Erik of The Viking Raiders posted on social media that he recently underwent neck fusion surgery on the C6/C7 vertebrae.
The surgery was performed by Dr Cordover at Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
Erik expressed his gratitude and thankfulness to the doctor, the staff at Andrews and St. Vincent’s Hospital, as well to WWE for the best care possible.
“I’m excited for all the possibilities once my cybernetic upgrades come fully online,” Erik wrote.
It’s unclear how long he will be out for but typical surgeries take close to a year for a return.
Three new matches have been added to the upcoming Full Gear pay-per-view event for later this month.
Adam Copeland returns to the ring for his second AEW match as he teams up with Sting and Darby Allin to take on Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne in a trios match. Copeland returned yesterday and even speared his former tag team partner in a segment.
A rematch from WrestleDream will also take place as “Hangman” Adam Page gets another shot at Swerve Strickland.
And speaking of rematches, AEW International champion Orange Cassidy will defend his title against former champion Jon Moxley. This is their second pay-per-view match after the two headlined All Out this past September.
Global wrestling is often perceived as one of the most entertaining sports. Therefore, many choose to increase the already high level of entertainment by betting on the sport. Even though betting can seem like a somewhat complex activity, it can be just as enjoyable as it is intricate. Here’s everything you need to know.
How Betting Works
When placing a bet on sports, bettors put their money on the outcome of a game. If bettors are lucky, they can get winnings in return, but if they do not, they lose their money. The winnings depend on the odds. Higher odds will produce a large payout since it is less likely to happen, while low odds show an outcome that is more likely to happen, but bettors won’t get a higher value in return. After having placed a bet, bettors have to wait until the end of the match to see if they are lucky with their bet or not.
Why Some Fans Bet Online
Wrestling might not be the first choice to place a bet on such as football, basketball and the lot, but there are still good reasons why fans wish to place bets on wrestling matches online. By betting on wrestling, fans get a unique possibility, as they have to analyze the wrestlers beforehand.
The unique thing about betting on wrestling compared to betting on football is that it is scripted. Some have criticized betting on wrestling, believing it is too easy to receive insider information on matches. However, only a few people know the outcome of the matches ahead of time and if so, they are unlikely to leak that information.
Betting On The WWE
As WWE events make for some of the most popular professional wrestling events, it would be obvious to know how to bet on WWE. However, sports bettors cannot bet on WWE events in the U.S legally. Even though betting increases fan engagement, there has been hesitation in betting on scripted events as investors fear the possible backlash.
However, some states, such as Michigan and Colorado, could allow betting on wrestling, as the WWE is looking into targeting those states. Those states have already legalized betting on another fixed-result event, increasing the chances of WWE becoming legal. Even though there are efforts to legalize WWE betting, there is a long and challenging journey ahead. Instead, betting on other worldwide brands like New Japan Pro Wrestling can be an option.
What To Know About The Type Of Bets
When betting, there are several betting options to wager on. One of the bets options is betting on the match winner, where bettors simply place a bet on who they believe will win the match. Bettors also have the opportunity to bet on the first-time winner. Besides betting on the possible winner, it is possible to bet on who will last the longest time in the ring. Before an event, bettors can also bet on the possibility of a specific wrestler appearing in an event and a specific wrestler who will be the first to appear in the ring.
Conclusion
Betting can be an entertaining way to elevate the experience as a wrestler fan. Even though the events are scripted, it can be enjoyable to try and analyze the wrestlers beforehand. Furthermore, because of the different types of bets available, fans have more options than just betting on which wrestler will win the match. Sometimes, it can be an advantage that wrestling is scripted, as they will often have the same types of storylines and make the same wrestler win. Besides WWE, there are several international brands, such as the NJPW and the AEW, as bettors can try to place bets on those matches.
The important announcement hyped by Tony Khan for Dynamite last night ended up being the on-sale date for All In 2024.
Tickets for the Wembley Stadium event, which looks to be now a yearly affair, will go on sale on Friday, December 1 at Ticketmaster.co.uk, with a pre-sale kicking off a few days earlier on November 27. The event takes place on Sunday, August 25.
“AEW: All In London permanently etched AEW in the history books, setting the world record for most tickets sold for any show in the history of professional wrestling,” said Tony Khan in a press release. “Wembley Stadium also holds a special place in my heart as l’ve now been there as part of three different sports properties, and have witnessed over 80,000 fans in the stands for all three.”
AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the KFC Yum Center in Louisville, KY. After last week drawing 774,000 & 0.24 in the 18-49 demo. That demo ties the lowest since mid-2020.
In what was a bad week for ratings. Totally unrelated, Tony Khan has an ‘important announcement’ tonight. About the rising cost of macadamias or something.
*****
They opened by recapping last week’s main event tag and Claudio threatening to ‘hurt’ Cassidy for what happened to Danielson. Then recapped the AEW Title match between Max and Omega.
*****
Before going immediately to Renee backstage with Max. MJF was all joke-y. Renee mentioned he needed to find three partners for later and has a lot of enemies. Max has a list and hopes there are three ‘who aren’t complete a-holes’. But wants advice from his ‘brochacho’ Adam Cole on video chat. Cole, who’d kindly interrupted building a bomb in the woods to take the call, was all smiles.
He said he was ‘hangin’ in there’ but put over Max for being the longest-reigning champ in company history. He’s frustrated he can’t be there for him since he has everyone gunning for him. MJF vowed to retain their tag titles. Max left and Roddy and the Kingdom rolled up with the usual yelling. Strong asked if we were still pretending Max isn’t the devil, Cole ended the call.
The man in the mask then looked into the camera.
So the same as last week. Would have liked this setup a lot more if MJF had y’know, mentioned his title. Vowed to get it back. Sounded serious. Not smiled and joked.
Claudio Castagnoli vs Orange Cassidy (International Title)
Backstory: Castagnoli pinned Orange last week in a tag and wants vengeance after his teammate Danielson emerged from it with an injury
They explained Danielson’s injury as Orange made his entrance. A stern, serious Claudio marched straight to the ring (can you have a word with Max CC?). Yuta in tow.
An aggressive Claudio went right for Orange, the latter ducking and dodging until being snatched into a big powerbomb. Scoop slam next, leaping stomp, running boot to the face, aggressive knees to the gut, Cassidy left in a crumpled heap in the corner. Claudio doing exactly what he said he was going to.
Cassidy was whipped to the corner, slipped to the apron, whacked the Swiss’ head against the buckle for ten but was caught off the top into a backbreaker right back up and twisted round into a chestbreaker. Dude strong.
More knees, Cassidy left on his as Claudio aimed chops until the champ dropped off the apron. Claudio threw him back in, Orange rolled across and out the other side, Claudio threw him back in, rinse and repeat. No messing around from Claudio who met him with a running lariat.
Orange slipped behind to shove Castagnoli to the buckle, tope suicida, a second – very slowly performed – was caught and the champ was dropped against the apron out of a military press. Hook came out – complete with backpack – to confront Yuta and both were sent backstage.
Claudio put Orange on his shoulders and casually carried him back up the steps to the ring, up the buckle too, where Cassidy hit a few shots, tried a sunset bomb, Claudio blocked it, hauled him back up into a delayed suplex from upstairs, keeping him there a good ten seconds. So impressive the crowd cheered the heel.
Ads. Really good start, Claudio’s style and demeanour match his promises from Saturday and his pissed-off character.
The beating continued on our return though it was only p-in-p as they showed Hook and Yuta continuing to argue backstage and Hook being ejected from the building after putting his hands on an official. Like, that’s pretty much literally what he did from what was shown.
Claudio seemingly had missed a charge in the corner, Cassidy dropkicked him into the ringpost, kipped up, Claudio outside, Cassidy hurled himself through the ropes into a tornado ddt on the ringside mats. Back inside, to the top, Claudio caught him off the top again, seeking a powerbomb, Cassidy countered to stundog millionaire, looking for another tornado ddt, Claudio countered into the Giant Swing which got a big pop.
Right down into the Sharpshooter, middle of the ring, Cassidy nearly got the ropes, was dragged back, nearly tapping as he looked to counter the hold, finally getting onto his back only for Claudio to transfer into a crossface. Wrenching back, again dead center, Cassidy shaking his fists so as not to tap, he hooked the leg for a two count but was smacked by a Claudio lariat as they got to their feet.
Hammer & anvil to boos, Claudio went for the Ricola Bomb but Cassidy went limp. Claudio hauled him up by his jeans, went for the bomb again, Cassidy again looked to counter into Stundog, Claudio blocked it by catching him into a sleeper, lifting him off the mat and swinging him around while still in the hold. Crowd reacted big to that too.
The champ just about out, the hands nearly dropped, he got the pockets instead, kicked off the buckle, rolled through, popping up to hit an Orange Punch, Claudio stayed on his feet, Cassidy hooked and hit Beach Break, Claudio rolled outside to avoid the pin.
Ref’s count at nine when he made it back in, Cassidy slumped in the corner, Claudio down in the middle, Cassidy to his feet – the new kicks which got progressively faster and stiffer, down into stomps, running punt, Punch coming, Claudio blocked it, looking for a Rainmaker, Cassidy slipped free to land a tornado ddt, the Swiss just kicked out.
Cassidy to the corner, readying another Punch, he rushed Claudio who popped him up into the air where Cassidy hooked a hurracanrana to win.
Excellent opener. The story was that Claudio was pissed and wanted revenge and he wrestled like it, beating the crap out of Orange until the champ just escaped with his belt.
Cassidy still in a heap on the ramp, Wild Thing interrupted as Moxley stomped through the crowd. Cassidy ran into the ring to face him and was pounded down. Endless shots from the mount. Security finally came out but were fought off by Mox and Claudio. The beating continued until Claudio finally dragged Moxley away. Crowd chanted for him as he left up the ramp.
Winner: Orange Cassidy
Backstage MJF continued his search. This time he knocked on Kenny Omega’s locker room. Jericho answered, Max asked if Kenny was in, Jericho just shut the door. Max left, Wardlow appeared from out of nowhere, grabbing him by the neck and shoving him against the wall.
Max looked terrified as Wardlow said ‘You took everything from me, now I’m gonna take everything from you. When you least expect it.’ Then left. A few Wardlow chants in the crowd as Max coughed and spluttered, searching for breath.
He slammed the list down and broke his clipboard so was going to get a new one when two ‘scissor’ fingers appeared around the corner. Big pop from the crowd. Caster again asked him to team, he again walked off, Bowens again yelled ‘Dammit Max!’ at Caster.
And I’ll ask again, why are Gunn and Bowens up for this when they totally weren’t only a couple weeks ago?
*****
Moxley backstage promo. He said Fenix sacrificed his body just to put him down for three seconds and Cassidy ‘picked up the scraps’. He showed Cassidy respect when no-one else did, allowed him to leave the ring under his own power in Chicago. He’s ‘not doin’ too good’, Cassidy might just be the wrong guy at the wrong time but he’s gonna beat him to within an inch of his life at Full Gear ‘with my bare hands, just because I can’.
Are they heels again?
Mox’s promos bottom out at ‘good’. This was about that level.
