XFL updates, more on new WWE president, international wrestling updates, NJPW looking to open own venue, wrestling content updates, indie planning 25th anniversary, WWE TV changes, WWEPC training update, WWE draft update, NXT signing, Vickie update, Interview with Kai, WWE trademark, Excalibur update, Dark lineup, TNT president out, WWE taping update, AEW Heels backlash, Raw/Smackdown/NXT women's battle royal set, and Questions on wrestling Khans, Rock's XFL purchase, Cassidy getting over, rebooting the Dark Order, and AEW adding a trios title

XFL is being planned to return in February.

WWE's new president and chief revenue officer has been signed to a five-year contract, which includes more than 338,500 shares of WWE stock. Nick Khan was the force behind WWE's latest U.S. TV deals for Raw, Smackdown, and NXT, and he already has strong relationships with USA Network, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon. He sounds very qualified to work on WWE's business end.

Mexico City will resume empty arena events very soon in an effort to get wrestlers paid during the pandemic. That's a swift and major change. 

- CMLL secretly taped content during the ban for streaming on Capital 21 and TV deals. 

UK's Equity union has issued a statement of standards they're encouraging promotions to follow. PROGRESS and EVE have announced they will abide by those ideas.

NJPW is looking to build their own 3,000-seat venue down the line. Very interesting idea!

Korakuen Hall is now allowing events at 40 percent capacity. Glad to see that.

Stardom is using Mimi Shimoda, who worked for All Japan Women in the early '90s. 

- Hanan, 15, is returning to the company soon after taking time off to focus on school. Bushiroad is looking to move away from using female wrestlers that young, but is making exceptions for talent who already have history in the company. I'm curious how that move will be received by existing fans and the audience they're trying to attract. 

Mick Foley and Stu Bennett (Wade Barrett) were part of the Adrian Street documentary.

Northeast Wrestling is planning a 25th anniversary show. Rey Mysterio and Sid Vicious are set to appear. 

Impact is drawing around 160,000 viewers weekly on AXS.

Kenny Omega and Michael Nakazawa are doing a virtual seminar for Tokai University.

Rey Mysterio is staying in WWE. He's close to signing a multi-year deal. AEW made a significant offer, but WWE's contract is for more dates than theirs was. That's going to be significant for both Mysterios and for WWE. 

WWE TV this week featured extensive changes due to press coverage of low ratings and the recent WWE conference call featuring questions about them. Shane McMahon's return was a response to these low ratings. I'm starting to think RETRIBUTION and Raw Underground are metaphors for how WWE is run...

WWE developmental talent will resume training this week at a Florida warehouse. Talent will be tested for COVID once a week and only two people will be in the ring at any one time.

WWE's draft has been moved around repeatedly due to ratings. At one point the plan was to hold a draft in August, but it was decided to wait until after Summerslam and Payback.

NXT has signed EVOLVE's Anthony Greene.

Vickie Guerrero has officially signed with AEW. I'm curious if there's a role for her behind-the-scenes.

Dakota Kai spoke to Alicia Atout.

Cricket Wireless and WWE are teaming for "What the Hell's on Your Cell." That pun is too silly to not point out.

WWE has trademarked Raw Underground. The filing was August 3. Make of that what you will as far as how sudden of an idea this was.

Excalibur is returning to Dynamite on August 26.

The Rock's company is clear to purchase XFL after an agreement with unsecured creditors.

Dark has announced:
- Rachael Ellering vs. Penelope Ford
- Private Party vs. Brian Pillman, Jr. and Griff Garrison
- Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian vs. The Butcher and The Blade
- Shawn Spears vs. Alex Chamberlain
- Rey Fenix vs. Lee Johnson
- Kip Sabian vs. Michael Stevens
- Jurassic Express vs. Pineapple Pete, Aaron Solow, and Corey Hollis
- Billy and Austin Gunn vs. Shawn Dean and M'Badu
- The Hybrid 2 vs. The Natural Nightmares

TNT president Kevin Reilly is leaving WarnerMedia, along with other executives, as part of a big change at the media company. Reilly was directly responsible for getting AEW content on TNT and Bleacher Report, as well as their recent multi-year contract. AEW is losing a very, very important ally with this move. 

Smackdown and Raw are set to return to live episodes with the August 21 episode. I don't know if that's a response to dropping ratings. If it is, I don't expect it to make a huge difference, but it could certainly give a bit of the boost.

Pro Wrestling WAVE and Oz Academy canceled events after a WAVE star tested positive for COVID-19.

Brandi Rhodes quit Twitter after backlash regarding AEW Heels. I'm disappointed in the response, but not surprised in the least.

Smackdown has announced a tri-branded women's battle royal to determine Bayley's Summerslam opponent. That puts fresh talent in action on Smackdown and theoretically means a fresh face in the Smackdown women's title picture. 

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

1. No, but that would be a perfect wrestling angle. 

2. They want to establish a spring football league. I believe the long-term goal is to sell once it reaches a certain level of prominence and has broadcast rights in place. 

Nothing to add to 3. 

4. In hindsight, maybe not as much as initially. While everyone else is trying to be faster and flashier, he's deliberately making every move count. As a result, he stands out from most current wrestlers and fans are responding to that. I can't say I expected him this high up on the card by any stretch, but I can see why it's working.

5. Personally I think they're best suited as a not particularly serious threat of fairly interchangeable names (except for Brodie and Colt), but if need be, yes, someone could come in and announce that anyone underperforming is cut. A reboot in their look would also be good given the video game-themed gimmick. 

6. That would make a lot of sense for when AEW Dark launches on TV. A women's tag title is also something they could add down the line. 

More wrestling tomorrow.