Tag: Wheeler Yuta

AEW Rampage results: Final pieces in place for Revolution

Get AEW Rampage results for March 3, 2023 from San Francisco, the final show before AEW Revolution.

San Francisco, what’s up? Well, lots of AEW, for one thing. The promotion has been there since mid-week, holding Dynamite and now Rampage, both live, before finishing with Revolution on Sunday night.

Because of the PPV looming, this is an especially packed Rampage card. It starts with a four-way tag team match that should be lots of fun, with Top Flight, Dark Order’s Alex Reynolds and John Silver, BCC’s Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta, and Aussie Open all doing battle.

Two men who both have beef with the same guy, Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes, will tag up against that guy, Swerve Strickland, and his Mogul Affiliate henchman Parker Boudreaux.

There are singles matches in store too. Riho and Emi Sakura, two of the few women not really wrapped up in the homegrown vs. invaders battle, will face off. And poor Serpentico will have to climb in the ring against Powerhouse Hobbs, something we don’t wish on our worst enemies.

Well, OK, yes we do. But only our very worst enemies.

Anyway, yes, this should be a fast-paced and entertaining hour of pro wrestling, and who knows? Maybe it’ll even set something up for the Revolution pre-show or something.

AEW Rampage results in 30 seconds:

  • Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta def. Top Flight, Aussie Open and Alex Reynolds and John Silver
  • The Jon Moxley and Hangman Adam Page promos from Dynamite are replayed and interspersed
  • Jack Perry says a fight isn’t enough to finish things with Christian Cage, and he’s going to put him in the ground … in The Final Burial
  • Riho def. Emi Sakura by pinfall
  • Ruby Soho, Saraya and Jamie Hayter all share short promos ahead of their AEW Women’s World Championship match at Revolution
  • Powerhouse Hobbs def. Serpentico by pinfall
  • Konosuke Takeshita tells Renee Paquette that he keeps falling short and might need to go back to Japan, but Don Callis asks for a little of his time before he does it
  • Mark Briscoe feels good, he feels strong, and the Lucha Bros. will have his back against Mark Sterling’s goons on the Revolution pre-show
  • Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee def. Swerve Strickland and Parker Boudreaux by pinfall
  • Ricky Starks attacks Chris Jericho at the announce table, ending the show with the brawl still in progress

Please scroll down for more details on every match and major non-match segment.

AEW Dynamite results: Top feuds heat up in Phoenix

Get live AEW Dynamite results for Feb. 22, 2023, with a tag team battle royale and Tony Khan delivering “an important announcement.”

Phoenix, get ready to light the fuse. Less than two weeks out from AEW Revolution, Dynamite is coming to us from the Footprint Center with a show that will hopefully set up more of the PPV card — or at least get us much closer to some confirmed matches.

There are, so far, just four announced bouts for San Francisco. One of them is a four-way battle for the AEW World Tag Team Championship, which was only recently won by The Gunns. The Acclaimed, the prior champs, will be in that match too. One other team will be decided tonight in a Tag Team Battle Royale, which could be amazing, a mess or some combination of the two.

Jon Moxley already has a dance partner for Revolution, but he’ll be in action tonight against Evil Uno. Hangman Adam Page wanted the Dark Order to stay out of his fights, but Uno reverted to his previously more assertive personality and took this one, so … whatever happens is on him, we guess.

Saraya doesn’t have a match set yet for next weekend, but she’s been at the very center of the “homegrown vs. not from here” dynamic that’s been sweeping the women’s division for weeks. She’ll take on Skye Blue in Phoenix, but with all respect to Skye (who we really like), all eyes will be on who else might try to play a role in or after their match.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention that Tony Khan is said to have an “important announcement” for this show. While there are a bunch of fun things it could be (CM Punk is returning! Jay White is on his way! Forbidden Door 2 is happening!), it would arguably me most satisfying if it simply solidified more of the Revolution slate.

