Four years after choosing to leave the company in 2016, Wade Barrett made his first appearance
in WWE on Wednesday’s episode of NXT, filling in for Mauro Ranallo on commentary.
He was also advertised for next week’s SU-SU-SUPER TUESDAY episode, too - implying he’ll be
sticking around for longer.
CagesideSeats have pointed out, though, WWE might have more long-term plans for Barrett
- as WWE have hyped his return on social media, posting a new website photo gallery of his
career highlights, and also moving Barrett to the ‘Current Superstars’ section on
wwe.com Also his bio on the site now adds an interesting
extra paragraph: “Barrett should fit right in on the black-and-gold brand” - implying
he’ll be around longer than a two week deal.
Nexus reunion invasion angle confirmed - as Bray Wyatt asked Barrett on Twitter, posting:
“Are you here for that Nexus reunion thing?”.
Before the pandemic, WWE were reportedly planning a Nexus reunion angle at WrestleMania 36.
If only WWE had another invading faction storyline he could be a part of right now...
What do you want to see from Wade Barrett in WWE?
Let me know in the comments because I’ll be replying only to those who address me as
Mr Davis FROM OUTTA SOME BAD NEWS FOR YA.
Speaking of bad news, WWE aren’t just taking on AEW in the ratings.
They’re also battling in the trademark courts!
FTR haven’t had the smoothest transition from WWE to AEW, as their original name of
The Revolt was shut down via cease and desist from an existing indie team, and a list of
other catchphrases they tried to trademark are still being opposed by WWE.
PWInsider is reporting WWE are attempting to block FTR trademarking: “Shatter Machine”,
“Say Yeah”, “Top Guys” “#FTRKO” and “No Flips, Just Fists”.
The team formerly known as The Revival have until October 5 to respond.
FTR booked themselves an AEW tag team title shot for All Out on last night’s episode
of Dynamite.
Last night, meaning, not Wednesday.
Because, for the second week in a row, NXT and AEW didn’t go head-to-head in the ratings.
This week’s packed episode, which saw Karrion Kross vacate the NXT title, Breezango win
the tag titles, and an epic announcement of a fatal 4-way 60-minute ironmen match for
next’s week’s Su-su-super Tuesday for Vacant’s NXT Championship, drew an average
of 824,000 viewers, which is down by about 29,000 viewers from last week’s episode,
but massively up from when they run against Dynamite.
It’s almost like NXT being scheduled head-to-head with AEW is just a way to take chunks out
of their viewership.
Next week will be very interesting, as Dynamite will be getting the unopposed Wednesday night
slot, which is also their go-home show for All Out.
Before we get on with the rest of the news, I just want to say a huge thank you to this
episode’s sponsor The Muscle Hustle!
The Muscle Hustle!
The Muscle Hustle is a wrestling game for your phone like no other.
Mainly because it combines wrestling with both pinball and RPGs - as you collect, train,
level up and evolve hundreds of different wrestlers into your own super faction - and
then flick them at your opponents!
Download it and get addicted to the very satisfying multi-hit combos - or go even further and
master the game by diving deep into the gameplay and meta for the perfect combinations.
Because The Muscle Hustle is a wrestling game designed for wrestling fans.
Not only can you collect and manage your stable of wrestlers, but you also decide who to promote
and who’s a babyface or a heel - across single player campaigns and real time PvP.
This is a real labour of love, as members of the original development team have taken
the Muscle Hustle over and are running it on their own as Dandio games.
So support them and support WrestleTalk by downloading the Muscle Hustle now and get
involved with the dedicated community of players on Discord and Facebook.
Come join and do the hustle!
The Muscle Hustle!
Now it’s time for my review of AEW Dynamite… in about 5 minutes.
The show opened with actual fans in the arena, cathartically singing along to Chris Jericho’s
entrance music - hey, that’s my old jacket - who was on commentary for the night.
Hopefully this goes better than the last time people sang along to Fozzy live.
[FOZZY CONCERT SCREEN] The show opened with the tag team gauntlet
match to decide who gets a shot at the titles at All Out.
The Young Bucks started in the number one slot, beating the Nightmare Family, and then
going up against the Best Friends.
I’ve been here before, I think I know how an underdog gauntlet match go-NO HANGMAN PAGE
NOOOOO!
Page appeared from outta nowhere, blocking the Bucks from breaking up a pin - meaning
they got eliminated.
The Bucks were more confused than anything, as Page backed out through the stands, seemingly
just as conflicted about his own actions.
It all left FTR, now complete with matching jackets and a Tully Blachard, to strut to
the ring and quickly tap out Chuckie T by focusing on his injured knee.
The Bucks confronted Page backstage later in the show, screaming at him that they can’t
put up with his moods any longer.
They threw a glass of whiskey in his face, and officially threw him out of the Elite…
which is going to be awkward for Page’s Elite tag team champion partner Kenny Omega,
who’s undergoing his own heelish descent.
Hangman Page’s continued self-destruction is the best story in wrestling right now,
ending this instalment looking into a broken mirror.
Metaphor.
