Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting in the latest issue that there’s some trouble brewing behind the scenes at All Elite Wrestling as top talent have been involved in several “backstage drama” which have gotten worse over the past few weeks.
Meltzer says that all this started when Colt Cabana, who is pretty popular among his peers, was removed from The Dark Order without any explanation and is no longer being brought in for AEW television tapings.
At one point, Cabana was about to get cut but he was then moved to the Ring of Honor roster, avoiding the pink slip.
Rumors are that it was AEW champion CM Punk who did not want his former friend around and while the decision was taken to appease Punk, it was not a popular one among the rest of the talent. Punk and Cabana had a very public fallout years ago stemming from their lawsuit against a WWE doctor.
Meltzer adds that the feeling backstage is that a number of top stars are “close to their breaking point” unless the situation improved. Meltzer failed to mention who these individuals are.
WWE will be celebrating the 1200th episode of Smackdown tonight live from Montreal.
In some breaking news, the WWE Women’s Tag Team title match between Natalya and Sonya Deville vs Zoey Stark and Nikkita Lyons is off as Stark suffered an injury, believed to be a concussion, at NXT Heatwave in her match against Mandy Rose.
With Stark unable to compete, NXT’s Shawn Michaels announced that former NXT Women’s Tag Team champions Gigi Dolin and Jayc Jayne of Toxic Attraction will take their place instead.
Also set for tonight is a number one contender’s match for the Intercontinental title as Ricochet, Sheamus, Happy Corbin, Madcap Moss, and hometown hero Sami Zayn square off in a fatal five-way match.
Plus, Undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns will have a face-to-face with challenger Drew McIntyre.
WWE has started selling the Day 1 packages through On Location with packages starting at $300 per person.
The cheapest package includes a Day 1 ticket, a dedicated arena entrance, a WWE credential and lanyard, and a WWE Priority Pass hat. The more expensive packages also include an exclusive pre-show hospitality, a WWE Superstar photo-op, and an autographed poster, with the highest-priced ticket at $1,200 also including a ringside photo op.
None of the packages include any hotel accommodation and this is strictly the event ticket and some additional perks.
Individual tickets for Day 1 will go on sale on Friday, September 23 at 10AM ET.
Day 1 takes place from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on January 1, 2023.
In the interview with Steve Austin for Broken Skull Sessions which debuts tomorrow on Peacock and WWE Network, former champ Charlotte Flair addressed the Sasha Banks and Naomi walk out after Austin brought the subject up.
Asked for an opinion, and Austin made it clear that he walked away too in the past, Charlotte took a second to reply, but said she was not there at the time as she was already gone but she knows what it’s like to jump on social media and read these headlines that are far from the truth.
“I don’t know what happened,” Charlotte said. “But what I can say is that I can’t imagine not wrestling Sasha again. That would be hard for me to compartmentalize.”
Charlotte called Banks her Ricky Steamboat, something that her father always tells Sasha.
When it comes to Naomi, Charlotte said they had a great match on Smackdown against each other but then things went in opposite directions and there’s unfinished business there.
“So for me I just can’t imagine not working with them, but in terms what they’re going through, it’s not my place to speak on behalf of the coming or them because I’m not there right now,” Flair said.
Playing online slots is one of the most well-known and well-liked games. Slot machines are simple to grasp, and a substantial player population is attracted by the chance to win significant prizes, including jackpots that have the power to alter a person’s life completely.
So, if you need fun ways to pass the time or a way to make some money, online slots could be the answer. Whatever the case, when you enter the world of online casinos, you must be prepared and avoid mistakes that might jeopardize your success. Here is a handful of the most frequent slot machine errors made online.
Playing Only One Type of Game
Making changes to the slots you play may keep the game interesting. You could be finding a certain slot to be quite enjoyable. You won’t be the first to do it because most progressive video slots pay less than non-progressive video slots, which is the problem. Switch to non-progressive slots with higher RTPs if you find yourself in a scenario where you aren’t consistently winning with these sorts.
