Here's your fight size update from Monday, August 16, 2021:
- Ric Flair was trending for 72 hours after appearing at TripleMania and on social media, the WWE Hall of Famer says that's because he is "over for life."
How Do You Trend On Twitter When You’re 72? You Wake Up In The Morning Being Ric Flair And Hang With The Great @AndradeElIdolo! It’s Called Being OVER For Life! WOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/D4nJH3Ipx2
— Ric Flair (@RicFlairNatrBoy) August 16, 2021
- Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Bill Goldberg opened up about the most recent comeback being physically grueling for him and a reminder of his age.
“Whether I’m 25, 35, or 105, I’m still Goldberg,” he says. “My mentality allows me to still get in the ring and entertain the people to an extent that I don’t tarnish anything or everything that I’ve done. Those are considerations you need to make when you come back. I don’t need to come back, I don’t have to. I’m here because I want to be here. Mentally, I know I can do it. Physically, it’s a little harder. But given enough time, I still can do it.”
“It’s an understatement of what goes into keeping your look,” Goldberg says. “It sucks. But show me another 54-year-old guy doing this that’s as believable. I have accepted age and the realities of Father Time, and I’m not trying to be cocky, but I still believe 75% of me is better than 99% of the people on the planet, physically and athletically. If anybody can do it, I think it’s me.”
- Major League Wrestling issued the following statement noting that they're monitoring the COVID situation in Dallas, Texas:
Delta Variant being closely monitored
League officials are closely monitoring the uptick in COVID cases in the wake of the Delta variant’s surge in the United States.
“In Texas the molecular positivity rate hit 18.07% on Thursday,” said league physician Dr. Sweglar. “That’s highly concerning to me.”
The last time the positivity index was that high was in January as the second wave began to decline.
With MLW’s next event set for Texas in just a few weeks, league officials are watching the infection and hospitalization numbers on a daily basis.
“Ultimately our COVID Compliance Officer will sit down with us and determine what’s in the best interest of our fans, the talent, the staff, crew and community,” said MLW CEO Court Bauer. “This virus isn’t something you roll the dice on and hope for the best. Our policy since March of last year is to oper
- Here are this week's WWE Network premieres:
This Week’s Schedule
** = available on the Free Version of WWE NetworkMonday, August 16
Eight episodes of Superstars
Raw Talk** – 11:05 p.m. ETTuesday, August 17
The Best of WWE: Best of SummerSlam in the 2010s**Wednesday, August 18
Monday Night Raw (7/19/21)**
WWE’s The Bump: Goldberg** – 10 a.m. ET
WWE NXT (8/17/21)Thursday, August 19
NXT UK
This Week in WWEFriday, August 20
205 Live – 10 p.m. ETSaturday, August 21
WWE Main Event (7/29/21)
Talking Smack**
ICW Fight Club 185
wXw We Love Wrestling 14
La Previa: SummerSlam**
The Ultimate Show: SummerSlam**
WWE 24: WrestleMania 37 Night One
WWE’s The Bump** – 3 p.m. ET
SummerSlam 2021 Kickoff** – 7 p.m. ET
SummerSlam 2021 – 8 p.m. ETSunday, August 22
Friday Night SmackDown (7/23/21)**
WWE 24: WrestleMania 37 Night Two
NXT TakeOver 36 Pre-Show** – 7:30 p.m. ET
NXT TakeOver 36 – 8 p.m. ET
- WrestleDeck, the new mobile card game, has announced yet another roster member:
We are proud to announce the next card in our game.
— WrestleDeck (@WrestleDeck) August 16, 2021
Officially signed to #WrestleDeck is "Joey Silver" @joey_silver
Last week Silver was on #AEWDark, this week he's announced in WrestleDeck!!
Follow us for more announcements. #AEW #AEWDark #IndyGameDev #Wrestling pic.twitter.com/sWUoT9JsbW
- Instagram has revealed custom Roman Reigns and John Cena filters ahead of SummerSlam this Saturday:
Roman Reigns or John Cena? The ultimate SummerSlam debate has now taken over Instagram with an all-new custom filter to help the WWE Universe pick sides.
Fans can access the all-new filter on the WWE Instagram page and show off which Superstar they’ll be backing in the Universal Title showdown. Last week, the blockbuster SummerSlam encounter took over Twitter with custom emojis for fans to pick sides in the battle of #TeamRoman and #TeamCena.
So rep your pick on all your social handles and get set for SummerSlam – your summer vacation destination – on Saturday, Aug. 21, streaming at 8 ET/5 PT exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else.
