Two new matches have been announced for WWE Crown Jewel.
A steel cage match between Karrion Kross and Drew McIntyre has been set for November 5 in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Braun Strowman will battle Omos.
On Friday’s SmackDown, McIntyre told Kayla Braxton that eventually, this has to end between himself and Kross and made the match. McIntyre lost to Kross in a strap match at Extreme Rules, but the two have continued to feud, with McIntyre attacking Kross after Kross and Scarlett were involved in a car accident on last week’s SmackDown.
MVP confronted Braun Strowman on SmackDown, with Strowman eventually issuing a challenge to Omos. MVP accepted on behalf of Omos, bringing him out. Omos and Strowman had a staredown before Omos pushed Strowman out of the ring.
Here is the updated lineup for Crown Jewel:
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns defends against Logan Paul
The OC (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson) vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Pries, and Dominik Mysterio)
Claudio Castagnoli knew where he wanted to take his career after WWE, he just didn’t know if it would happen.
The 41-year-old was with WWE from September 2011 up until his contract officially expired on February 24 of this year. During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Castagnoli noted that he’s going to “take the high road” when speaking about his former employer.
“It can be hard to take the high road, but that’s the road I am going to take,” he said. “All the memories, they matter. I’m grateful for everything I have accomplished and I’m grateful for all those opportunities. And they make me work so much harder to get where I want to be.”
Castagnoli continued to say that he knew where he wanted to end up after leaving WWE but was happy to take some time to recharge before returning to the ring.
“Once I left, I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go, I just didn’t know if it would happen. That was also time for me to take a break mentally, recharge, and come back better. My goal is always to be better than I was yesterday, to be better tomorrow than I am today. I want to be even better now than people remember.”
Castagnoli debuted as the newest member of the Blackpool Combat Club at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. Being part of the faction has contributed to him feeling as though everything is clicking so far in AEW.
“I came to AEW for new challenges,” Castagnoli says. “That’s why I fit perfectly in the Blackpool Combat Club. Like [William] Regal said, ‘You either step up or get stepped on.’ I loved coming in with the BCC because I’ve known those guys for such a long time, and I know they have my back no matter what.:
“It feels like everything here is clicking in AEW. It doesn’t feel like it’s only been a couple weeks. I’m extremely excited to find out what the future holds.”
Castagnoli is scheduled to face Jake Hager Wednesday on AEW Dynamite.
The rumored newest member of the Blackpool Combat Club was confirmed as Claudio Castagnoli made his debut as the surprise opponent for Zack Sabre Jr. at Sunday’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.
The former Cesaro in WWE, Castagnoli defeated Sabre Jr. in a long and physical match, hitting him with a discus lariat following by his Ricola Bomb for the win.
As one would expect, Castagnoli used his power in several impressive displays while Sabre Jr. utilized his extensive submission and grappling game to his advantage.
Castagnoli was the replacement for Bryan Danielson who had to pull out of the planned match with Sabre Jr. at the PPV due to an undisclosed injury.
It won’t be long before AEW fans see Castagnoli in the ring again as he will join fellow BCC members Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta, Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz against Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, Jake Hager & Daniel Garcia in Wednesday’s Blood & Guts match on Dynamite.
Two matches previewing title bouts for WrestleMania have been announced for tonight’s SmackDown.
A fatal four-way match between Sasha Banks, Rhea Ripley, Zelina Vega, and Shayna Baszler will take place on SmackDown tonight. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jimmy Uso is also set for the episode.
Vega & Carmella defending their Women’s Tag Team titles against Banks & Naomi, Ripley & Liv Morgan, and Baszler & Natalya in a four-way match will be part of the card for WrestleMania 38 night two on Sunday, April 3.
Nakamura & Rick Boogs are challenging The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team titles at WrestleMania 38 night one on Saturday, April 2. That was confirmed when Boogs defeated Jey Uso in a singles match on SmackDown two weeks ago.
The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York is hosting tonight’s SmackDown. With WrestleMania 38 now just over a week away, the build to Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar’s winner-take-all title unification match will also continue tonight.
