or 2020! Duke and Shafir aren't even on NXT TV yet. I hope WWE doesn't rush into things when there's money to be made with Shayna, Duke, and Shafir making their way through NXT and building them on Raw or Smackdown Live for a while before putting that match together.
4. They're worth more than a billion dollars easily. It's all a matter of what someone would pay for them, though.
5. Just as soon as WWE buys them and absorbs them into NXT and NXT UK! It's definitely possible we see it happen before that hypothetical move, too. The tiered Network idea hasn't been totally abandoned.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Custom WWE shirts available, identity of Raw cameo, Hardy family at Raw, Interview with Reigns, WWE 2K19 to showcase Bryan, ROH TV matches set, NJPW name at September ROH taping, SDL star hurt, Jarrett sues Impact, new Summerslam segment, Raw audience, SDL 1000 sees triple main event, WWE hires top Impact producer, Miz & Mrs expands in 2019, Nia return update, Matt Hardy injury update, Cena's next match, WWEPC guest coach, and Questions on ROH/NJPW competing with WWE, referees training in NXT, Owens cashing in at Summerslam, WWE's biggest star, and WWE's most consistently cheered star
WWE has launched a custom apparel site. That's a clever idea.
Raw's Ricky Roberts was John Skyler, who's appeared in a number of different capacities for WWE, Impact, and ROH in the past few years.
Rebecca Hardy and King Maxel were ringside at Raw, which was a little more than an hour from the Hardy Compound. We'll see if Matt wrestles at the venue again given his medical issues.
Roman Reigns talked before Summerslam:
- I don't see any reason to change his gear anytime soon. If he ever undergoes a big gimmick change, sure, but not before then.
- I really don't know how much having the title on the show really changes things. I can see the argument of it being a bigger deal for live events, though.
WWE 2K19 will have a mode showcasing Daniel Bryan. It's going to be awkward if he doesn't sign a new contract in a few weeks... the two sides are believed to be pretty close to working out terms. It seems to be an issue of how many dates he'll work.
Announced for ROH's August 25 TV taping:
- Cody and the Young Bucks vs. Silas Young and The Bouncers (Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas) for the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship
- Punishment Martinez vs. Aaron Solow for the ROH Television Championship
KUSHIDA has been signed for ROH's September 29 TV taping following Death Before Dishonor. He's always a great addition to things.
Sin Cara has an unknown injury and is likely facing surgery. It's a shame he has trouble getting momentum going.
Jeff Jarrett has sued Impact Wrestling over their use of GFW-related content, alleging he wasn't paid any royalties for the company airing GFW footage and seeking to have that footage returned to his ownership. He's also seeking for the company to drop the Global Wrestling Network name and logo due to its links to GFW. Jarrett is looking to own Global Force as an independent brand again (as GFE, Global Force Entertainment), so this is him getting all his assets back.
An Elias performance has been added to Summerslam. If I was in the WWE undercard, I'd be learning to play an instrument or something right now so I could get booked like he does. Between singing for a few minutes and taking a few big moves on TV and grinding on live events and dark matches, I know which I'd prefer.
Raw drew 2.83 million viewers Monday night, pretty close to last week's number. Theoretically they'll get a decent boost post-Summerslam.
Smackdown 1000 is advertising:
- The Undertaker appearing
- AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe for the WWE Championship
- Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
- Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy
-- That show should definitely be treated as a PPV-level event for the brand. That card can definitely do it if those feuds aren't worn into the ground by then.
WWE has hired Impact's recent head coordinating producer and video editor, who spent four years in that role before joining NXT backstage. Also known as Paredyse, he was involved in all aspects of the look of the product. I don't think it's a stretch to speculate he's being trained to potentially do those duties on Raw and Smackdown Live someday.
Miz & Mrs has been picked up for 14 more episodes to air in 2019. I wouldn't necessarily give Miz the Cena treatment, but I think they can make much better use of his appeal outside of WWE.
Nia Jax is advertised for Raw's international dates beginning August 29, so she's seemingly expected back shortly.
- Notably, Matt Hardy is not advertised for these shows while Bray Wyatt is. After competing at a title match in his home state and not being set for Summerslam, he could start an exodus presently.
John Cena is returning to the ring at Raw's September 1 Chinese live event alongside Bobby Lashley and Finn Balor against Baron Corbin, Elias, and Jinder Mahal. Interesting that he's only in a six-man tag.
Lance Storm is at the WWE Performance Center as a guest trainer this week. Storm of course has his own training school in Canada.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. In some ways ROH is already a competitor, certainly at least for NXT, in terms of talent working there and live event attendance. NJPW is something of a "part-time" competitor in the U.S. at the moment, but a notable one. It's way too soon to call either of them a WCW-level competitor, though. Let's wait to see what average U.S. attendance looks like for all parties involved in the U.S. in 2019 before even having that conversation.
