I’m Laurie Blake, this is the WrestleTalk News, on Fridays we wear pink.
Our top story today is… oh go on… have a guess who it might be about… yeah of course
it’s CM Punk.
Bleeding heck.
So we are one day out from the debut of AEW Collision, Punk’s big return to the company
after months of ongoing speculation, rumor and general hearsay, the AEW earth was healing…
into two distinct rosters and never shall the two meet.
But it was a shrewd move by Tony Khan to expand his televisual wrestling empire and keep certain
stars away from one another for the sake of harmony.
Well f*** that said one Phillip Punk, because he’s managed to put his foot in it in yet
another interview… or more accurately in it, through it and now he’s wearing it like
trousers.
Yesterday PW Torch’s Wade Keller cryptically tweeted: “"I am under the impression between
now and Saturday, there's going to be something that comes out that media wise that is not
gonna help matters, probably.
I don't mean to be cryptic but I haven't heard the details or seen enough to say much but
yea, I just don't know.
I just think it's gonna be one of those weeks, I'll put it that way...From what I'm hearing
behind the scenes in AEW, it's just gonna be one of those weeks."
At this point Tony Khan must feel like Kel: “aw here it goes”.
Fightful Select took up the mantle of unravelling the mystery PW Torch was putting out there
and learned that CM Punk “wasn’t thrilled with working with KENTA” his rumored opponent
for Forbidden Door and that “he may come across badly in an interview”.
For his part KENTA retweeted this info saying “Hahaha, Me too”.
Legend.
Fightful were told that an ESPN interview is supposed to drop sometime soon, with Punk
talking about a number of topics, one of which was the Elite.
Word apparently got back to the roster and some of what was said second-hand did not
go over well and was thought to be Punk’s “version of what is true”.
I’m smart, you’re dumb, I’m big, you’re little, I’m right, you’re wrong, and there’s
nothing you can do about it.
Punk also apparently brought up Hangman Page and made it clear he didn’t like him, heavily
suggesting it was a shoot answer and that he thought Page was ‘shooting’ on him
during the Double or Nothing match as he was chopping him in the face.
Fightful also heard that AEW set up the interview and monitored it, which from the sounds of
it went about the same way Jurassic Park monitored the Raptors, because Punk was said to be intentionally
blurring the lines of what was a work and what was a shoot in order to create buzz.
Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez said the interview will be released today, while
Fightful said that Punk was fully aware that his responses could be polarizing.
Meanwhile Tony Khan is thinking what more do I have to do, I made a separate whole show
and roster split, time to start working on the Collision pocket dimension so that the
two sides never have to hear from each other again.
You know what… this whole Punk/AEW drama really isn’t cool…
and you know what we do with people and/or situations that aren’t cool?
(Bites invisible apple).
That’s me biting into an apple by the way… it’s Carlito.
He’s coming back.
Yes, Mr. Caribbean Cool was the subject of much speculation following last month's Backlash
PLE, where he along with other Puerto Rican fav Savio Vega provided backup to Bad Bunny
in his match with Damian Priest.
Carlito’s incredible jacked-ness and lack of aging made many feel that the 44-year-old
was due another run in the company, however, nothing seemed to come of it.
Or so we thought, as recent comments from Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio have
suggested that Carlito may have in fact re-signed with the company very recently.
According to Meltzer, Carlito was scheduled to appear for Devon Nicholson’s Great North
Wrestling promotion on July 15 however, he would later call Nicholson and tell him he’d
need to cancel the appearance as he had re-signed with WWE.
This is what Nicholson had told Meltzer at least, so in order to gain further clarification
SEScoops reached out to Great North Wrestling where they reaffirmed Meltzer’s comments,
saying:
“Carlito informed Great North Wrestling EVP Jack Kilby on June 14th that he pulled
out of our July 15th event in Smiths Falls Ontario that he had previously agreed to because
he had re-signed with WWE and it would be a violation of his contract.
He returned his deposit and we are currently in talks with several other ex WWE stars to
replace him at the event.”
Now, while this is obviously very welcome news isn’t WWE still meant to be in the
middle of that hiring freeze?
As legit as it seems I guess we’ll have to wait and see if a wild Carlito shows up
on WWE TV soon?
And then… let the floodgates open.
C’mon WWE…
I hear those Elite fellas contracts are up soon.
Now I don’t know if you’ve noticed but WWE have been on a bit of a mission lately
when it comes to their title belts.
Yes, in the space of just a month we’ve seen a brand new World Heavyweight Title as
well as THREE redesigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship and both women's world
titles (hopefully those blueberry and raspberry jam tag titles are next).
While the belt designs themselves have been incredibly meh save for the WHC, at the very
least Paul Heyman doesn’t need to lug those two titles around anymore right?
Well… sorry Paul you better prepare those front delts as according to Sports Illustrated
WWE is considering the idea of still having Heyman carry the old WWE and Universal Titles
around while Roman wears the new gold belt.
Because two WWE world titles wasn’t enough.
While a cool visual this is just overkill beyond belief and only serves to confuse.
Don’t do this WWE.
Speaking of the Tribal Chief he is of course scheduled to appear at the Money in the Bank
PLE on July 1 from our backyard of London, England.
While we don’t yet know what Roman will be doing, we know he will be there, which
is something you unfortunately can’t say for the Celtic Warrior Sheamus.
Yes, despite providing one of the best WWE matches in years against Gunther at the last
UK PLE Clash at the Castle, Shame-o doesn’t at this point look likely to appear in London.
And you know what he’s understandably quite miffed about it.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Sheamus expressed his bemusement at his MITB omission saying:
“Everything I’ve done the last 16 years, I should be the number one name that they
think of, especially when a pay-per-view comes to London, a stone’s throw away from Dublin,
it’s insane!
Especially when I cut my teeth there.”
While disappointed Sheamus expressed his happiness at fellow Brawling Brute Butch getting a spot
in the mens MITB match, however, he wished the same opportunity also fell to Ridge Holland,
saying he doesn’t understand while the Englishman isn’t involved in his home country.
Sheamus and Ridge are set to compete in a tag team gauntlet match on tonight's Smackdown
so perhaps that may be their ticket to the LDN, we’re holding out hope for you fella.
Speaking of tonight's Smackdown.
A major return of a star who inconspicuously vanished from our screens a month ago could
be set to happen on tonight’s show.
That man is none other than Bobby Lashley, who Fightful Select are reporting is set to
make his return after being advertised locally for the show in Lexington, Kentucky.
Lashley hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since falling short in the finals of the World Heavyweight
Championship tournament to AJ Styles.
It’s unclear why Lashley was MIA exactly but we shall not complain, even less so if
he doesn’t return alone…
While Lashley has been off TV MVP has teased the return of The Hurt Business faction all
reuniting on Smackdown.
Given Cedric Alexander, Shelton Benjamin and MVP’s free agents status this is actually
a possibility.
However, as ever with The Hurt Business probably best not to get our hopes up.
Especially when Indus Sher teased another squash match in Alexander and Benjamin’s
future on Raw this week.
Do you want to see The Hurt Business back in WWE?
Or should we all just let it go?
Let us know in the comments below.
Diverting back to AEW now and this weekend of course sees the long-awaited debut of Collision.
While Punk’s comments in this ESPN interview may see the company implode before then, we
SHOULD theoretically see a main event of the show of CMFTR against Juice Robinson, Jay
White and Samoa Joe in trios action.
While Punk is seen as the key player of Collision, one man involved in this main event may be
set to maybe play just as important a role going forward, albeit in a creative capacity.
Yes, following news of Bryan Danielson being involved in Tony Khan’s creative fold lately
a certain Dax Harwood has also been getting in on the action.
According to PWInsider Dax has reportedly been “involved in creative pitches” as
of late, so expect plenty more CMFTR and Bret Hart references in the near future.
While often perceived as a one-man creative wrecking crew it's nice to hear that even
Tony Khan has admitted defeat on booking FOUR shows a week.
Although I’m sure he would love to try because clearly the man doesn’t need to sleep, or
even blink for that matter.
Has anyone actually seen him blink?
Lastly, today, we’re stepping back through the Forbidden Door and although MJF wasn’t
too keen to accept Hiroshi Tanahashi’s challenge for June 25, that match is now official.
Now given the match is for the AEW World Championship nobody actually expects Max to lose to New
Japan’s Ace, however, this is Tanahashi we’re talking about surely NJPW aren’t
going to be overly keen on shipping him out to lose for the second straight Forbidden
Door event.
Well, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio while that may have previously
been the case NJPW no longer protect Tanahashi’s booking as much as they once used to.
Meltzer noted that along with stars such as Testuya Naito and Kazuchika Okada, Tanahashi
was among a rare protected selection of talent.
Those of which NJPW would not allow to be beaten whilst competing in the United States
for promotions such as Ring of Honor.
However, that is no longer the case as Meltzer continues:
“Tanahashi’s no longer on that list, so he’s a star who can lose, and that’s why
he wrestled Moxley on the last Forbidden Door show.”
So, yeah if there was any shred of doubt regarding the match result there you have it.
Here’s something to give you that Friday feeling, we recently hit one of our Patreon
goals if gaining over 2000 backers which means its reward time, so right now, live for our
Patreon supporters Adam and Sullivan are playing through WWE 2K23’s MyRise campaign.
If you want to get in on that action go to Patreon.com/wrestletalk to join or follow
the link in the description below.
If you’re already a Patreon, hey thanks, hope you enjoy the stream.
Have a lovely weekend folks, enjoy Collision.
Trololololol