Here's more wrestling news for October 15th, 2022, and we're
starting off this afternoon with Dakota Kai, who returned to WWE
at Summer Slam after being released in May of this year from nxt.
Before the regime change, Vince McMohan reportedly did not see
Kai as a main roster talent, but it was mere days into Triple
Hs time as head of talent, that she was back as a raw super.
Speaking on the latest out of character, the New Zealand born wrestler
explained how she was shocked that WWE wanted her back so quickly and
that it was, in fact, Bailey who started things off, Bailey texted
me on Thursday before Summer Slam and was just out of the blue.
I mean, we talk, we text a lot, but this question was out of the
blue and she's like, Hey, outta curiosity, are you talking to
anyone right now in terms of companies or anything like that?
And I said, Well, kind of, but why do you.
By the end of that day, Kai had been rehired by WWE and
would make her onscreen return that Saturday at Summer Slam.
As a member of damage control, Kai has arguably been on the most
successful run of her WWE career and the future looks bright for
the reigning WWE Women's Tag Team Champion In June, Cody Roads
suffered a torn pectoral muscle, but fought through the pain.
To compete inside Helen, a Cell defeating Seth Rawlins.
Since then, Cody has made it clear he wants to be back in the
ring as soon as possible, much to the chagrin of his doctors, but
the American Nightmares recovery time is certainly impressive.
After the injury, it was reported that roads would need nine
months off, which would put his return around March, 2023.
But the Wrestling Observer newsletter
reports that he's way ahead of schedule.
Rhode is healing so fast.
Thanks to teaming with Fitness Guru Diamond Dallas
Page, that he could be backed by January's Royal
Rumble, or even as early as WWE Day one in Atlanta.
Roads returned to WWEarlier this year was huge for the
company, but that momentum was derailed with his injury.
One of the former AEW T N T champion keeps working hard.
It may not be much longer before heat's back on tv.
Last week AEW announced that John Moxley has assigned
a new five year deal, which we'll see him compete
as a wrestler and take on a coaching roll backstage.
Resigning Moxley is a huge win for Tony Kahn, who has
had to deal with the unreliable CM punk as of late.
But things nearly didn't happen this way.
According to the wrestling Observer newsletter, Moxley didn't intend
on signing multiple deals with AEW when he first joined in 2019,
and his plan was to work for the company for just three years.
After that three year period, Moxley would go off
to do whatever he wanted, working the independent
scenes while also being a freelancer with AEW.
Obviously, that isn't how things have played out.
As Moxley's New Deal, we'll see him
appear exclusively for AEW in New Japan.
So with India appearances on a surprise basis.
Moxley is with AEW for the long haul, and the company
has been very good to their reigning world champion.
But this was a contract Mo never planned
on resigning just a few years ago.
Speaking of all elite talent, Saraya is now with AEW and
has been medically cleared by the team with the company.
When Saraya debuted AEW Grand Slam, there was little information
known about her health and medical status, but the former divas
champion cleared things up during an appearance on talk is jerich.
My neck is good.
I feel really healthy, and my neck feels fantastic.
I just really wanna take care of my body because as
much as I wanna rush into doing all these different
types of matches, I know what happened last time.
Speaking about her 2018 Retirement Sore added that it's been much
more than just her medical issues holding her back after a while too.
It was all mental for me as well.
Like, well now I'm scared.
What do I do?
So getting over that hump and I still have that mental
block a little bit, but I feel like if I'm in the ring
with the right person, that I'm going to be way more
comfortable speaking about her in ring style going forward.
Sore said it'll need to change and gave the example of working a
match with AJ Lee when the latter was also dealing with injuries.
It reminds me of what I did, the match with AJ Lee at Summer Slam.
She couldn't take a bump that much either.
So we did the whole match without her taking a bump.
So I'm like, I wanna be that kind of worker.
I'll take a bump, but I'm not going
to be a bump monkey like I used to.
There are still some people who are concerned that Saraya is rushing
into things, but with the right opponent and assurances by AEW's
medical team, the British wrestler is confident that she can get back
in the ring something wwe were seemingly never going to let her do.
We've got some sad news to report now as new Japan wrestler
Katsuya Kitamura has died at the age of 36, Tokyo Sport.
Were the first to report the news saying that
Kitamura had felt off on Tuesday and had called
an ambulance for himself before passing on Friday.
Once a prospect for Japan's Olympic wrestling team
in 2012 Kitamura would first step foot in New Japan's
Dojo in 2015 and would win the Young Lion Cup in 2017.