AEW Dynamite results in 60 seconds:

  • Orange Cassidy def. Wheeler Yuta by pinfall to retain the AEW All-Atlantic Championship
  • Evil Uno explains himself to Hangman Adam Page and says it’s time for the Dark Order to stand up for itself
  • Ricky Starks issues an open challenge for Revolution, which is eventually (with some reverse psychology) accepted by Chris Jericho
  • A bunch of the tag teams in the battle royale talk about how they’re going to win it
  • The Acclaimed def. Big Bill and Lee Moriarty by pinfall
  • Jack Perry isn’t about to let Christian Cage have an interview segment, but he hesitates before delivering a Con-Chair-To and Cage makes him pay for it, busting Perry’s face open after smashing his face into a chair repeatedly
  • A video segment recaps the rivalry between Wardlow and Samoa Joe
  • Saraya def. Skye Blue by submission
  • Bryan Danielson and MJF exchange words, then much more than that
  • Jamie Hayter says she’ll happily defend her title against both Saraya and Ruby Soho at Revolution
  • Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal win the Tag Team Battle Royale to join the AEW World Tag Team Championship match at Revolution
  • The House of Black wants a face to face discussion with The Elite on Rampage
  • Tony Khan tells Renee Paquette he wants Adam Cole to make the important announcement: AEW All Access will soon debut to give fans a behind the scenes look at the promotion; Cole also says he’s cleared to make his in-ring return
  • The Gunns propose to Jarrett and Lethal that they can team to eliminate their other competition ahead of Revolution
  • Jon Moxley def. Evil Uno by submission before a bloody post-match brawl is touched off including the Dark Order, the BCC and Hangman Page

Scroll down for more details on every match and major non-match segment.

Opening Bell: Tony K. has something to say on Dynamite, Edge challenges Austin Theory on Raw

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, Feb. 20, Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa

Sami Zayn came up short in his heroic effort to topple Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of Canadian WWE stars hunting for gold.

After surviving the Men’s Elimination Chamber match with his United States Championship intact, Austin Theory felt good enough to issue an open challenge for this week’s episode of Raw. As fate would have it, the challenge was answered by Edge, who must be feeling good himself after a victory over The Judgment Day in Montreal.

Since Theory has been on a quest to put anyone he considers the past beneath him, he should really enjoy this … unless he loses, of course. We’ll find out Monday night.

The other match WWE has promoted will see Mustafa Ali go up against Dolph Ziggler. Ali has been adamant that Ziggler keeps getting opportunities not afforded to him, then refused to team up for the recent tag team tournament. Can he pay Dolph back in Montreal?

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, Feb. 22, Footprint Center, Phoenix

When Tony Khan talks, the pro wrestling world usually listens. AEW’s CEO, GM and Head of Creative is teasing an important announcement for this week in Phoenix, which is sure to be the subject of much speculation over the first part of this week.

Several matches have been advertised for this week’s show, starting with Orange Cassidy defending his All-Atlantic Championship against Wheeler Yuta. Jon Moxley will take on a suddenly more assertive Evil Uno, while Skye Blue tries to upset Saraya. Last but certainly not least, The Acclaimed will go up against Big Bill and Lee Moriarty.

Perhaps the most interesting one, however, is a tag team battle royale. One duo will emerge with a shot at The Gunns at Revolution, except it will only be one of three other teams facing the tag team champs there. Got that?

Oh, and there are some non-match segments to look forward to in Phoenix for good measure:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, Feb. 24, Ford Center, Evansville, IN

It’s not unusual for WWE to play things close to the vest about SmackDown the week after a premium live event, which is the situation we’re in now. One match we know will take place in Indiana will see Karrion Kross face off again with Rey Mysterio, as their “hey that’s right, they’re still feuding” bit continues.

It’s worth noting that SmackDown has been the primary driver of the Bloodline story for the past few months, so the fallout from Elimination Chamber at the top of the card is likely to hit here. That alone might be reason enough to tune in Friday night.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, Feb. 24, Footprint Center, Phoenix (recorded on Feb. 22)

Another week, another time where we don’t have any pre-announced matches for Rampage. We’re coming up quickly on Revolution, however, which means this week’s show could be more significant than most pre-recorded episodes. Keep a close eye on Dynamite on Wednesday to see what ends up being revealed.

Opening Bell: Bianca, Bayley at it again on Raw, Mox back to work on Dynamite

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, October 24, Spectrum Center, Charlotte

It’s perhaps only fitting that this week’s Raw is from the Queen City, as two of its hottest stars continue their feud to determine who will rule as Raw Women’s Champion. Bayley would like that title to prove that Damage CTRL has complete control over the women’s division, but Bianca Belair has proven to be resilient even as she’s seen her allies fade away. Bayley couldn’t get the job done at Extreme Rules, so might this be her last shot at Belair for a while if she loses?