However, you should alter it if your game is costing you money. If you’re concerned that playing a new game would waste your real money from your casino account, look for free game versions first. It would be best if you tried new things without hesitation in this circumstance. Additionally, as an experienced user of an online casino, you’d want to regularly add new themes, games, and features to your list of favourite games.
Disregarding Bonuses
Almost all casinos provide welcome bonuses in the form of free tokens, spins, and wagers. Usually, the bonus you receive is based on the size of your first investment. However, some online casinos, such as situs judi bola, are so kind as to match your deposit amount with your welcome bonus.
However, carefully read the small print before clicking the Agree button. Don’t let those incredible perks and offers get you too excited. Always read the guidelines since some casinos have extremely high wagering requirements before you can cash out any wins or receive your bonus.
Avoid Pursuing Another Big Victory
When that large victory comes across the screen after you’ve made your wager and clicked SPIN, it may be thrilling. Additionally, it can make you want another huge victory, resulting in increased wagering.
No matter how confident you are that the next spin will bring you good fortune, trying to chase a win is never a smart idea. If you’re having bad luck, follow the same advice. It’s better to log out and try another day than lose everything at once.
You might need to talk to someone who can help, even while you’re losing if you can’t seem to put the game down. Always be aware of your limits, and if you think you could be developing a gambling addiction, don’t be hesitant to speak with a professional.
Spending Too Much
Everyone should avoid spending too much on a game, especially starting. It would be best if you had to manage your spending and adequately budget everything before playing any online casino game, especially slots.
When playing slot machines, remember that you should take your time, make wise choices, and budget the appropriate amount for each spin.
You may improve your odds of winning, save yourself from going broke, and have more fun when playing online slots on sites such as situsjudi bolaby staying away from these frequent blunders.
A total of 22 out of the 34 under contract NXT UK stars were released yesterday by WWE as the brand heads into a hiatus pending the arrival of NXT Europe sometime in 2023.
Those who were fortunate enough not to get cut were all moved to Orlando and will be part of the NXT brand in the United States moving forward, at least until the arrival of the just-announced NXT Europe.
There will be no NXT UK tapings past whatever is left to air and the brand’s involvement with the upcoming Worlds Collide premium live event will be the last one.
It’s highly likely that most of these released stars will be engaged again once NXT Europe launches but it made no financial sense to keep everyone if there will be no more tapings for now.
Those released from their contract are, in alphabetical order, Amale, Amir Jordan, Ashton Smith, Dani Luna, Dave Mastiff, Eddie Dennis, Emilia McKenzie, Flash Morgan Webster, Jack Starz, Kenny William, Mark Andrews, Nina Samuels, Primate, Sam Gradwell, Saxton Huxley, Sha Samuels, Sid Scala, T-Bone, Teoman, Trent Seven, Wild Boar, and Xia Brookside.
The House of the Dragon themed episode of Dynamite this week with the big return of Kenny Omega drew 957,000 viewers, down 15,000 viewers from last week’s broadcast. The show did a 0.30 in the 18-49 demo, down 0.03 from last week and finished #2 in the top 50 cable chart for the night. This was the lowest demo since June 15. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Several industry insiders are reporting that CM Punk veered off the planned promo last night to bury former AEW World champion Hangman Adam Page.
Punk opened Dynamite by challenging Page to a rematch and waited for him to come out. That caught people off guard as Page was never scheduled to have any confrontation with Punk and obviously he did not come out. Punk then mocked Page by saying that he expected that “coward shit” move, obviously a dig at Page’s “cowboy shit” line.
There seems to be some legit heat between Punk and Page that goes back all the way to their build up for the AEW World title at Double or Nothing which Punk won. During one of the promos by Page, he took several digs at Punk which did not go over very well with the former WWE champion and apparently that even resulted in a closed door meeting between both of them and AEW President Tony Khan who had to smooth things over.
Punk got injured after winning so he never really had the opportunity to offer what they call in the wrestling business a “receipt” and used last night’s TV time to get one back at the AEW original.
Following the quick dig at Page, Punk got back on track and continued his promo as expected, building his title unification match against Jon Moxley.
With the announcement that NXT UK is going in hiatus as the company prepares to launch NXT Europe in 2023, a few NXT UK wrestlers were released today.
The decision was widely expected but that does not mean it’s easier for the 34 wrestlers and other on-air personalities under contract with NXT UK who await to see what their future holds in WWE.
“As of today WWE and I have come to terms with the terms of my release,” wrote
Flash Morgan Webster, the first one who publicly announced his release. “I want to thank them for all the opportunities they gave me over last 5 years and looking after me through injury. Excited to see what’s next! See you all soon.”
Webster’s former tag team partner Mark Andrews wrote a few minutes later that he’s also been released. “After six great years with WWE, my time with the company has now come to an end. Excited to see what’s next,” he said. Both Webster and Andrews are former NXT UK Tag Team champions.
Wild Boar, the Welsh NXT UK star, has also received his walking papers. “As of today I am no longer under contract with WWE. It’s been a wild experience and I’m thankful for everything it’s afforded me – I am excited for what’s next and I am BUZZING to get back in that ring and GO,” he wrote.
Jack Starz got his pink slip as well, writing, “Grateful. Thank you, @WWE. Until we meet again,” while French star Amale was the first female let go. She wrote in French that a page has turned in her career but history will continue to be written. “Merci #NXTUK,” she said.
Rohan Raja wrote, “Very thankful to @WWE for allowing me to entertain thousands every week. This is just a road bump for me and I solely believe that. I have a chip to prove and I’m going to do everything I can so I can get back to where I belong. I’ll be back!”
Female star Millie Mckenzie also got the dreaded phone call and simply wrote, “Thanks for the memories WWE.”
Ashton Smith uploaded a photo holding the NXT UK Tag Team titles writing, “One hell of a ride.”
This story will be updated as soon as more releases are made public.
In the same press release announcing the launch of NXT Europe, WWE also revealed that NXT: Worlds Collide will be the next premium live event and will air live on Sunday, September 4.
The date is the same one as AEW’s All Out but WWE will not be going head-to-head with it as the show will begin at 4PM ET and will end in time for All Out. This will also be the day after the Clash at the Castle event in Cardiff, Wales.
Shawn Michaels described Worlds Collide as some sort of a “pseudo-final event for NXT UK” in comments with British-based Metro news.
This is the second Worlds Collide event featuring NXT vs NXT UK talent. The first one was held in January 2020 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on the eve of the Royal Rumble and was headlined by Imperium vs The Undisputed Era in an eight-man tag team match.
WWE today announced in a press release that it will launch the all-new NXT Europe in 2023.
“Following the success of our live events and talent identification efforts throughout all of Europe, we believe this is the perfect time to expand NXT beyond the UK,” said Shawn Michaels, WWE Vice President of Talent Development Creative.
WWE has put a halt on television tapings of NXT UK in the country for the time being and several of its talent has been moved to the United States.
For now, NXT UK will go on a hiatus according to Shawn Michaels, who told FOX News that WWE will work with the staff and talent of NXT UK to launch NXT Europe.
“As we move things over here in the process, we’ll make all those decisions in 2023 about who’s a part of NXT Europe and who continues to stay here in NXT in hopes of getting a main roster call up,” he said about those who are contracted to NXT UK.
The latest $5 million in unrecorded expenses made by Vince McMahon which WWE uncovered were payments to President Donald Trump’s charity.
In a story published by the Wall Street Journal it was revealed that McMahon paid the now-defunct Donald J. Trump Foundation $4 million and then made another $1 million payment to Trump himself as an appearance fee.
Speaking to the WSJ, McMahon’s attorney Jerry McDevitt said that Mr. Trump and WWE entered into a contract whereby WWE agreed to and did pay him personally an appearance fee of $1 million and then also the McMahons made a personal contribution to the Trump Foundation of $4 million.
The report suggested that the $1 million fee was a bonus for his WrestleMania 23 appearance and the success it brought but McDevitt refuted this.
