PWInsider and Fightful are reporting that AOP (Rezar & Akam), Paul Ellering, and Blair Davenport have been released by WWE. Both also report that Sonya Deville’s contract with the company is not being renewed and will become a free agent in a few weeks.
Earlier on Friday, Cedric Alexander announced on social media that he had been released from WWE, and would become a free agent in 90 days.
After being released by WWE in 2020, AOP were re-signed in 2022 but were not brought back to television until 2023, when they returned with their NXT manager Paul Ellering. They joined forces with Karrion Kross and Scarlett to form The Final Testament. The highlight of their run was at WrestleMania XL, where they lost to Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits in a Philadelphia Street Fight.
Sonya Deville had been with WWE since 2015 following her performance on that year’s Tough Enough. She is a one time Women’s Tag Team Champion with Chelsea Green, although she later had to vacate the title due to injury. Upon her return last May, she formed the Pure Fusion Collective stable with Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark.
Davenport was called up to the main roster in 2024 as part of that year’s WWE Draft but was only used sparingly, last wrestling on television in November.
The new group consisting of Karrion Kross, Akam & Rezar of Authors of Pain, Scarlett, and Paul Ellering was given a name on WWE SmackDown.
Ellering interrupted an in-ring promo segment with Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits to introduce a video package christening the Kross-AOP group as “The Final Testament” on Friday’s SmackDown episode.
Kross & Scarlett spoke during the video package and explained that their testament for the last several years has been to show the world how corrupt they are “by hurting them on the inside,” but that this new group is going to hurt people on the outside.
The video then recapped the angle from last week’s SmackDown where AOP and Kross attacked Lashley & The Street Profits. Kross said that Lashley & The Profits are at the top of their list as they reshape WWE.
Kross also referred to Ellering as “The most sadistic and inhumane person this world has ever had the displeasure of knowing,” before revealing The Final Testament name.
AOP returned to WWE on last week’s SmackDown and aligned with Kross as they attacked The Street Profits & Lashley two weeks after a vignette aired teasing the arrival of the new group.
The SmackDown segment with The Final Testament reveal is embedded below.
The Authors of Pain and Paul Ellering are officially back in WWE.
One week after their return was teased, Akam & Rezar arrived back in WWE on SmackDown tonight. A new faction has formed with Karrion Kross, Scarlett, The Authors of Pain, and Ellering.
AOP ambushed Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits on SmackDown. Kross then joined them in the attack. AOP hit their Super Collider finisher on The Street Profits, then Kross laid out Lashley.
Two weeks ago, a vignette aired on SmackDown with Kross teasing that AOP and Ellering would be returning.
AOP had been signed with WWE for some time before finally returning tonight. Their initial run with the company lasted from 2016-2020.
AOP held the Raw Tag Team titles and NXT Tag Team titles one time each during their first WWE stint. Ellering, a WWE Hall of Famer from his time managing The Road Warriors, managed AOP when they were in NXT.
After their release, AOP tried to start a new promotion named Wrestling Entertainment Series. The promotion canceled its debut show and never got started.
AOP’s attack on Lashley and The Street Profits happened right after Lashley declared that he’ll be entering the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble match.
Scarlett debuted a new look on SmackDown with brown hair.
WWE has teased the return of The Authors of Pain and the group aligning with Karrion Kross & Scarlett.
During a Kross & Scarlett vignette on Friday’s SmackDown episode, an image of Akam, Rezar, and Paul Ellering in silhouette was shown. Kross used the word “Authors” in the promo, heavily implying the group’s return to the company and an alliance with Kross & Scarlett.
Akam & Rezar are former NXT Tag Team Champions, winners of the 2016 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in NXT, and former Raw Tag Team Champions. They debuted in NXT in 2016 with former Road Warriors manager Ellering, and were heavily pushed in the Road Warriors mold as a monster tag team.
