Author: Ethan Renner

An F4WOnline Editor since 2019, Ethan has been covering wrestling and MMA since 2011. He has hosted The Wrestling Life Podcast since 2014, and is a former Baltimore Sun TV/Tribune Media contributor. He is also a Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles fan.

Women’s World title match booked for AEW Dynamite Winter is Coming

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The AEW Women’s World Championship will be defended at this year’s Winter is Coming episode of Dynamite.

As revealed during Wednesday’s Dynamite, Mariah May will defend her Women’s Championship against Mina Shirakawa at Dynamite Winter is Coming on Wednesday, December 11.

The match stems from the angle at Full Gear where May attempted to hit Shirakawa with a champagne bottle during their celebration segment. Shirakawa ducked the bottle and broke it with a kick, then sending herself and May through a table with a spear off the stage.

Another angle was shot during Wednesday’s Dynamite where May interrupted a sit-down interview between Shirakawa and Renee Paquette, this time connecting with a bottle shot to Shirakawa.

Prior to the attack, Shirakawa stated that she had been on alert for a May attack after May turned against their former ally Toni Storm. Strom has been absent from AEW programming since dropping the title to May at All In in August.

The announced lineup to this point for AEW Dynamite Winter is Coming set for Wednesday, December 11

  • AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May defends against Mina Shirakawa

Gigi Dolin returns to WWE NXT TV

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Gigi Dolin has returned to WWE NXT TV.

The WWE NXT star made her return to television on Tuesday’s WWE NXT show, helping Tatum Paxley fight off Fatal Influence in the aftermath of the main event which saw Fallon Henley retain the Women’s North American Championship with a victory over Paxley.

Dolin had been out of action with a knee injury believed to be a torn ACL before making her in-ring return last Friday at an NXT house show in Lakeland, Florida.

The return sets up a natural feud between Dolin and former Toxic Attraction stablemate Jacy Jayne, who is now part of the Fatal Influence group. As two-thirds of Toxic Attraction with Mandy Rose, Dolin and Jayne were a pushed act and former WWE NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions.

Our full report from Tuesday’s WWE NXT episode is available here.

Next week’s announced WWE NXT TV lineup is available here.

The updated card for Deadline following Tuesday’s episode is available here.

X-Pac and Eric Bischoff to appear on next week’s WWE NXT

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A pair of WWE Hall of Famers will appear on the December 3 NXT TV.

Sean “X-Pac” Waltman and Eric Bischoff are set for special appearances on the Tuesday, December 3 episode as announced during this week’s show.

Bischoff appeared on the video wall during Tuesday’s WWE NXT show from his home in Cody, Wyoming, interrupting a back-and-forth between NXT Champion Trick Williams and his Deadline challenger Ridge Holland. Bischoff stated that he will be there next week to mediate a face-to-face between the two.

Later in Tuesday’s show, a social media post from X-Pac was show, announcing his appearance:

Four matches are also official for next week’s go-home edition of WWE NXT.

The final Iron Survivor Challenge qualifying matches will take place with a pair of “last chance” four-ways set between the losers of the previous qualifying bouts. On the men’s side, it will be Axiom vs. Cedric Alexander vs. Eddy Thorpe vs. Lexis King, while Kelani Jordan vs. Cora Jade vs. Jaida Parker vs. Wren Sinclair is the last chance women’s qualifying bout.

A tag team number one contender’s battle royal will also be held next week, with the winners to earn a title shot at Nathan Frazer & Axiom at Deadline.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Karmen Petrovic is also set for next week following a backstage argument between the two on this week’s show.

The lineup for the Tuesday, December 3 WWE NXT, the go-home show for the Saturday, December 7 Deadline PLE:

  • WWE Hall of Famer X-Pac appears
  • WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff mediates a face-to-face between NXT Champion Trick Williams & Ridge Holland
  • Tag Team title number one contender’s battle royal
  • Nikkita Lyons vs. Karmen Petrovic

Tag Team title match added to WWE NXT Deadline

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Nathan Frazer and Axiom will defend their NXT Tag Team titles at Deadline on Saturday, December 7.

WWE NXT GM Ava announced on Tuesday’s NXT TV that a number one contender’s tag team battle royal is set for the Tuesday, December 3 episode with the winners advancing to Deadline to challenge the champs.

