Backstage News On WWE Terminating John Laurinaitis

There’s a backstage update on John Laurinaitis’ exit from WWE that has given fans insight into what his past few weeks in the company looked like.

Fightful Select confirmed that Laurinaitis was in fact fired last week, as was first reported earlier today. They reported that he was still looped into company e-mails until Triple H was named Executive Vice President of Talent Relations. He was apparently included in a series of company-wide e-mails containing sensitive information related to creative and personnel matters, but was briefly removed from mailing lists during the July 22 edition of “SmackDown”. He was added back to them the following week where he remained.

Laurinaitis’ name was also added to an internal termination list, which supposedly also included McMahon’s name. Several talents in WWE are reportedly happy that they no longer have to deal with him. One top star even called Laurinaitis the biggest snake in the business.

Unlike McMahon, Laurinaitis was placed on administrative leave during the board investigations into the reports of hush money payments made to former female employees to silence allegations of sexual abuse, harassment, and other misconduct. News first broke back in June that Laurinaitis and McMahon were both being investigated by WWE’s Board of Directors for payments that totaled over $15 million. McMahon retired soon after to the shock of fans and WWE personnel alike. His daughter Stephanie and company President Nick Khan were named co-CEOs. Stephanie’s husband, Triple H was named as Laurinaitis’ replacement and assumed Vince McMahon’s duties as Head of Creative.

Laurinaitis was first hired by WWE as a road agent back in 2001 after he was brought over from WCW following the company’s purchase of its one-time rival. He was later named the Director of Talent Relations before climbing the company ladder to be promoted to Executive Vice President in 2009. He became an on-screen authority figure as the General Manager of “Raw” in 2011. He would become a road agent once more in 2012 before he was named the Head of Talent Relations again last year.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Parking Lot Mystery Leads To Surprise Return Of Dexter Lumis On WWE Raw

The element of unpredictability has seemingly returned to WWE programming under the Triple H regime.

Fans who watched last night’s “WWE Raw” are still buzzing about a bizarre backstage segment involving Kevin Owens, Doudrop, Nikki A.S.H. and a car accident in the backdrop.

The aforementioned accident occured just as Owens, in an interview with Kevin Patrick, gloated about injuring Ezekiel and sending him away on a stretcher before their match even started. Just as Owens was being interviewed, a black car in the background drove directly into a structure in the parking lot, prompting a ‘what just happened?’ reaction from Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. who stood inches away from the site of the crash. This was followed by Doudrop, Nikki A.S.H. and several WWE officials inspecting the crashed car.

Interestingly, WWE camera crews cut back to the interview with Owens as if nothing happened in the background.

A little later, when Alexa Bliss and Asuka were interviewed at the same backstage spot, the crashed car was being loaded onto a tow truck with a bunch of police officers sprinting towards the scene.

WWE’s announcers did not acknowledge the incident at all, which added to the bizarre nature of the segment. Some believe it was done in such a way so as to leave viewers guessing and wondering about the person who caused the accident.

The main event of Raw saw AJ Styles defeat the Miz. After the match ended, a commotion began in the crowd. When the camera panned over to it, fans could see Dexter Lumis being dragged away by security. Commentary, in disbelief, questioned whether they did in fact see Dexter in the crowd.

It appears Dexter Lumis has returned to WWE.

Following the main event bout between AJ Styles and The Miz on the 8/8 “WWE Raw” episode, cameras cut to cops detaining someone that resembled Lumis.

Immediately after the segment, Indi Hartwell, the former kayfabe wife of Lumis, reacted on Twitter with a thumbs-up emoji. NXT announcer Wade Barrett also seemingly confirmed that the debuting Superstar was Lumis.

The return of Lumis has been widely expected since Triple H was appointed as WWE’s Head of Talent Relations and Head of Creative last month. Earlier on Monday, Fightful Select confirmed that WWE was interested in bringing back Lumis.

Since his WWE release last April, Lumis has kept himself busy on the independent scene under his past ring name Sam Shaw. He also appeared at the NWA’s Alwayz Ready pay-per-view back in June, where he competed in a four-way match for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.

Since the start of the Triple H era, the likes of IYO SKY, Karrion Kross, Scarlett and now Dexter Lumis have returned to WWE. Another former NXT Champion Johnny Gargano is rumored to return soon.

Sources: Wrestling Inc. and TheSportster

WWE RAW Preview 8/8/22

WWE RAW tonight on USA Network at 8/7C.

The road to crowning new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions is set to begin on “Raw”. It was announced during Friday night’s “SmackDown” that a tournament for the vacant titles will begin on tonight’s episode. The titles have been vacant since the former champions Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of WWE back in May.

WWE is promoting a United States Championship match for tonight’s “Raw”, with Bobby Lashley defending against Ciampa.

