ESPN is re-airing the fantastic documentary on WWE titled Behind The Curtain which is part of the E:60 series.
The much-praised one hour documentary featuring behind-the-scenes footage of what makes a WWE Superstar down at the Performance Center originally aired in the United States on May 7. It concentrated mainly on three individuals: Adam Rose, Xavier Woods, and Corey Graves.
Produced by Ben Houser, edited by Matt McCormick, with field reporting from Jeremy Schaap, Behind The Curtain also features interviews by Steve Austin, The Rock, Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, and others.
The show airs tonight at 7PM EST on ESPN2. You can also watch it online via YouTube below.
Former SHIMMER wrestler Athena, who recently signed a deal with WWE, made her debut as Adrienne Reese yesterday during a non-televised NXT live event in Winter Haven, Florida.
Reese teamed up with Gionna Daddio to take on Peyton Royce and Alexa Bliss in a tag team match however her debut did not end in a good way as her team lost the match. During the same night Asuka also wrestled which marked the first time she attended an NXT house show.
You can see a photo of the artist formerly known as Athena at yesterday’s show below.
Brian Myers, the man formerly known in the WWE as Curt Hawkins, got married last week and several WWE Superstars attended the ceremony including current UFC fighter CM Punk.
Hall of Famer Howard Finkel did the introductions and when introducing Hornswoggle to the invitees, the recently-suspended Hornswoggle pulled a move from the Shockmaster debut and fell down the stairs which got some laughs and a lot of claps from the guests. CM Punk posted the video of Hornswoggle’s fall on his Twitter account.
Those who attended the wedding included Dolph Ziggler, Zack Ryder, Colt Cabana, Tyson Kidd, CM Punk, and others. You can see the video of Hornswoggle’s epic entrance below.
In an interview with Philly.com, former World Heavyweight champion Mark Henry said that he will not be signing a new wrestling deal when his contract is up but hopes to keep working for WWE in another capacity.
Henry’s deal expires next year and told Philly.com that he doesn’t know how he let Vince McMahon convince him into signing a new contract back in 2013. “He did a bit of magic. He’s got that magic where you just go in the office and he’ll talk you into it. I won’t be signing any more contracts. I’m leading toward WrestleMania and I’ll have a little time after that, but that’s going to be it for me.”
Henry, who has been with the company since since 1996 making him one of the longest serving WWE Superstars on the roster along with The Undertaker, added that he loves the talent development and international marketing so he hopes to working with WWE once his in-ring contract comes to an end.
The former Olympian probably had one of the best performances in his career when on a June episode of Monday Night Raw he came out and convinced everyone that he was retiring with a terrific speech, prompting John Cena to come out and put him over only for Henry to pull one big swerve and attack him in return.
TNA has canceled the four scheduled live events which were set for later this month as part of the Hardcore Halloween Tour according to the Ticketmaster.com website.
The October 29 show in Thibodaux, Louisiana, the October 30 show in New Orleans, Louisiana, the October 31 show in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the November 1 show in Biloxi, Mississippi, have all been canceled.
“This event has been canceled. Refunds at Point of Purchase only. Internet & Phone orders will automatically be canceled & refunded,” reads the notice on the Ticketmaster.com entry of each canceled event.
The October 30 show was supposed to be a One Night Only pay-per-view taping in New Orleans at the UNO Lakefront Arena.
Thursday Night Smackdown! TV Report for October 8th, 2015 – “Fighting On…”
Introduction Segment: Video Promo and Welcoming
The regular Smackdown! video and pyro starts off, as Rich Brennan greet us from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! He announces tonight’s main event of Randy Orton and Roman Reigns taking on The Wyatt Family – Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman.
Segment #2; Arena Promo
Tag-Team Champions The New Day dance to the ring; during this, a recap of their decimation of John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, and The Dudley Boyz from Raw is shown. Back live, Kofi Kingston, Big E. and Xavier Woods take pleasure in their actions and list a bunch of famous stables that supposedly couldn’t do what they did.
They rip on the fans and city for not being at the top in sports, in particular their NFL Football team, The Philadelphia Eagles. The trio move on to their challenger, again, The Dudley Boyz. They claim the “brothers” have “politicked” their way into another championship match at Hell In A Cell. However, New Day declare they will still win, as “New…Day…Rocks…”
Dolph Ziggler interrupts and stands on stage. He is not happy with New Day for them interfering in his United States Championship match on Raw. He says The Authority has granted him a little revenge, putting him in a match with Big E. tonight. Woods wishes Big E. “good luck” and tells “The Show Off” that “it’ll be a fair fight,” smirking! Dolph agrees, bringing out New Day’s nemesis’, Bubba Ray and D-Von!
Match #1: Single – Tag-Team Champion and New Day member Big E. (with Tag-Team Champions and New Day members Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) VS. Dolph Ziggler (with The Dudley Boyz – Bubba Ray and D-Von)
The bell rings and Dolph hits a dropkick and leaping-DDT immediately. Big rolls to the outside and recovers with his partners.
Commercials.
Big E. now in control, pressing Dolph against the bottom rope with his knee. On the outside, Xavier plays the trombone when Big does something good. Langston clamps on a quick abdominal stretch, but Ziggler fights out with punches. He is put back to the mat with an elbow and E continues to cockily walk around. Dolph punches back again, but Big drives him with a backbreaker for a near-fall! He wears him down with a rear chinlock, then a bearhug.
Ziggler hits back again and manages a roll-up for two, then hops on him and dropped over the turnbuckle. Dolph still moves from a run and drives Big face-first with the Fameasser! 1 – 2 – E kicks out! Dolph attempts a kick, but Big catches him and spins him with a belly-to-belly suplex. He runs the ropes and splashes him, but Dolph just gets his shoulder up in time!
Big picks up Dolph, but “The Show-off” slides out and superkicks him! On the outside, New Day and Dudleyz brawl, which diverts the referee’s attention. Kofi jumps to the apron and jawbreaks Dolph with the ropes. Big covers and Kofi holds Ziggler’s leg to give the Big the victory!
Winner via Pinfall: Tag-Team Champion Big E.
After still-images of Brock Lesnar VS. The Big Show from last Saturday’s show at MSG, we will see their confrontation from Raw up next!
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Segment #3: Video Promo
Recap of Paul Heyman, Brock Lesnar, and Big Show from Raw.
Segment #4: Video Promo
Recap of Summer Rae engaging Rusev.
Segment #5: Backstage Promo
Summer is getting dolled up by an assistant when Rusev walks in and inquires why everyone knows about their engagement. She tells him that she got The Authority to put him in a match with Ryback, and insinuates that if he wins, he will move on to be the next one to go for the Intercontinental Championship. “Ru-Ru” is happy with her work.
Team Bella make their entrance and will be wrestling in a Six-Diva bout, next!
Commercials.
Match #2: Six-Diva Tag-Team – Team Bella (Brie and Nikki Bella, and Alicia Fox) VS. Divas Champion Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Natalya
Becky and Alicia begin, with a lockup and trading a wristlock for a roll-up. Becky flies Alicia around with a couple armdrags, then clutches on an armlock. Charlotte is tagged in and they double hip-toss and elbow-drop Alicia. Natalya is now in and she and Charlotte double armdrag Fox, then Nattie gives Alicia a running front-dropkick.
Alicia counters with a jawbreaker and puts Natalya in her corner. She switches with Nikki, who drops an axe-handle-smash from the second turnbuckle. Nattie flips Nikki over and tags in Becky, who covers quickly but is countered and kicked by Nikki. Brie slaps hands with her sister then soars off the second turnbuckle with a missile dropkick. She elbows Lynch in the side of the face/neck before the break.
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Becky is now getting triple-teamed in the corner, then Alicia gives her a Northern-Lights Suplex for one. Fox works Lynch with a grounding rear chinlock, then Becky continues to get pummeled by all three Team Bella members.
Brie kicks at Natalya on the apron, then ties up Becky in the ropes with a scissors and chin stretch. Nikki also boots Lynch on the apron, then Brie stomps. She goes for the running-knee but Becky moves and crawls to Charlotte and Nattie. Nikki blocks it, giving Charlotte a forearm. Becky battles out of a front-facelock, but is elbowed down. Becky trips up Nikki face-first into the middle turnbuckle, then slaps hands with Charlotte!
Charlotte chops away repeatedly at Nikki, and kicks her in the face. Bella counters a run with an elbow then the Disaster Kick! (springboard kick). Nikki puts Charlotte in the Rack Attack position, but Charlotte gets out of it and spears Nikki into the Figure-4. Brie breaks it up before Charlotte goes full-on into the Figure-8, and Nikki turns over the Figure-4. Lynch now dropkicks Nikki for the breakup, and The Divas Champion turns it back into the full Figure-8 to make Nikki tap out!
Winners via Submission: Divas Champion Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Natalya
Segment #6: Backstage Promo
Rene Young asks Paige, who was watching the match, about the new team N.B.C. Paige is not impressed and puts down Natalya for “horning in.” She walks off in a huff.
Rusev and Summer Rae enter the arena for his bout with Ryback!
Commercials.
Match #3: Single – Rusev (with Summer Rae) VS. Ryback
(Note: Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens is on commentary, and by a short video, Ryback declares that “it’s feeding time” on Rusev.)
Ryback immediately rams his shoulder into Rusev’s gut in the corner then kicks away. Rusev punches back and runs, but Ryback jumps on him in a Lou Thesz press position, then pounds away with fists. Rusev counters a whip and elbows Ryback to the outside. He slams Ryback’s hand on the announcer’s table, ring apron, ring post, and steel steps.
In the ring, Rusev uses the ropes to apply pressure to Ryback’s arm, and continues to focus on it with slams and kicks. Ryback slaps back but soon elbowed again. Rusev rips at Ryback’s nose, which the referee takes umbrage with. This allows Ryback to regain momentum and belly-to-belly suplex “The Bulgarian Brute!”
Ryback shoulder-blocks Rusev a couple times, then gives him a big shoulder-tackle. He boots Rusev back then over-the-shoulder powerslams him down; he only gets two, however. He goes for a powerbomb, but Rusev reverses into an Alabama Slam for a close-call!
Ryback tries a suplex, but Rusev lands on his feet and grabs a hold of “The Big Guy” with a sleeper. Ryback counters with a backward slam, then picks up Rusev in a Shellshock position. Rusev drops out of it and kicks him hard in the chest. He covers, but Ryback kicks out, despite Summer moving his foot from the bottom rope.
Rusev gets ready to “crush” , but Ryback grabs his foot as he went for the stomp. He hits the Meathook Clothesline and the Shellshock Samoan Drop for the 1 – 2 – 3!
Winner via Pinfall: Ryback
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Segment #7: Video Promo
Recap of Raw, featuring WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, The Authority, and Corporate/Demon Kane.
Segment #8: Video Promo
“Oh what a tangled web we’ve spun, when we start to believe. As for yourself Roman, at Hell In A Cell, will I be locked inside with you? Or will you be trapped inside with me? Either way, it makes no difference because the result stays the same – I am going to put you down. But tonight, tonight Roman Reigns and Randy Orton will face my judgment and the wrath of the ‘Black Sheep’,” declares Bray Wyatt. Braun Strowman appears now and compares Orton and Reigns to the rabbits he used to torture.
Commercials.
Match #4: Single – King Barrett VS. Neville
King clamps a wristlock on Neville, but “The Man That Gravity Forgot” flips around and out of it, then gives King “Bad News” an armdrag. Barrett claps in appreciation, but misses a run in the corner and is planted with a springboard crossbody for two!
Neville flips over Barrett from the apron to the ring, but is slammed to the canvas by the hands of King. He is also given a big boot-to-the-face for a near-fall. Barrett poses for a break.
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Barrett whips Neville into the corner, and kicks him hard in the chest, but only gets two! King continues to wear down Neville with a quick surfboard stretch, but Neville hits back with a spin-kick. He moves from a running-boot, and Neville puts Barrett to the floor; he follows with a top-turnbuckle moonsault! Both are back in the ring and Neville gives Barrett a running dropkick-to-the-head. He almost takes this after a German Suplex pin, but Barrett fires back with a hard clothesline.
King tries his Wasteland move, but Neville reverses into a roll-up for a two-count! Neville gets out of another Wasteland with a DDT, then climbs the turnbuckle. Barrett moves to the ropes to avoid the top-rope splash, then hits Neville with the Bullhammer Elbow to finish this one!
Winner via Pinfall: King Barrett
Segment #8: Video Promo
Stardust rambles on about Neville again. He uses playing cards to predict what will happen.
Up next is our main-event!
Commercials.
Randy Orton and Roman Reigns make their way to the ring. During Roman’s entrance, a video pops up of him telling Bray that “I’m going be the one taking you to hell” at their Pay-Per-View match. Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman do the same, and then we go to break.
