AEW Six Man Tag Team Championships
The depth of AEW's tag team division has many fans questioning whether or not the company should institute six-man tag team titles. However, FTR tell me that they don't want that right now, as they'd consider it trying tot run before they could walk. They weren't opposed to it once the division becomes established down the line.
FTR mentioned Chris Jericho as a name they'd love to have in their six-man, but noted that he is already doing his own thing. Of those that aren't in a stable, they both mentioned MJF as matching up with them from a mental and philosophy standpoint, and they've gotten along well backstage.
FTR
Even though FTR have signed with AEW, they've told me in a recent interview that they have more that they want to accomplish, and they have pretty clear goals. However, after their negotiation with AEW a few days after their release, they knew it's where they wanted to go.
FTR confirmed that WWE was planning on extending Dax's contract through September because of an old injury. The only way they were able to get out of their contracts immediately was to sign over trademarks that they claim they spent $10,000 on. They opted to take the immediate release, but it wasn't as smooth of a decision as WWE tried to make it look.
NJPW
Carlos Toro interviewed Rocky Romero, who noted that their post-Smackdown timeslot on Fridays was not an accident. He mentioned that not only was it after Smackdown for United States viewers, but it's an early timeslot that can capture Japanese viewers as well.
Politics
Speaking of FTR in WWE, FTR said tons of people pitched to work with them in WWE. Beyond Randy Orton as we'd reported, Roman Reigns, The Usos, Bray Wyatt, New Day and Shane McMahon all pitched according to the team. Roman Reigns specifically was said to have went to Vince McMahon and wanted to do it.
FTR credited Randy Orton for being the only reason FTRKO lasted as long as it did, and said once they saw his push for them wasn't going to work it was the nail in the coffin and a final deciding factor for them to leave WWE.
Some of the pitches came with positives and negatives, as they would be pulled from a hot feud
WWE Talent Casting Call
WWE sent a talent casting call out for females to several talent agencies in July. We weren't told if the casting call was for extras, wrestlers, or personalities, but WWE has resumed signing talent after the releases. The irony of the casting call was, it ended up getting sent to multiple women who had left WWE in the past few years because they're represented by the agencies. There's a good chance the call was for the "cage girls" for the Raw Underground stuff.
WWE Resuming Training
In regards to WWE resuming training for their Performance Center, Fightful has learned some more information.
Wrestlers began to learn things in bits and pieces on July 31, with coaches telling wrestlers they'd be heading to a new facility, which we now know is a warehouse really close to the WWE Performance Center. We're told that some of the coaches were frustrated that the trainees were getting paid in full to not train, and that some of them were opting out of the audience tapings as well.
In the mean time, WWE has had skull sessions and tape study, as well as a recent "Promolympics," headed up by Ryan Katz. This saw wrestlers submit their own promos and pitches.
NXT Smackdown
Originally, both Danny Burch and Killian Dain were set to appear on next week's episode of Smackdown, in conjunction with a storyline with Baron Corbin. However, they were pulled from the show and replaced by Sheamus.
Raw Underground
As of 1 AM EST last Monday, WWE were still filming content for WWE Raw Underground. We're told that there were other hosts besides Shane McMahon suggested, and the "Underground" name had been thrown around for other projects in the past years. Much of the main roster had no idea what was even being filmed the day of.
WWE's social media team also jumped the gun on last week's "faction news," after word of the new team leaked on Pro Wrestling Sheet.
Air Paris
I spoke to Air Paris for a great interview. He said that originally he was on a per-appearance deal for about his first year in WCW, and only missed a few shows. Paris said that WCW was paying them $500 per show plus accommodations for just doing security and extra spots. Terry Taylor and Shane Helms were integral in bringing them into the company. They weren't given any big plans or pitches for the tag team division, but actually rejected their first contract offers. Paris said that he and Styles likely would have been the lowest-paid WCW wrestlers on contract of all-time had they accepted it, so they sent the contracts to Bill Behrens, who worked in more money, and it was accepted. Even though the deals were long-term, there was a 90-day out clause that was exercised when WWE came along and bought the company. He worked a couple indy dates before that clause was even up.
Paris takes responsibility for not continuing to wrestle full time after WCW, saying that he'd already worked his entire teenage life to get there and felt deflated. AJ Styles, who he still is on good terms with today, encouraged them to keep teaming, but he didn't have the heart to keep doing it. There were a couple of feelers from TNA that had reached out to Paris at times, including Jeremy Borash, but he didn't end up coming in. Today, Paris is a family man, and often takes his daughters to shows. A few years ago at a WWE one, Styles brought one into the ring to celebrate with him and the WWE Title at a house show. Paris was also backstage at an IMPACT Wrestling Show recently.
Chris Sabin
I spoke to Chris Sabin, who clarified to me that he came back to IMPACT Wrestling because he was familiar with the company and felt at home, but was happy and more at ease that a different regime was there compared to the last time that he was in the company. He actually had a conversation with Eric Young at the last set of tapings that it felt like they didn't miss a beat.
Sabin liked the idea of the TNA Retro show, and hopes that they can still do it. He wasn't physically ready for an in-ring return at that point, and was actually only going to have a special guest referee role there.
His deal with IMPACT Wrestling is a bit of a dual contract, as he also serves as a producer for the brand. He also has a talent contract, and is in fact signed.
Outdoor venue
WWE is still hoping to do an outdoor venue for Summerslam.
As rumored, WWE is looking at places to possibly run in the New York area, and even on the coast of Florida -- at least according to what officials told talent when they asked. Talent we've spoken to aren't generally being told of the plans or attempts unless they press the matter. As of last week, several in production had heard "no discussion" of the rumors and learned about them online.
WWE have had an itch to promote an outdoor or live fan show for months. In June there were plans for July, that eventually got scrapped.
IMPACT Stipulation
Fightful has learned that in addition to Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace being set for the Emergence IMPACT special event, that a stipulation of a 30-minute Iron Woman match will be added to the match. The final booking decision was revealed to the roster the day of, meaning they had to prepare for that match in less than a day.