Multiple industry insiders are reporting that Lou D’Angeli, who served as Vice President of Marketing for Anthem Sports & Entertainment, has been let go from his duties.
D’Angeli worked with TNA Wrestling for tickets, ads, and live event promotions and had been in that position for nearly two-and-a-half years.
In the wrestling world, he is best known for his portrayal of Sign Guy Dudley in ECW and prior to his TNA gig, he worked for WWE from 2006 to 2010 as Director of Marketing and then as VP of Marketing for Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group for the following 11 years.
D’Angeli joins David Sahadi, the company’s former Creative Director, on the unemployed list as TNA undergoes a restructuring.
An Uncle Howdy message was posted on WWE.COM yesterday with a possible date of June 17 for a return.
The URL on the WWE.COM post read “71enuj” which is June 17 backwards. Several QR codes, videos, and hints have been popping up weekly on WWE television and announcers have also been pointing them out lately.
June 17 is a Monday with the post-Clash at the Castle Raw live from the American Bank Center in Corpus Christie, Texas.
“I accepted my calling. Only then was I able to set the others free,” part of the message reads. “We are going to burn it to the ground. A massacre is coming.”
The group is rumored to include Bo Dallas as Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, and Nikki Cross and will continue to feed off of the Bray Wyatt complicated world.
AEW Women’s champion Toni Storm appeared at the Stardom show at the Korakuen Hall yesterday via video – in black and white, of course – to issue a challenge for the AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view.
Along with her sidekick Mariah May, the champion challenged Mina Shirakawa to a title match while she was in the ring. Shirakawa came to the aid of May recently and Storm said that anyone of May’s friends are her friends too.
Shirakawa accepted the challenge, making this the third official match for the show. Swerve Strickland vs Will Ospreay for the AEW World title and the TNT title ladder match are the only other two matches confirmed for now.
FTR out as they showed clips of AitA. Nigel said Danielson wasn’t here. Cash said they failed but they’d die for AEW ‘and we ain’t dead yet.’ Dax said he’d wondered if it was all worth it but tequila helped confirm that it was.
He continued to talk through the prism of this strange storyline, as if AEW’s existence is threatened. Emphasizing that they, Danielson and Darby will be back, promising a ‘summer of AEW and we will whip your (the Elite’s) ass.’
*****
To Jack Perry after AitA. Slumped in the shower. People talk about blood, sweat and tears like it’s a sacrifice. That’s the bare minimum. He just got set on fire to save AEW. No one believes in the spirit of AEW more than him, even when the company turned their back on him, left him for dead, he continues to sacrifice, you can hate him or come with him but he’s going to continue shaping the future through blood, sweat and fire.
Could be a hell of a character if there was a little more clarity, structure and purpose from the company. Which, admittedly, sounds kind of damning doesn’t it. Explaining to the majority of the audience what the hell he means would be a start.
*****
Then they replayed the seg from Weds where Christopher Daniels announced this weird qualification system for a ladder match for the TNT title. Takeshita won last night so he’s in.
Lio Rush vs Roderick Strong
Backstory: NONE
As usual the Kingdom had to get shine within a couple of minutes, Taven put Rush’s coat on. After Rush had done his usual ducking and dodging to start. Then countering an armdrag from the buckle before nailing a lightning tope to rival Darby’s, a second quickly following.
Crowd into this. Ads.
They showed Strong nailing a backbreaker during the break. He then hit an Olympic slam for two. Or ‘silver,’ as Nigel put it. Before lobbing Rush out and taking the ref so the Kingdom could get more much-needed tv time. Characters people don’t care about leading to booking people find aggravating, quite a combo.
Rush then ducked and darted, frustrating Strong at every turn, into a corkscrew kick, flurry of rights, rollup for two, tornado ddt for the same. Damn, dude is fast. To the top, the Kingdom got involved again, Rush hit a gamengiri to Strong then moonsaulted onto the Kingdom then countered a powerbomb into a rana and low stunner for two.
