Backstage News On Paige’s WWE Status After She Recovers From Neck Surgery

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter that unless things change, WWE has no plans to use Paige going forward after she is recovered from her neck surgery that she had last October. It was noted that the reason for WWE not using her again is “everything that’s happened.”

Paige has been out of action since suffering the neck injury in June of 2016. Since then she has had two Wellness violations. She has been filmed with boyfriend Alberto Del Rio on social media as he bashed the company and Triple H. Explicit sex tapes were also leaked featuring her.

Last February, Del Rio and Paige were on Busted Open and noted that she was undergoing physical therapy. Del Rio said that Paige was hoping to return to action by May.

“I’m 100% sure that she’ll be the most successful female wrestler of all time,” Del Rio said in February. “She just needs to get well and she’ll be back in the ring around April or May, I don’t know, when the doctor’s have their final decision.”

Meltzer noted that the only thing that might save her job with WWE is the upcoming movie produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on Paige’s family, Fighting with My Family, which wrapped filming earlier this month.

Source: WrestlingINC

Vader Passes Out After Match In Japan, Reveals What Happened

Vader briefly collapsed after a match at Korakuen Hall in Japan on Thursday.

Vader was teaming with Keiji Muto & AKIRA in a six-man tag team match against Tatsumi Fujinami, Riki Choshu & Shiro Koshinaka. After the match there was a ceremony honoring Fujinami and Vader fainted in the ring. Vader was able to eventually come to and leave the ring on his own.

Vader took to Twitter and said that he collapsed because he was dropped on his head during the match, and that it didn’t have anything to do with his recent heart issues.

As noted, Vader had tweeted out last November that he had two years to live due to congestive heart failure. He later said that he regretted making the tweets.

“I really kind of regret tweeting it out,” Vader told The Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling last month. “In other words when I got diagnosed and was told, ‘Leon, you have a bad heart and you have congestive heart failure and we feel your time is limited and you have maybe a couple of years left… two years or less to live.’ I remember getting very angry and said this has gotta be bulls–t because I don’t feel bad and I remember getting extremely angry. Since that time and when I got the news I left the hospital and went right to the gym and rode the bike for a half hour. Hard. As hard as I could and when I got off the bike and got on the treadmill and walked for another 15 minutes pretty hard and I was exhausted but my heart felt fine so how can I do that if my heart is going to give out? The doctor in some of the ongoing appointments that I had with him explained to me that when you are tipping the scales at 400 and 420-25 pounds that a man that size and that heavy isn’t supposed to be able to push himself in a cardiovascular endeavor no matter what it is much past 2 or 3 minutes.”

Source: WrestlingINC

Impact Wrestling and GFW Officially Merged

Last night on Impact Wrestling, GFW co-founder Karen Jarrett announced that Impact Wrestling and Global Force Wrestling has officially merged.

Last week I noted that I thought a merger between the two company’s might already be underway.

What will happen to the titles from the GFW promotion. Magnus is GFW World Champ. Cody Rhodes is Nex*Gen Champ. Christina Von Eerie is the GFW Women’s Champ. Will those titles be dropped? Will they be merged with Impact titles? Will Impact finally get new title’s dropping the TNA name off of them?

Maria Kanellis & Mike Bennett Headed To WWE?

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Maria Kanellis is set for a WWE return and her husband Mike Bennett is coming with her, according to a report on Monday by SportsKeeda.com

Mike and Maria are reportedly headed to WWE’s SmackDown brand. PWTorch reported that a return to Impact Wrestling was a possibility but WWE’s offer was more appealing to the couple.

Source: WrestlingINC

Adam Thornstowe Injured

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Impact Wrestling issued the following:

While the tag team scene heats up at IMPACT Wrestling, it is with much disappointment this afternoon that we inform our fans that one half of the new fan favorite tag team Reno Scum, Adam Thornstowe, is temporarily out of action with a torn bicep muscle. Thornstowe sustained the injury during in-ring action and underwent surgery recently near his home in Reno, Nevada. Understandably distraught by his current situation, feeling as though he let his fans and his partner, Luster the Legend down, Thornstowe is committed, using this setback as fuel to recovering fully, as quickly as possible, and bring the high energy and enthusiasm that is Reno Scum back to the IMPACT Zone and back to Tag Team Title contention.

The entire IMPACT Wrestling family sends their best wishes for a speedy recovery to Thornstowe and looks forward to seeing him in action in the six-sided ring again soon. Oi!

Impact Wrestling Preview 4/20/17

Tonight on a live episode Impact Wrestling on Pop TV:

* World Championship: (C) Lashley vs. James Storm

* Knockouts Championship: (C) Rosemary vs. ODB

* Multi-Man X-Division match

Mick Foley Had His Hip Surgery

hip surgery mick foley

Former Raw General Manager Mick Foley underwent hip surgery on Wednesday and got a special Christmas-related visit afterward in the recovery room.

The WWE Hall of Famer went under the knife today and when it was all over posted a photo on social media of his daughter Noelle Foley at the hospital dressed as Buddy the Elf.

Mick revealed last year that he was in need of the surgery and now that he’s no longer working Monday nights the ex-wrestler finally had time to take care of the problem.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Lucha Underground Wrestlers Allowed To Appear On Impact Due To AAA Deal, But Not Their Characters

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The deal between Anthem and AAA may see wrestlers from Lucha Underground appear on Impact, but they’re not allowed to portray their El Rey characters.

Sources with knowledge of the situation say El Rey officials are very happy with LU and optimistic about making another season of the show, once all the episodes they’ve filmed have been shown.

Because so many episodes have already been filmed, the network is way ahead of production and not in a rush to officially green-light the next season yet.

As for AAA’s new partnership with Impact, sources say it’s possible for wrestlers from Lucha Underground to appear on Pop TV … as long as they don’t infringe on any of LU/El Rey’s intellectual property — which makes sense considering the company has been fighting Pentagon Jr and Fenix over the rights to their characters.

Ricochet aka Prince Puma tweeted about LU possibly allowing their talent to appear on Impact and said, “So they can randomly do IMPACT but I can’t do ROH?? Hummm???”

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Impact Wrestling And AAA Announce Partnership Details, Co-Branded Live Tours Intended For The Fall

partnership aaa impact wrestling co-branded live tours tna

The partnership between Impact Wrestling and AAA has just grown stronger … because the two companies announced Tuesday that they intend to begin a live tour together.

Impact put out a press release today in which Ed Nordholm is quoted saying, “By combining our efforts on talent, touring and distribution, we will increase the global footprint of our respective companies and create the best product for our passionate fan bases.”

The press release states that AAA/Impact intend to launch co-branded live tours in the fall and that AAA will “facilitate distribution of IMPACT Wrestling in new territories throughout Latin America and South America, while Anthem will facilitate the expansion of the Lucha Libre AAA footprint through Fight Network’s diverse distribution channels.”

Plus, AAA talent will be featured at Slammiversary in July and Impact talent will be used at TripleMania in August — including a title defense for one of their championships.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

WWE 205 Live Preview 4/18/17

Tonight’s WWE 205 Live will take place from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

* Will Alicia Fox and Noam Dar’s relationship survive?

* Can Austin Aries top TJ Perkins?