In honor of the THUNDERDOME debut, I'm leaving my live Smackdown blog and discussion open to all FightfulSelect.com subscribers
THUNDERDOME
We've been asking a lot of the recently released and departed talent about who helped them out the most in NXT when they were there, and Norman Smiley specifically got a ton of praise. Aiden English credited him with helping him get his start in pro wrestling and pitching for him to get into NXT. Aiden had worked as a wrestler for a few months and was able to land a WWE deal without a tryout because of a good recommendation from Smiley.
Terry Taylor was a person English sai...
2020-08-21 18:59:01 +0000 UTC View PostFightful followed up with several high level performers in WWE about the notion that "virtually" everyone in the company has contacted AEW. One on the Raw brand said that definitely wasn't the case with them, unless "contact" means speaking to people in AEW just as friends. Another top name in WWE said "No. There was a bunch i would imagine but aside myself I knew many who didn’t even consider it."
2020-08-21 17:00:01 +0000 UTC View Post
- Rock vs. HHH vs. Kurt Angle
- Undertaker vs. Kane
- KAT VS. TERRI!!
- TLC!
- Jericho vs. Benoit
- Blackman vs. Shane McMahon
- Eddie & Chyna team up
- RTC!
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/G9hBnu-N9kU
2020-08-21 13:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post
WWE has undertaken vigorous testing for their Thunderdome setup this week.
- WWE audience tested by having a series of monitors set up, duplicated the test shots onto multiple seats or screens instead of having a different person in each seat.
- The ring was already set up for Smackdown as of Wednesday afternoon.
- The staff is being told to keep everything top secret, at the risk of their jobs if they leak photos.
Notes from rehearsals (ONGOING)
- The...
2020-08-20 16:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
- Fans in crowd
- Tay Conti, Peyton Royce, Ruby Riott
- Women's wrestling
- Ricochet, Ethan Page, Santana, Ortiz, MJF
- MJF vs. Moxley
- What can AEW do?
- Dropped WWE storylines
- Thunderdome
- What AEW/WWE trade would I make?
2020-08-20 14:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post- Gargano vs. Ridge Holland
- Video packages
- Raquel returns!
- Dakota Kai, Io Shirai
- Velveteen Dream vs. Finn Balor
- Pat McAfee
- NXT XXX predictions
2020-08-20 02:26:12 +0000 UTC View Post
NOTE: Video has been reuploaded
- Goldberg
- Velveteen Dream
- Rusev
- AEW releases
- EC3/ROH
- TV-PG
- ROH booker
- WWE testing
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/PaOWVdFX1dI
2020-08-19 20:43:24 +0000 UTC View PostRiddick Moss noted that he'd sat out of WWE action for several months as he cares for a family member that is at advanced risk of COVID-19 due to cystic fibrosis. However, Fightful learned that he was sat out by Paul Heyman as a result, as to avoid any potential heat of making the decision himself.. It's worth noting that Heyman was very high on Moss at the time and a big push was in order, at least according to info from several high level names in WWE creative
At the time, Moss was 24...
2020-08-19 16:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostDavid Finlay has made his impression felt within New Japan during the USA Cup, but actually wasn't under contract for several years in New Japan. From 2015 to 2019, he worked on a handshake agreement with NJPW, and he told me that once All Elite Wrestling started up, NJPW was adamant about getting a contract. He was happy to sign one, and fortunately he did, as he got injured.
Finlay told me that he very well could have just had his father make a call to WWE when he started training to ...
2020-08-19 13:31:00 +0000 UTC View Post
It's another hopeless episode of RAW and another depressing episode of SOUR GRAPS.
Consistency doesn't matter, the rules don't matter, the right people don't get pushes, other good people are in storylines that tread water for weeks at a time, WELCOME BACK MICKIE JAMES I GUESS, HBK ain't selling sh*t, and RetroBooShun still hasn't rebranded as VinceBusters.
Oh well.
At least we have THUNDERDOME to look forward to, am I right, folks?
Fightful has gained some updates on Thunderdome.
Those working on the venue are very optimistic about how the presentation will come across on Friday, saying it's unlike anything they've ever been a part of. Most of the heavy work was complete, and the configuration was originally set for something much larger, but were able to fit it in because of the lack of fans.
The entire lower bowl area will feature video screens and virtual audience members, and we're told that there is so...
WWE is making the move to return to live broadcasts of Raw and Smackdown this week at the Amway Center. The word we've heard from wrestlers thus far has been unanimously positive, as they're hoping this results in shorter filming days. Some weeks of late, filming has continued past 1 am, and wrestlers and staff have been there all day. There is some concern over the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, and how that could affect shows. Everyone that Fightful spoke to actually heard the news o...
2020-08-18 19:00:00 +0000 UTC View PostAsk away!
- 3 questions per subscriber
- no top 5, "are you a fan/favorite of" questions
2020-08-18 17:00:00 +0000 UTC View PostFightful learned a little more about this week's major IMPACT Wrestling tapings.
- The company is filming up until Bound For Glory in October.
- There are no major plans for Sami Callihan, at least according to how the filming went.
- We've heard of several new faces showing up, though none from WWE or ROH. Mainly independent stars getting another look by the company.
- AXS and IMPACT Wrestling have stepped up their media presence in the last couple of months to ...
2020-08-18 15:00:00 +0000 UTC View PostFightful has been told by multiple sources that as of now, NXT will remain at Full Sail University for tapings of their episodes, as opposed to the Thunderdome. WWE just opened a temporary training facility for their NXT wrestlers, but we've not heard if the company will be moving back to the Performance Center for that.
2020-08-18 04:49:36 +0000 UTC View Post
- WWE contracts
- Heat on Velveteen Dream
- Smackdown depth chart
- Big segment edited
- Heat on AEW spot
- Jimmy Havoc
- Jeff Cobb, WWE, AEW
- Tama Tonga
- Bullet Club
- Stats, injuries, contracts.
2020-08-17 17:32:13 +0000 UTC View PostWe're told that the emotional finish to WWE Raw last week went way longer than what we saw on TV. Fightful learned that Randy Orton's promo was much more than what was actually broadcast, with multiple people in attendance saying there were "minutes" of material that didn't end up getting used. When we spoke to others in WWE, we were told it was an edit simply to fit time and didn't have anything to do with quality.
2020-08-17 13:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
STEPHEN JENSEN is back with another edition of the WEEKENDER!
Topics:
- Show to watch on IWTV - NEW SOUTH: "5th Anniversary Show"
- Free YouTube match - ROH: KENTA vs. Tyler Black (End Of An Age 2009)
- ROH Pure Championship tournament news
- IMPACT (8/11) results
- 205 LIVE (8/14) results
- ICW NO HOLDS BARRED: "Volume 4: Deathmatch Circus" & "Volume 5: Deathmatch Circus" results
- BTE: "Malfunction" recap
2020-08-16 20:51:44 +0000 UTC View PostTama Tonga told me that he sees Harold Meij's vision, but hasn't seen it executed just yet, and to maybe give him another year or two. On the subject of working with other companies, he said that you never say never about that, but he understands why New Japan is hesitant because there's no respect in wrestling. He pointed to NJPW building a lot of the AEW guys, WWE making an effort to sign a half dozen NJPW wrestlers in 2016, TNA/Impact constantly screwing over NJPW, issues with Jeff J...
2020-08-16 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
It's another episode of SOUR GRAPS, with RetroBooShun bringing their big brothers to the party this time, Hair verse Hair matches, Shorty G's incredible Disappearing, Reappearing, Disappearing *Again*(?) Heel Turn, BALD ZADDY BRAUN, and Vince making the decision to consolidate the entire Main Roster Women's Division down to just three women.
Everything sucks. Let's talk about it.
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/0Tu6Qhr...
2020-08-16 02:08:19 +0000 UTC View PostSome Smackdown talent ended up getting a look at a depth chart that WWE officials posses recently, which listed babyface and heel talent, and where they're seen on the card. From what Fightful was told, Braun Strowman was listed as the top babyface on the brand, while Jeff Hardy followed at second, and 2020-08-15 17:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
The return of Velveteen Dream was kept very private, and most wrestlers only knew about it in the minutes ahead of the NXT show in which he performed. There has long been significant heat on Velveteen Dream for behavioral issues and what is perceived as preferential treatment in multiple situations that would have had most anyone else fired. This was also the case with his return. WWE have not provided any update on disciplinary action taken towards him for any incidents or accusations,...
2020-08-14 19:34:59 +0000 UTC View PostOn Thursday, Jimmy Havoc's profile disappeared from AEW's website, as noted by @SOduTw on Twitter. Multiple sources have told us that Jimmy Havoc was "done with the company," though additional details are few and far between. Several wrestlers noted that at the tapings on Thursday, word going around was that Havoc was out of AEW. It should be noted that wrestlers, nor media were given official word on this status. Havoc has been out of action since many allegations surfaced regarding him duri...
2020-08-14 04:06:11 +0000 UTC View PostSome notes on AEW's fan experience Wednesday night
- There were a number of fans who were invited to the show, and it was not available for ticket purchase.
- Tony Khan came out to encourage the crowd the be loud and rowdy -- without profanity. #FTF
- Masks were being strictly enforced, with people patrolling the crowd to make sure masks were up when people weren't eating or drinking.
- Though television production made it look like fans were grouped together, th...
2020-08-13 23:09:07 +0000 UTC View PostFightful has heard from multiple sources that several recent WWE call-ups have not received new contracts. Many of them are actually working lighter schedules than they were in NXT before the pandemic started. One source high up in WWE told us that the topic of extending the contracts or offering new ones will likely be broached when things "return to normal," though that's much easier said than done. WWE has no idea what their live event schedule will look like when that happens, or ev...
2020-08-13 16:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
- Mickie James
- Hell in a Cell
- AEW Heels
- Retribution
- Legend Killer
- Royal Rumble
- Big E
- AEW Women's Division
- Velveteen Dream
- Over 100 questions!
2020-08-13 05:26:23 +0000 UTC View Post
- Stu Grayson greatness
- Ricky Morton eats a piledriver
- Are Hangman & Omega best in the world?
- AEW stacking August 22
- Women's time in AEW
- Overbooked spot
- GREAT BALLS OF FIRE
- Dakota/Io
- Takeover ladder match
- Velveteen Dream returns
2020-08-13 03:54:58 +0000 UTC View PostFightful has learned that Velveteen Dream's NXT return is "imminent," but havent been given any details
2020-08-12 23:57:57 +0000 UTC View Post