The Judgment Day is another faction that has run roughshod over Raw in recent months, but AJ Styles summoning The O.C. to aid him in his fight might have been the first step toward changing that status quo. One of this week’s matches might hold a clue, as Karl Anderson goes one-on-one with Finn Balor. Then again, things rarely stay that way when The Judgment Day is involved …

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, October 26, Chartway Arena, Norfolk, VA

Dynamite is back on its normal night this week, and AEW World Champion Jon Moxley is right back to work. After his title defense last week had to be stopped early due to an unfortunate injury to Hangman Adam Page, Mox is undoubtedly itching to return to action, and he’ll get his chance this week by defending his gold against Penta El Zero M.

Another match with significant championship implications will see FTR take on Swerve In Our Glory for the right to be the No. 1 contenders to The Acclaimed. Will FTR get a chance to add another set of titles to their haul, or will Swerve and Keith Lee earn an opportunity to avenge their own championship defeat?

Also on the card for Norfolk:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, October 28, Enterprise Center, St. Louis

The Tribal Chief doesn’t have to appear on TV every week since he has the Bloodline to watch over his domain. But there have been fractures forming within his wrestling family, ones that his Crown Jewel opponent, Logan Paul, attempted to widen last week before knocking out Jey Uso.

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With that in mind, Roman Reigns will be in the house in St. Louis, attempting to get his own house in order. Can he settle things down within the Bloodline before he defends his titles in Saudi Arabia?

Speaking of the Bloodline, Solo Sikoa and Sami Zayn have proven to be a tight and cohesive duo. They’ll look to show those qualities off again against the Brawling Brutes team of Butch and Ridge Holland, who should be plenty fired up after the Bloodline laid a beating on Sheamus.

And Hit Row has a new problem in the form of Legado Del Fantasma. Even worse, they’re outnumbered, so will have to find a partner to engage LDF in six-man combat on SmackDown.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, October 28, Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT

Rampage is live again this week, which has been happening more often this fall as next week’s show is also live. With that being the case, it’s a bit surprising that AEW hasn’t revealed any matches yet for Uncasville, but you can bet that will change by Wednesday. Watch Dynamite or read our recap here on Wrestling Junkie to see what the company is cooking up for the end of the week.

Opening Bell: WWE prepares for Extreme Rules, Dynamite going to OT

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, Oct. 3, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN

With Extreme Rules beckoning at the end of the week, WWE is pulling out all the stops to drum up that final interest. To wit, there’s a ton advertised for Monday’s Raw in Minnesota — more than usual, for sure.

It’s almost a requirement to have a contract signing for the last Raw before a premium live event, and Bianca Belair and Bayley will have theirs in St. Paul. The champ has been doing a good job of preventing Bayley from living in her head, but will have to stay strong this week ahead of their Ladder Match.

Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins have a feud that’s even more “on sight” than Belair and Bayley, but they’ll also have their face-to-face confrontation on Raw. Because they can’t keep from throwing down when they’re together, WWE says if either man makes contact with each other on Raw, they’re out of their Extreme Rules Fight Pit match. So it’ll be words, not fists, supposedly. And how will the news that UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier is refereeing that match get worked into the mix?

Also on tap for Raw this week:

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, Oct. 5, Entertainment & Sports Arena, Washington D.C.

Perhaps the most exciting thing that’s been revealed about this week’s Dynamite is that it will go an extra 15 minutes. That implies something big, or at the very least a pretty stacked show.

We already know one of the matches will see MJF take on Wheeler Yuta. These two have been going at it since MJF’s return, and though hardly anyone can hang with the self-professed Devil on the mic, Yuta can certainly give him a full night’s work in the ring. Alas, one gets the feeling that The Firm will bail MJF out if he runs into too much trouble.

Another big bout will see Daniel Garcia tag with his idol, Bryan Danielson, to face Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara. Garcia has been wavering for a while on his Jericho Appreciation Society membership, and after the American Dragon invited him to jump to the Blackpool Combat Club, this could be the chance for him to make a clean break. But you know “The Ocho” will have something to say about that before it’s all said and done in this battle of teams featuring two ROH champions.

Here’s what else has already been promoted for Dynamite:

  • Darby Allin takes on Jay Lethal, who’s promised to leave his entourage behind this time around
  • Luchasaurus will be in action
  • The Acclaimed will get everyone to help celebrate National Scissoring Day, because everybody loves The Acclaimed

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, Oct. 7, DCU Center, Worcester, Mass.

‘Twas the night before Extreme Rules, and it also happens to be the episode that WWE is promoting as the season premiere of SmackDown. So it’s being headlined by a very big match indeed: the rematch between champion Gunther and challenger Sheamus for the Intercontinental Championship. These two tore the house down the first time around, so fans are pumped for round two.

