Here's your wrestling news for August 18th, 2022.
And we're starting off today with AEW
as last night's house of the dragon.
Special edition of dynamite was kicked off by cm punk.
It was a week ago that punk returned to AEW TV taking
out the Jericho appreciation society and coming face
to face with interim AEW world champion, John Mox.
After challenging hangman page to a double or nothing rematch, an
offer that went unanswered by the cowboy punk turned his attention
towards Moxley, poking fun at the ladder's previous stint in WWE,
the AEW world champion also confirmed that he will make his in
ring return at September 4th, all out where he in Moxley will unify
the two AEW world titles in punks, hometown of Chicago, Illinois.
Referencing his own WWE pass punk said it wouldn't be
the first time he'll be to John in Chicago, a nod to
his WWE title, win over John Cena at money in the bank.
2011 later in the show, the match was officially announced
to take place, not at all out, but next week on dynamite
in a social media post, AEW confirmed that the winner
will be known as the AEW undisputed world champion.
Some have argued, however that AEW is leaving
money on the table and are fast tracking this match
rather than giving it a sufficient amount of build.
It's the same thing that happened with Goldberg and Hollywood
Hulk Hogan back in the day, which saw WCWultimately lose out
on a lot of money by rushing the high profile match too soon.
Others of questioned that this match could lead to the long awaited
return of MJF, who hasn't appeared for AEW since the June 1st dynam.
That show the salt of the earth cut.
His scathing, worked shoot promo about AEW culminating and
him begging Tony Khan to fire him prior to his disappearance.
MJF was confronted by punk in an off air moment, which many believe
was done to set up a future feud for the AEW world title, which could
be immediately after this current program between punk and John Mox.
Whatever the case, the segment this week ended with a brawl
between punk and Moxley as security tried to pull them apart
and we'll have to wait and see who leaves Cleveland as champion
AEW also saw Brian Danielson and Daniel Garcia looked to
settle things with a two out of three falls match, but it
was what happened after the match that has had fans talking.
After beating Danielson in the
superstar's first match back from injury.
Garcia was confident going into the match and the self-professed
dragon Slayer did get the first fall making Brian pass out
in a dragon sleeper Garcia would try and use the move several
times, but Danielson would counter scoring the second fall
and eventually getting the win before locking in the LaBelle
lock and winning the whole match via referee stoppage.
After the bell Danielson encouraged
the crowd to show respect to Garcia.
But before the two could shake hands, Chris Jericho blindsided,
the former WWE world champion Garcia took exception to Jericho's
interference and pulled Y two J off for a shocking standoff.
And the segment ended with the dragon Slayer standing conflicted
over Danielson Garcia doesn't know whether to follow his
Jas leader or the man who had invited him into the Blackpool
combat club, but he'll have to make a tough decision and soon.
More from AEW is arguably the biggest part of the show
was the return of Kenny omega in his first appearance
since full year 2021, the cleaner was unveiled as the
young bucks partner for the trio's title tournament.
After Adam Cole and red dragon turned on them ending the undisputed
elite faction after hangman page came to the bucks rescue.
During that attack, it looked like he would be their third member,
but the cowboy quickly made it clear that he did not want part of
their group and will instead be in the corner of the dark order.
This left the bucks without a partner for last night's clash
with Lafa and Gola and fans were ecstatic to see omega not only
return, but aligned with the Jackson brothers, the trio have to be
considered early favorites to win the AEW trio's title's tournament.
And what would be another history making win for all three
men over to the WWE next as Vince McMan is alleged to have
paid millions of dollars to former employees who has reported.
He had physical relationships with.
These alleged payments were first covered by the wall street journal
who have now revealed more about the ex-chairman spending habits.
The journal reports that McMahon paid a total of $5
million to former president Donald Trump's, Donald J.
Trump foundation between 2007 and 2009.
And that these payments were not recorded as
company expenses, as they should have been.
It is worth mentioning that the additional sums are
said to be connected to Trump and not part of McMahon's
series of alleged hush money payments to female talent.
The investigation into McMan is
reported to have caused WWE 10 million.
And it is also said to be substantially completed.
And it'll be interesting to see what the future holds
for the former chairman of the board with McMan gone.
WWE has undergone a lot of changes with AAA.
Rising to power is both head of creative and head of talent relations.
In 2014, Kevin steam joined WWE as Kevin Owens and worked with
triple H and NXT, and is thrilled to be working with the game again.
While speaking with the TWC show, Owen spoke about triple H's
rollback stage saying getting to work with triple H again is
really exciting because he's obviously the reason I'm here.
And the reason I got my opportunity in WWE, my chance
to go try out and eventually get signed and everything.
When I first started out, I was an NXT for a
few months and I got to work directly with him.
And it was so enlightening.
I've been blessed to work with a lot of people
that have tremendous minds for this industry.
It was just two months into his NXT run.
That Owens became NXT champion and in 2016, triple H played a vital
onscreen role in Owens becoming the second ever universal champion.
It's been over five years since Owen's last held a world title in
WWE but with triple H running things backstage that dry streak may
be set to end very soon since AEW launched in 2019, Tony Khanhas been
running things behind the scenes in various roles and has succeeded
in creating an incredibly popular wrestling organization today.
AEW is the favorite promotion of countless wrestling
fans, but Khanmade a slightly bizarre claim.
This.
Speaking on busted open radio, the AEW president claimed
he's been told by fans that he's similar to Paul Haman, the
well respected creative genius behind C w the person I have
people come up to me and say, as far as being a fan and
who is around pro wrestling and wrestlers for a long time,
and then jumped into the business, the person I think I
get compared to most often of you remind me of this person.
I think we're really different people.
And I haven't talked to him or gotten to see him in a really
long time as Paul Paul Haman, not the other Paul laves.
Khanadded that he grew up watching the original ECW
and said that, well, he doesn't claim to be the genius.
Haman is it means a lot of fans consider AEW to
be the hot product that ECW was in its heyday.
Tony Khanis no stranger to making comments
that don't go down well with fans.
But the AEW president is pretty pleased to be
compared to the special council of Roman reigns.
And we're ending today with will Osprey.
Who's had a string of bad luck as of late.
After capturing the IWG world heavyweight
championship at new Japan Genesis event.
Last year, he was forced to vacate the gold due to a neck injury.
Earlier this year, Osprey was out of action due
to a kidney infection and had to miss shows for
revolution pro wrestling and warrior wrestling.
And this infection nearly cost him his life on Twitter.
Osprey explained that he nearly died because the infection
was that serious, but instead he came back in just two weeks.
The aerial assassin is set to face off against Kazuko kata
in the finals of the G1, climax 32, which will happen today.
A spray has already won a championship since returning from
his neck injury and hopes to win big on new Japan's 50th
anniversary, despite nearly dying just a few months ago.