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Matt Riddle Wrestles At Birthday Party (w/Video)
Given Matt Riddle’s controversial reputation and the nature of his firing, some fans wondered whether the former WWE star would have trouble getting bookings in the future following his WWE release. Yet that doesn’t appear to be a problem, as since his non-compete expired, he has wrestled for AAA, MLW, The Crash, and New Japan. However, one of his latest bookings has come as a surprise to fans, with him partnering with Valley Wrestling Connection to wrestle during a birthday party. And while this unexpected turn of events likely has some fans believing this illustrates his fall from grace, it’s almost certain he was very well-paid, with it previously claimed online his minimum booking fee is $2000. After being fired by WWE last year, 38-year-old Riddle has been rebuilding his pro wrestling career on the indie circuit, working most weekends all over the country. Yet he recently had to miss some dates due to suffering a concussion in a car accident, although given he wrestled El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. for AAA over the weekend, it appears he has recovered.
Ricky Starks Seemingly Pokes Fun At Arrest Rumor
Recently, there has been a lot of talk online regarding Ricky Stark’s future, with him not having been featured on AEW television since March. However, following a post on Reddit that has since been deleted, claiming Starks had been arrested when in Canada, it spread online that this was the reason for his prolonged absence Subsequently, wrestling journalists and fans alike would begin investing this, and as of writing, no evidence has been found to support this allegation. And now, seemingly poking fun at this, Starks has shared an Instagram Story of himself alongside GCW’s Jimmy Lloyd next to a police car, with the audio being “Sound of da Police” by rapper KRS-One. 34-year-old Starks signed with AEW back in 2020 after an impressive tryout match against Cody Rhodes on Dynamite. From there, he became close friends with the former AEW EVP, leading some fans to suggest that his long-term future could be in WWE. Yet, as Starks hasn’t publicly expressed a desire to swap promotions, that remains speculation, although the fact that he was at WrestleMania XL to watch Rhodes finish his story in person could end up being notable.
AEW Commentator Jim Ross Has Been Rehospitalized
In worrying news, just over a month after he was hospitalized by a virus that was causing shortness of breath, legendary commentator Jim Ross has disclosed on X that he has been rehospitalized, seemingly for the same or at least a similar condition. Precisely how long Ross will need to be at the hospital isn’t confirmed, although he speculated it would likely involve an overnight stay. 72-year-old Ross has unfortunately been dealing with multiple health issues in recent years, with his two cancer diagnoses being the most alarming. Additionally, it’s known he underwent eye surgery and was also recently attending a rehab facility after breaking his right hip, which left him walking with assistance from a cane. Yet despite all this adversity in his golden years, it’s known Ross still loves being involved in the wrestling business, having previously thanked Tony Khan for saving his life by hiring him after his wife Jan tragically died in 2017.
Pat McAfee Says “Tell Your People You Love Them” While Disclosing Why He Missed Raw
Pat McAfee was surprisingly absent from his week’s episode of Raw, with The Miz filling in for part of the broadcast. At the time, it wasn’t known why the former NFL player was missing, but it would later be reported he was dealing with a personal family issue. And now, during his popular YouTube show, he has opened up to his viewers, revealing that his father-in-law unexpectedly passed away and therefore advised them to “tell your people you love them.” 37-year-old McAfee recently made mainstream press after he caused controversy by calling WNBA player Caitlin Clark a “white b*tch” during an episode of his show. However, seemingly thanks to an apology and the fact McAfee has a large and loyal audience, this would quickly blow over, and it is doubtful it caused him any issues with his WWE employment.
Roman Reigns Thankful For Outpouring Of Support Following The Death Of His Father
The wrestling community was deeply saddened on Tuesday by the news of Sika Anoaʻi’s passing at the age of 79. Known to many as one-half of the legendary Wild Samoans tag team, he was also famous for being Roman Reigns’s father. And now his WWE star son has taken to X to acknowledge his father’s death and thank everyone who has offered him and his family their support. Sika broke into the pro wrestling business via Stampede Wrestling in 1973 and would go on to work for the NWA, New Japan, and WWE, winning 21 tag team championships alongside brother Afa, three of which were the WWF World Tag Team Championship. Then, after almost two decades in the ring, he retired from being a full-time performer in 1991. However, he stayed involved in the business by training wrestlers at the Wild Samoan Training Center alongside Afa, including names like Batista, Gene Snisky, and Chris Kanyon.
