WWE scouting more lucha names, more on Network autoplay feature, Interviews with Rollins/Karl Anderson/Hawkins, Kidd update, ROH and TNA title matches set, big match set for MITB, Smackdown audience, and Questions on Virgil's whereabouts, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a CWC title being defended outside WWE, AJ's turn, and the timing of Slammiversary

WWE is reportedly interested in Rush and Volador, Jr. from CMLL on advice from Andrade "Cien" Almas. There's a further report that WWE sent a talent scout to Mexico to check out those and other luchadores. Both of the former La Sombra's suggestions have solid resumes with years of experience. With the relationship between CMLL and NJPW that could come to include ROH, there could be something of a bidding war for top Mexican talents.

A WWE Network update with autoplay is being rolled out on various platforms. That's a good addition to the service.

Seth Rollins did a Q&A at Wizard World in Philadelphia. I'm excited to see him potentially face Balor and AJ Styles.

Karl Anderson discussed coming to WWE and more. I wonder if he would have ever ended up there had the TNA deal happened.

Tyson Kidd has now been out of action for a full year. There hasn't been any update on him getting back in the ring, but he's not officially retired at this juncture. I really hope we haven't seen the last of him, but that's up to the doctors. I definitely don't want him risking being injured worse.

The Addiction vs. the Motor City Machine Guns is official for the ROH Tag Team Championship at Best in the World 2016. You might recognize that match from 2009 and 2012 in TNA. 

TNA and Lashley are negotiating a new contract for the former World Champion. He's definitely been far and away one of the best parts of the company in the past few years, so I hope he's sticking around.

Eli Drake vs. Bram for the King of the Mountain Championship is official for Slammiversary. I'm interested to see how that one will go.

The former Curt Hawkins discussed how to succeed as a wrestler after WWE. Good piece on how to keep going as a wrestler. I definitely think people get caught up in WWE as the be-all, end-all, and it takes effort to "come back to Earth" after their run's over.

John Cena vs. AJ Styles has been made official for Money in the Bank. I have a feeling we're in for a rehash of Cena vs. Owens, where AJ wins one match before putting up a good showing in two straight losses, concluding the feud with Cena standing tall at Summerslam. It'd be a pleasant surprise to be wrong, but I'm not counting on it. Big Match John has been overcoming the odds for a decade now, and AJ's made most of his name outside of WWE.

Smackdown drew 2.17 million viewers Thursday night. The goal of the brand split should be to get Smackdonw's numbers in the same neighborhood of (if not higher than) Raw's.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Parts Unknown? He was billed as being from Palm Beach, Florida as Virgil, but there's nothing to say the character still lives there post-Million Dollar Man.

Nothing to add to 2. I'm a little surprised someone like Hogan or Piper isn't there.

3. That's a pretty interesting idea, but I think it would be quite the headache to run every title match and appearance by WWE.

4. I'm definitely excited for AJ vs. Cena. I just wonder how it will be explained, considering AJ dumped The Club the previous week.

5. I wonder how much crossover there is between TNA fans and Broadway fans. Either way, it's still a little odd they didn't put their anniversary show on the actual anniversary, June 19.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Big NXT debut next week, Rock in a monster truck, New Day reigns, more Raw on the Network, Dusty collection, important Network feature coming, Interviews with Jake/Taz/Whitmer/ACH/Maddox, another post-WWE Cody match set, two important ROH contracts coming up soon, another top promotion teaming with ROH?, next opponent for ROH Champion, more Women of Honor coming, Impact audience, and Questions on Cody/Barrett/Ryback outside of WWE, Cena's TV show, and podcast revenue

Andrade "Cien" Almas, formerly La Sombra, will debut for NXT at Takeover: The End next week on the Network. He's a talent they've intentionally saved for the right time so he can make a splash. Almas vs. Aries and Almas vs. Joe have been done on live events, so it's possible he's competing for the NXT Championship by the end of the year, or WM33 weekend at the latest.

- Almas will face the always reliable Tye Dillinger on the show. I'm excited to see what the much talked-about former La Sombra will do.

The Rock and Kevin Hart will ride in a monster truck with the winner of a contest. That sounds pretty great.

New Day are now the longest reigning W... W... E World Tag Team CHAMPIONS when looking at their combined reigns. Remember that doesn't include WWWF/WWF. That's still an impressive milestone.

Raws from 2004 and 2005 have been added to the Network for anyone in a Flashback Friday mood.

A Dusty Rhodes collection is coming to the Network, and WWE is testing out an autoplay feature for the platform. Both good things to hear.

