WWE will have a merchandise store located inside the PPG Paints Arena this weekend for Payback, with WWE merch taking over the PensGear store.
WWE fans will have their chance to shop exclusive WWE Payback merchandise, including championship titles, WWE Superstar apparel, collectibles, mini-titles and so much more!
The WWE Payback Store will also feature free meet & greets with two WWE Superstars. Raquel Rodriguez will be meeting fans today starting at 4:30PM while Austin Theory will then meet fans on Saturday starting at 12:30PM. Wristband are needed for meet and greet entry and can be picked up at WWE Payback Store once the store opens today. Only wristbands for that days meet & greet will be available.
The WWE Payback Store is a Fanatics experience that will be free and open to the public. The store opens today from 11AM to 6PM and on Saturday from 11AM to 5PM.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has witnessed the rise and fall of various fighting styles throughout its history. From the early days of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu to the dominance of striking arts, one style has consistently proven its effectiveness in recent years: wrestling. While Brazilian Jiu-jitsu may have been considered the most effective style in the past, wrestling has emerged as the most dominant martial art in modern MMA.
In this article, we will delve into the reasons behind wrestling’s success in MMA and explore the key factors that contribute to its dominance.
A Look at UFC Rankings
To gain a deeper understanding of wrestling’s dominance in MMA, we can examine the official UFC rankings across different weight classes. It becomes evident that elite wrestlers are present at the top of each division. From heavyweight to flyweight, wrestlers consistently occupy the ranks of the most successful fighters. This prevalence of wrestlers among the top contenders highlights the importance of wrestling skills in modern MMA.
Some notable examples include Stipe Miocic, the heavyweight champion with a background in NCAA Division I wrestling, and Khabib Nurmagomedov, the undefeated lightweight champion with a background in wrestling. These fighters showcase the impact of wrestling in their respective weight classes.
Enhancing Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Skills
One of the primary reasons why wrestling is so effective in MMA is its ability to enhance Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) skills. Wrestlers who transition to MMA often excel in applying submission moves due to their exceptional ability to advance to the mat and secure dominant positions. This advantage allows them to execute submission techniques with precision.
Wrestlers excel in making swift transitions on the mat, bypassing their opponents’ guards, and effortlessly securing positions necessary for submissions. Moves like the Arm Triangle, Monoplata, and Kimura become easily accessible to wrestlers due to their exceptional control and positioning on the ground. The effectiveness of wrestling in enhancing BJJ skills is evident in the success of fighters like Daniel Cormier, who utilized wrestling-based techniques to secure victories with submissions.
Neutralizing Striking Styles
Even elite strikers like Conor McGregor and Israel Adesanya have recognized the importance of incorporating wrestling into their skill sets. Wrestling provides a crucial element of defense against striking styles, allowing fighters to neutralize their opponents’ attacks by taking the fight to the ground. This ability to dictate where the fight takes place makes wrestlers highly unpredictable and gives them an advantage over other styles.
By constantly changing the position and location of the fight, wrestlers force their opponents to expend significant amounts of energy. This constant movement and control exertion favor wrestlers, who are known for their exceptional cardiovascular endurance. The ability to neutralize high-level strikers is one of the key reasons why wrestling is so effective in MMA.
Mental Toughness and Work Ethic
Wrestlers are renowned for their mental toughness and unparalleled work ethic. The grueling nature of wrestling training, both physically and mentally, builds a unique level of toughness in wrestlers. This mental edge allows them to push through challenging moments during fights and maintain composure under pressure.
The rigorous training and discipline required in wrestling also enable wrestlers to transition to MMA more seamlessly than athletes from other disciplines. Wrestlers like Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones, and Tyron Woodley have successfully adopted other martial arts such as kickboxing, Muay Thai, and boxing due to their exceptional work ethic and ability to adapt.
Controlling the Fight with Clinching
Clinching against the cage is another area where wrestlers excel in MMA. By utilizing under hooks and body locks, wrestlers can neutralize the striking game of their opponents and exert tremendous pressure. This control forces their opponents to carry their weight, leading to exhaustion and a significant advantage for the wrestler.
Skilled wrestlers like Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington have made clinching against the cage a cornerstone of their fighting styles. They use their wrestling expertise to control their opponents, limiting their movement and utilizing techniques from Muay Thai and dirty boxing to further dominate the fight.
