Category: TNA

Details On Jon Moxley’s New AEW Contract

It was recently announced that three-time and current AEW World Champion Jon Moxley would remain All Elite for quite a while, as the news broke yesterday that Moxley has signed a five-year extension with AEW. It also was revealed that Moxley would not only be used as a wrestler, but also as “a coach and mentor.” Now more details on Moxley’s new deal have surfaced. 

According to Fightful, several sources told them that Moxley was actually working without a contract for some time. While unclear exactly how long it was, it was noted that throughout the summer Moxley’s contract was “quite a situation” and that AEW owner Tony Khan would do whatever it took to keep Moxley in the company for the rest of his career. What’s interesting is that Moxley won both the AEW World Championship and Interim World Championship during the summer without being under contract.

Fightful also revealed that Moxley is exclusive to AEW and its international partners, including NJPW, where Moxley is a former United States Heavyweight Champion. It is uncertain if Moxley will be able to continue working for companies such as GCW and REVOLVER, as AEW didn’t comment on the matter. GCW officials said today that they didn’t know about the press release regarding Moxley’s contract until it was made public. Moxley is still slated to put his GCW World Championship on the line against Nick Gage in a Title vs, Career Match later tonight.

Regarding the backstage role as a coach and mentor, Fightful said that Moxley-led talent meetings backstage are very well-received. One of these meetings notably happened after the All Out pay-per-view last month despite other events that transpired. The decision to move Moxley into the role stemmed from the weight his words carry, according to Fightful.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Impact Wrestling Bound For Glory 10/7/2022 (Results), Dirty Dango (Fandango), Bully Ray Returns, Raven HOF, Tommy Dreamer

Pre-show: [Digital Media Championship Open Challenge] Brian Myers (c) vs. Dirty Dango (fka Fandango) — Winner: Brian Myers retains with the Roster Cut

Raven is to be inducted into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is a former NWA World Champion and King of the Mountain during TNA’s early years. He is the 11th inductee after Sting, Kurt Angle, Team 3D, Jeff Jarrett, Earl Hebner, Gail Kim, Abyss, Ken Shamrock, and Awesome Kong. Impact Wrestling pays tribute to Raven with words from Tommy Dreamer, Sign Guy Dudley, Lance Storm, Eddie Edwards, Sami Callihan, Father James Mitchell, Mickie James, Scott D’Amore, and more.

Tommy Dreamer is on hand to induct Raven in front of the audience. He can’t believe this is happening. Everyone voted Dreamer to induct Raven into the Hall of Fame. Even when he can’t wrestle, he is still doing the job for Raven. In the 90s, he was grunge, he was counter culture. He was an anti-hero and everything about what that generation was about. Dreamer says that Raven is a legit genius, but he did something others didn’t do. He believed in the underdog and went out every week and sacrificed his blood for Stevie Richards, Blue Meanie, Nova, Beulah McGillicutty, Dudley Boys, CM Punk, Mickie James, and the many others he believed in.

As we get older, we get more reflective. When Tommy comes out, he feels younger. But as you get older, they work for moments and the fans give those moments. What he would do to get one more moment with Raven. He gets emotional saying that they didn’t truly appreciate those moments. Please shower the greatness of Raven, and it is his honor to induct the latest into the Hall of Fame. Raven! He thanks Impact for the honor.

People think he can be a dick. He has some disorders that make it hard to be liked, but are great qualities for a professional wrestler. Raven was lucky enough to be one of the last guys to go through the territory system and become a major star, but he wouldn’t have made it without a few key people. He was blessed to pick the brain of a true booking wizard. Raven asked him for a cage match, but got asked what he was going to do before that. He learned how to do things serially, instead of doing things for the sake of it.

Raven says he’s getting nervous. He’d like some boos to feel comfortable and the fans reciprocate. Paul Heyman was a big influence on his career. Creatively, he let him do almost anything he wanted. He even let him crucify Sandman. The stuff he did there, like his feuds with Dreamer and Sandman, he would stack them against any other feud in the business. He went to WCW, and that was a good move except that his ego got in the way and quit the company prematurely. Unfortunately, his WWE run was a disappointment. He started getting counselling after that for his disorders because he has been massively insecure. After WWE let him go, he didn’t feel right leaving his career on TV like that. TNA came calling, and he got another half a dozen years out of it and was mostly happy.

There are so many people he wants to thank, but there isn’t enough time. However, he will single out Tommy. He thanks him for inducting him and being the babyface to his heel. A 28-year feud finally ends tonight. They hug it out and shake hands. DDT! Raven drops him on his head and the crowd boos out of respect. He thanks for the fans. Quote the Raven nevermore.

