TessaTessa Blanchard appears to be poised to be headed back to TNA.Fightful Select had heard from various talent around the wrestling world on December 12 that believed Tessa Blanchard was en route back to TNA sooner than later. On December 13, Wrestling Observer reported that was the plan.Fightful had spoken to talent in AEW, WWE and TNA Thursday, in disbelief that the company was moving in that direction. The news was kept away from the entire roster as of the time of the details emerging, and even many of the staff who are usually in the know. We're told this was done intentionally, as there was fear of backlash internally. There are some people that remain with the company that have remained friends with Tessa, but one person in the know said that the hope is that there's enough new talent to work with that haven't soured on her. Another source believes Blanchard will be on "best behavior" as this is a major opportunity.We're told that the plan has been in motion for at least the last two weeks, and was the decision of "a top person in Anthem," and they were warned against by others in the company. It is not the work of new Anthem President Carlos Silva, who just joined the company.The plan is to have Tessa Blanchard involved by next month, where she's slated to work against Jordynne Grace and win. We're told that Jordynne Grace had pushed back on working with Blanchard. The current plan is for Blanchard to come into the company as a heel.Tessa Blanchard left TNA in 2020 amid allegations of using racial slurs towards La Rosa Negra and bullying numerous talent across wrestling. We've never heard of a specific apology that was made, but she an La Rosa Negra posed for pictures together in recent years. The situation made her untouchable by WWE, who had interest prior to the allegations. There were a couple of people early on who pushed for her to join AEW in 2019 by some who are no longer with the company, but it was made clear that talent did not want her there at that time.Blanchard eventually joined WOW as the product that was originally planned to become a women's wrestling alternative became a Tessa Blanchard rehabilitation project. That didn't end up lasting long, and Blanchard left and ended up working in Mexico. We're also told that as of 2020, Blanchard was no longer working with the high profile agent she had prior.One source believed TNA was motivated to bring in new talent as they expect to lose Speedball Mike Bailey, Jordynne Grace and Josh Alexander.We've not been told if Blanchard is expected at the shows tonight.Mina ShirakawaMina Shirakawa spoke to Sean Ross Sapp for a new interview promoting NJPW Strong Style Evolved on December 15.Mina joked that she has heard of "live show charisma" but doesn't know what it means and assumed it was good. She didn't realize the dance she did in Japan was Daniel Garcia's, but she showed him and he said the dance belonged to her now.She's very excited to work in NJPW, and it means a lot to her. However, she's signed to Stardom, and isn't under contract in AEW. She doesn't have much longer on her trip to America, but wants to work in America more in the future. She said that cookies and the size of gyms in America are some of her favorite things. She also detailed her visit to Waffle House.Gunn ClubWe’ve not seen the Gunn Club in nearly three months, and now we know why.Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp spoke to numerous sources at WrestleCade and on the AEW roster who confirmed that Austin Gunn had been sidelined with an injury. This led to he and his brother Colten not being used on AEW TV for nearly three months.It’s unknown if anything on Colten’s end led to his particular absence, but those in AEW were at least of the belief that he was cleared as of this week.Gabe KiddFightful’s Sean Ross Sapp spoke with NJPW’s Gabe Kidd for a short interview that went about 20 minutes. Here are the notes from their conversation.Sean asked Gabe how he felt going into his upcoming match against Ryohei Oiwa at NJPW Strong Style Evolved. Gabe says he is feeling great, and this match prepares him against Kenny Omega at Wrestle Dynasty.Sean asked the Bullet Club War Dogs member if he had seen the interview that he did with Kenny Omega. Gabe said he had seen some clips and added that Omega could say what he wanted.Gabe says he had been wrestling the entire year, unlike Omega. He says he is ready to go into the fight. Kidd said, “He can do whatever he wants to prepare for the match, [like] hang out with his little friend Ibushi. He can do whatever he wants. It won’t compare to anything I’m going to bring to that fight.”Gabe was adamant when telling Sean that this would not be a match. It would be a fight. Gabe would add that Omega is a weak man.Sean mentioned Omega’s “Gloryhole in the Wall” quote from Sean’s interview with Kenny last month. Gabe