Major WWE Return Expected, Melina’s Contract Considered A “Done Deal,” Another COVID-19 Wave In WWE & AEW, Davey Boy Smith Jr. Negotiating With WWE, Road Warrior Animal Dead At 60, Update On Future Location Of WWE TVs, Clash Of Champions Spoilers

Welcome to the WrestlingNews.com Insider Weekly Newsletter!

This week’s issue, Issue No. 11, includes news from Saturday, September 19, 2020 to Friday, September 25, 2020. Stories were written by Richard Gray and CJ Blaze with final editing done by Richard for clarity. Exclusive behind-the-scenes information was added, with content exclusive to WNC Insider Members.

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– WWE News
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WWE News

– As Richard reported earlier, Melina is said to be returning to WWE as soon as next week. Following the news, the former Women’s Champion took to her Facebook page to address the rumors.

Melina initially shot the report down, but mentioned there’s always a chance that she will return. After all, she’s hoping to “come home” one day after dealing with a tough year.

“This makes my heart ache because I love my fans so much. I want you to realize that these sites that claim they know what’s happening don’t. How many times have they falsely reported things about me and said I am returning? You can’t believe them because they do not report real or correct news. They often twist things up to get clicks.

I AM NOT signed with the WWE. But that doesn’t mean it is not a possibility. My reason for this post is that it bothers me that these sites lie to fans. If I potentially get signed, don’t forgive them for lying to you. I know there are those that aren’t a fan of mine, but I still will care about them as I do my own fans. I don’t like when people lie to you and/or bring your hopes up. You deserve better than that. YOU should demand better than that. They think it’s ok to pull these stunts because you’ll still follow or click that link. You should follow sites that don’t treat you like you’re stupid and do not lie to you. It seems like a lot of wrestling news sites do that though.

I don’t know what my future will hold but I know 2020 has taken so much from me. From all of us. Going back home to the WWE would feel like everything I’ve gone through was for this very moment. But we don’t know what’s going to happen.

There’s so much more than just give someone a contract. I lost my father last month, am I emotionally ready? I’m 41, am I physically capable? Is there a story available? Simply talking to the wwe makes my heart happy. I am grateful for my time with them. One day I’ll come home but when the time is right. So if it doesn’t happen now, Im sorry you thought I was returning. If it does happen… well these sites ruined a great surprise. You should be upset that they cheated you of that moment if it happens.

If I don’t come back, it’s ok. My life is always about gratitude & positivity. Melina will always find & create happiness even when it seems like there is none. But If I return, I am going to put every bit of heart in it in honor of my father and every bit on my soul for the loyal fans who followed all these years, standing by me through the good and the bad. I love you all so much. Never forget that. Please stay safe.”

-WWE 2K Battlegrounds made its way onto current generation consoles and PC on September 18th. As reported earlier, fans were able to find an image of Tessa Blanchard in the instructions for the Royal Rumble match type.

She was spotted in the video game despite not being part of the WWE roster. Basil Mahmud, who was the original photographer of that picture of Blanchard was displeased with WWE 2K’s actions.

Basil Mahmud took his issues to Twitter, where he was helped by trademark attorney Michael Dockins. He gave Mahmud advice on what legal action he could take if the image was not removed from the game. Basil then sent out a tweet where he thanked Dockins for his all help.

He revealed that Dockins assisted him late last night and into the morning today as he was finally able to resolve the problem.

Mahmud’s photo will be removed in the upcoming patch for WWE 2K Battlegrounds.

– Last month, Sonya Deville’s life was in jeopardy. A man by the name of Philip Thomas II had been stalking her online for several years and tried to kidnap Deville.

He finally executed his kidnapping attempt after eight months of planning. He broke into her home, attempting to abduct Deville from her home on August 17th. Thankfully, his plan failed.

Deville was granted a temporary injunction against her stalker, which had been extended to November 12th, which is when Thomas’ trial begins.

Deville’s incident has brought to light the risks of making the addresses of the residential homes of celebrities public knowledge. According to a report by The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there is currently talk on “both sides of the aisle in the Florida legislature” to introduce a new bill which will allow celebrities to list their homes without disclosing their addresses.

“The idea is that major sport pro athletes, wrestlers who appear on television and actors and actresses from SAG cards would be able to get their home addresses made confidential within the state.”

With the introduction of this bill, incidents similar to what happened with Sonya Deville will be curbed as potential stalkers will not be able to find out the addresses of celebrities easily.

– Booker T took issue with Daniel Cormier booking a possible angle in WWE before even agreeing to a contract.

For those that missed it, DC confirmed this week he’s been talking with WWE. He told Sports Illustrated he would like to come in as an announcer and perhaps transition to the ring. He then laid out a scenario where he was working on announce and Roman Reigns confronted him.

On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T discussed how he did not like how guys want to come in and book their own matches and angles. He said he was not hating on DC but guys looking to come in and relive their glory days. He pointed to Cain Velasquez who has already been released from WWE. Book explained the importance of making it in the locker room before thinking you could book your own program. He said DC’s accolades in UFC validate him for commentary but not as a main event Superstar.