To the top once more, the Kingdom got on the apron again, so Strong got his knees up on a splash and hit End of Heartache. Aka guy we all know will win sells for 90% of the match so that no-one really gets over. Right out of WWE’s playbook in the late teens. At least didn’t go too long.
And Rush is fun to watch. Got the crowd right behind him.
Winner: Roderick Strong
Replay of Ospreay winning the Gauntlet Weds and his face off with Strickland.
To Kyle O’Reilly. ‘A by-product of me stepping into that ring, that’s having great matches.’ Tonight, he’s not trying to have a great match. Tonight, he plans on beating Will as violently and efficiently as possible. Ospreay’s never beaten O’Reilly. O’Reilly’s kicked out of the Hidden Blade. Everyone watching is overlooking him.
He emphasized he was winning tonight and refused to leave Palm Springs empty handed.
As good a job as you could do given the circumstances (i.e. we all know he’s lying). Extra points for basically saying ‘good matches’ mean F all if you don’t win.
*****
Lexy was waiting for Strong and the Kingdom. Strong raced past yelling ‘TONY!’ and ran up on Khan, totally ignoring Chris Daniels who tried to stop him. Strong demanded a match with Swerve Weds. Khan said it was a great idea. Winner faces Ospreay at Forbidden Door.
So Tony is indeed backstage again. Also, why introduce Daniels as a vice-president Weds if his authority’s immediately undercut? Smacks of creative disorganization.
Though Strong getting a world title shot makes perfect sense, that’s the next step when you lose a mid-card title right? Consistency.
Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia vs Workhorsemen
Backstory: NONE
Hey do you think that dude Tony rehired only because people complained online will win against the guys involved in storylines?
Shibata and Henry to start, break in the ropes, stiff kicks from Henry, Shibata hit a kitchen sink, kick to the spine, Garcia in with a punt. Menard’s on comms btw. Drake tagged in to hit a big chop.
Drake was then outside a bit favoring his knee, seemingly legitimately. Henry went at it with Garcia, swinging neckbreaker from Disco Daniel, a second, third blocked until Garcia hit at the second attempt.
Ads. Crowd waaay quieter than they were for Rush. If you’re going to have a match with no story or stakes, you better up the pace and hit some high spots.
Garcia stuck in the heel corner, Drake firing chops, mobility seemingly limited. Lots of chops. Garcia fired up, ducked, belly to back, seeking a tag. Made. Henry in too. Shibata running wild, follow-in running boot in the corner, another, pump kick for Drake, hanging dropkick on Henry in the corner, suplex out, two. Garcia back in, Shibata chopping Henry down so Garcia decided he had time to dance for a long time. As Nigel rightly noted, it would not win him the match.
Drake bling tag, belly to belly for Garcia, running knees in the corner from Henry, diving knees off the top, Drake moonsault, crowd always go nuts for that. Shibata saved the pin. Then grabbed a sleeper on Henry, who fought it off and hit a spinning kick to Garcia before Shibata hit a PK to Drake and Garcia jackknifed into a pin.
Went too long. Garcia cut a promo about losing his way, or not getting opportunities or some crap Weds then spent the match dancing like a lower-card geek. Same ol’. Easily the loudest the crowd got all match was for JD Drake. Easily.
Winner: Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia
They replayed Stat’s attack on Willow at the ppv. She and Stokely backstage. They did the heels-pretend-to-be-sorry promo straight out of WWE and said they had a gift, then showed a bin full of garbage. Because Willow’s trash.
Stat said she was going to destroy and decimate anyone in her way.
Decimation’s a Roman army punishment where one guy in ten is randomly killed. The roster does need trimming.
Thunder Rosa vs Reina Dorada
Backstory: NONE
Reina got less than silence coming out. Crowd fairly behind Thunder as usual. After a bunch of rolling around on the mat, Rosa got two, picked Reina up to take her down; Reina hit back via armdrag, Rosa hit one of her own, then a springboard edition.
