Author: John Bass

WWE Reportedly Called Jeff Hardy For A Return

WWE reportedly offered a 2022 Hall of Fame induction to Jeff Hardy but he turned it down.

WWE released Hardy in early December after he reportedly turned down an offer of rehab from the company. This came after an incident at the December 4 WWE live event in Edinburg, Texas, where Hardy became sluggish as the six-man main event went on, then tagged out, and disappeared through the crowd with security following him. He was pulled from the road after that incident, and then released. Matt Hardy later stated that he didn’t feel like Jeff needed rehab at that point, and that he was in a good place in his life.

In an update, the Wrestling Observer reports that WWE Talent Relations head John Laurinaitis called Hardy a few weeks back to talk about possibly bringing him back, and offered to put him into the 2022 Hall of Fame Class.

Hardy reportedly turned the offer down and asked for his drug test results from when he was released in December, because he knew he wasn’t going to test positive for any recreational drugs. It took Hardy and his wife Beth six weeks to get the results back.

There is a feeling that Hardy is one guy WWE does not want in AEW because they’ve realized The Hardy Boyz tag team will be revitalized with so many teams in AEW to work with. Jeff and Matt have already started accepting indie and signing dates together.

Hardy is under contract to WWE through Wednesday, March 9 when his non-compete clause expires, so AEW can’t make a legal offer to him until then, but the belief is that unless he does go back to WWE, and it doesn’t look like he will, then he will end up in AEW.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Enters Multi-Year Streaming Partnership With Disney In Indonesia

WWE and Disney have entered a partnership that will see the promotion’s events streamed on the latter’s platform in Indonesia.

The parties announced as much on Tuesday, revealing the WWE Network will be heading to the Disney+Hotstar streaming service in said country. The multi-year deal will see folks in the region enjoy PPV events, as well as library content.

“Similar to the Peacock arrangement, all WWE live events will be available on Disney+Hotstar as part of a standard subscription, at no additional cost,” Deadline reports.” Programming will stream in Indonesia’s local language, Bahasa Indonesia, as well as in English.”

The partnership is set to kick off with the Royal Rumble this Saturday.

WWE president Nick Khan is reported to be keen on seeing the company’s streaming strategy mirrored overseas. The WWE Network is available via Peacock in the United States and this latest deal points to the promotion making forays into other markets.

“The Walt Disney Company has long been the gold standard in creating iconic intellectual property that serves as the backbone for international business growth,” Khan said in a statement. “Partnering with Disney+Hotstar will allow us to deliver WWE Network content including WrestleMania on a best-in-class platform to our existing fans in Indonesia while also introducing WWE to new audiences in the region as Disney+ continues to expand its reach internationally.”

This marks the first time WWE has dealt directly with Disney, however, they did have a content deal in Latin America with Fox that Disney has inherited. It also hands WWE a huge partnership with a fourth major entertainment company.

Aside from their deal with Peacock, WWE content airs on NBCU’s USA Network and FOX Corp’s FOX Network, while there’s also a deal in place with Netflix that has seen the production of an interactive horror project, as well as an incoming series about Vince McMahon.

Source: TheSportster

MLW AZTECA Preview 1/27/22

Major League Wrestling returns tonight at 8pm ET with the MLW AZTECA mini-series, featuring both MLW and AAA’s top championships on the line, and streaming worldwide for free on MLW’s YouTube channel, Fite.TV and Saturday on beIN Sports. 

  • World Heavyweight Championship: Alex Hammerstone vs. Octagon Jr
  • AAA Mega Championship: El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Aramis
  • Arez vs. Black Tigre

Cesar Duran has put together a historic and with two of the world’s top promotion’s belts on the line in one broadcast in a historic double main event.

Just weeks after being freed from Cesar Duran’s clutches, an injured Alex Hammerstone enters the Espada Underground Fight Club to put the MLW World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Octagon Jr!

Can a wounded but unbroken Hammerstone power through one of Mexico’s top luchadores and send a clear message to El Jefe, or will the champ succumb to Cesar’s wrath in Tijuana with the title switching hands?

In the second interpromotional bout, AAA MEGA Champion El Hijo del Vikingo will defend his coveted championship against Aramis. 

