fightful

AEW interested in top prospect and potential free agent.

A top prospect has gained the attention of major wrestling companies.

Fightful Select has learned that there has been discussion within All Elite Wrestling about potentially working with Mariah May. The 25-year old UK-born wrestler has been working for about four and a half years, and developed a large following.

Back in 2019, WWE has a WWE UK Performance Center Tryout. The company had reached out to her almost immediately after her wrestling career started. We’ve been told that...

SRS Backstage Report Podcast (8/21)

- Santana & Ortiz

- Edge

- Britt Baker/Adam Cole

- WWE Raw Notes

- Jack Perry/Punk story

- DDP & Cody Rhodes

- LEATHERFACE!

- Lacey Evans

- NWA 75 and Aron Stevens

- WWE Smackdown

- Clark Connors

- Bullet Club

- MLW news!

- Ace Steel

Magazine Archive: The Wrestlers’ Tribune: Shazza McKenzie (WAIT, WTF?!?)

Editor's Note: This is bullshit!

By Shazza McKenzie, issue 5 FightfulMag.com

***

​When Seanapproached me to write an article for Fightful, at first, I thought this would be a really great time to get myself over… but if you follow me on social media, you already know I talk about myself way too much. Instead, I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about something very near and dear to my heart —Australian wrestling —and why you should be paying...

Update on Santana and Ortiz in AEW

A wrestler who has been out for over a year is ready to return to the ring.

Santana, who sustained a torn ACL in 2022 Blood & Guts match, has been out of action ever since. After a long social media absence, Santana recently returned and posted vignettes, but has yet to return to the ring. We confirmed that Santana is ready for an in ring return.

For those asking, we’re told that as of him being cleared for a return, he and Ortiz were still not on good terms. However, that h...

Fightful Weekender (8/20): BEYOND, STING/DARBY WWA4, PWG, GCW, HOG, MLW, NXT, ROH SPOILERS, NWA 75 PREDICTIONS, AEW ALL IN PREDICTIONS

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

Topics:

- BEYOND: "Americanrana" results

- Sting & Darby Allin invade WWA4

- PWG TWENTY: Mystery Vortex results

- GCW: "Lucha De Explosivos" results

- HOG: "High Intensity X" results

- ROH *TV TAPING SPOILERS*

- MLW: "Fusion" (8/17) results

- NXT Level Up (8/18) results

- NWA 75 predictions

- AEW: "All In" predictions

Aron Stevens FKA Damien Sandow Notes | LA Knight, Life After WWE, and more

Fightful Select and Fightful.com’s Wrestling Perspective Podcast caught up with Aron Stevens of the NWA for two exclusive interviews this week. Fightful had the chance to discuss numerous topics with the former NWA Heavyweight and  WWE Tag Team Champion. Aron was promoting NWA 75!

Aron talked about his admiration for his friend Tim Storm. He says the NWA did a great job telling the Ten Pounds of Gold story. Aron said there’s something about Tim that he finds endearing.

Ar...

Britt Baker and Adam Cole almost in two places at once tonight

There was an insane travel night for Dr. Britt Baker DMD.

Lexington's AEW Collision tapings went five hours, as the company had to film Rampage and ROH as well, since next week's Collision films Wednesday. The evening ended up being main evented by Hikaru Shida and Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Saraya & Toni Storm. However, Baker was actually in Alabama when the show started.

Baker was at the Kulture City's Kulture Ball in Brimingham, Alabama, where Adam Cole was given Human Highl...

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: AEW Collision 8/19 | Next To Godlessness

(Starting at 10:30ish est)

CM Punk is a Los Conquistador now and apparently Samoa Joe is a bitch.

Miro vs Powerhouse Hobbs is going to be the hoss battle to end all hoss battles.

Willow continues to be awesome, and Darby continues to annoy me.

Kate is here, and she hasn't seen the show, so let's try to trick her into believing stuff happened that really didn't.

Everything sucks. Or DOES it?  Let's talk about it.

Youtube Link...

Speculation regarding Edge, AEW and WWE

Could we see Edge in AEW?

Well, we won’t be seeing “Edge” in All Elite Wrestling, as that name is trademarked by WWE. Adam Copeland, however, seems like a possibility.

Edge stated in an interview with ET that the match with Sheamus was the last on his current WWE contract, but that the deal actually runs through September. To be clear, we’ve not confirmed that is actually the case, but even if it is the last match, it doesn’t necessarily mean the contract is or isn’t u...

