fightful

Konosuke Takeshita Tells Fightful Kenny Omega Should Leave Wild Matches To Him

Konosuke Takeshita is on the ascent in AEW, but has a storied history in DDT that continues this week in facing Chris Jericho.

Scott Edwards (@ScottEWrestling) of Fightful spoke to Takeshita ahead of DDT Ultimate Party 2023 on November 12. 

Takeshita says they could have done this match in AEW, and possibly will in the future, but Jericho being in a DDT ring felt like a big deal. He also said that eventually, he and Ibushi need to have a singles match. Takeshita believes he's...

Hikuleo confirms WWE talks, expands on Jay White feud, ACL injury, Bullet Club

Fightful Select caught up with NJPW’s Hikuleo before his upcoming tag team match at NJPW STRONG’s Lone Star Shootout in Dallas, Texas, on November 10th. The NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champion discussed numerous topics with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp.

Hikuleo spoke about his tag team partner, El Phantasmo [ELP]. He said he was surprised when he found out the two would be paired together, even though the two teamed before in RevPro.

Hikuleo added anytime he goes out with ...

Rocky Romero talks CM Punk, Mercedes, etc.

Fightful Select caught up with NJPW’s Rocky Romero before his upcoming six-man tag team match at NJPW STRONG’s Lone Star Shootout event in Dallas, Texas, on November 10th. The MLW World Middleweight Champion discussed numerous topics with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp.

Romero said Fred Rosser, Tom Lawlor, and West Coast Wrecking Crew are three of their biggest success stories who integrated into the NJPW product.

Rocky told us that New Japan is exploring the possibility of a new...

The List Goes On 11/8

SRS and Jimmy Van's post show!

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/DjUbMjFpouo

Additional details on Arez/Aramis/MLW

Arez and Aramis are no longer in MLW.

Arez went public asking for his release today. However, MLW publicly stated that they'd released the two in May, and that AAA were to relay this information to them.

The MLW side of things claims that Konnan had acknowledged he would let them know, and that MLW hadn't heard anything since then.

MLW sources say that the two are and have been released and can do as they please, and have been off internal rosters for over six months. Source...

More details behind NXT moving to CW

NXT will be moving the CW in October of 2024.

NXT was a major domino to fall in the rights fees updates, as now NXT and Smackdown are nailed down.

We're told the deal has been discussed for months, well before the rumors of NWA and CW started. WWE's side of things said that they felt that things moved very quickly, with one source saying that they're very satisfied with the deal. This was a product they were not receiving rights fees for just five years ago, and have increased rev...

Select Portions: Megan Bayne, Raw Producers

- To clarify our Megan Bayne story yesterday after Stardom's tweet. Sources from AEW and NJPW offices followed up after their tweet, and confirmed that Bayne has long been signed by AEW, and they would agree with the terminology that Bayne was "sent." Stardom had reached out to Bayne long ago, but she was injured and still being paid by AEW. She returned to AEW in June, and was encouraged to seek work outside of AEW while still being paid, and headed to Stardom. 

- After not going ...

Select Exclusive: Mose interview at GCW Si Or No

Stephen Jensen of The Spotlight and Weekender interviews Mose!

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Raw 11/6 | Certifiably InZayn?

We got a couple of pleasant surprises tonight on Raw. A Sami Zayn vs Seth Rollins title match, and a DIY vs Creed Brothers tag bout.

But not everything can be a surprise. For example, we all knew that the Miz was going to win the Intercontinental #1 Contender's Fatal 4-Way, just like we all knew Nia Jax was going to win the Women's #1 Contender Battle Royal.

Only one of those terrible things happened, though. But it WAS marred by an utterly ridiculous overbooked finish, proving th...

WWE Raw Plans For Tonight

Fightful has learned the following plans for tonight's WWE Raw, subject to change. PLEASE BE COGNIZANT OF THOSE WHO WISH TO AVOID SPOILERS

- Seth Rollins promo

- New Day vs. Judgment Day

- Akira Tozawa vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

- Natalya vignette

- Drew McIntyre backstage

- IC Title video

- IC Title contender: Miz vs. Ricochet vs. Ivar vs. Bronson Reed

- SPOILER TAG MATCH

- Women's Title Contender Battle Royal

- MAJOR SPOILER MAIN EVENT<...

Injured WWE wrestler set to return.

Good news for the women's division.

Fightful Select has learned that Tegan Nox is set to return as soon imminently to WWE TV, possibly as soon as tonight's Raw Women's Battle Royal, though she is not on the graphic for it.

Nox sustained a minor injury on October 17 on NXT in a match against Lyra Valkyria. Nox is backstage at tonight's WWE Raw.

Select Portions: AEW Deal, Crown Jewel, Yuka, Jake Roberts, Jordan Oliver

- As mentioned, there is a significant sponsorship involvement planned for the Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, Paul Wight and Kota Ibushi tag team match. We're told that content was filmed to promote it. We've learned that it is with SEGA.

- In addition to reappearing on screen for All Elite Wrestling, we're told that Jake Roberts is also scheduled for some community events.

- Shortly after WWE Crown Jewel, WWE stars returned to the States with no issues.

- Renee Paquette's "Ren...

Megan Bayne is All Elite

Megan Bayne is All Elite…and has been for quite some time.

Top indie prospect Megan Bayne isn’t actually an indie prospect, Fightful Select has learned. Bayne has been under AEW contract for months, although she hasn’t been on television in the company in months.

Bayne instead was sent by AEW to work in Stardom months ago, and has been refining her work there. As of this Summer, we’re told that there have been no significant creative plans for her within AEW.

The 25-...

SRS Backstage Report 11/6: CM Punk, Ospreay, Joshi stars

- CM Punk/WWE

- Will Ospreay/WWE

- Ric Flair

- Bryan Danielson

- Giulia, Sarray, Kairi

- Drew McIntyre

- Titus

- Heath

- Karrion Kross

- Alex Hammerstone

- WWE Crown Jewel

Details on Giulia, Sareee/Sarray and WWE/Sukeban

There are a lot of moving pieces in the joshi world.

PWinsider reported November 6 that WWE has expressed heavy interest in Japanese star Giulia, widely considered one of the best performers in wrestling. They also reported that things are serious enough that she's expected at the Performance Center this month. We can confirm that WWE has interest in her, and she was considered a "priority acquisition" per one source that we spoke with. For the last several years, Giulia's work in Stard...

Fightful Weekender (11/5): GCW, MLW, GLORY PRO, DAIKAIJU PRO, NXT LEVEL UP, IMPACT UK, ROH SPOILERS

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

Topics:

- GCW: "Please, Buddy" + "Si Or No?" results

- MLW: "Fusion" (11/2) results

- GLORY PRO: "Ascend" (Ep. 9) results

- DAIKAIJU PRO: "Vol. 1" results

- NXT Level Up (11/3) results

- IMPACT UK Invasion (10/29) results (1:03-1:05)

- ROH *TV TAPING SPOILERS* (1:05-end)

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Crown Jewel SANDS OF BLIND Review 11/4

Alex did not watch Crown Jewel, on moral grounds.  
Kate did, because she is committed to the bit.

The bit is this: Kate will tell Alex what happened at Crown Jewel, and along the way, she will tell him 3 LIES. It is up to Alex to guess what Kate is lying about.  
Alex was able to avoid spoilers for over 20 hours.
Let's see if Kate make a fool out of him, tonight on SAAAAAAAAAAAANDS OF BLIND.

(Also we'll talk about AEW Collision from last night too.)

Ever...

Select Portions: Logan Paul, Kross, AEW sponsorship, SEPARATE WAYS

- The Logan Paul/Rey Mysterio weigh in from Friday's Smackdown was actually filmed October 27 in Milwaukee.

- Indie wrestler and OVW talent Kal Herro was featured as a security guard in the weigh in segment.

- As mentioned, the planned Karrion Kross backstage segment wasn't filmed and was cut early in the day.

- You can make a donation to National Alliance on Mental Illness at the link below. Payouts and donations for Sean Ross Sapp's upcoming match will all go to that ca...

Magazine Archives: Viper, Piper Niven. Doudrop. What’s in the Name?

By Mimi Jean-Louis, Fightful Magazine Issue 6

***

How does a fiercely woman, devoted to her craft, end up with a ring name like Doudrop? In professional wrestling, ring names often become the fabric of your gimmick, your legacy. Kimberly Benson’sability to pivot from the Indy circuit to NXT UK, to quickly becoming one of the top WWE Superstars on the women’s roster, has been nothing short of impressive to say the least. Her m...

WWE has interest in Will Ospreay, more details

We’ve learned more about upcoming free agent Will Ospreay.

It was reported recently that many in AEW have considered it a foregone conclusion that Will Ospreay join the company. While that may have been true months ago, we’re told that Ospreay’s mind has opened up about his future.

WWE has shown heavy interest and sources within the company claim that there have been conversations and contact between the two sides, though those close to Ospreay would not confirm as such. TNA...

Kairi Sane Update

Kairi Sane is back in WWE.

Sane's deal was done months ago, as were a couple of others such as Nia Jax and Lexis King when the unofficial WWE hiring freeze ended. Sane was desired by WWE last year, but WWE couldn't make it happen for whatever reason.

Sane returned at Crown Jewel, where she attacked Bianca Belair to help IYO SKY. Fightful can confirm something that a Reddit insider KERRMIT posted, indicating that there have been discussions of more names joining the two. 

What happened to Karrion Kross' planned Smackdown TV return

Karrion Kross is still absent from WWE TV, but he wasn't supposed to be.

Fightful Select reported last week that Karrion Kross was slated to appear on the November 3 episode of WWE Smackdown, which was actually filmed October 27. We've now learned why that didn't happen.

Kross had been scheduled for a backstage segment that also was set to feature Scarlett and Shotzi. However, sources within WWE said that the segment would not have made sense for almost anyone involved, and was ni...

WWE Crown Jewel SCOOPS THREAD

Fightful has learned the following plans, producers, match orders and more for WWE Crown Jewel, which as always are subject to change.

- Sami Zayn vs. JD McDonagh

- World Heavyweight Title: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Abyss

- Women's World Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Zoey Stark: TJ Wilson & Jason Jordan

- John Cena vs. Solo Sikoa: Adam Pearce

- SPOILER SEGMENT

- US Title:...

Smackdown Producers For Tonight, Backstage nEWS

Below are the producers for tonight's Smackdown:

- LA Knight promo with Roman Reigns: Michael hayes

- Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory: Jason Jordan

- Backstage segments: Adam Pearce & Molly Holly

- Charlotte Flair & Shotzi vs. Piper & Chelsea: Molly Holly & Adam Pearce

- John Cena & Solo Sikoa face to face: Michael Hayes

- Bianca Belair vs. Bayley: Kenny Dykstra

Backstage News--

- The show was WWE's highest grossing ...

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown Review & Rampage WatchAlong 11/3 | The Calm Before The Storm

Tomorrow is Crown Jewel, aka SAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDS of Time, and tonight's taped episode of SmackDown did exactly nothing to get me excited about it.  

Tonight on Rampage, their's an AMAZING Lucha Triple Threat, and some other stuff that might be good, too.  

But who cares, because Ric Flair got hired. And that means...  

Everything sucks. Let's talk about it.

https://...

LIIIIIIIIIVE SRS Q&A 4:40 ET

Get your questions in, either here or the live chat!

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/qIrB52lcXy4

Smackdown Plans for tonight, and complete spoilers

Full Smackdown rundown and spoilers, as the show was filmed last week

Fightful Select has learned the following plans for next week's WWE Smackdown, subject to change, as there is a double taping tonight

- LA Knight promo

- Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory

- BACKSTAGE SPOILER 1

- BACKSTAGE SPOILER 2

- Charlotte & Shotzi vs. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven (non title)

- John Cena & Solo Sikoa face to face

- Donnybrook Rules: Brawl...

Kairi Sane-WWE news

Kairi Sane is headed back to WWE.

Sane was signed quite a while back, but as WrestleVotes accurately reported, she popped up on internal roster lists this week. Beyond that, WWE sources have said they believe she'll be in the states to work for WWE this month. PWInsider stated she could show up as early as Crown Jewel.

We're told WWE wanted to make re-signing Sane a priority this year, and it was actually brought up last year as well during the mass re-signings. For whatever rea...

Details on Bryan Danielson's injury

Bryan Danielson’s injury happened in a freak accident.

This past week, AEW revealed that Bryan Danielson was undergoing surgery for a broken orbital and would miss some time, and that he would be back “later in the year.” This is in line with what Fightful heard, with the hope that Danielson won’t miss a ton of time. The way the injury was sustained was a rarity.

While Danielson sold the injury during the tag team match with Kazuchika Okada, he actually sustained the injur...

WWE had prepared talent to answer CM Punk questions at Fastlane

The internal line on CM Punk in WWE is “not as of right now,” but we’ve learned more on that approach by WWE.

On October 10, Fightful reported that WWE higher ups not only denied that CM Punk had been signed by WWE, but that there were any negotiations. This matched up with our report a couple of weeks prior that indicated there had been some feelers gauging interest in Punk on WWE’s side.

Despite Punk now being the top free agent in wrestling, and natural rumors swirling ...