Rey Mysterio is set for another showdown against The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor

More Details Revealed About AEW: Fight Forever Video Game

Over the past week, more updates and information about Yukes and THQ Nordic’s upcoming game AEW: Fight Forever have been coming. We’ve seen gameplay, trailers, and the cover art, with more official info said to be released on August 12th at THQ Nordic’s Showcase. Before the event, “Fightful Select” has learned even more news about the upcoming wrestling game.

Fightful revealed that nobody in All Elite Wrestling even knew what the cover looked like until it leaked one day before it was supposed to disclose. The cover athletes didn’t even know they were on the game’s cover. This is because THQ Nordic designed the cover art itself, not AEW.

As for updates on the many different modes in the game, there will be more mini-games than what was seen in a recent gameplay video. We will have the three previously shown off and a fourth centered around The King of Sloth Style, Orange Cassidy. The story/career mode for the game was reportedly not going to be like other wrestling games’ career mode, being described as “much different than anything before it.”

Many of the talent who arrived in AEW earlier in the year will not be expected to make the cut for the upcoming game, so don’t be surprised if we don’t see names like Swerve Strickland, Keith Lee, or Athena appear in the game.

Internally, AEW: Fight Forever’s release date has been moved around, with Kenny Omega previously stating that the hope is the game would release in September. Fightful also said that THQ Nordic has been in high gear over the last few months, pushing out additions and bug fixes to the game. They also report that there are rumors of more being shown off about the game next month in Japan.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Ric Flair Brawls With Fellow WWE Hall Of Famer Carlos Colon In Puerto Rico

Less than a week after Ric Flair’s Last Match, The Nature Boy got physically involved in the main event of WWC Anniversario.

On July 31, the Ric Flair’s Last Match PPV took place. The Nature Boy seemingly hung up his boots for good after securing the win for his team with son-in-law Andrade El Idolo, when he pinned Jeff Jarrett in a figure four leg lock in the main event. However, just six days later, Flair found himself physically involved in the main event of another significant event. The stage was the annual Anniversario show promoted by the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico, where Flair appeared as the manager to Andrade, facing off against fellow WWE alum, Carlito.

As reported by Thomas Lowson (SEScoops) Carlito defeated Andrade El Idolo in the last match of the night for WWC Anniverario on August 6. While both competitors are well-known wrestling fans around the world for their respective tenures in WWE, not to mention Andrade’s current work with AEW, it was a pair of WWE Hall of Famers who arguably stole the show. Ric Flair posted photos to his Twitter of him getting into an altercation with Carlito’s father, the legendary Carlos Colon during the match (as well as the icons and their family members posing together backstage).

This was actually a revisiting of a very old rivalry. In Flair’s prime, he worked some of the greatest matches in wrestling history and along that run, Colon challenged Flair for the NWA Championship back in 1983. The Puerto Rican star even garnered a “phantom” title reign—beating Flair in a match never recognized on NWA TV, after which Flair quietly won the title back, as was somewhat customary at the time.

Late in his in-ring career with WWE, Ric Flair actually worked multiple angles with Carlito. That includes Flair beating Carlito to win his lone Intercontinental Championship in 2005. A year later, Flair insulted the youngster’s lack of dedication en route to the two of them forming a teacher-student tag team, only to windup feuding once more. Carlito was arguably a big missed opportunity for WWE, but Flair did his part as a partner and rival in the effort to help him succeed. So it was that there was another layer to The Nature Boy backing his son-in-law, Andrade against this old rival.

It’s for the best that Ric Flair’s altercation with Carlos Colon seems to have remained short and not all that intense given each man is in his 70s and probably best suited leave wrestling to younger athletes at this point. Flair proved in his last match that he’s still up to the task of delivering his signature chops and taking a bump, but he isn’t getting any younger. That match left Nature Boy fans on a high note, and hopefully he won’t press his luck much further.

Source: TheSportster

Photos from Ric Flair’s Twitter page

https://twitter.com/RicFlairNatrBoy/status/1556314372959600641
https://twitter.com/RicFlairNatrBoy/status/1556241361480867840

WWE Announces Women’s Tag Team Title Tournament to Start This Monday On Raw

WWE has announced that a Women’s Tag Team Title tournament will begin this Monday on Raw to crown new champions.

WWE has officially made a decision regarding the Women’s Tag Team Championships. They are not going away and, in fact, WWE has announced that a tournament to crown new Women’s Tag Team Champions will start next week on Monday Night Raw.

Michael Cole and Pat McAfee first shared the news during Friday’s episode of SmackDown, and WWE official Adam Pearce then confirmed after the show in a WWE exclusive video that the tournament would kick off this Monday night. Pearce said, “I am proud to be the bearer of some breaking news.” He added, “Beginning this Monday, live on Raw and emanating from Cleveland, Ohio, I’m happy to announce a tournament to crown brand new Women’s Tag Team Champions.” He then explained that both the Raw and SmackDown women’s rosters are in the process of putting together teams.

There will be plenty of questions heading into Raw. Who will comprise the teams? Which current stars will work together? Which stars might return? And, on the heels of Dakota Kai and Karrion Kross and Scarlett being brought back by Triple H, who else might be an unexpected entrant? One of the bigger questions will be whether Sasha Banks and Naomi are part of the tournament as rumors are swirling that WWE might have a deal in place to bring both stars back.

If that’s the case, it would explain why the tournament is happening and one has to wonder if Banks and Naomi will be the favorites to win considering the titles were last held by the duo before they relinquished the belts and walked out of Raw. Neither has been seen on WWE programming since.

WWE bringing back the championships is good news for the Women’s Division and one can only hope the tag team belts are pushed under Triple H’s creative direction. He’s been making a number of fan-pleasing decisions of late and if he makes those titles mean something, that will be another plus that the WWE Universe will be thrilled about.

Source: TheSportster

Karrion Kross And Scarlett Returns To WWE On SmackDown

Karrion Kross is back in WWE, and in a major way. He was dropped right into the main event scene between Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre.

With rumors circulating that Triple H was interested in bringing back Karrion Kross to WWE, it didn’t take long for that rumor to be proven accurate. During Friday’s SmackDown, Kross, along with Scarlett and her hourglass, returned and took aim at one of the brand’s biggest stars.

The closing segment of SmackDown featured a showdown between Roman Reigns, with The Bloodline, and Drew McIntyre. Reigns talked about how much he hates Brock Lesnar before demanding the WWE Universe acknowledge him. That brought out Drew McIntyre who didn’t waste any time asking the crowd if they wanted to see him wipe out the entire Bloodline prior to their upcoming match at Clash at the Castle. Before he could make good on his threat, a strange video was projected onto the entrance screen with a familiar theme song. It was hard to make out who was in the entryway, but it was a female figure. As McIntyre and Reigns looked on confused, Kross came in from behind and attacked McIntyre.

The announce crew wasn’t sure who it was exactly, until Pat McAfee shouted, “Karrion Kross?” Michael Cole then confirmed that was the case when the camera zoomed in on Kross. Cole said, “Karrion Kross, a former NXT Champion has returned.” Scarlett placed the hourglass on the ring apron and turned it over. Kross was staring at Reigns and pointed and tapped his wrist – Tick Tock, as to say Reigns has ben put on notice and his time is running out.

This is a big play by Triple H creatively. Not only did he bring back a recently-released former NXT Champion, but he’s plopped him right into the main event scene on the blue brand. Just prior to a big showdown between McIntyre and Reigns at Clash at the Castle, Kross is now a big part of the picture and it’s unclear how WWE will include him in all of this. Triple H was known to be a fan of Kross’ during his NXT run, suggesting he had all the tools to be a huge star. Clearly, he’s putting his money where his mouth is.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Battle Of The Belts 3 Preview 8/6/22

AEW Battle of the Belts 3 will air this Saturday at 8 PM ET/7 PM CT taped Friday night in Grand Rapids, MI.

Here is the current lineup for the show:

* Claudio Castagnoli (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita for the Ring of Honor World Championship

* Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Jamie Hayter for the AEW Women’s Championship

* Wardlow (c) vs. Jay Lethal for the TNT Championship

AEW Rampage Preview 8/5/22

Tonight on AEW Rampage live from Grand Rapids, MI.

The following lineup is announced for tonight’s “Rampage”:

  • AEW Interim World Championship Eliminator Match: Mance Warner vs. Jon Moxley (c)
  • Friday Night Street Fight: AEW World Tag Team Champions Swerve In Our Glory (Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland) vs. Josh Woods & Tony Nese
  • Madison Rayne vs. Leila Grey

WWE SmackDown Preview 8/5/22

The fallout from SummerSlam will play out on tonight’s “WWE SmackDown” episode airing on FOX at 8/7C.

No matches have been announced for tonight’s show at the time of this posting.

There should be more build up for matches at Clash at the Castle.

Probably something about Ronda Rousey’s suspension after she attacked the referee following her loss to “SmackDown” Women’s Champion Liv Morgan at SummerSlam.  Rousey forced Morgan to tap out to an armbar. However, the referee did not see Morgan tapping out and instead counted Rousey’s shoulders down for the pin. In addition to attacking the referee after the match, Rousey also laid out Morgan.

Rousey’s “suspension” shouldn’t last long. Rousey is reportedly expected to return to WWE programming in time to set up a match for her at Clash at the Castle.

Pat McAfee is expected to be back at his usual post on commentary. He’s coming off a win over Happy Corbin at SummerSlam.