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It's that time of the week again when we do a recap of all the noteworthy stories of the week from the vigorous world of pro wrestling.
It was an unusually stacked week as AEW's Fight for the Fallen, WWE's Extreme Rules, Evolve's 10th Anniversary show and the ongoing G1 Climax made sure that that the fans got more than their fair share of wrestling. And then you had Raw and SmackDown Live that added to the overdose.
While the aforementioned events did change the landscape of professional wrestling to a certain degree, many other movers and shakers made the news for a variety of reasons. Let's get right down to business then; here are the top ten news stories of the week:
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#1. Jeff Hardy arrested
The Charismatic Engima and intoxication just don't go hand in hand. Jeff Hardy had another run-in with law enforcement agencies earlier this week when he was arrested for being drunk in public at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as per TMZ.
Police documents released in the aftermath of the event revealed that Hardy was passed out in the stairwell when he was apprehended by the cops. He unsurprisingly reeked of alcohol and paid a $200 bond to get released. He even admitted that he was high on Vodka.
The case stands closed as of this writing as Hardy cleared off the $153 ticket that comes with public intoxication.
The WWE addressed the situation and released the following statement regarding his arrest:
"Jeff Hardy is responsible for his own personal actions."
Hardy posted the following post on Instagram after his arrest and thanked Myrtle Beach in the caption. Jeff Hardy is currently nursing a knee injury that is expected to keep him out of action for another six months. He underwent surgery and could return sooner than expected. He isn't the only Superstar dealing with a knee injury though...
#2. Muhammad Hassan becomes a Junior high principal
WWE fans talk about 'Baron Corbin' heat these days. They probably forget about the Muhammad Hassan heat from back in the early 2000s. One of the most controversial characters on WWE TV, Muhammad Hassan was taken off TV after WWE booked an unwanted terrorist angle during his feud with the Undertaker in 2005.
He was originally slated to beat Batista in August 2005 to become the youngest World Heavyweight Champion, however, negative press coverage over the terrorist angle led to his release in September 2005.
He subsequently announced his retirement from wrestling that year. He did wrestle a match in 2018 after 13 years but has mainly focused on his work with Fulton Junior High School since 2015.
He has now been named the principal of the school. Hassan, real name Marc Copani, commented on his new role, "From my vantage point, I’ve been able to see what many of our young men and women are lacking as they enter ninth grade. I’m eager to get started with my faculty and staff so we can work together to prepare junior high students for the transition to the high school, which ultimately will help prepare students for life after school.” H/t Comicbook
#3. Raw Reunion
As announced by the WWE at Extreme Rules, next week's episode of Raw will take place at the Amalie Arena in Tampa on July 22nd. And it's not your typical rinse-and-repeat episode of Monday Night Raw. The upcoming show is being billed as the 'Raw Reunion Special', which will see many legendary superstars in attendance.
Here's the current confirmed line-up for the incredibly stacked show:
- Christian
- Ric Flair
- Hulk Hogan
- Booker T
- Road Dogg
- Sean Waltman
- Steve Austin
- Hurricane Helms
- Eric Bischoff
- Mark Henry
- Jerry Lawler
- Ted DiBiase Sr.
- Mick Foley
- Jimmy Hart
- The Godfather
- Kevin Nash
- Scott Hall
- Sid Vicious
- The Boogeyman
- Shawn Michaels
- D-Von Dudley
- Jerry Lawler
- Kelly Kelly
- Kurt Angle
- Rikishi
- Ron Simmons
- Santino Marella
- Sgt. Slaughter
- Triple H
- Melina
- Candice Michelle
- Sting
Jim Ross is one of the notable names who will not be appearing at the show as he turned down the offer owing to his commitments to AEW. Bubba Ray Dudley is another legend who has given the event a pass.
#4. SummerSlam Card updates
The buildup towards SummerSlam began at Extreme Rules itself with a host of outcomes planting the seeds for various feuds that are set to feature at the biggest match card of the summer.
Three title matches have been confirmed as of this writing:
- Brock Lesnar (C) vs. Seth Rollins (WWE Universal Championship)
- Becky Lynch (C) vs. Natalya (WWE Raw Women's Championship)
- Bayley (C) vs. Ember Moon (WWE SmackDown Women's Championship)
Here are the other rumored matches that are expected to be added to the SummerSlam card in the coming weeks:
- AJ Styles (C) vs. Ricochet (US Championship Match)
- Drew McIntyre vs. The Undertaker
- Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ali (Intercontinental championship)
- The IIconics vs. The Kabuki Warriors (WWE Women's Tag Team Championship)
- Kofi Kingston (C) vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship)
- Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon
- The New Day (C) vs. Heavy Machinery/ Samoa Joe & Elias (or both) (WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship)
- The Revival vs. The Usos (WWE Raw Tag Team Championship)
#5. Harley Race Hospitalized
In a saddening update on the health of the legendary Harley Race, the WWE Hall of Famer was shifted to a medical facility in Knoxville. It's been a known fact that the 8-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion has been suffering from lung cancer.
He was scheduled to be present at the Knoxville Fanboy Expo, however, Race experienced some medical complications en route to the venue. He was immediately hospitalized on Thursday night and has been kept under medical observation since then.
Race's promotion, World League Wrestling, put out a statement on Instagram regarding his current status:
Harley Race is as tough as they come. The legend and his family and friends need our prayers during these testing times.
#6. The injury bug strikes AEW
All Elite Wrestling's Fight for the Fallen may not have reached the heights of Double or Nothing but it was still a solid event filled with many entertaining matches.
The show garnered favourable reactions with Kenny Omega's 23-minute contest against Cima being universally adjudged as the match of the night. While it was a great 'charity event', AEW were dealt with a few unfortunate injury blows.
Britt Baker suffered a concussion during her tag team match which happened as a result of a kick from Bea Priestley. The concussion was said to be serious. Baker seems to be doing much better now if her recent Twitter activity is taken into account.
The other superstar who suffered an injury at Fight for the Fallen was MJF. Maxwell Jacob Friedman is one of the hottest heels in all of pro wrestling at the moment and he gave us another example of his natural talent at Fight for the Fallen.
MJF's night ended with an elbow injury which forced him to miss the next day's show. In an update, the injury is a minor one and he is already back to doing his thing inside the ring.
#7. Chris Jericho cuts his first unscripted promo in 20 years
Chris Jericho is inarguably enjoying the best phase of his career. Despite winning countless accolades in the WWE, Y2J is relishing the freedom afforded to him by All Elite Wrestling.
Jericho showed up at Fight for the Fallen and unleashed a vicious beatdown on Adam Page, the man he is scheduled to face at AEW All Out for the AEW World Championship. The former WWE Champion cut a promo after the attack, which was later revealed to be his first unscripted promo in 20 long years.
During the post-media scrum, Jericho opened up about his Fight for Fallen promo and revealed a few surprising details regarding the same:
"Tonight, I said this to Dean Malenko, is the first time in 20 years that I've ever done a promo with no script, no approval of what I'm going to say and really no idea of what I'm going to say. Just knowing I have a point and some directions that I may or may not want to go.
"When Hangman [Page] got busted open that changed the entire design of the promo, and it was very liberating. 'How good are you, Chris Jericho? Can you go out there live without a net and no pre-prepared memorized script and captivate an audience?' And I think it worked out very well. Of course, I can do it, but we never, ever get that chance to do it in the WWE." H/t: ComicBook
As stated by Jericho, if you want creative freedom then AEW is the place to be.
#8. CM Punk takes a shot at Shane McMahon during Extreme Rules
The Cult of Personality may have sworn to never return to pro wrestling, but the man just can't keep mum when the opportunity to take a jab at the WWE comes up.
Former UFC PR head Dave Sholler was present at Extreme Rules and he shared a photo of The Undertaker and Roman Reigns standing on top of a beaten-down Shane McMahon.
CM Punk replied to the tweet with the cheeky comment mentioned above.
Shane McMahon currently calls himself the 'Best in the World', a moniker that was synonymous with CM Punk. We get why Punk isn't a big fan of this high-profile fan who continues to put his body on the line for no apparent reason.
#9. Braun Strowman signs a new WWE contract
One of the biggest news stories of the week involved the big man of the WWE, Braun Strowman. The Monster Among Men announced on Instagram that he has signed a new 4-year deal with the company.
It's been a topsy-turvy career trajectory for BrauStrowman. Despite being one of the most popular superstars on the roster, Strowman has never been anointed as the top face of the company. However, things could change for good as Paul Heyman has assumed the role of an Executive Director of Raw and he intends on rebuilding Strowman as the monster.
Strowman is equally excited to become the best 'big man' in WWE history.
#10. Mickie James undergoes sugery; out of action until 2020
Mickie James successfully went under the knife to fix an ACL injury and could be out of action until early 2020. The 5-time WWE Women's Champion took to Twitter to express her gratitude towards all her well-wishers and stated that 'if she comes back', she'll be back bionic.
Mickie James' husband, current NWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis shared an update on his wife's surgery as well.
James last competed at WrestleMania 35 and will not be seen for quite some time. We wish the 39-year-old a speedy recovery and hope for a bionic return in the near future.