Plus, “The Master of Strange Style” Arez brings his unique offense to MLW Azteca as he takes to the skies against Black Tigre.

Cesar Duran presents The Bomaye Fight Club’s Alex Kane with a violent opportunity for next week. What does Duran have in store for the National Openweight Champ?

Tune in for an All Access look at EJ Nduka as “The Judge” prepares for a huge Dallas homecoming this March.

Join Rich Bocchini, Joe Dombrowski, and broadcast journalist Alicia Atout as MLW presents AZTECA!

IMPACT Preview 1/27/22

Honor No More continues to run rampant as the road to No Surrender rolls on. Don’t miss an all-new IMPACT! from Fort Lauderdale, tonight at 8/7c on AXS TV and 8:30pm ET on YouTube for IMPACT Insiders!

* Just 48 hours before Mickie James makes history by competing in the WWE Royal Rumble match, the reigning Knockouts World Champion will deliver a State of the Knockouts Address

* 8-on-1 Handicap Match: Brian Myers‘ Learning Tree vs. W. Morrissey

* The IInspiration and The Influence will collide in tag team action this Thursday. What was originally scheduled to be a Knockouts World Tag Team Title clash will now be a grudge match of epic proportions after Tenille Dashwood was deemed unable to compete. Taking her place will be The Influence’s loyal photographer, Kaleb With a K. 

* Chris Bey battles Jake Something 

* JONAH looks to assert his dominance as the “Top Dog” of IMPACT Wrestling when he goes one-on-one with Johnny Swinger.

* The action begins Before the IMPACT, streaming this Thursday at 7:30pm ET exclusively on IMPACT Plus, YouTube and Facebook. After an impressive showing in last year’s Super X-Cup Tournament, Blake Christian makes his IMPACT return against the high-flying Laredo Kid

Matt Hardy Comments On Jeff Hardy’s Renewed Pro Wrestling Passion

AEW star Matt Hardy recently spoke with the Wrestling Perspective Podcast about how easy it is to get back into the groove with Jeff Hardy. For him, when it comes to teaming up, it is just like riding a bike. He also revealed that Jeff is excited about his future within the wrestling business following his WWE release.

“I’ll be honest, when it comes to myself and Jeff teaming up and being The Hardy Boyz, it’s like riding a bike,” he said. “You just get back on and you just start pedaling and it’s business as usual. That’s one thing that’s really cool, knowing that I have literally been there since this guy was born, you know, his whole life.

“So we really know each other inside and out and it’s going to be fun. You know Jeff’s excitement and passion for wrestling have been so renewed now that he has this new horizon in front of him. I’m very excited about that.”

Matt Hardy also provided a tease about the future of The Hardy Boyz as a tag team. Without giving away any official details, he did claim that 2022 will be good for both him and his brother.

“Without going too much into detail, I am very excited to where 2022 is going to take The Hardy Boyz,” he said. “I feel like it’s going to be a great year for both Matt and Jeff.”

While there have been rumors of Jeff joining Matt in AEW, their first official match has already been announced. The Hardy Boyz will be getting back into the ring on March 12, 2022, for Big Time Wrestling. Additional dates are set to be announced soon, but that has yet to happen.

Source: Wrestling Inc. with credit to Wrestling Perspective Podcast 

Danhausen Signs With AEW, Debuts At Dynamite Beach Break

Former Ring Of Honor star Danhausen is officially ALL ELITE!

After months of teases, Danhausen is officially ALL ELITE! The former Ring Of Honor star made his AEW debut last night at Dynamite Beach Break and was confirmed as an official member of the roster shortly afterward by Tony Khan.

It all went down at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio on Wednesday, January 26 for AEW’s third annual Beach Break-themed edition of its weekly flagship show on TBS. During the Lights Out main event between Adam Cole and Orange Cassidy, Cole tried to pull a steel chair out from underneath the ring … but there was no chair, only a very evil man by the name of Danhausen. Danhausen emerged from under the ring and pointed at Cole, who was visibly baffled. AEW’s newest acquisition then hobbled up the ramp and disappeared.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1486530869368086529

If you’re unfamiliar with his work, Danhausen is a spooky-looking guy with demonic face paint and an extravagant cape who walks around carrying either a cartoonish sack of “human money” or a regular jar filled with human teeth — or both! Danhausen speaks in an exaggerated high-pitched voice which sounds like a cross between Mark Hammil’s Joker and Conan O’Brien, from whom the artist behind Danhausen admits to drawing inspiration.