said it was entertaining to him because Omega’s such a nerd. Well, it's not going to be bliss when you're getting slapped up by me, and you realize that you shouldn't have been talking shit.”When asked about his thoughts concerning Kenny Omega, calling him a “giant poop stain on NJPW.” Gabe told Sean that he found that to be funny because ignorance is bliss, butSean asked Gabe’s thoughts on Omega caring about the NJPW and AEW’s working relationship. Gabe told Sean that he didn’t have a single care in the world about the relationship between the two. Gabe said they [AEW] are nerds over there.Kidd would aim to compare the work ethic of some of the people in AEW to NJPW’s grueling demands. Kidd said, “I was on a coach traveling for three, four hours before beating people up and then doing it again the next day,” he explained. Kidd would mention AEW stars like Daniel Garcia and Konosuke Takeshita, challenging them to matches he believes they couldn’t endure.Sean mentioned Will Ospreay signed with AEW, and Triple H made news by suggesting Ospreay was "running from the grind." Kidd took exception to the comment and said, “Your wrestlers are D4 volleyball players, man. Division four, you know, NCAA division four volleyball players like. Shut your mouth, man, about running from the grind.”You can follow Gabe Kidd on X or Instagram at @GabeKidd0115.Steve MaclinFightful’s Sean Ross Sapp begins the interview by mentioning that Steve and his wife, Deonna Purrazzo of AEW, are the two people who have likely been interviewed the most at Fightful.Steve told Sean that he’s been staying busy and had some travel-filled days leading up to the holiday. He was at AEW’s Full Gear PPV in Newark, New Jersey, to support his wife, who wrestled Anna Jay. Steve noted that Deonna performed in front of her hometown crowd.Steve mentioned that he loves going backstage and seeing people he hasn't seen in a while. He says whether it's AEW, TNA, or WWE, the goal is to create the best product for the fans.Sean mentioned that fans are often curious about the dynamics of a “two-promotion household.” Steve addressed this with humor and clarity, explaining that while he and Deonna have worked together in the past, their careers often require balancing separate paths. He mentions how their shared understanding of the wrestling business helps them both.Sean mentions one of Steve’s qualities is his ability to translate his real-life experiences into compelling wrestling storylines. A recent example is the six-and-a-half-minute vignette aired on TNA Impact, which Steve described as his most extensive non-wrestling TV appearance. Steve told Sean that it was inspired by Martin Sheen’s character in Apocalypse Now.Steve said he worked closely with a creative team to bring a gritty, emotionally deep character to life.Steve said the concept was initially pitched two years ago. He said working with Eric Young on the storyline allowed him to explore the complexities of his character, blending personal experiences with dramatic storytelling. Steve said, “To have six and a half minutes of television time, just speaking through mannerisms and expressions, is rare in wrestling.”The former member of the NXT stable, “The Forgotten Sons,” would speak highly of Eric Young by saying he’s been both a mentor and a creative partner.When asked how he balances the demands of a high-profile wrestling career with personal well-being, Steve told Sean the significance of passion and support. Reflecting on advice from his father, he said his Dad told him, “If you find a job that you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”While wrestling involves grueling travel and physical demands, he credits his support system to his family, friends, and colleagues. He says it helps him stay grounded.Steve discusses how performing at live events provides unique freedom compared to televised matches. Wrestlers can experiment, improvise, and prioritize fan enjoyment. Yet, televised wrestling demands precision and an acute focus on advancing storylines and characters.The former TNA World Champion discussed Chris Bey's recent injury. He noted that wrestling comes with risks, which served as a reminder of the physical toll the sport takes. Wrestlers risk their bodies every time they step into the ring; even basic moves can result in injuries. Steve says he approaches every match as if it could be the last.Steve says this is a sport that demands commitment. While the risks are real, so are the rewards for those who dedicate themselves.Reflecting on his recent partnership with Mike Santana, Maclin admired Santana's grit and commitment. Maclin would say, “Mike and I are very similar in how we approach wrestling; gritty but fully committed. Working with him was great, even though we were both trying to step away from tag team wrestling for a while.”The former REVOLVER Champion