Ariel Helwani of ESPN threw his hat in the ring by tweeting to Booker T.

“Hey @BookerT5x, my guy DC can do whatever the hell he wants. Do you know who you’re talking about here? Show some respect for the double champ,” Helwani wrote. “You better not hope he shows up over there because let me tell you he isn’t showing up alone … sucka.”

Book responded with a famous line.

“Ariel, you didn’t say that. Tell me you didn’t just say that……”

– The professional wrestling world was truly shocked at Chyna’s tragic passing. However, she was finally inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame last year. Chyna had a larger than life career and there are still many people who have stories to share regarding the 9th Wonder of The World.

Around the time of Chyna’s unfortunate demise, a documentary about her life was being filmed. However, production for it was halted by Chyna’s estate as it allegedly contained footage that the public was not allowed to not see. Now it seems an indie film crew will be filming a documentary on her life.

Vince Russo took to Twitter and revealed that he talked to the film crew of the documentary regarding Chyna’s life. He did not mention who was going to film the documentary, but it is certainly not WWE.

Was interviewed for an upcoming Independent Film Documentary on the late, great Chyna yesterday. I shared some of her writings that I had never made public before. I chose this project because I felt it was the right one. I loved that lady—still do.

– Kofi Kingston is out with a back injury.

WrestlingNews.com heard when he was written off TV earlier this summer it was due to an injury, not COVID-19. The ailment was revealed during a media appearance he did for WWE in the Columbus, Ohio market.

While speaking with the local ABC affiliate, Kofi spoke about being home for two months.

“I’ve been able to spend an amazing amount of time at home with my family and my kids,” Kingston said. “I’m just trying to cherish this time…I’ve been on the road for ten years consistently and I’ve never spent this much time at home.”

The promotional appearance was for SmackDown and you can check it out at this link.

While return plans for Kofi Kingston have not been finalized, it was reported last week there was an idea pitched but turned down to have him return as a member of the New Day on Raw. The thinking was keep him and Big E on separate brands with Xavier Woods as their manager. Again, the idea was turned down.

– Professional boxing champion Tyson Fury is primed to return to WWE.

As noted, Fury called out WWE Champion Drew McIntyre in a video on his social media at the end of last month. Little has been heard regarding his name since.

Fury and Triple H have remained in touch since Fury’s last appearance for WWE at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia last year, according to WrestlingNews.com Insider. Both sides are very interested in having Fury wrestle at WrestleMania 37 next year, if not sooner.

Tyson Fury vs. Drew McIntyre is one of the top matches WWE has been discussing for WrestleMania next year.

– Wrestle Votes is reporting that Robert Roode is expected to return to Raw in the next couple of weeks, possibly as soon as tonight’s broadcast. Roode last competed at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view on March 8. Since then, he’s been at home in Canada due to pandemic travel restrictions. The former United States and Raw Tag Team Champion was last seen teaming with Dolph Ziggler on SmackDown, so a return to Raw could indicate a reunion.

– While former WWE Women’s Champion Melina is set to return imminently to the company, she hadn’t signed her contract yet as of the weekend, a fact which has led to conflicting reports.

Melina, 41, hasn’t been a regular in WWE in nearly a decade. When reports emerged that she had “come to terms” with WWE, she took to social media to deny that she’d signed with WWE, while acknowledging that they had been in talks.

Those talks are very far along, to the point that Melina has been undergoing the wellness protocols new talent must pass when signing with the company.

A source at WWE who spoke to WrestlingNews.com under the condition of anonymity admitted that Melina hadn’t technically signed and was telling the truth on social media, but that it’s considered pretty much a done deal.

Barring any sort of unexpected snag, Melina could be returning to WWE television as soon as this week, although there had been some talk of delaying her return by a few weeks due to the leaks concerning the contract talks.

– WWE Superstar Matt Riddle is suing Candy Cartwright, whose real name Samantha Travel. Cartwright accused Riddle of sexual assault.

Riddle sought a cyberstalking injunction against Cartwright in July. His legal team sent out a statement late last week stating the Court found probable cause for the matter to be heard. However, the matter was dropped when it was determined Cartwright had “moved on.”

On Thursday, Riddle filed a civil suit against Cartwright, alleging she has continued to make false and defamatory statements that he sexually assaulted her. Cartwright’s attorney has released a counter statement.

Below are statements from both parties:

Statement from Matt Riddle’s Attorney:

On July 14, 2020, our client Matthew Riddle only sought a cyberstalking injunction against Samantha Tavel. The Court set it for hearing as they found probable cause for the matter to be heard. It was represented to our client and our firm that Ms. Tavel had moved on with her life and our client would no longer need to continue with the cyberstalking injunction.

Our client then dismissed the cyberstalking injunction (without prejudice) which left all of his legal remedies open and allowed for closure. Today, our client elected to file a civil suit against Ms. Tavel for her continued false and defamatory statements that our client sexually assaulted her. No further statements will be made on social media on this matter at this time.”