Danhausen’s addition means that CM Punk is no longer the only man on the AEW roster who uses the GTS as a finisher. Danhausen adopted the move for himself, but not before asking both Punk (and KENTA’s) permission.

“So as Danhausen saw it, CM Punk, wonderful fellow, gave Danhausen the GTS as his finisher. Then Kenta got a little angry at him, but then said he doesn’t care who uses it besides CM Punk,” Danhausen said on an episode of Renee Paquette’s Oral Session’s Podcast. “So Danhausen got two blessings as far as he can see it, CM Punk and Kentahausen… Even named it Very Nice, Very Kneevil.”

Source: TheSportster

AEW Dynamite Beach Break Preview 1/26/22

The 2022 Beach Break edition of AEW Dynamite on TBS will air live tonight from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

* CM Punk will speak

* AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker will speak

* Red Velvet vs. Leyla Hirsch

* The Inner Circle’s Chris Jericho, Santana and Ortiz vs Daniel Garcia and 2point0

* Lights Out Unsanctioned Match: Adam Cole vs. Orange Cassidy

* Ladder Match: AEW TNT Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Interim AEW TNT Champion Sammy Guevara

ROH Announces Establishment Of A Hall of Fame

This past weekend, Kevin Eck teased online that a “major announcement” will be revealed this week that will excite “anyone who has ever been an ROH fan.”

Via the Ring of Honor Website, it was announced this morning that the company will be establishing a Hall of Fame to coincide with ROH’s 20th Anniversary.

You can see the full press release below:

To coincide with Ring of Honor’s 20th anniversary, the company is proud to announce the establishment of the ROH Hall of Fame.

Since its inception, ROH has created excellence in professional wrestling by giving the best wrestlers on the planet a platform to showcase their talent.

Now ROH will honor the outstanding athletes who have contributed greatly to making it one of the most influential pro wrestling promotions in the industry.

The first inductee in the inaugural ROH Hall of Fame class will be revealed this Monday. Subsequent inductees will be announced on Feb. 7, Feb. 14 and Feb. 21.

Also, each episode of Ring of Honor Wrestling in February will be devoted 

The company’s next major event, ROH’s Supercard of Honor XV, is set for this April. It was announced that Bandido vs. Jonathan Gresham to crown the Undisputed ROH World Champion will headline the Supercard of Honor event.

Supercard of Honor XV will mark ROH’s return from a hiatus. The event is scheduled for Friday, April 1 from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX. The only match announced as of this writing is Bandido vs. Gresham.

Founded on February 23, 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ring of Honor has spent the last 19 years as a place for stars to hone their craft inside the squared circle. Standout alumni include Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, as well as stars like Adam Cole, Kevin Owens, and Jay Lethal.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Possible Major Spoiler On WWE’s WrestleMania 38 Plans For Ronda Rousey

According to a report, WWE may have huge plans involving former Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey for WrestleMania 38.

Former Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey could be returning to the WWE very soon.

As previously noted, WWE is reportedly trying to bring back Ronda Rousey. Some are wondering if she’ll make a surprise return at Saturday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Inside The Ropes), Dave Meltzer reported that Rousey is “scheduled for WrestleMania” weekend on Apr. 2-3. Meltzer is assuming that Rousey will face current Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch.

Rousey’s last WWE match took place in the main event of WrestleMania 35 three years ago. Rousey (then the Raw Women’s Champion), Lynch and Charlotte Flair (then the SmackDown Women’s Champion) squared off in a triple threat match for both titles, which Lynch won (in controversial fashion) by pinning Rousey.

The women’s and men’s Royal Rumble matches usually feature several surprise entries, but we’ll just have to wait and see if Rousey makes an appearance. Some of the top names who are returning for the women’s Royal Rumble match include Impact Knockouts Champion Mickie James, Michelle McCool, Summer Rae, Kelly Kelly and Hall of Famers Lita, Nikki and Brie Bella.

Source: TheSportster

WWE NXT Preview 1/25/22

Tonight’s WWE NXT 2.0 episode on the USA Network will feature the final first round matches in the 2022 Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.