IMPACT Preview 4/14/22

Less than two weeks away from Rebellion, buckle up for an all-new IMPACT! tonight at 8/7c on AXS TV and 8:30pm ET on YouTube for IMPACT Insiders!

* Jonah vs. PCO

*  Steve Maclin vs. Alex Shelley 

* Deonna Purrazzo Champ Champ Challenge

* Jonathan Gresham vs.  Rocky Romero

* The action begins Before the IMPACT, streaming this Thursday at 7:30pm ET exclusively on IMPACT Plus, YouTube and Facebook. The struggle for dominance between Knockouts World Tag Team Champions The Influence and The IInspiration rolls on as Madison Rayne battles Jessie McKay in singles action! Plus, Gia Miller, Josh Mathews and George Iceman get you ready for all things IMPACT on the road to Rebellion.

AEW Console Video Game Notes And Possible Release Date

The AEW console video game may be released much earlier than originally expected.

AEW first announced their video game back in, but no timeframe was provided. Now Fightful Select reports that there has been internal talk of the game being released in September, but that is tentative and not official.

It was noted that there is plenty of work to be done on the game, but the plan for some time has been to release this year, and that September is widely regarded as the target timeframe as of this week.

An AEW source stressed that this is a tentative release date, and there’s a publisher involved. It was also said that fans can expect the game fairly soon if all goes well, but a lot of things can change between now and September.

It was revealed back in mid-March that there will be a story mode for the game, and that some of the AEW wrestlers were giving input into the storylines. It was also noted that several members of the Yuke’s team that helped create popular RAW vs. SmackDown video games are also a part of this story mode process.

While Yuke’s is known to be the developer of the AEW video game, no publisher has been announced, but this new report notes that a publisher is working with the AEW video game team. It’s believed that once the publisher is confirmed, there will be more information released, such as a release date and other details.

Kenny Omega is said to be determined for the AEW video game to be a success, and word is that he understands how integral a great showing could be.

The official AEW video game is scheduled to be released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite Preview 4/13/22

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite on TBS will air live from the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Tony Khan on Busted Open Radio says TNT/TBS is very happy with AEW ratings and that’s why they are getting an overrun tonight. Tony says he’s not saying they will go “super long” tonight. It could be just an extra couple of minutes.

AEW has announced the following line-up for tonight:

* CM Punk vs. Penta Oscuro

* Marina Shafir makes TV debut vs. Skye Blue

* MJF vs. Shawn Dean

* Santana, Ortiz and Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Jericho, Jake Hager and Daniel Garcia of The Jericho Appreciation Society

* Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland vs. Powerhouse Hobbs and FTW Champion Ricky Starks

* AEW World Tag Team Champions Jurassic Express defend against reDRagon

* ROH World Television Champion Minoru Suzuki defends against Samoa Joe

* Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt have a “big surprise” for Samoa Joe

Natalya Returns To NXT, Attacks Cora Jade

Veteran WWE Superstar Natalya appeared in an NXT ring for the first time in a long time during this week’s edition of NXT 2.0.

Natalya returned to her old stomping ground at WWE’s Orlando Performance Center when she made a surprise appearance on the April 12 edition of NXT 2.0 on USA Network … which did not end well for rising star Cora Jade.

The segment in question kicked off with Cora Jade making her way to the ring, where she preceded to address the NXT Universe. Jade lamented her failed attempt to capture the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver, but assured fans that her goal is the same now as it was when she was a child of eight journaling about how she would one day become a champion in WWE. The 21-year-old vowed to one day be considered as successful as the likes of AJ Lee, Paige, Sasha Banks, and more … and then Natalya’s music hit, and the main roster Superstar made her way to the ring — much to the joy of the fans in attendance, who cheered and chanted her name.

Nattie got on the mic and said that the Performance Center brought back a lot of memories for her. The emotional veteran introduced herself to the upstart standing opposite, but she needn’t have bothered as Jade had been familiar with Natalya for a while. Jade shared an anecdote in which Natalya pointed at her during a WWE house show the 11-year-old Cora attended. As a child, Jade sent Natalya a message on Instagram, but Natalya didn’t see the message until years later when she sent Jade a message of congratulations regarding her NXT debut.

Jade continued to express her admiration for Natalya, and Natalya said Jade was the future of NXT … but added that the future was bleak before blindsiding Jade with a huge open-palmed strike to the side of the face. Jade fell to the mat and Natalya slapped a Sharpshooter on the youngster, forcing her to tap out as the segment drew to a close and officials tried to quell the carnage.

Later in the episode, Natalya was confronted in the locker room by Tatum Paxley, who challenged her to a match on NXT week’s NXT 2.0. That match will be Natalya’s first in an NXT ring since 2016.

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1514072398584328193

Source: TheSportster

WWE NXT Preview 4/12/22

Tonight’s WWE NXT 2.0 episode on the USA Network is being billed as a “colossal edition” of the show as three titles will be on the line.

NXT 2.0 will feature the vacant NXT Tag Team Titles on the line in a Five-Team Gauntlet Match. The titles were declared vacant last week after it was reported that MSK’s Nash Carter was released over abuse allegations by his wife, Kimber Lee, who is still under contract to Impact Wrestling, and due to photos of Carter a photo of Carter performing a Nazi salute in which he appears to have modeled his mustache after Adolf Hitler’s.

It’s believed that tonight’s NXT show will also feature a follow-up on the abduction of 2022 WWE Hall of Famer Rick Steiner. Last week’s show ended with NXT Champion Bron Breakker looking on as it was revealed that Joe Gacy and Harland were holding his father hostage, tied up in a cage.

Cody Rhodes’ Banned Word Slips On Raw Were No Accident

More than a week later, it’s still sort of hard to believe Cody Rhodes is back in WWE. This week on Raw, Rhodes wrestled his first match on the red brand since 2015. A clash with The Miz from which Rhodes emerged victorious. Prior to their clash, Rhodes and Miz opened Raw with a talk show segment during which The American Nightmare dropped a couple of supposedly banned words.

The first faux pas came when Rhodes referred to the Universal Championship as a belt. The Miz quickly cut in, informing him it’s a title as belts are for holding your pants up. A line Vince McMahon has likely said to wrestlers a thousand times as he doesn’t like WWE’s championships being referred to as belts. Speaking of wrestlers, the second slip-up came when Rhodes used that word instead of Superstars, at which point Miz corrected him again.

The American Nightmare is allowed to say belts and wrestlers.

Rhodes making these mistakes would make sense as he has been working in a company that lets you say them for the past three years. The thing is, according to Wrestling Observer Radio, Rhodes’ use of these banned words wasn’t a mistake at all. It’s all part of his gimmick in WWE. That he isn’t a WWE guy at all and he uses these words because he is a different Cody Rhodes who has returned from somewhere else.

There was another subtle nod to that during the very same segment. Rhodes went to tell The Miz that he’s full of shit, only to stop short at the curse word and look around at the fans. The word shit is thrown around a lot in AEW, but it is seldom said on WWE television. Only people like Brock Lesnar tend to be allowed to say it, probably because they don’t ask for permission first.

Rhodes’ gimmick in WWE is basically the AEW guy. It’s why he has the same look, the same music, and why he almost says curse words and utters banned terms on live TV. It all fits in with the framing of Rhodes being a completely different person to the one that left WWE six years ago without having to give credit or even make mention of the company he helped create while he was away.

Source: TheSportster

WWE Confirms First Major PPV In The UK Since 1992

WWE is returning to the UK for its biggest show since SummerSlam 1992.

Vince McMahon has taken WWE from a New York territory to a globally recognized brand over the course of the past three decades. The wheel never stops turning, and WWE constantly tours, mostly around North America but also further afield from time to time, including two major shows per year in Saudi Arabia. It also ventures to the UK, likely the company’s second-biggest market after the US and Canada, a couple of times a year, but rarely for a big show.

So rarely, in fact, that 2022 marks 30 years since the last major WWE PPV was staged across the pond. There were a handful of UK exclusive PPVs during the late ’90s/early ’00s (Insurrextion and Rebellion) but the last big show to emanate from the UK was SummerSlam ’92. There had been rumors that would change to mark the 30th anniversary of that show, and those rumors have now been confirmed by WWE.

WWE has revealed via a press release that Cardiff’s Principality Stadium will play host to an unnamed PPV, or premium live event, on Saturday, September 3, 2022. “The weekend will be filled with a variety of WWE experiences that we believe will leave a lasting memory, on par with SummerSlam at Wembley Stadium in 1992,” WWE’s senior vice president of live events John Porco said.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1513789273375449095

For those unfamiliar with SummerSlam ’92, the main event of the show saw British Bulldog beat Bret Hart for the Intercontinental Championship. An iconic match in an unforgettable setting, Wembley Stadium. Wembley is still there, but the stadium in which SummerSlam ’92 took place has since been demolished and was replaced with a new venue almost 20 years ago.

The location and the date are the only things that have been revealed about the show so far. There’s no information regarding ticket prices or availability, though the Principality Stadium has a capacity of almost 75,000 people. The show will likely take place on the same weekend as AEW’s All Out. The time difference may allow for both shows to happen back to back, but AEW might want to opt for Sunday should it stick to that weekend.

Source: TheSportster

WWE RAW Preview 4/11/22

Tonight’s WWE RAW will air live from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan with the latest build for WrestleMania Backlash.

RAW will be headlined by Cody Rhodes’ first RAW TV match in six years as he faces The Miz.

Tommaso Ciampa is reportedly an official member of the WWE RAW roster.

The Undertaker Reportedly Hosting New WWE Podcast Series

2022 WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker is reportedly getting into podcasting.

A new report from WrestleVotes says Peacock and WWE officials have convinced Taker to launch his own podcast show, which would be similar to the “Broken Skull Sessions” series hosted by WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin.

Taker’s new show is expected to begin airing within the next few months.

“A fascinating concept that was unfathomable just a few years back,” the report noted.

There’s no word yet on the title of Taker’s new show, or who his first guest will be.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Brandi Rhodes Reportedly Had “Productive Conversations” During WrestleMania Weekend

Brandi Rhodes was backstage with Cody Rhodes for her husband’s triumphant WWE comeback at WrestleMania 38.

According to Fightful Select, although Brandi hasn’t initially been brought in with Cody on WWE TV, she had “many productive conversations” with several influential names on WrestleMania weekend. It was also noted that Brandi has been working on her unscripted content and has continued training in the ring.

Brandi’s last televised AEW match was a loss to Anna Jay on the September 16, 2020 episode of Dynamite. Since then, she wrestled nearly a dozen matches on Dark and Dark: Elevation, defeating indie wrestlers such as Kenzie Paige, KiLynn King and Robyn Renegade in singles matches. She also briefly teamed with Red Velvet.

In the aftermath of her AEW exit, Brandi Rhodes is reportedly looking to take her Shot of Brandi cooking show to a TV network. According to Deadline, DIGA Studios is currently shopping the project to broadcasters and streamers.

“I started shooting this show in my kitchen four years ago with two iPhone cameras and a cocktail,” Brandi said in a press release. “I am excited to see the show evolve and thankful for the fans who have followed along. I assure you, now that I’m working with DIGA the best is yet to come.”

Brandi Rhodes worked for WWE as a ring announcer until 2016. Going by the name Eden, she made her PPV announcing debut at WrestleMania 31, as well as becoming the backup ring announcer for RAW, while Lilian Garcia was recovering from surgery. On May 24, 2016, she was granted her release from WWE, just days after her husband Cody Rhodes also requested his release. Stay tuned for updates on Brandi Rhodes’ possible comeback to WWE TV.