Earlier this week, Tyrus posted videos to social media to announce he would not be working the GFW tapings in Orlando, which began earlier this week. He said while most of his time with GFW has been positive, the past several weeks had been tough for he and his fans as they have been “Handcuffed and treated like a second-class citizen creatively.” Tyrus continued that he would “hold out” until he was treated right by the company.
Last night through his Twitter, Tyrus announced GFW granted his release from the company. He thanked the company and wished success to the roster and crew.
While in WWE, Tyrus worked as The Funkasaurus until his release in June of 2014. He then signed with GFW (then TNA) in September of the same year under the name Tyrus, aligning himself with Ethan Carter III.
There’s some good news on the Ric Flair front … as “The Nature Boy” is awake and communicating at the hospital according to one of his reps.
As we previously reported, Flair was hospitalized on Aug. 12 and a few days later he was put into a medically-induced coma to undergo surgery.
His fiancée released a statement on Wednesday saying the 68-year-old was still in critical condition with abdominal pain and issues with multiple organs.
Sports Illustrated reported earlier this week that Flair had an intestinal blockage which resulted in a part of his bowel being removed. Flair’s heavy drinking reportedly exacerbated his issues. The surgery led to other further complications and Flair could be hospitalized for over a month.
According to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer, Flair had an external pacemaker inserted to help his heart. His heart is now beating normally, which Meltzer noted “is a positive.” While things are looking better than earlier this week, he’s on kidney dialysis and it’s still going to be rough for awhile.
Meltzer added that Flair still has an infection that hasn’t been disclosed. There have been issues giving him antibiotics because of Flair’s weakened condition, so it’s still “a bad situation.”
Meltzer also confirmed that Flair never had a heart attack. The initial pain Flair was feeling was due to the obstruction in his bowel. Flair went to the hospital on Friday night and he underwent surgery to have the obstruction removed. Flair was in really bad shape on Saturday and Sunday and there was a real fear about what would happen with the surgery on Monday, but Flair pulled through.
“It’s not [smooth sailing], but it was a great sign that he got through Monday,” Meltzer said.
However, his condition now seems to improving. His rep released a statement on Saturday saying, “Happy 2 report [Ric Flair] is awake, communicating & progressing..but there are complications so needs rest for the 1st time in 40 yrs.”
In true Nature Boy fashion though, he apparently cut a promo on one of the nurses already.
Read her full statement below:
Happy 2 report @RicFlairNatrBoy is awake, communicating & progressing..but there are complications so needs rest for the 1st time in 40 yrs
The odds of Daniel Bryan returning to wrestling get better every day … as he explained this week that there was a “huge, huge misunderstanding” with the test that originally forced him to retire.
Bryan discussed the situation on this week’s E&C Pod of Awesomeness and said he was originally cleared to return to action by his doctors and teams of concussion specialists assigned by WWE in Phoenix and at UCLA, but WWE officials still wouldn’t let him wrestle again.
Daniel then began experimental, non-FDA approved testing at Evoke Neuroscience in New York City that came with bad news. Doctors said he had a lesion in the back part of his brain.
Bryan said, “I’m just like, ‘Holy sh*t. A lesion.’ I’m like, ‘That’s it, I’m done. I’m finished.’”
A week later Vince McMahon asked Bryan to give his retirement speech on Monday Night Raw in Seattle. Days after his speech, he was contacted by one of the doctors who originally cleared him asking what had happened.
Bryan explained, “I told him what happened and I said, ‘They found a lesion in the temporal-parietal region of my brain.’ He goes, ‘Wait, hold up, a lesion?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ And I don’t know what lesion means to you guys, a lesion to me means you have a cut. I have a cut on my brain. He goes, ‘No. Lesion, in medical terminology, is a very vague thing. It just means something is there. We don’t know what it is, so we call it a lesion in the temporal-parietal region of your brain.’”
According to Daniel, it turns out all “lesion” meant was his reflexes in that part of the brain were slower compared to the athletes they usually tested. Compared to a normal person, Bryan was fine. “So I have average reflex time. I was like, ‘Oh no. I don’t think they understand. I’m just an average person, I’m not a real athlete!’ It’s just like, ‘Oh no, there’s been this huge, huge misunderstanding!’”
But the current GM didn’t blame the doctors at Evoke, nor did the the revelation make him want to return to wrestling. At the time he was still trying to have a baby with his wife, Brie Bella.
But once he became the general manager of Smackdown Live, the itch to return came roaring back.
“So all of a sudden I’m around it and I’m not being able to do the part that I love the most. And then they had me out there for an AJ Styles-Dean Ambrose match and it literally tore my heart apart.”
Bryan continued, “And then I was just like, ‘You know what? No. I’m not okay with this.’”
He then began working with the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center in Florida to improve his brain function. They began running tests which showed Bryan had the brain of an average college football player — banged up but not at high risk for brain damage — and thanks to the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Treatments (HBOT) he’s been receiving, which we reported on earlier this week, his brain could be fully healthy if he undergoes more treatments.