The announcement means that Frazer will be working twice at Deadline as he has already qualified for the men’s Iron Survivor Challenge bout set for the card. Axiom has a chance to work twice on the show as well, as he will take part in the final men’s Iron Survivor Challenge qualifying match on next week’s show.

Four matches are currently set for the Deadline PLE. The updated lineup:

WWE NXT Deadline, Saturday, December 7 —

  • NXT Champion Trick Williams defends against Ridge Holland
  • Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge: Ethan Page vs. Wes Lee vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Nathan Frazer vs. TBD
  • Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge: Giulia vs. Stephanie Vaquer vs. Zaria vs. Sol Ruca vs. TBD
  • NXT Tag Team Champions Nathan Frazer & Axiom defend against TBD

Two more WWE NXT wrestlers qualify for Iron Survivor Challenge

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Four of five spots in each Iron Survivor Challenge match scheduled for WWE NXT Deadline are now set following Tuesday’s WWE NXT episode.

Giulia defeated Kelani Jordan to secure her place in the women’s Iron Survivor Challenge match at Deadline set for Saturday, December 7, becoming the fourth woman to qualify.

On the men’s side, Ethan Page defeated Axiom on Tuesday’s episode to become the fourth male competitor to qualify for the men’s Iron Survivor Challenge at Deadline.

One spot remains in each Iron Survivor Challenge match. In each instance, the losers of the already completed qualifying matches will square off in a four-way on next week’s WWE NXT episode to decide the final competitor in both the men’s and women’s bouts.

The update WWE NXT Deadline lineup:

WWE NXT Deadline, Saturday, December 7 —

  • NXT Champion Trick Williams defends against Ridge Holland
  • Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge: Ethan Page vs. Wes Lee vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Nathan Frazer vs. TBD
  • Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge: Giulia vs. Stephanie Vaquer vs. Zaria vs. Sol Ruca vs. TBD
  • NXT Tag Team Champions Nathan Frazer & Axiom defend against TBD

Two new title matches booked for WWE Survivor Series

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The Intercontinental and United States Championships will be on the line Saturday in Vancouver at WWE Survivor Series.

WWE officially announced the new title bouts during Monday’s Raw, revealing that IC title holder Bron Breakker will defend against Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser in a three-way at Survivor Series, plus LA Knight will defend the US title against Shinsuke Nakamura at the PLE.

The Intercontinental title bout came about Monday after Sheamus interfered in a Breakker vs. Kaiser match on Raw, one week after Kaiser interfered in a Breakker vs. Sheamus match on Raw.

Nakamura returned to WWE on Friday’s SmackDown after a prolonged absence, laying out the United States Champion Knight.

Also on Monday’s Raw, Bianca Belair defeated Nia Jax with the help of Bayley to earn the order of entry advantage in Saturday’s women’s WarGames bout.

The updated WWE Survivor Series lineup is below. The event streams beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, November 30.

  • Men’s WarGames match:
  • Women’s WarGames match:
  • World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defends against Damian Priest
  • Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker defends against Sheamus & Ludwig Kaiser in a triple threat
  • United States Champion LA Knight defends against Shinsuke Nakamura

Gigi Dolin returns from injury at WWE NXT house show

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WWE NXT star Gigi Dolin has returned to the ring after being sidelined due to injury.

Dolin made her in-ring return on Friday night’s WWE NXT house show in Lakeland, Florida in a match against Cora Jade, coming away with the victory.

It was the first match for Dolin since March after she suffered a knee injury. At the time, the injury was reported to be a torn ACL.

Prior to the injury, Dolin was feuding with Arianna Grace, including Grace defeating Dolin by disqualification on the March 12, 2024 WWE NXT episode.

Dolin continued to appear on NXT TV after that match, as a stipulation in Grace’s win was that she would give Dolin a makeover, with vignettes playing out on the show in the following weeks.

A former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, Dolin debuted for WWE in 2021 as part of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Her biggest career break came as part of the pushed Toxic Attraction act in WWE NXT alongside Mandy Rose and Jacy Jayne.

Four-way booked for AEW Full Gear Zero Hour

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AEW has added a four-way match to Saturday’s Full Gear Zero Hour pre-show.

In a new match announced Friday night, Dante Martin, The Beast Mortos, Komander, and Buddy Matthews will square off in a four-way at Full Gear Zero Hour on Saturday, November 23.