Jake Roberts talked before appearing at a comic-con. I'm really glad he's doing well. Traveling with Damien must have really been something.

Taz discussed his show potentially coming to WWE Network and more.:
- Pretty interesting pitch for a brand extension. I don't know if USA would be OK with them turning an hour of Raw into NXT, but it's an interesting idea. My only worry would be the less TV-ready performers who "need" the smaller, taped platform of NXT as a place to grow.

- I really don't see the tag division going away, given how many teams they have right now (with more in NXT).

- Finn coming up for the extension is a no-brainer. I'd save Nakamura for later in the year or early 2017, maybe even right after WM33. He's a special talent, and should get the spotlight on him instead of just being another NXT guy coming up at the same time as Finn.

- What if the Network had him do a special Taz Show every so often?

BJ Whitmer talked to promote an upcoming ROH show. Unsurprisingly, no chill about breaking kayfabe. They're all about how Whitmer's really a good guy when he's one of the few good heels they have. His work has been far and away one of the best parts of ROH since they arrived on DA and continued.

ACH also gave an interview in advance of an ROH event. He's definitely a great athlete. I wouldn't be surprised to see him on WWE's radar given his experience and talent.

Cody Rhodes will be wrestling for EVOLVE on August 19. That's something of a surprise given their WWE affiliation, but that's a big boost for them and I'm sure he's motivated to show he can hang with the talent there.

Roderick Strong and Moose are nearing the ends of their respective ROH contracts. I could definitely see WWE making a play for Moose. I don't know if they'd be willing to offer the level of money Strong can already make outside of the company. Both men signed new deals last year, so things could easily play out that way again.

ROH is looking to make an alliance with CMLL through NJPW. That would be great for them to continue to forge a unique space for themselves outside WWE. The deal with NJPW has definitely paid big dividends.

The winner of Jay Lethal vs. Jay Briscoe will defend the ROH Championship against Kyle O'Reilly at the TV tapings following BITW. I'm sure Adam Cole and the Biz Cliz will have eyes on that whole situation, and Colt Cabana will likely be interested, too.

ROH is setting up an all-women's show on July 8 ahead of their usual men's show. This is to get content for YouTube. A women's championship could be a good investment for them.

Brad Maddox discussed his WWE tenure. It sounds like he was creatively stifled there. I hope he gets a new outlet to express his talents, since we didn't get to see much of what he's capable of as a WWE superstar/personality.

The most recent episode of Impact Wrestling drew 346,000 viewers. Pop says they're happy with the audience the show's getting, and that's what matters.
 
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. If they tried, he could just legally change his last name to Rhodes. WWE would have to be unbelievably petty to spend that amount of money in legal fees just to stick it to Cody for leaving. I don't see them thinking it's worth the hassle.

2. There hasn't been any news regarding him stepping into the ring anywhere. While Cody wants to get out and be the best wrestler he can be, Barrett has been burned out for some time now. He'll take some time to weigh his next move.

3. I imagine Vince isn't crazy about Cena being on another network's show, but it's not like he's going to punish someone so valuable to the company. So, yes, CENAWINSLOL extends to appearing in outside ventures.

4. Other than those appearing on the Network, I don't think WWE would.

5. Outside of the tweet referencing showing up in the Impact Zone, nothing really of note. Some are speculating they'll release him before his contract expires, but it'd be cheaper just to keep him on the shelf until it runs out. They might come back to the table when it gets to the 11th hour, but only if one side or the other really wants to work out a deal.

More wrestling tomorrow.

ROH and Smackdown Reax - 6/2/16

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's ROH and Smackdown.

WWE return set, Raw audience on USA and SyFy, more from War of the Worlds, new Slammiversary matches, Interviews with Sheamus/Carmella/Goldberg, Scooby-WWE trailer, Snuka off the hook?, and Questions on running a wrestling company, Low Ki returning, Hogan bouncing back, why people still buy PPVs, and hope for changing TNA

Bray Wyatt is set for next week's TV tapings. I think he's the likeliest candidate to be the final entrant in MITB, and it made sense not to cram him on a Raw already featuring a big return.

The Raw replay on SyFy drew 403,000 viewers. NBCU is going all in featuring WWE content to boost their ratings.

WWE returns to the Philippines on September 9. They've got quite the international itinerary set.

ROH released the dark match to War of the Worlds online as they continue to move from that show toward Best in the World. 

The Decay will defend the TNA Tag Team Championship against The Bro-Mans at Slammiversary. Rosemary and Raquel aren't officially involved in the match, but I'm sure they'll see some action.

