fightful

Select Portions: CM Punk, Darby, Raw/SD, Dolin, Jensen, Rumble

• Brooks Jensen made the claim on social media that as of today he is a free agent, however we are told that he remains with the company, but will be wrestling on indie shows to help sell the story.

• Gigi Dolin's knee injury is expected to keep her out through the end of the year. Wrestling Observer reported that it's a torn ACL, which we're working to confirm.

• There have been changes to Raw and Smackdown on the day of the show multiple times over the past c...

  2024-06-21 16:01:20 +0000 UTC View Post

News from tonight's AEW tapings

AEW tapings are tonight, and Fightful Select has some live notes courtesy of Kate.

• Lio Rush is on the show. Fightful Select had reported that he would be a regular moving forward.

• We also reported that there would be heavy NJPW integration this week and next week. Gabe Kidd and El Phantasmo were at the show.

• Josh Woods is on the show, and was recently cleared for an in-ring return.

• The Learning Tree vs. Samoa Joe, Hook and Katsuyori S...

  2024-06-21 01:57:45 +0000 UTC View Post

News on a talent set to be AEW regular.

Lio Rush is back in the fold at AEW.

Rush had been absent from All Elite Wrestling, and instead worked for TNA, MLW and NJPW over the past couple of years. However, Lio made an in-ring return in May, and made a good enough impression that he was quickly booked to face Roderick Strong at the following night’s tapings.

Since then, we’ve had numerous subscribers ask about his status with the company. We haven’t confirmed that he’s signed with AEW again, but is expected to b...

Details On UK Indie Names Invited To WWE PLE

WWE made the trip overseas to Scotland over the weekend for both Friday Night SmackDown and their Clash At The Castle Premium Live Event, with the crowd being red hot on both nights. WWE would also invite several familiar faces to UK wrestling fans to the pair of events, Fightful Select has learned.

Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan has learned that WWE invited at least 10 names from the UK independent wrestling scene to the pair of tapings to be extra’s and WWE’s guests at the pair...

FREE POST: AEW World Champ working upcoming indie date

Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp got word from House of Glory Wrestling that AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland is working a rare indie date.

HOG sent along the following:

Swerve Strickland Battles Amazing Red at High Intensity on Friday July 26

House of Glory officials have announced a HUGE main event for High Intensity on Friday July 26 live from the NYC Arena and streaming on TrillerTV.

AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland with Prince Nana will battle “The Under...

AEW Dynamite News, Switchblade, Hangman, Buddy, NXT News, Joe Hendry

• For those asking regarding Buddy Matthews, the spot on Collision was always planned.

• As of last week, Hangman Page was not scheduled for this week's episode of AEW Dynamite. That could always change, but his return was instead planned for sometime over the next few weeks.

• Switchblade Jay White is in town for tonight's AEW Dynamite. For those that have asked, AEW still plans on using the Bullet Club Gold branding.

• There are NJPW talent in to...

  2024-06-19 19:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Update on injured NXT talent

On June 7th, Javier Bernal announced on his Twitch stream following the dates episode of NXT Level Up that he had suffered a broken foot and would require surgery, revealing he could be out of action for up to six months with the injury.

Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan has learned more details on the injury and other backstage details on Bernal’s time in WWE so far. During Friday’s episode of NXT Level Up, Javi would feature in a tag team match vs Chase U, with the injury occurrin...

FREE POST: Final Match Set For North Wrestling Thunderstruck

Two of the most prominent names on the British independent scene are scheduled to face off on July 13th for North Wrestling at their Thunderstruck show.

Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan has learned that at the July 13th event, Michael Oku and Mark Haskins are set for action, with their partners Amira and Vicky Haskins set to be at ringside for the bout. The match will take place at Thunderstruck from the Walker Dome in Newcastle.

Michael Oku previously challenged for the NORTH Wr...

NXT SCOOPS THREAD

•  As previously reported, TNA talent were expected in the number one contenders Battle Royal.

•  Dijak has been spotted in Orlando ahead of tonight’s show. We’re not told if he’s on the program.

•  As Sean Ross Sapp reported, NXT writer Johnny Russo was at TNA Against All Odds.

•  Moose has been a TNA talent outspoken about working with NXT as a part of the partnership

• Sean Ross Sapp was told that main rost...

  2024-06-18 23:03:51 +0000 UTC View Post

Latest on Joe Hendry-NXT

Say his name and he (may) appear.


On tonight’s episode of NXT, a battle royal is set to take place on the show to crown a new number one contender for Trick Williams’ NXT Championship with “multiple locker rooms” teased as featuring in the matchup. Last Wednesday, Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan learned that TNA talent were expected to be involved in the matchup. One name our audience has asked about repeatedly is Joe Hendry.


Joe Hendry has been teasing fans ov...

Lots of news on the new Wyatt stable.

The new Wyatt group debuted on Raw to huge buzz after months of anticipation.

Teases for the group started in early April, when Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp reported that the end of Bray Wyatt's documentary was a tease for the impending return of Bo Dallas, who is still portraying the Uncle Howdy character. Dallas has been under contract since 2022, when his brother Bray Wyatt was also signed by the company.

Thus far, the group has not been officially named on WWE TV, social m...

WWE Raw Backstage News, Producers, CM Punk, More news

• Internally, Seth Rollins was not listed on the WWE Raw rundown. The segment was listed as a Damian Priest promo

• We can confirm WrestleVotes' report that the hope is that CM Punk will be ready for WWE Summerslam

• As reported, Damian Priest got heavy praise for his WWE Clash at the Castle performance. We can also confirm PWInsider's report that Drew McIntyre has repeatedly, consistently and often gained praise for working through personal issues.

2024-06-18 16:00:13 +0000 UTC View Post

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: Raw 6/17 | Screw This Company. I Quit.

The title of this episode is a quote from Drew McIntyre tonight, and he's got the right idea.

With the exception of one of the craziest spears you've ever seen in your life, literally everything else on this show was bad. From Liv Morgan's vest-centric melodrama, to Dragon Lee jobbing out to Carlito for some reason (actually those two are directly related somehow), to whatever the hell they're doing with Chad Gable, tonight was a truly terrible time.

And Awesome Truth didn't even ...

Fightful Weekender (6/17): GCW, DPW, GLORY PRO, NXT LEVEL UP, NWA, TNA & ROH SPOILERS

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

- GCW: "Lights Out" + "Hit Em Up" + "I Can't Feel My Face" results

- TNA IMPACT SPOILERS (29 min-34)

- DPW Live 6 results

- GLORY PRO: "Ascend" (Ep. 40) results

- NXT Level Up (6/14) results

- NWA: "Powerrr" results

- ROH HONORCLUB SPOILERS (49 min-end)

WWE Raw Plans

Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp has learned the following plans for tonight's WWE Raw, subject to change.

Please be cognizant of those who wish to avoid spoilers

• Damian Priest promo

• Braun Strowman vs. Chad Gable

• MITB Qualifier: IYO SKY vs. Kiana James vs. Zelina Vega

• Sami Zayn promo

• Carlito vs. Dragon Lee

• Drew McIntyre promo

• SPOILER Tag match

• SPOILER MATCH

• MITB...

  2024-06-17 23:54:37 +0000 UTC View Post

Update on Megan Bayne-AEW

Fightful has learned a bit of an update on Megan Bayne.

After finishing up with Stardom and returning to the United States, Fightful posted a report that creative pitches were being made for Megan Bayne. At the time, it appeared that she was still with All Elite Wrestling, but we’re told that hasn’t been the case for quite a while. 

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp has confirmed with sources close to Bayne that she’s currently a free agent and eligible to appear anywh...

SRS Backstage Report Podcast 6/16: Wyatt Family, Priest Update, Hangman

• Hangman Page

• AJ Styles

• Drew McIntyre

• Grizzled Young

• Jordynne Grace

• Hardy Boyz

• Sami Zayn

• TNA news

• Jordynne Grace

• AJ Francis

• NXT scoops

• Wyatt Family

Damian Priest Update, Cody Rhodes, NXT/TNA, AEW Collision, Hangman

• Plans and producers for shows will be back with this Monday’s episode of WWE Raw

• Fightful will have staff on scene at TNA Slammiversary, WWE Money in the Bank, WWE Summerslam, AEW Forbidden Door. We’re looking to schedule interviews for those weekends.

• The initial word from backstage in WWE was that Damian Priest was fine, and was effectively selling during the match. Priest received a lot of praise for his WWE Clash at the Castle performance.<...

  2024-06-16 20:29:18 +0000 UTC View Post

Details on Hardy Boyz's status with TNA

The Hardy Boyz are back.

At TNA Against All Odds, Jeff Hardy made his return to TNA Wrestling after being gone for 7 years and spending time in ROH, WWE and AEW. Jeff Hardy’s AEW deal was up at Midnight starting that day, but we’re told the wheels were already in motion earlier that week for Hardy to come in.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp was able to confirm that both Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy are still free agents, and are working in TNA Wrestling without contracts. Many...

