Author: John Bass

Stan ‘Krusher’ Kowalski Passes Away At 91

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Former professional wrestler Stan “Krusher” Kowalski passed away last Friday at 91 years old. Kowalski was best known as one half of the tag team Murder Incorporated alongside his partner Tiny Mills in the American Wrestling Association.

Kowalski was born Bert Smith in Minneappolis. At 17, he joined the U.S. Navy and served three and a half years during World War II. After the war he enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he joined the wrestling team.

Kowalski made his debut for an NWA promotion in 1948. He and Mills eventually won the Minneapolis version of the NWA World Tag Team Championships twice while working for the NWA Minneapolis Wrestling and Boxing Club and later became the first-ever AWA tag team champions in 1960 when that promotion merged into the AWA. He retired from professional wrestling in 1976.

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Kowalski spent much of his time volunteering for the United Way and helping homeless veterans. The Veterans of Foreign Wars named an award after him in his honor.

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Kowalski is survived by his two children, Scott and Stacy Smith.

Source: WrestlingINC

News On Jeff Jarrett Incident With Independent Promotion Over The Weekend

We reported on Impact Wrestling terminating its business relationship with Jeff Jarrett and Global Force Entertainment, Inc. New details have emerged about an incident involving Jeff Jarrett at a Real Canadian Wrestling (RCW) independent show over the weekend.

Sources say Jarrett didn’t appear to be in condition to perform when he wrestled a 25-minute main event in Calgary at the show on Friday night. His performance was so lackluster that some of the people in attendance walked out of the main event before it was over.

Jarrett was scheduled to appear at RCW’s show the following night in Edmonton. RCW took to its Facebook page to offer this update for the people who were planning on attending the show:

JEFF JARRETT will not be appearing at Rise of Legends: War Games tonight in Edmonton.RCW has the unfortunate news to report that Jeff Jarrett will be not appearing at tonight’s event in Edmonton due to reasons beyond the company’s control as Jeff Jarrett has boarded a plane and left the country on his own accord this morning. Jeff Jarrett did appear last night in Calgary at the RCW event but again has chosen to leave the country due to his own issues.

There will be a special announcement at the start of tonight’s event to explain the situation and details of Jeff Jarrett’s cancellation.

After returning to the company in January, Jarrett took an indefinite leave of absence from his position as Chief Creative Officer of Impact Wrestling on Sept. 5 “to focus on personal matters.” Here’s the statement from Impact on Jarrett’s termination:

Source: WrestlingINC

Impact Wrestling Announces They’ve ‘Terminated’ Business Relationship With Jeff Jarrett And GFW

The Jeff Jarrett/GFW era of Impact Wrestling is over … because the company announced on Monday that they’ve terminated their business relationship with both.

The company tweeted:

As we previously reported, Jeff was initially placed on an indefinite leave of absence in September. The company had previously announced that they purchased GFW, but clearly that wasn’t the case based on this new statement.

Jarrett came back to the company in January when Anthem Sports took control from Dixie Carter. His return led to the exit of wrestlers like The Hardy Boyz, Drew McIntyre and Mike Bennett.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

SmackDown Attacks RAW (Video)

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Last night on RAW, just as Kurt Angle was about to announce RAW’s men’s Survivor Series team, Shane McMahon’s music hit. Shane came down through the crowd leading a big group of SmackDown Live Superstars, men and women.

Shane said under siege, referring back to what he told Angle earlier in a backstage segment. Angle left the ring and up the ramp to the back and Shane ordered his SmackDown stars to “go get ’em” and SmackDown went to the back and laid waste to every RAW star they came across, then they brought Angle back to the ring. Shane said he wants Angle to bring his gold medal, what’s left of the RAW roster because they’re going to finish what they started. It’s true, it’s damn true.

News On When Roman Reigns And Bray Wyatt Will Be Re-evaluated

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As the WWE tries to recover from a tumultuous few days that saw multiple superstars get sick from a viral infection, many are wondering what the timetable is for a return to normalcy.

On Friday, WrestlingInc.com owner Raj Giri broke the news that the WWE was testing RAW superstars for the mumps. Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas were among those infected, and Reigns and Wyatt were removed from TLC due to the illness, causing major changes to Sunday’s pay-per-view. In a response to our report, the WWE released a statement confirming that three superstars were diagnosed with a viral infection. On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer offered an update for when those superstars could possibly return to action.

Meltzer noted that Reigns has the mumps and said he and the other infected superstars will be re-evaluated next week on Monday. The rest of the locker room got their shots on Thursday to prevent further spreading of the infection, but Meltzer said there is still a fear within the company that more superstars could contract the illness.

WWE had initially tested some talent for viral meningitis, and discovered that the illness is believed to be the mumps. Mumps symptoms usually take 16-18 days to appear and then the infection usually takes several days to a week to disappear. It is unclear how much time is needed to completely recover from an illness like that in order to be deemed fit to compete in the ring. It is also unknown if any SmackDown superstars were tested for the infection or if the virus was solely spread in the RAW locker room.

At TLC on Sunday, Kurt Angle replaced Reigns in the main event and teamed with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to defeat the team of Braun Strowman, The Miz, Sheamus and Cesaro, and Kane in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. AJ Styles replaced Wyatt in a match against “The Demon” Finn Balor, in what was an instant fan favorite won by Balor.

