Author: John Bass

WWE Official ‘Confident’ About Naomi’s Return

Naomi and Mercedes Mone walked out of the May 16th, 2022 episode of Monday Night RAW over a creative dispute with Vince McMahon. Naomi and Mone were suspended indefinitely and WWE hasn’t advertised or mentioned them ever since.

According to a report from Fightful Select, a particular higher-up in WWE is of the opinion that there have been discussions between Naomi and WWE, and the company is “confident” about The Glow returning to WWE although no timetable has been listed as of yet.

Naomi’s WWE contract was on the verge of expiration at the time she walked out of RAW. Both parties were reportedly interested in extending the deal.

The report further suggests that Naomi was in line to receive the biggest money contract of her career before things went downhill. In September, Naomi was reported to have maintained positive contact with WWE.

Source: eWrestlingNews

Update On Injuries To Jay Briscoe’s Daughters

Josh Wharton, a family friend of the late Jay Briscoe, has provided an update on the health of Gracie and Jayleigh — Jay’s two daughters who suffered severe injuries in the auto accident that led to the wrestler’s death.

According to Wharton’s Facebook page, Gracie “could not feel anything from the waist down” post-accident when she was admitted to a local hospital, where she was diagnosed with an L2 dislocation, L3 and L4 fractures, and spinal cord compression. Once she was stabilized and transferred to a bigger hospital, Gracie got feeling back in her thighs but continued to feel nothing below her knee. She ultimately underwent surgery around 3 AM on Wednesday, the 18th of January. The doctors were able to relieve the compression in her spinal cord and the surgery went as well as possible.

Gracie, 12, continues to deal with swelling and trauma in her spinal cord, as doctors play “the waiting game” hoping for a full recovery. On a positive note, she experienced “tingling in her feet” on and off Thursday, and doctors expect her progress to occur on a day-to-day basis. 

As of Thursday night, Gracie does not have feeling back in her legs. However, fortunately, she is not diagnosed with any other injuries.

Meanwhile, Jayleigh, 9, was diagnosed with an open tibia and fibular fracture at a local hospital, where she underwent surgery. The doctors placed her in an external fixator and sent her to a bigger hospital, where she remains. 

Jayleigh, diagnosed with a C7 fracture, is expected to remain in a neck brace for another six weeks. She is also dealing with L3 and L4 fractures, which will keep her in a back brace for another 12 weeks. She also has a broken rib on the right side. Furthermore, she suffered from internal bleeding Thursday, but the doctors performed bowel resection surgery and corrected the issue. 

Wharton has also shared a text message he received from Ashley, the wife of Jay.

“Both girls are in a lot of pain,” read the text from Ashley. “We would like to express how thankful we are for the outpouring of support from our community and the wrestling community worldwide.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Triple H Reportedly Makes Decision On Future Of WWE Tag Titles

The Usos are currently the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the two pairs of belts they hold are inseparable. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Triple H has a plan in place to make sure that there will be two different sets of tag titles for WWE’s men’s division.

The unification of the “WWE SmackDown” and “WWE Raw” Tag Team Championships was the idea initially, but Triple H recently made the decision to go back to treating them as separate entities. Doing this would allow The Usos to keep hold of one set of titles, even after losing the other. The reported hope is that separating the “Raw” and “SmackDown” titles makes it seem more likely that The Usos can lose when defending them.

It was back on the May 20, 2022 episode of “SmackDown” when The Usos defeated RK-Bro to unify the “Raw” and “SmackDown” tag titles together in a “Winner Take All” match. Jimmy and Jey have held the “SmackDown” Championship since July 18, 2021, defeating Dominik and Rey Mysterio at Money In The Bank. Their current reign is the longest WWE Tag Team Championship reign in the company’s history. Along with their “Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns, The Usos’ dominance has been a big help in solidifying The Bloodline as the preeminent faction in WWE, with wins over The New Day, The Street Profits, Hit Row and more during their history-making reign. Now the champs will soon be squaring off against The Judgement Day for the “Raw” straps.

Judgement Day vs. The Usos for the RAW Tag Team Titles is set for this Monday at RAW 30th Anniversary show, RAW Is XXX.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Rock Has Reportedly Told WWE He Won’t Be Ready In Time For WrestleMania

There are high hopes for this year’s WrestleMania. Especially if Triple H can hold onto his creative role long enough to be the one in charge of booking it. Top of many people’s WrestleMania wish lists is The Rock returning to reclaim his position at the head of the Samoan Dynasty’s table, but anyone with that WrestleMania dream may have just had it dashed.

Just hours after WWE dropped new Rock merch, making many believe his comeback was imminent, Wrestling Observer Newsletter has reported a WrestleMania match for The People’s Champ is off the table. According to the new report, The Rock has spoken to WWE and informed them he will not be able to be in the right shape for a match in time to face Reigns at WrestleMania.

Despite apparently shooting down plans to compete at WrestleMania, a match that would have been The Rock’s first for seven years, the movie star reportedly signed off by saying he would be open to other plans in the future. What’s a little confusing about all of this, if it is indeed accurate of course, is the insinuation that these plans have been sprung on The Rock all of a sudden.

While nothing official has been confirmed by WWE in terms of a Rock return, the belief among fans that he and Reigns would clash at WrestleMania has been alive and well for a very long time. So much so that you’d have to think Rock and WWE have at least discussed a potential matchup when WrestleMania goes Hollywood a little over two months from now.

