Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Wrestling is reporting through his Select service that Jade Cargill is believed to be wrapping up her AEW duties and is on her way to WWE.
Cargill, who returned to AEW last week after over three months out, will get her TBS Championship rematch tomorrow on Rampage, a match which has already been taped yesterday following Dynamite.
The rumor that Cargill is leaving AEW was also confirmed by the Wrestling Observer, with Bryan Alvarez saying that “everyone has the idea that she’s gone.”
The 31-year-old made her AEW debut in 2021 after an angle with Shaquille O’Neal that also involved Cody Rhodes. She won the TBS title last year and held on to it for 508 days and was undefeated until Kris Statlander beat her at Double or Nothing for the title.
If she indeed goes to WWE, she would become only the second AEW star to cross over to the competition following Cody Rhodes.
A Freedom of Information request sent to the Brent Borough Council on August 31 asking for the official attendance of AEW All In at Wembley Stadium was answered yesterday.
The FOI department wrote that the actual number of people who entered Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 27 for All In was 72,265.
AEW announced that the number of 81,035 at All In as paid attendance but somewhere along the way, nearly 9,000 ticketed fans did not show up for the event. The 72,265 number did not differentiate between paid and comped tickets, but it was anyone with a valid ticket who got scanned.
AEW President Tony Khan said that by his estimates there were over 90,000 people inside Wembley Stadium including everyone.
The 72,265 number is less than the 80,709 fans that went through turnstiles at WrestleMania 32 in Arlington, Texas, although the paid attendance for that show was never really revealed. The Arlington Police Department were the ones who published that number for WrestleMania. WWE announced over 101,000 people for that particular show.
AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinatti, OH. After last week drawing 887,000 & 0.31 in the 18-49 demo.
*****
Either they’re filming Collision tonight or they’ve made that the permanent set for both shows? Or I’m just dumb and thought it was different when it wasn’t. All possibilities.
Jon Moxley vs Big Bill (International Title)
Backstory: Bill & Starks beat down Moxley and his stable-mate Danielson Saturday
Moxley out immediately in his hometown to a great reaction. As they recapped the angle from Collision with Bill attacking the BCC boys. He came out with Starks to Ricky’s music as Excalibur explained how those two linked up.
Fans hot as this kicked off – loud ‘Moxley’ chants as he circled the big man, couple kicks to the leg, backing him to the corner and firing rights. Until being shoved away and eating a big uppercut, Bill then mounted and punched the champ repeatedly to boos.
Overhand chop in the corner, another, Mox fired back with a few of his own but was caught and dumped via ‘sack of shit drop’ as Scott Hall used to call it. The champ hit repeated lariats, Bill shook them off then booted Moxley off the apron. The ref was then distracted by Bill raising his arm in the air, allowing Starks to hit a couple cheap shots.
Bill then pursued Mox, firing rights around ringside until the champ reversed a whip into the steps, then birded Starks. Resulting in being flung over a table at ringside by Bill.
Break. Fine so far, nothing more. Hot crowd helps.
Moxley was covered in blood as we returned. Honestly…
As he raked the back and landed a superplex, both down, crowd firmly behind the hometown boy. To his feet to rapturous cheers, right into a Bossman Slam for two. Crowd immediately quiet again. Until Moxley sat-up Undertaker-style, only to be booted back down. Only to sit up again, yay/boo fight in the middle, Mox blocked a boot, hit a KKL for two, transitioning into H&A elbows until being scooped onto Bill’s back and crushed in the corner.
Rushing back out with a cutter, Bill rolled to ringside to avoid being pinned. Moxley headed upstairs to be pushed off by Starks as the ref daydreamed. Bill took advantage with a big boot, Mox kicked out at two. Danielson flew down to smash away at Starks, dominating the youngster, Moxley rolled up Bill for two. Starks sent BD to the stairs, Mox got a boot up in the corner but leapt off the middle buckle into a chokeslam for two.
Bill fired away from the mount, flipped off the crowd as they chanted for the champ and paid for it by being snatched into a triangle choke, Danielson preventing Starks from getting in, Bill tapped.
Pretty good opener, got better after the break. Very predictable winner.
The heels then overwhelmed the babyfaces. Claudio hit the scene, dumping Bill to the apron, Starks then restrained his big man as the heels left due to the odds being in the faces favor. They made it very clear who the heels and babyfaces were here which is a nice change for most of these guys. Bill & Starks are a nice pairing.
