Category: WWE

TNA’s Matt Hardy Teases An Appearance On Next Week’s Episode Of WWE NXT

TNA Wrestling’s Matt Hardy could find himself back in a WWE ring as soon as next week as part of an upcoming high-stakes 25-man WWE NXT Battle Royal.

During this week’s episode of WWE NXT, a battle royal was announced for a shot at the NXT Championship that will feature stars from ‘all locker rooms.’

Given the recent NXT-TNA collaboration, many saw this line by Cody Rhodes as a tease that TNA stars could be involved. On Twitter, Matt suggested he would be in the match.

Hardy served as a ‘pro’ on the original format of WWE NXT back in early 2010. He parted ways with WWE in 2020 and left AEW earlier this year.

25-Man Battle Royal No. 1 Contender’s Match Announced For Next Week’s Episode Of WWE NXT

Cody Rhodes made a special guest appearance on this week’s episode of WWE NXT, wherein he was imparted some words of wisdom to Trick Williams about being a champion, as well as a message about Trick’s next challenger.

Rhodes revealed that on next week’s episode of WWE NXT, there will be a 25-man battle royal to determine who is the rightful No. 1 contender for the NXT World Championship. He also put out a teaser that while some of those Superstars will be from NXT, there may also be some from “other locker rooms.”

This was just vague enough that it allows fans to speculate on what this means. Will this be a situation where RAW and SmackDown Superstars are in the mix? Could this be another crossover with TNA Wrestling, bringing in some wrestlers from that company?

We’ll have to tune in to next week’s edition of WWE NXT to find out.

Source: eWn

WWE NXT Preview 6/11/2024

Here is the lineup for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on the USA Network: 

  • Fallout from Battleground
  • Cody Rhodes appears
  • Je’Von Evans vs. Shawn Spears
  • Michin vs. Jaida Parker
  • Singapore Cane Match: Dante Chen vs. Lexis King
  • New Catch Republic (Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne) & Wes Lee vs. Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, & Wolfgang)
  • Wendy Choo returns
  • Eddy Thorpe returns

Backstage Update On WWE Contract Status Of Chad Gable Ahead Of Clash At The Castle

Chad Gable has been a central topic of conversation, not only on WWE television but also behind the scenes, where the off-screen drama surrounding Gable’s contract with WWE has begun to overshadow his rise to mid-card title contention on screen.

According to Fightful Select, Gable’s contract was said to expire this past Friday, June 7, but the former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion was announced for a match at the upcoming Clash at the Castle event in Scotland. While that would lead many to assume he’d re-signed with the company, there has been no confirmation of Gable putting pen to paper. There have been reports of wrestlers working on per-appearance deals with WWE during the immense contract turnaround currently taking place, though there is no word on whether Gable is one of those rumored to be per-appearance. There are sources within both AEW and WWE who are already under the assumption Gable has re-signed with the company.

According to PWInsider Elite, Gable and WWE are close to terms at the very least and Gable will remain with WWE for the foreseeable future. Like Fightful, there is no confirmation one way or the other, but sources indicate both Gable and WWE are carrying on as if his retention is a done deal.

Gable has become a prominent figure on WWE programming, as he heads into WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland, where he will face WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn, with whom Gable has been feuding since just after WrestleMania in April. Gable’s contract is just one of many that are up for expiration, including former WWE Women’s World Champion Becky Lynch, as well as former WWE Speed Champion Ricochet, who is reportedly set to be written off WWE television on “WWE Raw.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Raw QR Code Finally Confirms Arrival Date Of New Stable Themed Around Bray Wyatt

Bo Dallas’ new stable themed around the late Bray Wyatt, as well as his own Uncle Howdy character, seemingly has a confirmed arrival date to WWE, with a new QR code seen on “WWE Raw.” On Monday, during Rey Mysterio’s entrance, an image popped up on the broadcast, complete with the code for fans to scan to find more clues about the mysterious faction. When scanned, it leads to a countdown, which ends next Monday during the broadcast.

“Your patience will be rewarded,” the staticky onscreen image during the broadcast read, before flashing again to read, “Your impatience will be punished.” The image then flashes to the code, then very quickly shows what appears to be a figure, assumably Uncle Howdy. When the code is scanned, the phrases “You refused salvation” and “The reckoning is inevitable” surround the real-time countdown.

The biggest clues surrounding the stable came from a Twitch stream almost three weeks ago. Those clues seemed to potentially spell out the exact date of the faction’s debut, which fans also determined to be next Monday, as well as who would be involved. Letters written to various “family members” seen on the stream seemed to include the recently re-hired Erick Rowan of the original Wyatt Family, Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, and former Schism leader Joe Gacy. Alexa Bliss’ involvement with the stable has not been confirmed, though some eagle-eyed fans thought they spotted her backstage during a recent “Raw.”

The most recent code on Friday’s episode of “WWE SmackDown” led to a letter thanking fans, telling them, “this is all because of you.” Last Monday, a code featured Firefly Funhouse puppets when scanned, as well as poetry and images from a journal that seemingly belong to Uncle Howdy. After months of fans scanning codes and deciphering clues to be shared and speculated about online, it seems like the fun and games could be coming to an end after WWE’s Clash at the Castle premium live event. Or, knowing Wyatt and Uncle Howdy, this could be just the beginning.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE RAW Preview 6/10/2024

WWE RAW will air live tonight on the USA Network from the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio.

  • Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn vs. Otis in a non-title match
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. IYO SKY
  • Ilja Dragunov vs. Bron Breakker

Report – Gigi Dolin Dealing With ‘Significant Knee Injury’

Gigi Dolin has been absent from NXT TV for the past few weeks, and according to a recent report from Fightful Select, she is currently dealing with an injury.

Dolin’s storyline with Arianna Grace has been discontinued, and she has not been present backstage during the TV tapings. The former Toxic Attraction member is sidelined due to a “significant knee injury.”

Dolin had been featured on NXT TV alongside Grace in a storyline in which she was compelled to follow the latter’s guidance to refine her skills as a “proper lady.”

The report mentions that Dolin was the subject of discussions regarding a potential call-up to the main roster earlier this year.

In recent times, Dolin has not been present backstage during the TV tapings, and most of her segments with Grace were recorded outside of the WWE Performance Center. These segments were strategically utilized to maintain her television presence while she recuperates from her injury.

Dolin’s most recent appearance was in a match against Grace on the March 12th episode of WWE NXT.

CM Punk Advises WWE NXT Star Backstage At Battleground, Gets Called A Hypocrite

Following this past Sunday’s “NXT” Battleground show, WWE star CM Punk appeared in a backstage interview featuring Roxanne Perez and offered some advice to the young star, which was rejected by her.

Perez defended her “NXT” Women’s Championship against TNA’s Jordynne Grace and defeated the TNA Knockouts World Champion to extend her title reign. Punk, who was at the arena, appeared during Perez’s interview backstage after she retained the title and had some sage advice for her, which she duly dismissed. 

ADVERTISEMENT

“Are you surprised? Tell me right now, are you surprised?” asked Perez to “NXT” backstage interviewer Sarah Schreiber. “Of course you are, aren’t you? ‘Cause everybody is surprised. But why? Why? I am the protege, there’s no one like me…” said Perez before being interrupted by Punk.

“Hold on, calm down. I’m sorry to burst in here but listen, you’re the champion for a reason,” began Punk. “You’re head and shoulders above all these other women here. You’re head and shoulders above all the TNA Knockouts. But tonight you got lucky. I need you to focus on this [the title]. I need you to be who you are, I need you to be the protege. You don’t need anything else.”

Perez was not amused by Punk’s bit of advice and sarcastically thanked him before calling him a hypocrite and walking away. “Thanks for the advice. What a hypocrite, huh?” said Perez to Punk.

Punk then proceeded to ask Schreiber if the “NXT” Women’s Champion always has a chip on her shoulder, with the “NXT” interviewer answering in the affirmative. Perez, who won the title from Lyra Valkyria at Stand & Deliver in April, got the win over the TNA star on Sunday after landing the Pop-Rox on Grace. The match also saw interference from “NXT’s” Tatum Paxley, who tried to steal the TNA Knockouts Championship, but was stopped by Ash by Elegance, formerly known as Dana Brooke in WWE.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Battleground 6/9/2024 (Results)

NXT Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match: Kelani Jordan def. Sol Ruca, Lash Legend, Fallon Henley, Jaida Parker, and Michin to become the inaugural NXT Women’s North American Champion

NXT Tag Team Championship: Nathan Frazer & Axiom (c) def. The Good Brothers

NXT Underground: Lola Vice def. Shayna Baszler by referee stoppage with grounded punches.

NXT North American Championship: Oba Femi (c) def. Wes Lee and Joe Coffey

NXT Women’s Championship: Roxanne Perez (c) def. TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace

Tatum Paxley jumps the rail and stalks the title belt at ringside and grabs Jordynne’s TNA Knockouts Championship! TNA’s Ash By Elegance (Dana Brooke) appears and grabs the title belt, Jordynne goes after both of them and lays them out! Back inside, block the solebutt, backfist, fireman’s carry, California Roll connects! Pumphandle… ROXANNE COUNTERS WITH AN ACE CRUSHER! POP ROX! Roxanne Perez wins.

Backstage: Wes Lee is attacked by Gallus

NXT Championship: Trick Williams (c) def. Ethan Page

WWE NXT Battleground 6/9/2024 (Card)

WWE NXT Battleground – Sunday June 9, 2024 – UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada

CARD

NXT CHAMPIONSHIP
Trick Williams (c) vs. Ethan Page

NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Roxanne Perez (c) vs. TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace

LADDER MATCH FOR THE INAUGURAL NXT WOMEN’S NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Sol Ruca vs. Lash Legend vs. Jaida Parker vs. Fallon Henley vs. Michin vs. Kelani Jordan

NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Oba Femi (c) vs. Joe Coffey vs. Wes Lee

NXT UNDERGROUND MATCH
Shayna Baszler vs. Lola Vice

NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Axiom & Nathan Frazer (c) vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson