ROH Issues Follow-Up Statement Regarding Bully Ray – Fan Incident Internal Investigation

Last weekend a fan took to Twitter to write about an incident he experienced at an ROH show. The fan claimed that he was escorted to the back, by what he thought was security, and was confronted by Bully Ray over comments he made, as a fan, towards The Allure.

Ring of Honor issued a statement to Wrestling Inc. on Monday stating that the incident was now the subject of a 48-hour internal investigation.

Wrestling Inc. was sent the following statement from ROH General Manager Greg Gilleland:

ROH FOLLOWUP STATEMENT:

Ring of Honor prides itself on providing a fun and entertaining environment for both our fans and wrestlers to experience professional wrestling at the highest level.

Fans are encouraged to cheer, boo, and chant during the show while wrestlers interact both positively and in rivalry, as that is the engagement that makes the ROH experience what it is. Wrestlers interacting with fans is core to the experience, however, under no circumstance should any of our athletes or staff confront or engage fans outside the bounds of this entertainment experience or outside the bounds of the area that hosts this experience. We hold all of our athletes and staff members to the highest standards and, because of the actions over the weekend, we fell short of meeting those standards.

We are still in the process of investigating this matter as well as reviewing and assessing internal security protocols to ensure a safe environment for all fans and athletes. All of our athletes and staff will also be trained and reminded of our policies and protocols for fan interaction and appropriate behavior in all situations.

To our amazing and wonderful fans, we apologize for the matter that transpired this past weekend as it does not reflect who we are as an organization or how we hope to engage with our fans. ROH fans are known worldwide for their passion, admiration, and appreciation for our athletes, and we share this same admiration and appreciation for our fans. We encourage all of our fans to continue attending our events and supporting our amazing athletes in a respectful manner as they have done in the past, and we promise to continue delivering what the fans deserve – the best wrestling and the best fan experience on the planet.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Full Episode Preview Of John Cena’s Version Of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader From Nickelodeon

John Cena is hosting Nickelodeon’s all new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader! Check out this full episode featuring John and the new class of kids! Does this third grade teacher have what it takes to win the biggest prize in Nickelodeon history?! Maybe with a little bit of cheating! Catch the all new Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader weeknights at 7 on Nick!

WWE Super ShowDown 6/7/19

WWE Super ShowDown takes place on Friday June 7 at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – 2:00 PM ET (Preshow at 1:00 PM ET)

The Undertaker vs. Goldberg

WWE Universal Championship: (C) Seth Rollins vs. Baron Corbin

Triple H vs. Randy Orton

WWE Championship: (C) Kofi Kingston vs. Dolph Ziggler

Intercontinental Championship: (C) “The Demon” Finn Balor vs. Andrade

Shane McMahon vs. Roman Reigns

Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley

3 on 1 Handicap Match: The Lucha House Party vs. Lars Sullivan

50-Man Battle Royal

(Kickoff) The Usos vs. The Revival

There is speculation of a Alex Bliss vs. Natalya match. Both have made the trip to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

MLW CEO Court Bauer Reveals Who Recently Received The Biggest Pop In The History Of The Promotion

Major League Wrestling CEO Court Bauer noted on Twitter that Ross and Marshall Von Erich recently received the biggest crowd pop in the history of the promotion.

Ross and Marshall, of the legendary Von Erich Family, made their MLW debuts back on Saturday, June 1 at the Fury Road tapings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They teamed with MLW World Champion Tom Lawlor to face The Contra Unit in six-man action.

Bauer pointed to how the brothers will likely receive another massive reaction when they come out for the MLW War Chamber event on Saturday, September 7 in Dallas, Texas. The Von Erich Family have been legends in Texas for many years.

“Straight up: @RAMVonErich got the biggest pop in the history of @MLW when they came out in Milwaukee. I can only imagine what will go down Sept. 7 in Dallas,” Bauer wrote in response to a fan who wondered how over the brothers will be in Dallas.

https://twitter.com/courtbauer/status/1136440639376281601

Ross and Marshall are the sons to WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Von Erich, and the grandsons of the legendary Fritz Von Erich. They were trained by Kevin and WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race. They debuted back in 2012 for Japan’s Pro Wrestling NOAH promotion, and later spent some time in TNA from 2014 – 2015.

The Von Erichs are currently signed to multi-year deals with MLW.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Dustin Rhodes Talks About His Match With Cody At AEW Double Or Nothing – His Look, Bleeding So Much

From Goldust to Seven to The American Nightmare, Dustin Rhodes has had many different gimmicks and looks over the years. He debuted a new look against his brother Cody at Double or Nothing, and Dustin credits Cody with help inspiring his new costume.

Dustin talked more about his look at Double or Nothing when he joined Talk is Jericho.

“Me and Cody were talking about it and we were like, what do we do? He didn’t want just Dustin. He had his vision of what he wanted and he kind of left it in the ballpark of me and my faith to create something for my face,” said Dustin. “I had asked him what he was looking for? Did he want me in trunks? Did he want me in jeans? Did he want me in my old Dustin Rhodes gear? He said no, he didn’t want the cowboy carney ass bullsh*t he would say. He said that he really wanted me to look the very best that I can.”

Dustin said his look was a combination of previous costumes and new designs. He also said he worked his tail off to get in the best shape he could in order to go sleeveless, but he also said “Cody is the only Rhodes with abs.”

“He said that I was the artist on the paint and all that stuff to come up with something. I did it; I showed him some pictures. He loved it and Tony Khan loved it and that was it.

“I looked at the Darth Maul character [from Star Wars] as well. One of the paint jobs that I did for Goldust was kind of Darth Maul-ish but if I did the Darth Maul like Darth Maul, I just reversed the colors. I reversed the color so that it wouldn’t be a complete rip-off of Darth Maul. I added just a little bit here and there and I think it came off looking really good.”

Dustin donned a crimson mask during the match and left himself, Cody and the ring covered in blood. He was a bit nervous about there being so much blood at first, but in the end all of the blood helped tell the story between he and his brother.

“I know a lot of people were worried. I was worried. You do it and you saw it streaming out and it’s like, oh no, I went a little bit too deep and then 10 minutes go by and you’re like now I’m starting to worry a little bit,” admitted Dustin. “The ring is all red. I can’t see; it’s all in my eyes. I am trying to wipe it out but it just keeps shooting out to my heartbeat. It gets scary, but then after 15 minutes I’m like, I’m going to be okay. It’s going to be fine. You saw the fans’ faces in the front row and in the arena they are just horrified but into it. They can’t take their eyes off of it and it was an incredible man. I was so happy. I was so glad to be a part of that and I hope I did Cody proud.

“To me, I have always been told that red on the head is green in the pocket. I believe that to be true to an extent when it is used sparingly here and there. It was just right in every way that night. It might have been a little bit excessive but it added to the story. It added to the emotions and it just felt incredible and I am still on a huge high from this match. Twitter has never blown up for me like that and all of the social media is going crazy and to tell me that I stole the show from the great Chris Jericho that means a lot to me.”

Source: Talk Is Jericho via Wrestling Inc.

Mickie James Confirms Injury And Surgery

Mickie James has confirmed that she will need to undergo surgery for a torn ACL.

Mickie suffered the apparent knee injury at last Saturday’s WWE live event in Waco, Texas, during a singles loss to Carmella that ended abruptly after James went down. F4Wonline.com now confirms that Mickie was injured during the match. F4Wonline.com then confirmed that Mickie was out of action with the knee injury as the injury was listed on WWE’s internal injury report the next night in College Station, TX, where she was replaced by Zelina Vega. James was checked on by a WWE trainer at ringside on Saturday, but did leave on her own with minor assistance.

In an update, Mickie confirmed on Instagram Live today that she underwent an MRI this week and that’s where it was determined that she suffered an ACL injury.

“I don’t know how long I’m gonna be out. I don’t know when I’m gonna have to get surgery, but it’s gonna be awhile,” Mickie said in the video. (H/T Pro Wrestling Sheet)

There’s no word yet on when Mickie will be back in action, but we will keep you updated.

As seen below, James is still scheduled for appear at the CMA Fest in Nashville this weekend and has added a second appearance for her fans.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Speculation On Alexa Bliss Vs. Natalya At WWE Super ShowDown In Saudi Arabia

There’s now heavy speculation on WWE doing a women’s division match at WWE Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia on Friday. This would be the first time female Superstars perform in the Kingdom, if it happens.

PWInsider, has reported that Natalya is making the trip to Saudi Arabia for Friday’s big event in Jeddah. Fightful has since revealed that Alexa Bliss is also making the trip. There’s no official word yet on why they are making the trip to the Kingdom, or if they will appear. Renee Young is also making the trip over, but she will likely be calling the show as she did at Crown Jewel last year.

Furthermore, @Wrestlevotes reported today that WWE discussed doing a women’s match at Super ShowDown several months ago. The idea then was to do Nia Jax vs. Natalya, but Jax is currently out of action with an injury. It looks like they might do Bliss vs. Natalya now, which would be huge for WWE due to local laws and customs that have prevented women from wrestling there.

Bliss and Sasha Banks made history back in December 2017 when they wrestled the first women’s match in the Middle East during a WWE live event in Abu Dhabi. Bliss recently spoke with Sky Sports and said she hopes to participate in another first for the company in Saudi Arabia.

“I would love to [have a match in Saudi Arabia],” Bliss said. “I was very nervous at first with the match in Abu Dhabi because I didn’t know how we were going to be received but it was actually incredible. The crowd was all for our women being there and having that title match. I had an amazing time and I would love to be able to be have a match in Saudi Arabia if given the opportunity. Women have never competed there in any aspect so it would be awesome to entertain there and break down barriers. It shows that our business is global.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Eli Drake Announces Departure From Impact Wrestling, Backstage Notes

Former Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Eli Drake announced on Twitter yesterday that he is a free agent, taking bookings via Bookelidrake@gmail.com.

“After 4 years with Impact Wrestling, some ups, some downs, I would like to thank them for the overall great experience. Through those years, I had the fortune of carrying 3 different title belts, having my own talk show (Fact of Life), and was always given the trust to craft my own promos, virtually from day 1. I appreciate the chance that was taken on me and the trust I was given, as well as the friends and experiences I gained along the way. I wish Impact Wrestling nothing but continued success and growth going forward. Today, I am OFFICIALLY a FREE AGENT,” the statement read.

Drake and Impact recently agreed on a settlement regarding his termination and his non-compete clause, which paved the way for Tuesday’s announcement on being a free agent, according to PWInsider. Drake is now free to sign a deal with any wrestling promotion.

Despite issues between the two sides back in April, it sounds like the split was on somewhat good terms. PWInsider noted that one Impact executive told them, “We are happy to have the issue resolved and we wish Eli Drake well going forward.”

It was reported in early April that Drake had been released from his Impact contract on April 7, weeks before it was to expire on May 31, and that Impact officials were looking to stop him from signing with any other promotions by pursuing a breach of contract claim. It was also reported that Drake had heat from the company for speaking out against intergender wrestling.

Drake’s first post-Impact booking has been announced for the Championship Wrestling From Hollywood promotion on Father’s Day – Sunday, June 16 from The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California. Drake will do battle with UWN TV Champion Scorpio Sky and Eric Watts in a Triple Threat.

Drake had a Twitter exchange today with former Impact executive John Gaburick, who returned to work for WWE after leaving Impact in late 2017.

Gaburick responded to Drake’s Twitter statement and wrote, “Nice job kid. Class.”

Drake responded, ” Thank you, sir. I appreciate you. Thank you for the opportunity.”

There were rumors on Drake talking with WWE earlier this year, but that was never confirmed. We will keep you updated on any potential interest from WWE or AEW.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Jon Moxley Wins The IWGP US Title At NJPW’s Best Of The Super Juniors Finals, Full Results

In his first championship match since leaving WWE, Jon Moxley has won gold. He defeated Juice Robinson at the Best of the Super Juniors Finals to win the IWGP United States Championship.

This was Juice’s fourth defense of the title after beating Cody Rhodes for it at Wrestle Kingdom 13. After a hard-hitting affair, Moxley pinned Robinson following the debut of his new finisher, the Death Rider. It is a high angle double arm DDT, almost similar to Dirty Deeds.

You can see how the title changed hands in the videos below:

https://twitter.com/BulletClubIta/status/1136234648542076931

https://twitter.com/MrLARIATO/status/1136238669524869120

https://twitter.com/BulletClubIta/status/1136241970068754432

Below are the full results from the Best of the Super Juniors Finals:

* Will Ospreay def. Shingo Takagi (BOSJ Finals) – Ospreay will now face Dragon Lee for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Dominion on June 9th.
* Jon Moxley def. (c.) Juice Robinson (IWGP US Title)
* Jay White def. Hiroshi Tanahashi
* Kazuchika Okada and Rocky Romero def. Marty Scurll and Brody King
– Okada pinned King following a Rainmaker
* Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA and BUSHI def. Kota Ibushi, Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma and Toa Henare
– EVIL and SANADA pinned Henare following a Magic Killer
* YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask def. Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Minoru Suzuki and DOUKI
– YOSHI-HASHI pinned DOUKI following Karma
* El Pahntasmo, Robbie Eagles and Taiji Ishimori def. Ryusuke Taguchi, SHO and YOH
– El Phantasmo pinned SHO following CR II
* Dragon Lee, Titan and Shota Umino def. Bandido, Jonathan Gresham and Ren Narita
– Lee pinned Narita following multiple knee strikes

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown Live Preview 6/4/19

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live will take place from the Sames Auto Arena in Laredo, Texas with the final hype for WWE Super ShowDown.

* Goldberg comes to SmackDown LIVE for the first time ever

* “A Moment of Bliss” with special guest SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley

* Lars Sullivan to give an exclusive interview

* Will Roman Reigns be out for payback?

* Will Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler butt heads before Super ShowDown?