Welcome to the WrestleTalk News, I’m Luke Owen.
And on this Friday, we do not wear pink.
Because I did not get the memo.
Barbie will make more money than Oppenheimer.
With the exciting launch of…
Threads… yesterday and that hot new social media trend being the word on everyone’s
lips - apparently - we’re actually going to start today talking about TikTok of all
things.
And being Wrestling YouTube’s youngest and hippest broadcaster, I know all about TikTok.
It’s been a helluva week for Roman Reigns.
Taking his first pinfall loss since 2019, he’s set to go on trial with the Bloodline
tonight, and now he’s been banned from TikTok.
That’s arguably the most important one.
Fans noticed that Reigns’ official TikTok account had been banned, with common speculation
being that TikTok has heavy regulations surrounding simulated violence on the platform, so perhaps
a wrestling clip or something involving blood could have tipped him over the ban line.
But despite the ban being ‘permanent’ according to a screenshot that Reigns himself
posted, he was back before long, mocking the fact that they can’t get rid of him that
easy.
So don’t worry, he’s back on TikTok.
Still got pinned by Jey though didn’t he, the big loser.
Speaking of losers, someone is going to lose that lawsuit between MLW and WWE.
Not my best segue.
But there has been a twist in the tale!
After WWE’s motion to dismiss the suit was rejected, WWE’s long-time attorney Jerry
McDevitt has removed himself from the case.
This is because the 73-year-old wishes to retire before long, and this lawsuit sure
is shaping up to be a long one.
McDevitt noted in a statement to Wrestlenomics: “...since early 2022 I have been working
towards retirement.
I had hoped that the Court would again dismiss MLW’s lawsuit as it did the first time.
When it did not, and it became obvious that the case would run into at least 2025 in all
probability, I advised my client that I would be wrapping things up by year-end.”
McDevitt is, no exaggeration, one of the most important people in WWE’s history, having
helped the company through the steroid trial of 1994, the Owen Hart wrongful death lawsuit,
the aftermath of Chris Benoit, and many, many concussion lawsuits.
Without Jerry, WWE might not be the powerhouse it is today.
But, like Transformers, there could be more to this story than meets the eye.
Because it’s not just Jerry that’s stepped down, the entire law firm representing WWE
in this case - K&L Gates - has been removed.
Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE have instead hired, “a very high-powered
law firm to take the case” which is the same law firm handling the Endeavour merger.
Meltzer added, “WWE thought the MLW case was going to go away and Jerry McDevitt wrote
arguments to get the case dismissed and they were all rejected so the case is going forward…
You don't replace an entire firm unless there's something going on and obviously, Vince McMahon
was not happy with that aspect of the case not going away.”
Moving over to AEW for a moment now and in two week’s time it will be Blood & Guts
- or as an OmegaChat we got on yesterday’s WrestleTalk Podcast Dynamite review mistyped
it, Blood & Guys - which is what I might call it from now on as it’s the perfect description
of the match.
Anyway, excitement for Blood & Guys is high but there are question marks around it.
With Bryan Danielson’s injury from his Forbidden Door match, Blackpool Combat Club and Takeshita
are down a member.
There’s also a member missing from The Elite, which was once presumed to be Eddie Kingston,
but he’ll be competing in this year’s G1.
Following this week’s Dynamite, Kenny Omega spoke to the live crowd, where he all but
said who will be taking The Elite’s mystery spot.
“There was a week when my whereabouts were unknown.
I didn’t stay home.
I didn’t go to Canada.
But where I went was to recruit an old friend, someone who is very near and dear to my heart.
And I’ve got no doubt in my mind that as much as he cares about me...he cares about
this promotion, he cares about changing the face of professional wrestling.
And at Blood & Guts in two weeks, there is no way we’re gonna lose.”
For those unaware, Kenny had a tag partner from back in the day who wanted to change
the face of professional wrestling alongside him, and his name is Kota Ibushi.
We may finally be seeing the AEW debut of Ibushi and if it isn’t him - then Kenny,
don’t tease me like that you little flirt!
But it would appear, this is no flirting matter.
Fightful Select are reporting that, “conversations have taken place between Kota Ibushi and All
Elite Wrestling.”
Fightful Select spoke to talent within AEW who are under the impression that he will
be part of Blood & Guys as well as, “a source close to Ibushi in Japan saying he’s planning
to work the upcoming AEW show.”
There had been some speculation that Ibushi signing with AEW could cause some strain on
their relationship with New Japan as Ibushi left the promotion on bad terms.
However it’s being reported that those issues have been resolved.
That still leaves a spot open for Blackpool Combat Club for the Blood & Guys match, and
that could be a member of the Dark Order who have been a big presence in this story.
Not likely, but my fantasy booking mind can dream.
Which would be either John Silver, Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno or…
Colt Cabana.
Yeah I bet you all forgot he was in the Dark Order.
Cabana, who of course was a massive figure in CM Punk’s differences with The Elite,
has not been working on the AEW side much at all in the last two years, instead being
moved over to ROH early last year and working there in a producer role primarily, with the
occasional in-ring appearance here and there.
However, that may be set to change as according to Fightful Select, Cabana was in fact backstage
for this week's AEW Dynamite from Edmonton.
The report states Cabana returned in a producer/coach capacity, although Fightful couldn’t specify
what match exactly Cabana was involved in.
Cabana last appeared on AEW TV in November 2022 when he answered the then ROH Champion
Chris Jericho’s open challenge on Dynamite.
While it’s unclear right now, the report also very interestingly suggests that more
AEW appearances could be coming in the future for Cabana.
Just don’t expect those to come on Saturday nights.
And maybe don’t expect much One Bill Phil on Wednesdays for that matter as well.
While Cabana isn’t anticipated to be appearing on Collision, one name that has been advertised
for a return at some point is former AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa.
Rosa, who is approaching almost a year on the shelf with a serious back injury, gave
an update on her recovery via her latest YouTube vlog, where she sat with AEW’s Doc Michael
Sampson to run down the latest news with her injury.
Sampson gave a positive update on Rosa’s status saying that recent MRI’s have shown
good progress, with Rosa now “pain free”.
Despite this there are still lingering issues with Rosa’s injury, with Sampson explaining
the current situation to Rosa, while detailing a likely time frame for revaluation ahead
of a potential return, saying:
“You do still have all the pathology in your lower back, L4, L5.”
“But I think over the next four to six weeks, we’ll see how it’s going.”
So, it seems Rosa isn’t quite there just yet however, things are certainly looking
up, especially with the two massive All In and All Out PPV’s around the corner.
We at WrestleTalk would like to continue to offer our well wishes to Rosa in her recovery.
While Collision may be down one Thunder Rosa at present, it’s most recent episode was
also majorly down on overall viewership and that key 18-49 demo.
As reported yesterday the Collision ratings were rather disastrous this week, after already
dropping off pretty hard from its June 17 premiere, for its June 24 show, the most recent
episode did what many would call…
Rampage numbers with just 452,000 viewers and a 0.13 in 18-49.
That’s a difference of 364,000 viewers between the debut and its third week.
Arguements can be made that it was 4th of July weekend - NXT was also down this week
because it aired on the actual 4th of July - but there’s no two ways about it, it was
not a good number.
This number saw former WWE play-by-play announcer and - surprising fact - two-time Royal Rumble
participant Jonathan Coachman chiming in to pretty much call Collision a bad idea.
Coach has been vocal about Collision on Saturday nights before its launch, and used this bad
number to be his gotcha moment saying:
“Wrestling shoes -
I’m going to just assume he means ‘shows’ here otherwise this is a VERY different story
- do not work on Saturdays.
Never have.
Never will.
Now you all can try and come up with something else but try and understand some of us who
are in the business kind of know what we are talking about.
“
Coach is of course correct, there’s absolutely no history of wrestling shows - or shoes - working
on Saturday nights.
None whatsoever.
You know, apart from 5 decades of it working.
As well as WWE and UFC running PPVs on Saturday nights quite successfully.
Yep, ‘never have, never will indeed’.
But I’m just Wrestling YouTube’s youngest and hippest broadcaster, what do I know?
A lot less than Dax Harwood, who replied to Coachman saying, “I know you know how Monday
nights work, but maybe you’ll give us more than 3 weeks to make this work.
If not, you’re more than welcome to tell me I’m wrong.”
With this week’s show headlined by Samoa Joe vs CM Punk, a low number likely would
spell panic stations for AEW, but let's wait and see, as Dax says its early days.
I mentioned that NXT’s ratings were down this week because it was on the 4th of July,
but it was still better than Collisions - as it drew 508,000 viewers.
It’s the lowest viewership for an episode of NXT on USA Network but - still - better
than Collision.
Lol.
One of the contributing factors to NXT’s recent successes in the ratings has been the
integration of main roster talent, which has been an abundantly obvious good idea for the
past 7 years, with Seth Rollins defending his title against Bron Breakker a few weeks
back, Judgement Day are announced for next week’s episode, and names like Baron Corbin,
Mustafa Ali and Dana Brooke have made the move to Wednesday nights without returning
to either Mondays or Fridays.
Mustafa Ali is having great matches with Tyler Bate, Dana Brooke is getting way more TV time,
and Baron Corbin returned to his Lone Wolf gimmick for his NXT Championship match against
Carmelo Hayes - with a tease this week of a new Baron Cobrin on the horizon.
And that might be because - like Apollo Crews before him - he’s moved from the main roster
to NXT for the foresable future.
“He’s a regular now in NXT and there’s going to be more people like that.”
So good news Cameron Grimes, looks like you may not be sucked into Corbin’s midcard
black hole after all.
Yay.
That’s all from me, our next episode of our playthrough of AEW Fight Forever’s Road
to Elite mode goes live tomorrow, so check out this clip from this week’s episode.