For the first time ever, WWE will be putting on a show in Hyderabad, India tonight as close to 5,000 fans have sold out the G. M. C. Balayogi Indoor Stadium for Superstar Spectacle.
Airing live on Sony Sports Network, Superstar Spectacle is the first live event in India since a show in New Delhi on 9 December, 2017. This is the second Superstar Spectacle after WWE recorded a similar show in 2021 during the pandemic which also aired on television in the country.
As things stand, India is the only country where the show will air, at least live, and it will kick off at 7:30PM IST.
The only three matches announced so far are John Cena and Seth Rollins vs Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn vs Sanga and Veer, and Rhea Ripley vs Natalya for the WWE Women’s World title.
The event is set to showcase the Indian talent currently under contract with WWE.
Multiple insiders are reporting that Ace Steel was let go from AEW, just days after his friend CM Punk was fired by Tony Khan.
Steel was the only casualty from Brawl Out and was fired for his involvement in the backstage fight last year. He was eventually re-hired by the company and then brought back to work on Collision to specifically be with CM Punk.
However that deal almost led to Punk no-showing the first episode of Collision after Punk was told that Steel would work remotely and would not be at the tapings every week, something which irritated the former champion. Things eventually settled down and Punk did show up for the first episode but as everyone knows, that did not last long either.
Prior to joining AEW, Steel worked for WWE as a coach at NXT.
NXT this week drew 673,000 viewers, up 59,000 viewers from the previous episode. It did a 0.18 rating in the 18-49 demo, up 0.02 from the prior week and was #3 for the night on the top 50 cable chart. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
For fans of WWE, it’s sometimes hard to decide which is more memorable between a fighter’s bouts and a fighter’s gimmick.
The enshrining of The Undertaker vs Mankind’s steel cage match for Hell In A Cell into both wrestling lore and internet memeology means that character takes prominence over Mick Foley’s other alter egos; even if just due to the sheer violence of the bout. There’s been luchadors like Sin Cara, there’s been evil clowns like Doink, and there’s been some just plain weird ones – there was Mantaur, The Gobbledygooker, and perhaps most bizarrely of all – have you ever heard of a male model coming from Scotland?
While some gimmicks are focused on an extensive character back story – The Undertaker and Kane’s tales of fraternal fire-raising, for example – many times a wrestler’s persona will stem from their costume and be worked in from there. And an easy way to add weight to that dress is via a pair of sunglasses.
Shades have enough cultural cachet that we can identify what they’re portraying pretty instantly. Bret Hart’s wraparounds and long hair, combined with his entry music, tied him to the metal music beloved in his era. A little later, Edge and Christian would sport the outlandish lenses of the early 2000s including Oakley Over The Tops, which were discontinued and now regularly go for four figures on the resale market.
However, we don’t need to spend the kind of money that would book a cruise to the Bahamas for grapplers’ glasses. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at four icons and see how you can flex their favorite frames.
Sgt. Slaughter
When Sarge first entered the WWF in 1980, lawmen wearing Aviators on screens big and small was pretty timely – think John Candy in The Blues Brothers or Erik Estrada in CHiPs. Combine them with being tied to the military in American popular culture for some three decades previous due to General Douglas MacArthur, and the public could easily identify Slaughter as being an authority figure. Canadian wrestler and alleged cop The Mountie also used Aviators, although the Sergeant doesn’t seem to be overly fond of his northern neighbors.
Gail Kim
Debuting in 2000, when the world was gripped by The Matrix, Gail Kim was styled almost like Keanu Reeves’ Neo. With her rimless wireframes and long leather coat, her look owed more than a little to the 1999 smash. However her sunglasses are not exact – they were a pair custom-made for Reeves by designer Richard Blinde, who designed one-off pairs for each of the movie’s main characters. Today, Gail’s look can be emulated closely by some commonly available women’s sunglasses, as they’re not miles off either the Oakley Whisker or Ray-Ban Rb3183. Be sure to add pink lenses and a bag of attitude to get the 100% Kim look.
The Rock
In his personal life, Dwayne Johnson is often photographed wearing Aviators. However, back when he was The Rock, and he had hair and sideburns, he complimented his pseudo Elvis-esque look with a pair of shades The King himself may well have sported. Ray-Ban Olympian Deluxes, to be precise. The glasses became somewhat famous as he managed to knock them off himself while delivering a monologue to Mick Foley. Mick, being a nice guy, picked them up and gave them back to him. It may have paid trumps a few years later when The Rock jumped into the ring with Mick to help him defeat La Resistance. And if perhaps The People’s Elbow doesn’t mind fans remembering that unscripted accident so much, he’d certainly rather folks forgot his original WWE haircut.
