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RUMOR: NXT Undergoes Even More Cuts Before Relaunch

September 13, 2021 • Admin

Who else is left? One of the biggest wrestling stories of the year has been the amount of cuts made in WWE. While the wrestlers are going to get the most attention, they are not the only ones going away. There have also been several backstage workers who have been let go from the company and that could change things all over again. That seems to has happened all over again. According to Bodyslam.net, WWE has cut more production workers from the company, leaving them with what is described as a “skeleton crew”. There is no word on how many people were cut or which part of the production crew has been let go. This comes as WWE is preparing to launch a new version of NXT starting this week, which will include a new set and new lighting. NXT did some great stuff. Check out some of its better days: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: The changes continue and I’m almost worried about h..

Backstage Reason For WWE Holding Women’s Tournament In Saudi Arabia

September 13, 2021 • Admin

There’s a reason for that. WWE is entering into one of its busier seasons and that could make things a little more interesting as we move forward. With Summerslam out of the way, it is time to move on towards the last quarter of the year, where we will be seeing several major WWE events in a row. Some of these are going to be more interesting than others, but one stands out above the rest for a fairly specific reason. WWE is currently scheduled to return to Saudi Arabia at some point in October. Rumors have been circulating that the show will feature the finals of both the King of the Ring and the Queen of the Ring, neither of which has officially been announced. It might seem a bit strange to have WWE going to Saudi Arabia for a women’s tournament but there is a reason behind their logic. According to Fightful Select, WWE does not feel the need to announce the tournaments in advance as they are not worried about promoting a women’s tournament final in Saudi Arabia. The company feels..

What WWE Cut From This Week’s SmackDown

September 13, 2021 • Admin

As she should be. This week’s edition of WWE SmackDown was a special one indeed, as the show aired from Madison Square Garden. That alone should mean something big for the show, but then there was the factor of the show being held twenty years to the day before the September 11 terror attacks. This was a very emotional night for some people, but one of them did not make the show. SmackDown’s Zelina Vega has a personal connection to the attacks as her father was killed on September 11, 2001. WWE heavily featured her in advertisements and promotional material for this week’s show, but Vega did not actually appear. Vega had special gear made for the event and shared pictures on it on Twitter, accompanied by the message “nevermind”. According to Fightful Select, the plan was for Vega and Carmella to face Liv Morgan and an unnamed partner but the match was cut due to time issues. nevermind. pic.twitter.com/xyyrIA1wYR — ???? ???????? (@TheaTrinidad) September 11, 2021 They left out somet..

More Details On Upcoming Changes To NXT, Some Seen As Positive

September 13, 2021 • Admin

Maybe that’s what it needs? WWE is in a state of change at the moment and that seems like it is going to be the case for a long time to come. There might be no greater victim of this change than NXT, which is being almost completely retooled starting this week. We still do not know the specifics of the changes, but now we do know one of the bigger themes of what is coming. According to Fightful Select, one of the changes that will be seen in the upcoming new version of NXT will be the use of more characters, though it is not entirely clear what that means. One detail that has been deemed positive is a change to the NXT set, which has been described as a scaled down version of the main roster’s television set. At the moment, it is not clear who will be running this week’s NXT due to Triple H’s recent health issues. NXT might not be the same again. Check out how it once looked: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains ..

How FOX Tried To Help WWE Bring Back CM Punk

September 13, 2021 • Admin

They seem to be fans. Last month, the wrestling world got a big jolt of a moment as CM Punk made his long awaited AEW debut. The debut marked a return to wrestling for Punk, who had not made an appearance at an event since January 2014. It went about as well as could have possibly been expected, but it seems that one group of people were really not happy. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE attempted to bring Punk back in to the company before he signed with AEW, but decided that Punk’s asking price was too high. Upon hearing this, the FOX network offered to help pay Punk’s salary to get him back into WWE. However, WWE cited various issues such as Punk’s attitude for not re-signing him. Punk appeared on the WWE Backstage show in 2019, when he was an employee of FOX. Punk still has it. Check out some of his time with AEW so far: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: ..

The Future May Be Here: WWE High On New NXT Star

September 13, 2021 • Admin

Maybe he’s next? There are all kinds of talented wrestlers in WWE but only a handful are given the major pushes from WWE. For that to take place, a wrestler has to catch the company’s eye, which does not happen all that often. If a wrestler gets that kind of go ahead though, the sky can be the limit in a hurry. That might be the case again with a new NXT star. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE is very high on newcomer Julius Creed. Before Julius and his brother Brutus were signed, the company saw potential in him and there is hope that he can become a major star. Julius is said to be a hard worker and fast learner. The Creed Brothers began appearing in NXT over the last few weeks and then made their official in-ring debut this week as part of the Diamond Mine. WWE might be onto something here. Check out how Creed has looked so far: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opi..

WATCH: New NXT Logo Gets Very Negative Reception

September 13, 2021 • Admin

I take it they aren’t fans. This coming week, NXT is planning on making some major changes. These changes include a new look to their arena at the Capitol Wrestling Center, plus a different strategy moving forward. Such changes have been met with mixed reviews, but one thing that has not gone over well is the new rainbow colored logo. That was the case again this week. A video from this week’s SmackDown was released on Twitter, showing fans in Madison Square Garden booing the new NXT logo as it was shown on the Titantron. These advertisements have been shown in recent weeks, featuring the new logo and a brief look at the changes to the Capitol Wrestling Center. The new NXT is scheduled to begin airing this coming Tuesday. This isn’t looking great. Check out the reception and NXT’s time in New York before: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: I’m not sure what the changes in NXT are..

BREAKING: Samoa Joe Vacates NXT Title Effective Immediately

September 13, 2021 • Admin

There’s your shakeup. NXT is in a huge state of flux and there is no telling how things are going to shake out. That is the kind of thing that can make for a very interesting time and it is not clear where things are going. The promotion is in for a new direction but it turns out that part of the old guard is not going to be around for the first steps in that new direction. NXT Champion Samoa Joe has released a video to Twitter announcing that due to medical issues, he is stepping away from the ring and is therefore vacating the NXT Title. He did not elaborate on what was wrong with him. Samoa Joe returned to the ring in August for his first match in over a year and a half when he became a record setting three time NXT Champion. There is no word on how or when a new champion will be crowned. This was unexpected. Check out the announcement plus some of Samoa Joe’s time in NXT: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains v..

Bryan Danielson Vs. Adam Cole In AEW: The Inevitable Showdown?

September 12, 2021 • Admin

Bryan Danielson’s arrival in AEW brought the house down at All Out on September 5. Danielson’s debut came just moments after that of Adam Cole, who had just shocked the audience by joining The Elite. Danielson is now making it clear that he’s after The Elite. More specifically, Bryan is after AEW World champion and Elite leader Kenny Omega. While that match is surely on the way, Danielson has some serious hurdles to clear. The first on the list may be Adam Cole. [This post contains video, click to play] Elite Arrivals Bryan versus Cole already happened in WWE of course. But that match was a one-off and it never lead to a lengthy feud. So now that both men are on opposite sides in AEW, it’s only logical that they will go to war. Danielson is leading that war and he’s determined to put The Elite’s dominance of AEW to the test. Bryan comes in with a lot to prove, to himself and the AEW faithful as well. He’s a true pro wrestler at heart and he wants nothing more than to ply his craft..

Former WWE Star Releasing Full Music Album This Month

September 11, 2021 • Admin

It’s another career. One of the more common issues with wrestlers is finding something to do once they leave the ring. Not everyone has something to fall back on once they retire and it can be kind of a mess when their career is over. Some wrestlers do have more of a plan though and that is the case with a mostly retired wrestler, as you will get to see later this month. Former WWE star Lio Rush has announced that he will be releasing a full album, called Not Found, on September 28. Rush has worked in music throughout his career as well as after he announced his retirement. Rush, 26, began releasing music in 2019 and has released two albums. He announced his retirement from wrestling in June of this year, but is still fulfilling contractual obligations for New Japan. Rush is multi-talented. Check out his hype video for the album, one of his songs and one of his matches: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, ..