Scoring Favors Wrestling
The scoring system in MMA also contributes to the effectiveness of wrestling. Takedowns are scored similarly to knockdowns, giving wrestlers a significant advantage in the eyes of the judges. Even if a striker dominates the fight on the feet, a well-timed takedown can sway the judge’s decision in favor of the wrestler. This scoring bias towards takedowns often leads to controversial decisions and has solidified the importance of wrestling in MMA.
The Psychological Advantage
Wrestlers bring two crucial psychological factors into the cage: fear of being taken down and desperation. The constant threat of takedowns from wrestlers creates fear and uncertainty in the minds of their opponents. This fear disrupts the game plans of strikers and puts them at a disadvantage.
Additionally, when a wrestler successfully executes takedowns and maintains dominant positions, their opponents often become desperate to escape. This desperation leads to mistakes and exhaustion, allowing the wrestler to capitalize on their opponent’s vulnerability. Wrestlers’ psychological advantage further illustrates the effectiveness of wrestling in MMA.
Wrestling Moves in MMA
Wrestling has a plethora of moves that seamlessly transition into MMA. Some of the most effective wrestling moves in MMA include the penetration step, single-leg takedowns, double-leg takedowns, and the sprawl. These moves provide fighters with the ability to control the fight, take their opponents to the ground, and neutralize striking attacks.
The penetration step is a fundamental offensive move in wrestling that helps cover the distance between opponents. Single-leg and double-leg takedowns are versatile techniques that allow fighters to secure takedowns by grabbing their opponents’ legs. The sprawl, on the other hand, is a defensive technique used to evade takedowns and maintain a dominant position. These moves highlight the adaptability of wrestling techniques in MMA.
The Impact on Betting Odds
The dominance of wrestling in MMA has a significant impact on betting odds. Bookmakers and bettors alike recognize the advantage that wrestlers bring to the octagon, leading to more favorable MMA odds for fighters with wrestling backgrounds. Analyzing the stylistic matchup between two fighters, with one having a wrestling advantage, can provide valuable insights for bettors looking to make informed wagers.
Conclusion
Wrestling’s dominance in MMA is undeniable, with elite wrestlers consistently outperforming their opponents in the octagon. The ability to enhance BJJ skills, neutralize striking styles, control the fight, and capitalize on the psychological advantage make wrestling an essential discipline for MMA fighters. The rich history and legacy of wrestling, combined with its seamless integration into MMA, solidify its position as one of the most effective martial arts in the sport. As the sport continues to evolve, wrestlers will continue to play a vital role in shaping the future of MMA.
Last night’s Dynamite had to be largely re-written as several stars were not present for the broadcast due to the hurricane and unspecified illnesses.
AEW President Tony Khan wrote about the changes before Dynamite hit the air on TBS. “Due to minor illnesses to big talent traveling this week, + Hurricane Idalia affecting flights, I’ve changed some plans for #AEWDynamite TONIGHT,” he wrote on X.
Many wrestlers live in the state of Florida and hurricane Idalia wrecked some havoc, including disrupting hundreds of flights from the Sunshine State.
Dave Meltzer of the Observer noted that if the show “seemed thrown together” it’s because it was, and there were several last minute changes leading up to the broadcast.
Hopefully for the AEW writing team, Collision on Saturday will be an easier affair with the hurricane over.
The funeral service for Terry Funk will be held tomorrow in Amarillo, Texas.
Visitation will be allowed today only between 5PM and 7PM at Brooks Funeral Directors located at 1702 5th Avenue in Canyon, Texas, while the funeral service will be held at 2PM at Hillside Christian Church on 6100 S. Soncy Road.
The legendary professional wrestler died n August 23 at the age of 79 at a hospital in Phoenix. He had been battling dementia for the past few years.
A tournament to determine who will challenge for MJF’s AEW World title at the Dynamite: Grand Slam episode was announced last night.
The Grand Slam World Title Eliminator tournament will start next week on Dynamite and will have eight competitors, none of which were announced on the show.
Roderick Strong did announce during an in-ring segment that he will be part of the tournament and will go on to win it but officially, no entrants are yet in the tournament.
Dynamite: Grand Slam takes place on September 20 from Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York.
Last year’s show was headlined by Jon Moxley against Bryan Danielson in a tournament final for the vacant AEW World title.
NXT this week drew 614,000 viewers, down a whopping 106,000 viewers from last week’s Heatwave episode. This was the least-watched episode of NXT since July 4. The show drew a 0.16 rating in 18-49, also the lowest since July 4, and was #3 in the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
WWE and Endeavor shares got hit big time today after it was announced that Saudi Arabia invested $100 million in the PFL: Professional Fighters League.
As of this writing, WWE shares plunged 13% following a near-5% drop yesterday while Endeavor dropped a further 10%.
WWE has a 10-year multi-million dollar agreement with the Saudi kingdom and get approximately $50 million per show every time they perform there. WWE goes to Saudi Arabia twice a year.
The Saudi investment in PFL is seen as trying to mount competition with the UFC. The UFC has never done shows in Saudi and Endeavor always resisted going there.
WWE and UFC will merge under the TKO Group Holdings Inc umbrella next month, owned by Endeavor.
CM Punk traveled to Las Vegas yesterday to headline the 57th Annual Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion. The former WWE and AEW World champion received the Iron Mike Mazurki award, the highest honor of the organization.
The Iron Mike Mazurki Award is bestowed upon individuals who have made exceptional contributions to professional wrestling and have exhibited outstanding dedication to the sport both inside and outside the ring.
Punk addressed a sizable crowd at the Plaza Hotel & Casino and told them that the likes of Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes, Rowdy Roddy Piper, and Tracy Smothers gave him the confidence to succeed in this business.
He noted that while many legends have passed, he’s still grateful that he can still text the likes of Bret Hart and Jerry Brisco and while he rubbed a few people the wrong way throughout his career, he always had the backing of some of the biggest wrestling legends.
Punk told Teal Piper, who was sitting in the audience, that her father was his hero and the reason why he is a wrestler today.
“So when people tell me that they don’t like me or the internet’s mad at me, I just kind of chuckle because Roddy Piper liked me, Dusty Rhodes liked me,” Punk said. “I had the respect and the backing of Harley Race before I went to the WWE, and to me, that means more than all the money in the world.”
Punk also credited the likes of JBL, Mickie James, Eddie Guerrero, and a few others who helped his career along the way.
The All Out pay-per-view this coming Sunday had a few more matches added to it last night on Dynamite.
Two ROH titles will be on the line as Samoa Joe defends his TV title against Shayne Taylor while Adam Cole and MJF defend their Tag Team titles against the winners of a battle royal which will take place this Friday on Rampage.
Orange Cassidy versus Jon Moxley for the International title was also made official after Cassidy overcame Penta in the main event of the show.
Other matches announced include Eddie Kingston and Katsuyori Shibata vs Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta and an eight-man tag match with FTR teaming up with The Young Bucks to take on Bullet Club Gold.
All Out will take place from the United Center in Chicago.
AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the NOW Arena in Chicago, Illinois. After last week drawing 870,000 & 0.32 in the 18-49 demo.
Notha crazy few days huh? Gonna be very interesting seeing how this crowd reacts if they think/know Punk’s not performing at All Out. (Surprisingly didn’t hear a single chant all night.)
*****
Video package recapping All In before the show proper started. Basically showing all the winners in very quick fashion. Excalibur pushed the NOW Arena as the place where the original All In took place. Then pushed the card. Big pop for Eddie Kingston’s match. Mox too.
Jon Moxley vs Komander
Backstory: None
Whose music kicked in seconds later. The former champ clad in ‘DEATH JITSU’ gear. And not remotely a heel. The commentators tried to spin the tale that Komander’s a big Fenix fan so is seeking revenge on Mox. Not buying. Show don’t tell.
Mox booted him in the head as the bell rang, chops following as the crowd encouraged Moxley to ‘F him up’. Komander got a thrust kick out of the corner, another, tejeiras takedown, Mox spilling outside, Komander pursuing him via cross body from the top.
Crowd now chanting for the Mexican. Back in the ring, Mox raked the back (we missed the transition while they were replaying the cross body). Komander fought back, landing a headbutt, sending Mox crashing to the mat but missed a Cancun tornado. Mox followed up by releasing a suplex into a powerbomb.
Break.
Back to Mox with a facelock, looking for a piledriver, Komander blocked it then went Full Kidman, countering a powerbomb into a facebuster. Also, both guys were bleeding. Seriously. The Mexican flung a parade of lariats, a single Mox palm strike bettered them but Komander nailed Mox with a leaping lariat and a hook kick.
Then targeted the knee to setup a short ddt. Before hauling Mox onto his shoulders for a lungblower and two via the first pin of the match. Then walked the ropes into a shooting star; Mox got his knees up. KKL next, piledriver following, two only. An angry Mox right into H&A elbows, rear-naked sleeper, dead center, transitioning into the juijigitame. Immediate tap.
Nice opener. Komander’s really toned down the rope-walking and turns out he’s pretty good.
Winner: Jon Moxley
Orange Cassidy video package. He insisted he’ll keep defending his title whenever and wherever he has to. After Sunday people might think he’d take a break. But instead he’s facing Penta tonight and Mox Sunday. He’s not the same Cassidy from when the company started and he’ll show Mox why at All In.
Standard stuff.
*****
Footage of the Bucks being interviewed after their loss to FTR. Matt was sore and pissed. Nick was disappointed (both Bucks’ acting here was much better than last week). FTR came in to ask about the handshake. The Bucks said they were upset in front of the fans and regretted not shaking. Matt stood up to say FTR were the better team and etc. when BCG walked in from seemingly the other side of the room.
White said they were on the winners side of the room. He mocked the Elite all losing at All In then challenged the Bucks and FTR to an eight-man at All Out. Or maybe Cash challenged them. They both seemed to.
White said the BCG would be left standing.
Of course it was instantly made official. Not that I’m complaining about seeing that. If they’re going to just throw matches on the ppv with no story, at least this one’s interesting and should be good action.
(The show has a much nicer pace so far. I feel like I’ve taken everything in.)
*****
Footage of the women’s match from Sunday, focusing on Saraya winning and the Outcasts’ issues.
Cut to Renee with Toni Storm who looked exhausted and hungover. She said she was very happy for Saraya but Saraya went ‘off script’ (she meant this from the perspective of her character, she wasn’t ‘shooting’). She can’t trust her or Ruby or Shida or Britt and the referee should be sacked. ‘Wembley went tits up’. Renee kind of pushed hers forward and nearly cracked. Essentially, Storm had a breakdown and threw her shoe from off camera.
This bitwas fun at first. It needs to evolve.
(Btw, ‘tits up’ means ‘gone wrong’. Not a clue why.)
*****
Chris Jericho out. Am I the only one who is so f****** sick of hearing Judas? The fans chanted his name since he’s at least nominally a babyface. Jericho said we should be ‘happy and festive’ after All In weekend. He said it was one of the best weekends of his career. He pushed the number of tickets – ‘and that number is ‘shoot’ baby’.
He called his match with Ospreay ‘one of my favorites’. (Is this for a documentary or something? He had a great weekend and a match he lost is one of his favorites!?)
He said what he did regret about the weekend was how he’d treated his ‘brother’ Sammy Guevara. Guevara came out, there was a weak ‘Sammy’ chant before Jericho took the mic to apologize profusely. He hadn’t been sure Sammy had done everything he could to help Jericho but when he’d watched it back he saw Sammy use the bat on Ospreay. Then apologized again, extending his hand. Guevara shook it and said he always has his back. ‘A little push isn’t gonna break us up’.
Jericho carried on, wondering about how he’d lost the match and what he could’ve done differently. Slipping in that Sammy maybe could’ve hit Ospreay harder with the bat. Sammy cut him off. To say that he thought Jericho should’ve hit the Judas Effect harder. Jericho apologized again but said sometimes Sammy didn’t do things exactly the way he envisioned it.
Sammy said he’d left his pregnant wife at home to have Jericho’s back. Jericho said there were plenty of people who’d have killed to be in London. Sammy said if he wasn’t so busy watching Jerichos back, he might’ve wrestled on it. Jericho said if he followed his advice he’d be on it next year.
Sammy said he could follow all his advice except not lose on the biggest show they’d ever done. Jericho said Sammy should’ve beaten MJF when he had the chance. Guevara said Jericho became AEW champ four years ago. But lost the belt outside a steakhouse (that’s a true story btw). ‘Some champion’, he cracked.
Jericho said they both needed to cool down and not say something they’d regret. They should get back to what they do best. They should reunite the Sex Gods and go after ‘what we’ve rightfully earned’, the AEW tag titles. Next week they’ll start that path. What does Sammy say? Guevara shook his hand. The crowd started booing as soon as Jericho mentioned going after the tag titles.
They left together. Jericho also playing will he/won’t he at the same time as Cole/MJF is overkill. And his comments about his All In match were weird. Nor does it seem he’s appearing at All Out.
*****
Moxley backstage with the other BCC members. At All Out, he’ll face the winner of Penta/Cassidy. And the three of them have something in common, they don’t talk too much. They don’t bark. And the winner this Sunday ‘will be the wrestler with the biggest bite’.
Not close to enough to build a match from one show. Tough to blame Mox though when he has to pretend he doesn’t even know who he’s facing so can’t get specific.
Eddie Kingston vs Wheeler Yuta (NJPW Strong Title)
Backstory: Part of the ongoing BCC/Kingston & co feud
As usual, AEW adds a title defense which only makes the result inevitable while adding no value to the match. Kingston got a nice pop from what sounds a very small crowd.
And was bandaged round the head. Again, the crowd asked Eddie to ‘F him up’. As he wrestled Yuta to the mat. Yuta pushed him to the corner and disrespectfully slapped his face. Kingston caught him up top with a big chop but took a single-arm ddt from the buckle. Immediately selling his arm after; Yuta targeted it.
Mox and Claudio were shown watching backstage.
Kingston tried a chop but hurt his arm again, Yuta again went after it, hitting a leaping single-arm. Ads.
Yuta sent Wheeler outside then hit a tope before flinging the youngster back in and firing machine gun chops in the corner, exploder out of it, count of two. Yuta blocked the Uriken, took an enziguri but slipped back in thru the ropes to bag two via German.
To the top, Kingston got his knees up to block a splash, Saito suplex, another two. He tried to shake the blood back into his arm, Yuta blocked a waistlock by striking the arm and bagged a close count before stomping away.
Succeeding only in pissing off Kinston who fired up, to his feet, stiff chops, a third blocked as Yuta again worked the injured arm, firing H&A elbows to it then to Kingston’s face, Eddie dropping, firing up again, to his feet again, half & half suplex after a duck under, Uriken, Yuta stayed on his feet, Eddie hit another to retain.
Pretty good given its length and the ad break.
Claudio appeared at ringside, his belt over his shoulder. He dismissively wouldn’t even look at Eddie as he helped Yuta to the back. The announcers talked about how Kingston felt Claudio had never respected him.
The crowd chanted again for Kingston.
Winner: Eddie Kingston
Recap of all the Cole/MJF stuff from Sunday, both matches.
Then footage showing the two after the match. Cole came in to apologize. Max cut him off – good naturedly – to say he’d nearly broken his neck and made him wrestle too much. Then ran through a ton of stuff faster than Excalibur could. Something about defending their ROH tag titles Sunday and him defending his AEW title at Grand Slam.
Until then he’s going to France for the week. Cole said he deserved a break. They left on good terms.
Speeding through all that wouldn’t be good enough a month out. When it’s all the build we get, it’s a joke. And if the bloody Kingdom are their opponents Sunday, it’s a very bad one.
*****
Renee with Sammy Guevara. Don Callis interrupted to ask whether it was hard dealing with ‘a sociopath’. He then said he’d ‘just heard’ Sammy was pregnant and congratulated him. Guevara got right in his face and told him to ‘get lost’.
Callis is so brilliantly full of crap.
*****
There’s a battle royal thing that will take place Friday. The winners face Max & Cole Sunday. And there’s another tournament… Another tournament… Another. Tournament. The winner will face MJF at Grand Slam.
*****
Adam Cole came out to probably the best pop so far. Cole said one of the best stories ever took place Sunday. He thanked everyone for making that the most special night of his life. In total contrast with Callis, he sounded completely genuine.
But the night wasn’t quite perfect. Because he lost. And that hurt really bad (bit of a contrast with Jericho). But at some point he’ll get another shot. Moving on to MJF, he said Max’s neck is banged up but he’ll be ready for Sunday.
‘ADAAAAM’ interrupted him. Several times. Muted boos as the Kingdom and Roderick Strong marched to the ring. Strong confronted him about being more concerned over MJF’s neck than his. Cole said this was getting ridiculous. Strong must be listening to ‘these guys’.
Mike Bennett objected to the term ‘these guys’. The crowd booed in a way that said ‘go away’ and chanted ‘STFU’. Bennett talked about them getting each other jobs with a match in 2010. ‘We did everything together’. Cole hosted his bachelor party. The crowd kept ‘What?’-ing.
Cole cares too much what the fans think and forgot what the Kingdom means to him. Cole tried to talk. Taven cut him off. Saying he used them to take over ROH then left for the Bullet Club and ‘Florida’ to get money and titles. Taven said Cole’s ‘the same leech you’ve always been’.
And now he’s doing that to MJF. Taven said Cole only cares about himself even though there were tons of people with him along the way. The crowd chanted ‘STFU’ again. Cole said he’s very sorry if he made them feel that way. They used to be very close. But these guys need to accept that MJF’s his best friend.