On the bright side, if The Rock really isn’t going to be a part of WWE’s WrestleMania plans, the company can now move forward with whatever plan B is. Just in time for the Royal Rumble. It’s implied in the report that Rock is out that WWE was likely pressing for an answer from The Great One, needing to know what its road to WrestleMania is going to look like before solidifying a couple of main eventers through its Royal Rumble matches eight days from now.

Source: TheSportster

MLW Fusion Preview 1/19/2023

MLW FUSION tonight at 8pm ET streaming worldwide on Pro Wrestling TV and Saturday 8pm ET nationwide on cable television on beIN SPORTS. 

This week’s card:

  • Jacob Fatu vs. Ben-K 
  • Alex Price vs TJ Crawford
  • Trish Adora vs Gia Scott

DRAGON GATE’s Ben-K dives deep into the shark infested waters of the MLW heavyweight division as he makes his debut against 2022 Battle Riot winner Jacob Fatu!

Can the former Open The Freedom Gate champion slay the Samoan Werewolf and put the eyes of the sport on him, or will Fatu bulldoze through one of Japan’s top grapplers on he zones in on Hammerstone’s World Heavyweight title? Tune in and find out!

Plus, the wait is finally over! Alicia Atout drops the details and date for Hammerstone vs EJ Nduka: Last Man Standing for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Top Middleweight prospects put it all on the line as Alec Price takes to the skies against TJ Crawford!

Fast rising Featherweight and 8 year US army veteran Trish Adora goes one on one with Gia Scott.

Impact Wrestling Preview 1/19/2023

The fallout from an earth-shattering Hard To Kill begins on an all-new IMPACT! Tonight at 8/7c on AXS TV and 8:30pm ET on YouTube for IMPACT Insiders.

  • New IMPACT Women’s Champion Mickie James kicks off IMPACT
  • Mickie James, Jordynne Grace & Frankie Kazarian vs. Tasha Steelz, Savannah Evans & Bully Ray
  • Pit Fight: Kenny King vs. Mike Bailey
  • Deonna Purrazzo vs. Ashley D’Amboise
  • Killer Kelly vs. Taylor Wilde
  • Steve Maclin vs. Dirty Dango
  • Interview with Tommy Dreamer

BTI will feature The Design vs. Yuya Uemura & Delirious

Police Did Wellness Check On Kevin Nash After Troubling Podcast Comments

On a recent episode of the Kliq This podcast, Kevin Nash worried fans when he mentioned how it’s been 12 weeks since the death of his son Tristen and it’s been rough for him. 

“Today is week 12 that I lost my boy. Time flies when you got a gun in your mouth. I mean, time flies when you’re having fun,” Nash stated.

Sean Oliver told Nash that he should not joke around about things like that. Nash, who is a gun owner, then responded, “I can do whatever the f**k I wanna do. Long as I leave a note.”

TMZ is reporting that police did a wellness check on Nash after his troubling comments on his podcast this week, and Nash told them that he had no intention to follow through on what he said on his podcast.

Source: eWrestlingNews

Warner Bros. Discovery Blocked Jay Briscoe Tribute Show On AEW Dynamite

This past Tuesday, Jay Briscoe, real name Jamin Pugh, passed away following a car crash in Delaware at 38 years old. 

The wrestling world has been reacting ever since. The tributes continued on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, as the broadcast opened with a graphic of Briscoe and multiple wrestlers had “Jay” armbands during their matches.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that Warner Bros. Discovery did not allow AEW to do a full tribute show to Briscoe due to homophobic tweets Jay posted over a decade ago.

This is not the first time that WBD has blocked Briscoe’s involvement on AEW television, as they previously didn’t want AEW President Tony Khan to feature Jay or his brother Mark on its programming. Jay had apologized for the tweets multiple times over the years. 

Khan tapped a Ring of Honor-branded “Jay Briscoe: Celebration of Life” event after AEW Dynamite went off the air that will air on HonorClub and ROH’s YouTube channel for free.

Source: eWrestlingNews

AEW Dynamite Preview 1/18/2023

AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS and emanate from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.

  • All Atlantic Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jay Lethal
  • TNT Championship: Darby Allin (c) vs. Kushida
  • Bryan Danielson vs. Bandido
  • Jake Hager vs. Ricky Starks
  • The Young Bucks vs. Top Flight
  • Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale
  • Hangman Adam Page speaks with Renee Paquette

Jay Briscoe’s Passing Reportedly Leads To WWE NXT Change

Jay Briscoe’s tragic death Tuesday reportedly prompted the creative minds behind the scenes at “NXT” to alter a segment at the last minute for last night’s television show. 

“There was a planned NXT segment tonight where New Day would hold a ‘funeral’ for Pretty Deadly’s title shot. When word of Jay Briscoe’s passing emerged, New Day and Shawn Michaels nixed the segment, and Michaels added the Vic Joseph tribute of Briscoe to the show,” Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp tweeted late Tuesday night.

On the show, The New Day announced that they would defend the “NXT Tag Team Championships” against Pretty Deadly and Gallus in a Triple Threat tag team match at the upcoming “NXT” Vengeance Day in February. When The New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods delivered the news in the ring, they were inexplicably wearing dress clothes. Kingston and Woods appeared to pivot from what was originally intended, explaining their wardrobe for the segment by telling the crowd that they were wearing such nice attire to celebrate being “done with Pretty Deadly” after defeating them for the titles at last month’s “NXT” Deadline.

During the broadcast, “NXT” commentator Vic Joseph mentioned Briscoe’s passing on-air, offering condolences to his friends and family, as the wrestling community began to mourn such a monumental loss in the industry. “We were just informed of tragic news inside the wrestling community that Jay Briscoe has passed away,” Joseph said. “We want to take this moment to send our condolences to his friends and family.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.