I’m Pete Quinnell, welcome to the WrestleTalk News.
Today’s top story is that there may be a couple of huge names from NXT that were originally
slated for a call up to the main roster that may be sticking around in NXT for a while
longer yet.
We’ve seen loads of shake ups and names moving around as of late in both directions,
with the call ups of Pretty Deadly, Cameron Grimes, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance, Indi
Hartwell, JD McDonagh, Indus Sher, and I’m reliably informed that there were also call
ups for Von Wagner, Odyssey Jones and Xyon Quinn.
Are we sure?
But we’ve also seen people going down to NXT too - like Baron Corbin, Mustafa Ali and
even Seth Rollins appearing to defend his belt against Bron Breakker.
And it’s Bron Breakker that’s one of the names mentioned in the report from BWE on
Twitter, who mentioned that we should expect a few more names to be moved around from brand
to brand, with a few more NXT call ups to come, but also that names like Bron Breakker
and Ilja Dragunov “will have their time before moving.”
Breakker and Dragunov specifically have called reported to be ready for NXT callups for a
while now, so them sticking around in NXT a while longer may come as a surprise.
But with NXT being absolutely gutted in the Draft, it makes sense they might need to keep
some of their stars for now until they can build new ones up.
But there still might be some main roster opportunities for those remaining in NXT - as
BWE also noted on Twitter that WWE are discussing having two NXT titles involved at SummerSlam
this year, or at the very least in SummerSlam week if not on the show itself.
I personally quite like this idea - having a showcase match for NXT at each of the Big
Four PPVs makes sense to me, gets over NXT a bit more, not much downside apart from making
the shows longer really.
Over to AEW, and this Saturday is Collision’s debut - meaning there’s a lot more weekly
programming for TK to worry about booking.
But it seems he’s got some help to assist with that, as recently he picked up the services
of Will Washington to help creatively among other things, as well as Bryan Danielson taking
up more of a creative role, and now there’s been another notable signing.
Jimmy Jacobs worked in WWE as a creative writer from 2015-2017, where he infamously fired
for posting a photo of him alongside Bullet Club during their ‘invasion of Raw’ - wow
remember that?
Cody was there and everything.
In just six short years, Cody would be back and losing in the main event of WrestleMania
39.
Jacobs also worked at IMPACT creatively too, joining the promotion in 2017, but now Fightful
Select is reporting that Jacobs has signed with AEW in a creative role with the expansion
of Collision.
Select reported that Jacobs finished up with IMPACT and has joined AEW full-time, which
seems to be a pretty huge get, because not only does Jacobs have an extensive history
in the wrestling business, specifically in creative, but also because he has long and
close relationships with a lot of the AEW roster dating all the way back to his Ring
of Honor debut in 2003, 20 years ago, a company he worked for for 12 years.
And now before we head over to Oli, we have a word from this video’s sponsor.
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It’s Thursday, you know what that means - time for my review of AEW Dynamite… in
about 5 minutes.
This episode opened in the complete opposite way Dynamite usually does.
Not with Orange Cassidy, who’s defended his title practically every week this year.
But instead by a man who barely ever wrestles on TV - Maxwell Jacob Friedman having a title
eliminator match against Adam Cole Bay-Bay.
Where unlike WWE, if Cole loses, he won’t get a future title shot.
Because in WWE, you just end up getting a shot anyway.
Max and Cole put on a magnificent, pay-per-view calibre bout that was excellent from the start.
MJF got the better of Cole twice, countering his moves into showboating taunts.
But on the third time, Cole got the better of him, nearly hitting a superkick, and Max
fell to the ground with absolute terror on his face.
It’s a great piece of match psychology and character work - that opening sequence telling
you everything you need to know about the conflict between these two men, and how beneath
Max’s cocky, arrogant exterior cowers that scared little boy from school.
The Washington crowd were super into everything, helped by MJF knocking one of their caps off,
and Max doing a series of Cole’s mentor Shawn Michaels spots - his taunts, tuning
up the band, even a flying elbow off the top rope through a table outside.
Although I would’ve had Cole hit that move to get him babyface heat.
The final few minutes were somehow the best part of the match.
Trying to take advantage of a ref bump, MJF threw the championship belt to Cole in an
attempt to get DQ’d.
But in a brilliant twist on the old Eddie Guerrero spot, the ref fell back down, leaving
the babyface now with the weapon.
And because Cole is a smart, slightly heelish face, he used that title to knock Max out.
Jungle Boy, meanwhile, would’ve held the belt like ‘oh but I’m a good guy’.
It still wasn’t enough, though, as Max kicked out the slow count, was stopped using the
diamond ring, meaning Cole hit another Boom for the 1, 2… 3-ty, thirty minute time limit
draw.
Cole asked for five more minutes, just like how Danielson got at Revolution, but Max said
no and walked off.
While I would have Justin Roberts do timing calls more frequently, I thought this was
ingenious booking, making me really want that rematch, while naturally stretching out the
feud to after Forbidden Door.
We then got out first appearance of CM Punk in AEW since September, via video package
to promote Collision.
He said he’s coming back because he’s got scores to settle.
He doesn’t know what he’s going to do or say until he’s got a mic in his hand
(obviously heavily depending on legal restrictions).
And in a very cool reference to his original pipebomb, ending with that he’s got a lot
of things he wants to get off his chest.
Implying Collision’s promo will be just as fourth wall breaking.
Again, obviously heavily depending on legal restrictions.
But he did also say the only thing that’s certain with CM Punk is that nothing is certain.
Which means even though Collision is in Chicago.
Even though he’s been announced for the main event.
Even though he got a video package promo right here, we can’t officially confirm CM Punk’s
AEW return until WrestleTalk’s CM Punk return correspondent has confirmed it himself.
Brian Children, has CM Punk returned to AEW?
BRIAN: Yes, yes Tony Khan is making the announcement now.
Next week, in Winnipeg, he's going to be levelling up AEW...It's...It's for Warner Bros. Discovery's
new movie.
I don't know how much of this I can take anymore.
OLI: I swear to God Brian, if you don't find CM Punk by this weekend I'm going to f*****g
fire you.
You're making me look like a laughing stock.
Collision of course debuts this Saturday, which Luke and I will be doing live reactions
for on the WrestleTalk Podcast - so go subscribe over there.
And set a reminder for Monday’s WrestleTalk News, because that is when Brian Children
will finally confirm whether CM Punk has officially returned to wrestling and he’s allowed to
return home to his wife and children.
Sammy Guevara cut an in-ring promo with Renee next, where he promised he’ll soon hold
his baby daughter in one arm, which the crowd cheered, and the world title in the other,
which they booed.
AEW, do not let wrestling fans being happy for the conception of a child distract you
from the fact that Sammy Guevara is not a babyface.
In that once uniquely WWE kind of deafness, Darby Allin then came out to say a line that
doesn’t really make sense with the crowd reactions.
These people are starting to love you again, Sammy.
BOOOO.
But you can’t be a good guy while you’re still in the JAS.
This brought out Chris Jericho, who tried to make up for a logic hole three months long
by asking Sammy why he never called him to help in the world title feud.
He wanted them to reunite the sex gods for a tag team match next week.
This brought out Sting, providing a very cool moment of him and Jericho being face-to-face
for the first time ever, which is insane.
This legends approach is a much better use of Jericho right now, just please don’t
get the Painmaker facepaint to go against Sting’s.
Sanada issued an open challenge to anyone in AEW for his IWGP title.
Now’s your time, Luthor!
Which was sadly answered by Jungle Boy, who asked his best friend Hook to be in his corner.
Jungle Boy actually used the direct words ‘best friend’.
Which is wrestling code speak for: I’m turning heel on you at the next available opportunity.
This led into a terrifically fun 8 man tag of Sting, Darby, Orange Cassidy and Keith
Lee vs Mogul Affiliates.
Cassidy hit an Orange Punch on Brian Cage, who had Sting’s old facepaint on, for Sting
to get the win.
Renee asked the Gunns about helping Bullet Club Gold in the main event of last week’s
show.
Unfortunately they just shrugged it off, which is a shame, as I thought the only way last
week’s angle would work is if they immediately followed it up with some fun heel promos with
Jay and Juice.
They’ll face the Hardys next week to determine the best brother based tag team.
The Lucha Bros are right there.
But what about the best father and son tag team?
Arn and Brock Anderson fought off 2.0 as Wardlow beat Jake Hager.
After mandatory AEW audio issues, Christian said Wardlow would face Luchasaurus for the
TNT title on this Saturday’s Collision, with no daddy to protect him, revealing a
bloodied Arn.
Horse Shoe Tanahashi challenged MJF for the AEW World Title, which Max brilliantly just
said ‘no’ to, he’s not going to wrestle some random from a rinky dink promotion.
But the best Forbidden Door build happened when Zack Sabre Jr challenged Orange Bollocks
Orange Cassidy for an International Championship match - in a promo that completed Zack’s
transformation into full-on Guy Ritchie movie character.
Daniel Garcia interrupted to, and - oh my god - a tag match of Shibata and Cassidy vs
Garcia and Zack was made for next week’s Dynamite.
In some ways, this was my favourite thing on the show.
Sky Blue looked really good in defeat to Toni Storm.
Willow Nightingale made the save in the post-match beatdown, setting up a tag match for Collision.
And the main event saw the Hung Bucks defeat the Blackpool Combat Club clean in a mind-blowingly
awesome match - soundtracked by the extra storytelling layer of Bryan Danielson on commentary.
Somehow, the insanity still had about four different gears left.
The BCC beat down the Hung Bucks after losing, for Eddie Kingston to make his return for
the save!
Why?
I don’t know.
Seemed like he just wanted to deck Claudio rather than save Hangman.
He seemed to be on the same side as Moxley.
I don’t know, he’s the Mad King.
I’m just happy he’s back.
Then Takeshita appeared to beat up Eddie!
Then Kenny Omega appeared to beat up Takeshita!
Then outta nowhere, Will Ospreay just took out Omega to stand tall.
Holy crap, all of my favourite toys just happened at the same time.
It feels like AEW isn’t just returning to full strength, but with Collision, a currently
uncursed Forbidden Door and All In on the horizon, has incredibly exciting future potential
too.
This week’s Dynamite is in the top 5 episodes since I’ve been doing my ratings system
at 94%!
Now go watch our latest No Holds Board episode of us all playing wrestling board games.
Here’s a clip…