Tag: Alex Shelley

Motor City Machine Guns To Debut On WWE SmackDown Next Week

“Coming soon” has turned into “next week,” as the Machine City Motor Guns are slated to make their first WWE appearance on the upcoming October 18 episode of “WWE SmackDown.”

Nick Aldis was the first to break the news on WWE programming, informing Legado del Fantasma leader Santos Escobar that he was bringing in “a new tag team” next week, and that the team would be facing Escobar’s stablemates, Los Garzas. Shortly following the segment, a vignette featuring the bright lights of Detroit and the purr of motor engines filled fans’ screens. The letters “M-C-M-G” even briefly flashed at the end of the package, all but confirming the identities of Aldis’ expected new tag team arrival — and likely confirming that they will at least be using the same collective name.

Notably, Fightful Select reported earlier on Friday that Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin were not slated to appear on the blue brand until the October 25 episode of “SmackDown,” though the report allowed that the debut date could be changed even as a result of the report itself. Fightful also claimed the Guns’ upcoming debut had nothing whatsoever to do with the situation surrounding The Lucha Brothers, whose WWE arrival has been delayed by AEW CEO Tony Khan invoking his contractual right to extend Rey Fenix’ deal due to injury.

Shelley and Sabin are no strangers to gold — the Motor City Machine Guns boast tag team title reigns across multiple promotions, including NJPW, Deadlock Pro Wrestling, IGWP, Ring of Honor, and most famously Impact/TNA. The Guns’ contracts with TNA expired in April 2024; by September 2024, reports of Shelley and Sabin’s deal with WWE hit the wrestling news cycle. The Guns were initially reported to be heading to “WWE NXT,” but will instead call the blue brand home.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Backstage Update On The Status Of The Motor City Machine Guns

The Motor City Machine Guns have been the subject of much discussion in recent months, as fans around the world are still wondering where they will end up. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin’s contracts with TNA expired at the beginning of April, and rumors have been rampant concerning whether they will choose to sign with WWE or AEW. Initially, it looked as if Sabin and Shelley would become ‘All Elite,’ with the two men already having a brief history with AEW, appearing at All Out 2022. However, that talk seemed to die off, and the word inside the business was that they were WWE-bound.

Now it seems there is an answer, at least according to Dave Meltzer, who claimed in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the Motor City Machine Guns are expected to start in WWE imminently. As far as the destination within WWE, Meltzer claims that, despite the fact that Sabin and Shelley are one of the most influential tag teams of their generation, they will be part of the “WWE NXT” brand when they eventually debut.

“NXT” has a lot of big events coming up in the near future, as the brand will be moving to The CW on October 1. The live debut on October 1 will take place from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, which will then be followed by a live episode in St. Louis, Missouri on October 8, which will go head-to-head with “AEW Dynamite.” Following on from the two live shows on October 1 and 8, “NXT” will be back on the road for the Halloween Havoc PLE, which will take place on October 27 at the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

According to multiple reports, the current plan is to have Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin debut in a tag team match during WWE NXT’s Chicago debut on October 1st.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Motor City Machine Guns Reportedly Finalizing Deal With AEW

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin are reportedly in the process of finalizing deals that will bring the Motor City Machine Guns to AEW, as reported by Cassidy Haynes of BodySlam.net.

According to Haynes, a contract is not expected to be completed imminently but “the decision has been made and a deal will be worked out.”

The news comes after Shelley filed to trademark the terms “Motor City Machine Guns” and “MCMG” for wrestling purposes on 3/19.

The former TNA World Tag Team Champions finished up with the company at the 3/22 and 3/23 TV tapings in Philadelphia, with their final match set to air on this week’s edition of IMPACT as they face Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards.

Source: F4WOnline via WrestleView

Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin, The Motor City Machine Guns, Reportedly Finished With TNA

Two of the most successful stars in the history of TNA Wrestling have reportedly finished up with the promotion. According to PWInsider, Saturday night’s tapings in Philadelphia marked the final TNA performances (at least for now) of Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, the Motor City Machine Guns. PWI says TNA held an emotional backstage sendoff for the veteran duo whose contracts are up on April 1. This report was confirmed by Fightful Select, who add that while “the door has been kept open” for the Guns to return, they are not currently expected to remain with TNA.

Sabin and Shelley have spent the majority of their careers in TNA since debuting for the promotion in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and they’ve seen plenty of individual success, with both men having enjoyed a reign with the promotion’s world championship. However, they are much better known as a tag team — the Motor City Machine Guns are three-time TNA tag champs and have won tag team gold in Game Changer Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and Ring of Honor (prior to its acquisition by AEW CEO Tony Khan).

The Guns’ final TNA match is reportedly against Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers for the tag titles. Come April, they will be free agents and can sign with any promotion. They previously appeared in one match for AEW, teaming with Jay Lethal in a losing effort against FTR and Wardlow at All Out 2022, and Shelley has been seen on WWE television as well, competing alongside KUSHIDA on “WWE NXT” as part of the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (he also boasts an 2005 appearance on “WWE Sunday Night Heat”). WWE Hall of Famer “Road Dogg” Brian James recently suggested Sabin and Shelley would be “good WWE superstars.” on his podcast, “Oh … You Didn’t Know,”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Johnny Gargano Appears On Impact To Praise Alex Shelley (Via Video)

During last night’s episode of “Impact on AXS TV,” former NXT Champion  Johnny Gargano appeared on the show.

Gargano appeared via video, along with others, to praise Alex Shelley. Below is the clip:

In a recent report from Fightful Select, Gargano is not in talks with Impact Wrestling and his appearance in the video was more of a favor for a friend.

Gargano left WWE last December after deciding not to re-sign with the company. His last match with the promotion was at “NXT” Takeover WarGames 2021.

In June, while on Good Karma Wrestling, the former “NXT” Champion explained why he didn’t re-sign with the company.

“I had this guaranteed contract with WWE I could take for a lot of money, and I could come back and I could keep doing what I’m doing,” Gargano said. “I just knew that with the baby on the way, I didn’t want to have anyone else being in control of my time, because I’m really only getting one shot at this. Me and Candice only plan on having one kid, so I want to be there and try to experience everything I can with Quill for his first year before I do anything else.”

Gargano is set to be at this weekend’s Starrcast V event at the Nashville Fairgrounds. He has his own panel, “What’s NeXT,” where he will be revealing his future in pro wrestling.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Moose To Replace Alex Shelley In The Impact Hard To Kill Six-Man Main Event

Impact Wrestling has announced a change to the main event for Saturday’s Hard To Kill pay-per-view.

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose will be replacing Alex Shelley in the six-man main event.

The new main event will see Moose, Impact World Champion Rich Swann and Chris Sabin take on AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and Impact World Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers.

Impact noted that Shelley informed them late last night that he is unable to travel to Nashville for the pay-per-view due to unavoidable circumstances.

“When we got the news from Alex there was no question what we needed to do,” said Impact Co-Vice President Scott D’Amore in a press release. “Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures – I personally contacted Moose and he accepted the match immediately. I know Rich Swann in particular has his issues with Moose. but this is time to put personal issues and egos aside.

“HARD TO KILL is a huge event for IMPACT Wrestling and a historic one for professional wrestling in general. IMPACT Wrestling needs to put our best foot forward. Moose fits that bill. He is a physical specimen, a five-tool athlete, and has proven himself to be a world-class professional wrestler. Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers will have their hands even more full now when they step into the ring with IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann, IMPACT Original Chris Sabin, and the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose.”

The Impact Hard To Kill 2021 pay-per-view will take place this Saturday, January 16 from Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Alex Shelley To Make WWE NXT TV Debut Next Week Reuniting With Kushida In The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

Wrestling veteran Alex Shelley will make his big WWE NXT TV debut next Wednesday night as he reunites with former tag team partner Kushida for the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Time Splitters were an active team from 2012-2015 and last competed together in 2016.

Alex Shelley is most famously known for his time in TNA/Impact Wrestling as one half of the Motor City Machine Guns with Chris Sabin. He recently guest coached at the WWE Performance Center, leading many to speculate he’d team with Kushida in the tourney, but Shelley attempted to downplay this last night on Twitter.

“Everybody seems to think Kushi needs me,” he wrote. “Kushi and I, and The Bucks, and Forever Hooligans, and ReDragon, helped change [NJPW]’s jr. tag division. But really, he’s going to be awesome with any partner.”

Dusty Classic tournament matches set for next Wednesday are The Time Splitters (Kushida and Shelley) vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson and James Drake). Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne vs. Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster will also take place next week, putting an end to the first round.

Tonight’s NXT episode saw the tournament kick off with Imperium’s Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner defeat Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler of The Forgotten Sons, while NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish defeated NXT UK Tag Team Champions Wolfgang and Mark Coffey of Gallus to advance.

Sources: Wrestling Inc. and Pro Wrestling Sheet