Winner: Jon Moxley
To the back: Renee, Roderick Strong and the Kingdom. Renee talked about Joe destroying Strong last they met. Adam Cole interrupted to warn Strong against competing with his neck injury. Strong said Cole should be worried about Max because he’s a ‘wrestling legend’ and will take the title next week.
*****
They replayed Takeshita defeating Kenny Omega at All In and All Out. Cut to the ring, Schiavone about to unveil Callis’ latest ‘masterpiece’. Tony struggled to say Callis’ name – ‘it’s so hard to put a coward’s name in my rap’ as Nas once said.
He and Takeshita out to boos. They snatched the mic from Tony. Like everyone does, every single time, ever. Callis said Takeshita told him that in Japan when you’re the best in a promotion, they call you ‘Ace’. He listed a load of Japanese legends Takeshita’s better than – Okada, Rikidozan etc.
A bunch of streamers fell.
But when you beat Omega twice in seven days, they call you ‘The Alpha’. Which is Takeshita’s new moniker. ‘And he’s not a fake one like Jericho was’. Callis said beating Omega twice isn’t enough. They broke his body, now they’ll break his heart.
Then unveiled their next target – Kota Ibushi (the painting had Takeshita holding a sword over Ibushi, basically about to execute him). Callis said they’re going to butcher him, skin him, burn him. And Callis’ll love the fact that Omega will be home helpless while they do it. He then stabbed the screwdriver into Ibushi on the painting.
Erm, why’s Omega home? There was no injury angle best I recall. Could you at least tell us? His shoulder’s messed up? Something. Otherwise, pretty good angle. Different. I like different.
*****
Excalibur called Marvez ‘Al Scoops’ again. Eugh.
He was with the BCC sans Yuta. A fired-up Danielson challenged Starks and Bill to face him and Claudio on Collision. An irate Rey Fenix stormed in with Penta to rant at Moxley. Eddie Kingston stoically walked up to Claudio, the two simply stared at each other. The others were dragged away, leaving those two. Kingston said ‘one more week’ then laughed, as the crowd chanted his name.
*****
Renee with Hook. She congratulated him on retaining his belt at All In. Orange Cassidy interrupted to say Hook looked mad. He can’t understand why, since Hook has a championship and he doesn’t anymore. He looked all sad. The crowd ‘aawwed’. They said each other were/are great champions, Hook left, Renee asked Orange if he was doing okay. He said he was very tired.
Toni Storm vs Britt Baker vs Nyla Rose vs Hikaru Shida
Backstory: Winner faces Saraya for women’s title next week
For viewers’ sakes let’s hope Storm or Shida wins here. Storm came out to the Outcasts’ theme but by herself, in old-fashioned-lingerie style ring gear – in keeping with her new character. Britt was out last. None got much of a pop. Though there’s only Moxley to compare to thus far which probably isn’t fair.
Storm left the ring, the other three went at it. Nyla smashed through the other two, Storm then ran in and posed to cheers. Rose was irritated, Shida struck both from behind. Then worked with Baker to bridge Rose outside. Those two argued about this for some reason, Storm shoved Shida into Baker, knocking her outside.
Shida then sent Storm out and dove onto the other three. Break. This is gonna be another short one unless they’re getting time afterward.
All four fighting, split into Rose/Baker & Storm/Shida pairs. Until Toni hit a German on Baker, hip attack on Nyla, Shida brainbustered her, Britt was about to superkick Shida but hesitated, Rose struck from behind and hit a Beast bomb to Storm for two. Shida broke it up.
Nyla planted Britt via chokeslam. Shida blocked a Beast Bomb, hooked the leg for two, running knee strike, weak Katana, lax cover, Baker superkicked Shida to break it up, Curb Stomp, Storm rolled Baker up for the win.
Crowd happy at the outcome but otherwise didn’t care a lick about this match. And why would they? It was an awful advert for the women’s division. Not a critique of the action, but the way it was booked, presented and the time it was given. This was basically a match-long finishing sequence. Right lady won at least.
Winner: Toni Storm
Backstage, babyface Renee was with her bestie, uber-heel Saraya. Saraya congratulated Storm sarcastically. Of course calling her ‘babygirl’. Saraya said when she arrived in AEW a year ago, Storm was the champion and has lost everything since then including her mind. And that’ll continue in their match next week.
Decent promo, nicely linking the theme together of Storm losing everything. But hate, hate, hated the way Renee and Saraya smiled and interacted as the segment ended.
*****
Jericho and Sammy Guevara came out together to Jericho’s music to talk about facing each other next week. This whole angle makes no sense.
Jericho pushed that it was the first time they’ve ever faced off. After being together since the first episode of Dynamite. Jericho introduced a package of their highlights over that time. Of them laughing and singing etc., set to sappy music. With a few disagreements in there. But ending showing them hugging.
Jericho talked about watching an NWA show and seeing ‘a kid named Sammy Guevara’. And was blown away to the point he told Tony Khan to sign him. He wanted Guevara with him to help him out as much as Jericho possibly could. He’s watched Sammy grow into a man, win titles and now about to be a father. He told Sammy he was really proud of him.
The crowd were fairly quiet for all of this. Maybe waiting for the other shoe to drop or perhaps just as confused as I am.
Sammy said everyone expected them to talk trash but instead he wants to thank Jericho before their match. He thanked him on behalf of everyone backstage since without Jericho there is no AEW. They paused for a ‘thank you’ chant that never really started.
Guevara said he hadn’t come to AEW to be in Jericho’s shadow. He wants to be on the level of Mox, Danielson, Jericho. So he ‘need(s)’ to beat Jericho next week. Jericho continued his recent insider stuff by talking about Sammy becoming a ‘money-drawing main eventer’. And next week he has the opportunity to do that.
‘You have to beat me to get to the next level’, agreed Jericho. But to do that Sammy’ll have to be the best ever version of himself. ‘But I don’t think you’re ready to beat me… yet’. Sammy got irritated and said Jericho never respected him like he does Jericho. Firing up, he vowed to beat Jericho, earn his respect, shake hands, hug and then win tag team titles.
They shook but Sammy pulled him in to go face-to-face. Jericho then said next week he’s not going easy on him, he’s going to beat the living hell out of him. Punch him harder than he’s ever punched anyone. And wants the same in return. Sammy said he wouldn’t want it any other way.
Well, it wasn’t a bad segment. But I’m not remotely interested in this. I’m sick of these uneven characters. Not to mention we already have a match next week that’s about ‘respect’ and a handshake.
*****
They showed MJF last week after Dynamite, his neck being examined. The doctor said Max won’t be able to be on Dynamite this week but will be available for Grand Slam. Max assumed Roderick Strong and Samoa Joe would win and that was who he wanted to face so that’s who he talked about. He called Strong manipulative and accused him of faking a neck injury.
Then said when it comes to Joe, it’s about the size of the fight in the dog. He ‘promise(d)’ to ‘choke you out’. Then spoofed Scott Steiner’s infamous ‘math/percentage’ promo. Just what we need, more ‘comedic’ world title build.
Why don’t the three of them just do stand-up next week and whoever draws most laughs wins the belt?
Hangman Page vs Brian Cage
Backstory: Cage attacked Page last week after Swerve questioned his drive & desire
III apparently. Cage beat Page out of nowhere then lost to him at a ppv about 2 ½ years ago. AEW only bothered to mention any of this as Cage made his way to the ring.
Page rushed the heel, was driven to the corner, Cage overwhelmed him as a minority chanted ‘cowboy shit’. Page got a boot up but another was blocked, he slipped behind out of a back suplex, big boot to Cage, another, the Machine came back with a shoulder block. Page responded by bridging the big man to the apron, Cage avoided the springboard lariat but not a second, sending him crashing to ringside.
Page vaulted over the ropes but was caught, smacked against the ringpost but blocked a powerbomb by rana-ing Cage into the post. Then landed the vaulting cross body. As they re-entered, the big man hit back with a boot then choked Page in the ropes, ducked a right, Page again blocked a powerbomb into a rana then hit a 619 (you read correctly) (‘Never done that before!’ – he yelled into the camera).
Buckshot on the way, Page got a bad case of DBS as Swerve’s music hit. Allowing Cage to muscle him in off the apron right into a German suplex. Impressive. Ads.
Whoever first suggested a babyface be distracted by music, a plague on your house.
Back to Swerve watching from the top of the ramp as Hangman booted Cage in the mush but was snatched into a full nelson slam for two. Crowd quiet again here as they exchanged forearms in the middle. Yay/boo. Page slid through Cage’s legs, landed a boot but was caught in a snap powerslam. Though avoided a springboard moonsault from the big man.
Damn this crowd’s quiet.
Back to shots in the middle, Page getting annoyed by each blow, firing a flurry, Cactus Clothesline leaving both outside. Page readied an Ourihara, Cage came back in, caught Page into a bicep-curl fallaway, Page countered into a crucifix bomb in a really nice sequence, a few ‘cowboy shit’ chants as some of the crowd woke.
Hangman back upstairs, Ourihara moonsault landed, diving cross body back inside for two. So impressive how well these two move for their size. Cage nailed a German, Page ended up on the apron, Cage looked for his out-to-in suplex, Page blocked it in a weird see-saw sequence, Buckshot coming, countered, Page ending up on Cage’s back but cradled him for two, popping up to hit Dead Eye for the win.
Am I right in thinking that’s a call back to their previous matches? It rings a bell anyway.
Page and Swerve locked eyes briefly as the announcers tried to put across that Swerve had poked the bear. Hangman took a mic and made fun of Strickland for staying at the top of the ramp while he beat one of his ‘oaf(s)’. Page said he thought that last week Swerve had some balls but now knows they’re stowed away in ‘Nana’s Burger King-ass crown’.
Crowd oohed. Strickland said Page msut be stupider than the Cincinatti education system. He said they’ll fight when he says. And he chooses his ‘house’: Seattle, October 1st, WrestleDream. But he doesn’t want Page comfortable when he gets there so called on Cage to attack from behind again. Nana did his stupid dance that’s earned him a new multi-year deal apparently. The Young Bucks came through the crowd, took out Cage, then waited for Nana to turn and nailed him too.
Excalibur called this ‘an unexpected development’. Someone should explain to him that the Elite got back together. A few months ago in fact.
Good match. Perhaps Page should even perform more regularly? It’d be an idea to show him gaining momentum each week by winning since the story is that Swerve’s ‘lit a fire’. They are at least announcing ppv matches well ahead of time for WrestleDream and it was good that the Bucks had Page’s back instead of being absent while he got his ass beat again.
More should be done with Cage. Especially with Swerve as his mouthpiece.
Winner: Hangman Page
Renee with Daniel Garcia. Who now has cool-guy dark shades. He cut Renee off from talking about Jericho and Sammy to say they should be talking about him, how he ‘went viral’ four times last month and had NFL players doing his dance. Callis interrupted to say he’d love to hear more about Garcia. Talking about a ‘utopian meritocracy’ (popped me, Callis’ BS is second-to-none) in his Family. Garcia shushed him then did his dance before leaving. Callis said ‘That’s money’.
Guess that was left deliberately vague. AEW are certainly into their will he/won’t he stories lately.
*****
They replayed Jade Cargill’s return Saturday. Portraying her as total babyface between the music, commentary and the clips chosen. Then announced she’ll face Statlander on Rampage for the title. WTF? Tony really meant what he said about ‘build’.
Darby Allin & Nick Wayne vs 2.0
Backstory: Zip Zilch Zero
Anna Jay & Jake Hager accompanied 2.0. Menard got one of the loudest chants since Mox – ‘Daddy Magic!’. Until Christian Cage’s music interrupted as the match got going. He joined on comms. And for the second time in two matches, the babyfaces were totally flummoxed by this new means of playing musical notes through a speaker system, allowing 2.0 to take over.
Menard in to stomp Wayne down in the heels’ corner. A backbreaker followed. Parker back in, Wayne hit an enziguri, Anna took the ref, Hager pulled Allin off the apron to block the tag.
Break. Once again weak opponents are compensated for with waves of distractions and interference. In fact, this match is damn near identical to the last in almost every facet of booking.
Wayne was being beaten up like he usually is; Cage wondered if a better mentor would lead to better results. As he finally got the tag to Allin, who ran wild with corner splashes and a running shotgun, his flurry, rollaway and code red to Parker, two only. More outside interference allowed Parker back on top, Wayne got a blind tag then hit Wayne’s World, Menard dragged Wayne out to block the pin.
Darby hit him with a senton off the apron, he and Wayne hit simultaneous dives, Allin landing a Coffin Splash to win (I’m certain he wasn’t legal). Christian Cage (the best face in the company – he banned open challenges after all!) told the crowd to shutup. Then complained that Wayne’s mom doesn’t post enough bikini pics on Instagram. Before complaining about all the talk of Allin & Sting’s victory at All In.
He stressed that not only did he not take the losing fall, he didn’t have his regular partner with him. So challenged Allin & Sting to face him and Luchasaurus at Grand Slam.
A nothing match put-on to be a backdrop for the angle.
Winner: Allin & Wayne
They showed both finalists’ path to this match.