Nine matches are set for Saturday’s main card, with three bouts now official for the Zero Hour pre-show.

The updated AEW Full Gear lineup:

  • AEW World Champion Jon Moxley defends against Orange Cassidy
  • TBS Champion Mercedes Mone defends against Kris Statlander
  • TNT Champion Jack Perry defends against Daniel Garcia
  • AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Ricochet
  • AEW Tag Team Champions Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) defend against The Outrunners (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd), House of Black (Malakai Black & Brody King), and The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) in a four-way
  • Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher
  • Jay White vs. Hangman Page
  • Bobby Lashley vs. Swerve Strickland
  • MJF vs. Roderick Strong
  • Mariah May & Mina Shirakawa champagne celebration
  • Zero Hour: Big Boom A.J. vs. QT Marshall
  • Zero Hour: Deonna Purrazzo vs. Anna Jay
  • Zero Hour: Dante Martin vs. The Beast Mortos vs. Komander vs. Buddy Matthews

Bron Breakker vs. Ludwig Kaiser added to WWE Raw

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A new match has been added to the Monday, November 25 WWE Raw.

After he interfered in a Bron Breakker vs. Sheamus matchup on last week’s episode, Ludwig Kaiser will go one-on-one with Breakker on Monday’s Raw.

Kaiser has been in and around the Intercontinental title picture since September when he took part in the IC title contendership tournament on the brand. Breakker currently holds the IC title, but Monday’s bout will be non-title.

Two more matches have already been announced for Monday’s Raw.

Bianca Belair will face Nia Jax in a bout where the winner’s WarGames team will receive the order of entry advantage in the women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series next Saturday.

Also set for Raw, The New Day’s Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods will square off with Akira Tozawa & Otis in tag team action.

The updated lineup for the Monday, November 25 WWE Raw:

  • WarGames advantage match: Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax
  • Bron Breakker vs. Ludwig Kaiser
  • The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Otis & Akira Tozawa

Cody Rhodes vs. Carmelo Hayes set for next WWE SmackDown

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The Undisputed WWE Champion will be in action on next week’s SmackDown, plus the Women’s United States Championship tournament will continue.

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will face Carmelo Hayes in a non-title match on the Friday, November 29 WWE SmackDown. The bout was agreed to in a backstage segment during this week’s episode.

The Women’s United States Championship tournament also continues with a triple threat quarterfinals matchup on the November 29 episode.

A mystery competitor will face Piper Niven and Michin in a triple threat quarterfinals tournament bout on next week’s SmackDown. Jade Cargill was originally set for the match, but an injury angle on Friday’s SmackDown saw Cargill hit by a car backstage, taking her out of the contest.

Next week’s SmackDown is being taped this week in Salt Lake City.

The announced lineup for the Friday, November 29 WWE SmackDown:

  • Cody Rhodes vs. Carmelo Hayes
  • WWE Women’s United States Championship tournament quarterfinals: TBA vs. Piper Niven vs. Michin

Chelsea Green advances to WWE Women’s US title tournament semifinals

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Chelsea Green is moving on in the WWE Women’s United States Championship tournament.

Green won a three-way on Friday night’s WWE SmackDown episode to advance in the tournament to crown the first-ever Women’s United States Champion.

After a Jade Cargill injury angle provided a distraction, Green defeated Blair Davenport and Bianca Belair in the triple threat quarterfinals matchup. Green will face Bayley in the United States title tournament at a later date after Bayley advanced on last week’s SmackDown.

The Cargill injury angle played out as she was shown backstage on the hood of a car, seemingly hit by a mystery assailant. After the tournament bout, Belair jumped into an ambulance to accompany Cargill to a hospital in storyline.

Cargill was set for action in the tournament on next week’s episode, but WWE announced that a mystery wrestler will take Cargill’s place.

The remaining quarterfinals matches in the tournament are a mystery replacement for Cargill vs. Michin vs. Piper Niven, plus Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Elektra Lopez.

Our full report from Friday’s WWE SmackDown is available here.

Three new matches official for TNA Turning Point

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Three new matches are official for TNA Turning Point set for Friday, November 29.

After retaining the Knockouts World title against Alisha Edwards on Thursday’s Impact, Masha Slamovich vs. Jordynne Grace in a two-out-of-three falls match is official for the TNA Plus special. Had Edwards won, she would have defended against Grace.

