Daily Update: Eddie Kingston, Toni Storm, John Cena

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

The aftermath of the AEW brawl after All Out
Why suspensions were lifted
The CM Punk injury and how it changes things
AEW video game promotion in Japan
What people under suspension aren’t allowed to do
Tony Khan position
Clearing up some wrestling stories
Ideas for AEW to improve the developmental rate of its young talent
The most important thing for AEW long-term
Ways to get wrestlers more time in the ring
Ways to get wrestlers more time learning promos and angles
Complete coverage of UFC 279
The life and death of UFC star Elias Theodorou
Coverage of this past week’s Stardom PPV show
How every wrestling show this past week did in the ratings, competition, football, where WWE & AEW fall in entertainment standings, how the segments on the major shows did
Unique finish to set up CMLL tournament final
Final build to the anniversary show
CMLL star undergoes surgery
Promotion talk about new reality show idea
Stardom Five Star Grand Prix update
New Japan and Stardom business rundowns, profits, losses, revenue, streaming numbers
Kota Ibushi update
Yuji Nagata celebrates 30 years in the ring
New Japan Strong TV for the future
Talk about the Desperado vs. Jun Kasai bloodbath
Generational dream match announced between 80 legend and modern legend
Konosuke Takeshita’s ten year anniversary
Ricky Steamboat returns to the ring
How viewing is changing
Story behind Steamboat’s comeback
More on movies about 80s stars and a movie on the life of modern star
Hall of Famer from Japan wants match with Moxley
Wrestling cartoon show canceled
Latest on WBD and wrestling
More AEW injury news
Ticket sale numbers for WWE & AEW shows
International TV numbers
Streaming numbers
More on the business of doing major shows
Commission examining UFC backstage brawl
More Clash at the Castle news
WWE projected revenue for this year
Why Raw will have a problem next week
Gable Steveson update
New talent coming to NXT
A&E bio news