The group was called up to WWE’s main roster in April 2018, where Ellering was quickly replaced by Drake Maverick as the manager. After a Raw Tag Team title reign and alliance with Seth Rollins, Akam & Rezar were taken off television after an injury to Akam in March 2020, before both were released from their contracts in September 2020.
Fightful reported earlier this year that Akam & Rezar had re-signed with the company as early as 2022, and that travel for the group had been planned as early as May 2023. Fightful also reported this week that the group’s return to WWE television was imminent.
The Big News: The Authors of Pain were given names!
The Medium News: If you watched NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II, you could literally fast forward through 35 minutes of this show
The Little Beaver-sized News: Tye Dillinger won a match.
Tye Dillinger defeated Wesley Blake
Literally no one in the crowd cared about Wesley Blake’s entrance. Seriously, you have never seen so many people not make noise for someone. As soon as Blake stopped slowly walking to the ring, the crowd exploded in “10” chants.
Not sure if the crowd loves Dillinger as much as they love to chant. This match was long and not exciting at all. Dillinger won with the Tye-breaker, which starts as an Attitude Adjustment, but he drops his opponent’s head on his knee.
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They showed a series of video replays from the important matches from TakeOver.
If you did not watch the show, first of all, what is wrong with you?! Secondly, go watch the show on the WWE Network, or at least read my awesome recap that I did right here on F4WOnline.com. Now with 100 percent positive feedback!
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The Authors of Pain defeated TM61
We are on day 77 of The Authors of Pain era in NXT. And finally, after 11 weeks, they were given names midway through the match! Akam is the tattooed one and Rezer is the one who is not.
They are managed by Paul Ellering, one of the most memorable managers from the 80s. In 77 days, he was allowed to say one sentence into one microphone one time.
Anyway, TM61 were on fire from the start, actually attacking AOP before the bell. Turns out all that did was anger the Authors, as they got the heat on Shane Thorne by pulling him shoulder-first into the ring post.
Thorne and Nick Miller looked better against AOP than any other team so far, including American Alpha. Despite that, The Authors of Pain picked up the win with the combo clothesline/side Russian leg sweep.
That does it for the show. Next week we are back to regular episodes and we start the build to the next TakeOver show! Until then, say your vitamins and take your prayers.
The Big News: Shinsuke Nakamura taunted Samoa Joe and faked taking the champion’s nose while Joe was angrily trying to go through a dozen security guards to get to Nakamura.
The Medium News: Bayley and Asuka put pen to paper to make their NXT Women’s Championship match at TakeOver official.
The Little Beaver Sized News: Bobby Roode’s in-ring debut, a tag team title match, and No Way Jose vs. Austin Aries were made official for TakeOver.
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Moments before the show began, Bobby Roode walked into William Regal’s office. They shook hands and went their separate ways before Roode rubbed his hands together and said this would be great.
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On the other side of the credits, Mr. Regal was standing mid-ring to oversee a contract signing between NXT Women’s Champion Asuka and Bayley. Asuka defeated Bayley for the title in Dallas, and the rematch will test if Bayley can climb that mountain one more time.
Bayley brought up that she has faced every woman that has walked in the door for the last three-plus years and she was always the underdog until last year when she won the title in Brooklyn. She said if Brooklyn was a dream, Dallas was a nightmare.
She said she was not prepared for how tough Dallas would be, but she is prepared now. The Asuka mystique is gone for her, and she plans on beating Asuka in NXT’s return to Brooklyn for the belt.
Asuka said that she respects Bayley, but told her opponent she doesn’t have what it takes to win. Asuka extended her hand but Bayley would not shake it, instead telling her to sign the contract and be ready for the fight of her life.
After signing the contract, the two women went face-to-face, with Asuka holding the seven pounds of silver and purple aloft before walking away.
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The Authors of Pain defeated Nails & Ryzin
For those of us keeping count, The Authors of Pain go into this match with a 3-0 record in NXT, they’ve been on TV for 63 days, and still do not have names. At least this week their opponents have names, albeit last names only. Ryzin got pinned with the combination leg sweep/clothesline in less than a minute.
The Authors of Pain were about to beat up Nails some more when TM61 randomly ran in for the save before being killed to death in a confrontation that didn’t even last as long as the match.
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Shinsuke Nakamura told Cathy Kelley that he is not hard to find, but he’ll find Samoa Joe when he wants to.
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Andrade “Cien” Almas defeated Angelo Dawkins
Andrade Almas is back for his third match and the crowd is still completely indifferent to him. Angelo Dawkins hasn’t been around in a while and is most fondly remembered for always wearing two headbands.
Dawkins did a 360 degree turn while splashing Almas in the corner, and despite being the heel, the fans were ever so slightly more into Dawkins. Almas won with a hammerlock DDT.
GLORIOUS! The greatest theme in NXT history prefaced Bobby Roode’s entrance into the arena. Roode came out and applauded for Almas, congratulating him on having the honor of facing Roode at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II.
Roode then mocked Almas by talking slowly because Almas didn’t understand English. He told Almas that no one in the arena will be paying to see him, they are paying to see Bobby Roode.
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Austin Aries was talking about oranges in Regal’s office, before saying NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II is not special because The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived doesn’t have a match. Regal mockingly agreed with him and booked him in a match with No Way Jose at the show.
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Billie Kay defeated Liv Morgan
Billie Kay is making a career off the time she did a three-minute job against Dana Brooke on SmackDown. Liv Morgan is back for the first time in a couple months, causing Corey Graves to flip out about New Jersey.
Both women looked good here but have a long way to go. Morgan is very enthusiastic, which can be good. Kay won her second match in a row with a big boot.
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Rich Swann, Noam Dar, and Jack Gallagher (the greatest wrestler ever) were shown at ringside. Graves and Tom Phillips talked about how the first round was still going on before they showed highlights of Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa, which was actually the last first round match.
This led to Gargano and Ciampa meeting with Regal. He put over their match last week before informing them they are challenging The Revival for the NXT Tag Team Championship at TakeOver.
Gargano and Ciampa vowed to become champions in Brooklyn.
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Ember Moon is debuting at TakeOver.
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Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa defeated Tucker Knight & Patrick Clark
One year ago, Gargano and Ciampa debuted in NXT during the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament. And one year ago, Patrick Clark was on Tough Enough.
This was more competitive than most squash matches. Tucker Knight is a fast man for being close to 300 pounds and has potential. The number one contenders picked up the win with the double kick to Knight.
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Mojo Rawley was hyping himself up for the main event, saying he’s bringing the fight right to Samoa Joe.
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NXT Champion Samoa Joe defeated Mojo Rawley
Mojo Rawley is angry about being laid out by Samoa Joe last week, so he charged at Joe to start the match. They exchanged headbutts on the floor and both men no-sold it. For the first minute, this was the most intense (in a good way) I have ever seen Rawley.
Unfortunately for Rawley, the match went longer than one minute. Joe beat him down hard. Rawley hit a full nelson slam, but he was mostly at Joe’s mercy here. Joe screamed Nakamura’s name as he slapped on the Coquina Clutch for the submission win.
After the match, Joe put the clutch back on and screamed for Nakamura until his music played. Nakamura walked down the ramp, but a dozen security guards got between them to hold Joe back. Nakamura was content with taunting Joe while he tried to fight through security to get to the King of Strong Style.
Nakamura faked taking Joe’s nose and then slapped him in the head as the show went off the air.
We are just one week away from TakeOver, and until next week’s go-home show, thank you for reading and remember to say your vitamins and take your prayers!
The Big News: Shinsuke Nakamura appeared at the end of the show, declaring himself to be the next opponent for Finn Balor.
The Medium News: Andrade Cien Almas defeated Tye Dillinger in a rematch of TakeOver.
The Little Beaver Sized News: In perhaps the first time in WWE history, we had a tag team match where neither member of either team had their name mentioned.
