Even as they continue to make changes to their front office, WWE has reportedly rehired two of its recently furloughed producers in Dave “Fit” Finlay and Shane “Hurricane” Helms, first reported by PWInsider’s Mike Johnson.
Both men, along with most of the producers and a large amount of in-ring talent, were let go as part of the April pandemic related cuts as the company had to put a pause on all of their touring.
The 62-year-old Finlay had been with WWE for the better part of two decades as a wrestler, trainer, and producer. Johnson reported that Finlay was present at Wednesday’s NXT TV tapings.
After multiple runs in WWE, the 46-year-old Helms kicked off his producer run in January 2019. Johnson reported that Helms was backstage at WWE’s Survivor Series and was also at Raw Monday. Helms recently made appearances for AEW in the Elite Deletion match at November’s Full Gear and on the Talk’N Shop a Mania II pay-per-view as a reporter.
Plans for All Elite Wrestling started to come into focus at a rally in Jacksonville, Florida last Tuesday. A surprise appearance by Chris Jericho closed the event, with Jericho instantly becoming the highest profile signing AEW has made in its brief history. “I’m Chris Jericho, and I am all in with All Elite Wrestling,” Jericho said to begin his speech. “Surprise — I think we just took things to a different level, didn’t we?” Jericho said he’s not here with AEW for the money — he’s here because he believes in doing something new and different.
Our lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer talks about Ronda Rousey and her WWE schedule including how long a time frame of when she has talked of stepping away.
Also, look at the top of the WrestleMania card and what major star isn’t scheduled, and what other major star may be having his match changed.
Read the full preview of the Royal Rumble, with notes on ticket expectation, how the market is for all four WWE arena events in Phoenix this week, and the situation with John Cena.
Also, look at UFC’s first show on ESPN, the Dillashaw vs. Cejudo aftermath, the Greg Hardy debut, the business notes on the show and what record was set as well as how streaming sign-ups destroyed any combat sport event in history, and match-by-match coverage.
Break down the latest Jon Jones drug test failure and why failing the test actually gives more credence to his story than if he had passed all of his tests.
Examine a fourth generation wrestler training at the Performance Center, what happened with The Revival, lots of WWE contract news, XFL President announced, XFL TV talks, and injury updates.
Look at the major hearing next week in Nevada, California’s reaction and UFC’s reaction to Jones’ test failure.
This issue has a rundown of the final three nights of the Fantastica Mania tour, including why the third night was such an entertaining show, as well as an update on the talent in CMLL and the unique match that came from a movie.
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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Raw takes place tonight at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. It will feature Kurt Angle taking on Baron Corbin, Braun Strowman facing Drew McIntyre and qualifying matches for the women’s tag team title match inside the Elimination Chamber.
WrestlingInc reported this morning that WWE has signed Shane Helms to a deal to work as a producer. PWInsider reported that both he and Sonjay Dutt are backstage at Raw working as producers for tonight’s show.
Video footage of WWE security forcing someone to remove their AEW shirt hit social media last night during the Royal Rumble. Nick Jackson responded on Twitter, saying “Let it be known that if you wanna wear a WWE shirt at Double Or Nothing or any AEW related event we won’t do this to you.”
Be sure to check out Bryan & Vinny’s review of the Royal Rumble up now at video.f4wonline.com, including the annual visit from their friend Mark. Here’s a clip.
Pro Wrestling
Chris Jericho went on social media late last night/early Monday morning, writing “Intimidation and fear goes a LONG way in our business guys. But let’s be honest, @BrockLesnar needs to pull up his pants and lose the gut… the dream is over dude. I don’t play by the script…”. In another tweet, he wrote “Hey @wwe, @ringofhonor & @IMPACTWRESTLING … I love watching you push all your randoms, But just know that we are interested in maybe 6-8 of your talents total. We don’t need you!” Both tweets have since been deleted.
Kenny Omega was a guest on Andrew Patterson’s The Warmup on TSN where he talked about his upcoming documentary that will air on the network on March 27.
UFC/MMA
Former UFC Heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum told Ariel Helwani that he is going to ask for his UFC release. He’s under a USADA suspension until May 2020 because of a failed drug test.
Andy Foster told Fightful that the CSAC did not take action against Jon Jones following another positive test was because there was no evidence of re-administration.
After winning the Bellator heavyweight title, Ryan Bader expressed interest in a cross-promotion fight against UFC Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.
