Backstage Friction Keeps Rush & Dralistico Out of CMLL Despite AEW Push

The wrestling landscape between AEW and CMLL has been shifting fast — and mostly for the better. Over the past year, AEW’s partnership with the historic Mexican promotion has opened doors that once seemed firmly closed. We’ve seen Bandido defend the ROH World Championship inside Arena Mexico, Mistico team with The Lucha Brothers, and even The Beast Mortos (formerly known as Black Taurus) clear a longstanding ban to appear at the AEW x CMLL “Grand Slam Mexico” show. But while many talents have benefitted from this new alliance, two notable names remain on the outside looking in: Rush and Dralistico.

According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, both Rush and Dralistico have been actively pushing AEW to negotiate with CMLL on their behalf. Their goal? A potential program between Dralistico and Mistico — a feud that could light up Arena Mexico and generate serious buzz (and money) for CMLL. But despite the clear potential, CMLL isn’t budging.

The root of the tension appears to stem from past exits and burned bridges. Rush’s departure from CMLL back in 2019 was anything but smooth. Instead of appearing at CMLL’s marquee 86th Anniversary Show, Rush opted to wrestle for Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor, a decision CMLL didn’t take lightly. Officially, the promotion claims it fired Rush — not the other way around — and they’ve harbored resentment ever since. The situation wasn’t helped by the perception that Rush encouraged talent to explore better-paying offers outside the company.

Dralistico, on the other hand, left CMLL under far less dramatic circumstances in 2021. At the time, he was performing under the Mistico persona and eventually chose to join his brothers in AAA. While his exit didn’t stir as much controversy, CMLL’s blanket stance on keeping both him and Rush away from their events still stands.

Interestingly, Dralistico reportedly respects CMLL’s decision, even if he’d jump at the opportunity to represent AEW and La Facción Ingobernable (LFI) inside Arena Mexico. But the door remains shut — for now.

With AEW and CMLL continuing to deepen their partnership, it’s worth watching whether time — and business opportunity — will eventually thaw the ice. A Dralistico vs. Mistico program writes itself, and fans across Mexico and the U.S. would be more than willing to buy in.

But until CMLL is ready to forgive and forget, the Ingobernables remain persona non grata in Arena Mexico.

Report: Fan Reportedly Goes After MJF at Hotel Following AEW Grand Slam Mexico

The buzz from AEW Grand Slam Mexico didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling — and not all of it was positive. According to a report from Fightful Select, a fan allegedly attempted to confront MJF at the hotel where he was staying after the controversial conclusion to his match against Mistico.

Sources claim the incident occurred shortly after Wednesday’s AEW event, with one individual reportedly “going after MJF” in what appears to have been an emotionally charged reaction to the show. Thankfully, the situation didn’t escalate further. MJF was unharmed and, true to form, reportedly laughed off the encounter. According to those close to the situation, he remained in good spirits and even expressed pride in the electric crowd reaction he generated throughout the night.

MJF certainly gave fans plenty to talk about in Mexico. During his match with Mistico, the former AEW World Champion brought the heat by hitting a low blow, getting himself disqualified. He then ripped Mistico’s mask off — a major sign of disrespect in lucha libre culture — before mocking the crowd by donning the mask himself and flipping them off.

The post-match chaos didn’t end there. Members of The Hurt Syndicate — Speedball Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight, Templario, and Titan — rushed to the ring to check on Mistico and run MJF off, reinforcing their new alliance and continuing AEW’s cross-promotional heat in the region.

This incident serves as a reminder that while wrestling thrives on passionate fans, there’s always a line that shouldn’t be crossed. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and the AEW star walked away unscathed — and apparently, even more fired up than before.

WWE SmackDown Preview 6/20/2025

WWE SmackDown airs live tonight from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on the USA Network in the United States and on Netflix for international fans.

  • Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena vs. Ron “The Truth” Killings (non-title)
  • King of the Ring Semifinal Match: Randy Orton vs. Sami Zayn
  • Queen of the Ring Semifinal Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka
  • LA Knight, WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton, Miss Money in the Bank Naomi and Nia Jax are expected to appear

Dr. Chris Nowinski Praises Wrestling’s Strides in Concussion Awareness

In an industry built on high-impact storytelling and physical spectacle, the phrase “bump card” has long symbolized the finite number of hits a wrestler can safely absorb in their career. But thanks to the work of former WWE Superstar turned neuroscientist Dr. Chris Nowinski, that card might last a little longer these days.