The Authors of Pain (w/Paul Ellering) defeated Two Nameless Opponents (Sean Swags and CJ O’Doyle)
The first show after TakeOver kicks off with Paul Ellering and his giant new tag team, the Authors of Pain. At the big show last week, they attacked American Alpha after their title loss to The Revival.
This may be the most unique match in WWE history as neither the winners nor the losers were named by the announcers. This was just an out and out squash match. It was something completely different than just about anything else on NXT. AOP won with a combo Side Russian Leg Sweep/Clothesline.
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Andrade Cien Almas attempted to cut a promo backstage when Tye Dillinger walked up and said he wants to right the wrong from last week. They set up a rematch.
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Backstage, Ellering said he will let everyone know what they’re doing here in due time.
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Carmella submitted Tessa Blanchard
The biggest news of this match was they announced the Almas-Dillinger rematch would be tonight’s main event. The nicest thing to say is this has was better than most of Carmella’s matches have been and she submitted Tessa with the legscissors, which is now called the Code of Silence.
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After his match last week, NXT Champion Samoa Joe declared this the start of his era and no one has enough to sacrifice to take the belt from him.
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Blake & Murphy cut a promo. Yeah they broke up a few weeks ago, but they are giving teaming up the old college try tonight to face TM61. They blamed their problems on Alexa Bliss.
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TM61 defeated Blake & Murphy
The Mighty 61 lost their debut match 3 weeks ago to Ciampa & Gargano, so they are looking to even up the old win-loss column. However if they lose they shouldn’t worry too much since Sami Zayn has easily lost 75% of the matches he’s wrestled in WWE and NXT. In case you forget, their new names are Shane Thorne and Nick Miller.
This match was a backdrop to Corey Graves openly making things up about Murphy and Miller’s respective backgrounds and Tom Phillips calling bs on it. If you actually paid attention to the match, it was a fun bout that the crowd was into.
Blake and Murphy crossed themselves up on two different occasions, knocking themselves out. Unfortunately it was not something they could come back from and TM61 won with Thunder Valley, which is a double team Gorilla Press into a reverse slam.
Blake and Murphy stared at each other after the match.
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After their match last week, The Revival bragged about doing exactly what they said they were going to do. They talk heavy and hit hard
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Bayley has a doctor’s appointment next week and if all goes well, Mr. Regal will let her back in the ring. (Just don’t tell William about all the matches you have had on house shows the last few weeks.)
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Andrade Cien Almas defeated Tye Dillinger
Main event time. Last week these two had a very good match that got the crowd into Almas, who they reacted tepidly to at first.
The match wasn’t at the same level of last week, although both men seemed at times to be recreating the match move for move. The fans had a half hearted dueling chant of “We Want Almas/Perfect 10” during a chin lock spot. Just like last week Almas won with the running double knees to his seated opponent.
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The final segment of the show saw Finn Balor come out to address the audience following his loss in the steel cage match to Samoa Joe last week. The fans loved Balor, giving him a standing ovation and chanting at him to please not go.
Balor talked about watching NXT for the first time, seeing Enzo & Big Cass and saying he wanted to be a part of this. As much as he became a part of NXT, NXT became a part of him and became what he was. He put over his wars with Neville, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe and yet, here he stands not the champion. The question being what’s next for Finn Balor? The fans chanted Balor Club, which he acknowledged by saying “Too Sweet”. He asked what was next for Finn three times, almost as if the production team messed up cuing the music, but I think he was just going for a dramatic effect.
Out came Shinsuke Nakamura, with the fans singing Nakamura’s theme song and chanting “This is awesome” before anything happened. Nakamura said that when he was in Japan he watched Balor and watched Balor become the icon of NXT. Nakamura said that even though he is not champion anymore he is still an icon. Nakamura said if he wants to be champion he has to beat the icon. To become the icon he has to beat Balor. The fans chanted “YES! YES! YES!” and then “Match of the Year”
Balor accepted the challenge, they shook hands and the show ended there. That should be one amazing match when it happens.
Until next week, thank you for reading, say your prayers, and take your vitamins!