Statement from Candy Cartwright’s (Samantha Tavel) Attorney:

ORANGE COUNTY, FL – Wrestler Samantha Tavel, represented by her attorney Allison S. Lovelady of Shullman Fugate PLLC, today responded to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler Matthew Riddle dismissing the claims he filed against her after she spoke out about being sexually assaulted by him. Riddle dismissed the injunction earlier this month, days before it was set to go to trial.

This June, Tavel came forward on Twitter to describe being sexually assaulted by Riddle in May of 2018. She was one of dozens of women who joined the #SpeakingOut movement on social media to draw attention to the culture of sexual harassment, abuse and misogyny at all levels of pro-wrestling.

Thereafter, Riddle filed a petition for injunction that included false accusations, including that Tavel attended an event in Orlando, Florida where Riddle was present, although she was not even in the state at the time. Riddle’s attorney, Daniel J. Rose, also posted a press release regarding the injunction on Twitter, which resulted in online harassment and retaliation against Tavel.

Tavel has also lost employment, including an opportunity to work with the WWE, and has struggled to find work since. Riddle continues to work for the WWE as a featured performer, and has even alluded to the allegations in his act.

“I’m relieved that these claims were dismissed, but the damage to my reputation and career remains. I came forward to prevent this from happening to other women, and will continue to fight for justice,” said Tavel. “It’s not easy to see my name smeared on social media or wake up to hate messages and threats. But I am speaking up because I was inspired by the brave women who came before me. My hope is that other victims of sexual violence feel empowered to share the truth about their experiences as I have done and will continue to do.”

Tavel is supported by the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund (TULDF). With support from TULDF, Tavel and her attorney were able to aggressively push back on the claims, resulting in their dismissal.

– Tom Phillips is rumored to return to the WWE Raw announce team on tonight’s broadcast.

Phillips has had the last two weeks off, being replaced both weeks by Michael Cole. Last week, Phillips and Samoa Joe were off. PWInsider hears Phillips is in Orlando and will be returning tonight. Jerry Lawler is also in Orlando but it is unknown if he will join the team at the announce desk.

Joe is expected to be off again this week as he was replaced last week by Dolph Ziggler and several guest commentators.

– Jeff Hardy’s new WWE contract is for two to three years in length, PWInsider hears.

As reported here on WrestlingNews.com, Hardy revealed in an interview with BT Sport he signed a new contract that will also allow for him to bring back his “No More Words” theme song once fans return.

Both Jeff and Matt Hardy signed contracts with WWE in 2017. The deals were for three years and Matt left after his deal expired. Jeff remained under that deal because he had time added on due to injuries and personal time off.

Hardy, who is the current WWE Intercontinental Championship, will defend the belt in a Ladder Match against AJ Styles and Sami Zayn and Sunday’s WWE Clash of Champions pay-per-view. We’ll have complete coverage here at WrestlingNews.com.

– This week’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw featured another big step forward for Retribution.

The faction opened the show causing chaos and it was announced five of its main members had been granted WWE contracts by management. Four out of five of the members were revealed as Dominik Dijakovic, Dio Maddin, Mercedes Martinez and Mia Yim. Shane Thorne is rumored as the fifth member but that has not been confirmed as his face was still covered.

Both Yim and Dijakovic cut promos. They plan to train the lifeblood of WWE and money or contracts will not change anything.

Retribution continued their promos until they were interrupted by The Hurt Business. This resulted in a confrontations, which saw several masked Retribution members surround the ring. This provided a distraction that allowed the main members of the faction to attack the Hurt Business. Dijakovic and Maddin hit Lashley with a double chokeslam.

– Three of the five main Retribution members have names that were revealed on this week’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. Dominik Dijakovic goes by T-Bar, Dio Maddin goes by Mace and the unidentifiable member goes by Slapjack. This member is rumored to be Shane Thorne. The trio faced Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander of The Hurt Business but the match was thrown out after interference from other Retribution members.

– The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the entire world and that includes professional wrestling. In the past few months, several WWE Superstars have tested positive for the coronavirus. WWE’s handling of the situation left much to be desired and now it seems an outbreak of the virus took place in NXT.

It was said that prior to the outbreak, the strict mask policies which were introduced after Kevin Owens requested it became relaxed. The total number of infected workers has not been disclosed. According to Jon Alba who confirmed with Sean Ross Sapp, several people have been infected and has caused a “decent effect on creative.”

It was also said that workers were tested positive for the coronavirus as recently as last weekend. The belief is that a Performance Center coach is the one who spread the virus.

Multiple sources: there was a COVID-19 outbreak within #NXT recently. Working on the details, but sources indicate it may have had a decent effect on creative

I’m working on confirming more details, but @SeanRossSapp has verified what I heard, quite literally as I hit “tweet.” He indicates several PC classes were canceled, and the outbreak happened over the past couple of weeks.

Source indicates some have gotten relaxed with mask wearing, especially in spots where some people congregate and there was concern over that. Am told people were still testing positive as recently as this weekend, with the belief being a coach accidentally spread it

WWE’s handling of the COVID-19 situation has been criticized in the past and they have to implement a stricter guideline in order to avoid another outbreak of this magnitude.