- Gail Kim vs. Maria is also official for Slammiversary, pending Maria being able to compete after her hand injury. They can easily have Allie and Sienna face Gail and Jade again instead, or Gail and Jade could face Marti Bell and Rebel. 

-- It's worth noting the show is a week and a half away, but the Knockouts', X-Division, and KOTM Champions aren't officially on the card yet. I'm sure they'll be in action, but the titles should mean enough to be in promoted matches.

Sheamus teased getting in the ring with Stephen Amell. No way should Amell beat Sheamus clean one-on-one. Amell winning after Sheamus takes a big move from an actual wrestler I might be able to deal with, but the former WWE/World Champion needs to be protected.

Carmella talked about her journey to WWE. She definitely makes use of her personality to complement her ring skills; that's been a key to her success so far.

Raw drew 3.23 million viewers against a massive NBA game drawing in the neighborhood of 16 million. At least they didn't have to move Raw to a different arena due to the championship game. 

Goldberg talked to WWE.com to promote his appearance in WWE 2K17:

-- It is pretty wild so many WCW people ended up joining WWE after such an intense feud between the two companies. Ultimately, it was more WWE Management vs. WCW Management. The wrestlers shouldn't have been as worked up about it; their job was to wrestle and make money, whether that was for Vince or Bischoff.

-- Lesnar vs. Goldberg could have REALLY been special given each man's style. Obviously it wouldn't have been a technical classic, but it could have been a war between two destroyers.

-- I would watch the shit out of Goldberg in 2016/2017. Not as a full-time guy, but showing up for a few big spots would be fun.

The second Scooby Doo-WWE crossover movie's trailer has been released. I can't say I'm really surprised at this kind of thing anymore; it's a flashback to Hulk Hogan having his own cartoon. I'm glad Taker's willing to be part of the project.

Jimmy Snuka has been ruled mentally incompetent, and, as such, unable to understand the charges against him. A further evaluation is due in December that will determine if the case can proceed.

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

1. I don't think any of them would want to run a wrestling company in 2016. They're not the same people they were 20 years ago. That said, here's an analysis of each:

a. Bischoff remains invested in the world of TV production. He definitely has the experience needed to present a televised wrestling promotion, and I'd assume his WCW buddies would recommend talents to bring  on-board, and have some pull to do so. I don't blame him for spending money to get big names, because Turner had that kind of money to spend.

b. JR would be an excellent choice on the talent relations/scouting/development end. I'm not sure he wants to travel as much as he had to in his WWE days, but he's certainly a strong executive choice.

c. Heyman can be combative and fiercely independent. He's calmed down from his ECW days, though, and certainly has a great mind for the business. I wouldn't want him in over his head like he was when trying to make ECW more of a national force, but he could definitely be a key player behind-the-scenes.

d. Cornette would inevitably fly off the handle and/or upset the wrong person and end up being a liability. Obviously he's a knowledgeable guy, but I don't think he'd be worth the headaches. He'd almost certainly want to push a style of wrestling that doesn't really fit in the modern landscape.

e. My outside picks would be Dutch Mantel (Zeb Colter), Dr. Tom Pritchard, and Al Snow.

2. NXT, but only if they'd "let him be Low Ki." He doesn't want to be a random directionless wrestler; he wants to be a featured attraction who's booked like a threat. He has a chance at that kind of leeway in NXT, but it's a matter of whether HHH thinks he'd be worth the hassle.

3. Hogan's next moves are going to be key. He definitely needs to stay out of the news for negative reasons and rehabilitate his image. I actually wonder how over Hulkamania would be in 2016 given how divisive American nationalism has become. The babyface move might be to expand what it means to be American for those who aren't rich white males (such as Hogan).

4. Not everyone's made the leap to digital platforms. The older demographic with no smartphones or i-whatevers are still watching TV the "old-fashioned way" and would presumably rather buy PPVs through that than navigate the series of tubes. Giving credit card information over the Internet isn't as easy for someone whose primary impression of the net comes from news reports about scammers and hackers. Also, the Network's availability in non-English languages isn't at the same level as PPVs if I'm not mistaken.

5. There's always hope! I do think a big change in Management (and a lot of money) is in order for TNA to bounce back, but that's much easier said than done. Dixie's been in charge for quite some time, and it's not like wrestling fans can vote on her keeping her position each "term." 

More wrestling tomorrow.

NXT and Main Event Reax - 6/1/16

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

Goldberg-WWE updates, NXT name at Raw, Cena press, Nikki update, all access at the WWEPC, GLOW returns, Cody gets his wish, Interview with Velvet, WWE MSG updates, and Questions on superfans, Itami returning, a WWE mutiny, pushing Cody Rhodes, and where Sasha is

2K Sports put out a press release regarding Goldberg joining WWE 2K17. Interesting to note it refers to him as being retired from WWE, which would seem to indicate he's not expected to return to the ring as part of this deal. I think putting him in the HoF in 2017 and giving him the annual big "part-timers stand strong" moment at WM33 would be a nice capstone to his wrestling career. Just have him spear/jackhammer the Social Outcasts or whomever to pop the crowd and give all his fans that last big Goldberg moment.

- Goldberg also talked to IGN. As an aside, I hope we see Kurt Angle and the Hardys for WWE 2K18 and 19 (in either order). Other than Owen Hart, they're the biggest absent names from the current landscape.

Mojo Rawley was backstage at Raw. I think we could see the Hype Bros on the main roster around the time of the brand split. If WWE's going to have a full tag team division on both shows, they could have the Hype Bros, Breezango, Golden Truth, the Shining Stars, Enzo and Cass, the Vaudevillains, New Day, the Usos, the Dudleys, The Club, the Lucha Dragons, the Outcasts, The Ascension, the Wyatts, and potentially The Revival and Prime Time Players at their disposal. That's quite the lineup. Naturally, additional undercard tandems and NXT callups would further expand the divisions, and they could even have Los Matadores "make a comeback" minus El Torito.

John Cena is on the cover of the latest Men's Health. Where's crossfit enthusiast Seth Rollins?

Nikki Bella teased a return to the ring. I don't expect her to keep using that finisher on a surgically repaired neck. That's more reckless than fearless.

WWE has announced another all access event for the Performance Center, set for July 25. That sounds REALLY cool.

GLOW, the 1980s women's promotion, will be returning as a comedy series on Netflix. I can't say I saw that coming. It will be interesting to see how that works out. 

Cody Rhodes vs. Kurt Angle has already been booked on the indie scene. So, that's one name off Cody's list. Should be a great match.

Velvet Sky talked about her post-TNA plans:

- She's definitely put together a lot of work to get to where she is now.

- Velvet could add something interesting to the WWE women's scene. I'd be fine with her managing the Dudleys and getting in the ring that way.

- I hope we see more of Roode and Young in NXT/WWE.

- I'm glad she has a backup plan, and is dedicated to it.

- She's right that she has a big following despite not being an amazing wrestler.

- Velvet has definitely done everything to be done in TNA. There's nothing left for her to do there.

The revised lineup for WWE in MSG on July 16 features:

- Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

- John Cena vs. AJ Styles

- Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho in a streetfight. 

-- That sounds like one hell of a card.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Hopefully they're part of a crazy viral angle where they'll be revealed as moles from NXT taking notes for an eventual revival of The Nexus (or The Balor Club I guess). Yeah, I have no idea. That was just the first ridiculous thing to come to mind.

2. For whatever it's worth, there are whispers of Itami "pulling a Dana Brooke" and appearing on the main roster instead. Either way, he's expected back sooner rather than later. It could just be a matter of where he fits into things following the brand extension shaking up WWE AND NXT.

3. Ohhhh boy:

a. Kevin Dunn doesn't really have much to do with Creative. He's more involved with how things appear on-screen: getting shots right, lighting the crowd, that kind of thing. Blaming him for anything about how people are booked is way off base.

b. Barrett has been burned out for a while now, and wasn't planning on re-signing when his deal expired. I don't really think you can blame Creative for that.

c. Cody you can definitely blame on how he was used. He pitched ideas to the head writers, but never got anywhere. So he took his ball and walked.

d. Hopefully Ryder will do more after the brand extension, possibly with Mojo Rawley. The roster's a mess right now with so many debuts and returns as they prepare for a split.

e. I think Ryback getting such a big push and contract early in his career (as a Nexus member and the guy challenging for the WWE Title) wrongly colored his expectations for a followup contract as an IC level guy. 

f. No, I don't see a big mutiny happening. The brand extension is an opportunity for things to really be shaken up, and I expect a lot of people will give that a chance.

4. Given the big pushes of Austin, Taker, Goldberg, and HBK, I don't think that's it.

5. If we get Stephanie vs. Charlotte, I think you'll get your answer. It's possible they're saving a Sasha win for Summerslam season, but injuries are a factor, too.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Impact Wrestling Reax - 5/31/16

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Impact Wrestling.