WWE Extreme Rules Loses Main Event, Match Taking Place On TV Instead

September 11, 2021 • Admin

Switch it up. We are just over two weeks away from WWE Extreme Rules and the card is mostly set. The biggest matches are already set up and now it would seem that the most important thing left is to add something that is actually extreme. That was the case earlier this week though, as one of the biggest matches has been switched from one show to another. During this week’s SmackDown, an advertisement aired, saying that WWE Champion Bobby Lashley will be defending his title against Randy Orton next week on Monday Night Raw. This is a change from the original plan, as Orton was originally scheduled to challenge Lashley for the title at Extreme Rules. There is no word on what will replace the pay per view match or why the change was made. They have had a road getting here. Check out how the match was set up: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: I’m curious to see how this match is go..

SmackDown Star Reveals Bizarre Character Pitch He Made To WWE

September 11, 2021 • Admin

What could have been. There are a lot of different characters in wrestling and some of them are a good bit more memorable than others. That can make for some interesting situations, as you can find some gems with the right story. It can also be interesting to see where some things could have gone had there been a change. Now we know what one current star almost did. SmackDown’s Rick Boogs was a guest on a recent edition of After The Bell with Corey Graves and spoke about a character he pitched to WWE. Boogs’ idea would have seen him under the name of Art Von Boogs, a painter wearing a French beret. The character would have drawn everything, including his promos, where he would have drawn his opponents as half men and half chickens. Boogs loved the character but felt that it did not work due to being too out there. Ultimately, Boogs debuted on SmackDown as Shinsuke Nakamura’s personal guitar player. This would have been something. Check out how Boogs has done on SmackDown so far: [Th..

RUMOR: WWE Unhappy Over Legend’s Comments About AEW

September 11, 2021 • Admin

Can you blame them? The wrestling world has been undergoing a lot of changes in recent months and those are likely to continue for a long time to come. AEW has made some great strides forward and WWE has not exactly been moving forward in many ways. That has gone noticed by some wrestling legends, though WWE is not exactly happy with one of them. Earlier this week, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley posted a video to Facebook where he talked about how WWE needed to be worried about AEW. The video went viral and WWE seems to have taken notice of what Foley said. According to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast, WWE is unhappy with what Foley said as there is an unspoken rule stating that WWE Legends are not to speak negatively about the company. Foley is currently under a WWE Legends contract and there is nothing to suggest that his status will change. Foley might know a thing or two about this. Check out his time in WWE: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains vid..

VIDEO: Top Stars In Action Before And After WWE SmackDown

September 11, 2021 • Admin

It was a busy show. This week’s edition of SmackDown was a special show as the event took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. While that is a big deal on its own, the fact that it was taking place twenty years minus one day after the September 11 attacks made things feel even bigger. WWE was going to bring out the big names for this one and they did that during the show. It turns out that they did it before and after the show as well. WWE held a dark match both before and after this week’s SmackDown aired live, along with a segment after the show went off the air. Before the show aired, Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte faced Rhea Ripley. There is nothing to suggest that the Monday Night Raw roster will begin touring with the SmackDown roster as this was likely a special event only for the big show. Immediately after the show went off the air, Happy Corbin appeared to confront the Demon, who had been in the ring to end SmackDown. The Demon attacked Balor on the floor and la..

AEW All Out Smashes Important Record

September 11, 2021 • Admin

I’d call it an accomplishment. AEW has hit the ground running despite not even being around for three years yet. That is the kind of thing that you almost never see in the wrestling industry but AEW has made it work very well. What makes it all the more interesting is seeing where they are going to go next, and now they have a new accomplishment worth bragging about. Last Sunday, AEW presented its All Out 2021 pay per view, which featured multiple title matches, the in-ring return of CM Punk and the debuts of Ruby Soho, Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson. On Monday, AEW President Tony Khan said that the show was the most viewed AEW pay per view of all time. Now, Busted Open Radio has released a clip of Khan speaking about the show, where he reveals that All Out received over two hundred thousand pay per view buys. The previous AEW record was Revolution 2021, drawing about 125,000 buys. Thank you to everyone who’s ordered #AEWAllOut & made it the most watched @AEW PPV ever! Thank you every..

He’s In Too: Surprise Guest Star Gets Physical On SmackDown

September 11, 2021 • Admin

With a special guest star. Celebrities have a long history in wrestling and that will always be the case. It makes sense to bring in someone from outside of the wrestling bubble and see what happens when you bring them inside. Athletes are among the most common as it gives them a bit of a natural leg up. That was the case again this week on SmackDown in a fun way. This week’s SmackDown, which aired from New York City’s Madison Square Garden, featured a ten man tag team match. Sami Zayn appeared in a New York Knicks jersey and brought out a special guest, who knew how to win in the building. That would be Atlanta Hawks player Trae Young, who helped lead his team over the Knicks in the NBA Playoffs. Young got physical in the match by choking Rey Mysterio but was soon ejected. Zayn’s team ultimately lost the match when Zayn was pinned after Big E.’s Big Ending. It was a cool moment. Check out the appearance plus some other outside athletes in WWE’s world: [This post contains video, cli..

VIDEO: Roman Reigns Has Two New Challengers (And He Might Be In Trouble)

September 11, 2021 • Admin

He’s in. Back in August 2020, Roman Reigns made a surprise return to WWE television. Reigns immediately aligned himself with Paul Heyman and won the Universal Title, which he has held for over a year. Since then, Reigns has cleared out the SmackDown main event division and he needs challengers. He got two of them this week, though he didn’t quite see one of them coming. This week’s SmackDown featured a special appearance by Brock Lesnar to confront Reigns. Lesnar issued a challenge to Reigns for the Universal Title, giving Reigns until the end of the show to decide. By the end of the night, Reigns did accept Lesnar’s challenge, though there was no date given for the match. The only thing Reigns said is that it would be after he got rid of Finn Balor, which is where things got more complicated. As soon as Reigns made the announcement, Balor came to the ring to confront him, though this time it was as his alter ego, the Demon. This would mean that the Demon will be challenging Reigns f..

REVIEW: Great American Bash 1998: The American Way

September 11, 2021 • Admin

Welcome to KB’s Old School (and New School) Reviews. I’ve been reviewing wrestling shows for over twelve years now and have reviewed over 6,000 shows. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I’ll be posting a new review here on Wrestlingrumors.net. It could be anything from modern WWE to old school to indies to anything in between. Note that I rate using letters instead of stars and I don’t rate matches under three minutes as really, how good or bad can something that short be? Great American Bash 1998 Date: June 14, 1998 Location: Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, Maryland Attendance: 12,810 Commentators: Mike Tenay, Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan We’re at the big summer PPV which originally gave us everything between the first War Games and the worst major PPV of all time, so it’s hard to say what to expect here. There’s a double main event with Sting vs. Giant for control of both tag titles and an actual tag match of Hart/Hogan vs. Piper/Savage with Piper and Savage agreeing to fight each oth..

VIDEO: Top SmackDown Star Written Off Television After Attack

September 11, 2021 • Admin

See you next time. There are certain wrestlers under the WWE umbrella who are not around full time. That is not a bad thing, but sometimes you are not going to get to see them every single week. In a way that is a good thing as it keeps their appearances feeling special, but at the same time, it can make for some difficult departures. That was the case this week. This week on SmackDown, Edge faced Seth Rollins in a Summerslam rematch. The match saw Rollins working on Edge’s neck and eventually hitting him with a buckle bomb and the Stomp for the win. After the match, Edge was taken out on a stretch and left the arena in an ambulance. Edge was forced to retire for almost nine years due to neck surgery and now wrestles a limited amount of dates per year. It was a nasty moment. Check out the match plus what Edge has done since returning: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] Opinion: This feel..

AEW Rampage Results – September 10, 2021

September 11, 2021 • Admin

Rampage Date: September 10, 2021 Location: Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio Commentators: Jim Ross, Mark Henry, Taz, Tony Schiavone The biggest week in AEW history wraps up here with a pay per view quality match. This week’s feature match will see Pac vs. Andrade El Idolo in a match that was supposed to take place at All Out. Instead it is happening here, along with hometown boy Brian Pillman Jr. facing the rather rude Max Caster. Let’s get to it. Opening sequence. Pac vs. Andrade El Idolo Chavo Guerrero is here with Idolo. They stare each other down to start before going at it in a hurry. Andrade catches him with a basement dropkick and we hit the Tranquilo pose. Some kicks in the ribs just wake Pac up and he hurricanranas Andrade outside for the big running flip dive. Pac whips him hard into the barricade and we hit the chinlock back inside. Andrade snaps off a running boot to the face and a hanging DDT onto the apron sends Pac hard to the floor. That means Andrade can hit hi..