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Match #5: Tag-Team – Randy Orton and Roman Reigns VS. The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman)
Orton and Bray begin, with Orton clotheslining Bray hard after being pushed in the corner. He reverses a whip and sets up Wyatt against the ropes for the DDT, but Bray shoves off. Orton stalks him on the outside and clotheslines again. He puts Bray back in the ring and glares at Strowman. Wyatt tags the big-man in, who soon overpowers “The Viper.” Orton wisely tags in Reigns, and the two larger dudes faceoff!
They lockup and Braun tosses Roman across the ring. reigns kicks back and slaps Stroman a couple times, but is put to the canvas with a shoulder-block. Braun whips Roman, but Roman ducks and tags in Randy. They double-team Stroman, but “The Black Sheep” gives them both a double-shoulder-block. He works over Randy, then tags in Wyatt.
Bray headbutts Randy in the corner, then strikes on him. He runs at Randy with a splash-in-the-corner, then taunts him to tag in Reigns. Orton reverses a whip into his back/neckbreaker combo, then shifts from a splash by Braun! “The Viper” makes the hot-tag to Reigns, who then wears down Strowman with numerous hits.
He tries a Samoan Drop, but Braun gets himself out of it. Both end up on the outside, but Roman slides back in and punches at Braun while he’s between the top and middle rope. Reigns gears up for the Superman Punch and hits it, knocking Braun to the floor. He then notices Bray and boots him, then shoves him against the barricade and chucks him into the timekeeper’s area! He follows up with a running front-dropkick to Strowman, but turns around into a chair-shot by Bray, causing the dq.
Winners via Disqualification: Randy Orton and Roman Reigns
Post-match, Bray continues the punishment and goes for Sister Abigail, but Randy blocks it with a Lou Thesz Press and punches. Braun’s back in and drags Orton away, but Roman saves Randy. Bray sets up Reigns for Sister Abigail, but is pushed into an R.K.O.; Roman finishes with a war cry and Spear!
Braun pulls Bray out of the ring and The Family move to the back, leaving Roman and Randy to stand tall in the ring as the show closes.
End Of Smackdown!
Reporter’s Rumblings
This was a pretty-good edition; not like week’s by any-means, but good enough in continuing on to Hell In A Cell. Let’s look at the particulars:
Excellence: matches of Big E/Dolph, The Six-Diva, Ryback/Rusev, and the main-event. Promos by New Day and Dolph, Paige, Roman, and Ryback.
Kevin Owens on commentary was perfect! The man absolutely knows the exact right things to say, being an arrogant jerk, but getting us invested in him and whomever he’s feuding with. Really enjoying everything he does in the ring and on the microphone!
Bogus: too many Raw-recap-promos; another match could’ve easily been placed during them. Not loving Stardust/Neville feud anymore; it’s gone on too long and needs to end. The Stardust character also has “worn out his welcome” for me as well.
Sitting on the fence about Barrett; I’m disappointed that he’s still “King,” as that “big” win has really done nothing for him; but he seems to be mixing it now with his former “Bare Knuckle Brawler” persona, so this may work and be OK after all.
Kane and/or Rollins should’ve been in person, to continue there feud. Videos don’t always suffice. Also, where was Sheamus? “Mr. Money In The Bank” should be on every show to promote the importance of that briefcase.
Overall, I liked Smackdown!, but felt it was lacking compared to last week. Let’s hope next week’s Raw and Smackdown! are better! Until Monday’s Raw, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Readers and Wrestling Fans!
During the NXT Takeover: Respect main event, Sasha Banks taunted one of Bayley’s super fans Izzy who was sitting at ringside and at one point even took her headband, causing the young Izzy to start crying.
Izzy had to be comforted by her father and mother who were accompanying her to the show but eventually regained her composure and resumed watching the show. After the show went off the air, Banks went over to Izzy and gave her the flowers that were given to her by William Regal after the match was over.
Her father Cody then posted a photo from their home with Izzy posing in front of the flowers that were given to her by Sasha and holding a sign that read, “Sasha, just ask to borrow my headband next time!” He also wrote, “@SashaBanksWWE Izzy wanted to let you know…..#ThankYou #Respect.”
The whole cast of Total Divas including the newest WWE Diva, Mandy, traveled to Paris, France, for the surprise engagement of Rosa Mendes.
“Flew all the way to Paris to surprise @wwerosamendes and asked her to marry me!! She said yes,” wrote her husband-to-be Bobby Schubenski. The two are expecting a baby together and this will be a season-long story arch for the newest season of the E! reality show.
The Bellas, Alicia Fox, Paige, Natalya, Eva Marie, and Mandy have all been posting photos on their Twitter and Instagram accounts.