During his time with New Japan, Kitamura shared the
ring with several stars, including Davey Boy Smith Jr.
AEW's Lance Archer, and WWE superstar Rick Ricochet.
Thanks to his six foot and 265 pound frame, Kitamura
was deemed the wrestling monster in his native
Japan for towering over many of his opponents.
No cause of death has been made public at this time, and we'd like to
offer our condolences to Kid MA's family and those who knew him best.
As we all know, WWE has brought back a ton of superstars
over the past few months, but it's not just on screen.
Talent who have been rehired road dog.
Jesse James has been brought back his WWE Senior VP of live
events, but Triple H also brought back Gabe Sapolsky, the
co-founder of roh and founder of Evolve Sapolsky worked
as part of NXT before being released in January this year,
and more information has come out over his current role.
The Wrestling Observer newsletter reports that Sapolsky
is now in charge of extras on TV for Ron SmackDown, so
anyone who may not be the featured superstar in a segment.
Sapolsky's departure from WWE was part of
several releases in January with all people cut.
Having worked closely with Triple H or
friends with him, but now he's back.
Thanks to the King of Kings at Extreme Rules.
Rhonda Rousey regained the SmackDown Women's Championship
making Live Morgan pass out to win the title.
Now Rousey is once again on top of the SmackDown women's
roster, but isn't too impressed about the division.
Speaking about the women's division, during a
recent vlog, Roe said how the division is severely
lacking storylines that aren't for a title.
The former UFC fighter pointed out that at a WWE premium live
event, you can expect to see men's matches, not for titles
such as the recent Seth Rolins versus Matt Riddle feud.
But it's very rare to have a women's match not be for the gold.
Rosy added that there is just not enough women on
either rosters and said that WWE has had the dilemma of
whether to reduce the roster and give everyone more air
time or to add to the roster and give it more depth.
What would mean?
Several wrestlers getting no TV time.
Right now WWE is without some of their top female
superstars, including Ros's, Old rival Becky Lynch.
So we'll have to see which overlooked superstars,
if any, get more of a look in the coming months.
Over to SmackDown.
Now as the blue brand continued to tease the return
of Sarah Logan, much like last week's segment.
The video did not feature Logan's face, but her voice
was heard and it is clear who WWE are promoting.
In addition to Logan, the Viking Raiders were featured in the
video, which comes after reports that the three will be on screen
together moving forward for those unaware, Logan is the wife
of Viking Raiders member Eric, and was even in a segment a few
months ago for the Raiders during their feud with the new day.
It'll be interesting to see what role Sarah Logan plays for the Viking
Raiders as there has been an increasing trend of factions in groups
with female members, including the Judgment Day Hit Row and Lagado del
fma, and you could also make an argument for the maximum male models.
There's still no word on when exactly Logan will make her
return in a WWE ring, but two years after her release,
fans will soon be getting to see the Riot Squad alum again.
When Veer Mahan was brought to raw, Vince McMohan had plans
for him to be his next big monster heel, which didn't work out.
Instead, the months of vignettes promoting him became
a joke with fans, and after a few months of actually
being on Raw Mahan has since been sent back to nxt.
Not long after his move to nxt, though it was said that WWE planned
to bring both him and sang to raw, but those plans have changed.
According to fight for Select's latest report, there are no plans now
for vere to be on raw, but he isn't the only big man being left out.
The same report ads that there are no imminent plans for
Commander Azi either despite him being seen at an Nxc
house show in July, acting as the henchman for Cora Jade.
While Vere became popular with fans online, thanks
to the memes about his doomed main roster run, WWE
isn't on board with Veer like Vince McMohan was.
So don't expect him on Monday Night Raw.
One name people aren't seeing, at least on WWE tv is Naomi who hasn't
been seen since the May 16th raw walkout alongside Sasha Banks.
In recent weeks, there have been teases of banks returned
with the boss even getting name dropped during extreme
rules, but that has left fans speculating on Naomi's fate.
As reported in the Wrestling Observer newsletter, Little
is clear about WWE'S plans for the Glow, and the company
is said to be well within the rights to freeze contract.
Naomi's deal with WWE was nearing its end when she
and banks walked out of raw, and if WWE does freeze
her deal, it'll mean she can't negotiate to join with
any other promotion until her contract is finished.
WWE has frozen contracts in the past, typically for
superstars who have been out with injuries for a prolonged
period of time, but that isn't the case this time around.
Sasha Banks is said to be close to returning now that Triple
H is running things as the two have a good relationship.
Due little time working together in nxt, but even if she returns
soon, it may be a long time yet before Naomi is back on tv.