Speaking on a recent episode of Talk Is Jericho, Nowinski reflected on how far professional wrestling has come in terms of protecting its performers from the long-term effects of head trauma, particularly chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). His mission began after a series of devastating losses rocked the wrestling world — including the deaths of Test, Superfly Snuka, Mr. Fuji, Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney, and most infamously, Chris Benoit.

“Wrestling is dramatically safer than it used to be,” Nowinski told Chris Jericho. “They’re putting top-down constraints on what can happen.” He credits these changes to a cultural shift in the business — one that encourages smarter in-ring decision-making and values longevity over spectacle.

While many fans are aware that chair shots to the head are now banned in WWE, Nowinski pointed out that the real progress is happening behind the scenes. Ringside doctors are more visible, wrestlers are taking fewer unnecessary risks, and there’s a growing focus on executing moves that pop the crowd without endangering the performer’s health.

AEW, he noted, still allows the occasional high-risk spot, but even there, he sees a growing consciousness among talent. “Performers are now empowered to realize, ‘I don’t need to go off the top of a ladder through a table if there’s another way to get the same reaction,’” Nowinski said. “They’re thinking more about the reward versus the risk — and about brain health.”

Once dismissed or ignored, the conversation around concussions and CTE is now a serious part of wrestling’s evolution. And for Nowinski, who has been leading the charge for over a decade through his work with the Concussion Legacy Foundation, the industry’s response has been nothing short of encouraging.

As the business continues to balance its roots in spectacle with the reality of athlete health, it’s clear that the future of wrestling lies not just in louder pops or riskier stunts — but in smarter storytelling and longer, healthier careers.

TNA IMPACT Preview 6/19/2025

TNA Wrestling will present a new episode of Impact tonight on AXS TV as the build continues for Slammiversary.

  • Champions Challenge: Trick Williams, Steve Maclin, Moose & The Nemeths vs. Joe Hendry, Elijah, Leon Slater & The Rascalz
  • Masha Slamovich & Lei Ying Lee vs. Ash & Heather by Elegance
  • Eddie Edwards & JDC vs. Matt Cardona & TBD
  • Eric Young vs. Sami Callihan
  • We’ll hear from Santino Marella
  • Order 4 Summit

ROH TV Preview 6/19/2025

Ring of Honor will present a new episode of ROH TV tonight on Honorclub, with several matches and segments announced. The lineup includes:

  • Pure Rules: Deonna Purrazzo vs. Marti Belle
  • The Infantry & Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Top Flight & The Kingdom
  • Lance Archer vs. Aaron Solo
  • Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty vs. TBD
  • Miyu Yamashita vs. TBD

Liv Morgan Out with Shoulder Injury, Surgery Required—WWE Tag Title Status Uncertain

WWE Star Liv Morgan Will Require Surgery

One of WWE’s most prominent female stars is officially sidelined. PWInsider has confirmed that Liv Morgan suffered a separated shoulder during her brief match against Kairi Sane on this week’s episode of WWE Raw, and will require surgery—a blow that could keep the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion out of action for months.

The injury occurred early in the bout, just moments after the opening bell, and led to a rushed conclusion. Mike Johnson of PWInsider described the situation as “pretty much the worst case scenario,” with internal sources indicating a long recovery ahead. While no official timetable has been released by WWE, the expected recovery for this type of injury could stretch as long as 16 weeks, according to earlier reporting from PWI.

This puts Morgan’s immediate future in serious doubt—not just in terms of in-ring action, but also regarding her championship reign. WWE has yet to announce whether she and her tag team partner Raquel Rodriguez will be forced to vacate the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Given Morgan’s extended absence, a title vacancy or interim title scenario appears increasingly likely.

The injury also throws a wrench into creative plans heading into the Evolution premium live event. Just before her match with Sane, Morgan had called out WWE Women’s World Champion IYO SKY, demanding a rematch for the title she previously lost. She also seemed to be setting up a program with WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella, who returned last week to promote Evolution. That moment hinted at a possible tag team match involving the Bella Twins, but all of that is now up in the air.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select noted during Wednesday’s edition of The Hump that WWE’s creative team is already reworking plans for Evolution in light of Morgan’s injury, though specifics on what was originally intended remain under wraps.

