Author: John Bass

WWE RAW Preview 6/7/21

Tonight’s WWE RAW on the USA Network will feature more build for the upcoming Hell In a Cell pay-per-view.

It’s likely that WWE will confirm the first Hell In a Cell pay-per-view match that will take place inside the Cell structure this year.

* Shayna Baszler meets Alexa Bliss and Lilly on Alexa’s Playground

* Drew McIntyre and WWE Champion Bobby Lashley sign their contract for Hell In a Cell

* Battle Royal to determine new #1 contenders for RAW Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos: The Viking Raiders (Ivar, Erik), The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods), Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado, Gran Metalik), T-BAR and MACE, plus R-K-Bro (Riddle, Randy Orton)

NWA When Our Shadows Fall Results 6/6/2021

Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Velvet Sky are on the call tonight. The show opens with a highlight package of the scheduled matches in circus theme.

The End (Odinson and Parrow) vs. Sam Rudo and Sal Rinauro vs. Marshe Rockett and Slice Boogie vs. Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf 450

Winners: Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf 450

After the bell, The End confront Bestia and Mecha Wolf in the ring, but leave without getting physical.

Non-Title Grudge Match: There Must Be A Winner – NWA Television Champion The Pope vs. Tyrus

Winner: Tyrus

After the bell, Tyrus and Idol head to the back. Idol shouts, “Get that man a stretcher!” towards Pope, who does leave the ring on his own feet.

Thunder Rosa and Melina vs. Kylie Rae and Taryn Terrell

Winners: Kylie Ray and Taryn Terrell

After the bell Ray celebrates and heads to the back.

JTG vs. Fred Rosser

Winner: JTG

After the bell, JTG extends a hand to Rosser, who gets to his feet. JTG heads to the back, celebrating his NWA debut victory.

NWA World Tag Team Championship – Aron Stevens and JR Kratos (c) vs. War Kings (Jax Dane and Crimson) vs. NWA National Champion Chris Adonis and Thom Latimer

And Still: Aron Stevens and JR Kratos (c)

After the bell, Kratos shows respect to his partner. Commentary notes this is the first time in months Stevens and Kratos have shown cooperation.

NWA Women’s World Championship – Serena Deeb (c) vs. Kamille

And New: Kamille (c)

After the bell, Kamille celebrates with the title before heading to the back.

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship – Nick Aldis (c) vs. Trevor Murdoch

Murdoch has control early on and rattles the champion. Aldis shoves the referee who is not pleased with his actions whatsoever. Aldis flees to the outside to catch his breath, but is still fighting a defensive battle when he gets back in the ring. After taking a lot of Murdoch’s offense, Aldis is able to resume control. Aldis begins toying with Murdoch, slapping him about and throwing him into the ropes.

Murdoch sees a glimmer of hope by responding with a massive clothesline. Aldis is tossed to the ropes once more and is shattered with another clothesline from the challenger. Murdoch ascends to the top rope and lands a bulldog from the skies. Commentary go wild as Murdoch goes for the cover, but Aldis escapes at 2. Aldis flees to the outside as Thom Latimer comes ringside. Latimer has a chair and distracts the referee. While this is going on, Aldis brings a chair in of his own and hits the referee with it. With no official present, Aldis strikes Murdoch with numerous chair shots, ascends the top rope, and lands an elbow from the skies to Murdoch’s back. Aldis goes up for another but Murdoch moves out of the way. Murdoch takes the chair for himself and strikes Aldis with the weapon. Aldis is now locked in a cloverleaf as the referee wakes up.

The referee makes his way back in the ring and calls for the bell. Murdoch celebrates, but the referee corrects the ring announcer. He says Aldis is the winner by disqualification, as he pieced the present chair and Murdoch on the offensive as a DQ by the challenger’s hands.

And Still: Nick Aldis (c) [by disqualification]

WWE To Hold Its Next Draft Shortly After SummerSlam?

If the latest report is to be believed, WWE is planning to hold its next draft a little more than a week after this year’s SummerSlam.