- All Elite Wrestling is hyping the fact that this Wednesday, Sting will wrestle for the first time on TNT in 20 years:
“The Icon” Sting to Wrestle on TNT for the First Time in 20 Years
-- This Wednesday’s “AEW: Dynamite” features Sting and Darby Allin in a Texas Tornado Tag Match against the surging team of 2.0--
August 16, 2021 – Twenty years and five months after defeating Ric Flair in the final “Night of Champions” episode of WCW Monday Nitro on TNT, “The Icon” Sting will once again wrestle on TNT this Wednesday in an all-new episode of “AEW: Dynamite,” live from the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever, Sting, along with his protégé Darby Allin, will take on the surging team of Matt Lee and Jeff Parker, better known as 2point0. This marks Sting’s first official match on TNT after a two-decade absence. Sting and Allin boast a perfect 2-0 record from their PPV victories over Brian Cage and Ricky Starks at “Revolution,” and Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky at “Double or Nothing.”
“My relationship with TNT goes back more than 25 years, so having the opportunity to wrestle on the network that housed some of my most important moments is pretty surreal,” said Sting. “The return of crowds has already been electric enough over the past month and a half, but there’s going to be an extra surge of adrenaline in Houston knowing that we’re live on TNT on Wednesday night.”
“When we first launched AEW, I was ecstatic to bring professional wrestling back to TNT after such a long absence,” said Tony Khan, AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative. “So many wrestling fans, myself included, watched Sting defeat the legendary Ric Flair 20 years ago in that last match on TNT, and now it's such a thrill that Sting will finally return to the ring on Wednesday Night Dynamite to team with Darby Allin against 2point0 in a Texas Tornado Tag Team Match. This historic match on Wednesday in Houston is just another example of AEW’s commitment to bring wrestling fans the great moments that they deserve.”
“I was much younger when Sting last wrestled on TNT, and now that I’m grown man, I’m excited to be a part of bringing the icon back to the network that made him famous. That young fan inside of me of Sting from twenty years ago, has only grown in admiration…kick those young whippersnappers’ asses,” said Sam Linsky, Associate General Manager, SVP, Programming and Operations, TBS, TNT and truTV.
Coming off a red-hot debut episode of “AEW: Rampage” last Friday that featured Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. retaining her AEW Women’s World Championship against Red Velvet in the main event match, this week’s “AEW: Dynamite” promises another stacked card. AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks will defend their titles against Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus of Jurassic Express, MJF and Chris Jericho will finally face off after Jericho conquered all four of MJF’s “Labors of Jericho,” and Sammy Guevara takes on Shawn Spears in a continuation of the boiling feud between The Pinnacle and The Inner Circle.
Tickets for “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Rampage” are available at aewtix.com. Fans can also watch “AEW: Rampage” every Friday on TNT at 10 p.m. ET and catch “AEW: Dynamite” every Wednesday on TNT at 8 p.m. ET., and on-demand on the TNT app.
About TNT
TNT, a WarnerMedia brand, is watched by more people than any other cable network and known for big, lean-forward television that gives viewers the best seat in the house for electrifying stories, dynamic characters and thrilling events. TNT is home to some of television's most popular original series including “Snowpiercer,” “Animal Kingdom,” and “Claws.” TNT is expanding its programming to include premium unscripted with the docuseries “Shaq Life.” TNT also presents primetime specials and sports coverage, including the NBA and NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championships and the professional wrestling league All Elite Wrestling (AEW), which has exploded onto the scene with “AEW: Dynamite.” Website:tntdrama.com
About All Elite Wrestling
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan, AEW is a new professional wrestling league headlined by Cody and Brandi Rhodes, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), Chris Jericho, Sting, Hangman Page, MJF, Miro, Darby Allin, Hikaru Shida, Dr. Britt Baker and Jon Moxley.
For the first time in many years, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a roster of world-class talent that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry.
“AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT and attracts the youngest wrestling audience on television. The new fight-forward show “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 p.m. ET. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “AEW Dark” and “AEW Dark: Elevation,” two weekly professional wrestling YouTube series, “Being the Elite,” a weekly behind the-scenes YouTube series, and “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AllEliteWrestling; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AllEliteWrestling.
- Nikki A.S.H. finally has merchandise on WWEShop.
-Today, WWE stock closed at 49.78 per share.
- Make sure you are subscribed to Fightful Select. A subscription grants you early access to interviews, Q&A opportunities, early looks at breaking news, and more. Also, make sure to check us out on YouTube and Twitch.
- Here is everything you need to know before tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw:
.@RandyOrton will take on @TheGiantOmos, @fightbobby and @Goldberg meet face-to-face, and @DMcIntyreWWE will battle both Veer & Sanky.
— WWE (@WWE) August 16, 2021
Here’s your preview for tonight’s #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/uADOP7qZqC