– During a tag team match on Monday Night RAW two weeks ago, Ivar of the Viking Raiders suffered a grave injury. He injured himself following after a botched dive attempt to the outside of the ring. Due to the injury, he was forced to undergo neck surgery. It seems the future of the tag team is now in doubt.

During this week’s RAW Underground, Erik took part in a match. He faced off against Riddick Moss in a match. Erik was unable to win despite his efforts.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Ivar will be on the shelf for a very long time. On top of the neck injury, his body has also gone through a lot of wear and tear. This is certainly unfortunate news for his tag team partner Erik.

Meltzer then said that Erik of the Viking Raiders will have a very bad year while waiting for Ivar’s return. He also added that “there won’t even be a Viking Raiders” when Ivar does make his return as it is likely WWE will make Erik lose enough times to make him look weak.

– WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns did a Zoom call with his fans, where he announced a couple of noteworthy developments. Reigns announced he will be wrestling without a shirt at Sunday’s Clash of Champions pay-per-view. However, he told fans to “get over it” if they wanted him to change his ring gear as he is not going to wrestle in trunks. Roman said fans need to remain patient on new theme music. A change in theme music requires him going through a lot of channels and he is not automatically a “bad guy” now. Reigns will defend the WWE Universal Championship against Jey Uso at Sunday’s Clash of Champions pay-per-view.

– WWE announced in storyline this week on Raw that five Retribution members have been granted contracts.

Four of the five Retribution members have been revealed and three of those five have actual names. The members are Dominik Dijakovic, Dio Maddin, Mercedes Martinez and Mia Yim. Shane Thorne is rumored to be the fifth and unidentifiable member.

Dijakovic is now working as T-Bar, Dio Maddin as Mace and the unidentifiable member as Slapjack. @WrestleVotes reports the presentation of Retribution was a big topic backstage, generating some laughter. The masks and the names were the main culprits of the laughter.

PWInsider hears WWE is planning a Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match between Retribution and members of the main WWE roster. Retribution is a Raw-only storyline but it is unknown if talent from SmackDown will be used on the team at Survivor Series.

WWE Survivor Series is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 22, 2020 but the location is still to be determined.

– Son of WWE legend the “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith, Davey Boy Smith Jr., is in talks with WWE about a return to the company in 2021.

Smith Jr. has claimed publicly that his MLW contract expires at the end of the year. WWE’s plan at one point was to send Smith Jr. to NXT UK if he signed, although those plans may have been nixed.

The view of Smith Jr. within WWE is mixed, with him having rubbed many people the wrong way during a previous stint that lasted five years.

Vince McMahon has always felt Smith Jr. doesn’t have the right charisma to be a top star and that his ego won’t allow him to be content in a less prominent role, which is what ultimately led to his departure. Smith Jr. later left New Japan Pro Wrestling under similar circumstances, unhappy with his mid-card push.

There are coaches in NXT pushing for Smith Jr. to be brought into the US version of NXT, feeling that his experience and technical knowledge could benefit some of the up and coming talent in NXT.

Sources at WWE say Smith Jr. has become more realistic about his salary demands in recent weeks and is very motivated to return to WWE, even if the money isn’t what he was hoping for.

– This week’s episode of Monday Night RAW started with Retribution finally revealing they ”signed” with WWE. Four out of five members in the ring had their names revealed. As reported earlier, there was a lot of laughter backstage following their reveal.

Fightful spoke to several WWE Superstars who “echoed the critical and immediate sentiments that were uncorked on the group and more specifically, WWE’s creative process.”

One Superstar revealed that he ”felt bad” for Mia Yim and Mercedes Martinez as “they’ve worked so long and are facing a battle to not make this look as dumb as it is.”

On the topic of RAW’s extra content, a Smackdown Superstar had this to say: “I think they load up Raw with that stuff because it’s a longer show, but we weren’t told why Retribution was off Smackdown.”

It was also noted that to “absolutely everyone” the new names for the stable “were ridiculous.” Another Superstar also gave his opinion on the names, saying: “It sounds like something out of a bad movie or game, but I’m not sure Vince plays games or watches movies anymore.”

It was also reported that the faction will be competing at Survivor Series.

– The world of professional wrestling has lost yet another legend. WWE Hall Of Famer Road Warrior Animal, whose real name is Joseph Laurinaitis, has passed away at the age of 60 today. The cause of his passing has not yet been determined.

As one half of the Legion Of Doom, Animal and Hawk cemented themselves as one of the greatest tag teams in professional wrestling history. He first laced his boots back in 1982 and went on to dominate the competition with his partner Hawk. In 2011, the tag team were inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame with manager Paul Ellering.

WWE released the following on Wednesday morning regarding Animal’s passing:

Road Warrior Animal passes away

WWE is saddened to learn that Joe Laurinaitis, known to WWE fans as Road Warrior Animal, has passed away at the age of 60.

One of the most intense Superstars to ever step into the squared circle, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound Animal spent the majority of his career alongside his tag team partner, Hawk. Together, they formed what was arguably the most successful, popular and feared tandem of all time — The Road Warriors.