She then put on ‘a Venus de Milo-type-move’ per Schiavone (knees in the back with the arms captured). Then a floatover suplex for two. Reina tried a chop, Rosa hit back way harder, a stiff forearm followed, Reina hit back, Rosa pulled her up on her shoulders and hit something like a face-first Michinoku driver which they called a Tijuana Bomb but didn’t look like any previous version of that move. And which looked like Reina was going to break her neck, I gasped.
She kicked out at two, seemingly okay.
Rosa then got the tap. And talked to Deonna via the camera. Almost literally saying the feud wasn’t over.
Winner: Thunder Rosa
Cage of Agony (Brian Cage & Gates of Agony) vs Danny Rose, Ricky Gee & KM
Backstory: NONE
Swerve’s former minions dominated and won after just flinging Gee up into the air and allowing him to land sloppily on his feet. Hope dude’s okay. The announcers said they must be in prime position for a trios title shot.
Amazing what one win can do.
Winner: Cage of Agony
Storm yelled at Saraya for challenging her child, Mariah May. May said she’d watched the movie about Saraya’s life but noted it hadn’t shown the part featuring her downfall. Then said she’d put Saraya in a new one Weds: ShitStorm (they bleeped it). She’d let Saraya figure out which part she was.
Storm was very proud. And said her Forbidden Door was wide open. Then said they were going to the bar.
So back in the arena Nigel popped up and began to take his headset off until Tony told him that wasn’t live and they weren’t at the bar now. One of the highlights of the show. Which is both praise and not.
Claudio Castagnoli vs Johnny TV
Backstory: NONE
Nigel asked if Tony had watched Johnny Loves Taya. Tony said he had, without offering any details whatsoever. Awkward.
TV hit a kick to the spine, a second, then slapped on a chinlock, transitioning into a cravate. Claudio countered into a backslide for two. Then hit a stomp for two. TV kept trying to avoid Claudio, succeeding despite evidently being in-reach. Claudio finally did snatch him up into a delayed vertical, for a very long time.
But went for a swing rather than pin. Taya tried to stop it and was dragged in. The ref’s a moron, TV hit a low blow and got two.
Ads.
As ever, if your only means of even remotely convincing the audience a wrestler might lose is with egregious interference, probably shouldn’t book the match. Or just have it be a squash.
Claudio hit a pendulum suplex, TV down in the corner, uppercut city. Big boot got two. Crowd pretty good tonight. Especially for such a piss-weak card. TV got a wacky pin using the legs for two. Then tried a fistfight. Didn’t go well. A neckbreaker fared better. Yet another two.
Taya slapped Claudio through the ropes. Claudio’s dumb too so pursued her for ages and was hit via tornijo over the buckle. Presumably something went wrong because there was a cutaway (the show is taped) before we came back to the guys atop the buckle. Claudio hit a reverse suplex from up there.
Then put on a Sharpshooter. Taya again grabbed TV right in front of the ref and was dragged into the ring. Claudio far more annoyed than the ref. Slugging TV down before a swing. And a match-winning lariat.
You know the drill: action decent; time too long; result not in doubt = dull.
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
A Josh Woods package. That’s not a joke. If AI created a wrestler… or something. Actually it’s a package for Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari too. Showing them all in the gym. Premier Athletes.
There are enough ‘good wrestlers’ with no charisma clogging up tv time already.
*****
A New Japan team got a package next. Since they’re about to compete:
Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty vs Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs
Backstory: NONE
These fans went absolutely apeshit when STP came out. Even more so when they realized Anthony Ogogo had joined them. One of them even clapped.
That team we just had a package for couldn’t even get an entrance. Collectively, they’re the West Coast Wrecking Crew. Nigel said this is a taste of Forbidden Door. I sincerely hope not.
Isaacs snatched Moriarty into a powerslam then tagged Nelson who hit a dragon screw for barely two. Moriarty got a hammerlock but a blind tag saw double teaming into a fisherman buster for two. Nigel had to say the audience were ‘stunned’ because it was so quiet. As Moriarty tripped Isaacs into the buckle.
Taylor came in and hit a knee strike. Then a big open-hand after yelling ‘the technical portion of the evening is over!’ Which was amusing. He continued pasting Isaacs until the latter hit a knee to the face and tagged out. Nelson fired a fast flurry which didn’t do much damage. A shoulder block did less, a leaping one not much more, Taylor avoided a pair of leaping knees and hit a splash for two.
Isaacs saving the pin. Moriarty taking him outside, leaving Nelson to hit a back elbow to a rushing Taylor but leaping off the buckle into anti-air and a package powerbomb across the knees. Cool finish.
Anthony Ogogo hit a right hand. Which after four years seems his only move. Nice work if you can get it. Match was same ol’ same ol’. Doing a package on a team before they get whupped with no entrance is some next-level mixed messaging.
Winner: Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty
The Iron Savages and Jacked Jameson promo. Nope, this is not a joke either. Although this thankfully served some sort of purpose: Killswitch came in and smashed through all of them.
Long as it doesn’t lead to an overly long match Wednesday.
Will Ospreay vs Kyle O’Reilly (International Title)
Backstory: NONE
Seems Kyle’s taken over from AR Fox as the dude who never wins but gets title shots every week anyway. There was a tiny girl jumping and smiling with a ‘BRUV’ sign, which was very cute. Possibly the second-best thing on the show. Crowd into Will, since they generally are but also since plain old bread would taste good after this card and with him they’re getting pizza.
Cagey start, each seeking leg dives, grappling and countering back and forth, down to the mat, up to their feet, Kyle took him down but Ospreay got the ropes. Reset. Ospreay working the arm, Kyle down to his knees, nice legtrip into an armwringer until Will flipped through into a headlock, down to the mat, Kyle trying to counter into a pin but only getting two, Ospreay still holding on, O’Reilly finally forced to break by going through the ropes.
Lockup once more, Kyle headlock which Ospreay kept briefly escaping only for Kyle to grab it once move until walking over the back, rolling through, boot to the face; Ospreay coming back via leapfrog and step-up rana before a vaulting cross body.
Ads. Cagey start more befitting a match between two equals. Needs more oomph. Though it’s obviously going long – ages left.
Back to Ospreay chopping Kyle in the ropes, O’Reilly ready for the handspring – stiff kick to the arm dropping Ospreay before O’Reilly hit a rising knee, legsweep, Ospreay down. Kyle pinning the arm with his feet then continuing to kick away. Hammerlock and knees to the joint. Daniel Garcia’s watching backstage so presumably that’s the next pointless match.
Nigel said he’d have to string together a lot of wins to earn a title shot. Can he book please?
Ospreay hit an AJ forearm for two.
(As the announcers said we’d hear from Swerve ‘later on this telecast.’ There are like fifteen minutes left. And that’s the first mention all night. This company are horrible at promoting. On the subject, nothing to hype MJF’s return Wednesday outside of a brief graphic.)
Kyle again working the arm, snapping it against the ropes from the apron, Ospreay trying to fight him off but ending with his leg stuck in the bottom rope, allowing Kyle to nail a diving knee from the top. Into a kimora, Ospreay got the ropes.
This is dull. Crowd very quiet.
Ospreay tried a sunset flip but Kyle got an armbar. They then wrestled outside where Kyle set Ospreay against the barricade and hit a running dropkick.
Ads.
They said this was for the title, which I’d already forgotten. As Ospreay finally upped the pace a bit via vertical suplex, underhook powerbomb, but couldn’t hold Kyle down long enough to win due to his injured arm.
Then went upstairs and was cut off, arm snapped across the top rope, but hit back via gamengiri from the apron, landing on his feet out of a 450 into a thrust kick but Kyle again had him scouted, following in to block an Oscutter. Another legsweep; Ospreay popped up to hit a hook kick, both down, before they again very obviously skipped ahead in the match, to Kyle catching Ospreay into a triangle out of an Oscutter. Into an armbar. Back to the triangle, Ospreay powering Kyle up into a powerbomb to escape.
Both down.
