Wednesday, September 23, 2026
NEWS

On The Market: Former NXT Star Free Agent, WWE And More Companies Interested

•

On the market. The wrestling world moves very fast as wrestlers are often going from one promotion to another. Contracts have slowed some of this movement down, but those deals eventually expire, meaning things can get interesting again. That is the case again, as a former WWE wrestler is a free agent, despite being a reigning champion in another promotion. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: WWE Hall Of Famer Sends Bizarre Special Greeting According to Fightful Select, reigning MLW Tag Team Champion EJ Nduka is officially a free agent and has been since January 1. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Nduka has drawn interest from WWE, AEW and various Japanese promotions. Nduka formerly wrestled for WWE as part of NXT, under the name Ezra Stone. There is no word on where Nduka will sign next or when he will announce his move. He has done this for a bit. Check out some of Nduka in action: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [T..

NEWS

WATCH: WWE Hall Of Famer Sends Bizarre Special Greeting

•

That’s a new one. There have been a lot of wrestlers throughout the years but very few are able to make much of a lasting impact for one reason or another. Some of the wrestlers will do something outside of the ring that makes them more noteworthy, but those are often going to be rather unique situations. Now a former WWE star is playing off of his reputation in more of a fun way. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Comeback: 67 Year Old WWE Hall Of Famer Returning To The Ring After 10+ Years WWE Hall Of Famer Tony Atlas, 68 years old, has released a video (safe for work) showing a woman hitting him and eventually stomping on his face. The video ends with a surprising message from Atlas, who says nothing else throughout. Atlas’ obsession with women’s feet has been known over the years, with several wrestlers and wrestling personalities commenting on it. This is different. Check out the video, plus some more traditional Atlas wrestling: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post conta..

NEWS

Comeback: 67 Year Old WWE Hall Of Famer Returning To The Ring After 10+ Years

•

One more? Wrestling is a unique sport in that you will occasionally see people who are not normally wrestlers getting in the ring for a match. You don’t often see a coach or a broadcaster taking part in other sports, but wrestling is not exactly normal. It can be a special moment when someone gets back in the ring after a long absence though and now we are set to see it again. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: We’re Getting Started: Backstage WWE Reaction To Vince McMahon’s Return, Changes So Far During a recent edition of his After 83 Weeks podcast, WWE Hall Of Famer Eric Bischoff, 67, announced that he will be returning to the ring at a show in Florida on February 11. Bischoff said that his son Garrett, Gerald Brisco, Wes Brisco and Bischoff himself will be in the same ring, though he did not specify who would be wrestling whom. Bischoff’s most recent match took place on the April 26, 2012 edition of Impact Wrestling, though the match only lasted three seconds. Bischoff has had quite a histo..

NEWS

We’re Getting Started: Backstage WWE Reaction To Vince McMahon’s Return, Changes So Far

•

And now, the reaction. We are in the middle of another huge change in WWE, as Vince McMahon has returned to the company after retiring from the company last July. The move came after a rapid fire change of pace, as McMahon and two hand picked partners returned to the Board Of Directors less than twenty four hours after announcing his plans. Now we are seeing the reaction to the whole situation. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Next Target: WWE Reportedly Interested In 40 Year Old Second Generation Star According to Wrestling Observer Radio, some who were previously supportive of McMahon in WWE have changed their stances about his return. However, so far the situation is described as “business as usual” with McMahon having not move back into his office and no reported plans for him to do so. There are also no current plans for changes among the company’s management, though that could change in the future. Change can be a good thing. Check out some WWE changes over the years: [This post contai..

NEWS

Next Target: WWE Reportedly Interested In 40 Year Old Second Generation Star

•

On the radar. There are a lot of talented wrestlers in the world who have nothing to do with WE. Those wrestlers often grow a following and reputation of their own and that can be enough to get WWE’s attention. WWE will often go after wrestlers from other promotions and that seems to be what they are trying to do now with a pair of second generation international stars. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Farewell? Weekly Wrestling Series Seems To Be Coming To An End Earlier this week, New Japan Pro Wrestling held its annual Wrestle Kingdom event. During the show, Tama Tonga defeated Karl Anderson to become the new Never Openweight Champion. According to Fightful Select, WWE is interested in Tonga and has been for quite some time. There is no word on if Tonga is interested in leaving New Japan or when his current contract expires. Tonga is quite the star. Check out his work around the world on his own and as part of the Guerrillas of Destiny team: [This post contains video, click to play] [Th..

NEWS

Farewell? Weekly Wrestling Series Seems To Be Coming To An End

•

One less? Wrestling has been around for a very long time and a lot of that time has seen it airing on television. It makes all the sense in the world as anyone can watch a wrestling match and get the basic idea. There are all kinds of ways to present wrestling and different promotions around the world have showcased it in varying styles. Now though, we might not be seeing one of them again. In a new post on his personal blog, New Japan’s Hiroshi Tanahashi revealed that New Japan Strong, the weekly New Japan American television series, will be coming to an end after this weekend’s television tapings. There was no reason given as to why the show would be coming to an end. However, last month, New Japan President Takami Ohbari said that New Japan Strong “will be rebuilt next year” (meaning 2023). ???????STRONG???????????????????#njpwSTRONG will be rebuilt next year. — ????/Takami Ohbari (@TAKAMIOHBARI) December 25, 2022 Strong had some good stuff. Check out some of its efforts: [This..

NEWS

Kurt Angle Almost Drowned On Recent Vacation

•

That’s not good. WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle recently told a story on his podcast on AdFreeShows.com, about how he almost drowned on a recent vacation to Florida. Angle said the following: “We went to Miami, Florida,” Angle said. “The temperature was 80 degrees. We spent so much time on the beach. They had a wonderful pool at the hotel. It was a blast. I actually took my kids jet skiing. My first kid that I put on the back for me to ride them because they’re too young to drive themselves, I put her on the back and we went out, and when I went to make a turn, I slowed down and stopped, I wanted to make a turn and I didn’t put the accelerator on when I was turning and we flipped over. We went into the ocean.” “Now, Thank God my daughter is like an Olympic-caliber swimmer. I even had the safety vest on me, but it wasn’t working. I was still sinking. I can’t swim. So I’m in trouble. I couldn’t get above water. I was going under. My daughter kept her composure. The jet ski got away from..

NEWS

REVIEW: New Japan Wrestle Kingdom 17: That Feels Right

•

Welcome to KB’s Old School (and New School) Reviews. I’ve been reviewing wrestling shows for over twelve years now and have reviewed over 6,000 shows. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I’ll be posting a new review here on Wrestlingrumors.net. It could be anything from modern WWE to old school to indies to anything in between. Note that I rate using letters instead of stars and I don’t rate matches under three minutes as really, how good or bad can something that short be? Wrestle Kingdom XVII Date: January 4, 2023 Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton, Gino Gambino It’s time to go back to New Japan for a promotion that I have not looked at since last year’s Wrestle Kingdom. As tends to be the case with this show, I’m coming in mostly blind, save for knowing the wrestlers involved. The main event is Jay White defending the IWGP World Title against Kazuchika Okada, who he took the title from back in June. Let’s get to it. Pre-Show: Boltin Oleg ..

NEWS

WWE Hires JPMorgan To Help With Sale of the Company

•

Let the bidding begin. According to a report from CNBC, WWE has hired JPMorgan to begin the process of selling the company. This is being reported following the news that Vince McMahon returned to the company yesterday. The report states that if a deal occurs, it would likely occur in the next three to six months. In addition, WWE plans to talk to potential buyers before it makes a decision on TV rights renewal agreements. McMahon had the following to stay in a statement: “My return will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties, to engage in these processes knowing they will have the support of the controlling shareholder.” His return doesn’t affect current leadership as Stephanie, and former CAA agent Nick Khan are co-CEOs. However, it remains unclear what type of role, if any, Vince would want at WWE if he sold the company. WWE has told investors that his role is essential in “our ability to create popular characters and creative storylines.” Currently, Vince doesn’t h..

NEWS

Reserved For Him: Here’s How WWE Treated John Cena Very Differently During His Return

•

He has earned it. There have been a lot of wrestlers over the years and many of them do not stand out for the most part. It takes someone special to receive additionally positive treatment but in most cases, they have earned the status. That was the case last week when an all time great made a return, and now we know just how differently he was treated upon return. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Even Them? How WWE Is Going Incredibly Far To Protect Uncle Howdy’s Secret The main event of last week’s SmackDown saw John Cena return for his first match of the year, teaming with Kevin Owens to defeat Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE’s booking of Cena was “very carefully done” This included keeping Cena out of the ring for most of the match, as he had not wrestled in over a year, and making sure that he looked strong and hit the Attitude Adjustment. There is no word on when Cena is expected back in the ring, but WWE has been working on WrestleMania pl..

NEWS

Even Them? How WWE Is Going Incredibly Far To Protect Uncle Howdy’s Secret

•

That’s some dedication. There are all kinds of ways to present a new wrestler but one of the most consistently used over the year is a mask. A new star will appear but there is no way of knowing who is behind the mask, leading to quite a bit of intrigue. WWE is utilizing the idea again today, but this time around they are doing something pretty unique with the concept. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: She’s In: WWE Star Makes Long Awaited In-Ring Debut On SmackDown Over the last few months, Bray Wyatt has been attempting to escape his path but is also dealing with someone named Uncle Howdy. The man appears in a mask and has either stared at or attacked Wyatt. It is not clear who is behind the mask and according to Fightful Select, that is the case backstage as well. Howdy reportedly never takes off his mask and costume backstage, leaving no one to know who he actually is. There is no word on when or if the identity will be revealed on television. Howdy doesn’t have much to go on but he is som..

NEWS

She’s In: WWE Star Makes Long Awaited In-Ring Debut On SmackDown

•

There’s a first time for everyone. WWE has a lot of talented wrestlers on its roster and that can make it difficult to find something for all of them to do. Some of them are left doing one specific thing over and over but a little versatility can go a long way. Being able to do multiple things makes you more valuable and that was on display this week as someone got to do something new. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Feel The Glow? Here’s The Latest On Naomi’s WWE Status This week on SmackDown, Scarlett made her televised in-ring debut, teaming with Karrion Kross to defeat Madcap Moss/Emma. This was Scarlett’s first televised match, though she has wrestled some live event matches for WWE. Scarlett has wrestled throughout her career but only began wrestling for WWE in recent weeks, having served as a manager throughout her two tenures with the company. Scarlett has some skills. Check out her debut and some of her other time in WWE: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post conta..

NEWS

AEW Rampage Results – January 6, 2023

•

Rampage Date: January 6, 2023 Location: Portland Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho We are in for the first of two hours of AEW TV this week. That could mean quite a few things, but we do have a TNT Title match as new champion Darby Allin defends against Matt Taven. It’s a little weird to have a title match on the show right before a title made of nothing but title matches, but it should be good. Let’s get to it. Opening sequence. Top Flight vs. Jon Moxley/Bryan Danielson The Club gets jumped from behind to start and it’s Darius dropkicking Moxley for a quick one. A standing moonsault gives Dante two but it’s off to Danielson to fire off the kicks in the corner. Moxley comes back in to hammer away before it’s a four way standoff. The double fights go to the floor, with Moxley and Danielson hitting running kicks against the barricade. Back in and Danielson puts Dante in a surfboard, allowing him to rip at the..

NEWS

Feel The Glow? Here’s The Latest On Naomi’s WWE Status

•

One more run? WWE has seen several wrestlers coming and going from the company in recent months as the roster has dramatically changed. There have been multiple reasons for wrestlers to leave, but two of the most prominent left on their own accord. One of them has since settled elsewhere, but the other might be still have a chance to return to WWE if things go another way. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: WWE Runs Surprise Attack Angle After This Week’s SmackDown Back in May 2022, Naomi and Sasha Banks both walked out on WWE, vacating their Women’s Tag Team Titles in the process. Banks has since debuted with New Japan Pro Wrestling, under the name Mercedes Mone, while Naomi has not appeared for a promotion since. According to the Wrestling Observer Radio, there are no changes in Naomi’s status with WWE. A return is still possible, but nothing has been agreed to so far. Naomi was seen in Japan with Mone for her New Japan debut but did not appear and has no known deal with any promotion. ..

NEWS

SmackDown Results – January 6, 2023

•

Smackdown Date: January 6, 2023 Location: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett We are less than a month away from the Royal Rumble as we are officially in the new year. That means we should be in for some fun tonight and there is certainly a big main event. This week, the Usos will be defending the Tag Team Titles against Drew McIntyre/Sheamus in a match that was originally scheduled for last month. Let’s get to it. The Bloodline opens things up by throwing chairs from the crowd as Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman come to the ring to join them. Reigns demands acknowledgment and seems to receive it but doesn’t seem happy. This week, we are going to hear from Sami Zayn, who says this year belongs to the Bloodline. Zayn brags about the team winning its matches on Raw but that’s not what Reigns wants to talk about. He wants to talk about LAST YEAR when he and Zayn faced John Cena and Kevin Owens. Some people have said they lost, but Reigns doesn’t remember..

NEWS

WATCH: WWE Runs Surprise Attack Angle After This Week’s SmackDown

•

That’s up next. There are several types of wrestlers and some of them work well together, with their styles meshing. That can make for some of the most entertaining matches around, especially if you have wrestlers who are good at what they do in the first place. It seems that WWE is setting up what could be an interesting match between wrestlers who could work well together. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: WATCH: WWE Stable Turns Heel In Surprise Switch On SmackDown The main event of this week’s SmackDown saw the Usos cheat to retain their Tag Team Titles against the team of Sheamus and Drew McIntyre. Following the show, the Viking Raiders came to the ring and attacked McIntyre and Sheamus, suggesting that a match between the teams could be coming. The clip included commentary and was shot like a part of the show. This could be interesting. Check out what we could be seeing next from both teams: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This po..

NEWS

WATCH: WWE Stable Turns Heel In Surprise Switch On SmackDown

•

They switched. Stables are an interesting concept in wrestling as you can have a bunch of wrestlers together in one group to let them get more television time. That can cause a lot to change at once if the entire group does something different. That seems to be the case this week, as a team of wrestlers is now going in a rather different direction for the first time in this place. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Run It Back: Roman Reigns’ Next Title Defense And Opponent Announced This week on SmackDown, Ricochet defeated Top Dolla in a Royal Rumble qualifying match. Following the match, Dolla shook Ricochet’s hand, allowing Dolla’s Hit Row teammate Ashante Thee Adonis to superkick Ricochet. The team, including B Fab, attacked Ricochet, turning heel in the process. Braun Strowman, Ricochet’s occasional tag partner, ran in for the save. This is the first time Hit Row will have been villains since their original run in NXT. It was a busy night. Check out Hit Row, both new and old: [This post c..

NEWS

Run It Back: Roman Reigns’ Next Title Defense And Opponent Announced

•

He’s up next. There has not been a WWE World Title reign like Roman Reigns’ current run with the championship in a very long time. With the longest title reign since the 1980s, Reigns is rapdily running out of challengers for his title. It means something to see him defend the title and now he is going to be doing just that on one of the bigger stages WWE has to offer. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: There It Is: Vince McMahon Officially Returns To WWE Board Of Directors Last week on SmackDown, Kevin Owens and John Cena defeated Reigns and Sami Zayn. This continued Reigns’ issues with Owens, which have been going on for a few weeks now. Therefore, this week, Owens challenged Reigns to a title match at the Royal Rumble. Reigns agreed and the match was set later in the show. The Royal Rumble takes place on January 28 in San Antonio, Texas. There is a history. Check out the two going at it: [This post contains video, click to play] [This post contains video, click to play] [This post conta..

NEWS

Impact Wrestling Results – January 5, 2023

•

Impact Wrestling Date: January 5, 2023 Location: Charles F. Dodge City Center, Pembroke Pines, Florida Commentators: Matthew Rehwoldt, Tom Hannifan We’re back after last week’s Best Of 2022 event with the first show of 2023. That means we are just over a week away from Hard To Kill and the card is mostly set. There is always room for a little more effort though and now we might be getting to do just that. If nothing else, getting some of the lower card built up should help so let’s get to it. In Memory Of Don West. Opening recap. Masha Slamovich vs. Taylor Wilde Deonna Purrazzo is on commentary. Wilde is in all black and apparently has a new attitude, as seen on Before The Impact. Purrazzo doesn’t think much of Wilde’s resume, asking how long it has been since Wilde was a champion. Fair enough really, as it was a long time ago. They grapple to the mat to start with Slamovich spinning out of a wristlock into an armbar. Wilde avoids a charge in the corner though and some choking has..

NEWS

There It Is: Vince McMahon Officially Returns To WWE Board Of Directors

•

That didn’t take long. To say that WWE is rapidly changing at this point would be a huge understatement as the major backstage pieces keep moving around. There were all kinds of changes last year, including one at the very top of the company. Now things have changed back in the other direction after a very short time, as the original boss is back in a huge way. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: She’s In: Update On Ronda Rousey’s WWE Status Following Title Loss Earlier this week, Vince McMahon announced that he was attempting to return to WWE’s Board Of Directors by threatening to block any potential sale or media rights deal. Less than twenty four hours later, three members of the WWE Board Of Directors (JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, Alan M. Wexler) have officially been removed, allowing McMahon and former co-Presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson to take their places. Following the change, other members Ignace Lahoud and Man Jit Singh resigned. There is no word on any potentia..