fightful

Is Vince McMahon "running the show in the shadows?"

If it could not be any clearer, Vince McMahon is not in control of WWE.

After several conspiracy theories among fans and some pundits that Vince McMahon was still running the show or "pulling the strings," several higher ups in WWE constantly reiterated to Fightful during Summerslam week that wasn't the case. In fact, one WWE source had indicated WWE Raw would be a "statement" show for that reason, and establish who is running the show.

"If Vince McMahon was still involved to any ...

Select Exclusive: Jaden Newman interview

Stephen Jensen speaks with SCI winner Jaden Newman!

WWE Raw/SD Producers, Backstage News

WWE Raw Producers, August 1:

- Becky Lynch promo: Petey Williams

- AJ Styles vs. Mustafa Ali vs. The Miz: Shawn Daivari

- Montez Ford vs. Seth Rollins: Kenny Dykstra

- Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka: Molly Holly

- Dolph Ziggler vs. Chad Gable vs. Ciampa: Adam Pearce

- Edge promo: Jason Jordan

- Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky: Petey Williasm

- AJ Styles vs. Ciampa: Jason Jordan

- Mysterios vs. Usos: Jamie Noble

WWE Smackdown producers, August 5: 2022-08-08 06:03:21 +0000 UTC View Post

Fightful Weekender (8/7): SCI, ACTION, SOUTHEAST FIRST, RIC FLAIR'S LAST MATCH, NXT UK, NXT LEVEL UP, NWA

STEPHEN JENSEN is back with a new episode of the WEEKENDER!

Topics:

- SOUTHEAST FIRST: "Uncharted Territory S4 E13" results

- SCI: "Scenic City Invitational 2022" results

- ACTION: "Futures Showcase Tournament 2022" results

- JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS: "Ric Flair's Last Match" results

- NXT UK (8/4) results

- NXT Level Up (8/5) results

- NWA: "Powerrr" (8/2) results

AEW Fight Forever Game News

AEW revealed their Fight Forever game cover, which we've gained some more information about.

Fightful Select learned that THQ Nordic's team designed the cover, as opposed to All Elite Wrestling's graphics team. People within AEW didn't even know until the cover was leaked the day before that the cover athletes would be featured, and that goes for the actual athletes themselves.

As we reported, there is ...

Injury at AEW Battle of the Belts

Not everyone emerged from AEW Battle of the belts unscathed.

Fightful Select has learned that AEW Women's Title challenger Jamie Hayter sustained a broken nose during her match with Thunder Rosa. We haven't been told if she's set to miss any time. She finished the match.

Icons of Wrestling also announced that she'd be pulled from this weekend's planned appearances as a result

Update on several talent not on WWE Raw or Smackdown

Kevin Owens was absent from this past week's episode of WWE Raw, and most weeks of late since Money in the Bank, as is the case with many others. 

This left many wondering where Owens was, and what was going on with him. With repeated references over the years of Owens being a "Triple H guy," fans expected him to be heavily featured on the program. We've not heard of an injury or anything of the like. Instead, we're told that creative is being cooked up for him for plans moving for...

Triple H expected to stay aggressive in WWE changes

Triple H has clearly been aggressive in his new roles, and that doesn't look to stop any time soon.

Triple H was able to retain Iyo Sky, re-sign Dakota Kai at the last minute to revive a stable that Vince McMahon shot down, bring back Max Dupri to Maximum Male Models after Vince McMahon nixed that, and re-sign Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux.

Fightful Select has learned that much like the Dakota signing, Karrion and Scarlett returning came together very quickly. Fightful had h...

Figure Haul: Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, More

Oh, you already know we have more BCAs

Major Pitch Within WWE/USA Network Could Have Title Implications

Karrion Kross returned to WWE on the August 5 Smackdown, putting himself in the main event picture.

Fightful reported that day that WWE had interest and had discussed bringing Kross back. We've also heard of a specific pitch within creative and one of the reasons for it. Among the pitches we've learned is that Kross would be inserted into the Drew McIntyre-Roman Reigns feud and be involved in a match for one of Roman Reigns' world titles, as opposed to both.

Fightful had also be...

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown 8/5--And Things Were Going So Well, Too...

Triple H had a rollercoaster of a Friday night.

He started a Ricochet push, set up an IC Title match, made Raquel look like a monster and fully rehabbed Shayna during the span of one match, brought back the Women's Tag Titles (with a tournament!), and perhaps hinted at a future Sami Zayn feud with the Bloodline.