The WWE crew is currently in Saudi Arabia for a three-day tour in Jeddah that kicked off yesterday. All three shows are being held at the King Abdullah Sports City Sports Hall with another show set for tonight and one for tomorrow.
This is the first time that WWE is in Jeddah and the company is set to make some decent amount of cash as ringside seats are selling for $800 while other seats are going for $400, $265, $160, $80, and $40. WWE toured Saudi earlier this year when they went to Abu Dhabi.
Superstars on this tour include Seth Rollins, John Cena, Chris Jericho, Dean Ambrose, Ryback, Big Show, Kane, Sheamus, Cesaro, and others. There are no Divas on this tour due to the strict Muslim laws.
Former TNA champion James Storm officially jumped ship and made his NXT debut during last night’s NXT television tapings at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
Storm wrestled Martin Stone in a squash match with the match set to air on the October 21 edition of NXT on the WWE Network. “Oh yea this happened. #SorryAboutYourDamnLuck,” Storm wrote, retweeting WWE’s breaking news message about his debut. When he was introduced for his match, the NXT fans chanted “holy shit,” as he became the third former TNA champion to move to WWE following Sting and Samoa Joe.
The 38 year old from Tennessee was present at the NXT Takeover: Respect show however did not appear on camera. He was photographed by a fan entering Full Sail University accompanied by NXT trainer Billy Gunn.
Mickie James wrote on Twitter that it was “the best news I’ve heard all day” and sent her congratulations to Storm. In reply, Storm thanked James and apologized for the “whole train incident” with a wink, referring to the TNA angle where he pushed James onto the train track.
Storm then thanked Triple H and the NXT fans for the great welcome he received. “See everyone again real soon,” he wrote.
You can see a video of his debut from a fan who attended the tapings below.
TNA has listed 16 different individuals so far for the TNA World Title Series, four of whom are Knockouts who strangely enough will be competing for the TNA World title.
The 12 TNA Superstars currently in the tournament are Lashley, Ethan Carter III, Kenny King, Drew Galloway, Mr. Anderson, Crazy Steve, Rockstar Spud, Austin Aries, Aiden O’Shea, Bram, Grado, and Mahabali Shera.
The 4 Knockouts announced are Awesome Kong, Brooke, Madison Rayne, and Gail Kim, a decision which was met with several criticism online for having the Knockouts compete for TNA’s biggest male title.
It’s interesting to note that Bram is supposedly still suspended from the company following his arrest on August 31 and TNA has not made any mention that he is back with the company.
Former WCW and TNA champion Sting was in Glasgow, Scotland, yesterday and participated in a Q&A session with fans at The Garage nightclub.
When asked if he will be wrestling again, Sting said that while he feels good, he probably wrestled his last match against Seth Rollins and doesn’t think that the doctors will sign off on another match after suffering the back/neck injury during Night of Champions.
Sting also put over Seth Rollins big time and said that he’s the best wrestler he has seen in several years. He noted that Rollins sat with him backstage for 20 minutes after the match waiting on an ambulance to take him to the hospital.
Thanks to W-O reader Sean Mosson for sending that along.
The next number one contender for the NXT title will be decided next week as General Manager William Regal announced during a WWE.COM video that a battle royal will take place to see who will face Finn Balor.
The NXT title took a backseat over the past few weeks as the focus was on the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament and Balor – tag teaming with Samoa Joe – were in the tournament and eventually winning it as well.
Balor defended the title last at the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event in a ladder match against Kevin Owens.
Also on next week’s show Nia Jax, who is the real-life cousin of former WWE champion The Rock, will be making her NXT television debut.
Four weeks worth of NXT shows are being taped tonight at Full Sail University.
TNA announced that they will hold six television tapings in the United Kingdom while on their Maximum Impact tour in the country in January 2016.
The company will hold two television tapings per event, starting with Manchester on January 29, then London on January 30, and then Birmingham on January 31.
TNA is short on television tapings and is rumored to be going to India to tape some television shows over there which will air on Destination America. Last month Dixie Carter revealed to Sports Illustrated that TNA has no television deal past January 2016 as Destination America did not renew it yet.
WWE Hall of Famer Lita has taken on a full time job with WWE following her stint as a coach on the latest season of Tough Enough.
Lita, real name Amy Dumas, is now working as a producer/agent for the company and is attending television tapings as well as helping sometimes in NXT. She last worked full time with WWE back in 2007 and retired after wrestled her final match against Mickie James at the Survivor Series.