Kyle to his knees, paintbrushed with kicks, he slipped free to get two via belly to back, Ospreay popped up to nail a Hidden Blade out of nowhere. He readied another, Kyle nailed him with a knee to the face. Schiavone pointed out a very weak ‘A-E-Dub’ chant which quickly died.
Headbutts from their knees. Forearms now. Yay/boo. Ospreay psyching himself up, fighting on their feet now, Kyle hit a stiff kick and discus elbow, Ospreay countered a suplex into a stunner, Hidden Blade, Kyle kicked out. Why? Well, it’s part of the story they introduced a whole hour ago! Also so a Stormbreaker could win seconds later instead.
Probably good if you can ignore it being very long, and obvious who wins. Nigel went on about being proud to be a fan. Between the hour and lack of drama, I’m damn near falling asleep.
The doc checked Ospreay’s arm so possibly that’ll be a story going into the match with Swerve. Equally they might just forget about it like they Danielson’s neck injury.
Kyle’s issue is he wrestles a style suited to dramatic long matches between guys who have an equal chance to win: lots of holds and repeatedly working the same joint suggesting an eventual submission. Except he’s never in any matches where he has an equal chance, he’s either facing someone he’s obviously going to beat – like Bryan Keith, or lose to – like Will Ospreay.
They bowed and shook and etc. for quite a long time. Kyle left, Ospreay conveniently remained in the ring ahead of Swerve seemingly coming out.
Okay, no, they went to a pre-done promo from the champ. That is not what they implied. Swerve said he’d had to be on the pre-show for the past two Forbidden Doors while Ospreay was featured. He said Ospreay hadn’t main evented a ppv yet. And that they need each other.
Without saying why. Seemed like little thought had gone into this.
He then questioned why Strong had a title match Wednesday. He was talking here as if he’d watched this Collision, despite the fact the promo was very obviously pre-shot and he wasn’t even in the building. He also said he’d give Strong what he wanted, as if they hadn’t announced the match already.
Who’s looking forward to the Kingdom interfering throughout a world title match?
Nigel pretending to leave because Mariah May was going to a bar was funny, he and Tony played it well
Lio Rush was fun
*****
Redefined pointless: no feuds or stories whatsoever and just 0.000 doubt about any finishes
Especially when this was taped so they could’ve had guys stay one extra day
The tv time Taylor and Moriarty get is time so many could be benefitting from – every guy in the TNT title whatever-it-is for a start – how bout some wins on tv? Jack Perry for instance
Or go wild and have two women’s matches and introduce Stephanie Vaquer
Or, hell, showcase some tag teams!
Lazy, sloppy booking typified by the inherent acceptance of interference, any one of us with twenty spare minutes could’ve improved this two hours
Outside of that Gauntlet match, a week of weak or pointless tv
Appreciate you reading. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Tonight’s episode of Collision is not live as it was taped on Thursday from the Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California but will air in its usual time slot on TNT at 8PM ET.
Seven matches have been taped for the broadcast including a title match. These are Will Ospreay vs Kyle Fletcher for the AEW International title, Claudio Castagnoli vs Johnny TV, Daniel Garcia teams with Katsuyori Shibata vs The Workhorsemen, Thunder Rosa battles Reina Dorada, the returning Lio Rush takes on Roderick Strong, Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty vs West Coast Wrecking Crew, and The Gates of Agony and Brian Cage vs KM, Danny Gee, and Danny Rose in a trios match.
Chris Jericho will no longer be doing commentary for the AEW Rampage weekly television broadcast. He made the announcement on yesterday’s show.
Jericho said that he’s stopping his commentary gig so he can spend “more time” on Dynamite and Collision and have “three or four or five” segments per week because he loves having his face on television.
The current FTW champion has been doing commentary for Rampage since the show started in 2021 and Matt Menard has replaced him during the weeks that he was not available.
Menard will be replacing Jericho permanently now according to multiple reports.
The first wrestler to qualify for the ladder match to determine the new TNT champion at Forbidden Door is Konosuke Takeshita.
Takeshita defeated Penta El Zero Miedo during last night’s Rampage and is now guaranteed a spot in the match at the next AEW pay-per-view. More qualifying matches will take place over the course of the next couple of weeks.
AEW has not yet announced how many participants will be in this match.
The TNT title was vacated this week after Adam Copeland broke his leg coming off the top of the cage at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view last Sunday.
Jordynne Grace’s next opponent for the TNA Knockouts title will be revealed in an open challenge at the Against All Odds event which will stream exclusively on TNA+ on Friday, June 14.
Grace could be a double champion by that time as she will be taking on Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s title on Sunday, June 9 at the Battleground premium live event in Las Vegas.
Against All Odds will be the first live show after Battleground and with the rumors that NXT stars will be appearing on TNA programming in the weeks to come, it would not be a surprise if her opponent at Against All Odds will be someone from WWE.
Week 13 of WWE’s block on A&E Network only had an hour of programming last week, a new episode of Biography: WWE Legends.
The episode featured the bio of WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry and it drew 218,000 viewers, down 8,000 viewers from the previous episode. It was #53 on the top 50 cable chart for the night with a 0.05 rating in 18-49, down 0.02 from the last show. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
A second Scottish star will be getting her shot at a major WWE championship at Clash at the Castle as Piper Niven has been announced as Bayley’s challenger for the WWE Women’s title.
Niven targeted Bayley last week and yesterday on Smackdown as the program between the two continued ahead of the premium live event.
Fellow Scottish star Drew McIntyre is also getting the top billing at Clash at the Castle when he goes up against World Heavyweight champion Damian Priest.
The show, live from the OVO Hydro, is the first WWE PLE from the country and very expensive tickets are still available starting from £303.50 each. The floor area remains largely unsold due to insane prices, prices which are expected to drop days before the show.
As of today, Saturday, June 1, Becky Lynch is officially a free agent and The Man is “not coming around” anytime soon.
The former multi-time WWE Women’s champion is taking an extended period of time off from professional wrestling, or so it’s alluded, and with her husband out injured for the next several months, it was the perfect opportunity to be home.
Lynch was supposed to take time off after WrestleMania but was brought back when Rhea Ripley was injured during a backstage segment. She won the WWE Women’s World title and kept it for a month before dropping it to Liv Morgan last weekend at King and Queen of the Ring.
The 37-year-old Irish star has been working with WWE since 2013 and it marks the first time in 11 years that she has not held a WWE contract.
While everyone expects Lynch to eventually return to WWE, the possibility of going to AEW is very much there and she could quite easily get one of the biggest, if not the biggest, contract there.
Lynch was non-committal about her future in an interview with Ariel Helwani a week before WrestleMania, telling him that WWE did not offer her a new deal yet. Asked if she’s moving away, she said she’s “WWE” and doesn’t think it will be her last WrestleMania but when pressed if she would be willing to go to a different company, she never gave a clear answer.
Nick Aldis opens the show in the ring and introduces the 2024 Queen of the Ring Nia Jax.
Nia quickly calls out Bayley. As Bayley comes to the ring she is attacked by Piper Niven and Chelsea Green. Chelsea tells Nia she doesn’t have to worry about facing Bayley at SummerSlam because Piper is going to be the champion at that time and Nia says she doesn’t care who the champion is she is going to annihilate her.
AJ Styles is waiting for Nick Aldis, and he asked for some time to address his future tonight.
Tommaso Ciampa VS. Austin Theory
Grayson Waller went over and started yelling at Barrett on commentary and Theory asked him what he was doing. Waller gets on the apron to try to explain when Ciampa runs Theory into Waller and rolls Theory up for the pin.
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa
Aldis is back in his office with Blair Davenport, when Naomi busted in and interrupts and demands her and Bayley get a match with Piper Niven and Chelsea Green and Blair said she was upset with the interruption and Nick said she got it tonight.
LA Knight comes in and he is looking for Logan Paul and Nick tells him to take a seat.