And then he ruined everything.

Karrion Kross is back.

Everything sucks (again.) Let's talk about it.

VIDEO: 2022-08-06 04:11:10 +0000 UTC View Post

Smackdown plans for tonight

Fightful Select has learned the following plans for WWE Smackdown tonight

- Ricochet vs. Happy Corbin

- Usos-Sami Zayn and Rousey/Liv Morgan package

- If Nakamura wins, he gets an IC Title: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ludwig Kaiser

- Liv Morgan promo

- Gauntlet match for Women's Title shot

- Drew Gulak in a tag match against Viking Raiders

- Kofi Kingston vs. Erik 

- Roman Reigns promo with Usos

Please be cognizant of those who want to avoi...

WWE has discussed bringing back recently released talent.

Killer Kross could be headed back to WWE, if what Fightful has heard ends up being true.

Fightful Select has learned that the former NXT Champion had been discussed as a name of interest for WWE to bring back to the company. Several within the industry outright expected him to return, and one source indicated they believed it was already in the company's plans, though we've yet to confirm that whatsoever. We were able to confirm that his name had at least been discussed on WWE's end. 2022-08-05 20:02:32 +0000 UTC View Post

Coexisting After Dark w/ Rob & Maggie | Special Guest Throwback

Rob & Maggie are back on Fightful Select for the Coexisting w/ Rob & Maggie Post Show! Coexisting After Dark! This week's special guest is none other than the friend of the show Throwback of BodySlam.net

Link Below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtOk6DlzS5c

Why IMPACT Wrestling changed Bound For Glory Cities

IMPACT Bound For Glory is running in Albany, not Danbury, but it wasn't always supposed to be that way.

Weeks ago, Fightful Select reported that Danbury, CT was the landing spot for IMPACT Bound For Glory 2022 on October 8. However, the company announced Albany, New York for October 7 this week. The show is just two hours up the road, and we've learned why the change took place.

WWE's Extreme Rules PPV is taking place on October 8, and the company didn't want to go directly agains...

Update on Mance Warner-AEW-MLW

Mance Warner has debuted in AEW just weeks after he returned to MLW.

Many inquired about the status of Warner with MLW after he appeared at the August 3 set of AEW tapings to appear on Dark and Rampage. Fightful was able to confirm that Mance Warner has not been under a Major League Wrestling contract since his return was announced in June. However, a signing was never announced.

This isn't a case of Warner getting around a deal or anything of the sort in MLW, as he was one of a v...

Indie wrestler under an AEW/ROH deal

Another former NXT name is under a deal with ROH/AEW Fightful has learned.

25-year old Blake Christian has been working a variety of promotions, including AEW, ROH, IMPACT, NJPW, GCW, and Jim Crockett Promotions since his 2021 WWE release. However, sources this past weekend surrounding the Starrcast show indicated that Christian is under an agreement with All Elite Wrestling, tied to the Ring of Honor promotion.

Blake tagged with Tony Deppen and Alex Zayne at ROH Death Before Dish...

Backstage Report Q&A Show with SRS!

Hey guys, it's the Backstage Report Q&A hybrid show LIVE at 1:30 PM EST! 

Get your questions in below or on the video and I'll answer the ones I have the most info about!

Video: https://youtu.be/yc08D0qxjNE

Latest on MJF

MJF has effectively vanished from the wrestling scene.

Fightful has followed up numerous times about where MJF has been since his post-Double or Nothing promo on AEW Dynamite. We've not heard from a single AEW talent or staffer that has admitted to hearing from him since then, and even plenty of people who have worked with him or are close to him have said that he's not communicated with them whatsoever.

We did confirm that after the promo on June 1, he remained in Los Angeles for...

THE POST SHOW: SRS and BILLI BHATTI BULLSHIT, Nashville, LA Trip

There's no list goes on today, so Sean will talk his Nashville and LA trips, and the Billi Bhatti situation. This will likely be the last time SRS talks about it on the show, and we don't want it to carry over and affect our wrestling content, so if you have any questions about that, drop them below

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/cJzBQ1JUCO0

AJ Styles had pitched big name to face him for WrestleMania in the past

AJ Styles always has big hopes for WrestleMania.

This year he faced Edge. In 2020, he helped retire the Undertaker. However, those plans of his didn't always come through. He's spoken openly about his desires to face Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania, and even pushed WWE to make HBK an offer. That wasn't the only big name he's pitched, however.