“There was no additional fee paid to Mr. Trump, or any additional contribution to the Trump Foundation, due to the success of the event.”
Trump was part of WrestleMania 24, siding with Bobby Lashley as he took on Umaga with Vince McMahon in his corner. Lashley won the match and resulted in McMahon getting his head shaved. Two years later, Trump appeared on WWE TV again where an angle was played out that he bought Monday Night Raw.
Kenny Omega returned to AEW last night on Dynamite and was The Young Bucks’ mystery partner in their trios tournament match against Andrade El Idolo, Rush, and Dragon Lee.
Omega has been out of action for the past eight months and has not wrestled since losing the AEW World title to Hangman Adam Page in November 2021. Since then, he underwent several surgeries to correct many injuries he accumulated over the years.
Omega, who returned with Don Callis and Michael Nakazawa to a thunderous ovation, helped The Bucks advance to the second round of the tournament, securing the win after pinning Dragon Le with his One Winged Angel.
With Omega back, AEW now has their top three stars back from injury.
Following the conclusion of Dynamite, Omega addressed the crowd, saying that the past eight months have been grueling and questioned himself if he can return at his best.
He said it might be a while before he can challenge for a singles title but it’s a work in progress and he’s glad everyone is joining him for this journey.
Omega spoke for almost seven minutes and said that he’s not a good guy and will cheat to win sometimes and he might hold some resentment towards fans.
“But as long as this doesn’t get aired,” Omega said as fans laughed, “I appreciate you very much.”
Last Week’s Rating: 972,000 overall; 0.33 in 18-49 demo
A big night with All Out on the horizon. Presumably we’ll see developments between Punk and Moxley, along with the start of the exciting trios tournament, not to mention the likely return of Kenny Omega.
It’s Wednesday night, it’s Dynamite. Let’s go.
The strains of Cult of Personality welcomed us, along with JR, Excalibur, Taz. Much like Friday, the show starting not with a match, but a face-to-face. LOUD ‘CM PUNK!’ chants, hot crowd.
Punk has two pieces of business. One important. One not-so. There’s a local wrestler he’d like to challenge. ‘Hangman Page, you want that rematch? You got it. Right here, right now, let’s go.’ No Page. Punk called it ‘coward shit’ and that the coming apology should be as loud as the disrespect.
Moving on, called himself ‘the AEW champion’. Mox meanwhile is the ‘third best guy in his own group, a reoccurring theme in his career’. (So… AEW could only get the third best guy?) Continued to run-down Moxley while repeating ‘Tell me when I’m tellin’ lies.’ Before moving on to Eddie Kingston: ‘Third best Eddie…second-best Kingston’ he’d been in the ring with.
Finally, Mox came out. So far, this was a bit of a letdown. Delivery was good but it felt forced and FAR too ‘inside’.
Moxley mocked Punk and his pipe bombs, called himself ‘the heart and soul’. Punk replied that ‘you can be the heart and soul, I’ll be the dollars and cents.’ Mox fired back: ‘We both know you only came to AEW ‘cause you ran out of money.’ (Again, this is the loser company people go to if they have to?)
Lastly, Punk fired-off with: ‘If I touch you now I’m just afraid you’ll bleed all over me’. That was a pretty good line. Fists flew, not great-looking ones, staff out to break it up to loud boos. There was a very simple story here based around who the real champion is and they overcomplicated it. Disappointing. Though crowd were hot for it.
Hobbs w Schiavone. The big man had become tired of Starks hiding behind him, nor was he done with the Factory.
Bryan Danielson vs Daniel Garcia, 2 out of 3 falls, Guest timekeeper: Ricky ‘the Dragon’ Steamboat
Backstory: Youngster beat BD (w/ help) in their last outing; calling self ‘Dragon slayer’ since
Jericho joined on comms. Emphasized what they’d done to Danielson as the latter shook with Steamboat.