Sasha Banks
Sasha’s iconic glasses were quite something. A pair of customs, with BOSS emblazoned across the lenses in gold and what looks like Swarovski crystal, she’d be one of the very few people who could pull them off. Sasha is no shrinking violet and showbiz runs in her family – she counts Snoop Dogg, Brandy and Daz Dillinger amongst her cousins. Banks is currently wrestling in the Japanese NJPW promotion, but has branched out into acting, with roles in The Mandalorian and The Collective. It would take a brave lady to rock these. While plastic copies are widely available, it’s not clear how you’d get the OGs. Ask Jack, perhaps?
PWInsider.com is reporting that WWE and LA Knight have agreed on a new, five-year deal which will see him stay in WWE for the foreseeable future.
The website says that the deal is about to or has already been signed, with the company keen on locking down one of their hottest acts at the moment.
With “Yeah!” chants everywhere, Knight is getting major pops at every arena he goes to and his merchandise has topped WWE Shop in sales.
The LA Knight character has been a major turnaround for the man portraying the gimmick after last year he was brought up to the main roster from NXT and forced to switch to a different persona, Max Dupri, heading up the Maximum Male Models.
The 40-year-old switched back to his NXT gimmick LA Night at the end of September of last year.
Monday Night Raw this week drew 1,704,000 viewers, up 27,000 viewers from the prior week but still down from the average without NFL competition.
The show started with 1,764,000 viewers in the second hour, dropped slightly to 1,756,000 viewers in the second, before closing the night with just 1,593,000 viewers in the third and final hour.
Raw was #2, #3, and #4 in the top 50 cable chart among the 18-49 demo with 0.52, 0.52, and 0.51 ratings respectively for an average of 0.52, up 0.01 from last week. It was overall #2 in both network and cable television behind college football on ESPN. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Adnan Al-Kaissie, better known to wrestling fans as General Adnan, passed away yesterday at the age of 84. No cause of death was released.
“WWE is saddened to learn that Adnan Al-Kaissie, known to sports-entertainment fans as Billy White Wolf, Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissy and General Adnan, passed away on Sept. 6 at 84. WWE extends its condolences to Adnan Al-Kaissie’s family, friends and fans,” WWE wrote on X.
The Iraqi-born star moved to the U.S. in the 50s first to play football and then transitioned to professional wrestling in 1959.
He was a childhood friend of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and Adnan even wrestled Andre The Giant in Baghdad in 1971 after he was instructed to bring a show there by Hussein.
Al-Kaissie wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the WWWF, and the AWA, before rejoining the WWF in 1990 to align himself with Sgt. Slaughter and Colonel Mustafa as General Adnan. The trio were known as the Triangle of Terror.
He is a former WWWF Tag Team champion with Chief Jay Strongbow.
The Man will not be coming around in India as the former Raw and Smackdown Women’s champion wrote on X that she was not allowed to board the flight to Hyderabad because her passport had a “tiny tear.”
Lynch apologized to all her fans in the country saying she was excited to perform for them but Qatar Airways denied her boarding the flight due to the tear in her passport.
It wasn’t known who Lynch was facing on the show and no match involving her was ever made public. The only women’s match announced so far is Rhea Ripley vs Natalya for the Women’s World title.
WWE will hold their first-ever show in Hyderabad this Friday, titled Superstar Spectacle, and it will also feature the in-ring return of John Cena who will team up with Seth Rollins to take on Imperium.
The show is sold out from the GMC Balayogi Indoor Stadium.
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and wrestling, while both popular combat sports differ significantly in terms of rules, form, and audience perceptions. A common speculation that often surfaces is around the authenticity of UFC matches, with some critics suggesting these fights might be choreographed or ‘scripted’ much like professional wrestling. This claim, however, is often met with robust denial from UFC fighters and fans.
In this article, we’ll delve into the details that distinguish UFC from wrestling and address the ongoing debate about the authenticity of UFC fights. Nevertheless, Neds and other online betting sites still receive plenty of customers who place their bets on UFC matches, just as they do in wrestling.
Rules and Form
The most obvious difference between the two sports is that professional wrestling matches are predetermined outcomes, while all UFC matches are actual physical competitions with genuine results. Professional wrestling often involves a great deal of theatrics and showmanship, with wrestlers performing acrobatic stunts in the ring for entertainment. In addition, wrestling matches may not always be won by the most skilful fighter, as victory is often predetermined to fit a storyline.
On the other hand, UFC fights are real competitions and no outside interference is allowed in the outcome. Fighters must rely on their physical and mental strength and skill to win their battles. The rules of UFC also allow for more diverse forms of combat compared to wrestling. While wrestlers use a variety of grappling techniques, UFC fighters can utilise a much broader range of martial arts disciplines such as boxing, judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and more.
Audience Perception
The audience perception of the two sports is also quite different. Wrestling has been around for centuries and has long been considered a form of entertainment. While people may take it seriously and enjoy watching the matches, they often do not view it as an authentic sport.
UFC, on the other hand, is viewed much more seriously by its audience. Many fans admire fighters for their ability to push the boundaries and test themselves in a real physical contest. Even when fights are not particularly exciting or competitive, viewers often appreciate the discipline and skill that UFC fighters must possess to compete in the sport.
Profit and Popularity
While both UFC and wrestling draw significant audiences, the economic impact they generate is also quite divergent. Wrestling, with its long history and established fan base, generally generates higher revenue than UFC. Major events like WrestleMania draw massive crowds and rake in millions through ticket sales, merchandise, and pay-per-view broadcasts.
UFC, though younger in comparison, has grown rapidly in popularity and profitability. The sport has attracted a loyal and passionate fan base around the globe, especially among younger demographics. These fans appreciate the intensity and variety that mixed martial arts (MMA) brings to the combat sports arena. Furthermore, big-ticket UFC events featuring popular fighters can generate substantial revenue and attention, significantly boosting the sport’s overall revenue and popular standing.
Controversy and Scandals
Given the high stakes and intense competition, both UFC and wrestling haven’t been immune to controversy and scandals. Professional wrestling has been marred by accusations of steroid use, while tragic incidents related to performers’ health and safety have also cast a shadow on the sport.
On the other hand, UFC has faced criticism over fighter pay and health risks associated with the sport. Despite the controversies, both sports continue to captivate audiences worldwide, highlighting the enduring appeal and fascination of combat sports.
Why Is the UFC Scripted?
The notion that the UFC is scripted primarily stems from the overlap of promotional strategies employed in professional wrestling and the UFC, particularly in the buildup to big fights. Publicity stunts, heated press conferences, and rivalries often seem to follow a narrative arc, leading to the speculation that the matches might be predetermined. However, the UFC maintains that while there is a clear emphasis on marketing and promotion, the fights themselves are never scripted.
Unlike professional wrestling, UFC is recognised as a legitimate competitive sport with a governing body, athletic commissions, and stringent rules. Athletes compete under the unified rules of Mixed Martial Arts, which leave no room for choreographed outcomes. The fighters’ primary goal is victory, with their performances directly influencing their career progression.
Any suggestion of scripting in UFC needs to be differentiated from the promotional aspect of the sport. The heightened drama leading up to fights, the rivalries, and the trash-talking are intended to attract audiences and build anticipation. But once inside the octagon, the reality is raw and unscripted combat, where nothing but skill, strategy, and resilience determine the outcome.
Conclusion
UFC and wrestling, despite both being combat sports, have distinct differences in terms of rules, audience perception, and economic impact. Wrestling tends to focus more on entertainment and theatrics, with a rich history and an established fan base. UFC, however, champions real physical contests, allowing for a wide array of martial arts disciplines and attracting a younger, passionate audience.
Both sports have faced their share of controversies, yet their popularity remains undiminished. Whether it’s the raw physicality and unpredictability of a UFC fight or the dramatic storytelling and spectacle of a wrestling match, fans worldwide continue to be enthralled by these captivating forms of entertainment.
The Endeavor takeover of WWE will be completed on Tuesday, September 12. The news was announced in a press release issued today.
WWE will merge with the UFC to create TKO Group Holdings, Inc., and WWE will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TKO on Tuesday, combining the finances of both WWE and UFC.
Endeavor values WWE at $9 billion and the UFC at $12 billion, creating TKO with a $21 billion value.
Endeavor, led by Ari Emanuel, and WWE, led by Vince McMahon announced the merger on the day after WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles. The new TKO company will be headed by Emanuel as CEO and McMahon as Chairman.
AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Ind. After last week drawing 871,000 & 0.30 in the 18-49 demo.
I have never had so much fun being so regularly wrong as I did Sunday. What a show. Their best since All Out ’21. And as a guy who loves the gaga, Danielson coming out to Final Countdown was tremendous.
*****
Orange Cassidy, as he’s done so many times this year, opened the show to a popular reception. Except this time it wasn’t to wrestle. Excalibur put him across as one of the greatest champs in company history; Taz said his efforts Sunday were ‘inspiring’. Covered in bandages, he took the mic.
After pausing for a ‘freshly squeezed’ chant, a ‘thank you Orange’ one started. ‘Hey… thank you’ were his first words. He’d been told to stay home but didn’t want to. Title or no title, ‘I will be here every single week, because I am freshly squeezed Orange Cassidy & I do not have a catchphrase’.
The crowd cheered and chanted his non-catchphrase catchphrase along with him. On his way back up the ramp, Wild Thing belted out the speakers as Mox came out to defend the title Cassidy just lost. They went to a split-screen and Cassidy looked almost physically pained as he watched Moxley bring the International Title to the ring. He stood and watched for a while then left sadly.