She made sporadic appearances on WWE television over the following years and in 2014 she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. In May of this year she was announced as one of the three coaches of Tough Enough along with Billy Gunn and Booker T.
Finn Balor and Samoa Joe defeated The Mechanics in the first semi final of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic; Baron Corbin and Rhyno defeated Jason Jordan and Chad Gable in the second semi final of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic; Asuka defeated Dana Brooke; Apollo Crews defeated Tyler Breeze; Finn Balor and Samoa Joe defeated Baron Corbin and Rhyno to win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament; Bayley defeated Sasha Banks with three wins against two in a 30 minute Iron Man match to retain the NXT Women’s title.
After the Iron Man match, the whole NXT roster came out on stage to congratulate Sasha Banks and Bayley with William Regal giving flowers to Sasha and Triple H giving flowers to Bayley. This was Sasha Banks’ last night in NXT and it ended with “Thank You Sasha” chants from the Full Sail crowd.
Former WWE Superstar and the newest villain in the latest James Bond movie, Dave Bautista, got married to his girlfriend Sarah Jade.
This is the third marriage for the former WWE champion having already been married to his first wife Glenda and then Angie. He has two daughters from his first wife.
His new wife Sarah Jade is a professional pole aerialist and owns the Buttercup Pole Dance, a pole dance and fitness studio in Tampa, Florida.
Bautista will play Mr. Hinx in the upcoming James Bond movie Spectre. You can see a photo of the two of them from their wedding below.
Defense attorneys for “Superbly” Jimmy Snuka found no objection for the motion to bypass a preliminary hearing in the murder case of his former mistress Nancy Argentino and it looks like the case will go straight to trial.
Snuka, according to the Lehigh Valley Live website, will remain free pending the trial outcome as he is not a flight risk. Snuka is being charged with a third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after the District Attorney’s office reopened the 32 year old cold case last month.
The WWE Hall of Famer was present at court today but did not speak. He was not in a wheelchair like when he surrendered himself to police and looked better from photos published by the website. Snuka is suffering from stomach cancer.
“The sooner this gets brought to court, to a jury, the better,” his attorney Robert Kirwin said. “It’s not a day he dreads. It’s a day of freedom for him.” He said that Argentino’s death was just an unfortunate accident and not a murder.
Kirwan said a recent ruling allowing hearsay testimony at preliminary hearings make the proceedings a sham. “The benefit (of a preliminary hearing) would have been non-existent,” he said. “No cross-examination, no live witnesses would be testifying,” and the transcripts wouldn’t be available until later, Kirwan said. “He is not dreading this trial. He’s looking forward to clearing his name. and I expect him to be found innocent of all charges,” Kirwan added.
There is a photo on Twitter circulating showing former TNA champion James Storm walking towards the entrance of Full Sail University accompanied by WWE’s Billy Gunn. The photo was put online by Rob McCarron, host of the Shake Them Ropes podcast.
Storm wrestled for TNA from 2002 up until June of this year and left the company after his contract expired. He’s one of the most decorated champions in TNA history, winning the TNA title once, the Tag Team titles six times, and the NWA Tag Team titles seven times.
While Storm could be just visiting friends at the show, speculation has already started that he might be a surprise at tonight’s Takeover show. Storm was rumored to have been ringside at the NXT live event in Nashville but he shot down the reports saying he wasn’t there.
TNA announced that starting tonight on Impact Wrestling, the TNA World Title Series will kick off to crown a new undisputed TNA World champion.
“We don’t have a champion right now, so we worked strategically and creatively to turn this misfortune into an exciting new format that allows us a true, fair way to determine who is the best of the best,” said Billy Corgan in a statement on ImpactWrestling.com. “We believe this World Title Series will bring the prestige and legitimacy of the Championship to another level.”
The World Title Series will feature a format like the World Cup, with thirty-two wrestlers competing in a tournament. The wrestlers will be divided into eight groups to begin round-robin group play. Winners receive three points, a draw receives one point and a loss earns zero points. The top two point-getters from each group will advance to the field of 16 and a single elimination tournament where the competitor who wins advances.
The complete World Title Series will broadcast weekly on Impact Wrestling. The show will feature advancements in the presentation of professional wrestling offering new features like a virtual set where hosts Josh Mathews and Pope will update viewers on the World Title Series leaderboard, incorporate social media interactions from fans and wrestlers, and make predictions.
