Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will feature more build for the upcoming Hell In a Cell pay-per-view.
WWE has announced just one match for tonight’s show and that’s The Usos vs. The Street Profits.
Tonight’s match will be the first time The Usos have teamed up since the March 27, 2020 SmackDown episode.
It’s believed that the first blue brand match for the Hell In a Cell pay-per-view will be announced on tonight’s show as well.
WWE is apparently in talks with New Japan with a view to becoming the promotion’s exclusive American partner.
If there has been a buzzphrase in wrestling so far in 2021, then it is almost definitely forbidden door. The make-believe barrier that previously prevented major companies from working together. AEW proverbially kicked it open by working with Impact, as well as the NWA and New Japan. The AEW Champion Kenny Omega is even holding the Impact Title right now, not to mention AAA’s Mega Championship.
One of the main reasons wrestling promotions working together has been seen as being forbidden for so long is WWE. Ever since WWE bought its competition in 2001, Vince McMahon has seemingly been averse to rival promotions existing, let alone working with them. However, in light of its rivals starting to work together, Triple H has previously insisted WWE is open for business on that front.
A new report suggests Triple H wasn’t just saying this to keep up appearances. According to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, WWE is actively trying to build a relationship with New Japan. Apparently, WWE president Nick Khan has been heading up the talks and they may have been going on since March of this year. The deal would see WWE become New Japan’s “exclusive American partner”.
The word exclusive is the key here. New Japan has been very open to working with American promotions throughout the pandemic and even before it. An AEW star is currently the New Japan US Champion, and it has previously run joint supershows with Ring of Honor. Should it enter into an agreement with WWE, its working relationship with AEW would likely have to come to an end.
Details surrounding the potential deal are scarce right now, especially when discussions are in such early stages that it might not even happen. Early indications are the deal would very much be a two-way street. WWE Superstars would go to Japan and work shows there, with New Japan sending wrestlers the other way. Perhaps Daniel Bryan’s attempts to convince WWE to let its stars work elsewhere while remaining under contract actually worked.
Source: The Sportster
Tonight on Impact Wrestling at 8/7c on AXS TV
Longtime WWE announcer Tom Phillips is reportedly no longer with the company.
While not officially announced by WWE as of this writing, Fightful reports that Phillips has been let go. Nick Hausman noted on The Wrestling Inc. Daily on Thursday that there was another major departure expected on the WWE commentary team.
There is no word yet on details surrounding the departure.
Phillips signed with WWE in 2012. He has done work on just about every WWE TV show, including WWE NXT, 205 Live, Main Event, RAW and SmackDown. He has also hosted WWE YouTube and WWE Network shows, and done behind-the-scenes work. Tom was replaced by Adnan Virk as the lead RAW announcer the night after WrestleMania 37. Virk left the company this week after less than two months on the job, and is being replaced by Jimmy Smith.
Tom recently changed his social media handles to show his real name, Tom Hannifan. His bio lists him as a “WWE Broadcaster & Producer.”
Source: Wrestling Inc.
AEW star Brian Cage has joined the cast of the “Jasper” horror movie.
Producer Shaun Cairo (Pitchfork) sent word that the FTW Champion will play the role of a character named “Hammer” in the movie.
Written by award-winning writer-director Keith Vaile, “Jasper” tells the story of a young woman (Erin O’Brien) and her friends as they are stalked by a vicious serial killer who disposes of bodies using the hogs on his small southwestern farm.
“Jasper” will also star horror icons Kane Hodder (Friday the 13th franchise, Hatchet), Bill Moseley (Devil’s Rejects), Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes) and Emmy-winner Bill Oberst Jr. (The Chair). You can see the full cast listing on IMDB at this link.
The tagline for the film is, “The Hunt for the World’s Most Vicious Serial Killer has just begun.”
The film was shot in Egg Harbor, NJ and Mays Landing, NJ, according to IMDB.
“Jasper” is scheduled to be released in theaters nationwide on Friday, February 25, 2022 by Unmanned Media and KHV Films Inc. Cairo, Vaile and Judy Fox will are producers for the movie.
Cage will be in action at Sunday’s AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view as he faces “Hangman” Adam Page in singles action.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE has officially announced Jimmy Smith as the new member of the RAW announce team.
Smith will debut as the play-by-play voice of RAW beginning this Monday, May 31. He will call the action every Monday night with Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.
WWE acknowledged in their announcement issued last night that Smith worked as an analyst for WWE NXT, serving on the “Takeover: Stand and Deliver” pre-show panels, and working on special projects for the black & gold brand, which included the video package for Finn Balor vs. NXT Champion Karrion Kross. WWE also pointed to how Smith is the host of SiriusXM’s Unlocking The Cage, and previously hosted American Ninja Warrior.
