WWE NXT Preview 9/17/2024

Tonight’s WWE NXT on USA Network

  • CM Punk will make a special announcement.
  • Ethan Page and Trick Williams contract signing for their upcoming WWE NXT Title match
  • Lyra Valkyria & Tatum Paxley vs. Wendy Choo & Rosemary
  • Lola Vice vs. Jacy Jayne

Is Alexa Bliss Returning Shortly To Join The Wyatt Sicks’ Faction?

A new QR code aired on this week’s episode of WWE RAW.

During the show, a QR code was shown that teased that The Wyatt Sicks are waiting for a new “HER” to arrive.

One of the entries was titled “SHE” and read as follows,

“When SHE speaks,
mountains should tremble.
It’s waiting for HER.
I can only open the door.
SHE must choose to walk through.”

Another entry was titled “Frater” and read,

“The bond of a family is a cat of nine tails.
Bound through suffering.
We see you, brother.
When you need us, we will be there.”

As of this writing, there is no word on who this new QR code is referring to. But it’s worth noting that Alexa Bliss has been ready to return for quite some time now.

Source: eWn

Update On AJ Styles’ WWE Status

AJ Styles has not been seen on WWE TV since his match against Cody Rhodes at WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland in June.

Since then, Styles has been busy competing in a match for Pro Wrestling NOAH and participating in specific WWE live events.

Fightful Select is reporting that Styles is in good health but is not currently appearing on television.

At the moment, there’s no timetable for Styles’ return.

Source: eWn

Backstage Report Offers Further Details On AEW-WBD Deal That’s Reportedly Close

A new TV deal between All Elite Wrestling and Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to be announced next week.

Entertainment news outlet Puck has confirmed that WBD’s deal with AEW is close to being finalized, and an announcement is likely coming “as soon as next week, barring any last-minute challenges.” It’s worth noting that AEW will be in New York City next week for their Grand Slam TV tapings. It is expected that reps from WBD will be in attendance at these TV tapings.

AEW’s next media rights deal with Warner Bros Discovery seems to be approaching the finish line, with a report yesterday suggesting AEW was poised to sign a 3-4 year contract worth $170 million annually. Now, a new report from Fightful Select has some additional details on the situation behind the scenes.

In addition to backing up the news regarding the deal, today’s report states that the new media rights package will be enough to make AEW a profitable company. Leading up to the agreement, AEW reportedly saw $200 million per year, for a five-year deal, as a “large benchmark” that they hoped to achieve. While the impending deal is slightly less than that, and for a shorter amount of time, there is now potential for the promotion to surpass that goal.

It remains a possibility that AEW’s pay-per-views are part of a separate deal that is currently being worked on between the promotion and WBD, which could see the events wind up streaming on MAX. On top of that, the report indicates that AEW is currently shopping around another television package for broadcast networks, and that it’s something Tony Khan has wanted to make happen for a while. It appears AEW’s exclusivity with WBD is ending with the new contract, allowing Khan to bring AEW offers to other companies, explaining the recent AEW-Fox rumors.

There reportedly hasn’t been any word about Ring of Honor being included in any of these deals, but it remains a possibility. So far, AEW has kept most information about the contract locked down, with talent unaware of many details. While no firm date has yet to emerge, it seems the new deal could be announced as soon as next week, according to the original report.

Sources: Wrestling Inc. and eWn

WWE Raw Preview 9/16/2024

WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

  • WWE World Tag Team Championship: The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and JD McDonagh (c) vs. The New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
  • CM Punk to appear
  • Braun Strowman vs. Bronson Reed
  • Dominik Mysterio vs. Damian Priest
  • Natalya vs. Zoey Stark

Update On Matt Riddle’s Likelihood In AEW

A year out from his WWE exit, Matt Riddle recently teased the possibility of joining All Elite Wrestling, specifically with the intention of making more money and working a decent television schedule. According to a new report, though, that idea may be a little far-fetched right now.

Fightful Select reports that AEW President Tony Khan has had zero interest in bringing Riddle aboard to the company, “especially over the last number of years.” In recent months, Riddle has worked with some talents signed to AEW — including Brian Cage, Dralistico, Komander, Penta El Zero Miedo, and The Beast Mortos — on the wrestling circuit. As Fightful points out, though, all those matches emanated from promotions based in Mexico, and not the United States.

