Author: John Bass

Kyle O’Reilly Debuts On AEW Dynamite, Reunites With Adam Cole And Bobby Fish

Former NXT star Kyle O’Reilly reunited with his Undisputed Era teammates Adam Cole and Bobby Fish on this week’s Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite.

Kyle O’Reilly is officially ALL ELITE!

The former NXT star reunited with Undisputed Era stablemates Bobby Fish and Adam Cole on this week’s special Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT.

It all went down during the opening match at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Ada Cole and Orange Cassidy were going at it in a thoroughly enjoyable match when O’Reilly debuted. Cole’s buddy Bobby Fish distracted the referee and O’Reilly took advantage of the referee’s distraction to interfere on behalf of his old friend Adam Cole by attacking Cassidy. Cole then hit Cassidy with the Boom knee strike to score a pinfall victory.

https://twitter.com/AEWonTNT/status/1473826645588930562

After the match, Cole and Fish looked upon O’Reilly confusingly, as they didn’t exactly part ways on good terms when they last shared a ring. The Young Bucks arrived and appeared to ask Cole what was going on. Cole eventually left the ring with Fish and O’Reilly by his side.

https://twitter.com/AEWonTNT/status/1473827336126484480

While this was all going on, AEW president Tony Khan took to social media to confirm that O’Reilly had indeed signed a contract with All Elite Wrestling.

https://twitter.com/TonyKhan/status/1473825984868716550

Source: TheSportster

AEW Dynamite Preview 12/22/21

The Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT will air live tonight from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC.

* More details will be announced on The Owen Hart Foundation Cup Tournaments

* Adam Cole vs. Orange Cassidy

* Adam Cole gives The Young Bucks and Bobby Fish the best Christmas present ever

* Ruby Soho vs. Nyla Rose in a semi-finals match for the AEW TBS Title tournament

* Malakai Black vs. Griff Garrison

* AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker and Tony Schiavone host a Christmas party

* CM Punk, Sting and Darby Allin vs. MJF and AAA World Tag Team Champions FTR

WWE Talent And Employees Reportedly Test Positive For COVID-19, FOX NYE Special Nixed

The COVID-19 Omicron variant is forcing tighter restrictions around the world, and word now is that WWE is once again dealing with significant issues related to the pandemic.

A number of WWE talents and staff members were reportedly feeling run down coming out of last weekend’s live events and TV tapings, and some have since tested positive for the coronavirus, according to PWInsider.

While some have already tested positive, others are still waiting for their test results to return.

Friday’s Christmas Eve edition of SmackDown on FOX is already taped (spoilers here), but the COVID-19 positives could have an immediate ripple effect on the return of the annual post-Christmas Holiday Tour, which is set to return this year after being nixed in 2020 due to the pandemic.

It remains to be seen how widespread the issues are for WWE, but with the timing of the positive tests and quarantine requirements, it’s almost impossible that there will not be some repercussions as there is not enough time for some talents and staff to test negative and be cleared to return to work.

There are currently no plans to cancel any events in the United States, but next week’s events in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Laval, Quebec are up in the air due to COVID-related shutdowns and restrictions. Tickets for the Quebec show are no longer being offered, but the event is still listed as taking place as of this writing.

It’s interesting to note that due to the COVID-19 Omicron variant, FOX has canceled their “New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022” special that was set to air next Friday night. This was the reason WWE SmackDown is being bumped to FS1 on New Year’s Eve. It’s been reported that due to the bump, WWE went with a Year In Review show for SmackDown that night.

FOX has not announced replacement programming for New Year’s Eve as of this writing, but WWE has no event scheduled for that night, which is the night before the WWE Day 1 pay-per-view at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, on New Year’s Day. It’s possible WWE could tape some SmackDown content at Sunday’s live events in Tampa and Madison Square Garden in New York City, Monday’s RAW in Detroit and Monday’s live event in Orlando, Tuesday’s live events in Pittsburgh and Washington, DC, Wednesday’s live events in Toronto and Baltimore, or Thursday’s live events in Buffalo and Quebec, but nothing has been announced.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AJ Styles Appears On NXT 2.0, Confronts Grayson Waller

AJ Styles showed up at the WWE Performance Center on Tuesday, December 21 … but he wasn’t there for a workout. Instead, “The Phenomenal One” was there to confront the most hated man in NXT; Aussie upstart Grayson Waller.

It all went down on this week’s edition of NXT 2.0 when Styles confronted Waller, who earned the ire of the entire NXT locker room when he interrupted Johnny Gargano’s departure speech a few weeks ago, has been roasting Styles on social media over the last few days. As a result, Styles put Waller on notice and told him to expect a visit soon.

In case you missed it, Waller senselessly attacked Dexter Lumis with a steel chair following Dexter’s victory ver Trick Williams on Tuesday. As Waller gloated from inside the ring, live footage of Styles arriving at the Performance Center appeared on the screen. The arrogant Waller didn’t look perturbed in the slightest.

Following a commercial break, Styles made his way to the ring and came face-to-face with the dude who insulted his hairstyle on Instagram earlier in the week. Waller and Styles went back and forth on the mic, with Styles attempting to bury Waller by pointing out his shallow attempt to get a rub from a bigger star. Waller talked a big game and threatened to “end” the former WWE Champion.

The situation almost got physical, and Waller even took off his shirt in an attempt to goad Styles. When Styles called his bluff, Waller backed down and left the ring, telling Styles that he wants Omos to take care of Styles first.

As you might recall, Omos and AJ split on the latest edition of Raw after AJ loudly chastised Omos and Omos retaliated.