Solo Sikoa will be in action on Friday as well, taking on Ricochet. Sikoa’s friendship with Sami Zayn has been one of the most pleasant surprises on recent WWE programming, so you can bet Sami will likely be on hand to support Solo for this one.

And because it’s never too early to start promoting the next big premium live event (and because the Tribal Chief isn’t working Extreme Rules), Roman Reigns and Logan Paul will go face to face. Crown Jewel is only a few weeks away, after all.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, Oct. 7, Entertainment & Sports Arena, Washington D.C.

It’s two shows in three nights for AEW this week in the nation’s capital, with both of them live. Rampage has a special bonus feature this week too: Battle of the Belts IV will take place live immediately after it at 11:00 p.m. ET. That special is expected to have multiple title matches, with the one announced featuring Pac defending his All-Atlantic Championship against Trent Beretta.

As for Rampage proper, we know the Dark Order’s 10 will face off against Andrade El Idolo with some surprisingly big stakes. If 10 loses, he forfeits his mask, but if he wins, Andrade has to leave AEW. Expect Dynamite to add some more spice to this card as well.

AEW Dynamite live report: Even less in numbers, Philly crowd still hot

Wrestling Junkie reflects on the best moments, crowd reactions and more, live from the September 28 AEW Dynamite in Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA — If absence makes the heart grow fonder, perhaps the opposite is also true. When AEW Dynamite went live on Wednesday night from The Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University, it was in front of a noticeably lighter crowd than the last time the show came to Philly.

Then again, said show was just over five months ago.

There’s definitely a law of diminishing returns when it comes to how often pro wrestling promotions can hold events in the same venues, and with only a few years of operation under its belt, AEW is still feeling its way through some of these things. Maybe Dynamite and Rampage simply hadn’t been gone long enough to make this particular show a must-see for fans in the area.

AEW had something else working against it on this particular night: Mother Nature. Though the weather was fine in the Philadelphia area, Hurricane Ian was menacing the company’s home state of Florida. Tony Khan had already informed talent that if anyone needed to miss the show because of travel or family concerns, they had his blessing.

Several wrestlers reportedly were forced to cancel plans to participate, leading to some changes to Dynamite. It felt just a slight bit off, or at least different than the usual. Instead of the match that kicks off most Wednesday broadcasts, there was an extended in-ring bit with the Jericho Appreciation Society, one that felt like one of the longer non-wrestling opens in Dynamite history.

Another segment featured recent AEW debutant Saraya calling out the entire women’s division, or a good chunk of it anyway. That one led somewhere, namely an interim women’s title match between Toni Storm and Serena Deeb with the other women as lumberjacks, but it still seemed a bit disjointed. And there was additional filler, like a squash match for Ricky Starks.

Despite a number of hurdles, though, Dynamite didn’t have a less enthusiastic crowd, even if it was smaller. Philadelphia has long been a hotbed of the east coast wrestling scene, and it sounded that way again on Wednesday. With few exceptions, the fans reacted to pretty much everything offered and seemed pleased by the end of the night.

Some random observations from section 114, row K:

  • Masterful as ever at trolling fans, MJF appeared on a pre-recorded video that played (several times in a row) before Dynamite went live, singing “Meet the Mets.” He also riled up the crowd in person during his segment of the show, and it’ll be interesting to see how Wheeler Yuta, who can go in the ring but is a ways behind MJF in terms of mic skills, might get a rub from working against him.
  • Khan got a mix of boos and cheers when he spoke to the crowd immediately before Dynamite, but that appeared to be mostly due to his role with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who play the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend.
  • “We want pizza” chants were a recurring theme all the way until the end of Dynamite thanks to the Jericho Appreciation Society having some pies, but not sharing them, to open the show. Also, poor Luigi Primo got KOed by Daniel Garcia and carried out by Sammy Guevara like a sack of potatoes.
  • Juice Robinson had a nice match with Jon Moxley, but the crowd definitely tailed off in the middle, and it didn’t seem like everyone knew who Juice was.
  • Hangman Adam Page remains very popular, starting from the time his music hits. The live crowd was definitely into his staredown with Moxley.
  • Jamie Hayter is incredibly over right now, getting such a loud face reaction at one point that it was hard for Britt Baker to talk over it. She’s set to be a breakout star whenever AEW decides to push start on her inevitable face turn.
  • Bandido was more warmly received than Robinson as a “visitor” to AEW, but that was likely because of his history with ROH and the fact that he was the face in the main event. Putting him in a big spot for the TV audience was a nice touch, however, because he is terrific.
  • No spoilers for AEW Rampage, but The Acclaimed was on the show, and being there in person during the run they’re on right now is definitely special.