A new report courtesy of the Mat Men Podcast’s Andrew Zarian has potentially revealed when WWE plans on holding its next draft. According to Zarian, the draft will begin on the August 30, 2021, edition of Raw, and conclude four days later on the September 3 episode of SmackDown. That will be a twist on what WWE has usually done since SmackDown moved to Fox.

The last draft, which took place in October 2020, started on SmackDown and ended on Raw three days later. It’s unclear why WWE has decided to switch things up, if the above report does indeed come to fruition. It should also be noted that these dates fall shortly after SummerSlam. The dust from any big SummerSlam bouts will only have one Raw and one SmackDown to settle before the roster is reshuffled.

It’s also rather telling that WWE is planning to pull the trigger on its next draft less than a year after the last one. Everything going on with the promotion’s roster right now indicates that management doesn’t really know what direction it is headed with most of its Superstars. Braun Strowman was released two weeks after competing for the WWE Title, and Aleister Black was let go after finally getting the restart he deserved.

Those releases have also left what was a pretty packed roster not so long ago looking rather sparse. There are a few reasons why Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley are wrestling yet again at Hell In A Cell, and a lack of fresh opponents for the WWE Champion is one of them. The roster is in serious need of a shake-up, which is likely why this year’s draft has been brought forward.

Source: The Sportster

Former WWE Star Andrade El Idolo Signs With AEW

Andrade El Idolo (formerly known as Andrade in WWE) is now officially All Elite as he made his AEW debut on Friday Night Dynamite alongside Vicki Guerrero. Coming out in the second segment of the show, his debut comes only a couple of months after the wrestler asked for and was granted his release by WWE.

https://twitter.com/AEWonTNT/status/1401002870757990404

The 31-year-old originally first appeared in WWE in 2015 and the sky was the limit for the International star. Having formerly wrestled under a mask and going by the name La Sombra, he had become a major star in Mexico and Japan and was a founding member of Los Ingobernables.

Andrade was a big star in NXT and eventually won the NXT Championship. But, upon his debut with WWE’s main roster, he didn’t see the same type of success. He was quickly relegated to mid card status and then often not used at all. Eventually, he requested his release and it was granted, after it appeared WWE was, at first, hesitant to do so.

There are many who suggest WWE really dropped the ball with Andrade. He is a tremendous in-ring worker and while the criticism in WWE seemed to be that he had trouble cutting promos, he took a swing at one on his first night in AEW and seemed to do just fine. He said he used to be known as the face of Latinos. Now, he’ll be known as the face all All Elite Wrestling.

According to an exclusive report by WrestlingInc. Andrade met with Tony Khan of AEW right at the time of his release with WWE. Because he didn’t have a non-compete clause in his contract, he was free to sign right away. Khan was keen to bring him in, but the reason it didn’t work out is because Andrade had a list of demands that Khan was uncomfortable meeting.

The report notes, “Negotiations stalled because of Andrade’s demands, which included wanting creative control and veto power on losing.” They add, “There was a compromise made on that, and he will have a limited amount of creative control on his finishes. Andrade also wanted to work for other companies outside of WWE.”

The site is also reporting that IMPACT Wrestling had spoken extensively with Andrade and that he asked for the same demands and while they were willing to guarantee part of his creative control requirements, the two sides were far apart on the number of dates he was going to be guaranteed on a paid-per-date deal. This is how a lot of IMPACT deals are structured now. They add, “They were pretty close on a one-off appearance at one point.”

Source: The Sportster

AEW Dynamite Preview 6/4/21

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite episode airs on TNT at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. This week’s show was preempted on Wednesday due to the NBA Playoffs. It will feature the fallout from this past Sunday’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view event.

* Darby Allin & Sting Will Address Their Win Over Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky

* Red Velvet vs. The Bunny

* Dustin Rhodes vs. Nick Comoroto (Bullrope Match)

* Jungle Boy & Christian Cage vs. Private Party

* Young Bucks vs. Death Triangle (PAC & Penta El Zero M)

*Cody Rhodes & Lee Johnson vs. QT Marshall & Anthony Ogogo

* Mark Henry Speaks

* Dr. Britt Baker’s Championship Celebration

WWE SmackDown Preview 6/4/21

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will feature two big title matches.