2. It's a training ground for pretty much every role Raw, Smackdown Live, etc. need, in front of and behind the camera.
3. Certainly an Owens cash-in is possible, and could be a viable direction if they play their cards right. I'd be shocked if he'd be champion by the end of Royal Rumble, though.
4. I can't argue with their pick as far as appeal inside and outside of wrestling. And thankfully Rock hasn't had the kind of scandals Hogan has had.
5. Jeff was heel in Impact, but I think this question is just about his WWE work. The only other name I can think to put in that category who has worked there for the same kind of tenure is Rey Mysterio. Both men have a lot of appeal to a big cross section of the audience.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Raw's Ricky Roberts was John Skyler, who's appeared in a number of different capacities for WWE, Impact, and ROH in the past few years.
Rebecca Hardy and King Maxel were ringside at Raw, which was a little more than an hour from the Hardy Compound. We'll see if Matt wrestles at the venue again given his medical issues.
Roman Reigns talked before Summerslam:
- I don't see any reason to change his gear anytime soon. If he ever undergoes a big gimmick change, sure, but not before then.
- I really don't know how much having the title on the show really changes things. I can see the argument of it being a bigger deal for live events, though.
WWE 2K19 will have a mode showcasing Daniel Bryan. It's going to be awkward if he doesn't sign a new contract in a few weeks... the two sides are believed to be pretty close to working out terms. It seems to be an issue of how many dates he'll work.
Announced for ROH's August 25 TV taping:
- Cody and the Young Bucks vs. Silas Young and The Bouncers (Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas) for the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championship
- Punishment Martinez vs. Aaron Solow for the ROH Television Championship
KUSHIDA has been signed for ROH's September 29 TV taping following Death Before Dishonor. He's always a great addition to things.
Sin Cara has an unknown injury and is likely facing surgery. It's a shame he has trouble getting momentum going.
Jeff Jarrett has sued Impact Wrestling over their use of GFW-related content, alleging he wasn't paid any royalties for the company airing GFW footage and seeking to have that footage returned to his ownership. He's also seeking for the company to drop the Global Wrestling Network name and logo due to its links to GFW. Jarrett is looking to own Global Force as an independent brand again (as GFE, Global Force Entertainment), so this is him getting all his assets back.
An Elias performance has been added to Summerslam. If I was in the WWE undercard, I'd be learning to play an instrument or something right now so I could get booked like he does. Between singing for a few minutes and taking a few big moves on TV and grinding on live events and dark matches, I know which I'd prefer.
Raw drew 2.83 million viewers Monday night, pretty close to last week's number. Theoretically they'll get a decent boost post-Summerslam.
Smackdown 1000 is advertising:
- The Undertaker appearing
- AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe for the WWE Championship
- Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
- Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy
-- That show should definitely be treated as a PPV-level event for the brand. That card can definitely do it if those feuds aren't worn into the ground by then.
WWE has hired Impact's recent head coordinating producer and video editor, who spent four years in that role before joining NXT backstage. Also known as Paredyse, he was involved in all aspects of the look of the product. I don't think it's a stretch to speculate he's being trained to potentially do those duties on Raw and Smackdown Live someday.
Miz & Mrs has been picked up for 14 more episodes to air in 2019. I wouldn't necessarily give Miz the Cena treatment, but I think they can make much better use of his appeal outside of WWE.
Nia Jax is advertised for Raw's international dates beginning August 29, so she's seemingly expected back shortly.
- Notably, Matt Hardy is not advertised for these shows while Bray Wyatt is. After competing at a title match in his home state and not being set for Summerslam, he could start an exodus presently.
John Cena is returning to the ring at Raw's September 1 Chinese live event alongside Bobby Lashley and Finn Balor against Baron Corbin, Elias, and Jinder Mahal. Interesting that he's only in a six-man tag.
Lance Storm is at the WWE Performance Center as a guest trainer this week. Storm of course has his own training school in Canada.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. In some ways ROH is already a competitor, certainly at least for NXT, in terms of talent working there and live event attendance. NJPW is something of a "part-time" competitor in the U.S. at the moment, but a notable one. It's way too soon to call either of them a WCW-level competitor, though. Let's wait to see what average U.S. attendance looks like for all parties involved in the U.S. in 2019 before even having that conversation.
2. It's a training ground for pretty much every role Raw, Smackdown Live, etc. need, in front of and behind the camera.
3. Certainly an Owens cash-in is possible, and could be a viable direction if they play their cards right. I'd be shocked if he'd be champion by the end of Royal Rumble, though.
4. I can't argue with their pick as far as appeal inside and outside of wrestling. And thankfully Rock hasn't had the kind of scandals Hogan has had.
5. Jeff was heel in Impact, but I think this question is just about his WWE work. The only other name I can think to put in that category who has worked there for the same kind of tenure is Rey Mysterio. Both men have a lot of appeal to a big cross section of the audience.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Smackdown Live and 205 Live Reax - 8/14/18
Read on for my thoughts on last night's SDL and 205 Live.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
A-Listers appearance, Interviews with Lashley/Enzo, SDL 1000 announced, wrestlers in movies covered, WWE YouTube series added to Network, top execs miss Raw, Joe pulled from appearance, Summerslam opening released, Ambrose back in the ring, and Questions on Trish working with Lita at Evolution, why Alexa and Carmella are champions, how HHH and Stephanie will change Creative, Brock losing the title to Y2J, and Sunny on WWE Network
The Miz and Maryse were at the Teen Choice Awards this weekend. Miz has crossover appeal no one from NXT has achieved yet. WWE would be wise to make the most of that.
Bobby Lashley is on Lilian Garcia's latest podcast. Here are highlights. I hope WWE can make the most of him. Right now they're so invested in Roman they're not going to shift focus toward him.
The former Enzo Amore shot down a return to wrestling. As much as I enjoyed his WWE work, I think it's clear he wants to be a performer more than he wants to be a wrestler.
Smackdown Live's 1000th episode is set for October 16. WWE is already putting together promotion for it.
Wrestlers appearing in movies was covered on Fun.com.
WWE has added its "Formerly Known As" series to WWE Network's shorts section. That's a pretty cool show.
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon missed Raw due to appearing at an O.A.R. concert. O.A.R. is working with Connor's Cure, so this was a business trip.
Samoa Joe has been pulled from a meet-and-greet Summerslam weekend. That would have been big.
Summerslam's opening, featuring Terry Crews, was released. That's really cool.
Dean Ambrose returned to the ring after Raw, teaming with Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, and Finn Balor to defeat Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, and Baron Corbin. Ambrose looked to be in great shape. I'm glad to see it.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I'd definitely like to see them interact in some way on the show, but I don't think they should face off one-on-one. The show should honor the pioneers of the modern women wrestling era, but it should ultimately push things forward. I'd rather see them work with newer names.
2. Nope. Alexa's a great heel who makes sense to lead the division against all challengers. I think Nia could very well still be champion if it wasn't for getting hurt and Ronda vs. Alexa being a bigger deal. As for Carmella, they're trying to make a new credible heel (or at least one who fans want to see finally get what's coming to her from someone like Charlotte or Becky). Sasha, Bayley, Asuka, et al. are good enough to not "need" the title to be over/credible. WWE knows what they have with them and isn't taking them for granted.
3. I expect Triple H and Stephanie will set the direction and the writers will work within that vision. That said, I can see there being more "wrestling people" in the creative mix, since the business is such a different breed.
4. Brock doesn't care whom he loses the title to as long as he gets paid well for it. Jericho's pretty booked up with Fozzy, and I doubt WWE's going to reach out to bring him in while he's holding a title for NJPW. It would be much better to move the title to a younger, full-time superstar whose career would be elevated by the win.
5. A fair point, but I think they want to go ahead and digitize/upload all the videos in that series. They're definitely not looking to associate themselves with Sunny in her current predicament.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Bobby Lashley is on Lilian Garcia's latest podcast. Here are highlights. I hope WWE can make the most of him. Right now they're so invested in Roman they're not going to shift focus toward him.
The former Enzo Amore shot down a return to wrestling. As much as I enjoyed his WWE work, I think it's clear he wants to be a performer more than he wants to be a wrestler.
Smackdown Live's 1000th episode is set for October 16. WWE is already putting together promotion for it.
Wrestlers appearing in movies was covered on Fun.com.
WWE has added its "Formerly Known As" series to WWE Network's shorts section. That's a pretty cool show.
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon missed Raw due to appearing at an O.A.R. concert. O.A.R. is working with Connor's Cure, so this was a business trip.
Samoa Joe has been pulled from a meet-and-greet Summerslam weekend. That would have been big.
Summerslam's opening, featuring Terry Crews, was released. That's really cool.
Dean Ambrose returned to the ring after Raw, teaming with Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, and Finn Balor to defeat Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, and Baron Corbin. Ambrose looked to be in great shape. I'm glad to see it.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I'd definitely like to see them interact in some way on the show, but I don't think they should face off one-on-one. The show should honor the pioneers of the modern women wrestling era, but it should ultimately push things forward. I'd rather see them work with newer names.
2. Nope. Alexa's a great heel who makes sense to lead the division against all challengers. I think Nia could very well still be champion if it wasn't for getting hurt and Ronda vs. Alexa being a bigger deal. As for Carmella, they're trying to make a new credible heel (or at least one who fans want to see finally get what's coming to her from someone like Charlotte or Becky). Sasha, Bayley, Asuka, et al. are good enough to not "need" the title to be over/credible. WWE knows what they have with them and isn't taking them for granted.