Roderick Strong vs Samoe Joe (Eliminator Final)
Backstory: Winner faces MJF next week for AEW title
We’re only about two months removed from Joe destroying Strong (which is the whole reason he’s in a neck brace). Did not think we’d see him main event both main shows in that span.
Schiavone called Joe going after Strong’s neck – ‘I would too’. Crowd did not seem to think Strong had much of a chance, Joe’s immediately smothering him to the ropes didn’t dissuade them of this. He then swatted Strong backward, the heel landing outside among the Kingdom. Finally back in, Joe sent him right back out, again with ease. Strong kicked the barricade in frustration then lingered outside for a long time.
Drawing Joe out to chase him then attacking him as they got back inside. Briefly. The Monster smashed through him with his shoulder, roared, then jabbed him down into a pile of goo in the corner. And was ignoring Strong’s chops as the ads arrived.
Have to believe Strong’s winning here since he’s been totally dominated. Maybe they’ll do Joe vs Max at WrestleDream?
Joe still dominant after-ads, Strong fired a knee to the gut, blows to the back, knee to the head, running kick, Joe flung him off before even getting one on a cover. Strong went to a face lock, Joe sent him to the corner, Strong got a boot up and flew via missile dropkick. Count of two.
Strong went back to the face lock, Joe fought free, Manhattan drop, big boot, senton, two. A snap powerslam the same. Powerbomb coming, Strong slipped behind, enziguri, running knees and lariats, step-up knee in the corner, Joe shook it off but was knocked down via flying lariat as Strong got two.
Then looked for the Stronghold. Joe shook free, STJoe out of the corner, Muscle Buster coming, the Kingdom hit the apron. Groan. So predictable. Strong hit a running knee strike for nearly three.
And readied another, Joe clotheslined him out of the air in a great-looking spot then smothered him into the Kokina Clutch for the tap. Wow, Joe was really made to look strong there. Pun (sort-of) intended. Good match telling an effective story of Joe being a monster.
‘OHHH MAXXXXX’ – Joe took the mic. His prophecy has come true and now he’s ‘coming for you’. He’s gonna ‘beat you up and take everything you have kid… everything’.
This was everything Max’s silliness wasn’t. That’s how you build a match.
Strong and the Kingdom were talking in the ring when Adam Cole came out to a big pop, sans music. Strong simply crumpled to the mat out of nowhere, holding his neck, so obviously faking. Yet Cole totally bought it and was all concerned. They stretchered Strong out again. Basically replaying the whole angle they did last time Roddy faced Joe. Strong was yelling ‘Adaaaam’ and asking why he hadn’t been there sooner.
This was weird. And made Cole look a total moron for buying such obvious BS. The Kingdom and Cole barked back and forth as they blamed Cole for what’d happened. They wouldn’t let him go with Strong. What a strange way to go off the air. Except it wasn’t the end.
Joe reappeared, wrapping Cole in the Clutch from behind, reiterating that he was taking everything. The crowd chanted Joe’s name and cheered. They pushed the Grand Slam card again before the show ended.
Eddie Kingston vs Claudio Castagnoli (ROH Title vs Strong Title)
WrestleDream:
Bryan Danielson vs Zack Sabre Jr (‘Dream Match’)
Hangman Page vs Swerve Strickland
Thumbs Up/Down
Page vs Cage
Some decent angles pushing future matches without anything standing out
Joe the exception: aside from him beating a bigger name, they couldn’t have done more for him here
*****
There was also some crappy crutch-booking with too much interference and ref’s and babyfaces being distracted by essentially nothing, especially when not a single instance of it actually led to a finish
More world title silliness – Max needs to have a ‘switch’ when it comes to the BBB and save the comedy for the tag belts
AEW Dynamite rolls into the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio tonight for a live TBS broadcast.
The show will be headlined by the final of the Grand Slam AEW World Title Eliminator tournament where ROH TV champion Samoa Joe will take on Roderick Strong with the winner receiving an AEW World title shot next week against MJF.
Cincinnati’s own Jon Moxley will also be in action as he defends his AEW International title against Big Bill. The Elite’s “Hangman” Adam Page battles Brian Cage and a four-way match between Toni Storm, Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, and Nyla Rose will determine who will face Saraya for the AEW Women’s title next weeks as well.
Tickets for this show are not particularly selling very well and AEW has a buy one get one free offer starting from $14 at Ticketmaster.com.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Bryan Danielson admitted that his full-time gig as a wrestler might soon come to an end but he’ll always be around and will never really retire.