Beginning on the mat, the pair wrestled for control, Danielson firing in the odd shot to the face. ‘Yay/Boo’ kicks to the face with both in a leglock ended with Garcia dismissively kicking BD back into the corner, following up with a slap to the face as the break was upon us.
Stiff ‘Yes!’ kicks with chants to match welcomed us back, running dropkick in the corner, to the top for the hurracanrana, Garcia rolling through for a count of two. A hard exchange of strikes led to Danielson flipping out of the corner, Garcia firing back with a double-underhook suplex and a juji-katami (thanks Taz).
After missing a jumping knee off the apron, the vet was dropped via belly-to-back on the outside. Hammer and anvil elbows continued the assault back inside, the crowd booing, the youngster searching for the Dragon Tamer (Sharpshooter), Danielson countering, Garcia flipping it back into a piledriver, then locking in the Dragon Sleeper. Danielson passed out.
First Fall: 1-0 to Daniel Garcia via Dragon Sleeper
Barely meeting the ref’s count, Danielson struggled to his feet, Garcia swarming with a flurry of kicks in the corner. Then firing European uppercuts and heavy chops as the vet appeared out on his feet.
Another break.
More of the same as we returned, the youngster stomping away as we were shown Danielson being ddt’d on the concrete during the break. Fighting to his feet before a roaring crowd, Garcia quickly countered, again going with the Dragon Sleeper, throwing elbows to the face of the bleeding vet. Who, out of nowhere, snuck a three-count with a cradle.
Second Fall: 1-1, Bryan Danielson via cradle
Missing with a dropkick in the corner, Garcia was left hanging upside down. BD went to work with kicks before climbing to the top, releasing the youngster to the mat with a German, the crowd again roaring its approval. A missile dropkick followed, momentum with the veteran as he flew for a tope suicida, then sending the youth into the post on the outside before working the shoulder with the same weapon. Presumably ahead of a possible LeBell Lock.
Despite this, Garcia was first back inside, Danielson squeaking in at 9. Another break.
The Dragon Tamer was locked in upon our return, the pair fighting in and out between that and a LeBell Lock. A busaiku knee from Garcia brought two slaps of the mat. Hands clasped, a flurry of forearms brought the Dragon to his knees before fighting back up, Garcia wilting under the vet’s flurry.
Garcia though was ‘playing possum’ as he rolled through and began Danielson’s-own stomps to the head. Until Danielson again turned the tables, locking in a triangle, the youngster trying to fight out into the piledriver as he’d done earlier, losing his grip, throwing punches which became weaker and weaker as he slowly faded, Danielson responding once again with the LeBell Lock, vicious elbow strikes, the LeBell Lock sinched in tighter as the youngster finally had enough.
Vicious and violent, this was an on-the-mat clinic and if that’s your jam, you’ll love this. Didn’t grab me in the same way as last week’s main event, but that’s a matter of taste. Very good action portraying the youngster as almost Danielson’s equal.
Garcia was still struggling, crawling and slapping at Danielson even after the bell, not willing to admit defeat. Just as it seemed the pair were going to shake, Jericho attacked until Garcia pulled him away to a loud pop from the crowd. ‘You’re a wrestler’ chant from the crowd as Jericho left and Garcia had a dilemma on his hands.
WINNER: Bryan Danielson, 2 falls to 1
Tag champs and Private Party w Schiavone. Apparently, Private Party are now ranked #5. Boy, that’s convenient. Not to mention makes it seem exceptionally easy to climb the rankings. Swerve and Lee still dismissed them as worthy challengers, as should we all.
After a break, Tony Nese was emerging. Not for long, Moxley striking from behind. ‘Let’s do it right now!’ Punk came to fight but the pair were again separated by a mass of men, including the BCC.
Jericho with Schiavone. Gave Garcia a pass for tonight but asked whose side he was on: they’d find out next Wednesday. Ricky Steamboat interrupted, saying Danielson was the better mentor for Garcia. One of 2.0 grabbed Steamboat by the collar and received a stiff strike.
