A.J. Styles Discusses The Delayed WWE Plane Ride From Saudi Arabia

This past weekend there was some controversy surrounding WWE’s already controversial Crown Jewel event. There was a flight issue that kept several WWE stars and crew in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia following Thursday’s event. As a result, SmackDown was changed due to virtually from the brand nobody being there.

Several stars that were stuck in Saudi Arabia vented their frustration on Twitter, especially after a WWE statement regarding certain talent wanting to buy their own separate charter flight over others. One person who didn’t post anything was A.J. Styles.

Speaking on his Mixer gaming stream, Styles was asked several times what happened and why there was a delay. Styles gave his own perspective on the situation, based on all the facts he knew.

“We were supposed to leave after the show. We got to the airport, they weren’t letting us board,” Styles stated. “What was the problem? Not really sure, heard there was a fuel truck in the way, the guy who drove the truck had left to go home. I know, this makes no sense. Why would the fuel guy leave if he knows he’s got a plane that’s leaving? Then there were some paperwork issues.

“Finally, after at least 4-5 hours, we get on the plane. Then they found something wrong, the fuel or something or another was broken. People can say what they want, ‘It wasn’t broken.’ But I talked to the pilot. On that 14-hour flight the pilots, I guess they take naps as well. We were all chatting, sitting around on this flight and he said, ‘Listen, there was a problem. That’s a real thing.'”

There have been a lot of rumors going around whether this was planned by those in Saudi Arabia or if it was all a misunderstanding regarding convenience. Styles has heard the latter.

“The problem was, we spent all that time, from one o’clock all the way to six or eight in the morning, waiting to board this plane, they are telling us we can’t go anywhere because the pilots and everybody had timed out,” Styles continued. “They can only go so long before they are not able to fly because they’re not able to go 24 hours at a time. They had to go back to a hotel, we had to find a hotel.

“Were there guns? Were there people yelling ‘EVERYBODY OFF THE PLANE!’? No, that never happened. My wife called me in a panic, she’s scared to death. I go, ‘Babe, listen, we’re just not able to go anywhere. It is not a big issue, nobody has threatened to kill us.’ There was none of that going on. Nobody was going to get murdered, it never happened. There was no threat of physical harm or anything like that.”

Former WWE Spanish commentator Hugo Savinovich claimed that he heard from a source that WWE was owed money by the Saudis for past events and Vince McMahon retaliated by cutting off the Crown Jewel live TV feed in Saudi Arabia. On the WWE third quarter earnings call, WWE avoided answering questions regarding Saudi Arabia, although they did mention receiving a $60 million payment “for an outstanding receivable” after September 30 (when the report closes) and before October 31, hours before Crown Jewel. Crown Jewel also reportedly started nearly an hour later on the MBC Action network in Saudi Arabia than scheduled.

A.J. did admit he had the best sleep of his life on the flight due to jetlag. He also explained his understanding of what has been going on between Vince and the Saudi government.

“It is almost blown up, as if, we were on the verge of being killed. That wasn’t the case,” Styles went on to say. “I don’t know what happened between Vince and the King, the Prince or whoever it is. That’s not my job to say anything, my jobs to go to work, my jobs to get home. Was I pretty angry about not going home because I missed my son’s wrestling match? You have no idea. But, if this is out of our hands, if it is out of the pilot’s hands, then there’s nothing we can do.

“There is no point in getting mad, getting angry about something I have no control of. I’m home now, and I’m happy to be here. We’ll find out as we go along why things happened, or we won’t. I don’t know what’s going to happen going forward, it is just going to be what it is going to be.”

Several stars are sure to be wanting answers following the new Plane Ride From Hell. While Styles is not in a rush, he wants to make sure he himself has all the facts together.

“I’ll deal with it when I need to, but I’m not going to throw WWE under the bus, that’s not how I work” Styles stated. “I am a guy who’s committed to making the best product that I can and it is not going to do me any good to throw good people under the bus. There are a lot of good people that work for WWE, and I will not make them look bad. There are a lot of people that were on that plane with me. Until I know more I’m not going to say anything. And if I did find out, and I was offended, I will go to the source, believe me on that one.”

Source: Wrestling Inc,

Hugo Savinovich Continues To Say That There’s More To WWE Talent Being Stranded In Saudi Arabia

Statements from WWE talent and other people close to the situation in Saudi Arabia continue emerging after reports claimed people from the company were stranded in Saudi Arabia following their Crown Jewel event this past weekend.