Almost just as impressively, AEW took their rather camp jokey Casino Battle Royal match
from the last few years and turned it into faction warfare.
Jake Roberts announced Lance Archer will win it, following his squash of Sean Maluta, which
brought out Team Taz - or ‘the Flintstones’ as Roberts called them, an image that I now
cannot shake - who’s Ricky Starks Darby Allin literally getting kicked out of his
shoes.
Then following their really fun victory over Joey Janela, Sonny Kiss, Brian Pillman Jr
and Griff Garrison, their leader Eddie Kingston declared the Casino Battle Royal will be one
of his new Death Pentagon - see what I did there - faction members - either himself,
one of the Lucha Bros, Butcher or the Blade.
There was a really cool video package hyping Shida’s All Out opponent Thunder Rosa, even
including footage of her work in the NWA, with owner Billy Corgan putting her over.
It’s a shame this feels more like yet another late setup exhibition match for the women’s
title though.
Then two of the best promo guys in the business, Champion Jon Moxley and challenger MJF, had
their first direct face-to-face - a contract signing for their AEW title match at All Out,
a contract signing segment that actually made sense, as it was all about MJF wanting Moxley
to sign papers banning the Paradigm Shift.
After some excellent lines back and forth - including MJF asking Jon to tell ‘that
hot little wife of yours’ Renee Young he’s single, Moxley somehow made his greatest weapon
being taken away from him an even greater threat.
He warned MJF that now he’s got to get creative, which makes him feel even more dangerous.
And the face outsmarted the heel too, sneaking in an extra page to the contract giving Mox
a match against MJF’s obnoxious lawyer next week.
Following a recap of the Cody injury from Saturday - I’m not crying, you’re crying
- The Dark Order gloated about their victory and them buying six lawnmowers with the spoils.
A Being the Elite line that feels goofy out of context.
After a mock coffin spot pretending Cody’s cadaver was inside it, an inspiration to us
all Mr Brodie Lee cut a fiery promo in the ring, introducing Anna Jay officially to the
Order, which I assumed happened a while ago, and punching John Silver for being too excitable.
Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall ran down to get revenge for Cody, but the numbers game
was too much.
Scorpio Sky ran down too in a really neat way to set him up as a TNT title challenger.
Once Brodie had left, Matt Cardona was able to equal the odds letting the faces stand
tall.
Later on, Taynari Conti also joined the Dark Order, after tagging with Anna Jay in the
women’s tournament.
Mr Brodie Lee only pushes blonde women.
It’s a classic mobster trope.
In an unfortunately terrible match, Big Swole beat both Rebel and Penelope Ford - building
her match against Britt Baker.
And the main event saw Matt Hardy and Sammy Guevarra somehow fit a 15 minute match into
an adbreak.
Getting a tables match to seemingly blow off their feud, they started their 8 minute match
relatively brawly, but when it came back after commercials two minutes later, Sammy was bleeding
from a huge gash in his head, Matt had accidentally put himself through like two tables and Hardy
hit a Twist of Fate on Sammy with a chair round his neck.
It was bloodily brutal stuff, which Sammy won with a superplex through a table with
DELETED spray painted on it.
The show went off air in a chaotic brawl as Orange Cassidy went full effort mode, attacking
Jericho on commentary.
That was this week’s Dynamite in about 5 minutes.
What did you think of the show?
Let me know in the comments down below.
Not content with being amongst the best wrestlers in the world, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, the
Young Bucks and FTR have crafted themselves the best storyline too.
A tale now almost 9 months long, yet rooted in years upon years of their context together.
The women’s division is still highly problematic, and I didn’t think the fans added enough
atmosphere to warrant the risk of having them there, but overall, this week’s Dynamite
is 4 out of 5.
As exclusively reported by WrestleTalk.com’s Louis Dangoor, we can now reveal the real
reason Luke Owen was fired on Wednesday’s episode of QuizzleMania.
According to numerous sources, Luke was being an entitled prick backstage, always wanting
to get himself over instead of prioritising what the fans want.
This reportedly led to a big backstage clash with the head of the company, which resulted
in his firing.
He also sneezed one time on a group call.
The quote ‘shoot video’ that has been uploaded since is the product of a disgruntled
former employee and nothing more.
Luke Owen will not be turning up on our live reactions for this Sunday’s Payback.
It will only be me and Laurie on the show.
I repeat: Luke Owen will not be invading our Payback live reactions this Sunday.
Also, don’t subscribe to the WrestleTalk Clips channel as something has happened to
it, completely unrelated, which we’re working to take back control of.
Luke now has a five year non-compete clause.
Content he has already produced for the company - like his Actually Good series on partsFUNknown
- will still be published, but you shouldn’t watch it.
I repeat, do not watch his review of Christopher Nolan’s new movie Tenet which came out in
cinemas this week, with Laurie Blake on Cineworld’s YouTube channel.
And definitely don’t watch his Actually Good series on partsFUNknown - which has its
final series 1 episode tomorrow: Is Vince McMahon Actually Good?
I’ll answer that question now, obviously yet, he’s a genius.
Download the Muscle Hustle using the links below.
I’ve been Mr Davis, Jam that Jam.