Sika Of The Wild Samoans Has Passed Away Aged 79
In very sad news, the nephew of Sika Anoaʻi has announced via Instagram that the WWE Hall of Famer passed away peacefully on Tuesday at the age of 79. Anoaʻi is known by wrestling historians for his part in the legendary Wild Samoans tag team. However, modern-day fans likely know him best as the father of Roman Reigns and the also sadly departed Rosey. Anoaʻi broke into the business back in 1973 via Stampede Wrestling after being trained by his brother Afa and Kurt Von Steiger. Subsequently, he and Afa formed the Wild Samoans, going on to capture 21 tag team championships, three of which were the WWF World Tag Team Championships during their career. And while they have been out of the spotlight for many years, they did appear at Hell in a Cell in 2020 to celebrate Roman Reigns’ victory over Jey Uso.
Crazy Town Singer Shifty Shellshock Passes Away At 49
Crazy Town came to prominence in 2000 on the back of No. 1 single “Butterfly.” The band’s debut album, “The Gift of Game,” sold more than a million copies, and the group toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and made an appearance on Ozzfest. The band’s singer, Shifty Shellshock (real name Seth Binzer), had been open about his struggles with addiction and even appeared on several reality shows in an attempt to get clean. Sadly, Shellshock died at his home on Monday at the age of 49. A cause of death has not yet been disclosed. Shellshock is survived by three children. Crazy Town released a follow-up to “The Gift of Game” in 2002 with “Darkhorse,” but after failing to achieve the same heights as their debut, the band broke up. The group did re-form in 2007 and released another album, “The Brimstone Sluggers,” in 2015. Last year, the singer made headlines when he was arrested following a fight with the band’s co-vocalist Bobby Reeves, and as a result, Crazy Town was removed from a tour with Hed PE. Shellshock was arrested again for DUI a few days later.
AEW Talent Recategorized On Official Roster Page
Former 7′ 2″ basketball player Satnam Singh debuted for AEW in April 2022, immediately making an impact by attacking Samoa Joe. And while it initially looked like he could be a new main event heel, much like Paul Wight was in WCW and The Great Khali in WWE, AEW has seemingly decided to take his development more slowly, having him mainly feature in tag team matches alongside either Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. However, after he just wrestled in the main event of AAA’s TripleMania XXXII: Tijuana show earlier this month, it now appears his future could be away from the ring and behind the microphone. This is because AEW’s official roster page now has him pictured wearing a suit and listed as a part of the broadcast team between Renee Paquette and Taz. 28-year-old Singh was born in Punjab, India, and due to his size and basketball ability, he moved to the US in 2010 in an attempt to become an NBA star. Subsequently, he would become the first Indian-born player ever drafted, with the Dallas Mavericks picking him as the 52nd overall pick in 2015. His story would later become the subject of a Netflix documentary called “One in a Billion,” helping establish him to a worldwide audience.
GoFundMe Launched To Help The Widow Of James Castle
In January, UK independent wrestler Jamie Stacey, who competed under the ring name James Castle, revealed that his Acute Myeloid Leukaemia had returned, and tragically, doctors couldn’t do any more to aid him. Therefore, when his wife and fellow pro wrestler Zoe Lucas announced that he had passed away on June 15, aged just 35, it didn’t come as a surprise, but it still left his family, friends, and fans heartbroken. And now, RevPro, the promotion that trained him and regularly utilized him as a talent, has launched a GoFundMe to help his widow in her time of need. Stacey broke into the business back in 2013 and would go on to work for multiple UK promotions over the next six years, sharing a ring with notable names British stars like Nick Aldis, Drew McIntyre, Zack Sabre Jr., and Killian Dain, as well as international talents, including Kyle Fletcher, Matt Riddle, Tommy Dreamer, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson. Additionally, he was part of the Revolutionist’s heel stable alongside Sha Samuels, Josh Bodom, Terry Frazier, and Marty Scurll, who were prominent in RevPro between 2014 and 2017.
Why Pat McAfee Missed This Week’s Raw
Pat McAfee, a beloved figure in WWE television, was notably absent from this week’s Raw episode, leaving a big void despite The Miz’s stepping in. And while Michael Cole acknowledged his absence from commentary at the start of Raw, saying fans “shouldn’t read that much into it,” PWTorch.com has now reported that McAfee was dealing with a short-notice family emergency. Whether McAfee will address this on his popular YouTube show isn’t known, but hopefully, all is well. 37-year-old McAfee has mainstream fame thanks to his former NFL career as a punter and his work for ESPN as an analyst. Yet to pro wrestling fans, he is best known for his role as a WWE color commentator in addition to his handful of matches, including one against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 38. However, it has been several months since he last competed, having been an entrant in the Royal Rumble match, so perhaps fans should ready themselves for a return sooner rather than later, especially with something being teased between himself and the Wyatt Sicks.
AEW Star Comments On His Contract Expiry Info Leaking & Whether He Is Open To Joining WWE
It was recently revealed on social media by @luchalibreonlin that Penta El Zero Miedo, also known as Pentagón Jr., was possibly going to explore free agency once his AEW contract expires later this year. This subsequently led to online speculation that he could be WWE-bound, with it understood the company has shown interest in him. And now, during an interview with YouTuber Lalo Elizarrarás, he has commented on this, first saying he doesn’t know how his contract info leaked but adding that if WWE wanted to offer him something, he would evaluate it as it would be his last big contract. The 39-year-old luchador broke into the business in 2007, initially working as a masked character called Zaius. Then, having gained experience, he would go on to debut for AAA as Dark Dragon before eventually becoming Pentagón Jr. During his time with AAA, he would also work on the El Rey series Lucha Underground, which catapulted him to fame in the US and paved the way for him to wrestle for PWG, Impact Wrestling, and MLW. However, his career reached new heights when he joined AEW and became a member of the Death Triangle stable alongside his brother Rey Fénix, Pac, and manager Alex Abrahantes.
Kayla Braxton Comments On Speculation That She Wants To Join AEW
Almost as soon as WWE backstage interviewer Kayla Braxton announced she would be departing WWE following this week’s upcoming episode of SmackDown, speculation commended that she could be AEW-bound. Therefore, when Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that “There definitely was talk between her and AEW,” fans began to believe this was a real possibility. However, Braxton, who recently started going by her real name, Kayla Becker, on social media, has taken to X to deny this, confirming her future is out of the wrestling industry. 33-year-old Braxton had been with WWE since 2016, initially debuting as a ring announcer for NXT. From there, she became a regular backstage interviewer on numerous pay-per-views before permanently departing NXT and joining the main roster in August 2019. Additionally, she memorably co-hosted WWE’s popular online interview show, The Bump, although she would eventually leave this role to focus on her other WWE responsibilities.
The Undertaker Responds To Blink 182 Using His Music
Last week, pop punk rockers Blink 182 paid tribute to WWE Hall Of Famer The Undertaker by using his music to kick off their “One More Time” tour in Orlando, Florida. The band came out to the familiar tones of The Deadman’s eerie funeral procession music while shrouded in darkness and fog. Blink 182’s tour runs through November in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the UK and Ireland. The Undertaker took to X/Twitter to respond to the band saying the made a “great choice.” He also quoted the Blink 182 classic “All The Small Things” in the post. “Say it ain’t so…...
Dave Grohl Disses Taylor Swift & Swift Responds
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl made headlines over the weekend during the band’s show at London Stadium. While bantering with the crowd Grohl said: “I know that we were joking about the Taylor Swift tour earlier. I know that she’s on her ‘Eras Tour.’ I tell you, man, you don’t want to suffer the wrath of Taylor Swift. So we like to call our tour the ‘Errors Tour’… We’ve had more than a few eras, and more than a few f*cking errors as well. Just a couple.” Grohl then implied that Swift and her band don’t play live. “That’s because...
