Author: John Bass

Sting Addresses His Last AEW Dynamite Crowd After The Broadcast Goes Off The Air

AEW star Sting is set to call time on his career this weekend at AEW Revolution, and last night was the final “AEW Dynamite” appearance of “The Icon” as an active wrestler. The veteran star appeared at the end of the show, coming to the aid of his tag team partner, Darby Allin, and his old friend Ric Flair, who were being attacked by The Young Bucks. In classic Sting fashion, he appeared from the rafters to make his way to the ring and used his trademark bat to inflict pain on the Bucks. 

After the show went off the air, the WWE Hall of Famer stuck around to address the fans in Huntsville, Alabama. 

“I’m not only doing my last ‘Dynamite’ — I’m doing my last ‘Dynamite’ in Huntsville,” Sting said. “I’m doing my last ‘Dynamite’ with Darby Allin as my tag team partner. I’m doing my last ‘Dynamite’ with the ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair right next to me.”

https://twitter.com/istomatoafruit/status/1763048670016962870

The crowd then erupted in “Woo!” chants for Flair, giving Sting a moment to pause before continuing with his farewell speech. The former WCW star thanked the fans again before noting another significant aspect of his appearance last night.

“This is, I think, the second time I’ve actually come out of the ceiling in this building,” Sting continued. “What was the first time? Did I throw the bat to Dallas Page?” 

Sting’s memory proved correct, and the fans let him know.

Sting was referencing a pivotal WCW moment that took place in the very same arena. On April 7, 1997 — the night after that year’s WCW Spring Stampede — ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page made his way down to the ring during “WCW Nitro” to discuss his match against the NWO’s Randy Savage from the prior night. After discussing threats Savage made against Page’s wife following Spring Stampede, Page said he would have killed Savage if he had been able to find him. Despite being hurt from the match, Page told Savage to come down to the ring to face him, and Savage did — on crutches but joined by ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan and the rest of the NWO.

Just when Hogan seemed poised to move against Page, Sting appeared, zip-lining down from the rafters for an assist. “The Crow” was brandishing a baseball bat and soon revealed that he had brought an extra, tossing it over his back to Page, who was still in the ring. Despite Sting and Page being vastly outnumbered, the two were able to intimidate the NWO into backing off as that episode of “Nitro” came to a close.

Though there was no actual action in the segment, the moment remains iconic in Sting’s history. As pointed out by commentary, part of the significance came from the fact that both Sting and Page had previously been battling the NWO separately for months. With the two coming together, the segment in Huntsville marked a turning point for the faction’s grip on WCW.

“There’s some good history right here, and I’m glad to be back right here,” continued Sting, addressing the Huntsville crowd last night.

With his time as an active wrestler coming to an end in a matter of days, the 64-year-old took some of his last promo time to let the fans know how much he has appreciated their support throughout his career.

“What can I say after all these years? What can I say? Anything I would say is just kind of trivial, but I really mean — thank you, thank you, thank you. From the bottom of my heart,” said Sting. “I could not have done any of this without this tag team partner right here, Darby Allin. And I wouldn’t have been put on the map if it wasn’t for this man right here, ‘The Nature Boy.’ I love you Huntsville.”

The crowd then chanted, “Thank you, Sting,” before the legendary star bid goodbye. Sting will have his final match in pro wrestling on Sunday, March 3, where he and Allin will defend their AEW World Tag Team titles against The Young Bucks, and the champs will have “The Nature Boy” in their corner. Allin and Sting won the tag team titles earlier this month on “Dynamite,” defeating Ricky Starks and Big Bill to begin their first run with the titles. Heading into Sunday’s pay-per-view, Sting has yet to suffer a single loss during his time in AEW. Only time will tell if the legend will retire undefeated in the promotion or if he’ll “go out on his back,” as the saying goes.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

CMLL Announces First-Ever Arena Mexico All Women’s Show On International Women’s Day

After a tremendous 2023, CMLL has kept the momentum going in 2024, forging a strong working relationship with AEW, even as visa issues attempt to neuter some of the partnership’s impact. But before CMLL holds its big AEW vs. CMLL match in late March, where the Blackpool Combat Club will face top stars Blue Panther, Mistico, Ultimo Guerrero, and Volador Jr., the promotion will do something it’s never attempted in its 91-year history.