3. I expect Triple H and Stephanie will set the direction and the writers will work within that vision. That said, I can see there being more "wrestling people" in the creative mix, since the business is such a different breed.
4. Brock doesn't care whom he loses the title to as long as he gets paid well for it. Jericho's pretty booked up with Fozzy, and I doubt WWE's going to reach out to bring him in while he's holding a title for NJPW. It would be much better to move the title to a younger, full-time superstar whose career would be elevated by the win.
5. A fair point, but I think they want to go ahead and digitize/upload all the videos in that series. They're definitely not looking to associate themselves with Sunny in her current predicament.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart passes away at 63
WWE.com announced Jim Neidhart's passing with a brief synopsis of his career.
Bret Hart first commented on Twitter. Bret is now the last surviving member of the 1997 incarnation of the Hart Foundation.
Neidhart's death is believed to be due to an injury where he fell and hit his head. No foul play is suspected.
- It's suspected he could have had a seizure, as he took medication for that condition.
Davey Boy Smith, Jr. remembered his uncle.
Natalya remembered her father.
The following names remembered Jim Neidhart on social media:
- Bill Apter
- Blue Meanie
- Bruce Prichard
- Brutus Beefcake
- Bully Ray
- Christopher Daniels
- Diamond Dallas Page
- Eric Bischoff
- Funaki
- Gene Okerlund
- Honky Tonk Man
- Hulk Hogan
- Impact Wrestling
- The Iron Sheik
- James Storm
- Jessie Godderz
- Jerry Lawler
- Jim Ross
- Kizarny
- Kurt Angle
- Lilian Garcia
- LuFisto
- Mandy Rose
- Maryse
- Matt Hardy
- Mauro Ranallo
- Michael P.S. Hayes
- Michelle McCool
- Mike Quackenbush
- Nia Jax
- NWA
- Otis Dozovic
- Paige
- Ric Flair
- Rob Van Dam
- Sgt. Slaughter
- Shane Douglas
- Shannon Moore
- Sheamus
- Smash
- Sumie Sakai
- Taya Valkyrie
- Taz
- Tommy Dreamer
- Triple H
- Vickie Guerrero
- Vince McMahon
- William Regal
Bret Hart first commented on Twitter. Bret is now the last surviving member of the 1997 incarnation of the Hart Foundation.
Neidhart's death is believed to be due to an injury where he fell and hit his head. No foul play is suspected.
- It's suspected he could have had a seizure, as he took medication for that condition.
Davey Boy Smith, Jr. remembered his uncle.
Natalya remembered her father.
The following names remembered Jim Neidhart on social media:
- Bill Apter
- Blue Meanie
- Bruce Prichard
- Brutus Beefcake
- Bully Ray
- Christopher Daniels
- Diamond Dallas Page
- Eric Bischoff
- Funaki
- Gene Okerlund
- Honky Tonk Man
- Hulk Hogan
- Impact Wrestling
- The Iron Sheik
- James Storm
- Jessie Godderz
- Jerry Lawler
- Jim Ross
- Kizarny
- Kurt Angle
- Lilian Garcia
- LuFisto
- Mandy Rose
- Maryse
- Matt Hardy
- Mauro Ranallo
- Michael P.S. Hayes
- Michelle McCool
- Mike Quackenbush
- Nia Jax
- NWA
- Otis Dozovic
- Paige
- Ric Flair
- Rob Van Dam
- Sgt. Slaughter
- Shane Douglas
- Shannon Moore
- Sheamus
- Smash
- Sumie Sakai
- Taya Valkyrie
- Taz
- Tommy Dreamer
- Triple H
- Vickie Guerrero
- Vince McMahon
- William Regal
Monday, August 13, 2018
Why Rollins missed live events this weekend, Hall puts over NXT star, WWE women's press, new Punk role, Orton tattoo lawsuit update, new top All In match, and Questions on All In as Souled Out, Punk at All In, and Russo vs. the dirtsheets
Seth Rollins was off Raw's live events this weekend due to doing promotional work in China. So he was considered important enough to be used internationally while others (Roman) were on the usual live event loop.
Scott Hall put over NXT's Lacey Evans. He was recently a trainer at the Performance Center, so that holds some serious weight.
WWE's women's movement got press. As always, this is all part of the plan to babyface the company to investors, sponsors, etc.
C.M. Punk has signed on for a horror movie that will be filming in the months to come in Illinois. He will be the lead in "Team Player." So, that's what he's doing going for the time being. There's no word on him competing again in MMA or wrestling.