Hangman Page & the Young Bucks vs Gates of Agony & Brian Cage (ROH Six-man Titles)
Backstory: NONE
Did they advertise this cause I wasn’t aware of it? Anyway, after Swerve broke into his home and threatened his infant son last week, Hangman posed and did the routine atop the ramp to Carry on My Wayward Son while Strickland’s minions were right there in the ring. An angle like that required Page to be, well, like Claudio.
We should’ve had an early promo or him storming through backstage trying to find Strickland or vowing to beat his minions so badly Swerve has to come out and face him (Angles to promote matches!? Why, the very idea). Instead we’ve got scissor comedy.
Nana wasn’t at ringside after last week. The announcers asked whether Page would be able to resist going after him if he was. Evidence suggests he would.
He and Kaun started things off, Page beat him down in the corner then knocked the other two off the apron. They just waltzed in and whipped him to the ropes, the Bucks cleared them out the ring with dropkicks, Page knocked Kaun out with a springboard lariat, the faces hit dives to all three.
Kaun and Page back to it, Nick tagged in, the faces all walloped Kaun in the corner, the other heels still down. Matt and Page held Kaun in the ropes for Nick to land a senton.
Ads.
Page got the tag, fighting off both Gates, lariat to Kaun, Page stopped to pose then clotheslined himself and Leona over to the outside. Then landed a pop-up powerbomb to Kaun back inside. Buckshot was coming when Swerve yelled ‘Whose House?’ over the mic. Then said last week he was at Page’s house. Page ran after him, tagging Nick. Who was surrounded by the heels. He fought off Cage and Leona until a Cage lariat caught him.
Out-to-in suplex from the apron, Matt scrapped with Kaun but he was now fighting three-on-one. And was spiked with a double chokeslam, crowd dead with the heels on top. A powerbomb, knee strike, face-first slam to Nick got the win. The crowd booed like the Dark Order were beating down the Elite again.
Really liked Swerve’s performance in that angle last week but this hurt the angle because Page acted like it was any old Wednesday: Claudio needs to give a class in how to wrestle pissed off. Backstage, Page finally got to Swerve but they were immediately separated. In the ring, Matt Jackson threw a fit, smacking a chair against the ringpost.
Winner: Gates of Agony & Brian Cage
Backstage, MJF thought about knocking on Samoa Joe’s door but thought better of it. He then wrote ‘EMO BITCH’ on Darby Allin’s placard. The Acclaimed were waiting behind with a sign saying ‘PICK US’. Max walked off.
*****
In the ring, Schiavone introduced Adam Copeland who got a huge pop and milked it. Schiavone asked about him being confronted by Sting and Darby last week. Copeland asked the crowd to give it up for Tony then said if fans knew ‘all the hats he wears backstage’ they’d cheer even louder. ‘Tony must’ve slipped him a $100 bill’ deadpanned Excalibur. Great line.
Copeland talked about him and Sting going a long way back. They’ve talked for years because they’ve had similar injuries and been there for each other. And thinks Darby Allin is one of the next big stars in wrestling. Then said he knew what Tony was really asking was if he’d team with them at Full Gear.
Christian out to interrupt with Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne. He promised to retire Sting at Full Gear after already ruining Darby Allin’s arm. He reminded Copeland of his neck problems and suggested he ‘back down… right now’. Or he’d ‘snap your neck’ and leave Copeland in a wheelchair. His kids’ll have to wipe the drool away for the rest of his life.
Cage saw this ‘wasn’t sinking in’ so sent his goons who Copeland quickly dispatched. Meanwhile Cage had snuck in, Copeland caught him but kindly stood still for ages so Luchasaurus could attack from behind with a lariat to the neck. Wayne hit Wayne’s World, again targeting the neck.
They were readying a con-chair-to when Sting’s music led he and Darby to the ring. Allin went right after Cage, Cage quickly turned the tables and pounded Allin in the corner. Copeland was waiting though, nailing him with a Spear. Copeland’s finally angry I guess: the threat, promise and horrible words weren’t enough but when you bring lariats into it… gametime. Copeland told Sting and Allin he was ‘your man’ at Full Gear.
Couldn’t care less. Already so bored of Copeland and this E&C story.
*****
Tony Khan with Nigel McGuinness. It’s the start of the holiday season – his gift for fans is the announcement of next year’s All In, August 25th 2024. They go on sale next month but you can sign up for early access at ticketmaster.co.uk. McGuinness went on and on about Wembley and told the story – again – about being at Wembley in 1992. Has a single one of these announcements ever met the hype?
Matt Menard & Angelo Parker vs Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho
Backstory: Seemingly Callis has recruited 2.0 to attack the faces
Unless Callis is clearly using the former JAS-ers, their involvement diminishes the Callis Family. Significantly. They’re a comedy act and very much a lower card one; the Family (excepting Sammy on occasion) are all business.
Hager out with 2.0. The Callis Family stood behind the announcers as Callis joined. We waited round while fans sung Judas for the millionth time. Omega seemed to get a much bigger pop. After showing highlights at the start, Taz got a sentence out about the AEW Title match from Saturday and that was the end of it.
Excalibur told us the faces were called the Golden Jets but not why. Classic AEW.
2.0 yelled that Jericho didn’t know what he had. This match was so important that they shot the announcers while Excalibur made a joke at Callis’ expense. Then rushed to a break.
Back to Omega chopping Menard, tag to Jericho, he ran through Parker, axe handle off the top, big pop for the Ocho as he worked the crowd. Excalibur continues calling them Golden Jets without explaining why. Jericho springboard dropkicked Menard off the apron, Codebreaker to Parker, Menard broke the pin. Omega in, snapdragon to Menard, V Trigger to Jake Hager who was halfway through the ropes into the ring.
Jericho and Parker the legal men, Menard hit Jericho with the bat as he went for a Lionsault, Jericho kicked out. Parker was handed the bat and swung it – all of this while Aubrey just watched on. He swung wildly, Jericho ducked, Judas Effect, win.
Excalibur sold this as Parker risking a DQ to do Callis’ dirty work. And will not shut up about Golden Jets. It’s like they’re trying to make fun of you if you don’t know. Which is the opposite of their job.
Winner: Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho
Don Callis Promo & Match Setup
Callis gave the two credit for being smashed by his guys but still coming back. Maybe they need to finish this ‘on the street’. He challenged them to a streetfight in two weeks for Dynamite. Then called them ‘dummies’. Jericho made fun of that. Omega did too – Omega said none of this was about rules, it was about hurting them, so yeah they accept. But he’s got someone to help him – Kota Ibushi. Kyle Fletcher is just randomly with the Family now. So Callis said there were four of them including Sammy who wasn’t there and the faces only had three.
Jericho then brought out his friend who is bigger than Hobbs. Callis insisted no-one was bigger than Hobbs. Jericho said Hobbs is big but not a giant. Paul Wight came out. Kyle Fletcher – who was being pushed as a real up-and-comer in October – ran at Wight and was dropped with a single punch.
Was already thinking this was a match we’ve seen. Adding Paul Wight certainly doesn’t make it better.
Ads.
*****
Renee was with Omega and Jericho in Omega’s locker room. The Bucks were in the background and interrupted. Matt asked what was the point of the Elite getting back together was if they don’t have each others’ backs. Then asked who ‘let this prick’ (Jericho) in, mentioning what Jericho did to their dad a couple years back (he also turned face about two weeks after annihilating that middle-aged man).
Jericho goaded the Bucks about losing their titles and warned them not to talk about him like that. Omega said it was ‘enemy of my enemy’ stuff. Matt was fired up, left with Nick and told them to ‘enjoy our locker room’. None of them seemed concerned about their friend whose home was just invaded.
Not into this either. Cannot stand constant infighting. In two years’ time, whatever, but they’ve only been back together about six months. Guess a tag between these four would be fun.
Hikaru Shida vs Willow Nightingale (Women’s Title)
Backstory: NONE
Y’all didn’t know I had pull like this huh? Well I got all the stroke around here, you slapnutz are… crap I’m turning into Jeff Jarrett. Ehhhhnyway, this is just what’s needed after two sub-par female clashes.
Grapple to the ropes, clean break. Excalibur had to say John Cena’s name pushing Wipeout and they joked a little about it. Willow slipped behind and bagged two via rollup, smashed Shida twice to the ground, a third time after Shida tried to fight back, low cross body, two. Shida to the corner, crowd absolutely silent as Willow attempted a whip. Shida reversed it but was caught onto Willow’s shoulders, Shida slipped behind, standing switch, Shida bridged Willow to the apron and knocked her off with a weak knee strike. Diving cross body off the apron brought the break.
Shida blocked a suplex into one of her own. For two. Shida running boot in the corner, Willow cartwheeled out of a whip, reaping enziguri, hip attack in the corner, lariat, high boot, spinebuster, two. Hard to get into this with so little atmosphere.
Shida threw a right, Willow responded, Shida threw a knee strike to the arm to block, big elbow strike but Willow knocked her down via lariat, missile dropkick from the middle. Shida popped up to hit one of her own, both down.
Soooo quiet as Shida went upstairs, Willow cut her off, looking for a DVD from the top, Shida fought it off to just about pull off an avalanche Falcon Arrow. Willow kicked out immediately and the crowd briefly woke. Another strike exchange until Willow landed a pounce, crowd again making a little noise as Willow fired up, straps down, DVD, close count.
Dr. Bomb countered into a rana, Willow came back with a big lariat, exchange of rollups up into a big knee strike from the champ, Willow kicked out. Katana coming, hit, win. Didn’t Abadon kick out of that? Not as good as I’d hoped but a lot better than Shida’s last two matches. Not that either of those were on her.
They shook and hugged after the match until Toni Storm came out. Shida looked exasperated. Apparently this is Storm ‘stealing the spotlight’ from Shida. Shida slapped the shoe out of the Butler’s hand then nailed Storm with a running knee as she was prancing on the apron. She chased Storm backstage. Continue to wonder what exactly Toni did to earn this shot.
The lights then went down and Julia Hart appeared behind Willow.
Willow wasn’t dumb; turned around prepared, smiling. Julia offered her hand, Skye Blue came down and stared down Hart. Hart nodded, Blue pretended to go after Willow but turned and sprayed Hart with some blue mist. Nice, two babyfaces who aren’t dumb. Blue’s clearly been ‘playing possum’. Julia screamed ‘Curse you!’ from outside the ring.
Winner: Hikaru Shida
Backstage MJF was still by himself. The Acclaimed & Billy rolled up on him, Bowens jammed their line in as usual. Caster said they’d team with him if he’d scissor them and wear what was in a garbage bag he handed to him. MJF looked inside, was disgusted and said he had one more group on his list. Which was Jarrett and etc. They were right behind and cackled and said ‘C’mon MAX’.
This is for the world champ to get his belt back right?
Renee was about to do something when Strong and the Kingdom rolled up to call Adam Cole live on air. Strong told Cole Max hadn’t picked them and called him a jerk. Cole told him to ‘shut up’.
Main event’s next! Boy I’m psyched for this super serious attempt by the babyface world champion to regain his prestigious title.
Said it before, sure I’ll say it again, AEW have no idea when to leave the comedy alone. Even if it’s the funniest thing ever, sometimes it just isn’t the time or place. Not that any of this was funny.
MJF, the Acclaimed & Billy Gunn vs Bullet Club Gold
Backstory: If MJF’s team wins, he gets his world title back after Jay White stole it
BCG out first. They haven’t been mentioned all show. No promo time to taunt MJF or push the match, nothing.
The Acclaimed’s music hit, Caster cut a really nice rap in both flow and content. So presumably Max has scissored them and put on the outfit? Yes was the answer as he came out in a ‘Scissor Me’ tee, pink trunks and pads and a pink scarf. They pushed World’s End at this exact moment. While their world champion was knee deep in comedy.
Juice and Max to start, Max demanded White, the New Zealander tagged in but fled to his corner when Max attacked (I’ll use Max for MJF and Caster for Caster FYI). Juice back in, Bowens too, Bowens landed a thrust kick and his over the shoulder legdrop. Series of chops and strikes, thrust kick to finish, Juice fled to tag Austin. Bowens tagged his dad. (Bowens=good.)
Austin hit a few jabs but no-one ever gets one over on Billy. Ever. He sent a bunch of heels packing until only Jay White was left standing. White said he was the Gunns’ father now, did the ‘Suck it!’ motion and hit a few chops. But the 60-year-old ignored them to knock down the early-30s #1 contender and send him packing outside.
With the heels booted, the Acclaimed wanted their scissor. Max rejected it to boos.
Ads.
Back to Bowens in the heels’ corner. Colten missed a corner splash, Bowens tagged Billy once more, double elbow strike and scissor elbow drop. For two. This was all MJF ‘desperately wanting the title back’, per Schiavone. They held Colten for Scissor Me Timbers, the ring was cleared again, the other faces wanted the scissor from Max. Have BCG become a lower mid-card act and I missed it? Did they get in a backstage fight?
White in, he flung Caster outside where the jackals circled. The other faces tried to help but the ref intervened while the heels worked over Caster. Then threw him back in, White threw him right back out, repeat the whole thing with the faces and the ref. White got a pair of two counts when Caster was flung in for the second time.
Crowd chanting for the champ now as Caster was immediately flung back out on the heels side for the third time in as many minutes. Bowens and Billy were dumped over the barricade while they ran down the ppv. Jay White preened in the ring, Max just watched him from the opposite apron.
White worked over Caster while MJF watched until finally he tagged MJF. White fled outside while Max ran through the rest of BCG while slams. Max chased White round the ring only to run back in and be tripped by the Gunns, he countered 3:10 to Yuma into a ddt then hit his Kangaroo Kick. As White slipped behind, Bladerunner, win.
WHAT A STUPID BABYFACE. AN ABSOLUTE MORON. He could’ve got his belt back but lost it cause he hit a Kangaroo Kick. Perfect synopsis of this match. Which the crowd had fun watching but was just total comedy. This is exactly why they can’t sell tickets. Everything’s a joke.
The heels tried to attack, the Acclaimed ran them off, leaving White and MJF in the ring, White prepping a belt shot. Caster shoved Max out the way and took the belt shot. MJF was concerned and checked on Caster before yelling at the BCG for hurting the guy he’s been best friends with for fifteen minutes.
Max was going to leave; Billy totally seriously, all fired-up, demanded MJF scissor with them after what Caster had just sacrificed. I’m in disbelief. He did and Caster crawled to MJF and hugged him round the waist till Max shoved him away.
I may have got a little carried away praising Collision but did really enjoy the show; this peaked with the opener.
Darby Allin vs Lance Archer (‘WOW!’, said the announcers at this)
Swerve Strickland vs AR Fox
16/11 Dynamite:
Jericho, Omega, Ibushi & Wight vs Callis Family
Added to Full Gear:
Toni Storm vs Hikaru Shida (Women’s Title)
Hangman Page vs Swerve Strickland II
Jon Moxley vs Orange Cassidy II (International Title)
Thumbs Up/Down
Story of Skye Blue suckering Julia Hart into believing she’d been turned
Claudio vs Orange
Continuing Wardlow story – feels like he has an edge now he’s allowed to speak and MJF sold really well for him
*****
Not sure I’ve ever seen a show-long angle built around comedy
Edge, Christian, Sting, Big Show, Jericho, Billy Gunn were all prominent on this show – not a single one made a younger guy look good (to be clear – criticizing the booking, not them)
A man in a devil mask who just looks into the camera once a show never to be referred to again is not a story – there are supposed to be developments, hints, discussions – whatever it takes to make people curious; I keep forgetting the storyline exists
They didn’t sell the severity of that Strickland angle
As it’s often the case when Dynamite pulls a low number the previous week, AEW President Tony Khan is back to his “important announcement” trick for tonight’s broadcast.
Khan wrote that for many, today is the start of the holiday season and he’ll have an important announcement for AEW fans worldwide. Khan did not have any additional info.
Also announced for tonight are Orange Cassidy vs Claudio Castagnoli for the AEW International title, Kenny Omega teams with Chris Jericho to take on Matt Menard and Angelo Parker, and Jay White, Juice Robinson, and The Gunns battle MJF and three partners of his choosing.
Speaking to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Sting said that he hoped to finish maybe in December but that all changed when Ric Flair arrived.
The Stinger mentioned that he got emotional and actually cried only twice in his career.
“The first was Panama City when Ric and I had the last WCW match on Nitro,” Sting said. “The second was last week on Dynamite.”
Flair was introduced to the AEW audience as Sting’s gift from AEW President Tony Khan.
“When Ric came out and I heard his music play, it hit me,” continued Sting. “I had this flashback, and it made me emotional. Ric is the guy who put me on the map. We’ve traveled around the world together, and Ric helped make me. Now he’s going to finish with me.”
Sting said that AEW reminded him a lot of the WCW brand and thanked AEW President Tony Khan for allowing him to come back and have some fun.
“I liked that idea. I couldn’t say no,” Sting recounted when Khan called him to “go out in style.”
After defeating Kenny Omega in the main event of Collision on Saturday night, MJF locked in his place as the longest-reigning AEW World champion, now standing at 347 days, one more than Omega.
There have been only six different AEW World champions in the promotion’s short history so far and our favorite scumbag tops the combined list as well as Jon Moxley, with three reigns, was standing on 347 days as well.
Adam Page and Chris Jericho are both on one title reign with 197 and 182 days respectively while CM Punk has 90 days with his two reigns.
MJF’s next title defense will come at Full Gear on November 19 against “Switchblade” Jay White. MJF won the vacant title at Dynamite: Grand Slam on September 21, 2022 after he beat Bryan Danielson in the tournament final.
NXT star Gigi Dolin and Impact Wrestling star Zachary Wentz announced their engagement on social media.
The two went on a Disney cruise for Halloween week and that is where Wentz proposed.
“I have been through a lot of heartache and so has @ZacharyWentz over the years,” Dolin said. “With each other we found peace, a best friend, we found home. And of course, he popped the question on the first night at The Rose.”
Wentz is the former Nash Carter in NXT who was fired last year after winning the NXT Tag Team titles with his partner Wes Lee during WrestleMania weekend. His estranged ex-wife and fellow wrestler Kimber Lee, accused him of domestic violence and later published a photo of him doing the Hitler Nazi salute.
Several wrestlers jumped to Wentz’ defense, including current AEW World champion MJF. Wentz eventually returned to Impact Wrestling in June of this year.
“There’s so much I could say, but the bottom line is my heart is so full, I couldn’t have asked for a better human,” Dolin said of Wentz. “Now it’s time to take on the world because “Adventure is out there!'”
In the realm of combat sports, two distinct worlds often collide, creating a unique and captivating fusion of entertainment and athleticism. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and professional wrestling are two seemingly contrasting forms of combat, but they share more similarities than one might think.
In this article, we’ll explore the intriguing relationship between UFC and wrestling, delving into their shared history, differences, and ways in which they continue to influence each other.
Shared History of UFC and Wrestling
The shared history of UFC and wrestling can be traced back to the early days of both sports. Though relatively younger, the UFC was initially dominated by talented wrestlers who used their grappling skills to conquer opponents. At the same time, professional wrestling was evolving, with promoters often borrowing elements from real combat sports like UFC to add a dash of authenticity to their shows.
The two worlds began to overlap as athletes started crossing over from one field to another, enthralled by new challenges and opportunities. This marked the beginning of a rich, intertwined history that continues to shape the landscape of combat sports today.
Differences Between UFC and Wrestling
Let’s take a deeper look into how these aspects differentiate the two.
Rules and Regulations: The UFC, as a form of mixed martial arts, abides by a strict set of rules designed to ensure fair competition and protect the athletes’ safety. Matches are won by knockout, submission, or judges’ decision, with a strict prohibition against certain strikes and maneuvers. In contrast, although professional wrestling has its own rules, it is widely recognized as a form of sports entertainment where the outcomes are predetermined and the focus is on theatrical performance.
Audience and Appeal: The UFC appeals to a demographic that appreciates real combat, athleticism, and the unpredictable nature of the contests. It’s about the thrill of watching two skilled fighters testing their skills and will against each other. Professional wrestling, on the other hand, draws in fans with its larger-than-life characters, dramatic storylines, and highly choreographed performances. It’s a spectacle, a show that’s as much about storytelling as physical combat.
Influence of Wrestling on UFC
Inside the octagon, the skills and techniques of wrestling provide a potent toolset for UFC fighters. They can control the pace of the fight, dictate where it goes, and exhaust their opponents. Many successful UFC champions, such as Georges St-Pierre and Brock Lesnar, have backgrounds in wrestling, and their dominance in the octagon can be attributed in part to their wrestling skills.
Outside the octagon, the wrestling world has shaped UFC’s approach to promotion and entertainment. Wrestling’s emphasis on character personas and dramatic narratives has reached the UFC stage, creating a spectacle beyond the fights. This has allowed UFC to expand its audience base, attracting fans who enjoy the theatrical elements as much as the physical combat.
The larger-than-life personas of fighters like Conor McGregor or Ronda Rousey and the dramatic build-up to their fights owe a lot to the influence of professional wrestling. It’s a testament to the fascinating ways these two worlds of combat sports continue to intersect and influence each other.
Influence of UFC on Wrestling
Inside the ring, there has been a noticeable increase in the incorporation of MMA-style moves into wrestling matches. This realism adds an exciting layer of intensity and unpredictability that fans appreciate. Fighters with UFC experience, like Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey, have brought the ruthless aggression and technical prowess characteristic of the UFC into the wrestling ring, further blurring the lines between the two sports.
Outside the ring, the UFC’s emphasis on real combat and genuine rivalries has encouraged wrestling promotions to adopt similar elements in their storylines. This has led to more realistic and gripping narratives, enhancing the overall spectacle of wrestling. Furthermore, the UFC’s success in leveraging digital platforms to reach a wider audience has been emulated by wrestling promotions, leading to a renewed focus on social media and online content.
The constantly shifting UFC fight odds add an element of unpredictability that wrestling promotions have started to mimic, creating an atmosphere of suspense and anticipation to keep fans engaged. Thus, the UFC’s influence on wrestling profoundly reshapes how wrestling is performed and perceived. This dynamic interplay between UFC and wrestling continues to evolve, creating a symbiotic relationship that enriches both sports.
Notable Personalities in Both Arenas
Several remarkable personalities have graced the UFC and wrestling arenas, leaving an indelible mark on both sports. These crossover stars have drawn attention and audiences to both platforms, giving fans a unique experience.
Brock Lesnar: A powerhouse in both worlds, Lesnar made his name in WWE before transitioning to UFC, where he became a heavyweight champion. He is known for his imposing presence and ruthless aggression, which made him a top draw in both sports. Lesnar’s successful transition showcased the viability of crossover between the two sports.
Ronda Rousey: Rousey is a trailblazer in combat sports. A former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, she revolutionized women’s MMA with her judo skills and fierce competitiveness. Rousey later transitioned to WWE, where she continued to break barriers, becoming a key figure in the women’s evolution movement.
CM Punk: Known for his charismatic persona and mic skills in WWE, Punk made a high-profile switch to UFC. Although his UFC career didn’t pan out as successfully as he had hoped, Punk’s move generated significant interest and media attention.
Ken Shamrock: Dubbed “The World’s Most Dangerous Man,” Shamrock had significant careers in UFC and WWE. Shamrock, a former UFC Superfight Champion, brought legitimacy to WWE in the late ’90s with his MMA background.
Bobby Lashley: A dominant figure in WWE, Lashley has also successfully run in MMA, fighting in organizations like Bellator and Strikeforce. His wrestling prowess and physical strength have made him a formidable competitor in both sports.
It was a rough night for Monday Night Raw this week as the show drew one of the lowest numbers ever, with an average of just 1,390,000 viewers, the least-watched Raw since September 18. Raw had NFL and MLB competition with a combined audience of over 23 million viewers.
Raw started with 1,450,000 viewers in the first hour, increased slightly to 1,466,000 viewers in the second hour, but took a major hit to 1,256,000 viewers in the third hour.
Raw was #5, #6, and #8 in the top 50 cable chart for the night with 0.46, 0.44, and 0.39 ratings respectively for an average of 0.43, down 0.03 from last week. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
The Iron Survivor Challenge will return at NXT Deadline next month, with qualifying matches starting next week on NXT on USA Network.
Introduced last year, the Iron Survivor Challenge pits five different NXT stars in a match lasting 25 minutes. The first two start the match and at every five-minute interval, the remaining wrestlers enter the match. To win the match, you need to earn the most points by scoring a pinfall, submission, or are on the receiving end of a DQ finish. Those who lose each fall must go in a 90-second penalty box.
Men and women’s Iron Survivor Challenge matches were held during the show last year, with both Grayson Waller and Roxanne Perez winning their respective matches. The winners become the #1 contenders for the NXT or NXT Women’s titles.
NXT Deadline takes place on December 9 from the Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.com.
Solana casinos have a large following of players and the number of casinos that accept Solana expands all the time. Players are always looking for casinos that accept altcoins and that offer good service as well, and Solana is a perfect choice for many.
In this article, we’ll go over why Solana online casinos are better than others with similar features. We’ll also talk about a few downsides that players using Solana casinos should be aware of. Our focus is mostly on casino features, rather than on individual games or events players could take part in.
What are Solana Casinos?
Solana casinos are gambling establishments that accept Solana as a payment option. Solana is a cryptocurrency altcoin based on blockchain technology. It’s a relatively new addition to the world of cryptocurrencies as it’s only been operational since 2020. Solana managed to get quite a player pool due to its safety features and scalability.
When it comes to the games and services they provide, Solana casinos are similar to other crypto casinos. Players can bet on games of luck and skill, as well as on sports. These casinos offer betting tournaments and provide bonuses to reward long-term and loyal players. All of these work the same as they would with any other traditional fiat currency.
Pros of Using Solana Casinos
There are many benefits of using Solana casinos. These mostly come from the unique tech features of the cryptocurrency itself. Since Solana casinos are on the rise in terms of popularity, they also expand when it comes to the features and services they provide. More and more players are using Solana casinos, proving that these benefits are valued by users.
Betting Anonymously
Cryptocurrency casinos allow players to bet without providing the casino with their personal information. There are no centralized financial structures involved in Solana casinos and therefore the players can connect the casino account to a crypto wallet with nothing but an email.
It’s important to note, however, that some Solana casinos require players to provide their real name in accordance with Know Your Customer Laws. There are still jurisdictions where this law doesn’t apply. Players who care about this feature can still choose from a pool of casinos that allow anonymous betting.
Fast Payments
Using Solana casinos provides players with fast and secure payments. The blockchain technology that powers Solana allows players to receive and make payments instantly. There are no centralized financial structures behind Solana and therefore the payments are processed right away.
Safety features such as two-step authentication also make sure that the players can’t make payments by accident. Players who usually bet on their mobile devices find these features to be useful and superior to fiat currency payments.
Accessibility
Solana casinos are available all over the world as the currency isn’t connected to any national bank or other financial institution. There are countries that ban both online gambling and the use of cryptocurrencies, but with the use of VPNs, players can access the casinos and use Solana to pay for their wagers and withdraw their winnings.
Since there’s no bank to process the payments, there’s no way for anyone involved to track where the payments have taken place. This opens up a whole new demographic of players who have disposable income and want to try their hand at online gambling.
Provably Fair Bets
Casinos that use Solana as a payment option also have provably fair odds for their games. The odds of winning a game are written into the cryptocurrency code and the payment is executed automatically once the terms of the bet are met.
This means that a player can make sure that the edge in favor of the casino is fair and acceptable to them. All games do have a small age in favor of the casino, even when they are based on skill. However, the ability to use open code allows players to be sure about the casino they plan to use when it comes to the odds.
Cons of Using Solana Casinos
There are downsides to using Solana casinos that players should keep in mind. Some of these are about the intrinsic qualities of Solana itself and others apply to any cryptocurrency. It’s up to every player individually to weigh the pros against the cons and make their call.