AEW Rampage quick results: Samoa Joe slays the Technical Beast

Get full results from the AEW Rampage episode on September 16, 2022, as the final pieces of the Grand Slam card fall into place.

Before you can hit a grand slam, you have to load the bases first, right? For AEW Dynamite Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe Stadium next week, the principle is somewhat the same, except that in this case it’s loading the card, which is something tonight’s Rampage should help finish.

There are also some decent matches in their own right on this Rampage, including Samoa Joe putting his ROH title on the line against Josh Woods. So this isn’t just an hour of setup, folks. Let’s dive in and see what’s what, not live this week as it was taped Wednesday after Dynamite.

AEW Rampage results in 30 seconds:

  • Darby Allin def. Matt Hardy by pinfall … but Brody King lays out Hardy after the bell, calls out Allin and Sting and lets them know the House of Black isn’t finished
  • Eddie Kingston clears up the reasons he doesn’t like Sammy Guevara, and it’s because he simply thinks Sammy is a rotten human being
  • Claudio Castagnoli is confident Wheeler Yuta will win back the ROH Pure Championship, and says it’s OK that Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley will face each other next week because no matter what, the BCC will have two world champions … and gets a world title challenge from Chris Jericho
  • Jade Cargill thinks she has no challengers left, but Diamante is willing to test that idea and says she is bringing the “baddest bitch” with her
  • Penelope Ford def. Willow Nightingale by submission
  • Hangman Adam Page apologizes to his Dark Order buddies for losing the Trios Championship final, and Andrade El Idolo shows up to say he’s going to eliminate all of them from the Battle Royale at Grand Slam
  • Ethan Page def. Danhausen by pinfall
  • Ricky Starks admits Powerhouse Hobbs threw him off his game by putting The Factory on his way, but says Hobbs has his full attention now and he will see Powerhouse in New York
  • Samoa Joe def. Josh Woods by pinfall to retain his ROH World Television Championship, then gets assistance from Wardlow to fight off Woods and Tony Nese

AEW All Out 2022 preview: Everything you need to know

Get set for Sunday with our AEW All Out 2022 preview, including predictions for what should and will probably happen in every match.

If bigger is better when it comes to pro wrestling pay-per-views, AEW All Out should be about as good as it gets.

AEW is throwing absolutely everything it has into the upcoming show at the Now Arena in Chicago (or more precisely, in the greater Chicago area), loading up the card in terms of both quantity and, hopefully, quality. Including the Zero Hour pre-show, a total of seven titles are on the line, as well as a future world championship shot in the Casino Ladder match.

Even when fate has thrown a late curveball or two, AEW has pivoted with regard to this show. Case in point: Thunder Rosa was slated to defend her AEW Women’s World Championship against Toni Storm, but got injured during the run-up to this weekend. No worries; now there’s a four-way battle for the interim championship that may be even more intriguing, featuring Storm, Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter.

Topping the card is a world championship rematch between Jon Moxley and CM Punk. The two men met less than two weeks ago and surprised the wrestling world when Moxley squashed Punk, leading some to wonder if he had returned from injury too quickly. But this week’s Dynamite proved that it was simply wrestling being wrestling, with Punk needing a pep talk from a friend to prove he was still on top of his game enough to compete at the highest level.

Tony Khan admitted that it wasn’t the normal way he’d build up a world title match but thought it worked for these circumstances (and was good for Dynamite’s ratings, to boot). That could be said for All Out writ large to a certain extent, but there’s no question there is more pressure on this pay-per-view than normal with AEW’s larger competitor suddenly resurgent and holding its own big show on the same September weekend.

In the end, even if the consensus ends up being that All Out isn’t outstanding, it won’t be for a lack of trying on AEW’s part.

AEW All Out 2022

  • When: Sunday, Sept. 4
  • Where: Now Arena, Hoffman Estates, Ill.
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (Zero Hour pre-show starts one hour earlier)
  • How to watch: Via Bleacher Report or traditional PPV providers in the U.S.,  along with select movie theaters; through FITE TV internationally
  • Matches announced: 14 (including three on the Zero Hour pre-show)

Scroll down for previews and predictions for all main card matches; we’ll add one for the trios tournament final and any additional matches that get made after Rampage on Friday night.

Wheeler Yuta on mentors Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor: ‘They let me sleep on their couch for a while’

Wheeler Yuta joined Under the Ring and spoke about how Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor helped him, and life in the Blackpool Combat Club.

Though AEW star and ROH champion Wheeler Yuta runs with William Regal’s Blackpool Combat Club these days and is fitting in perfectly, he was presented as the mentee of Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor when he first arrived.

Turns out that wasn’t just something cooked up for creative purposes.

When Yuta was still making a name for himself on the independent circuit, the first person to really show him the ropes was Drew Gulak. But when Gulak moved on (he’s now a member of the WWE roster), it was two of the Best Friends crew who took him under their ring, as Yuta explained on the latest episode of the Under the Ring podcast with Phil Strum.

“They’ve always been really good to me,” Yuta said. “They would take me around to shows and stuff. I would drive them around a lot. … They would always really take care of me.

“There’s a point that’s been mentioned a few times in interviews when I was in-between places, and they let me sleep on their couch for a while. So they’ve always really looked out for me, in and out of the ring.”

Yuta also recalled fondly that when AEW first decided to bring him in, it was Cassidy who called to let him know … while he was hanging out with Taylor.

You can listen to the entire wide-ranging interview above, where the ROH Pure Champion also touches on:

  • His upcoming title defense against Daniel Garcia at the Death Before Dishonor PPV
  • How Pure Rules matches present a different but enjoyable challenge
  • How being a member of Blackpool Combat Club has helped him “immensely”

New episodes of Under the Ring drop every Monday, and each one features Strum having a one-on-one conversation from a fascinating personality from the world of pro wrestling. Recent guests have included legendary announcer David Crockett, indie star Vik Dalishus, and WWE superstar Damian Priest.

To make sure you don’t miss an episode, subscribe to Under the Ring on Apple Podcasts or your podcast provider of choice, or check out the Under the Ring YouTube channel to see all of the interviews in video form.

Opening Bell: Barbed wire, shark cage on Dynamite, Belair-Carmella II on Raw

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage for the week of July 18.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, July 18, Amalie Arena, Tampa

Are you ready for Logan Paul, sympathetic babyface?

That appears to be where we’re headed for SummerSlam, beginning with his appearance this week on Raw. He’s looking for some payback on The Miz for his betrayal at WrestleMania, and all indications are that he’ll get his chance for exactly that.

As far as in-ring action goes, Raw has a Raw Women’s Championship rematch on tap between Bianca Belair and Carmella. Because of her inability to focus on the task at hand, Bianca actually lost to ‘Mella the first time, but because it was by countout, she retained her title. She’ll try to win this second go-round and move on to what awaits in Nashville.

AEW Dynamite preview – Fyter Fest Week 2 – Wednesday, July 20, Gas South Arena, Duluth, Georgia

AEW remains in the Peach State for the second week of Fyter Fest, and it’s got an explosive bout as the headliner for Dynamite. Eddie Kingston will get his wish for “barbed wire everywhere” to make Chris Jericho bleed, but The Wizard has promised it’ll be his Painmaker persona who shows up for the Barbed Wire Death Match. Also, Jericho Appreciation Society will be suspended above the ring in a shark cage for reasons.

Also on tap for this week’s Dynamite:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, July 22, TD Garden, Boston

Hey, this is a big city and deserves a big SmackDown, right? WWE has obliged by promising an appearance by Brock Lesnar ahead of his Last Man Standing Match with Roman Reigns at SummerSlam. It’s been strange to have the build done without the two combatants in the same place at the same time, but it’s possible for two big attractions like these, and because Paul Heyman continues to keep the story moving along.

In contrast, Liv Morgan will come face to face with her SummerSlam challenger this week … but may wish she didn’t, as the challenger in question is Ronda Rousey. Will WWE do what it should probably have done a while back and just let Rowdy be a heel?

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Also advertised for SmackDown:

  • Shinsuke Nakamura has a second match against Ludwig Kaiser
  • The only thing that really matters: The Maximum Male Models show off their 2022 Beachwear Collection, and introduce the world to Max Dupri‘s sister, Maxxine Dupri

AEW Rampage preview – Fyter Fest Week 2 – Friday, July 22, Gas South Arena, Duluth, Georgia (taped on July 20)

Fyter Fest will look to close out with a bang, not a whimper, and should get a boost from Dante Martin vs. Lee Moriarity as Martin has already promised it will be a “Guaranteed Banger.”

We should learn more about the rest of the card on this week’s Dynamite, so stay tuned for what should be a good way to close out the week in Big 2 televised wrestling.