With their intimidating face paint, outfits covered in metal spikes and impressive array of power moves, the duo captured titles and destroyed opponents wherever they roamed. Their dominance made them so popular that the phrase “Road Warrior pop” has been used in locker rooms to describe particularly deafening reactions from the crowd ever since.

The Road Warriors thrived in multiple stints with WWE, where they were known as The Legion of Doom. The team won the World Tag Team Titles on two occasions and were eventually enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame.

We would like to offer our thoughts and prayers to Animal’s friends and family during this sad time.

– WWE and the local government in Orlando, Florida have begun negotiations to extend WWE’s stay at the Amway Center in downtown Orlando.

The current agreement expires at the end of next month and while WWE continues to explore other options, they’re hoping to secure the Thunderdome at Amway Center until the end of the year if needed.

What’s complicated negotiations is that the NBA hasn’t decided yet when the 2020-2021 season will begin. It may end up taking place entirely in 2021 and if that’s the case, WWE would have the option of staying at Amway Center until the end of the year like they want.

But there’s also been discussion that the next NBA season could begin in early December.

The NBA is expected to make a decision by the end of this month, so WWE is in a bit of a holding pattern while planning the future for their broadcasts.

WWE continues to look at other venues, but the rent in Orlando has been so inexpensive that they’ve been unable to find any better options.

– John Cena will play the lead role in an upcoming HBO Max superhero action/comedy series called Peacemaker. His character is the DC Comics superhero Peacemaker who believes in peace at any cost.

HBO ordered eight episodes of the series. Cena will play the same role in the forthcoming Suicide Squad movie, which is due out August 6, 2021. The HBO Max series is intended to explore the character’s origins. There is no word on its premiere date.

Below is the official press release:

PEACEMAKER is Coming To HBO Max

PEACEMAKER is Coming To HBO Max New DC Action-Comedy Series Starring John Cena, From The Suicide Squad Writer/Director James Gunn And Producer Peter Safran, Produced By Warner Bros. Television

LOS ANGELES – September 23, 2020 – Oh f*ck, it’s Peacemaker! HBO Max is set to explore the origins of the Peacemaker character, the master of weapons from the highly anticipated upcoming The Suicide Squad film, in the new Max Original action-adventure-comedy series Peacemaker. HBO Max has given a straight-to-series order of eight episodes for the first season of the show. John Cena will reprise his role from The Suicide Squad movie to star in the series, and the film’s acclaimed writer/director James Gunn will write all eight episodes of Peacemaker and will direct multiple episodes, including the first. Gunn and The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran will serve as executive producers of the series, with Cena as co-executive producer. Based on characters from DC, Peacemaker will be produced by Gunn’s Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. Peacemaker is scheduled to begin production in early 2021, prior to Gunn beginning work on the next Guardians of the Galaxyfilm.

While details about Peacemaker are being kept under wraps, the series will explore the origins of the character that Cena will play in the upcoming film, a man who believes in peace at any cost — no matter how many people he has to kill to get it. The series will extend the world that Gunn is creating for The Suicide Squad movie, which is scheduled to be released in theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures on August 6, 2021.

James Gunn said: “Peacemaker is an opportunity to delve into current world issues through the lens of this superhero/supervillain/and world’s biggest douchebag. I’m excited to expand The Suicide Squad and bring this character from the DC film universe to the full breadth of a series. And of course, to be able to work again with John, Peter, and my friends at Warner Bros. is the icing on the cake.”

John Cena said: “I have said before that it has been a tremendous honor and an incredible opportunity to be part of The Suicide Squad and to work with James on what is going to be a fantastic movie. I am unbelievably excited to have the chance to team up with him again for Peacemaker. We can’t wait for fans to see this.”

“James Gunn has the unique ability to create an expansive universe while also bringing to life the soul and wit of each character. We look forward to a deep dive into the world of Peacemaker,” said Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer for HBO and HBO Max.

John Cena is an actor, producer, entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and WWE superstar. He will next be seen in F9, the ninth installment of the Fast & Furious action film franchise, which is scheduled to be released in April 2021. He will follow that with Warner Bros. Pictures/DC’s The Suicide Squad in August 2021. Cena is also the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Elbow Grease picture books, inspired by the lessons he learned about hard work, perseverance, and team work from growing up with four brothers. Elbow Grease: Fast Friends, the third book in the series, will be released in September 2020. He has been the face of the WWE for more than a decade, building a globally recognized brand. Off screen and out of the ring, Cena devotes much of his time and energy working on behalf of numerous charitable causes, including the Make-a-Wish Foundation; the FitOps Foundation, which helps U.S. military veterans reacclimate to civilian life after service; and Susan G. Komen, for breast cancer research and awareness. He also starred in the “We Are America” short film for the Ad Council’s Love Has No Labels campaign, to further the message of acceptance and inclusion in society.

The prolific filmmaker behind some of pop culture’s most notable feature films, James Gunn brings his trademark sensibilities to the upcoming DC film The Suicide Squad, to be released in theaters next summer. After Peacemaker, he will next go into production on the third installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, which he is once again writing and directing. He previously wrote and directed Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which have collectively earned more than $1.6 billion at the global box office. His additional filmmaking credits include Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Dawn of the Dead, Slither and Super.