WWE has announced that SmackDown Tag Team Champions Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio will defend against The Usos on tonight’s show. Jimmy and Jey defeated The Street Profits last week to earn tonight’s title shot.

WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews will also be defending his title tonight. He will face Kevin Owens with Commander Azeez banned from ringside.

It’s believed that the first Hell In a Cell match will be announced for the blue brand on tonight’s show, but that has not been confirmed.

Former WWE Superstar Debuts In A Vignette During Thursday’s IMPACT

Steve Maclin (real name Thomas Maclin), formerly known as Steve Cutler in WWE made his IMPACT Wrestling debut during Thursday night’s show, appearing in a vignette.

In the 48 second vignette, Maclin is seen taking a drink and looking very intense before the name MACLIN appeared with a skull under his name.

Maclin was released from his WWE Contract back on February 4.  He was a member of The Forgotten Sons.  Maclin is currently in a relationship with the IMPACT Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo.

IMPACT posted the vignette that aired Thursday night to Twitter, which can be seen below:

Impact Wrestling Preview 6/3/21

Tonight on Impact Wrestling – AXS TV

* Sami Callihan vs. Moose

* Satoshi Kojima vs. Deaner

* Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Fire ‘N Flava (c) (Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz) vs. Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering

* Tables Match: Jake Something vs. Rohit Raju

* X-Divison Championship/60-Minute Iron Man Match: Josh Alexander (c) vs. TJP will kick things off on Before The Impact (AXS TV 7/6/c)

WWE Releases Braun Strowman And Other Superstars

WWE has reportedly parted ways with several top talents, according to Fightful Select.

Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Lana, Ruby Riott, Buddy Murphy and Santana Garrett were all released today.

It was reported earlier this week that these releases were being made due to budget cuts. These come after an initial round of talent cuts in mid-April, another round of talent cuts in mid-May, and a number of significant office/corporate departures in May that were part of a major restructuring.

Strowman had been with the company since 2013. His last match came at the WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view in the Triple Threat with Drew McIntyre and WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, but he has not been seen since then. He leaves a one-time Universal Champion, a one-time Intercontinental Champion, a two-time RAW Tag Team Champion, the 2019 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner, the Greatest Royal Rumble winner, and the 2018 Men’s Money In the Bank winner.

Lana had also been with WWE since 2013. She just wrestled on this week’s RAW, teaming with Naomi for a loss to Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose.

Black signed with WWE in 2016. He was away from the storylines for 6 months but just returned in April with new vignettes after being re-packaged on SmackDown. His big TV return came on the May 21 SmackDown and it looked like he was about to feud with Big E. They were held off last week’s SmackDown but it was reported that this was a creative decision to allow for some time before they did the follow-up. Black leaves a one-time WWE NXT Champion, and the 2019 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winner with Ricochet. His wife Zelina Vega was released in late 2020 but was reportedly recently re-hired. There is no word yet on if WWE still plans to bring her back.

Riott also signed with WWE in 2016. She just competed on last Friday’s SmackDown, teaming with Liv Morgan for a loss to WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina Snuka.

Murphy signed with WWE in 2013 and leaves the company as a one-time NXT Tag Team Champion, a one-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion, and a one-time RAW Tag Team Champion. He last competed in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in April. Before that his last singles match was a DQ loss to Cesaro on the March 12 SmackDown.

Garrett originally began working with WWE in 2013 and officially signed a contract in 2019 after making various appearances over the years. She last competed in the Women’s Royal Rumble Match in January, and before that her last singles match was the loss to Mercedes Martinez at NXT’s Great American Bash Night 2 in July 2020.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 6/1/21

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will feature more build for the upcoming “Takeover: In Your House” event.

Tonight’s show will open with Kyle O’Reilly vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Pete Dunne to determine the Takeover challenger for NXT Champion Karrion Kross. The match will air with only picture-in-picture commercials.

WWE has also announced that Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde will challenge NXT Tag Team Champions MSK on tonight’s show.