WWE.com wrote:
Last week, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar laid waste to the blue brand on his quest for payback for the attack he suffered at the hands of Universal Champion Roman Reigns and The Usos at a live event at Madison Square Garden. After crashing a forklift into the retreating Bloodline’s ride, The Beast ripped a door from their SUV as they sped away.
What will happen after the chaotic assault en route to The Biggest WrestleMania Match of All Time? Find out this Friday at 8/7 C on FOX.
Claudio Castagnoli, formerly known as Cesaro in WWE, has filed a trademark for the name “CSRO.”
The trademark was filed on March 14 and is for goods and services related to pro wrestling, merchandise, and coffee products:
IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: Hats; Shirts; Socks; Sweatshirts; Hooded sweatshirts
IC 030. US 046. G & S: Coffee; Coffee beans; Coffee drinks; Ground coffee; Ground coffee beans
IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainment personality; Entertainment services, namely, televised appearances by a professional wrestling and sports entertainment personality; Providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; Providing online interviews featuring a professional wrestling and sports entertainment personality in the field of professional wrestling and sports entertainment for entertainment purposes
In a reference to the Swiss flag, the trademark includes a cross on the letter “O” in “CSRO.”
Castagnoli departed WWE last month after his contract expired. He had been with the company since 2011. It was reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Castagnoli wasn’t looking to leave WWE, but he didn’t like the contract extension offer that he was given.
“Cesaro’s (Claudio Castagnoli, 41) contract has expired as of this week. The two sides were in talks on a new deal but couldn’t come to terms. Given the huge money they’ve offered others whose deals have been up (Zayn, Owens and Styles) it would indicate he did not get that level of an offer. He also hadn’t gotten any backdoor AEW offer when he was negotiating so it wasn’t that he got a better offer elsewhere,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
“This was more of a WWE decision than a Cesaro decision in the sense he wasn’t looking to leave like others were, but they made an offer he didn’t like. He is free to go anywhere immediately.”
During his time with WWE, Castagnoli was a seven-time Tag Team Champion, one-time United States Champion, and won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in 2014.
Castagnoli’s last match before his WWE contract expired was a loss to Baron Corbin on the February 11 episode of SmackDown.
AEW president Tony Khan appeared on a media call today discussing this Sunday’s Revolution event, Cody Rhodes, free agents, and more.
Regarding the big announcement:
Khan opened the media call by taking a question regarding tonight’s big announcement on Dynamite. Khan did not offer new information, but emphasized that it would be good for both AEW and pro wrestling.
Streaming service:
When asked if a streaming service for AEW content was in the plans, Khan said that it is “absolutely” something that they were looking at, saying it would be good for the fans and the younger fanbase. He mentioned that streaming was more a part of younger people’s lives.
On Cody Rhodes:
Khan reiterated his appreciation for Cody and Brandi Rhodes and wished them the best. When asked why he didn’t pick up Cody’s extension, Khan said that he was looking for a longer deal beyond the option years, but negotiations fell through and were unable to come to terms for a new deal.
Later, when asked if Revolution will do well without Cody, Khan mentioned that Cody wasn’t on this past year’s All Out event and that did well, and pay-per-views without Cody have done well before.
Jeff Hardy and Cesaro:
Khan said it wasn’t a “foregone conclusion” that Jeff Hardy would be signing with the company. He said he likes Jeff Hardy but he is obligated to “another company” for a few more days. Khan said that Hardy was a nice person, would fit in well, and he would love to have him.
When Cesaro’s name was brought up, Khan praised him as a great athlete with amazing strength, and is a name that he is open to bringing in.
Growth:
When a question was asked about African American viewership ratings and how they were low compared to WWE, Khan said that they want to be consistent in growing that audience and mentioned Jade Cargill getting a big push and diversity with champions and talent as examples of growing that audience.
Dave Meltzer asked a question about heading into 2023 and 2024 being stronger as a company ahead of TV deal negotiations. Khan said that they were looking to do that, pointing out AEW’s success on cable television and has experienced growth year over year. He said that TBS and TNT were happy with AEW’s performance.
Managing the roster:
Regarding handling the number of people on the roster, Khan emphasized the deal with TNT that gave them a third hour of wrestling with Rampage. He mentioned that it helped “tremendously”, and as a result are able to feature both established and younger talent.