[X Division Championship] ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey vs. Frankie Kazarian — Winner: Kazarian becomes the new champion via submission

[Mickie Retires If She Loses] Mickie James vs. Mia Yim — Winner: Mickie James

[Knockouts Tag Team Championship] ‘VXT’ Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green (c) vs. ‘Deathdolls’ Taya Valkyrie & Jessicka (w/ Rosemary) — Winners: Deathdolls become new champions

[World Tag Team Championship] The Kingdom’s Matt Taven & Mike Bennett (c) (w/ Maria Kanellis) vs. ‘Motor City Machine Guns’ Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin — Winners: The Kingdom retain

[Call Your Shot Gauntlet] Participants: Eric Young, Joe Hendry, Steve Maclin, Rich Swann, PCO, Savannah Evans, Johnny Swinger, Tasha Steelz, Killer Kelly, Moose, Sami Callihan, Taylor Wilde, Gisele Shaw, Bully Ray, Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, Bhupinder Gujjar, Heath, Bobby Fish, Matt Cardona. The final two: Bully Ray vs. Steve Maclin — Winner: Bully Ray

[Knockouts World Championship] Jordynne Grace (c) vs. ‘Undefeated’ Masha Slamovich — Winner: Jordynne Grace retains with a Super Grace Driver

[Impact World Championship] Josh Alexander (c) vs. Eddie Edwards — Winner: Josh Alexander retains with the C4 Spike

Honor No More attack Alexander after the match. Heath & Rich Swann fail to make the save. They get a table to make an emphatic statement. Here comes Bully Ray! He isn’t making the save. He’s cashing in the Call Your Shot Trophy on Josh Alexander.

No… wait, they team up to take out Honor No More. Afterward, Bully hands him his World Championship, but lets him know that he could be his next challenger. There’s a lot of respect there. Thanks for joining our live coverage. We come back after it looked like the end of the show. Josh Alexander & Bully Ray double powerbomb Mike Bennett through a table! 

Source: EWrestlingNews

Impact Wrestling Bound For Glory 10/7/2022 (Card)

The 2022 Impact Bound For Glory pay-per-view will take place on Friday, October 7 at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, New York.

CARD

Impact World Title Match
Eddie Edwards vs. Josh Alexander (c)

Impact Knockouts World Title Match
Masha Slamovich vs. Jordynne Grace (c)

Impact X Division Title Match
Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Bailey (c)

Impact World Tag Team Titles Match
The Motor City Machine Guns vs. The OGK (c) w/Maria Kanellis

Impact Knockouts World Tag Team Titles Match
Taya Valkyrie and Jessicka w/Rosemary vs. Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo (c)

Career Threatening Match
Mickie James vs. Mia Yim
James will retire from in-ring competition if she loses.

Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match
PCO, Rich Swann, Heath, Gisele Shaw, Bhupinder Gujjar, Steve Maclin, Moose, Bobby Fish, Savannah Evans, Joe Hendry, Eric Young, Sami Callihan, Killer Kelly, Tasha Steelz, More TBA
Winner to receive title shot of their choosing.

Countdown To Bound For Glory Pre-show: Open Challenge for the Impact Digital Media Title
TBD vs. Brian Myers (c)

Raven will be inducted into the Impact Hall of Fame

Saraya Medically Cleared To Compete By AEW’s Dr. Michael Sampson

Saraya, formerly known as Paige in WWE, has reportedly been given the go-ahead to wrestle again.

The former WWE Divas Champion was forced to retire in 2017 as WWE’s doctors didn’t clear her to perform in the ring as an active wrestler because of spinal stenosis. 

She would remain with WWE for many years following the injury before WWE decided not to renew her deal a few months ago, making her a free agent. 

At AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam 2022, Saraya debuted with AEW. She got physical in a wrestling ring for the first time in five years this past Wednesday night with Britt Baker. Before the confrontation, Baker claimed that Saraya wouldn’t be wrestling in the company as she hadn’t been cleared for in-ring action. 

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that AEW’s Dr. Michael Sampson has cleared Saraya.

Source: EWrestlingNews

Uncooperative Person & Threat Of Lawsuit Delaying AEW Investigation

An uncooperative person is to blame for the investigation into the All Out media scrum fight being delayed.

The fight took place backstage at AEW’s most recent pay-per-view, following explosive comments made by then-World Champion CM Punk.

When asked about why the investigation has not concluded, Dave Meltzer said that one person has been “uncooperative” and has threatened legal action.

Meltzer did not name who this person is, nor if their legal threat was in response to the fight, or the investigation.

Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks continue to serve out a suspension due to their role in the fight.

CM Punk, who reportedly threw the first punch, has been removed from AEW programming, with a belief that he could be fired by Tony Khan.

Source: EWrestlingNews

Andrade El Idolo Punched Sammy Guevara In An Apparent Attempt To Get Fired By AEW

Andrade El Idolo was sent home by AEW on Wednesday night after he got into a fight backstage with Sammy Guevara, who was working the main event of Dynamite. 

This occurred after they had a verbal altercation on Twitter, during which Guevara accused El Idolo of wanting to make a comeback in WWE.

Many fans were under the impression that this was all an act and part of a storyline in which Andrade would compete in a mask vs. career match against 10 from the Dark Order on Friday’s Rampage. That match will not take place any more.

On today’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer brought up the fact that Andrade had stated on Twitter during the exchange with Guevara that he wasn’t scared to get fired, as well as the belief that Andrade is trying to get out of his AEW deal.

“Andrade’s trying to get fired, we all know that….when guys want to leave, some will go to great extremes to do that. It’s happened with WWE. I’ve talked to people in WWE who’ve tried to get fired with some of the craziest things in the world, and I’ve told them it’s not gonna work. There were some crazy stories of people trying to do things to get fired. Getting in a fight was never one of them, but there are things much crazier than that from people who wanted to leave and get out and were not going to be allowed to do that because the company wasn’t going to release them. So now the situation is on the other front, where there are a few people, and it’s not that many, it’s like three that wanna leave [AEW]. There’s different stories and whatever, and Andrade’s one of them.”

Meltzer then added, “So, Tuesday night, they were talked to. Both of them were told no fighting. Andrade was told, ‘If this is your idea, you’re not gonna get fired if you fight, but you will be sent home’. Andrade said, ‘Don’t worry, nothing’s gonna happen. There’s gonna be no fight.’ This was Tuesday night. Sammy was the same thing, ‘Nothing’s gonna happen’. They had security there. Everybody was warned ahead of time.”

Bryan Alvarez and Meltzer both mentioned that they were aware of the fact that they had heard several distinct accounts of how the altercation initially began.

Alvarez stated, “Sammy in fact didn’t throw any punches. One person did say that Andrade spun Sammy around, and Sammy shoved him, and then Andrade punched him. The other stories were that Andrade just punched him and that Sammy didn’t fight back.”

Meltzer mentioned that a reliable source had told him the following, “Andrade was waiting in the hallway, got two punches in before it was broken up, and Sammy didn’t fight back.”

Meltzer pointed out that Sammy didn’t appear to have any bruises on his face due to the punches he took during the backstage altercation at Dynamite.

“He did throw two punches, and it was broken up right away and Andrade was sent home.”

You can listen to the Wrestling Observer Radio below:

Source: PWMania

Backstage News On Jeff Hardy’s AEW Status And Potential Return

Contrary to recent reports, it seems Jeff Hardy may not be back in the ring as soon as previously thought. According to PWInsider, Hardy is preparing for a pre-trial hearing set to take place later this month regarding his DUI arrest back in June. The report also claims that Hardy is not expected back with AEW until his legal issues are handled and the company feels confident that Hardy has a handle on his sobriety.

Last month, Jeff’s brother Matt Hardy teased on his podcast that we would soon be getting a look at a brand new Jeff. Matt shared his confidence in his brother’s new outlook on life and his ability to stay sober. Prior to his DUI arrest, Jeff was reportedly set for a major run with his brother in AEW, with the pair even being “strongly considered” for an AEW Tag Team Championship victory. However, Hardy’s arrest and subsequent suspension derailed those plans.

Hardy was released by WWE last December after a strange incident that saw him leave a match during a live event and enter the crowd. Many speculated that Hardy was somehow inebriated at the time, but nothing was ever conclusively proven, and it was later denied by both Hardy brothers. Following his release, WWE reportedly attempted to convince Hardy to return to the company, even offering him a spot in the company’s Hall of Fame. However, Hardy turned down the offer and instead decided to join his brother in AEW. Though their initial run in the company would wind up being short-lived, it seems likely that Hardy will be given another chance once he has straightened things out in his personal life.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

IMPACT Preview 10/6/2022

Tonight’s episode of Impact Wrestling on AXS TV is the last one before Friday night’s Bound For Glory PPV. Here are the matches that have been announced for the show:

-Moose vs. Steve Maclin with Sami Callihan as special referee

-Mia Yim vs. Gisele Shaw

-Frankie Kazarian vs. Kenny King

-Matt Taven vs. Alex Shelley

AEW Dynamite Preview 10/5/2022

AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS, and emanate from the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, DC.

MJF vs. Wheeler Yuta

Bryan Danielson & Daniel Garcia vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara

TNT Championship Match: Wardlow (c) vs. ROH star Brian Cage

Hangman Page vs. Rush

Toni Storm, Athena & Willow Nightingale vs. Jamie Hayter, Serena Deeb & Penelope Ford

Darby Allin vs. Jay Lethal

Luchasaurus in action

National Scissoring Day” with The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn

AEW Rampage Preview 9/30/2022

Tonight’s AEW Rampage on TNT at 10/9c.

  • The Acclaimed (c) vs. Private Party vs. The Butcher & The Blade – AEW World Tag Team Championships
  • Rush vs. John Silver
  • Lee Moriarty vs. Fuego Del Sol
  • Jamie Hayter vs. Willow Nightingale
  • HOOK appearance