Select Portions: Smackdown, Creative Plans, Producers, All In Odds,

- As Fightful Select reported, Kevin Owens made his in-ring return from injury at the Toronto Smackdown in a dark match

- Based on what we've heard, there have never been significant creative plans on Raw for Oddysey Jones. We haven't heard why, but he had been drafted to the brand. 

- The Smackdown in Toronto was the highest grossing Smackdown or Raw in the history of the Toronto market, per internal WWE reports. 

- If there are any freelancers with equipment and ...

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown Review & Rampage WatchAlong 8/18 | A Lot Left In The Tank?

Buncha crap on SmackDown (outside of Edge's retirement(?) match in the main event). WWE is going to keep booking LA Knight like crap even if it kills them, and Bianca and Charlotte are (dry heave) FRIENDS now?! (*throws up in mouth a little bit*)  

But yeah, a lot of intrigue around Edge's 25 Year Celebration tonight; is this really the end? and if it is, is it just the end of his *WWE* career, or could he actually show up at Wembley in 9 days?  

While w...

WWE Smackdown Plans

Fightful has learned the following plans for WWE Smackdown, subject to change.

Please refrain from screenshotting and reposting the entire rundown. If you do, you have to pay to change SRS' flight to the UK this week

- Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar on the Grayson Waller Effect

- SPOILER MATCH 1

- Miz is slated to be backstage

- Edge video

- Damage CTRL promo

- Bianca Belair & Charlotte Flair vs. Damage CTRL

- Street Profits vs. OC

- ...

Return Listed For Tonight's Dark Match

Please navigate away if you wish to avoid spoilers 

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A return at tonight's WWE Smackdown.

Fightful Select has learned that Kevin Owens is listed internally to return during tonight's WWE Smackdown dark match.

Owens has been out of action for a month with an injury, and ended up missing WWE Summerslam. As a result, Owens hasn't been on a WWE PLE since May after winning the WWE Tag Team Championships i...

Interview | Stephanie Chase | Coexisting After Dark w/ Rob Wilkins & Maggie

Stephanie Chase is our guest this week for Coexisting After Dark w/ Rob Wilkins & Maggie.

Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixHvlyGdWR8

SRS Q&A Show: Over 30 Minutes Of Mailbag!

- CM Punk situation

- Lacey Evans leaves WWE

- Nick Aldis

- Elias

- Punk/Hangman

- Britt Baker/Ricky Starks/Serena Deeb updates

- Edge, WWE & AEW

- AEW morale

Select Portion: Cash Wheeler, WWE Merch, Clark Connors, Marq Quen

- Talent that we've spoken to in AEW did not know about the Cash Wheeler situation until word emerged online. Here are more details: https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/cash-wheeler-bond-set-2500-ordered-turn-weapons-allegedly-flashed-gun-road-rage-incident

- For those asking what falls under "generic WWE merchandise" in our r...

SRS Q&A Questions!

Hey guys! Q&A time

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. I'll delete the field after I'm done recording.

For aggrega...

Identity of AEW's Leatherface!

The identity of Leatherface is confirmed.

Leatherface appeared on the August 16 AEW Dynamite in a match of the year contender, seeing Jeff Jarrett defeat Jeff Hardy in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre match, which received universal acclaim and zero criticism from literally anyone that watched it, ever.

Towards the end of the match, Texas Chainsaw Massacre star Leatherface made an appearance, chasing several heels backstage. We’ve since learned who was portraying the iconic horror mo...

Names Backstage At Recent AEW Dynamite Shows

Several interesting names have been backstage at AEW recently.

This week in Nashville saw numerous non-AEW talent backstage at the show. Perhaps the biggest of which, is one of the most famous WCW Champions of all-time, David Arquette. He did not Rumble, nor was he Ready To.

Lana, also known as CJ Perry was at the show visiting with Miro. Lana and Miro have a home in the area. Perry hasn't worked a match or done wrestling appearances outside of signings since leaving WWE, but was ...

Select Exclusive: Clark Connors talks Bullet Club, BCGold, War Dogs, More

SRS speaks to Clark Connors ahead of the NJPW Weekend in Philadelphia!

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCS7MEQLEUEs

DDP talks Cody Rhodes, AEW, WWE, More

Fightful Select spoke with Diamond Dallas Page [DDP] at the premiere of the WWE and Peacock Documentary American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes.

Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp brought up the induction speech Cody Rhodes gave his father at the 2007 WWE Hall of Fame. DDP said it was money, and that was because it was easy for him to talk about his dad. He said he knew Cody was money right then.

When asked about Cody leaving the WWE, DDP said that was something you had to do in the bus...

More On Ace Steel Being Back in AEW, what he can and can't do

Ace Steel is back with AEW….technically.

Ace Steel was  brought back to the company ahead of AEW Collision and is on the payroll, but he won’t be in the buildings and hasn't been. Sources confirmed in May to Fightful that due to the Brawl Out situation, he was told that he was considered an “insurance risk,” and wouldn’t be permitted to attend the shows.

After months out of the fold, we’ve learned that Steel met with Tony Khan in recent months and spoke about wres...

The List Goes On 8/16

SRS and Jimmy party on

video: https://youtu.be/6aeMTOKKGj8

Select Portions: Lacey Evans, Raw Producers, Chelsea, More

- Despite what has been reported this week, there are no single day $10,000 tickets to WrestleMania, per WWE. The highest priced tier is $5,000 for direct, as it was in Los Angeles. The lowest price point is $25, same as Los Angeles for the first-run sales of both.

- Lacey Evans' Instagram refers to her as "FKA WWE Superstar Lacey Evans." WWE have not confirmed her release to us. She has indicated that her deal is up at midnight. There haven't been any internal notifications about it, a...

CM Punk and Jack Perry had disagreement over spot involving glass

There was another issue with an AEW talent that CM Punk brought face-to-face.

Towards the start of Punk’s AEW Collision run, during the Canada tapings, Jungle Boy Jack Perry was brought to Collision to film a segment, and the two had words about the plans that Perry was supposedly pushing.

According to those on the side of Punk, Perry wanted to use real glass for a backstage segment. Punk was of the belief that he did this so he didn’t need to come to work the next week, which...

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Raw 8/14 | Careless Whisper

Nakamura is whispering sweet nothings in Seth's freakin' ear, and Cody is busy with Judgment Day. Gunther vs. Chad Gable is next week, and who knows when the actual blow-off between Becky & Trish will be, CUZ IT SURE AS HECK WASN'T TONIGHT.

The best part about tonight is that WWE took my advice and made Piper Niven Chelsea Green's new partner, but they did it without all the fun stuff.

Drew still hasn't turned on Matt Riddle yet.

Everything sucks. Let's talk about it. 2023-08-15 02:55:31 +0000 UTC View Post

WWE Raw Plans For Tonight

Fightful has learned the following WWE Raw plans, which are subject to change.

Please avoid posting screenshots of the full rundown

- Judgment Day promo

- SPOILER MATCH 1

- Gunther Promo

- SPOILER MATCH 2 & 3

- Bloodline video

- Drew McIntyre & Matt Riddle vs. Viking Raiders

- Non Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Indi Hartwell

- Nakamura interview

- Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus

- Cody Rhodes vs. Finn Balor

Backstage News:<...

Select Portions: MLW/WWE Lawsuit, Chelsea Green, Cardona, MLW Merch Sales

- Chelsea Green traveled to Canada this week, but still does not have her green card. We're told it was a travel exception.

- Matt Cardona is expected to be a regular in MLW starting September 3.

- Alex Kane unseated Microman's year-long run as top merch seller within Major League Wrestling.

- Alex Hammerstone is set to go on a big heel run in the fall. 

- MLW is seeing some of their best numbers in the UK right now, with growth over the last six months. 

LIVE Backstage Report Podcast at 4:15 ET

- Punk/Collision/Nemeth/Hangman

- Full Gear

- Edge, New Day, Bunny returns

- Bray Wyatt

- Nigel McGuinness

- All our other breaking news for the week

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/hZEVUp-EBkc

More on CM Punk/Collision/Hangman/Nemeth

We’ve now heard stories from many sides of the AEW Collision/CM Punk/removal situation.

As highlighted on August 13, Ryan Nemeth was brought into North Carolina before the tapings, before he was promptly sent home. We’ve learned more about the words that they had recently. According to those familiar with the situation, Punk approached Nemeth when the two were at the Chicago Dynamite, where Punk was asked to be at. Punk spoke to Nemeth and asked him to make good on his “literally ...