In this WrestleTalk News, Samoa Joe vacates the NXT title, more WWE cuts backstage, heat
over CM Punk and more. Subscribe and enable notifications to always
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Despite not having done a forward role as an adult man.
In March 2019, Tommaso Ciampa was forced to vacate the NXT Championship because of a neck
injury. In August last year, Karrion Kross had to
relinquish the same belt the week after winning it due to a separated shoulder.
And now, carrying on NXT’s grimmest of annual traditions, Samoa Joe has just announced he
will now be vacating the title - after only winning the belt three weeks ago and not having
wrestled since. Joe himself announced the news in a video
on his Twitter, revealing: “Recently, WWE medical has informed me that
due to certain injuries they would like to have me step away from the ring for a brief
yet still undetermined amount of time.” “I realize that this week we are on the
cusp of a new NXT. We are on the brink of a new era in our history. I realize that that
era deserves a fighting champion. That’s why it makes this very difficult decision
very easy to make. Effective immediately, I relinquish the NXT Championship. Best of
luck to those who will vie for it. My sincerest condolences to whoever wins because I will
be along shortly to re-collect what’s mine.” Joe doesn’t specify what these ‘certain
injuries’ are. In early 2020, Joe suffered a head injury during a commercial shoot for
WWE. After not being medically cleared to return to the ring, he transitioned to the
Raw commentary desk, before being released by the company in April this year.
But just hours after getting fired, Joe himself revealed that Triple H called him to get him
into NXT. At first, it was in a non-wrestling role, being an agent and scout behind the
scenes. Then he became William Regal’s onscreen enforcer. And then he was NXT champion.
Wow, things really got out of hand fast. Additionally, it’s weird for NXT to rather
unceremoniously break the news on Samoa Joe’s Twitter account in a video filmed in his bedroom
on a Sunday afternoon, rather than save it for a big announcement on Tuesday’s episode
of NXT - perhaps indicating Joe won’t be available for that show.
Tuesday’s episode was already set to feature a Fatal 4 Way match between Pete Dunne, Kyle
O’Reilly, Tommaso Ciampa and LA Knight - which would’ve determined the No. 1 contender
to Joe’s title. This really does coincide with the New Era
of NXT, though. The last three weeks of NXT were all pre-recorded in the 7 days after
TakeOver 36. Tuesday’s episode is set to be the first show fully under the control
of Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard - complete with colourful new logo and hippity hop music
- which the main roster shows have been advertising for the last few weeks. Including at Friday’s
Madison Square Garden edition of SmackDown, where the live crowd reportedly booed the
promo for it. Perhaps Joe’s injury was actually known
behind-the-scenes much earlier, but NXT saved announcing it until now to build intrigue
for this new era of the brand. What are your thoughts on Samoa Joe relinquishing
the title? Let me know in the comments down below because I’ll be replying to as many
people as I can for the first 30 minutes after this video goes live FROM OUTTA NOWHERE!
And that isn’t the only obstacle NXT is facing, as WWE have reportedly just fired
a whole bunch more people. Get your own shout out and loads of exclusive
content by visiting Patreon.com/WrestleTalk now!
Continuing WWE’s Ruthless Termination Era - I can’t wait for that documentary series
on Peacock next year - Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net is reporting there was “another round of
production related cuts made at NXT” last week, which has put the brand “down to a
skeleton crew” just before it is due to relaunch its new look and tone with a remodelled
Capitol Wrestling Center tomorrow. This follows August’s round of 12 wrestlers
being released from NXT - which included Bobby Fish and Bronson Reed - and mass backstage
and talent cuts being announced on an almost monthly cycle since April.
Backstage NXT production crew as new Dark Order leaders confirmed.
AEW changed up the way they record their YouTube-exclusive show Dark over the weekend, shooting four
weeks’ worth of content on Saturday at Universal Studios in Florida - where TNA used to record
their weekly programmes in the IMPACT Zone. Moving forward, AEW will do one taping a month
there. And JJ Williams has revealed that amongst
the talent used were a bunch of wrestlers who had been released by NXT earlier this
year, including Curt Stallion and August Grey (who are now called Stallion Rogers and Anthony
Greene), Raw Underground’s own Arturo Ruas debuted as Adrian Jaoude, Asher Hale came
in as Anthony Henry, and Santana Garrett debuted using the same name.
But despite posting highly produced short film teasers that seemingly connect with Malakai
Black’s Tommy-Verse, and his WWE non-compete clause expiring on the 31st August, former
WWE star Buddy Murphy still hasn’t shown up in AEW. Which might be because he’s just
done a thigh slapping knee straight through the forbidden door instead.
New Japan’s Will Ospreay has teased his mystery tag team partner for the Autumn Attack
tapings in Texas later this month, tweeting: “I’ve been talking to a ʙᴜᴅᴅʏ
of mine. Invited him to Dallas September 25th & 26th. Think he would fit in great with the
crew. “ And just in case that wasn’t obvious enough,
he then hit a Cheeky Nandos on the concept of subtlety, adding:
“I have so many Australian wrestling friends. Some are Monsters. Sept 26th”
Buddy tweeted seemingly in response: “Oh William… FACE PALM EMOJI”
It’s not the only thing Ospreay has been teasing on Twitter, either, as he’s been
calling out current AEW Champion Kenny Omega, referencing him topping the PWI 500 last week,
posting: “I’d beat up number 1 any day of the week
and twice on Wednesdays…..just saying” Ospreay had come 7th.
According to Dave Meltzer, there are no current plans between AEW and New Japan for an Ospreay
vs Omega feud, but both guys really want it to happen and their Twitter feud can be seen
as them actively building a match. Omega is apparently also very high on having a match
with Jay White. But while WWE is content to give AEW as much
talent as they like, their TV Network Fox reportedly isn’t…
Dave Meltzer is reporting that Fox actively tried to help WWE sign CM Punk over the last
few months, but WWE weren’t interested. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter,
when reports first came out in July that Punk was going to sign with AEW ahead of their
run of shows in Chicago, Fox - who had already signed Punk two years prior in his culture
changing stint on WWE Backstage - lobbied for WWE to approach him to sign with them
instead. Fox apparently wanted Punk so much, fearful of him going to AEW on a rival network,
they even offered to help pay a share of his contract.
WWE turned this down, though, citing Punk’s attitude issues - which were first reported
on back in early 2020, where Vince McMahon apparently considered Punk and Alberto Del
Rio as the two wrestlers he will never do business with again.
The next big ex-WWE guy to AEW confirmed move looks to be Bray Wyatt, who was released on
the 31st July. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter says there’s talk he could debut on the
September 29th episode of Dynamite, which will be held in Rochester, New York - a very
emotionally significant show, as that is the hometown of Bray’s Wyatt Family brother,
the late Brodie Lee. The timeline doesn’t quite match up, though,
as WWE releases are usually subject to a 90 day non compete clause - meaning Wyatt wouldn’t
be able to appear for another wrestling promotion until Friday 29th October. Which would almost
perfectly be the Halloween edition of Rampage. But given the amount of admin issues WWE have
had this year, like not realising Adam Cole’s NXT contract expiring, and them never updating
Aleister Black’s 30 day non compete clause to a 90 day one, who knows what mistakes could
be in Bray’s. The Newsletter also notes that Wyatt has had
talks with IMPACT Wrestling, where he could debut for them at October 23rd’s Bound for
Glory pay-per-view, again several days before a 90 day non-compete would expire. There is
also reportedly interest between IMPACT Wrestling and Bray’s other Wyatt Family brother Braun
Strowman - potentially indicating they could debut for the promotion together.
Last night saw Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonour 18 show, which you can watch through
Fite or Honor Club, and saw former WWE wrestler Alex Zayne - who was in 205 Live as Ari Sterling
for about three months before getting released this year - win the Honor Rumble to get a
future shot at ROH World Champion Bandido, who retained against Brody King, Demonic Flamita
and EC3 in the main event. Elsewhere on the show, Rok-C became the promotion’s
inaugural Women’s World Champion, and Josh Woods won the Pure Championship from Jonathan
Gresham. Now it’s time for what everyone’s here
for. The forward roll.