Gunn Club vs Varsity Blonds
Backstory: Stokely Hathaway trying to recruit the Club; Billy’s being tough on his boys
The Ass Boys theme-music is a guilty pleasure of mine. A very quick Colt 45 brought the win. Did the Blonds piss in Tony’s cereal? Despite being about the same age as Billy’s boys, they’ve gone from being positioned well above them to literally below.
Afterwards, Billy got on the mic, praising the victory, saying this was the best part of his career, working with his kids. So you knew what was coming. The Ass Boys attacked until the Acclaimed ran them off.
‘Scissor Me, Daddy Ass!’
Pairing these three up again is smart, they’re crazy fun. Billy sure got-over his offspring abandoning him.
WINNER: Gunn Club
A ranting, over-the-top promo from Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh followed, ending with the big man challenging Wardlow to powerbomb him. It’s about time.
Death Triangle promo. Pac addressed Will Ospreay, disagreeing about him being the best out of Britain. Between the accent and cold, matter-of-fact intensity, this was great. Gave that match next week extra stakes and a big-match feel.
Jungle Boy was out next, referring to ‘that shirt’. Presumably the ‘Christian is a p***y’ one. Challenged the vet for All Out, which he should accept, unless the shirt was true. Christian declined, saying things were getting out of hand with Luchasaurus suspended after last week.
Praised JB, heeled on the crowd, got in the ring and said he wanted to ‘fix this, Jack’. Jungle Boy attacked, the pair fought around ringside until the youngster basically snapped, repeatedly ramming Christian into the ring steps.
FTR & Wardlow promo. ‘Nobody messes with the Pinnacle’. ‘Anybody and everybody gets powerbombed’. Match made for next week.
Toni Storm vs KiLynn King
Backstory: Storm is no1 contender
Rosa was shown watching backstage.
Despite a dead crowd, this one started very well. Quick and hard-fought, King striking with a leaping knee, missing with a dive, Toni searching for the swinging ddt off the apron but King using her strength to block, dispatching Storm into the ringside railings as the ads arrived.
A Fisherman’s suplex for two saw the crowd getting behind Toni as King struck with two kicks before hauling Storm out of the corner for a spinebuster and a two of her own. Responding with a release German, Sweet Cheeks Music walloped King in the corner, leading to a swinging ddt and the win.
Thunderosa looked rather displeased, clapping as if Shawn Spears were coming out.
Hard to understand why AEW insist on these matches with very obvious endings. Despite good action, the crowd didn’t buy King whatsoever: silent for all of her offense. While Storm is basically no1 contender by default and would’ve benefitted from beating someone with more credibility.
WINNER: Toni Storm
Andrade, Rush, Dragon Lee vs the Bucks &…, R1: Trios Tournament
Backstory: Mystery partner for Bucks after Hangman turned them down
After the Bucks handed Justin a piece of paper, he launched into a long intro to a very loud pop at the announcement of Omega’s name. Kenny wasn’t alone, Callis by his side as he joined the guys on comms, announcing the plethora of surgeries Omega had undergone in the past year.
Dragon Lee offered handshakes to all of the Elite; only Nick reciprocated, the pair starting off with an incredibly athletic exchange, Matt tagging in for a double-team bulldog/dropkick combo and a hurracanrana as Matt pointed-to then tagged-in Kenny to a loud ovation.
Punches in the corner followed stiff chops, Omega wrestling in a compression shirt as he slightly botched You Can’t Escape, into a tag, selling the idea that he wasn’t fully healed. Rapid triple teaming followed involving Omega’s Kintaro Crusher. Isolated in the corner, Dragon Lee fought out, tagging in Andrade to square off with Kenny as Jose hit the apron and Rush struck from the blindside leading into the break.
After exploding with the best comeback in the biz, Nick Jackson tagged Matt for locomotion Northern Lights until Rush intercepted, the Bucks looking for a double suplex, until finally all six were in and Omega helped the Elite raise a triple suplex, culminating with a step-up dive to the outside from Nick as the crowd exploded.
Both the action and the commentators were emphasizing Kenny struggling at points, with the Elite dominating to such a degree that you began to question the outcome.
