Multiple Promotions To Hold Crossover Event Under United Japan Pro Wrestling Banner

Japanese wrestling promotions have had their fair share of rivalries over the years, with Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba famously having two completely different ideologies that led to the formation of New Japan and All Japan Pro Wrestling in the ’70s. However, in recent years, many promotions in Japan have seen the benefit of collaboration and working together, which was taken to another level with the formation of United Japan Pro Wrestling in late 2023, and an inaugural event for the group has been announced.

On May 6, 2024, the “ALL TOGETHER: United Japan Pro Wrestling Inauguration & Noto Earthquake Benefit Event” will take place with NJPW, STARDOM, NOAH, DDT, Dragon Gate, and Big Japan Pro Wrestling all confirmed to have wrestlers taking part. The event will not only act as the inaugural event for the group, but as the name suggests, a portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the victims of the earthquake that hit the Noto peninsula region of northern Japan on January 1. A number of matches have already been announced for the event, with more expected to come in the near future. 

The “ALL TOGETHER” name was first used in 2011 when NJPW, NOAH, and AJPW joined forces for a charity event at the Nippon Budokan, which is where the 2024 event will take place. There were also ALL TOGETHER events in 2012 and 2023, with the proceeds going to charity on both occasions. AJPW, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, and GANBARE Pro Wrestling are also members of the UJPW group, but will not be able to participate on May 6. However, they will play a part in the second event the group intends to hold, titled “Hokkai Kita-Yell” in Sapporo on June 15.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Star Alexa Bliss Offers Update On A Possible Return

It’s been quite awhile since WWE fans have seen Alexa Bliss in a wrestling ring. The former five-time WWE Women’s Champion and three-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion hasn’t wrestled a match since January 2023, when she unsuccessfully challenged Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship at the Royal Rumble. But Bliss is now hinting that a return to the squared circle could be on the horizon.

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Taking to X on Tuesday afternoon, Bliss noted that she was “back at it,” posting emojis a muscle flex and lifting weights, signaling she was back working out. Though Bliss didn’t provide any further clarification, several fans, and even the official account for the USA Network, came away from the tweet excited, anticipating a potential WWE return.

https://twitter.com/AlexaBliss_WWE/status/1772700710729035877
https://twitter.com/USANetwork/status/1772704838217842836

Bliss’ absence was brought on by a variety of factors, including an appearance on Fox’s “The Masked Singer,” and a skin cancer scare shortly after her match at the Rumble. Bliss went public with her diagnosis in March, and days later would reveal she was cancer-free after undergoing a procedure soon after. Just two months later, Bliss revealed she was pregnant with her and her husband, singer Ryan Cabrera’s, first child, extending her absence. Bliss would give birth to the couple’s daughter, Hendrix, on November 27.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Slammy Awards Set To Return On WWE WrestleMania Weekend

WWE issued the following: 

THE SLAMMYS: THE FANS CHOICE AWARDS TO AIR LIVE ON SUNDAY, APRIL 7 FROM WWE WORLD AT WRESTLEMANIA

Streaming Live Across WWE Social Platforms with Voting Open Today Until Wednesday, March 27

STAMFORD, Conn., March 22, 2024 – WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), today announced The Slammys: The Fans Choice Awards will take place at WWE World at WrestleMania on Sunday, April 7, and air live across WWE’s YouTube channel, Facebook, X, Twitch and TikTok.

Hosted by Cathy Kelley and WWE Superstar Big E, alongside special guest appearances from additional WWE Superstars, The Slammys: The Fans Choice Awards will celebrate the very best achievements across the WWE Universe over the past year.

Voting for The Slammys: The Fans Choice Awards is open now and will run until this Wednesday, March 27, at www.wwe.com/slammys.

WWE and Fanatics Events, the live and special event division of Fanatics, recently announced details for WWE World at WrestleMania, a five-day interactive fan experience taking place from Thursday, April 4 through Monday, April 8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. WWE World at WrestleMania will feature a variety of immersive experiences for fans including a central main stage that will host roundtable discussions with top WWE Superstars, a WWE 2K24 Showdown gaming tournament, live podcast recordings, live memorabilia and autograph sales through Fanatics Live, and the largest WWE Superstore in WrestleMania history. The event will also feature exclusive merchandise and meet-and-greets with WWE Superstars and Legends, in addition to immersive exhibits and memorabilia honoring WrestleMania’s 40-year history.

Tickets for WWE World at WrestleMania are going fast and available to purchase now. For further details, visit: www.fanaticsevents.com/wwe.

WWE NXT Preview 3/26/2024

Tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on the USA Network: 

  • The Wolf Dogs (Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin) vs. Alpha Academy’s Otis & Akira Tozawa –If Alpha Academy wins, they are added to the NXT Tag Team title match at Stand & Deliver
  • Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams “Prime Target” vignettes
  • We’ll hear from Ridge Holland
  • Ilja Dragunov vs. Stacks Lorenzo
  • Shawn Spears vs. Dijak
  • Josh Briggs vs. Duke Hudson
  • Thea Hail vs. Jazmyn Nyx
  • Lola Vice open challenge

The Rock Viciously Assaults Cody Rhodes To End WWE RAW

The Rock viciously assaulted Cody Rhodes as this week’s episode of WWE RAW came to a conclusion.

Following the main event of RAW which saw Jey Uso face off against Shinsuke Nakamura, The Rock attacked. The Jey Uso/Nakamura match saw Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa try to get involved. However, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins came down to stop the attack. As Rhodes fought Jimmy to the back, The Rock was there to take over and attacked Cody.

The Rock slammed Cody’s head into a table while trash talking him. He also hit him numerous times with a trash can. The two battled outside in the rain, with The Rock slamming Rhodes’ head into the side of his own private bus.

The Rock continued to call Cody a “boy” and stated that he was the “Final Boss” and that Rhodes shouldn’t have “stuck his nose in his business.” The show went off the air with The Rock smearing the blood of Rhodes on a belt that said “Mama Rhodes.”

Source: eWn

WWE RAW Preview 3/25/2024

Tonight’s WWE RAW live on USA Network from the the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.

  • CM Punk to appear in his hometown of Chicago
  • Jey Uso vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed
  • Ricochet vs. JD McDonagh
  • Andrade vs. Ivar
  • Ivy Nile vs. Candice LeRae

Upcoming AEW Collision Will Avoid WWE WrestleMania 40 Competition

The April 6 episode of AEW Collision will not air in the show’s regular time slot nor have to go head-to-head with WrestleMania 40, which is set to start at 7 p.m. EST.

According to the TNT programming schedule, the edition of the show will instead air at 11:30 p.m. EST.

As a reminder, the show will be taped after AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, April 3.

Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin, The Motor City Machine Guns, Reportedly Finished With TNA

Two of the most successful stars in the history of TNA Wrestling have reportedly finished up with the promotion. According to PWInsider, Saturday night’s tapings in Philadelphia marked the final TNA performances (at least for now) of Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, the Motor City Machine Guns. PWI says TNA held an emotional backstage sendoff for the veteran duo whose contracts are up on April 1. This report was confirmed by Fightful Select, who add that while “the door has been kept open” for the Guns to return, they are not currently expected to remain with TNA.

Sabin and Shelley have spent the majority of their careers in TNA since debuting for the promotion in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and they’ve seen plenty of individual success, with both men having enjoyed a reign with the promotion’s world championship. However, they are much better known as a tag team — the Motor City Machine Guns are three-time TNA tag champs and have won tag team gold in Game Changer Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and Ring of Honor (prior to its acquisition by AEW CEO Tony Khan).

The Guns’ final TNA match is reportedly against Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers for the tag titles. Come April, they will be free agents and can sign with any promotion. They previously appeared in one match for AEW, teaming with Jay Lethal in a losing effort against FTR and Wardlow at All Out 2022, and Shelley has been seen on WWE television as well, competing alongside KUSHIDA on “WWE NXT” as part of the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (he also boasts an 2005 appearance on “WWE Sunday Night Heat”). WWE Hall of Famer “Road Dogg” Brian James recently suggested Sabin and Shelley would be “good WWE superstars.” on his podcast, “Oh … You Didn’t Know,”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Matt Hardy Gives Update On AEW Contract Negotiations

On the latest episode of the “Extreme Life of Matt Hardy” podcast, the AEW star discussed a wide range of topics. 

During this time, Hardy discussed his contract status with AEW ahead of its expiration this month. He was also at Monday’s WWE RAW after he and his wife were invited to sit in a suite by one of her friends. He said, 

“The reason it got even more buzz is people know my contract is coming up. I’m in the midst of contract negotiations. If you are trying to secure me under contract, I’m a guy you want. Whenever I work for your company, nobody waves the flag harder than I do. Whether it’s promoting the company on social media or promoting the hell out of all the positive the company offers. I do love AEW. There are some things I would like to change about my personal career there, and some of the things we’re doing, but overall I love AEW because it is very important for the pro wrestling industry. AEW needs to do well just because the pro wrestling industry doesn’t need just one huge company that is in control of everything. They need competition. Competition is what makes it thrive and what makes it better. For all the young kids coming up, competition needs to exist. I want AEW to do well and I want AEW to thrive. I want to be in a satisfactory position in what I’m doing in AEW. That’s where we’re at.

“Still negotiating and figuring things out. Once again, Tony Khan has taken great care of me. He’s been a good boss. I think Tony Khan is a great human being. At the end of the day, when it comes to making a decision about what I do next, it also comes down to making sure I’m happy and I’m comfortable with what I’m doing in all capacities across the board. There is a ton of value in both Matt and Jeff Hardy right now. If you’re online and don’t see that, I’m sorry, but social media does not reflect reality. People know who we are. I don’t want to say we’re household names, but if you’re a pro wrestling fan, you know who the Hardy Boys are. There are people I meet who are like, ‘You look like Matt Hardy, the Hardy Boys who did the ladder stuff.’ ‘Yeah, nice to meet you.’ I get recognized every day I go out in public. That’s promotion and press, you can’t buy that. I’ve been blessed with so much TV time over the years. There is huge value in Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, and the Hardys together, especially. That is when we’re at our most value. There is value in both of us. Once again, I want to be used to the best of my ability and get the most out of my value.”

Source: eWn

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/22/2024

WWE SmackDown will air live tonight on FOX from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

  • Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes to go face-to-face
  • WrestleMania 40 Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match: The Street Profits vs. Authors of Pain
  • WrestleMania 40 Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match: The Good Brothers vs. Grayson Waller and Austin Theory
  • Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar (LWO and LGF Banned From Ringside)