Back from break we saw LA Knight leaving Aldis’ office and Kayla Braxton asked him how his conversation went. He said Paul isn’t here this week. Knight then challenged Logan Paul when Carmelo Hayes walked in. Told Knight he is him and walked away.
Andrade VS. Apollo Crews
Angel came down to ringside and distracted Apollo and Andrade was able to hit the corkscrew suplex and get the win.
Winner: Andrade
The rest of Legado Del Fantasma came out and waited at the top of the ramp and Andrade just walked to the back right through them.
As Solo was getting Tama and Loa ready for tonight, Paul Heyman came in and talked with Solo about having a strategy and when Roman comes back, they need to have Cody Rhodes in check. Solo tells him they have Cody in check, and he doesn’t even know it and Paul says Solo who are we? Just then Kevin Owens comes out and Solo tells Paul to handle that.
Kevin Owens is now in the ring. Kevin said he went to Saudi Arabia to have Randy’s back and he isn’t here tonight due to his knee. But Solo and his people are there, and Paul Heyman comes out and wanted to talk to Kevin and the crowd chanted “we want Roman.” Paul said there is not one person here who wants Roman here more than Paul does. Paul then tells Kevin he had Roman’s respect. He then tells Kevin to please back off the Bloodline.
Kevin asked Paul why he should ever trust anything that ever came out of his mouth because that is what you do. Paul then flips out saying he is a Hall of Fame wise man why won’t anyone listen to him and throws the microphone and hit Kevin with it accidentally.
Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa came out and The Street Profits are out to help Kevin.
The Street Profits VS. Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa
Ford hits the splash on Tama and Tonga comes in and hits Ford with a face drop and got the win.
Winners: Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa
Indi Hartwell confronted Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair and accused them of hurting Candace LeRae.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Michin and Kayla asked if AJ Styles was going to announce his retirement tonight when Nia Jax comes in and interrupts. Michin asked why everyone keeps interrupting her and Nia says I am the queen and don’t step to me, so Michin stepped closer to her, and Nia said you are going to regret that.
Bayley & Naomi VS. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven
As Naomi comes goes for the pin on Chelsea, Piper comes in and saves the match then takes out Naomi and lays Chelsea on top of her and they get the win.
Winners: Chelsea Green & Piper Niven
In the back, LA Knight stops AJ Styles and asked if the rumors are true respect. AJ smiled and walked away. Cody Rhodes then shook AJ’s hand then the O.C. hug AJ and AJ said you guys have been through it all with me and they followed AJ.
AJ Styles comes out to the ring with the O.C. AJ said he understood Nick Aldis saying if he wanted another chance at Cody Rhodes he would have to go to the back of the line and at this point in his career he just cannot do that. He talked about his son graduating and being there for it and maybe it’s time for him to just stay home and be a phenomenal father.
He then called the O.C. over and he told them he loved them, and they are like his brothers. They did the too sweet and hugged. AJ then asked Cody Rhodes to come out.
Cody comes to the ring. AJ tells Cody he had one of his best matches with him in France. And he said this is still the house that AJ Styles built and he called Cody out to hand him the keys. Cody then thanked him, and they hugged. Cody then raised AJ’s arm on all four sides of the ring and on the fourth it was AJ who clotheslined and started stomping Cody.
Styles then throws Cody into the steel ring steps and the steps came apart and after ramming Cody’s head into the ring post, Styles hit the Styles Clash off the half step onto the floor.
Former WWE developmental wrestler and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson is transitioning to the NFL and has signed a deal with the Buffalo Bills.
According to ESPN, Steveson is signing a standard rookie three-year deal and could be a candidate for the practice squad.
“I have been fortunate to compete at the highest level of competition in my sport but am looking forward to the challenge of seeing how my wrestling skills may translate to football,” Steveson told ESPN. “I am grateful to Coach McDermott, Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills organization for giving me this opportunity.”
His agent noted that Steveson is expected to play defensive line and it was the first time that he put on a pair of cleats at a recent workout for the team.