Source: TheSportster

WWE NXT Preview 12/21/21, AJ Styles

Tonight’s WWE NXT 2.0 episode will feature more build for the upcoming New Year’s Evil event.

* AJ Styles appears for new feud with Grayson Waller

* Dakota Kai vs. Raquel Gonzalez in a Street Fight

* Pete Dunne vs. Tony D’Angelo

* Trick Williams vs. Dexter Lumis

* The Grizzled Young Veterans vs. The Creed Brothers

* Von Wagner will appear

NXT 2.0’s Grayson Waller posted a video on Twitter this week in which he mocked former WWE Champion AJ Styles and even stole his phenomenal moniker. Styles responded to the video on Twitter and will seemingly follow up on that via a physical confrontation.

Waller questioned whether he had heard right, tweeting that Styles had better wipe his feet should he dare to show up in NXT tonight. WWE then retweeted Waller’s message, not confirming Styles is going to show up, but effectively doing so by ackowledging the whole thing. It’ll be a welcome break for Styles and a chance for him to be in a ring without having to check Omos isn’t lurking nearby.

WWE RAW Preview 12/20/21

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI.

AEW Will Hold Men’s And Women’s Owen Hart Cups In 2022

It was announced earlier this year that AEW had partnered with The Owen Hart Foundation to honor the late wrestler in a number of ways. Through the creation of exclusive merchandise, the potential of inclusion of Hart in AEW’s upcoming video game, and perhaps most exciting of all, the first-ever annual Owen Hart Cup Tournament. The winner of the tournament will receive a cup called The Owen.

Tony Khan was a guest on Busted Open Radio last week. On the show, the AEW chairman revealed more details about the tournament. In fact, Khan revealed there will actually be two tournaments, one for male wrestlers and another for female performers. Owen’s widow Martha has been working closely with AEW and will present the cups to both winners.

More details about the tournaments were revealed on Rampage on Friday night. Both will be taking place in May 2022 with each final happening at next year’s Double Or Nothing. More details will be announced during next week’s Holiday Bash Dynamite special.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1472585009471107073

The partnership between AEW and the Owen Hart Foundation will finally provide a chance for Owen’s life and career to be celebrated in the pro wrestling sphere. Owen tragically lost his life falling from a zip wire during a WWE PPV in 1999. Martha blames WWE for her husband’s death so has not allowed them to use his name for promotional gain. That includes allowing him to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

https://twitter.com/owen_foundation/status/1472313203774222338

Source: TheSportster

AEW Rampage Preview 12/17/21

Tonight’s AEW Rampage will air on TNT from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas.

* Submission Match: Tay Conti vs. Penelope Ford

* The Young Bucks, Adam Cole & Bobby Fish vs. Best Friends (Trent, Chuck Taylor, Orange Cassidy) & Rocky Romero

* AEW World Tag Team Champions The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero M & Rey Fenix), Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz vs. Daniel Garcia, The Acclaimed & 2point0

* Dan Lambert returns to AEW

WWE SmackDown Preview 12/17/21

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will air live from the Allstate Arena near Chicago.

Universal Champion Roman Reigns returns to SmackDown this Friday

“The Samoan sabbatical is over this Friday. After taking a week away on a night that saw Brock Lesnar wreak more havoc on the blue brand by attacking Sami Zayn yet again and hunting down WWE Official Adam Pearce to tell him a rather threatening story, Universal Champion Roman Reigns is set to return to Friday Night SmackDown. What will The Head of the Table have in store? How will he respond to The Beast’s latest actions on the road to their championship showdown at WWE Day 1? Find out live on SmackDown this Friday at 8/7 C on FOX!,” WWE wrote in their official preview for tonight.

Indie Star Dani Mo Reportedly Assaulted Backstage At OVW Event

Independent wrestling star Dani Mo was reportedly punched in the eye during a backstage altercation with one of her peers at an OVW show.

At a recent OVW event, independent wrestler Dani Mo was allegedly assaulted backstage during a pre-show meeting. after she broached the topic of some of her peers working while intoxicated.

Indie veteran Facade, who is Dani’s real-life partner, took to social media shortly after the incident to share his side of the story.

“We’re headed back from Louisville right now. During a backstage meeting where “officials asked to leave,” Dani was sucker punched in the eye from behind after speaking up about people getting intoxicated before the show,” Facade tweeted. In a follow-up tweet, Facade said he didn’t want to put anyone on blast but that the incident wasn’t cool.

https://twitter.com/1FACADE/status/1471659207812390913

Later, Dani clarified that OVW was not at fault for the incident and placed the blame solely on the unnamed individual who attacked her.

“I want to make this CLEAR, this has NOTHING to do w/ a company I work for, this insident was out of their hands COMPLETLY. It was w/ 1 particular person. Please do not make assumptions nor bash anyone,” she tweeted.

https://twitter.com/realdanimo/status/1471683769661014019

Dani Mo debuted for OVW back in May and has wrestled for the company 29 times since. She was originally scheduled to face Sierra for the latter’s OVW Women’s Championship at OVW’s Christmas Chaos event on Thursday, December 16. Dani withdrew from that match prior to the event, presumably as a result of the aforementioned backstage altercation.

Ohio Valley Wrestling is a Kentucky-based promotion that is currently owned and booked by businessman Matt Jones and former WWE Superstar Al Snow. The promotion was closely associated with WWE in the late ’90s and early 2000’s when it served as a developmental territory. During its glory days, the promotion was responsible for developing future megastars like Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, and Batista.

Source: TheSportster