On AEW Revolution:
Khan agreed with a question asking if Revolution 2022 would set the stage for the year, saying that they always try to put on strong pay-per-views.
While he was open to the idea of Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa to close out Revolution, Khan said that the Adam Cole vs. Hangman Adam Page match would close out the show on Sunday. He said that choosing the match order is something he puts a lot of effort into and finds it challenging.
Khan also put over the events that are being held this weekend beyond Revolution, including the concert by Mikey Ruckus, the fan fest, and AEW Dark tapings. He also mentioned that RJ City is in Orlando to create content.
The upcoming video game:
Regarding the AEW video game, Khan said that talent were recording voice tracks this week and content is being worked on for Dark regarding fan reactions. He said that more updates would hopefully take place soon.
On touring:
Khan said that AEW is definitely looking forward to more shows in the west coast. He mentioned that most venues they have been running were a result of shows they had to postpone during the pandemic. Regarding the United Kingdom, Khan mentioned that they were “absolutely” looking at UK dates, bringing up Craven Cottage as a venue he would like to run.
Regarding the move from the MGM Grand to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for this year’s Double or Nothing, Khan said they were looking for bigger, modern arenas for bigger shows, mentioning that he was looking forward to the challenge.
Trios titles:
When a question was brought up regarding the idea of trios titles, Khan said he thinks there is a lot of interest, and he is interested as well. He said he wanted to be blunt with his response, saying that he would be more interested in the idea when Kenny Omega returns from injury, saying Omega would make the division much stronger. He said AEW could have the best trios division anyone has ever had, and would love Kenny Omega to be part of that.
Revolution, which takes place on March 6, has the following card:
Hangman Adam Page vs. Adam Cole for the AEW World Championship
CM Punk vs. MJF in a dog collar match
Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa for the AEW Women’s World Championship
A Face of the Revolution ladder match featuring Keith Lee, Wardlow, Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricky Starks, Orange Cassidy, and one more person to be determined
Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston
Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley
Jurrassic Express vs. reDRagon vs. a team to be determined for the AEW World Tag Team titles
Andrade El Idolo, Matt Hardy, and Isiah Kassidy vs. Darby Allin, Sting, and Sammy Guevara in a tornado trios match
Jade Cargill vs. Tay Conti for the AEW TBS Championship
Dave Meltzer and I are back on Wrestling Observer Radio talking all the latest news.
We talk about Tony Khan’s historic announcement scheduled for AEW Dynamite, what the other announcement could be that’s scheduled for Being The Elite, the scalper situation at AEW Revolution and what it could mean for AEW Double or Nothing.
We also discuss the WrestleMania main events including Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns being marketed as the biggest WrestleMania match of all time as well as a championship unification match. Dave takes a look at the New Japan Cup bracket.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer provided an update on why Cesaro and WWE weren’t able to come to terms on a new contract.
It was reported yesterday that Cesaro had “quietly exited WWE” after failing to come to terms on a new deal. The two sides had been in negotiations for a new agreement, but Cesaro turned down the contract extension that he was offered.
Meltzer wrote that Cesaro wasn’t looking to leave WWE, but he didn’t like the offer that he was given to re-sign:
Cesaro’s (Claudio Castagnoli, 41) contract has expired as of this week. The two sides were in talks on a new deal but couldn’t come to terms. Given the huge money they’ve offered others whose deals have been up (Zayn, Owens and Styles) it would indicate he did not get that level of an offer. He also hadn’t gotten any backdoor AEW offer when he was negotiating so it wasn’t that he got a better offer elsewhere. That isn’t saying AEW may not make an offer now that he’s a free agent. Right now he’s leaving the promotion unless something changes. This was more of a WWE decision than a Cesaro decision in the sense he wasn’t looking to leave like others were, but they made an offer he didn’t like. He is free to go anywhere immediately.
