Here's your wrestling news for June 30th 2021
And your headlines for today include
Jim Ross Claims Vince McMahon Got Angry After AEW Beat NXT In Ratings For Most Weeks!
WWE Main Roster Talent At Performance Center!
WWE Upping Performance Center Security For Vince McMahon’s Visit!
Mercedes Martinez taken to hospital after scary spot on NXT!
King Corbin Undergoes Official Name & Character Change Following Major Loss!
Released WWE Superstar Leaks Phone TEXT ; WWE In HOT Water After The Leaks!
WWE Confirms The Seth Rollins And Becky Lynch Wedding!
TWO Long Time WWE Employees Leaves The Company!
Recently Released WWE Exployess Are Having Issues With Work Visas! And More!
We’re kicking off today with NXT, and before moving to Tuesday nights as part of a USA Network reshuffle, the gold
brand went head-to-head with AEW Dynamite on Wednesdays, and was usually beaten in the ratings war.
The wars began in October 2019 and ended earlier this year, and AEW has consistently taken credit for what they
consider ‘scaring’ NXT off Wednesday Nights. Jim Ross knows what it’s like working i
in both WWE and NXT, and while speaking to the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, JR discussed Vince McMahon’s reaction to
the war, saying: “More weeks than not we [AEW] were the number one watched wrestling show
on Wednesday nights. I know he [McMAHON] didn’t take that in a good way. He’s very competitive and he’s
used to being the bull in the woods, doing whatever he wants to do, and winning.” It’s worth noting that JR’s stance on the
matter may be skewed given that he works for AEW, though we doubt that being beaten week after week was the result WWE’s
Chairman wanted during the Wednesday Night Wars.
Later this year, WWE will be calling up some NXT Superstars to the main-roster, as part of the company’s draft, and that’s
resulted in a very busy Performance Center. Fightful reports that a number of WWE’s main-roster talent have been at the
Performance Center this week, which follows on from reports that Vince McMahon will be showing up this week
to scout talent for RAW and SmackDown. Earlier this month, McMahon issued an order for Superstars to have extra training
sessions at the Performance Center, with the Chairman wanting everyone to be at their very best before live fans return.
Clearly, the WWE’s Performance Center is even busier this week than usual, and we can only imagine the center will get even
busier in the coming weeks ahead of WWE’s welcoming back live fans on July 16th.
With NXT Superstars, staff, main-roster talent, and Vince McMahon all showing up to the Performance Center recently, that
means a lot of important people will be in the same place, and the Chairman of WWE isn’t taking chances.
During Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alverez revealed that WWE has upped security at the center, ahead of the
Boss’ visit tomorrow. He said: “I have been told that they are vastly increasing security at the Performance
Center now that word is out that Vince McMahon is going there. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this or not, but there have
been incidents around the Performance Center with individuals that have required excess security over the last few years.”
Alverez’s comment is in reference to Armando Alejandro Montalvo, the trespassing fan who has repeatedly
violated a protective order against him by WWE, and in one instance, smeared his own feces on the walls.
Montalvo was released from incarceration in May this year, after being arrest for once again trespassing on WWE property,
and we can only hope that McMahon’s visit goes down without any issues later this week.
More from NXT, and this week’s show did not go as Mercedez Martinez had planned as she was knocked out with a devastating
kick from Xia Li. Teaming with Jake Atlas to take on Tian Sha’s Li and Boa, Martinez was
momentarily distracted by Mei Ying, which allowed Li to hit her signature roundhouse kick.
Though she did kick-out of the subsequent pin, the referee called for the bell, deeming that Martinez was in no condition to
continue competing after being KO’d. In an update from Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, it’s noted that Martinez was
checked in the back, before being taken to hospital for further evaluation. At this time, there’s no further updates on
her condition after being KO’d this week, but we’ll keep you updated when more details are made public.
Over to SmackDown now, as one Superstar has undergone a major change name.
After losing his crown to Shinsuke Nakamura, King Corbin is now just Baron Corbin again, as confirmed by the official
roster page on WWE.com. Corbin’s reign lasted nearly two years, before he fell to King Nakamura and Rick
Boogs, though we imagine that the Lone Wolf will be looking to recapture the throne this Friday
Whilst Corbin is once again Baron Corbin, that name may not be sticking around, according to recent trademark filings.
On June 25th, WWE filed a trademark for ‘Happy Corbin’ which will presumably be used at some point now that the Lone Wolf
is no longer King. That same day, WWE also filed a trademark for Nikki ASH, the new superhero character
played by Nikki Cross, as well as a trademark for World Class Championship Wrestling. WWE trademarking a name usually means
they have big plans for that name, and although he doesn’t seem too thrilled at the moment, perhaps Corbin will get much more
happier from now on.
in May this year, referee Drake Wuertz was released from WWE after garnering a ton of heat and bad press.