Randy Orton's tattoo artist has provided copyright applications for the designs as part of a lawsuit against WWE and 2K Games. So, it appears this saga is going to continue well into 2019.
Kenny Omega vs. Pentagon Jr. is official for All In. That could really tear the house down. And of course it could be a preview for someday seeing that match in WWE.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I don't really see the show as "Bullet Club presents All In" as much as bringing together workers across a number of different places. If every match was about putting the Club over, that'd be one thing, but I don't see it as an ego stroke for those workers.
2. A small one, but I don't expect it to happen. I really don't think he's interested in wrestling again anytime in the foreseeable future.
3. I do think Russo has legitimate issues with wrestling journalists and how he's represented on certain sites.
4. I honestly hope Russo gets something constructive to do outside of the business, because I don't know how sustainable it is for him to continue to try to get work inside it. The wrestling business has by and large moved on, and he'd likely be happier doing something else.
5. Russo and his legacy have been heavily misrepresented. He was responsible for the most successful wrestling television for WWE, WCW, and Impact. It blows my mind he's lionized while Jim Cornette is praised considering their respective track records with successfully drawing money in the wrestling business, and that's not even going into the behind-the-scenes issues. Sadly, because wrestling journalists prefer the style of what Cornette booked while disliking the "soap opera" content Russo promoted, they've created something of an alternate history for readers of their sites.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Scott Hall put over NXT's Lacey Evans. He was recently a trainer at the Performance Center, so that holds some serious weight.
WWE's women's movement got press. As always, this is all part of the plan to babyface the company to investors, sponsors, etc.
C.M. Punk has signed on for a horror movie that will be filming in the months to come in Illinois. He will be the lead in "Team Player." So, that's what he's doing going for the time being. There's no word on him competing again in MMA or wrestling.
Randy Orton's tattoo artist has provided copyright applications for the designs as part of a lawsuit against WWE and 2K Games. So, it appears this saga is going to continue well into 2019.
Kenny Omega vs. Pentagon Jr. is official for All In. That could really tear the house down. And of course it could be a preview for someday seeing that match in WWE.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I don't really see the show as "Bullet Club presents All In" as much as bringing together workers across a number of different places. If every match was about putting the Club over, that'd be one thing, but I don't see it as an ego stroke for those workers.
2. A small one, but I don't expect it to happen. I really don't think he's interested in wrestling again anytime in the foreseeable future.
3. I do think Russo has legitimate issues with wrestling journalists and how he's represented on certain sites.
4. I honestly hope Russo gets something constructive to do outside of the business, because I don't know how sustainable it is for him to continue to try to get work inside it. The wrestling business has by and large moved on, and he'd likely be happier doing something else.
5. Russo and his legacy have been heavily misrepresented. He was responsible for the most successful wrestling television for WWE, WCW, and Impact. It blows my mind he's lionized while Jim Cornette is praised considering their respective track records with successfully drawing money in the wrestling business, and that's not even going into the behind-the-scenes issues. Sadly, because wrestling journalists prefer the style of what Cornette booked while disliking the "soap opera" content Russo promoted, they've created something of an alternate history for readers of their sites.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Lawler questions death report, new Network episodes, Summerslam Kickoff match set, Elias in concert in NYC, upcoming Impact matches, another Jericho cruise match teased, Impact seeking talent bookings, SDL match set up, Foley wants WWE to sign MMA name, Titus looking to fund school, and Questions on one thing to change in WWE, Goldberg's career, and Jordynne Grace
Jerry Lawler and his lawyer are questioning the official story of Grandmaster Sexay's death. As this is no longer a "wrestling story," I'm going to stop coverage here. There will surely be plenty of coverage elsewhere as time goes on.
"Table for 3" after Raw will feature Matt Hardy, Xavier Woods, and Zack Ryder discussing social media. Zack Ryder's pretty much back where he was before his YouTube series...
WWE Marquee Matches this week will feature:
- John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan from Summerslam 2013 (Tuesday)
- John Cena vs. AJ Styles from Summerslam 2016 (Wednesday)
- Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle from Summerslam 2003 (Thursday)
-- It's going to be tough to top those matches this year.
Samoa Joe will be the subject of WWE Chronicle this week, covering the day after WrestleMania through the build to Summerslam. They could definitely do a big title change that night.
Rusev and Lana vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas and Zelina Vega has been set for Summerslam Kickoff. WWE is bold if they put Cedric vs. Gulak on the main show over that match given the viewership of Smackdown Live vs. 205 Live.
Elias is doing concerts in New York City over Summerslam weekend. That's really cool. He's getting work without having to be thrown around by Bobby Lashley!
Impact Wrestling has announced additional matches for upcoming TV tapings:
-- August 12:
- Brian Cage vs. Fenix for the X-Division Championship
-- August 13:
- Brian Cage vs. Kongo Kong
- Lucha Brothers vs. The Cult of Lee
- Rich Swann vs. Petey Williams
- Matt Sydal vs. Josh Alexander
Impact vs. The UK at Wrestling MediaCon on September 9 will feature:
- Sami Callihan vs. Jimmy Havoc
- LAX vs. Jody Fleisch and Johnny Storm for the Impact Tag Team Championship
Brian Cage is challenging Bullet Club to a match on Chris Jericho's cruise. That should be pretty interesting.
Impact has opened a Twitter account for people looking to book their talent. They're really trying to hustle to get their talents regular work.
Aiden English is challenging Andrade "Cien" Almas for Smackdown Live. He's still trying to prove himself to Rusev and Lana.
Mick Foley is pitching WWE to sign Cris Cyborg. It's not a bad idea for down the line. Presumably she'd either need to start in NXT or get as much training as Ronda did, but that could definitely headline WM35.
Titus O'Neil is looking to fund a public school. That's another great move from Titus. Hulk Hogan should open up his checkbook to make this happen if he's sincere about correcting his mistake.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Hmmmm… one thing? Get everyone on the same page with WWE's direction. Every potential talent signing needs to be done because that person can either be a WWE superstar or help others in their path to being a WWE superstar. If someone's not a good fit for WWE and it doesn't look like they can become one, don't sign them. Developmental needs to be a training ground for people who can contribute to Raw and Smackdown Live, rather than an incredibly expensive side project. Every potential series idea needs to be put together because that series will increase Network subscriptions at an acceptable cost. There's an awful lot of bending over backward to appease a niche audience at great expense in terms of finances and the larger portion of the audience who wants to see the product as it was before the "NXT Era."
2. If you're just counting ring time, it was certainly pretty short, but he's the perfect example of the wrestling business not always being about long, athletic matches. It might be time to re-examine the current philosophy in that regard. It is worth noting he worked quite a few live event matches, too.
3. She's already got a pretty good amount of experience at a young age. It's definitely possible she's headed for bigger things, especially once she works All In.
More wrestling tomorrow.
"Table for 3" after Raw will feature Matt Hardy, Xavier Woods, and Zack Ryder discussing social media. Zack Ryder's pretty much back where he was before his YouTube series...
WWE Marquee Matches this week will feature:
- John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan from Summerslam 2013 (Tuesday)
- John Cena vs. AJ Styles from Summerslam 2016 (Wednesday)
- Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle from Summerslam 2003 (Thursday)
-- It's going to be tough to top those matches this year.
Samoa Joe will be the subject of WWE Chronicle this week, covering the day after WrestleMania through the build to Summerslam. They could definitely do a big title change that night.
Rusev and Lana vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas and Zelina Vega has been set for Summerslam Kickoff. WWE is bold if they put Cedric vs. Gulak on the main show over that match given the viewership of Smackdown Live vs. 205 Live.
Elias is doing concerts in New York City over Summerslam weekend. That's really cool. He's getting work without having to be thrown around by Bobby Lashley!
Impact Wrestling has announced additional matches for upcoming TV tapings:
-- August 12:
- Brian Cage vs. Fenix for the X-Division Championship
-- August 13:
- Brian Cage vs. Kongo Kong
- Lucha Brothers vs. The Cult of Lee
- Rich Swann vs. Petey Williams
- Matt Sydal vs. Josh Alexander
Impact vs. The UK at Wrestling MediaCon on September 9 will feature:
- Sami Callihan vs. Jimmy Havoc
- LAX vs. Jody Fleisch and Johnny Storm for the Impact Tag Team Championship
Brian Cage is challenging Bullet Club to a match on Chris Jericho's cruise. That should be pretty interesting.
Impact has opened a Twitter account for people looking to book their talent. They're really trying to hustle to get their talents regular work.
Aiden English is challenging Andrade "Cien" Almas for Smackdown Live. He's still trying to prove himself to Rusev and Lana.
Mick Foley is pitching WWE to sign Cris Cyborg. It's not a bad idea for down the line. Presumably she'd either need to start in NXT or get as much training as Ronda did, but that could definitely headline WM35.
Titus O'Neil is looking to fund a public school. That's another great move from Titus. Hulk Hogan should open up his checkbook to make this happen if he's sincere about correcting his mistake.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Hmmmm… one thing? Get everyone on the same page with WWE's direction. Every potential talent signing needs to be done because that person can either be a WWE superstar or help others in their path to being a WWE superstar. If someone's not a good fit for WWE and it doesn't look like they can become one, don't sign them. Developmental needs to be a training ground for people who can contribute to Raw and Smackdown Live, rather than an incredibly expensive side project. Every potential series idea needs to be put together because that series will increase Network subscriptions at an acceptable cost. There's an awful lot of bending over backward to appease a niche audience at great expense in terms of finances and the larger portion of the audience who wants to see the product as it was before the "NXT Era."