New TNA X-Division Champion Moose will make his first title defense at Turning Point against Laredo Kid in another new match made official during Thursday’s Impact.

Rounding out the new additions to the card, Mike Santana and Frankie Kazarian will lock horns on November 29.

The updated card for the Turning Point event:

TNA Turning Point, Friday, November 29, 7 p.m. Eastern time on TNA Plus —

  • TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth defends against Eddie Edwards
  • Two-out-of-three falls: TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich defends against Jordynne Grace
  • TNA X-Division Champion Moose defends against Laredo Kid
  • No DQ match: Josh Alexander vs Steve Maclin
  • Turkey Bowl match: Joe Hendry vs. Eric Young vs. Hammerstone vs. PCO vs. Brian Myers vs. John Skyler
  • Mike Santana vs. Frankie Kazarian
  • The Hardys (Matt & Jeff Hardy) & Ace Austin vs. The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz) & KUSHIDA

Kylie Rae announced as WWE ID prospect

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A familiar name is the latest independent wrestler to be tabbed as a WWE ID prospect.

Former AEW wrestler Kylie Rae has been announced as the latest wrestler to join the WWE ID program as the announcement came Thursday night at an independent event put on by Freelance Wrestling. WWE employee Gabe Sapolsky commented on Rae’s ID status on X, calling Rae “the best worker on the indies.”

Rae was an original member of AEW’s women’s division in 2019 before asking for her release from the company later the same year.

WWE has now announced 17 prospects as part of their ID program where signees will receive some financial and training support, but are not signed to a full-time talent contract with the promotion. The updated list of WWE ID prospects:

  • Kylie Rae
  • Ricky Smokes
  • Aaron Rourke
  • Brad Baylor
  • Jackson Drake
  • Sean Legacy
  • Cappuccino Jones
  • Zayda Steel
  • Bryce Donovan
  • Marcus Mathers
  • Sam Holloway
  • Jack Summit (aka Jack Cartwheel)
  • Zara Zakher
  • It’s Gal (aka GAL)
  • Ice Williams
  • Zoe Sager
  • Aaron Roberts

CMLL reveals International Women’s Cup qualifier competitors

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CMLL has revealed the four competitors that will battle to represent the promotion in the International Women’s Cup four-way at Wrestle Dynasty.

In an announcement Wednesday, CMLL tabbed Zeuxis, Reyna Isis, Persephone, and Sanely as the four wrestlers set for the qualifying match to be held on Friday, December 13 at Arena Mexico on the traditional Friday night CMLL show. The winner of that match will advance to Wrestle Dynasty in the Tokyo Dome on January 5, 2025.

CMLL, AEW, Stardom, and Ring of Honor will hold qualifying four-ways ahead of Wrestle Dynasty with the winners advancing to the International Women’s Cup four-way at the Tokyo Dome. The International Women’s Cup winner will earn a shot at a title of their choice.

Wrestle Dynasty (Sunday, January 5) —

  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ricochet
  • Jack Perry vs. Yota Tsuji
  • Tomohiro Ishii challenges either Shingo Takagi or Konosuke Takeshita for the NEVER Openweight Championship (will be a double title match with the AEW International Championship also on the line if Takeshita is still champion going into Wrestle Kingdom 19)
  • International Women’s Cup four-way

Two title matches official for next WWE NXT

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Two North American title matches are set for next week’s WWE NXT, plus Iron Survivor Challenge qualifiers for Deadline will continue.

Women’s North American Champion Fallon Henley will put her title on the line against Tatum Paxley on next week’s episode after Paxley laid out the champ in the ring on this week’s show.

The Men’s North American Championship will also be on the line next week as Tony D’Angelo defends against Shawn Spears.

Two more Iron Survivor Challenge qualifiers are also set for next week, with Ethan Page facing Axiom for a spot in the men’s Iron Survivor Challenge, and Giulia going one-on-one with Kelani Jordan in a women’s qualifying bout.

The announced card for the Tuesday, November 26 WWE NXT:

  • Women’s North American Champion Fallon Henley defends against Tatum Paxley
  • Men’s North American Champion Tony D’Angelo defends against Shawn Spears
  • Iron Survivor Challenge qualifier: Ethan Page vs. Axiom
  • Iron Survivor Challenge qualifier: Giulia vs. Kelani Jordan