Obviously he’s a great worker who is one of those guys who has been listed as most underrated and underpushed since basically his start with the company in 2011. Even when he did get over, it was an organic thing from the crowd so the company never went with it. One thing is that Bryan Danielson and CM Punk and to a degree Rey Mysterio were all exceptions to the rule, as guys like Ziggler, Zack Ryder and Cesaro would somehow get over big for a short period of time, Vince never saw them as stars and figured it was just a fluke thing, and after a short period of time the fans started seeing them as lesser talent because that’s how they were portrayed. With Ziggler it was the funniest because people thought he was great, and then when the company never pushed him, it was like people saying he really wasn’t that great and couldn’t be a top guy even when those who worked with him thought otherwise. To a degree, Cesaro’s rep was hurt by never being pushed past a certain level with the idea since they never pushed [him] he must not have what it takes to be able to get past a certain level.
Danielson last year was super high on Cesaro while he was on the [WWE] booking team and put him over clean a few times, only for him to be fed to [Roman] Reigns and not even look competitive and the fall even farther backwards to where people stopped caring about him. We haven’t heard anything about him and AEW, which has made a lot of good working additions who are younger. He’d be perfect for NJPW in my mind but until things get back to normal in Japan it’s not really something he could do past working Strong, which no doubt he could do right now, but it’s so much less money.
Cesaro’s last match before his WWE contract expired took place on SmackDown on February 11, with him losing to Happy Corbin.
In January, Cesaro wasn’t included as one of the 30 participants in this year’s men’s Royal Rumble match. He told Sports Illustrated in an interview earlier this month that he was disappointed not to be part of the Rumble.
“Yes, I was [disappointed],” Cesaro said. “A lot of people would have liked to see me in the Rumble, and a lot of people would have liked to see me win. That would have put me on the next path of my journey. I saw Big E say in an interview he’d like to see me win, and that was very nice. I appreciate the support of my colleagues, but unfortunately, that did not happen.”
Cesaro’s WWE contract has expired and he is now a free agent, according to a report from PW Insider and confirmed by our Dave Meltzer.
WWE is believed to have offered Cesaro a new contract, but it was rejected. He had been on a one-year extension that expired earlier this week. Because his deal ran out, he will not have to wait for a 90-day non-compete window to sign with another company or wrestle elsewhere.
Fightful Select reported that the news has been met with “disappointment and dismay” as Cesaro was very well-liked. There had been plans to use him on future shows, but that is no longer the case.
The 41-year-old last wrestled for WWE on the February 11th edition of Smackdown, losing to Happy Corbin. He hadn’t won a match on WWE programming since defeating Ridge Holland on the November 26th, 2021 episode of SmackDown. There were reportedly no plans to push him in recent months unless he re-signed.
He had been in the company since 2011.
Last year before agreeing to stay in WWE, Dave Meltzer wrote in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Cesaro was set to be the “babyface star” of a SmackDown gauntlet match. The spot was then given to Shinsuke Nakamura as Cesaro hadn’t re-signed at the time.
“The gauntlet match that Adam Pearce won on SmackDown, the babyface star making spot of running through the field and then getting screwed at the end was an idea of (Daniel) Bryan and his pick for the spot was Cesaro. However, since Cesaro hadn’t signed yet, it was switched to Nakamura, so Cesaro was going to be the face originally,” he wrote.
Ridge Holland is returning to action for the first time since breaking his nose at Day 1.
WWE has announced that Holland & Sheamus will face Cesaro & Ricochet in a tag team match on tonight’s episode of SmackDown. It’s a rematch from the Day 1 pre-show, where Sheamus defeated Cesaro & Ricochet on his own after Holland was injured early on.
Holland’s nose was broken at Day 1 when Ricochet accidentally hit him in the face while doing an assisted 450 splash.
On last week’s SmackDown, Holland made his first appearance on WWE television since getting injured. He accompanied Sheamus for his match against Ricochet. Sheamus got the win with a Brogue Kick.
Tonight’s SmackDown is taking place at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. It’s the go-home show for tomorrow’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
Here’s the updated lineup for tonight:
Seth Rollins will deliver a message to Roman Reigns ahead of their Universal Championship match at the Royal Rumble
The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Big E) vs. Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss
WWE has revealed the pre-show match for this Saturday’s New Year’s Day pay-per-view.
Cesaro & Ricochet will team up against Sheamus & Ridge Holland on the pre-show for WWE Day 1 this Saturday night. The pre-show begins at 7 p.m. Eastern time, with the main card then starting an hour later.
