Does Anyone Watch Wrestling? (WWE, AEW, TNA, NWA, etc)

[MUSC4EVER]

They had a pretty decisive loss against the MFT's last week, I didn't think it would lead to this though.

Their debut a couple of years ago was fantastic.

 

[Chris30]

Paige has re-signed with WWE!!

Wow, that's great news. I heard about it too. I still check WWE's website three times a week to see what events are happening and taking place.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

More releases!

Apollo Crews
Aleister Black
Zelina Vega
Santos Escobar
Motor City Machine Guns
Kairi Sane

Some big names and surprises there!

 

[GTvsForza]

KAIRI TOO!?!?

 

[Darla Starch]

Tony Khan waking up to see new toys available (2026, actor unknown)

lol spending that time building up Sicks and Aleister only to do jack diddly squat once the new toy scent wore off
(also selfishly Kairi to get one final Stardom run before retirement pls 🥺)

 

[EngieDiesel]

Apparently Zelina Vega has said that the firing notices are coming directly from TKO management instead of WWE. Which explains why wrestlers who either recently got large pushes or were still midway through a storyline got axed, purely 100% cost cutting.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

So it was a bit of a sobering night last night, there were no other major releases announced but the were some NXT/developmental talent that were released.

This is now an annual thing which they do after WrestleMania and whilst it is brutal it is necessary, some of the released talent last night were not being used and didn't have any storylines or creative for them, some of them are definitely a shock though like all of the WYATT SICKS, Kairi Sane, Aleister Black and the MCMG. This can be a blessing for some as we have seen many released talent thrive elsewhere in recent years.

It meant that Smackdown had a bit of a weird feel to it, it was almost like the talent were released to make way for the NXT call ups. Last night Fatal Influence of Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid debuted and made an impact, first taking out the new tag champs and Bliss/Flair, then Jacy took on Rhea Ripley which went to a DQ when Henley and Reid took out Rhea, we also learned that Blake Monroe and Ricky Saints will be making their way over to Smackdown too. Tiffany Stratton won the US title from Giulia and there was a lot of fun to be had too with Danhausen and The Miz.

 

[Darla Starch]

New Japan, 2012. Kazuchika Okada comes in fresh off his rookie excursion and challenges Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Nobody really expected him to win, does so in a shocker, ending a 404 day reign because the champion overlooked the challenger. (Does drop the belt relatively soon after back to Tanahashi)

Stardom, 2026. Sayaka Kurara is a relative rookie (less than three years experience), challenges World of Stardom Champion Saya Kamitani. Not really expected to win, does so in a shocker, ending a 483 day reign because the champion overlooked the challenger. (Expecting her to drop it back to Kamitani relatively soon to complete the parallel)

 

[MUSC4EVER]

It was a pretty average Monday Night Raw which was book-ended by some good promo segments. It was Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker to start the show with Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu to end the show, Fatu ended up attacking Roman and using some sort of chokehold on him.

Rollins v Breakker and Reigns v Fatu for the world title have both been made for Backlash next Saturday along with IYO Sky v Asuka, there were loud we want Kairi chants when Asuka attacked IYO and cost her the women's IC title.

Not too much else to report quite honestly, it was a nice homecoming for Roxanne Perez when she got the win in the tag match in her home town, she got a great reaction.

 

[GTvsForza]

Some sources I've looked at are saying that Kairi has been wanting to move back to Japan.

 

[Darla Starch]

NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING

www.njpw1972.com

So there may be something to the "EVIL (yes that's his ring name) to WWE" rumor mill

 

[MUSC4EVER]

There were quite few NXT debutants last night headlined by EVIL, it feels like a big refresh for NXT what with all the call ups to the main roster.

 

[GTvsForza]

Turns out those rumors about Kairi wanting to return to Japan were false, as told from herself.

Really hoping they pull an R-Truth and she gets a new offer soon. #WeWantKairi

 

[Darla Starch]

 

[GTvsForza]

There were quite few NXT debutants last night headlined by EVIL, it feels like a big refresh for NXT what with all the call ups to the main roster.

Poor Iyo. First, her best friend was fired. Now, her ex is now in the company.

 

[Darla Starch]

Man imagine bungling a banger of a heel turn so bad presumed WWE-lifer Kofi Kingston opted out of re-upping his contract. (New Day has presumably opted to leave)

 

[GTvsForza]

Dude left before his HOF induction... that sucks...

Also seems that Tonga Loa and JC Mateo are gone, too.

 

[EngieDiesel]

I presume another shipment of printer paper and toner cartidges are being rushed to AEW headquarters as we speak.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston leaving is a shock, New Day are possibly the best tag team ever and Kofi was there for 18 years, i think a lot of people thought they were going to be lifers.

As for JC Mateo and Tonga Loa, well they never really got the opportunity to really show what they could do, for example JC was just for just over a year, had 19 matches with only 4 singles matches and none of those 19 were on a PLE. what's mad is that just two weeks ago we had the WYATT SICKS taking on Solo's MFT's in a street fight and now more than half the people in that match are gone from the company.

 

[Darla Starch]

Kofi Kingston was not...

...looks at how the PS3 was just a few months before release when he signed his developental deal and when made his main roster debut...

oh no I feel old 🧓

 

[GTvsForza]

I was really hoping he would be inducted before he left. There may still be a chance, though...

 

[BKGlover]

 

[Darla Starch]

There were quite few NXT debutants last night headlined by EVIL, it feels like a big refresh for NXT what with all the call ups to the main roster.

Speaking of EVIL, is now going by Naraku in WWE Land

...not the worst name, I'm still gonna call him EVIL for now

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Backlash is this Saturday, it looks pretty good with five matches in total and the build for all five has been quite good honestly.

Danhausen is having a tag match with a mystery partner against Miz and Kit Wilson which will likely be Jelly Roll, the build for Trick Williams-Sami Zayn US title re match has been stupidly funny with a funeral for a gingerbread man this Friday (yeah really!) there have been some reports that Kairi Sane will return during the Asuka-IYO match.

Roman Reigns v Jacob Fatu looks like it will be good, Jacob won't win of course but he has looked like a badass in the past few weeks, Roman is no longer scheduled for any June dates but we will be around after Backlash, i think the reason for that maybe is because there is a Saudi show in June so maybe he has told them that he won't go. Roman has been there every week since Mania and it shows with the build for his match being good because of him being there.

Another news story is that a few wrestlers have accepted pay cuts of up to 50%, its been reported that none of them are the top guys or women in the company right now and it happened before Woods and Kingston left the company.

Also on a sad note, Ted Turner died today aged 87.

 

[Fezzik]

Without Ted Turner's promotion and investment in WCW and the other organisations before it I would likely not have become interested in wresting. I grew up with WCW, much more so than WWF or even our UK equivalents. Thanks Ted.

 

[GTvsForza]

Chelsea Green had a heart procedure done for her SVT. Everything went well, and she's on the mend. I listened to her mini-interview on the Busted Open podcast, and she has such a positive attitude. She's very eager to go back to work soon.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

She is such an amazing worker, she makes the best of every situation she is in, she was out with a broken ankle before the procedure so no idea when she will be back.

 

[MUSC4EVER]

Here is the card for WWE Backlash in Tampa tonight.

IYO Sky v Asuka.

Danhausen & ???? v The Miz & Kit Wilson.

United States Championship.
Trick Williams (c) v Sami Zayn

Seth Rollins v Bron Breakker

World Heavyweight Championship.
Roman Reigns (c) v Jacob Fatu

Just the five matches with only two title match and one women's match.

Danhausen's mystery tag partner is expected to be Jelly Roll, last night's Smackdown was mostly about a funeral for a gingerbred man and it was hilarious!

John Cena will make an appearance tonight but it is thought his announcement will be about Club WWE.

 

[Darla Starch]

🤔

(also the big Cena announcement is the John Cena Classic, some bizzaro tournament in the near future with fan voting involvement possibly allowing losers to advance and a title that I'm sure will ultimately be as relevant as the Greatest Royal Rumble Championship)

 

[MUSC4EVER]

The show was good, it was less than three hours, fewer adverts and it was actually about the Wrestling. I cant complain.

IYO and Asuka had a great match and the after match stuff was great too, very few people knew about Asuka's supposed 'semi retirement', I thought Trick and Sami had a better match than they did at Mania because they were given more time, The Danhausen tag match was fun but I thought it went a little too long, Bron beating Seth was a good opener.

I thought Roman and Jacob had match of the night and they built Jacob to be this badass warrior, Reigns retained of course but he barely survived and Jacob beat him down after, it was also the second Roman Reigns match in a row without any interference. There is apparently a Reigns acknowledgement ceremony on Raw tonight with Jacob Fatu, good luck with that!