Author: John Bass

WWE NXT Preview 12/4/19

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode will air on the USA Network, live from the NXT Arena at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.

  • Rhea Ripley looks for payback against Dakota Kai tonight
  • How will Adam Cole respond to Finn Bálor’s attack?
  • Can Lio Rush and Angel Garza be kept apart?
  • Kushida returns to action tonight

Kushida suffered a hairline wrist fracture in mid-September, but continued feuding with WWE UK Champion WALTER and Imperium into mid-October. He has been out of action since then.

It’s believed that tonight’s episode will also see Mauro Ranallo return to the announce table.

John Morrison (John Hennigan) Has Officially Signed With WWE

It was reported last night on WWE Backstage that John Morrison, 39, is headed back to WWE. It’s currently unclear which brand he’ll be assigned to. Terms of the contract weren’t disclosed either, but WWE.com is saying it’s a multi-year deal.

It was reported back in September that the former WWE Intercontinental Champion was returning to WWE after leaving in 2011.

Morrison had since worked for Impact Wrestling (fka Johnny Impact), Lucha Underground (fka Johnny Mundo), and other promotions.

On Twitter, Morrison commented, “Confirmed. I have signed with @WWE – I’ve never been as good at anything as I am at wrestling & I can’t wait to stand again in a #WWE ring opposite the most talented people in the business!”

Morrison will be the in-studio guest for WWE’s The Bump next Wednesday morning at 10am ET.

AEW Announces New Pay-Per-View Deal With In Demand, Tony Khan Comments

AEW announced today that they have signed a new programming output deal with In Demand, which will guarantee the pay-per-view platform a minimum of one AEW event per quarter through June 2021.

“AEW pay-per-view events are the best shows in wrestling, and In Demand is a perfect PPV partner for us as well as our fans,” said AEW President and CEO Tony Khan in a press release. “With In Demand’s vast reach and connectivity, we’ll be able to bring all of our AEW pay-per-view shows into the homes of wrestling fans throughout North America.”

You can see the full announcement from AEW below:

IN DEMAND AND AEW SIGN LONG-TERM, PPV OUTPUT DEAL

— AEW Commits to Provide Minimum of One PPV Event Per Quarter through 2021 —

NEW YORK CITY (December 3, 2019)—In Demand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and pay-per-view (PPV) programming distributor, owned by Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, and Cox Communications, announced that it has finalized a deal with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) for a programming output deal that guarantees In Demand a minimum of one PPV event per quarter through June 2021.

“We’re huge fans of AEW’s exciting wrestling talent and events, and are pleased to partner with them as they continue to build their audience, marketing and distribution,” said Mark Boccardi, In Demand’s SVP, Programming & Marketing. “This commitment from AEW demonstrates that our programming partners see the value in a long-term relationship with In Demand, and with the pay- per-view platform itself. We’re able to offer our content partners the largest distribution reach in the PPV business, as well as customized marketing and promotional support.”

“AEW pay-per-view events are the best shows in wrestling, and In Demand is a perfect PPV partner for us as well as our fans,” said AEW President and CEO Tony Khan. “With In Demand’s vast reach and connectivity, we’ll be able to bring all of our AEW pay-per-view shows into the homes of wrestling fans throughout North America.”

About In Demand: In Demand is an innovative partnership between three of the leading cable companies in the U.S.—Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, and Cox Communications. In Demand is a company of trusted content aggregators and licensing experts, with unparalleled technical expertise and long-standing relationships with MVPDs, major sports leagues, Hollywood studios, and other entertainment and sports companies across North America. In Demand delivers great content to more than 60 million cable homes and has distribution deals with more than 200 companies. For more information, go to indemand.com.

About AEW AEW is a new professional wrestling promotion headlined by members of The Elite (Cody & Brandi Rhodes, Matt & Nick Jackson, Kenny Omega and Hangman Page) and Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley. For the first time in many years, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a growing roster of world-class male and female wrestlers who are poised to bring new spirit, freshness and energy to the industry. The inaugural event under the AEW banner was DOUBLE OR NOTHING in Las Vegas, followed by FYTER FEST in Daytona Beach, FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN in Jacksonville, ALL OUT in Chicago, and FULL GEAR in Baltimore.

AEW is broadcasting two-hour weekly shows on TNT (U.S.) on Wednesdays from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. The action-packed matches take place in different cities across the nation each Wednesday. For more info, check out @AEWrestling (Twitter), @AllEliteWrestling (Instagram), /AllEliteWrestling (FB), AllEliteWrestling (YouTube).

Impact Wrestling Preview 12/3/19

With Throwback Throwdown in the rearview mirror, Impact Wrestling returns to their regularly scheduled programming this week as IMPACT emanates from New York City. Tune in at 8/7c on AXS TV and Twitch.

* Brian Cage vs. Eddie Edwards

* ODB is making her long-awaited return to IMPACT Wrestling

* The Rascalz vs. Ace Austin and Reno Scum

* The new attitude RVD has decided to return to IMPACT this Tuesday to speak his mind

AEW Reportedly Being Investigated By The Maryland State Athletic Commission

The Maryland State Athletic Commission is reportedly investigating AEW over the “Unsanctioned Lights Out” Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega match that took place at AEW Full Gear on November 9.

Former WCW announcer Chris Cruise recently contacted the commission regarding the Omega vs. Moxley match and asked about their rules on blading, and allowing matches to continue if a performer is bleeding either intentionally or unintentionally, and if there was a commission doctor at the show, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

After repeated requests, Cruise was told that the commission prohibits wrestlers from deliberately lacerating themselves or their opponents, or introducing human or animal blood into the match. The commission also said they were at Full Gear and they had a doctor assigned to the show. They also stated that they were conducting a formal investigation into the match and because of that investigation, they were unable to comment on questions about the match.

Cruise recently Wrestling with History podcast and talked about why he doesn’t see AEW succeeding.

“AEW has millions of dollars from the son of a billionaire and is not setting the world on fire and will not succeed,” Cruise said. “It may last a long time, but will never be profitable. Somebody once said ‘if you want to be a millionaire, start with a billion dollars and buy an airline.’ It’s the same thing with a pro wrestling organization; it’s just going to bleed you dry. Not everything is guaranteed to last forever. It’s my convention that wrestling has seen better days.”

Below is Cruise’s Facebook post from November 23, where he mentioned his plans to contact the commission:

I’ll be asking the Maryland State Athletic Commission why it didn’t enforce its own rules at AEW Full Gear. Here are some of those rules. See esp. (m).F. Prohibited Activities.

(1) The following actions are prohibited:
(a) Striking an opponent with a fist or using the knuckles;
(b) Scratching or gouging the opponent;
(c) Butting the opponent;
(d) Slamming an opponent into a ring post;
(e) Striking an opponent with a foreign object;
(f) Kicking an opponent unless a recognized wrestling move;
(g) Stranglehold;
(h) Pulling hair;
(i) Inhibiting breathing by covering the nose and mouth at the same time;
(j) Jumping from the ring ropes onto an opponent;
(k) Deliberately leaving the ring enclosure during a contest;
(l) Unsportsmanlike or physically dangerous conduct; and
(m) Deliberately lacerating oneself or one’s opponent, or, by any other means, introducing human or animal blood into the ring.
(2) A wrestler continuing to engage in prohibited activities after sufficient warning may be disqualified by the referee.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dark Preview 12/3/19

The following matches were taped for tonight’s AEW Dark episode on YouTube:

* Jimmy Havoc vs. Brandon Cutler

* Sonny Kiss vs. Shawn Spears

* Proud and Powerful (Santana and Ortiz) vs. Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt

NWA Powerrr Preview 12/3/19

The following is scheduled for tonight’s episode 9 of NWA Powerrr on YouTube:

* NWA World Tag Team Championship: (C) Wild Cards vs. Rock ‘N’ Roll Express

* Colt Cabana vs Ricky Starks

WWE RAW Preview 12/2/19

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee as the road to TLC continues.

For the third week in a row, WWE has not opened the day with an official preview for tonight’s show.

WWE has announced that tonight’s show will feature Seth Rollins issuing an apology to the red brand roster after last week’s apparent heel turn.

Charlotte Flair vs. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match has also been announced for tonight.

NJPW Releases Full Showdown In Los Angeles Event (Videos)

NJPW Showdown in Los Angeles took place on November 11 and NJPW has released the entire event on their English YouTube channel. The show is split up into individual matches, which you can check out below.

Here is the full card:

* Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, and BUSHI vs. Jay White, Chase Owens, and Gedo
* Hirooki Goto, SHO, and YOH vs. KENTA, Taiji Ishimori, and El Phantasmo
* Kota Ibushi vs. Ren Narita
* Tomohiro Ishii and Rocky Romero vs. EVIL and SANADA
* Juice Robinson, David Finlay, and Clark Connors vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, and El Desperado
* Toru Yano and Colt Cabana vs. Karl Fredericks and Alex Coughlin
* Amazing Red and TJP vs. Aaron Solow and Alex Zayne

WWE Starrcade Results 12/1/19

Last night WWE Starrcade 2019 took place at the Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth, Georgia. Only some of the matches aired live on the WWE Network (and YouTube). It should also be noted there were several reported issues with the WWE Network, everything from audio issues to people not being able to see the event at all.

Below are the results of what aired on the WWE Network:

* The Street Profits (with Ric Flair) defeated The O.C.

* The Kabuki Warriors (c) defeated Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, Bayley and Sasha Banks, and Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match)

* Bobby Lashley (with Lana) defeated Rusev via forfeit (Last Man Standing Match)

* Bobby Lashley (with Lana) defeated Kevin Owens via DQ

 

Here are the results for the matches that they didn’t air on the network:

* Seth Rollins defeated Erick Rowan

* Shinsuke Nakamura (c) (with Sami Zayn) defeated The Miz (WWE Intercontinental Championship Match)

* Randy Orton defeated AJ Styles

* Aleister Black defeated Andrade w/Zelina Vega

Zelina called Black’s victory a fluke and then called for another opponent. Ricochet answered.

* Ricochet defeated Andrade w/Zelina Vega (Ricochet won in about 90 seconds)

* Roman Reigns defeated King Corbin

* “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt (c) defeated Braun Strowman (WWE Universal Championship Match)

Wyatt retained in the shortest cage match ever. Afterward, Anderson and Gallows came out and said the fans and Strowman suck. Strowman slammed Anderson.