Cesaro has been feuding with Sheamus and Holland since Holland was called up from NXT in October’s WWE Draft. In the “12 Days of Christmas” gauntlet match on SmackDown last week, a distraction by Holland led to Sheamus eliminating Cesaro. But Ricochet eliminated Sheamus after Sheamus was distracted by Cesaro taking out Holland at ringside.
Sheamus gave Ricochet a Brogue Kick after being eliminated from the gauntlet match. Ricochet was able to defeat Humberto and Jinder Mahal but lost to Sami Zayn at the end of the match.
Day 1 is being held at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Here’s the updated card for the show:
Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Brock Lesnar
WWE Champion Big E defends against Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and Bobby Lashley in a fatal four-way match
Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch defends against Liv Morgan
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) defend against The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston)
Edge vs. The Miz
Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) defend against The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
Hip-hop group Migos will make a special appearance
Cesaro & Ricochet vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland (pre-show)
Cesaro’s feud with Sheamus and Ridge Holland will continue on tonight’s episode of SmackDown.
WWE has announced that Cesaro vs. Holland will take place on SmackDown tonight. It’s a rematch from three weeks ago, when Cesaro rolled up Holland to get the win. That match was Holland’s main roster in-ring debut after being called up from NXT.
Sheamus and Holland have been aligned since Holland’s call-up, with Holland saying that Sheamus is his idol. Cesaro and Sheamus are former tag team partners.
Sheamus defeated Cesaro on SmackDown two weeks ago. Last week, Cesaro was shown watching on from backstage as Sheamus lost to Drew McIntyre.
Tonight’s SmackDown is being held at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. After not appearing on last week’s show, Universal Champion Roman Reigns will make his return tonight ahead of his title match against Brock Lesnar at WWE Day 1 on New Year’s Day.
A fatal four-way match will decide the final member of SmackDown’s men’s team for Survivor Series.
Ricochet, Cesaro, Sheamus, and Jinder Mahal will face off in a fatal four-way match on SmackDown tonight, with the winner getting the final spot on Team SmackDown. Drew McIntyre, Jeff Hardy, Xavier Woods, and Baron Corbin are already part of the team.
Team SmackDown will face Raw’s Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley & Austin Theory at this Sunday’s pay-per-view.
Sami Zayn was originally announced as a member of Team SmackDown, but he lost his spot on SmackDown last week. Hardy and Zayn had a match on last week’s show where the loser would be removed from Survivor Series.
Tonight will be Sheamus’ return to WWE television for the first time since undergoing surgery for a broken nose in September.
Ridge Holland, who was called up from NXT in the WWE Draft last month, has recently been doing interviews on SmackDown talking about how Sheamus is his idol. Cesaro tried to warn Holland about Sheamus last week, but Holland said he and Sheamus would be a far more effective team than Cesaro & Sheamus ever were.
The XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut is hosting tonight’s SmackDown. Sasha Banks vs. Shotzi is also set for the show. Banks and Shotzi will both be on SmackDown’s women’s team at Survivor Series.
Plus, WWE has announced that Universal Champion Roman Reigns will appear on tonight’s SmackDown ahead of his non-title champion vs. champion match against Big E at Survivor Series:
There is only room for one ruler on Friday nights, and ‘The Head of the Table’ Roman Reigns will claim his place atop the throne of SmackDown tonight.
Last week, the Universal Champion met King Woods in singles combat to stake claim to his Island of Relevancy.
Just when it looked like King Woods could pull off an upset, The Usos appeared out of nowhere to overwhelm him. The Bloodline ripped the crown from King Woods’ head as a triumphant Reigns was crowned by his cousins.
What will SmackDown’s new King have in store for the blue brand? Tune in tonight at 8/7 on FOX to find out!
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TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
The company trademarked several names on October 28, including Von Wagner, Alpha Academy, Queen Zelina, Toxic Attraction, GYV, and RK-Bro.
Main Event matches taped prior to Raw for this week include Liv Morgan vs. Tamina and Cedric Alexander vs. Jaxson Ryker.
The Miz released a statement on Twitter thanking dance partner Witney Carson and others after being eliminated from Dancing With The Stars last night.
Cesaro spoke to the Manchester Evening News about his upcoming series of matches against WALTER in the UK. “He’s somebody I always wanted to face,” he said. “We have a similar background, coming up through pretty much the same ranks in Europe and then travelling the world. I’m very, very excited that this is going to happen. I’m even more excited to see how excited the fans are to see that much. The fact that it’s only on live events makes me strangely excited because it just means it’s hopefully a legendary match that lives on in people’s heads. The fact it’s happening in England, in Europe, is very special. It’s cool to see that England gets something special. I still think we should run a pay-per-view over in England. The fact that they get this match and people are excited for it makes me feel really good.”
Mandy Rose spoke to Sean Ross Sapp about how she made her return back to NXT. “I got the call and I didn’t really get much explanation, which is kind of the usual. I didn’t expect anything less. It’s one of those things where they want you to help some of the other talent out, need a good heel, and I said, ‘Sure, why not.’ I live in Florida, it’s not that bad of a commute for me. I kinda just went with it and it worked out really well. I am in the process of helping a lot of the other talent and other women. In that process, I think I kind of evolved myself, in the best way possible. I kind of felt like I needed a little bit of a revamp or whatever it may be. I think we all go through those moments where are characters have to evolve and change a little bit or find some other layers to your character, in a sense. I have and I’m really enjoying this ruthless side of me. I knew I always had it, but sometimes you need the time and space for it. You know how it is on TV, it’s hard with the women getting…we’ve come a really long way but it’s hard with all of us and sometimes you can get lost in the shuffle.”
Corey Graves talked to Ryan Satin about recent comments made about Dana Brooke that was perceived as him burying her. “99.9% of the time, everybody realizes that it’s just me doing what I do,” he said (h/t NoDQ). I love walking the line and being provocative. I also make sure, and I try to take great care, that I don’t ever harm anybody from a character perspective. I always want to make people better. For instance, the Dana Brooke issue, I actually sent her a text message the next morning saying, ‘Hey, no hard feelings, it wasn’t personal.’ Full disclosure, I don’t know what’s going to happen on these shows. I am reacting. That’s my choice. There have been times where I sat in production meetings and I have ideas, but I prefer to not know what’s happening because I like to think my reactions are more genuine, I get to use my wit a little bit better.
Doudrop spoke to the Daily Star about online abuse she gets and how she doesn’t let it affect her.
PWInsider is reporting that Matt Tremont will likely remain hospitalized for up to a week due to the burns he suffered during a deathmatch against Atsushi Onita on Halloween night.
The Mainichi has an article on Japan easing COVID-19 limits on large events.Events across Japan can now have 5,000 spectators or 50 percent of venue capacity. Large-scale event spaces can have 10,000. Spectators shouring and cheering will be limited to 50 percent of venue capacity. Prefectural govenors can also implement their own policies.
Impact has uploaded a video of “Speedball” Mike Bailey signing with Impact Wrestling.
The former Tyler Breeze is a guest on this week’s Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette.
Masa Slamovich spoke to WrestlingNews.co about her signing with Impact Wrestling, recalling what she remembered when Gail Kim arrived to give her the contract. “Well at first, I was trying to explain to myself why she was coming out and I was like, man you know I mean we went a little over time with the entrances or something like that,” she said. “I’m like, alright, whatever. They’re probably sending out the next segment and I’m just going to take myself to the back. Then she turned towards me and she’s like, ‘No, come here.’ I’m like, wait a minute. What’s going on and the rest is history. You all saw the clip go around on Twitter that she offered me a contract and it was proof that I had done everything right while I did it. You know, I did everything my way because I’ve had quite the unconventional career so far and it still paid off and worked out. It was just an incredible moment.”
NJPW has released an interview with Kazuchika Okada, his first since winning the G1 Climax tournament.
Jordan Oliver on Twitter commented on his MLW release. “A week ago MLW released me, I did exactly what I wanted to do there and that is LEARN&GROW, I’m only 22 Years old and I’m one of the hardest working Mfs in the game. Get at me I’m ready to turn up X10.”
Yuko Miyamoto of Big Japan Pro Wrestling has suffered a fractured fibula and is out of this year’s Real World Tag League tournament for AJPW. He was scheduled to team with Takao Omori.