would talk about his time in REVOLVER, the Independent owned and operated by TNA’s Sami Callihan. Steve says REVOLVER feels like anything but an indie. Maclin praised Callahan’s vision and ability to work with talent.As they wrapped up the interview, Sean asked Steve what’s something fans might not know about him; he revealed his culinary skills. “I’m pretty good at cooking. Chili’s my specialty.”He also shared a story about pitching a storyline involving pancakes versus waffles with Big E during his time in WWE. The match would have involved pancakes and waffles, and the characters would have been between a Waffle House and an IHOP.Steve also mentioned that he is interested in the storyline between Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston. He noted that he tries to keep up with everything in wrestling.You can follow Steve Maclin on X or Instagram at @SteveMaclin.Watch the interview in full: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk-b5JDhtM0.AEW All In TicketingFghtful was in attendance at the AEW All In ticketing on sale eventBryan Danielson and Sting were kept as surprises, but were walking around the media area prior.Sting and Mercedes Mone did not do interviews.Fightful spoke with Tony Khan, Bobby Lashley, Thunder Rosa, Swerve Strickland, Big Boom AJ, Big Justice and others.Contrary to posts elsewhere, there were not "media invites." Fightful reached out to attend.Sting, Bobby Lashley and Thunder Rosa all live in Texas, which made the trip in easy for them.There were a few hundred people in attendance.Thunder Rosa was also filming for her vlog at the event.We're told Starrcast's announcement came together very late, with travel being finalized this weekend.AEW opted to not to comment on the Rey Fenix situation. Sources there stated they couldn't comment on medical-related claims.Tony KhanFightful talked to AEW Founder and President Tony Khan at the AEW All In Texas: Countdown To On Sale event at Global Life Park in Arlington, Texas.Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp begins the interview by asking Tony how he felt about the Countdown event. Tony said, “It was a fun time; the fans were great, and the energy was great from the Texas Wrestling fans.”Tony added, “This is a great venue. It’s going to be a great venue for pro wrestling. I love the wrestling business so much and one of the great things about wrestling is all the different places pro wrestling is permeated.”Tony talked more about the wrestling fans from the Lone Star state. He said the Dallas Metroplex and Arlington fans are great wrestling fans with a great pro wrestling history.Tony tells Sean that he is looking forward to AEW becoming a bigger and bigger part of the community. He mentions they were there for their AEW Collision residency and had a great experience. Tony said choosing Globe Life Field feels like the right call. He added that it is a great venue and knows the fans will bring the energy to All In 2025.Tony tells Sean, “I promise in the months to come, as things crystallize and become more clear about what’s happening in AEW and what the future is for 2025, I promise that AEW is going all in on All In Texas.”Sean asked how they prepared for the simulcast with Max. Tony told Sean,”It’s weeks away and we’re very excited for the first-ever pro wrestling simulcast. From TBS and TNT, AEW every week doesn’t really change the way the fans watch the show, but it’s going to open things up and create possibility for new fans.”He mentions the people do not have any cable and that Max will be a great way to reach them. He added that the fans who have been watching on TBS and TNT for years can still do that for years to come.Tony says it signifies the future of pro wrestling and that wrestling is always on the forefront of entertainment, whether it’s broadcast TV, cable TV, satellite, closed-circuit, pay-per-view, or pay-per-view.Tony believes streaming is the future of all entertainment and says AEW must have a foothold.Sean mentions AEW’s new strategy of hitting new markets and changing its live event strategy. Tony says, “It’s really exciting; we’ve had a great history in AEW of running all over North America and the US in these great venues. Across America, we’ve found a lot of great places for AEW. One of my favorite places for AEW is pretty close to here, Austin, Texas. We’ve had great experiences there in Cedar Park.” Tony added that some of his favorite shows were in the company's first year. After the pandemic, Tony said they went back there again and had a great night. Every time we go there, the fans bring energy to it, and it’s a great venue.He mentioned that they had an excellent crowd for Collision at GalaxyCon. Tony said the GalaxyCon executives were at the show, and they loved it.Sean mentioned that Forbidden Door was going across the pond to London. Tony said he was