Killer Kelly talks leaving WWE, joining TNA, going viral

Fightful Select had the opportunity to chat with TNA’s Killer Kelly in Indianapolis at the Squared Circle Expo. The former two-time IMPACT World Tag Team Champion spoke with Sean Ross Sapp for an exclusive interview.

The conversation began with Kelly and Sean joking around how she was still under contract with TNA when it was reported that she was not for a brief period.

Sean mentioned how she left WWE very quietly in 2019. Killer Kelly said it was great; she asked herself, “W...

Update on Wyatt Family stable

The new Wyatt Family-based stable is coming soon, and has been hinted at

Bo Dallas, Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis and Erick Rowan are all expected to be a part of the group, with additional pieces that we haven’t quite confirmed. Rowan was re-signed recently, and was at the WWE Performance Center preparing for his return. Bo Dallas has remained under contract since 2022 when he was brought back under the Uncle Howdy persona. Dexter Lumis has been off television for over a year, and we wer...

Alex & Kate's SOUR GRAPS: WWE Clash at the Castle 2024 | Getting Off Scot-Free

There was a 2-hour pre-show with no wrestling on it.
Now there's another full international PPV with only 5 matches on it.

I'm beginning to think this wrestling company doesn't really like to do wrestling all that much.

Will Piper Niven win the Women's Title on her home turf?
No. No she won't.

Will the formerly-spooky, definitely-still-Scottish, used-to-be-witches win the Women's Tag Titles?
Also No. (EDIT: Somehow, actually Yes.)

Will Cody Rhodes say "I Qui...

WWE Clash At The Castle SCOOPS THREAD

• As many have noted, CM Punk is in Glasgow, and hasn't been hiding. He's taken pictures with several fans.

• While Drew McIntyre's appearance at ICW was a surprise, word had spread among many in Glasgow that he'd be there.

• Chad Gable confirmed to Gorilla Position that he re-signed with WWE.

• Cathy Kelley was outside the arena speaking with fans in between pre-show spots.

• WWE isn't expected to have a press junket for Money in the...

  2024-06-15 16:23:16 +0000 UTC View Post

Alex's SOUR GRAPS: SmackDown Review & Rampage WatchAlong 6/14 | UnQuiet Quitting

One thing's for sure. AJ Styles won't quit.
Also, there's another thing that's for sure. Cody Rhodes won't quit.
It's not in their make up. Neither man even knows the meaning of the word.
They've never quit anything before, except for all those times when they totally did. SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE.

Elsewhere, a woman who lost tonight in 3 moves will have a title match on NXT in 4 days, and LA Knight racked up some frequent flier miles to take a dip in another man's pool.

S...

Hangman Page returning to AEW

Hangman Page will ride again soon.

The former AEW World Champion Adam “Hangman” Page has been out of action since early March and AEW Revolution. Page has not been injured, and was out of action for personal reasons, and had contractually obligated time off to tend to. Prior to that, he’d been engaged in a lengthy feud with Swerve Strickland, who has since became AEW Champion in his absence. 

After what will end up being nearly four months out of action, we’re told ...

SRS Q&A Podcast!

• Seth Rollins

• International PLEs

• MCMG

• Joe Hendry

• Jeff Hardy

• WWE PLEs

AJ Styles, Drew McIntyre, Clash, NXT News!

AJ Styles

Corey Brennan spoke to AJ Styles in Scotland at Clash at the Castle ahead of his World Title match. Styles said he'd love to get the OC back together and indicated they didn't necessarily have a full reunion yet. He said that with promos these days, he tries to not plan everything down to the word, but his gear is carefully considered.

Drew McIntyre

Fightful's Corey Brennan spoke to Drew McIntyre ahead of Clash at the Castle...

SRS Q&A Questions

Hey guys! SRS hers. Get in your questions! One per subscriber please

Update on Jeff Hardy-AEW

Jeff Hardy is poised to be a free agent.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp has learned that former WWE and TNA World Champion Jeff Hardy is set to become a free agent on Friday. Originally it was believed that AEW could or would add significant injury/sabbatical time to Jeff Hardy’s deal, but that doesn’t appear to be the case as of Wednesday. His brother Matt left the company at the start of April, though the two sides did have talks about a renewal. We’re told that since then,...

Update On Ricochet and Samantha Irvin-WWE

Ricochet was written off WWE TV, and wasn’t expected to return.

Ricochet was taken out by Bron Breakker on the June 10 episode of WWE Raw. Ricochet had indicated to WWE that he planned on leaving the company at the conclusion of his contract, which Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp has confirmed is up in July.

Regarding PWInsider’s report that Ricochet could end up making additional appearances, that is technically true. The company has him under contract for the next several...