Source: WrestlingINC

RAW Preview 10/23/17

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin with the fallout from last night’s TLC pay-per-view.

* Brock Lesnar to respond to Jinder Mahal’s WWE Survivor Series challenge on Raw

* Is anybody ready (for Asuka) …?

* What will Kane have to say about his attack on Braun Strowman?

* That’s Amore … but for how long?

* What will be the Extraordinary next step (for Finn Balor)?

Backstage News On Kurt Angle Being Added To WWE TLC Main Event, If There Are Plans To Wrestle Again

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Many fans have wondered about how Kurt Angle was inserted into the main event of Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view so quickly. It was Angle’s first time in a WWE ring in 11 years, as he teamed with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to defeat the team of The Miz, Braun Strowman, Kane, Sheamus and Cesaro.

According to PWInsider, it was Vince McMahon’s idea to add Angle to the match once WWE officials realized Roman Reigns wouldn’t be able to compete due to having the mumps. The idea was proposed internally on Thursday and Angle, who has a well-documented history of neck injuries, was given a physical on Friday in his hometown of Pittsburgh to ensure that he was medically cleared for an in-ring return.

Once Angle received the green light from his doctors, the WWE announced his addition to the main event minutes later. The announcement, which was made just two days before TLC, was completely unexpected and sent the WWE Universe into a frenzy.

In Sunday’s match, Angle held his own while Ambrose and Rollins handled most of the work. Angle took a hard bump when Strowman powerslammed him through a table, sending him to the locker room to be examined by the medical team. He returned towards the end of the match and eventually performed The Shield’s patented triple powerbomb to pick up the win.

It is unclear when and if Angle will wrestle again, as PWInsider states Sunday’s appearance was a one-off deal. But after seeing Angle adequately perform on Sunday, the door is open for future opportunities for him to get back into the ring. Angle has long-expressed his desire to return to in-ring competition, so it is likely that Sunday wasn’t the last time we’ll see him perform in the WWE.

Source: WrestlingINC

WWE TLC (RAW) Results 10/22/17

Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt was unable to compete due to illness. Kurt Angle made his in-ring return replacing Reigns. AJ Styles replaced Bray Wyatt.

(Kickoff) Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox – Winner: Sasha Banks

Emma vs. Asuka – Winner: Asuka

Elias in ring to play a song, was interrupted by Jason Jordan throwing vegetables at him.

Cedric Alexander & Rich Swann vs. Jack Gallagher & The Brian Kendrick – Winners: Rich Swann & Cedric Alexander

RAW Women’s Championship: (C) Alexa Bliss vs. Mickie James – Winner: Alexa Bliss

Elias back out to play a song again, Jason Jordan threw vegetables at him again.

WWE Cruiserweight Championship: (C) Kalisto vs. Enzo Amore – Winner and new WWE Cruiserweight Champion: Enzo Amore

The Demon (Finn Balor) vs. AJ Styles – Winner: The Demon Finn Balor

Elias vs. Jason Jordan – Winner: Jason Jordan – It appears that Elias got his shoulder up before the 3 count.

TLC (Tables, Ladders and Chairs) Match: The Shield (Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose) & Kurt Angle vs. The Miz, Sheamus, Cesaro, Braun Strowman & Kane – Winners: Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose & Kurt Angle

Impact Wrestling Announces Departure Of Taryn Terrell Who Recently Returned To The Company

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Former TNA Knockouts Champion Taryn Terrell has been removed from the Fatal 4-Way Knockouts Championship match at Bound for Glory. The match will now feature GFW Knockouts Champion Sienna defending her title against Allie and Gail Kim. The explanation given on commentary was that doctors would not clear Terrell after she was slapped by Kim.

Impact Wrestling announced today that they have mutually parted ways with Terrell. Terrell had just returned to the company this past August at Destination X. Her previous stint with the company lasted from 2012 until January of 2016.

Eddie Kingston and Robbie E. also recently announced their departures from the company.

Below is the announcement from Impact Wrestling:

Source: WrestlingINC

Roman Reigns And Bray Wyatt Unable To Compete At TLC Due To Illness, Replacements Announced (Kurt Angle, AJ Styles)

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WWE announced that Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt will not be competing at TLC on Sunday due to illness … but their replacements should make up for the change.

We noted on Twitter yesterday that rumors of a viral meningitis scare on the Raw roster were very real and that it could affect the pay-per-view.  The company then announced Friday afternoon that the two wrestlers will not be appearing due to “medical issues.”

It’s unclear, however, if both wrestlers have contracted meningitis or if this is just precautionary.

As for their replacements, Kurt Angle will be wrestling in WWE again for the first time in more than 11 years as he teams with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose in a TLC match against Kane, The Miz, Braun Strowman and The Bar.

Plus, AJ Styles will be replacing Bray Wyatt to take on “The Demon” Finn Balor.

The creative team learned about the possibility of Roman/Bray not being able to wrestle late in the week and came up with a plethora of replacement options, with Kurt Angle returning seemingly being the best one. Same for AJ vs. Finn.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet