According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there have been talks about bringing in Jim Cornette to GFW. Cornette worked shows for Jeff Jarrett when he originally ran live events for the promotion. Cornette also worked for TNA from 2006-2009.
Author: John Bass
More On Ric Flair’s Health Issues
As noted, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair remains in the hospital after undergoing surgery this week. Sports Illustrated noted that Flair had an intestinal blockage which resulted in a part of his bowel being removed. Flair’s heavy drinking reportedly exacerbated his issued. The surgery led to other further complications and Flair could be hospitalized for over a month.
Source: WrestlingINC
GFW Destination X Preview 8/17/17
Tonight’s GFW Destination X special will air on a slight tape delay from Orlando, Florida. Below is the current line-up for tonight:
* Bruce Prichard addresses the GFW Title situation following Alberto El Patron being stripped of the title
* The Winner Gets a Title Shot of Their Choosing: Lashley vs. Matt Sydal
* GFW Knockouts Championship: (C) Sienna vs. Gail Kim
* X-Division Championship – Ladder Match: (C) Sonjay Dutt vs. Trevor Lee
* Super X Cup Tournament Final Match: Desmond Xavier vs. Ishimori
* The “OVE” tag team debuts
Asuka Makes WWE History
WWE NXT Women’s Champion Asuka has passed Rockin’ Robin’s 502 days as WWE Women’s Champion and is now the longest-reigning women’s champion of any kind, and the longest-reigning champion in WWE history (besides the years-long reigns by Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund, Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino that will likely never be surpassed). Asuka is set to defend her title against Ember Moon at Saturday’s NXT “Takeover: Brooklyn III” event.
Below are comments from Bill Goldberg and Kevin Nash on the streak:
Source: WrestlingINC
Bayley Gives Update On Shoulder Injury, Has No Timetable For Return Yet
Even though she isn’t appearing at the show, Bayley is in town for SummerSlam … and she just gave some updates on her shoulder injury in a new interview.
Speaking with PWInsider, Bayley confirmed that she is dealing with a grade 2 separation and explained, “It’s like the AC joint and the ligaments and all that stuff, so it’s not easy.”
Bayley admits she doesn’t know how long she’ll be out yet, but confirmed she has started physical therapy … adding, “Just within the past couple of weeks, I think it’s been two weeks now, I’ve actually been able to move it a little bit and the swelling has gone down a lot.”
The wrestler concluded by saying, “So, the motion is coming back a little bit more, but it’s more about getting the strength and being able to lift my arm in front of me.”
Bayley was set to take on Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam, but received the injury on Raw a week later. Her best friend Sasha Banks will now be facing Bliss.
Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet
GFW Star Tyrus Says He’s Not Working Upcoming TV Tapings Because He’s Not Being Treated Right (Video)
Tyrus posted the following videos to social media today to announce that he will not be working the GFW tapings in Orlando this week, which begin with Thursday’s live Destination X special on POP.
Tyrus says most of his time with GFW has been positive the past several weeks have been tough for he and his fans as they have been “handcuffed and treated like a second-class citizen creatively.”
Tyrus goes on to say he’s not happy with how GFW is treating him and after playing phone-tag with them all day, he decided to release this video and announce that he won’t be at the tapings because he’s on “hold-out” status. Tyrus says he won’t return until he gets treated right.
Source: WrestlingINC
Former ROH Champion Adam Cole Signs With WWE
As has been expected for quite some time, former three-time Ring of Honor champion Adam Cole has signed with WWE.
That’s the word according to a report from PWInsider and confirmed by the Wrestling Observer.
WWE has been interested in the 28-year-old star for quite some time. However, he decided to wait so he could continue working for Ring of Honor along with more opportunities in Japan. Over the past year, he wrestled in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a member of the “Bullet Club” and also defeated Kyle O’Reilly at “Wrestle Kingdom 11” this past January to win the ROH Championship.
Cole is expected to report to the company’s Performance Center in Orlando, Fla. later this week and debut with NXT in the near future. That could be as early as this Saturday at the “TakeOver: Brooklyn III” event at the Barclays Center on the night before “SummerSlam.”
Source: SportingNews
Brie Bella Says She Knows ‘For A Fact’ Daniel Bryan Will Find A Way To Wrestle Again
It’s been 18 months since Daniel Bryan retired from pro wrestling … but his wife Brie Bella says she “knows for a fact” that he’ll find a way to return to the ring thanks to a new medical treatment.
Brie was asked about Bryan’s wrestling future on From The Top Rope this week and the new mom revealed that Daniel began looking for treatments to heal his brain weeks after retiring.
She explained, “From that moment, which was pretty much two years ago, he has been doing every kind of testing to every kind of experiment you can imagine for the brain. And he actually found one, it’s this oxygen hyperbaric chamber or something.”
The treatment is called Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), an alternative form of medicine that according to their website, “… is the use of high pressure oxygen as a drug to treat basic pathophysiologic processes and their diseases.”
Brie claims Bryan has already undergone 40 treatments across the country and said she’ll fully support his return if doctors give him the green light.
“And I told Bryan, ‘You do have a daughter, so always remember that. But if the doctors finally give you the green light,’ I go, ‘Go! This is your dream and passion. You have one life to live and I will never hold you back.’” Adding, “Because I love to wrestle, and I would hate if someone told me you can’t do it. And if WWE doesn’t allow it, then I said, ‘Go somewhere else. It’s all on you.’ Obviously he would love to be able to get back in that WWE ring, but I know for a fact my husband is going to find his way back to the ring. He honestly is.”
The full interview can be FOUND HERE.
Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet
Details On NJPW G1 Climax 27 Tournament Airing On AXS TV
The G1 Climax will be taking over AXS TV’s Friday nights for the next three months as the network presents 12 all-new, hour-long episodes showcasing top matches from the tournament on NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING beginning this Friday, August 18 at 8pm ET. The 12 hours of tournament action will be presented by Jim Ross and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and NJPW veteran Josh Barnett.
AXS TV PRESENTS MORE G1 CLIMAX COVERAGE THAN EVER BEFORE WITH 12 NEW EPISODES OF ‘NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’ SHOWCASING THE TOURNAMENT FRIDAYS AT 8pE BEGINNING AUG. 18LOS ANGELES – Aug. 16, 2017 – NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’s biggest tournament—the G1 CLIMAX—takes over AXS TV’s Friday nights for the next three months as the network presents 12 all-new, hour-long episodes showcasing top matches from the tournament on the award-winning series NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING beginning this Friday, Aug. 18 at 8pE. The 12 hours of tournament action are the most coverage of the annual G1 CLIMAX in AXS TV’s history and will be presented by legendary wrestling broadcaster Jim Ross and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and NJPW veteran Josh Barnett.
Now in its 27th year, the G1 CLIMAX tournament is like no other televised event in wrestling, pitting 20 of NJPW’s top competitors against each other in a grueling, month-long series of matches spread across 19 separate events. For the round-robin tournament, the wrestlers are separated into two blocks (A & B), where they compete for the highest score (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw). The winners of each block then face off in the finals for the tournament championship and a right to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on NJPW’s biggest stage, Wrestle Kingdom in the Tokyo Dome Jan. 4.
Each of AXS TV’s first eight episodes will feature two of the best matches from an A or B Block event, along with highlights from other matches at the event, kicking off Aug. 18 with Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. and Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito.
The line-ups for the first eight episodes of AXS TV’s G1 Climax 27 coverage are as follows (subject to change):
Aug. 18 – A Block – Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Aug. 25 – B Block – Minoru Suzuki vs. Kenny Omega, SANADA vs. EVIL
Sept. 1 – A Block – YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale
Sept. 8 – B Block – Michael Elgin vs. Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega vs. Tama Tonga
Sept. 15 – A Block – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi, Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito
Sept. 22 – B Block – Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL, Juice Robinson vs. Kenny Omega
Sept. 29 – A Block – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Togi Makabe vs. Tetsuya Naito
Oct. 6 – B Block – Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki, Michael Elgin vs. EVIL
The line-ups for the final four episodes of AXS TV’s coverage will be announced at a later date.
The Mae Young Classic Bracket To Be Revealed This Sunday After SummerSlam
WWE issued the following:
The Mae Young Classic is almost here, but before the tournament gets underway on Monday, Aug. 28, be sure to tune in to WWE Network this Sunday for your first chance to see the official tournament bracket.
Hosted by Corey Graves and WWE Hall of Famer Lita, the Mae Young Classic Bracketology special will feature an in-depth breakdown of first-round matches, competitor profiles and interviews, plus appearances by special guests Triple H and Alundra Blayze.
The Bracketology special will stream exclusively on WWE Network this Sunday immediately following The Biggest Event of the Summer, SummerSlam. An encore presentation will also stream Monday on WWE Network, following Raw.
Featuring 32 women from around the globe, the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament kicks off Monday, Aug. 28, when the first four episodes will be released in the VOD section on the award-winning WWE Network.
For more coverage of the Mae Young Classic, including competitor bios, click here.