very excited about it. Tony said they had great experiences with the show in Toronto, Chicago, and New York. Tony added that Wembley Stadium has been a great home to them.In closing, Tony talked about his discussions and negotiating with Warner-Bros. Discovery. He said it was interesting for him as a sports executive because it was different for him in this case.Tony mentions that he’s been in many negotiations in football and pro wrestling, but knowing what it was like being in the player’s seat was great.Tony told Sean he has a great relationship and rapport with them and believes it helped AEW. Tony added that David Zaslav (CEO of Warner-Bros. Discovery) told him he believes in AEW. Tony says having the boss of Warner Brothers Discovery in AEW’s corner and the wrestling fans' corner is good. Tony said he was at the Olympics with Zaslav in Paris, and they were talking about AEW, which is on the biggest stage in international sports with top executives.See the full interview at 2 PM ET: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMhLzp8JrBMFenixThe Rey Fenix and AEW saga continues.Fenix posted a number of tweets seemingly aimed at AEW without naming them directly, claiming that he was treated inhumanely and denied a doctor when he needed one. Fightful asked for comment or statement from AEW both via message and in person at Monday's on-sale ticketing event. We were told that they weren't going to comment on the matter, with an additional source indicating that they couldn't comment on medical claims regardless.Fightful has spoken to numerous sources in AEW who were surprised by Fenix's tweets, even though the two sides are on the outs. One source admitted there have long been communication issues, but hadn't heard anything that would be construed as "inhumane," and hadn't spoken to Fenix about it. They had heard that Fenix took issue with a doctor who hadn't cleared him at one point, though context on that wasn't exactly complete. We're still trying to find out any additional details on issues Fenix took with AEW. We did reach out to both he and AEW, and haven't heard back.Another AEW source who claimed to be familiar with the matter said that the claims were untrue and that they thought word of AEW "not being upset by the fake WWE news" was someone trying to "babyface themselves" in the situation, as AEW had been upset about word that Lucha Bros had talks with WWE with plenty of time remaining on their deals.Penta is now a free agent and able to work anywhere he pleases, while Rey Fenix's deal had injury time added to it that takes him well into 2025. It should be reiterated that WWE has never commented in any capacity on the duo, but the widespread belief was that they were planned for a WWE run, bypassing NXT. Contrary to recent reports, AEW did learn about those alleged talks back in the summer around the time Fightful reported about them, and were obviously not happy. They would later find out more information on the matter.Penta is in heavy demand outside of AEW, we're told. Fenix, despite being under AEW contract, is also obviously heavy in demand. We've been working to find out if Fenix an AEW were in touch to approve his upcoming HOG appearance and are trying to learn more.Penta and Fenix both were factored significantly into creative plans throughout the year. They, along with PAC were originally planned to win the AEW Trios Championships at All In before the aforementioned rumored talks with WWE took place. While Fenix was injured, PAC and Penta were also at one time planned for a deep run in the AEW World Tag Team Title tournament after Sting retired.As of now, Fenix's status is up in the air, and there were people within AEW that indicated to Fightful last week that AEW and Tony Khan might actually give Fenix an early release on his deal. However, since then, we've heard of no update, and one of the sources that indicated that believed almost any outcome sets an unfortunate precedent.SNME Saturday Night's Main Event close created some buzz, but also helped out WWE on TV this week as well, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful has learned.WWE talent are about to head off on their holiday break following WWE Raw, which led to the company doing a double taping of Smackdown this past week. This created a natural conflict, as Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes couldn't film anything in front of the crowd to give away the result of their match that would happen the next night.We're told the post-show attack from Kevin Owens was done to help bridge the gap next week. The Smackdown crowd got to see Cody Rhodes and Owens in front of the live audience, so getting creative with their segments for next week's show doesn't leave the audience out in the cold. As of this weekend, the plan was to air the attack on Smackdown, and have Kevin Owens in a backstage segment. Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan has learned the following details from inside WWE this week. PWInsider reported that Liv Morgan did not suffer a broken nose at Saturday Night’s Main Event. We were told that the belief immediately following the match was that a piercing was the cause of the blood Morgan drew following IYO Sky’s brutal knee.A spot during Trick Williams and Ridge Holland at NXT Deadline that was said to draw memories of Big E’s neck injury was toned down significantly between rehearsals and the match occurring on the show.Debbie Keitel finished up with Fight Factory in Ireland on December 7th, and is expected to make an announcement on her future soon. Several Fight Factory talent we spoke to put over Keitel, with those we spoke to being upset to see her go.Contrary to social media panic on December 13th, Oro Mensah has not been released by WWE. We have not heard of Keanu Carver exiting the company either as of this writing.Gunther received a lot of praise backstage for saving the ending spot of the triple threat world title match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.On December 17th, NXT will be heading to Boston for a live taping of the brand in Lowell, however this will not be the final taping date for the brand.Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan has learned that the brand will host its final taping of 2024 on Thursday, December 19th. It is believed that the final taping will take place from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.The brand will tape content not only for the Christmas edition of NXT, but also for the New Year's edition, allowing talent to spend the holidays with their family. On December 13th, WWE taped a second episode of Friday Night SmackDown, which is set to air on December 20th.WWE RawFightful will have be covering the WWE MSG show, as well as WWE Royal Rumble live.Sean Ross Sapp and Andrew Baydala will be hosting the WWE SNME post-show this week.SRS will give a brief Raw review on the delayed Fightful Report Podcast, which is likely to drop tonight. We'll have notes from the AEW media event on Wednesday.Ben Saccoccio wrote the New Day promoAlexandra Williams wrote the Seth Rollins promoChad Barbash and Bryan Yand wrote the Gunther promoThere was a lot of buzz internally about the first Netflix episode being a big one.WWE Raw Producers For This Week:WWE Main Event: Otis vs. Pete Dunne: Adam PearceWWE Main Event: Unholy Union vs. Kayden & Katana: Kenny DykstraMain Event: Dragon Lee vs. Ludwig Kaiser: Shawn DaivariGunther Promo: AbyssWyatt Sicks vs. Final Testament: Michael Hayes & Bobby RoodeDakota Kai vs. Liv Morgan: Petey WilliamsSeth Rollins promo: AbyssLyra Valkyria vs. Zelina vs. Ivy Nile: Shawn Daviari & Kenny DykstraRhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez: Jason JordanDark: Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa: Jason JordanSNME PRODUCERSSami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre: AbyssWomen's Title: Liv Morgan vs. IYO SKY: Petey WilliamsWorld Title: Damian Priest vs. Gunther vs. Finn Balor: Jamie Noble & Adam PearceUS Title: Michin vs. Chelsea Green: Shane Helms & TJ WilsonWWE Title: Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens: Michael Hayes & Bobby RoodeDark: MCMG vs. Street Profits: Nick AldisEuropean NewsWe have heard of multiple OTT talent pushing to wrestle multiple times at their Loco Rumble show. There are also some surprise names who are open to appearances during the match.Due to issues surrounding its distribution in the UK, the Extreme Channel is currently working on a new time slot to air Burning Heart’s Wolverhampton eventWe are told that wrestling in PROGRESS during her retirement tour was ‘incredibly important’ to Meiko Satomura.In France, MBM and Sombra are set to leave Europe starting January. BZW will host a show the day before Raw in Brussels next year.RCW Spain’s next event is said to feature a major surprise ‘that wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago’.Aonghus McAnally Interview NotesFightful’s Corey Brennan recently sat down with Irish announcer Aonghus McAnally for a recent interview about all things Irish wrestling. You can check out early notes from the interview below.Corey kicked off the interview by asking Aonghus about how he came to do announcing with OTT, explaining that he pitched the idea to Joe Carbray with two matches that he did commentary over along with Don Marnell. This would pick up quickly, with Aonghus going on to become the voice of Irish wrestling. Aonghas also shared a story of his last full time match in the ring where Finn Balor left a handprint on his chest. Speaking more on Joe, Aonghus praised him as a leader, and discussed how a lot of people would take a bullet for him in OTT.Aonghus spoke about the boom in Irish wrestling, pointing out