Justin Gaethje mentioned that he plans to sign a new contract with the UFC after his next fight.
Callan Potter is stepping in to face Jalin Turner at UFC Melbourne on February 10. Potter is replacing Alex Gorgees, who is out due to personal reasons.
Damir Ismagulov will fight Joel Alvarez at UFC Prague on February 23.
Ed in San Antonio presents the WRESTLEMANIAWeekend Events (more to be added):
Sunday, April 6th, at 12:00 pm: Lunch (all you can eat) at Churrascaria Plataforma ($90 per person), located at 316 W. 49th street in Manhattan. Purchase tickets here~!
Luxury Bus to MetLife Stadium for Wrestlemania: We will depart from the Hilton Midtown (site of Wrestlecon) located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas. Departure time is 4:00 pm and will return from MetLife approximately 30 mins after the event. Times are subject to change, and cost $67.00 per person for the round trip. Purchase tickets here~!
‘Left My Wallet’ returns for the second time this week as I talk UFC and some wrestling road stories with my friend and former WWE nemesis, “Hurricane” Shane Helms.
Plus, the long awaited return of my mom!
Shane and I discuss many major stories going on in the UFC, and he tells his experience being there live at UFC 229 and the fight that ensued after Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. We discuss where both fighters go now, the proposed McGregor/Donald Cerrone bout, and why he thinks it could be a good matchup for McGregor. We talk Khabib vs. Tony Ferguson, Shane’s thoughts on Ben Askren, the amazing Yair Rodriguez knockout, what fights he’d like to see in the future, and so much more.
We then talk about a hotel brawl in England that we were front and center for when we were both in WWE, his night as an agent at the huge Northeast Wrestling show last weekend as well as some other random musings from the world of pro wrestling.
But first, after a summer hiatus, my mom checks back in to give her thoughts on the Red Sox World Series win, her love of Carl Yazstremski, the Celtics slow start, the Patriots, her Thanksgiving prep, and a few closing words you don’t want to miss!
Enjoy this fun and easy listen to kick off your weekend with two unique personalities.
Ian Riccaboni and BJ Whitmer called the action from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Coast 2 Coast (Shaheem Ali & LSG) defeated The Kingdom (TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia)
Coast 2 Coast tried to get a chant started for their return. It was back and forth for a few moments until the commercial.
After the break, Ali came in on a hot tag and ran wild on the Kingdom until O’Ryan slapped him in the back of the head. Marseglia used a balloon distraction — which allowed O’Ryan to hit a powerslam. The Kingdom went after the neck of Ali.
Finally, Ali connected with a jawbreaker and went for the tag. LSG came in and used a double clothesline, a spinning gutbuster, and a neckbreaker. Marseglia cut him off with a running knee. O’Ryan hit a dive on LSG — but that allowed Ali to hit a crossbody. Marseglia then wiped everyone out with a flipping dive. However, LSG topped them all with a monster front flip off the top turnbuckle to the floor. Ali ate a huge forearm but was able to roll-up O’Ryan for the pin and the huge win.
LSG was apparently the legal man and not Ali, so that sent the Kingdom into a tizzy. They attacked the referee and then some security guards.
Hurricane Helms defeated Marty Scurll
Helms went for the chokeslam early in the match, but Scurll landed a tornado DDT. Helms went for it again, but Scurll hit a lungblower instead. This made Helms power up, but Scurll used a superkick to the knee to cut him off. Scurll sent Helms crashing into the guardrail with a suicide dive. This led to the commercial.
Upon return, the hero Helms was taking a beating from the villain Scurll. A pumphandle brainbuster earned Scurll a two count. Finally, on the outside, Helms was able to hit a Northern Lights suplex. Scurll, channeling Kazuchika Okada, used a Rainmaker for a two count. Helms countered the chickenwing and went up top.
Scurll recovered and hit a superplex off the top turnbuckle and followed it up with a superkick. Scurll hit a low blow and then used Helms’ Eye of the Hurricane. He went for a chokeslam, but Helms countered into a slam of his own. Scurll went for a fancy La Magistral cradle, but Helms prevented it and pinned Scurll for the win. Their series is now tied at 1-1.
A video package aired highlighting the ongoing feud between Will Ferrara and Cheeseburger.