2. If you're just counting ring time, it was certainly pretty short, but he's the perfect example of the wrestling business not always being about long, athletic matches. It might be time to re-examine the current philosophy in that regard. It is worth noting he worked quite a few live event matches, too.
3. She's already got a pretty good amount of experience at a young age. It's definitely possible she's headed for bigger things, especially once she works All In.
More wrestling tomorrow.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Main Event Reax - 8/10/18, Interviews with Ricochet/Santino/Charlotte, MLW signs second generation star to multi-year deal, Lucha Bros update, Cena's Super Show-Down match, EVOLVE injury, Supercard sells out, Nox on MYC injury, new wrestler merchandise stores, Impact audience sinks, MYC intros, MLW channel back on the air, NXT UK names working U.S. loop, and Questions on MSG not hosting other companies, Punk vs. Cabana, JR choosing WWE vs. NJPW, how the Tribune merger failing affects ROH, and WWE putting themselves over for women's efforts
-- Main Event:
- Jose vs. Hawkins:
216 straight losses, but it could all change right here!
Hawkins has the advantage! Can he keep it?
OH MAN I THOUGHT HE HAD IT!!!!
AAAAHHHHHHHHH SO CLOSE!!! Maybe next time.
- Gable/Slater/Rhyno vs. Kanellis/Ascension:
216 matches ago, Kanellis was in ROH. The last time Hawkins won a match, Kanellis was in Impact. That's how much Hawkins has consecutively lost. And honestly it's a lot more fun than him finally winning.
They have to tag out so often so everyone actually gets ring time. Otherwise everyone dressed out for nothing.
Not bad so far.
I wish we got to see these names wrestle more.
Pretty fun for the time it had.
Ricochet is on Edge and Christian's latest podcast. I hope he's able to build some momentum in NXT.
Santino Marella discussed Jim Cornette and more. The fact Cornette was ever hired again after assaulting an employee is a sign of how warped the wrestling business is.
Brian Pillman Jr. has signed a multi-year MLW deal. His career will be interesting to follow.
The Lucha Bros have pulled off MLW's October 4 taping, leading to speculation they're WWE bound. The pair are currently under LU contracts, so I doubt they're joining WWE anytime soon.
John Cena vs. Kevin Owens is official for Super Show-Down. Owens is going to need a serious push in the months to come for that to be competitive. This would seem to indicate he won't be in a Universal Title match on that show despite challenging for the MITB briefcase at Summerslam.
EVOLVE Champion Shane Strickland was recently injured. His profile's growing, so I hope he can rebound soon.
G1 Supercard quickly sold out Madison Square Garden once the remaining tickets were put on sale. It's possible they reconfigure the setup for the show in order to get more people in the building, as there's clearly big demand. This will be another historic event that changes the wrestling landscape.
- A press release was issued on the event's success.
Tegan Nox responded to being injured during the Mae Young Classic, spoiling a later match. I hope Nox is able to have a further opportunity to make a name for herself once she recovers.
Scott Steiner, David Arquette, and Jack Gallagher now have ProWrestlingTees stores. I'm glad 205 Live stars can have merchandise there, since they're not getting a lot of visibility in WWE.
Impact Wrestling drew 168,000 viewers Thursday night, one of the lowest numbers in series history. They generally only do numbers like that when airing on Thanksgiving or against WWE content, so that's really something to draw attention to. Austin Aries vs. Eddie Edwards for the Impact World Championship was announced the week before and should have been a buzzworthy main event.
WWE introduced the Mae Young Classic competitors. Or reintroduced in some cases.
Charlotte Flair discussed WWE's women's evolution and more. They could definitely do a tag team championship at Evolution if they want to, as long as it's one set defended across Raw and Smackdown Live.
MLW's channel beIN Sports has returned to Verizon FIOS. That's good news for the workers there.
NXT UK's Coffey Brothers worked NXT's Florida live event on August 10, teaming with Lars Sullivan in a loss to Johnny Gargano and Heavy Machinery. Presumably they're working at the WWE Performance Center for a bit. I hope NXT UK gets some kind of broadcast deal soon, because they're throwing a lot of money into signing people and running shows.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. MSG was the house WWF built as far as wrestling goes, and the two sides were loyal to each other for quite a while before other nearby venues became better fits for WWE financially and attendance-wise. And really there weren't other companies that could draw a good house there in recent years. And yes, if Sinclair didn't have the money and pull to combat WWE's legal efforts, it's entirely possible Supercard would have moved somewhere else.
2. I also want to wait until Punk responds so we get both sides of things. I suspect we'll get more details going forward to where we'll be able to see a clearer picture of what happened.
3. I also think it would/will come down to which side offers him the better deal.
4. Basically they were poised to gain a lot from the merger, but now they won't gain those markets, other potential shows, etc. However, they didn't lose anything. They're still in a good place and will likely still do strong business going forward.
5. As was said, this is part of a plan of pushing the company for advertisers, licensees, stockholders, media outlets, etc. to see they're not just some backward "rasslin company" as well as pushing Triple H and Stephanie McMahon as emerging executives who are capable of carrying and expanding the company post-Vince.
More wrestling tomorrow.
- Jose vs. Hawkins:
216 straight losses, but it could all change right here!
Hawkins has the advantage! Can he keep it?
OH MAN I THOUGHT HE HAD IT!!!!
AAAAHHHHHHHHH SO CLOSE!!! Maybe next time.
- Gable/Slater/Rhyno vs. Kanellis/Ascension:
216 matches ago, Kanellis was in ROH. The last time Hawkins won a match, Kanellis was in Impact. That's how much Hawkins has consecutively lost. And honestly it's a lot more fun than him finally winning.
They have to tag out so often so everyone actually gets ring time. Otherwise everyone dressed out for nothing.
Not bad so far.
I wish we got to see these names wrestle more.
Pretty fun for the time it had.
Ricochet is on Edge and Christian's latest podcast. I hope he's able to build some momentum in NXT.
Santino Marella discussed Jim Cornette and more. The fact Cornette was ever hired again after assaulting an employee is a sign of how warped the wrestling business is.
Brian Pillman Jr. has signed a multi-year MLW deal. His career will be interesting to follow.
The Lucha Bros have pulled off MLW's October 4 taping, leading to speculation they're WWE bound. The pair are currently under LU contracts, so I doubt they're joining WWE anytime soon.
John Cena vs. Kevin Owens is official for Super Show-Down. Owens is going to need a serious push in the months to come for that to be competitive. This would seem to indicate he won't be in a Universal Title match on that show despite challenging for the MITB briefcase at Summerslam.
EVOLVE Champion Shane Strickland was recently injured. His profile's growing, so I hope he can rebound soon.
G1 Supercard quickly sold out Madison Square Garden once the remaining tickets were put on sale. It's possible they reconfigure the setup for the show in order to get more people in the building, as there's clearly big demand. This will be another historic event that changes the wrestling landscape.
- A press release was issued on the event's success.
Tegan Nox responded to being injured during the Mae Young Classic, spoiling a later match. I hope Nox is able to have a further opportunity to make a name for herself once she recovers.
Scott Steiner, David Arquette, and Jack Gallagher now have ProWrestlingTees stores. I'm glad 205 Live stars can have merchandise there, since they're not getting a lot of visibility in WWE.
Impact Wrestling drew 168,000 viewers Thursday night, one of the lowest numbers in series history. They generally only do numbers like that when airing on Thanksgiving or against WWE content, so that's really something to draw attention to. Austin Aries vs. Eddie Edwards for the Impact World Championship was announced the week before and should have been a buzzworthy main event.
WWE introduced the Mae Young Classic competitors. Or reintroduced in some cases.
Charlotte Flair discussed WWE's women's evolution and more. They could definitely do a tag team championship at Evolution if they want to, as long as it's one set defended across Raw and Smackdown Live.
MLW's channel beIN Sports has returned to Verizon FIOS. That's good news for the workers there.
NXT UK's Coffey Brothers worked NXT's Florida live event on August 10, teaming with Lars Sullivan in a loss to Johnny Gargano and Heavy Machinery. Presumably they're working at the WWE Performance Center for a bit. I hope NXT UK gets some kind of broadcast deal soon, because they're throwing a lot of money into signing people and running shows.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. MSG was the house WWF built as far as wrestling goes, and the two sides were loyal to each other for quite a while before other nearby venues became better fits for WWE financially and attendance-wise. And really there weren't other companies that could draw a good house there in recent years. And yes, if Sinclair didn't have the money and pull to combat WWE's legal efforts, it's entirely possible Supercard would have moved somewhere else.
2. I also want to wait until Punk responds so we get both sides of things. I suspect we'll get more details going forward to where we'll be able to see a clearer picture of what happened.
3. I also think it would/will come down to which side offers him the better deal.
4. Basically they were poised to gain a lot from the merger, but now they won't gain those markets, other potential shows, etc. However, they didn't lose anything. They're still in a good place and will likely still do strong business going forward.
5. As was said, this is part of a plan of pushing the company for advertisers, licensees, stockholders, media outlets, etc. to see they're not just some backward "rasslin company" as well as pushing Triple H and Stephanie McMahon as emerging executives who are capable of carrying and expanding the company post-Vince.
More wrestling tomorrow.
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