Month: September 2021

Ric Flair Issues Statement In Wake Of Resurfaced Sexual Assault Allegations

Ric Flair has released a statement of denial days after sexual assault allegations against him resurfaced.

Ric Flair has responded to the resurfaced allegations of sexual assault made against him during the most recent episode of Vice’s Dark Side Of The Ring series

The latest Dark Side Of The Ring installment covered the infamous “Plane Ride from Hell” incident which occurred over the Atlantic Ocean in 2002 while a number of WWE personnel were returning to the United States from the United Kingdom. During the episode, flight attendant Heidi Doyle alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Flair, who was exposing himself while walking up and down the aisle wearing a robe and nothing else.

Doyle says her shift went from bad to worse when Flair showed up in the galley, robe still open, and pushed her up against a door. “He had me up against the back door, and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get away from him,” the flight attendant said. Doyle and another attendant who worked on the flight took legal action against WWE in the aftermath of the incidents, but the lawsuits were settled out of court.

Flair took to social media to refute the allegations.

Every person that I’ve worked with, from my lawyer to my publicist to my wife has said not to post a response; but I’ve never run from past behaviors before and I’m not going to start now.

I want to clarify a few things:

About four years ago, I gave ESPN full access to my life for a “30 for 30″ special. They covered taxes, financial issues, adultery, divorces, the passing of my child and drinking/partying AT LENGTH.”

Rory Kampf, desperate to matter for another 15 minutes, did an interview about it this morning. When Rory’s lips are moving, he’s typically lying, but one part of what he said was the God’s honest truth:

“I’d never heard that he had forced someone to touch his genitals,” Karpf admitted. “Everything with Ric that was construed as negative I tried to address in the 30 for 30. His drinking, his philandering, his adultery, his money problems, there’s quite a bit, but never, at least in the people that I spoke to, no one ever brought up that he would force himself on somebody.”

I allowed my personal life and the lives of my wife and children to be turned upside down for one reason: Whether it’s good or bad, even the really bad, the truth has to matter. Even in wrestling.

My issues have been well documented over my 40+ year career. The impact of drinking too much (which nearly killed me 5 years ago) has been told time and time and time again. The reason Rory (or anyone else for that matter) never heard stories of me forcing myself on ANYONE is simple: it never happened

Flair issued a follow up statement:

To clarify, the “helicopter” as it was called, is accurate. I wish I could blame it on youth, but it was a case of drinking too much and being inappropriate and I apologize for that (and have countless times over the years).

I made some bad decisions during dark periods in my life, and it is something I’ve spent a significant part of years I was given by the doctors in 2017 trying to make right.

I condemn sexual assault in any way, shape or form. I could (and have) written books (as have others) that have covered my transgressions. I’ve made some terrible decisions, but I’ve never forced myself on anyone in any way. Period.

In the aftermath of the episode’s airing, Flair’s Car Shield advertisement campaign was paused, and WWE removed from its streaming platforms an episode of its Story Time show in which Flair flashing flight attends is made light of.

Source: TheSportster

WWE Could Make Major Change To Brand Split Rules Following Raw

According to a report, strong ratings for this week’s episode of WWE Raw could lead to a brand split rule change.

SmackDown superstars The Usos and Universal Champion Roman Reigns appeared on last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw as WWE looks to fix the ratings problem for its flagship program.

AEW Dynamite defeated Monday Night Raw in the key 18-49 demographic for the second straight week. AEW’s first victory two weeks ago over Raw reportedly prompted WWE to move the planned Randy Orton-Bobby Lashley WWE Championship match at Extreme Rules to last week’s show.

Lashley retained the title, but Big E successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to become the new champion. With the victory, Big E moved from the SmackDown roster over to Raw, which reunited him with longtime New Day allies Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

WrestleVotes reported Monday that if this week’s episode of Raw garners higher ratings than usual, it “would open the box to showcasing main superstars on both brands”

WWE ran a concept like this two years ago. For the 2019 Superstar Shake-Up, Vince McMahon included a “Wild Card Rule” which allowed four wrestlers from either brand to appear on the other show each week. The rule only lasted a short time as WWE ran a draft in October following SmackDown‘s move over to FOX on Friday nights.

The 2021 WWE Draft is scheduled to run on Oct. 1 and Oct. 4. This marks a prime opportunity for WWE to shake up the roster and rebuild Raw, which has seen a noticeable and concerning decline in viewership. And it’s not about to get any easier now that Raw has to compete with ESPN’s NFL Monday Night Football program until Jan. 3.

