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Indi Hartwell Notes: Dream Match, Smackdown Dark Matches, More

Fightful spoke to Indi Hartwell this morning, some notes are below:

- This Tuesday will be Indi Hartwell's first match ever with actual weapons involved.

- She wasn't given a script for the Christmas skits with The Way, and they had a lot of input on their segments that aired.

- She found out the day before she wrestled Shayna Baszler on Raw in 2020 that she'd be coming in. The same happened with her Smackdown dark matches, as she was replacing someone who was injured.

WWE Talent Happy With PPV Schedule Announcement

WWE announced their tentative 2022 PPV schedule, and they have made plenty of their roster happy as a result.

Fightful reached out to over a dozen wrestlers within the company, all of which we've heard back from spoke favorably of the moves. The two night WrestleMania has been a particularly popular move based on those that we heard from, as it eases the schedule for media and the weekend itself. The move to doing more Saturday PPV shows during football season also was seen as a positiv...

EARLY: Indi Hartwell inteview

IMPACT tried to bring in several big names recently

Fightful has heard of several attempt to bring in new talent to IMPACT Wrestling that fell through.

All throughout Bound For Glory week, even talent believed that Braun Strowman was coming in to the company. We can confirm that the two sides had talks, but obviously Strowman wasn't at Bound For Glory, and we're told that a deal has not been made.

Bray Wyatt was also contacted about possibly coming in, although he would not have been able until after Bound For Glory as his non-comp...

Fightful Weekender (10/24): GCW WAR READY, BLOODSPORT 7, NXT UK, 205 LIVE, MLW, NWA, BTE, IWTV

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

Topics:

- Shows to watch on IWTV: TIMEBOMB PRO: "Violence Is Forever"

                                                       FREELANCE: "Killer ...

Tons of Backstage Bound For Glory News

- In case you were wondering, The Demon was portrayed by Dale Torborg, who did play the role in WCW. He hadn't wrestled since facing Lance Archer in TNA in 2007, and barely wrestled following WCW. He's married to former WCW star Asya.

- Talent and staff were under the impression there weren't many surprises on tonight's show. One of them, Melina, was seen in town Friday.

- Morrissey's IMPACT contract was originally up after this set of tapings. We're working to find out the direct...

AEW/IMPACT/GCW Live Discussion With SRS

Anything happening this weekend? Sup guys?

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown 10/22--From Riyadh to Wichita

Last night on SmackDown, WWE proved that they hate us.

Less than 20 minutes of wrestling TOTAL on a 2 hour show. NO women's matches. A bunch of lazy "introduce yourself" promos. A lot of talking overall. Brock doing his "I'm off TV for the next three months, BYEEEE" routine.

And the karma of doing a stupid, inexplicable SWAP MEET, comes back to bite them, in the moment, immediately.

One of the worst SmackDowns of the year.

Everything sucks. Let's talk about it.

V...

UPDATED: More on Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair situation

Last night's main event segment featuring Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair went awry, to say the least.

Fightful learned shortly after the show that something didn't go according to plan, and PWInsider reported that Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair had a heated argument backstage after the segment over Charlotte "making Becky Lynch look bad" by throwing down the title when it wasn't called for in the script. 

Fightful has heard more details on the situation. The original scri...

Smackdown plans tonight: Big name, Crown Jewel rematch, Hit Row, main event

Fightful Select has learned of the following plans for WWE Smackdown tonight, as of 6 PM EST. As always, things can change. 

- Brock Lesnar is scheduled for the show, and involved in a segment with Roman Reigns. The plan is for this to kick off the show as of 6 PM EST

- Hit Row will be in action tonight.

- Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Happy Corbin

- Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn

- Mansoor vs. Mustafa Ali

- The Women's Championship exchange is slated for the mai...

Former Women's Champion In Town For IMPACT Bound For Glory

IMPACT Wrestling has a jam packed weekend, and we're told they had so much talent for this weekend, some regulars and planned surprises even weren't brought in for the show.

However, Fightful Select has learned that Melina Perez, five-time Women's and Divas Champion in WWE, is set for Las Vegas this weekend -- the site of IMPACT Wrestling Bound For Glory. We haven't been told what the plans for regarding her as of yet. Melina worked the August series of IMPACT tapings to build to her NW...

Bronson Reed Has Interest From Multiple Companies

Fall has been a way more active time for news on contract talks, and that doesn't appear to be slowing down at all.

Fightful has learned that Bronson Reed, who is going by his previous moniker of Jonah Rock, has some major interest from multiple top wrestling companies. Sources within the company have indicated that New Japan Pro Wrestling has made a big play to gain Jonah Rock's services. He was released by NXT earlier this year after being crowned North American Champion. NJPW announc...

WWE Crown Jewel match producers

Fightful has learned of the following producers for WWE Crown Jewel:

- Goldberg vs. Bobby Lashley was produced by Jason Jordan, as was Mansoor vs. Mustafa Ali.

- TJ Wilson, also known as Tyson Kidd was tasked with producing the Queen's Crown finals between Zelina and Doudrop

- Big E vs. Drew McInytre was produced by Abyss, as was the RKBro vs. AJ Styles & Omos tag team title match.

- King of the Ring Finals between Xavier Woods and Finn Balor was produced by Adam P...

LIVE SRS Q&A

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Figure Haul: $160 Funko!?

SRS doesn't collect Funkos, but he bought some!!

WWE Crown Jewel Live Discussion with SRS, Match Ratings

Hey guys!

Usos vs. Hurt Business 5/10

Edge vs. Seth Rollins - 10/10

Mansoor vs. Mustafa Ali - 6/10

RKBro vs. AJ & Omos- 6/10

Zelina/Doudrop- 4/10

Goldberg vs. Lashley- 6.75/10

Xavier vs. Balor - 6.5/10

Big E vs. Drew McIntyre - 6.5/10

Becky vs. Bianca vs. Sasha- 8.5/10

Brock vs. Roman- 7/10

Rating Guide

10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly...

Crown Jewel Details! -- updated lineup details

Fightful has learned of the following details on Crown Jewel:

- Usos vs. Hurt Business as the kickoff champ 

- Edge vs. Seth Rollins is set to open the PPV

- Mansoor vs. Mustafa Ali is slated for third on the lineup overall

- King of the Ring Finals is planned for midway through the show

- Big E vs. Drew McIntyre is set for third from last

- The women's triple threat title match is in the co-main event slot.

- Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns is set...

Local Saudi athlete planned for Crown Jewel

We could be seeing an Olympian at Crown Jewel.

Yesterday, Fightful Select was informed that Saudi Olympic karateke Tareg Hamedi was planned in some capacity for the WWE Crown Jewel show. This morning ahead of the show, he was in the ring, working with Mansoor, Mustafa Ali and Charles Robinson ahead of teh show as they went over their match. We're unsure of the capacity in which he's planned to appear.

Hamedi took the Silver medal in the 2020 Summer Olympic games, which actually to...

Update On Charlotte/Crown Jewel, Smackdown wrestlers not there

With the Women's Title situation in a very weird spot, we have a bit of an update -- or lack thereof -- on Crown Jewel.

With Charlotte the Raw Women's Champion but moving to Smackdown, many have speculated Charlotte Flair could be added to Thursday's Smackdown Women's Title match featuring Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair. Based on those we've spoken to, she has not been listed internally for the show, and was not seen by several we asked who traveled to Saudi Arabia. Instead...

IMPACT News: More on Masha's offer, backstage details on Deonna/Mickie farm fight

Some more news from our talk with Deonna Purrazzo. She said that she had no idea Masha Slamovich was going to be offered a contract on the spot after their match, but said they worked together a few months ago and it helped them familiarize themselves with one another.

The farm fight with Mickie James is something she pitched heavily to make happen, and there was a small time gap between a set of tapings to make it work, so they got it done in about two and a half hours. She called it h...

The List Goes On 10/20/21

- TBS Title

- MMA in pro wrestling

- JDS, PVZ

- GCW is the forbidden door

- Big Time Bex

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/L6kIyD19SAA

Jimmy Van and Sean Ross Sapp are back for The List Goes On!!

Wrestlers have went to Tony Khan and Scott D'Amore about AEW/IMPACT women crossing over

Fightful spoke with Deonna Purrazzo ahead of Bound For Glory, who confirmed that she has spoken to Scott D'Amore about doing crossover work with All Elite Wrestling, specifically with Dr. Britt Baker DMD. She also confirmed that Baker has done the same with Tony Khan. We haven't heard of any progress on the potential, but it has been floated.

Purrazzo said as currently constructed, it would be hard to satisfy all the bookers with a match result between the two since they're both dominan...

Details On Two AEW Signings, Including One Full-Time Confirmation

Fightful has reached out about the contract status of AEW stars, one of which was confirmed as much last week.

After All Out, Lee Moriaty was given the option to "sign with AEW" in front of the live crowd, but had yet to receive a "Lee Moriarty is All Elite" graphic until last week. We're told that there wasn't a specific reason given to talent as to why the graphic didn't air six weeks after the Khan/Moriarty segment, but that the deal was full-time already. MLW sources had noted that ...

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: Raw 10/18--Swap Meet

Xavier might become King of the Ring, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Or they could swerve us for no reason, just to be trolls.

The rest of Raw is just lame retreads and first-time-ever big-time matches that are booked like crap.

The Queen's Crown tournament continues to boggle the mind, AT BEST.

Everything sucks. Let's talk about it.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/scDjEC1Mxxg

SRS Select Backstage Report: WOW, WWE, AEW, More

- WOW-La Rosa Negra

- Marina Shafir

- Wrestler leaving MLW

- Smackdown producers

- Impact releases wrestler

- Carmelo Hayes

- Impact, NWA offer wrestler contract

- Who pushed for WWE call-up

- Masha Slamovich contract

- NJPW, ROH, Juice Robinson

- Injuries

Possible spoiler for King of the Ring

Fightful has learned some interesting information regarding tonight's King of the Ring.

Xavier Woods vs. Jinder Mahal is planned for tonight's WWE Raw King of The Ring semifinals. It would appear that Woods' night wouldn't be done, at least per WWE's plans. Finn Balor is set for WWE Raw, and has already qualified for the King of the Ring finals at Crown Jewel. Internally, Balor's name is listed with (WOODS) right next to it. We're not sure what that means, but it indicates that Woods wi...

Plans for tonight's episode of Raw

Fightful Select has learned of some of the following plans for WWE Raw:

- Charlotte Flair is set to kick off the show, a promo, not the match

- Mansoor vs. Cedric Alexander

- Austin Theory vs. Jeff Hardy rematch

- Goldberg and Bobby Lashley have a NO HOLDS BARRED......interview

- Finn Balor is slated for tonight as well

- Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair for the Raw Women's Title is set to main event

Already announced:

- Drew McIntyr...

A Top MLW Star's Contract Expiring Within Weeks

A major star in MLW is finishing up with the company.

Fightful has learned that "Filthy" Tom Lawlor's two-year contract is expiring. MLW confirmed as much to Fightful and spoke very highly of Lawlor upon his exit from the company. As of now he's finished with MLW, and the Casket match was a way to effectively write him off of MLW programming. There was still a little bit of time left on Lawlor's deal, but it expires before MLW's next set of television tapings in November.

Fightful...

Marina Shafir on Ivy Nile, WWE release, Diamond Mine, Raw Underground, Bloodsport

Fightful spoke to Marina Shafir ahead of Bloodsport 7.

Shafir admits that she was really bummed out about her WWE release and not being in Diamond Mine, but fully supports Ivy Nile being slid into to the spot, and hopes she makes the most of it. She thought as of the time that she was released that the plan was for her to eventually debut with the group.

Shafir said Josh Barnett called her and asked her to stay in shape after the release, and she pretty well knew that meant she'd ...

Producers for Smackdown segments

Fightful Select has learned the following producers for this past week's Smackdown show:

- Happy Talk with Happy Corbin was produced by Shawn Daivari

- Adam Pearce produced Seth Rollins' promo

- Hurricane Helms was the producer for Queen's Crown semifinal match Carmella vs. Zelina Vega

- King of the Ring semifinal match Finn Balor vs. Sami Zayn was produced by Abyss.

In addition, Adam Pearce produced a segment between Bianca Belair and Liv Morgan for Tribute to t...