Last week on Collision, Danielson said that he promised his daughter that when she turns seven, he will dial it down and step away from the ring. His daughter is now six, and Danielson said that he thinks it will be around August of next year when he will start thinking about walking away. He also revealed that his AEW contract is up shortly after his daughter’s birthday.
But, despite not wrestling full time, he ain’t going anywhere.
“I didn’t get a chance to do All In this year. I would like that chance next year,” Danielson told SI. “We have a show, WrestleDream, this October 1 in Seattle where I’m wrestling Zack Sabre Jr. If we have another next year in Seattle? Maybe it will be then. My daughter turns seven in May, so it’s a good time to close down the shop.”
Danielson admitted that over the past year, every time he wrestled he got injured and he sees that as a sign.
“I always thought I’d wrestle until the day I die,” he continued. “But it’s not going to be this regular, weekly wrestling. I don’t even know if it’s going to be wrestling at big shows. I’ve always wanted to wrestle for DEFY in Seattle. How easy would it be for me to call the promoter and pop in some weekend? They wouldn’t even need to promote me. I could come in, surprise people, and do my thing.”
John Pollock of POST Wrestling is reporting that WWE’s Chief Financial Officer, Frank Riddick III, is departing the company next month. Riddick seems to be the first casualty of the merger with Endeavor.
Riddick III was named Chief Financial Officer & Chief Administrative Officer in November 2021. He has served as a member of the WWE Board of Directors for more than 15 years and previously held the role of interim CFO in 2020.
He leaves WWE with a $5 million bonus following the successful merger of WWE with Endeavor. WWE President Nick Khan announced his departure in an internal e-mail to all WWE employees today.
The NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament will be returning this year after WWE hyped it up on NXT last night.
The winner of the tournament receives a title shot against whoever the NXT Women’s champion will be at the time.
The tournament last year had eight participants, with the eventual winner Roxanne Perez, Nikkita Lyons, Sloane Jacobs, Arianna Grace, Fallon Henley, Lash Legend, and Tatum Paxley, and Kiana James. Lyons got injured after the first round and was replaced by Tiffany Stratton, who moved to the finals against Perez.
The 2022 version was held in May and June across four episodes of NXT. Perez did not win her title shot against champion Mandy Rose following the tournament.
ESPN’s Marc Raimondi flat out asked WWE President Nick Khan about CM Punk potentially returning to WWE now that he is no longer with AEW.
As you can expect, Khan danced around a straight yes or no answer.
“Listen, we only have respect for Phil. We appreciate his run here,” Khan told Raimondi. “We appreciate what he did and tried to do with the UFC. Not many people can actually get in there and do what he did. So, when we have respect for Phil, we wish him nothing but the best.”
Punk’s relationship with WWE was quite disastrous towards the end of his run there and he ended up receiving his termination papers on his wedding day.
In an interview with Steve Austin, then WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon apologized personally to Punk for the coincidence and never shut down the door on a return.
A few months ago, CM Punk showed up backstage at Raw in Rosemont and talked to a few people including Triple H. He was eventually told to leave the premises after Vince McMahon got wind that Punk was there. Punk was still under an AEW contract at the time.
Becky Lynch became the new NXT Women’s champion last night on USA Network after she beat Tiffany Stratton clean with the Manhandle Slam.
The ending had Stratton going for her Prettiest Moonsault Ever finisher but Lynch moved, Stratton landed on her feet and walked right into Lynch’s finishing move. A three-count later and NXT had a new champ.
Lynch never won the NXT Women’s title during her time down in Orlando and now becomes the fourth and final member of the Four Horsewomen to hold every single women’s title.
It remains unclear if Lynch will be appearing weekly on Tuesday nights but that NXT Women’s title will get some added exposure on Monday Night Raw for sure!
Monday Night Raw got an ass whooping to remember as the show drew its lowest rating ever for a live broadcast in the show’s 31-year history. Against the premiere of MNF, Raw did just 1,353,000 viewers, down 351,000 viewers from the previous week.
The show started with 1,367,000 viewers, then went up slightly to 1,401,000 for the second hour, before ending the night with just 1,292,000 viewers. That third hour is the least-watched hour of Raw ever. Just for comparison reasons, the NFL did 22.6 million viewers across three stations: ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC.
Raw was #7, #8, and #9 in the top 50 cable chart for the night with 0.43, 0.40, and 0.38 ratings respectively for an average of 0.40. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Sports betting is becoming a well-liked pastime in Tanzania, allowing fans to interact with their preferred sports in a brand-new way. Tanzania is undergoing a revolution in the world of sports betting because of its many sports betting markets, vibrant local wagering culture and technical improvements.
Diverse sports betting markets
Tanzania boasts diverse wagering markets provided by betting sites like Sports Betting Tanzania that cater to a wide range of interests. Football, undoubtedly the most popular sport in the country, takes center stage, with leagues like the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League drawing fervent attention. Additionally, basketball, tennis and rugby have gained traction, offering alternative avenues for enthusiasts to engage in wagering.
On the other hand, global sporting events like the Olympics and major boxing matches also command significant attention from Tanzanian bettors. These events serve as focal points for intense wagering activity, bringing together fans and punters alike in the spirit of competition and camaraderie.
Local betting culture
Tanzania’s betting culture is intricately woven into the fabric of daily life. It reflects the country’s passion for sports and the communal spirit of competition. Many Tanzanians gather in social settings, such as local bars or community centers, to watch games and engage in friendly wagers. This communal factor, which includes the use of wagering sites, fosters a sense of camaraderie among fans, transcending individual interests to unite communities through shared excitement.
Moreover, traditional practices and superstitions often influence Tanzanian betting culture. Some individuals may rely on rituals or lucky charms when placing bets, adding a touch of cultural significance to their wagering experiences. This fusion of modern sports wagering and local traditions creates Tanzania’s unique and vibrant wagering culture.
Technological advancements
On the other hand, technological advancements have revolutionized the gambling landscape in Tanzania. Online platforms like Sports Betting Tanzania now provide a convenient and accessible avenue for individuals to engage in their favorite pastimes. These platforms offer a wide range of wagering options, live game streaming and real-time updates, enhancing the overall experience.
Furthermore, mobile applications have played a pivotal role in expanding the reach of gambling in Tanzania. With a smartphone and internet connectivity, individuals can place bets from virtually anywhere in the country. This accessibility has democratized sports betting, allowing a wider audience to participate in the excitement of wagering on their favorite sports.
Overall, the integration of technology into sports betting has not only made it more convenient but has also elevated the overall wagering experience for enthusiasts in Tanzania.
WWE today announced that the 2024 Royal Rumble will be held at the Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida on Saturday, January 27. Tampa’s Amalie Arena will also host the Raw with the Rumble fallout on Monday, January 29.
This is the second time that the Rumble will be held at Tropicana Field as the pandemic version of the show was also held there without fans when the WWE ThunderDome was located inside Tropicana Field.
“Tampa Bay has long been a terrific market for WWE,” said WWE Executive Vice President of Live Events John Porco. “Thanks to our partners at the Tampa Bay Rays, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, we look forward to a fantastic schedule of events in January.”
“We are excited to welcome WWE back to Tropicana Field for the 2024 Royal Rumble,” said Tampa Bay Rays President Matt Silverman. “The Royal Rumble will provide first-class sports entertainment to both those seeing the action in person and watching as part of a worldwide television audience. This event will bring visitors from around the globe to experience the beauty of our area and all it has to offer.”
“As a leader in event production and promotion, we are thrilled to collaborate with WWE to bring Royal Rumble to our destination,” Caleb Peterson, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater Senior Business Development Manager. “We look forward to welcoming all of the WWE fans to our community, a community that will certainly match their energy and enthusiasm for sports entertainment. A special thank you to our community partners – the Tampa Bay Rays, City of St. Petersburg, and Tampa Bay Sports Commission – for their role in creating this unique opportunity for our destination.”
“Team Tampa Bay loved hosting WrestleMania 37 two years ago and we’re now beyond excited to have the opportunity to collaborate again with our longtime friends at WWE,” said Rob Higgins, Tampa Bay Sports Commission Executive Director. “Royal Rumble Weekend in January of 2024 will be a phenomenal regional effort that spans Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties including both Tropicana Field and Amalie Arena. Together, we’re focused on making sure that WWE Universe is treated to a weekend that’s filled with memories that last a lifetime.”
More information on the ticket on-sale will be announced in the coming weeks. To learn more about registering for pre-sale opportunities, please visit: https://www.wwe.com/royalrumble-2024-presale.
Collision this week recovered a little bit from last week’s all-time low with 476,000 viewers tuning in, up 131,000 viewers from the previous episode. The show did a 0.15 rating in 18-49, up 0.04 from last week and placed #14 in the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Speaking to ESPN, UFC Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein said that WWE and UFC might run major events on the same weekend in the same city in the future.
So far that scenario only happened once, last year in Las Vegas when UFC had International Fight Week and WWE had Money In The Bank on the same day. Originally, MITB was set for Allegiant Stadium but that was eventually moved to the much smaller MGM Grand Garden Arena after ticket sales didn’t reach the minimum to make a stadium show viable.
Epstein said that bringing the WWE and UFC shows to the same city in the same weekend would allow them to go to tourism authorities and get them to pay for a package deal coming to their jurisdiction. WWE already gets incentives from cities to hold certain major events.
In the same ESPN story it was also confirmed that Paul “Triple H” Levesque will retain his Chief Content Officer role at WWE as head of creative.
It’s a big night for NXT tonight as the NXT Women’s title will be headlining the show featuring champion Tiffany Stratton defending against Becky Lynch.
What started as a botch during an interview by Stratton was transformed into a program between the two and Lynch now has a shot at winning a title that she has never won while in WWE.
The Man has not appeared on NXT since 2015 and this will certainly pop a rating for the broadcast on USA Network.
Also set for tonight’s show are two Global Heritage Invitational matches featuring Tyler Bate against Axiom and Nathan Frazer vs Akira Tozawa. Plus, Wes Lee battles Ilja Dragunov to see who will be the next #1 contender for the NXT title at the upcoming No Mercy premium live event on September 30.
Vince McMahon has returned from his medical leave and made his first public appearance this morning on Wall Street joining the rest of his TKO Group executives to ring the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange.
McMahon underwent back surgery in July and has been out of commission since then.
The now TKO Group Executive Chairman is also back dipping his hands in WWE creative as Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that McMahon made several changes to last night’s Monday Night Raw along with Triple H. McMahon was not on site at Raw but did chip in remotely.
With McMahon having more power in this new corporate structure even though he is not ultimately the boss, it’s expected that he will continue providing his feedback and changes to WWE as most decisions which are WWE-related will continue to be taken by him.
Rampage on Friday drew 385,000 viewers, up 13,000 viewers from last week’s broadcast. The show had a 0.13 rating in 18-49, up 0.02 from the prior week and was #12 in the top 50 cable chart for the night on cable. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Last week’s Smackdown drew just 2,094,000 viewers, down 349,000 viewers from the prior week and the lowest number in four weeks. The show had a 0.53 rating in 18-49, down 0.12 from last week and the lowest since May 26 but it was still the #1 show on both cable and network television for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Several high-level executives from TKO Group rang the NYSE opening bell this morning from the balcony in front of the UFC, WWE, and new TKO logo.
With a TKO replica championship title front and center, CEO Ari Emanuel led the festivities, flanked by Nick Khan, Vince McMahon, Dana White, and Triple H. Daniel Cormier, Bianca Belair, and Kevin Dunn were also on the balcony cheering on.
“The creation of TKO marks an exciting new chapter for UFC and WWE as leaders in global sports and entertainment,” said Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor and TKO. “Given their continued connectivity to the Endeavor network, we are confident in our ability to accelerate their respective growth and unlock long-term sustainable value for shareholders. With UFC and WWE under one roof, we will provide unrivaled experiences for more than a billion passionate fans worldwide.”
“This is the culmination of a decades-long partnership between Endeavor and WWE across strategic initiatives including talent representation and media rights. Given our collaborative, trusted relationship and Endeavor’s incredible track record of success growing UFC, we believe WWE is optimally positioned for future growth and success as part of TKO,” said Vince McMahon, Executive Chairman of TKO. “Our focus remains on delivering for our fans across the globe as we take the business to the next level alongside UFC and Endeavor.”
The company also launched its investor website at tkogrp.com and logo.
Nia Jax made her return to WWE last night and wiped both Raquel Rodriguez and WWE Women’s World champion Rhea Ripley in the main event of Raw.
As the final match under the McMahon-controlled WWE was climaxing, the former Raw Women’s champion jumped Raquel, allowing Ripley to once again defeat her to retain the title. But Jax did not stop there as after the match was over, she took down Ripley too, first with a headbutt, and then hit a leg drop while Ripley’s head was resting on the ropes. She finished Ripley with the banzai drop and WWE’s last image as its own company was Nia Jax smiling and blowing kisses to fans.
Jax was released from WWE in 2021 and made a brief return at this year’s Royal Rumble, entering at #30 before being eliminated by several women. At the time she said she was back, but she was never signed to a new deal until last month.
