Tonight on Impact on AXS TV:
* Impact World Tag Team Championship: Violent By Design (Joe Doering & Deaner) (c) vs. Satoshi Kojima & Eddie Edwards
* Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo vs. Susan in a non-title match
* Knockouts Tag Champion Kiera Hogan vs. Rosemary
* Rohit Raju & Shera vs. Petey Williams & Trey Miguel
* Decay (Crazzy Steve & Black Taurus) vs. TJP & Fallah Bahh will kick things off on Before The Impact at 7 PM ET!
“Super Genie” Melissa Coates has passed away at age 50, according to the Cauliflower Alley Club.
Coates was trained at Killer Kowalski’s school in Massachusetts and also trained at Rick Bassman’s UPW Academy.
During her pro wrestling career, Coates wrestled in OVW and Deep South Wrestling. She appeared at the 2005 WWE Backlash PPV, where she attempted to break out of Chris Masters’ Masterlock Challenge.
It was in 2014 when Coates began managing Sabu as Super Genie. She appeared with him in Impact Wrestling as well as several promotions.
Before her professional wrestling career, she was in two seasons of GSN’s Extreme Dodgeball.
In late 2020, Coates was forced to undergo an amputation of her leg. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help her with medical expenses.
Mickie James will return to the ring on the NWA 73rd Anniversary pay-per-view in August.
The NWA recently announced that James had joined the company and will be executive producing the all-women’s NWA Empower pay-per-view on Saturday, August 28 from the Chase Ballroom in St. Louis. She has said she will not wrestle that night. It was believed that Mickie would wrestle at the NWA 73rd Anniversary pay-per-view the next night, at the same venue, and now that has been confirmed.
James hosted an Instagram Live video this week to announce the return to the ring. She noted that she is looking for an opponent, and wants fans to share potential opponents with NWA owner Billy Corgan.
James also talked about the Empower pay-per-view, noting that she is still looking for unsigned women’s wrestlers to send in their tapes and promos to mickiejamesproject@gmail.com if they’d like to potentially work the show.
James was released from her WWE contract back in mid-April along with other budget cuts, and will become a free agent after Wednesday, July 14 when her 90-day non-compete expires. James has not wrestled since the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match back in January. Before that, her last singles match was the loss to Zelina Vega on the September 1, 2020 RAW.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Roderick Strong returned to NXT for the first time in three months and revealed himself as the leader of the much-hyped Diamond Mine.
It all went down in the Capitol Wrestling Center on the most recent edition of NXT on USA Network. Strong’s former Undisputed Era colleague Kyle O’Reilly had just defeated NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida in a non-title main event when Adam Cole appeared. Cole and O’Reilly began to scuffle, his was the cue to NXT’s new enforcer Samoa Joe to intervene with his team of peacekeepers.
While Joe and his peacekeepers were distracted with Cole and O’Reilly, three mystery assailants entered the ring and began attacking Kushida. IT soon became clear that the chief assailant was the returning Roderick Strong who was flanked by NXT newcomer Tyler Rust, and Japanese veteran Hideki Suzuki.
Manager Malcolm Bivens then joined the three men and introduced them as the Diamond Mine.
As you might recall, Roderick Strong was last seen in NXT back in April when he appeared to resign from the brand after struggling to adapt to life as a solo performer in the wake of The Undisputed Era’s breakup.
Strong handed NXT General Manager William Regal his letter of resignation but was informed that he’d be welcome back anytime. It seems that Strong’s solution to no longer being a member of a stable was to start his own.
Source: The Sportster
A loaded line-up has been announced for tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network.
* Samoa Joe appears live after returning last week
* Million Dollar feud between Cameron Grimes and Million Dollar Champion LA Knight will continue after WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase was attacked by Knight last week
* NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida vs. Kyle O’Reilly in a non-title match
* Adam Cole will be in action
* The encore of Franky Monet’s recent World Premiere
* The Diamond Mind opens up
* Hit Row vs. Ever-Rise
* More build for Great American Bash
Several changes to the WWE product are reportedly on the horizon as they await the return of live crowds.