“Bills head coach Sean McDermott — who has a championship high school wrestling background — wanted Steveson to play defensive line and he believes he has the potential it takes to make an impact,” his agent continued. “The Bills were impressed with his level of talent, but also know how raw he is, which makes him a potential ideal practice squad candidate in 2024.”
Steveson signed with WWE in 2021 but his pro wrestling career never took off despite several high-profile appearances and chances. He was released from WWE earlier this year.e
With no competition from the NBA Playoffs, the post-Double or Nothing episode of Dynamite drew 787,000 viewers, up 74,000 viewers from the prior week. It was the best number since April 10. The show had a 0.25 rating in 18-49, up 0.01 from last week and was #2 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Appearing on Busted Open Radio, TNA Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace said that Roxanne Perez had no idea who was going to be her opponent for Battleground and found out in the ring along with the rest of the viewers and fans inside the WWE Performance Center.
“Roxanne had no idea it was me. They wouldn’t tell her,” Grace said. “No one would tell her all day!”
She said that five minutes before the planned segment on television, they brought her out to explain to her who it was but by that point, she was so frustrated that she didn’t want to know and opted to be surprised instead.
“She had no idea it was me,” she added while laughing.
Grace noted that she feels a lot of pressure on her shoulders and there’s big expectations from both TNA and WWE about this program.
Despite heavy competition from the NBA and NHL, NXT drew its best third number of 2024 with 703,000 viewers tuning in, up 49,000 viewers from the prior week. The show had a 0.24 rating in 18-49, up a big 0.07 jump from the previous week, the highest since January 2. It finished #6 on the top 50 cable chart. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
David Sahadi, TNA’s Creative Director, was one of the people let go from the company this week as Anthem Sports & Entertainment started a restructuring at TNA Wrestling.
Sahadi was one of the company’s longest tenured employees, with 18 years of service where he started as a director in 2006. He was promoted to Creative Director in October 2019.
Prior to joining TNA, Sahadi was a Creative Director for WWE for nearly 11 years and was in charge of directing commercials, promotional campaigns, and the cold openings for the shows.
Several members of the TNA staff were given the pink slip but Sahadi was the most prominent official to be given the boot.
The relationship between WWE and TNA is set to expand according to a report on PWInsider.com.
NXT talent are expected to appear on TNA programming as well in the coming weeks in what could be a first crossover where WWE talent appear on another TV show.
TNA Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace appeared on NXT this week and revealed as the challenger for NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez at Battleground. She’s also appearing – and wrestling – on next week’s episode of NXT.
She previously appeared as a surprise entrant at the Royal Rumble this year.
On his weekly podcast, Matt Hardy revealed that his brother’s Jeff contract with AEW is about to expire soon, and thinks it’s valid until “mid-June or so.”
Matt said that Jeff has been cleared for a while now but he’s just sitting at home waiting for the phone call to go to work.
“So, I guess we’ll see if he ends up re-signing or not re-signing,” Matt said. “Who knows?”
Jeff’s run in AEW hasn’t been particularly special, first spending time in rehab and then getting injured in the ring a few months ago, breaking his nose and getting knocked out after being on the receiving end of a Sammy Guevara move.
Hardy hasn’t been seen on AEW TV since that match on February 16.
Acknowledging that his brother is very happy to spend time at home, Matt added that he knows that it’s important for him to finish up on a high note.
“I know that it’s something that he wants to do. So it’s going to be interesting to see what happens,” Matt continued.
The Memorial Day episode of Raw drew 1,690,000 viewers, down 43,000 viewers from last week’s show which had no NBA competition. The NBA Playoffs Finals did air on Monday and topped the night.
Raw started with its best number since April with 1,832,000 viewers in the first hour, then dropped to 1,712,000 viewers in the second hour and down to 1,527,000 viewers in the third.
The show was #3, #4, and #7 in the top 50 cable chart for the night with 0.59, 0.56, and 0.50 ratings respectively for an average of 0.55, down 0.01 from last week. Raw was #3 overall in all of television. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
