Author: John Bass

Chris Bey Issues Statement On His Neck Injury

As we previously reported here on eWn, Chris Bey suffered a serious neck injury at Sunday night’s TNA Impact TV tapings in Detroit, MI. After being stretchered out and being taken to the hospital, he underwent neck surgery.

In a statement that was released through TNA Wrestling, the ABC member said the following:

“I just want to take a few moments to extend my heartfelt thanks and deepest appreciation for so much and to so many over the past few days. From everyone at TNA Wrestling, to the incredible medical staff here in Detroit, to family, friends and fans worldwide. I know you have been praying for my full recovery from the in-ring accident this past Sunday. Monday was Day One for me on this journey, which I know will be long and challenging. Thanks again for the love and support, and please keep the prayers coming!”

Source: eWn

We send our best wishes to Bey in his recovery process.

Bubba Ray Dudley Set To Defend Busted Open’s Honor At WWE NXT Philly Show (2300 Arena)

After initially turning down NXT Champion Trick Williams’ offer to team up and take on Ethan Page and Ridge Holland following the end of “WWE NXT” Halloween Havoc on Sunday, Bubba Ray Dudley changed his mind and agreed to the tag team match at “NXT” 2300 live from the ECW arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania next Wednesday. Dudley interrupted a segment where Ethan Page and Ridge Holland were lamenting over the NXT Championship that Page failed to capture at the premium live event, with Holland saying he would be the man to knock Williams off his “throne” and take his title. He said Williams knows it, and that’s why he asked Dudley to do his “dirty work.” Holland said he was glad Dudley came to his senses and rejected Williams’ offer. Dudley’s music then hit and he stormed down to the ring.

He said that he didn’t know much about Holland before Halloween Havoc, but now, over the past 48 hours after Dudley helped Williams from a beatdown from Page and Holland, that’s all he’s hearing about. Dudley said Holland disrespected him, his radio show, his broadcast partner Dave LaGreca, and all wrestling fans during the pre-show on Sunday. He said the “NXT” fans would need to see a lot more of Holland if he’s ever going to get a shot at the title.

Holland retorted that nobody cares what Dudley thinks anymore. He called him a “nostalgia act” and called ECW “overrated.” That earned him a punch to the face by Dudley, after Holland threatened to put him in the hospital. Williams ran down the ramp to even the numbers game, returning the favor from Halloween Havoc. After they drove the heels out of the ring, Dudley got back on the mic and agreed to the match.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Rhea Ripley Returns To WWE NXT, Gets Attacked In Parking Lot

Rhea Ripley returned to “WWE NXT” but it didn’t end well for the former Women’s Champion, falling victim to a seeming ambush from Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez in the parking lot. Ripley returned to her old stomping grounds as a backstage guest this week, giving the newly announced dream team of Zaria, Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer, Kelani Jordan and Jordynne Grace some encouragement ahead of their 10-women tag bout against Roxanne Perez, Cora Jade, and Fatal Influence next week. 

A later segment revealed Ripley to have been bloodied in the parking lot, the camera picking up a departing and laughing Morgan and Rodriguez – the former holding a bat – before finding Ripley lying beside her car partially shut in the door. A shocked and confused Vic Joseph and Booker T, meanwhile, assured fans on broadcast that they would follow up with an update. Ripley and Morgan have been feuding over the WWE Women’s World Championship – and Dominik Mysterio – on “WWE Raw” over the past couple of months, with Rodriguez providing a vital assist in their latest title bout. With the attack tonight, it’s unknown if Ripley may be out until after Morgan has had her Champion vs. Champion match with Nia Jax at WWE Crown Jewel this weekend, but it’s clear their feud is far from over. 

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW’s Kenny Omega Announced For Upcoming NJPW Appearance

It has now been nearly a year since Kenny Omega was forced to put his wrestling career on hold thanks to a bout of diverticulitis so severe that there were concerns for Omega’s life. And save for an appearance on “AEW Dynamite” in May, where he was brutally assaulted by The Elite’s Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, and Jack Perry, Omega has largely focused on his recovery from surgery. There have been signs, however, that a return could be on the horizon, with Omega being spotted training with long-time tag partner Kota Ibushi, and sitting down with old New Japan rival Hiroshi Tanahashi.

But the biggest sign Omega may be getting set for an in-ring return may have just been revealed by New Japan on Tuesday evening. The promotion announced on their website that Omega will be making a special appearance at NJPW Power Struggle, scheduled to be held on November 4 in Osaka. In their announcement, New Japan pondered what would come from Omega’s special appearance, his first in New Japan since New Year’s Dash 2023, teasing it could be related to Omega’s reunion with Tanahashi earlier this month.

During said reunion, both Omega and Tanahashi expressed interest in teaming together for the first time, with Omega naming the Young Bucks as potential opponents as he looks to avenge their attack on him. Since then, there’s been speculation that the duo’s match against the Bucks could take place at Wrestle Dynasty, a joint show between AEW, CMLL, and New Japan set for January 5 in the Tokyo Dome, Whether Omega’s Power Struggle appearance will hint towards that, or signal a return to the ring sooner than anticipated, remains to be seen.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Report: Vince McMahon Launching Entertainment Company, Enlisting Former WWE Personnel

“We make movies,” was Vince McMahon’s description of WWE’s main product in the 1999 film “Beyond The Mat,” and now it looks like the disgraced former WWE Chairman is set to enter the entertainment field, following his exit from TKO Group Holdings.

According to PWInsider, McMahon is setting up a new entertainment company, alongside former WWE executives Brad Blum and Kristen Prouty will be involved in the company. Blum was McMahon’s chief of staff before McMahon’s first retirement in 2022, when both men exited the company. Blum returned with McMahon, when the former WWE Chairman returned in 2023 to facilitate the merger of UFC and WWE under Endeavor, then resigned his position in May. The new entertainment company will not compete with TKO Group Holdings. It is said to be focused on fiction and nonfiction products, likely meaning movies and television, keeping it far from the sports-entertainment world of pro wrestling and mixed martial arts. The company will reportedly be based in Los Angeles, CA. 

McMahon resigned from his WWE and TKO duties in January, following the revelation of a civil suit against him, John Laurinaitis, WWE, and unnamed corporate officers for their role in the sexual abuse, harassment, and trafficking of former employee Janel Grant. McMahon, Laurinaitis, and WWE are currently awaiting the results of a federal investigation into any possible criminal charges that could stem from Grant’s allegations. On top of Grant’s allegations, McMahon, his wife Linda, WWE, and TKO Group Holdings are currently the subject of a civil suit, claiming negligence in the infamous “Ring Boys scandal” of the early 90s, which alleges Vince and Linda knew of and did nothing about ring announcer Mel Phillips’s sexual abuse of minors.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 10/29/2024

WWE will present a new episode of NXT tonight on The CW.

  • The fallout from NXT Halloween Havoc 2024
  • NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Fraxiom (c) vs. Je’Von Evans & Cedric Alexander
  • NXT Heritage Cup Match: Charlie Dempsey (c) vs. Lexis King (William Regal as his corner man)
  • Casket Match: Tatum Paxley vs. Wendy Choo
  • Zaria vs. TBA

AJ Styles – ‘It Was My Decision To Turn Down TNA Hall Of Famer Offer’

AJ Styles has clarified some recent reports that WWE passed on the opportunity to have him be inducted into the 2024 TNA Hall of Fame.

Rhino and Bob Ryder were inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame prior to Saturday night’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view event. There were other names that were being discussed, including Styles and Monty Brown.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, the Phenomenal One revealed that it was his decision to not accept the offer. He wrote,

“I’m still an active wrestler…I hope. I made the decision not to go into the TNA HOF, not WWE. I appreciate TNA, but I don’t want to go into any HOF as long as I’m still active. My choice”

Styles is currently sidelined due to a mid-foot ligament sprain.