Cheeseburger defeated Will Ferrara in a Fight Without Honor
Ferrara sent Rhett Titus to the back and told him that he wanted to do this on his own. Ferrara did just that in the early going and put a hurting on Cheeseburger. He used a belt to hit Cheeseburger incessantly. Eventually, Cheeseburger got hold of the belt and struck Ferrara with it, but Ferrara used all kinds of cheap shots to regain the advantage.
After the break, Ferrara had a chair in the ring. He swung wildly and missed twice — which allowed Cheeseburger an opportunity to attempt the Shotei palm strike. However, Ferrara got the chair in front and Cheeseburger’s palm struck it with a loud clang.
Cheeseburger connected with a superkick into the chair, which smashed into Ferrara’s face as he fired up. He followed it up by stomping a mudhole in Ferrara. Cheeseburger then landed a DDT on the chair, only earning a two count.
Cheeseburger upped the ante and pulled out a table. However, before he could set it up, Titus came down and jumped him from behind and laid him out. Titus set up the table and went for a Razor’s Edge from the apron, but Eli Isom and Ryan Nova came out and instead double teamed Titus with a slam through the table.
While all that was happening, Ferrara brought out a chain and wrapped his hand around it to punch Cheeseburger. However, this time it was Ferrara that punched the chair. That allowed Cheeseburger to regain his composure and crack Ferrara in the back with a chair shot.
Finally, Cheeseburger wrapped his own hand in the chain and nailed the Shotei palm strike for the pin and the win.
Ring of Honor television episode #359 was taped in Fairfax, Virginia at the end of June.
Chris Sabin defeated Silas Young to become the number one contender to the ROH Television Championship
Alex Shelley joined Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana on commentary for the opening match.
Sabin got the early edge with some nice chain wrestling that led to a roll-up. Sabin maintained control and landed a flip dive off the apron. He then landed a big kick that sent Young outside. Sabin went to the top turnbuckle and connected with a missile dropkick, and a tornado DDT by Sabin earned a two count.
Young finally cut him off with a backbreaker and an anarchist suplex. Young put the beatdown on him, but Sabin was able to fight back and landed a Cradle Shock driver for the pin. Sabin is now the number one contender to the ROH TV title. Punishment Martinez, the current TV Champion, came out on the entrance ramp to intimidate him after.
Marty Scurll defeated Shane “Hurricane” Helms
This was a battle of the superhero vs. the super villain. Scurll threw his scarf at Helms to start the match. Helms threw it back at him, which led to Helms getting the early advantage with some chain wrestling into a fireman’s carry and an armbar. Scurll managed to outmaneuver Helms and then spat in Helms’ face. He kept control and sent Helms outside, then stomped on his fingers.
Scurll hooked on some unique submissions, including a stranglehold into a lung blower. Helms was able to fight back and land an interesting looking variation of the Vertebreaker. Helms then landed the Eye of the Hurricane, but Scurll kicked out and landed a huge knee to his downed opponent.
Scurll snapped the fingers of Helms and went up top, but Helms followed and pulled off a really crazy neckbreaker. The referee had his back turned after a slight shove, which allowed Scurll to kick Helms low and roll him up for the win.
Los Ingobernobles de Japon (EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI) defeated SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) and The Young Bucks & Hangman Page in a triple threat six-man tag match
There was an incredible opening sequence with basically everyone involved. Daniels landed an Arabian press moonsault to the outside, but The Young Bucks and Page landed triple superkicks on SCU and took over with their patented zany offense.
After the break, Daniels put SANADA down with an STO. Page got in and cut him off and went to work on SANADA with a buckle bomb. The Bucks hit a combo moonsault/frog splash, and Page followed up with a standing Shooting Star Press.
After a series of crazy moves, BUSHI spit green mist into the referee’s eyes. Kazarian used the ref’s arm to count the three, but BUSHI got his shoulder up at two and Kazarian stopped the count. The Bucks got superkick crazy and Page landed a cradle piledriver on SANADA, but the second ref didn’t make it down in time and SANADA kicked out.
Everyone spilled out to the floor, allowing BUSHI to hit a destroyer on Matt Jackson. Daniels and BUSHI were left in the ring, and Daniels hit a Blue Thunder Bomb. He went for the Angel’s Wings, but The Briscoes interfered and Jay waffled Daniels with a chair. That allowed BUSHI to hit a facebuster for the pin.