2 Cold Scorpio Arrested Following Stabbing
In troubling news, TMZ has reported that overnight, Charles Scaggs was arrested at a Love’s Travel Stop in Kansas City after stabbing a man. According to the report, the former WWE talent got into an argument with the person over his refusal to put out a cigarette, and after things got physical, Scaggs pulled a knife, the man was left “bleeding from his head, chest, buttocks, legs, and abdomen.“ Yet it should still be noted that 58-year-old Scraggs, better known to wrestling fans as 2 Cold Scorpio and Flash Funk, has claimed self-defense despite being charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Court documents also reveal he pleaded not guilty. Scraggs made headlines a few years ago after revealing on Dark Side of the Ring he intended to stab Road Warrior Hawk during their time in North Korea after the legendary tag team wrestler was allegedly racist towards him. And while that thankfully didn’t happen, given this incident, it does appear that Scraggs would have followed, though, had the situation not been de-escalated by Chris Benoit, of all people.
Passionate Jon Moxley Promo Goes Viral Following Bloodsport Bushido
This past weekend, AEW’s Jon Moxley was in Japan to compete in his sixth Bloodsport event and successfully defeated Josh Barnett following a 22-minute war. However, it wasn’t just the match that fans online were left talking about after the bout, but also the passionate promo Moxley gave where he calls pro wrestling “Just blood and guts. Blood, sweat, and tears. Just bones cracking. Just concussions. Just the will to win. Just the greatest sport in the world.” For those unaware, Bloodsport is an event that was launched by Game Changer Wrestling and features worked shoot matches in an MMA style. The first event was run in 2018 and was actually branded as Matt Riddle’s Bloodsport. Since then, it has been rebranded to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport and become a highlight of the GCW calendar, with big names like Nic Nemeth, Eddie Kingston, and Minoru Suzuki having participated. Still, the brand became even more notable when WWE allowed Shayna Baszler and Charlie Dempsey to compete at their last US-based event.
Wrestling Couple Welcome Their Second Child Into The World.
Six months ago, Cassie Lee, better known to wrestling fans as Peyton Royce, took to social media to announce that she and her husband, Shawn Spears, were expecting their second child. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the former WWE and Impact Wrestling talent has confirmed via Instagram that she gave birth to a baby boy on Friday, whom they decided to name Harley Dean. Based on the limited amount of information available, it appears that both mother and son are doing well. Still, it seems likely they’ll have Spears around for at least a few weeks to help out, with WWE being much more family-friendly following Vince McMahon’s departure.
Whether AEW Is Considering Working With Shane McMahon.
With his father, Vince McMahon, having resigned from WWE due to the Janel Grant lawsuit scandal, some believe 54-year-old Shane McMahon’s time in the business could also be over. Yet, earlier this week, Conrad Thompson revealed during an episode of Jim Ross’ podcast that Shane has been in touch with some of AEW’s roster to discuss the possibility of joining the promotion. Still, based on an update by Fightful Select, it currently appears that it isn’t something being considered by AEW management. Shane McMahon began working for WWE when he was just 15, initially in their merchandise warehouse, before becoming a referee under the name Shane Stevens. However, he eventually began going by his own name, appearing alongside his father during his feud with Steve Austin and being used as a color commentator on Sunday Night Heat. From there, he occasionally began wrestling matches, with some of them surprisingly good, although for many fans, their lasting memory of him will be when he tore his quad at WrestleMania 39.
Former UFC Star Comes To The Defence Of Brock Lesnar For Sending “Naughty Text Messages”
Following the problematic allegations made against Brock Lesnar in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against WWE, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis, the company quickly distanced itself from the former UFC star. They did this by canceling his participation in the men’s Royal Rumble match, making him unplayable in their latest video game, and slashing the price of most of his merchandise on WWEShop.com. And now, during an episode of the popular Flagrant podcast, Chael Sonnen has come to the defense of his fellow former MMA fighter, suggesting he should sue WWE. However, it should be noted that the legendary trash-talkers understanding of the lawsuit’s intricacies may be limited, as indicated by multiple inaccurate comments during the episode. 46-year-old Lesnar has chosen to remain silent on the allegations made against him in Grant’s lawsuit, a decision that is within his rights. Still, the situation has cast a dark shadow over his reputation, leading some to speculate that it may be irreparably damaged. Which if accurate, it could mark one of the most dramatic career downturns in the history of professional wrestling.
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WebIsJericho.com is a rock and wrestling news website founded by Chris Jericho, a renowned wrestler and singer; the website offers breaking news, interviews, and exclusive content for rock and wrestling enthusiasts.
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