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This Saturday marks the return of WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event — a show which will see the very first United States Women’s Champion crowned.
On today’s Wrestling Weekly, Les Thatcher and I make our match predictions and also take a look at AEW’s Continental Classic tournament.
Thanks for listening and have a great weekend~!
Michin could have an opportunity to throw Chelsea Green in the trash soon.
A dumpster match between the two was seemingly set up during last night’s edition of The SmackDown LowDown. Green was being interviewed on the show, pleased with herself for having given Michin an UnPrettyHer onto a trash can during SmackDown. Vickie Guerrero interrupted and suggested a dumpster match to settle the rivalry.
“Excuse me! Chelsea, I loved the way you handled that trash can,” Guerrero said. “I’m thinking maybe you and Michin should have a dumpster match!”
“No, you don’t even go here why would I have a dumpster match, Vickie? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” Green responded.
SmackDown General Manager then entered the scene and said he liked Vickie’s idea.
“Hi Chelsea, Vickie may no longer work here but I do and I happen to think a dumpster match between you and Michin is a fantastic idea,” he said before leaving the scene with Guerrero.
Despite no date being announced for the match yet, Green said she is unable to make it.
“No. I can’t make it. I won’t be there,” she said before storming off.
WWE has yet to make the match official.
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This weekâs WWE Main Event was taped at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, before last Mondayâs Raw with Kevin Patrick and Byron Saxton on the call.
Cedric Alexander (w/ MVP & Shelton Benjamin) defeated Akira Tozawa (4:59)
This was a solid opener and the Hurt Business seems to be back.
They aired some footage from two weeks ago on Raw where Alexander and Benjamin got a win over Alpha Academy with MVP in their corner. Patrick and Saxton speculated that things had gotten back to normal with the Hurt Business now.
Benjamin and MVP didnât really involve themselves, but the crowd were into them being there and their presence gave this a feel of a more important match. Still, it seemed pointless having Benjamin there in his ring gear if they aren’t going to have him work a match.
Alexander and Tozawa have had countless Main Event matches and always work well together. They didnât get long enough here to do what they are capable of, but this was what weâve come to expect from them.
After Alexander taking the opening and Tozawa rallying, Tozawa kicked out of the Michinoku Driver, missed a spinning kick, and ate the Lumbar Check to give Alexander the victory.
Candice LeRae & Mia “Michin” Yim defeated Dana Brooke & Tamina (7:22)
This felt like early 1990s WWF when Vince McMahon would talk all over matches between random opponents to build up a match that was upcoming or to recap an angle that he was more interested in.
They replayed Brookeâs loss against Wendy Choo last week and discussed how Tamina and Brooke would work together. Taking on fresh faces has mainly been the job for Brooke and Tamina of late, so it seemed somehow fitting that they should tag up at some point.
As Yim came to the ring, they replayed Piper Nivenâs win over her from Raw last week. And, finally, as LeRae made her entrance, they showed how Nikki Cross has been stalking her over the last few weeks. With all that being recapped, we were able to get this thing started.
The match marked both the Main Event debut for LaRae and a return for Yim as this was her first time here in over two years when she was Reckoning. It wasnât much of a return as she spent most of it being beaten up or stuck in a chin lock.
After what felt like an age, LeRae got the hot tag and hit a top rope missile dropkick on Tamina and then used her as a battering ram to take out Brooke. She tagged in Yim who hit Eat Defeat on Tamina to leave her prone for LeRae to hit a springboard moonsault for the win.
Final Thoughts:
This was a forgettable show compared to the last year or so of episodes where we have seen fresh faces galore. Since WWE was in Canada, perhaps it meant that talent couldn’t travel, so hopefully things will return to normal next week.
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Ordering Info:
Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
Update —
WWE.com is back to listing Mia Yim as “Mia Yim” instead of “Michin.”
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In an interview with the Ten Count, Mia Yim commented on her new WWE in-ring name.
Yim is now going by the name “Michin” in WWE. It was introduced as a nickname for Yim, with the word Michin meaning “crazy” in Korean.
Yim told the Ten Count that Michin is something her mother has been calling her since she was a kid.
“Yes,” Yim replied when asked if her name has been changed. “Michin. It’s a nickname within The OC. All the boys have their nicknames, and they’re like, ‘You need a nickname too.’ Okay. We’ll do a nickname that I’ve had since I was a kid. Something that my mom has been calling me since I was a kid. We’ll go with that.”