WWE is at a point where they have to be open to just about anything. AEW has gained significant momentum in the competition, and Raw is in massive need of more changes. If Reigns’ appearance delivers strong numbers for WWE’s flagship program, why not try out the idea of showcasing main event stars on both brands again? WWE would have nothing to lose here, especially if top stars like Reigns, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Seth Rollins and Edge remain on the SmackDown brand following the Draft.

Source: TheSportster

Tommy Dreamer Releases Statement Regarding Dark Side of the Ring Appearance

Tommy Dreamer took to social media on Sunday to apologize for comments he made during the latest episode of Dark Side of the Ring.

It took a few days, but Tommy Dreamer has released a statement regarding his comments on the latest episode of Dark Side of the Ring. Dreamer has been taking a ton of heat over the past few days after seemingly downplaying the alleged sexual misconduct of Ric Flair during a WWE private charter flight dubbed “The Plane Ride from Hell. Dreamer was suspended indefinitely by IMPACT Wrestling as a result of the fallout of those comments.

Dreamer took to social media a few days after the episode aired. During the show, he suggested that Flair would never force himself upon a woman or act inappropriately when it comes to the topic of sexual misconduct. He called what Flair did a joke and that it was just Flair being Flair. He noted that people nowadays take offense to everything, and while it would be 1000% inappropriate now, it wasn’t really a big deal then and compared the story of Flair running around nearly naked to his own double ponytail. He also noted that perhaps the victim shouldn’t have settled out of court if she was bothered by all of this and charged Flair in an attempt to get him thrown in jail.

Needless to say, the comments were not well received by the massive audience Dark Side of the Ring brings in and Dreamer was suspended. It’s not clear when he’ll be back.

In his statement, Dreamer said, “Regarding my comments on Dark Side of the Ring. It was never my intention to offend, hurt or victim shame anyone.” He adds, “I understand my comments were insensitive and could trigger emotions in someone’s own personal past. I do not condone sexual misconduct of any kind.” He finished with, “I apologize to anyone I offended. From the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry.”

There are mixed reactions on social media to his apology. Some are saying he’s doing the right thing by acknowledging he made a mistake while others are saying he’s apologizing to the wrong person and that it’s hard to believe considering it appears the main reason he went on the show was to play down Flair’s actions.

It’s not clear where this all goes or if, once a certain amount of time goes by, he’ll be welcomed back to IMPACT Wrestling or his work with Busted Open Radio. Flair hasn’t made comments or released a statement since the show aired.

Source: TheSportster

WWE RAW Preview 9/20/21

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina with the go-home build for Extreme Rules.

* The red brand go-home build for Extreme Rules

* The New Day hosts a Championship Celebration for WWE Champion Big E

* The Bloodline (WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos) vs. The New Day (WWE Champion Big E, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods)

* WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina Snuka defend against Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley

* Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus. If Hardy wins, he will be added to Sheamus vs. WWE United States Champion Damian Priest at Extreme Rules to make it a Triple Threat

* RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair appears on Alexa’s Playground with Alexa Bliss and Lilly

* Nia Jax vs. Shayna Baszler

Awesome Kong Inducted Into IMPACT Hall Of Fame

IMPACT legend Awesome Kong has been inducted into the IMPACT Wrestling Hall Of Fame just a few weeks after announcing her retirement.

IMPACT legend Awesome Kong was present at the latest set of TV tapings, where she was inducted into the company’s Hall Of Fame.

The former Knockouts Champion was inducted during the Knockouts Knockdown on September 17 and dedicated her induction to her former IMPACT colleague Shannon Spruill (Daffney), who tragically passed away at the age of 46 earlier this month.

Kong announced her retirement from professional wrestling last month at EmPowerrr, the all-female pay-per-view produced by Mickie James in conjunction with Billy Corgan’s NWA.

During the event, Kong’s fellow legend and former IMPACT colleague Gail Kim addressed the crowd and commemorated the occasion. Kim was interrupted by Taryn Terrell, Jennacide, and Paola Blaze, who attempted to intimidate the former WWE Women’s Champion … until Awesome Kong made the save. “Only one thing could get me off my couch eating delicious ice cream bars,” Kong said to Gail, before telling her that she loved her. The soon-to-be IMPACT Hall Of Famer then stunned the crowd by revealing that she would be retiring from professional wrestling with immediate effect.

As a wrestler, Awesome Kong (real name, Kia Stevens) is best known for her time in IMPACT where she was a two-time TNA Knockouts Champion and a former TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion. She left IMPACT in 2010 and joined WWE where she performed under the name Kharma. Kharma made her debut on May 1 at Extreme Rules, where she attacked Michelle McCool. She continued to attack former WWE Divas Champions on both Raw and SmackDown in the weeks that followed, but her angle was axed when she revealed that she was pregnant.

Stevens took a hiatus from wrestling to pursue an acting career which saw her cast as Tammé “The Welfare Queen” Dawson in the Netflix original comedy series GLOW.

While GLOW was still on the air, Stevens debuted for AEW as a surprise entrant in the women’s triple threat match at AEW’s inaugural Double or Nothing event, making it a Fatal 4-way match. Afterward, she was paired with Brandi Rhodes and the duo formed a stable known as The Nightmare Collective. The angle was poorly received and AEW pulled the plug on it soon after it began.

Awesome Kong’s influence on women’s wrestling cannot be understated and there can be no doubt that she and Gail Kim paved the way for what would later become known as the “Women’s Revolution.”

Kong joins the likes of Gail Kim, Kurt Angle, Ken Shamrock, and Earl Hebner in the IMPACT Wrestling Hall Of Fame.

Source: TheSportster

Ric Flair Potentially Facing More Trouble After Next Week’s Dark Side of the Ring Airs

Ric Flair may run into more bad press if the Dark Side of the Ring episode about Chris Kanyon discusses Flair’s running Kanyon down on Howard Stern.

This is not going to be a good couple of weeks for Ric Flair. Already being raked through the coals for his behavior as a WWE star back when he was on the road with the company and acting in a manner Tommy Dreamer just called Flair being Flair, the Dark Side of the Ring episode about The Plane Ride From Hell has hurt Flair’s reputation and likely his wallet. That episode shined a light on Flair’s immature and sexually inappropriate decision-making and next week’s episode could do even more damage.

Dark Side of the Ring next week will be about the late Chris Kaynon. Kanyon suffered from bipolar disorder, and he threatened suicide in the weeks prior to his death in April of 2010. Kanyon’s struggles and departure from WWE as an openly gay wrestler were well documented and in one instance, he had a run-in with Flair that he said damaged him deeply. It is believed that next week’s episode may show that run-in between Kanyon and Flair on the Howard Stern show back in 2006.

Flair called into the show to stand up for WWE — who Kanyon had taken issue with over his firing and Flair worked for at the time. Flair called Kanyon a talent who didn’t have the goods to make it in WWE and said he hadn’t been fired for his personal life choices. After that episode, Kanyon was very open about how much it hurt to be called out by someone he idolized and worked with closely while in WWE. In a separate interview, Kanyon said he almost threw himself in front of a train and only didn’t because his brother was with him at the time.

This is not to suggest that Flair is responsible for Kanyon’s death. That said, this isn’t going to likely paint Flair in a positive light after a week where he is already being criticized for his actions when he was still an active part of the business. Flair has seen his Car Shield advertising partnership put on hold, there are rumors he was headed for AEW but that might not be happening now and Peacock removed some Flair content that they felt was inappropriate considering the Dark Side episode that just aired.

Flair is undoubtedly a wrestling legend and an icon. He’s also been open about his partying ways and candid about his actions in the past as an active wrestler who went out, partied, drank, and was a magnet for the ladies. In fact, his entire gimmick (which he says is not a gimmick) is that he’s always stylin’ and profilin’ and that’s not helping him these days.

It appears those past decisions — which were inappropriate then, but at the time overlooked — are no longer being overlooked. It’s likely things get worse for Flair before they get better and this upcoming episode about Kanyon could pose even more problems for the Nature Boy.

Source: TheSportster

Ric Flair’s Car Shield Ad Campaign Paused Following Resurfaced Sexual Assault Allegations

A Car Shield advertising campaign featuring Ric Flair was suspended after allegations of sexual assault resurfaced on Dark Side Of The Ring.

The partnership between insurance company Car Shield and WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair looks to be over after the former paused its ad campaign featuring the latter after sexual assault allegations made against Flair resurfaced during the most recent edition of Dark Side Of The Ring.

According to PWInsider, Car Shield said in a statement that it is taking the matter very seriously and that “as of right now” they are “pausing the campaign.” The company also said it will do its due diligence.

Until today, Flair appeared in several different Car Shield commercials, one of which also featured current NXT star LA Knight.

Source: TheSportster

Tommy Dreamer Suspended By Impact After Dark Side Of The Ring Comments

Tommy Dreamer has been suspended indefinitely by Impact Wrestling following comments he made on Dark Side of the Ring.

Tommy Dreamer will not be at this week’s Impact tapings following comments he made on Dark Side of the Ring defending Ric Flair’s actions on the Plane Ride From Hell.

Impact Wrestling has revealed Tommy Dreamer has been suspended indefinitely from the promotion for comments he made defending allegations against Ric Flair during an appearance on Dark Side of the Ring. PW Insider reports that an email from Impact’s Ed Nordholm was sent to those within the promotion stating that Dreamer’s comments did not align with its core values.

Dark Side of the Ring returned to Vice this week to commence the second half of season three. The Plane Ride From Hell was covered in Thursday’s episode and it included the alleged actions of Ric Flair on that flight. Apparently, The Nature Boy spent part of the journey in nothing but an open robe, which was par for the course according to Tommy Dreamer who was also aboard the aircraft.

Heidi Doyle, a flight attendant on the Plane Ride From Hell, played a big role in the latest Dark Side episode. One of the darker allegations she made on the show was against Flair, claiming he attempted to force himself on her while naked in an open robe.

Dreamer came to the defense of Flair at that point in the episode, and it seems his controversial remarks may have landed him in hot water. According to Fightful, Impact staff have been told Dreamer will not be at this weekend’s tapings in Nashville. While not confirmed that Dreamer’s absence is related to his Dark Side comments, the timing makes it appear as if that’s the case.

“He’s just flaunting, styling and profiling, doing the Ric Flair stuff where everybody’s going to laugh about it. But obviously, someone took offense to it,” Dreamer said on this week’s episode of Dark Side. “If that’s how she felt, maybe she should have not taken a payout… I feel this is trying to portray someone as a sexual predator, and it’s not. It’s a joke. It’s a gag.”

Flair wasn’t a part of the episode, but a caption appeared on the screen clarifying the Hall of Famer denies all of the allegations made against him by Doyle. He also pre-empted the airing of the episode during a recent appearance on Oral Sessions, admitting that he wasn’t looking forward to it. The future of Dreamer with Impact Wrestling, or if his absence is connected to his Dark Side comments, will likely become clearer in the coming days.

Source: TheSportster

Sexual Assault Allegations Against Ric Flair Resurface In Latest Dark Side Of The Ring

An attendant on WWE’s Plane Ride From Hell recounted sexual assault allegations she made against Ric Flair on the flight.

A flight attendant on the Plane Ride From Hell recounted the allegations of sexual assault she made against Ric Flair on Dark Side of the Ring.

Dark Side of the Ring returned for the second half of season three this week. The series restarted with perhaps the most in-depth look at the infamous Plane Ride From Hell ever put together. Bits and pieces of what happened have been told over the years, but no one has ever put the whole thing together like this. Not to mention the accounts from wrestlers who were on the aircraft.

Perhaps the most interesting retelling came from Heidi Doyle, a flight attendant on the plane for that trip. Doyle had a torrid time on the flight, even alleging that she was sexually assaulted by Ric Flair at one point. Flair was walking up and down the plane in nothing but a robe. The Hall of Famer had the robe open, exposing himself to everyone else on the flight.

While his peers had come to expect that kind of behavior, as is made clear by Tommy Dreamer, Doyle was understandably pretty shocked. The attendant claims her flight went from bad to worse when Flair showed up in the galley, robe still open, and pushed her up against a door. “He had me up against the back door, and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get away from him,” Doyle said.

“He was spinning around his penis and he wanted me to touch it. He took my hand and put it on him.” Flair pre-empted the premiere of the episode by touching upon what might come up during an episode of Oral Sessions recently. “We’ll see how it plays out because I was there and I don’t care whose name I gotta drop if the heat falls on me,” Flair said to Renee Paquette.

Flair has denied these allegations before in the past, as was highlighted on the show even though he wasn’t a part of it. Doyle and another attendant on the flight took legal action against WWE for what happened. Both lawsuits were settled out of court. Flair told Paquette he would be on her podcast again after the episode airs to respond to whatever has been said, so be on the lookout for that and his retort.

Source: TheSportster

AEW To Hold An Owen Hart Cup, Could Include Him In Upcoming Console Game

AEW has partnered with the Owen Hart Foundation and will hold a tournament bearing his name in the future.

AEW has partnered with The Owen Hart Foundation and will hold The Owen Hart Cup as well as honoring the late star’s legacy in other ways.

AEW has released a statement detailing a new partnership with The Owen Hart Foundation. The charity, which was set up by Owen’s widow Martha Hart, was established to help people in need in Owen’s name. AEW will now work alongside the charity and will be putting a number of things in place to keep Owen’s name alive in the wrestling business.

