MLW Fusion Preview 8/3/2023

MLW FUSION this Thursday at 8pm ET headlined by Willie Mack in lucha trios action, streaming on MLW’s YouTube channel and FITE+, Friday on beIN XTRA and Saturday on Cable TV’s beIN SPORTS (find a provider). 

  • Willie Mack, Jack Cartwheel and Myzteziz vs. Black Danger, Dinamico and Genio del Aire 
  • World Heavyweight Champion Alex Kane vs Delirious 

The World Heavyweight Champion Alex Kane has been running his mouth on Willie Mack for weeks. What happens when the Champ and the #1 contender are in the arena at the same time? Find out on FUSION!

The road to Willie Mack’s World Heavyweight Championship showdown with Alex Kane sees both men in competition. Willie Mack hooks up with his amigos for a spectacular trios match-up. Can the #1 ranked Willie Mack continue his hot streak as “Chocolate Thunder’s” showdown with Kane draws near? 

Never one to be outworked or overlooked, the Bomaye Fight Club’s captain Alex Kane has also requested and been granted a match on the same card as his Fury Road challenger. 

Will the World Champ send The Calling to Suplex Island and continue to ride Bomaye’s unstoppable momentum into Fury Road? Tune in and find out!

And with the Samoan SWAT Team in the arena, how will the new World Tag Team Champions The Calling respond as their bloody war rages on.

Matt Cardona and MSL play politics. Did Mance Warner read the fine print for his Fury Road match with Cardona? 

“The God Queen’s incredible story straight from the World Featherweight Champion herself as MLW takes an All Access at Delmi Exo. 

PLUS: The next round of the 2023 MLW Open Draft!

Impact Wrestling Preview 8/3/2023

Impact Wrestling tonight on AXS TV.

  • Impact Wrestling Digital Media Champion Kenny King vs. Joe Hendry vs. Yuya Uemura
  • The Rascalz vs. Mike Bailey and Jonathan Gresham in a Impact Wrestling Tag Team Championship Contenders tournament bout
  • Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Trinity & Deonna Purrazzo vs. The Coven
  • Alan Angels vs. Heath Miller
  • Jake Something vs. Davey Vega

ROH Preview 8/3/2023

ROH will air a new episode of its weekly television show tonight at 7 pm ET on HonorClub. 

You can sign up for the streaming service here. Below is the lineup for the show: 

ROH Women’s Championship: Athena (c) vs. Diamante

ROH Pure Championship: Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Josh Woods

Gravity vs. Tony Nese in an ROH TV Title Eliminator Tournament match

Shane Taylor vs. Christopher Daniels in an ROH TV Title Eliminator Tournament match

Leyla Hirsch in action

The Elite Reportedly Voted To Decide Whether They’d Stay In AEW Or Join WWE

After a lengthy period of negotiations, it was announced yesterday that The Elite had signed new contracts with All Elite Wrestling, ensuring Tony Khan won’t have to think of another fitting adjective that starts with “E” — at least not for another few years.

On the latest “Wrestling Observer Radio,” journalist Dave Meltzer stated that all four members agreed they would stick together, leaving their destination up to a majority vote. Opinions, and votes, amongst the group reportedly changed over the course of negotiations, but all four eventually agreed to stay with AEW.

Additionally, Meltzer said he had heard about four-year deals being signed by all four, but neither he nor co-host Bryan Alvarez could confirm that number. The nature of AEW’s schedule, as opposed to the more grueling schedule of WWE, was reportedly the critical factor for the four men in their decision to stay. While he wasn’t sure of the exact day the contracts were signed, Meltzer believes the deals were put together several weeks ago.

Following the announcement of their new contracts, all four members of The Elite appeared on “AEW Dynamite” last night. Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks faced Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, and Satnam Singh in a trios match. Following the match, “Hangman” Adam Page, along with Matt and Jeff Hardy, came to the aid of Omega and the Jackson brothers.

With less than four weeks until AEW All In at Wembley Stadium, possible match-ups for the members of The Elite are still up in the air. The group recently concluded a lengthy feud against the Blackpool Combat Club, and last night’s episode didn’t quite seem to set up what’s next for the faction. However, it was teased that fans can expect to see The Elite on “AEW Collision” soon in addition to “Dynamite.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Rob Van Dam Makes AEW Debut On Dynamite

WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam has arrived in All Elite Wrestling.

During Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite, the ECW legend came out to confront Jack Perry during the latter’s face-off with Jerry Lynn.

While Lynn said there was no way he would be able to be cleared to face Perry, he brought out his old friend in “The Whole F’n Show” Rob Van Dam.

Perry wound up retreating through the crowd as Lynn and RVD hugged.

Later in a backstage interview segment RVD issued a challenge to Perry for a FTW Title match.

It was announced that next week on Dynamite, RVD will face Perry for the FTW title in a FTW Rules Match.

AEW Dynamite 200 Preview 8/2/2023

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite, live on TBS is the 200th episode. The show will take place from the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.

  • AEW Women’s Championship: Toni Storm (c) vs. Hikaru Shida
  • ROH Tag Team Championship: Aussie Open (c) vs. El Hijo del Vikingo & Komander
  • Chris Jericho & Konosuke Takeshita vs. Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia
  • Jack Perry face-to-face with Jerry Lynn
  • Jon Moxley vs. Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Trent Beretta in an anything goes match
  • AEW World Heavyweight Champion MJF to speak
  • Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) vs. Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh
  • Matches will be announced for All In

Vince McMahon Served Search Warrant & Federal Grand Jury Subpoena

As revealed in the latest WWE quarterly earnings report, WWE Executive Chairman Vince McMahon was served with a search warrant and federal grand jury subpoena on July 17. Asked about the warrant and subpoena on a media call covering the earnings report, WWE CEO Nick Khan declined to comment on specifics but stated that they were cooperating with the investigation (via Twitter). McMahon underwent major spinal surgery two weeks back, likely within days of being served with the subpoena.

While the specific details of the warrant and subpoena remain a mystery, it’s known that McMahon has been under investigation for allegedly paying off a number of women in an attempt to keep them quiet regarding sexual misconduct. As of now, no charges have been filed against McMahon.

Elsewhere in the report, WWE confirmed that the independent investigation into McMahon has concluded. However, it states the company could receive further “regulatory, investigative and enforcement inquiries, subpoenas, [and] demands” pending outside investigations, referring to the current federal inquiry.

Just over a year ago, McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO as allegations emerged accusing him of sexual misconduct. McMahon remained the controlling majority shareholder, and reinstated himself as Executive Chairman of the company’s board in January of this year. Additionally, while McMahon’s son-in-law, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, reportedly remains in control as head of creative, there have been various reports that McMahon has had a growing influence on TV programming.

WWE is in the midst of a merger with UFC, where it will join the MMA promotion under the Endeavour corporate umbrella. Up to this point, McMahon has had the support of Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel throughout the merger process.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Confirms Vince McMahon’s Recent Spinal Surgery

As previously reported, Vince McMahon underwent major spinal surgery last month.

WWE reported second quarter 2023 financial results on Wednesday. In company filings, WWE confirmed McMahon did undergo surgery.

The filing noted, “On July 21, 2023, Mr. McMahon went on medical leave after undergoing major spinal surgery. Mr. McMahon will remain on medical leave until further notice but will remain Executive Chairman of the Company.”

McMahon walked away from WWE last summer as WWE CEO and Chairman amid the sexual misconduct and hush money allegations that were being investigated at the time. He eventually returned in January and later signed off on the Endeavor Group acquiring WWE to merge the promotion into a new company with the UFC later this year.

Source: eWn

The Elite Sign New Multi-Year Deals With AEW

Sports Illustrated reported today that The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Hangman Page) have each signed new multi-year deals with the company.

The article added Omega and the Bucks will also continue in their roles as Executive Vice Presidents.

Their deals were slated to expire at the end of this year and reportedly had interest from WWE.

“I’m excited to share that Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Hangman Adam Page will all be staying in AEW for years to come,” AEW owner Tony Khan said in a statement. “We look forward to celebrating the great news with fans around the world.”

Tony Khan confirmed that the new deals with The Elite were inked before tonight’s 200th episode of “AEW Dynamite,”

Here are the statements made by Omega and The Young Bucks:

Kenny Omega: “Our original goal was to create a wrestling alternative and give a platform to talented people that we’d all felt deserved a spotlight,” he said. “I feel like we did our best in that time, and hopefully some people you’d never heard of pre-AEW are folks you enjoy watching today. Or if you knew them from their previous work elsewhere, have maybe found a new appreciation for them. That feeling, combined with the feeling of knowing they can provide for themselves and their family doing what they love, was always the biggest reward of being an EVP/founder. Pro wrestling has a presence almost everywhere on the planet,” he continued. “In my pursuit to become as complete of a performer as possible, my goal was always to experience the styles of the world at their highest level. I believe that with AEW’s current working relationships, and possibly future, I can challenge all forms of pro wrestling and diversify my style so that I’m equipped for any scenario I may encounter in the ring. I was careful to weigh out all options and was open minded to all possibilities,” said Omega. “I’m here to help whomever I can while I’m still around. Up to this point, I’ve made the choice to sacrifice everything in the name of pro wrestling. I can’t say that family or my kids influenced the decision to stay with AEW–I’m not married and without kids–but what I can say is that I’m incredibly proud of my match catalog and the wonderful people I’ve met and continue to meet. AEW not only allows me to continue doing what I do at a high level, but allows the freedom to pursue some other passions I have in life–which, after nearly 25 years in the ring, have become more and more important to me.”

Matt Jackson: “We’re literally the ‘E’ in AEW,” he said. “The Elite are the main characters of this company. No matter how different AEW is now from its original inception, we are the DNA. And if you lose the foundation of your home, it eventually collapses. It’d be a lie if I said that didn’t weigh on us, when making the decision. In my older years of my career, being closer to the end than I am the beginning, I’m not really one who worries much about my legacy anymore,” he continued. “I’ve kind of noticed, like a summer tan, most memories fade. Or, they’re remembered differently or told with errors anyway. Oftentimes the memory is almost instantly forgotten, because you hit the refresh button. As far as my own personal stories, I’ll have enough to retell my grandchildren for a lifetime. And much of those stories can be about how I helped create a massively successful wrestling company where all of your favorites can be seen on live television every week.”

Nick Jackson: “If we’re going to be honest the schedule was a huge part of it,” he said. “I have a wife and three young children and seeing them as much as possible was a big factor. I’m not going to lie, the money was a huge factor, too. At this point of my life and career, I just couldn’t see myself being on the road half of the year or even more than that. I have so much respect for the guys and girls that are able to do that year after year. We for sure could’ve made memories in WWE, but what’s more important to me is making memories with my family. With the position we’re in, I’ll be able to do that and still make memories in AEW.”

WWE NXT Preview 8/1/2023

WWE NXT tonight from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on the USA Network: 

  • Fallout from The Great American Bash
  • Schism Interrogation
  • Dijak vs. Eddy Thorpe
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Jacy Jayne
  • Yulisa Leon & Valentina Feroz vs. Lola Vice & Elektra Lopez