Peter Safran is president and founder of leading Hollywood production company The Safran Company. With over $3 billion in worldwide box office in collaboration with Warner Bros./New Line over the past six years, Safran continues to produce the mega-successful Conjuring franchise, which has grossed a combined $1.8 billion, becoming the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time. Safran reteamed with Conjuring partner James Wan for the 2018 Warner Bros./DC Super Hero film Aquaman, garnering an astonishing $1.12 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing DC film ever. He collaborated with Annabelle: Creation director David Sandberg on one of last years’ most critically hailed films, Shazam!, which grossed over $364 million worldwide. Up next is The Conjuring 3, with a June 2021 release, followed by the much-anticipated James Gunn–helmed The Suicide Squad. Also in the pipeline: Aquaman 2, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Nun 2.

– As reported earlier here at WrestlingNews.com, Road Warrior Animal Joseph Laurinaitis is dead at the age of 60.

TMZ has learned he died of “natural causes” at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, Missouri. Laurinaitis’ wife called police at 11:49 PM Tuesday night but when deputies arrived, emergency personnel had already declared him deceased.

Tributes have poured out over social media from Hulk Hogan to Bret Hart.

Laurinaitis was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011 with Road Warrior Hawk and their manager Paul Ellering. His son, James Laurinaitis, played linebacker at the Ohio State University and was a second round draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Laurinaitis was one half of the Road Warriors Tag Team, one of the most decorated and popular tag teams of all-time. His tag team partner, Road Warrior Hawk Michael Hegstrand died in 2003.

– WWE has announced Johnny Gargano will challenge Damian Priest for the NXT North American Championship at NXT TakeOver on Sunday, Oct. 4.

As announced by @RealKingRegal, @ArcherOfInfamy will defend the #NXTNATitle against @JohnnyGargano at #NXTTakeOver on Sunday, Oct. 4! https://t.co/KvRpQS9hXM

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) September 23, 2020

The challengers for the men’s and women’s NXT Championships will be decided tonight. The women will compete in a number one contender’s battle royal, while five men will compete in the first-ever Gauntlet Eliminator.

– Two more matches are now confirmed for NXT TakeOver on October 4.

Candice LeRae won the battle royal to earn a NXT Women’s Championship match against Io Shirai. This will be a rematch from their TakeOver: Toronto clash last year.

Kyle O’Reilly won the Gauntlet Eliminator match to earn a NXT Championship match against Finn Balor. O’Reilly eliminated Bronson Reed, Timothy Thatcher, and Cameron Grimes for the win. Kushida was screwed over by Velveteen Dream.

Below is the updated TakeOver card:

NXT Championship Match
– Finn Balor (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly

NXT Women’s Championship Match
– Io Shirai (c) vs. Candice LeRae

NXT North American Championship Match
– Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano

We’ll have complete exclusive TakeOver coverage right here at WrestlingNews.com.

– The professional wrestling world lost a legend as Joe Laurinaitis, better known as Road Warrior Animal passed away on Wednesday at the age of 60. Several wrestlers mourned the loss and that includes The Rock.

The Rock took to Instagram and paid tribute to the legacy of The Road Warriors. In his emotional post, he explained how Michael Hegstrand(Road Warrior Hawk) and Laurinaitis assisted him when he had just started out in WWE. He detailed how they made sure The Rock learned the ropes well and took care of him.

RIP brother.
Really saddened to wake up to this news today — the passing of my friend, Joe Laurinaitis (on the left) aka ROAD WARRIOR ANIMAL.
Joe & Mike aka HAWK & ANIMAL, THE ROAD WARRIORS were the most intense, legit tough bad asses tag team in the history of the wild world of pro wrestling.
When I was making my bones, still learning the business in the WWE as a very young “The Rock” – I wrestled these guys so many times on the road and they always took good care of me and made sure I learned.
Tough as nails.
Good men.
Greatest tag team of all time.
And apple fritters (our inside joke).
Much love and I’ll always be grateful to you both.
RIP.
#animal
#hawk
#lod
#whatarush

The Rock was engaged in a feud with The Legion Of Doom during the majority of 1997, which culminated in a traditional elimination match at Survivor Series.

– Naomi underwent an unexpected six hour surgery to remove a uterine fibroid.

The SmackDown superstar made the announcement in an Instagram story, noting she had a myomectomy to remove a uterine fibroid. She added she is recovering well and “already feeling so much better.”

“In the midst of hurricane sally and Covid ? I also underwent an unexpected 6 hr surgery to finally remove a massive fibroid that’s caused me severe anemia fatigue horrible abdominal pains and more problems I don’t even want to mention over the past year and a half,” Naomi wrote.

“I’m recovering well I’m relieved and already feeling so much better so family friends and fans don’t worry I’m ok lol miss ya #myomectomyrecovery”

Naomi last worked for WWE on the August 21, 2020 episode of SmackDown where she was in “Beat The Clock” matches against Sasha Banks and Bayley. She lost the former and won the latter.

– WWE is teasing a mystery person returning to NXT at Takeover 31 on Sunday, October 4. As seen in the promo embedded in the player above, the person’s voice is disguised, which has resulted to speculation as to whether it’s a male or female. The WWE line is “an unknown insurgent is coming back to NXT to take what is theirs.” The biggest name speculated on social media right now is Bo Dallas. Dallas is still technically a SmackDown Superstar but was the third NXT Champion in history and held the title for 260 days. He has not worked for WWE since Crown Jewel 2019 when he teamed with Curtis Axel to lose to The New Day. Other names speculated include Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode and others. Roode has not been used in several months due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. He is expected back soon but likely as a RAW Superstar.

– BetOnline.ag have posted initial betting odds for Sunday’s WWE Clash of Champions pay-per-view.

As far as title changes are concerned, Andrade & Angel Garza are narrow favorites to win the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship from The Street Profits. Other than that, the champions are either favored or there is no favorite. This is the case in the Ambulance Match for the WWE Championship as both champion Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton are -120 to win the match.

Keep in mind betting odds are for entertainment purposes only. True match outcomes are available only on the final run sheet, which is a document closely guarded by Vince McMahon.

Below are full betting odds:

Ambulance match for the WWE Championship
– Drew McIntyre (c) -120 vs. Randy Orton -120

Singles match for the WWE Universal Championship
– Roman Reigns (c) w/Paul Heyman -3000 vs. Jey Uso +850

Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
– Bayley (c) -600 vs. Nikki Cross +350

Tag team match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (c) -300 vs. The Riott Squad +200

Tag team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship
Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura (c) -325 vs. Lucha House Party +215

Triple threat ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Jeff Hardy (c) -125 vs. AJ Styles +300 vs. Sami Zayn +150

Singles match for the WWE United States Championship
Bobby Lashley (c) w/The Hurt Business -950 vs. Apollo Crews +500

Tag team match for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
– The Street Profits (c) -110 vs. Andrade & Angel Garza -130

Kickoff: Singles match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship
– Asuka (c) -1250 vs. Zelina Vega +525

WWE Clash of Champions 2020 will take place Sunday, September 27 from the ThunderDome at Amway Center in Orlando, FL. We’ll have live
coverage here at WrestlingNews.com.

– A COVID-19 outbreak took place in NXT recently. Due to this, the company had to change several plans for the show. This also extended to this week’s NXT as well. Now it seems a  cause for the spreading of the virus has been revealed.

It seems the reason for the spread of the outbreak was due to a party held by an NXT Superstar. The party was attended by several other Superstars and trainees. According to a report by PW Insider, the belief is that the virus was transferred from asymptomatic individuals at the party, which then spread to others present.

“The belief among several sources is that the outbreak started after a NXT talent threw a party that fellow trainees attended, leading to an asymptomatic transmission of the virus that then spread among those who work and train in the Performance Center.”

The report also stated that due to the outbreak, Superstars who are usually not involved in high profile matches were included in the Gauntlet Eliminator match. The women’s battle royal also included Superstars who were never seen on WWE television in order to fill out the match.

– Roman Reigns returned to WWE and became the Universal Championship in quick fashion. There are several talented Superstars who want to challenge him and it seems he is interested in a few NXT Superstars as well.

NXT has a very deep roster full of talented performers. Some of them are ready to be called up to the main roster and are simply waiting for the chance. It seems Reigns has been keeping a close eye on the brand.

Reigns recently took part in a Q&A with Mania Club. He was asked whether any Superstar in NXT piqued his interest and he wasted no time in naming someone he wants to face in the ring. He revealed that he would like to face Adam Cole and believed that they would get a great reaction from the match.

Adam Cole is one of the best Superstars in NXT and had a remarkable run as the NXT Champion. Following his rivalry with Pat McAfee, the company has nothing planned for Cole. He is currently not included in the NXT TakeOver card.

We will have to see whether Adam Cole will be called up to the main roster soon enough.

– WWE issued the following statement in regards to the positive COVID-19 tests that impacted this week’s episode of NXT:

“As part of ongoing testing protocols, WWE completed its second round of weekly COVID-19 testing on Tuesday. Individuals that tested positive will quarantine for 14 days, receive medical care, and then will only be cleared when they are symptom-free and test negative. Additionally, extensive contact tracing has taken place and other individuals have been placed in 14-day quarantine, and will then only be cleared after they test negative.”

There are a lot of rumors about how the outbreak started with the latest being it happened after a NXT talent threw a party.

In today’s Ask WNC, we looked at whether or not WWE and/or AEW should halt operations due to recent outbreaks.

– This week on WWE Monday Night Raw, three of the five main Retribution members were given ring names.

Dominik Dijakovic goes by T-Bar, Dio Maddin goes by Mace and the unidentifiable member goes by Slapjack. This member is rumored to be Shane Thorne.

WrestlingNews.com has learned Mia Yim will go by Reckoning and Mercedes Martinez will go by Retaliation.