Source: eWn

The Miz Gets Kidnapped Following WWE RAW By The Wyatt Sicks

The Miz has been kidnapped by The Wyatt Sicks, as revealed by Karrion Kross and Scarlett in a tweet following this week’s episode of WWE RAW.

In recent weeks, the group has taken aim at The Miz and The Final Testament, which has resulted in Kross demanding that The Miz figure out what’s going on.

In the post-RAW video, Kross responded to Scarlett by saying that The Miz was “dead for sure.” The two then went looking for him – and the rest remains to be seen!

Source: eWn

WWE Announces WWE ID, New Indie Wrestling Development Program

It’s no secret that one of the visions of WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Triple H, has been to expand the company into different areas, including establishing performance centers in the UK, which WWE did briefly with NXT UK, Japan, Mexico, and other territories, and creating the WWE NIL program for college athletes. Now, WWE is looking to get involved with independent wrestling, with a new program that will have them very attached to certain areas of the scene going forward.

In a press release, WWE announced “WWE ID,” short for “WWE Independent Development.” The new program has been launched to “identify, support, and develop independent wrestling schools and wrestling talent.” Five independent wrestling schools have already earned the “official designation” of being WWE ID schools, including Reality of Wrestling in Houston, the Nightmare Factory in Atlanta, the Black and Brave Academy in Davenport, Iowa, Elite Pro Wrestling Training Center in Concord, New Hampshire, and Knokx Pro Academy in Los Angeles.

“WWE ID is the latest in our efforts to identify and support the journey of up-and-coming wrestlers, in turn raising the profile of and strengthening the independent wrestling ecosystem,” Triple H said in a statement.

Wrestling Schools With WWE Ties First To Achieve WWE ID Status, Canadian Promotion Expresses Skepticism

Four of the five WWE ID schools already had strong ties to WWE, with ROW, Nightmare Factory, Black and Brave, and Knokx Pro being run/co-owned by Booker T, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, and Rikishi respectively. Meanwhile, one of Elite Pro’s head trainers, Mike Hollow, previously worked as a WWE jobber during the 90s.

Independent talent associated with the program will also receive a “WWE ID” designation, with WWE providing “financial opportunity” for the talent, as well as “assisting with training, mentorship and development, including access to world-class facilities, best-in-class ring training, athletic trainers and more.” The program will also allow fans to monitor these talent’s progress via matches, highlights, and behind the scenes content to be aired on “WWE social platforms.”

So far, at least one independent promotion has expressed hesitancy towards this new program. Taking to X this morning shortly after WWE’s official announcement, Ottawa based promotion Capital City Championship Combat, better known as C4, posted several tweets, the first of which stated the point of independent wrestling was “to grow. To learn,” and that those claiming to be independent while backed by a billion dollar promotion weren’t independent. In later tweets, the C4 poster admitted this was their immediate reaction, and hoped more info would arise that would prove them wrong.

https://twitter.com/C4Wrestling/status/1851259904088056039
https://twitter.com/C4Wrestling/status/1851264366240239714

Source: Wrestling Inc.

GoFundMe Launched For TNA’s Chris Bey

Chris Bey is currently recovering in hospital, having suffered a serious neck injury during TNA’s Sunday television taping, which required neck surgery. And now, with his medical bills increasing by the hour, a GoFundMe has been launched to help cover these costs, which Bey’s girlfriend Brittnie Brooks has confirmed is genuine.

As of writing, $37,698 has been raised toward the $45,000 goal with sizeable donations being made by names including Karrion Kross, Cody Rhodes, Nick Nemeth, Q. T. Marshall, Jinder Mahal, and Will Ospreay.

https://twitter.com/BrittnieBrooks/status/1851074315166367878

28-year-old Bey broke into the business back in 2016 and, within two years, was working already for Impact Wrestling. Subsequently, he would win the X Division Championship and has held the TNA World Tag Team Championship three times alongside Ace Austin. Additionally, he has wrestled for New Japan, where he joined the legendary Bullet Club faction, although he mainly represents them in the United States.

Source: Web Is Jericho