Matt dropped the elbow for two before Andrade ran wild, landing a knee in the corner as Dragon Lee got a two-count of his own, all three tagging in as the trio crushed Matt in the corner, before hitting triple dropkicks: Matt in trouble as the final break beckoned.
Propped in the corner as we returned, Rush booted him in the face, then posed, eating a kick from Nick with only Omega and Andrade left standing, waiting for tags.
In they came, Omega striking with double axe handles, a stiff kick to Rush, enziguri, the opposition queuing for snap-dragon suplexes, the crowd applauding once more as Kenny grabbed at his ribs. The Bucks reversed a double whip into doh-see-doh superkicks, Matt bucklebombing Lee into dual enziguris from Nick and Kenny. A Superkick Party was broken up at two by Andrade, stereo dives from the Bucks followed.
All five down outside with Kenny left alone as the Terminator Clap began, until Lee grabbed the leg from outside, Omega struggling on his left knee as it was again grabbed by Jose, before being dragged outside, held atop the railings as Dragon Lee smashed right through him with a Fenix/Darby-level tope con giro right into the front row.
Bagging only a two-count by the time theyd dragged him back in, Andrade was grabbed by Nick heading to the top, only to be hurracanrana’d off the ropes by Lee, leading to the double-jump moonsault by Andrade, the ref very close to three as Kenny kicked out. A follow-up Hammerlock DDT saw Matt shove Rush into the pin just in time with the crowd catching its breath, slightly nervous of an Elite loss.
Which is when Omega struck with a vicious knee out of nowhere, then smashed Dragon with the V-Trigger as the Bucks asked for the tag, ‘Kenny’ chants starting-up again as the former champ looked for the One-Winged Angel, just about hooking it as he slumped into the winning pin.
Post-match, Andrade & Rush attacked Dragon Lee just as the show ended.
This built into a hell of a match. For those who say these guys don’t have any psychology, the match-long story involving Kenny clearly coming back too soon, combined with the intertwined Hangman story, did more than enough to make you question the outcome.
And, as I’ve said before, if you can make me question the outcome, that’s all I ask. Throw in an eruption of wild moves before a receptive crowd; for the second week in a row, you’ve got one hell of a main event.
WINNER: The Elite
Next Rampage:
• Swerve in our Glory vs Private Party, AEW tag titles • Hook vs Zack Clayton, FTW title open-challenge • Best Friends & Orange Cassidy vs Trustbusters, R1: Trios Tourn. • Penelope Ford vs Athena • Claudio speaks Next Dynamite: • Death Triangle vs Will Ospreay & Aussie Open, R1: Trios Tourn. • Dax vs Lethal • Punk vs Moxley, AEW World Title Added to All Out: • Thunderosa vs Toni Storm, AEW Women’s Title
Overall impressions
As happened last week, the in-ring here was to a minimum. But that only added emphasis to what wrestling there was. And what wrestling there was, was excellent, interspersed with angles, both of which told stories as we head toward All Out.
Will Kenny insist on wrestling hurt and cost the Bucks? Will he succumb just before the final, leaving Hangman to fill in, reuniting with his friends? Or will Page be scrapping once again for the AEW title? My bet’s on the second option, Punk and Moxley battling to a draw next week, leading to a rematch at All Out.
But like any good story, it leaves the audience asking questions. The only way to find the answers? Tune in next week.
Check Out…
• Danielson vs Garcia • Elite vs Andrade, Rush & Dragon Lee
The expected main event for All Out with CM Punk vs Jon Moxley to unify the AEW World titles is being moved ahead by a couple of weeks as now the match is taking place live on next week’s Dynamite.
The two champs kicked off the House of the Dragon themed Dynamite last night and set the show on fire with an awesome segment which resulted in a pull-apart brawl.
While the opening segment was good enough to convince people to shell out money for All Out, it was then announced that the title unification match will take place in Cleveland, Ohio next week on free television.
AEW President Tony Khan then tweeted that they will make history next week by crowning the new undisputed AEW World champion.
Moxley won the interim title at Forbidden Door after CM Punk suffered an injury and had to be out for a few months.
During a live Instagram chat with former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz and The Rock, Becky Lynch revealed that she’s way ahead in her shoulder recovery and made it sound like she will be returning back to TV very soon.
Lynch, who was in a car with Seth Rollins driving during the whole video chat, was not sporting a sling and The Rock asked her how her shoulder and recovery is doing.
The former Raw and Smackdown Women’s champion said she already has mobility back and when the injury happened at SummerSlam, she thought she was going to be out for a long, long time because it was very painful.
“But now it’s healing up quick, I’m feeling strong, I’m feeling good, so… I’m hoping it won’t be much time at all.”
Lynch was taken out from TV after the returning Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IO SKY attacked her backstage on the Raw after SummerSlam.
WWE President and co-CEO Nick Khan revealed that WWE got a subsidy from Cardiff to host the Clash at the Castle in the city on September 2. The decision to hold the show in Cardiff baffled a lot of fans as Wembley Stadium in London would have been the more ideal location but ultimately WWE went for the only roofed stadium in the United Kingdom.
Khan said that they will be looking to replicate that model for their major events moving forward. WWE already receives bids from prospective WrestleMania hosts but don’t get any subsidies to hold events in any particular cities in the United States.
Meanwhile, WWE Chief Financial Officer Frank Riddick added that they expect Clash at the Castle to be very profitable for WWE based on ticket sales and projected venue merchandise although he did admit it won’t be as profitable as the two-night WrestleMania.
He also added that they’re looking at adding one more premium live event during the year. “We haven’t made a decision on that internationally, but continue to see opportunities to do that,” Riddick said.
Currently, WWE holds two premium live events internationally every year and they are the two shows in Saudi Arabia. A third show – either in the United Kingdom or European market – would be the next logical step considering the huge demand there was for the Cardiff event.
Dynamite tonight will be sponsored by HBO’s House of the Dragon and AEW will be integrating that theme throughout the episode which is live from the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, West Virginia.
Announced for tonight is a 2-out-of-3 falls match between Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia which AEW is promoting as The American Dragon vs The Dragon Slayer. Garcia surprisingly won against Danielson a few weeks ago so this is the return encounter.
Rumors are flying high that Kenny Omega will be back tonight as The Young Bucks’ mystery tag team partner for their match against Andrade El Idolo, Rush, and Dragon Lee which is part of the AEW Trios title tournament.
Also set for tonight are Toni Storm vs KiLynn King, and Varsity Blondes vs Gunn Club.
PWInsider.com is reporting that Brandi Rhodes wrestled a match last week at the WWE Performance Center. The match was behind closed doors as part of the PC’s weekly card.
The former AEW Chief Brand Officer has not wrestled since the January 26 episode of AEW Dark: Elevation where she defeated KiLynn King. Rhodes also wrestled the week before defeating Willow Nightingale in another Elevation card.
Prior to leaving AEW along with her husband Cody, Brandi was involved in an angle with Paige VanZant and the two were heading to a one-on-one match which eventually never materialized.
Brandi was often part of the AEW Dark tapings but the last time she actually wrestled on AEW television was in September 2020 when she lost to Anna Jay during a late night episode of Dynamite at Daily’s Place.
Rhodes has often said that she will continue to train and her goal is to return to the ring one day.
AEW star Paige VanZant will no longer be part of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 27 event in London, England, after the promotion pulled her fight from the card.
The fight, against Charisa Sigala, is being moved to headline another event on October 15 in Denver, Colorado, according to MMAFighting.com. It’s unclear why the fight was pulled from the card with four days to go.
The news did not go down well with VanZant, writing on Twitter that this was out of her control.
“I went an entire camp and weight cut to be pulled a week out,” she wrote in all caps. “I did not pull from my fight!!!! I was pulled! I am pissed off and heartbroken,” she continued, adding that she worked her f*cking ass off for this fight.
VanZant has two BKFC fights under her belt but lost both of them.