Solana is Volatile
Cryptocurrencies aren’t issued by a central national bank. The value of Solana is therefore based on market forces alone – it’s worth what users are willing to pay for it. This is what makes cryptocurrencies so popular, as they allow users to break away from traditional financial institutions.
This means that the amount the player has won in a Solana casino may end up being worth less, as the value of Solana drops on the market. It can also be worth more, however.
Limits on Deposits
Some Solana casinos have limits on the amounts the players are allowed to deposit. This floor limit states that the player needs to transfer a certain amount of Sol to the casino account. Once they do, the players are not obligated to spend them all on betting at once. It may be an issue for small-time players.
Some casinos have a maximum limit. That means players won’t be able to withdraw all of their winnings at once. Such a limit is less common, but smaller casinos sometimes have it and players should be aware of them beforehand.
A Learning Curve
Using casinos that accept Solana as a payment method, does require the players to learn how to use cryptocurrency wallets. Players would also benefit from keeping an eye on the crypto market. That way they can be aware of the volatility and value of Solana winnings they’ve made.
None of these are too demanding on the player. Crypto wallets are similar to any other digital wallet and even the less tech-savvy players can easily figure out how they use them. However, it’s more than is needed for using fiat currency casinos and that may put off some players.
Immutability
Immutable payments are one of the most important features of Solana. They are usually considered to be a good thing since it proves that once you get a payment you get to keep it no matter what. However, immutability can be a con since it’s almost impossible to backtrack on a payment made by mistake.
Mistakes do happen and players sometimes send more funds than they need to or they make a mistake when entering an email address. There’s little that can be done to fix these issues.
To Sum Up
Solana casinos are online gambling establishments that accept payments made in Solana cryptocurrency. It’s a widely used cryptocurrency that provides safe and quick payments and anonymous betting. There are both upsides and downsides to using them, most of which stem from blockchain technology itself.
Solana payments are fast and safe, and they allow players to prove that the odds of winning casino games are fair. At the same time, the value of Solana payments can change over time as cryptocurrency values are volatile. Solana is still not accepted all over the world and in every casino and some players may take a while to learn how to use it.
Lola Vice, the 25-year-old former MMA fighter, won the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament last night at Halloween Havoc, defeating Kelani Jordan in the final match.
Vice defeated Dani Palmer and Karmen Petrovic in the previous two rounds to reach the final while Jordan went through Izzi Dame and Arianna Grace before losing in the final match to Vice.
Vice, real name Valerie Loureda, is a Cuban-American who started training with WWE full time last year after she announced in June that she signed a WWE deal during The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
Prior to joining WWE, she fought MMA for Bellator where she had a record of 4-1.
Vice now earned herself an NXT Women’s title shot as a result of her winning the tournament.
Collision on Saturday night, headlined by MJF vs Kenny Omega for the AEW World title, had 472,000 viewers, down 46,000 viewers from the prior week. It had a 0.13 rating in 18-49 demo, down 0.03 from the previous show. The show had competition from the MLB World Series like Smackdown the prior day as well as the usual college football. (Ratings credit: Wrestlenomics)
Night two of Halloween Havoc airs tonight on USA Network and the broadcast will be headlined by Ilja Dragunov defending the NXT title against former champion Carmelo Hayes.
Four other matches are also on the card, including two more titles on the line and the final of the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament.
NXT North American champion Dominik Mysterio will be defending his gold against Nathan Frazer, the WWE Women’s Tag Team champions Chelsea Green and Piper Niven defend against Thea Hail and Jack Jayne, The Creed Brothers battle Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo in a Tables, Ladders, and Scares match, and Kelani Jordan takes on Lola Vice in the final of the Breakout tournament.
Rampage on Friday on TNT drew 319,000 viewers, down 23,000 viewers from the prior week. This was one of the least-watched Rampage broadcasts of 2023. The show did just a 0.09 rating in 18-49 demo, down 0.02 from the previous week and placed #52 in top cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
On a recent episode of his podcast My World, Jeff Jarrett was asked by his co-host Conrad Thompson if he will be inviting his friend Jim Cornette to Dynamite tapings tomorrow in Louisville.
Cornette is a huge AEW critic and oftentimes has more bad things than good to say about the company headed by Tony Khan.
“Are you gonna pick up your old pal Jim Cornette and bring him down to see the show?” Thompson asked Jarrett.
“I would love to have Corny, I’d love to have him,” Jarrett responded.
Jim Cornette replied on X, thanking Jeff Jarrett for the invitation, saying he appreciated the gesture.
“I tried hard to make it work, but I couldn’t find another person in town going so we could split the 2 for 1 ticket offer,” Cornette wrote. “But maybe they can find another ratings ploy in time.”
Friday Night Smackdown last week airing on FS1 drew 1,145 million viewers. The show was down from the last time it aired on FS1 by 85,000 viewers. Smackdown did a 0.35 rating in 18-49, also down 0.01 from the last showing on FS1 in July. Smackdown was #3 on the top 50 cable chart for the night behind NBA. The MLB 2023 World Series game which aired on FOX instead of Smackdown drew 9.1 million viewers and a 1.45 rating. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
WWE Superstar Karl Anderson and his wife Christine welcomed their fifth son, Coast Rocky Allegra.
“Welcome to the world Coast Rocky Allegra weighing in at 10 lbs 9 oz,” Christine wrote, along with several photos including one of Anderson changing the first diaper.
“Your big brothers were so happy to see you today! You’ve completed our family of 7 and kept mommy as Queen of the Allegra household,” she added.
The couple are parents of Cylus, Caedon, Crux, and Cash.