As reported earlier, Smith has been working with Michael Cole and other WWE staffers as of late to train for a potential announcing role. Cole has reportedly praised Smith heavily, and found him to be very versatile.
The 43 year old Smith is best known for his run with Bellator MMA from 2010 – 2017. He worked as an analyst with Bellator and UFC. In addition to Unlocking The Cage, Smith also hosts ESPN International’s UFC Fight Camp show. He retired from MMA fighting in 2007, with a 5-1 record, and has also done commentary for pro boxing, and other combat sports leagues.
Smith will be replacing Adnan Virk, who parted ways with WWE on Tuesday after less than two months on the job.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
AEW star and EVP Cody Rhodes has confirmed that the TNT Championship will not be renamed when AEW programming moves to TBS in 2022.
In a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Rhodes said he’s “99 percent sure” that “the second most important title in wrestling” will not be altered with next year.
“I don’t want to drop any spoilers, but I mean, I’ll drop a spoiler,” Rhodes said. “I don’t think we’re going to change the title’s name one bit. TNT is the place that the first alternative challenger brand in two decades appeared on. Their excitement, our partners at WarnerMedia, and the TNT title, as I’ve stated, I think it is, if not the most important title in wrestling, the second most important title in wrestling.
“I don’t see us changing that name, and I think that’s kind of across the board. I don’t think you’ll find anybody in management or Tony himself who wants to change that name. We’ll always roll with the punches and we’ll always pivot, but I’m 99 percent sure the TNT title stays the TNT title.”
Rhodes went onto explain why upcoming show AEW Rampage will provide a platform to wrestlers who don’t regularly appear on AEW Dynamite.
“I think having Rampage will help considerably,” said Rhodes. “That way we can share the wealth. However, Dynamite’s a very hard show to get on. The best wrestlers in the world are on Dynamite. We have a very full locker room, and on the way to the ring, you walk by a lot of people who are on the bench that week.
“I think you’ll see a lot of that bench get unloaded for Rampage, and that’s very, very exciting. And the two shows will have their own identities surrounding the AEW championships that kind of tether us all together. But other than the logo for Rampage, the details are all still forthcoming, other than I think it will be really great for our locker room.”
Rampage will premiere Friday, August 13, on TNT. The one-hour show will also move to TBS in Jan. 2022 along with Dynamite. When asked how he reacted to the big announcement, Rhodes heaped praise on AEW President Tony Khan.
“Tony [Khan] was able to facilitate the best possible deal for All Elite Wrestling, and that means more money for the content, and then more importantly, the term that Brett [Weitz] at WarnerMedia used is the best term, it truly is an expansion. We’re just expanding our brand on to TBS, that being Rampage, coming over to TBS, Dynamite itself, four specials [on TNT], a la Clash of the Champions, our Saturday Night’s Main Event.
“So for me, I was excited. I’m always kind of the eternal … I’m very reserved in what I think, and so we put it out there on the medium, but it would be remiss if I didn’t think of the fact that TBS has been a part of my life since I was a little kid.”
Rhodes, a big fan of the show American Dad!, also floated the idea of AEW doing a little cross-promotion with the TBS show.
Rhodes will use his father’s “American Dream” moniker in his match against Anthony Ogogo this Sunday at AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE announced that they have mutually parted ways with Adnan Virk. Below is WWE’s statement:
“WWE and Adnan Virk have mutually agreed to part ways. WWE thanks Adnan for his work.”
Virk replaced Tom Phillips as the lead RAW announcer last month, making his debut on the post-WrestleMania 37 edition of RAW. That change also saw Graves replace Samoa Joe, who has since been released. There is no word on what WWE has planned for the red brand announce team moving forward, but we should have an idea soon.
Adnan Virk took to Twitter and thanked WWE for the chance to work with the company.
There’s no official word yet on who will replace Adnan Virk as the new WWE RAW lead announcer on Monday, but there is speculation on at least one name who has been on WWE TV as of late.
It’s been reported by PWInsider that if WWE officials have made a decision on Virk’s replacement for Monday’s RAW, it’s being kept very close to the vest so far. There’s a lot of speculation on former UFC and American Ninja Warrior announcer Jimmy Smith joining the red brand announce team as he has been putting in a lot of work to prepare for future WWE broadcast assignments as of late. Smith has done some WWE NXT work over the last several weeks.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will be headlined by Finn Balor challenging NXT Champion Karrion Kross with the title on the line.
Tonight’s WWE RAW on the USA Network will feature more build for the upcoming Hell In a Cell pay-per-view.
* Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler get their second rematch from WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina Snuka
* Riddle vs. Xavier Woods
* WWE Champion Bobby Lashley will address last week’s actions by Kofi Kingston and Drew McIntyre
