NXT Beats AEW in Tuesday Night War

The Tuesday Night War has ended, and we have a winner. NXT beat AEW Dynamite head-to-head in the ratings.

NXT averaged 921,000 overall viewers on USA, with AEW Dynamite averaging 609,000 viewers on TBS.

It was NXT’s highest rating since September 2019 and Dynamite’s lowest-rated episode since June 2021.

NXT drew a 0.30 rating in the 18-49 demo, with AEW drawing 0.26 in the demo.

AEW was forced to move Dynamite from its regular Wednesday spot due to the MLB playoffs and went straight up against NXT in their usual Tuesday time slot.

Things got interesting throughout the week as both promotions started promoting their shows.

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Well, They Officially Zigglered Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura lost to Seth Rollins in a last man standing match at WWE Fastlane on Saturday. It was another bid for the world heavyweight championship, and once again, the title eluded the “King of Strong Style.”

Honestly, Nakamura was never leaving Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse as champion. He’s never going to win a world title in WWE, but that’s not the issue.

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‘Kayfabe’ is Now in the Dictionary

Professional wrestling might not be real, but the word defined to protect it is now a real word you can find in the dictionary.

Merriam-Webster released its latest update on Friday for September 2023. 690 words, acronyms, and definitions were added to America’s most trusted and respected dictionary.

Goated, Mid, Padawan, Simp, Bracketology, ngl, and Kayfabe are some of the words now officially recognized by the famed publisher.

Diehard enthusiasts who follow wrestling are aware of many behind-the-scenes terms. Kayfabe protects the suspension of disbelief for the audience.

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Adam Copeland is All Elite

WWE Hall of Famer fka Edge, now using his real name Adam Copeland, is the newest signee to AEW. Copeland debuted at WrestleDream in Seattle, Washington, on Sunday evening following the main event, where Christian Cage defeated Darby Allin in a two out of three falls match to retain the TNT title.

Christian, Luchasaurs, and Nick Wayne, who turned on Allin, laid out Allin and Sting. Christian was about to deliver a conchairto to Sting when the lights went out, and a Grindhouse video played of a man in a leather jacket driving down the highway and over the words “Rated R Superstar” as fireworks emerged from a nearby stadium.

The familiar “You think you know me” followed by the iconic Alter Bridge song ‘Metalingus’ blasted from the speakers as Copeland emerged and did his WWE entrance and pyro deal on the way to the ring.

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The Rock Makes Suprise Appearance on SmackDown

The Rock made a surprise appearance on Friday’s SmackDown. Oh, Pat McAfee was there, too, but it was all about “The Great One.”

McAfee opened the show and was interrupted by Austin Theory, who insulted the people and proclaimed that SmackDown was his show. McAfee reminded him that SmackDown is the people’s show, which brought out The Rock.

In a call back to the 3/25/02 episode of Raw, which hosted the inaugural WWE Draft, The Rock had one side of the crowd say “YOU’RE” and the other side yell “AN ASS***” at Theory.

Eventually, a quick brawl ensued where The Rock drilled Theory with a spinebuster and people’s elbow. The segment ended with The Rock coaching McAfee to hit Theory with a people’s elbow of his own.

Ringside Logic stands with the writers and actors of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. No movies being filmed meant The Rock got to play in WWE’s sandbox again.

The crowd pop when The Rock’s music hit was otherworldly. Yes, a surprise appearance from Hollywood’s biggest star will blow out a few speakers. An advertised appearance would have nearly been as loud, if not the same.

Why?

It’s the difference between a wrestler and an attraction. Larger-than-life personalities sell tickets. Every wrestler should aspire to be as over as The Rock and leg slapping won’t get it done.

Gunther Becomes the Longest-Reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion

History was made last Friday when Gunther became the longest-reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion of all time. Friday was day 455, topping the Honky Tonk Man’s 36-year record.

Honky Tonk Man won the title from Ricky Steamboat in June 1987 and lost it to the Ultimate Warrior at the inaugural SummerSlam in 1988.

Gunther beat Ricochet on the June 10, 2022 edition of SmackDown to win the title. In the main event of the 9/4/23 episode of Raw, Gunther defeated Chad Gable to ensure he would break the record.

Seeing a dominant wrestler carry the workhorse title to record-breaking success is nice. Honky Tonk Man could draw more heat than a furnace on Elm Street. However, his work in the ring looked too phony to take him seriously.

I know, I know, that was the point.

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WWE SummerSlam 2023 Review

The last time SummerSlam graced the Motor City, Rodney Anoa’i, aka Yokozuna, escaped the star-spangled power of the Lex Express to preserve his WWE Championship reign. Thirty years later, Tribal Combat is set to engulf The Bloodline as another Anoa’i in the form of Roman Reigns puts his WWE Undisputed Universal Title on the line against his cousin Jey Uso.

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Did Bobby Heenan Spoil Hulk Hogan’s Heel Turn?

Who is the third man? It was the biggest mystery in professional wrestling when twenty-seven years ago, 250,000 households ordered WCW Bash at the Beach on pay-per-view.

Speculation was white hot about who would join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, the aptly named Outsiders, who seemingly represented promotional competitor WWF in their crusade to take over WCW.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage, Lex Luger, and Sting would symbolically lose the first battle in what became a multi-year war to Hall, Nash, and their “surprise buddy,” Hulk Hogan. And Bobby “The Brain” Heenan ruined the whole thing.

But did he?

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Wrestling’s Star Spangled Couture

Happy 4th of July, everyone. Before I grill up some burgers and hot dogs, I thought it would be good idea to look at some of the star spangled fashion choices made by wrestlers over the years.

Some wrestlers, like our cover model Kurt Angle is always clad in the stars and stripes. Others break out their patriotism on special occasions.

Let’s look at eight wrestlers who in one form or another, applied old glory to their in-ring aesthetic.

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WWE Money in the Bank 2023: Uso Pins Reigns In Tag Team Thriller

Whoever said, “A bad day in London is still better than a good day anywhere else,” doesn’t go by the name Roman Reigns.

The Bloodline Civil War tag team encounter pitting The Usos against Solo Sikoa and Roman Reigns headlined WWE Money in the Bank on Saturday from the O2 Arena in London, England.

The Square Mile deserved a historical moment for its first worldwide PLE in over 30 years, and they got one. Roman Reigns suffered his first pinfall loss since losing to Baron Corbin at TLC in 2019.

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