A little strange having him make an entrance to say so little but generally effective. Some nice subtle storytelling via facial expressions. And that’s how you make titles important – people are sad when they lose them.
Jon Moxley vs AR Fox (International Title)
Backstory: Absolutely none
Fox recently ‘turned back’ babyface by being booted from Swerve’s group, about ten minutes after he was deliberately beating up Nick Wayne in front of his mother. Despite this Darby Allin came out with him. It’s one thing to let bygones be bygones, another to actively support him after what he did to Allin’s protégé.
Mox went for a lariat, Fox ducked and dodged, enziguri, tried to chop Mox in the corner, the champ turned the tables, punching away as the crowd counted along. Then sending Fox to the apron, he came back in via springboard dropkick then soared outside onto Moxley with a Superman dive.
Back inside, Mox returned fire with his suplex bomb. Allin (who returned backstage after escorting Fox) and Wayne were shown watching. As Mox raked the back on the apron but took a boot to the face and draping ddt after Fox slipped back inside. Things spilled back out again, Fox sent to the guard rail then flung into the crowd as the ads arrived.
Decent start.
The champ on top, firing boots to Fox’s chest until the challenger landed another enziguri. Fox threw a couple implausibly weak lariats, hit a thrust kick and cutter, kipping up to cheers, but was caught in a choke after attacking Mox in the corner.
He escaped to roll through and hit another cutter for two and the first pin of the match. Then hit his moonsault off the ringpost, landing on his feet – always impressive. A 450 followed for another two. Mox clutched the wrist following the pin, hammerlock, H&A elbows; Fox came back with a dropkick but ate a KKL and Death Rider as Mox retained.
It was short but really liked this, nice back-and-forth. Particularly enjoyed Mox clutching the wrist into the finishing sequence out of a Fox pin. Mox and Claudio left through the crowd to loud cheers. Good crowd so far.
Winner: Jon Moxley
Allin hit the ring to console Fox. Wayne notably absent. He turned round backstage into Christian and Luchasaurus. Cage said he’d watched more footage of Wayne’s father and said he owed him an apology – ‘he was even worse than I thought he was’. Cage said if Wayne wants a true mentor he should try looking at him, a champion. ‘Say hi to your mom for me’.
Really enjoying the start to the show – good match and building feuds – including the Allin/Wayne bout later. I even laughed at that line about Wayne’s dad.
Kris Statlander vs Emi Sakura (TBS Title)
Backstory: None
Statlander out to nice reaction before the break. Sakura after to polite applause but not much more. She sidestepped a lockup, rollup for two, Tiger Driver with a high stack for another two, all within seconds of the start.
Stat to the apron, Sakura threw a cross body through the middle rope, knocking the champ to the floor. Then crushed her with another against the steps. Back inside, she got another two. Then knocked the champ over with a chop. Statlander fired back, the two exchanged shots in the middle until Sakura hit a back elbow and big lariat.
Both collided with lariats twice, each retreating to add momentum to a third, both hitting the deck as they collided again. Statlander to her feet on the apron, she snapped Sakura across the top rope then hit a vaulting elbow, missed a discus lariat, Sakura blocked Wednesday Night Fever and hit a delayed double underhook backbreaker for yet another two count.
The champ dominated thus far. As Sakura headed upstairs, was caught on the buckle and dropped face-first off Statlander’s shoulders, discus lariat, Wednesday Night Fever, win.
This was really good too, short but impactful. Sakura looked so strong here that it’d make sense to actually do something with her. Probably unlikely. Yes she’s older but if you want the women to be taken seriously, more matches like this would do it: physical between wrestlers who didn’t look like they were learning on the job.
Winner: Kris Statlander
Interview with Roderick Strong (who now has big ‘geek’ glasses to go along with his neck brace) about his backstory. All of which was painted to make everything look as bad as possible – his parents weren’t any good – drugs and alcohol – his sister left. He had to take care of himself and sat up nights with a BB Gun. Wrestling gave him an escape. So it isn’t just a business to him – ‘it’s my everything’. And Cole already knew that (the Kingdom patted him sympathetically on the shoulder)
‘I grew up alone and I’m gonna win this Grand Slam tournament alone’.
This was fun. If only Strong were the only weak guy in the tournament.
*****
Boos ringing out, explained by Don Callis coming out on comms.
Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara vs. Aussie Open
Backstory: Jericho reeled Guevara back in after it looked like they were splitting, suggesting they go after the tag belts
So Allin vs Wayne is main-eventing I guess. Jericho and Davis to start, circling, lockup, Jericho pushed to the corner but poking the eye, chop following; Davis came back – running through Jericho via shoulder block. Jericho shoved Davis to the buckle then tagged Sammy.
