For the time being at least, NXT wrestler Mason Rook is using the same song they previously gave to Mason Ryan in his WWE run. It’s unofficial but this would be a much better song for him.
The new agreement TKO has signed with Arizona Sports & Events Alliance in Phoenix in theory includes “a Survivor Series, a Royal Rumble, and Saturday Night’s Main Event.” (WO)
Ridge Holland reminisces on his time with Sheamus & Pete Dunne: “It was good fun. I think we had a lot more legs than what we were to achieve. I think we had a lot more in us. But it was fun, you know, traveling down the road, and obviously, Sheamus is, you know, Hall of Fame career, you know, certified Hall of Famer. And just to get in there and obviously be reintroduced back with Pete, it was great. We managed to get ourselves organically over as babyfaces, and with that, Sheamus had one of his most babyface runs. But yeah, it just felt like they never really pulled the trigger. I mean, we wrestled a couple of times for the tag team belts. You know, we were in the War Games, the inaugural War Games on the main roster. Yeah. And then we had a really good kind of like Donnybrook match with Imperium. But yeah, it was fun. Although I think there was a lot more that we could have done. But I was grateful for the opportunity.”
According to Tony Schiavone, Ted Turner blamed AOL Time Warner for WCW’s downfall: “I look to my right, the other guy who’s peeing is Ted Turner. So I say, ‘Mr. Turner.’ Of course, after zipping up, I say, ‘Mr. Turner, I know you don’t know who I am, but I’m Tony Schiavone, and I did the WCW, World Championship Wrestling.’ And he said – I remember vividly, the first words out of his mouth was, ‘Those motherfuckers (AOL Time Warner). If I was still running this place, wrestling would still be on TBS. It would still be on TNT. They are out of their minds taking off wrestling, which has been an integral part of what we’re doing.’ There’s so many ways, fingers you can point at what killed WCW, but what killed WCW was the fact that AOL Time Warner did not want us on. It was that simple.”
New Japan is having fan voting for the Best of the Super Juniors Awards.
Randy Orton is being advertised for the final SmackDown before Clash In Italy.
Mauro Ranallo and Kenny Florian will do the commentary for Rousey vs. Carano on Saturday.
The brackets for the Women’s Owen Hart tournament have been announced. (AEW)
- Persephone vs. Hazuki
- Willow Nightingale vs. Alex Windsor
- Mina Shirakawa vs. Athena
- Skye Blue vs. Sareee
Nightingale vs. Windsor will take place at Double or Nothing on May 24th. (AEW)
Here are the Men’s Owen Hart tournament brackets. (AEW)
- Samoa Joe vs. Will Ospreay
- Mark Davis vs. Jack Perry
- Swerve Strickland vs. Bandido
- Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brody King
Joe vs. Ospreay and Bandido vs. Strickland are also set for Double or Nothing. (AEW)
Brian Cage returned on Dynamite to answer Kevin Knight’s open challenge but Knight was able to retain his TNT Championship. (AEW)
This is weird — Cuatrero’s sentence of 12 years still stands BUT he’s not required to remain incarcerated for the duration. Apparently he gets “judicial supervision” which means he can still work and even perform at wrestling shows while he serves his sentence, with the notable exception that he’s not allowed to appear at any event Stephanie Vaquer is at. Since she’s in WWE and he’s not they are unlikely to cross paths anyway. He also has to “report in” at a minimum of every three weeks.
Big Bill’s AEW contract reportedly ends in late May or early June. (FF)
Dixie Carter declined (multiple times) to appear on the three part Dark Side of the Ring featuring Jeff Jarrett and TNA Wrestling. (FF)
Piper Niven has had neck surgery and provides this update: “I went to California and all I got was this lousy anterior discectomy. I have so much I want to say about the past 8 months but we can get to that later. For now, I just want to express my endless love and gratitude for every single soul that has helped me and cared for me during this difficult and really scary time. Pain and heartbreak are incredible teachers and the lessons I have learned from this will stay with me forever. I am so grateful to wake up from surgery already feeling better and I know I am coming out the other side of this so much stronger for the experience. Lots of love P x.” Best wishes to her!
Rusev is opening a new wrestling school in Nashville.
The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) will be free of their no compete August 1st or 2nd. (FF)
