fightful

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown 8/12 -- "Hits" and Misses

Well, it didn't take too long for The HHH to start falling back on the worst tropes of the latter Vince McMahon era.

But hey, all is not lost (yet)--Hit Row is back! (And they look fantastic.)

And Shayna has an honest to god STORYLINE.

Also the main event was pretty good.

But everything surrounding the top title is AWFUL.

(And aside from a Bryan Danielson promo, Rampage was pretty bad too.)

Everything sucks--again. Let's talk about it.

VIDEO: ...

Smackdown plans for tonight

Fightful has learned Smackdown plans for tonight

- Tag Title Tourney: Raquel & Aliyah vs. Shotzi & Xia Li

- Drew McIntyre promo with the Usos

- Kofi Kingston vs. Ivar

- Hit Row's return. This is listed ominously backstage as to protect the info

- Liv Morgan and Shayna Baszler contract signing. Ronda Rousey is to get involved

- Drew McIntyre & Madcap Moss vs. Usos

- Ricochet intreivew

- IC Title Match: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Gunther ma...

WWE talent believe Draft is imminent

The WWE Draft could be upon us.

With WWE's new regime, a lot of roster movement has already been made, and talent believe there could be more on the way. There are several Raw stars scheduled for the first Smackdown following Clash at the Castle on September 9. On the other side of things, Smackdown talent are scheduled for Raw episodes internally for the September 5 and 12 dates. This has led talent to speculate internally that the WWE Draft will be shortly following the Clash at the C...

Coexisting After Dark w/ Rob & Maggie | Special Guest: @TomTalksRubbish

Coexisting After Dark w/ Rob & Maggie | Special Guest: @TomTalksRubbish  

We talk to Tom of TomTalksRubbish and BodySlam.net about his channel and learn about the man when he is not behind the camera.  

Youtube Link for Coexisting After Dark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWlwKSgy0mk

Check out Tom's Channel
2022-08-12 19:29:59 +0000 UTC View Post

Update on Tony Khan/Biilly Corgan AEW/NWA

NWA and AEW haven't done business since last year, but we're told the relationship is fine.

Last year, Tony Khan made it known he paid for the All Elite Wrestling talent that ended up working the NWA Empowerrr event, after the National Wrestling Alliance didn't. Corgan noted when he spoke to Fightful that the event didn't emerge as commercially successful as he'd hoped, and didn't want to grovel.

When we asked Corgan about the situation Corgan told us:

"It wasn’t a miscomm...

Early Smackdown notes (UPDATED)

Fightful has learned some very early Smackdown plans for August 12:

- Shayna Baszler and Liv Morgan are set for a contract signing. Liv Morgan is supposed to still be selling her injuries, which are kayfabed.

- Ronda Rousey was slated to be involved in the signing, as well. 

- There's supposed to be a table spot at some point in Smackdown. 

- We're told "the returns aren't stopping soon."

- Drew McIntyre and Street Profits  are all tentatively sche...

WWE bringing in former talents to tapings

WWE isn't done bringing back released talent.

PWInsider reported today that Top Dolla and Ashante Thee Adonis were actively planned to be at this week's Smackdown tapings to some degree. Fightful Select has confirmed those are the working plans, though we don't know in what context they're being brought in.

We did confirm AJ Francis'/Top Dolla's claim that he hasn't been working on the A&E Most Wanted Treasures show in recent months. Mick Foley was approached to be a part of t...

More details behind CM Punk return

CM Punk has returned after a two month absence.

If you couldn't tell, the working plan is for a title unification match at AEW All Out between interim champion Jon Moxley and AEW Champ CM Punk. Though it was hopeful from the start, Fightful had noted early on that the internal hope from those we heard from is that CM Punk would be back and ready to go for the AEW All Out show. 

We're told there was a restricted area backstage at Dynamite Quake by the Lake, which now most assu...

Cody Rhodes numbers doing well during absence

Cody Rhodes is still sidelined for the foreseeable future, but he's still getting things done for WWE.

Rhodes appeared at the ESPYs last month, which telegraphed his win in the Best WWE Moment category. The results were determined by a vote, which Cody was said to have won in a very one sided result. He also did a tortilla slap and emerged unscathed.

Cody Rhodes' Mattel Creations Ultimate Edition figure was also announced, and sold incredibly well, very quickly. We're told it was ...

Several In WWE Believe Bray Wyatt Could Be Re-Signed Since Vince McMahon Is Gone

WWE has been bringing back talent on a weekly basis under Triple H, prompting many to believe that Bray Wyatt could find his way back to the company.

Fightful Select has spent the past couple of weeks gauging interest from WWE higher ups, staff, and talent internally. If you thought Vince McMahon no longer being in control was a good sign for this marriage to reunite, you'd be right.

One talent said that he could tell by last year that Vince McMahon was simply "done" with Bray W...

SRS Live Q&A!

Hey guys! Q&A time, I'll be LIVE at 2 pm est

Guidelines

- I will try to answer the questions I know. Your question isn't wasted if I don't. It shows me what I need to ask around about.

- 1 question per subscriber

- No "are you a fan of?" "fantasy book this" "top 5" or "favorite" questions please! We try to keep these as newsworthy as possible

If you're a new subscriber, comment your question below or on the live video.

For aggregators and new...

Some backstage news on AEW Quake By The Lake: Jericho, Statlander, More

Some details behind this week's AEW Dynamite:

- Chris Jericho is fine, but received 7 stitches to close the hardway wound that he sustained 

- Though Kris Statlander has been announced as injured, we're told this happened very recently, and isn't particularly the reason she hasn't wrestled on Dynamite most of this year. 

- There was a completely restricted access area backstage, according to some.

- Erick Redbeard has not signed a full-time contract with AEW....

Name backstage at AEW Quake by the Lake

Quake By The Lake is tonight, and a familiar face is backstage at AEW.

Bodyslam.net's Cassidy Haynes learned, and Fightful confirmed that the former Erick Rowan, Erick Redbeard is backstage at tonight's AEW show. We haven't heard if there are plans for him to appear on the show or if he's just visiting backstage. However, he's not exactly hiding, so people are bound to see him around. 

Redbeard, 40, remains somewhat active on the independent wrestling scene after being releas...

Warner supposedly has over 100 WCW songs in their library

Fightful spoke to Jimmy Hart, who dropped some interesting news.

Jimmy claims that there's an entire catalog of WCW themes that is still owned by Warner, that WWE never ended up taking ownership of as a part of the sale. According to Jimmy, not only does this include many WCW themes that made it on TV, but a lot of unreleased songs, too. In all, Hart said that it had to be well over a hundred songs that were just collecting dust. He's hopeful that someone will look into it and eventuall...

THE POST SHOW: SRS shooting the shiznit

Sean is here to talk trash after the main show!

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/BzJldOif2nE

Why NWA isn't planning more Empowerrr PPVs

Billy Corgan speaks about working with other companies on the EmPowerrr event.

NWA EmPowerrr was a groundbreaking event for wrestling in general as it was one of the few all-women's pay-per-view events to ever be hosted. The event featured talent from AEW, IMPACT, Ring Of Honor, and more.

In a new interview with Fightful, Corgan spoke about the event and how it was to have a working relationship with multiple companies, and why we likely won't see another PPV soon. 

"I ...

Former WWE Wrestler Helping Produce AEW Matches

Not only is a talent working in the ring for All Elite Wrestling, he's helping produce matches as well.

Fightful Select has learned that Ariya Daivari is working for All Elite Wrestling in a producer capacity. Specifically, we learned that Daivari helped produce the highly regarded Jamie Hayter & Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Thunder Rosa and Toni Storm match on the August 3 episode of Dynamite. Those that we s...

"Trump 2020" Flag Was Posted On WWE Production Truck After 2020 Election

WWE doesn't get political, unless it's backstage on a production truck.

The pandemic was certainly a weird time, and left WWE in an unusual situation where they were forced into studio wrestling. First it was at the WWE Performance Center, then at Amway Arena, and finally Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay.

It was at WWE's Thunderdome that something caught the eye of staff and talent. A production truck -- led by Kevin Dunn -- adorned with a crudely duct taped "Trump 2020" flag on the...

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Raw 8/8 -- Return of The Rebel Heart?

A Women's Tag Title Tournament where the matches get actual time?  Apparently so!

The return of Murder Meister Kevin Owens?  Hell yes!

A new US Champion? (Sadly, no.)

The Return of the Rebel Heart? (Probably not.)

Things are looking up for Triple H after that debacle that ended the last episode of SmackDown.  Kind of.

Everything sucks(?). Let's talk about it!

Video: h...

WWE Raw Plans for tonight

Fightful Select has learned the following plans for WWE Raw.

- Bayley, IYO Sky, Dakota Kai promo

- Angelo Dawkins vs. Seth Rollins

- Ezekiel vs. Kevin Owens 

- Judgment Day promo

- Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Balor

- Tag Title Tourney: Dana Brooke & Tamina vs. Dakota Kai & IYO SKY

- US Title: Lashley vs. Ciampa

- Omos handicap match

- Dolph Ziggler vs. Chad Gable

- No DQ: AJ Styles vs. Miz

Please do not screenshot and re...

WWE Discussed Bringing Back Another Talent, Johnny Gargano Update

WWE is staying aggressive, and has a list of talent they hope to reach out to.

Fightful Select has learned that Dexter Lumis is among the talent that has been internally discussed to be brought back to the company. Fightful has even heard that higher ups were planning to reach out to Lumis himself last week.

Lumis was released in April, and has sparingly worked dates since then. He competed in the NWA W...

SRS Backstage Report Podcast: Johnny Ace, MJF, Triple H, AEW Game

- Johnny Ace fired

- Triple H

- Karrion Kross & Scarlett

- Vince is OUT out

- MJF

- Jamie Hayter

- Mance Warner

- AEW/ROH signings

- Backstage news

John Laurinaitis gone from WWE, still on email lists

Fightful has confirmed PWInsider's report that John Laurinaitis has been fired by WWE. However, was still looped in to company emails, Fightful Select is told.

That stopped briefly after Triple H was appointed the EVP of Talent relations, but he has re-emerged on internal mailing lists.

John Laurinaitis was placed on administrative leave amid board investigations (while Vince McMahon wasn't, but later retired), and his duties of Head of Talent Relations had been assumed by Bruce P...

More on Kross & Scarlett to WWE

Karrion Kross & Scarlett are back in WWE.

Fightful learned last week that talks with the two had picked up, though they'd claimed as of Monday when we reached out for a separate story that they'd not yet been contacted. For those asking about their MLW status, the two were never signed to MLW contracts, and despite being advertised for the CYN live tour, had not committed to those dates, either.

Triple H is a big supporter of Karrion Kross and Scarlett, and was said to have be...