The faces took down Davis via double team then did their pose. Davis cartwheeled out of a whip to nail both via double clothesline then hit snake eyes on Guevara before tagging Fletcher.
The pre-requisuite chop battle ensued, Sammy ran through his series of flips, ducks and dodges before popping up into a dropkick and the crowd chanting his name. Before tagging Jericho in for a delayed double suplex on Fletcher, the crowd cheering loudly as they had him up there a good while.
Break. This is a fun show; crowd’s helping.
Sammy flipped free of both Aussies to dive for the tag to Jericho. Who ran through both until being sent to the apron by Davis. He went to the top but was caught and nailed by the Aussies’ lariat sandwich. Guevara hit a cutter to Davis to block half of a second.
Leaving Fletcher and Jericho. Code Breaker for a close two. He flung the youngster to the apron then hit his springboard dropkick, Guevara readying and landing a spectacular tornillo to both heels. The crowd absolutely wild here.
Until Jericho tried to vault onto the Aussies and took out Sammy. AO then crashed the two against one another before taking Jericho in for the Aussie Arrow. Jericho just kicked out. Was sent to the corner, Guevara stopped a running splash by meeting Davis with a Spanish Fly, Fletcher slipped behind Jericho but the vet twisted to drag Fletcher into position for the Walls. Fletcher blocked it and hit a sheer-drop brainbuster. Another close call.
TiA chants from the crowd. It’s certainly very good.
Jericho was swept into Sammy on the apron, kicked out of a Fletcher rollup, rebounding off the ropes to hit the Judas Effect to bag the win. But Guevara wasn’t happy. They got into a shoving match and had to be separated. By only two security guards. Sammy left through the crowd.
This is weird storytelling. Jericho’s very clearly been a dick and it’s hard to blame Sammy generally. Problem is, Jericho wasn’t remotely heelish tonight.
Winner: Le Sex Gods
Recap of Danielson/Starks from Sunday. Highlighting Danielson beating the absolute crap out of Starks and Ricky passing out rather than tapping out. They showed closeups of the welts and cuts on his body afterward. Starks said he’d proved a point. There’s no-one who can tap him out or match him. He’s pissed off and angry. When will it be his time? He wants a full meal r/t a slice of bread.
He’s everything he says he is, Absolute Ricky Starks. Still hate that closing line, it makes no sense. Rest of this was mixed, good job highlighting just how physical that was. But strange Starks acting as if he never gets opportunities when he’s just faced Danielson in a big match at a ppv and lost. Would also love to know whether he’s a good guy or a bad guy. Cause I’ve no idea.
*****
Cut to footage of Samoa Joe and MJF’s scrap at All Out after Joe bumped him (playing off an old NXT thing when Max was an extra). Break ahead of Max coming out.
*****
Backstage to Renee talking to Callis and Takeshita. They made history by beating Omega twice in 7 days. They’re going to have a celebration next week and unveil their next target (they had a painting of who it was but wouldn’t allow Renee to unveil it). That’s a cool touch if theyre going to do that everytime.
*****
Crowd chanting for MJF before he came out to a big pop. Crowd loudly chanted his name before he told them ‘the Devil has arrived’. He revealed he lived right here while grinding on the independent circuit. He asked who their daddy was and basked in cheers. Then said he was ‘chubbed up’.
Before talking about beating the Dark Order. Then walking backstage to be told by ‘that mark’ Tony Khan he had to defend his title again at Grand Slam. And was pissed until remembering it was in New York. Whoever wins the tournament will find out no-one’s on the level of the Devil.
But there’s one person who might need to be taught a lesson (crowd chanted for Joe). The big man came out before MJF got another word out. Schiavone said Joe was the last guy he’d want to mess with. The announcers put across MJF’s bad neck vis-à-vis the Muscle Buster.
Joe took the mic and apologized for the interruption but wanted a front row seat to hear what Max had to say. ‘What seems to be the problem kid?’ A few ‘Joe’s Gonna Kill You’ chants started. Max said he assumed Joe came out so fast cause he confused Max’s music for an ice-cream truck.
Joe said that was a good one. But last time he had anything to do with ice-cream he was the biggest star on the other company’s network. Then asked again – ‘What’s the problem kid?’ MJF was irritated by him saying it twice. He called Joe ‘Pillsbury Joe Boy’, another fat joke nickname and a small penis nickname. A few in the crowd chanted ‘tiny dick’.
Joe said Max’s Bar Mitzvah hadn’t been done yet because the Rabbi had so little to work with. Then heeled on the crowd. Then repeated ‘What seems to be the problem kid?’. And Max snapped, threatening Joe if he called him kid again. Realizing he’d been gotten to, he tried to calm himself and told Joe he wasn’t skipping the line and there was a tournament if he wanted him that badly. The crowd chanted ‘Fuck you Joe’. Joe said they sounded like their mothers.
Since Joe kept calling him ‘kid’, Max asked who was ready for storytime. Talking about a WWE tryout he had. Barely able to say Regal’s name – he recapped the story they both told last year. Max said he sent Regal packing back to NXT where he belongs. And ‘Joe’s next’ if he plays his cards right.
That night, he was asked to play a bodyguard for ‘the great Samoa Joe’. Max put him over and said he wasn’t going to pretend Joe isn’t good. But Joe took advantage that night by shoving him into a wall and laughing. MJF knows why Joe did that – because he knew he could get away with it.
But Max isn’t a kid anymore (he fired up) he’s the champ, a generational talent etc. etc. The crowd chanted his name. He warned Joe to stay out of his way ‘or I… am going to kill you’. The crowd very halfheartedly chanted it after he held the mic out. MJF did his better than you catchphrase which the crowd did yell along with. He dropped the mic.
Joe still had his. Theres one problem with MJF’s story – Joe didn’t think Max was a kid back then – ‘I thought you were a little bitch’. Max slapped Joe – Excalibur warned him to be careful. Joe said he wasn’t going to take the bait. He’s going to enter the tournament, win it, ‘then I’m comin for you’.
He left the way for Max to leave and told him to have a nice day. But booted the middle rope into his crotch and stomped him down before posing with his belt. Max came back with a low blow then stomped him in the corner. But ran right into an STJoe. And was about to take a Muscle Buster on his injured neck when Adam Cole ran him off.
The doctors checked on Max’s neck – he stayed down. Joe kept yelling ‘what’s wrong kid’ and laughing. Max was crying and repeating ‘shit’ while saying he couldn’t feel his left arm. Joe took the mic again to say he’d tear Max to pieces next time… ‘bitch!’.
This was excellent. It helps that I love Joe but this has to be the best angle to build a contender since Max became champ. Slight critique is this was so good it could be saved for a ppv. Also, yeah, hate the insider stuff.
MJF very slowly made his way backstage with help, stopping several times. Until a scream of ‘ADAAAAAM’ interrupted (which gets funnier every week). Strong and the Kingdom came out and argued with Cole. Who said he didn’t have time for this since he had to go backstage with MJF.
Break.
Roderick Strong vs Trent (Eliminator Tournament QF)
Backstory: Strong’s vowed to win the tournament & defeat MJF for ‘stealing’ his best friend Adam Cole
Trent made his entrance after the ads, bringing Chuck with him. Strong backed Trent to the corner then leg dove him before grabbing a headlock. Strong had shed the neck brace too. Trent got a rope break. Strong looked for the Stronghold, Trent blocked it but left himself open to a front facelock.
Back to their feet, Trent hit a leaping double knee strike as the announcers said MJF was being looked at backstage. The two fought, Strong got the better, landing a backbreaker. Crowd quiet for the first time all night. As Trent came back with a belly to back. Then a running elbow in the corner and tornado ddt.
Strong bailed outside, holding his neck as the Kingdom checked on him. Trent held the ropes open and eventually pursued him. Strong was faking and shoved Beretta into the buckle then dropped him back-first across the apron (really wish someone would tell him to stop taking bumps like those on his repaired neck).
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They replayed that last bump then showed both down in the middle. Strong got Trent on his shoulders, the latter fought free to hit a German, and another, Strong got the ropes to block a third but was then hit with a spinning DVD right onto his head for two. Trent looked for a piledriver, Strong hit a lungblower and sick kick for two of his own.
Then sat Beretta atop the buckle, Trent gouged and scrapped but was dragged onto Strong’s shoulders before fighting free to hit a hurracanrana, Strong rolled through, Trent countered for a close fall. Then flung Strong via half-and-half, crowd into this now as Trent hit a piledriver. Strong got his foot on the ropes to break the count.
Then grabbed the ropes to block a suplex, kicked Trent away, hit a leaping knee then End of Heartache to win. I’d assumed Trent was in this to give Strong a beatable opponent. Strong immediately put his brace back on. Fun stuff and good action.
Winner: Roderick Strong
Renee with Toni Storm. Renee mentioned her costing Ruby the match Sunday. Storm said she’d done so many ‘performances’ she couldn’t possibly remember them all. And we must look forward not back (she’d become upper class this week – ‘dear’ and ‘we must’). Renee said next week there’s a four-way to face Saraya for the title at Grand Slam. Storm said next week she’d give us a sneak peek into her life. Before giving Renee some advice in a sing-songy voice: ‘Chin up, tits out and watch for the shooooooooe’.
Which she of course flung once off-camera. The crowd laughed, Excalibur said she was ‘off her nut’. Which she most assuredly was here. Glad it’s finally going somewhere though with her breaking away from the Outcasts (I assume).
*****
Hangman out to a nice response. Break.