the difference between now and 20 years ago as more Irish stars are in top promotions such as WWE. Aonghus also spoke about his commentary partnership with Simon Hill, comparing it to ballroom dancing and conceding that he feels like he plays the role of a commentator as an actor. On kicking off each OTT show, he noted that he doesn’t intend to get himself over, and just looks to get the crowd hyped up, despite having a catchphrase or two.Corey would then ask about several big moments so far this year in OTT, with Aonghus praising B Cool’s natural charisma shining through at ScrapperMania, and calling OTT’s Tenth Anniversary an easy night due to the returning JD McDonagh and Finn Balor. Aonghus also spoke about the difficulty of managing a live injury on the broadcast with Session Moth Martina’s injury at the same event.When asked about possibly getting back in the ring, Aonghus lamented that he would get back in the ring for a Loco Rumble spot, but doesn’t see himself wrestling a full match. Aonghus also predicted that Jay would go wire to wire in the 2025 edition of the match.To close out the interview, Aonghus spoke about the upcoming OTT Christmas shows in Dublin and Belfast that will feature Debbie Keitel vs Lyra Valkyria. Earlier in the interview, Aonghus had spoken about being intertwined with The Woke Queens’ early work in OTT.Welcome to Select Answers, a short feature that provides some of the answers to questions that were posed to Sean Ross Sapp in the most recent Fightful Weekly Q&A Podcast. The show drops every week on Fightful Select for subscribers.***What’s your favorite Danny McBride movie/tv show?I'm a big fan of his, but I'd actually say The Foot Fist Way, which is an early film of his. He plays the role of every karate instructor you've ever seen perfectly. Hot Rod is also a classic.Is there any new updates about AEW Shockwave as we are less than a month away from 2025?There have been ongoing talks and they're shopping the show around, but right now it's technically a hypothetical. They were in talks with Fox, and Fox was interested in bringing on wrestling content.Have you heard about any creative plans for Kenny for when he returns to AEW?The plan had long been for him to enter a program with Okada, but I'm not sure how that has changed or adjusted since the Death Riders angle started. I still think we see him this year.Should AEW pipe in crowd noises? Sometimes on weekly television, I can hear individual coughs and that don’t translate well to live TV.Yes. Every wrestling should at least to the level WWE has the last few years in one area. WWE lays a blanket "crowd sound" over their broadcast so it never sounds dead silent. It goes a long way in presentation. This would work well for TNA and AEW.Do you believe we’ll ever see Keith Lee wrestle again for AEW?Yes, I do. He's not cleared and hasn't been for about the last year.Hi Sean, what in your opinion is the biggest “what if” in wrestling from the pastMonty Brown in two different cases. Not winning the NWA Worlds Title while in TNA was an all-time gaffe, and they should have paid whatever it took to keep him. WWE should not have sent him to ECW, they should have made him an immediate top player.How is Shayna Baszler viewed by WWE it seems like after mania 35 vs Becky Shayna has been in tag teams never a major player in the singles divisionUniversally beloved and respected. She's considered easy to work with, and is liked by everyone. I've never heard anything remotely negative about her.So what’s the deal with Cardona in ROH? Is he this a possible way to try and mend fences with GCW or something else?As of when it was announced, it was just an indie wrestler taking a date. He's not signed to GCW, and AEW doesn't need their permission to use him. What’s your Chickfila order?A chicken sandwich and some waffle fries, cause I ain't got no moneyA Dr. Pepper, bitch.Or just an 8 piece and waffle friesUnforgiveable.Is SNME going to be the length of a PLE? NBC’s TV listings has it from 8-11:30 ET.It's slated for two hours on my local listings.When the Bengals miss the playoffs again who do you want to coach them next season?I'm okay with Zac Taylor getting one more shot as head coach. His offensive play calling has been exceptional this season. However, he never has the team prepared for the opening weeks and it digs a hole.Any other plans beyond Hammerstein for AEW to run small venues? Collision in a small venue just continues to be a home run and I wish they’d find a way to do it weekly.I don't know about small venues, but smaller venues, yes. They've announced a whole bunch of shows at mid-size venues that are replacing NBA sized arenas.Who do you think could be Carmelo Hayes mystery opponentI would like for it to be Penta, but people internally claimed it was Braun Strowman.
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