For now, fans will have to wait and see how WWE adjusts. Liv Morgan’s absence leaves a noticeable gap in both the women’s tag division and the Evolution build—but knowing WWE, the show will go on. Just not exactly as planned.

Reason Why WWE Changed Jordynne Grace’s Entrance Music

Jordynne Grace has been making waves since stepping into NXT, but this week, it wasn’t just her dominant win over Lola Vice that had people talking—it was her brand-new entrance music. During Tuesday’s episode of WWE NXT, Grace walked out to a fresh theme ahead of her victory in a qualifying match for next week’s NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal Four-Way. But the WWE Performance Center crowd made it loud and clear: they weren’t feeling the change.

According to Fightful Select, WWE swapped out Grace’s old theme—one she owns the rights to and used during her TNA run and early NXT appearances—for something new due to a couple of key reasons. First, WWE has reportedly doubled down on only using entrance music they fully control from a rights standpoint. Second, Grace’s original theme opened with sirens, which officials felt sounded too much like Raw star Bron Breakker’s entrance—sirens that carry deep roots in wrestling lore thanks to Breakker’s ties to the Steiner family.

Since Breakker’s sound had historical weight and WWE priority, Grace’s music had to be altered.

Fans weren’t shy about voicing their disapproval. “Fire Def Rebel” chants broke out in the PC—Def Rebel being WWE’s in-house music production team responsible for most superstar themes. Grace, to her credit, handled the crowd reaction with trademark humor, later tweeting, “I know what the streets are saying,” before cheekily adding that fans need to “suspend your disbelief and vibe with it.”

One fan responded saying they wouldn’t be vibing, to which Grace clapped back with a playful jab: “Let me know what you’re wearing next week so I can jump the barricade.”

Love it or hate it, the new music isn’t going anywhere for now. Grace will walk out to the updated theme once again next Tuesday when she steps into a high-stakes Fatal Four-Way against Lash Legend, Izzi Dame, and Jaida Parker. The winner earns a shot at NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne at NXT Evolution.

AEW Grand Slam Mexico 6/18/2025

All Elite Wrestling will air AEW Grand Slam: Mexico tonight on TBS and MAX at 8pm ET from the iconic Arena México in Mexico City. The event marks AEW’s first full-scale televised show in Mexico and features a stacked lineup.

  • MJF vs. Mistico
  • CMLL Women’s Championship Match: Zeuxis defends against Mercedes Mone’
  • AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. Mark Briscoe (non-title)
  • 10-Man Tag Team Match: Jon Moxley, Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta vs. Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Katsuyori Shibata
  • 12-Man Tag Team Match: Bandido, Adam Cole, Daniel Garcia, Brody King, Templario, and Atlantis Jr. vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Josh Alexander, Hechicero, Dax Harwood, and Cash Wheeler
  • Four Million Pesos High Flying 4-Way Match: Mascara Dorada vs. Ricochet vs. Hologram vs. Lio Rush

Jordynne Grace Unveils New Entrance Music, Crowd Not Impressed- Chant: “Fire Def Rebel”

Jordynne Grace made waves on this week’s WWE NXT—and not just for her in-ring performance. During her match against Lola Vice, the TNA Knockouts Champion debuted a brand-new entrance theme… but the fans in attendance weren’t exactly feeling it.

As Grace made her entrance, the crowd at the WWE Performance Center broke out in an unmistakable chant: “Fire Def Rebel.” The pointed jab was directed at WWE’s in-house music production team, signaling that this latest track may have missed the mark with fans used to more impactful themes.

Despite the rocky musical reception, Grace handled business in the ring. She defeated Vice and punched her ticket to the upcoming Fatal 4-Way match set for the June 24 edition of NXT. There, she’ll battle Lash Legend, Jaida Parker, and Izzi Dame for a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship, currently held by Jacy Jayne. The title match is scheduled to take place at WWE Evolution.

Though the crowd may not have loved the new theme, Grace’s momentum in NXT continues to build—and with Evolution on the horizon, she’s just one win away from a golden opportunity.