WWE took its biggest step forward with Retribution to date on this week’s TV. It was announced the five members were “granted contracts” from WWE and their identities were revealed. Mace, T-Bar and Slapjack competed in Raw’s main event against The Hurt Business.

The reaction to Retribution has been negative. Fans and fellow wrestlers have mocked their masks and names, with WWE seemingly dropping the ball on an angle they have been building over the last several weeks. Apparently it got so bad that some talent have said privately they feel bad for the members.

– WWE have announced Shawn Michaels will host a face-to-face meeting between NXT Champion Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly on next week’s episode of NXT on the USA Network.

Below is the official announcement:

Finn Bálor and Kyle O’Reilly will go face to face just four days before their NXT Title showdown, and they’ll be joined by a WWE Hall of Famer.

Shawn Michaels will host a face-to-face meeting between the NXT Champion and his next challenger Wednesday night ahead of their match on Sunday, Oct. 4, at NXT TakeOver 31.

O’Reilly earned the right to take on Bálor after a gutsy performance in the first-ever Gauntlet Eliminator Match, going wire-to-wire and eliminating three competitors en route to the biggest victory of his career.

– WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is currently trending on Twitter over his new Dame 7 shoes by Adidas.

The shoes, which are a collaboration between Adidas, Flair and WWE fan and Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, are white with metallic gold. They resemble one of Flair’s famous robes.

“Thank You Adidas For The Opportunity To Show The World That Stylin’ And Profilin’ With Naitch And Dame Is Even Cooler Than Being Like Mike! WOOOOO! COMING SOON!!! Damian Lillard And adidas” Flair wrote in an Instagram caption.

Below is a look at the shoes:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFj8e-gpvQU/?utm_source=ig_embed

AEW News

– On this past week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Frankie Kazarian competed against Adam Page in a singles match. It was an intense match that was well-received by fans and wrestlers alike. While he was unable to win the match, he certainly impressed many. This includes AJ Styles, his former co-worker in Impact Wrestling.

During a recent Twitch stream, AJ Styles gave a lot of praise to Frankie Kazarian. He is aware of what Kazarian does in AEW and has known him well before his time with SCU. He praised the quality of the match and said that Kazarian is in unbelievable shape. Styles is not surprised to see Kazarian put on a performance of that calibre.

Styles himself has been praised as one of the best in-ring performers of this generation, as he continues to put on great matches. We do wonder whether the two will ever square off in the same ring again.

– AEW has officially added Serena Deeb to their roster.

Welcome to the team…
Serena Deeb is #AllElite pic.twitter.com/dgS5v7tJYu

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 21, 2020

The former Mae Young Classic competitor was released from WWE in April after a two-year stint as a Performance Center coach and NXT producer. She’s also a former OVW Women’s Champion who has competed all over the world for WWE, TNA, Shimmer, and many other independent promotions.

Deeb made her AEW debut on the September 2 edition of Dynamite where she went under to Thunder Rosa. She’ll compete against KiLynn King on Tuesday’s Dark.

– Lance Archer revealed on Twitter that he tested positive for COVID-19.

“When I returned from our last show, a family member was ill when I got home. I found out later a friend who had taken my family member to the Vet for our Dachshund was COVID positive. While at home, now I’ve also gotten sick tested positive. I feel ok, expect to see me in 2 wks.”

When I returned from our last show, a family member was ill when I got home. I found out later a friend who had taken my family member to the Vet for our Dachshund was COVID positive. While at home, now I’ve also gotten sick tested positive. I feel ok, expect to see me in 2 wks

— The Murderhawk Monster Lance Archer (@LanceHoyt) September 23, 2020

Lance was set to team up with Ricky Starks and Brian Cage in a six-man tag against Moxley, Will Hobbs and Darby Allin. That match will no longer happen. Furthermore, Jon Moxley announced on twitter that he will be defending the title tonight.

“Change of plans. I’m putting up the title tonight. Live TV babe.”

Change of plans. I'm putting up the title tonight. Live TV babe. #AEWDynamite

— Jon Moxley (@JonMoxley) September 23, 2020

AEW then announced on their Twitter that Moxley will be defending the title against Eddie Kingston.

– This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite was aired live. The company will be taping next week’s episode in advance. Fans have noticed that many talents have not appeared on Dynamite lately and there seems to be a reason for that.

As reported earlier, there was a COVID-19 outbreak in NXT recently. However, now they might not be the only promotion dealing with an outbreak. Lance Archer missed this week’s AEW Dynamite as he tested positive for the virus.

According to a report by John Alba, AEW has recently experienced a COVID-19 outbreak as well. It is possible that stars did not show up Dynamite this week for “precautionary reasons,” but there are “multiple positive cases” in the company so far.

Over the last few months, #AEW has by far had the most extensive COVID-19 protocols among any wrestling companies that chose to run during the pandemic. The conditions of how or where the virus was transmitted is not entirely clear at this time. Hoping everyone affected is OK.

It’s entirely plausible talent were kept off this week’s show for precautionary reasons, and didn’t necessarily test positive.

But we can report there were multiple positive cases in the past couple of weeks involving talent who were present at tapings earlier this month.