Labelling himself an ‘extremist for Christ,’ and storming out of an NXT-wide meeting when Triple H said all religions were
welcome, Wuertz has also been vocally against mask mandates and vaccinations, which WWE have taken very seriously.
On Instagram this week, the former referee revealed a test-message he received from WWE during his time there, which was sent
everyone in the company. It reads: “Effective Immediately, at all upcoming TVs, if you have been fully vaccinated you no
longer are required to test or wear a mask. However if you are fully vaccinated, make sure medical has proof of your vaccination
If you are not fully vaccinated, the standard protocol is still in place. You will have to test, fill out paperwork, have your temperature
checked and wear a mask. Thank you. - John Laurinaitis”
As you can imagine, Wuertz didn’t appreciate this text, and in statement, claimed that WWE had violated his basic human rights by
requesting employees show proof of vaccination to work. Calling it a quote “tyrannical overreach of
control,” Wuertz added that he doesn’t regret losing a six-figure job because he has faith, saying he’d rather flip burgers for God
then quote “sell my soul being part of a cabal.” What Drake clearly doesn’t understand is
that in the text message, it does not say employees will be refused work if they’re not vaccinated, but that employees who are
not vaccinated such as Wuertz will have to continue abiding by standard health protocols.
It seems foolish for Wuertz to have given up a 6-figure salary over this misunderstanding, but we doubt WWE will
welcome him back soon, and we doubt Wuertz would even want to go back to the company he claims is part of the quote
communist mob agenda.”
Now, it’s public knowledge that Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch have been in a relationship for some time, and now the pair have tired
the knot. As confirmed by WWE’s Twitter account and WWE.com itself, the two former
Champions got married yesterday, after Rollins posted on Instagram that it was a fine day to get married to the Man.
Lynch and Rollins got engaged in August 2019, and became parents last December with the birth of their daughter Roux,
and we’re sending our both Superstars as they start their new lives as husband and wife.
AEW news next, and tonight’s Dynamite will be the company’s last show from the Daily’s Place before returning to the road, and
Chris Jericho will be there to call the action. On Instagram, Jericho confirmed that he’ll be commentating throughout the entire show,
and with an AEW TNT title match and Sammy Guevara finally facing MJF, the former AEW World Champion will have plenty of action to
to call.
For the past year, WWE has released dozens upon dozens of employees, both talent and those working backstage, and
now another name is gone from the company. Fightful Select reports that Sonjay Dutt
has left the company, but unlike most departures in recent months, he reportedly left of his own accord and wasn’t released
Joining WWE in 2019 after a successful tenure in Impact Wrestling and on the indies, Dutt worked as a producer before
he left this week. During Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alverez explained that Dutt left WWE two
weeks ago, but didn’t explain the reasons behind his departure. WWE got rid of a ton of producers last year
when they nixed live touring, though Dutt was able to keep his job, and now the company will have to prepare for going
back on the road without the former X-Division Champion around.
It’s no secret that WWE is making some major changes backstage, all thanks to WWE President Nick Khan, and those
plans may or may not involve Canyon Ceman. Yesterday, the Wrestling Observer
Newsletter reported that Ceman had been released as the company’s Vice-President of Talent Development, a role he’s held
since 2012. Given that Samoa Joe recently discussed working with Ceman as a talent-scout for
NXT, his departure was certainly a surprise, and it may not have even happened.
When Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful asked around, he was told by WWE that Ceman hasn’t been released and remains with the
company. It was added that at least two dozen people had contacted Fightful about Ceman
in the last 24 hours, and that Ceman himself had to enquire with WWE about his employment status.
We’ll have to see what kind of changes are coming to WWE down the line, as a lot of NXT will need to be developed into
main-roster performers during August’s draft, and right now, Ceman remains with WWE.
And we’re ending with the IIconics, who are now going by Jessie McKay and Cassie Lee after they were released from
WWE on April 15th. The former Women’s Tag Team Champions will have to wait until July 14th for their
for their 90-day non-compete clauses to expire, but fans may not be seeing them for a long time after that.
Speaking on the Oral Sessions Podcast, the pair explained that they’re having issues with their work Visas, which
they received with help from WWE. Cassie Lee explained: The difficult thing for us is that and it’s this
is a whole thing, see, we still don’t have our green cards. So, essentially we’re not allowed to work until we get those or
until we can find some sponsorship.” Lee added that they can’t even be paid to appear on a podcast, and that though
they’ve never had more freedom in wrestling, they can’t do anything right now.
As one of WWE’s most charismatic female teams, the IIconics, now The Inspiration would be a fit in any
mainstream promotion, and hopefully they can get these visas issues dealt with as soon as possible.