Month: January 2024

MLW Hypes RELOAD Special This Saturday

MLW touted its RELOAD special this Saturday. MLW issued the following:

MLW presents 2 hour RELOAD special this Saturday on beIN SPORTS nationwide on cable, streaming on YouTube

[NEW YORK] – Major League Wrestling (MLW) is set to ignite the airwaves with a spectacular two-hour free special event, “MLW RELOAD,” broadcasting nationwide on cable on beIN SPORTS (find a provider) and streaming live on MLW’s YouTube Channel.

This exclusive simulcast airs 10 pm ET this Saturday, January 20, delivering an electrifying experience to fans across the country watching on cable TV and dish as well as streaming worlwide.

The highly anticipated MLW RELOAD special boasts a double main event that promises to be an unforgettable clash of titans.

In a historic showdown, Satoshi Kojima faces off against Sami Callihan for the first time in their illustrious careers. The match signifies the in-ring return of Callihan, who stirred up controversy at MLW Kings of Colosseum, leading to a pier 6 brawl between the two. The question looms – is Kojima entering a trap just two weeks before he challenges for the MLW World Heavyweight Title at SuperFight in Philadelphia?

Adding to the excitement, the two-hour special will witness MLW World Heavyweight Champion Alex Kane teaming up with Matt Riddle for the first time ever. Their formidable alliance will be put to the test against the World Titan Federation’s top Superstars®, captained by cage fighter turned sports entertainer “Filthy” Tom Lawlor. This clash of titans is sure to set the stage for an epic confrontation.

As if the double main event weren’t enough, MLW RELOAD promises more thrilling matches that will be revealed in the days ahead leading up to the event.

What makes this special event even more remarkable is that it is absolutely free! MLW invites fans to gather their friends, fire up their group chats, and schedule watch parties to experience MLW RELOAD on cable via beIN SPORTS and streaming live on MLW’s YouTube channel.

About Major League Wrestling

Major League Wrestling (MLW®) is a sports media holding company, offering television content, action figures, apparel, live events, and ancillary entertainment. MLW operates live events in major markets throughout the United States and Mexico, including New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Tijuana.

One of the fastest growing wrestling leagues today, MLW programming is available in over 60 countries worldwide, including MLW Fusion on beIN Sports in the U.S. and Ayozat TV on SKY in the United Kingdom.

MLW premium live events stream monthly live and exclusively on TrillerTV+.

MLW events showcase diversity and the full spectrum of professional wrestling, with athletes representing countries around the world with fighting styles, including: technical, Japanese strong style, lucha libre, King’s Road brawling, MMA, catch wrestling, hybrid wrestling, submission grappling and other disciplines.

For more information visit MLW.com and follow MLW on X, Instagram and YouTube.

TNA To Resurrect Secondary Show

TNA Wrestling recently underwent a massive rebranding following a long stint as Impact Wrestling, returning to the name the company was known as when it first broke into the industry. The promotion has issued new championship belts since undergoing their name changes, but according to fans and a report from Fightful, TNA is now officially bringing back “TNA Xplosion.”

According to Fightful, matches for “Xplosion” were recently taped ahead of the recent “TNA Snake Eyes” pay-per-view. Fans notably shared a few images of the graphics for the new show, but little has been revealed about the format it’ll have going forward. Additionally, at this stage, nothing is known about TNA’s plans with “Xplosion,” but since the show was taped on January 14, it’s safe to assume that fans will find out soon enough.

https://twitter.com/migueljoto/status/1746683885013139743

“Xplosion” was originally launched in 2002 as the promotion’s first regular cable show. At first, the show featured matches from the TNA Asylum as well as interviews with talent, before being revamped in 2004 to showcase previously aired episodes of “TNA Impact.” The show was revamped in 2010 to feature exclusive matches, alongside airing matches from the 2000s. Ultimately, “Xplosion” was put on an extended hiatus in 2021.

TNA’s return to its old branding has been met with mixed reactions online, but many of the wrestlers associated with the promotion only have positive things to say. TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim notably claimed that she was excited upon first hearing about the name change and believes the promotion will have a lot of momentum going into 2024.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Officially Confirms Cora Jade Injury, Likely Recovery Timeline On NXT

During Tuesday’s episode of “WWE NXT,” commentator Vic Joseph confirmed that former “NXT” Tag Team Champion Cora Jade has suffered a torn ACL and is expected to be out of action for close to a year.  Jade was injured last Friday at a house show during her match against “NXT” Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria. She reportedly had to be taken backstage by four officials.

Jade, who has been with WWE since 2021, had just made her return last month to the developmental brand. Jade had previously lost to former main roster star Dana Brooke (now Impact Wrestling’s Ash By Elegance) in a Kendo Stick match, before clearing out her locker on the August 1 episode. She ended up being gone a total of four months, finally making her return on December 9 at the “NXT” Deadline premium live event, where she attacked Valkyria.

Jade was scheduled to compete in Tuesday’s 20-woman No. 1 contender’s match (a battle royal that turned into a four-way) for Valkyria’s title; Joseph made the official announcement of Jade’s injury, which had been previously reported, immediately prior to the bell. Jade was replaced by newcomer Wren Sinclair (a debuting Madi Wrenkowski) in the contest, which was ultimately won by Jade’s arch-rival and former tag team partner Roxanne Perez.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 1/16/2024

Here is the lineup for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on the USA Network: 

  • NXT Women’s Championship number one contender Battle Royal (When it gets to the final 4 the match becomes a Fatal 4-Way)
  • Lyra Valkyria & Tatum Paxley vs. Lola Vice & Elektra Lopez
  • Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic quarterfinals: Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams vs. Malik Blade & Edris Enofe
  • Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic quarterfinals: Duke Hudson & Riley Osborne vs. Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde
  • Ridge Holland vs. Joe Coffey
  • We’ll hear from Oba Femi

Brock Lesnar Is Returning To WWE TV Soon

Brock Lesnar is expected to make his return to WWE television soon after being absent since his loss to Cody Rhodes at WWE SummerSlam. It has been anticipated for months that he would return this month to participate in the build-up to the Royal Rumble.

Lesnar will likely compete in the Men’s Royal Rumble match. Several stars, including Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, and Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, have already declared their participation in the match.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Lesnar’s return is imminent and is presumed to be for the Royal Rumble.

Source: eWn

Kota Ibushi Set To Undergo Ankle Surgery

Pro Wrestling NOAH held its ‘The New Year’ 2024 show earlier this month with the main event singles match between Naomichi Marufuji and Kota Ibushi, where they wrestled for 30 minutes before Ibushi went over in the end.

Ibushi went for an outside moonsault, and when he landed, he grabbed his ankle. Kota was taken to the hospital after the bout, which was heavily criticized.

Kota confirmed today that he will have ankle surgery on Wednesday:

“Long time no see. It feels unusually long.

Things won’t go on as before.

I hope tomorrow’s surgery is successful.

As long as you can walk, that’s enough.

I don’t need anything else”

https://twitter.com/ibushi_kota/status/1747145518365741099

Source: eWn

Hulk Hogan Helps Rescue Woman From Flipped Vehicle

Hulk Hogan might be considered a hero amongst his wrestling fans, but that sentiment also extends beyond the ring, thanks to his recent admirable actions. According to a recent report from TMZ Sports, the “Hulkster,” along with two other people, might just have saved the life of a 17-year-old woman who got into a motor vehicle accident.

According to TMZ’s sources, who claim to have direct knowledge of the event, Hogan, his wife, Sky Daily, and their friend, Jake, were driving along a highway on Sunday evening in Clearwater, Florida, when they witnessed a car accident on the road. The car allegedly swerved across lanes, struck another car, and flipped over.

The sources then further alleged that Hogan pulled over, rushed to the scene alongside Jake, and helped the woman out of the car. Jake, a Marine, took apart the car’s airbag with tools Hogan had in his vehicle, and together, they unbuckled the woman, assisted her safely out of the vehicle, and waited with her for the paramedics. Lastly, the sources also claim that the woman is now alright despite suffering a car accident.

Interestingly, Hogan got baptized at the end of 2023 and publically declared that he would now surrender his life to Jesus Christ. While the two moments are unrelated, Hogan’s actions might have been spurred on by his newfound faith and dedication. 2023 was quite an eventful year for Hulkster, as he got married again in September 2023. This year, it seems he’s making headlines again for more eventful reasons. 

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Seth Rollins Reportedly Injured In WWE Raw Main Event – UPDATE

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins reportedly suffered an injury in his main event match against Jinder Mahal on this week’s “WWE Raw.”

According to Wade Keller of “PWTorch,” Rollins was limping backstage following the match after seemingly suffering an injury to his left leg and was guided to the back by WWE officials. The report stated that the WWE star would be assessed to ascertain the extent of the injury. Rollins, who won the match and retained the World Heavyweight Championship, finished the match despite showing some signs of injury during the bout with Mahal.

“The Visionary” got the win despite Indus Sher, Mahal’s lackeys, interfering in the match, while Rollins also had to deal with the prospect of men’s Money in the Bank winner Damian Priest potentially cashing in his contract as The Judgment Day member was ringside for the match. Drew McIntyre, who lost to Rollins earlier this month, attacked Priest and the two took their feud backstage, and Rollins later hit the Stomp to get the win over the former WWE Champion. 

The WWE star has been a workhorse champion, wrestling constantly on “Raw,” as well as premium live events and house shows since winning the World Heavyweight Champion at last year’s Night of Champions in May. Rollins currently does not have a match scheduled for the upcoming Royal Rumble premium live event, which is slated to occur in under two weeks on January 27, 2024. This situation may allow him to recover and prepare for his rumored WrestleMania feud with CM Punk.

UPDATE

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Rollins will be undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury to his left leg. Rollins reportedly was helped to the back by WWE officials after being seen limping during a promo following the broadcast. Social media videos posted to X show the champion addressing the crowd after the match, with Rollins noticeably putting weight on his right leg and limping.

“I just know he’s getting an MRI and then we’ll find out … Basically, I was told that it could be something minor, could be something worse. We won’t know until the MRI result comes back,” Meltzer said. In the promo, Rollins addressed the Arkansas weather. He thanked the crowd for coming and told them to get home safely. As the video ends, Rollins can be seen handing off the microphone and limping away. According to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, the latest word from WWE officials is they will likely know more about the injury on Wednesday or Thursday. As of this writing, Rollins has yet to address the injury himself.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE RAW Preview 1/15/2024

Tonight’s WWE RAW Live on USA Network from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, AR.

  • World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Jinder Mahal
  • The Miz & R-Truth vs. Judgment Day (Fin Balor & Damian Priest)
  • Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa)
  • WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther returns

NJPW Battle In The Valley 1/13/2024 (Results), Jack Perry

  • Pre-Show – STRONG Survivor powered by NJPW Academy: Matt Vandagriff def. Goldy.
  • Pre-Show: Stephanie Vaquer def. Viva Van.
  • Shota Umino, Fred Rosser & Jacob Fatu def. Team Filthy (Tom Lawlor, Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson).
    • After the match, Jack Perry attacked Shota Umino from behind to make his NJPW Debut & his first wrestling appearance since AEW All In.
    • Perry pulled out an AEW contract and ripped it up in the ring to send a message. It’s also worth noting that Perry was sporting a beard and a black armband that read “Scapegoat,” which appears to be his new nickname. It appears that this is all part of an angle however details are few and far between as of this writing.
  • Mascara Dorada & Volador Jr def. Rocky Romero & Soberano Jr.
  • David Finlay def. TJP.
  • NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship Match: Guerrillas of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) (c) def. BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Alex Coughlin & Clark Connors).
  • NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship Match: Giulia (c) def. Trish Adora (w/ Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean of The Infantry).
  • There was a video vignette of Mustafa Ali, where he challenged Hiromu Takahashi to a match on 4/12 for NJPW Windy City Riot.
  • Matt Riddle & Jeff Cobb def. TMDK (Bad Dude Tito & Zack Sabre Jr).
  • AEW Triple Crown (NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship, ROH World Championship & AEW Continental Championship): Eddie Kingston (c) vs Gabe Kidd Ended in a Tie via Count-Out.
    • After the match, the Bullet Club WAR DOGS (Alex Coughlin & Clark Connors) attacked Kingston, laying out Kingston in the ring from the attack.
  • No Disqualification Match: Jon Moxley def. Shingo Takagi.
    • After the match, Moxley called out Tetsuya Naito, saying it was time. The match was made official for Windy City Riot.
  • Kazuchika Okada def. Will Ospreay.
    • Bullet Club WAR DOGS (David Finlay, Alex Coughlin, Gabe Kidd & Clark Connors) attacked Ospreay & Okada after the match. TJP & Jeff Cobb made the save before Eddie Kingston joined in to run off the Bullet Club.
    • Will Ospreay gave his thanks to NJPW, the fans, and to Okada for helping him become a better person & wrestler, saying that his run, but did promise that United Empire would bury War Dogs on New Beginning in Osaka.