As seen below via THE HANNIBAL TV, former WWE Spanish commentator, Hugo Savinovich, has continued to speak out about his claim that WWE stars were kept from flying out of the Middle East because the company was owed millions of dollars for two of the shows that the company held in Saudi Arabia.

“It was a very difficult and dangerous situation because of the fact that Saudi Arabia had already been in serious trouble when they killed that reporter in Turkey at the embassy. So the boys were a little bit – not a little bit, they were very, very concerned,” Hugo added. “Vince (McMahon) had left the country already and Brock (Lesnar) had his own plane. It was just about big, big money, millions of dollars that this guy did not send and Vince got upset and cut the feed for South Arabia.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Cody Rhodes To Make Career Announcement On This Week’s AEW Dynamite

Cody Rhodes announced on Twitter that he’s going to be making a career announcement on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

Rhodes tweeted, “This week’s @AEWonTNT #AEWDynamite I will be uninterrupted and have the chance to make my career announcement. I hope it resonates with the fans, because it matters a great deal to me. Wednesday – 8/7c on @tntdrama.”

As noted before at AEW Full Gear, Cody Rhodes will be going against AEW World Champion Chris Jericho.

Below is Cody’s announcement:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Backstage News On WWE Stars Being Delayed In Saudi Arabia, Talent Reportedly Felt “Deserted”

Saturday afternoon the remaining WWE Superstars and crew that were delayed in Saudi Arabia landed successfully at JFK Airport in New York City.

WWE confirmed flight issues coming out of Saudi Arabia, which led to a number of blue brand Superstars missing Friday’s SmackDown. NXT stars were flown in from Florida, making it to Buffalo at 7:55 pm ET and required a police escort to get to the arena in time.

Former WWE Spanish commentator Hugo Savinovich, who currently works for AAA, posted a video on Facebook discussing the situation. Savinovich noted that he had connections with people in countries like Saudi Arabia. This is very much a rumor, but according to Savinovich, WWE was owed millions of dollars for two of the shows that the company held in Saudi Arabia, between $300 to $500 million, which is incredibly high as WWE is estimated to bring in $40 to $50 million per event in Saudi Arabia.

On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio Dave Meltzer added some more details to the situation that WWE talent and crew had to deal with. It was reported WWE wasn’t paid for the WWE Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia on June 7, as of September 30. It was noted in the WWE third quarter earnings call, WWE avoided answering questions regarding Saudi Arabia, although they did mention getting $60 million after September 30 (when the report closes) and before October 31, hours before Crown Jewel. Meltzer noted there was “clearly money owed” by the Saudis.

Because of this, Vince McMahon didn’t televise Crown Jewel live in Saudi Arabia, and it ended up being on a delay after the two sides made an agreement during the show. Talent was apparently aware that money was owed.

In regards to the plane having mechanical failures, a majority of the talent that reached out to Meltzer didn’t believe the story. Military police were there while they waited, not to mention it took 24 hours for them to finally go, and the second flight that was supposed to go was also delayed.

Some talent have reportedly said they will not go back to Saudi Arabia and “can’t wait to get out of the company.” A lot of people were upset that Vince left the country on his private jet and they were still stuck there. Superstars were said to have felt “deserted”—although it’s unknown if Vince left before or after problems began to arise with the flight leaving—and that they were “pawns” in this whole situation.

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman left on their own private jet. Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and Jimmy Hart left the country on their private jet. It was believed Tyson Fury also left on one of those private plans while Cain Velasquez was among the group that stayed longer.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Chris Jericho And Hiromu Takahashi Return To NJPW, Wrestle Kingdom 14 Matches Set

Wrestle Kingdom 14 will feature Chris Jericho and Hiromu Takahashi in matches which were both setup during Saturday night’s NJPW Power Struggle event.

Jericho was the first to make an appearance at Power Struggle when a video played after Kota Ibushi and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada and YOSHI-HASHI.

In the video, a roomful of Tanahashi look-a-likes play air guitar before they’re suddenly all on the ground. Jericho then appears in his Painmaker getup and challenges the “Ace of New Japan” to a match on night two of Wrestle Kingdom 14.

This year’s Wrestle Kingdom will be a two-day event on January 4 and 5.

Jericho – who is the current AEW World Champion – last appeared for NJPW back in June at Dominion when he lost to Kazuchika Okada.

Later in the evening at Power Struggle, Will Ospreay defeated BUSHI in a IWGP Jr. Heavyweight title defense. He then got on the microphone and asked who would challenge him next. As he started to leave the ring, a video began to play that was similar to Hiromu Takahashi’s first “Time Bomb” vignettes. The video ends with Hiromu’s cat dolls lighting a bomb that started a timer on-screen.

Takahashi emerged when the countdown was over and tore off a neck brace before making his way to the ring. He then ran around the ring taking bumps, cut a promo in Japanese and eventually challenged Ospreay to a match on night one of Wrestle Kingdom 14.

Hiromu has been out of action for 16 months after breaking his neck taking a dragon driver from Dragon Lee during the G1 Special in San Francisco back in July.

Watch their returns below.

https://twitter.com/GIFSkull/status/1190918636656979968

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Lance Storm Hired By WWE As Producer

Former WWE star Lance Storm will soon be returning to the company as a producer.

Storm made the announcement on Saturday via Twitter. “For those wondering: After SWA closes I will be returning to the #WWE to work as a Producer. I’m really looking forward to working with such a high level of talent again,” he wrote.

Lance announced in August that his Storm Wrestling Academy would be closing at the end of the year.

The 50-year-old wrestler who has trained the likes of Tyler Breeze, Tenille Dashwood, Peyton Royce, Oney Lorcan and more last worked for WWE from 2001 to 2005.

As you may recall, Storm also worked as a producer for Impact earlier this year on a trial basis.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

MLW Saturday Night SuperFight Results 11/2/19

(Pre-show) Savio Vega vs. Leo Brien –

Winner: Leo Brien

 

(Pre-show)  Gino “El Intocable” Medina vs. Air Wolf –

Winner: Gino “El Intocable”

 

(Pre-show) Zenshi vs. Hijo de LA Park w/Salina de la Renta –

Winner: Hijo de LA Park

 

(Pre-show) Contra Unit vs. Douglas James & Dominic Garrini vs. Spirit Squad –

Winner: Contra Unit

 

MLW World Tag Team Championship – Texas Tornado Tag Match: (C) The Dynasty (Maxwell J. Friedman & Richard Holliday) vs. The Von Erichs –

Winners and new MLW World Tag Team Champions: The Von Erichs

 

Injustice (Jordan Oliver, Kotto Brazil & Myron Reed) vs. Gringo Loco, Puma King & Septimo Dragon –

Winners: Injustice

 

MLW World Middleweight Championship: (C) Teddy Hart vs. Austin Aries –

Winner: Teddy Hart

Post match, Contra Unit interrupts the feed. Josef Samael tells Hart that he now has a target on his back, then calls out the Von Erichs and claiming that he wishes to make them an offer that they won’t be able to refuse. Heavyweight champion Jacob Fatu is there as well. Samael says that a public execution is going to happen to LA Park. Fatu screams, “Hail Contra!”

 

Low-Ki vs. Brian Pillman Jr. –

Winner: Low Ki by referee stoppage

 

Tom Lawlor vs. Timothy Thatcher –

Winner: Tom Lawlor by submission

 

Stairway To Hell Match: Jimmy Havoc vs. Bestia 666 vs. Mance Warner –

Winner: Mance Warner

Post match, as Warner is celebrating…Havoc attacks him from behind and piledrives him on a steel guard rail. He picks Warner up…Acid rainmaker. He rubs his hand over Warner’s face and licks the blood off his hands. Several medical officials attend to Warner, who looks dazed.

 

MLW National Openweight Championship: (C) Alexander Hammerstone vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. –

Winner: Alexander Hammerstone

 

MLW World Heavyweight Championship – No DQ: (C) Jacob Fatu w/Josef Samael vs. LA Park w/Salina de la Renta –

Winner: Jacob Fatu 

https://twitter.com/salinadelarenta/status/1191394335419334658

 

MLW Saturday Night SuperFight 11/2/19

This Saturday night November 2 Major League Wrestling (MLW®) will present the league’s historic first-ever pay-er-view, Saturday Night SuperFight, LIVE from Chicago at 8pm ET / 5pm PT from Cicero Stadium.

The live PPV broadcast. which is available on all major cable and satellite systems as well digital pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, Vubiquity DIRECTV and DISH.

HOW TO WATCH:
Date: Saturday November 2

Time: 8pm ET / 5pm PT

Stream Worldwide: FITE.tv. | Pre-order

Cable: Channel Finder

DirecTV: Channel 121 |  Pre-order

DISH: Channel 460 HD or 462 SD  |  Pre-order

The PPV will be available to stream live worldwide and on demand at FITE TV. You can pre-order at: MLW.tv.

MLW: Saturday Night SuperFight starts at 8 p.m. ET /5 p.m. PT and will be offered in HD for a suggested price of $19.95.

The expected runtime for the broadcast is approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes.

Pre-Show begins at 7pm ET / 4pm PT – Watch live on FITE, MLW’s YouTube Channel, DirecTV, DISH, inDEmand and beIN SPORTS

 

Main Card:

MLW World Heavyweight Championship – No DQ: (C) Jacob Fatu w/Josef Samael vs. LA Park w/Salina de la Renta

MLW World Middleweight Championship: (C) Teddy Hart vs. Austin Aries

MLW World Tag Team Championship – Texas Tornado Tag Match: (C) The Dynasty (Maxwell J. Friedman & Richard Holliday) vs. The Von Erichs

Tom Lawlor vs. Timothy Thatcher

MLW National Openweight Championship: (C) Alexander Hammerstone vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Stairway To Hell Match: Jimmy Havoc vs. Bestia 666 vs. Mance Warner

Low-Ki vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

Injustice (Jordan Oliver, Kotto Brazil & Myron Reed) vs. Gringo Loco, Puma King & Septimo Dragon

 

Pre-Show:

Contra Unit vs. Douglas James & Dominic Garrini vs. Spirit Squad

Zenshi vs. Hijo de LA Park w/Salina de la Renta

Savio Vega vs. Leo Brien

Gino “El Intocable” Medina vs. Air Wolf

WWE Announces Special SmackDown Episode With Surprises Tonight, Confirms Saudi Arabia Flight Issues

Tonight’s WWE  Friday Night SmackDownSmackDown will not go off as scheduled, according to a new announcement from WWE.

As noted, there were flight issues that are keeping some of the WWE crew in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia following Thursday’s Crown Jewel event. WWE has just announced that tonight’s SmackDown will feature surprises due to the troubles.

Tonight’s SmackDown on FOX will take place from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY, and as usual we will have live coverage at 8pm ET.

Below is WWE’s announcement on the special episode and the flight issues:

SmackDown set for surprises with WWE roster delayed returning from Saudi ArabiaThe WWE roster is delayed in its return from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following a historic performance at yesterday’s record-breaking WWE Crown Jewel event.

More than 175 Superstars, production crew and employees boarded a 747 charter flight back to the United States on Thursday. After the door closed, due to several aircraft problems including mechanical issues, all passengers sat on the tarmac for more than six hours. With SmackDown set to emanate live from Buffalo, N.Y., several Superstars felt so strongly that they arranged for their own separate charter in order to make it back to the U.S. for the show. Due to unforeseen issues, that charter will not land until after the live broadcast on FOX.

The remainder of WWE’s Superstars, staff and crew will depart on a charter set to depart Saudi Arabia later tonight.

As always with WWE, the show must go on. Live at 8/7 CT on FOX, SmackDown will feature Superstars, such as Daniel Bryan, The Miz, Carmella, Nikki Cross, Dana Brooke — plus, additional surprises.

For the latest updates on this story and tonight’s SmackDown, check back with WWE.com and follow WWE on social media.

As previously noted, WWE announced a line-up for tonight’s SmackDown but those matches and have segments have been removed from the preview and website listing. Below is the original line-up, which has been nixed now:

* SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Revival defend against The New Day

* Roman Reigns vs. King Baron Corbin

* Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley vs. Nikki Cross, Dana Brooke and Carmella

* New WWE Universal Champion “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt appears on MizTV with The Miz

Backstage News On Brock Lesnar Vs. Cain Velasquez Going Short At Crown Jewel, Tyson Fury – Lesnar

As seen at WWE Crown Jewel on Thursday, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar retained his title over Cain Velasquez in the opener. Lesnar won by submission in just 2 minutes and 3 seconds.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the idea was always to do a short match, but with Cain’s knee in such bad shape, they decided to do the match were just about nothing happened.

The belief is that Cain needs knee surgery now, but there’s no word yet on when he will have it. It was reported back before he signed with WWE that he would likely undergo the surgery before making any commitment to a pro wrestling company as he was in talks with WWE, AEW and NJPW.

Cain is still scheduled to team with Rey Mysterio to face Andrade and Drew McIntyre at the WWE live event in Mexico City on Saturday, November 30. As we’ve noted, Cain has signed a lucrative, three-year deal with WWE but his future as a regular talent is up in the air at this point.

Regarding Tyson Fury making his WWE debut at Crown Jewel with the count out win over Braun Strowman, the Observer reports that an original idea discussed with Fury was for him to face Lesnar. That idea changed when they were able to sign Cain to a deal. Lesnar vs. Fury never got past early discussions. As noted, Fury is said to be open to working with WWE again in the future, but his match with Strowman was said to be a one-off, at least for now.

Source: Wrestling Inc.