Schiavone congratulated him on winning the battle royal Sunday and giving the money to the Chicago public education fund. He said teachers were underfunded, underpaid and underappreciated. Then thanked AEW for allowing him to whip ass and win some money for charity.
He was about to say what he wanted to do with the rest of 2023 when Swerve’s music interrupted. Prince Nana did his stupid dancing which reduces Strickland’s act considerably. Swerve stalked slowly to the ring staring a hole through Hangman. Nana snatched the mic from Tony like every heel ever does. Then handed it to Strickland.
Swerve said being in a coffin for two weeks gave him perspective. And Page was the first person he thought of when he got out. Asking if he was a mascot since he was doing charity for juvenile delinquents that won’t become anything anyway. And noting he wasn’t on the main card competing for titles. He’s ashamed for him. Since Page was supposed to be the cornerstone of the company and was ‘handpicked’ by higher ups, listing all of Page’s accomplishments.
It seems Page lost his confidence or doesn’t want it anymore. He hasn’t got any new gear or merch in almost a year. He doesn’t wrestle or do promos. He took a backseat to the Elite. In short, he’s become too comfortable. He’s been handed opportunities. If Swerve had the same ones he’d be the first black AEW champ. He gave Page two choices:
Option A – ride off into the sunset and ride his contract into catering and leave the slot for Swerve to turn AEW into his house. Option B – do what he has to do to get that fire back and show everyone what Cowboy Shit is all about. He can fight Swerve for that spot.
‘Either way, I’m comin for that spot, that you act like you don’t even want’.
Page said he’d had enough of that this year (he didn’t say what ‘that’ was) and if Swerve wanted a match he could go backstage and ask. He was leaving when Swerve said it was a shame his wife and kid had to watch him be like this.
Page got right in his face when Brian Cage attacked from behind and hit the Drillclaw.
Taz said he knew the history between them. Well I’ve watched for three and a half years and can’t remember. So maybe do your job and tell me?
The first miss all night. I like this mix, I like Page actually having something to do, like Swerve swimming with the big boys.
But hate all the insider crap: ‘you were chosen, you were handed stuff’. And Ricky Starks has already pulled the ‘wah wah opportunities’ card tonight. I’ve also got no idea why Page is suddenly all sullen again and backed down from a challenge.
*****
Penta vs Lethal, Jeff Hardy vs Joe on Rampage, Grand Slam Tournament – brief promos all participants. The participants and venue speak for themselves.
You could tell they’d run long because Excalibur ran through the upcoming lineups so quickly. Like quickly even relative to his usual standards.
Nick Wayne vs Darby Allin (Eliminator Tournament QF)
Backstory: Allin lost his TNT title match Sunday after being distracted by Christian threatening Wayne
Speaking of weak, this is not a main event. Wayne even lost to Aussie Open on Collision. It’s almost like he shouldn’t be in a world title tournament.
They chain wrestled through a bunch of takedowns, counters and pin attempts. Darby sent Wayne though the ropes to release the grip on a waistlock. Wayne then avoided Allin’s bullet tope – he went splat at ringside. Even Wayne looked concerned.
Break.
Allin was then hit with a superplex, Wayne maintained grip into a fisherman buster for two. Darby avoided a splash, hit a running shotgun for two. Then caught Wayne in a figure four. Wayne turned it, Allin got the rope break but was selling his knee. Wayne looked for a sunset flip, Allin grabbed the ropes, both ducked and dodged until crashing as both thought cross body.
To their knees, they bumped fists then got back to fighting, rocking one-another with rights. Until Allin demanded a mic to ask Wayne to hit him like he wanted to win. Even putting his arms behind his back to give Wayne a free shot. The youngster wound up but hit a thrust kick instead for two.
Christian Cage’s music hit, he and Luchasaurus came to the stage as the last ads arrived.
Fighting on the apron, Wayne rana’d Allin off it. Cage had joined on comms to say he hoped Wayne wouldn’t use any of his father’s moves. Wayne hit a frogsplash off the top to the outside (really he landed on his feet then belly flopped onto Darby, it didn’t look good). Bagging two after sending Allin back inside and hitting Wayne’s World.
Then sat Allin atop the buckle, Allin held the ropes to block a cutter, Wayne crashed to the mat, Darby readied a Coffin Drop but wouldn’t or couldn’t hit it. He climbed down, Wayne tried Last Supper for two, Allin blocked Wayne’s World, Allin rolled through, springboard cross body, tons of twos, Code Red for a final two.
Before Allin captured the shoulders and stomped on the back, Wayne verbally submitted.
Didn’t like this much. Never got into it. Perhaps because it was disjointed by the breaks for ads, mic time and Cage’s entrance. If we get another Darby/Joe match in the finals that’ll make up for it nicely.
Facing stiff competition from WWE’s Payback and college football, Collision drew a new all-time low for the series so far with just 345,000 viewers tuning in this past Saturday. That is down 207,000 viewers from the prior week. The 18-49 demo was 0.11, down 0.05, also a new a low. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Tonight’s Dynamite is live from Indianapolis, Indiana and the show will kick-start the AEW Grand Slam World Title Eliminator tournament.
The two matches already announced in that tournament are Darby Allin vs Nick Wayne and Trent Beretta vs Roderick Strong.
In other matches set for the broadcast, new International champion Jon Moxley will defend against AR Fox, Kris Statlander defends the TBS title against Emily Sakura, and Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara team up to take on Aussie Open.
Plus, AEW World champion MJF will be addressing Samoa Joe after Joe shoved him last Sunday in a throwback from the NXT days and Adam Page will also be speaking.
On this week’s episode of Talk is Jericho, Chris Jericho touched on the CM Punk subject, a subject that has dominated the pro wrestling news for the whole week.
Jericho said that he had an interaction with Punk before all hell broke lose when he went over to ask if he was going to use a specific move in his match so if he was, he wouldn’t do it as well.
“He wasn’t, then I told him I was going to do the GTS and with a straight face and I think for a second he thought that I was going to, and I was joking, of course,” Jericho said.
Jericho admitted that there was some chaos at the start of the pay-per-view because they weren’t sure Punk was going out and people were scrambling to see who was ready as a backup to go out first instead.
“I knew that at one point I can’t go on any earlier than I’m supposed to go on because we’ve got the band and the entrance and all that sort of stuff,” Jericho explained. “That definitely kind of threw a monkey wrench into some things. Once again, we’re still getting ready for our match when all this stuff is going down.”
Jericho said that what happened backstage at All In was a “regretful moment” but Tony Khan made his decision to get rid of Punk.
“CM Punk was a big part of AEW for the time he was here, and if you’re going to go out, he went out on top for sure by having this good match with Samoa Joe in a sold-out stadium,” Jericho continued. “Not sold out…but the highest selling ticket seller of all time. So…that’s my thoughts on that.”
Rampage before All Out drew 372,000 viewers, up 24,000 viewers from the prior week. The show drew the same 0.11 rating of last week and placed #17 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Impact Wrestling on AXS TV drew 99,000 viewers, down 8,000 viewers from the prior week’s broadcast. The show drew just a 0.01 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 0.01 from the previous show and did not chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Wrestlenomics)
The AEW Grand Slam World Title Eliminator tournament will kick off on Dynamite tonight and the first two matches were announced.
Darby Allin will be meeting Nick Wayne in the first match and Trent Beretta will face Roderick Strong in the second match.
The other four participants and two matches were not disclosed.
The eight-man tournament will eventually determine who will face MJF for the AEW World title at the Dynamite: Grand Slam episode on September 20 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Smackdown with the return of John Cena drew 2,443,000 viewers last Friday, down 214,000 viewers from the Bray Wyatt and Terry Funk tribute show. Apart from that episode, it was the most-watched episode of Smackdown since July 7. The show drew a 0.65 rating in 18-49, down 0.13 from last week and was the top rated show on both network and cable television in both viewers and demo. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Becky Lynch will be heading back to NXT next week to try and win a title that she never won: the NXT Women’s championship.
After Tiffany Stratton defeated Kiana James last night on NXT, Becky appeared on the video screen and told Stratton that she’s coming for her title next week, challenging her for a match.
The storyline between the two started a few weeks ago when Stratton mistakenly listed Lynch as a former NXT Women’s champion when she was saying how she will become the best NXT Women’s champion of all time. The mistake was quickly picked up by fans who told Stratton on social media that Becky never won the title and Becky replied as well saying she hasn’t won it…yet.
Stratton has appeared a few times on screen on Raw since then and as well as Payback to further the storyline.
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, former NWA champion Nick Aldis said that he’s working with WWE on a handshake deal at the moment after he was invited to see if he would like a producer role.
Aldis started shadowing WWE producers last month and has been attending TV and premium live events.
“I think people who have followed my career, particularly in the last few years, know that in addition to wrestling I was wearing a lot of hats behind the scenes at my last place, Aldis said, referring to the NWA.
While he said this job doesn’t feel completely new for him, he said there’s pro wrestling and then there’s WWE.
“So you know, just taking in the sheer sort of volume of the operation, and the number of people involved, the scale of everything. Just that alone has been the basis of my time so far,” Aldis continued.
He admitted that the company has treated him very, very good so far and they have been very accommodating to him and it’s now a matter of seeing where it goes from here.
The 36-year-old Aldis said that while he’s doing this job for now, he’s certainly not retired from in-ring competition and he would eventually love to wrestle for WWE one day.
Prior to this gig, Aldis never worked for WWE in any capacity before.