Strong said he can’t accept that so he’s going to enter the Grand Slam tournament and beat MJF for the title with his real friends by his side. Cole told him that was a ‘horrible’ idea since Strong’s neck was hurt. Strong said Cole was finally pretending to care. And he didn’t need to cheat or have a neck at 100% to win the title. He called himself a ‘wrestling legend’.
They all threw their mics down and left. Gotta use that precious tv time to highlight your big stars. Especially days before a ppv.
The usual booking shortcuts. They still didn’t really explain what the Kingdom is. Despite good promo work by Taven & Bennett, it didn’t matter because they’ve been presented as absolutely nothing. You can’t have guys disappear into obscurity for a year then suddenly throw them out there on tv and expect fans to care.
*****
Penta promo. It’s just business with Cassidy but Moxley injured his brother. Alex Abrahantes said it’s ironic that the same place the Lucha Bros won the tag belts is the same place Penta will win his first singles gold.
Seems the dude has about the same grasp on what that word means as Alanis Morisette.
He was out there scouting Mox (he managed Komander) and made note of some weaknesses. Meaning the new champ will have… ‘Zero Miedo’.
Statlander, Shida & Baker vs Sakura, Rose & Shafir
Backstory: None
Excalibur said no-one was hotter in the women’s division than Statlander. It might be true; if it is, it’s a sad statement about said division. On the subject, the former two-time champ Shida got about three bars of her entrance music before Britt got her whole theme.
The heels all came out together. Gee, whoever’s gonna win?
Sakura attacked before the bell, Shida struck back with a nice hurracanrana and ten punches in the corner. Then a missile dropkick off the middle rope. Before tagging Baker. Who hit a slingblade for two.
Nyla nailed her in the back with the ref distracted, bringing in Shafir to hit kicks then a judo throw before tagging Rose. To choke Britt with her boot. Sakura back in to nail a big chop then drag Baker to the heels’ corner as the ads arrived.
Back to the TBS champ coming in with a big boot then wailing on Shafir. She got Marina on her shoulders then dropped her face-first. Landing looked like it sucked. Rose and Sakura came in to hit a double team slam.
Shida entered but caught a superkick from Britt when the heels ducked. Apparently it was the second miscommunication between the two so I must’ve missed something, apologies. Statlander fought all the heels off then headed upstairs to dive onto all the other five. She then hit her piledriver on Shafir to win.
Baker and Shida were arguing outside. Ruby Soho hit No Future on Statlander from behind then ran. Taking the TBS title with her. Though left it on the ramp. Statlander was so annoyed at this that she posed with the other babyfaces.
Winner: Statlander, Shida & Baker
They did a Shane Taylor package. Who is seemingly an ROH guy. It was pretty good promo work but I don’t know who he is. That’s twice in as many promo segments I’ve written that.
He’s facing Joe at All Out for the ROH TV title. I also shouldn’t have to use the ‘is this a joke?’ line twice re: the build for the last show before a pay-per-view but here we are.
*****
Callis and Takeshita were backstage reviewing footage of the match from Sunday. Callis kept telling Takeshita to hit the Blue Thunder Bomb and strikes to the neck, showing him where Omega was weak via X-Rays of his knees and neck. Then said if all that fails… there’s the screwdriver.
This was very good. It was original, it was serious, it promoted the match. Takeshita’s heel body-language is excellent.
*****
The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn came out. Caster made fun of Donald Trump’s mugshot. Bowens was in a new basketball-style outfit. Unfortunately, sixty-odd year-old Billy Gunn was too.
There was a podium setup. And a big pink ribbon. They made penis jokes about the size of scissors. Billy cut the ribbon. Bowens said there’s a new era in the trios division. He welcomed us to the ‘House of Ass’.
Where they wear pink. So they have new pink belts too (the leather not the face). The straps ‘scissor’ together too. They made more sex jokes re: scissoring. On Collision they’re going to defend their titles against Tekno Team 2000 & the Goon. I kid but I’m probably not far off based on tonight’s show.
They did the ‘scissor me’ line then left.
Seriously? They’re not even trying to build the match by announcing their opponents? This was their last promo segment to push anything at all for a pay-per-view and they did this? No Omega response? No mention of former world champions Hangman or Jericho doing anything? Tv time sure is cheap tonight.
*****
A bunch of undercard teams promised to win the battle royal Friday. Cannot wait to see who’s definitely going to lose to Cole and MJF.
Orange Cassidy vs Penta El Zero M (International Title)
Backstory: Winner faces Mox Sunday in a match for which Cassidy’s already been announced
Penta came out in red again after finishing the match Sunday that way.
Ads.
Cassidy out after the break. The crowd split since the Bros are always particularly over in Chi-town. The two came together mid-ring, Penta did ‘Zero Miedo’ and pie-faced Cassidy like he was Jack Perry.
Cassidy responded, provoking a rapid-fire exchange of moves, counters, ducks and dodges leading to both kipping up at the same time. Unable to be separated. Cassidy went for the pockets, Penta blocked, Cassidy took him down by the arm, got the pockets, landed an armdrag, Penta fled outside, catching Cassidy mid-tope before press-slamming him across the barricade.
Barely a couple minutes in, we went to another break.
Back to Cassidy kicking out at two, propelling Penta outside then hitting an elbow suicida. But leaping off the stairs into a thrust kick then being drilled by a dive. Back inside, Cassidy got his feet up in the corner, Penta recovered to hit a legdrop for two.
Cassidy Flair-flipped to the apron, Penta brought him back in via suplex but Cassidy countered into Stundog Millionaire then a tornado ddt. For nearly three. Fans chanting for the champ as he headed upstairs, Penta hit a thrust kick to trip him then a running punt with Cassidy laying waist-first atop the buckle. And added a backstabber out of the corner for another two.
And another break. It’s a damn shame cause the action’s good but keeps being broken up.
Penta hit a thrust kick as Orange came off the ropes, Cassidy responded in kind then took a slingblade as Penta got another two. Planting Orange with another thrust kick for two. They’re really emphaszining Cassidy’s injured arm/hand.
And on cue Penta began working toward the arm-breaker. Orange used his pockets to block it then shook free. Penta decided he’d stand still and let Cassidy hit his deliberately weak shots. (Normally that’s fun and all but it’s the middle of a hard-fought, very close title match). Both hit destroyers, Cassidy hit a third, crowd going crazy, both guys stumbling about but not down despite those moves.
Penta countered a Punch into Made in Penta for another close call. TiA chants.
Cassidy countered a piledriver into a sloppy Beach Break for two, Penta again blocked a Punch, nailing the injured hand via thrust kick and looking for the arm-breaker again. Cassidy got the ropes.
They fought on the apron, Penta hit another thrust kick, Cassidy blocked Fear Factor but Penta hit at the second attempt, rolled the champ inside, Cassidy got the rope break at 2.9. Penta finally landed the arm-breaker, ‘Zero Miedo’, Fear Factor, Cassidy again kicked out, Penta was shocked at this, allowing Cassidy to roll him up to retain.
Very fun match.
Orange demanded a mic and a chair to sit in. Since he’s exhausted and sore. Every time he defends, the title feels heavier. But he’s here, he’s wrestling because the belt means everything to him. It’s what AEW is. It’s a place for guys who were told they wouldn’t make it.
There’s nothing anyone can do to take his title from him. Mox better bring more than just a fork. He’ll always be the International Champ. ‘Because I’m Orange Cassidy, and I do not have a catchphrase’.
Some people’ll hate that, I really like how well Cassidy thinks about his character and does little things like that. The rest of this was a pretty good serious promo putting over the title.
Mox then hit the ring, Cassidy threw a punch and again sold his injured hand. Moxley left, the two jawed. Guess the International Title is now main-eventing pay=per-views. Who’d a thunk?
Winner: Orange Cassidy
I know Tony Khan said tonight’s show was impacted by some people being sick. Just didn’t realize he was the one with the fever. There’s a damn good chance Grand Slam will have a better card than All Out.
WWE has uploaded a 35-minute video on YouTube showing Bayley, Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, AJ Styles, Adam Pearce, Top Dolla, Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, Otis, Mike Rome, and Byron Saxton paying tribute to Bray Wyatt.
The various WWE Superstars and personalities took their time to discuss what Wyatt meant to them and some gave personal stories of their interactions with the former WWE champion.
The video ended with Raw ring announcer Samantha Irvin signing “He’s got the whole world in his hands.”
WWE showed the Bray Wyatt tribute video on all their three shows: Smackdown, Raw, and NXT as the company continues to mourn the unexpected loss of the 36-year-old.
Impact Wrestling Hall of Famers Gail Kim and Awesome Kong will be returning to the ring at the Impact 1000 episode.
Kim has not wrestled since Rebellion 2019 when she lost to Tessa Blanchard. She had retired and continues to work for Impact in a backstage position.