On Monday night, Yim posted a tweet agreeing with what a fan had tweeted about the name change. The fan wrote: “Yâall. Mia literally owns the rights to her name and has always wanted to keep the rights no matter where sheâs worked. I bet you money Michin was her idea especially with it being Korean.”
After being released in November 2021, Yim returned to WWE on Raw earlier this month, aligning with The OC in their feud against The Judgment Day. Yim said during her interview with the Ten Count that Paul “Triple H” Levesque being in charge of creative is why she returned to the company.
“Triple H. I have a lot of respect for him, and when I found out that he took over, he was bringing all my friends back, it was the right time, right place,” Yim said. “Working under him with NXT has been so fun. It’s so easy to talk to him that it was an easy decision for me to come back with him in charge, for sure.”
Yim will be part of the women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series this Saturday night. It will be Team Belair (Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Michin, and a mystery partner) vs. Team Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, IYO SKY, Nikki Cross & Rhea Ripley).
Yim’s full interview with the Ten Count is available to watch below:
Mia Yim has joined Bianca Belair’s WWE Survivor Series WarGames team.
Yim was officially added to the lineup for the five-on-five WarGames match set for next Saturday’s event during Monday’s Raw episode. After declining an invitation to join Damage CTRL’s team for the match, Yim declared that she had joined Belair’s squad in a promo following an IYO SKY vs. Dana Brooke match on Raw.
Belair’s team still has one open spot. The Damage CTRL team was finalized later on Raw in a backstage segment where Rhea Ripley declared for the match.
Here is the current Survivor Series WarGames lineup:
WWE Survivor Series WarGames, Saturday, November 26, 8 p.m. Eastern time on Peacock & WWE Network —
Mia Yim is the answer to The OC’s Rhea Ripley problem.
Yim made her return to WWE on Monday night’s episode of Raw, aligning with The OC (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) in their feud against The Judgment Day (Ripley, Finn Balor, Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio). Yim blindsided Ripley and then attacked her with a kendo stick.
The OC and Yim got the better of a brawl with Judgment Day after Styles laid out Dominik with a Styles Clash.
#TheOC just found their answer for @RheaRipley_WWE! @MiaYim is BACK!!!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/rbzipONJKq
— WWE (@WWE) November 8, 2022
At Saturday’s Crown Jewel pay-per-view, The OC lost a six-man tag match to The Judgment Day after Ripley interfered.
The OC confronted The Judgment Day on Raw tonight and said the issues between the two factions are far from over. Styles said it’s always been the three of them versus the four members of Judgment Day. Styles said they still hadn’t found someone to take care of their Ripley problem — but someone found them. A person wearing a hoodie then attacked Ripley at ringside, with Yim pulling down the hood to reveal that it was her.
Yim was released by WWE during a round of roster cuts in November 2021. She’s the latest wrestler to be brought back to the company in the Paul “Triple H” Levesque era.
Yim was a member of Retribution during her last run with WWE, using the name “Reckoning” on the main roster.
Yim became a free agent last month when she finished up a run with Impact Wrestling. Fightful reported on November 4 that Yim was expected to return to WWE soon.
After a year away, Mia Yim has reportedly drawn interest from WWE to bring her back to the company and is expected to return soon, according to Fightful.
Yim recently wrapped up a five-month run in Impact Wrestling following last month’s post-Bound for Glory TV taping.
From the report:
“Weâre told that WWE was aware that her agreement with Impact was coming up and had interest in anticipation of it. We havenât learned of a potential start date, but sheâs expected to be brought back soon.”
The 33-year-old’s first WWE run lasted from 2018 through 2021. After starting in WWE NXT, she was called up to the main roster as Reckoning in September 2020 as part of the ill-fated Retribution stable. She was part of both the SmackDown and Raw rosters but didn’t appear on TV for well over a year. She was eventually released in November 2021.
She wrestled just four times for WWE between late-November and December 2020 — two of which were on Main Event.
Yim is married to another former WWE roster member in Keith Lee who is currently in AEW.
Two new matches have been added to next weekâs Impact Wrestling card.
Taylor Wilde will face Mia Yim in a singles match. Joe Hendry will also be in singles action, taking on Jason Hotch.
In a backstage segment on this weekâs Impact, Hotch was upset about Hendry taking his spot in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match at Bound for Glory. Hendry then appeared, saying Hotch will have a learning opportunity next week when they meet in the ring.
In an exclusive video uploaded to social media, Wilde talked about her return at Bound For Glory, saying that while she came up a little short, sheâs just getting herself in the right position. She says sheâll start with Mia Yim.
EXCLUSIVE: Check out what @RealTaylorWilde had to say about making her return to IMPACT Wrestling at Bound For Glory! #IMPACTWRESTLING pic.twitter.com/xyk13dFXOl
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) October 14, 2022
Here is the current card for next weekâs Impact Wrestling:
Mia Yim is thankful to Impact Wrestling for believing in her at a time when she didn’t believe in herself.
Yim’s contract with the promotion expired recently and she is currently a free agent. The 33-year-old returned to the company in May after having been released from WWE on November 4, 2021. She had previously been with Impact from 2015 to 2017 as well.
The former Knockouts Champion took to Instagram on Wednesday and tagged Impact, Scott D’Amore, and Gail Kim.
“Thank you @impactwrestling @gailkimitsme @scott.damore. You believed in me when I didnât believe myself and gave me that passion again. It has been a true privilege being a part of the locker room and working with everyone. I will support and root for everyoneâs success! Impact Wrestling will forever hold a special spot in my heart. This isnât goodbye. Love you all.”
Yim lost a singles match to Mickie James at Bound for Glory earlier this month. She also participated in the television tapings the following night. A match between her and Taylor Wilde has yet to air on television.
After returning to the company this past May, Mia Yim’s Impact Wrestling contract has expired and she is once again a free agent.
Fightful first reported the news, adding there was no extension.
Yim lost to Mickie James at Friday’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view and also competed against Taylor Wilde at Saturday’s TV taping.
After being released by WWE in November 2021, Yim made her surprise return at May’s Under Siege, helping out Taya Valkyrie after Deonna Purrazzo attacked her after a match.
The 33-year-old wrestled 16 times for Impact since May, competing for the Knockouts title at Emergence against Jordynne Grace and for the Knockouts Tag Team titles once, teaming with Grace against then-champions VXT.
Yim, the wife of AEW’s Keith Lee, has worked only a few indie matches since she was released by WWE.
Impact is experiencing another shuffling of its roster following this past weekend’s Bound for Glory and TV taping. Several members of Honor No More reportedly wrapped up with the company in a story that will play out over the next few weeks.
Impact Wrestling has added three matches to the lineup for its next set of television tapings.
The promotion will be in Louisville, Kentucky on Friday and Saturday for Derby City Rumble.
Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green vs. Jordynne Grace & Mia Yim has been added to the lineup for Friday, July 15. Purrazzo and Green also teamed together recently at Impact Against All Odds on July 1. They defeated the team of Mia Yim and Mickie James.
X-Division Champion Mike Bailey vs. Rocky Romero has been announced for Saturday, July 16 as well. It is not advertised as a title match.
Honor No More’s Mike Bennett & Matt Taven vs. Bullet Club’s Chris Bey & Ace Austin has also been announced for the show on Friday.
Impact Wrestling Derby City Rumble will take place from Old Foresterâs Paristown Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. The updated lineup for the television tapings is as follows:
Friday, July 15:
Saturday, July 16:
A tag team match is the latest addition to Impact Wrestling’s Against All Odds special.
Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green will team up as they face Mickie James & Mia Yim at Against All Odds this Friday night. The match was announced after a challenge that was issued by Purrazzo & Green.
https://twitter.com/IMPACTWRESTLING/status/1541466395229028353
Purrazzo & Green claimed that James & Yim were the reason they weren’t able to win the Queen of the Mountain match at Slammiversary. Jordynne Grace won the match to become the new Impact Knockouts Champion.
James was the special guest enforcer for the Queen of the Mountain match. There was a spot during the match where Yim knocked over a ladder that Purrazzo & Green were on, sending them crashing through two tables on the outside.
.@ImChelseaGreen and @DeonnaPurrazzo just took a HUGE fall through tables thanks to @MiaYim!#Slammiversary pic.twitter.com/jZ6gPXJ24b
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) June 20, 2022
Against All Odds is taking place in Atlanta this Friday night and will air live on Impact Plus/Impact’s Ultimate Insiders YouTube service. The updated lineup for the show is listed below:
Impact Wrestling is celebrating their 20th anniversary at Slammiversary on June 19th in Nashville, Tennessee. One of the major matches taking place that night is the first ever Queen of the Mountain match, where Tasha Steelz will be defending her Knockouts Championship against Deonna Purrazzo, Chelsea Green, Jordynne Grace, and Mia Yim. I had the opportunity to chat with Yim ahead of Slammiversary.
Yim is no stranger to Impact, having worked with the company prior to signing with WWE in 2018 under the name Jade. She held the then TNA Knockouts Championship and even wrestled in a Monster’s Ball match.
I asked Yim what led to her decision to return with Impact after having been released by WWE. One of the people she credits for convincing her to sign with the promotion is Gail Kim, who is currently working as the head of the women’s division.
“I am close friends with Gail and Iâve been talking to her ever since I left Impact the first time,â she said. âSo weâve been talking. I originally didnât want to sign anywhere, I didn’t want to be on TV. I just didnât know what I wanted to do. But Gail was putting over the company, putting over the talent, even Scott [DâAmore], putting over everything. I have no questions, no second guesses, no hesitation that if I were to go to Impact under Gailâs leadership everything is gonna be fine. Thereâs no drama, I didnât want to deal with drama, politics, if I was gonna wrestle, I just wanted to wrestle and hang out with my friends. And I have a lot of friends [in Impact], I know that I would have a lot of wrestling opportunities, so it was a no brainer to me. I don’t want people to remember me for what Iâve done in the past year or two. I want people to remember me as Mia Yim, that Iâve had decades worth of work under my belt before I had [the WWE run] happen. I want people to remember that I am not just a manager for a group or whatever, I can go. Once I decided I am gonna give wrestling a try, I was like âcount me in Gail.â I know that at Impact I am gonna be okay.”
Yim then opened up about how the last two years with WWE, she felt that she was a ‘joke’ and she explained why she did not wrestle for several months following her release last November.
“A lot was going on in my mind. Itâs hard to pinpoint one or two specific things,â she said. âMe and Keith [Lee] got released on the same day. It was a lot of figuring out. Iâve done everything Iâve wanted to in my career, everything that I set a goal for myself Iâve done it all. So, do I even want to wrestle anymore? Just with the toxicity of social media and with what I did the last time like I was a joke, I was a joke, so it was like do I even bother? So [me and Keith Lee] got married, we moved two weeks after, bought a house, so a lot of real life stuff was happening. Keith, right after the wedding he went to work, so I am like alright, let me take a couple of months to kinda just hold down the fort, and get everything together with real life first so he doesnât have to worry about anything and everything will be taken care of at home. So I took a couple months off to do things in my real life, but also to figure out if this is what I wanted to continue to do. It was a lot.”
One of the things Yim also dealt with was anxiety to get back into the ring.
“So my first match back was with Athena, and it was so emotional at the end. I just needed to have that match, not to do a bunch of crazy stuff or whatever but just to have a match to get over that mental block,â she explained. âI didnât even go train inside of a ring, my anxiety wouldnât let me. It was a slow progress, where okay I got through my first match, now let me focus and see if I can still lead somebody. So then I had my match with Janai Kai, which went great. Just talking to Keith and Gail, it was like I am getting older, I donât move like I used to anymore, but I just need to get over it. And either I continue or I donât, and if I continue I have to go balls to the wall. I donât like doing things half ass, so if thereâs an opportunity that comes I am gonna take it and make something of it.”
Yim also credits the support she received from her husband and friendships with Shelton Benjamin and Mustafa Ali that helped her find the will to return to wrestling.
“I know I bust Sheltonâs balls all the time, but he and Keith and even Ali…I had a lot of support,” she said. “Shelton was like âDonât let them define you. Go do what youâre known to do.â So it was just having the support of others, kinda pushing me, because if it wasnât for them I probably wouldnât even be back. Even everyone that is still there like Ali, saying, âYo, youâre a badass, youâre a f’n badass.â
When asked what her goals are for the future, she explains that she wants people to understand who Mia Yim is.
“As far as goals, I just want people to respect and understand Mia Yim. I want people to know who I am and what I can do in the ring. They can watch my range and see that I can do anything if given freedom to. I want to retire at Impact, they have treated me so well thus far, they always have back in the day. âI’ve done everything that I wanted to when I started wrestling.”
You can check out the full interview with Mia Yim below.