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Wednesday News Update

WWE

  • John Cena will be part of the cast for season two of Kevin Hart’s “Die Hart” series on Roku. The second season of the action-comedy spoof is titled “Die Hart 2: Die Harter.” Variety wrote: “In the second season, Hart now wants to cement his legacy as the greatest action star of all time. He’s developed a concept for a revolutionary movie where the action is so unscripted and unexpected that even Kevin won’t know what’s coming next. But Kevin’s vision comes with a blind spot, and he soon finds himself the victim of an evil revenge plot, orchestrated by someone from his past. To survive, Hart must enlist the help of his favorite co-star, Jordan King (Nathalie Emmanuel), his overeager assistant Andre (Ben Schwartz), Andre’s mom Cynthia (Paula Pell) and legendary Hollywood stuntman Mr. 206 (Cena).”
  • Cena tweeted: “Any opportunity to work alongside @KevinHart4real is an opportunity to laugh (a lot) and learn (a TON). A masterclass in life and an overall wonderful human to be around. Grateful to be a part of Die Hart S2! @Roku”
  • On Fox Sports’ Out of Character with Ryan Satin, Mandy Rose discussed being moved to NXT last year: “I didn’t even know why I was going to NXT. I’m a firm believer at the end of the day, I looked at it as an opportunity as a new way to kind of rebrand myself. I think we all need to change as we develop and grow. I think for me, it was just a huge opportunity to use this as something that could be really cool. I didn’t look at any of the negatives. I think that was a big part of it for me. I think a lot of people if they were to get the call to go back to NXT, they would ask a million questions. They’d be like, why, and it’s normal, obviously. But I just literally, I took that call, and I said, ‘Okay, sure.’ I didn’t really ask many questions.”
  • Rose added: “Then I had this vision and obviously other things started coming about. I’m like, you know, what? I’m going to change up my character a little bit. I want to become a little edgier. It’s all about, you know, can you back it up in the ring? I always have that stigma on me, so I’m going to change it up a little bit. Then I had this vision and with the group of a bunch of people, we kind of made it come to life. So I think it was honestly the best move for me. I’m super grateful. I just think a positive mindset going into it was the best aspect for me, because it also showed. if I had a negative mindset, and if I came out there and looked like I don’t want to be here, it would just show and it wouldn’t work. So I just stayed really positive and I’m really happy that I did.”
  • Kurt Angle told The Wrassingh Show that WWE has talked about him doing something at WrestleMania next year: “They’re talking about maybe me doing something at WrestleMania. They are always reaching out to me to help do media and stuff like that, kind of be an ambassador for the company. I like doing that. I don’t mind because I can’t wrestle anymore.”
  • When asked to elaborate on the potential WrestleMania role, Angle said: “It’s just an idea. It won’t be in a wrestling capacity at all. There is nothing there yet.”
  • WWE sent the Las Vegas Aces a custom title belt for winning the WNBA championship.
  • PWInsider reported that Young Rock is casting actors to play Ron Simmons and Bad News Allen in future episodes.
  • The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest appeared on WWE’s The Bump this afternoon.
  • WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded Goldberg vs. Bam Bam Bigelow from WCW SuperBrawl IX, The Great Khali vs. Batista vs. Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship from Unforgiven 2007, and Beth Phoenix vs. Nikki Bella in a lumberjill match for the Divas Championship from the April 23, 2012 episode of Raw.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • With September being Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Eddie Kingston spoke about mental health in a video that was uploaded by AEW today. Kingston said the two things he wants people to understand is that they’re never alone and that the word “normal” is a lie. Kingston said we make our own normal.
  • Kingston spoke to Sports Illustrated about facing Sammy Guevara on Friday’s Grand Slam Rampage: “There’s nothing like fighting at home. I wouldn’t say it’s going to be magic – but it is going to be me beating him up. I don’t doubt he’ll fight back. Sammy can go. There’s a lot you can say about him; there’s a lot I can say about the young man, but he’s a former champion – three different times. Sammy can bring it. He has a lot of pride, but pride is the first step to a man’s downfall.”
  • Here’s a look at the setup at Arthur Ashe Stadium for tonight’s Dynamite Grand Slam event.
  • Ahead of Grand Slam, Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland visited with students from The Wrestling Club at KIPP AMP Middle School in Brooklyn. Strickland tweeted: “Thank you Kipp Amp Middle school for allowing my self and @RealKeithLee to come in and have a blast with the Wrestling Club hours before @AEW #GrandSlam! We talked, we laughed, we danced, but above all we hope we inspired! You’ve done more for us than you’ll ever know!”
  • TVInsider asked Toni Storm what she thinks of the state of women’s wrestling in AEW: “It’s a story as old as time. Women’s wrestling struggles to get the same amount of time as the guys. We are put in a different position, but I really do believe we are headed in the right direction. We’ve got a locker room full of really hardworking and talented women that I believe are the future. It’s going to change the entire game. I think we’re going to overcome and get more time and see more emphasis on ourselves. But we’re doing the hard work. I’m very confident in this entire division. I’m proud to be at the top and will do whatever I can to push it where it needs to go. I’m proud of everyone back there. I’m choosing to be positive. I think, little by little, there will be more emphasis on us in AEW. We just need to keep breaking down that door. I also think consistency is what will get us there.”
  • In an interview with Newsday, Taz spoke about AEW moving on after the backstage melee at All Out: “Anything that happened two weeks ago, last week, or last night, that’s in the rearview mirror. And we’re onward and upward. That’s how it’s been, no matter what. The pro wrestling business is a train, and the train is going to keep on rolling.”
  • Rampage’s time slot on ITV4 in the United Kingdom has been moved up for this Friday’s special Grand Slam episode. The episode will air at 9 p.m. GMT.
  • The Ringer has a feature story on Dax Harwood.
  • The New York Daily News has a story on Anthony Bowens.
  • Willie Mack has been announced for MLW’s Fightland tapings in Philadelphia on Sunday, October 30.
  • Ricky Morton turns 66 years old today.