TNA

Gail Kim’s New Role with Global Force Wrestling

Jeremy Borash revealed during a media called on today that Gail Kim will be an agent for Global Force Wrestling following her in-ring retirement.

“This may be known but we are happy to have on board as an agent for Impact Wrestling, who will be helping with our Knockouts, Gail Kim, who announced that she would be retiring at the end of this year,” said Borash. “So she’s going to be taking on a more behind-the-scenes role. Everybody may not know but Gail and I had a very strong friendship for the last decade. I obviously do stuff with her husband Robert Irvine, the chef. And she has an incredible mind and really somebody that’s going to take the Knockouts to the next level. So she’s in Orlando and Tampa training gals that you’re seeing.”

Borash also mentioned that GFW has signed two new established female names but didn’t reveal any information on who exactly they are. We will have to wait and find out.

UFC Rep Denies Reports of Brock Lesnar Being Enrolled In USADA Testing Pool

Jeff Novitzky, the UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance, is denying reports that current WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar has re-entered the USADA drug testing pool. Novitzky said there is “zero truth” to the reports and issued the following statement to MMAJunkie:

“[Lesnar] is not currently enrolled in the USADA testing pool, nor has there been any inquiry on his part to do so.”

MMAjunkie noted that their attempt to reach USADA for comment was unsuccessful. We will keep you updated if we hear anything new regarding Lesnar possibly returning to the UFC.

The Ross Report Recap w/ Dave Meltzer – Mae Young Classic, Strowman vs. Lesnar, Young Bucks & Omega in WWE, More!

Ross opens today’s show speaking about his recent experience calling the Mae Young Classic, which was taped last week in Orlando. He says he had a tremendous time calling that action, and he really bought into all of the women after personally interviewing each of them prior to their matches. Their stories were very captivating to him, and it was hard to not get emotional from time to time.

Ross mentions that he spoke to his old friend Mauro Ranallo while he was in Orlando as well, and he’s very happy for Ranallo for the success he is having. Ranallo’s been given another opportunity in WWE as the lead commentator of NXT, and has recently been given the assignment of calling the upcoming Mayweather/McGregor match as well.

Ross welcomes Dave Meltzer to the show.

Meltzer touches on the Mae Young Classic as well, saying that there are fewer opportunities for women in the wrestling business outside of WWE, and that’s why this opportunity means so much to the majority of them.

Ross admits that calling 30 matches in two nights was a marathon, but the audience was terrific throughout and that kept him motivated and right in the middle of the action. He says it was a very unique experience for him, and he can’t wait for everyone at home to have an opportunity to watch it.

Shane McMahon Reacts to Helicopter Crash

As reported earlier today, Shane McMahon survived a crash landing in the ocean off Gilgo Beach this morning. WWE released the following statement on the incident:

Shane McMahon OK following helicopter crash in Atlantic Ocean

A helicopter carrying Shane McMahon made an emergency landing today in the Atlantic Ocean near Gilgo Beach on Long Island, N.Y.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the emergency landing occurred around 10:25 a.m. ET about a half-mile off shore.

The SmackDown LIVE Commissioner spoke with WWE.com after the incident to confirm he and his pilot were fine and escaped injuries from the landing. He explained that he was en route to visiting family on Eastern Long Island when the helicopter troubles started.

“I would like to thank our pilot, Mario, who did a heroic job of landing us safely in the water, the Suffolk County Marine Bureau who were first on the scene, all the lifeguards who came out to assist us and the Fire Island Coast Guard station,”

McMahon reiterated that the WWE Universe shouldn’t worry and that he won’t need to step away from his SmackDown LIVE responsibilities.

“Everyone is safe and sound, I look forward to seeing everyone at WWE Battleground in Philadelphia this Sunday.”

Shane also tweeted the following after the accident:

WWE SmackDown Live Results – July 18 2017

Welcome to our SmackDown Live results, less than a week away from WWE Battleground!

WWE Champion Jinder Mahal brings the Punjabi Prison structure to SmackDown Live! It’s been a decade since we’ve had a Punjabi Prison match in WWE, so I’m curious to see if the structure itself will have changed at all. It’s unclear what Mahal will do with the Prison but Randy Orton is scheduled to return on tonight’s SmackDown!

The main event for tonight’s SmackDown Live gives us a preview to two of Battleground’s biggest matches as AJ Styles teams with Shinsuke Nakamura to face Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin. SmackDown Live has unfortunately been featuring quite a few tag matches recently, which always feels like lazy booking, but I expect these four guys to put on a heck of a match. Sparks should fly between the combatants as Owens faces Styles for the US Championship in less than a week, and Corbin also faces Nakamura at the PPV.

We get a big in-ring debut on tonight’s SmackDown Live, which sees Mike Kanellis take on Sami Zayn. For weeks Sami has unintentionally crashed the romance between Mike and Maria Kanellis, which led to Mike finally bursting last week and smashing a glass over Sami’s head. I figured this match would be kept until Battleground but we’re getting it tonight, which will probably end in a no contest or some form of screwy finish that leads to a Battleground rematch.

And finally, The Fashion Police will take one step closer to finding out who was behind their attacks, and John Cena is set for a sit-down interview ahead of his Flag Match with Rusev! Are you excited for the show? Let us know on the free Ringside News and Ringside Talk apps, and enjoy the show!