As well as helping Martha and the OHF continue to help people around the world, AEW will be holding the first-ever Owen Hart Cup. The Owen Hart Cup will be an annual tournament where the winner will receive a cup named The Owen. No further details about the tournament, including when the first one will take place and who will be involved, have been revealed at this time.

AEW’s partnership with the OHF and the Hart family will also include the production and distribution of all-new Owen Hart merchandise. A few products were created following the Dark Side of the Ring episode on Owen’s death, but this sounds like it might be a step beyond although again, not many other details have been disclosed.

What is mentioned right at the end of the statement is the inclusion of Owen Hart merchandise in the upcoming AEW console game. While not mentioned specifically, that could mean Owen is a playabale character in the game. If so, it would be the first time the former Intercontinental Champion has been in a wrestling game since 1999’s WWF Attitude.

WWE has probably wanted to sell Owen merchandise and even include him in video games. However, Martha blames the company for his death and has said on multiple occasions that she doesn’t want them making any more money from his legacy. Either Martha and Owen’s children are okay with AEW benefitting from Owen’s legacy since the company has no affiliation with WWE, or everything made through their partnership will go directly to the Owen Hart Foundation.

Source: TheSportster

Below is the AEW release about their partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation and The Owen Hart Cup:

AEW and The Owen Hart Foundation Enter Into
A Relationship to Honor World Renowned Wrestler Owen Hart’s Legacy
September 20, 2021 – All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and The Owen Hart Foundation (OHF), a
nonprofit charity which provides a vast range of assistance and opportunities to individuals inneed across the world, are collaborating to honor the legacy of late wrestler Owen Hart, a
beloved figure in the professional wrestling community and beyond. This collaboration includes
launching the annual Owen Hart Cup Tournament within AEW, which will see the winner receive
a Cup known as “The Owen,” as well as the production and distribution of unique and original
Owen Hart merchandise, including specified retail goods as well as the upcoming AEW console
video game.
This alliance incorporates opportunities to develop Owen Hart action figures via AEW’s
partnership with Jazwares, apparel, posters, and additional collectable merchandise. Owen Hart
is survived by his wife, Dr. Martha Hart, who spearheads The Owen Hart Foundation with a
mission of providing global aid to at-risk communities (e.g., scholarships, housing, various forms
international assistance, food drives, backpack giveaways and Christmas projects).
“AEW’s relationship with the Hart family dates back to our inaugural pay-per-view event, Double
or Nothing in 2019, and Owen’s influence is still felt today,” said Tony Khan, AEW CEO, GM and
Head of Creative. “To extend his memory and his legacy even further through this agreement is
a powerful and meaningful moment for the entire wrestling community.”
“The Owen Hart Foundation is extremely pleased to partner with AEW in this wonderful joint
venture to honor Owen’s substantial international wrestling career and the lasting influence he
and his craft has had in the sport. AEW’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament serves as a tremendous
tribute to Owen and provides an incredible way for professional wrestling enthusiasts to
celebrate his work in a most fitting way. We trust that Tony Khan and his amazing AEW team
will do a brilliant job with this highly anticipated project. This OHF/AEW partnership is my
special gift to all of Owen’s magnificent loyal fans who forever remember him and his inspiring
repertoire of talents,” said Dr. Martha Hart.
About The Owen Hart Foundation
The Owen Hart Foundation was established in 2000 in memory of celebrated world-renowned
Canadian wrestler Owen Hart. Our mandate is ‘Education’ and our goal is to help provide opportunities worldwide for hard-working people who have limited resources but unlimited
potential. http://www.owenhartfoundation.org


About AEW
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan, AEW is a new professional wrestling league
headlined by Kenny Omega, Dr. Britt Baker, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, Cody & Brandi
Rhodes, The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), Adam Cole, Sting, Jon Moxley, Miro, Lucha Bros.,
PAC, Hangman Page, MJF, Darby Allin, Nyla Rose, Red Velvet, Ruby Soho, Hikaru Shida, Jade Cargill,
Thunder Rosa, Malakai Black, Andrade El Idolo, Christian Cage, Jungle Boy, Sammy Guevara,
Scorpio Sky, Ethan Page, Orange Cassidy, Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, Lance Archer, and
many more. For the first time in many years, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream
wrestling, with a roster of world-class talent that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into
the industry.
“AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT and attracts the youngest
wrestling audience on television. The new fight-forward show “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday
from 10-11 p.m. ET. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “AEW Dark” and “AEW Dark:
Elevation,” two weekly professional wrestling YouTube series, “Being the Elite,” a weekly behindthe-scenes YouTube series, and “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check
out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AllEliteWrestling; YouTube.com/AEW;
Facebook.com/AllEliteWrestling