Here's more wrestling news for August 26th, 2022.
And we're starting off with WWE as it was in April that
Cody Rhode returned to WWE less than two months after
leaving AEW in one of the biggest moves in recent history.
Rhode had been a pioneer of AEW and many thought
he'd be with the company for good, but WWE
isn't stopping at just one, all elite talent.
Speaking on wrestling, observer radio, Dave Meltzer
discussed the issue of contract tampering and how WWE
isn't waiting for AEW deals to expire before making moves
AEW sent a legal letter to WWE about contract tampering.
Apparently there's been people going like who's
the person, multiple people have been contacted by
WW E it's not like it's one person to pick a name.
It's a few.
Contract tampering was one of the discussion topics during a talent
wide meeting held by Tony Khan prior to this week's dynamite.
So the AEW president is well aware of
what is reportedly going on in the past.
It's been reported that WWE has shown
interest in stars, such as Wardlow and MJF.
So we'll just have to see who could follow Cody on the road to WWE.
For the superstars in NXT 2.0, they dream of one day making it
to the main roster and going on to have championship glory on
raw or smack down over the past few weeks, we've seen several ex
superstars return as part of the main roster, but now one name
from the paint splattered brand seems to be on their way up.
According to PW insider, there's been a lot of talk over
the past week within several groups in WWE that Solas
could be called up soon, possibly as soon as next month.
OA is the younger brother of Jimmy and
Jay USO and the cousin of Roman reigns.
And it's expected that if he does get called
up, it will be as part of the bloodline.
It shouldn't come as a huge surprise as rumors of OA being
fast, tracked to the main roster circulated earlier this year,
as WWE wants to add some extra muscle to the bloodline stable.
So far SKO has yet to hold gold NXT 2.0 and may not get
the chance if he's set to join his brothers and cousin
later this year as the next SmackDown superstar during this
week's AEW dynamite cm punk lost the AEW world championship.
In mere minutes to John Moxley, a decision fans did not see
coming much of the story in the match was that punk had been
working hurt and that he had returned from injury too soon.
And fans will learn more during tonight's rampage.
On Twitter, Tony Khan confirmed that exclusive backstage
footage will be shared on tonight's show, documenting punk
immediately after what happened on dynamite, whether punk is
still dealing with his foot injury, or if he's fully healed.
And this is a work it's hard to say for sure, but
we'll hopefully get some answers tonight on the road.
Next week's all out.
Paperview prior to this week's dynamite, Tony Khan had a talent
wide meeting to address some of the issues in the company today.
After all, we've heard reports of wrestlers being unhappy
as well as claims that Khan has been hard to reach.
And the AEW president wanted to address these claims head on the
meeting also saw several other speakers and according to PW insider
it wasn't the AEW president who was the hardest going of the roster.
Kenny omega spoke and was the harshest towards the locker room.
In what we are told by some came off as tough
love and by others as really heavy handed.
Some saw this as omega, trying to light a fire
under the roster and others felt differently.
Omega only recently returned to AEW programming, but has been
working behind the scenes with the company in recent months,
despite his injuries like everyone in AEW Kenny omega wants the
promotion to succeed despite the various reports at the moment.
But his comments during this week's roster
meeting, haven't gone down well with.
Now while AEW has never shied away from bringing
up WWE doing so on a seemingly near weekly basis.
The same can't be said the other way around.
Well, WWE has made the odd reference or
two to AEW over the past three years.
It's nothing compared to how much AEW
references WWE, but that could soon change.
Sitting down with Chris van fleet of insight, NWA owner, Billy
Corgan discussed WWE's virtual silence over AEW and said that
with the new era of the company, it could bring an end to this.
AEW has gone out of their way to pick fights with the WWE world.
And the WWE world has now responded.
I don't think that'll continue under triple H.
I don't feel that he is the type of personality that will
let people sock him in the chops over and over again.
And he's not gonna respond.
He was in degeneration X, and I think he was a big
part of the SAS that they had in the previous regime.
Vince McMahon often avoided mentioning other promotions
as he didn't want fans to even be aware of possible.
Other shows and risks, changing the channel.
These are still early days for the new era of WWE but if AEW are still
after a war with the biggest professional wrestling promotion on the
planet, then it's a war that triple H could be happy to give them.
At one point in time, Patrick Clark seemed destined to become a
big star in WWE after first impressing people on tough enough.
And later as the enigmatic velvet team dream, that was until April,
2020, when Clark was accused of sending explicit photos to minors.
And while WWE said that their investigation turned up, nothing
Clark was released in may 20, 21, 5 months after his last match.
Now the former WWE superstar has popped up again
and on Instagram shared a much different look.
Clark looks seriously different from his days, his Velveteen
dream, as he has ditched his colorful alter ego for a more mature
appearance and attitude while Clark has said he would like to return
to NXT, there are serious doubts that triple H will rehire him.
And the former superstar will now have to make a name
for himself outside WWE and possibly outside wrestl.
Last November John Morrison was released by WWE
bringing his latest stint in the company to an end.
For many superstars, being released is the literal
worst thing to happen, but not only was Morrison,
not mad, but he had kind of been hoping to be let go.
That's according to the former ECW world champion
himself who told NBC sports, Boston, that he didn't
mind being cut after the release of his wife.
After TAi was gone.
I didn't wanna be there anymore.
When I heard I was being released, I went through the
eight steps of grief or 10 or however many in like 30
seconds from surprise to shock, to regret, to, okay.
TA LC competed in WWE as Frankie Monet, but only
had six matches in total before being released
last November two weeks earlier than her husband.
Since being cut the couple haven't teamed together, but did
compete against one another in a dirty dishes match in March
this year, and both seem happier doing their own thing outside
of WWE, more from AEW as Colt cabana had his first match in
a very long time for the company this week, competing at the
AEW fight forever event at games con in cologne, Germany.
For fans in the us the last time cabana competed for AEW
was back in March of this year, but it may be more than
just a lack of creative that is keeping him from the ring.
According to Dave Meltzer on wrestling, observer radio, there
are those in the know that believe that cm punk is the blame for
Cabana's departure from the dark order, as well as from AEW TV.
It's no secret that cabana and punk used to be
friends before legal issues ended their bond.
After cabana claimed that punk promised to pay his
legal fees in the infamous libel suit with WWE Dr.
Chris Aman, it's worth stating that this has not been verified.
And when people close to punk were asked, they understandably claim
that the former AEW world champion isn't keeping cabana from TV.
At the talent wide meeting before this week's dynamite,
cabana, and punk's reported issues didn't come up.
But as long as Tony Kahn keeps favoring cm punk, his former best
friend may be stuck watching AEW programming from the sidelines.
And we're ending today with John Cena who
doesn't appear much on WWE TV anymore.
But that doesn't mean he's not a hero to millions of young fans.
This week, the 16 time WWE world champion was out doing some
shopping, but took the time to make the day extra special
for a couple of kids in a clip that went viral online, Sena
could be seen meeting two young fans and comforting one
who was in tears at the prospect of meeting their hero.
The girl even asked if what was happening was
even real with the well dressed Cena, ensuring it
was and had some photos taken with the two fans.
Cena has spent years of his life dedicated to being a hero for fans.
And while his days in that WWE ring are now few and far between the 16
time world champion, once again, proved that is good guy personality.
Isn't just for show.