Bryan said, “There’s this vast improvement. And Brie sees the vast improvement. And then Dr. (Barry) Miskin thinks within 120 total treatments, so 80 treatments more, that my brain could get back to where if you looked at it from any other spectrum, you would think that I’d have never done any contact sports in my entire life.”
Bryan said “there’s no reason why I can’t return to doing what I love” and hopes to come back to wrestling in a part-time, 50-100 matches a year schedule.
Following last night’s Destination X , Jim Cornette with his Jim Cornette Experience podcast co-host Brian Last to discuss his return to the company.
* Cornette stated he was contacted by Anthem Media recently and was working now directly for them. He is not a member of the roster, and has not signed had not signed anything with GFW (beyond clearances to allow his likeness to be used on TV) and was not interested in working for the company (or any company) full-time.
* He, his wife and his dog knew he was coming in, and some Anthem people but otherwise it was kept quiet.
* Cornette admits that he has had harsh words for GFW, but likes a challenge and Anthem offered him a chance to back up his words
* Cornette wants to right some wrongs, meet with friends and says that the air smells cleaner in the Impact zone these days.
* He will appear on TV “when there is a reason for him to appear.”
* Cornette also said that nothing would change when it comes to his MLW.com podcast or his online store. You can listen to the update below.
Coming hot off the heels of the sold-out War of the Worlds 2017 Tour in North America, ROH is thrilled to announce, in conjunction with NJPW, CMLL and Revolution Pro Wrestling, the first-ever War of the Worlds UK Tour from August 18th , 2017 – August 20th, 2017! With stronger-than-ever partnerships, stars from the top professional wrestling organizations in the world will do battle over the course of three nights!
ROH War of the Worlds UK – Liverpool LIVE Aug 19, 1PM ET/10AM PT
MAIN EVENT
ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROH WORLD CHAMPION “THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE” CODY vs. SANADA
ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS THE YOUNG BUCKS (MATT & NICK JACKSON) vs. THE ADDICTION (“ALMIGHTY” CHRISTOPHER DANIELS & “HEAVY METAL REBEL” FRANKIE KAZARIAN)
ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION KUSHIDA (IF CHAMPION) vs. HIROMU TAKAHASHI vs. “THE VILLAIN” MARTY SCURLL vs. ROH WORLD SIX MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPION DALTON CASTLE w/THE BOYS
BULLY RAY & THE BRISCOES (JAY & MARK) vs. LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPON (BUSHI, EVIL, & NAITO)
ULTIMO GUERRERO & REY BUCANERO vs. MISTICO & TITAN
NON-TITLE
JAY LETHAL vs. BRITISH CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION JOSH BODOM
KENNY KING vs. ADAM PAGE
“PRO WRESTLING’S LAST REAL MAN” SILAS YOUNG vs. MARK HASKINS
Shelton Benjamin has signed a deal to return to WWE. PWInsider reports that the former Intercontinental Champion has signed on to make his return to the company for the first time since 2010.
Benjamin was originally planned to return last summer following the brand split. The company ran promos hyping his return but the pre-signing medical tests revealed a torn rotator cuff. Benjamin underwent surgery to repair the issue and was medically cleared to return in March.
Benjamin was part of the World’s Greatest Tag Team with Charlie Haas from 2002 through 2004 before splitting up, winning the WWE Tag Team Championships during that time. Benjamin went to Raw and got a singles push before the team reunited from 2006 through 2008. He left the company in February of 2010. Since then he has worked for Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH among other companies.
Heated words between Jeff Jarrett and Dan Lambert of American Top Team almost incites an all out brawl backstage at Destination X. James Storm also got involved in the altercation.
Sienna (c) vs. Gail Kim (Unified GFW Knockouts Championship)
At ringside, KM tries to distract Kim right off the bat, doesn’t work, Kim gets control of the match early on with a pin attempt for only a two-count. Sienna heads to the outside to recover, Kim chases after, gets caught, picked up, and dropped on the steel steps. Action back in the ring as Sienna pounds away at Kim, big splash in the corner, pin, two-count. Sienna has all the momentum right now, back-breaker, fall away slam, pin, and another two-count. Both caught on the second rope, Kim with sunset flip powerbomb on Sienna!
Sienna tries for another splash in the corner, misses, Kim with multiple strikes to bring the champion down. Kim up to the top rope, splash, goes for a pin and only two. Kim lands Eat Defeat, but KM distracts the ref, Kim takes down KM and from the crowd shows up Taryn Terrell who takes down Kim! AK-47 by Sienna and she picks up the win.
In the ring, Bruce Prichard has the mic and the GFW Championship. He says he’s going to hand the title back to the Champion before El Patron, Lashley. He calls out Lashley and Jim Cornette shows up! Prichard is very confused why Cornette is out here, who responds that GFW called him to help fix things in the company. Prichard says that nobody outranks him and he doesn’t know why he’s out there and asks for security. Prichard wants him out and Jim says he’s arrogant, obnoxious, and people in the company are getting fed up with him. Cornette then says Prichard is fired and has Prichard sent packing as Cornette snatched the title away from him.
Cornette then says Alberto El Patron did not relinquish the title, he was stripped. Cornette says the wrestlers are not going to be giving anything, they have to fight for it and must conduct themselves as professionals in and out of the ring. He then announces a 20-man gauntlet match at next week’s show. LAX heads out to the ring, Konnan is not happy that Low-Ki now has to fight 19 other wrestlers to win the title. Cornette says he feels for Low-Ki and will make him #20 to make up for the change. The group tries to intimidate Cornette, but he lets him know he works for corporate so they can’t touch him and he exits the ring.
Winner: Dezmond Xavier wins the 2017 Super X Cup Finals
Backstage, Grado and Joseph Park talk about how Grado is going to say goodbye on next week’s show.
Sonjay Dutt (c) vs. Trevor Lee (X-Division Championship Ladder Match)
Dutt goes right after Lee, finishing with a big kick and tossing him by his hair. Lee looks to the ref, “He pulled my hair!” Dutt does it a few more times. Action to the outside as Lee is thrown into the barricade and Dutt spits some water in his face. Lee then shoves Dutt into the barricade before tossing him back in the ring. Action spills back to the outside as Lee tries to bring a ladder into the ring, baseball slide by Dutt sending the ladder right into Lee’s mug. Dutt with a nice springboard moonsault to the floor. Lee thrown back into the ring, he jumps on the apron and lands a huge kick to Dutt’s face. Lee grabs a ladder and sets it up in the middle of the ring.
Dutt yanks Lee off the ladder, gets sent into the turnbuckle, Lee puts the ladder into the corner and chucks Dutt square on the ladder. Lee drops the ladder on Dutt, sets it up, and gets his fingertips on the title. He goes back after Dutt, Dutt off the ropes and Lee hits a nice jumping double stomp sending his opponent hard to the mat. Out comes a table, Lee angles it in the corner, Dutt hits a tornado DDT by jumping off the table. Dutt sets the table up and puts Lee on it, Lee breaks up that plan though. Action spills to the outside, Lee tosses in another ladder, so there’s two ladders and a table set up in the ring. One ladder is hooked into the other one and set on the second rope, Dutt with a splash and there was no give on that move. Dutt heads up to get the title and Caleb Konley shows up and powerbombs Dutt through a table. Petey Williams shows up and hits the Canadian Destroyer on Konley! He then runs out to cheer on Dutt who gets blasted with a ladder and sent back to the outside. Lee climbs the ladder, Dutt springboards up to the ladder, punches Lee off the ladder who crashes down on to that second ladder and is out. Dutt takes the title and wins the match.
Winner: Sonjay Dutt retains the X-Division Title
OVE (Dave and Jake Crist) vs. Zachary Wentz and Jason Cade
Lashley vs. Matt Sydal (Winner gets a title shot of their choosing)
Sydal uses his agility and kicks to attempt to chop Lashley down, Lashley with a big shoulder block to drop his opponent. Lashley goes for a powerbomb, Sydal reverses into a pin for a two-count. Another powerbomb attempt, Sydal with a hurricanrana straight into a pin for another two-count. Standing moonsault, Sydal thinks about a pin, but Lashley chucks him to the outside. Lashley with punches to the face before tossing Sydal into the barricade right in front of Lashley’s teammates from American Top Team. Action back in the ring as Lashley looks to have control of this match as he launches Sydal into the corner with force, pin, two.
Lashley goes to work on Sydal, takes a moment to show the ref his boot and get in his face before chopping Sydal in the neck. Lashley cranks Sydal’s neck and pulls off a stalled suplex, even doing it with one arm before dropping Sydal down. Lashley goes for the spear, Sydal moves and hits a spinning kick to stun his opponent. Sydal hits a DDT, pin, two-count. Sydal heads up to the top, Lashley follows him up and tries to hit another suplex, but gets a knee to the head. Sydal with double knees off the top to the chest, pin, two-count. Huge spinebuster by Lashley, pin, two. Powerslam by Lashley, but he just can’t put down Sydal for good. Another power move and Sydal just won’t stay down. Lashley heads to the outside and grabs a chair, the ref attempts to take it away, gets shoved away for a moment, Sydal with a spin kick that sends the chair into Lashley’s face. Sydal with a Shooting Star Press and Lashley gets the knees up, goes for a spear, misses in the corner, Sydal with a roll-up and gets the 1-2-3!
Winner: Matt Sydal gets a title shot of his choosing
– Post-match, American Top Team jumps the referee! These things happen in pro wrestling. Lashley rushes over to keep his guys calm.
