Welcome to the WrestleTalk News, I’m Pete Quinnell.
Over the course of wrestling history, there’s been some miraculous returns, ones that looked
like they may never happen, whether that be due to tensions and disagreements that would
seemingly never be quashed, like a Bret Hart or an Ultimate Warrior, or due to severe neck
and head injuries, like Bryan Danielson, Adam Copeland or Saraya.
However, there’s one notable name that works in WWE currently that had his in-ring career
cut short due to injury that is now being confirmed as unfixable.
Appearing on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Natalya spoke about her husband TJ Wilson,
also known as Tyson Kidd, who’s been working as a lauded producer for WWE.
“He can’t do anything that would require him to take a bump.
That’s the thing when you have an injury, like what TJ had, where it’s a C1 injury,
and not everybody’s familiar with what a C1 injury is, but it is, where TJ broke his
neck, at the base of his brain.
So it’s where like the brain and the spinal cord meet.
It’s a very, very vulnerable area…”
Which is unfortunate to say the least as TJ was always fun to watch in the ring, but his
expertise is at the very least helping shape the future.
Meanwhile in AEW, there very much could be a return happening before long, as Fightful
Select is reporting that at last week’s AEW Collision, Serena Deeb was seen backstage.
Deeb hasn’t been on AEW programming for about a year now, and it was reported that
it was due to disagreements with management, while Deeb herself claimed it was due to an
injury.
It was particularly noted in the Fightful Select’s report that Deeb hadn’t been
seen backstage at all in the time she’s been off, so it was noteworthy for that reason,
in addition to the fact that the area wasn’t somewhere that Deeb would have just been visiting,
with Collision emanating from Toledo, Ohio.
Select also adds that from those they’ve spoken to, Deeb seemed to be happy to be back,
and management were happy to have her back too, so whatever lingering issues there may
have been seem to have been resolved.
So before long it’s looks like we’ll be getting Serena Deeb back on our screens.
What would you have Deeb do when she returns?
Let me know in the comments.
But that’s not the only return lined up to happen soon, because there’s new evidence
for Randy Orton returning to WWE!
A few months ago, Rev Theory, the band responsible for Randy Orton’s entrance music, posted
an updated version of the song to all platforms, and now, the band have posted new artwork
for the track to X, with an additional tease, saying “The time is near”.
It was reported last week by Fightful Select that WWE are hoping to have Randy Orton back
by Survivor Series, so there’s about a month to go if that timeline turns out to be accurate.
In other news, Tony Khan was on social media.
I know, shocking stuff.
But last week, he mentioned that things became personal between him and WWE when he was informed
that WWE had allegedly tampered with the contracts of AEW talent while he was by his mother’s
side in hospital.
This isn’t the first time allegations of contract tampering have been brought up either
in AEW, but now we have a bit more detail.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select is reporting a couple of names that were involved in this
alleged tampering.
“I can tell you the two situations in which Khan took it personally, one of which was
Swerve Strickland, who signed a multi-year deal on pay-per-view being contacted for the
Hit Row reunion.
He, I believe, referred WWE or their talent relations person to his lawyer.”
“And then there was the other instance when Tony Khan's mother was in the hospital.
It became abundantly clear that WWE had contract tampered and spoke with William Regal and
offered him a new role there, as he already had one prepared.”
While Swerve is of course still in AEW, and doing wonderfully I might add, Regal left
AEW after one year and returned to WWE in his new backstage role.
It’s also worth noting that the legality of any of these actions is unclear as pro
wrestling lacks an overarching governing body which would typically be the arbiter of whether
this is allowed or not.
It’s entirely possible this could be a breach of contract as well, but it also might not
be, we don’t really know.
Just worth noting.
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It’s Thursday, you know what that means (again, after last week it was Wednesday)...
my review of AEW Dynamite… in about 5 minutes.
While we unfortunately didn’t get low-riding bicycles for the opening match’s Gang Bang
Gang entrance, we did get Cardblade brilliantly propped up against the hard cam side’s right
turnbuckle making it look like a Jay White advertising what’s next graphic on TV.
White took on Penta in a terrific opener, with the hot Texas crowd firmly behind chanting
Cero Miedo, complete with extra slap noises as Penta took off both his glove and top for
a flesh-on-flesh chop battle.
Jay only got the win when Juice Robinson knocked out Penta with his fake diamond ring from
TJ Maxx - not the strongest way for your world title challenger to gain momentum, but I don’t
mind with the White (as I feel like he cheats to annoy his opponents, rather than because
he can’t win) and it neatly set up Juice in the diamond ring battle royal main event
to set up a match with MJF - a feud that appears to have totally dropped its anti-semetism
charged quarters angle.
It cut to MJF backstage afterwards, where he explained he’s not an idiot babyface,
and he wasn’t just going to run down and take on four guys by himself.
An awesome, typically Max line - somehow simultaneously deconstructing a wrestling trope, being very
funny, and having the subtext of maybe he would run down if he had some of his own friends
to back him up.
Enter The Acclaimed, who once again offered to team up - with Max Caster’s awkward romantic
interest.
Shida and Emi Sakura maximized their minutes next, cramming a 15 minute match into about
7 minutes of TV time.
The sequences after the break were particularly exciting, with near falls, and a Sakura kick
out at one.
In the background, a fan was holding up a ‘More Women Pls’ sign.
It’s crazy how that sign in the Attitude Era would’ve had a totally different meaning.
Adam Copeland had a prerecorded interview with Renee Paquette, recapping his 40 year
friendship with Christian, and said that he doesn’t want his TNT title.
He’s not going to fight him.
But when Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne leave him, Copeland will be there to pick him up.
So what’s he going to do in the meantime?
It’s Wardlow’s weekly squash!
Following one powerbomb, the referee called off the match quicker than tweeting ‘Softest
Man Alive’.
Tony Schiavone asked Wardlow why he’s back, which Wardlow responded to by holding up his
wrist tape with ‘MJF’ written on it, and pushing Schiavone over.
A heel Wardlow going against Max could be a great program, particularly with this far
more effective presentation of Wardlow (quick matches, not talking), and the history of
their only other encounter: Wardlow squashing MJF.
But it’s not just Jay White, Wardlow, Juice Robinson, maybe Adam Cole, Samoa Joe, possibly
Max Caster and Roderick Strong currently in storylines directed at MJF’s world championship.
The next backstage interview added easily the most exciting to the mix: the oooooold
Kenny Omega.
Saying once he’s beaten Kyle Fletcher, and then the Don Callis Family, maybe we’ll
see the Omega of old challenging for the world title.
YES.
GIVE ME THAT ONE.
GIVE ME THE GOOD KENNY OMEGA.
Max then walked in all babyfacey, asking to shake Omega’s hand, where he leaned in close
and said ‘13 days bitch’.
Which appears to be the amount of time left before MJF’s reign will pass Kenny’s.
Side note: there’s also the small matter of that devil guy attacking White claiming
to be MJF.
Perhaps that masked figure could start taking out anyone who’s aiming for the world title
like a murder mystery, and RJ City gets to be Benoit Blanc trying to investigate.
Despite staying a bit longer to make one last round of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,
Adam Cole finally left Roderick Strong’s compound to get much needed surgery.
Roddy closed the latest skit realising he knows what he needs to do to get his best
friend back.
He needs to be nice to that scumbag.
Perhaps the Empire end up teaming with Max against the Gang Bang Gang.
Tony Schiavone introduces his next guest with such venom, he spat on the ring canvas.
People have got to wrestle on that Tony.
Don got all the heat as he talking about Powerhouse Hobbs beating Chris Jericho last week, but
it was Hobbs who really shone, cutting a great promo about how Jericho told his grandma to
shut up at a show 25 years ago.
It was then up to Kyle Fletcher to beat Omega, even though he had also fallen out with the
Family - potentially setting up a United Empire vs Family feud if Ospreay joins AEW next year.
It was just so nice to see Kenny wrestle a singles match.
He’s not had one on TV since July.
In fact this is only his 7th singles match this year in AEW.
Two of those were on PPV.
Fletcher was a great opponent for him.
Talented and new enough to give Kenny a great match, which Kenny could convincingly win
while giving Fletcher the rub.
The last three minutes were spectacularly back and forth.
Lance Archer beat not a Young Buck.
Swerve Strickland had a great warning for Hangman Page: It’s not always you that pays
for your actions.
Sting addressed the fans with an in-ring promo, talking about the people he looked up to in
his generation: Dusty Rhodes (yay!), Hulk Hogan (boo), Ric Flair (wooo).
They all hung on because of the roar of the fans, but now he’s announcing his retirement
- his last match will be at Revolution 2024, three years after his first in AEW.
This is his retirement for sure.
Until Dixie Carter offers him a new multi year deal!
Toni Storm’s second silent film was far better, utilising silent movie tropes far
more effectively.
Studio Boss RJ City teased Toni getting her own personal butler next week.
Please also be RJ City.
That weirdly then cut right into JR’s sit down interview with Nick Wayne and Nick Wayne’s
mum.
She was hurt how her son could side with Christian after everything he said about his father
- teeing up Christian to appear by Nick’s side and saw ‘you ready to come home son’.
Nick Wayne’s mum slapped Nick Wayne after he said she was a terrible mother.
It feels like AEW is trying to create their own Dominic Mysterio - and Christian is Rhea
Ripley.
A returning Darby Allin jumped Christian and Wayne, brawling onto the ramp.
Luchasaurus and Sting joined in - leaving Nick with what seemed like a shoot knocked
out tooth.
Please have a skit next week of bad dad Christian taking Nick Wayne to the dentist.
And please make that dentist be Britt Baker DMD.
And the main event was a fun battle royal that only ever had one winner - Juice Robinson,
setting up a match with MJF next week.
The battle royal was fun, with Max paying Dustin Rhodes to hit Shattered Dreams on Juice,
and a match long storyline of Daddy Magic stopping Daniel Garcia from dancing like they’re
in the movie Flashdance.
But Jay White jumped MJF and Juice won with the knock off ring, leaving the Gang Bang
Gang to stand tall in the ring.
A very solid episode of Dynamite, at 87%.
Now go watch the brand new episode of Tables, Lists and Chairs counting down
the 10 best WWE PPVs ever!