In addition to the idea of signing with AEW, Riddle also recently discussed a backstage encounter he had with Khan following his loss to Zack Sabre Jr. at the April 2024 NJPW Windy City Riot show in Chicago. According to Riddle, the conversation between him and Khan was relatively awkward. While Khan initially seemed happy, Riddle stated that he later seemed “confused” when Riddle asked him if he liked the match with Sabre Jr. in a “different” kind of tone.

Since leaving WWE last year, Riddle has worked for several independent promotions across Mexico, Canada, and the United States. “The Original Bro” has additionally appeared for New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Major League Wrestling. Riddle’s latest MLW appearance came at the Summer Of The Beasts event on August 29, which saw him defeat former MLW World Tag Team Champion Matthew Justice.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW’s Thunder Rosa Offers Injury Update To Explain Absence

Following a 16-month back-injury-related hiatus, Thunder Rosa officially returned to in-ring action in December 2023. Unfortunately, the former AEW Women’s Champion has now revealed that she recently sustained another injury, though the duration of her subsequent recovery is expected to be much shorter.

While speaking on “Busted Open Radio,” Rosa noted that she is currently battling a head injury, namely a concussion. As such, she will be out of action for “a couple of weeks” as she recuperates. There is no word on exactly how or when Rosa sustained the concussion. With Concussion Awareness Day now just days away, though, Rosa encouraged listeners to follow Chris Nowinski, the founding CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and former WWE star, as she sees his page as a helpful place for information and research related to concussions.

Rosa’s latest in-ring performance came on the August 31 episode of “AEW Collision.” There, she, Hikaru Shida, Serena Deeb, and Queen Aminata competed in a four-way match, in which the winner earned a shot at the TBS Championship, presently held by Mercedes Mone. This opportunity was ultimately captured by Shida after she nailed Aminata with an enzuiguri and a round-house kick.

Prior to this, Rosa was notably entangled in a feud with “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo. Initially starting out as budding tag team partners, Purrazzo and Rosa eventually turned to enemies when a dazed Rosa shoved Purrazzo on the April 10 episode of “AEW Dynamite,” causing Purrazzo to aim a profanity at her. Since then, the two battled back and forth in a series of matches, with their final one taking form in a Texas Bullrope Match on “Collision” last month.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Collision Preview 9/14/2024

Tonight’s AEW Collision taped earlier this week from the Nutter Center in Dayton, OH.

  • TNT Championship: Jack Perry (c) vs. Christopher Daniels
  • The Conglomeration (Mark Briscoe & Kyle O’Reilly) & Hologram vs. The Beast Mortos & Premier Athletes (Tony Nese & Ari Daivari)
  • Wheeler Yuta vs. Anthony Henry
  • Robyn Renegade vs. Queen Aminata
  • Komander & Private Party vs. TBA
  • Yuka Sakazaki vs. Serena Deeb
  • Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) vs. Cage of Agony (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
  • FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)

Steph De Lander Pulled From TNA Victory Road 2024, Will Undergo Neck Surgery

Steph De Lander was pulled from her match at Friday night’s TNA Victory Road 2024 pay-per-view event.

De Lander was set to team with Matt Cardona to face off against PCO and Rhino during the show. Just prior to the match, De Lander cut a promo to announce that she would need to undergo neck surgery. After vowing not to retire, she left the ringside area with PCO.

Source: eWn

Backstage Update On The Status Of The Motor City Machine Guns

The Motor City Machine Guns have been the subject of much discussion in recent months, as fans around the world are still wondering where they will end up. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin’s contracts with TNA expired at the beginning of April, and rumors have been rampant concerning whether they will choose to sign with WWE or AEW. Initially, it looked as if Sabin and Shelley would become ‘All Elite,’ with the two men already having a brief history with AEW, appearing at All Out 2022. However, that talk seemed to die off, and the word inside the business was that they were WWE-bound.

Now it seems there is an answer, at least according to Dave Meltzer, who claimed in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the Motor City Machine Guns are expected to start in WWE imminently. As far as the destination within WWE, Meltzer claims that, despite the fact that Sabin and Shelley are one of the most influential tag teams of their generation, they will be part of the “WWE NXT” brand when they eventually debut.

“NXT” has a lot of big events coming up in the near future, as the brand will be moving to The CW on October 1. The live debut on October 1 will take place from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, which will then be followed by a live episode in St. Louis, Missouri on October 8, which will go head-to-head with “AEW Dynamite.” Following on from the two live shows on October 1 and 8, “NXT” will be back on the road for the Halloween Havoc PLE, which will take place on October 27 at the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

According to multiple reports, the current plan is to have Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin debut in a tag team match during WWE NXT’s Chicago debut on October 1st.

Source: Wrestling Inc.