WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
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.
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.
Tonight’s AEW Collision taped earlier this week from the Nutter Center in Dayton, OH.
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
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.
Pre-show
Kushida defeated Leon Slater. Slater thought he had victory within his grasp, but Kushida sprang up for a Spanish Fly into an armbar on the mat for victory.
Alexander Hammerstone & Jake Something defeated Eric Young & Steve Maclin. Hot tag to Maclin for a Tree of Woe spear to Hammerstone. Tag to Young for a flying elbow drop. Jake made the save on the pin. Hammer powered up for a torture rack on Maclin. Young saved his partner, then Maclin clotheslined Hammerman over the ropes. Young turned around into a spinning side slam from Jake. Hosses win.
Victory Road
Hardys defeated AJ Francis & KC Navarro. First Class mocked the Hardy dance. Top Dolla even went up top for a swanton bomb, however, he missed the mark on the landing. Later, Francis went up top again, but the Hardys rallied with a double superplex. A double DDT and a double clothesline sent Francis out of the ring. The Hardys kept the momentum hot for a Twist of Fate and a Swanton for Jeff to pin Navarro.
X-Division Championship: Mike Bailey defeated Zachary Wentz to win the title. Wentz brought his best, but Speedball was better. Wentz surged for a snapmare driver and a superkick. Bailey blocked the UFO cutter and swiftly executed the flamingo driver for victory. Exciting match.
Matt Cardona & Steph De Lander versus PCO & Rhino was cancelled. SDL cut a promo to inform the crowd that she needs neck surgery. This isn’t a retirement speech. She will be back. In the meantime, SDL wants Cardona and PCO to work out their issues. SDL and PCO left as wife and husband. When Rhino went to exit, Cardona kicked the ropes into the beast’s groin. Cardona hit a Radio Silence leg lariat to stand tall and put the spotlight back on himself.
Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Jody Threat & Dani Luna defeated Masha Slamovich & Tasha Steelz to win the titles. Do or die for Spitfire. Lose, and they will be forced to break up as a team. Alisha Edwards was not medically cleared due to a previous concussion, so Steelz took her spot. Spitfire was in trouble when Slamovich hit the Snow Plow on Threat, but Luna slammed Steelz onto the pile to break the pin. Spitfire fired up for double-team offense and finished Slamovich on a powerbomb neckbreaker combo for victory. Afterward, Alisha blamed Slamovich for the loss. Alisha and Steelz turned on Slamovich to attack the Russian.
Joe Hendry defeated Josh Alexander. Electric match. Alexander tried to embarrass Hendry with grappling, but the people believed in Hendry. He power up to fight back. Ref bump! Alexander shoved Hendry into the referee. Hendry countered the C4 spike into an ankle lock. Alexander tapped out, but the referee was still down. Hendry released the hold thinking that he won. Alexander struck with a low blow. Hendry went down, then he popped back up to pull a cup out of his tights. Hendry slammed Alexander with a Standing Ovation and slapped on the ankle lock. Alexander tapped out again, and the ref was there to witness.
TNA World Tag Team Championship: Bryan Myers & Eddie Edwards defeated Ace Austin & Chris Bey to win the titles. Hot tag to Ace running wild. Bey found a second wind for a double cutter to the System. ABC went for their combo finish, but Edwards caught Bey for a powerbomb. Ace blasted a head kick on Edwards. Myers laid out Ace with a Roster Cut lariat. Bey had to fight the odds. When he picked up steam, Alisha Edwards hooked his foot as a distraction. Myers speared Bey, then Eddie crushed a Boston Knee Party for victory.
Knockouts Championship: Jordynne Grace defeated Wendy Choo to retain the title. The Sleepy Psycho arrived from NXT. Choo had the window of opportunity after executing a belly-to-belly superplex and a brainbuster. Grace kicked out on the cover, so Choo slapped on the sleeper choke. Grace powered up to break free. A powerbomb paved the way for a pumphandle driver to close. After the match, Rosemary speared Grace, then Choo put the Juggernaut to sleep.
TNA World Championship: Nic Nemeth defeated Moose to retain the title. After Nemeth hit a Fameasser, Alisha Edwards and Johnny Dango Curtis scurried out to help Moose. They tried to slip the title belt to Moose as a foreign Object, but Mike Santana arrived to snatch it away. Santana and JDC brawled to the back. Nemeth took advantage of the distraction for a Danger Zone. Kick out by Moose. After Nemeth pulled out another Fameasser, Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards rushed in to pull the referee out of the ring. The ref ejected the System. They weren’t leaving, then JBL came in through the crowd as a surprise to clothesline them to hell. The match continued. On the finish, Nemeth rallied for a superkick and a Danger Zone to win.
Tonight’s AEW Rampage on TNT.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown is the premiere episode live on the USA Network, from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.
Another potential update has surfaced regarding WWE’s plans for an upcoming special on NBC this December.
As noted, WWE has filed to trademark Saturday Night’s Main Event to bring back the iconic show from the company’s past live specials on NBC.
The original WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event specials aired on NBC from 1985 to 1991, replacing Saturday Night Live. In 1992, WWE presented the special on FOX before it was discontinued.
In another update, on the latest Straight Talk with The Boss w/ Magnum TA and Greg Gagne podcast, Gagne noted that the reason WWE recently signed Jesse Ventura to a contract is to have him return to his old-school role as color-commentator for the WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC special.
“I mean, with what they’re paying those guys to come in, I think Jesse’s going to do the — they’re doing some NBC Saturday night shows, about four of them, they’re gonna use Jesse for that,” Gagne said.
This resurgence of Saturday Night’s Main Event is part of WWE’s broader media plan, and as part of it, they have inked a new agreement with NBCUniversal to bring Friday Night SmackDown back to the USA Network. The deal includes four prime-time specials on NBC each year, making the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event a fitting inclusion.
Sources: eWn and Wrestling Headlines
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