Kong, who was already announced as appearing, has not wrestled for Impact since September 2016, with her last match coming against Velvet Sky on an episode of Impact. She last stepped in the ring in January 2020 for a match taped for AEW Dark.
The show will be taped on Saturday, September 9 from the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York and will air on AXS TV on September 14.
UFC President Dana White has shot down the rumor, instigated by tabloid newspaper The Daily Mail in the UK, that Ronda Rousey is returning to the UFC at UFC 300 in the first quarter of 2024.
The Daily Mail said that with her WWE commitments in her rear view mirror, Rousey is focusing on a final fight with the UFC at the marquee event next year.
In an interview with TSN Sports, White didn’t mince his words when it came to tell everyone what he thinks about The Daily Mail.
“Stop reading the Daily Mail, everything that they write is a crock of shit,” White said, adding that Ronda is focusing of having more kids now.
“Ronda built this whole thing that’s going on with the women here, then her dream was to go to the WWE, she went there and did everything that she did there and achieved, she’s made shitloads of money. She’s moved on with her life,” he said.
Monday Night Raw this week drew 1,677,000 viewers, up 84,000 viewers from the prior week but still well below the average of the past few months.
The show started with 1,737,000 viewers in the first hour, decreased slightly to 1,729,000 viewers in the second hour, and finished off the night with 1,566,000 viewers.
The show did a 0.53, 0.51, and 0.50 in the 18-49 demo with an average of a 0.51 rating, up just 0.01 from last week. Raw was #1 in all of network and cable television for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
ITV 4 in the United Kingdom will be airing All In tomorrow night starting at 9PM local time.
The show is listed as running for 4 hours and 55 minutes and while it aired on pay-per-view this past Sunday in the UK, the official broadcast partner is now also showing it on free television just a few days later.
The highly-successful show had a paid attendance of 81,035 and was headlined by MJF vs Adam Cole for the AEW World title.
AEW will return to Wembley Stadium next year for All In 2024 on August 25.
Today marks the third full year that Roman Reigns has carried the WWE Universal title, which now has been merged with the WWE title to create the Undisputed WWE Universal title.
Reigns won the title at Payback 2020 in a triple threat match against Braun Strowman and the late Bray Wyatt. Wyatt was the champion back then and Reigns pinned Strowman to capture it. He had just returned to WWE at SummerSlam after taking time away from WWE due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Reigns now stands at 1,095 days as champion, with the next milestone being at 1,474 days, surpassing Hulk Hogan. That is a long ways away from today though and it’s unlikely that it will be reached.
The Tribal Chief only made 29 title defenses in the past three years, with his latest one coming at SummerSlam against Jey Uso.
Former WWE Women’s champion Bianca Belair is taking several weeks off from WWE according to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Wrestling who reported the news through his Select service.
The report states that she could be out for up to three months although it wasn’t specified if this was due to something specific.
Belair was last seen on WWE television on the August 18 episode of Friday Night Smackdown where she teamed up with Charlotte Flair to take on Bayley and IYO SKY.
The 34-year-old has pretty much gone full speed in WWE for the last couple of years so it is a very well-deserved break.
The taped episode of Collision on the eve of All In drew 552,000 viewers, up 70,000 viewers from the prior week. The show did a 0.16 rating in 18-49, down 0.01 from the previous show, and was #10 on the chart. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
Multiple insiders have confirmed that both CM Punk and Jack Perry have been suspended by All Elite Wrestling for their involvement in a physical altercation just minutes before All In went live on pay-per-view this past Sunday.
The news was reported by Bryan Alvarez yesterday and then confirmed by others such as Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated and Dave Meltzer of the Observer.
There are always two sides to every story, although this one seems to have more than two, with conflicting reports of who started the fight and who did what. What the reports all agree on though is the fact that it was physical and both were at fault.
Punk is said to have grown considerably frustrated with the drama, even though he is usually the constant in all of this. His decision to keep Collision drama free backstage created its own problems with other stars.
There’s another report, which is backed by photos on social media, that no one from AEW went to meet CM Punk at the airport on Saturday when he arrived and he had to find his own way to the hotel via the London Underground.
AEW has All Out this weekend and all shows are from Chicago, which might turn interesting if Punk is left off the cards.
Rampage drew just 348,000 viewers on Friday night, down 68,000 viewers from the previous week. This was the least-watched show in a month. The show drew a 0.11 rating in 18-49, down 0.02 from last week and placed #23 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