According to Paul Davis of WrestlingNews.co, Edge and John Cena “are expected” to return next month to prepare for SummerSlam — set for Aug. 21 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Reports indicate that Cena will face Universal Champion Roman Reigns in the main event of SummerSlam, while the Rated-R Superstar is reportedly set to feud with Seth Rollins.
Davis also reported that The Bella Twins, who were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year, are also “getting ready to return.” According to Davis, some in WWE also hope to have The Rock wrestle at Survivor Series as a way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his debut with the company.
Last week, WrestlingNews.co also reported that WWE chairman Vince McMahon knows “the product is stale.” The report also noted that some in WWE management believe they’re saving the “good stuff” for the live crowds. WWE will begin a 25-city tour on July 16, when SmackDown runs live at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Davis also noted that it looks like Becky Lynch will return soon. The former Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champion was at the Performance Center last week, supposedly to get ready for a return to the ring. Lynch has been on leave since May of last year. Lynch and Seth Rollins had their first child together, a daughter named Roux, in Decembe
WWE is also reportedly working on Brock Lesnar’s return. He hasn’t been on WWE programming since WrestleMania 36 14 months ago.
There is a need for some changes, and having major stars return will obviously help enhance the television product. With live crowds set to return, it’s the perfect time for WWE to bring in the required changes.
Source: The Sportster
Tonight’s WWE RAW will feature fallout from Sunday’s Hell In a Cell pay-per-view.
WWE has not announced any matches for tonight’s show, but the first real build for Money In the Bank should begin. That pay-per-view will take place on July 18.
Will WWE Champion Bobby Lashley gets an idea of his next challenger on tonight’s show, and will he celebrates his Hell In a Cell win over Drew McIntyre?
The Charlotte Flair vs. RAW Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley feud should also continue tonight as their match at Hell In a Cell ended with Flair winning via DQ.
Brock Lesnar and WWE have been in recent talks about Lesnar making his return to the company, according to Fightful.
The report noted WWE has plans in place for the WWE Superstar and are hoping his return could be imminent. No word on when he’ll be on WWE TV though.
His WWE contract reportedly expired last August without the two sides agreeing on new terms and, at that time, Lesnar’s merchandise was removed from WWE Shop. It was expected Lesnar would eventually return to WWE, despite not re-signing.
His most recent appearance was at WrestleMania 36 when he lost the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre.
With SummerSlam nearly sold out, it was previously noted WWE is looking to put together a WrestleMania-level PPV that would likely include Lesnar. This year’s PPV is on Saturday, August 21 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It was reported earlier this month WWE was considering Lesnar vs. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.
There has been some talk of a possible Lesnar vs WWE Champion Bobby Lashley at SummerSlam.
KICKOFF
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Natalya defeated Mandy Rose
WWE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP (HELL IN A CELL)
Bianca Belair (c) defeated Bayley
Seth Rollins defeated Cesaro
Alexa Bliss defeated Shayna Baszler
Sami Zayn defeated Kevin Owens
WWE RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Charlotte defeated Rhea Ripley (c) via Disqualification (Ripley retains the title)
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP (HELL IN A CELL)
Bobby Lashley (c) with MVP defeated Drew McIntyre (McIntyre can’t challenge Lashley for the title again.)
NJPW announced Friday that The Good Brothers will be returning to the company in July to compete in the Tag Team Turbulence tournament on NJPW Strong.
Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows, former three-time IWGP Tag Team Champions, will face the team of Clark Connors and TJP in their first round match. It will be The Good Brothers’ first appearance on NJPW TV since their departure from the company in Feb. 2016.
The NJPW website has announced the following first-round match-ups:
Clark Connors & TJP vs The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows)
LA Dojo (The DKC & Kevin Knight) vs West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs)
Yuji Nagata & Ren Narita vs Fred Yehi & Wheeler Yuta
Violence Unlimited (Brody King & Chris Dickinson) vs Team Filthy (JR Kratos & Danny Limelight)
The first round will take place on July 16, and will be available for stream on NJPW World and FITE.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
![[Report] Backstage Details On Major Changes Coming In WWE When Crowds Return](https://wrestlingnewsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/wwe-e1553827961593.jpg?w=712&h=1&crop=1){kind=small}