During last night’s edition of “CMLL Informa,” CMLL announced that the March 8 edition of “CMLL Super Viernes” will be an all-women’s show. Taking place on International Women’s Day, the show will feature a five-match card, headlined by a Mexican National Women’s Tag Team Championship match where the champions, La Jarochita and Lluvia, will defend against Andromeda and Skadi.

The March 8 show will not be the first all-women’s show in CMLL history, as the promotion previously ran two such events in Puebla and Guadalajara during October 2023, and is believed to have held all-women’s shows in Arena Coliseo during the promotion’s early years. However, this will be the first-ever all-women’s event the promotion has run in their home base of Arena Mexico, considered the most iconic venue in the history of lucha libre. Though unconfirmed, should the show prove to be a success, it would likely lead to the event becoming a yearly tradition going forward.

In addition to the main event, the show will also feature former WWE Mae Young Classic competitor Zeuxis in singles action, challenging Reyna Isis for the Mexican National Women’s Championship, as well as Dark Silueta defending the CMLL Japan Women’s Championship against former WWE star La Catalina. One notable name missing from the show is Stephanie Vaquer, who will be traveling to Japan to challenge Giulia for the New Japan Strong Women’s Championship on March 10.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Sting Descends From The Rafters To Save Ric Flair & Darby Allin In Final AEW Dynamite Appearance

The Young Bucks got quite the surprise on “AEW Dynamite” after spending the majority of Wednesday’s broadcast looking for Sting on what was “The Icon’s” final appearance on the show ahead of his final match on Sunday at Revolution. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson entered the arena at the start of the show, armed with baseball bats. They attempted to find Sting in his locker room to no avail, so they came out to the ring at the end of the night and heckled some fans in Sting masks at ringside, one of whom turned out to be Darby Allin.

The Young Bucks beat up on Allin in the ring with their bats, then called out Ric Flair. Flair was seen heading into the Bucks’ locker room last week on “Dynamite,” seemingly turning on his longtime friend. When the Bucks wanted Flair to hit Allin with one of the bats, Flair turned on them with a thumb to the eye and a cheap shot. The Bucks then started to beat up on Flair, hitting him with a low blow and beating him down. 

It was then that Sting’s music hit, and the Bucks headed up the ramp to wait for him on the stage. Sting never appeared from the back, however, and descended from the rafters armed with his own baseball bat to come to Flair and Allin’s rescue. Allin hit the Bucks with a Coffin Drop, and Sting hit Nicholas with a Scorpion Death Drop to end the show, and Sting’s final “Dynamite.” Allin and Sting put their AEW World Tag Team Championships on the line against the Young Bucks at Revolution.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite Preview 2/28/2024, Stings Final Dynamite Before Retirement

AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS from the Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL.

  • Tonight will be Sting’s final appearance on AEW Dynamite before retirement
  • Blackpool Combat Club’s Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Eddie Kingston and FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler)
  • Atlantis Jr vs. Chris Jericho
  • Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue
  • Will Ospreay to appear
  • Hangman Adam Page will announce his status for Sunday’s Revolution

Shawn Spears Returns To WWE On NXT, Backstage Update On His Return

A familiar face returned to “WWE NXT” on Tuesday night, albeit, with a new name from the last time he was in the promotion. 

Shawn Spears, formerly known in the company as “The Perfect 10” Tye Dillinger, made his return on the show after he left AEW at the end of 2023. Spears appeared after the phrase “Truth will ultimately prevail but there is pain bringing it to light” appeared on the video screens while Ridge Holland was in the ring addressing the fans. He appeared behind Holland and bashed him with a chair before pulling back his hood to reveal his identity.

Spears announced in December that his time with AEW had come to an end, due to an amicable split between him and the company. Prior to the announcement, he hadn’t been seen on TV since the Over Budget Charity Battle Royale during the pre-show for All Out. He had, however, according to Dave Meltzer, been portraying one of The Devil’s masked henchmen before his departure. Spears put out a statement thanking AEW for his five years of growth and development and said it was a personal choice for him. He took time to focus on life away from the ring, as he and his wife, Cassie Lee (the former Peyton Royce in WWE) announced they were expecting their second child.

Backstage Update On Shawn Spears’ WWE NXT Return

Fightful Select has some additional details on how the deal came together, including confirmation that he’s keeping the Spears moniker.

Most talent was unaware of Spears’ return and, during rehearsals for last night’s show, Shawn Michaels served the role that Spears would later fulfill. Additionally, Spears’ name was kept off rundowns of the show and he remained hidden backstage until the big moment.

The report cited AEW sources that said Spears asked for his release last year. Spears announced in December that he was leaving AEW following more than four years with the company after the veteran hadn’t been used since August. There were reports that he was one of the masked attackers in the “Devil” storyline from last year, but he never wound up being involved in the storyline. Spears was said to have signed with WWE before the “Three Faces” vignettes began airing in recent weeks.

Spears initially signed with WWE in 2006, spending a few years in the promotion’s developmental system. He later began making appearances on “ECW” but was released in 2009. Spears then returned to WWE in 2013, gaining some traction as the Dillinger character on “NXT” before getting lost in the shuffle on the main roster. After asking for his release, the company let Spears go in 2019, and he would later join AEW starting with the company’s inaugural pay-per-view.

In addition to his name, another aspect of the Spears character seems to have been carried over from his time in AEW: an affinity for steel chairs. Spears was known as “The Chairman” for some time in AEW, and he appropriately attacked Ridge Holland with one of the “foreign objects” upon his return.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Former WWE Star Virgil (Michael Jones) Reportedly Dies Peacefully At Age 61

Former WWE star Michael Jones, known to fans as Virgil, has reportedly died at the age of 61. Wrestling referee Mark Charles III, known as THe Count, announced news of Jones’ death in a Facebook post.

“My dear friends, it is with great sorrow that I bring news from the Jones family of the passing of our beloved Michael Jones, whom we know and loved as Virgil, Vincent, Soul Train Jones and more,” the post reads. “Virgil passed peacefully at the hospital this morning and I ask that you pray for him and for his family. May his memory be eternal!”

Jones’ health had deteriorated over the years. In 2022, he suffered two strokes and was diagnosed with dementia. Earlier in the year, Jones had announced he’d been diagnosed with stage II colon cancer. Late last year, Jones set up a GoFundMe, seeking aid for minor expenses.

Born on June 13, 1962, in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, Jones debuted in wrestling in 1985 under the name Soul Train Jones, primarily working for Jerry Jarrett’s Continental Wrestling Association in Tennessee. He would join WWE in 1986, first working under the name Lucius Brown, before being repackaged as Virgil, Ted Dibiase’s manservant, in the summer of 1987. The repackaging would launch Jones’ career and also begin the trend of him being named after other figures in wrestling, with him taking the Virgil moniker as a rib towards Dusty Rhodes, whose real name was Virgil Runnels.

Jones would serve as Dibiase’s servant for nearly four years before turning on him following a tag match against Dusty and Dustin Rhodes at the 1991 Royal Rumble. The duo would have a lengthy feud throughout the rest of 1991, with Jones arguably achieving his pinnacle at the 1991 SummerSlam, where he defeated Dibiase to win the Million Dollar Championship. Following the end of the feud, Jones was relegated down the card, and eventually left WWE in 1994, though he briefly worked live events for the promotion again in 1995.

After two years on the independent scene, Jones re-emerged in the national spotlight when he joined WCW in 1996 as a member of the nWo, reuniting with Dibiase and serving as the group’s bodyguard. Taking the name Vincent, a shot at WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, Jones generally served the role of the nWo’s jobber until the group’s initial incarnation dissolved in 1999. From there, Jones would have run with the West Texas Rednecks as Curly Bill, the bodyguard for Creative Control as Shane, a knock at Shane McMahon, and bodyguard for Ernest “The Cat” Miller as Mr. Jones, before departing WCW in late 2000.

Jones retired from wrestling after his WCW departure, though he continued to make occasional independent appearances, and even briefly returned to WWE as Virgil in 2010 to serve as Ted Dibiase Jr.’s bodyguard. In his later years, Jones became best known for his colorful personality on the convention circuit, leading to him being the subject of several memes. Jones’ last notable appearances in wrestling came for AEW in 2019 and 2020 under his original name, Soul Train Jones, where he aligned with Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle stable.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 2/27/2024

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

  • NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov & Carmelo Hayes face-to-face
  • Heritage Cup Championship: Noam Dar (C) vs. member of No Quarter Catch Crew (Drew Gulak, Damon Kemp, Charlie Dempsey, or Myles Borne)
  • Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Andre Chase & Duke Hudson
  • Von Wagner vs. Lexis King
  • Kiana James vs. Kelani Jordan
  • Dijak vs. Luca Crusifino
  • Ridge Holland speaks

TNA Looking To Make Big Changes To Weekly TV

Impact Wrestling recently brought back the TNA brand at the Hard to Kill pay-per-view, which was a successful move for the company. However, there have been changes in leadership, with Anthony Cicione now serving as TNA President following the departure of Scott D’Amore.

Dave Meltzer mentioned on Wrestling Observer Radio that TNA Wrestling is planning to do live weekly television for TNA Impact on AXS TV every Thursday and is considering various venue options, including Full Sail University.

The move is expected to take place in 2025, with a few live shows scheduled for later this year. Full Sail was previously the home of WWE NXT before they relocated during the pandemic.

Source: eWn

Ole Anderson, founding Member of The Four Horseman, Passed Away at Age 81

A founding member of The Four Horsemen and one of the biggest heels from the territory area of wrestling, Ole Anderson, has died. Ricky Morton shared the news of Anderson’s death via his Instagram account last night.

“Rest in Paradise, Ole Anderson,” Morton wrote. “You taught me so much in professional wrestling. You were tough as nails. You will be missed, my friend.”

During last night’s “WWE RAW,” Michael Cole acknowledged Anderson’s death on air before a graphic was shown. Anderson famously hated Vince McMahon (and vice versa) after he took over GCW in 1984.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1762319106617876787

Anderson, whose real name was Alan Robert Rogowski, was 81 years old. Following his wrestling career, Anderson worked as a booker for Georgia Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions, notably beefing with Vince McMahon over the takeover of GCW in 1984. 

Eventually, Anderson would wind up as part of WCW’s executive team but kept to his word as far as McMahon goes, reportedly refusing to agree to participate in documentaries and WWE Hall of Fame presentations, still hanging on to the animosity stemming from McMahon’s territory takeover. 

Anderson’s spot as an original Horseman next to Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, and Arn Anderson, managed by J.J. Dillon, was ultimately ceded to Lex Luger in 1987. He was also part of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew, alongside his kayfabe brother Gene Anderson, replacing Lars Anderson (also not related) in the group upon his departure from the territory. In 2007, it was reported that Anderson had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis although there is no word as of yet as to an exact cause of death.

At the same time, WWE posted about Anderson’s death, as did AEW and NWA.

AEW and the wrestling world mourn the passing of the legendary Ole Anderson. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1762319149806526889
https://twitter.com/nwa/status/1762290369465925807

Fellow Horsemen, Ric Flair said that he was “forever grateful for giving me the opportunity to become who I am today.” Veteran journalist Dave Melzter commented on the impact of Anderson on the pro wrestling industry.

Sorry to hear about the death of Ole Anderson. One of the major characters in pro wrestling of the 70s and 80s. Excellent talker and great heel.

https://twitter.com/RicFlairNatrBoy/status/1762262001059848453
https://twitter.com/THETOMMYDREAMER/status/1762272178911760474
https://twitter.com/Pau1Orndorff/status/1762332697454661716

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE RAW Preview 2/26/2024

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. 

  • Fallout From Elimination Chamber
  • Sami Zayn vs. Nakamura
  • Street Fight: New Day vs Imperium’s Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci