Welcome to the May 25th Inside The Ropes Live blog, bringing you the latest news from WWE, AEW, NJPW, IMPACT Wrestling and more.
Today’s biggest stories:
Get involved and send us your thoughts to join in the conversation.
Did you know…
There were 51 individuals who wrestled (not including managers) on AEW’s inaugural PPV Double or Nothing back in 2019.
This Saturday just nine of those same names will compete on AEW Double or Nothing just four years later.
They are:
Speaking ahead of NXT Battleground, Shawn Michaels discussed claims the schedule clash with AEW Double or Nothing was deliberate.
In what promises to be a bumper weekend for fans around the world, Night of Champions will take place on May 27th, before NXT and AEW go against each other 24 hours later.
The scheduling clash raised a serious number of eyebrows both inside the industry and among fans, with many believing that WWE had chosen to pit NXT against Double or Nothing in a move reminiscent of the ‘Wednesday Night Wars.’
However, speaking to the media ahead of Battleground, Shawn Michaels said that the decision was far more straightforward. When asked by Nick Hausman of Haus of Wrestling whether the tactic was intentional and could happen again in the future, HBK said that it’s not something fans should get used to.
AEW Double Or Nothing took place at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 25th 2019.
This was the first official PPV under the AEW banner and featured a blockbuster main event between Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho alongside the shock debut of Jon Moxley in AEW.
The full match card featured:
Nick Khan recently revealed that WWE is open to making SmackDown three hours, but could it really happen?
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed the chances of SmackDown becoming a three-hour show. Meltzer surmised that the move would be difficult unless SmackDown left FOX which is a possibility.
“The deal there is that won’t happen on FOX because FOX has a 10 o’clock out. They only program two hours on primetime.”
Meltzer would go on to explain how the role and use of FS1 could be a factor in WWE extending SmackDown to a three-hour show as well as the impact this could have on the shows ratings.
You can read these full comments, here.
Would you like to see SmackDown become a three hour show? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!
On the March 15th 2023 edition of AEW Dynamite, former IMPACT & WWE Superstar Taya Valkyrie shocked the world when she made her AEW debut following her 2022 release from the WWE.
Speaking on Insights with Chris Van Vliet, ‘The Were-Loca’ would reveal that although she flew on the same flight as The Young Bucks and the rest of the AEW roster, she wore a mask and hat to sneak into the show in order to make sure her debut remained a surprise.
“Yeah. So I flew in and was actually flying on like the same flight as a bunch of people coming from LA like The Bucks and everybody. And like, as soon as we got to the Winnipeg airport to get off the plane, like I have put a hat on, I put a mask on, and like tried to like, cover myself up because like, as soon as you walked off, I walked off, like down the escalator
. And there are fans everywhere. Yeah, I don’t exactly blend in. So I had to like really cover up and then, they actually had me staying at a different hotel than all of the other people on the roster. So that was a secret hotel, secret location, had a secret SUV pick me up and bring me to the secret backdoor. And yeah, that’s how it went.”
Earlier in 2022 following her WWE release, Valkyrie sat down with Liam Alexander Stewart for Inside The Ropes to talk about her future plans and her time in the WWE.
You can check out that full interview below.
What have you thought of Taya’s time in AEW so far? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!
Speaking on his “Oh, You Didn’t Know” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg has revealed why GUNTHER is his current dream opponent if he was to get back into a WWE ring one more time.
“Okay, so here’s what I’m gonna say and it’s, I don’t know how you’re gonna feel about it.
Gunther, I would work with Gunther. And the reason being is I’m an old relic, but one that is quasi marketable, quasi promotable. So it’s the Road Dogg comes out of retirement to face Gunther, and then I already have a little pity you know what I mean?
Already you’re going come on, dude, why did you [choose him]? Really? Him? Like that’s who you picked on? Or whatever. And so to me, you could go into that with a little sympathy already. And so he would chop me to death, [but] I can promise you this. When that comeback came Jack, you better have got your stuff in big man. Because it’s my turn. And man that I’m telling you what, that’s exciting. That’s exciting
Getting in that frame of mind right now is exciting. I can’t even Imagine trying to have a match right now in my physical state of being. I’m not what you call a picture of health. But, I’d love to have that match, and I think about constructing it in a way that would even that would even best utilise my inabilities. You know what I mean?
Like if that, if that makes sense, like how do you work with a guy who’s fat and has no wind? Okay, well, good, you beat him down and keep him down until it’s time for him to regulate his breathing and catch enough oxygen in his lungs to throw that stiff comeback because it’s all coming back Jack.”
Would you like to see Road Dogg take on GUNTHER for the Intercontinental Championship? Let us know by hitting the thumbs down below!
Taya Valkyrie’s WWE run was over before it ever really got started.
The star signed with the company in February 2021 and was given the ring-name Franky Monet. Despite her pedigree outside of WWE, Valkyrie wrestled only six times in NXT before being released that November.
During an appearance on the Insight podcast with Chris Van Vliet, the star reflected on her time in WWE and appeared to rule out a return. Valkyrie said that while she’s proud of the success Chelsea Green has found since re-joining the sports entertainment giant, she was much more indifferent.
You can read Valkyrie’s full statement, here.
How have you found Taya Valkyrie’s run in AEW so far? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!
Earlier today we took to Twitter to ask you, what is the WORST WWE feud of all-time.
Throughout this afternoon we are going be to sharing some of your best responses here on the ITR Live Blog!
James May has written in with his pick for the worst feud of all time and he has chosen a feud that led to one of the worst WrestleMania matches of all time – Jerry Lawler vs Michael Cole.
“Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler – it has to be one of the worst feuds in WWE history. It was completely boring and neither man really benefitted!”
Great pick James! I still remember this era of Michael Cole and ‘The Cole Mine’ in particular really turning me off wrestling for a short period. I am glad we are now getting to see Michael Cole get his flowers as one of the best commentators in wrestling history, but when he ends up in the WWE Hall of Fame (and he will) let’s not mention this feud!
If you want to get involved, you can let us know your pick for the worst feud of all time, here.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling has issued a statement concerning Mercedes Mone after the star suffered an injury at Resurgence on May 21st.
“During her match with Willow Nightingale in the main event of Resurgence May 21, Mercedes Moné sustained an injury to her right ankle.
Moné underwent a thorough appraisal of her injury immediately after her match and began treatment.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling joins fans in wishing Moné a full and fast recovery.”
Earlier reports had revealed that Mone was originally set to win the NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship and that the belt was created with her in mind.
It remains to be seen what NJPW plans to do with AEW Superstar Willow Nightingale as their current champion.
Earlier today we took to Twitter to ask you, what is the WORST WWE feud of all-time.
Throughout this afternoon we are going be to sharing some of your best responses here on the ITR Live Blog!
Starting things of is Jon, who wrote in using the ‘get involved’ feature, and has stated “Skip Vs Barry Horowitz” is the worst WWE feud of all time.
Although the set up match for this feud is regarded as the perfect example of an over confidential heel being beating by a significantly weaker (in kayfabe) opponent, the two did go on to have five more matches in a one year stretch in the WWE (then WWF) and very well may have overstayed it’s welcome.
Not the first feud that jumps to mind, that honour is reserved for Vince McMahon vs God but an interesting pick none the less!
If you want to get involved, you can let us know your pick for the worst feud of all time, here.
It was announced shortly after AEW Dynamite started that Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher of Aussie Open have been added to the AEW roster.
The 5/24 episode of AEW Dynamite kicked off with an International Championship match between defending Champion Orange Cassidy and his challenger, Kyle Fletcher of Aussie Open.
Even though Fletcher didn’t end up pulling out the victory on this occasion, he and tag team partner Mark Davis have been added to the AEW roster! Tony Khan revealed the news on Twitter earlier tonight:
“They’re one of the top tag teams in the world, and now it’s official: Aussie Open @kylefletcherpro @DUNKZILLADavis are ALL ELITE!,” Tony Khan wrote on Twitter. “Incredible match tonight Kyle Fletcher on @TBSNetwork on Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite, and get well soon, Mark Davis!”
Who would you like to see Aussie Open take on in AEW? Let us know by using the ‘get involved’ feature at the top of the page!
Kurt Angle has been part of some of WWE’s most iconic storylines of all time, however, The Olympic Gold Medallist has revealed that there is one storyline from his time with the company that he “totally regrets.”
Speaking on The Kurt Angle Show, the former WWE Champion would recall his infamous feud with Booker T in which Angle would play the role of a perverse obsessive, focused on beating Booker T and take his real life wife Sharmell as his own.
Angle would state that although he loved wrestling Booker T, he would have rather that never got to happened than the feud go forward as it eventually did.
“I totally regret it. I didn’t want any part of it. Even though I got to wrestle Booker, I’d rather not wrestle Booker than do what I had to do with Sharmell.” (H/T Wrestling Inc.)
Is Kurt Angle vs Sharmell & Booker T the worst WWE feud of all time? If not, what is? Let us know by using the get involved feature at the top of the page and we will share some of your answers!
Jim Cornette recently sat down with Kenny McIntosh to chat about all the latest drama surrounding AEW, Collision and CM Punk.
Check out the never before seen interview clip below ⬇️
John Morrison has claimed that WWE fired a member of the writing team for pointing out problems with company.
During an appearance on The Undisputed Podcast with Bobby Fish, Morrison recalled his friend getting a job as a writer with WWE. However, the writer only lasted a few weeks after repeatedly pointing out problems with storytelling and how WWE was run.
Morrison said that he warned his friend to stop making the critical comments if he wanted to keep his job.
The former Intercontinental Champion added that as expected, his friend was fired after just three weeks.
Following last nights blockbuster episode of AEW Dynamite came the tapings for tonight’s episode of AEW Rampage.
The show featured a late change to a planned AEW Double or Nothing clash and a backstage attack on AEW Women’s Champion Jamie Hayter.
You can checkout the full results [courtesy of Wrestling Observer Online] below:
- The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn defeated Rush, Preston Vance, and Dralistico. Max Caster pinned Dralistico. After the match, The Acclaimed cut a promo teasing they were coming for The House of Black.
- The Gunns & Ethan Page defeated Frescomatic & Watson & Jeaux Braxton. Page cut a promo saying he hoped the Hardys were watching. The Hardys came out and announced Kassidy was out of the match due to Page & The Gunns injuring him and introduced a new partner, Hook.
- Hikaru Shida & Britt Baker defeated Marina Shafir and Nyla Rose. Baker submitted Shafir with the lockjaw. After the match, they showed footage of Jamie Hayter being attacked backstage.
- Lee Moriarty and Big Bill defeated Best Friends. The show ended with a big brawl from everyone involved in the Blackjack Battle Royal.
Are you still watching AEW Rampage every week? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!
As CM Punk nears a return to AEW, a new report has offered an update on the legal situation around his comeback.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) have been involved, and other legal issues have been “taken care of.”
This latest report appears to back up an earlier report from Fightful which suggested that CM Punk had been sent documents that covered “speaking about certain subjects, disparagement clauses, and ensuring he appears at scheduled television dates.”
It was noted that Punk had held positive talks with AEW and Tony Khan between the announcement of Collision and May 24th.
You can read the full report, here.
Do you think CM Punk’s AEW return is going to go well? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!
Road Dogg has revealed a “huge personal mistake” he made during his WWE career, and it wasn’t something that happened inside the ropes.
Speaking on his ‘Oh, You Didn’t Know’ podcast, James would reveal that he was contacted about a documentary on his previous battles with drugs and alcohol, an opportunity that he shot down, a decision he now regrets.
So doing it is the question, this is not a creative answer. So it was never about creative. I was always gung ho to do whatever.
Well, I guess it was more real life. But it was Docu seriesing in one of my rehabs. And, look, it was actually looking back, it’s probably a mistake, I probably should have done it. And maybe that one would have took, you know what I mean? You never know. Excuse me. But it was at the same time that Brett Farve was kind of going through that.
So it was on the national doctrine, I guess, about it being addicted to vicodin and being addicted to drugs and be in sports and sports medicine. And so they came to me with that. And I said No, how dare you. I got kids that will see that. And I’m thinking, you know, retrospect that I literally said that too. I have kids, you can’t my kids are in school. And I didn’t even think for one minute. My kids see me hammered all the time at home.
That’s what sticks with them, not what they see on television and what they saw on television would at least have been a constructive conversation starter about drugs and alcoholism. You know what I mean? So in retrospect, huge personal mistake. Probably would have got me quasi over from a sympathy standpoint, especially if I would have stayed straight then it would have been a really good thing. But had I not, it would have been the death nail, you know.”
Road Dogg had previously revealed that former Head of WWE Talent Relations Jim Ross was one of the first induvial he called after getting clean.
WWE looks set to host one of the hottest events of the Summer as it returns to the UK this July for Money in the Bank 2023.
Following on from news that Roman Reigns is set for a huge match during the show, new information has come to light regarding Cody Rhodes role during the show.
Whilst Reigns is reportedly scheduled to team with Solo Sikola to take on The Usos, Cody Rhodes will reportedly be a part of the 2023 Money in the Bank ladder match in London.
Qualifiers for the men’s and women’s Ladder Matches are due to start on the May 29th episode of Raw, but there has been no confirmation of who will be involved.
Despite this, a new report from WRKD Wrestling has claimed that not only will Cody Rhodes feature in the qualifiers, but he will also be in the men’s match on July 1st.
You can read the full report, here.
Who do you think will win the 2023 Men’s Money in the Bank ladder match? Let us know using the ‘get involved’ feature at the top of the page!
Jim Cornette has never been one to bite his tongue when it comes to his opinions on AEW, a trend that has continued with his brutal assessment of Preston Vance and QT Marshall.
Speaking on his Jim Cornette Experience podcast, the legendary manager would call for Tony Khan to fire QT Marshall for his work with Preston Vance, stating that even he, at 62 years old, could have a better “f*cking” match than Vance.
“Preston Vance is embarassing…
Is that a student of QT’s? Well, in that case then there’s a good reason to fire QT Marshall.
If I was Tony Khan, I’d hire QT’s parents so I could fire ’em for having him that led to that.
“This guy has just admitted that he has been in and or around the wrestling business for eight f***ing years, and right now at almost 62 years old with one ACL, another reconstructed, two hernia surgeries, a bad neck, a bad shoulder, a bad back, a bad hip, and a f***ing bunion, I can work better than Preston Vance.”
Cornette would even go as far as to state he would “prove” that he could have a better three minute match than Vance, an offer that is yet to be accepted.
“I will f***ing prove that. If Preston Vance wants to challenge me, I’ll go three minutes with anybody and do a better three minutes than f***ing him. I’m just saying, for three minutes I could f***ing have a better match than Preston Vance as I sit here right now.”
Do you agree with Cornette’s brutal comments? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!
Hulk Hogan hasn’t wrestled a match in over a decade and will be 70 years old by the time WrestleMania 40 rolls around but that doesn’t mean he’s given up hopes of stepping in the ring one more time.
Appearing on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Hogan revealed that he was open to having a proper retirement match with WWE. When asked who he would like to face, the WWE Hall of Famer named Stone Cold Steve Austin.
“If he would get in the ring with me — That’s the reason I the reason I went back to wrestle The Rock was to get in the ring was Stone Cold Steve Austin, because me as a bad guy as Hollywood Hogan, I could have tore the place down with him.“
You can read Hogan’s full comments, here.
During the same interview Hogan would address his racist remarks made in 2007, dismissing it as a ‘speed bump’ that he is looking to move past.
You can read those comments, here.
Would you like to see Steve Austin vs Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 40? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!
AEW Double or Nothing is just three days away and most of the card is set in stone, however a recent injury has caused a last minute change to The Hardy Boy’s clash with The Gunns and Ethan Page.
Matt and Jeff Hardy were previously set to team with Isiah Kassidy to take on Ethan Page & The Gunn’s with ownership of Matt Hardy’s AEW contract on the line.
However, Kassidy recently revealed he had suffered a serious neck injury leading may fans to believe the match would be scrapped.
During last night’s AEW Rampage tapings [set to air Friday May 26th] The Hardy’s revealed that although Kassidy was unable to compete, they would still be at Double or Nothing alongside their partner… HOOK!
Check out the latest card for AEW Double or Nothing below ⬇️
Last night AEW announced the signings of Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis, better known as Aussie Open.
The signing was met with mass applause online with many people delighted but not surprised that the deal had be signed.
However, that was not the end for AEW’s shock news last night.
As Chris Jericho and The Jericho Appreciation Society got ready to brawl with Adam Cole and Roderick Strong, Cole would bring out a special enforcer to help them take care of J.A.S for good.
Was this Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, Britt Baker or someone else from Adam Cole’s past? No, it was the homicidal, genocidal and suicidal maniac Sabu!
Sabu would help Strong and Cole clean house before being announced as the special enforcer for the Unsanctioned Match between Chris Jericho and Adam Cole as AEW Double or Nothing on May 28th.
You can watch the full segment below ⬇️
Is this the most shocking AEW debut so far? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!
In 2015 Hulk Hogan’s reputation was permanently tarnished after footage of the WWE icon using racial slurs came to light following a discussion between Hogan and his daughter back in 2007.
The event has led to Hogan receiving mixed reactions within the wrestling community, with the one time biggest star in the world even finding himself being booed whilst hosting WrestleMania 37 back in 2021.
While appearing on a recent episode of the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Hogan discussed his legacy and said that the controversy in 2015 was a “speed bump.”
“There was a temporary situation with the surgeries and some of the racial stuff that went down. It was a speed bump, but that’s not who I was, and everybody knew that. So it was a tough time, but the main thing that really got me were the surgeries over the last ten years. That was the thing that was in question.” [H/t Fightful]
Hogan would also reveal that WWE had contacted him about a potential WrestleMania 39 clash with Shane McMahon, something that Hogan was forced to turn down but would be open to in the future.
Speculation has spread like wildfire over the past two week regarding CM Punk’s future in AEW.
Following the news of AEW Collision launching June 17th and a potential AEW roster split many fans took this to mean that CM Punk’s AEW return was guaranteed.
Then following the announcement of the show more drama began in AEW, as Ace Steel was quietly rehired at the request of CM Punk leading to backstage conflict and even CM Punk being pulled from the initial AEW Collision announcement.
Last week it was reported that AEW had begun planning a back up plan, in case CM Punk was not returning to the company on the debut edition of Collision, with the report revealing that the show would only be Chigaco if ‘The Second City Saint’ was making his return.
Well, on last night’s episode of AEW Dynamite Tony Khan made the announcement that AEW Collision on June 17th would be broadcasting live from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
This news, combined with previous reports, appears to confirm that in just 23 days, CM Punk will be returning to AEW!
Are you excited for Punk’s AEW return? Let us know by hitting the thumbs below!
Good Afternoon!
I hope we are all having a great week so far!
It’s almost the weekend, which means WWE Night of Champions is almost upon us.
We will be kicking off today with the huge news coming out of Dynamite that CM Punk looks set to make his AEW return, then we will take a look at current plans for AEW Double or Nothing and the latest news heading into WWE’s Night of Champions PLE this Saturday.
As always if you have any questions, let us know by using the ‘get involved’ feature at the top of the page and I will do my best to answer any and all queries that come our way!w