Styles told Fightful recently "Well, the last person I tried was Triple H. I didn’t get him. I don’t know who the next guy is or if there...

Backstage news on optimism surrounding last night's WWE Raw

The August 1 WWE Raw created a lot of optimism for a lot of talent.

Early in the day, Fightful was told that the show would be a "statement" from the new regime. What resulted were fresh matchups, more wrestling and stakes, more women's wrestling featured, and underutilized talent being on the program. Specifically, we'd heard about Ciampa being a heavy part of the program, and how well he's been received on the WWE main roster by staff thus far.

However, even people not on the sh...

Plans for WWE Raw 8/1/22

Fightful Select has learned the following plans for tonight's WWE Raw from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

- Becky Lynch In-Ring Promo

- Triple Threat Match: Winner face each other for United States Championship Opportunity
AJ Styles vs. Mustafa Ali vs. The Miz

- Seth "Freakin' Rollins In-Ring Promo

- Montez Ford vs. Seth "Freakin" Rollins

- Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka

- Triple Threat Match: Winner face each other for United States Championship Opportunit...

More on Becky Lynch injury

As speculated by many, Becky Lynch sustained an injury at WWE Summerslam.

Fightful was told that Lynch separated her shoulder early in her match with Bianca Belair and worked through pain to finish it. So far, the next steps aren't known, but we're told it did affect creative to some degree.

When we asked, we weren't given a timetable on her return, and were even told it was 50/50 on possibly needing surgery to fix it. Lynch is expected to miss some ring time, but how long isn't...

Backstage discussions about Tommaso Ciampa

A former NXT Champion might be benefiting big from the new regime.

Fightful has already learned of increased discussions about enhancing the presentation of Ciampa. Obviously Ciampa is a Triple H favorite, and was looked at one of the likely beneficiaries of the regime change.

Among some of the things we've heard is Ciampa being put in more matches that showcase his ability -- possibly as early as tonight. In addition, there were discussions about him regaining his NXT theme, but ...

Sarah Schreiber notes

Fightful spoke to Sarah Schreiber at Three Square Food Bank about her WWE career.

Sarah spoke about her comfortability on TV and said that growing up in theater and being able to do things on television before WWE made it second nature for her. She was a little surprised she was able to keep her real name on WWE TV, and says most people just assume it's her stage name at this point.

She cited Kevin Owens as one of her favorite people to work with, and someone who is able to break ...

EARLY: Sarah Schreiber Interview

Sean Ross Sapp speaks with Sarah Schreiber at Three Square Food Bank (https://www.threesquare.org/)

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/GALNWj4pvQw

Fightful Magazine Archives: A Winner is You: Looking Back on “Pro Wrestling” for the NES

The Nintendo Entertainment System was a landmark video game console. Not only did it revive the video game industry following its crash in 1983, but it introduced the world to multiple series that have stood the test of time. Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Metroid were just a few examples of landmark NES titles. Nostalgia tied to the system will vary from gamer to gamer. For many that have played the NES during their youth, pro wrestling was where their nostalgi...

Fightful Weekender (7/31): IWTV, GCW, NXT UK, NXT LEVEL UP, NWA, NJPW, BLP, BTE

STEPHEN JENSEN is back with a new edition of the WEEKENDER!

Topics:

- Show to watch on IWTV - SUP: "Final Bosses"

- SOUTHEAST FIRST: "Uncharted Territory S4 E12" results

- GCW: "The People vs. GCW" results

- NXT UK (7/2) results

- NXT Level Up (7/28) results

- NWA: "Powerrr" (7/26) results

- NJPW: "Music City Mayhem" results

- AIW: "Bill Alfonso Hardcore Tournament" results

- BLP: "The Gang Crosses The Line" results

- BTE: "316...

Ric Flair's Last Match Event Pre-Show w/ Rob Wilkins & Kaden | Fightful Select Exclusive

Ric Flair's Last Match Event Pre-Show w/ Rob Wilkins & Kaden | Fightful Select Exclusive

Network: FITE

Venue: Nashville Municipal Auditorium

Location: Nashville, TN

Event Date: July 31, 2022 7:00PM

Ric Flair & Andrade El Idolo vs. Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal

IMPACT World Title
Josh Alexander (c) vs. Jacob Fatu

The Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs. The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex ...